Jo Leigh - Have Mercy

“Why don’t you get into that warm bed. I’ll be right there…”

Feeling brave, Mercy reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra, letting it fall to the floor. Her panties were next. Once she was completely naked under the silky sheets, she relaxed.

Will didn’t come to bed, however. He went over to the armoire, which was filled with all kinds of adult toys and treats. She held her breath, hoping he wasn’t going for something too kinky.

Her gaze settled on his cute rear. Whatever Will did to keep in shape sure worked. There wasn’t a thing wrong. Not one thing. Well, except that he’d be leaving Hush soon.

This wasn’t about forever. It was about tonight. No way was she going to get sentimental.

She was going to have sex. With a gorgeous, nice man.

He turned, treats in hand, and gave her a long, lingering look. Mercy threw back the covers.

It was going to be fantastic…

JO LEIGH

has written more than thirty novels since 1994. She’s a triple RITA ®finalist, most recently receiving a nomination from the Romance Writers of America for her Blaze ®novel, Relentless. She also teaches writing in workshops across the country.

Jo lives in Utah with her wonderful husband and their cute puppy, Jessie. You can come and chat with her at her website: www.joleigh.com, and don’t forget to check out her daily blog!

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Hush and the DO NOT DISTURB mini-series!

Yes, I had to return one more time to my favourite hotel, only this time, we’re hanging out at PetQuarters, the luxury hotel/spa for animals. Something you should know – every pet mentioned in the book, every dog, cat and even fish, is someone’s real-life pet. I asked my blog readers to send me pictures and descriptions of their pet’s cutest habits and quirks. Each one was cast in a supporting role. Talk about fun!

As adorable as the critters were, it was even more fun to hang out with Mercy Jones and Will Desmond. Mercy is the pet concierge from my April 2009 book, Coming Soon, and it’s no wonder she got the job. The woman is magic with animals. Not so much with humans, especially male humans. Definitely not with a male of the extreme hotness of Will Desmond. When he walks into her life, what choice does she have but to go for it?

Be sure to visit my blog at www.joleigh.com/ wp and see the real pictures of the amazingly adorable pet guest stars!

Love,

Jo Leigh

BY

JO LEIGH

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To everyone who shared their pets with me!

You guys are great!

1

AT THIRTY-TWO, Will Desmond had traveled the world, created a successful business and been with beautiful and accomplished women—sometimes simultaneously—but he’d never had a dog. Until now.

Buster, an odd blending of Jack Russell terrier and dachshund, was six months old and ill-behaved, but he was the kind of cute that made women stop in the middle of shopping to stare, to coo. It wouldn’t have shocked Will if a mere touch to Buster’s little brown head kick-started ovulation. And if attracting women had been his goal, Will would have been a very happy man. But he needed Buster for something else. Something far less pleasant.

Buster, the adorable puppy with the big amber eyes, was Will’s shill.

There was still a great deal to discover before the real work would begin. A lot of questions that needed answering. Why Hush, for example.

The hotel was as beautiful as it was controversial. A place no mother would send her daughter. Filled with celebrities, sex and scandal, according to the billboards, the tabloids, the ads in glossy magazines.

He hadn’t expected it to be this classy.

Art deco influences led the way to soft, cool luxury. Everything in the lobby was designed to welcome, to make the guest feel special and pampered. Even the staff had that beautiful but not unattainable aura about them, from the concierge to the bartender.

It was a hot spot for the young and wealthy. So what the hell was Drina doing here? Of all the hotels in New York, she’d picked Hush? It didn’t add up. Yet.

With Buster in his carrier, Will cruised through the bar, Erotique, liking the soft jazz that played in the background and the way the tables offered a nice place to sit and talk, instead of screaming over rock music. He thought about getting himself a cognac, but he still had to register, and besides, it was only five-thirty, and he hadn’t had dinner.

Instead, he studied the clientele. There wasn’t a slacker in the bunch. Designer labels, two-hundred-dollar haircuts, high-paying jobs. There were more Rolexes per table than he’d seen since he’d stayed at the Pierre. Although this crowd was a lot younger.

There’d been a big article about Hush in the papers a couple of months ago. A paparazzo had been murdered in the basement nightclub and a film mogul had gone down, but Will couldn’t remember the details. He’d have to look it up. What he did remember was reading about the amenities that came with every room. An armoire filled with sex toys, costumes, videos. Everything a true hedonist could wish for, and then some. Too bad he was here on business.

It was time to check in. Behind the glossy ebony reservation desk were two attractive staffers, both wearing the signature black tuxedos with pink bow ties. The pink neon Hush on the wall behind them looked surprisingly sleek. As polished as the hotel’s image.

“Reservation for Desmond.”

Charlene, who had amazing red hair and the complexion to go with it, smiled as she looked him up on the computer. She smiled wider when he put Buster on the counter and she got a glimpse of the charmer inside the box.

The downside was that it took about ten minutes to get his key, to get directions to PetQuarters, the hotel within the hotel that catered to pampered pets, and to pry Buster away from not only Charlene, but also Kennedy, Blake and Mia, all of whom were equally attractive and bedazzled by the mighty power of the adorable puppy.

Finally, it was just him, Buster and his rolling luggage in the elevator, along with a couple of worker bees from Dynatech who, from the looks of things, couldn’t wait to jump each other’s bones. But they got off on eight.

The elevator stopped three more times before reaching the fourteenth floor, and it was gratifying that not all of the appreciative glances from the lady passengers were directed at Buster.

He’d have to come back to Hush another time. When he had nothing on his mind but R & R.

Once inside the suite, Hush surprised him yet again. They’d gotten the details just right, from the extravagantly stocked bar to the art deco, to the linens. It wasn’t just first class, but five-star.

He recognized the artist of the painting over the hearth. He’d wager it would go for fifty thousand, at least.

Unable to help himself, he opened the legendary armoire in the bedroom. It was a cornucopia of sexual temptations, all neatly packaged and presented with candor. A variety of condoms led the way, with a soupçon of Kama Sutra and a bit of leather thrown in for good measure.