by Paula Cox
The man sure had some solid moves. It would be fun to play these games with him. Certainly it wasn’t often that she got the opportunity to meet someone who could hold his own. She liked it – a tad too much. But what the hell? This was her chance to prove that she was the best in the business. Tania didn’t have any intention to back off from this deal – and that was her final word on it.
Chapter Two
The sexy, curvaceous blonde who stared at him out of piercing green eyes was like a punch straight to his gut. She was HOT. Poured in a red dress that looked as if it was sewn on her, and the matching red heels that could kill a man if aimed at just the right place, she was manna from heaven. He wanted to gulp her in one big, greedy bite, but, of course, she was sure to put up a huge fight.
He enjoyed sparring with her. It wasn’t often a woman could meet his wit and intelligence – but she was more than a match for him on every level. He loved the way she reacted when she was threatened in her professional sphere. The claws came out and the gloves came off. Good, he would relish the battle that was sure to follow.
Riley had only one goal; he wanted to secure the warehouse for Devil’s Mafia Brotherhood, the biker’s club that he belonged to. They needed this place for storage of the goods that they distributed across the country. Riley was the one who made all these business decisions because he was the only one who held a Master’s degree, but above him was the Board of High Members. As one of their newest members, he needed to do something amazing to secure a place in their board. After years of corporate work on Wall Street, he finally left everything behind to join his true passion: bikes. Now, he was an official member of the club and desired to become one of the senior members. This was his chance to achieve that goal.
He didn’t tell Tania about the gang because people generally reacted negatively to such news. The Devil’s Mafia Brotherhood boasted a scary name but their activities were all legal. Yes, they did ride fast bikes, but that was the extent of their uniformity to stereotypical bikers’ club. Procuring this warehouse would add to their profits, and that was exactly what he intended to do.
He was sure about his mission and nothing would deter him from getting to it; not even the delicious, gorgeous blonde who was now walking towards him with a killer smile and curves that could make a man melt into them. Everything about her was perfect; her beautiful face, the long, aquiline nose, the creamy, smooth skin, and the red lips that invited him to kiss her. If she weren’t the enemy, he would have taken her straight to bed – but in this particular case, it was important to be careful. This particular kitten had killer claws. He didn’t want to become a victim of her ambitions.
Riley stood as she swept through the door, leaving in her wake a dazed doorman and a stunned couple. The wife nudged the husband before walking out. This woman could cause a riot with a single look. All the more reason for him to wish he could tame this tigress.
When she thrust out her hand to shake it, he took it, raised it to his lips, and kissed her. “Hello. Thank you for coming.”
Even though she hid it well, he could tell that she was surprised by his unexpected gallant move. “The pleasure is mine,” she said.
They both glanced at each other for a few seconds and, of course, the battle lines were drawn. Keeping a hold on her hand, he tugged her forward. “Let’s sit. I’ve been waiting for this dinner since yesterday.”
“Not more than me,” she murmured. Smoothly she got her hand out of his embrace and slid on to her seat. He pushed it forward a bit and then sat opposite her.
“Why don’t we order first?” he offered.
She studied the menu and when the waiter came forward, they ordered. After he left, she put her hands on the table and studied him. “Riley, right? You’re new in town.”
“I’m not from here, originally. Came down two years ago and settled here.”
“What have you decided about the warehouse?”
He shook his head at her abrupt change of topic. She sure didn’t have any patience. “Right down to business, sweetheart, and here I thought you were here for my attractive body.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Your body is currently not as tempting as the warehouse, Riley. Not that I feel you’re not hot, but I do have a job to complete and that comes first.”
“A lance straight through my heart, sweetheart.” He sighed. “And here I was harboring hopes that you were actually secretly attracted to me.”
“Oh, I am attracted to you. No doubt about that.” She leaned forward, offering him an ample view of her cleavage. “But right now, my priorities lie somewhere else.”
She was attracted to him? He didn’t think she was lying about it. The way her gaze clung to him and the passion that swirled in their clear depths was certainly not fake. Perhaps, in this one instant, he could mix business and pleasure.
“I’ve sent my opinion to my higher-ups. They are thinking about it, but I think they would go for it. It is, after all, a great property,” he told her just to see her reaction.
Her lips pursed in a thin line as she surveyed him. “I would like you to withdraw your interest in this property. Xavier seems to be awaiting your decision and he is not processing my paperwork.”
“Xavier knows my higher-ups, sweetheart. I thought he made that clear to you, and he would prefer us to have the property because, one, he knows someone who is on our board and, two, we are prepared to give cash for this deal.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Cash? That’s unusual.”
“We’re an unusual bunch of people.”
The waiter brought their appetizers and they both waited until he was gone. “You’re stealing the food right from my plate.”
He smiled. “I assume you meant it in a metaphorical manner. After all, I am actually feeding you.” She took a bite of her food and then sat back to stare at him. “You’re making me conscious, sweetheart,” he said.
“I intend to do more than,” she claimed. “If you don’t get out of my way, you will regret it.”
He liked a woman who could issue a challenge with the utmost confidence. The more time he spent with her, the greater the chance that he would fall under the web that she was spinning. He knew exactly what she was doing. Since she didn’t get her way through anger, now she wanted to seduce him into giving in. Riley admired her guts. She was one hell of a woman – and he sure wanted more than one meal with her.
He laughed as he refilled his glass with wine. He offered her some more but she declined. “I don’t scare easily, sweetheart, so don’t try too hard.”
“How about I give you some money to back off? Or perhaps I can do some pro bono work for you?”
“What kind of pro bono work?”
His leery grin probably told her exactly what she was thinking. “I wasn’t thinking along those lines. Why is that men automatically think about the worst scenario?”
“In my head, that’s the best scenario.” He drank some wine as he considered her offers. There was no way that he was giving in, but he enjoyed making her squirm. He couldn’t wait to hear what she came up with. “Anyway, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I could show you guys some prime property that won’t come up for sale this year, but we can crack a private deal. It’s in a great location. The warehouse facilities are excellent and they would be a great investment. Of course, I won’t be charging my usual commission.”
“That’s right generous of you, sweetheart, but those warehouses facilities won’t be available next month,” he drawled. She was really working for it. He could practically see the wheels of her mind working.
“It’s just a few months,” she insisted.
“How many months exactly?”
She swallowed and then glared at him as if he was deliberately trying to irritate you. “Ten months.”
“And what am I supposed to do until this property is complete?”
Instead of answering him, she concentrated on her food. “I can see that you’ve no intention of listeni
ng to me.”
“I am listening to you, sweetheart, but yes; I don’t have any intention of agreeing with you. After all, I have also got a job to do.”
“You could cut me some slack. After all, I am also trying to earn a living here.”
He couldn’t help the laughter that sputtered out of him. She was good – too damn good. He liked it. Riley was honest enough to admit that her particular brand of ambition and greed aroused him. No woman enthralled him as she did. “This isn’t about earning money. You’ve got eyes on that project because it will add prestige to your kitty, and you are aiming for higher with your company.”
“Shit!” She pushed aside her plate. “You investigated me, you bastard.”
“Watch your language, sweetheart.” He pushed back her plate. “And don’t take out your anger on food. That won’t work well for you digestion. In any case, I doubt that you didn’t look me up, so don’t blame me if I do the same. Also, you should be flattered that I consider you worthy enough to study you.”
She glowered at him. A lesser man would have fallen flat as she threw invisible darts at him from her eyes, but Riley was made of sterner stuff. Still, he was impressed with her. “You are a real piece of work.”
“Funny that I was thinking the same about you.” Riley sighed and leaned back. “You know what? Both of us could go on for hours and this would never come to an end. You and I are cut from the same cloth, and we can spar like this for quite some time.”
She gave him a rare smile. “So what do you suggest?”
“Shall we call a truce and enjoy a meal together?”
She flicked an eyebrow. Hesitantly, she extended her hand and he shook it. “All right, fine.”
Finally, they were making some progress. Riley didn’t know what he intended to do with this woman, but she intrigued him on so many levels. He thought that it would be good to relish one meal with her and get to know her better. Sure, there was no chance of romance with her because they were at loggerheads, but she was a gorgeous, intelligent woman, and he could enjoy her company for some time.
“So what do you like to do when you’re not working?”
She rolled her eyes. “Couldn’t you come up with a better question?”
“Hey, at least I am trying.”
She huffed, ate the last bit of her appetizer, chewed and swallowed. “I like to paint.”
He though that he heard her wrong. “Paint? As in…you like to mix colors and put them on canvass.”
“There is considerably more to it that the way you described it, but yes, that’s what I like to do when I have spare time.” Suddenly, everything about her appeared different. There was a softer side to her. A painter? He wouldn’t have pegged her as one. “What is it that you like to do when you’re not terrorizing honest, hardworking women and riding bikes?”
So she saw the bike he’d parked next to the warehouse. The woman sure didn’t miss much. He grinned. “Honest and hardworking? Sweetheart, you’ve a high opinion of yourself. Shit! Sorry. I apologize. That was below the belt. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Apology accepted.”
The waiter came to whisk away their plates. They were served the main course. “I like to go for hikes.”
“Interesting,” she said. “I didn’t think you were the type to appreciate nature, but I guess I was wrong.”
“I am quite a complicated man, sweetheart. If you got to know me better, you would realize that I am actually a likeable kind of guy.” She ate her food and didn’t talk. “I suppose I haven’t made such a good impression on you.”
She smiled a little. “Are you fishing for compliments?”
“I am.”
She laughed at his confession. That’s exactly what he wanted to do. It was time to set things in the right direction. He didn’t want to leave her with a heavy heart. Sure, he didn’t intend to give her what she wanted, but he could try to be a little nice. She was a strong, independent woman and he appreciated that she was willing to go so out to achieve what she wanted.
Smoothly, Riley changed the topic. Rather than talk about work, they began to discuss movies and theatre. She was a drama buff and caught as many shows as possible. It was also something that he enjoyed. Once dinner was over, he ordered dessert. Riley was a little reluctant to end this date. He’d originally called her because he wanted to convince her to change her mind about the property but it was obvious that she wasn’t willing to do it. Instead, he now relished the way she talked, the things she said, and the obvious beauty of her face.
Chapter Three
Tania was having the time of her life. She liked the audacity of Riley, his sheer nerve. He thought he could play her, while she was the one who was stringing him along. Well, not so true. She nearly grimaced as she realized that she had fallen a little under his spell. The man oozed sexual chemistry. No other man intrigued her quite like this in such a long while.
She never wanted this conversation to end. He was an enemy, and she wasn’t supposed to mingle with him, but it was getting more and more difficult for her to ignore him. She shouldn’t have accepted the invitation for dinner. She did so thinking that she would retain the upper hand on the dinner table, but it was obviously not happening. He wasn’t like other men whom she found so easy to control and manipulate. The discovery should have irritated her, but, instead, it energized her. He was a challenge, and she was more than willing to see how far she could go with him.
Of course, their sexual chemistry was off the charts. As he talked, the palms of her hands beaded with sweat and desire careened through her nerves. He was a gorgeous man and, more than that, his intelligence sparked her passion. It wasn’t often that she came across a man who intrigued her on so many levels. She loved it. It was heady to be in the company of a man who could keep her excited for so long.
When the dinner came to an end, he walked her out. “Do you have a car?”
“I took a cab.” She brushed back her hair and dug into her purse to take out her phone. “I’ll call one now.”
“No need.” He put a hand over hers to stop her from making the call. “I can drop you home.”
She glanced at him, acutely aware of the way the warmth from his fingers seeped into her skin. The desire that already lanced through her exploded and drenched her insides. Suddenly, she was a quivering, shivering mass of jelly. With an effort, Tania maintained her composure. Dare she allow him to drop her home? Where would that lead them?
She was quite sure that allowing him to drive her wasn’t going to lead to anything good. Already, she was attracted to him. If he made a move, would she be able to resist him? Did she want to put up a fight in this particular battle? For once in her life, Tania wanted to give up even before the fight began. Not for the warehouse, of course. But this was personal. Surely, she could give herself permission to enjoy him for the night. “All right, thank you.” She heard the words come out of her month even before she was aware that she’d made up her mind.
His lips lifted in a smile. Putting his hand on the small of her back, he guided her to his car. The black, gleaming Mercedes was a classic. She sure liked a man who enjoyed fast rides and knew how to handle them. Would he be able to keep up with her if they fell in bed? Her breath hitched as images flashed across her mind: their naked bodies sweating and straining as they kissed and licked ever inch of each other’s skin, his hands on her curves, and her fingers sliding over his torso.
Color flushed over her cheeks as she settled in her seat. What the hell was she thinking? She’d never been so shameless, so blatant in her desire. This was unprecedented. Tania didn’t quite know what to say or do as he drove quietly, decisively.
“Your address?”
She gave it to him. “It’s kind of you to drop me off.”
“Kindness is certainly not what I have in mind,” he admitted.
Shit! Did he have to be so blunt? What the hell was she supposed to say? “Hmm…I don’t know what you mean.”
He chuck
led in that infuriating, know-it-all manner. “I doubt that there is anything that you don’t understand, Tania. A smart, capable woman like you is always sure of what she is doing.”
Her house came into view and she pointed it out. “I think you overestimate me.”
After parking the car, he got out and came to the other side to open the door for her. She slid out and stepped away. He closed the door, held her hand, and drew her towards him. Tania was too flustered to fight. Actually, she didn’t want to battle again. Although, this date wasn’t going exactly the way she imagined, but, somehow, she liked it.
He ran a finger over her cheek and then on her lips. Her heart pounded so loud she was sure he could hear it.
His lips lifted in a smile, and her gaze was fixed on them. She couldn’t look away. “Sweetheart, you know exactly where this is going and all I want to know is if you are okay with it. Is it a yes or no?”