Decisions of Desire: Fiction or Fantasy

HARPER

I had never been a huge fan of flying. I preferred to drive, but sometimes you needed to get somewhere fast. Looking out the airplane window, I marveled at how we glided above the clouds. I attempted to calm my nerves, which surprisingly were not due to being forty thousand feet in the air.

A contract had been offered to me to adapt my book into a film. I’d written many books, but this was my first option offer from a production company. Thankfully, my agent had dealt with this type of agreement before.

I was told that Kelli Ellis, the director, was a massive fan. She loved my most recent novel. I was surprised at how positively the romance was received, considering it was my first time writing in that genre.

Kelli had requested that I meet her in California. She’d asked me to collaborate on the movie’s creation—working alongside the writers and providing input on casting. I was told this wasn’t common, but who was I to argue? I was thrilled to be involved in this process.

When the plane finally landed, I was more than eager to set my feet on the ground. The airport here was considerably larger than the one back home. Thankfully, there were dummy-proof signs showing me where to go.

Riding the escalator down, I caught sight of a man grinning in my direction. He was gorgeous. Tall, with short dark hair and neat stubble, he made quite an impression. He was dressed in a suit that was both impressive and clearly made specifically for him.

Attempting to appear casual, I glanced over my shoulder to check if he was really staring at me. His smile grew wider, suggesting that I wasn’t as casual as I believed.

“Ms. Rhodes.”

“Yes?” I couldn’t help but smile back.

“My name is Walker Donovan. I am here to take you to Kelli.”

I looked around and asked, “Shouldn’t there be a sign with my name on it? How can I be sure you’re not a murderer?”

His laugh was deep and unbelievably sexy. “Let me get this straight. If I were a murderer and held a sign, you’d come along without hesitation?”

Right before I could make a snarky comeback, he grabbed a receipt, flipped it over, and scribbled my name on it.

I laughed when he raised it. At least he was playing along. Unless he’s a murderer? Oh my God. I need rest. I’ve been traveling too long.

Before heading toward the doors, he flashed a grin at me that made my knees weak.

“Wait!” I hurried to catch up with him. “What about my bags?”

“Don’t worry. We have your bags.”

I narrowed my eyes. “How do you know which bags are mine?”

“We know.” He kept walking with no more explanation. “Follow me.”

We left the airport and walked to an SUV that was ready and waiting for us. It had a sleek and spacious look to it and must have cost a fortune. Another man, who I guessed was the driver, opened the back door.

Mr. Donovan stepped to the side, allowing me to go in first. As soon as we were both inside, the driver closed the door, and we started moving.

“Would you like to go to the hotel first, to freshen up?” Mr. Donovan said as he scrolled through a large tablet.

I wasn’t originally planning on doing that, but now I felt like I should.

“Sure. That would be great.”

We pulled up to the tallest hotel I’d ever seen. It loomed above the surrounding structures. The glass windows created the impression of one massive mirror, reflecting the nearby area. An elegant script brought the letters D and ~E~ together, displaying them above the entrance in a beautiful curve.

Thank goodness the production company was paying for this. I could only imagine how expensive it was to stay here.

As soon as we got out of the car, a man was already there to guide us inside.

“Mr. Donovan. Hello, sir,” the man spoke as he opened the enormous glass doors.

“Franklin,” he responded before gesturing to me. “Meet Harper Rhodes. She is my special guest, and we should treat her as such.”

“Of course.” The burly man gave me a genuine smile. “Ms. Rhodes, welcome.”

I smiled back. “Thank you.”

His special guest. What did that mean? And why would the hotel care?

I followed Mr. Donovan inside. The lobby was absolutely breathtaking. Not that I would have expected any different. I was pleasantly surprised by how inviting it felt, given the marble floors and black plush furniture.

I read the complete name of the hotel as we passed by the reception desk. Donovan Estates. I couldn’t help but notice as people stopped to nod and smile as we passed. It was all beginning to make sense now.

The doors of the elevator, black and sleek, opened up, and we walked in. Leaning against the wall, Mr. Donovan used the rail to prop himself up and observed the doors closing. The elevator, although large, could still capture his mouthwatering scent: a combination of fresh rain and a musky, woody fragrance. I tried not to look at him, which was hard, considering the walls were mirrors. I rolled up my sleeves, and my cheeks grew hot.

Is it hot in here? And how long is this elevator ride?

“So, you own this building?” I asked when the elevator finally stopped, and we stepped out.

“I do. It is one of many that I have throughout the country.” When I didn’t respond, he continued, “Are you surprised?”

“No,” I answered too quickly, which got me a smirk from Mr. Donovan. So, I tried to redeem myself. “I mean, I just thought you were Mrs. Ellis’s assistant.”

He laughed so loud; I swear the walls shook. “She wishes! Kelli is my sister. I am just helping her out.”

I blushed. I shouldn’t have assumed.

“Well, here we are.”

We stopped before a set of double doors. He scanned the keycard and let us in.

“Jesus!” I said before I could catch myself. “This room is insane.”

“Yeah,” he tossed the keycard on the table by the door. “It is definitely one of the better rooms. I stay on the top floor.”

“You live here?”

He nodded. “When I am in town.”

Of course. He must travel often if he owns this large hotel chain.

The room was larger than my entire apartment. The living room had a stunning view with enormous windows that spanned the entire wall. There was also a small kitchen area and a bedroom. Through the open bedroom door, I spotted my bags on a luggage stand at the foot of the bed.

“Well, I’ll let you freshen up.” He looked at his watch. “I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”

With that, he turned and walked out. Once he was gone, I ran into the bedroom and jumped onto the bed. It was cozy and comforting. On the nightstand was a sleep mask, lotion, and tea bags.

A girl could get used to this. But could this really be my life for the next few months?