*Kwame Asante*

I dropped my carry-on bag on the wide queen-sized bed.

My room had beautiful white stucco interior walls. Everything else was decorated with exotic colours to match the hotel's theme. The bedspreads and curtains were adorned with vibrant touches of persimmon, lemon yellow, and lime green. A huge mahogany-trimmed mirror occupied one entire wall, and furniture covered in tropical cotton fabric with large floral patterns sat in each corner of the room.

I unlocked the sliding door, pushed it open, and stepped onto the balcony. It overlooked a raging ocean, with waves crashing onto the shoreline every minute or two. A white wicker table and two armchairs on the balcony created an inviting atmosphere for a newlywed couple on their tropical honeymoon.

Zenobia flashed in my mind and I hurriedly willed her image away. I didn't come here to think of her. I came here to forget her, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Dashing back into my room, I soon returned with my camera and fired off several shots with the wide-angle lens.

Ever since my separation from... her, photography has been my new babe. It kept my hands busy and my mind preoccupied. As the CEO of Power Pictures Incorporated, based in Chicago, I have a lot of people looking up to me, and I've made it my sole responsibility to make them proud. Over the years, I have received several accolades for my excellent portrayal of stories through my photography skills. Just recently, I won an award for a photo series I did on Jamaica's Reggae Summerfest, which didn't come as a surprise to me because all my photos captured the true essence of the celebrations.

I fired a few more shots before heading back inside to freshen up. Getting off a ten-hour flight to discover that my luggage was nowhere on land had me boiling with rage. I'd packed everything, including some spare camera equipment in there, and I wasn't happy at all that my belongings were travelling to another country without me!

The baggage officer back at the airport told me to expect my stuff by tomorrow morning, and I planned to hold him to his word. If they fail to deliver, so help me, God, I'll squash the living daylight out of them.

I was also quite aware that I wasn't the only passenger whose luggage had gone missing. Images of the two ladies who'd come to the baggage office to fill out the missing luggage forms flashed in my head, but my mind was more interested in the brown-skinned beauty. Average height, with long black braids and a slim waist that opened up to a generous set of hips. I remembered seeing the ample swell of her chest in the sea blue shirt she was wearing and the bright smile that touched her features anytime her short blond companion said something funny.

I had to admit, she was very alluring, and that was exactly what I needed to avoid. Before this trip, I vowed to myself that I was only going to focus on work. Women had been labelled as a no-go area in my mind, and I planned to heed the warning. There was no room for absurd fantasies.

After a quick washdown in the bath, I slapped on the only other t-shirt I had in my carry-on bag, a souvenir from my last trip to Jamaica. I didn't have any more clothes, and the thought of buying some new ones when I had an entire suitcase of them flying somewhere else angered me again.

"Stupid airline." I combed my hair and put on a little cologne before heading out to the restaurant to get something to eat.

¤¤¤¤¤

It was 7:02 pm when I glanced at my watch, expecting the tour bus to arrive anytime soon.

I was currently seated in the lounge, chatting with a few of the journalists I had travelled with when I sensed movement from the corner of my eye.

The brown-skinned beauty and her friend had entered the lounge and were making their way towards my group.

I turned away instantly, unable to control my reaction to the brown-skinned beauty, who'd only changed into a simple one-shoulder black dress that fit her trim figure snugly and reached just above her knees.

I felt as if she'd knocked the air out of me by wearing that dress, and I barely knew her.

This wasn't a good feeling. The feeling was not welcomed at all, so I did my best to ignore it. And it helped when I immediately spotted our means of transportation coming to a halt in front of the hotel's entrance. I alerted my colleagues and we all trailed over to the awaiting vehicle.

Didi stood at the doorway, greeting everyone as they entered the bus.

"Good evening, Mr. Asante," he smiled. "Hope you found the hotel's hospitality enjoyable?"

"I'll enjoy it when my luggage is found," I snapped, and Didi let out a soft chuckle.

"Don't worry, sir. Everything will be settled tomorrow morning."

I boarded the bus and chose the last window seat in the back, hoping to enjoy the evening breeze while putting as much distance between myself and the brown-skinned beauty as possible. My body had already betrayed me by reacting to her presence, and I could not by any chance let it happen again.

"Oh Ms. Michaelson, Ms. Brown, good evening." I heard Didi call out to the two women who had just approached the bus entrance. "I must say, you both look ravishing tonight."

The blond lady, dressed in a maroon t-shirt and shorts that showed off strong athletic legs, was the first to reply to Didi's compliment with a comment that had all three of them laughing. The ladies soon climbed into the bus and I quickly pulled out my phone, attempting to look busy. In my head, I was just praying that they wouldn't sit next to me at the back.

The angels must've heard my plea because the two women settled down, three seats away from where I sat. The bus revved to life as Didi hopped back in, instructing the driver to the next pickup stop.

******