Sweeter Temptation (Kimani Hotties) (9 page)

“The factory’s fate was decided before I got here,” he said.

Nia wasn’t above groveling. As frustrated as she was with it, her job was waiting on her at the end of her leave of absence. The people who’d filled the factory’s foyer this morning didn’t have any options. If Kyle closed the factory, they had nothing.

“Kyle, please...”

Before she could say more, the mayor burst into the conference room flanked by members of the town council and factory executives. His wife followed and began setting up for coffee accompanied by dessert plates piled high with pieces of the factory’s peppermint bark.

“Mr. Ellison, if you’ll have a seat, we have something to show you,” the mayor said.

Kyle scrubbed a hand down his face. “Mayor, I...”

Nia reached out and laid a hand on Kyle’s forearm. “Just hear us out,” she said. “It’s all I ask.”

Chapter 12

S
he hadn’t left him any choice but to listen.

Kyle seated himself at the conference table. He wanted to be angry with Nia for putting him in an awkward position and making what he had to do tougher, but part of him couldn’t help admire her efforts.

It had been a smart move.

Everywhere he turned this morning, he collided with people eager to tell him what working at Peppermint Lane meant to them. The place was more than just their job. It was home, and their coworkers were family.

If only he knew what his father had intended to do with the place, he thought, then maybe he could help.

But his hands were tied.

Kyle glanced around the table at the town officials and factory executives. Their smiles didn’t disguise the strain of uncertainty etched into their faces.

He waved off an offer of coffee from the mayor’s wife and tried to do the same with the plate of peppermint bark she shoved under his nose.

“You can’t sit in the home of the world’s best peppermint bark and not enjoy a sample,” she insisted. “Taste it and try to deny it’s not the best candy you ever eaten.”

Kyle obliged and took a piece. Every eye in the room was on him as he put it into his mouth.

“Well?” The portly woman asked.

“It’s very nice.”

Truth be told, it didn’t come close to the rich, butter toffee Nia had shared with him. Now
that
was the world’s best candy. He unconsciously smacked his lips at the thought of it.

Unfortunately, the people surrounding him mistook the gesture as a seal of approval on the peppermint bark.

“Told you it was delicious,” the mayor said, standing. “Now we want to share an idea with you to help ensure Candy can keep producing this lip-smacking
holiday confection for years to come.”

Kyle pressed his lips together and looked on as the mayor kicked-off the presentation with a short film highlighting the town’s attributes. Afterward, the factory president ran down a barrage of statistics Kyle already knew. The upshot, this place had been bleeding money for years.

The reason why wasn’t a mystery. They were still operating pretty much as they had since their inception nearly a century ago, and the competition was eating them alive.

Again, Kyle searched his brain for a plausible explanation why his father had bothered with this place.

Finally, it was Nia’s turn. Kyle suppressed the urge to smack his lips again as he took in the curve-skimming sweater that flared at her hips and skirt ending an inch above her knee.

Her sweet face was all business. Kyle straightened in his chair as she hit a few keys on her laptop to start her PowerPoint presentation. The woman incited his lust, but she also commanded his respect.

He knew Nia had worked hard. Kyle couldn’t explain it, but deep down he was rooting for her. He wanted her to wow him. He needed her presentation to be powerful enough to propel him to go over his uncle’s head to the Ellison board of directors to plead the Peppermint Lane Candy Factory’s case.

Nia nodded and the mayor’s wife dimmed the lights.

“Mr. Ellison,” she began.

Kyle blinked. Her use of his surname caught him off guard. It sounded stiff and entirely too formal coming from her.

Nia clicked the wireless pen in her hand. “I’d like to introduce you to Peppermint Village,” she said.

An artist’s rendition of a renovated version of the factory, surrounded by quaint shops and a resort-style hotel filled the screen at the front of the room.

“Peppermint Village would be a holiday destination for shopping as well as a relaxing getaway that will allow tourists to enjoy the Christmas season without getting bogged down in the hubbub,” she explained.

Kyle had to admit. He was impressed.

“We’ll have a wide array of entertainment for children and adults including a theater venue with daily performances of
A Christmas Carol
and
The
Nutcracker
ballet,” she said. “Also, a sledding hill and a skating rink.”

“What would happen in the case of an unseasonably warm winter?” Kyle hadn’t intended to ask any questions, but he was surprisingly intrigued.

Nia pointed out a large gold-domed building in the drawing. “This building is a proposed indoor amusement park that would include a Ferris wheel, roller coasters as well as indoor skating rink.”

Kyle listened intently as she proceeded with her presentation, shoving his uncle’s dictate and the fact he’d slept with her aside.

He’d judge this proposal solely on its own merit.

Twenty minutes later, Nia had completed explaining the intricacies of the project and went on to answer his questions. Kyle could practically see the relief seeping out of her shoulders as she rested her case.

The mayor stood and looked at his watch. “This seems like a good time for a break. Let’s all meet back here in fifteen minutes.”

While the rest of the room stretched or headed out to the restroom, Kyle made a beeline for Nia who was being congratulated on her presentation by a department head.

“Excuse me,” Kyle interrupted. “I’d like to have a word with Ms....” Lifting a brow, he turned to Nia.

“King,” she answered. “Nia King.”

Their gazes connected, and all Kyle wanted to do was stare into those big brown eyes. But the buzz of conversation surrounding them reminded him of the lack of privacy. They’d had an abundance of time alone together during the storm, in hindsight he wished he’d taken better advantage of it.

“Your proposal was outstanding. You did an excellent job,” he said.

It was true. She had indeed made an impression on him.

Her face broke into the smile he liked. A smile he hadn’t seen on her since the deputy had showed up at the farmhouse and revealed his identity. He’d missed it.

“You really thought it was good?”

Kyle nodded. “I did.”

He glanced around the room. “Is there someplace we can talk? We haven’t been able to have a conversation free of interruptions since the plows came through.”

Kyle followed Nia out of the conference room, and they walked down the corridor. He spotted the door leading to a stairwell and pushed it open.

Hopefully, the stairwell landing would give them a few moments undisturbed.

“Trying to have a conversation with you has been almost impossible today,” he said.

A hint of a smile crossed her face. This one held a hint of sadness and didn’t quite reach her eyes. “A drawback of being in a small town.” She shrugged. “Nosy people all up in your business.”

“Good people,” Kyle conceded. “I saw that this morning.”

“And you really liked the proposal?”

The hope and expectation on her upturned face felt like a punch in the gut.

“Peppermint Village is an ambitious, innovative and well-thought-out plan,” he said. “I find it hard to believe you’re still working as a secretary.”

“I earned my bachelors degree a few months ago, and I’m in line for a promotion when I get back to work.”

Kyle smoothed his knuckles down her soft cheek. “If your boss doesn’t see how valuable you are then you need to find a new boss or even better, be your own boss.”

“So you’re interested in the proposal?”

Swallowing hard, he touched her arm. “Unfortunately, it’s not something Ellison Industries would be interested in pursuing.”

Her face fell. “But you said you liked it.”

“I do, but that’s not enough,” he said. “The project is too expensive and out of our scope. Ellison sells household goods. We don’t deal in tourist attractions or candy for that matter.”

“I don’t get it. Why did Ellison Industries purchase a peppermint bark company in the first place?”

“I have no idea.” Kyle shook his head. “My father bought this place without telling the rest of us. Now he’s dead, and none of us know what he intended for it.”

“So what happens now?” Nia asked.

“The factory will cease operations today and completely shut down by the end of the week.”

* * *

If it were only about her, Nia would simply accept his answer and walk away with her pride intact.

But it wasn’t.

“If the expense is a problem, I also have an alternative plan for a scaled-down version. It doesn’t include the hotel or amusement park.”

Nia knew she sounded desperate, but she didn’t care. Her thoughts were of Amy, Matt and the rest of the people in town who needed this factory. Needed their jobs.

“I have the plans for it in the conference room,” she continued, reaching for the door leading back to the corridor. “I can show them to you now.”

Kyle placed his hand over the one she had on the doorknob. She searched his handsome face for any signs of hope, but saw none.

“I’m sorry, Nia,” he said. “I do understand what this factory means to the people who came out to meet me. I listened to their stories. Their faces will haunt me for a long time to come.”

“So how can you...?” She shook her head.

“It’s a business decision. My personal feelings don’t factor into it.”

“In the short time we spent together during the storm, I thought we’d gotten to know each other. But I don’t know you at all,” Nia lashed out. She was angry with him. Angry with herself and frustrated by the whole damn situation. “The Kyle I knew wouldn’t be able to compartmentalize his feelings so neatly. On the other hand, Mr. Ellison doesn’t seem to have any feelings at all.”

A cold expression settled over his handsome face. “Kyle Ellison was raised from a boy to do what’s best for Ellison Industries,” he said. “I’m the same man you got to know. I just have a job to do.”

Finally, Nia conceded defeat.

“Our proposal never stood a chance, did it?” She stared blankly at the stairs.

“Initially, no,” Kyle said. “But the moment you stood up to speak, I pushed aside the mandate from the company CEO as well as my personal feelings for you and judged it on its own merit. It’s a solid plan. Just not for Ellison Industries.”

Voices sounded in the corridor on the other side of the stairwell door. “Has anyone seen Nia or Mr. Ellison?” the mayor’s wife asked. “We’ve lost track of them, and it’s time for the meeting to resume.”

Nia started for the door, but Kyle reached for her hand and clasped it in his large one. His touch sent traitorous tingles through a body that craved it. Despite her turmoil of emotions, one was crystal clear. She still wanted him.

“I know you’re upset, and this isn’t the proper time or place for this conversation, but I care about you, Nia. A lot.” He dropped his head until it touched the top of hers. “I want to...I need to see more of you.”

Nia stepped away from him and pulled her hand from his. “I can’t, Kyle,” she said. “Unlike you, I can’t separate my feelings. They’re intermingled and messy. Every time I look at you, I’ll think of my hometown sliding into financial ruin.”

Minutes later, Nia sat stoically as Kyle delivered the news, and the faces of everyone seated around the conference table crumbled.

“Again, I appreciate your efforts, but it simply isn’t to our advantage to keep Peppermint Lane in operation.” His deep voice sounded cool and detached.

The plant manager, who had taken in his unemployed son’s family and was currently supporting six people on his salary, raised a hand.

“How long?” he asked.

“We’ll cease production at the end of the morning shift.” Kyle’s statement earned him a chorus of gasps from around the room. “I’d like to have the rest wrapped up by week’s end.”

The meeting adjourned with Kyle, the factory president and department heads staying behind to iron out the particulars of the closing.

Nia and the mayor, surrounded by his wife and town council members, walked silently down the corridor to the elevator.

“Your presentation was top notch, Nia,” the mayor said. “I’m still stunned Ellison didn’t go for it.”

“Thank you, Mayor.”

Nia had worked closely with the mayor and the entire city council these past weeks. She’d brought the things she’d learned at school and working in an economic-development office for years to the table, but she’d also learned a lot from them.

It would be strange not seeing them on a daily basis. She would miss it.

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider our job offer?” he asked.

Despite the mayor’s vote of confidence, Nia knew she’d done her best for her hometown, and it turned out not to be good enough. She didn’t know what else she could do for them.

“Nia’s not going to take that job,” the mayor’s wife said. “I know how much money you all are offering, and she could make more flipping fast-food burgers.”

“It’s all the town can afford right now.” The mayor’s tone was pleading. “With the factory closing, we need to figure out a way to attract jobs to our community.”

The town needed to use the little money they had to find someone who could really help them, Nia thought.

“I appreciate the offer, Mayor, but I already have a job,” she said.

And the sooner she returned to it, the better.

Chapter 13

T
hree days later, Kyle’s business in Candy was done.

One by one he’d called the employees of Peppermint Lane Candy Factory into a makeshift office. He’d thanked them for their service to the company and handed them severance checks for double the amount his uncle had instructed.

Kyle’s phone chirped as he exited the parking lot of the Brookville hotel en route to the private airstrip where the Ellison jet would be waiting to take him home.

Kyle yanked it out of his suit jacket pocket, hoping to see a message from Nia.

He didn’t.

Just a text from his assistant.

Kyle tossed the phone to the passenger seat. It was stupid to think Nia would contact him. She’d rejected him, not just once, but twice. Both before and after she learned his last name.

Switching on the car’s radio, he hoped the sports headlines would get his mind off her. However, the final scores from last night’s NBA games failed to hold his attention. His thoughts kept wandering back to Nia.

Driving along the road, he couldn’t help notice the landscape had changed as quickly as their relationship. Temperatures had spiked to the mid-fifties, melting most of the snow that had bound them together at the farmhouse.

Despite his best efforts, flashes of her big brown eyes, silly conversations about the merits of Snickers versus M&M’s candies, and a sexy game of Twister played through his mind.

If he missed her this much, Kyle reasoned, just maybe she was thinking of him, too, and the days apart had soothed her anger.

“Screw it.”

Kyle braked and turned the rental car around until he was speeding in the opposite direction of the airstrip back to Nia’s place.

And what then, he thought, a few miles down the road.

You want her, but she doesn’t want you.

Kyle pulled the car to the side of the road and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. Rejection was new territory for him. He’d always been the kid everyone wanted to play with, the teenager all the girls had a crush on and the man who could have any woman he wanted.

He blew out a sigh and stared through the windshield at the road. Except this woman.

The phone on the passenger seat rang and he robotically picked up. This time, he didn’t hold any expectations Nia was the caller.

“Ellison,” he barked into the line.

“I thought you’d be back in the office by now,” Uncle Jon said.

Kyle thought he heard of hint of panic in his uncle’s voice, and Jonathan Ellison didn’t panic.

“I’m still in Ohio. What’s going on?”

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before his uncle answered.

“There’s no use sugarcoating it,” he said. “Logan screwed up the deal to buy the skin care line for the personal care division.”

“He what?” Kyle straightened in the driver’s seat. No way he’d heard his uncle correctly. “How is that possible? I’ve only been gone a week.”

Last time he’d talked to the owner of the beauty company they were ready to go to contract.

“Well?” Kyle demanded, his voice rising along with his blood pressure.

Uncle Jon cleared his throat. “He was only supposed to familiarize himself with the particulars of the deals, not blow them up,” he said. “He thought he could negotiate better ones than you did and he messed everything up.”

“You just said
deals—
plural,” Kyle said. “Which is it a
deal
or
deals?
”

A drawn-out sigh preceded his uncle’s answer.

“The toothpaste company deal is on life support. The bottom line is I need you back here ASAP to help me put out these fires.”

Kyle bit back a curse. Why in the hell should he have to clean up his cousin’s mess? Hadn’t he warned Uncle Jon about giving him the job in the first place?

He ran his hand down his face. He’d do it, because it was his job, he silently answered his own question. And it was ingrained in him to do what was best for Ellison Industries.

Kyle stared out at the road leading him back to Nia’s place. Going after her was nothing more than a fool’s errand anyway. He’d never chased behind a woman in his life, and he wasn’t going to start now.

“So how long before you’re back in Nashville?” Uncle Jon asked.

Kyle put the vehicle in gear and reversed direction back toward the airstrip.

“I’ll be at Ellison in a few hours.”

And when he got there the first thing on his agenda would be kicking Logan Ellison’s sorry ass out the door.

* * *

Nia heard the crunch of car tires on the gravel road outside the house.

As she had every time she heard a car approach the past few days, she thought of Kyle.

Placing the paint roller in the tray, she climbed down from the ladder and went to the window to see Amy walking up the porch steps.

Nia pushed open the screen door. Of course, it wasn’t Kyle, she thought. Hadn’t she made it clear she didn’t want to see him?

“Well, don’t look so thrilled,” Amy said.

Nia gave her friend a quick hug, careful not to get any paint on her. “I’m always happy to see you.”

It was true. Nia had already contacted her office back in suburban Chicago and told her boss she’d be returning to work the following week. There, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy impromptu visits from her best friend.

Amy looked around the living room. “Wow, you must be working on this place around the clock. I hardly recognize it.”

For the past three days, Nia had thrown herself into getting her grandmother’s house ready to put on the market. The day Kyle rejected the proposal, she’d changed into a pair of old jeans and immediately began scraping away the paint and ancient wallpaper covering the living and dining room walls. She’d spent the following day priming and then much of today painting.

If she couldn’t stop thinking about Kyle, she’d work until she was too tired to think.

“I’d offer you a seat, but there isn’t one,” Nia said.

Having given up hope on locating her grandmother’s file, Nia had a junk truck haul off most of the old furniture, and the only place to sit was in the kitchen.

“You ready to take a break?” Amy reached into her oversize purse and pulled out an unopened bag of Oreo cookies.

“Please tell me those are double-stuffed.”

“Would I bring anything else?”

Nia inclined her head toward the kitchen. “Put on the coffee. I’m going to get this paint off my hands.”

Minutes later, the two settled at the kitchen table with mugs of coffee and cookies.

“Matt got called back for a second interview for the job at the Georgia plant,” Amy said.

Again disappointment over letting everyone down swamped Nia. She knew her friend didn’t want to leave Candy.

“You okay with it?” Nia sipped her coffee.

Amy unscrewed the two halves of her cookie.

“We’ll adjust.” She licked the half covered in cream. “Besides with you going back to Chicago next week, living here won’t be nearly as much fun.”

“You lived here for years after I moved away the first time, but that’s nice of you to say.” Nia sighed. “Still, I wish things had turned out differently.”

“Stop beating yourself up,” Amy said. “It wasn’t as if anyone else in town came up with any ideas.”

Nia shrugged.

“Your proposal was awesome. The mayor and town council said so. Even Ellison liked it.” Amy unscrewed another cookie. “Speaking of which...”

Here we go. Nia rolled her eyes skyward and reached for a cookie.

“Yeah, I’m going there again,” her friend said. “I’m not plying you with double-stuffs to rehash my problems.”

“But I already told you, nothing...”

Amy stopped the lie with a glare. “I know what you told me,” she said. “Now I’m waiting on the truth.”

Nia grabbed another Oreo from the bag. If she was going to spill her guts, she needed the extra cookie.

“Okay, I’ll give you the abridged version.”

“Abridged version? I’ve got time and plenty of cookies. I want to hear everything.”

“Don’t be so damned nosy,” Nia teased. “It’s people like you that give small towns a bad name.”

Nia reached for more cookies, but Amy smacked her hand.

“Quit eating and start talking,” she said.

“Here’s the deal,” Nia said. “I slept with him. I’m angry with him. I’m disappointed in him. But at the same time I miss him and can’t stop thinking about him.”

This time it was Amy who put down her cookie. “Wow, that’s a lot to take in.”

Nia rolled her eyes. “Try living with it the past few days.”

“So that explains the one-woman HGTV crew thing you’ve got going on in here.”

Nia nodded. “By the time I’m done at night, I’m too exhausted to think or feel anything.”

Amy leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table. “So what are you going to do about it? Besides turn this house into a showplace?”

“Nothing,” Nia said. “I promised myself it would only be a one-night stand.”

“So break your promise.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Nia said. “Besides, I already told him I didn’t want to see him again.”

Her friend studied her a moment. “Do you want to know what I think?”

Nia shrugged. “No, but you’re going to tell me anyway.”

“I think of all those feelings you’ve got swirling around, the dominant one is you’re crazy about him,” she said. “And it scares the hell out of you.”

Nia wrapped her hands around her coffee mug, absorbing its warmth. “Maybe I am a little scared, and you know why.”

“You’re not your mother, Nia. Her mistakes were her own.”

And I won’t make the same ones,
Nia thought.

“I’m not going to convince you to call him, am I?” Amy asked.

Nia shook her head. “The best thing for me to do right now is get back to my life in Chicago.”

Once she got home, she’d forget all about Kyle Ellison.