The Boardroom Series – Complete Boxed Set (Boxes 1 – 6) : An office romance turned seductive submission

by Annabel Lucas

  He had all the trip details, and it was a comfort to leave it in his hands.

  “Shane.” He said her name softly. "She needs you to sign for your room."

  "Ma'am," the pretty girl was saying. "If you could just sign right here."

  “Oh, sure.” Shane leaned up into the desk and signed. They’d have two rooms this trip.

  He leaned in but did not touch her. She could feel the warmth coming off his skin, a stark contrast to the artificial arctic air they pumped out to rival the summer heat. His hand hovered at the small of her back. She knew his fingers wanted to touch her as much as her skin craved it. This is a work trip. This is a work trip. Shane closed her eyes, accepting his caress without touch and breathed into the gap between them.

  “They’ve already taken our bags up to the rooms. We’ll just…”

  "Ryan!" A voice called out from across the lobby. Shane turned to see a group rising at a table just inside the lobby. Two of the three men had their arms raised in greeting as they stood to meet him. The third man took more time to rise, but the smile on his face was enough greeting.

  “Well, look who it is!” Ryan shifted direction, his hovering hand now ushering her in the direction of Harvest, the dimly lit restaurant. This was the first of many pairing Vino wanted to make. Her mind turned to the details of the campaign as Ryan bear-hugged his way around the table.

  It was a boutique restaurant focused on seasonal food. The website boasted of fresh flavor farm to table food. They had a new chef, and the people raved about the food here.

  The space was simple, clean lines, with an industrial twist of wood and metal and glass. She could almost taste the food through the aromatic flavor that wafted through the air and the mouth-watering scent of red wine. Two open wine bottles stood on the table- Vino’s wine.

  Shane let Ryan lead. His hand still hovering over the small of her back; as he introduced her to the men, she recognized from her research. "Michael and Andrew, well, Drew." Ryan drew her attention to the older gentleman. “Micah.” Of course, Micah.

  Shane nodded, adding her own niceties to the greeting. "It's nice to meet you.” She said to Michael then Drew. Their large working man's hands dwarfed hers. Men who spent their lives crafting the wine and the name that now sat beautifully packaged in the center of the table.

  Men were easy for her. She knew she was pretty and warm. She knew how to set them at ease to make them laugh. She felt the approval and welcome immediately.

  “Hi, Ryan.” Her voice was sultry, smug. Women could be another story. Shane turned to see the person who had spoken. She emerged from the depths of the restaurant with another bottle of wine. When Ryan’s eyes landed on her, she watched the shift. He had easy greetings for men he’d known all his adult life. The easy way about him caught, snagged on something, and she watched his spine stiffen.

  “Hi, Elizabeth.” She stood where she was, on the outskirts of the group, and he went to her. She smiled, her eyes never leaving his. He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her into him, kissing her cheek. His face momentarily pressed into her golden tresses. She leaned into him; a beat too long.

  “We brought you something.” He pulled away from her, taking the bottle she offered. Taking it in his hands, he turned it over, examining the label. He was silent for a moment before he threw his head back and laughed. The tension in his spine and shoulders seemed to snap. “Oh my god. Where did you get this?”

  She smiled as her cousins clamored to share the secret.

  “Jesus Ryan, don’t you know she has a secret stash.”

  Shane looked at Ryan, puzzled, not in on the secret. He shook his head, disbelief in his eyes. “This is a bottle of wine we made the first year I worked at the vineyard.” He laughed. “First wine I ever made.”

  “Elizabeth, this is Shane.” His hand now hovered behind Elizabeth’s back, guiding her forward. They moved together quickly, and now it was Shane who stood on the edge. Hovering and taking in the new woman.

  Shane smiled and reached for her. Taking Elizabeth’s perfectly manicured hand in hers, “so nice to meet you.”

  Elizabeth squeezed her hand “Nice to meet you too. How was your flight?”

  Small talk, that was easy. “It was good, quick flight.”

  “I tried to bring you over on our jet, but Ryan said no. He wanted to fly commercial.” She laughed a cheerful sound that reminded Shane of tiny bells chiming. Elizabeth touched his chest. His arm still hovered behind her back. “I’ll never understand.”

  He laughed the stiffness in his spine, shifting. "It's a company thing; you know ethics and all that. We are here to cater to you. I hear you wanted to discuss the new business venture." He paused. There was the beat again, "in person.”

  “I do want to discuss the deal in person. These mean boys wanted to make a deal without me.” She pouted playfully, complaining to Shane while their voices rose in mock indignation. “Once Uncle Micah got wind of things, he thought it would be best if we all sat down to talk.” Her voice was as silky as the honey-blond hair that slipped over her shoulders when she moved. Glancing up, she caught Shane’s eyes. Elizabeth’s beautiful golden eyes held her own. Jesus. She was striking. Elizabeth smiled and winked at Shane, pulling her into the moment. "Please," she gestured as she implored, "sit down."

  Elizabeth waved to a server, kept watch from a nearby station. He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, emerging moments later carrying a large tray filled with decadent hors d’oeuvre, two more servers in tow.

  One filled the table with sweet and savory morsels while the other set about opening the house wine that bore the family’s label. Pleased murmurs rose generously as filled wine goblets were set in front of each guest. Shane’s swirled the glass before her, fragrant and mouth-watering.

  The boys dug in first, and the table came to life with clinking utensils and passing of plates and quieted only once plates and mouths were full. Shane selected meatballs and tiny quiches. She tried the meatball first, to answer the mouth-watering smell of herbs and ground venison. The first bite was an explosion of flavor in her mouth. She turned to Ryan,

  “Ry, did you try? It’s wonderful.” She reached for the wine and sipped. Simply delicious.

  Elizabeth was pleased. She wasn’t eating. Her plate remained empty. Her glass untouched.

  “I brought you here today because I have a surprise.” Behind her, a dark-haired man in a chef’s coat approached. Elizabeth cast a glance over her shoulder and smiled. She pulled him into the circle, and Shane realized he’d been reaching out to her as well.

  “This is Anthony. Anthony Gaza.” As he stepped into the light, Shane saw he was compact and fit. Elizabeth’s height, in heels, matched his. She slipped an arm around his waist, and he mirrored the gesture. “He is the creative genius behind Harvest.” Oh yes. Anthony Gaza. Shane remembered reading his name. Elizabeth went on. “About six months ago, I came out to visit the Vegas area. I was having dinner at the bar raving about it to the bartender”. She lowered her voice. “It was wonderful. Anyway, I was going on and on. Asking about the owners, how business was, what the favorite dish was. You know, questioning that poor bartender. He was charming and quite attentive.” Anthony smiled. “That’s generous.”

  She laughed. “Well, he was. You know, you could have told me.” He bowed his head. Pleased with the praise, but not used to it.

  “I didn’t realize Anthony was tending the bar in his restaurant until it was time to close. By then, we’d been talking for hours. And...” She smiled, taking him in with her golden eyes.

  He nodded and picked up her story. “And…she hasn’t been able to keep me away since.”

  Shane glanced at Ryan. He had gone very still.

  Elizabeth was smiling now, her golden eyes on her cousins. “Uncle Micah is a bit more familiar with what the past six months have meant to me,” She paused. “Anthony is very special to me, and we’ve been able to partner with our passions- Food and Wine. Currently we are working to deve
lop a new wine, especially for Harvest.” She nodded at Ryan. “This is where you come in. We want to focus on a brand, especially for Anthony’s patrons, and if it goes well”, she reached for Anthony’s free hand and squeezed. “When it goes well, we want to duplicate the business model with other three-star restaurants. This means we will be need of the absolute best design team in the country.”

  Her golden eyes now fixed on Ryan. “I couldn’t think of anyone better than you to pitch us your ideas.”

  Something Shane couldn’t read passed between them.

  Praise and congratulations rose from the table, hugs, and handshakes sealing the partnership between Vino and Harvest. A perfect pairing.

  Elizabeth’s buy-in on the design team secured their deal. There were intentions to win her over by the next four days. The deal sealed without a word from the “design team.” Shane felt like she’d missed a step. Ryan didn’t.

  He was smooth and sincere, as he listened to the vision. The secret to design and successful marketing lay within the story and the concept. It was a secret that wasn't obvious to all marketing teams. The intrinsic knowing gave Shane and Ryan an edge. Anthony pulled up a chair beside Elizabeth. Now it was the men's turn to give him the inquisition. The waiter was back, filling the wine glasses. Shane leaned back to listen. Storytime.

  By the time the wine bottles were empty, any stiffness she’d sensed from Ryan had worn away through the reliving of memories. There was an easy camaraderie between Anthony, Michael and Drew. With Elizabeth’s acceptance, theirs was automatic.

  Elizabeth sat tucked into Anthony’s side. Their companionship had a familiar feel to it.

  Micah pushed back his chair. "Time for the old man to go to bed." He rose and patted his sons and niece with his large work-worn hand as he passed by, saying good night.

  When he reached Elizabeth, Shane wondered where she’d gotten her golden hair and tawny eyes. The men that circled the table were like Anthony. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned Italians, a classic handsome breed. She was not. Maybe her mother Shane mused. Elizabeth stood and leaned in to kiss her Uncle, her golden hair moved like silk. Shane wanted to reach and touch. Jesus, she was drunk, still the thought of her fingers slipping through Elizabeth’s blond hair brought a small smile to her lips. Shane clasped her fingers together and held them in her lap.

  All the men at the table were shifting now, the rustle of napkins and chair legs familiar, the sound of the meal coming to an end.

  She felt Ryan’s hand on her shoulder. He hadn’t touched her since they left the cab. She brushed the thought away as quickly as it had come. Stop it. As he should, this was business, a business trip. She looked up at him, and he was smiling. “Let’s call it a night. It’s been a long day.”

  “Yes, it had.”

  Another round of “So nice to meet you” had begun.

  Shane had to focus on names and faces. The men so alike one another, her hand dwarfed in each handshake. And then there was Elizabeth.

  Shane smiled, taking Elizabeth’s hand in hers. Soft and firm “So nice to meet you, Elizabeth. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

  Elizabeth smiled back. Her free hand came down on top of Shane's to hold her in both hands, friendly and warm. “Me too. And please, call me Tess.”

  Shane’s smile faltered for a moment, “Tess?”

  "Yes, Tess. Only to my family and to him." She nodded at Ryan. "I've always been Tess. In the business world, it felt a little too familiar and makes me feel like a child. So, I'm Elizabeth. I save Tess for those I love best. Under the circumstances, you can call me Tess too."

  The world shifted a little, and the wine flowing through her blood helped Shane absorb the tilt. Shane smiled back. "Then, Tess it is." The gentle ease that came drinking too much wine washed away by clarity. Tess.

  Those perfectly shaped letters. Asking again and again. Please come home. Please, Ryan. Please.

  Tess.

  Thank you for reading Book Two of the Boardroom Series!

  Check out what happens next in The Waiting Room; Book Three of the Boardroom Series.

  For the latest updates on books and new releases, visit http://annabellucas.com/

  The Waiting Room

  Annabel Lucas

  No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictionally. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © (2020)

  Annabel Lucas

  WWD - Forever grateful we walk this journey together.

  Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  Breadcrumbs

  CHAPTER 2

  Bathroom

  CHAPTER 3

  The Course

  CHAPTER 4

  Excursion

  CHAPTER 5

  Unveiled

  CHAPTER 6

  Update

  CHAPTER 7

  Confession

  CHAPTER 8

  Dream

  CHAPTER 1

  Breadcrumbs

  T heir late-night entrance into the four-day weekend with Ryan's top clients had gone exceptionally well. If the late-night dinner was an indication of how things were going to turn out, the deal would be closed well before their Vegas weekend was over.

  "Please, call me Tess." She’d said. The woman was flawless. Her face framed by blond hair that fell to her shoulders like silk. As she leaned in, Shane got a better view of Tess; her plunging neckline revealed her lovely breasts. She was striking, no doubt. Shane had first noticed when Ryan introduced them, but now with her so close, Shane felt a bit intoxicated.

  Maybe it was because she was a bit intoxicated.

  Shane blinked in disbelief, her smile as disarming as Tess'. Shane was no amateur. "Tess," she repeated as she took the woman's hand in both of hers. It was a personable and genuine move. "So nice to meet you tonight."

  "Ryan." Tess leaned into him, and he kissed her cheek. "See you tomorrow." The exchange breathed familiarity. Shane took a deep breath and observed her new acquaintances. The men exchanged handshakes that lead to strong hugs as they said good night. Tess received hugs from all the men. The members of the group were all family, with the exception of Anthony, the owner of Harvest and Tess's new love interest; and he seemed to blend in beautifully. Shane and Ryan collected their luggage and departed in search of their hotel rooms as the group waved them off.

  Ryan leaned into her. His tie hung loose around his neck; the starched collar of his shirt left undone. Jesus, that was a good look for him.

  Not ready to reveal her recent revelation that Elizabeth was Tess. Shane took a deep breath, "I thought that went well." He gave her a sidelong glance. "I know we came down here to revive the deal, but honestly, Ry, they love you.” He laughed. His ice-blue eyes warmed to her, like they always did, crinkling at the edges. “They do.” She insisted.

  “I grew up with them. It’s just been a while since we’ve all been together. It all comes back so quickly.” Ryan and the boys had worked in the vineyards together.

  Ryan led the way toward the bank of elevators that would lead them to their hotel suites. For the last few hours, his hands had hovered around her, careful not to touch. Now, his hand resumed its movement with unhindered ease, because no one was watching. The Vegas crowd provided safe cover for their indiscretion.

  Shane took a last glance at the hotel lobby, it was crawling with hotel patrons, and gamblers. An escalator climbed into the sky, it led to endless shopping, dining, Starbucks, and the casino. Vegas baby. Thank God they were going the other direction, away from the nightlife. She wanted quiet and sleep. She could tell the ability to
be anonymous among strangers brought him comfort. His comfort grew as they left the meeting behind and running exactly the opposite of Shane’s feelings. Her newfound discovery fresh in her mind. Call me, Tess.

  At the foot of the elevator, the bellman asked to see their room keys. Shane fumbled for hers, digging in her purse. It wasn’t where she’d left it. The more her fingers moved through her purse, the more disconnected her actions felt from her brain. It didn’t matter, Ryan was on it. He slipped his room key from his wallet and led her into the empty elevator. As the doors closed, he pulled her into his arms. Shane resisted for a moment before allowing herself to be gathered up and kissed by his soft lips. His hands moved over her as he released the tension in her body.

  She slid away when the elevator stopped, and the doors opened for no one on the 15th floor. She repeated the same on the 17th floor when a group of twenty-somethings entered primed for a night out. She craved his touch, and at the same time, wanted none of it. He slid his arm around her, caressing the curve of her waist. He sought the skin underneath her silky blouse. She felt his fingers graze her skin, and brush against the tender flesh of her belly just above the waistline of her tailored pants. She pulled away as they reached the 26th floor. She’d temporarily given up looking for her keycard, and now she needed it. They stepped off the elevator and moved slowly down the hall. Shane resumed the search, trying to visualize the keycard in her hand and recall where she’d tucked it.

  “Shanie,” Ryan was close, his breath against her skin, saying her name. She was drunk and not listening. All her attention focused on the retrieval of the key.

  “Honey here, this is my room. Shanie, stay with me.”

  She closed her eyes. The world spun. She was jet-lagged, drunk, and too tired. “I’ll need it for the morning.”