Bad Intentions

by Carmen Falcone

  “I’m Nikki.”

  Nikki. Short and sweet. Suited her. “Nice to meet you, Nikki. I’m Cole.”

  She stretched out her hand as if they were on a fucking business meeting, but he used the opportunity to pull her closer. He deposited a kiss slightly above the corner of her mouth, slowly, and a wave of heat passed between them, warming his skin. Her flesh was soft, smooth, and addictive. He wanted to kiss her in other places, in all places, and a sinful image of this Nikki woman in the middle of his hotel bed popped up in his mind.

  When he sat up straight, a rush of lust zapped through his body. He stroked her chin, and the shade of pink spreading over her cheeks confirmed she wanted him too. Her pupils dilated, making her brown eyes even more alluring. Then, she shifted in her seat, glancing around them.

  “I should get going, Cole. Thanks for the chat.” She motioned to open her purse, but he lifted his hand in denial, and gestured for the barman to bring the check.

  She took her credit card from her wallet, but he touched her wrist to stop her from paying. “Allow me.”

  She tapped his hand. “We had a deal.”

  He mouthed to the bartender he’d be paying, and the man gave him a casual nod and moved back to the sleek computer. “Maybe you can buy me a drink another time.”

  She slid off the stool, tossing her credit card in her purse. “I doubt it. You had your chance.”

  The bartender came. Cole signed the check and got off his stool. His heart thumped in trepidation. What if she walked out of his life without a last name or a phone number?

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “I’m walking you out. Making sure you get to your car okay.” He placed his hand on the small of her back, at first to guide her out of the establishment, but then, he didn’t move it, and she didn’t make any effort to cease the contact. A wave of possessiveness crashed through him as if his hand belonged there.

  What the hell did they slip in my drink? A drug to put him under her spell? Not because her looks didn’t warrant his interest but as they stepped onto the sidewalk, interest became a banal world to describe the turmoil within.

  He slid his hand upward, and soon, her spine tensed up. Even through the soft fabric, he felt her warmth, and if he were a gentleman, he’d stop while ahead and give her space. Space for what? They both wanted it. He was more upfront about it, but someone had to be.

  He continued tracing a path up her back until he reached her shoulders, and squeezed them, then kneaded her shoulder blades, prompting her to come to a halt. She turned to him, flecks of sexual hunger gleaming in the rich cocoa irises. His gut clenched, an invisible punch of desire hitting him over and over again.

  “Nikki,” he said her name and stroked his finger down her cheek, then outlined her jaw. Her pink lips parted in response. Tender, delicious and so very kissable. How come he hadn’t noticed her sexy bow-shaped mouth earlier?

  She angled her shoulders a degree closer to him, the hint he needed to act on the fire burning him inside. Aroused, he bridged the gap and pulled her into his arms, loving the feel of her against him. He lowered his head, capturing her lips with his, and found no resistance when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.

  She touched his chest, the warmth of her hands seeping through the fabric of his shirt. He pulled her even closer, sending his common sense into a spiral and setting them into a perfect mold. His cock throbbed against her, blood rushing to the tip.

  He heard the clunk of high heels, knowing a couple of women must have walked by and no doubt widened their eyes at the sight of them. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to stop exploring her mouth, teasing her tongue with his. Each time the rhythm of the passionate kiss began to wane, he intensified the pace, and she followed his cue, matching his urgency. He didn’t know if they shared one kiss or a dozen, but it didn’t matter. This exciting, surprising woman belonged in a big bed with her shapely legs around his torso. The thought kicked his arousal up a notch, and he slid his fingers down her back, gliding them over her curvy hips until he rested both hands on her lush ass.

  The contact brought her even closer to him, nestling his hard-on in between her legs, and a low groan floated up his throat. Damn. They couldn’t fuck here with people possibly passing by. Taking her to her car was an option, but as much as he longed to be inside her, he knew a quickie wouldn’t do it.

  When he wrenched his mouth from hers, his heart drummed wildly, his breath coarse. “Let’s go to my hotel.”

  She blinked a couple times, catching her own breath, then her gaze swung from his to the area around them. A flicker of embarrassment touched her eyes, and she stepped back, lifting her hand in denial. “I…” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Sorry, I can’t do this.”

  “Hold on, let’s talk. Can’t do what?” Sex in public? Sex with him? Shit. She’d said she had kids and he assumed she was divorced or a single mom. What if she was married? An invisible rope knotted around his throat.

  “I… God, I’m sorry.” She glanced at him with a hint of apology, then dashed in the opposite direction, striding away from him as if he’d just offered to buy her soul.

  2

  “Good morning, honey,” her grandmother said when she crossed the lobby of Great Escape Retirement Community. “How are you? Luke brought the boys to see me yesterday on their way to lunch. I thought that was nice.”

  Nikki inched closer and hugged her grandmother, who still wore her robe and non-slippery shoes from aquarobics class. She bit back a smile—her grandmother knew she wasn’t supposed to come to the lobby wearing a swimsuit and a fluffy robe, but she couldn’t bring herself to point that out. “Yes, he mentioned he might.”

  “Henry is taller than David. But don’t worry, when they asked me, I told them they’re the same height,” Sue Brady said, winking at her granddaughter.

  Nikki sighed with relief. She would have heard by now if the boys had a tiff because of a temporary height difference. “Thank you. I’m sure David will catch up. They’re identical otherwise.”

  “Me too. So, had a good weekend?”

  Nikki clenched the handle of her tote. “Same as usual.” The lie quickened her pulse, though it’d been three nights since she’d kissed the hot stranger outside Splurge. Every time she remembered the feel of his strong hands on her ass pulling her into his muscly, hard body, desire pooled between her legs and she found herself changing her underwear.

  “Nikki?” her grandma called, bringing her back to reality.

  Nikki flushed. Shit. She shared a lot with her grandmother, but this—she couldn’t. “I-I gotta go, Grandma. I’ll check on you later.” She kissed her forehead, and before she protested or said something outrageous like she’d lost weight and needed to eat more, Nikki dashed to the elevator.

  Today she couldn’t entertain the dirty thoughts she had all weekend. Real life called her. When she reached the third floor of the imposing main building, she dropped her tote under her desk as usual, flicked her screen on and removed her blazer, sliding it on the chair.

  Routine.

  Discipline.

  Order.

  None of these things meant zip to her sons, but she needed them at work. Needed them in her love life too, which was why she hadn’t dated in years. Guys probably yawned at her—some had.

  Not Cole, though. Awareness spilled into her stomach. When he’d looked at her after the kiss, she’d seen desire in his eyes. For some reason, he wanted to sleep with her. But she’d freaked out. She hadn’t been ready—she hadn’t waxed her downstairs or shaved her legs to perfection. She hadn’t brought a condom with her in case he didn’t have one. And worse, she hadn’t thought and rethought the idea of a one-night stand with a complete stranger. What if he turned out to be some psycho straight out of a bad Lifetime movie? He’d kill her, harvest her organs and her boys would have no mother.

  “Nikki,” her assistant Sara said in a tone louder than usual. “You okay?”

  Nikki brushed aside the
doubts and regrets and shook her head. Get ahold of yourself, woman. “Yes. I’m here. Sorry.”

  “Mr. Steinberg asked you to go to the conference room.”

  “Mr. Steinberg is here?” she repeated. The owner rarely visited the property, and when he did, his assistant scheduled the trip weeks in advance. She smoothed her hand over her ponytail, then quickly grabbed the jacket from the chair and put it back on. “Why?”

  Sara shrugged. “I have no clue. His assistant sent an email to you and some other managers, asking you to go to an impromptu meeting this morning. Mentioned exciting new changes afoot.”

  Changes afoot.

  Nikki removed lint from her jacket. What if Mr. Steinberg wanted to close down the place? No, that’d be crazy. Sure, profit had declined in the last couple of years, but he couldn’t kick out hundreds of senior citizens in various stages of consciousness overnight. A shiver of fear skated down her spine. Especially because one of those citizens was her nana, who only resided in the community because of Nikki’s manager discount.

  Maybe he’s firing me?

  God, that’d suck. She’d have to beg to maintain the discount they gave her grandmother.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “Go get them, tigress.” Sara winked at her, then tilted her head in acknowledgment.

  Tigress? More like a stray cat drowning in the rain.

  She buttoned her jacket, and marched out of her office. Each step she took in the direction of the conference room upped the tension thumping her chest. She swallowed and took a deep breath before opening the door.

  “Nikki,” Zach, the CEO, greeted her, lifting his coffee mug. A few other managers occupied the oversized leather seats around the polished oval table. She took a seat in her usual spot, facing the entrance. An array of pastries and different types of coffee and juices were piled on the side table.

  “Hi, guys,” she said.

  Steinberg continued speaking into his phone, standing against the glass showcasing the lavish gardens of the community where some folks walked while others read a book or enjoyed the serene quietude from the water fountain in the middle.

  She looked at the treats on the table, contemplating if she should get up and grab one of them. The door opened, and Steinberg swiftly finished his conversation and slid his phone into his pocket. Wow. Whoever walked into these doors had the power of…

  Her gaze darted to the door, and her heart missed a beat or two.

  No.

  No, no, no.

  Cole stalked into the room, her memories of him doing zero justice to the magnificent male.

  His gaze captured hers and held.

  An uncomfortable heat coursed through her from top to bottom, like someone had turned the heater to the max. Except, this was August in California where air conditioning reigned.

  “Cole.” His name escaped her lips like a bullet.

  A smile that belonged on the ad for a male escort service danced on his lips. “Nice to see you, Nikki.”

  Silence cast over the room, and she felt all eyes on her. She shifted in her seat, hoping the others wouldn’t assume she’d slept with him. Because she hadn’t, even if the idea alone tightened her nipples and jumbled her thoughts.

  “Hi, Cole. I wasn’t aware you’d already met our general manager,” Steinberg said, shaking his hand.

  “Mutual friends introduced us over the weekend, in passing,” he said to Steinberg, but he kept his gaze fixed on her. “I was surprised to see her name on the employee list this morning.”

  Nikki cleared her throat. When exactly had he known about her job position? This morning could be a couple hours or five minutes. And why is he here? She reached for the bottle of Evian, wishing she could splash some of it on her face to alleviate the ardor and help her focus.

  “Small world,” Steinberg said.

  Microscopic, really. “Right. Nice to see you again, Cole,” she said, proud of how casual her voice sounded.

  Everyone squared their shoulders, and Cole sat in the chair in front of her. When Steinberg rubbed his hands and began talking, she turned her attention to him. A sensation of being watched nagged at her, and she chewed the inside of her cheek—chastising herself for even wanting to look at Cole during the presentation. Was he going to work with her? Dread slicked her palms. Clearly, Steinberg respected him enough to fly from his home in Colorado to be present during the meeting.

  She couldn’t work with Cole. Maybe he was just a new business partner, an investor of sorts, and Steinberg wanted to make a big deal to show enthusiasm. Yes. An angel investor, even though the man kissed like the devil.

  Unable to resist any longer, she slanted a look his way to find him staring at her. Moisture evaporated from her throat, and she quickly returned her attention to Steinberg and bit the inside of her cheek harder.

  “…And the reason why I brought you here is Mr. Cole Myler represents his company who has bought Great Escape.”

  Bought? The pulse at the base of her neck beat madly. What did this mean for her? Would Cole be like Mr. Steinberg and be an absent boss? She touched her forehead, wiping cold sweat from it. This buyout didn’t seem like a good idea, at least not for her—to be vulnerable to whatever the new owner felt like doing. What kind of experience did he even have with retirement communities?

  She looked at Zach, expecting to see some reaction, but he didn’t flinch. He probably already knew.

  “Cole Myler is a daring entrepreneur representing Myler, famous for having bought a robust number of struggling companies and turned them around to profit. I have no doubts his vision will re-energize the workplace and improve everyone’s performance,” Steinberg started, continuing a string of compliments until Cole took over.

  “I’m excited about this project. We’ll be talking about the changes at length, but today I wanted to assure all jobs are safe. Of course, some employees may have to relocate, and some may choose not to,” Cole said, stretching to his full height.

  “Relocate?” Susan from accounting asked.

  “We’re transferring buildings A and B to a different space. We’ve studied the area, and we believe if we focus on the residents with more needs in this location, they’ll be able to thrive more with new resources and programs we want to implement.”

  “What about the ones with fewer needs?” Nikki asked. Grandma. She felt queasy, she put her hand on her stomach, hoping she didn’t part with the breakfast tacos she’d had earlier. Where the hell would they send her grandmother?

  “I’ve found a great place for them in Dafield County, where they also will have more opportunity to enjoy life more fully.”

  Dafield County. The words echoed in her ears like a sad opera song. With her kids’ schedule and her work, she couldn’t see her grandmother often. Her parents visited Grandma once a year, and she had no one else. I also have no one else. “But that’s over three hours away. Make it four with traffic. What makes you think the residents’ families will agree to this sudden change?”

  “They don’t have to. It’s in the contract that this kind of thing may happen. In the fine print,” Steinberg jumped in.

  “I understand, but these residents are part of a community here. They’re still active, but they don’t drive. They’ll see their family and friends less. How’s that enjoying life more fully?” she asked, her gaze traveling over the other managers, hoping to read their reaction. None of them seemed taken aback, wearing deadpan expressions on their faces. They didn’t care, because they didn’t have any family members in Great Escape. Zach’s aunt, a former resident, had died recently.

  A muscle ticked in Steinberg’s jaw. He probably never heard her oppose an idea with such passion, but she didn’t care. Her father was off banging a woman half his age thousands of miles away. If she didn’t advocate for her grandma, who would? There was no way she could see her grandma as much if they sent her four hours away—and she doubted she was alone.

  “Their friends and family can still visit them. The new proper
ty will have adjacent rooms for out-of-town visitors.”

  “Yes, but it won’t be the same. A good number of them have people in town who see them on a regular basis.” Mrs. Devon’s daughter visited her mother a few times a week after work. Mr. Patel’s family had really stepped up after his hip replacement surgery, especially since he let no one else take him to the doctor’s appointments other than his grandson. Would his college-age grandson be able to skip classes and work to drive three to four hours each way during weekday checkups? Probably not.

  Steinberg shot her a warning glance and dipped his neck in a slow nod. “Thank you for your feedback, Nikki. I’m sure the new administration will take it into consideration.”

  Cole tilted his head to the side. “I have to move this meeting along, but I’ll be happy to address your concerns later today.”

  “Sure. Thank you.” She forced a smile and glanced down at the folders a young guy she hadn’t seen before handed to them. Cole’s assistant, maybe? Didn’t matter.

  Nikki eyed the packet, the stock paper heavy in her hand. His words echoed in her ear. Later today. Would he invite others to the meeting? Maybe the same assistant who helped him now, to take notes? Or the managers. Surely, deep down they had reservations about this plan too—even if they all kissed ass now for job security.

  When the meeting ended, the managers milled around Cole, shaking his hand and smiling like they’d won the lottery. Wimps. None of them would dare speak up. And, sadly, a couple of them probably didn’t care about the future of the residents with the move. They did their jobs, got paid and went home. Easy.

  But she… she couldn’t allow her grandma to move so far away. And if she stayed in the area, she’d have to switch her from Great Escape to a different retirement home. Then what? She’d go broke and her kids wouldn’t go to college. I have to fix this.

  She braced herself, crossing her arms to keep from interrupting his chat with Steinberg and the others. Play it cool. If he knew how desperate she was, maybe he wouldn’t give her the time of day.