Waking Up with the Boss (3 page)

“I figured as much.” She struck him as the wifely sort. “You seem like you need all that homeyness. But I don't. For me, it's easier to be unencumbered.”

“Yes, I can tell.”

He glanced away, his thoughts slipping back in time once again. “My sisters used to talk about the kinds of weddings they wanted to have.” He frowned, his dead siblings' broken dreams burrowing uncomfortably in his brain. “They went on and on about how romantic it was going to be. But I suppose it's common for teenage girls to do that.”

She heaved a heavy breath. “I can't even tell you how many times I thought about it when I was young, even before I was a teenager.”

He envisioned her, a lonely little girl in foster care, longing for the big day. It made him want to comfort her, to make the child she'd once been feel better. But it made him want to pull away from her, too.

But even so, he asked, “What kind of men do you date?”

She sat a little more upright. “What type do you think?”

“Oh, I don't know.” He turned cavalier. “Big hairy bikers?”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Jake. I'm being serious.”

In spite of his joke, he wasn't feeling particularly humorous, either. “Okay, then how about nice, proper guys who would make good husbands?”

She folded her hands on her lap. All she needed was a pair of tidy white gloves to complete the ladylike picture.

“Exactly,” she said.

Yes, he thought.
Exactly.
He already knew the answer before he'd posed the question. And now that she was being so prim and marriage-minded, all he wanted to do was get to the island and sweep her into the debauchery that had become his life.

Where nice, proper guys didn't exist.

Three

I
t was breathtaking, Carol thought. The mansion where she and Jake and the rest of the partygoers were staying was a sprawling French Colonial–style estate, amid a gorgeous sandy white beach.

The caretakers, an older couple local to the area, escorted Carol and Jake to their rooms. Lena had brought the rest of the staff over from the States, along with a beauty team to provide in-room makeup, hair and nail services to her guests. Massage therapists could be had, as well.

No one had seen Lena yet. She wouldn't be making an appearance until the party. But she was the type who liked to make a grand entrance, so Carol wasn't surprised.

Carol's and Jake's rooms were located on the second floor and were next to each other, with adjoining doors in the center. For now they were open, making it one huge suite.

“We're going to have to lock those as soon as we get settled in,” she said.

“We will,” he replied, going onto his veranda.

Carol's balcony had the same view. But she joined him on his, standing beside him on the airy structure. Beyond the oasis-style pool was the ocean. In another direction, she spotted a mountainous terrain, surrounding a lush green glimpse of rain forest.

She thought it would be a wonderful setting for a destination wedding. The caretakers had already given them a bit of history on the custom-built mansion, which could be rented out for weddings. Not that she should be thinking about that. But after the discussion she and Jake had had on the plane, her mind was still immersed in marriage.

“It's beautiful here,” she said as a breeze stirred between them.

Jake turned toward her. “You're not afraid of getting bitten by something scary anymore?”

“I already told you they don't have superscary things on this island.” Except for him, she thought. The look in his soul-stealing eyes was filled with danger. Or lust. Or something she was too chicken to identify. He was actually giving her goose bumps.

He kept staring at her, and she crossed her arms to ward off the sexy chill.

Trying to stay focused on their schedule, she told him, “The caretakers said that the chef was making seafood for dinner, with lots of vegan dishes on the side for the people who prefer that.” Their meals would be served in their rooms. After that, they could rest before they got ready for the party, which was scheduled for later that night.

He kept looking at her. “I'm getting a little hungry. Are you?”

She nodded. She definitely wanted to keep her mouth busy. But she didn't have to wait for the meal. Baskets of fruit and nuts and other snacks had already been provided, along with fully stocked portable bars. A glass of wine sounded good about now. But Carol would be indulging in alcohol at the party, so she figured it was best to wait until then.

“Before I forget, I have something for you,” he said. “I'll go get it.”

She remained on the veranda while he rummaged through his luggage. He returned with a trim white box.

She lifted the lid and uncovered an elegant gold bangle encrusted with round-cut diamonds surrounded by multicolored stones. There was also a pair of starfish-shaped earrings, also glittering with diamonds.

Her pulse quickened. “They're magnificent, Jake.” The pieces were going to look stunning with her dress. “Are they on loan?” She knew that jewelers sometimes let their rich and famous clients borrow from their inventory.

“No. I paid for them.”

Oh, my.
“You shouldn't have done that.”

“I wanted to. Besides, I checked with Millie to see if you'd gotten any jewelry to go with your outfit, and she said that you hadn't.”

“I didn't want to go overboard and spend more than was necessary.” She gazed at the gems. “But this is way too much. I should return them to you after the party.”

“Seriously? That doesn't make any sense. They were purchased to complement your wardrobe, and you're keeping the clothes. So why would you give the earrings and bracelet back? They're just part of the mix.”

She studied each piece again. “They really are amazing.”

“Don't be too impressed. I had Millie tell me what to get. I'm not good at giving women gifts.”

That was true. Sometimes he even relied on Carol to decide on what type of flowers to send to his lovers. But she shouldn't have used that as a comparison, not with the way he was making her feel.

Had she made a mistake, coming on this trip with him? It was certainly the most impetuous thing she'd ever done.

She closed the box and held it against her chest, where her heart was thumping much too madly. She liked being in his company, far more than she should.

“So it's settled then?” he asked. “You're keeping the jewelry?”

“Yes, thank you. I'll accept it.” What good would it do to argue the point, when she was already losing ground?

“I should go unpack now,” she said.

He gestured to the pool. “Maybe I'll go for a quick swim before the food gets here.”

She didn't want to think about him diving into the water in nothing but a bathing suit, but her imagination went haywire just the same. No doubt his naturally bronzed body would be a sight to behold.

Attempting to make a graceful exit, she said, “I'll see you when it's time for the party.”

“I'll see you, too.”

He didn't turn away and neither did she. They just stood there, immersed in each other. So much for a graceful exit.

Finally, she ended the connection and headed to her room, closing and locking the door on her side that separated their living quarters. She heard him close the door on his side, too, and turn the bolt.

Carol breathed a heavy sigh of relief, then glanced around at the glamorous antique furnishings and four-poster bed. Jake's room more or less mimicked hers, which didn't make it any easier, knowing he was on the other end of those adjoining doors.

She warned herself to stay away from her veranda in case he did go for a swim. Fantasizing about him was bad enough. She didn't need to watch him and become a voyeur, too.

* * *

As the evening progressed, Jake was more than ready to blow off some steam. After his swim, he'd eaten dinner. Then he'd fallen asleep, rumpled and naked. From there, he'd dragged his ass out of bed and taken a long, hot shower.

And now he was standing in front of the mirror in a designer suit, his hair styled in its usual way.

If he knew Carol, she'd probably been ready for hours. His assistant was an early bird, whereas Jake waited right up to the end to dash off to wherever he was going.

As if on cue, his phone beeped with a text. No doubt it was Carol, telling him it was time to leave. She always sent him reminders for everything.

He checked. Sure enough it was her. They agreed to meet in the hallway, outside their rooms.

She got there first, and as soon as Jake saw her, he marveled at her beauty. Her dress was wrapped in a stylish yet sultry way, complementing her voluptuous figure. It wouldn't take much to untie the sarong, either. A pull here, a tug there. The body veil that went with it was incorporated into the design, flowing softly, making her ensemble even sexier.

Her makeup was light and elegant, and her shoulder-length, blunt-cut hair was straight and shiny. The starfish earrings twinkled next to her face, and the bracelet shone at her wrist. Her skin had just the slightest hint of shimmer, too, especially around the swell of her cleavage. Or maybe that was where he noticed it most. He assumed it was from some sort of glittery lotion. Her strappy evening bag was small and delicate—the kind women carried when they danced.

“You look hot,” he said. He stepped back to take another admiring glance. “Seriously, you could be a siren who roams the island, tempting guys like me to come out to play.”

She flushed accordingly. “Thank you. But I'm not trying to tempt anyone, and you're always ready to play with some pretty young thing.”

Not the way he wanted to play with her. “Don't worry. Tonight I'm going to be good.”

Her gaze roamed over him. “Then I guess it's all right to tell you that you look rather hot yourself?”

Hell, yes, it was all right. He liked being in her sights, even if nothing was going to happen between them. “Millie brought a bunch of stuff to my house, too, and this is what I picked.” Suddenly he realized his shirt was the same minty green color as Carol's eyes. He hadn't chosen it for that reason, at least not deliberately. But who knew what tricks his attraction to her was playing on his subconscious?

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“As ready as I'm ever going to be.”

Was she still worried about fitting in with his crowd?

“Just hold on tight and have a good time.”

“Hold on to what?”

“Me.” He took her hand. “It's a couples-only theme, remember?”

She threaded her fingers through his. “I still can't believe I agreed to come here with you.”

“It's too late to back out.” He squeezed her hand. For now she was his plus-one, and he wasn't letting her go.

They took the staircase to the main ballroom on the first floor. Already, they could hear the thumping base of music from a DJ's turntable.

The white-pillared ballroom exploded with color and flair. The couples-only theme was expressed in enormous paintings and life-size statues that had been commissioned specifically for the party, with depictions of legendary lovers, throughout the ages, entwined in a variety of emotional embraces.

A huge flat-screen monitor projected images that complemented the music, and scattered throughout the marble dance floor were gilded cages big enough for two, where couples could go inside and dance with each other. Jake thought it was intriguing. He didn't know if Carol would agree to do that with him, but it wouldn't hurt to ask when the moment felt right. It was just a bit of fun, after all. They were supposed to enjoy the festivities, and those cages were part of it.

The birthday girl wasn't there yet. Clearly, Lena wasn't quite ready to splash onto the scene and make her debut. Most of the guests had arrived and were partaking of food, drink and dance. A gourmet buffet offered lavish hors d'oeuvres and frothy desserts. Although Jake was still full from dinner, the pastries sure looked good.

“Good grief,” Carol said. “This is something else.”

Jake continued to hold her hand, giving her time to settle into the environment. A three-tiered fountain filled with ice was large enough to bathe in, with pink lemonade spilling from the spigots. Champagne was being served as well, delivered by waitstaff garbed in French Colonial attire to match the mansion. There was a huge aquarium bar, too, stocked with angelfish and tended by bikini-clad bartenders wearing blue wigs and fluffy white wings. Indoor and outdoor tables were available, with figurine candles shaped into historic couples as the centerpieces. The party was an eclectic mix of whatever appealed to Lena's imagination.

After Jake and Carol took the champagne that was offered to them, she said, “I don't know where to begin.”

“Anywhere you want.”

She sipped her drink. “I think I'd like a pastry to go with this.”

“That sounds good to me.” He escorted her to the buffet and grabbed a treat for himself, too.

She wanted to eat outside, so they went onto the courtyard and sat with a few other couples who'd also decided to start their evening off outdoors. Jake introduced Carol to them. He knew most of the people in attendance.

While Carol chatted with Lena's songwriting partner and his wife, Jake studied the Napoleon and Josephine matchbooks that were on the table. The candle was a likeness of them, too, with their names scrolled across the bottom of the stand. He went ahead and struck a match and lit the wick. The wax emitted a rose scent.

Carol turned toward him, and they watched it burn together. Then she said, “Did you know that Josephine's birth name was Marie-Josèphe-Rose? And that she went by Rose until Napoleon started calling her Josephine?”

“No, I wasn't aware of that.” But the rose scent was making a bigger impact now, getting stronger as the candle burned.

“She was born in the Caribbean on the island of Martinique. I came across references to that area when I was researching the islands around here, too.”

He smiled. “And now we're sitting at Napoleon and Josephine's table, with you sharing your research with me.”

She returned his smile. “Sometimes I overdo things like that.”

“Yes, but what an interesting conversation it's turning out to be.” He was fascinated by the details she'd provided. She looked beautiful in the candlelight, too, against the backdrop of sand and surf on the other side of the courtyard.

The songwriter interrupted, announcing to the entire group, “We should all go inside now. Lena will be appearing shortly.”

“Do you know how she'll be making her entrance?” Jake asked.

“Yes, but she'd kill me if I spilled the beans.” The other man took his wife's arm. “We'll see you in there.”

“Sure.” Jake wished he could stay where he was. He was enjoying being out here with Carol.

“I guess we better head in, too,” she said after everyone else was gone.

“Yeah. I guess we better.” They'd lingered long enough.

“Should we blow out Napoleon and Josephine?” she asked.

“You can do it.”

She pursed her lips, and he watched her extinguish the flame, the candle's floral scent still drifting softly through the air.

* * *

Word got around that Lena was due to arrive, and the party buzzed with anticipation. Carol compared it to waiting for the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Or a fireworks show on the Fourth of July.

Speaking of fireworks...

Jake stood beside her, his arm just barely grazing hers. She wanted to reach for his hand and hold it the way she'd done earlier, letting the excitement of touching him course through her veins. But she refrained.