Hotel queens, p.36
Hotel Queens, page 36
“Thank you. I have a purse full of business cards from people wanting to poach me.”
“Naturally. What did you tell them?”
“That they can’t match the exceptional benefits my boss offers me in my current position.” She gave an innocent smile.
Amelia laughed. “You are incorrigible. Well, speaking of job offers, you just missed my father.”
Kai’s amusement fell away. “What did he want?”
“Simon’s been booted back to Australia—with relief all round. Joe’s been fired after suggesting his embezzling son, Douglas, take over, so I’m it as CEO if I want.”
“What did you say?”
“That I’m happy with St. Eames, and loving life with you in London, and he should promote Quinn if he ever has a hope of rescuing his company. He agreed.”
“Just like that?”
“Well…after a fashion.” Amelia said, lips curling. “You need to know which of his buttons to press.”
“That’s huge. I know Milly wants more time stateside to see her family, so this will work out for her if Quinn moves to the US.”
“Yes. I’m glad for her, although you’ll need a new PA.”
“I know.” Kai sagged. “I’ll have a word with her in case madness seizes her and she feels obligated to stay with me. I’ll miss her like hell, but I want her to be happy. Quinn makes her happy.”
“Yes, she does.” Amelia trailed a finger through the condensation on her glass. “Dad also told me that Joe had been in his ear for decades about how shameful gay people are. It was Joe who kicked off Dad’s feud with Stein.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed. “That asshole.”
“No argument.”
“So will your dad be nicer to you from now on?”
“He said that none of this changes anything, but in the next breath he invited you to Rosh Hashanah with me. I almost fell off the bar stool.”
Kai blinked. “That’s like Jewish New Year, right?”
“It is—but in September. It’s a big event in our family. Being invited is no small thing. Coming from Dad, it means a lot.”
“I’m so pleased for you—and a little terrified for me.” Kai chuckled. “I’ll be there.”
“They’ll love you. Mom, at least. Imogen, definitely.”
“This is phenomenal, you being back in the family.”
“Baby steps.” Amelia shook her head. “It’s…well, unexpected, but I’m pleased.”
Tim reappeared with Kai’s drink, lingering a moment to see it was to her satisfaction. Once he was back at the other end of the bar, Kai laughed softly.
“Oh my God! I’m sure I saw his fear when he asked if I liked it. You’ve terrified him for ever more.”
“Doubtful.” Amelia smiled.
“You know, the moment you sent back your drink, and pinned Tim’s ears back so hard that he looked like a whipped puppy, I was smitten. I wanted to know everything about you.”
“You liked watching me correct employee errors?” Amelia asked archly. “How positively evil.”
“No, I liked watching the way you ordered your world to be exactly as you like it. You were so in control, so sure of yourself. It was a memorable second impression. My first impression, of course, was when I saw you checking in at the lobby. I think I stopped dead and just gaped. Milly had to nudge me to get me breathing again.”
“I was just standing there.”
“Yes, but with such authority. You do understand I meet powerful people all the time, right? But you have an aura of self-assurance that’s beyond everyone else. I was entranced by this woman who acted like she owned the place. Of course, it never occurred to me you might actually own the place. Clearly I was slow, given you leak ‘hotel boss.’”
Amelia shrugged. “Well, now we’re both hotel bosses.”
“We are.” Kai lifted her glass to Amelia in salute and drank.
“On that note, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
“Oh?” Kai asked.
“Now it’s our anniversary, it’s probably safe to confess how I came up with the name St. Eames. I was thinking of you at the time.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Just delete the ‘es’ off the end. When fire meets ice? It’s steam. Kai, I wanted the business to be our venture. But I didn’t want you to feel pressured, so I thought I’d wait to tell you.”
Kai stared in astonishment. “Seriously? That’s…incredible…” She stopped. “Not to mention a big gamble. We’d only know each other a few months when you named the company.”
“Yes, but it felt right. Besides, I liked the name regardless—although obviously I’m very glad we’re still together.”
Kai smiled. “Well, I love the name. God, can you believe it’s been a whole year since I first charmed the hell out of you?” She smirked at Amelia’s incredulous expression.
“Charmed me? You had all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. You asked me if I liked to take charge in all things, including the bedroom! I was a total stranger!”
“Oh, I remember. And you said I crossed a line.” Kai snorted. “You’re right. I did.”
“You had the worst pick-up lines. It was like being trapped in a bad James Bond film.”
“Hey! I was carried away by my enthusiasm. For the record, I totally could have won you over, but I didn’t know you well enough then.” Kai lifted her eyebrows and added, “I’d nail it now.”
“Is that so?” Amelia leaned in. “So let’s hear it.”
“Hear what?”
“Your winning pick-up line to charm me into bed since you know me so well now.”
Kai grinned. “All right.” She ran her gaze up and down Amelia, then, in her flirtiest tone, asked, “Would you like to come up and taste my Japanese dumplings some time?”
Amelia laughed. “You have been paying attention.”
Kai’s eyes glinted. “I’m in room fifty-oh-six. You like numbers. Can you remember that?”
Fifty-oh-six was their shared room number. “I’ll try,” she said, dryly.
“I bet you’ve already committed it to memory.”
Ah, she was recreating their first meeting. Amelia darted a look around to make sure no one was watching because she remembered all too well what Kai had done next.
No one was paying them any attention.
On cue, Kai leaned in and danced a fingertip along Amelia’s sleeve. She drifted it over to the vee of Amelia’s shirt, suggestively tapping the button holding it together.
“That’s very forward,” Amelia said.
“Don’t worry,” Kai leaned in even closer, “I am after a relationship. Something hot and steamy and long-term. Possibly involving you, London, and maybe even a goldfish in our future.”
“A Scorpionfish,” Amelia couldn’t resist correcting. “Named Boudica.”
“Missing the point much?” Kai snorted. “If you keep this up, I’ll suggest we put on Dancing with the Stars as foreplay.”
“No need for threats,” Amelia said, before quoting her own words from a year ago. “There’s a line between confident and cocky, and you are lying all over it.” She curved her lips into a soft, pleased smile. “Just like I’ll be lying all over you very soon.”
Kai’s eyes warmed and her answering smile was gentle. “Is that a promise, love?”
“It is. Your proposal is far from lacking. I think it’s time we improve on history.” Amelia brushed her lips against Kai’s ear in a kiss that offered all sorts of promises. She followed it up with a tiny nip against her earlobe, for old time’s sake. “I love you.”
Kai laughed. “You’ve still got it.”
“Oh, I agree,” Amelia said with the faintest of smiles as she rose, holding out her hand for Kai, “but let’s find out for sure.”
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About Lee Winter
Lee Winter is an award-winning veteran newspaper journalist who has lived in almost every Australian state, covering courts, crime, news, features and humour writing. Now a full-time author and part-time editor, Lee is also a 2015 and 2016 Lambda Literary Award finalist and has won several Golden Crown Literary Awards. She lives in Western Australia with her long-time girlfriend, where she spends much time ruminating on her garden, US politics, and shiny, new gadgets.
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Website: www.leewinterauthor.com
Hotel Queens
© 2020 by Lee Winter
ISBN (mobi): 978-3-96324-458-2
ISBN (epub): 978-3-96324-459-9
Also available as a paperback.
Published by Ylva Publishing, legal entity of Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Owner: Astrid Ohletz
Am Kirschgarten 2
65830 Kriftel
Germany
www.ylva-publishing.com
First edition: 2020
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
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Credits
Edited by Alissa McGowan
Cover Design by Adam Llyod
Print Layout by Streetlight Graphics
Lee Winter, Hotel Queens
