Asking for Trouble - Leslie Kelly [23]
Slamming it back down, he thrust an angry hand through his hair, flinching as the tip of his index finger scraped across his scar. Not from pain, but from the surprise he always felt whenever he was reminded of his close brush with death. And of the visible disfigurement that would always serve as a reminder of who he was and what he’d done.
The hospital had offered to have a plastic surgeon fix his scars up a little better. Simon had turned the offers down, figuring the world deserved to see the real man.
Lottie obviously noticed his reaction. Immediately coming close to him—close enough for him to feel the heat of her breath on his throat and the suggestive scrape of her body against his—she gently reached up and pushed his hair back off his forehead.
Her touch was incendiary. Simon had been touched by plenty of nurses and doctors while recovering from the attack, but he couldn’t recall ever feeling like one of them had started a flaming inferno on his skin.
This woman’s touch did that. Her long, delicate fingers were cool and pale, so why they’d bring instant heat, he had no idea.
Or maybe he did.
“How did it happen?” she asked softly. She didn’t have to say anything more for him to know she was referring to his scars.
“None of your damn business.”
She tsked, not offended by his rudeness. “Are you always so unfriendly? That’s not a very good personality trait for a hotel owner. Even Norman Bates was friendly.”
“I’m not a hotel owner.” Frowning, he added, “Besides, the jury’s still out on the Norman Bates thing, isn’t it?”
“I dunno, I’ve survived so far.”
“The day’s still young.”
She snickered. The woman had one hell of a thick skin.
“It’s a good thing you’re not in this for the long haul,” she said with a cheery smile. “Because the hospitality industry makes a big deal about having a positive attitude and I don’t think you’re cut out for it.”
As if he’d want to be. “I’m crushed.”
She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I should know. My family’s in the restaurant business—Santori’s, on Taylor Avenue in Chicago. It’s my second home…if I’m not at my apartment, I’m at the restaurant.”
He assumed she had a point.
“Anyway, one thing I know, you have to have a certain type of look to succeed in the service industry.”
“A look?” he asked, feeling dizzy from her jabbering.
“Yeah, you know, one that says you know how to smile.”
His lips twitched. But he quickly pushed them down into a frown. “Do you ever shut up?”
“I’m the sixth child. No. I never shut up. I learned at a young age that if I want to be heard, I just have to keep on talking.”
“Well you’re certainly adept at it.”
Shrugging, she asked, “What’s your name?”
The sudden subject change startled him enough that he finally managed to tug himself away from her. Away from her breaths. Her stares. The brush of her lush breasts against his chest. The smile that had made him rock a little on his feet. “What?”
“Your name,” she said as she slid down to sit on the arm of the leather couch. “Your first name.”
“It’s Simon.”
“Well, Simon,” she said, “it looks like we have a problem.”
He quirked a brow. “We?”
“I have a problem with my car, and you have a problem with a houseguest.”
“Okay. We.” Not seeing any way around it, he mumbled, “Get your stuff. I’ll drive you down into town. You can call a repair shop from there.”
“And then what, wander around some small Pennsylvania town with the crazy name of Trouble for hours waiting for my car to be towed and fixed?” Before he could answer, she added, “And is it really called that? The map wasn’t mis-printed or anything?”
“Yes. Yes. And no.”
Obviously zoning in on the answer she didn’t like in that succinct response, she glared. “There’s no reason I can’t wait here. I’ll stay out of your way. You won’t even notice me.”
Fat chance of that. She might as well have said he wouldn’t notice it if a bird took up residence on his head. “Forget it.”
Continuing as if he hadn’t spoken, she added, “And by the time you drive me down the mountain, the phone service will probably already be back on, so there’s really no