Читать книгу: «Caught!: Taken! / Say Yes»
Praise forNew York Timesbestselling author LORI FOSTER
“Lori Foster delivers the goods.”
—Publishers Weekly
“This fantasy plays out with sexy innuendos and steamy love scenes throughout the book.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Jude’s Law
“Filled with Foster’s trademark wit, humor, and sensuality.”
—Booklist on Jamie
“Foster supplies good sex and great humor along the way in a thoroughly enjoyable romance reminiscent of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ novels.”
—Booklist on Causing Havoc
“Foster executes with skill…convincing, heartfelt family drama.”
—Publishers Weekly on Causing Havoc
“Suspenseful, sexy, and humorous.”
—Booklist on Just a Hint—Clint
“Fans of Foster’s sexy romantic comedies…will find much to like here.”
—Booklist on The Secret Life of Bryan
Lori Foster
Caught!
CONTENTS
TAKEN!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
SAY YES
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
TAKEN!
chapter 1
THE HEAT SWELLED within him until he thought he’d explode with lust. This wasn’t what he’d expected, wasn’t what he’d planned on. Her nipple stiffened under the gentle abrasion of his rough fingertips and Virginia groaned, thrilling him, turning him inside out with need. She twined her fingers in his hair and said with a touch of desperation, “Please.”
Dillon felt the silky smooth, pliant flesh of her breast, heard her choppy breathing and soft plea, and he forgot his purpose. He forgot that he had ulterior motives, that he wasn’t actually attracted to this woman.
“Dillon…”
“Shh. It’s all right, honey.” And it was, better than all right. It was incredible.
He pushed her coat farther out of his way and shoved her blouse higher. Her breast, full and firm and heavy, nestled against his palm, and more than anything, he wanted her naked. He wanted to see the color of her nipples by the scant moonlight coming through the windshield, to see the pleasure in her exotic hazel eyes, eyes that were usually hard with determination and arrogance but now were soft with pleasure and desire. For him.
He pressed open-mouth kisses to the smooth skin of her throat and breathed in her unique scent. He’d never noticed before that she had a unique scent. He’d never noticed how sexy she was, or imagined how hotly she would respond to his touch. She gasped and he whispered to her, soothing her as his fingers plucked at her nipple, rolling and teasing. As her entire body trembled with need, she moaned and he wanted to moan, too. This wasn’t right, but it felt too damned right.
What had started out as necessary seduction now seemed amazingly like blind sexual need. There was no way he could deny his enjoyment of this little rendezvous, or the way his blood surged through his body to settle into an insistent throb in his groin. He was as hard as a stone, hurting with it, and Virginia was far too astute not to notice.
The car was cramped, but it didn’t matter, and even though it was a miserably cold night, they were cozy, sharing the warmth of the heater and their combined sexual heat as the wind whistled around them. He knew that inside the mansion, the party was still going full blast. Lights shone from every window, sparkling across the snow-covered lawn, and the rumble of music drifted on the air. What he was doing, and where he was doing it, was dangerous, but he finally had her alone and he wasn’t about to lose ground. He needed to push forward; too much time had been lost already.
For thirty-six years he’d been a mean, determined bastard—traits his father had instilled in him, insisted upon. He never forgot his purpose, never wavered from his course. Tonight, though, right this minute, he couldn’t seem to force the plan to remain uppermost in his mind.
He wanted Virginia lying naked on the narrow seat, wanted to fit himself between her soft plump thighs and slide deep, deep inside her. He wanted to ride her hard until she made those sweet little sounds again, until she begged him to give her what she needed.
“Dillon, wait.”
Her tone wasn’t authoritative now. It didn’t carry the sharp cut of command it normally did. Instead, her voice was low, overcome with need, and purely feminine. As a man, he relished the thought of proper balance with this particular woman who didn’t act the way he expected a woman to act, the way he needed her to act.
She whispered his name again, and when he ignored her, she tightened her strong fingers in his hair. Taking her reaction as one of encouragement, he worked her bra aside, nuzzling with his lips. Her breasts were extremely sensitive, and he liked that. He imagined how it would be to make love to her, to find all her sensitive places with his hands, his mouth, his tongue and teeth. He wanted to taste her, to draw her deep into the heat of his mouth, to suck her gently and then, not so gently, devour her.
He smoothed a hand over her soft, slightly rounded belly and heard her sharp groan. He needed to touch her, all of her. His fingers pressed lower, slipping between her thighs, seeking, probing, feeling the throbbing heat.
Suddenly, she jerked away. “Dillon, no.”
He heard her gasping, heard the trembling in her tone. She pressed her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
Reality started to nudge his lust-fogged brain. She couldn’t do this? He was the one who’d been forcing himself for the sake of his plan—at first. His sole purpose in coming to Delaport City, Ohio, had been to seduce her, and in the process gain answers. Reluctance was in no way the proper response from her to his lovemaking. In fact, it was so far out of line with his original intention that he scowled. “Virginia…”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No, this isn’t right. Hiding out here with you as if I’m ashamed. I shouldn’t treat you so shabbily. Just because you work for the company and I have the authority to fire you doesn’t give me the right to treat you with less than full respect.”
As she spoke, her voice gathered strength and she straightened her silk blouse, pulling it down over her breasts. He tried his damnedest to catch a glimpse of that taunting nipple he’d wanted so badly to taste.
Then it sank in. She thought she was treating him badly because they were sneaking? They had to sneak, or his plan would never work.
He cupped her cheek. Long curls of titian hair had escaped their pins and now hung over her rounded shoulders. Those curls surprised him. Usually her hair was pulled up and tidy and he’d had no idea how long it was. Loose, it made her look almost vulnerable—not that anyone would ever think of Virginia Johnson in such human terms. It also made her seem very feminine. He toyed with a loose strand and it was incredibly soft against his fingertips. He wondered what she’d look like with it completely undone. That red hair of hers would frame her white body perfectly, maybe curl around her lush breasts, giving her an earthy, pagan appearance.
He shook his head at his meandering thoughts. He must have been too long without a woman, but then, he’d had other priorities lately. Namely, saving his brother’s ass. He had to get a grip, had to remember the purpose of this little seduction.
He summoned up his most bland tone, the one he knew she wanted and expected from subordinates. “It’s all right, Virginia. You can’t be seen with me and we both know it. Cliff would be outraged and your reputation might be ruined.”
She shook that stubborn head of hers. In the two weeks he’d spent cautiously wooing her, he’d learned Virginia Johnson had stubbornness down to a fine, irritating art, along with arrogance and a complete lack of business modesty. She knew she was good at making corporate decisions and she wanted everyone else to know it, too, even if she had to shove the fact down people’s throats.
“I don’t care what my brother thinks. He’s a snob and we seldom get along anyway. He doesn’t own me and he has no say over how I live my life.”
“That’s not the impression he gives.” Dillon knew he had to speak carefully so he didn’t give himself away. Deferring to anyone wasn’t customary for him. He led his life in a unique fashion, following rules of his own making. He lived by a code of honor that was independent of the strictures of society. Except for his father and his brother, Dillon owed nothing to anyone. But Virginia was a bossy, powerful woman, damn her, and as used to calling the shots as he. He cleared his throat. “Your brother is very protective.”
“Ha! He’s a bully and I’m the only one with the guts to stand up to him, because I control the majority of the money. Cliff knows that without me, he’d destroy the company in a matter of weeks.”
Even in the darkness he could see the ire on her face. She wasn’t exactly pretty—at least, he’d never thought so before—and she was entirely too headstrong and self-contained. She enjoyed giving orders to everyone in her realm. She was also a bit too plump. Only, she hadn’t felt too plump against him a minute ago. She’d felt soft and warm and comfortably rounded. He frowned at himself. “Virginia, I can’t let you—”
“Can’t let me?” she interrupted, one thin auburn brow climbing high as she met his gaze. “You can’t stop me, Dillon. I always do as I please—you know that.” With efficient movements, she rebuttoned her coat and started to open the door.
He caught her arm. From the minute he’d first forced an introduction, he’d damn near bitten holes in his tongue to keep from revealing his true nature. Sometimes the urge to put her in her place, wherever that might be, almost overwhelmed him.
She glared down at where his hand circled her arm, then slowly raised those incredible eyes to his in a look that plainly said, You dare?
The little witch might have the hots for him, but she didn’t want anyone telling her what to do, which probably accounted as much for her matronly status as did her excess weight and unremarkable features. Most of the men who worked for her steered clear because she frightened them half to death and they weren’t willing to put their careers on the line. The rest simply weren’t interested.
Dillon wasn’t worried about his career. Working for the company was only a temporary sham, his way of getting close to her so that he could ultimately ruin her brother’s destructive plans. But even if that hadn’t been true, he would never have let a woman, any woman, dictate to him. There were easier ways to make a living than bowing under to the tyrannical rule of an iron maiden.
“Sweetheart, listen to me.” He turned his secure hold into a caress to pacify her, and to some degree it worked. The only way he’d been able to get close to her had been to seduce her into wanting him. And seducing an iron maiden was no easy feat. He’d nearly depleted his store of ploys with her and he wasn’t used to that. Women usually came to him easily enough, but Virginia had been so damn elusive his ego had taken a beating. Now the plan was more than a necessity; it was a personal challenge.
He’d finally been making headway, and then this. “Virginia, if you won’t think of your own reputation, think of mine. If Cliff finds out about us, he’ll fire me in a heartbeat. Is that what you want?” He had to keep their relationship secret so that later no one would suspect him.
She patted his hand in her condescending fashion. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him fire you. I hold controlling interest in the company. I have ultimate say over who goes and who stays.”
He sighed, deliberately appearing put-upon. “I’m sorry, honey, but I won’t have it. I’d look like a fool if I let a woman, any woman, defend me. People would start saying I was only after your money and—”
She waved a hand. “Nonsense. Everyone knows I’m never marrying, and that’s the only way you could possibly get your hands on my money. We’d just be having an affair.”
“Which is nobody’s business but our own.”
She frowned and he quickly retrenched, pulling together his frayed temper and gathering the remnants of his control. Why did she have to be so damn argumentative?
“I’m sorry,” he said through gritted teeth, then managed to summon a calmer tone. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. But what’s between us is private. I want to keep it that way.”
She still looked skeptical and he silently cursed her, while on the outside he did his best to appear hopeful. The damn shrew. What was it with this woman that she thought she had to control everyone and everything? Of course, he felt the same way, but it was different for him. He’d been raised to be cautious, to take control and guide the events in his life. His father’s renegade life-style had carried over into parenting, and every survival value had been passed on. Dillon accepted his right to control as a means to protect those around him. It was what he was used to, the way he understood life.
Virginia had led a pampered existence, so she had no excuse.
Finally, she nodded. “Oh, all right, if you’re going to be that sensitive about it, I’ll keep our…association private. But I’m not going to make love in a car. It’s ridiculous.”
“Of course not.” This was the opening he’d been waiting for, a culmination of two weeks’ work and endless, nerve-stretching patience. “But we could take a day off, go somewhere private and indulge ourselves.” He swallowed, then forced himself to say, “I want you so bad, honey.”
Now that he wasn’t kissing and touching her, only listening to the grating, overbearing tone of her voice, all lust had died and he was once again filled with cold deliberation. She would be a pawn in the scheme of things, used and deceived so he could accomplish his goals, but he had no intention of making Virginia a victim. Though she might end up slightly humiliated, he wouldn’t hurt her. He would go only as far as necessary to stop her brother and save his own.
True to her nature, she was already shaking her head no. “I can’t take any time off right now. Too much to do. Just come to my home tonight. We’ll leave separately so no one will know, seeing as how your reputation is so important to you.”
He wanted to smack her for using that sneering tone. Obviously, she wanted just an hour or two with him, a quick toss in the hay, not the commitment of an entire evening. Although it was foolish, he felt very insulted; she might as well have labeled him a stud for hire. His male dignity was sorely tried.
He needed enough time to gain her trust and find the clues to the deception that threatened to destroy his brother. But he couldn’t do that if Virginia’s brother found out they were seeing each other. He answered her honestly. “No. It’s too risky. Someone might see me at your place.”
She heaved a dramatic sigh and glared at him, her hazel eyes appearing gold in the dark night. “Are you sure you really want to do this? I mean, for a man who only a few moments ago was in the throes of lust, you’re setting up an awful lot of obstacles. I’ve never known anyone so ridiculously sensitive or so overly cautious.”
Through narrowed eyes he searched her face, not quite sure how to answer her and keep the peace at the same time. Though her brother stood as a figurehead, it was Virginia who actually ran things. She was the only hope his brother had out of this damn mess.
She sighed again and said, “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. To be honest, I’m not quite used to this.”
He could believe that. What man would pursue a dragon lady? When he’d been kissing her and she’d been soft and pliant and feminine, he’d forgotten how cold and domineering she really was. But what he’d learned of her other side had been accidental. Not many men had ever tried to get past the brambles to see what lay beneath. If it hadn’t been for Wade, he certainly wouldn’t have tried. That thought bothered him and he shied away from it.
“Virginia, I know this is complicated, but I don’t see any other way….”
“Maybe we should just forget the whole thing. I’m not exactly cut out for affairs and it’s getting entirely too awkward.”
“No!” Damn it, he couldn’t waste time backtracking now. Getting her this far had taken longer than he’d expected. But here she was, lifting that damn supercilious eyebrow at his tone. He cleared his throat and had to clench his hands to keep from shaking her.
“What I meant,” he said, painfully cajoling, “is that you can’t change your mind on me. I need you too much.” For good measure he kissed her again—then immediately forgot it was just for good measure and started enjoying himself. Her lips parted. Her tongue touched his.
Damn, but for a dragon lady she tasted fine—hot and sweet and sexy. Without making a conscious decision, he lifted his hand to that heavy breast again. Even through her sweater and coat, he could feel the softness of her as he kneaded her flesh. She moaned, and when he lifted his mouth from hers she whispered shakily, “Let me see what I can work out. I’ll get in touch with you later in the week.”
She had the door open before he could stop her, but it was just as well. The driveway was packed with cars and they could have been caught by anyone coming or going. He’d gotten so wrapped up in the job at hand he’d been careless.
No one knew who he really was and he had to keep it that way, because once he gained Virginia’s confidence and ruined her brother’s plans, Dillon would disappear. If anyone suspected him of having a relationship with Virginia, he’d fail. And his brother, Wade, would be the one to suffer.
chapter 2
WHEN VIRGINIA STEPPED back into the mansion, entering through the kitchen door, she ran smack into her brother, Cliff. He looked at her suspiciously.
“What were you doing outside?”
She pushed him out of her way and pulled off her coat. All that kissing and touching had her overheated. She’d rebuttoned the coat only as a sort of barrier, a way to shield herself from the overwhelming attraction and confusing emotions Dillon made her feel. Being so strongly drawn to a man wasn’t something she was used to. And especially not a man like Dillon. She shivered in memory. “I was indulging in a secret liaison, of course.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.” With his tone as bland as an angry brother could manage, Cliff glared at her. “Like any man would be foolish enough to tangle with you.”
Virginia just shook her head. In one respect, Cliff was right. Men rarely pursued her—at least, not men who only wanted to have a heated affair. The term sex symbol had never been used to describe her, not with her excess weight and incisive personality. Men who wanted to try to marry her for her company connections showed up by the dozen each year, but their intentions were far from honorable or complimentary, which partially accounted for her ruthlessness. She’d decided to stay single because she couldn’t find a man who suited her—they were all either immoral money grubbers or complete wimps.
She’d had high hopes for Dillon when she first met him. Unlike the other fools Cliff invariably hired, Dillon stood apart. His body was long and hard and honed, not the type of physique achieved in a gym, but rather the kind that came from hard work day in and day out, over a lifetime. With broad shoulders and thick thighs, he looked more than capable of taking on any physical task. And he wore a certain confidence, as if he possessed an alertness unknown to most men.
He had the kind of intensity that made a woman feel surrounded and closed in. It didn’t threaten her—nothing did. She’d grown up a chubby, unattractive middle child who’d had to learn to fight for everything she wanted, including affection. She’d forced her way into the business and into her father’s trust. After living through her parents’ deaths and the battles for power that followed, she knew that very little in life had the ability to alarm her, including Dillon’s pursuit.
Unhappily, Dillon was proving to be something of a pushover, just like the others. One little word from her, and he tripped all over himself trying not to anger her. Why couldn’t she find a man who could deal with her head-on?
She was disappointed by his lack of backbone, but not enough to call a halt to the affair. With any luck, Dillon might surprise her once he learned her bark was worse than her bite.
“Yoo-hoo, Virigina. Anyone home?” Cliff peered at her critically. “What are you up to that has you so distracted?”
Virginia sighed. “I’m not exactly in the mood right now for your prying or your sarcasm, Cliff. Shouldn’t you be entertaining guests or something?”
“That’s my line to you. We have important associates here tonight.”
“Is that right? Such as your personal assistant? I saw Laura dutifully following you around earlier. In fact, she’s probably looking for you right now.”
Cliff stiffened. “Ms. Neil is no concern of yours.”
In all honesty, Virginia really didn’t care what Cliff did with his free time or his secretary, although she suspected he’d promoted Laura to personal assistant only as a way to get her in bed. In spite of her disapproval, it wasn’t her business, so she just shrugged. “True enough. Now, what do you want, Cliff?”
“I want to know what you were doing outside that was so important you neglected your duties.”
“We’ve been through this before, Brother.” She kept her tone level, hoping to avoid a prolonged fight. She wanted to be alone so she could contemplate how to proceed with Dillon. “What I do with my life is none of your business. Stop pushing me or you won’t like the consequences.”
Just as she expected, Cliff fumed in impotent silence and then stalked away. It was a shame he’d been born first. It was a bigger shame her father had believed the company needed to be represented by a man, regardless of the fact that Cliff was spineless and shallow and lacked the necessary business sense. Just because they dealt in sporting equipment, her father felt a man would be a more traditional head for the company.
Virginia would have done a much better job of it. She’d learned the business from the sales floor up, working part-time at their three mall locations while taking business courses and acting as an apprentice at the main offices. She’d absorbed every nuance of the business, and she thrived there, but regardless of all she was capable of, she wasn’t male and that mattered most to her father. At least he’d had the foresight to leave her a controlling interest. No, she wasn’t the president, and she didn’t interfere overly in the daily running of the business, but no major decisions could be made without her. And that one small stipulation in her father’s will had garnered her near hate from Cliff.
Her brother had always been a petty child, and he’d grown into a petty man. Still, they used to be able to get along, to find a middle ground. Now she hardly knew him—or her younger sister, Kelsey.
Kelsey also held a share of the company, but she hated to get caught in the cross fire between Virginia and Cliff, and usually gave her proxy to one of the other voting board members. She threw herself, instead, into her college studies and her computers, taking great pains to separate herself from the family business.
There were times, like tonight, when Virginia wished she had the same options. It would have been nice to be just an ordinary woman for once. Any woman. Then she wouldn’t have to question Dillon’s motives in pursuing her.
He wanted her; she knew that. He couldn’t have faked his reactions in the car. She’d been more than a little aware of his erection, heavy and full, pressing into her hip. But there was more to it than that, she was certain. And if it wasn’t a part of the company he wanted, then what?
She’d read his file when Cliff had first hired him to oversee their security department, mostly because he didn’t seem to be the typical Johnson’s Sporting Goods employee. He didn’t look as if he’d ever played a recreational sport in his life and every time he donned a tie, it seemed to choke him. No, with eyes so dark they almost appeared black, he looked more like a mercenary. Or a renegade. And his file had revealed that he’d never held a steady job for long. The man skipped around the country, and sometimes out of the country. It was for certain he’d been somewhere warm recently, because his skin was darkly tanned, contrasting sharply with the sandy brown hair that hung beyond his collar.
His qualifications and references had been excellent, plus he’d had some military training, so Cliff had hired him regardless of the way he looked.
Dillon knew his business. In the first few days he’d instigated additional safeguards on several levels, approved by Virginia, that would save the company substantial funds in the long run. Ruthless in many ways, he’d already fired two night guards, claiming that the men had been leaving their posts, playing poker and not paying attention to their jobs. Dillon wouldn’t allow any dereliction of duty. He now did a personal background check on everyone hired under his jurisdiction, which encompassed all the company offices and the store locations, as well. He took his responsibilities seriously and expected the same of everyone else.
The intelligence in his dark eyes was easy to read, as visible as his strength and every bit as appealing. Even his disdain for her family’s business seemed sexy to Virginia. But still, he was an enigma.
She’d give him one night, she decided. Even if he did prove later to be a swindler with ulterior motives, it wouldn’t matter. She’d never get drawn in by a wimp, so there was no risk of a bruised heart. She wanted a man who could stand toe-to-toe with her, a man to be her partner in life, who was her equal in every way.
But Dillon, with his incredible body and incredible kisses, would work nicely for now to fill a terrible void. Her aching loneliness had lingered too long, and she needed a little attention, the kind only a man could give a woman.
No, she could never get serious about a man like him. But every woman had the right to a fantasy on occasion. And Dillon Oaks was six feet two inches of hard, throbbing fantasy material. He’d do just fine.
THE MINUTE DILLON opened his door, Wade pounced.
“What happened? How did it go?”
Damn, this was just what he needed. The entire night had been irritating enough; he didn’t need to be accosted by his brother right now.
He shrugged out of his battered leather coat and kicked off his low boots. “What the hell are you doing here? Are you trying to screw things up?” If anyone found out they were related…
“I was careful,” Wade protested, looking wounded. “I took a bus to the corner and then walked the rest of the way. Besides, it’s dark. No one could have seen me. Now, tell me what happened!”
His little brother, the personification of espionage excellence. What a joke. They’d been raised by different parents, and their upbringing and their outlooks on life couldn’t have been more different. “Calm down, Wade,” he said. “Nothing’s happening yet. Hopefully, this coming week sometime.”
“Damn it!” Wade began to pace, his turmoil the complete opposite of his usual, carefree lightheartedness. “What is the matter with that woman! No woman has ever treated you like this. Usually you’re the one forced to turn them away.”
Even though Wade’s words echoed his own earlier sentiments, Dillon shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m no Romeo.” Then he added with a frown, “And Virginia is no fool.” A virago, but not stupid.
“Ha! She’s a stuck-up bit—”
“Shut up, Wade.” His defense of Virginia took him by surprise. He was automatically protective of women, the trait inborn, but of all the women he’d ever known, Virginia was least in need of his chivalry. Still, he didn’t like the idea of using her this way, even if there wasn’t any choice. Virginia had the answers he needed, and there was only one way to get them.
Fuming, Wade finally dropped into an overstuffed chair. “It has to be soon, Dillon. We’re running out of time and I can’t take much more of this. I keep having visions of being locked away in prison.”
“I told you it won’t come to that. I won’t let it. If nothing else, I’ll get you out of the country before that happens. You could come home with me to Mexico until I get things straightened out.” Then he added, just to distract Wade, “How’s Kelsey holding up?”
“She’s got morning sickness.” Wade looked ready to sink into the depths of depression. “She’s sick and that damn brother of hers isn’t helping matters by doing his best to separate us. He thinks that since I’m without a job and accused of a crime Kelsey won’t want me. She’s afraid to see me, in case he has me locked up right now. I have to settle for the occasional phone call and it’s intolerable. At this rate, she’ll be giving birth before we have a chance to get married!”
Dillon went into the kitchen and opened a can of cola, then began stripping off his shirt. For the sake of the party at the mansion and his scheme, he’d donned a dress shirt and tie. He hated ties. Wearing them to the office during the week was torture.
The lengths he went to for his brother.
Half brother, he corrected himself. They hadn’t shared the same father, but Wade was still his brother in every sense of the word. Blood was blood, as his father had been fond of preaching. You didn’t turn your back on a blood relative.
