by Krista Lakes
“Your father?” I frowned slightly. I was under the impression he was in charge.
He pointed to the name plate on the edge of his desk. Logan Hayes, Senior COO.
“I'm just the COO. My father is the official CEO of the company. A transaction like this will require his approval, so I want to make sure I present it accurately,” he explained. “I really think that your company will be a major asset, and I want to present it as such.”
I nodded, wiping my sweaty hands on my skirt. “Okay. Do you think he'll like it?”
Logan grinned. “I wouldn't bring it to him if I didn't.”
His smile made my insides heat. He had to be the company's secret weapon for negotiations. When he looked at me, I felt like I was the center of his world. I was the only thing that mattered with those dark brown eyes absorbing me. I could stay in those eyes forever, basking in his attention.
I could already feel myself falling head-over-heels for him, which was ridiculous. He wouldn't be interested in me. This was a business tactic to warm me up to his negotiations. I merely represented a small company asking to become part of Travel, Inc.'s empire. I could only imagine the level of charm he probably bestowed upon bigger-name clients.
“I do have to ask something, though,” he said. “Do you have any other investors who will complicate a transition to Travel, Inc.?”
I shook my head. “Not currently. There are a couple of other companies that I have met with, much like this one, but no forms have been signed yet.” I didn't tell him just how interested a couple of them really had been. I had two other companies completely ready to combine my business with theirs, but Travel, Inc.'s budget blew all of them out of the water. The business prospects of joining with the biggest travel company in the world were the best I could hope for at this point. Logan and Travel, Inc. were the ones I wanted.
“That's good to hear.” His smiled widened, and my heartbeat sped up. I couldn't imagine a sexier smile than the one lighting up his face. He played with a pen on his desk, his eyes never leaving mine. “If you want to continue to be a part of this project, I have some ideas for improvement, if you have the time.”
“That would be wonderful,” I gushed. “I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I have some plans that I think Travel, Inc. would really benefit from.” I'd have rescheduled a date with Brad Pitt for this opportunity. One of the most successful men in business, specifically my field, was offering to go over ideas for improvement. Not to mention the effect he was having on my pulse. I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
He chuckled softly and pressed a key on the phone resting on his desk. “Virginia, hold my calls.”
“Yes, sir,” a voice replied through the intercom.
Logan stood and straightened his jacket as he came around the desk. He sat in the chair next to me, and my heart rate shot up again. By the end of this meeting, I would have had my cardio for the day
“It's easier to talk to you over here. The desk just gets in the way,” he explained nonchalantly. I nodded nervously. Our knees were almost touching here. My mind was imagining all the wonderful things I wanted to do with him. Tangling my fingers in those honey curls. The way those broad shoulders would look without clothes on. The touch of his skin against mine.
“Right,” I stuttered.
Focus, I told myself. He's a billionaire. He could have anyone. He's had supermodels. He's not interested in you. This is just a business tactic.
Flirting and charm were as deadly of weapons in the business world as swords and arrows.
He smiled again, and those brown eyes threatened to swallow me whole. “So, how do you plan on keeping work hours down? Personalizing someone's travel is difficult and time-consuming.”
“I have a form for prospective clients to fill out. I then run it through a computer program that I created specifically with travel customization in mind. The program is actually the basis for my company. Using the customer entries, user ratings, pricing, and some other variables, I created the program to come up with a number of basic vacation plans,” I explained. I tried not to blush when he nodded encouragingly. “Then, with that base, it's easy to customize the trip as needed. Most people actually want very similar vacations, so it's not as much of a time sink as you might think.”
“I see,” he said, nodding once more. A curl fell across his forehead. “Is the program’s vacation planning offered for free initially? Or is there a cost involved?”
“Right now, I'm offering it for free just to gain word of mouth. I'm working on a modified version that will allow very basic trip-planning services for free, with the option of upgrading to the better packages,” I told him. I loved talking about my company. I’d taken such a leap of faith to quit my day job and take this risk, but I was happier than I had been in months. I knew success was within my grasp.
“Interesting,” he said. His knee bumped mine, and I felt an electric rush into my lower belly. I wanted to brush that curl off his forehead so badly my fingers ached. “What else do you have in the works?”
I grinned and proceeded to explain my plans for the future. Logan listened attentively and asked questions that made me stop and think. He was incredibly astute, and his business reputation was undeniably well deserved. In the course of an hour, he had found several small flaws and offered solutions to problems I hadn't foreseen in addition to ones I was struggling with.
“That is the perfect solution,” I said for the umpteenth time. He saw the holes in my fledgling business with an eagle eye, pointing them out and helping me think of the solution. I was in awe and completely crushing on him. Not only was he good-looking, smart, and rich—he was sweet too. I never once felt he was picking on me; rather, I felt he was going out of his way to help me.
The intercom buzzed, diverting his attention away from me. He smiled apologetically and pressed the button.
“I'm very sorry, sir, but Aiden Hayes is here,” the woman on the on the other end stated. Logan looked disappointed.
“Of course he is,” he replied. He let go of the button and sighed. “Well, Olivia, it was a pleasure meeting with you.”
“Likewise,” I said, rising from my seat. My legs felt heavy. I wondered just how long we had been sitting there.
The door to his office opened, and a slicker version of Logan walked in. He was just as tall with a similar build, but with a slightly leaner frame. His hair was the same warm honey-gold color, but instead of Logan's wild curls, he had smoothed his back. He looked richer, if that were possible.
“Logan, you missed the meeting,” he said, giving me the once-over. I smiled nervously, but his face stayed blank. He turned to Logan and gave him a look that I couldn't read.
“I'm aware.” Logan put his hand on my shoulder and walked me to the door of his office. It was a sweet gesture, but his touch made my body sing with want. I was dying for him to touch me all over. He paused with his hand on the door. “Perhaps we can get drinks later? I'd love to continue our discussion.”
I grinned, feeling a blush settle in my cheeks. I felt like the captain of the football team had just asked me to homecoming. “That would be great. You have my number on the proposal.”
He beamed, letting go of my shoulder to shake my hand. We both held it a second longer than was necessary. I giggled as I realize neither of us had let go, then ducked out the door before I could embarrass myself further. He couldn't possibly be interested in me. He just liked my business idea and was a natural flirt.
“Drinks, Logan?” I heard his brother through the door. “You never take clients out for drinks.”
“Not now, Aiden,” came Logan's reply. The secretary guarding his office was giving me the evil eye, so I stepped away from the door before I could hear more. I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face as I walked back to the elevator to get to the lobby. I was going to have drinks with Logan Hayes tonight. Things were going better than I could have possibly hoped.
Chapter 3
Present
Day
Maddy laughed and scooted the snot-filled envelope off my desk and into a trash can. “You have a pen?” she asked, setting the unsigned waiver on the desk. I fished her one out of a drawer and went to open the last email in my inbox. It was my daily news and I nearly punched my laptop screen because of the headline article.
“What?” Maddy asked as I made an angry growl at the offending article. I turned the screen to face her. Logan Hayes and his brother's smiling faces filled the screen with the headline “Hayes Family Donates Millions to Mayoral Candidate.”
“Ah, Logan Hayes again. He is a good-looking man,” she said appreciatively, taking in the image. I glared at her and she clarified, “A jerk, but a handsome one.”
She was, of course, right. Maddy was always right. Logan Hayes was incredibly good-looking. It was part of his charm. He was tall with broad shoulders and an easy smile that was made to be photographed. Both he and his brother had short honey-colored curls; Logan's were always messy while Aiden's tended to be slicked back and controlled. They could have been movie stars with their looks.
And acting ability, I thought snidely to myself.
“You aren't helping.” I glared at Maddy as she continued to inspect the handsome men. She just laughed and handed me the freshly-signed waiver. The paper crinkled slightly in my hand; seeing his picture was making my vision go red again and I was taking it out on another piece of paper.
“You should get going. Tyler's probably worn a hole down to China with his pacing.” She stopped looking at the evil photograph and went to the window, peering out at the ocean view like she might see Tyler out there. “I really, really appreciate you taking him jet-skiing. And for bringing him on this trip. He's been having a rough time, and he still hasn't made any friends-”
“Maddy,” I interrupted, standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder, “I know. I'm really glad he could come with us. He's actually smiling and talking today.”
“Isn't it great?” she turned, hope in her eyes. The past year had been hard on her and Tyler. Things had gone downhill with her ex-husband, and she and Tyler had been forced to move. Things at Tyler's new school weren't going well. He was a shy, geeky eleven-year-old middle schooler in a new school system. I hadn't seen him smile like this in months.
“We're going to have a blast,” I told Maddy. “This whole week, we're going to have a good time. Maybe with a little bit of sun and fun, he'll go back happier and be able to make some friends.”
“I hope so. He’s just lost all his confidence, you know?” Maddy peered out the window again, eyes going past the ocean and back to her problems at home. “I just worry about him. I can't believe his father did this to us. To him.”
“It's not your fault, and Tyler knows that.” I turned her to face me, giving her a version of the speech I gave her at home whenever she felt guilty about the divorce and her son. “Tyler's whole world just crumbled around him. With his dad running off, the divorce, moving, and then just the fact that he's eleven and in a new school, life is going to be rough. But he's going to be okay. This trip-and getting to hang out with people who love him even when his voice cracks-is going to be good for him.”
“I just feel like a bad mom,” Maddy said quietly, not meeting my gaze. My heart squeezed in my chest for my best friend.
“You are anything but a bad mom, Maddy.” I hugged her close. “You love your son. You are doing everything you can to help him with this. He's a good kid. He'll make it through. Middle school is rough for just about everybody.”
Maddy hugged me back. I could feel her pulling strength into herself again. She never let Tyler see this side of her. Only me. She wanted to be strong for Tyler, and I, in turn, was strong for her. She let me go and made sure I had the waiver in my hand. “I feel better. Do you?”
“Yes. And now that you've managed to effectively distract me from my rage toward Logan Hayes, I'm going to go meet your son,” I said as she gave me a cheesy grin. She had known I would comfort her and forget my anger. She was such a mom. I shook my head at her and smiled. “Go get that massage. My treat.”
“Thanks, boss. You two have fun. And don't let him show off too much,” she warned, walking me to the door.
“He's a junior high school boy. I don't think that's going to be possible,” I responded, trying to keep a straight face as we stepped out into the hallway. “If there's a cute girl on the beach, I'm completely doomed.” Maddy's laugh echoed down the hall as I headed off toward the dock to meet Tyler.
Chapter 4
I walked quickly up the path to the dock where Tyler was supposed to meet me. He was standing patiently next to the storage shed, petting a dog and talking to a man whose back was to me. I admired the back of the attractive male form for a moment, taking in the broad shoulders and muscled frame under a skintight rash guard shirt. His board shorts were low slung and accentuated a perfect ass. I hoped that this delightful male specimen would be joining us and that his front was as attractive as his back. I could use a little vacation romance.
“Hey, Tyler,” I called out as I approached. “You ready?”
Tyler raised his hand and grinned at me. The man he was talking to turned around and I nearly ate asphalt as I momentarily forgot how to walk. His front was as handsome as his back, all right. But that was because he was also Logan Hayes.
“Olivia Statler,” he greeted me with a smile. “It's a pleasure to see you again.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” I sputtered, trying to keep my temper in check and mostly failing as I pretended I hadn't just tripped. I hoped neither of them noticed the bright red blush I could feel spreading across my cheeks. I smiled and smoothly joined the two of them next to the shed. Despite my dislike and history with Logan, I could be somewhat diplomatic. Hopefully.
“Aunt Liv, Logan is going jet-skiing too,” Tyler informed me. He had apparently missed the venom in my voice toward Logan, and was now smiling happily at the dog in front of him.
“You are, are you?” I asked, forcing my face into something I hoped passed for pleasant instead of angry. “Awesome.”
Logan flashed me an easy smile. It was a smile that was made to make women's insides flutter, but for me, it just made my temper flare. This man had nearly ruined me. He nearly destroyed my future with that charming smile and hadn't even bothered to call. I wondered just how many other unsuspecting women he had charmed into failure with that grin.
“Plus, we found this dog here. Isn't he awesome?” Tyler looked up at me, his hand still on the dog's head. It was a brown mutt with white paws and a white splotch on his chest. He wasn't an ugly dog, but he certainly wasn't going to win any dog shows. Judging by the thinness in the dog's ribs and the state of his fur, he was one of the local strays. I had heard they liked to hang out near the tourist areas of the island because they usually could find food.
“Yeah, he looks like a good dog, Tyler. I'm going to go get us some life jackets and turn in your waiver.” I let the fake smile drop as soon as I was behind Tyler. Of all people on all the possible islands, Logan Hayes had to be on my vacation island. And if he was jet-skiing here, then he was staying at this resort. Not just visiting from one of his various mansions. No, he was probably with one of the travel agencies touring the resort. That would just be my luck. I would have to see him the entire week.
I handed the waiver to a hotel employee sitting at a desk by the dock. He went into the storage shed and pulled out two life jackets and handed me the key to a jet-ski.
“Do you need any instructions? We offer free beginner lessons,” he asked in a thick accent as I shrugged into my life jacket.
“We're good, actually. I've done this since I was a kid and I was here yesterday to practice,” I told him. He checked a list and smiled. I had actually stopped by the day before to find out how a jet-ski could be environmentally friendly. The ones at the resort were a brand new type of watercraft that used an electric engine. They looked a little different and so I had to try it out
. The smooth ride and quiet of the engine had been fantastic and a big part of how I had been able to convince over-protective Maddy to let me take Tyler.
“Of course, ma'am. Be careful out there today. The wind is picking up and making waves. If it continues, we'll send a signal out to come back in. Safety is very important here.” The man smiled again and nodded to the waiting jet-skis. “Yours is number four.”
I nodded and thanked him before going back to Tyler. Logan was on his knees rubbing the tummy of the very happy dog. Tyler was giggling as the dog wiggled and made happy dog noises.
“Let's get your jacket on and get going, Tyler,” I said, trying my best to ignore Logan. I had managed to mostly avoid Logan Hayes for almost two years despite working in the same city. I could do it on an island. Tyler stood up quickly and took the life jacket from my hands. I helped him tighten the straps and situate it properly across his bony shoulders.
“So, are you riding with Olivia or driving yourself, Tyler?” Logan asked, apparently not done with talking to Tyler. The dog had rolled back onto its stomach and Logan was scratching his ears.
“I'm not old enough to drive myself yet,” Tyler answered with a shrug. I tightened down another strap.
“You'll have fun with her driving, though,” Logan mused, his eyes on the dog. “Where are you two headed?”
“None of your business,” I said quietly. I hated the way my body was warming at the sight of his muscled arms. Apparently, my body hadn't gotten the memo that we wanted nothing to do with him, because my insides were wanting the something he had given me before.
“The reef over there,” Tyler answered at the same time, pointing to a spot a little ways out.
“I've heard there's some good snorkeling there,” Logan responded, pretending to not hear my comment. “You have your gear, right?”