It wasn’t even lunchtime and already she’d had a trying day. She thought about going home, but then she’d stew over Mick and how they needed to stop his father, so she wouldn’t get any rest and relaxation, anyway. It was best that she stayed and dealt with the problem head-on.
Out of the corner of her eye, a figure standing at the door brought her out of her thoughts, and she turned to see who was there. Mick leaned his shoulders against the doorframe with his shirt unbuttoned all the way as he hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his suit pants. His hair was slightly messed, which only added to his sex appeal.
Inwardly, she groaned. If he wasn’t good-looking enough... Dang! And why was he staring at her with those bedroom eyes? Well, she’d make sure she quickly removed that particular thought from his mind.
She rose from her chair. “Why is your shirt unbuttoned?”
He pointed to a few places on his shirt. “I have blood stains.”
She could die right now. How did she not see that? Of course, her mind was diverted because of the sexy way he stood looking at her. “Oh, I see. So, are you leaving now?”
He shrugged and sauntered into the office, pushing the door closed behind him. “We’re not finished with our discussion. I had hoped we could figure out something to stop my father.”
Thank goodness he couldn’t read her thoughts right now. “Well, with all the excitement and drama this morning, I’m afraid my creativity has been drained.”
Instead of sitting on the chair, he perched on the edge of her desk. This position made his shirt open more. His chest looked nice and smooth...
Stop it! Nicole mentally shook out the disturbing thoughts. One way or another, she needed to get him out of here before she did something really stupid. She moved around her desk, heading for the door. “So maybe we should postpone that discussion—”
“Hey,” he said, grasping her arm, stopping her.
He gently pulled her closer. Her heartbeat hammered erratically. This was bad, so very bad.
“Why don’t we go out for lunch? We can talk about things over some food. Aren’t you hungry?”
She was, but not for food... Inwardly, she scolded her mind for wandering off again. “But you need to change.”
“I have another shirt in the car.”
He slid his hand down both of her arms, linking their fingers together. Now, more than ever, she was aware of how bare her shoulders were without her jacket, and she desperately needed covering.
“Nicole, I was proud of the way you handled the situation with Kate. Any other woman would have stressed out or fainted from seeing everything you had.” He softly squeezed her hands.
Her face warmed from the compliment. “Then I must have put on a great performance because I was terrified the whole time. I’ve never done that before, and I never thought I’d have to be strong for another employee like that.”
“Your gentle voice helped her.”
“And what about you, Mr. Doctor-Do-Gooder? When did you learn how to deliver a baby?”
He chuckled, pulling her between his legs and wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. She really should push him away, but being close to him like this was a refreshing surprise, and it just felt comfortable to be next to him.
“A year or so ago, I was dating this girl—”
She sucked in a fast breath. “What? You got your girlfriend pregnant?”
He scowled. “No. Now stop interrupting before you jump to conclusions again.”
Mentally, she kicked herself. Of course, she was going to think that. Mick Remington could charm an eighty-year-old nun and not feel guilty. “I’m sorry. Please, continue.”
“My girlfriend’s older sister was a physician’s assistant, and she was pregnant. She’d gone hiking with us this one time and went into labor. While my girlfriend was over in the bushes puking her guts out from seeing the bloody discharge, her sister walked me through how to deliver a baby.”
Nicole couldn’t believe how relieved she was that the baby wasn’t his – and that his girlfriend couldn’t handle the situation. At least Nicole hadn’t been puking her guts out.
Smiling, she relaxed against him. “What a hero you are.”
His hands wandered up her back as he pulled her closer. His gaze dropped to her mouth. “I’d like to be your hero.”
Had she ever heard more romantic words before, especially coming from a man? “Why?”
His stare wouldn’t leave her mouth. The rhythm of her heart sped faster.
“Because I want to be the one to save Adkins Dev-Tech. I want to save your inheritance.”
Her heart had been melting for this man ever since he walked into her office. As much as she tried to fight it, she couldn’t deny the attraction between them. And Heaven help her, she didn’t want to deny the pleasure of his kiss any longer.
“I would...” she swallowed, moistening her suddenly dry throat, “like that very much, Mick.” Her hands had a mind of their own and traveled up his smooth chest slowly. His muscles bunched beneath her touch. “But, do you know what else I would like?”
His head moved closer. She felt the whisper of his breath on her mouth.
“What’s that?” he asked.
She watched his mouth getting closer to hers. “I would like...”
“Yes?” His voice turned deep.
“I would like you to...” No, don’t say it, Nicole!
“To what?” he whispered huskily.
She pressed her hands against his chest and moved away. “To take me out to lunch. I’m starving.”
It thrilled her to see disappointment wash over his face. She loved the powerful feeling she received from the control she had over him. Perhaps teasing him was worth the trouble. Then again, eventually, she would give in and let him kiss her until her toes curled.
Finally, his expression relaxed, and he grinned. “You’re right we should eat first.” He winked.
She returned to her chair where she put her ankle nylons and heeled boots back on. There wasn’t anything she could do about her hair, but... where was her jacket? Slowly, she walked around her desk, searching for the one garment that shouldn’t be hard to find. As she passed the sofa, she remembered taking it off while she was being Kate’s delivery coach.
Oh, no! Had the paramedics taken her jacket by mistake? Now she’d have to sit through lunch with Mick’s gaze wandering there. Then again, maybe he was just paying her back from ogling his chest not too long ago.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She sighed and nodded. “I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be, I suppose.”
He made his way toward the door, taking slow steps. “Is there any place special you’d like to go for lunch? How about the country club’s lounge? I heard that it has dimmed lighting and is perfect for couples who want to be alone.”
She snorted a laugh. “Yeah... no. I’d rather not go back there. I’d be afraid my other foot would get stomped on.”
She stepped ahead of him and rested her hand on the doorknob.
“Oh, one more thing before we go,” he said as he grasped her shoulders and turned her around to face him.
Before she knew what was happening, he took her in his strong arms and covered her mouth with his. The suddenness of his movements surprised her, but within seconds, her body melted against his and she was kissing him back.
Her body was pressed between him and the door, but at least it kept her weak knees from collapsing beneath her. The softness of his lips was just as electrifying as when they were in the elevator. More so, in fact.
She clung to his shirt, but soon her hands had minds of their own and wandered up and around his neck. Her fingers threaded through his hair.
Suddenly, he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. His chest rose and fell quickly from his ragged breaths.
“Dang, woman,” he said deeply. “If we don’t stop now...”
“Yes, I know.” Her voice was even lower than normal. Of course, Mick
was an expert at affecting women that way.
He cupped her face and pulled back only far enough away to gaze into her eyes. “This is far from over, I hope you know. You can’t kiss a man like that without him wanting more.”
Perhaps she shouldn’t feel so powerful right now, but it was good to know he felt the same thing as she had during the kiss. She just prayed the famous womanizer didn’t break her heart.
NINE
Mick relaxed against the wall of the booth as he watched Nicole eat her salad. He’d already filled himself eating a roast beef sandwich and French fries, and drinking most of his Coke. His focus had been on the adorable woman sitting across from him. Most women he dated picked at their food like a bird on a diet, but not Nicole. She wasn’t afraid to show him how hungry she was, and she devoured her apple pecan salad. He was grateful she didn’t make a spectacle of herself, but even if she had, he would have joined in the fun.
After her last bite, she took a sip of her iced tea and rested against the booth wall just as he’d done. Satisfaction sparkled in her eyes. It was nice to see a woman enjoying her meal for once.
“Thanks for lunch,” she said.
“Thanks for agreeing to come with me.”
She nodded. “I think we need to finish our conversation.”
“So do I.” He sipped his Coke.
Nicole sighed. “Have you thought up any crazy ideas yet about how to stop your father?”
“Here’s the thing.” He sat up in the seat and leaned forward. “The easy way to do this is for me to buy Adkins Dev-Tech from you because then we’re assured that my father won’t take it away.” Her face hardened, so he quickly continued, “However, I don’t want to take the company out of your grandfather’s name. This is your inheritance, and I want you to get it.”
Her expression softened. “Thank you.”
“I’ve thought about some ideas that might work, but I don’t think you’ll go along with them. I’ve gotten to know you a little, and Nicole, as much as I like you, I must be honest. You’re a stubborn woman.”
It only took a moment for her eyes to widen and a laugh to bubble up from her throat. “Really? You’ve learned that about me already?”
“Yes. But I’m just as stubborn, so... I suppose we’ll butt heads like two bulls in the same pen.”
“Tell me about your ideas.”
He shrugged and drank out of his cup again. “My first thought was that I could just give you the money and you could pay the mortgages on the company. That way, you’d have everything free and clear so that nobody can take over the company.” A frown slowly crept across her face, so he continued quickly. “But I knew you wouldn’t accept charity if we did it that way.”
She sat up. Her back was stiff once again. She fisted her hands on the table. “Not in the amount of half a million dollars.”
“Exactly. So, then that brought me to my next idea.” He reached over and grasped one of her hands, holding it in his as he stroked her knuckles. “If you’d like, I could still give you the money, and I’ll let you pay me back.”
Her bare shoulders shook as she laughed silently. “Mick, I’d never be able to pay you off, and I hate owing people money, especially when it’s that much.”
“I thought you’d say that. So now... I’m out of ideas. It’s your turn.”
She stared at him for a few silent minutes before a grin broke out across her face and her eyes sparkled. “I could stumble into his lap and give him a sleeping pill. Then I could have him take me up to his room and take incriminating pictures of him.”
Mick threw back his head and laughed. What made it so funny was that he could picture her doing that very thing. His dad wouldn’t know what hit him.
“Oh, sweetheart.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “I wouldn’t suggest that kind of blackmail.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” his voice lowered, “then I’ll think that I wasn’t special enough for you. Or... by chance, is this how you blackmail most guys?”
“No, Mick. You were my first. In fact, I didn’t even want to do it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not what most guys would consider a sexy woman.”
He choked on his quick intake of air. “Are you kidding me? You’re one very sexy woman, and you were definitely sexy that night we met.”
Her face bloomed red. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“Yeah, I’m saying that because you made me feel better.”
She chuckled. “About what?”
“Call me silly, but I liked being your hero. I liked that you let me carry you to my hotel room. And I especially liked the way we kissed in the elevator. I’d never felt so dizzy with passion before.”
She leaned forward on the table, touching his arm. “You do remember I gave you a sleeping pill, right?”
“Oh, sweetheart. I might have been drugged, but the excitement I felt during that kiss had nothing to do with those pills.”
One side of her mouth lifted higher than the other in a grin. “Are you sure?”
“There’s only one way to settle this argument, you know.” He winked. “I’m not drugged now, and my hotel is closer than your office.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going back to your hotel room, Mick.”
“Fine then. We’ll make out in your office on the same sofa where Kate had her baby.”
Laughing, she pulled her hands away. “Actually, I don’t like that idea, either.”
“Then tell me where and when.”
She sighed. “No, Mick. We have more important things to worry about right now.”
He sat back in his seat and folded his arms. “You’re right. Let’s contact your shareholders and pray that they haven’t been bought out by my father.”
She frowned. “Oh, Mick. What if they have?”
“We’ll cross the bridge when we come to it. There’s no use worrying about it now.”
“You’re right, of course. We’ll call them. I’ll take the top half of the list, and you’ll take the bottom half. We’ll get this accomplished today.”
His gaze narrowed. “But sweetheart, I don’t have a list.”
A mischievous grin curved her luscious lips. “Yes, you do. I saw it the other night in your suitcase when I was snooping through your things while you were passed out on the bed.”
“You were a very naughty girl.”
“Yes, I know, and I’m sorry for going along with Mary’s plan. Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything to blackmail you over... which is why I let Mary into the room to take pictures.”
He nodded. “I figured as much. And just so you know, my friends know I don’t drink tequila, so those pictures would have never worked.”
He scooted out of the booth and offered his hand to help her out. She slid her palm against his and stood in front of him. He tried to turn, but she tugged on his hand, keeping him from going.
“Mick? I just realized that you haven’t answered my question yet.”
He narrowed his gaze on her. “I thought we had that settled. We are going to make-out after we have formulated a plan to stop my father.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not about that. I swear... Can you think of anything else besides seduction?”
He tenderly took both of her hands in his. “What else is there?”
“Mick, I want you to be serious.”
“Fine.” He gave her one of his deep expressions. “I’m serious now.”
“Please tell me why you desperately wanted those pictures that Mary took.”
Inwardly, he groaned. He should have known she’d remember that he hadn’t answered her. Women had such good memories.
He slipped his arm around her shoulders and led them toward the front door of the fast-food restaurant without saying anything. He remained silent as he opened the car door for her, and then walked around and climbed in the driver’s side. He grasped the steering wheel and stared ahead
without starting the car.
There was no other choice. He’d have to tell her the truth. But then, talking with her came easy now. And he enjoyed their conversations. Perhaps she wouldn’t judge him when he told her why he really wanted those pictures. And hopefully, she wouldn’t hate him. He’d do anything to keep her trust.
He took a deep breath, started the car, and drove toward her work. If he did happen to make her upset, at least she couldn’t jump out of the car now.
“There are a few things about me that you probably don’t know. First, I absolutely hate having my picture in the tabloids. Those journalists don’t know how to print the truth, and they make the pictures seem so real. My father has given the Remington name a bad reputation, anyway, and I don’t want people to believe I’m like him.” He slanted a quick look her way before focusing back on the road. “I wanted those pictures because I don’t want them leaked to the paparazzi. I don’t want to end up in a magazine or newspaper. I’m a private person, and I want to stay private.”
She touched his arm. “I understand, Mick. I’ll make sure Mary gives me those pictures and deletes them from her camera.”
He looked at her again and smiled. “Thanks.” He focused on the road again. “And, there’s one more reason I don’t want those pictures of us out for the world to see.”
“Why?”
“Because...” He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he gained courage. “My girlfriend doesn’t need to see those pictures. At least not before I tell her—”
“Your girlfriend?” Nicole’s voice lifted in anger. “You have a girlfriend?”
He peeked at her again. Sadness touched her features and had taken the light out of her eyes. His chest clenched in agony. He’d never wanted to hurt Nicole. “Well, yes but—”
“And yet,” she interrupted him, “you kissed me on the elevator, and then made passes at me while in your hotel room.” She flipped her hand. “Oh, and let’s not forget when you were in my office earlier today, and the kiss you gave me then.” She growled and punched his arm. “And you even had the nerve to tell me that we weren’t finished and proceeded to plan a time for us to make-out.” She folded her arms over her chest. “You’re such a jerk, Mick Remington. You don’t have to worry about your father dragging your name through the mud because you’re doing a good job of it by yourself.”
The Billionaire's Pursuit: Billionaire's Clean Romance (The Tycoons Book 1) Page 6