Private Arrangements

When he entered the restaurant he glanced around and saw Nikki sitting at a table across the room. She smiled when she saw him and he felt his stomach do a somersault. And as if on cue, his pulse began hammering away and air felt as if it were slowly being sucked out of his lungs. Holy hell.

He drew in a deep breath and tried purging the deep, unwanted attraction for her out of his system. He moved across the room toward her, thinking that no matter what, he was in full control. And this time he would make sure things stayed that way.

Nikki Cartwright watched the man approaching her table with a stroll that was so sexy it bordered on sinful. She tightened her grip on the glass of water while trying to downplay the sensations rolling around in her belly.

Her instinctive response to Jonas Steele was something she should have gotten out of her system by now. There was no reason why a warm rush of desire was invading her insides, almost making it difficult for her to breathe.

Then she quickly decided that yes, there was a reason. Walking toward her had to be one of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen. Tall, powerfully built, with dark wavy hair flowing around his shoulders, he was pure masculine sex on two legs.

A quick glance around the room indicated she wasn’t the only female who thought so. There was nothing quite like a group of women taking the time to appreciate a good-looking man, and Jonas was definitely a looker. Eye candy of the most scrumptious kind.

She’d known working with him on that brochure wouldn’t be easy. After all, he and his brothers were the hottest bachelors in Phoenix. They weren’t known as the “Bad News” Steeles for nothing, and their reputations for being die-hard players were legendary. There was a joke around town that a woman hadn’t been bedded unless she’d been bedded by a Steele. From what Nikki had heard, their skills in the bedroom were off the charts.

The air seemed to shiver the closer he got with a stride that emitted the masculine power that all Steele men seemed to possess. Like his brothers, he had inherited his mother’s green eyes. Smokey Robinson eyes, she called them, as they were the same color of those of the legendary R & B soul singer. And then there were the rest of his prominent features—medium brown skin, strong chiseled jaw and one luscious looking pair of lips.

She’d heard that of all the Steele brothers, Jonas was the one everyone considered a rebel. He wore his hair longer than the others and owned a Harley. She understood he had several colorful tattoos on certain parts of his body. She definitely knew about the ones on both shoulders since she’d seen him a couple of times wearing muscle shirts.

Nikki wished she could look right past all six feet three inches of him, see beyond the well-toned muscles beneath the designer business suit that symbolized the growing success of his marketing company.

And more than anything, she wished she could look at his lips and not remember the kiss they’d shared that day.

Had it been a year and half ago when they had last worked together? When she’d constantly fought to control her attraction to him? An attraction that definitely had been one-sided.

Still, he had kissed her that day—she hadn’t imagined it. They’d both been caught off guard; however, when he should have ended it, he’d kept right on kissing her, even deepening the kiss. And of course, she’d let him. When he’d finally come to his senses and let her go, he had mumbled something about being late for an appointment and had hightailed it out the door without once looking back.

The memory of that day sent a warm rush of sensations flowing through her, and she sighed. The man was not husband material. He didn’t even believe in having a steady girl. She’d heard about his one-and-done policy. It had come as a surprise, a real shocker, when two of those “Bad News” Steeles had fallen in love and gotten married. In fact, Jonas’s older brother Galen had married her best friend Brittany.

That left four brothers still single and swearing up and down Bell Road that they’d never fall in love. And she had no reason not to believe them. And as if to make that point solid, she’d heard the four had stepped up their game and were chasing skirts more so than ever these days, especially Jonas.

To break eye contact she glanced around the room again and saw every single female eye was still on him. And then, as if of its own accord, her gaze returned to slide over him. She appreciated what she was seeing. Oh, mercy.

With the eye of a photographer, she thought Jonas’s features were picture perfect. She tried not to be one of those women who judged a man on looks, but his looks were so sharp, so compelling, so pinch-a-sister-in-the-butt gorgeous, it took everything she had not to start drooling.

“Hello, Nikki. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

She jumped at the deep baritone of his voice, which sounded like Barry White reincarnated. She had been so deep into her “Jonas” thoughts that she hadn’t been aware he’d gotten close.

“Sorry if I scared you just now,” he said.

“You didn’t,” she replied simply, forcing a smile to her lips. “I’d gotten lost in a few thoughts, that’s all.”

“I see.”

Pulling herself together, Nikki watched as his body slid easily in the chair across from her. Sensations stirred in her tummy again. Unknowingly, he was playing havoc with her senses. Deciding there was no reason for her senses to suffer any more abuse, she spoke up. “When you called you said that you wanted to discuss something with me. A business proposition.” Like there could be any other reason for him calling and asking to meet with her. In a way she was surprised that he wanted to use her services again, considering how they’d parted eighteen months ago.

Nikki crossed her legs, hoping the action would tamp down the tingling vibrations she felt between them. The man emitted testosterone that was attacking her big-time.

“We’ll talk business later,” he said, smiling.

Later? She lifted her brow, a little surprised by his comment. If they didn’t talk business then what else were they supposed to talk about? Surely, he didn’t intend to bring up that kiss.

“We haven’t worked together in months. How have you been?” he asked her.

She stared at him. Evidently he had forgotten they had just seen each other at his brother’s wedding on Christmas day. If he’d really wanted to catch up on her life he could have inquired about her well-being then. Instead he’d been too busy checking out the single ladies, friends of the bride from Memphis. He had done the courteous thing and spoken to her, but that was about all. It was as if he’d been careful to avoid any lengthy contact with her.

“I’ve been doing well.”

He nodded. “That’s good. I saw Eli and Stacey’s wedding photos. As usual you did a great job.”

“Thank you.”

He was about to say something, but paused when the waiter approached with menus. Seriously, why all the small talk? she wondered. Why did he feel the need to lay on that lethal Steele charm in such a high dosage? Sharing a table with him had her nerves on edge. There was that usual degree of desire she always felt whenever she was near him, making a rush of heat flow through her body. She shifted in her chair.

“And what about you, Jonas? What are you up to these days?” she asked, like she didn’t know. Like she didn’t read those society tabloids.

“I’ve been staying busy. Just got back from a business trip to South Africa a few weeks ago. Enjoyed the trip.”

“That’s good,” she said, deciding to study the menu that had been handed to her. He did the same, and she couldn’t help taking a peek over the top of hers to do a close-up study of him.

Why was he smiling so much?

As if he read the inquiry in her gaze, he looked up and said, “Last week I received a very important call from Wesley Fulton.”

She nodded, very much aware of who Wesley Fulton was. Who wasn’t? The man was a self-made billionaire who was building a global financial empire.

“And I have reason to celebrate.”

His words cut through her thoughts. She could hear the excitement in his voice. “Do you?”

“Yes. You might have read in the papers that Fulton Enterprises expanded into the airline industry by introducing what they’re calling a luxury airship.”

She nodded. “Yes, I did hear something about that.”

There was no way she couldn’t have since it had dominated the media lately. Fulton had hired the best technological minds and engineers to build what everyone was saying was the largest airliner in the world. In fact she’d heard it was so large it made the Airbus A380 look small in comparison. She had seen photographs and it appeared to be an airplane and zeppelin rolled into one, with such amenities as individual sleeping quarters, a nightclub, a movie theater, a casino and a restaurant.

“Ideas of Steele was selected to head up marketing for this venture.”

Now Nikki understood why he was in such a cheerful mood. That was certainly good news for his firm. To be selected by Fulton was a feather in any business owner’s cap. “That’s wonderful, Jonas. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” He features turned serious when he met her gaze. “And the reason I wanted to meet with you, Nikki, is because I’ll need a good photographer and I want you as part of my team.”

Her chest tightened. To know he wanted to include her as part of his high-profile marketing project was almost overwhelming. Especially considering how their relationship had somehow crossed the line the last time they’d worked together. Being a part of something as significant as the project he was talking about could make her career. And it definitely needed a boost right now, especially financially. The economy had taken a toll on just about everybody and freelance photography assignments weren’t coming in as steadily as before. Lately she’d had to resort to doing weddings, anniversary parties and private photo shoots.

“I don’t know what to say, Jonas.”

He chuckled. “Say you’ll hear me out over dinner while I tell you about the project. Hopefully, I’ll be able to convince you to come on board.”

She drew in a deep breath. “Of course I want to hear about it,” she said. But then a voice out of nowhere whispered, Go ahead and hear him out, but you might also want to consider turning him down. Think about it. Will you be able to endure being around him constantly? How will you handle that intense and mind-boggling attraction that eradicated your common sense the last time? Do you honestly want to go through that sort of torture again?

Nikki inwardly sighed, thinking that no, she really didn’t. But she would be crazy to turn down his offer. She had bills to pay, a roof to keep over her head and a body that needed to be fed on occasion. But then, it was that body she wasn’t sure about when certain parts of it were so attuned to him. He could charm the panties off a woman without blinking, and that’s what bothered her more than anything. When it came to Jonas Steele she needed to keep her panties on. She had a weakness for him and it was quite obvious the kiss they’d shared that day in her office had meant more to her than it had to him.

His voice broke into her thoughts. “I hope my timing isn’t bad and you’re not involved in a project that I can’t pull you away from.”

She thought about the job offer she had received a few days ago. It was election year, and one of the candidates wanted her as part of his team. Following around a politician as his personal photographer for six months was something she’d prefer not doing. But she didn’t want to hang around Jonas and constantly drool, either.

She drew in a deep breath and said, “I do have a job offer that came in a few days ago, but I haven’t accepted it yet.”

“Oh, with whom?”

“Senator Waylon Joseph’s election campaign.”

He stared at her. “Whatever amount they’ve offered you as a salary, I’ll double it.”

She blinked, not believing what he’d just said. “You will?”

“Yes. My business has been doing well, but what Fulton is offering is a chance of a lifetime. It’ll take us to a whole other level and I want the best people on board to work with. And I consider you as one of the best. Your photography speaks for itself.”

She was definitely flattered. The Joseph campaign had offered her a decent salary and to think Jonas was willing to double it had thrown her in shock. She forced herself to regroup. She needed to weigh her options and think things through with a level head.

“I’ll cover the strategy plan I’ve come up with over dinner. I think you’ll like it.”

There was no doubt in her mind that she would like it. When it came to marketing strategies, Jonas was brilliant. His company was successful because he was picky about those he did business with. In the world of marketing, a stellar reputation was everything. And unlike some CEOs, who liked to delegate duties and play golf whenever they could, Jonas was very much hands-on.

She knew what coming on board as his photographer meant in the early stages of any project. They would work closely together again, just like that time before—sometimes way into the wee hours of the nights and on weekends. He would come in Monday through Friday dressed in his designer business suits, and then on the weekends, he would wear his T-shirts and jeans and ride around on his Harley. It was as if he were two different men, yet both were sexy as sin.

She would drool during the day and have salacious dreams of him at night. It had gotten harder and harder not to react to him when he was around. Hard to keep her nipples from pressing against her blouse and to keep her panties from getting wet each and every time he opened his mouth to release that deep, sexy baritone voice of his.

He kept looking at her now and she knew he was waiting for her response, so she said, “All right, Jonas, I’m curious to hear your plan.”

He smiled, winked and went back to studying his menu. Nikki drew in a deep breath as she turned her attention to her own. But she couldn’t ignore the play of emotions that spread through her. As usual, he was having that sort of effect on her and there was nothing she could do about it but sit there and suffer through it.

She wished there was a way after hearing him out that she could just thank him for considering her for the project and then graciously turn him down. But whether she wanted to admit it or not, she wanted the job.

She needed the job.

But what she needed even more was the use of her common sense when it came to Jonas. And she wasn’t sure that was possible.

Chapter 2

Being around Nikki was doing a number on him, Jonas thought, taking another sip of his wine. Wasn’t it just a short while ago he’d given himself a pep talk, confident that he would be the one in control during this meeting? But that was before he’d had to sit across from her for the past half hour or so. More than once he had to bite down on his tongue to keep from telling her how good she looked or how sweet she smelled. And her hair, that riotous mass of curls that she tossed about, made her features even more attractive.

Crap. When would this intense attraction for her end? And why was he feeling as if he was about to come out of his skin? And to make matters worse, he had a hard-on that was about to burst his zipper. Why was the thought of doing intimate things to Nikki so much in the forefront of his mind? Why hadn’t time away from her eradicated her from his thoughts? And why did he remember that kiss as if it were just yesterday?

He shifted in his seat again, feeling edgy. Horny. Lusty. Those were physical states he usually never found himself in. Never had a reason to. As a rule, he got laid whenever he wanted, which was usually all the time. But at the moment, he felt sexually deprived. Overheated.

Where was a Tootsie Pop when he needed one? Sucking on one of those usually took his mind off his problems. Eight years ago when he’d quit smoking, his brothers had given him a huge bag of the lollipops as a joke. They had told him to lick one every time he got the urge to smoke, and pretend he was licking a woman’s breast instead. It worked.

Now if he wouldn’t feel so friggin’ hot…

If there was any way he could remove his shirt and just sit there bare-chested, he would. His attraction to Nikki was overpowering his senses and he didn’t like it at all. No woman was supposed to have this sort of effect on him. But he knew no way to stop it. He took another drink and felt a bit queasy. Why was he drinking the stuff? He knew why, and the main reason was sitting across from him.

He glanced at Nikki again. She wasn’t what he would consider drop-dead gorgeous, but her beauty seemed to emit some sort of hypnotic appeal. Her eyes were dark, her nose the perfect size and shape for her face, and her lips were sensually full…and tasty, he remembered. Combined, the features on her medium-brown face were arresting, striking and expressive. For him a total turn-on.

He just didn’t know what there was about her that tempted him to clear the table and spread her out on it and take her for the entrée as well as for dessert. Then he would proceed to lick and lap a body he had yet to see or touch underneath those jeans and shirt she normally wore. But he had a feeling she was hiding a body that was ultra sexy. Her curves hinted as much. What color bra was she wearing? What color panties? Bikini cut, hip huggers or thong? He had a thing for sexy underwear on a woman.

He shifted in his chair, thinking he needed a Tootsie Pop and bad.

He put down his wineglass to cut into his steak. But each and every time he would glance up and stare at her lips, he would remember that kiss. And the memories were filling his head with more foolish thoughts…as well as questions he didn’t have any answers to.

One question that stood out in the forefront was that if he’d been so attracted to her when they’d first met, why hadn’t he hit on her long before that kiss? It wouldn’t have been the first time he’d broken his strictly business rule by making a professional relationship personal. Hell, he was one who believed in taking advantage of any opportunity, business or personal. Then why hadn’t he placed her on his “to-do” list long before their kiss that day?

He knew the answer without thinking hard about it. From the first, there had been something about his desire for Nikki Cartwright that wasn’t normal. He’d sensed it. Felt it. And it had scared him. He had never reacted so viscerally to a woman before. She had a seductive air about her that had come across as effortless as breathing, and he was sure it was something she wasn’t even aware she possessed.

Thoughts of her had begun taking up too much of his time, and he couldn’t shake them off like he did with other women. It was as if they occupied the deep recesses of his mind and intended to stay forever. And Jonas Steele didn’t do forever with any woman.

And there was also the fact that around her his active imagination was worse than ever. Some were so downright erotic they had startled even him. That much desire made him feel vulnerable, and it was a vulnerability he could and would not tolerate.

Things had gotten worse after the kiss. He had started comparing every single kiss after that with hers, and so far none could compare. And then at night, he would wake up in a sweat, alone in his bed, after dreaming of making love to her in positions that were probably outlawed in the United States and their territories.

At one time he’d thought the best thing to do was just to work her out of his system by sleeping with her. He figured that one good night of sex ought to do the trick. But then there was this inner fear that an all-nighter might not do anything but make him want some more. Then he would start begging.

And the thought of a Steele begging was unheard of. Totally out of the question. A damn mortal sin. Definitely something that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. Never.

Then why was he freaking out about a kiss that happened eighteen months ago?

He figured one of the main reasons was that he had tasted something in that kiss he’d never tasted before—the type of passion that could ultimately be his downfall, his final hold on the world that he wanted for himself. The only world he could live in. A world filled with women, women and more women. He refused to let his body’s reaction to one particular woman end what he considered the good life.

He needed a Tootsie Pop.

“So what’s your marketing strategy for this project, Jonas?”

Her voice was low and seductive. He knew it wasn’t intentional. That’s the way it was. He glanced over at her. Was she wearing makeup? He couldn’t tell. She had what most women would call natural beauty. And this wasn’t the first time he’d noticed just how long her eyelashes were. Most women wore the fake ones to get that length, but he knew hers were the real deal.

His fingers tightened around the glass, and he took another sip before saying, “Fulton wants me to capitalize on the fact there hasn’t been an airship of this kind since the Hindenburg…while at the same time minimizing the similarities.” He breathed in her scent again, liking it even more, and getting more and more aroused by it.

Nikki nodded. She understood the reason Mr. Fulton would want that. It had been decades since the luxury airship exploded while attempting to dock. Of the ninety-seven passengers and crew on board, thirty-five people had lost their lives. If Fulton had built a similar airship, the last thing he would want people to remember was the fate of the original one.

“That tragedy was seventy-five years ago,” she said. “I’m surprised no one has attempted to build another luxury airship of that kind before now.”

“People have long memories,” he said, pushing his plate aside and leaning back in his chair since he’d finished his meal. “Fortunately, the ones who do remember are no longer around to tell the story of that fateful day in May 1937.”

He paused a moment and then added, “I remember reading about it in school. I had a history teacher who ranked the Hindenburg explosion right up there with the sinking of the Titanic.”

Nikki could believe that. Both had been major catastrophes. She had studied the Hindenburg in school as well, and was well aware that the disaster had effectively destroyed the public’s confidence in any type of giant, passenger-carrying air transportation of its kind, abruptly ending the era of the airship. But at the time they didn’t have the technological advances of today. She’d heard the airship that Fulton had built was in a class all by itself, definitely a breakthrough in the world of air travel.

“My ultimate plan is to rebuild people’s confidence in this type of air travel.” Jonas interrupted her thoughts. “After the Titanic, people were leery of cruise ships, but now they don’t give a thought to what happened with the Titanic years ago. I want the same mind-set in getting the public back interested in luxury air travel. Especially on the airship Velocity.”

She arched her brows. “Velocity?”

“Yes, that’s the name of Fulton’s airship, and when you think of the meaning I believe it will fit.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Velocity is being billed as the wave of the future in air travel, and is capable of moving at four times the speed of sound and uses biofuel made from seaweed with minimum emissions.”

“Seaweed?”

He chuckled. “Yes. Amazing, isn’t it? Fulton will bring a hypersonic zeppelin-design aircraft into the present age. It guarantees a smooth flight and will trim the time getting from one place to another by fifty percent. Ideas of Steele’s job is to tie everything together and present a package the public would want to buy into. When the Velocity is ready for its first series of air voyages in April, we want a sold-out airship. Fulton’s designers have created a beauty that will be unveiled at a red-carpeted launch party in a few weeks.”