Fortunes' Women. Kathie DeNosky

softly. “Do you really want to discuss business now?”

      “We should.”

      “Who are you trying to convince, Sasha? Me or yourself?”

      When she opened her eyes, the sparkle of desire in her emerald gaze caused his body to harden so fast it left him feeling light-headed. “We’re never going to get anything done if you keep distracting me all the time,” she complained.

      He moved his hand lower to find her receptive and ready for him. “Oh, I think we’ve accomplished quite a bit.”

      She poked him in his ribs. “I wasn’t talking about our lovemaking.”

      “That’s a shame,” he said, kissing his way from her shoulder, down the valley between her breasts to the small indentation of her navel. “You’ve inspired me more than I ever thought possible and I’m enjoying finding new ways to love you.”

      “Your creativity certainly has … been working overtime.”

      The hitch in her voice was an indication of her heightening excitement and, determined to imprint himself in her mind and on her soul, Blake turned her to her back. He held her gaze with his as he moved to kneel between her legs and he knew the exact moment she realized his intention.

      “B-Blake, you can’t—”

      “Yes, I can.” He could tell that she was embarrassed by the thought of what he was about to do. “I’m going to give you the most intimate kiss a man can give a woman, Sasha. And when I’m finished, there won’t be a doubt left in your mind that you’ve been loved as thoroughly and completely as it’s within my power to do.”

      Unwilling to allow her to protest further, Blake bent to give to her as he’d never given to any woman and when he kissed her deeply, her soft sighs quickly turned to passionate moans. Her slender body trembled, then suddenly bucked against him and he knew the intense pleasure was about to overtake her.

      Relentless in his effort to bring her to the brink, he smiled from the satisfaction of hearing her cry out his name as the tension released her from its tight hold and she found the ecstasy of her fulfillment. Only then did he move to lie by her side, his chest filling with indescribable tenderness when he realized that she’d drifted off into a peaceful, sated sleep.

      As he held Sasha close, Blake stared at the ceiling and mentally reviewed everything that had taken place over the past few days. He wasn’t the least bit proud of himself for planning to seduce her as a way to even the score with his brother. Aside from the fact that she and Creed had never been romantically involved, Blake knew now that Sasha was the only one who stood to be hurt in his game of revenge.

      He took a deep breath as a wave of guilt threatened to swamp him. She could never learn the truth behind his sudden interest in her after all this time. If she did, the knowledge would crush her. And he’d rather cut out his own heart than ever let that happen.

      When he glanced down at her beautiful face pillowed on his shoulder, an emotion that scared the living hell out of him filled every fiber of his being. He knew that they were good together, that he felt more alive and content in her presence than he’d ever felt in his life. But he refused to acknowledge there was anything more to it than two people finding companionship and pleasure in each others’ arms.

      Satisfied that he’d found an explanation for the unwarranted feeling, he kissed the top of her head. They would continue to see each other until one or both of them lost interest. Then, when the time came for them to part ways, they would do so as good friends who could look back on their time together with deep fondness and no regrets.

      Sasha watched the production crew test the lighting and do a sound check in the lobby of Fortune’s Gold as they prepared to film the last segment of the commercials for Blake’s casinos. She’d finally managed to talk him into being his own spokesman for the ad campaign, but it certainly hadn’t been easy. He’d come up with every excuse imaginable, from claiming that he would feel like he was on display to wanting to maintain his anonymity. But in the end, she’d convinced him by showing him the marketing statistics. It had been proven time and again that when the public felt a personal rapport with the owner of an establishment, the amount of traffic increased and ultimately so did profits.

      “We’re ready for Mr. Fortune as soon as Sally Ann finishes his makeup,” the director said, walking over to stand beside Sasha.

      She’d worked with Michael Atkinson on several campaigns for Dakota Fortune and knew his production company was the best in Sioux Falls. By the time the commercials aired in all of the major cities across the Midwest, he would have them edited and tweaked to show Blake and the Fortune Casino Corporation in the best possible light.

      “I want to thank you for working this into your busy schedule, Michael.” With a little less than two weeks left before the opening of Fortune’s Gold, she’d had to scramble to get Michael’s company to shoot the commercials, as well as arrange scheduling with all of the television stations to run them on such short notice.

      “It’s been well worth it, Ms. Kilgore.” Michael grinned. “It’s not every day that my crew and I get to fly to a shoot on a private jet or have our lunches catered by a master chef.”

      “Mr. Fortune appreciates your willingness to put your other clients on hold in order to shoot his commercial,” she said, diplomatically ignoring the fact that Blake was paying the man double his normal rate to expedite the job.

      “Let’s get this spectacle over with,” Blake groused as he removed the tissues the makeup artist had tucked into his collar to keep from discoloring his shirt.

      Once Michael moved away to have a final word with the cameraman, Blake leaned close to whisper in Sasha’s ear. “I’m going to get even with you for this.”

      As he described exactly how he intended to make her pay up, a tingling sensation coursed through her. She started to tell him that she was looking forward to her night of reckoning, but Michael chose that moment to motion for Blake to step in front of the camera, and for the next hour she watched him deliver the ad copy she’d helped him put together.

      At first, Blake appeared stiff and extremely uncomfortable. He glanced her way several times and she could tell he was adding to the sensual retribution he had planned for her. But by the last few takes, he appeared confident and completely at ease in front of the camera.

      When Michael announced the job was a wrap and he and his crew began tearing down their equipment, Sasha smiled as she walked over to Blake. “That wasn’t all that unpleasant, was it?”

      Placing his hand to the small of her back, he guided her toward the casino exit. “No, it wasn’t as bad as I figured it would be. But I sure as hell don’t plan on repeating the experience.”

      Sasha stopped when she saw Blake’s limo waiting outside and realized that he meant for them to leave. “I should probably stay until Michael—”

      “I have people to see that Atkinson and his crew get packed up and on their way.” He waited for her to get into the limousine, then slid in beside her. With a look that sent her blood pressure soaring, he pushed the button to raise the privacy screen between them and the driver.

      “You owe me big time,” he said, dragging her onto his lap. “And guess what?”

      She laughed when his fingers danced over her ticklish ribs. “What?”

      “It’s payday, sweetheart.”

      “Plan on spending the entire week of the grand opening here in Deadwood with me.”

      Wrapped in plush hotel robes, Sasha and Blake snuggled on his couch as they stared at the flames from the gas log in the fireplace. “I would love to, but unfortunately, I can’t take that much time off.”

      “Why not?”

      A wave of goose bumps covered her arms when he kissed the side of her neck and she had to concentrate hard in order to give him a coherent answer. “I have to pay rent, utilities and eat. I