Merger: A Just Business Mafia Romance

by Kiera Silver

  Her gaze softened, and it was all too easy. He could already see he was going to have very little trouble reeling her in. He should have been disgusted by her weakness, but instead, a surge of relief swept through him to realize she would fall in line with his plans easily enough, and she would soon be his.

  Late in the afternoon, Grace awoke in the most comfortable bed in which she had ever slept. She yawned and stretched luxuriously. After the evening’s events, she had expected to toss and turn half the night as she had lain in the strange hotel room, aware there was a man she barely knew on the opposite side of the wall. Not to mention being torn between the fear of what her father would say when she called and told him what had happened.

  She didn’t know Larenz, and he could do anything to her. No one would even know she was missing for a few days yet, because her parents believed she was going to Miami with Chrissy for spring break... not the Mexican Riviera. She had omitted that detail.

  On the other hand, it seemed unlikely that Larenz would have brought her back to this luxurious suite and settled her into a room of her own while making no demands of her if he was anything but a Good Samaritan. He had suggested she wait until this morning to call her father, since he would probably be more receptive to helping her and less likely to yell if he wasn’t awakened from a sound sleep. At the time, his words had made sense. It had all made sense, and she had fallen asleep with surprising ease.

  Now, after years of admonishments and warnings from her father about the evil intent of most men, she marveled at easily she had given up on common sense and surrendered to instinct instead. Stupid.

  There was a knock at her door and Grace scrambled to pull the bed sheet up over her bare breasts. She expected to see Larenz, so it was a surprise when a maid wheeling a cart of food entered instead. The woman quickly set up the breakfast she had brought on a tray, which she placed across Grace’s lap. “Will there be anything else, Miss?”

  Feeling slightly bewildered, Grace shook her head and the woman nodded, smiled and left the room. The heavenly smell of food reached her nostrils, urging her to dig in to the beautifully prepared and presented breakfast. It was delicious; far better than the food offered at the hotel where she had stayed with her sorority sisters and their boyfriends.

  She was just finishing her omelet when there was another knock at the door, and she took a sip of orange juice before calling, “Come in.” As the door opened, she checked to make sure the sheet was still tucked tightly under her armpits and covered all visible spots of flesh from mid-chest down. She was unsurprised to see Larenz this time. “Thank you for breakfast.”

  Of course.”

  “It’s going to be a little while before I can repay you for the room and breakfast, but —”

  He held up a hand. “Actually, you can pay me back right now.”

  Her lips tightened, and she looked briefly downward at her lack of clothing before meeting his gaze again. She wondered if hers revealed the sense of betrayal rushing through her. He’d never made any promises of helping her out of the goodness of his heart, so she shouldn’t be surprised if he wanted some kind of tangible compensation for giving her a bed to sleep in and food to fill her stomach. “What do you mean?”

  He flashed her a smile, and it didn’t seem overly perverted or lewd. “I wouldn’t mind some company. I’d originally planned to come on this trip with a friend of mine, but Claudia and I had a falling out shortly before we were supposed to leave. I came anyway, but it’s lonely being on vacation alone. If you want, you’re welcome to stay here. I’m booked to the end of the week, and then you can fly home as planned on your original ticket. Your father would never need to know about the little scrape you got into last night, and you can still enjoy your vacation.”

  It was a tempting offer, but she was having difficulty believing he’d made it simply because he wanted the pleasure of her company. “And what else do you want from me?”

  He looked puzzled. “I’m not sure what you mean. If you’re implying that I’m asking for something besides companionship, then the answer is no.”

  She flushed and dropped her gaze from his, immediately feeling embarrassed by her assumptions. Of course he didn’t want or expect anything from her. He was built along the lines of the marble statues of the gods and men of Greece she had seen while touring Europe last summer with her mom, though she doubted he suffered from the same lack of endowment that most of the sculptors had bestowed upon their artwork.

  That errant thought made her blush even more fiercely. With his neatly trimmed beard and mustache and dark hair, coupled with his compelling eyes, he would clearly have no trouble attracting female attention. He wouldn’t have to pressure a stranger he’d just met into exchanging sex for room and board. “Of course not,” she said stiffly. “Thank you for the offer, but I need some time to think about it.”

  He looked surprised by her response, but he didn’t argue. “Of course. I’m planning to do some sightseeing in a bit, so if you’d like to join me, I’ll be waiting in the sitting room for a little while. Please let me know whatever decision you reach.” His words were clipped and a little stiff, suggesting she might have offended him, or even hurt his feelings.

  That sent a pang of anxiety through her, and she had to resist the urge to apologize. She was too flustered to do so at the moment and have it come out coherently. She was still smarting from her assumption that he had wicked things in mind for her, and she was dismayed to discover that she was actually hurt and offended herself that he didn’t want her to trade her body for staying in the hotel room for the rest of the week. What was wrong with her? She should be relieved that he wasn’t a creepy old man rather than be offended by him not desiring her.

  She still had to decide if she was going to accept his hospitality. It was beyond the bounds of manners to seriously entertain the idea, but she was feeling quite possibly cowardly enough to take him up on his offer and hide in the hotel suite for the rest of the week rather than face her father and admit what she had done.

  It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, but Grace didn’t want to disappoint him. Her father had a very clearly defined role for her, and any time she exceeded the boundaries of it, the hurt and disappointment that filled his eyes was always worse than any amount of shouting or yelling could have been. She would rather that he physically discipline her than give her that look, and no matter how old she got, she couldn’t imagine that would ever change.

  That was why she had bothered with the subterfuge of staying with Chrissy over the week, while not enlightening him that it would be only one night in Miami before they headed to Mexico. This stranger, who had come to her rescue, was offering to extend her rescue through the rest of the week, nothing more.

  It was difficult to believe that such an attractive and wealthy man could be lonely, but perhaps he really was. She was lonely too, never quite fitting in with her peers, and always maintaining the role of Daddy’s perfect daughter at home, which often left her on the fringe of her siblings’ exploits as well. What could it hurt to spend a little time with a stranger when he had kind eyes and had been nothing but thoughtful?

  Her mind made up, Grace got out of bed and tugged on Chrissy’s dress she had borrowed before they’d left the other hotel room last night. She couldn’t imagine traipsing around sightseeing in the thing, so she knew that she would have to spring for a few new pieces of clothing.

  She mentally calculated the amount left on her credit card, discounting the small pile of cash remaining in her impractical wallet and determined that she had just enough to buy one or two things, but she would have to eat sparingly to make the money last.

  When she emerged from the hotel room a few minutes later, she found Larenz standing with his back to her looking out at the ocean. The suite offered a fantastic view of the coastline, with one wall made up entirely of glass. The sun backlit him, emphasizing his form through the khaki shorts and light button-down shirt he wore.

  The sunligh
t brought out deep golden highlights in his dark hair, and as he turned to face her, she grasped why she had been so upset when she’d realized that he didn’t want her body. It was because she wanted his. She had wanted him to propose an indecent arrangement, and not because she would have rejected it with righteous indignation. She had a feeling if he had offered her a spot in his suite for the rest of the week, contingent on sharing his bed, she would have jumped at the opportunity.

  She cleared her throat, hoping he didn’t detect the blush in her cheeks. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I will take you up on your offer.”

  He gave her an easy grin, though it didn’t reveal much about his true reaction to her acquiescence. “I’m pleased to hear that. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of having some of the shops send up clothing for you. Whether or not you stayed, I knew you’d need some clothing to get through the rest of the week.” He waved to the couch.

  She turned toward it, expecting to see a couple of boxes or bags, since he had said a few pieces. Instead, it was heaped with purchases, and she eyed them in shock. “How long do you think I’m staying?”

  He laughed, sounding delighted. “You don’t have to keep them all, Grace. I’m not sure what your tastes are, and though I think I’m pretty sure about your size, I could be wrong.” As he spoke, his gaze moved briefly to the overflow of cleavage from the black dress, before darting away.

  That he had looked at all made her stomach twist into knots of anticipation as she tried to read his expression, hoping to find at least a trace of desire there. Unfortunately, he had a perfect poker face, and she couldn’t determine what he was thinking or feeling.

  Instead, she dived into the boxes, quickly selecting a far more suitable outfit for sightseeing, somehow unsurprised that he had accurately guessed her size. She was confident that even the bra would fit, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know how he’d acquired that particular skill.

  She quickly tried to suppress thinking about the whole idea as she rushed back to her room to get dressed, quickly throwing off Chrissy’s dress and tossing it in the trashcan before putting on something that was far more her style. She hurried in her movements, not wanting to waste a second of the time she had with Larenz, since it was likely to be limited. He might not be interested in her yet, but maybe there was a chance she could change his mind.

  Chapter Two

  Hours later, they returned to the suite after a day of sightseeing. Her feet hurt from all the walking she’d done in new sandals, but she didn’t hesitate to agree when he suggested they dress up and have dinner at one of the restaurants in the resort.

  Since she was in no financial position to pay half the bill, the manners her mom had instilled in her suggested that she should find an excuse to decline his invitation, but she didn’t want to. Manners be damned. She wanted to spend more time with Larenz. She was infatuated with him, and knowing she didn’t stand a chance of gaining his attention didn’t lessen the desire to be around him.

  She took a quick shower to wash away the sheen of sunscreen, and the grit and grime of the day that clung to her fair skin. She pinned her damp hair up into a twist and slid on a tropical-print dress that was clearly meant for eveningwear. It fluttered almost to her ankles, but the revealing slit up the side made it far sexier and revealing, ending just a few inches below her panty line. It was too hot for stockings, and she didn’t have any anyway, so she left her legs bare and donned a pair of high-heeled sandals. Her sore feet temporarily protested, but the high-quality shoes were more comfortable than she had anticipated.

  As a last step, she applied lipstick; thankful it was a close enough match to the fuchsia flowers in the dress not to clash terribly. Eyeing herself in the mirror, she decided that she looked pretty good. Maybe even sexy. She wasn’t certain if Larenz would find her that way, but she felt sexy. It was evident in the way she walked, and she could feel it in the sinuous sway of her hips as she walked out of her room to meet Larenz in the living room of the suite.

  Larenz was already waiting for her, dressed in semi-formal resort attire. Her confident steps faltered when she saw the expression on his face. It was unreadable, but it made her nervous. Self-consciously, she tugged at the straps of the dress, and frowned at him. “Is something wrong?” Did she look hideous? Was the dress completely inappropriate for where he was taking her? It didn’t seem likely, since he was dressed in similar clothing, but she was absolutely certain she had screwed up somewhere.

  He stared at her for another moment without speaking before he finally shook his head. “There’s nothing wrong. You’re just beautiful.”

  Warmth pooled in her stomach and matched the heat in her cheeks when she flushed under the intensity of his gaze. “Thank you,” she mumbled shyly as she looked away from him.

  A moment later, he walked over to her, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world when he folded his hand over hers, tugging her lightly to get her moving. She held cautiously to his hand, not wanting to cling to him or be the last one to let go. Apparently, he was soon annoyed with her limp grip, because he sighed and rearranged their hands so hers was folded inside his tightly.

  “I hope you like seafood. I made a reservation for the most popular restaurant here at the resort, and seafood is their specialty.”

  She nodded. “About the only thing I don’t like are clams.”

  It was an inane conversation, but she did her best to participate with the right responses as her hormones tried to induce her to sway against him and lift her head, hoping he would take the cue to kiss her.

  Sternly, she tried to hold herself in check with a reminder that just because he admired her appearance didn’t mean he was attracted to her. She was building herself up for something that couldn’t be, so she had to return to reality. The idea held little appeal, but it held even less appeal to make a fool of herself by offering something he didn’t want.

  They had to wait for a table at the restaurant for a few minutes despite having a reservation. She held her breath while she waited to see his reaction, but he merely nodded at the maître d’ and led her to the bar, where they both ordered margaritas. She took a sip, and her eyes watered at the strength of the tequila. “I think they forgot the rest of the drink. This is just tequila on the rocks.” She gave him a feeble smile as she made the weak joke.

  He didn’t seem affected, but he did nod. “It’s certainly on the strong side.”

  At first, she sipped slowly, but as the minutes ticked past and her awkwardness increased, she found herself returning to the drink more and more frequently just to have something to occupy her hands. Before she knew it, she’d finished the entire thing, and her head was spinning slightly. She wasn’t drunk, but she was certainly on the edge of tipsy, so she was relieved when the maître d’ gestured in their direction a moment later, and she was able to slide off the stool without tripping in the high heels.

  That seemed like a major accomplishment, as did covering the distance between the bar and their table without stumbling like a drunken fool. Larenz held out the chair for her before he seated himself. She was relieved to see rolls on the table and reached for one, slathering it with a thick layer of butter before she ever opened her menu. She needed food in her stomach if she was going to keep her brain working at even half-capacity.

  Even with the bread and a speedy arrival of their appetizers, Grace was still feeling giddy. It didn’t take long to realize that it was the proximity to Larenz as much, if not more than, the alcohol she had consumed. She drank sparingly of the glass of wine that accompanied her meal, determined not to get drunk. The drink had loosened her tongue and lowered her inhibitions enough that the conversation flowed easily, and she learned quite a bit about him, including he was the oldest of a set of identical triplets. He told her about his family for several minutes, answering the questions she asked, before turning the tables on her.

  “And what about your family? Do you have siblings? Are your mother and father s
till together? I know it’s an unusual turn of events if they are.” His eyes sparkled as he made the observation, indicating he was probably teasing.

  She shook her head. “No, they aren’t. They divorced five years ago, which was a total shock to us kids. We thought my parents were in it for the long haul, but I have to admit they both seem happier without each other than they ever were together. But it was hard.”

  His expression showed sympathy. “You would have been seventeen when they divorced?”

  She nodded, remembering with a small trace of bitterness that it had been the day before her birthday when they’d announced they were splitting up. It had tainted that birthday and the first one after, but she was mostly over it by now.

  “I’m curious about who you chose to live with?” As he asked, he took a bite of the exotic looking fish that he had ordered, clearly relishing the flavor.

  “I went to live with my dad. My brothers and sister stayed with mom, but my dad just seemed so lost that I knew he needed someone to pick him.”

  “Was it difficult living with him?”

  She shook her head. “No, not really. I just maintained the expectations he set for me, and he was happy with that. I think it helped him transition easier, since the divorce was definitely my mother’s idea. She remarried a few months later.”

  “I guess you don’t like your stepfather?”

  Grace snorted softly. “He’s already gone. That marriage lasted less than a year, but I don’t blame my mom. When she discovered he was getting handsy with my little sister, she kicked his ass straight out to the curb.”

  “Good for her. She should have castrated him first.”

  He said it was such intensity that it was almost unnerving, though she didn’t disagree with his assessment. “I guess she was afraid she’d be arrested. I’m not sure if my father would be happy to have her thrown in jail, or if he would have been utterly humiliated.”