Surrender to Temptation (5 page)

Nikki cringed. How had he known she was outside? Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin and entered the room.

Chase cocked his eyebrows, the phone pressed against his chest. “You make a habit of listening to private conversations, Ms. Savoy?”

Nikki fought to contain a blush.

“Only when the door is open and I’m the subject,” she replied. Chase smiled, blue eyes twinkling. “Will you forgive me if I apologize?”

He raised an eyebrow. “For eavesdropping?”

“And for my earlier rudeness.”

“Is that for calling me a baboon or saying I was arrogant and lacked etiquette? Those deserve an apology on your knees.”

“Can’t. Knee problems.”

“What about turning my people against me,” he continued, the gleam in his eyes contradicting his disgruntled tone.

“That’s not my fault. They realized you were being mean and I needed rescuing.”

“Rescuing?” Chase burst out laughing.

She smiled and glanced at the phone he still pressed against his chest. “Does your uncle still want to talk to me?”

“Just a second. Have a seat.” Chase nodded at the chair in front of his desk and went back to talking to his uncle.

When he chuckled, Nikki’s eyes moved to his lips. He had some seriously kissable lips. Maybe it was the lower sensual curve or the way the right corner of his mouth curled.

Nikki shifted in her seat, not liking her thoughts. Chase Fitzgerald was gorgeous and utterly male, a combination that was likely to make her forget her objectives. She had expected a man she could charm or manipulate into talking about the past. Chase wasn’t that man. She had to figure him out. She turned her attention to his den as if the room might give her some answers.

The room was very masculine, the scent of leather and old books in the air. Despite the presence of a desktop on his desk, it had an ageless ambience. Not much light filtered inside, making the jungle green and brown wallpaper and brown draperies seem even darker. Journals on horses and horse breeding filled the wall-to-wall bookshelf, and a large ebony table and black leather chairs took up one corner. The only thing missing was a fireplace and a dog warming itself at the hearth. She had to admit that the room suited him.

“Why don’t you tell her yourself, Uncle Mo?” Chase thrust the phone toward her.

Nikki reached for it, and their fingers grazed. She did her best to ignore the heat that slashed up her arm at the contact. Instead, she palmed the small black instrument and covered it so Mo Fitzgerald wouldn’t hear her. “How many assistants have they hired before me?”

“Three.”

“All of them females?”

“Yes and some of them thought it was okay to go beyond their duties.” He rubbed his temple and scowled.

She didn’t need to know the details, so she raised the phone to her ear. “Mr. Fitzgerald, Nikki here.”

“I told you to call me Mo, dear. Is my nephew giving you a hard time?”

He must have overheard their exchange. Her eyes met Chase’s piercing ones. He didn’t look away or act embarrassed because she’d caught him staring. She cocked her eyebrows and received a naughty grin in return. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Chase’s eyes narrowed as though she’d spoken to him.

“I guess by now you know that you weren’t expected,” Mo said. “I apologize for any unpleasantness this might have caused you. I was acting out of love and concern for the well-being of my nephew. He needs your help, Nikki. You see, he had requested a male assistant, but we couldn’t find anyone willing to come out there at a moment’s notice. We were despairing when you showed up at our San Diego offices.”

She wouldn’t say she’d “shown up”. She had manipulated the situation to get noticed. By their third meeting, Mo was practically begging her to come to the ranch. He’d told her that the ranch was the perfect vacation spot after Nikki faked a reluctance to cancel her “vacation” and fly out to Montana. The lawyer had told her that the ranch house was beautiful with all the amenities of a five-star hotel. There was a private creek for afternoon swims and a hot tub for soothing the muscles after a horseback ride. Nikki shuddered at the thought of going anywhere near a horse.

“You should have been honest with me, Mo,” Nikki said, but guilt at her hypocrisy followed.

“I know, dear,” Mo said. “Please, forgive me. Have you met Sally?”

“Yes.” Her eyes met Chase’s again. He was still staring. “Mrs. B and Winston have been very welcoming.”

Chase grinned. Shameless.

“That’s great,” Mo said. “Sally makes the most mouthwatering steak in the entire state and will take care of your every need. Chase might not admit it, but he needs someone to take care of his records. He has good ranch hands, but none of them is computer literate. He’s going to lose his records if you don’t help him out. Please, consider staying.”

Nikki smiled at the salesman’s pitch and cajoling tone, until she saw Chase’s expression. He’d tried to hide it, but she still caught the pain in his eyes. The constant rubbing of his temple gave him away. The man was in pain, and she would bet that her sudden appearance didn’t help, either.

“That decision is not really mine to make, Mo,” Nikki said.

“Chase said it was.”

She continued to watch Fitzgerald. “I see.”

“Will you stay?”

That was up to her host, not his uncle. “It’s been nice talking to you again, Mo, but I believe this is something I should discuss with Mr. Fitzgerald.”

“You signed a contract, Nikki.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’d strongly advise you against breaching it,” he said in his lawyer voice.

The veiled threat hit a nerve. “Do I need to remind you that it is
you
who failed to reveal your nephew’s reluctance to have a female web designer? That
your
actions, not mine, have put us in this uncomfortable position?”

Chase leaned forward, his hand extended toward her, eyes flashing. “Give me the phone.”

CHAPTER 4

Nikki’s eyes narrowed, battle lights dancing in their depths, but she didn’t give him the phone. What the hell was his uncle telling her? Chase started around his desk.

“No, you listen,
Mister
Fitzgerald. I will not be bullied or threatened by you.” The voice that had been a soft purr was now steely. “If you think—”

“Give me the phone, Nikki,” Chase snapped.

She placed the phone on her chest and glared at him. “No. I can handle this.”

Being pushy hadn’t worked with her before. He took a mental step back. “Look. You shouldn’t put up with my uncle’s high-handedness. He can be pushy when he thinks a member of my family needs help, but I don’t need his help. You and I can work out our differences. So, please.” He extended his hand again.

She nodded and handed him the phone.

“Thank you.” Chase brought it to his ear. “Uncle Mo, let’s talk later.”

“But—”

“Not now, Uncle Mo,” Chase practically snarled and ended the call.

It took guts to stand up to anyone in his family, especially his uncle. The man was unstoppable when it came to family. After Chase’s father died in an accident, Uncle Mo had stepped in as a surrogate father, helping his mother whenever a firm, older male hand was needed. Most of the time, Lex, his older brother, had kept Chase and his twin in line. But when he couldn’t, Uncle Mo was the man to call in. When Uncle Mo wasn’t available, his other uncle in L.A. would pick up the slack. The rest of the Fitzgerald uncles, scattered around the country, would chime in over the phone, too. His family was huge and close. Sometimes that was good, but other times, it was a real pain in the ass.

“I apologize for my uncle’s behavior,” Chase said, walking back behind the desk and taking a seat. “He can be… an ass sometimes.”

“That’s okay. The moment he switched from a concerned uncle to a lawyer, I knew what to expect. My best friend is a lawyer, and sometimes she can, uh…” she flashed a smile.

Chase thought he was prepared for the effect of her smile. He wasn’t. His breath caught. He cleared his throat before saying, “Be an ass?”

“Forget she’s not in the courtroom.”

“Still, that’s no excuse for the way my uncle talked to you.”

She shook her head. “Just let it go. Like you said, he thought he was protecting your interest.”

She was more accommodating than most people, which amazed him. Most beautiful women he’d met were self-absorbed. And no matter how much he wanted her gone, he needed a website and his records computerized. “Fine.”

“Does that mean I can stay?”

“Hell yeah!” Chase wanted to say, but he didn’t want to sound too eager. Not after his earlier objections. “That depends,” he said instead. “As you’ve heard, I had requested a male assistant, but as usual, my uncle and brother did as they pleased and ignored my instructions. I hate to be manipulated.”

“I didn’t manipulate you. I’m just as innocent in all this as you are.”

Chase watched a becoming blush color her cheek. Why the blush? From her side of the conversation with his uncle, she wasn’t another attempt by his family to meddle in his life. They were convinced he was hiding in Montana because of his eyes.

“Listen,” she added and scooted closer. “I need this job, Mr. Fitzgerald.”

His brow shot up. “Why? From what you’ve said, you are good at what you do and can afford to pick and choose projects.”

She bit her lower lip and something darted across her face so fast he might have imagined it. “That’s true.”

He studied her closely. “But?” This time, he recognized panic in her eyes. She was hiding something all right. “You are running from something.”

“Of course not,” Nikki answered, bristling.

“Someone perhaps?” he asked.

Amusement flared in her hazel eyes. “Mr. Fitzgerald, I don’t run from life’s challenges or give anyone that kind of power over me. No, I just don’t need the aggravation of arranging another vacation. I canceled one to take this job. In fact, your uncle used the farm, its amenities, and Mrs. B’s cooking as an added incentive. According to your uncle, it would be the best work-vacation I’d ever had.”

Chase smothered a curse. He wasn’t running a damned dude ranch. What was his uncle thinking?

“His words aside, I’m here for one thing and one thing only,” Nikki continued. “To create your website. And don’t worry. I won’t insult either of us by climbing into your bed like your previous assistants,” she finished calmly without blushing or batting a lid.

“I didn’t think you would, Ms. Savoy.” Why then was his mind imagining them together, her long limbs wrapped around his waist?

“Let me show you what I can do.”

The naughty images of the two of them became triple X-rated. Chase swallowed. “Show me what?”

“My websites. You can see for yourself that I’m the right person for this job. Do you have internet?”

He was letting his imagination get the better of him. It took some mental willpower to calm his senses, act rationally, and speak. “Of course.”

Her eyes went to his desktop before shifting back to his. “May I use your computer?”

He stood and indicated his chair.

“How’s the internet reception up here?” Nikki asked, coming around the desk.

“Good.” Not that he got online often.

“That’s great,” she said. “I was worried reception might be a problem.” She gave him another one of her smiles and a rush of lust stole through him.

Once she sat, he leaned down, powered the computer, and waited by the back of her chair. An exotic scent drifted from her, reminding him it had been a while since he’d been with a woman. He inhaled and savored her unique scent, a blend of wild flowers and exotic scents he couldn’t describe.

He missed the scent of women. Whether it came from their hair, their skin from soap or the lotion they used on their delectable bodies, or their arousal. He was visual like any average male, but he had a heightened sense of smell, which made him differentiate and appreciate subtle nuances in foods. A weak sense of smell could be a chef’s downfall. His sense of smell had grown stronger during the months he couldn’t see but starved because he didn’t cook anymore.

When the windows popped up on the screen, Nikki scooted forward and started typing. Her glorious mane fell forward, baring her nape. He found himself studying the soft hair falling on her graceful neck and fought the urge to reach down and stroke it, run his fingers through her silky hair. He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his pants and rocked on his heels.

What the hell was wrong with him? He was acting like a sex-starved maniac. He needed to get laid. Since that wasn’t going to happen, he had to refocus on something else. He stared at the screen as she typed.

“Here we are,” Nikki said in a matter-of-fact voice as
Welcome to Netgate
flashed on the screen. Nice graphics. The logo had a medieval she-warrior wielding a sword and carrying a revolving globe under her left arm like a helmet.

“This is my business website.” She clicked on a link, which took her to a page with more links. “These are all dynamic sites I’ve created and continue to maintain for my clients,” she explained, clicking on one. “I usually create the logo first after consulting with the client, discussing their vision and the message they want to convey to the world. Then I move on to what they want on each page. Take this “green” company for example…”

For the next thirty minutes, she showed him website after website, explaining the logos and how all her decisions were based on her clients’ needs. She was good. Chase didn’t know how he ended up on the arm of her chair, their heads next to each other and arms touching. He liked it.

“Convinced now?” she asked, looking up and cocking one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

He looked down at her, and for one brief moment, his mind went blank as he once more became aware of her as a woman and not the gifted web designer about to rescue his records. She really was exquisite. Creamy skin begging to be stroked. Lips so soft and lush a man had to be a eunuch not to want to taste them. And her eyes beckoned him, when they weren’t daring him to forget he was raised right, and haul her into his arms.

“Fitzgerald?”

Her calm voice penetrated his sensual thoughts. It annoyed him that she was so unruffled all the time when he couldn’t think straight around her.

Wanting to rattle her a little, he shifted and propped his butt on his desk, so he could see her face. “I stopped doubting you the moment you said you wouldn’t insult me by climbing into my bed.”

Her cheeks grew pink. “
That
is what convinced you? Why?”

“The look in your eyes said you actually meant it.” Her eyes widened, and he grinned. The flustered look suited her.

“What look?” she asked, sounding skeptical. She had a right to be. He was making up things as he went, reverting to his old self hours after meeting her.

“Like I was a troll with warts and bulbous nose.”

She laughed.

The sound washed over him, and his heartbeat shot up a notch. He feigned hurt and gave her his most whipped puppy look. “Now you are laughing at me.”

“Not at you, but at what you said.”

“Does that mean I’m not trollish?”

“It means you’re fishing for compliments.” She stood and looked down at him with a challenging twinkle in her eyes. “You are not
trollish,
Fitzgerald. You are just not my type.”

No way. Women loved him. Ever since he hit puberty and acquired muscles, women, young and old, never stopped chasing him. And he always accommodated them. “What the hell is your type?”

She chuckled. “I’m sorry if I insulted you. Didn’t mean to.”

“You are laughing at me now.”

“Guilty. So am I hired?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, straightening.

“Drop the ma’am and we have a deal.” She stuck her hand out.

Chase shook his head. She was something else. In fact, her presence had accomplished something pain meds and riding hadn’t. It had taken away his headache.

“Why are you shaking your head?” she asked. “Do we need to spit on our hands before shaking on the deal? I heard it was the norm around here.”

He laughed, the sound surprising him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed in the last six months. “No, we don’t need to do that, but we could seal it with a kiss.”

This time, she was the one who burst out laughing. “I think I’ll pass, Fitzgerald. Like I said, you are not my type
and
we don’t need to complicate matters now that we’ve straightened up this mess.”

“There’s nothing complicated about a kiss, Nikki. Many cultures kiss to seal deals without missing a beat.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

When he lifted his head, she was staring at him as though he’d lost his mind. He probably had. No woman had ever rejected him because he didn’t fit a mold. Her hand curled around his, and Chase found himself studying the long, fragile fingers, perfectly manicured nails with white tips. He searched for a wedding band or the telltale pale skin where a ring had been. There was none.

“Do you mind letting go of my hand now?” Nikki asked.

Chase patted her hand, taking his time before letting it go. Not her type? He planned to make her take back her words in three days flat.

“I’ll see you at dinner, Nikki.”

***

Damn, the man was lethal.

“Okay.” Nikki sighed with relief when he stepped back. She must stay vigilant against that charm of his. She could still feel the heat from his lips on her hand. It was a wonder she hadn’t melted on the spot. She was supposed to be the one doing the charming and getting him to open up about the past, not the other way around.

She gave him a tiny smile and walked past him, their bodies almost touching. The heat from his body leaped and engulfed her. He didn’t move back to give her space, his eyes watchful as though cataloging her expression.

For one brief second, Nikki was tempted to stop and soak it in. For six months, she hadn’t allowed herself to find joy in anything without feeling guilty because of her sister’s situation. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she should start living again.

Leaving the den, Nikki was aware of Chase’s eyes on her. Her heart pounded, and her skin tingled as though he’d touched her. She’d never reacted to a man’s nearness like she did to him. When he’d leaned over to turn on the computer, his warmth had sent her pulse racing. She was still surprised she’d managed to type anything, let alone focus on showing him her work.

Nikki made a beeline for the kitchen and poked her head inside. Scents of spices teased her nose, and her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Mrs. B was busy at the stove, and audience laughter came from the TV.

“Everything ironed out?” Mrs. B asked, glancing at Nikki over her shoulder.

“Yes.” Nikki stepped into the room. “Something smells good.”

“Thank you, dear. Dinner will be ready in an hour.” She covered a pot and lowered the heat and the volume on the television before turning to face her. “Didn’t I tell you everything would work out okay?”