The Wager

Four

Laura adjusted the lipstick-red scarf around her neck, then smoothed the skirt of her black dress just before the elevator dinged and the doors zipped open.

Exiting the elevator, she forced a smile on her lips as she approached the desk of Nick’s very pregnant assistant. Although Jennifer Simmons was only four years younger than her, the difference might as well have been forty. The other woman had not only married her childhood sweetheart, but she was also expecting the birth of her first child. Whereas he…she had yet to meet any man she could imagine a long-term relationship with—let alone marriage.

“Hi, Jen.”

“Thank you, God,” the other woman said, lifting her eyes heavenward before she beamed at Laura. “I was desperately in need of a break, and here you are—giving me the perfect excuse to take one.”

“To hear your boss tell it, you don’t usually need an excuse.”

Jen crinkled her nose. “Who are you going to believe? Me or the slave driver?”

“You, of course,” Laura said, grinning. “So how is the little mother-to-be feeling this afternoon?”

“Like a blimp with legs. But the champ here is doing great,” she said, smiling as she smoothed a hand over her burgeoning middle. “In fact, I’m convinced this little guy has a future as a football or soccer star.”

“Still kicking up a storm, hmm?”

“Do fish swim? Why I—” Jen gasped and clutched her stomach.

“What is it?” Laura demanded, suddenly alarmed. Fearing the baby was coming, she grabbed the phone and started to punch in 911. “Hang on. I’m calling the—” She stopped at the burst of laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Jen told her, wiping tears from her eyes as her laughter subsided. “If you could have seen the look on your face.”

Her heartbeat once again normal, Laura primly returned the phone to its cradle. “I’m glad one of us finds this amusing. You nearly scared me half to death, Jennifer Simmons. I thought you’d gone into labor,” she accused, but had difficulty acting royally miffed when she wanted to laugh, too.

“I really am sorry,” Jen said again, the last of her giggles fading. “Although I have to admit there is a part of me that wishes I had gone into labor.”

“Well, I for one am grateful that you didn’t. You’d be in worse shape than Scarlett O’Hara when she went into labor, because I don’t know anything about birthing babies.”

Jen laughed as she was meant to do. “Oh, I think you’d manage just fine.”

“Well, I’d just as soon we not find out—especially not two months early.”

“Don’t remind me,” Jen groaned. “I can’t believe I still have two whole months to go.”

“It’ll be here before you know it.”

“I certainly hope so. I can hardly wait for this little guy to arrive. I want to hold him in my arms so bad. So does Bob,” she said. “I know it sounds sappy, but we love him already.”

“It doesn’t sound sappy at all. I think it sounds sweet.”

“It is,” Jen confessed. “But you’ll find that out for yourself someday when you’re expecting one of your own.”

A lump formed in Laura’s throat. Would she ever know what it was to share that kind of love with someone? To feel a new life growing inside her? At twenty-eight, she was no stranger to men. She’d dated her fair share but had never been serious about any one of them. She’d told herself it was because her career was her major focus. But deep in her heart, she knew the reason had less to do with her career focus than the fact that none of the men she’d dated measured up to the man her father was. Or at least the man she’d always believed her father to be, Laura corrected herself.

“Laura? Are you all right?”

“Hmm? I’m fine,” she said, shaking off the sad thoughts. “It’s just been a long day.”

“I know what you mean. This is the first time today the phone hasn’t been ringing off the hook.”

“Speaking of phones, Nick buzzed me a few minutes ago. He said there was someone he wanted me to meet.”

“Oh, terrific,” Jen said, her face beaming. “You can get the scoop on TDH.”

“TDH?”

“Tall, dark and handsome,” Jen explained. When Laura simply stared at her, the other woman sighed. “Tall, dark and handsome as in major hunk. When I returned from my doctor’s appointment and stuck my head in Nick’s office to tell him I was back, I saw him.”

“Him?”

“The hunk,” Jen replied, shooting her a warning look to pay attention. “He didn’t have an appointment scheduled. And the reception desk said when Nick came back from his lunch meeting, the guy was with him. The tongues in Marketing and in Reservations have been hanging out since he walked into the hotel. Everyone’s dying to find out who he is.”

“Probably a potential client,” Laura reasoned.

“Whoever he is, he is one gorgeous male specimen. He’s also unattached.”

Laura blinked. “How on earth do you know that?”

She held up her left hand, wiggled her ring finger. “No wedding ring,” Jen explained. “I checked.”

“Need I remind you that you are married?”

“Yeah, but I’m not dead. And there’s no reason I can’t appreciate a good-looking guy with a great tush.”

Laura arched her brow. “I wonder what Bob would say about you checking out the guy’s tush.”

“Hey, I was checking him out for you,” Jen defended herself. “But now that you’re here, you can go on in and check him out for yourself,” she said, and pressed the intercom button to announce Laura’s arrival. “Just remember—no drooling.”

Laura didn’t drool. But she could have. One look at the man Jen had dubbed TDH, and Laura admitted the other woman had been right. He was tall—a few inches over six feet, she guessed, with long limbs and too-die-for green eyes. His hair was dark. So was he. She’d be willing to wager a week’s salary that the deep golden tan he sported hadn’t been courtesy of any tanning salon. She also doubted that those linebacker shoulders that filled out the expensive charcoal jacket so nicely were the result of a fancy personal trainer. A quick scan of slashing cheekbones, a strong jaw and a mouth curved into a wicked grin, and Laura had to agree with Jen’s assessment. The man was flat-out gorgeous.

But then, so was her boss Nick. Fortunately, living in California where there were so many good-looking men, she had long ago developed an aversion, if not an immunity, to men with those movie-star looks.

“Here she is,” Nick said as he hung up the phone and stood. Moving from behind his desk, he put an arm around Laura’s shoulder and ushered her over to the hunk. “Josh, I’d like you to meet Laura Harte, not only the best assistant GM in the business, but the prettiest, too. Laura, meet Josh Logan, an old friend who’s in town for a few days.”

“Mr. Logan, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Laura smiled and extended her hand. “And please, pay no attention to Nick. He considers it his duty to flatter every female who crosses his path.”

“But in this case, I have to agree with him. You’re even more lovely than he told me,” he replied smoothly, a hint of the South in his voice as he took her hand. “And please, call me Josh.”

Color warmed Laura’s cheeks as much from the compliment as from the approval in his eyes, and not for the first time, Laura wished her skin weren’t so fair. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“I hope you don’t mind if I call you Laura.”

“No. Laura is fine.” Keenly aware that he was still holding her hand, Laura withdrew it.

“Josh and I used to work together when we were in college,” Nick explained as he led them to the grouping of couches and chairs that filled a section of the executive suite.

Laura opted for one of the overstuffed chairs positioned around the marble coffee table. “In Florida?” she asked, since she knew that’s where Nick was from originally.

“Louisiana,” Josh replied. “Nicky and I did a little of everything—bussed tables, parked cars, you name it. The hotel grunt work that no one else wanted to do.”

Laura stiffened at the mention of Louisiana, her thoughts momentarily turning to the Jardine family. “Are you in the hotel business, too, Mr. Lo—”

“Josh,” he corrected her, flashing her that smile again.

The full impact of that smile warmed her like a caress. Caught off guard by her response to him, Laura shook off thoughts of the Jardine family and told herself she’d need to concentrate if she were to hold her own against the likes of Josh Logan. “Are you in the hotel business…Josh?”

“In a manner of speaking. I deal primarily in acquisitions.”

“Josh’s family owns Logan Hotels,” Nick informed her.

The words Logan Hotels and acquisition hit her like a slap of cold air. “I see,” Laura managed to say despite the sudden knot in her stomach as she considered the purpose behind Josh Logan’s visit. Larger than the Ambassador Grand Hotel that Nick operated, Logan Hotels was a major competitor known for its five-star properties throughout the country. The firm was also known for its rapid growth during the past decade by acquisition of competing luxury hotels.

“I’m afraid you don’t see,” Josh drawled, a hint of amusement in his voice. “At least not the right picture. Although the Ambassador Grand is a fabulous property, Logan Hotels isn’t interested in buying it.”

“Which is a good thing since it’s not for sale,” Nick added.

“Of course, there is that factor, too,” Josh conceded, his lips curving into a grin that had Laura’s stomach tightening again. “But the truth is, I’m not here on Logan Hotels business. This visit is strictly a personal one.”

“Well, that’s good news,” Laura began, and could have kicked herself when Josh laughed aloud. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I don’t have anything against Logan Hotels.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Josh told her.

Laura laughed. “It’s true. I even stayed at your San Diego hotel a few years ago. It was lovely and fully deserving of its excellent reputation.”

“But?” Nick coaxed.

“But I’d hate to see the Ambassador Grand sold.”

“Because you like working for Nick?” Josh inquired.

“Yes. That’s part of it. The other reason is the hotel itself. When new owners come in, there’s a tendency to start making changes. I’d hate to see anything changed here. It’s a beautiful property, so rich in history, and Nick has done such a wonderful job restoring it.” Realizing how she must sound, Laura decided to change the subject. “Has Nick given you a tour of the hotel yet?”

“There wasn’t time,” Nick offered. “Josh and I had some other matters that we needed to discuss.”

“Well, you’re in for a treat,” she told Josh.

“Sounds like it. Any chance I could convince you to give me a tour?”

Laura hesitated. “I…of course, I’d be happy to do it. But I’m sure Nick’s looking forward to showing you around and using the opportunity for the two of you to visit a bit longer. Right, Nick?”

“Actually, Nick mentioned that he was going to be tied up all afternoon.”

Laura cut a glance to her boss, caught the warning look he exchanged with Josh. She frowned. Was she imagining things? Was there some serious tension between the two men? “Nick, I can handle whatever you have scheduled for this afternoon if you like. That way you’ll be free to show Josh around the hotel.”

Nick paused. “Thanks, but I have a board meeting across town, and I’m afraid it’s one that I have to attend personally.”

“So what do you say, Laura? I’d really like to see the rest of the hotel.”

“Well, if Nick is sure he doesn’t mind,” Laura began, confused by the undercurrents she was picking up in the room.

“It’s all right, Laura. You go ahead, show Josh around,” Nick finally said. He stood. “I’m afraid I need to get going if I’m going to make that board meeting on time.”

“Of course,” Laura replied as she rose. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Right,” Nick said, his face somber. “But if you need me for anything…anything at all, you call me. Okay?”

“Sure,” Laura said, puzzled by the remark.

“It was good seeing you again, Nick,” Josh said, extending his hand. “And thanks for the help. I owe you one.”

“Just make sure I don’t regret doing you a favor. I’d hate it if I’d allowed an old friendship to cause me to make a mistake.”

He had made a mistake, Josh decided later that afternoon after Laura excused herself to respond to a page. Leaning against a column in the ornate lobby, he watched Laura cross the expanse to the front desk, where she began an exchange with a member of her staff and a middle-aged couple. Unable to hear the conversation, Josh’s thoughts turned inward once more.

Yes, he had definitely made a mistake in the matter of Ms. Laura Harte. Of course, it wasn’t the first mistake he’d made by any means, Josh conceded. A man didn’t reach the age of thirty-three without making a mistake or two along the way. And while he was grateful he’d seldom made mistakes when it came to business decisions, he wished he could say the same when it came to his decisions concerning women.

Grimacing, Josh recalled some of his more serious errors in judgment when a female was involved. Among the first to come to mind had been shortly after his seventeenth birthday—when he’d wrapped his classic ’65 Mustang around a telephone pole trying to impress Sarah Beth Whitney with his skill as a driver. Even now just the memory of wrecking that beautiful car made him wince. No question that had been a big mistake on his part—and a dumb one. So had the time he’d wasted a good bottle of Scotch getting sloshed after he’d been dumped by a woman. Puking his guts up for two days had been enough to cure his heartache. And as far as he was concerned, turning down the chance to do a horizontal tango with a future Miss Universe two years ago would always rank as a major flub.

Josh sighed. Experience should have made him a lot smarter and a hell of a lot more cautious when it came to dealing with females, he reasoned. Evidently, it hadn’t. Otherwise, he would have run in the opposite direction the minute Olivia Jardine had outlined her wild scheme. But the crafty old gal had known just what bait to dangle in front of his nose to get him to agree to her plan—the Princess. She’d known he wouldn’t refuse a chance to get the hotel back under the Logan banner where it belonged. It had all sounded so simple, and he’d had no doubt that he could pull it off.

Only he hadn’t counted on Laura. And that’s where he’d made a mistake—because Laura hadn’t been at all what he’d expected. She’d surprised him. So had his response to her. Sure, he had known from her photo that he would find her appealing. With that mane of red hair, the pale blue eyes and a mouth made for sin, he’d anticipated the physical attraction. After all, he was a red-blooded male, and she was a beautiful woman. But he hadn’t counted on the intelligence that shone in those blue eyes or the underlying strength in her grip when they’d shaken hands. And he hadn’t been at all prepared for that fist-to-the-jaw punch of arousal he experienced each time he touched her. He certainly hadn’t counted on being intrigued by Laura Harte.

But he was, Josh admitted, and he wasn’t at all sure why. He encountered beautiful, smart women every day in his business and personal life. He’d lost count of the times his matchmaking mother and sisters had paraded beautiful, intelligent women in front of him at various social functions and dinner parties, hoping he’d be inspired to marry and settle down. None of those women had generated more than a second look on his part. Certainly none of those women had piqued his curiosity or challenged something in him as Laura had. He’d grabbed the ruse of having her show him the hotel because he’d wanted time to gauge her as an individual before jumping in with his reason for being there. But he hadn’t expected to enjoy himself as he had. Continuing to watch her, he told himself there was no logical reason for him to find her so captivating.

Yet he did. Considering the role she played in his plans to reclaim the Princess, for him to become fascinated with Laura Harte was one mistake he couldn’t afford to make. Not when so much was at stake.

A personal involvement with Laura wasn’t an option, Josh reminded himself as she started across the lobby toward him. Still, there was no reason he couldn’t enjoy the way she filled out that black dress or the natural sway of her hips as she walked or the sight of those mile-long legs in killer high heels. At the sudden image of those legs wrapped around his waist, Josh nearly groaned. Get a grip, Logan, he told himself, and jammed his fists into his pockets.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting,” she said as she joined him.

“No problem,” Josh replied. “Everything all right?”

“Yes. There was just a slight mix-up on a room reservation. The couple I was talking with are here for their anniversary, and when they made their reservation, they requested the same room they occupied on their wedding night. Unfortunately, the agent who took the reservation on the phone last month, and who happens to no longer be with the hotel, failed to make a notation of the request when he booked the reservation. And the particular room they’d wanted is already occupied.”

“I’m assuming from the smiles on their faces that you worked it out.”

“I guess you could say that. I upgraded them to a larger suite, ordered a bottle of champagne to be sent to their room with the hotel’s compliments and issued them a voucher for a free weekend in the suite they originally wanted to be used at a future date.”

“Very smooth. And very smart.” It was exactly what he would have done were he the general manager—keep the client happy, and make sure they want to come back.

“Thank you. All things considered, I thought it was the best way to handle it.”

“Absolutely. Customer goodwill is important. You’ve not only salvaged their weekend and ensured that they’ll leave here happy, but that they’ll come back to use that voucher when giving them a free room will have little impact on your profits. And since the room is free, I’m sure you’ve figured that they’ll feel justified in spending more money in the hotel restaurant and gift shops.”

“Well, the thought did cross my mind,” she said, grinning. And this time the smile curving her lips held none of the caution, none of the insipid politeness of her earlier smiles. This time the smile she gave him was genuine.

And the result was staggering. Desire tightened low in Josh’s belly as he stared at her. He itched to fist his hands in that red-gold hair, to draw her close so he could breathe in that roses-and-sunshine scent of hers and then kiss that spot on her neck just below her ear. Dropping his gaze to her mouth, he watched her smile fade, heard her quick intake of breath, and he knew she felt that heat shimmering between them, too. The realization sent need shuddering through him. He moved a step closer, wanting to explore the shape and taste of that tempting mouth. Instead, he settled for smoothing the stray curl that had tangled on her scarf.

Laura stepped back. She made a show of checking her watch. “I didn’t realize how late it was. I guess the tour took longer than I thought it would. I’m afraid I tend to get caught up in the hotel’s history and go on and on. You should have stopped me.”

“Why? I enjoyed it.”

“Thank you. But I’m sure you have other things you want to do during your stay. As for the hotel, I think you’ve seen just about everything there is now except for the kitchens. Do you want to see them?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. I’d like a chance to compare the operation here with the one at our San Diego property.”

“Then follow me.”

As Josh followed Laura, he tried not to notice how her scent pulled at his senses, made him think of sultry southern nights and magnolia blossoms. He tried not to notice that her skin was the color of cream and looked as delicate as a rose petal. He tried not to notice that even with her lipstick worn away, her mouth was pink and lush and made for kissing.

She paused at the wide marble staircase that led to the mezzanine level. “Do you mind taking the stairs or would you prefer we take the elevator?”

“The stairs are fine,” Josh managed to say, despite the resulting discomfort caused by his musings. Placing his hand at the center of Laura’s back, he led her up the stairs where more polished marble floors, more glittering chandeliers and more urns of fresh flowers greeted them.

“Have you had a chance to visit the restaurant yet?” she asked as they crossed the spacious floor toward the restaurant.

“As a matter of fact, I haven’t. Nick and I met outside the hotel for lunch.”

“Well, you’ll have to have at least one meal in the Redwood before you leave. The chef here is excellent. And the restaurant’s won quite a number of awards for its food and service.” She stopped a few feet from the restaurant’s entrance, where from the looks of things business was brisk.

Noting her frown, he asked, “Something wrong?”

“No. Quite the contrary. It looks like a good night for the restaurant,” she said, indicating the activity inside the restaurant and the line of people waiting at the door. “But I’m afraid with things this busy, the chef will have my head if I go traipsing through his kitchen with you in tow now.”

“Since I’d hate to be responsible for you losing that pretty head of yours, what do you say we pass on the kitchen tour?”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” she said, smiling.

It was impossible for him not to return that smile. He swept his gaze toward the restaurant. “Think there’s any chance I can still get a dinner reservation in there for tonight?”

“Well, seeing as how I happen to have an ‘in’ with the management, I think your chances are pretty good. Why don’t we go find out?”

“Ms. Harte, how are you this evening?” the maître d’ asked when they approached the restaurant’s entrance. With his silver hair and refined demeanor the man reminded Josh of an English butler.

“I’m fine, Douglas. Looks like it’s a busy night for you.”

“Yes, it is,” he said, a pleased expression on his face.

“Too busy to squeeze in another reservation?” Laura asked.

“For you? Of course not.” The older man’s eyes twinkled. He cut a glance at Josh and then back to Laura. “A table for two?”

“Yes,” Josh answered quickly. He stuck out his hand. “Josh Logan, Douglas. I really appreciate this. After hearing Laura rave about the food, I have to admit that I’m not only anxious to sample it, I’m starving.”

“It’s my pleasure, sir. And I assure you, you won’t be disappointed in the cuisine. If you’ll just give me a moment, I’ll see about a table for you.”

After Douglas excused himself, Josh turned his attention back to Laura. “Thanks for using your influence,” he told her.

“You’re welcome. And since you’re in good hands with Douglas, I’ll leave you to enjoy your dinner. It was a pleasure meeting you, Josh.”

Josh took the hand she offered, held it. “Do you have to rush off?” he asked. Besides the fact that he had yet to come clean about his reason for being there, he was also reluctant to have her leave.

“No. But I thought…I assumed you had plans for this evening.”

“Nope,” he assured her. “I asked for a table for two because I was hoping I could persuade you to stay and have dinner with me.”