WYATT was in a foul mood. Remembering Alex’s story and her attempt to be nonchalant about what had been done to her fueled an anger he didn’t want to analyze. That anyone would hurt someone as sunny as Alex—she deserved better than that.
A good thing to remember, he reminded himself. Because he’d been thinking about her too much lately, and he wasn’t one whit better than any of those men had been. He would hurt her just as easily as they had.
Something hot and painful sluiced through him. He shoved it aside. Alex was a prize for McKendrick’s. But she wasn’t for him, he reminded himself. He’d do well to remember that.
It was time to get back to thinking about the hotel and to stop thinking about Alex. Maybe he should simply pay her in full and hire someone less competent to stand in until Belinda could return.
But he knew that he wouldn’t do that. He was as bad as any of the men who had harmed her. He liked what she did for McKendrick’s. Worse than that, he liked sparring with her…and looking at her…and touching her. And, for the short time she was here, he was going to continue to enjoy all those things.
“Are you sure you’re all right? You’re looking a little flushed every time we mention Wyatt,” Jayne said later that night. Alex was on a video call with Jayne and Molly. Serena wasn’t around tonight—even though she’d returned to Las Vegas…to be with the man she’d married during their weekend. She and Alex had managed to catch up briefly a few days earlier, when she had called on Alex to help shop for an outfit suitable for a mayoral candidate’s wife. How had that happened?
“I’m fine. Really. It’s Serena I’m worried about. She really didn’t seem like herself.”
“I know. I get the impression she’s confused. Not happy. I wish we had all stayed together that night,” Jayne said.
Molly frowned. “Yes. Staying together would have been best.”
Was there something in Molly’s eyes other than concern for Serena? Alex couldn’t tell. Darn video phone.
“I’m going to talk to her again as soon as I can,” Alex said.
“Yes, but who’s going to talk to you?” Molly asked.
“Molly, I promise if I get in too deep I’ll tell you. So far I’m handling it.”
A long silence ensued. “What’s ‘it’, exactly?” Jayne asked.
Uh-oh. “I kissed Wyatt one day.” Okay, he had kissed her. Same difference, since she had kissed him back.
“Alex…” Molly drawled.
“I’m good. I’m not letting it affect me. I’m totally over it,” Alex said. Which probably wasn’t the best thing to say. It implied that she had, in recent memory, not been over it.
“I don’t like what I’m hearing…or not hearing, Alex.” Molly’s voice quivered. “Men can be such trouble.”
“Men can wreck your life if you let them,” Jayne said.
“But I’m strong. I know Wyatt isn’t available, and I won’t let anyone wreck my life.” Including me, Alex thought.
“But Wyatt kissed you…” Molly prompted.
“Yes, but only in a lustful way, not a romantic way. It was—” the most intimate, expert kiss she’d ever had “—it was nice, but I’m safe. I’m not getting involved.”
“You’re repeating yourself, Alex. And somehow I don’t feel better after this conversation,” Jayne said.
“I do. I miss you guys. For your sakes as much as mine, I’ll do a lot of counting to ten,” Alex promised.
Her friends smiled. “If you need us, we’ve got your back.”
“Thanks, you two. I’ll get in touch with Serena.”
Alex hung up the phone. Talking to her friends was a bit like talking to a mom these days. She loved them, she missed them, and she didn’t dare tell them everything. If she did…
“They would worry themselves sick,” she muttered. Just the way she was worrying about them.
Alex was particularly worried about Serena, so when her friend called and suggested that they meet at Hennesey’s, an Irish pub, Alex jumped.
“I can’t believe you’re back here in Las Vegas,” Alex said. “It’s wonderful.”
“It’s so good seeing you,” Serena agreed, which wasn’t exactly the same thing. How was she feeling about being married? “Come on, let’s move outdoors. The music’s great, but I want to be able to hear what’s happened to you.”
“What’s happened to me?” Alex launched into a description of some of the projects she’d started at the hotel.
“Jayne and Molly said that you and your boss kissed.Alex…”
“Serena…” Alex said, duplicating her friend’s tone. “Or should I call you Mrs. Benjamin?”
Serena blinked. Then she laughed. “Okay, we’re even—and aren’t we a pair? How did life ever get this complicated?”
“I guess we came to Las Vegas and started a few things we hadn’t anticipated starting.” Alex took a sip of her drink as the lilting strains of music floated out on the breeze. “Do you love him, Serena? Does he love you?”
Serena hesitated. “It’s…I’m not sure how this is all going to play out. How about you? How do you feel about Wyatt kissing you? I’m always interested to hear more about the virile one.”
Alex laughed. “Let’s just say that Wyatt could make a living giving kissing lessons if this hotel gig doesn’t pan out. Still, it shouldn’t have happened, and we’ve gotten beyond it.”
Later, after Serena had opened up and talked about her husband, Jonas, just enough so that Alex was really worried about her friend’s chances of ever having a happily-ever-after, Alex drove back to McKendrick’s.
Had she really said that she’d gotten beyond the kiss with Wyatt? When did I become such a liar? she thought. And why was she lying to her friends?
Wyatt needed to get away. For the past two weeks he’d been measuring his every action, his motivations, his words. He should never have kissed Alex, because each time he got near her now, his entire body reacted. He envisioned her in his arms and in his bed, and it was time to put a stop to that. He needed to remember what he was all about…and what he was not about. He had to go somewhere away from the hotel and the world as he knew it. A place where there was no chance of glancing over to see what was going on with Alex. Because she wouldn’t be there.
He was dressed casually, unusual for him, and as he walked toward the entrance, several women smiled and said hello.
As
