Stranded Temptation: A Flaming Romance Read online

  He stood and adjusted his damn pants again. This would be hard. Literally. At least with her driving, they wouldn’t wreck because he was staring at her instead of the road.

  3

  Kara clicked her key fob to unlock her car’s doors.

  “Wow,” Max said, walking next to her. She was still irritated with him and now she had to eat lunch with his family, specifically Jane. Why would Max’s stepmother, who happened to be younger than her, want to talk with her socially?

  To what she knew of the current Mrs. Richards, the woman was always shopping, or vacationing, or something that required spending money—Max’s father’s money. The bitty was a gold digger if ever she saw one. But it wasn’t her place to say anything. The Richards were all adults and welcome to make their own mistakes without involving her. She just had to make sure she didn’t become one of those mistakes.

  Sliding into the driver’s seat, she slapped her purse on Max’s lap. “Since I’m driving, you hold this.” He didn’t argue which was a little surprising since guys hated that kind of thing. Men were way too macho to ever be seen carrying their wife’s bag. God, she so didn’t need one of those males in her life. Though sex once in a while would be nice.

  No, no, no. What the hell was she thinking? Sleeping with the David statue come to life in her passenger’s seat was a very bad idea. She had no doubt he was good in bed. Stop it. Bad Kara.

  “What’s wrong?” Max asked. “Why are you shaking your head?”

  “No reason,” she replied. “Just can’t believe I’m doing this.” She turned the key in the ignition and backed the car from its parking space.

  “Doing what? Going to lunch with my family?” He scowled. “They’re not that bad.” He thought a second. “Well, Brian can be a dick.”

  She slapped his arm. “Don’t call your brother a dick. He’s a nice guy if he’d only stop hitting on anything that breathed.”

  Max snorted. “At least they’re breathing.” His hands slid along the smoother leather seat and wood center console. “Nice car. When did you get it?”

  Out of everything in her life, she splurged on her car and the inside of her home. Those were the two places she spent most of her time. She wanted those to be comfortable and calming.

  “I’ve had it a week. I love it,” she replied.

  “I do, too.” He glanced over his shoulder into the back. “Definitely roomy enough back there,” he mumbled, but she heard it and knew what he referred to. And it didn’t pertain to sitting up. She rolled her eyes. Men.

  The traffic sucked. It always sucked, 24/7. There was little point to having a car if you could get places quicker by walking. And of course, his family didn’t eat at the fast and cheap places she frequented. No. Their eatery had the heavy linen napkins, both black and white to accommodate the guest’s attire, twenty-dollar cocktails, and fifty-dollar bland chicken with rice.

  Right now, a huge slice of pizza with pepperoni and double cheese sounded so good. She wasn’t cut out for the ritzy world. Give her a sunny beach or a creek in the woods and she’d be happy.

  “So,” Max said, bringing her out of her thought, “still mad at me?”

  What a strange question from a boss and CEO of a company. People like that didn’t give a shit if an employee was upset or not. She’d been with the company a little over six months and she had yet to pin down what made Max tick.

  The women on her floor drooled over the man and shared their erotic dreams of him. He was physically perfect with his muscled arms and thighs, broad chest, and cleft chin, but that was beside the point. He was her boss. How many movies had been made about an employee hooking up with the boss and everything turning out disastrous? And she’d be the one without a job. He wouldn’t be quitting, she could guarantee that.

  She sighed. “No, Max. I’m not mad—”

  “Pissed then?”

  “What?” she replied. “No, I’m not pissed at you.” A heavy breath escaped again. She didn’t know what she was. “I’m just...worn out, I guess.”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything. Great job, there, Kara. Just tell the man how you really feel. He’s your damn boss. You don’t tell him something like that and expect to stay employed. Geesh, she was really out of it. She quickly added, “And I love my job.”

  Max laughed at her sudden burst of words. She wondered what he thought of her. Did he think she was competent? Smart? Capable? Or a piece of ass? He didn’t come across that way, all the time. He seemed like a nice person except for him ruining her vacations and working late killing her love life.

  Speaking of which...she had a second date tonight for dinner. The guy was okay, but his eyes roamed when other women walked by. She felt like he was wondering if the other woman would be better than she was. He asked for a second date and she agreed. Maybe when they got to know each other better, he’d focus more on her.

  Max shifted in his seat. “You’re doing a great job, Kara. I—we all appreciate the hard work you’ve done getting the company organized and ready for the transition.”

  That was a nice thing to say. “Thank you, Max. I’m glad to know I’m meeting your expectations. You’ve never said much about how I’m doing these past several months.”

  “I knew you’d be good from your resume. It’s the office culture that depends if someone fits in, and you do.” She looked at him. His eyes gleamed at her, smile dazzling. She couldn’t help her racing pulse.

  Her car dinged and came to an abrupt stop, throwing them both against their seat belts. “Sorry,” she said as her face heated. She’d been so distracted by him that the car had to initiate its emergency stopping system. Otherwise, they’d be sitting there for hours waiting for tow trucks and the police to write up an incident report. That would’ve sucked.

  Max laughed. She hated how he got to her. She’d double her wall thickness around her heart and think about her cancelled vacation. That should be enough to keep Max Richards out of her mind and body.

  4

  Max waited outside the restaurant entrance for Kara as the valet drove off with her car. She tucked the ticket into her purse and headed toward him.

  Being polite, he rested his hand in the dip of her back and casually asked if she was ready. Kara snorted and said never. Yeah, he could understand that. Not that his family was weird or anything. They were probably the most boring group out there.

  He saw his brother, Brian, was seated already and he guided Kara toward the table. When Brian caught his eye, his brother’s brows drew down. He was sure that was due to Kara being there. When he and Kara reached the table, he pulled out her chair and seated her properly.

  “Brian, you remember Kara Masters from the office.”

  “I do,” Brian said, “but what is her loveliness doing with you, here?” Brian stood, leaned over the table and took Kara’s hand, bringing it to his lips. Max watched as Kara smiled at his brother, who was going to die when they left the restaurant.

  Max yanked her hand away. “All right, enough already. Stop molesting the woman.”

  Brian laughed loudly, drawing eyes from nearby tables to them. Kara scrunched down in her chair. Oh, why did he think having Kara here was a good idea? Being selfish again and wanting her with him.

  “Jane asked Kara to come so they could talk while we discuss business.”

  Brian feigned fainting, plopping onto his chair. “Jane wants to chitchat with Kara?” The beautiful face beside him darkened. Brian noted also. “Nothing against you, Kara. But if you’re not royalty, she usually doesn’t grace you with her presence.” Brian shook his head, scowling at Max. “And you let her say yes?”

  “Hey,” Kara butted in, “Max didn’t let me do anything. I chose to come. Well, sorta. Not really, but that’s not the point here.”

  That was an interesting reaction. He didn’t know how fiercely independent Kara was. She would be no wilting flower for him to push around. He bet she’d be a tiger in bed. When they got there. Hopefully, soon. No. She was an employee
. Just no. He let out a long breath.

  Kara turned on him. “What’s that sigh for?” she quietly barked.

  He sat back in his chair, hands up in his defense. “Nothing. Can’t a guy exhale?” His tried to swallow his grin.

  Her face blushed and she looked away. “No, guys don’t sigh without a reason.”

  “I was breathing out,” he replied.

  “You sighed. Loudly, I might add.” She fiddled with the wrapped silverware, keeping her eyes away from meeting his look.

  “I have to agree with her, brother,” Brian said. “It was a sigh.”

  He grumbled. “Who asked you to the party, little brother?”

  Brian’s eyes opened wide. “I am the party, dear brother.”

  Max would’ve loved to knock the man upside the head. Once a pest, always a pest. Siblings.

  At the entrance to the restaurant, a big hubbub stole their attention as well as all other guests.

  A young female in a short dress and spiked shoes was trying to push an old man in a wheelchair, slamming the chair’s foot rest against the side of door frame. The man was hollering at her, trying to control the wheels himself. She yelled back over his words, still bumping the side of the door.

  Max glanced at his brother who was shaking his head at the scene at the front of the restaurant. His brother said, “Is it wrong to hate the woman your father is married to?”

  Max chuckled. “Just not in front of Dad.” Both watched as a friendly face brushed Jane away from their father. She shoved from the wheelchair in disgust, almost tripping on the carpet. Designer purse hanging from her elbow, she strutted through the dining room toward their table, her chin tilted high.

  Max glanced at Kara. Her shocked expression sent him into spastic laughs. Welcome to his world. She glanced at him and frowned. A moment later, Jane dropped her purse onto Kara’s end of the table and took a seat like she hadn’t made the scene of the day. Looking around, the woman snapped her fingers in the air.

  “Where is the waiter? I need a drink,” Jane said. Max didn’t like the sound of that. He needed to ask about her drinking habits. His father rolled up to them. Brian moved the chair at the head of the table to the side.

  Their father spoke to the man pushing him. “Carl, thank you for your help. One day I’ll get used to this damn contraption, I suppose.”

  Max and Brian each gave a nod to the ex-bouncer who had been a godsend for their family since his father became physically limited. Carl returned the greeting.

  “You’re welcome, sir. What else do you need?”

  “Nothing right now,” Father replied. “After you park the car, get something to eat and put it on my tab.”

  Carl bobbed his head once. “Yes, sir.” Carl’s eyes glanced down the table toward Jane. His scowl was telling. Max turned from looking at the end of the table where Kara and Jane were already in conversation. Well, Jane was in conversation. Kara’s eyes appeared a bit glazed over. Max held back his grin. He owed the poor girl for this. It would be worth it to have her here.

  The waiter made his way to them after taking an order from Jane. Probably her alcoholic beverage. He wished he would’ve heard what she ordered. If he questioned the waiter, no doubt Jane would have a conniption fit. One scene was enough for the day.

  Jane leaned forward onto the table, her scoop shirt hanging open, showing anyone with eyeballs more than they’d want to see. “Really, Dan. How do expect to learn to get around on your own if you let others baby you?”

  Baby him? What the fuck was she talking about? Carl pushing his father’s wheelchair was babying him? What the hell was she doing when she rammed him into the side of the door? The vitriol on her face made her ugly, inside and out.

  Why had his father married this spoiled little chit? One thing he learned from his father’s most recent marriage was that skin beauty didn’t mean shit in being happy. In this case, beauty was a bitch.

  Brian’s voice brought Max’s attention back to them. “I have to say, the meeting didn’t go as well as I’d hoped this morning.”

  Father dropped his fist on the table, making the silverware jump. “None of those old men know what the hell they are talking about.”

  “Dad,” Max interrupted, “you’re one of those old men.”

  His dad pointed a knobby finger at him. “I may be old in age, but my brain still functions logically, which theirs obviously don’t.” He lifted his napkin-wrapped utensils and unrolled them. “I have a mind to kick them all off the board and put in younger folks.”

  Max caught his brother’s eye. In private, they had discussed this possibility and knew it wouldn’t happen as long as their father was Chair. Could they have been wrong?

  “Dad,” Brian said, “I can’t believe you said that.”

  The older man flipped his hand at them. “Bah. You’re stereotyping.” Max thought he and his brother could’ve been guilty as accused. He hadn’t considered that because his father was from a different generation, they couldn’t be on the same wavelength.

  His dad continued. “If Paul and Edgar can’t see the future, then they’ll go out with the old. You can’t guarantee something you don’t have control over.”

  “Dad,” Max said, alarm coursing through him. It sounded like his father was ready to drop the ax immediately. But they weren’t ready for that. “Let’s not do anything drastic until after my meeting with them.”

  “Agreed,” his brother said. “Let’s wait to see how willing South America is to work with us before doing anything.”

  Dad flipped his hand again. “I’m not. I’m just excited to get this started. Manufacturing is a challenge I haven’t conquered, and I want to do that before I die.”

  “Dad,” Max replied, “it’s not like we’ve cornered the market on distribution. Our competition has as many ships sailing the sea as we do. And they’ve been in the business a lot longer.”

  “Yes,” Dad said, “that’s why we need to have our own manufacturing empire. That’s the only way to guarantee we stay in shipping—have your own shit to ship.”

  Max couldn’t disagree with that philosophy, but not sure he was ready to dive in with no safety net. “How do you plan to convince Paul or Edgar?”

  Dad’s brows drew down, creasing the skin between. “Perhaps start with Frank. Where does he stand on this?”

  “All in favor, I guess,” Max said, glancing at Brian.

  “He hasn’t said anything to the negative.” His brother shrugged a shoulder.

  “Good,” their father said, “get Frank to convince his old man this is the best for the company. If Paul still isn’t happy, he can get the hell off the board then.”

  Max shifted in his seat, looking for his brother’s eye in the process. Where had this spitefulness in their father come from? Never before had he been negative against long-time friend Paul Thomas, or even Frank for that matter.

  Max thought back to the meeting this morning. He recalled how Paul reacted to Kara’s announcement with hostility and almost anger. If he had been in the room alone with the board member, he might have put his fist in the elder’s face.

  Granted, Paul hadn’t wanted to hire another person for the office, and Max hired Kara anyway. But good fucking god. The man had to get over it.

  Maybe something was going on between his father and friend. It wasn’t any of his business. Until it affected the business. He wanted to talk with Brian about it. He hoped this change didn’t foreshadow a medical condition like Alzheimer’s.

  Max glanced up at the man coming toward them. “Speak of the devil.”

  5

  Kara rubbed the spot on her skull where an ice pick named Jane had been jammed into her head. Kara recalled why she didn’t associate with people like her, especially when cornered in public. Like the restaurant she was currently trapped in.

  “You feeling okay?” Jane asked, picking at her salad, pushing away the onions, then the cucumbers, then tomatoes, leaving leafy greens doused in buttermilk ranch. Kara
had to remember the woman across from her was young enough to get away with eating only the bad, but best tasting, parts.

  Kara plastered on a fake smile. “Yes, just had an itch. What were you saying?”

  Jane stuffed lettuce into her mouth and talked while chewing. Kara had to look down at her own plate to keep from being completely grossed out. “Just how nice the diamond earrings were that Dan bought me last weekend.”

  Dan? Oh, right. Max’s father’s name. She’d only heard the company owner’s first name a time or two. Usually it was “Mr. Richards” from the employees and “my father” if Max was complaining about something.

  Kara was sure the earrings were stunning. And she was sure Jane did nothing to deserve them. Now, now, Kara chastised herself mentally. That wasn’t a nice thought, even though it might have been true. Kara didn’t know the spoiled brat seated across from her. For all she knew, Jane could be a respectable, friendly, and honest gold digger.

  Kara quickly wiped her napkin across her mouth to hide the sudden grin. God, she was so bad. Had to be this job affecting her. Working long hours with no one to go home to and no reason to stay in bed.

  She’d definitely stay in bed if the man seated at her side was in it with her. Her imagination pictured his large body propped up against the headboard, the sheet fluttered across his lap, barely hiding the present she so badly wanted to unwrap and sit on or bury down her throat.

  A shivering chill made its way down her back. She felt her panties dampening.

  Jane’s voice snapped her from her fantasy. “Kara? You listening to me?” The frown on the woman’s face was almost comical. Like she thought the world revolved her. Maybe Dan revolved around her, but Kara certainly didn’t.

  “I’m sorry,” Kara said. “What was the question?”

  Jane huffed and waved it off. “I just asked what you were doing at work. You know, trying to be nice since you don’t seem to want to talk much.”