“Luke will take care of your bags.” Christina pulled her further away from the guys.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Peyton asked when Christina stopped and stood in front of her, her hands gripping Peyton’s upper arms.
“We have a situation.”
“Oh no. Tell me nothing happened to your dress.” Peyton went immediately into fix-it mode. Something she did on a daily basis either at work or with the Jenkins family. “Don’t worry. Whatever it is, we can fix it. We have time to find you anoth—”
“It’s nothing like that, except, the resort did have to change the spot of where we wanted to get married, to another location on the property. There was some schedule mix-up.”
“What? That’s crazy. What if you and Luke had your hearts set on that particular spot?”
“Oh please. You know it’s not that serious to us. I’m getting married in paradise and marrying the man of my dreams. Besides, all of the wedding locations on the property are amazing.”
Peyton yawned, ready to crawl into bed and sleep the rest of the day away. “Okay, so if you’re okay with the new wedding location, what’s the problem? Why’d you pull me over here?”
Peyton glanced at Luke and Michael, noting their heated exchanged and Michael jabbing Luke in the chest with his finger. Her gaze journeyed down Michael’s athletic build and how the long-sleeved T-shirt hugged his biceps and laid flat against his abs. Looked as though he had traveled from a cold-weather climate based on the way he was dressed. His jeans hung low, and the way the pant legs stuck partially in a pair of black Timberland boots made him appear tough and sexy. Peyton had always been attracted to ruggedly handsome men and Michael definitely fit the bill.
Still, she wondered about their spirited discussion. Luke, a defense attorney, didn’t back down from anyone. But he was taking a serious tongue-lashing from Michael.
Peyton returned her attention to Christina. Michael wasn’t her concern, and she’d do well to remember that.
“CJ, can whatever you have to tell me wait? It’s hot out here. I just want to check in, go to my room, and sleep for a few hours in the air conditioning.”
“Well, you see, here’s the thing.”
Peyton stiffened. Apprehension nipped at her nerves and the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. Another glance at the guys and Peyton knew she wasn’t going to like whatever her sister had to say. Bad news was coming. That would explain why Christina and Luke were standing out front when Peyton arrived.
“CJ, if you tell me that you or Toni screwed up my reservation, so help me, I’m going to strangle you.”
Christina chuckled, pushing her long curly hair away from her face. “You’ve been hanging around MJ too much. That sounds like something she would say.”
“I’m not playing. I’m too tired for games. Just tell me what’s going on.”
“Okay, so this resort is for couples only and all of our guests are coupled up except…”
Silence fell between them, and Peyton was glad her sunglasses shielded her eyes. “Except for me,” she whispered. Sadness lodged inside her heart as tears pricked the back of her eyes. Same old story. Once again she was the odd man out, the one lacking a man on her arm.
Peyton turned away from Christina, wrapped her arms around herself, and glanced at the surroundings for the first time since stepping off the bus. A large, water fountain sat on the front lawn of the resort, colorful flowers around the base.
Despite leaving forty-degree weather in Cincinnati, it had to be at least eighty degrees in Ocho Rios and maybe even warmer under the vibrant sun. Palm trees swayed slightly in the light breeze that kissed her face, doing nothing to help the humidity that had her blouse sticking to her back. And the smooth sound of drums and a man singing in the distance should have made her look forward to her stay, but instead made her sadder.
Peyton’s chest tightened. Disappointment and exhaustion was starting to get the best of her. One by one, her cousins were finding their significant others. Though happy for all of them, there were times when Peyton found it difficult to watch them play kissy face with their men. In Cincinnati, she could bury herself in work, but this weekend, with all of them there, love would be in the air. And she would be the only one not paired up.
Three years divorced, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to fall in love and try marriage again. No, Peyton wanted nothing more than to meet a nice guy, get married and possibly have a family. But her chances for a happily-ever-after looked bleaker by the day. Besides, she didn’t know if she would ever be able to trust a man with her heart again.
“I’m sorry, sis.” Christina placed her arm around Peyton’s shoulder. “Luke and I decided to get married here because they offered Wedding-moons. It wasn’t until later that I found out the resort was for couples only and by then I had fallen in love with all that the resort offered.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do, CJ?” Peyton shook out of Christina’s grasp. “You should have told me sooner. At least then I could have made reservations somewhere else.”
“I made you a reservation…here.”
Peyton snatched off her shades and glared at Christina. “You just said the resort is for couples only. How… What have you done?” Peyton asked through gritted teeth, barely able to contain her anger.
“I…uh. I kinda coupled you up with someone.”
“Who? I know everyone who’s coming, and everyone has some…” Peyton’s words died on her tongue as realization dawned on her. “No!” She backed away from Christina before her sister grabbed hold of her arm.
“PJ, wait. Just hear me out.”
“No! Christina, you have done some crazy things in your life, but this…this… How could you do this to me?” she choked out. It was bad enough her cousins had tried setting her up on pity dates over the last few years, but this was unbelievable. “How could you?”
“Sis, please don’t cry. It’s all going to work out fine. Mike is a sweetheart.”
“I don’t know him, CJ. You’re asking me to live with a man for the next few days, who I know nothing about. What will mom and dad think about me sharing a room with some stranger? And don’t even get me started about what Gram is going to say. You know how she feels about shacking up.”
Christina waved her off. “Mom and Dad aren’t going to judge you. As for Gramma and Grampa, they’re not even going to know who you’re staying with and probably won’t realize it’s a resort for couples. Besides, you’re grown. It’s nobody’s business what you do or who you decide to do it with.”
Unlike Christina and their mother, who walked around as if all was well with the world, Peyton always followed the rules. Respected rules. Predictable. Unfortunately, she lived her life as a people pleaser, caring what others thought and tried never to make trouble. Just once, she would like to throw caution out the window, enjoy life for a change, and have some new experiences, but not like this.
“Peyton, you need to stop worrying about what others think. Try to have a little fun.”
If one more person said that to her, she was going to scream.
“I’m not telling you to sleep with Mike, but you could do a lot worse.”
Anxiety bounced around inside of Peyton, and she closed her eyes. Rubbing her forehead, she wasn’t sure what to do.
“As for Mike, I’ll tell you anything you want to know about him. Or better yet, get to know him yourself. You have a full day to learn all there is to know about him before everyone else gets here tomorrow. Just please, don’t be mad.”
Peyton’s eyes popped open. “Don’t be mad? Are you for real?” she spat. “I’m mad as hell! If I weren’t so tired and if there was a chance that I could get a flight out, I’d be on the next plane back to Cincinnati.”
“Now you’re overreacting, PJ.”
Her sister’s words only made Peyton angrier. “You know what? I’ll find someplace else to stay. There have to be plenty of resorts nearby where I can get a room.”
“Luke already checked. All the hotels and resorts are booked within a ten-mile radius. Colleges are on spring break.”
Peyton didn’t know if Christina was telling the truth or not. All Peyton knew was that her heart pounded faster than a locomotive flying down a track, and at any second someone would have to pull her off of Christina. At thirty-five, six years older than Christina, Peyton couldn’t ever remember them having a physical fight, but there was a first time for everything.
“Come on, PJ. Don’t be mad. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t going to cut it this time, Christina. I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you for putting me in this position.”
Chapter Three
“I think your woman has made you lose your damn mind!” Michael growled at Luke. “Because clearly you’re not thinking straight if you think I’m going to share my room.”
“CJ only told me about the resort’s stipulations a couple of days ago.”
“And your ass couldn't pick up the damn phone and let me know before today?”
“No, because then you would've brought a date. And CJ didn’t want Peyton to have to find some other place to stay.”
“Luke, are you listening to yourself? I’m sure if Peyton had known ahead of time, like me, she would have brought a date.”
Luke shook his head. “Nah, man, she wouldn’t have brought anyone. I’ve known her a long time. I have never seen Peyton with a man. Unlike you, I doubt she could have found someone on such short notice.”
Michael still couldn’t believe Peyton and Christina were sisters. He’d met Luke’s fiancée on a few occasions whenever they visited New York, and Christina had often talked about her sister, the boss lady.
Michael had spent most of the morning with Peyton. He would never have guessed she and Christina were related. They might have favored each other, but they were clearly as different as apples and oranges. Christina was a free-spirit to the bone, willing to walk on the wild side whenever an opportunity presented itself. Peyton, from the little he knew about her, was Christina’s polar opposite.
“So I'm supposed to share my room and my mini-vacation with a woman I just met?”
Luke chuckled. “It’s not like you haven't done it before. Remember Melissa in the Bahamas? Or what about that woman you met when we flew out to LA a couple of years ago? What was her name? Leslie or—”
“Those situations were different. Hell, I was different. Besides, I already know Peyton is not that type of woman.”
Michael glanced over his shoulder at Christina and Peyton, who were in a heated discussion. It looked as though Peyton wasn't taking the news any better than he had. They were too far away for him to hear the conversation, but he noticed the way she kept swiping at her eyes.
Michael ran a hand over his head and let it slide down to the back of his neck. “I don’t need any shit this weekend, and you already know how I feel about living under the same roof with a woman. I don’t like putting myself in that type of situation.”
Luke gripped Michael’s shoulder, forcing him to meet his friend’s gaze. “When are you going to start listening to me? You are nothing like Lewis. You’re one of the good guys who always treats women with respect. Besides there is no way in hell, I would go along with this harebrained idea of CJ's if I thought you would cause physical harm to my future sister-in-law. My only concern now is that she might fall for your charming ass.”
Michael shook his head and chuckled, appreciating his friend’s ability to lighten the moment. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of seducing the boss lady.”
“On a serious note, Mike, you have to stop letting one incident dictate how you live the rest of your life.”
“You know it’s not just that one incident that has me being careful where women are concerned.”
“I know, but it was after the bar incident that you changed. That situation happened almost nine years ago, yes it was a hella crazy time, but you survived it.”
Michael rubbed the scar on his neck. He had moved on, but he would never forget that night for as long as he lived. “Yeah, thanks to you. I don’t even want to think about where my life would be if you hadn’t saved my ass.”
“Let the past go and move on, man. Besides, I think you’re going to like Peyton.”
“I’m not tryin’ to like anybody. I’m tryin’ to take a break from the whole dating scene.”
Luke’s left eyebrow lifted. “As in taking a vow of celibacy?”
“I didn’t say all of that,” Michael mumbled, stealing another glance at Peyton. Though she was a beautiful woman with big brown eyes and pouty, kissable lips, she wasn’t his type. He tended to date taller women, and Peyton couldn’t have been more than 5’4 or 5’5. She also seemed a little too stiff and straight-laced for his taste. Too matronly. But he had a feeling that if she got rid of the bun and showed a little more skin, she would definitely turn a few heads.
“So what do you mean you’re taking a break?”
Michael shrugged. “I need a break. I’m tired of the same ol’ same ol’ with these women out here.”
Luke remained silent, and Michael knew he had said too much. He could almost hear the gears turning in his friend’s enormous brain, forming some unsolicited advice. With a genius level IQ, Luke was the smartest person Michael knew, whether legal jargon or street wisdom, there weren’t many subjects he couldn’t speak on.
“Maybe you’re finally ready to settle down.”
“Ha! Yeah, right. That’ll never happen. You know my history and since that shit with Lewis and his father, I will never put any woman through some mess like that.”
“Mike, man, I’ll say it again. You are nothing like your father or your grandfather. How many times do—”
“Drop it, Luke. We’re not doing this right now. Besides, if I have to pretend to be a part of a couple, I should probably start now. Peyton looks about ready to pummel your soon-to-be wife. We might as well get this crazy charade started.”
“So are we cool?” Luke asked on their way to the women.
“Hell nah, we ain’t cool. You’re going to owe me big time.”
“Would it make you feel better to know that CJ and I are covering your stay?”
“It’s a start.”
*
“Peyton.”
Peyton startled at the sound of Michael’s voice behind her. She quickly wiped her face, angry that anyone witnessed her tears. She glared at Christina before turning to him. At least now she knew why he was going off on Luke.
“Michael, I can’t—”
“Before you say no,” he stepped closer, “hear me out.” A jolt of awareness shot through her when Michael’s hand went to her hip, pulling her close. “Listen, I don’t like this any more than you do,” he said near her ear. Peyton assumed he was already getting into character for the few hotel staff lingering nearby. “It’s only four nights. Since they reserved a suite, the room should be large enough for us to co-exist without getting in each other’s way and I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
Peyton glanced up at him, sincerity reigning in his eyes. There was no way her sister would put her in a dangerous situation and Luke had proved over the past year that he was just as protective.”
Peyton didn’t know if it was defeat, exhaustion or Michael’s arresting eyes that had her seriously considering the idea of sharing a room with him. He held her gaze, and she felt her guards slowly lowering. Now she knew why he was conceited. There was just something about this man that had her almost ready to take a walk on the wild side and submit to anything he suggested. Almost.
She swallowed hard and nodded, praying that she wouldn’t regret this decision. “Okay, we can pretend we’re a couple out in public, but behind closed doors, I’m off limits.”
“Alright. You say that now, but I’m pretty irresistible. If you find that you can’t control yourself around me, feel free to act on your thoughts.” He winked.
Peyton rolled her eyes and walked away. “
Arrogant ass.”
*
After checking in and arranging for their bags to be delivered, Michael and Peyton rode the elevator to their suite in silence. So far, for Michael, the only perk to the situation was that Luke and Christina had taken care of all their resort expenses. He couldn’t understand what Luke had been thinking with this setup. Actually, yes he did know. One word: Christina. There was no way his friend would have pulled something like this before she came along, especially without giving him a heads up.
The elevator doors opened, and Michael followed Peyton down the hall. Walking behind her, his gaze traveled the length of her body. From the ridiculous tight bun secured at the back of her head, down to her firm, round butt. She wasn’t skinny and definitely not fat. Her hourglass figure was what wet dreams were made of, and he hadn’t even seen her naked yet. Maybe the free room and board weren’t the only perks to the trip.
“What’s the room number again, 1206 or 1208?” Peyton asked, interrupting his thoughts, which were definitely heading in the wrong direction.
He cleared his throat and glanced at the small envelope in his hand that held two access cards. “1202. We should be pretty close.”
Peyton stopped at the room door and stepped aside. Her gaze met his for a second before she diverted her attention to the opposite wall, staring as if it held the answers to the universe’s most important questions. She was a mix of contradictions and all day, just when Michael thought he had figured her out, a new layer of her personality peeled away. During their travels, she’d been somewhat standoffish at times, but her sass revealed itself whenever she opened her mouth, shining a light on a witty side. Then there was the conversation with her sister. He saw yet another side of her. The tears she had tried hiding, reminded him of the hint of sadness that he’d noticed earlier in those beautiful brown eyes.
Michael inserted the access card, just as a whiff of her enticing floral scent, even more potent than earlier, floated up to his nose. He almost groaned. How the hell was he going to share a room with this woman without loosening her hair bun and stripping her naked?
Seducing the Boss Lady Page 3
