“If you’re quite through poking around in my belongings, I have a meeting with finance in twenty minutes.”
“Who’s the kid?”
“Excuse me?” His father waved off the question with an impatient hand. “Your cousin. On your mother’s side.”
“What’s his name?” Burke’s voice was careful, measured.
“Scott.”
“Clever.” He set the trophy back in place before he could be tempted to use it as a weapon.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“How old is he?”
“Who? The kid? I don’t know. I guess he’d be about five years old in that picture.”
“How old is he now, Dad? Your other son? How old is the kid you actually wanted?”
His father sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he turned to stare out at the billion-dollar view laid out in front of him. He didn’t look guilty, or ashamed, even. Just tired.
“This isn’t what I called you here to discuss.”
“No, of course not. You called me here to discuss taking over the family business. But for how long, I wonder. Just until your namesake comes of age? Then I’d get kicked to the curb?”
God, he didn’t even want the job, so why did this hurt so much? He’d come in here with his own agenda. Burke couldn’t take his eyes off the fucking trophy.
“What do you want? More shares? I’m giving you the reins, Burke. It’s yours now. It will always be yours.” Whatever the man had been about to add, he bit off at the end.
“Ah, that’s it, then. I’m the rightful heir. The son born on the correct side of the sheets.” His short laugh was cruel.
“Just name it. Name it and be done. I shouldn’t have insisted you come down here. I should have come to you. Where is your latest dalliance? Cape Cod?”
“I’ve already told you what I want. I want nothing to do with ... this.” Burke spun in a circle, his arms flung wide. “I want to write. I want to live a quiet life in the beautiful little town I’ve discovered. And now, more than anything, I want to pretend I was born into another family—any other family.”
“And just who am I supposed to get to run this company so I can retire?”
Everything suddenly became crystal clear to Burke. The reason he was being pushed to take over a position he had absolutely no formal training in, no background whatsoever. His father had another family, one that he actually wanted to spend time with. And his mother? He had a feeling that if the woman had any idea at all, she’d thrown up blinders so she wouldn’t have to acknowledge the truth. If she didn’t acknowledge it, it didn’t exist.
“Mother deserves a divorce. Your kid deserves your name—your last name.”
“I didn’t ask your opinion. Things are fine exactly the way they are. No sense dragging the media in and creating a circus. Your mother doesn’t deserve that.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t like she did anything wrong.”
“You don’t know anything about my life. Don’t presume to judge me!”
They faced off, father and son, Burke’s expression carrying more disgust than real anger. His father was right. He didn’t know him at all. And he had no desire to.
“Bottom line? I want out. You want to do something to assuage your guilt, sell off a couple of hotels and set up a cozy little trust fund. You wouldn’t even miss them. I want someone else—anyone, really—to step up as CEO. I want to start my life over in my new town, with my new friends.”
He spared one last look at the Little League trophy and headed for the double doors. “I don’t want to be contacted in any way, for any reason—not even a Christmas card. And you can be the one to explain to Mother why I have cut you out of my life.”
“She won’t understand.” The older man’s voice sounded higher than normal. Burke had no sympathy for the rising panic he detected.
“She will if you tell her the truth.”
Turning at the doors, Burke speared his father with one last hard look and added, “Oh, and I want the deed to my penthouse changed. It now belongs to a Ms. Cadence Eaton. I’ll leave an address with your receptionist on where you may send the proper paperwork for her to sign.”
“Burke, wait.” His father rounded the desk and started to approach. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s funny, because I’m not. You made this a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.”
The door barely made a sound as it closed behind him.
Chapter 13
“Was he at least happy to see you?” Cady had been trying all day to get Burke to open up about the meeting with his father. He’d been trying just as hard to avoid the conversation.
He steered her away from a man selling designer purses on the sidewalk in Times Square. Okay, perhaps designer was too strong a word. She shrugged. Prickly as he was today, she appreciated him looking out for her.
“I wouldn’t say so, no. He was in a hurry to get to his next meeting.”
“Well, the guy needs to slow down and appreciate what he has.” She slipped her hand into his, giving it a quick squeeze.
“That’s exactly what he’s trying to do.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” She looked up at Burke, the smile fading from her face when she saw that his own expression had gone from grumpy to downright pissed off.
What the hell was she missing? She didn’t even dare ask how his meeting with his editor had gone. This was not how she’d envisioned their adventure in the city.
“I need to get my mind off things.” His voice was clipped. “What do you say we go all-out touristy and visit the Statue of Liberty?”
He closed his eyes, composing himself, and when he opened them he was able to smile. Just a bit. She’d take it.
“Sounds fun—if you aren’t completely sick of seeing it.”
“I’ve never been, actually. My parents avoided the tourist spots around the city. Said they were all tacky and they wouldn’t be caught dead there.”
“But surely your school took a field trip? She’s an icon—Lady Liberty!”
Burke shook his head. “I didn’t go to public school. I didn’t even go to private school in the city. My parents shipped me off to boarding school in Connecticut.”
A shudder went through Cady at the thought of being raised in such a cold, impersonal environment. She didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want her pity and she didn’t want to piss him off any more than he already was. Chewing her bottom lip, she concentrated on the sidewalk.
This time it was Burke who squeezed her hand, then slipped his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. Uncertain, Cady peered up and was happy to see the twinkle back in his eyes. Well, if seeing the Statue of Liberty was all it took to snap him out of his funk, then she was all for it.
“I’m sorry. I was being a grouch. I owe you an explanation.” He paused, pressing his lips together as he stared intently into her eyes.
“Of course you don’t. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“I want to tell you. Really. Another time.” Swinging her around, Burke waved an arm and hailed a cab. He helped her in and slid beside her, letting the driver know where they were headed.
“We’ll talk about it. I promise. Right now I want to be happy. I want to see the Statue of Liberty. I want to take cheesy pictures and buy stupid souvenirs and make sappy memories with you. Is that all right?”
Relief washed through her now that he was making an effort to be happy again. And something else, too, a deeper feeling that made her slightly breathless. He didn’t owe her anything, yet he’d promised to tell her what had happened that morning. He was trusting her with his feelings, with his heart. Cady knew this for the huge deal that it was.
Heart tripping in her chest, she raised her head in time to be met with a kiss that stole her breath. Burke threaded his fingers through the hair at her nape and pulled her up against his chest. Instinctually she opened her mouth, moaning as his tongue swept in and took possession. Oh, the man co
uld kiss! Her blood heated and her muscles loosened. She looped her arms around his neck, becoming frustrated with their awkward positioning in the cramped back seat of the cab. The back seat of the cab!
With a low squeal, Cady pushed at the wall of Burke’s chest. He broke off the kiss, his deep chuckle doing delicious things to her insides. His eyes were still hooded, darkened with passion. His tongue sneaked out to lick his lips and she followed the movement until it disappeared back into his mouth. She braced her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes.
“We could always skip the sightseeing.”
When his voice got like that, rough and growling, it was all Cady could do to keep her clothes on and remember they were in a public place. She peeked out of one eye and, sure enough, the driver leered at them from the rearview mirror. She was ashamed to admit that she was so aroused, she was torn between telling the man to mind his own business and giving him the show of a lifetime.
“Tonight. When we don’t have an audience.”
Again with that low laugh that she could feel all the way to her toes. How did he do that? Cady turned her head and concentrated on the city life zooming by outside the window. Sure, a big part of joining Burke on this trip into the city had been about the “sleepover.” But she was in New York City and she should be soaking it up!
It turned out that the Statue of Liberty wasn’t the only “first” for Burke that day. They’d ordered falafels off a food vendor truck, spent a fortune on tacky Big Apple souvenirs, and photo bombed a group of Japanese tourists on the Staten Island ferry. He’d taken Cady into his arms and showed off some pretty impressive ballroom dance moves when they’d stopped to listen to a street performer playing the violin. The guy had been so grateful at the crowd that had gathered, he’d offered a portion of his tips to Cady and Burke. They just shook their heads and waved goodbye.
The sun was setting in Central Park as they strolled down a path that would eventually lead them to Burke’s street and his fabulous apartment on the top floor of his building. They shared a gelato in a large waffle cone, taking turns leaning in to swirl some up onto their tongue. It was—perfect.
“I had meant to take you out for a fancy dinner, you know.”
“How many times do I have to remind you that I am not like any of the other women you’ve dated?” Cady frowned, biting her tongue and wishing she could take back that last word. Crap!
“Are we?” Burke kept walking, holding the cone up to her mouth for a lick.
“Are we what?” Feigning ignorance, she took a bite of the gelato and smiled at him innocently.
“Dating.” His voice was quiet and she knew a lot rode on her answer. Had she just ruined their perfect vacation?
“We are ... enjoying spending time together. We are getting to know one another. We are about to go upstairs and trust that the other person is not going to laugh when they see them naked.”
Make light of it. Refocus his mind on the sex and he’ll forget the “D” word. Cady wasn’t even sure if he’d asked because he was hoping they were or because he was hoping they weren’t dating. Too bad life didn’t come with a rewind button. This was definitely one of those moments she’d rather undo. Uncomfortably, she waited for his response.
“I plan to be paying close attention when you get naked. But I won’t be laughing.”
Whew, close call! The awkward moment was diverted. And by the look on his face, she was suddenly very happy she had decided to go with the sexier black teddy instead of the safer pink nightgown.
A tiny part of her brain tried to fixate on the amazing day they’d spent together. No other man had ever made her laugh so hard. He had a fun, goofy side that was wildly entertaining. She felt carefree and giddy around him. Perhaps that was enough. If she stayed in Scallop Shores, and if they became a couple, would Burke be enough to keep long-held regrets at bay?
Cady sighed. It wasn’t his job to keep her happy. That job was hers and hers alone.
“Here we are. Right across the street.”
For tonight, anyway, being happy meant being with Burke. She’d worry about any long-term damage to her heart another day.
• • •
A girl could get used to a place like this.
Cady slipped her shoes off at the door, practically tiptoeing across the gleaming hardwood floor because she didn’t want to sully the polish. Drawn to the view, she almost couldn’t decide which direction to turn. For it was all windows, all skyline and all beautiful.
“Do you like it?”
“I love it,” she breathed.
“Good.”
She wrinkled her nose at his satisfied nod. He was giving up this apartment for a permanent home in Scallop Shores. It shouldn’t matter what she thought. She shrugged it off and continued her self-guided tour.
The living area was huge, with two buttery soft, black leather couches and a couple of matching chairs in a modern, whimsical shape. Even the huge square that served as a coffee table/footrest was the same black leather. It screamed style and money but didn’t strike Cady as something that Burke would have chosen for himself. Turning in a slow circle, she saw it more as a designer’s touch.
To her left, behind a beveled glass partition, was the kitchen. The first thing she noticed was the shine. She’d never seen such a well-lit kitchen. Light reflected off the industrial stainless steel appliances, glass cabinet fronts, and gleaming granite countertops. There was even a small refrigerator-type thing just for wine. And it appeared well stocked. Wow. The kitchen island, alone, was almost as big as her entire apartment back home. Oh, to be let loose in this room! Cady turned around before she could start to drool.
“I want to show you the rooftop.” Burke took her hand and led her up the winding marble staircase to the second floor.
The upstairs of the apartment was carpeted with a deep, cushiony white pile. She barely had time to peek in any of the bedrooms they passed as he dragged her to the end of the hall, to what must be the master bedroom. Swallowing hard, she prayed that Burke wouldn’t notice the slickness of her palm. He gave her a reassuring smile, as though he’d read her thoughts. Being here, surrounded by the best that money could buy—it was a tad overwhelming.
He’d pulled her into the master bedroom but didn’t even pause at the king-sized four-poster bed; instead he flipped on the light switch as he crossed straight through the room and toward a thick glass slider. Cady was intrigued by a blue light that glowed on the other side of the door. What did he have out there?
“Oh my freaking wow!”
She saw the pool before Burke even had a chance to open the sliding glass door, and danced in place as she tried to keep herself from shoving him aside so she could get to it faster.
“You … How did … This is all yours? Do you use it?” She was breathless, her words jumbling together in her hurry to get them out.
“Yes, this is mine. I love to swim. It’s the one sport my mother deemed safe enough to allow me to participate in. My school had an excellent swim team.”
Burke slipped his polo shirt over his head and tossed it onto a nearby chair.
“When my parents were looking for a place for me, I insisted it have a lap pool. I would have been happy sharing a common pool with the rest of the tenants, but my parents ...” He trailed off, rolling his eyes.
“Wow, and here I was, happy to have a door lock that my brother couldn’t pick, when I got my place above the bakery.”
“He broke into your apartment?”
“No. He would sneak into my bedroom when we lived at home. He always seemed to know where I kept my diary. He used to pick the most embarrassing moments to quote the juiciest stuff.”
Cady’s eyes widened as Burke reached for the button on his khaki shorts. She glanced around, though it really was impossible for anyone to see him at this height. Unless they were straight above them—in a helicopter. She craned her neck and peered up, just to make sure.
“What kind of things did you write
about in your diary? Who you made out with? How far you let them go?” His voice was a sexy purr.
“I’ll have you know, I was a good girl.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and tried to keep from moaning when he shucked off his shorts and underwear in one fluid motion.
“Have you ever been skinny dipping?” Burke stepped back, giving her an eyeful before taking a running leap out toward the center of the pool.
Cady squealed as droplets of cool water splashed her exposed skin. Burke treaded water in the middle of the pool, the smirk on his face challenging her to let her guard down. She had very little doubt that, should she chicken out, he’d haul himself straight out of the water and throw her in fully clothed. Jutting out her chin and giving him a little nod to show she accepted his challenge, Cady slipped out of her tiny black denim shorts.
An appreciative whistle had her turning around and doing a little wiggle in the sexy black lace thong she’d bought just for this occasion. Burke sounded as though he was choking and Cady whipped around to make sure he was all right. He watched her with an intensity that turned her blood to fire in her veins and took away all desire to tease. Swallowing hard, she scrambled out of the rest of her clothes, kicking them under a chair before diving neatly into the water.
“Impressive,” he complimented her as she surfaced inside the circle of his arms.
“Can’t live in Scallop Shores, surrounded by ocean, lakes, rivers, and ponds, and not pick up a thing or two.”
“Mm, less talking.”
Burke took her mouth in a rough kiss, infusing her with his impatience until they were a slippery, writhing knot of limbs. She could taste the chocolate gelato still on his tongue and sucked greedily. His large hands grasped her buttocks and lifted her against him. Unbidden, Cady wrapped her legs around his waist. So close. If she just moved a little to the left.
Walking forward a few feet, he pressed her back up against the edge of the pool. This gave her more room to maneuver and, feeling bold, she tried to take him inside her. Burke swiveled his hips, resting his forehead on hers as he caught his breath.
Trapped in Tourist Town Page 12
