.

but frankly you saved my rear, so I’m not inclined to make you cut your vacation short. We’ll manage to scrape by one more day by having people do double duty and juggling a bit. Fortunately I have no meetings scheduled, and I’m capable of directing people around my own facility when necessary.”

      She frowned again. “Already I don’t like the way this is starting. Your other employees will resent being asked to cover for me.”

      “My other employees know who signs their paychecks. They also know I’ll compensate them for their trouble and that I’ll return the favor when they need an emergency day off.”

      “I don’t like to shirk my duties.”

      Wyatt gave her his most intimidating look—the one that had been known to make those on his payroll shake in their shoes. “We’re not going to argue about this.”

      Alex looked completely unperturbed. “No, of course not. I’m totally aware that you’re in charge, but still…”

      Again he had that urge to smile, and Wyatt had never been a man given to smiles. Without missing a beat, he stepped over to a cabinet, opened a drawer, pulled out a handful of brochures and held them out to Alex.

      “What’s this?”

      “Homework. If you’re going to play hooky, I’ll at least expect you to start educating yourself about the local attractions and the hotel.”

      The woman’s smile could have lit the ballroom at McKendrick’s. The impact of it nearly sent Wyatt reeling. “I’ll do that. Is there anything else?”

      Yes. Stop smiling, he wanted to say. Stop making me think of you as a woman I want to touch, and just be what you have to be, a very temporary employee. “Yes, there is one thing.”

      She waited.

      “Enjoy your day off.”

      “I will. And…thank you.”

      “For what?”

      Her lips curved up more. “You’re making it possible for me to fulfill my dreams.”

      Wyatt wanted to groan. He wished she hadn’t said that. Dreamers were delicate creatures who could be easily hurt by men like him. He’d been a dreamer once, a long time ago. These days he gave the naive and the innocently optimistic a wide berth.

      “Meet me here first thing tomorrow. I’ll get you started.”

      Because the sooner he got her established, the sooner he could start thinking of her as just another employee.

      He hoped.