be one of the premier resorts in the whole world. But if they don't. Flame Valley could be in real financial trouble."
"I see."
"Travis, I've been meaning to ask you something. I know your company consults for a wide variety of businesses. Do you know anything about the resort business?"
There was a beat of silence. Then Travis said softly, "Yes. I know a little something about resorts and hotels."
"Hmmm." Juliana mulled that over. "I wonder if I could get David and Elly to talk to you. I've been a little worried about them lately."
"How much trouble are they in?"
Juliana drew a breath and settled back in her seat. "I really shouldn't say anything more until I've talked to them first. David is very touchy on the subject of his business ability, and Elly gets defensive. But if I could talk them into hiring you for some consultation, would you be willing to take them on as clients?"
"I've got my hands full at the moment, Juliana. I managed to squeeze Charisma into my schedule but I'm afraid that's the limit. Taking on a project the size of Flame Valley would be impossible."
"Oh." Juliana swallowed her disappointment. "Well, in that case, I guess I'd better not say anything to David or Elly."
"That would probably be best."
Juliana brightened. "But maybe you'd have room in your schedule in another month or two?"
Travis gave her a brief, sharp glance. "You never give up, do you?"
She grinned. "Only when the situation is clearly hopeless."
"The question is, would you recognize a hopeless situation when you saw it?"
"Of course I would. I'm not an idiot. Slow down. There's the sign for Flame Valley. Turn right toward the ocean at the next intersection."
Travis obeyed. He was silent as he navigated the narrow strip of road that wound its way toward a glittering array of lights perched on a hill overlooking the ocean.
He continued to say nothing as he parked the red coupe in the lot below the resort. Then he switched off the ignition and sat quietly as Juliana unbuckled her seat belt. He watched as she turned quickly, kneeling on the seat to reach into the back of the car to retrieve a bundle of brightly wrapped gifts.
'Juliana?"
"Yes, Travis?"
"I want you to know something."
"What's that?" She was bent over theback of the seat, fumbling with the biggest of the presents and wondering if she'd made a mistake buying Bly the huge Italian flower vase. Not everyone liked two-foot-tall pillars of aerodynamically shaped black glass.
"When it's all over tonight, try to remember that I never meant to hurt you."
Juliana froze, the packages forgotten. She whipped around in the seat, eyes widening quickly.
"My fiancè said exactly those words three years ago just before he announced his engagement to someone else. What are you trying to tell me, Travis?"
"Forget it. Some things cannot be changed once they've been set in motion." He cupped her face quickly between his strong hands and kissed her with a fierce possessiveness. Then he released her.
"Let's go." He opened the car door and got out.
"Travis, wait a minute. What's going on here?" Juliana scrambled out of the car, clutching the gifts.
The glass beads that trimmed the scoop-necked black velvet chemise she was wearing sparkled in the parking lot tights. "You owe me an explanation. You can't just go around making bizarre statements like that and expect me to overlook them."
"You're going to drop that if you're not careful." He put out a hand and took the biggest package, the one containing the vase, out of her arms. Then he turned and started walking resolutely toward the main entrance to the resort.
Juliana hurried after him, hampered by the remaining presents, the tight chemise skirt and the two-inch heels of her black and fuchsia evening sandals. "You can't get away with this sort of behavior, Travis.
I want to know what you meant. If you're seeing someone else. you'd damn well better tell me upfront.
I won't be two-timed. Do you hear me?"
"There is no one
"I see."
"Travis, I've been meaning to ask you something. I know your company consults for a wide variety of businesses. Do you know anything about the resort business?"
There was a beat of silence. Then Travis said softly, "Yes. I know a little something about resorts and hotels."
"Hmmm." Juliana mulled that over. "I wonder if I could get David and Elly to talk to you. I've been a little worried about them lately."
"How much trouble are they in?"
Juliana drew a breath and settled back in her seat. "I really shouldn't say anything more until I've talked to them first. David is very touchy on the subject of his business ability, and Elly gets defensive. But if I could talk them into hiring you for some consultation, would you be willing to take them on as clients?"
"I've got my hands full at the moment, Juliana. I managed to squeeze Charisma into my schedule but I'm afraid that's the limit. Taking on a project the size of Flame Valley would be impossible."
"Oh." Juliana swallowed her disappointment. "Well, in that case, I guess I'd better not say anything to David or Elly."
"That would probably be best."
Juliana brightened. "But maybe you'd have room in your schedule in another month or two?"
Travis gave her a brief, sharp glance. "You never give up, do you?"
She grinned. "Only when the situation is clearly hopeless."
"The question is, would you recognize a hopeless situation when you saw it?"
"Of course I would. I'm not an idiot. Slow down. There's the sign for Flame Valley. Turn right toward the ocean at the next intersection."
Travis obeyed. He was silent as he navigated the narrow strip of road that wound its way toward a glittering array of lights perched on a hill overlooking the ocean.
He continued to say nothing as he parked the red coupe in the lot below the resort. Then he switched off the ignition and sat quietly as Juliana unbuckled her seat belt. He watched as she turned quickly, kneeling on the seat to reach into the back of the car to retrieve a bundle of brightly wrapped gifts.
'Juliana?"
"Yes, Travis?"
"I want you to know something."
"What's that?" She was bent over theback of the seat, fumbling with the biggest of the presents and wondering if she'd made a mistake buying Bly the huge Italian flower vase. Not everyone liked two-foot-tall pillars of aerodynamically shaped black glass.
"When it's all over tonight, try to remember that I never meant to hurt you."
Juliana froze, the packages forgotten. She whipped around in the seat, eyes widening quickly.
"My fiancè said exactly those words three years ago just before he announced his engagement to someone else. What are you trying to tell me, Travis?"
"Forget it. Some things cannot be changed once they've been set in motion." He cupped her face quickly between his strong hands and kissed her with a fierce possessiveness. Then he released her.
"Let's go." He opened the car door and got out.
"Travis, wait a minute. What's going on here?" Juliana scrambled out of the car, clutching the gifts.
The glass beads that trimmed the scoop-necked black velvet chemise she was wearing sparkled in the parking lot tights. "You owe me an explanation. You can't just go around making bizarre statements like that and expect me to overlook them."
"You're going to drop that if you're not careful." He put out a hand and took the biggest package, the one containing the vase, out of her arms. Then he turned and started walking resolutely toward the main entrance to the resort.
Juliana hurried after him, hampered by the remaining presents, the tight chemise skirt and the two-inch heels of her black and fuchsia evening sandals. "You can't get away with this sort of behavior, Travis.
I want to know what you meant. If you're seeing someone else. you'd damn well better tell me upfront.
I won't be two-timed. Do you hear me?"
"There is no one
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