Entice Me (Stark Trilogy #3.11)(4)

It’s not. It’s Damien.

Miss you already. Dinner under the stars when I get home? I’ll keep cocktails with Noah short. If I tell him you’re waiting for me, I’m sure he’ll understand.

I bite my lower lip, fighting an almost painfully broad smile.

When have I ever said no?

His response is almost immediate.

And I do so like that about you.

I laugh out loud, and Jamie, who’s been watching me, shakes her head with mock disapproval.

“Get a room, you two.”

I lift a brow as I type out another response. “That’s kind of what I’m planning.”

Looking forward to tomorrow night. And to the stars.

There’s a brief pause, and then one final text.

Me, too. Until then, imagine me, touching you.

I sigh and look up at Jamie.

“Don’t get all gooey on me. You’re supposed to be focusing.”

“I have a date,” I say. “Dinner under the stars tomorrow night. I presume he means at home, but if he’s going to take me out, all the better.” Or not, I think. Because at home provides another level entirely of sensual possibilities.

“Where can you eat on the roof, anyway?” Jamie asks.

“Le Caquelon,” I say, referring to our friend Alaine’s restaurant. “Although we always eat in one of the private booths on the inside. When we first got together, Damien took me to the Pearl Hotel. We ate outside on the terrace.”

That had been a magical day. At the time, I barely knew him, and I’d stormed to his office to chew him out about a work fiasco. He’d calmed me down and invited me to lunch. I’d expected a restaurant downtown. Instead, he’d flown me to Santa Barbara.

“Actually, what about that?” I say, my mind suddenly whirring.

“What about what?”

“Damien owns the Santa Barbara Pearl Hotel. And we could use the jet to ferry anyone there who doesn’t want to drive.”

“That’s kind of a great idea.”

“It is, isn’t it?” I’m completely pleased with myself. “Now I just have to get it arranged with the hotel, invite everyone, figure out the decorations, and at least eight thousand other things I’m forgetting. All within a week. And keep Damien from clueing in.” I frown at Jamie. “I can do it, right? Tell me I can do it.”

“Oh, totally,” she says dryly. “No problem at all.”





Chapter Two


Friday is a complete waste of a work day—but I don’t mind because I manage to make a ton of progress on the surprise party. And I don’t care what Jamie and Rachel think, I am so going to pull this off.

Even though Damien was in New York most of the day—and is now en route from the airport to the Stark Century Hotel where he’s meeting Noah for cocktails—I’d done most of my legwork from my office in Studio City. Just because there’s less risk of Damien running across a stray scrap of paper.

I’d started the day with the guest list, methodically creating a spreadsheet with the name of everybody I want to invite, and then going one by one through the list and either calling or emailing them. Most responded right away, and so far I only have two regrets—my friend Ollie, because he’s in Munich doing some sort of corporate legal work for a major client; and Sylvia’s brother Ethan because he’s in Australia with a girl he met recently.

I still have a few more people to call, and some who haven’t reported in, but it’s shaping up to be a nice crowd.

I’d also spent over an hour on the phone arranging for decorations and the cake. Sally Love, the owner of Love Bites, did the cupcakes for our wedding reception, and she’s agreed to not only create a massive cake for the party, but to also take care of transporting it to Santa Barbara. I’m leaving her to decide on design and flavor—she’s the hottest celebrity dessert chef around these days, and I trust her completely. She’s also a good friend, and I know she’ll do us right.

As for the rest of the food, I was planning to have the hotel cater, but when I invited Damien’s childhood friend Alaine Beauchene, he insisted on handling at least one station. Alaine is the owner of Le Caquelon, a popular fondue restaurant, and although I’d intended him to only come as a guest, I’ve had his fondue and it’s amazing. So no way was I going to turn down that offer.

Unfortunately, by the time I had to leave the office to head to Stark Tower, I still hadn’t touched base with Richard Layton, the manager of the Pearl. Instead, we’ve been playing phone tag all day. Which makes me nervous, considering the hotel accommodations are pretty much the cornerstone of my whole birthday scheme.

Now, I’m heading down the 101, hoping to get back to the apartment in record time.

Because tonight, I have a plan.

My phone rings, and I press the button on the steering wheel to connect the call.

“Mrs. Stark?”

“Call me Nikki, Edward,” I say for the billionth time, even though we both know that as Damien’s primary driver, he’ll never back off the formality.

“Of course, Mrs. Stark.”

I bite back a smile. “Where is he?”

“I just left him at the hotel. I told him I needed to get gas and asked when he wanted me back.”