Page 14 of The Exception

“You’re my guest. Let me take care of you.”

Why did my mind immediately jump to an image of him saying that in a completely different context? One with fewer clothes.

Did I hit my head on the way into the pool?I must have. That was the only rational explanation for the direction my thoughts had taken.

“I—” I opened my mouth as if to protest then my shoulders slumped, sensing that I was going to lose this fight. The idea of letting someone, anyone, take care of me was foreign. And especially someone like Graham. I mean, hell, I used to take care ofhisneeds.

No. No. No. Not like that.His professional needs.

I groaned, telling myself to get it together.

“Fine,” I sighed.

His eyes flashed with something—an emotion I couldn’t name. “Good.”

CHAPTERFOUR

The door to my suite closed with a snick. Liliana clutched the towel tighter to her chest. Her long hair dripped on the floor, a soft patter against the Saltillo tiles, darkening their terra-cotta color to an even deeper shade. Yet she remained silent, watchful.Beautiful.

I pushed away the thought, though I’d always found her attractive. Smart. Inquisitive. Kind. Soulful. I’d just never allowed myself to dwell on those qualities because she’d been my employee.

She’s not your employee anymore.

Argh.I gnashed my teeth, annoyed.

I didn’t even know what I was doing, insisting she come back to my room. I should’ve taken her to the resort doctor, not my room. This was foolish, and yet I couldn’t seem to make myself stop.

I told myself it was because we’d garnered enough attention and I’d wanted to escape. But I knew that wasn’t the entire truth.

She sighed with a weariness that seemed to go bone-deep. “What do you want from me, Graham?”

“Answers,” I said, my impatience growing the longer I stood there, water sliding down my face. My body.

It had been Jackson’s idea to fly her out for the Ixtapa opening. Jackson’s idea to give her the VIC, or very important client, experience after her less-than-positive reviews of various Huxley Grand locations, which had been seen by her millions of followers. She had more influence than I cared to admit.

But he was right. This was a chance to remind her of everything the Huxley Grand brand stood for. I didn’t understand why she needed reminding. She knew what went into the brand better than most. She’d worked closely with me for a year. And she’d always been outstanding at her job. Even when she annoyed me. Even when she pushed.Especiallywhen she pushed me.

People rarely questioned me, but Liliana hadn’t been afraid to. And that was what I needed—to be challenged. It made me more creative and innovative, more alive. So for her to turn around and write less than favorable reviews of the Huxley Grand…

I tugged at the collar of my shirt. The material clung to me, adding to my irritation. It made me want to crawl out of my skin, so I stripped out of my jacket and flung it on the back of a chair.

“I’ve read some of your reviews about the Huxley brand.”

She placed her hand on her throat, and I couldn’t help but follow the movement. Admire the elegant curve of her neck and the way her delicate fingers brushed over her pulse point. Was it racing like mine?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

“Was there a question in there?” she asked.

It wasn’t even the reviews that bugged me—though I wasn’t pleased about them. It was the fact that it had taken me so long to discover that she was Gilded Lily. I’d started by checking Gilded Lily’s information when she stayed at our hotels in the past. But we’d only ever provided free accommodations, meals, and transportation, so it had all been arranged for “Gilded Lily.”

Then I’d combed through her blog and social media. She never showed her face in any of her posts. Never shared her name or any identifying details. And her blog had been protected by layers of cybersecurity that—for a while—had even me scratching my head in frustration.

But once I’d gotten in, I’d learned some interesting things about Liliana. She seemed to be traveling less than before. But her current address had been the biggest shock.

She owned a château. In France. And she was restoring it on her YouStream channel, which was dedicated to showing the trials and tribulations involved with owning an historic property. She treated it as a completely separate brand from her blog, and I found it interesting that she didn’t try to leverage the more established brand ofGilded Lilylike so many other influencers would.

I’d watched a few episodes, captivated by her. She was funny and down-to-earth, but she always found the bright side. Her optimism was almost as annoying as it was unrealistic.