He couldn’t very well tell her what he’d get out of this appealing offer.
“What I’ll get is the satisfaction of helping a woman I’ve come to admire gain her equal footing in her father’s company.” He stroked her shoulders. “I know how hard this industry is. Besides, I’ll get a side benefit of seeing you, touching you.”
She shivered beneath his touch and Brady refused to let the guilt creep up. He reassured her with a soft kiss to her lips before drawing away. He had to maintain some distance every now and then to keep his own emotions from getting boggled up in this mess.
“I do have to get back to my office,” he told her. “I’ll be returning to the island in a week or so. I plan on purchasing a vacation home in the area and I want to keep my eye on it.”
Samantha nodded. “I can’t wait to get started on the resort proposal.”
“And my personal proposal?”
She lifted one perfectly arched brow. “I’ll let you know.”
Flying several thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean in his private jet, Brady turned off his cell. He didn’t feel like chatting with Cade anymore about Lani Kaimana or Sam—especially Sam.
Brady had called Cade when he’d first boarded his jet and explained the progress he’d made, but his brother zeroed in on Sam, claiming Brady was getting in too deep with her.
Cade didn’t understand. Hell, Brady didn’t understand himself what was going on with his emotions. But he did know he had to keep trudging on with this plan.
Sam would get hurt, that was a fact. But would he? Doubtful. If he had the resort back how could he be remorseful?
Perhaps Sam had gotten under his skin, but so what? Obviously, from the way she’d kissed him last night, he’d gotten under hers, as well. He just had to stay there.
Their sexual chemistry would just make his plan flow that much smoother. He intended to not only get Samantha Donovan in his bed, but gain back his lost property. There was no reason in the world he couldn’t have both.
As far as he was concerned, she didn’t need to find out who he was, and thankfully most of the staff had been replaced since his father’s ownership, so he wasn’t recognized.
Brady watched the pillowy white clouds pass beneath him as he settled deeper into his leather sofa. Samantha was definitely a perk he hadn’t expected, but one he would thoroughly enjoy.
She wouldn’t deny him. He’d seen the look of desire and passion in her eyes, felt it in her kiss. She was a woman and women had needs just like men. He intended to meet her needs until he got what he wanted.
His list of wants was simple: Samantha in his bed, his resort back and Stanley Donovan’s empire obliterated.
When he returned to Kauai, he wouldn’t leave again without each item on the list checked off.
Eight
“The old conference room needs to be cleared out.” Sam nestled the phone between her ear and shoulder as she typed up her budget plan for the new day care center. “I want that whole area emptied because we’re turning it into a day care for parents who want some alone time.”
“Are you sure, Ms. Donovan?” the head maintenance man asked. “This is the first I’ve heard about this.”
Sam resisted the urge to sigh as she went on. “I’m sure, Phillip. The conference room hasn’t been used for as long as I’ve been here and nothing is scheduled. We still have the ballroom for receptions, so if need be, we can hold meetings in there. Now, please, clear out the room and let me know when the job is done so I can get a construction crew in there to build some dividers.”
“You’re the boss.”
Yeah, she was. If only her father would see that.
Samantha reviewed her notes and saved the file. No, the day care hadn’t been approved by her father, but if she wanted to get ahead in his company, and gain his approval, she had to take initiative. Now parents could take at least a few hours to themselves, maybe have a nice lunch or a romantic walk on the beach.
Romantic walk. On. The. Beach.
No matter what she did, her thoughts always drifted back to Brady Stone and his ridiculously affecting charm. She’d never been one to fall for smooth talkers before.
Physically, Brady had left, but the potent man still lingered in her mind, in her office where he’d had dinner for her and along the beach every time she glanced out the window.
Damn. She wished she had more willpower where he was concerned, but she was a woman and he was an extremely sexy man who, for some insane reason, found her attractive and actually wanted to help her. How could she even try to resist?
Samantha shook her head, hoping to clear all the Brady thoughts from her mind, and came to her feet. She needed to get out of her office and make sure all was running smoothly in her—her—hotel. After all, this resort was her baby, and she intended to spoil it.
Even though she and Brady were going to work on this together, she planned on getting a jump start before he returned. Hopefully her days would go by more quickly and she could fill the void he’d left.
“Abby, hold my calls, I need to talk to Brady.”
Brady led the way up to his second-floor office.
“What’s up?” Cade asked, closing the office door behind him.
Brady took a seat behind his desk and rested his elbows on the glossy mahogany top. “I’m going back to the resort in a few days.”
Cade nodded, resting his hands on the back of the leather wingback chair opposite the desk. “Has she given you any ammo we can use against her old man?”
“None, yet. But I have a feeling with a few more one-on-one occasions, it’s just a matter of time before I can really pump her for information.”
“Just be careful,” Cade warned. “She’ll discover who you are eventually.”
He hoped like hell she didn’t. “I’ll have the information we need to destroy the Donovans beforehand. Trust me,” Brady said. “I’ll get what we need. I just want you to be aware that I may be on the island for a while. I don’t intend to come back until the job is done.”
Cade shook his head with a laugh. “An exotic island, a beautiful woman—albeit the enemy—and a plan of seduction. Man, you get all the cushy, rewarding jobs.”
Brady grinned, resting back in his seat. “Just part of being the oldest.”
“Just make sure you get this done right. We don’t want to let Dad down.”
Brady held his brother’s stare. No, they wouldn’t let their father down. And that was all the reason Brady needed not to fall under Sam’s spell.
“What the hell is this I hear about a day care?”
Samantha held the phone away from her ear as her father’s booming voice punctured her eardrum.
She should’ve known she’d be ratted on. Was she in a corporation or junior high?
“Who told you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he scolded. “Maybe you forgot our numerous conversations where I not only didn’t authorize this preposterous plan, I flat-out denied your request.”
“Yes, I remember,” she agreed like going against the great Stanley Donovan was no big deal. “But I am the manager and I see what’s going on here and what the patrons want. Many couples would like some private time to enjoy the tranquility of the island without kids running around and screaming at them. Surely that’s something you could relate to.”
That last sentence slipped out of her mouth before she could think, but once the words were out, she didn’t regret them. Stanley Donovan had never been a hands-on father. Quite the opposite. Before the death of Sam’s mother, Bev Donovan had done it all. After her death, well, Stanley paid nannies and eventually shipped his daughter off to boarding school in Switzerland.
“As of this moment, you will be checking in with me at the beginning and end of each business day.”
Sam slammed her fist into her desk. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. If you can’t follow my directions, you will have to report every day and let me know what your
plans are. I want to know everything from the number of guests to the number of rolls of toilet paper in the storage room.”
Rage filled her. “This is not how you treat Miles.”
“Miles doesn’t go behind my back.”
Samantha gripped the phone. “Fine. You’ll get your daily report, but don’t blame me when your resort fails because you were too bullheaded to see some changes need to be made.”
“Your attitude needs some major adjusting, little girl, or you’ll find yourself out of a job.”
“I bust my butt around here and have never been given any praise, much less a thank-you. You have no idea what I do.”
“Things that I don’t agree with,” he interjected.
“I won’t let this resort go belly-up. You seem to not care about it, but I do.”
Slamming the phone down, Samantha gained a slight bit of satisfaction in the fact that her father was still talking. She’d really just about had it. She’d never been treated like a problem employee and she’d certainly never hung up on her boss, but she’d never worked for her father before.
Her hands shook from all the anger pumping through her. She counted to five, then ten, and even when she got to twenty, she was still enraged.
How dare he speak to her as if she were a child? He didn’t take the time to discipline her when she’d been young, why would he start now?
Sam shoved back from her desk and stood. She needed to take a walk, cool off and then resume her duties that would continue to go unappreciated.
She flung open her door and slammed directly into a wall of solid muscle and sexy man.
“Whoa.” Brady grabbed hold of her arms. “What’s the hurry?”
She stared up at him. “What are you doing back?”
His soft chuckle penetrated the wall of anger she’d erected. “I told you I’d be back.”
“But you only left three days ago. You said a week.”
He shrugged. “I got done earlier than expected. Besides, I missed you.”
Those three simple words melted her, made her knees weaken.
How could he have known just what she needed and how on earth did he know she was having a really, really bad day? For anyone else, she would’ve made an excuse to be alone but with Brady, well, she wanted his company.
She reached up, wrapped her fingers around his wrists. “Can we talk?”
“Of course.”
With his hold still on her arms, he backed her into her office, shut the door with his foot and captured her mouth.
On a sigh, she molded into him. Like a starving woman, she took everything he offered as she slid her hands up his arms and curled her fingers around his strong, muscular shoulders. His wide hands slid around her waist and drew her closer…as if she’d go anywhere now. She tasted his need, his desire and she was almost certain he could taste hers, as well.
Heat pooled between her legs, her nipples pressed achingly against her silky bra. The need for this man gave her no choice but to respond to his arousing kiss.
If this man could make her damp with just a kiss, what would he do to her in bed?
Nine
Brady didn’t relinquish his hold as he eased his mouth from hers. “I’ve been thinking about that for days. I knew you’d be worth the wait.”
Confused, stunned and incredibly turned on, Sam opened her eyes and peered up at him. “I don’t think we should be doing this.”
“Why not?” His brows drew together.
Good question. She had to push aside her desire and longing to recall the excuse she’d rehearsed in her head.
“Because I don’t move this fast,” she said through her thick voice. “Not that I’m not incredibly attracted to you, but getting a quickie in my office isn’t my idea of romantic or professional.”
He studied her face, his thumbs still caressing her neck. “I appreciate your honesty, so I’ll be truthful, as well. I want to lay you down on that desk and make you scream. Romantic or not, that’s my fantasy.”
Her nipples tightened at the erotic image. “Brady.” She placed her hands on his hard chest, his pecs fitting perfectly in her palms. “Think about this. If we have sex—”
“When we have sex…”
Rolling her eyes, she laughed. “Let’s just enjoy each other while you’re here on business. If we get to know each other, and things progress at a natural, slower pace, that’s fine. No expectations. Okay?”
His chocolate eyes turned serious. “Fair enough. But I should warn you, I won’t stop trying to fulfill my fantasy.”
God, when he spoke in that low, seductive tone she wanted to take him up on the desk offer. But she couldn’t—not yet. Her career had to come first no matter how much she wanted Brady.
But just once in her life she wished she’d be a bad girl and put her personal needs first. Why did every fiber of her being have to be so damn good all the time?
After an hour of concentrating on breathing, Sam was able to get back to work. She honestly didn’t know how much more willpower she had left. She liked to think she had quite a lot, but she feared if Brady kissed her again, she wouldn’t even be able to define the word willpower.
Brady told her he’d be busy with conference calls the rest of the afternoon, but he’d like to see her tonight if she had the time.
On one hand she appreciated the space he offered, but on the other, she wished he’d tell her he couldn’t wait another minute to strip her down and get to know every inch of her body and to hell with business.
If he told her he couldn’t wait to be with her, that he wanted to spend the night, she’d cave with no regrets.
But he’d been a gentleman and told her he respected her decision. How could she be so tough with her willpower when he had her defensive walls crumbling?
Her cell rang just as she was about to pull up the upcoming-guest list for the following week.
She slipped the cell from her Prada jacket pocket. “Hello.”
“Sam, are you busy?” Miles asked.
“No. Are you calling to scold me, as well?”
Samantha settled back in her seat. Getting a call from Miles was better than her father, but not much.
“Dad doesn’t know I’m calling,” he explained.
“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get grounded?” she joked.
“Will you be serious for a minute?”
She sighed. “Fine. What is so urgent that you had to go behind father’s back and call the enemy?”
“You’re not the enemy, Sam.”
“Whatever.” She waved a hand through the air. “The reason for this call is…”
“Dad is making some major changes and your little stunt didn’t help. Things are getting chaotic around here, so if you could lay low and just do what you’re told, that would really help.”
Samantha snorted. “You’re kidding, right? I’m doing double the work of anybody else in his company and receiving little to no recognition and you want me to lay low?”
“I take it you don’t know about the changes?”
Sitting up in her seat, Sam feared she wouldn’t like what she was about to hear. “Do you really think he’d tell me anything? Besides, he was too busy berating me.”
Miles paused a little too long for her liking. “We’ve hired a new V.P. He will be taking my place and I will be taking Dad’s place. Father plans on retiring soon.”
Her heart sank. Obviously she hadn’t been considered for this promotion. She was a Donovan, but not enough of one to be part of the family’s major decision makers in the corporation.
“Did he even consider me for a higher position?” She almost hated to ask.
“No.”
“This is unacceptable,” Sam all but shouted. She didn’t know if she wanted to punch something or cry.
After all she’d done for that company, how could they do this? Did they not have a caring bone in their bodies? She knew the answer, she just didn’t want to face reality.
As usual, the Dono
van empire reigned above all else. Even her feelings.
Obviously her father and Miles had had someone in mind for a while or the hiring process would’ve taken longer.
“Sam?”
“I’ve got to go.”
She disconnected the call, and for the second time that day she needed some fresh air. Unfortunately, this time when she opened her door, Brady wasn’t there to greet her with open arms and a mind-numbing, toe-curling kiss.
Samantha made her way through the lobby and onto the beach. She slid off her Gucci sandals and hooked the straps around her fingers.
Now that she’d had time to absorb Miles’s bombshell, she realized she was beyond pissed, beyond hurt.
Samantha knew she wouldn’t get any more work done today, so she decided to do what she always did when she was upset and wanted to take out frustrations on something. She went back to her room at the resort and cleaned.
Oh, there were plenty of maids, but Samantha would rather have them cleaning up after an actual guest than herself. Besides, she didn’t dirty too much considering most of her time was spent in her office or milling about the hotel making sure everyone was happy.
Sam threw on her sloppy clothes. She had no intention of going anywhere for a while.
With tattered exercise shorts and a white tank, she grabbed her bucket of cleaning supplies.
She scoured her bathtub until it was sparkling white. She searched for dust bunnies to attack and found only one. She reorganized her clothes in her closet and still, still wasn’t satisfied with her self-cleansing.
She had, however, worked up a nice sweat. Just as she was about to make use of her freshly cleaned tub, someone pounded on her suite door.
Sam glanced down at herself and hoped it wasn’t an employee needing to talk. She was not exactly in boss mode.
She glanced through the peephole and groaned. Be careful what you wish for.
With no other option than to be seen at her worst, Sam opened the door.
Brady’s eyes raked over her. “Cleaning day?” he asked with a smile.
Seducing the Enemy's Daughter Page 6
