Page 15 of Wild Nights

I checked into the hotel and was given a welcome basket from the resort. This was fairly common with most good hotels. They loved conferences and wanted us to return. I wasn't the one in charge of booking locations, but if there was a problem, I'd pass that along to my client.

When he handed me the key with the room number, my heart skipped a beat. It was the same room as last time. Had Oliver arranged this? Did he know I was coming?

I took the basket and my luggage to the elevator, not relaxing until I was behind the closed door. There was nothing in the room, no note or other indication that Oliver knew I was here. I even checked the basket for any sign that he was aware of my presence.

Once I'd hung up my dresses, skirts, and blouses so they wouldn't get wrinkled, I changed into comfortable shoes and made my way to the conference room. I took my tablet that held the table arrangements. I'd painstakingly organized things so that everyone should have enough room. Some of the booths had a mirror so brides could try on dresses, and others just needed a table with brochures.

I'd forwarded the table arrangement to Eli a few weeks ago, and he'd promised he’d have everything in order when I arrived. I set the table signs on each one after I verified that it was in the right spot.

I'd gotten halfway through the chart when the door opened. I stiffened, clutching the table assignment cards against my chest.

Was it Oliver?

When I turned, I saw Eli striding toward me with a smile. "Miss Cromwell, it's good to see you again."

He shook my hand, holding it with his free one for a second longer as if he cherished our connection. It was rare to be greeted by the owner when I was setting up for a conference. It showed that the Wildes were serious about customer service.

I smiled. "It's good to see you as well."

Eli gestured around the room. "As promised, the tables are arranged according to your chart."

I nodded, following his motion. "So far, everything is set up perfectly."

"You'll let me know if there are any issues. I believe you have my cell." Eli's voice was warm and welcoming.

"I'm sure there won't be." It was rarer still for the owner to give me his cell phone number to use if there were any emergencies that came up. If it wasn't for Oliver, I'd be clamoring to host more conferences in this location. Unfortunately, I had to be on guard because my traitorous body wanted another night with him.

"If you need anything during your stay, please let the staff know. They've been instructed to treat you as a VIP."

"Oh, that's not necessary." I wondered if that was something Oliver had insisted on, and if so, it went against my initial assessment that he wasn't intimately involved with the conferences.

"We enjoy having you. Hopefully next year we'll have a spa for you to enjoy, and maybe you can stay a few extra days in our luxury cabins."

"You're building luxury cabins on the property?" That would be a selling point for my clients. It was a nice option.

"That's the plan."

"I think that's a good move."

Eli grinned. "I think so too. But my accountant is a bit more conservative. I want to be the premier ski resort in the area."

"You have stiff competition, but I think you have a unique location here." I was thinking of Breckenridge and Aspen.

"Telluride is a little different than the luxury resorts. We're tucked away here in the mountains. Some say it's a safe haven from the rest of the world."

Telluride was an escape, a reprieve from my life. I liked that description. It made me lean toward seeking Oliver out or at least enjoying one more night with him if he was interested. It would be so easy to give into temptation. But I had no idea if Oliver had given me a second thought after our text exchange.

He could have reached out at any point, but he hadn't. I'd almost anticipated it as this conference got closer. Surely, Oliver knew I'd be the one organizing it. But I wasn't positive.

"I'll let you get back to it."

"Thanks, Eli. I always appreciate the hospitality." The Wildes were different from any other owners I'd ever encountered. Mainly because I rarely met the owners of any of the resorts I'd stayed at. They weren't usually even on thepremises. But this was a family-owned business, and it showed.

I tucked away that tidbit that Eli had given me about Oliver. He hadn't given any indication that he knew about me and Oliver's night together. We never talked about keeping it a secret, but I was glad he did.

I returned to the task, enjoying the peace and quiet. Tomorrow, the vendors would arrive, and it would be chaos. There was always someone who felt like they didn't get enough space, or a new spat between vendors and they couldn't possibly be able to sit at adjacent tables.

When the room was as ready as it could be for tomorrow, I carefully closed the doors and, against my best judgment, went to the bar. I sensed the Wilde brothers in the room, at the pool table like the last time I was here.

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