“I’ll make it happen if you promise to be there.”
Dane flashed her that smile that had her stomach tightening with anticipation. “I’ll be there.”
He leaned forward, not reaching for her or even attempting to touch her. His breath on the curve of her ear sent shivers assaulting her every nerve ending.
“I’m counting down the hours until I touch you again,” he murmured.
Before she could regain her mental balance, Dane had eased around her and walked out of her office. Stella remained in place, wondering how she was going to focus on work when her body was more than ready for Dane’s promised touch.
And just how the hell was she supposed to concentrate on the potential storm heading toward the resort when her own storm was taking over her emotions?
Six
Damn. There was nothing sexier than an aggressive, confident woman. Stella not only embodied both of those qualities, she was so much more and Dane hadn’t expected her to be the complete package.
What he had expected to be a little flirting with a vulnerable woman who would give him insight to her father was turning into so much more than he ever expected.
Dane had the flirting down and was well on his way to the seduction—a little too well, really. Whenever he was near her, he couldn’t seem to remember why taking her to bed was anything other than an excellent idea. He was drawing her in, just as he’d intended, and yet the draw pulled just as strongly on him. This woman was a force all her own.
And as far as the insight to her father? Well, Dane’s original assumptions were correct. The guy was a bastard in the same over-entitled category as his own stepfather.
It was no wonder those two had done a business deal. Sharks tended to swim together. But Dane had heard a rumor the reality was that Robert had lost the resort in a gambling bet gone bad.
Never in all of his plotting and scheming did he ever think she’d assume he worked for her father. Dane hadn’t lied when he told her no. He hadn’t lied when he said he wouldn’t whore himself out or take money for sex.
But he would take the resort.
The guilt he’d tried to ignore, the guilt he’d told himself wasn’t there, suddenly grew sharp teeth and clung tight to his soul.
He’d come this far. Nothing and no one would stop him...not even Stella. He hated with every ounce that she was going to get hurt by his takeover of the resort. There was no avoiding that. But perhaps once she moved on she would see that Dane had saved her from her father. Because that man would never be happy with her running any of his businesses. Dane wasn’t sure of the issues that circulated between father and daughter. That wasn’t Dane’s business, but that didn’t stop him from wondering.
Dane left his penthouse at exactly eight and headed toward Stella’s rooms on the other side of the resort. Since leaving her earlier he’d done some exploring, taking in what had been changed since his mother’s passing and the last time he’d been there.
But even the remodeling, the addition with more saunas and private movie rooms in the back, the suspended decks overlooking the valley...none of that had taken his mind off the scene in Stella’s office. His mind just kept circling back to the phone call he’d overheard.
What the hell kind of game was her father playing? From what Dane knew, Stella had six months to turn this resort around and pull in more money than the previous manager had lost in the past year—a manager hired by Stella’s father, and kept in the position despite obvious incompetence, when her father still didn’t see her as fit for the job.
Well, here she was, doing a stellar job and Ruiz Garcia still didn’t see what an amazing businesswoman she truly was. Dane hadn’t missed the way she’d lowered her voice when he’d been present. He hadn’t missed the disappointment and the hurt lacing each and every word. And he hadn’t missed the pain in her eyes when she’d realized her father had likely planted a spy.
What really pissed him off was that she’d thought that was him. But he wasn’t angry with her anymore—no, he was angry with himself. She had every reason to be suspicious, given the timing. But her suspicions were pointing her in the wrong direction. He was a spy, but the only person he worked for was himself. Dane would never work for a backstabbing mastermind like Ruiz, but could he really claim to be that much better when he was plotting against Stella even as he headed toward her for their date?
Dane made his way through the lobby and glanced out the doors into the darkened nig
ht. Snowflakes swirled around in the beams of light. The storm was rolling in and, if the forecast was correct, they were in for a hell of a blizzard.
Living in Montana had acclimated him to snow and cold. He loved the weather, actually. His ranch was postcard worthy all blanketed with snow. He longed to be back there now, to be in his den with a roaring fire and his two golden retrievers, Buck and Bronco, asleep on the rug in front of the crackling flames.
Thankfully his housekeeper was staying in the guest quarters and taking care of the dogs while his foreman oversaw everything ranch-related. Dane trusted very few people, but once they were in his inner circle, they were there for life.
As Dane passed the hallway toward the Sleepy Forest suites, he did a quick glance and spotted a couple in their midfifties, if he had to guess. They were hand in hand and staring at each other as if nobody else existed outside their happy little bubble.
Dane couldn’t imagine ever letting someone that deeply into his heart. There was only so much brokenness a man could take and Dane truly felt he’d had his fair share over time. With the loss of his mother, the distance with his brother, the loss of friends in the war...
He didn’t even want to pretend to play the game of feelings and emotions and hoping for a successful long-term relationship. Living on his own and worrying only about himself and his ranch was more than enough to make him happy in this life.
When he took the private elevator to Stella’s penthouse, he forced himself to calm down and regain his focus. Getting wrapped up in her personal struggles with her father was definitely not Dane’s place. The only reason he needed that information was to use it to obtain everything he wanted.
And the damn guilt? He couldn’t get wrapped up in that, either. Not only was his brother counting on him, Dane owed this to his mother who never, ever had any intention of selling her businesses...let alone to the devil.