Billionaire's Love Suite (9 page)

Justin peered at her glowing face and realized she had put herself in his
situation during the telling of his story. She had empathized with him. She
had let herself walk in his shoes, though vicariously, for a moment. But
during that moment, she’d shown him a side of herself that he’d not seen in
any human being since his mother. Shana had a genuine heart.

What was of vast interest to Justin was that she had made him realize
that he actually had been upset over the incident. Despite the fact that he
knew early on Felicity wasn’t the woman for him, he realized now that even
then he’d actually liked the idea of being a father. It had all happened so fast
and he’d been terribly angry and suffused with revenge in all its aspects that
he hadn’t ever stopped to think about being a parent.

Looking at beautiful Shana with concern and empathy glimmering in
her eyes, he realized he was growing quite fond of the idea of making Shana
his wife. She was a knockout with no clothes on, capable and smart. He
didn’t like the idea that he had to defend himself on their first “date” if that’s
what this was. It was disconcerting that she had heard so many disparaging
things about him. He’d had no idea the rumor mill among the staff was
weighted against him. It was going to be an uphill battle to change Shana’s
opinion of him and if he was to have any shot at making her his wife, he had
to start immediately.

“May I ask, are those the only things being said about me or is there
more?”

His question caught Shana off-guard that she laughed.

Justin looked stricken at her reaction.

Shana’s hand flew to her mouth to stifle her chuckles. Because he was
so well-insulated with his money and power, it never occurred to her that he
would care what other people thought about him. His face carried genuine
concern and she realized that her answer apparently mattered to him.

“No. That’s about all. Isn’t that enough?”

He leaned forward again and stabbed her with a hard gaze. “That’s not
me they’re talking about. It’s jealousy and pettiness. All gossip is. It’s meant
to be hurtful.”

Shana felt shame rip through her. Justin was right, of course. She had
never participated in gossip or flaming a rumor mill in her life. She had to
admit that the only reason she’d given any credence to what she’d heard
about Justin was because she was attracted to him. She hadn’t been able to
get him out of her head day or night. If she hadn’t been so obsessed with
him, she never would have mentioned the rumors.

“I’m sorry, Justin. I shouldn’t have said anything. I feel terrible.”

“Don’t. I’m glad you told me. Forewarned is forearmed.”

Shana tried to match his smile, but failed as remorse weighted her down.
“It’s my job to put a stop to these things. I’ll speak to the staff.”

He shook his head. “Only if it comes up. Otherwise, they won’t take you
seriously. The problem is that my own father helped to perpetuate my supposedly
‘errant image’ in the eyes of nearly everyone he met. Some of the
older staff believes they have the truth.”

“Why on earth would he do that?” Shana asked.

“He wanted me to be married, which to him meant that I was stable. So,
he always considered me a failure.”

“But you were incredibly successful on Wall Street! What kind of parent
wouldn’t be proud of that?”

Justin chuckled, picked up her hand and drew it to his mouth. Pressing
his lips to her flesh, Shana felt shivers spiral through her body. Her breath
hitched in her lungs and for an instant she was spellbound.

“You’re my hero,” Justin said with a mirthful smile.

Shana watched as his eyes riveted her with an unflinching gaze. Slowly,
he lowered his lips to her hand and kissed her again. This time the pressure
of his lips was soft but filled with intent. This time she read a great deal
between the lines and what she filled those lines with was exhilarating and
sensual. Shana didn’t know if Justin was feeling the same arousal that she
did. If she were to believe the rumors and not Justin, seduction was second
nature to him. She wanted to think that what he’d told her was the truth. If
she did, she would be forced to take a chance on an unknown. She would
have to trust him.

S
hana sat in a beige leather upholstered seat next to the window in the
Lux Hotel’s private jet that was headed to Toronto. Justin sat facing her
though he was absorbed in the report she’d given him just as they’d boarded
the plane. As New York city fell away from them and the distance between
earth and the jet was filled with clouds, Shana retrieved a yellow legal pad
from her briefcase, ready to make notes.

Justin stopped in the middle of reading and swept her face with total
astonishment. “You want to eliminate the main floor bar? Are you crazy?
The income from the bar…”

She held up her palms. “You didn’t read far enough. I want to build a
speakeasy in the basement.”

Justin’s eyebrows arched and his eyes opened as he paused for the
thought to register. After a long moment he said, “Okay. You are nuts.” He
folded his arms over his chest. “Continue.”

“Transforming the street level bar into a business conference room which
we can rent out to executives who want total privacy at an affordable price
will bring in even more income than the sports bar. By the way, the income
from the bar has been slipping over the past three years. It’s my judgment
that within a three block radius there is too much competition for the same
kind of customer. Therefore, we need to be innovative. The hottest destination
bar and club in the city now is underground. There’s too much fun to be
had by creating a 1920’s speakeasy atmosphere in our storage areas in the
basement. I have mapped out how we can utilize this area on page ten of my
report. We have street side access through the door that leads to the delivery
steps down to the basement. Customers would enter there. We would put up
a second door with a slide panel just like they had in the old speakeasies. I
would use the same tables we now have but cover them in linens and center
each with battery operated shaded lamps.” Shana absent mindedly stuck her pen through the swirl of blonde hair she’d clipped at the top of her head.
Her voice trilled with enthusiasm. “I know a great mixology nerd who used
to work at a place in Tribeca. We need a Lux signature concoction. Maybe
a new twist on the chocolate martini.”

“You like those?” Justin asked, his chin in his hand as he gazed at
Shana.

“Who doesn’t?” she chuckled as she looked up at him and the second
she did, she felt her pulse elevate. His eyes were filled with soft lights as
they perused her face. A nearly imperceptible glance down at her mouth told
her that he was not thinking about work.

Had he picked up on her vision of the two of them cozied up in a secretive
place, dark and romantic, filled with bluesy music and couples stealing
kisses between sips of intoxicating drinks? Shana had come up with the idea
of a speakeasy after going to PDT (Please Don’t Tell) in the East Village
with Cate. Though she’d thought the place was fun, it was truly for couples.
The fact that she’d dreamed about Justin and herself in such a place, holding
hands, told her that she was spending too much energy on Justin, “the steam
room Adonis” and not enough on the fact that Justin was just her boss.

“How much will this cost?” he asked breaking Shana’s heady reverie.

“Less than you’d think. I have the figures here. Because we’d paint the
ceilings, pipes and ductwork black and the walls a near black burgundy red
and even the concrete floor, our main cost would be in lighting and a glass
backdrop for the bar. I’d have the existing bar remodeled and re-use all
our barware, chairs even some of the glass shelves. The expense will be on
advertising to get the word out.”

“I suppose you have thought that through as well.”

“Absolutely. I know a PR woman who will throw a media party in our
speakeasy. The guest list will include reviewers, of course, a few local radio
and television celebrities and a songwriter.”

“Songwriter?”

“Sure. He uses our name in a new song. It gets play on the radio
stations.”

Justin’s smile was infused with satisfaction. He nodded his head.
“Excellent. And our name?”

“Rum Row. Back in the 1920’s bootleggers used to take boats out the
New York harbor to the international waters where they would buy crates
of banned liquor.”

“We’ll start immediately,” he said looking down at the report. Instantly,
his head snapped up and he shot her a daring look. “Unless you’ve already
put everything in motion.”

“Of course not. I had to wait for your approval,” she replied with a sweet
smile. Justin nodded and went back to reading the report. Shana looked out
the window. There was no way she was going to tell Justin she’d already
approved the wall color paint and ordered the carpenter to submit drawings
for the rebuilt bar.

****

The Toronto Lux Hotel was located on Front Street just a block away
from the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, which had always been fierce competition
for the Lux.

Both hotels had been officially opened in 1929. Though the Fairmont
was the tallest building in the British Commonwealth at the time, the Lux
had only been two stories shorter at twenty-six floors. Both hotels had private
baths, radios and showers that had been considered luxurious at the
time. The Lux hotel boasted a thirteen thousand book library, twelve ornate
brass and glass passenger elevators and a concert hall with a full stage, blue
velvet seats and a domed Tiffany glass ceiling.

However, the Lux Hotel had always come in second to the Fairmont
Royal York. Shana knew that Justin could not re-write history but he could
create a new future for the Toronto Hotel.

As they walked into the opulent red and gold vestibule, lobby and reception
areas, Shana was stunned at the tasteful elegance she saw. This hotel
had none of the gaudy trappings she’d seen in New York where Peter Yates
had made his home office. The French Bergere chairs, the overly-long
down-filled sofas and the Louis XVI occasional chairs were showing signs
of needing new slip coverings, but the current fabric choices and colors
were impeccable. The walls were a soft yellow-gold that cast a warm glow
over the cream and pink veined marble floor. The red, gold and sage green Aubusson rugs were exquisite and she guessed worth a fortune as they
looked quite possibly to be originals.

The chandeliers were delicate antique Venetian crystal and the chic wall
sconces were brass torcheres with cream silk shades. Antique crystal vases
overflowed with red roses, showy white Casa Blanca lilies and small white
calla lilies evoking a feeling of slipping into the past when life was slower
and elegance in one’s life mattered.

Shana was enthralled with the hotel. This property, however, didn’t need
revitalizing like the New York hotel, but even so, she felt in sync with the
structure.

Justin led the way as they inspected all the meeting rooms, the ballrooms,
the bar, the dining room, the business rooms, the kitchens, the health
spa and the roof top domed ceiling lap pool.

It was nearly nine o’clock before they ended their long day of travel and
work. Shana was exhausted but when Justin suggested dinner in the hotel
dining room, she happily agreed.

Justin waved the waiter away and held the gold upholstered chair for
her as she sat.

“Thank you,” Shana said and realized that Justin was still standing
behind her. Delicately, he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed
them ever so slightly.

“Thank you, Shana,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much your observations
have meant to me today.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and then seated
himself.

Shana felt as if she’d been burned with a brand. Torrid head shot down
her spine and seared its way into her belly. An eruption was occurring inside
her that threatened to overcome her. All day she had felt herself being pulled
toward Justin like a current. Now that slow-moving force was a riptide.
From the plane trip, to the cab ride from the airport and through the tour of
the hotel property, she’d brushed shoulders with him, inhaled his cologne
and been the recipient of his smiles, his friendly banter and most unnerving
of all, his deferment to her suggestions. There was no question in her mind
that he was comfortable with her ideas. But with this simple kiss, he was
telling her that he liked even more about her.

It only took a glance at his handsome face for her to remember him
naked. She licked her lips and imagined his kiss again. The taste of him. The
remembered pressure of his mouth against hers nearly drove her insane.

Justin was talking to her, but she couldn’t hear him. All she heard were
the echoes of the sound of his breathing when they’d kissed before. For
the first time, she wished she had resigned. She wished right now she was
anything but his employee. She would give the world to be able to get out
of her chair, move over to him and kiss him the way she’d dreamed about
every night since they met.