Raw, A Dark Romance Read Online Free

back to give me room to stand then followed me out of the plane. We stepped outside into warm, fragrant air. Moving a little clumsily, I climbed down the steps and teetered to the waiting limo. Within minutes my bags were loaded into the car’s trunk and we were whisked off, into the dark night, toward the waiting hotel room. Shortly after takeoff, Tonya had told me I wouldn’t be meeting my billionaire until tomorrow afternoon. That was a good thing. I needed some time to adjust to the time change and shake off the jetlag and sleeping-pill hangover.
    Feeling wilted, I stared out the window, watching the ocean shoreline on one side and mountains in the distance on the other. I hoped I wasn’t facing a long drive to the hotel. I would just love to sink into a cozy bed and sleep for at least twelve more hours. Either international travel was a killer or I was a sleeping-pill lightweight. Probably both.
    “It’s not quite a half-hour drive,” Tonya informed me, as if she could read my mind. “Feel free to sleep in the car. I’ll wake you when we get to our destination.” She pulled a flap on a console door and grabbed a pillow and blanket, both wrapped in plastic. She unwrapped them before handing them to me. “I apologize for the long drive. Ideally, we like to fly our girls into a private airport located on the host’s property. But your host’s plane flies out of a nearby airport. His property is primarily waterfront. 
    “That’s okay. I’m happy to spend one night in a hotel anyway. I don’t think I would be good company tonight, being all messy and jet-laggy.”
    “Yes, well, we’ll make sure you’re well-rested before meeting Señor Ramos tomorrow.”
    Señor Ramos.
    My Spanish billionaire.
    The uber-important client who I knew so little about.
    He was rich. He lived in Spain. He was powerful. And, if the picture Sid had shown me wasn’t thirty years old, he was handsome. That was it--all I knew.
    I had flown all this way to meet a stranger. I could still barely believe it. Was I crazy for doing this? Would I regret it? God, I hoped not. A little quiver of nerves zapped through me, the first since the plane had taken off. But as quickly as it came, it went. Maybe tomorrow I would be nervous. After the sleeping pill had worn off and reality had set in. For now I was just...sleepy.
    I fluffed my pillow and turned sideways to stretch my legs out on the long bench seat. Ah, comfy. I leaned back and let myself drift in and out of a light sleep. It seemed like the car pulled up in front of a lavish hotel within minutes. I was escorted out of the car, my bags carried by the driver. The interior of the hotel was spectacular. We stepped through a pair of towering doors into a gorgeous reception area. Directly in front of me curled a pair of staircases leading to an open balcony above. A woman, the concierge, greeted us at the door. Without waiting for us to check in--I didn’t even see the front desk-- she escorted us up the staircase and down a number of silent but grand hallways. I had never seen anything like this place. It was magnificent. Like a castle.
    Finally, the concierge stopped, opened a huge door and waved me into a room. The driver, dragging along behind me, left my suitcases next to the door as I took a gawking look at my surroundings.
    I never imagined a hotel room could be so gorgeous.
    The concierge said, “There are beverages and some snacks in the refrigerator.” Then she hurried out before I had a chance to tip her.
    “This place is amazing,” I said to Tonya’s back.
    She stood next to the huge arched windows lining the room’s far wall. Drapes obscured the view. Tonya pulled one aside, revealing a pair of French doors. “Ah, you have an ocean view. Wow.”
    “Are you kidding me?” I scurried after her, halting when I caught sight of the moonlit water outside. “Oh my gosh. I wish Sid was here with me right now.” I clicked a picture with my phone and texted it to