Barbara McCauley – Blackhawk Desires: Blackhawk's Betrayal (страница 2)

“I’m really not—”

“You don’t even have to have any experience,” Mattie continued. “They got all kinds of jobs open since they expanded. Between conventions and conferences and the new wedding chapel, the place is packed most of the time. I hear the new owner, Clair Blackhawk is great to work for.”

Blackhawk?

The name sucked the breath out of Kiera’s lungs. She stared at the desk clerk, had to swallow before she managed a weak reply. “Blackhawk?”

“Well, that was her name, but she got married a few weeks ago, so I’m not sure what her last name is now. Oh, wait—” Mattie snapped her fingers “—it’s Carver. Clair Carver.”

With her heart clamoring so loudly, it was hard for Kiera to concentrate. The name Carver meant nothing to her. But Blackhawk … God, was it possible? It was all she could do not to grab the desk clerk’s arm, ask her point-blank if—”

“You okay, honey?”

Kiera blinked, watched Mattie’s face come back into focus. “What?”

“You look a little pale. You feelin’ okay?”

“It’s just been a long day.” The longest of my life, she thought, and forced a smile. “I appreciate your concern, but, really, I’ll be fine.”

Mattie nodded. “You’re the last room on the left, just past the ice and vending machines. You need anything, just give me a call.”

“Thanks.”

Knees shaking, Kiera turned and walked back to her car. She wasn’t certain how long she sat there, dazed, staring blankly into the deep shadows of the poplars edging the motel. As a child, she’d always been afraid of the dark, knew that ferocious monsters lived there, waiting to swallow children whole.

At twenty-five, maybe she was still a little afraid of the dark, she realized.

When she walked back into the motel office, Mattie glanced up from the TV.

Kiera closed the door behind her. “About that job …”

When Sam Prescott made his morning rounds through the lobby of the Four Winds Hotel, bellmen straightened their shoulders, desk clerks smiled brighter, valets hustled. The entire staff of Wolf River County’s largest and most luxurious hotel knew that nothing slipped past the general manager’s penetrating gaze. The white marble floors and vast expanse of glass windows had better sparkle, the chic black uniforms be crisp, the massive floral arrangements fresh.

The sharp, sculpted planes of Sam’s face and the hard angle of his jaw played well with his thick, dark hair and deep brown eyes. It was a combination that made grown women sigh and young girls giggle. Even with his football player’s chest and lean waist, Sam’s six-foot-four inch frame wore Armani well.

A few lucky women knew he wore nothing at all even better.

Joseph McFearson, the Four Winds doorman, tipped his hat when Sam approached. “Mornin’, Mr. Prescott.”

“Mornin’, Joseph.” Joseph was one of the few employees whose height—and eyes—directly met Sam’s. “How’s Isabel?”

“On a rampage our boys don’t call more often,” Joseph groused. “Says they got their father’s cold heart.”

Sam grinned. Everyone knew Joseph had a heart of gold, just as everyone knew that his wife adored him. “Give her my best.”

“Will do.” Joseph nodded, then added when Sam walked by, “Call your mother.”

I probably should, Sam thought, realizing he hadn’t talked to her for a while. Maybe he’d just send flowers. Last time he’d called her, all he’d heard was, “Samuel, you’re thirty-two years old, when are you going to stop living in hotels and give me more grandchildren?”

“Soon as I meet a girl like you,” he’d say to placate her. He had no intention of changing his bachelor status any time soon, but he knew his mother needed hope, so he gave her that much.

His rounds complete, Sam stepped into a mirrored elevator, noted the quiet, instrumental version of McCartney’s “Band On the Run” playing overhead. He had a ten o’clock briefing with Clair, an eleven-thirty lunch meeting with the publicist for the Central Texas Cattlemen’s Association, then a two o’clock appointment with the city council and the Department of Building and Safety. The Four Winds had already outgrown its original tower, and the proposal for a second, taller tower and conference center had been submitted two weeks ago.

The elevator doors had nearly closed when a hand slipped in to stop them. Long, slim fingers, no rings, short but neat unpolished nails. Automatically, he pushed the open door button.

“Sorry,” the woman muttered a bit breathlessly and stepped inside, her head down while she rummaged through a white purse.

She was taller than average, maybe five-nine, slender. Shoulder-length hair, shiny as polished coal, swept softly across her shoulders. Her suit was pale pink, the lace-edged camisole under the jacket lime-green. She’d turned away so he couldn’t see her face.

Damn, she smelled good.

“What floor?” he offered, lifting a hand to the button panel.

“I’ve got it.”

She started to punch a button on her side of the elevator, then pulled away when she saw it was already lit.

“Six?” Turn, he thought. Just a couple of inches this way …

She didn’t. “Yes, thank you.”

There was no smile in her voice. More of an I-can-handle-it-don’t-bother-me polite tone.

Discreetly, he watched her in the mirror—it was, after all, he reasoned, part of his job to notice the people in his hotel. She seemed tense. Her shoulders and back just a little too straight, the grip on her purse a little too tight. The sixth floor was all offices, which probably meant she was here for business of some sort.

He started to introduce himself when the cell phone in his jacket pocket buzzed. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. Clair.

The elevator doors opened smoothly and the woman hurried away. Sam stepped out, watched her walk down the hall, enjoyed the gentle sway of feminine hips and purposeful stride of long, sexy legs. When she paused at the door to Human Resources, he sighed. Too bad. If she was here for a job, his fantasy of soft black hair sliding over his naked chest was shattered.

Rule Number One: He did not date employees.

When his phone vibrated again, he flipped it open. “Mornin’, Boss.”

“You can be boss today, Prescott. In fact, I think I’ll just give you the Four Winds and crawl back to my bed.”

Sam frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I think the bug my nephews had last week decided to visit me, too,” she said weakly. “Will you ask Suz to reschedule my appointments?”

“Sure.” He noticed the woman was still standing outside Human Resources, though it seemed a bit odd she had put her hand on the doorknob and not moved. “You need soup or something sent over?”

“Please,” she groaned, “don’t mention food. And Jacob’s home today, so if I—oh, God, not again. Bye.”

The line clicked dead. Poor kid, Sam sympathized, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He could think of much better ways to spend a day in bed.

That thought drew his glance back down the hall. The woman was gone. He could still smell her, though. A soft, pretty fragrance that seemed to whisper in his ear.

Damn.

He’d never even seen her face.

Heaving a sigh, he glanced at his watch and headed for his office, hesitated briefly outside of Human Resources, then kept going. Since Clair had cancelled their morning meeting, this would be a good time to get a jump on the end-of-the-month reports. At the rate the Four Winds was growing, he could barely keep up with the paperwork. He didn’t have time to traipse after beautiful, mysterious women.

Halfway down the hall, he stopped.

Oh, hell, why not?

Even if she was applying for a job, she wasn’t an employee yet, he figured. He turned back around and headed back for Human Resources. He might as well satisfy his curiosity while he had the chance. No harm in putting a face to that sexy body.

He stepped into the office and glanced around. Janet’s secretary was not at her desk, and the door to the inner office was closed. The waiting room was empty.

Damn. He’d already missed her.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Sam wandered closer to the closed door.

“I see you’ve had some restaurant experience, Miss Daniels,” Sam heard Janet say. “Anything in particular?”

“Hostess, waitress, bussing,” the woman replied. “Some kitchen training.”

“Are you available nights, weekends and on call?”

Sam waited for the woman to mention a husband or children, but she didn’t, simply answered that she was available whenever she was needed.

“Miss Daniels—”

“Please, call me Kiera.”

“Kiera, you haven’t listed any references on your application. Could you give me your last place of employment?”