The Millionaire Meets His Match

by Kate Carlisle

  “Not necessarily,” he said, tapping the document. “Some people don’t have a problem cutting corners.”

  “Please fasten your seat belts, Mr. Duke, Ms. James,” Pamela said. “We’re beginning our descent and should be landing shortly.”

  Trish’s nerves began to race in a whole new direction as she fumbled for the seat belt.

  “All buckled up?” he asked, shoving the document back into his briefcase.

  “I’m getting there,” she said, annoyed to hear the tension in her own voice. Finally, she managed to connect the belt securely around her waist.

  Without another word, Adam took her hand in his. The movement pulled her up close to his warm, solid shoulder and her fears gave way to heated cravings. She tried to concentrate on breathing, deeply, evenly, but his strong, masculine scent got in the way. It clouded her mind and turned her thoughts to mush. When he began to stroke her hand softly with his thumb in an apparent effort to calm her, Trish almost melted into a puddle right then and there.

  The plane cleared the mountain, then leveled off as it descended toward the Fantasy Mountain airstrip. It could hardly be called an airport, although that was the Dukes’ eventual plan for it.

  Adam glanced over at Trish and noticed that she’d turned a delicate shade of green. It must’ve been that sharp bank over the last mountain range that did her in. Was she going to be ill? She had a death grip on his hand and was rubbing her stomach with her free hand. She seemed to be trying to swallow over and over, probably to keep her ears from popping.

  A moment ago, a strange protective instinct had made him take hold of her hand in an attempt to reassure her that everything would be okay. Watching her now, he had an irresistible urge to pull her onto his lap, cradle her in his arms and soothe away her fears. But he resisted and the moment passed.

  It wasn’t his job to comfort her. Yes, it bothered him that she seemed to be suffering, but he had to keep in mind just why she was there in the first place.

  Damn, she was the most unlikely gold digger he’d ever met. She should’ve been more sophisticated, more of a game player. She should’ve been the sort of woman who was used to flying off to exotic places and carrying on casual, flirtatious conversations with men. But she hardly seemed the type.

  He wondered what Sally and Marjorie had promised her in exchange for her part in this charade. Besides Adam Duke, that is. Had they offered her money? A new car? A permanent job with the company?

  But Adam knew his mother and the more he thought about it, the more certain he was that his mother would never try to buy off a woman with material goods. No, Mom would figure that marriage to her son would be a good enough lure for any woman.

  And Trish had agreed. He supposed he should be flattered, but he wasn’t.

  Whatever devil’s bargain she’d agreed to, she would ultimately fail. In the meantime, though, Adam was more than willing to play along. He would be lying if he said he only wanted to seduce her because of her part in Sally’s matchmaking game. No, Adam just plain wanted her. Wanted his hands on her lush curves. Wanted his mouth on her lips, her skin. He wanted to feel her all over, inside and out. It had been this way ever since the first day she walked into his office. And he would have her, all of her. Soon.

  And that’s where the game would end.

  Norman Thompson, the ADA lawyer, had a tendency to drone on and on.

  “I’ve already told you that we’ll make the changes, Norm,” Bob Paxton said calmly. “Just give us your notes and cut the editorials.”

  “Did you get that last measurement, Trish?” Adam said, crossing the narrow walkway to stand beside her.

  “Yes, I’ve got it,” she murmured, grateful she’d brought a new legal pad with her on the trip. She’d filled almost every page. She was also grateful she’d borrowed Deb’s warm down jacket and thin, thermal gloves or she would’ve turned into a block of ice by now. Despite the sunny day, it was cold up here in the mountains and they’d been outside for almost five hours.

  “Do you have anything more for us?” Adam asked the lawyer.

  Thompson snorted in disgust. “Isn’t that enough?”

  “Yes, it is,” Adam said easily. “Thank you for your input. We’ll send you a complete list of the changes we make, along with photographs of the completed work. I assume you’ll want to conduct a final survey of the grounds after the work is completed.”

  “Absolutely,” he said.

  “Good.” He glanced from Bob to Trish to the lawyer. “We’re finished here.”

  “I suppose,” Thompson said, dropping his own notepad into his thin briefcase. “I’ll expect your report within the month.”

  “You’ll get it next week,” Adam said briskly, holding out his hand. “Have a good day.”

  “Well.” He shook Adam’s hand. “You do the same.”

  They watched Thompson walk back to his car, then Bob turned to Adam. “Next week might be cutting it close, but we’ll aim for it.”

  “I want it done,” Adam said. “If you have any problems with the crew, I want to hear about it immediately.”

  “There won’t be any problems,” Bob said determinedly as he put his small, digital camera back in his pocket. “I’ll e-mail you the photos as soon as I’m back in my office. And I’ll find out exactly who was responsible for all the mistakes.”

  “I know you will,” Adam said, shaking hands with the contractor. “Thanks, Bob.”

  “It was great to meet you, Bob,” Trish said.

  “Nice meeting you, too, Trish,” Bob said, shaking her hand. Then she and Adam watched him head back to the construction trailer parked on the periphery of the resort property.

  “Let’s get up to the lodge,” Adam said, placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her away from the parking structure. “It’s freezing out here.”

  “I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed,” Trish said, but now she wasn’t sure if her shivers were from the weather or from his touch.

  As he guided her along the bark-covered shortcut to the lodge, Adam pointed out the beginnings of several trails to be used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing once the snow began to fall. The downhill skiing trail was just a short hike away.

  “It’s so beautiful,” Trish said, stopping to look in every direction.

  “I think so,” Adam said gruffly, looking right at her.

  Trish felt herself blushing and would’ve looked away, but how could she? It was as if he were a magnet and she were metal. His eyes were so blue and knowing, so aware of everything. Did he know what she was thinking? What she wanted?

  Trish blinked. What was wrong with her? She still couldn’t believe she was here in this place with him. When she’d first seen that letter from the ADA lawyer, she wished she’d been the one to alert the man about the problems at the resort. It would’ve been sweet revenge indeed against Adam Duke. But after hearing Adam talk about the handicapped kids he’d known at the orphanage, she was glad she’d had nothing to do with it. It almost broke her heart to know Adam had spent part of his childhood so lonely and alone.

  She was still determined to seek justice and closure. She owed that much to Grandma Anna and the others. But she wouldn’t do it on the painful memories of a lonely child living in an orphanage.

  There was no sign of that childhood pain now as she stared at Adam and saw the stark hunger in his eyes. Then the starkness disappeared as Adam glanced around the trail.

  “Serenity Lake is just beyond the main building,” he said, casually pointing over her shoulder as if they hadn’t just shared a special, lust-filled moment. “We’ll be able to see it from the lodge. In summer and fall, there’s boating, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, hiking, bird watching, mountain biking. We also offer yoga, croquet, tennis, golf and horseback riding.”

  “Wow.”

  He grimaced. “I sound like a travel agent, don’t I?”

  She laughed. “Yes, you do. But I’m sold. This place is fantastic.”

&nbs
p; Trish stared up at the magnificent Arts and Crafts-style resort that rose six stories up the side of the mountain. Fantasy was a perfect name for it. The stone and timber façade, dark wood gables and carved willow balconies offset the forest-green pitched roof, covered walkways and tall stone chimneys. The overall effect was stunning, rustic yet aristocratic.

  “It’s amazing,” she said.

  “Wait’ll you see the inside,” Adam said, grabbing her hand to take her up the wide plank stairs and through the impressive double-door entrance.

  “It’s…” Trish slowly spun around to take in the massive main lodge. The huge fireplace at one end of the room was tall enough that Trish could walk inside it. She wouldn’t, of course, since there was a roaring fire warming the space. But it was certainly big.

  Throughout the room, golden brown leather chairs and sofas were grouped around hand-built twig tables. Thick carpets covered the hardwood floors and wide wood beams stretched across the immense cathedral ceiling. The walls were exposed timbers, bleached, then varnished to a rich, warm hue.

  “It’s dazzling,” she said finally.

  He chuckled. “Why don’t you have a seat by the fire? I’ll check where they put our bags and get the keys to our rooms for the night, then we’ll take a tour, meet the chef and have dinner.”

  She stopped in her tracks. “Our rooms? Dinner? Aren’t we flying back?”

  “It’s after four o’clock and we still have work to do here,” he explained. “We’ll spend the night and go back tomorrow morning. That way you can meet with the chef and we can talk about the opening.”

  “But that’s crazy,” Trish said before she could stop herself. “I can’t spend the night here with you.”

  He studied her for a moment. “Is it spending the night away from home that worries you or the fact that you’re here with me?”

  “Neither,” she said hastily. “I’m not worried. I’m just…hmm.”

  He moved closer and seemed to grow taller, stronger, before her eyes. “We’re here to work, not play.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  He was close enough that she could smell his scent, a heady combination of forest, citrus and Oh, dear lord, leather. If she moved another inch, their mouths would meet. It was tempting.

  “Are you afraid of me?” he asked quietly.

  She tried to laugh, but her throat was too dry. “Don’t be silly.”

  “Because I assure you, Trish. You’re in no danger from me.”

  “Of course not.” She smiled weakly.

  He stared at her face for another moment, looking for signs of what? Fear? She gave him her best blank look. He nodded once and went off to get the keys. Sinking into a plush leather chair near the warm fire, Trish swallowed uneasily. In no danger from him? Was he serious? Or simply blind? Oh, if he only knew how much danger she was in. She just hoped he would never find out.

  Six

  After a tour of the lodge and the behind-the-scenes facilities, Adam introduced Trish to Jean Pierre, the head chef. Together with the hotel and restaurant managers, they all sat down to discuss opening-night strategies. After an hour, Adam ended the meeting and took Trish off to enjoy dinner in the resort’s most elegant restaurant.

  Adam had already explained to Trish that although the resort wasn’t yet open to the public, the entire staff was up and running at full power these last few weeks until the official opening. The kitchen prepared meals throughout the day and the waitstaff served them to other employees with the same professionalism they would show to a paying guest. The same procedure was followed by the other departments throughout the hotel, and everything was observed and graded by the management team.

  When it came to running their resorts, the Dukes preferred to leave nothing to chance.

  And when it came to seducing beautiful women, Adam Duke left nothing to chance, either.

  It had occurred to him as he was picking up their room keys, that his strategy with Trish could use some fine-tuning. So far, she was playing the model employee, pretending confusion and uncertainty when he’d informed her they’d be spending the night in this remote, beautiful place. He’d ostensibly played right into her hands, practically delivering himself on a silver platter for her enjoyment. So why hadn’t she taken the bait?

  Why was she continuing to act so coy?

  You’d never know she had her sights set on him, he thought with some disgust. She was obviously playing hard to get, but the goody-goody act was no longer working for him. He would have to find a way to break through her charade. He wanted to look into her eyes and see her hunger, her craving, her need for him.

  That’s when he would make his move.

  Adam had been in the corporate world a long time and his business instincts were well-honed. He knew how to stoke the fires of desire-in both business and pleasure. He was aware that the surest way to drive up both price and demand was to make it clear that the item was unavailable.

  It worked in property development, in sales and acquisitions-and it would work with Trish. With that in mind, Adam decided that he would be the one to play hard to get. He would wine and dine and flatter and cajole and work her into such a state of frenzied need that she would be the one to proposition him. And then he would decide whether to say yes or no.

  And because he was such a nice guy, he would probably say yes. Make that hell, yes.

  Accompanying Trish into the dining room, Adam stood close enough to hear her breath catch as he touched her shoulder. He felt her heartbeat flutter as his fingers glided over the pulse point of her wrist. He wondered what she was thinking. Was she as attracted to him as he was to her? Oh sure, she wanted him as a husband, but did she want him as a lover? If so, she was playing it awfully damn cool.

  He looked forward to turning up the heat.

  They were led to a beautifully set table in front of the wide, plate-glass window overlooking the shimmering lake. As Adam pulled out her chair, he deliberately touched the small of her back, then let his hand glide up to her neck as she sat down. He was pleased to feel her back arch in response, as though she wanted more.

  He would not disappoint her.

  As Trish gazed at the view, dusk turned to dark and the world outside the window turned magical. She gasped as strategically designed outdoor lighting twinkled to life, accenting the beauty of the nearby forest and surrounding mountains. All of it was reflected in the serene surface of the lake.

  “It’s so perfect,” she said, gazing across the table at him.

  “I’m glad you like it,” he said, admiring the way her brown hair tumbled loosely around her shoulders and her green eyes sparkled in the candlelight.

  “How could anyone not love it?” She smiled dreamily as she placed her napkin in her lap. “If I were you, I’d never want to leave.”

  Adam was glad he’d arranged in advance to have the stylish restaurant all to themselves. It should’ve felt odd or eerie to be the only diners, but it didn’t. The room was beautiful and well-lit. Willow screens and feathery trees in large pots were used to create intimate dining spaces. The staff was attentive, yet discreet.

  Again leaving nothing to chance, Adam had contacted Jean Pierre over the weekend and requested that the chef prepare an extensive tasting menu consisting of those items he was considering serving at the opening-night gala.

  For the next two hours, Adam and Trish tasted tiny skewers of tender grilled baby vegetables and savory meats along with a wonderful assortment of delicate canapés. Tiny pancake pillows topped with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and dill, bite-sized pieces of rare roast beef in a pastry crust accompanied by dipping sauces of creamy, homemade horseradish and a savory chutney. There were decadent sauces, fluffy patés and fragile mini-soufflés.

  To accompany the hors d’oeuvres, there were six different champagnes to choose from and a number of vintages of cabernet sauvignon to sip and enjoy.

  The conversation was enjoyable, as well. Adam found Trish’s opinions stimulating and th
oughtful, so they had a spirited discussion on a number of issues. They discovered a mutual appreciation of both vintage jazz and the Sunday comics. She had a sense of humor and she was smart and most important, loyal.

  When the conversation finally wound around to the issues plaguing the resort, Trish wondered aloud just how the construction snafu might have occurred. She offered to assist Bob with his investigation of the subsidiary that had cut corners.

  “When the truth emerges,” she said, shaking her finger at him, “heads will roll.”

  “I’m glad you’re on my side,” he said, chuckling.

  “Oops,” she murmured, realizing what she’d said. “I think I’ve had too much champagne.”

  “But you’re having fun, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “Everything is just beautiful. Thank you for including me in your evening.”

  “I had no intention of dining without you.” He sipped his wine. “But now I have to ask, why were you so concerned about staying overnight up here? Do you have a boyfriend waiting at home?”

  “Good heavens, no.”

  He was relieved to hear her say so. “A hot date maybe?”

  She frowned. “No, of course not.”

  “Why ‘of course not’? Don’t you date? You’re a beautiful woman.”

  Despite the soft candlelight, Adam could see Trish’s cheeks turn pink.

  “You shouldn’t say things like that,” she said.

  “Even if it’s true?” Adam teased. His grin faded as he sipped his wine. “Were you nervous about being alone with me?”

  She glanced around the room as if she might be looking for the waitstaff. “We’re not alone.”

  He leaned in. “Yes, we are.”

  Biting her lower lip, she looked around again, then straightened up and gazed directly at him. “No, of course I’m not nervous about being alone with you. You’re my boss. I know I’m perfectly safe with you.”

  He studied her. “I wish I could say the same.”

  “What do you mean?”