She stared back at him in shock. “I hate to point out the obvious but I said
no
. Besides, I’m not sure doing more business together is our smartest move,” she said honestly, as if she were supposed to be able to shift gears on a dime and agree to reshuffle her life around his work request. But then, a man like him was used to getting exactly what he wanted, when he wanted it. Powerful fingers and all. Must be tired from all the snapping.
“You need the work,” his deadpan gaze was trained on her.
Her cheeks heated.
He couldn’t possibly know. “But—”
“You’d be an idiot to turn me down. You don’t strike me as one.” He nonchalantly swept his strong hand down the front of his suit jacket removing lint. “You want to know why you’ll plan my next event?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Everyone has a choice. You’ve made several bad ones today, but you can turn your record around.”
“Then, fine. Tell me. Why will I accept your business?” she said incredulously while trying to breathe through her racing pulse. “I think we both know you qualify as a difficult client.”
The anger returned to his brown eyes at her display of stubbornness. “I pay for the best. Do this event, do half the job you’re capable of, and you’ll never have to ask for work again. Clients will line up at your door. Especially with my endorsement.”
“I already told you I have bus—”
“A sale always trumps a lead, and we both know it.”
“Fine. I work best in my own office.”
“That option is not on the table.”
Her nerves jangled. ”Let me get this straight. You want me to accept work from you, but in some location you don’t care to tell me about in advance, and I’m supposed to blindly agree?” Didn’t kidnappers take their victims to an undisclosed location where they could better control the environment?
No thanks.
“You will accept my work. The location needn’t be a secret. My private island off the coast of Hainan.”
“Even if I knew where that was, everything I need to plan an event is here.”
“You
will
work from the location of the event for the simple reason you need to be familiar with the venue. All you need to plan an event is
there
.” He motioned toward her laptop as he moved to the door, his heft blocking out the light from the hallway. He paused ever so briefly without turning to look back. “My car will pick you up at eight o’clock.”
“But—”
“No more refusing. We both know you’ll be there,” he said definitely. “You want to see me again.”
Avery’s heart jumped to her throat. “I’ll go because I’ve worked too hard to allow my reputation to suffer because of you,” she lied.
He turned and quirked another of those devastating grins, but said nothing.
“You don’t have my address.”
“That much I know. And soon I will have my other questions answered as well.”
Chapter Three
Of course, Avery would travel for business reasons, she told herself for the thousandth time on the cab ride home. She’d do anything legal to keep her company afloat and make payroll. Then there was the added benefit of getting a break from Alexandria, who liked to pop over to Avery’s place at the most inopportune times.
Her apartment might have been empty when Avery got home to pack, but Alexandria was ever present in the dread Avery felt at needing to cancel their plans. Again.
Mother would expect an explanation, too. And what would Avery say exactly? It was purely business that had her stuffing a bag and jetting off overseas to spend time with a gorgeous billionaire. Forget it. When Avery thought about it like that—her, together with a man like Ryker—honestly. She choked down a laugh.
Then a little sigh slipped out as Avery picked up the receiver. It felt like pure lead in her palm. With any luck, Mother wouldn’t hear her cell phone ring, and Avery would roll straight into voicemail.
Nope.
Mother picked up on the first ring.
“I’m so sorry to do this to you again. But I have to cancel our plans—”
“This makes twice in one day,” Alexandria said, her brisk tone an accusation of a skillfully masterminded plot.
“There’s more. I’ll be out of town for a few weeks.” Avery double-checked the calendar as though it held the secret to when she’d return. She had no idea when she’d be back, and a little part of her didn’t care. “At least I think it’ll be a few weeks. I’ll have to send details as I have them.” And now, Mother knew as much about this trip as Avery.
“So.” Alexandria paused slightly. “Let me get this straight. You’re going somewhere, God knows where, but you don’t have any idea where and even less of an idea when you’ll return?” Her silky tone was laced with accusation.
You’re not telling the whole truth
, it said. “Does this have anything to do with the man in your office earlier?”
“Don’t be silly. I know
where
I’m going.”
Well, sort of.
She’d located Hainan Island on the map at least. A quick Internet search told her it was Hong Kong’s equivalent to Hawaii. Bright sunshine. White-sand beaches. Far away from Mother. Sounded absolutely perfect to Avery about now.
“And where might that be?” Alexandria’s stiff tone asked.
“Near Hong Kong,” Avery supplied as though she could also give its coordinates at a moment’s notice if she had to. And its main export. Gross domestic product too.
“Then I’ll assume you’re going with Mr. Li?” Mother’s tone dropped mockingly low.
“Right. I’m planning—”
“And the excitement in your voice has to do with spending time alone with him on his private island.”
Damn her for picking up on it. “No,” Avery quickly countered. Probably too quickly. “My excitement is for having work.”
Wait. Did that come out as desperate as it sounded?
A choked cough came through the phone.
“Times are tough,” Avery defended. And she refused to live off her trust fund. She’d contemplated using it to pay her subcontractors, though. And then there was Mother’s spending to think about, which had spiraled completely out of control since Dad’s death. Avery half-feared the day would come when all of her father’s money would be gone and she’d be on the hook for carrying the family. She couldn’t carry herself yet.
“And a man like him doesn’t come around often,” Alexandria said.
A disgusted grunt escaped. Mother’s tone was infuriating. Avery wasn’t looking for a free ride. She took care of herself. She didn’t need a man to swoop in and save her. She was nothing like Alexandria and Bits.
“Those are
your
words, not mine.”
“Have you considered a man of his social stature might be good at...at...” Mother’s slight hesitation said she was looking for the precise words to bring home her point without having to say it directly. “At getting exactly what he
wants
?”
“Our relationship is purely professional. I did fine with his last event. More than fine, actually.”
“Can you think of no other reason he wants you to accompany him?”
Her stomach knotted at having to defend herself. “Him? I’ll be working with his staff. Busy executives rarely have time for personal tours, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”
“I’m just saying you have an office in New York. You normally work there.”
Mother did have a point. “Go on. Say what you really mean.”
“You’re being naive. I think there’s more to it. If not on your part, then on his. And I just think. Well. You operate differently.”
Avery felt hot prickly bumps climb up her neck. Without spelling it out, hadn’t Mother subtly told Avery her entire life she wasn’t as good as her perfect sister, Bits? Didn’t she mean a successful, well-traveled man like Ryker would be a better fit for someone like
her
? And he would tire easily of a common girl like Avery?
“Even if he was attracted to me—and Mother, I can assure you our relationship is a professional one—would it be impossible to believe a man like him might be interested in dating me?” The words came out before Avery had time to think them through.
“You can’t be serious. You’re too good for him. But. If he wanted to
date
you, he’d do that right here in New York, now wouldn’t he? Unless he was...”
Don’t say embarrassed.
“Stop it, Mother.”
“It does make one wonder, doesn’t it? Why he wouldn’t want to take you around New York. And then what? You can’t possibly think—”
“What? He’d be interested in me for more than a minute? He wouldn’t have to. I’d simply use him for sex and then walk away.” Avery slammed down the phone before Mother could spell out what she was dying to. Avery had never spoken to Alexandria like that before. She was surely stunned, her words probably choked in her throat. Well, this once, Avery wasn’t listening.
Folding her arms and tightening her grip on her elbows, she fought the old tapes from running through her mind. Yet, no matter how hard she battled, she lost. Where was logic during insecure moments like these?
At least Avery had given her mother the line of the century. There was some satisfaction to be found there.
Tonight, I’ll be on the private plane of the richest man in the world. So there.
****
On the jet, Avery felt restless.
She wanted to blame the argument with Mother but couldn’t. Alexandria probably didn’t even realize how she came off most of the time, and she tried to make sure her daughter didn’t fall into a billionaire’s trap. Alexandria should know the trials there.
Avery reminded herself she had a lot to be proud of. She had, after all, created the most successful event Li Holding Company had ever hosted. A near boatload of money had been raised, and all of it to help orphaned children.
Satisfying? Check.
Gratifying? Check.
She should feel like a million bucks. But did she?
Nope.
Why? Her nerves were fried.
Nerves that had nothing to do with her argument and everything to do with the man she flew all night to see. Ryker Li.
She’d excelled on the fundraiser he lent his name to, and something felt very good about her success. Or maybe it was just the smile she’d seen on his lips because of something she’d done.
There was something very haunting about his brown eyes, something almost wounded, something warning her to keep her distance. She didn’t want to.
She sighed deeply. Growing up with reasonably wealthy parents gave her surprisingly little insight into that class of people.
Since sleep wasn’t possible, she opened a document, ready to type in the details of her next event. She sat there for a long moment blankly staring at the screen. How could she even begin planning his next event? She had no idea what the next one was for, or whom.
A dumbstruck thought hit her. Was she planning a private affair involving string bikinis and overflowing champagne?
A stab of jealousy she had no right to feel shot through her.
She ignored it, closed down her laptop, and forced her eyes closed.
****
Seeing Ryker there waiting on the tarmac, gorgeous and so out of her league, caused all of Alexandria’s accusations to loop through Avery’s mind. By the time she landed, she was a ball of frustrated nerves and insecurity.
The door opened, and Avery stood there for a long moment, refusing to leave the security of his jet. She couldn’t help but notice the nearby paparazzi waiting to capture photos of him. Avery shuddered at the thought of her face with any one of the headlines she’d read about him. He couldn’t make a move without being the news, and suddenly feeling in the hot seat herself, she felt a little guilty for believing what she’d read.
Ryker stood there, the picture of perfection. She felt more like a scribbled drawing made by a three-year-old. The press would have a field day. The whole world would judge her.
Avery took a fortifying breath. She was a grown woman. A beautiful woman.
Determined to hold her head high, she peeked out to read Ryker’s expression. He might be perfectly gorgeous, but his looks were also carved in stone. He was about as easy to read as granite.
****
Ryker couldn’t stop thinking about Avery.
He’d found himself checking his watch constantly in the past twenty or so hours. Impatient. Eager to see her again. He dismissed it as simple curiosity. This woman was nothing like the women in his past. Women he’d enjoyed, no doubt, but could easily walk away from. But the sweet sleepy image of her had haunted his thoughts persistently since their last meeting. Her vulnerability had him feeling possessive.
Avery was different. In every sense of the word.
For now
. He knew it wouldn’t last. All he had to do was get to know her to fracture the myth.
And yet, he’d already broken his cardinal rule in bringing Avery to his island.
He’d invited, no forced was more like it, this woman into his private retreat to stay for a few weeks. What the hell was he thinking? Or, more to the point, what was he thinking
with
?
Thoughts of those perfectly-pink lips of hers had wound their way through every meeting he attended. Before that, he’d almost convinced himself he brought her to his villa solely for business reasons. So she could see firsthand the event site and not just to bed her. The sweet sleepy image of her had crept into his thoughts persistently. Her being vulnerable like that had him angry with himself. If something had happened to her because she fell asleep waiting for him...He muttered a curse.
This woman was nothing like the women in his past, women he enjoyed but could walk away from. Avery was different. Intriguing. Or was she?
All he really had to do was get to know her to break through the mystery.
Ryker needed to remind himself again and again that Avery wasn’t his usual type, and he seriously doubted a woman like her would instinctually know his dating rules. She’d want more. Have him wanting more.
And that wouldn’t cut it.
Even so, he couldn’t keep himself from thinking about those gorgeous lips of hers, and how they would feel moving against his.
He had to force himself to focus. Think clearly.