Читать книгу Beyond Temptation - Brenda Jackson - Страница 12

Lena glanced around when she entered the restaurant. She had been on her way to the Steele Corporation for a meeting with Morgan when she received a call from her secretary saying Morgan wanted to meet with her here instead of his office.

She sighed, feeling tired from a restless night. Her mother had had another outburst for her father and it had taken a while to get her settled back down. It always pained Lena to watch her mother relive her grief. After taking her mother to the day care this morning she had stopped by to visit with Delphine Moore, her mother’s social worker.

Delphine had explained that the reason her mother kept having her bouts of grief, even after six years, was that she hadn’t yet found anything to fill the void in her life left by her father. God knows it hadn’t been for lack of trying on Lena’s part. According to both Delphine and Lena’s mother’s family physician, Odessa’s issues, both mentally and physically, stemmed from the same thing. She needed something motivating in her life, something that would give her the will and desire to keep living.

Something like a grandchild.

The conversation she’d had with her mother a few days ago was still firmly embedded in Lena’s mind. She knew her mother was lonely and that was understandable. She also knew her mother probably saw her life slowly drifting away without the love of a grandchild to cherish. A part of Lena wished more than anything she could give her mother a granddaughter or grandson to love during her remaining days on earth, but such a thing wasn’t possible. Kylie had suggested that she try looking into programs where elderly adults could volunteer to act as surrogate grandparents. Since her mother got around fairly well with minimum help on her good days, that was one idea worth checking out. Lena’s heart sank every time she thought of her mother being unhappy.

“May I help you, miss?”

The waiter’s question reined Lena’s thoughts back to the present. “Yes. I’m to meet Morgan Steele here.”

The waiter smiled. “Yes, please follow me. Mr. Steele is waiting.”

As she followed the waiter it wasn’t long before she was staring into the contours of Morgan’s handsome face when he stood for her approach. As usual he was dressed in a tailored suit and looked the epitome of a successful businessman. By the time she reached his table, her heart was jumping crazily in her chest. Although the eyes staring at her were intense, his facial expression was solid, unreadable. But that was all right, she tried assuring herself. If he were to look at her any other way, with even a hint of an open invitation right now, her Gemini twin would be tempted to come out, and heaven forbid if that happened. She had dreamed of Morgan last night, and those dreams were still vivid in her mind. Her body had been flooded with adrenaline of the most sensual kind. In her fantasy he was an expert lover, and she would bet that in reality he would be the same.

By the time she reached his table, her heart was just about ready to explode in her chest. She cleared her throat. “Morgan,” she said, automatically reaching her hand out to him.

He took it and for a moment she thought he held it a second longer than necessary. “Lena. Sorry about the change in plans but I’m glad you could meet me here. I appreciate your flexibility.”

“No problem,” she said, taking her seat with fluid ease. The place Morgan had chosen for lunch was elegant and the furnishings spoke the part. The chairs were soft leather with high-contoured backs for both comfort and style. There was a lit candle in the middle of the table, and it came to her attention for the first time that they were sitting in the back, almost in an alcove that provided a semblance of seclusion and a bit of intimacy—not at all in keeping which what should be a business meeting.

As if he read her thoughts he said, “I had a business meeting here earlier and decided that instead of going back to the office or changing location we could meet here. I hope you don’t mind.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind. It’s a nice place.”

“Yes, it is.”

Morgan knew he couldn’t tell her that this was the place he had intended to bring her for their first lunch date, which she never agreed to. And he’d had to do some underhanded maneuverings for her to be with him now. “So, I understand you have information for me,” he said.

“Yes. I might have an interested party for your home as well as a place you want to look at. It’s located not far in—”

“Well, aren’t we a cozy twosome.”

A sudden wave of irritation touched Morgan when he glanced up into the face of Cassandra Tisdale, a staunch member of Charlotte’s elite social group. She was one of the most self-absorbed women he knew, and to top it off, she was Bas’s former fiancée.

The only good thought about that was the word former. Bas had broken off the engagement the night of Chance and Kylie’s wedding and hadn’t given the family a reason why. But it hadn’t been that hard to figure things out. Cassandra and Bas were as different as day and night, and a marriage would have made them the odd couple, whereas Bas and Jocelyn were a perfect match.

He slowly came to his feet. “Cassandra, I didn’t know you were back.” Rumor had it that she left town for an extended trip to her parents’ vacation home in the Bahamas a couple of weeks before Bas’s wedding because she didn’t want to be anywhere near Charlotte when the event took place.

“Oh yes, I returned this week. I had a wonderful time.”

Doing nothing, he surmised. Cassandra saw her role in life as to not earn a living but to give parties, entertain and remain a social butterfly. She was wealthy and intended to marry wealthy. Rumor further had it that since her breakup with Bas she had set her sights on Donovan’s best friend, Bronson. Luckily Bronson was smart enough to not give Cassandra the time of day.

Everyone also knew she had only latched on to Bas in the first place after Dane Bradford had gotten back with his wife, Sienna. Cassandra had been Dane’s girlfriend in high school, but the two had broken up when they’d gone to separate colleges. When they returned to Charlotte she had figured Dane would come rushing back to her. Instead he met and married Vanessa’s best friend, Sienna Davis.

Almost two years ago Dane and Sienna began having bad times in their marriage and filed for a divorce. Both Cassandra’s family as well as Dane’s had hoped with Sienna out of the picture Cassandra could become part of Dane’s life again. That didn’t happen because Dane and Sienna eventually got back together. Not long after that Cassandra had set her sights on Bas. Eventually, she and Bas had become engaged, but Bas had called off the wedding before a date could be set.

“Glad to hear you had a wonderful time.” He glanced over at Lena. “I’m sure you know Lena.”

Cassandra’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yes, I know, Lena,” she said, giving Lena only a cursory glance. “I’m really surprised to see the two of you here together in such a cozy setting. I’m disappointed in you, Morgan. I know you can do better.”

He heard Lena’s sharp intake of breath at the direct insult, and anger, to a degree he didn’t think possible, took over him. “Just like I knew Bas could do better, and I was right. I hope you get the chance to meet Jocelyn. She’s just what Bas needs, and the Steeles are proud to have her as a member of the family.”

When she picked up the water glass, no doubt to throw the contents in his face, he said, “Be careful, Cassandra. Your spiteful claws are showing, and I thought you were too socially cultivated for that.” He took his seat, not giving her the courtesy of remaining standing in her presence. “Now if you will excuse me I would like to get back to my lunch guest.”

He heard her place the glass back on the table and when he was sure she had walked away, he glanced over at Lena. “I apologize for that.”

Lena waved off his apology. “Don’t. I’ve known a long time that I’m not Cassandra’s favorite person, ever since I became friends with Sienna. I recommend her to decorate a lot of the houses I sell. So Cassandra’s insults don’t bother me. She assumed we’re here together for something else other than business and she was wrong…as usual.”

She leaned closer over the table. “Now, what I was saying before we were interrupted, Morgan, is that I think I’ve found an interested buyer for your home as well as a place you might like to purchase. I didn’t put a contract on your place because of what you told me about Donovan, but I can tell you they are willing to make you a good offer for it.”

He nodded, inwardly not caring what kind of offer they made. “Who are they?”

“The Edwardses. He’s an executive for Brookshire Industries and his job is transferring him here. Matthew and his wife, Joan, are in their thirties and they have three kids. Meghan is ten, Matt Junior is eight. Then there’s Sarah. She’s five and is handicapped and confined to a wheelchair, but somehow she can swim with assistance. I think she’s the one who liked your pool the best. When she saw it she—”

“You showed them the house already?” he asked in surprise.

Lena raised a brow, wondering what kind of question that was. “Of course I showed them the house. You did give me permission to show your home while you weren’t there, didn’t you?”

He sighed deeply. “Of course.” And being the top-notch Realtor that she was, she wasn’t wasting any time doing what she thought he wanted her to do. “What about this place you want me to see?”

She smiled. “I think you’re going to like it. In fact I think you’re going to like it even better than what you have now, it’s just that beautiful.”

He lifted a brow. She had piqued his interest if she thought such a thing. “Just where is this place?”

He could see the excitement in her eyes when she said, “It’s just minutes from the airport, which will help with your travels, and in some areas it backs up against Lake Wylie, if you’re interested in waterfront property.”

He nodded. He hadn’t been before, but he could be if she was. “So, when can I take a look at it?”

“Whenever you’re free.”

“Okay, how about today, after lunch?”

Lena blinked. She hadn’t expected that. “Lunch?”

“Yes. Since you’re here you might as well join me for lunch, unless you’ve eaten already or have made other plans.”

“No, but didn’t you eat lunch during your earlier business meeting here?” she inquired curiously.

He lifted impeccably clad shoulders with a negative shake of his head. “No. Anthony and I shared drinks, not a meal. I haven’t eaten since breakfast and I need something. If you’d rather we not go check out this place today we can do it at another time. Just call my secretary and see when she’ll be able to work you into my calendar again later this week.”

Lena didn’t like the sound of that. She knew how busy Morgan was and decided she needed to show him the place as soon as she could. “No, it’s okay. If today is better for you, then it’s fine with me. No, I haven’t eaten anything and don’t have plans. I can stay and join you for lunch.”

He smiled. “Good.” He glanced around and called a waiter over to their table.

“Yes, Mr. Steele?”

“Ms. Spears will be joining me for lunch, Ricardo. May we have two menus?”

“Certainly, sir.”

When the waiter walked off, Lena said, “I take it that you come here often.”

“Yes, I usually hold my business meetings here.”

“Oh.”

Raising his glass he took a sip of his wine, knowing with those words he had effectively removed any thoughts from Lena’s mind that his invitation for her to join him for lunch was anything other than business.

Lena glanced over at Morgan as he expertly maneuvered his SUV toward their destination, which was a twenty-minute drive from the restaurant. He had suggested saving time by using one vehicle, preferably his. That way she was free to cover the amenities the place had to offer while he did the driving.

In some faraway recess of her mind, she knew it was time to begin going over those things with him, but for some reason she welcomed the quietness between them and wasn’t ready for conversation of any kind to intrude. Besides, he seemed to be in his own world, his gaze fixed on the stretch of road in front of him. Nothing played, not even his radio, and she felt a tinge of uneasiness at the thought he could possibly hear her breathing, an erratic sound of wanting and need that she was trying hard to hide. But around him it was nearly impossible.

Even now the scent of him, definitely male, infiltrated her nostrils, sent heat coursing through her blood. In the past she could control her urges and her desires just by turning her mind and thoughts off to them. But since meeting Morgan, she found such a thing difficult, almost impossible, especially when they were in close proximity to each other.

She’d been conscious of a slow, nagging ache in the lower part of her body ever since he had walked her out of the restaurant to his vehicle. By the time she had gotten seated in his truck she’d been almost breathless. And when he had casually bent over her to snap her seat belt in place, it took everything she had to force her Gemini twin back from taunting him by pushing her cleavage forward, showing him as much of her breasts as she could beneath the droopy neckline of her blouse, and go even further by grabbing his tie and pulling him in closer; to have her mouth and tongue ready, willing and wet to meet his and—

“Okay, what you got for me?”

His question snapped her out of her daytime fantasy and she glanced over at him and met his gaze. It was on the tip of her tongue to respond that what she had for him was anything he wanted and it didn’t have to be within reason. He had brought the car to a stop at a traffic light and was staring over at her beneath thick, long lashes. That ache in the lower part of her body intensified.

More than ever today she was aware of the absence of her panty hose. Usually, she wore a business suit, but because it was one of those rare warm days in March, she had decided to wear a knee-length melon-striped poplin skirt with a melon-colored pullover droopy-neck tunic sweater that flowed past her waist and a pair of flats.

She reached down by her leg to retrieve her leather portfolio to pull out the papers she needed and said, “Ashton Oaks is one of the premier neighborhoods of the Palisades that contain a limited edition of custom homes within a beautiful gated enclave and is in close proximity to the Palisades Country Club.”

Morgan nodded. He was aware of the Palisades because of the magnificent golf course that bordered it. “What’s the price range of the homes?” he asked.

“Between seven hundred and two million. The one I’m going to show you falls in between, and I think when you see it you will agree that it’s going to exceed your wildest dreams with its custom kitchens, fantasy bathrooms, glorious—”

“Fantasy bathrooms?” Morgan couldn’t resist interrupting to ask, while raising a brow.

Lena chuckled. “Yes. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. And because over three hundred acres of the land is set aside to preserve nature, there are plenty of hiking and equestrian trails.”

“Sounds like a real nice place.”

She smiled over at him after closing her folder. “I think you’re going to be pleased. It’s the ultimate in prestigious living. I really don’t think you’re going to find anything better.”

He brought his SUV to a halt at a stop sign and glanced over at her, appreciating how the fabric of her sweater clung to her full breasts and how the rich coloring of her honey-brown hair fell in lustrous curls past her shoulders. It was his opinion that she had a mouth that was begging to be kissed, and he decided right then and there that she was wrong. He would find something better than the place she was taking him, and that was the place he intended to one day be, which was in her arms, in her bed, inside her body.

“The turnoff is up ahead, Morgan.”

Morgan was convinced he wasn’t imagining things when he heard that breathless catch in her voice. “All right.” He tried putting all his concentration on his driving but found he couldn’t. Even now his every breath was filled with the succulent scent of her as it floated through the confines of his vehicle. He decided to get control back before he blew things by pulling the truck to the side of the road and kissing the living daylights out of her.

“You mentioned one of the Edwards children was handicapped. What happened?”

“I didn’t want to appear insensitive by asking. I think possibly a birth defect but I’m not sure. But Sarah is the cutest thing, simply adorable. She was ready to get into your pool that day.”

Morgan chuckled. “Was she? She sounds like Tiffany the first time she saw it,” he said of the niece he’d inherited after his brother’s marriage to Kylie. He knew Tiffany was also Lena’s godchild. His face formed in a thoughtful expression when he recalled how Chance’s son, Marcus, along with Tiffany, had managed to get their parents together. Too bad there was no one out there looking out for him and Lena.

“Turn right at the next corner, please, and stop. I’ll get us passage through the gates.”

Moments later Morgan brought his car to a stop at the gated entryway, and after Lena had talked to the guard to gain clearance, they were driving through. His breath actually caught at the impossibly beautiful homes he saw showcased, all custom designed and reflecting varying architectural styles. He immediately concluded that this was one extraordinary neighborhood from the lush landscaping to the pristine creeks that ran along the back properties of some.

“Pull into the next driveway on your left.”

He did and he had to stop the moment his vehicle pulled into the yard. Before him sat what had to be the most regal and provincial home he’d ever seen. Completely brick, the three-story structure was twice the size of his present home, definitely a lot for one man. But then, he didn’t intend to live in it alone. He would have a wife, a number of children and a mother-in-law whom he would gladly welcome with open arms.

“So what do you think?”

He turned to Lena when she asked the question. He smiled. “Umm, I’m curious to know what you think.”