Chapter 1
Six years later…
Drake watched with fascination as the woman in the pencil skirt shifted to a different angel, her body bent over the architect’s drafting board and providing him with a very enticing view. It wasn’t so much the woman’s concentration or the fact that she was humming softly to herself. It was the way she was almost dancing with her sexy skirt pulled against her very cute, very round derriere, her long legs ending with pretty shoes that made her legs look even longer, showing off her slender, muscular calves. Every few moments, her bottom would wiggle as she hit a high note on whatever song was going through her headphones.
He tried to listen to the notes in order to decipher the song, but she only sang a few lines, then danced or wiggled again while the song continued in her head.
He could tell that she had dark brown, shiny hair that curled softly at the ends but, besides her great legs and adorable butt, there wasn’t anything else he could see of the woman. Even her hair was pulled back into an elaborate twist on the back of her head. It looked feminine and professional, but gave nothing away.
He watched her, enjoying the view for several moments, only cringing a few times during her song when she really missed a note. Her lack of ability to sing well didn’t diminish his capacity to enjoy the view. It was just too interesting to tear his eyes away.
“Sorry about that,” Todd said, coming around the corner of the hallway, slightly out of breath as he hurried to catch up. Zeke pushed away from the door frame, acting as if he hadn’t just been ogling one of his newest employees.
Drake almost laughed when the woman in question jumped and spun around so she was now facing her visitors. She was so startled, her hand jerked in the air, causing her pen to flip from her hand, flying through the air while her arms suddenly flailed out in surprise in a vain attempt to intersect the tiny missile. She quickly grabbed the edge of her work table to steady herself, but not in time. Her feet tripped over each other and she had to reach out and grab the back of her office chair to steady herself.
Drake stared, amazed that a woman as stunning and sexy as this actually existed. And that she was so amazingly clumsy. She was, in a word, perfect. Her blue eyes shimmered with embarrassment coloring her high cheekbones that quickly changed from creamy porcelain to a soft, becoming peach color.
He almost groaned as he looked at her fully. Her figure wasn’t just enticing from behind. She had luscious breasts that pushed against the crisp, navy suit that tried valiantly to contain them as well as slender hips that continued down to long, slender legs. The entire package was impressive and immediately caused his mind to wander to completely inappropriate ideas.
Todd went on as if nothing were happening, entirely unaware of the electricity sparking between the two other people in the room. “Have you had a chance to meet Sierra? She’s one of the best architects I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She’s creative, innovative and has great ideas on how to incorporate green concepts into structures without degrading quality or increasing price.”
Drake already knew all this, but he’d been expecting someone much older. Sierra Colbert was one of those architects that was becoming well known for her work but there weren’t any pictures of her since she didn’t use the conference or speaking circuit as so many others did to get their name into peoples’ minds.
Who knew she was a knockout on top of being a brilliant architect?
Drake nodded, indicating that he’d done his homework and was familiar with her ideas.
Todd continued on, extolling Sierra’s previous designs and embarrassing her further. “She’s done some great work lately.” Turning to Sierra he said, “Can you show him the designs you did for that project over in Seattle for the Hutton Foundation?” Todd asked.
When she finally got her heart rate back down from the surprise, she looked at the man that had been on her mind almost every day for the past six years. She couldn’t believe he was actually here, actually in her office and his presence literally knocked the breath out of her lungs, she was so excited.
Sierra’s initial reaction had been surprise, immediately followed by recognition and then excitement. Drake Hamilton was here? He was okay and he looked fabulously vibrant! The years had been good to him and he looked healthier now than he had that first day at her father’s pool party. She couldn’t believe that she’d actually run into him again.
She’d followed his career over the past six years, impressed with his ability to grow his construction and real estate company into a global enterprise. His services were asked for above all other construction firms because he was ethical, creative and almost always came in under budget.
His company didn’t simply build corporate headquarters around the globe. This man created cities! When he took on a project, there wasn’t just the main building. He would design the whole area around the building, generating a community that would thrive even if the company went out of business. It was a new concept in construction and real estate, one that had been impossible to conceive of ten years ago. Drake’s business had pioneered the concept and she thought he was brilliant because of it.
Then it occurred to her what was actually happening. Drake Harrison was here? He was here! No! He couldn’t be here! The two of them were never supposed to meet. Her excitement quickly diminished, swallowed up by the fear that he might recognize her. And if he connected her with her father, what might he do? How would he react?
She’d thought about this man for so long, she hadn’t ever imagined actually meeting him. And she couldn’t imagine what he would do if he realized who she was, who her father was.
And then something completely different hit her. She looked at the man she’d known six years ago for less than a month, a month in which he had been completely incapacitated. There was something about the way he was looking at her, something that made her feel…vulnerable? Why was he looking at her like that? It was almost as if he considered her to be his next meal.
An instant tug of awareness struck her but she brutally suppressed the sensation. She couldn’t permit herself to think like that, to have feelings for the man. At least not…those…feelings. No, Drake Harrison was definitely off limits in all ways – and being drawn to him was an absolute no no.
Todd had stopped speaking and the stranger was waiting to shake her hand.
Realizing that the man was waiting for a response, she sputtered out a greeting as quickly as possible. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she lied, extending her hand. Well, it wasn’t a complete lie. She was thrilled that he was so healthy and vital, so…okay, so no other word for it, the man was hot!