Surprise Seduction Read online

  He’d proved his point ten-fold. She had been missing out. For weeks, months, years--her whole life.

  Missing out on Chase.

  This was why women threw themselves at him.

  It didn’t have a thing to do with his looks or his money. It didn’t even have a thing to do with his dimples or his twinkling eyes like she’d once thought.

  It was the magic of his touch. Because of the way he made a woman feel when she was in his arms. Totally feminine--and glad of it.

  Someone cleared his throat.

  What was she doing? Adrienne jerked away from Chase.

  “I suppose turn about is fair play.” Mel sounded amused.

  Embarrassed at her abandoned response to Chase’s kiss and mortified Mel had witnessed it, she struggled to regain her composure. Mel was the last person who needed to see her kissing Chase. Damn. The most wonderful kiss of her life had been horribly timed.

  “Am I interrupting?” Mel asked.

  “Nothing important,” she answered her date for the evening. “Chase just kissed me goodbye.”

  “Get lost, Sheppard,” Chase advised.

  Mel’s eyebrow rose as his gaze traveled over the packed box on her desk.

  “Kissed you goodbye?” he asked, ignoring Chase’s remark. “What’s going on?”

  “He fired me this morning for our little adventure in his office Friday evening.” Adrienne gave a nonchalant wave of her hand as if it were of no consequence. She hoped Mel would buy her act. And an act it was. Her mind buzzed from the effect Chase’s kiss had reaped upon her body. White lightning!

  “No way. Nothing happened.” He turned accusing eyes on Chase. “Tell me you didn’t?”

  “Damn straight.” Chase crossed his arms and leaned against Adrienne’s desk, his casual stance in direct opposition with his expletive and flashing eyes.

  Adrienne rolled her own eyes, and turned to Mel. “Yes, he did. What brings you into the lion’s den? He doesn’t have the power to fire you, too, does he?”

  Mel gave Chase a quizzical look. “George Weston hired me personally. He’d have a lot of explaining to do if he tried.”

  “If I decided you didn’t fit this company, you’d be gone in a heartbeat,” Chase assured Mel with the attitude of a jungle cat who knew he was king of the pride.

  Adrienne ignored Chase. Maybe if she and Mel both failed to recognize his contributions to the conversation, he’d take a hint and leave. Otherwise, she might have a hard time carrying out what she had to do. She turned to Mel. “So what does bring you by?”

  “I was looking for you,” he admitted. “George called and told me to see if you needed any help. I didn’t think to ask what he meant for me to help you with. I jumped on the excuse to see you. I wanted to confirm what time you wanted to meet me tonight.”

  Chase’s face clouded.

  “At seven?” Adrienne suggested, paying no attention to Chase’s reaction, or at least, trying her best not to.

  “That’ll be great. At the Monarch?” He named an exclusive dance club downtown.

  “Sure.”

  “She isn’t meeting you tonight,” Chase spoke with the authority of a five star general.

  “Not this, again.” Mel overlooked the threatening tone in Chase’s voice and grinned at Adrienne. “Did you need me to help?”

  She handed him the box she’d packed.

  “Can you take this to George’s office and give it to Mrs. Gray? She’ll know what to do with it.”

  “Sure thing.” Mel took the box and winked. “See you tonight, doll.”

  Adrienne and Chase both watched Mel leave, carrying the box of her things.

  “Would you please quit saying what I am and am not going to do?” Adrienne turned on Chase the moment Mel disappeared around a corner. Adrienne would bet her eyeteeth Mel was still within ear shot, though.

  “No. Not when it comes to your going out with Mel. The only thing he wants is to get you in the sack.”

  “Oh, that’s rich coming from you,” Adrienne taunted, then added for Mel’s benefit, “Besides, I know exactly what Mel wants from me. And guess what? He might just get what he wants. I made a mistake in thinking I wanted you when Mel is so much more appealing.”

  Both of Chase’s eyebrows rose. His lower jaw hit the floor. “No.”

  She laughed.

  “Did I ask for your permission?” She gave him a pointed look. “I think not. Goodbye, Chase.”

  She picked up the last of her things and left the office with her head held high, her heart breaking that she’d had to once again go back on what she’d told Chase.

  She was tempted to turn for one last glimpse, but knew his eyes watched, so she didn’t.

  Adrienne caught her reflection in a mirror while she waited in the entrance of the Monarch for Mel to arrive. She still had difficulty recognizing the change in her outer appearance after having been ‘Adrienne Morris’ for several weeks.

  Sheila had helped style her hair. Although a bit higher and in more wild disarray than Adrianna would have chosen, it looked good. The royal blue color of her dress made her eyes take on a sapphire appearance. The dress screamed excitement. Silky, short, and tight. Appropriate for an evening of dancing and fun with a gorgeous man she planned to convince she was out to get Chase and Weston Pharmaceuticals.

  But where was the gorgeous man? Mel should have been here twenty minutes ago. Was he standing her up? Maybe his sole interest had been because of her access to Chase and restricted information.

  After all, she had handed him the key to Chase’s office and not realized she’d never gotten it back until George revealed his concerns about the man he’d hired a few months prior to her father’s death.

  She looked around the entrance. Around twenty people stood in the entryway. None of them Mel Sheppard, but one man warranted a second look. A tall man dressed in dark slacks and a blue shirt that bore a striking similarity to the color of her dress. A man who stole her breath with his intense green eyes watching her in wry amusement.

  Chase.

  Her heart rate doubled and her entire body tingled with excitement.

  Why was he here? What had he done to Mel? She sent him a warning look then felt a burst of rebellion replacing the elated desire she’d felt upon spotting him.

  She couldn’t pursue her feeling for Chase—not until she had revealed Mel’s true character. How was she going to keep him away? Especially when what she’d like to do is invite him into the dim club and have his body pressed next to hers on the dance floor?

  She swallowed, and desperately looked around the entryway. Her gaze landed on a group of young men dressed in casual business wear. With a mutinous flip of her teased hair, she headed toward them.

  “Hi, I’m Adrienne.” She introduced herself to the trio who seemed eager to make her acquaintance judging by how they sized up her figure. “It seems my party has been delayed, maybe permanently. May I join you?”

  “Sure,” the tallest answered.

  “I’m Steve,” another said.

  “Jeff Williams,” the cutest of the bunch introduced himself as he stretched his hand out to her.

  She placed her hand in his to shake, but instead he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss in the center. She gave him a flirty smile before tossing a defiant look over her shoulder at Chase. She had to convince him she wasn’t interested if she was to convince Mel she was interested in him--which she had to do.

  “Jeff,” she said, turning back to him. He seemed to preen beneath her gaze. Adrienne looked into the man’s eyes and lifted one of her new shapely eyebrows. “Buy me a drink?”

  “Gladly.” The man started to take her arm and lead her inside the club, but halted as Chase interrupted.

  “Sorry, I’m late honey.” He leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth before turning to the three men. He gave them a conspiratorial grin. “Women. You’re a few minutes late; they get huffy and start trying to pick up other men so you’ll be consumed with jealousy
. The last time she did this the other bloke and I came to blows.”

  Adrienne watched in horror as he let out an exasperated sigh. Shock metamorphasized into the urge to belt him.

  “Women,” he repeated.

  She shot him a look that plainly instructed him where he could go.

  “I do not know this man.” She pulled away from Chase and linked her arm with Jeff’s. “Buy me that drink. Please.”

  “Adrienne, honey. Don’t involve these men in our quarrel. I’m sorry I’m late, babydoll, but I had to drop the kids off at my Mom’s. Forgive me.”

  The kids at his mom’s? Was he drunk? Delirious? What was he doing? Playing with her, that’s what. Oooooh!

  Indecision then withdrawal crossed all three men’s faces. They didn’t want to get involved with a woman who was obviously squabbling with the father of her children.

  “He’s lying!” She gave one last attempt at changing Jeff’s mind. She held up her left hand and wiggled her finger. “No wedding ring.”

  “Is that what it’s going to take to get you to quit trying to pick up other men every time I run five minutes late?” Chase blew out a long exasperated breath. “You were the one to insist we wait until your dad gets out of prison. You wanted him to walk you down the aisle, but if you’ve changed your mind,” he shrugged. “I understand. But remember once we get hitched you’ll lose the child support payments from the kids’ dads.”

  His tone was so patronizing Adrienne almost punched him.

  The three men gave her a skeptical look before practically running away.

  She turned to Chase. “You big conceited, egotistical, lying son of a-”

  “Uh, uh, uh,” he interrupted. “Watch that tongue of yours. What would the kids think if they could hear you?”

  “I’ll watch it all right. Watch it filet you into a million pieces, you dirty rotten scoundrel! What did you do with my date?”

  “Those three punks you were trying to pick up? Didn’t your daddy ever tell you not to pick up strange men in bars?” came his scolding reply.

  “My father’s dead and no, he never did. You didn’t answer my question. What did you do with Mel? Is he tied and gagged in your trunk? Do I need to send a rescue crew out? No, wait. Let me guess. You told him about the six kids I need a surrogate father for.”

  “I’m sorry about your father.”

  Adrienne blinked at his sincere tone so close on the heels of his teasing words.

  “Me too,” she finally answered, the wind falling right out of her sails.

  “How long ago did he die?”

  “Earlier this year.” A sharp pain zagged across her chest. Her eyes closed, then she focused on her annoyance with Chase because that was much easier to deal with than thoughts of her beloved father being gone.

  Earlier this year? That would have been right before she’d come to work for him. Shock riveted through him.

  “Quit trying to change the subject. I know you did something to keep Mel from showing tonight.”

  “Oh? Did lover boy call?” Chase’s mind still reeled at her revelation about her father’s death. Was that the explanation for the way she’d acted and dressed during these past few months? Had she been grieving her father’s death by downplaying herself and leading an alternative lifestyle? That would explain a lot.

  “No, but why would he just no show?”

  “Beats me,” he said innocently. Too innocently he knew, but he didn’t try to hide the truth from his eyes.

  “Don’t tempt me,” Adrienne warned. “What did you do?”

  “Let’s just say Mel is sufficiently occupied for the evening preparing for an audit of his department scheduled at the last minute for first thing in the morning.”

  “I knew it!”

  The brilliant blue color outlining the iris of her eyes captured his attention. How had he never gotten lost in her eyes before? They were huge and captivating. Beautiful.

  Because she’d hidden them behind those ridiculous glasses she wore.

  “I’ve never noticed your eyes are so blue.”

  “They’re not.” Her tone was dismissive. “You’re trying to do it again. I’m not going to let you.”

  “What? Kiss you?” he asked his foremost thought.

  “I meant change the subject. But no, you aren’t going to kiss me again, either,” she denied as her hands went to her hips.

  He threw his head back, laughing at her hostile stance.

  “Don’t count on it, lil mouse,” he warned, tugging her to him and proving her wrong with the gentle kiss he placed on her lips. He didn’t deepen the caress, not even when he felt her resistance melt.

  Tonight wasn’t about lust. He had that by the bucketfuls already. Tonight was about getting to know the woman causing all those buckets to overflow.

  “Come on, Adrienne. Let’s call a truce for tonight. You’re here to dance. Dance with me.”

  Adrienne fought the urge to get lost in sea green eyes. She might drown in their depths. This was not how the evening was supposed to turn out.

  Maybe she wasn’t supposed to be, but here she stood melting into Chase Aaron. Darn his irresistible sex appeal.

  It was more than just his raw sexuality.

  He was fun to be around. He made her laugh. Sometimes at him. Sometimes at herself. Sometimes just at life in general.

  She forgot her anger with him for firing her, for causing her date who she was supposed to go into cahoots with to stand her up. What she remembered was the twinkle in his eye when he’d warned the three men off, the warmth of his touch, the magic of the kiss they’d shared in her office.

  “A truce?” she asked.

  “For tonight, let’s put the past behind us. Pretend as if we’ve just met and just enjoy being together.” His words tempted.

  “After tonight? What then?”

  “There is no after tonight. It’s just this moment in time. Me and you.” His hand rose to touch her hair. He tangled his fingers in her tresses, and breathed against her ear. “What do you say? Will you dance with me?”

  His tangy, male scent teased her, filling her senses to capacity with him.

  Why deny herself what she wanted so badly she hurt? Mel wasn’t here and had to work until late into the night. There wasn’t anything more she could do before morning.

  The man she really wanted was right here, tempting her, seducing her with his words. For tonight, he offered her a taste of heaven—to meet him on equal ground with no pretenses between them.

  “We forget about Weston and have just met?” She stared at him, hoping he’d say yes.

  “Yes, we’re strangers. I’ve been watching you and want to spend the evening with you in my arms.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, and like a moth to a flame she stepped into the light. His light. Dangerous and deadly as it might be.

  “Okay, we’re strangers,” she agreed. Nervous energy bubbled. They really were strangers.

  “Chase Aaron,” he introduced himself with a wink.

  “Adrienne.” It was as close as she could get to giving him her real name. If only a magic wand could be waved and Morrigans wasn’t under threat, and they had just met…

  Why hadn’t her father introduced her to Chase?

  Because he’d handpicked Roger as her husband and his successor.

  “Can I have this dance, Adrienne?” His dimples deepened. Her gaze lit on the indentions. Unable to stop herself, her fingertip delved over the small crevice. Her heart skipped a beat when his hand closed over hers. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  He led her inside the club and onto the dance floor. She didn’t protest when he pulled her full against him. Why would she when that’s exactly where she wanted to be? She rested her cheek against his chest as they moved to the slow rhythm of the music.

  Chase’s hands pressed against her back, stoking the material in a caressing gesture.

  “You smell so good,” he whispered into her hair.

  Funny, she’d been thinking t
he same thing about him. She could pick up the faint scent of expensive spicy cologne. Or maybe his aftershave. Regardless, she wanted to drown herself in the exotic male fragrance.

  Her fingers played at his nape. The powerful strength of his neck and shoulder muscles flexed beneath her touch.

  She closed her eyes and melted as close to him as physically possible while fully clothed and in public. The strong beat of his heart pounded against her cheek.