With all amusement leaving his face, he said in a serious tone and with a solemn expression, “You are in my mind, Cassie.”

She swallowed. She had all intention of making some kind of sassy comeback, but didn’t. She so desperately wanted to believe him, and in a way she did believe him. He might not be in love with her, but over the past couple of weeks they had bonded in a way that went beyond the bedroom. He had come to the island seeking her out with a less than an honorable purpose, but in the end he had come clean and had been completely truthful with her, telling her more than she’d counted on.

And he had brought her here tonight to make the memories she wanted him to have, even when she would be across the span of an ocean from him, he would remember her in here. The happiness she felt at that moment made her feel light-headed and she automatically breathed air into her lungs, picking up his manly scent in the process. “Then let’s make memories, Brandon. Let’s make them together.”

Brandon stared at Cassie. He wanted her with a desperation he almost found frightening. The intensity of his desire was almost mind-boggling. It had been that way each and every time they made physical contact. She was an itch he couldn’t scratch enough, a meal he could never get tired of consuming.

With the way she was standing so close to him, he could feel the hard tips of her breasts pressing against his chest, and the heated juncture of her legs aroused his erection even more. And if those things weren’t mind-wrenching enough, he pulled her closer to the fit of him, needing the intimacy of their bodies joined first in clothes and then without.

The thought of making love to her in his office suddenly sent a sexual urgency as strong as anything he’d ever encountered to fill him to capacity. And with a sharp hunger that could only be appeased one way, he lowered his head and greedily consumed her mouth, devouring its taste and texture. He felt her lips tremble beneath his, he knew the exact moment her tongue engaged in their sensuous play, something so powerfully erotic it made him growl deep in his throat. He knew the air conditioning was on and was working perfectly, yet he felt hot and the only way to cool off was to remove his clothes. Their clothes.

He broke off the kiss and quickly began unbuttoning his shirt, driven by graphic images flowing through his mind of just what he wanted to do to her. The thought made his lips curl into a smile.

“What are you smiling about?” she asked when he began removing his shoes and socks.

He glanced at her and chuckled. “Trust me, you don’t want to know so I’d rather not tell you.”

“But you will show me?” she asked when he began removing his pants.

He nodded. “Oh, yes, I will definitely show you.”

Totally naked, he stood in front of her. He wanted to take her hard and fast, then slow and easy. He wanted to brand her. He wanted to…

Sensing he was suddenly about to lose it, he took a condom out of his wallet and quickly put it on before stepping closer to her to begin removing her clothes, appreciating the fact that she was helping. Otherwise he would have ripped them off her in his haste, his greed, his obsession.

When she stood before him completely nude, he knew that this was one immaculate woman, a woman who could turn him on like nobody’s business. She was elegant and sexy, all rolled into one. He reached for her hand, took it in his and began walking backward toward his desk. He’d been fantasizing about taking her on it since the last time he’d brought her here. He could imagine her legs spread wide, with him standing between them and making love to her in a way that had his body hardening even more just thinking about it.

And they would be making memories. There would never be a time that he wouldn’t enter his office without thinking about her, remembering what they had done in here, and remembering her being a part of him for this short while.

When they reached his desk he picked her up and sat her on it. A hot surge of desire rammed through him and he wanted his hands all over her, he wanted his body inside of her. He wanted it all. He reached out and let his fingers trace a path all over her, and pretended to write his name on her chest, stomach, thigh, everywhere.

And then he captured her mouth, sank into it with a hunger that was more intimate than any kiss he’d ever shared with a woman. She was consuming all of him, whether she intended to or not. Deliberate or accidental, he didn’t care, she was doing it, taking him to a level that was physically exciting and emotionally draining all at the same time.

And when he gently leaned her back on the desk he spread her thighs and took his place between them-a place at the moment that was rightfully his. She looked beautiful with her hair a tousled mass on her head, flowing over her shoulders and falling in her face. He pushed the soft, curly strands back, not wanting anything to obliterate her vision. He wanted her to see every single thing he would do to her.

Her warm scent assailed him and he leaned forward and took her lips with an urgency, his tongue invading her mouth the way his erection was about to invade her body. Not wanting to wait any longer, knowing he couldn’t even if he did, he pressed his engorged flesh against her and then when he felt her ultrawet heat, he eased it into her, clenching his teeth the deeper it went.

The sound of her moan pushed him into moving, stroking her body with his, thrusting in and out of her while holding her hips immobile. He made love to her with a primitive hunger that had him feeling every single sensation right down to his toes. Every stroke seemed keyed to perfect precision and his heart was pounding with each and every thrust.

He felt her shudder and his reaction to it was instantaneous. He was overtaken with pleasure so intense his body exploded in a million tiny rapturous pieces. Releasing the hold on her hips, he reached up and tangled his fingers in her hair as his entire body became one huge passionate mass. He pressed into her deeper still, when he felt the essence of him shooting into her womb as her flesh still continued to throb while his senses raged out of control. It was as if this part of her knew exactly what he needed and was giving it in full measure.

When she went limp, he somehow found strength to gather her into his arms to hold her, not wanting to let her go, wondering how he would do so when she left in two weeks. Not wanting to think about their parting, he picked her up and moved to sit behind the desk with her nestled protectively in his lap.

He glanced down at her. Her face wore the glow of a woman who’d just been made love to, a woman who had enjoyed the shared intimacy of a man. Not being able to stop himself from doing so, he reached out and began touching the swollen tips of her breasts. And when he noticed her breathing change, he leaned forward and took a tip into his mouth.

He wanted her again.

He lifted his head and met her gaze and his hand began trailing down her body, seeking out certain parts of her. He heard her sharp intake of breath when his fingers touched the area between her legs.

“Had enough yet, baby?” he asked huskily in a low voice.

She clutched at his shoulders and whispered the one single word he wanted to hear. “No.”

“Good.”

He stood with her in his arms and headed toward the sofa. Tonight was their night. In the coming days the Garrisons would want to spend time with her before she returned home. But tonight was theirs and they would make memories to last.

Parker’s secretary glanced up and gave Cassie a thoroughly curious look as she stood from her seat. “Mr. Garrison is expecting you and asked that I escort you to his office the moment you arrived, Ms. Garrison.”

“Thank you.”

Cassie followed the woman, knowing she had made the right decision in deciding to meet with Parker this morning alone. Regardless of her and Brandon’s relationship, Parker was still his client.

She had talked to her own attorney and taken in all the advice he had given her. He had indicated he wanted to be included-whether in person or via conference call-in any business meetings that she and Parker conducted that included Brandon, as a way of making sure she was well-represented and not being compromised in any way. She came to the conclusion that things would be less complicated and more productive if she and Parker discussed things and tried to reach an agreement without any attorney involvement for now.

The secretary gave a courtesy knock on Parker’s door before opening it and walking in. He turned from the window, which overlooked Biscayne Bay, and gazed at her. With his intense eyes on her she was struck again with just how much he looked like their father.

“You’re staring.”

She could feel herself blush with his comment. She noticed his secretary had left and closed the door behind her, and she was grateful for that. “Sorry, I can’t get over just how much you look like Dad.”

He chuckled slightly. “That’s funny. I thought the same thing about you on Sunday. And I hadn’t expected you to look so much like him.”

The guard she put up was instinctive and immediate. Tilting her head back, she asked, “Who did you expect me to look like?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, probably more like your mother, a stranger, someone I really didn’t have to relate to. But seeing you in the flesh forced me to admit something I’ve tried not to since the reading of Dad’s will.”

“Which is?”

“Admit that I do have another sister-one my father evidently cared for deeply to have done what he did,” he said, while motioning to a chair for her to have a seat.

“But I’m a sister you’d rather do without,” she said, accepting the seat.

He moved to take the chair behind his desk and grinned sheepishly. “Yes, but don’t take it personal. I’ve felt the same way about Brittany and Brooke one time or another when they became too annoying. It was hard as hell being an oldest brother.” And then he added thoughtfully, “As well as an oldest son.”

A part of Cassie refused to believe her father had been so ruthlessly demanding of his firstborn. “Did Dad make things hard for you since you were the first?” she couldn’t help but ask.

He seemed surprised by her question. “No, I made things hard on myself. I admired everything about him and wanted to be just like him. He was a high achiever in everything he did-sports, business, financial success. He was a man who was well-liked and admired by many. I never knew if I’d be able to grow up and fit his shoes, but God knows I always wanted to.”

He paused then said, “But one thing about Dad was that he was fair, with all of us. At an early age we were encouraged to enter the family business and that’s something none of us have regretted doing.”

Cassie nodded. He had encouraged her to join the family business, as well. At sixteen she had worked part-time for the hotel and when she had graduated from college he had given her the responsibility of managing it. It had been a huge responsibility for a twenty-two-year-old, but he had told her time and time again how much faith he had in her abilities.

And she hadn’t wanted to let him down…just like Parker had probably grown up not wanting to let him down as well. Did he assume that since their father hadn’t left him the bigger share of the pie that somehow he had?

“Dad was proud of you, Parker,” she decided to say.

She saw the glint of surprise that shone in his eyes. “He discussed us with you?” he asked.

“Of course, considering the circumstances, he wasn’t able to tell all of you about me, but I’ve always known about the five of you. He used to talk about what a wonderful job you were doing and that he had no qualms about turning the running of the entire company over to you one day.”

Parker leaned back in his chair and Cassie felt him study her intently while building a steeple with his fingers. “If what you’re saying is true then why are you and I sharing controlling interest?”

Cassie smiled. His arrogance was returning. “Because I’m good at what I do just like you’re good at what you do. He knew both of our strengths, as well as our weaknesses, and although you can’t quite grasp it now, I think he figured that over the long run, the two of us would work together for the betterment of the company. You even admitted that Dad was a fair man.”

“Yes, but-”

“But nothing, Parker,” she said, leaning forward in her seat. “He was a good and fair man, point blank. And I’m sure Brandon has told you by now that I won’t sell my portion of the controlling shares.”

“Yes, he did say that,” Parker said, and Cassie smiled at the tightening of his lips. There was no doubt in her mind that Parker Garrison was used to having his way, something she hoped his wife Anna was working diligently to break him out of.