13. Tessa
Chapter 13
Tessa
C lean and tidy again, I finished dealing with some paperwork in my office and checked in with Jazz.
I was due to meet Ro for the rest of today’s tour. God, this morning had not been good. Ro hadn’t said a lot as I’d shown him the guestrooms, but I’d seen a glimmer of…something in the lounge, then it had all been ruined with the Great Basement Debacle.
Getting locked in the dirty basement had possibly lost me points.
And the fierce lip-lock certainly hadn’t helped.
Even now, I quivered. This had to stop.
I sighed. He’d handled everything like a champ. I’d expected him to be angry, but he hadn’t been. It had left me hopeful I could get through to him.
Who the hell would have locked us in the basement on purpose? I couldn’t think of a single person. All my staff members were trying to make a good impression on the man who held the fate of our hotel in his hands, not lock him up.
Well, except Coral, but I knew she hadn’t locked us in the basement. She preferred a more direct approach to letting you know she was unhappy.
Heading out of my office, I aimed for Ro’s office. I spotted Allie holding a stack of paperwork, and waved.
“Hey.” She frowned, taking in my black skirt and gray blouse. “Weren’t you in a dress earlier?”
“Yes.” I ran a hand down my hip. “So, while giving our new owner the hotel tour this morning…I managed to get us locked in the basement and rip his shirt open.”
Allie blinked, then her lips twitched. “You must have made a hell of an impression.”
“Allie, it was a nightmare. We were stuck in a dirty, dusty, spider-infested basement, and I fell and landed on him.”
My friend couldn’t hold back a snort-laugh.
“It’s not funny.”
“It totally is.” She composed herself. “Then you decided to fix it by trying to get him naked?”
“What? No .” Heat filled my cheeks. Damn my pale skin. Some staff members walked past, and I smiled and nodded. I kept my voice low. “He caught me when I fell and I grabbed his shirt, and ripped some buttons off.” I sighed. “He’ll personally drive a bulldozer into this place himself at this rate.”
“I’m sure he knows all of this was an accident. He can’t blame you for that.”
“Mmm.”
Allie studied me. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“Tessa, you’re the classic Miss Goody Two-Shoes. You can’t lie. Now, spill.”
I shook my head.
“Tell me,” Allie demanded.
I folded like a wet noodle. “I kissed him.”
Her mouth dropped open. “In the basement?”
“Yes.” My voice dropped. “But it wasn’t the first time.”
“What?” Allie squeaked.
I closed my eyes. “So, it turns out, Ro was at the masquerade.” I opened my eyes and stared at my friend.
Allie’s dark brows winged up. “Ro? You have a nickname for him?”
“It’s the name he prefers.”
It took her a second, then she gasped. “Your mystery man, with whom you had earth-shattering sex, and who gave you three orgasms was Ambrose Langston. Your boss.”
“He’s not my boss. Exactly. He’s like my boss’ boss’ boss’ boss.”
“He’s the man who holds the fate of our hotel in his hands.”
I pressed my hands to my face. “Yes.”
“Holy fuck. You fucked Ambrose Langston.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Yes, that about sums it up.”
“Wow, I’d expect Sierra to do something like this, but not you.”
“ Allie .”
“Hey.” She hugged me. “It’s going to be okay.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“I am, but I’m sure it will be.” She pulled a face. “Sierra’s better at this positive, optimistic shit than me.”
“I’m taking him outside this afternoon to continue the tour. To see the outdoor activities and trails. We’ll probably get attacked by a bear.”
My friend gripped my arm and squeezed. “Or have wild sex against a tree.”
I made a sound.
“Okay, take a breath,” she said. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll talk to Sierra and Jazz. We need to move cocktail night up, stat.”
“Don’t tell anyone.”
“Sure.”
I sighed. “You’re lying.”
“I am. I’m so telling Sierra and Jazz as soon as I can.” She hurried off with a wave.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten. I needed to go. Ro was waiting.
As I approached his office, I saw the door was open. I heard the deep murmur of his voice, and a shiver ran through me.
No. We are not paying attention to, or acting on, this obsessive attraction to Ro Langston.
I stopped in the doorway. He sat at the desk, phone to his ear. He was leaning back, in profile, looking like some king plotting a conquest. His lips curved into a smile. My chest did something weird.
Holy cow, when the man smiled he looked… totally beautiful.
The memory of the phone calls with his dad hit me. I’d only heard one side of the conversations, but that was all I needed to know that the elder Langston sounded like he wasn’t going to win father of the year anytime soon.
Don’t feel sorry for Ro. He’s rich, handsome, and arrogant to go with it. He’s not some poor little rich boy.
And before I knew it, he’d be gone. Onto his next conquest. Which was exactly what I wanted.
Suddenly, I felt the intensity of his gaze. He was staring at me as he ended his call. He rose with an easy, fluid move. It drew my gaze like a magnet and I mentally berated myself.
“You’re all shiny again,” he noted, taking in my skirt and top.
“As are you.” The dirty white shirt had been traded in for a crisp, blue one.
“I’m ready to continue our tour.” He stalked around the desk. “Shall we?”
“Let’s do it.” He followed me out of the office. “Let’s head outside next.”
When we stepped out onto the flagstone terrace, sunlight washed over me. I looked up at the mountain and smiled. I spotted several hikers carrying poles in the distance. The gondola was running, taking people up the mountain to higher trails.
“We offer lots of outdoor activities, in summer and winter. Hiking and mountain biking are extremely popular right now. As is our early-morning yoga classes. Obviously, in the winter, it’s the skiing that draws the crowds.”
He made a non-committal noise.
“We also have a cabin on the mountain. It’s popular with honeymooners. It takes a little extra effort to clean and cater for it, but we charge more.”
“I want to see it.”
“It’s occupied right now, but I’ll make some time tomorrow after the guests check out.” I led him down the steps. “I’d love to see the terrace expanded and add some outdoor restaurant seating out here. Right now, people can bring their own drinks out, but there isn’t enough space for tables.”
Ro nodded, his gaze running along the terrace and up to the mountain. “Hell of a view.”
My lips quirked. “Yes, it is.” We walked along the pathway. “Sierra Kerr is our outdoor activities coordinator.”
“The small blonde.”
“That’s her. She’s tiny but never runs out of energy. She recently redesigned the bike track, and it’s been very popular.”
We paused at a fence. Several mountain bikers appeared around a bend on the hill, bumping over the track as they sped down the hill.
“There are tracks for all different skill levels. Same thing with the hiking trails, and the ski trails in the winter.”
He nodded. “I might need to try the mountain biking.”
I tried to imagine him in anything other than a fancy suit and failed. “I can arrange that.”
“I’m sure you’ll be a good guide.”
I stilled. “Oh, no. I ski, but mountain biking isn’t my thing.”
“Something the efficient Ms. Ashford isn’t good at?”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t good at it.”
“Excellent. So you can take me.”
Dammit . I opened my mouth to reply when I heard someone call out my name.
“Ashford!”
I closed my eyes. No . I did not need this right now. I opened my eyes and saw Ro was watching me with interest.
Pasting on a patient smile—which took a hell of a lot of effort—I turned and watched the middle-aged, rotund man powering in my direction. He had a round face, beard, and graying hair.
“Mr. Parker. So nice to see you.”
“Listen here.” He stopped a foot away and wagged a finger at me. “Those bikes of yours are whizzing down the hill. People are riding like maniacs and disturbing my customers.”
I dragged in a breath. Patience, Tessa. Be calm . “Mr. Parker, the bike trails were there long before you chose to open your restaurant right beside them.”
He waved at the building beside the bike track. It had once been a ski rental business before Clyde Parker had decided it was the right spot for his Italian restaurant.
“They go so fast, disturbing everyone. It’s a safety hazard.”
Annoyance zinged through me. We’d had this argument several times before. “Mr. Parker,” I kept my tone firm. “The trails are a safe distance from your restaurant and there is a fence. As I’ve explained before, many of your customers use the bike trails and come from the hotel. The trails have been there for years, and we have no plans to change them.”
He made blustering noises. “Listen here, little lady?—”
I barely controlled my eye roll. Ah, a little old-boy misogyny, just what I needed.
“Mr. Parker.”
Ro’s voice made me jolt. I’d forgotten he was there. He stepped behind me, close enough to my back that I could feel the heat of him.
“I think Ms. Ashford has been clear. And she’s not a little lady, she’s a woman and the manager of this resort.”
Parker swiveled and his gaze widened. “You’re Ambrose Langston.”
Ro coldly stared Parker down.
Note to self: don’t ever get on Ro’s bad side . “Mr. Parker, I’ve addressed all your safety concerns. I really don’t want bad blood. We recommend your restaurant to our guests often.”
The older man’s face twisted, and he shot an angry look at a biker racing down the mountain. “This isn’t over.”
“It is.” Ro’s voice was cutting. “I don’t want to hear from Ms. Ashford that you’ve continued to bother her.”
Parker’s face turned red, then he stomped off.
I blew out a breath. “Sorry, I’ve been dealing with him for a while now, but it’s his way or the highway.”
“Tell me if things escalate. I’ll have the Langston legal team deal with it.”
I’d considered that, but the reality was, I had to live in the same town as Clyde Parker. I sometimes saw him at the coffee shop and grocery store. I really wanted an amicable resolution.
“How about we head back inside?” I suggested.
We headed back into the hotel. In the lobby, I spied Rupert at one of the reception computers. I hoped there was nothing wrong with the system.
When Ro’s cellphone rang, he let out an annoyed sigh. “I need to take this. It won’t take long.”
“Sure.” I hurried over to Rupert. “Is everything okay?”
“Tessa.” He swallowed, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing. “Yes, I’m just running a few diagnostic tests.” His gaze flicked to Ro. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, just giving Mr. Langston a full tour of the hotel and facilities.”
Rupert nodded. “Does he really want to knock the hotel down?”
My chest squeezed. “He’s looking at all options.” I smiled brightly. “I’m trying to convince him that it’s perfect as it is.”
“It is,” Rupert said fiercely. “And you do a great job running it.”
I smiled. “Thanks.” My gaze fell on Ro. He’d ended his call, but his phone rang again. He glared at it for a beat, then answered it. “I’m going to take him up to my favorite spot and work on convincing him. I’ll see you later, Rupert.”
“Bye, Tessa.”
After checking in with my reception staff, I noticed Ro striding toward me. “All done?”
He nodded. “Until the next emergency.”
I shot him a sympathetic look. “I hate days like that. When you’re getting pulled in a hundred different directions.”
“Everyone has a question and wants an answer.”
I nodded. “And just when you get a handle on things, something else goes wrong.”
We shared a smile.
Don’t look at his mouth, Tessa. I straightened. Tour . Focus on the tour . “Come with me.”
I led Ro up the stairs, to another of my favorite spots in the hotel. There was a small mezzanine level above the lobby with a polished wood railing. The hallway beyond led to some of the guestrooms. An elegant armchair and side table sat in front of a large, framed mirror. One of those spaces people passed by but rarely used. I paused at the carved wooden railing, looking down at the hubbub of the lobby below.
“I like this spot. I like to people watch.”
“You have time in your day to just stand here?”
I rolled my eyes. “I can see a lot of things from up here.” I nodded down. “I can check if we need housekeeping to come in and tidy the lobby. I can look out for happy or unhappy guests. I can take the pulse of my team.” I watched Enzo chatting with a couple at the concierge desk. The team at the reception desk were also checking in some guests, all smiles and quiet laughter. “I love to see everything running smoothly.”
Ro was quiet, and I had no idea what he was thinking.
“The flooring is a little dated,” he said. “And the space is a little dark.”
I sighed. “I guess you’d better add that to the list.” My chest tightened. I wasn’t getting through to him. I wasn’t getting him to see the charm of the Windward. Feeling defeated, I leaned against the railing.
And felt it let go.
The movement tossed me forward and I lost my balance. The side of the railing loosened enough to leave a gap.
A gap I tumbled into.
I threw my arms out.
Oh, God, I was going to fall and go splat in the middle of the hotel lobby.
Then strong arms wrenched me back. I collided with a rock-hard chest and grabbed on.
I looked up into Ro’s amber-hued tiger eyes.