His Millionaire Maid (13 page)

“How did your meeting at the bank go?” Vince asked Joe.

“Don’t ask.” A vexed look passed over Joe’s face but was quickly gone. “I need food. Looks like I arrived at the right time.”

Sarah motioned for Joe to sit next to her, but instead he rounded the table and slid into the chair beside Nina. His nearness set her body humming, the attraction sparking and pulling her into his thrall. She drew in a breath to steady herself, but instead inhaled a whiff of Joe’s crisp cologne that went straight to her head.

Sarah frowned but continued to divide the spatchcock into three portions. She passed plates to Vince and Joe. When Joe saw Nina had been left out, he turned to her, his eyebrows lifted in query.

“I’ll let you three be the judge,” she said, striving to sound normal.

Joe sampled the spatchcock and nodded at Sarah. “This is incredible.” He ate another mouthful and sipped at the old ale beer. “Amazing how the beer complements all the flavors.” He nodded at Sarah and Vince. “Great work, guys. Sarah, I think this is going to be one of your signature dishes.”

Sarah went pink. “Thanks. I’ve been working really hard to get it right.”

Joe turned to Nina. “You should taste this, seeing as it was all your idea.” He forked up a morsel of meat and held it to her. “Here, have some of mine.”

Nina blinked at him in surprise. Beneath the table, his knee nudged against hers, causing her thigh to quiver. The glint in his eyes told her it was no accident. So, Joe wanted to tease her in front of his staff? Well, two could play that game.

Angling forward, she wrapped her fingers around his hand and guided his fork into her mouth. She let the fork slowly glide out past her lips, all the while keeping her gaze locked on Joe, her provocation deliberate. A spark flared in his eyes. He pressed the length of his thigh against hers, and she almost choked on her mouthful of food. Oh, Joe was too good at this game. As she leaned back in her chair, flushed and aroused, she realized everyone at the table was staring at them.

Sarah pulled a face. “Are you two finished?”

Vince coughed uncomfortably. “I’d better get back to the bar.” He pushed to his feet and hurried out of the restaurant. The other staff members scattered, too, except for Sarah.

Nina swallowed her mouthful of spatchcock. “It’s, er, delicious.”

“Really?” Sarah was giving her the stink eye again. “How could you tell when you gulped it down in one second?”

Joe cleared his throat. “Sarah…” he warned in a low voice.

Thoroughly discomfited by the situation, Nina pushed to her feet and grabbed the empty plates. “I’d better get these to the kitchen,” she said, and beat a hasty retreat.

As the evening wore on and the place got busier, Nina concentrated on her work and pushed all thoughts of Joe to the back of her mind. She hoped the incident with the spatchcock would be forgotten but knew it was a vain hope when, later that night as she stepped out the backyard with two bags of garbage, Sarah’s tall figure loomed up beside her like a prison guard.

Still, Nina tried to keep the atmosphere neutral. “Lovely night tonight.” She walked toward the Dumpster, tilting her head up to the sky. “Look at all those stars.”

Sarah kept pace with her, ignoring the stars. “What’s going on with you and Joe?” she asked bluntly.

“Nothing’s going on,” Nina insisted. Technically, that was true. Joe hadn’t made any promises. And she didn’t want any. She opened the Dumpster and heaved the first bag in.

“Bullshit. Are you and Joe having an affair?”

Nina stood her ground. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is my business. Joe’s my friend. I won’t stand by and let an oversexed tramp mess him around.”

Nina gasped. “Oversexed tramp! You’ve got one helluva nerve calling me names.”

Sarah stepped closer, tall and menacing. “You talked Joe into hiring you when you’re obviously unqualified. You’ve been here two weeks and already he’s drooling over you. You’ve schemed and seduced your way in here, and you’re up to no good. Of course you’re an oversexed tramp.”

Nina let out a furious laugh. “Ha! If I’m such an oversexed tramp, then why am I the one taking out the garbage?”

“It’s all a stunt, a cover. You’re not really here because of the job. Anyone can see that. There’s something else going on.”

Indignation boiled in Nina. “I might not be as quick as everyone else, but I pull my weight around here, and even you can’t deny that. As for Joe, he’s a big boy. He can take care of himself. He doesn’t need a mother hen like you flapping around him.”

Sarah gasped and faltered back as if Nina had pushed her. For a few seconds she appeared to struggle for breath.

“Joe takes care of everyone else, but he needs someone watching out for him.” Sarah sniffed and fisted her hands. “And I am not his mother hen.”

Nina bit her lower lip as the truth sunk in.
Oh, shit.
Sarah had a crush on Joe, and he probably had no clue. No wonder Sarah was so ready to bite her head off. Nina and Joe had shamelessly flirted over the spatchcock right in front of Sarah, and that must have hurt. If she found out that Nina had been spending nights with Joe… Nina’s animosity against Sarah subsided.

“Look, I appreciate your concern for Joe, but he’s in no danger from me.”

Sarah shook her head morosely. “You don’t convince me. I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you.”

Nina sighed, her patience slipping. “Well, maybe you should speak to Joe instead of me.” She tossed the second garbage bag into the Dumpster and slammed the lid shut. “I’m going back inside.”

The other woman glowered at her. “I know you’re hiding something, Nina, and sooner or later I’ll find out what it is.”

Nina shrugged and left the yard. If Sarah only knew how her secret was weighing on her… How much longer could she continue deceiving Joe?

Joe had been nothing but open and honest with her. He didn’t deserve to be lied to. But if she told him the truth, Joe would surely despise her, and that prospect was too much to bear.

…

Nina retreated to her bedroom as soon as her hectic evening shift was over. After her confrontation with Sarah, she didn’t think it would be appropriate to hang around in the bar waiting for Joe, especially since she found it impossible to hide her attraction to him. She should try to curb her libido. It was crazy sleeping with a man who didn’t know her true identity. Crazier still to have these strange, warm feelings whenever she thought about him. All things considered, it was better to be alone tonight.

But all her sensible ideas scattered when, an hour later, she heard someone walk up to her room. The footsteps paused outside her door, and she knew instinctively that it was Joe standing on the other side. Her breathing hitched as she waited for him to knock.
Please, please, please knock.
Her desperation for Joe shocked her. Before she could help herself, she moved to the door and opened it.

Joe blinked at her, making her conscious of her scrubbed face and the fact she wore only a T-shirt. His dark eyes warmed, and the glow in them chased away her reservations. Yes, she felt increasingly guilty over her deception, but she wasn’t lying about how she felt about him.

And what exactly are those feelings?
a critical voice queried at the back of her mind.
This is supposed to be just some harmless fun, isn’t it?

The nagging voice faded as she took in Joe’s presence, delighted at his visit.

“Are you just going to stand there,” she said, “or are you coming in?”

His gaze swept over her T-shirt, making her nipples perk up in anticipation. “I shouldn’t be here,” he said.

She smiled. “No, you shouldn’t be.” But he was. She took him by the hand and tugged him toward the bed.

“Tired?” she asked and sat next to him.

“A little. It’s been a busy day.”

She recalled his bank meeting earlier that hadn’t gone well, and bit her lip. To help ease her conscience, she shifted behind him and squeezed his shoulders. “Want a massage?”

“That’d be great.” He sounded surprised.

She began working on his muscles, kneading the tight knots in his back and shoulders. Joe groaned in relief, lowering his head. The sight of his bowed head made her heart twinge in a novel way. She was only giving him a massage, and yet it felt more than that. It felt as if he was letting down his barriers, allowing her into his citadel. She slid her palms over him, relishing the flex of his muscles, the scent of his skin. She wanted to do this every night. Wanted to be the one he turned to for comfort at the end of a tiring day.

Her heart panged with deep longing.

But how could she ever have that without telling him the truth? Maybe—her mind quavered—it was time to fess up. Not now when he was at ease and relaxed, but maybe later…sometime soon.

Joe sighed. “I should go home.”

No
, she almost cried out. She wanted every drop of him while she could, because who knew how long this would last? “Why?”

“I have spreadsheets to go over.”

Her body took over, reckless with yearning. Rising to her feet, she spread her legs over his knees. “I have a spreadsheet for you to go over, too. Figures that need massaging…”

He ran a hand along the length of her thigh, the glint in his eye mirroring the fire in her veins. “I’m good at massaging figures.” She quivered as he slid his hand higher under her T-shirt and pulled her down to sit astride his knees.

“W-wonderful.” She clutched at his shoulders. “What about bottom lines? Any good at those?”

Laughing, he leaned in to nibble her earlobe. “Sweet pea, I’m all over your bottom line. It’s one of your prime assets.” Shifting his hand up, he cupped her bare breast, causing them both to breathe faster. “Along with these…”

She hissed with pleasure. “That’s some dirty bookkeeping you have in mind.”

He lifted her and pushed her onto the bed, pressing the full weight of his body onto her as he covered her mouth with his.

“Just wait until we get to double-entry accounting, sweet pea.”

Chapter Ten

“You haven’t looked at the spreadsheets?” Patty Williams blinked in complete bafflement. “But Joe, the festival’s next week, and you
promised
.”

Guilt and embarrassment crawled over Joe as he faced his colleague. Those budgets and costing were vital for the festival. He’d let Patty and the committee down, all because he couldn’t keep his priorities straight recently.

“Sorry, Patty. I’ll go over them as soon as I can.”

The older woman glanced around the lobby of the Comet Inn, where several people stood about, some waiting to check in, others browsing the tourist brochure stand. The inn was booked with guests invited to a weekend wedding, and the restaurant would be hosting a prewedding dinner that night.

“Doesn’t look like you’ll get a chance today,” Patty said through a sigh.

Joe grimaced. He hated reneging on his word. This was all his fault. He shouldn’t have gone to Nina’s room last night.

“I’ll get on it today, I guarantee.”

Patty nodded, though doubt lingered in her expression. She took her leave, and he went back to seeing to his paying guests.

Later, Joe retreated to his office to study the spreadsheets. He couldn’t let Patty down a second time. After a couple of hours of intense concentration, he’d finished his analysis, made several corrections and emailed the revised spreadsheets to the committee. Relieved, he told himself there’d be no more slipups from his end. This festival was too important to mess up. Tourists brought in revenue, and he needed every extra cent for his B&B.

…

The sound of breaking glass made Joe wince as his trainee bartender dropped a full bottle of single malt whisky. At a nearby table, a disgruntled customer pulled a face at the scorched patty in his hamburger. Joe approached the man—one of his regulars—and whisked the burger away, telling him his meal would be on the house. He gave instructions to one of the kitchen staff to get the man a replacement burger, then returned to the bar, where Vince was overseeing the trainee and his mess.

“What’s going on tonight?” Joe asked Vince when they had a moment alone. “Everyone’s dropping things, mixing up orders, burning food. Is there a full moon or something?”

Vince picked up a cloth and began wiping the bar counter. “You can’t guess?” he said, almost sullen. He’d been unusually clammed up all evening.

“No.” Joe looked him in the eye. “You going to tell me?”

His friend paused his polishing. “You really can’t guess why everyone’s acting weird? It’s because of you and Nina.”

Joe’s stomach muscles tensed. “What about me and Nina?”

“You know.” Vince shrugged. “All that flirting going on between you two.”

Joe’s mind raced.

“You mean yesterday with the spatchcock? That was nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing. You were practically making out in front of everyone. And it’s not just the spatchcock. Every time you and Nina are in the same place together it’s like happy hour at a pickup joint. You’ve got a thing for her, and don’t even try to deny it.”

The truculent tone in his friend’s voice irked Joe, but he kept his own voice steady as he said, “Are you jealous? Thinking you want a crack at her, too?”

Vince’s cheeks grew ruddy. “I like Nina, but we’re just friends. That’s not why I’m pissed off.” He rubbed at a spot on the counter vigorously. “You must have noticed how upset Sarah was when you started fooling around with Nina at the table. Sarah’s bad mood affects everyone around here. Hence the accidents happening tonight. Sarah’s never liked Nina, and you made things worse by agreeing to Nina’s idea about the craft beer thing.”

“But it’s a good idea.” Joe stared at Vince. “And she did it for you, you ass.”

“I’m grateful for that, but to Sarah it looked like you only agreed because you want to fool around with Nina.”

“I don’t see how it’s any of Sarah’s business who I fool around with.”

“Come off it, Joe. You know better than that.”

Vince moved down the counter to serve a customer, leaving Joe to brood over what he’d just said. Joe rubbed his hand over his face, feeling like a jerk. Yeah, he’d been aware for some time that Sarah had a soft spot for him, but he didn’t think it was serious; she kept it well hidden, and he’d never thought others would notice. But apparently Vince had.

He waited until Vince was free before drawing him aside where they couldn’t be overheard.

“Look,” Joe said quietly. “Whatever you suspect about Sarah, keep it to yourself. She and I have never talked about it, and I get the impression she’d like to keep it that way.”

Vince cocked his head to one side. “She’d be a good match for you, you know.”

Joe compressed his lips. “You also know I’m not interested in a relationship.”

“So this thing going on with Nina—it’s just a casual hookup?”

“It’s not a hookup. It’s…” An obsession. A compulsion that grabbed him and overwhelmed all his usual rationality. He thrust his fingers through his hair in frustration.

God damn it. Why did everything have to be so complicated? He wanted Nina so badly at times he couldn’t think about anything except the need to touch her, pleasure her, take her. Didn’t matter how many times he had her, it was never enough.

Nina was like a carnival that had sprung up out of nowhere on the side of the road, luring him with her bright lights and crazy rides and cotton candy. Distracting him from the journey he’d mapped out for himself. But it wasn’t her fault he kept putting his desire for her ahead of everything else. That was all on him. He just wished there was a way he could stay at the carnival without straying off course.

“So you do admit you’re involved with Nina,” Vince persisted.

Joe shrugged. It felt like he was being backed into a corner. “I’m not big on semantics. Whatever it is, it’s temporary. You know me, Vince. Since when do I have the time for anything serious?” He was on firmer ground here. Everyone knew he was too busy for a girlfriend. His track record spoke for itself.

“You sure you’re not playing with fire here?”

“Don’t worry about me, man. I can handle it.”

Vince threw him a skeptical look. “If you say so.”

Of course he could handle a fling. He was a man with experience in brief relationships, and whatever label he put on this thing with Nina, he knew it could only be temporary, because carnivals always moved on. They brought fun and excitement for a short while and then disappeared as quickly as they arrived. They never put down permanent roots. So he and Nina would enjoy a few wild nights—or maybe more—before she packed up and moved back to the city. That was the most likely scenario. And sure, he admitted his obsession with her was causing a few problems with his friends here at the inn, and that was affecting his staff, too, but he had the situation under control. For a few more nights, the hassle was worth it. Right?

…

Mindful of the minor rebellion among his staff, Joe avoided Nina the rest of that Friday and went home by himself, where he spent a restless night alone, horny and frustrated. The next day was no better. As soon as he laid eyes on Nina sweeping the barroom floor, he wanted to bend her over one of the tables and have his way with her.

He managed to stay away from her for several hours, but later, as he emerged from his office, he spotted Nina entering one of the storage rooms at the end of the hall. He hesitated, aware of how full the inn was, but the thought of being alone with Nina was too damn irresistible. He scanned the area for witnesses then quickly followed her into the room.

Nina whirled around as the door clicked shut. “Oh. Hi. I’m here for napkins.” She seemed surprised to see him.

He drew in a breath, and her scent pulled him in. Avoiding her last night had done him no good at all. He still wanted her, more desperately than before. So desperately that he was willing to risk discovery.

“I missed you last night.” The huskiness in his voice echoed his need.

She widened her eyes. “I missed you, too.”

Their eyes met, and the fuse between them crackled alight, drawing him in, licking fire in his veins.

The overhead glow picked out the golden tips of her hair and the soft curve of her lower lip. He’d meant to pull her into his arms, but something about her made him pause. She was like porcelain china, delicate yet strong, exquisite and durable at the same time. He traced the contours of her face with his fingers, marveling at her bone structure.

“Did I ever tell you you’re incredibly beautiful?” he said.

She drew in a breath. “You’ve called me a lot of things.” Beneath his fingers, a pulse in her temple fluttered. “But never incredibly beautiful.”

“Well, you are.” He hesitated, confused at how a simple urge to kiss her had morphed into something more complex. “But you probably hear that all the time.”

“Not as often as you imagine.” Stepping up to him, she slid her hands up his chest, bringing them to rest at his shoulders. “If you think I’m beautiful, it’s because of you.” A shy smile lifted her lips. “When you touch me, I feel amazing.”

“Yeah?” He snaked an arm around her waist to haul her in. “Guess I’d better touch you some more, huh?”

He bent his head and took her mouth with his. The kiss was fiery, explosive, far hotter than he’d expected. Kissing Nina awakened something deeper in him, something that went beyond animal lust. As he moved from her lips to explore her smooth, delectable neck, Nina purred a thrilling moan that jolted him into fierce action like a shot of nitro.

He pushed her up against the wall, lifting her at the waist so she could wrap her legs around him. He kissed her neck, at the same time working one hand under her T-shirt. Her torso quivered and tensed as his fingers glided over her soft skin. When he reached her bra, her legs tightened around his hips as she arched her back. He pushed up her bra, and as his hand closed over her breast, he grew light-headed from lack of oxygen.

Despite the fuzziness, something niggled at the back of his mind, making him lift his lips from her honeyed mouth. “This doesn’t seem right,” he muttered, not sure what he was thinking.

She rubbed her pelvis up and down against him. “Feels very right to me…” Her syrupy voice dripped with arousal.

He gave a brief laugh. “No, I mean doing it here in the storeroom.”

“Oh? You want to lock the door?”

The idea of taking Nina against the shelves excited him, but was that good enough for her? She was luscious and beautiful and about the most amazing woman he’d ever met. Surely she deserved more than what he was offering?

He became aware of his hand absently fondling her breast, and her nipple warm and erect in his palm. Damn, he wanted her so badly, but maybe he wanted more from her than just sex. The thought made him pause.

“Joe?” Uncertainty flickered in her eyes.

He pushed his confusion away and concentrated on Nina, on her ripe mouth, on the heat surging in both of them. “Shit, I don’t have a condom,” he said.

She sighed, clearly disappointed as she unwound her legs from his hips and stood. “I guess we need to be sensible.” Then her eyes widened as he began to undo the buttons of her jeans. “What are you doing?”

“Being sensible.” He grinned, watching her intently as he slid his hand inside her jeans. For a moment her expression was blank with surprise, then, as he caressed her lower belly, her eyelids drooped to half-mast.

“Mmm…I like your sensibility. Oh—” She gasped as he cupped her mound.

He drank in the woozy look on her face. This felt better, giving instead of taking. With his free hand, he reclaimed her breast and teased her nipple, simultaneously sliding his finger into her swollen folds, stroking her until her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were groggy with intoxication. God, she was so mesmerizing. He wanted to lavish her with pleasure, to make her the center of his world, to give her everything he had. With his gaze fixed on her, he slid two fingers deep into her, increasing his rhythm, discovering what turned her on. She heaved and melted until her body tensed up, and she moaned aloud as orgasmic color bloomed across her neck and face. When her shudders subsided, he slowly withdrew his hands from her and straightened her clothes.

“Oh, Joe…” Her face wore a blissed-out glow as she ruffled her hair. “That was”—she drew in a shaky breath—“stupendous.” Smiling, she ran her fingers down his chest, bringing them to rest at the belt holding up his jeans. “I can be sensible with you, too.”

His blood leaped at the thought of Nina going down on him, but not now. Pleasuring her was its own reward. Besides, they’d been in here too long, and someone might come in.

Holding her hands, he lifted them to his mouth. “Thanks, but I’ll take a rain check on that.”

“Oh? You don’t want—”

“I want it. God, do I want it.” He took a deep breath as his lust threatened to overcome his common sense. “But later tonight.” He swallowed. “Back at my place. Right now, we both should get back to work.”

“Okay.” She curled her arms around him, raised herself on tiptoe, and crushed her mouth against his. Her tongue darted into his mouth, bold with promise, before she released him and stepped back. “I’ll see you later.”

Tonight couldn’t come soon enough.