by Tia Wylder
“Miss?”
“Yeah?” I glanced up at Nick, hoping that I wasn’t drooling over the sandwich.
“Does this suit you?”
I grinned. “Oh, yeah,” I said. “Thank you, Nick.”
Nick shut the door to the backseat behind me, and soon, we were on our way to meet Jack. I devoured my breakfast in about thirty seconds – it was heavenly, and I wondered where Jack had gotten it – and then stared out the window. It had snowed again overnight, but I knew from forecasts that the weather in Nassau would be perfect. Tropical and sunny and hot – the perfect weather for such an exotic locale.
At the airstrip, Nick took my bags, and I met Jack by the plane. He grinned when he saw me.
“I can’t wait to get out of the cold,” I said, wrapping my arms around myself and shivering. “Sometimes I wonder why the hell I moved to Boston in the first place.”
Jack laughed as we boarded the small plane. “Because it’s fabulous,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah,” I replied. “Half the time.”
Jack cocked his head to the side and gave me an odd look. “I don’t mind the winter,” he said, settling down into a large leather seat and buckling his seatbelt.
“Really?” I sat down next to him. “I hate the winter. I hate climate change, too, but I wish I could be warm for the rest of my life.”
Jack laughed. “That doesn’t sound too bad,” he agreed. “But I like it. I like the seasons. And I like the city. New York is too snobby and touristy. The Bay Area is full of tech brats that make me feel like an old man. And Miami is amazing, but there’s no way I could live there year-round.”
I frowned. Somehow, Jack’s statement was surprising. I’d expected him to be more cavalier about the whole thing – wasn’t every city perfect when you happened to be a billionaire?
Jack laughed. “Don’t look so surprised.” He leaned back in his seat and yawned.
I shrugged. “I just wasn’t expecting it,” I said. I yawned. “I grew up in the Midwest, and all I can say is that I’d never move back there.”
“Why not?”
“Too conservative,” I said, making a face. “My whole family doesn’t believe in climate change…and they’re farmers! It’s like, they’re purposefully ignorant or something.”
Jack gave me a sympathetic smile. “Maybe they’re just set in their ways,” he said, shaking his head. “I practically never saw my family growing up. My nanny was closer to me than my mother.”
“Your nanny?” I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows. Every time Jack told me something new about himself, I couldn’t believe it – his wealth was astonishing.
Jack nodded. “Yeah. Her name was Janet. I called her Jan-Jan…for some reason I couldn’t pronounce ‘t’ as a kid.”
I smiled, thinking of an adorable baby Jack. “That sounds cute,” I admitted.
“Yeah,” Jack said. He closed his eyes, and a dreamy expression came over his face. “She was sweet. She always cooked my favorite foods when she knew I was upset – scrambled eggs with ketchup.”
“Ew!”
Jack laughed. “Hey, no teasing,” he said. “I was four years old, I wasn’t exactly a gourmand yet.”
“I can’t even remember eating when I was a kid,” I said. “All I remember is playing outside.”
“So, you’ve always loved the environment, huh?”
The plane began taxiing towards the runway, and I gripped the arms. “Yeah,” I said. “I guess I have. I used to bring things inside – you know, leaves and sticks and stuff. It drove my mom crazy, but she put up with it for long enough. That ended when I brought home a frog, though. She flipped out.”
Jack burst out laughing. “That’s too much,” he said. “You were a real tomboy, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What? Is that a bad thing?”
Jack gave me a devilish grin that set my heart racing. “Not at all,” he said. “It’s very sexy.”
I flushed hotly.
“I didn’t spend much time outside,” Jack said. He glanced out the window and pulled down the shade. “I was too busy trying to learn how to code on my computer. My parents gave it to me for my fifth birthday – or, they had Janet give it to me. They weren’t there.”
I blinked. “Your parents…missed your fifth birthday? Was there some kind of emergency?”
“Does a charity gala count as an emergency?” Jack asked drily. “No. Their logic was, well, he’s only a kid – he won’t remember it, anyway.”
“That’s horrible,” I said slowly. I couldn’t imagine how it must have felt to have parents like that, and suddenly I felt so much pity for Jack.
Jack shrugged. “I got used to it. They weren’t around the next year, either,” he added.
“That’s so sad,” I said softly. I reached out and touched Jack’s hand.
Jack shrugged. “I guess,” he said. “That’s why I love building resorts, you know?”
I frowned. “I…I don’t see the link.”
Jack laughed. “It’s because families go there,” he said. “On vacation. Don’t you love seeing families have fun?”
I bit my lip and stared at Jack for a long moment. It hadn’t ever occurred to me that there was a sentimental reason behind his love of resorts – I’d merely assumed that he’d only done it for the money. But looking at Jack now, I could tell that he truly meant what he was saying. There was a sparkle in his eyes that I’d never seen before, and for a moment, he looked younger – almost innocent.
“Yeah,” I said after a long pause. “I do that.”
Chapter Eight
Jack
When Adele and I got to the Hotel St. Charles, I checked us in. I’d booked two rooms. As much as I’d only wanted to book one, I had a feeling Adele would go nuclear. So, instead, I’d gotten myself the penthouse suite and her a smaller room on the floor below. Maybe she’ll like the penthouse so much she won’t even go to her room, I thought with a smirk as I handed her the keys.
“What are you doing?” Adele frowned. “Don’t you want to get to work?” She rummaged in her bag and came up with a pair of sunglasses and a bottle of sunscreen. “I thought we could maybe take a walk through the woods and find Franchot’s development.” She gave me a sneaky smile. “I even brought a camera.”
“Smart girl,” I said. I checked my watch. “I have a meeting with my shareholders, so why don’t you relax today?” I glanced outside. “It’s beautiful – you should go to the beach.”
Adele smiled. “I could bring my laptop and get some work done,” she said. “That dissertation isn’t going to write itself.”
I grinned. I’d never met a woman like Adele – she was as much of a workaholic as me!
“You should really take the time to relax,” I told her. “Trust me – Franchot isn’t going anywhere.”
Adele gave me a rueful smile. “Except prison,” she muttered under her breath as she walked past me toward the bank of elevators. I couldn’t help turning around and staring at her ass. Even though she was only wearing a pair of faded jeans, she looked fantastic.
I went upstairs and took a quick shower, then called Chris and put him on speakerphone.
“What? You’re not coming into the office today?” Chris called. “We have good news, Jack!”
“Nah, I’m in Nassau,” I said. “I decided to come down and start planning.”
Chris laughed. “Well, then you’re going to be very happy when I tell you that your idea – bungalows and all – was approved by the board. We’ve got eighty million to play with, and that’s just the preliminary cash!”
I flopped down on the bed and grinned. “That’s excellent news!”
“Yes, I rather thought you’d be pleased,” Chris replied. “So, how is Nassau?”
I looked out the window and pictured it: my own luxury development, right on the water, big and beautiful enough to put the Hotel St. Charles – and Franchot – out of business before they could say ‘boo.’
“It’
s beautiful,” I said. “And I have a great feeling about this. Thanks for going to bat for me.”
“Not a problem,” Chris replied. “When you get back, we should all sit down and have some face time – there are a lot of specifics we’ll want to go over. Nassau has a lot of restrictions when it comes to building.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, not even thinking about Chris’s words. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
We said our goodbyes, and I hung up, feeling ridiculously excited. In the old days, I would’ve gone down to the hotel bar and tried to find the first available girl. But oddly, right now, that wasn’t appealing. All I wanted to do was find Adele and tell her about my big victory.
Adele wasn’t in her room. Frowning, I stood there, feeling like an idiot. Then I looked outside at the beach and remembered my suggestion. I grinned as I went back to my room, changed into my trunks, and walked out to the beach.
Adele was sitting in a lounge chair, under a giant umbrella. She didn’t have her laptop, but there was a book resting in her lap.
“Hey,” I said as I flopped down in the sand next to her. “What’s going on?”
Adele looked surprised to see me. Her freckles had already started to deepen despite the large umbrella overhead, and she looked amazing in a modest bikini. Her body was shining in the sun from the sunscreen, and her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. She looked more like a beach bunny than a serious Ph.D. student, but I wasn’t complaining. The bikini made her tits look excellent, and suddenly all I could think about was ripping her top off and sucking on her hard nipples until she screamed with pleasure.
“I’m reading,” Adele said. She pointed to the book. It was a non-fiction book about an environmental activist, and I rolled my eyes.
“You need to take a vacation,” I informed her. “Like, right now.”
“I’m sitting on a beach, aren’t I?” Adele gave me a wry smile. “I’m not sure what else I could do.”
I laughed. “I have good news,” I said, leaning in close.
Adele grinned. “You already found something on Franchot? I knew I shouldn’t have come to the beach!” She started to get up and put her book away.
“No,” I said, reclining back in the sand and grinning. “My development was approved. Can you believe it?”
Adele stared at me. “Are you serious right now?”
I narrowed my eyes and frowned. “Well, yeah,” I said. “My shareholders just called me and told me the news.”
“I can’t believe you,” Adele said hotly. She flopped back into her chair and glared at me.
“What? What the hell did I do,” I asked sharply. “Why are you so pissed?”
“Because, Jack,” Adele snapped. “We are here to defeat Franchot, not build some stupid development! How can you focus on Franchot when you’re going to be distracted by your own work?!” Her face was red, and her lips were pressed together into a thin, angry line. “I can’t believe you're so selfish!”
I blinked. “This has nothing to do with Franchot,” I said.
“I know!” Adele said loudly. She was practically yelling by now, and other people on the beach were staring at us. “Jack, I can’t believe you!”
“Look, I’m a businessman – have you forgotten that?” I asked with exasperation. “Look, I know you’re bent on destroying Franchot, and I swear, we will.”
“Yeah, as soon as you make as much money as possible,” Adele snapped. She got to her feet and grabbed her book, stuffing it into her bag and throwing the strap over her shoulder. “I can’t believe I actually thought you were one of the good guys!”
I grabbed her arm and pulled her close. For a moment, Adele’s intense gaze was enough to make my cock hard. I wanted to kiss her, to slip my tongue into her mouth and take her right here in the sand. And the thing was, I knew she was feeling it, too. Adele was breathing hard – her chest was rising up and down – and her cheeks were flushed. She bit her lip as she stared at me. Then, she narrowed her eyes and yanked her arm free, and I knew the moment was over.
“I can’t believe you,” Adele said again, shaking her head. “I’m going back to my room, to work on Franchot, which since you obviously forgot, is the entire reason we came here in the first place!”
“Adele,” I said. “Don’t go, come on – I thought you’d be happy for me!”
Adele spun around in the sand. She looked incredibly angry. “You’re a selfish pig,” she said hotly. “And I can’t believe I agreed to work with you.”
I was stunned. Before I could even think of a reply, Adele whirled around and began stalked off towards the hotel.
“Adele!” I yelled. “Hey, come back!”
If she heard me, she didn’t listen. She stalked off, her tight ass swaying magnificently from side to side.
I rolled my eyes as I flopped down in Adele’s chair, ignoring the stares from the others on the beach. I couldn’t believe she was angry with me – it was a huge surprise. I was doing everything for her – flying her to Nassau in my private plane, paying for a room at a luxury resort, and helping her take down Louis Franchot.
So, why the hell was she so angry with me?
With a frown, I got to my feet and wiped my hands off on my thighs. The tourists were still staring, and I glared right back at them as I stalked off the beach and into the Hotel St. Charles. Part of me wanted to run to Adele’s room and demand to know what the hell her problem was. But I didn’t want to go back to her with my tail between my legs, like a pathetic dog.
What I needed was a drink. Shoving my hands in my pocket, I strode into the hotel bar and sat down on a stool. The bartender came over in a matter of seconds, all gleaming teeth and bright blonde hair.
“Hi,” she said, batting her eyelashes at me. “And what can I get for you today?”
“Scotch, on the rocks,” I said, pointing behind her to the aged bottle of scotch on the wall.
The woman’s eyebrows flew up. “Sir, that’s our most expensive single malt,” she replied. “Maybe you’d like to start with a blend, instead?”
I was tempted to whip out my platinum credit card, but instead, I sighed. “The single malt, please,” I said drily.
The blonde flushed. She bit her lip and stared at me for a second longer than necessary before turning on her heel and fetching my drink. When she handed it over, I took a long sip and set the glass down on the counter. The fiery liquid burned my throat in a welcoming way.
I’m going to be the richest developer in the world, I thought as I glanced around the bar. It was nice, to be sure, but mine was going to be better.
I just knew it.
“Sir, if I may,” the bartender said, leaning on the bar and giving me a doe-eyed look. “Are you visiting for a long time?”
“Just a few days.” I drained my scotch and passed her the empty glass. “Another one, please.”
The blonde nodded. She pushed her arms against the sides of her breasts until a savage cleavage formed beneath her black dress.
“Of course,” she said sweetly. “Right away, sir.”
I leaned back and sighed, wishing that she’d just leave me alone. The bar wasn’t very full – just a handful of college kids and a few old men sipping glasses of dry red wine. But I was already regretting my decision to come here. What the hell was I doing wasting my time like this? I should be upstairs in my room, planning my new luxury development.
Or apologizing to Adele, a voice from the back of my mind said. I rolled my eyes. There was no way I was going to apologize to her – I hadn’t even done anything wrong! If she thought I was going to drop everything to make her little plan my priority, she was sadly wrong.
The bartender handed me a fresh glass of scotch. She batted her lashes again. “I’m Claudia,” she said.
“And?” I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what I was supposed to do with this bit of information.
The woman flushed. “And I get off in a few hours,” she added, glancing outside at the beach. “Maybe we could take a
swim.” She leaned in close. “You know, I’m not wearing any panties under this.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Thanks,” I muttered. “But I think I have plans.”
Claudia looked disappointed. She heaved a sigh before turning around and greeting a group of young women who had just walked into the bar. They were all wearing bikinis with skimpy knit cover-ups on top, and they were all beautiful, but soulless somehow. When they saw me, they stopped dead in their tracks. One of them glanced at the others and flushed, then walked toward me.
