Beyond Temptation. Brenda Jackson
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of my mother. She went on a field trip with her adult day care today and usually I would have heard from them by now letting me know that she didn’t fare well. With no phone call I’m hoping that means she had a good time.”
He nodded. “Where did they go?”
“The zoo. How was your trip out of town?”
Sensing her need to change the subject he said, “It was great. I had a business meeting with a friend named Cameron Cody. I believe you met him at both Chance’s and Bas’s weddings.”
She nodded as she took another sip of tea. “That’s the guy who tried to take over your company at one time, right?”
Morgan chuckled, which he did every time he was reminded of that. “Yes, he’s the one. In the end Cameron wasn’t successful in doing that, but he was in forging a friendship with all of us…at least everyone except Vanessa. She never got over it.”
“But you and your brothers did?”
“Yes. We couldn’t help but respect a man like Cameron, a self-made millionaire. Although he was determined to add the Steele Corporation to his list of acquisitions, he wasn’t ruthless about it. He’s a sharp businessman, and the four of us couldn’t help but admire him for it. After it was all over we all became good friends.”
“I get the feeling Vanessa doesn’t care for him much.”
Morgan smiled. “No, she doesn’t.” He decided not to mention that after spending time with Cameron in Atlanta this weekend it seemed they had the same intentions regarding finally taking matters into their own hands to start relentlessly pursuing the women they wanted.
“I’d better be going. I don’t want to take up too much more of your time,” Lena said, coming to her feet.
It was on the tip of his tongue to try his luck and ask her out again, but he knew like all the other times chances were she would turn him down. Besides, the key to his plan being a success was getting her to assume he was no longer interested in her.
“You’re not taking up any of my time unnecessarily. I like this place and want to make sure whoever buys it is worthy.”
He stood and then asked, “So what’s the next procedure?” He watched as she opened her folder.
“As far as this house goes, it’s as good as sold. It has too many strong points for it not to be a quick buy. All the expensive moldings, the marble in the bathrooms and the bathrooms period. They’re beautiful and spacious and you’re using all the cabinet space to the best advantage. This house is rather large for one person. You’re evidently someone who likes his space.”
He shrugged. “Not really. I don’t mind sharing my space with the right person.”
“Well, to answer your question,” Lena replied, “what’s next is the installation of a lockbox. You don’t have a problem with me showing your home when you’re not here, do you?”
He wasn’t crazy about the idea but knew he couldn’t tell her that. “No, I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Good. I’ll try to call before I drop by with anyone.”
“That’s fine. Do whatever you need to do.” He came around the table to stand in front of her. “I’ll walk you out since I need to leave myself. I have to drop back by the office to finish up some paperwork and then I’m expected to show up for dinner later at Bas and Jocelyn’s place.”
Lena smiled as she stood. “I can’t help but smile every time I think of how Bas talked Jocelyn in changing their wedding date from June to February.”
Morgan grinned. “Chase did the same thing with Kylie. Both Jocelyn and Kylie got cheated out of June weddings because of my eager brothers. I’m glad Jocelyn was able to finalize everything she had to do so she could move from Newton Grove to here permanently. Otherwise, we would have been tempted to ask Bas to take another leave of absence or he would have driven us all nuts.”
“They seem so happy.”
“They are, and so are Chance and Kylie. Marriage seems to agree with some people.”
“Well, yes, I’m sure it does.”
He watched how she quickly gathered up her belongings. He got the distinct impression that his closeness was bothering her. “I better get going,” she said.
“Okay, I’ll see you out.”
As he walked her to the door he said, “I’d like weekly updates. Will that be a problem?”
She glanced over at him. “No, that won’t be a problem. I’m checking on an area of homes a few miles from here. It’s a new subdivision but I don’t think the property is more than what you have now. You like a lot of land, don’t you?”
“Yes, more yard for my children to play.”
He could feel her gaze on him. “You want children?”
“Sure, one day. Don’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
He turned to her when they reached the door. “But what?”
“Umm, but nothing. I’ll see you later, Morgan,” she said, offering him her hand for a business handshake. “And I appreciate you allowing me to handle things for you.”
He glanced at her hand before taking it. “Like I said, you come highly recommended. One thing you’ll discover about me, Lena, is that I choose my business associates carefully.” As carefully as I choose my lovers, he decided not to add.
He saw the expression on her face the moment their hands touched. He also felt her response. Although she might wish otherwise, the chemistry between them was still there. He was tempted to lean in and kiss her. Take her mouth the way he’d thought of doing so many times. Once he slipped his tongue between her parted lips, there would be no stopping him. A kiss could be defined as friendly or intimate. Any kiss they shared would definitely be intimate.
The moment he released her hand she turned and he watched as she quickly began strolling down the brick walkway to her car, liking the sway of her hips as she did so. Today she was wearing another powerhouse business suit. This one was a mint green and brought out the rich brown coloring of her skin tone. Something else it brought out was the primal male inside him when he’d gotten close enough to notice she was also wearing a mint-green bra, which made him wonder what else under her clothes was the same color.
He sighed deeply as she pulled back out of his driveway. Part of his plan was to take things slow so she could get to know him, but all he could think about while sitting across from her at that table was speeding things up a bit, saying the hell with slow and taking her into his bedroom and making love to her like there was no tomorrow.
But he knew doing such a thing would only result in a satisfaction of overstimulated hormones and he wanted something a lot more out of a relationship with Lena. So for now the between-the-sheets fantasies had to take a backseat to what was really important, even if the waiting killed him, because everything he was doing now would be all worth it in the end.
Lena let out a deep breath as soon as Morgan’s home was no longer in sight. Talk about temptation, she thought, coming to a stop at a traffic light and pursing her lips. Each time her gaze had met his she had been tempted to reach across the table and trace her fingers across those delectable lips of his. That would have given her only a little contentment. What would really have satisfied the woman in her was to have plastered her mouth to his and kissed him the way she often thought of doing.
But that wasn’t all. She could vividly recall when he had shown her his bedroom. The moment she had seen the king-size bed with royal-blue satin sheets, an all-consuming need had spread all through her body. And when he had left her side to show how the remote to his window blinds worked, her gaze had devoured him, appreciating how his lean and firm thighs fit his designer trousers and how his broad, muscled shoulders fit the white