I awoke from dreams of rough lovemaking in Mr. Drake’s dungeon and stretched my arms over my head, yawning peacefully. I could still feel where his hands had gripped my h*ps the night before, and traced the skin he’d touched with relish. The sun was just coming up over the hill, the floor-to-ceiling windows tinting themselves to keep out the unwelcome light.
I sat up, realizing the other side of the bed was empty, the red sheets crumpled and cold. Where was Mr. Drake? I’d hoped to catch him sleeping just this once... to get a glimpse of him beside me, vulnerable and completely mine. To see him, just once, when he wasn’t in total control.
No such luck.
I should have known that a man like him always rises early.
I slipped a silk robe over my shoulders and padded down the hall to the stairway, hoping to find him at breakfast, but as I neared the second floor landing, raised voices met my ears. I stopped just shy of Mr. Drake’s study, hesitating in the shadows. The door was open just a crack, but the male voice floating through the doorway was all too familiar. Lex Smith was here, his sharp voice echoing through the hallway.
“We’ve got no other choice, Chase! Honestly, what else do you think we should do? We’ve got to make an impression on these people, or we’ll lose them.”
“I thought you said it wasn’t anything to worry about? That the losses were minimal?”
“So, I understated the issue a bit. That’s not the point. We’ve got to build investor confidence.”
“We can’t afford-”
“We can’t afford not to!”
I heard Mr. Drake sigh, and imagined him running a hand through his hair. I felt like I was intruding on a private moment, an eavesdropper who had no business listening in. I debated with myself for a moment, then turned and snuck downstairs toward the kitchen. If Mr. Drake wanted me to know what was going on, he’d tell me himself. I wasn’t about to break his trust.
After a hot cup of coffee and one of the chef’s delicious omelets, Mr. Drake appeared around the corner. For the briefest of moments, he looked exhausted, his green eyes dulled with worry. Then he saw me, and smiled.
“So, you’re up after all. Excellent. I need you to go back to your apartment and pack your things.”
I lowered my fork. “Good morning to you, too.”
He leaned over and kissed my hair, his expression softening. “Good morning, Isa. I wish I weren’t in such a hurry, but I have work to do. Quickly. We need to put together a weekend getaway for the investors and members of the board, and we need to do it now.”
He grabbed a fresh baked croissant from a basket on the counter and toyed with it absentmindedly. “Hopefully they haven’t already gotten wind...”
I put my hand on his arm, and he looked at me, as if startled that I was still there.
“What can I do to help?”
He frowned, his eyes appraising me. “I need to call everyone on the investor list, and set up three days and two nights of entertainment to occupy them all. Mr. Smith offered his parents’ hotel and casino as a possible location.”
I took a deep swig of coffee, and stood up. “No problem. Give me the names, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
His lips twisted into a half smile, his eyes twinkling incredulously. “Isa, are you sure--”
“I used to put together events for my grandmother’s charity all the time. I’ve got this.”
He raised an eyebrow, obviously needing more.
“She built a halfway house for problem teens, but could no longer handle running it when she fell ill. I was the only one who could help out, so I guess you could say I learned on the job. I know a thing or two about organizing events for wealthy benefactors.” I smiled up at him. “Trust me. I can help you, if you let me.”
He ran a hand over his chin, as if absorbing my words. “Well, aren’t you just full of surprises?”
I put a hand on my hip. “Are you going to let me take care of this, or are we going to stand here all day?”
He laughed then, the sound making my heart do a back flip.
“Get ready, and I’ll drive you.” He pulled me close, kissing me hard. “And if we finish early, maybe you can get tied up at the office...”
I laughed with him, and he smacked me playfully on the rear. I’d definitely have to work quickly.
***
I sat on the floor of Mr. Drake’s office, surrounded by a fan of index cards, his laptop, and a fistful of hotel brochures. My ear was aching around my blue tooth headset from the day’s worth of phone calls, but I grinned as I surveyed all that I’d accomplished.
I looked up as Mr. Drake entered, closing the door behind him.
“Is there anything you need? How’s it going?”
There was a wrinkle above the bridge of his nose that only showed when he was anxious. I wanted to jump up and kiss it away, but instead, I pulled up the page of notes I had on the computer.
“Everything’s booked, and 20 out of 22 guests have RSVP’d in the positive, along with their spouses. This weekend is going to be a huge success. No one can pass up an all-expenses paid corporate bash thrown by The Chase Drake.” I grinned up at him, and blew a piece of hair out of my face where it had fallen out of my bun.
He shook his head, a smile replacing the pinched look of almost-panic he had been wearing. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. How did you manage to pull all this off?”
He gave me a hand, pulling me to my feet.
“Didn’t you know I’m a genius?”
“I always suspected as much.”
We stared at one another, the laughter fading, replaced by something else entirely. He grabbed my hair, tilting my head back, and I let my breath out slowly, my whole body suddenly very aware that we were alone. His mouth met mine, hot and urgent. I moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, teasing my tongue with his.
“I’m going to need you, Isabeau. With me. This weekend.”
He kissed me again, slowly, his lips on mine making me quake with longing. He pulled away and looked into my eyes.
“Please say you’ll come?”
I smiled up at him. “I’d love to. As long as you promise not to work me too hard.”
His hand slipped up under my skirt. He ran a finger over the crotch of my panties, tracing my lips through the lace. “I will promise no such thing.”
I shivered beneath his touch. “I’m all yours, Sir.”
***
The next couple of days passed in a whirlwind of activity. I finally went home to my lonely little apartment to see that my mail was piling up and my one houseplant was getting crispy around the edges. I watered it, marveling at how quickly my life had changed in such a short period of time.