Tempted by the Boss

by Jules Bennett

  He met her gaze. “Believe it or not, I do demand respect.”

  “You think I don’t respect you?” she asked, a little hurt he would even think that.

  “It’s impossible to respect anything I’ve got in there to wear.” He leveled her gaze across the table. “The next time you kidnap someone to an unknown destination, maybe at least tell them what to pack or don’t have their wardrobe left to the hands of a resort gift shop.”

  Kelly reached for her wine. “Oh, well. A minor hiccup. It’s my first kidnapping.”

  He ate in silence for a minute, and she wondered if he was literally angry with her for being here and for the wardrobe. She wanted him to have a good time, and by the end of this trip she wanted him to see her in a manner outside of the office and in a more relaxed environment.

  Was that too much to hope for?

  “How was the beach?” she asked.

  He drew his brows together as if trying to think of his day. “Peaceful,” he told her. “Having a private beach is definitely a perk that almost makes up for my atrocious clothes. You’ll have to go down there tomorrow. How was the book?”

  “I’m almost done with it.”

  His eyes widened. “In one day?”

  “Listen, when I get a break I take full advantage,” she replied. “I love to read.”

  “How many books did you pack?”

  “I brought seven.” She held up her hands ticking off her fingers. “One for each of the five days and two just in case I finish early on the others.”

  He eased back in his seat and continued to stare at her. “You’re really taking this relaxing period seriously.”

  “You will, too,” she vowed. “I have a few surprises planned during our trip.”

  His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. “I don’t know that I’ll survive anymore surprises from you.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “I promise you will love them. I’m just trying to help you recharge, remember? You need a little fun in your life and to take time to forget about the office. Trust me, all of those issues will be there when we get back.”

  He continued to study her, then his eyes dipped to the scoop in her tank. Her heart clenched as the sexual awareness seemed to bounce between them.

  “Your skin is pink.” He motioned toward her chest. “You need to be careful and apply more sunscreen.”

  “I know. It’s a little tender. I just got lost in the book and the time got away from me. I’ll be fine.”

  Luke grabbed his small fork for the lobster tail. “I’ve never read anything so entertaining that it caused me to lose total track of time.”

  “Well, you will have to read something other than spreadsheets then.”

  He shook his head and laughed. “You’re awfully snarky. I bet you’re feeling really sure of yourself now that you’ve succeeded in getting me here.”

  She clutched her wineglass to her chest. “I won’t deny I feel pretty damn good. I was worried about lying to you, but I knew in the end it would be for your own good.”

  They finished their meal and then carried their dishes back to the cart. Luke pushed the cart out the door and left it for their private butler to get later.

  “I did order your favorite bourbon,” she told him as soon as he closed the door. “Would you like a glass?”

  “I’m actually pretty tired. I might turn in early.”

  Another sliver of disappointment slid through her, but what did she expect? To ply him with bourbon and have her way with him? No, that certainly wasn’t her style. She wanted him to come to her on his own. But she was also going to show him there was more to both of them than work.

  Yes, she wanted him to reset his mind where Wingate was concerned, but she also wanted him to see what had been in front of him for the past five years.

  Would he ever see her as more? And if so, would he ever admit to it...or would he be too afraid to take that type of a risk?

  Kelly sighed. Well, no matter what might transpire between them, it wasn’t going to happen on night one. It might not even happen on night five, but she had to try. She had to see if there was a spark between them and if he felt even an inkling of what she did.

  When Luke went to his room, Kelly headed into hers to shower and put on her pajamas. Maybe she’d get started on another book. She figured she wouldn’t get much sleep tonight...not with the man of her every fantasy sleeping only feet away.

  Tomorrow, she would have to make a move. Time was running out.

  * * *

  Hell. He couldn’t sleep. The image of Kelly in that damn bikini hovered in the forefront of his mind.

  Maybe he should get that bourbon she’d gotten for him. Perhaps a little nightcap would help. It was nearly midnight and he hadn’t heard her for some time. He’d listened to her showering earlier and he’d had to think of anything else other than her naked body so close.

  There was no excuse for him lusting after her. He’d always found her attractive...any man with breath in his lungs would find Kelly Prentiss stunning. But he’d never looked at her in a sexual way—and now he couldn’t see her as anything else.

  Damn her for bringing him here and pulling these emotions out of him. Had that been her plan all along? To seduce him? Because she was doing a hell of a job.

  He never mixed business with pleasure. He couldn’t even hold an engagement together and keep his career. His job was his number one priority. Family loyalty meant everything to him, and in turn, that meant he had to give his all to Wingate.

  Tossing his sheet aside, he swung his legs off the bed and headed for the door. Luke had on his own black boxer briefs which actually covered more than any suit he’d been given. He was at least comfortable, though back at home he slept nude. With a thin wall separating him from Kelly, he thought it best to at least have one more layer of protection.

  Luke opened his bedroom door and headed toward the kitchen. The soft glow of light coming from around the corner made him pause. He took another step, then another, only to come up short and have his breath catch in his throat.

  Well, damn it all. This is not what he needed in his line of sight.

  He wasn’t expecting to see Kelly standing there in some skimpy, silky blue romper with half her ass on display as she rubbed some aloe on her bare cheeks.

  The way she was twisted around trying to hold up the hem of her practically sheer bottoms and rub lotion with her other hand all while trying to see behind her... which looked damn uncomfortable and near impossible.

  An instant image of her in various other positions flooded his mind, and he cursed himself for even allowing that to happen.

  Her eyes met his and she jerked her bottoms down as she straightened upright.

  “Luke,” she exclaimed. “What are you doing up? Did I wake you?”

  Did she wake him? Hell yes she did. With the picture burned in his brain of her lying in that bikini, of her sashaying with those curvy hips, of her wet body from the pool...

  There was no way he could sleep with all of those images rolling through his mind like some X-rated movie.

  He remained still, the picture she’d made rubbing her backside now singed into his mind. “Couldn’t sleep. I came to get some of that bourbon you mentioned.”

  And now he would need a double shot.

  Luke motioned toward her. “You get burnt?”

  Kelly sighed. “Yes. I put sunscreen on, but then I got so caught up in reading, I forgot to reapply. It’s pretty painful on my...well, you saw.”

  He took a step forward, watching as her eyes widened. The unwanted lust and arousal slammed into him, but seeing a sexy woman in the middle of the night wearing nothing but silk would do that to any man...even if the woman was his assistant.

  “Do you need help?” he asked. Why was his voice so husky? And why the hell had he offered his ser
vices? He couldn’t assist Kelly...at least not in the way his body suddenly clamored to.

  “Oh, um, no,” she murmured. “I think I got it.”

  Silence settled heavy between them, and Luke wished he’d just stayed in his room. This trip was playing mind games with him, and he didn’t even recognize his own thoughts. Up until now everything in his mind had centered on the company, but these last several hours had all revolved around torrid erotic fantasies involving his most trusted employee.

  Was Zeke really trying to play matchmaker now that he’d found the love of his life? Was he wanting Luke out of the office to both take a break and have some fling? What was the goal, really?

  Ezekiel had just married Reagan in some whirlwind Vegas wedding. The two were so in love, it was almost nauseating and definitely not something Luke believed would work for everyone.

  Love sure as hell wasn’t for Luke, and he didn’t have time for any office romance, either.

  “Do you want me to get you a drink?” she asked in that sweet tone of hers.

  Luke jerked from his thoughts and shook his head. “I can get it. I’ll probably go sit on the patio for a bit for some fresh air.”

  Kelly nodded. “Ok. Well, good night.”

  She stared another minute, her eyes landing on his bare chest, before she passed by him to go back to her room. It wasn’t until that door closed with a soft click that he released the breath he’d been holding.

  Damn it. He was going to have to pull himself together or he’d never make it out of this trip without surrendering to temptation.

  Five

  Kelly scooped up a seashell and rinsed it off as the tide rolled in. She ran her thumb over the smooth edges and slid it into the side pocket of her beach bag. As a child, she’d always loved looking for seashells when she’d gone on beach vacations with her parents.

  That was something she and Luke had in common; they had both lost their parents when they’d been in college. Her parents had died within a couple years of each other, but Luke had lost his at the same time in a car accident.

  Even though Luke was an adult, he and his brother, Ezekiel, were raised by their aunt and uncle, Trent and Ava Wingate. That’s how Luke and Ezekiel had slid into the company.

  Unfortunately, Trent passed away and a grieving Ava had turned to Keith Cooper...who ended up being the downfall of Wingate, but that bombshell fact didn’t come out until a very carefully placed wiretap.

  The downward spiral of the company just seemed to steamroll with one unfortunate event after another between fake charges being brought against them, foreclosures of properties, and the embezzlement. Keith had been behind it all and would certainly pay for his crimes.

  Sutton Wingate, the CFO, was doing all he could on his end to make the numbers work, but there just wasn’t a way to bring this company back up from the ashes without some grand new project to give them that boost they needed.

  That’s why Ezekiel and Luke were feeling the pressure to make things right and eliminate the black cloud that had been looming over Wingate Enterprises.

  The stress had just become too much and while Zeke had Reagan as an outlet, Luke only had his career. That’s when Zeke had realized his brother needed to get away and clear his head.

  Between all of the career ups and downs, Luke had been put through the ringer, but so had his personal life with the broken engagement a few years ago. Kelly had never been as happy as when his ex, Lily, had finally gotten out of his life. And as far as she was concerned, Lily had never been good enough for Luke. She’d been much too demanding, not understanding that Luke had an important role in Wingate and couldn’t just take off on a whim. She never cared about Luke’s feelings or his work, she had only cared about how big her ring was, or how fancy their wedding could be or having the grandest house in all of Royal, Texas.

  And Kelly couldn’t stand how Lily would look down on her when she came into the office. Like being an assistant was so far beneath a wanna-be trophy wife.

  So when all was said and done, the broken engagement was for the best. Luke wasn’t the marrying kind and clearly Lily didn’t see that. Kelly knew exactly the type of man he was...and that’s the sole reason a fling was her only option with the man she was so hopelessly infatuated with.

  Moving on down the beach, she slid her toes along the wet sand where the tide kept coming in. She felt another larger shell and bent down to dig it out and rinse it off, too. Although she didn’t know how long she’d walked, so far she’d found five shells that she wanted to take back to Texas. She wanted a reminder of her trip to this beautiful, exotic location.

  And her trip with Luke.

  That sounded ridiculous and naive, but she was the boss of her own little world and she didn’t care.

  She didn’t see Luke this morning when she’d gotten up. Breakfast had been delivered at nine. She’d grabbed some fresh fruit and drank a mimosa before leaving and still hadn’t heard a peep from his bedroom.

  Maybe he was hiding or embarrassed after last night. Perhaps he was trying to figure out how to face her since he’d seen her bare ass?

  All she knew was she hadn’t missed the way he’d looked at her. The lighting might have been dim, but the raw passion in his eyes had been damn obvious.

  He’d been turned on and those tight, black boxer briefs did nothing to hide the fact he’d also been aroused.

  Likely seeing any half-naked woman in the middle of the night would cause him to get turned on, but he’d never been turned on by her before...at least not that she knew.

  Kelly turned and headed back toward the bungalow. She put on her yellow bikini and only threw on a white wrap around her waist. While she definitely needed less sun on her buns today, she still wanted to go back and get more sunscreen on her upper body.

  She rinsed off her feet at the outside shower and left her bag and sandals on the chaise by the pool. The sun was already beating down and she couldn’t wait to build on the tan she’d started.

  Being stuck in an office for ten hours a day lately, she hadn’t had much time for catching some rays. Not to mention December wasn’t the best month to try to gain some color in Texas.

  When she stepped into the bungalow, Luke stood at the breakfast cart picking at a piece of bacon. He glanced up and caught her eyes.

  “Sleep well?” she asked, not really knowing how to break the ice. She also figured he hadn’t slept too well if he’d needed the aid of some hard alcohol to assist him.

  What was the protocol after your boss saw you rubbing your bare ass with aloe? Should she make a joke? Offer to rub his ass?

  No, Kelly. Calm down. He was still her boss, he still deserved respect. She was just going to have to take this one minute at a time to see how he was going to handle everything.

  The man had enough chaos in his life and here she was adding to his angst. She didn’t want his worries to grow, she wanted to seduce him. She hadn’t seduced a man before and she was starting to wonder if she was even able.

  “After the bourbon and fresh air I slept fine,” he muttered.

  Okay. Well, clearly someone wasn’t a morning person. He was always ready to go in the office in the mornings. How could he not be at such a dreamlike location? This place made her forget her worries...except for the fact she was sexually frustrated.

  “I’m sorry about last night.” Might as well bring out the proverbial elephant. “I found the aloe in the fridge so I just stood in here and applied it. Had I known you were awake, I never would’ve...”

  He stared. Those dark eyes seemed to bore into her as if trying to uncover her deepest thoughts. He’d put on a pair of green shorts with a floral, very tacky button-up, but he’d left it completely open. How could the man make a tasteless tourist wardrobe look so darn sexy?

  Maybe it was that bedroom glare, maybe it was the dark, black beard, maybe it was that exposed chest
that made her want to run her hands over the taut muscles and chest hair... Or maybe it was the entire package that was still driving her out of her ever loving mind.

  She’d asked for this. After all, she was the one who had brought him here under the guise of work. What did she expect? Of course his body would be on display. They were on a tropical island and the weather called for skin to be out...not covered up.

  If only she had the green light to touch said skin she wouldn’t be so cranky and frustrated.

  Kelly cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’ll be sure to stay in my room at night,” she promised as she moved closer to grab a slice of pineapple. “The beach is beautiful. I found some really nice shells. I always collect some anytime I get to a beach. I keep a bowl of them on my desk at home to calm me when I’m feeling stressed.”

  He stared at her and she wondered why she’d started babbling and telling him random nonsense.

  “Are there plans for the day?” he asked, clearly not impressed by her small talk.

  She smiled. “Actually, yes. Later today we are getting a massage.”

  He stared at her once again. “A massage?”

  “It’s pretty much key to relaxing, Luke. I promise, you’ll love it.”

  “Don’t count on that,” he told her. “I’d love to get my phone and check my work emails. That’s what I’d love.”

  Kelly rolled her eyes and grabbed a strawberry. “Not going to happen. So, you want to swim or go to the beach or walk around the resort?”

  “I don’t even know what to do.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s why I’m here,” she informed him. “I’m going to teach you to relax.”

  “I’ll relax when I think of a solution for Wingate.”

  Kelly actually felt sorry for him. He was wound so tight he couldn’t think of anything else. She seriously had her work cut out for her.

  “You know when you’ll think of it?” she asked. “When you’re not trying to think of it. I know that sounds strange, but it’s the truth.”

  He reached for another piece of bacon and bit into it, then turned a mug over and poured coffee from the carafe. She waited while he sipped his java and continued to pick around at the breakfast.