Page 8 of One Weekend in Quebec City

“Spencer. It’sa pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine.”

She pulls her fingers from my grip, and I shake my head sharplyin an attemptto come back to my senses and clear away the fog of intimacy before gesturing to the chair opposite mine. Iwait for her toget settledbefore I retake my seat and signal the server.

“What can I get you to drink, Ms. Bailey?”

“A glass of the house white is fine, thank you. And it’s Shelby.”

When the server comes over, I give him her order and request a refill of mine. Thenwe’re alone in a crowded hotel lounge, staring at each other like we’re the only twoin the place. Theclinking of glasses, hushed chatter, and soft jazz spilling from hidden speakers fill my ears, but it feels like white noise compared to the woman sitting opposite me.

“Linda tells me you’re the right person to do this interview.”I lean back slightly, fighting to regain some semblance of composure. Workinghard not to react physically to anything she says. Toher sweet scent. Tothe brush of her bare leg against mine.

This is so wrong, yet I can’t turn it off.

She smiles, and I’m pretty sure my world tilts. Damn, she has a smile that could melt glaciers.

“I like to think so,”she says, her voice a little husky, sending another unexpected quiver down my spine. “I do want to thank you for the opportunity to interview you. I’mlooking forward to getting to know therealSpencer Hollis.”

I can’t help the wry twist of my lips and the jab in the gut. “The real’Spencer Hollis? Unfortunately, you might be disappointed, Ms. Bailey. Hespendsmuchmore time reviewing spreadsheets than he does... whatever you’ve read about.”I pause, letting the challenge hang in the air. Imight be attracted to this young woman, but this interview isimportant. Ineed to keep that in mind.IfI want to right the wrongs of myfatherand keep the business afloat so Mom, Hayden,andPiper have something to rely on, I need Shelby’s article to paint the correct pictureofthe business world, the world at large,really.Ineed the board of directors to take me seriously.

“Shelby, please,”she corrects, unfazed, and takes a sip of her wine when it arrives, her eyes meeting mine over the rim of the glass. Shecocks her head to the right and scrunches up her nose the tiniest,cutestbit. “And I’m a journalist, Spencer. I’mtrained to be skeptical. Butthis is your show. I’llabsolutely tell the story of the man behind the headlines. Butnow, I’m also intrigued by the man behind the spreadsheets.”

That hint of mischief I’d glimpsed earlier is back, dancing in her eyes. Mybody responds without my permission, a tightening in my chest, a quickening of my pulse.

This isa terribleidea.

“Well, Shelby,”I say, leaning forward slightly, my voice dropping to a more intimate register because I just can’t seem to help myself tonight, “I promise to give you full access. Nospin, no carefully curated image. Justme. Areyou ready for that?”

Her blush deepens, a delightful contrast to thecalmconfidence she projects. Sheshifts, ever-so-slightly crossing her legs under the table, the soft fabric of her dress whispering against her skin, a sound I shouldn’t be able to hear over the ambient noise but somehow do.

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,”she replies, her voice steady, but there’s a tremor, a barely perceptible catch, which betrays her composure.

My earlier assessment nailed it. There’sdoubt hiding beneath that cloak of confidence. Doesshedoubtherskill? Orme?

I raise my glass in a toast. “Then let’s see what we discover, shall we?”I keep my gaze locked on hers, refusing to let her look away. Iknow I shouldn’t be tempting fate, but for some foolish reason, I want her to be as off-balance as I am.

She takes another sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving mine. “I have a feeling,”she says, her voice soft yet laced with a hint of challenge, “this is going to be more interesting than either of us anticipated.”

“Interesting,”I repeat, the word a loaded promise. Itake a long swallow of my whiskey, the burn a welcome distraction from the heat that’s now firmly settled in my groin. “I like that. Youseem genuine. Notjust out for a scoop.”

Shelby smilesandI can’t look away.“I’m not. Iwant to tell the truth, whatever that may be.”

My stomach drops, my balls tighten, and my heart does a funny fluttering in my chest.

Damn, this is going to be a long weekend.

ChapterFour

Shelby

“Iwant to ensure we select the perfect models for this year’s cover. Women, and men, who will grab your attention. They need to be relatable to our readers. And of course, given it’s a holiday issue, we need to plan for a winter wonderland shoot. The center spread can be festive theme. I hear it’s breathtaking in Quebec City during the Christmas season.”

Spencer’s voice, calm and steady, reverberates around the room. It’s not loud or demanding, but it has an undercurrent of authority that instantly captures everyone’s attention, me included.

God, the man is… something else.

When I spotted him in the bar last night, his focus was somehow already directed at me, as though he immediately recognized me even though we’d never metbefore. The intensity of his gaze reminded me of a lion lying in wait for its dinner. My breath caught. My body trembled. My legs weakened, and every ounce of saliva in my mouth dried up. No man has ever had that instantaneous effect on me. I nearly raced back to my room.

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