small ranching town outside of Dallas where he’d grown up had produced a couple of Hollywood hopefuls. Ashley Morgan had won most of the beauty pageants from Dallas to the panhandle, twirling that baton of hers and easing out everyone in the talent category. Senior year he’d gone out with her twice, probably due to curiosity on her part because of his muddy reputation, but he didn’t have anything she needed to further her career, so it had ended pronto. Hadn’t bothered him none.
Nah, ol’ Ashley hadn’t been the sharpest tool in the shed, but she had a body that wouldn’t quit. He’d heard it had gotten her a bit part in a B movie, then she got married to a fat, rich oilman and had a whole passel of kids.
They jogged around a curve and he saw the lineup of horses and carriages, and knew he had only a few minutes of information-gathering left. They had another appointment tomorrow morning, but he didn’t want to wait that long to find out what made Dana McGuire tick.
“I know I’m not the first one to tell you that you have perfect bone structure. You ever do any modeling? Is that why you came to New York?”
She hesitated, long enough that he expected her to tell him to go to hell. Great. The last thing he needed was her clamming up. He’d gone too fast, come on too strong. He should’ve waited until tomorrow to get to the next level, but he’d acted like a damn rookie. Which he wasn’t. He knew better. This was too important to screw up. If she had the ring, he needed to get it back.
2
“I WANTED to sing,” Dana said finally. “Or act. That’s why I came to New York. I was hoping to find work.” She shrugged. “It didn’t pan out, but I found something else I like to do. Something I like better.” She’d told herself that often enough that it should be true by now. To some degree it was.
Fitness had always been important to her. She’d run track in high school, and when she’d traveled the pageant circuit back in her teens, she’d used the stage to push fitness as a higher priority in schools. She’d always been passionate about the need to stay active as a health issue, but if she were given the chance at a singing or acting career…
No, she could not go there. After struggling for four years, and lying to her family back home, she’d made peace with her life. It was a good life, too. She had great friends, a family who loved her, a business that had grown impressively over the past three years. One that was a lot kinder than the entertainment industry. She was happy. Content.
“A singer, huh? Now, that surprises me.”
“Why?” They’d hit the street and she was suddenly anxious to get him back to the hotel and end their conversation. No use stirring up old hurts. So what if he was here scouting talent? She’d learned the hard way that she wasn’t anything special. Just a small-town girl who’d once stood a foot above the rest. Her hopes had died long ago. There were hundreds of women hungrier and more talented than she. Let him go use his urban-cowboy charm on one of them.
“Just figured that—well, guess it doesn’t matter.”
Fine with her. “There’s the hotel,” she said abruptly and pointed. “See it?”
“Yep.” He stopped, his gaze narrowing, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “You giving me the brush off?”
To avoid getting run over by a group of Japanese tourists, she was forced to move back against a building. “Do you mind? My other appointment is across town.”
The large group was too busy listening to their guide and crowded the sidewalk to the point that Chase was literally pushed up against her. He flattened his hand against the brick beside her head and braced himself to keep from crushing her breasts.
“Sorry,” he murmured, his musky scent of pine and sweat oddly pleasing.
She had a feeling he wasn’t one bit sorry judging by the way his gaze stayed fixed on her mouth. “No problem.”
“Hope I didn’t hurt you.” He was a good four inches taller than her, and she was no slouch at five-nine.
She smiled. “They’re gone.”
“What?”
“You can move back now.”
He swung his gaze toward the retreating group. “Ah.” And then he straightened and lowered his hand, his eyes coming back to her face, his mouth curving in a sly grin. “Who knew you could get stampeded in New York City?”
She sidestepped him and moved closer to the street where she could get some much-needed air. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to be late.”
“What about your payment?”
“Are we still on for tomorrow morning?”
“Most definitely. I believe I booked you for a third morning, as well?”
“Right.” She stuck her hand out to hail a cab even though she really had plenty of time to hoof it the nine blocks to her next appointment. Best she get away from him now. Tomorrow she’d be better composed. “We’ll settle up at the end of your stay.”
“Why, you’re mighty trusting.”
A cab pulled to the curb and she opened the door. “Yeah.” Too trusting. Stupidly naive, in fact. As a result, she’d made mistakes. Shameful ones she could barely stand to think about. “Must be my midwest upbringing,” she murmured as she slid into the safety of the cab. God, when was she ever going to learn?
AFTER EATING a late lunch in the hotel’s bistro-style restaurant, which to Chase meant small portions, large tab, he stopped at the front desk. He recognized the short, dark-haired front-desk clerk from this morning when he’d met Dana in the lobby.
He also recognized the name on the gold tag she wore. She was on his list. “Good afternoon, Amy.”
She smiled, looking prettier than at first glance. “Good afternoon, Mr. Culver. What can I do for you?”
For a moment, it took him aback that she knew his name. But this was one of those ritzy hotels that pampered guests with big fluffy bath towels and Godiva chocolates on the pillows, so maybe it wasn’t that odd. He’d never stayed in a place like this before. Doubted he ever would again unless he was on the job.
“Well, darlin’, you can tell me if you have a big safe in the back for me to keep some of my valuables.” He gave her one of the big smiles that had gotten him into the back rooms of high-stakes’ poker games and into more trouble than he cared to think about.
“Yes, of course.” She smiled back. “But you do know you have a private one in your room, as well?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He glanced over at the bellman standing at the end of the counter, and then Chase lowered his voice, “But I’ve heard rumors about a couple of thefts here in the past month.”
Amy blinked. “Um…”
“Now, I’m sure you’ve been instructed not to talk about it,” he said, leaning part way across the desk so that their faces were only inches apart. “And I don’t wanna get you in any trouble, but you see, I have this expensive diamond necklace I just purchased and I would be real unhappy
