Page 14 of Executive Decision
She bit her lip, thinking what to say. I hung on her every word, just waiting to see if she’d take the bait. A guest we didn’t know entered and changed the conversation.
“Oh, shit!” She slapped her hand on the barter.
“What?”
“We didn’t say cheers, Cal!”
“You’re fun, Daph, like this, I mean. I am enjoying this version of you.”
“Well, I may have had some whiskey upstairs.” Daphne said.
Fuck. Staring at her little heart-shaped face in anticipation pained me. I found the strong urge to haul her upstairs and do terrible things. Only the worries about the fallout from another miscalculation restrained me. Apart from that, I was dumb, wanting to use a precious gift of time plus opportunity to worship every inch of my boss’s daughter.
I wrapped my arm around the back of her chair and whispered, “I may have had a bit with lunch. We’re in paradise. Why not?”
She shook her head, doubting me. “Are you not worried about all of this? The risk?—”
I leaned in and whispered, “Daph, the stakes are even higher than before, but we’re here alone right now. We get a chance to live it up, right?”
She flustered, playing with her hair. “Maybe you can live it up down here, but I am in Bridal Hell.”
“I think we both get a pass, Daphne.”
Daphne continued to deflect. “Sarah’s mom went totally apeshit about the seating charts for the rehearsal dinner. I’m all caught up there, and there are too many people. So, even if I want to enjoy a moment looking at the ocean, I cannot.”
It was a gift! I had one last comeback and it was my strongest yet.
“I have a great room, though. You’re welcome to crash there anytime.”
Daphne torturously sipped her drink.
She grinned mischievously. “Maybe I’ll let you show me around after I finish this drink?”
“What’s paradise if not the best place to misbehave?”
Her cheeks flushed, but she squeezed my knee, confirmingsomethingwas about to happen.
I had never wanted Daphne to drink something faster in my life. She slammed it like a good soldier and set the tumbler down definitively. The bartender quietly slid the check my way before I asked.
Check signed, I followed her obediently to the elevator, then picked the button to my tenth-floor room. I’d booked a suite with a sea view, massive shower, and great big bed I hoped was about to get some action. She followed me to my room, still silent, and walked in the room ahead of me. I marveled at how good her ass looked in this dress.
“So, where’s the tour?” Daphne asked. “Are you going to show me?”
“I promised the lady a tour and a tour she will get,” I chuckled. “This is the entry. That’s the bathroom. And that’s the bed.”
“You want to build an empire with a boutique real estate portfolio and that’s the pitch you give me, Cal?”
She had her father’s way of making something critical seem humorous.
“How did you?—”
“Remember, Dad talks about you all the time—in a way that annoys the shit out of my brothers—so I have heard about what youractualdreams are, Cal Markham. And I gotta hand it to you, you’re going to really anger your mom when you make that work for you.”
Her gaze lingered too long. Then, she turned on a dime and strode out to the balcony. The urge to unravel her overcame me. I shouldn’t want this.
I said, “Maybe, maybe not. But I’m a grown man and make my own choices. I avoided a real tour for two reasons. One, the view sells it better than I could. Two, we both know that’s not what we’re here for, princess.”
Daphne turned. “Cal, what are you on about? You’ll never get anywhere with me.”
