masterful. Leandra sank into his touch as his fingers and knuckles loosened her muscles and inhibitions. Her breathing slowed, and she fought to stay awake. Nick said, âJust relax,â and that was it. Oblivion.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Leandra woke up to street sounds, some men yammering in Thai and a car horn. She jerked upright and checked the time. It was two P.M. Sheâd slept for twelve hours. âNick?â she called out. No answer.
Damn. She must have fallen asleep last night while he gave her the massage. He probably realized she was out for the count, and left her to sleep off her jet lag. Heâd even pulled the sheets up, thoughtfully. She was surprised he didnât stay. And why hadnât he called her room to wake her up for the long-tail boat ride? It was way past lunchtime. They probably went without her. Leandra decided to clean herself up, get something to eat, and go back to the Baray to track down her friends. She jumped in the shower, and stayed there for about forty-five minutes until the water ran cold, which annoyed her. What kind of hotel ran out of hot water? Three stars? In New York, itâd be lucky to get half a cockroach.
While she showered, Leandra planned her outfit. Sheâd wear her rainbow-striped bikini under a gray sleeveless shirtdress. Itâd be a great reveal. Conservative dress and then, BAM!, a teeny bikini in bright colors. Her espadrilles got a workout last night with all that walking, and didnât look so great in daylight. Sheâd wear her silver sandals and bangles.
All dried off, Leandra went to the closet. Sheâd painstakingly hung up all her clothes yesterday so they didnât get wrinkled. But when she opened the closet door, it was empty.
She turned around, looking for her hard-shell silver suitcase at the foot of the bed. Maybe a maid put her stuff back into the suitcase? Why the hell would she do that? And when? Sheâd been in the room all day. Leandra couldnât find the suitcase either. It wasnât under the bed, or anywhere in the room.
In fact, nothing was in the room besides the furniture and other stuff that was bolted down. It seemed embarrassingly sparse, but then again, Leandra had thought that much when she got a first look at it before she unpacked.
Her bag with her wallet and phone and the key to the room safe ⦠where the fuck was that? She tore the room apart, hunted every inch, but it wasnât there. Shaking with pure adrenaline, Leandra lurched back to the closet and checked the safe. The little key was in the lock, and the door was slightly ajar. She swung it open and found a black, empty space.
Her moneyâthe $3,000 her parents gave her, plus another $1,000 of her own savingsâ gone .
Her passportâ gone .
The diamond and gold jewelry sheâd packed to catch the eye of wealthy menâ gone .
Her open-return plane ticketâ gone .
Leandra had been cleaned out. Everything sheâd brought with her was stolen while she slept. Wearing just a towel, she ran out to the front desk and started screaming. A housekeeper and the concierge, a different woman from yesterday, followed her back to her room. Neither of them spoke English, but Leandra was able to get her message across. They looked around, as if theyâd be able to find the stuff that was clearly gone.
âYours?â asked the maid, holding Leandraâs iPhone.
It was hidden in the bedsheets. She must have fallen asleep right on top of it. Leandra grabbed it and hugged it to her chest. It wasnât much, but it was something.
Leandra said, âWhat the fuck kind of security do you have here? Can anyone walk in and rob your guests blind? Itâs an outrage! I should sue!â Her rant about lax security went on for a while. The housekeeper and concierge nodded and grew smaller with every angry word they didnât understand. Someone came in with a beach sarong for Leandra to wear. Someone
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Leandra woke up to street sounds, some men yammering in Thai and a car horn. She jerked upright and checked the time. It was two P.M. Sheâd slept for twelve hours. âNick?â she called out. No answer.
Damn. She must have fallen asleep last night while he gave her the massage. He probably realized she was out for the count, and left her to sleep off her jet lag. Heâd even pulled the sheets up, thoughtfully. She was surprised he didnât stay. And why hadnât he called her room to wake her up for the long-tail boat ride? It was way past lunchtime. They probably went without her. Leandra decided to clean herself up, get something to eat, and go back to the Baray to track down her friends. She jumped in the shower, and stayed there for about forty-five minutes until the water ran cold, which annoyed her. What kind of hotel ran out of hot water? Three stars? In New York, itâd be lucky to get half a cockroach.
While she showered, Leandra planned her outfit. Sheâd wear her rainbow-striped bikini under a gray sleeveless shirtdress. Itâd be a great reveal. Conservative dress and then, BAM!, a teeny bikini in bright colors. Her espadrilles got a workout last night with all that walking, and didnât look so great in daylight. Sheâd wear her silver sandals and bangles.
All dried off, Leandra went to the closet. Sheâd painstakingly hung up all her clothes yesterday so they didnât get wrinkled. But when she opened the closet door, it was empty.
She turned around, looking for her hard-shell silver suitcase at the foot of the bed. Maybe a maid put her stuff back into the suitcase? Why the hell would she do that? And when? Sheâd been in the room all day. Leandra couldnât find the suitcase either. It wasnât under the bed, or anywhere in the room.
In fact, nothing was in the room besides the furniture and other stuff that was bolted down. It seemed embarrassingly sparse, but then again, Leandra had thought that much when she got a first look at it before she unpacked.
Her bag with her wallet and phone and the key to the room safe ⦠where the fuck was that? She tore the room apart, hunted every inch, but it wasnât there. Shaking with pure adrenaline, Leandra lurched back to the closet and checked the safe. The little key was in the lock, and the door was slightly ajar. She swung it open and found a black, empty space.
Her moneyâthe $3,000 her parents gave her, plus another $1,000 of her own savingsâ gone .
Her passportâ gone .
The diamond and gold jewelry sheâd packed to catch the eye of wealthy menâ gone .
Her open-return plane ticketâ gone .
Leandra had been cleaned out. Everything sheâd brought with her was stolen while she slept. Wearing just a towel, she ran out to the front desk and started screaming. A housekeeper and the concierge, a different woman from yesterday, followed her back to her room. Neither of them spoke English, but Leandra was able to get her message across. They looked around, as if theyâd be able to find the stuff that was clearly gone.
âYours?â asked the maid, holding Leandraâs iPhone.
It was hidden in the bedsheets. She must have fallen asleep right on top of it. Leandra grabbed it and hugged it to her chest. It wasnât much, but it was something.
Leandra said, âWhat the fuck kind of security do you have here? Can anyone walk in and rob your guests blind? Itâs an outrage! I should sue!â Her rant about lax security went on for a while. The housekeeper and concierge nodded and grew smaller with every angry word they didnât understand. Someone came in with a beach sarong for Leandra to wear. Someone
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