The Dixon Brothers Trilogy: Hot Brits, Books 1-3

by Anna Durand

  "Ah..." I can't stop staring at her red lips. She might have a point about appearances. Or maybe I'm so desperate to kiss her again that I'll take any excuse. "Yes, you may be right."

  I move closer, bending my head to seal my lips over hers. The first touch fires an electric jolt of lust through me, from my mouth straight down to cock. The scent of her overpowers my senses, and I thrust a hand into her hair, spreading my palm up from her nape so I can tip her head back. A breath rushes out of her. For this one moment, I let myself forget she's only pretending, that this isn't real, and I lose myself in the kiss. Her lips feel soft and slick and warm, and when I push my tongue between them, she opens her mouth more. I can't hold back, not when she moans and grasps my arms like she wants to do so much more than kiss. Thrusting deep, I devour her mouth and gorge myself on the flavor of her, on the sensation of our tongues twining and our lips colliding while we both cling to each other like we need our bodies melded but the air between us has become an impenetrable barrier. Any thoughts I might've had left in my brain fly away, leaving nothing except the blind, overpowering hunger to consume this woman like I've never done with anyone else.

  She grasps my lapels and drags me into her body.

  All of her, crashing into all of me... It feels incredible. I back her up to the doorjamb and grind myself against her, heedless of the fact I have a raging erection that's now jammed into her belly. She moans again, the sound so erotic it's fraying my last thread of willpower. I grip her arse with both hands, kneading her cheeks, then whisk one hand up to her breast and close my fingers around it, loving the way her flesh yields to me---except for the stiff peak. I want my mouth on that nipple. Now.

  But I don't do it. I massage her breast and her arse, knowing that's as far as I should go, as far as I can go. I shouldn't even be doing that. How long we kiss, I have no idea. It feels like an eternity of pleasure. I don't want to stop, but I have to break away and give up the feel of her body and the taste of her mouth. It's what our arrangement requires.

  So I step back, creating a distance between us. "Good night, Rika."

  My voice sounds rough, almost hoarse.

  Before she can speak, I spin away from her and stalk down the hall.

  Chapter Seven

  Rika

  I toss and turn all night, tormented by dreams of Dane kissing me, Dane's body pressed against me, Dane's hungry groans, the way he'd fondled my ass and my breast. Yeah, sure, I had hauled him into me. I can't blame Dane for how hot our kiss got, because I suggested a real kiss, I pulled him closer, and I ravaged his mouth like a sex-starved lunatic. Sure, I haven't had sex in a while, but sheesh. I should have more self-control, shouldn't I?

  Not with Dane Dixon.

  The man can barely speak to me during office hours, but on our date, he didn't stammer the way he usually does. He was courteous, respectful, sweet, and funny---and he even held doors for me and pulled my chair out for me. He behaved like the perfect boyfriend. But he's not my boyfriend. I want him to be. Last night I'd realized that. I should tell him how I feel, but he's made it pretty clear he wants nothing to do with actual dating.

  The next morning, I walk into the office with dark circles under my eyes that no amount of makeup can cover up. Twice overnight I'd woken from a dream of Dane so turned on that I had to relieve my lust the solo way. My hair is still damp because my stupid hair dryer decided to break this morning, so not only do I look like I broke out the booze and had a massive bender after Dane said good night to me, but I also look like a drowned puppy.

  At least my clothes and makeup look okay.

  I've just sat down at my desk when the phone rings. It's Dane's extension.

  "Hi, boss," I say, feigning a cheerfulness I don't feel this morning. "What can I do for you?"

  "Come into my office, please. I need to speak to you."

  "Sure thing."

  I march into his office, and when he waves for me to sit down, I settle onto a chair across the desk from him.

  Dane shuffles papers on his desk, head down, moving only his eyes to glance up at me repeatedly. He must notice my wet hair and my dark circles.

  I clear my throat. "I'm so sorry about the way I look this morning. I know it's unprofessional to have wet hair at work, but my hair dryer broke and---"

  He raises a hand to silence my babbling. "I don't care about any of that. Chance and I have found you another position."

  "Already?"

  It's been one day since he asked me to be his fake girlfriend. He already got me another job? Maybe the slutty way I'd dragged him into me last night has embarrassed him, so he quick found me a new job. Right. He got up at two a.m. to hunt for another PA position for me.

  Well, with this guy, who knows?

  Dane fiddles with his tie. "Yesterday, after our discussion about the...uh...fake orgasm---" He blushes. Really blushes. And he clearly remembers my joke about orgasms. "I meant the fat---the fake girlfriend issue. You aren't fat. N-not at, um, all. Or ever. Or---"

  "Relax, Dane, it's okay. I know what you were trying to say." Jeez, he's even more nervous than every other time we've spoken. So I give him what I hope looks like a sympathetic smile. "This is all kind of weird for me too."

  "Is it?"

  "Yep. Take a breath and start over. This is business, right? There's no reason to be nervous."

  He takes a breath and sets his palms on the desktop. "Chance has a mate who owns a home business, and he needs a personal assistant. His name is Eddie Masters. He films fitness videos that he sells on his website, and he also offers live classes over the internet."

  "I love streaming exercise classes. It's more fun than doing it by myself in my living room, and I've never liked going to the gym."

  "Neither have I." He picks up a sheet of paper and hands it to me. "These are the details about the job. You're to report there immediately."

  "This morning?" I lean forward to take the paper, but an icy chill has washed over me. "I thought it would take longer to get a new job. This is so sudden."

  "Yes, I know. I'm sorry, but considering our new relationship---" He freezes for a second, not even blinking, then clears his throat and adjusts his glasses. "I meant considering the business relationship we have. The dating business." He squeezes his eyes shut and hisses, "Bollocks."

  I can't help smiling at his frustration. Every time he stammers or says the wrong thing, I want to hug him. "Take it easy, Dane. I know our dating thing is only a business arrangement. And it makes sense to get me a new position right away."

  But the thought of not seeing him every day makes me a little queasy.

  Which is so incredibly dumb. I've known him for a few weeks, but we hadn't spoken much until this week. I loved our lunch the other day and the kiss that came after it. I loved our dinner last night and the super-hot kiss we enjoyed when he walked me to my door. And that's one of so many things Dane does that no other guy would bother with these days. Walking me to my door. Picking me up at my door. Giving me flowers.

  I read the laser-printed text on the paper Dane gave me. It's a printout of an email from Chance that outlines the details of my new job.

  "Stamford, Connecticut?" I say. "That's, like, forty-five minutes away."

  Or so I've heard, but then, I've never taken a train or driven a car from New York to Stamford.

  "If it's too far for you to drive every day," he says, "I'll pay for you to rent a flat in Stamford."

  "But being your fake girlfriend is my job too. How are we going to date when I'm way over there in Connecticut?"

  "There are trains to and from the city. I checked." He offers me another piece of paper. "This is the train schedule for all the lines that go from New York to Stamford."

  "Oh. Thanks." The way he seems so eager to get rid of me makes me feel like I'm shrinking into an ant-size version of myself. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you last night. With that kiss."

  And the way I forced you to plaster yoursel
f to me.

  He pushes his glasses up with one finger. "I wasn't embarrassed."

  I believe him, which leads to one inescapable conclusion. He'd taken off so fast after our kiss because he'd been as turned on as I was. I'd felt his erection. His big, hard erection.

  "Good," I say. "Thank you for finding me another job. This one sounds like fun."

  "Chance told me Eddie is a decent bloke who will treat you with respect, not like that arse who harassed you at your previous job."

  "Yeah, I don't think anyone else would act the way that jerk did."

  Dane glances at the open door to the office. "Maybe we should say goodbye the way, uh, couples do."

  I glance over my shoulder and suddenly get why he's suggesting that. A man has walked up to my desk---my former desk---and is sitting down in the chair I once occupied.

  "That's your replacement," Dane says. "Not that anyone can really replace you. My new PA is here for a temporary position, with the potential to make it permanent later."

  He's already replaced me. I know he had to do it, but still...I'm feeling queasy again.

  Dane comes around the desk to me.

  I get up too.

  He pulls me into his arms and fuses his mouth to mine. It's not a steamy kiss. Our lips meet, and we hold our mouths like that for a moment without deepening the kiss. It feels wonderful anyway. I love having his body crushed to mine, so I can experience every single one of his muscles.

  Dane lets go of me but doesn't back away. "Good luck at your new job."

  "Thanks."

  I let him take my hand and lead me out into the reception area. He introduces me to his new PA, Noah Smolak. The guy looks fresh out of college, dressed in khaki pants and a polo shirt. Did no one tell him how to dress for a big-time job like this one? When Dane gives the kid an assessing look, Noah cringes the tiniest bit.

  "Good morning, Mr. Dixon, sir," Noah says, his spine ramrod straight. He even raises his hand like he might salute Dane, but he lowers it quickly. "Sorry about my clothes. I didn't have time to go buy a suit before work this morning. I only had two hours' notice."

  Wow, this replacing-me thing really is a rush job.

  "It's all right," Dane tells Noah. "I know this was last minute."

  Dane kisses my cheek and wishes me a good day, then strides back into his office and shuts the door.

  I hustle to the train station.

  At least my hair will be dry by the time I meet Eddie Masters.

  The train ride gives me time to collect myself. Walking into the office to find out I'm not wanted there anymore was like getting slapped in the face with a big wet towel. Dane still wants to date me, for show, but he doesn't want me around at work. I knew this would happen, but I didn't think he'd leap on the task of getting rid of me with so much enthusiasm.

  The second I step off the train at Stamford, my phone rings.

  "Are you there yet?" Dane asks when I answer the call.

  "Yes, I'm in Stamford. But I haven't gotten to Eddie Masters' place yet."

  "I forgot to mention Eddie is sending a car for you. The driver will have a sign with your name on it."

  Glancing around, I spot a man holding a cardboard sign with my name scrawled on it in big red letters. I wave to the driver, who nods. "I see him. How's it going with Noah?"

  "He keeps calling me 'Mr. Dixon, sir.' It's odd."

  "At least he's being polite." I follow the driver toward a silver Lexus sedan and climb into the backseat. "I doubt you'd like it if he called you 'dude.' Noah seems nice. I'm sure you two will get along."

  "Not as well as I got on with you."

  I get a warm feeling all over when he says that. "You should take Noah to lunch. Make him feel welcome. The poor kid took the job with two hours' notice."

  "All right. I'll take him to lunch." Dane lowers his voice to a husky rumble. "But I absolutely will not be kissing him in the hallway."

  I smile with my lips sealed, holding my fingers to my mouth until the urge to laugh subsides. "Just buy him lunch like the good boss I know you are."

  "Yes, I will." He pauses, like he's thinking about what he wants to say next. "I'd like to have dinner with you again tonight. For extra practice. The publicity campaign starts in earnest in ten days."

  "Guess we'd better get practiced up, then." Practice making out with Dane. Oh, that sounds like exactly what I'll need after a long day of working for a fitness trainer and taking the train back and forth to New York. But there's a problem. I'm already tired from not sleeping well last night. "Um, I think I'll be wiped out after my first day at a new job, plus the commute."

  "I'll order takeaway and bring it to your flat. It would be, ah, good for us to get it on---Uh, get in the habit of, you know, doing things together."

  The Lexus is pulling into the driveway of a large house.

  "Okay," I tell Dane, "we can meet at my place. Not sure what time I'll be home."

  "Call me when you get off the train."

  "It's a date." I decide I really ought to go all in on playing the part of Dane Dixon's love interest, so I add, "See you tonight, honey. Can't wait to snuggle with you."

  Dane sputters, and I bet there's spittle flying. "Y-yes. God---Goodbye."

  Click. Call ended.

  The driver opens my door for me. Wow, another gentleman in the modern world. Of course, this guy gets paid to be polite to his passengers. I walk up concrete steps to the front door of a big, beautiful stone house that must have cost a fortune.

  Seconds tick by after I hit the buzzer, then the door swings open. And I get my first look at my new boss.

  The guy works out for a living, so I shouldn't be surprised by his ripped physique. But damn, he knows how to flaunt it. Eddie wears skintight blue shorts and a gray tank top, showing off his bulging biceps. His eyes are the color of coffee, his lips are thick and wide, and his face is angular. All of that gives him a ruggedly sexy look.

  I should be hot for this guy, but all I can think about is Dane. What does he look like in workout clothes? Or buck naked?

  "You must be Rika Solberg," my new boss says. While we shake hands, he keeps talking. "I'm Eddie Masters. So glad to have you here. I've needed a PA for a while, but it's hard to find someone who knows what they're doing. If Chance Dixon recommends you, I know you'll be top-notch."

  "Thank you. You're very kind."

  Eddie moves aside, gesturing for me to enter his house.

  It's gorgeous, but I have trouble focusing on the interior design or on his explanations of the architecture. My mind keeps wandering back to my former boss, the one who kisses me like he means it, like he's not pretending, like we're dating for real. But we're not.

  Maybe tonight, he'll change his mind about that.

  I won't hold my breath.

  Chapter Eight

  Dane

  I shouldn't have pushed Rika to let me go to her flat tonight. We could've waited until tomorrow for our next date, but I had an overpowering urge to see her. Knowing she's out there in Connecticut all day, every day, from now on... It makes me uncomfortable. I've gotten used to being welcomed by her smile and her cheerful greetings every morning. From this day forward, I'll hear "good morning, Mr. Dixon, sir" instead of Rika's lovely voice.

  Why does Noah insist on calling me "Mr. Dixon, sir"? It's overkill. Either "Mr. Dixon" or "sir" would be more than enough deference, but he stacks on layers of it. Noah seems like a nice enough bloke, but his face is not the one I want to look at every morning.

  After an entire day with my new PA, I need to see Rika again.

  But she's exhausted. I can tell that the second she opens her door. Especially when she yawns.

  "Hey," she says. "What's for dinner?"

  I hold up a takeaway bag. "Chinese. I hope you like that."

  "Sure." Rika yawns again. "Sounds good. Come on in."

  "Maybe I should leave the food and go. You look knackered."

  "Y
eah, I am. But it'll be nice to have dinner with you." She moves to the side so I can walk into her flat. "I don't know how Eddie has the energy to teach all those classes. I got wiped out just watching him."

  She leads me to the sofa, where we sit down with the takeaway bag between us.

  I bring out the cardboard containers that hold our food, along with plastic forks and plastic knives. "I hope you like sesame chicken. I also have Szechuan pork, kung pao chicken, dumplings, wontons, chow mein, and egg rolls."

  Rika laughs while she opens the box of egg rolls. "You brought enough food for five people."

  "You need nourishment after a long day at your new job."

  She smiles. "You're so sweet, Dane. Thank you for bringing all this yummy food."

  Her compliment makes me uncomfortable because I'm the reason she's so exhausted. I insisted she had to take another job, one that's in Connecticut. "I should've brought wine. Sorry."

  "You don't have to apologize for not bringing wine." She plucks an egg roll out of the box. "Besides, if I drink wine tonight, I'll be asleep in five minutes flat."

  "What's wrong with that? You need rest."

  She bites off a chunk of her egg roll and chews it slowly, then she gestures at the many boxes of food. "Aren't you going to eat?"

  "Yes, of course. But I think we need plates." I get up, glancing around. "Ah, where's the kitchen?"

  "I'll get the plates."

  "No, you will not. Point me in the right direction."

  She waves toward a door on the other side of the living room. "In there. Plates are in the cabinet right next to the sink. So are the glasses."

  I hurry into the kitchen and get two plates plus two glasses of water. When I return to the sofa, Rika is still working on her egg roll, biting off small chunks of it and chewing them like she's in no hurry to finish.

  "Here," I say offering her a plate and a glass.

  "Thank you." She sets the plate on her lap and the glass on the table. But when I try to move away, she grasps my hand. Her pale-brown eyes focus on me. "You really are so sweet. That's why I can't understand this fake dating thing. Why don't you get a real girlfriend?"