Page 6 of Tis The Season for Secrets
“What is it about tall, dark and handsome men that turns us all to jelly?” Juliet tried to hide the heat in her cheeks, still unsettled by his gaze.
“Is that a serious question? Don’t act all unbothered– I saw you eyeing him up. I mean, that man was giving you serious bedroom eyes. I could feel the tension halfway down the hall. I should have just left you to it.”
Juliet glared at her, but once the doors closed, they erupted into laughter.
“There was no way I was going back to that party with Hugo probably still licking his wounds. I can’t believe you hit him!” Juliet giggled, trying to forget about the mystery man.
“He deserved worse! When I saw you going upstairs, I knew there was no way he would let you go easily,” Margot said, drying her laughter-induced tears.
“Thank you for coming up. If you’d arrived a second later, I’d have slapped him with the manuscript,” Juliet told her, hoping Hugo would take her threat seriously and keep his mouth shut.
“If I remember correctly, the hotel bar looked rather inviting on the way in,” Margot said with a long sigh. “We both deserve a drink to celebrate.”
“And what are we celebrating?” Juliet clutched the manuscript as though her life depended on it. For getting her the invitation to the party and saving her from the washed-up perv, she reminded herself to get Margot a very big Christmas present.
“I’ve booked three clients for the New Year, andyou’reabout to be promoted.” Margot beamed, eyeing the manuscript.
“I’m so proud of you,” Juliet said, squeezing her friend.
“Of us!” Margot amended as the elevator doors opened.
“Now I’ve got to make sure his pages are somewhat decent. If it’s terrible, Baum might use it as an excuse not to give me that promotion!” Juliet hooked her arm through her friend’s as they walked past the gleaming Christmas tree and into the bar.
“Celebration first,” Margot countered, waving down the penguin-suited bartender across the brass bar. “First round’s on me.”
After an hour or two of much-needed gossiping, Juliet and Margot were joined in the bar by Margot’s new potential clients, who’d been smart enough to leave Hugo’s party early. They were promptly invited to go dancing, which Margot eagerly accepted. It was a little past midnight, and though Juliet didn’t want to go home, she didn’t feel like going to a club. Her personal space had been invaded enough for one evening, and she was far too comfortable with the bar’s oversized armchairs, Christmas tree glittering with red and gold ornaments, limitless snacks, and a cosy fire to be tempted out into the snow.
Left alone, Juliet enjoyed the quiet ambience. Only a few stragglers remained at the long bar behind her, and she couldn’t have been more content with her hot whiskey and the unattainable manuscript. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for her sense of victory to drain away. Settling in, she slipped off her heels and slid them under the low, mirrored coffee table in front of her, since no one was paying her any mind.
“How could he write this crap?” she groaned after struggling through the first twenty pages. Burying her face in the pages, sheprayed for it to get better, but after reading two more pages of Hugo prattling on about his many conquests, she couldn’t help but laugh.There’s no way Baum, or anyone, could publish this.“I’m never going to get promoted!”
After going through so much trouble to get the damn book, it wasn’t even worth the effort it would take to burn it. It was so sad, all she could do was chuckle; if she didn’t laugh, she was sure she would cry.
The waiter distracted her from her sorrows by placing a drink next to her already empty glass.
Her brows pulled together in confusion. “Sorry – I didn’t order this?”
The waiter, who was clearly no stranger to self-tanner, smiled at her politely. “It’s from the gentleman at the far end. He said you looked like you needed it,” he said, motioning over his shoulder to the bar.
Slowly, Juliet turned round to find the staggeringly handsome stranger from the earlier collision in the hallway, staring unashamedly at her. Swiftly turning away, she wondered if he would take her acknowledgment as a sign to come over. Clearly, he hadn’t stayed long at Hugo’s party either.Is he at least going to ask for my number? My name? What’s the point in sending over a drink if he’s not going to ask me out?The questions were killing her.
“Thank him for me,” she said quickly, though she had no intention of drinking anything from a stranger, no matter how handsome he was.Maybe this is his way of making up for not saying anything outside the suite?The kind gesture might be his apology.
The waiter nodded in acknowledgment and went back to the bar. Juliet cursed herself for not inviting the guy over – or maybe she should’ve gone over to apologise again for bumping intohim. Taking a deep breath, she turned to wave him over, but it was too late. He was gone.
Sinking into her chair, she rationalised her disappointment. He was a stranger. A three-second encounter shouldn’t have melted her brain, but it had.
“You’re welcome.” The stranger’s sudden appearance by her side shocked her from her thoughts. Was this guy some sort of magician? A cute, British magician, judging from his accent.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“You didn’t. I was just distracted,” she finally said, wondering what shade of red she was. She guessed from his pale blue shirt and the tie tucked into his black trousers that he was here on business.Despite her dress riding up her thighs, exposing her smooth, pale skin, his eyes remained fixed on hers. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she tucked her bare feet under her.
“Then I’m sorry I distracted you. I don’t normally approach beautiful woman in bars in the middle of the night.” He shifted back on his heels, and she wasn’t sure whether he was actually nervous or just acting so. She couldn’t help but stare at his prominent cheekbones and the dark eyebrows that highlighted his dark grey eyes.
“I find that hard to believe.” Juliet couldn’t believe she’d just spoken her thoughts aloud. She gripped the manuscript on her lap tightly, wishing the chair would engulf her. He smiled, and went to reply, but he was cut off by his ringing phone.
“Forgive me,” he said, answering his phone. Much to her disappointment, he left the bar without so much as a second glance. It happened so quickly, she thought she’d imagined the interaction.
