She did not understand what he meant, and was not sure she wanted to know. Instead of questioning him further, she grabbed her suitcase and entered her room. Closing and locking the door, she rolled her suitcase past the alcove and into the main part of the room. Then she focused on settling in, and not contemplating where Geo’s room was, and what he was doing.
After unpacking and arranging things the way she liked them when she traveled, she flopped on the bed, with her computer and her cellphone. After letting both Shey and Gigi, know she had arrived at the hotel, was in her room, and was fine, she turned her attention to her computer.
Taking a deep breath, she connected to the Internet and became Sunny Carlyle, outgoing, sassy, snark-spewing author. It was a fa?ade that, until now, she thought had fooled her readers. She only hoped she was able to maintain that persona for the next four days until she climbed back on the airplane for home. Pretending to be someone she wasn’t was exhausting, and by the time she shut down the computer, she wondered if it was too early to go to the bar and get a drink.
She headed to the bathroom to check her makeup when a brisk knock broke the silence. She frowned because it did not sound like someone was knocking on the hall door. She froze, wondering if one of the ghosts the hotel was famous for was letting her know she was not alone.
After a moment, the knock sounded again. She identified it as coming from the door that connected her room to the one next door.
“Who is it?” she called.
“Geo,” came the muffled answer.
After dealing with the chain, she unlocked and opened her door, only a little afraid of who, or what, might be on the other side.
“Howdy, neighbor.” Geo filled the doorway.
“Uh, hi,” she responded, her body shocking her when it shifted into I-want-sex-now mode.
He wore a T-shirt without sleeves, and when she read the front, she could not help but smile at the wording, This hot body sponsored by Gigi Hart.
“Cute shirt,” she said with a grin.
He looked down and shrugged. “It’s for the convention. You ready to go down?”
“Down?”
He smiled like only an indulgent dominant man could. “Registration and cocktails in the ballroom start in about five minutes. I have to go down and be there to greet the lovely ladies as they check in.”
“Oh, yeah, is it that time already? I kind of got caught up in something.” Turning to her briefcase, she pulled out the small purse she had brought with her to carry whatever she might collect. After making sure she had her room key, wallet, and a handful of bookmarks for her latest release, she turned back. “Oh, do you think I should change?”
“What you have on is fine. After I’m done with my duties as host for this session, we can go get dinner, and you can tell me all I need to know about Sunflower Carlyle, the woman behind Sunny Carlyle the author.”
Pulling the door to his room almost closed, he ushered her into the hall. Once there, he slid his hands into his pockets as they walked side by side to the elevator.
For the next two hours, Geo smiled and greeted the conference attendees, giving and receiving hugs, getting his picture taken, and even serving the spiked punch cocktail the hotel had mixed up special. But no matter where he was, or what he was doing, he had one eye on Sunny. Though she smiled and talked, seeming to be having a good time meeting more than a few fans, he could see she was tense. Too tense. This was supposed to be a weekend of laughter, and some mildly inappropriate fun. She needed to relax.
“Thanks, guys.” Gigi joined the four men once the room began to empty as they huddled in one corner talking about who got phone numbers, room numbers, and how many times their asses got pinched. “Go get something to eat. Be back here at seven thirty, and we’ll set up for the dance review.”
As the others walked away, Gigi stepped in front of him, stopping him. “Sunny went to the garden to be alone for a bit. Whatever you did this afternoon, fix it. I want her to have a good time this weekend. Though she doesn’t know it, she is one of the stars of this event, and I want her to come back again next year.”
“I already did fix it. Now I’m going to take her to dinner and try to fix it even better.”
Gigi nodded. “Just remember there are two hundred other women here, and during the sessions, they all get your attention.”
Geo smiled. “Yes, ma’am, but understand this. After hours, I will be devoting myself to one very special lady, in the hopes that she will accept more than a reader-to-author relationship between us.”
Gigi’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed several times. Without another word, Geo stepped around his sister and strode out of the ballroom. He had a woman’s heart to win and only a short time to do it.