Chapter 8

Eight

Gia

I felt a little shaky the next week, reliving that encounter with Silas. There was the kiss in the kitchen, his refusal to take things further, and then his challenge for me to come to him. On the drive home, I’d been confident I could resist him, but when I’d gotten undressed for bed, I was aroused and aching for him.

I had this impulse to send him a picture before I took care of things myself. It was naughty, and I was usually careful. I never took pictures and sent them to guys. Which meant, on some level, I trusted Silas.

It might have had something to do with the way he seemed to care for me. He’d stopped at the pizzeria to make sure I wasn’t alone, and he didn’t use the opportunity to take advantage of what I was eagerly offering him. He wanted me to come to him. It only made me want him more.

I was positive he knew exactly what he was doing to me, and I wanted to return the favor. I wanted to drive him crazy and show him what he was missing.

Unfortunately, it hadn’t sated my desire; it had only made me burn hotter for him. I’d never seen anything sexier than a man stroking his cock. Now I couldn’t get my mind off how many times he’d jerked off to the memory of our video call.

Was he as affected as I was? Did he want me as badly as I wanted him? I’d been hot and bothered all week.

I had to get myself together because we’d agreed to meet today to talk about the couple I’d be working with. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it. It was always interesting when we were in the same room. He challenged me and turned me on at the same time. And that was the problem. I had to resist him. I couldn’t give in to his stupid ultimatum. That meant he won.

If I was honest with myself, it meant something a whole lot deeper. He wanted me to let go. To give him some of the control in our dynamic, and I wasn’t prepared to do that. I’d never done that in any relationship, and I certainly wouldn’t do it with him. I needed to keep the upper hand at all costs.

Although, I thought he’d flipped things on me over the phone, by video calling me and ordering me to touch my nipples and fuck myself with my fingers. I was completely helpless when it came to Silas, especially when it felt so good. When he told me to imagine my fingers were his, I was lost to the timbre of his voice and the sweet promise in his words.

I wanted him in that moment. I wanted him on top of me, behind me, and inside me. I wanted him to own me. And that was a scary feeling.

No one told me what to do. No one told me what was possible for me. I ran my life. Not some guy. Not that Silas was just some guy. He was powerful and commanding and made me wetter than I’d ever been.

Every orgasm I’d ever had paled in comparison to the ones he gave me. Even the one I gave myself on the phone had been earth-shattering.

I drove to his resort, arguing with myself the entire way. The rational part of me wanted to be a professional, and the passionate side of me wanted to fuck him and give in to this insatiable chemistry between us. Normally, I’d be all for it. But Silas wasn’t like other guys. He demanded more of me.

It was scary and thrilling all at the same time.

I parked in a visitor spot, wondering what would happen if he truly wanted me as his girlfriend, not someone he had to keep a secret. Everything inside me went soft.

What if we worked together and were able to get along? I had a feeling that wouldn’t ever be the case, but what if I gave in to this desire?

A knock on my window startled me. Silas stood there in his ever-present suit with a cocky grin on his face. Irritation flowed through me as I grabbed my purse.

Silas opened the door for me, and I told my traitorous heart not to get excited because he’d made one chivalrous gesture. “I thought you might change your mind.”

“Why would I do that? I’ve always wanted to work with you,” I asked as he closed the car door.

He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I thought it might have something to do with what happened the other night.”

My skin heated at the memory. “I thought you wanted to keep things professional.”

Silas chuckled as he led the way through the front doors. “I do.”

His stride was long, and employees greeted him as he walked. He merely nodded and kept going. I kept pace with him, which wasn’t easy in heels.

“Today, we can discuss the couple before they’re scheduled to meet with us. Then I thought we could have lunch.” His tone was professional, and even that was sexy.

I was in so much trouble.

When we entered his office, he moved behind the large dark wood desk and handed me a key card used for hotel rooms. “This is a key for your room while you work here.”

“I won’t need a room.”

“It’s a long drive from Annapolis. There may be times when you won’t want to drive home. I’d rather you have a place here. I can make it part of the contract.”

Our attorneys had ironed out a deal where I’d earn sixty percent of the fee and would have access to the resort and his staff for the duration. It was limited to the one couple. We’d reevaluate things once the wedding was over.

Silas’s expression sobered. “It would make me feel better.”

“Okay,” I finally acquiesced, because Silas was genuinely concerned for my safety. It might have been out of misplaced loyalty to my brothers, but I didn’t think so. And it would be nice to have a room if I needed it.

“You can leave whatever you need to here. The room is yours for the duration.”

“Thank you, Silas,” I said softly.

His lips twitched. “You can be sweet when you want to be.”

“I know how to appreciate a good thing.” I meant the room, but I was thinking about how he made me feel when we were together.

Silas’s nostrils flared.

“You wanted to discuss the couple before they arrived?”

He picked up the folder on his desk and handed it to me. “I know you prefer working on a tablet, but I’m a paper kind of guy.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I asked, smiling. Silas was old-fashioned in a lot of ways. “I’ll transfer it to our system. That’s how I work.”

“That’s not a problem. I want you to be comfortable here. Do whatever it is you do that has the wedding couples flocking to you. Work your magic.”

I’d always suspected there was something about me that made the business flourish, but it was nice hearing someone else acknowledge it too.

“The purpose of this partnership is to bring the best of both worlds together. And to determine if it makes sense to work together going forward.”

My business was based in Annapolis, so servicing couples at Silas’s resort would create conflicts and challenges for me. I wanted this opportunity so I wouldn’t automatically lose business if a couple chose the resort as their venue. But now that I was here, I wasn’t sure it was the best idea for me, and that was the point of this trial period.

The romantic part of my heart that had long ago been cordoned off wondered if Silas and I became a thing, whether I’d handle the weddings at the resort going forward. The idea was ridiculous because Silas never once said he was looking for a girlfriend, and I never wanted a boyfriend distracting me from my business.

It was rare for me to find a man who respected that part of me. Men were usually intimidated by my drive and success. Most didn’t want to date someone who could pay their own way. They might say they did, but I suspected it made them feel less than.

“Emma and John have a large budget. The bride’s father told Hannah there was no limit. That’s why I thought it would be a fun one for you to work on.”

“My favorite kind of wedding.” I smiled as I scanned the information provided in the folder.

“They are excited that you will be working with them.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Although I wasn’t surprised. Those with money always wanted the best, and in this area, that was me.

“They haven’t made any decisions yet, so you’ll need to start from the beginning.”

“What are the options you provide for the ceremony?” I asked, and he went through the various locations. There was a large indoor ballroom, a room overlooking the water, a few spots by the water—some more private than others—and the gardens. All were amazing locations, and it was a dream come true to offer all of them on the same property. Most venues had one option, not all of them.

We spent the morning going over the offerings, any limitations, and his personal policy—no request was denied. I limited that with my brides because I didn’t want the wedding planners overworked unnecessarily, but Silas’s policy was to meet every expectation of the bride and groom, no matter how big. “Are there any boundaries with your couples? Times when Hannah isn’t available?”

“That’s up to Hannah to set.”

“That’s good.” I’d be setting very clear boundaries at the first meeting. I worked hard for my clients, but not every hour of every day. I wasn’t Silas’s employee. I was more of a consultant he’d brought in. I’d set my own boundaries and hours.

“If you feel comfortable, we can go to lunch. Then John and Emma are scheduled to meet with us this afternoon.”

“Will you be involved in the planning?” I asked him.

“I’ll let you do your thing. I trust that you’re good at your job.”

“I’m more than good.” There was a reason I was the number-one wedding planner in Annapolis. But I’d been struggling with the number of high-budget clients choosing Silas’s venue. Harper recently came up with the idea of advertising to out-of-state couples with the pitch that Annapolis was a destination wedding. It had added new clients to the mix, but I wasn’t satisfied we’d solved our cash flow problem.

This arrangement with Silas could be the answer, and I didn’t want to do anything to mess it up.

“That’s why we’re working together. I only work with the best,” he said smoothly.

I smiled, pleased he was complimenting me, and we weren’t fighting like we usually did.

Silas stood and rounded his desk, offering his hand to me. “If you’re going to be working here, you need to sample the food. I have a table reserved for us overlooking the water.”

I put my hand in his, wondering why I was letting him cross this boundary when we were merely working together. The warmth of his palm seeped up my arm and straight to my heart.

He held my hand as he led me through the resort and into his five-star restaurant. Silas nodded at the hostess as he headed straight for a table overlooking the water, where it was relatively private. Silas pulled out my chair. “We’re working, so I didn’t order any wine.”

“That’s fine,” I said as he sat in the chair across from me. There was a vase of fresh flowers in the middle of the table. It was a nice touch. I had a feeling Silas added details like that to separate his resort from others.

I perused the menu as Silas mentioned the most popular dishes and the ones that were his favorite. I settled on the salmon, and he ordered the chicken.

When the waitress took our order and left, Silas said, “Everything is good. You won’t be disappointed.”

“I assumed it would be top-notch, and the view is incredible. I can’t believe you get to look at this every day.”

“My favorite view is the one at my house. It’s tucked behind the woods, but the rear of the house is open to the water. I spend most of my time on the deck when I’m there.”

“I would too.”

He raised a brow. “Maybe you can see it sometime.”

“Silas, we’re working together now,” I chided softly as my heart thumped harder.

“Are you saying that we can’t be intimate because of our arrangement? I can be professional and keep things separate.”

What he wasn’t saying was that he could keep his emotions out of it, but I’d already proven that I couldn’t. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Silas nodded but didn’t push. “You’ll like it here, and you’re welcome to stay at any time. Even if you’re not working.”

“That’s very generous of you,” I said, and meant it.

“I’m a generous guy.”

Normally, I’d have a sarcastic comment to make about that, but as I’d gotten to know Silas, I’d suspected he was a good guy. Generous with both his time and money. I was starting to see that I’d judged him on a surface level, which wasn’t fair. But then again, I was protecting myself. I knew if I drifted too close, I’d be sucked into his vortex. I still wasn’t sure I’d come out of this unscathed.

There was a business reason we were having lunch together. It would be good for me to know the food and the resort if I was going to advise the couple. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was one more way that Silas was getting closer to me.

“I can see why couples choose your resort. The location is magnificent.”

Silas paused, his gaze steady on mine. “I think you’ve given me more compliments in one day than you ever have before.”

“I’m sorry if I wasn’t always courteous to you, Silas. In fact, I know I wasn’t.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“I don’t feel right about it.” Especially when my brothers were friends with him. I hadn’t been raised to be impolite, and as I scanned over our past interactions, I realized I had been incredibly rude to him.

“I’m just pleased you’re here now.”

We were getting to know each other on a different level, and some of the animosity I’d always carried with me fell away. We needed to work together, and to do that, we needed to be cordial.

“How are things at Happily Ever Afters?” Silas asked.

“Good,” I said, not wanting to get into the business issues with him. He was still my competitor, and if he sensed that there was something wrong, he’d dig until he found something he could capitalize on.

“When you first came to me, wanting to work with my couples, you were a new business and needed the extra income. But now, your business is flourishing. Do you need this?”

I wasn’t sure how much I should divulge to him. “I like to explore every possibility. If it doesn’t work out, then I’ll know it’s not the right business move for me.”

“Hmm.”

The waitress brought us our salads, a spinach salad with strawberries, feta cheese, walnuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette on the side. We dug into them, and I hoped he’d forgotten what we were talking about.

“I’m not sure I buy it,” Silas finally said, startling me.

“Buy what?”

“Your reason for working with me.”

I flushed. Could he tell I wasn’t telling the truth?

Silas winked. “I think you just want to be closer to me.”

I relaxed since he was just teasing me. “Of course, you would think that. Your ego doesn’t let you go anywhere else.”

“I do have a healthy ego. I have a feeling this is going to be a good partnership.”

Was he talking about us working together professionally? I shouldn’t have been disappointed. It was what I wanted, yet I couldn’t get that phone call out of my head. I wanted Silas in a way I’d never desired anyone else. I was reluctant to let it go, even if it had no future. Yet he’d said the next move was mine. Was I going to take advantage of his offer of a room and stay here, maybe even meet with him one night at the bar, and take it to his penthouse? How many other women had he done that with?

I set down my fork with shaking hands. “How many other women have you taken to your penthouse?” Did he have the penthouse for that purpose? Coldness slithered down my spine. He kept a separate house for his privacy. I suddenly felt cheap.

“What are you talking about?”

“I assume the penthouse is for women you’re sleeping with, and the house is yours when you need privacy.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I keep the penthouse so I don’t have to travel home on late nights, and it’s a nice spot to escape to in the middle of the day. It’s my hotel. It only makes sense. But I don’t keep it to fuck women there.”

His harsh words penetrated my shock. “So, I’m not one of many you’ve taken there?”

He’d bent me over that balcony like he’d done it before. How many women had ridden him in the hot tub? God. How could I have been so stupid? Why did I think I was special? He attracted women who wanted to be close to his wealth, hoping he’d choose them. I wasn’t anything like that. I worked hard for what I had and didn’t need a man to provide means.

Silas shook his head. “Where is this coming from? Why would you think that about me? I never treated you like you were one of many.”

“The women you’re photographed with at events at the hotel… It only makes sense.”

He leaned back in his chair, considering me, and I resisted the urge to shift in my seat. “You’re jealous.”

“I’m just feeling cheap.”

“Jesus, Gia. You’re anything but cheap. You’re one of a kind. Gorgeous. I never did anything to make you think that or feel like that. If I did—”

I rushed to reassure him, placing my hand over his. “I’m sorry. I just jumped to conclusions. You always have a beautiful woman on your arms, and then the penthouse and the home on the water… I thought—”

“What we shared was special. I don’t take women to the penthouse or to my house. I have to have dates for events, but I wasn’t dating those women. I haven’t had a relationship in a long time. Maybe since college. Women tend to only want one thing from me.”

The immediate thing that popped into my head was sex, but he said, “Money.”

“Oh. I can see that.”

“They want what I can give them materially, not anything else.”

“That’s—I’m sorry, Silas.” That wasn’t okay, and I couldn’t imagine it. “If it makes you feel better, men are usually intimidated by me.”

His eyes darkened. “I can see that. You’re strong. Successful. I find it hot as hell.”

I flushed all over, and I was seconds away from begging him to take me upstairs to his penthouse.

The waitress arrived to remove our salad plates. When she left, Silas leaned his elbows on the table. “I want you, Gia. I’m attracted to your brains, your body, and your tenacity. Never think that you’re one of many. You’re one of a kind.”