The Tycoon's Seductive Revenge (7 page)

He didn’t answer.

Ellie bit her lip, unsure if she should wheel the cart back to Pierre’s kitchen and endure his
Iron Chef
explosive mood swings. Or remain to see if Carter had overslept. She checked her watch. It was only fifteen minutes after the wakeup call Carter requested.

Anxiously tapping her nails on the cart’s handle, she knew Pierre would have a fit if she didn’t deliver the hot smorgasbord beneath the lids of these silver platters. She needed the cranky kitchen commando to stay serene so dinner prep would go smoothly.

Nothing will ruin tonight, Eleanor. Not even you
. Her uncle’s words resounded in her mind like cymbals crashing in an echo chamber.

“Where is Carter?” She raised her fist to knock again.

Suddenly two hands cinched her waist from behind. Carter’s low, sensual voice rumbled in her ear. “Bringing me breakfast in bed?”

Flushing, she whirled around. “What are you doing up?”

“Went for a jog.” He looked delectable all disheveled, his damp sleeveless shirt revealing mounds of sexy arm muscles, his forehead beaded with sweat, blondish hair tousled like the morning after an erotic all-nighter.

“I see.”

“Good timing. I’m starved.” He wiped his forehead with the towel around his neck then slid his key card into the door.

Ellie pushed the breakfast cart in behind him. “I’m surprised to see you awake this early.”

He shrugged. “Pretty normal for me. When you caught me in the shower Sunday,” he reminded, a grin sliding onto his lips, “I’d been up late Saturday night dealing with my personal life before I hopped the jet to get here. Sundays are my day to sleep in.”

“Dealing with?” she repeated, as she set the cart beside the dining table.

“Women issues,” he said absently, lifting the lid off one of the platters. “God, this smells good.” Aromatic spices filled the air. Fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme from the omelets and sausages mingled with the syrupy sweetness of buckwheat pancakes and strawberry-filled crepes.

For some reason the hint to his personal—and sexual—life made Ellie’s skin blaze. He’d said
women
. Did that mean he was seeing more than one?

Tumultuous emotion crept up on her like a storm on a clear day, suddenly shocking her with lightning-bright jealousy. She swayed under the jolt of it. Just like she had when Carter was still a lifeguard and women draped themselves all over him, right in front of her.

To be fair, they didn’t know she and Carter were crazy in love. No one did. They hid their relationship so her father wouldn’t find out. That didn’t mean watching other girls fawn over his sexiness was less excruciating. They got into plenty of fights because of it, but Ellie always knew one thing for sure—Carter was as smitten and devoted to her as any man alive.

And I gave that up...for what? A ruined hotel, tons of debt, and a heart full of regret?

“Earth to Ellie. Are you with us?”

She pulled herself into the present. “Sorry, I guess I spaced out for a second.”

“You look pale.”

“I’m fine.” She loosened her grip on the china plate in her hand as she dished out spinach soufflé.

The plate was barely in front of him before he stabbed his fork into the fluffy texture. His eyes rolled back in his head. “This is heaven.”

What did she have to be jealous about anyway? She added rosemary-spiced pork sausage patties to Carter’s dish.

After all, she was the one who got engaged a year after he left. To the man her father had approved of. The man who managed to shred one-hundred years of the hotel’s thriving glory into a heap of bad advertising investments. All for greed.

“Please,” Carter said, gesturing to the chair next to him, “share breakfast with me.”

As she hovered over the morning meal, she thought of Steven Jacquard. How could she have ever believed Steven would replace Carter? He’d used her to get to her father’s wealth. Only he found out Daddy was already deep in debt, so Steven wouldn’t marry into the millions he’d expected.

“Ellie,” Carter said, raising an eyebrow, “it’s rude to ignore an invitation.”

“Right.” She sank onto the chair cushion as despair washed over her.

“Where has that beautiful mind escaped to?” he asked, sweeping a lock of hair behind her ear.

Forcing a laugh, she assured, “Nowhere important.”

His fingers slid down to cup her chin. “You think after all the time I loved you, I don’t know when you’re upset?”

Involuntarily, she pressed her hand against his. Their fingers separated, making room for the other’s grasp, and closed together in perfect synchronicity. “Why do you have to do that?”

“What?”

“Keep referring to our past.” Her lashes lowered. “I feel torn right every time you do.”

Expression indecipherable, he squeezed her fingers. “You’re in good company. Biscuit?”

With a quick laugh, she nodded. He released the tongs and the pastry dropped onto her plate. She couldn’t help thinking their simple exchange was the most honest they’d been with each other in almost thirteen years. It felt right, deep down in the place where she privately believed she and Carter had always been meant for each other.

But that was a dream she’d forsaken long ago, the night she left him standing on the dock in the rain without explanation. Only telling him that they were over. She was moving on. So should he. All so that she could keep the hotel she loved, caving to her father’s threat that he’d disown her, rejecting her forever if she continued dating Carter. That, and Daddy’s vow to ruin Carter’s future if she interfered on her lover’s behalf.

An awkward silence fell between them as Carter ate voraciously and Ellie picked at her food.

Reaching for the remote, Carter flipped on the flat-screen TV and channel surfed. “Still don’t get great reception out here.” He left it on the local weather, which came in crystal clear. “My cell phone barely has two bars. I guess there’s no reliable Internet.”

“On a clear day.”

Carter rolled his eyes.

The TV flashed, followed by several piercing beeps. An anchorwoman came on. “We interrupt this program for some breaking news. The tropical storm that formed in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend has gathered force in the past twelve hours.”

Ellie tensed.

“Named Hurricane Edgar, the category two hurricane is heading toward the Gulf of Mexico.”

“Whew,” Ellie exhaled.

“Great,” Carter muttered. “I need to leave Friday night. This storm better not mess with my flight.”

Ellie stiffened. “Friday? How will that give you time to set things in motion when you buy the hotel?”

Sighing, Carter stared at her steadily. “I’m not yet convinced it’s a good investment. I expressed that last night.”

“Things could...change,” she said evasively.

His lids lowered halfway and his gaze turned sizzling. “They could.”

A thrill zipped up Ellie’s spine. “I want to show you more of the hotel. There are so many things you haven’t seen yet.”

“Ellie—”

“Before your mind is made up, you should see how far this place has come.”

“Up to now, all I’ve seen is how far it hasn’t.”

The cutting remark nicked her pride. “Then come with me, and I’ll change your mind.”

“Hell yes I’ll come with you.” He shot to his feet. “The bed is ready—fresh sheets and all.”

Ellie arched a pert eyebrow.

“I could spend all day in bed with you. Remember when we used to do that?”

At the prompt, Ellie envisioned herself naked with Carter, their legs entwined, bodies writhing together. Perspiration soaking the sheets from hour after hour of sexual exploration, wave after wave of bliss.

Sensual heat spiraled through her, funneling down between her thighs where she ached for his touch, his kiss, his—

She crossed her legs. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Choose your words carefully, sweetheart. I can read into anything.”

“Are your perceptions usually right?”

He nodded. “Pretty much.”

This time Ellie responded to his sexual innuendo with a dash of her own spice. “Maybe you’re right again.”

She stood up from the table and moved toward the door. “Meet me on the veranda when you’re done showering.”

“The second after?” He scratched his ear. “What would the neighbors think? Me parading around in nothing but a towel.”

On her way out, she lifted a shoulder. “Then don’t wear anything.”

*

“What the...?” Dumbstruck, Carter stared at the door as if it held encrypted code to explain Ellie’s sudden turnaround.

Did she just agree to have sex with him?

He was about to run after her, scoop her up, take her to his bed and do things he’d fantasized about since he found her in his room Sunday morning.

One thought stopped him.

Was this a game she played with every investor who came knocking?
Because it’s working
.

Another thought came to mind that curled his hands into fists. Last night Ellie mentioned another investor. Had she played the same cards with that guy—with her aloof poker face and hard-to-get attitude? Only to turn sassy and irresistible?

Carter ran a hand through his hair, still damp from his run. The pent-up sexual aggression he’d released as his shoes pounded the sand suddenly returned with triple force. This time spiked with jealousy.

“Cold shower, here I come.” He shed his clothes, did his morning routine and met Ellie on the palatial front porch of the hotel.

With a notepad and pen in hand, she paced the veranda in a hot little skirt and black high-heels heels. At a pillar, she stopped and leaned against it deep in thought, tapping the pen against her lips, biting the tip.

Carter stifled a groan. “Can we get on with this?”

When she glanced up, a dazzling smile lit her face. “Absolutely.”

Could she look more kissable? “What are you writing?”

“A list of things I need to have in place for the dinner tonight. We’re having guests—”

“The mayor and councilman. I heard.”

“Will you join us?”

Will there be powerful, wealthy men there eyeing her sexily? “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Great!” She made a check mark on her notepad, flipped it closed and slid it in her suit coat pocket. “Today I want to show you the stables.”

Carter’s expectations plummeted. “Don’t bother.”

“What do you mean?” She paused halfway down the stone steps.

“No investor’s going to keep the stables.”

Her amber eyes flashed. “Excuse me?”

At her show of feistiness, his attraction to her caught flame. He wanted to unleash this fiery passion more than anything. Instead he shrugged. “Any kind of expensive upkeep beyond the building itself is out of the question.”

“Have you even been horseback riding?”

“A long time ago. What I’m saying is—”

“You need a refresher course in the equestrian pastime.” She must have seen his next dismissal coming because she made an offer he couldn’t refuse. “We’ll ride together. Same horse, same view. I guarantee I can change your mind.”

The picture of them riding a horse together, him grinding against her backside as they galloped across the island, invoked endless naughty scenarios he’d like to fulfill with her. “Now all the sudden you want to get romantic and cozy?”

“Who said it was sudden?” The tiniest hint of a smile touched her lips.

“You’re on.” He strode toward her, arms stretched out to pull her to him.

But she slipped past him. “I need to change for this.”

His glance took in her mini skirt, light suit jacket, sexy high heels and silk camisole that barely hid her nipples from his view. “You look perfect to me.”

Undeterred, she rushed into the hotel. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be right here,” he muttered.

Every nerve in his body drew tight, tingling with the need to have her. A hurricane couldn’t move him from that spot with the anticipation of being alone with Ellie riding a horse across the island. At any point he could lift her from the animal, pull her to the ground and act on the raging fantasies plaguing him.

Don’t
. His mind threw up a red flag.
This isn’t how it’s supposed to play out
.

Well, damn his best-laid plans. He wanted Ellie with ferocious desire that threatened his sanity. And his health, he argued, since his heart raced painfully in his chest every time she came near him.

Logic battled back.
W
ill this make her need you again? Or will you end up needing her?

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath.

Carter would try desperately to hold off making love to Ellie. But his resistance was obscenely thin.

If she made a move on him, he knew he’d take it to the next level in a heartbeat. That didn’t mean he needed her. He just wanted her. So badly he could barely see straight.

“Ready,” her cheerful voice said behind him.

“Great,” he replied without enthusiasm.
Let’s get
the agony over with
.

She patted his shoulder as she struck out toward the stables. “It won’t be that bad. I promise.”

The logistics of two riders taking the same horse took a few minutes to figure out. They settled on an extra-large saddle, one set of stirrups and the largest horse in the stables.

Ellie rubbed and kissed the downy nose of their chosen ride. “Bunny will do the job, right old girl?”

“Bunny.” Carter dropped the reins. “I’m riding a horse named Bunny. That runs completely against my manhood.”

She grinned. “Just kidding. It’s Buck. Bunny is his sister, but she’s pregnant and I don’t want to tax her.”

“You keep two horses in the stable?” That wasn’t so bad.

“Fourteen,” she corrected.

Carter nearly choked. The expense had to be astronomical. “If you’re cleaning bathrooms in your own hotel, how can you afford to keep fifteen horses?”

She slanted him a look. “Most of them belong to the wealthy islanders with summer homes on El Dorado Island. They pay us to tend to them.”

The deal was sweetening. “Where are the rest?”

“As I’ll show you, horseback riding is a huge attraction for our guests. Of the six that belong to us, four horses are being ridden as we speak. Two couples staying at The Montgomery are out gallivanting along the countryside.”