Sinful Suspense Box Set (80 page)

Chapter
8

Pierre was a great cook and after some burgers and a few beers, Nick’s mood improved. I had no clue what had happened to make him so mad, but I figured mentioning it might fire up his temper again so I remained mute on the subject. But when I brought up a subject that I was sure would please him, I stepped into more crap than I’d bargained for.

“Mr. Jacobson really liked the estate I showed him today,” I said.

Nick had a way of looking at me that made me feel like he was touching me with his gaze. I swallowed hard and continued. “He’s asked me to dinner tomorrow to discuss the details.”

“Whooee,” Taylor said with an enthusiastic grin. “You’ll be salesperson of the month for sure.”

“She handled herself like a real pro today,” Pierre added.

I peeked over at my very silent boss. He threw back the rest of his beer, slammed the can on the table, and stood abruptly. He slid open the patio door and walked outside.

I glanced at Pierre and Taylor. Both men avoided looking me in the eye. “I don’t understand— am I not supposed to be selling real estate? I seem to be the only person in the office who is actually working on real estate stuff.”

Taylor opened another beer. “He’s just in a bad mood today.”

“Yeah, I got that, but how long does he usually pout like this because it could get old pretty fast.” Pierre and Taylor both blanched some as they looked up at something behind me. “He’s right behind me, isn’t he?”

Nick placed his large hand in front of me. “I’m done with my tantrum. You did great today. Come take a walk on the beach, Flash. I need to get out.”

I stared at his giant palm for a second and then put my considerably smaller hand in his. “I never turn down a walk on the beach.” We headed to the door. “But if you get even the slightest bit cranky, I’ll turn right back around.” Taylor and Pierre’s laughter followed us out the door.

Silhouettes of small clouds created a pattern in the reddish glow of an awesome sunset. People still lingered on the beach as Nick clutched my hand tighter and we walked along the water.

“So this guy invited you to dinner?” he asked suddenly.

“Yes, it’s a business dinner. I was calculating the office’s commission on this sale; it would be pretty significant. We could even buy real chairs for the office. You know— the kinds that don’t fold up.” I glanced up at his profile which was just as perfect as the rest of him. The dim light of the night sky did not diminish the impact of his extraordinary looks.

“I don’t know if it’s safe. You only just met the guy.”

“How’s that different from any other first date.” Bad choice of words.

He stopped and faced me. “So it is a date?”

I sighed. “It’s a business date. And it’s not like I did anything truly crazy and unsafe, like fly halfway around the world with a massively built guy who could crush me with one hand and who has the word dragon tattooed on his arm and a rather disagreeable temper.”

He stared down at me with those incredible green eyes, and I could feel the heat of his gaze all the way down to my toes. His mouth tipped up in a smile. “Come on. I know a quiet place down at the end of the beach.”

“Wait, I want to take off my shoes so I can smoosh my toes in the sand. World’s best pedicure.” The sand still held the heat of the day, and it felt great between my naked toes.

A breeze blew off shore and it carried a flowery fragrance with it. I stopped, shut my eyes, and breathed it in. “Wouldn’t it be cool if the whole world smelled this good? Maybe if every place in the world had this comforting fragrance bad stuff wouldn’t happen.” I opened my eyes. “We’d all be intoxicated by the beauty and we’d treat each other better.”

Nick was watching me. The same flowery breeze pushed his long black hair back off his face. He reached up and lightly pinched my chin. “Do you get up in the morning and practice being this adorable or does it just come naturally?”

“A little of both, I suppose. Apparently I come from a long line of adorable.”

We kept walking, and the farther we walked the quieter the beach grew. We sat close to the water. Small waves lapped lazily at the shore. “This is nice. It was a shitty day and this definitely takes the edge off,” Nick said quietly.

“Nick, I know there’s some stuff going on that—” I looked up at him.

“You’re not in any danger, Jayden. I would never let anything happen to you. Let’s just say that aside from the realty business, I’ve got another side business going. But I’m not doing anything wrong.”

I nodded and leaned back on my elbows. Obviously that was all I was going to get out of him. But there was one subject I was definitely curious about. “Who the hell is Frankie and why is she such a bitch?’

He smiled revealing some sexy little lines on the side of his mouth. “Francesca is my ex-fiancé. Talk about avoiding the hangman’s noose. She’s beautiful and sexy and the most shallow woman on the planet.” He shook his head. “Still can’t believe I wasted two years of my life with her.”

“But she calls constantly.”

“Yeah. I guess you could say she hasn’t come to grips with our break up yet.” He stood suddenly. “No more talk about her or work or millionaires trying to hit on you. I came out here to clear my head.” Without warning he removed his shirt, and I blinked up at him like a deer in headlights.

“Jeez, warn a girl before you do that.”

He unbuttoned his jeans next. “Then I guess I should let you know that I’m stripping down to my briefs. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been dying to take a swim out there.”

I looked down at my shorts and t-shirt and tried to decide if the two beers I’d had were enough to squash any inhibitions I had about stripping down to my bra and panties. Nick rolled off his jeans. I glanced around to see if a crowd of women had gathered yet but we were quite alone. I watched him walk to the water and realized I hadn’t taken a breath since he’d dropped his pants. His massive shoulders and chest tapered down to a tight waist and rock hard ass. I decided I’d had more than enough beers.

Nick was waist high in the water as he turned around to look at me. Now I wished I’d taken my clothes off while he was walking out. I pulled my shirt off over my head and rolled down my shorts and then raced to the water. I splashed in and swam out to where he stood. The water came to my bra.

“This water feels like a bath,” I said hoping my sudden case of nerves was not evident in my tone. I floated on my back and stared up at the sky. A permanent parade of small clouds danced above, occasionally moving aside long enough to reveal a blanket of stars. “To think, just a week ago I was flopped on my couch drowning my sorrows in a case of orange soda and now I’m floating beneath a Tahitian sky.” With the human form of a Michelangelo’s David, I wanted to add but kept that remark to myself. 

He floated next to me. “And why were you drowning your sorrows with orange soda?”

“That’s all I had in the fridge and worst of all, I’d bought the case of soda for the guy I was seeing. He loved the stuff.” The water gently lifted us and then lowered us back down.

“What happened?”

“We were competing for the same managerial position, and he knew I was the better candidate so he played a dirty trick on me.”

“Sounds like an ass.”

“Maybe we could match him up with Francesca.”

“I like that plan.” He pushed his feet down.

I followed and we stared at each other for a lingering moment. The rhythmic slapping of the warm waves was the only sound— aside from our breathing which seemed to quicken with each passing moment.

Nick reached up and pushed the wet hair off my face. “Jayden, about the kiss on the plane . . .”   

I looked up at him expectantly. “Yes?”

He shook his head. “I guess there’s not much to say. It started out of necessity but then— fuck it. It was a great kiss.” His hand reached toward me and his arm wrapped around my waist. He pulled me against him and sat me on his thigh. Without warning, his mouth trailed down my neck and shoulders. My nipples hardened with the feel of his mouth on my skin. My head lulled back as he leaned down and licked the hollow of my throat. His fingers tugged down the tops of my bra. My taut nipples were exposed to the warm night air. His tongue made a sensual trail along my cleavage before circling my breast. His mouth covered my breast, and I arched my back to press harder against his tongue. I was dizzy with the feel of his mouth on me. Slowly his hand traveled over my abdomen, and his fingers edged beneath my panties. My breath was coming in short spurts and as his fingers found my swollen clitoris, I pressed my face against his shoulder and groaned softly. 

“I have to tell you,” I whispered on a breath, “I’m not like those girls in books and movies who just have to sneeze to climax . . .”

He drove his fingers deep inside me. My hips rocked instinctively back and forth against the movement of his hand. Within seconds my mind splintered in every direction, and I clamped my thighs around his hand as I whimpered in ecstasy. My entire body shuddered with the delicious feeling of it. I collapsed against his chest and he held me tightly in his arms.

He kissed my forehead. “Gesundheit.”

I snuggled my face against his neck. “What do you know? I guess I am that kind of girl.”

Chapter
9

The next morning I was worried about awkwardness after the moment of intimacy in the water, but Nick was already so busy with phone calls when I stepped out of the bedroom, he’d hardly noticed I was there. Not too sure how I felt about the indifference, but it beat feeling uneasy.

Aside from occasionally catching him watching me or an overlong, over exaggerated brush by in the small kitchen and then twice at the office, and except for the occasional racing pulse and heart flutter —mine, not his— we were essentially just two people working in the same realty office. And there was actually some real realtor stuff happening too.

Taylor was on the phone in the back setting up showings, and Nick walked out of the office wearing the clothes Pierre had brought for him, nice black jeans and a pale green dress shirt. His long hair was combed back behind his ears and the tips of it turned up ever so cutely on the collar of the shirt. He cleaned up spectacularly. I peered up at him over the tops of the roses that were now releasing so much fragrance my every breath was filled with perfume. I whistled loudly.

“Yeah, I know. I should be in a damn calendar,” Nick said.

“One of those black Pilgrim hats and you’d make a titillating Mr. November.” I would definitely buy that calendar.

“I’m going out to meet with several other realtors at a showing. I’ll be back by noon. I forwarded you something from Hampton Realty in California. It contains names and island listings.”

My eyes widened. “
The
Hampton Realty— the multimillion dollar, high-end realty company in Beverly Hills?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. My mom had some people interested in vacation spots out here. That’s one of the reasons we opened a Regent office in Tahiti . . .  among other things.”

“Your mom? Is she with your company?”

“Let’s just say my company is part of her company. My mom is Cindy Hampton. And, before you ask, yes—
that
Cindy Hampton. Look over the information she sent and make some calls.” He smiled down at my self-made chart. “I like that. Make me a copy too.” Then he touched one of the roses. “Are you still going on that dinner date tonight?”

“It’s a business date, and as far as I know, I’m still going. He’s really interested.”

“I’ll bet,” he said sardonically. “Just don’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t buy the place. Rich guys don’t get where they are by making impulse buys.”

“I think you underestimate my abilities as a salesperson,” I said defensively.

“I don’t underestimate them at all, Flash.” His gaze drifted over me heating every inch of my skin. “Something tells me you could talk a starving man out of his last bite of food. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up that this guy is willing to shell out his money so easily.”

“I’ve been in the business world long enough to know the ups and downs of it,” I said.

“I’m sure you have.” Nick turned to leave.

“And I would give a starving man my last bite of food . . . not the other way around,” I said. He looked back at me for a long moment and then walked out.

***

The morning moved along nicely. Several people walked into our rather concealed little office asking about vacation rentals, and Taylor got some possible leads. Pierre returned after several hours. I was never quite sure where the man went during the day, but he seemed to be less involved with the business and more just a friend that liked to hang around the office. Although he was obviously involved with Nick’s side business, whatever it was. If Nick was the son of Cindy Hampton, he could not be strapped for cash. It made the whole thing that much stranger.

Nick walked back in looking slightly more ruffled than when he’d left.

“You need a car instead of that motorcycle,” Pierre said.

Nick ran his fingers through his long hair to tame it back. I thought the wild look was just fine. “Did you get the packages to the post office?” he asked Pierre.

“Signed, sealed and delivered. Just waiting for your next order, Boss.”

Taylor stepped out of the back room. “There’s an email from Boone.”

“Great,” Nick said. He hurried to the back and Pierre followed.

While the men were in one of their backroom meetings, I decided to write an email of my own. Letting my mom know that I was working for Cindy Hampton’s son would make her day. Of course, all of her days were glorious, what with expensive spa visits and limitless shopping at exclusive boutiques, but still, my new tidbit of information would definitely add to her delight. I might even get top billing over my sister’s third wedding for this.

I was plunking away on my keyboard when the front door opened abruptly. A tall, model-thin girl with puffy lips, big boobs, and ridiculously perfect legs walked in. “Where’s Nick?” Even though I’d only heard it once, there was no mistaking the voice. The infamous Frankie was looking down at me as if I was an odd little bug sitting on the office chair. “Are you Jaylene?”

“Nope,” I said. “I’m not Jaylene.” I decided not to waste my time correcting her since I was fairly certain she’d gotten my name wrong on purpose.

Nick’s door flew open. “What the hell are you doing here, Francesca?”

“Happy to see you too, Nick.” She sashayed past my desk but made sure to sneer down at me first.

Taylor and Pierre scurried out of Nick’s office like frightened mice that had just seen the farmer’s wife with a carving knife.

Taylor shuddered visibly. “I truly hate that woman. Now Nick’s going to be in a shitty mood again, and we’ll probably have to put her up at the house.”

“Make her get a hotel,” Pierre said. He placed his knuckles on my desk and grinned down at me. “This is a perfect opportunity. While the mistress of Hades is here, let’s go to lunch, J.J.. You look like you need a break from that chair, and I know a place with the world’s best shrimp.”

“Can we walk?” I asked. “I definitely need to move.”

“I’d love a walk.”

“But who will watch the front office?” I looked at Taylor pleadingly.

He waved me away. “Go, go. I’ll watch the office.” He tilted his head toward Nick’s door. “Anyhow, someone has to make sure those two don’t kill each other.”

While walking through the center of the city, I forgot momentarily that I was on an island paradise. The sidewalks were crowded and the shops buzzed with activity, but it was a very unique place. We walked through a vast, open-aired market where the tables were stacked with everything from straw purses to papayas. The smell of the fruit made my mouth water.

“I just realized I’m starved,” I said.

Pierre put out his arm for me to take. “Well then, this way, my lovely lunch mate. I know a short cut.”

A breeze had carried in a sprinkling of rain, but the sun was still shining and the air was warm enough to evaporate the drops as soon as they touched my skin. The traffic and crowds were not hurried like in Los Angeles. Every face we passed wore an easy going smile.

“Tell me, Pierre, how long was Nick seeing Francesca?” I’d tried to ignore her sudden appearance but realized that was not going to be easy.

Pierre shook his head. “Too long, that’s all I can say. They were quite the couple at first. I mean, the two of them were stunning together. When they walked into a party or a restaurant, every head turned. And he was crazy about her . . . for awhile. Blinded by beauty, I think. But with a woman like Francesca, it doesn’t take long to see that there is a lot of ugly beneath the gorgeous exterior. Nick figured it out eventually and broke it off. But as you see, she is not willing to let him go.” He laughed. “I knew right from the start that she was not for him. Nick has a lot of layers. Francesca does not. She only cares about Francesca. It just took a bit of time for the brilliance to fade and allow Nick to see through to the flawed stone beneath.”

I squeezed his arm. “Poetically put, Sir.”

“Thank you.” He stopped and motioned me into a small restaurant where colorful paper streamers hung from the ceiling. “And now prepare yourself for a feast.”

“This was a great idea,” I said as the waitress lowered an aromatic plate down in front of me. The shrimp had a vanilla and coconut flavoring that was truly out of this world, and I sucked it down as if it might swim from my plate. “You weren’t kidding about the shrimp being delicious. How long have you been living here in Tahiti?”

Pierre wiped his fingers on his napkin and sat back with a sigh. “I’ve only been here six months.”

“Only six months. Living in paradise for months— must be tough.” I decided not to pursue the question of what he’d been doing here for six months.

“No complaints. Although I confess, I do miss New York on occasion. The island moves pretty slowly and you are rather limited. Even the beach can get dull after awhile.”

“I love the beach. As a teenager, my girlfriends and I used to drive down to Santa Monica and stretch out in the sun for hours. I figure I’ll start to prune by the time I’m thirty. But I’ve never tired of the beach.”

“Yes, but you weren’t surrounded by it twenty-four hours a day.”

“True. I was always glad to get home and get the sand out of my hair. So if you’re tired of the island, will you be leaving it soon?”

He hesitated and took a sip of wine as if he needed a moment to come up with an answer. Then he lowered the glass to the table and smiled up at me. “I’m here for as long as Nick needs me to be here.”

“Oh,” I said. “But Nick is only staying for a month.”

“He didn’t apply for his work visa on time so one month is all he can stay for now. He needs to get the office up and running by then. Once it is running smoothly, he’ll have some local realtors run the place.”

Now the delicious shrimp sat heavily in my stomach. Nick had not mentioned that this job was only one month long. I assumed I would be continuing with Regent Realty back in Los Angeles. It was entirely possible he planned to send me back after a month and that would be the end of it. Now I was really regretting not asking more questions before taking the position.

By the time we’d returned from our delicious lunch, the unexpected visitor had gone, and as Taylor had predicted, Nick’s mood had soured. He stayed in his office the rest of the afternoon, and Pierre offered to drive me home so I could get ready.

I sat next to Pierre in the front seat. “Mr. Jacobson is sending a car around to pick me up at the house.” I looked back at Taylor to see if he was properly impressed. He was.

“That is fancy fucking schmancy,” Taylor said. “I wonder if it will be one of those stretch limos.”

“How come this guy doesn’t come to pick you up on his own? I would like to have met him first,” Pierre said.

“Yes, Father.” I shot Taylor a wink.

“Well, what do we know about him?” Pierre continued.

“You sound just like Nick.”

This statement seemed to surprise both of them. “Nick was worried about the date?” Taylor asked.

“Yeah, he sounded exactly like my other father, Pierre, here.”

Pierre glanced up into the rearview mirror and looked at Taylor in the back seat. “Told you so.”

“Yeah, yeah. You called it, old man,” Taylor said.

“What the heck are you two blathering on about?” I asked.

“Nothing,” they answered simultaneously.