Wicked Billionaire - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,5

I’m helping this jerk. “The Desert Rose Country Club has more than enough space in their ballroom. They were supposed to have a big legal convention in it this weekend, but it just got canceled.”

Slowly, Blackwood slides his gaze over, pinning it on me. “And you know this how?”

“A couple of nights a week and on the weekend, I’m a blackjack dealer there. At my table last night, a few attorneys who were scheduled to attend were griping about how the event was canceled because the convention’s sponsor had just gotten arrested for tax evasion.”

His eyebrows shoot up. It annoys me how my mind immediately decides they’re great eyebrows. Thick but arched to perfection. On the one hand, they make him look sly. But on the other, they make him appear ridiculously intelligent. It only adds to his overall allure. “They were griping about a boring legal convention getting canceled?”

I shake my head. “They were griping about how the sponsor wouldn’t refund any registration fees, so they were essentially robbed.”

Blackwood surveys me, his bluish-silver eyes seeming to know stuff that I don’t even know about me. It’s like he can see directly into my thoughts, which is ridiculous.

He rises from the couch, managing to do so in an elegant fashion without disturbing the towel around his waist.

Thank God!

He takes a few steps closer to me, crossing his arms as he contemplates before finally saying, “Get on the phone with whoever runs that place. Find out if it’s available. If it’s not, offer to pay double their normal fee. We’ll have to notify the attendees of the venue change, then coordinate with all the suppliers.”

I stare at this man, who just ordered me to do something far outside my job duties. That he’s asking me to do it makes me want to laugh. I need this job, but I also have a backbone.

“With all due respect, Mr. Blackwood,” I say firmly, my chin lifted. “I’m a housekeeper. I have other suites to clean. I simply can’t help you with this.”

“You can’t help me with this?” he repeats a bit tightly. His expression appears curious, but his eyes darken to the color of storm clouds.

“Sir, Blackwood Hotels prides itself on customer experience. I have a tight schedule to complete the other suites I’m in charge of cleaning. Those customers will suffer if I have to drop my duties to attend to your problems.”

At my refusal, his eyes flare. He takes a step closer, dropping his arms. There’s nothing but a wall of naked, muscular chest before me and I have to tip my head back to keep our eye contact.

“You definitely don’t have a problem speaking your mind,” he muses, sounding shocked. “I’m not sure if I respect you for that or if it pisses me off, especially since I just told you to do something and you refused.”

I swallow hard, wondering if I’ll be able to find another job with early day shift hours to accommodate my schedule and jarring need for income.

CHAPTER 3

Declan

It’s been a long damn time since a woman’s interested me like this, and oddly, the way I know she’s interesting is that my palm actually itches to spank her ass for her impertinence. I’m not taking it personally as Declan Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood fortune and thus should be obeyed in all things, but as a petite, curvy, hot as fuck woman who doesn’t seem to be intimidated by me in the slightest.

Also, she appears to have a brain and some common sense. As her employer and one who exacts the best in customer service, I’m even going to give her bonus points for being concerned about meeting her duties to the other suites she’s set to clean this morning.

No, I want to spank her ass because I have a feeling she’d like it, and I sure as fuck would.

Regardless, I have a pressing problem, and she seems to have the solution. Plus, she’s assertive, quick thinking, understands the Blackwood philosophies on customer satisfaction, and appears intelligent.

Since I just fired mine, I also happen to be without a personal assistant right now.

“I’m going to have you work as my personal assistant.” My authoritarian tone comes naturally when I’m making business decisions. “I’ll call my assistant general manager to inform him to find someone to cover your duties today. You can start by calling the Desert Rose—”

“With all due respect,” she says, speaking firmly. “I decline your offer to be your assistant.”

My body goes taut. People don’t