Page 8 of A Taste of Paradise

Now she grinned, quietly confident, adjusting the cuffs on her blazer as she stood outside his suite at 8 a.m. The garment hugged her curves and accentuated the midi-length skirt she was wearing. The hourglass shape so many other women coveted could be a curse and a blessing – especially when it came to shopping. When pants fit Erin’s hips, they swam around her waist. When a dress fit her more pronounced curves, the middle was like a balloon. She had eventually given up and now had all of her work clothing tailored. It simply made life easier. She took a deep breath and knocked on Daniel MacKenzie’s door, then stood back, shaking her head and arms loose like a boxer before a fight, as she waited for a response from inside. She didn’t have to wait long. Less than a minute later the door opened.

And Erin’s mind promptly went blank.

He was standing there in midnight-blue jeans and no shirt, a towel draped around his neck. She wasn’t sure when the lump had formed in her throat, but now she struggled to swallow it down, only vaguely aware that her mouth was slightly agape. He was … magnificent. A lean, strong torso rose upwards to a firm chest and was capped by toned, defined arms. As he breathed, the muscles of his abdomen lifted and fell rhythmically. It was almost mesmerising. And how the hell did guys get that irresistible v-cut at the cusp of their hips?

‘You’re staring again.’

‘I uh …’ Blushing furiously, Erin fumbled as she was once again caught out. She pressed her fingertips lightly to her temple as she tried to remember precisely what she was going to say. ‘I’m sorry, it’s … I didn’t expect …’ Her lack of vocabulary only seemed to amuse him as he stood in the doorway, grinning.

Get a hold of yourself. He’s an important business opportunity, that’s all. Business.

Taking a deep breath, Erin attempted to refocus on the task at hand. ‘Sorry about that, Mr MacKenzie. What I meant to say was that I’d like to invite you to join me for breakfast this morning, if you’re free?’ She continued cheerily, ‘I took the liberty of reserving a table at Azure, one of our finest restaurants. Best seat in the house,’ she emphasised jauntily, as she forced her gaze to stay on his face and not the faint line running up from beneath the waist of his jeans. ‘Ready to go?’

‘Could I maybe have a minute to put a shirt on at least?’ he teased.

‘Yes, probably a good idea. You may cause a bit of a stir if you go down like that. Our older guests aren’t used to shirtless men roaming around. The beach maybe, but not inside.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t want to give any little old ladies a heart attack.’

Looking like that, you very well might.

‘No, we wouldn’t want that. Can you imagine the headlines? “Resort guest keels over at the sight of beefcake’s biceps.”’ They laughed in unison this time, and Erin felt a slight weight lift from her shoulders and brushed off her nerves. ‘Shall I wait for you downstairs in the lobby?’

‘No, I’ll only be a minute. Come in,’ he offered, as he stepped back into the room and pushed the door open further to allow her in.

The Hummingbird Suite was aptly named. Situated in the Sanctuary wing to remind their eco-conscious guest of the resort’s highly favourable position adjacent to the nature reserve, the view from these rooms offered a breathtaking outlook along the coast and across the bay with the Pitons standing sentinel against the backdrop of a cornsilk-blue sky. A sight that typically only the birds were lucky to have the privilege of, but thanks to the expert design of the hotel’s original architect, it was also a view enjoyed uninhibited by guests on that particular wing. While the fifty-odd-year-old property was truly ancient compared to most of the luxurious sleek glass and steel hotels on this coast, The Palms’ original design was, in Erin’s opinion, a stroke of pure genius.

In general, the beach-facing common areas side of the resort had no walls, no glass, or indeed anything between the rooms’ occupants and the surrounding landscape. In fact, on the upper floors, it was premeditated so that you literally felt as if you were standing on treetops when on the edge of the terrace, yet you also never got wet with any passing rain showers. Three tiered floors allowed for perfect cover while allowing a flawless portrait of St Lucia’s most famed tropical topography to stretch out ahead.

‘Have you worked here long?’ Mack’s voice broke into her mental musings.

‘This is my first official week on the job,’ she admitted.

‘Really? Your first week?’ His voice wafted from the suite’s bathroom.

‘Cross my heart and hope to die,’ she joked.

‘Now why would I wish for that?’ he answered, the hollow echo of the bathroom suddenly absent. She turned and found him standing mere feet away. ‘We’ve only just met. I’ve barely even gotten a chance to know you.’

Erin felt the same flutter in her stomach she’d experienced that first day on the mountain and quickly changed the subject, conscious she needed to get a handle on it. ‘Well, you’ll have plenty of time to do that over breakfast. Shall we?’

Strictly business, she warned herself.

But as she walked ahead of Mack down the hall, Erin knew that would be easier said than done.

The Azure restaurant was also the picture of rustic elegance, dripping in colonial Caribbean charm. The dark-wood floors and lush potted palms dotted throughout gave a feeling of tropical flamboyance, while fragments of pastel colours on the tablecloths reflected the vibrancy of the island itself. A mix which when melded with the picturesque view of the azure ocean effortlessly created a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that made a curious mix of wanting to sit there all day and breathe in the views, and an equal desire to get out into nature. Erin and Mack’s table was situated on the far end of the outdoor deck, overlooking the tropical gardens. A gloriously huge frangipani tree grew up through the middle of it, its long limbs covered in white flowers extending up beyond the canopy overhead.

It was one of the reasons Erin had chosen this restaurant, instead of any of the others at the hotel. The Azure was the perfect showcase of how the resort fit into nature and didn’t seek to alter it too much, something she was certain Mack’s eco-loving customer demographic would surely adore.

Paradise in a nutshell.

Breakfast was fruit, pastries and coffee for Erin, while he braved the local delicacies to try fricasseed codfish with bakes – a floured pastry that reminded her of a large, deep-fried flatbread, coupled with slices of fried plantain.

Once the meal and a little idle small talk were finished, she sensed the mood was right, and with her back against the water so that Mack could focus on the beauty of the ocean and coastline behind, Erin made her pitch. She highlighted all of The Palms’ positives; its unique setting alongside the nature reserve, how its rustic decor and authentic cultural cuisine were the perfect offering for the ecotourist looking for understated luxury, while also getting a taste of island life. Pointing out how the resort’s exclusive clientele could only add to his own business’s growing reputation, thereby profiting them both. Erin pulled out every stop and flawlessly checked every box she’d gone over during rehearsal, and when she was finished she was sure she had him. Not a single doubt in her mind.

Until Mack’s jaw clenched and a small scoff escaped.

‘You’re the one they sent, huh?’ The comment caught her off-guard, and taking advantage of her bewilderment he continued, shaking his head. ‘The pencil-pushing, bottom-line highlighting, why-you-should-partner-with-us marketing whizz.’ The tone of his voice rose slightly. ‘You know, I should have suspected something before now. I should’ve known this place would be like all the others, trying to get me to pick them out of the line-up.’ He looked at her with marked disdain that was like a slap to the face. ‘Worst part is, because of its heritage, I thought this place really was different, not your usual run-of-the-mill chain stuff. But you and your honchos only want access to my client base. That’s it. You guys don’t care a whit about environmental impact or sustainability. It’s all about the bottom line for you, isn’t it?’ He folded his napkin and tossed it onto the table as he pushed up from his seat.