Into the Night

“Not planning to jump, are you?” he teased.

She gave him a sideways glance and found him smiling. “I’m considering it. But I’m afraid of heights.”

“That would be fifteen, then,” he replied, pointing to the panel.

She quickly reached out and punched the button again. Though Tess thought an outdoor party on the hotel’s roof garden was a bit foolhardy in the middle of a Nashville winter, the Beales would no doubt bring in portable heaters to warm the chilly, damp air. Money was never an object with them. The roof of the Perryman was supposed to have a stunning view of the city and the river. Only the best for the Beales, regardless of the cost. Her engagement party would certainly be memorable.

He met her gaze again and she found herself staring into the most arresting eyes. There was a devilish twinkle in them that only intensified when he smiled. “It’s going to be cold up there. Are you dressed warmly enough?”

She shrugged. “It’s a party. I’m sure there will be tents and heaters.” She nodded toward the bottle he held. “What about you? Are you going to a party too?”

He shook his head. “I’m not in a party mood. I plan to spend a quiet night in my room, maybe watch a movie.”

“You and a bottle of scotch?” This time Tess met his gaze squarely, refusing to look away. “They say you should never drink alone.”

“I know. It’s such a cliché. But this is a very good bottle of scotch. And I haven’t met anyone I’d be interested in sharing it with.” He paused. “Until now.”

She felt a warm blush creep up her cheeks and a shiver skittered down her spine. This was crazy. She was supposed to be in love with Jeffrey. Why was she even allowing herself to flirt with this stranger? Especially when she had absolutely no idea how to flirt.

“You look beautiful, by the way,” he said, pointing the bottle in her direction. “That dress is … well, looking like that, you’re going to be the prettiest girl at the party.”

She hadn’t imagined it. They were definitely flirting. And for the first time in her life, she felt as if she wasn’t making a complete fool of herself. Tess had never really learned how to charm a man, how to draw him in and make him want her. She’d always blurted out something sarcastic or brutally honest, ruining the mood.

But this stranger seemed to be totally entranced by her. Tess felt her stomach drop as the elevator started moving up. She’d never put much thought into her appearance. But suddenly she was glad she had, if only to feel this way just once in her life. “Thank you. You’re very … charming.”

They were still smiling at each other when the elevator suddenly jerked. Tess fell back, slamming her shoulder against the wall. Crying out, she struggled to stay upright, but instead tumbled into his arms.

The lights in the car flickered and went out. Tess’s breath caught in her throat as she waited, his body warm against hers, her breath coming in shallow gasps. This was it. This was God’s punishment for flirting with a handsome stranger. She was about to plunge down to the basement and die on the very night she was supposed to get engaged. The Fates were cruel.

But when the elevator didn’t drop, Tess wondered if she wasn’t being sent a different message. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to go upstairs. Maybe this was exactly where she belonged.

DEREK NOLAN WAITED in the silence. His fingers gripped the woman’s arms, her skin soft beneath his touch. She hadn’t said anything since the lights went out and the elevator bumped to a stop. Though he couldn’t see her, an image of her was still swimming around in his head.

Until she’d stepped into the elevator, he’d been having a rather unremarkable night. He’d been prepared to spend his evening alone, with room service and a glass of the hotel’s best scotch, get a good night’s sleep and then head out at dawn to his next destination. The routine had become so familiar that there were times when he even forgot the city in which he was staying.

Since the economy had gone south, Derek had been working at a frantic pace to keep his family’s business well in the black. The Perryman was one of thirty-seven luxury hotels the Nolan family owned around the world and it had become his job to make sure they were all operating at peak efficiency. Though he found a lot of satisfaction in doing his job, he’d begun to realize that working sixteen-hour days didn’t leave much time for fun.

Just that afternoon, he’d found himself daydreaming through a meeting on the hotel’s energy costs, his thoughts wandering to the last time he’d really enjoyed himself. Sure, he’d had vacations and women and distractions over the past eight years, but college had really been the last time he’d felt completely free of responsibility—enough that he was able to relax and just let go.

“Are we stuck?” she asked.

“It should be up and running in a minute,” he said, rubbing her back to soothe her nerves. “It probably just needs to reset itself.”

“And what if it doesn’t? Shouldn’t we try to get out while we can? “

She turned, her hip brushing up against his groin, and Derek clenched his jaw. Being near a beautiful woman still caused the same physiological response, the same need to possess. But somewhere along the line, he’d stopped surrendering to his impulses. Sure, he had no trouble finding women to share his bed, but lately, he’d been searching for something more.

Could men and women be friends first and lovers second? Though he’d had a number of long-term relationships, Derek hadn’t found that one woman who he felt completely comfortable with.

“We’re still not moving,” she said, her voice tense and her fingers digging into his arm.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly.

“You don’t think it will …” Her voice faded.

“Plummet to the basement?” Derek asked. “No, I don’t think so. There are all kinds of safety features on elevators these days. That only happens in horror movies and bad dreams.”

“I have that dream all the time,” she said. “And it never ends well.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his BlackBerry. The screen lit up, providing enough light to see the features of her face. “There should be an alarm button,” he said. Derek found the button behind a door on the control panel and pushed it. A buzzer sounded in the shaft above their heads.

Then he dialed the number for the front desk. “Hi, this is Derek Nolan. I’m stuck in the elevator with …” He leaned closer to her. “What’s your name?”

“Tess,” she said. “Tess Robertson.”

“With Tess Robertson. Could you call maintenance and have them get us out?”

“Certainly, Mr. Nolan. Right away. I’m so sorry about this. We’ve been having a lot of trouble with the elevators lately.”

“Just get us out,” he said calmly. “And call me at this number if there’s any problem.” He hung up, then turned the light from the screen toward her. “Is there anyone you’d like to call?”

Tess hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “No. I’m fine.”

But she didn’t sound fine. She sounded uneasy. Being in a dark, confined space with a stranger would make anyone nervous. “You don’t have to worry,” he said. “You’re safe with me. In fact, you’re better off with me. I’m a pretty important guest here. They’ll get us out as quickly as they can.”

“I’m really not worried,” she said. “I mean, not about you. But the whole ‘plunging to the basement’ thing is still an issue.”

He chuckled. “Why don’t we sit down and make ourselves comfortable.” Derek held out his hand and she placed her fingers in his as he helped her settle onto the floor. Derek sat down next to her. Then he set the bottle of scotch between them. “What do you think? Should we open it? It’s really good stuff. And it may calm your nerves.”

Tess shrugged, crossing her legs in front of her and folding her hands in her lap. She forced a smile. “Why not? Maybe it will soften the fall, too?”

“We’re not going to fall,” Derek insisted. With a grin, he handed her the BlackBerry. “You hold the light.” He peeled the foil from around the cap, then twisted it open. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any glasses. Some might consider it a crime to drink twelve-year-old scotch right out of the bottle but desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“I don’t care what some people say,” Tess replied. “I’ve never really liked arbitrary rules.” She raised the bottle to him. “To … to the very strong and capable cable that’s holding this elevator up.” Like an experienced drinker, she tipped the bottle and took a sip, then coughed. “It’s good.”

Derek reached over and patted her on the back. “Easy there, you don’t want to drink too fast.”

With a soft laugh, she handed him back the bottle. “Don’t worry. I can handle my liquor.”

Derek took a swig of the scotch. “So, Tess Robertson. Since we’re stuck here for a while, tell me about yourself. Are you from Nashville?”

She shook her head, her dark hair falling into her face. “No. I live near Lexington, Kentucky. I manage a horse farm. We breed and raise thoroughbreds. For racing.”

“You work with horses?”

Tess nodded. “My dad is a trainer. He put me on a horse when I was three and I haven’t been off one since then.” She smoothed her hands over her skirt. “Yesterday, I was mucking out stables. Today, I’m sipping expensive scotch in a party dress, waiting for my eminent death.” Tess reached for the bottle and took another sip. “What about you?”

“My family owns a chain of hotels.”