But it meant focusing his business on sex. And working with Belle. Two things that he’d learned the hard way should never go hand in hand.
Mitch leaned back in his chair, both to show control and because he needed to put some distance between him and Belle’s hypnotic scent. He glanced at the Eventfully Yours contract, then gave her an assessing look through narrowed eyes.
“This plan has potential, I’ll give you that,” he acknowledged. “But I have to ask, what’s to keep me from handing you back this contract, unsigned, and running with the plan on my own?”
“Ethics, of course.” Belle’s look was pure, pitying amusement. “You’re one of the good guys, Mitch. You believe in helping others, not screwing them over.”
He pulled a face. Yeah, she had him there.
“Besides,” she continued as she studied her well-manicured nails, “you can’t pull it off without my contacts. At least, not to the level necessary to be the kind of success you’re looking for. And then there’s the fact that if you do try without me, I’d take the plan to three hotels and resorts within driving distance and offer them the same idea. People are going to try to copy you down the road, but if you lose the exclusivity right out of the gate, you’re guaranteed failure.”
Damn. So she was hell on wheels as a businesswoman. Mitch knew he should be disgruntled, but he only felt an odd sort of admiring pride.
She read the frustration on his face and laughed. With a wicked look, she leaned forward and patted his cheek.
“Don’t worry, you’ll love working with me. I’m…fabulous,” she purred. The innuendo made Mitch want to whimper.
“You realize if I give you this contract, sex between us is out of the question.” He tossed the words out like a drowning man going down for the last time. At least while they worked together, he amended in his head. He wasn’t stupid or delusional. He knew, sooner or later, they’d be doing the nasty. But he planned on calling the shots, and working together would make it much later than his body wanted.
“If that’s the way you want it,” she said agreeably. From the wattage of her smile, she was just as happy he’d issued the ultimatum. Damn her.
Mitch frowned, wondering if he’d miscalculated Belle. She came across as hot and sexy. Her nature, her demeanor and vibe were pure sensuality. Was it all an act? A hot front shielding a cold core? A tool to twist a guy by his dick so she could easily lead him around?
“You’re fine with that,” he clarified.
“Of course,” she said, sliding off his desk. With a quick twitch of her hand, she straightened her skirt and made sure her blouse was tucked into the wide leather belt circling her tiny waist. He clenched his teeth to keep from drooling as she bent over to pick up her bag, and wished like hell he’d refused outright to work with her.
He forced his gaze from her ass to the folder, contents and plans spread over his desk blotter. No, he couldn’t regret considering her for the job. Her take on the resort’s events and focus was the most dynamic he’d ever seen.
He could wish they’d done the dirty on the desk first, though. Mitch stifled a sigh and came around to the front of his desk to escort her out.
Belle turned to give him a wide smile and held out her hand. Seal the deal with a handshake, he supposed.
When he took her delicate palm in his, she dropped their hands so, enfolded, they rested on her hip. Then she closed the distance between them until her breasts were a hair’s-breadth away from his chest. Mitch’s erection returned, granite-hard.
Her gaze locked on his, Belle leaned forward. Up on her tiptoes, she used her breasts against his chest for balance. She wrapped one hand around the back of his neck and gave a gentle tug, pulling his mouth down to meet hers.
Both fascinated and turned on, Mitch let her take the lead. She was the most sexually confident women he’d ever met. Yet beneath it all, he sensed the same sweet vulnerability that had hooked him six years before. The sweetness, he knew, would be his downfall if he wasn’t careful.
Not willing to show her how strong her power was, he held himself still as her lips pressed, soft and lush, against his. His hands itched to pull her close, to press her tight against his body so he could feel her curves surrendering.
Then her tongue, so soft and seductive, traced the line of his mouth. A quick flick to the corners, a soft slide across his lower lip. Blood roared through Mitch’s head, drowning out all caution. When her teeth nipped, just a little, at his lip, he lost it.
His hands dove into her hair, holding her head still as his tongue took hers in a wild dance of pleasure. Slip, slide, intense and delicious, he gave way to the power of their kiss.
More, was all he could think. He had to have more.
He didn’t know if it was that desperately needy thought or the sound of his groan that pulled him back to sanity. Unable to do otherwise, knowing it would likely be his last chance to taste her for God knew how long, Mitch slowly ended the kiss.
With a moan of approval, Belle stepped away. Her eyes, blurry with desire, stared into his as she ran her tongue over her bottom lip and gave a sigh. Then her mouth curved in a smile that screamed satisfaction.
“You’ll give me the contract,” she assured him, her words a husky promise. “And we’ll have incredible sex. And in the end, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars you were smart enough to do both.”
Chapter 3
“I BLEW IT,” Belle insisted, pacing her office. The plush carpet warmed her bare feet as she stomped from one end of the room to the other. “I got so caught up in the sexual game, in wanting to show Mitch what he’d lost by wanting some business deal more than me, I lost sight of why I was there.”
“Chill,” Sierra said, ensconced behind Belle’s desk while working on a seating plan. “You haven’t blown it. Mitch is a by-the-book kind of guy. When he’s ready to reject both of your propositions he’ll have his assistant e-mail you.”
Despite her anxiety, Belle snorted and gave a rueful shake of her head. No patty-cake from Sierra, nope. The brunette shot from the hip, to hell with the fatalities.
“You think he’ll have his tidy little assistant send me a no-thanks-on-the-sex e-mail?”
“Nah,” Sierra said as she frowned at the sketch, then checked her guest list. “He’ll make it all businesslike. You know, something like, ‘I appreciate your time and creative proposal, but have decided it doesn’t suit my needs. As clever and inventive as your suggestions are, I don’t feel that’s the right direction to take at this time. Oh, by the way, I’m not hiring you for the event gig, either.’”
The rejection sounded so realistic, Belle almost rushed to her laptop to see if Sierra was reading it verbatim.
“Did you hear something?” she asked suspiciously.
Sierra just rolled her eyes.
“We’ve been friends since training bras and boarding school, and in all these years, I’ve never seen you turn stupid over any guy but this one,” Sierra pointed out. “Maybe we’d be better off if he does turn the deal down. I don’t think he’s good for you.”
“He tasted good,” Belle muttered. Tasted good, felt good, looked good. Her breath shuddered as she remembered how amazing his kiss had been. She’d only intended to prove a point, tease him a little. He’d been the one with the point, though. Hard and long, pressing into her thigh.
God, she was going crazy with wanting him.
“You’re doing it again,”