“Really?” I lifted my head and looked at him.
“Yes, really.” He smirked.
Taking in a deep breath, I picked up the phone.
“Hey, Rachel.”
“Hi, Fiona. I was wondering if you’d like to come over tonight for a home cooked meal?” she spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice.
I hadn’t seen her since after the funeral and, in a way, I kind of felt bad about it. She didn’t have any kids and all of her family lived in Florida.
“Sure. What time?”
“Wonderful.” Her voice perked up. “Is five o’clock good?”
“I will see you then.”
After hanging up with her, I lay my head back down on my desk, and once again, I was interrupted. But this time, it wasn’t Josh’s voice I heard.
“I see you’re hard at work,” Nathan spoke.
Lifting my head up, I couldn’t help but smile at the sexiness that stood before me. All six feet of him.
“I’m thinking.”
“Do you always think like that?” He took a seat across from my desk.
“Sometimes. Now what can I do for you, Mr. Carter?”
“Oh, I can think of a lot of things you can do for me.” He smirked. “Especially a little something that happened in the shower the other morning.”
“Shh! Do you want people to hear you?” I tightened my legs at the thought.
“Your door is shut. Nobody can hear us. Anyway, I was hoping that maybe you spent the day yesterday giving my proposal some more thought.”
“You gave me a week, Nathan.”
“I know. Maybe it was just an excuse to see you.” The corners of his mouth curved up into a smile.
“You could have just called and asked me to dinner.”
“I could have, but you probably would have turned me down.”
“You’re right, I would have. I’m having dinner with my stepmother tonight.”
“See, then it’s a good thing I dropped by.”
I gave him a small smile as I looked down.
“I have to get going. I have a business meeting.” He got up from his chair, walked over to me, kissed my forehead, and gave me a wink.
“Have a good day, Mr. Carter,” I shouted as he opened the door.
He stopped and turned around. “I already am.” He smiled.
Chapter 26
Fiona
Opening the door to my father’s house, I could somehow still feel his presence. I hadn’t been back here since the funeral. I told Rachel to call me when she was ready to pack up his things, but I hadn’t heard from her, so I assumed she wasn’t ready yet.
“Hi, Fiona.” Rachel walked into the foyer and hugged me.
“How are you doing?” I asked.
“Just when I think the days will get easier, they don’t. Dinner’s ready. Come sit down.”
“Rachel, did my father ever talk to you about the financial troubles Winslow Wines is having?”
“No. He never said a word. How bad is it?” she asked.
“Pretty bad. Actually, we’re on the verge of bankruptcy.”
“Oh no. I’m sorry.” She placed her hand on mine. “I had no idea. But then again, your father very rarely talked about the business with me. He left the business at the office the minute he stepped through that door.”
“Have you boxed up all his things yet?” I asked.
“No. I know I should, but I just can’t yet.”
“It’s okay. Just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll help you.”
After finishing dinner, I helped Rachel clean up and then stepped inside my father’s home office. I hadn’t been in here since before he passed away. Sitting down behind his mahogany desk, I ran my fingers along the roped edges and tears began to fill my eyes.
“What am I supposed to do, Dad? You left me with a mess and the only way out is to give someone else control of the company you built. I don’t want to disappoint you again, but I have no other choice.” A tear streamed down my cheek.
“Fiona?” Rachel softly spoke as she stepped inside.
Wiping the tear away, I got up and took in a deep breath.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she spoke as she walked over to where I was standing and wrapped her arms around me. “I miss him every day.”
“There’s an investor who wants to invest in Winslow Wines but with the stipulation that he takes controlling interest in the company and I don’t know what to do.” I took a seat behind my father’s desk.
“If the company is in that much trouble, it sounds like you don’t have a choice,” she spoke. “Listen, Fiona, you father didn’t plan on dying when he did and he certainly didn’t want you to take on the burdens he was facing. That wasn’t his intention when he appointed you CEO. If you’re worried about disappointing him, don’t be. If this is the only way to save the company, then you need to do what’s best for you and Winslow Wines. That’s what your father would want.”
“Maybe you’re right. Thanks, Rachel.” I gave her a small smile. “I should get going.”
“Thanks for having dinner with me. Don’t be a stranger, okay?” She grabbed hold of my hand.
“I won’t.”
As I was getting into my car, my phone rang and it was Lydia calling.
“Hello.”
“Please tell me you still aren’t at the office or at home in your pajamas.”
I let out a light laugh. “No. I just left Rachel’s house. We had dinner.”
“Oh good. Please say you’ll go with me to Palomino’s? I’m dying for their Palomino burger and since you already ate, you can get those Sicilian donuts you love so much.”
“Are you having a craving that bad?” I sighed.
“Yes, and I’d ask my boyfriend, but—oh wait, I don’t have one.”
Rolling my eyes, I agreed to meet her there.
“I’ll call right now and reserve us a table,” she spoke with excitement.
“Okay. I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”
Stepping inside the restaurant, I told the hostess I was meeting Lydia and she immediately took me over to the booth where she was already sitting.
“Sorry. Traffic was a bitch from Rachel’s house.”
“It’s okay. I already ordered my burger and your donuts.” She smiled. “I’ll be right back. I have to use the bathroom.” She got up.
I sat there, sipping on my drink and looking around when I caught the back of a man’s head sitting at a table across the restaurant. I’d swear it was Nathan. I knew that hair and corporate suit anywhere. He wasn’t alone. Sitting across from him was a redhead. I had to be sure it was him before I let myself get all worked up. But how? I couldn’t very well walk up to the table and make a fool of myself if it wasn’t. Think. Think. Think. I sent a text message to my friend Lenny.
“Lenny. I need to track where someone is.”
“Have I taught you nothing, Fiona? I’ll send you the link to an app to download. If the person you’re looking for has a cellphone on them, all you have to do is type in the number and the location of where this person is at will pop up on a map.”
“Thanks, Lenny. I owe you.”
“You’re welcome, and no, you don’t.”
I downloaded the app and entered Nathan’s number.
“What are you doing?” Lydia asked as she sat down.
“Tracking Nathan.”
“Huh? Why?” she asked with a twisted face.
“Because I’m almost positive that man sitting over there across from the redhead is him.”
“Where?” She whipped her head around.
The map opened up and, sure enough, he was here. That was him. I swallowed hard and my heart started to skip several beats.
“It is him.”
“Oh,” Lydia spoke.
Our waitress walked over and set our food down in front of us. Suddenly, I didn’t want the donuts anymore. My belly felt sick and I just wanted to go home, but for Lydia, I didn
’t tell her that.
“So, like, you seem upset,” Lydia said as she took a bite of her large burger.
“Who me? I’m not upset,” I lied. “We aren’t anything. We had sex a few times and that’s it. So what if he kisses my forehead every time he sees me. So what that he took me to dinner in San Francisco. So what if he flew to Paso Robles just to see me. So what if he invited me to his party on his yacht and so what if we have sex every single time we’re together!” I spoke through gritted teeth as I shoved a donut with chocolate sauce in my mouth.
“Yep. You’re upset and I don’t blame you. Go over there and tell him off.”
“No. I can’t. It isn’t any of my business who he sees. Like I said, we aren’t anything.”
The fact that he was going to ask me to dinner until I told him that I was going to Rachel’s and then asked another woman infuriated me. He quickly reminded me what a player and a womanizer he really was. And a redhead? Seriously? Fucker. How the hell was I supposed to tell him that I was accepting his proposal for Winslow Wines? He was the last man on earth I’d want to get into business with. But I had no choice. It was either swallow my pride or close the doors forever, leaving people out of work and with no pension. Not to mention that an investigation could be launched.
Nathan and the redhead got up from their chairs and began to walk our way.
“Shit! He’s coming this way.” I quickly got under the table so he wouldn’t see me.
This was ridiculous. Why was I behaving this way? So what if he saw me? Then he’d have to come up with some quick excuse. Or maybe he wouldn’t have an excuse and he wouldn’t care if I saw them together. Either way, I was staying under the table until he was gone.
“They’re gone.” Lydia peeked under the table at me.
I let out a deep breath as I climbed out and back into my seat.
“Is everything okay?” the waitress asked as she walked by and saw me.
“Yeah. I dropped my contact.” I casually smiled. “I’m accepting his proposal.” I looked at Lydia.
“What? Why?”
“I have no choice. It’s either that or shut down the company and go to jail for what my father did.”
“Oh, Fiona. I’m sorry.” She pouted.
“It’s fine. From here on out, there will be no more Nathan Carter in my personal life. Only in my business life and I intend to keep the two very separate.”
“I think in order to do that, you need therapy.”
Shoving another donut in my mouth, I spoke, “I know. Do you know anyone?”
Chapter 27
Nathan
After dropping Kylie off, I headed home and straight into my office to do some work. I poured a scotch and took a seat behind my desk, trying to concentrate on the contracts that needed to be looked over. But the only thing I could think about was Fiona. As I was in deep thought, my phone dinged with a text message from her.
“We need to meet tomorrow morning concerning the proposal.”
“Okay. You’ve made your decision already?”
“Yes. When can you meet?”
I looked at my schedule for tomorrow and I was pretty much open all morning.
“How about nine o’clock? Unless you would like to meet now?”
“Nine is fine and no.”
I frowned because I sensed an attitude coming from her.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow morning. I hope you enjoyed your dinner with your stepmother.”
I waited and no response came from her. What the hell was her problem? I sighed as I got up from my desk, grabbed my keys, and headed over to her place. I wasn’t standing for any attitude from her, plus, I wanted her and I wasn’t taking no for an answer. If she was mad at me about something, there would be no way she’d answer the door, so I had to devise a plan. I looked at my watch and noted that the florist was still open.
“May I help you, sir?” the older woman behind the counter asked.
“I need the biggest floral arrangement you have.”
“Okay. Follow me to the cooler and I’ll show you a couple.”
Following her, I picked out one with a mixture of all different kinds of exotic flowers.
“Is your delivery person still here?”
“We’re just getting ready to close, so I’m sorry, they can’t be delivered tonight.”
“It’s not an option.” I pulled out my wallet and handed her a hundred-dollar bill. “I’m sure your delivery person would like to make a hundred dollars right now.”
“Seriously?” She frowned.
“Yes. Seriously.”
“Teddy,” she yelled.
A moment later, a young man, who had to be at least six foot four, came from the back.
“This gentleman would like you to deliver these flowers. He’s including a hundred-dollar tip.”
“Sure thing.” He smiled.
Walking with him to his delivery truck, I handed him Fiona’s address.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I smiled.
“No, thank you, sir.”
We both arrived at Fiona’s house at the same time. I stood to the side while he rang the doorbell.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“I have a flower delivery for a Miss Fiona Winslow.”
I could hear the clicking of the locks and then the door opened.
“Oh my gosh, how beautiful and big.”
“I can bring it inside for you,” the delivery guy spoke.
“No thank you. I can take them.”
Good girl.
“Let me help you.” I smirked as I stepped from the side and in front of her door.
“Nathan, what the hell?”
I took the arrangement from her and walked inside, setting them down on the dining room table.
“Are those from you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I sensed an attitude in your text messages and I didn’t like it.”
My cock was already on the rise just by standing there and staring at her in the satin robe she wore.
“So you had a delivery guy deliver the flowers for you even though you were coming over?”
“Yep. I sure did. I knew with your attitude, you probably wouldn’t have answered the door if you knew it was me.”
“Aren’t you on a date or something?” she asked with an attitude as she walked past me.
“No. Why would you ask me that?”
“Never mind. Please just leave. I’m tired.”
“No. I’m not leaving, Fiona. What did you mean by that?” I asked as I lightly took hold of her arm.
“I saw you tonight at Palomino with a redhead!” she yelled.
The corners of my mouth curved upwards as her jealousy turned me on. I pulled her into me without even offering an explanation, as my cock was now standing at full attention, and smashed my mouth against hers. At first, she tried to pull away but then stopped resisting as soon as my fingers traveled up her short silk robe, pushed her panties to the side, and dipped inside her. She gasped and so did I when I felt the wetness emerge from her.
“Do you want me to stop?” I whispered.
“No,” she replied breathlessly.
With my fingers still inside her, I led her to a bare wall, which was perfect for me to fuck her. Untying her robe with my free hand, I slid if off her shoulders and let it drop behind her. She was wearing a short pink nightie that I found incredibly sexy. So sexy that I wanted to fuck her in it. Our lips met again as my hands roamed up and down her body, while hers tugged at my belt. Hooking my fingers around the sides of her panties, I took them down. Taking my shirt over my head, I threw it across the room as she successfully took my pants down, releasing my throbbing cock that couldn’t wait to be inside her.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” I spoke in a low voice as I took her arms and held them above her head with one hand.
Our lips locked together as I thrust into her, making sure my cock was buried deep inside. Breakin
g our kiss, my tongue slid down the front of her neck and swept over her breasts, which were lightly covered by her nightie, leaving my imagination to run wild. She panted as I moved rapidly in and out of her. Letting go of her wrists, I placed both of my hands under her ass and held her firmly as she wrapped her beautiful long legs around my waist and I buried my face into the side of her neck.
She swelled around me and let out several moans as her legs tightened and she had an orgasm. There was no holding back as I thrust one last time, my moans heightened by the warmth that enveloped me. My cock exploded deep inside her. After our racing hearts calmed, I pulled out of her and gently set her down. Our eyes locked onto each other’s and not a word was spoken. After pulling up my pants, I slipped my shirt back on, kissed her forehead, and headed towards the door.
“By the way, that woman you saw me with tonight, her name is Kylie and she’s my assistant. It’s her birthday today. I was supposed to take her to lunch, but I got held up in a meeting, so I took her to dinner instead. She used to be a brunette but decided to become a redhead as of yesterday. Next time, just ask me instead of getting an instant attitude.” I winked. As I opened the door, I looked at her once again. “I thought you had dinner at your stepmother’s house?”
“I did. I was having dessert with Lydia,” she softly spoke.
“I hope you enjoyed it. Have a nice night, Miss Winslow, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” I smiled as I walked out the door.
Chapter 28
Fiona
I stood there, unable to move myself away from the wall, my body still tingling from him and my mind in a chaotic state of passion. His assistant? I bit down on my bottom lip with a small smile. Grabbing my robe and panties from the floor, I walked over to the beautiful flower arrangement he gave me and took in the different scents that radiated from them. I had a problem. I gave in to him before I knew he was with his assistant. I didn’t mean to, but my body wasn’t about to turn him away. It craved him, every inch of him. How long could this go on for? I was getting myself in deeper every day and soon it would be impossible to keep my personal life and business life separate. As long as he was around, there couldn’t be a separation, and now, my life and my head were royally fucked.