The Corporate Raider's Revenge / Tycoon's Valentine Vendetta. Yvonne Lindsay

Sleek black lacy material dipped low and Evan eyed her awe-inspiring cleavage and the way the dress hugged her body at the waist, curving around perfect hips to rest just above the knees. She appeared taller, almost eye level with him now, thanks to shiny rhinestone-embellished sandals that lifted her up about four inches.

      “Come in for a second. I need to get my purse.” When she turned around, soft folds of that lacy material plunged down to the very last vestiges of what would be considered decent, exposing her full back, teasing at her shapely bottom and making him itch to uncover more.

      He stepped inside the suite’s living room and kept his eyes trained on her. “Nice.”

      “It’s almost like home,” she said, picking up a small black evening bag from the sofa and turning. “I’ve been here almost a month.”

      “In that dress, you have to know I wasn’t speaking about the room.”

      “Oh.” She appeared flustered. “Thanks again.”

      Evan would love to keep her that way all night, with a rosy hue on her cheeks and a glint of anticipation in her eyes. He approached her slowly. “Let’s just get this over with.”

      “Get what over with?”

      She seemed genuinely surprised, but Evan couldn’t stop himself. “This,” he said, wrapping his arms around her, dipping his head and taking her in a hungry kiss. Her lips tasted fruity sweet like tropical nectar from the island and her body felt damn good pressed to his. Her little breathless moan of surprise triggered his desire even more. He deepened the kiss, slanting his head and brushing his lips over hers again with more demand this time. And she responded by putting her arms around his neck and pressing her mouth harder to his.

      He parted her lips and stroked her tongue once, twice and she met his strokes with tentative ones of her own. His manhood rose to the occasion and he couldn’t figure out if she were an expert tease or more timid than she let on. But he couldn’t deny that she felt perfect in his arms. Evan pulled back slightly and looked into her killer blue eyes. “If I didn’t promise you dinner, we wouldn’t be leaving this room, Laney.”

      She shook loose her blond waves and spoke in a breathless whisper, “Well, then I guess it’s a good thing you did promise dinner. I like a man who keeps his promises.”

      “I also promised that you wouldn’t be bored.”

      She released her breath slowly and unwound her arms from his neck. “So far, I’d say you’ve succeeded. You continue to surprise me, Ty.”

      Ty? For a minute, Evan almost forgot the real reason he pursued the wealthy heartbroken heiress. Without revealing his identity, he planned on getting some firsthand knowledge about The Royal hotels and any trouble they’d been having lately.

      He brushed his mouth to hers again, then grabbed her hand and led her out of the suite, before they wound up horizontal on the bed.

      Laney surprised him, too, and that was a tall order. Evan never liked surprises of any kind. He always needed to be in control. His immediate intense reaction to Laney Royal wasn’t just sexual and that bothered him. But he wouldn’t let that get in the way of what he really needed from her.

      Information.

      Two

      Laney’s lips burned now, not from Ono Pupus but from the man named Ty, whose spontaneous kisses had put a whole new meaning to the word bold.

      Warm Hawaiian breezes blew her hair into a wild new style as they drove in Ty’s sports car along the coastline. Laney thought of the lesson her father had always drilled into her head.

      Be careful what you wish for.

      She’d been lonely and glum without really knowing it, trying to convince herself she was doing fine after Justin’s betrayal, but she’d been praying for something or someone to bring her out of her doldrums.

      And out of the blue, this striking mystery man had entered her life and suddenly, Elena’s heart raced again. Her body throbbed with excitement. Her nerves tingled and she felt truly alive. She’d gotten what she wished for and now she wouldn’t tempt fate by questioning it. She’d decided the moment Ty’s lips had touched hers, that she wouldn’t deny herself this opportunity to forget the past.

      She’d be leaving the island in two days to go home and spend some time with her father. Being the sole heir to the Royal empire, her father wanted her not only to learn the business, he wanted her to love the business as much as he did. But Laney never had and she’d always felt like a disappointment in that. She’d tried, but she couldn’t become even remotely passionate about his business. Not when her camera was close at hand and there were countless images just waiting to be photographed.

      She put all that aside for now. She’d live in the moment with a man who seemed to know exactly where those moments would take them.

      Ty took her to an intimate restaurant overlooking the Pacific. They dined on the rooftop where tiki torches and a sliver of moonlight were the only source of illumination. The night was sultry and warm and the sound of waves crashing against the shore rivaled her pounding heart. She had Ty’s undivided attention while they feasted on platters of seafood and drank champagne.

      After dinner, the select few private rooftop guests were treated to a luau performance with beating drums and Hawaiian dancers whose exotic moves and undulations put Laney in a daring mood. She sipped her drink and each time she glanced at Ty, she found him watching her with a raw gleam in his eyes.

      When the show ended, a three-piece band took over and played mellow tunes. Ty stood and took her hand. “Dance with me.”

      Laney rose and followed him onto the dance floor. She loved the strength of his grasp, the way she didn’t have to think about a thing when she was with him. And when he took her into his arms, meshing their bodies almost too close for her equilibrium, Laney allowed it. She fell into him, resting her head on his shoulder, her body pulsing inside and fully aware of his own growing need.

      “I couldn’t wait to hold you in my arms again,” he whispered into her ear.

      “I couldn’t wait, either,” she whispered back.

      He brushed a soft kiss to her throat, then another and worked his way up to her chin, while his hands wreaked havoc on her back, his fingers splaying along the top of her derriere.

      They rocked back and forth, more in rhythm to their own bodies than to the music playing.

      “How long are you on the island?” he asked quietly, his lips almost brushing her mouth.

      “Only two more days,” she answered.

      “And then where do you go?” he asked.

      “Home, to spend time with my father. How long for you?”

      “I think I just extended my stay two more days,” he said before brushing his lips over hers.

      A thrill shot straight through her. He’d planned on staying. For her. “And then?”

      “I have a busy calendar. I’m not sure where my office will send me.”

      Part of Laney wanted to know everything there was to know about this man she simply knew as Ty, but the other part, the more cautious, no-more-men-in-my-life-thank-you-very-much part of her, was glad she knew next to nothing about him. She’d take away whatever memories they’d make on this island before she headed back to reality and her father’s world.

      He’d been calling daily, worried sick over her, hoping to coax her home. She’d finally agreed. It was time to stop licking her wounds and face the music and her friends and family. She’d been secreted away far too long, her father pointed out. This was one of the few times, she’d agreed with him.

      Laney turned her full attention back to Ty. She knew he had to be quite successful in whatever business he was in. The Wind Breeze Resort only catered to the elite class. Any man who could turn a simple date