“Now, where were we before I left you all alone in the dark?”
He placed two fingers under Kacey’s chin.
“Right about here,” Kacey replied, pressing her body to his, not about to erect any barriers that would interfere with the raw, sexual awakening he’d stirred inside of her. Though shocked by the intensity of her need to be near him, she loved the sensation of isolation and privacy that descended on her as she stood in his arms.
Between the slow kisses that he placed on her exposed skin, his hands crept downward, moving along her spine until they clasped her buttocks in a firm caress and crushed her soft womanhood against his rigid sex, fusing them together like two pattern pieces perfectly joined at the seam.
Succumbing to his tantalizing move, Kacey opened her mouth and took his tongue deep into her mouth, letting his languid thrusts satisfy a thirst for Leon Archer that she felt might never be quenched.
ANITA BUNKLEY
is the author of many successful mainstream novels and novellas and is enjoys writing romance for her many fans. A member of the Texas Institute of Letters and an NAACP Image Award nominee, she is the recipient of a 2007 Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews. Anita lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Crawford.
Boardroom Seduction
Anita Bunkley
To my husband, Crawford, with love.
Dear Reader,
Living on the Texas Gulf coast means lots of sunshine, extremely hot summers and, of course, opportunities to swim nearly year round. However, I am originally from Ohio, where the winters are long and the summers are short, so I have experienced, and enjoyed, living in both climates. My inspiration for Boardroom Seduction is centered on the many differences between the urban East Coast lifestyle and the more relaxed Texas way of life, and how such differences impact a romantic relationship.
While preparing for this story, I thought about my own experiences when I first arrived in the Houston area. As I began to explore the unusual, wonderful aspects of the Texas coast, I fell in love with the climate, the food, the outdoor lifestyle and, of course, the people. Swimsuits are a big part of a woman’s wardrobe in this sun-splashed climate, so what better occupation for my heroine than a swimsuit designer? And so Kacey Parker was born!
As you travel between New York and Texas with Kacey and Leon, I hope you will feel the pain of their dilemma as they test their abilities to accept new worlds and learn to appreciate each other’s choices.
I hope you enjoy my fun-in-the-sun romance as we cross geographical borders and watch love blossom between two very talented and devoted characters.
Enjoy! If you want to drop me a line, please email me at [email protected].
Read with love!
Anita Bunkley
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 1
“And finally, here’s my showstopper. I call this one Sheer Double Dip,” Kacey Parker announced with pride, moving to stand beside the final photo in her PowerPoint presentation. She clicked the remote control and sent the image of a leggy model in a hot pink monokini and a dazzling bronze tan onto the screen. When the sultry image emerged, gasps of approval erupted from the two people seated at the conference table at Leeman’s Retailers, Inc.
“This is the only swimsuit in my SunKissed line that looks totally natural when dry, but becomes sexily opaque when wet,” Kacey went on, sliding her gaze toward Steve Hadley, eager to catch her boss’s reaction.
At least he isn’t frowning, and that’s good, Kacey decided, hopeful that she had impressed him enough to green-light her swimsuit designs for his chain of department stores.
“Hmm, see-through fabric?” Ariana Mendio, the vice president of merchandising for the upscale department store, murmured. “That’ll make for some stunning surprises when the ladies get out of the water,” she noted in her well-modulated Italian accent.
Kacey smiled in agreement, happy to have Ariana, who’d been with Leeman’s for eighteen years, on her side. The woman was an absolute fixture at the company and her opinion carried weight.
“Surprises? Absolutely,” Kacey agreed with a nod in Ariana’s direction. “The fabric is a new synthetic that designers are calling Naughty Net. It’s soft, durable and becomes extremely sheer when water hits it.”
Kacey took a deep breath, pleased, so far, with her presentation. She’d joined Leeman’s as a sales clerk eight years ago, and her warm personality and flair for design had helped her move into the position of director of special promotions. In that job, she’d gained valuable knowledge about what buyers wanted, expected and would pay dearly for. A competitive swimmer in college, Kacey especially loved working on promotional events in women’s sportswear and swimwear, where she enjoyed pulling together dramatic displays of the functional yet attractive apparel that drew customers’ attention.
However, as fulfilling and demanding as her current job was, once she left the store, she dedicated herself to her dream job—becoming a swimsuit designer. Over the past year she created her portfolio and when she showed it to Ariana, her coworker immediately took it directly to Steve Hadley, who was so impressed, he invited Kacey to show him more of what she could do.
“Is this fabric readily available?” Steve asked, jotting notes in the margins of Kacey’s portfolio.
“Right now, only from China,” she answered, wishing she had better news. “But it makes this one-piece the sexiest swimsuit any woman could ever want. Just look at the detail. The plunging neckline, low scooped back and high-cut legs.”
“Specialty fabrics could add thousands to production costs,” he mused as he flipped through Kacey’s proposal, a slight frown bridging his thick black eyebrows.
Kacey paused, inhaled and swallowed her apprehension, aware that her specs related to costs and materials would require a significant financial commitment at a time when upscale stores like Leeman’s were nervously watching the bottom line.
“I know,” she agreed. “However, I’m hoping to find better rates per unit in Thailand,” she acknowledged, setting aside her remote control. “I’m sourcing that now.”
Finished with her presentation, Kacey walked to the far side of the room and turned up the lights, allowing the Manhattan skyline to loom dark and gray in the expanse