Sunset Thunder by Shannyn Leah

That would leave Joel on his own if it happened again.
    “Ryder, you really have to take me on your boat,” one of Missy’s friends said. He’d been introduced by name to each of them, but forgot as quickly as he was told. So he would call this one, who latched onto his arm and squeezed her painted red nails into his skin, Bottom Feeder.
    Missy laughed. “Marci, get off him. You’re going to have to excuse my friends. Apparently, handsome men make them forget their manners.” She was reaching for Marci to pull her away, but Marci wiggled back, pulling Ryder a step back with her.
    “And rich...” Joel added with a wink at the ladies and another elbow in Ryder’s side.
    Please, don’t bait them.
    Missy gave up.
    Joel chuckled, liking the show that had Ryder cringing.
    All the women swarmed around Ryder, like piranha’s closing in on their prey.
    He was trying to figure out a diversion to eliminate him from the grasp of Bottom Feeder, as he caught sight of Violet. Suddenly he didn’t feel the other woman’s touch.
    Violet stood between the marble columns, looking like a Goddess of Beauty and she played the part well. This woman indeed knew how to pull herself together after what he would call a helluva occurrence in the lobby washroom. Her shoulders were pulled back, straightly defined, lengthening her height. Not an untouched blonde hair was out of place, or a smudge of lipstick, not a blush of color grazed her cheeks. All of the details he’d enjoyed watching as she dressed, with her flustered reaction. Her hair had been askew, her lipstick half missing, which he’d wiped clean off his lips after she left, and her cheeks flushed from the intimate touching they’d shared. Instant images of her legs still parted, sitting on the counter and her underwear lying on the floor, found their way into his head.
    Back to the now.
    The calmness of her eyes told the people in this room that she’d been doing anything else except touching, kissing, and scorching Ryder Carlex.
    When Violet’s eyes found Ryder first, they were expressionless, like she didn’t care that Melanie...Maggie...whatever M-named woman, was leeched against Ryder, where Violet had been only minutes ago...and who Ryder would prefer to have touching him.
    Violet’s eyes didn’t miss a beat, departing from Ryder’s to travel around the room, sending everyone an equally quick smile.
    No special attention for Ryder. No ogling looks...and not a seductive wink, followed by another lobby washroom offer. That was exactly what Ryder wanted from every woman, to be left alone, not ogled, not touched and not be treated like their next hunting trophy. Why did disappointment wash through him when Violet did exactly that?
    Had he hoped she would share a shred of knowledge with him? A wink, a smile, a grin...anything?
    “I see we are all here, so why don’t we go look over the two ballrooms, discuss the amenities of each and decide on the one for your special day,” she said so professionally that an outsider would have no idea she’d been married to the groom.
    Why don’t we start with the men’s washroom...it’s way more appealing. 
    Missy clapped her hands and squealed, leading her group of Ryder-sucking leeches toward the ballroom, including Miss M, who let Ryder’s arm free.
    Missy knew her way around the resort after years of being employed as a maid. The possibility that Joel and Missy had been fooling around before his divorce to Violet had crossed Ryder’s mind. If that question taunted him...didn’t it taunt them all? Including Violet?
    Ryder couldn’t decide which was more awkward...him having sex with his friend’s ex-wife or the fact Violet was planning her ex-husband’s wedding. Either way, both were distracting and entertaining, keeping Ryder’s mind occupied.
    Heels dug firmly onto the floor and iPad held tightly against her chest, Violet stood at the entrance, nodding and smiling as each person passed. Ryder waited, casually with