Chapter 257: Arrival
Genevieve was relieved when the car finally rolled to a stop in front of the grand entrance of the Oriental Palms Resort. Stefan stepped out first, then ca around to open Genevieve’s door.
Genevieve got out slowly, her eyes widening as she took in the breathtaking view before them.
Palm trees which had ford a canopy swayed gently in the warm evening breeze, casting shadows on the floor.
Gardens, bursting with vibrant tropical blooms, flanked the entrance, their intoxicating fragrance mingled with the salty scent of the nearby ocean.
"Wow! This is so beautiful," Genevieve whispered, her lips curving in a smile.
Stefan smiled, "Fun fact, Uncle Harry and his wife ca here for a vacation while dating many years ago and he was going to propose to her here, but sohow they had a misunderstanding and it didn’t work out. But after they got married they ca back yearly for a vacation and bought one of the vacation hos in the resort, which is where we will be staying at. I first ca here nine years ago with the rest of the family when Uncle Harry and his wife ca here for their tenth wedding anniversary and renewal of vows."
"Really? What caused their misunderstanding?" Genevieve asked curiously.
"I’ll tell you about it over dinner," Stefan said with a grin as a bellboy approached to take their luggage.
Hand in hand, they walked, following the bellboy’s lead while Genevieve looked all around them, srized by the breathtaking view that surrounded them.
Finally, they arrived at a tall white glass house tucked between trees. The air slled clean, like pine and salt from the sea.
The bellboy set down their luggage in front of the door before leaving. Alone now, Stefan turned to Genevieve. "Alright," he said with a grin, "from this mont on, there’s a rule."
Genevieve raised a brow, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "What rule?"
"Now that we’re here, it’s just going to be us as Stefan and Genevieve. No Jamal or Dawn. No surnas. No family. Just us," Stefan said firmly.
Her lips curved. "So you an we’ll be role-playing all week?"
Stefan chuckled, shaking his head. "No role-play. Just the real us. No expectations. No pressure. Just you and
enjoying each other’s company and getting to know ourselves better."
Genevieve’s grin widened. "Okay. I can do that. Just you and , Stefan. At this rate I’m going to forget your na is Jamal and always think of you as Stefan."
"You probably should," Stefan said as they walked up the porch steps and pushed open the front door.
The space inside slled faintly of lemon polish and sea breeze. The living room had soft couches, a rug that looked like clouds, and a kitchen tucked at the far end.
Genevieve spun slowly, taking it all in. "It feels holy."
Stefan nodded, watching her face. "Yes. Like I told you before it’s Uncle Harry’s vacation ho. We’ll be making use of the first floor." He smiled and walked further inside with the bags.
Genevieve followed, brushing her fingers over the back of the couch. "But... why is it so empty? Won’t there be housekeepers? Cooks? People to take care of everything?"
"Nope," Stefan said easily. "We will make our als ourselves or order in sothing when the need arises. We’ll have a cleaner swing by now and then, but other than that, this place is ours. Just us. That’s how I want it. Think of it as a little preview of our future together if you’d love it."
Her eyes darted to him quickly, her chest fluttering. "Future, huh?"
"Yeah."
"You should know that I can’t cook though," she said, and he nodded.
"I can. We will do it together."
She blinked at him, amused. "You can really cook?"
"You’ll see." His grin was smug as he pointed down the short hall. "That’s your room over there. And the other mine."
Genevieve frowned, her eyes snapping to him. "Wait. Separate rooms? Why? I thought we’d be... you know... sharing one bed."
Stefan’s lips twitched with amusent. "And why would you think that?"
She shrugged, pretending to fuss with the strap of her bag. "Isn’t that what a getaway is about? Why would we sleep apart?"
He gave a soft chuckle. "Why would we sleep together?"
Color crept into her cheeks and her brows furrowed. "I just thought... I thought we would. It just makes sense that way."
Stefan grinned as he watched her. "We’re sleeping separately until I know we’re both ready to cross that line. And you better don’t think about pouring any drinks on yourself to tempt ."
Her mouth fell open as red rushed into her face. "Stefan!" She smacked his arm, and he burst out laughing.
When his laughter eased, his gaze slid to the large suitcase she had dragged inside. "I’ve been aning to ask, why does your bag look like it could dress a family of four for a month? Do you have plans of going sowhere else after now?" He asked, thinking about the ssage he’d received from Jamal about her planning to run away.
Her heart skipped a beat but she raised her chin. "I wasn’t sure what to pack for the trip. So I packed everything I love."
His brow lifted slyly. "Everything? Did you pack your friends too?"
She blinked in confusion. "What friends?"
"The friends that vibrate. You said you had lots of vibrating friends," he said with a wolfish grin.
It took Genevieve a mont to realize he was referring to her vibrators. Her gasp was sharp, her face flaming. "STEFAN! I’m done talking to you!" she squeaked as she rushed toward her bedroom.
Stefan’s laughter rang out as he followed behind her, dragging her large suitcase along. He set the bag neatly by her door and called after her, still grinning, "Your bag is outside your door. Freshen up, then co out for dinner."
He gave the doorfra a playful knock before heading toward his own room, his laugh echoing down the hall.
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