A Christmas Temptation Read online

  His dark hair was just as thick and unruly as ever. Good God, she’d spent an embarrassing amount of time fantasizing about running her fingers through it. And when she’d finally had the chance, it was even better than she’d imagined. “Hi, Sophie. It’s been a long time.” His penetrating green eyes broke her down as he unsubtly checked her out from head to toe. His unforgettable mouth pulled into a self-assured grin, one that said he was greatly enjoying the fact that he’d made it into her office. They were finally face-to-face.

  “It has been a long time, hasn’t it?” Sophie stood a little straighter, but it was just a defense mechanism. She’d forgotten how vulnerable it made her feel to meet his appraisal. Aside from a beautiful pair of black leather wingtips and the hem of charcoal-gray trousers, every other part of Jake was obscured by the flowers. The war that raged inside her whenever Jake popped into her head, or now, her world, was reignited. He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly how weak she was for sweet gestures and sentimentality. This wasn’t about expressing his feelings. This was about Jake Wheeler getting what he wanted—his hands on Eden’s Department Store.

  “I brought flowers.”

  “So I gather. First fruit, now this?” Sophie planted both hands on her hips, wanting to come off as powerful. Invincible. Certainly as someone who could never be hurt. She dug the heel of her shoe into the office carpet, noting that he couldn’t resist the chance to look at her legs. Once again, Mr. Blahnik had done his job.

  Jake laughed. “I’m working my way through all the best gifts that start with the letter f. Not sure I’m prepared to invest in a Ferrari, though, judging by your reaction to the flowers. I might just go with a ferret.”

  Sophie was trying to contain her smile. His quick wit had always gotten to her, but it was yet another of his considerable assets, one that he would likely use to soften her defenses. “You’re terrible. You think you can just show up at my office with the world’s largest arrangement of my favorite flowers and I’ll just talk to you?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  The heat was rising in her cheeks, making her all the more determined to keep this a short visit. She had a million things to do and Jake was nothing but trouble, however nice it was to look at him. “Ten minutes. That’s all you get.”

  “How about ten minutes to catch up and ten to talk business?”

  “This isn’t a negotiation. We’ll spend ten talking business and then you can leave.” She wasn’t interested in catching up or reliving old times. It was too painful to think about how over-the-moon she’d been for him and how effortlessly he’d rejected her.

  “Okay. But what about the flowers? It would be nice to put them down somewhere. Or at least feel like you appreciate them. Peonies are not available in Manhattan in the winter. I had to have them flown in.”

  His words hit her in one fell swoop. This man she had once cared about deeply had been jumping through considerable hoops to get to her. His motives might be questionable, but perhaps she needed to stop being an ice queen about it. “I’m sorry. I do appreciate them. They’re beautiful.”

  She took two careful steps toward him, not sure whether she should look at him or the peonies. With every inch closer to Jake, she felt herself fall under his spell a little more. She reached for the flowers, but they were so bulky that he had to lean unimaginably close to lay them in her arms. The penetrating gaze of his green eyes left her wondering if this was a dream. Somewhere behind the veneer of expensive gifts and grand gestures, the well-made wool coat and tempting five o’clock shadow, this man who had once been her entire world was still living and breathing.

  “Thank you,” she muttered. “They really are gorgeous.”

  Jake didn’t step away. He didn’t break the connection between them either, his warm hand on her bare elbow, his lips just as kissable as they’d always been, maybe even more so. “They’re nothing on you, Soph. I have to say you look amazing. All this time apart has done you well.”

  Sophie’s knees wobbled. His voice caused a deep tremor that resonated through her entire body. “You look great, too. But you were always handsome. You know that.” Handsome was such an inadequate word for Jake, it was ridiculous. Perhaps it was because he was so much more than good-looking. There was the swagger. The easy confidence. The glint in his eye that made you feel like you were the only woman in his orbit.

  “Doesn’t mean I don’t like hearing it.”

  Sophie held her breath. If this were a movie, this would be the part where he’d throw caution to the wind, take her into his arms and kiss her, crushing what might be a thousand dollars in flowers between them. She couldn’t let herself get carried away with that particular mental image, so she cast her sights down at the arrangement in her arms and gave them a sniff. “I’d better get these in some water.”

  She hurried over to Lizzie and deposited them on her desk. “If you could put these in some water, that would be great.”

  “Absolutely.” Lizzie looked past Sophie and eyed Jake. It was easy to see how much she was appreciating the view. “Would you like me to hold your calls?”

  A good interruption would make for an easier escape if she started to feel overmatched by Jake, but she had to get through this. She had to listen to his pitch, try not to let the past creep in and send him on his way. “I think I’ll be fine.” She waved Jake on to her office. “Come on. We’ll meet in here.”

  A certain sense of pride hit Sophie when she stepped inside. Yes, this job was her birthright, but she worked hard and her office was impressive, especially now. Reginald and his team had really gone all out. Each of the six windows in her corner office had its own fresh wreath decorated with flocked pinecones and berries, tied with a wide white velvet bow. Sparkly white and silver garland framed the views of the city beautifully. But the tree was the real showstopper, decorated with silver glass balls, tiny white-and-red birds wired to the branches and more twinkle lights than Sophie had ever seen in a single application. Every time she looked at the holiday iteration of her office, her heart swelled.

  “Please. Have a seat,” Sophie said, offering one of the two upholstered chairs opposite her desk.

  “It looks like Christmas exploded,” Jake said, sounding a bit stunned.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Sophie stepped behind her desk, surveying the room and ignoring his poor choice of words. Surely he didn’t mean it in such a crude way.

  “Who did this to your office?”

  “Reginald. Our creative director. He really outdid himself. I don’t know how I’m going to get any work done at all. I just want to stare at it.” She folded her hands in her lap, deciding it was no longer time for small talk. “Now, why don’t you say what you came to say.”

  He slowly unbuttoned his coat and draped it over the back of one of the chairs, still admiring the room. Meanwhile, Sophie was trying not to stare at how incredible he looked in his impeccably tailored suit. He cleared his throat, crossed his leg and sat back in his chair, nothing less than pure, casual confidence. “As you know, you and your sister are in a very unique situation. You are not only set to inherit one of the largest commercial buildings in Manhattan, your grandmother had the foresight and the means to purchase the land, as well. You don’t come across that every day. I’d like to buy the property. I’ve already told your sister that I’m prepared to pay 4.5 billion for the land and the building.”

  Sophie worked with a lot of numbers every day, but that one was a doozy. She knew how much the property was worth, and Jake had clearly done his homework. The offer was in line with market value, but just sweet enough to make her have to think twice. She drew a deep breath through her nose to calm herself enough to deliver her answer. “Thank you, but no.”

  “You can ask any appraiser in the city. It’s a very generous offer. I’m willing to move quickly. I have a small group of partners on this deal and we’re prepared to do a
n all-cash sale.”

  Sophie found a lump in her throat. That was more money than she could likely ever spend, but this wasn’t about cash in the bank, at least not for her. This was about carrying out Gram’s wishes. Still, it was a good thing Mindy wasn’t here right now because she would strangle Sophie for what she was about to say. “Again, no. But thank you.”

  Jake smiled and nodded as if she’d just agreed to everything he wanted, a tried-and-true negotiation tactic. She wasn’t surprised he was resorting to it. “Maybe it’s best if I just let you think about it for a few days. Let that big, fat, delicious number tumble around in your head. Because I can guarantee you that any of these other companies and developers are not in a position to pay what I’m willing to pay.” His voice held an edge of determination that betrayed the pleased look on his face.

  Still, Sophie had to be firm. “I understand what you’re saying, but the answer is no. My grandmother worked too hard for me to simply walk away from it.”

  Jake nodded slowly again. “I know. She was a legend. At one time, she was one of the most successful businesspeople in the city.”

  “In the country,” Sophie interjected. “Quite possibly the world. There were seventy-six stores in twelve countries at the height of Eden’s.”

  “Yes. And now you’re back down to this one store. It was the 1980s. It was a different time. Retail isn’t what it once was. Frankly, owning a store this big, at this time, is a disaster waiting to happen. You’re going to die a very slow, painful death.” He was no longer trying to butter her up. Now he was resorting to cold, hard facts, and Sophie didn’t like it at all.

  “Always the pessimist, aren’t you? You know, I think I’ll do just fine on my own. And if I don’t, I’ll just have to die trying.” Sophie pushed back from her desk and stood, sucking in a deep breath. This wasn’t how she wanted things to end between them, but end they must. She had to put him on notice that she would not waver. She would not sell to him. She would not allow herself to fall under Jake’s spell. “Thanks for coming by. And thank you for the flowers.”

  He cocked his eyebrows and stood. “And the fruit.”

  “And the fruit. But none of that was necessary, nor is it necessary in the future. I don’t need to come into my office to find a flamingo or feather boas.”

  Jake stood there looking at her, hands in his pants pockets. It felt like he was trying to tear down the invisible barrier she’d tried to build between them, and she didn’t like it. “You know, Sophie. I have the distinct impression that this is about far more than your grandmother.”

  “What? My refusal to do the deal?”

  “That and your general distaste for having me share the same air as you.”

  Sophie froze. All she could hear was the thunder of her own heartbeat in her ears. So this was how he was going to play this. He wasn’t going to politely ignore their history as she’d done. He wanted to dredge it up. Sophie could do that. She didn’t have to let him off so easy anyway. “The way things ended between us is difficult to ignore if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

  “The last time I saw you was on graduation day. I thought things were fine. We hugged. We wished each other well.”

  That moment was such a permanent part of Sophie’s memories it was as if it was tattooed on her brain. It was still a bit raw, even after all this time. She could still feel the deep longing for him, a tug from the center of her chest that told her he was all she ever wanted or needed, but she’d never have him. With my very beaten-up heart, I told you that I loved you, and you acted as though I hadn’t said it. “That’s not quite how I remember it, but I’m glad you can look back on it so fondly. I was still pretty hurt about the way things played out after our one night together.”

  Jake’s forehead crinkled as his eyebrows drew together. “That was for the best. We both know that wasn’t going to go anywhere. I wanted to save our friendship, and I thought I had. Now I’m starting to think I’ve been wrong all this time.”

  Sophie shook her head. “Of course you felt as though it was up to you to save us from each other. No need for discussion or a conversation. Just a few parting words to get you off the hook, right? It might take two to tango, but only one person has to call it off.”

  “If it upset you that much, you should’ve said something at the time. You seemed completely fine with it.”

  “I didn’t really have time to absorb it. You practically broadsided me.”

  “Trust me. You’re a happier woman right now than you would’ve been if things had continued.”

  Anger began to bubble under Sophie’s skin. He had no way of knowing things would have ended badly between them. If he’d just given them a chance, they could have been happy. They could have had it all. “Ah, well, apparently your crystal ball works great. Mine is off at the shop. But thanks for watching out for me.”

  Again, he only looked at her, his mind clearly working hard. “You know, if it wasn’t completely inappropriate, I would ask if I could kiss you right now.”

  Sophie’s heart seized up in her chest. A kiss? Was he insane? “I thought you were supposed to be saving me from being hurt.”

  “I know, but I’m just thinking that the first time I kissed you, you melted right into my arms. That was the moment I knew I could convince you of anything.”

  She dared to peer up into his dangerous green eyes. They swirled with such intensity it was hard to know whether she’d be able to remain standing or if they’d simply sweep her away. She couldn’t believe he would so brazenly use her weakness for him against her. “Get out. Get out of my office right now.”

  “You won’t kick out the guy who brought you a bushel of your favorite flowers.”

  “I’m serious, Jake. Don’t make me call Duane from security. He’s six foot six, three hundred and fifty pounds, and has a very short fuse.”

  “Soph, come on. I’m just kidding. You know me. I’m a kidder.”

  With a jab of her finger, Sophie directed him to her office door. The exit. “The problem, Jake, is that I do know you. I know exactly what you’re capable of, which is the reason I have to ask you to leave.”

  * * *

  In a daze, Jake stepped off the elevator on Eden’s ground floor. He felt a bit like he’d been run over by a truck. His meeting with Sophie had not gone well, but even more than that, he’d forgotten what being around her did to him. Her sleek black dress was enough to make him sign over his entire business, hugging every gorgeous curve of her body, reminding him of everything he’d had and given up. And that was only the start—her trademark red tresses tumbling over her shoulders, her deep brown eyes blazing and her full cherry-pink lips tempting him into making an admittedly bold remark. It was a business meeting and he shouldn’t have brought up kissing. But everything he’d said had been the absolute truth. She had melted into him that night. They were on the same wavelength, completely.

  He’d really thought the flowers might do the trick. Sophie was sweet and sentimental. What woman like that doesn’t appreciate that sort of gesture? He hadn’t expected an immediate yes to his proposition, but he had hoped she would at least consider it. Instead, she’d done nothing more than try to create distance between them. If she’d been any more successful, she’d have had him on the other side of bulletproof glass. It was a real shame. There had been a time when Sophie would come running to him. Not anymore.

  He met David, his driver, at the curb and jumped into the back of the black Escalade, his mind a jumble of thoughts of Sophie and business as the sights of the city whizzed by in a blur. He had to turn this around. His killer instinct, the one that had brought him success that surprised even him, wouldn’t allow him to back off simply because of one bad conversation. His fellow members of the War Chest were eager to get the jump on this deal, and with each day closer to the reading of Victoria Eden’s will, the more unlikely it would be that Jake’s plan w
ould work. Everyone in the city with a fat bank account would be pursuing Sophie and her sister by then. If Jake was going to bring this deal to fruition, he had to do it now. Wait and lose out. That was all there was to it.

  By the time he reached his office, Jake knew that flowers and fruit baskets had been the wrong approach. He needed to go with reason. She and her sister were sitting on a fortune. All they needed to do was cash in their golden ticket. He needed to show Sophie on paper, in hard numbers, why it was in her best interest to sell. Eden’s future was indeed grim. He was certain of it.

  “Unless I get a call from Sophie or Mindy Eden, I’m in a meeting,” he said to Audrey as he strode past her desk.

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Wheeler.”

  He sat at his desk, pulled out a fresh legal pad, grabbed the folder of background materials Audrey had pulled together on Eden’s and opened up a new browser window on his laptop. “Time to figure out just how bad things look for Eden’s Department Store.”

  Hours later, Jake had pages and pages of numbers and notes. He’d read two dozen articles about the future of retail, made estimates as to how much space Eden’s was using and wasting with some of their departments. Unfortunately for Jake, the most profitable department, women’s shoes, only stirred up thoughts of Sophie in the ones she’d been wearing today. They were some of the sexiest shoes he’d ever seen. For a moment, he had a vision of them on his shoulders and Sophie at his mercy, an idea he immediately wrenched from his mind, although he might be forced to revisit it later.

  He moved on to analyzing Eden’s online presence and the amount of company resources they were devoting to everything from marketing and advertising to store security and, yes, decorating executive offices like the inside of a snow globe.