Montana Seduction

by Jules Bennett

  Stella pulled in a deep breath and made her way around the prep island. Dane shifted to face her as she came to stand before him.

  “Not at all. We don’t usually get singles, but there’s no rule.” Stella’s dark eyes held him, captivated him. “Your fiancée is either a moron or undeserving. You’re better off without her.”

  “You don’t even know me. Perhaps she’s the smart one.”

  Stella reached over and plucked a cut berry from the chopping board and held it out to him. “I realize we just met, but I’m a good judge of character. I’d say you’re pretty noble and loyal.”

  Loyal? Hell yes, he was loyal—to a very select few. There were only two people in this world he’d do anything for: his twin brother, even though their personalities were completely opposite and they rarely saw each other, and his mother.

  His mother was the sole reason for this charade and his brother...well, they each had their own thing going in trying to track down the bastard who stole everything from them once their mother passed. Yes, he knew plenty about loyalty. But he was about as far from noble as he could get.

  His plan to take her father down and reclaim what belonged to him might be devious; it might be cruel, even. He wasn’t proud of that. For all his faults, he’d never been selfish, he’d never purposely been deceitful. But he was about to do a hell of a job now because the future of his mother’s legacy was on the line. With honor on one side and loyalty on the other, his choice was clear. There were no rules for him.

  “Looking back, we could best be described more as friends than anything,” he added. He didn’t want to come off as a complete prick for flirting with Stella right after ending an engagement. “I’d gotten used to the idea of not being alone and being a couple was more habit than anything. She found someone and they’re in love. She’s happier now.”

  “And you?” Her question came out in a slight whisper. “Are you happier now?”

  Dane swallowed the strawberry and licked his lips. Her eyes darted to his mouth and he wondered if seduction really could be this easy. No wonder Ethan always had a new woman. Still, this wasn’t Dane’s typical behavior. There was no going back now, though.

  Not with the chemistry crackling between them even though he hadn’t even laid a finger on her. Damn...he wanted to get her into bed. Even though it wasn’t in the plan—even though it might ruin everything—the temptation was growing stronger with every passing moment. Something shifted, something he couldn’t quite place a finger on.

  Lust. He hadn’t expected this strong of a pull. He hadn’t wanted a woman in so long. Well, he had natural urges, but to actually feel the desire and the ache...he couldn’t recall the last time. Granted, avoiding people in general probably contributed to his lack of sex life. But sex or getting close to anyone would open the door to questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

  In the last several hours, Dane found he actually wanted to get closer to Stella. That could be the lack of sex in his life talking, though.

  “I’m happy that the marriage didn’t happen,” he stated. “When I marry, I plan for it to be a one-time thing.”

  He nearly laughed at that statement because he rarely left his ranch, let alone dated anyone. Dodging people and any social activity had been his new normal since leaving the army, deepening the seclusion that had started with the untimely death of his mother, when he’d opted to keep to himself instead of talk to anyone—even Ethan.

  So, no. Marrying was certainly off the table because he’d never let anyone get that close to him. Besides the fear of abandonment again, he wouldn’t subject anyone to his nightmares.

  “So you do want marriage?” she asked.

  “Maybe. Eventually. I’m not in a hurry.”

  He leaned his hip against the edge of the stainless steel and reached out to push her long inky hair over her slender shoulder. There was no reason for him to try to avoid touching her.

  He also needed to get away from this topic because the last thing he wanted her to believe was that he was ready for some fictitious happily-ever-after. The attraction clearly had a place here and that’s what he’d hone in on. Any sort of romance had to be left behind.

  “You’re staying for a week.” She smiled and every nerve ending sizzled at that tiny dimple nestled against the corner of her mouth. “Consider every upgrade and meal on the house.”

  “I can’t do that.” He shook his head and laughed. “You’ve already settled the bill for my room. That’s more than enough for just helping out over a few hours, though no thanks were necessary.”

  “Thanks was very necessary,” she countered. “Considering I’m riding a thin line and I have someone waiting for me to fail... Well, that’s a story for another time.”

  “So there will be another time?” he asked, not pressuring her on the topic of her father.

  Her eyes held his and her smile remained. “As much as I’d like to, I work what seems like thirty hours a day.”

  “All the more reason to take a break.”

  “Breaks could cost me everything,” she murmured as she glanced away. Then she adjusted her shoulders and returned her focus to him. “It’s late and I’m sure you’d like to get to your room and relax.”

  Only if she came with him.

  “I’d relax more if I had some bourbon. Pappy Van Winkle would do the trick, but that’s not an option right now,” he half joked. “What do you do to relax, Stella?”

  Her lids fluttered just a second when he said her name. Good. He wanted her thrown off. He wanted her to be flustered and aroused, thrown off guard enough to let things slip.

  “I don’t even know what relaxing is,” she stated, but he knew she wasn’t joking.

  “Have a glass of wine with me.”

  Stella raised a brow. “And what about breakfast prep?”

  “I’ll finish up afterward,” he told her. “I’ve seen the list and once I get this in the fridge, the rest has to be done in the morning.”

  “I can’t leave a stranger in my kitchen.”

  Fair enough. “Then help me and we’ll get out of here and have that wine.”

  When she started to shake her head, Dane reached out and gripped her chin with his thumb and forefinger, pulling her gaze directly to his. Those dark eyes held so much emotion. He wondered if she even knew that the pain and the worry inside them was projected to anyone who looked closely.

  Had anyone ever looked? Was there someone who took the time to care how much she ran herself ragged? Sure as hell not her father...and Dane wasn’t volunteering for that position, either. But she deserved someone. People like Stella worked hard and had great aspirations, but they could get run over.

  “Breaks can cost me everything, too,” he told her, needing her to know they really weren’t all that different, also silently warning himself that he needed to tread lightly for his own sanity. “But I’m willing to take the chance. Are you?”

  Three

  What was she doing here? Stella had more pressing things to do than to stare at the seam of the closed private elevator doors leading to Dane Michaels’s penthouse suite...with a chilled bottle of prosecco in hand, no less.

  Maybe she should’ve brought a nice cab instead? Or bourbon. Hadn’t he mentioned a bourbon earlier?

  “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done,” she muttered.

  What was she thinking? Just because one mysterious, sexy rancher sauntered in to rescue her, she got all excited and aroused and suddenly couldn’t control her desires.

  She didn’t have time for desires or sexy attractions. Yet here she was heading straight toward both.

  The faux wooden doors slid open with a soft whoosh. Stella immediately took in the fitted tee stretching across broad shoulders and well-worn jeans over narrow hips. Dane’s hair was wet, making it seem even darker than before. He’d shed the plaid shirt an
d, mercy’s sake, this rancher certainly did the whole hands-on thing. That body made it very clear that he didn’t just stay in some office writing checks for his employees.

  Clearly Dane had freshened up while she still looked like the haggard mess she’d been since this morning. She should’ve at least changed, but she hadn’t even considered removing her dress and knee boots.

  She’d been too busy arguing with herself over why she’d let this virtual stranger affect her so. Maybe she’d been smitten by his white knight routine, but she couldn’t just dismiss how ridiculously handsome he was, nor could she ignore how her entire body seemed to tingle with a rush of arousal whenever he got close.

  There was something rough and rugged about him. When he’d mentioned a ranch...well, toss her a set of chaps and mount up because that was just flat-out hot. Plus, she’d never ridden a cowboy.

  Oh, ranchers and cowboys were all throughout Montana, but none had interested her and she spent most of her time with men in suits who only pretended to know the ranching lifestyle. They’d never do anything labor-related that might mess their suits or smudge their manicures.

  Dane rested his hip on the back of the leather sofa in the living area and greeted her with a crooked grin. “So you are a risk taker.”

  Stella merely held out the bottle of wine and shrugged. “What can I say?”

  “You can say that you’ll stay awhile.”

  He didn’t stand, didn’t move toward her. He simply relaxed there like he was giving her total control, yet that leveled, dark gaze told her who really called the shots. Hadn’t she come to him? How could he be so powerful, yet not a bit demanding or even making a move?

  The way he stared at her...

  Like a lion inviting his prey and she was positive she wouldn’t mind being feasted on.

  Stella stepped into the spacious penthouse suite. The views never got old, and even from the doorway she could see across the room and stare out the wall of windows. Even in the dark, there was a soft glow coming up from the valley and casting mysterious shadows all over the mountainside.

  Lara Anderson had seriously thought of everything when she’d built Mirage on the side of the mountain. No expense had been spared and that’s what made Mirage such a magical escape.

  If all of these guests opted to come here and get away from their daily stresses, why couldn’t she do the same...even if for a short time.

  The high-beamed ceilings and dark wood floors made the space appear more like a glorified cabin than a room in a resort. The crackling fire called to her. The stunning feature of the fireplace with its stone surround extending to the high ceiling seemed so inviting...so romantic. No, that was the hot guy that seemed romantic. And she’d brought the wine.

  This was too easy. Sex was easy. Seduction was easy. Giving in to hormones and not giving a damn about tomorrow or consequences would be so...liberating.

  Unfortunately, she didn’t have that luxury of a one-night stand. But flirting and unwinding with a sexy stranger was dangerous ground that she couldn’t help but want to dance on tonight. Just one time. That wouldn’t hurt anything, right?

  “I didn’t think you wanted to take a risk.”

  Stella offered Dane a smile. “I’d say this one is harmless.”

  Though she knew a man like Dane was anything but. Yes, this was taking a huge chance coming to his room, but, well, her father couldn’t control every move she made. She didn’t have to justify her personal life to him. All she had to do was prove herself worthy of keeping Mirage and having him sign the property over to her at the end of this six-month experiment. She had only three months to go.

  “Harmless isn’t a word people usually use to describe me,” he countered, his dark eyes half-hidden behind lowered lids. That husky voice sent shivers racing through her.

  Maybe they didn’t use harmless, but the word that seemed to embody Dane Michaels was definitely potent. She hadn’t even tried to rationalize the hows and whys of this man and her instant attraction to him. What would be the point? Nothing would come of this...whatever this was. Besides, this was fun. When was the last time she’d done something simply because she wanted to? Every move she made had a purpose and an end gain.

  Dane crossed the space, keeping his gaze locked on hers. The snap of the fire behind her filled the silence and added to the allure of the moment. The mysterious man, the late hour...the sexual tension.

  “Why don’t you go have a seat,” he murmured. “I’ll take care of everything.”

  Everything? As in...

  He slid the bottle from her grasp and she suddenly recalled why she was here. Wine. Not orgasms.

  Relax, Stella. Don’t make a fool of yourself.

  One glass of wine and then she needed to go. Because if she stuck around much longer, she may come across as desperate and not the kick-ass, independent woman she’d fought so hard to be.

  “What time will you start back to work in the morning?” he asked as he came over with two very generous glasses of wine.

  She wasn’t much of a drinker, so if she sucked down all of this she’d likely end up draped over the rug in front of the fire before long. And since “drunk Stella” lacked impulse control, she’d probably be posed in some “come and get me” style that would surely embarrass her once the buzz wore off.

  “I’ll go back down about five.”

  Dane settled next to her on the leather sofa and glanced to his watch. “That’s in five hours. When do you sleep?”

  “When I have time.”

  Which was rarely. If she could go through these next few months on no sleep, she totally would. There simply wasn’t enough time in the day. She had to keep all these balls juggled in the air. Dropping even one could prove fatal for her goals.

  “Have you always put so much pressure on yourself?” he asked, taking a drink and then putting his glass on the raw-edged table.

  “I don’t see it as pressure,” she retorted. “There are things I want and failing isn’t an option.”

  “You’re the manager of a picturesque mountain resort. What other goals could you possibly have?”

  Stella stared into her wineglass. “Not everything is as it seems.”

  Before she revealed too much, she took a sip and closed her eyes as the fruity flavors burst in her mouth. She couldn’t suppress the sigh that escaped her. That was a great bottle she’d grabbed from the wine cellar.

  When she lifted her lids, Dane’s gaze had dropped to her mouth and...had he shifted closer?

  Arousal churned through her and she couldn’t even blame the wine considering she’d just taken her first sip. The seclusion at this late hour and the roaring fire might be impacting her, yes, but not the wine.

  “Do you want something more than Mirage?” he asked.

  Stella set her glass next to his. The intimate image had her biting on her lip for a just a second before shifting her focus back to him.

  “Mirage is all I’ve ever wanted,” she explained. “My father bought the resort several years ago and I’d heard the story of the lady who had built this, relentlessly pursuing her dream. A single mom who pushed through and built something so dynamic and spectacular just hit me, you know? I didn’t grow up with my mother, but I just felt pulled toward this strong female, even though I’d never met her. I knew I wanted this business to be mine. My father has plenty of companies around the globe, but this is the one I want.”

  Dane’s eyes seemed to grow even darker, his jaw clenched, but he remained silent. She’d started talking and hadn’t even considered that he probably wanted a short, quick answer.

  “Sorry,” she said with a soft laugh. “I didn’t mean to ramble.”

  “Never apologize for going after what you want.”

  Stella’s smile faltered as she swallowed. “And what is it you want, Dane?”

  “That’s not so d
ifficult to guess.”

  Oh, he wasn’t subtle. And yet, something about the way he didn’t quite come out and say it, but let the implication hang heavily in the air packed an even sexier punch.

  “And do you think I came here for sex?” she asked.

  “I think you came here because you wanted to know what would happen once we were alone.”

  “We were alone in the kitchen,” she reminded him, clasping her hands in her lap to prevent them from trembling—or reaching for him.

  “Not like this.” He eased forward, never taking his eyes from hers. “You might not want to take risks, but you can’t help yourself. The resort, me... You want to know what it’s like to fully throw yourself into temptation and ride out the challenge.”

  How did he peg her so easily when she’d met him only hours ago? And why did her entire body stir with each low, rumbled word that slid through his lips?

  Because she wanted those lips on hers, on her body. The need crashed through her and took hold like nothing she’d ever experienced.

  “I try to have a little more control than that—I’m not as reckless as you make me sound.” Or at least that’s what she tried to tell herself. “And I’d never take a risk with this resort. Mirage is my life.”

  “You’re quite the professional,” he agreed. “But you still took a risk by taking it over. Business isn’t for the faint of heart.”

  “You sound like my father,” she murmured.

  Dane placed his hand on her knee. “Does he also tell you what a stellar job you’re doing?”

  Stella eyed those tanned, rough fingers against her dark skin. The hem of her dress proved to be no barrier as the tip of his pinky slid beneath the fabric.

  “He, um... No. No, he doesn’t.”

  Mercy, how could Dane carry on a normal conversation? Her body was revved up and she was about to start begging. She really shouldn’t deprive her body so long from such a basic, necessary need.