Harlequin

Have Mercy Jo Leigh

1 AT THIRTY-TWO, Will Desmond had traveled the world, created a successful business and been with beautiful and accomplished women—sometimes simultaneously—but he’d never had a dog. Until now. Buster, an odd blending of Jack Russell terrier and dachshund, was six months old and ill-behaved, but he was the kind of cute that made women stop in the middle of shopping tostare, to coo. It wouldn’t have shocked Will if a mere touch to Buster’s little brown head kick-started ovulation. And if attracting women had been his goal, Will would have been a very happy man. But he needed Buster for something else. Something far less pleasant. Buster, the adorable puppy with the big amber eyes, was Will’s shill. There was still a great deal to discover before the real work wouldbegin. A lot of questions that needed answering. Why Hush, for example. The hotel was as beautiful as it was controversial. A place no mother would send her daughter. Filled with celebrities, sex and scandal, according to the billboards, the tabloids, the ads in glossy magazines. He hadn’t expected it to be this classy. Art deco influences led the way to soft, cool luxury. Everything in the lobbywas designed to welcome, to make the guest feel special and pampered. Even the staff had that beautiful but not unattainable aura about them, from the concierge to the bartender. It was a hot spot for the young and wealthy. So what the hell was Drina doing here? Of all the hotels in New York, she’d picked Hush? It didn’t add up. Yet. With Buster in his carrier, Will cruised through the bar,Erotique, liking the soft jazz that played in the background and the way the tables offered a nice place to sit and talk, instead of screaming over rock music. He thought about getting himself a cognac, but he still had to register, and besides, it was only five-thirty, and he hadn’t had dinner. Instead, he studied the clientele. There wasn’t a slacker in the bunch. Designer labels, two-hundred-dollarhaircuts, high-paying jobs. There were more Rolexes per table than he’d seen since he’d stayed at the Pierre. Although this crowd was a lot younger. There’d been a big article about Hush in the papers a couple of months ago. A paparazzo had been murdered in the basement nightclub and a film mogul had gone down, but Will couldn’t remember the details. He’d have to look it up. What he did rememberwas reading about the amenities that came with every room. An armoire filled with sex toys, costumes, videos. Everything a true hedonist could wish for, and then some. Too bad he was here on business. It was time to check in. Behind the glossy ebony reservation desk were two attractive staffers, both wearing the signature black tuxedos with pink bow ties. The pink neon Hush on the wall behind themlooked surprisingly sleek. As polished as the hotel’s image. “Reservation for Desmond.” Charlene, who had amazing red hair and the complexion to go with it, smiled as she looked him up on the computer. She smiled wider when he put Buster on the counter and she got a glimpse of the charmer inside the box. The downside was that it took about ten minutes to get his key, to get directions toPetQuarters, the hotel within the hotel that catered to pampered pets, and to pry Buster away from not only Charlene, but also Kennedy, Blake and Mia, all of whom were equally attractive and bedazzled by the mighty power of the adorable puppy. Finally, it was just him, Buster and his rolling luggage in the elevator, along with a couple of worker bees from

Dynatech who, from the looks of things, couldn’twait to jump each other’s bones. But they got off on eight. The elevator stopped three more times before reaching the fourteenth floor, and it was gratifying that not all of the appreciative glances from the lady passengers were directed at Buster. He’d have to come back to Hush another time. When he had nothing on his mind but R & R. Once inside the suite, Hush surprised him yet again. They’d...