Tempt Me: A First Class Romance Collection

by Hawkins, Jessica

  When Ruby turns to me, I see tears in her eyes. “I never know what she’s going to do.” She breathes a laugh and wipes her eyes with her palms, looking up at the ceiling. “It’s only a two-day trip.”

  It tugs at my chest, and damn, I didn’t think I could care for this woman more. Is she crying over leaving my daughter at home with her grandmother?

  I slide an arm around her waist and hold out a handkerchief. Thanks to my old-fashioned mother, I always have one in my pocket. “You realize Eleanor has been taking care of her since she was born. All the way up until you arrived… just two and half weeks ago.”

  She laughs a little more, touching the white cloth to her cheeks. “I know. I’m such a goose.” She hiccups a little breath. “I just…”

  Her voice trails off, and she doesn’t finish her thought.

  “What?”

  She shakes her head, but I want to know. “Eleanor doesn’t listen to her.”

  “It seems like she does.”

  “No, she’s just pushy. She waits for Lillie to finish speaking, then she tells her what to do. There’s a difference. Even little kids know it.”

  I can’t take it anymore. I reach forward and pull her into a hug. Her arms go around my waist, and I hold her against my chest. She takes a deep breath, and I hope she’s not still crying.

  My lips are right at her ear when I speak. “I love that you’re so worried about my daughter.” She nods against my shoulder. “Now, no more crying. Lillie is going to be fine. We’re going to have a fun trip, and you’ll see my daughter again in two days.”

  Releasing her, I catch her watery eyes. They melt into that sweet smile I love… followed quickly by her snarky sass. “You’re not going to miss her at all? Did your sentimental chip get lost?”

  I huff a laugh, grabbing her suitcase and hanging bag, and carrying them out to the waiting limousine. “I will miss my daughter, even though she didn’t seem too upset about telling me goodbye. At the same time, I know she’ll be fine while I’m away.”

  Her eyes slant over to me. “You’re hurt she didn’t cry over you leaving?”

  “If the tables were turned, I suppose I’d be more upset over you being gone, too.”

  “Are you flirting with me, Remington?”

  “Always.”

  That makes her laugh, and I’m glad to see we’ve moved past the water works.

  The limo drops us at the terminal for the private jet service. A few cars are parked in the lot, but we’re the only ones flying out this morning.

  “Wow.” Ruby’s eyes are round as she follows me up the short flight of stairs into the Lear 60. “Do you own this?” She’s speaking just above a whisper as we pass through the oval door and walk down the short aisle separating seats with tables in the center.

  “No.” I sit in one of the seats toward the back and motion for her to join me. “I charter it for short flights. It’s not really worth the upkeep to own a jet, with as little as I travel.”

  She sits beside me in the plush, cream leather chair. A small sofa is behind us, but this plane doesn’t have a bed. Our flight is barely over an hour.

  “I’ve never been on a private jet before.” She’s still speaking low, tilting her face toward me as the flight attendant puts glasses of champagne in front of us.

  “Welcome aboard, Mr. Key, Miss. Banks. We’ll be taking off momentarily. If you would, please fasten your seatbelts, and I’ll let you know when it’s safe to move about the cabin.”

  “Thanks, Grace.” Taking the glass of champagne, I hold it to Ruby’s. “Here’s to a successful business trip.”

  She clinks my glass and takes a sip. “Mm… that’s delicious.”

  Our seatbelts are fastened, and we’re in the air in less than fifteen minutes. Grace comes through and tells us it’s safe to move around. We only take off our seatbelts, and I rotate in my chair to face my companion.

  Ruby’s like a kid in a candy store, looking around, touching everything. It’s hits me like a renewed thrill. I remember a time when all this was new to me, too.

  “Why do they always give you champagne on private jets?”

  “I thought you’d never been on one.”

  Her nose wrinkles as she takes another sip. “I’ve seen it in the movies. Is it to celebrate being so rich?”

  Shrugging, I sip my own sparkling beverage. “More likely to celebrate not having to stand for hours in the TSA line then be forced to sit in a cramped seat next to a potentially annoying neighbor.”

  She nods. “I can get onboard with that. What’s our schedule like in New York?”

  “We arrive in Manhattan after noon then we’ll take a car to the hotel. The gala is tomorrow night at eight.”

  “What do we do between now and then?”

  “I’m meeting one of my investment advisers tonight for drinks. His name is Stephen Hastings. I’d really like it if you’d join me, but you don’t have to… if you have something else in mind you’d prefer.”

  “I’ll join you.” She scoots closer, biting her lip. “I’ve never been to New York.”

  “You haven’t?” That changes things. Reaching out, I tug her lip free from her teeth with my thumb, thinking about kissing her. Based on the look she gives me, she seems to be thinking the same thing. “Then I think we should spend a little time being tourists.”

  A huge smile splits her cheeks, and it’s like I’ve won the fucking lottery. “You’ll do that for me?”

  “I’d love to do that with you. What do you want to see?”

  “Oh man, I want to see everything.” She leans back in her chair, taking another sip of champagne. “The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, Central Park, Wall Street, Time’s Square, Broadway, the Guggenheim museum, the Met, the Brooklyn bridge, Soho, the Village…”

  I start to laugh. “We can’t do all of that, but we can make a plan and see how much we can fit in.”

  Reaching down, I clasp her hand in mine, threading our fingers. I’m gratified when she doesn’t pull away. In fact, she seems very comfortable holding my hand up here, thousands of feet above the world.

  Her face is turned toward the window, and she seems far off in thought.

  “What are you thinking?” I lift her hand, studying her fingers entwined with mine.

  She shakes her head, dark hair sliding around her shoulders. “It’s silly.”

  I give her hand a tug. “Tell me.”

  Turning to me, her eyes hold so much emotion. “I’ll never forget this.”

  In that moment, I never want to let her go. Placing my lips against her fingers, I speak softly. “I’m glad I’m here to share it with you.”

  The limo drops us at the Four Seasons, and I tip the driver as the bellhop collects our bags to send up to our rooms. As requested, Ruby is on the fifty-first floor, while I’m in the penthouse, one floor up.

  Standing on my balcony, I grab the house phone and call her room. “Come up and see my view of Central Park.”

  “You’re just showing off.” Her voice is sassy, and I don’t like us being apart.

  “You might recall my original plan was to share this with you. Bring a few things in case you decide to stay.”

  “How many times do I have to tell you—”

  “Sorry, bad connection.”

  “It’s a landline.”

  “Hurry up, I’m hungry.” Thirsty, is more like it.

  I grin, hanging up and thinking about the next forty-eight hours. I put her name on the guest list for this room and gave her a key so she wouldn’t have any trouble accessing my suite. Five minutes later, she’s walking through my door.

  “This is amazing.” She flops on the leather divan beside the sofa facing the balcony where I stand. “It’s like a whole house up here.”

  “It’s half the top floor. The other half is a separate suite.” Inspecting her hands, I frown. “You didn’t bring a bag.”

  “I’m not staying in your room, Remi.”

  We’ll see about t
hat. “Are you hungry? I’ve been craving a cheeseburger all week.”

  She laughs loudly. “A cheeseburger? What would Eleanor say?”

  “I don’t give a fuck.”

  Out on the street, we fall into the speed race of Manhattan foot traffic.

  I grab her hand and keep her close. “We’re in a pretty touristy part of the city, right in Midtown.”

  “Near Rockefeller Center!”

  “Right.” We meander through the crowd, dodging sightseers who stop in the middle of the sidewalk. “We can head down toward the Village and see Soho after we eat. That’ll take two things off your list.”

  She does a little excited skip. “Can we go to Magnolia Bakery and get cupcakes?”

  “We can do as much as we have time to do.”

  Traffic is a nightmare, but we manage to get all the way to Whitman’s in the East Village. A short wait, and we’re digging into two Juicy Lucys. Pimento cheese spills out, and Ruby squeals, wiping her chin.

  “I can’t eat all of this.” She leans forward, and I wipe a spot of mustard off her cheek.

  “Get a go box. We can eat it tonight after we meet Stephen.”

  “You’re not cheating too bad. It says, ‘fresh local ingredients.’” She takes another bite of cheeseburger.

  “I’m pretty sure there’s nothing healthy about this lunch.”

  It’s perfect, and as soon as we’re done, we’re out on the street again, leftovers in hand. We come out of Alphabet City and walk over to the East River, facing Brooklyn. The sun is high overhead, and a light breeze ripples across the water. We continue walking south until we reach a set of park benches facing the water. A large bridge is in the background.

  “Is that the Brooklyn Bridge?” She takes my hand and leads me to sit.

  “Williamsburg.” I sit beside her, putting my arm around her shoulders. “Brooklyn is further south.”

  “Is this the one from the movie?”

  “That’s Queensboro. It’s further north.”

  She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m all mixed up.”

  “It’s okay. I know the way.” Reaching for her hand, I lace our fingers again, loving this day, the time we’re spending together. “I’m really glad you came with me.”

  “I’m having an amazing time.”

  I like that again, she doesn’t pull away. She leans her head against her hand and studies me. “How do you know so much about New York? I thought you grew up in Seattle.”

  “My mother loved it here. She always wanted to live in the city.” A pinch of sadness is in my stomach. “My father hated the city. It’s too noisy, too crowded. You have to have a reservation at every restaurant. If you do get a table, the service is terrible… ”

  “He sounds like a lot of fun.” The sarcasm in her voice makes me laugh.

  “He was the proverbial dark cloud. I never want to be like him.” Exhaling deeply, I look out at a barge slowly passing.

  Ruby gives my hand a squeeze. “I told you. You’re nothing like him. I don’t know your mom, but it sounds like you’re much more like her. You like to have fun, and so far, you’ve shown me all the cool parts of the city.”

  Standing, I pull her to her feet. Melancholy is not a mood I want to have on this trip. “We’re only getting started.”

  By the time we stumble back into the hotel lobby, it’s after five, and we’ve strolled through SoHo, wandered up to Washington Square Park to see the arch, continued northeast to Gramercy Park, past the Flatiron building until we hit Korea Town just before the Empire State building.

  “I feel like I’m walking on my ankles.” Ruby is hanging off my arm, and I give her a bump.

  “We’ve got to meet Stephen at seven. Take a quick shower and change.”

  She does a little whine. “Where are we meeting him and do I have to walk?”

  “It’s seven blocks to the Top of the Rock. Since you’re new in town, I thought you’d like to see the view.” Her adorable pouty face makes me grin. “Do this and I’ll order cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery and give you a foot massage after.”

  “Deal!”

  23

  Ruby

  My head is spinning from all the sights. I’m not sure I’ve ever been this tired, but my heart is beating out of my chest, and I’m exhilarated.

  Taking the white beaded cocktail dress out of the closet, I slip it over my freshly washed body and turn side to side, inspecting myself in the mirror. These shoes aren’t made for walking, but I can make it seven blocks… I hope. I have a black wrap over my shoulders with a huge scarlet bow, and my hair is styled in a low bun with tendrils hanging around my face.

  When we meet in the lobby, Remi is dressed in dark pants and a charcoal jacket with a green tie that brings out the green in his eyes. They blaze to life when he sees me, and my stomach flips.

  The more time we spend together, talking and getting to know each other, the harder this pull between us is to fight. Once again, he takes my hand, threading our fingers. All day, walking up and down the city streets, he kept my hand firmly in his, my body pulled close against his side. I love it.

  The streets are just as busy at night as they are during the day, and I totally get why they call it the city that never sleeps. All day I’ve been trying to be very Carrie Bradshaw, but I’m afraid I’m more Kimmie Schmidt. The city is so huge and alive and full of sights, I’ve been running around with my mouth open, gazing skyward like a stereotypical tourist.

  At the Top of the Rock, the view is stunning. I only have a moment to see it before Remi leads me to the bar, where a tall guy with light brown hair and intense blue eyes stands to meet us.

  “Remington.” The man I assume is Stephen clasps his hand, and they do a bro hug.

  “Stephen, meet Ruby, my assistant.”

  I’m his assistant now? “How do you do?” I smile, and Stephen leans back, eyeing me up and down.

  “Not bad.” His voice is strong, snobbish, and completely arrogant. Remi punches him on the arm, and he shakes it off. “I meant to say I’m not doing bad. You seem to be doing quite well yourself.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I’ve found after growing up with my dad, I’m not easily intimidated by overgrown jerks.

  “Remi has never had an assistant. I wouldn’t expect him to have one like you.”

  “Like me?” I smile. “Is that a compliment?”

  Remi leans forward, speaking in a low voice that’s loud enough for us all to hear. “Stephen likes to think he can figure everyone out in the first five minutes.”

  “I’m not wrong.” He waves to the bartender. “Whiskey up, vodka, and…” He gives me another glance. “Tequila?”

  “Sunrise.” I lift my chin, unintimidated. “You’re pretty good at guessing drinks. What am I like? Or do you need a few more minutes?”

  Stephen turns his back to the bar and squints. “Stubborn… smart.” His eyes graze from my head to my toes quickly. “You’re very beautiful, and most dangerous of all. Ambitious.”

  Our drinks are set in front of us, and Remi puts his arm around my shoulders. “Okay, that’s enough flattery.”

  “You’re not really his assistant.” Stephen grins, taking a sip of vodka. I don’t have time to answer before he turns to Remi. “I see Oakville’s working out after all. I couldn’t figure out why you stayed all those years. Why not move back to Seattle?”

  Remi shrugs, sipping his whiskey. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve considered it. Last summer I had one foot out the door… But I found a reason to stay.”

  My heart sinks at the thought of Remi leaving Oakville. I quietly sip my cocktail, and Stephen winks at me. “I suppose we have you to thank for that.”

  “Actually, we just met a few weeks ago.”

  Stephen’s eyebrow quirks. “Remi has always been the lucky one.” He turns back to my boss. “Let’s talk about tomorrow night. Stellan will be there. I suggest you make a point to get to him first. His secure communications app is the talk
of the industry. It’s going to be big.”

  They spend the next several minutes discussing Remi’s business at the gala. I’m intrigued because I’ve been at the house half a month, and I’ve learned very little about what he does, other than investing in new tech.

  Their conversation is partly confusing to me, partly fascinating. Remi’s watching a new surveillance app he wants to procure and pour money into with the goal of selling it to the government for military use. Stephen, I learn, is like a spy, keeping tabs on other investors looking at the same developers as Remi.

  “What’s new with you?” Remi finishes his second whiskey, and I lean forward slightly, curious about the answer to this question.

  Stephen is cocky and arrogant, but I can tell he cares about his friend. I can also tell he’s incredibly smart.

  “I’m working on something a little closer to home.” He places his empty tumbler on the bar and signals for the check. “Two things, actually. The first has more immediate use. An app that tracks prescriptions by patient driver’s license or tax identification, similar to the way the government tracks gun sales—”

  “Hopefully not as sloppily,” Remi quips.

  “Nothing I do is ever sloppy.” Stephen’s eyebrow arches. “The second is more dependent on current events, politics. It’s something companies can use to facilitate healthcare enrollments across state lines. Similar to how car insurers work.”

  “Both healthcare related.” The bill is paid, and Remi takes my hand as we walk toward the exit. “It always goes back to healthcare.”

  He says it like it’s some facet of Stephen’s personality only the two of them know.

  “It’s simply the biggest problem we have in this country. It needs a solution, and I’m prepared to develop some.”

  “So you’re developing them yourself?”

  “Oh, I’ll farm out the coding. Unless I get bored.”

  No one speaks as we ride the elevator to the first floor. I’m thinking about Stephen being so interested in healthcare and wondering why that’s the case when he breaks the silence, turning to me. “My apologies for monopolizing the evening, Miss Banks.”