Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Forty Eight Hours Ago…

"Have you found a replacement yet?" Eric asked Callie, his Territory Manager for The Lux.

The woman frowned as she shook her head. "We've interviewed dozens of qualified candidates, Mr. Miller, and none of them seem to have what we're looking for," she replied apologetically.

"Then we go the other way."

"And which way would that be, Mr. Miller?"

"Start interviewing candidates that are fresh out of college," he informed her as glanced quickly at the contract in front of him.

Callie quirked a brow. "You've always been insistent on experience," she reminded him.

"Yes, but with you doing the hiring, I don't need to worry about that, do I?" he returned.

Her questioning look prompted him to clarify.

"Callie, you can walk into any of my hotels, speak to the manager for five minutes, and tell me exactly how long they are going to last," he told her. "With insight like that, you may as well hire who you see fit."

"That's a lot of responsibility."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "However I think you're up to the challenge. We need to hire someone and train them so I can get you back out in the field. I can't utilize you here; you're much more useful to me when you're helping to mentor. I want someone hired by the end of next week. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Mr. Miller."

He nodded curtly. "Good. If you find someone you consider capable, do whatever you have to to sign them."

Callie nodded enthusiastically. "I will have someone for you by the end of next week," she assured him.

As Ana walked out of the building that housed Eric's office, she hurried her pace until she'd rounded the block, then sighed in relief as she sagged against a large brick structure. Her breaths came in ragged pants as she swiped her damp palms up and down her thighs. Thank God that was over! Confronting him this morning had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do—next to facing his date across the dinner table after she'd let him fuck her senseless.

But she'd stuck to her guns, marching in there to give him a piece of her mind. Let him think she was a crazy bitch—she didn't care. The look of anger that had crossed his face when she'd mentioned being with other men confirmed that she'd gotten her point across. She was his employee now, and from here on out that's all she was going to be.

She'd done her best not to let him get a word in edgewise. It was hard enough just being in the same room with him, but when he spoke…the mere sound of his voice was enough to send a shiver through her. She wasn't naïve enough to think it would be that hard for him to talk her into bed again. Just his presence was enough to render her speechless at times; a single look had her running for the nearest vacant room in the hopes that he'd follow.

She could only hope her resolve would follow her into next week and to her new job.

Eric watched as Elliot froze, his hands tightening around the golf club he was holding. "You're fucking kidding me," he said in astonishment.

Eric shook his head.

"And this has been going on for how long?" he asked.

"It hasn't necessarily 'been going on,'" Eric explained. "Our meetings have been very sporadic."

He nearly growled when Elliot's lips twitched. "'Meetings?'" his brother repeated in amusement.

"Yes," Eric snapped.

Elliot cleared his throat. "And when was your first meeting?" he pressed.

Eric met his brother's gaze. "The night before she and Kate left for Hawaii," he answered.

"You've known Ana longer than I've known Kate," Elliot marveled, his eyes widening in surprise.

Eric nodded warily.

"That night at the restaurant…you'd already met," he concluded.

"We'd more than 'met,'" Eric responded dryly.

"And yet you'd both pretended you hadn't." Elliot's gaze narrowed as he studied his brother's face. "Hmmm…" he said in wonder.

Eric wanted to ignore his brother's comments, but curiosity got the better of him. "What?" he barked, far more annoyed with himself for not being able to contain the information than he was with Elliot for interrogating him.

"That night at the restaurant…" His eyes began to dance, and his voice trailed off as he chuckled. "I didn't imagine the jarring of the table, did I?"

Eric reached into his golf bag and pulled out a club. "I'm not sure I know what you're taking about," he said evasively as he took his stance.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." A slow grin spread across his face. "Did you feel her up underneath the damn table?" Elliot asked in disbelief.

Eric's jaw clenched as he tried to avoid his brother's question.

"I kept thinking she was shivering, but you. Had. Her. Trembling," he said in appreciation. "Nice."

"Elliot—"

"And now she thinks you got her a job with your company?" he hooted with laughter, and it was official; Eric was more annoyed with Elliot now.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"What are you going to do?" Elliot asked.

"I'm going to take a page out of her book and play hard to get," Eric answered.

"And if it backfires?"

Eric stilled. "What do you mean?"

"If she doesn't want you?" Elliot clarified.

Eric could feel his blood pressure rising at the thought. "Don't be absurd," he bit out as he tapped the ball, cursing when it did a little hop, flying directly over the hole.

"Well, I'll be," Elliot said.

"What?"

"Girls knocked you off your game."

"What makes you say that?" Eric demanded.

"Because for the first time ever, I just won a round of golf."

Eric ignored his brother's comment as he stuffed his club back into the golf bag.

"Fine," he conceded. "She may have knocked me off my game, but I can assure you—it's only temporary."

For the last few weeks, he'd let desire rule every move he made when Ana was near. And he'd acted in ways he'd never imagined simply because he was unable to resist her.

But then she'd thrown down the gauntlet and taunted him with images of her with another man. That was simply something he could not allow to happen.

It was time to put his skills to the test and seduce her with more than just his body.