The Billionaire's Kisses: Billionaire Brothers (3 page)

Amy hated herself for being unable to shake Adam Quinlan out of her mind. She hated
him
, too – or rather she hated her overwhelming attraction towards him. Amy prided herself on her professional approach to business and she was here to do a job. If she allowed herself to be distracted by that handsome charmer, she knew she could start making mistakes and miss the finer points of the negotiations. Or maybe that’s exactly what Quinlan Brothers wanted – maybe Adam was their secret weapon against female operatives.

Amy suppressed her ridiculous jealousy as she wondered how many others before her had been in this situation. Adam was arrogant and probably unreliable. So why did her body ache for his touch? It was so primal. The words that had come out his mouth all through the meeting today had been pushy and conceited, but somehow he’d rooted himself into her brain. No, not in her brain, because mentally she wanted nothing to do with him. But physically – how had he managed to get so far under her skin so quickly? Her mind was saying no, but her body just wanted to shout yes from the rooftops.

But she knew she had to resist. In the boardroom, Amy could take on any man and win. But in the bedroom… it would be far too easy to hand her heart over to that charming man. It was obvious what sort of a playboy man-whore Adam was, but Amy found one-night stands unfulfilling and pointless. Her goals relationship-wise were to date men, and to work towards something permanent. The only relationships Adam Quinlan was probably interested in had a time limit of twelve hours – culminating in rolling around in bed with his lucky date. Or date
s
.

Even though he’d made Amy feel as if she was the only woman in the universe earlier, she wasn’t so naïve to think he didn’t have a string of supermodels waiting to give him anything he demanded.

No, she’d stay away from him in all ways other than strictly professional. It was for her own safety and sanity…

Amy checked into her comfy-yet-corporate hotel room and napped for a couple of hours, then she awoke feeling refreshed, but hungry. Adam’s face filled her mind, and waves of excitement crashed into her heart. She firmly pushed away the misplaced joy, vowing to drag herself through the next three days, then fly back to London unharmed.

She pulled on a pretty red button-through dress, which was clingy and elegant, then she put on a little make-up, and styled her long hair to tumble around her shoulders. After dining in the hotel’s French restaurant, she drifted to the piano bar, where the décor was a sophisticated mix of modern and traditional. The leather couches and wooden tables that surrounded the black grand piano looked inviting, but they were all occupied by the smartly-dressed guests, who were enjoying the soothing jazz recital. So Amy plunked herself down on one of the vacant tall seats at the bar, and ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The atmosphere bustled as American businesspeople and Japanese tourists laughed and chatted loudly. Loneliness crept through her ribcage.

You could be having dinner with Adam Quinlan right now…

She shook herself out of it – she was here to work, not hook up with heartbreakers. She decided to quickly finish this drink, then go back to her room. She needed to spend some time tonight planning tomorrow’s presentation for the finance director of Quinlan Brothers. Ah, Quinlan… Adam’s gorgeous smile drifted into her mind, and her body filled with dazzling delight. He was so hot…

Stop it!

Amy sipped her wine and started to compose the opening lines of her presentation in her head. The mellow liquid soothed her, but it also incited a melancholy in her heart. She was probably only obsessing over Adam Quinlan because she was heartbroken about her ex. Not that she
should
be heartbroken after what he’d done – cheating bastard.  It certainly made things awkward at work every time they saw each other, but neither of them was ready to quit Grafton Techs yet. It was even worse that they’d both decided to remain in the apartment until he could save enough money to move out. Amy realised that it was actually quite nice being here in New York and away from her depressing domestic situation.

Why did she never have any luck with men?

Amy snapped herself out of her daydreaming and tensed with the sense that someone was staring at her. The piano player was working up to a stirring climax, and all eyes were on him, apart from one pair, which, for some reason, were suffocating
her
with their scrutiny. She glanced up and saw that there was a man standing a few yards away striking a confident pose – one hand in his pocket, the other slung on his hip. He looked remarkably like Adam Quinlan, but Amy glanced away knowing it wouldn’t be him. Why would he be here? She tried to play it cool as she sipped her wine, but she could see – out the corner of her eye – that the man was waiting for her to notice him.

She glanced up again. He smirked coolly. Oh god, it was definitely Adam. He looked devilishly dashing in his suit. What was it about a man in a suit that made Amy’s thighs sizzle? She sensed a pent-up power in Adam, waiting to explode. He possessed an authority that made Amy’s heart flutter like an Edwardian gentlewoman, and she hated herself for that. She was a strong, independent woman, in control of her world. But he was like a man in command of the entire universe. He smiled casually, not taking his eyes off her.

Okay, Amy, calm down. He’s not here for you. He’s probably just got business in the hotel. Or he’s come to talk about the merger…

She waved politely, then turned to face the bar, hoping he’d go away, but desperately wanting him to come over. Which he did – oh
god
.

He leaned against the bar as if he owned it. “Good evening, Ms Carter. You look beautiful tonight. Utterly stunning.”

She raised a cool eyebrow. There was something about his tone that suggested he meant ‘utterly fuckable’.

“Thank you, Mr Quinlan. I feel it’s important to dress up for dinner.”

“Your efforts are appreciated.”

“Well, I didn’t dress up for
you
.”

Adam chuckled warmly, then he caught the bartender’s attention and ordered a whiskey on the rocks. He gripped the glass with his strong fingers and raised it toward Amy.

“To your very good health, Ms Carter.”

Amy was assaulted with an image of those beautiful fingers fondling her ass, delving in her panties, rubbing her hungry clit until she came hard…

She gulped her wine. “Do you have business in the hotel tonight?”

“Actually, I came here to speak to you.”

“Oh? I believe my phone is working fine. Something wrong with yours?”

He grinned. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how much more I’d like to see of you. So I came here, hoping we might find out what we’ve got in common. Other than an attraction for each other, of course.”

She sighed. “Just so you are aware, Mr Quinlan, these well-practised lines won’t result in me caving into your arms and acting like a schoolgirl. I am not a groupie; you are not a rock star, and as I said earlier, I will not be joining you between the sheets during my stay. Do you understand?”

He gazed into her eyes. “Will you stop calling me Mr Quinlan? It’s Adam, alright?”

Amy hopped off the bar stool. “Go and sexually harass someone else, will you?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but she grabbed her purse, then turned and strutted outside to the terrace on quivering legs. Secretly hoping he’d follow…

This April evening was mild, and there was no one around. Solitude, at last. With shaking hands, Amy fumbled in her purse and pulled out a pack of duty-free cigarettes that she’d bought on the plane. She’d actually stopped smoking years ago, but her current emotional state had made her cave in at the thought of a comforting nicotine fix.

She gripped the cigarette between her lips as the terrace door was pushed open from the inside. Even though she had her back to him, she knew it was Adam. She could smell him. His masculine aroma sizzled in her thighs, enhancing the desire that she knew was pointless. She tried to get a grip on her lust-drenched body but it was already straining with arousal. Keep cool, Amy. You’re here to do a job. You’re a professional.

She lit the cigarette and inhaled the calming smoke as she gazed at the twinkling skyline. Adam stood next to her and gripped the metal railing with his perfect fingers. Amy hoped he’d be disgusted by the fact that she smoked and leave. But instead, he delivered a grin that crackled in the air between them.

“Do you know, Ms Carter, I’ve lived here in NYC for three years and I’ve never visited the Empire State – can you believe that?”

Amy shrugged. “I’ve lived in London for seven years and I’ve never visited Buckingham Palace.”

“We should do some sightseeing. Wanna take a ride with me?”

“No. I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun – we can go tomorrow after the meeting. And then you can show me London when I come over.”

He spoke as if the arrangement had already been made and all she needed to do was turn up. But she wasn’t letting him order her about, no way. She shook her head and took a drag on the cigarette. Then she blew out the smoke, trying to calm her pounding clit.

She realised that she needed to get out of here, away from temptation, so she took a step towards the door, but in a cool, commanding voice he asked, “So you didn’t grow up in London, then, huh?”

Amy halted. She grimaced as she suddenly realised that moving towards the door had inadvertently brought her
closer
to him. “I don’t feel it’s appropriate to discuss my personal life with you.”

“Why not? I’m just asking an innocent question. What are you afraid of?”

She turned and glared into his eyes. “I get the distinct impression that you’re trying to make me feel vulnerable so you can talk me into bed. I may be blonde, but I’m not stupid.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid, Ms Carter. In fact, I know you’re very intelligent. You certainly saw right through
my
sly intentions.”

He threw her a playful grin, which caught Amy by surprise. She smirked, suddenly enjoying the attention. “And flattery won’t work either.”

“Okay, I’ll bear that in mind.”

They shared a smile. Adam’s expression flashed with concern. “Hey, Amy, has anyone paid you a visit today? Other than me?”

“No. Why?”

“That guy from earlier – Tariq Shard – he’s trouble. I think he might try to contact you.”

Amy suppressed her fear for Tariq, not wanting Adam to think she had
feelings
– she knew he’d only try and exploit them. “Well, I’ll just give him the same as I’m giving you. Nothing.”

He grinned. “You really are a spiky one, aren’tcha? Why don’t you let people in?”

“You want my life story?”

He smiled sincerely. “I’d honestly like to get to know you better.”

Amy scoffed – his tone implied an unspoken ‘before I get you into bed’. She spoke gruffly, hoping to put him off. “Alright fine. My mother died when I was seventeen, so I moved to London and found work as a child-minder while studying at university. The father of the family – Frank Grafton – needed an assistant, so I took the job. I worked my way up to operations director. The end.”

“Well, thank you for sharing. See that wasn’t too hard, was it?”

She fiddled with her cigarette, refusing to look into those sparkling eyes. Amy could feel her resistance slowly eroding. She turned away from him, and took a long drag, filling her lungs.

Her body froze with hot lust as Adam stepped close behind and rested his strong hands on her shoulders. Her heart squirmed with desperate passion. Come on, Amy, get a grip. She took a huge step away from his commanding touch, determined to steel her body against him. But it was becoming harder.

“Mr Quinlan, please don’t touch me. I’m here to do my job.”

“I know. You’re a hard worker. But I sense there’s something else that drives you, right?”

She sneered. “Psychologist, are you?”

“Just being friendly. So, I’m guessing that working for Grafton Techs was never your childhood dream job, huh?”

She turned to face him. “I live in one of the most expensive cities in Europe; I need to pay my rent.”

“Sure. But you’d prefer to be doing something else instead, right? Something meaningful. Something creative.”

Amy stalled. How did he know all this? It was as if his touch had drawn out the darkest secrets from her heart. For a guy who didn’t seem to wear his own feelings on his sleeve, he certainly seemed good at reading hers.

“I don’t know.” She mumbled.

“You don’t know what you’d rather be doing?”

“Well, I’ve always loved art – painting, you know. But that doesn’t pay the bills.”

“You paint as a hobby?”

“Sometimes. When I have time.”

He smirked suggestively.  “We
should
make time for the things we’re passionate about, right?”

She suppressed a grin and looked away. “Work needs to come first. This is how life is when you don’t have rich parents to fall back on.”