Conflict of Interest

by A. M. Kusi

  Harper took the glasses and removed a Fiji water from the fridge for herself before walking through the dining room and down the hall to her father’s study. Harper didn’t bother to knock, and opened the door to find Jax sitting opposite her father. Butterflies tumbled and fluttered in her belly, obviously not getting the message that Jax was a no-fly zone.

  The office was surrounded by built-in bookshelves, much like the living room, only these were filled with her father’s books on wealth, business, golf, and anything else he enjoyed. She walked up to her father’s dark antique desk and set one lemonade on a coaster.

  “Hey, Daddy. Jax.” She sat down, crossing her legs. She had on ripped jean shorts and a loose shirt that hung low off one shoulder, showing off her red lace bra underneath. She self-consciously adjusted her top, having dressed for a day of girl time with gossip, wine, and painting.

  Jax reached for the other lemonade in her hand. “Thanks.”

  Harper opened her water and took a sip, waiting for her father to speak.

  “So, I called you both in this weekend because something came up last minute. You guys seemed to work so well together on the last project, I thought you could use this opportunity to both learn more. Jax, this account is very important. They want you to do a test run with the first complex and if they like it, they will take it nationally. Harper, this would be a great learning experience for you to get in the trenches. You are both on a flight leaving tomorrow morning to Virginia. Active Zone wants to host you both to consult with them over their entire facility, website—the whole shebang.”

  Jax spoke first. “That’s great news, sir.”

  David handed them both envelopes with their plane ticket information and folders with data for the company. “Your flight leaves at seven. Return flight home is Saturday at noon.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Harper said, smiling. She was excited to learn more about her role in the business.

  She must have said the wrong thing because her father winced and turned to her. “This is a big account, Harper. It is important.”

  “I know, Daddy. I can handle it.” She assured him. Why did work and fun always have to be separate when it came to her father? He assumed she couldn’t be serious and have a good time too.

  Harper could feel Jax’s eyes on her as he took a sip of the cold lemonade that she knew would be too tart for his taste.

  “Was there anything else?” Jax asked.

  “No. I’m sure you two have some things to discuss and prepare for tomorrow, so I won’t keep you.” David stood and shook hands with Jax before nodding to Harper.

  Harper watched Jax walk out of the room and followed him, taking in the sight of Jax in basketball shorts and a fitted T-shirt that hugged his bulky forearms in all the right places. She saw pieces of his tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves, and visions of him completely naked assaulted her, rendering her momentarily speechless. She stumbled down the hall, steadying herself with a hand on the wall for support.

  Jax set the lemonade on the counter in the kitchen where the smell of freshly baked cookies filled the room. Her mouth watered seeing them cooling on the counter.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Parker,” he said.

  “Now that you are a grown man, I think it’s okay if you call me Sandra.” She smiled.

  “Old habits,” he joked.

  “Oh, take a cookie or two with you before you leave, Jaxton,” she said. Steam rose from the four warm cookies she put into a plastic Tupperware container for him.

  “If you insist,” he said, smiling as he took the sweets.

  Harper grabbed a cookie before walking to her give her mother a hug, balancing the water and cookie in each of her hands. “Bye, Mom.”

  “Come for dinner soon, Harper. I feel like I never see you anymore, even though you live in the same neighborhood.”

  Harper followed Jax to the door and answered with a mouthful of cookie, “I will.”

  “Harper, you will never get a man if you don’t mind your manners! Talking with your mouthful,” Sandra said, sounding frustrated. “Tell her, Jaxton.”

  Jax turned around in time to see Harper roll her eyes. “I think I’ll stay out of this one,” he said, holding up his hands.

  “Good call,” Harper said, opening the front door.

  Once they were both outside, Harper had an idea. “Cancel any plans you have for the day.”

  “Why?” he asked, pulling out his keys.

  “Because,” she said, opening the passenger door to his red Audi while he stood watching her, looking confused. “We are going to work. And by work, I mean checking out the competition.”

  Jax walked over to the driver’s side and got in. He opened the Tupperware and stuffed a cookie in his mouth before starting the car. He reached for her water, and she let him take it. After washing down the cookie, he said, “Care to explain?”

  Harper took back her water. “Trust me; it will be fun.”

  Chapter 9

  Jax walked into the activity center, seeing signs for rock climbing and a ropes course pointing to one side, and signs for an indoor water park and surfing to the other. There was a large arcade behind the front desk that led into a room with roller skating and laser tag.

  Harper walked up to the desk before picking up one of the pamphlets that explained the various entertainment packages the company offered. Jax couldn’t help but admire her curvy legs in the cutoff shorts she wore. The bit of red lace on her shoulder brought illicit thoughts to mind that made him need to adjust his seat. When her father had told him about this very important business trip that he was supposed to take with Harper, Jax had known it was a dangerous idea; but how could he tell his boss no? It wasn’t like he could explain why Mr. Parker should keep his daughter and him separate.

  Harper pulled her long hair up into a ponytail on her head, just as it was their turn in line.

  “How can I help you?” asked the teenage boy behind the counter.

  “We would love to try your whole package.”

  The boy’s face got red as he stuttered. “Uh…oh…okay.” He tapped the touch screen computer. “You will have to fill out the safety waiver first over there on those tablets before you go in,” he said, motioning to her right.

  Jax stepped up, seeing the poor boy struggling to keep his attention on his work and off Harper’s breasts. “Harper, why don’t you fill those out and I’ll pay.”

  “I can pay for myself,” she said.

  Jax pulled out a black credit card and handed it to the red-faced teen, just as he turned to whisper in Harper’s ear, “Business card.”

  “Oh,” she said, nodding before she went over to the tablet.

  By the time she was done, they both had their wrist bands and free rein of the place. She led him towards the signs for rock climbing.

  “We are just going to look around, right?” Jax asked.

  Harper turned and gave him an incredulous look. “We have to study the competition and experience it as a consumer to better understand what we like, what we don’t like, what works, and what doesn’t. What are these guys doing better than Active Zone?”

  “I see. We don’t usually do it this way though,” Jax said.

  “Jax, it can’t hurt to try it my way, can it? I promise, this will be a fun experience for you.”

  “You promise, huh?”

  She held out her pinky finger. “Pinky swear.”

  He laughed. “I’m not going to pinky swear. I’m not ten.”

  Harper looked disappointed, but before her hand fell, he interlaced his pinky with hers. “Damn it, Harper.”

  She smiled. “Rock climbing is first on the agenda.”

  Jax followed her down the white hallway with signs advertising the rest of the activities. “I have never rock climbed before.”

  “Really? With those arms I’m sure
you will be a pro in no time,” Harper said, just as they rounded the corner to a glass door leading into the rock-climbing gym.

  Harper’s belief in him clamored and battered his ribcage, brutally trying to make its way through the steel wall around his soul. He didn’t want to admit that his heart seemed to beat for the first time whenever he was around her. Instead, he focused on the task ahead of him: learning how to belay.

  After they’d watched the safety video, their harnesses were tied on securely by two young women.

  “Let’s do the ropes course first,” Harper suggested, pointing to the platform above them.

  Jax swallowed. “Up there? Okay. Sure.” He convinced himself it wouldn’t be a big deal.

  Harper stood in front of him, where the employee hooked her harness to a line so that she wouldn’t fall and then did the same for Jax.

  “Just push this ahead of you as you go. Don’t cross your arm over it, and hang on it only when you need to,” the employee explained.

  “Got it,” Harper said, walking up the stairs, pushing the black line ahead of her. Jax liked the view from behind her. The harness pulled tight against her ass. His hands itched to grab her and savor the soft, round and naked feel of her in his hands.

  They got to the top, moving to the first obstacle: a small flat metal beam he was supposed to balance on to cross over to the next part of the ropes course. He suddenly felt a lot higher with so much less to hang on to.

  “Ready?” Harper asked, grinning and excited.

  “I was born ready,” he said, feigning confidence. Fear was not an acceptable emotion to display in his house.

  Harper made her way to the other side and waved for him to follow her. Jax put one foot in front of the other, feeling wobbly at first, but the farther along he went, the more he grew in confidence.

  “You did it!” Harper reached out to give him a high five. Jax slapped her hand back, smiling. He liked how excited she got over the smallest things. He would cross oceans to see that curve of her lips. The well of desire in him slowly rose the more time he spent with her, threatening to overflow and drown him in a sea of delusions of possibilities.

  They went around the course, each task getting progressively harder, and every time he completed one, he was met with encouragement from Harper. It came to the final part, which was a circular balance beam they had to cross without holding on to anything except for a few sparse straps that hung from the ceiling. The thing about it was, the circular beam would also spin as you walked unless you balanced your weight evenly.

  “This one is scary,” she said.

  “Nah, you got it,” he said, denying his mutual apprehension. “Unless you want to climb that way and avoid it, taking the easy way out. Chicken!” he heckled her.

  Harper was determined. “I’m scared, but I’ll still do it. Balance is not my best attribute, but, if I fall…” she looked down at the ground twenty feet below her, “ . . it’s not that far, right? And this thingy will catch me anyways.” She pulled on the line attached to her harness. “I got this,” she said, placing her foot on the beam.

  She held the first strap, and almost lost her balance. She stood sideways and shuffled her feet slowly trying to balance every small movement she made until she was finally on the other side.

  “I made it!” she yelled, beaming. “I did it!”

  “Beginners luck,” Jax joked. It was his turn and he was scared because he didn’t want to fall and fail—especially in front of Harper.

  He could feel the mounting pressure as he pulled himself up with the strap as Harper had done. The beam wobbled and he struggled to keep his balance, sweat breaking out on his forehead. He wanted to turn back, take the easier way out of the course, but men don’t show fear—at least, that was what his dad had told him so many times he had lost count.

  “You got this, Jax. Take your time,” she encouraged from the other side, his own personal cheerleader.

  Jax wanted to. He really did. For some reason, his feet were replaced with lead weights that wouldn’t cooperate and move.

  “You can take the other side out. I can meet you over there,” she said. She must have noticed his hesitation.

  He had been taunting her when she’d admitted she was nervous and now she offered him nothing but encouragement whether he chose to complete the task or take the easy way out.

  Jax was definitely doing this. He moved and looked straight ahead as he shuffled his feet. He turned to look at her as he grabbed the next strap. She seemed nervous for him.

  When Jax finally made it to the other side, Harper squeezed him into a tight hug. “You did it!”

  Her breasts pressed tight against his torso, mixed with the rush of euphoria from completing the risky task, had him spinning and soaring. But the pure adoration she had in her eyes from him accomplishing it had him falling. He was sucked into the intoxicating vortex that was Harper.

  “Did you doubt me?” he asked as she pulled away.

  “Never.”

  They stared into each other’s eyes, an exchange taking place with more meaning than what was being said. Warnings vibrated through him, sirens blaring. She was getting too close.

  “Rock climbing?” Jax asked, before making his way to the exit and down the stairs of the platform.

  After a fun hour of tackling different areas in the climbing gym, they were ready to move on. They spent most of the afternoon roller blading and playing laser tag, where they each won one round. They opted to skip the arcade and go straight to the water park. There was a bar and restaurant inside where they ordered a late lunch and beer.

  Harper took a sip of the lager before she spoke. “This has to be the best job ever.”

  Jax laughed. “It isn’t usually this fun.”

  “Oh, so you mean I’ve fulfilled my promise?” she asked, taking a bite of her burger.

  “Yeah, I thought that was obvious with how much I laughed today.” Jax took a big gulp of his cold beer. A couple across from them were glaring at them. “You see that couple over there?”

  Harper glanced over. “Yup.”

  “You see how they are looking at us? They think we are together, and they are obviously disgusted by the thought.”

  “Yeah. People assume River and I are together too when we go out alone. It happens.” She swallowed another sip of her beer before scooting over closer to him.

  “You know there is always this thing I’ve really wanted to try in this situation, but for obvious reasons, I couldn’t do it with my brother. Can I do it now?” she asked, looking up into his eyes before waving to the sour-faced couple.

  “As long as it doesn’t get either one of us arrested. What is—”

  His question was interrupted with a mind-bending explosion of a kiss. Harper planted her mouth on his, wrapped her arms around his neck, and slipped her tongue inside his mouth. Jax was so surprised at the sensation of her lips pressed to his, just as he had fantasized about, that he didn’t even have time for his brain to scream no and tell him this wasn’t a good idea.

  His body flooded with adrenaline as every synapsis was fired, memorizing her taste, touch, and smell. Lust coiled, taught with need. He groaned in her mouth, and she deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into his, shattering his defenses. It was kindling to sparks; gasoline and matches. His hands moved around her waist, pulling her as close as he could from where she sat in the chair next to him. Flames slithered across his skin, burning and healing. The best kind of torture.

  She pulled back, breathless. His eyes were half-lidded with lust, and his body screamed for more. The look in her expression told him she was as affected as he was. The flicker of hope in her dilated eyes cleared his kiss-induced haze.

  “Why did you want to kiss your brother like that, Harper?” Jax asked, spoiling the moment and making her light laughter tumble out.

  “I didn’t w
ant to kiss my brother. Look,” she said, nodding to the table where the offending couple had sat. They were gone.

  “I saw it on a movie once, and I wanted to try it. They want to make us feel uncomfortable, and I wanted to return the favor.”

  Jax looked at her, realizing what she had done and smiled. “We won this time.”

  She took another sip of her drink as she locked eyes with him. “Love always wins.”

  Needing to break the tension, he joked, “So you were just using me.”

  “Oh, Jax. I haven’t even gotten close to using you the way I would like to,” she said with a wink.

  Jax cleared his suddenly dry throat. “Next time, maybe a warning.”

  “I asked.”

  “Maybe clarify what you are asking. I don’t think we should kiss again,” he said, coming back to reality.

  “Sorry it was such an awful experience for you.” She huffed, getting up from the table before he could object, and headed into the small boutique inside the complex.

  “Shit!” Jax swore under his breath, clenching his hands into fists. He knew what he’d done made sense, but he hated that he had to hurt Harper in the process. This girl was going to be the death of him.

  Jax finished his beer and threw a few bills on the table for a tip before going into the shop after her.

  When he opened the door, he was struck with the sight of a nearly naked body, except for a small white bikini showing off every lush soft curve of an ass he had gotten to know pretty well throughout the day. Harper handed the cashier her card and picked up two bags, one of which he presumed was filled with the clothing that she had been wearing.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes searing every inch of her exposed skin.

  “Water park. I bought you a pair of swim trunks.” She handed him one of the bags and he peeked inside.

  “If it doesn’t fit, there’s a receipt in there to exchange for your size. Meet me out in front of the lockers; I already rented one.”

  It had been hard enough for him having to spend the day so close to Harper, fighting the urge to touch her, hold her waist, or her hand as they navigated the roller-skating arena. Now that she was nearly naked and wet, he was going to need bigger shorts to hide the obvious physical reaction he just couldn’t seem to tame when she was around.