Page 43 of Keep Me Safe
“I’d like to take care of that.” The words came from him softly. Not presumptuous. “Is that all right with you?”
I couldn’t find anything to say. This was sweet Shawn, the one I had no defense against, who could make coherent thought evaporate instantly. My lack of answer must have been read as acceptance because he traveled to the door and dug his wallet out, dropping a business card on the table. “I’ll be back this evening. Since I doubt you have my number memorized, my mobile’s on the back if you need to call.”
“Why are you doing this?”
He gave me the same enigmatic smile and was gone.
I showered and dressed, and at noon Markus escorted a young woman into my room, pulling a luggage cart full of hanging bags. She introduced herself as Brigitta. I blinked back a delighted smile. Laurel and I had watchedThe Sound of Musicrepeatedly growing up, practically wearing out the DVD. I’d always had quite the ridiculous crush on the elegant and bossy Captain von Trapp.
I shoved away the realization that Shawn was bossy, and elegant, and not too far off from being Austrian.
Inside each clothing bag, Brigitta had the same outfit in multiple sizes, so it didn’t take long to find a few days’ worth of clothes that would work. It was awkward buying clothes with someone else’s money and a stranger selecting them, but there was no helping it. Then Brigitta brought out the box at the base of the luggage cart and lifted the lid.
I swallowed thickly. Bras and underwear, in varying degrees of sexiness from full coverage to thong.
My pettiness reared its ugly head, so I picked the two sexiest, most expensive bra and panty sets in her selection. Shawn would foot the bill, and maybe it’d get under his skin that he’d never see me in them.
“Excellent choice,” she said, giving me an assuming, sly smile.
After Brigitta left, I slept again and finally purged the rest of the hangover and jetlag from my system. I dressed in the new clothes, feeling a hundred times better—and a million times worse. I couldn’t call anyone. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t even leave this room.
All I could do was wait for him in the hotel suite he’d paid for, wearing clothes he’d bought.
The independent woman in me, reborn after my divorce, died a little.
There were a few magazines in the welcome basket but only one in English.Forbes, from early last year. I was halfway done flipping through it when I saw a familiar face. Shawn posed at a large oak bar, an open bottle of Osterhägen beside him. The number eleven was to the side of his photo.
All the air cleared from my lungs in an instant.
It was theForbesannual list of the top twelve most eligible bachelors. Not millionaires, but billionaires.
He didn’t have a difficult time finding women. He had money, looks, and power. In spite of all that, he pursued me, even when I treated him like the enemy.
Well, now he’d had me. What was the point in sticking around? He could have left last night and let Jason clean up the mess he’d made. The mess I was. Why come back?
There was a short knock, the door opened before I could answer, and Shawn breezed in, his tie loosened at the neck. My heart lurched at the sight of him and I cursed myself. He didn’t notice the magazine in my hands, and I dropped it like it was made of lead as I bolted upright.
His gaze started at my feet and rose to meet my eyes. “You look nice. Feeling better?”
I frowned.
“Sorry,” he said, “I forgot. You look like shit. Feeling better?”
My frown intensified. “Well, I’m no longer hungover, but don’t worry, I still feel like an idiot.”
A light, pleasant smile crossed his lips. “Why? I own breweries in thirty-two different countries. You think I’ve never seen someone overdo it?”
“I’m sure you have, but it’s embarrassing nonetheless.”
His eyes were warm and playful. Relaxed. Being back at his job had recharged him and brought him back on his game. I needed to be cautious.
“I want to ask a favor,” he said. It set off alarms in my head. “When this is all over, come work for Osterhägen.”
“What? No, I’m not going to do that.”
His expression was puzzled, like he expected me to leap at this opportunity. “Why not? You said you were amazing at what you do. I want amazing people on my team.”
“Shawn.”
