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 if anything happened to it.”
She glanced around, opened her mouth to speak and then promptly shut it again. Their eyes met and she briefly pursed her lips. “If you’d like us to keep something in the hotel safe, that certainly can be arranged.”
Damn. He must be losing his touch. “But you think my room safe is sufficient?”
Her gaze narrowed and she bit indecisively at her lower lip. “I don’t have an opinion in that regard,” she said finally.
Chase smiled, wondering how hard he should push. “I’ll think on it.” He pushed away from the counter, at the same time noticing that no one manned the concierge desk. “Do you know when the concierge will be back?”
“I’ll page Kelly right away.”
Perfect. She was the assistant and just the woman he wanted to speak with. “No hurry,” he said. “Just looking
