Propositions (16 page)

“So, Nate, how is the launch coming along? Has Jessica pulled together one hell of a show for you?” Patrick asked.

“Absolutely. It’s going to make the opening of Atlantis Palm Hotel in Dubai look amateurish in comparison. Isn’t that right, Jess?”

“I don’t know about that,” she replied, “but we’ll certainly give them a run for their money. If nothing else, we’ll outdo them on the list of celebrities attending. We’re having fireworks, laser shows, the fountains all synced to music, gift bags of goodies, and loads of entertainment across the entire weekend. Nate’s just got to make sure that over the next few weeks everything is operational, his staff excel in their service, and then we’ll let social and traditional media do the rest.”

“Do we get an invite, Nate?” Conner jumped in. “I want to rub it into my friends because they never believe me when I say my mom does all these fancy events. I promise not to post any photos on Facebook or Instagram of your drunk guests.”

“Conner!” Jessica gasped.

Nate laughed. “The evening functions are restricted, but how about you come to the barbecue on Sunday, if you like?”

“What barbecue?”

“It’s the wrap up on Sunday afternoon. There’ll be plenty of celebrities around for you to rub shoulders with then.”

“You don’t have to do that, Nate. Conner is just joking around.” Jessica glared at him.

“He’s more than welcome.”

“Cool!” Conner’s face lit with excitement at the prospect.

* * *

After cake and more champagne, everyone stood about the garden in conversation, stretching their legs after eating too much lunch. Nate was by Jessica’s side when she noticed Alex’s watchful eye. He raised his eyebrow as Nate placed his hand comfortably on her back as they stood talking with her friends. Jessica knew Alex loved her like a sister, and watched over her protectively. It was natural after working together and knowing each other for so long. After everything that had happened with Nate, Jessica was comforted by the fact that she had such good friends. She prayed that she wouldn’t have to call on him, or Max, to put her back together again when Nate left.

“Where can we go for the weekend? Away from the hotel, work and any possibility of interruptions,” Nate whispered into Jessica’s ear as they walked back into the foyer of the hotel after meeting with the stage and lighting crews.

“A whole two days away? But we have a rehearsal with some of the performers.” Jessica couldn’t even contemplate such a thing just four weeks away from the launch.

“I have every confidence in Martin and Lin to oversee everything. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes … but …”

The look on his face was adamant. As the items on her To Do list flashed through her mind, her body ached with tiredness and begged her to take this very small window of opportunity and have a break. There were plenty of other rehearsal times in the next few weeks for her to fine tune anything before the big event.

“Okay. We could go to my holiday house—well, Alex and I own it. It’s at Byron Bay, up on the northern coast.”

Jessica hadn’t been there in nearly two years. Had it really been that long since she’d had a holiday? Her weekend getaways at Gumtrees seemed less likely to be an option now Troy was there. So a minibreak in Byron sounded like a perfect plan before the chaotically busy weeks leading up to the launch began.

“How do we get there? Car? Plane?” Nate asked.

“It’s too far to drive for a weekend. I’ll get Zoe to sort out flights.”

* * *

The chartered plane touched down on the small airstrip in what looked like the middle of nowhere. Nate certainly didn’t miss air travel, especially in small planes. As he collected their luggage, Jessica picked up the keys to their hire car.

“It’s only a thirty-minute drive to the house from here,” she told him, walking out of the tiny terminal.

Nate was more than happy to let her drive; he hadn’t driven a car in months. As they passed rolling hills, and green pastures and clusters of evergreen trees, the fresh breeze blew against his face. It had a healing effect on his overworked body and mind.

Jessica took the exit off the highway into Byron Bay. The hippy township full of colorful tourist shops and cafes was certainly an eye opener. Nate felt like he was on a different planet. He hadn’t been anywhere like this in years; Hawaii would be the closest comparison. The car wound along the narrow road, over the palm-covered hilltop and into Watego Beach. Jessica pointed toward her house nestled somewhere down on the hillside below. But his gaze was quickly drawn up to the crest of the headland to take in the majestic sight of the towering, white lighthouse standing guard over the turquoise waters of the bay.

Nate fell in love with Byron Bay then and there.

Jessica pulled the car into the garage and Nate was amazed by the opulence of this little pocket of housing, nothing like the town they’d just driven through. He was expecting a rundown beach shack with only the bare necessities. While this was certainly more what he was accustomed too, as long as he had time with Jessica he didn’t care either way.

He hopped out of the car and followed her inside, gazing around the massive, earthy-toned house with its large windows covered in bronze plantation shutters. Decked out in Balinese furniture, it felt like they were in another country, not just a few hours up the coast.

“Alex and I bought this place about four years ago,” Jessica said as she led him into the living area. “We rent it out or give it to clients for holidays. It
’
s a great write-off for tax purposes. Alex comes here with Dylan quite often, and I used to come here with Conner.”

“It’s magnificent. Beats the hell out of city hotels for a few days.”

“There are four bedrooms upstairs, but we’ll use the master bedroom down the hall to the left. Bathroom and games room are to the right.” She pointed absentmindedly as she walked around the living area opening up the shutters, unveiling the breathtaking view over the beach.

Nate dumped their bags on the floor near the kitchen and continued to watch Jessica. The way her hips moved. He couldn’t wait to peel that top of hers off and see her beautiful skin quiver beneath his touch. This was something he could get used to; being with her every day. He’d never felt so comfortable and in sync with someone in his life. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as reality hit him hard like a brick. Their expiration date was getting closer, and it would be time to move on.

Her voice pulled him back to the present.

“Zoe called ahead, so the housekeeper has stocked the fridge with a heap of food and drinks. We shouldn’t have to go into town at all,” Jessica said as she peered into the fridge. “How about a drink? Gin and tonic?”

“Sounds good!”

* * *

Jessica was digging in the kitchen cupboard for glasses, while Nate opened the bottle of tonic water. It released a refreshing fizz into the air.

Her lips parted and desire exploded within her like a firework. How could he make opening a bottle look so damn sexy? Their eyes met. Her chest tightened and her breath deepened as he held her gaze. The air rippled with heat.

Oh yes, this was going to be an interesting weekend away.

She managed to draw her concentration back to making the drinks. She filled the glasses with ice and poured the gin, then the tonic. She handed Nate his drink, and clinked their glasses together before taking a long thirst-quenching mouthful. As she licked her lips to savor the taste, Nate stepped closer and slid his arm around her waist. His lips met hers. The sour taste of lime, the slippery taste of gin and his cool lips on hers sent shivers down her spine.

Jessica had waited long enough. She’d persevered with impeccable restraint through city traffic, plane travel and the drive here, now she had him alone.

“Follow me.” She took Nate by the hand and led him to the bedroom. The inviting king-sized bed, dressed in a new brown satin quilt and pillows, graced the center of the room. Jessica took Nate’s glass from his hand and placed it with hers on the bedside table.

His smile captivated her as she slowly pushed him to sit down on the side of the bed. She started to unbutton her blouse, and then shimmied her hips around as she slid her jeans off onto the floor. His eyes darkened with desire as she stood before him in her white lacy underwear. It was empowering. She loved the way he made her feel, like she was the only woman on earth.

She heard a rumble deep within his throat as he uttered her name. He reached out, put his warm hands around her waist and pulled her in toward him. He placed the softest of kisses on her belly. Reaching around his broad shoulders, Jessica pulled his T-shirt over his head to reveal his toned torso. His strong arms, ripped with muscles, flexed as they moved up above his head. Playfully shoving him back on the bed, she removed his jeans and trunks and his glorious nakedness lay before her.

“Okay, you’re too big for me to throw around—so up on the pillows, please.”

Nate smiled and obediently shuffled to the center of the bed and lay amongst the soft pillows. His eyes sparkled in the dim afternoon light that filtered in through the shutters.

Jessica reached for her glass, took a swig and captured one of the ice cubes in her mouth. She straddled Nate in the center of the bed, kissed his fiery lips and then, clenching the ice cube between her teeth, slid it down over his neck and onto his chest, making her way to his nipples. A trail of water was left behind as she circled the cube around one nipple then the other. His chest muscles tensed and his nipples hardened as she licked and kissed away the droplets of water.

Taking another sip of her drink and yet another cube, Jessica continued south from where she left off. Down across the musclar plane of his stomach, over across the smooth skin of his hip and down to his groin. His erection lay long and firm before her. He flinched sharply as she ran the icy cube up along the length of his shaft and circled it around the head.

She felt his thighs tense with every stroke.

She did it again. Slower. He squirmed underneath her touch.

The cube melted and Jessica continued the same action, this time with her tongue. Licking away the droplets of water and taking him fully in her mouth.

“Jess. Enough.” The strain in his voice evident. “While I do love you blowing me off—it’s time for your torture instead.” He sat up on the bed taking Jessica in his arms, and kissed her. “But you are wearing way too much clothing,” he whispered. He released the clasp of her bra and slid it away to reveal her aroused breasts. Then laying her down on the bed, he whisked away her panties and threw them on the floor.

Nate took the same long, quenching drink from his glass and took an ice cube between his teeth. He slid the cube across her shoulder, down onto her breasts—torturing her already hardened nipples. His hand rubbed down her body and over her thigh. His touch made her skin singe with fire as he nudged his weight in between her legs. Her want for him rose to dangerous levels as he wriggled lower. His icy kisses left a trail of cool water in their wake as he headed between her legs. Jessica’s toes curled and her eyes widened at the startling cold sensation when he nuzzled the cube on to her sensitive clitoris. Fire and ice sent jolts through her body. The pleasurable heat and the painful cold was nothing short of mind-blowing.

She grabbed handfuls of her pillow and squeezed it tightly.

The cube melted quickly, only to be replaced by his expert tongue. First he licked her slowly. Playfully. Taunting her; making her want more. She closed her eyes as his kisses and hot breath tantalized her skin. She gasped as he slipped his warm tongue inside her and sent her to the very edge.

Heat flooded through her as she pulsed her hips in time with the delectable flicks of his tongue. Her fingers clawed at the sheets as her thighs began to quiver. Every muscle in her body tensed, begging for release.

The orgasm shot through her body like a bullet from a gun. She exploded, convulsing in euphoria. Nate didn’t relent until she could bear it no more.

“Enough,” she gasped as she laced her hand into his hair and drew him away. Nate had satisfaction written all over his face as he moved to hover over her body, before plunging himself inside her.

* * *

The afternoon was nearing an end. The sun sank slowly behind the hills to the west while a pod of whales stopped off to play in the warm waters of the bay before migrating south. Lazing outside on deck chairs, laptops resting on their legs, Nate and Jessica checked their emails as they sipped glasses of crisp chardonnay and watched the world drift by.

“You want to know something funny?” Jessica asked Nate as she paused from replying to one of her messages. “My ex-husband would have a hissy fit seeing me here like this—replying to work emails on a weekend.”

Nate grinned. “My ex would want to be out on the town at some fancy restaurant.”

“What are you working on?”

“Europe. Looking at ways to improve occupancy. Since I’m going ahead with the launch, I have to find some cuts elsewhere.”

“I like the idea you mentioned of Accor buying out some of your hotels,” said Jessica. “If that doesn’t come off, why don’t you consider converting them to budget-style three star hotels? Three-star instead of five. Not many people can afford to spend five hundred dollars-plus a night when times are tough. Strip down the services to a minimum. Spend a bit on rebranding and promotion. You could have those three hotels ready for the northern hemisphere’s summer next year.

“I love it.” Nate’s face lit with excitement. “That may be a very viable option if Accor doesn’t come through. Providing you do the promotions and brand management.”

“Ha. Funny joke. I can’t do that from here. Nice try, though.”

Jessica loved being able to discuss work with Nate. The thought of more international business thrilled her to pieces, but she and Alex just didn’t have the resources at the moment.

One thing was festering in the back of her mind—the inevitable end of her and Nate. In four weeks the launch would be over and he would be leaving Australia two weeks after that. God only knew if and when he would return. Jessica closed her laptop and put it on the side table. Picking up her drink, she enjoyed a sip as she collected her thoughts. She already knew the outcome but it needed to be discussed.

“Nate, what do you want to do when you leave … about us?” She twisted the wine glass stem between her fingertips.

“You want to talk about this now?” He stared out to the ocean, his eyes the same color as the rolling waves.

“I just can’t see it working, can you?” Jessica could think of creative campaigns, ingenious promotions, had an endless supply of innovative ideas for her clients, but she couldn’t think of one viable solution that would allow them to continue their relationship.

“I’ve told you. I travel constantly. One month here and there. London, Singapore, Los Angeles, New York—it’s endless.”

The odd rendezvous around the world when their paths managed to cross just wasn’t an option. The
let’s just be friends
scenario made her cringe.

“Despite the way I feel for you, it’s an impossible situation,” Nate went on. “I don’t want you jumping to wrong conclusions every time I’m photographed with some other female, or panicking when I can’t return your phone call immediately. And I don’t want to wonder where you are and what you’re doing without me.” He paused. “I’m set to become chairman in the next year or two. I can’t give that up—it’s my family’s business. We’ve talked about this before.”

“I know. I’m just not looking forward to having to say goodbye to you.”

Nate closed his laptop and turned to face Jessica. “Me either. Leaving you is going to be hard for me, too. But don’t you think a clean break is best?”

The ache in her heart was heavy but she nodded in agreement. This was going to be harder than she thought.

“What?” Nate gave her a wry look. “No screaming and kicking and begging me to stay?”

Jessica resorted to her only defense. The one she could always depend on and hide her emotions behind. “I have my business to think about. There’s a lot more at stake here than just our hearts.”