Unleashed (7 page)

Emma stretched her arms as the sunlight hit her eyes from the slight opening in the curtains.
My own personally alarm clock
, she smirked to herself. She saw that the television had turned off and remembered how quickly she fell asleep. She couldn’t help but laugh to herself because that method of falling asleep never seemed to fail her. Emma reached for her phone on the night stand and checked to see if she had any new emails. When she saw that there were no emails or messages that were business related, she got a worried and called Hank.

“Good morning Hank”, she said as Hank picked up on his line.

“Emma? What’s up? Is everything ok?” Hank asked worriedly.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for not letting you know when I got here! But yes, everything is great. I was just wondering why I haven’t received any emails or messages that are business related. It made me worry a little.”

“Emma! You know what I told you. I told you to relax on this vacation. You need it. So I’m taking care of that for you right now. And I’m also going to take care of your nemesis, Samantha today as well.

“Nope, you won’t have to do that. Just keep taking all my emails for me and give her nothing to do. I want to bore her out of her mind. If anything, you can start making her clean around the place. But I don’t want that trash touching anything personal of mine.”

“I promise I won’t let her, but Emma…” Hank asked cautiously, “What did Samantha do? You told me you’d tell me when you’re ready.”

Emma took a deep breath and told Hank about the day she went to his condo, and just how she put two and two together.

“Then she had the nerve to bring up Daniel when I was about to leave that day. Pretending to act all sympathetic, so I just played along. There was no way in hell I was going to let her know that she nearly broke my world apart because of her and my disgusting ex’s affair. I refused.” Even as Emma said this, tears welled up in her eyes but she refused to let them fall again.

“Damn Emma, now I see why you needed a vacation. Please, seriously enjoy yourself. You sure you don’t want me to just fire her now? She’s still getting paid. And I don’t think she deserves one more red cent from this company!”

“No, it’s alright Hank. When I get back, I want to handle her myself. Just cut her hours really short, and make her go home after about three hours of doing nothing but cleaning out the printers and other things that the company shares. Remember, she doesn’t know that I know anything and I want to keep it that way. So don’t let her into my office at all. I don’t need her paws on my stuff. She’s already touched enough.” Emma laughed lightly at her own reference of Samantha’s paws.

Hank chuckled as well. “Well if that’s what you want me to do then you know I have your back. You’re a great worker for this company, and a great friend to me. So as I told you before, don’t even worry about work right now. Focus on just you and your relaxation.”

“Thanks Hank. What would I do without you?” Emma shook her head and let in lean back on the head rest. “I have the best boss ever.”

She laughed along with Hank and they ended the conversation.

Emma wiped her eyes to check to make sure that her welled up tears didn’t fall.
Good, I’m glad I’m starting to actually listen to myself and not let myself ever cry over him or that situation again.
She looked at the clock and realized it was half past ten.
Time to start this day!

Emma got up and walked to the bathroom, not needing another shower since she took one earlier that morning. She decided today she would do some tourist favorites and then have a run on the beach. She wanted to feel that on an island. She couldn’t wait to smell of the ocean or feel the sand on under her feet. Emma became even more excited as she got dressed.

Today she went with a burnt orange and red sundress that stopped at the knee to show off her beautiful legs. She always loved one thing about herself, and that was her legs. Even though in high school she truly believed she had chicken legs. But then again, maybe it was because people in school would tell her the same thing. Plus, it was the only place he would never hit. It was the one place he let Emma never get bruised. Emma shrugged off the feeling and remembered that she was no longer the ugly duckling and that she was no longer his pawn. Looking in the mirror as she applied her makeup, she actually smiled a genuine smile at herself and realized she was actually pretty. There was no need to question her looks, but instead maybe she should begin questioning what’s underneath her looks. What made her truly go after a guy that she knew was a known player? Did she subconsciously decide that she should do that? She had no idea. But she did know that she would never do that again. In her heart, she knew why she did it, but she never wanted to get back into that part of her life again.

Emma finished applying her makeup and sprayed on her Dior perfume. She grabbed her red Marc Jacobs tote bag just in case she decided to buy any little souvenirs while she was touring the island. She did one last look at herself in the mirror and walked out the door.
Today will be a good day.

Zack looked up from his seat in the restaurant of the hotel. He sat outside under the umbrellas as he ate his scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and whole wheat toast. After he finished with his coffee, Zack always loved getting that down with a glass of cold orange juice. He asked the waiter for a glass as she came back to check up on how was doing. In a couple of minutes she was back with the glass and he sighed as he tasted the liquid.
I don’t know what it is about orange juice
, he laughed to himself.

For a couple of moments Zack sat there admiring the view. Watching tourists walk back and forth on the boardwalk across the way, and listening to the island’s music be played by the natives in the distance. The view of the ocean was a magnificent site in the day or the night. He watched as he saw couples, singles, and families all lie out and play on the beach. Then he saw a slight movement of burnt orange that caught his eye walking toward the boardwalk. The back of her legs was amazing in the sundress she wore. Her calves were strong, but not too much, just enough to show that she kept her body toned. His eyes slid back up to her back. Her hair was in a ponytail and her hair length was just the right length which ended just after her shoulders.

Zack gasped quietly as the lady turned around slowly as he saw her face. It was his mystery woman in the black dress from the other night! It was as if she was looking for something. But it didn’t matter. Zack pulled out his wallet and took out more money than was necessary to pay for his meal. He wouldn’t let her get away again.

Emma couldn’t help but feel as if she was being looked at. She stopped for a moment to see what it was that she felt, and she turned and looked around at her surroundings. When she saw nothing she eased her mind and just kept walking. The sight on this island was magnificent. The different tropical colors that surrounded her made her breath catch. She just wanted to capture this moment. She pulled out her phone and took a picture to keep these beautiful new memories.

Something in Emma made her heart race. That familiar feeling she felt at the club the night before came back. As if sensing his presence, Emma turned around again and her breath caught in her throat as she watched him approach her. His eyes were a piercing hazel and brown. They seemed almost predatory, with the way that he was walking up to her. But there was something so cool and calm about his eyes also. They drew Emma in, just as they did in the club. She couldn’t take her eyes away no matter how hard she fought. And she really did fight. But something in her body wanted to challenge him just as he was challenging her.

Instead of running away this time, Emma held her ground. In his black Italian loafers, beige shorts, and his muscle black t-shirt Emma could feel herself begin to get light headed.  As he got within arm’s reach, he stopped right in front of her.
My God, he’s just as gorgeous in the day as he is at night.
Emma couldn’t help but look at him up and down. His smell was intoxicating as well. He smelled like the ocean with a hint of Burberry, but it was purely man. As she looked past his legs to the zipper of his shorts, she couldn’t help but wonder what lied under there as well. Then she got to his upper body, you could see his abs through his muscle shirt.
God is good,
she thought to herself. Without thinking, Emma bit her lips as she looked and admired his chiseled arms. When she got to his beautiful lips, she saw the slight smirk that resided on them. Immediately Emma snapped out of the trance that she was embedded in a few moments ago. Heat flushed to her cheats and she sent up a silent prayer that she wasn’t blushing profoundly.

Zack smirked at Emma’s blatant look over of him. He couldn’t help but let her get a whole look at what he was made of. She might as well now, because this was just the beginning. Once she got back to his face, he smiled at her and decided he could speak to her now.

“Good morning, mystery woman in the black dress.” His voice was low and sultry. 

Emma’s eye brows arched in curiosity, and she wondered just how he remembered what she was wearing in the club. So he DID notice her.

“Good morning” Emma replied coolly. There was no way she could let him see the effect he has on her at this moment. If it was up to her she would run away once again. But there was a challenge in his eyes, testing her to see if she would stay. “Can I help you with something?”

Zack was sure she didn’t want him to answer that honestly because if he did, he would tell her what room number he was in and to meet him there stark naked on his sheets. But he chose against that option and held his smile.

“Actually, you can. My name is Zack, and last night I wanted to let you know how beautiful you looked but for some reason I couldn’t get to you.”

“Maybe it was because of the woman on your arm” Emma stated matter of factly.

So she did notice him as well? Even that he went there with another woman? Zack questioned himself.

“Yes, my friend Jessica. She needed a dancing partner so I went out with her. It’s a great club. This island is definitely good for its music and night life.”

“You’re friend? Ha. That’s nice. Well, it was nice to meet you
Zack
.” Emma shook her head as she began to walk away. There was no way he was going to play that little “she’s just my friend card” that all players used whenever they wanted to try and hook up with another woman. She definitely was not about to stay and listen to whatever excuse Zack was going to come up with. But for some reason she liked his name though, Zachary. That name seemed to fit him.

Zack started to walk beside her and then stopped as got in front of her.

“Running away again I see. I can’t even get your name?” Zack asked. There was no way he was going to let her get away again. He needed to know her. Even in the daytime, right under the sun, her eyes were bright. With the makeup she was wearing, he could still see the natural beauty that emanated beneath it. But if she wanted to play hard to get, and even try and paint him as a player as well, two could play that game.

“And yes, Jessica is my friend. We were just there for a night out. I come out here often for business, and she’s a resident of the island. What about you? Was that your boyfriend you left with last night?”

Emma’s breath caught in her throat. He saw her leave with Kevin? So they both watched each other intensely last night. Something about that thought gave her butterflies. The chemistry she had with this man made her feel a little woozy in the head. But for some reason, the challenge in his eyes caused her to hold her ground. Even though it was none of his business, she felt that she should let him know that Kevin was just someone who was giving her a tour of the island at night and nothing more.

“Actually, no he was not. He was just a nice guy who I asked to show me a tour of the city at night.”

“Do you always get in the car with strangers?” Zack asked humorously.

“He wasn’t a stranger. He was a friend of mine that I had met earlier on the island” Emma lied. But there was no way she could tell Zack the truth anyways. Technically, it wasn’t a lie. She did meet Kevin earlier, regardless of if it was five minutes earlier. That was none of his gosh darned business.

“Whatever you say Miss…” Zack awaited the answer to the name of his beautiful mystery woman.

“Emma. My name is Emma” she replied hesitantly.

Zack smiled as he finally got her name. He reached out his hand to shake hers.

She held out her hand and shook his. When their hands met, there was something that made her knees feel weak. She felt her breath quicken and she could see that his had quickened as well from the pulse point on his neck. The chemistry was undeniable and Emma had to remove herself from his grip before she decided to jump on him then and there.
In front of all these people
?
Am I going mad? I have to get some distance between me and Zack. This can’t be healthy,
she thought.

Emma slowly backed away and removed her hand from his as if she had just touched fire.

Zack stared at Emma inquiringly. Did she feel it too? What he just felt? That feeling that he couldn’t describe. It was just an instant connection. He couldn’t let it end like this. He needed to get to know her better.

“So Emma…since that wasn’t your boyfriend, would it be alright if I treated you to dinner later? If that’s alright with you.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Emma wasn’t sure if she could remain sane if she was alone with him intimately. Then she caught the challenge in his eyes again. And Emma never backed down from a challenge. She was here to release her inhibitions, throw caution to the wind. And that’s what she intended to do. “Actually, yes, I think I’d like that. So meet me at the Grand Hyatt at seven sharp. Is there any specific attire I should wear?”

Zack was caught off guard by her blunt approach when just seconds ago she seemed afraid to be alone with him. Maybe she saw the challenge in his eyes. He hoped she wouldn’t back down and sure enough she didn’t. He would see her later.

“Yes, wear something similar to what you wore last night. If you have nothing like that left, I’ll be sure to send something to your room. We’re going dancing as well.”

“No, I have something. I’ll see you later Zack.” Emma rushed off and added a slight sway in her hips because she knew Zack was watching.

Zack just watched as Emma walked away; his eyes zooming in on the sway of her hips.