by Jean Oram
“You smell pretty awesome yourself, Connor.”
He grinned at the compliment. “It’s the aftershave.”
“What’s it called? Power, money, and seduction?”
He laughed and grasped her arms, holding her in front of him as his eyes adjusted to the light. “Money, power, and seduction?” This woman was going to destroy him. How was he going to continue to resist her? How was he not going to reveal his cards? Because when she saw him unable to perform…it would crush what was left of his ego, pride and sense of manhood.
He spun her around so her back was to him. Time for a distraction. Maybe give her some satisfaction, then disappear so she’d never have to know how broken he was, and how far he was from being the man she deserved.
He could have anything he wanted in the world except the one thing he craved.
Maya lowered her head to the side so he could place his lips on the spot where her neck and shoulder joined, and he skimmed her waist with his hands. She pressed into him and his touch crept higher, lightly gliding over her sides, then up to her neck. He trailed his fingertips down the delicate bare skin, continuing as though gravity was in control, lightening his touch as it traveled over her collarbone. She shivered and he allowed his hands to explore of their own accord. He spun her around to face him, lowering his mouth to hers.
Their kiss intensified and they fell against the fridge, needing its support as their bodies clicked into overdrive. Their kissing frantic, they bumped their way to the counter, Maya’s hands running wild over Connor’s back, his neck. Through his hair. Curving around his back. He shoved his hips against hers and swept an arm across the countertop, knocking things off in his frustration and an unreleasable sexual buildup.
She pushed him away, toward the bedrooms.
He couldn’t. He reached in front of her and closed her bedroom door before she could enter, pinning her against its solid wood panel. There was no way he could leave her like this, but no way he could expose his secret, either.
He placed her hands against the door frame like an officer preparing to frisk her. He ran his heated gaze down her front, over her legs in a move so slow he knew it would try her patience. He exhaled slowly on her neck and she shivered, her head dropping back onto his shoulder.
“Connor, tonight.”
“Patience, Maya. It will be worth it when the time comes.”
She spun in his arms. “The time is now.”
He danced his fingers over her shoulders, his fingers skating over her dress’s neckline. He could feel her warmth through the material and he kissed her with the promise of things to come before he left her with a, “Trust me, Spitfire. Our dreams will collide when the time is right.”
12
Maya was so sexually frustrated she could scream. Connor had got her all revved up last night, then backed off with some stupid line about her being patient, and the two of them waiting for their time. There was no “their,” so how could there be a “their time?” He was such a tease!
His hands and mouth were magic, but he kept leaving her craving the real thing. If they didn’t come together soon she was not going to be responsible for her actions.
She shook her head and contemplated diving into the lake, fully clothed, just to cool her steamy thoughts. Instead, she stepped away from the dock’s edge and nervously dialed the contact Connor had given her.
“Nolan McKinley please?” she said, clearing her throat as a man answered the phone.
“Speaking.”
She just about dropped her cell in the water. Connor had been serious about getting her a direct line to Nolan.
“Hello?”
“Yes, sorry.” Maya introduced herself and explained why she was calling.
“Connor’s branching out, is he?”
“Sort of. It’s an experiment. I’m a summer assistant and…well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, we’re having trouble with some licensing for a project he’s backing. Would you be able to help us speed up the process?”
Ah, crap. She’d forgotten to do that connection stuff everyone was talking about. Oh well, time was money and she was sure he had better things to do on a Monday morning than talk about the weather. And anyway, she could still do that listen, pause, reflect thing Connor had mentioned.
“Connor’s already committed?” Nolan asked.
“He has.”
“And he missed the timeline for this?” There was surprise in the man’s voice.
“I overlooked it.”
“And you’re hoping I can fix that?”
“I am.”
“And you are…?”
“Maya Summer.” She flipped through her mind’s rolodex of memories. A bond. She needed a bond. “Mr. McKinley?”
“Yes?”
“Are you the same McKinley who was a guest seminar speaker at the U of T, let’s see…three years ago? It was on…” Come on, brain. “…patents, I believe.”
“Good memory. How’d you enjoy the class?”
“Technically, I…kind of crashed that one. Sometimes I’d sit in on seminars that sounded useful or interesting while I was waiting for my next class.”
Nolan laughed. “So what did you think of my oh-so-memorable talk, Maya Summer?”
“I thought you were a very good speaker. Knew your topic and provided valuable insight, as well as—”
“Did you like my hair?”
“Your hair?” Maya shut her eyes. Thank goodness she’d checked him out online before calling. She could put a face to him as she thought back to the seminar. Mid-fifties. In fairly good shape. But he’d had a slightly scruffy look back then. “If I recall, you may have needed a cut.”
Nolan laughed. “Consider me on the case. But no guarantees, Maya.” His voice had a slight dry warning to it. She’d done okay, but not stellar.
“Thanks.”
“And thanks for remembering an old man, kid.”
“You’re not that old,” she protested.
“Probably not. Tell Connor I said hi, and that next time we play racquetball I’ll clean the floor with him again.”
Maya raced up the path to tell Connor the good news about Nolan helping out, but paused when she hit the veranda. Connor was standing stock-still, a chipmunk perched on his bare foot. In his damp swimming trunks, with the odd trail of water weaving down his legs, he looked hotter than ever. She refrained from moving forward, from touching his tanned skin, the surprising firmness of his stomach, the broadness of his shoulders. An amazing transformation had occurred behind her back and she wanted him more than ever.
He caught her eye and winked.
The chipmunk rose up on its back feet and stared at Maya before scurrying away.
“How cool was that?” Connor asked.
“Tigger’s training is working.”
“You catch Nolan?”
Maya nodded, coming closer as though she was a magnet unable to resist him. “He said he’s going to beat you at racquetball next time he sees you.”
Connor let out a rich laugh and patted his flat stomach. He gently placed a hand on her arm. “He doesn’t know I’ve been working out.”
Maya contemplated his lean, strong frame. Their eyes met and he lowered his face until their lips were almost touching. Maya slowly raised herself on her toes, leaning her still-tender palms against his chest so their mouths could meet. They broke the kiss and stared at each other, their bodies propped together for support.
Connor swiftly pulled her into a tight embrace, his lips locked against hers before just as suddenly breaking away.
“Connor,” she breathed.
He pulled her hands together in front of him and kissed them. With a smile, he slipped away, saying, “Later, my Maya, later.”
“Connor.” She followed him a few steps, and he gave her a wink over his shoulder. The leaves on the trees rippled and showed their pale underbellies, foreshadowing a storm. “You need to learn patience.”
“For heaven’s sake, Connor, you can’t
just kiss a girl like that and then walk away!” She picked up a cushion off a wicker chair, prepared to throw it at him.
He returned to her, purpose in his moves. She hugged the cushion and he clutched her chin in his palm, giving her a light kiss that was at once tender and desperate. “I’m going to blow your socks off, but not until I say we’re ready. Anticipation makes it all the better.” His damp hair cooled her skin as he inhaled her neck, his lips grazing her as he spoke. “When you think I’ve forgotten you, I will appear. I promise you that, spitfire.”
He turned, leaving her swaying on weak legs, a sense of anticipation lodged in her chest.
Maya paced the living room of the cottage, hating the way Connor was staring at her, eyes narrowed as he stood with his back to the fire. Only hours earlier she’d wanted him, but now he’d become the worthy target of her frustration.
He cocked his head, assessing her.
She repeated herself slowly, trying to quell the way her chest was starting to heave from holding it all in. “I think James is up to something that could lose your company a lot of money.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know, but he’s blocking me. And he’s blocking Em, too.”
“Maybe because you are butting into his business? You know you are an assistant, and that he’s put a lot of time and thought into this deal?”
Maya tried not to react to the dig about her position in the company, and that his comment could easily imply she didn’t have a brain. He was playing power games today, and it made her want to rake her claws down him—and not in a good way.
“But you’re paying too much for it, and you’re not going to make that money back!”
“James is a savvy businessman.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Connor came closer, his size alone making her want to shrink back.
“Ever think that maybe there is a reason we’re purchasing this lumberyard? That maybe there are tax benefits?”
Maya crossed her arms, holding her ground. “They would have to be pretty substantial.”
Connor rubbed his face and sighed. “Can you let this go, please? I trust James and his judgment. It’s time to stop worrying this bone like a bulldog, Maya.”
She waved the papers in front of him. “Did you even read these?”
“I think maybe you’d better read them less.”
“But Connor—”
“Maya, James has been doing this for years. How long have you been out of school?”
“That is not relevant.”
“I think it is. You are questioning and upsetting one of my most loyal advisors, which means you’re also questioning me.”
The wind rattled the shutters and Maya clenched her jaw, fighting for patience. “Connor, how do I make you see this?”
“Maya, I’ve hired good staff for a reason.”
“What if he’s turned on you, or is missing something?”
“Maya, stop.”
“I can’t work on something that is so obviously going to fail. I can’t just waltz along, knowing this deal is going to cost you hundreds of thousands.”
Connor crossed his own arms, brow furrowed. The shadows in his eyes were back. “Do you have evidence? Or is all of this your gut?”
“The lumberyard seems overvalued.”
“And you are an expert on this?”
“I did some research.”
“Maya. You know you can’t value one company solely based on others, right?”
“I know.” She sat in the chair by the fireplace. Maya had to win this one. She knew she was right. She just didn’t know how to get Connor from point A to point B.
He tossed her papers on the coffee table and leaned over her chair, trapping her with a hand on each armrest. “You know arranged marriages?” He waited for her to nod. “Do you know the owner of that lumberyard? Not his name, but who he is?”
Maya shook her head.
“Exactly.” Connor stepped back, crossing his arms again. “Arranged marriages still happen in the business world. Maybe James can see long-term value in this short-term loss.”
“So you’re going to lose half a million dollars just so you can get in this guy’s pants? He must have something pretty special hiding in there.”
“Maya, just do your job, and keep your nose out of James’s way. I trust him.”
“Do you trust me?”
“James and I have made many lucrative deals together. How long have you and I known each other?”
“Maybe he’s making a deal on his own.”
“Maya,” Connor roared. “This has got to stop. If you continue to get in the way of my business partners I will have to terminate our connection. Do you understand?”
She stood, going toe to toe with him, looking for a crack to wiggle into so she could show him what she saw—that James was up to no good and would take down Connor, and his company, if left to his own devices. “You are a stubborn man, Connor MacKenzie. And it’s not doing you any favors. I can’t believe you won’t investigate this enough to tell me I’m wrong. And if you can’t see that this whole deal is faulty, then what will it take?”
“Who’s being stubborn here? I’ve told you to stand down.”
Maya raised her voice, anger tightening her muscles as she prepared for a fight to the finish. “Why is he giving Em a hard time? Because she agrees with me. And James knows I’m right. He’s up to no good, and that’s why he wants me out. Everyone is pushing this through because they know you’re completely out of it!”
“Maybe it’s because you’re a pain in the neck who thinks she knows everything.”
Maya closed her mouth, hot tears pricking her eyes. “If you want to fail, then fine.” She turned away, throwing another log on the fire to ward off the chill that had seeped into the cottage. “Stick your head in the sand. Ignore the smoke signals, and while you’re at it, shoot the messenger.”
Connor spun her around, and for a second she thought he was going to make his alpha sexy moves on her, declaring it ‘their time.’
“Maya, are you going to drop this?”
“No, I’m not.”
He drew away from her, regret flashing across his face. “Then,” he said, his voice low, “I have to let you go. I’m no longer in need of your services. You’re getting in the way of James doing his job, and you refuse to listen to my warnings. That is not acceptable.”
Maya ground her teeth and slammed out of the cottage, running up the hill out back, the cold wind slicing through her clothing. Leaves tore off the trees as she held her phone up to the darkening sky, searching for service.
Her phone dinged with a voice mail. A call from Nolan.
“It’s not looking good, Maya. You might want to check other avenues.”
Maya deleted the message and, sniffing back tears, listened to the next message.
“Maya. It’s Em. No news. James is shutting me out and has hired a temp for all work on the lumberyard stuff.” Her voice sounded tight. “I’ll call again tomorrow. Don’t send emails.”
Maya stared at the peak of the cottage roof, visible through the swaying trees. Everything was coming down. Fired. She’d been fired. Was playing the business world’s games really that important?
She was going to have to go back to her old job, begging. She sat heavily on a rock, letting the wind whip through her hair as she let out a sob. Her phone dinged. Another voice mail. Great, who else was calling to inform her that the world sucked right now? Hoping for something good, she dialed back into the system and listened to her new message.
It was her sister Melanie. Maya looked to the sky, hoping her sister was calling to see if she’d be free to go out for a few drinks, because her week had certainly just opened up.
“Hey, Maya, Mom had a fall. She’s okay, but they’ve moved her over to the hospital in Bracebridge. We’re all going over there now. I’ll call with more info as I get it. There’s a storm coming, so you might want to sit tigh
t until morning.”
Maya nearly dropped her cell as she tried to shove it in her pocket. Rain began to sprinkle as she tore down the hill, her breath catching in her chest along with unreleased sobs. She raced into the cottage, ignoring Connor, her ex-boss, as she grabbed the key for the boat, planning to leave him stranded on the island. If he didn’t want to listen to the truth, then he could sit here and rot. She wasn’t making him breakfast one more time.
Connor gingerly closed the cottage’s glass doors, which covered the screen doors from the inside, battening down the hatches. Maya had stormed out, jumped into the boat and torn off across the lake, into what looked like some pretty nasty incoming weather.
He honestly hadn’t thought she’d take getting fired that badly. He’d warned her that she was treading on dangerous ground, but she’d ignored him. He probably should have handled her more carefully, especially because of their past and the way he’d left her unsatiated and frustrated last night.
If he’d been thinking straight, he should have eased off after his warning and given her time to cool her heels. But she hadn’t backed down and had promptly gotten under his skin, leading him to fear he wouldn’t be able to shut her down. Nobody wanted a loose cannon at work, one they couldn’t control.
Sighing, he gazed out the window, watching the tops of the trees fold in the wind. No wonder most HR departments had no-dating policies between employees.
But if James was upset, then it was obvious what the problem was. Connor just wished that Maya could have taken all that vim and vigor, redirected it and stood down for once. He was too tired for drama and theatrics. He knew who James was, but honestly, did he really know Maya that well?
Connor walked through the large cottage, checking the windows in each room, wondering if he should be worried about Maya. Although maybe he should be more worried about a tree falling on him or the wind ripping the plastic off the broken windows Shawn had yet to replace as promised.
Maya’s laptop whirred on the table in the living room, and he tapped the touch pad, expecting the screen to be locked. Instead, he saw the digital version of the papers she’d been waving about earlier. Drawing up a chair, he read through her notes left in the open document. The familiar tightening in his chest began the more he read. This girl had a healthy dose of conspiracy theory in her. And while she had valid points, she had to be missing the full picture. James wouldn’t do something this blatantly stupid and obvious unless he thought Connor had lost his marbles.