Hot as Hell Read Free

“You were looking for me.”
    “What? No.” She tried to step back, but her heel slammed smack against the stair.
    “You were following me.”
    She snorted and hoped her voice sounded genuine. “Of course not. Why would I do that?”
    “That’s what I want to know.”
    Something about his demeanor and hovering sent a tiny tremor of alarm skipping through her. “I took a wrong turn. No big deal.”
    He leaned in until she could smell the peppermint gum on his breath. “I’ve seen you around this building for two days now. You’ve been in the hall and asking questions.”
    So much for her investigative skills. Time to concentrate on her lying skills. Being with Noah taught her something about that subject. The man lied about everything, which was why she was stuck on the steps talking to Henderson.
    She swallowed the nervous energy that threatened to drown her. “I’ve been thinking about using the resort for an office retreat and—”
    “Questions about me.”
    “No, no. There’s some confusion here.” She tried again, figuring the more she talked, the more likely it was that someone would walk by and she could sneak away without a scene. “I really was just walking around the resort.”
    “You were conducting surveillance.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Okay, she did, but he did not need to know that.
    Henderson rested his hands on his hips. The move emphasized just how big the guy was. Somehow his frame managed to block the sun.
    “I know who you are,” he said.
    That’s exactly what she was afraid of. “Of course you do. I’m staying at the resort.”
    “I know about your company. Your brother and your fiancé.”
    “Ex-fiancé.” The correction slipped out.
    “What?”
    “Never mind.”
    “You followed me back from San Diego. I want to know why.”
    This guy had an ego big enough to match his truck-sized forearms. She thought about pointing it out, but he could snap her in half with one hand, so she let the comment go.
    “You were in San Diego? Lovely, isn’t it?”
    “This is your last chance, lady.” Those arms crossed in front of him this time. “Tell me what you want.”
    “Just some rest and exercise. See, I’m on vacation.” She figured if she kept saying it, maybe someone would start believing it.
    “Uh-huh.”
    The third time with this guy was not one ounce more charming than the first two. “Are you always this direct and difficult with patrons?”
    “Just the nosy ones.” He dropped his arms and took two steps until he stood above her. “You need directions back to the aerobics studio?”
    “No.”
    “Good.”
     
    Noah leaned against the corner of the building and watched Lexy talk with a guy who looked like he should have bolts in his neck. Noah strained to hear, but was too far away. Whatever they were talking about made Lexy frown. By the end of the conversation, she was squirming hard enough to pop right out of her skin.
    Rather than guess about the topic of conversation, Noah decided to ask. The guy walked off, leaving her alone on the steps. She owed him an explanation. Owed him more than that by his count, but he’d settle for very little at this point. Anything.
    “New boyfriend?” he asked from the bottom of the staircase.
    Lexy held her hand up to her eyes and squinted against the glaring sun. “I’m getting a little tired of men sneaking up on me.”
    “What does that mean?”
    She stopped in front of him. “Why are you still here?”
    “At the resort?”
    “In Utah.”
    “Ah. As to that, I’m just looking around.”
    She shook her head. “Go home, Noah.”
    She tried to walk past him. He let her get about two feet before saying anything else. “I asked you a question. Who’s the guy?”
    She glanced over her shoulder. Whatever expression she saw on his face, whatever she perceived or imagined, made her stop running and face him. “No one.”
    “The talk looked pretty serious to me.”
    “You’re wrong, and it’s