Read Online Just a Fling by Olivia Noble - Free Book Online Page B

driven one when she was younger, and
it had always given her a feeling of security. Sitting in a Hummer
made her feel like she owned the road, and nothing could touch
her—like she was a Queen driving into battle with a tank. It was a
silly reason to like a car, but she enjoyed the fantasy.
    “You’re welcome,” Nicole said happily as she
shoved their suitcases into the trunk. She moved around the car and
jumped into the passenger seat. “I forgot that it’s the bigger the
better for you!” she shouted.
    Eva chuckled as she opened the door on the
driver’s side . “You know how I like ’em,” she said lightly. She
adjusted her mirrors, beginning to feel better about the excursion
with each passing minute. “I hope this weather clears up so we can
hit the beach. I could go for a swim.”
    “Woot!” Nicole exclaimed. “What are you
waiting for? Put the pedal to the metal, girlfriend. I need to get
some liquor inside me, stat.” She winked suggestively. “And then
some other things.”
    “I’m sure you’ll get plenty,” Eva said with
a grin. She looked around for a moment before turning the key in
the ignition. The palm trees swayed in the wind and heavy rain. She
could appreciate the primal beauty of it all, and she had to admit
she was enjoying the new atmosphere. It was a nice change from
concrete and skyscrapers.
    Nicole had not wasted a minute in plugging
the hotel’s address into their GPS. Eva was pleased to see that
that their destination was not too far away. She was looking
forward to getting settled in and changing out of her tight jeans
and into something a little more free and airy.
     
    * * *
     
    “Is this the place?” Eva asked with
surprise.
    “Yep. I was hoping your jaw would drop,”
Nicole said in satisfaction.
    Eva could only stare at the gorgeous hotel.
She had left all the event planning to Nicole, and the feisty
dark-haired woman did not disappoint. The structure looked like a
fairytale castle. Eva was sure that it was designed that way to
tempt vulnerable patrons into spending more of their money. She
made a mental note that she would not allow Nicole to pressure her
into gambling. Massages and fine dining would be lovely, but she
had already spent enough on this vacation and could not afford to
lose any more at the blackjack tables. She had heavy student loans
that she would need to be repaying soon.
    Still, the beautiful, palace-like building,
surrounded by the exotic tropical greenery, was almost too
enchanting to resist. Eva knew she had to be careful. A place like
this could lure her into doing all sorts of things she wouldn’t
normally do. Gambling might be the least of her worries.
    Eva tried to stop gawking at the hotel long
enough to drive the into the valet parking area. She was still in a
daze when a kind-looking young man opened up her door.
    “Welcome to the Regal Towers!” he exclaimed
enthusiastically. “My name’s Tim. If you could just hand me your
keys, we’ll get your bags moved up to your room. I hope you enjoy
your stay!” He spoke like someone that really loved his job, even
though it was such a humble one.
    Eva found his enthusiasm infectious and
smiled brightly as she handed the keys over. “Why thank you,
Tim.”
    Several people walked over to the Hummer and
opened up the trunk to retrieve the luggage and put it on a cart.
Although it was difficult, the girls had restricted themselves to
only one small carry-on of luggage each. They figured that they
could go shopping at local boutiques if they were missing anything
important.
    Eva moved to Nicole’s side, trying not to
betray how excited she was growing.
    “Come on,” Nicole whispered, linking arms
with her friend and tugging her through the glass doors that were
being held open by a bellhop. “This is going to be great. I can
feel it.”
    “You might be right,” Eva said.
    The two women walked to the front desk where
an elderly gentleman stood. His piercing eyes scanned the foyer as
if he