by Tia Siren
“I’m expecting someone. I want you to sit there and take notes. This meeting is important to me,” I growled, the sexual frustration making me cranky.
I handed her the tablet that had been turned in by James.
“Do I take notes on this?” she asked, holding the thing like it was completely foreign to her.
I raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you used a pencil and paper to take notes at your old job?”
“No, no. This is great. What’s the meeting about?”
Her incessant questioning made me even more suspicious. Fortunately, this meeting wasn’t top secret and I didn’t care if she ran back and told her dear old dad all about it.
“It’s about a charity I’m working with.”
Aaron knocked once before coming into the office. He immediately looked at Kendall sitting prettily on my black leather sofa before looking back at me, a question on his face.
“My new PA. Kendall, this is Aaron. Aaron, Kendall.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Aaron said, walking toward her.
I watched as Kendall gracefully stood on those killer heels, a welcoming smile on her face. It wasn’t the same smile she looked at me with. The one I got was full of lust. With Aaron, it was warm and friendly. For the first time, I felt like I got a glimpse of the real woman instead of the vixen trying to lure me into her web.
When Aaron came back to sit in his typical seat across the desk from me, I could see the multitude of questions on his face. He’d have to wait for an explanation.
“All right, I’ve got some information about that hospital. I spoke with their director, and as you can imagine, they are thrilled to have you as one of their donors. They want to do something to honor you.”
I grimaced. “No.”
Aaron sighed. “They have to give you a plaque or something. That’s just the way it’s done.”
In my peripheral vision, I saw Kendall intently watching us. Aaron and I discussed the charity and his proposal for the board. He expected to deliver it at the board meeting next week.
When he left, Kendall stood and took the seat Aaron had vacated. “Am I going with you to deliver the check tomorrow?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Why the children’s hospital?”
“What?” I asked, distracted by the email I was reading.
“Why the children’s hospital? By the way Aaron was talking, it sounds as if you have donated a great deal to charities for children and are still working to give more. Why?” she asked.
I looked away from the screen. “Because I want to help people who can’t help themselves. Those kids didn’t ask to be sick or injured. Some of them have been abused by their own parents. I do as much as I can.” I paused, mulling over that statement. “That’s not true. I could do more. I’m an extravagant man. I could cut down my own spending and give more.”
She cocked her head to the side, and I could feel her trying to search my soul with her eyes. “That’s amazing. I mean, really, it’s very generous, and clearly you have given a great deal. Don’t beat yourself up for enjoying the perks of your hard work.”
She looked genuinely impressed. I wondered if her father donated. Most CEOs did. It was good press and fostered a community image.
There was a knock on the door and Aaron popped his head in. “Can I have a minute?”
I looked at Kendall. “You can head back to your office. Stop by Gena’s desk and ask her to give you my schedule for next week. I’ll need you to be familiar with what’s going on and stop me if I try to overbook myself when we go into the next meeting.”
She stood up and walked out the door, giving me a nice show as she did.
Aaron came in and sat down, staring at me as if I had lost my damn mind.
“What?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“Do you know who that is?” he hissed.
I grinned. “I do.”
“Then why in the hell is she sitting in your office with access to our business?” he practically shouted.
I shrugged a shoulder. “She came to me, begging for a job. At first, I didn’t recognize her since she’s using a fake name. I figure she and her sneaky father are up to something and I want to know what.”
“So you give her a job? And not just a job, but as your PA?” he barked.
“I want to know what that asshole is up to. I’ve long suspected he’s been trying to steal product ideas and designs. Now I have the proof.”
Aaron shook his head. “You don’t have proof. You have a spy working right next to you. She’s going to tell her dad about everything we’re doing. We have the new product we’re trying to acquire. If Adams or any of our competition find out about it, there’s going to be a bidding war. I don’t want to pay a fortune if we don’t have to.”
“Relax. I have it under control. I just want to know what they’re after. I’m being careful. She isn’t getting access to anything she shouldn’t. Right now, she thinks I don’t know who she is. I’m letting her play her little game. You know the old adage about keeping your enemies close. Well, I have her living in my penthouse. That’s about as close as you can get,” I said, smiling at my own genius.
“You’re playing with fire,” he warned.
He had no idea just how right he was. One of us was definitely going to get burned, and it wasn’t going to be me.
“I’ll be careful. This may be exactly what we need to stop Adams. He’s been doing this for too long. The man doesn’t have an original thought in his head. He’s lazy and has no real understanding about how to do business. I knew he was a sneaky bastard, but I didn’t realize he would stoop this low,” I seethed.
Aaron cleared his throat. “She’s willingly playing an active role in all this. She isn’t innocent.”
“I know.”
He shook his head. “I saw the fireworks between the two of you. In fact, I feel like I could use a cold shower,” he quipped.
“She’s trying to seduce me,” I said nonchalantly.
“And if she does? Will you give away all our secrets in the throes of passion?”
I looked at him and rolled my eyes. “Does that sound like something I would do?”
He chuckled. “It is kind of electric between the two of you. Sparks are definitely flying. I’m especially glad you don’t have the nuclear launch codes or anything. I would be seriously worried then.”
“I said I’m in control. I know exactly what I’m doing,” I growled, not appreciating his lack of faith.
He held up both hands. “Okay, but you better believe I’m keeping my eye on her. Don’t get pissed if I tell you you’re getting too close. I’m going to be watching things. My future and my income are at stake here as well.”
“Fine. Do whatever makes you feel better. Kendall thinks she is winning this little game. She doesn’t know I’m already two steps ahead of her. For now, I want her to think she’s got me right where she wants me. I want her to report back to daddy dearest about everything I’m doing and not doing. The product launch is next week, but there’s nothing for them to gain from that. It’s already been leaked. I have a feeling she is after projects in the pipeline, and I’ll be keeping her far, far away from those.”
He walked to the door of my office, stopped, and turned to look back at me. “Be careful. Adams isn’t known for playing fair. He’s not a good man.”
“I know.”
Chapter Eight
Kendall
Saturday
It was a little strange to wake up in a strange bed in a strange room—alone. Last night, I had thought I would get my first glimpse of the scheming Dylan. I had envisioned myself walking in on some evil plan, then confronting him with his misdeeds, and in order to keep me quiet, he kissed me.
It hadn’t quite worked out that way. Instead, he spent a lot of the time in his den and then went to bed early. For a villain, he had maintained a rather boring Friday night—unless he’d snuck out after I had gone to bed.
“S
nuck out to do what, Kendall?” I muttered.
I was giving the man far more credit than he deserved. He wasn’t an evil mastermind. Well, he could have been, but his evil deeds didn’t require him to skulk around in the dead of night. For all I knew, there was a secret room in this massive penthouse that was filled with plans for how to rule the world. I needed to do a little exploring today. I knew where the kitchen was, and I had passed by his den, but I had yet to see his bedroom or the rest of the place. I was curious to see how the man truly lived.
It was time to face my new boss and see what was on the agenda for the day. He did tell me to plan on going to the hospital with him, which I was actually looking forward to. But first, I needed coffee.
I made my way to the kitchen and found an array of dishes on the long center island. He was standing in front of the island, sipping coffee while staring down at the iPad resting on the counter. It was strange to see him wearing a T-shirt. He looked so—normal.
“Hungry?” I asked, taking in the amount of food.
He shrugged one shoulder. “I had no idea what you like, so I had my chef make a little of everything.”
“Wow, this is quite the spread,” I said, walking closer to check out the offerings. It was a little overwhelming. I wasn’t usually a breakfast eater, but looking at those crepes filled with strawberries and topped with whipped cream quickly changed my mind.
He purposefully looked at his watch and then me. “Do you usually sleep in this late?”
“It’s not even eight o’clock yet!”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll give you a few days to get acclimated, but my days start early.”
I debated throwing one of the toasted English muffins at him, but the thought evaporated the second he stepped out from behind the counter, pulling off his shirt. I wasn’t sure what was about to happen. I couldn’t think straight or speak as I stared at the man’s wide, tanned chest with a smattering of blond hair around his pecs, that gorgeous little happy trail leading the way across his six-pack abs and disappearing beneath the waistband of his shorts.
“I’m going for a swim.”
I nodded my head, watching him as he hit a button and the blinds covering the wall of windows slide open to reveal a beautiful infinity pool on the terrace.
I gasped.
He smiled, and I knew he assumed I was ogling him. Maybe I was, but the view was absolutely stunning.
“Enjoy your breakfast. We’ll be leaving in two hours.”
I watched as he walked out the door, his wide back tapered down, giving him a sexy V shape. Without hesitation, he dove into the pool headfirst. I was mesmerized. I managed to snap my attention back to the bar filled with food and grabbed a couple crepes with a few orange slices before taking a seat at the tiny table in the breakfast nook. Breakfast and a show. This was one hell of a way to start my morning.
Dylan climbed out of the pool, water sluicing off him as he walked to a rack where there were fresh towels hanging. He wiped his face before wrapping it around his waist and strolling back inside. When he saw me watching, he gave me a knowing grin.
I felt like an idiot. He knew what he was doing.
“I guess I better get ready,” I said, quickly leaving the table with my half-eaten food.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I could hear alarm bells, alerting me to danger ahead. I shut it down. I knew there was danger, which was why I was only playing with the fire. I wouldn’t let myself get burned. I quickly showered, put on a pretty pink, flirty dress with a wide white belt, added white pumps, and styled my hair in an updo.
When I walked into the small living room the foyer opened into, Dylan was already there waiting for me. He was in a pair of black slacks with a beige polo shirt. He looked cool and casual and extraordinarily handsome.
“Ready?” he asked, his eyes scanning my outfit.
“I am. Am I free at all today?” I asked as we headed out to the waiting car.
“Do you need to be?”
“I would like to go to lunch with my friend—the one who had to leave early the other day,” I said.
He took a second before nodding his head. “You can have two hours. We have a dinner tonight.”
“A dinner?”
“A business dinner. You’ll be acting as my date as well as my PA. I need you to mentally take notes in case I miss something.”
I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m texting my friend to let her know. I’ll have to go my place after lunch to pick up some more of my things,” I mused aloud, knowing he really didn’t care.
“We can stop by your place after the hospital ceremony.”
“No thanks!” I said a little too quickly, causing him to give me that look that said he knew something was off. “I know you’re busy, and it’s something she and I can do fairly easily,” I said.
He nodded his head before turning to look out the window as we made our way into the city. I followed his gaze, taking in the sight of the homeless people on the corner and the look of sadness on so many of their faces. I found myself watching Dylan as he watched the world from behind tinted glass. He looked vulnerable and sad before he caught me staring and pulled that steely façade back into place.
The hospital donation was fairly quick. I stood in the crowd, watching him present a check and go through the cursory handshakes and photos. Once it was all said and done, I found him chatting with a member of the hospital board.
Instead of me taking a cab to the restaurant where I was meeting Vanessa, he insisted he have his car drop me off.
“Thank you,” I said, climbing out of the car. “I’ll see you in two hours.”
“Don’t be late,” he said in a gruff voice before the door closed.
Vanessa was at a table near the window and had seen my arrival.
“Damn, girl. You arrived in style,” she cooed when I took my seat across from her.
I shrugged. “He insisted on dropping me off. He is a man who gets what he wants and never takes no for an answer.”
Vanessa gave me a knowing smile. “You don’t say.”
“Not like that.”
“Sure. You’re living with the man and you’re going to tell me you’re not attracted to him? He’s gorgeous.”
I laughed and waved a hand in front of my face. “He is hot. But, this is work. Nothing more. He’s not a good person. I refuse to let my guard down around him. I think it would be dangerous.”
“So?” she asked, waving a hand. “Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell yet. Actually, the only thing I can tell for sure is that he is truly a generous man. He’s authentic and seems to truly care about those who are less fortunate.”
I heard the hint of wonder in my voice and knew Vanessa was going to pick up on it.
“God, you like him! You are crushing on him!”
My mouth dropped open in horror. “I do not!”
Vanessa was violently shaking her head, her red hair flopping around her face. “You’re such a liar. I know you better than you know yourself. You always fall for guys who are bad for you. He is bad for you! Your dad will kill you if he thinks you’re hot for Dylan Parks.”
“I’m not hot for Dylan. I mean, yes, I’m extremely attracted to him, but he’s hot. It’s a physical attraction, nothing more than that,” I argued.
“Are you sure the charity stuff is for real? Maybe he’s playing you,” she said.
“It’s real. Why would he play me? I know there’s a fire between us, but he doesn’t seem to actually like me. He’s kind of obnoxious truth be told.”
Vanessa didn’t look convinced. We ordered our meals and chatted a bit about the new line she was working on. Her job as a fashion designer kept me on the cutting edge of the fashion world. Plus, I often got free clothes from her lines. She claimed it was free advertising. I was all too happy to help her out by telling anyone who asked what designer I was w
earing.
“I have to get going soon. Dylan wants me to go to dinner tonight. He gave me two hours for lunch,” I said, finishing the last of my margarita.
“Dinner, huh? Just the two of you?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. It’s a business dinner, but I am going as his date. I need to go rummage in my closet to find something to wear. Got anything you want me to advertise for you?” I asked hopefully.
She smiled. “Not tonight, but if you are going to continue making appearances with one of the hottest bachelors in the city, you better believe I’m sending you out in my stuff.”
“What should I wear?” I mused aloud.
“Why does it matter? Unless you’re trying to impress him.”
I smiled. “I need to keep up appearances, and if I can’t get the information I’m looking for, I may need to resort to other means.”
She slapped her hand on the table. “Ha! I knew it, you dirty girl! You want him!”
“Shh,” I said, looking around to see if anyone was listening. “It isn’t like that.”
“You’re so full of shit! I know you. Stop lying to me. I’m cool with it. Get some of that. He’s hot. There’s no reason you can’t have a little fun. But, please, be careful. If he’s really what your dad thinks he is, you could be walking into a trap. This guy may not appreciate finding out you played him,” she warned.
“He’s not going to find out until I want him to. It’ll be fine. I don’t think he’s dangerous in the physical sense. He’s too nice for that.”
“See, that’s exactly what I mean. You’re already defending him. You are falling for him.”
I scoffed. “I’ve known him two days. I’m not that bad.”
Her wrinkled nose said she thought otherwise.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve got to get going. I’ll check in with you sometime early in the week.”
“Where’s your other phone by the way?” she asked.
I laughed. “It’s at my apartment. I couldn’t risk him finding it and figuring out who I was. I don’t trust him not to snoop.”