by Roxie Odell
“She’s just about absolutely perfect with him,” Brodie had to admit. As he said it, he couldn’t help gazing at her, drawn to that brilliant light of her smile, like a gem.
As they finished their meal, pretty much settled on Maya taking over as Thomas’s new nanny, Cara took Thomas back to his nursery while Brodie scooped some grounds into the filter.
“Maya, how do you like your coffee?” he asked.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather just go spend some more time with the baby. Maybe you and Cara could spend some time alone,” she suggested.
Brodie felt like he had slammed into an invisible brick wall. Maya was now playing matchmaker, and they didn’t even need that kind of help if they wanted that to happen. He had a sneaking feeling that Maya and Cara had talked a great deal about him, and the thought occurred to him that the only reason Maya offered to watch Thomas was because it would give Cara more opportunities to be around. Could his sweet little Cara be just a tad manipulative?
His apprehension morphed into a soft chuckle, and then a strange ease struck him, a feeling of contentment that caught him totally off guard. He had had a great day at work and was still riding the high from securing a critical, monumental deal. His son was well cared for, and the simple meal was delicious, thanks to Cara’s culinary talents. As much as he loved his son, the little break was nice, and the chance to enjoy a few quiet moments on his garden patio with such a delightful, warm woman was better than dessert.
“Cara…” he said. “That means heart, right?”
“Yes,” she said easily.
“Someone had foresight when they named you,” he said in a deep, sensuous voice.
Suddenly, there was a pull between them, a tug on Brodie’s heartstrings. That missing, empty part of Brodie spoke up, that thing that kept him from wanting her more, and they both felt it.
Cara set her coffee down and crawled onto his lap like a tiger, then took his head in her graceful hands and kissed him, till he was hard beneath her firm buttocks. She was light as a feather yet solid as he made contact with her, and his mind flooded with images of what she would look like in bed. Instantaneously, a mental movie of the two of them in the sack came through, clear as day. Shadows played across her naked torso, and her hair fell back against the pillow as her sweet face gazed up at him in wonderment. Even though it was only a fantasy, it filled him with emotion. Cara was a loving, sweet, perfect woman, and he knew she adored him in a pure way that had nothing to do with his net worth.
Thomas’s mother was a whole different kind of animal, quite like Brodie was before Thomas was born. She would have married Brodie if he had offered, but she’d insisted on a prenuptial agreement that would ensure she would still collect a ridiculous amount of alimony if they divorced. Not only that, but she asked for an allowance intended only for her and told Brodie, in no uncertain terms, that if he wanted to set money aside for their son, that would be separate from the income he would guarantee for her.
She was far more conniving and manipulative than he ever was, far better at the game of deception, and it took a while for it to become clear to him that she was trying to trap him. He thought he knew her, and his success in business and his clever dealings with people convinced him that he would see the signs if she was trying to do him wrong. It really did seem like human carelessness or a setup when the baby was conceived, but when she wasn’t as happy as he was, he knew he’d been had. In the end, though, Thomas was worth it.
As a billionaire, Brodie knew that was part of the gig. People begged him for money all the time, even strangers. Women he bumped into once or twice hit on him like crazy, many promising to do anything for him if he would take them under his financial wing. He always spotted the gold diggers, except for his baby-mama who had done such a good job of tricking him. On the contrary, though, he knew Cara was not one of them, and he could only admit to himself that he loved that about her.
“Hey, where’d you go just now?” she asked sweetly.
“I’m right here,” he said in a sultry tone, jolted back from his daydream. He took her hand, leaned in, and gave her the romantic kiss she wanted, and she didn’t seem the least bit disappointed that she didn’t initiate it. Instead, he felt her go limp in his arms, as if she enjoyed him taking charge, so he pressed his lips to hers again and penetrated her with a snaking tongue.
She tasted sweet, wholesome, and perfect, with definite spice in her sugar. Brodie’s hands trembled as he touched her, and for the first time in his life, he was sure he’d found someone who was too good for him.
“Ahem,” Maya said, interrupting their kiss with a clearing of her throat. “The baby’s down, probably for the night,” she said rigidly.
Brodie was thankful that she was so good with his son, but there was something he didn’t like about Cara’s sister, even if he couldn’t put his finger on it just yet. Nevertheless, he knew that was code for it was time to go. Maya had a sternness that wasn’t present in one bone of Cara’s body, and he suspected that she disapproved of all things sexual, like a bitter old maid who never got any. Cara was by no means spineless, but she was soft and gentle. She was also trustworthy, as far as he knew, so he had to place his faith in her if she believed Maya was a good fit for his son.
After giving her big sister a smirk, Cara slid off his lap and stood.
“Until the dinner then?” Brodie said, gazing into her big chocolate eyes.
“Until then,” Cara said, then boldly grabbed him and kissed him once more before following Maya out.
Chapter Six
Brodie had never been a patient man, especially while he was waiting for Thomas to be born. Now, waiting for the closing dinner was agony. After all, it was the night he planned to make his move and, with any luck, take the candy he hoped Cara Rodriguez would offer.
Brodie arranged to pick her up at her place so the two of them could spend some time alone before the restaurant. When he saw her cascading down the sidewalk toward his sedan, he decided all the anxiety and obsession were well worth it.
She’d taken herself on a shopping spree with his card, and despite playing coy, she proved to have expensive taste. She was an absolutely enchanting vision. Her attire was so simple but elegant and her beauty pure, completely catching her escort off guard. She was worth every dollar she’d spent, hundreds of them, and he was no longer sure whose heart he was more concerned for if he continued seeing her.
Brodie was a billionaire and, therefore, a jet-setter. He’d been all around the world and engaged with the smartest, the best, the brightest, the boldest, and certainly the most beautiful. Few people would have imagined him falling for a girl like Cara, but he believed the thing that made her the most attractive was that she didn’t seem to have a clue how beautiful she was. All the silicone-enhanced, stuck-up, high-maintenance women he knew used their physical appeal like a weapon, but Cara never seemed to be on a warpath with anyone.
As Cara reached the car, her face radiant with a big smile, Brodie beat the driver to the punch and held the door for her. She took simple delight in the gesture, for she was a woman who was easy to please, yet another factor that set her apart.
“You, Ms. Rodriguez, are a stunning woman,” he said as he nuzzled her ear.
She cuddled up to him just enough to be affectionate, ever a total class act. Her soft perfume made its way to his nostrils, and he closed his eyes tightly in response to the scent so amazing that he wanted to know the name of it so he could buy a bottle for himself.
“So, this dinner is the culmination of a deal that, by all rights, should still be in the negotiation stages. I fully expected we’d be hashing it out for weeks, but the stars lined up for us on this one. No one can quite believe it. I’m not a superstitious man, but I’d say you were my good-luck charm.”
She pushed gently against him in protest. “Silly boy. I wasn’t even on the call,” she argued.
“No, but you were on the job. Thomas was happy, and that allowed me to focus,” he
said. “You take care of him beautifully.”
“He’s an easy baby,” she said.
Brodie’s chest filled with the warmth of great love and pride for his son. “He is,” he agreed. “I’m so new at all this daddy stuff, but he doesn’t give me that much trouble.”
“Nothing a little patience won’t cure,” she said cheerfully.
Brodie shook his head at her wisdom. “Nothing a little patience won’t cure,” he echoed in agreement, then pressed against her wickedly. “I have something to confess,” he said to her directly, the magnetism arousing them both.
“Yes?” she said, once again teasing him with that girlish lisp.
“I’m not so patient with…other things,” he said darkly.
“Patience is a virtue, Brodie,” she countered.
“Well, no one has ever accused me of being all that virtuous,” he shot back, looking at her with desire in his eyes.
“Silly boy,” she said again, slapping him playfully on the leg.
As the car neared their destination, he straightened up and briefed her on the deal and the upcoming dinner talk, hoping the boring details would calm them both down. “We’re having dinner with the other side,” he started. “They’re opening an alternative energy plant in Argentina. A couple of the bank directors will be there also, from one of the largest financial institutions in the world.”
“Wow. I can’t believe I’ll be rubbing shoulders with VIPs like that. I’m just a lowly marketing assistant at a little ol’ nonprofit,” she said with a nervous laugh, though there was no self-pity in it. She was gracious and poised, and she could hold her own, never feeling less than or inferior.
“Yeah, just one of the biggest in the country,” said Brodie, his arms tightening around her. “If I like you, they’ll like you…and I do like you.” He meant every word, and he knew she would wow them as much as he found himself being wowed by her.
As they entered the private dining room of the steakhouse, all eyes were on Brodie. He was used to being in the limelight, being as successful and wealthy as he was. His money riveted heads in his direction all the time, but in this case, he assumed it was a bit more personal. This time, he was really the guest of honor, the major broker in a deal they all had reason to celebrate.
He smiled to himself when he realized that many in the room quickly darted their eyes to Cara. By all appearances, she was completely unaware of their attention, but Brodie couldn’t have been prouder. He pressed his large hand against her slight frame, into the small of her back, and guided her firmly to join the awaiting table. “Gentlemen, ladies, this is Cara Rodriguez, of the Hope Foundation, headquartered here in town,” he said.
Most of the men at the table were instantly on their feet out of respect. A bit astounded by that, she sat down like a princess, slowly and with a slight regal smile on her lips. Brodie stood behind her, adjusting her chair like the quintessential gentleman, trying very hard not to think of Cara like a trophy. It was all part of the routine for him, because he always had to be the best in business. His home had to be in the sweetest location. His son, who was already perfect, had to have nothing but the best in infant wear and infant care. His date had to be nothing less than stunning, and Cara outshone them all, from the inside out.
As they took their places among the rest of the team, Brodie felt the excitement of new business in the air. With his beautiful date fully captivating the audience, he sensed an opportunity to pitch a few new ideas, while the bankers were still eating out of his hands. The gears of his mind tightened with wicked schemes, and it was clear that even fatherhood had not completely reformed him.
The vice president of international banking rose, with glass in hand. “I know this is our closing dinner…” he boasted as a flurry of waiters buzzed through the room, serving various costly drinks and delicacies.
Brodie regarded the content smile on the banker’s face and knew his hunch was right. As soon as he finishes this little speech, I’ll move in for the kill, he decided.
“We would very much like it if the team can be present in Argentina for the beginning phase of the project,” said the banker.
The proposal was met with wide-eyed alarm around the table, including from Brodie himself. The suggestion would mean drastically rearranging everyone’s schedules, and no one seemed too keen on that.
“Relax,” said the vice president with a boisterous laugh. “It will only require one week. It will be most beneficial if we all have an idea of the location and the surroundings, something more concrete than a computer-generated mock-up. We’re all investing a lot of money here, gentlemen. It is worth it to see it with our own eyes.”
Brodie’s astonishment was unlike that of the rest of the crowd. For him, it was a pleasant surprise, a lovely idea. Romantic notions swam through his head of Cara in a quasi-Latin American dress, with an exotic flower clamped in her perfect white teeth. I’ll bring Maya along to look after Thomas at night, so Cara and I can tear up the town. At that moment, looking at his dinner date beside him, he couldn’t have cared less about business. He could only fantasize about exploring his passions with her in some foreign land.
He spied on her while she listened to the banker’s agenda for the trip, and then he leaned over to fill his nostrils with her enticing perfume again. “You up for a trip to Argentina, senorita?” he asked.
Either his breath or his offer tickled her, because her shoulders gathered, and she giggled like a schoolgirl. “Us?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.
“Yeah,” he said, “Thomas, me, you, and your sister.”
“I don’t think Maya likes to travel, but we can try,” she whispered back.
He laughed. “Your sister doesn’t do much other than change dirty diapers, huh?” he asked, suggesting that the woman was something of a killjoy. “That and interrupting make-out sessions.”
Cara turned to regard him with her brown eyes. Suddenly, it was as if they were the only two people in the room. Brodie’s hand gingerly slipped toward hers under the table, and she took it and interlaced her fingers with his.
For the first time, there was electricity between them, flowing from her palm to his, something Brodie certainly didn’t expect. Though it was likely no one could tell but him, he was shaken. The mighty lion of the business world, the slayer on the social scene, was soon trembling in his chair like a frightened kitten, taken down by a sweet, young assistant for a nonprofit.
Brodie knew he had to watch his step, not only for the sake of her fragile heart but also for his. The last thing he wanted to do was get attached. While he wouldn’t back down from his invitation to take her to Argentina, he decided right then and there that he had to cool it when they returned. I have to focus on spending time with Thomas, he told himself. I can’t let anything or anyone get in the way of that.
“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.
“I’m good,” he said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
He pressed a finger to his lip, shushing her and then pretending to turn his attention to the man at the head of the table, as if he cared what he was babbling on about. Emboldened, Cara glided her palm up the length of his thigh, just high enough before she gave him a slow squeeze and released. Not wanting to be too obvious, and in danger of becoming fully aroused, Brodie quickly clutched her hand to stop her.
With a grin on her face, Cara reached into her new clutch and pulled out a pen, swiveled it around for a moment as if she had to check the ink, then scrawled a simple message on a cocktail napkin and nudged it his way. “I want to go outside,” she wrote.
Brodie was sure he would die from erotic overload at that point. They had been flirting with one another for months during their charity and business interactions, but this was more intense. As sweet as Cara seemed, she was making her hot streak known, and all he could do was chuckle softly at his own desire to bend her over and drive into her. “We haven’t even had dinner,” he murmured.
“I’m not hungry…for steak,” sh
e wrote back.
Brodie snatched the napkin and quickly wadded it up so no one else could read it. He took the pen from her and stuffed it back in her purse, all while she excused herself from the table, struggling not to laugh. All eyes were on Brodie, who was a mix of embarrassment and excitement. He waved half-heartedly at the gawkers, and simply said, “Pardon me.”
He was a bit humiliated by the nonprofessional behavior, but more than that, he was really digging the moment for all its seductive spontaneity. Cara Rodriguez was as fun as she was beautiful, yet another thing he liked about her.
When his pocket buzzed, his first thought was of his son, the default panic response whenever he was greeted with an unexpected call. But he suppressed a laugh as he looked at the others in the room, still staring at him in awkward confusion. “Sorry, everyone,” he said, holding his finger up. “I have to take this.”
As a few whispers ensued, he sauntered quickly out of the private room, fleeing earshot as quickly as he could without breaking into a full run. “Where are you?” he asked.
“Go out the front door and take a right, then another immediate right. Come all the way back in the alley to find me,” she teased.
He was helpless to disobey her wishes, and one thought occurred to Brodie: This woman could command empires. Why isn’t she further up the ladder at that nonprofit of hers?
The motion-sensor security light at the back of the alley blinked on, so bright that it made the place look like daylight. The fluorescent glow of it played against Cara’s shiny hair and transformed the dinginess of the alley where businesses stowed their trash into a romantic setting. There was no mistaking the odor, though, the vague smell of garbage. By comparison to the elegant restaurant, everything was definitely earthier and a little grimier as he reached the back of the building, only to find his gorgeous date standing between a stack of rickety crates and an overloaded dumpster, perched on what appeared to be a safely solid cardboard box.
“You’d better be careful,” he said, though he was sure a featherweight like her wouldn’t even collapse a matchbook.