Hammered (3 page)

“I’m on full alert,” he assured Tyler. “Trust me on that.”

“Just be sure you know all the rules.”

“Don’t worry.” He finished his beer, stood and stretched.
“Two can play at that game. I think you’re right. She’s Frank Vincent’s
bloodhound and she’ll end up taking point on this project. After all, it’s all
a numbers game, right?”

“As long as it doesn’t compromise quality.” Tyler nodded.

“I’m making it my mission to find out what makes Ms.
D’Angelo tick so we can get our game plan together. We’re in the bigs here,
Tyler. We aren’t going to fuck it up.”

* * * * *

Why on earth am I so nervous?

You know why,
the devil on her shoulder said.
You
just don’t want to admit it.

“It’s just chemistry,” she said aloud, then looked down at
Raymond, patiently lying in front of the dresser. What kind of a dog name was
Raymond, anyway? She’d walked him and fed him, then let him out in the yard one
more time. Now she looked at him as if he held the answer she was looking for.

“What do you think, big guy? What should I wear? Skirt or
jeans? Tank top and camp shirt or silk?”

His tail thumped on the floor and his tongue lolled out of
his mouth.

“Yeah, you’re a big help.”

She wanted to get this just right, make him relax without
giving him any big ideas. Oh, if sex came up, that was okay. Her mouth watered
when she thought of him in bed.

But nothing else!

She stared into the closet where she’d hung the few clothes
she’d brought for the weekend. Casual meant different things to different
people, depending on who you were with. Anything from a simple dress and low
heels to jeans and a pretty top. Where was he taking her? Ragout’s had what was
called casual dining, although how casual it could be with table clothes and
flowers she didn’t know. Or Hannigan’s, a nice seafood place on the river.
Maybe Bluebonnet’s, rustic chic. Her dining habits were so opposite. She was
either in a four-star or five-star restaurant or eating something quick from
the deli.

This wasn’t even a date. It was a business meal, right? Then
why was she so worried, the woman who knew what to wear for every occasion?
Because she’d never had a business meal with someone quite like Alex McMann.

Or any kind of meal. The dinners she shared with her lovers
were more a prelude to sex. They weren’t interested in getting to know each
other better than the few nights they’d spend together. She certainly wasn’t.
Hidden inside her, buried deep, was still that lonely little girl hungry for
any scrap of affection. She’d never put herself in that position again. So she
chose her playmates carefully, men who were only interested in the same thing
she was—no-strings sex, no long-term commitments. They were as focused on their
careers as she was. They were men who attracted her physically, who knew how to
treat a woman, and they always parted with no regrets.

What scared her now was the intense chemistry flaring
between her and Alex McMann. What was that all about? She thought she’d left it
behind in high school. So what was it about him? Okay, the guy was class all
the way—custom-tailored suit that fit his lean runner’s body perfectly. Thick
brown hair with an expensive razor cut. Not so different than most of the men
she knew. Maybe it was the classic face with its square jaw and aquiline nose.
Or the lashes a woman would kill for paired with coffee-brown eyes.

Maybe it was just the whole package. Certainly when she saw
him in his t-shirt and jogging shorts that morning she’s had all she could do
to keep her hands away from him.

Business meal, she reminded herself.

Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that and maybe you’ll
believe it.

Whatever it was it was driving her crazy. She had business
to conduct here. Frank was depending on her to be his barometer on this and she
couldn’t screw it up.

Okay, Olivia. Deep breath. You can do this.

She took one last look at herself, glad she’d chosen the
white jeans with the lavender silk tee, just as the doorbell rang. Grabbing her
purse she hurried to her foyer to open the door, Raymond lumbering behind her.
And ohmigod! There he was in all his mouthwatering glory, in tight charcoal
jeans that molded to his lean hips and a deep green Henley tee that clung to
his broad shoulders.

Oh, she was going to be in deep shit if she didn’t watch
herself.

His gaze traveled the length of her body and he let out a
slow whistle, then grinned. “Is it appropriate to whistle at a business
associate?”

Unaccustomed heat crept up her cheeks. “Of course. As long
as it’s strictly businesslike.”

Now that was a dumb thing to say.

He stared at the dog. “And who’s this?”

“This is Raymond.”

He stared at her with a quizzical look.

“Yeah, I know. Who names their dog Raymond, right?”

“I guess they can name him whatever they want. Raymond it
is. Hey, Ray, I’m taking your babysitter out to dinner. Watch the house, okay?”

Raymond’s tail thumped on the floor again.

Alex laughed and stood aside for her to walk out. “Will he
be okay while we’re gone?”

“Sure. He’s very well trained. He’s been fed and watered and
walked and played with. In five minutes he’ll be asleep on the bed, which he
knows he can only do when my friend is away.”

She didn’t know what she’d expected for his ride but not the
gleaming Mercedes in the driveway.

“Is that yours?” Another stupid remark. Of course it was
his. What was the matter with her?

“Yes, ma’am.” He opened the passenger door for her. “We all
have pickups but we mostly use those when visiting a job site or running
errands. Besides.” He winked at her. “I couldn’t exactly take a business
associate to dinner in a pickup, now could I?”

Business associate. Okay. She’d better keep it on that
level.

The car was a masterpiece, only to be expected of a high-end
vehicle like this. The seats were covered in a butter soft luxurious leather,
the console trimmed in wood. After Alex turned on the ignition he pressed a
button and soft music filled the interior from several speakers. She’d ridden
in a lot of expensive cars but unlike their owners, she didn’t think Alex had
driven this to impress her, just to make her comfortable. Unless her radar was
really skewed, she was pretty sure he was planning to get this contract on its
own merits and the reputation of his company, not because he catered to her.

Which made this whole evening even more of a puzzle to her.
He knew she was analyzing him. Would probably try to question him some more.
But he was relaxed and easy in her company and trying to make her the same. He
was unlike any man she’d spent time with in what seemed like forever. So what
did that say about her choices?

Quit analyzing everything and try to enjoy yourself.

They didn’t talk much on the drive to wherever they were
going but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. And truth be told, Livy was just
as happy for the quiet. She could relax into it and study the man next to her.

She was surprised when they pulled into the parking lot of
The Corral, a well-known barbecue restaurant.

Alex turned off the ignition and shifted to look at her,
noting the look on her face. He frowned. “Problem? You don’t like barbecue?”

She shook her head. “No, no. I love barbecue. I haven’t met
a rib yet that I couldn’t devour. I just thought…”

“That I don’t eat in places like this? Take people here?
What? We can go someplace else if you’d rather.”

Livy unlocked her seatbelt. “No. This is fine, Alex.
Really.” When he still didn’t move she said, “Aren’t you getting out?”

“Maybe we should get something straight first.” His tone was
serious. “Livy, my brothers and I haven’t always had the kind of money we do
now. We come from a typical middle class family with great parents. We started
the company with a loan from our dad and paid it back the first year. I told
you this morning what it was like.”

“Alex—“

He shook his head. “Let me finish. As we moved up the
financial ladder we allowed ourselves to enjoy some of the perks—new homes,
cars, clothing. We took clients and dates to better restaurants, because we
could. And for some people that was more important than it was to others. And
it’s part of the business. We know that.”

“Listen.” She tried again to interrupt him. She hadn’t meant
to unleash this can of worms.

Nice going, Livy.

Alex went right on as if she hadn’t spoken. “But beneath all
the flash we’re still us. We still pay the same attention to quality and
design. We still make sure every job gets done properly. We have more money to
spend. That’s the only difference. What you see is what you get. If you’d
rather go someplace else, just say the word.”

How could she have misjudged him so badly? Was her internal
radar not working? Or maybe she’d just become hardened by all the stereotypes
she spent time with—in and out of bed—and couldn’t see the diamond in the bowl
of rhinestones. Besides, she always equated rich with her father, a man who had
buried every scrap of emotion, taking enjoyment only from his success and what
it could buy for him. She wondered if her brain needed an instant overhaul.

She dragged in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Let’s try this again.” She turned toward him and held out
her hand. “Hi, Alex. Nice to see you again. I understand this place serves
great barbecue and my mouth is watering. Shall we go inside?”

He stared at her for a long moment before he burst out
laughing. “I’ll say this for you,” he said at last. “You can do a quick
change.”

“Yeah. Stock in trade. Let’s forget everything else and just
go inside and eat, okay?”

“Sounds good to me.”

It surprised her how easily conversation flowed between them
when she wasn’t trying to game him. And because she wasn’t so focused on
probing beneath the surface and analyzing him she actually got a better measure
of him than she might have otherwise. Besides, it was hard to be on your toes
with a man when you had barbecue sauce on your fingers and a pile of bones on
your plate.

She tipped back her beer to swallow the last of it and
leaned back in her chair.

“That has to be one of the best meals I’ve had in ages.”

Alex grinned at her. That grin was beginning to do things to
her insides that she wanted to chase away.

“Better than five star service and three waiters?”

She sobered. “Let me say something in my own defense. I’m
not a snob, despite what I’m sure you think by now. It’s possible the people I
hang out with, usually for business, have rubbed off on me. But this was a great
meal and very pleasant conversation. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed
myself this much.”

He winked at her. “Maybe we’ll have to try it again.”

She felt her own lips curved in a smile. “Maybe we will.”

They listened to soft music again on the way home. When she
got out of the car he walked her to the door.

“I had a nice time, Livy. I think I got a better measure of
you than if we’d done nothing but discuss business.”

She lifted an eyebrow. Oh? Is that good or bad?”

“I’d say real good. And I think you have the same feeling.”

“Mmm, maybe.”
No, no, I don’t. I can’t afford to.

“We’ll have to do it again.”

He took both her hands in his and leaned forward, just
barely brushing his mouth against hers.

“Isn’t it nice to let down that wall once in a while?” he
asked in a soft voice.

She blinked. “Wall?”

“You’re very special, Livy.”

“Special?” Her voice sounded far away to her. She was still
reeling from that lighter-than-air kiss.

“Uh huh. I have a feeling you don’t even know how special.
But I’m going to show you.”

He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Sleep tight,
Olivia D’Angelo. Pleasant dreams. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

She stood in the doorway, watching him drive away, then shut
the door. Leaning back against it, she touched her mouth with the tips of her
fingers. Her lips still tingled. She had a feeling Alex McMann might just turn
out to be more than she could handle. Certainly more than she’d bargained for.
And it scared the bejesus out of her.

Chapter Three

The McMann brothers spent the better part of the next four
weeks on the Concordia project. Josh immersed himself in the main library and
spent hours on the Internet trolling for information on the Old West and things
that could be combined with modern architecture in a practical manner. He filled
page after page with preliminary sketches, throwing many of them out, starting
over, sometimes staying so late Alex told him to go home to his wife while he
still had one.

Josh did take three days to fly to Wyoming with Tyler to see
the property where the village would be built. They walked the land, took
pictures, talked to people. Spent a long time at the county courthouse asking
questions about permitting, about politics, about what people liked around
there. They’d learned long ago that getting square with all of that up front
saved a lot of heartburn later on.

Tyler was through with the project after that for the moment
and went back to his usual routine of supervising ongoing jobs. His hard work
would come when he and Alex sat down to figure out the finite cost estimates
and then when the actual construction began. Usually when they had an
out-of-town job it was enough for him to spend half the week there and the
other half on other jobs. But the way this one was shaping up they might have
to make adjustments.

“Good thing you’re single,” Alex pointed out. “If we get the
job you may be moving to Wyoming for a while.”

“We’ll have to hire someone to take over supervision of our
others jobs still underway,” he pointed out.

“Start looking, just in case. I don’t want to be scrambling
at the last minute if I don’t have to.”

Josh was back at work on his sketches, refining them so
they’d have good product to present to Concordia. He expected changes. There
always were. He was just concerned with getting the concept right to begin
with.

For his part, Alex began outlining the folder for the
preliminary presentation. He also had coffee with Olivia four times—twice when
she’d called him and twice when he’d called her. They seemed to be doing a
little dance but neither of them knew yet what kind or what the steps were. He
had an unsettled feeling that he was going to find out soon and he wasn’t sure
if he’d like it or not.

He also knew she’d affected him in a way unlike any other
woman he knew. It wasn’t just the physical thing, although he’d take her to bed
the next minute if the chance presented itself. No, this was something
different. Something deeper. Something he had never believed could happen in
just a few seconds.

“When it happens, you know,” Josh had teased him when he and
Tyler ragged on their brother about his quick courtship of Vanessa.

Was that what this was? He’d never thought he’d fall in love
with a woman in a business meeting. At first blush he’d pegged her as part of
the army of career-driven women he dealt with regularly. At least she wasn’t
one of the social butterflies who were the other side of the coin. The kind
Josh used to take up with before meeting Vanessa. But he couldn’t deny the
feeling growing inside him. After that night at the barbecue restaurant he
revised his opinion of her. There was a real, down-to-earth woman hiding
beneath her public face, but he figured she’d spent so much time burying it he
might have to work hard to pull it out.

They hadn’t exactly been easy with each other when they’d
met, either, as if they were each sizing up the other person. And on Livy’s
part he had the distinct feeling he’d uncovered a secret part of her that she
never let out and in some way it scared her. Still, he’d needed that contact in
a way he couldn’t explain even to himself. Maybe after the next meeting with
Concordia, when he had a better idea where they were going…

“You daydreaming in here?”

Alex shook himself from his reverie and looked up to see
Josh standing in his office doorway. His brother looked tired but he was
smiling.

“Napping with my eyes open,” Alex joked. “What’s up?”

“I finally have a set of sketches to review. If you and
Tyler like them, I’ll pass them along to him to do a preliminary cost estimate
and then we’ll put the package together.”

Alex was amazed at how well Josh had captured the spirit of
the idea. He’d combined architectural features of the Old West with up-to-date
technology. Even the office buildings, which would be wired for every kind of
communication imaginable, were faithful to the architectural concept. The
houses had the look and flow of small-town western Americana and the stores
looked like a variety of general stores.

He didn’t know why he should be surprised. Josh was a damn
genius, as their clients often pointed out. He was certainly piling up awards
to testify to that.

“Well?” Josh looked at his brothers. “What do you think?”

“Well,” Tyler drawled, “I think we can live with this.”

“Kiss my ass.” Josh grinned. “It’s fantastic and you know
it.”

“We just don’t want you to get a swelled head,” Alex teased.

Josh snorted. “As if, around here. Okay, if everyone’s okay
with these, Tyler, you’re up next with general cost estimating. We won’t know
the definites until we get the job and get into the meat of it, so leave us a
little wiggle room. Alex? You can start the prelim.”

“I have to call for an appointment. The month is up tomorrow
but I can beg a couple of days. How about next Monday? That gives us the
weekend to fine tune.”

The others nodded and Josh rolled up the drawings, handing
them of to Tyler.

Alex called Frank Vincent’s secretary to make the
appointment then asked to be transferred to Livy. After all, Vincent had made
it clear they’d be working together so he didn’t need to skirt around things
with the secretary. That soft little kiss had lingered in his mind all this
time.

“All set to make your preliminary proposal?”

Her voice, as always, was low and musical and made his nerve
endings twitch.

“We’re set for next Monday,” he told her.

“I’m looking forward to it. If all goes well maybe we can
celebrate with a drink.”

“Actually, I was thinking more about dinner. Does that fit
into your schedule?”

He heard her clicking through her computer calendar. “Yes.
And if it didn’t, I’d make it fit.”

“Business dinner, right?” he teased.

“Absolutely,” she agreed.

But he couldn’t deny the bubble of anticipation growing
inside him when he hung up. He had a feeling this was going to be the start
of…something. He just wasn’t sure what.

* * * * *

Livy replaced the phone in her office but sat there with her
hand on it, a million thoughts running through her mind. She was still
unsettled from the so-called coffee dates they’d had over the past few weeks,
disguised as brief business meetings. Alex McMann threw her off her game. She’d
become so expert at reading people, at analyzing them for Frank, at giving him
the tools to either write off the person or work out the best deal. But this
time she wasn’t able to give him a clear picture.

She was afraid her own personal reaction was the reason, the
funny little feeling that hopped into her stomach the day they met and kept
rolling around unsettled her. Maybe it was envy for the family life that was so
much a part of him, and for his closeness with his brothers. Or sadness for
poor little Olivia who’d never had that kind of life. She was so afraid she was
letting him pierce her thick armor that shielded her from the world of
emotions. He unsettled her and she had to force herself to keep the focus on
business. He was always so open and friendly and she knew sometimes she was a
real bitch. If there just wasn’t this electrical connection sizzling between
them. She hated it, but fear kept pushing up that nasty side of her.

Quietly she’d done some checking in the industry and she’d
had Jo scrounge whatever she could find on the Internet. Oh sure, Josh McMann
had been a player but he hadn’t left a scandal-strewn past behind when he met
and married Vanessa Bowen. Not like Livy’s father had, at any rate. Alex and
Tyler appeared to be no more than normal, red-blooded men who used good sense
even in their social lives.

Her lips still tingled from their too-brief kiss and set her
mind plunging into areas it shouldn’t go. Suddenly when she fell asleep at
night she was plunged into erotic dreams, visions of a naked Alex tempting her.
Beckoning to her. Doing all manner of erotic things to her. She
never
had dreams like that. Ever.

One of them had been especially graphic and she hadn’t been
able to get it out of her mind.

“I’ve dreamed about getting you naked since the day I met
you.”

Alex’s husky voice sent shivers down Livy’s spine,
rolling over her like a warm caress. He’d peeled off her clothing one piece at
a time. Kissing every inch of skin as he exposed it. His palms cupped her
breasts, rasping lightly over the hard, tightened buds. Shards of heat shot
straight to her soaked cunt, the inner muscles spasming.

“I want you naked too,” she whispered.

But then she couldn’t say anything because his mouth
captured hers in a searing kiss, his tongue thrusting deep into her mouth, a
dancing flame scorching every place it touched. Livy pressed herself against
him, the rough fabric of his clothing deliciously abrading her sensitive skin.
The thick length of his cock pushed at her through the placket of his fly. She couldn’t
wait to feel it inside her, so swollen and hard.

“I have other things to take care of first,” he murmured
when he lifted his head.

Easing her down to the edge of the bed he spread her
knees wide and knelt on the carpet. His breath was warm on her flesh as he bent
his head closer to her pussy, his lean fingers spreading her lips wide. At the
first lash of his tongue against her slick flesh lightning shot through her.
She gasped, sucking in her breath. His educated tongue had an agenda all its
own, licking and sliding and rimming the opening of her vagina.

“Wet.” The pleasure in his voice was evident. “And
delicious, like sugar candy.”

He bent to his task again, the tip of his tongue circling
her clit again and again, now flicking the very tip, now curling around it.
Livy clenched her fists in the comforter to steady herself against the
onslaught on sensations.

In me, she wanted to cry. Inside me. Now.

But Alex continued to torment her, now stabbing his
tongue inside her, now withdrawing, over and over again.

The climax erupted from her without warning, the spasms
gripping her entire body, her pussy clenching over and over again in its need.

“Oh, oh, oh,” she cried, and rocked against his mouth.

He stayed with her, nipping and licking, until the last
tremor had disappeared. But the orgasm hadn’t satisfied her. Only left her
wanting more. Much more.

He rose to his knees and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“Now,” he said. “Now I’ll be naked, too.”

“Livy?” The voice startled her. “Olivia, are you all right?”

She lifted her head, startled to see Frank Vincent standing
in front of her desk. She blinked, trying to focus.
Ohmigod!
She’d been
reliving one of those damn dreams right here in the office and hadn’t even
heard him come in. She felt the pull of heat low in her belly. She squeezed her
thighs together and felt an embarrassing wetness trapped by her pantyhose.
Putting on what she hoped was her best professional face, she smoothed her hair
back and fiddled with the collar of her blouse. Did her face look as red as it
felt? Hell and damnation anyway.She supposed she was lucky she didn’t
have her hand between her damn legs when Frank walked in.

“I’m sorry, Frank. I guess I was just lost in thought.” She
did her best to mentally pull herself together. This was so not like her.

“Those short naps are great, aren’t they?” he chuckled.

Naps? He thought she was sleeping? Shit!

“I wasn’t asleep,” she began, protesting.

He just waved a hand at her. “No sweat. Sometimes work
catches up with us. I’ve had the same thing happen to me.”

Not likely.

“Anyway,” she went on, “what can I do for you?”

He dropped into one of the chairs in front of her desk. “I
assume young McMann told you he has a meeting set with us for Monday morning?”

She nodded. “Ten o’clock. And I believe all three brothers
will be there?”

”That’s correct. I thought I’d touch base with you one last
time and get your feedback on them.”

Feedback. Right.

“I have to say, at least for Alex, they are what you see. I
haven’t been able to dig up any hidden secrets in their past nor can I find
anyone, in my casual explorations, who had a bad word to say about them. Only
good. Honest. Dedicated. Hardworking.”

Frank snorted. “And are they all boy scouts?”

Livy frowned. “Believe it or not, Frank, there are actually
some people out there who take pride in who and what they are and take pains to
maintain that.”

“So you’re saying if we like what they have to show us we
should go ahead with the contract? It’s all private money and the investors
have given me the option of not taking bids. But I can’t afford to make a
mistake.”

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “You
won’t be making one. I know this is a very important project and probably our
biggest to date. But you were very clear you wanted something new and innovative.
I can promise you that’s what the McManns will bring to the table. And not give
you problems.”

“Okay, then.” He pushed himself out of the chair. “I’m
calling executive staff for nine thirty Monday so we can get our ducks in a row
before the McMann brothers get here.” He paused. “And get some sleep this
weekend.”