in with the new, was it? He lowered to the edge of his bed, running his hands over his face. His eyes had been clearing since the moment he’d held Charlize in his arms, but she knew he still had a ways to go before he was back to the land of the living. She backed away from him to go.
His voice stopped her. “I could use some more water.”
“Oh, yes.” Charlize might as well do her job. She ran to collect a cup next to the sink and quickly filled it, her back bristling in her hurry to leave this embarrassing situation. She handed it to him.
Instead of taking the cup, he stole her hand, his fingers tickling over her palm. He certainly knew how to get her attention. Next, he discovered her ring and started to play with it. “What’s your name?”
The paper had been right about a few things. The man was a player. “I... don’t worry about it.” She fled his room, shutting the door firmly behind her. She was tempted to lock it, though she wasn’t sure if that was to keep him from wandering out again or to thwart other women from getting in.
Just who did she have on her hands? Charly didn’t want to know. She was no longer impressed with Mr. Aaron Mills.
CHAPTER FOUR
When Aaron woke up, his first thoughts were on that mysterious dark-haired beauty with the long legs. Had he called her Tara? No, no. Tara had a special part of his heart that no one could replace. No matter how he’d tried to keep his promise to his wife, he hadn’t been able to love again. Woman after woman—none of them could possibly measure up. So what had happened last night?
He groaned. He really needed to check out that dosage of motion sickness medication. He’d only taken it to survive the plane ride from his last minute business trip to Dallas. He’d been so messed up when he’d gotten here.
But man, that woman last night was just so beautiful... with a down-to-earth quality. Her gentle, capable hands had been as soft as rose petals. What if she was the real thing? She was spunky, too, with her fun makeup and those bright tights. She had incredible dimples. Even when the medication was wearing off and he’d become more aware of what he was doing, he’d almost kissed her in his room. He still couldn’t brush away the wonder of those delectable lips. It drove him crazy wondering how they would taste under his.
He jumped out of bed and wrestled on a shirt. When could he see her again? If he wasn’t mistaken, she worked the front desk. He grappled with his toothbrush and pushed it into his mouth just as a knock sounded at the door. He spit out toothpaste into the sink. “Come in!”
Mikey Ladd, Aaron’s best friend and PR specialist, swaggered into the room wearing a loud bowtie and pinstriped suit that bulged over his round belly. He was a pretty boy with bright blue eyes and disheveled light brown hair. The shadow of a beard over his softening jowls was his latest experiment in pop culture, though his heart firmly belonged to every century but this one. The Murder Mystery was his idea. “What do you think of my fedora?” he asked in his thick British accent. He dipped the brim at Aaron.
Aaron went back to brushing his teeth. “Isn’t it a little early for a hat?”
“What’s your problem? Just admit I’m a proper gangster.” Mikey went to the mirror to adjust his tie. “Watch out world! Big, bad, and beautiful Mikey has come to Eureka Springs.” He smiled cheerfully. “You know real gangsters used to live in this hotel? Al Capone’s sister had her own room. Probably this one. The place was a front for smuggling alcohol. Have you seen the underground tunnels?”
Aaron chuckled. The historic hotel was bringing out the fanboy in Mikey. In another life, his friend would be a museum curator... or a time traveler.
“There are ghosts.” Mikey sang out. “Veronica overheard a tour guide talking about...”
His voice got lost in the background as Aaron caught sight of the chain of a necklace caught between the mattress of his bed and the frame. He slid it out, seeing a cluster of rubies set against a gold and pearl background.
Mikey squinted at it through the mirror, his bowtie even more of a mess than when he’d started with it. “What’s that?”
Aaron stared at