A Fresh Start (2 page)

Some time later, they stirred themselves and
headed for the shower. They took turns soaping each other, then he
washed her hair, massaging her scalp and kissing her while he did
so.

“I could get used to this,” Samantha told
him.

“That’s my plan,” Luke said, getting out of
the shower. He grabbed a towel and started rubbing her skin with
it. When he was finished, she did the same to him and ended up on
the floor at his feet. She looked up at him and got a sparkle in
her eye.

“Hmm. This is interesting,” she said, and
proceeded to tease him into erectness. She scratched his scrotum
with her fingernails gently, then swirled her tongue around the tip
of his penis.

“Damn,” Luke exclaimed softly. She smiled up
at him, then proceeded to take him into her mouth. Once he started
pumping his hips, she stopped and stood up, then ran into the
bedroom. He stood there for a moment, then smiled and followed
her.

Samantha lay on the bed, reclining on her
elbows with one knee bent. He went to her, smoothed a hand up her
leg, then turned her so her legs were off the bed. He put her legs
over his shoulders and went to work with his tongue and hands until
she was nearly screaming, then stood and said, “I could use a
nap.”

She lifted her head off the bed with a glazed
look in her eyes, got off the bed, and punched him in the shoulder.
He laughed, wrapped his arms around her, and fell on the bed,
twisting as he landed to avoid hurting her.

The next several days rushed past in a
sensual haze. They walked on the beach, made love in the surf by
the light of the moon, and talked for hours. Too soon, she had to
leave.

****

They said goodbye in her room, and she shed a
few tears. They exchanged numbers, and she headed downstairs to her
cab. As she rode to the airport, she sat with her forehead against
the window, trying to remember why she couldn’t stay with Luke.

Back in Michigan, she put aside her
heartbreak during the day in order to find a job. The economy was
not conducive to a job search, but she poured her heart and soul
into it. She sent out resumes, visited online job sites, and
attended job fairs. But she could never put Luke completely out of
her mind, which made the nights seem endless.

One month after returning to Michigan, she
received a phone call for an interview with a large hotel chain.
She had applied for a job as a desk clerk, hoping to at least pay
the rent and put food on the table until something more in line
with her business degree came along. The human resources specialist
she spoke to said that the clerk’s job was taken, but would
Samantha be interested in a job in hotel management?

“Of course,” Samantha said. “I have
experience in business management, and I have worked in the travel
industry before.” She made an appointment for the following day at
their corporate offices in Grand Rapids. Thankfully, it was only a
short commute from Plainwell where she lived.

****

The next day, she went to the interview
feeling confident and hopeful. She sat down with Mr. Hayes and
answered his questions readily, and left with a relaxed attitude
she hoped boded well for the job.

****

She spent the rest of her week trying not to
listen for the phone to ring. She couldn’t have said whether she
was waiting for Luke to call or Mr. Hayes.

Friday night, she decided to go out with
friends. She called Susan and Cathy and invited them to go out to
dinner. They agreed to meet at their favorite Mexican restaurant.
At six, Samantha walked into La Cantina and spotted her friends.
They spent the evening sipping margaritas and eating fajitas, then
went their separate ways, promising to meet again soon.

When Monday came around, Samantha decided it
was time to stop waiting.
Seize the day,
she thought to
herself. She dialed the number Luke had given her, but she got his
voice mail. Deciding not to leave him a message, she quickly hung
up. Then she called Mr. Hayes. She thanked him for the interview
and asked if there was anything else he would like to know about
her.

“No, I think I have enough information,” he
said. “I do have a question for you, though. When would you like to
start?”

“I can start tomorrow if you would like,” she
said, trying to sound calm.

Mr. Hayes laughed. “How’s a week from today?
The president of the company will be here then, and he would like
to handle your orientation personally.”

“I’m honored. Of course, Monday would be just
fine. Thank you.” Samantha hung up the phone and started dancing
around her apartment. I did it! she thought giddily. Oh my God!
What am I going to wear? She stopped, grabbed her car keys and
purse, and ran out the door.

She drove to Grand Rapids and visited her
favorite department store, Macy’s. She picked out a whole new work
wardrobe, thinking she would need more business clothing than she
had at her last job, and she spent a few hours finding just the
right pieces. She spent another hour picking out shoes, then put
her bags in the car and went back to the food court for lunch.
After lunch she decided to spend some time wandering around the
mall. After a while, she found herself looking at a window display
filled with sand and bikini-clad mannequins. She sighed, thinking
she would probably never see Luke again unless she took another
vacation to Fiji.

****

Monday morning dawned bright and warm.
Samantha dressed with care in a bright pink top that made her think
of her sarong and gave her courage to face the day ahead. She wore
a gray suit and heels and pulled her hair back into a loose bun.
After she applied her makeup, she examined the entire look in the
mirror and nodded at herself, satisfied. Professional but
approachable, she told herself.

****

She met Mr. Hayes at his office to fill out
paperwork, then followed him to the elevator and up three floors.
Mr. Hayes gave her some background on her new employer as they
went. “Mr. Miller is a very private person, so no personal
questions. Take notes and ask questions about the company and the
job. He likes to see that.”

They reached a reception area, and Mr. Hayes
waved at the woman behind the desk before leading Samantha to a
large door. He knocked, then opened the door. Samantha preceded him
into Mr. Miller’s office, then gasped. Behind the desk, looking
dangerous in a black suit, was Luke. He looked up from the papers
in front of him and grinned at her. “Hi, Samantha. Mike.” Mr. Hayes
smiled and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind
him.

“What the hell is going on?” Samantha said
furiously. “What are you doing here?”

Luke held his hands up. “Please, sit down,
Samantha.”

Samantha sat down, blinking rapidly to keep
from crying. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling yet, but betrayal
was lurking in there somewhere.

Luke leaned against the front of his desk. “I
own this hotel chain. I was visiting the Fiji hotel when one of the
employees got sick. So I filled in. When I saw you…I couldn’t help
myself. I had to meet you. Then I fell in love with you, and things
got complicated. When I came across your resume, I couldn’t believe
it. Fate definitely had a hand in this.”

Samantha shook her head. “You own the hotel
chain? You’re not a cabana boy?”

Luke laughed. “I’m not a cabana boy, although
I’d be willing to wait on you again if you like.”

Samantha stood up and began to pace. “So
where does this leave us now? And what about the job? Is there even
a job?”

Luke sobered. “Yes, there is a job and you
are the most qualified candidate for the job. However, I was hoping
you would agree to marry me instead.”

She looked at him, tears running unchecked
down her cheeks. “Really?”

He walked over to her, grasped her hands in
his, lowered himself to his right knee, and pulled a small box from
his pocket. “Samantha, I love you. Will you marry me?”

Samantha nodded. “Just try and stop me.”

###

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