“You don’t have to keep thanking me.”
“Well, I’m sure this is not how you wanted to spend your evening.”
“Don’t presume to know what my plans were,” Lucius said sharply. “I want to be here.”
Naomi was surprised by the stern tone in his voice. He meant what he said, and she believed him. Did that make her a fool? Was he playing her so he could get closer to her and to Kelsey? “I won’t presume,” she finally responded, “and I’m sorry. It’s been a long, emotionally taxing day.”
“You don’t have to apologize, either,” Lucius said softly. “Your best friend and partner suffered a scare, but I’m positive that everything is going to be okay.”
Naomi glanced down the corridor. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d purposely think Owen is not updating me on Kelsey to spite me.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“Excuse me for a moment.” Naomi rose and stepped away from the waiting area. She used her smartphone to call Kelsey’s mother, who was at home with Bella.
Several minutes later, she returned to the waiting area and Lucius looked up from his iPhone. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, yes.” Naomi slid next to him in the low-backed chair. “Kelsey’s mom told me she’s doing good and the contractions have stopped.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
Lucius didn’t get a chance to continue, because Naomi saw Owen walking toward them. She inhaled sharply and steeled herself for another attack.
When he reached her, Owen said stiffly, “Against my better judgment, Kelsey has asked to see you.”
Naomi jumped up and rushed out of the chair. She was nearly down the hall when she remembered Lucius and he mouthed, go.
* * *
Upstairs in the maternity ward, Naomi was so excited to see Kelsey, she immediately started crying tears of joy when she entered the room.
“Please don’t cry,” Kelsey exclaimed as Naomi rushed toward the bed to gingerly sit before pulling her friend into a hug. “I’m okay.” She returned her hug.
Naomi pulled away and looked into Kelsey’s blue eyes. “Are you sure? You gave us such a fright.”
Kelsey nodded. “Gave you a fright? Lord, I thought Owen’s head was going to explode. But I’m fine. The medication appears to be working, because the contractions have stopped.”
“I’m so relieved.” Naomi scooted backward onto the edge of the bed. “Owen wasn’t too happy with me.”
“Was he terribly dreadful?”
Naomi waved her hand dismissively. She would never say a word to Kelsey about how abominably he’d behaved. She had enough to deal with. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Kelsey sighed. “He was just scared, Naomi, as am I. And—” She paused as if trying to find the right words, but Naomi already knew what she was going to say.
“And that’s why you’re going to sell your remaining shares?” Naomi finished.
Tears welled in Kelsey’s eyes, and she nodded her head. “I’m so sorry, Naomi. I wanted to give you more time to raise the capital. But I can’t turn down what Knight International is offering me. It is well above market value and this would secure my future, my children’s futures. Please don’t be upset with me.”
Naomi reached for Kelsey’s hand across the thin hospital blanket. “Don’t worry about me, Kelsey. I’ll be fine. You have to take care of you and this baby.” She touched her rounded belly. “That’s all that matters.”
“But if I sell, Lucius will have majority interest in the company.” Kelsey sniffed, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.
Naomi patted Kelsey’s thigh. “You let me worry about that.”
She wouldn’t belie her fears about what Lucius’s takeover of her company might mean. Would she be out as CEO? Would he want to make sweeping changes? Would her staff lose their jobs? Somehow, someway, Naomi would figure it out with the man she now realized she’d fallen hopelessly in love with. She had to. Otherwise she would end up shattered because she’d let the playboy tycoon into her heart.
Chapter 13
“I heard from Kelsey Johnson,” Adam told Lucius as they played basketball at the fitness center inside Knight International’s offices a couple of days later. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle was important to Lucius, which was why he’d installed a state-of-the-art gym in the headquarters, complete with exercise and weight equipment, racquetball, and group fitness classes. He supported his employees’ goals for living long, healthy and productive lives.
“Oh, yeah?” Lucius tried to act nonchalant as he dribbled the ball toward the basket.
Adam blocked him, so Lucius did a fake to the right before spinning around left to shoot the ball. The basketball slid easily inside. Nothing but net.
Adam ran over to rebound the ball and caught it before Lucius could get there. “She’s ready to sell,” he continued, “I think that hospital incident scared her and her husband. We already own 30 percent of Brooks and Johnson—with Kelsey’s shares, we’re poised to own 55 percent of Brooks and Johnson. You just have to tell me if you’re ready to pull the trigger, but the company is yours for the taking.”
Lucius took advantage of Adam’s chattiness to steal the ball from him and fast-break down the court to the other side. He rushed the net and did a quick layup.
“Son of a—” Adam yelled when he finally made it down the court, slightly out of breath.
“You snooze, you lose,” Lucius laughed.
“Ha-ha,” Adam responded. “You still haven’t answered my question. I think your play was a way to deflect my attention away from the matter at hand.”
Lucius stopped dribbling and snatched the ball up. “And what’s that?”
“Your inability to make a decision where this company is concerned because of your latent feelings for its owner.”
“I don’t have feelings for Naomi.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Lucius knew they were a lie. He’d been struggling for weeks with his feelings for the woman, and then the other night his protective side had come out. His instinct to protect someone close to him was usually reserved for his grandmother. Needless to say, he was confused by his actions. He’d been ready to beat Owen to a bloody pulp for hurting Naomi.
“Lie to me all you want,” Adam responded, “but stop lying to yourself, man. You need to figure out how you feel about Naomi and if you want the relationship to lead somewhere.”
Lucius frowned. “Lead where?”
Adam shrugged. “I don’t know. To what normal people want. Marriage. Babies. A house. All that. Because, trust me, that’s the type of woman Naomi is. She’s not the usual woman you’ve dated and discarded, Lucius. She’s the kind of woman you marry.”
Lucius thought about Adam’s words long after their basketball session ended at the gym and he was drinking a glass of scotch on the balcony of his penthouse.
Adam was right. He was torn. Torn between being the ruthless corporate raider he’d always been and the man he was with Naomi. When he was with her, he was different, felt different. He needed more time. He had to take Adam and his grandmother’s advice and figure out exactly where he stood with Naomi.
A thought sprang into his head, and he had the answer. Now he just hoped that Naomi would go along with it. If not, he would have to use persuasive measures to convince her.
* * *
Naomi felt sick to her stomach after meeting with Tim to review her finances. It was done. There was no way she would have enough capital to buy out Kelsey. She would have to leverage all the profit she’d made, wipe out nearly all her savings and mortgage her house to buy Kelsey out. If Brooks and Johnson’s stock suffered or the company had any setbacks, she would feel the brunt of it as major stockholder. Was being in charge that important to her that she would risk her entir
e nest egg and her home?
Naomi was grappling with the question when her cell phone rang. She glanced down and saw it was Lucius.
Why did he have to call now when she was a wreck?
If she ignored the call, he would just call her personal line at the office.
She quickly reached for her phone and swiped to answer. “Hello, Lucius.”
“Naomi. How are you? How’s Kelsey?”
Naomi released a long sigh. So this call was about Kelsey and her shares, not about her. “I’m fine, and Kelsey’s been released from the hospital and is at home resting comfortably.”
“That’s wonderful,” Lucius responded.
“Yes, I’m relieved. Though Owen may not believe it, I only want the best for Kelsey.”
“That guy is a real jerk. Although I’d like to use another word to describe him.”
Naomi laughed. “I echo that sentiment. So, what’s the purpose for your call?”
“Do I have to have one?” Lucius replied.
“No, I just—” Naomi sighed. Figuring out her finances was her problem; Lucius had always been honest with his intentions and his desire to buy B and J. She just wasn’t sure how to handle losing controlling interest in her company to the man she was in love with. “It’s just been a long day. What’s up?”
“I wanted to invite you up to my cabin at Big Bear. I thought perhaps we could enjoy some skiing or perhaps a dip in the hot tub as we look at the stars. What do you say?”
Joy raced through Naomi. Lucius wanted to spend uninterrupted time with her? What did it all mean? There was only way to find out. “Yes, I would love to,” she responded.
“Great!” She heard the smile in Lucius’s voice at her acceptance. “If you can get off a bit early, we could leave tomorrow morning before traffic gets bad and have more of the weekend.”
“Sure. I’m the boss, so I can take the day off.”
When they ended the call several minutes later, Naomi was brimming with excitement. Deep down, she wanted more from Lucius, but she was too afraid to allow herself to go there. But now, they would spend the entire weekend together. Perhaps after that Naomi would know once and for all how Lucius truly felt about her and whether he wanted her, the company or both.
* * *
As Lucius drove to Naomi’s house the next morning, he didn’t feel an ounce of nerves. Of one thing he was certain—he enjoyed Naomi. He couldn’t wait to get her underneath him and would waste no time doing so. He’d been battling his desire for her and his ambition with ensuring Knight International was a force to be reckoned with.
He was hoping the weekend would give him clarity. Show him what it was he truly wanted from Naomi. Was she just a very sexy outlet for his overzealous libido? Or was there more, as his grandmother and Adam had said? Regardless, he couldn’t wait to have his way with her. And they would have the entire weekend with no interruptions, at least not on his end. He’d told Adam in no uncertain terms that he was MIA for the weekend and to call him at his own risk. It had better be something just short of a tsunami for him to disturb him. He had plans for Naomi Brooks.
When he arrived at Naomi’s, she was already packed and looking hot. She was wearing a cream-colored sweater with a scarf around her neck and skinny jeans that showed off her slim but curved in all the right places figure.
“Hey, babe.” He reached for Naomi, circling his arm around her waist so he could bring her closer for a kiss. She didn’t pull away and instead grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him full and deep on the mouth, returning his ardor.
They pulled away several moments later. “Hi.” She smiled up at him.
That’s when Lucius knew it was going to be one helluva weekend.
The drive to Big Bear went smoothly since they’d gotten a jump start on traffic on 91 east and Interstate 10. During the scenic drive into the San Bernardino National Forest and passing the snowcapped mountains, Naomi regaled Lucius with tales of her family road trips, songs, mishaps and generally how much fun they’d had. It made Lucius a bit envious to hear her family stories when he had none to share of his own. He and Grandma Ruby had never vacationed. And the only time he’d traveled was the odd trip to visit his mother in whatever new villa or penthouse she was staying at abroad, none of which had ever amused Lucius. After a time, Jocelyn had stopped sending for him.
Eventually, they made it to the cabin he’d rented for the weekend.
“You call this a cabin?” Naomi asked, looking up at the house as he unloaded their bags from the trunk.
Lucius had to admit the travel agent had outdone herself. The grand driveway entrance led to an impressive log and stone chalet on top of a hill that overlooked Big Bear Lake. And this was just the outside. He couldn’t wait to see what the inside looked like.
“This is more like a château. And this place is beautiful and it smells of wood smoke,” Naomi commented, wiggling her nose.
“That’s because I ensured they started the wood-burning fireplace for us, so we could get cozy and out of this cold.”
Naomi shivered. “It is pretty chilly. The weatherman said the high here was only going to be thirty degrees today.”
“That means we’ll have to find other ways to keep warm.” Lucius gave her a conspiratorial wink. “C’mon, let’s get inside.”
When he opened the door of the chalet and dropped their bags, they both stared at the sheer size and beauty of this cabin. There were windows everywhere, and large glass doors gave them a spectacular view of the town.
“This is breathtaking.” Naomi walked on the rich wood-planked floor of the main living area toward the windows and deck that overlooked the mountains. She paused on the way, stepping over the bearskin rug to finger the elaborate stone wall that held a large flat-screen TV and fireplace below it.
Lucius followed and came behind her to circle his arms around her waist. “I’m glad you like.” He glanced behind him at the rug and couldn’t wait to make good use of it.
Naomi spun around in his arms. “I love it!” She circled her arms around his neck, and he leaned forward to brush his lips across hers.
They continued touring the lower level of the home, ooh and aahing over each new discovery.
The main living area had big comfy camel sofas, handmade wooden tables and a poker table, but the best was yet to come. They found an in-home movie theater with reclining seats and a game room, which had a pool table and built-in stone bar. Lucius doubted though they would be using the movie room, as he intended to keep Naomi on her back much of their visit. He had a lot to work through. Only then could he could make sense of these feelings he was having.
There was a state-of-the-art kitchen with stainless steel appliances, rich oak cabinetry, granite countertops and even a cappuccino machine. The kitchen led to a deck on the main level, which included a large Jacuzzi. Lucius planned to make good use of it. The upstairs was just as spectacular as the downstairs. The master bedroom had the same matching stone wall with fireplace and television and its own deck with a panoramic view. The bathroom was a modern marble masterpiece, complete with sunken Jacuzzi tub, walk-in rainfall shower and dual vanities.
“What would you like to do now?” Naomi asked once they were back in the master suite.
Lucius grinned wolfishly.
“Besides that,” she said with a smile. “That’s later.”
“Promise?”
A wide grin spread across her lips. “Oh, absolutely. You will get lucky tonight.”
And Lucius couldn’t wait.
* * *
Naomi was having the time of her life. She didn’t know it was possible to feel this relaxed, yet excited all at the same time. After she and Lucius had toured the house, she’d thought they’d need to go out for provisions. But when she’d looked in the double-sided refrigerator and pantry,
she found Lucius had ensured they were fully stocked, including liquor. It was like he’d prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
He’d humored her and they’d gone into town to walk around Big Bear Village to find someplace for dinner. She knew what was on his mind. He’d been ready to take her to bed the instant they arrived. She’d seen the hungry look in his eye when they’d stood in the master bedroom and she’d asked what he wanted to do next. She’d wanted the same thing, but she’d never been to Big Bear and wanted to see some of the town before they indulged in extracurricular activities.
Lucius held her hand as they walked down Main Street side by side, popping into the odd shop or just window-shopping. Or in Lucius’s case, actually buying something. Naomi was shocked when he pulled her inside a jewelry store and bought her a diamond pendant necklace.
They ended the evening at Madlon’s, a local family-owned French restaurant. They both ordered something different so they could try each other’s food. Naomi’s duck dish was simply divine, but she equally liked Lucius’s veal dish with mustard sauce. They chatted and talked while enjoying dessert and an after-dinner drink.
She indulged and plopped a sweet and sticky treat into her mouth and was looking for a napkin to wipe her fingers, when Lucius reached for her hand and took each sticky finger into his own mouth and suckled on them.
Her reaction was swift. Naomi thought she’d implode with desire and drew in a deep breath at the sheer delight of having Lucius’s mouth around her fingers.
Times like these amazed Naomi. Lucius wasn’t the same man the media made him out to be—this ruthless tycoon with no conscience. She found him to be not only caring, funny and gregarious, but downright romantic. She liked this side of him and wished more people could see it.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lucius asked, peering at her strangely. “Is there something in my teeth?” He showed off his pearly whites.
Naomi chuckled. “Nothing so indelicate. I was just thinking that there are many sides to you. Sides you don’t share with the world.”
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