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“So, you know, I’m hoping it’ll be a double celebration,” Lilah was babbling.
“Sorry, what?” Maya asked, standing on tiptoes and craning her neck around the jungle of plants to see if it really was him. Yes, the man was off-limits due to his gorgeousness, his sexual magnetism and the fact that she was pretty sure she couldn’t be in proximity to him for more than forty-five minutes and not jump his bones. A bad idea for a woman trying to contain her wilder impulses. But still… She had the right to enjoy the view.
“Double engagement,” Lilah clarified, her words syrup sweet. “Caleb and Pandora. Me and Tobias. You know, your father.”
Maya’s jaw dropped. So did her feet as she fell from her tiptoes and almost landed on her butt. Knees like jelly, she reached out to grab the wall.
“No,” she breathed.
“Oh, yes,” Lilah said, her delight reaching through the line like a slap to Maya’s face.
“No,” she blurted out. “My father wouldn’t do that.”
He couldn’t. Hadn’t he learned anything from Greta the Grinch? The woman had used him, had tried to ruin him. She’d destroyed his life. Through her little hacking habit, Maya had kept track of Greta, finding comfort in the fact that her father had ended things with the bitch a few months after Maya had left home.
And now he was seeing Lilah Gomez? Had he fallen into senility? What the hell was wrong with the man?
“Poor Maya. I promise, I won’t make you call me momma,” Lilah said with a giggle. “But this will be so fun, won’t it? Your dad, he’s just so dreamy. And rich, of course. I love the power he holds over the town, too. That’s so sexy in a man, don’t you think?”
The only thing Maya thought was that she might be sick.
“He’d have to be crazy to go down this path again,” she muttered. Was he trying to ruin his life again?
“Crazy in love. I mean, he hasn’t asked yet,” Lilah acknowledged reasonably. But Maya knew her well enough to recognize the gleeful spite in her tone. “But he will, eventually. I mean, think of everything I have to offer. And Caleb’s engagement party is the perfect time, too. You know, New Year, new life. New wife.”
Her giggle was like nails on a chalkboard to Maya’s nerves.
“Too bad you’re all alone,” Lilah crooned. “Is that why you’ve avoided coming home all these years? Because you didn’t want everyone to ask questions about the lack of a guy in your life? Your dad said you were single. Still. That’s too bad. Maybe I can fix you up with someone when you get here?”
“I don’t need—”
Before she could reject Lilah’s offer, the other woman’s mouth was off and running, listing the variety of losers she figured might condescend to a date.
“Then there’s Marty Lankin. You remember him? Played tuba in the marching band. He moved back in with his mom last month after his gastric bypass and he’s ready to start dating,” Lilah continued.
Maya’s knees wobbled. What could be worse? Going home to the emotional pain and stress of seeing the father who’d betrayed her? Or touring the dregs of the Black Oak dating pool to affirm Lilah’s assurance that Maya was a loser?
No way in hell she was going back.
Maya’s heart sank as she shoved her hand through her hair.
This was her father, though. He might have let her down, he might have disappointed her. He was a criminal, a con and now apparently a lech. But that didn’t mean he deserved the likes of Lilah Gomez.
“I’ve got to go,” she muttered, disconnecting over the other woman’s protests.
Maya didn’t know how long she stood there with her fist clenched around the now-dead phone. The jungle of plants was a big green blur and her mind was filled with the sound of her own harsh breathing.
Finally, with a quick shake of her head and a couple of deep breaths, she forced herself to saunter back into the restaurant, putting a little extra swing into her hips as she did. Dave’s gaze locked on her like a missile on a target.
See. She didn’t need to be fixed up with momma’s boy losers who lived in their parents’ basements. Grateful to Dave for saving her ego, she gave him an extra-warm smile.
He responded with a loud gulp.
“Maybe we can do something special after the party this weekend,” he suggested.
“This weekend?”
“It’s my company’s Christmas party,” he reminded her. “I’ve got to go. Big promotion in the works, appearances count and all that. You’re still going with me, right?”
A loud, raucous party filled with people she didn’t know? Or preparing to go home and face her past, with all its nasty little demons and emotional pitfalls.
“Of course I’m going with you,” she gushed. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”
SIMON DIDN’T KNOW EXACTLY what Maya’s intentions were, but she was definitely a woman on a mission. From what he’d overheard at lunch the previous week, Tobias was up to something new. Something she wasn’t happy about.
He wondered if that had anything to do with the news he’d gotten two days ago. An ATF connection of his had let it slip that there were a slew of stolen guns spreading through Northern California. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had narrowed the epicenter of the leak to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Which just happened to be where Tobias Black was. Coincidence? No way in hell.
This was Simon’s shot. If he could bust Tobias Black, his career would skip the fast track and hit rocket speed. All he had to do was make a solid contact with the old guy’s daughter. She was his entrée. A couple more conversations with her and he’d be able to claim her a friend when he visited Black Oak.
As if proving she was ready to be his new best friend, Maya chose that moment to stroll in, her arm tucked into the elbow of her guy friend. Despite the party in progress, Simon could clearly see the tension in the set of her shoulders, and the way she kept her body from curving into pretty boy’s.
It shouldn’t be too hard for Simon to move himself in. A little charm, a little distraction and a little luck were all he needed to pull this off.
He timed it carefully, putting himself in Maya’s line of sight, careful to look like a guest by exchanging friendly chitchat with strangers. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her frown, satisfied when it turned to heated curiosity.
He had to wait about an hour before pretty boy left to head to the bar and refill their drinks.
Then Simon made his move. He strode over to where she stood silhouetted against the wide bank of windows.
“Hello,” he said. “We’ve met, haven’t we?”
It was a lame line, but he was interested in seeing what she’d do with it. Gold eyes considered him for a second, then she nodded. “You were at the Braverment party last week, weren’t you? I’m Maya.”
“Simon Harris,” he introduced himself, using one of his covers. Then to put her at ease, he spent the next five minutes making idle chitchat.
Mid talk about the party and the potential for investors, they heard a soft chime over the music.
“Excuse me,” she said with an apologetic smile. Pulling her phone from her tiny purse, she glanced at the screen. The blood drained from her face, making her look like a wax doll in a horror movie.
“Are you okay?” Simon asked, quickly moving to her side. He glanced at the screen and winced. Having seen plenty of pictures of Tobias Black, he easily recognized the man in the photo. The brunette plastered over his chest like a wet T-shirt was new to him, but Simon figured no daughter wanted to see her father being used as a stripper pole.
A text flashed across the screen next.
Aren’t we a cute couple?
Well, now, that was interesting. Simon watched as red heat washed over Maya’s previously ashy complexion. Fury? The pictured coupledom clearly didn’t sit well with her.
“Friend of yours?” he asked, knowing it was a risk to get so personal. But he figured she was pissed enough to ignore the impropriety in her need to vent.
Maya shifted her glare from the phone to his face. She shook her head like she was trying to toss off the anger. “An idiot determined to ruin his life, is more like it.”
Perfect opening.
“That is a shame,” he said, leaning in just a little more. Not for the job this time. But because he liked feeling the warmth of her, seeing her golden eyes dilate so they were almost all black, and hearing her breath catch in such a sexy little way. Nice to know he could pull her out of her anger.
Then, as if knowing Maya’s attention had shifted, her phone chimed again.
They both looked down.
Simon frowned. What the hell? It was a picture of a wedding dress.
“Oh, hell no,” she hissed. Muttering cursewords under her breath, her fingers flew over the tiny keyboard at the speed of light.
He watched the text fly into the ether, excitement stirring in his gut.
“So you’re going home this weekend?” he asked, his tone as innocent as he could make it. “Where’s home?”
Maya wasn’t paying him any attention, though. Her gaze flew over the crowd until she gave a little hum. Then she absently patted Simon’s arm and said, “Excuse me.”
Shit. Just like that, she was gone. She didn’t even bother with a backward glance. Simon’s ego screamed almost as loud a protest as his body at the loss of her floral-scented warmth.
Dammit. He wasn’t finished yet. He needed to make a stronger contact. To get some information that he could drop into casual conversation that’d lead her father to believe that the two of them were really friends. He watched her stride away, trying to decide if that had been a good contact or a wasted one. Your daughter hated the girly accessory you were wearing in that photo wasn’t much of a topic starter.
DESPERATE FURY PROPELLED Maya across the dance floor and through the throngs of people surrounding the bar. Anger and worry duked it out in her belly as she thought of that picture. Tobias was a brilliant man, except when it came to women.
She couldn’t stand it. No way she could let her father suffer a lifetime, or even another month, with the likes of Lilah Gomez.
“Dave?” She offered her date a bright smile that was only a little shaky with nerves, and tilted her head toward the patio. “Do you have a second?”
Frowning at either the nerves in her tone or the fact that she’d interrupted his golf story, he gave his work buddies a be-right-back gesture. Taking her hand, he led her into the relative quiet of the atrium. “What’s up? You look a little tense.”
Maya almost winced. Oops. Tense wasn’t the kind of thing that made a guy want to run off for a wild weekend of family stress. She forced herself to smile, bright and cheery like she wasn’t ready to scream. Or cry.
Remembering her father’s basic rule of the con, distraction, she ran her hand up and down Dave’s arm in a gentle caress. He leaned into her body as if ready to let her take those strokes in any number of other directions.
“I just found out I have to take a trip,” she told him.
“Now?”
“No, for New Year’s,” she explained. Sliding her fingers down his arm, she trailed them over the back of his hand to play with his fingers. His eyes blurred satisfyingly. “I was hoping you’d want to go with me. You were saying you wanted to spend more time together. I thought this might be a fun way.”
“The two of us? Go away together?” His grin was huge as he pulled her into his arms and gazed down at her face like he’d just snagged a fab Christmas present. “I’m in. Just say when and where.”
“I’d planned to leave the day after Christmas,” she explained. She let herself relax into his body as if confirming his assumptions of just what kind of entertainment that trip would include. But fairness demanded she share, “I’m going back to my hometown. My brother just got engaged and is having a big party for New Year’s. I haven’t been back in years, and everyone is going to be really excited to meet my boyfriend.”
She lost him a little more with each word she spoke. His arms stiffened and he slowly leaned away from her body. Clearly that translated to horror and damnation in guy-talk. It was like watching the fog roll over the Golden Gate.
This, she realized, was yet more proof as to why she’d sucked as a con artist. She could have just led him on. Let him think they were off for some kinky sex fun and then used that lure to keep him at arms’ length during the trip. But no, she had to be all honest and crap. She felt like smacking herself in the forehead.
“Look. Maya. Um…” He looked around desperately, as if hoping someone would come and rescue him. Then he grimaced and told her. “I like you. I’d like to go to bed with you. But that’s it. Nothing personal, but I’m not a meet-the-family kind of guy.”
“But—”
“Look, I’ve got to get back inside.” Clearly torn between running away in a commitment-phobic hurry and being a polite date, his gaze bounced between the door with its freedom, and her face. “Can you… Um… I need to go.”
She debated trying to save the situation, but realized it was pointless. She couldn’t lie. She didn’t feel strongly enough about him to take things to the next level. Not even to save her father.
“I’ll see myself home,” Maya said, her words as heavy as her shoulders. “Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s not you,” he claimed.
Before he could pitch the worn-out spiel, she waved him away. If she hadn’t been so upset already, the speed at which he gratefully scurried off would have done serious damage to her ego.
This sucked. Swearing she could feel the wind from Dave’s speedy retreat, she paced the cement walkway of the atrium. With its impeccable timing, her phone chose that second to chime. Like a reluctant witness to a train wreck, she forced herself to look at this round of horrible text news.
I told everyone you’re coming. We’re all so excited to see you. I’ve even got a date for you on your first night home. We’ll double.
“Just shoot me, it’d be less painful,” she muttered.
“But such a waste.”
Shocked, Maya jumped and gave a tiny scream. She spun around, one hand trying to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest, and glared.
Simon Harris. The Southern-fried sex muffin.
“Where’d you come from?” she asked, desperately hoping he hadn’t overhead Dave’s rejection.
“I saw your friend inside,” he told her, tilting his head toward the bar where Dave was back, chatting with his friends. “You seemed upset earlier, so I figured I’d check on you. Make sure you’re okay.”
He was so sweet. Maya sniffed, trying to contain the emotional overload of the night.
“So how about I cheer you up?” he said in that jovial tone guys used to try and get past emotional scenes. “What are your holiday plans? A big family get-together, I’ll bet?”
That was the wrong thing to say, though. His words were the last straw. Tears gushed, frustration tangling with a sudden burst of homesickness.
Looked like the night actually could get worse.
3
OH, HELL. SIMON CRINGED.
He’d thought this was turning into a killer opening, but he wasn’t sure he could handle waterworks like Maya’s. Not even for a major bust.
“Going home sucks,” she told him, sniffling back her tears. “My family and I, we had a big falling out a few years ago. I know there’s probably no point being upset about not going. But a part of me was hoping this visit would mend fences and bring us all back together.”
“Prodigal daughter?” Simon mused. He hadn’t realized the estrangement between her and her father was that deep. Knowing how rotten his own parent issues made him feel, he took her hands and gave them a sympathetic squeeze. “That can’t be a comfortable reunion.”
“Not even close. And now I’m getting daily texts with all kinds of drama over me being single. Lots of manipulation and game playing,” she told him, anger sliding through the hurt in her tone. “The only way to avoid it is to bring a boyfriend home with me. Otherwise I’m going to spend the week dodging ugly matchmaking attempts, uncomfortable family drama and a nasty old school friend determined to make this a miserable visit.”
“Look, it sounds to me like you don’t have a choice,” he said. He was a federal officer. He shouldn’t be swayed by a sob story, right? He wanted an in to Tobias Black and this was his chance, served up on a golden platter by the sexiest woman he’d ever met.
Do the job, he reminded himself.
“You need to face this stuff. Take it from me, avoiding family drama only makes it all worse.” At least, he assumed it did. Given that he and his family had said their ugly goodbyes years ago, he didn’t know that time or avoidance could make his problems any worse.
“You’re right,” she murmured. She shoved one hand through her hair, the luxurious curls waterfalling over her shoulders. She gave him a considering look. There was a calculation in her eyes that made him wonder if he’d underestimated her. Her head tilted to one side, she pursed her lips and seemed to be thinking something through. Since he figured whatever it was could only benefit him, he offered her his nicest, encouraging-but-unthreatening look.
“But I can’t go alone. Not if I have to face Lilah,” she murmured.
Simon wracked his brain, but couldn’t recall seeing anyone named Lilah in the list of Black family members. So who was she and why did she put that tight look on Maya’s face.
Maybe the nasty texter?
Before he could ask, Maya shifted. She pulled back her shoulders, lifted her chin and gave him a look that made him just a little nervous.
“You said you’re looking for investors, right? It’s a big deal that you’re putting together?”
Where was she going with this? Nothing to do but play along, Simon realized.
“Yeah, I’ve been trying for weeks now and if I don’t get this deal nailed down before Christmas, it’ll fall apart.” He played it up, shoving his hand through his hair and acting frustrated. “There is so much riding on this, and I’ve had a lot of interest. But so far nobody’s willing to commit.”
She gave a little hum through lips pressed tight together, then as if she were forcing out the words before she could change her mind, she said, “What if I had money to offer? Not a lot, maybe ten thousand?”
“You’re interested in investing in the app platform startup?”
“I’m interested in making a deal,” she clarified.
This should be interesting.
“Um, in exchange for investing, and for using my contacts at Braverment to find other investors, I’d want something in return.” She nibbled temptingly on her bottom lip.
“Like what?” And where the hell was he going to find an app startup to invest in?
“In exchange, you go home with me and pretend to be my boyfriend.”
Holy shit. Maybe Santa Claus really did exist.
“Let me get this straight,” he said. “You’re willing to invest ten thousand in the startup I’m funding? And to put in word among the investors you work with that it’s a great deal. And in exchange, all I have to do is spend a week with the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen?”
And make the bust of his career, cementing his upward climb to success?
“That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”
“Not at all,” he returned, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. “It sounds smart to me.”
“Right.” She laughed, pacing the length of the patio again.
“No, it does. You need to be able to focus on dealing with the family drama without worrying about entertaining, or fending off, a date. But you need a boyfriend to avoid the matchmaking drama and give you a sort of touchstone to your current life. You know, so you don’t get pulled too deep into the emotional stuff.”
Her eyes wide and glistening with tears, Maya stopped mid-pace to nod slowly. “You’re right. But that’s all for my good. But you don’t seem like you’re doing so bad at finding investors that you’d have to resort to this kind of thing.”
“Times are tough,” he told her. “The economy sucks, computer startups are all over the place. If I didn’t personally know the guy heading this up and know he’s brilliant, I’d probably walk away myself. But I promised him, and his mother, that I’d make sure he had the resources to give his dream a shot. So you’re saving my ass.”
Simon wondered if he’d gone too far over the top. But that seemed to be just the right tone, since the skepticism faded from Maya’s eyes. Instead she looked like she was seriously considering the deal.
Triumph was so close, Simon could taste it.
But…
His gaze traveled down over her body, noting that she once again wore a dress that covered her from neck to mid-thigh, yet screamed hot and sexy. The way the midnight blue fabric draped and hugged her curves made his fingers itch to see if the fabric was soft enough to touch that glorious flesh.
No. Even though his hardening body screamed in protest, he put on the mental brakes. That wasn’t a road he was going down. She was a case. A tool at the most. Sexy, gorgeous and apparently fun, but still a means to an end.
She was so damned hard to resist. Telling himself it was all in the name of the job, he took her hands again, lifting them both to his mouth. He brushed soft kisses over her silky knuckles, then placed her hands, palms flat, against his shoulders.
“I need to get this out of the way,” he said quietly. “It’s got nothing to do with the deal, and everything to do with how I’m feeling.”
She shook her head, looking like she wanted to protest. But instead her fingers dug into his shoulders.
Thighs brushing a tempting invitation against hers, his hands smoothed down the tiny curve of her waist to the sweet roundness of her hips. Her breath shuddered, just a little. Simon almost groaned aloud. She was so delicious. Was the reality of her as tasty as the promise?
Totally forgetting his plan—hell, his own name—Simon pulled her closer, so their bodies were close. So close, but not quite touching. Her warm scent wrapped around him like its own caress, making his mouth water, his dick harden.
Crazy, he thought, as he leaned down to take her mouth with his.
Their lips brushed, soft and sweet. Just this side of innocent. Safe, he told himself. A Happy Holidays kind of kiss. Totally acceptable.
Then she made this tiny sound. Somewhere between a purr and a growl, deep in her throat.
And he lost it.
His mouth took hers. His tongue slipped between her full lips, taking hers in a dance as old as time. He coaxed, he battled, he challenged. And damned if she didn’t do exactly the same.
Simon’s body screamed in pleasure. Passion, way out of line for such a simple kiss, demanded release. His muscles tensed as he forced himself to not grab her and find a dark corner to explore just how good this could get.
Having to grab control before he went over the edge, he pulled his mouth from hers. Her eyes were closed, thick dark lashes curving over the tops of her cheeks. She took a deep breath and slowly lifted those lashes.
Absolutely crazy. Breathless, Simon stared into her deep, golden eyes and wondered if she was the answer to his prayers. Or the curse that would finally take him down.
Her hands were trembling and there was a sheen of shocked worry in her pretty gold eyes. Like she’d been just as overcome by that as he had. Before, he’d have taken her as a woman used to using her body to get what she wanted. He’d have been wrong.
“This wasn’t what I offered to pay you for,” she protested breathlessly. “I was offering to pay you cash. To help you with your investments. I don’t barter with anything else.”
Simon had no idea why it thrilled him that she’d never pulled a con using the oldest lure in the book. That made their kiss, well, special. And that, he winced, made him a sap. A horny, deceiving sap.
But still, he couldn’t lie to her.
“Look,” he said, risking the case by reaching out to take her hand, “I’m not going to deny I think you’re a gorgeous woman. You’re fun and I’m very attracted to you.”