by Jo Leigh
“I’m here for you. What do you need to say?” Tony arched his eyebrows.
“It’s complicated.”
Tony steepled his fingers. “Do you want my advice or not.”
Liam cleared his throat. “Okay, here’s the deal, I think I’m falling in love with Katie, but she’s terrified of intimacy and I don’t know how to get through to her.”
Tony snorted. “Katie’s not the only one afraid of intimacy.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How many years has your love life taken a backseat to romance?”
“Thirty-one,” Liam admitted.
“Exactly.”
“But that’s not because I didn’t want to fall in love. I was just too busy.”
“And why is that?”
Because he’d been determined to prove to Finn Delancy he was worthy of his respect, but he couldn’t tell Tony this. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Because you were terrified you’d screw it up.”
Liam laughed harshly. “Okay, that’s a fact. So what do I do about Katie?”
“Tell her you’re falling in love with her.”
Liam swallowed. The thought was daunting. “I’m afraid she’ll run away.”
“Then take her someplace where she can’t run away. A place where she has to face her feelings and talk things out with you.”
“And where would that be?”
“I dunno. A tropical island.”
“You mean, take a vacation?”
“I know that word isn’t in your vocabulary, but if you want to romance this woman, then you’ve got to think of her desires. You both need time away from work and family to create a fantasy world all your own.”
It made sense. “But what if she doesn’t have real feelings for me?”
“Better to know now and cut things off clean than to keep dating her and hoping she’ll start to feel something. It’s like a real-estate deal. You’re either in or you’re out.”
Tony was right and Liam knew it, but cutting things off with Katie was easier said than done.
“You gotta take a leap of faith, man,” Tony said sagely. “Take a risk with her the way you take a risk on the stock market. Make your plans, do your research, dive in and pray for the best.”
“And if I fail?”
“At least you tried. And, hey, I’ll be here to help you pick up the pieces.”
“Thanks. That means a lot.” Liam got to his feet.
Tony came around the desk to punch him lightly on the arm. “Go get her, dude. I’m living proof the rewards are worth the gamble.”
12
KATIE CAME UP with a brilliant plan for luring Liam to Fiji.
Their mother’s will bequeathed the Fiji property equally to Brooke, Joey and Katie. Briefly, they’d discussed the idea of selling it, but so far, none of them had either the heart or the emotional energy to fly out to the Pacific island paradise and check on the bungalow.
She now had the perfect excuse to complete her Martini dare.
There were so many things she wanted to do to Liam. She wanted to sleep with him in a macramé hammock hung between two palm trees. She wanted to make him cry out her name in ecstasy as they made love over the vibrating engine of a snorkel boat. She was dying to do it in a secret alcove of a rocking dance club, in the swimming pool, in the lanai of the bungalow. She fantasized about riding his hard-muscled body in a volcano grotto, beneath a waterfall, in the hot tub.
During her afternoon break, she slipped off to the employee lounge and called him up on her cell phone.
“Liam,” she murmured, all hot and bothered by her fantasies.
“Yes.” He sounded curt, abrupt. She must have interrupted him in the middle of his work. She almost apologized and hung up. But her determination to complete the Martini dare kept her hanging on.
“It’s me,” she said, then cringed. What if he didn’t know who me was?
“Katie.” His tone immediately melted into a buttery soft timbre.
Did the sound of her voice make him as horny as the sound of his voice made her? “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“I was about to go into a meeting, but I have a few minutes. What’s up?”
“Um…since you’re an expert on real estate, I was hoping you might be willing to give me your opinion on some property my mother left me and my sisters. We’re considering selling it, but we don’t know if that’s the best way to go. Do you think you might be able to look at it for us?”
“Sure,” he said. “Where’s the property?”
“Um…that’s the thing.”
“Oh?”
“It’s in Fiji.”
“As in South Pacific Fiji?”
“Uh-huh. I’d pay for your airplane ticket, of course. We can stay at the bungalow. I can put in for three vacation days and we could make a long weekend of it.” Please, please let him say yes.
She heard his intake of breath and she could almost see him standing there, thinking about the work he’d be leaving behind if he took off for five days. Was his attraction to her strong enough to overcome his addiction to his work?
“You could have your own room,” she ventured. “Keep this strictly a business trip.”
“Now, why in the hell would I want to do that?” he asked.
Glee tickled down inside her. She grinned. How she wished he was with her so she could fling her arms around his neck and kiss that firm, angular mouth of his.
“So you’ll go?”
“Under one condition.”
Her heart squeezed. She held her breath. “What’s that?”
“We take my private jet.”
THE VIEW OF Fiji Island from the window of Liam’s jet was breathtaking. The water was a mesmerizing color of turquoise, the sky cloudless. Even from the air, you could make out the lush growth of brilliantly colored flowers-bougainvillea, anthurium, birds-of-paradise, a stunning palette of red, yellow, orange and green.
Luxury hotels with private bungalows ringed the beach among a proliferation of palm trees. The smell of plumeria blossoms filled the air the minute they stepped onto the tarmac. In the terminal, they were greeted by smiling hostesses with leis made of orchids, along with the soothing, rhythmic sounds of island music. The scenery was so beautiful it felt surreal.
They had taken off from Boston nineteen hours earlier, but the flight had been so much fun it had seemed like nineteen minutes. They’d talked and played cards, watched in-flight movies, napped, eaten filet mignon, drank wine and talked some more.
She found out his favorite actor was Tom Hanks and she confessed to having a mad crush on Orlando Bloom. She learned he liked his steaks well done while she preferred hers rare. He was a whiz at gin rummy, but she thrashed him soundly at poker. But when she suggested a hand of strip poker, Liam refused because he knew he’d end up naked within five hands. Katie told him that was the point.
They’d also done a little kissing-okay, they’d done a lot of kissing-but that was all. Even though Katie had tried her best to initiate him as an official member of the mile-high club, Liam had been equally determined to hold her off. His theory was they’d heighten their enjoyment of this trip by making her wait for sex.
They grabbed a cab at the airport and Katie gave the driver directions to her family’s bungalow on the beach. It was tucked into a quiet area. Liam carried their bags inside and Katie immediately ran to open the sliding partition that opened out onto a large private lanai. The ocean rolling softly against the shore lulled them with a sweet hypnotic sound.
“I forgot how beautiful it is here.” She sighed and breathed in a deep draw of air as she stood looking out at the beach. “We used to come here every summer when my father was alive.”
“You miss him, don’t you?”
“Something
fierce. He was a great father. Strict but fair.”
“I wish I knew what that was like,” he said. “Having a father’s love.”
“I wish you did, too.”
Liam studied her and his heart reeled. She looked incredible in a pair of white denim shirt shorts and a tangerine halter top with her hair pulled back into a girl-next-door ponytail. No one could have known just by looking at her that she was a Boston blue blood.
This was it, his big chance to take their relationship to a new level. But was she ready? Could he convince her he was a man worth overcoming her fear of commitment for? He prayed he could.
Liam realized how much his outlook on life had changed since he’d met her. Suddenly, something was more important than his work and she was standing right in front of him.
She turned in the doorway to grin over her shoulder at him. Damn if her smile didn’t warm him from the inside out.
He grinned back.
She crooked her finger at him. “Come ’ere.”
Liam sauntered over.
Katie wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned back to look up into his face. “Let’s have sex on the lanai.”
“Whoa, slow down. We just got here.”
She reached up to stroke her index finger down the length of his cheek. “You’re doing this on purpose,” she said, pretending to pout.
“Doing what?”
“Withholding sex to tease me.”
“Yes, I am,” he admitted. “There’s something to be said for delayed gratification.”
“How long are you planning on holding out on me?”
“For a while.”
“You sure you want to get into this?” Her eyes danced.
“Get into what?”
“Making me beg for sex. Because buddy, two can play that game.”
“Yeah?”
She licked her lips. “Yeah.”
“Go ahead, hit me with your best shot.”
“Oh, it’s on,” she said, and proceeded to untie the string of her halter top.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Getting naked.”
“Give the man a cigar.” She grinned and let her top drop to the floor.
Liam ogled as she reached for the zipper of her white denim shorts. Did the woman have any idea how hot she was making him?
She wriggled out of her shorts and kicked them across the room. She stood, hands on her hips, wearing nothing but a skimpy peach-colored strapless bra and matching thong panties. In her navel, she sported the cutest little gold ring.
Sassily, she stuck out her tongue, and then reached around to unhook her bra. She twirled it over her head a few times before tossing it in his direction.
“It’s not working,” Liam said through gritted teeth. He could handle this. Yes, he could.
“Coulda fooled me with that world-class boner.” She cast a knowing glance at the zipper of his pants, strained with the outline of his rock-hard erection.
She shimmied out of her panties and strutted out onto the lanai naked as the day she came into the world.
He followed her. The sun was warm on his skin, the ocean spray salty against his tongue. Watching Katie’s bottom twitch as she strode toward the lounge chair at poolside, experiencing his desire for her rocketing hard, made Liam feel as if he were a one-celled animal, responding to every stimuli.
Everything about her was intoxicating-the wave of her hips, the perky jut of her breasts, the patch of pecan-blond hair curling at the apex of her thighs.
Glancing over her shoulder again, she gave him a saucy wink and settled herself down on the chaise lounge, legs provocatively spread. She wet her index with her mouth, and then slowly trailed it down to her breasts.
She was driving him insane.
Every whim of her body made the hairs on his wrist quiver. Every vagary of sunlight dappling across her sumptuous breasts registered spiky and vibrant on his retina. Sensation after sensation washed over him. Nothing was lost in translation.
His senses were on high alert, his body tuned for pleasure.
She looked at him with an extraordinary light in her eyes. It worried him and he evaluated her, trying to decode what was going on inside her head. His body took stock of his surroundings, of this moment, like a strong but cautious corporate raider moving through an intricate negotiation, searching for hidden agendas and subterfuge. The novelty of her, the surprise of the expression she was giving him, riveted him.
Life had taught him to be wary. His mother had taught him to be strong and in control. It was difficult for him to drop his emotional armor and allow her to see his vulnerabilities. But he was willing.
Too willing.
She astonished him. Not only by her stunning individuality but also by the way she made him feel special. He had to face up to what was happening inside him, but at the same time he feared it.
It was time to let go of his fears. Time to understand there was something valuable to be had in this experience. Time to realize there was always something new to learn, always valuable insights to be gained. His life did not have to be buried in work, success and the pursuit of revenge.
“Make love to me, Liam,” she begged.
“Dammit, woman.” His cock throbbed as he watched her touch herself.
“You know what you gotta do to have me.”
Liam stalked across the patio. He grabbed her by the shoulders, pinned her against the chaise and kissed her with a fierceness that pulled a feral growl from his throat.
Katie let out a soft, whispered breath.
In that moment, her small sigh told him something important. She had goaded him into this because whenever things started to get emotionally intimate between them, she reached for a physical remedy.
Katie Winfield, he now recognized, was afraid of her tender feelings.
The seductress image was all a ruse, a protective defense mechanism she hid behind. She cloaked her real self with sexy clothing, adventurous sex and casual relationships. The real Katie disappeared inside parties and flirtatious behavior and frisky role-playing. But there was so much more to her than her sexuality.
Here, with his body pressed against her, he could feel the emotional surging of this deeper, richer, more complex personality. He wondered if she even understood the dynamics of her alluring behavior. Somehow, he doubted it.
Liam felt himself dragged down into the tempting whirlpool of mystery. They stared into each other’s eyes and his world narrowed to one simple thing.
Katie.
She was right. He couldn’t resist her.
Compelled, Liam scooped a giggling Katie into his arms and carried her back toward the bedroom. She nibbled on his upper arm, driving him straight to distraction. He couldn’t wait to get out of his clothes and into her.
He laid her gently down on the bed, but immediately, she popped to her feet.
“Let’s do it on the floor.” With a wicked gleam in her eyes, she reached for his belt buckle.
“The bed’s more comfortable,” he said, tussling his T-shirt over his head as she pulled his belt through the loops in a sensuous slither of leather.
“The floor’s more adventuresome.” She undid the snap on his jeans.
“Adventuresome sex makes me come too fast. For once, I want to take things nice and slow.” He kicked off his shoes. “Which is damned hard to do.”
“How about on the bathroom counter in front of the mirror?” She tugged down his zipper.
“How about you resting on fresh sheets with a pillow tucked under your beautiful butt while I find new ways of pleasuring you with my tongue?” He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“How about in the swimming pool?” She tugged both his jeans and his underwear down his hips in one fluid motion, releasing his aching erection from its restraints.
Liam kicked out of the jeans. Feeling giddier than he had the first time he’d made love, he flung himself onto the bed, grinned at her wolfishly and patted the spot beside him. “Come here, Miss Winfield.”
KATIE SHOOK her head. Her throat constricted and her fingers went inexplicably numb. “How about we do it on the kitchen table?”
He lay on his side, propped up on his elbow. He looked like a lion, long and lean and powerful. “I know you like adventure, sweetheart, but there’s something to be said for tradition. Let’s just rock this bed till the slats break.”
Sweetheart.
It was the first time Liam had ever called her sweetheart. The word formed a precious knot of terror inside her stomach.
She shook her head. “How about in the shower?”
Liam sat up, cocked his head and gave her the strangest look. “What’s wrong with the bed?”
Katie shrugged. How could she begin to explain this nameless sense of dread at the thought of sinking down onto the mattress with him?
A look of sudden insight crossed his face. “You’re afraid to make love in a bed.”
“I’m not,” Katie denied.
“Then prove you’re not afraid. Come here.”
Katie stayed at the door. Her knees wavered strange and loose and her hands were shaking. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”
“Why, you’re stone-cold terrified.”
“No one is scared of making love in a bed,” she scoffed, but her voice came out breathless, airy.
He held out a hand, curled his fingers in a come-hither gesture.
She hung back.
“What’s wrong? I thought you were hot for this?”
She shrugged.
“Katie?”
“It just feels weird.”
“It’s not weird. You’re used to hiding behind masks and darkened movie theatres and the shadow of midnight.”
“Not necessarily.”
“And you like it hard and fast and anonymous. When you have sex, you pretend to be someone else, don’t you? A French maid, a 1920s movie siren, a good-girl blue blood gone bad.”
