Not Strictly Business!: Prodigal Son / The Boss and Miss Baxter / The Baby Deal

Chapter Eight

The company had gone all out for the advertisers’ party. As this was the first one Samantha had attended, she didn’t know if the stunning decorations, incredible view and fabulous food were normal or if this party was a little bit extra-special in an effort to soothe their accounts.

Either way, she was excited to be there and felt just like Cinderella at the ball. For once, she’d left her loose and comfy clothes behind and had instead worn a form-fitting strapless gown in dark apple-green.

The shimmering fabric very nearly matched the color of her eyes. She’d gone simple in the jewelry department, wearing vintage paste earrings that looked like amazing diamonds. The antique settings made them look like the genuine article. Last, she’d spent nearly two hours on her hair, curling it on big rollers and then drying it. But the effort had been worth it. Her normally tight, natural curls were now loose and sexy. She’d pinned up the sides and left the back to cascade over her shoulder blades.

She felt good and knew she looked her best. The question was had she done enough to dazzle Jack?

“Not that I care,” she murmured as she made her way to the bar for the glass of white wine she would hold on to for most of the evening. She refused to define herself by a man.

Not that she was. Wanting to knock Jack’s socks off had nothing to do with definition and everything to do with the fire she’d seen in his eyes last weekend when they’d kissed.

She saw David and moved toward him. It was early and most of the guests hadn’t arrived.

“You look beautiful,” he said with a smile.

“Thank you. Great place. I love the view.”

From one set of floor-to-ceiling windows was the lake and from the other were the lights of the city.

“We have a lot on the line,” David told her. “Are you rethinking your decision to take this job? This isn’t Hanson Media Group’s most shining moment.”

“Jack asked me that as well. I meant what I said then. I’m excited about the opportunity to create something wonderful.”

“I’ve seen the preliminary designs on the Web site. They’re great. And I’ve been over the security you want to put in place. It could be called obsessive.”

She laughed. “I’m sure I’ll hear worse before the launch. The point is to make this a safe destination for children. I’m willing to do everything possible to make that happen. Even if it means driving the IT guys a little crazy.”

David grinned. “Good for you. Next week let’s set up a meeting to talk about publicity for the launch. I’ve already reserved some space in a couple of kid magazines and there will be a few Saturday morning cartoon spots.”

Samantha stared at him. “Television advertising?” She knew how much it cost.

“Jack said you were going to be the one to save the company. So he told me to think big.”

She doubted Jack had ever said she would save the company but she knew the Web site could go a long way to boosting the bottom line. Still, she was surprised and pleased to find out how much he was supporting her.

“I’ll call you,” she said. “I have a lot of ideas for the advertising.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

She laughed. “I have ideas for pretty much everything.”

“That’s what Jack said.”

There was something in David’s voice that made her wonder what else Jack had been saying about her. Not that she would ask.

Several clients walked into the ballroom. David excused himself and went over to greet them. Samantha followed more slowly, wanting to give him a moment to talk before she moved close and introduced herself.

She’d done plenty of industry parties. They had a simple formula for success. She had to make sure she spoke with everyone, was charming and friendly and remembered their names. Then, during the second half of the evening, she needed to circulate, chatting about anything and finding subtle ways to talk up the company. She’d also learned to pay attention to anyone who seemed to be on his or her own. Being lonely at a party was never a good idea. Taking a little time to be a friend and then introduce the shy person to others went a long way to making the evening a success.

David spoke with the group of eight men and women. She waited for a lull in the conversation then moved in closer.

David smiled at her. “This is Samantha Edwards, one of our newest and brightest additions to Hanson Media Group. Samantha is working on an incredible expansion of our Internet site for kids.”

One of the women raised her eyebrows. “Do I want my children spending more time on the computer?”

Samantha smiled. “Probably not. Aren’t they on there so much now?”

The woman nodded.

“It’s a real problem,” Samantha told her. “One I’ve been working on. My goal isn’t to trap them inside for more hours, but to make their computer time more efficient, fun and safe, all the while making sure their homework gets done and their parents are happy.”

“That’s a big order,” one of the men said. “Can you do it?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. Let me tell you how in two minutes or less.”

She launched into the pitch she’d spent the last week perfecting, then stayed long enough to answer a few questions. When the group had moved away to sample the buffet, David took her by the elbow.

“Well done,” he said.

“I believe in being prepared.”

“Good. Let’s go over here. I have some more people I want you to meet.”

About an hour later, Samantha felt a distinct tingling on the back of her neck. Careful to continue to pay attention to the conversation, she casually looked around to find the source of her hyperawareness.

It didn’t take her long to locate Jack standing by the window with two older men.

At the sight of him, she felt her blood surge a little faster. Her skin seemed to heat as her toes curled.

He looked pretty amazing in his tailored tux, but then he had the James Bond sort of good looks that were made for formal wear. The stark white of his shirt contrasted with his black tie.

Yummy, she thought, instantly recalling the kiss they’d shared and how her body had reacted to his nearness. Despite the fears left over from her previous marriage and her general wariness of men like Jack, she found herself wanting a repeat of their make-out session along with the time and privacy to take things further.

She forced her attention back on the conversation and away from Jack. After a few minutes, the tingle increased, then she felt a warm hand on the small of her back.

“Having a good time?” he asked everyone, even as he continued to touch her.

“Great party,” Melinda Myers, the president of the largest string of car dealerships in the Midwest said. “Your father would be very proud, Jack.”

Samantha guessed she was the only one who felt him stiffen slightly.

“Thank you,” he said graciously. “Despite everything that has happened recently, I wanted to keep the family tradition going. Your business has been very important to us.”

Melinda smiled. “Hanson Media Group has been a good partner for me. I don’t want that to change.”

“Nor do I,” he told her.

Melinda nodded at Samantha. “I’ve been hearing great things about the new Internet site. Impressive. Samantha was just telling me about her plans and some innovative ways for my company to be a part of it.”

“I hope you take her up on her offer,” Jack said.

Melinda smiled coyly. “Of course I will. I know a good deal when I hear one. That’s how I got to where I am now.”

Samantha did her best to pay attention to the banter but it was difficult with Jack’s fingers pressing against her skin. Heat radiated out from him, feeling hot enough to burn.

Warmth spread out in all directions, making her breasts swell and her thighs melt. She wanted to blame her reaction on the liquor, but she’d yet to take more than a sip of her wine. Her next best excuse was that she hadn’t had much to eat that day.

A tall older man approached and asked Melinda to dance. Several other people excused themselves, leaving Samantha and Jack standing together beside the dance floor.

“So what do you think?” he asked, his dark eyes locking with hers.

She assumed he meant about the party and not her awareness of him. “The night is a hit,” she said. “I had wondered how our advertisers would react to all the recent bad news, but they’re taking it in stride. A lot of that is you.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. They see you as a capable replacement for your father.”

“Nice to know they think I can do as well as a man who defrauded investors.”

She touched his arm. “They don’t mean it that way.”

“I know.” He set down his glass on a nearby tray. “Want to dance?”

She would never have thought he was the type to be comfortable on the dance floor and, to be honest, the thought of being that close to him was two parts thrilling and one part pure torture. Still, she’d never been able to resist things that were bad for her.

She set down her wine. “Absolutely.”

He took her hand and led her to the edge of the parquet dance floor, then drew her into his arms. She went easily, finding the sense of being against him and swaying to music almost familiar. Had they done this before? In grad school? She didn’t remember a specific time when they’d—

“You’re frowning,” he said. “I’ll admit my moves are pretty basic, but I didn’t think they were frown-inducing.”

“What? Oh. Sorry. I was trying to remember if we’d ever danced together before.”

“We haven’t.”

“You sound so sure of yourself.”

“I am. I would have remembered.”

Which meant what? But rather than pursue the question, she drew in a deep breath and consciously relaxed into the rhythm of the music.

The slow song allowed them to sway together, touching from shoulder to thigh. He clasped one of her hands while her other rested on his shoulder.

“Did I mention you look stunning?” he asked, his voice a low murmur in her ear.

“No, and because of that, I think you should have to say it at least twice.”

“You look stunning. The dress is nearly as beautiful as the woman wearing it.”

Ooh, talk about smooth. He certainly was a man who knew his way around a compliment. “I don’t get much chance to dress up these days. It’s fun for a change.”

“And worth the wait.”

The song ended, leaving her feeling as if she wanted more. A lot more. But this was a work-related party and she still had rounds to make, as did Jack.

“I’m off to dazzle,” she said. “Thanks for the dance.”

“You’re welcome.”

He held her gaze a second longer than necessary, and in that heartbeat of time, she felt her body flush with need. All the tingles and whispers and little touches combined into an unexpected wave of sexual desire.

Then Jack turned and disappeared into the crowd.

She stared after him, trying to remember the last time she’d felt safe enough to want a man. She’d spent the last two years of her marriage simply going through the motions of intimacy because it had been expected, but she hadn’t enjoyed herself. She’d been too hurt and broken to let herself feel anything.

Had time begun to heal her wounds or was her reaction specifically about Jack? She knew what it was like to make love with him. The memory of their single night together had been burned into her brain. She remembered everything from the way he’d kissed her to the feel of him inside of her. He’d coaxed more orgasms from her that night than she’d had in the previous year.

Funny how a month ago she would have sworn she would never be interested in getting physical with a guy again in her life. But suddenly there were possibilities. Maybe not with anyone else, but certainly with Jack.

Jack didn’t bother counting the number of times he was compared with his father and told he was nearly as great as the old man had been. He couldn’t believe so many people could know about his father’s mismanaging of the company and still call him a good man.

By eleven, he was tired and ready to be done with the party. But there were more advertisers to schmooze and more hands to shake. It came with the job.

Helen walked over and offered him a glass of scotch. “How are you holding up?” she asked.

She looked beautiful in a fitted gown that showed off perfect curves. Her blond hair had been piled on her head, giving her a regal air. He didn’t doubt there were plenty of men willing to take her home for the night, or as long as they could get.

Had she done that? She was substantially younger than his father. Had she taken lovers to keep herself satisfied?

Then he pushed the thought away. Why was he once again assuming the worst about her? He’d lived in the city and traveled in similar social circles as his father and Helen. There’d never been a whisper of gossip about either of them.

“Not my idea of a good time,” he said. “What about you?”

She glanced around the crowd and shrugged. “Last year I came with George. I can’t stop thinking about that and I keep expecting to turn around and see him. It’s difficult.”

She took a sip of her drink. As she shifted and the light spilled across her face, he could’ve sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

He did swear, silently, calling himself several choice names for his earlier thoughts. “You really loved him.”

“Stop sounding so surprised when you say that,” she told him. “Of course I loved him. I’m very intelligent and very capable. I didn’t need to marry someone to get what I wanted from life. I could have done that on my own.”

He wanted to ask why his father. What qualities had the old man shown her that he’d managed to keep from his sons?

“They’re saying good things about you,” she said. “They’re happy you’re in charge.”

“So that sharp clanging sound I hear is the door closing on my freedom?”

“I don’t know,” she told him. “No one wants you to keep a job you hate.”

“Except the board of directors.”

“It’s not their job to be compassionate. I suspect, over time, they would come to see that an unhappy president wouldn’t be best for Hanson Media Group.”

“I don’t think I have that much time.”

“You could be right.” She took another sip from her drink. “I saw you dancing with Samantha. You make a very attractive couple.”

“She’s a beautiful woman.”

“And a friend. You’re a great guy, Jack, but I know how you are. Serial monogamy is great in theory, but sometimes someone gets hurt.”

She wasn’t being subtle. “You don’t want that person to be Samantha.”

“She’s just been through a difficult time.”

“I know about her divorce.”

Helen smiled. “I wonder if you really do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Be kind to my friend.”

“I’ll do my best.” He shook his head. “You put her name on the short list. I’d wondered how it got there.”

“I knew she would do a good job and I thought she was someone you could trust.”

There was something in her voice that implied she knew more than she was saying. How much had Samantha told her about their previous relationship?

“Good call on your part,” he said.

“Thanks. I have my moments.” She looked around at the large gathering. “Ready to plunge back into the hordes?”

“No, but there’s not much choice.”

She glanced back at him. “I know you don’t care or even want to hear this, but your father would have been very proud of you.”

He didn’t say anything because he was starting to like and respect Helen, but as she walked away he acknowledged she was right. He didn’t care about what his father thought.

Samantha knew she was babbling. It was late, she was tired and hungry and she couldn’t seem to stop talking.

“I think the party had a real positive impact on our relationships with our advertisers,” she said as Jack stopped at a light. “There was so much good feedback and I have some great ideas to bring to the next creative meeting for the Web site.”

He drove through the quiet, empty streets, nodding every now and then. She knew neither of them was really interested in business and that he already knew everything she was saying.

“The band was good, too,” she added with a bright smile. “A lot of people were dancing. That doesn’t usually happen at parties like this. But everyone seemed really relaxed. Didn’t you think so? Weren’t you relaxed?”

He stopped for another light and turned to glance at her. “You don’t have to entertain me on the drive home,” he said. “It’s okay if we don’t talk.”

Great. So she’d bored him.

She firmly pressed her lips together and vowed not to say another word between here and the parking garage at their building. From there it was a short elevator ride to her condo.

Silence, she told herself. She could do silence.

“I like your car,” she said before she could stop herself. “Is it new?”

“About two years old. Why are you so nervous?”

“Me? I’m not. I’m fine. I had a good time tonight.”

“You sure didn’t drink. As far as I could tell you didn’t eat. So what’s going on?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. Perfectly. See? This is me being fine.”

He pulled into the parking garage and drove to his space. When he turned off the engine, he shifted so that he faced her.

“Are you worried I’m going to make a pass at you?” he asked.

The blunt question shocked her into silence. If she looked at things from the right perspective, life sure had a sense of humor. For the past few weeks she’d been hoping Jack wouldn’t notice her as anything but a coworker. Now she wanted him to see her as a desirable woman and he was worried she thought he was going to come on to her. Which meant he wasn’t.

She’d spent the entire evening in shoes that made her feet hurt for nothing.

“Why would I worry about that?” she asked, not able to meet his gaze.

“Because of what happened the last time we were alone together.”

Ah, yes. That magical kiss. “It was nice,” she whispered.

“I thought so, too. Still do.” He leaned across her and opened her door. “Come on. I’ll walk you home.”

He came around and helped her out of the car, then took her hand as they walked to the elevator. Seconds later the doors opened and they stepped inside.

She wanted to say something. Maybe invite him inside or at least come off as cool and sophisticated. But she couldn’t think of anything good and she didn’t know how to tell him she wasn’t exactly ready for the evening to be over. Maybe in her next life she would understand men and deal with them better. In this one, she was batting a big, fat zero.

The elevator stopped on her floor. She turned to say good-night, only he was stepping off the elevator and leading her to her door.

She dug for her key in her tiny evening bag and clutched it in her hand.

Her place was at the end of the hall. Jack took the key from her, opened the door then cupped her face and smiled at her.

“You’ve told me no plenty of times,” he said quietly. “Tonight your eyes are saying something different. Which should I believe? Your words or your eyes?”

Her stomach flipped over, her throat went dry and it was all she could do to keep hanging on to her purse.

It all came down to this. What did she want from Jack?