by Mia Caldwell
Kiersten giggled, and it was an incongruous sound from his poised and polished sister. “I can see that. I never thought there’d be a woman who would get Sawyer to settle down for more than five minutes. How long have you been together?”
Panic invaded her features, and it was clear she was floundering for an answer. Smoothly, he said, “Officially, we haven’t been dating very long, but I think she’s had my heart since the moment she stepped aboard the yacht three years ago.”
Her eyes twitched, and it was obvious she was having a difficult time not rolling them in response to his cheesy answer. His lips twitched too, and he wanted to laugh along with her, though he had a feeling he wasn’t completely snowing his family. If he’d realized just what she had under those regulation uniforms, there was no way he would have been able to hold out for three years in his pursuit of her.
Of course, his heart was a completely separate part of his anatomy, and not the predominant part that was interested in her. He wouldn’t have fallen for her, as he had no intention of ever falling in love with anyone, but he certainly would have tumbled her more than once.
It was for the best though, because she had been a good skipper, and the timing had aligned perfectly for this little charade. It was only when she started to pull her hand from his that he realized he was still holding it. With a little dart of reluctance, he forced his hand open and released so she could return hers to her lap.
He was disconcerted by the jolt that shot through him at the separation, and for the first time, Sawyer wondered if he was in dangerous territory. He rarely spent a week with any woman, and especially not in close quarters under the guise of being romantically involved. If he wasn’t careful, he might end up feeling more than desire for his pretend-girlfriend.
Chapter Four
Nadia’s hand still burned from where he’d held it, not to mention the tingles his lips had inspired when brushing against her skin. As she made conversation with his family, which proved not to be too difficult, considering how friendly they were, her mind was mulling over the shocking realization at which she’d arrived.
She was attracted to Sawyer Sinclair.
Physically, it wasn’t a surprise, as he was a perfect specimen of manhood, but his negative traits should have been more than enough to discourage any sort of attraction from blossoming. Instead, her body was tingling and highly aware of his proximity. She nibbled on her lower lip as she considered the ramifications of desiring him. They were going to be in close quarters for the next week, and it could be dangerous to her self-control.
She shook her head subtly, stopping the motion as she realized she was doing it. No, she wasn’t foolish enough to allow herself to fall victim to his charms. Nadia could appreciate his male beauty without wanting to get close to it…touch it…kiss it.
Nadia cleared her throat as she realized his grandfather was speaking to her, and her thoughts had slipped somewhere she didn’t want them to venture. “I’m sorry, but what did you say, Mr. Sinclair?”
“I just asked what your future plans are, young lady.”
He was stern on the outside, but there was something about the older man that reminded her of her father. Perhaps it was the softness in his eyes, or the clear kindness beneath the gruff exterior. Whatever it was, she was predisposed to like the older man, though she had expected him to be entirely different. “My dream is to race in the America’s Cup, just like my father.”
He arched his bushy brows. “That’s an ambitious dream for a woman.”
“Dad.” Caitlin tutted her tongue at him.
“Grandfather,” said Kiersten a half-second behind her mother. “Don’t be such a chauvinistic pig.”
Harold scowled at his granddaughter. “It’s not chauvinism. She is a woman. She isn’t as strong as a man.”
While his daughter and granddaughter sputtered at him, Nadia observed him, and her lips twitched. How could they miss the glint of amusement in his eyes? It was clear to her he was simply testing her, or attempting to get a rise from her. “I’m just a woman, but I have my dreams. I’m sure I’ll make them happen someday, as long as I get permission from my man.” She delivered the words sweetly, with a healthy dose of saccharin underneath.
Harold regarded her for a moment before he chuckled. “I can see what he likes about you, Nadia. I was just kidding with all that nonsense. You look like a determined person, the type to keep my reprobate grandson on-track. I have no doubt we’ll know you as the world’s champion in no time.”
“Because the winner of America’s Cup is certainly a household name,” said Nadia with a dash of self-deprecation. It certainly was in some circles, especially social circles like these, but she’d never be on the front of “Sports Illustrated” for racing in the America’s Cup, even if she won. Fortunately, that wasn’t her dream. All she wanted to do was win and make her father proud, though he had been gone all these years.
The older man turned his sharp gaze on his grandson. “And what about you, Sawyer? Are you ready to take on more responsibility and settle down now that you’ve got a good woman at your side?”
Nadia felt a little mean for enjoying the way Sawyer squirmed at her side, and she hid her amusement in the glass of the white wine. She didn’t know the vintage or the type, but it was pleasantly fruity with a dry taste she enjoyed.
He cleared his throat. “That’s between us, Grandfather.”
Harold scowled, and this time it was clear all amusement had fled. “You’re almost thirty years old, and it’s time to take some responsibility, to step up—”
“Dad,” said Caitlin with a hint of warning. “You promised.”
After issuing an audible harrumph, the old man fell silent and returned to eating his meal. Caitlin smoothed over the moment of conflict, and they were soon in easy conversation again.
As the meal drew to a close, with Kiersten bringing in dishes of chocolate mousse for everyone, Nadia was surprised to learn his mother and sister had plans for her. “I’m not sure—” she started to say.
They wanted to take her to the spa tomorrow for a day of bonding. While she had originally planned to spend some time doing all the girly things, including a hair treatment, she wasn’t certain if she was ready to venture out with his mother and sister without Sawyer nearby. What if she said something he didn’t want her to say? Perhaps she could discuss that with him after dinner, when they were back in his room.
That made her stomach dip again as she realized it was another problem they had to sort out tonight. Who was going to sleep where? Since she was technically his employee, there was no question she wouldn’t be taking the bed, but didn’t recall seeing much more furniture than the loveseat. Apparently, she was in for a week of poor sleep.
“Oh come, please. You see Sawyer all the time, so surely you can appreciate the time away from him?” asked Kiersten with a grin in her brother’s direction.
“Yes, of course.” As she entered the teasing, Nadia was surprised to realize she wasn’t looking forward to separating herself Sawyer tomorrow. It wasn’t strictly fear of saying the wrong thing or making a bad impression with his family. Her hormones were starting to crave his presence, and she had the nip that in the bud quickly.
With a firm nod, she confirmed her willingness to join them. “Sure, why not? It sounds like fun.” The cost would be no problem, thanks to her generous salary from Sawyer, coupled with the hefty payment he had deposited in her bank account. Knowing there was another one coming at the end of the week eased all money worries.
As though he’d read her mind, he said, “Remind me to give you my AmEx card in the morning.”
She frowned at him. “That won’t be necessary. I can pay for myself.”
A giggle from Kiersten reminded her they weren’t alone, and she looked over at his sister. The other woman flashed her a grin.
“It’s so refreshing to see someone who stands up for herself with him. Sawyer has a way of running over people, and not because he’s stern
or forceful. Rather, he charms his way past their defenses.”
It was an insightful summary of her sibling, and Nadia nodded. “That he does.” Let them, including Sawyer, interpret it however they wished. For her, it was mostly an internal warning to remind herself to batten down the hatches and brace to resist his charms, should he choose to display them toward her.
They retired to his room shortly before ten o’clock, the dinner having ended with coffee in the drawing room. Though Nadia had never lived in a house that had a drawing room, she’d appreciated the meeting area with its Victorian antiques and hospitable atmosphere. The coffee had been delightful, as had the company, and she was feeling entirely too relaxed as she stepped through the doorway with Sawyer right behind her.
It was only when the door closed with a click that she remembered the next obstacle in front of them. She turned to him as he finished locking the door, forcing her expression to remain neutral. “Does the loveseat pull out, Sawyer?”
He arched a brow. “The loveseat?”
Was he being deliberately obtuse, or did he really not understand what she was saying? “I’ll need somewhere to sleep, so I’m asking you if the loveseat folds out to a bed?”
He frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re at least a foot longer than the loveseat. There’s a perfectly good bed.”
“Your bed,” she said with soft emphasis. “Therefore, I’ll need somewhere to sleep. I don’t want to offend your mother, or have them figure out our lack of relationship, so I’ll just make do with the loveseat.”
Casting a critical eye over the furniture, she realized there was also an ottoman she could drag to the loveseat that would extend the length dramatically. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable thing ever, but it couldn’t be any worse than sleeping on one of the small berths in the little sailboat her father used to own.
“Seriously, Nadia, there’s no reason to sleep there. The bed is king-size, and there’s room for both of us.”
She’d been in the process of walking toward the bathroom, and she froze when he stepped up behind her, his hands settling on her hips. Nadia’s breath escaped in a ragged exhalation when he stepped closer still, as the hard length of his erection pressed into her buttocks.
“We could get very cozy in that bed.”
The smoky, seductive tone of his voice made her shudder slightly, and tingles of awareness shot down her spine. It took a surprising amount of strength not to melt back into his arms, especially when one of his moved around her waist, his hand cupping her taut abdomen.
“Let go of me.”
The words came out less firmly than she had intended, with a hint of breathlessness that hitched on a gasp when his palm splayed across her stomach. He was only a couple of inches away from brushing her mound with his middle finger, and the slow circles he made with his fingertips weren’t doing anything to help clear her mind.
“Whatever you say.” He let go of her, and she took a step away with relief. A second later, that turned to outrage as he spun her around and back into his arms. “Is this better?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow, clearly amused.
“You aren’t paying me for this, Sinclair.”
He looked wounded, but his twitching lips gave him away. “Of course not, Nadia. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She scowled at him. “You really don’t want me to answer that question, do you?”
He blinked, looking uncertain for a second. Then the Sawyer confidence returned, and he put his hand along her cheek, his fingers brushing her ear. “Consider this a bonus.”
His head bent downward, and she knew what was coming. All she had to do was take a step back, because he wasn’t holding her that tightly. Instead, Nadia stood still as he brushed his lips against hers.
It was a gentle kiss, demanding nothing, and she told herself that was why she didn’t move away. In fact, the light and gentle, almost questioning, tone of the kiss was the only reason she pressed her palms to his chest, digging her fingers into the lapels of his evening jacket. Though she didn’t drag him closer, she certainly didn’t push him away as the kiss deepened.
Sawyer’s tongue brushed against her full lower lip, and she gasped, allowing him the advantage. He dipped inside, tongue stroking hers, and she couldn’t resist the urge to reciprocate. As the kiss grew hungrier and deeper, she could feel herself hovering on the edge of the precipice.
Fortunately, sanity returned when he moved his hand lower to cup her buttocks and press her lower body more firmly against his, emphasizing the level of his arousal. It was like a splash of cold water in the face, allowing her to jerk away. “No more of that.”
She scrubbed at her mouth while she glared at him, wanting to wipe away all traces of the kiss—not because it had been unpleasant, but because it had been too pleasant, too earthshaking, and more than she wanted to accept. Being attracted to Sawyer was bad enough, but having an affair with him was unthinkable. She couldn’t think of any reasons why at the moment, but she was sure they would return to her when her mind cleared from passion.
He frowned. “What’s the problem?”
“The problem is you and I have a deal, a business deal. We’re not involved, and I won’t let you do that again.” Without waiting for an answer, she spun on her heel and strode to the bathroom, pausing only long enough to grab sleepwear from the dresser where a maid had thoughtfully unpacked all her clothing earlier. Thank goodness she’d had the foresight to insist on a few comfortable pieces for sleeping during her shopping trip with Onja.
By the time she had removed her makeup and shoved her hair into an unflattering ponytail, she was feeling calmer. Stepping from the bathroom, she was disconcerted to find the light already out and Sawyer in bed. He was snoring softly, and though half the bed was available, the covers even thrown back for her, she ignored the unspoken invitation and turned to the furniture instead.
Some exertion allowed her to line up the ottoman to the loveseat in a semi-comfortable position, and she stretched out on the furniture. It wasn’t as uncomfortable as it had looked, and she supposed that was due to the quality of the pieces. Still, it wouldn’t be her favorite place to sleep for the next six nights after this one, but it was far safer to stay on the slightly uncomfortable loveseat than move to the tempting king-size bed.
She had no doubt the thread count of the sheets would be in the millions and super soft against her skin. The mattress would probably be the most comfortable she’d ever slept on, and she would snooze like a baby. None of those features were the most tempting one.
The main attraction and component holding her back was the bed’s owner and sole occupant. She had the feeling if she got into that bed with him, she’d wake up curled in his arms, her own body having betrayed her in the middle of the night. If that happened, she doubted she would be able to move away from him a second time. Not because she thought he would try to force her or hold her there, but because she didn’t think she could summon the strength of will to make herself leave again.
Chapter Five
The spa was amazing. Nadia had been to such facilities before, but never one quite like this. It was certainly upscale, and she was thankful Sawyer had pressed his card into her palm that morning despite her resistance. Yes, she could have afforded the indulgent luxury of the place, but she’d decided to allow him to pay for it instead. It was simply another bonus, like that mind-blowing kiss.
No, she couldn’t think about that and still hope to maintain any distance between them, especially when his mother and sister were regaling her with tales of his childhood and clearly trying to present him in a better light than he actually projected. Just remembering how it had felt to be in his arms, even briefly, made her too vulnerable.
“He sounds like he was just as precocious then as he is now,” she said with a grin as his mother wound down the tale of him sneaking out at fifteen, stealing Harold’s Rolls-Royce, and using it to take the gardener’s daughter on a date. There hadn’t been a hint of dis
approval about the fact it had been the gardener’s daughter. Their main objections seemed to have been that she was four years older than Sawyer, and that he had stolen the car.
“He is at times,” said Caitlin with an indulgent smile only a mother could wear.
Nadia wondered how indulgent his mother would be if she shared some of her tales of Sawyer, the kind of tales full of debauchery and womanizing—the kind of behavior about which no mother needed to hear. An unspoken part of her job was to shield his family from the truth of Sawyer.
He hadn’t stipulated that in their terms, but she had taken the task upon herself. They didn’t need to know just how wild their golden boy could be. Of course, it benefited her to remember his darker streak whenever she was tempted to succumb to his charms, should temptation arise again, as it had last night.
“What about you, dear? Were you precocious?”
Nadia shook her head. “Not at all, ma’am. Caitlin,” she corrected, reminding herself for the tenth time his mother had invited her to use her first name. “I hear I was always shy and cautious, certainly reserved. According to my papa, the only time I really came alive was on the sea. It’s in my blood.”
“You and Sawyer definitely have that in common,” said Kiersten. “He and Dad used to go sailing in the Bay every weekend. Dad had one of those wooden sailboats, and you know how much upkeep they require?” At Nadia’s nod, she added, “Sawyer worked side-by-side with our dad, keeping the boat shipshape and ready for sailing into the next adventure.”
It was difficult to imagine Sawyer working hard at anything without complaint, besides bedding his latest conquest. She held back that criticism, somehow able to envision that side of Sawyer, at least a younger version of him. It intrigued her that he had been a devoted sailor with his father, just as she had with hers. Could it be they had something in common?