Just One Kiss

by Carole Dean

  Before Nikki could speak, Michael’s impatient hand gripped her elbow and directed her down the hall to Trader Vic’s dining room. She itched to ask what the exchange between Michael and Darlene was about, but the grim set of his jaw deterred her. Whatever it was, it had ruined his humor.

  At the maître d’s station, Michael silently took her coat and checked it. He seemed lost in thought as he turned to face her, and he surprised her when he reached out to briefly touch a tendril of hair near her cheek. His serious gaze slid down her body, paused briefly over the curve of her breasts, then went back up to her coppery hair. Leaning toward her, his mouth moved so close to her ear she felt his warm breath on her neck.

  “You look spectacular,” he said quietly.

  Nikki saw the glint of gold in the back of his eyes and felt an odd twist in the pit of her stomach. She mumbled her thanks as he took her arm and moved her slightly ahead of him. They followed the maître d’ to a quiet table at the window.

  They sat without speaking until the waiter brought menus. The tenseness in Michael made Nicole wary. She wasn’t sure how to deal with it. Finally, frustrated with his brooding silence, she spoke.

  “This is going to be an uncomfortable and unproductive meeting if we don’t talk about something ... anything.” She hesitated. “Or would you prefer to delay it?”

  “No. We need to talk. We should have talked before this. It’s just that Darlene—” He stopped, but only long enough to redirect his frustration from Darlene to Nikki. “If you’d met me as planned yesterday, we could have avoided this meeting completely.”

  “You can avoid me completely if that’s what you want.” She’d be damned if she’d explain herself or the events of yesterday. If he wanted to believe Darlene, let him. “I’m only here because you demanded I be,” she added. “If you’ve changed your mind, I’ll be happy to go.”

  He shook his head, rubbed at his temple. “I wish it were that easy, but as I said on the phone, for the time being at least, we have a job to do. We need to talk about Kingway—specifically Jayne Kingway. So for the moment, let’s put our animosities aside and have a temporary truce. Agreed?”

  Nicole was all for it. Not only was she curious about Jayne, she found it impossible to stay angry with a man whose nearness stirred such sensual, erotic feelings. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d told him her thoughts would make him blush. Even now, mad as hell at him, she fantasized how it would feel to run her hands across his shoulders and down his chest to ...

  “Did you hear me?” He looked at her questioningly.

  She reddened. “Truce,” she echoed.

  Nicole could see their waiter heading toward them as Michael spoke again.

  “Good. Let’s order then, and I’ll tell you why Jayne Kingway isn’t coming back.”

  ***

  A half hour into the conversation, Nikki still wasn’t over the shock of what Michael had told her.

  “You’re telling me you canceled Jayne’s employment contract and she’s on a boat somewhere in the Caribbean.”

  “Mediterranean,” he corrected. “Probably cruising the Greek islands by now. And I didn’t cancel her contract. Not exactly.”

  “But why did she leave so suddenly? Why didn’t she tell anyone? We’re very close at Kingway. I can’t understand it. I knew she wasn’t going to stay long after Prisma took over, but I was counting on at least six months.”

  “That was the original agreement.”

  “What happened to change it? What’s going to happen at Kingway? Will Prisma be appointing a new manager?” God help us if it’s Darlene. Nikki restrained a shudder. The office would turn into Résumé City if that was the plan.

  “Whoa.” He held up a hand. “One question at a time. First, Jayne and I changed the original agreement. Much to the chagrin of the Prisma directors, I might add.” He shrugged. “But she’s quite the woman, your Jayne, reminds me of Megan in a way. I can see why they hit it off when they met in Paris. Anyway, to get to the point, we had dinner together.” He shifted back in his chair, lifted but didn’t drink from his wineglass. “Here, as a matter of fact. It was the first time we’d spent any time with each other outside of business meetings. That was when she told me about her husband,” he said.

  “Her husband? Ron? What about him?”

  “He has a heart condition, serious, or could be.”

  “Heart condition? Ron? Jayne never told me about that.” Nikki was shocked. She’d considered herself close to Jayne. Although, she had to admit most of their recent conversations had been about business. Always business.

  “I know. She told me she kept it to herself. She didn’t think it should affect her work or anyone else’s.”

  “How serious is it?” Nikki felt guilty and a little jealous. She’d worked two years with Jayne, and she hadn’t felt comfortable enough to confide in her. One dinner with Michael and she’d told him everything. She didn’t understand it.

  “Serious enough for both of them to make the commitment to a different and more relaxed style of living,” he said, then added, “Serious enough for Jayne to sell Kingway so she can spend all her time with him.”

  “So you released her from her management contract?” Nikki guessed.

  “Yes. It seemed to me the six months would be better spent with her husband, getting on with that new life they’d promised each other. With the shock they’ve had, time takes on a whole new meaning.”

  “I wish she’d told me. Maybe I could have helped her.”

  “You did help, Nikki.” He leaned forward across the table, his expression intense. “Because of you I was able to release Jayne from her contract. She thinks very highly of you. So highly, in fact, that she recommended you take over the general management of Kingway and work with Prisma to integrate the product lines.”

  Nicole was speechless. Michael’s face was sober as he watched her reaction.

  “Does that make you happy?” he asked.

  “Yes ... and no. I’m happy Jayne put so much trust in me, but I’m not sure I’m ready for the responsibility.”

  ***

  Michael studied her face, tried to judge the depth of her feelings, the strength of her ambition. He saw the fire in her eyes, the deep pleasure that comes with recognition. And her excitement was plain. She didn’t try to hide it. He should be happy for her, instead his stomach felt as though someone had dropped boulder in it. No, he didn’t feel happiness, more a sense of loss, as though before he even knew her, she was slipping away. Had he the right, he’d have grabbed her by the shoulders, shaken her, demanded to know how much of herself she’d give to her work. Would it be everything? Would anything be left for him? For them? He had a month to find out.

  “Jayne thought you were ready or she wouldn’t have recommended you for the job.” He leaned back in his chair, one hand on his waist, the other playing idly with his teaspoon. “If it means anything, I agree.”

  A brilliant, clear smile crossed Nikki’s face. With a stab of pain, Michael realized it was the first time he had seen her smile like that. It took a promotion to do it, he thought regretfully.

  The smile blazed as she asked, “Do you? Do you really, Michael? Your support, your belief in me would make all the difference.”

  He couldn’t help but smile back. “When you took control of the speaker’s platform at Whistler, you earned that,” he said. “I was impressed, both with what you said and how you said it. You were prepared, informative and professional.” God, he sounded as if he were doing a salary review. He thinned his lips against an ironic smile, and looked for his usual business calm. So far he hadn’t been calm around this woman for more than a minute and a half.

  Grateful for the sincere respect in his voice, Nikki leaned forward, touched his hand. “You’ll help me then,” She asked directly, then stumbled over her last words. “And what’s between us ... you won’t—”

  Michael pulled his hand back. “I won’t what?” Michael asked, meeting her gaze with icy eyes. �
��Attack you in the mail room?”

  “You know what I mean,” she mumbled, feeling as if there weren’t a hole big enough to swallow her and her tactless comments in one gulp.

  Rather than answer, Michael just looked disgusted, and signaled for the check. After he’d done so, he turned back her.

  “Jayne said you were an incredibly hard worker. She also said you’d never let your personal life interfere with business. You’d always put your job first.” He stopped, rubbed his index finger across his chin, looking not the least impressed now. “She admired that about you, but I’m guessing she didn’t know that you don’t have a personal life. Nor do you want one.” He smiled again, but it was cool and completely impersonal. “You’re wonderful fodder for the corporate mill, Nikki. Every company’s dream employee. Would I do anything to ruin that?” He lifted a dark brow.

  Michael’s words stung, but Nikki had no chance for rebuttal before the waiter interrupted them with the bill. Michael signed it, then stood to pull her chair out. His eyes told her there were to be no more questions.

  Nikki was troubled. Was she really so narrowly focused, so one-dimensional? Why hadn’t Jayne told her about Ron? Did she honestly think she wouldn’t care, wouldn’t be interested. The thought saddened her. Jayne meant well, that was obvious. It was her recommendation that ensured Nikki the general manager’s position. A major career plum. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it? As for Michael’s opinion, it didn’t matter. In a few weeks, he’d be gone. Better for her if he did think she was a business robot.

  In seconds, they were back in the lobby. Michael again took her elbow. This time he directed her to the elevators.

  She stopped and turned to face him.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To my suite.”

  “Just a minute here.”

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  “Well, I, uh ... Why are you taking me to your suite?” She stammered.

  “To go over some information on the merger. I thought you should read the preliminary plans before we meet tomorrow morning. Is there a problem?” Michael’s face was a study in innocence.

  Nicole felt like an idiot. Some general manager she’d be.

  “No. No problem at all.” She struck an airy tone.

  “Good.”

  The elevator yawned open in front of them, and Michael moved to let her precede him. When the door closed behind them, they were alone. Michael pushed the button marked seven, then lounged casually against the rail that ran the inside of the elevator.

  Nikki felt the complete fool. There he was, nonchalant as you please, while she was tied up in knots. In all her twenty-seven years, she’d never before gone to a man’s hotel room. Reminding herself she was going to discuss business plans and pick up some papers, not to an illicit tryst, she relaxed—a little. She scarcely jumped at all when Michael placed his hand on the small of her back to direct her out of the elevator.

  Once inside his spacious, elegant suite, Michael took her coat. He motioned her to a chair near the window. Too nervous to sit, she stood and looked outside.

  The dark outline of Stanley Park and the glitter of the North Shore across the inlet were plainly visible. In the clear, cold night, the lights were a bright divider between sea and snow-capped mountains. A passenger ship cruised slowly up the inlet towards the Lions Gate Bridge. To where, she wondered. Alaska? San Francisco, then on to Mexico?

  She was staring at the view when she heard Michael ask, “Shall I order coffee?”

  She turned in time to see him shrugging out of his suit jacket. He tossed it carelessly on the king-sized bed that dominated the room.

  “That depends. Shall we be long?” Nikki gaped as Michael pulled at his tie, loosening it and sending it to join his discarded jacket. Her fragile bravado crumbled at the edges, crumbled more when Michael pulled the tails of his white shirt from his pants. She coughed and turned away.

  “Long?” Michael repeated. Smiling when he gave a final tug on his shirt. “That depends, too. On whether or not you’re a quick study.” His hands moved to the top button of his shirt.

  “I’m a very quick study. No coffee,” she blurted, turning back to stare fixedly out the window. Only this time Michael’s reflection obliterated the view. He was undoing the third button on his shirt, exposing a shadow of dark hair curling on his chest. She started to panic.

  “The reports are in the next room. Through that door.” He gestured toward it. “I think you’ll be more at ease in there.” He spoke the words casually as if it didn’t matter to him whether she stayed to watch him change or not.

  Nikki made a hasty exit through the adjoining-room door and closed it behind her. She was not more at ease. She was a jumble of emotion, and doubted she’d be able to regulate her raspy, unreliable breathing any time this century. While she fought to steady it, a ragged sigh escaped her tense throat. This wasn’t a hotel suite, this was a battle ground. She should never have come here, but she could see no way out now.

  She just have to tough it out, concentrate on the work, ignore him. She thought about that glimpse of curly chest hair and shut her eyes tight. Ignoring Michael would be like walking through a perfumery and not smelling the perfume. But she’d damn well have to do it. If she didn’t, she was a goner.

  There was a round table and two chairs in the corner of the room near the window. Nikki spied a table stacked with papers. She headed for it just as Michael came back to the room.

  He was wearing faded jeans and a white cotton sweater, neither looked new. Nikki tried not to look at him and failed. This was a whole new Michael. In shedding the suit, he’d shed the tenseness that had been on his face since the scene with Darlene in the lobby.

  Until now Nikki had thought of him as a cool, worldly sophisticate, too handsome and spoiled for his own good. And while his aloofness was intriguing, this jeans-clad man was more appealing and much more dangerous. She cleared her throat and tried not to notice how the denim molded to his lean, muscular thighs. It molded rather well to another part of his anatomy as well ...

  She shifted her gaze so fast she almost went blind. She picked up some paper and made the effort to look at them. By the look of the smile on Michael’s face he’d caught her appraising his masculine body parts. Damn!

  A smile curved his lips. “I hope you don’t mind the change. I can only take so much time in a monkey suit.”

  Nikki’s voice was a little high, but after the tiniest of croaks, it did work. “No.” She coughed. “I don’t mind at all. If anything, I’m envious. You look comfortable.” You look over-the-top incredible—and my worst nightmare!

  “There’s nothing to stop you from getting comfortable, too. You could take off—” he paused, studied her and raised a brow “—your shoes. That would be quite acceptable in an employee-employer relationship, don’t you think?”

  Nikki had worked around flirtatious men long enough to have developed an easy skill in innocent banter. This she could handle. Even though she was uncertain as to how innocent Michael Dorado actually was, she’d take the lighter path. Easier for him. Easier for her. Never let ‘em see you sweat.

  She kicked off her shoes. “Done. Now that we have both slipped into something comfortable—you into your jeans and me my stocking feet, let’s get to it.”

  He moved across the room with the grace of a puma. He was standing beside her near the table when he asked, “What exactly shall we get to?” His voice was darkly seductive.

  “Work, Mr. Dorado, work,” she said sternly.

  He smiled, then shrugged. “If we must, we must.” Michael reached across the table and sorted through a stack of paper until he found a folder.

  “Start with this. It’s the draft plan for product integration. It’s only an outline, but it will give you an idea of what we propose. Why don’t you read through it? It would be a good idea if you would pay particular attention to the section covering the coming month. I’d like to make the best use of my time whi
le I’m here. While you do that, I’ve got some calls to make.”

  Michael left her with the folder and went into the next room. Nikki was so engrossed in the document, she did not hear him when he came back.

  “Well, what do you think?”

  Nikki looked up to see him lounging in the doorway. His gaze narrowed to her face.

  “I think it’s first-rate.” Nikki was genuinely excited. “I see you’ve chosen a Spanish word for the name. Belleza?”

  “It means loveliness, beauty.” He was moving toward the table. “Do you like it?”

  “Yes, very much. But I do have a few questions. Do you want to go over them now, or do you want me to save them until tomorrow?”

  Michael pulled a chair up beside hers, his leg brushing hers as he sat down. His shoulder touched hers, and she could feel its heat through the light cotton of his sweater.

  “Let’s do it now,” he said. “The more you learn tonight, the better. It will make it easier for you to answer questions from your staff tomorrow.”

  Michael’s casual use of the words your staff surprised her and reminded her of her new responsibilities. For the first time that evening, Nicole wondered how Jayne’s departure and her promotion would be accepted by the Kingway employees. For a moment, nervousness made her stomach tighten. She would have to work hard to win and keep their support. Everything would depend on her.

  “Is something bothering you?” Michael asked. “Or is chewing that luscious lower lip of yours just for my benefit.” He leaned back. “If it is, it’s working.”

  She scowled at him, then smiled, feeling faintly embarrassed. “I’m a bit overwhelmed, that’s all. Today I was an ordinary run-of-the-mill sales manager. Tomorrow the people I work with will work for me. It’s going to take getting used to.”

  He shot her a sideways glance. “It is what you wanted, isn’t it? Opportunity, challenge. The thrills and chills of unbridled commerce. The chance to use, and prove, your skills?”