Exposed (Tropical Nights) (4 page)

“Will do, Mr. Hanlon,” Barrett said solemnly as he stared at Leo, not moving. Rachel thought the poor boy looked completely star-struck by the CEO.

“Good.” Leo spoke to the young man in almost gentle tones, like a man trying to soothe a skittish colt. “Carry on then, Barrett.”

“
Oh, right. Sorry again, Mr. Hanlon,” Barrett said as he pushed his overloaded cart down the hall.

Rachel was having difficulty catching her breath. Leo was still holding her around the waist, and he had her pulled against his side. It felt like madness to be held like this by him and she knew she should pull away, but all she wanted to do was curl up tighter against him. God, what was happening to her? A few hours in Leo’s presence and she was already acting as star-struck as Barrett.

Leo leaned down to her
and Rachel could feel his breath against her cheek. “Good thing I was here to save you,” he said softly.

Rachel shivered
again. “Definitely. I could have used you just a few days ago when I stumbled on the sidewalk and brought down several pedestrians with me,” she blurted before she knew what she was saying.

Leo laughed. “How did that happen?”

Yikes. Why had she started this story? Oh yeah, because standing next to Leo apparently turned her into a babbling idiot. “My heel got caught on the subway grate and I started to fall. Without thinking, I grabbed onto the guy walking next to me to steady myself, and we both started to go down. Then
he
grabbed onto someone else, and we all fell, landing on some poor lady walking past us.”

Leo laughed harder. “You didn’t.”

Rachel nodded. “I did. We were all on a heap on the sidewalk, and then some guy checking his phone, not looking where he was walking, tripped over the pile of us.”

“My God, you’re a public safely menace,” Leo said
good-naturedly before laughing again.

Rachel couldn’t stop herself from laughing with him. “I know. I’m the only person I know who’s caused a five-person pile-up on the sidewalk.”

Leo’s laughter faded. He looked at her intently for a moment with a strange look on his face, like she was a new being he was encountering for the first time, and she couldn’t tell exactly what he was thinking. He seemed both amused by her and surprised at his amusement. There was a note of interest in his eyes, but it was guarded, cautious. All of it confused Rachel. She couldn’t quite decipher his expression, and she had no idea if she was making a positive or negative impression.

Leo g
ave a quick shake of his head, like he suddenly became aware of his surroundings again, and he seemed to just realize he was holding on to her much longer than necessary. He dropped his arm from her waist and took a step back. “Let me introduce you to some of my team,” he said as he started down the hall again.

Rachel followed, trying to shake off the awkwardness. “Just warn them not to walk right next to me,” she muttered.

Leo laughed again, and there was another spark of amused interest in his eyes. “I didn’t realize agreeing to have you in the office for the week meant I should be giving my employees hazard pay.”

Leo took Rachel around to meet his employees. She was impressed by the easy relationship he seemed to have with them. He knew everyone’s name, from the C-level executives to the secretaries and the
young man working the mailroom. He asked about their families and hobbies and how their pets were doing. Rachel could see how much his employees liked and respected Leo, and it raised her opinion of him even higher.

As the hours passed, s
he had to admit how wrong she was in her initial impression of Leo. She had expected him to be a shallow trust fund baby who had a giant ego and no desire to actually work for anything. Instead, she was finding him to be incredibly intelligent, funny, kind, and hardworking.

Rachel spent the rest of the day watching him as he took meetings,
fielded calls from his attorney, dealt with his employees, and drafted reports and contracts. In between, they talked about the details of his business and discussed the relative merits of different jet engines. Rachel quizzed him on his portfolio and accounting practices, and they got sidetracked debating the Austrian versus Keynesian schools of economic thought. They conversed easily, and Rachel hadn’t been so intellectually stimulated since leaving
Economy Today
six months ago. Leo was incredibly sharp, with an impressive knowledge of economic and business theory. He brought enthusiasm and a dry wit to their discussions of a wide variety of topics, and Rachel loved his sarcastic sense of humor.

Rachel was so engaged that
the hours seemed to pass by unnaturally quickly. There was so much to keep her occupied, she even managed to stay focused and professional—mostly. Her mind did occasionally drift to thoughts of Leo’s hands on her, how strangely good it had felt to be in his arms. Sometimes, when he talked, she couldn’t help but stare at his mouth and wonder what his lips would taste like, what they would feel like pressed against her mouth, her neck, and…elswhere. When late afternoon came around and he took off his suit coat, loosened his tie, and rolled up his sleeves, Rachel couldn’t stop herself from admiring how muscular his physique looked even under dress shirt.

It was weird how instantly attracted she was to him and she was embarrassed at the reactions she couldn’t seem to control
—the surreptitious glances, the admiring stares, the heated way her body responded to him despite all her efforts to remain purely professional. She thought at first the strange reaction was all on her end, but then she caught him watching her. She would look up from her notebook or a document he had given her, and he’d be looking at her with an expression of…she wasn’t even sure what it was. She wanted to say it was surprised wonder, but that was absurd. The idea that Leo Hanlon, billionaire CEO of a luxury jet company, would be at all interested in the plain-Jane journalist sent to interview him was too ridiculous to even entertain, and so she convinced herself it was just her creative imagination at work.

It didn’t matter, anyway. Rachel was there to gather information for her story,
not socialize. She didn’t have the time or inclination for anything more. She needed to be thinking of her job and how much she, her father, and her brother depended on it—and nothing else. If she got to sneak little peeks at a gorgeous man while she was there, well, that was just an extra bonus. She would let herself enjoy the view, but she had to focus on doing her job.

It wasn’t until she had left Hanlon Enterprises for the evening and was on the B train home that Rachel realized she never actually told him she worked for
New York Exposed
. In fact, she had been so engaged by Leo that beyond the initial attempt to tell him, it had never even crossed her mind.

Chapter Three

Leo raised his arm to his forehead and wiped the sweat from his brow with the fabric of his gi. He shifted his weight to his back foot and moved his
dambong veng
—the longstaff used in Cambodian martial arts—into a figure eight. He was feeling good. His muscles were warmed and flexed, his mind was focused, and was ready to amp up the sparring with his friend, John Rivers. Enough with the warm-up, he was ready to show Rivers some pain.

He advanced on Rivers, feinting high with the
dambong veng
. Rivers raised his own staff in defense, leaving his lower half unprotected, and Leo twirled his staff and brought it down in a swift arc and then up, sweeping it across Rivers’ ankles and flipping him on his back. Before Rivers could even react, Leo dropped to the floor on top of him. He put a knee over Rivers’ longstaff, pinning it and his arms to his chest, and laid his staff lightly against his friend’s neck.

“Say it,” Leo said with a
cocky smile.

“Defeat,” Rivers choked out.

Leo backed off his friend and extended an arm to help him up.

“Again?” Rivers
asked as he panted for breath, his optimism undaunted.

“If you don’t mind getting your ass handed to you again.”

“Hey, you never know, I could beat you this time.”

Leo laughed. “Yeah, like that will happen.”

“Just because you have…how many black belts is it now?”

Leo ticked off on his fingers.
“Judo, karate, jujutsu, tae kwon do…so, four.”

“
Yeah. Just because you have four black belts and have studied basically every martial art in existence, it doesn’t mean I won’t beat you.” Rivers’ grin showed he knew exactly how likely that was to happen—about as likely as him sprouting wings and flying out of Leo’s penthouse dojo.

Leo shrugged good-naturedly and adopted a fight stance, ready to give his friend the ass-kicking he was begging for. Leo had been studying martial arts since he was five, alr
eady mastering several types, and he loved everything about it. He loved the discipline it gave him, the physical challenge and the mental focus it forced on him, and he devoted himself to learning about the history, culture, and philosophy that had inspired and influenced each particular martial art.

“You know, if you had stuck with any of the karate or judo lessons we took together as kids, you wouldn’t be the complete wuss you are now.”

Rivers shrugged, unfazed by Leo’s ribbing. “I’ve never had the drive or discipline you have to master these things. I’m perfectly okay with coming to your penthouse every now and then so you can attempt to teach me the basics of…what is it you’re teaching me?”

“Kbach Kun Boran.”

“Right. Kb…Kbatch…er, whatever Vietnamese—”

“Cambodian.”

“—Cambodian fighting style you’re currently learning.  I don’t need to be the master you are. I just need to learn enough to impress the ladies.”

Leo snorted.
“I don’t think even I possess enough skills to make you impressive to women.”

“Aw, come on, you know the ladies find me charming and irresistible
.” Rivers gave a sly grin.

Leo advanced on Rivers, toying with him, deciding to answer his friend’s cockiness with a few playful jabs to the ribs.

“Ooph. Come on, Leo, take it easy on me.”

Leo moved rapidly, the
dambong veng
making a whistling noise as it flew through the air. With a few quick thrusts and jabs, Leo had disarmed Rivers, sending his staff flying across the room and knocking him to the floor again.

“Taking it easy isn’t in my nature,” Leo said. “We’ve been friends long enough for you to know that.”
He was mostly just giving Rivers grief, but there was still a thread of steel in his voice that lent weight to his words. Even though he knew Rivers was joking, Leo couldn’t help but bristle at the insinuation that he would give anything less than one hundred percent. Anyone who ever came in contact with him knew right away that he never let up, and they ignored it at their peril.

Still on his back on the floor, Rivers put his hands up in surrender. “I know, I know.”

Leo offered his hand and pulled Rivers to his feet. “You ready for more?”

Rivers leaned over and clutched his side. “I need a break,” he said dramatically. “I think you’ve broken a rib. What if it punctures a lung?”

“Quit whining.” Leo gave his friend a playful shove.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m fine. I do need a break though. And hey, look at that,” Rivers made an exaggerated showing of checking his imaginary watch. “It’s beer-thirty.”

Leo grabbed a towel and threw one to Rivers. “Fine,” he said with a laugh. “But I only have time for one.” He led his friend down the series of hallways that connected his private dojo to the kitchen of his penthouse.

“Oh, righ
t. You have that cocktail thing tonight.” Rivers sat on a chair at the kitchen island while Leo grabbed two beers from the beverage fridge and opened them. “Who are you trying to schmooze now? Investors?” He took a long, hearty gulp of his beer.

“Potential clients. I like to give them a chance to meet me, ask questions, and tour one of our
new planes in a relaxed setting.”

“You mean you like to get them drunk so they’ll buy a plan
e before they know what they’re doing.”

Leo bristled agai
n. Rivers was joking, of course, because when was he ever serious? But again, Leo couldn’t stop himself from automatically reacting to the suggestion he would do anything less than ethical. He didn’t swindle or cheat his customers and he never applied undue pressure on them to buy. He didn’t need to. His company was the best at what it did because he worked hard to make it that way.

“
I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Rivers said, obviously seeing Leo’s displeasure. “I know you’re the model business man,” he said more seriously. “I’m just rattling your chain. So how’s the company doing, anyway? I know you’re in the middle of some tough deals.”

“Bondell
is giving me a bit of trouble, but he’ll come around.”

“
He owns the charter jet company you want to partner with in…what’s the name of the island?”

“Isla Acarigua,” Leo said.
“Just off the coast of Venezuela. The island is quickly becoming the hottest destination for the rich and famous—and a good taking off point for other islands—so it’s a great place for me to establish a rental presence.”

“You always were good at reading the market. I guess that’s why you actually run your family company while I just pretend to understand anything about mine. My dad has completely given up on me ever actually learning the banking business.”

“You just need to—”

“Hey, what ever happened to the journalist that was supposed to be interviewing you?” Rivers was clearly changing the subject to avoid talking about his
filial failings. “He ever show up?”

Leo took a gulp of beer and nodded. “Yeah, she started shadowing me Tuesday.”

Rivers grinned. “
She
, eh? This sounds like it could be fun. She hot? You bang her yet?”

Leo had the sudden, almost irrepressible urge to reach over the island, grab Rivers by his borrowed gi, and punch him in the face. Instead, he gripped his beer bottle hard and cleared his throat. “No,” he ground out through gritted teeth.

“No she’s not hot, or no you haven’t banged her?”

“No I haven’t banged her,” Leo said. If Rivers didn’t stop saying “bang” in relation to Rachel, he wasn’t going to hold himself back from hitting him.

“And the hot part?”

Leo realized he was holding his beer bottle so tightly
his hand was cramping up. He relaxed his grip and flexed his fingers. Then he took another long, slow drink while he wondered how to answer the question. If Rivers had asked him about Rachel right after that initial meeting on Monday, Leo would have told him she was cute but not necessarily “hot.” He was too used to the model and heiress types that ran in his social circle, with their overt, in-your-face, I’m-trying-to-prove-something sexuality. They were all heavy make-up and tight clothes and jutting breasts and sexy pouts. They had the kinds of looks that begged to be noticed, and so Leo noticed.

Rachel was the complete opposite. She wore little make-up and her clothing was professional and practical. She clearly wasn’t trying to draw attention to herself, and in a world of look-at-me!!!! types,
she was easy to overlook. And Leo
had
overlooked her appeal at first. But now, after spending three long, busy days with her, he was starting to see something he had initially missed. He couldn’t really explain it, but his opinion of her had shifted. He had known her educational background before meeting her, so he knew she was smart. He hadn’t expected her to be so engaging, though, to speak so interestingly on such a wide range of topics. And the fact that she knew so much about mechanical stuff, the way she had lit up when she had told him about rebuilding engines with her father…Leo found it strangely attractive.

He
was continually surprised by her—her choice of hobbies, how often she would pipe up unexpectedly with some obscure yet hilarious pop culture reference, how entertaining her stories were. She would make some dry quip or relate a quick story, and Leo would find himself laughing out loud. It all made him take a closer look at Rachel, and as soon as he had actually stopped and really
looked
at her, he had seen at once how beautiful she was.

And she
really was beautiful, Leo realized. Her body was lean yet strong, with long limbs and a gracefulness to her that brought to mind a dancer or a sleek feline. Her hair was usually wild and messy, and while not the current sleek look most women wore, Leo liked it. It softened her edges, hinted that there was a fun and possibly untamed side to her heavy intellect, like maybe there was some spirit in her that was as unruly as her hair. Her eyes were large, a brilliant blue, and they sparkled with wit and just a hint of mischief.

As he spent more time with her, he found himself noticing other things, too. Like how full
and soft her lips were, and he had caught himself imagining what it would be like to kiss her. To pull her to him until her small but perfect breasts were pressed against him. To tilt her head up until her lips were parted and within easy reach. To bend his head to hers and drink his fill. To take her legs and wrap them around his waist and then move her to his desk and—

“It’s like that, is it?”

Leo jerked his head up and looked at Rivers. He hadn’t realized he had been staring at his beer, thinking about Rachel, thinking
those things
about Rachel, until his friend had spoken. “Like what?” God, he hoped the heat he felt in his face wasn’t an actual blush.

“I ask a question about some chick sent to interview you, and you go all pensive.” The corners of Rivers’ mouth curled up in a knowing smile. “You actually like her, don’t you?”

Leo’s heart started thumping in his chest, but he convinced himself it was just from the earlier exercise. “What is this, eighth grade? I hardly even know Rachel, and besides, she’s just there to do a story on the company.”

Rivers studied him, and Leo grew increasingly
irritated under his friend’s gaze. “It’s okay, you know,” Rivers said, his suddenly earnest tone only making Leo more annoyed.

“What the hell are you talking about?” The question came out gruffer than Leo had intended, and he wondered why he was getting so worked up.

“To actually fall for someone. To do more than just go through the motions of dating and find someone you have real feelings for. I’ve been hoping for years this would happen.”

Panic welled up inside Leo, even though he knew it was a stupid response to River’s words. What did he have to be panicked about? “I haven’t ‘fallen’ for Rachel,” he said irritably. “What are you even talking about?”

“When I asked if you’d banged with her, I saw the flash of anger in your eyes. You didn’t like that I talked about her like that. And just now, the look on your face when you were lost in thought about her told me everything.”

Leo put his beer bottle
on the counter. He slammed it down harder than he had meant to and beer sloshed over the rim and soaked his hand, though he hardly noticed. “Seriously, Rivers, I know you like to ‘rattle my chain,’ as you call it, but this is just ridiculous.” He ran a hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture. “I don’t have feelings for Rachel or anyone else.”

“No, you don’t want to
admit
you have feelings for Rachel. Not to me, and most importantly, not to yourself.” Rivers was looking at him with such an annoying sense of concern that Leo was again seized with the urge to punch his friend in the face.

“Why wouldn’t I admit it? Why would I care?”

Rivers threw up his hands. “I don’t know. I don’t know why you are closed off as you are. All I know is that you’ve had hard time ever since Charlie—”

“Leave my brother out of this,” Leo said, his tone a warning.