One-Man Woman

He certainly wasn’t an untidy man. In fact, looking around at the neatness of the suite, she acknowledged that it was difficult to tell whether it was occupied or not—no personal effects were lying around anywhere. But he was definitely still staying here; Ellie would have been the first to know if he had booked out. And the first to give thanks. He had been a disruptive influence on her life ever since he’d first booked in. And she had to sit down to dinner with the man in—oh, just over half an hour.

She would get this over with as quickly as possible and make good her escape; the last thing she wanted was Daniel Thackery returning to his suite while she was still there!

She had barely begun to turn back the bed when she heard the sound of a door opening behind her. She turned sharply, her expression one of guilty dismay. Not that she had anything to feel guilty about tonight, but—

It hadn’t been the bedroom door that had opened, but the adjoining bathroom door. Daniel Thackery must have just taken a bath or shower. His hair was still damp—his body completely naked!

Ellie just stared at him, hardly able to breathe. He—She—They—Oh, God...!

Daniel looked no more pleased to see her standing in his bedroom, apparently rooted to the spot, than she was to see him. A dark scowl marred his handsome features as he returned her stare. ‘You again!’ he snapped disgustedly.

She was still too shocked to react to that ‘again’, keeping her gaze riveted to his darkly scowling face after that first shocked recognition of his nakedness. There would be time later to remember the smoothly muscled contours of his body, his darkly tanned skin, the almost black hair that lightly covered his body. For now she had to concentrate on explaining herself—and then getting out of here!

‘I did telephone and knock before coming in to your suite.’ She rushed into breathless speech. “There was no answer, so I—’

‘I was taking a shower.’ He drily stated the obvious, making no effort to cover up his nakedness. ‘But the offer was for last night, not tonight!’

Her face suffused with colour as his meaning became clear. ‘The maid wanted to turn back the bed—’

‘Then why didn’t she?’ Dark brows rose over piercing blue eyes.

Why didn’t he put some clothes on, instead of just standing there completely unconcerned with his nudity? He might be accustomed to being naked in front of women, but she certainly wasn’t used to being in the same room with men who had nothing on. And who seemed completely unruffled by the fact!

‘Because for this evening I am acting as the maid,’ she bit out forcefully. ‘Our usual maid is in the bar because we’re short-staffed, and—’

‘Never mind, Ellie,’ Daniel interrupted in a bored voice. ‘I get the picture. You—’ He broke off with a frown as the telephone began to ring on the bedside table. ‘It’s like being stuck in the middle of a traffic junction! Get that, will you, while I put something on?’ he said impatiently.

She was relieved that he was at last going to cover his nudity, but she was not his personal secretary. The fact that she was here at all was because of a set of circumstances she had no control over. She—

‘Ellie!’ he prompted again harshly as the telephone continued to ring and she made no effort to answer it. ‘Just get it, will you?’ he said wearily at her mutinous expression, turning away to open the wardrobe door and look through its contents for something to put on.

She snatched up the receiver. ‘The Grafton Suite,’ she barked automatically, keeping her gaze firmly averted from Daniel, not wanting to watch him as he dressed. It would be too intimate an action, and intimacy was definitely something to be avoided between herself and Daniel Thackery.

‘Oh, good grief.’ The female voice on the other end of the line sounded almost as impatient as Daniel had when the telephone had begun to ring seconds ago. ‘I asked to be put through to Daniel Thackery’s room, and instead I’ve been connected with another part of the hotel. Are you able to put this call back to Reception?’ the woman continued briskly. ‘Or will I have to call back and start again?’

She didn’t exactly sound pleased at the prospect. ‘Actually, you have been put through to Mr Thackery’s suite,’ Ellie answered while giving Daniel Thackery a beseeching look.

She was relieved to see that he was at least wearing a pair of black underpants now. Not that the brief garment made any difference to the intimacy of the situation. He might be wearing as much now as he would at a swimming pool or at the beach, but this wasn’t either of those places—and the two of them were completely alone here in his bedroom. Except for his female telephone caller!

‘But he—er—be can’t come to the telephone just now,’ she continued conversationally as Daniel Thackery made no move to take the receiver but continued to look through the wardrobe for his clothes for the evening. ‘He—’

‘What do you mean, “he can’t come to the telephone just now”?’ the woman cut in sharply. ‘What—?’

‘Thanks, Ellie.’ Daniel at last took the receiver from her unresisting fingers, lifting it to his ear. ‘I thought it must be you, Angela.’ He spoke drily into the mouthpiece. ‘A member of the hotel staff. Yes, a female member of the hotel staff,’ he acknowledge, with a mocking look in Ellie’s direction. ‘How observant of you, Angela. No, I’m not up to anything,’ he added hardily. ‘Angela,’ he said impatiently a couple of seconds later, ‘will you stop giving me a damned day by day countdown to the wedding? I’m well aware of the fact that it’s only ten days away!’ he snapped harshly.

Wedding...Good God, yes—this man was getting married in ten days’ time.

Ellie had been standing close to him, unable to take her eyes off the lean strength of his body, aware of the clean, male—unscented!—smell of him, all of her senses aware that he really was a very attractive man. But the realisation that he was talking to his fiancée on the telephone, to the woman he intended marrying next week, was enough to break the spell. She had to get out of here, had to—

‘Where are you going?’

Ellie had almost reached the door, and escape, but she knew from the way Daniel had raised his voice that he was talking to her. She came to an abrupt halt, turning slowly to raise her gaze to meet his. Daniel was watching her from across the room with narrowed eyes, his hand over the mouthpiece of the telephone, his full attention on Ellie.

‘Where are you going?’ he repeated evenly. ‘I thought you came in here to turn down the bed,’ he reminded her mockingly, his blue eyes gleaming with humour now as he saw the almost desperate way she eyed her avenue of escape only feet away before turning back to look at the almost untouched bed beside him.

Her eyes flashed deeply green at his mockery. ‘It’s a courtesy thing only,’ she snapped. ‘I’m sure you’re more than capable of dealing with it yourself!’

He eyed her challengingly. ‘Surely it’s what your employer pays you to do?’

Two bright spots of colour appeared on her cheeks. Who did he think—? A sudden realisation occurred to her: he didn’t know she was co-owner of this hotel, appeared to have no idea she was Beth’s sister. Probably because he didn’t expect to see the owner of the hotel on the reception desk or in the rooms turning back the beds. But this was a small, family-run hotel, and she and Beth had always filled in wherever necessary.

And then another, more wicked thought occurred to her. If he didn’t know she was Beth’s older sister, then he didn’t realise he was having dinner with her later this evening either...

‘And I suppose you would tell her I’ve been lax in my duties,’ she said in a disgruntled voice, deliberately keeping her head down as she moved to turn back the bed; if she had looked up at him at that moment he would have seen the laughter in her eyes—at his expense! ‘And if I lose my job what will happen to the husband and seven children I have at home?’ she added accusingly.

His mouth twisted. ‘You’re too young to have seven children!’ he scorned disbelievingly.

Ellie met his gaze with steady innocence. ‘I was a child bride.’

‘You would have to have been,’ he said drily. ‘Are you really—?’

‘Don’t you have someone waiting to talk to you on the telephone?’ Ellie reminded him lightly. ‘And I have the rest of the rooms to see to.’ She walked back to the bedroom door. ‘I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, Mr Thackery,’ she told him dismissively as she prepared to leave.

‘I’m sure I will,’ he said slowly, his frown obvious in his voice.

Ellie didn’t turn to look at him, making a dignified exit and no longer feeling at such a disadvantage where Daniel Thackery was concerned. Yes, he might have his suspicions about her presence in his room last night, but she had also been in his suite this evening, so if directly challenged she could always make the claim that it must have been the lingering smell of her perfume that had caused him to sneeze.

And she now had a certain advantage inasmuch as he didn’t realise that she actually co-owned this hotel and that he was having dinner with her this evening. She didn’t feel quite so awkward about the situation now. In fact, she was quite looking forward to the dinner now!

Beth eyed Ellie with a frown a short time later as she moved about the kitchen humming to herself as she put the finishing touches to the dessert. ‘You seem to have cheered up since our conversation earlier,’ she said suspiciously.

Ellie gave a dismissive shrug. ‘I was a bit concerned about the staff problem. But it’s all sorted out now, so we can relax for a while. Will you be OK here while I just go and change?’

‘Fine,’ Beth answered distractedly, still eyeing her uncertainly. ‘But what’s wrong with what you’re wearing?’

She was still in the smart skirt and blouse she had been wearing to work in all day, and while she accepted that they were perfectly suitable to entertain in she wanted to be able to disconcert Daniel Thackery completely. And, looking and feeling her best, she felt sure she would be able to do that.

‘I feel like changing,’ she dismissed. ‘I won’t be long.’

Just long enough to freshen up and change into her little black dress—a figure-hugging sheath of a dress that finished just above her knees. Her legs were long and shapely, her hair she had washed that morning, so it swung silkily about her shoulders, and she added light make-up to her creamy complexion, red gloss to her lips. The overall effect was one of cool elegance.

Let’s see what Mr Daniel Thackery thought now of the hotel receptionist-cum-maid who was also a child bride with seven children!

She could hear the murmur of voices in the sitting room as she approached—Both seemed to have relaxed enough at least to engage in conversation with their guest. What was he going to think when Ellie joined them?

He turned frowningly when she opened the door to enter the room, that frown turning to puzzlement as he instantly recognised her. Well—he thought he recognised her; he obviously still had no idea she was Beth’s sister. He rose slowly to his feet.

‘Ellie!’ Beth said with some relief. It was evident that she wasn’t as relaxed in their guest’s company as she had been trying to give the impression she was. ‘Daniel is here,’ she said unnecessarily.