Will he still love her every touch...

when he finds out who she really is?

For years, Ethan Michaels has plotted to reclaim the resort his mother founded. His plan never included a lover...or a pregnancy. But his desire-fueled fling with smart, stunning Harper Williams results in just that. Now he’s getting used to the idea of a baby...until he finds out Harper’s father is the very man who stole everything from him years ago.

USA TODAY bestselling author JULES BENNETT has published over sixty books and never tires of writing happy endings. Writing strong heroines and alpha heroes is Jules’s favourite way to spend her workdays. Jules hosts weekly contests on her Facebook fan page and loves chatting with readers on Twitter, Facebook and via email through her website. Stay up-to-date by signing up for her newsletter at julesbennett.com.

Also by Jules Bennett

Twin Secrets

Claimed by the Rancher

Taming the Texan

A Texan for Christmas

Married in Name Only Montana

Seduction

Best Man Under the Mistletoe

The Heir’s Unexpected Baby

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

California Secrets

Jules Bennett

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09264-7

CALIFORNIA SECRETS

© 2019 Jules Bennett

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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To my sister, Angel.

You’re always willing to drop your

workload to help me with mine.

Love you more than cake!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

About the Publisher

One

The red bikini never failed to arouse him...and the damn thing was just hanging there on the heated towel bar in his en suite.

When Harper Williams donned that collection of triangles and strings, he always enjoyed peeling the flimsy material from her curvy body. As much as he always wanted to tear it off, he enjoyed this sexy suit way too much to destroy it.

Ethan Michaels slid on a gray T-shirt and stepped back into the bedroom of his penthouse at Mirage. The adults-only resort was beyond luxurious and grand. In addition to all the amenities that made this five-star resort so sought out, the breathtaking property sat in the middle of Sunset Cove, a private island off the southern coast of California, making this resort a most magnificent destination.

While waiting out his time until he orchestrated an epic surprise reunion with his bastard of a stepfather, Ethan had started a fling with the owner of that tempting red bikini. He’d always been a sucker for red...and the lush body beneath didn’t hurt, either.

The one-night stand had turned into nearly a month of passion and R-rated sleepovers. Even with the time that had passed, he and Harper had kept things casual, simple—just the way he preferred his temporary arrangements, and she seemed more than okay with how their fling was going.

Ethan had no clue what brought Harper as a single guest to Mirage—and he had no intention of asking. She’d been alone like him, and they’d just gravitated toward each other, as most people who came to the adults-only resort were couples.

He and Harper had fallen into a perfect routine of meeting in his room for dinner in the evening. He’d always make sure the chef prepared something special just for them and the waitstaff always accommodated every need—Ethan would remember each loyal employee when he took the resort back into his name.

There was never a set time for Harper showing up in the evening, but Ethan always made sure something was ready for her. During the day, though, they did their own thing and went their own ways. Occasionally he’d see her on the beach and take her a drink, but they never so much as touched outside his penthouse.

Watching her parade around on the beach seemed to be the ultimate foreplay.

But he couldn’t get too distracted—he still had a job to do, a vendetta to secure. His time here wasn’t all about play. Harper was just an enjoyable by-product. He didn’t care one bit that she seemed to be using him to pass her time, as well. He did wonder what she was biding her time for, but again, he didn’t want to pry, because anything personal was out of the question.

All it would take would be one quick message to his assistant to have any answer he wanted about Harper, but that would imply that he wanted to know her beyond the bedroom. Some may call him cold, and they might be right, but Ethan had his reasons for the distance, and they were nobody else’s concern.

Besides, he never started a fling if the woman wasn’t on board for something casual and fun or if he thought for a second she was husband shopping. He’d never lead a woman on or pretend he could offer anything more than his body and a small portion of his time.

So, while some may think he was a coldhearted bastard, the only person who was hurt at the end of the day was himself. It was that pain that kept him focused on why he sought revenge, why vindication was so important. Using women was never his plan, but using his own body was.

Ethan grabbed his cell from the nightstand and checked his emails as he stepped onto the balcony. That fresh salt water and the ocean breeze never got old. He was meant for the beach, while his twin brother, Dane, was meant for the mountains. They were so alike, yet so different.

Nothing too pressing on the email front, so Ethan sent a text to his investigator to make sure the timeline for Robert Anderson’s arrival was still correct. His dear ol’ stepfather had been due at Mirage three weeks ago, but for some reason or another—likely illegal—the man was running very late. People like Robert flittered around from one spot to the next without a real plan or too much of a schedule.

But Ethan was patient. He’d waited nearly twenty years to get retribution...a few more days wouldn’t matter.

He pocketed his phone and glanced down to the beach. White canopies draped over the two-person cabanas. Staff roamed around with trays of drinks. The calming water rolled up against the shoreline, only to roll back out again. Yeah, he could easily stay right here and wait on Robert because passing his time at a posh luxury resort while enjoying passionate nights with Harper was sure as hell better than anything else he could be doing for work or otherwise. He used his days to maintain and work on growing his night clubs across the country, and he couldn’t think of a better temporary office to work from.

Mirage—the beautiful resort his mother had created, which had been wrenched away from her sons after her death—was always meant to be his. This place felt like home, and soon, so very soon, he’d be in charge just like his mother had always intended.

With the twentieth anniversary of her death approaching, Ethan knew it was well past time to make Lara Anderson’s dream a reality. Sticking Robert Anderson in some hellhole where he belonged would just be icing on the proverbial cake.

As Ethan turned back toward the living area, his cell vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Harper’s name light up the screen.

Strange. They never texted or called. They kept this arrangement strictly superficial.

Where are you?

He hesitated but ultimately replied that he was in his penthouse. She’d only been gone from his bed a few hours. Since she’d left, he’d gotten in a full workout and managed to touch base with each of his managers for his nightclubs across the country. He was in the middle of branching out globally and hoped a deal in France would close soon.

Time zones were often a bitch to work around, but he had a dedicated staff and couldn’t run his company without such trusted members. Ethan demanded loyalty and, in turn, compensated his crew nicely.

He already had a master plan of who he’d bring on to Mirage to help with a smooth transition, though he fully intended on keeping the bulk of the resort’s staff, so long as they proved themselves worthy. He expected nothing but the best, especially where his mother’s legacy was concerned.

Ethan glanced back to his phone again, but Harper hadn’t replied. He had no clue what she wanted, but he needed to touch base with his brother. They might have drifted apart when their mother died, they might have dealt with her death in their own ways and closed out the world and each other, but Dane was all Ethan had left. No matter their past grief, Ethan always knew he could count on his twin.

They’d forged together to make a solid plan in reclaiming their mother’s pair of properties. Dane had acquired his resort in the mountains of Montana—now it was Ethan’s turn.

Mirage in Montana had been seized by Robert, but with a bad gambling move, he’d lost the place. Dane had gone in with a plan of charming the new owner’s daughter. He’d succeeded in acquiring the property, but somehow, he’d managed to fall in love and was planning a wedding.

Ethan would just take the property. Hold the wife.

He’d just pulled up Dane’s texts when the penthouse elevator whooshed open. Ethan shifted his focus from the phone to Harper.

As much as he appreciated her in, and out, of that red bikini, he had to admit those lush curves were killer in her strapless emerald green sundress. All that dark skin on display...damn, he couldn’t wait until tonight. Maybe she’d still have that dress on, because that thing sure as hell would provide easy access.

Her jet-black curls spiraled down her back with random strands draped over her shoulders. There was nothing about this woman he didn’t find sexy and appealing. Had she come here because she couldn’t wait for tonight?

No. That wasn’t desire staring back at him. There was a look in her rich brown eyes that had him stilling, his heart clenching...not in a good way. She crossed the spacious suite, her wide gaze never wavering from his. The only sign that she was nervous or upset was the way she toyed with the delicate gold bracelet she always wore.

“What happened?” he asked, knowing she wouldn’t be here with that panicked look in her eyes nor would she have texted him unless something was wrong.

“We have to talk.”

Ethan let those words sink in before he let out a bark of laughter. “That sounds like the precursor to a breakup.”

Which didn’t make sense, considering they weren’t an actual couple. There was nothing to break up.

Her worried look didn’t even crack. “That’s not why I’m here.”

“Then what has you looking like your world has come to an end?”

Harper took in a deep breath, and for the first time since they’d met a month ago, she didn’t seem like the confident, poised woman he’d come to know.

“I’m pregnant.”

* * *

Saying those two words out loud didn’t make this situation seem any more real or any less terrifying. Since taking the test this morning, she’d been in a fog, wondering how to tell Ethan, worried how he’d react, scared for her own future and how she’d provide a child with a stable home. But Harper had never backed down from a problem or a confrontation. She’d overcome so much heartache and tragedy, she couldn’t look at this like a mistake or a setback.

Harper firmly believed everything happened for a reason...even if she didn’t understand and the timing was less than ideal.

Her entire life since Ethan approached her on the beach had been a series of firsts—the red bikini, the one-night stand, the continuation of that one night into an ongoing fling with a virtual stranger, the shower sex, the balcony sex in the middle of the night and now the two blue lines.

She’d had one serious relationship, but that had ended just before her sister died. Harper wasn’t looking for any other commitment that would inevitably bring on more pain. But the fear of this situation settled heavy between them.

“Say something,” she demanded after the yawning silence only added to her ever growing worry.

Ethan’s bright eyes locked onto her. “You’re serious.”

Harper let out a mock laugh. “Do you think this is something I’d joke about?”

After another moment of awkward, tension-filled silence, Ethan muttered a curse and shook his head.

“No, but I don’t know what to think.” He raked a hand through his messy hair before shifting his attention back to her. “I won’t ask how you know it’s mine. I may not know much about you, but I know you haven’t shared anyone else’s bed.”

“You’re the first man I’ve been with in nearly a year.”

Harper smoothed a hand over her queasy belly. She was more nervous about this conversation than she was nauseated from the pregnancy. But she hadn’t been with a man in so long, which would explain part of the reason why she’d found Ethan so charming and irresistible. The other reason was because she was still trying to find her footing with her late sister’s company, and Harper had used sex with Ethan as a much-needed means of escape.

She also kept hearing her sister’s nagging in the back of her mind. Her fun-loving, life-of-the-party sister who always had encouraged Harper to step out of her comfort zone. Coming to this resort alone, wearing that bikini in a size fourteen, faking a confidence she didn’t feel...all of these things were firsts for her.

“I didn’t want to keep this from you,” she went on, then paced to the double doors leading to the balcony. “I just found out this morning. I realize we barely know each other, but I’m not the type of person to lie or mislead anyone.”

Life was too short, her goals too big to play games with anyone. She’d seen him, wondered what a fling would be like since she’d never had one, then decided to take charge of her life and seize the moment. She’d been trying to do more living in the moment since Carmen passed.

She’d brought the red bikini with her because her sister had always accused her of being too boring, too vanilla, and Harper had wanted to put herself out there with a bold confidence.

Now look where that landed her.

“You seem calm.”

Harper glanced over her shoulder and collected her thoughts. “Calm? I’m scared to death, I’m stunned, I’m worried how I’ll juggle it all. Getting hysterical won’t change a thing or help me sort out these feelings. So, maybe I am calm, but it’s not because I’m comfortable, it’s because I’m shocked.”

Those piercing eyes usually held so much desire and passion, but now...

Harper turned her attention back to the breathtaking view of the turquoise water and white sand. She didn’t want to witness his worry, his doubts... She had her own to deal with. This was the last thing she wanted to confront him about, but he deserved to know. This temporary fling had now resulted in a lifetime connection to Ethan Michaels. As if she didn’t have enough going on in her life already.

Coming to Mirage had been the first step she’d taken in moving her and her sister’s design business into the next phase. Harper had every intention of making Two Sisters Design the go-to for every business, every home owner, everyone who wanted a change in their office or house or hotel.

Carmen had always had a grand vision of their business. Harper had been reluctant at first when Carmen asked for her help, worried she wouldn’t measure up to her sister’s amazing talents, despite Carmen’s high praise on small projects.

But after her sister was killed in a robbery six months ago, Harper knew she had to step up and take over. It’s what her sister would’ve wanted. Carmen would’ve had faith in Harper. Harper just needed to have faith in herself...which was how she landed at Mirage.

She’d decided to start here because her father owned the adults-only resort. He wanted to do an overhaul and, though she’d first met the man when she was twenty, she was trying to have a relationship with him. Trying...and somewhat succeeding.

Robert Anderson was a man who traveled and worked all over the world. Seemed business was more important to him than family, but what did she expect? He hadn’t even known she’d existed for two decades, so she shouldn’t have expected him to jump into the role of doting daddy. Yet she had expected just that.

Her sister was all she’d truly had in life, and now that she was gone, Harper craved any semblance of family. Her free-spirited mother gallivanting around the globe didn’t count.

Harper wasn’t sure what all her father did for a living, but she knew he was in real estate. And he’d been willing to give her a chance with one of his most prestigious properties. Having Mirage in her portfolio would seriously help boost her business.

And she would carry out her duties to prove to her father, to herself and to her sister that she was capable...despite starting a family much sooner than she’d ever planned.

“What’s going through your mind?”

Ethan’s sincere question filled the room, and she turned to face him. She couldn’t help but laugh as she fiddled with the gold bracelet at her wrist.

“I have no idea,” she told him. “I have so many thoughts, but I do want you to know that I don’t expect anything from you. I won’t make you do anything you’re not ready for. I’m a big girl—I can handle anything thrown at me.”

Wow. Her little speech sounded strong, though she felt anything but. Yet, despite her anxiety, she couldn’t let the fear win, because that’s not what Carmen would’ve wanted. One tragic event after another had made her steely when it came to pain and reactions, but she wasn’t about to let Ethan into her past, into her mind and all the reasons why she wasn’t flipping out right now.

“Listen,” she began, shoving her wayward curls over her shoulders. “This is a lot to think about. We’ll just take some time to process and then talk later. I know we haven’t gotten too personal with our information, but I will be here for at least another month, probably longer. And even then, I’ll be coming and going quite a bit.”

She’d never told him her reason for being here. Their physical relationship left no room for small talk or the get-to-know-you phase. Everything would change now. They’d have to dig into each other’s lives, because now they were bonded forever.

When Ethan continued to stare at her across the room, Harper figured she should go and leave him alone with his thoughts. She wasn’t sure what to say right now. Her purpose for coming to his room had been to tell him the truth, but she hadn’t thought much beyond that.

Harper pulled in a shaky breath and started across the penthouse. The moment she stepped by him, Ethan’s arm snaked out and caught her around the waist, his hand curling around her arm. Sliding his thumb over the inside of her elbow, he stopped her with that one simple, arousing gesture.

Her body responded, just as it always did to his tantalizing touch and heavy-lidded stare. Ethan Michaels was a potent man, and now she had to figure out how to shift from looking at him as a fling to seeing him as the father of her child...which wasn’t going to be easy, considering she didn’t know basic things like his middle name or even where he was from.

“You’re not leaving,” he told her. “We may not figure out all the answers now, but I know one thing for certain.”

Why did his tone sound like a promising threat?

Ethan’s eyes held her as breath caught in her throat. “You’re not doing this alone. I will be part of this baby’s life...and yours.”

Two

Ethan might not know how to handle this situation, but he sure as hell knew he wasn’t about to walk away from responsibility. This was a child...his child. His family life may be uncertain and in shreds, but deep down, at the end of the day, family mattered more to him than anything in this world.

Wasn’t that why he was here to begin with? Every action he’d taken over the past twenty years had led him to this moment, all for the sake of his late mother and her wishes.

No matter what might come of him and Harper, that child was his future, and he would provide and be part of his or her life.

“I don’t want a relationship just because I’m pregnant,” she stated with a defiant tilt of her chin.

Ethan released her arm but didn’t back away. She was quite adamant about this whole casual, uncommitted relationship status, which was perfectly fine with him, but each time it had been mentioned or hinted at, Harper had a flash of hurt in her eyes.

Who had hurt her? What had she gone through to bring her to this point? More importantly, why did he care to make it his business? He’d known about this baby for all of five minutes, and already his mind was playing with him. He had his own past hurts to focus on. Not that he wanted Harper to be in pain—he’d never want that—but he couldn’t afford to get swept into her world and risk losing sight of his goals.

“I never said anything about a relationship,” he countered. “But we’re bonded together whether we like it or not.”

Beneath that steely look in her dark eyes there was a hint of vulnerability and fear. She wasn’t quite as calm as she led him to believe, but he’d be more worried if she wasn’t scared. Hell, he was terrified, but there was nothing that would pull him away from his child or the woman carrying it.

His mother had been a hardworking, single mom. Ethan couldn’t ignore the parallels here.

He would have Robert Anderson out of the picture and this resort back in his possession before his baby was born. Timing and persistence were everything right now.

“How long are you staying?” she asked. “We probably should dig a little deeper into each other since, well...”

She was more than welcome to go ahead and dig, but he would only feed her enough information to pacify her curiosities until he had his personal life all straightened out. No need to involve her in his family affair, which he was quite certain would get messy.

“I have no set plans.” Partial truth, but all he was willing to give. “I’m here for as long as I want to be.”

Harper’s brows drew in. “You’re so vague. Please tell me you’re not married or running from the law.”

Ethan laughed. “I’m not running from the law, and isn’t it a little late to ask about a wife?”

“I assumed you didn’t have one before we hooked up, but now I feel I should know the truth.”

Ethan shook his head. “No wife, no girlfriend. I have a twin brother in Montana, and that’s all the family I have. Well, he’s getting married soon, so I guess I’ll have a sister.”

Harper’s gaze darted down to her clasped hands, and he thought he saw that flash of hurt again, but maybe not. Maybe he just couldn’t read her well enough quite yet. He knew exactly how to read her in the bedroom, but now, well...this was completely new territory. Trying to get a bead on women emotionally had always been foreign to him.

“What about you?” he asked.

Harper shifted her attention back to him. “I have a father that I met when I was twenty. My mother is a little eccentric and floats from one spot on the globe to the next. I’m not sure what hemisphere she’s in half the time. I had a sister, but she passed away six months ago. She was...everything to me. I’m still trying to figure out how to do life without her.”

Well, damn. Not what he thought she’d say. He’d pegged her for someone with several siblings, doting parents that all gathered around a big table for each holiday. He figured she was here as a loner to get away and have some time for herself.

But instead, she was alone. Like him.

Oh, he had Dane, but since their mother’s death, nothing had been the same. For nearly twenty years, an invisible wedge had separated them, and Ethan was hoping that by getting their mother’s resorts back, maybe they’d find closure and get back that relationship they’d once had.

So, his twin was getting a wife and Ethan was getting a child. Not at all what he’d envisioned when they’d started this journey.

“Sounds like we have something in common besides physical attraction,” he told her. “Loss of family is... It’s rough.”

Harper tucked a dark curl behind her ear and nodded. “I’m keeping this baby.”

She laid claim like she dared him to argue. He had to admire a woman who wasn’t afraid to say exactly what she wanted and made no apologies about it.

“I assumed,” Ethan replied. “If you hadn’t wanted to, I would have tried to change your mind. Family is everything to me.”

Harper pursed her lips then blew out a sigh. She stepped back from him and headed toward the patio doors once again, only this time she opened them and stepped on out into the sunshine. Ethan followed her, having no clue what to say or do. For the first time in his life, his confidence, his control slipped.

No, that wasn’t true. His control had slipped when his mother died and Robert stole everything from him and Dane. Ethan had vowed to never feel helpless again—which was why he was taking this revenge head-on.

Ethan moved in beside Harper and rested his arm on the railing. The ocean breeze lifted her curls from her shoulders and sent them dancing in the wind. His body responded, immediately recalling how those strands glided over his bare skin.

Damn it. He shouldn’t be lusting after her now, but, well...he couldn’t help himself. Knowing she was carrying his child made her even sexier, and he hadn’t thought that was possible.

“It’s clear that you want to be involved, but I need you to know that I really don’t expect you to be there every minute.”

“Duly noted.”

She turned her attention to him for a brief moment, but then she glanced back to the ocean. “So what now?”

“I’ll bring a doctor to the resort to make sure you and the baby are healthy.” Damn. He was a selfish idiot. He hadn’t even asked the obvious question. “Are you feeling okay?”

Harper nodded. “Tired and nervous, but that’s all.”

“Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of you both. I’ll have the doctor here by the end of the day,” he stated.

Harper laughed as she jerked her gaze back to him. “Do people normally just jump when you snap your fingers?”

“Yes.”

Shaking her head, she turned away from him and crossed to the chaise. “Well, I have my own doctor, and I’ll call her to see what to do.”

She took a seat and stretched out, lacing her fingers over her abdomen. He immediately envisioned her in a few months with their child growing. Emotions flooded him—anticipation, worry, uncertainty, excitement.

“I meant what about us now?” she asked. “We’re not exactly a couple, and this certainly changes things between us.”

“Nothing about this attraction has changed,” he replied.

Ethan had to force himself to remain still, to not cross the balcony and take a seat on the chaise and pull her into his lap. They had never been alone this long without touching. The ache inside him grew with each passing minute, but they both needed to process this life-altering moment, and Harper needed space. Hell, so did he, but he still wanted to use sex as a distraction...just like he’d always done.

Only this time that default mode wasn’t going to be the best option. He had to care, had to put himself out there, at least a little, because he was going to be a father.

The idea nearly had his weak knees buckling. What did he know about parenting? His mother had been a saint putting up with twin boys, but she’d suffered a fatal stroke when they’d been teens. The only father figure he’d had around was Robert Anderson, and that had just been for a handful of years and had ended when the bastard stole everything from Dane and Ethan. So this was going to be one area he had to learn all on his own...a vulnerable spot to find himself in.

Harper swung her legs over the side of the chaise and came to her feet.

“Listen, I have some things I need to do today,” she told him. “We both should take some time to process, and I will contact my own doctor.”

“I will—”

Harper held up her hands. “I don’t deal well with anyone trying to control me—that’s going to be the first personal thing about me you need to understand. I can take care of getting my own health care. I promise not to leave you out.”

Ethan didn’t like it, but he understood her need to be in charge of her own body. Now he didn’t stop himself from crossing the patio. He did, however, use all his willpower to prevent himself from reaching for her.

“Come back tonight,” he told her. “Eight. I’ll have dinner ready.”

Her dark eyes leveled his. “You don’t seriously want to keep this up.”

Ethan took another step until their bodies lined up perfectly, then he framed her face with his hands and covered her lips with his. She arched against him and let out a little moan, the same moan that always drove him out of his mind. This time was no different.

Just as quickly as he’d started the kiss, Ethan released her and took a step back.

“I’ll see you at eight.”

Ethan moved back into the penthouse and headed toward the bedroom. As dramatic exits went, that wasn’t the best. But, considering they were in his suite, he couldn’t exactly leave.

He waited until he heard the elevator chime her departure before he sank onto the edge of the bed. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

He’d always prided himself on keeping all emotions and people out. That was how he’d lived for the last twenty years, but he was going to have a hell of a time continuing on that path. Harper needed him, and so did their child. That slap of reality had Ethan more afraid than anything. Was he even capable of opening up? Could he be what a child even needed?

Money was one thing—he had plenty of that and could offer everything Harper and a child could ever want. But he wasn’t going to be a hands-off dad...he just had no clue how to open his heart just enough for his baby and not get hurt.

After being shut down for so long, Ethan wondered if any of this was even possible.

Three

Harper clutched the notepad and pen as she circled the open ballroom once more. She would’ve already had all the last-minute notes she needed had her mind not been preoccupied volleying back and forth between redecorating Mirage and decorating a nursery.

Focus.

She had to remain true to her sister’s dream and to this job. Yes, her life had taken a complete twist from what she’d planned, but she wasn’t going to get off course. She had a job to do, and what type of mother would she be if she just gave up on her commitments whenever life got difficult or scary?

There. See? She was already thinking like a parent...not that she knew much about that role. The closest thing she’d had, her one and only life support, Carmen, had been taken much too soon. Harper would give anything to have her sister/parent/best friend here to offer advice or a hug. Harper could definitely use a consoling hug right about now.

Tears pricked her eyes, and she cursed as she blinked them away. Getting upset wouldn’t change a thing, which was why she needed to focus and stay on track.

Harper jotted down a few more last-minute notes as she slowly made her way around the open space once again. This room was currently closed off from the rest of the resort. From what Harper could gather, when Mirage first opened, there had been quite a few extravagant dances and receptions here. She wanted to bring this room back to life and compete with the newer resorts that had opened recently.

The resort was beautiful; the location demanded nothing less. But there were areas that had been overlooked and neglected for a few years, and she was overly excited, if a bit nervous, to revamp the entire place and polish those hidden gems back to a new sparkle.

She’d already done all of her designs and had everything ready to go. But the nervous worker inside her wouldn’t let her rest. She wanted to look at each room, making sure there were things she hadn’t forgotten.

This would undoubtedly be the most pivotal project she may ever take on. Perfect timing considering she was also taking on the most important role of her life...mother.

Harper glanced to her notes and realized in all her wanderings over the past couple of hours, she’d managed to doodle a baby rattle on the paper.

She’d always been one to leave random drawings on her work, but she truly had no idea she’d done this on her sketches and notes about the ballroom.

Good thing she was the only one who would see these, right?

Just as Harper started to leave the grand ballroom, her cell vibrated in her dress pocket. With her free hand, she pulled it out and stared at the text from her doctor’s office confirming her appointment.

She’d make a quick day trip to LA and be back here and on the job, hopefully before her father arrived. She really wished he’d get here, because there was only so much she could do without getting his approval. Oh, she’d love to have free rein, but he wanted to give one final okay to everything before she was let loose with the funding to start tearing up all the old to replace with new.

Sliding the cell back in her pocket, Harper made a mental note to tell Ethan about the appointment when she met up with him later. And that was just absurd. Going back to his penthouse for dinner like they’d been doing, like they were just going to continue this fling as if nothing had changed.

Talk. That’s all they could do tonight. There would be no sex. In fact, she’d find the ugliest thing she’d packed and wear it. Granny panties, too. Nothing sexy at all was going into that penthouse suite.

Actually, Harper should probably tell him they’d have dinner in one of the main restaurants. That would be best all around. They needed to curtail their desires. They’d had sex—amazing, toe-curling sex—but now it was time to move on and figure out what was best for all three of them.

First, she needed to learn more about the man. How cliché could she be? Meet a man, have a fling and still know nothing about him. Of course, she knew that if her sister was here, Carmen would likely buy Harper a drink and toast to the fact Harper had finally let loose and had a good time...then she’d promptly follow that up with some very real advice on how to embrace this new role of becoming a mother.

Of the two sisters, Harper had definitely been the more responsible, the more structured one. Carmen had taken after their mother with a little more of a free-bird mentality. Harper had never let loose...ever. She’d been so structured—until she came here.

But now more than ever, she’d need that structured mind-set to get through the project and her pregnancy. She needed a timeline and some type of plan for the future. Raising a baby while trying to grow a business would be a challenge, she had no doubt. But she wasn’t going to worry about that now. Millions of women worked and raised children. Harper had no doubt she could and would do just fine.

Harper slid open the door to the hallway and jumped.

“Ethan,” she gasped. “What are you doing here? This area is closed off to guests.”

If his wide eyes were any indication, he was just as surprised to see her.

“So why are you here?” he countered.

Harper chewed the inside of her cheek and considered how much to share. He’d find out everything at some point anyway, right? They’d well surpassed the fling stage.

“I was actually hired to revamp this resort,” she confessed. “That’s why I’ve been here so long—and will be for a while longer. I need to be part of each step and oversee the progress.”

Ethan stared at her for another moment, his brows drawn in as if trying to figure something out. Silence settled between them, and she wondered what could be so interesting about what she’d just said.

“So you’re an interior designer?” he asked.

“By default,” she half joked. “My sister was the truly brilliant designer, but she always said I had a good eye. She opened Two Sisters Design a year ago and begged me to join her, so I did. And then... Well, you know she passed, so here I am.”

Ethan remained silent as he shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. The quiet air seemed to crackle around them, and she hated this awkwardness that settled between them.

“And that’s enough of my backstory for now.”

She hated the tension that had slid between them. She had no clue how to act or what to say around him, which seemed rather odd considering they’d spent nearly every night together over the past month. Flings were messy, they were confusing, they were...

Harper mentally gave herself a slap in the face to wake up. She wasn’t having a fling anymore. She was having a baby with a man she barely knew. Which raised the question of his presence here now. Had he followed her?

“What are you doing here?” she asked again.

Ethan shrugged. “Just wandering around.”

“This whole area is closed off.” The manager knew who she was and allowed her access to any part of the resort. “How did you get in here at all? The door to this whole portion is coded.”

“Code?” he asked with a shake of his head. “The door was wide-open when I came through. I wasn’t aware it was closed off.”

Harper couldn’t tell if he was lying or if the door had in fact been left open. He had no reason to lie that she knew of, but she was sure she hadn’t left the door open. Something was off, but she couldn’t exactly say if it was Ethan or not.

“So, you’re revamping the entire resort?” he asked, glancing over her shoulder into the open ballroom. “That seems like quite the undertaking for one person.”

“I’m up for the challenge. Besides, I have a team that will come in and do the physical work.”

No need to tell him this was her first solo gig. She couldn’t treat this as a rookie project. Now more than ever, Two Sisters needed her entire focus.

Ethan took a step toward her, and that focus tilted. How could a man wearing a pair of well-worn jeans and a T-shirt be so damn attractive? Oh, yeah. Because she knew every inch of muscle tone that lay beneath those clothes.

He slid the back of his knuckles across her cheek. Harper’s breath caught in her throat as she closed her eyes and relished in his touch. When would she get over this? Would his touch always make her body tremble, her head foggy, her belly tingle?

“Ethan,” she whispered as she focused back on his hungry gaze. “We need to stop this.”

“That’s impossible,” he countered, bringing his other hand up and framing her face. “The attraction won’t stop just because we say so. Is there a rule that I shouldn’t want you just because you’re pregnant? Because I want you now more than ever.”

More than ever. In their month-long fling, she’d come to crave him more than anything, so she understood his need. They matched each other so perfectly in the bedroom. Never before had she experienced anything like Ethan Michaels...and the man was quite an experience.

“You can’t say things like that.” She was going for a scolding tone, but for reasons she ended up sounding breathless.

“Why? Because you’re trying to lie to yourself and pretend you don’t want me, too?”

She couldn’t lie to him, and she shouldn’t be lying to herself. She had to face every obstacle head-on.

“I just think...”

Harper shook her head and stepped away.

“I can’t think when you’re touching me and looking at me like that,” she stated more firmly.

His lips quirked as he took another step toward her, then another until he’d backed her fully into the open ballroom. Without a word, he reached behind him and slid the doors closed, the smack of the wood echoing through the room.

“You love every second of my touching and looking.”

That throaty tone sent shivers through her.

“We’re having a baby,” she stressed, as if he didn’t already know. “You said yourself that changes things between us.”

“It changes the timeline,” he stated, reaching for a curl and wrapping it around his finger. “It means we’ll be part of each other’s lives forever. But it sure as hell doesn’t change anything else.”

Harper tipped her head and stared up into those bright eyes. She could get lost in them, and on several nights, she’d done just that. There was something so powerful and mysterious about Ethan that she’d never been able to put her finger on. She’d wondered what brought him here, what kept him here, and now she really wanted to satisfy her curiosity.

Before she could dig deeper into this man who’d swept into her world and turned it upside down, he eased down and captured her lips. Ethan slid one hand through her hair and the other hand over the small of her back, pressing her body into his.

The response was instantaneous as the familiar tingle swept through her. Harper gripped his biceps, just trying to hold on to some sort of stability. This kiss was no different than the others. Every one created an arousing sensation that slithered from her head to her toes and made her knees weak.

Ethan spun them until her back came in contact with the wall. Wedged between two rock-hard surfaces, Harper arched against Ethan’s chest as his lips traveled from her mouth down the column of her throat. She tipped her head to the side, giving him more room to work even as a niggling voice in the back of her head kept telling her all the reasons she shouldn’t be doing this.

Harper really wished that voice would shut up and just let her enjoy the moment. Ethan’s hands bustled up the skirt of her maxidress. That voice grew louder, telling her to put an end to the madness.

“Need you now,” he murmured against her ear. The warmth from his breath sent even more shivers coursing through her.

There was a clatter as something fell to the floor and tapped the side of her foot. She ignored it.

Then ringing sounded through the room. She ignored that, too, because Ethan’s talented fingertips cruised along the edge of her panty line and silently promised delicious things.

The annoying ring persisted.

Her cell.

“Wait.” Harper pressed her hands to Ethan’s chest. “My phone.”

“Leave it,” he demanded.

She pressed a bit more until he muttered a curse and took a step back. Her dress fell back around her legs and she tapped her pockets, frantically searching for her cell before realizing it had fallen to the floor. Harper grabbed the phone and turned away from Ethan before she managed to control her shaky hands enough to look at the screen.

Of all times for this call.

“I have to take this,” she stated over her shoulder.

Without another word, she walked toward the wall of windows and accepted the call. Her hands shook and her body still hadn’t caught up with the fact there was nothing fabulous on the verge of happening right this minute.

“Hey,” she answered, trying to catch her breath. “I’ve been wondering when I’d hear from you.”

“I’ve been a bit busy,” her father said. “But I just boarded my jet and wanted to touch base. My assistant mentioned you wanted to change some things from the original design.”

“I do. In fact, I sent not only the new ideas but a new budget.”

All correspondence for the renovations was supposed to go through her father’s second in command. She didn’t ask why—Harper was just glad to have the job.

“Good work,” he praised. “I’ll take a look at everything, but I trust your decisions. I’ll have my assistant get with you about the new materials so you will be ready when your crew arrives. She mentioned next week sometime?”

“That’s right,” Harper confirmed. “I can’t wait for you to see my vision.”

Harper glanced over her shoulder, not surprised to see Ethan staring back at her. She turned her focus back toward the window.

“And when are you coming exactly?” she asked.

“Soon,” he promised. “But I want you to go ahead and get started. Bring in however many people you need, and I’ll okay the budget. I know I wanted to approve everything, but I simply don’t have the time and I believe you’ll do right by my resort.”

A thrill shot through her at the idea of starting to bring her vision to life in a matter of days. After months of waiting, wondering if she could live up to her sister’s vision and hopes, now was Harper’s chance to prove to everyone, especially herself, that she was worthy of this position her sister had trusted her with.

“Everything else going smoothly?” he asked. “I trust your upgraded suite and the staff are nothing short of perfection.”

“Oh, yeah. Everything is fine.”

I’m just pregnant by a virtual stranger from a heated fling, but that shouldn’t hinder my ability to choose paint swatches and lighting fixtures.

“I can’t wait to see you,” she said, smiling and wanting happiness and excitement to come through in her tone. “Hopefully soon.”

“Hopefully,” he repeated in a monotone voice. “I have to run. My assistant will be in touch.”

He disconnected the call, and a little twinge of sadness clipped her heart. He didn’t seem excited to actually see her, only concerned with the renovations. Granted, he’d gone over two decades without having a child, so she had to cut him some slack. Carmen had a different father and had actually had a relationship with him.

But Harper had been in Robert’s life for several years now, and he still hadn’t fully embraced fatherhood like she’d hoped.

Especially now, she wished he’d be a little more...well, just a little more. Anything would give her hope they might eventually get to a loving relationship. Was he even capable of that?

She knew he’d been married years ago, but his wife had passed unexpectedly. Since then, Robert had remained single. Maybe that death had made him wary of further relationships. Maybe if she reached out to him in that regard, by listing their commonalities, perhaps then he’d open up a little more.

But since their first meeting, he’d been distant. They’d randomly meet up for dinners when he came to town or he’d call once a month to check in, but she usually got the impression he was doing so because he felt he should and not because he actually wanted to.

“Everything all right?”

Ethan’s question pulled her from her thoughts. Harper spun around and forced a smile.

“Fine. That was just my father.”

No need to mention her father owned the resort. Ethan didn’t strike her as the type looking for money, but it was still best to keep some things to herself for now. Besides, it wasn’t like she was some kind of heiress. She wasn’t expecting anything from Robert—except for the chance to build some kind of emotional connection.

Another chime sounded through the room, and this time Ethan pulled his cell from his pocket. He glanced at the screen, sighed, then shook his head.

“I need to deal with this,” he told her. “Come to my room tonight.”

That potent stare from several feet away was no less powerful than when he touched her bare skin with those big, strong hands. He always made her feel delicate...something she’d never felt before in her life.

“You already ordered me to be there,” she reminded him, pretending like he didn’t affect her. “If I’m free, I will come, but not because you say so.”

Ethan chuckled as he started closing the distance between them. “You’ll be there.”

He stepped into her, laid his lips across hers and just as quickly stepped back.

“See you at seven.”

“You said eight earlier,” she reminded him.

He shot her a smile. “I want you sooner.”

With a cocky whistle, Ethan turned and walked from the room, leaving her standing there irritated and completely turned on. Not that she’d ever let him know how much he affected her. Of course, someone as confident as Ethan probably already knew.

Well, she’d show him. She may be having his baby, but that didn’t mean she had to jump at every command. She didn’t know any other woman he’d had dealings with in the past, but Harper prided herself on being independent and unique.

Ethan Michaels might have finally met his match.

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