Seducing Megan: Prossers Bay Series Novella (12 page)

“Another drink, anyone?”

Their eyes focused back on Jordan, and he knew he’d hit on the right suggestion. There was now a distinct shortage of women and, business trip or not, they were all planning on having a good time. An endless supply of alcohol apparently seemed like a good start.

He wanted, needed, to be with Megan, but as long as these men were here he was the host and he couldn’t leave them.

Chelsea was directing the waiter and she gave him a small grin. He was clearly not as discreet as he was hoping to be. Oh, hell, Amanda had just entered and, unlike Megan, she encouraged the hungry stares of the group of men hovering around Sainsbury.

She threw back her newly bleached blonde hair and strutted across the room to where they all stood. Her tight red dress was far too short, her body far too tanned. It seemed as if she had been availing herself of all the spa treatments she could. Jordan still had no date for when she would leave. Partly his fault, he acknowledged, since he hadn’t made time to talk to her much over the last few days. He made a decision to do so at the earliest chance tomorrow.

As the night wore on the room, or rather the men, got rowdier and Jordan was over the CEO and his crassness. The men were merely following his lead, but Amanda was spurring him on with fresh drinks and a lot of very close contact. He didn’t personally care, and Amanda was at least keeping the group entertained, even if she hadn’t been invited. He was almost gritting his teeth as he listened to Sainsbury brag for the hundredth time about his business, his houses and his cars.

Jordan kept a lookout for Loretta, hoping that she wasn’t going to take offense. If the business he could bring to Haven hadn’t been so lucrative, Jordan would have hauled Sainsbury’s rather large body outside and told him what a complete asshole he was.

Jordan was also struggling with his client’s condescending attitude toward everyone in the room, and especially the staff. The man was a creep, and his wife must have thought so too. Loretta, who had come inside with Megan to sample the New Zealand cheeses, gave him a wilting look every now and again, but Sainsbury merely tilted his glass at her and ordered Amanda to get him a fresh drink.

Sainsbury was still glancing Megan’s way every chance he got, and anyone could certainly see the calculation in his eyes. Maybe the dress was giving the wrong impression, but the man was vile and Jordan didn’t think he needed anything other than his own ego to assume that he could sleep with any woman in his sight.

The tension in the room became a palpable thing and the only one seemingly oblivious to it was the CEO.

Chelsea was helping to hand out the canapés when it happened. Sainsbury leaned in to her and whispered something Chelsea didn’t like. Her face a mask of professionalism while her body stiffened, she turned to face him and the room was suddenly silent.

“I’m sorry, sir, did you want something from my tray?”

His eyes glittered. “I’d love something from your tray.”

He took a small meatball and put it into his mouth in a way that was perhaps meant to be suggestive, but actually made him look like a toad eating a fly. Then, casually, as she turned to offer the tray to the others, Sainsbury cupped Chelsea’s backside, squeezing hard. Quick as a flash, Chelsea turned back, slamming the tray into the side of his head. The commotion that followed was like a slapstick show.

“You bitch! You did that on purpose, and I’ll have you up for assault.” Sainsbury leapt from his stool and grabbed her arm roughly.

Chelsea dropped the tray and stepped closer. Her voice was so menacing, it stopped everyone in their tracks. “I believe that was sexual harassment, which is taken very seriously in New Zealand. You can bet I’ll let every newspaper know what a pervert you are if you don’t take your hand off my arm immediately.”

Jordan and Megan stood side by side waiting for Sainsbury to make the call.

His eyes narrowed as he weighed up his options. “I see you have all the women in your employ well taken care of, Jordan.”

Of course he meant it in a disgusting way, but Jordan wouldn’t take the bait.

“Yes, I like to make sure that they’re safe while they’re working for me. Do you want to make a complaint? I think I have enough witnesses here to state that what happened was in no way Chelsea’s fault.”

Sainsbury looked at him incredulously. “You can’t seriously take this waitress’s view of events over mine?”

“I can, and I do. This ‘waitress’ is my Manager and she deserves respect as does anyone working for me.”

“You do realize that if I leave I won’t be coming back?” Sainsbury hissed.

“I think under the circumstances I can live with that, and it probably will be the best for everyone concerned.”

Sainsbury wasn’t happy. He called his group together and they headed off to his suite. Some looked embarrassed while others had taken a misguided moral high ground. Amanda gave Jordan, a calculating look. Then, with a shrug of her shoulders, she followed the group. Clearly, she had chosen sides.

Jordan turned back to Loretta. “Are you going to be okay?”

Sainsbury’s wife surprised him by laughing. “I’m sure by now you realize that this is not an isolated incident. It’s very rare that I travel with him these days, but I’m glad I was here to see him in action first-hand, and I’m very glad you all stood up to him. You’re a great team, doing a fine job. I especially admire Chelsea and Megan for their handling of the situation. Of course he won’t consider a contract with you, even when he sobers up. He can be very vindictive, and I know it would have been a financial coup for you to have such a large business involved on a regular basis.”

“Please don’t worry about it. The resort’s doing fine, and as much as I think Global Plastics and Haven could have worked well together, I don’t want – forgive me for saying so – your husband’s kind here.”

She smiled and patted his arm. “Don’t apologize. Everything happens for a reason, I always think.” She retrieved a glass of champagne from the bar and, with another enigmatic smile, went outside once more.

Jordan, Megan, and Chelsea stood together in an awkward circle.

“Jordan, I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t take any more. He’d already copped a feel in the elevator, and he was making suggestive comments every time he got near me. His wife must be made of steel to put up with his crap.” Chelsea stood with her head bowed.

“I don’t blame you at all. I’m the one who’s responsible for him being here. I shouldn’t have allowed a man like that in the resort, once I knew what he was like. I hoped he’d tone it down, and you two shouldn’t have been subjected to that, any more than his wife should.”

Megan put her arm around Chelsea’s shoulder. “I wonder what Loretta meant just then about things turning out how they’re supposed to. It was almost as if she was glad he’d behaved like that.”

Jordan shrugged. “I have no idea. Maybe she’s happy that he’s leaving her alone for the evening.”

Chelsea grinned. “I think Mr. Sainsbury will be well looked after by Amanda.”

Megan gasped, but Jordan merely shook his head. “Good luck to both of them, I say. She certainly can’t do any more damage. I just hope the bastard leaves first thing in the morning. In fact, maybe you could prepare his bill as soon as you get in tomorrow, just to make sure.”

Chelsea nodded. “I’ll be all over that, don’t you worry. Well, since the night has ended prematurely, I might go. Will you two be alright?”

“I think we’ll manage.” Jordan waited until Chelsea had gone before turning to Megan. “How about a drink? I know I need one.”

“Me too. I’m so glad that’s over. I’ve done some tough events over the years, but this has to rank right up there with the worst of them.”

They went to the bar, where Megan took a seat on a tall stool. In the tight dress she only just managed it, and lucky for both of them the slit up the side aided her, while giving him a great view of her shapely legs.

“What will you have?” he managed to get out.

“Just a white wine, then I’d better push off. I think tomorrow there might be a bit of work to do and I’d hate for Chelsea to have to deal with Mr. Sainsbury on her own.”

“Don’t give it another thought. It’s your day off and I fully intend to have security around when they leave.”

“I’m really sorry it didn’t work out. I know you were hoping for a good outcome.”

“I’ve moved on already. No point in pining after something you can’t have.”

“That’s a very cool approach. Does that go for everything you want?”

She re-crossed her legs and Jordan was lost. It wasn’t just how she looked, although that alone made his senses reel. The way she’d handled everything tonight and her worry for the staff made him want all of her.

He knew he was staring, and Megan had a bemused look on her face while her foot tapped against the stool. The flirting and the bickering, the teasing and the confidences, were nothing compared to this moment. And, he knew she was aware of it.

He’d almost forgotten the piano player, who was playing a slow number much like everything he’d played tonight – but only now did Jordan feel an urge to take Megan into his arms for real. He took her hands in his and gave a little tug.

“Shame to waste that dress on only a few hours’ wear. Would you care to dance?”

Megan looked down at their clasped hands and her heart began to pound. She could be childish and keep up the charade of being annoyed with him, but she didn’t want to.

“It’s been a while.”

“For me too,” he said softly into her hair as he pulled her close.

Normally he was a good foot taller than she was, but with the dangerously high shoes that she’d borrowed from Stephanie they were nearly the same height. Her breasts pushed against him, creating a delightful friction on her already peaked nipples. Their thighs were melding into each other as the heat pooled between them.

The feeling was delicious and they swayed together for some time. Perhaps she should have been embarrassed when Loretta gave her a wink as she left, but she was too dazed by the sensations Jordan aroused to react.

Both became aware at the same time that the music had stopped, and when they looked over to the piano the stool was empty.

“Well, I guess that means it’s time to go to bed.”

Megan heard the question in his voice and she wanted to go with him, desperately. Her body ached with need and it took all her resolve to look him at him, to say what she had to.

“I need to go home. The girls might wake, and as probable as it is that Lisa is asleep, I wouldn’t stay out.”

“Couldn’t you make an exception?”

“You know I can’t.”

“Can’t or don’t want to?”

“You know that whatever happens between us, the girls will always come first.”

“I do know that. It’s just that I want you, badly.”

“Don’t think that’s exclusive.”

Jordan smiled, and with his arm across her shoulders he walked her out to her car. To her disappointment he kissed her very lightly. A peck, really, and she must have made a noise to that effect.

“Oh, I’d like to do more, but you’re the one leaving, and you’d better go now, or I might not be strong enough to let you.”

She sighed at the idea of him making her stay, adding to her arousal. If only she could. Once she was inside the car, she wound down the window and he kissed her once more, again very lightly, and grinning as if he knew how turned on she was.

She drove off in a funk of frustration. Being a mother was the best thing that had ever happened to her, but she couldn’t help this need to have a night of passion with Jordan, even if it was just one night.

Chapter Twelve

Jordan hadn’t bothered to close the curtains, in fact he had stood on his deck in the dark watching the twinkling lights from the moored boats in the bay. Then he became aware of her. Her fragrance had lingered around him since she’d left, but suddenly it was stronger and more vibrant. Like Megan. His senses were in overdrive, and his libido lifted a notch or ten.

He saw her then, standing at the edge of the deck under the security light, looking unsure of herself. Something he never associated with her. They could discuss why she’d had a change of heart, but she’d come back and right now that was all he needed to know. In a few strides he was beside her. He took her face between his hands and kissed her deeply.

Megan opened like a flower after a long drought. She wrapped her arms around him and pushed her body against his. Caressing the curves he had been fantasizing about all evening, he began to have difficulty breathing.

Pulling away, he took her by the hand and led her through the house and into his bedroom. She followed willingly, but he couldn’t help but notice the fear etched on her beautiful face. As much as he was scared of the answer, he had to ask.

“Are you sure about this?”

She nodded, but her eyes were still wary.

“No, you have to say it out loud, because in a moment I swear I won’t be capable of being a gentleman. That’s how bad I want you.”

She shivered once and licked her lips. “I want you too, and I won’t change my mind.”

With that, she reached behind her and unfastened the single strap. Nothing happened, and he watched in fascination as she undid a hidden zipper at her side and peeled the dress away. It slithered around her shoes, leaving her in a barely-there nude thong and no bra. The idea of her being braless all night caused his erection to strain even harder at his zipper.