Page 24 of Mr. February

“The hotel has the usual full-service amenities: a fitness center; a spa; 24-hour room service; a full-service restaurant open from 5 am to 1 am; and the bar is open until 3 am. Our business center is open 24 hours a day. It’s located on the conference center floor, floor three.”

She handed out their hotel key card holders with their key cards as she spoke.

“Wi-Fi is included with your registration, and the Wi-Fi password is with your key card. The indoor pool is closed today for cleaning but will be available tomorrow. The hotel hosts a complimentary reception every evening at 6 pm, and freshly baked muffins, iced tea, and lemonade are available all day.”

She gestured behind them, and both Wade and Jenny dutifully looked at the muffin and lemonade display.

“When you’re ready to check-out, you can do that from any of the televisions in your suite, and you’re welcome to leave the key card in the room,” she continued. “Do you have any questions?”

Both Wade and Jenny shook their heads.

“I hope you enjoy your suite and have a wonderful stay. You’re on the eleventh floor, and you can reach it from the bank of elevators to the left of the muffins.”

Wade thought she winked at them, but that didn’t make any sense. He followed Jenny to the elevators.

His best bet was to give Jenny as much space as he could. She was already anxious about the conference, and now she’d have to worry about her personal safety. Wade knew he wasn’t a creep and would never press his attention where it was unwanted, but she had no way of knowing that.

His mind filled with a million different ways he would have preferred to share sleeping quarters with Jenny, but he pushed those thoughts away. He needed to curtail any romantic or erotic thoughts he had about her until they left.

Jenny spoke first as they waited for the elevator.

“I guess it’ll be easy to coordinate our schedules,” she told him as a group of people stepped out of the elevator.

“That’s one of the things I like best about you,” he said. “You always choose to see the bright side of difficult situations.”

“There you are!” a voice said from behind them. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Wade turned around, and his stomach dropped as Suzanne bounded up to them with enthusiasm.

“Where are you two headed off to?” Suzanne asked with a coy smile.

“Our room,” Jenny answered with a smile of her own.

When Jenny turned to look at Wade, her eyes softened, and her smile grew. Wade’s heart lurched in his chest. How was hesupposed to keep his distance from this amazing woman while sharing a suite with her?

“The two of you are sharing a room at a work conference. Oh, my. Have things gotten so bad at In-Tech since I left that you can’t get your own rooms?”

Jenny’s nostrils flared, but her smile widened. “Oh, no, things are great, professionally and personally. It was lovely to see you again, but we need a little time to… rest up. I’m sure you understand. We’ll see you around.”

Wade allowed Jenny to shepherd him onto the elevator. Suzanne looked dumbfounded as the elevator doors closed in front of them.

Chapter 7: You Don’t Have to Worry about Me Coming on to You

JENNY

Jenny threw herself on the bed in her room. She smashed the pillow over her face and groaned into it, hoping it muffled her voice enough that Wade wouldn’t check on her.

He’d been solicitous and attentive all day. She could see herself getting used to his care, but he was just being polite. It was so different than what she was used to that she read more into it than he meant. She hoped he didn’t realize how much she had misread everything about their day together before he set her straight.

When they reached their suite, they took a quick tour. It was quite lovely, but Jenny was too tense to admire the view. With the pillow over her face, she groaned again and thought back on their conversation as they walked towards their suite after exiting the elevator.

“This has probably freaked you out,” Wade told her in a solemn tone. “I promise, you have nothing to fear from me. Youhave my word. Even though you jokingly agreed to protect me from Suzanne—“

“You know I’ll help you,” she interrupted with a grin.

”—you don’t have to worry about me coming on to you or anything like that.“ Jenny’s stomach dropped, but she held on to her smile.

“I’ll prove it to you,” he continued. “You’ll be safe with me.”

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