“She’s going to break an ankle,” Everett muttered.

I noted he wasn’t watching her ankles, he was looking at the sway of her hips in her tight skirt.

“Is it her ankles you’re worried about?”

He shot me a grin.

With a shake of my head, I continued on to check in with reception. “Everything running smoothly, ladies?”

Lara nodded and Coral scowled.

“You look happy even though that man you’re shacked up with is gone,” Coral said.

“I’m hoping he’ll be home soon, Coral.”

She harrumphed. “He’s not as bad as I’d imagined. For a good-looking charmer.”

“I think so too.”

Coral made a sound. “I know. I see you making eyes at him all the time.”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. “I’m off to my office if anyone needs me.”

I held my card to the reader and walked into the staff area.

And spotted Caden and Allie having what looked like an intense discussion at the end of the hall.

Caden was busy doing his massive overhaul of the hotel’s security. If he had his way, there’d be cameras in every room of the hotel.

He grabbed Allie’s arm, and she snapped something at him. I raised my brows. He yanked her closer.

My breath hitched. It looked like he wanted to strangle her…or kiss her.

Allie pulled back, said something else, then stalked off with a flounce.

What the —? Allie Ford never flounced.

She still called him Broody, and thought he was paranoid, intense, and over-protective.

Caden strode down the hall, his face hard, something working behind his eyes. He spotted me and his stride hitched, then his face smoothed out.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

I waited, but unsurprisingly got nothing else from him. Caden was definitely a man of few words. Fine. I’d interrogate Allie over margaritas.

“By the way,” Caden said. “I got word that the helicopter is inbound.”

My heart leaped. I grinned.

He shook his head. “Go.”

I turned and took off for the elevator.

36. Ro

Chapter 36

Ro

The helicopter swept in over Windward.

The leaves had turned and I saw yellows, oranges, and pops of red. As we approached the hotel, I saw the scaffold on the east side of the building with workers crawling all over it as they painted.

Smiling, I leaned forward. Once we were done, the Langston Windward would be the best mountain resort in North America.

But nothing was as exciting as knowing I was coming home to Tessa.

I’d been gone for almost a week, working with Kavner Fury in New Orleans on our latest investment, the Langston New Orleans.

Now, all I wanted was Tessa in my arms. I’d missed her so goddamn much.