The question now was what did she do about these feelings she never wanted? They were too strong to ignore, they were too scary to act on, but she’d never backed down from fear before.
Now she just had to figure out how to be strong, keep her business with the O’Sheas and keep Braden in her personal life for good.
* * *
Braden woke to a sleeping Zara on his chest, her hair spread all around him. Something had happened in the middle of the night...something that had nothing to do with the sex. There had been a new level introduced. How the hell had that happened? He’d seen something in Zara’s eyes and he knew full well it was more than desire, more than lust.
But what scared him most was what she may have seen in his own eyes. He knew what he’d been feeling when they’d been together. Even if he was only admitting it to himself, he was feeling more for Zara than just physical attraction.
Raking a hand over his face, he reached to the bedside table for his phone and turned it on. The battery was starting to get low, but as soon as the phone powered on, his texts lit up. Apparently the road level was downgraded, and he could get out now. Did he tell Zara, or did he continue to stay here and search her house? He’d found the one tube that could be holding a scroll and he desperately wanted to get it into Mac’s hands.
The electricity was still out, but maybe the electric company would be coming through soon, since there were no driving restrictions now.
His entire home had a backup generator. Possibilities swirled around in his mind. Zara nestled closer to his side, a soft sigh escaping her lips. When her warm breath fanned across his bare chest, he knew right then that he would be going home today...and she’d be coming with him.
That primal, territorial need he had for her had intensified. The ache to see her in his home, in his bed was nearly all-consuming.
Braden shot off a quick text to Mac that he would be home later with Zara and the container. Yes, it was presumptuous to assume she’d be coming with him, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He saw exactly how much he affected her, he felt it, and after last night, she may wake up more confused than ever; but until Braden knew what the hell was going on between them, he wasn’t about to leave her alone to start thinking of all the reasons they wouldn’t work.
Not to mention he didn’t want her out of his sight until he learned what was in this tube, because if it did indeed hold one of the scrolls, he would have to search this house again.
Braden set his phone back on the nightstand and turned toward Zara, wrapping both arms around her. As he pulled her body flush against his, he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d gotten so far into her world. He’d started with wanting to gain enough trust to get into her home, and while she’d interested him from the start, he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t wanted to sleep with her; but no way in hell had he planned on getting emotionally involved.
Damn it. This complicated things.
“I’m getting spoiled,” she mumbled against his chest. “Waking to a warm, naked man who’s holding me. Not being able to work, eating junk all the time.”
Braden raked his hands up her back, loving the feel of all that smooth, silky skin beneath his palms. “Get dressed. The roads are better so we’re heading to my house.”
Zara jerked back. “Your house? Are you going to ask or just demand? I’m fine right here, you know.”
“My house has a backup generator, so we’ll have full amenities.” He kissed her temple, hoping to soften her even more. “You’re more than welcome to stay here, but why don’t you come with me until your house is up and running?”
She tensed beneath him, and he wasn’t about to give her the chance to back out. Softly he covered her lips with his. “I want you in my bed, Zara,” he murmured against her. “I need you there.”
Knowing he was fighting dirty, he allowed his fingertips to trail back down. Cupping her bottom, he pulled her against his hips. “But if you don’t want to join me, just say so.”
Zara groaned. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I’m not playing at all.” He nipped at her lips. “I have some work to do, but I promise we’ll pick up right here later.”
Her brows drew in slightly. “I don’t know, Braden.”
“I do.” He rested his forehead against hers, knowing she needed tenderness. “If we didn’t work together in anyway, would you come to my house?”
She hesitated.
“I’m not asking for anything more,” he added. “I’m just not ready to let you go.”
“You make it impossible to say no.”
Braden laughed, kissed her softly and tipped her face up. “That’s my plan. Now let’s get dressed and get out of here.”
As he rolled over and came to sit on the edge of the bed, the cat darted out and rubbed against Braden’s ankles. His sister would definitely take this little guy in if Zara didn’t. That girl took in so many stray animals, she needed to live out in the country where she had land for such things. Having a home in the middle of Boston wasn’t ideal for a makeshift animal shelter.
Braden rubbed the cat’s back before coming to his feet. He’d pulled on his boxers and pants when he realized Zara was still in bed, the sheet pulled up beneath her arms, covering all the delicious spots.
“What’s wrong?”
She toyed with the edge of the pillowcase. “What will your family say about me coming home with you? I mean, they know me as the events coordinator. Are they going to think I’m... I don’t know.”
He wanted to put her uncomfortable state to rest and move on. “Just say it. What are you afraid they’re going to think?”
Her eyes met his. “That I’m using you for this position.”
Guilt weighed heavy on him, but he brushed aside the unwanted emotion and crossed back to the bed, taking a seat on the edge and reaching out for her hand.
“First of all, you were hired long before we slept together. Second, it’s nobody’s business what we’re doing. And lastly, they would never think that.”
Zara’s eyes searched him as if she were trying to tell if he was lying or hiding something. He couldn’t very well tell her his family would never think she was using him because he’d been the one to use her in the first place. She could never know the real reason he’d hired her new company. No way in hell would he want her hurt in such a manner.
Because even if the scrolls were discovered in this house, Braden wasn’t so sure he wanted to give up seeing Zara. Suddenly the quest for his family’s heirlooms and the need to be with this woman were totally separate issues, both important and both he refused to back down from.
Fourteen
Zara walked through the hallway of the O’Sheas’ home. Unlike the other night when she was working and in the ballroom, now she was on the second floor, following Braden to her room...which she had no doubt would actually be his room.
In one hand he pulled her suitcase, in the other he held the kitten. Everything about this seemed a bit domestic, a bit too personal. Yes, sex was personal, too, but what they’d shared last night had gone so far beyond sex, but she had no clue about the territory she’d entered and she couldn’t spend too much time thinking on it or she may run screaming.
And had Braden asked her to come to his home when he’d been dressed and not rubbing all over her body, she could’ve used some common sense and told him this wasn’t the smartest of ideas. She was safe staying in her house with the gas heater. She’d eaten just fine, thanks to the stash of Pop-Tarts, and she’d been warm. What more did she need?
Zara adjusted her laptop bag on her shoulder. Braden had stepped into the house and promptly handed the mystery tube to Mac. They’d exchanged a look, and Zara knew they’d just had some silent conversation that only worked when such a deep bond was formed. She had no idea what was so important ab
out this find, but whatever it was, she trusted him to clue her in since the item was from her grandmother’s house.
“You can work in here.” Braden stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter the room first. “There’s a desk in the corner by the double doors. I need to speak with Mac, and I could be a while.”
He pulled her suitcase over to the closet and turned to face her. “Will you be all right?”
Zara glanced around the spacious bedroom. The king-size bed sat on a platform on the far wall. The dark, rich four posters were masculine, matching the deep blue bedding. Of course a man like Braden would have his bed be the dominant feature in his master suite. The sitting area with leather club chairs and a mahogany coffee table only added to the overall masculine theme of the room.
“This is your bedroom.” She didn’t ask as her eyes met his.
Still holding the kitten in one arm, he crossed to her. Each step he took seemed to be in tune with her heartbeat.
“I told you this is where I wanted you. Nobody will bother you in here. The staff knows to stay away from my quarters, and Mac keeps a guest room on the other side of the house. We have total privacy here.”
Zara shivered at the veiled promise, but at the same time, the prospect of being totally alone with him, on his turf where she may be able to learn even more about him, held so much appeal.
“Go on,” she told him with a smile. “I’ll be fine. I actually have several things to work on, and now that I don’t have to worry about my battery, I can focus for several hours. Do you need to leave the kitten with me?”
Braden shook his head. “Nah. He likes me. Not as much as he likes you, but I’ll let him run around for a bit.” Stopping at the doorway, Braden turned, offering her a lopsided grin. “I’ll have dinner brought up later. I plan on spending the entire evening with you and no interruptions, so make sure you get that work done because you’re mine.”
That man did have a way with delivering promises. The impact he could make on her body without even touching her was astounding. But she couldn’t stand in the doorway all day and daydream about how sexy and amazing Braden was.
For one thing, she wasn’t moving in. She was here temporarily, and she needed to remember that. For another, she was behind on work. She had to get her spreadsheets updated for the upcoming events, Braden’s included. In the next two months, she had seven events planned, some big, some small, but Zara prided herself on treating each event as if it was the only one she worked on. She wanted her clients to feel special, to feel as if she cared only for them and no one else.
Zara headed to the antique desk in the corner near the doors that led out on to a balcony. The thick snow blanketed the open space, but Zara’s imagination worked just fine. What she wouldn’t give to work on a terrace during the warmer months. How inspiring and refreshing to be outside on the days she worked from home.
Once she booted up her computer, she tried not to focus on the giant bed directly across from her line of sight. If she stared too long, she’d start fantasizing even more about what would take place there later, and since she already knew how talented the man was in bed, her fantasy just sprang into mind without her even trying.
Zara closed her eyes and sighed. She seriously had to get a grip on this situation and her feelings. Right now he was downstairs working with his brother, and Zara needed to remember she had a job to do, as well. The weekend was over. Even though the snow still covered a good portion of the area in Boston and the surrounding towns, Zara still had to think ahead. When these upcoming events rolled around, the snow would most likely be gone, and her clients were expecting a spectacular party.
Zara pulled up her schedule and made mental notes as well as jotting down some handwritten ones. She did nearly everything online, but still reverted back to pen and paper at times. She might do some things old-school, but that was okay. She attributed those skills to her grandmother.
And thinking of her grandmother brought her mind back around to Braden and what he’d found, if anything, inside that tube.
* * *
“Damn it.” Braden slammed his fist on the desktop. “Where the hell did it disappear to?”
“You don’t even know one of the scrolls is what was in here.” Mac carefully put the cap back on. “There were no other tubes?”
Braden rested his palms on his desk and shook his head. “Nothing. There were still some boxes, though. Zara hadn’t even unpacked her own things, yet. Between all of that and her grandmother’s things, I could’ve spent days searching that house.”
Standing on the other side of the desk, Mac laid the tube down and crossed his arms. “You were there for two days, and from what I can tell you managed one empty tube and sleeping with the woman you’re using. You’re in quite a mess, brother. We’ll get the scrolls eventually, no need to seduce your way to them.”
Fury bubbled within Braden. He leaned forward, holding Mac’s gaze. “Don’t be an ass. What Zara and I do is none of your concern, and I’m more than capable of searching. I know my position here.”
Mac smiled, completely uncaring as to Braden’s building anger. “Sounds like your lady’s gotten to you. Why don’t you just tell her what you want? At this point she trusts you. You guys played house for two days, you brought back a damn cat and now she’s up in your room. If you tell her you need to search her house, I doubt she’d turn you away.”
Braden pushed off the desk. He couldn’t tell her. Not now. It was because she trusted him that he couldn’t come clean with what he needed. Once she discovered he’d lied from the beginning and only initially hired her so he could get close, she’d start to question everything between them, and he couldn’t have that.
“I’ll find another way,” Braden assured Mac. “When will Ryker be back?”
“He made it back to the States, but the airport is closed. He flew into Provincetown and rented a car. He should be here this afternoon.”
Turning to face the floor-to-ceiling window facing the snow-covered property, Braden racked his brain on a solution. He’d been so damn sure there was a scroll inside that tube. He had to focus, keep his head on straight or he’d find himself in an even bigger mess. He was the O’Shea in charge now, and he needed to damn well act like it.
“Ryker needs to get into Zara’s house while she’s here,” Mac stated simply.
“No.” Braden shook his head, tossing his brother a glance over his shoulder. “I won’t do that.”
Damn it. What had happened to him? Three days ago Braden would’ve jumped at the chance to have Zara here preoccupied in his bed while Ryker went through her house. But now...well, now he couldn’t go through with it.
“You’re falling for her.”
Braden jerked around. “I am not.”
“I can’t blame you,” Mac went on as if Braden’s denial meant nothing. “She’s beautiful, sexy, a businesswoman. Clearly everything you’d ever want in a woman.”
Yeah, she was. That was part of the problem, because he couldn’t take things to the next level with her. For one thing, he’d only just gotten to know her, and when he said he wanted a wife and a family, he meant it. He didn’t just want a woman to keep his bed warm. Braden wanted that bond his parents had. But the obvious reason Zara couldn’t be that woman was because he’d lied to her from the get-go. Braden wanted a wife, a family, yes. But he wanted it to be the real deal, and there was no way he could start a relationship with someone he’d lied to, was continuing to lie to.
And how the hell had his mind gone into wife mode when he thought of Zara? That was ridiculous. She didn’t do relationships, and he was using her. Definitely no happily-ever-after for them.
“Don’t get carried away.” Braden rounded the desk, pulling his phone from his pocket to check his messages. “Have you heard from Laney?”
“Yesterday I did. I guess Carter is
staying with her during the storm.”
Braden grunted as he scrolled through his email. “I need to take a shower and change from these clothes. Once Ryker gets here we all need to have a meeting.”
Mac nodded. “And what about your houseguest?”
Braden gripped his phone and eyed his brother. “She’s not your concern.”
“You know she’s going to find out what’s going on. You’ve brought her here, she’s going to hear talk or get suspicious as to why you want back in her house.”
Gritting his teeth, Braden was well aware of all the concerns in having Zara here, but he wasn’t ready to let her go.
“You let me worry about Zara,” Braden warned. “Once Ryker gets here, we’ll work on a plan. I’d be more comfortable if Laney was here, too, but she’s stubborn.”
“Carter wouldn’t let her come.”
Braden laughed. “The day that schmuck keeps my sister away from me is the day he disappears from her life for good.”
Mac nodded in agreement. “I’ll text her and tell her I’m having Ryker pick her up on his way here. She needs to be in on this meeting anyway.”
“Give me fifteen minutes. We’ll just meet in here. I’ll have the cook prepare a late lunch for us.”
Braden headed toward the doorway, then stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t argue if Laney acts like it’s a problem to come. Ryker will take care of any issues. Just text him.”
Mac laughed. “You know Laney and Ryker are like oil and water, right? Are you wanting a fight? It’s best if I try to run interference before he gets there.”
Braden shrugged. “I trust Ryker to take care of it, and Laney will know why we need her here. It’s none of Carter’s business, and I don’t give a damn if Ryker offends him.”
“Our little sister is going to arrive, and I’m pointing her in your direction when she unleashes her anger.”
Braden thought of the woman currently upstairs in his bedroom. “I can handle an emotional woman.” He hoped.
Trapped with the Tycoon Page 13
