His Instant Heir(3)

He shook himself out of his reverie to answer Cari's question. Was he  bothered by the feud? Truthfully, it was something he'd grown up with,  part of his family, and he knew it couldn't be ignored. Instead, he told  Cari, "It should." Though he was going to be unbiased in his reviews,  he knew Kell intended to fire all three of the Chandler women in revenge  for what had been done to their grandfather all those years ago.

Starting an affair with Cari now had stupid written all over it. And he  wasn't a stupid man. He'd have to work hard to keep reminding himself of  that, because the way she was now smiling at him made him almost  believe that an affair would work.                       
       
           



       

"I want a chance to convince you that Infinity should be kept in its entirety," she said.

He saw her sincerity. He groaned deep inside because that one statement  gave him the excuse he needed to ask her out again. He could even tell  himself it was purely business reasons why he wanted to go out with her,  and maybe he'd be able to convince himself that it had nothing to do  with wanting to kiss her again.

"Have dinner with me tonight," he said. If she were involved with  another man, she'd say no. "You can tell me about how you've changed and  I'll tell you all the reasons why I like it."

She blanched, bit her full lower lip and then looked away. "I'm not sure  that's a good idea. The next few weeks are going to be very  complicated."

Not exactly a no, he thought. He wasn't sure what that meant for the  competition or for him. "They are, but I see no reason why we should  deny that we are friendly. I'm not saying we'll go straight back to my  place after dinner-"

"We won't. I'm a lot more cautious now," she said.

"See, that's something I want to know more about. And we're both going  to be too busy at work. Besides, this isn't the place for anything  personal." He wanted to know more about her. He didn't feel like he'd  had enough time with her eighteen months ago. Now he had the time while  he was assessing her company.

"I agree," she said with a cheeky smile that made him want to go over and kiss her.

"Great. What time shall I pick you up?"

"I was agreeing to your statement," she said.

But he noticed she didn't say no to dinner. Finally she sighed, pushed  her chair back to the table and stared over at him, searching for  something, he couldn't really say what. But then she seemed to reach a  decision and nodded. "Tell me where and I'll meet you at seven.  Meanwhile, I'll have Ally get an office set up for you, but until one  can be made available, you can work out of this conference room."

He let her be in control for the moment and watched her walk swiftly to  the door, her hips swaying with each step. He followed a few steps  behind. She'd clearly dismissed him, and for Dec, that wasn't  acceptable.

No matter what she wanted to believe, he was in charge of this entire  operation-the business one and the personal one. And she'd just  dismissed him like a servant-something that wasn't acceptable to him at  the best of times, much less when he was still jet-lagged.

She turned and gasped as she realized how close he was to her. Then she  licked her lips and he saw her gather her composure around herself like a  shield.

God, he'd never forgotten the taste of her or how her mouth felt under  his, and in this moment he wanted nothing more than to taste her again.  He'd never had a problem going after anything he wanted, and until she'd  waltzed into the conference room looking calm, cool and confident, he  hadn't realized exactly how much he wanted her.

"Was there anything else?" she asked.

"Just this," he said, lowering his head and taking the kiss he'd wanted  since she'd walked into the conference room and made him regret leaving  her all those months ago.





Two


Cari hadn't planned on Dec. Not at all. Not the way his lips moved over  hers or the way he tasted so familiar to her. She'd missed this, she  thought. Then chided herself. She hadn't missed anything. Dec had been  nothing but a one-night stand. It didn't matter that she'd wanted him to  be more. He'd only been interested in her because of this.

Sex.

She only wished she could be dispassionate in his arms, but she'd been  alone, her feminine instincts directed toward mothering instead of being  a woman. Dec was awakening something in her that she thought she'd  lost. A wave of desire shot through her. Her blood felt like it was  heavier in her veins and every nerve ending came awake.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, knowing this was the only  embrace she could allow between them, so she was determined to enjoy  every second of it. She tipped her head to the side, angling her mouth  under his, and sucked his tongue. He groaned, and for the first time  since she'd learned he was back in her life, she felt a measure of  control.

But control was fleeting. When he put his hands on her hips and drew her  in so that she felt his erection against her lower body, she felt her  breasts respond.

Shocked and afraid he might notice, she lifted her head and looked up at  him. His eyes were closed and there was a flush of desire on his skin.

He was a hard man, but his lips were always so soft on hers. She lifted  her hand and rubbed her thumb over his lower lip. She paused a moment,  hoping for something that would resolve the conflict inside her. But  then his hands tightened on her hips and she knew this was only bringing  more complications to the table.                       
       
           



       

She dropped her arms and pulled her blazer around her to ensure that he  couldn't see the wetness that would be a sure giveaway that she had a  baby.

She sighed. She wasn't ready for Dec to come back into her life. She'd  just settled into her routine with her job and her son, and now Playtone  Games and Dec were throwing her back into a tornado. She wanted to grab  DJ and her staff and head for the cellar until this passed, but she  knew she couldn't run away. She was the one in charge of everyday  operations and the takeover meant she was the best person to advise Dec  on her staff. It was up to her to somehow persuade Dec to keep as many  employees as possible.

He laughed. "Was my kiss that bad?"

"That good," she said, opting for honesty. She'd always been a lousy  liar. Something her sisters had twigged on to the first time she'd  refused to name DJ's father. But it had been important to keep her  secret from them given the bad blood between Dec's family and hers.

"Then why the sigh?" he asked, his fingers flexing and drawing her nearer to him.

She put her hand between them to preserve the distance and her illusion  of control, because it was becoming startlingly obvious that she hadn't  been in charge of anything from the moment she'd walked into this  conference room. She stepped back and stumbled into the door.

He reached out to right her but she shook her head. "I can't do this, Dec. We need to talk and there are things-"

"I'm not doing this for revenge," he said.

"What?" she asked. She hadn't even considered that, but now that he'd  mentioned it, wouldn't it be fitting for one of Thomas Montrose's  grandsons to take sexual revenge on his sworn enemy's granddaughter?

"I just wanted you to know that what is between us has nothing to do  with business or our families. This is you and me. Just us," he said.

"Ah, that's a nice thought," she said, thinking of her son and her  sisters and the fact that no matter what he wanted to believe, they  didn't live on an island. It would never be just them.

"It's my opinion. I'm not one to let my cousins dictate my personal  life," he said, touching a strand of her hair, tucking it back behind  her ear the way she normally wore it. "I had the impression that you  were someone who made her own decisions, as well."

"Of course I am. Stop trying to shame me into-" She stopped. "What exactly is it that you want from me?"

She felt panicked and nervous, but not because of him. It stemmed from  herself and the fact that it would be easy to surrender and give him  what he wanted. A casual affair. But that wasn't like her at all. Dec  Montrose was danger, she thought. She had to remember that.

"I want a chance. I don't want you judging me based on my cousins or  this takeover. That has nothing to do with what is between us. It didn't  eighteen months ago and it still doesn't now," he said.

"I agreed to dinner," she said. She struggled to believe him. If she was  a sap, she'd fall for his lines, but she wasn't. Was she?

She crossed her arms over her chest, not really caring that it was a  defensive pose. She had to figure out how to manage Dec. But managing  people wasn't always her best strength. She preferred to help people  find their happiness. And Dec wanted two things that wouldn't leave her  in a good place. He wanted her company and she was almost 100 percent  certain once he knew about DJ he was going to want their son.