Tempted by the Boss

by Jules Bennett

  He instantly jerked against her palm. “Later?”

  She couldn’t help but smile as she eased her hand inside the waistband of his shorts for full-on contact.

  “Now is fine, too.”

  Luke groaned and dropped his head back. This is what she wanted. She wanted him to come undone for her, knowing she’d caused him to release such passion. For now, he was hers, and she planned on taking full advantage...literally.

  She eased his shorts down to his ankles and dropped to her knees.

  “Kelly—”

  “Let me,” she whispered.

  His hand went into her hair as she started to pleasure him. She had never done this to any other man and she only wanted this level of intimacy with Luke.

  As she continued to stroke him, his hands tightened, pulling her hair just a bit and she knew he was getting closer to the edge. She increased her speed, hoping she was doing this right. But clearly he was enjoying himself and that’s all she really wanted.

  When the climax overtook him, he grunted her name over and over and the moment turned her on more than she ever dreamed possible. Who knew pleasuring someone else in such a way would be so arousing?

  Kelly waited until he was finished before coming back to her feet and adjusting his shorts back into place. She stared up at him, and he smiled back at her.

  “I still owed you a favor,” she reminded him. “It’s not the waterfall, but I couldn’t wait.”

  He framed her face in his big, strong hands and pulled her within a breath of his face.

  “You’re going to be the death of me,” he murmured. “What am I going to do with you?”

  Was it too soon to ask about continuing this physical relationship once they returned? He was still adjusting to this fantasy life they were living. And she knew everything might be entirely different once they were back in Royal.

  Would he still be married to his work or would he find a way to make room in his life for her?

  She was reminded yet again of growing up with a father who was a workaholic. Kelly and her mother always came in behind board meetings or work trips. Her father loved them in his own way, but he just prioritized his life in the wrong order.

  Luke had done that with his fiancée, but they weren’t compatible so...what all did that mean? Would he consider putting her first in any manner?

  Wanting anything more than a fling was so naive, but there was that sliver inside of her that wondered if anything more would be possible. Kelly shouldn’t allow her thoughts to stray, yet there they were. She was human and had waited so long for Luke to see her as more and now...hell. She was in trouble. She knew it, but how did anyone just turn off feelings?

  “Hey.”

  Luke’s intense stare and calming word pulled her away from her thoughts.

  “Sorry,” she told him. “I was daydreaming.”

  He slid his thumb across her lower lip. “I’d love to hear about your dreams.”

  Kelly hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t expected him to want to learn more about her as a person, so maybe he was interested in exploring more. With every fiber of her being, she wanted someone to share her hopes and dreams with, someone to confide in, someone she could discuss her day with.

  She couldn’t help but smile at the idea of going to work together and coming home and unwinding with a drink cozied up on the couch.

  Damn it! Why was she going there again? She couldn’t want more with him, she absolutely could not. An intimate relationship was pushing it once they returned. Asking or wanting more was just waiting for a crushed heart.

  “Let’s go take that walk on the beach,” she told him. “Then maybe we can have a relaxing swim in our pool later after dinner.”

  “During the sunset,” he added. “I never thought I’d appreciate a sunset until I spent this time here with you.”

  He had so much going on with his family and with Wingate Enterprises. What would happen if they got back home and he left all these feelings behind? Would he just go back to business as usual? Would they keep their affair a secret?

  There were so many questions swirling around in her mind. Kelly wished she had all the answers, but all she could do was continue to guard her heart and show Luke she wasn’t ready for this to end.

  * * *

  “I think we’re late for dinner again.”

  Luke wrapped his arms around Kelly as they sat in the sand. She’d nestled between his legs and leaned back against his chest as they watched the sunset over the ocean. He didn’t recall ever feeling this calm or stress-free before. And, while he wasn’t sure if this was because of the tranquil atmosphere or Kelly or the amazing sex, part of him never wanted this to end.

  The other part knew he had to get back to Royal and help his family pull Wingate back from the brink. There were so many people counting on this company to keep them employed and that was aside from his own family. He wanted to make something grand happen so he could ensure Ava kept her beloved company and didn’t have to sell off anything else just to live. She didn’t deserve that and Luke was damn well going to be the one to save Wingate.

  Yet for the past couple of days, he’d forgotten all about his phone and work emails. He’d forgotten the burden that would be waiting for him upon his return.

  All he’d wanted to do was lose himself in Kelly and this place. She’d whisked him off like some dream, knowing exactly what he’d needed to pull him out of the work cycle he’d been drowning in.

  He hadn’t seen it for himself—or maybe he hadn’t wanted to. But Kelly had. She’d been in tune with him from day one. No matter what he’d needed, she’d been there by his side. How had he missed the fact she had personal feelings for him?

  Because he’d been utterly consumed with saving the world, at least that’s what it felt like most days, and he’d had complete tunnel vision.

  That’s what had ended his engagement, though he wasn’t sorry that had happened. The feelings he had for Kelly over these past few days far surpassed anything he’d ever felt before.

  And that scared the hell out of him.

  “You’re thinking,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his over her chest. “I can practically hear you.”

  “Just thinking of work,” he admitted.

  Kelly tipped her head back and stared up at him. “That’s not allowed.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I know, but I’m just wondering how you could be so aware of what I needed and I couldn’t see that you had feelings for me.”

  “Who said I had feelings? Maybe I just wanted to jump your bones.”

  Luke laughed. “Because I’m wide awake now and I can see it. You wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for seclusion and you sure as hell wouldn’t have been intimate with me if you didn’t harbor strong feelings.”

  She rested her head back against his shoulder and crossed her ankles out in front of her.

  “No, I wouldn’t have,” she admitted. “But I also know this intimacy is all we can have. I won’t play second fiddle to anything, not even a career. I just wanted you to see me as more and I wanted to take this chance to make that happen.”

  Oh, he saw her. He had no idea what to do now with all these emotions raging inside of him. Hearing her say she wouldn’t come second to anything made sense, but there was a ping of disappointment that she agreed they couldn’t be more. Clearly that’s what he had thought, but having the words out in the open seemed so final.

  But what about a physical relationship? Who said they had to stop once they returned to Royal?

  Only time would tell, and their days here were quickly coming to an end. They would both have to decide what would happen once they returned home and Luke had to find out if there was room in his life for anything other than Wingate.

  Fourteen

  Kelly let herself back in the bungalow after going to t
he gift shop once more. She’d seen a new sundress she wanted in the window the other day, but had gotten sidetracked by Luke and hadn’t gotten around to buying it. So she’d left him out on the patio drinking by the pool after their lunch and finally purchased it. She couldn’t believe they were leaving tomorrow morning. A part of her wanted to stay here forever, but they had to get back and start work again.

  Not to mention the Christmas parties coming up, and then rolling into the new year, which would mean more meetings regarding the best ways to increase sales and generate new ideas for the company.

  Kelly snuck into her room where she still kept her clothes, but she’d been spending her nights in Luke’s bed. She slid into the new strapless white dress that hugged her curves and had a wide slit going from her ankle to mid-thigh.

  She made her way to the patio and stepped outside. Luke stood facing the ocean with his back to her, clearly still wet from his time in the pool.

  “You like?” she asked, holding her arms out to the side.

  He turned around and his mouth dropped. “That’s damn sexy.”

  As much as his compliment warmed her, she couldn’t help but notice what he was holding. Kelly’s arms dropped to her sides as she took a step toward him.

  “How did you get your phone?”

  He had the widest smile on his face. “I saw you punch in the code once and I’m glad I did because I just had the best idea and I couldn’t wait to text Zeke about it.”

  “What was that?”

  As much as she didn’t want work life to interfere with what they had here, they were leaving tomorrow. She just wished she could’ve kept him from this for one more day. She wasn’t ready for that other life to creep in on their alone time.

  “Why don’t we package our resorts to couples?” he suggested. “Instead of trying to appeal to families or corporate events, I think we should look into romantic getaways. Honeymoons, anniversaries, just-because trips. We need to market those to make guests feel like you and I do. Like work doesn’t exist or matter and they can escape from their problems.”

  But work did exist and he was proving that. She wanted to take that phone away...she wanted to focus back on them. But Luke had been away from work for four days now and, clearly, he couldn’t take it anymore.

  “That’s great,” she told him, forcing a smile. “I’m glad you came up with a solution that will work.”

  “Do you really think it will?” he asked.

  That was one other thing about him. He always valued her opinion and seriously wanted her input on each phase of anything he worked on at Wingate.

  “If we can get guests to feel like us, then I think our hotels will skyrocket with bookings. You would have to think of not only the rooms and how that is laid out, but also the staff. You would need the couples to feel like they are one-on-one with a particular staff member. For instance, they need to be on a first name basis and know they can call upon one of our employees for anything at any time.”

  Her mind started working even though that was the last thing she wanted. But she couldn’t help herself. Maybe a little of Luke rubbed off on her.

  “Privacy will be the key to any couples’ retreat,” she added. “You want them to feel like they are living in a dream.”

  Luke stepped forward, set his phone on the patio table and slid his hands around her hips. He glided those talented fingers up into the dip in her waist and higher until he reached the top of her dress where it stopped just at the swell of her breasts.

  “Is that what you feel like?” he asked huskily. “Like you’re living in a dream?”

  Kelly pulled in a deep breath as arousal coursed through her. The man had barely touched her, and she was ready to go up in flames. Would he always affect her this way? Would she always want him with such a fierceness that she couldn’t even describe?

  “I am living a dream,” she admitted, closing her eyes to his touch.

  Luke peeled the dress down over her chest, leaving her bare to the warm, evening breeze.

  “You’re so damn sexy, Kel.”

  He’d never called her by a nickname before and, now that he had, she couldn’t help but wonder if they’d reached a deeper level of intimacy.

  His thumbs raked over her nipples and she wished he’d tear this dress off of her...who cared that she’d just bought it. Having Luke lose his control and have his way with her would be worth it.

  His cell vibrated on the table and she nearly cursed.

  “Leave it,” she begged.

  He hesitated for a split second and she thought for sure he was going to reach for it, but he ended up lifting her into his arms and walking inside.

  “I have more important things to tend to,” he told her. “Work can wait.”

  Her heart leapt with joy. She’d never seen him put work on hold for anything and now he was putting it on hold for her...for them. Maybe Luke had changed over the course of this trip.

  He carried her into his room and sat her down at the foot of the bed. She’d gotten wet from his trunks and bare skin, but she didn’t care. A man who looked like Luke should never be clothed. Kelly could stare at him all day long and never tire of it.

  Her hand went to his side, where she saw the tail of the dragon tattoo.

  “What’s this about?” she asked.

  “Strength. After my parents died and Ava took Zeke and me in, I vowed to remain strong no matter what. I vowed that I would take care of my family, my friends and never let anyone fall.”

  Which was why he was so damn protective of Wingate. She understood his burning need to save the company, but he couldn’t keep carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  “I never thought a tattoo could be such a turn-on,” she murmured, tracing her finger along the point of the tail and back up the other side.

  His body trembled beneath her touch and he kept those dark eyes locked onto her.

  “What am I going to do with you?”

  She smiled. “You keep asking that. When are you going to figure it out for yourself?”

  In lieu of an answer, Luke dipped his head and captured one breast. Kelly’s head dropped back as she closed her eyes and slid her hands through his hair to hold on.

  The way this man could drive her wild with the simplest of touches was amazing. She whispered his name, begging him for more. And that’s when his hand found that slit in her dress that stopped just shy of being indecent.

  She’d put nothing on beneath when she tried the dress on, always eager to give him easy access.

  “I take it you like my new dress,” she murmured.

  His hand found her core, and Kelly stepped wide to allow his touch to work over her.

  “I’d love you out of it even more,” he muttered against her skin.

  She gripped the material below her breasts and shoved the stretchy dress down her body. Luke only released her for a moment to get the garment out of the way before he was back on her.

  “I need you now,” he told her, lifting her to toss her onto the bed.

  Kelly laughed once again, because the man went from erotic to playful so fast, she couldn’t keep up. Always keeping her on her toes and wanting more.

  He climbed onto the bed and rested a hand on each side of her head.

  “I want you,” he repeated. “Without a barrier.”

  His words sunk in and that’s when she knew he cared for her more than she thought. He wouldn’t want to be this intimate if this was just a casual fling.

  Kelly eased her legs apart to accommodate his large frame. “I’m clean and protected without anything.”

  That jaw muscle clenched as his nostrils flared. He was hanging on by a thread. She could read him so easily now.

  With this knowledge, Kelly locked her ankles behind his back and urged him closer to where she so desperately wanted him to be.


  Once he sank into her, she couldn’t help but cry out. Every time they were together she wanted more. She wanted to consume him and never stop loving him, both physically and mentally.

  She did love Luke. There was no denying the facts and, quite possibly, she’d loved him for a long time.

  But now she could admit it to herself and not be worried or afraid. Because she had a feeling he might be falling, too.

  “You’re so damn perfect.”

  Those whispered words falling from his lips only heightened her arousal. He was everything to her and she wished she could tell him she loved him.

  But she had to wait. There was no way she could pour her heart out to him this soon. He might not believe her and she didn’t want to scare him off or confuse him. There was too much going on in his life with his family and the company. Adding to his stress would get them nowhere.

  His body rocked harder, faster, his lips seemed to travel everywhere. He covered her face, her neck, back down to her chest, where she instinctively arched to his mouth. Her legs tightened even more around his waist and, with all of the pleasure points being hit at the same time, Kelly lost control and fell over the edge.

  Luke followed her, ravaging her mouth as he went, and Kelly kissed him back, hoping her passion and love would come through without saying a word. She needed him to know just how special he was to her and just how much she wanted to be with him.

  As they lay in his bed in the silence of the aftermath, Kelly wondered how long she could hold out before confessing that she’d fallen in love with her boss.

  Fifteen

  The flight back proved to be business as usual. Kelly tried not to take offense. They were, after all, away from the resort and the fantasy they’d been living for five days.

  Luke sat across from her on his phone sending emails, then talking, then sending more emails. She had her laptop, but it remained closed at her side. The only reason she’d brought it to begin with was to keep up the ruse that they were meeting with an investor.

  She wasn’t in the mood now, though she knew there would be plenty of emails and work she could get done. Nothing needed her attention until Monday. She planned on taking tomorrow off and trying to transition from exotic island to Royal, Texas.