OPERATION BABE-MAGNET / OPERATION BEAUTY

by Kristin Gabriel

  All because of Dexter.

  She smiled to herself as she remembered their heated embraces of the night before. He definitely didn't need romance lessons from Harry or anyone else. Her Dexter was just right.

  Perfect, in fact.

  She reached out for him, but couldn't find his warm, hard body on the other side of the bed. Half-sitting up in bed, she blinked at the rumpled bedclothes and empty pillow.

  Then she saw the note.

  Tamping down the first wave of uneasiness, she picked it up and read it.

  Had to go out for a while, but I ordered breakfast for you. I'll be back as soon as I can. Go ahead and eat without me.

  Yours, Dexter

  She smiled at his thoughtfulness. She'd taken the biggest risk of her life last night, but instead of screwing up like she usually did, she'd found the love of her life.

  Feeling energized, she hopped out of bed and put on Dexter's robe. Then she moved toward the table, lifting the silver lid off the big porcelain platter to see an enticing array of fresh croissants and muffins, along with an assortment of jams and jellies. She slid into the chair, her stomach rumbling, and reached for a cornbread muffin.

  As she slathered strawberry jelly across one half of the muffin, she wondered where exactly Dexter had to go at this hour of the morning. And why he hadn't mentioned it last night. It would have been nice to wake up together. To share breakfast and blushes on the first day of their new life together.

  "Hold it," she admonished herself aloud. "You're getting ahead of yourself again. Dexter didn't say anything about a future together."

  But after last night, she couldn't imagine her life any other way. She and Dexter belonged together. Still, prickles of uneasiness assailed her as she bit into the muffin. Building a life together wouldn't be easy. For starters, Dexter would have to give up his job at Studs-R-Us. She'd told herself his past didn't matter, but it did bother her to think of him with all those women. Had last night been special for him? Or just like any other job?

  She put down her muffin, suddenly losing her appetite. She hated these doubts, knowing her past and her insecurities about men were to blame. If only Dexter had been here when she woke up. Her imagination always tended to run away with her when she had too much time alone to think.

  A knock on the hotel room door made her heart jump in her chest. Dexter. She smiled to herself as she hurried toward the door. He probably forgot his key. She knew that as soon as she saw him, as soon as he held her in his arms, all her fears would disappear.

  Her hand grasped the doorknob, then she hesitated, too safety savvy to open the door before she knew for certain who was behind it. She quickly finger-combed her hair, wishing she'd had time to put on a touch of makeup before seeing Dexter this morning. She wanted to look perfect for him.

  Another knock sounded, louder this time.

  Her heart beat a rapid tattoo in her chest and her body began to tingle at the anticipation of Dexter holding her again. "Who's there?"

  "Police. We'd like to ask you a few questions."

  Dexter raced back to the hotel, furious with his grandfather for sending him on a wild-goose chase. He'd spent the last two hours at the park, approaching strangers wearing blue coats and asking them for the secret to winning the game. One woman had fled in terror, three people had made rude comments, and one had waved down a security officer who had strongly suggested Dexter leave the amusement park immediately.

  Unable to flag down a taxi, he'd jogged the twenty blocks back to the hotel. Now out of breath, he paused by the side entrance to check his watch. He'd have just enough time to change into his Harry Hanover clothes and insert his contact lenses before the luncheon. And to kiss Kylie. From now on, he'd always make time for that.

  Straightening his tie, he walked into the hotel lobby, already milling with crowds of people. Three hundred guests were scheduled to attend the Stop Domestic Violence luncheon and it looked as if half of them had already arrived.

  He wove his way through the throng, slowly making progress toward the bank of elevators. Suddenly, a rush of people shot in front of him. He looked up to see Kylie emerge from the elevator, flanked on either side by a policeman. Her face was ashen and brown eyes wide. They flared with panic when cameras started flashing and hordes of journalists surrounded her.

  "Is it true that Harry Hanover is a fugitive from justice?" one reporter shouted.

  "Did you know about Hanover's criminal past before you hired him for this publicity tour?" shouted another.

  A tall, bony blonde holding a microphone elbowed her way to the front of the crowd, bringing her nose to nose with Kylie. "Is Hanover charged with any crimes against women? Was his strong stand against domestic violence really just a ruse to seek out new victims?"

  Dexter stood frozen in the crowd. All their plans to reveal the truth in their own way and time had come tumbling down. This was chaos, and unless he quickly found a way to minimize the damage, Handy Press was finished.

  Obviously none of the press recognized him in his old clothes and glasses, or they would have descended on him, too. If the police didn't nab him first. Then he'd have to prove he wasn't the real Harry Hanover. They would ask him countless questions. Questions he couldn't answer if he wanted to win the game. To win his dream.

  Which meant he had to choose between Kylie or winning the game. And suddenly it was the easiest choice he'd ever made. Winning the game simply didn't matter anymore. All that mattered in his life was Kylie and she needed him.

  Dexter started forward, impeded by the crowd, then stopped. He had to think. His sudden appearance at Kylie's side would only arouse more questions, more chaos. He'd have a better chance of figuring a way out of this mess if he wasn't under arrest.

  His heart ached at the bewildered expression on her face and he wanted nothing more to go to her and shelter her in his arms. But that wouldn't help her or Handy Press in the long run.

  Which left him with only one alternative.

  Kylie moved as if she was in a fog. The shock of finding the police at the hotel room door had been compounded by the realization that they knew all about Harry Hanover. Apparently, one of the reporters had contacted some of Harry's old friends who had been burned in a phony investment scheme. The story had snowballed from there. The only thing the reporter hadn't discovered was that Dexter wasn't the real Harry Hanover.

  Kylie had tried to explain to the police about Dexter's charade, but they'd looked skeptical when she'd relayed the whole story. And more than a little suspicious that Dexter had disappeared.

  Now they wanted to take her down to the station for questioning.

  As the policemen herded her through the curious, boisterous crowd in the lobby, she replied to each question shot at her by firmly saying, "No comment."

  She needed time to prepare an official statement from Handy Press. Once this mess was straightened out, then she could move on to damage control. In her experience, shouting out denials and trying to fit explanations into small sound bites always led to disaster.

  They were almost to the door when she saw him in the crowd. Dexter. Her heart leapt at the sight of his handsome face. She could handle anything with the man she loved by her side. Just knowing Dexter was nearby made her feel stronger. Safer.

  Their gazes met and he mouthed three words to her. I love you.

  Then a journalist jostled her from behind, causing Kylie to stumble. When she regained her balance, she looked back into the crowd for Dexter, but he had disappeared. The doorman hurried to swing the door open for Kylie and her police escort. She could see the shiny cruiser parked at the front curb, but she couldn't leave without Dexter. He was the missing part to her story. The missing part of her heart.

  "Let's go, Ms. Timberlake," one of the cops said, nudging her elbow.

  She turned and looked frantically back at the crowd, searching for some sign of the man she loved. Tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. Her throat tightened as both cops finally grasped her
arms and pulled her out the door and into the waiting cruiser.

  I love you. If he'd really meant those words, why wasn't he here? Seated in the cruiser, she closed her eyes, certain this was a nightmare. If she just waited long enough, she'd wake up in Dexter's arms.

  Leaning her head back against the seat cushion, she took a deep shuddering breath. The police radio crackled, announcing crimes in progress and dispatching units. The officers in the front seat were discussing where they should eat lunch today. The driver preferred Italian, his partner wanted Chinese.

  Kylie opened her eyes as reality came crashing down on her. Last night had meant nothing to Dexter. She was obviously just a client to him. She'd given him her body, as well as her heart and soul. He'd given her good service.

  Her stomach twisted into a tight knot when she thought of the way she'd thrown herself at him last night. In the light of day, Dexter hadn't been so willing to acknowledge her. He certainly hadn't come to her rescue. Instead, he'd just turned and walked away.

  Just like every other man in her life.

  * * *

  15

  « ^ »

  Kylie breathed a sigh of relief when Evan entered the precinct, followed by a tall brunette carrying a briefcase. "What took you so long?"

  "I had to track down the best lawyer in Pennsylvania," Evan replied, motioning to the woman beside him. "This is Chandra Coffman. Chandra, this is my big sister, Kylie."

  Chandra smiled as she held out her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

  "Really?" Kylie looked back and forth between them. They seemed very comfortable with each other and Evan could barely take his eyes off of Chandra. Had her brother been holding out on her?

  The attorney seated herself at the conference table and motioned Kylie to do the same. "Evan tells me you're in a bit of trouble."

  She slumped back in her chair. "I think that's an understatement."

  Evan pulled out a chair next to Chandra and sat down. "I don't understand why you're still here. Didn't you tell the police that the real Harry Hanover is long gone?"

  "Several times," Kylie replied. "But since Dexter isn't here to back me up, they're not quite ready to believe me. They haven't actually placed me under arrest yet, but I think they're considering it."

  Chandra arched a brow. "Who is Dexter?"

  "Dexter Dependable Kane," Kylie said wryly. "He's the gigolo I hired to play the part of Harry Hanover for the book tour."

  Chandra brow furrowed. "Tall? Brown hair? Glasses?"

  "Yes," Kylie replied, wondering if this woman had been one of his clients. A spark of jealousy flared inside of her. "Do you know him?"

  "I certainly do. But Dexter Kane is no gigolo." She laughed. "He's more of a gigabyte nerd. He's also one of the heirs to the Kane Corporation."

  "The game company?" Evan asked.

  "That's right. It's owned by Amos Kane, a certified loon. But Crazy Amos is rich enough to get away with it. If Dexter is impersonating gigolos now, maybe he's every bit as crazy as his grandfather."

  Kylie shook her head. "It can't be the same man. Dexter would have told me…" But would he? She realized how little he'd actually confided about himself or his personal life. She knew he had a brother, but he'd been deliberately vague when pressed for further details.

  Chandra glanced at Evan, then turned back to Kylie. "Dexter chaired a state fund-raiser for a community service group I belong to. But he was AWOL at the last meeting, which definitely isn't his style. He is the most responsible, punctual man I know. The receptionist at the Kane Corporation was deliberately obtuse when I called there looking for him after the meeting. She refused to connect me to his brother Sam, too."

  Sam. Her heart sank to her toes. Sam was the name of Dexter's brother. Which meant they were talking about the same man. Worse, it meant that Dexter had been deceiving her all this time. He wasn't a gigolo, he was a business executive. The only question was why had he ever hired on at Studs-R-Us. Was it a lark? An early midlife crisis? The first signs of insanity?

  Kylie closed her eyes, wishing she would have listened to her instincts. She'd known from the start that Dexter didn't fit the gigolo mold. But she'd been so desperate to find someone to play the role of Harry Hanover that she'd ignored her better judgment.

  And look where it had gotten her.

  "I still can't believe Dexter could actually pull off a stunt like this," Chandra said, slowly shaking her head. "Stud is not the first word that comes to mind to describe Dexter Kane. Intelligent, yes. Driven, definitely. But he's always shown more interest in hard drives than sex drives."

  Kylie opened her mouth to defend the man she loved, but abruptly shut it again. The man she loved didn't exist. She'd created him in her mind just like she'd created Dexter's new image. Only new clothing and contact lenses couldn't change a person's heart. And Dexter had shown her his true identity when he'd abandoned her at the hotel.

  Evan leaned forward in his chair and reached for her hand. "I know this comes as a shock, Kylie. But the important thing now is to get you out of here. If we need Dexter to corroborate your story before the police will let you go, then we'll simply have to find him."

  "Good luck," she muttered, not certain she ever wanted to see him again. On the one hand, she'd like to give him a piece of her mind for playing her for a fool. Unfortunately, she feared the urge to throw herself into his arms would overwhelm the outrage she was feeling at the moment. Despite his lies and betrayal, Dexter Kane was the only man she'd ever given her whole heart to unconditionally.

  And he'd probably be the last.

  "I can try his cell phone number," Chandra said, hauling the black telephone on the conference table toward her. She picked up the receiver and started dialing.

  Kylie shook her head. "He won't come."

  "How do you know?" Evan asked.

  "I just do."

  "No answer." Chandra hung up the receiver and pushed the phone away. "If I could just find him and talk to him, tell him how important this is. The guy's a little shy, but he's always been dependable."

  "It's worth a try," Evan concurred. "When did you last see him, Kylie?"

  A blush burned in her cheeks. "Last night." She didn't intend to tell her brother how much of Dexter she'd seen. Or the fact that they'd been in his bed at the time.

  But from the glance Chandra and Evan exchanged, she sensed they'd already guessed as much.

  The attorney rose to her feet. "Let me talk to the lieutenant in charge of the case. Maybe we can work something out."

  Evan waited until Chandra had left the conference room before he turned back to his sister. "Well?"

  She tipped up her chin. "Well, what?"

  "Do you want to tell me what's really going on between you and Kane?"

  "No. As a matter of fact, I don't." But to her horror, tears rilled her eyes."

  "Ah, hell." Evan got up and circled the table, then knelt down by Kylie's chair and wrapped his arms around her. "That big, dumb jerk hurt you, didn't he?"

  "It's happened before," she said on a choked sob. "I'll get over it."

  Evan stared at her for a long moment. "I don't think so. I saw the way you were looking at him in Hanover's cabin. This was more than a fling for you."

  She swiped a renegade tear off of her cheek. "That's because I'm an idiot. An impulsive idiot. I don't have anyone besides myself to blame, Evan. Really. I practically threw myself at the man."

  "Right," Evan said wryly. "I'm sure you had to drag Kane kicking and screaming the whole way."

  She sniffed. "Not exactly."

  "I didn't think so."

  She shook her head. "But that still doesn't excuse my tendency to leap first and look later. I didn't even know the real Dexter! Will I ever learn from my mistakes?"

  "Mistakes are just a part of life, sis," he said, tenderly brushing another tear off of her cheek. "They help make us strong."

  She took a shaky breath. "I don't feel very strong at the moment."

  "I
know." He smiled. "But I've got just the thing to make you feel better."

  "Mocha almond fudge ice cream?"

  "That's right. Guaranteed to cure every ill in the Timberlake family. Hey, it helped me beat Hodgkin's disease, didn't it?"

  She sat up in her chair, feeling a little foolish for falling apart over a ruptured romance. Evan had faced and conquered much worse. How could she give up on life now? No matter how empty it seemed.

  "Can I have the whole quart?" she asked, swallowing down the last sob.

  "We'll binge and buy a gallon if I can see a smile."

  Kylie gave him a tremulous smile, hoping he couldn't see the heartbreak in her eyes.

  The door to the conference room opened and Chandra stuck her head inside. "You're free to go, Kylie. I promised the lieutenant you'd be available for questioning at any time. They're still in the process of gathering data on Harry Hanover, so the investigation is at somewhat of a standstill anyway."

  Kylie rose out of her chair. "All they have to do is wait until the newspapers hit the streets tomorrow morning. I'm sure they'll be full of headlines about the story. And about Handy Press."

  Evan handed Kylie her purse. "They say there's no such thing as bad publicity."

  She shook her head. "This isn't going to be bad, Evan. It will be disastrous."

  He sighed. "Then there's only one thing we can do."

  "Buy two gallons of mocha almond fudge ice cream?" Kylie ventured.

  "That's right." He put his arm around her. "Let's go home."

  Dexter sat in his office at the Kane Corporation and stared at his computer screen as the letters blurred together. He'd spent the last few hours trying to get the words just right. Only he kept seeing Kylie's face. Remembering the haunted look in her beautiful brown eyes. It literally made his chest ache.

  "Concentrate, Kane," he admonished himself, revising the last paragraph. This was the most important thing he'd ever written. He had to get it just right.