Page 23 of Turbulent Fires

Me:I already said yes before I knew it was a trap.

Wolf:Good. I can’t wait to see you in a bikini.

Me:You won’t be seeing me in a bikini.

Wolf:Don’t break my heart, woman. That body is meant to be seen.

Me:True. There are some pretty hot surfers who will be on the beaches.

There’s a pause after this message, and I chuckle as I consume more yogurt. Have I just made Wolf jealous? I sort of love the thought of that.

Wolf:Woman, don’t make me go to prison for murder. The only man you’ll be looking at and flirting with is me. I want to be in paradise with you, and you alone. It will be heaven.

Damn this man. I toss my phone on the couch and pace my living room like a caged animal. Now that I know this is a trap, I’d be a fool to fall into it, wouldn’t I? But then again, since I’m aware of it, I can be cautious. Ugh. I’m not sure what to do here. I want to go. To get invited to an exclusive Anderson event is beyond exciting. And I do love Hawaii this time of year.

Okay, okay... and I’ll admit that the idea of being there with Wolf isn’t exactly the worst thing in the world that could happen. Maybe I go, we have our affair, and by the time it ends we’re over each other. That would be the ideal situation, right? I try to tell myself that’s ideal. I’m so damn confused I don’t even know anymore.

I don’t like being anyone’s puppet but as long as I’m aware of my situation I can stay in control here. I’m going. I don’t mind making Wolf wait a little longer to know though. Let the man sweat a bit. He’s not used to waiting for a woman’s yes, so I’m certainly good for him.

This man is trouble, and I’m afraid I’ve already fallen for him more than I want to... and we haven’t even had an actual date. He makes me laugh, makes me feel heard and seen, and he certainly makes my heart beat a little too fast. It would be better to run from him, but all I want to do is race right to his side. I’m always disappointed in reality though. Knowing this about myself, I should be truly over him by the time this trip ends. Then I can move forward with my life.

Good. That’s settled. I move to the bathroom and take a shower, smiling. Waiting for my final decision has to be killing Wolf right now. This cheers me up immensely. It looks like I’d better figure out what I need because I’m heading to Hawaii, and going to an exclusive Anderson retreat means I need to look and act my best.

If I focus on that, I won’t be thinking about what’s going to happen outside of the retreat... with Wolf. The thought of this makes my knees tremble. I have no doubt I’m about to make love to this man. I hope I survive the morning after.

Chapter Nine

Audrey

The second my heels touch the polished steps of the private jet, I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. It’s not because it’s funny, but this is clearly a setup, and the person who did it, isn’t trying to hide it. Why in the world is it so entertaining for a billionaire superstar to match people? I thinkheneeds to be my next blog post. If anyone can get into the mind of the infamous Joseph Anderson, they’ll be able to write their own ticket for the rest of their life.

The lights on the jet are dimmed, casting an intimate glow across the buttery leather of the ultra-comfortable seats that seem to be made for two. The light scent of jasmine hangs in the air, and in the center of it all, as if he belongs, which he seems to, Wolf leans back, a grin on his sexy lips. I shake my head as I slowly move forward, unable to take my gaze from the man this seduction scene is expected to hook me up with.

He’s more than comfortable with one ankle propped on the opposite knee, a glass of something dark in his hand, and a wicked grin that makes my senses short-circuit, resting on his face. Not far from him is a bottle of expensive champagne chilling on ice. I didn’t think this conference was about work, but I’d think Joseph and Sherman would at least want to appear like it’s all legit. Apparently, they aren’t worried about it.

“So, how much of this were you involved in?” I ask as I step forward, my heels clicking on the sleek, polished floor.

“I wish I could take credit since subtlety has never been my strong suit, but this was all set up when I stepped on board,” he tells me as he easily rises from his seat and takes my bag like it weighs nothing at all. He looks around. “I couldn’t have done a better job, though. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t have thought of half of this.”

“Oh, what would you have left out?”

He laughs. “No way could I have come up with the sweet scent in the air. The backdrop of jazz playing in the back isn’t bad either. But, hands down, they got the lighting perfect. I probably would’ve lit candles around the space and caught us on fire at takeoff.”

I can picture this and look at him in horror. “That would certainly be a hot flight,” I say with a laugh.

“We can make it hot without candles,” he tells me with a wink before putting my bag in a cabinet and shutting the door. He moves to the champagne and raises his eyebrow.

“Why not?” I tell him. “Might as well not waste good champagne.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” he says as he begins uncorking the bottle. I step away, knowing this is the dangerous moment in opening champagne. “Careful there or we’ll both get soaked.”

He laughs. “Now you’re making me want to soak you. I bet that white shirt would look great with a good drenching.”

I shake my head and step back farther, not putting it past him. I take in the spacious jet, attuned to the music, noticing a tray with strawberries, brie, dried apricots, crackers, and toasted nuts, which will all pair beautifully with the champagne.

“What exactly is the plan here, Captain Wolf?” Wolf pours two flutes of champagne and hands one over to me as the outer door shuts and the jet’s engines hum to life.

“We enjoy this luxury ride to a beautiful island, flirt a hell of a lot, maybe lose some clothes if the mood hits us, then show up, smile for the cameras, and sneak off to secluded places where I have a much more likely chance of seducing you,” he says, his smile in place, but his eyes intense as if he means every word he’s saying. This sounds like a damn fine plan to me.

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