Chapter 9
HAILEY
I loved fancy events. And I loved preparing for them even more. It was like a ritual—taking out several dresses, deciding on the perfect outfit. Then coming up with a matching makeup color scheme and topping it all off with an appropriate hairdo.
I watched myself in the mirror: short, golden dress with a generous cleavage.
My hair was wild around my shoulders. My makeup screamed Hollywood leading lady.
I loved it. The event might be in the afternoon, but it was elegant enough that it required me to pull out all the stops.
I loved the perks of my job, all the invitations to exclusive events.
I loved private screenings, because they were the rare occasions in this business when the press wasn’t invited so details of the movies wouldn’t leak out.
The screenings were mostly for critics and lucky folk like me.
Afterward, I had enough time to come home and change before heading to the hotel. How had I gotten myself into spending Saturday evening with him?
Didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to let him kiss me again. I had until the evening to steel myself against all that sexiness.
Before leaving, I sent my brother Will an email, confirming that I’d found a replacement for myself to teach styling at the education center.
He and his fiancée, Paige, ran a foundation focusing on teaching marketable skills to people who hadn’t had access to regular education.
I loved helping there as much as possible.
Up until now, I’d taught a course on fashion styling, and then helped the students get internships at Macy’s.
But with the additional clients Cameron had sent my way lately, it was impossible to keep up.
I smiled broadly when I darted out of the house. I loved Lakeview Terrace. We’d grown up on the outskirts of it. My siblings had moved into posher neighborhoods, but I liked it here. As a plus, my house had been cheap enough that I’d been able to save a down payment with only a few yearly bonuses.
When I arrived at the theater, I grinned from ear to ear, twirling slowly so I could take it all in. It was a beautiful art deco building with chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. The carpet and chairs were a mix of red and gold.
The screen was in the front. There were private boxes at the back. I didn’t have an invitation to those yet, but one day I would. I liked setting high goals for myself.
There was still an hour until the movie started, and in the meantime we were all invited to enjoy the canapes and champagne, which was exactly what I did.
I nearly tripped over my own feet when I caught a glimpse of dark brown hair. Was I imagining that Reid was here? Projecting? I walked closer, studying the man surreptitiously. He had his back to me, and when he turned, my breath caught.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I managed to say. “Coincidence?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Didn’t you say that you subscribe to the ‘hell is other people’ school of thought? What are you doing here?”
“I knew you’d be here. I wanted to see you.”
Oh wow. “You’re going to see me in the evening anyway.”
“Wanted to spend more time with you.”
Reid drank me up and made no secret of it.
That sinful gaze travelled down to my hips, resting on my legs.
Then he looked back up slowly. I shivered, feeling as if he’d traced a path from my navel up to my chest with his mouth.
When our gazes met, I could only hold it for a few seconds before breaking eye contact, afraid I would give myself away otherwise.
“You didn’t mention you’d be here.”
“Didn’t want to give you a chance to change your mind.” He bounced back and forth on his feet until he was in my personal space. My mouth went dry, and I instinctively licked my lower lip. “Even if I had to face… this.”
“And? Is it as bad as you imagined?”
“Absolute fucking nightmare. Care to save me?”
I laughed but knew he meant it. I also suspected this was a ruse, but I didn’t have the willpower to say no. Not when he pinned me with his molten gaze like that.
“Sure. Stick with me and I’ll sort you out.”
“After you, m’lady.”
Every cell in my body vibrated as we walked side by side. How did he even know I’d be here? Oh, probably from Bianca. Well, this made things a tad more complicated. I wasn’t ready to see him again so soon. I’d been counting on these last few hours to pull myself together.
We stopped when a man with graying hair came up to us.
“Davenport. Surprised to see you here. Not your scene. I think no one’s seen you out in years. Few of us wondered if you actually still exist or are just a myth.”
Reid’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Still here.”
“How’s your old man?”
“Enjoying retirement.”
“Bet he’s proud of you. Thrown to the wolves so young, and you showed everyone. Have to say, I was one of those who thought you wouldn’t last. Gave you a year before you sold.”
What the fuck?
“Still have no intention of selling. Can I introduce you to Hailey?”
I shook hands with the man. I disliked him intensely.
“Who was that?” I asked once he’d moved on to someone else.
“Competitor. Owns one of the other vintage hotels in town.”
“What did he mean about your dad?”
Reid frowned. “It’s not public knowledge, but Dad had a stroke ten years ago.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. How is he doing now?”
“His recovery was very slow, and he’s not one hundred percent his old self, so work is out of the question.”
“That’s why you took over the business.”
“Yes.”
“You were twenty-two, right? Wow. That’s a lot of responsibility.”
We each took a glass of champagne, moving to a less crowded area of the room.
“I’d never actually intended to work at the hotel.”
“Why not?”
He hesitated.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to. What is it about you, hmmm?”
He dragged his fingers down my cheek, stopping at my ear. His touch was dangerous in more ways than one, but I just didn’t have it in me to pull away.
“I have dyslexia. Reports, numbers… they’ve always been a struggle.
I somehow winged it through college, but when you’re in charge of hundreds of millions, struggling won’t cut it.
I wanted to work as a carpenter. Something where I used my hands.
Dad had made a risky investment the year he had the stroke and expanded the hotel.
The banks were breathing down his neck, ready to sell the hotel to the highest bidder if the numbers didn’t pan out.
He wanted someone he could trust at the helm. ”
“You,” I whispered.
“The hotel was his life’s work, and that of his parents. I wanted to keep their legacy safe.”
“But you didn’t just make it work. You are fantastic at it.”
His loyalty to his family touched me deeper than I thought possible. I saw him in a new light.
“How did you work your way through it? I want to know more.”
He looked at me over the rim of his glass, as if calculating something. Then he set the glass down on the bar table between us, running his fingers over the back of my hand slowly, seductively.
“I’ll tell you under one condition.”
“And what would that be?”
“Join me in the private box to watch.”
My cheeks flushed. This wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined I’d get into one of those boxes. The temptation was eating away at me. But how was I supposed to pull myself together with him next to me the entire time?
“I promise I don’t bite,” he whispered.
“I’m beginning to think you’d promise anything to get me where you want me.” He kept touching my hand, and I felt those fingers as if they were trailing up my inner thighs.
He smiled. “True. But I did brave this just to spend some more time with you, so….”
I brought my other hand over my chest, letting my jaw drop theatrically. “And now you’re blackmailing me. Tsk, tsk.”
We fell into silence, but he held my gaze until I couldn’t do anything else but nod. He led me to the box, which was every bit as elegant as I’d assumed. Plush chairs with red velvet, white and gold wood, and even a small table with refreshments and snacks.
“You have your own snack buffet. Where are the rest?” I asked, sitting in the middle of the row.
“No one else.”
I swallowed. Well, that could be problematic. Luckily, the box was open enough that this didn’t feel intimate. When he sat next to me, I had to reconsider that.
“So, tell me more. Before the movie begins. I’m genuinely curious. I mean, those reports and stuff couldn’t magically become easier for you.”
“They didn’t. Which was why I needed to spend more time on everything.
I had to plan my day very meticulously to get stuff done.
You have no idea how much easier voice recognition technology has made everything.
Dictating emails or having software read out certain reports. I even dictate most text messages.”
“This is… wow. I don’t even have words.”
“Fuck, you’re lovely.”
“Reid….”
“You are.” His eyes were pure fire. I wanted to ask more, but I had the uncanny feeling that he was about to kiss me. I couldn’t let things go there, no matter how much I wanted to. Instead, I decided to change course.
“Want to go through the interview questions now?”
He shook his head. “That’s what tonight is for.”
“But we can make a head start. Actually, we could probably breeze through all of them while we watch. You wouldn’t even notice.”
“But then you’d have no reason to stop by tonight, and I wouldn’t have an excuse to have you all to myself.”
Oh, God. The tone of his voice. The heat in his eyes. I couldn’t even breathe.
Luckily, the movie started then. For the first time at a private screening, I was only half-paying attention. I needed to get out of our commitment tonight but didn’t know how. Besides, I did need to get that interview. Better to get it over with already.
The movie was over all too soon, and I hoped he didn’t want us to dissect it, because I hadn’t caught all the details.
“Should we grab a cab together?” he asked as we slowly exited the theatre.
“I’m going home to change first.”
“Okay. Meet you there in two hours?”
“Sure.” I schooled my expression to appear neutral, not like I was still on edge from being so close to him. I’d use the time apart to cool down.
We waited together while a valet called cabs in groups of five to pull in front of the theater.
“Bring a bikini tonight,” he whispered.
I shook my head.
“I thought you wanted to swim in the panoramic pool.”
“Yes, but….” What could I say? That was before I realized that I couldn’t trust myself to spend more time than necessary with him? Especially after everything I’d learned about him this afternoon. He’d made my body simmer by doing nothing more than just sit next to me.
“You still want to.” I felt his hot breath on the top of my ear. “You know what, you don’t have to bring one. I’ll have one ready for you at the hotel.”
“What? How?”
“We have shops on the ground floor. I’m going to have fun picking up something for you.”
I cocked my head sideways, nearly smacking into him. “You’re just as good as I am at finding loopholes.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
“You don’t have to buy me anything.”
“Why, are you afraid of what I’d choose for you?” His voice was lower now, sexier. I barely resisted the urge to fan myself.
Shaking my head, I took a step forward, toward the cab the valet just pointed at.
“I’ll see you in two hours, Reid.”
I’d gotten through the afternoon unscathed. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say the same after tonight.