I hurry down to the first floor. Luckily, I stole a copy of her master keycard when we were in here earlier.
This way, I don’t have to break in and risk setting off any alarms.
As soon as I step inside her office, I’m overwhelmed by the scent of lilac and vanilla.
Maeve is fucking everywhere.
I swallow a groan as I close the door behind me. Even when she’s not around, she messes with my ability to focus.
Get it together, Kellin. Your reputation is on the line.
I go through every drawer of every cabinet in Maeve’s office and find a hundred different pieces of information on the hotel.
Nothing about her father. Nothing about the LA Gallaghers.
Unless someone disguised the files as innocent hotel documents, which would mean bad news for me. I lack both the time and patience to decode riddles.
As I finish combing through the most promising files, Maeve’s voice from the day we met fills my head. She mentioned storing her files in her bedroom.
That’sthe place I should investigate. If I locate and infiltrate Maeve’s suite?—
“Kellin? What are you doing in here?”
My heart slams against my ribs. Maeve hovers in the doorway to her office even though I didn’t even hear her come in.
I greet her with a smile. “Hey. How’d the meeting go?”
“Fine.” She squints, her gaze flicking around the room. “How’d you get in here?”
“The door was open.” I snap the folder in my hand closed. “Sorry to barge in. I was searching for the file on this weekend’s wedding so I could learn more about the couple.”
She crosses her arms, tapping her toe against the floor. “I’ll email it to you.”
The skepticism doesn’t leave her tone, hinting that my practiced charm doesn’t land as well as I hoped.
Time for Plan B: Distraction.
“That would be great.” I stride right up to her and grip her shoulders. Satisfaction purrs through me when I see her gulp. Those luscious lips fall open in question.
I love the way she reacts to my touch.
“In the meantime, why don’t we duck out for a bit?” I lower my pitch to a deep, seductive rasp. “I think you need a break. Is there somewhere we can go to unwind? You know, someplace quiet. Maybe outdoors. Somewhereprivate.”
Chapter 18
Maeve
“I’d have my theoretical wedding reception here over the Guinevere any day.” I walk out into the middle of the open-air ballroom.
The Arden sits on the sixth-floor rooftop, stretching out below the upper-level suites. Raised decking forms a dance floor near the small bar and wicker seating area, and the clear glass railings offer a postcard-perfect vision of the pier, the Los Angeles skyline, and the Santa Monica mountains.
“There’s nearly a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of Southern California from here.” I keep pointing out the gorgeous scenery as if Kellin can’t see it. “The indoor ballroom is beautiful and flashy. But this… Why would anyone want an indoor reception in Los Angeles?”
Kellin grins. “Rain?”
“I’d roll the dice. And we have tents and space heaters, so the cold’s no excuse either.” I sink into a blue chair in the lounge area overlooking the Pacific and Kellin plops onto the sectional.
The tranquil ocean blue splits the blazing orange sun in half. This is my favorite time to be up here, when twilight wrestles with day and wins.
