Mike stood in front of his suite window, gazing out past the palms and white sand beach toward the teal blue ocean and the sun shimmering on the surface…but the memory of Devon with her sun-kissed cheeks pushed the scenic image aside.
The changing expressions on her freckled face were more fun to think about. The woman was a pure study in contrasts. Smart yet innocent. Bold yet restricted. She was a superpower waiting to be unleashed, and he wanted to peel back her layers to find out what lay beneath.
He imagined running his fingers through Devon’s hair, kissing her neck—the daydream ignited a passion he’d believed dormant.
The chime of his cellphone pulled him out of his reverie. With a swipe right, he pressed the phone to his ear. “Mike Lewis.”
“Mike, it’s Greg. We’ve got a problem.”
He tried holding onto the sizzling daydream, but it faded with the panic in his chief operations officer’s voice. The man sounded shaken, which was odd, and maybe a little alarming, for a man so rarely fazed.
Mike took a deep breath. “What’s up?”
“We have parts stuck in customs. I’ve been working to resolve the issue, but it looks like we’ll have to delay the launch of the new product line again. There’s no way around it, Mike. I’m sorry.”
Shit. Mike cupped a hand over his mouth and started pacing. He squeezed his jaw, forcing his teeth apart, so he didn’t crack a crown. “Pull the team together. I want options. Today. Greg, figure out a way to replace those parts. Don’t worry about cost. I need the product line launched on time.”
“Understood. I’ll do my best.”
He hated the doubt permeating Greg’s voice. Mike considered for a moment stepping in to problem-solve, but his father’s wisdom taught him you don’t have a dog and wag its tail yourself. He tossed his phone on the brown-and-teal fabric chair just as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
He turned—and blinked. Devon was standing in his room, surrounded by luggage. She looked adorable, her hands fidgeting like she didn’t know whether to stand there or leave.
“Devon? How did you get into my room?” He stared at her and did his best to appear calm.
“Kayla was supposed to call you.” Devon took a step forward, even though she looked like she wanted to turn around and leave. “It turns out your uncle and aunt’s arrival was unanticipated, and the hotel is a room short.”
“And?” He crossed the room, wanting to be near her. Her sweet scent of suntan coconut oil hit first, and then the smell of her light perfume.
“Kayla thought that, since you have a suite, you wouldn’t mind sharing your room. I told her about the fake fiancée thing, and she decided this would solve her problem…and yours.”
“My problem?” He chuckled at his sister’s audacity. “You were the one who announced our engagement.” He stopped far enough away to avoid touching her or pulling her into his arms. Peeling back those layers was getting more and more tempting.
He released a breath of pent-up frustration. “This seems like a solution Kayla would come up with to please my parents and avoid my aunt’s complaints. My father’s sister is demanding, and knowing her the way I do, I guarantee she’d complain nonstop if she had the inconvenience of staying at another hotel, even though it’s her fault for not being organized enough to avoid last-minute plans.”
“Don’t blame Kayla.” Devon softened her tone. “Appeasing everyone is her way of showing she cares.”
Kayla was a pain in his ass, always badgering him to take a break, have some fun, and stop working so much. When she started sounding like a video meme on a constant rewind loop, he stopped taking her calls, but then she’d just discover fresh ways to get him to stop working, like sending him tickets to his favorite sports events and the new release of his favorite role-playing video game. He appreciated that she cared, but he wished she were more supportive of his dreams.
Personally, he didn’t blame his sister for her show of concern. They might have their differences, but he adored Kayla. Besides, she just wanted him to be happy and to stop hiding. She’d witnessed two of his very public and messy breakups after neither woman would sign his prenuptial agreement. Both had wanted his wealth and status, not him. Kayla swore there were women in the world who were not like that, but he had yet to find one.
Then again, it could be that one of those rare women was standing in front of him right now, but he’d never know, because his heart couldn’t go there. Not again.
However, the vulnerable Devon looked even more luscious than she had this morning. His head was saying don’t touch, but his heart was sending different signals.
What the hell am I doing?
He had a new product to get launched. If past relationships were any indication, women wanted his time—time he didn’t have to give. He needed to stay focused, and focusing on Devon wasn’t where he needed to spend his time right now.
“I should go. I told Kayla this wasn’t a good idea. I’ll see myself out.” Devon bent to retrieve her backpack.
“And where will you go?” he asked, just to make sure she’d thought her decision through. “You said so yourself. The hotel is fully booked. Staying with me is the only option.”
“There must be a couch or a rollaway somewhere. Like you said, I’m the one who created this problem. I’ll solve it.”
He liked the way her chin lifted a little. “I’m sure you will.”
She crossed her arms and bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that. You’re a problem-solver.” And he would have liked nothing better than to have her solve his problems, but his business issues would have to wait. “Don’t make me look like the bad older brother who doesn’t support his kid sister during her wedding preparations. The best solution would be for you to stay here.”
“So you want me to stay?” Her brows hitched to their highest level.
“Yeah. I do.” He walked to the door and closed it.
Devon slung her backpack over her shoulder. “I promise to stay out of your way. I won’t be a distraction. You can work or do whatever it is you do. You won’t even know I’m here.”
“Oh, I’ll know you’re here, Devon. There is no doubt about that.” Mike walked back to her slowly, taking in her long legs, narrow waist, and ample breasts—breasts he’d like to cup in the palm of his hand, feel their weight, and play with until the nipples tightened. “You are a beautiful woman. You’d be very hard to miss.”
“You don’t need to be patronizing.”
“I might be a lot of things, but I’m not blind, Devon.”
A blush caressed her skin from neck to cheek.
“Make yourself comfortable,” he offered. “I’ll call down for an extra set of towels.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
“You already are, in the nicest kind of way.” He couldn’t help the tingling anticipation when he imagined exploring Devon’s layers.
Devon rolled her carry-on suitcase over to the couch and pressed on the cushions. “Sleeping on the pullout won’t be too bad.”
“You’ll take the bed,” Mike stated in his normal executive tone, expecting there to be no argument. When her mouth opened, he added, “Kayla would flick my ear for not being a gentleman. Please, take the bed. Don’t make me beg.”
Devon laughed, actually laughed at him. “Somehow I can’t see you begging a woman for anything.”
She might be surprised.
“Fine, I’ll take the bed, but only if we share. It’s a king, I’m sure we can get extra pillows or something to make this arrangement work so neither of us has a sore back in the morning.”
“Fine, whatever you want.” He didn’t sleep much anyway. Thoughts of work always kept his mind whirling to the point he rarely went to bed before two.
“Fine.” She pulled her iPad and earbuds from her backpack.
He checked his phone to see if Greg had left a message, but there was nothing. He took a seat at the small desk in the corner of the room and tried to review the latest project status report, but he couldn’t seem to focus on the screen.
Devon was like a magnet.
He was drawn to the way she played with her hair, the way she nibbled her lip while reading, and the way she flopped on the couch. It almost seemed like she was tempting him, punishing him with her chaste looks. She was doing her best to ignore him, and that made her even more desirable. He wanted to touch her. Feel her beneath him. Hear her call his name.
Oh, shit. He thrust his fingers through his hair and yanked. He should send her away now. If for no other reason than she was his sister’s best friend.
Moving away from the bed, he walked toward Devon, who was so focused on her iPad’s screen that she didn’t seem to notice him approach.
“Tell me something.” He settled on the couch arm.
Devon pulled out an earbud to listen and adjusted away from him, grabbing her water bottle, twisting off the lid, and taking a sip.
“It seems we are doing our best to ignore each other, when the fact is, we’re actually attracted to each other.”
Devon choked on the water.
“Devon? Tell me it isn’t true.”
“At the risk of repeating myself, don’t patronize me, Mike. My feelings are not something to be toyed with.”
“I’m not toying. I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, but you’re Kayla’s friend, so hands off.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And you’re Kayla’s brother, so hands off.”
Mike crossed his arms. “It seems we both have a problem. We’re smart, single, unencumbered adults. What do you propose as a solution?”
She liked to play games, and he was bent on showing her he was the better player.
“I suppose you are thinking casual sex is the answer, but it isn’t,” Devon replied.
He suppressed a cough and rubbed his chest. “Why not?”
“Because it might surprise you, Mike, but not all women are robots. We have feelings, and it just so happens I’ve had a crush on you since the day we first met.” Her mouth dropped open, and she froze. “Oh, shit.” She went into double-time motion, jamming her iPad and earbuds in her bag, shoving her feet into her sandals, and moving away from him as quickly as possible. “I should go.”
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm.
Her forward movement stopped. “Just ignore me. I shouldn’t have said anything,” she whispered.
He slowly turned her around. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’re Kayla’s brother.”
“Hands off,” he said, looking into her eyes.
There was hurt and confusion there, and he wanted to ease both away. He lowered his mouth to hers, intending to soothe away the sting, but when his lips touched hers, his mind quieted, and his soul sighed. Devon opened to his touch, and he pressed his mouth against hers, accepting what she offered.
This beauty was certainly an interesting woman, and apparently she had a crush on him. The annoying brother. The workaholic professional. The weirdest thing was she might be the only woman he could possibly bring home who would positively fit in with his wacky family. Mike lifted his head. Devon seemed frozen in place, her eyes closed.
“As I expected.” Devon opened her eyes slowly and looked at him.
“What was expected?”
“That Mike Lewis does nothing unless it’s perfect.” She softened in his arms just as his phone rang.
He lowered his head again.
Devon pulled out of his arms. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
“Actually, I’d rather let it ring and go to voicemail.”
“Didn’t I overhear you have a problem at work? Something about parts and figuring out a way to replace them?”
Well, shit. She was right. He ran to retrieve his phone. “Mike Lewis.” Irritation warred with his need to remain calm.
He heard only a little of what Greg said, because he turned to tell Devon he’d only be a minute, but she’d stepped into the bathroom. He was glad she hadn’t left, because he had a lot more to learn about the beautiful Devon Gaines.