Chapter 8 #2
"I'm not afraid of anything." she told him heatedly, wrenching the car door open.
"Then prove it. Come home with me."
The look she sent him could have pulverized rock.
"Go to hell." she slid into the driver's seat with a grace that he recognized.
Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, he wisely stepped back and watched as she peeled out of the parking lot.
"I'm already there." he mouthed softly. When the guard materialized from the shadows, he almost snarled. Deciding it would not do to take his anger and sexual frustrations out on the hapless man who was simply doing his job, he turned and walked back into the building.
***
For the next few weeks, she made sure she was not alone with him.
It was now normal for him to come to the office for meetings.
And he worked fast. As soon as the deal was finalized and the notice put in the papers that the airline was under new management, things started rolling along.
And rolling was the operative word. Her assistant, Helen, grumbled that the man was like a typhoon, sweeping everything along in its wake.
Kady could objectively admire his take-charge style and stamp of authority that got things done.
The former board members, old men who had been there for ages, were forced to retire.
The board had been a 'men's club,' with no women allowed.
Landry changed that and informed her that he was leaving it up to her to choose the appropriate people to fill the role.
He would be part of the board, of course, and a few key people from his company.
The name would be changed to 'Supreme Airlines,' something which surprised her.
She had expected him to use his own name.
When she had voiced her opinion, he had simply told her that it was not necessary.
Just like that and nothing else. The man was unpredictable.
He made her acutely uncomfortable whenever they were in meetings.
She would look up from her device to see him watching her, a slight smile lurking around those sensual lips, and she had a feeling he knew she was uncomfortable. He made her hot and breathless, and it would take considerable effort on her part to concentrate on what was being said.
He was true to his word and the only people who were let go were the upper management staff, the ones who were not contributing.
The place itself was getting overhauled: the offices repainted and the old worn furnishings in the reception area and conference rooms, replaced by the shimmering gold and green he had chosen along with her help.
He was using their PR firm to put the word out that the place was under new management.
He was there at least once a week, but Kady made certain to stay clear of him. Once when he was there for a meeting, he caught her by surprise by arriving thirty minutes early and catching her in her office.
She had been putting the finishing touches on a report before heading to the conference room, when he just walked in.
"Helen, I'm almost finished here. Please tell me they have not arrived yet," she called out, not looking up.
"She's not at her desk." His deep voice had her jolting and going rigid.
"Landry." Her heart fairly rapped against flesh and had her going warm. He was leaning on the door, his arms crossed over his chest, muscles rippling. "You're early."
"And you've been avoiding me."
"I don't have time for this." She tried to be firm but was afraid her voice came out sounding weak.
"For what?"
"Whatever game you're playing." She made the mistake of leaning over on the desk.
She saw when his eyes drifted to the gap in her form-fitting sweater dress.
It was only pride and determination that made her stay where she was.
But she could not stop the warmth from spreading to every part of her body.
"You look lovely." His voice had deepened, warning her what was coming.
He circled her desk and perched on the edge of it, edging her in.
"You have such flawless skin." He had to touch and he did, trailing a finger over the long column of her neck.
After the night in the parking lot when she had refused him, he had spent the time cursing her and alternating between despair and anger, but had decided that he wasn't giving up. "So soft."
She swallowed the lump that had lodged itself inside her throat. "This is highly inappropriate. Helen might just walk in. Stop it!" she hissed. His fingers were making their way to the deep vee of her dress and sending sparks flying.
"I can't." he told her simply. His eyes lifted to meet hers. "And what's more, you don't want me to."
Her eyes flashed. "You arrogant, conceited, entitled..."
His laughter cut her off and had her glaring at him.
"All of that?" he asked teasingly. "When you're angry, your eyes turn a deeper shade of mahogany.
It always fascinated me. I used to be intimidated.
You would turn those eyes onto a hapless fellow student who pissed you off and send him or her scurrying.
I used to tell myself that I would never want to be the object of your displeasure. "
His finger trailed even lower and she forgot to breathe. She knew her nipples were as hard as rock and brushing against the material of her dress.
"I don't intend to take a walk down memory lane with you." She managed to get the words out without them strangling inside her throat.
"No?" His finger continued its disturbing exploration. "Why don't we kiss instead?"
The sudden discreet knock on the door had her charging from her chair.
"Yes?"
"The conference room is ready."
"Thanks, Helen." Relief coursed through her weakened body as she turned to gather her notes.
"Saved by your assistant." he murmured. He was still sitting on the edge of her desk, restricting her movements.
"Please step back."
"Of course." Before she realized what he was doing, he caught her around the waist and drew her between his strong thighs.
"What are you doing?"
"My favorite pastime." He swooped in before she could stop him and seized her lips in a kiss that had her sagging against him weakly. "That should give us both something to think about during the tedious financial accounting."
The kiss left her weak and needy. She clung to him, her lips parted as she welcomed the invasion of his tongue.
Landry felt the familiar violent need scorching him.
He had kissed her to make a point, but it had turned into something much more potent.
His hands went around her waist to dig through the material of her dress.
Need poured through him quickly and incisively, leaving him breathless and desperate.
If he didn't have her soon, he was going to implode!
It was the knock on the door that finally filtered through his brain and had him releasing her and ending the kiss. Even so, he continued to hold her, his breathing rapid and shallow, his body beating like a live thing.
"Let go of me." Kady whispered. She was trembling and thinking that there wasn't much more of this she could take.
"Just a minute," he said quietly, hands wandering up and down her back.
"I need to steady myself." His hand came up to lift her chin, jade green eyes swirling with passion.
"If you think we can ignore what's happening between us, then you're a fool and I know you're not.
" Putting her away, he eased off the desk before making his way to the door.
It took several minutes for her to compose herself enough to follow him.
***
She could not concentrate. Other than the mindless droning of the CFO, she was finding it more and more difficult to concentrate on the latest financial reports.
Landry sat at the other end of the table, his very efficient assistant making her notes.
He leaned back in the chair; his eyes trained on her.
She felt his stare, even though she was studiously trying to avoid looking at him. When she happened to lift her head, it was to see the smoldering look in his eyes and the suggestive smile on his lips.
Landry felt the grin tugging at his lips.
If looks could kill, he would certainly be a dead man.
He was no longer interested in the report; he would get it from Leonora, his assistant, who took very thorough notes.
He was more interested in flustering Kady-Ann.
It was such a pleasant diversion and a painful one.
Even looking at her, even sitting in a meeting that was designed to bore a person to death, he was aroused. Shifting on the chair, he acknowledged wryly that he was torturing himself. He was going to have her. He already made up his mind, and it would happen. It was a matter of timing.
He had his hands on her several times and even if he were not a man who knew women and had had more than his fair share, he would have known that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Timing, he pondered. It had to be perfect. And if it weren't, well then, he would take whatever he could get. But the end result would be them both naked, even if he had to storm her apartment.
He couldn't tell her the reason for his leaving, at least not yet, and that troubled him greatly. A frown touched his brow at that. But he would have her. He wanted to show her that he had never stopped loving her. He was aching to fold her in his arms and just lose himself in her.
She looked up then as if his thoughts had transmitted to her.
At the look on his face, she froze, heart hammering, palms sweating.
Damn him! she thought in despair. If this continues, she was going to disgrace herself in front of the members of the board and her own staff.
He was getting to her, wearing down her resistance, and what was even worse, she had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew it, knew exactly what he was doing to her.