A man walked into the lobby just as Blaire took over desk duty. Everything about him was dark. Even his clothes matched his mood. He had a brooding look about him that made people step aside. It didn't bother her. She'd seen all kinds in her travels. To her he could take his brooding and stuff it.
He stepped in front of the desk but didn't smile. Didn't matter to her. She smiled graciously.
"I called earlier for a booking."
Blaire only nodded. "Name, please."
He hesitated and the look he gave her wasn't pleasant as if she should know who he was without asking. "Steele Blackwell."
She punched up the name in her computer, found it. "I'll need an I.D., please."
"You can ditch the credit card number I gave you. I'm paying in cash."
She coughed to cover her laugh. "Sorry. We don't take cash or checks. Just credit cards."
He was silent for a long moment, an icy chill hanging in the air. Finally, he reached inside the back pocket of his black jeans and retrieved his bi-fold wallet. He flipped it open to remove his credit card. She was watching and didn't miss the flash of silver he quickly covered up.
He fished out his driver's license and slid it and his credit card toward her. She picked them up, and just to be safe, input the address listed on his license into the computer. She ran the credit card through the machine, halfway hoping it would be denied. She was a little disappointed when it wasn't.
"I'd like a room as far away from noise and other occupants as possible."
She returned his cards, crossed her arms on the counter in front of her. "Mr. Blackwell, we're at full occupancy now with your room. Perhaps you should go elsewhere if you're wanting that kind of privacy."
He shot her a glance of annoyance. "Fine. Whatever you have."
Blaire turned to her computer, printed off the invoice and slid it across the counter to him. "Any other questions?"
He stared at her a moment, his eyes dark and brood-ing. "No."
"Okay, then." She handed him the key cards. "Here's your cards. Have a pleasant stay."
He took the cards, looked at them and walked out the front door. She watched as he got into a red sports car reminiscent of one she'd seen in a movie. Which one she couldn't say.
Hmm. Interesting.
She chuckled. She wouldn't trust that man under any circumstances. On a curious whim, she changed from the in-house database to the internet. She stared at the screen, wondering what she was doing. Could she really check a guest to satisfy her curiosity?
Oh, what the hell. It was just an innocent search.
