Forever Crush

Chapter One

Angelica Moore shut her eyes for a second, trying to ignore the light scent of baby vomit wafting around her. This day better get better. I can not let anyone from the bridal party, especially Grant Maxwell see me like this. Why did Deb make him her man of honor? I’m her best friend.

Angel gritted her teeth for a second as the tension rose within her. She took a deep breath through her nose. Memories flooded her mind of standing at the restaurant with Deb and Daniel, waiting for Grant to show for their double date and then nothing. Humiliation rose up, adding to her agitation from the most irritating plane ride she’d ever had in her life.

Don’t think about it, she told herself. Stop it. Let it go. Just get through this wedding and keep interactions with Grant to a minimum.

Next, the person at the front desk called.

Angel moved to the counter, relieved that she would finally be able to get to her room, shut the door, and shower.

Welcome to the Wind and Rose Inn Bridal Village. My name is Cassidy. How may I help you today? Cassidy’s pleasant, melodious voice did nothing to soothe Angel’s frayed nerves.

Hello, Cassidy. My name is Angelica Moore. I have a reservation for the Maxwell-Chan second wedding. She dug through her purse for her phone case and dug it out, ignoring the slimy liquid from the leaking bottle of disinfectant. She flipped open the cover and withdrew her ID, and then handed over the laminated bit of card.

Cassidy gave her a plastic smile and, with the tips of her fingers, accepted the ID, glanced at it and then tapped away at her keyboard. You’re in suite 103. Mrs. Maxwell-Chan upgraded you. She gave Angel a sunny smile.

Heat flashed across Angel’s face. I told her not to do anything special for me, she seethed.

She could only imagine what the people in the other line were thinking, given Angel’s current state: baby spit up on her back and in her hair, the sweat stains at her armpits, no luggage whatsoever, and a rip dangerously close to the crotch of her jeans.

Angel was sure she looked like a psychopath about to snap any moment. All she wanted was a hot shower, her luggage, and something to eat that wasn’t in bar form, and then the ability to hide from the world until she could get some decent clothes that fit her. She just prayed this hotel wouldn’t dry out her already frazzled 3B curls.

You did download our hotel’s app? I can send your key directly to your phone. Cassidy continued to beam at her.

Angel had no clue why Cassidy seemed even more pleased with Angel’s presence but didn’t have the energy to read into it. She flipped open her phone case again, turned on her mobile, and checked. Yup. Angel tapped the app.

It loaded in the blink of an eye.

Well, at least the hotel’s Wi-Fi is fast, she thought. Angel logged into her account. I’m logged in.

Great. Cassidy tapped away at her keyboard again.

Within a few seconds, Angel had a notification. She tapped on the little bell and saw her key had been loaded on her account.

It’s just like the tap option on a credit card. Just hold it up to the reader and it will unlock the door for you. Do you have any luggage that needs to be taken up? Cassidy rose up and looked over the wide expanse of the counter.

The heat returned to Angel’s face, somehow hotter this time. Um, no, what direction do I take?

Cassidy beckoned to someone behind her. Please take Ms. Moore to suite 103.

The person nodded and walked around the counter.

Angel rushed to meet them at the countertop door.

I’m Beau, your personal concierge. If you have any needs, please open the hotel app, tap on the concierge option and choose Beau and send me a text day or night. His smooth, salted- caramel voice washed over her and tamed some of her frayed nerves.

Thank you, Beau. The airline lost my luggage. If I order some clothing, can I have them sent to the front desk or somewhere special? She prayed that everything she had in mind could come to the hotel in a matter of hours rather than days.

I can contact the airport and monitor the status of your luggage, and you can have them deliver it straight to the front desk, Beau responded, and Angel resisted the urge to sag to the ground in relief. The local airport does tend to lose luggage a lot. They will find it, but it probably won’t be until tomorrow. Is there anything I can get you to help you in any way?

Angel nibbled at her bottom lip, debating on what to ask for. After a beat, Angel decided to trust Beau. To be honest, I need underwear, a bra, some jeans, pajama bottoms, a T-shirt, a formal blouse, and some new shoes.

Text me your size and preferences, and I can call down to the shops and get things delivered at once. Our concierge service will procure it for you immediately. Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your room. Beau gestured for her to precede him out of the waiting area.

He guided her through the hotel and far away from the front or the pool area. He opened a set of double doors and gestured for her to go out before him.

She stepped out into the cool mid-morning air. Some of her frayed nerves began to relax.

Tension still hummed through her body, and not all of it from the airplane ride over. Throughout most of the trip, she’d tried to figure out ways to avoid Grant.

Beau moved past her and took the lead, drawing her out of her thoughts.

Angel felt even more tension leave her body. Thank you so much. I just need to get cleaned up and feel human again. She winced as a thick, damp patch of her shirt brushed against her skin. She shivered. Her stomach threatened to betray her.

I’ll get your clothing laundered and your jeans fixed. He stopped at a suite right at the back ensconced in pines and winter blooming flowers. Just bring up the key Cassidy sent you and hold it up to the reader.

Angel moved to the door and followed Beau’s instructions. The lock clicked. She reached out and turned the knob.

The door opened, no problem. She let out a soft sigh of relief and stepped inside.

Whitewashed adobe walls with artwork in coppers, golds, and silvers hung everywhere she looked. A massive fireplace to her left took up most of the wall. Skylights and arch windows flooded the space with light. To her right, she could see straight through to a bedroom on a platform. Right ahead was a kitchenette space with a bar.

Enjoy your room. Beau gave her a small bow and retreated. The door closed behind her with a soft snick.

Angel let out a larger exhale and let her shoulders sag. Some of the stress slipped away only to return when she felt the heavy wet patch on her back, the cool air seeping into the tears in her jeans. Her stomach roiled. The soft scent of baby throw-up rose up, reminding her of the airplane ride from hell. She dropped her purse at the entrance and ran through the bedroom and straight into the bathroom, not even stopping to take anything in.

Thankfully, the doors were open. She turned on the taps, put in some lavender-scented bubble bath, and stripped out of her ruined outfit. Angel put the clothes in the provided laundry basket as indicated and stepped in, not waiting for the basin to fill up. The hot water was just a touch below uncomfortable, but she didn’t care. She needed to rinse some of the day off of her. She rested against the back of the tub and let out another sigh. Between the rushing of the water on her feet and scented steam, she could feel the tension ebbing away.

Angel closed her eyes and slipped under the surface. She ran her hands through her hair, wincing when her fingers touched the slippery baby spit-up. Angel combed her fingers through her loosening curls until she was sure that nothing was left. Once she was confident that she got all of the throw-up, she turned off the tap, stood up, and drained the tub. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself, selected another one and wrapped her hair, rinsed out the tub, put the plug in and refilled it. This time paying attention to the temperature.

She padded out to the entrance, taking enough time to notice the massive California King bed with silver silk bedding and massive pillows. A skylight overhead let the sunlight flood the platform making the bed the only real thing you noticed.

One day, when I can afford a house, I’m going to buy something similar to this or renovate it to get it like this suite, she murmured to herself.

Angel made it to the entranceway, picked up her purse, and took out her phone. She pivoted and headed straight back for the bathroom where the tub was halfway filled and the bubbles were piling up nicely. She stepped back into the water—which was the perfect temperature. She bent down, turned off the tap, and settled down again. After a quick text to Beau, she placed her phone on a ledge next to the tub and relaxed. But the thought of encountering Grant poked at her consciousness. Restlessness took over. She needed to relieve some of the tension just the thought of seeing him again brought up.

If I look at his social media, then the itch will be scratched, and I’ll get it over with, Angel muttered to herself. She tapped the photo-sharing app and found his profile. Deb had forced him to sign up under penalty of being woken up every day for a year to her singing one Disney song a day, and to make it worse, Deb was tone deaf. Grant signed up to appease her and promised to upload pictures every now and then to keep the family and friends in the loop.

What met her eyes was not what she had expected at all. The most recent snaps were of him hanging out with his friends from the military on some sort of camping trip, and all of them were shirtless.

Angel paused. She blinked. Why did the universe hate her? She went back to scrolling. It only got worse. There were photos of Grant shirtless cooking, coming out of the water of some sort of lake, and just one of him with his arms around his friends, grinning from ear to ear. So different from the shy, withdrawn kid she’d known growing up who seemed glued at her and Deb’s sides during school. There were secrets in his eyes but a smile on his face. Her heart warmed at seeing him so happy and open. The rest of her body heated at the sight of him without a top on with abs and muscles on display. Sweat glistened on his deep golden skin.

She licked her lips. She had the urge to lap up every droplet and trace his body with her tongue and fingers. Liquid heat slipped through her body, setting fire to her blood. Tingles raced along her inner thighs, danced along her vulva. Her vaginal walls tightened. She shifted from side to side, and water slapped the sides of the tub. Desire awakened in her body. It had been a while since she’d given in to her sexual needs.

Yearning for a human touch overwhelmed her, sucked her down until only her need for Grant remained. Her heartbeat ticked up, her breathing became heavier, and her temperature turned fever pitch.

Angel chose one photo to focus on where Grant was alone, shirtless, pants damp, clinging to his thickened thighs and muscular legs. She put her phone on the floor. Angel didn’t waste any time; she started by squeezing and massaging one breast while taking in every detail of the photo, imagining what Grant would do to her. His large, thick fingers, calloused from all his training and manual labor, would abrade her sensitive skin in the most delicious way, setting off trails of fire right down to her groin.

What else would you do to me? she whispered to the photo.

She shut her eyes and let her mind run wild; he would take her thickened nipple between his index finger and thumb and roll the sensitive peak until she arched her back and begged for more. He would lower his head and suck the thick nub into his mouth while his hand would roam around her body, memorizing her curves from the side of her breast, down her waist to her hip.

With his other hand, he would open her thighs for him and explore her wet sex.

Angel did just that with her own hand, but it was no substitute for what she could only imagine it would be like to have Grant touching her. She sucked in a pull of air when her fingers delved through the neatly trimmed curls around her sex. Her vulva, already thick and wet, responded to the slightest whisper of touch from her. She groaned and lifted her hips toward her hand, allowing the fantasy to continue to play out. The glide of the water over her body