Secret Affair with the Millionaire (The Rochesters)

by Coleen Kwan

  Trying hard not to imagine what her breasts would feel like cupped in his hands, Lex printed out another document. “I’d make time for you, Jacinta.”

  Now that sounded like a pick up line. She seemed to think so too, because he sensed her tensing.

  “I’m sure you won’t see me again,” she said hurriedly.

  That was a depressing thought. He definitely wanted to see Jacinta Forbes again.

  “Don’t be so sure. From now on I’ll be calling for you whenever I have a printer problem.” In fact, he’d make sure he had another one tomorrow just so he could see more of her.

  “That—that’s not an efficient use of resources.”

  She twisted a strand of hair around her finger like her life depended on it. She was such an enthralling mix of defiance and demureness. Arousal rose in him again. He wanted to thrust his hands through that glorious mass of hair, wanted to twine his fingers around those silky strands and tilt back her head while he kissed that mouth of hers—was it as tender as it looked? He ached to find out.

  “Are you saying you’d refuse to come if I called you?” he asked.

  Jacinta stared down at her lap, hands clutched together, and remorse stabbed at Lex. Only a jerk would put her in this situation.

  “I’m sorry,” he said gruffly. “I didn’t mean to make things awkward for you.” He paused, weighing up his options. His head told him to back right off, to let her go at once, but his body wanted the exact opposite. He laid his hand on the desk between them. “But...you’re doing me a favor sitting here and talking with me. I was all wound up about tomorrow’s meeting, but now I’m more relaxed about it.”

  It was true. Tomorrow’s deal, if he landed it, would go a long way to cementing his position as CEO. He’d put a great deal of preparation into the meeting, and the foul up with the printer had exacerbated his tension, but Jacinta had managed to divert him. She’d reminded him there was more to life than wheeling and dealing.

  She gave him a curious look. “Do you get nervous when you go into these million dollar meetings?”

  “For sure. I’m only human.”

  “I guess it’s a tough job, being the CEO. You’re responsible for thousands of employees and millions of dollars. It all rests on your shoulders.” She glanced at his shoulders, her expression appreciative.

  “I’ve earned my position.” Just because he was a Rochester hadn’t made the journey to the top any easier. The opposite, in fact. “But I still get hyped up before a big meeting. It’s an adrenalin rush, getting those signatures on the contract.”

  Jacinta nodded. “You like winning.”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “Yes, but I think you like the contest, the match up.”

  Lex was enjoying this match up, feeling out the territory, wondering how far he could go. The more time he spent with Jacinta, the stronger the buzz she created in his body, drowning out the protests from the pragmatic part of his brain.

  “How about you?” he asked. “Are you competitive?”

  “Sometimes I have to be. I work with a lot of men, and some of them don’t take it too kindly when a mere woman shows them up.”

  “Ah. So you’re used to dealing with autocratic CEO’s who insist you come out at night to fix printer problems, huh?”

  “Oh sure.” She flicked her fingers in a cheeky gesture. “You’re a piece of cake.”

  “I’m a piece of cake? Huh. Maybe I should be more demanding.”

  She met his bold gaze, and the unmistakable flare of attraction in her golden-brown eyes set his blood sizzling. But a moment later, she lowered her gaze, as if she’d done something she shouldn’t, and he was left frustrated.

  “In my opinion, you’re demanding enough,” she murmured, folding her hands together.

  “Anything I can do to make it up to you?” He couldn’t help giving her a heavy stare loaded with meaning.

  “You could let me get home at a reasonable hour, maybe.” She nodded at the printer. “Looks like you’ve got all your documents, hmm?”

  Damn, he did. He could always pretend he had more to print, but that was a pathetic kind of excuse.

  “Hope I’m not keeping you away from anyone—boyfriend, husband?” He’d already checked that she wasn’t wearing a ring, but that didn’t mean anything.

  “Well, I have a late night date with Jimmy Fallon, but I should be home in time for him.” She was already rising, gathering up her purse.

  Lex sprung to his feet. “Let me give you a ride home.” Then he’d find out where she lived, plus if he drove her home he’d be able to spend more time with her.

  Jacinta spun round, looking startled by his offer. “Thanks, but I drove in. My car’s parked outside.”

  Before she could reach for her trench coat, he’d already retrieved it and held it up for her. “I’ll walk you to your car, then. It’s not safe out at this time of night.”

  As he stood behind her and helped her into her coat, he couldn’t resist brushing his nose against her hair without her knowing. Her hair was glossy, thick, and cool, like a curtain of rain. He inhaled the fresh, cucumber fragrance of her shampoo. Every tiny detail of her was imprinted into his brain; he’d recognize her with his eyes closed.

  “Thanks.” She flipped her hair free of the collar while he shrugged on his own jacket and turned off his computer. When he made to usher her through the door, she arched an eyebrow at him. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  His gaze automatically lowered to her mouth. What did she mean? Was she inviting him to get more intimate? This situation had never happened to him before, and he was torn, caught between his natural instincts, which were to go all out for her, and his awareness of how he ought to behave.

  He smiled, hoping for a clearer hint from her. If she came onto him, it’d make things much easier.

  “Yeah?” He lowered his voice, holding her gaze. “And what’s that?”

  “Your documents.” Her smile was wry, teasing. “The ones you needed so urgently.”

  Oh, those. So maybe she wasn’t coming onto him. Shaking his head at both his wild assumptions and his forgetfulness, he quickly gathered the documents and slipped them into a zipped leather folder, which he tucked under one arm.

  “See?” He grinned at her. “I told you you’re invaluable to me.”

  He escorted her out of the office and down the hall to the elevators. The dim hush of the deserted floor enveloped them. The cleaners had long since come and gone. There was no-one about, they were alone, and he really didn’t want to say goodbye to Jacinta. He couldn’t remember when last he’d felt like this over a woman. In recent months his dating life had stalled, not for want of opportunity, but from want of...enthusiasm, excitement. But now, after just twenty minutes in Jacinta’s company, he was suddenly humming with life, his body twitching at every nuance of this woman.

  “So what do you do when you’re not watching late night TV?” he asked as they waited for the elevator. “Any favorite bars or clubs you like hanging out at?”

  Jacinta tilted her head at him like she knew he was fishing for personal info. “Oh, sure. I go bar-hopping with my friends all over the Mission.”

  “Any bar in particular?”

  She hesitated, and he was pretty sure she was spinning him another tale. She didn’t answer until they were in the elevator and speeding down. “No, we like them all.”

  He couldn’t make her out at all. She was attracted to him; he knew it without being conceited, knew it from the way she looked at him, smiled at him, how she stood, her body language open and inviting. She was into him, and yet she fought it, denied it. Maybe on purpose, to test his keenness. Maybe she wanted him to really work for it.

  She was a mystery all right, the kind of mystery he badly wanted to unravel.

  His hopes of getting stuck in the elevator with her evaporated as they arrived at ground level and the doors pinged open. The click of their heels echoed around the cavernous, empty foyer as they made their way o
ut the front door, the security guard bidding them goodnight.

  “My car’s just around the corner,” Jacinta said, pulling her trench coat closer.

  A lone car sped down the street, while a few solitary figures lurked on the sidewalk. Lex edged closer to Jacinta, his protective instincts kicking in. Good thing he was walking her to her car. They turned the corner, and she aimed her remote keylock at a cherry red Honda Civic parked at the curb. He was running out of time.

  “Thanks for helping me out tonight,” he said as she opened the driver’s door. “I’d like to show my appreciation. Let me take you out to dinner tomorrow night.”

  She whirled round, no doubt startled that he’d come out so blatantly. But he wasn’t good at subtlety. Not when he wanted something as badly as he wanted Jacinta.

  “Dinner?” Her caramel eyes widened with surprise.

  Gently and slowly, he brushed a strand of her hair away from her cheek. “Yes, dinner.” The smoothness of her skin sent a minor shockwave through him, and he struggled to control himself. “I know this is unorthodox and highly inappropriate, but for the moment forget that I’m the CEO and you’re my employee, and just tell me honestly, woman to man, if you’d like to have dinner or a drink or just a coffee with me. Tell me if you’d want to spend some time together, just you and me.”

  She didn’t speak for a while, and he realized his whole body was braced in anticipation. She licked her lips. Maybe it was just a nervous reaction, but the sight of her tongue darting out and moistening her lips made the blood pound in his groin.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she murmured.

  Disappointment crashed into him, harder than he’d expected. “Why not? Am I that dense that I’ve misread the signals you’ve been sending out?”

  A pink hue tinged her cheeks. “I’ve been sending out signals?”

  “Sure you have. Don’t try to deny it.”

  She opened her mouth as if to protest, but then she sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to send out the wrong signals.”

  “Hey, they’re not wrong.” He edged closer to her, wedging her between the car and the door. “Tell me they’re not wrong,” he urged, lowering his tone persuasively.

  “I...” She trailed off, her confusion plain, her big eyes fixed on him.

  “Tell me.” He tensed, needing to hear her confession. He was so close to her he fancied he could make out the beat of her heart, racing in time with his.

  “Lex...” The sound of his name rolling off her tongue sent heat and urgency spinning through him. “This is crazy. I-I don’t even know you.”

  “You will, once we have dinner together. Give me your phone number.”

  “You don’t give up, do you?”

  “See? You do know me.” He was burning with the need to touch her, hold her, feel her body pressed up against his. Did she sense that? Did she understand that only a thin thread of civilized behavior held him in check?

  “But you don’t know me,” she murmured almost regretfully. “You don’t know...” Her eyelashes fluttered down, masking her expression.

  That last, tenuous thread snapped. Reaching out, he cupped one hand around her cheek to lift her face, his thumb stroking the perfect line of her jaw.

  “You’re killing me here,” he murmured. “I can’t take it anymore.”

  She could have pulled away, but she didn’t. She stood stock still, luminous eyes fixed on him, and then she angled her head a fraction and nuzzled her cheek into the palm of his hand. That tiny movement was all the signal he needed.

  He clasped her more firmly, tilting up her chin before he lowered his mouth onto hers. That first kiss was snowflake soft—sparkling, fresh, invigorating, a memory he’d carry forever. And then she uttered an infinitesimal moan, her lips softening like butter, and suddenly a wild brush fire leaped up in him and evaporated that snowflake. He slid his other hand around her waist to bring her up against him, and she clung to his shoulders as she kissed him back with all the fervor as if a war had ended. The night crackled and whirled around him. Christ, she was an incredible kisser. Her mouth was so warm and soft and generous, and he couldn’t get enough of her little moans of pleasure.

  He pulled her closer, relishing the sensation of her generous breasts pressed up against his chest. He wound her silky hair around his hand and tugged gently so she arched against him, allowing him to pour a river of kisses down her throat and into the vee of her pink T-shirt. This had to be the most amazing first kiss he’d ever experienced. If this was a wrong signal, then he’d take it all night.

  Finally, he had to come up for air. Jacinta was breathing as heavily as he. Her lips were flushed, and her eyes were like brilliant stars fixed on him. Hands shaking, he hauled out his cell phone from his jacket and held it to her.

  “Your phone number?” he said, hoarse, painfully aroused, and even more determined than ever.

  Her hands slipped away from his shoulders where she’d clutched him so eagerly, and she bit her lip as a guilty expression stole over her face.

  “Lex, I can’t.” She sounded agonized.

  He pressed his cell phone into her hands, folding her fingers around it. “I’m not asking you to rob a bank. It’s just a phone number.” He paused, drawing in a breath. “Do you want me to beg for it?”

  She winced, shook her head, and began entering numbers into his phone. She handed the phone back to him with a sigh. “Here, but it won’t do you any good.”

  “Why? Did you give me a false number?”

  “No, but...”

  He couldn’t understand her. From the way she’d kissed him, she definitely wanted him to call, but her expression said she didn’t. She was an enigma, all right.

  “Don’t look so worried.” Cupping her face, he kissed her one last time. He’d meant it to be light and reassuring, almost friendly, but he couldn’t stop, and soon he had her pressed up against him and his hands were wandering all over her delectable body.

  This time, it was she who pulled free. Before he could recover his breath, she spun round and scrambled into her car.

  “Goodbye, Lex,” she muttered, gunning the engine as she slammed her door shut.

  He barely had time to step back before the car raced off, taking Jacinta away.

  Goodbye, Lex. She’d sounded like she was farewelling him forever, but that wasn’t going to happen. Conviction fired in his belly. No way would he let a woman like Jacinta slip through his fingers. They’d meet again very soon; he’d make sure of that.

  Chapter Three

  “Don’t tell anyone what happened,” Jacinta said as she passed the pager to Kevin. She felt like a fugitive, meeting her brother in the morning rush hour of Montgomery Station. She’d managed to contact him earlier and arranged to hand over the pager before they both headed to work.

  “Thanks,” Kevin muttered. “Sorry you couldn’t get hold of me last night. My phone battery ran out.”

  He hadn’t even realized the pager was missing until she’d called, and then he’d gone into a mad panic, resulting in her having to calm him down. Her kid brother wasn’t like most young men. He’d always been nervy, peculiar, and difficult sometimes. Jacinta, six years his senior, had been his champion since he was born. Their single mom had been run off her feet working two jobs to support them, with the result that Jacinta had practically raised her little brother.

  Because she knew him so well, she’d decided not to tell him about the pager alert received last night. He was already anxious enough about forgetting the pager; he’d go into total meltdown if he learned that none other than Lex Rochester, the company CEO, had paged overnight support, and Kevin had missed the call. What was the point in worrying him when the problem had been resolved? So Jacinta had deleted the message on the pager, and only in her heart of hearts did she admit her reasons for doing so also included not wanting to explain what had happened last night between her and Lex.

  In the light of day, she was horrified by what she’d done. She’d pr
etended to be an employee of Lex’s. She’d entered his private office under false pretences. She’d flirted with him. She’d kissed him. And then she’d given him her phone number. What on earth had possessed her? She’d gone in with the intention of protecting her little brother, but now she’d put him in greater risk. All because she couldn’t resist a certain man with intense blue eyes, a sexy smile, and the hottest body in California.

  Warmth stirred in her at the memory of Lex’s kisses and his hands roving over her body. Oh God, she had it bad. Despite all the pitfalls, she couldn’t help drooling over Lex.

  “Sis? I have to go now or I’ll be late.” Kevin brought her back to the present.

  She smiled and kissed him goodbye, watching after him as he ambled through the morning crowds. When he’d disappeared, she started off in the opposite direction toward her own office. Kevin was lucky to have landed an internship at Jubilee Holdings, and she’d do anything to keep him there. He had one more semester at college before he graduated, and she had hoped he’d be offered a permanent job at Jubilee Holdings. But after last night, she wasn’t so sure that would be a good thing.

  It was imperative that she and Lex Rochester never crossed paths again, or he was sure to figure out the truth. She’d only given him her phone number because she was afraid if she didn’t he’d try to access her personnel records and discover he had no employee by the name of Jacinta Forbes. She couldn’t rouse his suspicions. If he called her, she’d politely reject him, and if he persisted, she’d remind him how inappropriate his behavior was. That would stop him. She’d sensed that Lex prided himself on being above board; he wouldn’t persist if she hinted at possible sexual harassment.

  And maybe Lex wouldn’t call at all. Maybe, when he woke up, he’d dismiss last night as a bit of harmless fun to liven up a long day and delete her number. The pang in her chest surprised her with its sharpness. She wanted Lex to call her, she finally admitted to herself. She wanted confirmation that the all-consuming fever she’d experienced last night burned as strongly in him today as it did in her.