ULTIMATE LOVE
by Cara Holloway
To my husband.
Copyright
Ultimate Love by Cara Holloway
© 2012 Cara Holloway
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, in any media, in whole or in part (except for reviews in the public press) without written permission of the publisher.
Published by Cara Holloway.
Chapter 1
Dinah sat down with a sigh and looked at the letter in her hands again and still could not believe it. The new owners of the shopping complex in which she lived and worked, Knight Developments, were exercising their legal right to not renew her lease. Which meant that she would be homeless and her business would be dead. Everything that she had worked so hard for over the last two years would be gone.
Dinah felt a sense of rising panic and quickly squashed it. She was many things, but she was not a quitter. She hadn't come this far to just give up now.
Her chin lifted as one thought amongst the many tumbling in her head became clearer. At first she had thought she would phone this Jared Knight, big shot property developer, and make an appointment to see him to plea her case. But that was surely not likely to work. What she needed to do was confront him. Surprise was the key. If she could see him face to face and state her case surely he would see her passion for her business and her community, and surely he would extend her lease.
The Ultimate Cafe was entirely of her own making. She had found the location, fitted up the shop herself, and designed everything from the menu right down to the smallest details in the interior design. Good food was her passion, and the Ultimate Cafe focused on doing the basics better than anyone else. Dinah was proud to produce the best burgers and fish and chips within a large radius and she had earned a strong and loyal following amongst her local community. She had made many good friends in Devon Bay, and her business was a success exactly as she had envisaged. She could not let that all be lost.
The community was nearly a two-hour drive to the metropolis of Auckland, and it had many holiday homes, which were empty for most of the year. Dinah's business thrived in the summer months when the number of people in Devon Bay swelled with all of the holiday-makers, and like many businesses she relied upon the increased income over the summer months to make a reasonable living over the whole year. But she knew that the core of her business was the local community. Like many other permanent residents of Devon Bay she looked forward to the end of summer when the crowds left and the community could return to calm and peace. The summer holiday crowd bought excitement and money, but they also bought increased crime, graffiti and rubbish. Many of the permanent residents had a love hate relationship with the people who only holidayed in Devon Bay, most of who were from Auckland. Now a big shot property developer from Auckland had bought up a block of shops in the center of their town. Dinah would be dammed if she would let all her hard work be undone by a big shot property developer!
Dinah finished the final end of day routine for the Ultimate Cafe, putting the bread dough to rise overnight and turning out the lights. Her staff had gone home long ago and she normally enjoyed this time of the day, but not today. She was weary and mentally exhausted. She decided a bath and bed was what she needed, and it couldn't come quickly enough. Tomorrow she would travel down to Auckland to the offices of Knight Developments and sort out the issue of her lease.
As Dinah drew a bath she mentally reviewed the last few years of her life. Ever since she had left home at the young age of 17 she knew she had wanted to be in business for herself. She had a strong independent streak. She wanted to prove to the world she could make it on her own, and she had done that. Dinah was tremendously proud of the business she had started from nothing and she knew it was just the beginning. There was only one small niggling concern. With all her time focused on developing her business, she had had little time to develop intimate friendships and no time for dating. She was a naturally outgoing and gregarious person, which helped her settle into the community she had chosen for her home and helped her business thrive, but she was left alone each night. Usually she was so exhausted from hard work that she collapsed into bed at the end of each day without time to think about what she may be missing out on, but tonight her brain just would not quit. The letter canceling her lease had made her realise just how much she had invested into her business. Was this giving her all to the cafe really worth it? What if life passed her by and she never found that special someone? Impatiently Dinah pushed away thoughts of loneliness. She was not one to dwell on anything negative for long, and she figured there would be enough time later to find Mr. Right, if indeed he existed!
Chapter 2
The spring morning dawned bright and clear and Dinah woke feeling more optimistic than she had the night before. Today she would sort out her lease for the cafe and the flat above where she lived once and for all. Today she would face Jared Knight personally so he could see how much she had invested in her business. There was no way that he would make her homeless after she explained everything to him.
After showering she took special care with how she looked. She wanted to appear confident and professional and she chose a dark merino mixed dress in a soft grey with a flattering cut just below her knees, and a matching single breasted jacket. The jacket would provide a little warmth if the day brought cooler breezes, as the weather tended to be unsettled in spring.
Black heels and stockings completed the ensemble. She swept her hair up in a simple chignon and applied a little light makeup. Finishing off with a fruity lip-gloss, she surveyed her appearance. It was too much for Devon Bay, the small beach community in which she lived, but for the metropolis of Auckland where she was going it was perfect.
She didn't notice how the back of the dress hugged the curve of her lower back and emphasised the flare of her hips, or how the cut of the jacket showed the swell of her breast to good advantage. She saw only the professional business woman in the color and cut of the fabric.
As she drove Dinah practiced several conversational openings she could use on Jared Knight. Part of the reason why she was successful in her business was because she was always well prepared. It was this trait that she was hoping would help her today. She knew if she prepared just the right words to explain to Mr. Knight with a minimum of emotion how important it was he re-consider his development, that her chances of success would be greatly improved. Dinah used the time during the drive to prepare herself and develop a calm smooth demeanor. She was determined to appear professional and competent.
Two hours later she pulled her small car into a tight parking spot in a side street behind the offices of Knight Developments. After a quick check of her appearance and a touch up of her lip-gloss using the car's rear view mirror she stepped out into the late morning foot traffic of the busy city centre.
Knight Developments occupied the top two floors of the city's newest high-rise complex. Of course Jared Knight owned the whole building and he could afford the best offices in the city. The views she noticed as she stepped out of the elevator were spectacular. The city and its glittering harbor were laid out before her. She suppressed a small flare of panic. She had no appointment but he had to see her. She would bluff her way in. She could not afford to fail.
Approaching the large granite topped receptionist counter with a smile plastered to her face she lifted her chin and walked confidently forward.
"Dinah Luxford to see Mr. Knight please," she announced to the cool blonde sitting behind the desk in what she hoped was a confident voice. The blonde offered her a polite smile.
"Of course. Do you have an appointment, er, Miss…"
"Luxford. Dinah Luxford," she said and smiled a polite smile back. "And no, I d
on't exactly have an appointment but it's very important and I'm sure Mr. Knight would like to see me." She firmly injected authority into her voice and stood straight, trying to impress importance and consequence to the blonde secretary, hoping to bluff her way into Mr. Knight's office.
"I'm sorry, but Mr. Knight is a very busy man. If you don't have an appointment then I'm afraid I can't let you through. Perhaps you'd like to make an appointment for, oh let me see," she said, as she gazed at the computer screen, her long manicured fingers quickly tapping on keys. "I think he has a 10 minute slot late next week."
"Oh no! That doesn't work at all! It has to be now! It has to be today! I've driven over 150 kilometers to be here and I'm not leaving until I've seen him!" Dinah was suddenly aghast at loosing her cool. So much for her confident demeanor! This trip was going to be a waste of effort!
At that moment double doors to her right suddenly opened and a tall imposing man stormed out in his shirtsleeves.
"What's all this racket out here? I told you Marilyn that I was not to be disturbed!" he shouted, and then flashed an angry glare at the cool blonde behind the receptionist desk. At that moment he suddenly noticed Dinah standing to one side. She had moved back a little, alarmed at the force with which he had opened the doors.
He stopped suddenly. His face momentarily registered a look of surprise, and his dark blue eyes suddenly darkened even further, before the expression was quickly hidden.
Dinah swallowed, hard. She was in a mild state of shock. So this was Jared Knight! The fabled property developer and multi millionaire playboy in the first social set in Auckland! Now she knew what all the fuss was about. He was quite simply the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. Her stomach clenched as if she had been physically struck, and her body thrummed with sheer energy. She felt instantly drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and the pull was almost irresistible.
She took a quick look over him, appraising him from head to toe. His dark brown hair curled slightly over his collar and his blue eyes were flashing brilliance. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to reveal tightly corded muscular forearms and his trousers were stretched over lean hips and thighs. The top two buttons of his shirt were open to reveal the hollow of his throat and she could see the swell of his chest muscle with smooth tanned skin…
Dinah bought herself back to reality with difficulty. He was looking at her now with a curious expression, mild amusement and something else. Was he laughing at her?
"I asked you what you are doing here. Are you going to do the decency of giving me an answer? Or are you simply going to stand there like a stunned mullet with your mouth open?" he said.
Dinah realised she was gaping, and quickly closed her mouth. He had noticed her ogling him! Oh dear! How embarrassing! Quickly she remembered why she was at the offices of Kinght Developments and realised that this was her moment. She had the full attention of Jared Knight and she was not going to waste a minute of it, even though the sight of him did make a warmth spread between her legs. Her body may be reacting instantly to him, but her mind could remain clear!
"You can't cancel my lease!" she blurted out and instantly wished the words back. She sounded like a silly teenager! His sudden appearance had knocked her off balance and she found it difficult to get her thoughts in order.
"I'm not sure what you're taking about or who you are, but if I'm cancelling your lease then I'm sure I have every legal right to do so," he replied with a small tight smile. "Now, perhaps you'll tell me who you are?"
Dinah swallowed her embarrassment and stuck out her hand. "Dinah, Dinah Luxford," she said.
For a brief moment she thought he would not take her outstretched hand, but he seemed to realise it was an offer of apology for her unexpected appearance and thankfully he took it and offered a firm handshake.
A small fission of pure energy rippled through her as their hands touched. Dinah's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected feeling, and she felt almost bereft when he dropped her hand and the contact ended.
"And to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit Miss Luxford? Or is it Mrs. Luxford?" he asked glancing at her other hand. He noticed with some satisfaction that there was no ring on her ring finger of her left hand.
"It's Miss Luxford thank you," Dinah replied, aware that he was looking at her hand for a ring. She wondered vaguely why he would at all be interested in her marital status. It had nothing to do with her lease!
"I've come to talk about my lease with you," she said hurriedly as she fished his letter out of her handbag. "I received this the other day," she offered as she extended the letter out to him.
He took it and quickly scanned its contents. "Oh yes, Devon Bay. I'm redeveloping that small block of shops and I need them empty for my builders. Your lease is up for renewal so surely you had a business plan for this possibility Miss Luxford? I don't know why you've come all this way, there's really nothing to discuss," he said. He handed her back the letter and turned away towards the double doors of his office.
"But there's everything to discuss!" she cried out. "I can't move my business to another location while you redevelop that block! How can I move the ovens and the whole kitchen? That's ridiculous! It was built for that space only two years ago! It would never fit into another space and I can't afford to rebuild it now!"
Panic had seeped into her voice. He turned around and she briefly thought that she had gotten through to him. The man did have some morals despite all the rumors of a cold-hearted businessman! She allowed herself to feel a moment of hope.
"Hold all my calls and cancel my lunch meeting will you Marilyn please. I'll take Miss Luxford out to lunch and sort this out now," he said. The instruction was given briskly to his secretary before he took hold of Dinah's elbow and steered her back towards the elevator.
"I'm sure you're hungry for some lunch after your long drive. How about we take this to a more relaxed surrounding, hmm? Where we can be more comfortable," he continued. His voice was like smooth caramel. Grabbing a suit jacket from behind the door to his office and throwing it over his shoulder he turned to steer Dinah towards the elevator with a firm hand in the small of her back.
Dinah felt relief wash over her. "I'm so glad you see my point! Thank you for seeing me without an appointment" she said, happy to have an opportunity to save her business and her home.
"No problem, I'm always happy to take a young lady out to lunch, especially one as beautiful as you," he said. His eyes focused on her head, then slid slowly down her body to her feet in stilettos. She could almost feel his gaze touching her skin, and the small confines of the elevator only served to intensify his masculine presence. Dinah gasped as she recognised the same sexual arousal in his gaze that she was feeling, and she briefly wondered if he could see it in her eyes. His slow sensual smile seemed to tell her that he knew exactly what effect he was having on her.
"Well, thank you for taking time out in your busy day to see me. I really appreciate it," she said.
Dinah was trying to keep her mind on the issue of the lease, but it was behaving strangely out of control. She was having images of her fingers undoing the buttons on his shirt and her hands running over that smooth muscled chest. A blush was spreading over her face, deepening into two large crimson splotches on her cheeks.
Jared smiled another slow sensual smile. "It's no problem. Everyone has to eat at some stage or other," he replied.
His hand was again on the small of her back as he steered her out of the elevator and towards the lunchtime crowd on the street outside.
Chapter 3
He had every intention of taking her to a fashionable restaurant nearby on the waterfront, but now that he had her downstairs he had another thought. There was a new restaurant a block away and it would provide a more intimate setting.
What was he thinking! He brought himself up short. Was he losing his mind? She had such an effect on him! It was not like him to cancel meetings on a whim with little notice, but the fire and passion in her voice
and body was calling to him on a deep animal level. She was absolutely stunning, with fire flashing in those green eyes, and the lift of her chin exposing a long slender neck with tendrils of chestnut hair falling softly over her cheeks. Her flesh beneath her dress was burning into his palm, and it was all he could do to not let his hand fall lower, over the exquisite curve of her hip.
Jared forced his mind back to their surroundings and steered her confidently across the street and down a small side alley towards the new restaurant. He thought that this was just a man enjoying lunch with a beautiful woman. Nothing to get upset over. He would use the experience to sharpen his business sense, that was all. He would enjoy the view over a good lunch and be revived for the afternoon ahead. He had a very important business deal to broker later on in the day, and a little visual stimulation over lunch would fire up his appetite for the negotiations ahead.
While Jared was convincing himself that she had not unduly affected him, Dinah was trying to focus on the thoughts in her head. But the feeling of his hand on the small of her back was making all coherent thought difficult. Her mind was turning to wondering what it would feel like if his hand was on her bare skin, but with extreme effort she managed to marshal her thoughts. She had this opportunity over lunch to show him how much her business meant to her, and how he had to allow her to stay in the premises. A whole lunch hour was more than she had dreamed she'd get and she had to make the most of it!
The maître-d showed them to a small intimate table towards the back of the restaurant. The lighting was subtle, making them feel like they were the only two diners in the room. It was a small Italian restaurant, unique for its intimate atmosphere unlike most restaurants in the area that were loud and open places for people to see and be seen.
Dinah forced herself to smile as she sat down and looked over into the deep blue eyes of Jared Knight opposite her. She had to focus on her business! It was in trouble and she couldn't let her hormones forget that! No matter if he was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. No matter that he exuded sheer masculine energy. She had to convince him not to cancel her lease!
Ultimate Love Page 1
