The Real Deal

by Lucy Monroe

  The older man shrugged. “Suit yourself, but if you’re wanting to talk to the boss, you’d do better to move in here than try to catch him like you’ve been doing.”

  She laughed. Right. Move into Simon’s house, just so she could be there to talk to him when he surfaced from his lab.

  Three days later, she wasn’t laughing. She’d called Jacob each day, leaving a message for Simon to call. According to the housekeeper, Simon hadn’t been out of his lab in all that time.

  He certainly hadn’t called her.

  When the phone rang, she couldn’t help hoping it was him.

  “Hello.”

  “How’s it going, doll?”

  “Jillian! Your new story line is to die for.”

  Jillian’s husky laughter echoed across the phone lines. “Yeah, ain’t it just? Even the Grand Dame complimented me on yesterday’s takes.” The words fairly gurgled with happiness.

  “I’m so glad, sweetie. I wish my job was going so well.”

  “The resident geek still giving you trouble?”

  “Simon’s not a geek.” He was way too sexy to fit that label. “He’s a genius. He’s also a Grand Master black belt in Tae Kwon Do.”

  “You’re kidding me. The computer nerd is a Chuck Norris wannabe?”

  “Simon isn’t a wannabe anything. He’s completely his own man.”

  Silence crackled for several seconds.

  “You sound really impressed by this guy.”

  “I am. I’m also totally frustrated.”

  “Are we talking work frustration here, or something more exciting and totally alien to your lifestyle for the last three years?”

  If she said both, Jillian would be on the next flight out of LAX for Seattle. “I still haven’t given him the complete presentation, much less convinced him of the advisability of merging with Extant and I’ve met with the man three times.”

  “That does not sound like your usually super-efficient self. Are you sure there’s nothing else going on here I should know about?”

  “Positive.” She didn’t want Jillian deciding Simon was the answer to Amanda’s lack of a social life. “It’s just that he’s so wrapped up in his work, it’s hard to get more than five minutes of his time. I had to play his Tae Kwon Do sparring dummy to get him to listen to the marketing estimates.”

  “You played a sparring dummy?” Shock laced Jillian’s voice. “I don’t believe it.”

  “In my skirt and blouse no less.”

  “No way!”

  “Yes. You know how important this is to me, Jill. I’d do anything to get this merger tied up.”

  “And what kind of anything does Simon want you to do?” The suggestive tone of Jillian’s voice made Amanda laugh.

  “With an eccentric inventor, your guess is as good as mine. I was totally disbelieving when he wanted me to play the dummy. He even insisted on working on my Tae Bo form.”

  “He did, huh? I gotta tell ya, Amanda, things are sounding pretty interesting around there.”

  “That’s one word for it.”

  “Have you considered camping on his doorstep until you get his attention?”

  Amanda didn’t laugh like she knew Jill expected her to. “I’m thinking about moving into his house for the duration.”

  Jillian sucked in a shocked breath. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

  “It was his housekeeper’s idea and I think it has merit. How else am I going to get this deal closed?”

  “You mean Simon won’t mind you just moving in?”

  “I don’t know, but at this point, I’m willing to risk it. Daniel has been calling nonstop wanting a report on my progress. He’s threatened to come up here. If I don’t do something, I’m going to get taken off the negotiations.”

  Telling Jillian she was moving in with Simon and doing it were very different animals, Amanda discovered the next day as she nerved herself to press the red button on Simon’s gate call box.

  “Hello, Ms. Zachary.”

  “Hello, Jacob. Could you release the gate, please?”

  “You got an appointment?” He was back to playing belligerent-butler again.

  “No.”

  “Mr. Brant invite you?”

  “No.”

  “You got a reason for coming?”

  “Yes, Jacob. Now, are you going to open the gate?”

  “Maybe.”

  She was on to his tricks and she wasn’t going to lose her cool this time. “Open the gate, Jacob.”

  Then before he could reply, she pressed the up button for her window and just waited. He kept her waiting for a full minute before the black iron gate slid open.

  She rang the doorbell a minute later, her laptop, briefcase, suitcase and toiletries bag stacked beside her on the porch.

  The door opened to reveal not Jacob, but Simon and he looked terrible. His eyes were bloodshot, he had several days of stubble on his face and his skin had the pallor of a sick man.

  “Amanda.” He shook his head. “Was I expecting you?”

  She stepped inside and laid her hand on his arm before thinking. “Simon, are you all right? You look ill.”

  “I’m not sick. Just tired.”

  “Hasn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time since you was here last.” Jacob’s irascible voice reached her from further down the hall.

  “That’s terrible. Simon, you need to be in bed.”

  He wasn’t listening. His focus was on something behind her. “You brought a suitcase.”

  She sucked in air and courage with the same breath. “Jacob invited me to stay awhile. I’m taking him up on it.”

  Simon craned his neck around to look at Jacob. “You invited Amanda to stay?” He sounded so confused, she felt sorry for him. He was too tired to understand what was going on, but he wasn’t too tired to toss her out on her ear if Jacob gave lie to her bold claim.

  “I may have said something to that effect.”

  She let out the small breath she’d been holding.

  Simon stepped back. “Come in then. Jacob, will you see that Ms. Zachary’s things are put in the guest room?”

  Jacob’s wizened gaze caught hers as she passed him and he winked.

  It surprised her so much that she stumbled and crashed into Simon. Even tired, he had the reflexes of a trained warrior. He caught her and set her back on her feet without taking so much as an extra breath. “You okay?”

  “Yes. Thanks. I’m clumsy today.”

  Simon covered his mouth and yawned.

  “You need to go to bed, Simon.”

  “I’m hungry. I think Jacob’s going to make me something to eat. I don’t remember.” He was so rummy, his words were slurring.

  “I made some beef stew. It’s simmering on the stove. Ms. Zachary, you could see the boss gets some while I’m busy with your things.”

  “No problem. Come on, Simon.” She led him to the kitchen where she could smell the savory aroma of simmering stew and recently baked bread.

  Simon sat down at the small kitchen table and she served him in a bowl Jacob had left sitting on the counter. She also sliced and buttered some of the bread.

  Simon ate in silence while she watched over him like a broody hen. He really did look awful. There was no way they were going to have any sort of intelligent conversation before the man had gotten a good night’s rest.

  He finished and laid down the spoon. “Can I get you anything, a glass of wine maybe?” he asked her politely, just as if he wasn’t practically dead on his feet.

  “No, thank you. Go to bed, Simon.”

  He nodded and stood, swaying slightly on his feet.

  She rushed forward and put one arm around his waist. He draped his arm over her shoulder, but didn’t put his whole weight against her. For which she was grateful. He let her lead him out of the kitchen.

  “Which way is your bedroom?”

  He waved his arm to the left. It didn’t take her long to find the stairway. They managed to get up it without mishap, but
when they reached Simon’s bedroom he seemed to lose steam all at once. He went tumbling toward the oversize king bed and took her with him. They landed in a tangle of arms and legs with Simon’s body half over hers.

  He didn’t move.

  “Simon.”

  Nothing.

  She fought her head clear of his heavy arm and looked up at his face. His eyes were closed. He was asleep.

  No problem. She only had to slide out from under him and he’d never even know she’d been there.

  She levered her arm out from where he had it pinned beneath his chest and pushed against him, trying to scoot backwards at the same time. His eyes opened and she fought between relief and embarrassment.

  “Uh, Simon . . .”

  He smiled, the beatific smile of a very happy child, said her name and then closed his eyes again.

  Without moving.

  She pressed firmly against his chest. He said something indecipherable and moved, dragging her into his body like the lover she wasn’t. When he was still again, she was wrapped firmly in his arms, his face buried in the curve of her neck and his heavy thigh trapping both her legs.

  Chapter 6

  She should absolutely get up.

  Right this minute.

  But she didn’t want to move. Simon’s breath warmed her throat while the feel of his muscular body wrapped around her gave a sense of warmth and belonging she’d longed for all of her life. It was that sense that had her trying to peel out of Simon’s arms. It was way too dangerous.

  She wasn’t any good at the man-woman thing and if she let herself fall for Simon, she was going to end up hurt.

  Badly.

  When it came to relationships, she always lost.

  Remember the job.

  She was here for the sake of her career, not to put her damaged heart at risk again.

  Unfortunately, even in sleep, Simon was strong. Too strong for her to get away from.

  She tried shaking his shoulder to wake him. “Simon. Wake up. You’ve got to let go.”

  His face nuzzled more firmly into her neck and his hand shifted until it was cupping her right breast.

  Her brain short-circuited while her body started pulsing with unfamiliar desire.

  “Simon!”

  His hand squeezed and her nipple went rock-hard. She gasped. He squeezed again and darned if it wasn’t with just the right amount of pressure.

  Okay. She wasn’t going to try to wake him up again. At the rate they were going, he’d be inside of her before she ever got him out of his comatose state. And she’d be loving it.

  Which made her wicked and pathetic. For surely only a wicked woman would consider taking advantage of a man’s actions while he was sleeping and only a pathetic one would need to.

  Maybe if she lay there until he went into a really deep sleep, his muscles would relax enough for her to extricate herself from his arms.

  The hand on her breast was heavy and she was tempted to pretend for a little bit. To pretend he meant it to be there. To pretend a gorgeous, sexy man like Simon found her desirable. It should be too much of a stretch for even her imagination. It wasn’t. Not with his arms around her and his hard, masculine body pressed all along her side.

  Fantasizing was risky.

  She might start believing her own delusions.

  She had to get her mind off the way it felt to be in Simon’s unconscious arms.

  She stared up at the ceiling. Not a lot of inspiration there. Simon had a ceiling fan. She wondered if he liked to lay naked on his bed and let the gentle air brush over him like she did. She preferred the fan to running the air conditioner, except on the hottest days.

  As things started happening in her body, things like swelling and moistening, she realized that wondering about Simon’s naked sleeping habits was a bad idea.

  She let her gaze roam around the room, at least as much as she was able to without turning more than her head. The stark simplicity of Oriental design was in here too, but so was Simon’s love of hi-tech. The bed and matching bedroom suite had been designed in molded metal with a flat finish. It didn’t look like office furniture gone bad, but rather sleek and almost soothingly simple.

  The headboard and footboard on the bed were slatted with horizontal bars. She’d never seen a bed like it.

  An image of her lying on the bed, naked but for a silk nothing of a nightgown, with her hands tied to the headboard, popped into her mind. Simon leaned above her, his hands teasing her body while he whispered shocking things in her ear.

  She groaned. Simon’s leg insinuated itself between hers, his thigh pressing against the apex of her thighs and the image in her head exploded in favor of tormenting reality.

  She had to get out of this bed. She made her body go completely motionless and concentrated on breathing as quietly as possible. Anything not to jar Simon into further movement.

  She snuggled into the delicious warmth of her bed, fighting consciousness and trying to cling to the sweetness of her dream. It had been so real, she could still smell the masculine scent of her lover, still feel the strength of his arms around her, the erotic pleasure of his legs twined with hers in the aftermath of loving.

  She shifted one leg and fancied she could feel denim rub against the smooth sheerness of her stockings.

  Stockings?

  She wasn’t wearing stockings in her dream. She was naked—Oh, my gosh! Her eyes flew open to a patch of dark blue.

  It was a shirt and the shirt covered a male chest.

  Simon.

  Her head snapped back.

  He was still asleep.

  That was the only good news she could discern as she came fully alert with a mental bump of huge magnitude. Her legs were indeed twisted together with his, right up to their thighs. This was possible because her skirt was twisted up to her hips, exposing the tops of her stay-ups.

  Somehow several buttons had come undone on her once crisp white blouse and Simon’s hand was inside, resting against her silk-clad breast. Her hand was underneath his untucked T-shirt, pressing against his well-defined abs.

  If he woke up right now, she would have a heart attack and die of humiliation.

  With all the caution of a thief leaving the scene of a crime, she gently withdrew her hand from under his shirt. His body shuddered in sleep as her fingertips brushed along his skin and she was terrified he’d waken. He didn’t.

  He was sleeping too deeply.

  Thank you, God.

  She’d been right that his muscles would relax in sleep. Moving slow centimeter by centimeter, she withdrew from his embrace until her body was no longer touching his at any point. Heaving a sigh of relief, she rolled onto her back and only registered her nearness to the edge of the bed a second before landing on the floor with a solid thump.

  “Not a real graceful way to get out of bed, if you don’t mind my saying so, Ms. Zachary.”

  Jacob? Jacob was here? How much had he seen?

  She scooted to her feet in a flurry of movement, yanking her crumpled skirt down over her exposed legs.

  “Thought you were going to use the guest room.”

  She could feel heat scorching into her cheeks. “I am. This was a mistake. He . . . I . . .” How did she explain the events that had led up to her sleeping in Simon’s arms?

  “I don’t pry into the boss’s private affairs.”

  “For goodness sake, we are not having an affair. I was trying to help him to bed. He fell asleep with me under him. I mean. He fell. We fell. I couldn’t get away. I guess I fell asleep waiting for him to relax.”

  A lot of falling had gone on.

  “Whatever you say, Ms. Zachary. I came to see if you wanted dinner.”

  “Um, that would be great.” She surreptitiously did up several buttons on her blouse, keeping her body angled away from Jacob’s too knowing gaze. “I’ll just go change my clothes.”

  She was a wrinkled mess and maybe a return to her usual put-together appearance would harbinger a return to sanit
y as well.

  One could only hope.

  Eric Brant called after dinner. As soon as Amanda heard his voice, her stomach cramped with worry over his reaction to her coming to stay with his cousin.

  “He let you move in? Just like that?” Eric sounded stunned.

  “It was Jacob’s idea,” she defended herself.

  “But Simon hardly ever has company and now he’s letting a complete stranger live in his house. I have to tell you, Amanda, this is the strangest business deal I’ve ever been involved in.”

  “Simon doesn’t do things like normal people,” she said, throwing his own words from before back at Eric.

  “But he doesn’t do stuff like this either.”

  “It was the only way I could think of to catch him often enough to convince him of the merits of the merger.”

  Eric’s laughter jangled against her already stretched nerves. “Well, I’ve got to hand it you, Amanda. You’ve got real dedication to getting the job done. I only wish my junior executives were half as ambitious and creative.”

  She warmed under the praise. “Thank you.” She only hoped her boss, Daniel, agreed with Eric.

  Amanda popped the green stem out of the strawberry and tossed it in the waste bin to her left on the deck. She dropped the berry in the ceramic bowl and picked up another one. She’d eaten breakfast an hour ago, but the juicy berries were still tempting. The only thing that stopped her popping one in her mouth was the certainty that Jacob would walk out on the deck at that exact moment and catch her.

  She wouldn’t put it past him to be watching her from the kitchen just so he could do that very thing.

  She hadn’t seen Simon since practically running from his room the previous afternoon. She didn’t even know if he’d woken up from his restorative sleep yet and she didn’t have the nerve to ask Jacob. Not after what he had witnessed in Simon’s bedroom.

  “That doesn’t look like the normal occupation for a dedicated career woman.”

  She looked up at the sound of Simon’s deep voice and smiled, albeit a bit nervously. She didn’t know how much he would remember from her sojourn in his bed. Not that it hadn’t been pretty tame as sojourns go, but since she hadn’t been in any man’s bed in over two years and hadn’t done anything worth mentioning in a bed in more than three, she was still uncomfortable about facing Simon.