Uneasy with the fact he knew her so well, Tamera took a step back, forcing Cole’s hands away. “I don’t have a choice. You know that.”
“If you’re not going to relax, at least do something for just you that isn’t work.”
Tam laughed. “Yeah. When would I have time for that?”
He studied her face, his eyes lingering on her lips a bit longer than she was comfortable with. “Let’s celebrate tonight after you go see your father.”
She jerked back, stunned. “Celebrate? What?”
“Victor’s stamp of approval.” Cole moved closer. “We need to concentrate on nothing but having a good time. It’ll do wonders for you.”
Tamera thought of the possibilities that could come from spending an evening with Cole “having a good time.” She deserved as much, though, didn’t she? She could more than handle his charms and she’d throw a few of her own his way if he got out of hand.
What could going out hurt? She’d have her cell if the nurses needed to get ahold of her. A night without cares was exactly what she needed.
“Maybe.” She smiled, already looking forward to the endless possibilities. “Where do you want to go?”
“We’ll stay in South Beach. Find a nice club, some dinner.”
Tamera nodded, wondering exactly what his motives were. Cole didn’t do anything, she’d noticed, without gaining something to his benefit.
“Fine.”
Cole gestured toward the designs and the piles of black binders. “When do you want to meet again to work on the final draft and intricate details before passing them on to Zach?”
Tamera’s week of events rolled through her head. “I probably can’t do anything until Friday. I have late meetings and I have dinner with Dad two nights.”
“Do you want to come here or do you want to meet somewhere after work?”
Memories of him waking her, his hands undressing her, his mouth on her body consumed her. “I think it’s best we meet in the office. Mine.”
A cocky smirk tilted the corner of his mouth. “If I want you, Tamera, the location won’t matter.”
“You bastard,” she whispered. “If you think you can have me on a whim and discard me whenever you feel like it, you’re insane. I may have been foolish once the other night, but it won’t happen again.”
Cole snatched her around her waist and tugged her flush with his body at the same time his mouth came down on hers. She struggled for about two seconds before kissing him back.
If nothing else, the man knew how to kiss.
She didn’t give him the satisfaction of touching him back, though. She kept her hands dangling at her sides. No, she was taking this kiss and giving nothing back.
His lips were rough, demanding and Tamera’s body betrayed her by letting out a soft moan.
Cole pulled back. “Don’t lie to me or to yourself. It will happen again.”
The heat in his eyes combined with his promissory tone had Tamera pulling from his hold, grabbing her purse and all but running from the room.
“Pick you up at eight,” he yelled just before she slammed the door.
Cole cursed himself for allowing Tamera to get the best of him, making him lose his control. He wasn’t lying, though, when he told her he could have her whenever he wanted. He wasn’t oblivious to the fact she melted every time he touched her. She was not lost to the fact they were still attracted to each other.
“Everything okay?”
Cole turned from the conference table to see Zach standing in his doorway. “Fine.”
“Then why do you look like you just ate a sack of nails?”
Cole did not want to deal with his twin right now. “Busy here, Zach. What do you need?”
His brother crossed the room to the long table and picked up a sheet of paper, studied it. “First, let’s start with why Tamera stormed out of here, nearly knocking me over in the hallway, then acting as if she didn’t even see me.”
Cole snatched the sketch from Zach’s hand. “Ask her.”
“I’m asking you,” he said, leaning against the table, crossing his arms over his chest. “You didn’t mention the notion of her coming to work here, did you?”
“No. She’s got a lot on her plate right now, that’s all.” Cole wasn’t about to elaborate further, not even with his twin. “We’re going out tonight to celebrate. She’ll be fine.”
He’d make sure of it. Because at the end of the night, she was going to be back in his bed. And, unlike last time, she’d be more than satisfied with his performance afterward.
“Going out?” Zach asked. “I thought you weren’t going to get entangled with her again. And don’t tell me this is another business meeting.”
“Not business. I don’t plan on doing any business tonight.”
Zach let out a low whistle. “Doesn’t sound like you’re trying to avoid the entanglement, Cole. Sounds like you’re weaving the web.”
Cole shrugged. “Perhaps I am, but I’m still in control of where I lay the threads.”
“Just get this design done, make Victor happy and let me step in and do what I do best. Build. And don’t screw with Tamera’s head again. She’s in a fragile state right now. You of all people should understand that.”
Cole gave a mock salute. “If you’re done harassing me, I need to get back to work so I can get ready for my evening.”
“Don’t screw this up.”
Zach walked out, closing the door behind him.
Screw this up? What exactly was he referring to?
Didn’t matter, really. Cole didn’t intend on screwing anything up. Not the agreement they had going with Victor Lawson and certainly not this evening he had planned with Tamera.
He intended to take Tamera to the hottest nightclub and dance so close to her, she’d be begging him to take her home. He wanted to feel her body close to his again. He wanted to make her blue eyes go icy with desire.
But most of all, he wanted her to know he was much better now than he’d been years ago.
A curl of excitement swirled deep in her belly. Cole knew her inside and out. He knew when she needed a break, knew how hard to push to make her cave.
She didn’t want to give, didn’t want to acknowledge that he had so much power over her personal life.
But there you have it. Cole Marcum still held a piece of her. Sometimes she just wished it wasn’t the piece that controlled her heart.
Tamera hit the button to drop the top of her sporty car. She wanted to feel a bit reckless, a bit of freedom if only for a few minutes.
The air whipped her hair around. Tam smiled as she glanced up to the clear blue sky stamped with the amazingly tall green palms lining the highway.
For once in her life she was going to forget her troubles, enjoy this opportunity fate had handed her.
If Cole was determined to show her a good time, she’d show him just exactly what she was made of.
Fourteen
Did someone order sexy?
Tamera turned from side to side, checking herself out in the floor-length mirror. Her short, red halter dress showed off her curves. The loose curls she’d put at the ends of her blond hair were bouncy, perfect for dancing. She applied a subtle gloss to make her lips appear even fuller, luscious.
If Cole wanted a hot night, he would be one extremely happy man when he knocked on her door. She wasn’t letting him forget, even for a minute, what he’d let go of so long ago. Was it so wrong to rub it in every chance she got?
Why did she have to find Cole’s cocky, take-charge attitude irresistible?
And even though she was still infuriated with him for those actions earlier in his office, not to mention the way he always told her how to live her life as if he knew what she was going through, she was looking forward to having a night of fun. Cole had always been a good time and she had no doubt tonight would be no exception.
Besides, she needed something positive in her life. For an hour, maybe two, she wanted to pretend her world wasn’
t crumbling, her emotional state wasn’t so fragile.
She couldn’t remember when she’d last had a night out. Not only that, she couldn’t recall when she’d actually been on a date.
Date?
Tamera groaned, turning from the mirror to grab her small, silver handbag, dropping her lip gloss into the pouch.
This was most certainly not a date. Just because they were going out to dance, eat, and possibly end up in bed…okay, that was more probable than possible. None of that meant this was a date.
They were simply celebrating a milestone in both of their careers. Besides, Cole was right. She did need to relax, take a few moments for herself and have a good time.
So why did she feel guilty for needing this reprieve while her father lay in a hospice center living out his last days?
She jerked when her doorbell chimed. She smoothed a hand down her dress as she rushed to the door.
Cole’s eyes widened as he raked his gaze over her.
Tamera was more than pleased with Cole’s reaction. The flirty, saucy dress was certainly not her normal, everyday wear, but she’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear it. Showing Cole what he’d missed out on was the best occasion she could think of.
But, the surprise was on her, too, when she slid her eyes down his body.
Cole wore faded jeans paired with a black T-shirt that made him look like the devil she knew him to be.
She swallowed, stepped out onto her porch and closed the door behind her.
The visual lick he gave her body from her head to her French-manicured toes made her shiver. “I’m ready.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, trying to avoid the way her body reacted to this delectable, yet infuriating man.
“Just a little club owned by a friend of mine. Great food, even better dance floor and live band.”
Tamera offered a smile. “Can’t wait.”
He closed the gap between them, his eyes settling on the plunging V of her dress. “We’d better get going before I change my mind and we stay in to celebrate.”
Yes, they’d better go because the way he kept those heavy-lidded eyes roaming over her only made her want to give in. Even though their last bedroom encounter left her feeling cold, lonely, she was feeling anything but chilly right now.
Could her feelings for this man be more all over the spectrum? One minute she wanted to throttle him, the next she wanted to strip him.
He escorted her to his sleek, black sports car that probably cost what was for some people a full year’s salary. Just how many vehicles did he have? Everything about this man demanded attention and attention was precisely what she wanted to give him tonight.
Though they drove in silence, the sexual tension bouncing around in the car was deafening. In a way, she wished he’d have said to hell with it and had his way with her in her foyer.
But he knew what he was doing…and so did she. He wanted her, she wanted him. They were playing a game centuries old and in the end, they’d both win.
Cole pulled his car into a parking spot behind one of the many clubs South Beach had to offer.
“You’re friends with the man who owns Live?” Impressed, Tamera glanced to see Cole’s reaction.
“Zach and I redesigned the interior when Matt bought this place.”
“Only certain people can get in.” She couldn’t believe Cole’s social status. “I’ve always heard this place rivals the line and security Studio 54 had.”
She stared at the “Live” sign hanging above the back entrance, still in awe that Cole had such connections. How many times had he used this ace in the hole to lure women back to his bed? No, she wouldn’t think like that because tonight, she was the woman with him and that’s all that mattered. Tonight.
“We’ll get in,” he assured her as he exited the car.
Cole led Tamera to the back door, his hand on the small of her back. The intimate gesture sent shivers racing through her body even on this humid evening.
With the way her dress scooped in the back, his thumb kept caressing her bare skin. Tamera didn’t know if he was doing it on purpose or if it was an innocent gesture while he chatted with the security guard. Either way, the circular motion he made completely wiped her mind free. She had no idea what the two men were discussing, didn’t care. Nor did she care about going into such a reputable club.
She wanted to go back home. With Cole. Now.
“Thanks, Enrique.”
Tamera offered the Cuban guard a wide smile and stepped into the club when he opened the door to allow them to pass through.
Okay, she could do the club scene for a while, but then she was demanding Cole take her back home. Why was she fighting her most basic of urges?
“So you do know the secret handshake,” Tamera joked as the door was closed behind them. “I should’ve paid attention.”
Cole leaned down to her ear. “If you’re nice, I’ll teach you sometime.”
Mercy. The man was good.
The darkened atmosphere, only illuminated by cobalt blue lights suspended from various parts of the ceiling, made this evening more intimate…as if they needed more of that.
The architect in her was impressed as she took in the two sets of wrought-iron stairs on either side of the spacious room. A stage at the far end to her left supported the amazing band belting out some sexy salsa music.
The bar was hopping with people ordering drinks. She appreciated the fact there were no chairs. She always hated maneuvering her way between bar stools to order.
Large, leather couches were dotted around the end to her right. Oversized, low ottomans were also spread about. Nearly every spot was occupied with beautiful people enjoying the renowned South Beach night life.
She turned to Cole. “Thanks for bringing me here.”
His dark eyes roamed over her face, while the tip of his finger ran along her jawline. “My pleasure.”
O-kay. She needed to keep the upper hand here. Yes, she wanted to relax and have a good time with Cole, but seriously. If she didn’t get her emotions under a tight grasp, she’d likely find herself in the very spot she’d been in eleven years ago. And the fact that she wanted him so desperately on a physical level wasn’t helping.
“I’ll get you a drink,” he said, moving toward the bar. “Cosmo?”
Tamera shook her head. She wanted something stronger than a drink. She wanted Cole. She wanted his hands on her, she wanted to feel his body against hers. She wanted that heat she could only get from him…no matter the chill afterward.
“No. Let’s dance.”
She took his hand, leading him to the crowded dance floor as the band changed their song to something even faster with a frenzied drumbeat.
Now this was what she needed. So long as she stayed in the moment, didn’t let her heart get swept away by Cole’s charming words, she’d be just fine. Just fine.
Tamera put her arms in the air, tossing her head from side to side as the beat of the music took over. Cole’s hands circled her waist as his own hips moved to the beat.
Her flowy skirt tapped against her thighs. Her nipples puckered behind the thin material of her dress. And Cole’s eyes may as well be his hands the way he kept looking over her face, her chest. The warmth and strength from his hands permeated through her silky dress.
Yeah. They wouldn’t be at this club for very long. Not with the sexual tension mounting second after agonizing second. Add in the sexy atmosphere to their already growing arousal and they had the makings for some major combustion once they got alone. If they made it that long.
Tamera didn’t know how long they danced. She stopped counting after three songs. All she knew was the music was awesome, the club was packed and Cole never took his eyes off her. Not once. And for a second, she found herself back in time to a place when nothing mattered but her and Cole. Their level of intimacy, their bond. Their love.
Her mouth went dry. “I’ll take that drink now.”
With his signature cocky grin, he nodded. Keeping one hand around her waist, Cole led her toward the bar where he ordered a foreign beer and her cosmo. “Cole.”
Tamera turned to the man who’d just come up and slapped Cole on the shoulder.
“Matt.” Cole smiled and the two men did the typical male “half hug.”
“Good to see you,” he shouted over the band.
Matt glanced at Tamera. “So you finally brought a lady into my club. About time.”
What did that mean? Cole hadn’t brought his dates here before? Interesting. Of course, that didn’t mean a thing. Perhaps Matt just hadn’t seen the women. Tamera couldn’t imagine Cole not flaunting his abilities to get into this club, through the back door no less.
“This is Tamera Stevens,” Cole introduced. “She’s an associate.”
Tamera reached for her drink on the bar and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
Associate? Even more interesting. Seriously, though, what did she expect him to say? This is the woman I’ve put through hell, slept with once recently, fought over designs with and will probably hook up with again tonight?
Yeah. Associate was much simpler.
“The pleasure is mine,” Matt said, smiling at Cole. “Come on up to the VIP room and have dinner on the house.”
Cole glanced at Tamera, the heat in his eyes no less than when they’d been torso to torso on the dance floor. Had someone opened the door and let the Miami heat in? Good Lord, she was sweating.
“We’re going to finish our drinks and go.”
Matt laughed. The man wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly why they were in a hurry.
“I don’t blame you,” the club owner said, still smiling. “It’s an open-ended invitation.”
Tamera turned her attention toward the band as Matt walked away. She didn’t want to appear anxious, or worse, desperate, but she was ready to yank the tie at her neck and get the night moving in an even better direction.
Cole slid the icy tip of his beer bottle across the slope of her shoulders. “Finish your drink,” he bent to whisper in her ear. “We’re leaving.”
From Boardroom to Wedding Bed? Page 10