Heating Up Hawaii (2 page)

However, he had been unable to take the extra step and reach for the door to exit the restroom, not without knowing for sure.

After he’d learned her occupation from Charles, his heart fluttered. He needed another PR firm badly, and a good one at that. Proposals flooded his PA’s email, and he’d been meaning to take a look the past couple of days.

He’d wanted to see Penny, to wave the chance of a lifetime opportunity in front of her, and then take it away. The same way she had done to him.

“Luc.” The woman who haunted his thoughts appeared in front of him, standing next to the long swaying fronds of a palm tree. His blood ran hot and thick, just like it had earlier. He wished to ignore the warning his body insisted on shouting at him, but that was a hard task.

A mild breeze swept over her, pushing the smooth strawberry blonde hair from her heart shaped face. Her high cheeks showed a hint of blush around her small straight nose. Luc’s eyes dropped to her luscious full lips, covered by bright red lipstick.

A conservative knee-length beige dress and a thick red belt around her waist molded her curves. A man had to be blind not to notice the thin linen fabric tightening against her large breasts, and the indentation of her waist shaped by the belt, which enhanced her perfectly round hips. The surplus of flesh. Not fat, but just enough curves to fool a man into forgetting his tactics.

His eyes trailed past her waist, and he appreciated the delicate calves and the red stiletto shoes.

“You never really considered hiring me,” Penny said with an accusatory tone. He put his hand inside his pocket. “I bet you don’t even need a new PR firm.” Penny folded her arms, her big hazel eyes still unconvinced.

“That’s where you are wrong,” he answered truthfully. “I’m re-opening a resort in Maui. I had to close it because of a flood a few months ago…when it happened, the former resort manager didn’t comply with a couple of safety policies. The authorities found out and bad press followed.” He sighed, the damage caused by the torrential rain still vivid in his mind.

“That means you need someone over there.” She smiled with determination in her voice. “Luc, I can be that person. I’m good at crisis management.”

Simply say no and go.
He noticed a flicker of apprehension in her beautiful eyes, though she tried her best to conceal it with a smile that could fool a less prepared male. A weak male. Not him.

“Crisis management?” He chuckled. “As in how you stabbed me in the back in the past? As in how you told Allegra about our involvement?” He raised a glass of scotch to his lips.

The wind changed directions and Penny tried to brush some loose strands of silky hair from her face. His palm clasped the round glass.
Merde.
Why couldn’t she look unattractive, out-of-shape, or less beautiful, like he had hoped before seeing her again?

Penny lifted her chin. “Warning Allegra that you were using us both was a public service, not back-stabbing.”

“Actions have consequences,
ma petite.
” Luc put his glass down on an empty table, closed his hands into fists, and stared out at the darkness in front of him for a quiet moment, unwilling to think about the long year he had endured because of her. There was no room for emotions where Penny Ashbrook was concerned. None above his waist line, anyway.

He turned to face her again, and she moved her head quickly, like she had been watching him.

“You haven’t had it that bad, Luc. You’re no saint. I know who you are under this fancy suit.” Penny placed both hands on her waist.

“I didn’t know your memories of me were still so vivid after seven years.” His voice was huskier than he would have liked.

Penny’s hands dropped to her sides. “Eight years.” She narrowed her eyes. “And you know what I mean. The past is long gone, which doesn’t change the fact that I am highly qualified to represent your chain. I have a busy schedule, but I’m willing to clear it to take over your Hawaii assignment and help you out.”

Clear her schedule? The determined look on her face made him laugh, the hearty sound floating up from his throat. “I don’t trust you, Penny.”

“I don’t trust you either, on a personal level. However, professionally, I guarantee that I’ll give you one hundred percent.” She stepped toward him, close enough that he inhaled the spicy notes of her perfume. Just like the woman herself, it blended stronger notes with much lighter ones. Once he got a lungful of the sweeter scent…it lingered. “Luc, it’s hard for me to admit it, but I
really
need this assignment, in more ways than one. Plus, I could really use some days out-of-town.”

Luc inclined his head, his eyes searching hers.

How could he, in clear conscience, give her an assignment coveted by the largest firms in the country, with more qualified professionals? Professionals with no emotional history with him. Professionals who didn’t make his common sense battle a desire which deepened with each passing second. Hadn’t he learned anything from the past?

There was no room for reminiscing.

His answer was clear.

He glanced at her, and she arched an eyebrow.

“Give me this one assignment. If you don’t like my work, I won’t even take a commission and will be out of your hair,” she blurted, a trace of anxiety in her voice. Luc cleared his throat.
No. My answer is no. Just say it
. The courage to send her away from his life flooded through him. He was about to verbalize it, when he spotted Owen Hays, the hotel’s food and beverage director whom he had met earlier, behind her. Although Owen smiled, he displayed a desperate look on his face, much worse than Penny’s.

“Mr. Leoni, I apologize for interrupting, but I need to have a word with you.”

“Go ahead.” Luc ushered him a couple of steps away from Penny, who gave him a sideway glance as if telling him this wasn’t over.

“Well, sir, the J-Kees were supposed to play here tonight. There’s a big probability that the show will be canceled, and since I knew you were at our bar and expected the press, I thought you should know first,” Owen explained.

“Canceled? Why?” Luc glanced at the outdoor stage. The happy hour was coming to an end, and in a bit over an hour the up-and-coming jazz band would start playing, drawing a more mature crowd and also, he was sure, a few bloggers and journalists. He’d been thinking that could be a great moment to start telling the press about his acquisition of this hotel. Free press generated more buzz.

“The members of the band have arrived, but their instruments have not.”

“How come?”

Owen frowned. “We aren’t sure, we’re looking into it. The show is supposed to start in an hour and a half.”

“Let’s find them other instruments, then. Have you contacted a music store? Have them deliver whatever they need.”

“Sir, I’ve thought of that. These musicians are very particular about what they play and said they won’t play until their own instruments arrive. This could take hours. We’d have to cancel the show.”

Luc cursed under his breath, running his fingers through his hair. “Where did they fly in from?”

“Their last show was in Austin, last night. We called the airline, but no luck so far.” Frustration leaked into Owen’s voice.

Luc had barely taken over the reins of this hotel and problems arose. A concert from the successful band would certainly be great for business. Canceling the show, especially less than two hours from its starting time, would not. Did he really want to announce his buying this property when they couldn’t even follow through with a small concert? The band members were in. He glared at the stage, and the maintenance guy giving it a final inspection. Everything was ready to go.

Think, Luc.

“I can help.” Penny took a step toward them. “I can get their instruments in time.”

“I don’t believe we have met.” Owen offered his hand. “I’m Owen Hays, the food and beverage director.”

“I’m Penny Ashbrook.” She took his hand with a smile. “Mr. Leoni’s new PR consultant.” She stood tall, chin up with pure defiance in her eyes.

Luc shook his head. His new PR consultant?

No.

“Owen, will you give us a moment?” Luc demanded, and Owen promptly nodded and got out of the way. He stared at Penny. “I won’t be manipulated into hiring you, Penelope.”

“Then don’t be. This is a business opportunity. I will get your band members their instruments. Their concert will be mentioned in a few blogs tomorrow, not to mention the music section of the newspaper, along with the news that now The Leoni Hotel Group owns this property.”

He crossed his arms. “How do you know it’s new? That I haven’t owned it for a while?”

“Because I knew who the previous hotel group was, and the way that man came to you it left no doubt.” She smoothed her dress with her hands, and he knew that following her restless fingers as they trailed across the fabric was crazy. To follow her idea was ludicrous, yet he did the first with no regrets and found himself idly considering the second.

The movement of her impatient fingers drummed against either side of her waist where her hands were now perched.

“How are you going to pull it off?” He knew from having worked with her that she was resourceful, but this was a challenge even for her. At the same time, did he want more bad press, even on a smaller scale, to precede his re-opening in Maui?

A smile quirked up her lips. “That’s my problem.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want the Maui assignment.”

“Penny, even if you do a good job…I’m not interested in having you permanently representing my chain.” How could he be sure she wouldn’t stab him in the back like she had in the past? Perhaps she wanted to do well on the Hawaii assignment, only to screw him after.

Screw. Him.
He stared down at her, making a conscious effort not to linger on any body part. He wondered about the softness of her skin. The curve on her neck. Her large breasts. A thrill of excitement ran through him.

“It’s okay, I don’t want you as a long-term client. All I want is upon the completion of my work, if you love it—which you will—is a list of contacts for companies you can refer me to. Can’t you see it’s a win-win?” She chewed on her plump lower lip.

If all she wanted was references, most likely she would do a good job for him. A fantastic job because, well, his standards were high and he didn’t intend on making things easier for her.

His Maui resort had a strong emotional tie to him. He wanted it to succeed and re-open the doors more than any other property he had opened in his life. He needed his staff to care about what they did. And if he could be sure of one thing, it was how invested Penny was. He recognized her determination to succeed. And he needed it.

“Go get the damn instruments, Penelope.”

Chapter
Two

“Talented, aren’t they?” Penny glanced at the three men playing on stage. The audience cheered them on.

The atmosphere had shifted from the one she’d seen a couple of hours ago. A blend of mature jazz lovers and younger, stylish men and women occupied all the tables on the outdoor terrace. A part of the crowd leaned their backs on the metal rails edging the balcony and a few of them swayed their bodies to the beat of the songs.

I have to get out more.

Penny’s head bobbed for a moment, following the rhythm of the music. Nights out and live music appealed more than watching late night television shows on her couch and eating ridiculously small portions of a diet microwave dinner.

Luc stood beside her, without his suit jacket, his long sleeve shirt rolled up to his elbows. She looked at the dark hair dusting his strong, bronze arms. Her eyes trailed down to his large hands.

“How did you get them here?” Luc finally asked her, dipping his head down so she could hear him. His breath brushed her earlobe, heating and over-sensitizing her skin.

“After talking to the band and checking with the airlines, I suspected the instruments hadn’t made it to the airport. Apparently they’d asked the concierge from the hotel in Austin to ship them, and then she in turn delegated it to an intern. I called the guest relations department, who checked the storage room in the lobby. He found the instruments still sitting there and I ordered him to ship them immediately.” She was pleased at how confident she sounded.

“They still made it in time, though. Did you use a special courier?” He upped an eyebrow and scrutinized her facial expression, perhaps expecting her to give in. To escape his intense stare, she looked away for a moment before returning her attention to him.

“I have a contact in the Austin airport who owed me a favor.”
My second cousin works night shifts at the airport.
Not prestigious like it sounded, but he didn’t have to know that.

Her initiative should have pleased him, right? After all, she knew Luc hated anything to go wrong with his hotels and properties. Then why didn’t his cool demeanor show her any gratitude?

“This means I got the assignment,” she said, feeling a trickle of sweat sliding in between her breasts.

Damn summer. Damn humidity. Damn Luc Leoni.

“I don’t like to be manipulated into hiring anyone, Penelope.” Luc clenched his jaw. “But since you are so desperate—”

“Driven.”

“—I will give you the Maui assignment. If you do anything to hurt my chain, you’re done.” He said the last words carefully. “Bring me the contract tomorrow and I’ll brief you on the Maui property. My PA will check my schedule. I might be able to meet you for lunch.”

She nodded. “You won’t regret it.”

Hopefully, neither will I.

***

With one in her hand, Penny searched for her missing fuchsia high heel shoe. She looked under her white cloth sofa, followed by the low wooden table, and behind her black iron standing lamp. Located only a short drive from Downtown Dallas, her small apartment could usually be described as tidy.

Usually.
Tonight, colorful scarves spread over her dining glass table, at least three other dresses pooled her carpet, and dismissed bras covered a couple of PR books on her shelf.