Читать книгу Revenge of the Second Son - Sara Orwig - Страница 7

“Good morning. I’m surprised you admit it,” Julia said, smiling as she crossed the room and extended her hand to shake Nick’s.

“Why wouldn’t I think this is a good morning?” he asked, something flashing in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Since I’m paying a call,” she answered.

In a long-legged easy stride, Nick came around from behind his desk. His charcoal suit added to his dark, handsome looks which she tried to avoid thinking about as much as she tried to ignore her excitement at the sight of him. She loathed dealing with Nick and beneath what she hoped was a cool, collected facade, she fought a rising panic over what Nick was about to do to her grandfather and what she could not stop.

When she shook hands with him, his fingers closed around hers, warm and firm, in a contact that sizzled to her toes. How could she be so physically drawn to him when emotionally she viewed him as a ruthless competitor? She withdrew her hand swiftly.

“Won’t you be seated,” he said, motioning her to a leather chair. He pulled another chair around to face her and sat only a few feet away. His brown eyes bore into her and she tried to remain cool.

She crossed her legs and noticed his gaze drifting down to her ankles. Just a look from him made her tingle. She was accustomed to having control of most aspects of her life and she was chagrined to discover her reaction to Nick Ransome today was as volatile as her response during the first few minutes in the restaurant parking lot.

“I know you won’t make this easy for me,” she said.

“I’m damned astounded you’re here,” he admitted with a frankness that took her by surprise.

Unable to avoid noticing how thickly lashed his dark eyes were, she stared back at him. “I thought we ought to get on better footing than we were last night.”

“I find that also amazing,” he added. He looked relaxed, sitting in the chair, one ankle on his knee, but she had a feeling that he was holding back fury. His dark brown eyes sparked with fire. His curly, dark brown hair softened his features slightly.

“I know we parted on a bad note last night—”

“That’s rather an understatement.”

“I thought perhaps I should try again to persuade you to let go your intentions to acquire Holcomb Drilling.”

“My objectives have been reinforced since dinner.”

“Your hostility has grown,” she said, wondering about his barely banked fury. “Maybe there’s no point in this visit.”

“Are you aware that one of our rigs burned in the night?”

“No, I didn’t know that.” She didn’t try to hide her surprise and then guessed the reason for his smoldering anger. “That’s what you’ve been referring to—”

“An explosion of an unknown origin caused the fire.” His words were clipped and his eyes blazed with anger.

“You’re blaming us?”

“Did Rufus hire someone to do it?” Nick cut in with a voice as cold as ice.

“No!” she exclaimed, furious that he would jump to conclusions without proof. “Granddad would never stoop to something like that. Or risk the lives of people who have nothing to do with the fight between the two of you. Never!”

“I’m afraid it’ll take more than your denial to convince me,” Nick said in what she thought was an annoying stubbornness to lay blame on her family.

“If there was an explosion or fire since we were together last night, aren’t you being premature in jumping to conclusions about the cause?” she asked. “I think it often takes time to discover what starts a fire.”

Something flickered in the depths of his dark eyes. “You’re right, of course,” he said pleasantly, his anger vanishing as if she had waved a magic wand. “Until I hear from the arson experts, I’ll hold my judgment about the cause.”

“That’s the only sensible thing to do,” she replied.

“In the meantime, what brings you to my office?” he asked in a pleasant tone, ignoring her sarcasm.

He smiled and waited. She gazed back steadfastly, her anger with him rising and becoming a tight, knot inside. She didn’t trust his friendliness for a second. He had turned it on like switching on a light, and the warmth in his voice couldn’t conceal the fiery anger in his eyes. Determined to not let him know how disturbed she felt, she concentrated on being civil and hiding her fury.

“I want to meet with you again, informally as we did last night, and see what we can work out,” she replied, hoping she sounded as relaxed and friendly as he had. “We both have old companies that were family-owned for many years. There aren’t many of those around any longer. I want to keep our company intact as long as Granddad is living. This company has been his whole life.”

“Perhaps your granddad shouldn’t have spread himself so thin,” Nick remarked dryly.

Banking her annoyance, she nodded. “Maybe, if you’re willing to try, we can work something out that will be to your satisfaction and ours. You surely will be reasonable enough to discuss the matter informally before the lawyers take charge tomorrow.”

She hoped she looked and sounded amiable, far from how she felt. She loved her granddad and if the company were taken from him, she was afraid it would be the end of him. He had devoted his life to it and now to see it in precarious straits kept her sleepless at night. The problem was compounded by the fact that it was Nick who was after Holcomb Drilling. The Ransomes and Holcombs were old enemies, forever business competitors. She stared into Nick’s brown eyes; his bland gaze belied the chemistry between them. Her breath caught. She couldn’t move or speak or think, and he was doing nothing except look at her. She was caught and held, her heart pounding loudly enough that she wondered if he could hear it. She hated her reaction, to him, yet she couldn’t prevent it.

“All right,” he agreed. “We’ll keep it informal. You and your granddad like boats and the water. I have a twenty-footer, give or take a few feet, that sleeps six. It’s docked in Galveston Bay. We can fly down there and spend the weekend on the water.”

Startled, she stared at him while she mulled his offer. “A weekend together? I had dinner in mind.”

He shrugged. “You wanted a casual, friendly meeting. A weekend on the water—we can stay out of each other’s way or talk, whatever we want to do. The weekend would be casual—and we’ll get to know each other and what each one of us wants,” he said pleasantly.

Her mind raced. She had never expected several days with Nick Ransome. Yet this might give her the chance to win him over and talk him into leaving Holcomb Drilling untouched. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. “What if I come without Granddad?” she asked, “I’d like to be able to speak freely without worrying him.”

“Fine,” Nick said, something again flickering in the depths of his eyes. “I think the weather is supposed to be good, so we should have a calm time.”

“The two of us together—a ‘calm’ time? I don’t think it’s possible.”

He gave her a taunting, crooked smile. “Then if not calm, interesting.”

“If we’re not at each other’s throats, it’ll be a smashing success,” she said. He touched the corner of her mouth, she tingled from the contact.

“There would be only one reason for me to be ‘at your throat,’” he drawled in a husky voice.

“Now you’re flirting,” she accused.

“Don’t sound so surprised. You’re a beautiful woman.”

“I rather distrust your motives for turning on your charm.”

“I meant what I said,” he insisted.

“Very well. A weekend on the water,” she said, not feeling the relief and satisfaction she had expected to feel if he agreed to getting together. “Since we’re going to talk more about the company, can we postpone tomorrow’s meeting and let our lawyers get together next week?”

“It’s fine with me to move the meeting. Make it a week from Friday,” Nick replied, flashing her a smile that curled her toes. His white teeth were a contrast with his dark skin; creases bracketed his mouth and heightened his appeal. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow about four and we can fly to Galveston,” he said, getting up to go around his desk for pen and paper. “Give me your address.”

“Write out where to meet you at the dock. I don’t mind the drive to Galveston and I have an errand to run on the way,” she said, not wanting to fly with him. She watched his well-shaped hands as he wrote an address. She stood and he moved beside her to show her what he had written.

He stood close enough that his shoulder and arm brushed against her. She could detect his enticing aftershave, feel the warmth from his body. Her drumming pulse was impossible to control.

There was no denying the reaction she had to Nick. Was she making a wise move to spend the weekend on Nick’s boat—just the two of them, plus his crew in the background? Yet it was the only way she could see to try to win Nick’s friendship so that he would at least listen to reason when they were ready to negotiate.

As it stood now, she and Nick were at loggerheads, and that would do nothing to win Nick Ransome over to doing what she wanted.

On the other hand, to be shut away with Nick for the weekend on a boat sent her heart racing into overdrive. She reassured herself that she and Nick wouldn’t really be alone, and they would be together only for the weekend.

As Nick gave her directions, she struggled to listen. He turned to face her, and they stood only inches apart.

“If you prefer, I’ll send a car to pick you up tomorrow—about four and you can still do your errands.”

“Thanks, but I’ll drive myself,” she replied, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a wicked grin.

“Scared to leave transportation behind?” he asked.

“Of course not, or I wouldn’t have suggested coming by myself,” she replied, trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Taking the directions from his hand, she picked up her purse and headed for the door. Suddenly he was there in front of her, reaching around her. Instead of opening the door, he stepped closer and blocked her with his hand on the knob, his arm a barrier. She turned to look up at him.

“So is it going to be all business this weekend?” he asked in a husky, seductive voice that created a honeyed warmth in her.

“Probably not,” she replied breathlessly, wishing she could wrap him around her little finger and get what she wanted from him. Nick leaned closer and his gaze lowered to her mouth.

Her lips parted, tingling, but she moved around him and placed her hand over his on the knob. The instant she touched him, another fiery current simmered from her fingers to her toes.

She looked up at him. “I need to open the door.”

With a smile, he swung the door wide and then he followed her into the reception area. “Tomorrow afternoon about five or six.”

“Fine,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him. At the outer door, she looked back to find him still watching her. The minute she was in the hallway, her smile vanished. “What have I done?” she asked herself as she stepped into the empty elevator. “The only thing you could do,” she answered herself, butterflies still fluttering in her stomach, her palms sweaty from spending the past few minutes with Nick.

No man had ever disturbed her the way Nick had and that worried her most of all because she was usually in control of her responses.

All the rest of the day and far into the night, she weighed the pros and cons of spending a weekend with him. Yet she had to do something to try to get a satisfactory settlement, or even better, get Nick to back off and leave Holcomb Drilling unscathed.

The next afternoon, as she drove over the arching causeway to Galveston and looked below at sparkling blue water, she asked herself the same question worrying her constantly since leaving his office. Would this weekend help save Holcomb Drilling?

Could she resist Nick’s sex appeal? She reminded herself that all she had to do was remember what he intended to do to her heritage and future.

She shook her shoulders as if she banished a problem. How easy it was to think his appeal diminished when she was miles away from him!

“Be polite, professional,” she reminded herself, glancing at the rearview mirror. She wanted something from him and there was no hope of getting it if she exposed her fury.

In minutes she parked at the Galveston Yacht Club. She slipped her backpack and her purse over her shoulder and picked up her briefcase. Taking a deep breath as if going into a battle, she circled the yacht club and strolled down to the wharf to look for the slip with his boat. She spotted him in cutoffs, a T-shirt and wraparound sunglasses. He and another man were in a motorboat. When Nick saw her, he sprang to the dock and came striding forward to meet her.

It was warm and she’d worn cutoffs, a cotton shirt, deck shoes and sunglasses and she suspected that behind his dark glasses, he was giving her a quick, thorough assessment. An appraisal that she gave him in return while her pulse thudded. His T-shirt molded sculpted muscles, the short sleeves stretched by thick biceps. His chest tapered to a narrow waist, flat stomach and well-muscled legs. The cutoffs were brief and tight. She should have guessed that beneath those elegant suits he wore, he had muscles.

The same mixture of attraction and dislike gripped her. She hated his intentions to destroy her family’s business but, as a woman, she responded eagerly to Nick.

“You really intend to work,” he said, taking her briefcase from her.

“Certainly. That’s the whole point of getting together this weekend.”

“I thought my personality enticed you.”

She had to laugh at him. “With the lifelong differences between us? I don’t think so.”

“When you weren’t here half an hour ago, I thought you’d changed your mind about sailing with me,” he said.

“No. Just a slight delay,” she said, startled that he guessed that she’d almost canceled the weekend. Duty urged her to do what she could and spend time with him, so she was going to follow her conscience.

“Great,” he said, taking her arm. He waved her briefcase slightly. “I’ll make a bargain with you. In the interest of getting acquainted and laying some groundwork for keeping things civil between us, no business discussions until twenty-four hours from now. That way, we’ll have a pleasant weekend, get acquainted and get down to the nuts and bolts maybe tomorrow this time. How’s that for a deal?”

“Fine with me,” she said, looking into his unfathomable brown eyes and wondering what was behind his suggestion. Was he laying the groundwork for seduction? The mere speculation thrilled her in a way she hated.

“Good,” Nick replied cheerfully. “Come meet my captain, Luis.”

Nick jumped into the motorboat, causing it to rock slightly. He set down her briefcase, took her backpack and purse. Then his hands closed around her waist and he swung her into the boat. He lifted her easily and they gazed into each other’s eyes while he held her. Her hands rested on his forearms, where she detected the flex of solid muscles. Each contact heightened her reaction to him. He held her a fraction longer than necessary and she stood with her hands on his forearms when she could have stepped away. As she looked into his brown eyes, she knew he wanted her. He released her and turned to a man standing in the boat.

“Julia, this is Luis Reyna. Luis, this is Miss Holcomb.”

She greeted the tall black-haired man and then she sat in the front of the boat. She watched Nick’s muscles ripple and flex as he unfastened the line and pushed away, and in seconds, they chugged slowly from the dock.

“So where are we headed? I know we’re not spending the weekend in this,” she said, looking at a number of yachts and sailboats at anchor.

“There’s my boat, For Ransome,” he said, pointing to the southwest.

She followed his gaze to see a large, sleek yacht. “Give or take a few feet,” she said, repeating what he had told her about his boat. “It has to be over forty feet long,” she said, eyeing the white yacht that had teak accents and a thin gold stripe on the hull. Nick smiled and shrugged.

When they were alongside, a man dropped a ladder over the side. Nick took her backpack and purse and scrambled up, turning to help her, leaning down to circle her waist with his arm and swing her to the deck.

This time, he released her immediately. “Julia, this is Dorian Landry. Dorian, meet my guest, Miss Holcomb.”

She greeted the man and then walked away while the two men talked. Nick’s luxurious yacht exceeded her family’s large, comfortable sailboat, reinforcing her awareness of Nick as a powerful, formidable opponent no matter how sexy and appealing he appeared.

“Let me show you your cabin,” he said, catching up with her. She followed him down a companionway to a spacious starboard cabin with a cream berth in beige and white decor.

“Want to come above while we head out? We’ll travel along the coast. I’ll give you the official tour of my boat later.”

“Sure,” she said, setting down her things, aware that in spite of the roominess, Nick dominated the cabin with his height and presence. When they went above, to her surprise, Nick took the wheel and she glanced around. “Where’s Luis? And Dorian?”

“They’re headed back,” Nick said with a jerk of his head.

Startled, she frowned at Nick. “We’re alone?”

“Yes. I thought that’s what we agreed,” he replied, looking at her and his eyes narrowing. “Changed your mind? I can take you back.”

“No,” she answered, questions tumbling in her mind. Could they be civil to each other through the entire weekend? Would she be able to resist his charm? Could she cope with him alone for hours on end?

“Of course not,” she replied, hoping her voice sounded cool and composed and far from giving away mild panic. “I was just surprised that you didn’t keep a crew on board.”

“No need,” he answered easily, gazing ahead as if his thoughts were more on navigating than on her. “I like handling the boat and I’m sure you don’t want every minute of my time,” he remarked dryly, turning to meet her gaze. Electricity sparked between them and she couldn’t look away. Silence stretched, crackling with tension.

His dark chocolate, thickly lashed bedroom eyes could nail her and she wondered how much he saw. He was fit, handsome and she had to admire his drive and energy, which she wished he had directed somewhere besides at her family.

Did he know how she truly felt toward him, that the weekend was a sham? She wanted something from him and she intended to get it.

She inhaled, but she still couldn’t look away. Then his cell phone rang, breaking the spell. To give him privacy, she started to leave, but Nick motioned her to remain while he listened to his call.

“No, we’re not losing that property, Tyler. Go as high as you need to, but you see that we’re the buyers,” Nick said and then was quiet again. “I don’t care. Just acquire the leases, whatever you have to pay.” Another moment of silence. Wind had tangled his curly hair, and unruly locks just added to his handsome looks.

“We’re losing the connection, Tyler. You’ve got your authority and instructions.” Nick turned off the phone and set it down.

As she listened to him, descriptions materialized in her thoughts—sexy, ruthless, driven, handsome, good, bad and irresistible. His hands moved lightly over the wheel and he glanced at her. “I don’t exactly see approval in your expression.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know enough to approve or not approve.”

“Oh, yes, you do. You know my company will outbid the others no matter what price. You don’t approve.”

“I don’t know the circumstances. I just know you like to win.”

“I’d guess we’re cut out of the same cloth there. I don’t think you like to lose, either,” he said dryly.

“I doubt if winning or losing is as all-important to me as much as it is you. There are other things that I give my efforts to.”

“Is that right? So how do you like to spend your time?” he asked. His voice transformed into a lower, huskier tone that gave his question a hint of sexual innuendo.

“Get your mind off sex,” she said lightly. “You know that wasn’t my reference.”

“I can always hope,” he replied, and she smiled.

“There, that would melt the hardest heart,” he said, touching the corner of her mouth. “What temptation!”

“Perhaps now you should concentrate on getting your yacht into open water.”

He nodded, but his gaze remained on her. With an effort, she pulled her attention from him. Breathless, she left to get distance between them, stepping out into sunshine and fresh air, wanting to fan herself and knowing that her warmth wasn’t caused by the weather. Also knowing that his brief phone conversation revealed how important winning was to him.

She moved to the railing and let the wind tangle her hair as a fine spray blew back over her. She watched gulls circling, swooping down to scoop something from the water. A jellyfish, a pale transparent blob, occasionally floated near the surface and then vanished from her sight. She thought about yesterday afternoon when she had gone to see her granddad, asking him directly if he knew anything about the fire on the Ransome oil rig.

His blue eyes had widened. “No, I don’t know anything about a fire.” He scowled. “Why would you think I’d know? Did Ransome or some of his people accuse us of that?”

“Nick Ransome thought we might have been the reason for the fire. As of now, the cause is unknown.”

“That bastard. He’ll say or do anything, just like his father.”

“Forget it, Granddad. I just wanted to hear you say that we had no part in it.” She had wanted to be sure, but now wished she hadn’t brought up the matter.

Reassured, she looked down at the blue-green water sweeping against the yacht and hoped the fire experts learned exactly what had caused the blaze. Would Nick admit to her that he had been wrong to accuse her granddad? She doubted if he would.

She glanced over her shoulder and could see Nick inside at the wheel. They were alone on this boat for the weekend. She hoped she could hide her stormy emotions from him.

The Gulf was smooth and the breeze was cool, a perfect day that appeared peaceful and gave no hint of the turmoil churning inside her. She enjoyed the ride, but knew if she wanted to win Nick over, she wouldn’t succeed by avoiding him. She wondered how many women he had brought on board that had wanted all his time and attention.

She returned to the pilothouse and when she reached his side, he stepped away slightly. “Want to take the wheel?”

“Sure,” she said, taking it, aware of their hands brushing before he stepped aside. Spreading his feet, he placed his hands on his hips as he watched her.

“So you’ve been sailing since you were five,” he commented. “Is this one of your favorite pastimes or are you doing it to be nice to your granddad?”

“I enjoy sailing. I’ve grown up doing it. Look out there,” she said, waving her hand toward the stretch of blue-green water and the lush green. “This is another world and I can forget the office.”

“There are all sorts of ways to forget the office,” he said in a husky voice, moving closer.

“Careful, you’re coming on again,” she said, smiling at him.

“Nothing wrong with that,” he said, smiling in return, a devastating, knee-melting smile that made her draw her breath. Creases bracketed his mouth and, with an effort, she tried to concentrate on the boat cutting smoothly through the water. “What else have you been doing, besides sailing? I don’t know much about you,” he said, leaning his hip against the bulkhead and giving her his undivided attention. It made her heart race.

“I went to Rice, returned home to go to work for Granddad. I bought my own home and I sail on weekends. A simple life. That’s about it.”

“No special man in your life?”

“No, there isn’t,” she said, turning to look into his dark eyes, wondering about the women in his life. His mouth was wide, his lower lip full, sensual. What would it be like to kiss him? She struggled to get her thoughts elsewhere.

“Was there an important man?” Nick repeated.

She shook her head again. “Not really. No, there never has been anyone.”

“Ah, you’re particular.”

She smiled. “Or busy.”

“The ice princess,” he said softly, his dark gaze filled with speculation. “With your heart sealed away. Who will melt your heart of ice and turn you into a warm, passionate woman?”

She laughed. “Are you trying to offer yourself for that role? If so, save your breath.”

“I know better than to do that,” he replied lightly. “Besides, whoever melts the ice princess then has a responsibility.”

“So, Nick Ransome, you have some old-fashioned ideas lurking.”

“I keep them locked away rather well,” he replied.

“I imagine you do. What about you? I don’t know much about you, either.”

“My life is an open book. I like closing a deal that I’ve worked hard to get, making money, flying, sailing, swimming, passionate women, fast horses and faster cars, long, wet kisses, making love in the moonlight and touching. Pretty predictable, I’d say.”

“Right, just the guy next door,” she remarked facetiously, but her pulse quickened at his answers and the thoughts his remarks conjured up. If only business didn’t stand between them, she thought and then realized the dangerous direction of following what-if thoughts.

“What big goals do you have?” he asked. “To be CEO of Holcomb Drilling? To destroy Ransome Energy? To fight with me and win?”

She laughed. “I think you’re answering your own questions. Except I don’t have ambitions to be a CEO. As for ruining Ransome Energy,” she said, looking at him, “that’s a tempting one. Especially when you’re out to smash us. Now if we can settle our differences peacefully, I’ll be quite happy. Otherwise—” She broke off and gazed out at the water, watching waves come up to meet them.

“But if we don’t, you’re threatening me, aren’t you?”

Meeting Nick’s gaze squarely, she felt the contest of wills. “We’re like two sharks circling each other, part of the time swimming together, part of the time eyeing each other as dinner.”

He leaned closer. “You would be the tastiest morsel I ever sunk my teeth into,” he drawled in a low, husky voice.

“Careful, Nick, I might bite back,” she said seductively, unable to resist dallying with him in return.

“This weekend gets to be a better idea by the second,” he said, leaning closer.

She placed her hand against his chest. “You stay right where you are.”

He grinned with a disarming flash of white teeth. “I’ll check over the place and be back shortly,” he said, leaving her at the wheel. She was surprised he trusted her because he didn’t know whether she could handle his yacht. Yet in the calm sea, there would be few problems and he was probably counting on that.

Soon he returned, making her heart race as he walked up to her. “I’ll take the wheel now,” he said, his hands brushing hers lightly. She tingled, aware of the warmth of him as he stood close beside her. “I have a favorite cove,” he continued. “It’s sheltered, has a beach and we can swim.”

“Sounds marvelous,” she said, barely knowing how she responded as she watched him.

“See,” he said waving his hand and she watched as they followed the shoreline in a sweeping curve.

“It’s beautiful,” she said when she saw his destination, animosity momentarily forgotten as she turned her attention to the breathtaking view of blue water, white sand and tall, swaying palms. “Your cove is paradise,” she said quietly, wishing she were with a companion to share the beauty of the place and make it a weekend of warm memories instead of a chess match with high stakes.

“This is a special escape. I’ve been sailing here for several years.”

“I’m surprised there isn’t anyone else here.”

“That’s part of the charm. Most of the time, this inlet is secluded. And in a few minutes, we can drop anchor,” he said, taking the wheel from her and brushing his hands over hers. “I’ll give you a tour of my boat and then we can swim,” he said.

A few minutes later, he took her arm to go down the companionway to show her the cherrywood and stainless steel galley that opened into the saloon. The galley held a refrigerator, a freezer, a four-burner stove, a built-in table and bench.

“Hopefully, everything we need or want.”

“That’s your life, isn’t it, Nick,” she declared. “Everything you need or want at your fingertips. You have to get your way.”

He turned his attention to her and arched an eyebrow. He placed his hand on her shoulder. “I suspect in a few areas, we’re too much alike. So far, you seem accustomed to getting your way and determined to continue to do so.”

“So I guess we’re locked in a contest of wills.”

“This should be the most delicious, hottest challenge I’ve ever faced.”

“Don’t make me a challenge,” she cautioned. Aware of his smoldering gaze on her, she moved around the galley, lightly touching the gleaming cherrywood cabinets. “This is a beautiful yacht.”

“I like beautiful things, particularly beautiful women,” he said in a low voice.

“Well, now that doesn’t surprise me one degree.” She turned to study him, sensing the sparks flying between them. “I hope this weekend thing was a good idea,” she said quietly, her pulse quickening as he stepped closer. When he brushed a tendril of hair away from her face, his fingers skimmed her cheek lightly.

“This weekend is going to be sweet. The wise choice is always to get to know each other and to garner a clear understanding of what your opponent wants.”

“We don’t have to be opponents, Nick.”

“No, we don’t,” he replied, his voice thick and husky.

“That was not a come-on. Don’t mistake it for one,” she stated and wished her voice held more force. “If we can just work it out where you don’t hurt Granddad,” she said, trying to get back to the purpose of her being on Nick’s yacht, “I’ll try to see that you get business concessions in return that satisfy you completely.”

“You want to satisfy me completely?” he said huskily, sending her temperature soaring. Fire danced in the depths of his eyes, and her pulse pounded. He looked at her as if he were about to kiss her.

“Did you even hear the word business? I still feel as if I’m swimming with a shark that is eyeing me for dinner,” she stated breathlessly.

“There is nothing like a shark about what I want. ‘Satisfy me completely’…that opens visions of possibilities.”

“You know what I meant! I’m not talking about in bed,” she said bluntly. “I meant absolutely no reference to anything personal.”

“Too bad. If you had, I might be more easily persuaded.” His hand rested on her shoulder and his thumb lightly rubbed her throat, then paused. “It isn’t problems with work that has your pulse racing,” he drawled, and her heart thumped. Nick saw too much, understood too clearly, guessed too accurately about her. She was held immobile by his hungry, steadfast gaze. That first searing attraction when they met was escalating at an alarming rate.

“We both know that we have some chemistry between us—it doesn’t mean a thing,” she said.

“I beg to differ,” he said softly. “From the moment you ran in front of my car and stopped me, the attraction has been undeniable. My curiosity’s stirred. I want to discover the depth of this fire that’s between us.”

“There is nothing between us except a disagreement we’re trying to solve,” she argued breathlessly.

“You know better than that,” he responded with a wicked arch of one dark eyebrow. “Right now, your pulse races and so does mine.”

“I think I’ll go on instinct here. Beware the circling shark.”

“You’re the one who wanted to get close,” he reminded her.

“Not quite as close as you have in mind. You’re going way too fast. Slow down, Nick. This time two nights ago, we were barely speaking.”

She was hot—her heart thudding, her breathing ragged—but she knew she had to get control of herself as well as cool him down. She couldn’t stop her body from responding to him, but she should maintain distance between them. A degree of aloofness was becoming increasingly more vital to her well-being. She didn’t want to end up two days from now with her heart lost to Nick Ransome. He was everything she didn’t want in her life. Business rival. Ambitious, ruthless and into risks. She knew he had been in Special Forces, knew he had a reputation for doing as many wild things as his mountain-climbing brother, who had recently died in an accident.

With effort, she turned away. “Let’s finish this tour or the sun will set before we can swim. I like to see what I’m swimming in.” When he didn’t answer and silence stretched, she was compelled to glance back at him.

As soon as she turned, she found him watching her intently, that smoldering anger back in his expression. Comparing him to a shark was apt—he looked like a predator, a danger to her heart. She had to put distance between them. She didn’t trust his motives and his smooth talk. Seduction? The thought shook her, but she reminded herself that if she let him seduce her, she would probably regret it forever because her emotions would be entangled in the act while she was certain his would not.

“Are we going to continue the tour?”

“Sure,” he said and led the way below to his forward stateroom. In his stateroom, she stepped away from him while she gazed at the king-size berth, navy and white decor and mirrors on the bulkhead. Too clearly, she could imagine him sprawled out in that bed. The image of his broad, bare chest, lean length, hard muscles, flashed hotly, making her grit her teeth.

Drawing a deep breath, she turned to see two large hanging lockers, plush chairs and a desk.

“As you already know, your stateroom is luxurious and beautiful,” she said, glancing at him.

He stood with one shoulder braced against a bulkhead while he watched her. He shrugged lightly. “I don’t spend a lot of time in here. C’mon. I’ll show you the rest.”

She drew a quick breath. The yacht that had appeared so large and accommodating was shrinking with each passing hour. She suspected she and Nick would be together nearly every waking minute and the thought of spending the entire weekend near each other fueled her burning desire.

More aware of Nick than her surroundings, she followed him while he showed her the salon where sunlight streamed in through portholes. He had a game room with a pool table and a plasma television.

When they finished the tour, she returned to her cabin to change to her swimsuit, a black two-piece cut inches below her waist, high over each thigh. It was no more revealing than what many other women wore, but now she longed for a one piece that covered as much of her as possible. The expanses of bare flesh she was presenting would be a come on to Nick.

Why had this weekend seemed such a good idea when she had been alone at home? At that time, she hadn’t factored in the scalding response she had to Nick, a reaction that heightened steadily.

“He’s just another man and one you don’t like very much anyway,” she whispered to herself, yet she knew that wasn’t true. But he wasn’t just another man, and while he angered her, he also appealed to her.

Plaiting her hair into one thick braid, she studied herself in a mirror, turning first one way and then another, knowing she was locked in a contest of wills with him. The outcome of their battle would probably be determined this weekend, no matter what transpired between their lawyers. This was one struggle she intended to win, and the unwanted steamy attraction between her and Nick wasn’t going to get in her way or defeat her.

He was a sexy male with a strong liking for women, so he was approachable. She intended to win him over without selling her soul—or her body—to do it.

“You’re playing with dynamite,” she whispered to herself.

She could resist him because their families had feuded for generations. Her granddad despised Nick, his brother, his father and his grandfather when he had been alive. With that history, she could withstand Nick Ransome’s charm. She just hoped he couldn’t resist cooperating with her.

She wondered what the evening would bring as she went to join him, feeling as if she were diving into water that held a shark.

Her conscience told her that Nick would never resort to a shark’s tactics. He would never attack and devour. There was never need to. Nick’s appeal was the most dangerous kind of all to resist—pure seduction.