Dark Shadows (Gia Santella Crime Thrillers Book 11) by Kristi Belcamino (best motivational novels txt) 📗

“Really rich people?”

“What?” I said, confused.

“Because only slightly rich people rent the villa you’re staying in. Please,” he scoffed.

“I know. It’s absurd. Trust me. I know.”

Then he side-eyed me.

“What?” I said again.

“You don’t act like the rest of them.”

Then I remembered I didn’t really like him and didn’t want to talk, so I clamped my mouth closed.

Then he laughed even harder.

“But you’re trouble. I can tell,” he said.

I thought about his easy laugh, that smile, those strong hands on the steering wheel, and his extremely fit body and shook my head.

He was the one who was trouble.

When he laughed again, showing these brilliant white teeth, I frowned.

He must have seen it because he put both hands on the wheel. I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was staring straight ahead out the windshield.

“Definitely trouble,” he said and snickered. I glared at him, and he had the audacity to laugh again. “I make a point to stay far away from women like you.”

4

The villa was tucked away up in the mountains. The long driveway made it feel even more secluded. Ryder pulled into the wide circle drive, put the car in park, and smiled at me.

“Here we are.”

I looked around and felt a little panicked.

“It’s really far away from…” I trailed off.

“Anywhere.”

I bit my lip. I was a city girl. Always had been. Always would be. Maybe this wasn’t a great idea.

He opened the driver’s side door, and before I could react, he was over at my door, opening it for me.

I took a deep breath and climbed out, stretching.

The white stone façade of the villa that faced the driveway was impressive dotted with windows that belied its massive size, but as soon as we stepped inside, I saw what I’d been dreaming about.

I took out my cell phone and squinted at the directions for the alarm. It wasn’t something I’d seen before. It gave instructions for how to program it with my own code.

“May I?” Ryder said. “I’m familiar with this system.”

I handed him my phone.

Ryder opened up a small panel and pressed some buttons, glancing down at my phone.

“This alarm system is state-of-the-art,” he said. “You’re going to want to have it armed all the time, I think. We’ve had some daytime break-ins around here lately. One man was in his home office and came out to grab lunch, and a burglar was loading up a van in the driveway.”

“That’s brazen.”

“Yes. So keep the alarm on while you are home. Especially since you will be here alone.”

As soon as the door opened, I walked inside.

“Wait,” he said. “We have to set your code…”

But I was already down the hall.

“I will show you how to program it before I leave,” I heard him say behind me.

Inside, the ceilings stretched high above, and rooms were separated by curved stone archways. The décor was luxurious and yet cozy, big white plush couches with white faux fur throws and crystal candles and chandeliers. The black marble floors and mirrors on every wall were offset by velvet furniture and satin wallpaper in soft creams and pale pinks.

I followed Ryder through the house. He lugged my two suitcases for me as he headed up a steep set of wide, worn pink-and-white marble stairs. At the top of the stairs, he turned right, and at the far end of a hall, double doors opened up to the master suite. The entire wall to my left opened up to a wide balcony overlooking the backyard.

I rushed through the room and threw open the doors to the balcony. To my left were other balconies. Each room had one. The back of the house looked down on the bay below. It was magical.

Directly below me, surrounded by a gleaming white stone patio lay a magnificent turquoise pool with a small waterfall feeding into it. A hot tub, nearly as big, sat off to one side. On the other side I spotted an outdoor kitchen.

The entire area was filled with lush, tropical trees, plants, and flowers. A large lawn led to a steep drop-off and more foliage. I could just spot the top of another villa far below.

Closer to the building was a stone patio scattered with lounge chairs, café tables, and umbrellas.

It looked like a small boutique hotel. Just what I had wanted.

And it was all mine.

I laughed out loud.

“I take it you approve?”

Ryder was by my side.

“Oh, yes.”

I turned around and headed toward my suitcase, which he had set on the bed. I kicked off my shoes and began to shrug out of my T-shirt.

Ryder cleared his throat. I glanced over at him. He frowned and turned around.

“What’s your problem?” I said.

“You’re taking off your clothes.” I tried to read his voice, but couldn’t tell if he was amused or offended.

“Yeah, I’m going swimming.”

“I’ll can wait outside your room.”

“Don’t bother. I mean, um, I thought I was in the south of France? Maybe I landed somewhere else.”

One thing I loved about Europe, particularly Southern France and Italy and Spain, was the lack of modesty. Nudity was no big deal. Entire parks in Germany were devoted to nudists.

As I rummaged in my suitcase for my white bikini, Ryder made a sound. I couldn’t tell if it was a snicker or a huff of exasperation.

I glanced at where he stood facing the door, but he didn’t move. Shit. He wasn’t even tempted to turn around and look? I’d lost it for sure. I was just some old married woman now.

Just in case, I threw my shirt across the room, and it landed on the floor beside him. Nothing. So I slipped out of my pants and tossed my lace panties on top of the shirt. He didn’t even glance down. For some reason, I found this unbelievably irritating.

“I’m sure you’ve seen lots of women naked,” I said, still trying to provoke him. “What’s one more? I don’t think you’re a prude, so what’s the deal?”

Then I noticed he was looking