No Strings...

by Janelle Denison

  Their grandfather had been a decorated cop for the Boston Police Department, then their father, Jack, followed by Sam—until his brother had been shot on the job and the injury had forced him to reevaluate his career and future. Even though Sam no longer worked for BPD, he was still entrenched in the business as a private investigator who often used his past connections with the force to help him in the current cases he worked on.

  Everyone had assumed that Aiden would carry the same torch for justice and head off to the police academy once he graduated college. Instead, he’d shocked everyone when he made the decision to major in advertising and marketing over criminal justice his junior year. The big difference between him and Sam was that Aiden loved the creative aspect of his career, while his brother preferred the constant movement of chasing bad guys and the unexpected twists that came with detective work.

  While Aiden’s parents had always been supportive about his choice of job and his accomplishments, he knew he’d initially disappointed his father by venturing outside the realm of law enforcement. And being the so-called black sheep who’d strayed from family expectations, it made him an easy target for his brother’s good-natured needling, which he’d grown used to.

  Aiden set his bottle of beer back on the table and shot Sam a halfhearted look of irritation. “Do you always have to give me shit because I sometimes prefer a good beer over aged Scotch and want to visit with you?”

  “Yeah, I do, because it doesn’t happen often,” his brother answered, his gaze flickering with amusement. “I gotta get my licks in where I can.”

  Aiden just shook his head, because despite their differences in personality and profession, and his brother’s penchant for busting his chops, he and Sam had always been close. Aiden, being the firstborn, was far more serious than his carefree, easygoing sibling, but there was no denying that beyond the bond of being brothers, they were also best friends. And now, with their parents retired and living in Florida, he appreciated his relationship with Sam even more.

  The truth was, after today’s shake-up at the office, Aiden just wanted to relax and unwind, without the added pressure of smiling and laughing with colleagues when he wasn’t in the mood. He’d even promised Chloe a drink to celebrate her new account with Organic Kitty, but he’d have to make it up to her another time. She was another distraction he didn’t want to deal with tonight, not when he was still trying to process the fact that they’d gone from being coworkers to rivals vying for the same account.

  “Whatever is bugging you, get it off your chest already,” Sam said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “That brooding look is going to scare off the women. Oh, wait, your uptight business suit already did that.” He smirked.

  Aiden laughed, giving his brother the reaction he’d been angling for. True, he stood out in a place where the dress code was jeans and T-shirt casual, which was all Sam ever wore. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not here to pick up women.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re cramping my style,” Sam grumbled, and gazed longingly at two pretty females sitting a few tables away who were giving Sam an equally interested look. Leaning forward in his seat, Aiden braced his arms on the table, figuring it might help to talk to Sam about what had happened today at the office, as he’d suggested. “Actually, I have some news I need to get off my chest. Do you remember me telling you about the big account I was hoping to get?”

  Sam thought for a moment, then asked, “The one for that singles, matchmaking resort?”

  Aiden nodded. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

  “Are we here to celebrate?” Sam asked hopefully, already tipping his beer for a premature toast.

  “No, not yet.” Aiden released a heavy sigh. “I found out today that not only is another ad firm vying for the job, but Perry decided to assign Chloe and I to the account. Not to work together, but to come up with separate campaigns for the resort. He wants a male and female perspective. Whoever’s campaign the client chooses will be awarded the account.”

  Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. “So you have to compete directly against Chloe for the account?”

  “Yep.” His troubled tone echoed the way he felt about the entire situation.

  Over the past two years of working at Perry & Associates, Aiden had spoken about Chloe numerous times to Sam, saying how much he respected her as a colleague. His brother had also met and talked to—or rather flirted with—Chloe the one and only time Sam had stopped by the Executive Bar to have a drink with Aiden, so Sam was familiar enough with their working relationship to know just how bothered Aiden was that the two of them were now adversaries. However, Aiden had promised Chloe that he wouldn’t let this campaign ruin their friendship, and he was determined to make sure he held true to their pact.

  “I’m sorry, bro.” Sam gave a sympathetic shake of his head. “That plain sucks.”

  “Tell me about it.” Aiden finished off his beer, and if he didn’t have to get in a car and drive, he would have ordered a double scotch. He certainly needed one.

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, the Friday night crowd in McGann’s growing louder as the bar filled up with patrons. Women walked by in skimpy outfits, giving both him and his brother a lingering glance that made it clear they were more than interested in a good time, but Aiden wasn’t. When he glanced across the table at Sam, there was no mistaking the sly grin on his lips and the mischievous look in his eyes.

  Aiden narrowed his gaze, wondering what his brother found so amusing. “What?”

  “You’re not going to let a girl win, are you?” Sam asked, an all too familiar taunting note to his voice. It was the same one he’d used to goad Aiden into doing things he shouldn’t, all throughout their childhood.

  “Hell, no.” Aiden considered himself a gentleman, but this was a competition between two coworkers, and all bets were off. Girl or no, his kick-ass campaign was going to earn him the St. Raphael account.

  “Good.” Despite Sam’s succinct tone, his lips were still twitching with mirth. “I don’t want you to go all soft because your competition is smoking hot and lust is clouding your feeble brain.”

  Aiden blinked in shock at his brother. “Excuse me?” What the hell did Sam know about his attraction to Chloe?

  “Oh, come on, Aiden,” Sam said with a laugh as he tipped his chair back on its hind legs. “I’m not deaf, dumb or blind. I only saw the two of you together once, at that highbrow bar of yours, and the chemistry between the two of you was pretty damn obvious.”

  Aiden shrugged off his brother’s claim. “It’s just a friendly flirtation.”

  Sam lifted a dubious brow. “Except for the way you stared at her ass when she walked away from our table. I can guarantee that the thoughts in your head involving that sweet backside of hers were indecent and downright kinky.”

  He shrugged and didn’t even try to deny the truth. “She’s got a great ass. So sue me for appreciating all its finer qualities.”

  A wide grin curved Sam’s mouth. “Good to know your libido isn’t dead. I was starting to worry.”

  “My sex drive is fine, thank you very much.” But Aiden had to admit he hadn’t seen much action lately, by his own choice. His main focus was his job, and ultimately grabbing the brass ring of opening his own ad agency in the near future. And in order to achieve that goal, he had to win the account.

  “So how long are you going to resist the attraction between you and Chloe?” Sam asked, as persistent and pushy as ever. “I got the impression if you made a move, she could be easily persuaded.”

  For Sam, being with a woman was that simple. Not so much for Aiden. “We’re both professionals, working for the same ad agency, and we’re not going to risk our careers for sex.”

  Sam rolled his eyes dramatically. “Jesus, Aiden, who says you have to risk anything? It’s just feel-good sex, not a lifetime commitment. Besides, the risk of getting caught could give the affair an added element of excitement.”

  That’s exactly how Sam operated...getting laid
was all about having a good time without any strings attached. It hadn’t always been that way, and while Aiden understood his brother’s perspective on sex and women and keeping his emotions out of the equation, Aiden’s views were much different, despite his ex-wife’s betrayal. He’d never been the love ’em and leave ’em type, and that hadn’t changed after his divorce. If anything, he’d become more discriminating when it came to women and relationships. And yeah, sex, too.

  “Don’t you ever want something more than just a string of one-night stands?” Aiden asked his brother.

  Sam gaped at him, as if he’d spoken blasphemy. “You’re kidding me, right? We both thought we had something more, and look how well that turned out for us.”

  Not well at all. “Okay, point taken,” Aiden said. Being burned by a woman had left Sam jaded and uneasy about trusting again. But even though Aiden’s marriage had been less than ideal, he liked to believe that there was a woman out there for him. But he knew that Chloe wasn’t that woman. She was too career-oriented to be anything more than a passing affair. And even that wasn’t an option for him.

  “Hey, Sam,” a soft feminine voice called out, pulling Aiden out of his thoughts.

  One of the women that had been sitting a few tables away now stood in front of them, gazing down at Sam with a sultry smile on her lips while her fingers lightly touched his shoulder. She was young and pretty, and wore a tight-fitting dress that accentuated all her best assets. She had Sam’s full attention.

  “Denise and I were wondering if you and your friend wanted to join us?” She bit her lip seductively as she glanced briefly at Aiden, then back at Sam again. “We can pull up an extra chair or two, if you’d like.”

  “I’d love to, Carol,” Sam looked at Aiden, his raised brow silently asking if he was going to accompany them.

  This was Sam’s scene, not Aiden’s. He shook his head and tried to appear regretful. “Thanks for the invite, but I need to get going.”

  “Okay,” Carol said, not at all disappointed, since clearly it was Sam she wanted. “We’ll save a seat for you, Sam.” She sashayed back to her table, a deliberate sway to her hips—all for Sam’s benefit, which he openly enjoyed.

  Aiden chuckled and stood up, along with his brother. “Looks like someone’s getting lucky tonight.”

  “Jealous?” Sam grinned.

  Pulling out his wallet, Aiden tossed enough cash on the table to cover their drinks and leave a decent tip. “Not at all,” he said, meaning it. “By the way, just so you know, I’ll be leaving next Monday for the Bahamas, where the St. Raphael resort is located.”

  “Is Chloe going, too?”

  “Yes, we’re both going.” He tucked his wallet back into his pocket, and knowing exactly what his brother was thinking, Aiden attempted to cut him off at the pass. “It’s a business trip, Sam.”

  “Which also presents the perfect opportunity for the two of you to take advantage of your attraction, in a place where no one would ever be the wiser.” Sam waggled his brows suggestively.

  “Not gonna happen.”

  Sam released an exasperated sigh. “You know what your problem is? You’re way too uptight. And you’ve been that way since your divorce.”

  “I’m not uptight. I’m careful and discreet.”

  “Like I said. You’re uptight.” Sam slapped him on the back in brotherly camaraderie. “Loosen up and live a little, bro. You might be surprised how much fun you can have when you’re not being so damned serious.”

  With that bit of advice, his brother walked away, leaving Aiden to ponder the wisdom of Sam’s comments. Or the lack thereof.

  3

  THE FOLLOWING MONDAY at seven in the morning, Chloe was seated next to Aiden on a plane heading to Nassau in the Bahamas. From there, they’d take a small puddle jumper to the island of St. Raphael where the private, secluded resort was located. They were scheduled to arrive at the hotel by early afternoon. Once the jet leveled out, the pilot announced that it was now okay to move about the cabin and turn on approved electronic devices, and promised that the refreshment cart would be making its way down the aisle shortly.

  Chloe frequently took business trips for work and was used to sitting by the window in the cramped quarters of coach, usually next to a stranger who kept to themselves for the duration of the flight. But the moment Aiden plopped his big body into the chair beside hers and their knees and elbows bumped as they buckled their lap belts, she knew their intimate seating arrangements would wreak havoc with every one of her five senses for the next few hours.

  So far, her prediction proved to be true. Sitting next to the window, her body was hyper aware of his broad shoulder brushing against her arm and the way his leg occasionally grazed her thigh when he shifted in his seat to find a comfortable position that would accommodate his long legs. At least he’d settled down for takeoff, and as she cast a sidelong glance at him, she found herself envious of his ability to completely relax when the surface of her skin buzzed with sensual awareness.

  His head was resting against the back of his seat, and though his eyes were closed, she wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or not. But even like this, he was hotter than any man had a right to be with his early morning tousled hair, the sweep of his ridiculously long, dark lashes against his cheeks, and those full lips that were made to give a woman all kinds of forbidden pleasures. Even his casual attire made him look sexy and confidently male.

  She’d never seen him in anything but a business suit, and she had to admit that he looked damn fine in a dark blue short-sleeved knit shirt that complimented his toned physique, and a pair of well-worn jeans that lovingly clung to his muscular thighs and other interesting body parts that piqued her interest. And why did he always have to smell so damned good? His expensive cologne was subtle, but the warm, sandalwood scent, mixed with his own male pheromones, never failed to tap into her desires and make her ache deep inside.

  At the office, she was constantly near Aiden, but with work as her top priority she was able to keep her attraction to him in check. Or walk away when that heady pull between them became too overwhelming. But right here, right now, there was no putting distance between herself and Aiden, so she was just going to have to suck it up and deal.

  Lord, it was going to be a long flight.

  Desperately needing some kind of distraction, she reached down and pulled a folder from the computer bag she’d stowed beneath the chair in front of her. Releasing the fold-down tray, she set the file on top and immersed herself in work. Specifically, the research she’d already compiled on the St. Raphael resort and its current branding, mission statement and operating procedures.

  Unlike a singles resort, where the main draw was drinking and partying in a girls/guys gone wild style, and hooking up with the opposite sex was a free-for-all, St. Raphael offered a unique and modern-day spin to matching compatible couples while offering fun, interactive activities in a romantic atmosphere. While the concept didn’t interest Chloe on a personal level, from an advertising angle it was an executive’s dream. There were so many interesting aspects to build a campaign on, like developing a catchy slogan to pull in consumers, beautiful pictures to capture their imagination, and the lure of finding love and a happily ever after.

  She and Aiden had already filled out the required questionnaire that the resort used to match up couples, and the two of them were scheduled to attend events and various activities to mix and mingle and “make a connection.” It was the only way for them to evaluate the process in order to present the client with a cohesive advertising campaign for the resort. Perry had even hired a local professional photographer to be on hand to capture any shots she or Aiden needed to elevate their presentation.

  There was no way Chloe could forget that this was a business trip with a huge incentive on the line. But she also knew in order to really absorb everything the resort had to offer, she had to open herself up to the fun, seductive aspect of the island retreat so she could better translate the experience into he
r campaign.

  And that included relaxing around Aiden, too. They weren’t at the office, and there was absolutely no harm in a little flirtation between them, which they already indulged in, anyway. And if her seductive teasing threw him off his game a bit, well, it would be his own fault for letting their attraction get the best of him.

  “We’re not even at the resort yet, and you’re already working?”

  The low, chiding voice came from Aiden, who was no longer dozing. She glanced at him, meeting his dark, velvet blue gaze, still heavy-lidded from his brief nap. “I started a portfolio for notes and ideas for my campaign as soon as Perry announced we’d each be doing a presentation. Do you know what the name St. Raphael stands for?” she asked, testing his knowledge of the resort.

  A slow, lazy smile curved those sinful lips of his. “St. Raphael is the patron saint of love and lovers, which is very appropriate for a matchmaking resort.”

  The husky way he said the word lovers sent a warm shiver through her. Yeah, flirting with him was very natural and easy and always reciprocated with genuine interest. “I’m impressed. You’ve obviously done your homework, too.” She would have been more shocked if he hadn’t.

  “I always do,” he murmured. “Speaking of homework, how crazy was that matchmaking questionnaire we had to fill out?” he asked with an incredulous shake of his head.

  The required survey had been a long, tedious process that had covered every end of the spectrum of a person’s life, from personality, career aspirations, religion, finances, pet peeves, family values and even sexual compatibility. That last part had been her favorite section of the test. As she’d answered each question, her mind had strayed to Aiden, wondering if his responses had matched hers. Was he more gentle and romantic in the bedroom, or did he prefer the aggression of unleashed passion? Was he open to role-playing and fulfilling fantasies if his partner was willing? And how important was foreplay to him?