by Tawny Weber
“To be fair, why don’t you give us five minutes to look over the display, then come on down,” the guy named Ben suggested with a covetous look at Larissa.
Jason narrowed his eyes. Did this loser think by voting in her favor, he’d have a shot at making time with Larissa? She might have rotten taste in men, himself excluded, but she would never go out with a guy for a store space.
Jason eyed the pudgy guy’s friendly face. Unless she was attracted to him?
Was that jealousy stabbing him in the gut?
Nah. He had no reason to be jealous. No rights where Larissa was concerned. They were over. Long over. So no, that couldn’t be jealousy.
The green haze in his eyes said differently.
“The main hotel doors are all programmed to lock automatically. Because we’re not open yet, we haven’t brought in security guards so don’t be surprised if you don’t run into anyone. Feel free to explore as long as you like,” Conner informed them. “Jason, if you’ll give us a few minutes, you’re welcome to stay behind and look around after we’ve gone. Larissa has the key to the store itself. I trust you’ll lock it up and make sure things are secure before you leave.”
“Sure. Yeah, I can do that. I’d love to look around,” Jason lied. What the hell was there to look at? None of the stores were open. Hell, Daniel said they hadn’t even brought in fixtures or inventory yet. Besides, unless the building was filled with potential clients, he wouldn’t have a clue what he was checking out.
“I’ll wait in here, too, if you don’t mind,” Larissa said. “I’d rather you get the full effect of the display and feel comfortable to honestly discuss it among yourselves. I’ll go down after you’ve finished and gather up the materials, if that’s okay?”
Ahh, there it was. His reason for waiting. Not because he wanted to spend more time with Larissa, although, man, was she looking hot. Her hair, that riotous mass of glossy black curls, was styled in a way that framed her face and accented those huge eyes. And that body? He shifted uncomfortably to ease the tightening denim. Smoking hot. Her skirt hugged her hips and was way too long, hitting her just below the knees and hiding legs he remembered as deliciously sleek. But the fabric cupped her butt just right. And her ruffled jacket looked soft and inviting, despite the long sleeves and lack of cleavage displayed.
But just because she looked great didn’t mean he was hanging out to spend time with her. Nope, smart men didn’t have to fall off the same cliff twice to know it was going to hurt.
They did, however, carefully assess the competition, looking for information and weaknesses that would let them win the game.
So. He was assessing. That’s all.
“Thanks to both of you for coming in for the presentations. We appreciate it. And we’ll let you know right away,” Conner said, stopping in the doorway to give Larissa a quick hug. It was all Jason could do not to dive across the room and rip the guy’s hands off of her. When they’d made their peace last year, Conner had claimed that even though he’d hoped for more, he and Larissa had only ever been friends. But maybe he’d lied?
Or maybe things had changed since then.
And maybe, Jason reminded himself with clenched teeth, it was none of his business anymore.
On his way out the door after Conner, Franklin gave Larissa a stiff smile, then shook Jason’s hand encouragingly. Ben looked like he wanted to drool all over her feet. He gave Jason a quick look, noted the scowl, and offered her his hand instead.
Smart man.
She might not be Jason’s any longer, but he was pretty sure he’d have to beat the hell out of any guy who hit on her in front of him.
It was like a reflex or instinct or something. Totally unplanned and, well, realistically? Unwelcomed. Because he knew from painful experience that the last thing Larissa wanted was anything to do with his…what had she called it? Oh yeah, his pathetic, half-assed commitment-phobic posturing.
He’d asked her to marry him, hadn’t he? So how could he be commitment-phobic? Which meant the rest of her accusations were equally unfounded and ridiculous.
Too bad she looked so damned good, though. She’d always been a cute kid. Tiny, like a fairy, with masses of black curls and brown eyes too big for her angular face. Her diminutive size and quiet nature had kept her off Jason’s radar the first couple times they’d met. Hell, she’d still been in high school then. Way off-limits.
But her first summer home from college? Well, Jason Cantrell might be a little slow on the uptake sometimes, but he made up for it with enthusiasm. He’d taken one look at her golden legs in little cutoff shorts and he’d fallen hard and fast. Which pretty well described their entire courtship and, he was ashamed to admit, their first time in bed together.
She’d broken his heart.
And now she wanted to ruin his brilliant business plan.
Nope. Not gonna happen.
“So,” he said slowly, leaning against the table and trying to look relaxed as he took a long, appreciative look at the woman fidgeting by the door.
“So?”
So, how was she doing?
So, what’d happened between her and Conner over the years?
So, why did she want to set up shop here, in a hotel?
So, when had she quit working for that old guy at the bookstore and what had she been doing since then?
“So, are you still single?” He winced as he heard the words, which had been nowhere on his list of approved questions.
From the look she gave him, it wasn’t on her list, either.
“I can’t believe you’re interested in opening a store,” she said, ignoring his question. “Are you leaving Can-Do Adventures?”
“Nope. Can-Do is doing great. We’re in twenty-three countries now, touring every continent.”
Her smile was fast and warm. You had to hand it to Larissa, she might hold grudges and have all sorts of insane ideas about relationships. But the woman was as sweet as they came, always ready to celebrate someone else’s success and happiness.
“You’re living the dream,” she murmured, using his oft-repeated goal, as she gathered folders and diagrams to shove in her big leather bag. “Peter must be thrilled, too. I hope he’s well.”
Jason narrowed his eyes, trying to see if she was being sarcastic. Larissa had always had a subtle hand with the snark. But she looked genuine. Amazing, considering his brother had done everything he could to break the two of them up.
“He’s as well as can be expected,” he said with a shrug.
“Is something wrong?” Her words were politely concerned, but this time he saw the look of naughty glee in her eyes. Like she was imagining Peter stewing in a cannibal’s cauldron.
“Yeah. He’s been ordered to quit traveling. It won’t be the same without him.”
“I’m so sorry. Will he be okay?” she asked, stepping forward to put a consoling hand on his arm. Jason’s body reacted like she’d rubbed up against him wearing only black stockings and a feather boa. Hard, hot and horny in an instant.
“He’s terminal,” Jason said, barely aware of his words as he tossed off the term he’d often used to razz his brother.
She blanched. Her fingers curled into his forearm, short nails biting the flesh. Jason’s dick hardened even more as he flashed back to a memory of those same nails digging into his shoulder as he thrust into her welcoming body.
“Oh, Jason. I’m so sorry. Your parents must be heart-broken.”
“Nah, Mom likes Meghan.”
“Meghan?” She frowned. “What?”
Jason did a quick rewind and realized what she must have thought.
“Peter’s getting married. It’s a terminal case of commitment,” he explained quickly, trying not to grin.
She pulled her hand away like he was covered in something gross. The disgusted look on her face echoed the action.
“You’re impossible.”
“Nope, sweetheart. How could you forget? I’m incredibly easy. At least, where you were concerned.�
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She didn’t smile this time, but her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink. She made a show of looking at her watch.
“I think the committee should be finished with the storefront by now. I’m going to gather my display.”
She turned away, bending to pick up a sleek-looking black leather briefcase with red piping to match the shoes she was wearing. His eyes lingered on her feet, remembering the amazing torment she’d been able to give him with those toes. Was she wearing polish? He’d bet she was, something intense and sexy like red.
He wanted to find out almost as much as he wanted that store space.
“I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Sure I do. You know where it is and you have the key,” he reminded her.
“Fine,” she said with a shrug. “You can use the time to explain why you’re really here.”
He could tell she was trying to look like she didn’t care. But she was strangling that leather handle, so he figured he was bugging her.
Good. She was bugging him, too.
She headed for the door. Jason grabbed the koteka case he’d brought in as part of his pitch. He frowned at the long, worn cardboard of the dusty box. “I never got to show them my penis.”
Well, that got her attention. Larissa turned to stare, choking back a laugh. “Literally? Or figuratively?”
“Both.” He held up the box in an unspoken offer to show her. She gave him a long, considering look and shook her head. Guess she wasn’t willing to see his figurative or literal penis.
“It’s a koteka,” he explained, stepping up to match his stride to hers as she headed down the hallway toward the elevators. “A penis sheath, actually. I brought it back from Papua New Guinea. It’s been blessed by a medicine man and is supposed to impart virility and sexual prowess on the man who wears it.”
“I thought you boys had little blue pills for that now,” she said, stepping into the elevator and waiting until he’d joined her before punching the button for the lobby.
“The natives are a little behind in their pharmacology. Besides, this is better. It’s magic.”
“A magic dick, huh?” He didn’t understand the amusement on her face, but loved the sound of Larissa’s laugh as it bubbled out, bouncing off the stainless steel walls. Her look invited him to entertain her. He loved that look. He figured that was why she was so into books. She had that childlike quality of suspending disbelief and giving a story her undivided attention. He remembered a couple trips, he’d listened to the local’s tales, then hurried back to his tent to write down the details so he could see that same look when he told his latest adventure story.
“Magic?” she prodded, her lips curved and her brow arched.
“The medicine man promised that the man who possesses this koteka will not only be sexually blessed, but that he’d have lifelong happiness with the woman he pleasured.”
“Nice,” she said with a sigh. Then she shook her head, as if she was refusing to fall under his spell. “But what does that have to do with the Cartright Hotel and its boutiques?”
“This hotel is a couples’ gig, right? So I figured we’d showcase Can-Do with a museum of sorts. I’ve collected fertility figures and tools from all over the world. What better way to get the hotel patrons in the mood.”
“You want to set up a sex shop for world travelers?”
“Ha. No. I want to set up a physical storefront for Can-Do. Something to lure travelers in via the hotel and the promotion Cartright promises. Along with some exclusive adventures found only through Cartright, I figure sex is the best way to entice people in to take a look.”
“Leave it to you to reduce the wonders of traveling the world down to sex,” she muttered with a dismissive roll of her eyes.
“Haven’t you heard? Sex sells, sweetheart.”
And damned if Jason didn’t have some he’d like to sell her.
4
BEFORE LARISSA DID MORE than blink, Jason shifted. He slapped his hands against the steel wall of the elevator, one on either side of her head. Larissa gave a squeaky little yelp. When had he gotten so fast?
She sucked in a breath. Her brain warned her to push him away. Her heart warned her to remember how badly he’d hurt her. Her body babbled hubba-da-hubba.
She almost looked down to make sure she hadn’t melted into a puddle at his feet. He’d always affected her like this. Long before he’d had a clue, in fact.
He was clued in now, though.
His gaze swept over her heated cheeks, resting briefly on her lips before drifting slowly down, like a gentle caress, to her chest. The intensity of his look made Larissa want to look down and make sure her silk jacket was still closed sedately, hiding her red satin camisole.
The soft layers of fabric couldn’t hide her body’s reaction, though. She knew from the aching heaviness of her breasts that her nipples were in stand-up-and-pay-attention mode.
Just the way he liked them.
Jason’s blue eyes glinted with a naughty sort of satisfaction when they met hers. His glance said he was amused, horny and hell-bent on pushing her to step up and meet his sexual challenge.
“So, are you in the market?” he asked, his words low and husky.
Her mouth watered. She swallowed, then had to swallow again before asking, “Market?”
“For sex.”
Her thighs melted from the heat his words inspired. Her breath sped up and it was all she could do not to wrap her leg around his waist and press herself against his hard body.
“I’m not really in the mood for shopping,” she lied.
“I’ll bet I can change your mind.”
She’d bet he could, too.
That was the problem with Jason. When he got this close, he made her want to throw away all her inhibitions—and her underwear—and give in to anything he asked.
When she was with him, she forgot what was important. She let go of her dreams. Her hopes for the life she’d grown up wishing for and never having. With Jason, she tossed aside the things she valued, like a stable home and family. Like romance and a career she loved. Like believing that she could be—deserved to be—the most important thing in someone’s life. Important enough that he wanted to spend his life, all of it, not just random weekdays when he wasn’t off having fun, with her.
Which meant she had to make sure he didn’t get this close, she warned herself. With that in mind, she hauled out her fake smile again—oh, boy was it getting a lot of use today—and, steeling herself, pressed her hand against his chest.
Her fingers wanted to curl into the hard, warm flesh. Her palm tingled when it felt the soft dusting of hair there, where the top button gave way to the V-neck.
She forced herself to push him away, though.
“I’ve already sampled what you’re selling,” she reminded him. “And I’m afraid it’s not worth the price.”
Jason’s eyes narrowed. He stood rock firm against her hand, not moving an inch.
Larissa’s heart raced. Her throat dried. Had she gone too far? All of a sudden, she was vividly aware that she was alone with him. Not just in this elevator, but probably in the entire building. He was bigger than she was. Stronger and in every way, more powerful. She wasn’t afraid he’d hurt her. At least, not her body.
But she was terrified that if she let him, he’d break her heart. Again.
Then his face relaxed. Underneath her palm, she felt the tension ease in his body. He gave her a quick smile, then with a one-shouldered shrug, moved back.
Her body chilled without the heat of his. She curled her fingers into her palm to ease the ache.
“You’re missing out,” he promised, assuming his usual pose by leaning back against the opposite wall of the elevator.
“Sex, sex, sex,” Larissa groused, trying to sound like she hadn’t just had a mental orgasm. “What is it with guys and sex today?”
“You mean I’m not your first?” he teased.
She pressed
her lips together to hold back a smile. You had to hand it to him. Jason never copped an attitude when he was rejected. He just took it in stride.
Not that she’d rejected him often. At least, not in the beginning. From the moment Jason noticed she was female, all he’d had to do was give her a sexy look from those intense blue eyes and she’d dropped anything and everything. Including her pants.
Until the end.
Her shoulders drooped with the weight of the memory. It was the end she had to keep in mind, here. That was real. The rest? Like all of Jason’s adventures, the rest of their relationship had been a temporary fantasy.
“You’re not even my first this hour,” she finally answered, thinking of the pen-tapper and his desire for her to sex up her store plans. It was the truth, and thankfully let her sidestep the humiliation of admitting that she hadn’t had a guy talk sex with her in over three months. Unless she counted that one bookstore customer who’d asked for a reference book on the health effects of Viagra. And she really didn’t want to count him.
“The last hour?” he repeated. His words were measured, like he was weighing them carefully. “You and Conner had a little tryst before the meeting?”
“I didn’t think you even knew what a tryst was,” she quipped with a stiff smile as her stomach gave a little dip.
She gave Jason a careful look. She’d forgotten how jealous he got. At first, she’d thought it was kinda cute. Like he thought she was so gorgeous, he couldn’t trust men around her. But then she’d realized that his jealousy meant he didn’t trust her, either.
And as they’d found out, they couldn’t have a relationship without trust.
Thankfully, the elevator reached the lobby so she could escape.
“The stores are over this way,” she said, waving her hand toward the marble archway on the left that led to the boutiques. Their steps echoed loudly on the polished wood floors as they walked around a large statue of a naked couple entwined in a never-ending embrace. “That closed-in archway on the right will lead to the hotel’s lobby and registration area when construction is finished. Conner took me through before he locked the doors. It’s lovely.”
