Two lavish destination weddings set the stage for romance and desire...

Hot Night in the Hamptons, Nana Malone

A fling with the gorgeous best man is not on Elina Sinclair’s to-do list as maid of honor at her best friend’s Hamptons wedding. Yet former child star Gabe Anderson is intent on seduction. He’s also a new client at her image consulting firm—which makes a relationship strictly forbidden. Can the onetime playboy convince her that he’s the best mistake she’ll ever make?

Seduced Before Sunrise, Jamie Pope

He was Willa Arthur’s first kiss, her first everything, before his cruel betrayal shattered her confidence. Years later, Marcus Simpson has turned up in Costa Rica at the wedding of Willa’s best friend. The white sandy beaches and lush jungles are irresistible—and unfortunately, so is the man she should hate. But Marcus wants more than just forgiveness. He wants Willa back, and a tropical paradise is the perfect place to prove how much...

Hot Night in the Hamptons

“You can do that? Pretend? That Saturday night never happened?”

She tilted her chin up. “Yeah, given your rep, I know you can.”

His brows snapped down. And then before she knew it, his lips were on hers. Harsh and firm. His tongue delved into her mouth and demanded she respond. Traitor that her body was, she melted as if today was a continuation of Saturday night and Sunday morning. She knew that when it came to him, she was weak. She wouldn’t be able to stop.

Gabe pulled back. “Still want to pretend we don’t know each other?”

Seduced Before Sunrise

“I could really go for something sweet.”

“Yeah,” he said distractedly. “I could, too. There’s just one thing I have to do first.”

“What?”

He grabbed the edges of her towel and tugged on them until her body was pressed against his again. She looked up at him, curiosity in her eyes, but that changed when he inched his mouth closer to hers. He didn’t want to steal a kiss. He didn’t want to take her by surprise. He wanted her to know it was coming.

NANA MALONE is a USA TODAY bestselling author. Her love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin on a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana at a precocious thirteen years old. She’s been in love with kick-butt heroines ever since. You’ll find Nana working hard on additional books for her series. And if she’s not working or hiding in the closet reading, she’s acting out scenes for her husband, daughter and puppy in sunny San Diego.

JAMIE POPE first fell in love with romance when her mother placed a novel in her hands at the age of thirteen. She became addicted to love stories and has been writing them ever since. When she’s not writing her next book you can find her shopping for shoes or binge watching shows on Netflix.

A Vow of Seduction

Nana Malon

Jamie Pope

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Authors

Title Page

HOT NIGHT IN THE HAMPTONS

Dedication

Dear Reader

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

SEDUCED BEFORE SUNRISE

Dedication

Dear Reader

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Epilogue

Copyright

HOT NIGHT

IN THE HAMPTONS

Nana Malone

To Fritz. Thank you for making my New York Valentine’s Day so fun.

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading Hot Night in the Hamptons. I was once a young PR intern many moons ago, so Elina and Gabe were a fun little trip back in time. I may or may not have drawn more than a little inspiration from my own life. Shh, don’t tell anyone.

I also loved that I got to revisit Delilah and Willow from my Donovans series! Next up for me, I’ve got more Donovans (yes, which means more Delilah) and many more Kimani books. So sit back, relax and happy reading!

If you want to chat with me, I’m pretty easy to find!

Website: www.NanaMalone.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NanaMaloneWriter

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/NanaMalone

Nana

Contents

Dedication

Dear Reader

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 1

“You’re headed off to your friend’s wedding this weekend, right?”

Elina Sinclair barely managed to keep herself from groaning out loud to her boss. She hated weddings. Reece was the sole reason she was going. Her best friend had seen her through enough trauma in her life. The least she could do was be there for her girl as she walked down the marriage-guillotine-aisle. “Yeah, I leave tonight. I’ll be back on Sunday. But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Her boss, Delilah Donovan, leaned back against the sofa in the lounge area of their office. In the far corner, Delilah’s business partner, Willow, hunched over her laptop.

“Honey, it’s a wedding, and a couple of days off. Enjoy it. Flirt with the cute best man. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

Elina considered this. Maybe right now was not the time to tell Delilah that she loathed every single thing about weddings. That, thanks to her mother, the fairy-tale luster had worn off...probably not a good idea to mention that since her boss had just tied the knot herself. “Yep, I hear you. Fun, fun. That’s me.” She forced a smile.

More like she’d rather be following some survival guide through the Mojave Desert, eating things gross enough to make her stomach turn, than go to this wedding. It’s for Reece. Yeah, for her bestie, she could suck it up and put on her big-girl thong.

Delilah rolled her eyes. “Elina, I swear it’s like you don’t want the time off.”

“Not really. I’ve gotten used to the pace, and I like it.” D. Donovan Image Consultants was a boutique public relations agency. They cleaned up the reputation of the worst media screwups. Made problems go away. Technically they were PR firm meets law firm, but they were so much more than that. They affected real change in people’s lives. Their clients included CEOs, diplomats, politicians and athletes. Delilah didn’t handle celebrities anymore though, thanks to several bad apples.

After graduation, Elina had been drifting, looking for something permanent. Trying to decide if she was going to grad school or not, and she’d seen one of Delilah’s clients on television with Delilah standing right next to him—clearly in charge of things. Elina had been fascinated and contacted the agency right away, practically begging for an interview. She’d even offered to work for free for a month. To her surprise, Delilah had said yes. During that month, Elina did everything from pick up dry cleaning for Delilah and her partner, Willow Green, to chasing down wayward clients and dragging them back to rehab, to drafting media statements. Delilah had hired her after that. That had been a year ago, and Elina wasn’t looking back. She didn’t know any of her friends who had that dynamic of a job. Especially not at twenty-three. And the best part was, Delilah was having a huge impact in the PR industry and she was only twenty-six. The story was she’d worked a great deal at Park & Associates where they paid for law school while she worked for them. So she’d gone to school at night, all the while getting hands-on experience from the best. Elina wanted to be her when she grew up.

“Speaking of you working your butt off, Willow and I wanted to talk to you about something.”

The stunning redhead’s alabaster skin looked like the center of an Oreo, where Elina and Delilah acted as the cookies. Willow smiled. “You’ve done some outstanding work and really stepped up in the last year. It doesn’t matter what we ask of you, and that’s really impressive.”

Delilah added, “I think you’re almost ready for your first solo client. Maybe we’ll start with someone who doesn’t have a huge profile to not overwhelm you. The next client I have coming in might be a pain, but I’ll give you parts of the account for sure. We’ll see how you do, then bump you up to do one all on your own. How does that sound?”

Elina giddily shifted in her seat like a kid on the last day of school. She tried to speak but all she could manage was a guppy impression. Finally, she found the words. “Oh my God, are you serious?”

Delilah nodded. “Yep. You’ve done great work. And you make things happen for yourself. You remind me of me.”

“Thank you so much. I really appreciate it,” Elina sputtered.

“You should celebrate and take off to the wedding early. Catch the off-peak jitney before everyone else heads to the Hamptons and it gets too crowded.”

Willow unfolded her long limbs and stood up from the bright pink lounger. The office decor was cool, comfy and contemporary with a mix of boho chic. Delilah had converted the warehouse space next to her old apartment into the offices for D. Donovan. When she’d married her husband, Nate, they’d moved to some fancy penthouse, and Willow had rented her old apartment from the couple.

As Elina walked back to her desk, she wanted to dance. Or laugh, or run and tell someone. Except there’s no one to tell. There was her mother. And she had friends. Good friends, though none as good as Reece. But she hardly saw them, because she’d been so focused on her job for the last year. Well, it didn’t matter that she had no one to call. Maybe Willow was right. She could head up now and spend some extra time with Reece...before the wedding. Inject some fun into her life.

And just like that, her happy mood evaporated. Maybe it wasn’t too late to back out. No. She could support her best friend no matter how she personally felt about weddings. Even if it killed her...slowly...with a pickax to the soul.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to answer. But when she saw it was her mother, she sent the call directly to voice mail. Elina knew her mother by now. It was her mother’s third call that morning, which could only mean one thing.

Either she had some new boyfriend that she was desperate to introduce Elina to, or, she had a man for Elina. The last thing Elina needed was a guy in her life. She’d told her mother this countless times. Of course her mother didn’t listen. The woman was always chasing love. Had been ever since Elina was little. Hell, she’d been married seven times. On paper, her mother was Gigi Meyers Sinclair James Adams Sinclair Thomas Stoya Sinclair.

Her parents had married three times. They just couldn’t leave each other alone. No matter how destructive and codependent they were. Growing up, Elina must have been the only kid of divorced parents who wished her parents wouldn’t get back together. She adored her father and could never understand why he put up with her mother’s dramatics. Must have been love. After he died, her mother had been devastated, and Elina felt like part of her heart died, too. Her parents might not have been married at the time, but her mother always called her father her greatest love.

After seeing what love could do to her mother, and the pain of losing her father, Elina refused to let love do that to her again. No matter how hard her mother tried to change that.

Nope, Elina had a singular focus—her career. There would be no falling in and out of love, no series of walks down the aisle. She’d seen it all. And weddings, love and relationships held zero appeal. She’d keep her eyes on the prize—kicking butt and showing Delilah what she could do.

Chapter 2

Promises, promises. So what if Elina promised herself she’d never attend another wedding. She’d lied. At the time she never thought Reece would get married. But she would make it through this weekend. She had to.

Reece was waiting at the jitney stop with a convertible and a grin as the sun glinted through her golden locks. “Jesus, girl, could you be any more Hamptons?” Elina laughed as she strolled over to the car.

Reece was far more exuberant in her greeting. “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. You’re here, you’re here!” The screeching was punctuated with a running launch and a huge hug. It was a good thing that Reece was all of five feet tall, otherwise she would have knocked Elina onto her butt.

Although Reece was small, she was mighty. The hug she gave was strong enough to cut off crucial air supply. Elina hugged her back, reveling in the familiar embrace.

When they’d been paired as freshman year roommates in boarding school, Elina didn’t think she and the blonde Southern transplant from Georgia would have anything in common. But from the moment Reece had barged into the dorm room, she’d been one of those friends who wouldn’t let go. Reece was one of those people who left no option but to love her. And if you didn’t love her at first, she was going to make you love her. The girl didn’t take no for an answer. It was probably why the two of them got along so well.

“Honey, when I said I was coming early, I didn’t mean for you to pick me up personally. I thought you’d send Uber or something.”

Reece’s delicate brow drew up. “You’re kidding me, right? First of all, my mother-in-law and Mama have this thing on lock. All I have to do is show up. And I’m a happy bride for it, not having to make any decisions.” She laughed. “All I wanted was final say on the dress and the hair and makeup, because you know Mama would have me looking like a pageant girl reject if I let her. Southern women and the big hair. I didn’t give two flying figs about the whole Hamptons wedding nonsense. All I care about is Adam. So I have nothing to do except walk down the aisle.”

And that was why Elina loved her bestie. Keeping it real and keeping it relaxed. Most women, like Elina’s mother, would be in full bridezilla mode right about now.

Reece wrestled her bag from her and tossed it into the back of the car. “Gimme that.”

“Seriously, Reece, I’ve got seven inches on you. I can carry my own bag.”

“Look, I know how you feel about weddings, so I’m going to make this whole process as easy on you as possible.”

“You don’t have to do that. This is your day, or weekend rather.”

“I’m so glad you feel that way, so you might as well shut up and do as I tell you.”

Elina laughed. “Okay, suit yourself.”

“I will, thank you very much. We’re off to brunch.”

“Seriously? There has to be some wedding thing to do.”

“It is not my wedding day. I have nothing to do except hang with my girl. Not until tomorrow, anyway. This is the day before my wedding day. And I get to do what I want. We’ve already done the shower and the bachelorette party and everything, so we get to chill out. Come on, I’m starving.”

That was the other thing about Reece. For such a small woman, she ate enough for two grown men. “Then by all means. Let’s feed the tiny beast.”

By the time they were seated in a lovely café overlooking the water, Reece had already regaled her with stories of wedding shenanigans from both her mother and her mother-in-law-to-be. The two women got along, but they were so eager to one-up each other, things had gotten more than a little crazy.

“I mean, you should see the damn centerpieces, Elli. They’re huge. It’ll be any wonder the guests can see around the things to chat. And don’t even get me started on the gift bags. I mean who needs Tiffany’s cell phone charms? Explain this to me. Who?”

“Your mother?” Elina laughed.

“God, that woman is infuriating. Speaking of infuriating, how is Mama Sinclair?”

Elina sighed. “I’ve gotten three calls from her today alone, with two ‘call me’ urgent texts.”

“Maybe it’s important. You know. She might need you.”

She shook her head. “No. Since she has a habit of calling so often we established that if it was an emergency she needs to text 911, otherwise I’ll call her when I get a chance.” Elina shrugged. “And right now, I haven’t had a chance.”

Reece grinned. “Let me guess, you had to define what an actual emergency was at some point?”

Elina almost choked on her French fry she was laughing so hard. “It’s like you were there.”

“Nope, I just know your mother.”

“I mean who else has to explain to their parents that what to wear on a date is not an emergency. Or some guy not calling is not an emergency. Or that some guy sexting a pic of his schlong is not an emergency. I finally had to outline an emergency as something that involved the fire department, police, ambulance, illness, hospitalization or impending death. And even then, she called me once because she pulled a muscle at boot camp and the paramedic who came to the park to check her out was supercute. She claimed that required an ambulance so that was warranted.” Elina shook her head. “This is my life.”

Reece just laughed. “I love your mama, so awesome.”

“That hurts me right here.” Elina put a hand over her heart as she laughed.

“Enough Mama madness. How’s the job?” Reece asked.

“Great, actually. I came early because Delilah gave me the rest of the day off.” Elina filled Reece in on the details, and true to form Reece was genuinely happy for her.

They chatted for another half hour when Reece did a double take and beamed. “Look, there’s Adam and Gabe.”

Elina finished her fry and plastered a smile on her face. She had to go into happy wedding mode. Not that she had any problem with Adam. As a best-friend-in-law-to-be, he could have been worse. Adam was really sweet and loved her bestie, so he was okay in Elina’s book. It was just the whole matrimony thing. Why couldn’t they just be the Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell of normal people?

“Hey, ladies. Fancy meeting you here.” Adam kissed Reece on the nose. He and Reece were just about the cutest thing in the world to watch. Adam was maybe Elina’s height if she was being generous. And his dark hair and eyes were the perfect contrast to Reece’s golden hair and bright blue eyes. They were like a pocket-size Ken and Barbie.

Elina stood, and they enveloped each other in a huge hug. “Hey, stranger. You ready to make an honest woman out of my friend here?” she asked.

“She’s making me the honest man.” Adam beamed.

Elina shook her head. The two of them making googly eyes was not something an avowed single girl needed to see. She turned to Gabe, who gently released Reece from a hug. Or more like, Reece finally let him go.

Elina felt vindicated when she saw him gulp for air. “You must be Gabe. I’ve heard a lot about you.” She thrust out her hand, but he ignored it. Instead, he wrapped her in a warm hug. The near physical slam of lust was enough to steal her breath and singe her panties.

He smelled like sandalwood and the beach, and she was so temporarily blindsided that she almost leaned in and inhaled. Gabe released her quickly and stumbled back.

When he spoke, his voice was husky. “Reece’s mom says you don’t shake hands with family. And seeing as we’re family now, that calls for a hug.”

It took her several seconds to find her voice. Where the hell had she misplaced that thing? She told herself it wasn’t her fault. Any red-blooded woman would have this response to a guy like Gabe.

She judged him to be just a little over six feet. And while he was lean, he was solid. From what Elina could see from his biceps and forearms, he didn’t skip time at the gym. And his soft cotton T-shirt didn’t hide a thing. Certainly not the defined pectorals. Get it together, Elina. He’s just a guy. You’ve seen them before.

She managed to stammer, “Right, family.” He hadn’t been able to make it to the shower, and somehow through the years they’d never met. Because if she had met him, she’d have prepared herself for that stunning lopsided smile. Maybe she would have done some mental calisthenics or something. His eyes were a beautiful shade of green—so clear and alert, with flecks of blue and brown and yellow. Butterflies danced low in her belly, and her smile broke free even though she knew better. Her body—tingling. Brain—on vacation. His mouth was moving. Damn, what was he saying? Focus.

“Really glad you could make it down early. Now we can get to know each other before the big day.” He was flirtatious, and his voice held a hint of mischief. And he stunned Elina into a momentary silence.

Yes, hell yes. Wait, what? No. No. She was not looking for anything. The last thing she needed was a guy. Particularly this guy, who was too good-looking for his own good.

Besides, she’d had someone like this once. Beautiful to look at, charming as hell. She’d even considered forever with him, too. That is, until she discovered he was just as charming with several other girls. No. She knew better than to get sucked in.

“Yep. Well, I wanted to get some extra time in with Reece.”

“I think Reece will probably be busy, but I’m sure we can probably find a few things to get up to in the Hamptons. Let me be your guide.” He was persistent.

Oh boy. This guy would guide her right into trouble. The naked, fun kind. But trouble nonetheless. “Somehow, I have a feeling that you might be the kind of guide that gets me lost.”

He winked at her. “Isn’t that half the fun?”

Elina was sure of one thing. If she wanted to hold on to her panties and her sanity, she had to stay on her toes around Gabe. It didn’t matter if he made her insides go all fluttery. Besides, if she ever wanted her own solo client, then she had to keep her eyes on the prize and not on his muscles.

* * *

It was the chase. It had to be the chase. Gabe Alexander stared at Elina on the dance floor. She was laughing at something that Reece’s mom said and he was completely struck by her. Had been since yesterday. But no amount of charm and wit was getting through to her. She was like flirting with a brick wall.

Normally, women fell into his lap. He wasn’t used to doing so much work to get someone’s attention. But it didn’t matter what he did, Elina gave him nothing to work with. He already knew from Reece and Adam that she didn’t have a boyfriend. No recent breakups. She was single.

And he felt that electric current when they first hugged, so she was attracted, but she still didn’t take the bait.

Not like he had time to chase a girl right now. He was chasing funding for his first movie, and was running out of time. Stone Heart was the unofficial biography of his grandmother, Gretta Stone, and how she became the first Hollywood movie executive back in the fifties. She was the reason his father got a start in the business.

He’d wanted to tell the story for a long time, but the funding was difficult. Well, it doesn’t have to be difficult. But there was no way he was asking his father for the funds. That was the last place he wanted to go. Not that the old man would even back the film. Once he’d transitioned out of acting, he’d become a director, only focusing on the big-money projects. He didn’t think the movie would make him any money.

It didn’t matter, though; Gabe was determined to do this on his own. For once, he wanted his career to be his own with no influence from the old man. He owed his grandmother everything. Between her and his mother, they’d pulled him back from the brink. He was getting this story told.

As a kid, it made sense. He was Andrew Alexander’s son. It made logical sense to follow in his father’s footsteps. But soon, all anyone had ever seen when he walked into a room was his father. So, like any teenager, he’d rebelled. And he was still paying for that rebellion.

But he had a few friends in the business, and plenty of money, thanks to a wildly popular trilogy he did when he was twelve, but he didn’t have producer money. And the rest of the world saw him as that spoiled kid, acting out, boozing it up and sleeping with too many women.

Thanks to his grandmother, after college, he’d long since cleaned up his act, even made some wise investments. He needed to change that bad-boy image if he wanted a career in this business.

But even with everything going on, and everything on the line, he was completely drawn to Elina. It was mostly her laugh. Every time she talked to Reece she was happy and giddy. They laughed like two teenage girls snickering over some boy they liked.

But during the ceremony, Elina looked haunted, scared. He wanted to know why. More than that, he wanted to fix it. To make it go away.

“You stare any harder at her and I will make you declare your intentions.”

Gabe laughed and slapped Adam on the back. “How is the newly minted groom doing?”

His best friend grinned. “I’m perfect. I can’t believe it’s finally done. She’s mine.”

Watching Adam and Reece almost made Gabe want to settle down. They were so suited to each other, and really happy. “Good for you, man. I’m happy for you. And I hope you enjoy your wedding present to the fullest.”

Adam shook his head. “You didn’t need to lend us your yacht. You know that, right?”

“Whatever. It just sits most of the time. Someone deserving might as well get use out of it.” His father had bought the yacht and signed him as a co-owner, insisting it was a good investment and good for the image, but the old man never went near the thing. He hated the water.

“Well, we appreciate it nonetheless.” Adam inclined his head toward Elina. The photographer was shooting her in the dimming sunlight. “So what’s the word, man? Are you going to make a move or what?”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been putting on all my best moves since yesterday. This is my game. It’s the only game I’ve got.”

Adam laughed. “Man, you’re going to need to work on that. That pretty mug will only take you so far.”

Gabe stroked his chin. “Don’t be jealous. Only one of us can be pretty.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “I’ll settle for being the smart one, then. Look, dude, if you want to get closer to Elina, you can’t spit game at her. You have to talk to her. Be real. She’s pretty cool.”

Gabe cocked his head and studied her. “What’s her problem with weddings, anyway?”

Adam stared into his scotch glass. “Problem? What problem?”

“Oh, come on. You can see it, too. She looks uncomfortable, unhappy even.”

“Okay, but you didn’t hear this from me. Her mother has been married seven times. It soured her on the whole marriage thing.”

Gabe whistled low. “Seven?”

“Yeah, a couple of times to Elina’s dad, but it never seems to work out. So Elina has a thing about weddings.”

That would certainly explain it. “I get you.”

Adam shoved him in the arm. “What are you sniffing after Elina for, anyway? Don’t you have your hands full?”

Gabe finished his drink. “Yeah, I’ve got a few things going on, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a beautiful woman.”

“Between the funding hunt, the movie and casting, how will you find the time?”

“You just let me worry about that. I’ve got the funding under control. Well, mostly anyway. I’m meeting with that fixer in the city on Monday. She’s got a lot of experience with entertainment clients. She’ll help me change my image as well as get some studio appointments. She’s a pretty big player and can help get some buzz around my name.”

“That’s great.” Adam studied his glass again. “Here’s the thing, Gabe. As the best-friend-in-law, I have to warn you, Elina’s not that girl that you screw around with and leave. Reece will have your rear if you break her heart. She’s very protective of Elina.”

“Would you relax? I have everything under control. I’m not going to hurt her.” He shrugged. “I just want to see her smile.” And that was mostly true.

Chapter 3

Water, water, everywhere, and no way to swim to shore. At least not in her dress. Reece had left out one specific detail to Elina. She hadn’t mentioned the damn reception was on a yacht. With no way out, except to swim. And in the slinky vermilion-red mermaid-style gown, there was no way that was happening.

Elina grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray. If there was no getting off the boat, she might as well have a drink...or several. She searched the crowd for someone to talk to other than Adam’s spoiled, moneyed, Wall Street friends.

“You want to tell me why you’re all alone drinking away your sorrows?”

Elina smirked before turning around to face Gabe. God, the man was sexy. It really was unfair. The whole effect of movie-star-gorgeous looks was exacerbated by the impeccable Tom Ford tuxedo. She had to hand it to the man, he was wearing that tux.

“I’m not sad.” She lied, “I’m celebrating. Like everyone else.”

Gabe shook his head, the corners of his lips tipped up in a ghost of a smile. “Usually, happy comes with a lot more smiles.”

Elina forced her lips to turn up. “See, happy.”

“Okay, you got me wrong,” he said, laughing.

She tried to change the subject. “What about you? Why are you over here keeping sorrowful me occupied? You could be up there dancing with the two bridesmaids who have been eyeing you all night.”

Gabe never took his eyes off of her. “Maybe it’s because the girl I want to dance with is drinking by herself.”

Elina put up a hand. “Can we just stop with the whole flirtation thing? I mean, obviously you’re beautiful, but you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

Gabe nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, I see. You’re not into guys?”

Elina sputtered and laughed. “I am. I’m just not into guys right now. All your best efforts in the last two days are being wasted on me, when you could be using them on ready-to-ride bridesmaids.”

He shrugged. “I think I’ll stay right here. You’re more real than those two, anyway. So tell me, Elina Sinclair, why don’t you have a date to this shindig?”

She rolled her eyes. “See earlier comment about not being into guys right now.”

“Let me guess, career girl. Super focused. About to take the world by storm.”

Elina laughed. This was fun. He was fun. It felt good to flirt, and laugh. It can’t go any further than this. But it never hurt the self-esteem to have a good-looking guy hit on her. “It’s like you’ve been following me.”

“No, I’m not that much of a creeper. I just pay attention. So come on, tell me, what do you do?”

People always got the wrong impression when she talked about her job, so she kept it as simple as possible when anyone asked. “I work in PR.” Then she flipped the conversation on him so she wouldn’t have to talk about herself. “And what about you? Let me guess, fashion model?”

He laughed. “No, but that’s a new one. Usually the girls who take a stab say billionaire.”

“Wait.” She put her hand on his arm. “So you’re telling me you’re not one? Ah, that means that we can’t talk. I don’t always drink champagne, but when I do, I only drink with the disgustingly wealthy.”

He laughed, and the low timbre made her insides melt. “You know what, I’ll say that persistence is key. I may not be a billionaire but I could be worth your time.”

“Okay, if that’s not your job—though I always wondered how that can be a job anyway—what is it?”

“Well, soon enough I’m hoping to add filmmaker to my list of talents.”

She lifted her brows. “For real? That’s amazing. What kind of movies do you want to make?”

“The story of my grandmother. She was a Hollywood executive back in the fifties. The first female executive. I’ve already got my dream cast picked out. All I’m looking for right now is funding.”

It was easy to talk to him. He told her about his movie and what inspired his grandmother. And that particular time in Hollywood history. Despite her carefully constructed walls, she told him about herself. About some of her wackiest clients, her friendship with Reece. Even her mother.

Conversation flowed easily. When she relaxed and wasn’t so focused on his pretty face, she could talk. It turned out they even liked the same indie hip-hop group. “I’m actually headed to see CJ Fusion in the city next month,” he said.

“No way. Reece and I are going to the same concert.”

“See, now you have to dance with me. I’ve proven my cool points.” He reached out his hand, and Elina stared down at it for moment. If she took it, she knew she wouldn’t want to stop. Being in his arms was too tempting.

Could she throw caution to the wind? She was stuck on a boat, though. So nowhere to go. She might as well have some fun. Sliding her hand into his, she relished the warm buzz it sent through her body. “Okay, lead the way. I warn you, though, I don’t normally dance in stilettos, so join me at your own risk.”

* * *

Gabe liked her. It was just that simple. As she danced and twirled in his arms and gyrated her booty to the latest Top 40 songs, he felt happy, and he was glad to see her smiling instead of that frowning concern. She made him feel lighter.

Eventually, he took her hand and led her off the dance floor, dragging her to the other end of the yacht and down the stairs.

“Hey, isn’t this corded off?”

“You hardly seem like a girl who is bothered by the rules.”

Elina laughed. “Okay, not usually, but this is someone’s yacht. I like you and all, but I’m not willing to do time for you. Orange is not my color.”

“Relax, would you? I can usually talk my way out of anything. And I sort of know the owner.” Never mind that he was the owner. Part owner, anyway. “I want to show you something.”

“Oh, I can take a guess at what you want to show me.”

If she had been any other girl, he wouldn’t be so careful with her. Not to mention, Adam had warned him off. Normally, he’d be leading her back into the bedroom. But instead of heading straight to the sleeping quarters, he veered left and took her into his favorite room.

When he turned on the light, Elina gasped. “Oh my God, this is beautiful.”

This room was used specifically for parties. It had a small karaoke stage and comfortable lounge seating. But the most astonishing feature of the room was the see-through glass floor. When the lights in the room were activated, it triggered the lights at the bottom of the yacht, illuminating everything that was beneath them in the ocean.

Already, several curious fish had swum up to take a peek. “You like it?”

“It’s awesome.” She inclined her head toward the microphone. “What’s that for?”

“What do you think it’s for? You and Reece were talking yesterday about your mad karaoke skills. I want to see for myself.”

She shook her head. “I have not had enough alcohol for that. How did you know this was here, anyway?”

“I have friends.” He laughed.

“I guess you do. Okay, then. Since you’re so eager for the mic to get some use, how about you sing me something”

He wasn’t sure why he flushed. He was so damn aware of her in the confined space. “Okay, I can sing you a song, but you have to take a seat and be a good audience. Tips are always accepted, in some cases exuberant applause will do just fine, but I prefer panties.”

She folded her arms. “You’ll have to work harder for my panties. Go on. Get on with it. Let’s see these skills of yours.”

He booted up the laptop, then pulled up the right track. “Okay, okay. Try not to be a groupie now.”

Elina rolled her eyes. “Just sing for your supper, will you?”

“Fine.” Then the music started and he closed his eyes. He’d always loved this song. He sang the first line of the song, giving it his all.

Elina squealed with laughter and clapped excitedly. “Oh damn, you’re taking on Shai?”

“Would you let a man finish a song?” He continued, dropping the last note to another octave.

Elina rose from her seat laughing and walked toward him. He finished the song and before he knew it, she was up there with him singing. He lost track of how long they sang duets and giant hits from popular bands. Apparently, she was a Journey fan.

Without thinking, he brushed a strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. He told himself he didn’t plan it this way. But it didn’t matter if he’d planned it or not. The moment she parted her lips, he knew he was a goner.

Chapter 4

Gabe brushed his lips over hers lightly, testing the waters. Elina sighed into his embrace, and he moaned. His nerve endings were going sizzle and pop. Sliding his fingers into her soft curls, he deepened the kiss. She tasted so sweet. Her lip gloss maybe? Fruity and light. Whatever it was, he liked it.

Gabe slid his tongue between her sinfully soft lips, and she met it with hers. One hand smoothing over her waist, he deepened their kiss. Taking long drugging pulls at her lips and eliciting a moan out of her.

So damn perfect. He felt like someone had hooked his body up to a defibrillator, the kiss was so charged. Their only points of contact were her hands on his waist, his hand in her hair and on her hip, and their lips. But it was enough to send his heart into a gallop and for the blood to rush in his ears.

The kiss shook him. He’d kissed a lot of women. Certainly more than his fair share. But with Elina, his body hummed and his synapses shorted. Tugging her closer, he licked into her mouth. Elina moaned and slid her arms up to wind around his neck.

This was more than want. This was more than lust. With one kiss, he knew he wanted her as his. How was she doing this to him? Her hands slipped into his hair and gave an impatient tug. She might not be in a guy phase right now, but maybe he could change her mind. Because right now, Elina Sinclair was rocking his soul.

Gabe glided his fingers over the small of her back in the barest hint of a caress and he was shaking. Damn it. He pulled back and met her dark gaze. “What are you doing to me, Elina?”

In her eyes he saw desire, uncertainty, trepidation. But he also saw her decision clearly when her beautiful smile spread over her lips. “Are you going to help me with this dress? I had a hell of a time getting the zipper up earlier.”

He blinked. What had she said? He was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than how she tasted and how he wanted more. Somehow he could think more clearly when he was kissing her, or maybe that was instinct. She’d said something about her zipper. Right. He could do that.

She pressed her body into his as he tugged the zip down. In the silence of the party room, the zik, zik, zik sound echoed off the walls with her groans. The dress fell away and over her hips, the fabric fluttering to the ground. Gabe released her and stepped back, and his breath caught. She wore a demi-cup bra and thong in red lace that matched the color of the dress. The material barely covered her nipples, but it did a stand-up job at trying.

He muttered a low curse and tried to swallow around the sawdust in his mouth. “You’re so beautiful.”

He watched in delight as the pink flush crept up under that pretty caramel skin. Her gaze never wavered from his. She might have been a little shy, but she was confident enough to know what she wanted. She reached back behind her and unclasped her bra, tugging the useless scraps from her breasts and her arms. “See something you want?”

“Hell yes.” He nodded, then grunted, as he pulled her close to his chest. He kissed her again, this time taking the kiss even deeper, licking into her mouth, dragging a response from her. All the while he could feel the stiff peaks of her nipples against his chest.

The low moan that came from her throat sounded like a purr, rolling over him like a caress. Gabe picked her up easily and snatched her dress off the floor before carrying her out of the room and down the hall to the bedroom.

When he deposited her on the large bed, he stripped himself of his tux clumsily, letting the pieces fall where they may. Before he kicked out of the tuxedo pants, he grabbed a condom from his wallet and tucked it in the back of his boxer briefs. “You know, there’s one thing I’ve been wondering all night,” he whispered against her skin as he crawled up her body.

She smiled at him and arched her back. “What’s that?”

Gabe nuzzled her neck with his nose. “How you taste right here.” He nipped at the spot behind her ear, but then soothed the injury with a lap of his tongue. “Mmm. Just what I thought. Sweet and spicy.”

Elina hooked one of her legs around his back and rocked her hips. Her hot, slick center slid over the cotton-clad length of him and his eyes crossed. Damn. He fought for control, fought to stay steady. He didn’t want to go too fast. To ruin this.

“Gabe,” she moaned. Her breathing harsh and labored and her back bowed beneath him. He ran his nose along her skin to the hollow of her throat.

“I’ve been dying to kiss you here, too.” He blew a breath over her heated flesh down to one raised breast. Sliding his hands up her torso, he took his time, running his fingers over her ribs and her soft skin. When he palmed her, she moaned, arching into the caress.

Her hips lifted again and again, starting them on a rhythm that wouldn’t stop. Placing kisses all along her chest and down her sternum, Gabe teased her nipple with his thumb, tested the weight of her breast, making the both of them crazy. Every time his mouth went near the peaked tip, she writhed beneath him.

He teased the mocha-colored tip with his breath, deliberately making the both of them crazy. He ached to take her into his mouth, to taste her. And by the way she arched her body, she wanted him to. Every time he veered his kiss to the underside of her breast, or down toward a rib, she growled in frustration.

When he finally took the stiff peak in his mouth, she drew in a shuddering breath, and he growled his satisfaction as his hand busied himself with her other breast. Sucking, licking and teasing with his tongue and his teeth he took her to the edge and back again.

Finally, she dug her hands into his hair and held him steady at her breast while she rocked her hips into him. As he sucked, he slid his other hand down, over her taut flat belly, under the flimsy elastic of her thong. Elina’s hands clutched at the pillows and her hips bucked into his questing finger.

Oh so gently, Gabe grazed her nipple with his teeth as his finger found her wet and inviting. Slowly, he dipped inside her sex, testing her, seeing how ready she was—how much she wanted him. He was in no hurry and could do this all night.

This girl was different. This girl was magic. All he wanted to do was see her come alive under his hands.

He released her breast and she whimpered, trying to bring him back. But instead, he kissed his way back up her body. Taking her lips again, he timed his finger with the deep strokes of his tongue.

Against his thigh, his erection throbbed and begged for relief, but this was about her—about seeing her fly. He could wait. Gritting his teeth against the need, he dragged his lips from hers, trailing them along her jawline to her neck, and she shivered.

Her hands traced up his back, her nails digging into his bunched and flexed muscles. “Gabe, please, hurry, I need—” Before she could finish, her slick, slippery flesh quivered around his fingers.

He pulled back to watch her wide-eyed, blissed-out expression. Seeing her lashes flutter closed and her mouth parted on a silent scream of ecstasy, he demanded, “Look at me, Elina. I want you to look at me while you come.”

She opened her eyes and met his gaze with a shocked expression as her body tightened around his exploring fingers again. His thumb ghosted over her pleasure button, and his name was a moan on her lips as she came again.

Gabe gentled his strokes, but he didn’t stop. He wasn’t done with her yet. He wanted her boneless by the time they were done. Then he wanted to start all over again. With each gentle glide, he nuzzled at her neck, sipped at her lips, nipped at the flesh of her collarbone. “How are you feeling, beautiful?”

She giggled and bit her bottom lip. “Warm, and sleepy, and for the first time in a long time, really, really relaxed.”

He flicked his thumb over her clitoris again and Elina’s breath hitched. She swallowed her soft gasp as he added another finger. “You still feeling sleepy?” he whispered against her lips.

She shivered and slid her hands in his hair again. “Not so much anymore. I wonder how that happened.”

His lips quirked. “I have no idea.”

“Gabe, please, I need you. I just—” Her legs clamped around his hips and she broke apart again in his arms.

He grinned to himself as he gently pulled his fingers from her. “What was that you were saying, beautiful?” He rolled away, quickly shucked his boxers and made quick work of the condom he’d tucked away. When he crawled up over her bed, she reached for him.

“Come here,” she whispered.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” He kissed her again. Pouring everything he had into it. Using his body to communicate the rush of emotion. When he drew back, her eyes were half lidded again and she stroked his hair back tenderly.

“I need you, Gabe.”

A shiver ran through him, and he bit his lip. When he lined his erection up with her sweet center and slid home, they both gasped, the breath rushing out of their lungs.

God, she was tight. So tight. It didn’t take long before the need was tingling and spiraling along his spine. She stroked his back and met him thrust for thrust, holding eye contact as they made love. Gabe knew then he’d never been as connected to another human being in his life.

When her legs locked around his hips again, he was lost. She pulsed around him, milking his erection, and he finally let the reins of control go. In one stroke, he followed her into blissful oblivion, knowing he would never be the same.

Chapter 5

Elina stretched languorously. That was the best night’s sleep she’d had in weeks. The last month or two she’d needed a light sleeping pill to help her get to bed. But last night... God, she needed more nights’ sleep like that. Wait, what time was it? She peeled open an eyelid trying to get a good look at her clock.

It was only then that it hit her that she wasn’t at home in her own bed. She was in a foreign bed with soft white cotton sheets and a floppy duvet. The sun streamed in from the window, bringing diffused light. Behind her back was a furnace. A hard furnace. Then suddenly, that furnace wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the nape of her neck.

Then with sudden clarity, she knew where she was. She knew who she was with, and she knew what she had done. Holy hell. She’d slept with the best man. Damn Gabe and that crooked smile of his. What was a girl supposed to do?

Jump him, clearly. Okay. Done that, but now what? She wasn’t normally so careless, but he’d been sweet, and fun, and there had been karaoke. It wasn’t her fault she’d given in. When in doubt, blame the karaoke. He sang Shai to her, for the love of God.

And unlike the rest of Adam’s friends, he wasn’t just some bored rich kid spending his parents’ money. He had dreams, and he was trying to do something with his life. That doesn’t matter now. Right now, it was time to get out of Dodge.

Elina slipped out from under his arm and froze when he rolled into her closer, as if in search of her heat. Would it really hurt to linger in bed for just another hour? Yes, yes it would. She had broken her own cardinal rule number one. No sleepovers. She hadn’t had a long-term boyfriend since college, and she wasn’t into sleeping around. But she knew what overnights generally meant. Attachment. And she wasn’t going to do that.

When Gabe rolled over and snuggled her pillow, she stood up slowly and gathered her clothes off the floor. Holy walk of shame. Wait, not walk, swim. She was still on the damn boat.

Elina dressed hurriedly and told herself she wasn’t going to look back at the sleeping Gabe. Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Do. Not. Look. Back. But of course, she turned and looked back. And unfortunately for her lady parts, he was just as good-looking asleep as he was when he was awake and flashing that grin of his.

At this rate, she’d be just as bad as her mother. As she carried her stilettos up the stairs and out, she saw that they were docked in the marina.

Oh God. Reece must be looking for her. She turned on her phone and sure enough, there were five messages from her friend.

“Hey, Elina, where are you? We’re about to toss the bouquet and I want you here.”

Next message.

“Hey, babe, you’re not sick, are you? Are you holed up in the bathrooms puking your guts out? Call me. Find me. I’m worried.”

Next message.

“Hey, slacker, is it a coincidence that you and Gabe are missing together? Or did you really decide to swim to shore and ruin that perfectly good Cavalli dress?”

Next message.

“Okay, I’m worried. Even if you’re with Gabe, call me as soon as you get this.”

She didn’t bother to listen to the last message. She knew how it would go. Instead, she called. Checking her watch, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was only seven thirty. Reece and Adam didn’t leave for their honeymoon until ten. She wouldn’t be interrupting anything...hopefully.

Reece answered on the first ring, and she was not happy. “Where the hell have you been? I have been worried sick. If you hadn’t gone missing with Gabe I would’ve assumed you were man overboard.”

Elina skipped down to the dock, or rather did a half run, half skip since the dress had zero give. “I’m so sorry. I swear to God I will make this up to you. I didn’t mean to abandon you at your reception.”

“What? You think I’m upset because you abandoned me? Dude, you’ve done your duty. I was married. I was busy dancing my ass off, eating some cake, throwing a bouquet, which you missed incidentally. I was just really worried. It’s not like you to vanish.”

She felt terrible. “I am so sorry. I don’t even know what happened. First we were dancing, and then there was karaoke and...” She let her voice trail off.

“Honey, I’m just giving you a hard time. Now that I know you’re okay, can we talk about exactly where you were?”

Elina laughed as she waved down a taxi. “No, we cannot talk about it. Matter of fact, I never want to talk about it. We’ll just pretend the whole thing never happened.”

“You know you can’t get away with that, right? Gabe Alexander? You sly dog, you. I mean, the man is positively smoking, but I thought you weren’t in a guy phase?”

“I know what I said about the guy phase thing. And I wasn’t. I mean I’m not.” Nope, she was just in the Gabe Alexander phase. Hell. No, she was not. “It was a onetime thing. We got carried away and that’s that.”

“Uh-huh? And just where is the yacht-owning lover boy right now?”

Elina winced. “He owns the freaking yacht? That’s just fantastic. I may or may not have sneaked out on him.”

Reece laughed out loud. That kind of full belly laugh that only her best friend was capable of. “You know what, I’m sure that this is some kind of karmic payback for something he’s done in the past. Don’t worry about it.”

Elina leaned forward and gave the taxi driver the address for her hotel. “Yeah, but I do feel terrible.”

Reece stopped laughing. “Oh my God, was he bad?”

Bad? No. Hell no. The man was made for sex. But it had felt like more than just sex. They’d been so connected. And then she’d run out. Like a freaking coward. Elina scrubbed a hand over her face. “No, he is very well practiced.”

“I knew it. He’s just one of those guys that looks like he moves well, you know?”

Did she ever know. “Look, Reece, this goes into the vault and we don’t talk about it. With any luck I won’t see him again for a very long time and I can just forget the whole thing ever happened.”

“Why do you want to forget if it was good? Especially if he wants to see you again?”

“Reece, have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

Reece sighed. “You’re really going to let him slip out of your fingers?”

“He’s not mine, Reece. And I’ve got a different focus now. Someone like him is just going to distract me.”

“I know you. You wouldn’t have slept with him if you didn’t feel a genuine connection. Are you sure this is the best move?”

No, she wasn’t sure. And right about now her body was certain it was the wrong plan. But her brain would eventually wake up and realize she’d done the right thing. She was not her mother. Good sex didn’t equal love.

* * *

Gabe nestled in closer to Elina’s scent. When he reached over to her side of the bed to pull her close, it was cold. He blinked awake rapidly, then called out for her, “Elina, are you here?”

But there was no answer. Oh hell. She’d left? He sat up in bed and ran his hands through his hair. After last night, she’d actually run away?

His first instinct was to call Adam and Reece and get her number. Not that he was desperate; he was just making sure she was okay... Okay, yeah, that sounded desperate. What is wrong with you? It’s just a girl. And he’d slept with plenty of girls.

But he never made love to one before. He might’ve only just met her, but that’s what it felt like. At the very least, it was one hell of a connection.

He showered quickly before checking in with the captain. He usually split his time between New York and Los Angeles, but his father liked to keep the yacht in the marina here in the Hamptons.

Quickly checking his watch, he hopped in his BMW i8 and made the short drive to Reece and Adam’s hotel. The two of them didn’t leave for another hour, and he hoped he might be able to catch Elina. Sneak-outs happened to everyone. He may have run out of dozens of beds, but he’d never been left behind before.

He eventually found Adam drinking coffee by the pool and helped himself to a seat and a croissant. “Hey, where’s your new wife?”

Adam grinned. “That has a nice flow, doesn’t it?”

“Please, spare me from your sappy, lovey-dovey stuff this morning. I need to find Reece.”

Adam frowned. “Why, what’s up? What do you need?”

Gabe hesitated, but then spit it out. “I’m looking for Elina’s number.”

Adams smile spread slowly from cheek to cheek, quickly replaced by a frown. “I knew it! Once I saw you guys dancing, I knew the old Gabe Alexander would make an appearance. I thought I warned you against that.”

He didn’t have time for this. “You did. And it’s not like that. I like her.”

Adam pinned him with a narrow-eyed glare. “You’ve liked plenty of girls.”

Okay. But Elina was different. “Yeah, but I actually like talking to this one.”

Adam sat back, crossed his arms and studied him shrewdly. “Holy shit, did you get bitten by the bug?”

A tingle of awareness hopped up Gabe’s spine. “I don’t know what you mean by bug. I just thought she was cool. So I’m trying to follow up.”

“Uh-huh. Sure you are. Dude, I thought you were working on funding and focused on that. Not chasing tail.”

“Adam, she’s not tail.”

“I know that, but do you? You have had this habit of being into a girl, then fizzling.”

Gabe clenched his jaw. Maybe Adam had a point. Why was he here, really? Because it sucked to be left. She was great, but he did have stuff to focus on. And at the top of the list wasn’t Elina Sinclair.

It was a night he wouldn’t soon forget, but he was going to have to let her go. He had to. Everything inside him fought against that instinct, but he couldn’t be pulled in two directions. Not now. “She’s special.” He sat back and slouched. “But you’re right, I can’t focus on her right now.”

For now, he’d just have to chalk it up as one of those things and try to put it in the back of his mind.

Chapter 6

On Monday morning, Gabe paced the foyer of D. Donovan Image Consultants as he tried to shake off the residual effect of Elina Sinclair. He’d managed okay the rest of yesterday in the Hamptons, and even this morning. But as soon as he hit the city and parked, he would have sworn he saw Elina somewhere near Soho, walking uptown. Just what he needed right before he had to beg Delilah Donovan to take him on as a client.

“Hiya,” said a pretty redhead. “You must be Gabe. I’m Willow. Come on back. I’ll take you to Delilah.”

He shook hands with the slim woman, and followed her down the hall toward the bank of offices. “It’s nice to meet you. This is a great space.”

“Thanks. It took us about a year and a half to get it just right. But we love it.”

Willow didn’t look like any fixer he’d ever met before. She wore leather pants and plenty of eyeliner, and her tattoos were on full display with her sleeveless top. “How long have you guys been here now?”

“Gosh, it’s been almost two years now. We were at Park & Associates before.” She shrugged. “But it’s better being on our own.”

“How big is the team?”

“We’re a boutique agency, so just three of us. Delilah and I are partners. We also have a junior associate. I know you’re wondering if a small agency can handle your needs, but I promise you, we know what we’re doing.”

“I’m not worried. I was told that Delilah was the best. And I believe it.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Alexander, because I plan on making you work.”

He turned to find Delilah Donovan in the doorway. She was maybe five feet four inches, but it was hard to tell in her stacked boots. The sunlight behind her made her skin look like a mix of cinnamon and honey. She wore her hair in a sleek bun on top of her head, but her clothing was casual leggings and some kind of tunic. Not fussy.

He shook her hand. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I appreciate you fitting me in.”

Delilah gave him a warm smile. “Pleased to meet you. I have to admit, you’re different than I thought. I thought I’d get the hard partier, but you look good.”

He shifted on his feet. “In that case I’m happy to disappoint.”

She and Willow took seats across from him. “So, why don’t you tell us what you’re looking for? Your manager called in a favor and I’m happy to help, but I want to know in your own words what you think you need.”

“At this point I’m looking to restart my career, but more on the production development side. I’m not opposed to acting again, but I really want to set myself apart from my father. And to distance myself from that pissed-off kid who was drunk all the time and slept with too many starlets.” The years of fifteen to twenty were pretty much a blur.

Delilah nodded. “Why, though? From what I understand you were smart with your money. It could’ve gone in the opposite direction, given how hard you were going. Why do you want to open yourself back up to that kind of scrutiny?”

It was a good question. “Because I love to create. And I have a story that won’t leave me alone. I just need the financial backing to get it made. And given my history, no one’s exactly lining up to give me money. I can fund some of it myself, but I know I’ll need more money than that.”

She nodded. “You’re right. You will need more money. So why don’t you tell us about your script?”

For the next thirty minutes he walked them through his plan, his cast and the story. They were receptive and thought his idea was good. Delilah leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees, and folded her hands. “Okay, talking to you, I see that you mean this. I rarely sign on entertainment clients anymore. Been burned too many times by people who wanted paparazzi placements as opposed to legitimate media. I think we can work together, but I have a specific set of rules.”

“Okay, I can work with rules.”

“You need to be above reproach when it comes to women. I suggest steering clear of any potential land mines for a while. No sneaking out to starlets’ rooms at night. No going back with some random at a concert or anything like that. Squeaky-clean until you get the funding you need. No perception of impropriety. You had one hell of a rep. We need to make you into a new man. One who is all about the work.”

He nodded. “I can do that. Whatever it takes. I don’t want anything to get in my way. Whether you choose to help me or not.”

She smiled and sat back. “Now that’s the kind of client I’m looking for.” There was a buzz from the front of the office that signaled someone was there. And when the door to the conference lounge opened, Gabe knew he was about to break every promise he’d just made.

Delilah smiled. “Hey, Elina. You’re just in time to meet our latest client. This is Gabe Alexander, and we’ll be working with him for the next several months.”

Gabe slid his gaze to Elina and held his breath. Her wide-eyed stare told him everything he needed to know. She’d never intended to see him again.

Chapter 7

How was this her life? Most people never saw their random hookups again. Not Elina. Her hookup was sitting there, in a meeting with her boss. And of course she was supposed to smile and nod at him. Which she barely managed.

As soon as the meeting was over, Elina tried to book it out of the office. “I’m just going to make a quick coffee run. Anyone need anything?”

Willow called out, “I’ll take my usual from the coffee cart off Porter.”

Delilah called, “The same.”

She didn’t really expect Gabe to have a coffee order. She also didn’t expect that he would come with her. “I’ll just go and help carry it all back. Plus, the least I can do is buy you guys coffee.”

Shit. She moved faster. It didn’t matter that she was trying to avoid him; he caught up to her quickly enough. “You don’t have to follow me. Why don’t you just go back to the office and I’ll bring you whatever you need.”

Gabe kept his voice low as she stormed onto the downtown streets. “You are what I need right now, or at least, an answer. Did you know you abandoned me?”

“I didn’t abandon you. I had to catch the jitney back to the city.” Mostly true.

“Are you serious right now?” He glared at her.

Okay, that was a flimsy excuse. But it was all she had at the moment. There was no way she was telling him she ran because she couldn’t handle the connection she’d felt. “Look, these things happen.”

He sputtered. “These things happen? Not to me they don’t.”

“What are you doing here?” she spat. “In case you didn’t know, when you hook up with someone, they’re not supposed to turn up the next day. That’s like a rule or something. Or it should be.”

“Maybe you should stop having random nights out with random dudes.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” Exasperated, he threw his hands up.

She stiffened her spine, turning back and marching towards Delilah’s favorite coffee cart. “Look, what happened, happened. The best we can do is to pretend it didn’t. We’re gonna go back and act like we don’t know each other, because we don’t when you think about it.”

He blinked at her. “That’s what you seriously want?”

“Maybe you don’t know Delilah, but she has a full-disclosure policy and she doesn’t mess around with it. From what I just heard in there, you need her. If she finds out that we slept together, she’ll drop you, given your reputation.”

“What will she do to you?”

Elina didn’t want to think about that. “Well, then I can just kiss the career I worked so hard for goodbye. You need your film and I need my job. So we don’t know each other.”

He pulled her into an alley by the coffee cart. “You can do that? Pretend? That Saturday night never happened?”

She tilted her chin up. “Yeah, and given your rep, I know you can.”

His brows snapped down. And then before she knew it, his lips were on hers. Harsh and firm and demanding. His tongue delved into her mouth and demanded she respond. Traitor that her body was, she melted as if today was a continuation of Saturday night and Sunday morning. She knew that when it came to him, she was weak. She wouldn’t be able to stop.

Gabe pulled back. “Still want to pretend we don’t know each other?”

Elina scowled and pushed his broad shoulders back. “Yes. As far as you and I are concerned, we’ve never met.” Now all she needed was to tell her body that.

Chapter 8

After a week of working with Gabe, Elina was ready to lose her mind. Normally clients didn’t post up in the office, but given the urgency to get him in some festivals, he had camped out.

Plus, he had this whole thing about proving his commitment. Willow and Delilah seemed impressed; she, however...was not.

Every time she turned around, he was there. She said his name more times in a day than she said her own. Over the last week, she called all the studio reps in Delilah’s contacts to set up meetings with him. She sent out scripts. She got him coffee. She worked with managers to determine cast availability. Next on her list for tomorrow was to call the film festivals to create some buzz around his project. The closest ones coming were Montreal, Toronto and Sundance.

Sundance was so competitive these days it would be difficult to get into that one, but Montreal and Toronto were good bets.

Long after Delilah and Willow left for the night, she finally snapped her laptop shut only to discover that Gabe was still in the meeting lounge on a call with the West Coast. Damn it, she couldn’t leave without him. She had to close up. She ended up lurking around for another thirty minutes before he was done.

He looked up with an apologetic smile. “Hey, sorry about that. Delilah said I should go ahead and finish the calls here.”

She bit her tongue. “No, it’s fine. Let’s go and I’ll lock up.”

They’d managed to pretend they didn’t know each other well enough. She didn’t think Willow or Delilah had any suspicions. But as the firm’s investigator, Willow had her ways of finding things out, so they needed to be extra careful around her.

They walked out of the building, and Gabe shoved his hands in his jeans and rocked onto his heels while she secured the front door. “So, how do you think we did this week?”

She sighed. “I think it’s fine. Willow is tricky, though. We’ll just have to keep from being too familiar.”

Never mind that instinctual need to reach out and brush his hair or straighten his tie. Which was ridiculous, because she didn’t know him like that. Let’s face it, you like touching him. Yeah, that was the problem. A week ago, she’d been caressing him all over. That won’t help you. Don’t think about that.

Gabe nodded. “Are you getting a cab or taking the subway?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I live about ten blocks that way, in the Village. I’ll be fine. It’s pretty safe.”

He frowned. “You realize you just used the word safe in reference to New York City?”

“Yes, because it is. I make this walk all the time. The trans-hookers three blocks over know me by name.”

He sputtered a laugh. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

“Okay, maybe not, but it’s fine. You don’t have to walk me home or anything. You can check your chivalry card off for the night.”

“Well, it looks like my card will have to remain unchecked for a bit longer as I also live in the Village, on Tenth.”

Seriously? Of course he would live four blocks away from her. Though his place was no doubt more posh than hers. Her apartment was actually Willow’s old apartment. Thanks to the rent-control, she could actually afford it. “I guess you’re going my way, then.”

He chuckled. “Don’t look so happy about it.”

This was harder than she thought. “Look, it’s not that I’m unhappy, I just didn’t expect to see you again, so it’s been a long week. And having to pretend doesn’t make it any easier.”

“You think it’s easy for me to go along with this charade? When all I keep thinking about is how you taste?”

She stopped and glared at him. “You know you can’t say that to me right?”

“Yes, Elina, I know.” He rolled his eyes. They walked in silence for a block before he asked, “Can I ask you a question, though?”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this question?”

“It’s a simple question.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Why did you leave that morning?”

Of course he would ask her that. She chewed on her bottom lip as she figured out her answer. “The truth?” It was easier to talk to him when they were walking and she didn’t have to look directly into his hypnotic eyes.

“Always.”

“I really don’t do relationships, or messy situations. And I liked you. Probably more than I should have. But our best friends just got married. Sleeping with you was the messiest decision I’ve ever made. And I figured a clean break was ideal.”

Gabe turned to her and gave her his lopsided smile. Her heart flipped over. Stupid heart. “I scared the shit out of you?”

Despite herself, she laughed. “Yeah, something like that. We had fun. A lot of fun. It’s just way too complicated.” Elina licked her lips nervously, “So, since we’re being honest?”

Gabe rolled his eyes as he laughed. “Go on, ask me anything you want.”

“You mean besides where you learned that thing with your tongue?”

His bark of laughter bounced off of the buildings around them. “Yeah, you probably don’t want to know the answer to that!”

“No, probably not. But I do want to ask why you were so upset. I mean, now that I know who you are, it’s clear you have a certain reputation. And have access to plenty of women. So why were you so focused on me?” She braced herself for the truth. There was a part of her that wanted to be special, but the rational part of her wanted it to be about the game.

* * *

He considered his answer, and then he opted for the truth. It was easier that way. “At first, it was a little bit about the chase. I’m not used to being told no. But then, at the wedding, when you looked so sad, I just wanted to make you smile. I didn’t plan what happened. That’s not my MO or anything. Meet hot chick, take her down to the bedrooms in the yacht. I just thought we’d have fun. I felt connected to you. And then you were gone.”

She nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your yacht?”

“Would you have lumped me in with the rest of Adam’s bratty, rich-kid friends?”

She scrunched her nose. “Maybe. But not once we started talking.”

“I guess you live and learn.” For the next several blocks they talked about work and where they went to school.

He asked her something else he’d been dying to know. “Okay, another question for you. Why are you so anti-anything? From the sounds of it you don’t even want a relationship, or to date.”

She adjusted her laptop bag on her shoulder, and he just reached over and took it from her. “If you knew my mother, you would understand.”

“Go on, tell me.”

Elina slid him a glance. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She shook her head. “My mother is warm and vivacious and fun. She’s also a total addict.”

Wow. Not what he’d been expecting. “I’m sorry, Elina, that must’ve been rough.”

She shook her head. “It’s not what you think. She’s addicted to love. She gets high off a new relationship. The dramatics of dating. And the dramatics of divorce. She’s been married seven times. Three of those to my father.”

Some of this he knew from Adam. But it was still unbelievable to hear. “Holy shit. Are you serious?”

“Yeah. I wish I was kidding. She has six ex-husbands.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. So growing up, she would have a guy, then get bored, and instead of working it out, she would just divorce him.”

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