Seduced by the CEO

by Barbara Dunlop

  Her smile faded, and she peered at him intently. “Are you in the witness protection program?”

  “No.” Where had that come from?

  “I thought maybe you’d testified against a crime boss or something.”

  “I’m not a criminal.”

  “You said you were a thief.”

  “Ethanol. From an institution. Probably about ten bucks worth of the stuff.”

  Her smile came back, and her voice went sexy and low. “Riley Ellis.”

  Something shifted inside him.

  She repeated his name.

  He kissed her. It was fleeting at first, but then deeper and longer. He loved kissing her. But they were in public, so he forced himself to stop.

  He rested his hands on the rails, arms around her, slowing his breathing down. “I promised you fireworks.”

  Her eyes were wide and clear, her lips dark red. “You meant in the sky, right? Not the ones going off inside my brain right now.”

  His hands twitched. “You have absolutely no sense of self-preservation.”

  “And you have no sense of humor.”

  “You are not a good girl.”

  “I said I was once a good girl.” She planted a quick kiss on his mouth and then ducked under his arm.

  He immediately caught her and wrapped his arm around her as they walked. “Okay, now you’re taking all the fun out of the chase.”

  “There they go,” she called out as the first red and yellow starbursts banged through the air and lit up the sky.

  They quickened their pace, laughing as they went. Riley found them a table at the beer garden, ordering beers and a savory platter.

  He angled his chair toward her. He’d seen the fireworks before, but he’d never watched Kalissa watching them. The bright colors reflected off her skin and flashed in her shinning eyes. She was so much more beautiful than the display in the sky.

  She caught his gaze and did a double take.

  “Hey,” he said softly.

  “Hey.”

  “How do you like them so far?”

  “They’re stunning.”

  “Stunning,” he agreed, his gaze fixed on her.

  She glanced back at the sky, but then returned her attention to him.

  “Want to know what I did yesterday?” she asked.

  “Absolutely.” He wanted to know everything about her.

  She traced a line along her plastic beer cup. “I met Darci.”

  Everything went still inside Riley.

  It took him a minute to respond. “Your sister?”

  “Yes, my sister. Who else would I be talking about?”

  He sat back in his chair.

  He’d known this would happen. At one point, he’d even thought it might be good for him. He’d considered that Kalissa might give him some inside information on Shane.

  But that was days ago. Now he didn’t want Kalissa talking to the Colborns at all.

  Riley definitely wanted to see her again.

  But now that she’d met Darci, well, sisters talked, even estranged sisters were likely to talk eventually. And when they did, it was game over for him. Because the minute Shane knew Riley was in her life, he’d do everything in his power to turn her against him.

  “How did it go?” he managed to ask.

  “It went well, really well. They seem terrific, very down to earth, way more down to earth than I expected.”

  “Great,” he said, covering his expression with a drink of his beer.

  The fireworks popped and cracked in the distance, and the crowd oohed and aahed. Riley wanted to put his fist through the table.

  * * *

  Kalissa could tell something had changed. It was subtle, but Riley was quieter during the drive home, and he wasn’t making any jokes. He drove directly to the Mosaic Landscaping storefront, swinging his sports car to the curb.

  He hadn’t suggested stopping at his place. Not that she’d wanted to stop at his place. Not that she would have said yes to stopping at his place. But there was something weird about him not even asking.

  He pulled on the emergency brake, leaving the stick shift in neutral and the engine running as he exited the driver’s door. He moved to her side of the car, opening the door and taking her hand while she stepped out.

  “Thank you,” she said, wishing this feeling of dread would go away, wishing he’d say or do something to reassure her. “I had a very nice time.”

  “I did too.” His expression looked sincere.

  What was she missing?

  She took another stab. “I’m sorry I can’t invite you upstairs. Megan’s there and, well, it’s a pretty small apartment.”

  The opening was a mile wide, but he didn’t suggest an alternative to her place.

  “I understand,” he said instead, easing a little closer.

  “Is something wrong?” she couldn’t help asking.

  “Everything’s great. You’re great.” He tucked her hair behind one ear, sliding his palm to the back of her neck.

  Anticipation warmed her skin and increased her pulse.

  “Goodnight, Kalissa,” he whispered. His lips came down on hers, soft and hot. But the kiss was slightly different. It didn’t hold the burning passion of the ones on the Ferris wheel.

  She slipped her arms around his waist, and he did the same with his free hand. Angling her body against his, she deepened the kiss. He followed suit, and she could feel his muscles hardening against her.

  His hand slipped downward, splaying over her rear, pressing her into the vee of his thighs. He kissed her deeper, his tongue plunging into her mouth. She welcomed the passion, answering back, arousal growing in waves inside her.

  Her imagination took flight. If not his place, maybe a hotel. His car didn’t have a back seat. And she was too old for that anyway. But it had to be somewhere. He was a powerful, sexy, virile man, and the chemistry between them was all but combustible.

  Then he broke the kiss, drawing back no more than an inch.

  She waited for his suggestion, his solution. He had to be thinking the same thing as her.

  “Goodnight, Kalissa.”

  As his words registered, she bit back the yes waiting on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed instead, letting her arms go loose around him.

  “I’ll see you next week?” he asked.

  It was clear he meant when she came to work on his yard. “You will.”

  “Great.” He gave her a nod. Then he stepped further back, and his gaze went meaningfully to the small door across the sidewalk.

  It took her a minute to react. She opened her purse, fumbling for her keys, keeping her head down as she crossed the narrow sidewalk.

  Beneath the streetlight, she pushed the key into the deadbolt lock, turning it full circle before twisting the knob and pushing the door open. As she worked up the strength to turn around, he gunned the engine, peeling away from the curb, accelerating down the empty block.

  That was it. He was gone.

  “Kalissa?” Megan called from the top of the stairs.

  “On my way,” Kalissa managed in return, swallowing her disappointment and confusion as she secured the door behind her.

  Megan came down a couple of steps. “How did it go?”

  “Good,” said Kalissa, starting up the staircase. “Fine.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did he try something? Was he a jerk?”

  “No, nothing like that.” It was nothing even remotely like that.

  Megan turned, and they filed into the one room apartment.

  Kalissa tossed her purse on the table and plunked down on the worn sofa.

  “We had a great time,” sh
e said, walking through it in her mind.

  “And?”

  “He kissed me. He kissed me on the Ferris wheel, then again while we walked on the pier, then he kissed me goodnight.”

  Megan took the other end of the sofa. “So, why do you look so bleak?”

  Kalissa was starting to question herself. “Okay, it’s not like I wanted to fight him off with a stick. But he didn’t make a move.”

  “You just said he kissed you.”

  “He didn’t try to get me back to his place.”

  Megan grinned. “Let me get this straight. You’re upset because he was too much of a gentleman?”

  Now, Kalissa was starting to feel embarrassed. “It’s always nice to be asked.”

  “But you would have said no.”

  “Yes.” Kalissa paused. “Maybe. Probably. Yes. I would have said no. But he seemed really into me, and then pfft, this little kiss goodnight.”

  Megan peered at her. “Your lips are red and swollen.”

  Kalissa’s fingertips went to her mouth. They were hot to the touch, and they did still tingle.

  “He might just be a nice guy,” said Megan.

  “Even nice guys want sex.”

  “You’re funny. And you’re making too much of it. Did he say he’d call you?”

  “He said he’d see me at his place.”

  “Which, he will.”

  “Not until Monday. Well, maybe Sunday afternoon.”

  Megan pulled her legs beneath her. “Ah yes, the sleepover.”

  “Do you think that’s weird?” Kalissa asked.

  “Darci wanting you to spend the night at her mansion?”

  “It’s less than two hours away.”

  “You’re not going to want to drive home Saturday night. But the answer is yes. There’s nothing about you going to stay at your secret, billionaire, twin sister’s mansion that’s not a little weird. You don’t have to work at all on Sunday, you know.”

  “We’re so busy,” said Kalissa. She wasn’t about to stick Megan with extra work. And she wanted to see Riley. She needed to talk to him again, to look him in the eyes and figure out exactly what had happened between them.

  Four

  Sunday afternoon, Riley was planted on his front steps while a dump truck noisily deposited a load of topsoil at the front of his yard. Megan appeared, caught a glimpse of him and altered her course. She trotted up the concrete staircase and sat down beside him at the top.

  “How’s it going?” she opened.

  “It’s fine.” It was quite a bit below fine, but he wasn’t about to share his worry with Megan.

  Earlier, she’d mentioned that Kalissa had spent last night at the Colborn mansion, and Riley had been stewing ever since. He kept playing an imaginary conversation in his head, one where Kalissa told Darci she’d been on a date with Riley Ellis, and Shane reacted like a madman, warning her off, demanding she never see him again.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have been so quick to walk away Friday night. He sure hadn’t wanted to walk away, and Kalissa had sent some pretty unmistakable signals. He should have acted on them. He should have taken her to his place to see where things would lead.

  He’d worried that getting closer was a mistake. The closer he got, the more likely it was she’d mention him to Darci. But maybe that was a backward strategy. Maybe he’d blown the only chance he’d ever have to get closer to her. It might have been better if they’d spend the night together before Shane had a chance to turn her against him.

  “You waiting for her?” asked Megan.

  Riley fidgeted, getting the uneasy feeling Megan was reading his mind.

  She glanced at her watch. “She said she’d be here around four.”

  A denial seemed pointless. “You’ve talked to her?”

  “A couple of hours ago.”

  He swallowed, fighting his curiosity but immediately losing. “How did it go for her last night?”

  “I think it went okay.”

  “She’s in a good mood?” If Shane had told her the truth about Riley, surely she’d be angry.

  Megan stood up and waved her arms to attract the attention of one of the gardeners. “The maples go in the back!” she called.

  The guy nodded and strode toward a pickup truck where the workers appeared to be unloading the trees at the front of the driveway.

  Megan sat back down. “You’d think they could take a minute to read the plans.”

  Riley couldn’t care less about the yard layout. The maples could go on the roof for all he cared. He wanted to know about Kalissa.

  He clenched his jaw to keep from repeating the question. He didn’t want to draw attention to his curiosity.

  “A good mood?” Megan asked, re-opening the topic.

  “Happy?” he elaborated, feeling like he was back in high school.

  “With visiting her sister?”

  He gave her a sidelong glance to see if she was messing with him. What was with the third degree? “Yes, happy with visiting her sister.”

  “They had barbecued quail and toured some huge, dungeonesque wine cellar. Who barbecues quail? Brauts and burgers, sure. Maybe a steak. But quail? What were they trying to prove?”

  “That he has more money than God.”

  “Shane?”

  “Yes, Shane.”

  “I’m not even sure he was there. She sat up half the night talking with Darci.”

  A raw feeling of dread invaded Riley’s stomach. “But she sounded okay?”

  “A little tired.”

  This was like pulling teeth. “But not upset?”

  She shifted her butt on the porch, curiosity coming into her tone. “Riley?”

  “Yeah?”

  She was silent until he looked her way.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  He played dumb. “What?”

  “You’re practically obsessing.”

  “I’m making conversation.”

  Megan tipped her chin toward the road. “There she is.”

  Riley’s immediate reaction was relief. But it was followed quickly by trepidation.

  Kalissa had parked down the block, out of the fray, and he watched her expression carefully as she approached. She was smiling. That was good, wasn’t it? It had to mean he hadn’t been caught.

  But how long could he reasonably expect that to last? He was already operating on borrowed time. He needed to get to know her. She needed to get to know him before the bombshell was dropped.

  “Do you need her here right now?” Riley asked Megan.

  “What?”

  “Kalissa. Can you live without her today?”

  “Today’s almost over.”

  “Is that a yes?” He came to his feet.

  Kalissa was at the driveway.

  “I guess, why?”

  He tried to look blasé. “I wanted to take her out.”

  “Again? Now?”

  “Yes to both.”

  “Where?”

  “I don’t know yet. Can I steal her?”

  Megan gave a shrug. “If she wants. But I don’t understand. She said you were a bit standoffish there at the end.”

  He looked Megan straight in the eyes. “That was a mistake. I’ve changed my mind.”

  A knowing smile grew on her face. “Then go for it.”

  Thank goodness.

  He gave her a nod. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Oh, good grief.” She jumped up, her attention back on the gardeners. “They can’t just eyeball it.”

  Riley’s attention was solidly on Kalissa. He was walking fast, and he met her halfway up the driveway.

  Her smile was tentative, definitely uncertain.
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  He could have kicked himself for making the wrong call Friday night. He took her hand, turning her in one smooth motion, keeping his momentum up as he headed for his car.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, glancing back over shoulder.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  She tugged on his arm. “I can’t leave.”

  He urged her along. “Sure, you can. I checked with Megan.”

  “We have a bunch of work to do.”

  “I want to show you something.”

  “What?”

  He had no idea. He figured he’d come up with something along the way. “It’s a surprise.”

  He pulled out his key fob and hit the unlock button for his car door. Then he opened the passenger door, yawning it wide. “Hop in.”

  “This is crazy.”

  He smiled at her. “We’ll grab something to eat.”

  “I can’t abandon Megan.”

  “I told you, I already talked to Megan. Look.” He nodded across the yard.

  Megan, good on her, was grinning and waving goodbye.

  “What’s this about?” Kalissa asked, bracing her hand on the open door.

  “You’re not much for surprises, are you?”

  “I’m not.”

  He scrambled for a quick answer. “I know a great little place near Lake Forest.”

  “Lake Forest?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’re going all the way to Lake Forest to grab something to eat.”

  He liked being this close to her. It didn’t matter where they went. He could happily stand here on the sidewalk with her all evening long. “It’ll only take an hour. And it’s a nice day for a drive.”

  Her expression softened. “You better hope there’s no traffic.”

  “Get in the car, Kalissa.”

  A light of amusement came into her eyes. “Aren’t you demanding?”

  He brushed the backs of his fingers along the curve of her chin. “Only when you’re stubborn.”

  “I’m not stubborn.”

  “Good. Then hop in.”

  She looked like she was about to argue, but then she turned and settled herself in the low-slung seat.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “You’ve got me curious.” She crossed her legs. They were covered in cropped black pants that were topped with a black and white checkerboard T-shirt.