by Lisa Weaver
He’d coaxed this casual fling into an attraction that bordered on treacherous. Despite her determination to keep things light, her resolve was approaching the terrifyingly nonexistent level. Instead of successfully tamping down the unwanted emotions he engendered, she’d lost control of them. They were careening away with all the intensity of a runaway train.
Desperately in need of some breathing room to regroup so she could regain a grip on her wavering emotions, she carefully untangled herself from his arms and headed for the shower.
Luke still hadn’t stirred after she’d finished showering, so she dressed and escaped to the conference room. It was a short-lived reprieve, for he found her fifteen minutes later. He breezed into the room, handing her a steaming mug fragrant with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
“I thought you might be here. I also figured you skipped breakfast, so I brought you a little fortification.”
“Thanks.”
Seeming to sense her need to put a bit of space between them, he didn’t bring up her earlier retreat.
“I wondered if you might prefer decaf when you’re working, but after what I’ve seen you handle these past few days, I decided it would take the world’s supply of caffeine to jangle your nerves.”
“Regular is fine,” she assured him. “Although butterflies actually do swarm in before I put on a training session, even a mock one.”
And whenever you’re within fifty feet of me.
“But nerves are good. I use them to infuse energy into my talk. I can’t have my audience going to sleep on me.”
“You don’t have to worry about not being able to hold my attention,” he refuted, taking a seat at the conference table. “I’m completely focused on you. Show me what you’ve put together.”
Brianna began her presentation and quickly found her stride. Motivational speaking was what she was born to do. Today, though, there was a different vibe in the air; she drew energy from the sensual pull of her one-member audience.
Maintaining her focus during a talk had never been a problem for her before, but now her thoughts wandered. She found herself alternating between replaying last night’s lovemaking and fantasizing about the promise of passion she saw in Luke’s eyes.
How can I focus on business when my mind keeps floating off to indulge in erotic daydreams where I leisurely explore every inch of him?
Preparing to inform and entertain several hundred conference attendees wasn’t overwhelming. Her reaction to her planning partner, well, that was a different story. It only took a whiff of his cologne to make her insides go squishy. It would be easier to give her presentation her undivided attention if she wasn’t quite so aware of his every move, his every glance.
She looked down at her notepad, half expecting to find she’d doodled hearts all over the page. Her infatuation for him was far worse than her chocolate obsession, and not nearly as innocuous. She’d take her chances with mountains of calorie-laden sweets instead of grappling with this dangerously seductive editor-in-chief who was working alongside her. Each time she sampled him, she only craved her next taste that much more.
Hunger for him gnawed at her. She didn’t recognize the insatiable, wanton woman he’d transformed her into. Even worse, though she’d professed she only wanted a casual fling, the reality was she wanted more. It was a dangerous longing. She was afraid the “more” she craved now was the scary, happily-ever-after variety of “more.”
Enough, she mentally chastised herself. I shouldn’t be giving a moment’s consideration to crossing the line from casual fling to something deeper.
Dragging her focus back to her presentation, she built on each talking point, finally culminating in a wrap-up guaranteed to motivate and inspire the Intrepid staff. She knew she hadn’t missed her mark when she saw the look of approval on Luke’s face.
“Tremendous,” he applauded. “Your talk is relevant and informative, with the right balance of humor woven through it to make it memorable. It’s really going to make an impact on my staff.”
Her cheeks warmed at his sincere praise. “Thank you. It’s still a little rough around the edges, though. I noticed a few things I want to tweak in my slides, and I’d like to work a couple of additional talking points in. I think they would really add value to the presentation.”
“I need to check in with the resort’s chef to confirm the menu selections for the event. Why don’t I take care of that while you work on your slides? We can meet back up for lunch?”
“Perfect.”
The rest of the morning flew by quickly, but she was hyperaware of Luke’s absence. By the time lunch rolled around, she couldn’t wait to see him again.
She was hurrying to the dining room when she spotted a familiar face in the hallway.
“Elise?” she queried in surprised delight.
“I can’t believe it! Brianna!” her former college roommate exclaimed, wrapping her in an exuberant hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Ditto! What a surprise, running into you! Are you vacationing here?”
“Even better. I work here now. I’m the head chef for the resort’s restaurant.”
“That’s wonderful! Congratulations!”
“What about you? What are you doing here?”
“I’m here with a client. I’m preparing to present a motivational seminar for a team of outdoor writers.”
“Would that be the Intrepid Explorations group?”
“That’s the one.”
“I just met the magazine’s editor-in-chief. He stopped by to firm up the menus for the conference. What a hottie! I’m sure my tongue was hanging out of my mouth the entire time we were going over meal options. Now I know why he didn’t bite when I tried flirting with him. You’ve already snagged him.”
“Oh, it’s not like that,” Brianna quickly refuted.
“Really? You’re telling me you get to work alongside that gorgeous slice of masculinity and you haven’t been tempted to get horizontal with him? I’m not buying it. Besides, that besotted sparkle in your eyes tells a whole different story. It sort of matches the goofy smile he had on his face when he mentioned the talented speaker who was helping him plan this conference.”
She shrugged, feeling the heat already suffusing her cheeks rise another degree. “Okay, so maybe it isn’t strictly business, but we aren’t in a relationship. It’s just,
umm …”
“Casual sex?” Elise supplied, laughter dancing in her eyes.
If only it were that simple.
“Casual” had been her mantra going into this, but something had gone seriously awry. Despite Brianna’s valiant efforts to remain detached, she’d failed miserably. She’d wandered off the fun-and-uncomplicated path and directly into emotionally entangled territory.
She had no idea how she’d strayed so far from her plan so quickly, nor did she have the answer to the real dilemma. What was she going to do about it?
She decided it was time for a detour in the conversation. “You always were incorrigible, Elise. How long have you been the chef here?”
“Changing the subject, huh? I’ll let you off the hook for now, but I’m going to get all the juicy details out of you eventually. To answer your question, I’ve been here a year. After Ben and I divorced, I decided to make a fresh start. I got my culinary arts degree, and when I heard Summerhaven needed a head chef for their restaurant, I applied for the position. I didn’t think I stood a chance, but they liked the flair I brought to the traditional items on their menu and my suggestions for shaking it up, and they offered me the job. So here I am.”
“I’m sorry about you and Ben, but I’m glad you’ve landed on your feet.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not. After Ben decided the ‘forsaking all others’ part of our wedding vows was apparently just a suggestion, I decided it was time to move on. As it turns out, I’m better off without him. I adore my job, and I love the new life I’m building. Now back to you and your hunky client. I want all the salacious det
ails.”
Brianna shook her head, laughing. “I see ‘persistent’ is still your middle name. Forget it.”
“Okay, I’ll give it a rest. But since you’re footloose and fancy-free, what do you say to a night out on the town? I know you enjoy the arts, and I happen to have a couple of tickets to an exclusive showing at a fabulous gallery downtown. One of my coworkers was going to come along with me, but her little girl has the chicken pox, so she had to cancel. Would you like to join me?”
Instead of jumping at the chance to take in the art show with her friend, Brianna hesitated. As wonderful as reconnecting with Elise was, Luke was at the top of her to-do list for the evening. If she’d needed confirmation she was in over her head where he was concerned, she had it now.
He was becoming an addiction, and that was a dangerous thing. A little time away from Luke might be a good idea. Shoving aside the yearning to spend the evening cocooned in his arms, she accepted Elise’s invitation.
“I’m so glad we ran into each other,” Elise enthused. “I’ll see you tonight, then.” Her smile dimmed when she spotted a man hurrying toward them. “Oh no,” she muttered under her breath.
“What is it?”
“The guy headed our way owns Cantata’s, our competition. He’s been trying to recruit me. I’ve told him I’m not interested, but he won’t leave me alone.”
Blustering up to them, the persistent restauranteur immediately launched into a heavy-handed sales pitch for the position he was pressing Elise to accept. When Elise graciously declined his offer again, his frustration reached a fever pitch, and his behavior turned borderline threatening.
Brianna was relieved when she spotted Luke approaching—he was hurrying to intervene, in fact.
“Is there a problem here, ladies?”
The Cantata’s owner’s brashness evaporated under Luke’s calculating gaze. Before either woman could respond, the man muttered something under his breath and walked away.
“Thank you, Luke. The guy doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.”
“Glad I could help.”
“You’ve already met Elise,” Brianna said, smiling.
“Yes. How do you two know each other?”
“We were roommates in college,” Elise grinned. “Brianna’s special, so you’d better treat her right.”
“Believe me, I plan to,” he replied, shooting Brianna a smoldering look that set her heart racing. Oh yeah, she was in imminent danger of falling into head-over-heels territory.
Relaying her apologies for having to hurry off, Elise headed back to work.
“I can’t believe I ran into Elise here. It’s such a small world. Thanks for coming to her rescue. That guy’s been bothering her. He wants her to work for him and he just won’t back off.”
“Happy to help. She seems like a great lady. And she certainly knows her stuff. I can see why she’s in demand. It’s neat that you got to connect with her.”
“Speaking of which, Elise has an extra ticket to a gallery show tonight and she asked me to join her. I told her I’d go.”
“That sounds like a fun time. I’ll book us in for an extra night so you can enjoy yourself without having to watch the clock.”
She found it perplexing that Luke wasn’t at all taken aback that she’d made plans for the evening that didn’t include him. “That’s very thoughtful, but not at all necessary. I’ll just grab a cab back to your house at the end of the evening.”
“You’ll do no such thing. It’s an hour-long drive. I have a few more loose ends to tie up here, so staying over one more night only makes sense. There’s a movie I’ve been hoping to catch. I’ll plan on hitting the cinema after dinner, and we can meet back at the hotel at the end of the evening.”
After lunch, they met with the hotel manager to solidify their requirements for the conference. When their work was completed, they returned to their suite and Brianna changed for her evening out.
Since the gallery opening was a black-tie event, Brianna donned the one evening gown she’d packed. The gorgeous, deep-purple garment dipped in a low-cut V in the back, treading a fine line between sophisticated and sexy. Its form-fitting shape made the most of her curves.
“You look amazing,” Luke said, smiling appreciatively.
“Thanks. And thanks for being so understanding about this.”
“No problem. You deserve a break from all the zaniness of the past few days.”
Melting into his parting kiss, she had more than half a mind to call Elise and cancel. The only thing keeping her from phoning her friend and bailing on their plans was the knowledge that unless she put some space between herself and Luke, she wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of keeping their relationship in perspective.
“You can wait up if you want to,” she told him on her way out the door. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Count on it,” he winked.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
The art show was magnificent, and she enjoyed spending time with Elise and reminiscing about their college days. Yet by the time they capped their evening off with dessert and coffee at a nearby café, she was eagerly anticipating seeing Luke again.
“This cheesecake is wonderful,” Elise sighed in appreciation, interrupting Brianna’s musings.
“Heavenly! I swear I’m going to gain ten pounds before this assignment is over.”
“Like you have to worry. You have a model’s figure.”
“Right. Catwalk here I come,” she laughed.
“You could model if you wanted to. But it seems to me you’ve found your niche at Upwords.”
“I really have,” she enthused. “There’s something immensely satisfying in helping people excel in their careers. And what about you? What’s it like being a five-star chef presiding over the restaurant of a world-renowned resort? Heady stuff, I’ll bet?”
“It’s a new adventure every day. I love the energy and the vibrant rhythm of the kitchen. When the entire staff is working in tandem to prepare and serve the very best meals to our guests, there’s nothing else like it. Troubleshooting the dozens of crises that inevitably crop up, regardless of how thoroughly we prepare, only adds to the challenge. The best part, though, is when a guest tells us how spectacular their meal was. That’s when we know we’ve succeeded in creating a memorable experience.”
The peal of Elise’s cell phone cut into their conversation, and her friend frowned when she checked the display. “Darn. It’s the resort. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to take this call. Will you excuse me for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Elise returned to the table a few minutes later.
“Is everything okay?” Brianna queried.
Elise shook her head. “I’m afraid one of those crises we were talking about has cropped up. My sous chef tangled with a chopping knife, and the knife won. He’s on his way to the hospital for stitches. I’ll have to fill in for the rest of his shift.”
Brianna glanced at her watch. It was only eight o’clock. Luke wouldn’t be back until ten, and she wasn’t eager to return to an empty suite.
“No worries. I’ll finish dessert, and then check out the bookstore we passed on the way here. The resort isn’t far. I can walk back when I’m done.”
“Are you sure you won’t let me drop you off? The Summerhaven’s grounds are secure after dark, but this area is an entirely different story.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m from New York, remember? I’ve got this.”
“I’d feel better if I knew you were safely ensconced back on the resort grounds,” Elise insisted.
Brianna waved off her friend’s concern. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for inviting me. I had a great time.”
The expression on Elise’s face made it clear she wasn’t convinced, but she accepted it was pointless to argue. “Me, too. We’ll have to make a point of doing this again soon.”
Brianna lingered over coffee before making her way to the bookstore. The shop was cozy an
d well-stocked. She enjoyed browsing through the stacks, and she chose a couple of new mystery novels from the offerings.
The sidewalk was far less crowded when she left with her purchases, bringing Elise’s cautionary words to mind. Her initial bravado slipped away when a man appeared at the intersection of an alleyway and began to follow her. Full-fledged panic set in when he closed the distance between them and grabbed her arm, tugging her to him.
“Your purse,” he demanded, pressing the cold, hard steel of a knife blade against her side.
Her pulse pounded in her ears as she moved to comply, but she wasn’t quick enough. With an impatient tug on the strap of her handbag, the man yanked it from her arm, then shoved her roughly to the ground.
Shell-shocked, she watched him run off. She was getting to her feet when she heard a familiar voice shouting her name.
What is Luke doing here?
A half second later, he was at her side. “Are you okay?” he demanded.
“I’m fine. Some guy just snatched my purse, though.”
“I saw.” He steered her into a nearby coffee shop. “Call the police, and wait here. I’ll get it back.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No! It’s too dangerous! He has a knife.”
Ignoring her protests, he took off in the direction her assailant had taken.
She wasn’t sure what compelled her to follow him after she’d phoned the police, but she couldn’t stand by while he went after an armed man alone. She had no doubt he could take care of himself, but she felt responsible somehow since it was her own stupidity in ignoring Elise’s warning that had led to the incident.
The blaring of sirens up ahead announced help was on the way. She ran faster, breathing a sigh of relief when she spotted Luke. He’d caught the purse snatcher, and had him pinned to the ground.
The cavalry arrived in a chorus of flashing lights and squealing tires, and promptly took over. She had teased Luke earlier about being in bodyguard mode, but watching him interact with the authorities, it occurred to her that he really did look the part. If she was in the market for personal protection, she would certainly want someone like him on the job.
One of the officers said something to Luke and pointed in her direction. Luke spun around, thunderclouds in his eyes.