Dark Ties (Made Men 9)

“Not until we go over the finer points tonight in our room. I’m going to go sit up front with the pilot and co-pilot. I’ve been thinking about taking flying lessons myself. Would save me a ton of money for having to keep Jim on payroll.”

Haley stared, nonplused, as Desmond walked down the aisle. He was paying her back for being so disparaging to him, right? He didn’t think she was agreeing to twist the sheets with him. He couldn’t be that looney, right?

Regardless how Desmond had misquoted what she’d said, she would be sleeping alone tonight. If the arrogant ass tried anything, he wouldn’t have to be worried about the dog that bit him; he would be mauled if he tried anything funny. He could play whack-a-mole with some other woman who would accept whatever terms he wanted to lay out.

A naughty thought came to her mind. What if she could beat him at his own game? Say, just for instance, the little devil sitting on her shoulder whispered into her ear, you negotiated the terms more favorable to you. She would love to make him eat his own words. You owe it to womankind to bring him down, the little devil whispered.

“Yes, I do,” she uttered under her breath as Kirk walked by.

“Did you say something?”

“I’ll take a whiskey sour, if you have the ingredients.”

“Certainly. Anything else?”

Haley saw the attendant was holding an empty glass.

“Were you getting another drink for Desmond?”

“I was.”

“Make it a double for him.” Giving a saucy wink that she had never given in her life, she relaxed back in her seat to search through the books Nadia had downloaded to her iPad. Their reading tastes were vastly different, but Nadia would send the ones she really loved for inspiration to get out in the dating world. Looking through the titles, she found one that should do. If she was going to be bad tonight, she was going to need all the help she could get. She wanted to bring Desmond Beck to his knees, prove to him that numbers weren’t all she could handle. It was going to be a piece of cake, right? What could go wrong?

The little devil fell off her shoulder, laughing.

Everything.

Twenty-Eight

Rhone was waiting for them when they stepped off the plane. Haley laughed when she was swept up in a bear hug.

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you,” he said, pulling away.

“It’s been three months. You came to Moonbeam’s anniversary, remember?”

“Three months is too long.” Rhone turned his head to include Desmond in the conversation. “I guess I have you to thank for dragging Haley away from work. I’ve been trying to get her to take a vacation for over a year.”

Desmond took the hand held out to shake. “Glad to help.”

Haley tucked her arm through Rhone’s. “You going to show us around?” Haley turned them around at Desmond’s aloof behavior. He was giving the impression that he would rather be anywhere else.

The airstrip they had landed on consisted of the one runaway and a small aluminum building set to the side. A warm breeze had Haley wanting to explore the island.

“How’s Nadia doing? When I was in Kansas City, she promised to bring Dante and come for a visit. I’m beginning to feel unappreciated,” he joked as they walked toward an old beat-up pickup truck.

Taking the luggage from Kirk, Rhone heaved the two suitcases over the bed of the truck. Haley nearly laughed at Kirk’s expression at the loud thump they made when the suitcases hit the metal lining.

“Going to be a little tight, but we should all fit in.” Rhone opened the back doors for Kirk and the pilot. “Nice and cozy. You can sit in the middle, up front with me and Desmond.”

“My staff won’t be staying.”

“You sure?” Rhone stared at Desmond quizzically. “I have plenty of rooms.”

“I’m sure. They’ll pick us up on—”

Desmond had cut himself off when Rhone lifted her into the front seat and shut the front door.

Through the open window, Haley heard Desmond finish his sentence through a clenched jaw.

“—Sunday.”

“Cool.” Rhone patted Desmond on the shoulder. “You can take the back seat, then.”

Haley had to smother a giggle at Desmond’s expression. Her ex-boss wasn’t used to not being the center of attention. Haley loved it. The next time Rhone invited her out, she just might accept his invitation.

Rhone lifted himself easily behind the steering wheel. “Buckle up. The roads here are still a work in progress.”

Haley felt as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders just by being in Rhone’s presence. He was in a perpetual good mood. Despite his Herculine frame, he was the gentlest man she had ever met. Anytime Nadia or she needed anything for Moonbeam, they knew Rhone would make it happen.

She had met him a year before she had gone to work for Desmond. He had tried to lure her away from working for him. He would have succeeded if she hadn’t spotted some illegal sources of his income. Any help Moonbeam accepted from Rhone, Haley made sure came from his legal enterprises.