As she entered the main floor lobby, shining brass and crystal chandeliers embellished the room. Her eyes automatically searched for him. She stopped and caught her breath. Her screaming hormones kicked into overdrive. He was there, waiting. The sparkling lights on the chandelier could not outshine the inner glow when her gaze made contact with his. Matthew’s impeccable attire made her glad she took the extra time with her appearance.
Her position in business involved many parties and formal affairs. Million dollar men dressed in their million-dollar finery. ‘The best of the best’ so to speak. Not one of those men could compare with what this man did to a suit. Power exuded off his exceedingly handsome frame. Daggers of delight speared her body as his gaze burned a path down and back up again.
Every female eye in the room was trained on the gorgeous man on the far side of the lobby, but his gaze remained on her. As Matthew moved toward her, his expression of admiration became one of smiling pleasure. Until this moment Carrie hadn’t realized how much she’d been hoping for just that response. A thrill of anticipation claimed her as she watched his tall, impressive figure draw closer.
Matthew’s heated smile never wavered as he took her hand. Tingles crept up her arm. Something she’d not undergone even in her teenage years.
Get a grip for God’s sake.
Sparkling blue sapphires held her in their power. “Carrie.”
She remained silent as Matthew raised her hand to his lips, never taking his gaze from hers. The heat of his mouth matched the inferno of his stare. A current of warmth shot up her bare arm. Definitely great chemistry.
His eyes burned. “You look lovely.”
She concentrated on making her voice sound normal. “Thank you.”
His generous mouth tilted at one corner. “Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
Mathew chuckled as he placed her hand in the curve of his arm. “I love a woman with an appetite.”
He took her to the Crez’ Chalet. The high dollar restaurant was well known for fine dining while enjoying soft lights and soft music. Tables of draped white linen with bright red centerpieces decorated the room. Flickering candles in glass colored coverings cast a kaleidoscope of colors giving a hint of romance. Floral arrangements hung above alcoves affording a certain amount of privacy for diners. A wonderful place to unwind, let go, or just plain relax.
Carrie scanned the tables as he took her elbow and followed the maître d’. She recognized a few faces from the corporate world. Thanks to her talent and self-assurance, she never felt uncomfortable or ill at ease with anyone—in business or pleasure. Being a career minded individual, she had plenty of experience drawing clienteles into polite conversation and convincing them of her expertise. She’d brought a few of her patrons here to discuss their investments. Plush surroundings and an accommodating atmosphere helped her to land those deals.
From the moment they walked through the door, Matthew had been given the courtesy due a member of the royal family. Carrie knew the place well and had always been impressed with their service. Tonight, however, the staff concentrated on Matthew’s every word and anticipated each request as though he were of significant importance.
After the waiter left, Carrie picked up her flute of champagne. “Did you have to cut your meeting short?”
“Actually, I had a bit of a problem focusing.” Matthew’s message appeared clear by the heat in his eyes.
“Did you?” Carrie inwardly smiled and took a sip of her champagne. His intense gaze made her aware of only him, of how this evening might end. And how much she looked forward to it.
“Oh, yes.” He drew his answer out in a lazy drawl while his eyes followed the movement of the rim of the glass brushing her lips. His gaze traveled down her throat, as if caressing. Her face heated. After what seemed an eternity, his gaze returned to hers.
“You see, this alluring image kept entering my mind. Very distracting. This vision intruded on my conscious and demanded my attention, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.”
Matthew’s voice vibrated over her skin. He leaned closer. When he spoke, his gaze dropped to her mouth causing a slight jump in the rhythm of her pulse. She studied the movement of his lips, his face mere inches from hers. When her stare lifted to his, she noted tiny dark spikes in the outer rim of his blue irises. His voice hummed, flooding her mind with sensual pleasure, caught in his magnetic pull.
“This alluring image. It interfered with your meeting?”
“With more than my meeting.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Although I wouldn’t use the word . . . interfere.”
“I think maybe, you wanted to end your meeting and you’re using this image as an excuse.”
“You do, do you?”
His breath on her cheek sensitized nerves she didn’t even know she had. As his mouth moved, she secretly coveted his lips, knowing they’d be delicious in a kiss.
Damn the man was sexy.
She experienced a tad of disappointment when he drew back and reached for his champagne glass. Her eyes followed the movement of the knot in his neck as he swallowed. A slight breath hissed from her mouth as a bolt of desire shot right between her legs.
This could be the beginning of what could turn out to be a very enjoyable evening.
“I must confess. I’ve thought of nothing but you since our cab ride from the airport.” He set his glass down then his eyes lifted to meet hers. “You intrigue me. I want to know more about you.”
“Well. Since confessions are in order, I’ve been thinking of you, too.” Are your thoughts as lusty as mine?
“Good.” Toying with the glass at his hand, he leaned back in his chair. “Now. Tell me about yourself.”
I want you.
Her fingers tightened on her glass. Good Lord, Carrie. Get a grip. She’d had more control while being grilled by her hardball partners.
“Okay.” With one finger, she traced the stem of her crystal flute. “I’m an American Express financial advisor with ‘Higgins & Andrews’.”
Matthew let out a low whistle. “Very impressive.”
Carrie’s anger flared. Her defensive instincts flew to the surface, prepared for battle as they had many times with men who questioned her ability. With the smile on her face more forced, she allowed her irritation to show in her voice. “I earned my right to be there. I’ve worked hard to get my executive status. Had to step on a few toes, but I did not sleep my way to the top.”
“Whoa there, filly.” Matthew held up his hands. “I believe you. You’re a very sharp lady. I saw that right away. I would never belittle you or any other woman.”
Realizing she may have overreacted, a tad, Carrie explained. “I’m very good at what I do. Most men see me as a threat.”
“I’m not most men.” He leaned forward. “I plan on taking great pleasure in proving that.”
Calmed by his words, yet excited by his nearness, Carrie wondered exactly what he meant. She lifted her glass and took a sip. “I’d like to hear about you.”
“Boring stuff, I assure you.”
She set her glass down. “You’re not getting off that easily.”
“I’m in New York on business.”
Carrie spoke with sarcasm. “I never would have guessed.”
“Surely you don’t want to talk about me.” Matthew gave her a warm look. “I’d much rather talk about you.”
Here it was again. A hint of mystery. A man of many secrets. “What kind of business?”
He leaned closer. “I like looking at you.”
The timbre of his voice and his intense stare created a fluttering in her middle, a unique sensation totally alien to her. Carrie tried to read his eyes. Her body flushed hot as though he looked inside her, seeing her intimacies. As if they shared a closeness of beliefs and convictions.
“I know you’re an intelligent woman, Carrie. You’re business savvy. I could ask you about your hobbies, or we could skip all the chitchat. If you say nothing at al
l, I would sit here and look at you and be perfectly content. My fate was sealed when I saw you running for that cab.”
Carrie was about to laugh off his remark when his words penetrated. Her body stilled. Her eyes narrowed. “You saw me running. You saw me heading for that cab?”
He smiled. “Yes. I did.”
Surely the devil had a smile just like that. “So you intentionally came after me.”
“Oh, yes.”
I should have known.
No chance meeting. He’d followed her. Why? “And here I thought we just happened to grab the same taxi.”
He smiled like the villain who tied the damsel on the train tracks, but damn if she didn’t suddenly have the urge to be the damsel. I’ve been hanging around Ginger too long.
“What man in his right mind would see a beautiful goddess run by him and let her get away?”
Good Lord, what a line.
“Some goddess. I was soaked to the skin.”
Smoky eyes flamed as his gaze drifted down to her breasts, reminding her of puckered nipples. Heat slammed her center threatening to pucker them again. She cleared her throat, jerking his eyes to hers.
“Um, yes. Wet clothes reveal much.” He took a sip of his champagne. “But, I saw you before that.”
Curiosity replaced Carrie’s testiness. “Before?”
“Inside the terminal.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Hmmm. You don’t impress me as a stalker.”
“But I do impress you?”
It was impossible not to be swayed by his charm. “I’d say you made . . . quite an impression.” Carrie’s livelihood depended on her accurate assessment of people and she could read men pretty well. Matthew tested her limits.
The food arrived and Carrie studied him between bites. More than easy on the eyes and a voice she could listen to forever. Still, she needed to know more about him. “You haven’t answered my question. What kind of business trip?”
Matthew’s eyes locked with hers. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“Not a chance. Unless, it’s confidential? You don’t have to tell me if it’s private.”
He folded his napkin and placed it beside his dessert dish. “It’s a business merger. Not exactly top-secret. I’d just rather not talk business. Especially, when I’m with a beautiful woman.”
Carrie would guess he didn’t want to talk about himself either. Too bad. “Okay. What about you, the man?”
“How about we talk about you? Boyfriend? No husband, I hope!”
Carrie chuckled. “Now’s a good time to ask. No. No husband or significant man in my life.”
“Hmmm. And why is that? Your career?”
“My career is my life, up to a point. It’s not the reason I don’t currently have a relationship. What about you?”
“Definitely not married. Although my sisters have plagued my life with constant matchmaking schemes. I’m afraid I had to be rather firm in telling them to ‘butt out’.” Taking her hand, he drew her attention as if he needed her to hear his next words. “I have no significant other, girlfriend, or any female companion. I’m completely unattached.”
Carrie’s chin lifted and her muscles relaxed. Her mind floated as though she’d just been relieved of a heavy burden. She wondered why she should feel such sweet joy to know no other woman held his interest. “You’ve mentioned your sisters before.”
“I have three.” Matthew shook his head. “What I had to endure growing up without a brother.”
The smile on his face told her it hadn’t all been bad. He obviously loved them.
“My father died about seven years ago,” he continued, “leaving me the family business. I know what it’s like for someone to work hard and earn their way to the top.”
Carrie sensed he didn’t like talking about his accomplishments. “Please. Tell me.”
“After my father’s death, I worked right alongside the factory employees. I learned a lot. I wanted to see how the company functioned from top to bottom. I wanted to learn the conditions the employees worked in and how they felt about the company. It helped me to grow and I earned their respect.
“That’s admirable.”
He shrugged, but she saw pride and tenderness and . . . something else he held back from telling her. She’d bet he didn’t normally reveal his inner thoughts or open up often to people. She felt privileged he’d shared this much with her. She wouldn’t press him further.
“Do you have siblings who drive you crazy?” he asked.
The scene earlier with her sister flashed in her mind. She’d been unable to control the situation. Ellie was a grown woman and Carrie didn’t have any choice but to trust her.
“No family here. My sister and niece currently live in North Carolina. But I do have a friend who’s absolutely insane. As a matter of fact, she talked me into going on a cruise. That’s why I was at the airport. We’d just gotten back. Our plane landed late and she had to run to catch her connecting flight.”
“She doesn’t live here?”
“Actually, she does. The cruise was a last minute thing. She’d already made reservations to visit her parents and things just worked out that way. With the storm and our plane arriving late, she didn’t have time to go home. That is why you found me alone.”
“My good fortune. Dance with me.” Without waiting for a response, Matthew rose and pulled out her chair. He led her to the center of other dancing couples.
With his fingers curled around hers, he drew her close and slid one hand to the small of her back. Because of his height, she fit perfect in his arms. She released a heavy sigh of pure enjoyment and tucked her head in the curve of his neck. Even though their bodies touched, he did not enfold her tight in his embrace the way she had expected.
Her cool exterior disappeared at the warmth generated from the heated palm on her back. Waves of musk and a hint of indescribable tang assaulted her senses. She inhaled deep, savoring the heady scent. Being in Matthew’s arms felt too good. Sliding her hand up to touch the skin above his collar, she smoothed her fingers on the back of his neck, delving in the soft curls lying there. Her blood heated and simmered low in her belly.
He pulled her closer against the warmth of his broad chest, and the top of her head barely touched his chin. Leaning into his strength, she relaxed in his arms. Like a hand in a glove, the fit was perfect. Their bodies moved to the rhythm of the music while Carrie’s defenses melted a little more with each swaying step.
Sure in his movements, Carrie followed his lead. He danced like a dream you didn’t want to wake from. Her passions in utter chaos, she suffered his close proximity while her fingers absorbed the heat of his skin and her breasts the potency of his body. So lost in the sensation, she wanted to melt into his warmth and be consumed by his fire.
He didn’t act like most of the healthy red-blooded males she knew. Jerks with wandering hands or womanizers who capitalized on seduction. Many tried to cop a cheap feel and seduce her before they got halfway through their first dance. Not Matthew. The hand at her back had not moved. Wondering what was going through his mind, she raised her head.
He glanced down at her and smiled, never uttering a word. At that moment she willed him to lean down, maybe whisper in her ear or place a gentle kiss to her cheek. Hell. Who was she kidding? She wanted him to do a whole lot more.
Chapter 8
What the hell happened? The end of the evening was a blur. Carrie thought back over the events leading up to the moment last night when Matthew turned and walked away. She’d stood there like a moron, waiting to be released from the stupor in which she found herself. The evening had started out so perfect.
Carrie did not sleep around. She chose her lovers carefully, few and far between. Once she finally acknowledged the urges discovered in college, she became an enthusiastic partner in the game of sex, never allowing any emotion to surface. After all, what had it gained her sister?
A tap on the door brought Carrie back to the present.
Brenda entered her office carrying a vase filled with pink roses. The smile on her assistant’s face looked like the fat cat after consuming two canaries.
“More roses.” Brenda beamed.
“Obviously.” Carrie couldn’t help remembering the kiss at the end of a most enticing evening.
“I’ll bet these aren’t an apology.”
Her cheeky assistant was fishing and Carrie would be damned if she’d satisfy her curiosity. “Thank you, Brenda. That will be all.”
The surprised look on Brenda’s face made Carrie realize she’d been sharp with her. Being the professional assistant she was, Brenda kept silent. Whether business or personal, she knew when not to question or interfere. After all, Carrie was her boss.
Brenda had been her assistant for five years. She exhibited great organization skills and a knack for handling people. With a gift of sorting potential clients from the ones who simply needed a little financial advice, she tactfully redirected them to other agencies that suited their needs. Her wit and sharp remarks were perfect in dealing with Edward and other unwanted pests.
Brenda possessed the memory of an elephant, and for a hobby she researched people and the current events of the universe. She made it her mission in life to know ‘who’s who’ in the corporate world, which made her a great asset. Not to mention her quirky ways and extravagantly colored toenails. Carrie would be lost without her.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the heavy scent of roses. She could call Brenda back and apologize, but she had no intention of divulging the events of last night to her assistant, or anyone else for that matter. She had enough difficulty herself abiding what happened, and more to the point, her bewildering reaction.
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