by Carly Burton
The narrow country roads were a hazard to a tired, irritated driver and Charlotte was very close to losing her temper. The journey to her long-awaited solo retreat had taken much longer than expected due to heavy traffic. The preparation for her holiday had been stressful; putting plans in place to allow her two weeks of uninterrupted time alone had taken its toll on her nerves. She was worn out, hungry and close to tears of frustration. She had to pull into yet another tiny gap to allow another driver to pass on the narrow road and she cringed as she heard the bushes scrape against her car's paintwork. She gave a squeal of exasperation as the wheels bumped on the rough terrain, jolting her already aching body.
It had seemed like an ideal choice to book into the exclusive resort of Willow Vale to spend two weeks with only herself for company, the secluded location being part of its appeal. She craved solitude away from her hectic life, to escape the constant demands of work and family. Her parents, friends and colleagues all considered her insane to have chosen to be alone, all in agreement that what she needed was a man in her life. Charlotte disagreed - in her own opinion a man was the last thing she needed. Her last relationship had ended almost two years ago, she was still suffering from the effects of the break-up and did not feel in the least inclined to repeat the experience.
Charlotte was unfulfilled, forever disappointed in any man who attempted to get close to her. She had erected barriers so high, they were unlikely to be breeched any time soon. She was tall at 5 feet 9 inches and stood taller than many of the men she met. Her glossy, dark brown hair would have fallen in soft waves about her striking facial features if she ever allowed it to hang loose, but she rarely did. Her choice of style was a severe knot, swept up high on her head and secured with hairpins, giving her a rather forbidding appearance. It was this, as well as her strong personality, that tended to scare men away. Her curves were certainly tempting, toned and well shaped legs, soft in all the right places, clear skin and good health, but all of these belied the fact that she appeared untouchable.
Most of the men she knew were at least a little afraid of her strong character; she was used to being in charge, both at work and at home. She refused to hide the air of authority she constantly carried; it got work done, got positive results. But it also left her lonely and isolated. She had a few good friends who were close enough to know the reasons for her withdrawal and they urged her to move forward, but she found she couldn't let go of the hurt Kyle had inflicted upon her. She had been betrayed and she refused to put herself at risk again. So she was alone, and would remain alone at the tender age of thirty!
Charlotte was relied upon by everyone she knew to sort out a multitude of problems, and she admitted she loved the responsibility. Sometimes, she just longed for someone to take care of her though, to have someone she could lean on for a change. Like THAT was likely to happen!
Her best friend, Emily, had prescribed sex as the precise medicine she needed, sex with no strings. She urged her to find someone to have a brief but passionate holiday romance with. Charlotte couldn't imagine having an affair with anyone. She had never been entirely fulfilled by any previous sexual partner, not that there had been many. She couldn't bring herself to seek sex for the sake of it, so she resigned herself to two weeks of solitude.
Eventually, she approached the impressive driveway of Willow Vale and stopped at the locked gates, pressing the intercom as instructed. A cheerful young voice announced her pleasure at Charlotte's arrival.
"Miss King, welcome to Willow Vale. I'm Katie and look forward to booking you in shortly, please drive up to Reception and come inside," instructed the annoyingly happy voice. Charlotte waited for the gate to open, muttering to herself about jolly people, and followed the signs to Reception.
Parking her car right outside, Charlotte wearily climbed out, stretching her aching limbs, and pushed open the door.
A rather young lady, obviously Katie, continued with her gushing and eager welcome, sadly grating on Charlotte's ragged nerves.
Katie began her rehearsed speech.
"Miss King, we are delighted you chose Willow Vale and assure you that your comfort is our highest priority..." Charlotte quite rudely interrupted her spiel.
"Would you mind if we skip the sales pitch?" Charlotte asked sharply, "I won't be using your communal facilities; I intend to keep to myself. I'm tired and just want to get settled in my bungalow, ok?"
Katie stared at her, tears forming in her huge blue eyes at the rebuff and Charlotte felt a stirring of guilt for her harsh tone. The girl looked crestfallen and hurt, but it couldn't be helped, Charlotte was in no mood for frivolities.
"Very well, Miss King, as you wish," Katie replied, taking a deep breath to stem the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
Charlotte looked away to try and avoid the painful sight of the girl she had crushed with her acid tone. Papers rustled as an envelope was presented to Charlotte, together with a set of keys. Katie's bubbly personality was diminished as she explained the location of her bungalow.
"Please read the information booklet, there is a health & safety warning, measures you need to be aware of due to an incident last week, it's really important," Katie explained, nervously shaking her head as Charlotte simply turned away with a curt "Thank you" and left.
The moment Charlotte left, the Manager emerged from his office, frowning. He had heard the exchange and was disturbed to find his receptionist close to tears due to the rudeness of a new guest.
"Our Miss King seems to be quite a character, are you ok?" he asked with genuine concern for Katie. She smiled ruefully, but nodded, grateful for his protective and understanding nature.
"Be sure to direct any and all dealings with her directly to me personally, no matter how small, ok?" he instructed, and then left the bemused Katie to her work.
Charlotte soon forgot her rudeness to Katie as she took in her surroundings. This was a place of tranquillity, just as described in the brochure. It was beautiful with well kept gardens and willow trees in abundance, hence the name. All the buildings were aesthetically designed and presented, giving the overall impression of opulence and comfort. She was entranced by the views, all pristine and maintained to a high standard. She followed the directions and found her accommodation easily. A gasp of pleasure passed her lips; she was delighted at the sight of her bungalow.
Eagerly unlocking the door, she entered a long hallway; to the left was a well equipped kitchen, all modern appliances and plenty of storage. Leading from the kitchen was a magnificent dining room with a beautiful table and chairs and matching dresser. The opposite side of the hall led to a lounge with huge comfortable looking sofas, a CD and DVD player, large screen TV and coffee table. Next was the bedroom and Charlotte's squeals of delight at the sight of the four-poster bed, complete with curtains, made her feel like a giddy teenager! She threw herself onto the soft bed, this was like a dream and she laughed out loud. She acted extremely out of character as she danced around the room like a child with a new toy, all the annoyance and bad temper replaced with a feeling of euphoria!
It wasn't long before she took herself in hand and calmed down, shaking her head and berating herself for being an idiot. She went back to the car and began to unload, but she realised she was hungry. It was well past lunchtime, so she ate a picnic lunch before unpacking properly.
An hour later, Charlotte was completely unpacked and feeling hot and bothered, a swim was what she needed. Pulling out her new bikini, she frowned in doubt about her choice of such a skimpy piece; it was not like her to show her assets off as this would.
She felt the soft material in her fingers and remembered the rebellious attitude that had made her buy this especially for the trip. She smiled ruefully as she realised no-one else would see it anyway; she would not be bathing in the main pool in the complex, just her own private pool. Donning the bikini quickly, she inspected her reflection in the mirror, her eyes wide as she saw her own flesh so exposed that she blushed. She grabbed a towel and dashed for the garden before she could change her mind and wear the swimsuit she had also brought.
She couldn't wait to venture outside, gasping again in pleasure as she beheld her private pool, hot tub and gardens. She dived straight in the deep end and swam up and down without pause until she had completed twenty lengths. She pulled herself up the steps, reached for her towel and promptly gave a squeal of surprise as she saw a man in the bushes of her private garden.
Momentarily speechless, she held the towel protectively against her, and stared at the man who was apparently tending her garden. Tight black jeans hugged slim hips, equally tight black t-shirt moulded to every muscle he possessed and they were all significantly defined. Dark, unruly hair curled boyishly around his face, but this was definitely no boy! He was not classically handsome, but was undoubtedly attractive, his strong features hinting at his assertive nature.
His piercing eyes seemed to bore directly into her soul and she couldn't suppress a shudder - of what she couldn't explain. He had been discreetly watching the enchanting creature as she had dived in the pool and swam effortlessly and gracefully up and down. He had taken a swift indrawn breath as she had hauled her lithe body out of the water, appreciative of her curves that were on display. Suddenly, he grinned, a most disarming expression on his face. This broke the spell and she released the anger burning up from inside at the intrusion on her privacy.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my private garden?" she demanded crossly, using the tone which usually withered any potential threat. His smile faded and he regarded her more seriously now.
"That's not really a polite greeting, is it Miss King?" he admonished. She was taken aback that he knew her name.
"And you are?" she asked waspishly. He raised his eyebrows and frowned, hesitating a moment before replying.
"I'm... Jamie, just making sure everything is perfect for your arrival," he answered calmly. He continued to regard her, assessing her, she felt as if she was naked, even though her towel hid her body from his gaze.
"Well, I've arrived, everything's in order, so you can go now," she retorted angrily. He sighed and shook his head.
"I'm just doing my job, Miss King," he murmured quietly.
"Do your job somewhere it will be appreciated then, or do I need to call security?" she asked venomously. She actually surprised herself at the vehemence of her reaction to this imposing man, something unidentifiable stirring deep inside her. She didn't normally behave in such a negative and aggressive manner.
His jaw tensed and he curled his hands into fists, weighing her up in his mind. He thought for a few seconds and seemed to come to a decision.
"I think you need to be taught a lesson in manners, Miss King," he advised her, his eyes never leaving her face. "If you belonged to me, you would very soon be turned over my knee for a spanking."
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