“LA. Until I moved to Maui, I’d never traveled much farther than from one end of the Valley to the other. What’s your favorite color? Mine is gray.”

  “That’s not a color. It’s a shade.”

  I scowl. “What’s the difference?”

  She sighs like I’m hopeless. “I expected you to say blue or green…”

  “Because that’s common? Are you going to tell me yours is pink?”

  “Raspberry,” she corrects.

  “That’s not a color.”

  “It is. It’s a dark, vibrant reddish-pink,” she defends.

  “But still pink.” I laugh. “When is your birthday? Sometime in June, right?”

  She nods. “The thirtieth. And yours is…in the fall? I remember Parker throwing you a party once upon a time.”

  “My twenty-first.” That was a bender I barely recall. “I was born November eighth. Um…favorite movie?”

  “That’s an impossible question to answer. It depends on my mood.”

  “What? There’s only one favorite movie. That’s why it’s your favorite.”

  “You only have one? Really?”

  “Yes. It’s always Fight Club.”

  She wrinkles her nose, looking adorable. “I’m more of a Pride and Prejudice girl.”

  “You would love my buddy’s wife, Echo.” I roll my eyes in teasing fun. “She always picks the romantic flicks. Give me action—of all kinds. Favorite pie? I’m a sucker for blackberry.”

  “I wouldn’t turn that down, but peach with cinnamon ice cream…” She sighs like her love is almost sexual.

  “If you’ll make those sounds, I’ll get you all the peach pie with cinnamon ice cream you could want.”

  “Stop it. I’m already embarrassed that I moan. Next question,” she prompts…but I see a smile playing at her lips.

  “Ever broken a bone?”

  “No. You?”

  I snort. “Both legs. My right arm—twice. My collarbone, most of my fingers, a toe or two… I could go on.”

  “You were one of those rambunctious boys, weren’t you? Climbing trees and riding bikes down flights of stairs?”

  “Yeah. When I was a kid, my mom’s coworkers had a bet about whether I’d celebrate my tenth birthday in a cast. For the record, I did.”

  She shakes her head. “I’ll bet you were a handful.”

  Since she left me such a wide-open verbal path, I can’t resist. “I’m more than a handful now, if you want to reach over and feel.”

  “We’re supposed to get to know each other. I didn’t mean using our hands.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” I pull up to my house and slide the car into my garage, then turn to her. “Here we are.”

  Corinne sends me a nervous smile, then reaches for her door handle. I leap out and run around to offer her a hand out. She looks at my outstretched palm, then up at my face, before settling her fingers on mine.

  “Watch your step. I keep a bunch of weights and sporting equipment here.” I close the car door behind her and guide her to the house.

  When I reach the shadowy kitchen, I flip on a few lights, brightening up the place. “Home sweet home. While you’re here, help yourself to whatever you want.”

  She scans the room with wide eyes, taking in the dark cabinets, white quartz counters, and European appliances I’ve rarely used. The area spills over into the living area with its cushy gray sectional, swaying ceiling fan, and the giant big-screen. Her face doesn’t tell me what she’s thinking. I’ve never cared about anyone’s opinion. Then again, I’ve never brought a woman back to my house.

  “Thanks. I wouldn’t mind a bottle of water while I change clothes.”

  “Sure.” I grab one from the fridge. “Follow me. I’ll show you where Lisa put your things.”

  I brace for fireworks as I lead her to my bedroom and flip on a light. Her yellow suitcase sits beside my bed, looking bright against my black duvet.

  She takes in the room. “I’m not sleeping in here with you.”

  “It wasn’t something I planned, but it’s the best way to get used to me.”

  “We have time—”

  “Less than twenty-four hours before our engagement party. I won’t do more than kiss you, but we have to be prepared.”

  She toys with the engagement ring I slid on her finger. “I don’t like feeling pressured.”

  “Under any other circumstance, I would respect your personal space. But you came to me—”

  “You don’t have to remind me.”

  Clearly, I do. “And I said yes. We both have reasons. Unless you have some other way of getting your hands on the money you need?”

  Corinne sighs. “You know I don’t.”

  “Then this is for the best.”

  “Where’s the rest of my stuff? I have work to do and you promised me space.”

  “Other side of the house, the east-facing office. It’s all yours. Let me know if you need anything.”

  She snatches the water bottle from my hand, grabs her suitcase, then nods toward the half-open door on the far side of the room. “I assume that’s your bathroom?”

  I nod. “Help yourself.”

  She shuts the door behind her. I stalk into my walk-in closet, tearing off my coat with a curse. I’m frustrated. The more time I spend with Corinne, the more I like her. The more time she spends with me, the more she’s convinced I’m an asshole.

  She’s probably not wrong…

  After I hang up my suit and tuck her underwear into my nightstand, I don a pair of basketball shorts and a tank. I hear the soft click of the door and see her emerge with her dark hair swirled on top of her head in a messy bun, wearing a rose-colored T-shirt with cropped pants in a soft floral print. Her bare feet with pink polish are adorable.

  “This is a lot less sexy, I know.”

  Every part of me disagrees, especially my cock. Thank god my tank is long enough to cover my reaction. “Perfect for eating Hula Pie and playing twenty questions.”

  She sips some water. “Let’s get this done.”

  I take her hand instead, mostly because I hate not touching her, and usher her back to the kitchen. “Coffee? Champagne?”

  She holds up her water. “This is good.”

  “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” I pad out to the garage and grab our dessert and the bubbly, which I tuck into the fridge. Then I swipe two spoons before I follow her to the couch and sit beside her, lifting the lid on our dessert. “Where were we?”

  “Um, you’d broken half the bones in your body.”

  “Probably. Take a bite.”

  “I’m going to moan.”

  I smile. “I’m counting on it.”

  Corinne glares as she dips her spoon into the decadent ice cream confection and lifts it to her mouth. Her eyes go wide and she lets out a low, pleasure-filled groan. “That’s amazing.”

  “See, I wouldn’t steer you wrong.”

  “I’m not convinced of that.”

  “You’re a suspicious little thing.”

  “I’m not little. I definitely weigh more than I should, so you have to stop feeding me this stuff,” she says as she slides another spoonful into her mouth.

  Her ensuing groan is another kick to my libido.

  “You’re little to me, and if you make one more comment about your weight, I’m going to do unspeakably dirty, filthy things to your body to prove just how beautiful you are.”

  She stifles a laugh. “That only proves you like sex, which everyone knows.”

  “But you’re sexy as hell, and you should know it.” I shovel a bite of the pie into my mouth. It’s good. Really good. I’d still rather have her tits on my tongue. And…there goes my raging erection again. It’s going to be a long night. “You’re too worried about your weight. Why don’t you have more confidence?”

  She frowns. “I haven’t exactly been a man magnet.”

  Is she crazy? “At the hotel bar the other night, you could have had three takers.”

  “No. The bartender flirted with me for a better tip.”

  “Bullshit.” I know the difference.

  “The married guy next to me just asked what time it was.”

  “Guys with no game ask questions like that so they can talk to you.”

  “You have an active imagination.” She rolls her eyes. “I have no idea who the third guy was.”

  “In the corner with the rowdy crowd. I gave him the I’ll-fuck-you-up glare and he backed off.”

  “You did not.”

  “Oh, I did.” This back-and-forth isn’t telling me what I want to know. “What did Riley do to you?”

  “W-what do you mean? He didn’t do anything.”

  That’s a lie. “Did he tell you you’re overweight?”

  “No, but I have a mirror.” She spoons up more of the pie. “And I know I shouldn’t be eating this.”

  “You think weight is why he broke up with you?” That would make him a shallow prick.

  “I don’t know. He just…abruptly called it quits. Before that, I would have sworn he intended to…” She bites her lip.

  “Propose?”

  “Clearly, I was delusional. And if he never loved me, I’m better off without him.”

  There are so many things I could say, mostly that he wasn’t worth her time. Instead, I take her hand. “It’s hard when you think your future is set, right? I thought Hadley was the one.” I laugh at myself. “What the hell did I know? I was twenty-one. My biggest worry then was my midterms. I hardly thought beyond the next party. Hadley was good in bed. I didn’t know what love was.”

  “Do you now?” she asks softly.

  “Firsthand? No. But I see all my siblings with their spouses. At least I know what love is supposed to look like.”

  “My parents were really in love. I remember that. Our house was happy. There was laughter. Even my brother was decent to be around then.”

  “How old were you?”

  “When they died? Almost eight. They left for a weekend to celebrate their anniversary and…” She shakes her head, her eyes tearing up. “Sorry, this shouldn’t be hard all these years later.”

  “Yeah, it should. I still can’t think about losing my mom without getting choked up. What happened after they were gone? Your grandparents took you in, right?”

  She nods. “All the friends I had been looking forward to seeing when school started… I never saw them again. After my grandparents moved us in to their house, my grandmother decided that my mother had raised me too ‘bohemian.’ She thought I would benefit from boarding school. Parker, of course, got to stay home. He was just starting high school and he’d made the basketball team. That was somehow more important than my activities.”

  “That doesn’t sound fair.”

  “I got used to it. He was always the favorite. And nothing I ever did was good enough.”

  She interpreted Riley’s breakup the same way. She hadn’t been pretty enough or skinny enough or whatever enough to suit him. Her grandparents have passed now, so there’s no telling them how she feels. But if she ever sees that asshole ex of hers again, I hope she slaps him in the face and tells him that she’s amazing, no matter what he thinks.

  Better yet, I’ll tell him.

  No, it won’t be my problem because I won’t be with Corinne. We’re here to hoodwink her brother. Once she has her money and I have my revenge, she’ll be gone.

  “Wow, that went dark fast,” she quips, shoving the rest of the pie in my direction. “Sorry.”

  It’s only half gone, but I’ve lost interest, too. “You are good enough. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

  She sends me a sad little smile that makes me want to put my arms around her and hold her. Of course, if she wanted to get naked, I’d be game, but…

  “What about you?”

  “What about me?”

  “It couldn’t have been easy, knowing your dad walked away before you were born.”

  I have a flippant answer for this question, but she’s been pretty honest. “Growing up, I didn’t understand why all the other kids had super-involved dads. I wondered what was wrong with me. I know now that Barclay had a wife and a whole other family. Don’t get me wrong. Some of the other dads were great and taught me a lot. But yeah, not having or knowing my father was a wound. But eventually, I learned to manage without him.”

  “And you always had your mom?”

  “Always. She was everything. I wish you could have met her. She would have loved you.” The words slip out before I can reel them back.

  “Yeah?” She laughs. “My parents would have hated you. I mean, since you want to get into my panties.”

  “Did you put some on again?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  I want to make it my business. For now, I smile. “If it’s any consolation, I like you for more than what’s in your panties.”

  “I’m a little shocked, but I don’t hate you, either.”

  That makes me laugh. “Good to hear.”

  Corinne takes a sip from her water bottle, then thoughtfully re-caps it. “Was I right earlier? Is Hadley the reason you sleep with a lot of women but never let any close?”

  Probably. Yeah. But I shrug. “Maybe I just never met the right one.”

  “How hard have you tried?”

  “I’ve met tons of women.”

  She tsks at me. “I didn’t ask how many you’ve taken to bed. How many have you bothered to get to know?”

  None. “I’m fine with the way things are now.”

  “So what will you tell the people who know you well about us? How will you convince them our engagement is real?”

  I don’t have a good answer for that yet. “Don’t worry. It will work out. I won’t let you down.”

  “Yesterday, I wouldn’t have believed you. But now, I think you really mean that.”

  “Of course. We’re in this together.”

  She nods. “I want you to know that if Hadley ever made you feel like you weren’t good enough, you should take your own advice. You are. Don’t let anyone make you feel any different.”

  Corinne’s words still rattle around my head an hour later. Since she retreated to my giant walk-in shower, I use the opportunity to grab her underwear in my fist, slip into my office, and stash them in my desk drawer. Yes, it’s perverse. And no, I’m not giving them back. But I can’t fixate yet.

  Corinne and I will hopefully be having an engagement party at Maxon and Keeley’s place in roughly sixteen hours. I need to start making phone calls, starting with them, and laying the groundwork for a smooth event.

  Three of my eighty-plus missed calls are from my oldest brother. I know it’s late, but he’s obviously seen social media and wants to know what the hell I’m doing. If we’re going to be partners, despite the temporary setback, he deserves an answer.

  He picks up my call immediately. “What the fuck? I know you want to get back at Parker, but last I heard you were thinking about investing in his sister’s company. Now you two are engaged? Those after-dinner pictures are all over social media. Did you two fuck your way through dinner?”

  “No.” But we came close.

  “It looks that way. I’ll bet Parker thinks so, too. Was this feud not ugly enough for you?”

  I grimace. “The situation is complicated.”

  “How is it the kind of ‘complicated’ that requires you to put a ring on that girl’s finger and flash her to the world? How does that do anything but add fuel to the fire?”

  Briefly, I explain the scheme Corinne and I cooked up, minus the sex. Maxon listens, only swearing occasionally.

  “That’s pretty much it,” I finally say.

  “You’re crazy. You know that, right?”

  What seemed logical and even deliciously subversive mere hours ago now feels problematic. I’m worried there’s a pitfall—some cliff I’m about to fall from—that I can’t see. “You got a better solution?”

  “No. Your plan is completely underhanded, which makes it exactly what a Reed would do.”

  “So you’re on board? You’ll help me?”

  Maxon sighs. “I’ll probably regret this, but yeah.”

  Thank fuck. “Then I need a favor.”

  “You want us to host your engagement party, right?” Maxon doesn’t sound happy.

  “I know it’s last-minute and that I’m asking a lot. I’ll pay you—”

  “It’s not about the money. If you were really in love with this woman and getting married for the right reasons, I’d happily toss you a big-ass bash.”

  A part of me wishes I was, but despite her kind words, Corinne isn’t into me for me. Sure, she responded to my fingers on her clit, but most any halfway knowledgeable guy could get her off. She’s really here because I can give her the help she needs. That’s all. I can’t read more into her responses than that.

  “Since you’re not”—Maxon goes on—“you’re responsible for cleanup after the party.”

  “No problem. Thanks for helping me out. If it’s any consolation, you’re helping her, too.”

  “The reason I’m agreeing to this shit show is because we’re family. Plus, if Corinne gets things squared with her brother and the blowback from the movie dies down, we can get back to business.”

  “I’ve got the cash set aside so when it’s time to fund our venture, we’ll be good to go.”

  “We’re done with everything else, so that’s the next and final step before we announce it to the world.”

  I’m looking forward to diversifying from straight portfolio management to true wealth building. Property and real estate value has its ups and downs, but it always has intrinsic worth. Time to offer that dependability to my clients. I had to scrimp and save for a couple of years to be ready for this step, but we’re almost there… “It’s going to be great.”

  “It should be. Just…don’t fuck up.” He sighs. “Keeley and I will serve cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres at six. We’ll invite the right people. Let me know if there’s anyone Corinne wants to attend. You two come prepared to look wildly in love.”

  We have to keep working on that. “Thanks. What are you going to tell your wife?”

  “Nothing more than she already knows. If Keeley understood the whole scheme, she would only scold you. Besides, it doesn’t affect her much, except to give the B and B good PR. But it impacts business, so I have to tell Griff. Plus, he and I didn’t talk for three years because of a supposed secret, so we agreed never to have any between us again.”