True Love

Paul returned Nicholas's grin. He knew his game. "As much as I'm going to miss Chenault, this time next year I'm out of here. I plan to spend the rest of my days taking it easy on the water."

Paul spent a lot of his free time boating. Besides his spacious house in Jacksonville, he was also the owner of a nice yacht, which he occasionally used when the huge house got too lonely for him.

"Do you plan to check out the sights while you're here?" Paul asked as he shifted positions.

"Why, you?"

Paul nodded. "I thought I'd do it today. Maybe you ought to consider taking Ms. Kirkland with you."

Paul's words claimed Nicholas's attention. "Take her where?"

"Sightseeing."

Nicholas raised a brow. "Why would I want to do that?"

Paul shrugged at Nicholas's question. "For lack of anything better to do. That way you can spend time with her under pretense."

"Pretense of what?"

"Of not really wanting to spend time with her."

Nicholas frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Paul shrugged his massive shoulders again. "It means just what I said, Nick. I have eyes, and I see things. Especially your interest. You're single, she's single. Why not go for it?"

"Because she's an employee, Paul, and you know I don't date my employees."

"Then fire her. If you fired her you wouldn't have to be concerned about her being your employee."

Nicholas turned a scolding glance in the older man's direction. "Your logic astounds me sometimes. I think Stockard isn't the only one in my security department that I need to worry about."

Getting up, Nicholas left the sauna, ignoring Paul's laughter behind him.

Chapter 7

She needed to formulate a plan.

Shayla knew that it was imperative that she stick to that plan and allow nothing to sidetrack her from it. Especially something like the huge larger-than-life arrangement of cut flowers she had received from Nicholas just minutes after returning from shopping.

A sigh broke from her lips as she looked at the exquisite floral arrangement. It was so large that it had taken two hotel clerks to deliver it to her room. The card that accompanied it was impersonal, and simply read, I appreciate your hard work, loyalty, and dedication. It was signed with his initials.

Shayla opened her daily planner to the current date. She tapped her pen against her chin in thought. The first thing she needed to do was to find out everything she could about this new project Chenault was working on. The Ling Deal was just a small part of a bigger picture, and she was determined to find out just what that bigger picture was. To accomplish that, she would have to gain Nicholas Chenault's trust. She would start there. She jotted down in her planner the words, I'll do whatever I have to to get Nicholas to lower his guard and trust me. Tonight at dinner I'll put my plan into action, and begin working toward that goal.

Then, after finding out whatever was being kept a secret at Chenault Electronics, she would use that to her advantage. When she was in the position that she wanted to be in, she would go about her original plans to destroy the company.

Shayla was pleased that she had some definable goals established. She would be operating under the principle of the three D's: deceive, discover, destroy. She was already working under an air of pretense, and would use that deception to discover what she needed to know. Finally, she would use what she discovered to destroy the company.

She closed her planner, feeling a whole lot better than she had yesterday. For just a little while she had let Nicholas Chenault get next to her. His masculine charisma had momentarily captivated her, and had made her lose sight of her purpose, her goal, and her plan. She would not let it happen again. As she had told her aunt, she was on a mission, and she was determined to see it through to the end.

Nicholas closed the hotel room door behind him and paused before walking across the lobby to get Shayla for dinner. She was a woman through and through, and he always found his control wavering around her. There was no way he should be taking her out to dinner tonight. They had no reason to come in contact with each other until the Mings' dinner party. She was free to do her thing until then, and he was free to do his. But a part of him was determined that they do their things together. To put it more bluntly, he had an overpowering desire to be in Shayla Kirkland's company whenever possible.

And that wasn't good.

Glancing down at his watch, he began walking across the lobby to her room. A knot was pulled tight in his stomach. Shayla Kirkland held a certain appeal he could not resist. Oh, there was that strong sexual appeal he came up against each time he saw her. But then she possessed another sort of appeal on a totally different level. She had an intellectual appeal that was playing havoc with his mind. The woman was as smart and intelligent as she was beautiful and seductive. It seemed that everything about Shayla Kirkland had the ability to turn him on. Did she have any clue as to the effect that she had on him whenever they were together?

He had precious little time to ponder that question as he stood before her door. He knocked once, and then the door opened. Soft light from inside her suite illuminated the section of the lobby in front of her room. Another knot pulled in his stomach when his eyes feasted on her. She was dressed in a chic mint-green pantsuit, and as usual she looked great. A mixture of desire and longing tried overpowering his senses, but he refused to let it.

"You look very nice tonight, Ms. Kirkland."

"Thank you."

"Ready?"

"Yes."

He took a step back when she moved out into the lobby, closing the room door behind her. "I hope you're hungry," he said, leading her toward the elevators.

"I am. I worked up quite an appetite while shopping."

When Nicholas reached up to push the elevator button, Shayla couldn't help but stare at his large hands. They appeared to be strong. His fingers were long, and the dark hair that dusted the back of his hands appeared in sharp contrast to the dark brown hair on his head. She realized that was because of the dim lighting in the elevator. His coloring, which she would have described as light almond, somehow added an air of supreme sensuality to him.

When the elevator opened, Shayla quickly withdrew her attention from his hands. "Will Paul be joining us?" she asked. A part of her hoped that he wouldn't.

"No. He grabbed something to eat earlier."

Shayla nodded. Good. It would only be the two of them. She was determined to put her plan into action tonight. "Thanks for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"I'm glad you like them. You're most deserving." He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her arms to assist her in taking a step back when the elevator stopped and others entered. The heat from his hands, those hands she'd just been so attentive to, made her tremble deep inside. She glanced up at him, searching for some sign that he had felt her reaction to his touch, then relaxed when she didn't notice any. They continued the elevator ride in silence.

Nicholas cursed silently. He had felt her tremble from his touch. He couldn't keep from imagining how she would react if he caressed her bare skin. For a moment, he wished he had the chance to find out. He inhaled deeply as he tried willing those disquieting thoughts away, then discovered he couldn't-especially when he was totally consumed by her scent.

Shayla's perfume, he thought, was downright alluring, sensual, and provocative. He leaned over, stopping a mere few inches away from her neck. At that close range he was getting the full potent effect of it. "What's it called?"

Shayla looked up at him, suddenly caught off guard by his closeness and the sharp coloring of his gold eyes. "What?"

"The perfume you're wearing. What's it called?"

She held his gaze. "Seduction."

She watched as the color of his eyes deepened. "I can understand why."

Shayla was spared having to respond when the elevator door opened.

When they stepped into the lobby, Nicholas couldn't resist placing his hand in the center of her back as he led her down the stairs and through swinging glass doors to a waiting limo.

Shayla turned to him, surprised. "We're leaving the hotel?"

"Yes, do you mind?" he asked when he noticed she had slowed her steps.