MrTemptation (6 page)

Here I go again. Deep breaths, deep breaths. One, two,
three…

They took the elevator to the ground floor. Preston stood a
step ahead of her, which gave her the opportunity to check him out more
closely. He was athletic, like a thoroughbred. His jacket covered a lean butt,
encased in perfectly cut trousers. His shoulders were wide. She wanted to run
her hand across his back and feel his muscles ripple beneath her fingers.

She was getting randy without any effort. She welcomed the
change. It almost made up for what she’d learned about her sham of a family.
She was going to have a lot of fun spending the money and wouldn’t give a
thought to what all those lies had cost.

Thinking about
them
burst her bubble.

Preston Night might be hot but he was also a consummate
professional. A girl her age didn’t fall apart at the seams over a little
flirty attention.

The bell pinged and the elevator door opened. Whatever she
had dreamed might happen on the ride down didn’t happen.

A girl can fantasize
, she mused. Perhaps her first
purchase ought to be a vibrator. At least that way she could hopefully get all
this raging lust out of her body.

They waited in the foyer. A sleek, black Escalade pulled up
to the curb. A uniformed man opened the door for them.

Preston introduced her to his driver. “This is Frank.”

Frank was tall and broad-shouldered. Probably doubled as a
bodyguard, she decided. The thought thrilled her. Did Preston lead a life of
danger and intrigue? Probably not. He specialized in estates and trusts.

Besides, James Bond didn’t need a bodyguard, did he?

“Hello, Frank,” she said.

Frank tipped his cap and bowed slightly.

Cadence hadn’t expected this display of old-fashioned
courtesy.

“Frank is practicing his softer side,” Preston explained.

Frank cracked a smile.

Preston held out his arm. “Ladies first.”

What a gentleman. Cadence flashed him a smile of
appreciation and as she brushed past him, their bodies touched ever so
slightly. She shuddered at that subtle contact. Yes, a vibrator was the first
thing she needed to purchase indeed.

Preston climbed in after her and they settled on two
spacious leather seats in the back. His leg pressed against her thigh. He was
hard, warm. She chewed her lip and tried to shift away.

“Where would you like to go?” Preston ran his hands over his
thighs, smoothing his pants, but that act only seemed to draw her attention to
his legs all the more.

She squeezed her thighs closed, hoping to stop the tension
coiling in her core. She folded her arms over her chest, causing her bra to rub
against her nipples in delicious friction.

“The Michelangelo Hotel.” She gave Frank the address. Would
Preston ask to come inside? Should she invite him? If he stepped foot in her
hotel room, all bets were off. She couldn’t take it. She wanted him—bad.

“Really?” Preston said. “I would have thought you’d prefer
something more like the Waldorf or the Four Seasons.”

“Up ’til now, I haven’t been able to afford a luxury hotel,”
she said.

“I can change your reservation with a phone call.”

“Don’t bother. The Michelangelo is my kind of place. I love
the historical feel. My degree is in the Italian Renaissance and so I try to
stay surrounded by as much history as possible to keep my muse going.”

Did she sound flaky? Would he understand about muses?

“That’s a smart idea,” Preston said as they pulled away from
the curb.

He was really too good to be true, she decided. There had to
be something wrong. He was a player, no doubt. They’d barely touched and she
was already on the verge of stripping naked and fucking his brains out.

“What do you plan to do now that you’ve graduated?” he
asked.

“Ah…the infamous question,” she said with a distracted
laugh. She was glad he was talking about something more serious. Hopefully that
would get her mind off sex. “I’ve been working on applications for grant
money.”

“Now that you’re mega-rich, money won’t be an issue
anymore.” He ran his hand through his hair. Hair that looked soft. She wanted
to stroke her own hands through it.

“No, I guess not. I plan to travel as much as possible and
to write. I love writing about artists.” She couldn’t help erupting into a
genuine smile. Now her dreams could become a reality.

“That’s great that you’ve found something you truly enjoy
doing. It’s rare.”

She sat back against the cool leather. They were making
small talk, something she hadn’t expected from him. Perhaps there was a lot
more than met the eye with Preston. She knew he had to be intelligent to be in
the line of work he was. Beyond that, she’d thought of him as a ladies’ man,
actually hoped he was so she could invite him to ease the lustful ache in her
center.

“Are you happy with your job?” she asked, wondering if the
question was too personal.

“Me? Sure.”

“That’s not an answer.”

He turned away for a second and then met her gaze. “Being a
lawyer was something my mother wanted for me so I went about the motions. I’d
like to live abroad someday so I changed my area of expertise to international
business law and I’ve been able to do quite a bit of pond hopping. I recently
opened an office in Paris and last year Night and Night started an office in London.
I’m working on getting into China and possibly one in another European country,
maybe Italy.” He shrugged, dismissing his effort or his ambition, she wasn’t
quite sure which, as inconsequential.

“Sounds like you’re busy,” Cadence said, impressed. “You
must be on the go all the time.”

“Yes, we have been overworked at Night and Night lately.
It’s been pretty stressful.”

She realized she was taking up his valuable time but he had
volunteered to escort her back to her hotel. Why was he doing this? She didn’t
want to be another notch in his bedpost…and yet she couldn’t stop the images of
the two of them, legs entangled, from worming its way into her mind.

“I’m sorry to take you away from your work.”

“We have a lot of capable employees working for us and a lot
of people that I trust. Trust is important,” he said and made a point of
looking at her.

She caught his meaning and nodded. “It is.” There’d been a
moment when she hadn’t trusted him, believed his kindness and consideration had
been an act. She was glad to have been proven wrong. He might not be on the
up-and-up with relationships but she could tell he was interested in her for
more than just business.

They arrived at the hotel in Midtown and the familiar place
brought a new sense of calm, like meeting a friend who shared the same
interests. Frank pulled right up to the no-parking zone. The bellman hurried to
the curb and opened the back door.

“Thank you for the ride, Preston. I appreciate all you’ve
done for me today and all that you will do for me in the coming days.” She gave
him one of her best smiles. She wasn’t pretending.

He smiled back. There was mischief in his smile.

She decided to take the plunge. “Are you free for dinner? I
hate eating alone. Unless you’re too busy.”

She mentally cringed. She hadn’t wanted to put him on the
spot.

His hand brushed against hers. She wasn’t sure if it was
intentional but the touch of his skin gave her goose bumps. She curled her
fingers into a fist and bit the inside of her cheek.

He smiled. “I know a restaurant that you might like.”

“Nothing too fancy?”

“Not at all but the food is great.”

She tucked a curl behind her ear. “Pick me up at seven?”

“You heard her, Frank?”

“Seven it is,” Frank replied.

Cadence climbed out of the car. The bellboy tipped his hat.
She walked into the hotel without looking back but she knew Preston was staring
after her.

What am I doing? Flirting with my lawyer? Inviting him to
dinner?
They both knew what she’d been offering for dessert.
What a
crazy idea. Good one, Cadence.

But she didn’t really care if they were breaking some kind
of rule. It had been so long since she had experienced the exhilaration of
being with an interesting man. So what if he was her lawyer and they were
supposed to be all about business and contracts? She wasn’t looking for a
relationship.

She just wanted to feel good for a change.

And have really awesome sex.

Preston couldn’t take his eyes off the retreating figure of
Cadence Burke. She had a tight body and her ass swayed seductively from side to
side as she walked. Damn, she was gorgeous. But he wasn’t just attracted to her
hot body or the sultry looks she kept slinging his way, it was her, the whole
package.

What she’d learned this morning about her family would’ve
put anyone off her game. Yet Cadence walked with her head held high and a sway
to her hips that only a blind man would be able to resist.

Yeah, she’s coming on to me.

He would take full advantage of the invitation.

She’d surprised him when she agreed to go with him to
dinner. He’d thought of asking her but had dismissed it as too soon. He’d
wanted to give her time for the bad news to sink in and allow her some privacy.
Apparently, Cadence hadn’t been as gutted by what she’d learned as he’d
thought.

He told Frank to take him back to the office and pulled out
his BlackBerry. He had some calls to make, the first one to a reserve a table
at one of his favorite restaurants.

His mother always frowned on him seeing clients outside the
office. She wouldn’t like him seeing Cadence Burke, whose case had to be
handled with care. He’d never do anything to hurt Cadence. That was always his
bottom line in any relationship.

Cadence disappeared into the hotel, his last glimpse her ass
in that tight skirt as the door closed behind her. She was a stunner. Her big
baby blues appealed to him in all the fundamental ways. Her lips begged to be
kissed.

Perhaps he would add a post-dinner interlude at an expensive
hotel. Dessert was on him.

He could only imagine what she would look like underneath
him, what type of panties he’d be peeling back.

He arrived at the office hot and bothered. He needed to
concentrate on work. Would Mom be happy about selling Sparkle Industries? What
kind of price could Cadence get for the business?

He’d make some calls, set the wheels in motion.

And spend the rest of the day thinking about Cadence Burke’s
very nice ass.

Chapter Four

Cadence entered the lobby, the familiar surroundings of the
Michelangelo a balm to her jagged nerves. She always came here when she was in
the city because it reminded her of happier days. Today the small boutique
hotel was her sanctuary.

The first time she’d stayed here, her mother had brought her
after working a fashion shoot. Cadence had tagged along for fun. Because the
shoot had ended so late, they had splurged and gotten a room for the night.

Ever since then, she and her mother had made the
Michelangelo their special place. It’d been a good spot to escape after
shopping or a show.

Even after her mother passed away, Cadence had kept up the
tradition. None of her friends understood why. There were finer hotels. There
were trendier hotels. How could she explain? The funky little hotel kept her
muse alive. Especially now.

Amazingly, Preston Night had understood.

“Good afternoon, Miss Burke,” the hotel concierge said. It
was wonderful how the people in the hotel knew who she was and called her by
name.

Oh my God, is it afternoon already?
She’d taken up
Preston’s entire morning without meaning to.

“Good afternoon, Melody.”

She looked closer at Melody’s tattoo of a butterfly on her neck.
Maybe she should get one of those? Or a belly ring? Wouldn’t the mayor have
shat cats if she’d shown up with one of those at one of his fund-raising
events? The only body parts she’d been allowed to have pierced were her ears
for the modest pearl studs he’d given her to go with her mother’s pearls.

Melody picked up an envelope. “This letter came while you
were out.”

Cadence took the letter. It’d been no secret where she was
staying. Her name had been scribbled on the outside. She opened the envelope and
took out a single sheet of paper.

“I’d like to get together with you. I’ll pick you up at
eight. C.”

The initial sent pain searing across her already throbbing
temples.

“Do you remember who delivered this message?” Cadence asked.

“Sure. He was tall, had blue eyes and…”

“Flaming red hair?”

Melody nodded. “The reddest I’ve ever seen.”

“Cyrus.” Cadence crumbled the letter into a ball. “Great.
Just great.”

“I’m sorry,” Melody said. “He told me he was your brother.”

“He was,” Cadence said, “but he isn’t any longer.”

Melody was trained well enough not to ask the customer
personal questions but her confusion was evident in her expression.

“Would you put this in the trash?” Cadence said, scooting
the wad of paper her way.

“Of course.” She deposited the wad in a circular file.
“Would you care to leave a reply?”

If only getting rid of Cyrus and his unwanted attention were
that easy. She grimaced. “I guess I’d better.”

Melody took a fresh sheet of hotel stationary from
underneath the counter.

Cadence grabbed a pen and wrote, “No thanks, I’m busy.” She
folded the letter and handed it to Melody. “Sending an email won’t keep him
from coming over.”

“I’ll make sure he receives this.”

How she’d loved to tell Cyrus about her fortune. Her lips
were sealed forever. She wasn’t about to share thirty-seven million with him or
his mother.

Cyrus was her past and she’d no intention of seeing him
again. Tonight was reserved for her and Preston. They would celebrate in some
cozy restaurant and salute the future.