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  “Don’t get mad. He just cares what happens to you. Word is that anyone who doesn’t show up is fired.”

  Rebecca waved her hand as she slumped on the couch.

  “I don’t even care. I’ll be moving on anyway.”

  “You’re leaving the hotel?” Gretchen asked with wide eyes. “But you love it there.”

  Rebecca sighed, resting her face in her hands. “It’s not like I have a choice. I heard they’re closing The Lavender Rose.”

  Gretchen frowned. “You know that’s just a rumor.”

  Rebecca shook her head. “I have it on good authority.”

  At Gretchen’s nervous glance, Rebecca realized she must be worried about her job, too. Of course she would be.

  “It’s okay, Gretchen. I know they plan to keep Rave open and to keep you on.”

  “How do you know—?”

  “It doesn’t matter. But you know you can trust me.”

  “Of course I trust you.” Gretchen squeezed Rebecca’s arm. “But, please, no matter what you believe, come to the meeting with me. Benjamin’s introducing the new owner, and I’ll handle it better if you’re there. Stella will, too.”

  Rebecca gazed at Gretchen’s wide eyes.

  Ah, damn. Gretchen was right. Rebecca had no right to wimp out and skip the meeting. She needed to see this through. For the others and for her staff. She needed to be there to speak up for those who wouldn’t have the chance.

  “Okay. You’re right. I’ll go get ready.”

  Rebecca and Gretchen hurried into the meeting. Everyone was already seated, many fidgeting nervously. Rebecca headed toward Stella who had saved two seats for them.

  As Rebecca sat down, she found herself automatically glancing around for Rex.

  Gretchen leaned in close. “It’s strange Chef Rex isn’t here.”

  Rebecca nodded, but realized his role here was probably done. Why would he want to face these people whose lives he was throwing into such turmoil?

  Benjamin, who sat at the head of the table, stood up.

  “I just got a text from the new owner, and he’ll be here in a second. I know the last several weeks have been nerve-racking and I’m sure you’re all anxious to hear what he has to say. His name is R. K. Miles and he’ll be telling us about his plans for the hotel.”

  The name was well known to all of them. His family owned a huge hotel chain that was celebrated for its luxury and quality service. He had taken over the business several years ago, and he was known to be a multibillionaire.

  And that’s when she realized.

  Knew it in her gut. With absolute certainty.

  Benjamin’s words echoed through her head.

  He’s not who you think.

  R. K. Miles was Rex.

  The door to the meeting room opened.

  Rebecca stared down at her hands, not wanting confirmation that Rex was the man who was solely responsible for so much strife in her world. A murmur went around the room, and Gretchen nudged her with her elbow. Rebecca glanced up to see the new owner, a tall, broad-shouldered man in a well-tailored, expensive-looking suit.

  Rex.

  Chapter 15

  Rebecca felt the blood drain from her face as Rex began to talk.

  Oh, God.

  He was telling them he’d come in as the chef to get to know them and the operation of the hotel from behind the scenes so he could decide how to best fit this hotel into his chain. His words became a blur to her, though. She got lost in a haze, what he was saying barely audible over the pounding in her ears.

  It was too much. In just a few short weeks, she’d lost everything that was dear to her. Now she’d lost her grip on what was real.

  She found it hard to breathe and desperately needed a way to escape. She was sure she was close to a full-scale panic attack. Finally, she stood up and hurried toward the exit, intensely aware of his gaze on her the whole time, praying he wouldn’t embarrass her by calling her out.

  Finally, she reached the door, pulled it open, and escaped the stifling room.

  Once outside, she sucked in a deep breath of air, then quickly walked down the hall to the elevator. She was almost there when she heard the meeting room door close again.

  She jabbed the elevator button and turned around, hoping it was Gretchen coming to see if she was all right.

  At the sight of Rex—or rather, Mr. Miles—walking toward her, she felt panic rush through her. She jabbed the button again, praying the elevator would arrive right now … but even if it did, he would still be able to catch up. And he was between her and the doorway to the stairs.

  The elevator door whooshed open just as he stepped to her side. He grasped her arm and guided her onto it. He pushed a button and the elevator began to move.

  He said nothing, and she couldn’t find her voice.

  When the elevator stopped, he led her into the hallway, then toward his suite. She tried to slow down, but his grasp on her arm kept her moving toward the double doors.

  Once inside, he released her.

  “Why did you bring me here?” Her words were a mere whisper. It was all she could muster.

  “I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” he said. “Here you can ask them in private.” He opened his arms. “Whatever you want to know.”

  She turned and looked at him, almost flinching at the sight of his confident blue eyes as he watched her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He gave her a wry smile. “Because you reacted so well when you thought I was a security consultant rather than a chef?”

  She bit her lip.

  “I’m sorry, Rebecca. I’m just teasing. But I would have told you yesterday if you had let me continue. I wanted to tell you everything.”

  “Are you closing The Lavender Rose?”

  “Yes,” he said simply.

  Her stomach roiled, and there was a bitter taste in her mouth. Until now, it had been only a probability. Which meant there was a chance. But the new owner had just confirmed her worst fear.

  “And I want to talk about that more in a minute,” he said. “But first, I need to warn

  you … my security team has found a serious issue, and it’s going to result in some people going to jail.”

  “What?”

  He guided her to the couch, and she slumped onto it. He sat beside her. Too close for her comfort, but after that bombshell, she was too shell-shocked to protest.

  “Someone has been stealing money on a regular basis. It seems they set up some fake supplier accounts. The orders placed looked legitimate, so accounting never had any reason to question them, and they made the payments each month.”

  “Who’s involved?”

  “We don’t know yet. Whoever it was used one of the manager’s security IDs to set up the accounts, and yesterday they got on and closed them, presumably knowing that they would be scrutinized when the hotel changed hands. Clearly, they were trying to cover their tracks.”

  “Do you know whose code was used?” Could it be Chef Maurice’s? But wouldn’t his ID have been frozen when he left?

  “Yes, we do.”

  He paused, and she turned her gaze to his.

  “It was yours.”

  Her breath froze in her lungs. She stared into his somber blue eyes.

  “Do you think … ?” She sucked in a breath. “Oh, God, you believe …”

  But her leaned closer and took her hand. The warmth of his fingers around hers drew her back from the edge of panic.

  “No, I don’t. There’s no way I’d believe that you were involved in this.”

  “Really?”

  He brought her hand to his lips and brushed them against her skin. “Of course.”

  Guilt washed through her. She had thought the worst of him ever since she’d first seen him as Chef Rex … believed all the nasty rumors … yet he had maintained his faith in her despite damning evidence against her.

  “The only reason I bring it up is because I need to know from you who might
possibly have had access to your ID.”

  She shook her head. “No one. I lock up my computer at night, and it’s password-protected.”

  “There’s no one you’ve given your code to for any reason?”

  “No. Only …”

  Diane.

  But she couldn’t tell him that. He’d get the wrong idea and think Diane might have something to do with all this.

  “Only who, Rebecca?”

  She bit her lip and realized she had to trust him.

  “Well, just Diane. But that’s because she helps me with software updates on my computer. I’m not great at that kind of thing. And I’ve also been teaching her how to do the monthly reports and taking on other managerial duties to help her get a promotion.”

  His lips were a tight line. “And did she help you yesterday evening?”

  “Um … yes. She was installing something on my computer and it crashed. It was going to be after five before she could get it up and running for me again, so she offered to finish the reports for me. If it was anyone but Diane, I would have said no, but I knew it was good experience for her.”

  Rex pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He told the person on the other end that Diane was the one who had accessed Rebecca’s ID. When he hung up, he turned back to her, looking grim.

  “It seems that Diane hasn’t shown up for work today.”

  Rebecca shook her head. “No. You’ve got it wrong. It can’t be Diane.”

  Rex’s cell phone rang and he answered it. After a terse conversation, he hung up.

  “They checked the security cameras, and it confirms she’s the one. Before you ask, I had security cameras installed around the hotel, including your office. That camera caught her making the changes at exactly the time my security team found that someone was closing the accounts.”

  Her heart ached. She couldn’t believe that Diane had been so callously using her.

  “Tell me. That report of mine you showed up with yesterday. Was it Diane who gave it to you?”

  She bit her lip, not wanting to answer.

  “You realize that would be the perfect opportunity to throw even more suspicion on you, since the only way you could have gotten that report was by hacking into my computer. She was actively trying to throw the blame on you.”

  She shook her head, not wanting to believe it.

  “Sweetheart, I know that’s a shock to you and I’m sorry. You deserve better than that.”

  She found herself sucking in quick breaths, feeling she wasn’t getting enough air.

  “I’m responsible for this. I trusted her, and so it’s my fault she was able to hurt the hotel.”

  He took her hand again.

  “Don’t beat yourself up for trusting someone. She took a long time to gain your confidence, and then she tricked you.”

  She nodded, but she didn’t feel any better about it. Who else had she trusted that she shouldn’t have?

  “Now that we’ve handled that, I want to discuss The Lavender Rose. I told you I’d be closing it, but I want you to understand something. The way the restaurant is positioned, it was always destined to fail.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The hotel already has a fancy restaurant with a great view for patrons who want a special meal with an elegant ambiance, and there’s the café for nice meals at a lower price. The hotel simply cannot sustain a third restaurant. And as far as drawing patrons from outside the hotel, the competition in this neighborhood is too stiff. There are already several excellent seafood restaurants and steakhouses within a few blocks, and they don’t charge the prices The Lavender Rose does.”

  “I get it,” she said sadly. “I’m a failure at running a restaurant.”

  “No,” he said adamantly. “Quite the opposite. The fact that the restaurant was doing as well as it was is a testament to your skills. It should have done far worse. You are to be commended.” He squeezed her hand. “I might be closing the restaurant, but that doesn’t mean I plan to fire you.”

  She gazed at him uncertainly. “You don’t?”

  He laughed. “Of course not.”

  “But … the list you called ‘valued people’ … ?”

  He smiled and stroked her cheek. “Baby, you weren’t on that list because it’s a list of people that I saw cared about you. No matter what else happened, I was determined to find a way to reward them.”

  He cupped her cheek, sending tremors through her.

  “And I want you to know that whatever you want, I will give you. If you still want me to keep The Lavender Rose open, I’ll do that. Because you are far more important to me than how much money this place makes. You can continue to manage the restaurant, and you can make any changes you want.” He slid his hand around her waist and drew her close. The feel of his arm around her made her feel loved and protected. “I just want you to be happy.”

  Her heart fluttered as she stared at him. Could it be true? Had this wonderful man just made her dream come true? Her real dream … to find someone who truly cared about her and what she wanted?

  His hand slid up her back, drawing her tighter to his body.

  “There’s another proposal I’d like to make before you decide.”

  But her glowing heart, so happy that this man truly cared about her and what she wanted above all else, made her shake her head.

  “Not now. This has been a lot to take in, and I don’t want to talk about business right now.”

  “But it’s—”

  She covered his mouth with hers, stopping his words. Her tongue glided into his mouth and swirled inside. Then she drew back and smiled.

  “Please. I just need to catch my breath.”

  “Of course,” he said. “Do you want me to get you a drink?”

  “I’m not really thirsty. In fact, right now, I’m really rather … hungry.”

  Chapter 16

  “You’re hungry? Well, then I can order us some—”

  Rebecca stroked her finger over Rex’s lips to stop his words, then took his hand and pressed it to her breast.

  “That’s not necessary. What I’m hungry for is your specialty, and we have it right here.” She stroked the front of his pants and felt the bulge growing there.

  His eyes glittered with delight. “And what would that be exactly?”

  What she was hungry for was to be close to him. To join with him. To feel the special magic they shared when they were together.

  But with all the drama they’d just been through, she wanted to lighten the mood by being playful.

  She grinned. “What I want is a big piece of meat.”

  She unzipped his trousers and reached inside. Her fingers found his hot, thick shaft and she wrapped them around it, then drew it out. It throbbed in her hand, pointing straight to the ceiling.

  She leaned forward and swirled her tongue over the crown, then suckled the tip, tasting the drop of precum.

  “Mmm. Just how I like it. Big, thick, and hot … with just a dash of salt.” She glided her lips around the cockhead and drew it all the way into her mouth, then pulsed until he groaned. She slid off the tip and smiled. “And so massive I can barely handle it all.”

  She wrapped her hands around it and stroked up and down. But after a moment, she reluctantly stood up and took a couple of steps back.

  “But rather than satiating my hunger, I humbly suggest that you address the situation of my misbehavior.”

  His eyebrow raised. “Really? What do you have in mind?”

  “Well, I did things I shouldn’t have, so I think you need to punish me for that. Don’t you?”

  He stood up and stepped toward her. “I think you’re right.”

  He grasped her arm and turned her around, then marched her toward the dining room table. He pushed aside one of the chairs, grasped her around the back of the neck, and eased her forward until she was bent over.

  Then she felt her skirt being pulled up past her waist.

  In one quick motion, he stripped away h
er panties and tossed them aside.

  “You have been a very bad girl.”

  His hand glided over her naked behind, sending quivers through her.

  Then his hand lifted and …

  Smack!

  Her ass stung at the sharp blow. Excitement rushed through her. When he smacked again, she cried out.

  Then his hand glided over the burning flesh in a gentle caress. Soothing.

  Then he smacked again.

  Her heart pounded. Oh, God, she never knew how titillating this could be.

  This time as he stroked her hot skin, his fingertips trailed downward, gliding between her thighs. He stroked over her slick petals, and she realized she was very, very wet.

  A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. Then he smacked again.

  This time as he stroked, his fingers glided between her legs again and he caressed her soft folds.

  “I think you’re still hungry for a big piece of meat.”

  Her ass arched up at his words, and she ached from her wet opening through to the very core of her.

  Then she felt his hot, hard cockhead brush against her opening and moaned in anticipation. He teased her, dragging his head along her slit. Back and forth. Sending her pulse pounding like a kettle drum.

  “Ohhhh, please,” she moaned.

  He continued to stroke her wet flesh with his cockhead, ignoring her pleas.

  Then he stopped, and his cockhead moved away.

  She whimpered.

  “I like a woman who enjoys a big piece of meat. Especially if she leaves nothing behind.”

  She felt his hot cockhead against her opening again, then he pushed forward. She gasped at the feel of his huge, fat cock stretching her wide. Moving deeper and deeper. Until it filled her completely.

  She squeezed around him, moaning at the delight of him being inside her.

  “Oh, fuck, you feel so good around me.”

  He didn’t move, just stood there with his huge member pulsing inside her.

  Then he drew back just a little, and jerked forward again. She gasped. He did it again. Her hands found the edge of the table and her fingers wrapped around it, clutching it tightly.

  He continued to pulse into her in small, sharp strokes.