Rachel Bailey: MILLION-DOLLAR AMNESIA SCANDAL

Oscar showed them to high-backed seats before taking his place behind a massive oak desk.

Seth held her elbow as she sat down then took his own seat and faced his employee. “We’ll be here three nights.”

Oscar nodded. “I’ve had the two connecting presidential suites prepared.”

Her heart skipped a beat. He’d booked connecting suites? Had she misread the situation and his intentions, his meaning during the conversation in the car about attraction? His words from the hospital replayed-I won’t be among the first to know you’ve remembered. I’ll be the first.” She relaxed a fraction. He wanted his hotel back, and for that he needed her memory so he could negotiate with her. Of course he’d want to be nearby during their stay. It was reasonable.

“Given the media coverage,” Seth said, “you would have heard about Ms. Fairchild’s recent accident.”

Oscar looked at April with somber features. “My wife and I were very sorry to see the news reports. She’s a huge fan of your work, as am I.”

“Thank you,” April said.

Oscar turned back to Seth, genuine sympathy creating creases around his eyes. “And I was devastated to hear of your brother’s passing. He may not have been a regular here, but he was held in high esteem.”

“I appreciate that.” Seth gave a quick, tense smile then cleared his throat. “The first matter is that Ms. Fairchild’s memory was affected by the accident.”

“Affected?” Oscar asked.

April nodded. “I’m afraid I can’t remember anything much.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Seth crossed one ankle to rest on the opposite knee, bringing the focus back to him. “We’d rather it didn’t become public knowledge at this stage, so I’d appreciate it if you put some special rules in place with your staff.”

“Certainly.” He pulled a yellow legal pad to the center of his desk and picked up a pen.

“Tell them Ms. Fairchild is having some recuperation time after her accident and needs to be left alone. No polite questions, no conversations, no autographs. They speak only when spoken to, and only on matters regarding her stay.”

A warm glow filled her chest. She knew she should feel piqued that Seth was arranging things for her, but she couldn’t. Instead, she was relieved he’d protected her from polite inquiries that she wouldn’t necessarily be able to field. And grateful he’d thought to do it for her.

The manager made a note on the legal pad. “I’ll do so immediately.”

“Second, it seems that Jesse and Ms. Fairchild signed a contract on the day of their accident regarding the Lighthouse Hotel. The validity of the contract is still in question, but in the meantime, Ms. Fairchild is to be treated with the respect she’d be given if she owned the property and any requests-such as to see behind-the-scenes operations-are to be granted. All decisions will still go through your line manager at Bramson Holdings until this matter is resolved, but technically, she’s the owner-in-waiting. And I don’t have to tell you that discretion is of the utmost importance, even from your line manager.”

“Of course, Mr. Kentrell.” Oscar didn’t make a note of this one.

“Thank you, Oscar. I apologize for the brevity of this meeting, but I need to take Ms. Fairchild to her suite. We’ve come straight from her hospital room.”

“Ms. Fairchild’s health is our main concern,” the manager said, offering her a concerned smile. “I’ll call a concierge.”

Oscar left the room and April turned to Seth. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t need to tell him about the contract. I thought you’d keep that under wraps until a final decision was made. If you get the hotel back, no one ever need know.”

He frowned. “Even though the contract doesn’t take effect until the end of the month, and it may not stand up, you’re possibly the current legal owner. It was the right thing to do to inform the manager. You deserve to be treated as such.”

“I appreciate it,” she said, eyeing him curiously. She was getting the feeling Seth Kentrell always did the right thing. A couple of times since she’d met him there had been deeper, darker emotions flaring in his navy blue eyes, but he’d quickly leashed them before they had time to manifest. He held himself in such control.

A concierge in a dark green uniform arrived to show them to their suites, and once again Seth followed her closely, there if he was needed. Regardless of what else was between them with the hotel issue, one thing she knew for sure, physically she was in safe hands. He wouldn’t let her fall.

Warmed by the idea, she walked through the lobby to a pretty glass elevator, but then, as they continued along the hall three floors up, an amorphous thought intruded. There was a definite feeling of…something. Like dйjа vu, it was on the edges of her consciousness, just out of grasp. She looked at the walls, the doors they passed, taking in every detail, every potential clue. But the feeling faded and she was left with nothing more than misty remnants of a half-formed idea. And disappointment that a memory had again slipped beyond her reach just as she’d begun to touch it.

Seth tipped the concierge and stood at April’s door, hands deep in his pockets. “Have a rest. Your legs must be tired. They’re unused to this much movement.”

As he said the words, fatigue suffused her limbs. She’d spent most of the morning sitting in a car and in Oscar’s office, but she wasn’t yet back to full strength. “Perhaps a nap would be good,” she conceded.

“When you’re ready, knock on my door.” He pointed to a door on the inside west wall. “I’ll be working in my suite through there. Or ring the operator and ask to be put through to me.” His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. “I’ll be waiting.”

April slept soundly through the afternoon and night and woke early, feeling refreshed and eager to explore her new surroundings. After a quick shower, she found a note slipped under the door connecting her suite to Seth’s.

Let me know when you’re ready for breakfast. S

She gripped the note, undecided. This hotel had pulled at her, had been inextricably linked to losing her memory, and she’d needed Seth to bring her here. She knew he wanted to keep her close-mainly to ensure she wasn’t trying to hoodwink him-but did that mean he intended them to spend all their time together?

Part of her wanted the freedom to explore at her own pace, to investigate the crumbs of memories she knew were here. Besides one visit to her hospital bed, and the drive out, he was a stranger-albeit a stranger with whom she shared an inconvenient attraction. Perhaps it’d be best if she took it from here, not rely on him.

Then again, at the moment, even her own mother felt like a stranger. And despite knowing it was unwise, she trusted Seth Kentrell. A vision of his dark beauty rose in her mind. The lure of him, of being near the electric field that seemed to surround him, was just as strong as the lure of exploring on her own. Perhaps stronger.

That banked fire in his eyes both made her wary and called to her on a primal level. If he ever tried to kiss her, would she have it within her to resist? Her skin quivered. Would she want to?

She lifted her hand and hesitated only a second before knocking on his door.

Confident footsteps sounded on the other side before it swung open. Seth stood there, radiating heat and masculinity, and she forgot to breathe. She’d been right to be wary of him. This was not a man to play with, or to underestimate.

“Good morning, April,” he said, voice as smooth as matured whiskey. “Did you sleep well?”