He reached a hand up to cup her cheek. His warm yet roughened palm caressed her skin. “You’re no fool.”
The cool breeze blew around them and she shivered, a blatant reaction to his touch and not the ocean air. “Neither are you.”
“True. And considering I didn’t walk out as soon as I realized it was you, I suppose we’re trusting each other not to reveal the fact that we’re breaking the no-office-romance rule.”
Present tense. Was he asking for more time or was she reading her wishes into his words?
Mallory tipped her head to the side, causing his hand to cradle her cheek in a gentle caress. “Are you telling me Jack Latham is trusting a woman?” she asked wryly.
He grinned. “Trust is easier to give when it’s mutual and both parties have something at stake.”
“At which point it isn’t trust but more like a level playing field.”
He burst out laughing. “I really do admire you,” he said, sobering. His eyes darkened with desire.
Her heart thudded hard in her chest. “Same here.” And she wanted him, with an intensity that frightened her.
To give in to her fantasies again, in daylight no less, would make them that much harder to put behind her when this trip was over. Mallory the dreamer didn’t mind.
Mallory the realist knew better than to cross a boundary with no safety net. And that safety net was distance and control.
CHAPTER SIX
THE TIDE STILL LAPPED at his feet as Mallory looked up at him with wide eyes. Yes, Jack admired her, but did she realize how much he wanted her as well? He could lean forward for a kiss. He could taste the salt on her lips and let her soft body mold against his harder one, but it wouldn’t be enough.
And from the hesitant look in her eyes, she wouldn’t be receptive. Jack admired her gutsiness and intelligence, her spunk and positive outlook for the future. No matter how strong she’d come on last night, he respected her uncertainty now.
He’d been wrong to think the woman from last night was the real Mallory. In reality she was a fascinating mixture of two personas and she intrigued him on too many levels beyond sexual. The knowledge set off warning bells in his cynical brain.
His encounters with the opposite sex were supposed to be simple and fun. Easy to walk away from, no strings attached, no emotional commitments. But the yearning he felt for Mallory was beginning to surpass mere sexual desire.
He wanted her.
He desired her company, too.
But he yearned for another invitation most of all. He could see from the determined look in her eyes one wouldn’t be forthcoming.
Yet she’d set a challenge in motion last night. She’d proven both her femininity and his susceptibility to her charms. His turn next and he intended to prove she wasn’t any more immune to him than he was to her. Up the stakes, even the playing field and they could both retreat, egos intact. Next time.
Kissing her now would destroy any prayer of catching her off guard later. So he pulled back instead. “Ready to go inside?” he asked.
She blinked, obviously surprised at his about-face. He didn’t mind putting her off balance for once. She’d done it to him too often.
She shook her head. “You go on. I think I’ll hang out here for a while. At least until the sun gets too hot.”
They’d each backed into neutral corners. Without her explaining, Jack understood exactly what was going through that analytical brain. The dichotomy in her personality was most evident in broad daylight and there were consequences to them she wasn’t ready to face.
Kissing under the morning sun would have meant acknowledging she’d crossed the line from proving a point last night to something more between them today. He agreed.
Disappointment churned in his gut but he accepted the parameters. It was the only way he had a chance of seeing Mallory, the sexy seductress, again. “Be careful not to get burned,” he said.
A flicker of dismay crossed her features and darkened her blue eyes. Well that was something, Jack thought as he walked away.
The desire to turn back was strong yet he acknowledged their separating now was for the best. He wasn’t ready to walk back to their rooms and part in the hall, not when he’d rather take her into his room and then to his bed. Though his mind accepted the need to leave, his body wasn’t nearly as understanding and a throbbing, unfulfilled desire remained.
He left her standing on the beach. The image of the wind blowing her tight bun out of order and place, of her wide blue eyes staring at him as he backed off, was etched in his memory. He feared it could make its way to his heart, if he wasn’t careful.
But when it came to women Jack was always careful, and Mallory was no exception. He couldn’t allow her to become more to him than a private fling. A memory he could cherish and hold on to, but one he could never reveal—not to anyone back home and not even to himself.
He picked up his pace. Was it his imagination or could he feel her burning stare sear into his back as he retreated to the hotel? He shook his head and let himself in through the back door of the restaurant—the fastest way off the beach and out of her line of vision. Away from his own fanciful musings.
Jack passed through the dining area and then the front desk. He rounded the corner to the elevators, pausing by the gym on his way.
He’d been impressed with the facilities when Lederman had taken him on a hotel tour before their sauna. The spa sported a full-service gym with instructors available for a wide range of requests, including a new full cardiovascular workout—under a doctor’s supervision.
Jack peered through the glass window to the nearly empty gym. There was no better way to alleviate stress and strain than to work up a good sweat, and no better means of obtaining information than to make conversation with hotel employees. Both would hopefully take his thoughts and desires off Mallory and center them on work where they belonged.
He signed in and grabbed a white towel from the stack behind the registration desk.
“Can I help you?” A dark-haired woman with muscles he’d be proud to possess walked over.
He hung the towel around his neck. “I just thought I’d give the treadmill a run.”
She nodded. “No problem. Let me familiarize you with the equipment and you can get started. I’m Eva.” She extended her hand. “I’m the manager.”
He shook her iron grip. “Jack Latham.”
Her eyes widened with recognition. “Nice to meet you. Paul…I mean, Mr. Lederman mentioned you were one of his special guests.”
Jack didn’t miss the familiarity in her tone when she spoke of Paul Lederman, but he let it slide. He laughed and brushed off her words with a sweep of his hand. “That’s Paul for you. But I’m not looking for any special treatment.”
She shook her head and her ponytail swished against one shoulder. “Are you trying to cost me my job?” she asked, laughter in her eyes.
“I can’t imagine Paul firing you.”
“Me neither.” She met his gaze with what he could only call a certain yet knowing stare. She was an attractive young woman with curves in all the right places and by her posture and confidence, she obviously knew it.
Silence stretched for a moment in which Jack questioned her relationship with his potential client, then reprimanded himself for looking for fires where there were none. “You always do what the boss says?” he asked.
She glanced away without meeting his gaze. “He pays the bills.”
And Jack wondered if he’d hit paydirt. “I’ll bet he wishes all his employees were as loyal as you.”
“He’s a man that inspires loyalty, but being that special guest of his I’m sure you know that. Now let’s get you started on that workout.” She gestured toward the treadmill.
Jack doubted Paul would have an affair with a woman who worked in the same place his wife lived. Lederman was arrogant to the extreme but he wasn’t careless. Not where his empire was at stake. His disappearances were more telling than a young girl’s infatua
tion and if there was a mistress to be found, she wasn’t on the premises.
But Jack had a hunch Paul had done nothing to discourage this employee’s interest. Her husband’s flirting, if that was what had happened, couldn’t please Mrs. Lederman. And careless trifling with female employees could be evidence of the man’s willingness to take greater risks.
Jack smiled at the pretty manager. “This is one impressive setup you’ve got here.”
“It certainly is. I’m lucky to work in a place like this, but as you probably know there’s a story behind it.”
Jack didn’t know but he sure as hell wanted to find out. “You can say that again. But I didn’t realize Paul had begun working out.”
Eva nodded. “He starts on the treadmill, too.”
“I bet I could benefit from his routine.”
She looked him over approvingly. “Oh, it looks like you do just fine on your own.”
He hung his towel over a chair and climbed onto the exercise machine. He pressed in the buttons on the computerized equipment and started an easy run.
She watched him, hands on her hips. “Seems like you know your way around these machines. Unlike Paul. You should hear about the first session I ever gave him.”
Jack laughed. He’d be more than happy to hear about any session between his potential client and this obviously sensual woman. “I’m not going anywhere so go right ahead.”
MALLORY MADE her way from the beach. Sand clung to the soles of her feet and she rinsed them off beneath a minishower before slipping back into her sensible shoes and lifting her sensible jacket off the railing. She sighed, wondering when the trappings of conventionality had become so obvious and constraining.
It was this trip, she thought, feeling every bit of remaining grit rubbing against her feet as she walked. And it was Jack. Around Jack she wanted to be a sexy, desirable woman so she could watch arousal flare in his dark eyes and know the heat was meant for her alone.
Instead she found herself dressed in garments that were supposed to make her feel an equal in the business world and she’d never felt less womanly or desirable in her life. In fact she felt trapped between the two Mallorys and like Jack, she didn’t know which one was real and which one was the impostor.
She slung her suit jacket over one arm but thanks to the salty air and the growing heat, the material stuck uncomfortably to her skin. She took two steps and decided she couldn’t take the stabbing pain any longer. Giving up, she pulled off her shoes, hoping she could make it through the lobby and into the elevators unnoticed.
She never made it past the front desk.
“Good morning, Ms. Sinclair.”
Startled, Mallory turned to find Mrs. Lederman walking toward her. “I see you’ve found the beach already this fine day.”
Mallory slid a self-conscious hand to her hair. “Is it the wind-blown mess or the scent of the ocean that gave me away?”
The other woman laughed. “Actually it’s the trail of sand.”
Mallory glanced down to see the traces of sand she’d left behind with each step she’d taken. She sighed, feeling the heat of a flush rise to her cheeks. “I guess you could say I wasn’t dressed for a stroll on the beach.”
“Not a problem. We’ve got kids running through here barefoot all day. This is a resort not a palace. I hope you’re finding it to your liking?” The older woman’s gaze never left Mallory’s face, making her feel as if she were truly interested in her comfort and happiness.
Despite the woman’s elegant appearance, she possessed a distinct charm along with motherly instincts Mallory couldn’t help but admire. Her own mother had never been as kind or caring. When Mallory had tracked dirt into the house as a child, she’d found herself with a broom in her hand and facing a disgruntled look on her mother’s face. And when she’d annoyed her mother, her father’s displeasure was sure to follow.
She glanced at Mrs. Lederman. This woman had every reason to dislike her and treat her with callous disdain, yet not a cruel word or gesture had escaped her perfectly lined and coated lips. Mallory didn’t appreciate the painful memories of her childhood this woman evoked, nor did she enjoy the resurgence of longing in her heart. A yearning for acceptance she’d thought she’d banished long ago.
But how could she banish the desire to be loved and accepted when every move in her life had been calculated to gain her parents’ respect and admiration, she thought to herself. Their love was a moot point. They reserved that emotion for each other alone.
“Is everything all right?” Mrs. Lederman asked.
Mallory forced a smile as she met the other woman’s compassionate gaze. “As a matter of fact, everything’s perfect. Not only is this place beautiful…” Mallory gestured around the contemporary lobby “…but it’s a chance to get away from the real world for a while.”
“Lucky you. Unfortunately, this is my reality.” Mrs. Lederman’s lips trembled before she was able to hide the signs of her distress.
“Mrs. Lederman…”
She shook her head. “Alicia.”
“Alicia.” Mallory bit the inside of her cheek. “This is awkward.” And though she hadn’t approached Alicia Lederman, hadn’t been hired and therefore hadn’t breached any ethics, Mallory felt uncomfortable.
“Nonsense.” Alicia waved a hand in the air, revealing a large solitaire diamond glittering on her left hand.
Obviously Mrs. Lederman hadn’t removed her wedding ring. Because she was holding out hope or because she wanted to hang on to the stone? Mallory immediately discounted the mercenary thought. Her instincts were rarely wrong and this woman with warm brown eyes radiated sincerity and goodness.
Kindness that brought back disturbing recollections and led to reinforced insecurities, none of which helped when Mallory had a job to do. Which was to prove to Mr. Lederman she and Jack were the divorce attorneys he wanted on his side.
“It’s only awkward if we choose to make it that way,” the other woman assured her. “Now is there anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable?”
“Aside from you not being difficult about the divorce or settlement?” To her credit, Mrs. Lederman didn’t flinch, though Mallory did. And inside, her heart died a bit at her own harsh words.
She might have told Jack she’d do whatever it took to make her case, she might even have tried to believe it herself, but she didn’t have to like it. And the more she saw of her client’s wife, the worse she felt about herself and the side she’d chosen.
Mrs. Lederman drew herself up and squared her shoulders. “You know, I respect the fact that you don’t mince words. You remind me of my daughter.”
Mallory shook her head, unable to believe what she’d done. “I’m sorry.”
Mrs. Lederman shook her head. “For being a professional? Nonsense. There’s nothing to forgive.”
“Why are you doing this?” Mallory asked, unable to help herself. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Would you believe me if I said I like all guests to enjoy our hotel?”
Mallory nodded slowly. “Yes, I would.” She’d believe anything Mrs. Lederman said. “Your daughter’s lucky to have you.” The words escaped before Mallory could stop them.
“I wish my husband felt the same.”
That fast, Mallory felt a connection with this woman. One she couldn’t afford and one that conflicted with her ultimate aspiration—partnership by virtue of winning Lederman’s divorce account for the firm.
From the moment she’d been summoned to Jack’s office and placed on this case, she’d known nothing would be easy or simple but she’d never anticipated the turmoil she’d experience here.
Before either of them could say another word, the older woman reached for Mallory’s arm and she found herself led across the lobby, around the corner and toward a huge bank of windows. The gym area spread wide in front of her and it was newer and larger than the gym she belonged to at home.
“Nice,” she murmured. She leaned closer to the pl
ate glass and saw the room was empty except for a man on a treadmill in the corner.
Make that Jack on a treadmill in the corner with a sexy brunette hanging all over him as he ran. Mallory frowned. Why wasn’t the woman repulsed by the smell of sweat? she thought, knowing she was feeling jealous and hating it at the same time.
“Isn’t that your colleague?”
Mallory nodded.
“That’s our manager,” Mrs. Lederman said in response to her unspoken question.
“A little too perfect-looking for my taste,” Mallory muttered.
The woman by her side burst into laughter. “Like I said, bluntness becomes you.”
Mallory rolled her eyes. “Well let’s face it, how many of us actually look like that.”
“Not nearly enough and as a man ages, he starts to appreciate youth and well-toned muscles.”
Mallory met the other woman’s hurt gaze. “Your husband?”
A shuttered look closed Mrs. Lederman’s emotions from view. “I thought we were talking about him.” A well-manicured fingernail pointed toward Jack.
Mallory narrowed her gaze and looked closer, taking Mrs. Lederman’s words into consideration. Yes, this muscled woman was hanging on Jack’s every word. And yes, she was taking in his hard calves and thighs and drooling, just as Mallory was. But the key to this scene lay in the visuals or lack of them.
Jack wasn’t drooling back. Not that a man could do much obvious ogling of a woman while working out, but his run was paced and he could express more blatant interest if he chose. Even from this distance, Mallory could see Jack’s interest lay more in what the woman was saying than what she looked like or wore. In fact, the brunette hadn’t stopped talking once since Mallory had begun her watch.
Considering Mrs. Lederman’s sudden change of attitude, Mallory believed her husband had caused her jaded views on men and younger, buffer women. And though Mallory hardly thought Jack was undergoing a hardship with this woman’s attention, she hoped at least he was getting information on Mr. Lederman from the hard-bodied female ogler.
If any ogling was going to be done over Jack’s body, Mallory wanted to do the honors—and she wanted him to eye her right back—as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Neither scenario was destined to happen again.
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