by Susan Meier
He texted back.
No problem. The top floor penthouse suite is ready for guests.
Plus...he had work. He always had work.
For some reason that didn’t sit right. It should have made him happy to know he’d be busy. Instead, discontent shimmered through him.
Ronnie bade him good-night. He promised to keep a watch on the condition of the roads and be at the hotel as soon as he could the next morning to take Hugo to the office set up for his Manhattan staff.
Hugo thanked him and rose from his seat. After opening the drapes behind the desk to watch the snow pouring down, he stretched the kinks out of his back.
The office door burst open. “Hey. Sorry, I took longer than a few minutes, I—”
Erin stopped abruptly, staring at him as he stretched. Her eyes wide. A breathy gasp escaping.
Tingles rippled through him, setting a little fire in his blood. He ignored it. He’d forgotten her when he’d so easily told Ronnie it was no problem for him to stay at the hotel. No matter. Erin wasn’t going anywhere either. Plus, there were two master suites in the penthouse. He and Erin might be attracted, but he’d already decided not to do anything about it.
“I think I’m the one who has to say sorry. I knew it was snowing but forgot to check on road conditions. My driver can’t find a way to get here to pick us up or take us home.”
She ventured a little farther into the room. “Even buses aren’t running?”
“Ronnie tells me they’ve closed the roads. It’s all good, though, because the top floor of the hotel is a penthouse. There’s a little kitchen, a huge sitting room and two bedrooms that are suites.” He accented the word two. “The place didn’t need much repair work, mostly just cleaning. It was done first so I could use it the weeks before I bought my London flat. I’ll bet the bar is even stocked.”
She stared at him.
He opened his hands in supplication. “Come on. I’m sorry. Really, I’ve been up to my neck in work. Normal things like snow and bad roads don’t always register on my radar.”
She took a breath. “That’s okay. In all fairness, I didn’t notice it either. Give me two minutes to call my mom and say good-night to Noah and I’m all yours.”
His blood surged when she said she would be all his. He scolded himself as he reached for his jacket and overcoat while she stood in the hall, talking to her mum and son.
Her call complete, she turned to face him with a smile that about knocked his socks off. Oh, this was dangerous. She was beautiful and smart and everything he looked for in a woman—
To sleep with.
He didn’t do relationships. And she needed a relationship.
That reminder firmly in place, he headed toward the door and she smiled again, sending another whoosh of sexual energy through him. Enough voltage that his conclusion waivered.
Was he really sure she needed a relationship? Just because she’d been in a marriage and had a child, that didn’t mean she didn’t like fun—
Did it?
Good grief! What was wrong with him that he couldn’t stop thinking about sleeping with her?
Once again, he reminded himself that she wasn’t someone to trifle with. Especially when he needed her. She might not technically be an employee, but she was still working for him.
They rode to the top floor in silence. The doors parted and he motioned for her to step out into the open–floor plan room. A small white-and-marble kitchen sat to the left. A navy-blue-and-sage sitting area took up most of the available space with sofas, chairs, area rugs, a bar and even a piano. Two white doors in the back led to the sleeping suites.
“See? It’s big. Plenty of room for both of us.” He pointed at the doors. “And two bedrooms.”
All right, maybe he’d said that a little too emphatically, making his voice squeak and himself sound like he wasn’t as calm and casual about them staying the night as he should be.
Pulling himself together, he strode to the sitting room wet bar that fronted the windows in the back. He pulled out a bottle of bourbon. “Bar’s been stocked.”
She ventured another step or two inside.
He headed to the kitchen, marched to the refrigerator and swung open the door with relish, ready to show her a stocked fridge. Unfortunately, it was empty.
“Oh.”
She finished the walk to the center island. “Actually, we don’t have to worry about food.” She pulled a plastic bag of grapes and one of cheese out of her briefcase.
He frowned. “I am not a woodland creature who can survive on grapes and cheese.”
“Now, don’t be snooty.” She rummaged in her briefcase again and pulled out another container. This one looked like a lunch sack made of a happy floral print.
“There are two sandwiches in here.”
He gaped at her small form. “You eat two sandwiches for lunch?”
“No. Usually I eat one for lunch and one around six at night.” She peeked at him sheepishly. “That’s when I get hungry. So that’s my dinner. I don’t wait to go home to eat.”
He crossed his arms on his chest. “A sandwich is your dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
“Is that really healthy?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Look. Are you hungry or not?”
“I guess it depends on what the sandwiches are.”
“Turkey and mustard.”
Surprise made him smile. “I like turkey and mustard.”
“Then you are in luck. Add a few grapes and some cheese and you have dinner.”
He slid out of his jacket and took the sandwich she handed him. “Why didn’t you eat lunch today?”
“Busy. Later, when we went for our drive, the hot cocoa filled me up.”
He remembered their time in the attic. Remembered that she’d more or less talked him down from the ledge when ghosts of Christmas Eves past filled him with sadness and questions. And though he hadn’t confided in her, getting out of the office had certainly helped him regain his equilibrium.
“That was good hot chocolate.”
“It was,” she agreed, then took a seat at the kitchen island that served as a breakfast bar.
He sat beside her. She opened the bag of grapes and the bag of cheese, setting each in the center, an invitation for him to help himself.
He felt odd having Erin share her last food with him. Not that he thought they would be stuck in the hotel for days without sustenance. It was the kindness of the gesture that struck him.
Usually, people didn’t care about him. Oh, his driver asked him if he wanted to stop for dinner every night or coffee every morning, but that was more of a logistics thing. Ronnie needed to know if he’d have to pull over at a coffee shop or restaurant.
Erin sharing her food was pure kindness, a gesture that reached into his chest and softened his heart, even as it made him warm all over, made him want to be close to her—
He jumped off his chair. “How about a drink?”
She sniffed a laugh. “What?”
“The bar fridge is stocked with beer and mixers. I’m not a bartender but I can look up anything you want and make it.” He smiled. “How hard could it be?”
“I guess not too hard.” She licked her lips. “You know, it’s been a while since I had a drink. I’m not even sure what I’d like.”
“There are various martinis that are popular.”
“No. I’m not a fan of hard liquor.” Her face brightened. “You know what I want? A glass of wine.”
“White or red?”
She giggled. “I can’t believe I’m having a drink.”
“Well, you don’t have to be awake or alert for your son tonight. So, if I were you, I’d take advantage.”
“Okay, then I’ll have a glass of white.
”
He brought the bottle to the kitchen island along with two glasses, poured one for each of them and handed the first to her.
She sipped cautiously, then savored. “Anyone who says kids don’t really change your life is lying.”
He burst out laughing. “I don’t think anyone’s ever said that.”
“Good, because it would be a lie.”
The warmth of companionship swelled. That subtle feeling of total relief at being with someone you don’t have to put on airs for.
Oh, Lord.
He really liked her.
Which was why he wanted more. He did like her. And they had a whole night—
The thought filled him with longing for things that went far beyond sex. Something he’d never felt before.
He ignored it. If he’d never experienced it before it had to be wrong. Plus, he could be friendly and withstand an attraction.
Couldn’t he?
Their gazes caught and his chest expanded. Part of him wondered why he was fighting this. The other part simply couldn’t get enough of looking at her.
That was the part that seemed to be taking control.
And he wondered again why he was fighting this.
* * *
When their sandwiches were gone and their second glass of wine was almost a memory, Hugo picked up the bottle and directed them to the sofa. Erin couldn’t believe her luck in getting to spend time alone with him. To keep this project from imploding, she needed to get to know him. Needed to understand whatever it was that might cause him to snap. He was softening to her and any minute now she expected him to start confiding.
He refilled their wineglasses and sat beside her. Not close. But not far enough away either. She could smell his aftershave and see every muscle move beneath his white shirt.
Not that she was looking.
Oh, hell, who was she kidding? She was looking. Being stuck together and having the best-tasting wine on the planet had softened her. Maybe even lowered her inhibitions. If she hadn’t been spending time with him for such a good cause—getting to know him, hoping to discover his secret so it didn’t tumble out at the wrong time and ruin their grand reopening—she’d be scrambling out of here. At least, excusing herself to go to her room, away from the hypnotic power of those beautiful gray eyes.
But wouldn’t that be a waste? They had a bottle of delicious wine. He was chitchatting like a friend. For the first time since she’d had Noah, she was having fun.
Fun.
With grouchy pants Hugo Harrington.
She laughed at her Noah-age reference.
“What’s funny?”
Caught, she remembered her no-lie rule and said, “Something popped into my head.”
He smiled at her. Simply. Beautifully. “What?”
She swallowed. It had to be the wine, but he was behaving like the man in her dreams. “Something Noah says when my mom’s having a bad day.”
His smile warmed, grew.
She cleared her throat. Lord, he was gorgeous. And so muscled and male. She swore she felt heat radiating from him.
“Is it hot in here?”
He laughed. “Actually, yes.”
“Whew, because I’m definitely feeling warm.”
He slowly caught her gaze. “Top floor. Heat rises. I could turn on the air conditioning.”
He was only being considerate, but her chest tightened. Her mouth watered. Visions of things that had never really happened filled her head. Could things she’d imagined doing with him for so long actually be coming true? Her breath caught.
She shook her head slightly. Thinking of those things—those fantasies right now—really, really wasn’t smart.
But something pulsed between them. With their gazes locked, he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. Her heart fluttered. The wineglass between her fingers slipped a notch.
He caught it and set it on the coffee table in front of the sofa, along with his glass. Then he leaned in again. One hand on the back of the sofa, the other at his side, he slid his lips across hers again.
Arousal hit in a wave of longing so strong it made her bold. She slid one hand to his shoulder. He slid his hand to her waist, tugging her closer. His mouth moved over hers seductively, drawing her in, and she fell into the kiss, exactly as he lured her to with his clever mouth. Her other hand moved to his shoulder, and this time she was the one to pull him closer.
The kiss changed, deepened. With just enough wine to lower her inhibitions, she let her fantasies meld with reality and tumbled into the warmth surrounding them. Adrenaline competed with arousal for control. When his fingers went to the hem of her T-shirt, anticipation raced through her, and she shifted so he could pull it over her head. He tossed it behind him.
His palm met the soft flesh of her belly, and her blood tingled. When his smooth fingers slid beneath the lace of her yellow bra, it jumped to boiling. Glad she’d worn the pretty bra, she reached behind her to unhook it. As she slipped it off, Hugo rose and took off his shirt. Without giving either of them time to think, he lowered himself to the sofa again, this time on top of her, his thigh between her legs as their bare chests met.
Emotions rushed through her. She wanted to touch him everywhere at once, but slowed her pace, memorizing the feel of his solid skin and those wonderful muscles beneath her hands. He ran his lips along her arms, her shoulders, her chest until he reached her breasts.
From there everything became the frantic motion of two desperate lovers. She knew her excuse. It had been years since she’d been with a man. But she doubted the great Hugo Harrington went years without company.
His desperation would have confused her except their joining was probably the most perfect physical thing she’d ever experienced, and she didn’t let confusion or questions mar it.
When they reached the end, she lay beneath him, sated and dumbfounded. Not just from the pleasure, but because she’d never done anything like this...and with her boss?
She waited for embarrassment or regret. None came.
“You okay?”
She looked up into his smoky gray eyes and smiled. “Honest to Pete, I don’t think I have ever been better.”
He laughed and she felt the rich rumble in his chest against hers. “That’s exactly what a guy likes to hear.”
He levered himself to sit beside her, then held out his hand to help her sit.
When they were side by side, he quietly said, “I don’t usually lose control like that.” He ran his hand along the back of his neck. “But I’m glad I did. That was pretty amazing for me too.”
Pride fluttered through Erin. Dumbfounded that she’d so thoroughly pleased him, she had no idea what to say.
He shrugged into his shirt before grabbing the wine bottle. “We could fumble our way through excuses and say it won’t happen again because tomorrow we have to work together, and it probably shouldn’t happen again. But we still have the rest of tonight. We could go back there.” He pointed at the last door. “And not worry about tomorrow until tomorrow.”
Part of her knew the next day probably would be awkward. The other part realized this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. A chance for a fantasy to play itself out. A chance to just be a woman, not an ambitious business owner, not a daughter helping support her mom, not the mother of a feisty three-year-old. Thanks to a blanket of snow, she could simply be a woman for a few more hours.
With the sexiest man she’d ever met.
He bent and cruised his lips along her neck.
Oh, yeah. She wasn’t letting this chance get away.
* * *
She woke nestled into his side and her heart swelled. He was perfect. He’d shown her another side of himself the night before. A sexy side, a demanding side—mixed with unexpected softness. He’d touched her with a reverence that stole her breath and made her
wonder—
Was there more to Hugo Harrington than a guy driven to succeed? When she added their night together to his emotion when he’d seen the decorations in the attic, she knew that deep down he was a normal guy. And she wondered if she’d only seen his harder, secretive side because that’s all he showed his employees.
“Good morning.”
His words tiptoed across the pillows to her.
Here it was. The moment of truth. She wished he would be sexy, sweet Hugo. But the night before he basically told her there would only be one night—
He raised himself up and onto his side, then ran his lips across hers in a soft kiss that melted her heart. But he quickly pulled back, turned away from her and grabbed his phone from the bedside table.
“Roads are cleared.”
Her heart sambaed. Sweet, sexy Hugo was gone.
A wish that things could be different tried to form but she stopped it. He’d spelled things out after the first time they’d made love. But she’d wanted her fantasy lover. And she’d gotten him. The fact that he’d been better in reality than he had in her daydreams didn’t change who he was: cool, aloof Hugo Harrington, keeping the nice guy side of himself hidden, probably because he was a man with secrets.
Still.
He hadn’t told her one personal thing the night before.
“You can go home and change, if you want.” He didn’t look up from his phone. “I won’t tell your boss.”
A thousand emotions sparred in her brain. Everything about the guy he’d been the night before had been perfect. But she also knew she’d never get involved with another man with secrets, another man who didn’t understand intimacy. A man who only let the nice guy out when he needed or wanted something.
She swallowed. “I think I’ll be okay in my clothes from yesterday, after I get a shower.”
Damn her voice for stuttering with confusion.
He set his phone down with a sigh. “Sorry if I seem grouchy to you. I’m not in the habit of sleeping with women I like.”