63__Conference Day

63__Conference Day
The sun had set, it was long past time for her to go back to her room.

She and Braden had lost total control. She regained half her sanity when they were done and had used his toilet and shower, accidentally luring him into the shower with her, where they’d lost control again.

Erin silently studied Braden as he lay beside her with his eyes closed. Apparently, he’d wanted her in his shower since the night in his office. Her cheeks warmed remembering how heatedly he’d told her that, hot sprays of water running down both their naked bodies.

A sigh left her. She was well and truly gone, there was no hope left for her. If Braden somehow regained his sanity, she’d be left, doomed with her feelings.
She sighed again.

“You tryna blow me away?” Braden murmured, the hand resting on her neck moving to stroke her soft cheek with his thumb.

She pursed her lips, silently admiring his face. “Did you know… you look like a fluffy duckling sometimes?”

His hand paused. Tired eyes opened to look at her. “I want to feel insulted by that.”

“But you don’t.”

“For some odd reason… no.”

“Cause ducklings are cute and fluffy and always look a little… puzzled and pouty. That’s how you look when you’re sleepy.”

He scoffed, rolling his eyes even though his mouth curved. God, who would’ve thought he would get a burst of serotonin from being called a duck by Erin Moore?! This had to be an alternate universe, there was no other explanation.

Like she read his mind, she frowned. “How on earth… did we end up like this? Lying in bed after eating each other whole, talking in hushed tones as soft as a lover’s caress.”

He snorted from mostly shock, laughing into his pillow. “Oh, my God, I hate your description of it!”

“What’s wrong with it?!” she demanded, smiling. “Shakespeare would be proud. For ‘tis as soft as the caress of a lover that my lover speaketh unto me—”

“Stop!” he shouted, stiffling a smile.

“And ‘twas for nought save the satisfaction of our sexes—”

He pressed his lips to hers, ending the horrid Shakespearean speech even though he couldn’t stop her laughter.
He raised his head and looked down at her as she released a content little sigh, smiling at him.

“Stay,” he said.

She sighed. “Alas, my love—”

“Erin!”

“Okay!” she laughed, making him smile as he watched her try to get serious.

“Okay, you’ll stay or, okay, you’ll stop sounding like a corseted and petticoated lass of the 1800s?”

His words made her laugh louder. "The… the second one.”

He nodded. “Good. And what about the first?”

She winced, shaking her head. “I can’t. I shouldn’t.” He looked crestfallen, but she rolled out from underneath him. “In fact, I should leave right now.”

Braden watched her pull on his t-shirt and a clean pair of his gym shorts with a frown. “Stay, Erin. I’ll order wine and food, we can watch a movie.”

She paused. Looking back at him was a terrible mistake because he looked so precious, sitting under the giant duvet and looking like a fluffy duckling as he described the perfect night for two. Her heart broke.

“But… I have to go,” she whined. “Please, don’t look at me like that, Braden, I’ll cave and then it’ll ruin everything.”

He sighed. “No, it won’t.”

She grabbed her robe and hurried over to him, dropping a kiss on his lips. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Don’t forget your flash drive,” he murmured as she ran out.

“Thanks!”

Erin grabbed the drive off the floor and made her escape.

Athena and Caitlin were pacing worriedly in their room when she returned and Erin felt guilt crush her chest.
“Erin!”

They rushed over when she entered and Erin quickly raised the drive. “Got it!”

Athena gasped, grabbing the drive with teary eyes. “Oh, my God!”

“Thank God,” said Caitlin. “We were thinking of re-editing everything if you didn’t come back in the next thirty minutes.”

Erin winced. “Sorry about that. I had to look for it.”

Athena looked at her. “What did Braden Stone say? Did he apologize?”

Erin blinked. “Hm? Oh, Braden? He wasn’t there. So, I ransacked his room till I found our drive.”

Caitlin looked impressed. “Badass. I still can’t believe he pulled such a silly prank.”

“Did you steal his clothes?” Athena asked, scanning her outfit.

Erin nodded. “I should’ve changed before I went, I didn’t realize it would take me so long. So, I stole his clothes. Tit for tat, you know?”

“Great revenge,” Athena said in approval. “Now, let’s run over everything one more time before tomorrow.”

It was about five minutes before their presentation would end, Erin’s legs were still shaking.

Caitlin was presenting the last three minutes of the video to the shareholders and board members, speaking so confidently, Erin was stunned to see no hint of the shy Caitlin she knew. She looked exceptionally pretty in her dark burgundy suit, the curls of her afro pulled into a gorgeous updo, Erin proudly watched her like a mama hen. Looking over the audience, she gaged their reactions and saw nothing but nods, smiles and frowns of approval (hopefully).

The Chairman was seated right at the back, meaning he was higher than everyone else in the room and had the clearest view. His assistant beside him was furiously taking notes, making Erin nervous. What was he writing? Good or bad stuff?

She had no time to figure it out because Caitlin was done and she had to go up to wrap up the presentation and take any questions they might have.
The entire thing went as smoothly as a river pebble and Erin was incredibly proud of her little team.

All the questions were nervously answered, the conclusion taken care of and then the three girls were walking off, accompanied by the applause of the board members.
The second they were offstage, they jumped on each other, cheering at whisper volume as they hopped about in celebration.

“That was awesome!” said Athena. ‘You two were great!”

“Stop, you guys were great!” Erin cried. “The presentation video was done so smoothly, Athena, not a single stutter in it. And, Caitlin…” She sighed. “You were perfect! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thank you, I was so nervous!” Caitlin cried happily. “I’m so relieved it’s done, like I’m trembling still!”

My knees are rubber in these heels,” Erin added, smiling wryly.

“Ugh, speaking of heels, I need to take mine off!!” Athena clutched her laptop to her chest, turning for the door. “Let’s go.”

“We should hit the pool and chill,” said Caitlin. "We deserve it!"

“For real,” Erin said as they followed Athena. “We’ve earned it.”

The next day was also spent by the pool as the girls took advantage of everything the Stone Towers had to offer. It was already mid-afternoon and they were resting after having had some great service at the spa.

Erin was lounging on a poolside chair, glasses on her face and a straw in her mouth as she sipped up refreshing fruit juice.
Caitlin and Athena were in the pool, chatting with some lovely older ladies.

They looked so happy and stress-free, thought Erin as she yawned. They deserved extra pay; they’d worked so hard.
She grabbed her phone, checking the time. It was about time Braden and his team finished their presentation.

She yawned again, sleepy despite having slept for nearly twelve hours last night.

“You’ll split your face in two.”

Clamping her mouth shut, Erin turned to look in the direction of that voice.
Braden was walking towards her, wearing a full suit at the pool where everyone was nearly naked.

“Hi,” she greeted. “How’d it go?”

He stood beside her and shrugged. “Not bad. Got a standing ovation.”

She blinked behind her glasses. “Oh.” Turning away, she loudly slurped on her straw and he laughed.

“You sound a little threatened.”

“Not even a little.”

“Right, sure,” he teased, pulling off his suit jacket so he could roll up his shirt sleeves as he gave her a once-over. “I love your bathing suit, you look so fucking sexy in it.”

She smiled bashfully up at him. “Yeah? Thanks!”

His smile widened at her cute expression and he wildly ruffled her hair, successfully turning her smile into a scowl.
“What was your presentation?” he asked.

She lowered her glasses with one finger and looked at him over the top. “You’re trying to say you didn’t peek when you stole it?”

He gave her a look. “I stole it to lure you, not to peek.”

Her eyes narrowed. “How easily you confess it. Anyway! Ours was for a specialized oriental spa and hotel combination. We’ll be offering all the big names of oriental therapy known around the world.”

He raised a brow. “You sure those big names, probably with spas of their own, will come work on the island?”

She smiled. “I already got a ‘Yes’ from all of them. In the event that I win, they're hopping aboard.”

He nodded, clearly impressed. “That’s Erin Moore.”

“Yup.” She nodded at him. “And yours?”

He shrugged. “Rebirth of the first Stone Tower ever established with all the antique designs but with better service and luxury. The plan is to make it for true lovers of the Stone legacy who’ve been with us from the beginning… and then, when things are going great and we’re successfully stealing all the VIP guests of any hotel around, we buy out our failing competitors’ islands.”

She stared at him. “Not you planning two thousand years ahead.”

He laughed. “Gotta think big, babe.”

She blinked as he picked up her sunscreen. “Don’t call me that.”

Braden glared mildly at her. “Babe.”

“Braden.”

He sat beside her and yanked her leg onto his lap so he could apply sunscreen to the glowing limb. “Stop worrying about what I call you and focus on applying sunblock properly. Unless you wanna go back to your hotel room looking like a lobster.”

She snorted, trying to calmly sip her drink and ignore his hands on her legs.

Erin noticed a few glances thrown their way and was startled, but calmed down as soon as she realized nobody cared and simply went back to what they were doing.
It appeared that they found it normal to see him there with her, looking as much like a couple as a couple could.

Even Athena and Caitlin glanced over but nonchalantly went back to chatting with the other guests.
Erin felt her heart relax, smiling at Braden. This was the closest they’d ever gotten to public shows of affection and… it wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it would be.
Suddenly, a sinking feeling attacked her chest.

Slowly, Erin raised her gaze to the hotel buildings around the pool area. Quickly, her gaze found what it was searching for and Erin froze.
A chilly stare rested on them from a window high up in the hotel.

The Chairman was watching them. And he didn’t look happy.