Whatever You Like (2 page)

T
he party was in full swing when Lena and Roderick arrived.

At least two hundred people filled the elegant ballroom aboard Roderick's mega yacht on Lake Michigan. Colorful evening gowns were accentuated by jewels twinkling at ears, throats, fingers and wrists. Light scattered like falling diamonds from the crystal chandelier. A battalion of white-gloved waiters circulated through the crowd, serving hors d'oeuvres and champagne. A live orchestra serenaded the guests.

Roderick tucked Lena's arm through his, and together they made their way through the sparkling sea of partygoers. By working for an upscale escort agency, Lena had gained an encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago's movers and shakers. Not surprisingly, many were there that night. She recognized the mayor and his
wife, a prominent senator, a judge and a famous media mogul.

With Lena at his side, Roderick mingled with his guests, greeting everyone by first name and remembering to ask about their children, their golf games and their summer homes in St. Tropez and Monte Carlo. He had a way about him, a cool charm and magnetism, that made people melt in his presence. Powerful men were reduced to grinning idiots, while their wives became blushing sycophants who batted their eyelashes and giggled at everything Roderick said. Even after he'd moved on, the women's admiring gazes followed him around the room. Lena couldn't say she blamed them. Roderick was so damn fine that even
she
found herself wondering what it'd be like if she were there as his woman instead of his hired companion. Crazy, dangerous thoughts.

The most important guest in attendance that night was Ichiro Kawamoto, a Japanese businessman Roderick had been wooing for weeks in order to acquire his struggling energy corporation. Understanding what was at stake, Lena turned on the charm, impressing the man with her fluency in Japanese and her knowledge of issues impacting his country's economy.

As they proceeded to their table for dinner, Kawamoto clapped Roderick on the shoulder and told him, “If I were you, Mr. Brand, I wouldn't let this beautiful woman out of my sight.”

Roderick smiled languidly. “Believe me, I don't intend to.” When he met Lena's gaze, the possessive heat in his eyes made her shiver.

Over dinner she kept up the charm offensive, determined to do her part to help facilitate Roderick's business deal. Strategically seated between him and Ichiro Kawamoto, she wasted no time engaging
the Japanese businessman in a conversation about Kawamoto Energy, the company he'd founded nearly forty years ago. She broke the ice by asking him friendly, nonthreatening questions about how he'd gotten started. His keen dark eyes glowed with pride as he warmed to his subject, reminiscing about the challenges he'd faced and overcome while trying to establish an energy company during Japan's oil crisis of the 1970s.

Natsumi Kawamoto, a soft-spoken woman with elegantly coiffed hair and porcelain skin, wore an indulgent smile on her face as she listened to her husband speak. Roderick seemed equally riveted by Kawamoto's account of the past, interrupting occasionally to ask the man to expound on certain details.

When Roderick and Mrs. Kawamoto were lured into separate conversations with the guests seated beside them, Lena took advantage of the opportunity to steer the discussion with Kawamoto in a new direction.

Speaking in Japanese, she ventured carefully, “I understand that your company's nuclear capacity was drastically reduced after the closing of your power plant.”

Kawamoto nodded, looking grave. “The facility was severely damaged during an earthquake three years ago. There was a major leak of radioactive wastewater.”

“I'm very sorry to hear that,” Lena said sympathetically. “You must have suffered a tremendous loss of revenue.”

“We did,” Kawamoto grimly acknowledged. “And we've never quite recovered. As a result, we've been unable to restart commercial operations because we don't have the capital needed to repair the power plant and upgrade safety measures.”

“But Mr. Brand does,” Lena gently reminded him.
“He can invest the one-point-six billion dollars required to restore the facility. And he's already established the right connections to obtain approval from the authorities to resume commercial operations.”

“This is true.” Smiling enigmatically, Kawamoto sipped his wine.

Reaching for her own glass, Lena added casually, “Mr. Brand told me that one of his top priorities would be to make Kawamoto Energy one of Japan's most important companies by increasing its share of the electricity sector. Eventually he'd like to see it replace one of the ten powerhouses currently included in the Federation of Electric Power Companies.”

Kawamoto met her steady gaze. “That would be quite an accomplishment.” Although he looked very impressed, Lena detected a wistful note in his voice that gave her pause.

And suddenly she understood why Ichiro Kawamoto was so resistant to Roderick's business proposal. He'd poured blood, sweat and tears into building his company from the ground up. The idea of surrendering the reins to someone else was anathema to him. What made matters even worse was that Kawamoto Energy was in dire financial straits. On some level, the man probably felt like a failure.

“Even though you'd no longer be at the helm of Kawamoto Energy,” Lena told him in a gentle, conciliatory tone, “you can take pride in knowing that any future success the company experiences was made possible by the solid foundation you laid. That's your legacy, Mr. Kawamoto. And no one can ever take that away from you.”

His expression softened, and he eyed her with newfound admiration and respect. “Maybe if one of
my three daughters had a head for business—as
you
obviously do—I would not have to sell my company.”

Lena laughed. “You flatter me, Mr. Kawamoto. I make no claim to having a head for business.”

He smiled slightly. “Then you underestimate yourself. Part of being a shrewd businessman is having the ability to read people. It's a rare gift, which you obviously possess.” He raised his wineglass in a toast to her.
“Kanpai.”

Lena smiled warmly, reciprocating the gesture.
“Kanpai.”

After dinner, Lena and Roderick were conversing with Kawamoto and his wife about their upcoming holiday plans. Or at least that's what Lena
thought
they were discussing. She was having a hard time concentrating on anything with Roderick's thumb idly stroking the bare skin on her lower back, right above her ass. His touch inflamed her, fueling the hungry ache between her thighs until her panties were completely soaked. By some miracle she managed to keep talking, laughing and behaving as though she had no clue that her nipples were thrusting brazenly against her bra or that she was in serious danger of climaxing right in her seat.

When she stole a sideways glance at Roderick's face, he appeared to be utterly engrossed in the conversation with the Japanese couple.

Needing a reprieve from his marauding touch, Lena excused herself from the table to go to the ladies' room.

Inside the luxuriously appointed bathroom, she smiled politely at the attendant passing out hot towels and made a beeline to the nearest empty stall. She removed a feminine wet nap from her purse—she never left home without one—and wiped away the moisture
between her legs. When she'd finished, she flushed the toilet and made her way to the row of marble sinks to wash her hands.

The attendant, a middle-aged black woman with a friendly smile, handed Lena a hot towel. “Having a good time?”

Lena smiled at her. “I am, thank you.”

“That's good. Mr. Brand sure knows how to throw a party.”

“Yes, he does,” Lena agreed, surrendering the towel so that she could retouch her lipstick.

“He's such a nice young man. Works too hard, though.”

Lena met the woman's gaze in the mirror. There was a conspiratorial gleam in her eyes.

“I saw the two of you arrive together. You make such a beautiful couple.”

Blushing, Lena opened her mouth to tell the woman that she and Roderick weren't dating, then quickly reconsidered. As an escort, it was her professional duty to protect her clients' privacy. So telling a complete stranger that she was Roderick's hired companion was out of the question.

She smiled warmly at the attendant. “I'm thoroughly enjoying Mr. Brand's company this evening.”

The woman beamed with pleasure.

When Lena tried to give her a tip, she shook her head vigorously. “Oh, no. You don't have to tip me, baby. Mr. Brand is paying me
very
well.”

That makes two of us,
Lena thought wryly.

Ignoring the woman's protests, she tucked the large bill into the front pocket of her uniform and grinned at her before leaving the restroom.

When she emerged she bumped right into Roderick,
who'd apparently been waiting for her. Before she could open her mouth, he took her hand.

“I haven't given you the grand tour of the yacht,” he said silkily.

“But your guests—”

“Can keep themselves entertained for a while.”

He guided her away from the ballroom, where the orchestra had struck up a soft, bluesy number that had couples swaying across the mahogany dance floor. Others had spilled out onto the deck and gathered at the railing to enjoy the cool breeze and gaze out at the glistening, moonlit waters of Lake Michigan.

Roderick led Lena up the curved double staircase to the upper-level sky deck, which was perfect for open-air mingling and stargazing. Surprisingly, no one else had wandered up there yet.

As they leisurely started across the deck, Lena remarked, “Mr. and Mrs. Kawamoto seem like a lovely couple.”

“They are,” Roderick agreed. “They've been married for over forty years, and they're incredibly devoted to their children.”

“I can tell. Their eyes light up whenever they talk about their daughters.” Lena hesitated. “I can sense, however, that Mr. Kawamoto wishes he had a son to take over running the company.”

Roderick smiled ruefully. “I guess I'm fortunate that he doesn't.”

“I guess you are.” Lena chuckled dryly. “But when has something like that ever stopped a corporate raider from pursuing an advantageous acquisition?”

Roderick grimaced. “The term ‘corporate raider' has such negative connotations, thanks to all the hostile takeovers that happened during the eighties.
I don't consider myself some greedy vulture circling overhead, waiting to feed on the carcasses of bankrupt companies.”

“But you
do
profit from their financial misfortunes,” Lena pointed out.

“That's true,” he admitted. “But I only pursue acquisitions that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. I've never made a business deal that caused me to wrestle with my conscience afterward because I knowingly exploited the other party.”

“Congratulations,” Lena murmured.

Roderick gave her an amused sidelong glance. “I don't know you well enough to tell whether or not you were being sarcastic.”

She chuckled. “I wasn't being sarcastic. I meant what I said. I commend you for not being a soulless corporate shark who ruthlessly preys on the weak and downtrodden.”

Roderick threw back his head and laughed. “Damned with faint praise!”

Lena grinned, enjoying the sound of his deep, masculine laughter. “All joking aside, I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you're trying to rescue Kawamoto Energy from bankruptcy. The earthquake that shut down their power plant was nobody's fault, but since then, some executive-level decisions have been made that negatively impacted the corporation's bottom line. It's pretty clear to me that Kawamoto Energy needs a complete overhaul. And I think your strategies for increasing the company's nuclear capacity and sales are brilliant.” She smiled softly. “In time, I can see Mr. Kawamoto thanking you.”

Roderick smiled. “You can?”

Lena nodded. “Absolutely. Of course, he'd need time
to adjust to the reality of someone else running his beloved company. But once he sees what a good steward you are, I don't think he'd be too proud to express his gratitude to you.”

Roderick stopped walking and turned to face her, searching her features in the silvery moonlight. “You know what I think? I think you're absolutely amazing.”

Lena blushed demurely. “That's kind of you to say—”

“Kindness has nothing to do with it. I'm just speaking the truth. You're an amazing woman, Lena. No matter what happens with Kawamoto, I'm so glad I had an opportunity to meet you tonight.”

Lena warmed with pleasure. “I'm glad you feel that way,” she said softly. “I've enjoyed meeting you as well, Roderick.”

They stared at each other.

Although they weren't touching, Lena felt a tangible connection between them, an ever-present electric energy that vibrated in the air that separated them. Intoxicating. Dangerous.

Averting her gaze, she glanced up at the starry sky and sighed deeply. “What a beautiful n—”

Without warning Roderick drew her into a dark alcove and pinned her against the wall. Her pulse thudded as she stared into his glittering eyes.

“I've been dying to do this all night,” he murmured before slanting his mouth over hers.

Lena gasped. Reflexively, she raised her hands to push him away. Instead her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer. A low, guttural sound rumbled up from his throat. He deepened the kiss—a scorching, ravenous kiss unlike any Lena had ever experienced before.

He cupped her face between his big hands as his lips parted hers. The sensation of his hot, wet tongue sliding against hers made her moan. It didn't occur to her that someone might stumble upon them. She was too busy reeling from the pleasure of his kiss, from the pressure of his hard, heavy body imprisoning hers. She writhed against him as he ran his hands down to her hips, slid them over her ass and squeezed. She bit his bottom lip, and he bit her back. They kissed in raw urgency, tongues dueling, mouths suckling.