High Stakes Seduction - Book 2 Read Online Free

the room, as small as it was.
    One bed.
    One, single, queen-sized bed. My heart pounding in my throat, I took a deep breath as I turned to face Antonio. The moment of truth.
    He had stepped in behind me with our carry-on bags. He set his briefcase and computer on the queen bed and smiled over at me.
    "Don't look so worried," he said, laughing as he handed me my overnight case. He stepped past me, through a door I thought led to the balcony. "I'll let you have the private suite."
    Private suite? I followed him through the doorway, surprised to see it led to a small sitting area, complete with sofa, television and a small desk. The mini-fridge was set next to the desk, and it even had a small wet bar.
    On the table stood an ice bucket chilling a bottle of champagne, with a festive basket of fresh fruit sitting nearby.
    The far wall was floor-to-ceiling windows, opening out to the ocean.
    "Oh, a balcony!"
    Antonio laughed, "Veranda, technically, but yes, our own private outdoor area."
    "Is this what all the rooms are like?" I swept my eyes around the charming self-contained suite. Nice, compact, not overly ostentatious. I must have sounded like a breathless school girl, but honestly, it was all so new, and I didn't know what to expect.
    "Oh, it depends. This is about mid-grade. Every ship has a variety of rooms, everything from a simple one bed room, all the way up to high-level penthouse suites with multiple bedrooms. Are you disappointed?"
    I shook my head. Disappointed? How could I be?
    "Good. If there'd been more time, we'd have had one of the penthouses. But this was a last minute trip, and I used my influence with the cruise line to get us this instead of a single room. We were lucky it was available."
    Antonio opened a door on our left, giving a small flourish with his hand. "Your suite, my lady," he smiled at me with those sultry, teasing eyes. The room held two double beds and a bath. In one corner there was a tiny make-up sitting area that could double as a desk.
    I'm sure my face registered my relief. I couldn't help it. I mean, I knew the circumstances of why I was here. And this man made my heart pound every time I was around him. But still, I'd hoped to not have to face everything too early on.
    “Here.” Antonio reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “This is for you.”
    He handed me a card, along with a key to the room.
    I stared at the flat piece of plastic in his hand.
    “It’s a pre-paid credit card, good anywhere onboard the ship. I’ll be pretty busy for much of the trip—especially these first few days. I want to make sure you enjoy yourself.”
    I took the card. “Enjoy myself?”
    “Yes,” he said, his lip curving up into that teasing little smile of his. “Enjoy yourself. I'm sure you're feeling rushed. Everything about this trip has been rushed, even for me." He glanced at his watch. "And that means right now I've got other things to attend to. So, please forgive me, but I need to leave you on your own for a while. I'll see you this evening around five. We have the early seating for dinner.”
    And with that, he turned and walked out of the room leaving me to stare after him. I heard the outside door click shut, then looked down at the card still held in my outstretched hand.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    I traced a finger along the railing, gazing out over the water at the pristine sapphire waves. We’d set sail about two hours earlier. After the luggage arrived, it hadn't taken me long to unpack.
    But, sitting in the room by myself, wondering about Antonio's swift retreat and what that might portend for the rest of the cruise wasn't my idea of a good time. Some small part of me wondered if I’d somehow already done something wrong. It didn't seem likely, and I was probably over-thinking everything in my nervousness, so I decided a walk would be the best thing to clear my head.
    The fresh air felt good against my skin. And the sunshine certainly helped my mood. I was glad Maria had