you. And you look nice yourself.”
When he lifted a skeptical brow he saw her smile widen, and then she said, “You do look nice. I thought that the first time I saw you.”
“That night on the beach?”
“No, that day you checked in to the hotel. I happened to notice you and immediately knew by the way you were dressed that you were an American businessman.”
He nodded, not wanting to get in to all the other things that he was, especially when his conscience was getting pinched. He decided to change the subject. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“I am.” She glanced around and saw the table. “They’ve delivered already?”
Freeing his hands from his pockets, he moved away from the door to cross the room to where she stood. “No, they’ve just set up everything. I didn’t want to take the chance of ordering something you didn’t like.”
He reached for the menu he had placed on the table. “You want to take a look?”
She shook her head. “No, I have every entrée on it memorized.”
He chuckled. “I’m impressed.”
She grinned. “Just one of my many skills. And if I may …”
“And you can.”
“Then I would recommend the Salvador. It’s a special dish that’s a combination of lobster, fish, crawfish and various other seafood that’s stewed and then served over rice.”
“Sounds delicious.”
“It is, but I have to warn you that it’s kind of spicy.”
A smile curved his lips. “I can handle a little bit of spicy. And please make yourself comfortable while I phone room service.”
Cassie placed her jacket across the back of the sofa and sat, crossing her legs. She hadn’t missed the look of male appreciation in Brandon’s eyes when he had opened the door. His already dark gaze had gotten darker and his seductive look had sent heat flowing through her body.
Deciding she needed to cool down, she glanced around. The layout of this suite was similar to one she used whenever she stayed overnight at the hotel. However since hers was an executive suite, it was slightly larger and also had a kitchen, although she never used it.
“Our dinner will be delivered in about thirty to forty-five minutes,” he said, sitting on the sofa beside her and shifting his position to face her. “So, how was your day?”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Crazy. Hurricane Melissa can’t seem to make up her mind which way she wants to go, so we’re taking every precaution. Just yesterday she was headed north, but now she’s in a stall position as if trying to decide if she really wants to go north after all. We had a number of people who decided not to take any chances and have checked out of the hotel already.”
Brandon nodded. He’d been keeping up with the weather reports as well and understood her concern. Being a native of Miami, he had experienced several hurricanes in his lifetime, some more severe than others. Earlier that day he had spoken with his secretary, Rachel Suarez. A Cuban-American, Rachel had been working for his firm for over thirty years, and had started out with his father. When it came to handling things at the office she could hold her own—including the possibility of an oncoming hurricane.
“And if the hurricane comes this way I’m sure your staff knows what to do,” he said, tempted to ease over toward her and run his hands up her legs to see how far up her boots went.
“Trust me, they know the drill. Every employee has to take a hurricane awareness course each year. It prepares them for what to do if it ever comes to that. Dad mandated the training after we went through Hurricane Andrew.”
Brandon remembered Hurricane Andrew, doubted he would ever be able to forget it. It had left most of Miami, especially the area where he had lived, in shambles. “Well, hopefully Lady Melissa will endure a peaceful death before hitting land,” he said mildly.
He then asked, “Would you like anything to drink while we wait? How about a glass of wine?”
“That would be nice. Thanks.”
He stood and Cassie watched as he did so. She watched him walk across the room, thinking he was so sinfully handsome it was a shame. His gray trousers and white shirt were immaculate, tailored to fit his body to perfection. Last night he had done the gentlemanly thing and had stopped anything from escalating further between them, and after he had left her home she had felt grateful. Now she felt a sense of impending loss. He would be leaving tomorrow and chances where they would never see each other again.
For the past two days she had felt alive and in high spirits, something she hadn’t felt in the last five months—and all because of him. He hadn’t pushed for an affair with her. In fact when he’d had a good opportunity to go for a hit, he had walked away. Had he exerted the least bit of pressure, she would have gladly taken him into her bed. There had never been a man who’d had her entertaining the idea of a casual fling before. But Brandon Jarrett had.
“Here you are.”
She looked up. Their gazes connected and she reached out to take the wineglass he offered, struggling to keep her fingers from trembling. “Thanks.” She immediately took a sip, an unladylike gulp was more like it. She needed it. The heat within her was intensifying.
“You okay?”
She favored him with a pleasing smile. “Yes, I’m fine.” She held on to the look in his eyes and then asked, “And are you okay?”
He returned her smile. “Yes.”
She lowered her head to take another sip of her drink, trying to ignore the towering figure standing in front of her. She sensed his movement away from her, but refused to lift her head just yet to see where he had gone. Moments later when she did so, she drew in a quick breath. He was standing across the room with a wineglass in his hand, leaning against the desk and staring at her. Not just staring, but he seemed to be stirring up the heat already engulfing her. Then there were pleasure points that seemed to be touching various parts of her body. She was a sensible woman but at the moment she felt insensible, deliriously brazen. She knew what she wanted but inwardly debated being gutsy enough to get it. But then, as awareness flowed between them, she was compelled to do so.
With his eyes still holding hers, she stood and slowly began crossing the room to him. His strength, as well as his heat, was filtering across to her, touching her everywhere, and putting her in a frame of mind to do things she’d never done before. He watched her every step, just as she watched how the darkness of his eyes did nothing to cloak the desire in his gaze. It was desire that she felt in every angle of her body, in every curve and especially in the juncture of her legs. Especially there.
When she reached him she stood directly in front of him, still feeling his strength and heat, and still radiating in desire. With great effort she held on to the wineglass in her hand, needing another sip to calm her nerves, to quench her heat.
She lifted the glass to her lips and after taking a quick sip, Brandon reached out and took the glass from her, leaned in and placed his lips where the glass had been.
Brandon’s
