LITMIR.BIZ

      When Nicholas returned from dinner with Paul, he looked across the lobby at Shayla's door, wondering if she was feeling better. Knowing it was too late to check on her, he entered his own room. Although he hated admitting it, he had missed her at dinner. Last night he had greatly enjoyed her company. She had looked so beautiful sitting across from him at the dinner table. And then today, when she had walked into the meeting room, all gazes had turned her way. He had been just as spellbound as the other men in the room. With her striking beauty, he was beginning to accept she had that effect on most men. And he had to grudgingly admit that she was the first woman who'd had that sort of effect on him. It seemed Shayla Kirkland was a first for him in a lot of ways. Paul had been right. He had felt a moment of primitive male possessiveness, and had not liked the idea of other men finding her as desirable as he did.

      He began preparing for his bath, adjusting the water temperature. He removed his clothes while the tub began filling nicely with warm water. He felt good about what had transpired today. Finalizing that deal would keep Chenault Electronics on top, and would assure that the dynamics were in place when he revolutionized the mangolid chip.

      Stepping into the tub, he lowered his body into the water and leaned back against it. Because of his height, he was grateful that the huge tub provided more leg room than most. He closed his eyes, and an image of Shayla immediately formed in his mind. He saw her as he wanted to see her-in his bed, without any clothes, in his arms, with the hardness of him inside of her, while she shuddered with the force of her climax, triggering his own.

      Nicholas knew it was too dangerous to have such thoughts of a woman he barely knew. He tried switching his thoughts elsewhere, deciding that as soon as his bath was over he would place a call to Sterling, Jake, and Kyle. As his financial backers, the three men would want to have their own celebration, and no doubt they would do so with the women in their lives.

      Nicholas wondered how his niece was doing. She was only a little over a month old, but she ruled the Hamilton household. Sterling and his wife, Colby, were overjoyed with their daughter. A part of him envied their happiness. Just being around them made him want to believe in the power of true love. He hoped to find a woman who would be his soul mate, who would give him children to continue the Chenault dynasty, but he was in no hurry for that to happen. He could very well sit tight and not become a family man for another five to six years, maybe more. When he was ready to become a father, he hoped that he and his wife would have at least two. He had been Alan and Angeline Chenault's only child, and he'd missed not having a sibling while growing up. He had not found out about Sterling until he was thirty. Since then he and his brother had made up for lost time, and were forging a very special and solid relationship. Sterling, Colby, and his niece, Chandler, were a few of the people whom he allowed to invade his space.

      Nicholas tried clearing his mind of thought. He just wanted to relax in the tub with his eyes closed and think about nothing or no one in particular.

      After a few minutes he gave up trying.

      It seemed there was one person whom he could not stop thinking about no matter how much he tried.

      Shayla.