by Wendy Byrne
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Discover more category romance titles from Entangled Indulgence… The CEO’s Seduction
Her Enemy Protector
Southern Nights and Secrets
Right Billionaire, Wrong Wedding
Also by Wendy Byrne… The Millionaire’s Deception
Bad to the Bone
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Wendy Byrne. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Entangled Publishing, LLC
2614 South Timberline Road
Suite 109
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.
Indulgence is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.
Edited by Robin Haseltine
Cover design by Liz Pelletier
Cover art from iStock
ISBN 978-1-63375-786-8
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition December 2016
As always, thanks to my family for their support. Thanks to my Street Team and Byrne’s Bookies Reading Group for getting the word out. A special shout out to K’Tee Bee for being the best cheerleader a writer could ask for.
Chapter One
There she was.
Since he hadn’t been able to expose Cyrus Whitaker’s illegal dealings and payoffs, Luke McCall had decided to go backdoor and find out what he could from the man’s Achilles’ heel: his daughter, Grace Wilson. All he needed was the evidence, and as Whitaker Development’s business consultant, she might be the key. The woman had to know about her father’s shady practices and how dirty he played it.
Talking trash about the competitors was one thing, but making up shit about his company, LRM Real Estate Development—like poor workmanship and questionable credit—sullied his reputation. Losing the Hudson River building, a jewel he’d spent months working on and would have provided a lot of much needed jobs for the community, hurt like hell, and he’d drawn the proverbial line in the sand.
To even the score, he’d expose the supposedly upstanding businessman for the conniving ass he really was. If that included using his daughter to get the job done, so be it. Like most uber rich, she probably believed she deserved the world—no matter who she had to hurt to get it.
He’d secure Grace’s trust by establishing a relationship with her and then bring down her father before she could wrap her Harvard-educated brain around Luke’s real intent.
Yeah, it was unorthodox and not the way he liked to do business. But the buildings the man razed and replaced with cheap chrome and glass structures ruined the charm and appeal of New York’s intimate neighborhoods and displaced whole communities. He needed to be stopped. Now.
Once she and her friends picked their table near the dance floor, he eased onto the barstool across from them for an optimum vantage point.
Grace’s long dark hair was swept into a ponytail. A black leather skirt rode high on her thighs, displaying her fabulous legs from the bar-height stool. Pretending to be attracted to her wasn’t going to require much acting on his part. But capitalizing on her vulnerabilities would be key to getting the job done. He tried to focus on the baseball game, but that was pretty much impossible when he couldn’t keep his gaze off her.
His dick twitched when she smiled at something her friend said. Damn, she was smokin’. He’d have to have a heart to heart with his little brain later to explain this wasn’t about getting laid. A little seduction, a little romance, take her on a few dates and hope she mentioned something he could use to nail her father, but stopping before it involved nakedness.
Her gaze rose and met his. She didn’t look away and neither did he. Her lips slid up into a coy smile. It was all the encouragement he needed before he ambled toward her table.
“Take a seat Mr. SOAS,” one of the ladies said.
He grabbed an empty chair and scooted next to her. “What are you three beautiful ladies talking about?” Even though he used the words to include them all, he focused only on Grace.
Grace regarded him with a detached look. “Actually we’re talking about how men always have the upper hand in a relationship—they call the shots.”
He didn’t try to hide his smile. “You’re right. Men are selfish pricks.”
Her gaze narrowed. “And you’re different?”
“Ladies always come first.” He grinned as his left eyebrow rose.
Grace laughed while her eyes twinkled. “Yeah, that’s what they all say.” She bit her lip. “And then the reality of the moment happens and…” She raised her index finger and let it drop. “Oops… ‘Give me an hour or so,’ or ‘oh man, I forgot all about doing that thing for my grandma. Call ya later, babe’.”
He laughed, admitting to himself that he was enjoying this more than he’d expected. “You’ve been hanging around with the wrong guys.”
“Obviously.” She rolled her eyes. “How do you feel about shopping?”
He shrugged, uncertain where she was going with this. “I don’t think there’re too many stores open right now.”
“No, I’m talking about in general.”
“A necessary evil, I guess.”
She gave him a smug look. “How about a movie marathon with Runaway Bride, Steel Magnolias, and Ghost.”
“I’d bring the wine and call in for Chinese.”
“How about a spa date for two? Manscaping?”
Wait a minute. Manscaping sounded like trouble—like hot wax on the balls trouble. Holy shit. Just what was her agenda? Surely he could find the answers he needed before it came to personal torture.
Never show fear. “I’m pretty much up for anything.”
He moved closer to stake out his intention. Up close and in person, her eyes were darker and bluer than in the pics he’d seen on the society pages. Instead of dwelling on the fact she was much more beautiful than her photos, he held out his hand. “Luke McCall.”
She hesitated long enough that he questioned if this whole thing would go south before it got off the ground. Finally, she grasped his hand.
“Grace Wilson.”
Even while she kept her eyes on him in a way that made him believe she was categorizing and dissecting him, she gestured across the table. “These are my friends, Tess and Felicia.”
“Pleased to meet you ladies.” He shook their hands then signaled for another round of drinks. Even if his target wasn’t Grace, it would have been impossible to focus on anyone else. While all three women were beautiful, she had a mischievous sparkle in her eye to go along with a sexy smile. And he didn’t even want to think about the hot body hidden beneath her clothes. His dick was acting like
Pavlov’s dog salivating to the sound of the bell.
Damn. Getting her naked was not—nor could it be—on his agenda. A delicate balance of flirtation and a few chaste kisses was it. And that’s all this was about—squashing the man who wanted to ruin his business.
“If you want to hang with us, you’re going to have to pass a test.” Grace’s eyes grew wide as he moved closer, but she didn’t back off.
“Sounds intriguing. What kind of test are we talking?” His lips rested outside her ear as the music ratcheted up. He tried not to get sucked in by the aroma lingering around her earlobe—a cross between fresh lemons and springtime flowers.
Goose bumps lit along the column of her neck while her pulse throbbed at the base. He wouldn’t go so far as to say he’d won her over, but, based on her involuntary bodily reaction, he had little doubt she was interested.
She cleared her throat. “Dance.” As if coming out of her own musings, she straightened in her seat—maybe to give herself some perspective, maybe to gain some space from his encroachment.
Lest she think he was some kind of testosterone-laden pervert, he backed off a sliver. “Dance?”
She broke her gaze as she signaled to her friends for help. “Tess will ask the DJ to put on ‘Uptown Funk.’ Do you think you can keep up with us?”
“Absolutely.”
Her right eyebrow inched up while a smile curved her lips. “Really? After my fifteen years of dance lessons, you don’t stand a chance.”
“But I’ve got amazing rhythm.” He grinned as they both slid off their chairs and headed toward the dance floor. They joined her friends just as the song began.
Game on.
Chapter Two
Grace struggled to catch her breath. After fifteen plus years of dance lessons, recitals, and the like, she’d never seen a step kick, slide, and thrust more titillating. An evocative smile twitched at the corners of Luke’s mouth, while his dark hair fell ever so slightly across his forehead. Chocolate-brown eyes roamed her body as if she were naked, while the suggestive movement of his hips brought a flush to her face. The man took no prisoners. And she was okay with that.
Testosterone simmered in the air as predatory male stormed her senses. This man was six foot-plus of sex-laden dynamite.
Not only did the guy keep up with the three of them, he had a group of people—mostly women—cheering him on. Yep, when she lost a challenge, she lost it big.
“Let’s see if those fifteen years of dance classes really paid off.” Luke’s hand remained intertwined with hers; his lips resting slightly below her cheekbone brought flutters down her back.
Before she could focus, he drew her into a tight hold as Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” began to play. His arm pressed her closer, and the hairs at her nape stood at attention, along with every female part she possessed.
Hot damn.
“What’s SOAS mean?”
Her rattled brain combined with an estrogen fog of mammoth proportions played havoc with her ability to think. The best she could offer was a “huh” in response.
“When I came up to your table your friend used that expression.”
His breath goose bumped along her skin as he spoke. Holy crap, she needed an industrial-size fan to keep the pheromones at bay. It had to be some kind of hormonal mishap. But that didn’t explain the banging of her heart like she was in the middle of a fight-or-flight situation. Maybe she was, but didn’t realize it yet.
The fog cleared and she capitalized on it. “Girl code.”
“If it’s anything like guy code, I should be able to break it sooner or later.” At the end of his words he dipped her, drawing her back across his arm and smiling before bringing her upright.
A part of her wanted to signal her friends and verify that her first experiment had turned out amazing—but did she really care if the guy could dance like this? He was smooth and sexy…ooh so sexy. She couldn’t help but wonder if Tess’s correlation between sex and dancing was accurate.
But he was only past step one in her tests. She needed to go all-in on this experiment.
He slipped his hand under her sweater, and his fingers danced in perfect harmony along the keyboard of her spine while he swayed in rhythm to the music.
Swooning was a definite possibility as he moved even closer and her skin tightened. Every muscle in his thighs and the bulge between them made an appearance. At least it confirmed he was as turned on as she was.
No doubt her friends would be pressuring her to move on to the next step in her tests, which involved kissing him, but to take the initiative seemed weird, even if every signal he threw her way said otherwise. After knowing Luke less than twenty minutes, the guy had already set his own high standard. What were the chances he’d live up to the persona he presented? Slim to none.
His lips trailed along her neck, leaving a rash of nerve endings in his wake. He pulled himself away and looked at her in a way that let her know he wanted to kiss her. While she wouldn’t take the initiative, all she could think was: Bring. It. On. It felt liberating to be the master of her own destiny for once.
Her heart clanged against her chest like she’d just run a marathon. While she wanted to say it was all about increased heart rate, she knew it was something else.
“I’ve got it. SOAS—sexy, outrageous, and studly.” Instead of doing what the look in his eyes seemed to promise—kiss her—he swooped her in then spun her out only to reel her back in.
She chuckled. “If that’s your interpretation of girl code based on guy code, I worry even more about your gender.”
“I was trying to keep it PG.” He smiled and placed what felt like a proprietary arm about her waist as he walked her back toward the table. “But I’d appreciate it if you’d enlighten me.”
“Can’t stand not knowing what we were saying about you?” She had to admit the idea gave her a bit of a thrill. Maybe it had more to do with all the men who used her for their own gain, but the whole idea felt pretty empowering.
“Women are more secretive than guys.” He pulled out a chair for her while her friends were occupied with a couple of men they’d met on the dance floor.
“Don’t even get me started on secretive men. Let’s just say I’ve had more than my fair share who weren’t exactly open and honest about their intentions.” Starting with her father who, after neglecting her for decades, decided he wanted to assume his parental role when she hit eighteen.
“Does that mean you’d say no if I asked you out to dinner?” He raised his eyebrows, making the innocent gesture look sexy.
But she’d fought this twisted journey with men too long to capitulate so easily because he was sexy and charming. “I’d say the night’s still young and leave it at that.”
“Ouch.” He held his hand to his chest even as a smile twitched his lips. “Sounds like you’re looking for something better to come along?”
“I have this new…philosophy.”
“And it involves dissing me?” His gaze had enough of a twinkle in it for her to know he wasn’t all that offended.
“Not really. But…okay…the truth is I’m trying to be objective when it comes to men. And yes, you talk a good game, you’re charming and can dance…” But she wouldn’t mention being on a mission to put her needs first. That she wanted to be in control.
“We’ll do a little more dancing and drinking and take it from there. If you spot another guy you’d like to spend your time with, I’ll take the hands-off approach.”
How could she argue with that logic?
“I’ll be right back.” She found Tess and Felicia in the crowd and signaled them toward the ladies’ room. While it didn’t follow her new agenda, sometimes a gal needed assistance and a sanity check.
Once safely ensconced in the bathroom, she stood against the door. “What do you think of Luke?”
“I’m so damn jealous of you right now, I could spit,” Tess said.
“Ditto,” Felicia added. “The guy was sexy before he hit
the dance floor. After that, every woman in the place wanted to be you, in case you didn’t notice.”
“I’d be willing to wager there are a couple woman hitting on him as we speak, so let’s talk this out as quickly as possible,” Tess said.
“I don’t even know what he does for a living, or where he lives, or anything about him.” Grace held up her hand before her friends could protest. “I know. How does that fit in with my new perspective? But the testing we talked about earlier seems so superficial.”
“And your point…?” Tess smiled.
“Right.” Grace nodded. Her new motto required a whole new mindset and a whole lot of getting used to. “So I need to go with the flow and blow off that stuff.”
“Exactly,” Felicia said. “Just make sure you don’t do anything foolish or risky.”
“You guys need to keep me on track.” She wrapped her arms around her friends’ shoulders. “In terms of my checklist, so far he’s sexy, he’s charming, he can dance. As for his chest—although it wasn’t on the list—evidence of a six-pack is hard to miss. And as for the kissing…the night is still young.”
…
He had to work harder than anticipated to keep his objective in mind. Luke had nearly kissed her on the dance floor, which wouldn’t have necessarily been an ethical breach. The real problem forcing him to back off was that his dick was expecting more action than a simple kiss. For a minute or two on that dance floor, what he was doing didn’t feel like a means to an end. It felt very much like seduction.
Being attracted to her made him lose sight of his goal. This wasn’t about money. He’d surpassed his goal of amassing fifty million quite some time ago. Little by little he’d been transitioning from forensic accounting to real estate development, getting bigger projects as he went along, making more money than he could ever spend.
But damn it to hell, her father, that son of a bitch, stepped over the line. The first building he’d lost to Cyrus rolled off Luke’s back. Competition was part of the thrill. But after several more, he’d spotted a calculated pattern on Cyrus’s part.
More than any project he’d built, Luke had wanted the Hudson River. Badly. Revitalize that old warehouse while remaining true to the architecture of the period. Nobody saw the potential Luke did in the old building.
