Brandon (Members From Money Book 19)

by Katie Dowe

  Nicole didn’t have to look back to know that Anderson, her formidable boss who thought he ruled the entire firm with an iron fist, had a perplexed look on his face. In his world, nobody ever stood up to him. Everybody just said as he demanded, and it all worked out fine.

  But it was about time somebody did stand up to him, thought Nicole, angry. She could hardly believe that he’d had the nerve to try and make it sound as if she had been the lead on the account all along – as if everything that had gone wrong had been her fault.

  Everybody knew that that wasn’t true.

  She also knew that Anderson wouldn’t follow her advice. But now, she had more reason to make sure that the account didn’t get messed up any more. She had to worry about Max, too.

  The last thing she wanted was for him to be upset about it all the time that they were together.

  There was only one thing to do about it – she would have to keep him distracted from the moment she met him that evening, till the moment they got back. She was quite sure that she would be able to come up with something to keep him occupied.

  She might even enjoy that task far better than she enjoyed working for this smug bastard, that was for sure.

  “Was it bad?”

  Jeff’s sympathetic question nearly brought her back to the present.

  She grinned, to his surprised.

  “Well, he just tried, yet again, to make it seem like every idea that bombed was mine. I wasn’t having any of that, so we’re at a bit of an impasse. So now, we’ll just work for the rest of the day and leave all of this behind for the weekend, shall we?”

  “Good for you. Nikki. It’s about time you stood up to him,” said Jeff, as they got back to work.

  *****

  “I’m going to be out of town this weekend.”

  Noel looked up sharply at Max. To be completely honest, he had been about to recommend that Max take a break from everything that weekend. Max had been working far too hard.

  “I need your coordinates. I need to be able to reach you if I need to,” said Noel steadily.

  “I’ll be at the house in the Bahamas,” said Max, and Noel couldn’t quite conceal his surprise.

  “I’d rather charter a small flight, Noel, if you could take care of it. I’ll be going with Nicole.”

  Noel bit back a sigh. So Max had finally done it.

  “Ah, come on, Noel, don’t look like that,” teased Max.

  Noel smiled. He knew that he was Max’s friend, as much as it was possible to be.

  “No, I’m glad. You do need a break. I’m just a bit surprised that… Well, it is very fast, isn’t it?”

  Max shrugged.

  “I don’t know about that. But I do need a couple of days away. She had to convince me that it would be good for me, but I do need it. Maybe a couple of days of not worrying about anything is what I need,” said Max.

  Noel nodded.

  “Well, you haven’t left me much time. I’ll make sure everything’s taken care of, Max. Don’t worry.”

  Max smiled.

  “I know. Oh, and Noel, Nicole insists that nobody at her workplace can find out about this, so could you make sure that….”

  Noel looked surprised as he nodded, again. Nicole didn’t know it, but she had just gone up even further in Noel’s estimation. Apparently, the young lady did not intend to use her connection with their firm’s biggest client to further her own ambitions.

  Of course, Noel knew that Nicole had ambitions. He even approved of them. She was obviously very capable of doing her job, despite the debacle that their last project had turned into. When Max got back from his weekend away, they needed to discuss, seriously, the possibility of cutting short their association with Anderson. They couldn’t afford to have another catastrophe on their hands.

  “Of course, Max. My lips are sealed. If I do need anything done for the weekend, I’ll coordinate with her young colleague, not Anderson.”

  Max looked up sharply. Noel’s face had changed, just a bit, when he spoke of her young colleague. Max remembered the one he was probably talking about.

  “All right. Now, please, tell me that we have some good news,” said Max, turning away from that more personal avenue of conversation.

  Soon, the conversation turned to the pubs, which were all, thankfully, doing well. The unfortunate performance of the new ale did not reflect that of the rest of their products. For that, Max was immensely grateful.

  At the end of that conversation, Max felt more comfortable about taking a couple of days off.

  Noel left, and Max was left alone with his thoughts again.

  He was happy that he and Nicole were together, even if Nicole did insist on not letting it be known that they were. He respected her for not taking advantage of his position, to be honest. Anybody else he had dated would’ve tried to use it for their own gain.

  Nicole was very special, he thought to himself.

  She was as involved in her own ambitions as he was in his work. It was a bit disconcerting to find out how it felt. He had never before dated anybody with the kind of dedication to work that could rival his own.

  He knew that Nicole worked hard, and he was beginning to see that her boss didn’t appreciate her nearly as much as he should. Idly, he wondered if he should step in and make sure that her boss saw what he had in Nicole.

  He dismissed the idea quickly. Nicole would be livid.

  Max tried to immerse himself in his work, but the failure that he had encountered wouldn’t let him focus.

  He didn’t like it. He didn’t like how things had turned out. Something he had touched hadn’t turned out well, and it was a first for Max.

  He was glad, of course, for his family. They had rallied around him supportively, but even their affection and understanding had begun to feel a bit suffocating to him.

  Nicole was right. They did need a weekend away, to celebrate each other and what they had.

  At the moment, it did look as if everything else was gloomy, indeed. They might as well make the most of what they did have.

  By the end of the day, Max did feel better, especially because Nicole called. When he talked to her, he felt everything melt away.

  He would enjoy himself that weekend if it was the last thing he ever did, he told himself with grim determination.

  Chapter 9

  Nicole’s heart was in her mouth. She swallowed, just in case that was quite literally true.

  It wasn’t, but it didn’t abate the feeling.

  She felt like she was going to die, any minute. This was definitely not what she had signed up for. If she had a billionaire secret boyfriend, she expected to be protected from sudden death in every way feasible. She did not expect to be hurtling towards the ocean, lovely as it looked, at what seemed to be breakneck speed, and in wild abandon.

  “We’re going to die!” squealed Nicole, squeezing her eyes shut and throwing her arms over her head.

  Max glanced at her and chuckled.

  “We’re not going to die, Nicole. I can promise you that, honestly. I’ve done this a thousand times. I could do it myself if the idea didn’t make you look like you’re about to faint.”

  Nicole opened one eye just enough to glare at him. It was difficult, but she made it work.

  “If we’re not going to die, you are, when we’re back on solid ground. I’ll make sure of it,” snarled Nicole.

  Max laughed, an amused, deep belly laugh.

  The break was already doing him good. It had definitely been a good idea.

  Nicole didn’t look like she thought so anymore, but she sure as hell looked adorable.

  “That’s not a good way to begin a vacation, Nicole. It’s just a seaplane, calm down,” said Max, knowing how aggravated Nicole would be at his placatory and slightly condescending tone.

  “Easy for you to say. We’re in a rattling tin can, hurtling towards certain death, and you want me to calm down. You’ve escaped death before and it’s made you far too reckless. I want to dip m
y toes in that water and let the waves play along my feet, not crash into them in a seaplane!”

  Max looked at Nicole warily, torn between amusement and concern. He hadn’t realized how a seaplane would affect Nicole, or…

  No, he would still have chosen the seaplane. This was distracting him better than anything else had all week.

  “Just hold on to my hand,” said Max, and reached over to hold her hand.

  Nicole felt the reassurance flowing through her and wondered at it. She hadn’t thought it could be possible. But she didn’t close her eyes as she looked out of the window, and watched the turquoise expanse of water come closer and closer.

  She gulped, whimpered and bit, but kept her eyes closed as the seaplane skimmed along the water and seemed to bounce once. She felt her stomach lurch and wished she hadn’t had lunch at all.

  Thankfully, it stayed inside her.

  When it finally came to a stop, Nicole decided that she was feeling seasick.

  “I am not getting on one of these things again,” she declared, but her voice was weak and her fingers were trembling. She couldn’t even undo the seatbelt that had kept her locked in so far.

  Max had to undo it for her.

  She tried to get to her feet and nearly swooned. She knew that Max was biting back a chuckle as he slipped an arm around her and steadied her.

  “Come on, it’s over.”

  “For now,” said Nicole in a voice imbued with such despair that Max had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

  “We’ll sail back if you like,” offered Max.

  Nicole threw him a look of disdain and horror, an unusual combination that she still managed to pull off admirably well.

  “Yes, put me in a tin can on the water with no way out. That sounds like an absolutely excellent idea,” said Nicole, words dripping sarcasm.

  She was laying it on a bit thick. She knew it. But she was doing so for a reason. Her histrionics, for that’s what they were, seemed to be doing a good job of distracting Max and cheering him up. If that’s what she had to do, then that’s what she would do, decided Nicole.

  “Look around, Nicole. Aren’t you glad you’re here?”

  Nicole softened when she heard the words, and the way he said them. She turned to him and smiled.

  “I am, especially when you smile like that,” she told him, her words soft.

  They were whisked away – by boat, but Nicole seemed comfortable now, nestled in his arms – and stopped at what seemed to be a private dock, on a private beach. It took Nicole a moment to realize that it must belong to Max.

  She didn’t think she would ever get used to dating a billionaire. A private beach, all their own – it seemed like a bit much.

  “So, do you have a butler?” asked Nicole.

  Max chuckled.

  “No, but there is somebody who takes care of everything. His name is Bob. He usually makes sure there’s a cook and a housekeeper, too. But it’s just for the weekend, so I thought we might prefer some privacy, instead.”

  Nicole grinned.

  “Good thought. So this beach… How secluded is it?”

  Max laughed.

  “You can sunbathe without a stitch on if you like. Nobody will see you unless they’re flying over us.”

  Nicole took Max’s hand and found herself standing on solid-ish ground. She was glad. She had decided that she liked solid ground.

  They walked up a path, up what seemed to be a small cliff, and Nicole gasped. The holiday home was spectacular. It wasn’t exactly a cottage. It was more like a mansion.

  “That’s a pretty impressive holiday home,” she told him.

  Max shrugged.

  “I bought it a couple of years ago. Brought the entire family here once, actually. That was fun. I don’t suppose you like water sports much, judging by how you were clinging to me for dear life in the boat?”

  Nicole shrugged.

  “Well, I like the jet ski,” she told him.

  Max gaped. The woman was full of surprises that would never end, or so it seemed.

  “You act as if you’re about to die when you’re on a boat, but you like the jet ski,” said Max, disbelievingly.

  Nicole shrugged.

  She was far too interested in the perfectly landscaped grounds, and the view – oh, the view! – than in water sports, at the moment, anyway.

  “Jet skis are different. You’re in control. At least, you and the sea. On a boat, I don’t know what the hell is going on. If something goes wrong, or somebody faints or something, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

  Max shook his head in bemusement. Nicole was full of contradictions. But now that she’d explained, it made sense, in an odd kind of way.

  “Mr. Daniels, you’re here earlier than I expected,” said a voice that made Nicole whirl around.

  “Ah, Bobby. I hope your family’s well?”

  The rather wizened old man grinned.

  “As well as can be and driving me mad. And yours, Mr. Daniels?”

  Max grinned.

  “As crazy as ever. Bobby, will you ever please call me Max? Don’t make me feel like this.”

  Bobby’s brown eyes twinkled.

  “Perhaps, some day. Hello, miss.”

  Nicole grinned.

  “I’m Nicole,” she introduced herself.

  “I hope you have a good time here. If you need anything, just call. There are a couple of restaurants that will deliver, and if you feel like a home-cooked meal, my wife will come by and cook for you, if you call. You shouldn’t need anything. I’ve stocked everything up. But if you do…”

  “We’ll call,” Max promised, and Nicole barely noticed the sleight of hand that meant that Bobby had been given a hefty tip.

  Nicole wandered inside as soon as Max opened the door. The place looked a bit on the rustic and charming side from the outside. Inside, it was clear that every modern amenity was there, but cleverly designed to keep from detracting from the feel of it.

  “This is incredible,” murmured Nicole as she walked to the living room window and looked out. The view was incredible, indeed.

  “This view, it’s yours. Do you ever wonder how lucky you are?”

  Max stood beside her, and she leaned against him.

  “I do. Sometimes I feel silly for worrying about so much when I’m lucky enough to call this view my own. But I can’t seem to help it.”

  And just that easily, that shadow that they’d hoped to leave behind was between them again. Nicole wished there was something, anything she could do to make it disappear again.

  Well, there was one way to make him forget about it, thought Nicole, a slow smile curving her lips.

  “I’m kind of tired. A warm bath would be nice, before a walk on the beach. We could hit the water out there tomorrow. For tonight, how do you feel about a nice, hot bubble bath?”

  Max saw the sparkle in her eyes and couldn’t help responding with a smile of his own.

  “Well, let me show you the master bedroom and bath, in that case,” said Max, and, taking her hand, tugged her up the stairs.

  Nicole was prepared for luxury, and she found luxury in the master bedroom.

  But then he led her through to the master bath, and Nicole gasped, then sighed.

  “Wow,” she mumbled.

  There was a sky light. The blinds were drawn to show that there was a wall of glass, and a view that rivaled the one she had been sighing over earlier.

  Inside, the shower panel looked complicated enough to launch rockets. There was a television, in case the view didn’t make you happy enough. There was a glass-covered book case, too, in case that’s what you wanted.

  Two robes were already waiting for them. The range of toiletries could’ve put many high-end spas to shame.

  But right in the middle was the crowning glory – a Jacuzzi that was so big that Nicole was pretty sure she could swim a couple of lengths in it, if she wanted to. It was already prepared and bubbling.

  “I trust you like what you
see?” asked Max, the amusement so clear in his voice.

  Nicole turned to him, a wicked smile on her face.

  “Oh yes, I like what I see. Now tell me, Max, what about what I’ve got to show you?”

  Max’s eyes widened as Nicole stepped away from him and started unbuttoning her shirt. She let it hang open for a moment, running her fingers inside, up and down, before slipping it off her.

  She undid the snap of her neat skirt and pushed it slowly down and off her hips.

  Nicole took another step backwards and undid the clasp of her bra, sliding it off and letting her breasts be free and proud. She turned around and bent from her waist, slipping off her panties and stepping out of them, too. Finally stepping out of her shoes, Nicole walked to the Jacuzzi, an extra swing in her hips, and stepped down into it.

  She settled down, and turned to Max with a grin. He was still standing where she had left him.

  “So, do you?” she asked again.

  Max seemed to snap out of his reverie.

  With a grin that echoed the mischief in her eyes, he quickly undressed. Nicole felt her breathing become faster as she watched Max undress. He had such a firm, toned body, she thought, her eyes twinkling in anticipation. When he turned to her, she saw that his manhood was already erect and impressive. But she knew, from experience, that it wasn’t done.

  She wanted to wrap her hand around it and stroke it, take it in her mouth and pleasure him until his hands tangled in her short hair and kept her head in place as his hips bucked and thrust.

  The jets in the water were soothing away the tension in her limbs and her back so well that by the time Max stepped into the shallow tub, Nicole felt completely relaxed.

  “Have you come to take advantage of me?” asked Nicole, her eyes wide and teasing.

  Max barked a laugh.

  “I think you’re the one who’s taking advantage of me,” he told her.

  “Why don’t you come and sit down here, and we’ll see,” said Nicole.

  When Max settled down next to her, and Nicole, in one smooth move, got up and swung around to straddle him, sitting on his lap.