A Bargain with the Boss

by Barbara Dunlop

  “You sound jealous.”

  She wasn’t jealous. She refused to be jealous. She was merely feeling critical of his wasted opportunities.

  “That was a business observation, not a personal one.”

  “No?” he asked.

  “No.”

  Though, at the moment, it felt intensely personal. His hand was still resting at her waist. The heat from his body called out to her. And his deep voice seemed to seep through to her bones.

  “Dance with me now.”

  She steeled herself against the attraction. “The band is packing up.”

  The only music was the elevator kind emanating from the small hotel speakers on the ceiling.

  “We can go somewhere else.”

  “It’s late. My feet are killing me. And I don’t know why I’m giving you excuses. No. I don’t want to go somewhere else and dance with you. I want to go to bed.”

  He let a beat go by in silence. Then there was a lilt in his voice. “Okay. Sure. That works for me.”

  They came to the elevators. “Tell me you didn’t mean that how it sounded.”

  He pressed the call button. “That depends. How did it sound?”

  “You can’t flirt with me, Tuck.”

  “Am I doing it wrong?”

  “That’s not what I—”

  “It was a great party, Amber. Against all odds, we got our pavilion up and running in time. The crowds have been super. And the party came off without a hitch. We even had a good sound system. Thank you for that, by the way. Can we not let our guard down and enjoy the achievement for just a few minutes?”

  “I work for you.”

  She needed to nip his playboy behavior in the bud. It didn’t matter that he was a charming flirt. And it didn’t matter that he was sharp and funny and killer handsome. This wasn’t a date. It was a corporate function, and she wasn’t going to let either of them forget it.

  “So what?” His question seemed sincere.

  “So you can’t hit on me.”

  “Is that a rule?”

  “Yes, it’s a rule. It’s a law. It’s called sexual harassment.”

  “I’m not seriously asking you to sleep with me. I mean, I wouldn’t say no to an offer, obviously. But I’m not making the suggestion myself. Except, well, you know, in the most oblique and joking way possible.”

  Amber was stupefied. She had no idea what to say.

  The elevator door opened, but neither of them moved.

  “You’re my boss,” she tried.

  “Dixon is your boss.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Are you saying I can’t even ask you on a date? That’s ridiculous. People date their bosses all the time. Some of them marry their bosses, for goodness’ sake.”

  The door slid closed again.

  She couldn’t seem to stop herself from joking. “Are we getting married, Tuck?”

  He didn’t miss a beat. “I don’t know. We haven’t even had our first date.”

  She blew out a sigh of frustration. “What I’m saying, what the law says, is that you can’t in any way, shape or form hint that my agreement or lack of agreement to something sexual or romantic will impact my job.”

  “I’m not doing that. I’d never do that. How do I prove it? Is there something I can sign?”

  She pressed the call button again. “Tuck, you have got to spend more time in the real world.”

  “I spend all my time in the real world.”

  The door slid back open and they walked inside the elevator.

  She turned to face the front. “If you did, you’d know what I was talking about.”

  “I do know what you’re talking about. All I wanted to do was dance.”

  The door slid shut and they were alone in the car.

  He was right. She didn’t know how the conversation had gotten so far off track.

  “We don’t have time to dance,” she told him. “You need to focus on tomorrow’s meetings. You have the list, right? Did you study the files?”

  “I looked at them.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I scanned them. I know the basics. Besides, you agreed to be there with me.”

  “You can’t defer to your assistant when you’re meeting with owners and executives of billion-dollar companies.”

  “I’ve been busy. I had to work some things out with Lucas. And then I took your advice and interviewed Hope.”

  “You did?” Amber was glad to hear that.

  “Yes. I liked her. I’m going to give her more responsibility.”

  “That’s good.”

  “So forgive me if I didn’t find time to memorize the details of thirty client files.”

  Amber was tired, but she shook her brain back to life. Thank goodness she’d said no to the second glass of champagne.

  “We’ll go over them tonight,” she told him.

  He glanced at his watch.

  “Unless you want to get up at 4:00 a.m. and go over them in the morning.”

  “Four a.m. is a late night, not an early morning.”

  “You’re starting with a breakfast meeting.”

  “I know. Who set that up? Breakfast meetings are evil. They should be banned.”

  The elevator came to a stop on the top floor.

  “Let’s get this over with,” Amber said with resignation.

  Together, they walked the length of the hall to Tuck’s suite. She’d been in it yesterday, so she knew it wasn’t a typically intimate hotel room.

  The main floor was a living area, powder room and kitchenette. You had to climb a spiral staircase to even get to the bedroom. According to the floor plan sketched on the door, there was a whirlpool tub on the bedroom terrace, but she had no intention of finding out in person.

  As she set her clutch purse down on a glass-topped table and slipped off her shoes, her phone chimed. Curious as to who would text her at such a late hour, she checked the screen.

  She was surprised to see it was her sister.

  Jade lived on the West Coast and only contacted Amber if she needed money or was having an emotional crisis. It was uncharitable, and maybe unfair, but Amber’s first thought was that Jade might be in jail.

  “Are you thirsty?” Tuck asked, crossing to the bar.

  Amber sat down on a peach-colored sofa. It was arranged in a grouping with two cream-colored armchairs in front of a marble fireplace.

  “Some water would be nice,” said Amber, opening the text message.

  “Water? That’s it?”

  “I’d take some fruit juice.”

  I just hit town, Jade’s text said.

  “You’re a wild woman,” said Tuck.

  “I’m keeping my wits about me.”

  Which town? Amber answered her sister.

  “In case I make a pass at you?” asked Tuck.

  “You swore you wouldn’t.”

  “I don’t recall signing anything.”

  Chicago.

  What’s wrong? Amber typed to her sister.

  Nothing all good. Well, dumped boyfriend. Jerk anyway.

  “Amber?” Tuck prompted.

  “Hmm?”

  “I said I didn’t sign anything.”

  She glanced up. “Anything for what?”

  He nodded to her phone. “Who’s that?”

  “My sister.”

  “You checked out there. I thought it might be your boyfriend.”

  “I don’t have a boyfriend.” She absently wondered what she’d ever said or done to make Tuck believe she had a boyfriend.

  I’m in New York City, Amber typed to Jade.

  “Good,” said Tuck in a soft tone. />
  A shimmer tightened her chest.

  I was hoping to crash with you for a couple of days, Jade responded.

  Amber’s fingers froze and she stared at the screen.

  “What does she say?” asked Tuck, moving closer.

  “She wants to stay with me.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “She’s not particularly...trustworthy.”

  Jade was constantly in and out of low-paying jobs, and in and out of bad relationships. The last time she’d stayed with Amber her sister had prompted a noise complaint from a neighbor, drunk all of Amber’s wine and left abruptly without a goodbye, taking two pairs of Amber’s jeans and several of her blouses along for good measure.

  I’ll call you when I get back, Amber typed.

  “Oh?” Tuck took a seat on the other end of the sofa.

  Thing is, Jade returned, I kind of need a place now, tonight.

  Amber swore under her breath. It was coming up on midnight in Chicago, and her little sister had nowhere to go. She didn’t delude herself that Jade would have money for a hotel.

  “What is it?” asked Tuck.

  “She needs a place now.”

  “Right now?” He glanced at his watch.

  “I’m guessing she just got in from LA.” Amber wouldn’t be surprised if Jade had hitchhiked.

  Hotel? Amber wrote.

  Can’t afford it. Jerk took all the money.

  Of course the jerk boyfriend took Jade’s money. They always did.

  “I take it cash flow is an issue,” said Tuck.

  “That’s a polite way to put it.”

  “Send her to the nearest Aquamarine location.”

  Amber raised her brow in Tuck’s direction. The Aquamarine was a quality, four-star hotel chain.

  “Tucker Transportation has a corporate account,” said Tuck.

  “I know Tucker Transportation has a corporate account.”

  “You can tell her to use it.”

  “I can’t misuse the company account for my sister.”

  “You can’t,” he agreed. “But I can.”

  “I won’t—”

  “I need your attention,” said Tuck. “I need you off your cell phone and I need you not worrying about your sister. The way I see it, this is the cheapest way forward.”

  “That’s a stretch.”

  Tuck’s tone turned serious. “Tell her. Let me make that an order.”

  Amber wanted to argue. But then she didn’t particularly want to send Jade to her town house, nor did she want to rouse a neighbor at this hour to give her a key.

  “I know you respect orders,” said Tuck. “You are the consummate professional.”

  “You’re messing in my personal life.” Amber knew she shouldn’t take him up on it, but she was sorely tempted.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I am. Now send her to the Aquamarine.”

  Amber heaved a sigh.

  Before she could send the message, Tuck scooped the phone out of her hand, typing into it.

  “Hey!”

  “You know it’s the best answer.”

  She did know it was the best answer. And she’d been about to do it herself. Further protests seemed pointless.

  “She says great,” said Tuck.

  “I’ll bet she does.”

  He set the phone down on the coffee table. “You’re a good sister.”

  “In this instance, I think you’re the good sister.”

  “Never been called that before.”

  “Neither have I.”

  Tuck chuckled, obviously assuming she was making a joke.

  She wasn’t.

  Four

  Tuck was pretty good at handling late nights, but even he was starting to fade by the time he and Amber shut down the last client file. She looked exhausted, her cheeks flushed, makeup smudged under her eyes and her hair escaping in wisps from the updo.

  “That’s as ready as we can be,” she said.

  They were side by side on the overstuffed sofa, a lamp glowing on an end table, the lights of the city streaming through open curtains on the picture window across the room.

  Tuck had long since shrugged out of his suit jacket and loosened his tie. His shirtsleeves were rolled up, but he was still too warm. The thermostat might be set too high. More likely, it was his attraction to Amber.

  She was intensely sexy, every single thing about her, from her deep blue eyes to her rich brunette hair, to the delicious, sleek curves revealed by her fitted dress.

  “Do you feel confident?” she asked, tipping her head to look at him.

  He realized he’d been silently staring at her.

  And he was still staring at her. He was overwhelmed by the urge to kiss her, kiss her deeply and thoroughly, taste those soft, dark red lips that had been teasing his senses all night long. He knew he shouldn’t. Her earlier reluctance was reasonable and well founded. Anything romantic between them was bound to be complicated, today, tomorrow and into the future.

  “Tuck?” she persisted, clearly confused.

  He lifted his hand, brushed the stray hairs back from her cheek.

  She sucked in a quick breath and her eyes closed in a long blink. When they opened, they were opaque, misty blue with indecision.

  It wasn’t a no, he told himself. She wasn’t ordering him to back off. She was tempted, just like him.

  He knew there had to be a whole lot of reasons not to do this, but he couldn’t seem to come up with them at the moment. So he leaned forward instead, slowly and steadily.

  She could stop him, run away from him, pull back from him at least. Whatever she decided, he’d accept. But he had to at least try.

  She didn’t do any of those things, and their lips came together, his bold and purposeful, hers heated, smooth and delicious. He altered the angle and his arms went around her. He kissed her once, twice, three times, desire pulsing through his mind and electrifying his body.

  She kissed him back, tentatively at first. But then her tongue touched his, tangled with his. Her body went malleable against his, her softness forming to his planes. He eased her back on the sofa, covering her from chest to thighs, tasting her mouth, inhaling her scent, feeling her back arch intimately and her heartbeat rise against his chest.

  He wanted her bad.

  He kissed his way down her neck, pushing the cap sleeve of her dress out of the way, leaving damp circles on her bare shoulder. He thought about her zipper, imagined pulling it down her back, the dress falling away, revealing a lacy bra, or her bare breasts, that creamy smooth skin that was silken to his touch.

  “Tuck?” Her voice was breathless.

  “Yes?”

  “We...”

  He stilled. He knew what came next, though every fiber of his being rebelled against it.

  “Can’t,” she said, finishing the thought.

  He wanted to argue. They could. They really could, and the world wouldn’t come to a crashing halt.

  But he’d never coerced a woman into his bed before and he wasn’t about to start with Amber.

  “You sure?” he asked.

  He could feel her nod.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  He eased back. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  “I should have said no.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t.”

  “I’m... Oh, this is not good.” She struggled to sit up.

  He moved out of the way, offering his hand to help her up.

  Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

  Tuck broke the silence. “I guess we’re ready for the meeting.”

  “Tuck, I—”

  “You don’t have
to explain.”

  A woman was entitled to say no for any reason she wanted. And he did understand her hesitation. She worked for him, at least temporarily. She was smart not to let it get complicated.

  She rose to her feet. “You’re an attractive guy. But you know that.”

  He stood.

  “I’m sure most women would—”

  “I don’t like where this is going.” He didn’t.

  “I know you don’t often get turned down.”

  “Now, how would you know that?”

  “I read the papers.”

  His annoyance grew. “You believe the tabloids?”

  “They have pictures.” Frustration crept into her tone. “You can’t deny you have gorgeous girl after gorgeous girl on your arm.”

  “Is that what you think of me? I didn’t kiss you because you’re beautiful, Amber.”

  “I know that. I’m not comparing myself to them.”

  “Comparing yourself?” He didn’t understand her point.

  “I’m not suggesting I’m one of your bombshells.”

  “Good.”

  She was so much more than that. He might not have known her long, but he knew there was more depth to her than a dozen of his Saturday-night dates combined.

  Her shoulders dropped. “I’ll just say good night.”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  He didn’t want her to leave. He wanted to keep talking, even if they were arguing. He liked the sound of her voice. But he also wanted to kiss her again and carry her off to his bed. He couldn’t do that.

  “It’s late,” she said. “We’re both tired. Let’s not say or do anything we’re going to regret.”

  “I don’t regret a thing.”

  “I do.”

  The words were like a blow to his chest. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “I’m your employee, Tuck.”

  “You’re Dixon’s employee.”

  “Tucker Transportation’s employee. And you’re a vice president.”

  “In name only.” He found himself parroting his father’s words.

  “You need to change that, Tuck. You really do.”

  “Are you lecturing me on my corporate responsibility?”

  “Somebody has to.”

  He was about to retort that they already had. But then he realized it wasn’t true. Neither his father nor Dixon had lectured him. They’d never pushed him to become more involved in the company. They’d barely suggested he show up. But he wasn’t about to admit that to Amber.