Five Star Desire

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“Yeah,” she responded as casually as she could manage, turning back to face her friend. “That’s Kellen.” He was the last person Addison had expected to run into here of all places. The thought that he had followed her entered her mind, but she quickly chased it away. Why would he do something like that?

“Did you mention that you were coming here for dinner?” Tia asked.

Addison shook her head. She realized her friend had the same idea. “I’m sure this is a coincidence.”

“I recognized him from the magazine articles and pictures on the internet about his family. He looks much better in person.”

“If you like that sort, I guess,” Addison uttered with a shrug of nonchalance. “I personally don’t care for his arrogance.”

Tia gave a short laugh. “I’m sure you can handle him.”

“For sure,” Addison responded with a chuckle.

“So what’s he like?” Tia asked in a whisper that somehow managed to carry over the noisy din of the crowded dining hall.

“I have to be honest. Kellen can be so frustrating at times. He thinks that he can do whatever he wants because his last name is Alexander.”

“I take it that you two are not getting along?”

“We don’t get along at all,” Addison uttered. “He doesn’t respect me, Tia. If I say blue—he wants to make it red.”

Tia frowned. “You just need to set him straight with a quickness.”

Addison nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I do need to have a conversation with him. As much as I don’t want to fire my employer’s son, it might just come to that.”

“Maybe it’s what he needs. You can’t let Kellen Alexander run over you. Make sure he knows that you’re the boss.”

“He’s so talented and smart, Tia. In fact, I’m pretty sure that he wanted my position but didn’t get it, and this is why he has such an attitude.”

“Well, it’s good to see that his family doesn’t hand out titles to the children just because they have Alexander as their last name.”

Addison agreed. “Malcolm has always been fair. He’s a lot like Robert DePaul.”

Her gaze landed on Kellen.

When he laid eyes on her, Addison waved in greeting.

He walked toward their table.

“Good evening, ladies,” Kellen greeted.

“Hello,” they said in unison.

Addison gestured toward her friend and announced, “This is Tia.”

His full mouth moved slowly and she saw his white, perfectly straight teeth. But more than that, his face lightened as his smile reached right to his eyes and claimed Addison’s ability to breathe in the process.

“Tia, it’s nice to meet you.” Kellen turned his attention back to Addison. “I see we have something in common.”

“Imagine that,” she murmured with a smile. “Are you having dinner alone?”

“Actually, I’m waiting on a friend.” He glanced over his shoulder and said, “Here she comes now.”

Her heart stuttered a bit, but Addison kept her expression blank.

A surprising surge of envy swept through her. She didn’t know why it bothered her. A man who looked like him probably could have any woman he chose. She was pretty certain that he had a girlfriend somewhere in the world. Kellen was much too handsome to be single.

He made the introductions. “This is Carolyn. She and I attended grad school together.”

“She’s cute,” Tia said when Kellen and Carolyn navigated to their table. “Do you think they’re dating?”

“I don’t know,” Addison responded. “He introduced her as his friend. Maybe that’s all they are.”

“I don’t know. They seem pretty cozy.”

She glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze collided with Kellen’s brilliant gray eyes and held. Addison felt a threat of embarrassment that he’d caught her staring.

Tia chuckled.

Addison turned her attention back to her best friend. “What’s so funny?”

“You are. I know that you’re attracted to Kellen Alexander.”

“He’s good-looking and I’m not blind, but being attracted to him—I’m not.”

“This is me you’re talking to, Addison.”

“Okay, so I’m attracted to him, but he is my employee. I’m not going to cross that line.”

Addison meant everything she was saying. It just wasn’t as easy as that. She was acutely conscious of him sitting at the table behind her. His presence was strong—too strong for her to ignore.

* * *

It was after 11:00 p.m., and Kellen decided that he needed to find something to snack on—he could no longer ignore his grumbling stomach. He heated up a piece of grilled chicken that was leftover from his dinner earlier.

He could not stop thinking about Addison. The image of the woman floated to the forefront of his mind. He hadn’t expected to run into her at the restaurant.

A smile formed as he recalled the look she had given Carolyn. It was as if she was jealous. The thought amused him. Kellen wondered if she had a boyfriend. Although frustrating at times, Addison was beautiful and smart. But she seemed guarded, as well, prompting him to wonder at the reason.

In the office, she was the ultimate professional. At times, he wondered if Addison ever let her hair down to have a good time. He observed her as she enjoyed dinner with her friend and noted that she still seemed a bit reserved.

He finished his meal and then headed upstairs to shower and change into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt.

Afterward, he settled down in the living room to watch television, although his mind was elsewhere. Kellen could not get Addison out of his mind. He was attracted to her, despite his efforts to resist that particular emotion.

* * *

The next morning, Kellen strolled into the kitchen. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” his parents responded in unison.

“Did I interrupt something?” he inquired as he loaded his plate with homemade biscuits, bacon, scrambled eggs and grits. “Sounds like you two were in a deep conversation when I came in.”

Barbara wiped her mouth with the edge of her napkin. “We were discussing the plans for a hotel in North Carolina.”

“I’m assuming ADDG is handling all phases of the designs,” Kellen said. He stuck a forkful of eggs in his mouth.

“They are,” Malcolm confirmed. “Your mom suggested that we consider Atlanta, as well.”

“I think that’s a great idea, but have you thought about going international?”

Malcolm met his gaze. “You really think so, son?”

Kellen nodded. “I do.”

He finished his breakfast while they continued to discuss the future of the company.

Fifteen minutes later, Kellen was in his car and on the freeway heading to the office in Beverly Hills. He could hardly wait to see Addison—he wanted to discuss his participation on the Alexander-DePaul Hotel project.

He sat his backpack in his office before heading to Addison’s office.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Kellen asked from the doorway.

“Sure,” Addison responded calmly. “Come in and have a seat.”

Even now she was trying to assume control, he thought silently. This was a woman who felt her position was threatened, and was determined to stand her ground.

“My dad mentioned that we are going forward with a new hotel in North Carolina.”

“We are,” she confirmed.

“I actually designed one while I was in school.”

“The one in your portfolio?”

“Yes.”

Addison sat up straight in her chair. “It’s nice, but the design specifics are not what your father wants. It’s too modern.”

“I don’t mind making changes,” Kellen stated. “I can sit down with him and—”

“Your father has already approved the initial design of the hotel,” Addison interjected.

His mouth tightened.

“Kellen, I know that you think you’re ready to take on a project this size, but you still have so much to learn.” Nervously, she moistened her dry lips. “It’s a bit more involved.”

“What is with you?” he asked.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you this threatened by me?” Kellen knew he was going too far, but he forged ahead.

Anger flashed in her eyes. “Just because you are an Alexander doesn’t bother me in the least. I have been in your shoes, Kellen, and I had to learn the technical. You have to do the same thing.”

“I studied hotel models in college, Addison. I do know what I’m doing. Besides that, I am an Alexander.” He studied her face for a moment to see if her expression would change, but it remained the same.

After a moment she got up and closed the door to her office. “It’s becoming pretty obvious that we can’t work together.”

“So what are you saying?” he wanted to know, folding his arms across his chest.

“I’m saying that you’re fired, Kellen.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise. “I’m sure I didn’t hear you correctly.”

“You’re fired,” Addison repeated. “I have treated you fairly and as any other associate, but you insist on challenging me at every turn. I can’t have you here undermining me or my leadership.”

He met her gaze straight on. “You can’t fire me.”

“I just did.”

“You’re making a huge mistake, Addison. My father is not going to let this stand.”

“At some point, you need to take responsibility for your choices in life and stop counting on your father to bail you out.”

Anger flooded through him. “I don’t need my dad to bail me out of anything. You have an issue with men. You’re so insecure in your position that you don’t know how to just be a leader. In fact, I think my being an Alexander does bother you, Addison. I have the talent and the brains for this. I know it and you know it, too.”

“You have a lot of potential, Kellen,” she admitted. “You also have a lot of arrogance, which overshadows that potential. You’re a brilliant man, but your egotism gets in the way. It’s such a waste of talent.”

“This isn’t over,” he uttered before storming out of her office. Kellen shook with anger. He imagined that Addison would have a hard time explaining to Malcolm that she had just fired his son.