Erin fluffed her hair. She’d had it up and then down, half-up in a barrette and then back down again. It hung in loose waves around her shoulders and down her back.
She did a quick check of her makeup, but the brightness in her eyes and the pinkness in her cheeks hadn’t been painted on.
‘It will be fine,’ she told herself in the mirror.
No, she wanted better than fine. She wanted out-of-this-world. She wanted unbelievable. She wanted lightning and thunder and magic.
Switch it up. Get in the mix. Turn it upside down.
Blowing out a quick puff of air, she finished the trek to Luxxor’s offices and entered through the heavy oak door.
Despite the late hour, Rielle was waiting with a smile on her face. ‘Hello, Erin. Welcome.’
‘What are you doing here so late?’
‘Oh, just finishing up a few things.’
Erin was glad she’d checked Sienna’s schedule. She wouldn’t have wanted to run into her roommate. Not tonight. They hadn’t yet talked about the fact that she was using Luxxor’s services, but she knew that Sienna was aware. They’d both skittered around the subject, neither really wanting to talk about it. Fortunately, her roommate and Jason were out at a function this evening.
‘Let me walk you to Nina’s offices,’ Rielle said. ‘She’ll introduce you.’
Erin’s eyebrows rose. ‘He’s here already?’
The office manager nodded.
Erin’s stomach flipped. ‘What’s he like? Is he nice? No, I didn’t ask for nice. Is he interesting? Handsome? No, that’s not important. Does he have…presence?’
Rielle touched her shoulder soothingly. ‘All that’s up to you to decide – but I definitely feel he has “presence”.’
Erin squeezed her pocketbook until the knobs on the coin purse bit into her palm. She tried to calm her racing heart, but this hallway was much too short for that.
When Rielle gave a soft knock, there was no more time. ‘Good luck,’ the woman whispered.
Erin nodded, unable to voice her thanks. Trying to be composed and worldly, she walked into the room. Two people were waiting: Nina, looking like everything Erin didn’t feel, and a solid, dark-haired man whose back was turned to her.
Erin stopped on a dime. He had presence all right. She could feel it all the way from across the room. The knot in her belly drifted lower, where it began to collect heat. Before she even saw his face, she knew he was sexy.
‘Hello,’ she said softly, happy when her voice didn’t waver.
The man stiffened. Slowly, he turned away from their hostess to look at her. Erin’s breath went short when his dark gaze connected with hers.
And then she couldn’t breathe at all.
Her stomach dropped, and dread filled her. Oh, no. No, this couldn’t be happening. This was some sick joke. Her family had found out what she was doing and had sent him in. She was so busted.
‘Come in, Erin,’ Nina said in her husky voice. ‘Erin Foster, this is Colton King.’
Erin knew. The man had been her teenage dream. Her fantasy – and the crush had lasted well past adolescence.
‘Erin?’ he said sharply.
Her knees wobbled and she caught the back of a chair. He was going to give her away. He’d tell Dustin, who’d tell their parents. If he hadn’t already –
She swallowed hard. ‘Colt,’ she managed to get out.
His attention swung from her to Nina and then back again. ‘What is this?’ he asked. ‘What’s going on?’
Erin focused on the carpeting. If she was lucky, maybe a big hole would open and swallow her up. It was the only way she could see to get out of this mess. She should have given Nina a list of men she couldn’t see. No-goes. This one would have been smack dab atop the list.
‘This is the woman I spoke to you about,’ Nina said patiently.
‘Jesus,’ he muttered underneath his breath.
That made Erin’s gaze lift. So maybe he hadn’t known? If she begged, would he put this in the vault and promise never to talk about it? Ever?
She didn’t think so. His jaw had gone tight, and a muscle at his temple was flittering. He had a tan as if he’d recently been some place warm, but underneath it she saw a definite pallor.
This was not good.
‘As I explained, we’re reevaluating the process we use to pair people. When we keyed in the new parameters, you two were a match for each other’s wants and preferences.’ Nina reached up to toy with an earring. ‘A perfect match, in fact.’
What? Erin’s heart raced so hard it hurt. Her ribcage was just too tight to contain it. If he wasn’t here to yell at her, then…‘You’re my date?’
The squeak in her voice made her cringe. It made her sound young and unsophisticated, but it couldn’t be helped. She looked at him, wide-eyed. Wanting filled her until she felt she might burst.
Colton’s mouth set in a flat line as he glared at Nina, but when he turned to look at her…his expression softened. He looked almost defeated. ‘What are you doing here, Erin?’
What was he doing here? ‘Getting matched up?’
The look he turned on the Luxxor executive was lethal.
Nina held up her hands. ‘Erin’s one of our clients too.’
That didn’t make things any better.
He planted one hand on his hip and rubbed his brow with the other. His jacket swung open with the motion, showing that he’d kept himself in shape.
Really good shape. Erin’s mouth got wet.
Oh, she wanted it to be true. She wanted to see him, to get a chance for at least one date where he saw her as a woman, not as Dustin’s little sister.
Only he looked as surprised as she felt, but a lot less happy.
‘A client,’ he repeated, this time with his look boring into her. The words came out in rapid-fire shots, but she didn’t know what they meant.
Erin stood rooted to the spot, feeling helpless. Was he that put off by her? Was he that loyal to her parents?
A perfect match.
Nina had said that, and she had heard it.
She’d heard almost nothing else.
With a low curse, Colton turned away. Lacing his fingers behind his neck, he walked over to the window to look out at the DC evening skyline. This late into fall, darkness was coming earlier and earlier. The colours of traffic lights glinted, along with the halos of streetlights all in a row.
‘Is there a problem?’ Nina asked.
As tense as Erin felt, the woman seemed calm and composed. Did she not feel the raw emotion snapping around the room, bouncing off the walls and even the furniture?
‘We know each other,’ Colton bit out, his voice like ice.
‘Would you like to cancel?’ The woman wasn’t rattled in the slightest. She turned to Erin. ‘I could find someone else for you.’
‘No!’ He crossed the room as if he was approaching the bench, argument in hand. Squaring off across from Nina, he jabbed a finger against her desk. ‘You aren’t going to set her up with anyone else.’
‘Else?’ Nina repeated.
Erin’s weight rocked forward to the tips of her toes.
For just a split second, Colt looked uncharacteristically off-kilter. ‘I mean, you aren’t going to set her up with anyone.’
‘Well, since I already have –’ Nina leaned forward and braced both hands on her desk ‘– I wish you a good evening together.’
Erin was standing on the brink of a major precipice. She could tilt into happiness like she’d never known or be in for a world of hurt. If he told her family, she’d get a long lecture from her father about the dangers of going out with strangers. Her brother would go into protective overdrive, and her mother would talk about the nice men from the Capitol Hill Club. But if he agreed?
‘Don’t send me to Daddy,’ she whispered. ‘Please.’
A stern expression settled on his face, but she didn’t waver. She lifted her chin and met his dark gaze. She savoured the opportunity to just look a
t him. He was so handsome, and it had been so long. She knew he was a busy, important man now. He didn’t drop by her parents’ house any more. If Dustin was having a barbecue and she went, he rarely showed.
Time strung out on a razor wire.
At last, he grimaced and dipped his head. ‘Aw, Sunny, what have you got yourself into?’
She melted inside. Nobody called her that any more. ‘Please, Colt? Take me out. Just the two of us. Just once?’
He ran a hand through his hair. It was shorter than it had been the last time she’d seen him, but still long enough for her to want to touch. ‘I’ll take you to dinner,’ he finally said, ‘but only because we need to talk about this.’
The circular gesture he made with his hand was jerky.
‘Then I’m taking you home.’
She beamed at him. Absolutely felt like she’d sprouted wings. She’d dreamed about him taking her home for ever. ‘Great,’ she said, her voice thick. ‘Then I can show you my new apartment.’
He frowned. ‘You didn’t move back in with your parents?’
So he’d heard about her break-up.
‘No.’ Summoning the confidence Nina insisted she should have, Erin crossed the room and looped her arm through his. He stiffened but didn’t pull away. Her breast ached where his arm touched her, and she leaned into him more heavily. He felt warm and hard and thoroughly male. ‘I’m not a little girl any more. I’m all grown up.’
In every sense of the word.
‘Take me on a date, Colt.’ Show her what she’d been missing.
The mean, tough trial attorney looked fit to be tied as he led Erin out of the room. Nina folded her arms across her chest and nodded her goodbye. It wasn’t two minutes later when Rielle snuck back into the room.
‘He didn’t look happy.’
‘But Erin does.’ Nina unlocked her knees and felt them waver once again. That had been too close. She’d known she was running a risk choosing him. If he came after her, she’d have a fight on her hands. She had connections in the legal system, but they didn’t climb much higher than Colton King. The guy was a shark in the courtroom. She didn’t want him swimming around her company, looking for weak spots.
But little Erin had out-manoeuvred him.
Nina ran her fingers along the blue glass paperweight that held down both her clients’ files. She was good at seeking out weak spots too, and she already knew what King’s was.
‘He had me worried,’ Rielle admitted.
‘Listening at the door?’
Her employee looked guilty, but then flipped her hair over her shoulder. ‘I was ready to ride to the rescue.’
‘I don’t believe that will be needed,’ Nina said. ‘I think we just did a very good thing.’
Or so she hoped.
Rielle sat down and let out a shaky breath. ‘Did I hear right? Did he call her “Sunny”?’
‘It’s a family nickname, I believe. For her hair.’
‘It didn’t sound that way when he said it.’
No. No, it hadn’t.
But the stern lawyer had a spine made of titanium. If he couldn’t bend or give in to the sweetness being so innocently offered to him, they could have problems.
‘What do we do now?’ Rielle asked.
‘We sit back and see what happens.’
Nina had a feeling she’d be watching with both hands covering her eyes, because they’d either just fixed things or got themselves into one hell of a fix.
Erin got onto the elevator and stood close to Colton’s side. She barely heard the floors ticking off over the pounding of her heart. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Her biggest secret wish.
Had Sienna known?
Oh, who cared? Her roommate was going to get the biggest hug when she saw her.
Erin snuggled closer to Colt’s arm, but his muscles were tense. He hadn’t said a word to her since they’d left Luxxor’s offices.
‘Why are you upset?’ she asked softly. She knew when he was in a temper. It was when he was at his quietest.
‘Not here,’ he said, jerking his chin at the security camera in the upper corner of the lift.
Erin frowned. She hadn’t even known it was there.
Rubbing his arm uncertainly, she waited until they were on the first floor, heading for the door. ‘Well, I’m happy to see you,’ she whispered.
‘I’m happy to see you, too,’ he said, jaw tight. ‘Just not like this.’
‘Like what?’
He pointed at a Town Car waiting at the curb. The gesture moved him out of her reach, and she folded her arms across herself, pulling her wrap tighter. His coldness hurt. Why was he so angry?
With a sigh, he caught her hand and wrapped his around it. It felt warm and protective in the crisp autumn evening. November had arrived, and the nip in the air was biting. Palm to palm, he warded off the chill.
Erin started to get nervous again when the driver climbed out and opened the back door for them. Colton got in and, not letting go of her hand, tugged her in after him. He didn’t move all the way over, and she took that as a hopeful sign.
Could she pull this off? Could she make him see her as an adult and not a lovesick teen? She’d prepared for an intense, exciting evening, but she hadn’t prepared for him.
‘Is the idea of going on a date with me so repugnant?’ she asked.
He silenced her once again with a hiss and hit the button to raise the tinted window that would separate them from the front seat.
‘Why are you acting like this?’ she demanded. He’d always treated her as Dustin’s little sister, but he’d never treated her like a child.
He twisted in his seat. ‘Because you are the last person on earth I expected to find there.’
‘Why? I’m single.’
His teeth clenched. ‘I heard that. I can’t say I’m sorry, but that’s no reason for you to go to these extremes.’
‘What extremes? I’m dating again. It happens.’
‘Dating?’ he snapped. He looked at her like she’d grown two heads.
‘At least I’m not going online or hitting the bar scene. I chose Luxxor for the personal attention.’
‘Personal attention is right.’ His eyes were fierce as he leaned towards her, and colour shone on his cheekbones as streetlights flashed by. ‘Luxxor isn’t Match.com, Erin. It’s an escort service.’
It took a moment for the words to sink in. When they did, her head snapped back so hard, it bumped against the headrest. ‘It is not!’
‘It is.’
‘No, it isn’t. Sienna works there.’
His eyes went wide. ‘Sienna Blakely? She’s mixed up in this too?’
What was he talking about? Where was he getting these insane accusations? Sienna wasn’t mixed up; she was their Communications Director. Although…she hadn’t wanted to tell her where she worked…or what Luxxor did…
No, he was wrong.
‘They’re matchmakers,’ she insisted.
‘Erin,’ he groaned. His hand tightened around hers. ‘Tell me this is your first night using them.’
Erin’s brow crumpled. It couldn’t be. Luxxor couldn’t be that kind of company. Sienna would never work at such a place, and that would make Nina a madam! No, the business was too high-class and expensive.
Sex sells.
The words whispered in her ears.
‘That would explain the detective’s interest,’ she mumbled as the pieces clicked together.
‘Erin,’ he said more sharply. Cupping the back of her head, he made her look at him. ‘Have you been out with their escorts?’
She glared at him. He was acting like Dustin, all bossy and overprotective. ‘I’ve been on dates.’
Fury exploded on his face. ‘How many?’ he bit out.
‘That’s my business.’
‘How many?’
‘I don’t know. Four or five.’
‘Same guy?’
‘Different men.’
For some reason, that ma
de the fluttering pulse at his temple start to pound. ‘Tell me you didn’t sleep with them.’
‘Don’t be disgusting. I’m not a slut.’ Besides, there had been that no-sex clause in the contract. She hadn’t slept with any of those men.
But she had got cosy with one, rubbing against him, kissing him and dry-humping his leg…
The streetlights must have shown her blush, because Colton looked crestfallen. And then furious.
‘But you did something,’ he growled.
She folded her arms over her chest in a huff. ‘That’s none of your business.’
‘I’m making it my business. You’re done with Luxxor. Do you hear me? You’re not to set foot in that place again. I don’t care if Sienna does work there.’
Erin’s eyes narrowed. She’d had just about enough of other people deciding her life for her. ‘You can’t tell me what to do.’
Even to her own ears, she sounded like the petulant teenager she’d once been – and it set him off.
His hand tangled in her hair. ‘Erin, you are not going around town with male escorts!’
She glared at him. He’d disappeared from her life, but thought he could stroll back in and take it over? ‘Try and stop me.’
That was it. When you pulled a tiger by the tail, you were bound to get bitten. She let out a spluttering protest when he pulled her across his lap, but the sound turned into a surprised gasp when his hand connected with the curve of her bottom.
Had he just spanked her?
Fire spread from where the sharp smack had connected, and her body jackknifed. Her hips came up, and her feet searched for the floor. She pushed away from the seat, but his hand settled on her lower back and pressed her down. Another swift spank had her wriggling in distress and embarrassment and…something else.
‘Colton,’ she hissed.
‘Do you know what your parents would say if they found out what you’ve been doing?’
Four more swats came in rapid succession.
‘Ahh!’ Erin’s right foot lifted in reflex, and her heel pointed at the roof of the car. If she’d been upright, it would have looked like a little foot pop as he kissed her.
Courting Innocence Page 5
