Chapter Nine
Later that night, Zan knocked on Daisy’s door. It was past seven, and he’d taken ten minutes to shower and dress for dinner and was here to collect her for the last time. Tonight was formal attire. When she didn’t answer, he opened the door. The buzz of a blow-dryer and her singing along to Bruno Mars made him grin.
He could see her future—a baby on a hip, singing and laughing, a Labrador dog bounding around, a faceless man he wanted to punch.
The jasmine scent of her met him before the woman herself. The scent he’d forever associate with her surged into the room and damn him, surged into his heart, followed by the woman herself.
“If I eat half a grape and don’t sneeze, I should stay in this dress.” Her head was down as she adjusted the material. “You’ll let me know if I pop a boob?”
He froze.
“Wow,” she whispered, looking up. “You know how to fill out a suit.”
“You’re beautiful,” he said. A pale pink sheath dress hugged her body. Strapless, her breasts pushed against the fabric, enhancing her cleavage, which made his mouth water. He knew her nipples would be hard and ready for him, along with the rest of her. The waist of the dress pulled in, accentuating the soft curve of her hip, before falling to her feet. Nude stilettoes peeked out from underneath. Her long hair was up in a messy knot, with strands falling around her face. Hardly any makeup, only a touch of her signature gloss at her lips. The scent of bubblegum hung in the air.
He covered the distance between them and kissed her, catching her moan when her breasts mashed against his chest. She melted against him. He took her mouth in a fierce, demanding kiss that only made her sag farther into him. His body screamed for this woman. Her arms now around his neck, and his hard cock flexed into her stomach. He pulled back. If they didn’t leave now, they wouldn’t be leaving at all.
“Wow.” She touched her mouth. “I…ah…I…um, need to redo my lips.” The haze left her eyes. “I hope there’s more of that later.” A blush crept up her cheeks, and a shy smile touched her lips. She headed toward the bathroom.
“Much more.” He walked to the window and stared sightlessly out at the tropical paradise before him. Unsettled, he couldn’t shake off the feeling or lock down what it was. He knew their time was coming to an end, but he figured once he owned her company they’d see each other daily. The image of taking her on the boardroom table powered into his head.
“Tonight,” he barked out. “No talk about family, Levi. Tonight is about us.”
Her hand curled on his arm. The rush of heat whenever she was near kicked through his outer and inner layers.
“Okay,” she murmured.
Damn, he wanted her all for himself tonight, and not share her with a single man who’d dare look at her, but he’d have his arm around her stating that she was his.
His arm around her?
Seems Daisy’s displays of affection were having an effect.
“You okay? You seem a bit quieter than usual.” She scanned him, two lines forming between her eyes. “You’re not coming down with something, are you?” Her palm headed toward his forehead, but he grabbed her hand before it could make contact, threaded his fingers through hers, and pulled her toward the door.
“Do I need to take your temperature with thermometers?”
He stopped. “Did you say thermometers as in plural?”
“I did.” A sexy smile on her glossy lips.
“Let’s do this. I want you back here. I’ve got a list.”
She fake widened her eyes. “You’ve got a list? You hate lists.” She shoulder-bumped him. “Have you ever wanted to be a dirty mechanic?” she said in a lusty voice.
He shook his head. Daisy Carter, enemy of every Gillard walking. The one woman on the planet who twisted him in knots in and outside of the bedroom, and he couldn’t have her.
Or could he?
They’d come to an arrangement when he took over her company. He’d wanted to take her down, now he wanted to take her on the boardroom table.
Who knew this bewitching woman talking about dirty mechanics and sticking a thermometer a place guys only dreamed girls would stick them would be the one woman he craved like a junkie.
He doubted Daisy and her sisters would be standing there with open arms when they walked into their next board meeting with him as their new CEO, but they’d talk it out.
He’d explain to Daisy that it was business only and not personal. Well, he was a man who’d convinced heads of state, prime ministers, and CEOs to work with him.
He’d do the same with Daisy.
He dangled the cuffs between them then cuffed her to him, a smile sparkling her chocolate eyes. A short time later, he stood nursing a Coors with Daisy beside him, by far the most beautiful woman here. The quiet elegance of her outshone every woman in the room. It wasn’t her dress, which showed off every attractive asset, but the way she looked at him with a softness in her eyes that undid him. Or the way she licked her lips. If she did it one more time, he’d throw her over his shoulder and march her to their bungalow.
He frowned.
Their bungalow.
He did think of her place as theirs. When they were there, good things happened. Like awesome sex and getting to know her.
Yeah, getting to know her.
What was going in with him?
“What are you thinking about?” She started doing that thing where she made circles with her thumb against the base of his.
“Thinking about later on.” He gulped a mouthful of beer.
Her cheeks were an adorable pink.
The chink of a spoon hitting a glass made his head jerk up. Sally was speaking.
“If the people who are cuffed could please remove the restraints, we’re playing a game where you try and find your partner wearing a blindfold.”
In an instant, he took the key from his pocket and uncuffed them.
“I’ve got this.”
Without waiting for her to reply, he walked to the other side of the room. He snatched a blindfold from where they were laid out on a table, secured it across his eyes and waited.
“If the partners of the blindfolded could move around the room,” Sally said.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, then filtered out the high-end perfume and instead focused on the soft scent of jasmine and bubblegum.
Got her.
He kept her scent locked in and grunted when he bumped into a chair. He stopped, made a turn to the left and let her guide him to her. He leaned in and smelled her neck. At her sharp intake of breath, he yanked the silk scarf from his eyes and stuffed it into his pocket. There’d be a use for that later.
“Looks like we have a winner. And in record-breaking time,” Sally said.
“How’d you do that?” Daisy asked breathlessly.
“Your scent. You.”
Sally continued talking to the room. “Even though they aren’t the overall winners, I have to say that when Daisy and Zan first arrived I’d never have thought in such a short space of time I’d see two people who have fallen for each other. You are proof that loves does make the world and this resort go around.”
Zan froze.
Around him people congratulated him, clapped him on the shoulder, women hugged a flustered Daisy. He wasn’t here for the whole love thing.
Shit.
He pulled his hand through his hair. He liked Daisy, they had a good time together, but they were parting ways tomorrow. He’d come here for business, but it had morphed into more, and it couldn’t. As if sensing his disquiet, Daisy took his hand.
“Do you want to leave?”
“Yeah.”
Back at her bungalow, and before he could open his mouth, Daisy took him by the hand and patted the bed next to her.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to go down on bended knee and ask you to marry me.” A tentative smile lit her gorgeous eyes. He sucked in a breath. “Zan, I’m joking, we both knew what we were getting into. No hearts and flowers, just mind blowing sex, which is what we’ve had. Our time is up.”
“You’re not going to give a public apology, are you?” He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.
She went back as if he’d slapped her. Hurt spilled from her eyes.
“I thought tonight was about us?”
Shit.
This is what Brayden and Tristan accused him of doing. When things started to become emotional, he lashed out. He’d always denied it, but now, seeing the hurt and pain in her eyes, he’d done exactly what they said he always did. He was lashing out because he felt a hell of a lot more about Daisy than he cared to admit.
He pulled his hand through his hair, hating what he was feeling, hating that he was feeling.
“Let’s go to bed. No cuffs.” He pulled the key from his pocket for the last time.
After fast and dirty, round two had been slow and intense until neither could move, both saying good-bye with their bodies. Zan now tightened his arm around Daisy’s waist when she started to move. He stared straight ahead, holding her tighter and stilled at the quiet strength in her voice.
“Good-bye, Zan. Since we’re not apologizing for our siblings. We go into this deal on a level playing field.”
See you in your boardroom.
…
“Are you ready?” Zan leaned against the door of Daisy’s bungalow. Their bungalow. He’d spent piss all time in his. He dropped his bag on the floor.
Daisy nodded and flipped her glasses onto her forehead. Dressed in a pair of jeans, a white camisole, and a pale pink cardigan she was beautiful, but she could be wearing a sack, and she’d always be beautiful. Her hair was down and around her face in a cascade of dark silk. He knew enough about her to know that she’d outlined her lips in her signature gloss five times in the last five minutes because she was nervous.
“I didn’t see your company jet when I came in. What time is it arriving?”
She fidgeted with the tube of gloss, before pushing it into her back pocket. He’d piloted himself to St. Maarten with a crew who had stayed the night before heading back to L.A.
“It isn’t. My flight is leaving in a few hours. I have to go.” She gripped the straps on her bag so tight he could see the outline of every knuckle.
He banked the info about the plane, hating himself for dropping into business mode when the woman in front of him had turned green.
“I’ll give you a ride.” He took the bag from her.
She avoided him. “No, but thank you. I’ll make my own way.”
He sighed. “We’re going in the same direction. I’ll give you a ride.” He picked up her case and his and walked from the room. “Coming?”
She didn’t say a word but followed him out the door.
“You know what they say. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. When’s your meeting with Levi?”
She shook her head, disappointment flashing in her eyes. “I’m still public enemy number one I see.” She shrugged. “Do you think I’d tell you when we were meeting with Levi?” There was that determined chin tilt he’d come to love.
He looked around the resort. This place was going to be a goldmine when he took over. “I’m looking forward to the changes I’m going to make.”
He met her steely gaze. “You wouldn’t believe the plans I have.”
Plans that wouldn’t matter because when he assimilated Carter into the Gillard chain, her plans would be void.
She was quiet on the way to the airport. He’d organized a limo straight to the tarmac. He grabbed her hand and threaded his fingers with hers.
“Hey, you don’t like public displays of affection.” She kept her glasses on, but he caught the tremble in her voice.
He shrugged, not even knowing if he could explain the complicated feelings he had for her. She intrigued him, she pissed him off, she made him feel alive, she made him feel. He should book a session with a shrink who’d tell him exactly what he didn’t want to hear.
They sped past the terminal to where his private jet was fueled and waiting to go. Her head twisted left then right. “Wait. I thought you were giving me a ride to the airport.”
“No, baby, I’m giving you a ride home. Got your passport?” She handed her passport to the smiling official, and soon they were seated in the spacious cabin. He sat across from her. One of the attendants poured champagne and handed him a glass, but Daisy refused. If anything, she appeared greener than on the limo ride over.
He sat next to her and took her hand. The woman wasn’t trembling; she was flat-out shaking.
“What’s wrong?”
“I know they call this flying, but I call it sitting in a metal tube waiting to plunge to certain death.” She clutched his hand.
“You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Terrified eyes turned to him. “You can’t guarantee that.”
He stroked his thumb over her hand. “No, I can’t, but don’t worry about something that will probably never happen.”
“Probably?”
“Yeah, no point worrying about situations you have no control over.”
Like me taking over your company.
“I’ll make a list,” she said, reaching into her a handbag that could house a small nation, she pulled out a notebook. She flicked through the pages where he noted the date and bullet-point lists written in neat handwriting with ticks next to them. She found a blank page, wrote the date and started writing.
“It keeps me ordered,” she said, her hair hiding her face. “My sisters think I’m crazy and should seek professional help.”
“Nothing spontaneous?” He smiled.
“Terrible word.”
She jolted when the plane pushed back. She went back into her seat, her eyes wide. She grabbed for the seatbelt, but couldn’t click it.
He buckled her in, took her hands, turned her, so she was looking at him and started talking to her.
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked.
“Um, what?”
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked again, keeping his gaze locked on her face and not what was going on outside as they started to gain speed down the runway.
“Violet.”
“Favorite flower?”
“Oh, um jasmine and iris.”
“I thought it would be daisies.” He smirked.
“That would be weird.”
“Star Trek or Star Wars?”
“Oh please. Captain Kirk, especially the new hot one. The new Bones isn’t bad, either. You know, space the final frontier and all.”
He chuckled.
“Does family mean everything to you?”
She hooked him with her eyes. “Family are the most important people in my world. I’d do anything for them.”
He knew they were going toward dangerous territory between her sister and his brother, and he didn’t want to spend their last moments together fighting.
Soon they were at cruising level.
“Thank you,” Daisy said. “For distracting me through the takeoff.”
“I have a surprise.” He unbuckled their seatbelts, had a word with the attendant, and led Daisy toward the back of the plane, opened the door to a bedroom, closed and leaned against it.
“Never made the mile-high club.”
Her eyes widened. “Really? I thought you’d be a regular.”
“You’re my first.” He shrugged off his T-shirt.
“I love the fact I’m the first of anything of yours, Clovis.” She took off the cardigan, then paled when they hit a jolt of turbulence.
He gathered her up in his arms, laid her on the bed, and loomed over her, braced on his elbows. “You slay me, Clovista.”
There was more to that comment than he’d ever admit to.
Hours later, when a light and a beep signaled they’d be landing soon, Zan swept Daisy’s hair from his shoulder, got up on one elbow, and kissed her forehead with his eyes closed, emotion ripping a gigantic hole in his heart. Damn, but he’d do a lot for this woman.
His lips brushed hers. “Beautiful, we’re almost there.”
Hazy eyes looked up at him, and before she could throw her guard up, he saw sadness and sorrow swimming in the dark depths. She turned her head and nodded.
Half an hour later they were buckled in, circling LAX.
“How are you getting home?” he asked, pulling his phone from his pocket. He had an appointment with his brothers in a couple of hours about the Levi resort and other matters, including where they were on Carter shares.
Daisy looked up from tapping on her phone. “I’ll Uber.”
“I’ll take you.” The words out of his mouth faster than his brain could process them. Damn, what was he doing? He wanted more time with this bewitching woman, time he didn’t have, but time he’d make, even if he had to shift every appointment. He’d grab a few more days with her on his terms.
“No, but thank you. I think we say our good-byes here. No hearts and flowers, remember? Clean break like we agreed on.” She pulled sunglasses from her head over her eyes, and that blew a hole straight through his gut.
He turned away as the wheels hit the tarmac and reached for her hand at her sharp intake of breath. They were quickly processed through immigration. Zan’s limo was swinging into view. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Bye, Clovis. Don’t forget to pat your mammoth.”
He got the double-entendre and the rapid blinking behind her glasses. She turned and was soon swallowed by a sea of people and out of his life. He stood staring after her, hating that he couldn’t be the man she wanted him to be. But he wasn’t looking for the white picket fence, and she was. Besides, their whole family history would blow up between them. He couldn’t walk up to Brayden and tell his brother he was dating their enemy, the sister of the sister who’d ripped apart Brayden’s world, so he’d had to let her go.
Not true, his conscience tapped him on the shoulder. She’s the one who walked away from you.
…
For the next five days, Daisy dragged herself out of bed, kissed, and fed a protesting Virgil that she should have fed him hours earlier at 4 a.m. when he was hungry. She made a list before heading to the office. Poppy was in Miami and wanted to meet with her face-to-face upon her return. Whatever it was couldn’t be talked about over the phone. Rose was putting together their presentation for the Levi bid.
More of their shares were coming on the market, and she’d been working around the clock to try and figure out what to do. She spent every minute of the day persuading shareholders not to sell. She couldn’t divulge the Levi deal. The head of accounting was quietly selling off some of their assets. Exhaustion was making her eyes cross. And to top off her stellar week, Zan wandered into her head at every turn, his green eyes sparkling, or full of lust, his smile shooting straight through her. And if her mind wandered to his nipple ring, she squirmed.
Every morning she dutifully wrote her list.
One: don’t think of Zan.
Two: don’t dream of Zan.
Three: don’t miss Zan.
Yeah right.
Tomorrow night she was taking a couple of hours off to meet with Malibu_Man_Loves_Cats at a wine bar. He sounded alright. Truth be told, her heart wasn’t in it, but she had to jump on the dating bandwagon and forget about Zan.
Tall order.
She now stared out at the twinkling lights of the Santa Monica Pier which mocked her. Happy people on The Wheel taking in the sparkly lights while waves thundered under the pier. She picked up the coffee her assistant, Rhonda, had left on her desk at seven that evening. She’d sent Rhonda home after she’d told her that her dog had eaten another of her shoes in retaliation for not being walked.
Four-hour-old coffee hit the back of Daisy’s throat, and she grimaced.
A dull throb at her temple reminded her that living on coffee was never a good idea. Yoga was supposed to keep her stress levels down, but she’d had no time to consider a downward facing dog. She passed darkened offices on the way to the kitchen area. Good people at home with their families. Good people who were relying on her for a paycheck.
She wandered into the kitchen.
Not my night.
A shiny, empty coffee pot sat on a cold hotplate.
Well, she’d suck it up, finish the emails, and head home, hopefully, before the clock struck one. Ten emails later, she stopped when she couldn’t read the screen. What was in her head wasn’t making it to the keyboard. She stared at the screen and the words “Make mine a double.”
What is wrong with me?
She almost laughed.
Where to start.
The lure of her desk beckoned.
Ten minutes. I’ll powernap for ten minutes.
The sound of her phone ringing punched through a dreamless sleep. Daisy lifted her head and squinted at the mocking clock on the wall opposite her desk and groaned. She fumbled her phone. At this hour, it had better be urgent and not someone informing her that she owed the IRS, or she was related to a Nigerian Prince and he needed to send her money. She swiped her finger across the glass at the unknown number.
“Daisy, where are you? It’s two a.m. I’ve been calling since midnight.”
“Zan, why are you calling me?” she rasped.
“I have to see you. Where are you?” His worried voice pounded out of her iPhone, which made her wince.
“I’m at work.” She rubbed the back of her neck, squinting at the clock and seeing four of them.
I must be more exhausted than I thought.
“Why are you calling me?”
“It’s urgent.”
She shut down her laptop.
“Can we talk in the morning? I’m going to cab home.”
The drive from Santa Monica to Malibu wasn’t that far, and PCH should be quiet, but there was no way she was going to risk injuring someone or herself if she fell asleep at the wheel.
“Why cab?”
She rolled her shoulders and groaned. “I don’t think I should drive. I’m too tired.”
Why are we having this conversation?
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll call a cab and wait outside.”
“I’ll be there in twenty, and don’t wait outside.”
“Why are you calling? Why can’t this wait until tomorrow?” She stood and gathered her bag. “Besides, it’s Santa Monica. Nothing bad happens in Santa Monica.”
“It can’t wait until tomorrow. Twenty minutes, and please wait inside.”
“Okay,” she said. She didn’t have the strength to fight. A vision of her bed popped into her head. Soon she’d be snuggled into her comforter for an arresting four hours sleep before she had another rinse-and-repeat day.
Why did he need to speak to her now? What could be so urgent?
She made her way to the front door of the building then leaned her head against the glass, watching people pick through bins for bottles and cans. A possum streaked across the street, its yellow eyes flashing under a flickering streetlight. A car pulled into the lot. Zan’s bulk moved toward her.
She set the alarm and pulled the door closed behind her. A cool wind smacked her face, and she shivered. Zan took off his suit jacket and slung it over her shoulders. She breathed in his spicy aftershave and sighed. Before she could say thank you, his eyes locked on hers, and he lowered his mouth before a growl ripped from him, and he smashed his mouth down on hers, hungry, devouring, possessive. Her tongue tangled with his and the duel they always played out brought a hiss from him and a moan from her. He pulled her into his hard body, and she melted into him.
One word whispered through her mind.
Belonging.
He finally broke their kiss, both of them panting, searching each other’s faces. Cold air rolled off the ocean, but nestled in his arms, she felt only warmth. He grabbed her hand and led her to the passenger seat of a sexy gray Tesla and opened the door. She buckled in. An unfamiliar ringtone filled the car.
She turned to him. “Why are you here?”
“It’s complicated.” She noted the bruising under his eyes and the hollow of his cheeks.
He held up a hand. “It’s Brayden. I’ll be five.”
She snuggled into his jacket, her eyelids dropping.
Five minutes. I’ll have five minutes.
Five minutes later Daisy opened one eye, then the other, and froze.
Sunlight spilled from unfamiliar windows. The sheet shifted. A man’s T-shirt covered her. She did a quick pat down. Panties—check. Bra—missing. She looked around the unfamiliar room searching for her handbag so she could find her phone.
“Morning, beautiful.”