A light touch skimmed her shoulder. “Caroline Parker?”
She turned and offered a ready smile to the thin man with dark thick-rimmed glasses. “George Lanier from People magazine. Antonio Carvales said Joshua Martin is here. Do you know where? I’d like to get a chance to talk to him.”
“Absolutely. I’ll be back with him in a moment.”
She moved away from the group and back toward the house to find Josh. After a few minutes it was easier just to text him than squeeze through the crush of bodies.
Where are you?
Fourth bedroom. Hall to the left, second floor. Last door on left.
For a moment her fingers hesitated in texting back. Maybe he was occupied. Nah. If he had been he wouldn’t have responded so quickly to her text.
Are you hiding out in there?
She waited for a reply. The pause grew long enough that she second-guessed herself.
Caroline made a beeline for the stairs leading to the second floor. Even up here it was filled with people, most of them standing in a line waiting for the bathroom.
She hurried down the hallway, squeezing around people chatting, drinks in hand, and finally wound her way down to the fourth bedroom door. It creaked slightly as she opened it a crack and peeked in. There was Josh, sitting on the bed, looking sexy as hell, like he’d stepped out of the pages of GQ in his fitted black slacks, royal-blue dress shirt, and black loafers, his finger tapping on his touch-screen tablet. For a half second she was tempted to knock him down on the bed and have her wicked way with him.
“What are you doing?” she hissed between her teeth as she quickly entered the bedroom and shut the door behind her.
Josh glanced up at her. “Working.”
She marched over and pulled the tablet out of his hand. “This is no time to be working. This is a party. You’ve got to get out there,” she said, pointing toward the door. “There are people out there who want to meet you. In fact People magazine is here and you’ve yet to talk to Aubrey.”
He snatched the tablet back out of her hand, his skin connecting with hers sending a zing of awareness along her nerves. Her pulse points thudded harder. This wasn’t just adrenaline alone. This was attraction. Pure. Raw. Lust-filled interest in someone she had no business being with in a bedroom.
“Can’t you bring them up here? Just tell them the interview will be easier in a quiet room.”
Can’t you just strip off my clothes? Caroline mentally slapped herself. Get back to work. Get him to Aubrey. Caroline huffed out a frustrated breath. Josh didn’t need to know it was sexual frustration. “That’s not how this works. If you want to make a good impression of Aeon being the next big thing, you can’t stay in here.”
The planes of his handsome face hardened. “I don’t like being out there.”
Caroline sat down on the bed beside him, her thigh close, but not brushing his, but the crackle and snap was still between them; she could feel it. She squeezed her thighs together to relieve the pressure. “Look, I know this is a huge test of everything we’ve worked on, but I know you can do this. Please, Josh. I’m begging you. If you want me to be able to do the job you asked me to, then I need to you to take everything we’ve worked on and use it. This is our one shot to get you to Aubrey and get noticed. Thirty minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”
His blue eyes were mutinous. The blue of his dress shirt, open at the throat, only enhanced the dark blue rim around his irises. “I’m only doing this because you’re asking me to.”
He stood up and yanked the cuffs of his shirt over his wrists. “How do I look?”
Caroline smiled. “Like a billion dollars.”
A hint of a smile lifted one corner of his mouth and he slipped a hand around her waist.
“How about a kiss for good luck?”
God, was she tempted. She placed a finger on his lips and pulled out of his grasp. “A deal is a deal. You meet Aubrey. We have dinner. No Aubrey, no dinner.”
His dark brows came together. A click of the door opening followed by laughter interrupted them and they both looked at the door.
“Oh! Sorry. Didn’t know the room was occupied.” The woman giggled as she tottered on heels that were too high and bumped into the man right behind her.
“We were just leaving,” Caroline said smoothly as she took Josh’s hand and eased past them.
His hold on her hand tightened. “That’s half the reason I hate being here. How the hell am I supposed to carry on a conversation when most of the people here are either drunk or high?” he whispered in her ear as they navigated the hallway and back downstairs. His hot breath on her nape made her shiver, despite the balmy evening air.
“Just keep talking about the Oscars, Comic Con or Aeon. You don’t have to be their best friend.” Passing the pool, she pointed her chin in the direction of the little group. “That’s Aubrey over there in the aqua blue-dress.”
“You mean the Band-Aid that’s painted on?”
Caroline nudged him in the ribs. “Just keep walking. Think of it as a mission to infiltrate the Death Star.”
The hint of a smile returned. Caroline sidled up to Aubrey, touching her on the shoulder. “Aubrey, here’s the guy I was telling you about. This is Joshua Martin, CEO of Softech.”
The blonde gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Then, like a lightbulb going on somewhere in the recesses of her mind, her eyes sparkled. “Oh! I know your name. You’re our latest donor to Homes for Heroes! So nice to meet you. You’re a lot cuter than some of our other big donors.” She wrapped her hand possessively around Josh’s biceps and started introducing him to the group she’d been chatting with.
Caroline took a deep breath and then went searching for the journalist from People magazine. She made sure Josh was positioned next to Aubrey seconds before the cameras started flashing. They actually made a cute couple, she thought, grimacing internally. The pleasant, plastic smile Caroline pasted on her face for the duration of the evening for Josh’s benefit was beginning to make her cheeks ache.
So far, so good.
“You need a drink yet?” She turned to find Carvales there, a glass of what looked like whiskey in his hand.
“Normally I don’t drink while I’m working, but yes. I need it.” She took it from him and took a sip, letting the smoky heat trail down her throat. “Thanks.”
“Looks like things are going well,” he said, gesturing to the growing crowd around Josh and Aubrey.
Caroline took another sip. “As long as he doesn’t blow this, I think it’ll be mission accomplished.”
“Aubrey does seem taken with him.”
She was snugged up so tight against Josh’s side, it was a wonder they weren’t wearing the same pair of pants. Something unwelcome and hot welled up in Caroline’s chest and she stuffed it down and took another sip of her drink, deeper this time until the ice clinked against her teeth.
“Need another one?” Carvales asked, as he handed her his untouched glass.
Caroline exchanged glasses with him. “How’d you know?”
“I’m fairly observant. I’ve seen how Josh acts around you.” He shook his head. “Not a damn thing has changed. He’s still totally into you, and you seem to be falling for him.”
“I can’t let that happen.”
He chuckled. “We don’t get to pick who we fall in love with.”
Caroline eyed him and she took another sip, then turned back to survey the crowd. “Who said anything about falling in love? Yeah, Josh is attractive and funny, and I’ve spent enough time around him to know he’s smart as hell and loyal to a fault, but I’m not in love with him.”
Carvales made a noncommittal grunt. “You just keep telling yourself that.”
Chapter Twelve
A deal was a deal. He’d suffered through meeting Aubrey Wymer in person, flying all the way to that ridiculous party in L.A. to do so. Now all his intentions of getting to her father through her seemed impossible. Pretty? Sure. Vapid and boring com
pared with Caroline. But that had been yesterday, and this was a whole new day.
Now Miss Caroline Parker had to hold up her end of their bargain and go on a date with him. At last. No business talk, no attempting to improve him, no lectures. Just a man and a woman. Moonlight and a good bottle of wine… Everything had to be perfect. Tonight he was going on a date with the woman he’d wanted for more than half his life.
He’d gotten his yacht prepped, polished, and stocked. It had taken most of the day, but it was worth it. The night was clear, starlit, the air warm on the water. Even the moon was cooperating and hung huge and nearly full over the lights of Seattle. A perfect night for sailing and romance.
He boarded the boat ahead of her, offering a hand to help her climb the flipped-down steps. The 1956 Chris Craft Conqueror had been his dad’s pride and joy, and was now his. Only nine of the fifty-four-foot boats had been made and only four still existed.
“This is beautiful,” Caroline said. Her hands slid with appreciation over the shining brass rail and polished mahogany. The hem of her sheer skirt, high in the front and long in the back, fluttered in the breeze, giving Josh a tantalizing glimpse of her long, smooth legs.
“I had it restored and gave it to my dad to celebrate my first million.” His dad had actually moved from the little house in south Seattle to live aboard the boat.
Her eyes softened. “That’s sweet. Your dad meant a lot to you, didn’t he?”
Josh’s chest still tightened when he thought of his dad. He missed him. “He was the most supportive, hardworking man I ever met. He would’ve liked you.” Her sense of humor. Her determination. Her warm laugh.
“You think so?”
“Oh, yeah,” Josh said as he started up the motors, their power thrumming through the wooden hull of the boat, and pulled them out of port.
“So where are we going?”
“Out.” He watched the breeze toy with the strands of her loose hair, tossing it across her neck, her cheek, and her mouth. A pounding need hit his gut. He wanted her. Bad. But he’d promised himself that Caroline would have to come to him this time. He’d pushed enough.
Josh forced himself to look away. Moonlight spilled out over the expanse of the sound, illuminating the swells and frothing water as it spun past the hull of the boat. He anchored near Blake Island and began setting up dinner. The small round dining table and chairs were already in place, but they needed finishing touches. “I’ll be back in a second. Would you like a glass of wine while dinner is cooking?”
Caroline eyed him warily. “You’re cooking?”
He chuckled. “I’m grilling. There’s a difference.”
“I’m impressed.” She sounded a little strained.
“Wine?”
“I’d love a glass. White if you have it?”
Of course he had it. Chateau Ste. Michele Riesling was what Caroline drank. He’d ordered a dozen cases of it. “Sit tight, I’ll get it.”
He ducked below, passing through the indoor salon and down the second set of stairs in the small kitchen and grabbed the white tablecloth and candles, as well as a lighter, and a poured a glass of white wine for Caroline, then walked back up to the deck.
“Here you go,” he said offering her the glass.
“Thank you.” Her fingers lightly brushed his as she took the glass, sending a spark of heat searing through him. He blew out a breath to steady himself against the rolling sensation he knew wasn’t from the boat alone. “This’ll just take a second.”
He snapped open the white linen cloth and arranged it and the candles in their glass votives on the table, then pulled out her chair.
“This is beautiful,” Caroline said softly, a slight tremor in her voice as she indicated the flood of moonlight on the highly polished surface of the varnished mahogany deck, the sparkling water surrounding the boat. A perfect setting for romance.
Looking at how beautiful she was in the moonlight made Josh’s chest ache. But she was no more relaxed than he was if the tightness of her shoulders was any indication.
He lit the trio of candles, enjoying the flickering light on her face, and the way the breeze lifted her hair off her shoulders like a gentle caress. “Only the best for my very special guests,” he said, trying to ease the tension and indecision that rolled in waves from her. He turned and opened the lid of the grill, lighting it.
“What’s for dinner?”
“Steak and shrimp, with a salad and rolls. I figured I couldn’t mess up the rolls,” he said with a smile. “And I got cheesecake for dessert.”
“So really the only part of this dinner you’re cooking is the meat?”
“Exactly. Go with your strengths.” He smiled at her, heart full. She was gorgeous, and sweet, and funny, and for some odd reason, nervous as hell tonight. The more nervous she was, the calmer Josh felt. “If I have a fork and spatula in my hand, I consider that gourmet,” he teased, happy when her lips twitched.
He dashed back down below and grabbed the containers where he’d been marinating the steak and soaking the shrimp in a mixture of mesquite seasoning and honey in the refrigerator, and put them on the grill.
Caroline laughed and took a sip of her wine, visibly relaxing. “So, what did you think of Aubrey?”
“This is our date, remember? You’re not going to make me talk shop, are you?”
She shrugged. “I was just making conversation. And pretty much all we have to talk about is work…or Connor.”
“How is your brother doing?”
“Fine. He’s got some new ideas he’s excited about at work.”
“Connor always was the idea guy.”
“You and Carvales haven’t done too bad yourselves in the idea department.” Caroline took an appreciative sniff of the air. “That smells great.”
Josh grinned. “Just wait until you taste it.” He flipped the meat over and turned his attention back to her.
“So, Aubrey—” she said softly.
“You’re persistent, you know that?”
Caroline looked over the rim of her wineglass. “I’m still waiting on an answer.”
“She’s cute—”
Caroline scrunched up her face.
Josh chuckled and moved closer to the table. “You didn’t let me finish. She’s cute, but way too young for me.”
“Well, if you’d just been in a boy band…” Caroline took another sip of her wine.
He laughed. “Can you imagine me singing and dancing?”
This time she gave him a full smile without the strain. Progress. Just knowing Caroline was warming up to him bumped his temperature up a few degrees. “Only if they make Star Wars: The Musical.”
“No, thank you. I think the attention we’re working on getting me is plenty.”
The smile on Caroline’s face instantly vanished, replaced by wide-eyed horror. She cried out and jumped to her feet. Not what he intended. She pointed. Josh turned, perplexed. Behind him the grill and part of the wooden deck was in flames.
“Shit!” He dashed to the helm and grabbed the fire extinguisher. He spun around to spray the fire and ended up knocking Caroline over the edge of the boat. She yelped, her arms pinwheeling as she tipped over the edge and splashed into the water.
“Caroline!” He dropped the canister. Indecision froze him. Did he jump in after her or put out the fire?
She broke through the surface of the water sputtering, her hair swirling in dark eddies about her head. “I can swim. Get the fire out!”
His body shook with adrenaline as he snatched up the canister and sprayed down the grill, the deck…and their dinner.
He tossed the canister down, jumped to the swim platform, and grabbed hold of her hand to help pull her back onto the boat. Damn. Could this have turned out any worse?
Everything was falling apart.
He pulled her aboard and rushed down below to get her a towel. Water sluiced off her, creating slippery puddles in the pools of flame retardant on the deck.
He tucked the t
owel around her and put his arm around her waist, guiding her down below the deck to the master stateroom at the rear of the boat. The bed took up most of the cabin, not giving him much space to maneuver without rubbing up against her. “You’ve got to get out of those wet clothes.”
“Yo-yo-you’re jus-just saying that to ge-ge-get me un-un-dressed,” she said, her teeth chattering.
“Listen to yourself. You can’t even talk you’re shivering so bad. Look, it’s an hour at least before we can get back to the harbor. You need to get dry and warm. Now.”
He flipped the heavy wet curtain of her hair over her shoulder, pulled the edge of the towel down, and started unzipping the back of her dress, revealing the creamy length of her neck and a shoulder blade.
“I-I-I can man-man-age!” she stuttered, pulling away.
“All I’m doing is unzipping it. You can do the rest.” He finished unzipping her dress, the delicate indent of her spine and her black bra strap coming into view, then her waist and the black lace edge of her panties.
Mentally, he knew he shouldn’t be responding to the sight of her bare skin like this, but his body wouldn’t listen. Heat and pressure hit his groin instantly. He turned to the built-in mahogany cupboards and pulled a large faded T-shirt from the drawer and a pair of plaid pajama pants. Both were too large, but they were dry and comfortable. “Here, put these on,” he said tossing them onto the bed. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
She nodded, pulling the towel closer around herself. Was it his imagination or was her skin gaining color quickly? “Wait.”
He stopped mid-step, his pulse pounding out a loud rhythm over his whole body.
“My fingers are too numb to undo the hooks on my bra.”
Josh froze. For years he’d had wet dreams about undressing Caroline. Undoing her bra. Slipping his hands around to caress her breasts. Down boy. Not what she was asking for.
He pointed his finger and made a spinning motion. “Turn around. I’ll get it for you.” On the floor was her little black dress, now a damp puddle of fabric.
The Geek Billionaire Makeover Page 13