Excerpt of Conference Cupid by Eden Elgabri

The music stopped and Devin froze. He’d been hoping he could set up and leave a note before she came out of the bathroom. That way she’d call for the complimentary massage and he’d show up to give it. Not that he knew a lot about giving massages, but he’d enjoyed so many since he took over the hotel, he figured he’d be able to wing it.

Placing the warmed blanket over the sheeted cushioned table he stood erect as footsteps neared. That wasn’t the only thing erect and Devin moved behind the table so her first glance wouldn’t show his aroused state.

He salivated. Be naked. Be naked. Be naked, his mind chanted. That way if she threw him out at least he’d get a glance. Why was it, the second Keary Galloway came to mind, he transformed back into a horny high school kid?

Damn, a hotel robe. Still she looked luscious. And scared. Keary stood mid-step into the room staring at him, her eyes wide with shock. His tongue felt thick in his throat. He cleared it. “Ms. Galloway, part of the extras that come with this suite is a first night complimentary massage. I’m Devin, and I’m here to make sure when you go to sleep tonight, your body is completely relaxed.”

She stood in the entranceway soundless and he waited while she tried to make sense of his lie. The massage was complimentary, but it had nothing to do with the suite. He’d overheard enough times what these romance writers dreamed of. Now he planned on becoming part of a fantasy.

Well, his at least.

“How.... wonderful. But I thought you were a model?”

Good question. Now why hadn’t he thought of that? “Actually I work for the hotel.” That’s it; try to stick close to the truth. “I know one of the models and agreed to help out tonight. They were a little short handed.”

Short handed. He had to go out of his way to stage his modeling debut. Not exactly an easy task keeping the rest of the staff from noticing that the owner pranced around half naked in a loin cloth.