Burned Deep (Burned 1)

“You’re serious?”

He nodded. “First one’s an annual salary. I also provide a rich benefits package, including free golf for my senior executive team, of which you’d be a part.”

My brow dipped. Did he know who my dad was?

Not missing a beat, Dane added, “The second figure is your yearly budget.”

“Oh.” Wow. My fingers trembled again as I held the note card.

“Consider your environment, Ari.” He spread his arms wide, indicating all that was 10,000 Lux.

“Sure, but—” All these heart palpitations couldn’t be good for me. “Dane.” I glared at him, incredulous.

He glared back. “Not enough?”

I was just about to launch into an all-out this offer is obscene and I can’t do this! when he stood abruptly.

“Why don’t I show you to your office?”

“My—” Oh, crap. My office?

He really was the devil. He knew all the threads to pull in order to unravel me.

Rib eye and crab béarnaise be damned, I was on my feet in a heartbeat. He grinned knowingly. I ignored his arrogance. Despite the daunting flash in my mind of this could be an episode of 666 Park Avenue unfolding, I followed him.

He ushered me inside and down the hallway to a discreet bank of elevators. Exhilaration chased through me. I’d devoted so much of my time and energy to fulfilling others’ wishes, it was surreal to be thrust into my own fairy tale. Even when I wondered if giving in to my dreams might bend more toward nightmarish than fantasy when it came to a man who seemed determined to win at all costs. A man who seemed resolute about possessing … me.

We left the elevator on the top floor and traveled the wide, marbled corridor. Dane stopped halfway down and retrieved a card key from his inner jacket pocket, swiping it over the electronic reader. He opened the door and we moved inside.

My gaze swept through the room, my jaw falling slack. It was huge, with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the gardens and fountains, the majestic canyons in the distance. A plush white sofa and two stylish armless chairs were situated on one side with a glass coffee table in the center, along with matching end tables and tall exotic bamboo trees and birds of paradise to accent the living room setting.

The floor was a dark, polished hardwood that set off all the pristine white. In the far corner was a large desk situated on the diagonal, also with a glass top. There was a conference table that accommodated eight, and a marble-countered wet bar. I had no doubt it was fully stocked with FIJI water, champagne, and scotch for the Lux’s upper-echelon clientele.

“You don’t have to keep this furniture,” he said from behind me. “We can replace all of this and decorate it however you want. I thought it’d give you a better point of reference than an empty room.”

“No,” I said as myriad emotions pressed in on me, all too overwhelming to dissect or process. “This is stunning. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

He’d captured my attention. Big-time.

It was way over the top, of course—that seemed to be his style. Best of all, I had my own showstopping chandelier.

“So … what do you think?” he asked as he guided me to the sofa against the wall and I sank onto the plump cushion. Oversize pillows filled the corners, one set piled atop a luxurious satin pale-gold quilt that was arranged artfully at an angle.

“I think I’m afraid to see what your office looks like.”

He chuckled.

Yes, I was back to being awestruck. There was no escaping it when it came to Dane. “This is all so incredible.”

He stood alongside me, his hands in his pockets. “I haven’t even given you the grand tour of the resort yet.”

I must have stared up at him invitingly, because he eased onto the seat next to me.

“I think I can trust you, Ari. That’s what I need. Everything built around the grand opening is extremely important and confidential. And that event—every facet, the absolute smallest details—has to be perfect.”

Yeah, no pressure there.

I swallowed hard. He draped an arm along the back of the sofa and leaned in as his gaze captured mine. He was so close, the moment turned intimate. I could feel him all around me. Smell him. A hint of sandalwood mixed with his heat. An erotic scent.