she leaned back in her chair as she continued to stare at her friend. “I appreciate your concern, Creed. But I’m a grown woman and perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I can take care of myself.”
As if cognizant of the line he was about to cross with their friendship, he walked to the door, then turned back to face her. “I realize you think you know what you’re doing. But becoming involved with Blake Fortune would be a huge mistake.”
“That may be,” she said, careful to keep her voice as even as her emotions would allow. “But it’s my mistake to make, Creed. Not yours.”
He looked as if he’d like to argue the point further, then giving her a short nod, he warned as he walked out, “Just be sure to watch yourself around him, Sasha.”
Long after Creed had left her office, she continued to stare at the open doorway. She was having a difficult time believing that they’d been talking about the same man.
She’d spent the weekend with Blake and found him to be nothing like the man Creed described. If Blake was selfish, she hadn’t seen it. With her, he’d been kind, caring and extremely attentive. Her body heated in a very interesting way as she remembered just how much attention he’d given her.
After learning that she’d come to his bed a virgin, he couldn’t have been more gentle or understanding. He’d not only been sensitive to the tenderness of her body and her lack of experience, he’d assured her pleasure before his own. That certainly negated Creed’s claim that Blake was self-centered.
And after watching him interact with his employees and guests, it was easy to see why he’d been so successful with his venture into the gaming industry. Although he demanded his employees give one hundred and ten percent to their jobs, he’d earned their loyalty and respect by asking nothing more of them than he was willing to give himself. That didn’t sound like a man who took advantage of others.
As she sat there contemplating why Creed felt the way he did about his brother, Blake entered her office and closed the door. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him and she couldn’t believe how much she’d missed being with him in such a short time. After flying back to Sioux Falls together on his private jet that morning, they’d parted ways at the airport. And while she’d returned to work, Blake had gone to his family’s estate to visit his sister, Skylar.
But something about his expression warned her that things might not have gone well. “Was everything all right at home?”
“I’m not sure.” He walked around the desk, pulled her to her feet and kissed her until they both gasped for breath. Then sitting in her chair, he settled her on his lap. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
They sat in contented silence for several long moments and she could tell he was troubled by something. “What happened?”
He shrugged one broad shoulder. “As usual, Dad and Patricia were off somewhere doing whatever retired couples do.”
Nash Fortune had handed over the reins of his thriving enterprise to his oldest sons, Creed and Case, a couple of years before Sasha had come to work at Dakota Fortune. But she’d met the elder Fortune and his third wife on several occasions and marveled at how devoted they were to each other.
“They certainly seem to be making the most of his retirement,” she agreed. “But what about Skylar? Wasn’t she at home?”
Blake looked pensive as he nodded. “Yeah, but only in body.”
“Excuse me?”
“She was there, but her mind was clearly somewhere else,” he said, frowning. “I’ve never seen her so quiet.”
Knowing Skylar Fortune from the social and family events she’d attended with Creed, Sasha found it hard to believe that the youngest of the Fortune siblings could be even more reserved than usual. “Do you think she might be ill?”
“I don’t think so,” he said thoughtfully. He chuckled. “If her appetite is any indication, she’s as healthy as one of her horses. She’s gained so much weight lately that you never see her in anything but baggy sweaters or sweatshirts.”
“Do you know if she’s been seeing someone?” Sasha asked.
He looked confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”
She smiled. Like most men, Blake didn’t have the slightest clue the effect a failed relationship could have on a woman. Or what it sometimes compelled her to do.
“Skylar might be nursing a broken heart.” She kissed his lean cheek. “Nina in accounting told me that after her breakup with her fiancé, she gained twenty pounds in a month because she went home every night after work and ate a pint of double-fudge chocolate-chunk ice cream.”
He was silent a moment before an understanding expression crossed his handsome features. “I do remember seeing Skylar and Zach Manning at Case’s wedding reception a few months back. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but I think there was something going on between them.”
“Isn’t he from New Zealand?”
Blake nodded. “He and our cousin, Max, have partnered up to start a horse-breeding operation in Australia and they’ve been over here a couple of times to check out Skylar’s program.” He gave her a smile that caused an exciting little tingle to traverse the length of her body. “But I don’t want to discuss Zach Manning, his plans to breed horses or the sorry state of my little sister’s love life.”
A spark of heat ignited deep in the pit of her belly as Sasha stared at the man she’d fallen in love with. “What do you want to discuss?” She feigned thoughtfulness. “World affairs? The state of the economy? The price of tea in China?”
“None of the above,” he said. “In fact—” he brushed his lips over hers “—I prefer action over words.”
When his mouth settled on hers, Sasha decided that she did, too. They could talk on the phone after he returned to Deadwood sometime tomorrow. Right now, she was in Blake’s arms and from the promise in his heated kiss, having a conversation was the last thing either of them wanted.
“Let’s go to your place,” he suggested, pulling back to capture her gaze with his.
“I just got here,” she said, feeling as if the temperature in the room had risen a good ten degrees. She could feel his rapidly changing body against her thigh and it was creating an answering heat in the most feminine part of her. “And I really should tie up some loose ends on a project from last week.”
Groaning, he took a deep breath as he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve always admired a strong work ethic, but right now, I’d have to say I think it’s a pain.”
She smiled, then gave him a quick kiss and rose to her feet. “I said I had a few things to take care of. I didn’t say that it would take me the rest of the afternoon.” Tugging on his hand, she urged him out of her chair. “I should be ready to leave in about an hour. Do you think you can find something to occupy your time until then?”
“I can’t hang out here in your office with you?” he asked as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her to him.
She
