Heart of Steel

Chapter 4

“Hmmm, that’s funny. I didn’t know the boss liked Thai food.”

Chandler looked up from her spicy vegetable stir fry and watched Logan pull out a chair for his companion. The woman tossed her perfect mane of red curls and laughed at something he said. Her short black dress rode up her thighs as she took a seat, and Chandler noticed Logan seemed to look his fill. A surge of emotions shot through her and took her off guard. She turned and deliberately focused on Richard. “I guess he decided to take time for certain pleasures, after all.”

Richard gave her a strange look but let the remark pass. “A redhead this time. Logan’s a killer when it comes to the ladies,” he said. “Hair color is a big deal to him.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Richard grinned. “You know, blondes one week, brunettes the next. I guess red-heads are getting their turn.”

Her fingers tightened around her chopsticks. “How archaic.”

“Yeah, but at least he’s fair. Every woman gets a shot.”

She raised one brow in warning. “And you think that's okay? I hope you’re teasing me, Richard.”

He winked. “Now, Chandler, you know I’m not like that. I firmly believe in getting to know a woman first. Sexual attraction is great, but not lasting.” He took a healthy swallow of saki. “I used to be like Logan, but then I decided I needed more.”

She smiled in understanding. “Someone to share your life with, right? A woman who really sees who you are, and wants you anyway.”

He gazed into her eyes. “Exactly.” He reached over and touched her hand. “A woman who believes in the same things I do.”

“Richard. Chandler. What a wonderful surprise!”

They both looked up as a deep, gravelly voice cut through the air. Logan stood over them with a sense of masculine satisfaction. She held back a sigh. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised at his tactics. The man was impossible to deal with.

“Such an odd coincidence,” she said. “We both picked the same restaurant in Manhattan. And on the same night! Imagine that.”

The man never missed a beat. “I know, I thought the same thing when I spotted you. Please join us.”

Richard gave her an uneasy look. “No, we don’t want to interrupt you on a date. Maybe another time.”

“I won’t take no for an answer. There’s nothing I like more than spending time with my employees outside the office.”

Richard rubbed his temple. “Uh, Logan—”

“We haven’t ordered yet, so we’ll join you. I’ll have the waiter set two more place settings.”

He stalked away and motioned for one of the waiters. Richard groaned. “I can’t believe this.”

She smothered a giggle. “This is starting to remind me of an old Seinfeld episode.”

The waiter discreetly adjusted their table setting, and suddenly the red-head stood before them. Her lower lip jutted out in a slight sulk. “Logan, we really shouldn’t intrude. They probably want to be alone.”

Chandler decided the woman was not happy about the new seating arrangements. Logan waved one hand in the air. “Lisa, let me introduce Chandler and Richard. We work together. I probably just saved Richard from a lecture on nutrition. Chandler’s our yoga expert at the company, so she tries to convert everyone to good health. Richard’s normal obsession is for jumbo beef burgers.”

Chandler choked on her water and tried to keep a straight face. She caught a flash of anger pass over Richard’s features before he carefully concealed his emotions with a bland smile. Uneasiness flickered deep inside when she realized how quickly he could change his expressions. But he had every right to be annoyed with Logan. She firmly pushed away the doubts as everyone got settled.

Lisa ordered a salad and made a production out of moving around the lettuce leaves on her plate. Actually, Chandler was surprised at the adept way she kept dropping things off the table so Logan could get a healthy glimpse of cleavage. Not that it mattered. Chandler didn’t care about Logan’s long list of bimbos ranked by hair color. Not one bit. She was grateful her own escort wanted sparkling conversation rather than a perfect body. Chandler clung to the thought.

“Darling, how do you manage? After working long days, you actually show up for a class that does nothing but twist up your body. What a sacrifice you make for your employees,” Lisa cooed.

“I do my best,” Logan said.

Chandler rolled her eyes.

“I met a yoga teacher once.” Lisa’s eyes ran over her with a dismissing gesture. “She believed in saving the environment. Especially water. I guess that’s why she didn’t believe in bathing.”

Chandler smiled sweetly. “Yes, I have the same philosophy. Birthdays and holidays I treat myself to a bath.”

Her gaze met and locked with amused charcoal eyes. He raised his glass to her in silent salute, and Chandler mentally chided herself for making such a smart remark. Her actions indicated jealousy. But of course, she wasn’t.

Moments later, she realized the lovely Lisa actually believed her comment. The woman seemed a bit nervous and adjusted her chair.

The waiter appeared by their table. “May I get anyone an after dinner drink, coffee or dessert?”

Richard shook his head. “Sugar and caffeine. I’ll pass.”

Lisa agreed. “I’m so stuffed I feel like I’ll explode. I’ll pass, too.”

Chandler winced and glanced down at her clean plate. She’d managed to devour her appetizer, salad, dinner, and all her rice. She held back a sigh and opened her mouth to decline.

“We’ll have the brownie bomber sundae,” Logan said. One lid dropped in a naughty wink. “With two forks.”

At that moment, she knew she liked Logan Grant a bit too much.

“Let me walk you to the door.”

“Thanks.” She led Richard up the staircase and paused in front of her apartment. Her high heels sunk into the cream colored carpet as she turned to face him and offered a bright smile. The corridor was quiet, and the lights had been adjusted to the late hour. Their figures cast dim shadows against the wall.

“I had a good time tonight.” He gave a lopsided grin. “At least until the boss showed up.”

She laughed. “So did I.”

“I’d like to take you out again.” The grin faded and became replaced by a serious expression. He reached out and enfolded his hands within hers. “I think we have a lot in common, Chandler. It took me a long time to realize what’s important in life. For years, I thought power and money were my only options. Now I know I want a woman with the same values, who wants to grow with me on the same path. Does that make sense to you?”

Her gut twisted. She wondered if she was scared because she finally found a man who believed in the same things. He told her everything she wanted to hear.

Everything she wanted to hear…

She nodded. “It makes perfect sense.”

His lips touched hers. Tentative. Polite. A kiss from a man who respected a woman and wanted to take his time. Definitely not like—

She broke off the thought and kissed him back. When he finally raised his head, she caught a gleam of satisfaction in chestnut eyes, before being quickly masked. “Friday night?”

She smiled. “Sure. Friday night.”

He squeezed her hands and walked down the hallway. She heard the echo of footsteps on the stairway, and leaned against the door. Richard Thorne was a man who held the same principles. His embrace comforted, and made her feel safe. Surely, those feelings were everything she searched for? Surely, she wasn’t shallow enough to think a quick sexual attraction meant more than building a solid friendship with a man?

“At least you didn’t invite him in.”

She gasped and spun on her heel. Logan Grant stood at the end of the corridor. Still dressed in his evening clothes, every powerful muscle cloaked in elegant fabric, he cut an intimidating figure. His tie had been ripped off, and the first buttons of his shirt undone. Curly dark hair peeked from beneath the pristine white cloth. A muscle worked in his jaw as his silvery gaze drilled into her. His voice was a low growl of sound. Rough. Sexy. Her stomach slid and dipped to her toes. She made sure her face showed nothing.

“Why am I not surprised? Logan, don’t you think this could be considered stalking? We live in a modern age, remember? You can’t drag me to your cave just on a whim.”

The corner of his mouth kicked up in a grin. “I never stalked a woman in my life.”

“First time for everything.” Her eyes narrowed. “What do you want? Have you trained your women so well that your date is sitting in the car?”

He moved toward her like a predator and stopped a few inches away. The scent of musk aftershave and male teased her senses. “I took her home. Did you enjoy kissing him, Chandler?”

Her temper surged. “Did you enjoy kissing your red-head, Logan?” Immediately, she realized her mistake and almost bit her tongue with frustration. He’d watched her all through dinner with a possessive gleam in his eyes which annoyed her. The casual intimacy he treated his date with made her angry, too. Those emotions she could deal with. However, it was the way her body jumped at the mere sound of his voice, melted at his touch or look, which made her really crazy.

The amusement was back. “Lisa? I gave her a polite kiss on the cheek and dropped her at the door. Why? Does it matter?”

She shrugged. “No.” Then glanced around the empty corridor. “Look, it’s late. I’ve got an early class in the morning.” She turned to dismiss him, but his hand shot out to grasp her wrist. Her heart slammed in her chest. “Is there something else you wanted?”

“If I was sleeping with Lisa would you be jealous?”

Chandler gasped. “Of course not. It’s none of my business who you sleep with and I have no desire to know. I wouldn’t tell you who I was involved with.”

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Are you sleeping with somebody?” he demanded.

“How dare you ask me a question like that? You have no right to ask me anything about my personal life.”

Deliberately, Logan leaned in. “It became my right the moment your mouth opened under mine,” he shot back. “When you cried my name and your nails dug into my skin with passion I reserved the right to be your only lover. I’m a greedy, selfish man and I don’t share with anyone. Especially with Richard Thorne.” Logan took in the high color of her cheeks and her trembling mouth. His voice gentled. “The other night we almost became lovers and today you want to pretend it never happened.”

She pulled her wrist away and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t see any need to bring that night up. It was a mistake.”

“It was the first honest response you’ve allowed yourself in a long time.” He stepped back and plowed his fingers through his hair. “Right or wrong, good for you or not, you wanted me in your bed and now you’re too damn scared to admit it. I didn’t see you kiss Thorne like that. I didn’t hear you invite him in. Why? Because something was missing?”

She shook her head stubbornly. “The night you kissed me I was taken by surprise. You wanted to prove a point. Why can’t we let the episode go?”

Logan gazed at her for a long moment. Her chin tilted upward in the air, as if to stand her ground before Goliath. He acknowledged this very well may be the most stubborn, headstrong woman he’d ever met. He noticed the rapid beat of her pulse at the base of her neck and controlled a satisfied smile. No matter how much she denied the attraction, her body betrayed her. If he coaxed her body to step out from her cage, maybe her mind would follow. He needed to try.

Chandler watched the male predator before her and waited for his temper to explode. Instead, she heard him speak in an easy tone. “In your little speech the other night, you insisted you were taken by surprise by my, er, forward actions.”

“Yes.”

“So, if I had calmly announced my intentions to kiss you, I wouldn’t have gotten the same response.”

“Yes.”

“You would have pulled away.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Chandler watched in fascination as he closed the distance between them. Warm breath struck her lips as his mouth stopped inches from her own. The slow descent held her spellbound. Heat and intense sensual energy radiated from his body. “If I told you I intend to kiss you, you’d refuse to respond, right?”

Her stomach lurched in fear at his obvious intent. She licked her lips nervously and stiffened her body to prepare for battle. “Yes.” The word came out slightly strangled.

His eyes focused on her trembling mouth. “Great. Then as two logical people ready to settle an argument, we’ll conduct an experiment to prove who’s telling the truth.” He paused. “Just in case you don’t know what’s about to happen, I intend on kissing you, Chandler. I’m also giving you plenty of notice so you can’t call foul play after I prove your body was made to belong to me.”

Then his lips closed over hers.

Chandler prepared for a sensual, teasing game like the night before. What she hadn’t expected was the powerful, drugging need that touched fire to her body when his tongue penetrated the seam of her lips to thrust into her mouth, hungrily plundering the dark, silken depths over and over again. Like a flower opening to the sun, she allowed him free access. A deep need burned through her; the need to respond to his masculine invasion; the need to feel her body crushed under his; the need to let her soul soar. She could have fought her response if he’d used cold expertise, or a calculated game of thrust and parry. What she couldn’t fight was this honest, driven kiss. It had been too long since she’d felt a man need her response so badly, and he seemed to want her with a passion beyond the clinical, ruthless mind of a businessman going in for the kill.

Chandler kissed him back. She learned the texture of his lips, the line of smooth white teeth, the heat of his mouth. She reveled in the hard body pressed against hers. She breathed in the scent of him. As the kiss went on, stoking the fires of desire, she wanted more and more and more…

He slowly dragged his mouth from hers. She took deep, ragged breaths. Her skin tingled from the slight roughness of his five o’clock shadow. She let her tongue glide along her bottom lip and caught his taste. Logan groaned. The pad of his thumb pressed over her mouth and traced its outline, following up to the line of her jaw. He smoothed back the stray tendrils of hair escaping from her twist.

Chandler almost closed her eyes in defeat. No more lies. Clearly, he knew the extent of her physical attraction, and would use the knowledge to his advantage. He announced his intentions and she’d been unable to prove she had no feelings. In fact, the opposite was true.

She definitely had feelings for Logan Grant—and that was dangerous.

Desire within her grew to throw caution to the winds and get involved with this powerful, attractive enigma. Yet, fear regarding businessmen and their priorities still lingered. If their relationship didn’t work out, the contract ended along with their affair. And what about Richard? Would she be giving up an opportunity to have a real relationship to settle for a short affair?

Her mind took control, disciplined throughout the years to take charge of her lesser emotions. Chandler took a step back and tilted her head to gaze at him more fully.

“I can’t cry foul play.” She smiled tentatively. He smiled back. “But this doesn’t change anything. I can’t get involved with you.”

“What are you fighting so hard to protect?” he asked. “Who hurt you so badly?”

Her face closed off. Her eyes grew distant. “My past has nothing to do with my decision. I admit we have an attraction, but we don’t have to act on it. Can’t you see this is wrong?” she pleaded. “We’re too different. We belong in two different worlds. I can’t go back to yours, and you’d never be comfortable in mine. We would hurt one another and I can’t sacrifice the Yoga and Arts Center to find out.”

Logan gazed at his worthy opponent and admiration cut through him. Even after her body surrendered, her mind refused to wave the white flag. His lips curved in a smile as he grasped her wrist and pulled her hand to his mouth. He pressed a heated kiss into her palm, and felt her pounding pulse against his fingertips; heard her quick indrawn breath. And he knew he’d never wanted another woman like he wanted Chandler Santell.

“Did you ever stop to think I need you in my world?” he asked. “Have you ever saved a man from himself? I live in darkness, where deception and lies are at every turn. I learned to protect myself by being cold and hard, the only way I know to survive.” Her body visibly shook as her gaze locked on his. “You’re like the sunlight. You radiate heat and truth and all the good things in the world.” He paused. “Save me, Chandler.”

Her lower lip trembled. “I can’t,” she whispered.

“Try.”

Her voice broke. “I think I’m too late.”

He saw the fear and knew she wasn’t ready. He clamped down hard on the swirl of emotions rising inside him and took a deep breath. When he finally re-focused, there remained only a ruthless determination to claim her. Something told him she could save him. Something told him she may be the one.

“I want you. I’ll drag out every damn secret you have. I’ll stalk every hiding place, haunt your dreams at night, and make your body burn for mine. When you finally surrender, I’ll make you feel more pleasure than you’ve ever known.” He released her hand from his. “Be warned, sweetheart. Cards are on the table. Ante up.”

The clock ticked. Slowly, she regained her composure, and watched him from under heavily lidded eyes. She realized she’d unwillingly issued a challenge, and he’d do whatever necessary to make her surrender. The sudden flash of vulnerability in his eyes couldn’t be real. And she already knew she wasn’t enough of a woman to save Logan Grant.

She stared at him. He wanted to play business games, but he didn’t understand she played for higher stakes. Running would only make him pursue. She’d have to fight back with all the skill she learned from her father. Keep your opponent off balance at all times. Never underestimate your challenger. Always be one step ahead.

Logan was about to find out she’d be no easy conquest. She had too much to lose.

She took a step forward and reached for his hand. Slowly, she lifted his fingers to her lips, nibbling on the pad of his thumb, letting her tongue glide along the base. His muscles clenched. She heard the breath hiss through his teeth. With satisfaction, she dropped his hand from her mouth and stepped back once again. The surprise in his eyes made her lips curve in a smile. “Be warned, sweetheart. I was taught to play games by the best. I was also taught to win.” Chandler paused. “Ante up.”

Then she twisted the knob and stepped inside, firmly shutting the door behind her.

Logan Grant leaned back in his leather chair and signaled for his secretary to leave. Tapping his pen absently against the edge of the desk, he studied the papers in front of him and searched for a rational solution to his problem.

It had been one week since their confrontation. Five full days. Four long nights. And he wasn’t any closer to scaling her walls.

He let out a frustrated breath. Besides tying him up in knots, she caused more trouble than any other woman he’d ever known. The logical side to his nature entreated him to walk away, and therefore, solve his problem. But he didn’t.

It already seemed too late to walk away from Chandler Santell.

Logan flipped through the pages of the dossier, feeling like a Peeping Tom as he skimmed through the events of her life. Ever since Alexander Santell approached him with a deal to make his company skyrocket to the top, he’d been suspicious. Ordering Chandler’s life story seemed the reasonable thing to do given the circumstances. He needed to be cautious. The rapid growth of his company made it vulnerable to predators looking for a piece of the action. She could be a corporate spy hand delivered by her father. Logan didn’t believe in coincidence, and his instincts told him something wasn’t right when the deal of a lifetime presented itself a few weeks after hiring Chandler.

He was a businessman who needed to look out for his company. He refused to apologize for doing his job.

Then why did he feel like he was making one of the biggest mistakes of his life?

Disgusted with his rioting emotions, he swiveled around to gaze out from his office window. The sun began to sink, turning the river skyline a dark silhouette against fiery red, orange, and yellow. Towering buildings thrust toward the sky, competing for attention with nature’s radiance. The man made structures fought for dominance, and once again, failed compared to the river and sunset. It was a scene of New York meant for a painting.

God, he was tired. A slight throbbing behind his eyes told him a migraine was on the way. Normally, the view from his office made a rush of pride and energy course through him, refreshing his drive for ambition and his desire to have the city of New York recognize his name. But today, he only felt more alone. He questioned what he really wanted for himself. More money? More power? After that, would he crave more, always driven to fill an empty space inside?

Whenever Chandler walked into his office something stirred deep inside him. She made him feel things he thought long buried. Normally, when he got involved in a deal it consumed him, leaving no time or thought for anything else. Since he’d met her, business didn’t seem as important. Suddenly, it wasn’t urgent to be the first one in the office or the last to leave at night. He always wondered what she was doing, or who she was with, until the need to see her overpowered everything else.

You’re getting soft.

The inner voice taunted him. Letting a woman break his concentration was dangerous. Especially when the future of his company could hinge on this contract.

Logan rubbed his forehead. Why did Chandler run from him, if Alexander Santell hired her as a spy? Wouldn’t she drop into his bed in order to learn his secrets? Why had she left her father’s company years ago? There was no record of a disagreement between them. Unless the ex-fiancee caused her to walk away from such a powerful position. Had he done something to betray her trust? Had she loved him so much she had to run from him?

Tension coiled tightly in his stomach at the thought. He picked up the dossier and stared at the leather binder. Within the pages lay all the answers to his questions. All he had to do was open the cover.

With one decisive motion, Logan swiveled back around in his chair and tossed the report in his wastebasket. The hell with it. His instincts told him to believe in her honesty and integrity. For the first time, he’d go on trust, and assume she knew nothing about her father’s offer.

The full impact of his action hit him like a freight train. Trust. A word that meant danger in the business world. Pain in personal relationships. And, of course, betrayal. One thought flashed before his eyes, almost like a neon sign, and stopped him from retrieving her dossier again.

She was the woman who could save his soul.

“Hey, boss, got a minute?”

He looked up. Richard stood in the doorway with a pile of papers in his hand. Logan admitted the man exuded an air of confidence as he waited for a response. He wondered if the lawyer practiced his motions in the mirror each morning. Dressed the part in a navy blue suit, silk tie, and custom made cuff links, Logan wondered what image he presented to Chandler when they were alone. Thoughtfully, he tapped his pen on the edge of the polished wood and motioned him in.

“Sure. Are we ready for our meeting with Tommy?”

Richard nodded and took a seat. His brown eyes took in the room with one sweep, as if memorizing something for future use. Logan casually kicked the wastebasket out of the man’s view. “Contracts are ready to go, and I think we’ll go ahead with the final negotiations. It’s a killer deal, boss.”

Logan nodded and watched Richard adjust his gold cuff links. “I know. I’ve been working on it almost a year now. Most other investors gave up, thinking he’d never sell the company.” Logan’s eyes narrowed. “Tommy plays the waiting game. Watch the weak ones crumble. He likes a man with patience, so I just gave him what he wanted.”

Richard lifted a brow. “Patience, huh?”

The pen tapped in a steady beat. “The Japanese respect the art of patience. It’s Americans who want immediate satisfaction.”

“Nothing wrong with going after your goals.”

“Move too fast and you’ll lose every time.” He paused. “When I go after something, I always win. Because I wait for my opening.”

Richard shifted in his chair. Silence filled the room as they both watched each other. Then he gave a short laugh. “Trying to tell me something, boss?”

Primitive male energy hummed through the air. “Stay away from Chandler.”

Richard blinked, then recovered quickly enough to screen his features to attain an element of blandness. “That a direct order?”

Logan leaned back and studied the younger man. “Consider it a warning. You’re a hell of a lawyer, Richard. You remind me a lot of myself in my younger days, when I was so hungry I’d do anything for a deal. But I won’t watch while Chandler becomes one of your sacrifices.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t involve her with your games. Something is going on that I haven’t figured out yet. I will, though. And if she gets hurt, I’ll find the person who did it.” He smiled. “Then I’ll make him pay.”

Electricity pulsed within the silence. Richard cleared his throat. “Point taken. Since we’re putting cards on the table, I’ve got a few home truths for you, boss.” Ruthlessness gleamed in brown eyes. “Stay out of my personal life. I’ll see Chandler for as long as she’s interested.” He smirked. “You may have the hots for her, but she wants more than a quick trip to the bedroom. I can give her that. No hidden motives.”

Logan knew with a cold certainty the man lied. He quickly squashed the flicker of disappointment when he realized Richard Thorne needed to be stopped. In any way possible. He forced himself to nod. “Point taken. Every man for himself.”

“Guess so.” Richard stood up and dropped a handful of papers in front of him. “Look those over. If everything goes well today, we’ll be able to draw up the final contracts.”

“Fine. Richard?”

“Yeah?”

“A man always deserves one warning.”

A flicker of wariness flashed in Richard’s eyes, then disappeared. Satisfaction surged within him at the man’s unguarded response. Logan thought he’d left until he heard Richard’s voice from the doorway.

“I heard what you said about patience. But the Japanese have another code they follow, boss.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t play the game until you know the rules.” Then he walked out.

Logan stared at the closed door for a few moments.

His gut told him time was running out, and he needed answers. He stared thoughtfully at the phone. Then reached for the receiver.