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Authors: Myrna Mackenzie
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pleasure lurked in his green eyes and sent her heartbeat racing ten times faster than it had when she’d seen Frank Toliver’s bald head.
Don’t even consider wondering what he would look like if he ever flashed a full smile , she ordered herself. “Weren’t you even a little worried when you saw his head?”
He hesitated, as if studying the question. “I already had my fingers poised over my cellphone to order champagne shipped to his room.”
He sounded so disgruntled at even having to admit it that Alex couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. “Aha, so you were worried.”
Now the smallest trace of a smile lifted his lips. “If it makes you feel better, I did feel a twinge, but only a small one. Alex, in this business there are bound to be customers who have concerns now and then, but I hire good people. I expect them to do their jobs well, but in the end, I’m always poised to fix a few things. I’m the safety net. If you’re doing everything possible to give the customers the experience they have every right to expect, you’re doing what I require of you. Do we have a deal?”
He held out his hand. She stared at it, almost afraid to touch him.
And when she finally did place her hand in his, she knewthat she had been right to be afraid. The heat and the energy and the sudden attraction whooshed in, making it hard to forget that Wyatt was a man who was impossible to ignore.
A loner of a man, she reminded herself. His words just then had confirmed it as much as anything Randy had told her. He was an island—or at least he was the lone protector of the personal island that this hotel represented.
He was waiting for her answer. “We have a deal,” she managed to choke out, but when he released her it was all she could do not to stare at her hand. It felt as if he had imprinted a part of himself on her.
“You’re free to go, Alex,” he said.
She frowned, confused.
“Lois is here for her shift,” he clarified. “You’ve survived your first full day.”
I’m not so sure , she thought as she walked away. She kept trying to tell herself that this was just a job, but her reaction to Wyatt made it feel more like a personal test.
Alex stared at her hand when she got back to her room. Sensation rushed through her, which was ridiculous. The man had merely shaken her hand, a brief brush of flesh against flesh, but the nerve-endings in her fingers had practically sizzled.
She was far too attracted to him, acting just the way Randy had predicted. Like an idiotic woman obsessed with Wyatt. Like those other women who had wanted him.
But she had one advantage over those women. She didn’t want to want him. He was the most potent and unattainable man she’d ever met, and darn it, she wasn’t going to do something stupid.
Alex took deep calming breaths. She counted to ten. “I’m strong. I’m not a slave to my emotions.”
Those words were important because, like it or not, she wasonce again in a position of helping a man achieve his goals, the very thing that had caused her to walk straight into heartbreak after heartbreak. Assisting a man created a rush of very temporary positive emotions, but when those emotions faded the party was over. The pain began.
Not happening this time, Lowell. Wyatt’s goals were part of her job, nothing more. When she was done she could run back to San Diego, set up her shop, and enjoy the rest of her life.
“I can be attracted to you without succumbing, Wyatt,” she whispered. “You won’t have anything to regret when I’m gone. In fact, you’re going to be glad you hired me, because I intend to help you surpass any competitors and win that prize.”
And she knew just how she was going to start.
CHAPTER SIX
W YATT prowled the halls of McKendrick’s, trying to shake off the feeling that he shouldn’t have shaken Alex’s hand. Ridiculous. He’d merely been trying to reassure her that she didn’t have to bear the responsibility for the success of the hotel.
Don’t even consider wondering what he would look like if he ever flashed a full smile , she ordered herself. “Weren’t you even a little worried when you saw his head?”
He hesitated, as if studying the question. “I already had my fingers poised over my cellphone to order champagne shipped to his room.”
He sounded so disgruntled at even having to admit it that Alex couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. “Aha, so you were worried.”
Now the smallest trace of a smile lifted his lips. “If it makes you feel better, I did feel a twinge, but only a small one. Alex, in this business there are bound to be customers who have concerns now and then, but I hire good people. I expect them to do their jobs well, but in the end, I’m always poised to fix a few things. I’m the safety net. If you’re doing everything possible to give the customers the experience they have every right to expect, you’re doing what I require of you. Do we have a deal?”
He held out his hand. She stared at it, almost afraid to touch him.
And when she finally did place her hand in his, she knewthat she had been right to be afraid. The heat and the energy and the sudden attraction whooshed in, making it hard to forget that Wyatt was a man who was impossible to ignore.
A loner of a man, she reminded herself. His words just then had confirmed it as much as anything Randy had told her. He was an island—or at least he was the lone protector of the personal island that this hotel represented.
He was waiting for her answer. “We have a deal,” she managed to choke out, but when he released her it was all she could do not to stare at her hand. It felt as if he had imprinted a part of himself on her.
“You’re free to go, Alex,” he said.
She frowned, confused.
“Lois is here for her shift,” he clarified. “You’ve survived your first full day.”
I’m not so sure , she thought as she walked away. She kept trying to tell herself that this was just a job, but her reaction to Wyatt made it feel more like a personal test.
Alex stared at her hand when she got back to her room. Sensation rushed through her, which was ridiculous. The man had merely shaken her hand, a brief brush of flesh against flesh, but the nerve-endings in her fingers had practically sizzled.
She was far too attracted to him, acting just the way Randy had predicted. Like an idiotic woman obsessed with Wyatt. Like those other women who had wanted him.
But she had one advantage over those women. She didn’t want to want him. He was the most potent and unattainable man she’d ever met, and darn it, she wasn’t going to do something stupid.
Alex took deep calming breaths. She counted to ten. “I’m strong. I’m not a slave to my emotions.”
Those words were important because, like it or not, she wasonce again in a position of helping a man achieve his goals, the very thing that had caused her to walk straight into heartbreak after heartbreak. Assisting a man created a rush of very temporary positive emotions, but when those emotions faded the party was over. The pain began.
Not happening this time, Lowell. Wyatt’s goals were part of her job, nothing more. When she was done she could run back to San Diego, set up her shop, and enjoy the rest of her life.
“I can be attracted to you without succumbing, Wyatt,” she whispered. “You won’t have anything to regret when I’m gone. In fact, you’re going to be glad you hired me, because I intend to help you surpass any competitors and win that prize.”
And she knew just how she was going to start.
CHAPTER SIX
W YATT prowled the halls of McKendrick’s, trying to shake off the feeling that he shouldn’t have shaken Alex’s hand. Ridiculous. He’d merely been trying to reassure her that she didn’t have to bear the responsibility for the success of the hotel.
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