“Okay,” Karen said, drawing out the word. “I’m going to go check on some super real and suddenly pressing details and let you guys catch up. Avery, remember we’ve got that meeting coming up.”
“I will,” she said, not looking away from Hayden as Karen disappeared as fast as she could. Some chaperone she was.
Hayden watched her go, amusement in his gaze, before turning his attention back to Avery.
“I meant it, you know. You left an impression.”
Danger, Will Robinson. Don’t get sucked in.
In the years she’d known him, he’d never gone very long between his cookie-cutter girlfriends. The idea that he hadn’t tried to replace her with someone new was laughable.
But then again, for all his faults, he’d never lied to her.
“Why are you really here, Hayden?” she asked, her voice low.
His eyes darkened, dipping to her lips before returning to meet her gaze. “You know the answer to that.”
“I’m not interested in being another notch in your bedpost.” She winced and added, “Again.”
He took a step closer, invading her space as she breathed in his cologne. “Why?”
She looked up. Even in her heels, she had to tip back her head to accommodate his height. “I don’t make mistakes twice.”
He leaned closer, his breath tickling the shell of her ear. “Really? Because if that night was a mistake, it’s one I’d love to repeat over and over.”
Just admit it. I would, too.
But Avery had been down this road before. Different man, same heartache. As much as she’d love to let Hayden quiet her mind with undeniable pleasure, she knew her own limits. And casual sex wasn’t something she’d ever really gotten a knack for.
Putting a hand on his chest, she pushed him away, trying to ignore the feel of his rock-hard muscles beneath the soft Armani shirt.
“If I’m here for any other reason than to fix your hotel, then tell me now and I’ll be on the next plane home.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “You signed a contract.”
“And I’m happy to fulfill it, provided you’re clear about where we stand on personal matters.”
“Crystal. I’m your dirty little secret,” he replied with a nod.
Dealing with the man was going to give her a migraine. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she said, “It was just one night in an otherwise long and profitable working relationship for us both. Can’t we focus on that?”
“We could,” he replied, his gaze sliding down her body. “But it’s not nearly as much fun to think about in the shower.”
“Hayden,” she hissed.
He just grinned.
“You’re making me late for a meeting with your managers,” she said.
“What a shame.”
“A meeting that will help me start to see where the hotel is going wrong.”
He sighed dramatically. “It’s always work with you.”
For some reason, the light words made her flinch. Yes, it was. But that was by design. Not everyone had the luxury of treating life as one unending play date.
“All right,” he said. “Since we’re both here, I might as well make myself useful.”
“Do you know how?”
“Funny,” he replied. “Consider me a resource for your investigation. I want to be kept in the loop about your discoveries and your proposals. I wasn’t lying when I said this location was a money maker for us. Since I’m here, I should take an interest in getting it back on track.”
“You’ve never overseen my work on any of the other hotels,” she pointed out. “I doubt you even noticed which hotels I was assigned to.”
“Then it’s about time I took a deeper interest in what you do,” he said smoothly. “We can meet tonight to get an update on your preliminary findings. Dinner?”
“Let me count the ways I can say no.”
“Drinks, then.” He checked his watch. “I look forward to hearing your ideas about the hotel.”
“It’s been one day,” she said. “If you want updates, we could set up a working lunch a week from now. With Karen.”
He tsked. “That won’t do. I have a feeling I’m going to be a very hands-on boss.” He grinned. “Daily updates work better for me, and since I’m signing your checks, that means they work better for you, too.”
“Wyatt signs my checks.”
“Same difference.”
With a sigh, she admitted defeat. The client was always right. “A quick drink tonight to apprise you of my work,” she agreed. “Now, please let me go get some done, or it will be a very fast conversation.”
With a slight bow, he swept his arm out to the side. “Of course. Don’t let me keep you.”
Shaking her head, Avery maneuvered around him. She had a meeting to keep. And somehow she’d have to get through it without letting Hayden dominate her thoughts.
An impossible task.
The man had been hard enough to forget about when he’d been an ocean away. How was she supposed to do it when he was within walking distance?
This might just be a job she was destined to regret accepting.
…
With a click of her heels, Avery walked away from him. Again.
He watched her go, appreciating the gentle sway of her hips as she strode from the lobby. Though their initial meeting hadn’t gone according to plan, he couldn’t help the smile on his lips.
It was good to see her again.
He didn’t miss people. They drifted through his life on their own schedule, and he’d learned long ago that allowing himself to grow attached to anyone was simply a recipe for pain. Yet somehow, without even realizing it, he’d missed Avery.
Fascinating.
When he’d looked across the lobby and seen her standing there, something in his shoulders had relaxed. A tension he hadn’t even been aware of drained away. Not that he’d had the same effect on her, he was sure. If anything, the tension that had left him had found another home in her body.
He hadn’t been able to stop himself from going to her. For weeks, a world had been between them. Today it was only a few feet of marble, a distance that had taken seconds to cross.
And there she’d been, staring up at him with wide brown eyes, looking much as she always had. Even dressed down, there was a strength in her that was undeniable. No matter what setting Avery found herself in, she was the same calm, self-assured woman he’d first hired years ago. The one who faced him down in a grueling interview. The one who’d let a slow smile curve her lips before promising him better results than any consultant who had come before her. Not only had she delivered, but she’d exceeded every expectation.
He hadn’t wanted her then. Hadn’t thought twice about her, if he was being honest. It had never been his style to pursue women like Avery. They were complicated and intense, women of lasting substance when all he wanted was something fleeting.
She’d fixed problems in a dozen of his hotels, and he’d never been tempted to touch her beyond an indifferent handshake when they happened to cross paths.
Until the Christmas gala. She’d been networking, as she often was at the larger hotel events. Maybe it was the Christmas spirit in the air, or maybe it was the black gown that clung to her curves like it had been painted on, but he’d gazed across the ballroom and felt a stab of lust hotter than he’d experienced before. For a woman he knew better than to want.
Shaking his head, Hayden walked back toward the reception desk.
“Your keycard, sir,” the receptionist said.
“Thank you, Lea.” He took the card and tucked it into his pocket. “Will you have my bags sent up to my suite?”
“I’ve already made the call,” she replied. “They’ll be brought up in just a few minutes.”
“I appreciate it.”
He turned to go, when her small hand reached out to grab his elbow.
“It’s wonderful to have you back, Mr. Wexton,” she said with a smile that was just
a little too knowing to be professional.
“How could I stay away?” he replied, the easy words slipping from him automatically.
Her smiled widened. “Will you be staying long?”
“I haven’t decided,” he answered.
“Well, if you need anything, I’m just a phone call away.”
Giving her a closed-lipped smile, he walked away. Under normal circumstances he wouldn’t have thought twice about some harmless flirting. But with Avery’s presence still fresh in his mind, he found he couldn’t summon any interest in Lea.
She’s not the woman I want.
Wyatt would never stop mocking him if he knew what was happening. The man who didn’t let himself grow attached to anyone was infatuated with a single woman. It was a travesty. A crime against nature. The faster he got Avery got of his system, the better. Then he could go back to the easy world of uncomplicated pleasure.
But for that to happen, he needed to convince Avery that a brief affair was in both their best interests.
Unfortunately he knew first-hand how stubborn she could be.
Shaking his head, he strode for the elevator. Good thing he loved a challenge.
Chapter Three
Avery kicked her door closed and dropped face first onto the wide, king-size bed. What a day. Her tablet was filled with notes and interview recordings. Karen had even more. Usually she was able to dive into work and use it to block out everything else, but this time it had felt like she was going through the motions. Her mind hadn’t been focused on the task at hand.
I wonder why?
Hayden was messing with her head, and it had only been a day. This project would no doubt take weeks.
Rolling over, she flung an arm across her eyes.
In the silence of her elegant suite, there was no stopping the flood of memories.
Hayden wasn’t the sort of man she ever pursued. In fact, she stayed as far away from his type as possible. Her life was governed by three rules—never mix business with pleasure, never have a one-night stand, and never, ever get involved with a playboy. The gala had caused her to break all three edicts.
For the life of her, she didn’t know why that night had been different. Hayden was handsome, she’d have to be dead not to notice, but through all their previous engagements while working on his hotels, she’d never felt a flutter of need.
Until the Christmas gala, when he’d appeared behind her. He’d touched her elbow, a simple brush of skin to skin, and she’d turned.
There’d been a look in his eyes. One that even now caused her breath to catch at the memory. He’d stared at her as if she were the only woman in the room. And better yet, the only woman he wanted to strip down and do wicked things to all night long.
It had been years since anyone had wanted her like that.
Maybe it’d been the champagne bubbling through her veins or the glittering decor of twinkling lights and Christmas snowflakes, but her better judgment had fled.
When his hand had slid across her lower back to guide her onto the dance floor, she’d been lost.
“Dammit,” she sighed, pushing herself up. It had been one night. Nothing more. Fantasy wasn’t supposed to cross over into reality. It wasn’t supposed to pursue her around the world.
He’d sent her texts, made offers to continue their liaison, and she’d turned him down cold. Hayden was not the sort of man to put extra effort into any romance he was ever involved in.
So why did he follow me here?
She couldn’t deny the secret thrill that shot through her, knowing that anyone had cared enough to chase her across an ocean. And therein lay the danger. Hayden was the master of extravagant and grand gestures, but if she weakened, he’d have her flat on her back on the nearest bed before she could blink, and would be gone from her life by the time the sheets cooled.
As if you’d need a bed, her mind whispered. He did a pretty good job that time up against the wall.
Shooting to her feet, she shook her head as if she could shake away the thoughts. “Focus on the job,” she told herself. “Do the work and get on a plane. How hard is it to keep your legs closed?” This was supposed to have been some fun in the sun while she helped out a struggling hotel. Her island paradise was getting more complicated by the minute.
Running a hand over her face, she glanced at her watch. The sun would be setting soon, and she’d be damned if she’d miss her first island sunset just to avoid the possibility of running into Hayden.
She crossed before the full-length mirror on her closet door and stopped. Heels had no place on the beach. Smoothing a hand over her jacket, she shook her head. It was the evening. She was off the clock and business clothes would only get ruined sitting in the sand.
Pulling open her closet, she sorted through her clothes before landing on a flowing sundress that was perfect for the warm weather.
In minutes she’d transformed from professional fixer to relaxed tourist. Pulling the clip from her hair, she let her brown curls bounce free around her shoulders. Twirling before the mirror, she smiled at her reflection.
Hayden won’t even recognize me.
The thought chased the smile from her lips. It didn’t matter what he thought of her outfit. She was comfortable and beach appropriate. End of story.
Slipping her feet into a pair of sandals, she grabbed her keycard and headed next door to Karen’s room.
Her assistant answered on the second knock.
“Want to check out the sunset?” Avery asked.
“I’ll watch it from my balcony,” she replied. “Then I think I’m headed for an early evening. Besides, I don’t want to cramp your date.”
She winced. “It’s not a date.”
“No client is ever interested in findings this early. Day one is just for getting situated and meeting people. Nothing about your drink date is job related.”
“Maybe he’s turning over a new leaf and is suddenly fascinated by the exciting world of hotel consulting.”
Right. Not even I believe that excuse.
Karen snorted. “Or maybe you should just revel in the fact that a handsome man flew halfway around the world for a second date with you. Seriously, you must be a goddess in the sack. I want pointers.”
She wacked her friend. “I’m not interested in Hayden.”
“Then head for the nearest hospital because something is seriously wrong with you.”
“Glad to see I can always count on some good mocking in my time of need. I’m humbled by your support.”
“Fine, fine. Go not enjoy his company. I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”
“We could go for a morning—”
Karen held up a hand. “I don’t care what you next word is, the answer is no. I need some beauty sleep to off-set the jet lag. You’re on your own until the omelet station gets fired up.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Sleep well, then.”
With a last wave, Karen closed the door on her. Shaking her head, Avery headed down to the water alone.
The sun had just started dipping toward the horizon when she reached the beach. Tourists filled the sand as the other guests of the hotel had obviously shared her thought. Finding an empty spot near a palm tree, she stood and watched as orange and red fire painted the sky.
But as breathtaking as the show was, her attention soon turned to the other occupants of the beach. She smiled at the families huddled together, their young children making sand castles in the dimming light. And then there were the couples. Women stretched out in the sand, their partners cradling them in their arms, providing a human support to lean against. They appeared so content, entwined together watching the sun. A pang filled Avery’s chest at the sight.
She’d thought she’d had that once. A partner to watch sunsets with. Someone to catch her when she tripped, or tuck the tag back into her shirt when it poked into view. Someone to experience the small, simple moments of life with.
She rubbed the empty ring finger of her left hand. Eve
n after all this time, it was still strange not to feel the gold band she’d once worn so proudly.
A warm hand cupped her elbow, sliding along her arm as she felt a solid chest at her back.
Hayden.
She should pull away. The touch was too familiar. Too reminiscent of the way he’d touched her at the gala.
Time to step forward.
She meant to. Really she did. But the spell of the light and the presence of so many other tourists calmed her instincts. Instead she let herself enjoy his presence, just for a moment.
“I thought I was imagining things when I saw you over here.” The whispered words tickled her ear. “The professional Avery Clarke, caught without her suits? I didn’t think such a thing was possible.”
“The professional Avery Clarke knows multiple layers and tropical temperatures are a hard mix.”
“I’m all for shedding one’s clothes,” he said into her ear. “More shedding, I say.”
A finger traced the thin strap of her dress, edging it closer to falling from her shoulder.
“You’re hopeless,” she sighed.
“Not necessarily.” His lips brushed the naked skin of her shoulder. “There are a number of things I’m hoping for right this very instant. Most of them require less of an audience, though.”
“Only most?” She shook her head, catching herself. “Stop that, or I’m finding a new palm tree to stand under.”
With a sigh, he straightened. “We could have such fun if you’d let us.”
He’s not wrong.
But nothing good could come from falling into bed with this man. One night had haunted her for weeks. How much worse would a full-blown affair be on her psyche?
“Hush and enjoy the view,” she said.
Surprisingly, he did as she commanded. Together they watched the sun sink toward the horizon as the orange in the sky darkened into purple streaks. She shouldn’t feel such contentment standing in his arms, but if she closed her eyes, she could pretend for a moment that they were like all the other couples on the beach, merely enjoying each other’s presence at the end of a long day.
Of course, unlike the other couples, they wouldn’t be returning to the same room, ready to fall into bed together.
The Billionaire's Paradise (Sexy Billionaires) Page 2