Seduced by the Billionaire: The Complete Collection

by Lee, Nadia

  Even though he knew how fickle she was, he couldn’t help but appreciate the sensuous, feminine curves of her body. A few tendrils of her dark hair had escaped her casual bun and danced in the breeze. The afternoon sun was round and bright, but somehow dimmer when Merry was present. She had an otherworldly radiance and serenity that drew him to her, and he seemed helpless to resist.

  He hated the way Merry had summed up his existence. Something so horrible, indeed. How about his asshole father doing his best to prevent Daniel from reaching Judy? Apparently neither his father nor his stepmother had thought he might want to be in Istanbul. Or that he might not have wanted to find out about his sister’s death from a cheap English-language newspaper.

  Fatal car crash claims American heiress.

  The paper had been thoughtful enough to put a large, garish photo of the car accident and a smaller, oval-shaped inset of Judy’s smiling face underneath the headline. With numb fingers, Daniel had picked it up and read the article without comprehending anything. He knew what the words on the paper meant individually, but together they made no sense. How could Judy be dead? When he’d called his father’s office, the secretary had informed him that his father was in Istanbul with Ella. When Daniel had confronted the bastard, he’d had the audacity to deny he had tried to stop Daniel from coming.

  Daniel had wanted to see Merry at Judy’s funeral. But Merry hadn’t come. She’d sent her regrets and flowers instead.

  He didn’t know how long he stood there and watched Merry until she turned around and gave him a small smile. “Hey.”

  He nodded once.

  “I was thinking…” Merry hesitated. “I’m not going to be much help here. I should go back and figure out a way to fix this. If you want us to sign an addendum, that’s fine. Send it to our lawyers and we’ll make sure we get a win-win outcome.”

  He cocked his head. This wasn’t what he’d expected to hear from her. Where was the manipulation? The “Gotcha!” underlying her proposal? “I should let you know that I heard about your commute situation.”

  “Oh.” Merry’s back stiffened. “Is that a problem?”

  “No. I can just relocate to Virginia.”

  Her face paled, and her throat worked as she swallowed. Interesting. “You can?” Her voice came out in a squeak.

  “Yes. I’ve never liked Houston.” The city where he’d grown up was full of bad memories.

  She coughed once. “But that’s your headquarters.”

  “We have a satellite office in Reston. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Oh. So when is the move?”

  “It’s probably done by now, actually. My admin’s very efficient.”

  “I see. So how does this help me?”

  “If you’re going to insist on dealing with this problem despite my misgivings, I want to be more fully involved.”

  “You mean you want to breathe down my neck.”

  His gaze skimmed the beautiful slope of her neck. Her skin seemed to grow pinker, and the urge to touch it and see if it was as warm and soft as it looked was damn near overpowering. He curled his hands into fists. “We’re not at cross-purposes here, Merry. You obviously don’t want to fail in a dramatically public way, and I want my resort up and ready by the end of February of next year. We have a grand opening scheduled for mid-March. My being more hands-on will help us both accomplish our goals.” He also wanted to see how long she could keep up the charade. He was certain she would slip and show the entire world she was just a hypocrite.

  “And you don’t have to be at your headquarters?”

  “From time to time. But it’s not an issue. My staff accommodates me, not vice versa.”

  “Okay.” She nodded. “Fine, then. It’ll make things easier, like you said.”

  * * *

  This was going to make everything more complicated.

  Why the hell was Daniel insisting on working out of Virginia? And Reston! It was practically on top of Fairfax, where Meredith lived.

  She did not want him running into Eric. Ever.

  But she couldn’t think of a single good reason to dissuade him of the notion. “I guess the next time I see you, I’ll be welcoming you to Virginia,” she said lamely.

  His eyes narrowed for a second. His hands had been clenched for some time. Had he come looking for some kind of confrontation?

  She watched him, holding his gaze. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so harsh to judge him earlier. Anybody growing up under the influence of a father like Dan the Second would’ve turned out badly. Even her loving, well-adjusted family had produced Jacob.

  Daniel had probably never experienced anything that would’ve shown him that the world wasn’t full of jerks.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

  “Just thinking.”

  “About?”

  “That I might have been too harsh with you.”

  “Harsh? When?”

  “You know. The things I said in the car.”

  His hands finally uncurled and he laughed. “If you think that was harsh…you’ve never seen harsh. What a softie.”

  “I’m not a softie.” She hated it when people acted like she was too nice for her own good. She’d tried being decisive and stiff like her brothers Ethan and Gavin, but it’d made her feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t her, and she didn’t want to be somebody she was not. Being nice didn’t mean she was a pushover.

  “That’s not what I heard from Ethan.”

  That threw her for a moment. “You know him?”

  “Yes. And he said you were a softie.” Daniel’s voice was so low she had to strain to hear him over the waves. The cold mask slipped, revealing something painful and seething, before it snapped back in place so fast she wasn’t entirely sure she’d seen anything at all. He clenched his jaw. “Is the softie exterior a shell that hides the hardness inside?”

  “I don’t have a shell.”

  “Everyone has a shell, Merry.”

  “I don’t. Trust me.”

  “Trust.” Daniel seemed to savor the word for a moment. Then he took few steps forward and leaned in until they were only inches apart. “I try not to do things that will bring me disappointment.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what horrible thing happened to make you feel like you do, but I’ll never betray your trust.”

  There was bemusement in his gaze…as well as something sad and alone that tugged at her heart. She didn’t think he was lonely, exactly. There was a quality about him that said he knew where he was going, that he was aware of who he was and his place in the world. But he was alone.

  She didn’t want him to be alone.

  Meredith rose and closed the distance between them. Her lips grazed his, and he stiffened, his hands hovering over her shoulders like he couldn’t decide whether to push her away or pull her toward him.

  She pressed closer, and in a moment his strong arms had wrapped around her, his mouth opening and his tongue plundering her mouth. Shockingly intense heat streaked through her, and her entire body clenched with fierce longing. She hadn’t been with a man in a full ten years, and she hungered for the intimacy. But more importantly, she hungered for Daniel.

  No other man in the last decade had made her want to kiss him.

  As she fitted their bodies closer, she felt his thick, hard length pressing into her belly. His fingers dug into her hair, holding her mouth hostage, and she loved the possessiveness of his touch. There was no finesse, no veneer of civilization as they used their lips, teeth and tongues to devour each other. She couldn’t breathe, but air seemed secondary. Daniel was all she needed right now, and yet this kiss wasn’t enough. She wanted to rip his clothes off and feel his hot, hard length sink into her. There was an unquenchable burning inside her belly that demanded nothing less.

  Suddenly he pulled back, his arms straightening and holding her away. Air sawed in and out of his lungs—as it did hers—and they stared at each other.

  “Why?” she asked.
Her lips stung, and her whole body seemed ready to burst with a need so big she couldn’t contain it. The flesh between her thighs was so primed for him it hurt.

  “Because.” He shook his head. “You’re a softie, Merry,” he said finally. “And I don’t want you.”

  * * *

  Daniel pushed Merry to the side and walked away before he lost all control. If he’d gone with his baser instincts, he would’ve taken what she was offering right there on the beach. But there was something that told him that would be going into dangerous territory. Merry had been too damn soft and sweet in his arms, and he knew she had the power to get under his skin. He wanted to believe she wasn’t like everyone in his family. Even though he knew she was, he longed to pretend she wasn’t. As he’d kissed her, his mind had begun to spin a fantasy that she was a true, steadfast person capable of open affection and unconditional love .

  People like Merry were dangerous because they were so good at making you believe the impossible. His father had been like that too. Daniel had worshipped his father, who’d been so loving and encouraging for the first six years of Daniel’s life. Daniel had thrived under his father’s attention and affection, and he’d told everyone he had the best father in the world.

  Then something had changed. His father had suddenly withdrawn that love, acted coldly toward him, and belittled everything Daniel did. Daniel had wasted twelve years trying to earn back the old love. He’d been convinced that if he could just be better, his father would realize how worthy Daniel was and go back to being the father he used to be.

  It wasn’t until Daniel had been accepted to Harvard and his father had responded with a snort of derision—“College learning”—that Daniel had finally recognized that his father wasn’t going to love him again, ever. The father from his early childhood had been dead all that time, and Daniel had wasted years for nothing.

  Well, he’d never put himself in that position again. He’d never hurt and wonder and hope. He wanted something lasting, something true, and Aylster Resorts was the only thing he could count on to deliver.

  And he wanted to tell Merry…that the “horrible thing” that had happened to him was people like her.

  Chapter Eight

  “But you’ve only just arrived,” Ella said, looking askance as Meredith packed her suitcases.

  “I wish I could stay, but it’s supposed to be a business trip and I’ve done what I came here to do. And there’s tons of work piling up back home.” Meredith smiled for Ella’s benefit. The poor woman didn’t need to know Meredith had to leave ASAP.

  What had she been thinking, kissing Daniel like that? It was obvious he didn’t want anything from her except getting his resort built, and she’d made a complete fool of herself. She needed to stop projecting her needs onto him. Why couldn’t she remember the fact that he hadn’t come for Judy? Wasn’t that sibling abandonment enough to keep her away from him?

  No wonder he’d called her a softie. Her family thought she was overly soft too. And far too trusting. What had Gavin said when she’d given Nancy the chauffeur job?

  “Good lord, Meredith, you don’t have to pity-hire people. Don’t you give enough to charity already? What if this Nancy person is a terrible driver? You’re endangering yourself. I’ll ask Thomas to make some recommendations,” he’d said referring to his chauffeur. “Maybe he has friends out in Virginia who are out of work. That way you can hire somebody competent, with real experience.”

  Meredith’s mouth flattened at the memory. It was unfair for her family to judge what she did that way. If nobody gave newbies a chance, how could they gain experience? Did Gavin honestly think she’d be stupid enough to hire just anybody off the street?

  Maybe he did. The thought was disquieting.

  “Are you all right?” Ella said.

  Meredith forced a smile. “I’m fine. My plane’ll be here soon, and we’ll be ready to take off in an hour and a half, max. I’m really sorry I won’t be able to stay for dinner. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Ella. I apologize if it looks like I’m running out on you, but I’m not.”

  Ella searched Meredith’s face. “I jog, you know.”

  The non-sequitur brought Meredith up short. “Ah… Actually, I didn’t…”

  “Every day, unless it rains. Usually on the beach.”

  “That…must be lovely.”

  “I saw you and Daniel talking earlier. I know he seems abrupt and aloof, but he doesn’t mean it.”

  Heat crept up Meredith’s neck. Good god! How much had Ella seen?

  “He’s a good man, deep down. But Judy’s death changed him.” Ella bit her lower lip, a frown creasing her forehead. “It wasn’t the best of times, and I’m afraid Dan and I handled it badly. None of us called Daniel. I thought Dan had, but…he hadn’t. I didn’t realize until Daniel called us.” She expelled a breath. “He was absolutely livid, to the point where I couldn’t make out anything he was saying over the phone. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a man that angry in my life. And I hope I never do again.”

  Meredith’s mouth parted. He hadn’t known? She’d always assumed he’d simply chosen not to come.

  “I heard Daniel wanted to fire your company, and I don’t want that. I’ll do what I can to stop that from happening,” Ella said. “I’ve always felt like I failed Judy. I didn’t speak up when Dan was unkind to her because he seemed to become even angrier whenever I defended her. But now that I think back on it, I should’ve stood up for Judy more. Then she might not have gone off to Europe with you to escape her father.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” Meredith doubted anybody could’ve stopped Judy’s father’s ranting and raving. The man had been horrendous. At the same time it might have done Judy’s emotional wellbeing some good to know Ella had her back.

  Ella flashed a smile that said Meredith was overly forgiving. “I’m sure she would have wanted you and Daniel to work together. You were such a good friend to her, and she would have had complete confidence in your ability to pull the project off.”

  Oddly touched, Meredith squeezed Ella’s hand. “Thank you. That means the world to me.”

  * * *

  His Bluetooth earpiece firmly hooked in, Daniel followed a long, winding path toward the main house. Cell reception was surprisingly good on the island, and the walk along the garden gave him privacy. Not to mention some exercise to get rid of the awful sense of restlessness that had plagued him since the ill-advised kiss. His uncle was on the phone, wanting to talk about the progress on the project. As Vice President of Operations for the last twenty-six years, he was deeply entrenched in the management of Aylster Resorts.

  “So what are you going to do?” Claude asked.

  “Give TLD a chance to fix things before I fire them, I suppose. What else is there to do? I told Merry I wanted it completed and ready for a grand opening by the end of February. We’ll see whether she delivers.”

  “Going a little easy on her, aren’t you?”

  Daniel scowled. “I’m doing what’s necessary. If TLD can’t meet the deadline, they can either bow out now or pay penalties for every day the project’s late.”

  Claude grunted. “Tell me honestly. Do you think she’s capable of delivering?”

  “Doubtful. She had a deer-in-the-headlights look at the airport in Virginia.”

  “Well, she’s been an heiress all her life. Never worked or dirtied her hands with anything other than signing some checks.”

  Claude’s dismissive tone grated on Daniel, not that he disagreed with his uncle’s assessment. “She used to run charities. Some of those skills are probably transferable.”

  “It’s one thing to run a soup kitchen, another to oversee a company as big as TLD.” Claude sighed. “But if you have confidence in her, I guess that’s what matters. I’ll inform the board. Will you be stopping off in Houston?”

  “No. I’m going straight to our office in Reston. I’ll be working out of there for the next few months.”

  “Keep your en
emies close, and your contractors closer, eh? I like that.”

  That wasn’t the only reason. He hated Houston in general. The city didn’t hold many fond memories. He wouldn’t have let the bad memories get in his way, but every time he tried to get anything done at the company’s headquarters, something seemed to go wrong. Sometimes it was an inconsequential detail, but other times the problem was significant enough to affect his plans. The board was looking for a sign that Daniel was fit to lead the company, and the screw-ups, minor though they were, didn’t inspire confidence.

  If he hadn’t known better, he would’ve thought somebody was out to sabotage his efforts. But who…and why? It couldn’t be anybody internal; they’d lose too if the company performed poorly. Maybe it was some sort of corporate espionage…or just a run of plain bad luck. Regardless, he didn’t plan on being in Houston until he figured out what was going on.

  As he reached the front of the house, he saw the black Rolls-Royce Ella had set aside for guest use. Was Merry going somewhere? A housekeeper emerged, rolling a couple of suitcases. He frowned, said “I gotta go” into the phone and hung up.

  Daniel approached the car. Merry came out in jeans and a fitted sleeveless tunic that hugged her curves and showed off her beautiful breasts. Daniel’s mouth tingled with the memory of their kiss earlier, and he dragged the tips of his teeth over his lower lip. She hadn’t been just soft. She’d been so damned sweet.

  Ella followed her out, and they hugged in front of the car.

  “Leaving already?” Daniel said.

  Merry paused for a moment, then turned around. “Yes. Like I said, my job here is finished. I need to get back to the office and start working.”

  It was mildly impressive that she’d been able to make travel arrangements so quickly. He’d underestimated her efficiency.

  “Thank you for asking me to come here to inspect the site. I’ve learned a lot.” She hesitated, then shook her head. “Anyway, I’ll do everything in my power to correct the problem.”

  Then, before he could respond, she slipped into the car, and the door shut. As the car disappeared down the winding driveway, Ella stepped toward him. “Daniel.”