Chapter 1
“Does that manneverhave a day off?” Margaret Kathleen O’Hara grumbled, grabbing her tote bag and sarong to move surreptitiously along the chairs by the pool. If the hotel manager saw her here again she’d be toast. He’d more than toss her out. Threats to call the police had been thrown at her for months now. Although in her case, that might be a better deal.
With her eyes trained on his location and the Miami sun beating down on her exposed skin, Meg backed along the water’s edge attempting to leave the area before he spotted her. She needed to shower the chlorine out of her tangled hair and change for work soon. He looked in her direction and she rushed behind the closest object. It was six-foot-plus of blond-haired gorgeousness. The man’s eyes were glued to something on the upper deck. Her boss was sitting there with one of his expensive bimbos. Did Blondie like that type? Maybe he wouldn’t notice her little game of Hide and Seek.
She leaned around him, ducking back when she saw the Pool Nazi still present. Getting caught was not an option. She already owed more than she could ever repay.
“Are you okay?” Forest green eyes stared down at her, puzzled. Would he buy that she was simply looking for shade? He was big enough to provide it.
With strong hands, he reached for her shoulders and Meg reflexively batted them away. She got enough of people groping her at work. Scorching curses froze before erupting from her mouth as the hotel manager moved, staring in their direction. Her mind kicked into overdrive, scrambling for a way to hide in plain sight.
“Sorry,” she squeaked. Grabbing the man’s head, she planted her mouth solidly on his. Short, thick strands of hair tickled her fingers. Firm lips yielded no resistance to the increased pressure of her mouth. Better make this look good.
An electric current skittered over her skin causing her heart to race. Maybe too good? Slowly he pulled her closer with his muscular arms. Her eyes flew open and she broke the connection. His hair-covered chest was too close for comfort. And much too tempting. Distance, she needed distance.
Her eyes darted around, seeing no signs of the manager. A sigh escaped. Time to make her exit as well.
“Sorry,” she mumbled again, looking up. Big mistake. The stranger’s curious eyes captivated her. They were soft and tender and filled with something she could…trust? If she still had any of that left in her. His hands were gentle as they held her. A tiny smile played about the full lips she’d brazenly kissed. She couldn’t believe she’d done it. Her mother would be appalled. But it had worked.
The chlorine scent from the pool faded into the background as sweat and suntan lotion wafted off the man’s damp skin. Her stomach did cartwheels followed by a few back flips. Dangerous.
“Let me go,” she hissed as reality returned. She gave a swift shove at his well-defined pectorals, rushing to get past, to escape from this distraction and the possibility of being caught. Her head whipped around at the sound of a splash and water droplets from behind. Gorgeous was just breaking the surface of the pool. Had she pushed him that hard?
“Oops.” No time for apologies. He looked like the forgiving type. She had to blow this joint before the Pool Nazi came back. Grabbing her fallen sarong, she ran across the deck to hustle inside the luxury hotel.
“Damn.”
The manager stood sentry near the front door. A crowd appeared at her back making that way impossible. The stairwell to the left would have to do. She’d go up a few floors then down to the side entrance. She wrapped her sarong around her as she carried out her plan to avoid being seen…and caught.
Meg should stop coming here to use the pool: this proved it. Sneaking in was adding to her already hellish life but swimming always helped work out the stress and the pool here was more accessible than any other on the strip. Pretending she had money to stay in a place like this, rubbing elbows with all the beautiful people, yeah, that got her through too. She’d learned the best times to come and not be seen. Well, for the most part. It was well worth the risk to get away from her dump of a room and itsenchantingneighborhood. She’d leave this all behind her soon. She kept telling herself that. Had to believe it for her own sanity.
Footsteps behind her pushed those thoughts away. Her bare feet padded silently along the lushly carpeted hallway. Heart racing, she ducked into the ice machine alcove, her sigh echoing in the silence. She glanced down. Her bag? She must have dropped it as she rushed off. How had she not realized? It couldn’t have been the threat of being arrested. Or the crooked smile of the handsome stranger she’d kissed. The one with the kind eyes and gentle hands. No, she couldn’t allow herself to be led astray by a pretty face. Not again.
She continued down the hall, her trip cut short when someone grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.
* * * *
Christopher Martin Shaunessy broke the surface of the pool and shook the water from his hair, spluttering, “What the hell…?”
The thin, shapely brunette sprinted out of the pool area, and he narrowed his eyes at her strange game of Peek-a-Boo. She’d kissed him passionately one second, yelled at him the next, then shoved him in the pool. The kissing part he’d liked, but he usually preferred to take a woman out on a date, or at the very least know her name, before he kissed her. Although technicallyshehad kissedhim.
Her bag floated nearby as he sloshed through the water to get out. Picking it up, he let it drip on the way to his deck chair. He dried himself off with a fluffy hotel towel then used it to prevent any more leakage from the bag. Now which way had she gone? Her room key was most likely in her bag so no need to hurry.
He glanced in the direction of Salazar Moreno, the reason he’d come to this hotel. It seemed Moreno had concluded his business. More reason to follow the brunette.
When he entered the lobby she was disappearing into the stairwell. Javier, the day manager was following, a frown on his face. What was his problem with the pretty lady? Had she pushedhimin the pool, too?
The sound of the third floor door opening above him echoed through the stairwell. Nice. His suite was on that floor. She’d be a sweet-looking distraction while he was here…or would she? She’d almost made him forget his goal by the pool.
When shouts echoed down the hallway, he increased his pace. The little spitfire struggled against Javier’s tight grip as he growled at her.
“That’s it, young lady, you’ve been warned before. The pool and other amenities of this hotel are only for paying guests. This time I’m calling the police.You’llbe charged with trespassing.”
Long hair whipped around her head as she resisted. A look of panic crossed her face at the threat. “Let me go! Please.” She yanked frantically, trying to break his hold on her as the manager dragged her down the hall away from Chris.
It wasn’t any of his business, still curiosity gnawed at him. Manhandling women was high on his list of things he hated. He’d been raised to always respect and assist a lady, had it drilled into him. Plus, if she was taken away he might never find out why she kissed him. He never could resist a damsel in distress--and right now she looked quite distressed.
He picked up the pace, nearly reaching them as the woman gave one good yank, launching herself right into his path. He reached up to steady her shoulders.
