Lured In (Dark Paradise, #1) (5 page)

“Always me what?” I was confused as hell.

“I saw the way he’d looked at you yesterday in the boutique. And because I knew you would turn him down, I decided to confirm his interest in
you
when you stepped away from us. I told him that you didn’t do the dating thing, and he asked if I knew how to get the two of you alone. I told him not alone, but at least in his presence.”

“Why would you do that, Carmen? You know how I feel about…Whatever. Just why did you do that?”

“Abi, sweetie, you need to get out and have some fun, start enjoying yourself. It’s because I love you and know these things about you that made me try to set you up with…um…what do you call him? Mr. Sexy?” I looked at her, dumbfounded, and she continued. “Anyhow, he asked me to convince you to come out tonight. Now here we are. So let’s just go and have some fun. In your case, continue to have some fun.”

I looked at Carmen, feeling a bit shell-shocked. That was all that I could do. Yet again, she was absolutely right. I had already showed this man in the conference room that I was interested in him when I didn’t stop him from flirting with me and stroking my wrist. In all honesty, I was tired of the vibrators. Shit, batteries were expensive, and I hadn’t had any sex since Gabe, about three and a half years ago.

Carmen looked at me lovingly. “Abi, I know it’s hard for you to trust men. No one should ever have to endure what you’ve been through, but don’t let it rob you of the life you want for yourself. Hell, and if Matt, who’s very cautious with his company, knows this guy and refers to him as his friend, then he can’t be that bad.”

“He scares the hell out of me, Carmen.”

“All men scare you, honey. Was he scaring you when he got you all wet and made kitty-kitty purr?”

Oh, no she did not just go there.
I didn’t answer.

“Well, did he?” she asked again. “I’ll take your silence as a no.”

“He’s so intense, though,” I countered as I left the ladies room, leaving her standing there. I didn’t know if I’d said it in curiosity or intimidation.

“Everything OK?” Matt asked when we returned.

I sat back down beside Mr. Sexy, who had eyed me every step of the way from around the corner. I focused my attention on my drink, which had been served while we were gone.

“Peachy. Everything is peachy,” I said.

“Peachy,” Carmen agreed with a smile, raising her eyebrows.

“Should we toast?” Matt asked, holding up his Dirtay. Everybody held up their drinks. “To the newest president of First Choice Health and Wellness, Inc.”

Clink, clink.

Matt and Mr. Sexy sipped their drinks while Carmen and I looked at Matt.

“Were you promoted to president?” Carmen asked.

“No, but Abi sure was.” Matt had a big grin on his face and pointed his right index finger at me.

“What?” Carmen and I exclaimed in unison, even more puzzled this time.

Matt explained, “After you left the conference room, before the merger contracts were signed, you were named president of the company, and everyone agreed on that and the new name, which is now First Choice Health and Wellness, Inc.”

It took my brain a little while to register what Matt had just said, and when I finally came to, after knocking back my Sexual Healing, I asked, “Whose stupid and insane idea is this? Why would they put me in this position? I don’t have the experience.”

“Your CEO’s, “Matt said, motioning in Mr. Sexy’s direction.

“Mr. Se…x …” I said, turning my head to my right at Mr. Sexy, biting down on my bottom lip, trying to hold back from saying the word.

“You?” I asked with drawn-in eyebrows.

Mr. Sexy looked at me seductively, tilted his head, picked up his drink, and sipped. From behind the rim of the glass, he said “Mr. Sex?” There was a grin behind that rim.

Fuck! Shit!
I voiced silently, looking at Carmen for help. She apparently found it necessary to pretend cough behind the rim of her Dirtay. I looked angrily at Carmen before I closed my eyes and shook my head in pure embarrassment.

“Why are you embarrassed? I’m not,” Mr. Sexy said in a calming voice that drew my attention to him.

Matt grinned from ear to ear and asked, adding more flame to my face, “Abi, you call your boss Mr. Sex?”

“Xy. Mr. Sexy,” Carmen interjected, now seeming helpful.

The waitress came back and asked if she could take our orders. I asked for another drink and silently thanked God for his rescue.

“Another
Sex
-ual Healing?” Mr. Sexy asked with an impish yet charming smile and sparkling pale green-gray eyes.

“No,” I replied, shaking my head with a slight grin.

“Perhaps a Dirtay?” Carmen asked, motioning her head and darting her eyes in Mr. Sexy’s direction, which was her way of telling me to get dirty with him.

“I’ll have a Perfect Angel,” I said looking back at Carmen, who pouted and dryly said, “Perfect angel, my ass.”

“Ms. Winterfield, I’m afraid we have no such drink,” the waitress said behind a dark smile.

“Surely the bartender can make the drink,” Mr. Sexy demanded. The waitress gave him a puzzled look before turning an evil-eyed glare in my direction.

“What are the contents of the drink?” the waitress asked dryly.

“Equal parts Jose Cuervo Eighteen Hundred Anejo and Eighteen Hundred Coconut and very little mint. Shake it well with crushed ice, strain, and garnish with a cherry. Also, salt and sugar mixed and lime and orange wedges for chasing,” I said happily. The waitress gave me another phony smile.

“Make that two, Lindsay,” Mr. Sexy said. He was staring at me again—had he ever stopped?

Carmen and Matt ordered T-bone steaks with asparagus and shrimp Alfredo.

“I’ll take the salmon. Is it possible to have it stuffed with jumbo lump crab and peppered bacon?” I asked.

Before she could answer, Mr. Sexy said, “Of course it is,” looking at waitress with a make-it-happen look.

“How would you know what they can or can’t do in the kitchen? Maybe the chef doesn’t take special orders,” I scolded.

“Surely the chef can accommodate your request,” he said, looking from the waitress to me.

“Salmon stuffed with jumbo lump crab and peppered bacon, and what else would you like with that, Ms. Winterfield?” the waitress asked, frowning.

“Asparagus and shrimp Alfredo with peppered bacon–wrapped lobster bites.” I handed her my menu gleefully.

“And you, sir. The usual?”

“No, I would like to have what Ms. Winterfield is having. It sounds delicious.” He continued, “Oh, and Lindsay, bring back a few bottles of Dom Pérignon Oenothèque and the Oenothèque Rosé.”

“And water,” I added.

The waitress smiled and headed to the back with our orders.

“So, Ms. Winterfield, care to tell me how I came to be called Mr. Sexy?”

Fuck! He is so relentless.

I ignored his question and tried to distract him with a few of my own. “Why did you promote me to president, knowing that I don’t have the experience or degree necessary to fill the position? And how is it that you are the CEO?”

Knowing I was looking at him, waiting for him to answer my questions, he slowly pulled his drink to his luscious lips that he purposely licked seductively and took a sip.

Mmm. That is truly a set of delectable lips. I bet they’re soft, too.

“I don’t remember seeing your name on any of the documents,” I quickly added to distract myself.

I sat in a conference for over four hours with this man, who made me hot, bothered, and wet, and I don’t even know his name. How pathetic of you
, I scolded myself.

“Trust me, I was mentioned on the documents.” He grinned wickedly—he’d obviously figured out that I didn’t know his name or who he was. I was late to the meeting, so I’d missed the introductions. He continued with a charming smirk, “It wasn’t under Mr. Sexy.”

I looked at him and smiled. “Where on the documents exactly?” I asked. Of course he didn’t respond.

“Where on the documents?” I directed my question to Matt, who was in deep conversation with Carmen, all coquetry and smiles.

“Where what, Abi?” Matt was still looking blissfully and passionately at Carmen.

“I don’t remember seeing his name on any of the documents from the merger deal.”

“Whose name?” Matt was smiling at Carmen, who had just kissed him.

“Just ask me my name, Ms. Abigail Marie Winterfield.” Mr. Sexy leaned into my right ear seductively. He released an amazing, sensational wave of his warm breath upon my neck. The sensation was the same as in the conference room earlier. He must’ve taken notice of how I had responded then. Just as before, my heartbeat had picked up speed in a quick second, causing me to sigh deeply through my nose while biting down on my bottom lip.

“Ask me my name, Ms. Winterfield,” he softly demanded again, barely nuzzling my neck with his nose while releasing another round of warm breath that kissed my neck ever so gently. I squeezed my thighs closer together as my pussy started responding to him once more. The way he demanded me turned me on, and I still did not know his name. I was slightly panting and could feel the blood boiling in my veins. The waitress returned with our drinks and the requested bottles on a rollaway table.

Thank you, God! Again!

“We have two more Dirtys.”

“No,
Dirtay
,” Carmen corrected her in a sexy tone.

“Dirtay,” The waitress rephrased with a favorable smile. “Two Perfect Angels, which I hope are made correctly.” She blushed at Mr. Sexy. “Water and three bottles of Dom Pérignon for the table. Do enjoy.”

“Toast?” Carmen asked. We all raised our glasses as she toasted, “To being happy and free and having great friendship.”

“And being a great president, who I trust can handle
any
position,” Mr. Sexy added, piercing me with his lovely eyes.

We clinked our glasses and proceeded to drink.

“So how do I drink this?” Mr. Sexy asked me, referring to the Perfect Angel.

“Watch me; it’s all about the proper position,” I said flirtatiously.
Since you want it dirty—dirtay—I’ll give you dirtay
.

I poured the salt and sugar blend on the bridge of my right hand, between my thumb and index finger, and stacked the lime and orange wedges on top of each other with my left hand. Seductively and slowly, while looking intensely at Mr. Sexy, I licked the salt and sugar and tossed back the shot, leaving the cherry behind. I grabbed the stacked wedges, sucked them together, and let some of the juices flow from my lips. I licked my lips, grabbed the cherry, and sucked Jose from it. He repositioned himself and tugged at his necktie.

Our eyes were fixed on each other as I said, “This is the only way
you
handle
it
.”

“Perfect Angel, my ass!” Carmen said in amazement. Completely different tone from when she said it when I placed the order.

Matt laughed, clapping his hands, and said, “Welcome back, Abi.”

“Your turn, Zach,” Carmen whooped out.

Zach! His name is Zach
.

I looked at him with a smile of victory, as I now had his name, and said, “We’re all waiting, Zach.”

He smiled back wickedly and said, “I’m sure I can master the positions correctly and handle
it
very well.”

Doing exactly as I had, not missing a beat, he had my heart pounding, among other body parts.
Daaamn!
I squirmed in my seat.

“Well done, Mr.—Zach.” I stopped myself before I could say the word.

“Oh, Zach it is now, huh? I thought it was Mr. Sexy?” Zach said, stealing my victory away from me.

“No. I’m afraid I don’t remember such,” I countered with flirty eyes and a smile. He smiled in response.

I looked at the bottles of Dom Pérignon, and Zach asked if I wanted to try it. I nodded while locking eyes with him, and he poured and passed me a glass of the rosé. I smelled it as if it were wine, although I knew it wasn’t, took a sip, and allowed my palate to savor its magnificent taste.

“Wow, this really does taste good,” I said, nodding in approval.

We all drank some of the D. P. and must have had at least two glasses each before the waitress came back to the table with our meals.

We began eating while Matt and Carmen continued their deep conversation. Zach kept staring at me, and finally he asked me if the chef had prepared my meal to my liking.

“Yes,” I said as I stuffed a big piece of bacon-wrapped lobster in my mouth.

“Great. I’m glad the chef gets to keep his job tonight,” he said—jokingly, I thought. He took another bite of his stuffed salmon and leaned over, as he had done so many times that day, and whispered, “Ms. Winterfield, I am Zach Austin McConnallay, and I am very pleased with the meal you have chosen for me.”

I blushed, smiled like crazy, and said, “Very nice to finally meet you, Mr. McConnallay, sir.”

He sighed deeply through his nostrils and released a wave of warm sensation from his breath on my neck. He gave me a seductive look and ate more of his food, leaving me panting again.

Damn, how does he do that? Surely he knows that shit turns me on.

I locked eyes with him and took another bite, licking the corners of my mouth intentionally. I drank my drink and seductively licked my lips before and after. He repositioned himself in his seat a few times in response.

Noticing that he was sexually aroused and kept shifting in his seat as a result, I leaned over and asked, “Un-com-for-table?” letting every syllable flow out of my mouth seductively.

Then I saw a figure staring at us. Zach noticed my eyes and then the change in my mood. He looked to his right, and his body language said it all. He knew her and knew her well, and she him. He looked at her and then back at me, and I looked at Carmen and Matt, who looked at me.

“Excuse me!” the beautiful blonde said rudely. “I need to talk to Zach. Now!” She looked over at Matt and said, “Nice to see you, too, Matt.”