by Anthology
“Come with me,” Blake said, pulling her from the table before either of them could say goodbye. Samantha worried that she had done something else to upset him, but all she did was talk with Denton through most of dinner. Nothing important, all surface chatter, just like he’d asked her to do with his family. She needed to remember she was OK here; it was her stage to set. Blake had brought her here under false pretenses, but now that she was here, she’d make him proud. Holding his hand as he led her toward the ocean made her both nervous and excited. She hoped she’d done everything right. She knew she’d find out as soon as they got to wherever Blake was taking her.
Blake held her hand and led her down the beach, far away from the glowing lights of their beach picnic to a dark area of the beach, where white crabs with one arm popped out at them in an eerie stance under the light of the glowing moon.
The tide was calm, waves gently rolling onto shore.
Blake slowed his pace, and Samantha let out a deep breath. She felt certain he was happy with her tonight, at least at this moment.
“It’s so beautiful on this island,” Samantha said as they walked the moonlit shore. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“It’s especially beautiful with you here,” he said.
Samantha’s heart skipped a beat, the warmth of his words combined with his hand around hers made her dizzy. She wanted to please this man, she wanted to kiss this man. “Don’t worry about your performance with your brothers, nobody will hear a thing about it, I promise,” she said, the words tumbling out before she realized it.
Blake dropped her hand and stood silently by her side, she could see the muscles in his jaw tighten.
Now she’d ruined everything, Samantha thought. Why did she bring that up? Ugh. She was sure he was going to send her home, put her on that stupid ferry he’d mentioned.
“I know,” he said finally. “I don’t really trust, but I’m starting to trust you,” he ran his fingers through his hair. “This weekend’s not going the way I planned.” Blake said, turning to face Samantha, a small smile working its way across his model-gorgeous face.
Samantha let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding.
“That’s the beauty of it,” she said softly. “You need to not get your way more often.”
“That might be true,” he said, a hint of a smile touching his masculine lips. “It’s definitely best that I don’t get what I want now.”
“What’s that?” She asked breathlessly.
His hands loosely gripped her shoulders.
“I want to kiss you,” Blake answered in a low, deep voice, his eyes dark in the moonlight.
“I feel the same way,” Samantha said impulsively, even though she knew it couldn’t work between them.
Blake leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers. The heat exploded from the center of her body, and she swayed backwards until Blake wrapped a strong arm around her waist.
He pulled away then, but still kept his arm around her. “You could really mess up my life.”
“I’m sorry,” she answered, breathless, aching for another kiss and letting his words wash over her, devoid of meaning.
When his mouth found hers this time it was with an intensity she felt throughout her body as his tongue parted her lips and began to explore, thrusting deeply, adding to her desire. He tasted spicy and salty, and Samantha gripped his broad shoulders, pulling him to her, feeling all of his hard body pressed close.
Blake wrapped Samantha’s long blonde hair around his hand, gently pulling her head backwards, moving his kiss to her neck as she moaned. He pulled her closer, sealing his mouth over hers once again, thrusting his tongue inside her as she felt him harden.
“Wait,” Blake said, ending the kiss but pulling Samantha to him, enveloping her in a strong embrace.
Samantha stepped back, rubbed her swollen lips, and looked up into his eyes, wanting him with every ounce of her being, but knowing this should never happen. This shouldn’t be happening. “Don’t worry, nobody will know about this either. I promise,” she said.
Samantha saw Blake take a deep breath, he seemed torn, but then she saw the control return to his face, his jaw tighten.
“I apologize. Kissing you, putting you in this situation was not my intention,” he said stiffly.
Back to the reason she was here, Samantha thought with a burst of resentment. He saw her as nothing more than a prop he could manipulate. She was a mannequin to dress, an assistant to help type his presentation, a hooker to kiss when he was lonely at night. All he wanted was an uncomplicated weekend. All she wanted was to get out of here, with some dignity left.
“You’re a good kisser,” she said, striving to keep her voice light. “But don’t worry. I won’t turn into a stalker.”
“Samantha,” he reached out for her, but she backed out of range.
“I’m tired,” she said. “Think I’ll turn in.”
Then she remembered about the bedroom situation, and slapped her hand over her mouth.
“Yes, we should get back to the house,” he said. “Thank you for all your efforts today, but you’re right. Tomorrow’s another long day of wedding stuff. And, we need to work on the Daycon presentation. After you.”
Well, that was awkward, Samantha thought, walking ahead of Blake back towards the beach picnic where candles were still glowing on the tables as the waiters worked to clean up, and back to the plantation house beyond.
One moment Blake was in the moment, the next, he became the unemotional, calculating boss everyone knew him to be at Blake Genetics. She was tired of it. She tried to remind herself to stay focus on the fact she would have the chance to present her project to him, that she still had his ear for another two days.
Right, Samantha thought, realizing how wrong she’d been about this whole situation. One touch, and she melted. How ridiculous. She was smarter than this. She needed to use her brains to get through the weekend. But now they were walking back to the plantation where they were assigned the same bedroom. That’s the worst thing that could have happened. What would they do?
“I’m going to sleep in the library. I should be able to wake up before anybody else, but I may need to come into the bedroom to get a change of clothes, if that’s ok,” Blake said as they walked up the steps of the porch.
“Of course, it’s your room, too,” Samantha said. “Why don’t you go get your things now and I’ll wait out here.”
“Good idea. I’ll knock on your door tomorrow around 9? Let’s try to get some work done in the morning,” Blake added, opening the door to the plantation. “Good night,” he said before disappearing inside.
Samantha let out a deep sigh and looked up into the cloudless sky. All she wanted to do was follow Blake up to their room.
Eight
Blake’s alarm beeped and he woke up with sunlight streaming into the library, still tired after a restless night’s sleep. The problem wasn’t the couch in the library. The problem was Samantha. His heart beat just a little faster every time he was near her. And last night, with the drinking and the champagne and the perfect moonlit sky, the moment he held her hand he couldn’t stop himself. Even though it hadn’t been in the plan, he’d had to taste her. Her lips had been as soft as he imagined, and breathing in the smell of her hair, letting his fingers slide through her silky tresses, had made him dizzy. The heat between them was intense. He’s been immediately aroused. Samantha made him feel alive.
He sat up, not wanting any of his family to find him sleeping on the couch. He had to stop thinking about her like that. She was a fake date. He was her boss. She had seemed more comfortable with the awkwardness of yesterday, and yet he had planned the whole weekend date idea, thinking a new wardrobe would be ample compensation for putting up with his family. Plus he’d seen she was ambitious at the meeting they’d attended. Ambitious, smart, quick to problem solve without the complications of a big ego. He’d known she’d jump at the chance to be a bigger part of the Daycon me
rger team. He was lucky to have her.
Now it was like he was caught up in her sexual spell, and even though she was nothing like Jane, he couldn’t let that happen. Instead of sleeping so he’d have a clear head to review the final details of the biggest deal of his life today, he’d continued to remember how she’d felt in his arms, warm and supple. Even the way she’d hummed under her breath when they’d been walking back to the house after their kiss had charmed him. He had wanted…what? He didn’t even know. He just felt different with her. Relaxed, letting his guard down. He wanted to not play his boss role. Not be in charge. Just be a man, only he didn’t remember who that man was anymore.
He stood up and stared out of the window. He’d missed the sunrise. When was the last time that had happened? He had to get himself under control, and shake off these unfamiliar feelings and this almost consuming desire to spend more time with Samantha. He even had the idiotic idea of trying to say things to make her laugh, just so that he could see her smile. He was lucky Samantha wasn’t falling under his spell, not that he had one to fall under. She was ambitious and smart enough to want to keep this whole fake date weekend to herself so she didn’t fall under the scrutiny of office gossips.
Deliberately Blake walked over to an oil portrait of his grandfather, Howard Putnam. While Blake viewed his own father as weak, because he’d given up his dreams of becoming a doctor so that he could step into the much larger shoes of his father and blindingly continuing to build a business that was killing the planet, he had the utmost respect for the founder of Putnam Industries. He tried to model himself after his grandfather. Howard Putnam had grown a business from nothing to one of the biggest in the Southeast. It was the right business for the right time, just like Blake’s genetic testing firm was now. What Blake liked the best was that when Howard Putnam spoke, everyone had listened. Blake learned everything he knew about discipline, control, management and keeping his emotions in check.
Howard Putnam hadn’t hired fools. He’d fired people who followed blindly. His grandfather had always reinvested in his business, been interested in the latest technologies. Blake’s own father Richard’s eyes and ears were closed to innovation and the reality of the damage Putnam Industries was doing. He had no long-term plans, besides handing over the keys to James. He ignored Blake’s pleas to invest in recycling efforts, and mocked his presentation about agri-pulp, a stand in for wood made from wheat, oat, barley and other crop stalks. Blake knew converting a paper mill to process wood pulp alternatives would cost tens of millions of dollars – but still, in the long run, it would be a win-win. Blake’s pleas fell on deaf ears. His brothers and now probably Avery’s husband would work for the company and collect an enormous bonus and salary each year for doing essentially nothing.
Blake was used to being on his own, making it on his own. He wasn’t tapping into his family wealth and settling like his brothers. His eldest brother James had gone off to college—Tulane, earned his degree and then immediately came back home and taken a job at Putnam Industries that had he not been a Putnam, he never would have qualified for. Where was the self-respect in that?
Nine
Samantha gazed out the bedroom window. She had never stayed in such a luxurious room, nor had such a spectacular view, but all she could think about was Blake. She ached for Blake with a need so raw, so primal she didn’t know how to deal with it. She was so confused. One moment Blake was the most engaging, most wonderful date in the world. A sexy, loving man with a sense of humor and their chemistry, oh my god. But then, he’d switch off, becoming the heartless, cold businessman who asked her here as a fake date to impress his parents. And she didn’t think he was doing it on purpose. It was almost as if he were as lost as she felt, and that made her heart ache even more for him.
Maybe because she was doing such a great job as his fake girlfriend she was losing her way. She was falling for the man she wanted him to be. She’d smiled and been charming all through dinner. She’d encouraged his toast, and entertained his younger brother all through the meal. She’d felt like she was really part of this event. She felt invested.
It had all started when they touched. Just thinking about his arm around her made her head swim again, and remembering their kiss made her stomach flip.
Here she was wrapped in a cocoon of luxury, in her own room of white comfort and dark wood, and yet all she could think of, all she wanted to think about, was the kiss she shared with Blake – and how he’d stopped it.
He felt the chemistry, he had to it was so strong the air around them became electric. And she felt his response during their kiss, she knew it. Why had he switched back into boss mode?
Stop daydreaming.
Samantha was a woman of action. She just wished she knew what action to take.
Samantha finished in the bathroom. She had just slipped on her grey booties when she heard a light tap on the door. Catching her breath in excitement, she opened the door.
“Great you’re awake,” Blake said. “And ready to work,” he said, noticing the laptop in her hand.
“Reporting for duty, Sir,” Samantha grinned and mock saluted.
His eyes opened in surprise, but she thought she saw a hint of a smile touch his lips. She had to fight not to lean in close.
“Is this Outfit Three I should be noticing?”
“Oops, caught,” Samantha felt herself blush a little, but she brazened it out. “These are boyfriend jeans. A bit of a bonus, Raymond slipped in as a favor, but I doubt it was gratis.”
“Boyfriend jeans,” he repeated as if he’d never heard the phrase. “I should give you more of my jeans. They look much better on you.”
He froze.
Samantha caught her breath.
“Why don’t you ah…,” she broke off then tried again. “Get ready. I’ll go get us some coffee, and we can get to work. Where do you want to work?”
“Up here’s great. By the window.”
“On the floor?”
“I am a circus yogi.”
Samantha laughed. “I’ll leave you to it then. Remember. Be one with your breath.”
She left her laptop on the bed and lightly ran down the stairs.
***
Blake couldn’t help himself. He walked out into the hall so he could watch her leave. He loved the way she moved, so light and quick. Graceful.
Fake date. Not real. Employee. He reminded himself, stripping off his clothes so he could take a shower. A very cold shower, but a quick one. He had work to do. He rushed, but even he had to admit to himself that it was because he wanted to see Samantha again. She had smelled of flowers and sea air, and it had pierced him on a level he didn’t even know he had. And the simple jeans and T-shirt. Why had he ordered such formal clothes from Andrea’s? He wished he could just say to hell with the wedding and….
He turned off the shower and realized he hadn’t brought his clothes in with him. Awkward. She really made him lose his head. He quickly shaved and brushed his teeth, hoping to beat her back, but imaging how he would feel if the situation were reversed, and she walked into the room with just a towel, made it difficult to leave the room as quickly as he’d planned as his anatomy was not cooperating.
When he opened the door, she was sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her. She was gorgeous.
“Ready to get to work?” she asked. “Oh,” she spotted him with just the towel wrapped around his lean waist. “Not quite.”
“The staff is efficient as ever,” he said drily. “You are back more quickly than I anticipated.”
Blake went to the armoire, quickly picked some clothes and hurried back to the bathroom to get dressed.
“How do you take your coffee?” She asked as he reemerged.
With you.
“Black.”
All he could think about was grabbing her and throwing her on the bed, kissing her everywhere. “What are you working on?”
“My secret project. Can I tell
you about it? I’ve figured out how we can utilize our DNA testing protocols direct to consumer. It’s the new hottest thing, Blake, and I really think we could be at the forefront,” Samantha said, her enthusiasm sparkling all over her face.
“Tell me more,” Blake said and perched on the corner of the bed. He was certain if he sat down next to her on the floor, he wouldn’t be able to keep his mind on her presentation.
“Well, Mr. Putnam, here’s how it would work. You, Mr. Consumer, would start by ordering your DNA kit from our online portal,” Samantha said. She turned her computer to face him and revealed a slide that showed him the branding she’d developed as well as a simple, consumer-friendly interface. Blake was accustomed to the scientific, business applications of his model – he’d never considered direct to consumer.
“Then, we’d ship them a really cool DNA collection kit. They spit into it, return it to us in the prepaid package and we reveal the results online. We can have pages of enlightening information about where the individual came from, all the different ancestry found. It could be revolutionary. The next step will be the medical side of DNA testing. Giving consumers access to their risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s and the like. Right now, it looks like the FDA is blocking that application from happening, unfortunately. Shouldn’t each person have the right to know their genetically programmed future and maybe be able to do something about it?”
Blake was stunned. Yes, of course. This was the way to close the Daycon deal, and much, much more. He’d been so focused on the business to business aspects of genetics, within the scientific community. He’d been blind to the true empowerment opportunities. Samantha was brilliant, and beautiful. It took every ounce of control to stay perched on the side of the bed. He wanted to reach down and pull her to him.