Escape for Valentine's: Beauty and the Billionaire / Her One and Only Valentine / The Girl Next Door

“None,” said Hunter. “It was a business decision, and it was a good one. You read the reports.”

Sinclair tried not to react to that statement. Of course it was a business decision. And she never assumed she had any influence over Hunter. But, somehow, his words hurt all the same.

Cleveland nodded. “I read the reports. The problem is cash flow.”

“I just told you, borrow against the Paraguay mines.”

“With currency fluctuations and the political instability? Do you want Osland International to fall down like a house of cards, boy?”

“Jack could give up the cruise ships he’s just acquired,” said Hunter.

“Jack cleared the cruise ship with the Board of Directors,” Jack drawled.

Sinclair was afraid to move. She wanted to speak up, to explain. But couldn’t summon the words.

Kristy leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Relax.”

“We have options,” Hunter spat.

“Are you kidding?” Sinclair hissed to her sister.

“They do this all the time,” said Kristy.

“Castlebay is going to turn Lush Beauty into a gold mine,” said Hunter with grim determination. “And that’s what you sent me to do there.”

“I sent you there to apologize to Sinclair.”

Sinclair couldn’t hold back. “He doesn’t need—”

“You don’t want a piece of this,” Hunter warned her. Then he set his sights back on his grandfather. “Next time you have a problem with my behavior, talk to me.”

“Why? You never listen.”

“And where the hell do you think I might have inherited that trait?”

“Insolent young pup,” Cleveland muttered.

“Wait for it,” Kristy whispered.

Cleveland squared his shoulders. “Don’t you forget who built this company from an empty warehouse and a corner store.”

“And you took exactly the same risks as me back then,” Hunter practically shouted. “You didn’t check with the Board of Directors, and you didn’t convene a thirty-person legal panel with six months’ lead time. You flew by the seat of your pants. That’s how you built this company.”

“Times have changed,” said Cleveland.

“Maybe,” Hunter allowed.

“And our current cash position is appalling.”

“I’m not returning the cruise ships,” said Jack, his arm going around his wife. “Kristy’s buying a sundress.”

“You’re not returning the cruise ships,” Cleveland agreed. “Hunter’s going to fix this.”

Hunter stared stonily at his coffee mug.

“I think we can join one of the ships in Fiji by the day after tomorrow,” said Kristy in a perky voice that was completely at odds with the conversation.

Jack stroked her hair. “You’ll look great on the beach,” he cheerfully told her, clearly picking up on her lead.

Kristy elbowed Sinclair.

“Uh … What color bikini?” Sinclair tried, unable to take her eyes off Hunter.

“Purple,” said Kristy. “And maybe a matching hat.”

“Did you put any hats in the spring collection?” asked Cleveland. “I think we should start a new trend.”

Hunter drew a deep breath. “Hats were up across the board at Sierra Sanchez last fall. Gramps may have a point.”

Jack took a drink of his coffee and signaled for the waiter to bring refills, while Cleveland picked up his menu.

Sinclair glanced from person to person in complete astonishment. That was it? The blowup was over, and they were all having breakfast?

Hunter’s family was insane.

Hunter could handle his family.

What he couldn’t handle was his growing desire to be with Sinclair. When Gramps left and Jack and Kristy checked out of the Ciel D’Or Hotel yesterday, Hunter gave up the room adjoining Sinclair’s, keeping the one on the top floor instead.

It didn’t help.

Or maybe it did.

He still wanted to hold her, talk to her and laugh with her all night long. But being ten floors away made it harder for him to act on those impulses.

Before she left, Kristy had given him a lecture. Telling him in no uncertain terms to put Sinclair’s interests first. Office affairs never ended well, and it was Sinclair who stood to get hurt. So, if Hunter cared for her at all, even just a little bit, he’d back off and let her get her career under control.

Then, just in case the lecture didn’t take, Kristy had pointed out that things generally went bad for men whose cousins-in-law were gunning for them, as well. While Hunter was willing to take his chances with Cleveland and Jack’s wrath, he didn’t want to cross Kristy.

Plus, he cared for Sinclair. He cared for her more than just a little bit. Although he’d never admit it, she had influenced him in the Castlebay deal. Every time his instincts had twitched, or when Richard had pointed out a potential weakness in the deal, Hunter had seen Sinclair’s smiling face, and he’d imagined the rush of telling her they owned the spas.

Castlebay wasn’t a bad deal. But it wasn’t a “pull out all the stops and get the papers signed in forty-eight hours” deal, either.

Yes, he cared about Sinclair. And he wanted her happy. And sleeping with her wasn’t going to make her happy in the long run—even though it would make him ecstatic, short term.

Right now, he heard her heels tap on the hardwood floor. He glanced over to see her cross the dance studio in strappy black sandals and a bright, gauzy blue dress that flowed in points around her tanned calves. The skirt sections separated to give him glimpses of her thighs as she walked.

The dance instructor cued up the music, and Hunter braced himself.