Natural Blond Instincts Read online

  “Don’t tell me you asked her out again.”

  “Okay. I won’t tell you.”

  “Josh, let it go. She’s not your type.”

  “Hey, one of these days she’s going to realize what a catch I am.”

  Josh was the baby of the Roth family, which meant that for years, ever since Wes at age twelve had first found work washing cars to help his parents pay the rent, he’d felt responsible for his little brother. It was why he’d paid for Josh’s college, why Wes had encouraged him to come work here…but as a result of Wes paving the way for him, Josh didn’t tolerate things well. Things being…well, Serena not giving him the time of day. “Concentrate on work. You have enough of it.”

  “Is that what you do when a woman is driving you crazy?” Josh asked. “Concentrate on work?”

  “Yes.”

  Unfortunately, at the moment, like Josh, it was the woman at work driving him crazy, leaving him no respite at all.

  WES THOUGHT his date that night might give him a badly needed mental break. Irene was beautiful, sexy and fun.

  Or she had been when they’d met at a mutual friend’s party a few weeks back. But at dinner she worried about a report she’d done earlier. She kept checking her cell phone to see if it was fully charged so she wouldn’t miss any important calls. She wondered if they could stop by her office to check on something.

  When they’d met, her dedication to work had been a turn-on, but tonight Wes suddenly wished she could just…be. When they were heading toward his car after leaving the restaurant—with Irene checking through her digital organizer—she stopped walking but kept working through her schedule. “My place?”

  “Irene.”

  “Yours?” She frowned and kept her gaze glued to the small screen in her hands. “I don’t think I have time to get across town and—”

  “Irene.”

  Something in his voice finally alerted her and she looked at him. “Oh,” she said slowly. “You don’t want to…”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, while wondering if he’d lost his mind.

  He watched her walk away after they’d said their goodbyes, and pictured a different woman entirely, one with long, curly blond hair, moss-green eyes and a brilliant, shimmering smile which hid things he wondered about.

  With a sigh he went home to his bed. Alone. Where he decided to spend the rest of the weekend hang-gliding, surfing, whatever it took to take his mind off one unconventional, whimsical Kenna Mallory.

  WHILE WES was trying not to think about her, Kenna was trying not to think about him. On Saturday night, she and Ray met for Japanese food, and over sushi discussed her life.

  “Tell me everything.” Ray used his chopsticks to load his plate from their shared platter. “Everything.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like…” He waved his chopsticks in the air. “I don’t know. The important stuff.”

  “Well…” Kenna sipped her sake. “This week we’re working on quarterlies, and—”

  “The juicy stuff, darling. Come on, cough up details. What are the men wearing?”

  Kenna laughed. Ray shared her theory about color and attitude. “Black. Lots of black.”

  “Oh.”

  Ray looked so disappointed, she added, “But when I pointed out the lack of color, Wes wore a red tie one day and a light blue the next.”

  “Really.” Ray’s eyes went sharp. “How’s it going with good old Mr. Weston Roth?”

  Kenna shrugged.

  “Oh, come on, you can do better than that. What does he look like?”

  “How is that important?”

  “Baby, baby.” He tsked. “A man’s appearance tells a lot about him. Come on now, does he dress slickly or as if he never looks in a mirror? Does he stand up tall or slouch over? Does he yell at everyone when he’s frustrated or remain calm? These are the things that tell you about the guy. So spill.”

  “All right.” Kenna set her drink down and thought about Wes, which she hadn’t wanted to do that evening because thinking about him had begun to cause so many conflicted emotions within her she was feeling a little unnerved.

  And Kenna hated to be unnerved. “He dresses well, I suppose. If you like conservative.”

  Ray shrugged.

  “He definitely stands up tall and stays calm no matter what’s happening around him.”

  “Ooh.” Ray lifted a brow. “Sounds like a good match for you.”

  “Stop it.”

  “Is he mouth-watering?”

  “I’m not kidding. You’re taking away my appetite.”

  Ray laughed. “He’s mouth-watering.”

  Kenna rolled her eyes. “We’re changing the subject now—” Her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and rolled her eyes again. “Why did I sign up for cell service again?”

  “Who is it?”

  “My father. My mother called yesterday. Clearly they’ve added me to their schedule, and are checking in with me in a way they haven’t since I lived with them.” She clicked the phone on. “Hello.”

  “Kenna. How’s work?”

  Right to the point. Wasn’t that just like him. “Great. I’m great, too, by the way.”

  “Terrific. You know next weekend I’m throwing my annual charity benefit. Everyone will be there. I just wanted to make sure you knew about it.”

  Next weekend she’d planned to lie on the beach and read the financials for Mallory Enterprises from the last few years. Much more fun than a fancy event. “I can’t—”

  “Not a word I want to hear, Kenna. See you then.” He hung up.

  She stared down at the phone, then tossed it into her purse with an oath.

  Ray grinned. “Good old dad. How close are you to getting back in the will?”

  “I am not working at the hotel to get back into the will, you deranged man.”

  “Why are you doing it?”

  Yes, Kenna, why are you doing it? “Because it’s challenging. And because…”

  “Because…?”

  “Because I’m good at it.”

  “Well, that’s a disappointing answer.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  “Because, baby cakes, you should be doing it for the joy of it, for the pride, because you’re crazy about it and can’t imagine doing anything else.” He poured them both some more sake.

  “That’s why college was so much fun for you,” he said after a quick sip. “And that’s why you’ve enjoyed every job you ever had, because you were crazy about it, at least at the time.” He smiled at her. “It’s what makes you you, don’t you know that?”

  “I can be me without loving my job.”

  “You can’t be the best you that you can be.”

  Kenna laughed. “You sound like a commercial for the armed forces.”

  “I’m serious.” He pointed at her with his chopsticks. “A career requires passion. You, Kenna, you require passion.”

  She stared at him. “What?”

  “It’s true,” he said gently.

  “I’m missing my passion?”

  “Yes.”

  Oh my God, he was right. He was so right. Somehow, somewhere along the way, she’d really lost it. “How do I get it back?”

  “Well, as I see it, you can do one of two things.”

  “What?”

  “Not what. Whom.” A slow grin split his face. “You can do Wes.”

  “Ray!”

  He laughed. “Kidding. But you do have to do something. Sorry, but you just have to figure it out on your own.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  He grinned and toasted her with his sake. “You’re ever so welcome.”

  10

  MONDAY MORNING came along with a series of meetings. Kenna hit the first one armed with coffee and the realization that Ray had been right.

  While this job excited her somewhat, and also challenged her, something was missing.

  She gulped down some serious caffeine and tried to tell herself she was wildly passionate