People in the elevator looked at her and the towel as if she was an idiot. She didn't understand it, after all, what was she supposed to do? Enter back at the hotel dripping?
When she arrived at the pool, a blond tall, and strong man raised his glass of coquetel to her. He was wearing a short and sunglasses. Only that. His hair was a bit messy, in a good way. She could see his chest, so muscled. Fuck! She waved at him and received bad looks from a few women around. Of course, they were looking down at her. After all, she was not as stunning as the man she was about to sit with.
"Good morning, Camilla!" He said, playful.
"Good morning." She said almost whispering, looking around a bit shy.
"Take off your clothes. I want to see that bikini on you." She couldn't see his eyes, but the smirk already told her he was being naughty.
She obeyed him. He moved with his finger, asking her to turn 360°. So she did.
"Put that clothes back on. Now!" She was stunned.
"But you told me t-"
He got up abruptly and held her arm, making her follow him. He was not using force, so, no physical harm, but he was furious.
"What has gotten into you?" She asked, freeing her arm from his grip.
"I saw other men looking at you. What do you thought I should have done?" She was looking at him in disbelieve.
"You're making no sense. It is like you're jealous."
"What if I am? I asked you to try to date ME!"
"So what? I am still working for you. We are not dating. I said I was gonna think about it."
He took off his sunglasses and approached her. His presence was too much for her to handle, so, she went backward.
"Miss Bakers, let me be clear. You and I are dating. We just can't make it official until you finish this damn work."
"We are dating? I said I was going to think ab-" His finger on her lips made her stop talking.
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that, and I'll be very sincere with you: I don't like to share. You and I are in that stage of flirting. So, I don't want no man trying to court you. Back at the day we met, when you answered me so furious and hit me with your bag, I knew I had to be know you better."
He was now a mere inch from her mouth.
"Are you going to say you fell for me when I hit you? That's weird. Are you a masochistic?" She mocked.
"I don't know if 'fell for' is the right term. But I absolutely can affirm you had my attention. And believe me, women hardly so that, not like this. I may feel like fucking them, but not knowing them at all. They need to try harder, but not you. I wanna explore this. I don't like to waste time and that is why I am telling you this. I hate those games. I like to be straightforward."
She said nothing because she didn't know what to say. He was not lying to her, so, it was a good sign. But he was a powerful man and had no reason to feel so attracted by a woman like her.
"I need you to give me some space, okay? I like you, I won't deny it. You deserve my sincerity since you gave this to me. But I have never been in a relationship and: one, you just broke up and two, it is your family pressure that is making you so eager to date, and that make me wanna run away from you."
He nodded as if understanding. She wasn't wrong. Getting into a relationship with another person that just came out of an almost engagement so soon and was hurt, like he was, was a bad move.
"I want to talk to you about me and what happened between Claire and I. And I am sorry for being so invasive. I am used to get what I want, when I want, how I want. But, if I want to try to have it seriously, I must respect you. And I will try. I promise you." He put his own hand on his chest.
She nodded and made a move with her hands, asking him to give her some space. He did it.
"Ah, I'll go change and we can talk better and I am ready for the check out."
"Before that, please, let's eat something. I prevented you from having breakfast. But," he looked at his wrist watch "we still have time. Come on." He offered his hand and she took it.
*FLASHBACK*
After Alex left the hotel room and reached the lobby, that night, he heard a buzz outside the Hotel. Before he stepped outside, he went to the manager and asked what was happening.
The man, instead of telling him, he showed his phone screen. A few pictures of Alex and Camilla entering the building, holding hands, were all over the internet. Alex cursed. He gave the phone back to the manager and called Jared, asking the man to park right outside. He thought about getting out through the back door, but if any paparazzi was in there, more scandals, so he took a deep breath and stepped out of the hotel.
"Mr. Strauss, who is the beautiful woman?"
"Mr. Strauss, is she your new affair?"
"What about Claire Wilson? Did you cheat on her with this new lady?"
Alex got inside the car without answering any of the questions and just shouted at Jared: Drive!
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why couldn't he have one minute of peace? He passed his hand through his blonde hair. Now people would say he cheated on Claire when it was the contrary! He was reckless. But, no problem. Camilla was working for the marketing company and that could be proven. So, he just had to clarify this. As soon as he reached the house he was saying – yes, because he had not got back to his apartment after the broke up with Claire. He stayed in another house he owned, but he would have to solve this problem first thing in the morning -, he would post about it. He would also post about his relationship with Claire and the reason why it was over. There was no way in hell he would let her have this advantage over him!
On his way to the house, he closed his eyes and remembered Camilla's face. She was so beautiful. Long and wavy chestnut hair, so silky. Her eyelashes were long and full, her mouth was asking to be kissed and her skin was soft and so fair it was almost translucent. He fought the urge to ask Jared to return to the hotel, so he could try to sleep with her. Although, he knew better.
Maybe she was sent by Heaven because she came into his life almost at the same moment Claire left it. Speaking of this, he would ask his assistant to send the woman a message to be sure if her belongings were no longer at his apartment. If not, he would ask security to shoo her out.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
*
Michael Hopper was sitting on his desk, in his house, when his daughter came in.
"Dad, isn't that your employee?" Alicia held her phone and was turning it, so her father could take a look at the screen.
Michael took a look and yes, that was Camilla, no doubt. What the hell was she doing with Alex Strauss in one of his hotels?
"Baby girl, let me handle it." He said and Alicia knew he was asking her to leave.
"Hey, don't be harsh on her. She is a nice woman and you know that. Be nice while speaking, dad. Sometimes you jump to conclusions." She asked.
"I know how to deal with my employees, Alicia." He answered, serious, but at the same time, kindly to his daughter.
"I know. But, be nice. Remember she is a great worker. And if she is with Mr. Strauss, you don't want to get into this fight, right?" She knew her father would never be mean to any of his best clients. He took a deep breath and called Camilla.
Camilla asked Alex to wait a bit before they went to the restaurant to have breakfast, for she needed to use the restroom. When she had just washed her hands, her phone buzzied.
"Hello?"
"Miss Bakers, where are you?" Hopper said on the other line of the phone. By his tone, Camilla knew he was holding back something.
"Ah, I am at the Hotel of Mr. Strauss. He asked me to spend a night here, so I could write with propriety about it. For the marketing." She spoke very fast. She had forgotten to tell him about it and she was afraid he would think she was just being lazy on her work. Until that moment, she had not spoken to him about the assignment after Alex asked for changes.
"Aaah, I see. It's okay, then. Hope you can write good things about the Hotel. Bye!" He hung up and Camilla looked at her phone. What was that about?
When she left the restroom, Alex was there, waiting for her. He decided to tell her about all the gossip around them.
"Ah, I have to tell you about some gossip." He told her. He then showed her the pictures of them both and what the news was saying. Now Camilla understood the meaning of Hopper's call.
"Oh, my God! They think I am your mistress!" She covered her mouth and looked around her.
"Don't worry. I already posted a reply to this and explained my breakup with Claire. So, you're good."
"Thanks. But, anyway, they will talk again, if I date you." She reminded him.
"Ah, as you will work for me, first, it will give them time to understand that when two people are so close to each other, romance might happen." He shrugged his shoulders and he was also smirking.
"You think about everything, don't you?" She asked him.
"Yeah, that is why I am so successful. Please, take no longer than a week to be done with this assignment. I want to have you, as mine.
"I'll give my best." She answered, giving his a false smile.