Читать книгу: «Suite Temptation»

“…So what’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?”

Without answering, Andre grazed his teeth along her neck, fastened them onto the neckline of her T-shirt and tugged at the fabric until he had eased it off one shoulder. He made a small circle with his tongue on her bronze skin. The taste of her flesh quickened his pulse and ramped his craving up another notch, as he slid his hands low and then cupped them beneath her hips. “You’re the only action item on my agenda, if that’s okay with you.”

“I’m down with being acted on,” she teased right back. “How long do you think this meeting is going to last?”

MILLS & BOON

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ANITA BUNKLEY

is the author of eleven successful mainstream novels and three novellas. A member of the Texas Institute of Letters and an NAACP Image Award nominee, she lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Crawford.

An avid reader all of her life, she began her writing career while researching the lives of interesting African-American women whose stories had not been told. A strong romantic theme has always been at the center of her novels and now she is enjoying writing true romance for her many fans.

Suite Temptation
Anita Bunkley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my husband, Crawford, with love.

Dear Reader,

Come along on a journey with my heroine, Riana Cole, as she tangles with handsome Andre Preaux in a corporate tug-of-war. A woman on a mission, she goes after the big bonus from a major client while pursuing a man she vowed never to deal with again.

Romance in the workplace drives these two into a dangerous game; a game that is hard to resist as they travel a rocky road to lofty corporate heights, determined not to surrender to the ultimate temptation.

I enjoy hearing from readers, so please e-mail me at arbun@sbcglobal.net or send a note to P.O. Box 821248, Houston, TX 77282-1248.

Read with love!

Anita Bunkley

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Prologue

June 2002, Houston, Texas

Aperfect score, Riana thought, her eyes traveling over the papers that Professor Lowell had handed to her. While other students gathered their books and bags and hurried out of the lecture hall, she flipped through the multipage document, both relieved and more than a little proud of herself for having aced the Commercial Banking in Real Estate examination that she’d been preparing for over the past twelve weeks.

Participating in the Small Business Administration course at the University of Houston had been a challenging experience, and, at first, Riana had worried that at thirty-five, it might be difficult for her to recapture the discipline and mind-set of a college student in order to make the grade. But that had not been the case at all: after the first day of class, she had slipped right back into the trusty study habits that had served her well through undergraduate and graduate school, and had found the intellectual environment a stimulating change from her work as a loan officer at a San Antonio financial firm.

The number of students taking the course had been much larger than she had anticipated, and she had been pleased to find that the majority of them were mature professionals like herself who were enhancing their careers or completing requirements for their undergraduate degrees. During the twelve-week session, Riana lived with her cousin, Felicia Woods and enjoyed the girl time they were able to spend together. However, she had also made several new friends in Houston, including Andre Preaux, the fine brother who was sitting next to her, assessing the results of his own examination.

“How’d you do?” Riana asked Andre, poking him with her elbow. Tall, trim and as delicious-looking as a piece of Godiva chocolate, he had an air of masculine vitality that made him very attractive. On the first day of class, Riana had accepted Andre’s invitation to join his study group, and it hadn’t taken long for them to break away from the nine-member group and move their study dates to a coffee shop, then to the student lounge, and eventually to Andre’s apartment, which was a short drive from the campus. In spite of her attempts to resist Andre’s lingering glances, gentle touches and his focused attention on her, his charm had worked its magic, and within a week, their late-night study dates had slipped into overnight stays at his studio apartment, where Riana began spending much more time than at her cousin Felicia’s house, where she was officially living during her time in Houston.

Riana’s attraction to Andre had been immediate and intense, though a bit disconcerting. She had not been looking for a romantic entanglement, and certainly not with a thirty-three-year-old who was pursuing his undergraduate degree. However, at six foot two with a slim, toned physique, a voice that melted her heart and a smile that made her stomach do flips, Andre had stirred up a passion in Riana that she had not been able to contain. He was exciting, energetic, sexy and gentle—a combination that had been impossible to resist.

“What’d you get?” she asked again, praying that he had at least passed the exam: they had pulled so many all-nighters while preparing for it, even though they had taken a few breaks from the books to do other things.

Andre didn’t answer. Slumped down in his seat, his long legs extended, his booted feet crossed at the ankles, he stared dully at the test papers crumpled in his fist. His full bottom lip was tucked under his front teeth, and the stunned expression on his handsome features was alarming. If it was any reflection of the grade he had received, Riana knew he must be crushed.

Andre was a construction worker, sporadically employed, who took classes between jobs and had only one semester left before finishing his bachelor’s degree, with plans to become a civil engineer. On the surface, he appeared to be an easygoing guy who took things in stride, but beneath that calm facade Riana knew there was an intensely driven man, preoccupied with succeeding.

Without looking over at Riana, Andre handed her his test paper, a blank expression darkening his caramel-brown face. “See for yourself,” he mumbled in a dispirited tone.

Riana eased the document out of Andre’s hand, unfolded it, and then let out a gasp. “Andre!” She pummeled him with a fist. “Ninety-four! And I was worried you’d failed!”

Grinning in a boyishly mischievous way, Andre leaned over and touched his lips briefly to Riana’s, breaking out of his fake sullen mood. “Me, fail? I don’t think so. If you knew me better, you’d know that when I focus on something, or someone, I don’t give up until I get what I want.”

Riana slapped him playfully on the arm and shoved his test paper back at him. “Oh? And what exactly does that mean?” she teased right back, relieved that their study sessions had paid off, in spite of so many interruptions.

“I got you, didn’t I?” Andre replied, his brown eyes bright with a sheen of satisfaction.

Riana shook her head and forced a half smile, knowing what she had to say, and knowing that her words might hurt. “Yes, I guess you did…for a while. You know, hanging out with you has been great fun, Andre, but I’m returning to San Antonio tomorrow. I’ve accomplished what I came to Houston for, so I have to get back to work.”

“I know, I know,” Andre mumbled rather grumpily. He ran a hand over his close-cut hair and then shifted back in his seat, eyes focused on the ceiling, obviously frustrated with the situation. “Couldn’t you stick around for a few more days?”

“Impossible.”

“Oh, so I guess Sweetwater Finance can’t function a day longer without you, can it?” His words had a hard edge, conveying his irritation.

Riana chewed her lip. Why did Andre have to make their parting harder than it had to be? She wasn’t going to lie: she was eager to return to work and assume her new position as vice president of commercial loans at the company where she’d worked for seven years. Her career was finally taking off and she had a busy life back home waiting for her. After laboring in every department of the financial firm she was about to enter the select ranks of upper management, where she would earn the kind of money she deserved. Nothing was going to sidetrack that. While many women her age were longing for a serious romantic relationship, a husband, a house in the suburbs and a few perfect children, that was not what preoccupied Riana. Not now, at least.

“Whether or not Sweetwater Finance can get along without me is not the point,” she told Andre, shaking her head.

“Well, what is?” he tossed back, looking at her in a way that let Riana know he expected an answer he could live with after she was gone.

“We both knew my stay in Houston was only a temporary thing. We agreed to a no-strings-attached relationship, remember?” Impulsively, Riana reached out and massaged Andre’s neck, wishing their situation was easier to fix. “I’m not happy about leaving you, either, but this is the way it has to be.”

Andre covered Riana’s hand with his, gripping tightly, as if holding on to her now would help him hold on to her forever. “We could do a long-distance thing, you know? San Antonio is only a couple of hours away. Every other weekend. I could take vacation time. We could…”

“No, Andre. That’s not what I want,” Riana cut him off. She didn’t want to scramble around and try to patch together a relationship that, she kept telling herself, had run its course. She didn’t want to sit around and wait for his phone calls, think about him all the time, live for his next visit, exist on the edge of potential disappointment. The stress of such an arrangement would be too unnerving, and a clean break was the only way she could ever handle leaving. He had to accept her decision. “It’s time we went our separate ways,” she calmly told Andre.

“Why you gotta sound so final? We can still stay in touch.” He jerked away now, turning angry.

“Because tonight has to be our last night together,” Riana answered, wanting to bring closure to this crazy, wonderful, out-of-the-blue affair and end it wrapped in his arms. Andre was not like any man with whom she had ever been involved. He had turned her emotions inside out and turned a fleeting attraction into a dangerously seductive whirlwind romance, pulling her into a steamy liaison that had evolved with heart-stopping speed. As impulsive as the affair had been, Riana had no regrets, and the only way she could get on that plane the next day and say goodbye was to convince herself that their paths had simply crossed unexpectedly. That leaving now was the best thing to do. That at least she would have sweet memories to hold on to, to remind her of this blissful time.

Andre slid closer and traced an index finger along Riana’s cheek, somber dark eyes fastened on hers. “I really don’t want you to go.”

“I have to.”

“I’ll call you every day,” he insisted, not hiding his anguish over the imminence of their parting.

“Don’t. Trust me, Andre. It’s best if we don’t try to make more of our time together than it was. When I get home, I’m going to be swamped at work, consumed with learning my new job, and too busy to handle a long-distance relationship. Let’s leave it as it is, okay?”

“Riana. It might take time and patience, but we could work it out. We can visit back and forth, talk on the phone, try to keep this together. I love you, you know that, don’t you?”

A wave of uneasiness rose inside Riana. Love? Oh, I wish you wouldn’t say that, she worried, unable to deny that she had feelings for Andre. But love him? No, she didn’t dare consider that: he had made it clear that he planned to stay in Houston once he finished school. She was building her career at Sweetwater Finance and had no plans to leave San Antonio anytime soon. Why struggle to fit Andre into her life? Why force a relationship to stay alive when it might be best to let it go? Their lives had intersected at the wrong time and there was nothing to do but accept it.

With a sigh, Riana laced her fingers through Andre’s and gave his hand a firm squeeze. “I’m not happy about this either, but we’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do. However, I have to say, I will miss the hell outta your blueberry pancakes and whipped butter cream,” she managed with a light laugh, desperate to ease the tension that still held them firmly in their classroom seats.

Andre nodded, a twinge of a smile tugging at his lips. “Ready to go?” he finally asked, words low and husky. “I sure don’t want to spend one more minute of my last night with you sitting in this room.”

“Yeah,” she told him, pulling her purse strap over her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”

The best feature of Andre’s cramped studio apartment was the oversized Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, which he had filled with strawberry-scented water. He climbed in first, settled down among the frothy bubbles, and then extended a hand to help Riana in. Muted candlelight bathed the room with a golden glow, highlighting Riana’s perfect figure while teasing it with flickering shadows. Andre’s gaze swept from her long, bronze legs, to the curve of her hips, to her heart-shaped face framed in light-brown hair, worn parted on the side, swinging against her cheek.

Andre kept his eyes on Riana as she slipped down in front of him and settled on her knees, the fluffy bubbles reaching only to her waist. Dipping one hand into the water, he scooped up a handful of the sweet-smelling foam and lathered it over her shoulders, her neck, her firm round breasts, pausing to rotate his thumbs over her dark, pointed nipples. Riana moaned and edged closer, bringing her own sexy scent to him.

Andre inhaled sharply, and then ducked his head and feathered his tongue over her shoulder, licking away the strawberry-scented bubbles clinging to her skin, while his hands made their way around to her back to bring her flush against his chest.

The feel of her body pressed to his, so wet and slick and smelling so good made Andre grow hard in an instant. He covered her lips with his in a bold, demanding kiss while he worked one hand down her spine, onto her thighs, and into the tangle of curly hair between her legs. Her gasp of pleasure broke off their kiss, forcing Andre to lean back and gaze at her for a short, sweet moment, entranced by her golden-brown eyes. She smiled at him. He crushed his mouth to her neck and held his breath in his lungs, clinging to her for one last time, fearing what the next day would bring.

When Riana shifted and parted her legs, Andre rose on his knees and cradled her hips with both hands, his fingers locked as he pulled her to him. Inch by inch she moved closer, slick with soap, radiating her own sugary heat.

With a gentle lift, he easily slipped inside her, moaning aloud, and not caring that tears had sprung unexpectedly into his eyes. A swirl of emotions inundated him, cascading through his body: sadness, regret, longing and fear.

She’s leaving tomorrow and I have to let her go, he told himself. Maybe I can’t hold on to her forever, but I can make love to her tonight in a way that she will never forget, sending her off with the knowledge that I’ve given her all I have.

Determined to savor this final night in her arms, he knew he’d have to use a great deal of restraint to make sure that he satisfied Riana completely before he lost all control. With their bodies joined, Andre felt the burn of his need for Riana trace through his veins. She rocked with him, gripping his shoulders, arching her back, her legs around his waist, holding nothing back. It excited him to feel the raw sensuousness of her passion, to know that she was in total surrender as their soul-searing rhythm churned the sparkling bubbles. For as long as he could hold her, he tasted and teased and explored her bronze body, moving deeper and deeper into their own erotic world until they climaxed together and collapsed.

Later, lying in bed with Riana’s damp hair pressed into his chest, Andre cradled her tenderly. He felt strangely agitated, yet content. A shiver of sorrow descended as he mentally surrendered to Riana’s decision. He loved her. He craved her. But he’d have to learn to live without her.

She was right. There was no way they could make plans for a future. What did he have to offer a successful, smart woman like Riana? He was still a struggling student while she had her master’s degree, a secure career and would soon be a VP with a major financial institution. He was a construction worker with rough hands, a paycheck that barely covered his living expenses, and a wardrobe that consisted of jeans, work boots and a few dress shirts, while she wore chic designer clothes and thought nothing of dropping a few hundred dollars for dinner in a fine restaurant.

Her life was on a fast track to success, while his was tentative, unstable and shrouded in past mistakes. It hurt so much to admit that she was right, they didn’t belong together, and it would be selfish of him to pressure her about it. She deserved more than he could offer, and until he accomplished what he planned to do, he didn’t deserve her love.

Chapter 1

San Antonio, Texas, four years later

After the producer’s assistant attached a small black microphone to the lapel of Riana’s burgundy suit, he gave her a thumbs-up and disappeared into the dark shadows surrounding the brightly lit set. Riana stared at the television camera that was positioned directly in front of the sofa where she was sitting and took a deep breath, eager to get the interview started. She crossed her hands and placed them in her lap, making sure that her silver watch, her Tiffany charm bracelet and the diamond-and-ruby ring on her right hand were angled toward the camera.

Her mind clicked through the short list of talking points that she wanted to address, hoping that Sheri Sherman, the host of Community Business Focus, would not hog the interview, as she was known to do. Sheri was a gregarious, energetic television personality who conducted extensive research on the major players in the local business community and loved to pass along her knowledge in a chatty, informal style. It was well known that her guests had to seize control of the interview from the beginning. However, an appearance on Sheri’s half-hour show could be more valuable than a sixty-second prime-time commercial, and every businessperson in San Antonio coveted an invitation to sit down and talk with her.

“Let’s do it,” Sheri called out to the floor director as she swept onto the set and sat down in the fake Louis xv armchair next to the sofa. She was dressed in a bold red pantsuit with black satin lapels. The ruby and silver beads around her neck were oversized, dramatic and genuine; as were the rings she was wearing on each finger. With a flip of her long thin braids, she turned to Riana and blessed her with a wide grin. “You ready, girlfriend?”

“Absolutely,” Riana replied, licking her lips and praying that she didn’t have lipstick on her teeth. Too late now, she told herself as the director counted down from five and then leveled a pointed finger in Sheri’s direction.

“Hello, everyone,” Sheri began. “Welcome to Community Business Focus, where you get to meet the up-and-coming business leaders of our city. My guest today is Riana Cole, CEO of Executive Suites, Inc., an executive search firm based here in San Antonio.” Sheri shifted slightly and turned her attention to Riana, flashing another TV-perfect smile. “I’m so happy to have you here with me today, Riana.”

“My pleasure,” Riana replied in her most professional tone.

“How about a little background. You’re a native of San Antonio, aren’t you?”

“Correct. Born and raised right here, though I did leave to attend the University of Texas at Austin, and after getting my undergraduate and my master’s degree in Economics there, I came back home. I love this city and wouldn’t think of living anywhere else.”

“I know what you mean. You still have family here?”

“Only a sister. My parents retired and moved to San Marcos in the Hill Country a few years ago, but they come back to the city quite often. It’s hard to leave San Antonio completely.”

“So true, so true. But San Marcos is just up the road. I know it means a lot to have family nearby.” She widened her grin and slid her tongue over her shiny white teeth, as if making sure she didn’t have lipstick on them. “Now, I understand that your company, Executive Suites, Inc., was responsible for getting Jerry Holmes, our new Director of Visitors and Tourism, to come to San Antonio last year. Our city has always been considered a great draw for tourists, but he is doing a fabulous job of marketing San Antonio to the world. So many international events are coming our way now. We’re lucky to have him here.”

“That’s right,” Riana agreed. “My company was tapped by the city to provide turnkey recruitment services for that search. It took some doing, but we were able to convince Mr. Holmes to leave Denver and come to our fair city. We also work with major corporations who are seeking highly qualified personnel.”

Sheri nodded. “So, you’re a headhunter?” Laughter followed. “Isn’t that another word for what you do?”

“That’s exactly what we do,” Riana stated with a smile, launching into her first talking point. “When a hard-to-fill position opens up within an organization, a public entity or a corporation, and the job calls for a specially trained person, human resource managers turn to me. I have a worldwide database of candidates and the ability to find the right person for the job in record time. Executive Suites, Inc., can save CEOs and human resource managers a great deal of time and expense.”

“How did you get started?” Sheri asked.

“Four years ago, I was stunned when my boss at the financial firm where I had been working for quite some time suddenly informed me that the VP position he had promised was not going to come through. In fact, they let me go.”

“Uh-oh,” Sheri interjected sympathetically. “I know that hits home with a lot of my viewers. I’ve even found myself holding the dreaded pink slip more than once. You know the media industry is a tough business….”

“I’m sure it is,” Riana stated, cutting off her host, eager to get her story told. “So, after I left the finance industry, I drew unemployment and looked for work. But every time I reached the interview stage for a position I really wanted, I was told that I was overqualified. I looked for six months. It was a discouraging, exhausting process, and it finally wore me down. I just gave up.”

“I know what you’re saying,” Sheri added with a short laugh. “Looking for work is work! Stressful, too.”

“Exactly,” Riana agreed. “So, I decided to start my own executive recruitment firm to match professionals, who are too often considered overqualified for the jobs they want, with the right employer. After doing my research, I applied for and was granted an SBA loan and then I purchased a franchise from Executive Suites, Inc.—a national recruitment firm with offices in ten major cities. I hired an assistant and prayed I would be successful. Three months later the business took off when I snagged two corporate accounts. It’s been booming ever since.”

“Wonderful! And so inspiring. And I must say you look successful, my sister. That suit is too sharp!”

“Thanks. Appearances do count, you know? If you dress the part and act like you’ve arrived, you’re halfway there,” Riana added with a confident tilt of her head.

“So true. Good advice. You took what could have been a defeat and made it work for you! Exactly what our viewers need to hear. So, I understand your company is now one of the top-grossing recruitment firms in the state.”

“Yes, it’s an exciting time for me.”

“How many recruiters do you have on staff?” Sheri wanted to know.

“Ten, and I have plans to expand into other markets very soon.”

“Can you tell us where?”

“I hope Houston first, then Waco, Amarillo, perhaps.”

While the camera continued to roll, Sheri leaned toward Riana, tapping her gold pen on the notepad on her lap. “What about your personal life, Riana? Anything you’d like to share with my viewers? Are you married, divorced, single? A working mom? My audience is always interested in hearing about the personal lives of busy career women like yourself.”

Riana gave her host a timid smile and lifted both hands, palms up. “I’m afraid I don’t have much to say on that subject. I’m single, not in a serious relationship and not really looking for one. Running my company takes all of my time and energy. I don’t see myself pursuing any romantic interests anytime soon.”

“Well, good luck. I’m sure you’ll be successful.” Sheri turned from Riana to address the camera. “Now, folks, I have to take a quick commercial break. Make that money, you know? But when we come back, Riana is going to give you tips on how to draft an effective résumé and tell you what you need to know before you go out on that next job interview.”

An hour later Riana was behind the wheel of her champagne-colored Lexus and headed back to her office, a seven-room suite on the twenty-third floor of the Crockett Building in the heart of downtown San Antonio. From her windows high above the city, she could see the famous Alamo, the bustling River Walk and the outline of Mission Concepcion, one of the oldest Spanish missions still around. Traffic was extremely heavy, as it always was during the summer months, when tourists crowded the downtown area in search of a glimpse of Texas history and a fun time in the fiesta-happy city.

When Riana pulled into her private parking spot in the garage adjoining her building, she remained in her car, taking a moment to reflect on her interview. She was relieved that her appearance on Sheri’s show was over and felt satisfied with the way it had gone. Riana got plenty of airtime in order to get her story out. Things were definitely on a roll!

Looking forward to the rest of her day, Riana got out of her car, took the elevator up to the twenty-third floor and pushed through the double glass doors of Executive Suites, Inc.

“Saw you on TV this morning,” said Tanisha, Riana’s efficient office manager, a dedicated sister who had been with Riana since the office first opened. A petite, fair-skinned young woman with a gentle voice and a steel trap for a mind, she took her job seriously, earning total respect from the staff. With Tanisha in charge, Riana never had to worry about any of her employees slacking off or taking advantage of the fact that Riana was often out and about, networking to bring in more leads. “Good job,” Tanisha continued. “The phones have been ringing like crazy.”

“Really?” Riana commented, accepting the stack of pink message slips that Donna, the receptionist, handed to her. Riana glanced through them, amazed at how quickly she was getting results from her appearance on Sheri’s show. Now, she better understood why those in business in San Antonio worked so hard to keep Sheri happy.

“The school district, two banks, your sister, Britt, and someone from the Allen Group called,” Donna prompted, referring to the pink slips in Riana’s hand. “Very important to call George Allen back today. His assistant said that he wants information about your services, and that he has a rush job. The man wants to talk to you ASAP.”

“Right,” Riana agreed, recognizing the name. George Allen was president of the Allen Group, well-known as a major builder of exclusive gated communities, skyscrapers, industrial complexes and huge shopping malls. His name and photo turned up regularly in newspapers and magazines whenever he broke ground on one of his trendsetting projects or donated a chunk of cash to a charitable organization. He was one of the ten wealthiest men in Texas, and his activities were tracked by national publications.

Riana stuffed the messages into the side pocket of her attaché case and headed down the hallway toward her office. Pausing at her door, she turned around and called back to Donna, “I’m gonna give Britt a quick callback first, and then please get George Allen on the phone right away.”

“And I want to hear what he has to say,” Tanisha interjected, crossing her fingers at Riana before disappearing back inside her office.

Seated at her desk, Riana punched the speed dial to her sister’s house, knowing it was best to call Britt back first, before her kids returned home from swimming lessons, the library, a Scout meeting or wherever they’d been shipped off to for the morning. Britt was a stay-at-home mom with five children under the age of twelve who lived in the suburbs with her husband, John, a mild-mannered veterinarian. Even though school was out for the summer, Britt didn’t let her children sleep late and watch television all day. She made sure they followed as rigorous a routine of activities during the summer months as they did when school was in session.