A Maine Christmas...or Two (18 page)

“Well…welcome to the island.” Riley managed a smile, though the woman before her didn’t exactly inspire the warm and fuzzies.

Though everyone had their own sense of style, Anna’s outfit didn’t exactly say summer vacation—business attire head to toe, the woman looked like she was a lawyer. Dark suit jacket, even in the middle of summer, paired with a slim skirt and white blouse, heels that looked better suited to Manhattan than Maine, and blonde hair that was perfectly styled and probably cost hundreds to cut and an hour to style. They hadn’t scheduled any corporate events, since most of their summer business came from vacationing tourists.

Riley got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she rechecked the name on her list. Anna Blake. There was no company listed near her name. Not that there would be. She managed another smile, though she couldn’t help but wonder if Anna was from Holt Enterprises. “That’s everyone. If you’d like to grab a seat on the bus, we’ll get going.”

Thorsen stepped to the side to let Anna go first, leaving them alone for the moment—if one didn’t count the gaggle of romance writers watching their every move. He was only inches away and giving her a smile that had her toes curling, her breath catching, and her pulse doing cartwheels. “I know you’ll be working, but I’d love to get together and catch up. It’s been ages.”

She melted into those blue eyes, her gaze darting to those lush lips of his as her mind and body vividly imagined what it would be like to kiss him after all these years. Giving him a smile, she managed to concentrate long enough to give him an answer, though her voice came out all breathy, betraying the effect he was having on her. “I might be able to swing that.”

T
horsen could barely
pull his gaze away from Riley long enough to take in the island. As a seventeen-year-old boy, he’d been absolutely smitten with her, head over heels in love, and their two summers together nowhere near long enough.

And now? He was in no better shape than he’d been back then. The feelings he’d once had for her seemed to hit him like a runaway train, though he wondered if they’d ever really left him. Perhaps he’d just tucked them away in a safe place, knowing that until now, his life was too chaotic to accommodate anything more than a quick hook-up.

And Riley sure as hell was
not
just hook-up material.

She’d been sweet and cute when they’d been teens, but now she was nothing short of a natural beauty. Her long dark brown hair caught the sun so it shone with shades of red, and freckles danced across her cheeks, making her green eyes sparkle. His only regret was that he’d lost track of her after their last summer together. They’d tried to stay in touch, but Thorsen had been sent back to England to finish his last year of boarding school. The heavy workload and the strict school rules hadn’t allowed for many distractions.

Well, this time around, he wasn’t going anywhere. He’d spent the years since that last summer thinking about her, wanting her—replaying their one time together over and over in his head, their intimate moment stolen the night before he flew back home to England. There may have been others since then, but he knew no one else would truly do.

He’d dated plenty, but they’d been nothing more than a way to keep his mind off Riley. How many times had he thought of tracking her down? It would have been simple enough to do, and yet she would have been nothing but a temptation he couldn’t pursue, given the work he’d been doing for Interpol. Any sort of serious relationship would only have put her in jeopardy, and that wasn’t a risk he’d been willing to take.

But now? He’d switched gears professionally, and that meant he could finally think of settling down to a normal life, and go after the one and only thing he’d ever wanted—Riley.

A wave of memories hit him as they rounded the corner in the road and he saw it off in the distance. The Siren Song Inn. The sprawling estate was just as he remembered it.

Originally built during the late eighteen hundreds as a summer getaway and health resort, it had changed very little from its original blueprint. Painted a cheery yellow with white shutters and trim, the Siren was made picture-perfect with flower boxes added to every window while the sea and sky served as an ever-changing backdrop. A farmer’s porch wrapped all the way around the building, and rocking chairs afforded the guests a place to sit, so they could enjoy the view with their company. It was everything one could want in a summer resort.

And yet it was so much more.

Though he hadn’t been at the helm of the family business long, Riley and the Siren Song Inn had never left his mind for long. Fueled by his memories of the perfect summers he’d spent on Mermaid Isle, it didn’t take long for Thorsen to convince the other board members that it would be a sound investment. Days later, they’d made a generous offer on the Siren.

The fact that Riley was the manager seemed serendipitous. If he’d had any doubts as to whether or not to buy the quaint inn by the cliffs, that was enough to have him signing on the dotted line.

Not that Riley could know he was the head of Holt Enterprises—not yet anyway. Given his complicated dealings with Interpol, only the members on the board and a handful of lawyers knew of his standing and his involvement at Holt. And, he’d like to make sure it stayed that way. Though he might no longer be actively working with Interpol, it made little difference to the enemies he’d made over the years.

Not even Anna Blake knew she was sitting on the bus with one of her bosses—though what exactly she was doing on the island remained to be seen. He suspected his cousin, Mark, was behind it.

Mark had been hoping Thorsen would remain a silent partner, so he could gain control of Holt. Unfortunately, his cousin had been sorely disappointed, and given that they’d never liked each other much to begin with, the tension between them had only grown in the last few months.

Buying the inn had been a controversial move, but it would be even more so if it didn’t soon turn a nice profit. Though Thorsen held controlling interest in Holt, he still had board members to appease, and the last thing he wanted was a coup—one Mark would happily lead with torches and pitchforks.

Having inherited his position in the company, every business decision he made was being questioned and scrutinized, and too many unhappy board members could mean losing control of his family’s company. He owned the largest percentage compared to the other members; however, their sum total could override him in a decision. It was a precarious position to be in.

The bus pulled to a stop, though Thorsen held back and let everyone else get off first with the hope of getting Riley to himself, even if for a moment. A trio of women ogled him quite blatantly, but he just had to smile, flattered. Once he and Riley were the last two on the bus, he moved towards the exit where she stood.

She gave him a tentative smile. “I’m afraid you might get more of that…we’ve got a romance writer’s conference going on, and let’s just say, the ladies like their leading men and have a wild imagination.”

He barked out a laugh. “That explains it then. Do you do a lot of that sort of thing here at the inn?”

“It helps keep the place full. We’ve managed better than most places with the slow economy, but…” Worry clouded over her eyes and her shoulders slumped, though she was quick to recover. “It’s all good. This place has been around too long to not adapt and survive.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He smiled and followed her off the bus.

Several inn employees were there to help them with their luggage and to check them in, and it didn’t take long before he had his key card in hand. He lingered until she had a free moment, still desperate to talk to her some more. “I know you’re busy, but I don’t suppose I could interest you in dinner? Maybe tonight—unless you already have plans. It’s been far too long, Riley.”

“Tonight?” Mulling it over, she bit her bottom lip, making him want to kiss her.

“It’s just dinner between old friends, darling.” He was now worried she’d say no. “We could do it another night if you need to check with your boyfriend—or are you not supposed to mingle with the guests?”

That got him a laugh. “No boyfriend to check in with, and given that I’m here twenty-four-seven, my social life would be a black hole if I couldn’t hang out with the guests. But work’s a bit complicated right about now.”

“Go on, Riley! Let the poor man take you to dinner.” One of the romance writers nudged her while passing by, though the group of writers didn’t look like they were going anywhere in a hurry.

He could see her mulling it over, and it left his gut in knots. After wanting her all these years, she had to say
yes
. “You still have to eat, right? Maybe leaving work behind for an evening is exactly what you need.”

“Well, dinner usually consists of me grabbing something on the run between events we’re hosting or while doing paperwork.” Looking down, she laughed and shook her head. “I know—it’s sad, isn’t it?”

It was clear Riley poured everything she had into running the inn, and probably never stopped or slowed down enough to take a moment for herself. “All the more reason to say yes.”

The light in her eyes had his heart pounding against his chest, making him want to steal the kiss that was over a decade too late. And then the romance writers backed him up once more, urging Riley on until she rolled her eyes at them with a smile. “You’re right. Someone else can run this place for a night and dinner would be…
really nice
. Seven in the lobby?”

“Sounds perfect.” He grabbed his bag and wandered towards the stairs, pausing for a moment at the group of women. “My sincerest thanks, ladies.”

They were all giving him mischievous smiles that made him think it’d be good to have the writers as allies. “It’s our pleasure.”

He noticed Anna lingering, her lips pursed and her gaze stern as she took note of his exchange with Riley. It left him wondering if the board decided to send Anna to evaluate the hotel so they could decide on what changes they’d need to make. But Anna could be a huge problem for him since the board had made it quite clear that he was
not
to come to the island until their lawyers closed the deal on the inn. According to the board, inheriting his family’s share of the business did
not
mean he’d also inherited their business sense.

Mark and the board may have hoped to continue running things, but it didn’t sit well with him. He may not have an MBA, but he was far from being an idiot. And if they were purchasing the Siren because of his interest in it, then he wanted to make his own assessment of the place—whether they wanted him here or not. He wouldn’t interfere, and they wouldn’t know he was here.

It was why he’d been forced to lie to Riley about his name. She’d been right—Eirik was his first name, while Thorsen was one of the names he often used while working with Interpol. It’d be simple enough for someone to put the surnames together, but Black wasn’t exactly unusual, and it’d be too hard to explain a different surname to Riley. In just a few weeks, the sale would go through and he’d tell her everything.

Wandering up the stairs and down the hall, Thorsen found the inn in remarkable shape for its age, though it was clear the last renovation had been some time ago. The need was mainly cosmetic. Paint, along with some newer furniture and stylings, would help make the place feel current and modern, while accenting the timeless architectural details would give a nod to the history and character of the place.

He supposed that was the one advantage to his nomadic life while with Interpol. He’d stayed in his fair share of nice hotels—and more than enough bad ones—to know what worked and what didn’t.

Letting himself into his room, he was surprised by how spacious it was. Not wanting to draw attention to himself—or the fact that he now had a fair bit of money to his name—he’d booked a simple room. And yet, it was lovely. Bright and airy, with several large windows giving him an uncompromised view of the ocean. It made him wonder if the remaining fifty-plus rooms were as nice as this one.

Being back at the Siren left him reminiscing of his childhood. Between the family business and his father’s international affairs, they’d constantly traveled, never staying in one place for long. Indeed, his last summer here was one of the last he’d spend with his entire family together. That fall he was sent to a boarding school in England to complete his education before going off to university.

It would be nice to finally put down roots—and Mermaid Isle might be the perfect place to do that.