His hand was warm, his grip strong and his skin leathery enough to indicate he enjoyed some kind of outdoor sport. His dark glasses were perched on a straight nose, above a strong, square chin. The smile he flashed was friendly enough, but Jenna sensed some kind of tension behind it.
Yes. Well. Henry cleared his throat. Were just getting Jenna set up with a suite for the next week or so.
Dont let me get in the way. Tyler gestured toward the receptionist and gallantly moved back.
HENRY WAS close on his heels as Tyler cut across the lobby. Meeting Jenna so soon wasnt exactly what hed planned. But Tyler had to congratulate himself on coming up with the security guard cover story. Now he had an excuse to hang around the hotel. Even better, he had an excuse to snoop.
Odd that I dont recall hiring another security guard, said Henry as the distance between them and the reception desk increased.
Im undercover, said Tyler. On a case.
Somebody staying at the hotel?
As it turns out. He glanced back to where Jenna was checking in. A decorating job at the Quayside. Small world, but a convenient one.
Theres not a criminal in my hotel, is there?
Not a criminal. Still smarting from Dereks reaction to an adultery surveillance case, Tyler didnt jump to share the particulars with Henry.
Are you planning to stay? asked Henry.
Stay?
For the undercover operation. Do you need a room?
What a good idea. It would make snooping even easier. Besides, he was on a money is no object expense account. And it would sure keep Derek from worrying about where he was living.
Sure. Ill take a room, said Tyler.
Shall I put it on the Reeves-DuCarter account?
Tyler grinned. Bill IPS. Im getting expenses on this.
Good enough. You will let me know if my guests are in any danger?
Thats a promise, said Tyler. Though it seemed unlikely that any of the guests could be decorated to death. He found his attention straying back to Jenna.
What is Jenna McBride decorating? he asked.
Shes giving the entire hotel a facelift. There was some kind of a twinkle in Henrys eyes. She came very highly recommended.
Tyler squinted at Henrys expression. It was sort of a wink, wink, nudge, nudge, inside joke expression.
Redecorating the hotel wasnt a bad idea. But Henry was sure acting strange about it. Maybe the older man did have a crush on Jenna.
If that was the case, Tyler could have told him that Jenna was already taken. He could also remind Henry that Henry was already taken.
Jenna started across the foyer toward them.
Can you give me a security key? asked Tyler.
Not a problem. Henry nodded.
3
THE LIGHTHOUSE, the Quaysides rooftop seafood restaurant, wasnt light at all. Jenna squinted at the maitre d as she took her seat at a small table in a secluded alcove. She supposed the darkness might seem romantic to some, but it was a crying shame to waste the view.
Although the restaurant was located on the fortieth floor, right on the lake front, only about a quarter of the exterior wall space had windows. The rest was covered in a heavy, burgundy wall paper, layered between dark, hewn beams.
The feeble ceiling lights cast a smoky, orange hue, and the carpet was in red tones. At least she thought it was in red tones, she leaned sideways in her seat and peered down at it. She could barely see her feet down there in the dark depths.
Glancing around to make sure nobody was paying attention, she lifted the candle from the middle of the table and held it close to the floor.
She was right. Swirls of burgundy and bloodred. She shuddered.
Lose something, maam?
Jenna quickly straightened in her chair, giving her emerald cocktail dress a surreptitious tug down her thighs and smoothing her fingertips across the straight, strapless neckline to make sure everything was where it ought to be.
Nothing. She smiled at the waiter, placing the candle back on the table.
Can I offer you a cocktail? he asked, reaching out and returning the candle to its original position.
Sure. Jenna tapped her fingernails against the gold tablecloth. A glass of red wine?
We have the Andollin Beaujolais from France, very light, very smooth. Or the Posselini Merlot from Italy, bolder, very dry. He flipped open a leather-bound wine list. Or I can open a bottle.
The Beaujolais will be fine.
Very good. He flipped the wine list shut. Ill be back in one moment.
Jenna sighed and settled into her chair. The waiters old-world mannerisms seemed to go with the room. Maybe wealthy people liked oppressive spaces and officious service. Shed certainly experienced both with Brandon.
Should she stay with dark and classic here, or be bold and suggest something more updated? She ran her fingertips along the ornate arm of the dark walnut chair, tracing the swirled carving as she gazed around the room, cataloguing the furniture and decor.
Most of the tables in her section were empty. Although, one of the window tables was occupied by a couple. She unconsciously paused on them. They were holding hands across the table top and seemed totally absorbed in each other, oblivious to anything else in the room.
After a brief twinge of envy, Jenna shifted her focus. It came to rest on the other chair at her table. The wood was dark, almost black, and the upholstery was diamond-tufted, red velvet. She imagined it had looked very rich in its time, but now it looked heavy and dated. Rather like the wallpaper.
Rather like the staff. She grinned to herself and took a quick sip from her water glass. She wondered if new uniforms would lighten them up a little.
Her gaze started to roam again, coming to rest on the couple by the window. The man reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. Jennas eyes widened along with the womans, and Jenna quickly turned her head to look away.
She found herself focusing in on the wallpaper while she considered changing chairs so the couple wouldnt be in her line of vision. They obviously didnt need an audience tonight.
The wallpaper in front of her was starting to peel at one of the seams. For all its venerated reputation, the Quayside sure did need the services of a good decorator.
She touched the loose seam with her fingertip, and pried away an inch of the brittle paper. It flaked off in her hand.
Your wine, maam, the waiter startled her again, and she wondered if he practiced sneaking up on people.
Thank you, she murmured.
Are you ready to order?
Jenna shook her head. Not yet. She wasnt in a hurry.
As she sipped her wine, her attention kept wandering back to the wall beside her. Curious, she shifted in her seat, taking a closer look at the smooth, surface revealed under the wallpaper. It was drywall, probably put up in the sixties. And, since the hotel was more than fifty years old, that meant somebody had renovated the restaurant at least once.
She traced the seam partway up the wall, drawing closer. She pulled up on her knees, lifting the candle for a better look. If this was a renovation, what was the original design?
She glanced around the restaurant. Lattice dividers and carved, stone statues broke the large room into sections. Hers was definitely an outside wall. If the original designer had more brains than the renovator, there might be window openings back there. She felt a hum of excitement at the thought of more windows.
She glanced around the restaurant. Lattice dividers and carved, stone statues broke the large room into sections. Hers was definitely an outside wall. If the original designer had more brains than the renovator, there might be window openings back there. She felt a hum of excitement at the thought of more windows.
With all that light, all that view to play with, she could cheerfully blow the entire redecorating budget on the restaurant alone. The possibilities were positively endless.
She shimmied up higher. Glancing around to make sure the other two diners were still making moon eyes at each other and ignoring her, she knocked gently on the wall. It sounded solid. Drat.
She put the candle down and knocked again, a little to the left this time. Still solid. A statue kept her from trying further to the left, so she stretched up to reach above it, glancing at the other outside walls, counting off the windows and trying to eyeball the pattern. She reached up and knocked.
Hollow.
Yes! she whispered. Pay dirt.
She rapped her knuckles in a horizontal line, trying to ascertain the size of the opening. Then she went vertical, stretching up, standing in her seat. The hollow sound went up and up. Excitement hummed through her veins.
If the perimeter of the restaurant was all window openings, she was going to fill this mausoleum with light.
Is something wrong? A deep voice behind her startled her.
Jenna turned swiftly, bashing her shin against the tabletop, recognizing the security guard from the lobby earlier and knocking over the candle all in a split second.
Ouch, she cried, leaning over quickly to blow out the candle. Her breath bent the flame then, to her horror, it leapt higher, catching the wax-drenched tablecloth.
Watch your hair, the man gasped, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her out of the chair. He held her tight with one arm, and swiftly snuffed the flame with his other palm.
But it didnt go out, and he jerked his hand back.
Panic surged in Jenna. Any second now the whole cloth was going to go up. The woman at the other table exclaimed and pointed.
Tyler grabbed Jennas water glass and dumped it on the spreading flame. It hissed, and smoked, sputtering out, leaving a messy, saucer-sized black hole in the middle of the tablecloth.
You okay? Tyler asked in a deep voice that rumbled near her ear. His arm was still firmly around her waist.
Fine, she answered, only slightly shaken. The throb on the front of her shin bone told her shed have a bruise tomorrow. But no real damage had been done to the table, thank goodness.
Thanks, she said.
No problem, he replied.
The spilled water worked its way to the edge of the table and trickled onto the floor. Jenna picked up her napkin and began dabbing at the mess.
Tyler reached for the second napkin. He dropped his arm from around her waist, but they were still shoulder to shoulder.
Dare I ask? He tipped his head to look at her as he blotted the water. His eyebrows quirked, and she found herself staring into the deepest, darkest, bluest eyes in the world. They were framed with thick, black lashes and shadowed by straight brows. Whoever decorated this guy had done a bang-up job.
Ask what? she managed as her pulse reacted to the fact that she was touching an extremely good-looking man. His biceps were rock hard, and his body heat radiated through his cotton shirt, warming her bare arm.
Is everything all right here? The waiters voice interrupted. His words conveyed concern, but his expression was more exasperated than worried.
We could use a new tablecloth, said Tyler evenly, dropping the wet napkin and guiding Jenna back a couple of steps. She didnt fight the continued body contact, since she kind of liked touching him.
Of course, he finally said. He gathered Jennas wineglass and the silver setting, then scooped up the tablecloth.
Tyler glanced back down at Jenna as the man walked away. A grin formed on his face, showing off the barest hint of a dimple. Dare I ask what youre up to?
Experiencing the ambiance, she said, her shoulder still brushing against his arm. She should have felt crowded by his proximity in the small space, but it honestly felt flirty.
Do you always stand on your chair to experience the ambiance? His leg shifted, brushing once against her stockings, sending her nerve endings into a tizzy.
Oh, that, she breathed, waving a hand toward the wall behind them. I was just looking for windows.
His gaze shifted to the solid wall. I hate to be the one to tell you this He turned the full force of his attention back to her, and she sucked in a tight breath.
From his tousled dark hair, to his devil-may-care smile, to his deep voice and broad shoulders, this guy was drop-dead sexy.
I think theyre behind the wall, she explained, struggling to understand her strong reaction to a virtual stranger.
I take it youve got big plans for the place?
Its got loads of potential. She should move away now, break the subtle contact between their arms and sit back down. She really should.
He glanced around the restaurant. Not a fan of early bordello?
She smiled. That was it. The red velvet, the orange-toned lighting, the sultry feel of the atmosphere. Jenna could easily imagine Victorian era ladies of the evening plying their trade.
Maybe the last decorator was trying for romantic? she suggested charitably.
Tylers expression turned skeptical.
Sensual?
Sensual is free, he said. When you pay for it, its erotic.
Jenna bit down on the inside of her cheek. Nope, she didnt know this man. She wasnt going to make a risqué joke about his bordello experience.
He caught the look in her eyes. The answer is never.
She shook her head, stifling a grin. I never asked.
Uh-huh. He shifted back, folding his arms. But you were wondering.
She shook her head. Im only wondering how many windows are hidden behind the wall renovations. She kept a straight face for a moment before giving into temptation. Of course, you were the one who recognized the bordello look right off.
Ive watched westerns.
Westerns? Is that what they call them nowadays?
His eyes turned to blue smoke, and he slowly took in her tight dress, stockings and high heels. Decorators? he drawled. Is that what they call them nowadays?
Should I get out of this conversation while the getting is good?
Since weve both agreed were standing in a bordello. And since youre the prettiest woman in the room. And since Im about to make you an offerYeah, we should both get out of this conversation before I get my face slapped.
You couldnt afford me anyway, she boldly tossed out in a Mae West voice before stepping away from him and slipping into her chair.
He was silent for half a heartbeat as he took a seat across the table. Then his bass voice rolled. Dont bet on it.
His dark eyes smoldered, and Jennas entire body contracted.
Wow.
Nobody had ever looked at her like that beforesliding a white-hot gaze straight past her inhibitions.
May I offer you a cocktail, sir? The waiter interrupted, his formal tone almost icy. He stood to one side while a busboy swiftly replaced the tablecloth then set out silverware, menus and a new candle.