Heart of Steel (25 page)

     Chandler looked deep into his eyes and searched for her own answers. Slowly, her instincts grew sharper and she realized she'd made a mistake. This weekend had shown her the depth of the man who many believed had no soul; who possessed a heart of steel. He may be ruthless in the corporate climate, but her heart told her he was a man who made her laugh, a man who made her spirit soar while he brought her endless pleasure. A man like that would not make a decision to hurt someone unless he was positive it was justified or his only recourse.

     She needed to trust Logan regarding Jim Chrisetta.

     “No,” she answered softly. “I don’t think you’re that type of person at all.”

     His arms tightened around her. “Do you trust me?” he asked. “I need to know you have complete trust in me, Chandler. I can’t settle for anything less.”

     She slid her arms around his neck. “I have complete trust in you.” She spoke the words against his lips. “I’d never do anything to hurt you. I’m so used to operating on my own instincts and fighting my own battles that I never stopped to think how this would affect you.” She pressed her mouth to his and rubbed back and forth in a light caress. “I love you.”

     With a low groan, he pulled her toward him and deepened the kiss. His tongue swept through her mouth as if to collect each sweet word she uttered and pull it deep inside of him.

     “Don’t think you’ll win every argument like this,” he growled against her neck as he lowered her to the floor.

     Her fingers worked deftly at the buttons on his shirt.

     “I’ll have to come up with a better way to punish you.”

     “I’ll look forward to it.”

     Clothes were removed rapidly as the familiar hunger took hold. It was a while before they realized the phone was ringing insistently. He dragged his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes.

     “We should probably answer it.”

     “Yep.” His hand moved across her naked breasts and down her soft belly.

     Chandler fought for breath. “You answered every message that machine threw at you. It would be criminal to let it keep ringing.”

     “You’re right.” His palm settled over the apex of her thighs. Slowly, he pressed. His fingers invaded her core and he watched with interest her emerald eyes cloud over in a sensuous haze.

     “It could be a client,” she gasped as his thumb massaged her.

     “It could be Tommy.”

     “Let it ring.” They laughed as he covered his body with hers.

     “I should have known the problem would involve a woman.” Thomas Weatherall let out his breath in disgust.

     Logan laughed as he shut the door to his office and walked behind his desk. “You always were a smart man, Tommy.”

     “And you look pathetic. You have a sparkle in your eye, and my sources say you came into the office late this morning. You didn’t answer my message until late this afternoon. And I left a 911 message on your cell.”

     “I was busy.”

     “I’ll bet.” A half smile touched Tommy’s lips. “Okay, dammit, I like Chandler Santell, she’s a hell of a woman. Hell of a lot of trouble too, from the last confrontation I had with her.”

     “I’ll never be bored.” Logan tossed the final proposal on the polished wood and leaned back in his chair. The leather creaked gently under the shift of weight. “I assume these are the papers you were waiting for.”

     Tommy picked up the contract and gave it a cursory glance. “I’m sure everything is in order, just as we discussed.”

     Logan lifted his coffee mug and took a swallow of the strong brew. His gaze cut to the man across the desk. “Jim Chrisetta stays.”

     Tommy waited a beat. Then chuckled. “You can’t be serious. I’ve already told you his screw up cost us too much money. There’s no way I’m going to open the door for more mistakes.”

     “I was the one who made a mistake by offering him the management promotion. I should have realized it wasn’t suitable to his working style. I want to move him back to a similar position recently vacated.”

     Tommy studied him thoughtfully. “Hmmm, so Chandler already said. Are you telling me you agree with her?”

     “She has nothing to do with this. She made some points I thought were worth considering, but my decision is my own and it’s final. I don’t cut employees for one mistake in four years. I’ve also taken into account the nature of his mistake. He got caught off guard, Tommy. Vicomdata got wind of it and was looking for confirmation. Jimmy thought he was talking to someone who was a friend of Charles. Unfortunate he cost us money. But not enough to let him go.”

     “Profit is profit. I don’t make deals where I can’t be guaranteed efficiency in all operations.”

     “Profit can easily be guaranteed and you know it. Good employees are hard to find. Jim is loyal, and he’s a good worker. You’re being a stubborn hard ass, Tommy, and I think you know it.”

     Tommy shook his head in amazement. “Hell man, you can’t afford to walk away from a deal like this for one employee. Give him a good reference and he’ll find something else. Don’t let your emotions screw up one of the best deals you’ll ever make. Now let’s stop haggling and get down to it. If he doesn’t go, I don’t sign the contract.”

     “Then we don’t sign the contract.” He reached over and buzzed his secretary. “Connie, will you please call Tommy’s lawyers and cancel the meeting for 4:00,” he said. “Then push up my next appointment so I can be out of here early tonight.” The red light on the phone went out. Logan studied Tommy, his jaw tight with determination.

     Tommy cursed. “You’re bluffing.”

     “You know me better than that.”

     Tension swirled in the room between them as Logan waited for an answer. After a few moments Tommy let out a short laugh and shook his head. “You’re a real son of a bitch.”

     Logan smiled. “I know. Do we have a deal?”

     Weatherall reached for the papers and slipped them into his briefcase. “Do I have a choice?” They shook hands. “Reschedule the lawyers. Let’s do this before I get pissed and change my mind.”

     Tommy moved toward the door. “And to think I was worried you could be getting soft on me,” he said in disgust. “By the way, can I tell Laura to stop making pork chops on Tuesdays?”

     Logan chuckled. “Tell her I’ll be calling for the recipe. I have a feeling my body can’t take too many vegetables all at once. I’ll go into shock.”

     “Yeah, but think of the other benefits your body is getting.” With a laugh, Tommy let himself out of the office.

     Logan walked to the window and stared out at the view of the Hudson River. He knew for the first time in his life he had made a business decision not wholly based on clear headed logic. For the first time, he felt an instinct in his gut that told him it had been the right decision.

     Tommy was right. Chandler Santell was a hell of a lot of trouble.

     Drumming his pen absently against the windowsill, he admitted his plan to seduce Chandler had been perfectly executed except for one tiny detail. By luring her so carefully into his trap, he had ended up in the same cage.

     He was in love with her.

     “Logan, I need to speak to you. Immediately.” He turned his head at the intrusion, surprised when he saw Jim Chrisetta standing in his office with a determined look on his face. With an inward sigh he resigned himself to smooth the ruffled feathers of the employee he had just rescued from termination. He had a feeling Chandler’s advice was going to make his job more difficult.

     As he waved the younger man into his office and motioned for him to shut the door, he made a mental note to exact punishment from his lover for putting him through a day of hell.

     “Tell me what happened.” Chandler practically pulled him into her apartment.

     Logan ignored her demanding words and hauled her into his arms for a long, hungry kiss. After the first muffle of protest, she melted against him and responded with equal fervor. When a satisfying length of time passed, he eased the pressure of his mouth and nibbled gently at her lower lip. “Somehow I’d hoped for a different type of greeting.” He slid his hands up and down the length of her spine.

     Chandler shivered. “We practiced that type of greeting for two days and nights.”

     “Sometimes it takes years to achieve perfection.”

     Laughing, she stepped out of his arms and led him into the living room. “You’re early. Dinner won’t be ready for an hour. Now tell me what happened.” She settled herself on the sofa and looked at him with expectation.

     Logan’s lips curved in a smile. “I sold Tommy my business and decided to start teaching yoga classes with you. We’ll make an unbeatable team.”

     “Logan!”

     He laughed and walked to the cabinet to pour a glass of cognac. “After my meeting with Tommy, I had an interesting chat with Chrisetta. Seems he’ll be staying on after all.” He sat beside her, taking a long healthy swallow of the amber liquid. “Also seems one of his important reasons for staying had to do with you. He wanted to make sure the stress management classes would continue under your instruction.”

     Chandler’s eyes widened. “Jimmy really asked about my contract with you? Do you realize this means I’ve gotten through to your employees? They’re finally learning to handle their stress and want to continue their training.”

     “I think half of the male work force I employ is in love with you. The female portion admires the way you yell at me in class if my mind wanders or if I do the positions wrong.”

     “I don’t yell. I have to be firm, since you always insist on arguing with me. You hate to be corrected.”

     “I mess up on purpose so I can feel your hands all over my body,” he said wickedly, giving her a naughty wink.

     She fought a smile. “Was Tommy angry with you about your decision?”

     “He disagreed, but after I persuaded him to see my point of view, he decided to sign. He felt I was basing my business decisions on pleasing my new lover. I quickly discouraged him of that thought.”

     “You must have threatened to ditch the whole deal!”

     Logan nodded. “He knew me well enough to realize I don’t bluff.”

     A dazzling smile lit up her face. He was fascinated by the transformation of her features and the sparkle in her eyes, and thought briefly that he had never seen her look so radiantly beautiful. “You decided not to fire Jimmy even if it meant not signing the contract?”

     He shrugged. “I’m not a monster. I thought about it and made the decision I could live with.”

     “You chose a person over money.”

     He looked puzzled by her tone. “I guess I did.”

     A surge of joy raced through Chandler and filled her with an energy that made her feel like she could conquer the world. Logan had made the right decision. When she left her father and her old life four years ago, the only thing she knew was the kind of person she desired to be, and the type of man she wanted to share her life with. Logan had seemed to be the opposite of everything she demanded, but now, suddenly, she realized he was everything she ever wanted. He was a man with enough strength to fight for what he believed in, no matter what the cost. Even if that cost was a major deal to profit his business. Her father couldn’t have walked away from such a temptation.

     But Logan had.

     He watched her with an odd expression, probably wondering why she looked like she stumbled upon some truth that was about to change her life.

     “Chandler? What are you thinking?”

     She opened her mouth to tell him she was madly in love with him; that she saw the future in his eyes; that she trusted him with her whole heart and soul. The sound of the doorbell cut off her response.

     With a hint of annoyance, Logan rose from the sofa. “Why do I think this is going to be another one of your strays seeking comfort? I think it’s time I inform them your shelter is now full.” He grasped the knob and hurled it open.

     Harry rushed through in his usual manner. “Hey, Logan, how are you? Chandler, guess what? I had a big legal dispute to handle at McKenzie & Tetenbaum, and when I walked into the conference room Rachael was waiting for me. So, naturally, I was excited to see her and decided to finally ask her out.”

     “And?” Chandler asked.

     “Then the most incredible thing happened. She asked me out for coffee. Do you believe it? Maybe she’s been interested all this time but was waiting for me to make the first move.”

     She laughed in delight at Harry’s excitement. “I told you! I want to hear the whole story, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

     “Sure, I’ll—”

     “Excuse me.” Logan tapped Harry’s shoulder. Harry turned. Pure masculine irritation bristled from Logan’s figure. “I think we have a problem.”