“No, you don’t.” She gulped down more scotch then sat the glass on the table, the contents inside almost sloshing past the rim. “Nikki’s parents did a number on her. I never thought my own son would be such a worthless parent, but here we are. They used her as pawn during the divorce, then went to live their best lives and left her behind.”
His pulse skittered.
“I did my best to raise her, but she always had that void. I’m all she’s got, and I want to make sure you’re not going to break her heart.”
“I appreciate your input, but I assure you I don’t plan on hurting her. She and I have always been very honest about what our relationship entails. If you want to know more, you’ll need to talk to Nikki. Feels strange speaking about her when she’s not here,” he said in a voice to which his employees wouldn’t object. Damn. He didn’t want to scare the woman, but as much as she wanted to protect Nikki, he also had to preserve her privacy.
Good going, dude. You’re rationalizing the fact her grandmother has a point.
Sue Brady sucked in a breath, giving him a layered look from top to bottom. “All right. I hope you won’t hurt her. I’ll keep my eyes on you.”
“I appreciate your concern.”
“And I, your scotch.” She stood and, with the help of the cane, walked to exit his office. He surged to his feet and with a couple of strides, beat her to it and opened the door for her. She flashed him a smile a bit warmer than before, and he hoped he hadn’t completely blown any chance of a good impression.
He closed the door, and an invisible weight sat on his chest. Why did he need to make a good impression? That lady had probably seen a lot in her lifetime, and she really cared for Nikki. Despite whatever he and Nikki had agreed on weeks earlier, now, things were about to change. Once he either confirmed the relocation to Dafield or changed to the last site they visited, his work would be done. He wouldn’t be needed as much on site and could focus on other dealings. He’d leave her.
Perhaps they’d be better off if he finished things now. It would hurt, but a clean break would make them both focus on the task at hand and keep emotions at bay. If the board found out he was sleeping with the woman who had proposed the relocation
, how would that bode for him? It’d be a disaster. Not only for his relationship with his father, but some of these other people would think twice before working with him in the future on different projects. He could lose his position at Myler and his father would never sell him his stocks. After his father’s death, strangers would hold control of the company. Not him.
Yes. He’d do what had to be done.
He popped his knuckles, pacing around his office. Then, his phone buzzed. He grabbed it, and read the text message.
Called Luke and he said he’ll have the boys for the weekend. I’d love to go to L.A. with you.
He hit reply. Uninviting her over the phone would be in bad form. He had to do it in person, but the thought of making her hurt in any way… his gut clenched, a knot making waves around his organs. Each time, tighter. His temples throbbed, and he took a sharp breath only to release it soon after.
He tossed the phone on the chair. He was a selfish bastard. He knew what the right thing to do was—he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“This is where you live?” Nikki said, her eyes darting from the huge living area to the French doors leading to a pristine pool and the terrace showcasing the ocean. “Like, for real?” she added. When she’d seen him in Tulip’s best hotel, she imagined he had money to spare, but this kind of lavish lifestyle was a different thing altogether.
He gave her a shy smile, almost embarrassed about his wealth. “When I’m in town, yes.”
“Wow. I need to take pictures to send the girls,” she said. They’d flip out.
He held her from behind, and warmth sifted through her clothes. “If I knew you’d be so impressed, I’d have brought you here the second after I met you.”
“I don’t think you wanted to have sex with me the second after we met,” she said, chuckling. “Did you?”
He kissed her shoulder. “Yes.”
She disengaged from his embrace, knowing full well if they kept going at that rate, she wouldn’t make past the living room. She opened the glass French doors leading to the pool. It was an enormous affair, with enough outdoor furniture around it and colorful flowers in vases to host the best summer parties.
So pretty in fact, it stole her attention from the pristine sand and the ocean view.
“I wish I had brought a bikini. This pool is amazing.”
“We can buy you one if you’d like. I can take you to the beach.” He cleared his throat. “I haven’t used this pool yet.”
Had he moved in recently? Curiosity pinched her. Why wouldn’t anyone take advantage of that glorious pool? “Yet? How long have you lived here?”
“Four years.”
“Four years!” Was he the type of workaholic who didn’t enjoy the little things? He’d made time for her in Tulip, and heck, even for hanging out with her boys. She didn’t peg him for the heartless work-only type, but maybe in his own environment he functioned differently.
“I haven’t swum in a pool ever since Keith’s death,” he said, looking away.
Keith’s death. Of course. Moisture evaporated from her throat, and her knees wobbled. Realization dawned on her, quick like angry waves on the shore. She slapped her forehead. God, she was an idiot. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
“It’s okay.” He waved her off, his voice casual. “No big deal.”
“Why did you buy a house with a pool then?” Did he want to torture himself with that gorgeous manmade body of water on his property and deny himself the pleasure of enjoying it? Anger brewed in her chest at his father. She hadn’t met the man and already hated him—and knew he had to be behind this trauma. If only Cole saw it too.
“It was hard to buy one in my price range without all the add-ons. Besides, I’ve had properties I bought and sold in the past.”
“All right. Have you talked to anyone about what happened to Keith?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, you.”
Her heart hammered against her ribcage, and for a moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the kind of satisfaction that went beyond sexual pleasure. He’d trusted her with his pain—a pain in the past that still lurked in his present. She bit back a smile, determined not to show how his confession rattled her inside. Also, not to be insensitive. His brother’s passing was no laughing matter. “I appreciate your trust in me, but I’m sorry you waited so long. Maybe you should one day take a plunge and just dip right in.”
“As a symbolic gesture of overcoming the past? Even if it’s a lie.” He snorted.
“Sometimes we have to lie to ourselves first to create the courage to do things.” Or have crazy friends to help you get there. She heard herself, and her words reverberated through her. If her friends hadn’t pushed her to buy Cole a drink at Splurge, would things have turned out the same way? Or would she have denied the attraction if she met him at work first without the memories of his sinful kiss? Maybe she’d never find out. A sense of female empowerment traveled through her. Having walked up to the best-looking guy at the bar had been worth it—because now she knew she could do it.
He glanced at her, and for a brief moment, an emotion she couldn’t pinpoint gleamed in his eyes, accentuating the flecks of gold around his green irises. “I’ll keep that in mind for the board meeting tomorrow.”
10
“And that’s why keeping Great Escape in the Tulip area will be more beneficial for the brand and the residents,” Cole said to the group of privileged men and women who had been mostly born into wealth. Perhaps one or another had clawed their way up the corporate ladder, but the type his father usually associated with had been handed a silver spoon as a baby and was proud of it. Those folks didn’t appreciate changing the status quo unless that meant financial benefit.
He pointed at the present
ation his assistant had whipped up for him with the numbers he’d cracked with Nikki. She’d gone sightseeing while he attended the meeting. He considered her a last-minute resort—if he didn’t convince the board members with lucrative advantages, he doubted a heartfelt plea from her would do the job.
“How about the deposit spent to hold the other place?” Alfred Wharton, an old golf buddy of his father’s and a man in his sixties, asked.
“I’ve talked to the legal team and we can use a loophole to get out of it with minimum loss.”
He studied the room. A couple of men glanced down at the report he’d passed around earlier, and the other members watched him intently. His father had stayed mum the entire presentation, with an unreadable expression on his stern face.
“You seem very invested in making this change, Cole. Is there any special reason or hidden agenda we should know about?” Audrey Karr, an old-time investor with silver hair, asked.
“I guarantee you I’m not going to bed with any local politicians,” he said, earning a few laughs from the group. “I looked into the matter with a different perspective when I worked with the ground crew and believe this path will be better for everyone.”
“Well, we certainly appreciate your passion,” Audrey said. “You’ve done well, Craig.” She turned to his father. “Myler Enterprises needed fresh, young talent committed to improving performance.”
His gaze landed on his father, and a flicker of recognition gleamed in his beady green eyes. His father gave the slightest nod, acknowledging his peer’s approval, then a small smile curved his thin lips.
A sense of pride zapped through Cole, and he stretched to his full height, encouraging others to ask him any questions they might have. Maybe Nikki had been right all along. There was a way to mix business and personal expectations, and with her help, he’d been able to nail it. Suddenly, his chest clenched, and a sour sensation fluttered in his stomach. She should be here.
He had deprived her of speaking up, and why? To show his father how well he’d done. God, he was pathetic.
“Cole?” Audrey asked him after the end of the presentation. “I’m hosting a dinner party tomorrow and would love if you came.”
“I don’t want to impose.”
“Oh, not at all, it’s only fifty friends or so. A small gathering.”
Small gathering? Hmmm. At least there’d be enough people so he and Nikki could mingle without being in the spotlight. “All right.”
Audrey winked at him. “Yes. Come over.”
“This is certainly grandiose for a small affair,” Nikki said when the waitress poured champagne in her flute.
Damn, she looked beautiful. She’d picked a forest green dress online and they’d had it delivered. The gown didn’t have many embellishments but the cut suited her perfectly. The silky material caressed her body, outlining her sinful hips and increasing his internal temperature every time he glanced at her.
“These folks know how to live it up.”
“Aren’t you one of them?” She lifted the flute to her lips. Her tone was playful, but for some reason, she struck a chord with him.
“I was born into privilege, yes,” he said, and the burden of an established family name fell on his shoulders. “But I made my own money,” he added with a degree of pride. Did it make any difference in her eyes? He never cared what people thought of him, but Nikki—he peered at her, and she stole his breath away. The weight on his shoulders lessened, and a warm sensation worked its way through him, filling him. Not only did he care about what she thought of him, he wanted her to see him under the best light—for however long they lasted.
She lifted her chin, a glint of challenge in her eyes. “But you’re working with them. Playing by their rules.”
“My father won’t be working forever. I’m his only heir, and when I’m in charge of his company, I’ll be able to steer it whichever way I want,” he said in a determined voice. He glanced at the sparkly contents of his own glass before taking it to his lips, immediately wishing he drank something stiffer.
Her expression softened, and she smiled. “That’s nice. You’re a good guy, Cole Myler.”
“You keep saying that.”
She ran her finger along his jaw. “I will repeat myself until you’re convinced.”
Damn it. He opened his mouth to say he doubted they’d be together long enough. His breath solidified in his now-parched throat. Why did he sabotage his chance for a real connection with someone? Would he really be so bad at loving her and her children?
“Cole,” said a raspy masculine voice he knew too well.
He turned to find his father standing before him, a tumbler in his hand and a quizzical look on his face. “Hi. Dad,” he said, the word suffocating him. “Meet Nikki. Nikki, this is my father, Craig Myler.”
Nikki nodded, shoulders stiffening. Her neck vein jumped, and she didn’t seem her friendly self, almost as if a barrier had been raised the moment he introduced his father to her. She lifted her chin to him, defiant, and he had to assume she felt strongly about the little he’d told her about him.
A sensation of warmth assailed him, like he had found shelter from a thunderstorm. Never in his life had anyone taken his side against his father. Hell, even he believed he deserved the crap he got from him sometimes.
“Nice to meet you, Nikki,” his father said.
“Hello, Mr. Myler,” she responded.
“How nice Cole has brought a date,” he said, then glanced at Cole with a hint of disapproval. He didn’t think it was nice at all. He’d mentioned briefly he wanted Cole to get to know better one of his friends’ daughter. This clashed with his plans and also sent him a clear message—as much as he wanted to mend things with his father, Cole wouldn’t allow him to dictate his personal life. Working for him and learning the ropes, sure. Bossing about his love life? Something else entirely.
“Have we met?” his father asked.
“I don’t think so,” she said.
“What’s your line of work, if I may ask?” he asked, studying her.
“Management,” she said.
Cole had asked her not to say anything about her real occupation so the board wouldn’t resent her for swaying his mind.
“Interesting. What kind?”
“Is this an interrogation?” Cole stepped forward, trying to keep things light. He patted his father’s back. “It’s nice to see you out.”
“You just saw me out today at the meeting.”
“I meant having fun,” he said, though the idea of his staunch father having fun randomly was amusing to say the least. Cole supposed Craig enjoyed the rare company of old friends for cigars and whisky, but usually in his mansion.
“Right,” his father said casually. “Well, congrats on having your new idea approved.” He raised his tumbler, with a semblance of a smile. “Maybe now we can invest in other places on the West Coast, and each time give you more control.”
“Maybe,” he said, adamant on not sounding too excited about the idea.
“I’ll leave you two to it. Excuse me.” He left, walking in the direction of a group of couples who greeted him happily.
“So what will you do after the retirement home is all settled?”
The nervousness in her voice brought him to reality, grounding him in the present. He stared at her and wished he could remove the flicker of apprehension from her beautiful eyes.
Should he lie? No.
He’d been honest with her from the beginning and couldn’t change now. A lump lodged in his throat, and he swallowed it, the tip of his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. “One of the reasons why I accepted this challenge to help him with Great Escape is to see how I do, so he’ll sell me his stocks and I can be the major stockholder at Myler Enterprises.”
“Really?”
“He’s still a major stockholder. I’m his only heir,” he said, his voice thickening.
“Do you like what you do?”
“I’m good at it, and I li
ke to make money.”
Her throat visibly worked. “So after Great Escape, you’ll move back to L.A.?”
“L.A. is my home base, so of course. But it depends on where my next project will take me.”
She looked away, and he admired her profile. Was she sad? Had she become attached to him more than she should have? Would her grandmother honor her threat and kill him in the end? His blood chilled like a shot of ice had been injected into his veins. His fingers itched to touch her, to have her turn her face and see if he found real sadness in her eyes. Maybe she even blinked away tears.
No. Barriers around his heart solidified against his own will. He couldn’t see her cry, because if such a thing happened, there was no telling what he’d do next. Damn it, he hadn’t come this far to give up. He swallowed the knot in his throat. “I need to use the restroom. Be right back,” he said and left before she replied, marching away from her like a fucking coward.
Nikki removed her shoes and dipped her feet in the pool. Her feet hurt from the high heels, and the warm water offered immediate respite. She relaxed her shoulders, exhaling. She’d escaped to Cole’s terrace when he went to fix them a couple of drinks in his bar.
She glanced around, admiring the lights strategically placed to enhance the beautiful flowers on his terrace. Strings of light softly illuminated the path leading to the beach, and she wondered how many times he’d used it. Did he despise the ocean as much as his pool? Her gaze returned to her feet, and she played with the water, making waves around her.
“Want to take a dip?” he said, his voice behind her. He held two glasses of wine, and handed one to her. She accepted it, but sat it next to her without tasting.
“Do you?” she asked, eyes searching his.
He ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the pool silently for a moment that stretched longer than the breath she held. Wasn’t it time he overcame his father’s power over him and faced reality? She gritted her teeth. God, she hated the man—a word she didn’t use often. She’d made an effort to be slightly polite, but she surely wouldn’t make it in his family if she had to.
Bad Intentions (Bad Housewives Club Book 1) Page 9