Isle of Sensuality (10 page)

The tightness deflated as he realized that must have been what it was. After all, he hadn’t really cared about a woman in years and he liked it that way. If he didn’t care, if he kept his heart to himself, there was no way it would ever have to experience the same agonizing pain he’d endured when he learned Sarah aborted his child all those years ago.

Jake fisted his hands and ground his teeth together as he made his way back to his bedroom. The shadow of pain threatening around the edges of the scarred organ made his blood run hot with anger. At least anger he could deal with, but that ever present pain which had clung to him for months? No, he couldn’t go through that again. Ever.

Caitlyn’s voice hummed out a tune from the bathroom and his temper receded. Without meaning to, he hitched the corners of his lips up in a grin. Jake could now add tone deaf to the measly list of things he knew about her. He pulled a pair of beige shorts from one of the chrome wardrobes, slipped them on, and then reached for a white cotton shirt. The humidity from yesterday’s rainfall made the air thick and stuffy. There was no way he was wearing denim in weather like this.

Jake’s mobile vibrated on the bedside cabinet and he frowned when he saw Tom’s name flash on the caller display. He could still hear Caitlyn singing from the en-suite and figured he had enough time for a quick chat.

Jake hit
answer
. “What’s up?”

“Remember Bill Simpson?”

Jake wasn’t sure he liked where this conversation was headed. “Yeah I remember him. He owns Simpson Oils, the energy providers. What’s your point?”

“He’s in Brazil. Word in the UK is he’s taking a vacation before heading to London to oversee the opening of the new office here.”

Jake curled his hand into a fist. “Where are you going with this? Spit it out already.” Jake didn’t even try to hide the hostility in his tone. He knew damn well what Tom was going to ask. There was no way in hell he’d agree to it either.

“We need you to have a meeting with him and put across a proposal for the supplies. The company he uses now is based in the US. It would benefit him to use us for his dealings in London. I’ve arranged for you to meet with him later today.”

Jake wished he wasn’t on his mobile. The satisfaction of slamming the phone down on his brother would have erased his anger. After, of course, he threw a few choice swear words down the receiver. But the door to the en-suite opened and Caitlyn walked into his bedroom, wrapped in nothing but a white towel. Jake couldn’t keep his eyes off the pearly, damp skin on her shoulders.

“Jake? I’ve emailed the proposal over to you. It won’t take long to look over the documents. You’re meeting Bill at five tonight at the—”

Anger burned through him and he cut Tom off. “Quit right there, Tom. I mean it.” Jake turned his back on Caitlyn’s worried frown. “I’m not doing it. I’ve told you before I don’t want anything to do with the company. Wait until he’s back in the UK and then send Sam. I have to go.”

Jake ended the call and turned back to Caitlyn.

“Who was that?” she asked, her forehead creased with worry.

Jake sighed. “My brother, Tom.”

Surprise flitted across her features for a second then they settled into an adorable scowl. The way her arms folded across her chest enhanced her cleavage nicely. The ever present heat at his groin flared.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like this side of her nature, he’d actually missed her fiery side, but he didn’t like how her being mad at him made him feel like a schoolboy getting in trouble from a teacher.

“I can’t believe you’re refusing to help your brother. How could you do that?”

Jake struggled to keep the surprise from his face. “You’ve no idea what he wants me to do but you’re defending him?” he asked incredulously.

Caitlyn huffed out a breath and pulled back her shoulders. “If they need your help, why can’t you help them? You delayed filming for a week so you could before, what’s stopping you now?”

Jake’s blood heated as his anger rose again. “They knew that once I left the company, I wanted nothing more to do with it. Now, they’re asking me to pitch a proposal to a potential client. Like I have time for that.”

Stomping closer, she poked a finger into his chest. “It’s Saturday, remember? You
do
have time to help.”

Jake grabbed hold of her prodding finger and slid his other hand around her waist. He pulled her up against his body and bent down to her ear. He tried to ignore the stab of arousal beneath his shorts, but failed horribly. The smell of his body wash mingled with her own sweet scent fogged his mind. But the pang of guilt in his gut refused to leave.

“I had plans for today.”

Caitlyn pulled from his grasp. She frowned up at him. “You’re putting sex before your family?”

The pang of guilt turned into a wave which almost dragged him down. His hands fisted. “It’s not like that. It’s their company now. Their problem.” But the guilt was making those words hard to believe.

Even though he left his brothers Campbell Engineers Supplies, he never showed them how to run it. They’d done well, but after the recession hit and most of their clients went bust, the company had struggled. But what could Jake have done? He’d merely go down with them.

She stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm. “Will it really be so bad doing this one thing for them?”

Jake searched Caitlyn’s face for any sign of manipulation. All he found was distress. Pain even. “Why do you care? You don’t know my brothers.”

Caitlyn released his arm. “I’d do anything for my sister. She’s all the family I have. I couldn’t not help her.”

It might have been the determination in her voice, her undoubted loyalty, or the love that shone from her eyes when she spoke of her sister, but Jake couldn’t bear the distance between them anymore. He pulled her against him and nibbled her neck. Still, the guilt gnawed at his gut.

“Fine. I’ll do it,” he caved. Maybe if he went, he’d be able to forget about the guilt.

The smile she offered him held none of the indignation she’d shown him a moment ago. “Great! I’ll let you get ready. Let me know how it goes.” Caitlyn tried to pull out of his hold, but he tugged her closer.

Jake shook his head. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Her eyebrows shot to her forehead. “I’m going to my villa.”

No way was she getting out of this one. If his fiery siren was going to play the guilt card, she was going to suffer the consequences. Caitlyn was coming with him. The more Jake thought about it, the more he warmed to the idea. He doubted it would be as hellish if she was there. Plus, she’d look stunning in a skirt suit.

“That’s a good idea. You’ll need to find something professional to wear.”

Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, and Jake stuck his tongue in his cheek to stop from smiling.

“Maybe clip your hair back,” he suggested. “After all, I can’t take my new secretary to work when she has bed head.”

Chapter 7

How on earth had she allowed herself to be roped into this?

One minute, she’d felt such a strong disappointment that Jake could turn down his own family so easily. The next, she’d been so angry with herself for letting her emotions get in the way that she’d almost chewed his head off! So much for a
casual fling
. If Caitlyn was going to survive the next few months with him, she’d have to learn to keep her feelings under control. Oh, and not let him barrel her into trips to meetings playing his secretary.

“So, you have a sister?” Jake asked as he gazed out of the cab window at the passersby.

A familiar dread filled Caitlyn’s stomach, and she turned her attention to the window next to her. No one knew she had a sister. She internally cursed herself for the earlier slip, but he’d disappointed her and she’d been so mad at herself that she’d let the words pour out of her mouth.

If it was what Amanda wanted, Caitlyn would definitely tell people. But Amanda had told her that when she became famous herself, it would be for her fashion designs. Not for being the sister of an actress. But blabbermouth went ahead and slipped it out.

Did she think Jake would spill her secrets to the press? Caitlyn doubted it. He knew himself how tough it was being hounded by the paps. “I have a younger sister. She’s at university.”

While he digested the information, Caitlyn gazed out at the buildings and people whirring by. The evening sun was cooler and she understood why Mr. Simpson wanted to meet so late. It would be hellish wearing a skirt suit in the midday sun. As beautiful as the city was, the humidity from the rainfall had made the air muggy and the temperature unbearable, especially this far into the city. Mr. Simpson had arranged to meet them at the finest French restaurant in Rio. Earlier Jake mentioned the head chef was from a family full of the best chefs in Latin America. For a moment, she’d forgotten her dread at playing secretary when she hadn’t a clue what she was meant to do, as excitement struck. She’d never been to a French restaurant. In fact, back home, she barely went out at all.

When a few moments passed without Jake pressing for more information on her sister, as she’d expected he would, Caitlyn turned to face him. He was staring at her intently with his brows furrowed. Still, even though he was clearly annoyed about something, she couldn’t help gawk. Until today, she’d thought there was nothing hotter than Jake in a pair of shorts and a well-fitted shirt.

Oh, how wrong she’d been.

Looking at him now, in a navy, tailored silk suit which fit every sculpted inch of him was way better. The chrome shirt underneath was buttoned to the collar with a silk navy tie knotted to perfection. His usually unruly waves were brushed back from his well-sculpted face and Caitlyn had to admit she didn’t think she’d ever seen a man looking so powerfully sexy.

“What?” she asked after a moment of devouring him with her eyes.

“Why do you do that?”

Now it was her turn to frown. “Do what?”

“Evade questions.” He said it like it was obvious.

“I didn’t evade any question. I told you the truth.”

Jake’s lips hitched into a wry smile. “No, you told me basic facts. The whole truth would include your sister’s name, what she’s studying, and anything else you could think of. Most women would have taken my question as an invitation to talk about themselves. You clammed up.”

“I’m not most women,” she insisted. Thinking of Jake with most women made nausea rise in her throat.
Get a grip, Cait.

Jake laughed his deep, sexy laugh. “I know.”

The cab pulled over outside an uber-modern looking building. The front of the restaurant was made out of glass with silver swirly designs edging the walls. From what she could see through the reflective surfaces, the inside looked dark and intimate, with pale red lights. Suddenly her stomach was twisting with nerves and she turned back to Jake. He had opened the door and was about to step out when she grabbed his sleeve.

“I don’t think I can do this. He’ll know straight away I’m a fraud.”

Caitlyn knew she could act well, but she had no idea what was involved in being a secretary in something like this. Normally, she’d spend time researching the part, like she’d done for the movie. But by the time they’d both got ready and went over the papers Jake’s brother emailed—which Caitlyn understood even less about—they were out the door and on their way to a speed boat and then on to Rio.

Jake turned to her. He cupped her cheek and swept his thumb over her lower lip. As it did the first time, her lips burned and swelled, willing for his mouth to connect with hers. “Relax, Caity. Just act confident and agree with everything I say. You can even pretend to take notes if that’ll make you feel better.”

“But—” Her protest was cut off as he kissed her fiercely.

Jake pulled back after a second and grinned his knee-melting grin. “Show time.”

* * * *

“Wow. That was...wow.” Caitlyn’s eyes were huge and glittery and her mouth formed a perfect ‘o’.

Usually, a woman looking at him like the sun shone from his backside would put him off her immediately. Now, however, his chest felt like it was bursting with triumph. It had been so long since he’d had to negotiate a deal. The meeting invigorated him. Plus, he’d not only got good ol’ Bill to sign the contract, but with a higher rate paid to Campbell Engineers. His brothers would be over the moon.

“Is that a favorite word of yours?” he asked as he held out a hand to the busy street, hailing a taxi.

Pink tinged Caitlyn’s high cheekbones. “No. I never say it.”

He grinned as a taxi pulled up to the curb. “Well, that’s three times in under twenty-four hours, Miss Hart.” He opened the door, waited until Caitlyn got in and shuffled to the opposite side, then climbed in after her, closing the door behind him.

“No other words fit. You were so professional, and it seemed like you actually knew what you were talking about! How long did you work at your father’s company?”

Jake gave the driver directions in Spanish. The taxi smelled like the inside of an ashtray and a pang of homesickness hit him. If he was honest, it wasn’t just the public smoking ban in the UK he missed.

“A few years.” And then some, but if Caitlyn didn’t want to share facts, he certainly wasn’t going to.

From what he remembered of his teenage years into his mid-twenties, it was the worst time of his life. There was no way in hell he was going to tell a woman that. Flings were supposed to be just that. Though, in all fairness, Caitlyn was way behind on the sharing.

“What’s your sister studying at university?” The secret keeper was going to have to spill some before he considered sharing any more with her. His whole life was available to review in black and white, simply by searching his name on the net. Caitlyn, however, was an enigma.

“Fashion design.” Caitlyn turned to him, an apologetic smile curved her lips. “That’s sort of why I was so mad at you the day you arrived. I’m supposed to be in LA straight after filming’s over. Amanda is doing her first fashion show, and it accounts for a huge percentage of her grade. She needs me to be there.”