The last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon, and the crowd around them began to stir.
“It’s over,” she said, stepping from his light hold. She thought she heard him sigh, but when she turned to face him, he appeared as unflappable as ever.
“Time for our drink, then,” he said.
“I could point out it’s a five-minute conversation we could have right here.”
His eyes were warm as he studied her. “You could,” he agreed. “But then I’d be obliged to agree, and we’d both be alone in no time flat. Is that really how you want to spend your evening?”
No, I’d love to spend it climbing you like a tree.
Mentally, she shook her head. Bad thoughts. Unhelpful thoughts.
True thoughts.
“Avery?”
“I—”
Did she really want to head back to her silent room alone? Not particularly. And where was the danger in a quick drink? She needed to make it clear to him he couldn’t seduce her. What better way to do that than appear unruffled by his attempts?
Grasping at straws, I see. I’m sure this is healthy.
“One drink,” she said, ignoring her inner voice.
The smile that slowly stole over his lips was worth her surrender. Gesturing to the nearby path, he waited for her to lead. Avery headed toward the hotel, far too aware of the sexy shadow following a pace behind her.
The bars edging the massive pool were in full swing by the time they made the climb from the beach. Avery should have known her partner would have left nothing to chance when they were led straight to a reserved table beneath a pair of palm trees.
She flipped the drink menu open, trying to ignore the weight of Hayden’s gaze on her.
“What do you recommend?” she asked, thumbing through the list of mixed cocktails.
“Champagne.”
She leveled an unimpressed stare his way. “Pass.”
His easy smile was back in place. “Can’t blame a man for trying.”
When the waiter came, she ordered a daiquiri before relaxing into her chair.
“It’s a wonderful hotel,” she said, gazing around the luxury setting.
“We spared no expense with this one. It’s too bad the return is starting to slip.”
“We’ll correct it,” she replied. “That’s what I do best.”
His gaze swept to her. “Among other things.”
“What are you, twelve? This is supposed to be a work meeting.”
“No, you’d like it to be a work meeting. I’m just happy to have your company any way I can get it.”
Awwww.
Stop it.
“Okay, how about this. I’m going to ask a neutral question, and you’ll answer, and we’ll have a civilized conversation like two adults. Sound like a plan?”
“A boring plan.”
“Hayden.”
He sighed. “Ask away. We can talk about the weather or contemplate how many coconuts fall on tourists every year.”
She blinked. “Does that happen?”
“More often than you’d think.”
She glanced up at the palm trees swaying above them.
“The staff remove the excess coconuts on the property,” he said. “I promise you’re safe from heavy, yet hilarious, falling instruments of death.”
“And here I thought it was sharks I had to watch out for in the tropics.”
“I take it that’s a no to midnight skinny-dipping, then.”
“Not the way I want to die,” she agreed.
“I should point out there are no sharks in the pool.”
“Still never happening.”
He sighed. “Fine. Ask your questions.”
“Tell me more about the hotel,” she said. “When was the last time you were here?”
“It’s been a few years at least.”
She shook her head. “If I owned this place I’d be here all the time.”
A shadow passed over his expression before he replied, “There always seems to be a reason to stay away. Some fire to put out in one of the other locations.”
“Or some woman to tempt you away from your duties.”
His smile was unremorseful. “That, too.”
“You’re just lucky you have a crack team running your empire so you don’t have to.”
“Hey, now,” he protested, his voice mild. “I spent years building my company up to the point where it could function without having to sacrifice every minute of my life to it.”
“Yes, because running a billion-dollar corporation is such a sacrifice,” she teased.
Their drinks arrived before he could reply. Avery took a sip as Hayden thanked the waiter and took his scotch.
“Hotels were never my passion,” he said when they were alone again.
She frowned. “Uh, you’re aware you’ve created a juggernaut in the hospitality industry, right? What the hell do you achieve when you actually like what you’re doing?”
He took a sip of his drink. “The work grew on me. Turns out I had a knack for it.”
She laughed. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it. Why did you decide to even start in this industry?”
“I didn’t,” he said. “Or at least, not entirely. My parents were the ones who started the foundation of this company. My father worked day and night to grow one location into two, then three, and so on. This empire was his dream.”
“They must be very proud of what it’s become.”
He shrugged. “They never saw the full rollout. I inherited everything when I was eighteen.”
Inherited. That meant…
The breath caught in her throat. She should have known, but she’d never cared enough to dig into his past.
“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling her insides clench with sympathy.
Blue eyes flicked to hers. “Boating accident,” he supplied. “I’m told it was fast.”
Avery couldn’t imagine losing her parents. When she’d been dealing with an over-protective mother and trying to survive high school, Hayden had been burying his family.
He leaned forward on the table, his customary smile back in place. “So you see, we should live every day like it’s our last. Regrets are a waste of time.”
“Personal slogan, hmm?”
“One of many.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I have a reckless bone in my body.”
“You’re on an island thousands of miles from anyone you know. If there was ever a time to explore your boundaries, it’d be now.”
“A time out from real life?”
A satisfied expression filled his gaze. “Exactly.”
She poked at her frozen drink with her straw. “I can’t deny it’s tempting, but it’s not really me.”
“You say that now,” he replied. “Wait till island life seeps into your blood.”
She leaned forward. “Are you hoping I’ll adopt some carpe diem lifestyle and magically fall into bed with you?”
“A man can dream.”
“Hate to break this to you, but not all dreams come true.”
He relaxed back into his chair, taking a sip of his drink. “You’re missing out. I could show you to a whole new way of looking at the world.”
One where there were no rules. No loyalties. Where pleasure was king and people’s hearts meant less than nothing. She rubbed her ring finger again.
I tried living in that world, and it nearly destroyed me once already.
There was no way she was going back.
“I think I’ll pass.”
He shrugged. “I’m a patient man, and you’re not going anywhere soon.”
He had a point.
“Speaking of which, I should give you my update.”
He sighed. “If you must.”
“Today was just some groundwork. I’d say there might be some issues with communication between the managers and staff, but I’ll have to explore that avenue further in the days to come.”
He waved a hand at her.
“You’re the expert. Whatever you prescribe, I’ll do.”
“If only those words extended beyond work,” she said.
His gaze sharpened on hers. “On the contrary. I’m quite happy to follow your lead, under certain circumstances.”
“Let me guess. Those circumstances involve a locked door and a king bed.”
His grin widened. “And you’d definitely have to be naked. You’d be amazed how easily managed I become when you lose your clothes.”
“I’ll do my best to not keep that in mind.”
He finished off his drink with a smile. “I’m a simple man at heart.”
“With a black card and a billion-dollar bank account.”
“What can I say?” he replied, spreading his hands. “They’re just details.”
“Important ones.”
His fingers danced around the rim of his empty glass. “But not to you.”
She rested her chin in her palm. “Would you try to buy me if you could?”
“In a heartbeat.”
…
Truer words had never been spoken.
Indeed, everything would be so much easier if she were a woman he could impress with his wealth. Hayden had learned at a young age that it was far easier to buy good will than to earn it. They only had so many days on this earth, after all. So instead of fighting against the fortune hunters who invariably ended up on his doorstep, he embraced them. A few nights of hot sex were well worth a diamond tennis bracelet here or there.
But Avery had returned the jewels he’d tried to give her. She’d turned down everything he’d sent her.
She didn’t want to jeopardize their working relationship because of one night. A night she called a huge mistake.
It was as frustrating as it was captivating.
“Maybe you need to take a hard look at how you interact with people,” she said, sipping on her colorful straw.
“I have no problems with how I run my life,” he replied. “My world follows patterns I understand. Rules by which I govern my time.”
That had her expressive eyes flashing to his.
“Ah,” he murmured. “Something tells me your world does, too.”
“I like order,” she replied.
Yes. She lived to solve her little puzzles. It was the reason she took jobs no other consultant would touch. They offered a new challenge, and one thing he’d come to know about her was that she loved to find the hidden answers.
Avery looked at a riddle the way his previous flames looked at diamonds.
“So, tell me one of your rules,” he said, leaning forward.
“Don’t mix business with pleasure.” She said it with enough assurance he had no doubt she meant the words beyond the taunt they offered.
“I see,” he said solemnly. “Love, I’ve got some bad news for you.”
Rolling her eyes, she took another sip. “I’m well aware I messed up with you.”
While the knowledge obviously chagrined her, it gave him hope. Avery didn’t make mistakes. She was always in control, and yet the night of the gala she’d slipped.
Because of me.
His heart beat a little bit faster.
“So, I make you break your rules,” he said.
“Champagne makes me break my rules,” she corrected. “Especially when it comes in multiple glasses on an empty stomach.”
A slow smile touched his lips. She was a terrible liar.
“Have I mentioned how much I love that drink? We should have it at every meal, I say.”
“Sounds healthy.”
“Sounds exciting.”
“I spend my days traveling the world. Excitement isn’t hard to come by,” she said.
“Really? What was the last daring thing you did?”
Her gaze flicked to his before a blush lit her cheeks.
Ah. I’m the last daring thing she did.
Instead of confirming his suspicions, she glanced away and said, “I have my moments.”
“Oh, I remember.”
The blush deepened before she reached for her drink. He fought back a smile as she took a large gulp, draining the contents.
“On that note, I think I’ll head back to my room,” she replied, setting the empty glass aside. “I’ve given you my update and finished my drink.”
“You could get another.”
“No, thank you.”
“Something I said?” he teased.
Her eyes narrowed. “Jet lag.”
“Ah.” Rising to his feet, he tossed some bills on the table and moved to her side.
She stiffened as his hand touched her back to guide her from the bar’s patio. Glancing down at her soft auburn curls, he wondered if a time would come when she’d lean into his touch instead of away.
He was uncharacteristically hopeful about such an eventuality.
Avery put up with his hand on her until they cleared the bar before neatly stepping out of reach.
“I’ll leave you to your evening’s entertainment,” she said, staring at his chin instead of his eyes. “I’m sure there’s a waitress or two around here eager to help you unwind.”
“I’m not a man who enjoys multitasking,” he said, moving forward until his mouth was a hair’s breadth from hers. “I’ve eyes only for you.”
Her gaze focused on his lips before flicking up to meet his. “For how long?” she asked. Her small hand pressed against his chest, the touch burning like a brand. “We both know your interest in me comes with a time limit. All I have to do is wait you out.”
“Are you so sure?” he asked. Because with her hands on his body, he wasn’t at all convinced.
She hesitated a moment before drawing in a deep breath. “Good night, Hayden,” she said, slipping from his arms when all he wanted was to hold her tight.
Forcing his hands to stay at his sides, he watched her walk away from him yet again.
As maddening as it was to let her go, this game wouldn’t be won in the span of days.
And he had the feeling Avery Clarke was well worth the wait.
Chapter Four
“These are the employment records for all the staff we’ve lost in the past two years,” the general manager said, sliding a bunch of papers across the conference table to her.
Avery accepted the stack, her brows rising. “This is some serious turnover.”
Marius shrugged. “Tourism is the life’s blood of this island. There isn’t a shortage of jobs for those moving within the hospitality industry.”
That still doesn’t account for these numbers.
A familiar excitement filled her. There was a mystery to solve here, and she couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of it.
Just like the mystery of why the hell Hayden was so fixated on her.
Focus.
Karen reached for the stack, a frown on her face. “Did you do exit interviews with all these employees?” she asked.
“There are always a dozen things needing my attention,” Marius replied. “Besides, if they want to leave they want to leave. I’m not going to stop them.”
“Exit interviews aren’t about stopping an employee leaving,” Avery said. “They’re about learning what drove them to that decision.”
“I don’t want to waste my time listening to what they have to say when I’ve got better things to do,” Marius replied. “We do fine without them.”
Obviously, you don’t, or I wouldn’t have been called in.
Instead of saying what she was thinking, she pasted a smile on her lips. “Well, I do,” she said. “Thank you for the records. We’ll make sure to follow up with some of them.”
A frown crossed Marius’s face, but Avery didn’t let it get a rise out of her. She’d been in this position dozens of times. Few GMs were happy when the higher ups brought in a stranger to shine a light on everything they might be doing wrong. It didn’t matter. She didn’t need to be liked to do her job.
“I’ll leave you to it, then,” he said, pushing from his chair. “If you�
�ll excuse me, I have other duties to see to.”
“Thank you for your time,” she replied, shaking his hand.
She and Karen waited silently while Marius left the room, until they heard the door click shut behind him.
“These numbers are too high,” Karen said as soon as they were alone, tapping the stack of records.
“Turnover is a problem,” Avery agreed.
“And not the only one.” Pulling out a camera, Karen turned it on and passed it over. “I did a preliminary walk through this morning.”
Avery cycled through the images, seeing stains on carpets, cracks in paint, cobwebs in corners. Sins no five-star hotel should be guilty of.
“The plot thickens,” she said, handing the camera back.
“Quality is declining.”
“And with it, occupancy rates. Makes sense.”
“It appears you have something new to tell our glorious boss.”
Avery pushed away from the table, crossing the width of the conference room they’d been given as a temporary office. “I doubt he really cares about our day-to-day findings. All he wants to hear is the solution.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Karen said, leaning back in her chair. “I think there is something he’s very interested in hearing more about.”
Avery cast her a dark look. “I so shouldn’t have confided in you about the gala.”
“I just wish I’d been there to see the start of this romance for myself. Going home for Christmas was obviously a mistake.”
At least you had a family to return to.
Her Christmases consisted of a small home-cooked meal with her parents. Hardly the house filled with warmth and laughter that Karen’s large family offered.
Once, her Christmases had been that bright. Her in-laws had always ensured their sweeping home was filled with as many relatives as they could cram into the space. Avery’s parents had loved the crowd. It had been one more thing they’d all lost in the divorce.
“I wish you had been there,” she said. “Then you would have talked me out of making such a big mistake.”
Karen scoffed. “Are you kidding? I would have poured more champagne down your throat and sent you off with Prince Charming hours earlier.”
“What a wonderful friend you are.”
“Damn straight.” Rising, she crossed the distance between them. “It’s about time you came back to the world of the living, Avery. Maybe Hayden wasn’t the mistake you think he was. At the very least, he helped you move on from Jonathan.”
The Billionaire's Paradise (Sexy Billionaires) Page 3