by Nina Lane
The other woman’s social media sites popped up, and by all accounts, Melanie was freaking perfect. Short blond hair, big-toothed smile, slender, toned body. A UCLA graduate, she owned an exclusive clothing boutique in downtown Indigo Bay and hung out with shiny, lovely people who posted pictures of themselves with arms linked and ear-to-ear smiles. How am I supposed to compete with that?
Kate sighed. Miles was in a few of the photos, though he didn’t look as happy as the rest of the crowd. In a couple, he stood a distance apart, as if he weren’t quite comfortable with their evident joviality.
Maybe that was the reason they’d broken up. Maybe Melanie’s friends were too fun-loving for Miles. He was serious and thoughtful, after all. He would have neither the time nor the patience for loud groups of people who apparently couldn’t stop laughing. Miles was far more suited to quiet evenings at the theater or perhaps discussing Thomas Hardy at a book club.
Melanie might be perfect, but she hadn’t been perfect for Miles. And that was where Kate would come in.
“Kate, do you have a copy of the meeting agenda?” Luke called from inside his office.
“Right here, sir.” She hurried to his desk, extending a copy from her binder. “Also, did you have a chance to review my memo about the need for a new computer and cataloguing database in the library?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” He leafed through the report. “When we hire a new librarian, he or she will need to have some structure in place. Go ahead and order whatever you think is best. I’ll sign off on it.”
“Are you sure? I’d be happy to show you the different features of each system so you can make an educated decision.”
“Kate.” Luke gave her a smile. “I trust you. Order anything you want. Maybe even Tyler can do something with it.”
Kate’s pleasure over his admission of trust dissipated with that parting shot about Tyler. It seemed no one—including her, truth be told—believed Tyler was capable of getting anything done.
Tyler himself didn’t seem to think so either. She suspected people didn’t often go to him for help with…well, anything. His other brothers all had their own areas of expertise, but from what she could tell, the only thing Tyler had was a reputation for being a womanizer and a reckless rich kid.
But surely there was more to him than that. When it came to everyone, there was always more than met the eye.
She sat back down at her desk. Tyler had been right, tough as that was to admit to herself. She really didn’t know how to flirt or entice a man. No wonder he thought he could play her with a few hot words and moves.
Except he’d failed. Hah.
She pulled up her web browser again and typed Tyler Stone. As she’d expected, dozens of images appeared—some publicity photos of Tyler with his family and more of him out on the town, his arm wrapped around one stunning beauty or another. In all the photos, whether he was wearing a tuxedo or jeans and a T-shirt, he looked gorgeous—dazzling smile, warm crinkled eyes, his dark hair glowing under the lights.
Kate wasn’t surprised. And why would she be? Tyler had flirted and flattered his way through life, which was probably part of the reason he had no viable work skills. Clearly his talent lay in the dating department, and he couldn’t get paid for that unless he was really hard up.
You could take lessons from me.
His words echoed through her head. Too bad there wasn’t some sort of “Tyler Stone Dating Curriculum” he could give her in exchange for the information she’d sent him about library studies.
Unless there was.
She started to put her phone away when it buzzed with a text.
T. STONE: I was looking for a book on magic, but it disappeared.
K. DARLING: What you need is a self-help book.
T. STONE: And the geography books are all in the wrong place.
K. DARLING: You have a really bad latitude.
T. STONE: What did one library book say to the other?
K. DARLING: I want to check you out.
T. STONE: Go ahead. I’m right behind you.
He caught the smile on her face the instant before she had a chance to suppress it. She slipped her phone back into the holster and leveled him with her “executive assistant” look.
“May I help you, Mr. Stone?” she asked crisply.
“I come in peace.” He held up his hands in a gesture of truce. “And to apologize. But I understand if you want to kick me to the curb after the way I treated you earlier.”
“I seem to recall that the player became the played.” She arched an eyebrow. “If you can suppress your embarrassment over getting bested by a girl, I’ll be glad to listen to your apology.”
He almost grinned. Normally he wouldn’t particularly like being “bested by a girl,” but things seemed to be very different with Kate.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to…well, okay, I did mean to play you a little, but I shouldn’t have. I’m a little desperate here.”
“By my estimation, you’re a lot desperate.”
“Well, yeah, but that’s not why I…I mean…” Tyler sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? Really. I’m out of my depth. In the library at least. The hot stuff is right in my wheelhouse. It’s been a while since I’ve had any action, but I’m…okay, I’ll shut up now.”
“Here’s some advice.” Kate crossed her arms. “You didn’t have to go to such lengths. You could have just asked me for help.”
Guilt stabbed him. Though he’d initially thought she had secrets under her starchy exterior, she was obviously a nice, hardworking young woman. And even though she’d one-upped his attempt to play her, he still felt bad about his behavior.
Not to mention, Luke would kill him if he found out his little brother had been messing with his assistant.
He sank into the chair beside her desk. He needed her help more than ever. If he failed at this stupid job, he’d be unable to make his payments on time, which meant Sam Corrigan would press charges, which meant the whole fuck-up would get blasted all over the place.
“Look.” He had only one route left, and that was flat-out honesty. “I know I was an ass, but I really do need your help. You know way more about this stuff than I ever will, and I have to get the job done so this threat isn’t hanging over my family and Sugar Rush anymore. So what will it take? How can I earn your help?”
Kate studied him for so long that he thought she’d never respond. Of course she wouldn’t. She knew what a player he could be. Why would she ever agree to help him?
She pushed up from her seat, glancing at the closed door of Luke’s office.
“Come with me.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want anyone to overhear.”
Since he was in no position to disobey her orders—not that that was a bad thing—Tyler followed her down the corridor to a storage closet. Kate flicked the lights on and locked the door behind them.
“Cloak and dagger,” he remarked. “I like it.”
She stood by the door with her arms still crossed and her expression determined. Their gazes met. Energy lit in the air between them, something sharp and crackling. Tyler waited, sensing his fortune was about to change…but not without a price.
“I’ll make a deal with you,” Kate said.
“Okay.”
“I’ll help you with the library if you give me dating advice.”
“Uh…what?”
“Advice,” Kate repeated. “You see, I’ve had a crush on Miles since he started working at Sugar Rush, but he had a girlfriend. Now that they’ve broken up, I finally have a chance. I really don’t want to get it wrong this time.”
An unexpected feeling softened Tyler’s chest. “What does that have to do with me?”
“I know you’re a dating expert,” she continued. “And you know I have a terrible lack of game. I’ve never been good at male-female relationships outside of work. Also I’ve never had…well, I don’t really get it. I’ve never learned all the intricacies of flirting and dating
. So maybe you could help me out, give me some pointers and advice on how I can make Miles want to go out with me.”
Tyler shook his head, not sure he understood this right. “You want me to help you land Miles Norwood? And in exchange, you’ll help me organize the library?”
“Yes.” Kate looked pleased that he’d grasped the concept so fast.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Give me some pointers on how men like women to approach them.” She took her phone from the holster again and scrolled. “Critique my conversational style. Tell me what men expect on dates, what they like to do, how they like women to look and behave. I know there are certain qualities men enjoy in women, and I’m sure I have some of them, but I need advice on how to actually bring them.”
She was the strangest creature he’d ever met. Not to mention she kept throwing him curve balls that he had no idea how to catch. He scratched his neck.
“Here.” Kate showed him the screen of her phone, which displayed an attractive, smiling blonde woman with a great rack.
“Melanie McGuffin,” she explained. “Miles’s ex-girlfriend. I need to be more like her.”
Tyler frowned. “You don’t need to be more like anyone.”
“I mean, sexier, shinier, more appealing to men. You know.”
He did know, but he didn’t want to tell her that. For the first time, he realized that he kind of liked Kate’s lack of effort with her appearance. It made her different from pretty much every other woman he’d known.
“I’ve seen all the pictures of you out on the town with tons of women,” Kate added. “And you were the one who brought it up when you said I could take lessons from you.”
He tried to get his head around this idea. Boat payments aside, if he didn’t get the job done, he was facing the next ten years buried under a pile of mildewed books.
Unless he agreed to her ridiculous offer. Which apparently he’d inspired in the first place. Jackass.
“What do you think?” Kate looked at him with such hopeful expectation that something twisted in his gut. “Will you do it?”
What the hell was he supposed to say? He’d never finish his job at the library without Kate’s help. But he’d never helped a woman get another guy. He was usually the one they wanted. On the other hand, stuffy Norwood was perfect for efficient Kate—and she wanted him—so what did Tyler have to lose by agreeing to the deal?
Nothing.
His brain flashed with a memory of Kate falling against him, his arms closing around her, the sugary smell of her filling his head.
Nothing. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain if agreeing to this deal meant he could make his payments and be freed from the damned library.
He took a breath and forced out the word, “Okay.”
Kate blinked, like she hadn’t expected that response. “What?”
“I said okay,” Tyler said, his voice unexpectedly sharp. “I’ll help you get Miles to notice you. Apparently I’ve now turned into a fifth grade girl. But not a single other person knows about this or I’ll get laughed out of town for being a freaking Dr. Doolittle or whatever.”
“Henry Higgins,” Kate corrected. “He was a phonetics professor in My Fair Lady. Eliza Doolittle was the Cockney flower seller whom he transforms into a lady.”
“Whatever.” He started for the door, his shoulders tight with tension.
“Why is this so upsetting to you?” Kate asked.
“I’m not upset.” He glowered at her. “I just don’t know what you expect me to do. Tell you all the things I think are wrong with you?”
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” she said. “I’ve just spent most of my life as a back-up singer rather than the starring act where relationships are concerned. Think of me as a project, like Henry did with Eliza. You’re the professor, and I’m the student. Mutually beneficial.”
Just what he wanted. So why was it sticking in his craw?
“But don’t expect me to bring you your slippers,” Kate added.
“What are you talking about?”
She smiled. “Haven’t you ever seen My Fair Lady?”
“No.” But the title rang a bell. Tyler dug into the smutty part of his memory, which was substantial. “I’ve seen a porn flick called My Bare Lady. Higgins turns Eliza into an adult film star. It’s a classic. I can’t remember if there are slippers. There’s definitely spanking.”
Kate’s lips twisted with derision, drawing his attention to her mouth. That notch in her upper lip was so fucking tempting, like a raindrop on a windowpane he wanted to lick.
Heat shot through his veins. The air thickened. She cleared her throat and slipped her phone back into the holster. She wasn’t wearing her suit jacket, and her hard nipples were visible even under that heavy-duty bra.
He wanted to see her tits naked. He wanted to see her naked. She’d fit against him so perfectly he could only imagine what they’d be like together without the barrier of clothes. He wanted her perfect legs wrapped around his hips, her caramel scent filling his head, her breath hot on his neck.
Yeah, like that would happen. Not when she wanted brainy Norwood.
He moved past her to unlock the door. He almost felt the light press of her body against his, her breasts brushing his arm.
Christ. He needed to get laid. Maybe if he told himself that enough times, he’d find another willing girl and finally get thoughts of Kate out of his head.
He had to stop thinking about her. Sexually, at least. Because he’d just agreed to help her attract another man.
Chapter
SIX
Success! Well, not yet, but with Tyler’s help she’d soon have a new wardrobe, a new hairstyle, and a new strategy to ask Miles out on a date. She was definitely on the right path to improving her social life.
About time, too. For the past two years, Kate had been so focused on Luke and Sugar Rush that the rest of her life plan had fallen by the wayside. Though at twenty-five she’d had little experience before applying for the job, Luke had been so impressed by her interview that he’d hired her before she’d gotten to the door.
Since then, she’d spent every day, 24/7, proving she was exactly what the CEO believed—a powerfully organized, resourceful, detail-oriented self-starter who maintained her unquestionable integrity and discretion. And now that her professional reputation was well established, she could finally pay more attention to her personal life.
Pleased with how the week had gone, Kate headed home to her tidy little bungalow on the edge of Indigo Bay. She changed into yoga pants and a T-shirt, then called her father for their usual Friday evening chat.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, sweetie. How’s life by the ocean?”
“It’s a shore thing.”
He chuckled. The warm deep sound reminded her of home. Her weekly calls with her father were a welcome constant in her life, even if they did leave her feeling lonely. Her father’s remarriage three years ago had been one of the reasons she’d taken the job at Sugar Rush—she liked her stepmother and was thankful for her father’s happiness, but Barb had taken over the household that had previously been Kate’s domain.
Seeing that as a sign that she needed to start her own life, Kate had applied at Sugar Rush, clear across the country from the small North Carolina town where her father and Barb still lived. While she’d never regret the move or the job opportunity, she couldn’t prevent the pang of sorrow every time she heard her father’s voice.
“I miss you,” she said. “How are the guys? And Barb?”
“All good.” He rambled on about the men on his crew, most of whom had been working for him for years. “Have you had a chance to look at the March Madness odds yet?”
“Yes, and I’d suggest you bet on the lower seeds on the first day.” Kate pulled up a spreadsheet on her computer. “I handicapped the road and neutral site records for all the teams. When the brackets are announced, I’ll send you a list of which ones have most balanc
e and depth, but favor the teams with the best defense.”
She gave him the stats on his favorite teams before the conversation turned to his expectations for baseball’s spring training.
“Hold on, Barb is yelling at me.” Her father’s voice grew faint as he called, “What? Okay, okay. I’ll ask.” He got back on the line. “Barb wants to know if you’re dating anyone.”
Kate grimaced. It was a question Barb asked frequently, and not one Kate ever enjoyed answering.
“She doesn’t want you to be lonely,” her father added.
“I’m not, Dad.”
“So, are you dating anyone?”
“Um, yeah.” Kate crossed her fingers and ignored a stab of guilt. “Sure. I’m…I’m seeing a guy. His name is Tyler.”
Wait. What?
“What does this Tyler guy do?” her father asked warily.
“Uh, he’s…he’s doing some data analytics consulting at Sugar Rush.”
“Oh.” Relief lightened his voice. “Barb wants to know how long you’ve been dating him.”
“Just…a little while.”
“She said to post a picture on Instagram.”
“I’m not on social media.”
“She said to email me…I mean, her one.”
“I love you, Dad.” Kate couldn’t prevent a smile. “Talk to you next week.”
She ended the call and stared at her living room, which she’d tried to make homey with striped furniture and store-bought prints and photographs.
Still, not even her house, her job success, and her devotion to Sugar Rush could conceal the fact that she’d been homesick since moving to Indigo Bay. Her career had always been on the right track, but now she was ready for the rest of her life to fall into place. All she needed was a solid relationship with an accomplished, dignified man who would fit neatly into the empty space in her life.
But wasn’t Tyler Stone a sneaky one, lurking in her subconscious like that? Looming with his cocky grin and player moves. Making her continue to wonder what it would have felt like if he’d kissed her.
She shook her head and grabbed her iPod, sticking the ear buds in her ears as she headed out the door. Wondering was one thing. But it was useless to keep thinking about something that would never happen.
