Read Hearts Aflame Collection III: 4-Book Bundle Online
Authors: Melissa F. Hart
Hearts Aflame Collection III: 4-Book Bundle (7 page)
That night, Ethan went home feeling utterly exhausted but elated. It had been a difficult but successful day. He walked tiredly up to his bedroom suite and was surprised to find Jocelyn there, draped across his bed wearing nothing but a black lace teddy.
“What are you doing here?” he asked with a tone of happy surprise. “I thought you intended to return to your apartment after our vacation.”
“I did, but I heard you were a particularly good boy today.” Jocelyn smiled. “Come here and let me reward you.”
Ethan leapt onto the bed and scooped Jocelyn into his arms, making her giggle. He kissed her neck, nuzzling her where it tickled, just so he could hear her beautiful laugh.
“Stop it!” She slapped at him playfully, unable to stop laughing as he kept tickling her.
Suddenly, she grabbed him by the wrist and twisted his arm painfully behind his back. “Now you’re being a naughty boy. I told you stop and you disobeyed me. Now you have to be punished.”
The tone of her voice was tough, but it filled them both with happy anticipation. Time to play their favorite game once more!
“Kneel on your hands and knees!” Jocelyn commanded forcefully. The act of dominating the man she loved made tingles of sexual excitement ripple through her body. Her nipples became taut and her sex grew moist.
Ethan felt thrills of erotic pleasure as he took the position and his member grew hard in anticipation of the
punishment
to come.
Jocelyn produced a wooden chopping board from the kitchen that had a long handle, and used it like a paddle to spank Ethan with. Every smack across his buttocks sent thrills of pleasure through them both and made them desire each other more than ever before.
When she had punished him enough, the rewards came and lasted for hours as they kissed every inch of each other with soft, sultry workings of their mouths, lips, and tongues. It was as if they were drinking each other in, sip by sip, savoring the flavor of each other’s bodies. All the while, Jocelyn used a length of soft rope to bind Ethan into new and exciting positions on the bed. In the end, he orgasmed three times throughout the night, and she climaxed over twice as many. It was the most incredible and satisfying night of their lives.
It’s too bad they never heard the click of the camera or bothered to check the bedroom for hidden recording devices.
“My accusations of theft and industrial espionage didn’t work, but blackmail surely will,” Edward Lewis snickered to himself as he put the film safely in his pocket. As he skulked away, he smiled with satisfaction. “This isn’t over yet.”
Do you like this book? Be sure to check other books in this series
Lucy Smith is the only child of Charles and Abigail Smith. After her father’s untimely passing, she is left as the owner of the third largest shipping company in the world. Lucy puts in a proposal that would make her father’s company the second largest in the world. She has one small problem; her father sold 10% of the company to Jake Logan, the most gorgeous man Lucy has ever seen, but also the most hard-headed and stubborn. Lucy needs his signature to complete what will be the company’s largest shipment to date
.
Jake Logan knew the moment he laid eyes on Lucy
Smith that she was the woman he had waited his whole life for. It was love at first sight. Jake has one hurdle to overcome in making Lucy his wife: Lucy herself. She has sworn off relationships and Jake is bound and determined to make her see she can have both; a successful marriage as well as a successful and thriving business.
Lucy hung up the phone with her largest import contractor. She was about to close her largest import shipment to date, a huge bonus in a male-dominated world, which assured continued respect from others in the industry.
It had not been an easy road, having to take over the business her grandfather had started, which was left to her at the unexpected death of her father, Charles
Smith, at the age of 68. She had known this day would come, and her father had made sure she was as ready as she would ever be, but she had always thought he would be here to guide her as needed, calling from the golf course or the country club to check in and offer advice.
But fate offered a different hand. Charles succumbed to a massive heart attack after a weekend of golf with his buddies, leaving Lucy large and in charge with one fell swoop of the pen. So far she had succeeded. She hoped her father was looking down on her and was as proud of her as she knew he would be. He was unlike any other man; he always believed in her and never doubted her for one second.
That was probably why she had yet to marry; big shoes to fill for one man. She wanted a man just like her father, and he was one of a kind. It would be difficult to find someone who could put up with her
and
her hours; she was used to being in control, and she liked it that way. A nice long life as a bachelorette suited her just fine and she saw no reason to think otherwise.
She owned the third largest import/export company in the world and had billions to go along with that. What could a man offer her that she couldn’t get with a fun-filled night and a “
don’t call me, I’ll call you”
line at the end? After all, men do it, and this was an equal society. At thirty-seven, she was old enough to take charge of her love life, if she had one.
Despite her money, most men of stature wanted the trophy wife by their side. Someone blonde and slim, petite, pretty to look at, but quiet. This did not describe Lucy at all; she was tall, almost six foot, definitely what one would consider BBW:
a big, beautiful, woman.
Yes, she had “extra” curves on her curves, but she did not care; when she spoke, she commanded, and got, the attention of all in the room. If the men did not like her for her brains, she did not need them anyhow. She was a tigress, ready to pounce and to dominate, which she did quite well. And she knew she would dominate this new deal and become the second largest shipping company in the world, come hell or high water, and no one was going to stand in her way.
***
Jake Logan pulled the large cargo ship into the dock and begun the process of unloading the shipping containers. He loved the excitement that came with crossing the ocean with his hull and deck full, only to pull in safe and sound to the port. He loved the sea and all it had to offer, he even joked he had “
land sickness”
. He only felt comfortable and at home at the helm of a large ship, which was probably why he had not married yet, to the dissatisfaction of his nagging mother.
He loved her dearly, yet every call home ended in, “
When am I going to get any grandchildren from you?”
He laughed her off, yet inside he was yearning to settle down and have kids. Problem was, people did not honor or respect marriage very much anymore. When he married, it would be for good. One woman to share forever with. Jake was waiting for that one special woman; she was out there, somewhere, waiting to find him. She would be extraordinary and be able to endure all his quirks and sea adventures.
He could well afford a beautiful home for his family now. He had saved his whole life and his mentor, Charles Smith, had sold him ten percent of the Smith Shipping at a much lower price than it was worth.
Chuck.
How he missed him.
Chuck had been his best friend and had taught him everything he knew about the business. Chuck had made him a deck hand at the age of twenty-one and had kept him under his wing. He really was more of a father than his own father had ever been. Charles had paid for his college education and assured that he not only knew how to run a ship, but also the business end of the company.
He cleaned up well and could sit at the head of any negotiation table and hold his own; but the sea called his name, and he answered back. That didn’t leave much time for love, but Jake was patient. He knew the right woman would be worth it.
***
Lucy walked through the front door of her penthouse and kicked off her heals. She considered her options for dinner and realized, as usual, she had no time and also
no one
to cook for. Most people did not know she also had a degree in cooking, which was her private passion; but she saw no reason to go all gung-ho for just herself, plus she had too much work to do if she wanted to land this contract. This deal would set in stone her place in this
jungle
called a corporation. She would be known worldwide in her field as a force to be reckoned with, and being the only female member of the
Grand Alliance
, a vessel consortium formed to aid in scheduling all shipping rotations and schedules, she needed all the boosting she could get.
Lucy went into her office after ordering from the local Chinese restaurant and started to work on her proposal. She had one week to complete the proposal, have it approved by her legal department as well as signed off by the silent partner in the business.
She had wondered about this since being told of the business decision, although she would never question her father’s plans, seeing as he had never been wrong in business before, yet this stumped her.
She could never have envisioned
any
of the Smith Shipping Corp
being in anyone’s hands but a Smith. But it was, and she would abide by her father’s wishes to include this person in any new contracts. One thing was for sure, she needed to secure the best captain the industry had to offer for this deal, even if it meant to hire from outside. As soon as she finished this proposal, she would make some calls and find that person and pray to God he was willing to take on this responsibility.
He would be taking command of the largest cargo ship ever built,
The Abigail,
which had been named after her beloved mother, who had died when she was ten. Charles Smith never married again; he had said no one could compare to her beauty or come close to stealing his heart and soul like Abigail did. Maybe this was why Lucy had not married yet, secretly she yearned for a love so pure, so whole, you knew that person would never love another. She would wait if she had to; she was content, and she would know him when she found him. He would be as tall and handsome as her father, strong and able bodied and commanding to boot.
As she looked out her window, she couldn’t help but wonder where he was out there in the world, and what he was doing at that moment.
**
*
Jake sat looking out his window. He was pondering the meeting in the morning with his attorney, Landon Hall. Landon had called him that very evening and informed him that a business proposal from Smith Shipping to a major importer would be on his desk by ten tonight for review and signature. Landon had briefed him somewhat on what he knew of the proposition and Jake was worried.
This deal would be the largest haul in the company’s history and he hoped Ms.
Smith knew what she was doing. He would not take lightly the ruination of all that Charles and his father had built, family or not. Jake was mulling this over in his mind; he would look this proposal over with a fine-tooth comb. Charles had left him more leeway on contracts than ten percent would normally allow an investor, but Charles knew his strengths, and what he could offer this company, and he was never going to do anything that would diminish all that Charles had bestowed on him.
Better yet, he thought it best to make sure Ms.
Smith was at this meeting as well. He always liked to look someone in the eyes when asking or answering questions, Jake felt the eyes were the windows to the soul. He would know exactly what kind of businesswoman he was dealing with the moment he shook her hand, and Jake hoped she was ready for him.
***
Lucy was up at the crack of dawn, going back over the proposal to make sure it was cut and dry. Mr. Hall had called back last evening and requested her presence at the meeting. She was to arrive at 10:30 this morning, giving time for him to go over the proposal with the investor.
This suited her fine, as she was spending all morning searching high and low for the best captain in the industry. This was proving to be no small venture, and she was running out of time. She would have to leave after this call, if she was going to make the meeting on time.
Oh well, it’s not like she had to have a name today. She would resume her search at the office after lunch. Right now she had a meeting to attend and a proposal she needed signed, sealed, and delivered.
***
Jake had combed over the proposal not once, not twice, but three times. He could honestly say he was very impressed with Ms. Smith’s business savvy. This proposal was as tight as they can get and provided very well in protecting all sides as well as providing a bid that was both acceptable in terms of profit for the company as well as making this deal comfortable on the pockets of the importer. Jake actually felt the company had a high probability of winning this bid, and he was going to do all he could to insure its success, and he had only one way to do that.
I am going to captain the barge myself, or not sign off on the deal.
***
Lucy exited the parking garage of the
Century Center
and entered the elevator to go to the fourth floor. She checked her business suite as she exited the elevators, squaring her shoulders and preparing to do all she needed to insure a signature on this package. She entered the office and introduced herself to the secretary and took the seat that was closest to Mr. Hall’s office.
After a few minutes, she was called into the office. She entered and spoke briefly with Mr. Hall before the door opened behind her; she pasted a smile on her face and prepare herself to meet the person she needed to complete this deal. She turned around to find the most beautiful man she had ever seen smiling back at her, and her heart dropped to her knees.
Jake braced himself for a small war of the wills that would, of course, end in his victory. He was not prepared for the reaction that seeing Ms. Smith had on him. He lost all thought and felt a shiver from the top of his head to the souls of his feet when his hand touched hers, and a cold chill where her touch had been when he let go. He felt like he was home in her presence and knew at that moment that this beautiful woman, all five-foot eleven, black-haired, blue-eyed wonder of her, with all her beautiful curves was going to be his wife, come hell or high water.
He gave a small chuckle. Charles’ plan had at that moment become clear, that little rascal. God bless him. He knew he was not selling off part of the family business. He knew the 10% of the company he sold Jake would one day be back into the family again.
Landon Hall escorted both parties to the inner office to go over the proposal and his clients offer for closure on his end. “Ms. Smith, as you know, I represent Mr. Logan’s business dealings. Mr. Logan and I have spent a great part of the morning going over your proposal and I do have to say, Ms. Smith, Mr. Logan and I agree we are most impressed with the proposal you have drafted and see no room for change or improvement. I do not think that even I could have done a better job with this proposal; I can see your father has left his company in very capable hands.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hall and Mr. Logan. You are correct that my father has well prepared me for the day I would assume the head of the table in my family’s business. Mr. Logan can rest assured that I will continue to uphold my family’s success and position in this industry that we have spent years building. Mr. Logan has no worry about his stake in the business as long as I sit at the head of the table.”
As she spoke, Jake could not help but be in awe of her, the perfect shape of her nose, her strong set jaw, and her beautiful full lips that begged to be ravished by him till she pleaded for mercy, and they would be. Jake always had gotten exactly what he wanted when he set his mind to it. And as he listened to her speak, her voice as warm as honey, he had a vision of her.
She would be all laid out on his bed begging him to stop as he kissed her all over, that silky voice calling out his name in the heat of the moment
,
begging him for mercy, for which he would show none as he ravished every inch of her.
“
Jake!”
It took him a moment to realize that Landon was calling his name.
“Sorry,” Jake said.
“Well,” Landon stated, “I was just telling Ms.
Smith that you had one small provision before you signed the contract; would you like to explain it to her?”
Lucy swung her chair around to look him fully in the eyes, instantly regretting it. Lucy usually dominated a meeting; in fact she usually commanded attention and had others feeling as if they were the small ones in the room. But this was not the case with Jake Logan; in fact he made her feel like a second seat. What was it about him that made her feel as if she was here to listen? Yes he was absolutely the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Yes, he had the most gorgeous sea-green eyes she had ever seen and not an ounce of fat on him
, unlike her
. She was what they considered chubby. A man like Jake would never be interested in a chunky woman, ever. He probably had a string of blonde size-zero bimbos at his beck and call. Not that she cared. She had no time for him, or any man for that matter! She was thinking of how his voice could warm her on a cold winter night when her brain finally caught up to
exactly
what it was he was stating, and at that moment she recoiled.
