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Overview
The third installment in an exclusive and red hot mini-series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Rock.
Leo Perconti's life is spinning out of control. As head of his family's hotel conglomerate, it's his job to save his family from bankruptcy. At the center of his turmoil is Karin Norell, a quiet, alluring housekeeping manager who compliments his dominating personality and lets him feel in control once more.
As Karin explores her passion her feelings for Leo deepen. Unfortunately, Karin and Leo come from different worlds, and when the two worlds collide, the cost can be devastating. As the service staff at The Palazzo rise up against the Perconti family, both Leo and Karin are faced with losing what each of them holds most dear. Together they must learn that true power comes from vulnerability and trust that can only happen when you let your insecurities go.
Read all four parts of this sensational e-series-and look for the full volume of At His Service in June 2015 from St. Martin's Paperbacks.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781466863750 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | St. Martin's Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 02/17/2015 |
| Series: | At His Service , #3 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Pages: | 100 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
A lifetime New Englander, Suzanne Rock has been married to her college sweetheart for more than two decades. In addition to being a self-published author whose boxed sets have hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, Suzanne is a chauffeur, a maid, a chef, an event planner, a hairdresser, a wardrobe stylist, a tutor, and a sometimes masseuse. Her steamy books include At His Service, For His Pleasure, and others.
Read an Excerpt
At His Service Part 3
By Suzanne Rock
St. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2015 Suzanne RockAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4668-6375-0
CHAPTER 1
Leo stayed up half the night planning while his lover, Karin, slept. He'd had to call in some favors with his media contacts, but the end result had been worth it. Not only did the tabloid picture of him and Karin outside of Sabrina's get brushed to the last page, but Karin wasn't even mentioned. For all the world knew, he could have gone out with any number of Boston socialites. No one had pieced together that the woman spotted on the balcony in his penthouse suite, the woman seen running through the foyer of the Palazzo, and the woman with him outside Sabrina's restaurant were the same person. Karin's anonymity had remained safe, and that was just how he wanted it.
They had been lucky. That Whispers reporter, Amanda Vaughn, hadn't been able to get a good look at her last night, and Sabrina and Wes were too loyal to Karin to give the reporter any details. His luck was going to run out soon. Three times they had managed to keep Karin's identity under wraps. Leo didn't want to tempt fate for a fourth.
The sooner he set things in motion, the sooner he could have it all—Karin by his side, and those nosy reporters at a distance. With interest in the new lady in his life slowing down, public attention would shift toward his younger sister Arianna's wedding—right where he needed it to be.
Leo opened the door to his room at Stone Suites and paused in the doorway. Karin was sitting up in bed, wrapped in nothing but a throw blanket, and reading the note he had left her. Desire hit him hard as the previous night's events played out through his head. When he was with Karin, he felt the same thrill he used to get when he was younger and impulsive. He hadn't felt this way since the day he left the club scene behind him. The risk of being caught and his reputation ruined had been too great. Now, thanks to Karin, he saw the possibility of returning to the lifestyle without risk.
Karin looked up from the note with an expression he couldn't read. Leo hesitated, realizing that he might have given her the wrong impression by leaving so suddenly and while she slept. He had mentioned that he would return, however, and that he'd explain everything when he got back. She should have trusted him not to run off on her.
He cleared his throat. "Ah, you're awake. Good." Hopefully he didn't sound as nervous as he felt. So much was riding on this moment.
Leo entered the hotel room, duffle bag in hand. He'd had his driver, Roberto, retrieve some things from the Palazzo for both him and Karin while he made his phone calls. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't wearing her Palazzo uniform as they left Stone Suites—just in case they were spotted by some nosy photographers while getting into the Perconti limo.
"What happened?" Karin asked.
He glanced at the table of food. "You didn't eat."
"I wasn't hungry."
He pulled out the chair. "Come, you must be famished."
"Not until you tell me what's going on."
He bit back a sigh and reminded himself that she still had much to learn. "You must take care of yourself, cara," he said. When she didn't move, he raised his brow. "You look pale, and I can't have you fainting of hunger before we finish our conversation."
She pursed her lips together and glanced down at the chair. "I'm not hungry." Her stomach growled, and Leo struggled to keep the smile from his face.
"Humor me," he said, echoing the note he had written to her right before they performed the maid scene up in his penthouse suite. He hoped that his words reminded her of the lesson he had taught her there.
Trust me.
She raised her gaze to meet his. After a long moment, she nodded and stood.
Leo waited until she sat and had taken a chocolate croissant from the plate. So, she had a sweet tooth. He made a mental note of it for later.
"So what took you away from the room this morning?" And me ... She didn't say those last words, but the question was implied.
"Good news." He carefully avoided her gaze and instead opened up the duffle bag and pulled out a tabloid magazine. "That Whispers reporter wasn't able to get a good look at you. The only information they had was that I had attended a restaurant with a woman, which isn't really a story at all." He grinned. "We're a fuzzy picture on the last page." He opened the magazine and showed it to her.
Karin took the magazine from him and quickly scanned the article. "This doesn't really say much of anything."
"Right." He cleared his throat and went back to his duffle bag. "We got lucky this time, but I'm sure you realize that our luck won't hold out forever."
Karin put down the magazine and stared at him. "What are you saying?"
He glanced up from his bag. "I'm sure you are well aware that things can't continue like this. It's much too risky—for both of us."
* * *
This was it, Karin realized. She supposed that she should make it easy on him by telling him that she understood and letting him go. It was the quickest way to end this painful exchange and move on with her life.
She opened her mouth to do just that, then shut it again. Hell, no. She wasn't going to make this easy on him. Karin had had about enough of being used and then tossed aside. If Leo wanted to break up with her, then he was going to have to say it to her face. It was the least he could do.
"Things between us need to change, how?" Karin put down her pastry and watched him fumble with his toiletries.
"Yes, well." He stopped pulling items out of the duffle and stared at her. His features were hard, determined. "The only reason why people are interested in us is because they want to know who I'm involved with, and if she is a member of the Palazzo staff." He moved over to the edge of the bed, close to her chair. His knee brushed hers as he sat, sending tingles of awareness over her skin.
"Yes, this is true ..." She drew out the word, trying to figure out where his thoughts were going.
Leo grinned. "Well, it's settled then. It wouldn't do if the media learned that I was involved with a Palazzo intern, so we will have to terminate your position."
"What?"
He took her hand. "I've talked to your advisor, and he agrees. Since you're going for a hospitality degree, you'll need to experience more than just cleaning hotel rooms and filling in spreadsheets."
"How did you know my advisor?"
"Details." He waved his hand between them in dismissal. "Instead of working numbers for Marco and cleaning up after Dante's messes, you should have a more high-level job where you can oversee different aspects of the business."
She pulled her fingers from his grasp. "And how do I do that? I can't be in charge. I don't have that kind of experience."
Leo grinned. "No, you wouldn't be in charge. I will be. You'll come and work for me, and in turn, I'll show you everything you need to know about running a hotel chain."
"But I already work for you."
"No, I mean you'll report to me directly." He stood and began to pace as Karin rubbed her temple in confusion.
"I don't understand," she said.
"It's really quite simple," he said as he poured two separate mugs of coffee. "You'll become my personal assistant."
She made a face. "I didn't work this hard to be someone's secretary."
"Consultant, then." He added sugar to one cup and waved his spoon in the air. "I'll think up some fancy title for you if you want. It doesn't matter. The point is, you'll follow me around and gain a top-down view of running a hotel conglomerate." He glanced at the cups. "Cream and sugar?"
Karin nodded and tightened her blanket around her as she watched him add cream to the cup. "Exactly what would I be doing for you as your consultant?"
He grinned and handed her one of the mugs. "I've seen how you pitch in and pick up the slack for your coworkers, and Marco gives your organizational skills high praise. I suspect you know the inner workings of the Palazzo better than most." He took a sip of coffee and set it aside.
"You have an insider's knowledge about the difficulties the staff faces on a daily basis."
"True."
"You know what the Palazzo needs to run smoothly, and what improvements will have to be made to take it to the next level."
"But—"
"We'll start here, with our flagship hotel, and then move outward." He returned to the edge of the bed, his expression intense.
"Outward?"
"Of course." He began to tick cities off on his fingers. "New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Milan—"
"Wait a minute—"
"I placed a few phone calls and made sure that you've taken the necessary management classes already. And you've seen this hotel." Leo waved his hand around the room. "It's immaculate."
"It's different," she agreed as she took a sip from her mug. "The coffee is better, too."
"It's full almost every night of the week," he said in disgust as he stood.
"You can change that."
"You want me to steal visitors from Stone Suites?" she asked as she put her coffee aside.
"Not steal, necessarily, but offer them a deal that they can't refuse." He grinned and began pacing once more, fully caught up in his fantasy.
"We'll beat Stone at his own game and put the Palazzo on the map once more."
"But I'm an intern. I don't have my degree yet."
He stopped pacing and raised his brows. "Many corporate CEOs have very little formal education. What you don't know, you can learn on the job."
"I don't know—"
"I've seen your resume," he said before she could finish her thought.
"You have excellent grades, and your advisor told me that it's your dream to one day oversee the daily running of a hotel."
"Well, yes." She nibbled her lower lip. "But that's Marco's job."
"Yes. Yours will be different. You will be our management consultant."
"You want me to tell you where your brother has failed?"
"And offer solutions. Yes."
She nibbled her lower lip in thought. "Won't Marco be mad?"
"He's a big boy. He'll get over it."
She stared at him and tried to comprehend what was happening. He wasn't trying to get rid of her. In fact, if she was to become his consultant, they'd be spending more time together.
"I ... I don't know what to say." Karin needed time to think, and she couldn't do that with him staring at her as if he wanted to kiss every inch of skin on her body.
"Say yes." He closed the distance between them and took her hand.
"You won't get this opportunity from anyone else."
"You're not thinking this through. You can't just create a position and then have all of your problems disappear. What about the reporters? Won't they think it's odd that you're hiring an intern to help you do a major reorganization?"
"It's not the facts, but how you spin them that's important. You need to have a little faith in your abilities. I do." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, causing a stirring in her lower abdomen. The idea of spending so much time with Leo was appealing, but something about all of this didn't add up. What was he up to?
"This is insane ..." she hedged.
"You already know that when a decision has been made, I don't like to wait."
"But a decision hasn't been made. I can't agree to this. It's too much—"
"It's not as if I'm throwing you to the wolves, cara. I'll be right there with you the whole time." He let out a long breath and squeezed her fingers. "Let me make this a little easier for you." He tugged on her fingers, pulling her closer. "I will handle all of the arrangements, including the media spin. I have a team already working on putting everything in place." He brushed a stray hair from her face and cupped her cheek with his palm. Karin's entire body heated, and a tightening formed in her lower abdomen as she remembered how good his skin felt next to hers, and the wicked things he could do with those lips.
"Has everyone agreed to this?" she asked. This was all happening so fast. "I don't want to anger anyone, or create a strain on the relationship between you and your brother." As appealing as this deal sounded, she couldn't see how this could work for his family. Even if Leo was right and her new position quieted the rumors, there was still his family to consider. His siblings would surely question his sanity by giving an intern such a high position in his company.
"Thanks to Marco, we have lost many of Palazzo's repeat customers to Stone Suites," Leo said.
"True, but—"
"And now you tell me that my staff is thinking about mutiny."
"Yes."
He slid his hand to her neck and brushed his thumb along her jaw. "If my staff goes on strike, then there will be no Palazzo left to run. We must act fast if we are to save the hotel." He rounded his fingers along the side of her face and hooked them under her chin.
It was becoming more and more difficult to think rationally with him sitting so close. Karin cleared her throat and tried to steady her voice. "Losing the staff could be catastrophic. Not only will things not be in place for your sister's wedding, but the resulting media scandal will tarnish the hotel's reputation and make our restructuring even more difficult."
He quirked his lips into a half-smile and rubbed his thumb over her chin. "See? You're already thinking like a consultant." He lowered his hand and took her fingers holding the blanket at her chest. With a gentle tug, he pulled them away, allowing the cotton fabric to slip around her waist and expose her tight nipples. She supposed she should be embarrassed, but the hungry look in his eyes as he glanced at her chest made her feel wanton and needy.
"Work with me, Karin," he said as he dragged his gaze back up to meet hers. "Together we'll find out where the Palazzo is failing and bring it back to its former glory."
He was so damn tempting, both his words and the excitement in his eyes. Karin wanted to believe that everything would work out just as he imagined it. It would be so easy to get swept up in his orbit, but she couldn't quiet the little voice inside of her head suggesting that this could end in disaster.
This was a huge step. There had to be a catch, but her brain wasn't functioning enough right now for her to puzzle it out. It all sounded a little too good to be true.
He glanced at his duffle, as if considering something. After a quick tightening of his jaw, he returned his gaze to her.
"It will require long hours alone with me," he said as he brushed a stray hair from her face. His touch felt soft, almost like a caress, but his fingers burned a trail of heat all the way to her core. "You'll be well compensated for your efforts." He lowered his voice when he spoke the last few words, making his implication clear.
"I—"
He placed his finger in front of her lips, stopping her words. "Think about it. If you take this new position, no one will question our time together. It will be expected."
"True," she said after he slid his finger away from her lips, around her jaw, and down the sensitive skin of her neck, causing a ripple of need to race down her spine.
"And your education wouldn't be just in the hotel industry. I will continue to teach you in other ways."
She nibbled her lower lip as a tightening formed in her core. "How long?" Her voice was soft and a little breathless.
As if sensing her crumbling resistance, he slid his fingers down over her nipple, barely touching her skin. "Don't worry. This is only a temporary position. If you wish, then after the reorganization of all of the Perconti hotels, you may return to your schooling."
There it was—the catch. Karin pulled away from his touch as his words dispersed the erotic haze in her mind. This wouldn't be a permanent position, but a temporary one. After she helped him restructure his hotel empire, he'd toss her to the curb.
"So this is only temporary," she repeated, just wanting to make sure.
"Yes, of course." Leo moved to his duffle to search for something, as if the matter had already been settled and he was moving on to other matters. "I've already arranged everything with your school. You will be able to keep all of your credits and pick up where you left off."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from At His Service Part 3 by Suzanne Rock. Copyright © 2015 Suzanne Rock. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
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