Chapter One
“I can cancel the appointment, Nicole. I can go some other time.”
“You’ve been saying that for months. If you carry on at this rate, you won’t have used your gift certificate by the time your next birthday rolls around. Go. Please. Owen will be fine here.”
Tara blew out a sigh. She wasn’t so sure about that. He did okay with his Aunt Nicole, but the girls stressed him out.
Nicole knew why she was so reluctant. “I’ll make the girls play in their room. Owen can stay with me. I promise. I won’t let them upset him. You need to go. You never do anything for yourself. When I bought you this massage, I was hoping that you might make it a regular thing, that you’d go once a week, or even once a month. You need some pampering. All you ever do is work and take care of Owen.”
“He needs me.”
“I know he does, but you need to take care of yourself, too. You need to have a life, even if it is only for an hour here and there.”
Tara looked at her watch. If she didn’t leave soon, she’d miss the appointment anyway.
Her sister gave her a shrewd look. “I know damned well what you’re thinking; that if you drag it out long enough, it’ll be too late for you to go and you can just skip it. Think again. You’re going to get your ass into that cab and leave. Now.”
Tara looked over at Owen. He was engrossed in his dinosaur book.
“Go,” insisted Nicole. “If you say goodbye to him, you’ll only upset him, and then you’ll never get out of here. He’ll be fine. I promise.”
Tara nodded reluctantly. “Okay, but only if you promise me you’ll call if something sets him off.”
“He’ll be fine.”
“Promise me, or I’m not going.”
“Okay, okay. I promise.” Nicole smiled. “Sister’s honor.”
Tara chuckled. “All right. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. We’ll see you later.”
Tara had second thoughts as soon as she’d given the cab driver the name of the hotel. Just saying the name of the place felt wrong. It wasn’t like her to go to a fancy place like that for a massage. She wasn’t one of those women who spent her days getting mani-pedis and doing lunch. She was an elementary school teacher; well, she wasn’t even one of those anymore. She was a work-at-home freelancer whose life revolved around her son. And that was as it should be. Owen was her world. He was special. She gladly dedicated her life to making his bearable. She blew out a sigh, and the cab driver met her gaze in the rearview mirror.
“Everything all right?”
She nodded, wanting to tell him to turn around and go back. Nicole would be so mad at her if she went back now. And she would call if Owen needed her. She took her phone out of her purse to make sure the volume was turned all the way up—just in case.
She felt self-conscious as she walked through the lobby. She should have gotten dressed up. Her shorts and flip-flops set her apart from all the business suits and designer-casual outfits sported by other guests. Even the staff in their elegant uniforms looked like they were from a different league—because they were.
She drew in a deep breath as the woman at the concierge desk smiled politely at her. “Good afternoon. How may I help you?”
At least the question hadn’t been what the hell do you think you’re doing in here? Tara forced herself to smile back. “I have an appointment at the spa.”
“I’ll call them for you and have someone come out to take you through.”
“Thanks.” Tara couldn’t help but wonder if that was the usual procedure or if the woman just didn’t want someone who looked the way she did wandering around the premises unaccompanied.
“Take a seat.” The woman gestured to one of the plush white leather sofas.
Tara sat down and picked up a magazine. She needed to relax. That was the whole point of coming here, to have a little time to herself and de-stress. She made herself breathe deeply as she flicked through the pages, but she couldn’t focus. The pictures weren’t as interesting as the patrons of the hotel. She watched two women who were arriving back from a shopping trip—as evidenced by the bellhop following them with an assortment of bags bearing the names Hermès, Gucci, and a couple more. The women chatted happily as they sauntered confidently toward the elevators. Tara had to wonder about their lives. Were they on vacation? Was this a girl’s trip away or just a day out? Did they have children? She made herself stop there. She didn’t need to know. Even if they did have kids, she was sure there were no comparisons to be drawn.
She turned her attention to the check-in desk. Whoa! She dropped her gaze and wanted to fan herself. She’d just locked eyes with the sexiest man she’d ever seen in real life. There was heat in her cheeks. She could feel it; she just hoped no one could see it. She lifted her gaze without raising her head, wanting to check him out without it being obvious. She needn’t have worried. He was talking to the woman behind the desk, handing over his card. He was either checking in or out. For a crazy moment, she hoped he was checking in, that he wasn’t leaving—but it didn’t matter in the slightest. It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again even if he was checking in and staying for a month.
He was panty-dropping gorgeous. She smiled at the expression. It wasn’t one she’d used or even thought about in years—probably not since she’d had Owen. It was, nevertheless, the most appropriate way to describe the guy. He was tall, broad-shouldered, though not overly so. He was more athletic looking than muscular. Just her type. As if she had a type anymore. There was a mysterious air to him. He had the chiseled jaw and the aristocratic features. He could be a wealthy, confident businessman, but something about him said he wasn’t a businessman or a playboy. He was something else! That was the only way to describe him. Her heart was pounding as she watched him. He smiled at the woman checking him in, but he wasn’t overly friendly or jovial. She smiled at the thought that maybe he was a spy, some international man of mystery who wanted to go unnoticed. She doubted he’d be able to pull that off looking the way he did.
“Hi there. I’m Amanda from Bliss. Are you the lady waiting to come for your appointment?”
Tara jumped at the interruption to her musings about mystery man and looked up with an embarrassed smile, even though the girl standing there couldn’t know what she’d been up to.
“I am. The name’s Tara Wilder.”
“Great. I thought that must be you. Would you like to come with me?”
Tara got to her feet and shot one last look back at mystery man. Bad timing. He’d finished checking in and was walking toward her. His gaze locked with hers. Green eyes. Her heart raced again. She loved green eyes. He stopped walking and just stood there staring at her. She smiled, but he didn’t smile back. He looked puzzled as if he thought he recognized her but couldn’t place her.
“Shall we?” Amanda from the spa gave her a puzzled look.
“Yes. Of course. I’m sorry.” Tara scurried after her. She had to pull herself together. Mystery man had probably been puzzled about what someone dressed like her was even doing here. He might call a manager to have her thrown out if she didn’t scoot.
They walked through a lush tropical garden on their way to the spa. Amanda gave her a curious look. “Forgive me for asking …”
Tara tensed, wondering what was coming.
“Was that someone you know?”
“Oh.” So, she hadn’t imagined the way mystery man had looked at her. “No.”
Amanda smiled. “That’s a shame. I wish I knew him.” She giggled. “You know what I mean.”
Tara giggled with her, glad to relieve the tension. “Oh, I know exactly what you mean.”
“We get some good-looking guys who come through here, but he’s the sexiest I’ve seen so far.”
“I chose a good day then.”
“You did. Although, if you buy the package, I’m sure you’ll see some eye candy any time you come.”
“The package?”
Amanda looked over her shoulder. “Yeah, don’t be surprised if they lay it on thick while you’re in there. They just introduced a new commission system, and my manager has us all trying to sell packages to everyone who comes through the door.”
“Well, they’re wasting their time with me. This is a one-off gift certificate deal.”
“I thought as much; that’s why I wanted to warn you.”
“Thanks.” Tara didn’t need to ask why Amanda thought that. It was obvious she wasn’t part of their target market.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to come out wrong. I was trying to look out for you, not put you down.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. I’m just feeling a little out of place.”
“Well, don’t. You’ve paid the same as everyone else who walks through the door for a massage. I wasn’t putting you down, don’t you put yourself down either.”
Tara smiled. “You’re right. I’ve paid the same—at least, my sister did—and I have no doubt I’ve earned it.”
Amanda smiled back as they reached the spa. “I don’t either. You deserve this, I can tell. Make the most of it and enjoy it.”
~ ~ ~
Reid watched the girl in the denim shorts walk away. He wanted to stop her, but there was nothing he could do. Sometimes, he wished he were more like his brother, Oscar. Oscar wouldn’t have hesitated. He would have followed those long legs, caught up with her, chatted with her, charmed her—and before the afternoon was over, would no doubt have screwed her and forgotten her name, if he ever took the time to ask for it. No. Reid was no Oscar. He reached up and straightened his collar. He wouldn’t want to be.
He looked around, feeling a little self-conscious. He must have been standing here for over a minute. That girl—she’d caught him off guard. He didn’t normally react like this. He was used to beautiful women. They tended to throw themselves at him—a perk of his family name, and in some cases, a perk of his work. Admittedly there were more beautiful women eager to sleep with a wealthy Davenport brother than there were who knew about his tech prowess, though there were some. He doubted he’d ever get to sleep with a groupie of his sci-fi writing alter-ego, who went by the pen name Rupert Raines.
He made his way to the elevators and headed up to his room. He wanted to take a shower and change before he went to see TJ. He doubted he’d ever see the beautiful redhead with the big, blue eyes and the long, long legs again, let alone get to sleep with her. He met his own gaze in the mirrored wall of the elevator. He didn’t like to admit it to himself, but attractive as she was, much as his body had reacted to her physically, sleeping with her hadn’t been his main consideration. She’d looked like someone he wanted to know. He pursed his lips. That was an illogical conclusion to draw. There was no way he could ascertain whether she was someone whose company he would enjoy. Yet, somehow, he knew it was true.
His bags had reached his room before he did. That was one of the reasons he stayed here whenever he came to LA: efficiency. It was important to him. He went through to the bathroom and washed his hands. He couldn’t help smiling as he dried them. Soft towels: they were another reason he stayed here. Scratchy towels weren’t something he wanted to deal with. He could—if he had to—but over the years, he’d learned to arrange his affairs so he didn’t have to deal with many of the stressors that had made his early life so challenging.
He went back through the living room area and stood by the window, taking in the view. In many respects, LA was not his favorite city. He couldn’t live here, but he dealt with it. He dealt with it because it was where both his brothers lived. Oscar, who to be fair, had now ended his womanizing ways for the sake of his cool fiancée, Grace, and TJ. Reid had been worried about TJ for a while after he returned to the States. He’d served in Afghanistan and had lost many of his friends over there. Reid had come down here every weekend to stay with him at first, but he’d come a long way since then—to the point where he’d recently gotten engaged.
That was the purpose of this visit—to meet TJ’s new fiancée, Dani. At least, as far as his brothers were concerned, that was the purpose. For Reid, there was a dual purpose. His brothers had become very involved in running a community center, and according to his mom, their latest endeavor was a book drive. They were collecting books from the community for the vets and the homeless and the kids who came to the center. His mom had chatted on about how one of the vets had come up with the idea because reading was such a great escape. That had struck a chord with Reid—reading had always been one of his escape routes. He wanted to contribute, to be a part of it, and since neither TJ nor Oscar had mentioned it to him, he’d taken matters into his own hands. And that was the dual purpose of his visit.
His cell phone rang, and he fished it out of his pocket. It was TJ.
“Yes. I’m here. I’m at the hotel.”
TJ chuckled. “I’ll never train you to answer with hello, will I?”
“No. It’s inefficient. You didn’t call to say hello. You called to see if I’m in town yet, and your next question will probably be what time and where are we meeting up. I don’t have enough information on your plans or whereabouts, and I have no other calls on my time. So, logically, you should tell me where and when.”
TJ chuckled again. “Okay. Do you want to come to the house at seven? Dani and I are still at the center, and we’re going to be a while.”
“Okay. I’ll see you at seven. Can I bring anything?”
“No. It’s all good. Dani’s trying her hand at hosting.”
“I thought she didn’t cook?”
“So did she. She has the numbers for a couple of caterers ready in case it’s a disaster, but she wants to give it a try.”
Reid smiled. He liked that idea.
“Why silent? I know you. You’re either pleased or displeased. Which is it?”
“I’m pleased. It means she doesn’t consider me to be someone distant who must be formally impressed.”
TJ laughed. “Yep, you’re probably right there. She’s excited to meet you. She read your books, and she loves them.”
“She did?”
“Yeah, she wanted to get to know you; that was the only way she could till you came.”
“I’m glad she wanted to. I’ll see you at seven.”
“Yep. See you then.”
Reid hung up and smiled to himself. He already liked the sound of Dani, and she’d received resounding endorsements from his parents and from Oscar and Grace. The fact that she’d read his books made him like her a little more. Neither of his brothers had read them, he was sure of that.
He checked his watch. He had a few hours to kill. He could get some work done on his laptop. He had admin details to catch up on, but he didn’t particularly want to. He stared out the window again, taking in the city skyline, appreciating the precise angles, if not the haze and smog. What did he want to do? He pressed his lips together, trying to suppress a smile. He wanted to go back down to the lobby to see if he might spot the redhead with the long legs again. It was silly, he knew, but he also knew that it was good to be silly sometimes. Life got boring when everything was too precisely planned and managed. He liked to introduce elements of chance and randomness occasionally. This could be one of those occasions.
As he rode back down in the elevator, he was eighty percent sure that he wouldn’t see her again, and ninety percent sure that he’d do nothing more than observe if he did. He wasn’t above meeting a woman and taking her home—to her place or back to a hotel room. But he still had that same feeling about her. He wanted to know the woman with the blue eyes and long legs, not just pick her up.
The doors opened, and he looked around as he stepped out into the lobby. Of course, there was no sign of her. He made his way over to the bar area and took up a perch on the very end stool. He already knew that it was optimally positioned to observe the entire lobby. From here he could see the main entrance, the elevators, and the doors to the garden and pool through which she’d disappeared earlier.
A waiter arrived with a smile. “It’s good to see you, Mr. Davenport. Can I get you the usual?”
“Please, Tony.”
Tony returned a few minutes later and placed a fresh pineapple juice in front of him.
Reid raised an eyebrow.
Tony smiled. “Don’t worry. I heard that you checked in a little while ago, so I made some fresh for you.”
“Thanks.” Once Tony had gone, Reid let his gaze flit around the lobby. He wasn’t looking for her, just observing the patrons and staff. He knew the uniforms and what they designated. The front desk staff wore royal blue jackets with white shirts, the bellhops wore mustard yellow and those stupid little hats—it wasn’t the 1800s, for God’s sake. The concierge staff wore a cream-colored outfit with navy piping. Reid sipped his juice and thought about it. The girl who had come to collect the redhead had been minus navy piping. He frowned. That was a detail that had eluded him until now. Her piping had been pink. He smiled to himself, grateful that his thoughts didn’t appear in a bubble over his head for anyone to read. Her piping had been pink—and therefore, she worked at the spa. He didn’t frequent the place, but they touted their services aggressively, and their brochures always featured employees wearing cream suits with pink piping.
Great. So, was he going to make a visit to the spa? No. She would have an appointment and no doubt be in a private room somewhere. The appointment would last a minimum of an hour. Judging by her attire, she wouldn’t be there for multiple treatments. He’d guess one hour and no more. If he was right, she’d be out in forty minutes or so and he’d get a glimpse of her and … who knew? If he was wrong, then at least he’d have killed some time before he went to TJ’s.
