Impossible (to Resist) Boss: Billionaire Romance

by Arabella Quinn

  I slipped off the sarong. “I’m not really that much of a prude. This is just… a little awkward.”

  “So, what did happen last night, anyway?”

  I began slathering on sunscreen. “Nothing.”

  “It didn’t sound like ‘nothing’ this morning.” She laughed. “I promise I won’t tell anyone. Not even Adam. Us girls have to stick together.”

  She was impossible to resist and I was eager to spill to someone. “Ugh. Well, as you know, I was a little tipsy last night. Maybe even drunk, you could say. Anyway, I was so unprofessional. I crossed a line.”

  “Oooh.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Do tell! What did you do?”

  I cringed with embarrassment, forcing the words passed my lips. “I kissed him.”

  She seemed delighted. “Where? At the club?”

  “No. He walked me back to my hotel room. I wanted to thank him for such a fun night. It was supposed to be a hug, I think. I don’t know. What happened was that I wrapped my arms around his neck and hauled him down for a kiss. Not a peck on the cheek. I’m talking lips and tongue. Lots of tongue.” Mortified, I groaned.

  Rina shook her head. “You think you forced a kiss on him? Jason is not going to kiss anyone he doesn’t want to. Believe me. He let it happen.”

  “He definitely put a halt to it. I remember him pulling away. He was a gentleman about it, thank goodness, but he stopped it.”

  “Was he kissing you back?”

  I thought back to the memory I had been avoiding. “It’s kind of blurry. I was really caught up in the moment.”

  “So, it was a good kiss?”

  I scrunched up my nose. “Yep – mind-blowing. Oh God, it’s so embarrassing!”

  “Darling, don’t worry too much about it. Jason seems to have recovered just fine from your brutal assault.”

  “Don’t tease me!” I joked. “Gosh, this is so ridiculous. I’m sitting on this luxury yacht with him. In the tiniest bikini ever – thanks a lot by the way! How am I ever going to face him again at work?”

  “You’ll find a way to survive. Besides, you look stunning in that bikini. The next time you see him at work, he’s going to be imaging you in it, I’m sure.”

  I disagreed, “I’m not so sure. He was a gentleman last night, but I crossed a line. He’s my boss, Rina. My title is much fancier, but I’m essentially his secretary. I’m surprised he didn’t fire me already.”

  “What? No, he wouldn’t!” She sounded astonished.

  “Oh, yes. He’s such a stickler at work. He’s got so many stupid rules, you wouldn’t believe…”

  I was telling Rina about all his crazy office quirks and strict rules, when he and Adam came out and found us giggling uncontrollably on the deck.

  “Uh oh.” Adam shook his head. “What are these two up to? This can’t be good.”

  Adam went and sat by his wife, while Jason sat next to me, offering me a mimosa. “Are you ready for this yet?”

  I took the glass and sipped slowly, using the drink as cover so that I could look him over surreptitiously. He was wearing black swim trunks and a white shirt that was completely unbuttoned. As the wind tore at the flaps of his shirt, I was given tantalizing peeks at his toned upper body. He was wearing aviator sunglasses and his hair was blowing in the wind. He’d never looked more like a romance novel cover. He’d never looked hotter.

  “Only one for you, because the Captain is going to stop at a great snorkeling spot before we continue on to one of the northern Keys.”

  I shifted in my seat, on some level realizing that I was striking somewhat of a sexy pose in my bikini. “Are you implying that I can’t hold my alcohol?”

  The words came out in a low, sultry voice. It sounded like I was flirting with him. And, Jesus, the way he was looking at me… like he wanted to devour me – was giving me shivers. There was only one thing I was thinking in that moment - I wanted him to throw me down and ravage me right then and there.

  Two minutes in his company and I was ready to chuck all the declarations I made to myself to remain completely professional right out the window. What was wrong with me?

  Wisely, Jason changed the subject. “Are you enjoying this trip to Miami?”

  “What’s not to love? Gorgeous weather, yachts, fine dining… It’s not what I was expecting. I’d have to say it’s one of the best business trips I’ve ever been on.”

  Jason looked pleased. “Just one of the perks of knowing the CEO, I guess.”

  I nodded, tipping my glass to him. “I almost feel guilty having so much fun while everyone else is in boring meetings.”

  “Don’t feel bad. Not everyone goes to the meetings. The meetings are secondary – professional development and such. Most people just come down for the awards dinner. It’s a way for the company to recognize and thank its best employees.”

  “Well, it’s working.” I smiled, but looked away from him out into the never-ending sea of blue.

  I wasn’t sure if Jason was subtly trying to remind me that I was his employee. One glance at Rina and Adam, and you could see how much in love they were. Adam’s arm was draped casually over her shoulder and they were constantly touching each other and laughing quietly together. I felt a pang of jealousy. I would never experience that kind of intimacy with Jason.

  The thought was as shocking as it was poignant. I had always been conscious of a physical reaction to Jason; I could admit it now – I’d wanted him since day one. But, something deeper? That was a new type of admission. One that I was too afraid to explore.

  Fortunately, I didn’t have to delve into my psyche at that moment, because the boat began to slow. Jason explained that we were nearing the snorkeling spot and he left with Adam to round up the equipment.

  Feeling unsure of myself, I tried to keep my distance from Jason when he returned. All four of us geared up with snorkel and mask, fins and a flotation belt and dropped into the water. Adam and Rina swam away while I was readjusting my mask in the water, so I ended up pairing off with Jason despite my plans to keep my distance. He didn’t really seem to mind, so maybe I was just being paranoid. My emotions were a jumbled mess and I was questioning everything.

  In the back of my mind, I was enjoying the beauty of the underwater world. The water was warm and crystal clear and the captain had chosen this spot for the abundance of marine life that was present. Nonetheless, most of my focus was on Jason. I couldn’t shake him from my brain. I was aware of his every move. I couldn’t rip my eyes off him.

  At one point as we were swimming side by side, he grabbed my hand to get my attention and point out something. My heart felt like it would burst in my chest. My obsession with him was getting worse. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that I was in love with him. That’s what Becca would say. That revelation scared the shit out of me.

  If it were true, I was in for a world of bitter disappointment and hurt. All these months of working for him, I thought I had inoculated myself from his good looks and charm. I had felt superior to and silently mocked the silly women who couldn’t resist him. I never thought I could fall into that trap, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed true.

  We stayed out snorkeling for over an hour. When we got back to the boat, Rina and Adam were already there and dried off. The yacht raised anchor, and twenty minutes later, we docked in Key Largo.

  Lunch was first on the agenda, as we had all worked up an appetite. We passed by a handful of colorful beachside grills and settled on an elegant looking restaurant where we could enjoy the ocean view from the shaded terrace while we ate. Although the restaurant served up expensive cuisine, the dress code appeared to match the casual atmosphere of the island – my flowered cover-up fit in just fine.

  Rina convinced me to order a tropical drink while we waited for our lunch to be served. The drink was a strong rum concoction that was served in a carved out pineapple complete with a flower garnish and miniature paper umbrella. The drink settled my nerves and our leisurely lun
ch overlooking the water flew by in a hurry.

  I had just finished my last bite of Key Lime pie when Rina stood up checking her watch.

  “The Captain wants to sail in 2 hours, so we can make it back to Miami in time for your dinner. Adam and I will meet you back on the yacht. We’re off on an adventure!”

  Adam tossed some money onto the table and then the couple left holding hands and giggling about some secret they shared.

  I had the distinct feeling that Rina was purposefully leaving us alone together. We’d have two whole hours to kill by ourselves. It suddenly felt awkward between us.

  Jason leaned back in his chair. “Well, I guess it’s just us. Was there anything in particular you wanted to do?”

  Several erotic notions popped into mind. I quickly pushed them aside, but not before I felt heat rise to my cheeks. “No, I can’t think of anything.”

  “Are you in the mood for peace and relaxation or for something more exciting?”

  “Exciting.” It was out of my mouth before I even thought about it.

  “I know just the thing.” Jason paid the check and led me back toward the marina. He stopped in a shop and talked to a man while I browsed through the souvenirs at the front of the shop.

  Back outside, Jason led me down a long boat dock. “We’re lucky, they can take us right now.”

  “Take us where?”

  “Parasailing. Ever been?”

  “No.” I felt a pang of anxiety, but kept it to myself.

  I thought about backing out, but didn’t want to spoil Jason’s plan. Instead, I slipped on a life jacket and climbed into the boat with a growing sense of unease. Jason chatted with the crew while they got underway. My thoughts turned inward as the boat sped us out into the blue ocean.

  The boat skimmed the surface at high speed, but I couldn’t enjoy a moment of the ride. I was too nervous. After what seemed like hours of boating through the ocean swells, the boat stopped so that we could get strapped into the harness.

  Jason was joking with me about something, but I wasn’t listening. I was concentrating on everything the instructor told us. There wasn’t much I had to do. The main instruction seemed to be to keep our legs up during take off and landing. They promised that it would be gentle and controlled and that we wouldn’t even get a drop of water on us. If that was true, I consoled myself, it couldn’t be that bad.

  When we were all set-up, the boat began moving and suddenly the line was released. Slowly, we lifted off the boat deck and glided further from the boat, slowly rising into the sky. The take off was smooth and I slowly released the breath that I’d been holding.

  But, as the boat got smaller and smaller into the distance as we drifted even higher, I felt a familiar anxiety return. It was a dizziness tinged with nausea that seemed to pump a fear-fueled adrenaline bomb through my veins. I tried closing my eyes, but that just made the nausea worse. I was on the verge of a full blown panic attack.

  I had forgotten that Jason was besides me, until he spoke, “If you let go of the harness, you won’t fall – you’re strapped in tight. You’ve got it in a death grip.”

  I knew I was holding on for dear life, but there was no way I could let go.

  “Lilliana, you’re as white as a ghost. And shaking. Jesus Christ, are you afraid of heights? Why didn’t you say something?” Jason muttered a few curses under his breath.

  “I’m not afraid of heights. It’s more like I’ve got a fear of falling.” I winced at how stupid it sounded. “I know it doesn’t make much sense.”

  “Let me signal them to bring us down –”

  “No!” I felt a fresh wave of panic. “We’re already up here. Besides, I’m deathly afraid of how we’re getting down anyway. I need a few minutes.”

  Jason wiggled in his harness, freaking me out some more. “Jesus, this is like torture for you. Listen, getting down is really easy. They reel you in very slowly and you touch down very, very gently on the boat. It’s no big deal.”

  “Right.” Logically, I understood that – my body just didn’t seem to agree.

  He held out his hand. “Give me your hand.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t let go.”

  “Hanging on to the harness like that is not helping. You’re working yourself up. There’s no way you can fall out. Trust me.” He offered his hand again.

  I struggled to overcome the overwhelming need to cling to the harness and was finally able to pry my hand free and take his. I transferred my death grip from the nylon straps to his hand, but his supporting squeeze reassured me. The harness was very secure and relieving the strain on my arms did feel better. Even Jason’s warm hand made me feel more grounded. I was still anxious, but no longer on the edge of pure terror.

  I chuckled nervously. “I’m sorry. I’m only afraid of heights sometimes. I can fly in a plane just fine, because I’m on the inside and I know I won’t fall out. It sounds dumb, I know. But other times…”

  “You could have mentioned it,” he teased.

  “I wasn’t sure,” I answered meekly. “I didn’t know I had any type of phobia until I was hiking one time with my parents. They wanted to take a picture of me on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. It’s this crazy glass walkway that juts far out over the Colorado River and it’s insanely high up. I just couldn’t do it and they didn’t understand why I was being such a baby about it.”

  “Remind me not to take you rock climbing.”

  I shuddered. “No. Rock climbing is definitely out. But parasailing doesn’t seem to be so bad. I think I’m getting used to it now. It’s actually quite peaceful up here.”

  Jason pointed down toward the water on the right of us. “Look over there. Some dolphins are jumping.”

  We spent the rest of the time talking. I knew he was probably trying to keep my mind off my fears and I appreciated it. Even when the line started to slowly haul us in, he kept pointing out various sites including the marina where we could see our waiting yacht. He held onto my hand the entire time until we had touched onto the boat deck and the crew was unbuckling us.

  I used the boat ride back to regain my composure. I was feeling almost my normal self, but Jason steered me straight to a little dive bar complete with thatched roof.

  He bought me a shot of something strong and insisted I take it. It warmed my belly and left me sputtering, after it burned like fire going down.

  “That should make you feel better.”

  It did. My body was relaxing after the insane amount of stress. The alcohol was helping. And I was feeling happy – happy to be with him.

  Jason checked his watch. “We have 35 minutes until we have to be back to the yacht. Do you want a drink?”

  “No thanks.” Another drink and I’d be throwing myself at him again.

  He glanced around, seeming to just notice the other patrons – a grizzled bunch - some who were watching us curiously. “Maybe you want to go someplace else? Somewhere nicer?”

  “No, this is great. I enjoy the local flavor. I wouldn’t mind sitting for a bit though.”

  The bartender came back and Jason ordered a drink for himself and a water for me. “What do you think of the yacht?”

  “It’s amazing!” I answered. “I’ve never been on something so luxurious. Rina said Adam is going to flip when he gets the bill. Poor guy. I can’t even imagine how much chartering that for the day costs.”

  “A pretty penny,” Jason agreed. “I’ll pitch in to ease the pain a bit. Rina has expensive tastes, but Adam knew that from the start. Some things are worth it.”

  “True. The yacht is amazing - once in awhile. But if you had it all the time, you wouldn’t appreciate it as much. Can you imagine not appreciating something like that?”

  Jason looked at me strangely. “I’m sure you would survive somehow.”

  “No, I’m serious.” I laughed. “I know I was complaining about those summer vacations I went on with my parents. They were teachers, so money was really tight. We did a lot of free or cheap things on vacat
ion. Everything was done on a really strict budget. But it really taught me a valuable lesson – that money is not the most important thing. There are other things in life that are much more important.”

  I abruptly stopped. My offhand comment was turning into a cringe-worthy lecture and Jason was starring at me like I had two heads. I must have sounded hopelessly naïve to him.

  The alcohol or maybe it was the remnants of adrenaline had loosened my tongue and made me feel vaguely giddy. Jason finished his drink and we decided to walk back to the marina where the yacht was docked since we had the time.

  We walked back mostly in silence. I was still floating on a high of having spent an incredible day with him. I didn’t want it to ever end. I wanted to grab his hand and walk off into the sunset with him instead of heading back to reality.

  Chapter 18

  “I think we’ve gone over this enough.” Jason closed the folder containing the script he was to use for the awards ceremony later that night.

  “Are you sure, Mr. Kaine? I’ve highlighted some cues you can use in the margins-”

  Brenda Howe had been the Director of Conferences and Events at Kaine Industries for more than four years now. He knew her well enough that if he didn’t cut her off now, he’d likely never get away. Distressed that she couldn’t reach him all day, she had tracked him down and pulled him away from cocktail hour and made him review the night’s agenda and speeches over and over.

  “Everything looks extremely organized and put together. I’m confident tonight will run smoothly. You’ve done a really terrific job coordinating the entire meeting as usual. Well done, Brenda!”

  While she was still basking in his compliment, Jason made his escape. He returned to the event to see that the cocktail hour was concluded and the dining room doors had been opened. Most of his employees had made their way into the large room and were milling about.

  He spotted Lilliana at the front of the ballroom near to where he presumed was their table. She was speaking with Greg Hines, one of the board members at Kaine Industries. Most of the board members had brought their wives to the meeting, but Greg hadn’t and he seemed to be staking his claim to Lilliana for the night. Greg was a mere annoyance; he was no match for Jason.