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  “What’s the problem with giving the pilot a little appreciation for not killing us?” I tried to push every unprofessional thought about Adam Price out of my head.

  The plane bumped to a relatively smooth landing. My hand tightened around Adam’s as the plane taxied down the runway and came to a stop at the terminal. A burst of applause and cheers erupted from the rear of the plane. We turned to each other and cracked up. Our laughter died down and our gazes lingered for a moment too long.

  Damn it.

  “Thank you for coaching me through that panic attack,” I said, then disembarked as quickly and politely as possible. I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast in my life. My carry-on suitcase bumped and bounced behind me as I made my way down the air-stairs and hustled across the tarmac, trying to put as much distance as I could between myself and Adam Price until I had to see him again at the meeting.

  There were only three people ahead of me in the customs line and I couldn’t be more grateful. The customs officer was incredibly efficient and within minutes I was making a beeline for the taxi stand.

  I approached the curb and looked around for a taxi, realizing I wasn’t quite sure how car services worked in Barbados.

  “Do you need a ride?” Adam’s voice called from behind me, and I swear I could hear him smiling.

  How the hell did he get through customs so fast?

  “No, thank you.” I replied without turning around. “I can manage.”

  “If I didn’t know any better,” He put his hand on my shoulder. His touch made me shiver in eighty-degree weather, “I would think you were trying to avoid me.” I turned to face him. He was smirking at me again, an expression I was beginning to find incredibly sexy.

  No, Kimberly. You must not find the Man-Whore sexy.

  “I’m not trying to avoid you.” I dropped my bags and put my hands on my hips. “I just think it would be in our best interests if we kept things professional from now on.”

  His smile widened, threatening to give me another glimpse of his perfect white teeth. “Do you mind if I wait to make sure you get into a car?” He put his hands up in a defenseless posture. “…strictly as a professional courtesy.”

  “Thank you, but that’s not necessary, Mr. Price.”

  Adam clutched his heart and staggered backwards causing my resolve to crack and eliciting a chuckle. His spot-on fake heart attack made me wonder if he’d also grown up watching Sanford and Son reruns.

  “Mr. Price? Seriously?” he cried in feigned indignation. “Ugh. I thought I meant more to you than that.”

  “Could you stop that?” I hissed through clenched teeth while fighting the beginning of a smile. A few heads turned in our direction. “You’re making a scene.”

  “Let me give you a ride to your hotel,” Adam offered again, dropping his voice to a normal volume.

  I shook my head and dug my fists into my hips. “I already told you, I’ll be fine.”

  “After all we’ve been through! How could —” He threw his head back and flung his arms wide, clearly winding up for another histrionic display.

  “Okay, okay.” I grabbed his arms and pulled them down. His biceps were firm against my palms. “You can drop me off at my hotel. Will you stop now?”

  “If you insist, but please try to keep your hands to yourself. We are professionals after all.” His eyes flicked downward to where my hands still gripped his biceps then back to mine. I pulled my hands away quickly, feeling my cheeks flush again.

  Adam grabbed my rolling carry-on and walked toward a black SUV with tinted windows. He opened the door and held out his hand for me to use to climb inside. After a moment, he climbed in beside me. I half expected him to reach for my hand. I couldn’t tell if I was more relieved or disappointed when he didn’t.

  “Where are we headed?” he asked.

  I opened and closed my mouth a few times. Apparently, his proximity caused me to temporarily lose my ability to speak.

  “Where’s your hotel, Kimberly? We have to tell the driver…”

  “Right, um.” I shook my head in an attempt to regain my senses, grabbed my tablet, and opened my itinerary. “The Sterling Beachfront Paradise.”

  “Wait. Did you say The Sterling Beachfront Paradise?” Adam asked

  I nodded.

  “I’m also staying at The Sterling Beachfront Paradise.”

  “Bullshit.” I glared at him.

  He opened his tablet and handed it to me. I took it from him and discovered that he was telling the truth. A quick comparison of our reservations assured me that at least we weren’t staying in the same building. I knew The Sterling was a big resort, with accommodations ranging from small hotel rooms to big luxury apartments. Most likely, we’d never run into each other.

  I couldn’t tell if I was more relieved or disappointed by this.

  Damn it.

  two

  Adam

  When we pulled up to The Sterling, I let out a deep breath. I had managed to refrain from what I now considered the very natural impulse to hold Kimberly’s hand. I’d been holding it since I met her and not holding it felt wrong, but it was probably for the best. I could immediately tell that she would be the type of distraction I needed to avoid. I barely knew anything about her, but I wanted to know more and that was a red flag.

  It wasn’t physical attraction. Okay, it wasn’t all physical attraction.

  Kimberly Simmons would be a bad idea.

  This princess was out of my league, way out of my league. From the tailored designer dress, the black pumps with the red soles and the black leather Birkin bag with the yellow Hermes scarf tied to the handle, I could tell she was wealthy. I also knew she couldn’t afford those things on an assistant project manager’s salary, so the money came from somewhere else.

  She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring and I didn’t think she had a boyfriend, maybe I hoped she didn’t. Either way, she probably wouldn’t be the type to fall for a guy who uses his family connections for luxury perks but lives in a one bedroom apartment he can barely afford.

  We would also be working together and that’s a minefield I needed to avoid. A year ago, I almost fucked my way out of a job and a promotion, literally. I somehow managed to keep both, but getting this contract would go a long way towards wiping the slate clean. I needed to keep Kimberly Simmons at arm’s length.

  Too bad she was the most breathtaking woman I’d ever seen. The instant I saw her on the plane my chest constricted and I could actually feel myself taking slow labored breaths. She was tall, thin and her skin was a deep brown hue. She wore a bright yellow sleeveless dress which could have only been made to fit her and highlighted the contrast with her complexion which was flawless. The dress stopped just above her knees, which were gorgeous too.

  Who the fuck has sexy knees?

  The skin on her toned arms shimmered as if she was emanating light instead of reflecting it. She had an exquisite face with high chiseled cheek bones and large dark brown eyes with long thick lashes. I watched her dark brown hair tumble down her back in long waves as I followed her to check-in.

  We approached the desk at the same time. I finished checking in first and lingered while debating whether or not it would be a good idea to invite Kimberly to a very professional lunch. I could immediately tell something was wrong. This chick could not catch a break. I approached the desk.

  “—I don’t understand,” Kimberly was pointing at her tablet, trying to keep her voice calm, “my reservation was made weeks ago. I have a confirmation number.”

  “I understand, but there seems to be a problem in the system. It shows that room is already booked and there is a guest currently checked in. We don’t have any similar rooms available at the moment but…”

  “But what?” Kimberly asked.

  “We could accommodate you in one of the historic suites until we can get your reservation issue sorted.”

  “Okay, fine,” she sighed, “whatever. I’ll take it.”

  This was a
n opportunity to not interfere. I already intervened on the plane and insisted on driving her to her hotel, our hotel. They found a room for her. I should just keep my mouth shut.

  “Wait,” I addressed the front desk attendant, “What does historic mean?” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

  “It’s okay,” Kimberly started, “I can handle—”

  “Hold on.” I placed a hand on her arm and she fell silent. I wasn’t sure if her silence was a good or bad thing but I had some serious misgivings about this offer. In my line of work, coded language like historic was a red flag. Quaint meant ugly, cozy meant small, and historic meant old, which alluded to missing amenities in exchange for old world charm. Charming also meant ugly.

  “Well, the historic suites are in the original building which was built over two hundred years ago.”

  Fuck. I knew it.

  “When was the last time they were updated?” I asked.

  “They’re updated periodically but the owners strive to keep it as authentic as possible.”

  I chanced a glance at Kimberly. She didn’t seem upset with me but I could see the look of dread on her face and we seemed to be on the same page. I decided to rip off the bandage.

  “Is there electricity?” I asked.

  “Yes, but there’s only one outlet per room.”

  Kimberly maintained her cool professional demeanor but she seemed to deflate slightly.

  “WiFi?”

  “No, but there is an internet cafe in the main building and WiFi is free there.”

  Her jaw set.

  “Air conditioning?”

  She stared at the attendant. I could tell she was silently willing him to say yes with her eyes.

  “No, but there are ceiling fans in every room and there is a strong breeze from the cliffs which keeps the rooms very comfortable.”

  Her eyes slowly blinked once and she drew in a deep breath. Seeing her the slightest bit upset tugged at something inside me.

  “This is unacceptable.” I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible. Why did I care so much? “She has to have air conditioning. You have to have another room somewhere.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. The storms have been wreaking havoc on our computer system and with the big storm coming, flights are being cancelled. Guests are extending their stays. There’s really nothing I can do. I can comp her room and give her vouchers for the restaurants but this is the best I can offer.”

  I looked at Kimberly and she nodded, looking completely defeated. She grabbed the key, an actual metal key—not the white plastic keycard I was given—and headed for her room.

  Come on, Adam. Keep it together. Arm’s length, remember?

  “Kimberly.” She stopped and looked at me. “I have a three bedroom apartment. There’s plenty of room. Stay with me.”

  “No,” she said. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’ll be fine. It will be an adventure.” She gave me a halfhearted smile.

  “You’re going to stay in my apartment.” I stepped in front of her and she turned her face upwards until my eyes met her beautiful brown ones. Her skin was flawless and looked so smooth. “I’ll stay in the historic suite.”

  “I couldn’t let you do that.”

  “You’re not letting me do anything. I’m offering.” I raised my eyebrows and waited for her response. She considered my words for a moment before sighing and giving me a quick nod. Smiling, I gently took the key from her hand and placed her carry-on on top of mine and rolled them the other direction.

  The lock beeped and I pushed the door open. A blast of dry, cold air greeted us as soon as we stepped inside. I was going to miss this when I was roasting alive at two in the morning, but the look on her face was definitely worth it.

  The apartment was huge and luxurious. Nate tried describing it to me but his words didn’t do it justice.

  “WP paid for this,” Kimberly looked around, her mouth agape, “for a pitch meeting?”

  “No,” I laughed. “It’s one of my brother’s investment properties. He has houses all over the world. I’m going to look around before I take off. I’ve never seen it before.”

  “Of course.” She smiled. “It’s your place.” She sighed. “Are you sure you want to give this up for no air conditioning and no WiFi? Now that I’ve seen it, I’d totally understand if you changed your mind.”

  “No.” Hoping I wasn’t pushing the boundaries of professionalism, I placed my hands on her bare shoulders and turned her to face me. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I knew you were uncomfortable.”

  She gazed up at me with her big brown eyes and I was hypnotized again. My eyes traveled to her full mouth glistening with lip gloss. She had minuscule beads of sweat gathering on her top lip and I was dying to wipe them away with my thumb. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to kiss her. Instead, I took a step back and breathed.

  We spent the next few minutes wandering around the apartment. I estimated four thousand square feet. The kitchen was big with plenty of counter space. There was a washer/dryer, two balconies and a roof top deck. There were two large bedrooms with king sized beds and a bedroom in the middle of the apartment with two twin sized beds.

  I could see why Nate like this place so much. It was the perfect size for my brother, his wife, their daughter, their nanny and my mom, who had been living with them for the past year. It was the perfect family-sized apartment. I wondered if Kimberly liked kids or if she wanted any of her own. For a brief, insane moment, I fantasized about what a child I made with her would look like. I pushed the thought out of my head. I barely fucking knew her. It was definitely time for me to go. The more I followed her around watching her “ooh and ahh” over every detail, the harder it would be for me to leave.

  “Okay, Kimberly,” I said. “I’m gonna go get settled in back in 1894.”

  She giggled in response and it felt like I was being warmed from the inside.

  “I hope I packed enough candles.”

  “Stop!” She laughed even harder. “Are you trying to make me feel bad?”

  “Is it working?” I looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes.” She gave me a sad smile and poked her bottom lip out in a mock frown. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from wrapping my mouth around that lip and sucking it until it was swollen. I turned to leave.

  “Hey,” she called to my retreating figure, and I turned to face her. “I have all of these meal vouchers.” She shrugged. “I could treat you to dinner to say thank you.”

  “Since I’m the one staying in the historic suite, aren’t those my vouchers?”

  The edge of her lips curled slightly and her eyes narrowed. She sighed, placed a fist on her hip and tilted her head to the side. I tried to shift my focus away from the fact that in that pose, her yellow dress hugged her curves in all the right places.

  “Well, then would you like to use the meal vouchers that have my name on them, but technically belong to you, to have dinner tonight?”

  I laughed and nodded, despite every instinct telling me to run.

  “Fine, then meet me in the main building at seven thirty?”

  “No, I’ll pick you up here at seven thirty.”

  “This isn’t a date.”

  “Whoa. Slow down. Who said anything about a date? This is a professional dinner between work colleagues.”

  Her skeptical expression told me she believed that just as much as I did. It earned me a chuckle and I floated all the way back to the sauna where I’d agreed to sleep in exchange for one of her smiles.

  Kimberly Simmons flew into my life and hit me like a ton of bricks. I really had to get my shit together. I was sent to attempt to cultivate what could be a very lucrative relationship between Wolfe and WP. They were gobbling up Caribbean resorts like Pac-Man and someone was going to have to design them.

  Crossing the line with her would also not help me shed my reputation as the “Man-Whore,” a name I know floats around in certain circles, especially at the
office, through persistent rumors that I could tell Kimberly had heard but wasn’t telling me. I still wondered how much truth was in what she’d been told.

  So, why in the hell was I laying on this bed alone in my boxer briefs in a pool of my own sweat instead of being balls deep in a blonde flight attendant in an air conditioned luxury apartment? The answer was a tall, thin, quick-witted beauty with big brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. I haven’t thought about the meeting once since I’d laid eyes on her. And apparently, with the way this day is going, I couldn’t leave her without knowing exactly when I was going to see her again. I was counting down the minutes until seven-thirty.

  I summoned the strength to raise my arm and look at my watch. I still had over two hours before I had to pick her up. I couldn’t read or sketch because all of my devices were spread around the suite plugged into the sparse outlets. There was one in the bedroom, one in the bathroom and one in the living room/kitchen—if you call a mini-fridge, microwave and coffee maker a kitchen. I couldn’t watch TV because I had to unplug it to charge my laptop. I had taken a shower as soon as I got in the suite, but I was uncomfortable enough to take another one.

  I peeled myself off of the bed and out of my boxer briefs before padding into the bathroom to turn on the shower again. I was trying to convince myself that Kimberly Simmons was a bad idea, but according to my dick I wasn’t doing a very good job. Everything about her seemed like the best idea. I liked that she was tall, but not taller than me, even in heels, with long slender legs I needed to feel wrapped around my waist. She had a smooth, flawless complexion with skin that seemed to glow. I wanted to run my hand over the curve of her hips and breasts. I longed to taste her skin and kiss her full pouty lips. Her laugh was intoxicating. The sight of her with her eyebrows furrowed, her mouth pursed and her fists perched on her hips was permanently etched into my brain.

  I didn’t remember stepping into the shower but I found myself standing directly under the stream, resting against the tiled wall with my left hand and stroking my dick with the other. I couldn’t remember the last time I jerked off out of pure need, but my dick had lived in various states of arousal since I saw Kimberly on the plane.