Serving the Mogul, page 8
“She still has good solid bones,” Tina murmured, a light entering her lovely blue eyes. “They didn’t build many older buildings to last. Most of them, all you can do is tear them down. But this place, with time and money put into her, she’ll be beautiful again.”
I tipped my head back and studied the hotel front, trying to see it through her eyes.
“Are you looking to go with a style similar to the original?”
I looked at her before answering, caught a glint of what I suspected was hope. I hadn’t considered it one way or the other until that moment.
“Yes. If, of course, you think that’s doable.”
“I can make it happen.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.
For a moment, I thought she’d say more. But she only nodded toward the doors. “You got the okay from the building inspector for us to enter?”
“Yes.” I’d paid a shit ton of money to get somebody at the last minute—as in almost nine o’clock last night—to make sure the building was sound. It hadn’t been in use for more than a decade, but miraculously survived storms and harsh weather without deteriorating into dangerous conditions.
Once inside, Tina stood in the entryway, gazing around with an expression that I’d carry with me for a long time. A mixture of longing, excitement, and something almost akin to lust. Or maybe it was greed—not for money, but for this place…to tackle this job and remake this hotel to its glorious days.
Not wanting to risk ruining the moment, I stayed quiet.
Several moments passed before she took a deep breath and blew it back out. She met my gaze.
“Sorry,” she said, her tone polite, but that cool edge was back, and the warmth in her eyes just seconds ago had vanished. “I just needed a minute to take it all in.”
“It’s not a problem.” Fuck. This was going to be more challenging than I thought. “Shall we walk around?”
She moved to my side without speaking, pulling a tablet from the messenger bag. She made a few notes as we inspected the hotel and asked short, pointed questions that gave no room for anything but business.
She would not give me an opening.
Fine. I’d just make one.
“Why haven’t you answered my texts or calls?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw her reaction, the way her shoulders stiffened slightly, the soft rush of color to her cheeks.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” she said. “I talked to you yesterday, didn’t I?”
“You took the call because my PA called—you didn’t know it was me,” I said bluntly. Stopping, I waited for her to turn and look at me.
I was almost surprised that she did.
But the impassive expression on her face pissed me off. I wanted to pull her against me and kiss her, strip her naked, stroke those strong, sexy curves until she begged me to fuck her.
“Are we here to discuss business or not?” she asked, voice cool.
Son of a bitch. “Business. By all means.” Leaning against a mahogany counter with a layer of dust and grime, I gestured expansively to the grand lobby. “Tell me what you think we should do here.”
I hoped her answer involved me bending her over; perhaps by the broken fountain, her hands braced on the marble edge as I fucked her.
“Well, for starters….” She turned away so quickly it was like she couldn’t stand to look at me.
Fuck this shit to hell and back. The things she said barely registered as she rubbed her boot against the dirty ground. I had tried again and again to figure out why she had pulled back so hard and fast.
“…Maximus?”
At the sound of my name on her lips, I snapped back to attention and looked at her.
She flushed and shifted from one foot to the other, obviously uncomfortable.
I tried to remember what she’d been talking about, but couldn’t.
“Sorry,” I said, but even to my ears, the apology fell flat. “I’m having a hard time paying attention. I keep thinking about how it felt to have you in my bed.”
Her cheeks went bright pink, and she snapped her jaw shut with a click.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I waited for a reply.
She looked down at her tablet, then off to the side. Finally, she shoved the tablet back into the bag and pulled the strap over her head. She turned to face me, still flushed with embarrassment, but her gaze was direct.
“We don’t need to discuss any of that.” Her tone clarified that she meant, I don’t want to talk about it.
“Don’t we?” Driven by the need to touch her again, I moved closer.
She tensed but didn’t back away, so I took another step, then another.
But when I was close enough to lean down and take that mouth as I wanted, she lifted a hand and braced it against my chest.
“Stop,” she said. “I had a good time with you, but I’m not interested in auditioning for the role of plaything or flavor of the week or whatever you call it.”
“Audition…” Narrowing my eyes, I considered the word. “No. I don’t think I offered you the chance to audition.”
“Stop being an ass.” She glared at me. “I didn’t leave your place expecting a proposal or some stupid shit like that, but also sure as hell wasn’t planning on joining your harem, okay?”
“My harem?”
“Is there an echo in here?” she demanded. Shoving me, she spun around and paced a few steps before turning back to me. Fire shot from her dark blue eyes, her face still flushed but now with evident anger. “I met one of your ladies, Maximus. And can I tell you this? I’m not overly impressed by how you jumped from me to somebody else in a few hours, but it is quite impressive that you’ve still got the libido of a teenager.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“The tall leggy blonde I met leaving your place Saturday. While I was on my way out, she was on her way in. She told me you two had a brunch date.” She held up a hand to suggest a woman’s height, maybe four inches taller than her. “About this tall, hair down to her ass? Ringing any bells?”
Yeah. Twenty of them. All going off inside my head.
Simone.
Fuck.
“Yes.” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I took a deep breath. After letting it out, I lowered my hand and looked at Tina. “That was Simone. And for the record? She and I haven’t had a date in weeks.”
Tina blinked.
I closed the space between us. “I didn’t invite Simone over Saturday, no matter what shit she told you.”
“But she was there.”
“She showed up to pout and bitch because I hadn’t called in a while. I told her to go home, that I wasn’t interested.” Dipping my head, I whispered in her ear. “I haven’t been interested in anybody—except you—from the moment we met.”
Fifteen
Tina
My heart was racing at top speed from the moment I saw him leaning against a sleek silver sports car that looked like it cost the moon.
Now it was pounding at a pace that I knew couldn’t be healthy. Maximus was standing close enough that my breasts pressed into his chest, and the warmth of his breath tickled my ear.
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to reach out and touch him again, feel the heat of his chest under my hands, feel his mouth against mine.
But…
There were many reasons not to indulge.
He wanted to work with me on this project.
He had a reputation that made an alley cat look virtuous.
He was already intruding enough on my sleep.
I didn’t want to get close to a guy and end up hurt. Again.
“Say something,” he murmured, lowering his head to press a kiss to my neck.
Fisting my hand in his shirt, I fought the urge to turn my face and seek his mouth.
Instead, I pushed him back, then took a few steps away. My knees were already shaky, and we’d barely touched. “There’s not much to say.”
“Isn’t there?” He pulled me back against him, hands on my hips.
Against my butt, I felt the hard ridge of his erection, and it took far too much willpower not to rub up against him.
“She didn’t even get inside, baby,” Maximus murmured, nuzzling my neck.
With no conscious decision, my head fell to the side to give him better access. He bit me right where the neck curved into my shoulder and the hot aggressive caress made me shiver.
“She stayed only a few minutes and left pissed because I told her to go.”
With just a few touches, he had already cast a spell of seduction around me, making it hard for me to follow his words. But when it finally clicked, I stiffened. “James…”
“I love the sound of my name on your lips.” He cupped one breast in his hand, squeezing possessively. With his other hand, he pulled my hips back into him and rocked against me, letting me feel the hard evidence of his arousal.
I gulped in air and tore away from him, walking on wobbly legs until I had a good ten feet between us. Only then did I turn around and look at him.
“I don’t know whether to believe you,” I told him, not bothering to pretend otherwise. “And it doesn’t matter, anyway. If you want me to work for you, I can’t be in a relationship with you.”
“Why not?”
The response came out so simply and practically, I found myself at a loss for words.
“Because…well, I just can’t!” I blurted.
Maximus arched a brow.
Glaring at him, I turned away and pushed my hands through my hair, then pressed them to my still-flushed cheeks. “I don’t mix business and pleasure. I can’t believe you do.”
“I’ve had no trouble keeping the two separate. I’m surprised you do.”
Irritated by that comment, I looked at him, but instead of the arrogant bastard I half expected to see, he was scowling, looking almost…confused.
“I learned the lesson the hard way,” I heard myself saying.
Maximus tilted his head. “Tell me.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Looking away, I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s in the past, and I prefer to keep it that way. But I learned an important lesson from it—never mix business with pleasure. I want this project, and even if I am attracted to you, I can’t pass up a job like this.”
I half expected him to brush me off and tell me he’d changed his mind.
But he didn’t.
“Very well. Business it is. Why don’t you tell me how we can get started?”
“Um.” Unsettled by the easy acquiescence, I looked around. “I have to take some pictures.”. Sticking to the original style will simplify the proposal, but if you want options, I can provide them too.”
“Let’s finish looking around,” he said. He picked up my bag and brought it to me. “I’d like your input on a few things before I decide.”
As we worked for the next hour, we were almost in silence, speaking only to ask or answer questions.
Maximus was quiet. It was almost…unsettling, especially after he’d spent the past several days trying to talk to me. I kept waiting for him to change his mind, but whatever thoughts he had, he kept to himself.
“What’s the other project you’ve got going?” he asked as I finished jotting down the last of the measurements I needed.
“I haven’t gotten the formal go-ahead yet, but it’s for a local shelter called Hattie’s Place. They specialize in providing temporary housing and jobs training for women fleeing abusive home environments.”
“Yeah?” He stopped and looked at me, a spark of interest lighting his eyes.
A little surprised at the response, I nodded. “Yes. The board is meeting today to go over the proposal. If they give it the okay, we’ll start work soon.”
He asked more questions. I answered, pausing a few times while taking notes.
“I think that will do for now,” I said, zipping the iPad into my pack. I took another long look at the lobby and blew out a breath. In my mind, I could already envision the finished result. In the glamorous 1920s, before the Great Depression, they had built the Biscayne with luxury in mind. But a luxurious style has many facets. I needed to know what sort of clientele Maximus had in mind.
I turned to ask him—and ended up pressed against him.
His hands cupped my face, and before I could think to resist, his mouth was on mine.
I moaned. My bag fell from my limp fingers. Reaching for Maximus, I curled my fingers into his shirt and clung to him.
I gleefully pressed myself closer.
His hand gripped my butt, and he pulled me in tight, pressing his erection against my belly.
Hot pangs of longing pulsed and spread outward. My blood was carrying the message to every part of my body. I wanted him. I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything.
It scared the hell out of me.
But I didn’t push him away.
Finally, the kiss ended, neither one of us breaking away from the other.
Heart thundering in my ears, I stared into his dark brown eyes. He stroked his hand up, then down my back—long, lazy caresses designed to soothe, not entice. I felt like a cat, ready to stretch out and arch under his touch.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered, my lips still tingling from his kiss.
“Because I wanted to. I’ve been dreaming about kissing you again ever since you left my place.” He cupped my cheek in his free hand and brushed his thumb over my lower lip. “And because the taste of you haunts me. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m not worried about mixing business with pleasure, Tina. We can have both.”
I wished I could believe him.
Disentangling myself, I stepped free. “I’m not so sure that’s possible, James.”
“I assume you’ve tried before and ended up burned.” He tucked his hands into his pockets, the brooding expression returning to darken his features once more.
“You could put it that way,” I muttered. Brushing my hair back from my face, I scooped my bag up from the ground. I needed to get out of here before I questioned everything.
“Did you react to him the same way you react with me?”
Whipping my head around, I stared at him. “I…no. But that doesn’t matter. I don’t trust myself to keep things separate, James. Maybe you can, but I’m not made that way. You’re gorgeous. You make my brain melt, and I want you, but I’m an adult. I know we don’t get everything we want in life. As much as I want you, I need this job more.”
Sixteen
Maximus
Mixing business with pleasure had never been an issue for me, and if it had been anybody other than Tina, I would’ve accepted the rebuff and moved on. It wasn’t some bullshit thing about wanting what I couldn’t have.
It was her.
And she wanted me too.
“I can have one of my employees take over for me on this project.” It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but the hotel was just a means to an end—to her. Now that I’d gotten a glimpse of just how much she wanted this job, I would never take it away from her. Even if she walked out the door and never wanted to see me again, she would get this job.
It might take work to convince her to mix business with pleasure, but I’d never been one to back down from a fight.
Warily, she eyed me. “I’d already assumed you’d have somebody handling things from here on out. Isn’t that what you normally do?”
“I don’t have a normal way of doing things, but I’m happy to step back to ease your concerns about mixing business and pleasure.” My gaze dropped to linger on the lush, ripe curve of her lower lip, the need to taste her again already driving me crazy.
With a huffing sort of laugh, she shoved her hair back. “I don’t get it? I’m not the most beautiful woman in the world. I’m not even the prettiest woman you’ve seen this week.” She held up a hand before I could say anything. “Sure, I know damn well I’m attractive, but I’m just not…all this.” She waved her hands around.
“I want you,” I said.
“You’ve had me.”
Smiling, I shook my head and looked away. “Tina, Friday night didn’t even take the edge off. If you have any idea….” I stopped, figuring it probably wasn’t a good idea to tell her all the ways I’d fantasized about having her.
“You know, part of the problem lies right there,” she said, her tone sharp.
That brought me up short. “And what does that mean?”
“You’ve got something of a reputation, Maximus. Don’t tell me you aren’t aware.” Although her face flushed again, she didn’t look away.
“Just what, exactly, have you heard?” It wasn’t any secret that I had…less than traditional preferences for sex, but it wasn’t anything that got discussed in the paper.
She clenched her jaw. “Enough to make me wonder, but for the record, it’s not your unusual proclivities that are my main issue.”
“Unusual proclivities,” I murmured. It almost made me smile. It was better than being called a pervert. “Alright, if it’s not my unusual proclivities that are a problem, what is?”
“Seriously?” She sighed and let her head fall back, staring upward at the faded paintings decorating the high ceiling. When she finally looked back at me, the flush had disappeared from her cheeks, and her gaze had lost that bright glint. “I’m not interested in being your flavor of the month. I think I already mentioned that. You’re a playboy, James. If I did a google search on you, the image results would probably show a good thirty different women on your arm—and that’s just for the past year or two.”
“So you’re looking for commitment?”
“I don’t know!” she snapped. “All I know is that when you’re not a dick, I enjoy being around you. But you seem to push for more than just another date. If this were to go on any longer than that, then I’d like to know I’m the only one sharing your bed.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. Shaking her head, she turned away and walked over to the high counter that was once the registration desk. “Stop it, okay?”
