by Desiree Holt
With an effort of will she pulled herself together.
“Forgetting about the personal stuff, what is so urgent about this situation? Couldn’t I just sign away any claim to the estate and you can all get on with your business?”
Noah shook his head. “It’s a lot more complicated than that. Something happened the week before Josiah was killed but I don’t know what. Nothing seems to stand out as unusual the day before he left on a trip and he was killed on the way home from the airport the day he returned. He’d called me as soon as he landed to tell me we needed to meet but he did that often. Whatever it was we never got to discuss. He was killed on the way home from the airport.”
“My God!” Taylor rubbed her temples, trying to absorb what she was hearing. “Who’s been running the company since then?”
“Kate Belden, Arroyo’s executive vice president.”
His tone of voice said it all.
“You don’t like her,” Taylor guessed.
Noah gave his characteristic shrug. “Not my cup of tea. She’s a machine in human skin with lofty aspirations.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow. “How lofty?”
“She considered herself Josiah’s heir apparent. I know she assumed the board would automatically vote her into the CEO position. She’s been doing some active lobbying for the past month. You’ll be quite a shock to her.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Josiah’s will gives you ownership of his sixty percent of Arroyo. I have proxies from most of the board appointing you temporary CEO.”
Taylor’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding, right?”
Noah shook his head. “Not for a moment. I owe it to Josiah to keep together what he built and to find out what’s wrong. It appears you’ll have to be the glue.”
She took a healthy swallow of her wine. “What do you think I know about running a conglomerate like Arroyo? What did Josiah think?”
Noah took the folder she’d been looking at, flipped it open and pulled out two of the sheets of paper. “I’d say a degree in business from the University of Tampa and an MBA from the University of South Florida aren’t a bad starting place. You graduated at the top of your class both times.” He flipped over a sheet of paper. “Excellent recommendations from your professors got you an investment counselor position at Clemens Jacobs Financial Services and you’re the top producer. The youngest person ever to be fast-tracked for partnership.” He looked up. “You probably know a hell of a lot more than the people you’re going to meet will give you credit for.”
She was struggling to comprehend his extensive knowledge of her. “How did you get all this information anyway?”
“Most of this material is public records. And money can buy anything if you spend enough of it.”
Taylor pushed her hair back from her face. “Don’t I just know that.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice. She opened the folder again, studying each sheet of paper. “This DNA test. I assume you used something from my hotel room. Is that what the whole thing was about?”
His hand gripped her wrist before she even saw him reach out. “I wasn’t the one so hot I ripped off my clothes,” he pointed out in a tight voice. “But that isn’t important. What’s important is that I didn’t run away from it, damn me for a fool. And no, I could have gotten what I needed a number of ways. I didn’t need to take you to bed to do it.”
Her face heated and she yanked her arm away. The sudden movement knocked over the wineglass and it spilled onto both of them. Taylor jerked and grabbed her napkin, blotting ineffectively at her skirt. She glanced sideways at Noah to see him wiping at his suit jacket with an implacable le look on his face.
“I’m sorry.” She threw her napkin down on the table. “I’m making a mess of things as usual. This time quite literally. Why don’t you just tell me how we got to this point and what you need in the least number of sentences possible?”
“Fine.” His voice was steady but when she looked at his face she saw the glitter in his eyes. “As to what’s in the folder, Josiah had me check out everything about you. He wanted to be sure he wasn’t turning his back on someone who was really his. When I brought him the folder he locked himself in his den and got stinking drunk.”
“Drunk?”
Noah nodded. “I had to jimmy the door to open it the next morning. He was sitting at his desk holding the picture of your mother. He never told me what happened back in the day but he gave me instructions.”
“Instructions.” She dropped her napkin over the spot on her skirt.
“Yes. He was in the middle of investigating what was happening with Arroyo or he would have asked you to come back right away. I drove him into San Antonio to a lawyer he’s used for private activities before and he had the new will drawn up. The proxies he’d gotten himself by that time, with the vote assigned to me for a new CEO.”
Taylor frowned. “Didn’t the board think it strange?”
“Maybe. I don’t know how he did it. He told me this was his fallback plan. Just in case. He was getting ready to fly to Tampa to see you when he was killed.”
“Have the police made any progress in the case?”
Noah made a sound of disgust. “The police can’t find their ass with both hands. If anyone’s going to find the answer to Josiah’s murder it will have to be me. All I can tell you is my gut says it has to do with Arroyo and that now involves you.”
She leaned against the back of the booth, trying to make some sense of it all. “And what is it you want me to do?”
“Come back to San Antonio with me. Move into Rancho Arroyo, Josiah’s home. Take over the reins of the company. Help me ferret out what’s going on and who’s behind it. I can fill you in on the key players, help you with whatever you need. I will be with you every step of the way.”
‘I’ll just bet.” She gave a short laugh. “Why did Josiah choose you for this? What do you get out of all this, Mr. Cantrell? Forgive me but I can’t see you as being particularly altruistic.”
His jaw tightened and he took a long time answering her. “I owe him a great debt. One I’ll never be able to repay. I would do anything for him. And he trusted me. This is for him.”
“And exactly what…
He held up his hand. “No. The details are not open for discussion.”
“Well.” She sipped at her water, trying to make some sense of things. “You don’t want much, do you? And when am I supposed to do all this?”
“Tonight. I’ll give you all the details and a rundown on the cast of characters on the plane.”
Taylor thought she’d faint. Tonight? “That’s impossible.”
Noah turned his gaze on her. “It’s necessary. What could possibly hold you back? I know you resigned from your position at Clemens Jacobs. And today was your last day. You have no close associates that you have to explain things to. No…relationships to keep you tied down.”
She jerked herself upright. “You checked out my love life? You are the most arrogant ass in the world.”
A corner of his mouth twitched. “Probably. But I had to know if you had any loose ends we needed to tie up. I had to have a complete picture.”
She clenched her hands around her water glass. “I’m sure you had a good laugh at how pathetic that picture is. I guess that explained why I threw myself at you in the hotel room.”
“I told you. What happened that night is a separate issue.” His eyes narrowed. “One we’ll definitely get to later.”
“And what about my house? Other things? I can’t just get on a plane and fly away.”
“Yes you can. I brought people with me to take care of closing up your house and storing your car. We’ll hire a security service to keep an eye on things.”
She set her glass down carefully and looked hard at him across the table, hands folded in front of her, shoulders stiff. “All my life people have been telling me what to do. Giving me orders. Setting my priorities. And then I find out these people had q
uite literally destroyed my mother’s life and would have gladly disposed of mine. So the quiet, complacent Taylor Scott has disappeared. No one is going to tell me what to do. Not anymore. Am I making myself clear?”
His answering stare was just as hard. “This is a little more than telling you what dress to wear and who to have dinner with. An entire corporation is at stake here. And all the people involved with it.”
She picked up the wine again, sipped the rest of it slowly, then replaced it with a hand that shook just slightly. “If these people are determined to hide what they’re doing, to take over the company, what’s to stop them from killing me? They probably thought they were home free and now I pop into the picture.”
His hands tightened slightly then relaxed. “I won’t let that happen.”
“Really.” She laughed but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “You didn’t manage to keep Josiah safe.”
Anger flared in his eyes. “We weren’t expecting anything that drastic. We are now. We’ll be prepared.”
She stared at him, sudden knowledge flooding her. “You want to use me for bait.”
“Taylor.” He leaned forward. “Someone has to take the reins of this buggy before the horse thieves steal it. Josiah chose you. My options are limited.”
She fiddled with her napkin. “Do you suppose you’d get further if you asked me instead of ordering me?”
She saw a muscle jump in his cheek. “All right. I’m asking you. Will you please come back to San Antonio with me and do this.”
She sat silently, turning everything over in her mind.
Finally he spoke again. “Chicken? Afraid to step into something this challenging? Afraid of a little danger?” His voice lowered. “Afraid of me, little girl?”
If anything would have pushed her to it, this was it. The new Taylor Scott wasn’t afraid of anything. And he was right. What did she have to hang around here for? Maybe this was a chance to find out about the father she never knew. To explore who she might have been if her grandparents hadn’t interfered.
“Damn it. I am not your little girl. Or anyone’s.” She chewed her bottom lip for a moment. “All right. But I want some ground rules.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And those would be?”
“I have to depend on you to get me through this. I know nothing about what I’m stepping into. But we’re on equal footing. No orders. I told you. I’m in charge of myself.”
She thought she saw the ghost of a smile twist his lips, then it was gone. “All right. What else.”
“I have some things to do before we leave. Packing, for one thing.”
Noah was already reaching for his wallet and signaled the waiter. “Don’t pack much. We have a personal shopper coming tomorrow with a new wardrobe for you to look at. She’ll know what the CEO of Arroyo and a top resident on the A-List needs to wear.”
Taylor just stared at him. “A shopper? You were certainly damn sure of yourself. Are you choosing my clothes for me too? I don’t think so.”
He bit down on his obvious irritation. “You will need a wardrobe that says who you are. I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with the one you have but you’re about to become someone else. Can you just trust me on this and not argue? You don’t have to take anything you don’t like.”
She swallowed her own annoyance. “All right. Point taken. What other surprises do you have for me?”
He shrugged. “Checking account. Credit cards. Other things you’ll need.”
Taylor slid out of the booth. “I suppose I should thank you for your efficiency.”
“I didn’t plan to leave without you, even if I had to kidnap you.”
For once Taylor was speechless. As Noah guided her out of the restaurant her mind whirled with the events she was being thrust into. And her body began to hum in anticipation of what this man might want of her in private. And whether or not she was willing to give it. Her only thought made use of her newly acquired graphic language.
I’ve lost my fucking mind.
* * * * *
Noah followed her to her house, where a black Expedition not unlike the one he drove was waiting at the curb.
I wonder if they just order a fleet of them?
As they pulled into her driveway, two men got out of the vehicle and came toward them. Taylor pulled into the garage and waited for the men to approach her. Noah took care of the introductions.
“Joe Deland, Grant McCoy. Meet Taylor Scott.” He held out his hand. “Keys.”
“What?”
His face was a mask of patience. “They’ll need them to lock up your house and move your car. I think you should probably sell both of them. You won’t need them anymore.”
“Wait just a damn minute here.” She planted her feet and summoned her newly found self-possession. “Are you giving orders again? I want to make sure I have something to come back to. This could all fall apart.” She twisted away from him. “Or a month from now I could no longer be useful and you’ll send me back like discarded luggage.”
He turned her around and tilted her chin up with his hand. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.”
His face was taut with tension but that elusive something flashed in his eyes again. He was so close Taylor could inhale his scent and feel his warm breath whispering across her skin.
I have to get control here. I can’t let him do this to me or I’ll lose the battle.
She headed for the stairs. “I’m also not making any changes to my financial accounts or anything else here. According to you I’ll be well provided for in that department. This is my insurance. My insurance if this scheme of yours falls apart.
“Fine.” He followed her up to her room. “Just pack so we can get the hell out of here. Only what you absolutely need. Anything else the personal shopper can take care of.”
Dictatorial ass.
But she chose not to argue again at that moment. She simply marched into her room, opened the closet and pulled a suitcase from the top shelf. A door slammed and when she turned around Noah was an inch away from her.
No. No, no, no. I can’t let this happen.
They stared at each other, heat shimmering between them. Whatever this was it was stronger than the pull of the most addictive drug. Her earlier anger that had thrown up an effective shield between them dissipated the moment he took one step closer to her. The hunger she saw in his eyes matched her own. Her pulse began to race and her breath caught in her throat and hostility fled in the surge of desire that raced through her. She wanted to rip off her clothes as she’d done in the hotel and beg him to take her. Right here, right now.
Jesus, Taylor.
He reached for the buttons on her blouse and began to thread them through the buttonholes. “You’ll need to change into something more comfortable for travel. I’ll help you.”
Taylor was shaking, undone by the sensations rocketing through her. “You said we had to hurry.” What is the matter with me? Why don’t I push him away?
“My cock is so hard I promise you this won’t take long. If I don’t get inside you soon…” His voice, thick with need, trailed off. As he was speaking he was deftly removing her clothing.
She was powerless to stop him. His touch aroused her, his heated gaze mesmerized her and rational thought deserted her. “The two men…”
“Are busy doing other things. Tell me you don’t want this and I’ll stop. Right now.” His eyes burned into her.
She was cemented in place by the heat of his gaze, the grip of his hands, the insistent throbbing in her womb. Tell him no? That’s what she should do but her treacherous, newly awakened body had other ideas. She wanted him buried deep inside her as much as he wanted to be there.
“All right, then.” His hands were shaking as he touched her. “God, Taylor, I have to touch you. Taste you. I want five hours with you, not five minutes. But I’ll take what I can get. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to control myself tonight?”
“You don’t seem to be co
ntrolling yourself now.” Her voice was none too steady.
“You have no idea. The minute I get within five feet of you all I want to do is plunge myself inside you,” he ground out. “I want to rip off every stitch of your clothing and run my tongue over every inch of you. Do you have any idea how unlike me that is?”
She gave a shaky laugh. “That ought to spice up the activities when we get to San Antonio.”
He paused as he was about to slide her thong down her legs. “You don’t have to worry about me embarrassing you at Arroyo. Even a savage like me can understand the importance of not giving people ammunition. We’ll be under a microscope. There’ll be no signal from me that there’s anything to find.”
His voice softened slightly. He cupped her breasts in his palms, thumbs rubbing gently over her nipples. “But I can’t promise the same when we’re alone. Be warned. I’ll take advantage of every minute we’re alone together to fuck you senseless. God help me, you’re a craving I can’t seem to satisfy.”
“You resent that,” she said with a shrewd look even as her legs turned weak and shaky and her heart raced.
“Damn straight.” His voice wasn’t much steadier than hers. “I don’t give anyone that kind of control over me.”
She was having trouble with her breathing, his nearness overwhelming her. “What’s happening with us, Noah? What is this thing between us as you keep calling it?”
“Let’s hope it’s not the devil having a good laugh at our expense.” He touched a finger to her lips. “No more talking. We have to hurry.”
I’m out of my mind.
That was the last intelligent thought she had.
Then they were both naked and Taylor was flat on her back on the bed, knees bent and legs spread. Noah’s hands stroked down the insides of her thighs and back to her open sex. One finger lightly caressed the folds and flicked against her clitoris, sending shards of electricity stabbing through. Her flesh begged for him to ease the ache that spread outward from her open cunt. But still he stroked, his hands everywhere, finding the sensitive places behind her knees and in the crease of her thighs.