Slightly Sinful

by Yvette Hines

  Slightly Sinful

  Yvette Hines

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission by the author.

  Slightly Sinful

  Copyright © 2012, Yvette Hines

  Cover Artist: Antwan Williams

  Editor: Andrea Jackson

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to eStore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Other Titles by Yvette Hines

  Santa’s Helper

  Speed Dating

  The Marriage Clause

  Holiday Affair

  Take This Man

  Golden Treasure

  Ho, Ho, Ho and a Dom

  Bet on a Mistletoe

  Making the Man

  Lady Justice

  Trusting St. Nick

  Shot at Love

  Internet Rebound

  Secured Heart

  On The Prowl

  Rescued Mate

  Heated Restraints

  Arrested Heart

  Prisoner of Desire

  Holiday Fantasy

  Designed for Love (Reignited Anthology)

  We Go Together

  A Piece of Me

  A Gentle Christmas

  The Club

  What White Boyz Desire

  By Invitation Only

  Cinnamon Buns

  To Have and To Hold

  Illicit Christmas

  Sensual Chocolate

  Stealing the Bride (Taken Anthology)

  Dedication: To my readers who want a little adventure in their life… get on board we’re headed to Cat Island where you can fulfill your wildest fantasies and maybe fall in love.

  Chapter one

  “So, we’ll discover next week if we got it.” Delilah’s stomach knotted as she finished updating Darren about the memo from Torres Corp. This account could make or break me.

  No sooner did she secure the paper inside its envelope than the phone buzzed, and Connie’s voice announced, “Pamela Harvey is on the line for you. She says it’s important.”

  She giggled at Darren as he rolled his eyes. They knew Pam, and important to their friend was anything from a thong sale to an eligible bachelor on the loose. With the anxiety rolling inside of her like wild butterflies after discussing the letter from the Torres’ executive, Pam’s energy was just what she needed, a true distraction.

  “Thank you, Connie. If you could give me one moment then patch her through.”

  “Can do, Ms. Reynolds.” The line went silent.

  “Behave yourself,” Delilah instructed Darren.

  “After you all brought me lunch back from that Greek restaurant last week, I’m not saying a thing. Besides, without Pam’s antics, our lives would be very dull.”

  Delilah nodded. What Darren said was so true. Without Pam, everyday would be just as mundane as the next. “Okay, Darren I need you to get these over to Lydia and ask her to go over them with her graphics department. If she has questions about the changes, I want her to call me.” She passed him draft boards.

  They concluded the meeting. Darren wasn’t only her project manager, he served as her right hand since the day he started working for her.

  “You got it.” He headed toward the door. Before opening it, he faced her once again. “By the way, Lila, I got all fingers and toes crossed for the Torres account. We’re one of the finalists. That says a lot about how far you have come with this company.”

  Blowing a kiss of thanks to him as he left the office, she took a deep breath and attempted to calm the nervousness swimming just below the surface. She faced the longest weekend, not knowing whether or not she would receive the call from the Torres conglomerate or not. Pushing the thought away for a moment, she answered the blinking line. “Pam--”

  “Delilah, you’ll never believe what just got delivered to my office.” Pamela’s animated voice shrieked through the phone as she rambled on.

  Holding the phone away from her ear, Delilah listened to her best friend from a distance. Pam sounded like an adult from the Charlie Brown cartoon. “Are you going to allow me to get a word in edgewise?” she yelled toward the mouthpiece.

  Silence answered.

  Satisfied Pamela had calmed down or taken a breath, Delilah returned the phone to her ear. “Now. What did the courier bring you?” She cradled the phone between her head and shoulders, listening as she flipped through draft boards for the oceanfront reception hall Précis Touch would decorate after the owners remodeled in the fall.

  Pamela’s tone dropped as if she worked at some lover’s line, instead of as a buyer for Regal Style, an haute couture boutique. “Something sinuous and spine tingling.”

  Delilah laughed. “Let me guess, a new toy arrived from Honey Pot?” The adult toyshop was a favorite of theirs.

  “Nope. But you’re getting warmer.” Her friend’s giddy giggles echoed through the receiver.

  The squeaking of Delilah’s chair reverberated around the office as she leaned back, holding the phone to the side of her face. “It’s Friday night at six. I’m drained from the week and at a loss.”

  Sighing, Pamela gave in and told her. “I have an invitation to Daniel Silverman’s overnight getaway.”

  “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.” Delilah could feel tightness in her forehead as her brow scrunched while she attempted to comprehend the message her friend was trying to relay.

  Pamela gave a loud exaggerated groan into the phone. “Put on your weekend cap, Lila girl. Remember in January we had high tea at London Tryst with Rebecca Delacruz? She kept going on about Silverman’s New Years bash in Maui and how it was nothing like she’d ever experienced before.”

  It was all coming back to her now. Half listening, Delilah crossed her legs and fiddled with the hem of her short red skirt. Who said red heads couldn’t wear red? I look fabulous in it. “Yes. But, I don’t remember her saying exactly what went on.”

  “That’s right, she didn’t. Supposedly it’s not only an exclusive night, it’s confidential also.”

  She could hear Pamela rustling with something.

  “Looking at the invitation I got, it specifically states that in coming, you agree to keep the place and people in attendance a secret.”

  Delilah couldn’t deny her interest was piqued. “A private affair. Hmm…interesting. So, how did your name get on this….list?”

  Pamela’s voice dropped again. “Well, to be honest, ever since Rebecca mentioned it, I have been dying to find out what all the hoopla was about. You know how I’m always interested in anything that sounds remotely decadent.”

  “Yes, I do,” Delilah interjected.

  “In the last six months, everywhere that Silverman went, I tried to be there. Parties, dinners, fundraisers, nightclubs…you mention it.”

  She laughed at her friend’s tenacity. “I guess it paid off well for you.”

  “For us,” Pamela declared.

  She bolted up in her chair. “What?”

  Pamela’s voice elevated. “You heard me. Us. U-S. This invitation says Pa
mela Winters and guest. You are guest.”

  Dropping her head in her hands, Delilah responded, “Pam, I’m happy for you, but I can’t go.” As alluring as a titillating night of supposed erotic delights sounded, she couldn’t do it. Not this weekend.

  “Yes, you can, Lila.”

  “No, Pam, I cannot,” she insisted.

  Not taking ‘no’ for an answer, Pam asked, “What else did you have planned for the weekend?”

  Tapping her nails against the desktop in frustration, she said honestly, “Chewing my nails to bits all day Saturday, and then on Sunday I’m going to get acrylic tips put on to hide my shame.” Looking down at her manicured nails, perfect in their trim and French pattern, she wanted to begin gnawing on them, regardless of her promise to herself when she started this company. ‘No chewing on my nails.’ Business owners didn’t have shabby, rough, unattractive hands. To hell with that.

  “Why the nails binge?”

  “Torres Corporation,” she replied evenly.

  Her friend sucking in a quick breath was audible through the phone.

  “You got the contract?” Pamela’s excitement bubbled along her words.

  “Not yet.” Delilah lifted an envelope from the right side of her desk and slipped out a paper for the ninth time. Staring at it, she said, “Earlier today a messenger delivered a memorandum informing me that Mr. Torres was flying in this weekend and his plans are to review all of the offers for the redesigning of Torres Towers. On Monday, I’ll know one way or another if they plan to give the contract to Précis Touch.” Torres Corporation was the company in the metropolitan world. If it was business, Torres Corp. owned a piece of it. Les Carter was the owner’s assistant and the person the elusive Mr. Torres used to deal with people. Sighing, she continued, “My nerves have been running races through my body all day.”

  “Perfect! You need something to take your mind off your nails, and a private mansion on Cat Island in the Out Islands of the Bahamas is just the place for you to do it, Lila.”

  Delilah attempted to argue her position. “Pam, really I need to--”

  “You need to nothing.” Her friend cut her off. “I refuse to take no for an answer.”

  “But--” she tried again.

  “Delilah Renee Reynolds, if I have to drag your ass there kicking, screaming and naked, I will,” Pamela promised.

  She groaned heavily in the phone, making sure Pam heard it.

  Pamela laughed at her antics. “Pack sexy and I’ll pick you up around noon. The plane tickets are already booked--in first class, I might add.”

  Delilah couldn’t deny she was getting just as excited. There was something stirring and adventurous about flying off to a secluded island for a night of fun. “Why pack sexy?”

  “It’s part of the instructions with the invitation. And we both know that the buzz around Silverman’s lifestyle has always danced around outrageous sex parties. I don’t know what goes on at Silverman’s affairs, but I do know I plan to come back with the same gleam in my eye as Rebecca.”

  Me too, Delilah decided. She convinced herself she was overdue for a little spontaneous fun. She’d ended her relationship eight months ago with her last boyfriend, and possibly this island trip would pose an opportunity for an evening romp or two. Maybe she would find a gorgeous man to have a private tête-à-tête.

  “I’m in.”

  Once again, Delilah had to remove the receiver from her ear to preserve her hearing as Pamela began screaming her joy.

  ~YH~

  “What do you think, Mr. Torres?”

  Nicholas chuckled. Les only called him be his formal name during work hours. His friend was a stickler for professionalism during the work day. No one who knew Les professionally would believe how wild and crazy Les had been when they both were in college. As class president their junior and senior year, Les even had all the faculty and staff fooled.

  Nicholas stared down at the open folders before him, in no particular order on his desk.

  Les Carter, his best friend of twenty-five years, stared back at him from the monitor in the wall of his Madrid, Spain office. Les, his second in command, handled the US division from Torres Towers in Charlotte, North Carolina, when Nicholas was out of country, which was always. Les and his perfectly cut blonde hair and broad smile were a perfect face to give to Torres Corp.

  He enjoyed his seclusion and privacy. Most of his business negotiations and meetings he handled by phone conference. It wasn’t that he had scars or a morbid body image or suffered from some kind of social phobia, he just preferred to keep his life private. He figured it had more to do with the fact he had been from a large family, ten brothers and sisters, in which he was child number six. With that many people around him most of his life until he left for college; it could drive any man insane. However, he loved his family and usually got together with them twice a year.

  More importantly, he didn’t want to be another “Trump” or “Gates” or “Jobs” having every aspect of his life and relationships plastered all over the media and grocery story rags. He allowed Les to play the face of Torres Corporation when it was necessary for someone to speak. Once he had agreed to do an interview in Time, but had made them sign a contract that all pictures were to be taken in dim lighting or with most of his face shadowed. Other than that, he kept clear of the limelight.

  “These final three are exceptional. The background packages you sent on them along with the company photo showed all of them have built a portfolio of excellence when it comes to corporate design.” His gaze strayed to the center folder; it wasn’t the first time that he’d focused on it more than the other two.

  All of them were more than capable of conducting the redesign of his headquarters building, for which he was more than prepared to shell out top dollar, but the center company seemed to have an X factor.

  “Maybe I should make it plain,” Les began. “Now that you have narrowed it down to three possibles, have either of the other two shined over her company.”

  That was the real question. There was no need for him to attempt to play naïve; they both were fully aware of the her that Les referred to. The reason he could not stop staring at the second packet. On the last page of each packet was a company photo, even though she was standing at the end her team as they posed and smiled in what had to be the main lobby of her company, she was the center focus for him.

  Just as she had been four years ago when he’d seen her first. She’d captured his attention as she walked out of a meeting with one of his business associates after her company completed a design project of an executive residence adjacent to a high dollar city shopping center.

  He still had not forgotten how her tall body curved in all the right places. Encased in a dark green skirt and jacket that hugged her body, she’d exuded confidence, poise and sex appeal.

  Ella era la belleza personificada. She personified beauty in every way. It was in her unique hair color, her walk and her style.

  She hadn’t seen him. The moment he’d gotten behind closed doors with the head of the company he couldn’t stop himself for inquiring about her.

  From that point forward, he’d kept tabs on her and her company. His own seclusion and an overseas endeavor kept him from pursuing her. However, she hadn’t been far from his mind.

  Glancing back to the monitor at Les, he shook his head. “No. She runs a damn good company. The pictures of her team's work in the portfolio are outstanding.”

  “So, are we going to go with it?”

  “Si. Hold off until Monday to make the call as planned. Thursday present it to the board and get back with me on their thoughts. If all is a go then Monday is perfect.” Even though getting to know her had been the main reason for his deciding to overhaul his headquarters, he was no fool. He had not reached his level of success by leading with his cock or his heart. As other women who’d attempted to get close to him, to use him had quickly discovered. Business was a game of intellect and gut moves.

  Regardless
of his attraction to the mocha belleza, he wouldn’t make an ignorant business investment.

  “Got it. On to another question.” Les was now leaning back in his navy blue leather chair.

  Nicholas lifted an eyebrow and waited.

  “Have you decided on if and when you’re returning to the States? Now that the Spain projects are complete.”

  That was the question. He shifted his gaze to stare out of his window seeing the Manzanares as if flowed under bridges and byways as people strolled along the tree lined walkways. Was it time for him to leave? So many years living “out of country” he with several major deals on the table, was it best for him to return home? Making it harder for him to maintain the level of privacy he preferred.

  “No, my friend, I have not.” Swiveling his chair back around, he smiled at his second in command. “Perhaps if you were not doing such a fine job of handling things at the Towers I would feel more pressure to be there.”

  Les tossed his head back and laughed. “Bull shit. Sell that to someone who doesn’t know how deeply you play a role in everything that goes on. Your ass never has learned how to be a proper CEO.”

  “What is a proper chief exec officer? Please enlighten me.” He smiled.

  “We both know the type. They climbed their way to the top, but once there they are too busy jet-setting around the world with every available model-clone half their age and leaving all the running of the company to board members and directors.” Les held up a hand. “No, don’t get me wrong, you're no micromanager, you're just hands on. Shit, you even know the names of the guys in the mailroom--”

  “They work just as hard. A lot of them and their families live close to the poverty line of such a historic city.”

  “The ones here I was talking about. Which amazes me, because you only come in once a month.”

  He couldn’t argue with that. Being raised in a large family, his parents always reminded them that everyone was important. He carried that with him in business.

  Shrugging, he changed the subject. “How’d your sister come out of the surgery?”