No.
"I've had better," she finally managed to reply, her voice not particularly thick and uneven. He narrowed his eyes before he leaned into her for the briefest of moments, showing her again what their kisses had done to him - how hard he was.
"I somehow don't think so," he answered confidently. "Go get some rest. You will need it," were his last words before he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the door so he could open it. "Would you like me to escort you upstairs?"
The knowing tone of his voice had her back straightening. "I'm capable of reaching it safely in your well-secured resort," she said, acting casually as she stepped through the door. "Sweet dreams," she threw over her shoulder as her gaze slid down his body and landed pointedly on his bulging pants.
The curse word that followed her down the hall lifted her spirits.
Power.
She now knew what it was like to feel power in the arms of a man. As Haley made her way dreamily up the elevator and let herself into her suite, she didn't even realize she hadn't once thought about Walker, the man she … wanted.
Chapter Eight
Two months earlier
Joseph and George pulled up to the Storm Corporate offices and looked at each other. The building was sleek and modern, not overly large, but charming and well-built; it fit in nicely with the busy business district.
Large glass panels reflected the sun, announcing its presence among the other structures around it. The brothers made their way inside and nodded with appreciation at the appealingly cut gray marble. The silver and black color scheme and modern decor of the building's interior welcomed visitors but filled them with awe at the same time.
"It seems our brother has true Anderson blood running through his veins. He has good taste."
"He certainly does. Now remember, we don't want to overwhelm him," Joseph reminded George.
"I think he's going to be quite shocked when he faces us, Joseph. There's no getting past the good looks that run in our blood," George joked.
"Well, when you're right, you are right," Joseph said with a wink.
They approached the front desk, where a pretty young secretary looked up with a professional smile before her expression froze and she did a double take. It was almost comical to see her eyes flash between George and Joseph's faces.
"Um … how … how can I help you?" she stuttered as she tried to gather her wits.
"We're here to see Richard Storm."
"Do you … um … have an appointment?"
"No, darling, we don't, but I think he'll want to meet with us," Joseph said as he leaned forward and gave her his most appealing smile. He was a master negotiator, after all.
"He doesn't normally see people without an appointment," she answered, still a bit shell-shocked.
"I think he'll make an exception. Just let him know it's relatives of his," George told her with a wink.
The woman fumbled for the phone and pressed a button. She leaned away, speaking quietly, but the two men were both sure she was saying something like Richard's look-alikes are here. They'd had a few hours to process the possibility of having a brother. The rest of the world was in for a big shock.
"His executive secretary said to come on up. He's on the twelfth floor. She'll see you there," the woman said and handed them both an elevator pass.
After thanking her, the two headed straight but not swiftly to the elevator. Neither of them would admit to the nervous butterflies dancing around in their stomachs, but they pressed the button for the twelfth floor in silence and just stared at the metal doors.
They got the same reaction from the woman behind another efficient modern desk when they introduced themselves as Joseph and George Anderson.
"What is your business with Mr. Storm?" She was keeping it together a bit more than the first woman, but they could see that she couldn't stop looking at them both with a wary and assessing eye.
"It's private family business, ma'am," George calmly stated.
After a moment on the phone, she hung up and faced them. "Follow me, please." Neither of them was surprised. They weren't used to being denied anything they wanted, so they'd have been more shocked had they not gotten in.
When the secretary knocked on a door, a voice called out telling them to enter. The man had his back to them as he looked out his window at the picturesque view of the Sound. Both Joseph and George had spent a lot of their own time in a similar position in front of their office windows.
The woman left the room, though they could see her reluctance and the curiosity in her eyes as she casually departed. They noticed that she left the door open. Joseph also noticed the guard not far away, prepared to rush forward in an instant if he was needed.