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  “Does a charity gala count as an emergency?” Jack asked drily. “No. Their logic was, well, he’s only a kid – he won’t remember it, anyway.”

  “That’s horrible,” I said slowly. I couldn’t imagine how it must have felt to have parents like that, and suddenly I felt so much pity for Jack.

  Jack shrugged. “I got used to it. They weren’t around the next year, either,” he added.

  “That’s so sad,” I said softly. I reached out and touched Jack’s hand.

  Jack shrugged. “I guess,” he said. “That’s why I love building resorts, you know?”

  I frowned. “I…I don’t see the link.”

  Jack laughed. “It’s because families go there,” he said. “On vacation. Don’t you love seeing families have fun?”

  I bit my lip and stared at Jack for a long moment. It hadn’t ever occurred to me that there was a sentimental reason behind his love of resorts – I’d merely assumed that he’d only done it for the money. But looking at Jack now, I could tell that he truly meant what he was saying. There was a sparkle in his eyes that I’d never seen before, and for a moment, he looked younger – almost innocent.

  “Yeah,” I said after a long pause. “I do that.”

  Chapter Eight

  Jack

  When Adele and I got to the Hotel St. Charles, I checked us in. I’d booked two rooms. As much as I’d only wanted to book one, I had a feeling Adele would go nuclear. So, instead, I’d gotten myself the penthouse suite and her a smaller room on the floor below. Maybe she’ll like the penthouse so much she won’t even go to her room, I thought with a smirk as I handed her the keys.

  “What are you doing?” Adele frowned. “Don’t you want to get to work?” She rummaged in her bag and came up with a pair of sunglasses and a bottle of sunscreen. “I thought we could maybe take a walk through the woods and find Franchot’s development.” She gave me a sneaky smile. “I even brought a camera.”

  “Smart girl,” I said. I checked my watch. “I have a meeting with my shareholders, so why don’t you relax today?” I glanced outside. “It’s beautiful – you should go to the beach.”

  Adele smiled. “I could bring my laptop and get some work done,” she said. “That dissertation isn’t going to write itself.”

  I grinned. I’d never met a woman like Adele – she was as much of a workaholic as me!

  “You should really take the time to relax,” I told her. “Trust me – Franchot isn’t going anywhere.”

  Adele gave me a rueful smile. “Except prison,” she muttered under her breath as she walked past me toward the bank of elevators. I couldn’t help turning around and staring at her ass. Even though she was only wearing a pair of faded jeans, she looked fantastic.

  I went upstairs and took a quick shower, then called Chris and put him on speakerphone.

  “What? You’re not coming into the office today?” Chris called. “We have good news, Jack!”

  “Nah, I’m in Nassau,” I said. “I decided to come down and start planning.”

  Chris laughed. “Well, then you’re going to be very happy when I tell you that your idea – bungalows and all – was approved by the board. We’ve got eighty million to play with, and that’s just the preliminary cash!”

  I flopped down on the bed and grinned. “That’s excellent news!”

  “Yes, I rather thought you’d be pleased,” Chris replied. “So, how is Nassau?”

  I looked out the window and pictured it: my own luxury development, right on the water, big and beautiful enough to put the Hotel St. Charles – and Franchot – out of business before they could say ‘boo.’

  “It’s beautiful,” I said. “And I have a great feeling about this. Thanks for going to bat for me.”

  “Not a problem,” Chris replied. “When you get back, we should all sit down and have some face time – there are a lot of specifics we’ll want to go over. Nassau has a lot of restrictions when it comes to building.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I said, not even thinking about Chris’s words. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

  We said our goodbyes, and I hung up, feeling ridiculously excited. In the old days, I would’ve gone down to the hotel bar and tried to find the first available girl. But oddly, right now, that wasn’t appealing. All I wanted to do was find Adele and tell her about my big victory.

  Adele wasn’t in her room. Frowning, I stood there, feeling like an idiot. Then I looked outside at the beach and remembered my suggestion. I grinned as I went back to my room, changed into my trunks, and walked out to the beach.

  Adele was sitting in a lounge chair, under a giant umbrella. She didn’t have her laptop, but there was a book resting in her lap.

  “Hey,” I said as I flopped down in the sand next to her. “What’s going on?”

  Adele looked surprised to see me. Her freckles had already started to deepen despite the large umbrella overhead, and she looked amazing in a modest bikini. Her body was shining in the sun from the sunscreen, and her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. She looked more like a beach bunny than a serious Ph.D. student, but I wasn’t complaining. The bikini made her tits look excellent, and suddenly all I could think about was ripping her top off and sucking on her hard nipples until she screamed with pleasure.

  “I’m reading,” Adele said. She pointed to the book. It was a non-fiction book about an environmental activist, and I rolled my eyes.

  “You need to take a vacation,” I informed her. “Like, right now.”

  “I’m sitting on a beach, aren’t I?” Adele gave me a wry smile. “I’m not sure what else I could do.”

  I laughed. “I have good news,” I said, leaning in close.

  Adele grinned. “You already found something on Franchot? I knew I shouldn’t have come to the beach!” She started to get up and put her book away.

  “No,” I said, reclining back in the sand and grinning. “My development was approved. Can you believe it?”

  Adele stared at me. “Are you serious right now?”

  I narrowed my eyes and frowned. “Well, yeah,” I said. “My shareholders just called me and told me the news.”

  “I can’t believe you,” Adele said hotly. She flopped back into her chair and glared at me.

  “What? What the hell did I do,” I asked sharply. “Why are you so pissed?”

  “Because, Jack,” Adele snapped. “We are here to defeat Franchot, not build some stupid development! How can you focus on Franchot when you’re going to be distracted by your own work?!” Her face was red, and her lips were pressed together into a thin, angry line. “I can’t believe you're so selfish!”

  I blinked. “This has nothing to do with Franchot,” I said.

  “I know!” Adele said loudly. She was practically yelling by now, and other people on the beach were staring at us. “Jack, I can’t believe you!”

  “Look, I’m a businessman – have you forgotten that?” I asked with exasperation. “Look, I know you’re bent on destroying Franchot, and I swear, we will.”

  “Yeah, as soon as you make as much money as possible,” Adele snapped. She got to her feet and grabbed her book, stuffing it into her bag and throwing the strap over her shoulder. “I can’t believe I actually thought you were one of the good guys!”

  I grabbed her arm and pulled her close. For a moment, Adele’s intense gaze was enough to make my cock hard. I wanted to kiss her, to slip my tongue into her mouth and take her right here in the sand. And the thing was, I knew she was feeling it, too. Adele was breathing hard – her chest was rising up and down – and her cheeks were flushed. She bit her lip as she stared at me. Then, she narrowed her eyes and yanked her arm free, and I knew the moment was over.

  “I can’t believe you,” Adele said again, shaking her head. “I’m going back to my room, to work on Franchot, which since you obviously forgot, is the entire reason we came here in the first place!”

  “Adele,” I said. “Don’t go, come on – I thought you’d be happy for me!”
r />   Adele spun around in the sand. She looked incredibly angry. “You’re a selfish pig,” she said hotly. “And I can’t believe I agreed to work with you.”

  I was stunned. Before I could even think of a reply, Adele whirled around and began stalked off towards the hotel.

  “Adele!” I yelled. “Hey, come back!”

  If she heard me, she didn’t listen. She stalked off, her tight ass swaying magnificently from side to side.

  I rolled my eyes as I flopped down in Adele’s chair, ignoring the stares from the others on the beach. I couldn’t believe she was angry with me – it was a huge surprise. I was doing everything for her – flying her to Nassau in my private plane, paying for a room at a luxury resort, and helping her take down Louis Franchot.

  So, why the hell was she so angry with me?

  With a frown, I got to my feet and wiped my hands off on my thighs. The tourists were still staring, and I glared right back at them as I stalked off the beach and into the Hotel St. Charles. Part of me wanted to run to Adele’s room and demand to know what the hell her problem was. But I didn’t want to go back to her with my tail between my legs, like a pathetic dog.

  What I needed was a drink. Shoving my hands in my pocket, I strode into the hotel bar and sat down on a stool. The bartender came over in a matter of seconds, all gleaming teeth and bright blonde hair.

  “Hi,” she said, batting her eyelashes at me. “And what can I get for you today?”

  “Scotch, on the rocks,” I said, pointing behind her to the aged bottle of scotch on the wall.

  The woman’s eyebrows flew up. “Sir, that’s our most expensive single malt,” she replied. “Maybe you’d like to start with a blend, instead?”

  I was tempted to whip out my platinum credit card, but instead, I sighed. “The single malt, please,” I said drily.

  The blonde flushed. She bit her lip and stared at me for a second longer than necessary before turning on her heel and fetching my drink. When she handed it over, I took a long sip and set the glass down on the counter. The fiery liquid burned my throat in a welcoming way.

  I’m going to be the richest developer in the world, I thought as I glanced around the bar. It was nice, to be sure, but mine was going to be better.

  I just knew it.

  “Sir, if I may,” the bartender said, leaning on the bar and giving me a doe-eyed look. “Are you visiting for a long time?”

  “Just a few days.” I drained my scotch and passed her the empty glass. “Another one, please.”

  The blonde nodded. She pushed her arms against the sides of her breasts until a savage cleavage formed beneath her black dress.

  “Of course,” she said sweetly. “Right away, sir.”

  I leaned back and sighed, wishing that she’d just leave me alone. The bar wasn’t very full – just a handful of college kids and a few old men sipping glasses of dry red wine. But I was already regretting my decision to come here. What the hell was I doing wasting my time like this? I should be upstairs in my room, planning my new luxury development.

  Or apologizing to Adele, a voice from the back of my mind said. I rolled my eyes. There was no way I was going to apologize to her – I hadn’t even done anything wrong! If she thought I was going to drop everything to make her little plan my priority, she was sadly wrong.

  The bartender handed me a fresh glass of scotch. She batted her lashes again. “I’m Claudia,” she said.

  “And?” I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what I was supposed to do with this bit of information.

  The woman flushed. “And I get off in a few hours,” she added, glancing outside at the beach. “Maybe we could take a swim.” She leaned in close. “You know, I’m not wearing any panties under this.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Thanks,” I muttered. “But I think I have plans.”

  Claudia looked disappointed. She heaved a sigh before turning around and greeting a group of young women who had just walked into the bar. They were all wearing bikinis with skimpy knit cover-ups on top, and they were all beautiful, but soulless somehow. When they saw me, they stopped dead in their tracks. One of them glanced at the others and flushed, then walked toward me.

  “Excuse me,” she said. “Are you Jack Nathan?”

  “I am,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Why?”

  The woman flushed. “I’m Bethany,” she said. “I, um, stayed at your Tokyo property last month. It was insane,” she added, biting her lip as her cheeks turned bright red. “It was like, the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever seen.”

  “I’m glad you liked it.”

  Bethany hopped up on the stool next to mine without waiting for an invitation.

  “So,” Bethany said, batting her eyes at me. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

  “Business,” I said drily. It was funny – the old Jack used to love attention from random women in bars…especially women who looked as good as Bethany. But I wasn’t feeling it. If anything, she was an annoyance, a distraction. All I could think about was Adele.

  “I’m here on vacay,” Bethany said in an obnoxious Valley Girl voice. “With my besties. We were all sorority sisters, and now we’re here for a bachelorette.”

  “Sounds fascinating.” I drained my second glass of scotch and put the tumbler on the counter, signaling to the bartender.

  “Look, if you want to be alone, just say so,” Bethany said. She licked her lips and leaned closer. “But I can’t think of very many fun things to do alone if you know what I mean.” She put her hand on my thigh and squeezed.

  I sighed.

  “I mean, you have to have a little fun, don’t you?” Bethany crooned. “I bet you’re used to tons of women around you all the time…but I promise I’m not bad in bed.” She raised an eyebrow. “And I’m certainly not a prude.”

  I glanced down at her hand on my thigh before gently removing it and putting it back in her lap.

  “No,” I said. “Trust me. I didn’t think you were a prude.”

  Bethany pouted. “What is wrong with you,” she asked, her voice filled with annoyance. “Do you know that I’m like, one of the hottest girls at my school? Guys are dying to sleep with me.”

  “Well, I’ll let them fight for my place,” I said, sliding off the stool and pulling a wad of cash out of my wallet. Leaving it on the bar, I turned and strode out of the bar.

  I half-expected Bethany to follow me. I’d forgotten how desperate women could be – almost like vultures if given a chance. But I wanted nothing to do with Bethany, or Claudia, or any of them. They were all the same. Meaningless, blonde dolls with big eyes and uniform tans.

  I hadn’t eaten anything yet, and I realized as I staggered toward the elevator bank that I was almost drunk. The scotch was buzzing in my bloodstream, and Adele’s name kept sounding in my head like a rhythmic chant.

  I got it, I thought excitedly as I stumbled into the elevator and waited for the doors to ping shut. I’ll go see Adele, yeah, we can talk, maybe she’s cooled down a little bit.

  By the time I got to Adele’s floor, I was almost falling over. I couldn’t believe the scotch had hit me so fast – I’d only had two doubles! But two doubles on an empty stomach was nothing to fuck with, or so I was finally learning.

  The hall seemed to stretch on forever. I staggered down towards Adele’s room clutching at the trim on the walls to keep from falling over. When I got to her door, I swung at the door, intending to knock. But I lost my balance and fell, crashing to the floor in a tangled heap of limbs.

  Adele, I’m sorry, was my last thought before I passed out.

  Chapter Nine

  Adele

  I was so angry after talking to Jack that I could hardly think straight. I couldn’t believe it – he was nothing like the man I’d thought he was. He was cocky and arrogant and bullheaded and so incredibly fucking stupid…how on earth did he think I would be okay with his development proceeding when we had something so much more important to take care of?

  I was so mad th
at I could hardly see straight.

  I spent a couple of hours pacing in my room, back and forth, until I felt like I was going to wear the plush carpeting down to a bunch of little nubs. Then I called Lisa.

  She answered on the first ring.

  “Yo,” Lisa said. She coughed. “How’s Nassau?”

  “It sucks,” I said flatly.

  “Whoa,” Lisa said. I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was frowning. “What happened? Mr. Dreamy not working out?”