Page 3 of Price of Paradise

Jake stood, as if preparing to leave. “I’m just saying. She’s going to be in sunny Miami. And aren’t you due for a little R and R?”

“Drop it, Jake,” he warned. “Seriously.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll let you know when the house goes on the market. Later.”

After his brother left, Gunner sat back and let his mind wander. The path it took was a dangerous one. An erotic one. And not for the first time either. Mae Hadley was headed to the beach. An image of her sweet curves barely covered in a black bikini blasted into his mind. Ah, hell, that wasn’t what he needed. His secret obsession with the red-haired beauty was hard enough to keep under wraps. How was he supposed to go an entire week without her? A chime on his cell signaling a text was a welcome interruption. He snagged it off the desk and read the message:

A LOT OF MIAMI GUYS ARE GOING TO BE HITTING ON HER. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

“Damn it, Jake,” Gunner mumbled, throwing his phone down. But he was right. Any man with eyes would take one look at Mae and salivate. And she had every right to flirt right back. The convenient thing about Mae was her lack of social life. She was a bit of a hermit. He’d known that. It’d lulled Gunner into a false sense of security, thinking she’d simply be around forever. Single. Oh sure, Mae went to the movies and shopping with her friends, but that was pretty much it. She’d told him once that her version of a good time was a cup of tea and a good book. Hell, the last guy she’d dated was nearly a year ago. He should know because she’d told him what a disaster it’d been. How annoyingly arrogant the guy had proven to be. And now she was headed to Miami. Gunner had to wonder if her trip was morethan just a chance to unwind. Was conservative and shy Mae Hadley looking to find a man to fill her lonely nights?

That question taunted him the rest of the afternoon.

****

Mae stared at the closed door to her boss’s office. “Infuriating,” she muttered, turning and heading for her desk. She sat and pulled up the hotel information again. It was so beautiful, and she’d been counting down the days until she could board her flight and get away. The vacation was necessary for her sanity. If she spent another moment in Gunner’s company she was going to lose it. And going off on your boss was a sure way to get fired. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions rule the show. He was a great boss most days. Paid her generously. Never complained if she needed to take an impromptu day off. It was her attraction to him that was getting out of hand. From the day Gunner hired her, Mae knew it would be difficult to hide her fascination. From his muscular six-foot-four frame to the dark wild hair he often forgot to keep trimmed. He had a particularly interesting dimple in his left cheek that only presented itself when he grinned. God the man was hot. All but exuded wild alpha vibes that would cause any flesh-and-blood woman to melt at his fancy two-hundred-dollar oxfords. Too bad she was practically invisible. Oh, they’d become friends over the years. He’d even shared bits and pieces about his billionaire father. His sweet-natured mother who’d passed away. But Gunner wasn’t interested in anything more. Not with her. He only had eyes for one thing: his company. Workaholic didn’t even come close to describing the man. He worked long and hard and rarely took a day off. And despite Mae’s valiant attempt at snooping, he’d been very protective of his private life. The only time Mae did happen to get a glimpse of a past girlfriend was quite aneye-opening moment. Tall, blonde, statuesque, and the exact opposite of her. No, Gunner would never see her short curvy body as date worthy. So, keeping her fantasies to herself had been imperative to her sanity. To her self-esteem.

So, was the vacation her way of getting her mind back on track? Definitely. Did she need to get Gunner Price out of her system in order to keep her job? Obviously. And maybe she’d find some hottie while she was soaking up the sun. Someone to help her forget about that sexy dimple of his. Desperate times.

The door to Gunner’s office swung open. Mae glanced up from her computer to find Gunner watching her, hands tucked into the front pockets of his black slacks. “Was there something you needed?” she asked, confused by his silence.

“You’ve never taken a vacation,” he replied, his voice low and even.

What was he getting at? “No. I think I’m due, don’t you?”

“You are.” He stepped closer. “Why haven’t you ever taken a vacation, Mae?”

She let out a heavy sigh and sat back. “I don’t know.” She gave it some thought, then answered, “I think at first I was so focused on helping you make the business a success. I saw how badly you wanted it, how much it meant to you, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

He frowned, shifting from one foot to the other. “It’s been five years. I hired you the moment I started Price Consulting.”

“Yes, I’m aware,” she bit out. “I think I’m due, don’t you?”

“I think you were due a long time ago.” Another step closer. “Are you happy here?”

What was he getting at? “Of course I am.”

“Because I can pay you more,” he offered. “There’s no question you deserve a raise.”

Ah, now she was catching on. “You think my vacation is about hating my job,” she concluded.

His blue eyes turned icy. “Do you?”

She tsked. “Of course not. I’m very happy here, Gunner. I just need a break. I’ve put in twelve-hour days since I started here. I’m honestly exhausted. I need some time for myself.”

He tucked a hand into the front pocket of his black slacks. “I never asked you to do that. I never expected it.”

“I know,” she softly replied. “As I said, I was invested. You work so hard and it’s inspiring, but now…”

“You’re burned out.” He offered a jerky nod. “I can understand that, but when you get back we’re going to talk about your schedule. No more long hours. And no more eating lunch while you work. Normal hours, Mae.”

“Thank you, and if you feel like giving me a raise I won’t be mad,” she bobbed her eyebrows. "Really."

His lips twitched, but he didn’t grace her with the dimple. “I’ll make sure it’s on your next check.”

Mae shut down her computer, then grabbed her purse and stood. “If there’s nothing else, I really do need to go.”

He stepped out of her way. Mae had just made it to the door when the sound of her name caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder and quirked a brow. Gunner cleared his throat and said, “be careful.”

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