A Little Harmless Lie

by Melissa Schroeder

  “You can. At least think about it. If you really like those books—and I’ve seen you download three in less than two days and devour them, so don’t think to lie to me about that—maybe you can explore this with him. One thing about Micah is you can trust him.”

  “That’s true.”

  She gave Dee a quick hard hug. “Just don’t let the opportunity pass you by. That man wants you, and I can guarantee that he will make it worth your while.”

  Monday afternoon, Dee dragged her butt into work. She wasn’t in the mood. Not today, probably not ever. For the first time in her adult life, she had thought about calling in sick. It was the coward’s way, she knew that. But as she parked her car in the lot for the Rough ’n Ready employees, she truly hated her need to prove she wasn’t a weakling.

  It would be the death of her.

  She shivered and looked around. The lot was deserted, which was normal this time of day. She’d come early to exercise as usual, although she wouldn’t have time to run home to clean up. With a sigh, she grabbed her bag and walked to the club. Mondays were slow days with long boring nights, and she wasn’t in the mood for that. She wanted the night to go by fast, but she knew it wouldn’t.

  She pulled out her keys as she approached the door. Once she stepped in and shut and locked the door, she knew she wasn’t alone. The lights to Micah’s office filtered over the open bar area. Shit. Well, she knew she couldn’t escape, but she could hide for a little bit. She needed to work off steam and well, sexual tension.

  She turned and headed for the gym. One of the best benefits of this job was the gym they had. It was private, just for the employees. It allowed her to train without worrying. It only took her a few minutes to store her gear and pick the music she wanted to hear. Eminem’s voice filtered over the speakers and she slipped on the boxing gloves.

  She had a lot of aggression to release.

  “Damn.”

  Micah looked up at Evan and noticed his friend’s gaze was on one of the screens. He looked at the monitor and felt everything in him tighten.

  “She’s freaking talented.”

  Micah nodded. He couldn’t do anything but stare as she went through the same kind of routine he’d watched her do earlier that week.

  “You said she had some kind of dancing in her background?”

  “Yeah. Jazz, she said.”

  “I tell you, she might’ve trained as a dancer at one time, but that definitely is one lethal woman now.”

  As if to prove his point, she did a pirouette and connected with the bag. The strength behind the kick would definitely hurt. “Shit, she could fight professionally.”

  Micah snorted. “Like I would allow that.”

  Evan’s head whipped around, his eyes wide. “What did you just say?”

  “I didn’t say anything.” Micah pulled up another set of numbers. This one for new memberships. “I think we’re okay with membership levels now, but we might have to have a cutoff next month. We are dangerously close to having too many members. If they all showed up one night, we would break some fire codes.”

  When Evan said nothing, didn’t even make a joke about him being a pain in the ass for worrying too much, he looked up at him.

  “You didn’t just snort. You said something about allowing it.”

  Dammit. Did he say that out loud?

  “I didn’t.”

  Evan shook his head and laughed. “Oh, shit, this is going to be too much fun. And don’t worry about memberships. If we get too many, we can look into getting another club, maybe on the other side of the island. Near the North Shore.”

  Which meant that Evan had been thinking about it too. “You see a property you like, let me know. Moving on—”

  “I want to get back the lethal little prize fighter down there.” He nodded toward the screen. Micah tried not to look, because he knew what would happen. He couldn’t help but stare at her, especially when she was going through a routine.

  “What about her?”

  “She looks trained.”

  He didn’t look at Evan when he spoke. “Yeah. I told you.”

  “No. Look at the way she handles herself.”

  Micah did, watch her muscles move, tense, release. She balanced herself perfectly on the balls of her feet. The dancer was there, but there was something beneath the surface that gave him pause.

  “She knows how to defend herself.” Micah couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it himself.

  “Yeah. Not that I see anything wrong with a woman learning self-defense, probably smart considering her job. But most women don’t learn something to that extent without an experience.”

  Micah glanced at him and realized that Evan was serious.

  “What are you getting at?”

  “I’m saying she might have been in some trouble.”

  Micah shook his head. “Not likely. If there had been we would know by now. She’s been here for two years, and has yet to have an issue. Hell, she’s never called in sick.”

  But something was niggling at the back of his brain and Evan must have sensed it.

  “I understand you’re hung up on her. You don’t want to think she did anything bad.”

  That made him laugh. “Please, son, I have no problem with a bad woman.”

  Evan chuckled as Micah had hoped. “You’re such an ass. I’m just saying you might want to have Carino check her out. He’d probably be happy to run a background check on her. See if she has a nasty husband after her.”

  Micah smiled despite his irritation. “I’m pretty sure there’s no husband in her background.”

  “Still,” Evan started then looked at the screen. “That woman was trained to defend herself for some reason. And not the weekend kind of classes where suburbanites play at self-defense. You might want to know that before you get involved with her. That’s all I’m saying. Are we done with this thing? I gotta get home and finish packing. May and I are flying to the Big Island for a couple of days.”

  “Eloping?”

  Evan rolled his eyes. “If I could, I would, but I think her father and grandfather might kill me.”

  They talked about a few properties Evan had been keeping an eye on, ones that might work for a smaller club on the other side of the island. But they were soon done and Evan left Micah to watch Dee finish up her routine.

  She rolled her shoulders, which thrust her breasts out. She wasn’t full-chested, but damn, if they weren’t gorgeous. Not that he had seen them without clothing, but he could tell they were nicely rounded and high. He could imagine just how her skin would taste. She liked a hard workout and he could imagine how she would be in bed. Hot and sweet, enough to keep up with his demands. He shuddered as his cock hardened. Damn.

  Since she had confessed her lack of experience, Micah could barely think of anything else. It had always been a turnoff to him. Virgins were too much work, boring, and he would rather take an experienced woman any day.

  This was different. She was different.

  He’d never had this need, this desire, for a woman before. To take her through her initial submission, take her virginity. He closed his eyes and counted back from ten. He was probably going to have issues keeping his head straight until he got her in bed. It was dangerous to continue to operate without much blood flowing to his brain.

  He knew he would have to be slow with her. There was no doubt in his head about that. He couldn’t just seduce her. He had to entice her. She was wary, of him, of what was between them. Being that she was inexperienced just added to the complications, not to mention he had to be careful since she worked for him. He knew she would understand it wasn’t sexual harassment, but he still wanted to be cautious. Micah sighed as he watched her leave the workout area and head back to the showers.

  Tonight he would start his pursuit in earnest. He just hoped he didn’t pass out from being lightheaded and fall at her feet. He had a feeling she wouldn’t think it very romantic.

  “Do you have a second to talk?”


  Dee started at the sound of Micah’s low, seductive voice. They hadn’t opened up and her nerves were still vibrating. The workout she’d put herself through hadn’t helped one bit. As she turned, her heart jumped, her whole body heated. It was the first time she had faced him since confessing her lack of experience the other night. Even now, she could feel her face heat.

  “Did you need something?”

  He said nothing for a moment or two, then, “I was wondering if you were busy tomorrow night.”

  She blinked. “Well, no. I took the night off because I worked four in a row. Do you need me to come in?”

  “No. I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner?”

  For a second, her brain couldn’t seem to understand what he was saying.

  “Dee?”

  She licked her lips. “Uh, are you asking me out on a date?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But you don’t date.”

  He frowned. “I haven’t lately, but I do take my lovers out.”

  “First, even if I agreed to go out with you, that isn’t going to happen.”

  The smile he shot her told her that he didn’t believe it. Of course, why would he? She didn’t really believe it herself.

  “Secondly, it isn’t from my observation, but most people around the club say you don’t date. You engage—and definitely not with the help.”

  He glanced around the room and it was then she realized how quiet it had gotten. She followed his line of vision and was amazed at the sudden explosion of activity. The staff all apparently found something to do, at the same exact moment.

  He waited for her to return her attention to him. “I date. It’s true, I don’t always bring them by the club, and I’ve never pursued something like this with someone who is working for me. You won’t suffer anything if you say no to me.”

  She snorted and crossed her arms over her breasts. “You don’t have to tell me that, Micah. You’re the fairest boss I’ve ever had. And let’s be honest, you don’t need to force women to go out with you.”

  He cocked his head to one side and she couldn’t help but watch as his waist-length hair slid over his shoulder or the way the light danced over it. She could still remember the way it felt as it slipped through her fingers.

  “Thank you.”

  She shrugged, suddenly embarrassed by his intent stare.

  “What I wonder is why you make me sound like a prize.”

  She laughed. “I didn’t say that.”

  “But even more, why would you refuse to go out with me?”

  Because I can’t trust myself. She knew she couldn’t say it out loud. It was too embarrassing. This was the one man that had tempted her like no other. Right now her body ached to lean into him and brush her mouth over his, run her fingers through the smooth strands of his jet black hair.

  “It’s a date, in public. Hands off, unless you ask me.” As if to prove his point he held them up.

  “I thought you were going to leave the island for a vacation.”

  “Changed my mind.”

  After she told him she was a virgin. Now he seemed to think of her as some kind of project. Just what she needed. She sighed. She should say no, and he would let her. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t ask again, but she knew that he would let it alone for a few days. Then she could gather some of her armor against the man.

  But then if she went out with him, proved to him—and herself—that she could resist him, he might lose interest.

  “Okay, you got it.”

  He smiled, the sight of it holding her completely transfixed. The man was gorgeous, and she had seen him offer many kinds of seductive smiles. This one didn’t have the cynical edge all the others did. This one, dammit, reached his eyes and tugged at her heart.

  “I’ll pick you up about eight, okay? I thought maybe we could hit Dupree’s.”

  She nodded, especially since it was one of her favorite spots. “Sure.”

  He just kept standing there, staring at her. She could feel her face flush again. She had done more blushing in the last week than she had in the last ten years.

  “I gotta get back to work.”

  He stepped forward as if to kiss her. Panic had her stepping back and shaking her head. He looked around at the employees and sighed.

  “Sorry. I forgot myself. Until tomorrow night.”

  He turned and walked away, and she couldn’t help watch him as his hair swayed over his back. God, the man was built. Her gaze slipped to his ass and she almost moaned. She would give anything to see that ass bared, feel it flex beneath her hands.

  “So, you got a date?”

  She turned and gave Keisha a nasty look. “It’s just a way to prove to him that he really isn’t interested in me.”

  “Uh-huh. Sure. Of course, you are the first employee he has ever dated.”

  She frowned and moved down the bar to make sure everything was in order. They had about fifteen minutes before they would be hit by customers.

  “I’m sure there’s been someone. Just because we’ve never seen it doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Well, what if I told you that Sylvia has never seen him ask one of his employees out?”

  That gave Dee pause. Sylvia had worked for Micah and Evan since the beginning, starting out behind the bar.

  “In fact, there was one woman, Tina I think. She pursued him hard. Definitely his usual type and someone who loved to play. But he refused to do anything with her.”

  Crap. “Well, either way, I’m making sure we don’t get too involved. And seriously—” she leaned forward, “—it is a free meal.”

  Keisha laughed. “Girlfriend, you won’t know what hit you.”

  As Keisha walked away, Dee started to wonder if her friend was right.

  Former FBI agent Conner Dillon frowned as his sister, Maura, walked through the door. She had her long inky black curls up in ponytail, her green eyes bright behind her glasses. Something was up from the excitement he could read on her face.

  “Sure, come in. Just trying to run a security agency here.”

  She frowned at him and dipped her wire-rimmed glasses down her nose to peer over them. “One of these days, I’m going to shoot you with your gun. Because of my superior intelligence, I’ll be able to work out a way to make it look like it was Zeke. Then I’ll be super rich because of all your hard work, Zeke will be in jail, and I will cry false tears at your funeral.”

  He laughed. “My partner wouldn’t let you frame him.”

  “He’s not that bright.”

  “What do you have?” he asked with a chuckle.

  “I have something you’ve been looking for for a while. Of course, it’s because of my face recognition software, so you do owe me a trip to Alaska.”

  He shook his head. “Why anyone would want to go to Alaska is beyond me, especially when you live in Florida.”

  “It’s hot here, there are bugs and well, you and Zeke. But I will settle for a weekend in New Orleans, during the winter.”

  “I knew my ears were burning for a reason,” Zeke said as he came through the opened door. The tall half-Jamaican/half-Irish man smiled as he said it, but Conner knew better. He was raring for a fight.

  Conner saw the look in his sister’s eyes and knew if he didn’t cut this off at the knees, it would end up in another shouting match between his sister and his business partner.

  “Listen, I love both of you, but I have a business to run.”

  With one fulminating look at his business partner, Maura turned to him. “I found her.”

  He didn’t have to ask who. He knew from the way she said it.

  Marjorie Rizzoli.

  “Where?”

  She slapped a piece of paper down in front of him. It was an ad for a BDSM club. “Hawaii.”

  He looked over the ad, searching for the face that had haunted him for ten years. He had let her down, left her open for an attack, and that is just what had happened. Worse, he had lost his best friend and part
ner because of it.

  “She’s a whore?” Zeke asked.

  His sister sighed. “No, you jackass. It’s a BDSM club. They don’t pay people for sex there. People pay to be members to hook up. It’s a safe environment for people to explore their desires.”

  “Well, I do believe our little Maura knows a little more about BDSM clubs than she should,” Zeke said, irritation and something else Dillon didn’t want to even think about humming in his tone.

  “Would you two shut the fuck up?” He looked through the pictures. It was a full-page ad, four different pictures, all tasteful. But he didn’t see her there.

  “Where?”

  His sister sighed, as she often did with him, and moved to behind his desk. “Right here, behind the bar. Looks like she’s one of the bartenders from the way she is dressed.”

  He squinted and then grabbed his magnifier. Zeke stepped up on his other side and leaned over his shoulder. “How did you see her in that?”

  “I used that new program I came up with. Remember, I came in and said that I used it?” She said it as if he were an idiot. “I can set it up to scan sites looking for pictures to fit.”

  “I knew there was a reason we kept you around here,” Zeke said, but Conner barely heard him. He was zeroed in on the petite blonde behind the bar. Her hair was no longer curly or golden brown. Blonde straight locks dripped over her shoulders, giving her a more chic look. She was always a clever girl, smarter than her father or brother gave her credit for.

  “Damn, it is her. Do you know her name?”

  Maura shook her head. “I thought about calling, but my worry is that if we do, and it gets back to her…”

  Conner nodded. “She’ll run. And if she hears her father’s trial is heating up, she’ll definitely go underground.”