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  “Even though you’d no longer be at the helm of Kawamoto Energy,” Lena told him in a gentle, conciliatory tone, “you can take pride in knowing that any future success the company experiences was made possible by the solid foundation you laid. That’s your legacy, Mr. Kawamoto. And no one can ever take that away from you.”

  His expression softened, and he eyed her with newfound admiration and respect. “Maybe if one of my three daughters had a head for business—as you obviously do—I would not have to sell my company.”

  Lena laughed. “You flatter me, Mr. Kawamoto. I make no claim to having a head for business.”

  He smiled slightly. “Then you underestimate yourself. Part of being a shrewd businessman is having the ability to read people. It’s a rare gift, which you obviously possess.” He raised his wineglass in a toast to her. “Kanpai.”

  Lena smiled warmly, reciprocating the gesture. “Kanpai.”

  After dinner, Lena and Roderick were conversing with Kawamoto and his wife about their upcoming holiday plans. Or at least that’s what Lena thought they were discussing. She was having a hard time concentrating on anything with Roderick’s thumb idly stroking the bare skin on her lower back, right above her ass. His touch inflamed her, fueling the hungry ache between her thighs until her panties were completely soaked. By some miracle she managed to keep talking, laughing and behaving as though she had no clue that her nipples were thrusting brazenly against her bra or that she was in serious danger of climaxing right in her seat.

  When she stole a sideways glance at Roderick’s face, he appeared to be utterly engrossed in the conversation with the Japanese couple.

  Needing a reprieve from his marauding touch, Lena excused herself from the table to go to the ladies’ room.

  Inside the luxuriously appointed bathroom, she smiled politely at the attendant passing out hot towels and made a beeline to the nearest empty stall. She removed a feminine wet nap from her purse—she never left home without one—and wiped away the moisture between her legs. When she’d finished, she flushed the toilet and made her way to the row of marble sinks to wash her hands.

  The attendant, a middle-aged black woman with a friendly smile, handed Lena a hot towel. “Having a good time?”

  Lena smiled at her. “I am, thank you.”

  “That’s good. Mr. Brand sure knows how to throw a party.”

  “Yes, he does,” Lena agreed, surrendering the towel so that she could retouch her lipstick.

  “He’s such a nice young man. Works too hard, though.”

  Lena met the woman’s gaze in the mirror. There was a conspiratorial gleam in her eyes.

  “I saw the two of you arrive together. You make such a beautiful couple.”

  Blushing, Lena opened her mouth to tell the woman that she and Roderick weren’t dating, then quickly reconsidered. As an escort, it was her professional duty to protect her clients’ privacy. So telling a complete stranger that she was Roderick’s hired companion was out of the question.

  She smiled warmly at the attendant. “I’m thoroughly enjoying Mr. Brand’s company this evening.”

  The woman beamed with pleasure.

  When Lena tried to give her a tip, she shook her head vigorously. “Oh, no. You don’t have to tip me, baby. Mr. Brand is paying me very well.”

  That makes two of us, Lena thought wryly.

  Ignoring the woman’s protests, she tucked the large bill into the front pocket of her uniform and grinned at her before leaving the restroom.

  When she emerged she bumped right into Roderick, who’d apparently been waiting for her. Before she could open her mouth, he took her hand.

  “I haven’t given you the grand tour of the yacht,” he said silkily.

  “But your guests—”

  “Can keep themselves entertained for a while.”

  He guided her away from the ballroom, where the orchestra had struck up a soft, bluesy number that had couples swaying across the mahogany dance floor. Others had spilled out onto the deck and gathered at the railing to enjoy the cool breeze and gaze out at the glistening, moonlit waters of Lake Michigan.

  Roderick led Lena up the curved double staircase to the upper-level sky deck, which was perfect for open-air mingling and stargazing. Surprisingly, no one else had wandered up there yet.

  As they leisurely started across the deck, Lena remarked, “Mr. and Mrs. Kawamoto seem like a lovely couple.”

  “They are,” Roderick agreed. “They’ve been married for over forty years, and they’re incredibly devoted to their children.”

  “I can tell. Their eyes light up whenever they talk about their daughters.” Lena hesitated. “I can sense, however, that Mr. Kawamoto wishes he had a son to take over running the company.”

  Roderick smiled ruefully. “I guess I’m fortunate that he doesn’t.”

  “I guess you are.” Lena chuckled dryly. “But when has something like that ever stopped a corporate raider from pursuing an advantageous acquisition?”

  Roderick grimaced. “The term ‘corporate raider’ has such negative connotations, thanks to all the hostile takeovers that happened during the eighties. I don’t consider myself some greedy vulture circling overhead, waiting to feed on the carcasses of bankrupt companies.”

  “But you do profit from their financial misfortunes,” Lena pointed out.

  “That’s true,” he admitted. “But I only pursue acquisitions that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. I’ve never made a business deal that caused me to wrestle with my conscience afterward because I knowingly exploited the other party.”

  “Congratulations,” Lena murmured.

  Roderick gave her an amused sidelong glance. “I don’t know you well enough to tell whether or not you were being sarcastic.”

  She chuckled. “I wasn’t being sarcastic. I meant what I said. I commend you for not being a soulless corporate shark who ruthlessly preys on the weak and downtrodden.”

  Roderick threw back his head and laughed. “Damned with faint praise!”

  Lena grinned, enjoying the sound of his deep, masculine laughter. “All joking aside, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the way you’re trying to rescue Kawamoto Energy from bankruptcy. The earthquake that shut down their power plant was nobody’s fault, but since then, some executive-level decisions have been made that negatively impacted the corporation’s bottom line. It’s pretty clear to me that Kawamoto Energy needs a complete overhaul. And I think your strategies for increasing the company’s nuclear capacity and sales are brilliant.” She smiled softly. “In time, I can see Mr. Kawamoto thanking you.”

  Roderick smiled. “You can?”

  Lena nodded. “Absolutely. Of course, he’d need time to adjust to the reality of someone else running his beloved company. But once he sees what a good steward you are, I don’t think he’d be too proud to express his gratitude to you.”

  Roderick stopped walking and turned to face her, searching her features in the silvery moonlight. “You know what I think? I think you’re absolutely amazing.”

  Lena blushed demurely. “That’s kind of you to say—”

  “Kindness has nothing to do with it. I’m just speaking the truth. You’re an amazing woman, Lena. No matter what happens with Kawamoto, I’m so glad I had an opportunity to meet you tonight.”

  Lena warmed with pleasure. “I’m glad you feel that way,” she said softly. “I’ve enjoyed meeting you as well, Roderick.”

  They stared at each other.

  Although they weren’t touching, Lena felt a tangible connection between them, an ever-present electric energy that vibrated in the air that separated them. Intoxicating. Dangerous.

  Averting her gaze, she glanced up at the starry sky and sighed deeply. “What a beautiful n—”

  Without warning Roderick drew her into a dark alcove and pinned her against the wall. Her pulse thudded as she stared into his glittering eyes.

  “I’ve been dying to do this all night,” he murmured before slanting
his mouth over hers.

  Lena gasped. Reflexively, she raised her hands to push him away. Instead her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer. A low, guttural sound rumbled up from his throat. He deepened the kiss—a scorching, ravenous kiss unlike any Lena had ever experienced before.

  He cupped her face between his big hands as his lips parted hers. The sensation of his hot, wet tongue sliding against hers made her moan. It didn’t occur to her that someone might stumble upon them. She was too busy reeling from the pleasure of his kiss, from the pressure of his hard, heavy body imprisoning hers. She writhed against him as he ran his hands down to her hips, slid them over her ass and squeezed. She bit his bottom lip, and he bit her back. They kissed in raw urgency, tongues dueling, mouths suckling.

  He shoved a muscular thigh between her legs, flattening her against the wall. She shivered as he kissed her behind her ear, down her throat and across her collarbone. Her nipples hardened until they ached. She could feel his erection against her belly—hot, huge and gloriously hard. Her clit throbbed with lust, and wetness leaked from her pussy.

  Panting, she hooked her leg over his waist and cupped his bulging shaft. He groaned and thrust against her hand as she rubbed him, reveling in the way his breathing grew louder and faster. She was about to unzip his pants and fall to her knees when suddenly he grabbed her hand. Their eyes met in the moonlit darkness as he took both of her wrists and pinned them to the wall above her head, holding them in place with one hand. Lena moaned, arching desperately against him.

  In the heat of the moment, it didn’t matter to her that she was crossing the line with a client, something she’d vowed she would never do again. It didn’t matter that she’d probably hate herself in the morning for being so weak. She wanted Roderick more than her very next breath, and nothing else mattered.

  Using his free hand, he dragged her dress up to her waist, exposing the garter belt and thigh-high stockings she wore. His husky murmur of approval made her tremble with need. He slipped his hand between her legs, grazing the inside of her thigh with his fingertips. Her breath snagged in her throat. Every part of her body was primed, ready and aching, a delicious tingling running from her head to her toes.

  He nudged aside her drenched panties and found her throbbing clitoris. Lena shuddered, leaning her head back against the wall. He stroked her, teasing and tormenting her as he ran his fingers along her clit and the swollen folds of her labia. She moaned, wanting his whole hand inside her, knuckles-deep. But he took his sweet time, fingers dancing and circling, coming close but never actually dipping inside.

  When Lena couldn’t take it anymore, when her hips were bucking and twisting frantically against him, when her entire body was a tightly wound knot of sexual frustration, Roderick relented and plunged two fingers inside her. She almost screamed.

  As her clitoris swelled, she rocked against his hand. He pushed deeper, his fingers curling upward and sending jolts of electricity to her G-spot. She groaned, closing her eyes and spreading her legs wider. He pressed harder and faster, his thumb working her clit like he’d been pleasuring her all his life.

  Her thighs began to shake. She could feel an orgasm building, could feel every muscle in her body grow taut with tension and desire.

  When Roderick’s hot mouth closed over one breast, she gasped. He continued fingering her as he sucked her nipple through her silk dress, making her squirm from the onslaught of erotic sensation.

  And then he thrust a third finger inside her.

  This time she couldn’t hold back her scream.

  As her body convulsed, Roderick released her wrists and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.

  Long moments later, she let out a deep, shuddering breath and dropped her head onto his shoulder. She could feel the hot length of his erection straining against his pants, demanding release. Her belly quivered with fresh arousal.

  He stroked a hand down her bare back, sending delicious shivers through her body. “What do you say we find a bed and finish this?” he whispered into her ear.

  Yes! Lena wanted to shout. Yes, yes, yes!

  But as tempting as Roderick’s offer sounded, she knew it’d be wrong to sleep with him. She’d already gone too far as it was, breaking not only the agency’s policy but her own rule about becoming intimate with clients. Once she had sex with Roderick, there’d be no turning back. Because after one night with him, she’d be whipped. No doubt about it.

  “If you’re still worried about my guests,” he murmured, “we can wait until the party’s over. The master stateroom’s on the lower deck. There’s a Jacuzzi, a fireplace. A bed big enough for me to spread you out, taste you all over, take you from one corner to another.”

  Lena must have whimpered, because he laughed softly. Wickedly.

  “Say yes,” he urged her.

  “I—I can’t,” she mumbled against his shoulder. “This was a mistake. You’re my client—”

  “Only for a few more hours.”

  “That’s not the point. I shouldn’t have—”

  She was interrupted by the sound of approaching voices. Her head snapped up, and she stared wild-eyed into Roderick’s face. Damn it! The last thing she wanted was to be caught making out with him, though everyone at the party probably assumed they were already lovers—or would be by the end of the night.

  Roderick watched her intently. “Lena—”

  She clapped her hand over his mouth and quickly backed him farther into the darkened alcove.

  The voices belonged to a man and a woman who’d probably sneaked up to the sky deck to have some privacy. Lena hoped and prayed that the couple wouldn’t decide to find a hiding place—namely, hers and Roderick’s.

  “…could have sworn I heard someone scream just a minute ago,” the female was saying, her voice slightly slurred.

  Her companion chuckled. “I think you’ve had too much wine.”

  “Probably, but I did hear something. It sounded like a woman’s scream.”

  Lena grimaced, cursing her own lack of self-control. A bar of moonlight slanting across Roderick’s face revealed the laughter glittering in his eyes. She pressed her hand harder over his mouth, her deadly gaze warning him that there’d be hell to pay if he so much as breathed the wrong way.

  “Sounds like an Agatha Christie novel,” came the man’s amused response. “A dark, starry night. A bunch of wealthy socialites partying the night away aboard a luxury yacht, blissfully oblivious to the gruesome murder taking place above deck.”

  The woman let out a breathy giggle. “What if Roderick Brand isn’t what he appears to be? What if he’s really a sadistic psychopath who lured us to this party so he could kill us one by one, like the killer in And Then There Were None?”

  “Oooh, scary.” The man laughed.

  Lena felt Roderick’s lips curve into a smile against her palm. She rolled her eyes.

  The couple had neared the opening to the alcove. Lena held her breath, silently willing them to keep walking. Although she and Roderick were both dressed in black, the shadows might not conceal them for very long. All it’d take to blow their cover was a sliver of moonlight catching and reflecting the diamonds she wore.

  “If Brand’s a psychopath,” the man joked, “he sure knows how to throw one hell of a party.”

  “And he’s sexy as hell, too,” drawled the woman.

  “Hey!” her companion protested.

  Lena shook her head at Roderick, whose gaze had turned downright wicked. As she eyed him suspiciously, his lips parted. She felt his warm breath against her skin, and then he slid the tip of his tongue across her palm. Jolts of sensation shot through her veins. She snatched her hand away as if she’d been scalded by a hot burner. Strong white teeth flashed in the moonlight, and she realized that she’d done exactly what Roderick wanted. She skewered him with a look that ordered him to remain quiet, but he clearly had other ideas.

  Keeping one arm firmly around her waist, he curled his other hand ar
ound her nape and slanted his mouth over hers. Instant heat swamped her body. Summoning all her willpower, she tore her mouth free and twisted away from him, turning her back on him. Big damn mistake. Now she could feel every hard, mouthwatering inch of his erection nestled between her butt cheeks.

  As if that weren’t bad enough, the annoying couple had stopped at the railing—less than ten feet away from the alcove where Lena and Roderick silently grappled in the darkness. But she could no longer make out what the man and woman were saying. Their voices had been drowned out by the blood pounding against her eardrums as Roderick nuzzled the back of her neck, running his tongue up and down her nape.

  When his hands snaked over her rib cage and cupped her breasts, she nearly moaned aloud. Her nipples hardened as he gently stroked them, the heat of his skin penetrating her silk dress. One moment she was struggling to break free of his hold. The next moment she was pressing herself against him, craving as much contact as she could get.

  Roderick rolled his hips, grinding his erection against her butt. Her clitoris swelled, and she bit her lip hard to stifle another moan. She wanted to bend over, spread her legs and take him deep inside her. She wanted him to ram into her until her juices ran down the inside of her legs, until her throat was raw from screaming with ecstasy.

  “Spend the night with me,” he whispered, sucking her earlobe.

  She shivered, electric fire sweeping over her skin. Somehow she managed to shake her head.

  “Please.” He dipped his tongue into her ear, making her gasp.

  “Did you hear something?” asked the woman at the railing.

  Lena froze, heart thudding.

  Roderick lowered his smiling mouth to her bare shoulder.

  “I didn’t hear anything.” The man sounded amused. “Remind me not to let you have any more wine tonight.”

  “Very funny. I’m not drunk. I heard a noise.”

  “Of course you did. Come on, let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “I heard this love boat has twelve guest staterooms. Let’s go see if any of them are unlocked.”