He lathered his hair and thought of something more pleasant than his impending conversation with his parents. A vivid image of the woman who had come to his office earlier that day filled his thoughts.
His first view had been her cute little ass waving in the air as she’d been on her knees digging for something beneath a chair. Her skirt had ridden up, revealing tight thighs he’d wanted to run a hand between. He closed his eyes and images of her brought a lusty smile to his face.
He had a healthy sexual appetite, and he’d found Emily Harris very attractive. She was a small thing, shorter than his usual taste. He pictured how easily it would be to lift her so she could wrap her legs around him as he thrust up into her.
There had been nothing suggestive about their meeting, but his cock hardened with anticipation as he replayed their exchange in his mind. Women didn’t normally stand up to him, and she had done so fearlessly.
When she’d stood there, her eyes flashing and chest heaving, he’d found himself in the unique situation of wanting a woman who appeared to have no interest in him personally. He stepped out of the shower, dried off, and called a member of his team who handled security checks. It wasn’t unusual for him to obtain background checks on people he dealt with.
“How deep do you want us to dig?” his man asked him.
“I want everything,” Asher answered abruptly and hung up. Knowledge was power, and he didn’t have any problem using it to his advantage. He did hope, however, she didn’t give in to him too easily. He met his eyes in the mirror above the bathroom sink. It had been too long since he’d felt this type of anticipation about anything. He saw the light of excitement in his expression and shook his head in amusement.
Emily held the promise of being a tantalizing distraction. He liked that she was passionate about the little museum project she mentioned. If being with her was as good as his cock believed, he’d gift her a piece of property elsewhere, possibly even help her fund her museum. He’d always been a generous lover.
Women didn’t turn him down, and Emily would be no different. She was feisty and self-assured; he couldn’t wait to see how that translated in the bedroom. His bed to be specific.
Asher dressed in boxer briefs and lounge pants and heated the meal left for him by his housekeeper. He answered emails and read over a few documents in preparation for the next day. When he had no other excuse for delaying any longer, he called his mother. It was only after he’d dialed the number that he checked the time. Shit. It was nearly ten. His mother was probably already asleep, but she’d worry if she saw he’d called, so he stayed on the line.
“It’s late, Asher, but it’s good to hear your voice. You’ve been so busy lately. I miss you,” she said warmly.
Another mother might have said those same words with the intention of making her child feel guilty. Sophie Barrington never had an ulterior motive. She said it simply because she meant it. His mother was the most loving person he’d ever met. She put the happiness of others above her own. He’d like to admire that trait, but it had prevented her from being able to stop his father’s career from imploding. She’d given up, and he would never understand that decision. Still, that didn’t stop him from loving her. “Time got away from me, but I didn’t want to not call in case it was something important.”
“It could have waited, but I did want to speak with you. What did you think of Emily Harris?”
Nothing I could say to my mother, Asher thought. He pushed away the image of her perfectly rounded ass as she’d bent to retrieve something from beneath a chair in Ryan’s office. “Why do you ask?”
“Thank you for seeing her today. From the first time I heard it, her story moved me. Your father felt the same way.”
“How well do you know her, Mom?”
“Not very, but she spent this afternoon with us, and she is just as sweet and earnest in person as she sounded on the phone. I hated to see her leave. She gave us a painting her mother had made. It’s the most incredible thing. When you look at it, you miss the beauty of it. It’s all one color. But if you close your eyes and run your hands over it, it’s a masterpiece. I cried. Her mother was blind; did she tell you? Remarkable.”
Asher’s hand tightened on the phone. Although part of him was interested in what his mother knew about Emily, the protective son in him was instantly on high alert. “Mom, don’t see that woman again. She is trying to use you to get me to change my mind about buying her property in New Hampshire.”
His mother laughed. “I know. She told us. She’s not a hard nut to crack. We were her Plan B. How adorable is that? She told us all about how she went to your office and warned you that you couldn’t have her land. She also told us what you said. Asher, I raised you better than that. You could have at least promised to look into alternative sites.”
Asher paced the length of his living room and growled his displeasure. “This is business, Mom.”
“I know, and normally I wouldn’t get involved, but blocking a museum for the blind from opening? Really? Asher, I can’t stand back and condone that.”
“Her museum will open, but not at its present location.”
With a pained sigh, Sophie said, “Did you know that her mother gave her that property? It was passed down from her grandfather. When she told me about how she and her mother had created the core artwork for the museum together and what it meant to her, I knew I had to call you. You can’t buy her land, Asher. Find another site for your . . . whatever.”
“Not possible. My company has invested time and money into that location.”
“Asher Dale Barrington, how often do I ask you for anything?”
Fuck. Using his middle name meant his mother was serious. “All I can promise is that I’ll contact Ms. Harris and discuss the matter with her again.”
“Thank you, Asher. I’m confident that when you hear more about her project you’ll see why you’ll have to change your plans this time.”
“Consider this handled, Mom. There is no need for you to speak with Ms. Harris again.”
“I won’t get involved in your business again, Asher, but we did enjoy Emily’s company so much we invited her to spend the weekend at our place in Nantucket. She’s never been, and there are several resident artists there who could be potential donors for her museum. I’d love to help her acquire some rare pieces. She was so grateful when I mentioned the idea to her. Even your father is excited, and it’s good for him to have something to think about besides his health.”
Oh, Emily, I underestimated you.
He smiled. He liked the challenge she presented. A rush of anticipation filled him as he considered his next move with her.
Chapter Three
‡
Emily plopped into a seat across from Celeste in a small cafeteria on the first floor of her friend’s workplace. Celeste was stylishly dressed in a blouse and skirt that looked both casual and expensive at the same time. Emily was back in jeans and a T-shirt and down to seven acrylic nails. The salads they had both ordered looked mediocre at best, but that didn’t matter. It was so good to see Celeste again. Emily looked around the room. “So, do you still love Boston?”
Celeste took a sip of her water before answering. “I love what I do and being here makes sense. It’s definitely not Welchton, but that’s good in some ways.”
Shaking her head, Emily pushed her salad around the bowl. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“You’ve never gone anywhere, so how do you know?”
“That’s cold, Celeste. True, but cold,” Emily said with a smile.
“Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. And I’m sorry I rushed you off the phone last night. This latest project is killing me. I hate that I can’t drop everything to hang out with you.”
Emily shrugged. “You don’t have to entertain me, it’s just good to see you.”
“Same here. Okay, so spill about yesterday. You met with—Sophie and Dale Barrington? Is that what you said their names w
ere?”
Just thinking about it had Emily’s stomach churning nervously. How two of the sweetest people she’d ever met had produced someone like Asher was beyond Emily’s imagination. She pushed her salad away. “Yes. And they were so nice. I couldn’t lie to them.”
“Oh, my God, Em. What did you say?”
Despite cheeks that were warm with embarrassment, Emily tried to appear less mortified by her admission. Okay, so I’m not a sleuth, nor do I want to be. “I told them everything, including how I’d chosen a hotel near them as part of my Plan B.”
“You’re lucky they didn’t call the police.”
“They actually handled it really well. They asked me about a hundred questions then fed me a delicious lunch that will have me dieting for a week. They even invited me to spend the weekend at their beach house on Nantucket Island.”
Sitting back in her chair, Celeste shook her head in amazement. “You won them over. I didn’t doubt that part. Are you actually going away with them this weekend?”
Emily folded her napkin into a triangle and then folded it again nervously. “Am I crazy if I say yes?”
“The state of your sanity has already been established.” Celeste dug through her purse and pulled out a key. “But, if you’re going to do this, you might as well stay at my place until you go away with them. I made an extra key for my apartment. Bring your stuff over while I’m at work this afternoon if you want.”
Emily rushed out of her seat to hug Celeste. “Do you know how much I love you?”
Celeste hugged her back tightly. “Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”
Not as much as I’ve missed you. So much had changed in both of their lives over the past few years. Emily didn’t look back. She didn’t want to think about all she’d lost. Instead she put all of her energy into making the most of what she had left.
Returning to her seat, Emily pocketed the key and took a deep breath. “This could work, Celeste. I don’t want to get too optimistic, but Sophie and Dale were very supportive. They even said they’d talk to their son.”
Celeste’s eyes rounded. “I wonder how Asher Barrington will feel about that.”
Emily raised her chin defiantly. “It doesn’t matter as long as this works.”
Celeste shook her head slowly. “He’s not going to be happy you involved his family.”
Emily thought about the ease in which he’d dismissed how important her project was to her. “I wouldn’t have had to do it if he’d given me any other option. He didn’t care at all, Celeste. Maybe he’ll care now.” Emily’s cell phone rang and some of her confidence wavered when she saw the area code. “It’s a local number. Do you think it’s him?”
Celeste leaned forward. “Answer it.”
Emily braced herself mentally. “Hello?”
“You’ve been very busy, Ms. Harris. I’m impressed, but you’re playing a dangerous game.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Barrington.”
“Call my mother and tell her you’re sorry but you won’t be able to go to Nantucket this weekend.”
Emily took a deep breath. An unintentional, additional opportunity might have just presented itself. “If I do that, will you agree to stop trying to buy my land?”
His bark of laughter was insulting. “Do you honestly think you can blackmail me? Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?”
Emily closed her eyes briefly while she chose the perfect words to express the anger growing within her. “Your sense of entitlement is overshadowed only by your ego, Mr. Barrington. You don’t impress me. Nor do you scare me. Your parents are perfectly lovely people. They asked me to go away with them this weekend, and that is exactly what I plan to do.”
Asher uttered an expletive, then said, “I admire your tenacity, Ms. Harris. If you involved my family to get my attention, you have it, now stay the hell away from them. A car will pick you up tonight at six. Get in it.”
Emily mouthed to her friend. “He’s sending a car for me tonight. Is that good or bad?”
Celeste waved a hand in the air frantically. “Not good. You’re taking this too far, Em. Go back to New Hampshire, now. Forget about Plan B.”
Emily thought about what Celeste had said the day before. Nice wouldn’t win against Asher Barrington. I can make a stand now, or spend the rest of my life wishing I had. You are not getting my lunch money, Mr. Barrington. In a forceful voice, she said, “Until you change your mind, we have nothing to discuss and therefore no reason to see each other. Goodbye.” Emily put the phone on the table beside her salad and looked across at her friend.
“Holy shit,” Celeste said. “I don’t imagine many people speak to him that way.”
Emily picked up her fork and stabbed a tomato. “Maybe more people should. What an arrogant ass.”
Celeste reached across the table and took Emily’s hand in hers. “As proud as I am of you, Em, I’m worried. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. B&H has a reputation for crushing their competition. Asher’s not only rich, but he’s ruthless in business. I can only imagine what he’d be capable of if someone took him on personally. You may be putting yourself in real danger. Is it worth it?”
Emily put her fork down and straightened her shoulders. “My mother didn’t let anyone or anything stop her from doing what people told her was impossible. She could have given up, but she didn’t. I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if I didn’t fight for this.”
“Just be careful. Okay, Em?”
“Not this time.”
This time I intend to win.
During a videoconference, Asher was too distracted to listen to the updates from his team in California. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop thinking about Emily Harris.
He’d read over her background check repeatedly that morning. There was nothing in it that implied she was anything but a small-town girl who wanted to build a museum so far off the beaten track that not many were likely to visit it. Forcing her to relocate would be doing her a favor. He would have explained that to her over dinner if she’d agreed to meet with him.
Completely ignoring the staff around him, he shook his head in bemusement. Ms. Harris was as brash as she was stubborn. He didn’t know another woman, or many men for that matter, who would have spoken to him the way she had. He’d been irritated when he’d discovered Emily was trying to use his parents as leverage against him, but he had to admit watching her try to outmaneuver him was fascinating.
And invigorating.
He excused himself from the meeting and called her hotel. Just as he suspected, she was no longer staying there. He returned to his office and flipped her file open, scanning it until he found what he was looking for. Emily’s best friend lived in Boston. He made a quick call and said, “I want a full report on a Celeste Smithfield. Yes, it’s urgent. You have fifteen minutes.”
He paced his office in anticipation and admitted to himself that this was quickly becoming about more than a parcel of land. He didn’t want her around his parents, but it was about more than that, too. He wanted to see her again.
He wanted to know how a seemingly ordinary childhood had created a woman who was so passionate about a project she was willing to risk anything—even his wrath.
Did that kind of passion spill into other areas of her life? Would she be sexually shy and inexperienced or bold and skilled?
How many lovers would she have had?
Asher’s hands curled into fists at the idea of Emily with another man. He frowned. He would see her again. Thankfully his phone beeped with the information he needed to make that happen.
Chapter Four
‡
Waking early the next day, Emily knew she needed to do something to take her mind off the looming fate of her museum. With Celeste at work, she could either play tourist or slowly chew the last remaining fake nails off her fingers in boredom. In casual slacks and a T-shirt, Emily flopped on the couch with her phone to plan her day. She hadn’t visited Bost
on since Celeste had first moved there, but she remembered loving the variety of museums and restaurants. She’d stayed a week and had left feeling as if she’d only skimmed the surface of what the city had to offer. This time she only had one day and wanted to make the most of it. She made a list of art exhibits she wanted to see and planned her route to get to each.
The buzzer on the wall went off. Emily didn’t move at first. If it was Celeste, she had her own key or she’d use her cell phone to call up if she’d somehow forgotten it. Celeste hadn’t said she was expecting anyone. It could be a delivery. With that in mind, Emily went to the intercom beside the door and pressed it. “Hello? May I help you?”
“It’s Asher Barrington. Open the door,” Asher ordered.
Emily whipped her hand away from the intercom. She brought a hand to her mouth. How did he know I’d be here? She leaned her back against the door. Okay, stay calm. How doesn’t matter. He’s here. Maybe he wants to say he’s had a change of heart. She pressed the speaker on the intercom again. She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. “I told you we have nothing to talk about unless you’ve changed your mind.”
His tone remained infuriatingly authoritative. “I won’t discuss this while standing out here.”
Let me in. Let me in. Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin. She covered her mouth to stifle the nervous laughter her thought had inspired. He wasn’t a big bad wolf preying on her. He probably wanted to huff and puff and tell her again how important he was. She pressed the button to open the outer door then rushed to the hall mirror. She hadn’t put on makeup, and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. She looked away and told herself it didn’t matter. He wasn’t attracted to her nor did she want him to be.
She opened the door before he could knock and hoped that was a power move. Celeste’s apartment was on the third floor of a building without an elevator. Would seeing him reveal a slight weakness, like being slightly winded, be too much to ask? He wasn’t. Asher was a man in his prime. She hadn’t thought it was possible for him to look better than he had the first time she’d seen him, but khaki pants and a crisp white collared shirt accentuated the golden flecks in his hazel eyes.