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Hot Sheets
By Jeanie London Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.
Copyright © 2004 Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.
All right reserved. ISBN: 0-373-79157-7
Chapter One
"LET THE SEX GAMES BEGIN!" Truer words had never been spoken. Laura Granger had crammed the schedule with more erotic events during the next three weeks than this old hotel had ever seen. That said a lot since the property had been built well over a hundred years ago.
Falling Inn Bed, and Breakfast, or Falling Inn Bed as it was locally known, had started life during the 1880s boom that had earned Niagara Falls, New York, a place on the social calendar. Its evolution since that era had seen it alternately sparkle like a jewel and fade beneath the grime of the decades. But its most interesting development, as far as Laura was concerned, was its rebirth five years ago as a romance resort.
The term "romance resort" roughly translated into an upscale old hotel that specialized in sex, and as the inn's special events coordinator, or bedding consultant as she was commonly known, Laura knew firsthand just how much sex permeated the mood around here. She could call the newly updated promotional blurb into memory by heart.
Fun, active and romantic, Falling Inn Bed, and Breakfast is a unique resort, the perfect escape for energetic - and slightly wicked! - couples looking to ignite the spark.
Accommodations include suites exclusively designed for romance with lush settings such as the Roman Bagnio, Victorian Bordello, Sultan's Seraglio, Warlord's Tower, Wild West Brothel, Demimondaine's Boudoir, Roaring Twenties'Speakeasy, Sixties'Love Nest, Red-light District and the Space Odyssey.
A variety of exclusive shops offer erotic enhancements designed to drive couples wild, and with the grand opening of the new Wedding Wing, newlyweds will have a one-stop spot to accommodate all their naughty nuptial needs.
Unable to resist a smile, Laura gazed around the lobby of the inn's prized new addition. The Wedding Wing ... this was her baby, an idea realized from conception through construction and now inauguration. She'd spent the past two years bringing her vision for this fantasy wedding operation to life and she couldn't possibly be prouder of the result.
Light from a crystal chandelier illuminated the New England antiques arranged in welcoming clusters around the lobby. A small-scale reservation desk ran along the west wall, directly opposite her pride and joy - a Mireille Marceaux oil painting, showcased behind museum- quality glass.
The glass display had depleted a chunk of her budget, but the expense had been necessary to meet the terms of arranging the painting's loan for the grand opening. And acquiring this art, even for a visit, had been quite a coup. Not only was the nude a regional beauty, but she set the whole tone for the new wing. And to Laura's mind brought good luck for the all-important grand opening events.
She needed all the good luck she could get right now.
Falling Woman would do the trick. Surrounded by lush forest and mist from the falls, the woman in the painting held a sheer veil that spilled over her curves like a waterfall. Laura believed her sultry smile meant she approved of her new home, a place where newlyweds kicked off sensual happily-ever-afters.
As the name implied, the Wedding Wing's sole function was to accommodate weddings. Five floors of banquet halls, guest rooms, romance-themed honeymoon suites and even a brand-new full-service spa to pamper guests.
The grand opening had been officially dubbed the Naughty Nuptials, and the ensuing promotional campaign would span three weeks of highly publicized events. Week one was dedicated to Wild, Wild Weddings.
Laura had a typical slate of bridal functions scheduled, but with a Falling Inn Bed twist. A sex- toy shower, bad bachelor/ette parties and racy rehearsal dinner would culminate in a real wedding and kick off week two of the campaign - Risque Receptions, which would be followed by Hottest Honeymoons in week three.
This grand opening promised to go down in history. It needed to. The management staff of Falling Inn Bed had wagered their personal and professional futures on the Wedding Wing's success. While they'd never expressed anything but total faith in Laura's ability to pull off this event, their trust underscored every decision she made, alternately empowering and weighing on her.
As if on cue, the radio affixed to her belt crackled and a Scottish burr rolled out on a wave of static. "Do you copy, bedding consultant?"
Unfastening the radio, Laura glanced down at her watch - almost check-in time. "Whisper sweet nothings, handyman."
"You've got a double date in the main lobby," the inn's maintenance supervisor, Dougray, said.
A double date. A couple.
Laura exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd held. The special guest she awaited hadn't arrived yet, but she knew he'd check in soon enough and end her suspense. She'd find out once and for all if he were bringing a date. Knowing what she knew about him, he'd not only bring a date, but a date who'd prove he'd completely forgotten how he'd once flirted with her.
But if luck rode with her and he arrived alone ...
Until Laura knew either way, she distracted herself with the full house coming in for the inaugural events. She'd instructed the staff to let her know when her guests started to check in, so she could escort them to the Wedding Wing personally. Attentive service would start off the grand opening right.
"That's a copy, handyman," she said. "ETA a heartbeat."
"Show time," she said to the front desk clerk, who'd just reappeared from an office behind the desk.
The clerk, dressed smartly in Falling Inn Bed's gold-trimmed uniform, saluted, and Laura returned the salute before making her way from the lobby to the main portion of the inn.
Once again she couldn't help marveling at the smooth transition as the new building segued into the original. She could detect no discernible difference between the new architecture and that which dated one-hundred-plus years - a remarkable accomplishment by a brilliant architect, who'd worked for nearly two years to achieve the effect.
A very attractive architect, who would soon arrive for the grand opening events.
Hopefully alone.
Squelching the thought before she made herself crazy, Laura passed through the promenade of shops connecting the main lobby with the Wedding Wing and found herself face-to-face with her Hottest Honeymoon Couple.
Lieutenant Commander Troy Knight and his wife Miranda looked just as picture perfect as they had the last time she'd seen them, only now the Lieutenant Commander wore sportswear rather than an officer's uniform. Miranda looked ... well, like Miranda always did - perfect. She was a vision in her sleeveless silk boucle suit - with coordinating hat, purse and high-heeled slides, of course - perfectly attired for arrival at a romance resort on a beautiful summer day.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Hot Sheets by Jeanie London Copyright © 2004 by Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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