“I wonder—do you have a minute to step into my office?” he asked suddenly. “I have some questions.”
Now she looked wary. “I have friends waiting.”
He nodded. “Five minutes? It’s important.”
Still she hesitated.
For a second he thought he heard her mutter something under her breath about the wisdom of counting to ten. But then she nodded. “All right. After all, what difference can five minutes make?”
A lot, Wyatt thought. A lot could happen, and he had plenty of experience about all the bad things. This time, however, he was hoping for something more positive.
WYATT glanced at Alex as they moved down the hallway toward his office. She was tall and willowy and…restless. Moments earlier she had excused herself to make a call.
“My apologies for stealing you away from your friends,” he said.
“I just had to let them know where I am. They were expecting me several minutes ago. But since I’m here…could you help me forward a card to Belinda? Babies are important.”
“Do you have children of your own?” he asked.
“No. I’m not married.”
Wyatt felt his senses go on full alert, coupled with a slight sense of relief—no doubt a knee-jerk reaction to the fact that this beauty hadn’t been claimed. But there was also wariness because she hadn’t been claimed. He’d never allow himself to pursue a woman who wanted children. His kind didn’t promise forever, so they didn’t produce babies.
No matter. She would either say yes to what he was about to propose, and their new relationship would create distance between them, or she would say no and he’d never see her again.
Five minutes, he reminded himself, opening the door of his office. “Have a seat.”
She looked at the leather chair as if it might have sharp teeth hiding beneath the upholstery.
“Problem?”
“No. I was just thinking that I feel a bit like a kid who’s unexpectedly been sent to the principal’s office. Mr.—Mr….?”
“McKendrick. Wyatt McKendrick.”
“Of course. Mr. McKendrick. I’m not sure what this is about, but I have to tell you that I’m pretty uncomfortable.”
“And frank.”
She shrugged. “That’s me.” But, despite her discomfort, she sat. She was wearing a white dress, and he couldn’t help noticing that she had amazing legs. He frowned at his reaction.
“Total honesty does bother some people,” she conceded, and he realized that she had noticed his frown.
Wyatt shook his head. “Honesty is…” What I demand of my employees, he’d meant to say. But he didn’t want to come on too strong. Starting with employee rules would be the wrong approach. “I’ll make this brief, Alex. I’m sure you could see how concerned Belinda was about her replacement.”
Alex looked wary. “Ye-es.”
“She takes her work very seriously, and she excels at it.”
“A good concierge must be hard to find.”
“Yes. The job requires someone who can think on her feet.”
“Of course.”
“Someone who knows how to make customers feel at ease, who makes them feel that their concerns matter, whether they need tickets to a show or have a plumbing problem.”
She blinked. Wyatt supposed the plumbing comment had been too much, since she’d handled such a problem only minutes earlier. But he didn’t have any time to waste. She was a guest here. Temporary.
“Of course a good concierge also knows every detail of the city, but that can be learned,” he said.
Alex frowned. “I don’t understand. Why are you telling me this?”
“I find myself temporarily short a concierge.”
“You told Belinda you’d hired someone.”
“I lied. She would have worried, and right now she needs to concentrate on herself and her family.”
A small, pretty smile turned Alex’s extraordinary face even more intriguing. “You don’t sound like the ogre Randy made you out to be.”
He raised one eyebrow.
A guilty flush coloured her cheeks. “Forget I said that.”
“Already forgotten. Randy, for all his fussing, is good at what he does.”
“And as the owner of this…palace of a hotel,” she said, “that’s very important to you?”
“Absolutely. I only want the best people.”
Suddenly she looked more relaxed. “Good. For a minute I was worried. It almost sounded as if you were going to offer me a job.”
“I am. I need a sub for Belinda.” He surprised himself by blurting it out. Even though he was in a bit of a bind, he’d still intended to give the issue a little more thought. Do a quick background check. No matter. All that could be done after the fact.
“You can’t be serious. I’ve never been a concierge.”
“And I’d never owned a hotel until this one. Some people are naturals.”
“You know nothing about me.”
“I know enough. And I’ll find out the rest.”
“I could be a total idiot.”
“No. You couldn’t.”
“I could be a thief.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
She gave him the kind of look people reserved for small boys who were trying to snow them. “I could live in San Diego.” She glanced at him from beneath very long lashes. Her expression clearly said, Give me an answer for that.
Wyatt allowed himself the smallest of smiles. “You mentioned that. San Diego’s a beautiful city.”
“I know. I love it.”
“And…you’re not interested in relocating.”
“I’m sorry. No. I’m invested in the city. In addition to my Web site, San Diego Your Way, I’m hoping to open a shop of the same name soon. So, while I’m flattered that you would offer to hire me, references unseen, I can’t move.”
Okay, this was going to be difficult. But then he’d been raised in difficult circumstances. Horrible circumstances involving beating and ego-killing insults. Situations that were merely difficult didn’t faze him at all.
“You couldn’t be persuaded to relocate even for a few months?”
Alex shook her head, her sable hair brushing her cheeks. “I’m sorry. It wouldn’t be practical. I have a job.”
“At the front desk of a hotel chain. I take it that you already have the capital to open your shop? I see.” What he didn’t see was why the thought of letting Alex slip away bothered him. He hadn’t laid eyes on her fifteen minutes ago.
The