Recipe for Attraction

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are
used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Gina Gordon. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form
or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

Entangled Publishing, LLC
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Edited by Shannon Godwin
Cover design by Heather Howland

Ebook ISBN 978-1-62266-424-5

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition November 2013

Chapter One

Of all the stupid, insane, idiotic, dangerous things Neil Harrison had ever done, this one
definitely topped the list.

“You got the money, rich boy?”
Neil handed over the bulging envelope to the goon standing in front of him. While the

man flipped through the one hundred twenty dollar bills, quickly counting the payment,
Neil looked over to the man in charge. Hector Diaz. The premier illegal street racing
promoter in the city.

“I didn’t think you’d show up,” Hector said. He staggered a little closer. The half-

dressed woman on his arm eyed him like he was her next meal.

“I told you. I want in the race.”
Diaz obviously didn’t like the idea of Neil hanging around. Too much exposure. As if

he’d rat. Diaz would just have to get used to the idea because he wasn’t going anywhere.
He was here to ride.

It had taken a few months, but Neil had finally made contact with a rider who knew a

guy who knew a guy who’d vouch for him. It took another couple of weeks, showing up at
the races, sitting on the sidelines of the hidden roadways, before Diaz would even look in
his  direction.  He’d  been  racing  on  his  own,  through  deserted  country  side  roads  and
picking  up  races  with  other  riders  on  the  street  also  looking  for  some  action.  He’d
wrecked more than a handful of bikes just being careless. But he was lucky. He’d come
out unscathed, save for a minor scrape here and there. Unlike some of the other riders
he’d  heard  about—or  even  witnessed—who  braved  broken  legs,  concussions,  and
sometimes, much worse.

But this was the big time. Diaz controlled all of the illegal races in the city. All it took

was a two thousand dollar buy in—plus the willingness to risk life and limb. But for Neil, it
wasn’t about the money. He had more than enough to last three lifetimes. It was the
rush. The danger. The feeling of letting go of everything and everyone, even if for a brief
moment.

The goon finished counting the money, glanced at Hector and gave him a nod. “It’s all

here.”

“Afraid I’m going to stiff you, Diaz?”
Hector laughed. “Take your spot, pretty boy. Let’s see what you got.”
Neil smirked and walked his bike to the start line. Two other racers—one to his left, one

to his right—were already in position and obviously didn’t give him enough credit. They

grinned at each other when he pulled up. One of them even chuckled.

A woman in tight, barely there clothing walked by. The smell of her cheap perfume

wafted through the open visor on his helmet and attacked his nostrils. Based on the sway
of her hips she thought highly of herself and the two other men seemed to agree. But
Neil was no fool. She was Hector’s woman, one of them at least, and he wasn’t going to
even look for fear of his retaliation. Most of the casualties on the racing circuit had to do
with man hitting the pavement, but it was no secret that some of the injury was human
inflicted. Diaz and his crew were dangerous and they needed little provocation. Which
was why he counted the money in his envelope six times before he’d left his condo.

Twenty feet from the start line she stopped and turned, pulling a green scarf from her

cleavage. The bikes beside him roared to life and Neil followed suit. The rumble of the
engine got his heart racing. The vibration between his legs never failed to give him a
half-stiffy. He smacked down his visor, putting his world into perspective. For some
reason, everything made better sense through the dark tint of his helmet.

But he was distracted when a commotion in his peripheral vision caught his attention. A

rider in black approached Diaz, getting in his face. When they made to walk on to the
track, Diaz held out his arm to stop him. The dude had balls to question the boss. Maybe
he was new to the scene.

The rider still had his helmet on, the visor lifted just enough to let out his words, but

not far enough to show his face. Most riders took their helmets off when congregating on
the line, but this guy didn’t. With a small build, the fragile looking man flailed his arms. It
was obvious expletives were being thrown. What did he want with Diaz? Was he trying to
stop the race?

Hector made a weak attempt to keep the guy in place. After a few more exchanges,

the rider finally broke free of Hector’s grip and vaulted to his bike, a blue Honda VFR. The
2012 model. A sweet ride.

But as he lifted his leg to mount, what became even sweeter than the bike was the

familiar, tight, female bottom that taunted Neil through the dust kicking up from the
spinning tires as she took off. It was a very familiar behind. A behind he’d seen every day
at his new restaurant’s construction site for the last year. A behind he dreamt about every
night.

He shook his head. It couldn’t be the person he was thinking. She rode a Ducati.
The rider stopped hard in front of him, blocking the start line. The thicker back wheel

spun out and his suspicions were confirmed the second she whipped off her helmet and
black hair cascaded down in lush waves.

Carson Kelly. His architect. Here. In the flesh.

Shit! He was at an illegal street race and she was witness to his actions. Finding out his

secret definitely diminished his credibility as an employer, not to mention the fallout he’d
face if his family found out. The business contract they’d signed didn’t include a
confidentiality clause when it came to Neil’s extra-curricular activities. As he watched her
anger flare and the pulse pound at the base of her neck, he knew she couldn’t be trusted.
He was screwed.

“Are you insane?” she yelled. She fit her helmet between the bike and her body and

kicked out the stand.

Yep, that was her. All bark…and no flirt.
Neil took off his own helmet. Shock wasn’t strong enough a word to describe his

feelings about Carson being here.

“Actually, I take that back.” She lifted her leg, getting off the bike with the ease and

grace he had seen her do so many times before at the construction site. “You are insane.
It would explain why you’re here trying to kill yourself.”

Neil lifted the visor on his helmet so he could respond. “I’m not trying to kill myself.”
“Could have fooled me.” She stared at him with her famous pissed off expression, still

managing to look smoking hot.

“Nice bike. Is that a 1200?” His bike was top of the line. Hers was better.
“1237.” She smiled. It was the first time he’d seen her genuinely smile since they’d

met. “Yours is an 1198, right?”

Neil cursed under his breath and growled, “It’s a 1200.”
She crossed her leather-clad arms across her chest and smirked, the curve at the side

of her lips making appendages on his lower body twitch and harden. “Sort of a waste if
you crash and burn. But you can just go and buy a brand new one any time you want.”

That. That right there was part of what infuriated him about this woman. Her

assumption that he took for granted everything that had been handed to him. But he
wasn’t going to let her goad him into a fight in public. Especially at his first official race.

The riders to his left and right grew irritated. And the woman who was ready to count

down the race had cocked her hip to the side and now studied her fingernails. Neil
decided to ignore them.

“What are you doing here?” he snapped.
“A girl can’t take a midnight ride and stumble upon an illegal street race where people

almost die every night?”

He gave her a sarcastic look to match her response.
It didn’t make any sense. A daddy’s girl through and through, Carson probably went to

the best private schools, the Ivy League and was now being groomed by her father, the

best architect the city had seen in fifty years. If the outspoken bombshell of a woman
didn’t annoy the hell out of him on a daily basis, he would have been impressed that she
could follow in those footsteps and actually live up to the standards set out in front of
her.

“Let’s just say I had a feeling I’d find you here,” she said.
“And why would you know where here is?”
“Can we ride?” The biker to his left yelled out. “I’ve got a certain female waiting to

congratulate me at the finish line.”

“CK!” Hector called out to Carson from his position at the sidelines, motioning her over

with a wave of her hand.

The night got weirder by the minute. She knew Diaz personally. Had they…? No way

she dated that douche. And no way daddy would ever let his daughter associate with this
rough crowd. But that didn’t explain how she and Diaz were on a first name basis.

Hector’s goon approached and grabbed Carson’s arm. A growl formed in Neil’s throat.

“Get your hands—”

She jerked her arm away and gave the goon an evil death stare. One he’d seen far too

many times while they argued about the height of his restaurant’s ceiling. “Don’t forget
who you’re manhandling.”

The goon recoiled, his hand freezing in place. This woman wasn’t just an architect. She

looked as if she were completely in her element. But how the hell did she fit into this
world?

She turned back to Neil and threw her hands up in defeat. “Fine. Kill yourself. I’m

leaving.”

Like hell she was. Not until he got an explanation.
“You’re not going to give me the details?” Curiosity gnawed at him as he reached out

and grabbed her arm. The leather of her jacket was soft, just as he imagined her skin
would be if he ever had the opportunity to touch her bare flesh.

Their gazes clashed and for a moment, Neil wondered what it would be like to stare

into those brown depths from above, with him settled between her legs, his hips thrusting
against  her  body.  He’d  wanted  her  from  the  very  first  day  she  had  rode  up  to  the
Madewood farm on her bike. But he’d pushed his desire aside not only because she was
his  architect,  but  because  he  didn’t  have  time  to  deal  with  this  particularly  infuriating
woman.  From  their  first  meeting,  Carson  Kelly  was  a  ball-breaking  hardass.  His  first
instinct was to end the meeting early but when she pulled out her designs, vision won out
over  personality.  She  had  incorporated  everything  he  had  dreamed  and  taken  it  to  the
next level. He wanted the best, and the best was Carson Kelly III.

She shrugged. “The details aren’t important.” She pulled her arm away, breaking their

contact. She walked her bike away from the starting line.

“Details are always important. I’d like to know why my architect is at an illegal street

race and is on an intimate level with Hector Diaz.”

“But you’re allowed to be here?” She challenged as she mounted her bike. “Forget you

ever saw me here.” She gripped the throttle and revved the engine. “It was a mistake to
follow you.”

“Carson, I—”
“I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” She looked over her shoulder. “You

shouldn’t get involved with him.”

“And what do you know about it?”
She glanced around, a sullen look spreading across her face. “Just trust me. There are

only two things in this world I am sure of, how to design a building and that this place is
bad news.”

She didn’t give him the chance to respond. She sped off, gravel kicking up behind her.
Who did she think she was giving him orders? Telling him what he should and shouldn’t

do? All right, she only told him what he shouldn’t do, but it was no less annoying.

And like hell if he was going to obey the orders of a high-strung, over-opinionated

employee.

Over the hum of their engines, the rider to his left laughed. “She told you, boy.”
Neil didn’t even look to his right.
He slapped down the visor on his helmet and concentrated. It was a quarter mile race

straight to the finish line. A cake-walk. The races with hazards and hills didn’t interest
him. He wanted speed not skill, and this was the perfect race for him.

The woman twenty feet ahead whipped up her hands, the green scarf swaying in the

slight wind that had picked up as the sun went down. He focused, waiting for it to drop to
her side as he revved the bike.

The green scarf dropped and Neil shot forward. The roar of engines surrounded him. He

tapped gears, first, second, third in rapid succession. The guy to his left shot ahead, the
one to his right lagged behind. Neil kicked it up to fourth, his speedometer wavering with
every increase of his speed.

When he reached one sixty he was head to head with the bike on his left. Despite the

heavy tint of their visors they locked eyes for a second, long enough for Neil to get the
jump. He pushed it even further, reaching one seventy and clearing the finish line half a
second before his competition.

He slowed the bike and breathed deep, letting the momentum from his speed take him

further down the track.

When he returned to where Diaz and his goons lingered at the starting line, the rider

who had been to his left threw his helmet on the ground. A woman was already humping
the leg of the other rider as he leaned back against his bike. Seemed like a pretty good
conciliation prize.

Neil ripped off his helmet, unable to suppress the cocky grin that curled at his lip.

Victory. His first time in the game.

He looked in the crowd and noted the money exchanging hands. He had no doubt big

bucks had been lost for those who had bet against him. Which was probably most of the
crowd.

And then he found Carson. Deep in conversation with Diaz.
Overwhelming satisfaction spread through him. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it

was the atmosphere. No matter, he was going to do something he’d wanted to do for a
very long time.

Neil cut the engine and dismounted, not taking the time to analyze letting his bike rest

on its stand. She was his employee.

He stalked over to Carson, grabbed her arm and twirled her around.
“Are you in—?”
And he kissed her. Hard. Rough. Just as he’d always imagined.
She punched and shoved at his chest but she was no match. And when he deepened

the kiss, pushing his tongue into her mouth, he felt her soften as she melted into his
body.

Diaz cleared his throat and Neil pulled back.
Fuck she was hot. Her brown eyes were hazy with desire and she looked even hotter

with her lips wet and swollen from his kiss.

She just stared at him, her jaw practically on the ground.
“I won. I’m supposed to get a kiss, right?”
She nodded, but just as quickly as she had spaced out, she snapped to, her eyes

narrowing. He cut her off before she had the chance to spit out her disdain.

“I’ll see you on site.”
Neil walked to his bike. The goon followed and handed over two white envelopes. He’d

just doubled his money. Not that he really cared. He got what he came for. He just hoped
that short rush would last him until the next race.

“You lost a lot of people a lot of money tonight, rich boy,” Diaz’s goon said.
It didn’t surprise Neil that he was the underdog. Who would have expected the new guy

on the scene to take the race?

“Mr. Diaz wants you to come back tomorrow night. A lot of egos kicking up on the

sidelines. People want to kick your ass.”

Neil laughed, enjoying the fact that he was enemy number one.
“Same price?”
The goon nodded.
“I’ll be here.”
Before he rode off, he looked for Carson in the crowd but she was gone. That kiss had

been everything he’d imagined and more. Between the adrenaline coursing through his
veins from his win and the sexy way she gave in to his kiss, he was painfully hard.

Carson Kelly. At a street race in the middle of the night. It just didn’t make sense. And

how had she known where to find him? There was more to this daddy’s girl than he
originally thought.

Maybe she knew what it was like to want to take that walk on the dark side. He shook

his head, no way. She’d probably gone through a “slumming it” phase, like some rich girls
do, and stumbled upon this scene. She didn’t—couldn’t— know about real loss. Hell, the
only thing she’d probably lost was her virginity.

Neil tapped the gearshift once more, taking the bike to well over the speed limit.
What would happen when she showed up to the site tomorrow morning? Would they

fall right back into their usual back and forth arguments? Neil demanding. Carson
stubborn. If he didn’t know better or dislike her so much he would consider their arguing
a form of foreplay. He smiled at the thought.

Or would their next meeting just be supremely awkward? But he now knew her secret.

He was positive daddy didn’t know his sweet little girl associated with people like Hector
Diaz.

Unfortunately, she knew one of his.
Given his family connections, the tabloids would have a field day if his newfound

extracurricular activity got out. He had too much on the line right now to risk a scandal in
the media. His new restaurant was practically complete and the new Madewood
Foundation his brother Jack formed last year was knee deep in fundraising initiatives. Not
to mention, he couldn’t risk his family finding out about his need for danger.

That would end in a family confrontation that he wasn’t up for.
Carson Kelly could not reveal his secret. And he’d do whatever it took to keep her quiet.

Chapter Two

Carson studied the drawings, unable to take in any of the information staring back at her.

Only a few more days until this project was done. It had taken thirteen months, but it

was finally complete. The construction of the Madewood Farm was her most elaborate—
and most difficult—design of her career. This was going to be the one to secure her the
title of Lead Architect for Kelly Designs. Her father was retiring and who better to take
over than his own flesh and blood?

Not that he shared Carson’s point of view on that issue.
She placed her crayon on the table and shifted in her seat, staring out the panoramic

window,  in  awe  of  the  structure  she  had  designed.  On  this  ten-acre  property,  she  had
constructed  a  state-of-the-art  fine  dining  restaurant  that  overlooked  a  pond  with  an
actual  working  water  wheel.  Beside  it,  a  rustic  structure  had  been  renovated  and
enlarged to become the gourmet foods store and bakery.

At the top of the property was a barn that she’d gutted and restored, turning it into an

event space. The rest of the land had been landscaped and ploughed to accommodate a
picnic area, while also making the berry and apple orchards accessible for seasonal
picking.

But for the first time in a long time, work was not the topic in control of her brain.
She couldn’t get the image of Neil Harrison out of her mind.
Stupid, infuriating man. Stubborn, obnoxious…hot-bodied and sexy.
She grabbed the sides of her white hard hat, required gear on active construction sites,

and  shook  off  her  thoughts.  She  couldn’t  even  be  angry  at  him  without  thinking  about
how  hot  he  was  and  he’d  taken  that  hotness  to  the  next  level  last  night,  idling  at  that
start line. A vision in leather and dark jeans. She’d never seen him in anything but a suit,
which made the mysterious black ink that peeked out the collar of his shirts out of place.
But  for  the  first  time,  that  tattoo  made  perfect  sense.  Knowing  what  she  did  about  his
extra-curricular activities, that ink now fit with his character.

When he had won, she barely stopped herself from jumping up and shouting. Never

more than last night had she wanted to throw herself at Neil and drag him off to a
secluded area.

She sighed, thinking about Neil’s kiss. Her body vibrated with the memory.
She’d suspected his interest in racing for some time but it wasn’t until yesterday her

fears were confirmed. She couldn’t sit on the sidelines once she realized Neil was actually
going to compete. She should have just left it alone. What Neil Harrison did with his own

time, whether he was endangering himself or not, was not her concern.

Carson couldn’t lie. She was just as interested in the Madewood family as the rest of

the female population. Vivian Madewood had been a staple socialite and a class act. By
default,  Neil,  and  the  three  other  boys  she  had  rescued  from  foster  care—Finn  O’Reilly,
Cole  Murphy,  and  Jack  Vaughn—became  famous.  Even  more  so  when  Neil’s  youngest
brother  Jack  came  of  age  and  took  to  the  party  scene,  making  their  family  name
infamous.

It wasn’t an everyday occurrence that four teenagers were taken in by a woman richer

than a Saudi Sheik. Carson would think someone in Neil’s position would be a little more
appreciative, a little less obnoxious and entitled. But Neil Harrison slipped into the role of
rich douche bag so effortlessly.

She hadn’t planned for a confrontation last night, but it had happened. And it had gone

exactly how she would have expected. Their mutual dislike for one another had won out.
But in between their exchanges of sarcasm and disdain, Neil Harrison’s scrutinizing stare
was unnerving. As if he saw through her. As if he knew her secret—the one she’d spent
years fighting to keep hidden.

But she knew his secret. She still didn’t have a clear answer as to why he raced last

night but she recognized all too well the darkness that emanated from his eyes. She
knew firsthand how easy it was to let the darkness take over, to let the speed of the road
engulf you, suck you in until you’re so deep it’s impossible to climb back out.

Her heart went out to him, something she never let happen, to anyone, for any reason.

But something about the loneliness in Neil’s eyes spoke to her.

“You don’t look like you’re concentrating hard enough.”
The thick sound of her father’s voice wafted from over her left shoulder. She turned

slowly, mentally preparing herself for criticism. It was inevitable. It’s what he did best.

“Hi Dad.”
As usual, Carson Kelly II wore a suit topped off with his steel-toed boots and black hard

hat. The fact that his current surroundings were a working construction site did nothing to
deter him from dressing in anything less than Hugo Boss.

“Late night?” His right eyebrow lifted with his question as he took a seat next to her.
Did she look as bad as she felt?
“Sort of. Not feeling so hot today.”
“There is no room for feeling sick on this project, Carson.”
“I know, Dad.” As if he didn’t remind her every day since they broke ground.
In an uncharacteristic gesture, he smoothed the hair away from her face and stared

deeply into her eyes.

“You remind me so much of your mother.” She took that as a compliment. Her mother

had been a classic beauty.

For a split second, sadness darkened his eyes, but just like he always managed to do,

he turned a compliment into a jab. “Although the years are not being kind to you.”

At least today he criticized her appearance rather than her work ethic or design

abilities.

Carson rolled her shoulders back, pulling away from his touch. “What can I do for you,

Dad? Why are you here?”

“Just wanted to see how things are wrapping up.”
She scoffed silently. “Right on schedule. One final inspection and we’re done.”
She had been the lead on this project from the beginning. Her concept. Her design. And

it was the best work she had ever done. It had to be. She was competing for the top
designer spot in her own father’s firm and there were no such thing as special favors. Not
even for his own daughter.

He leaned in, examining her plans for her next project. She was still in the concept

design process—in her mind, the most important step.

“Have you thought about using columns in the entrance?”
Designing space was a creative and always-changing process. It was an architect’s job

to question. To play that what if game even when it led you right back to your original
idea. And she could play the game—with anyone but her father. When her father
questioned, it was personal.

“Yes, I thought about that but I am leaning more toward a circular design. I don’t want

to take away from the height of the ceiling.”

He nodded.
Carson played with the crayons on the table then folded her hands over her drawing.

She liked to design her concepts in crayon. She found it brought her back to a time when
drawing was fun and perked up her creative juices. “Do you want to tell me why you’re
really here?”

He turned to face her. His eyebrows knit together in worry. “We have that meeting next

week with Bower Industrial.”

Finally, the truth behind his visit. “I have that meeting next week with Bower.”
“Are you prepared? We can’t let this contract slip through our fingers. I can only do so

much when I’m not the lead designer.”

Her father had suffered a major heart attack almost two years ago and the doctor had

given him a firm ultimatum: cut back on his work, or face another heart attack.

She remembered the panic-stricken rush to the emergency room and the subsequent

visits  to  the  doctor.  It  all  brought  back  the  horror  of  losing  her  mother  fifteen  years
earlier,  when  Carson  had  spiraled  out  of  control  and  begged  her  father  for  a  bike.  She
challenged  the  boys  at  school  to  race.  One  thing  led  to  another  and  she  became  an
unofficial organizer for street races in the city.

But then one day a motorcycle crashed and burned. One of her racers—her friend, Mike

Roberts—died. Accidents happened. Injuries happened. That was all part of the appeal.
The adrenaline.

But death…
To this day she lived with the guilt that if only she had done something, said

something, changed something, her friend would still be alive.

That night she’d handed the reins over to Diaz, choosing instead to channel all of her

rage and self-doubt into architectural design, and never looked back.

Her father cleared his throat, bringing her back to the present. “Dad, you’re going to

have to let go of the reins.”

“That may be…but I will choose the best man for the job.”
Kelly Design was a small firm with less than fifteen employees. Only one other designer

had the experience to qualify for the lead designer position. Her body shuddered at the
mere thought of her competition—Martin Connelly.

“I’m the one who secured the meeting with Bower. I’m the one who drew up the plans,

consulted with the contracting companies. I can handle this.”

“I’ve seen you like this before, Carson. Don’t think a father forgets when his own

daughter was involved in things that are less than honorable.”

Honorable? The man wouldn’t know honor if it bit him in the ass. He defined the word

unscrupulous.

“I’m not involved in anything. I had a late night, that’s all.”
“You’ve had late nights all week.”
“How do you…?”
“This is how it started last time. Late nights. Longs periods of time that you refused to

account for.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t have a life. I have Kelly Designs and I

have you.” She thrust her arm at her father. “That’s my life. Too stressed to have fun
because I always have you breathing down my neck.” She mimicked him. “Don’t be
reckless, Carson. Don’t do anything stupid, Carson. I can’t take it.”

Shit! She was having a hissy fit meltdown on site where Neil could walk in at any

moment and witness her pathetic display. But if her father wasn’t so infuriating, they
wouldn’t have been arguing in the first place.

Her father looked from side to side when she had raised her voice. Most of the workers

were outside except for a few that minded their own business. They continued on with
their work, but their eyes darted from their task to where she fought with her father.

“No one’s listening dad. No one cares.”
Her father gave her a pointed look. “I’d like to be at the Bower meeting. And I think it’s

best if Martin comes along as well.”

The boom of broken concrete being hauled off in the back of a truck sounded behind

her. That sound—construction sounds—normally set her at ease. But not right now.

“What?” The barely register-able anger that simmered below the surface broke

through. “If you want to come, I can’t stop you, but Martin? He has no business horning in
on my deal.”

No matter how hard she tried to better herself, no matter how much education she’d

received or how successful she’d been with her designs, she feared he would always see
her as the hooligan street racer.

“I understand, but I think it’s best for everyone involved.”
“I’ve got it covered, Dad.”
“It’s not up for discussion.”
She’d learned early and often that her father would have preferred a son. Which was

probably why he had latched on to Martin Connelly once he was hired. Her father had
pushed her and Martin together with grand plans of matrimony and continuing the legacy
of the firm. Carson had indulged her father, for a bit, but it hadn’t taken long for her to
figure out Martin’s ulterior motives and she would be damned if she’d let that gold-digger
oust her for the promotion.

“Whatever. I can’t stop you.”
The bang of the front door caught her attention. Neil strode inside wearing his usual

hard-faced expression and perfectly tailored black suit. He wasn’t wearing the proper
footwear—as usual—but at least this time he’d put on a hard hat. She only had to remind
him every day.

Her men focused on their work, intent on avoiding Neil’s scrutinizing attention. He

stopped in the middle of the restaurant. His hat rested low on his head, blocking his eyes
from her view but she knew without a doubt he was analyzing the tiny bit of progress
that had been made to the restaurant space since he left last night.

He noticed Carson and her father and gestured with his chin, his lips curving slightly at

her startled expression.

She remembered what those lips felt like against hers, branding her as if she was his.

Her nipples hardened at the memory of his hands on her body.

She shook her head. Not the right reaction to be having in front of her father. His own

scrutinizing ways would pick up on her change towards Neil in a second. With him already
on her case, she didn’t need this added to the list.

“Mr. Kelly? To what do I owe this pleasure of a visit?”
He held out his hand and her father stood and gripped it.
“Mr. Harrison. I was just following up with my daughter. When I’m not the lead on a

project I like to hold an exit interview. Just my way of assuring quality control. As we only
have a few days of construction and the final inspection left, I’d like to schedule that
meeting.”

Neil glanced in her direction. One eyebrow lifted in curiosity.
“Your daughter has done a fantastic job of designing every single part of my vision.

Every day I walk into this space and am reminded of why I chose Kelly Designs in the first
place.”

“Well Kelly Designs aims to please.” Her father gave her a sideways glance, as if

doubting the sincerity of Neil’s comment, her abilities.

“Carson,” he pointed to her, “has been here every day and keeps me up to speed with

every tiny detail. I am sure you’ll understand that this is the busiest time for me and I’m
sure you’ve put your daughter in charge for a good reason. So you don’t have to deal with
the little things, isn’t that right?”

Carson suppressed a smile. God bless Neil Harrison and his beautifully plump mouth.
“With all due respect Mr. Harrison, I know you’re a busy man but I would be remiss if I

didn’t follow up personally. This is one of Carson’s first jobs on her own and…”

Eighth. It was her eighth job on her own. Not to mention the numerous jobs she’d done

alongside her father.

“I don’t really think it’s necessary to make Mr. Harrison sit down with you,” she assured

her father.

He shot her a sideways glance. “Very well. If I can’t convince you to meet with me,

then my right hand will be along to make sure everything is finalized.”

Carson fisted her hands at her sides. If there was ever a time when she wanted to

punch her father in the face…it was now. He had just embarrassed her. Humiliated her.
In front of a client no less. In front of Neil Harrison.

“I must run along. Mr. Harrison, always a pleasure.”
They shook hands again and then her father nodded, his usual detached attempt at a

goodbye. He turned and walked out the door.

“I thought your father retired?”
She sighed. “Officially not until next month. He seems to forget that…often.”

Neil reached across the table and turned around the concept drawing she’d been

working on for her next project. “Who’s this right hand?” She tensed when a weird
expression crossed his face. “Sounds like an ass-kisser.”

She laughed at his astuteness. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She laid her finger on the

paper and pulled the drawing back to its original position. “He’ll be here to check up on
me.”

He smiled. “Don’t you mean meet with me?”
“Yes.” Shit. She nodded with a little too much vigor. “That’s what I meant.”
He gave her a curious stare. She was giving too much away. Neil didn’t need to know

that she was rattled at her father’s lack of confidence in her. She needed to change the
subject, and quick.

“Why did you kiss me?”
Wrong topic, Carson. That’s what happened when she was nervous. She failed to filter

the words that seemed to just fly out of her mouth.

Neil stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest, almost as if he had been pushed.

He glanced around the site before answering. “We’re not going to get into that here.
Now.”

“We certainly are.” She stepped forward around the table and pointed at his solid chest.

“You had no right to kiss me.” Wrong move. He now towered over her, all powerful,
masculine energy.

“I deserved a kiss.”
Her pulse quickened at his rough voice. No matter the time of day, it always sounded

as if he’d just woken up. She found it sexy as hell and completely distracting.

“Plus you were the only person I knew so I went after what I wanted.”
She gasped. “You wanted to kiss me?”
Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say you want to do it again. Carson shook out

the thoughts that repeated inside her head.

“I wanted a kiss. It didn’t necessarily have to be you. And I suspect Hector Diaz

wouldn’t have been appreciative if I went after one of his women.”

She sneered. “I never understood that barbaric ritual. The sex after a race.”
“What do you know about it?”
She froze. Again saying too much.
He shoved his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. “You’re really uptight. You

should find a way to get rid of some of that energy.”

“Like racing?”
He slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants. “Whatever floats your boat.”

Despite that kiss, Carson was no dummy. She knew Neil Harrison thought of her as a

ball-busting bitch. All work and no play, more argumentative than not. She shouldn’t care.
She was hired to do a job—build a multi-million dollar facility—not socialize with the man
who paid her to build it.

“Look, we don’t have much time left on this project. Can we at least try and be civil?”
“Civil or not. I know this project will get done to my satisfaction.” He walked away,

leaving Carson to quiver at the scent of his spicy aftershave.

The second he was out of sight, she raced out of the building to the large maple tree

outside. She rested her body against the bark and slid down, letting her hand fall against
her knees.

Things were going to have to change if she expected to stay in this line of work. She

wouldn’t be able to work with her father hovering, wouldn’t be able to live her own life
with her father constantly interfering.

And now this sudden thing with Neil.
She remembered his muscular body pressed against hers, his strong hands roaming

over her curves while his mouth plundered hers.

A familiar ache settled between her legs as she grew more aroused.
Thank God the project was ending soon. Then she could leave Neil and this unwanted

attraction behind.

Chapter Three

Neil sat in his cottage-turned-office and scrolled through the list of emails on his
BlackBerry for the tenth time. No new messages. He’d contacted everyone on his to-do
list, replied to everyone who’d sent him a text. Even his brothers weren’t online.

Construction was complete. Permits and plans finalized. All that remained was the final

inspection and then the interior designer could do her thing. For once, he could actually
relax. Not that he was big on relaxing.

The Madewood Farm would be a state-of-the-art facility and include a five-star

restaurant, a barn venue to host private events like weddings as well as an exclusive
family site with berry picking in the summer, hay rides, and farm animals. The site would
also house one of the Madewood gourmet food stores. Neil had hired a pastry chef to
oversee an on-site bakery where pies and desserts would be available daily.

He even kept the tiny cottage at the top of the property thinking he’d eventually

renovate. The previous owners of the farm had called the space home, but rustic didn’t
even begin to describe his surroundings. He had turned it into an office for the
construction’s duration. It had running water and electricity and even a bed, since he
crashed here most nights, spending almost twenty-four hours a day on site.

It was off the trail and not accessible from the road. Maybe he could make it a

honeymoon suite. There were so many things he could do with this space. The sky was
the limit.

The farm was the most elaborate project the Madewood family had ever taken on. Neil

had dreamed up the idea one day when he was riding his bike. He’d merged off the
highway and followed the twisted and turning roadway. About two kilometers from the
main road, he had come upon a for sale sign for a berry-picking farm.

He’d surveyed the land and even returned for the next three days to formulate a plan.

Knowing the five acres wouldn’t be enough, he’d approached the homeowners next door
and given them an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Neil loved that he had all the money in the world and the power to do what he wanted.

To dream as big as he could and know that anything was possible. He’d spent too many
years with nothing, too many years believing that he was nothing.

But even the excitement that came with the finalization of the farm didn’t suppress the

need for speed that buzzed through his body. Nothing was enough anymore.

His life had been a dream. He had become a successful business tycoon and chef, with

a family—albeit different from the norm—that loved him. He had been on top of the

world.

Until the bottom fell out the day his foster mother Vivian succumbed to breast cancer.

It had been fifteen months since she’d passed and Neil just didn’t know how to rein
himself back in. That’s when he’d taken to the streets, racing his way into emotional
oblivion.

He knew he was out of control in every possible way. Professionally, he had reached far

above his own limits to pull off a restaurant experience most people wouldn’t even
consider. Physically, he risked death almost every night by racing his bike.

And Carson…
He never expected to see her at the race—the woman who had preoccupied his

fantasies since the day he saw her for the very first time.

She had been confident and cool under pressure. Always taking control. A real alpha

chick. Which wasn’t at all what he usually went for in women. But something about
Carson Kelly III had him turned up in knots. Something more than just her perfect ass.

Damn, she was hot. His attraction overwhelmed him to the point he was fighting it

constantly—his need to touch her, brush up against her, grab her and thrust her up
against a wall.

It was even more explosive now that he’d actually kissed her.
Thinking about Carson had kicked up his libido. A dangerous combination with the urge

to ride fast and hard. Since he couldn’t ride Carson, he’d settle for a high speed of a race.

He picked up his keys, grabbed his jacket and headed down to the base of the hill

where his truck was parked. The restaurant sat on the front of the property and when he
approached the entrance, he noticed a bike parked beside his truck.

What the hell was Carson doing here at this hour?
He checked his watch. It was ten to midnight.
He pushed the two heavy wood doors and stepped into the foyer.
Soft music wafted from inside the restaurant. Carson sat at the far end of the

workspace hunched over a table—the same table she had claimed as her work space the
day the interior construction had been completed and her drafting table was no longer
necessary.

She looked beautiful. The soft light of the table lamp accentuated the smooth lines of

her face. Her perfect cheekbones and plump lips. Her dark hair shone in the light, at least
the strands that were visible under her hard hat. Even after hours she followed the rules.

He stepped further into the space, his boot catching on the hard wood and jerking him

forward.

Carson jumped and looked up from the table, her hands gripping the sides tightly.

“Shit!” She shook her head and released her grip. “You scared the crap out of me.”
He lifted his hands, palms forward. “Sorry. I saw the light on. Was just checking it out.

What are you still doing here?”

“I was going over the inspection documents one more time.” Her files were piled up in

the corner of the table. “But then I got an idea.” She glanced at her watch and furrowed
her brow. “I must have lost track of time.” Her eyes lowered to where he held his keys in
his hand. “Going somewhere?” Her eyebrow lifted in curiosity. Busted.

He slipped his keys into the pocket of his jacket but fisted his riding gloves in his hand.
“You’re going to race, aren’t you?” She dropped her crayon on the desk. Wasn’t she a

little old for crayons?

But he saw the honest concern in her eyes and it made it hard for him to lie. So he

didn’t respond.

“You’re even more stupid than I thought.” She snorted and focused back on her work.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that despite the fact that you’re a smart man and know how dangerous—and

fatal—your actions can be…you’re an idiot. Why would you risk it? You have too much to
lose.”

“You’re not my mo—” Mother. He no longer had a mother.
Her shoulders dropped. “I didn’t know your mother but given the fact that she raised

you for half of your life, she is a saint as far as I’m concerned.”

“Sweetheart, I pay you to design a restaurant, not psychoanalyze me.”
“You’re right.” She put down her crayon and pushed the paper across the table away

from her. “I have no right to lecture or criticize.” Yet the look of disgust was still on her
face.

He stood, his arms crossed over his chest. She might not have the right to lecture but

as the man who hired her to do a job, he deserved to know why she showed up at the
track the other night.

He stalked forward, getting closer to the sexy woman that had a raging effect on his

libido. When his leg hit the edge of the table, he asked, “Are you going to tell me why
you know all about this racing world?”

He waited a beat, but she still didn’t answer.
Reaching forward, he ran one of her silky locks through his finger, then leaned forward

until his lips hovered by her ear. “I bet Mommy and Daddy didn’t approve of their
precious angel involved in something so seedy.”

She jerked away and shot him an evil look. He’d obviously hit a soft spot. And with the

way her father acted earlier that day, he knew without a doubt, disappointment was high

on her list of concerns.

“Why were you at the race last night?”
She sighed and slid out of the chair. She turned her back to him and headed down the

four levels of the restaurant to the panoramic window that overlooked the pond. The
trickle of the water wheel could even be heard inside the restaurant.

She wrapped her arms around her body. He had to admit, watching her from behind

was one of his favorite things to do. The tight black pants she wore accentuated her even
tighter bottom.

Her head turned slightly as she finally spoke. “I noticed the red clay mud on your bike’s

tires last week.”

“But how did you know where the mud came from?”
She faced him. “Let’s just say ten years ago Diaz and I were friends. I spent a lot of

time at those tracks.”

Neil stepped back. Carson Kelly, illegal street racetress.
“You raced?”
She nodded.
His mind reeled with her confession and for a moment, shock replaced desire. “But you

gave it up. Why?”

Neil walked a little closer. Still giving her some space, knowing that this conversation

had just taken a serious turn.

She hugged her body tightly. “I found my path. I wanted to be an architect.”
“Are you sure it’s your path?”
She dropped her arms, fisted her hands at her side, and glared. Neil could practically

feel the daggers shooting from her eyes. “Why do you have to be so annoying? Can’t you
just have a normal conversation without calling people out?”

She obviously had no idea how glorious she looked, angry in the moonlight. He

chuckled. “Usually, but something about you just makes me want to spar.”

He didn’t know if it was her privileges, or that she had a better bike, or maybe it was

the fact that he would really like to strip her down and see how mouthy she got when his
mouth was on her—

“I’m following my own path.”
“So the love of buildings put you on the straight and narrow?”
She nodded and walked over to stand in front of him, enveloping him in her sweet

fragrance. “I know what’s going on in that head of yours. The buzz that takes over your
body. The sounds of engines that occupy your mind. I know exactly what it’s like to let
that darkness take over.”

He scoffed. “What do you know about darkness?”
“I know because I turned to the same thing when my mother died.”
Her mother died? He knew she was an only child but never…
“You can think I’m privileged, a daddy’s girl or whatever other colorful stereotypes you

can think of, but we have a lot more in common that you think. I know what it’s like to
have that darkness manifest itself on the track.”

His brothers didn’t understand. But Carson, without even knowing anything about his

personal life, knew exactly what he was feeling.

There was more to Carson’s story, he could see it in her eyes. Something more than the

loss of her mother. Something that made her run full speed ahead into the family
business. Maybe she was right. They did share similarities, following the family dream,
but trying their best to make it their own.

This was all getting a little too real for him.
“Make sure you turn off the light when you’re done.”
He turned and walked back to the table where Carson had been working but her tiny

voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Please don’t go. Stay here with me.”
He froze, then turned and faced her. “I think I’d rather take my chances with the

pavement. You and I…” You and I would make beautiful music in bed together? You and I
would steam up the windows in two seconds flat? You and I would be even better
sparring partners in bed?

“Please don’t go.” She walked closer, her arms reaching out. “I just couldn’t live with

myself if anything were to happen to the annoying guy.”

Conflict warred within him. Part of him wanted to stay and do all of the things to her

luscious body that he’d fantasized about since the first time he laid eyes on her. Another
part of him knew getting involved with a hired employee was a terrible idea…even if the
employee in question was turning out to be one of the most exciting women he’d ever
known. “We can do whatever you want?” she added, as if sensing his hesitation. Her full
lips curled in invitation. It was clear she was pushing hard to take his mind off racing but
he doubted she was fully aware of where his thoughts were headed.

“Anything I want?” he asked.
There was no way she was up for what he had in mind—what he’d had in mind almost

non-stop for the last year.

“I know you feel anxious,” she said.
Did she have any idea she was tempting the beast?
“Anytime you feel anxious. Feel the need to race, call me and I’ll be there for you.”

His eyebrow lifted in question.
“There’s only one thing that will keep my mind off the track…and I don’t think you’re up

for that challenge.”

“Are you daring me to have sex with you?” The smile that spread across her face told

him she wasn’t displeased with him. “You’re bad.”

“Not bad,” he corrected. “Determined. I’m going to race or you’re going to distract me.

It’s as simple as that.”

Neil stalked forward, not saying another word. So much for avoiding sexual

complication. He took in his surroundings. The restaurant looked pretty finished to him,
so their professional relationship was almost over. And Carson was just too enticing to
pass up.

She stepped back with his approach but had nowhere to go. The window was now flush

against her back and a tiny shadow of fear skittered across her face. Desire sparked in
her eyes, but it was quickly extinguished by fear. She was scared. She wasn’t the only
one. Something about this woman ignited a desire Neil had never felt before.

“I’m demanding,” he said, his lips hovering over hers.
“I know.”
His hips brushed her stomach. “I’m insatiable.”
“I have no doubt.”
He dropped his gloves onto the ledge then raised his hand and secured a strand of her

soft hair behind her ear. “I think I could use some distracting right now.”

She blinked and looked up. “I think I could use some fun right now.”
He placed his thumb and forefinger on her chin. “Then I think for the very first time we

agree on something.”

Neil swooped down and pressed his lips against hers. The moan that surrounded him

wasn’t his own and that fuelled his desire even more.

Her fingers played with his hair at the nape of his neck. “You’re not wearing a hard

hat,” she whispered against his lips. “I’m legally required to make sure that protection
equipment is worn at all times.”

Neil pulled away, a tiny smile curving at the side of lips. “How about you school me in

health and safety rules tomorrow.” He lifted the hat off her head and lowered it to his
side, letting it slip through his fingers and onto the floor. Her body tensed when it hit the
ground. “Right now, all you’re required to do is exactly what I say.”

Her eyes lit up and her lips pursed. “We’ll see who’s in charge.”
He was going to have this woman. He was going to replay every dirty dream, every

dirty thought he’d had over the last year featuring Carson Kelly and make it a reality.

And it all started tonight.

…

Carson couldn’t let Neil walk out that door. She wouldn’t. Not when she knew the danger,
the risk. She was the one person standing between him and possible death. She had to
do something. She couldn’t have another person’s death on her conscience.

But maybe she felt more for Neil than she realized. She certainly couldn’t deny her

attraction to him.

He’s your client. He’s off limits. Warning bells rang loud in her brain but she paid them

no attention. The desperation to keep him safe had obviously messed with her logic
because they were kissing. And groping. And it was fantastic.

He needed to flee from the lure of the track and if the type of comfort he needed

included him ramming his cock inside her—so be it. Based on the dampness between her
legs she was more than willing to take one for the team.

His lips worked in the same manner as they had the night before. There was nothing

gentle about this man. Not his stature, not his voice, not his hands, and definitely not his
lips.

Neil grabbed her wrists and lifted, securing them above her head against the glass of

the window and she held on tight, opening herself up to his mercy.

He pressed his pelvis against her, the hard length unmistakable against her stomach.

His mouth lowered and he peppered kisses across her jaw then down her neck.

It was the heaviness of Neil’s body against her that confirmed this wasn’t a dream,

although she had dreamt about having sex with him, in this very restaurant, countless
times during the construction phase, surrounded by power tools and possibilities. But the
real Neil Harrison didn’t need a power tool to get the job done. The only tool he needed
was the one that pushed hard against her stomach. And she knew without a doubt he
was exactly the type of man who knew how to use it.

“Have you thought about this?” she asked between heavy pants.
He attacked her lips again. She pushed her pelvis forward and lifted her leg to wrap

around his hips. It was the perfect contact she needed to sate the ache between her legs.
“Because I’ve thought about this…a lot.” She gasped when he pressed harder. “Really a
lot.”

Neil finally let go of her hands and wasted no time pulling at the button of her pants.

When her fly was open he slid his hands down her backside and cupped her bottom. He
squeezed hard but it wasn’t the action she was looking for.

She moaned. “That feels good. But that’s not where I’ve imagined your hands.” Leaning

in, she whispered, “They belong between my legs.”

Neil grabbed the hair at the nape of her neck and pulled. “You ride. You race. You’re

athletic and successful.”

“Don’t go falling in love with me now. This is purely a distract-you-from-racing fuck.”

She nuzzled against his cheek and groaned at the feel of his five o’clock shadow abrading
her skin. “And I’m definitely in need of a good fuck.”

“Christ.” He groaned. “And you talk dirty.”
She raised her eyes and they locked with his. “Now who’s the daddy’s girl?”
He thrust his hardness against her again.
“Take off my pants,” she commanded.
He complied. Smoothing his hands down her bottom toward her legs and taking her

pants with them. When her legs had been pulled free she leaned against the window.

He took in the length of her body and it didn’t make her uncomfortable for one second.

She knew she looked good. She worked hard to look good.

“Like what you see?” she asked.
“Take off your shirt.” Despite his demand, she heard the anticipation in his voice.
“Take off your shirt.”
Even in an intimate situation they battled for dominance. But her request was more to

satisfy her curiosity. She had no doubt his chest was as exceptional bare as when he filled
out a dress shirt, but she needed to know where that tattoo on his neck disappeared to.

But this time, Neil won. He grabbed at the hem of her shirt and lifted, her arms

following his movements.

He fondled her breasts with his big hands, squeezing and kneading with precision. Her

bra cups dipped below her nipples and he leaned in, taking one stiff peak into his hot
mouth. She clutched his head, pushing him closer, harder.

Neil straightened and grabbed her hips. Without notice, she was off the ground, her

legs instinctively wrapping around his hips.

He walked them to the nearest table, and sat her on the edge.
Neil reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. When the purple, shiny

wrapper appeared Carson sighed. Thank goodness one of them was prepared. She hadn’t
thought about protection once since they had agreed to sex.

While Neil ripped the wrapper, Carson took care of his erection, pulling it out of his

pants. She cradled the thick member, rubbing along the smooth skin. And if she wasn’t in
such a hurry to get off, she might have even leaned down and sucked it into her mouth.

When he was sheathed, Neil took position between her legs and rubbed his tip against

her aching flesh, long, slow strokes up her folds, circling at her clit.

“Do it,” she cried. “Fuck me.”
With a groan and a thrust he plunged his cock inside her and didn’t let up for a second.

He worked his hard length in and out to his own rhythm.

She gripped the rail than ran behind the first level of tables and braced herself, meeting

his thrusts, and with every up-stroke their bodies fused together.

But it wasn’t enough.
She let her hands slide down her body, one hand tweaking her stiff nipple, the other

finding her clit.

Before she’d barely touched herself, he pulled out and dropped to his knees, replacing

her fingers with his mouth.

“Neil.” She gasped and lifted her head. “You don’t have to do…” She moaned. “Yes,

yes! You have to do exactly that.”

Neil’s tongue worked magic on her clit. She bucked on the table, clutching his hair with

her fingers.

She let her head fly from one side to the other, and when she looked down and found

his green eyes staring up at her, she exploded.

Before the tremors of her orgasm subsided, he stood and plunged back inside her,

thrusting hard and deep. The force of his cock sparked another orgasm and she soared.

He grunted, and with one last thrust, spasmed inside her.
Neil’s head rested against her shoulder. They both gulped in air and didn’t speak in

what seemed like a long time, content to stay wrapped in each other’s embrace.

Finally Neil lifted his head and when their gaze met she shivered. He pressed his lips

against hers and rattled her foundation with a scorching kiss. She wondered if every kiss
would be like this, like it was the first time, every time.

Carson slid her arms up his hard chest and clasped them behind his neck. The closer

contact caused her to thrust her hips upward, aching for round two. The kiss settled, their
lips slowly parting ways.

She cradled her hand along his cheek.
“I’m already thinking about racing.”
Carson tensed. So it wasn’t as good for him as it was for her. Should she have expected

any different?

“I’m thinking about what it would be like to fuck you on my bed after I win.”
She smiled. His mind was definitely somewhere other than on the actual track. Her

work here was done.

He brushed her hair back off her face. “I’m thinking about what it would be like to fuck

you on my bike.”

She grabbed at his chin and sternly said, “There will be no racing. And as for the

fucking…”

“It stays between us,” he whispered. “This project is too important. I can’t let my

private life overshadow it.”

She caressed his cheek. “Just between us.”
He kissed the top of her nose. “And you were saying…about the fucking? You did

promise to keep me occupied when I got the urge to race.”

She smiled. She had promised. She promised she’d do whatever it took to keep him

away from the track. Anything. Especially if this was the fringe benefit.

“A promise is a promise.”
And given the way her body throbbed with pleasure, she hoped she had to keep that

promise for a very long time.

Chapter Four

Carson stared at her laptop, reviewing the final slide of the Bower Industries presentation
that she was going to give at her meeting next week.

“Yes, that’s a very good idea,” Evan Randall, Carson’s second-in-command on the

Madewood project, laid his hand on his hard hat as he spoke into his phone. “I’m going to
have to run that by Carson and—” He nodded even though the person on the other end of
the phone call couldn’t see. “It’s important that we’re all on the same page. Yes. See you
then.” He pushed the end button on his smartphone.

Evan sidled up to the desk. He looked the same as always, easy going, a faint hint of a

smile just waiting to be coaxed into a full grin.

“Who was that?” Carson asked.
Evan hesitated and set his clipboard on the table. “Martin.”
“Martin?” Carson put down her pencil. “What did he want?”
She knew what he wanted. To check up on her. But she wanted to hear it from an

objective party.

“He wants to go over the inspection documents. Make sure everything is in order.”
That sneaky, ass-kissing, arrogant bastard.
“I’m sorry.” Evan wore a pained expression. “You know where my loyalty lies.”
She shrugged. “I know this wasn’t something you could challenge. I’d never ask you to

jeopardize your job for my sake. It’s all right. Just indulge him.”

That slimy son of a bitch. But then again, maybe he was calling on her father’s behalf.
A few moments passed and Evan did his best to make conversation. “I noticed you

were burning the midnight oil again.” He crossed his arms over his chest. She knew that
tone. Here came the fatherly lecture. Funny how she hated it but loved it at the same
time. She would give anything for her own father to care as much as Evan did.

She bit her cheek to hide her smile.
“You know me… my brain always wants to work overtime. Besides, I have a lot of work

ahead of me for the Bower Project. It just saves a lot of travel time if I just stay in one
place.”

After all, if she hadn’t been working here late last night, Neil never would have found

her.

A thrill shot through her body at the memory.
“It’s not healthy,” Evan continued. “Work is important but you also need to have a life.”
He slipped his hard hat off to readjust it on his head. When his hand came up he

knocked one of her pens onto the floor.

“I got it.” He bent and his head disappeared under the table. “Carson?”
“Hmm…”
He twisted on his feet and brought his head up from under the table. “Maybe I should

have a little chat about inappropriate use of the site before I send everyone home
tonight.”

He held out a condom wrapper. The same purple foil that Neil had discarded last night.
She sucked in a hard breath and placed her hand on her neck. Heat made its way up

her neck and settled in her cheeks.

“You’re all flushed.” Burton dropped the wrapper on the table. “It’s nothing to get angry

about. I’ll chat with…”

“Carson?” Neil strode over to the table looking as scrumptious as he had last night. This

time he wore both protective head and foot wear.

Pillow talk did work.
“Did I happen to leave…?” He stopped and he smiled when he looked over at the

railing. “There they are.” He walked past them and picked up his riding gloves. He
slapped the gloves on his palm and when he turned to face them, his eyes immediately
zeroed in on the evidence of their encounter.

“I’m sorry Mr. Harrison.” Evan stepped forward. “There is no excuse for this type of

behavior. I’ll talk to my boys.”

“I expect you will.” Without missing a beat, Neil turned his attention to Carson. “I

expect you’ll have your workers in line for the next project you take on.” He shoved one
glove into his jacket pocket. “Others may not be so considerate toward such behavior.”

Despite being thankful for his professionalism under pressure, Carson wanted to slap

him for the public scolding.

“Ms. Kelly, can I see you in the kitchen for a few minutes?” Neil asked. “I just have a

couple of questions about the inspection.”

“Sure thing.”
Evan didn’t watch Neil walk away. Instead he laid his gaze on Carson. Was that an I-

know-what-you-did-last-night gaze?

She shook her head and headed to find Neil.
When she entered the kitchen, it was empty. She stood in the doorway and admired

the gleaming appliances and sparkling countertops. This was her first time designing a
kitchen. It had taken a lot of research and a lot of consultation as she worked with Neil
and his kitchen team to meet his stringent criteria. Neil knew what he wanted and there
was no compromise.

“Neil?”
As soon as she said his name the door to the walk-in fridge flew open and an arm

grabbed her, pulling her into the frigid temperature.

“Neil!” His body surrounded her but instead of the warmth she had experienced last

night, he was cold, but no less hard.

“I thought you were going to stand me up?” His breath surrounded her face in white

puffs of condensation, the warmth a welcome feeling against her face.

“I should have since you seem to not like cleaning up after your mess. That was a close

call. What if someone else had found it?”

He grinned. “Lucky for us it all worked out.”
“You wanted to talk about the inspection?”
“Hell no. I wanted to talk about the fact that I’ve been thinking about you lying on top

of that table all morning and how much I want to do it again.”

Inside, her stomach fluttered. Outside, she remained firm in her convictions. “I thought

the deal was only when you were feeling anxious.”

“I’m anxious again.” He grabbed her hand and placed it on his very hard, very large

erection.

She whacked his chest with her free hand. “The offer stands only when you feel the

need to ride.”

He grinned. “I’m a man with access to a beautiful woman that knows exactly how I like

it.”

“Is that so?” Carson couldn’t help but fill with pride. Pleasing a man like Neil wasn’t her

life-long priority, but it was definitely a bonus to be told that she knew what she was
doing between the sheets. Not that they’d used sheets. And it didn’t seem like they were
going to be using them anytime soon. Not today at least.

“And what is it exactly that you like?” she challenged, stroking him through his slacks.
He leaned in and whispered against her ear. “That sexy mouth of yours wrapped

around my cock.”

For a second time, her insides fluttered. He definitely knew how to get her heart rate

going double time. “But you don’t even know what that feels like.”

His response was a kiss, his mouth descending upon hers hard and fast. It caused her

hard hat to fall off her head.

He pulled away and stopped the kiss by biting her bottom lip between his straight,

white teeth. “I’m going to find out what it feels like right now.”

“Here? In the fridge?” Since the walk-in hadn’t been stocked with food yet, the

temperature wasn’t as cold as it would normally have been, but it was still cool enough.

She was freezing her tush off. “Anyone could walk in on us.”

Carson had worked hard on this project, hoping to be recognized for her talent. And the

decision to do, or suck off, her client in an industrial refrigerator, could undo all of that
work.

While gazing at the heat swirling in Neil’s eyes and gripping the erection that strained

the front of his pants, her brain was flooded by memories of the night before. The way his
hands felt on her body. The way he licked her until she came. She stifled a sigh.

Revisiting her old racing stomping grounds two nights ago had re-lit a fire inside her.

One that forced her to remember all of the reasons why she had used racing as a way to
feel alive after her mother’s death.

Now it would be Neil’s skilled hands, delicious mouth, and gorgeous, hard cock making

her feel alive.

Besides, a promise was a promise. She promised she would be here for him, whenever

he felt anxious. Whether she believed he was truly wired for a race or not. She never
went back on her word.

She reached up and cupped his cheek. “All right. I guess doing all the work will warm

me up anyway.” She winked and slithered down his body, kissing his chest, his stomach,
and his pelvis.

Her hands, barely in working order from the temperature, fumbled to undo the buckle

of his belt and yank his boxers down.

He hissed when her frigid fingers made contact with his exposed length. “Fucking cold.”
“This was your idea, remember?”
He nodded. “And you have exactly what I need to warm it up. So you better get to

work before it freezes and falls off. Otherwise, what good would I be to you?”

She smiled. You’d still be plenty good. She shook off the thought and fisted her hand

around his base. With a gentle motion, she pumped up and down, her tongue snaking out
to lick the tip with every down stroke.

He jerked when she placed her other hand on his pelvis and she heard him inhaled

sharply from the cold.

Opening her mouth, she took him in slowly, at first just the tip. She suckled and licked

the turgid head. She loved the way it glistened in the light. His moans filled the small
space and he breathed heavily through his nostrils, the white puffs of air blocking her
view of the rigid lines of his handsome face.

With every thrust she took him deeper and soon she was swallowing him all the way to

the back of her throat. He grabbed the sides of her head and took over the action and
fucked her mouth in deep, rhythmic strokes. Just like with everything else, he needed to

be in control. And for the first time, she realized she didn’t mind one bit.

When he released her head, she pulled away, panting, trying her best to catch her

breath. She used her hand to pump up and down his length. “Still cold?”

He bent down to where she was kneeling and captured her lips, his tongue

manipulating her mouth in the best possible way. “Take off your shirt,” he whispered.

His firm demands, which in their professional relationship infuriated her, now set fire to

her insides. But for as much as she burned with the need to feel him deep inside of her,
she wanted to finish what she’d started. “We’re here for you, not me.”

“Yes, we are, and I want you topless. I’m going to come all over those beautiful tits.”
She let go of his swollen shaft long enough to remove her T-shirt and bra.
Her nipples hardened even more with the direct exposure to the cold. Neil squeezed at

them, the bite of pain mixed with pleasure.

Carson wrapped her hand around him again and returned him to her mouth. Breathing

through her nose, she sucked him down, each time swirling her tongue along the
underside.

Neil gripped the sides of her face as he pumped his hips harder and faster with every

second.

He groaned and started to pull away, but Carson followed him, sucking the head of his

shaft. Despite the eroticism of his commands, she still wanted the satisfaction of giving
him what he needed.

“Carson, I’m coming.”
She released him as his hand replaced her mouth. She straightened her back and thrust

out her breasts just as he came all over them.

It was erotic and dirty and one of the hottest things Carson had experienced.
When he was finished, she leaned in and returned to suckling him, knowing that he

would be even more sensitive having just climaxed.

He exhaled sharply. “I need some rest time.”
She looked up at him and pouted. “You look ready to go to me.” Despite having just

had a monster orgasm he was still semi-hard.

He gently brushed her hair off her face. “We better get you cleaned up before that

freezes.”

She nipped at his fingers and laughed.
Neil slipped back into his pants and zipped up. “I’ll be right back.”
The moment Neil stepped out of the fridge, reality set in. What the fuck was she doing?

She was half naked with ejaculate all over her breasts in the fridge of her latest project.
What if Evan found her in here? What if one of the workers found her in here? What if her

father found out?

She had to pull it together. And quickly.
Neil returned and wiped her breasts with a wet towel, the heat from the water a

welcome sensation. For as demanding as he was, this side of him, this tenderness, was
unexpected. He wiped her clean and then dried her off with a towel. He reached for the
her T-shirt and bra hanging on the shelving unit. She barely remembered removing it, let
alone it being suspended in mid-air behind her.

When she was clothed, he drew her in closer and kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” She sighed. “But do you think we can get out of here. I’m freezing.”
“Of course.” He picked up her hard hat and plunked it down on her head, then opened

the fridge door. He took a peek outside to make sure the coast was clear before they
stepped out. Even with the air conditioner going, the kitchen was considerably warmer
than the walk-in.

She moved away but his hand remained clasped with hers, preventing her from leaving.
“What are you doing tonight?”
His question surprised her. They had agreed to sex, not spending time together.

Although she wasn’t going to complain.

Sex with Neil had been as exciting as the racing scene.
“Are you trying to be proactive? Anticipate needing a quickie later on?” She smirked.
“Actually, I thought maybe we could…”
She held her breath, afraid that the words he was going to say wouldn’t match the

words she hoped he’d say. He sighed and kicked at the floor. “The truth is, I don’t do well
when I’m alone. My brain doesn’t settle and I end up doing stupid things.”

She exhaled slowly. So he’d rather spend time with her than be alone. She wasn’t sure

if it was a compliment but she’d take it. It was better than him racing. It was better than
adding another person’s life on her conscience.

Plus she couldn’t deny the fringe benefits of keeping Neil’s body preoccupied.
“Actually, I have a standing date on Wednesday nights.”
He frowned. “Date?”
“Not a date exactly, just a thing I do a few times a week.” She didn’t have much spare

time and preferred to ease her work stress in the boxing ring. It had certainly been her
saving grace many times. Maybe it could be the perfect alternative for Neil as well. He
needed physical exertion in order to keep his brain settled. They could both benefit from
some time in the ring. “You could come with me.”

His eyebrow lifted in curiosity. “And what exactly would we be doing?”

“What if I wanted it to be a surprise?”
“Uh…”
“You don’t like not being in control, do you?”
“I hate it.” She could almost hear the unspoken duh. “It’s what my brothers love most

about me.” He smiled. She got the hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Well how about you try, just once, and let me be in control?”
He hesitated.
“Look, I’m not going to say trust me, but will you at least understand that I know

exactly what you mean when you say you don’t do well by yourself and there are things
that you can do to help that.”

A childlike grin spread across his face. “You mean we’re going to have more of the

sex?”

She laughed. “No, not this time. But it is physical. And I figured since we spar so well

we should take it to the next level.”

He gave her a curious stare but he conceded. “What time should I be ready?”

…

As if asking Carson what her plan for the evening wasn’t weird enough, giving her free
reign to make the plan was even more ludicrous.

She asked him to pack a bag. A bag with a change of clothes and some running shoes.

He had no idea what he’d just gotten himself into and when they rode up to the brown-
brick building, he couldn’t believe his eyes. A boxing studio. She had taken him to a
boxing studio.

They parked their bikes side by side to the left of the front door. There weren’t very

many cars in the parking lot, which was probably a good thing since he’d never boxed a
day in his life. He didn’t like being made a fool of, especially in front of a woman, even
more importantly in front of Carson. He had done his best to be King of the Castle,
professionally, and in the bedroom. But now, this might change her entire perception of
him. And he didn’t know how that was going to play into the rest of their deal.

“So, you box?”
She shrugged. “When I have time.”
“And here I was filling all of my idle time with random women and sex when I could

have been boxing all along.”

“Don’t be sarcastic.” She flipped her hair to one side. “Five minutes in that ring and

you’ll be wondering why you never thought of this yourself.”

He groaned. “I think we should just stick with our original plan. You have a bed at your

place. I think we should use it.”

“Are you afraid?” She leaned over and rested her arm on the front of her bike. Had the

truth had settled in his eyes? “You’re afraid.”

“I’m not afraid.” His voice was just a little too high for his liking. He cleared his throat.

“This just wasn’t a part of our deal.”

“Well, I’m going in. I’m here three times a week and sorry, but you’re not going to

interfere with my workout.”

She unhooked her bag from the back of her bike. “Are you going to wait here or will I

see you tomorrow?”

She played a hard game. Neil didn’t want to admit that he wanted to spend time with

her.

“Actually, I’m curious to see you in action. I’m sure you fight like a girl.”
She cocked her hip and shot him a dirty look, then gestured to the front door. “Let’s go,

hotshot.”

Carson led the way into Kick Box, nodding to almost everyone in the place. She really

did come here three times a week. He knew how hard she worked. Factor in that and all
the time she spent here, she really didn’t have time to date. Which was fine with him. He
wasn’t in the mood for competition.

After signing him in as a guest, Carson showed him to the men’s locker room where he

changed into his black basketball shorts and red T-shirt.

When he wandered into the studio, she was already changed, her hands jabbing at the

speed bag.

Damn she looked sexy. In black short-shorts and a black tank top, her breasts were

hugged in and slightly up, the barely noticeable cleavage was just enough to get his mind
thinking of all the times he nibbled and sucked on them. Of how just a few hours earlier
he had come all over them.

“Harrison? You in or out?”
He walked over to where she stood with another man, older, fifty maybe, a light sheen

of sweat covered his skin.

“Neil, this is Arty.” She pointed at the old man. “He’s going to give you a few lessons

while I’m in the ring.”

Neil held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Arty. I’ve boxed before, so don’t take it easy

on me.” He was strong and athletic. How hard could it be?

“I never do.” He smiled and patted Carson on the bottom.
Neil suppressed a growl. He didn’t like anyone touching that bottom, even if it was by a

man who could be her father. But more importantly, he didn’t like the overwhelming

feeling of possession that took over the moment the old man’s hands touched her body.

“Get in there, kid. Bobby’s been waiting all week for revenge.”
Neil chuckled. “How cute that you both have boy names.”
“Bobby is a boy, and I don’t have a boy name.” She jabbed at his chest. “It’s unisex.”
“A boy?” He recoiled. “You’re fighting a guy?” Neil shot a look at Arty. “That can’t be

legal.”

“It has nothing to do with being legal. I fight girls and guys. It’s the best way to train.”
“No way.” He grabbed her arm to keep her from walking away.
She jerked her away. “Excuse me, but I’ve only been doing this for five years.”
There was no way he could let her step in that ring. Not on his watch. “You’ll get hurt.”
Her mouth dropped open and she hesitated before she spoke. “I’m going to pretend I

didn’t just hear you say that. Arty?” She looked over at the old man. “Make sure he
suffers.”

The old man smiled, a bit too wide. “Will do, kid.”
Carson raced across the studio and jumped up to the ring. She touched gloves with a

stalky dude—Bobby—and then took her corner.

Neil turned to Arty. “You let her fight men?”
“I don’t allow her to do anything. I learned the very first day Carson set foot in my

studio that she didn’t take orders. She’s one of my best students.” Arty clapped Neil on
the shoulder. “Now let’s go to the punching bag and get you warmed up.”

He directed him to the opposite end of the gym, held tight a black bag and barked out

his direction. “Let’s start with some right jabs. A nice steady pace.”

Neil jabbed at the bag but watched Carson out of the corner of his eye.
“Left hand up. Protect your face.”
The bell had rung and she danced in the middle of the ring with the lady hitter.
“Give me some left jabs.”
Neil switched hands, his left now hitting in a steady rhythm.
“Protect your face.” Arty grabbed his fist and lifted his hand until it was parallel to his

nose.

Up in the ring, Bobby took a right swing and connected with Carson’s face. Her head

shot back and he saw the flash of purple in her mouth. The guy almost knocked out her
mouth guard. Son of a…

“The bag is over here.” Arty pounded on it. “This is where you should be looking.”
Arty smirked when Neil turned his attention back to the bag. He nodded and jabbed a

little harder.

“Give me a combination. Left, right. Jab, jab. Left, right. Jab, jab.”

Neil followed the instructions but when the cat-calls near the ring made their way over

his eyes darted to the ring.

Carson must have gotten a good shot because she frolicked around the ring. But Bobby

stalked her from behind and without knowing it was coming, he hooked her right in the
back of the ribs.

Carson buckled, grabbing at her back. Neil cursed and flew over to the ring. With a

running jump his foot landed on the mat and he pulled himself up with the ropes. He slid
between the top two and got right in between Carson and the pathetic excuse for a man.

“You get off on hitting girls, asshole?” He jabbed at the lady hitter’s chest. “You get off

on hitting below the belt?”

“Neil, it’s all right.” Carson removed her mouth guard and tugged at his arm.
“All’s fair in love and boxing, man.” Bobby’s words were muffled from between his

mouth guard. “If she can’t take the heat she better get out of the ring.”

Neil shoved the guy, getting right in his face, but Carson got between them.
“Our fight’s over, Bobby. We can settle this next week.”
She wasn’t impressed with his behavior but he couldn’t stand by and watch her get

hurt. Couldn’t she find a less dangerous sport? Something with less of a risk of
concussion.

She pushed him away from the scene and they stepped down onto the mats.
“Your boyfriend might have saved you today but he won’t be here every week,”

Bobby shouted from the ring. “You better make sure you’re ready to fight.”

“Who let’s douches like that become members?” Neil asked.
Carson led him into the corner of the studio where there was less of a crowd. Before he

had the chance to turn around and face her he was pushed hard face-first into the wall.
“Just what in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He turned and held up his hands in defense. “I saw him attack you from behind.”
“Yes, that was a low blow but I can handle myself.” She ripped off her gloves and

headguard, and one finger attacked his chest. “You just set me back weeks with that
asshole. Now he thinks I need a boyfriend to save me.”

“I think you do need a boyfriend to save you.” He shook his head. “You shouldn’t be

doing this.”

He had no idea why he was so protective. He had no right.
“I already have one man in my life who likes to tell me what to do. I don’t need you

adding to that so let’s get one thing very clear.” She poked him again in the chest, her
tiny finger stabbing him. “I don’t need a boyfriend, I don’t need any man coming to my
rescue.”

“Fine, you may be able to handle that guy but what if a dude like me walks in and

wants to spar. What if a man my size wanted to get in the ring with you?”

“And?” She tossed her head. “Are you saying that I can’t take you?”
He laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Silly girl. She had no chance.
She growled and shoved her gloves back onto her hands. “Hit me.”
“You’re insane.” He backed away but was stopped by the wall. “I’m not hitting you.”
“Hit me.” Her hands protected her face. She was in fighting stance, just waiting for him

to take a shot. “Hit. Me.”

“I think you’ve been hit in the head too many times because you’re nuts if you think I’m

going to hit you.”

A few pairs of eyes now focused on their exchange in the corner instead of the fight

going on in the ring.

She dropped her hands. Thank Christ. Could they go home now?
“Let’s pretend there is a man out there that I can’t fight, believe me when I say I am

smart enough to know my limits and I wouldn’t get in the ring with anyone that could
pose a potential problem. Besides, this is all for casual competition. These aren’t real
fights.” She brought her hands up to her face again. “So, hit me.”

He shook his head. “No.”
“Hit me,” she growled.
“No.”
“Hit me.” Her voice was even louder.
This time, before Neil had the chance to get out the two letter word, her right fist came

hurling toward his face and made contact.

She’d hit him. A heavy jab right to his nose.
“Fuck me.” He screamed, his hands immediately coming up to cover his face.
It burned and his nose throbbed. He peeked through his fingers and Carson just stood

there. With the blurred vision it was a little hard to confirm, but Neil was sure a satisfied
smile spread across her face.

“Should have protected your face,” Arty said as he walked by.
“Thanks,” he mumbled between his fingers.
He’d never met a woman who worked so hard to not impress him. It was refreshing.

Most women would do whatever he wanted. But with Carson, she tested him right back.
Sucker punching him in the face, the perfect example. She didn’t care if she was sweaty,
or banged up. She didn’t care what Neil thought. She was who she was and made no
excuses. Neil was still coming to terms with the man he was. The man he was waiting to
become—his father. It was only a matter of time. No amount of love that Vivian

Madewood could have given him would override the douchebag gene that lay dormant,
waiting for its moment to shine.

That’s why he would never have a serious relationship.
“I can’t believe you just sucker punched me.” He groaned. His nose hurt something

fierce.

She stood back, her arms folded across her chest, an indifferent look on her face. “You

asked for it and I told you, I don’t need someone to rescue me. I knocked you in the face
pretty good. Now imagine if I was actually trying.”

Neil dropped his hands and shot her an incredulous look. “Not even trying?”
“I am partial to that pretty face so I didn’t want to mess it up too much.” She smiled

and pulled off her gloves.

Neil shook his head. “You really are a ballbuster.”
“So they tell me.” She wrapped her arm around his body. “Come on, let’s get you some

ice for that nose.”

Was he a loser if he admitted he didn’t want the evening to end? Would she be happy

to know that the entire time they spent in that gym he hadn’t thought about his bike, or
racing or his need for release once?

Hell, even the punch had been entertaining. Somewhat.
They worked out for an hour more, Neil refusing to get in the ring no matter how hard

she begged. Would she beg like that in the bedroom? Neil made the decision to test that
theory as soon as possible.

…

When they were showered and in their regular clothes, Neil walked Carson out into the
night air. The sound of cars passing by filled the streets. The light above the building
flickered, about to go out.

Carson approached her bike and secured her bag on the back.
“Where to?” he asked.
She looked up and she smiled. And the smile hit him straight in the gut.
“Let’s go for a ride,” she said. “I know some cool places to bike around here.”
She shoved on her helmet, zipped up her leather jacket and slipped on her gloves. It

was extremely hot watching a woman gear up to ride. Why hadn’t he ever considered
dating a woman with a bike before? Maybe because all the women who want a piece of
you are prissy, rich heiresses or gold-diggers who want to get their hands on the
Madewood fortune.

When had he become so jaded?

Carson lifted her leg and straddled the seat. Hot. Maybe the reason why he never dated

a woman who rode was because he’d never let her leave his house. This woman kicked
up his libido to uncomfortable levels.

He followed behind her, and put on his helmet, but when he went to mount his bike,

she stopped him.

She patted the space behind her.
“I have my own bike here.”
“Yes, but you won’t be riding it.”
“I’m not racing. I get to ride my bike.” Heat made its way up his neck and settled in his

cheeks.

“Look at you, all rage-y.” She eyed him, her gaze travelling up and down his body. “Did

we not let off enough steam with the punching bag?”

Neil stood strong and crossed his arms over his chest. “We should be clear. I’m never a

passenger.”

She clucked her tongue. “Don’t be such a baby.”
Carson kicked the bike to a start and pulled the throttle then looked over her shoulder.

“Unless you want this night to end, you’ll hop on, Harrison.” She cocked her head, inviting
him over. “I won’t bite.”

Neil laughed low in his throat. “You better cover up that neck, honey because I just

might.”

The heat that sparked in her eyes at his comment told him everything he needed to

know.

He grabbed his helmet and mounted the bike, easing his body behind her.
“You’re going to have to get closer.”
Neil moved until his crotch was flush against her sweet ass. He was going to have to

make a conscious effort not to get aroused. That would be a little embarrassing. A lot
embarrassing.

He slid his hands around her waist, the leather of her jacket soft against his skin.
When they were settled, she tilted her head slightly and looked over her shoulder. He

nodded letting her know he was ready.

They took off at a quick pace, the crunch of the gravel under them barely audible over

the sound of the engine.

Carson then eased out of the driveway and turned left. They travelled through the city

streets for about ten minutes then headed north until the housing developments grew
sparse.

They were on a true country road, whipping through the wind, and Neil had to grab on

a little tighter when she kicked it into fourth gear.

It was weird to not be in control of the ride. The hum between his legs, the air around

them, all felt different being a passenger.

They came to the entrance of a conservation area but it was closed off.
Carson stopped the bike and let it idle. She lifted her visor and turned. “I was hoping

this was going to be open. There are some cool hills we could try.”

Hills? Why was she making so much of an effort? There was no reason for her to spend

more time with him. Especially when they weren’t anywhere near a bed.

“Why are you doing this?” He settled his eyes on hers.
“What do you mean? We’re riding.”
“We could have just gone our separate ways.”
It was as if she was frightened of him riding.
His restlessness had settled, a sort of peace coming over him simply by the way the

wind washed over his body. But the feeling that usually forced him to do stupid things
had been replaced with a different type of restless urge. A sexual urge to take this
woman up against one of the thousands of trees that surrounded them.

“Why are you so intent on me not racing? What’s it to you?”
“It’s dangerous…and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” She tensed. “It’s not a nice thing

to get caught up in.”

She faced forward, preventing him from seeing her eyes. He knew she was holding

something back.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
She slammed her hand on the handles of the bike. “Disclosing personal information

wasn’t part of our deal.”

“Your call.” He shrugged. “Maybe Martin will tell me about your—”
“You’re infuriating.” She spit out her words with a growl and her head tilted slightly but

not enough to face him. “I told you. I raced. And then I stopped.”

Neil let his hands slide down her body and settle on her hips. Those lush, curvy hips

that fit the palm of his hand with perfection.

He heard a soft intake of breath as his hands moved to the crease of her thigh. And

there it was, the thing he didn’t want to happen was getting harder with each passing
second.

She felt him. Hard against her back. Of that he had no doubt. She even did a tiny

wiggle against his crotch. It felt amazing. Just what he needed to forget his troubles.

“We should probably get back.”
She had won this round. Although he had handed it to her when he got distracted by

her hips. She wasn’t ready to disclose her demons. He had many of his own so he didn’t
hold a grudge. He probably would have done the same had the roles been reversed.

She backed them out of the driveway and they drove off down the deserted road.
Neil wanted to take this further. The reaction of her body told him she was on board.

She just needed a little coaxing. And he knew exactly what he needed to do to get her in
the mood.

The hum of the bike underneath them had to feel good to her. It felt good to him and

he didn’t have a clit. He let his hands slide back down to the crease of her thighs. She
gave her head a shake. Was she losing concentration?

He squeezed and let his fingers make their way between her legs. She was warm, so

hot, even with his gloves on.

She shimmied back against him. He had no idea how she managed to do it while they

rode. Her back straightened, and it allowed her legs to open a little more, giving him a
little more access to the part of her he hoped throbbed with need for his cock.

He let one hand slip further down and he cupped her crotch as best he could, given the

tight space. The bike jerked and he surged forward. He was getting to her.

His hands found their way under the leather of her jacket to the waistband of her jeans.

He undid the button and slowly pulled down the zipper. With the zipper all the way down,
he dipped two fingers under the waistband of her panties, slowly, giving her time to stop
him if she wasn’t into it. Or if she didn’t think she could hold her concentration while
driving the bike.

Neil wasn’t one to shy away from what he wanted, especially in the bedroom. And he

wanted Carson. All the arguing, all the anger toward one another was just foreplay.
Revving up their own engines. Bringing their need for each other to a deeper, more
intense level.

The first touch of warmth sent his head spinning, and when he delved deeper between

the folds of her flesh, he groaned. The wetness between her thighs was the best greeting
he’d gotten in a very long time.

This was insane. This was bad for business. This was going to get him in very deep

with a woman he had no business getting under his skin.

But when she leaned back and their helmets touched, he lost all sense of logic. With

her torso straight he was able to slip further down. He massaged her clit with the pads of
his fingers, his movement limited by the tightness of her jeans.

He pressed closer into her body, his hips pushing up against her bottom in even

strokes.

The bike jerked again, but this time she slowed and pulled onto the side of the road.

They stopped and Neil let his feet drop to the ground cradling the bike between his

thighs. She pulled off her helmet and her shiny, black hair flew in every direction. It
smelled of citrus and, from behind, he noticed the strands were a little soaked with sweat
along her hairline.

With his free hand Neil removed his own helmet, the air against his face cooled him

down a touch, but only a touch.

She leaned back, her head resting against Neil’s shoulder. She spread her legs wider

and undulated her hips.

“Oh, God,” she murmured. “Oh…”
“Feel good?”
She moaned. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“And why not. All this arguing has been one long game of foreplay and I’m about ready

to stop playing.”

He moved his fingers with vigor but he couldn’t give her what she needed like this.
Neil slipped his hand from her pants and got off the bike. He stepped closer, crowding

her, then cupped her cheek, letting his thumb brush across her soft skin.

Her pulse pounded against the palm of his hand. She licked her lips, her sweet breath

an intoxicating scent.

When his lips finally touched hers, something inside him broke.
His restraint?
The brick wall he kept between him and the world?
At this point he couldn’t be sure which, but it didn’t matter. He could analyze it

tomorrow. Right now all he wanted was to fall between her legs.

Neil deepened the kiss and she opened for him, her lips parting in invitation. He slipped

his tongue inside. Her arms came around and grabbed onto his neck, her fingers lightly
cutting into the skin at his nape. It felt good. Right.

“You hired me to build your restaurant. My fee doesn’t include this. You know that,

right?”

Neil kept kissing, and she kissed him right back. He pulled away. “Close your eyes.”
She stared at him. Desire. Fear. All shot like daggers.
“Close your eyes,” he repeated.
She swallowed hard. Finally her eyes closed and he leaned in.
Neil let his lips roam against her face, her cheeks, her nose, never making full contact.

He’d had her lips, plump and swollen from his kiss. What he wanted lay between her legs.

He stepped back and pulled her off the bike. His hands went right to her waistband and

pulled her jeans and panties down.

Her boots were in his way. “Shit!” Strike one for having sex with a female biker. He

pulled them off then lifted and settled her on the seat.

“I thought you were going to kiss me.”
He grinned. “I am.”
Neil lowered himself, one knee hit the dirt road as he let his lips graze against her

folds. She smelled sweet and musky. His hands skimmed up her legs, tickling her calves,
gripping her supple thigh, and resting between her legs.

“Neil,” she whispered.
His tongue licked her tender flesh, moving from the outside of her lips then dipping

between her folds where sweetness waited for him.

He lapped, letting his tongue flatten against her flesh. She gripped the bike, one hand

on the handle, the other on the seat, her legs spread wide, her feet resting on his
shoulders.

He took her flesh into his mouth and sucked, the pressure setting her off.
She wailed loudly. Her thighs came up and squeezed his head and her flesh pulsed

against his mouth.

She grabbed his hair and pulled him away and up, her eyes wide and sparkling. Her

fingers wiped at his mouth and she nipped at his lips. He loved when a woman wasn’t
afraid of her own scent.

“Please tell me you brought a condom,” she asked. Her lips pressed against his.

“Please, please, please,” she whispered.

And so she begged. And he barely had to do a thing.
“Never leave home without one.”
Neil reached for his wallet and grabbed the condom that he kept there for situations

just like this one. But if someone asked him two days ago if he’d be using his stash with
Carson Kelly, he would have laughed.

He bent and slipped her feet into her boots. “What are you doing?”
He held out his hand. “Come with me.”
She tensed. “Where are we going?”
He gestured over to the tree line. He’d imagined taking her up against one of those

trees. And that’s exactly what he was going to do.

She stepped into his embrace and he captured her lips. Her fingers fiddled in his hair.

This time, he let his hands roam to other areas, like her breasts. He grazed his fingers
along the outside. They were petite and more than perfect for the cupping of his hands.

He grabbed her hips and pulled her forward, letting his hands drop to her bottom. He

massaged the smooth flesh then gripped her tightly, lifting her so her legs wrapped

around his waist. With her in position he walked them over to a tree.

He pushed her against it, caging her there with his hips. He placed his palms on the

rough bark on either side of her and kissed her, hard, devouring her mouth with all the
pent up anger and frustration he’d been holding in.

Her hands slipped between them and she grabbed on to his length, rubbing him over

his jeans.

He pulled back and thrust his hips out to keep her against the tree then lowered his fly.
“Condom.”
He handed it over and she ripped it open while he pulled his erection out of his pants.
He let her slip it over his engorged flesh and when it was in place, he grabbed her ass

one more time and lifted. Her hand gripped around him and she stroked once, then twice,
guiding him to her opening.

His cock nudged her and with one smooth thrust he was seated to the hilt.
Carson let her head fall back and her hands roamed over her body, grabbing her

breasts and squeezing through her shirt.

This position couldn’t be comfortable for her, but Carson moaned with every stroke. She

was so tight and smooth.

Her hands slid up to his shoulders and she gripped his face pulling him in for a kiss.
“Faster,” she whispered. “Do it.”
Neil granted her wish and thrust with greater force.
“Yes. That’s…” She whimpered and the next thing he knew she was shaking in his

arms. She had come again. And now it was his turn.

He leaned back and thrust, exhaling hard with every up-stroke. He pounded her harder

and faster into the tree and finally he came with a hard groan.

After, he enveloped her in his arms and pulled her away from the tree. He carried her

back to the bike and settled her on the seat.

Their eyes met and Neil smiled. What was it about this woman that touched every

nerve, good and bad?

But he knew just as well as she did that they were no good together. Sex wasn’t the

only thing that kept a relationship going. And he was the last person in the world that
wanted to be tied down.

He would treat this as it was—a mutually agreed upon arrangement where they both

had the opportunity to let off some steam.

After straightening their clothes, they returned to the gym and picked up Neil’s bike.

She left him with a smile and a quiet “see you tomorrow.”

It had been a great day. The best day he’d had in a long time.

Chapter Five

Carson fiddled with the pencil she had stuck behind her ear. Her stomach churned with
nervousness. She did her best not to stare at Martin, who sat at the bar, his face
immersed in some sort of magazine. Must be nice to be able to read a magazine for
pleasure. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done anything for pleasure. With the
exception of last night when she let Neil feel her up on her bike. Or when she’d sucked
him off in the walk-in fridge. And the night before when they’d fucked on a table.

Right, besides all those times, she hadn’t had any fun in way too long.
But last night Neil tried to dig deeper into her past. Questioning her about her

involvement in racing. That was something he didn’t need to know. That part of her life
was over but the shame still haunted her. It still made an appearance every time her
father questioned her designs, her work ethic, her lifestyle.

She remembered that night, when she came clean about her extracurricular activities.

Mike had just died, her life had been ripped apart again, and she couldn’t breathe,
couldn’t stand the heartache. The disappointed look on her father’s face broke her heart
and she would be damned if she would give Neil the opportunity to look at her with that
same disappointment.

The building inspector toured the facility jotting down his last minute

recommendations. She had completely forgotten about the inspector’s appearance this
morning, her mind on other, sexier things. And of course Martin had shown up at the
exact same time as the inspector.

And where the fuck was Neil Harrison?
In the year that she had been dealing with the man he never missed a meeting. He

never missed a phone call. Because of this track record, she was starting to think that
something might be terribly wrong.

She pulled out her BlackBerry and checked her messages one more time. Still nothing.
“Quite rude of Mr. Harrison to miss a meeting.” Martin sidled up to her in the front foyer

of the restaurant. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”

“Maybe there was some kind of emergency. He would be here otherwise.”
He inched closer, a little too close for her liking. “I would say that maybe you didn’t tell

him about the meeting except…” His hand reached up and brushed a stray piece of hair
away from her neck. The light touch of his skin to hers made her nauseous.

With his flawless blond hair and average frame, Martin was the complete opposite of

Neil’s commanding physique.

Even the fact that she once contemplated allowing him to touch her in a more intimate

manner almost made her violently ill. To this day, Martin still had the wool pulled over
her father’s eyes and, despite her repeated brush-offs, still imagined that one day he’d be
a legitimate member of the family. “Dad did tell him I’d be here.”

Dad? She hated when he called her father Dad. Didn’t he have his own blood-sucking,

slave-driving, know-it-all asshole parent who didn’t respect him? She stepped away and
whirled around to face him.

“How dare you accuse me of sabotaging a meeting. You know Martin, I—”
“Ms. Kelly.” The inspector approached them from behind. “Everything looks great. Once

again your inspection is spotless.”

She heard Martin scoff under his breath.
“Thank you Mr. Banks. It was a pleasure seeing you again. And I apologize on behalf of

Mr. Harrison. There was an emergency and he wasn’t able to make it this time.”

“That’s all right. I will send over the finalized documents and the certificate of

occupancy. This place is ready to open for business.”

She always had good luck when it came to Carl Banks. There were a few inspectors on

the city payroll that liked to stir up trouble just because they could. But not Carl. He came
in, did his job and walked out. She appreciated that.

“Mr. Harrison will be happy to hear the good news.”
Carl walked away leaving Carson to deal with an even bigger problem—her father’s spy.
“Your father will be very disappointed to hear that Mr. Harrison ditched this meeting.

He was hoping to get some insider information on the job you’ve been doing.”

“All he has to do is ask. And you can tell him that I don’t appreciate his lack of

confidence. This job has been done right, and done well.”

Martin gave her an amused look. “All this tension and competition. You know it doesn’t

have to be like that.” He meant they could get married and he could steal her family’s
money. “We can work together.”

She laughed. “You mean you can steal the company out from under me.”
“We’d make a good team you and I.” He sidled closer. “In the boardroom and the

bedroom.”

She had resisted his advances far too long to fall for his niceties now.
“Look around. This restaurant is the best work I’ve ever done. It’s modern, it’s

functional and most importantly, it’s exactly what the client wanted.”

Martin had no retaliation. No quick comeback.
“And when this place grabs the media attention like I know it will, Kelly Designs will be

named in every prominent architecture magazine and blog on the continent. So he can

thank me later for knocking this one out of the park.”

One point to Carson. Where were those words when she was talking to her father?

Where was the confidence and determination to prove her point when Carson Kelly II was
shoving his opinions down her throat?

“And just how close did you have to get to Mr. Harrison in order to…” He coughed.

“Give him exactly what he wanted?”

She hoped her face didn’t give her away because inside she cringed. There was no

concrete evidence that Carson and Neil had hooked up. He was fishing for anything he
could use against her. But he wasn’t going to get it.

“Yes, I have gotten to know Mr. Harrison on a personal level over the last year but—”
“Does he know you’re a murderer?”
Carson recoiled at Martin’s accusation. How dare he throw this in her face simply

because he’d lost their argument. “I am not…” She lowered her voice, “a murderer.”

“So someone didn’t die while you were in charge of their safety?” She wanted to jab

that smug look right off his face. She knew she could take him. She would give anything
to challenge him in the ring.

“It was an accident.” And she wasn’t in charge of their safety technically. Everyone

knew when they made the decision to race they were putting their lives on the line. It’s
not like she threw a stick in his wheel and caused him to wreck. She had no choice but to
watch—as if in slow motion—her friend crash and burn in front of her eyes. “And that part
of my life is off limits, and none of his—or your—business.”

“So, he doesn’t know.” Martin circled around her, tapping his finger against his chin. “I

wonder what he would think of his precious architect if he knew you were a criminal?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”
She was never charged. She wasn’t a criminal or a street thug—despite her guilt over

Mike’s death making her feel like one. She was an architect. Her past was nobody’s damn
business and for the sake of her career, this wasn’t something she wanted broadcast to
the world.

“I already know all about your past, Carson. I accept you for who you are.”
Like hell he did. He knew nothing about her. Absolutely nothing and never would. All he

knew were her fathers’ perceptions, and those were so inherently incorrect that it scared
her just how many people knew only her fathers’ side of the story.

Martin picked up his briefcase from the chair at the bar. “Think about my offer. We’d be

unstoppable. Business partners during the day. Lovers at night.” His lip curved up in a
disgusting smirk. “It’s the best you’re going to get given your history.” He walked away, a
little too confident for her liking.

“It’s never going to happen,” she yelled out. But he didn’t even turn around.
She had gotten in a few zingers, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the fact that

Martin had just destroyed her. He knew her secret. And that meant he held all the power.

But if spending time with Neil had taught her anything, it was to go for what you

wanted without second-guessing.

And if he ever showed up she’d thank him for teaching her a lesson despite not even

being aware. He had a lot of kissing up to do once he surfaced. And just exactly what
kind of kissing would you like him to do? And where?

Maybe he was ignoring her for a reason. Maybe he had gotten everything he wanted

from her and he was bored. Moving on to the next female stupid enough to agree to be
his sex slave.

Not that she was a slave, but pretty close to it. She’d given it to him when he wanted,

how he wanted, and where he wanted. And it had been fantastic. Each time better than
the time before. But she knew the need to race still lingered in his mind. She could see it
every time she looked in his eyes. It frightened her. Not only because she worried for the
time when she wouldn’t be around to keep Neil off his bike and safe from harm, but it she
couldn’t let her own life get out of control. She had worked too hard, sacrificed too much.
Lost too many people. And suddenly that bad feeling she’d had earlier turned into
something ominous. Neil was missing in action, and there could only be one reason for
his disappearance.

She checked her phone again. Still no messages.
She called him first, but it went directly to voice mail. Scrolling through her directory,

she found Cole’s number. Again, she got voicemail. She called Finn and Jack, all four
numbers giving her nothing but the option to leave a message.

There was only one thing left to do. She grabbed her keys from the table and raced out

the front door of the restaurant. She hopped in her pick-up and drove.

She knew where he spent the other half of his work life. He couldn’t escape her if she

showed up at his brother Cole’s restaurant, Bistro. And there would be no chance to
ignore her.

…

The clang of the metal doors made Neil’s skin crawl. The grey concrete, the smell of
urine, and the sweat from the two other men in his cell weighed heavy on his stomach.
The stale stench of alcohol that seeped out of their pores wafted to Neil’s corner.

He’d never been arrested before. But he’d done it now, gotten himself thrown in jail.
He’d been speeding. Well above the limit. So far above the limit that he had his license

suspended on the spot, his bike impounded and for good measure, his lippy mouth had
gotten him thrown in jail for the night. So, for the next seven days he was in need of a
chauffeur.

He sat on a steel bench, his elbows resting on his knees, his head between his legs. He

had no idea how he got here. Had his life spun so out of control? He hadn’t felt this alone
—this lost—since he was fifteen and stared at the beige walls of his single room in an
independent living complex. He had been placed there when his caseworker finally
realized he just wasn’t going to mesh with any type of foster family. And he didn’t want
to. Until three months later when he met Vivian.

Despite being skeptical, something told him she was genuine. And so she rescued him

from that single room and welcomed him into her home.

The funniest part of this brush with the law was the fact that twenty minutes before he

had been pulled over, he was happy, at peace. And it was all because of Carson. She had
managed to take him away from the anxiousness that took up so much of his time. Then
as soon as she left he’d decided he was going to have a little fun. He’d refrained from
visiting Diaz. He had promised her, and he was a man of his word. That’s when he
decided that a little race with himself wouldn’t harm anyone.

He was so wrong.
The guy in the holding cell next to him coughed, nowhere near considered a dry cough,

and the sound of someone else peeing behind make him want to hurl.

“Harrison?” The tall, lanky officer slid the cell door open. “You’re free to go.”
Thank Christ. He’d called Jack as soon as he could. As soon as the officer had allowed

him his one phone call. What felt like an eternity later, Jack had come to rescue him. He
knew he could count on his brother. And he knew, out of all three of his brothers, Jack
would have the least amount of questions.

Neil rushed the opening, not looking back, practically running toward his freedom. He

picked up his belongings and was ushered out into a large foyer.

“King!”
Neil tensed. He hated that nickname. As the first to be given real responsibility with the

Madewood empire, he might have flexed his muscles a little too hard trying to impress.
So for the last ten years, courtesy of his smartass brother Jack, he was stuck with the
name and it always made him feel like such a dick.

Unfortunately, this time, it wasn’t Jack’s voice who yelled it. He hadn’t come alone.
Jack stood off to the right, a slight smile on his smug face. On either side of him, his

brothers Cole and Finn stood, equally as self-satisfied.

Neil grumbled at Jack. “I thought you would keep this discreet?”

“Hell no.” Jack stepped forward, pushing up the sleeves of his button-up shirt, exposing

his inked forearms. “I think the three of us deserve to see you at your worst at least once
in our lives.”

Cole crossed his arms low against his stomach. His brown hair was still wet from his

shower that morning and stuck to his forehead. “I always thought we’d be bailing Jack
out of jail.”

“I would have to agree.” Finn sidled closer and wrapped his arm around Neil’s shoulder.

“Oh…” He breathed deeply, his blond hair scratching against his neck. “You smell like—”

“Hypocrisy.” Jack grinned. “Don’t you smell that?”
He needed a shower. He needed clean clothes. What he didn’t need was the mocking

tone of his little brother.

“Do we have to make a production out of this?”
“Oh, yes, I think we do.” Cole lifted his phone. “Smile pretty, boys.” Jack and Finn

leaned closer before Neil had a chance to react, the flash of the camera was blinding.

“Jesus Christ.” He shrugged them off. “Can we just go?”
Being deprived of fresh air for even one night was too many. When they walked out of

the station into the light, it smacked him in the face almost knocking him back. He
needed to remember not to do anything illegal ever again.

Finn and Cole left Neil in Jack’s capable hands. They stopped by his condo so he could

shower and pack a bag. That tiny cottage he called his office was going to be his home
for the next seven days. He spent every waking minute at the site, and with no license,
there was no reason to bother anyone to drive him back and forth.

But before he whiled away his hours on site he needed to make a stop at Bistro and

pick up some paperwork.

The car ride was quiet but Jack finally spoke up, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Hell no! “Nothing to talk about.”
“You have nothing to say about the fact that I had to pick you up in jail and that you’ve

lost your license for seven days. How fast were you going exactly in order to—”

“Look,” Neil straightened in his seat. “I said I don’t want to talk about it.”
Jack lifted up one hand acknowledging his request. The rest of the car ride was silent.

Despite being so early in the morning, the air was thick and muggy. He looked in the side
mirror and saw the dense smog hovered over the city in the distance behind them.

They pulled up to the restaurant, gravel crunching under the car as they parked in the

driveway behind the building.

When Jack turned off the engine, Neil said, “I’ll be at the program this afternoon in case

you need me.”

He turned in his seat. “I already know that. I help make the schedule. What you should

be telling me is where you’re spending the rest of your time”

Neil shot him a dirty look. “What does that mean?”
“It means most nights you’re missing in action and we don’t know where the hell you

are.” Jack clutched the steering wheel. “Then you surface in the morning like everything
is normal even though sometimes you have scrapes and scratches on your face and
hands.”

“It’s from the site.” Neil hated lying, but there was no way he was going to tell Jack the

truth. “There is construction all around me and I—”

“Cut the shit. It’s not from construction. Especially, when you’re wrecking at least one

bike every month.”

Neil turned to face him. “How do you…?”
There was no way he could know that. Neil bought the same bike over and over again

so he didn’t look too suspicious. But obviously Jack was much smarter than he gave him
credit for.

“Jack, my schedule isn’t a secret and I—”
“Because you’re going to start telling us where you are. Especially now.” Jack looked

him in the eye. There was sincere concern for his welfare in his stare. “Every time we
can’t find you I’m going to go from precinct to precinct thinking you’ve been picked up
again.”

He hated being an asshole. But Jack didn’t need to get wrapped up in his world. “Just

mind your own business and focus on your own work.”

Jack had been busy with the foundation he had created the year before in honor of

their mother—the Vivian Madewood Foundation. Jack focused on securing funds for the
Cooking for the Future program, a program his mother started when she realized how the
culinary arts helped Neil and his brothers acclimate and focus on their future.

Neil and his brothers took turns running the program and because of Jack’s efforts over

the last year, it was the reason why Neil was teaching the program in actual schools
rather than just the test kitchen they had built specifically for the program.

Jack took out his phone and glanced at his screen. “Any reason why Carson Kelly would

be calling me?”

Carson. Why the hell would she be calling? Neil cursed under his breath. Today was the

final inspection. And he had missed it.

“She’s probably looking for me. I may be in some trouble when I finally show up today.”
“I’m off to pick up Sterling and we’re coming back to Bistro.” Sterling Andrews was

Jack’s live-in girlfriend and the woman who finally got him to settle down. “I can wait for

you if you want.” Jack said.

Neil shot him a dirty look. He didn’t need a babysitter. “Why the hell would you wait for

me?”

“How are you going to get to the CF program?”
“Shit!” He didn’t need a babysitter, but he definitely needed a chauffeur. He’d already

forgotten about the license situation. The next week was going to be torture. “I’ll just get
Penn  to  call  me  one  of  those  car  services.”  Penn  Foster  was  their  marketing  and  event
planner  for  the  Madewood  group  of  companies,  which  included  two  restaurants,  the
Madewood  Farm  and  their  gourmet  food  stores.  She  worked  out  of  Bistro  and  had
become their go-to person for…everything. “I’ll make do for a week.”

Half an hour later, Neil sat in Cole’s office scouring the receipts from the night before.
“I’ve been phoning you all morning.”
The familiar female voice that wafted from his doorway didn’t sound so inviting. In fact,

it sounded downright evil.

He looked up to see Carson standing in his doorway with the scowl he had seen so

many times before on her face, her arms crossed over her chest.

“I was a little busy this morning.” Like being bailed out of jail. “Besides, my phone

hasn’t rung once since I got here.” Neil grabbed it out of his pocket and thrust it forward.
“See, it’s—”

“Off.” Carson stalked forward and grabbed at it, the white screen lit up.
He hadn’t bothered to look at his phone when he left the precinct. He’d just ripped

open that plastic bag and gotten the hell out of there. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

She recoiled. “What?” She cupped her hand around her ear. “I didn’t hear that?”
Neil sighed. She was such a ballbuster. “I said I’m sorry.”
“Wow. I would have bet my entire trust fund that I’d never hear you say those words.”
Neil shot up in his chair. “I knew you had a trust fund.”
She gave him a dirty look. Right. Not the time or place to get into it.
“What can I do for you, Carson?”
She pulled the file folder she had tucked under her arm. “I need approvals and some

signatures.”

She spent the next ten minutes boring him out of his mind discussing the inspection.

Luckily, the woman had an awesome rack otherwise he would have taken a pencil to the
eye.

“Harrison. Eyes up.” Her fingers pointed at her eyes. “Are you even listening to me?”
He smiled. “It’s tough to concentrate when your breasts are pushed in my face.”
“My breasts are nowhere near your face.”

Neil grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. “Now they are.”
She laughed. “You have a one track mind.”
Yes he did. And getting in between Carson’s legs seemed to be the only thing on his

mind lately. “You’re supposed to be there for me.”

“Yes.” The word came out elongated. “I promised I’d be there for you when you’re

anxious about riding.”

A knock sounded on the office door. Neil released Carson’s waist and pushed her away.
Cole peeked in the room. “King, do you have a minute? Oh, hey Carson, how are you?”
“Great, thank you, Cole. Looking pretty snazzy in your chef coat.”
“What can I do for you, Cole?” There was too much nicey-nicey going on. Cole was not

getting a chance to horn in on his woman. His woman? Where the hell had that come
from?

“Penn told me you didn’t agree to my menu changes.”
“She’s right. I need to look them over in more detail, but it will have to wait.”
Cole fisted his hands at his side. “Neil, this is my restaurant.”
“That may be, but you know the rules. We all have to agree.” He could hardly believe

the words he was saying. Was he really trying to play the power card? “Just buy some
time and make the new dishes as daily specials. Gauge people’s interests.”

Carson stepped away, but the smell of her still lingered. It was enough to make his

cock twitch inside his pants. Everything about this woman made his cock twitch.

“King, it will take you ten minutes to—”
“Jesus Christ, Cole. I don’t have time for this right now.”
Cole jerked back in surprise at Neil’s outburst. So did Carson. She looked at him with

concern. Immediately an idea formulated in his mind.

Neil slid his hand over his face. “I’m getting really agitated. You’re really pushing me

over the edge right now, Cole.” He looked over at Carson who stood, arms crossed over
her luscious breasts and a big grin on her face. “I’m stressing and the only thing I think
that can save me is a ride on my bike.”

“You have no license,” Cole blurted.
“What do you mean you have no license?” Carson voice went up at least two octaves.

That wasn’t a good sign.

“Uhhh…” He glanced up at her, then at Cole, hoping he’d have an out. His only offering

was a shrug. “I…uhh…sort of got pulled over for speeding and had my license suspended
for seven days.”

“How could that have possibly happened in less than twelve hours since I last saw

you?” She stopped talking and shrank into herself. So she didn’t want Cole to know they

spent time with each other outside of business hours. That was all right. He didn’t owe
anyone an explanation.

“He was arrested, too,” Cole blurted. “Jack, Finn and I had to pick him up at the

precinct this morning.”

Neil shot Cole a dirty look. He didn’t have to disclose the whole story.
“That’s why you missed the inspection?” Carson asked. “Because you were in jail.”
“I’m a dangerous mess.” His shoulders lifted to his ears. “I need help or I’m going to

get on my bike.”

“Neil, I can’t let you ride. I promised Finn I’d keep an eye on you and—”
“I can handle it from here, Cole,” Carson said as she held up her hand to keep him from

continuing his thought.

But Neil needed some answers from his brother. “What the hell do you mean you said

you’d keep an eye on me?” Did the three of them think he was some child that needed
watching over?

Before Cole responded, Carson said, “I have my truck out back. I’ll take him out when

we’re done.” She looked over at the doorway. “That should appease Mr. Grumpy.”

Cole laughed but Neil did his best to keep his temper on a low simmer. He’d have a

little talk with his brothers later on. Right now, he had a woman to seduce.

“Close the door behind you, Cole.”
Cole swiveled around before he slipped out the door, a huge grin on his face. He knew

exactly what Neil had in mind.

“Jail?” Carson shook her head. “Purposely arguing with your brother to make me have

sex with you?”

“You picked up on that, huh?” She was too smart for her own good. “I want what I

want. And I want you. Right now on this desk.”

Neil snaked out his arm, wrapped it around her waist and pulled her closer. He

positioned her in front of him, rested her bottom on the desk with her legs in between his
own. He moved his hands from her waist up her ribcage to her breasts.

“We still have papers to review.”
He pulled his chair closer and the rolling wheels of the five-legged chair squeaked. He

drew himself in until he was flush against her body, her knees pressed against the edge
of the seat.

He lifted her shirt, a deep purple color that reminded him of eggplant. He kissed along

her belly, soft open mouthed kisses that left her stomach quivering with every tiny
contact.

“Neil?” She looked over her shoulder at the door. “Someone could walk in.”

“It’s just Cole. The restaurant isn’t open yet and none of his staff come near this office.

Besides, he knows not to come in here when the door is closed.”

She tilted her head forward. “What is that, secret brother code?”
He grinned. “Something like that.”
He kissed his way higher, pushing her shirt up over her breasts. He nipped at the skin

just under her bra, then the soft mounds of flesh that peeked out from the top. First the
left. Then the right.

Carson let out a heavy breath. He knew her breaths. Short and shallow meant she was

excited. Holding her breath meant she was overcome and heavy breaths meant she was
fighting her desire. Challenge accepted.

He undid the clasp of her bra with one hand and the belt buckle of her pants with the

other.

“Such a multi-tasker.”
“I know how to get things done.”
She gasped when he ripped her shirt and bra over her head and buried his face

between her breasts. His mouth found her nipple and he bit down. A little pain never hurt
anyone—a little pain would take her to the edge faster. But her uneven, hard breaths told
him she was nervous.

“Come on, baby. It’s not like I’m recording this and putting it on YouTube. It’s just you

and me.” Because that would be attention he just didn’t need. Only one Madewood
brother was allowed to have a sex tape and Jack had claimed that honor years ago.

While he sucked on her nipples, he undid her pants and pushed, letting the fabric slide

down over her hips, her legs. He took her thong with them, exposing her bare body, his
face the perfect level to take in the sight of her pink center and the tiny strip of hair
above it. He pushed her back, settling her on the desk, and spread her legs.

“You made some changes down here since we had tree sex.” He winked. “I like it.”
“I didn’t do it for you.”
“Oh, no…” He leaned in, his breath eliciting goose bumps across her flesh. “If not for

me, then who?”

Something tightened in his chest as he awaited her answer. He shouldn’t care if she

was screwing around with someone else. This wasn’t a permanent situation. But he had
to be honest. He didn’t like the idea of her being with anyone else. Not while they were
together.

He returned to teasing, his tongue snaking out and licking up the inside of her thigh

and the area around her pink folds.

“I did it for me,” she said between gasps.

“Oh, really?” He licked again, this time paying attention to her slit. She reached up, her

hand wanting to grip the back of his head to keep him in place but he dodged her.

“Yes, I did it for me you jerk.” She panted. Short, shallow breaths. “It has nothing to do

with the fact that I want your mouth on me.”

“Hmm…” The sound vibrated across her flesh causing her to quiver. “Is that so?”
“I want what I want. And I want it right now.”
He smiled. “What the lady wants, the lady gets.”
Neil bent forward, gripped her thighs and set to work. She moaned and leaned back on

her elbows, her hair dangling along the desk.

Neil exposed her tiny bud and licked, fast, slow, hard then soft. Changing up his

ministrations to make her explode.

“Fuck, you’re good at that.” When she positioned her hands at the sides of his head he

let her direct. She ground her pelvis against his tongue, taking her pleasure. Which was
even more of a turn on than knowing he could finish the job on his own. The fact that she
knew what she wanted and took it, admirable, even in the bedroom.

Neil inserted his fingers and pumped hard, never pulling all the way out. She cried out

and shuddered, her legs trembling around his head.

While Carson basked in the gigantic orgasm, Neil didn’t waste time. He stood, grabbed

a condom from his wallet and sheathed himself.

Carson reached out and traced the black ink at his neck, then moved to unbutton his

shirt, but he pulled her hands away. She didn’t need to see the tattoo, the outcome of a
stupid, knee-jerk reaction.

“When are you going to let me see what’s hiding under your shirt?”
“Another time,” he whispered.
He grabbed Carson’s arms and pulled her off the desk.
He turned her body making sure she didn’t trip on the tangle of shoes and pants around

her legs. He let his hands roam over her curves, her perfect ass, her flat stomach and soft
round breasts. Her hands snaked around and wrapped around his neck. She wiggled her
body—including her bottom—which grazed over his balls.

“Bend over.” Neil guided her down, his hand pressing against her shoulder. He loved

how one minute she took pleasure for herself and the next she obeyed him without
question.

Neil positioned his cock at her waiting entrance. She spread her legs and he pushed

inside, slid balls deep. She was slick and ready from her earlier orgasm. He pumped a
steady rhythm, careful to try not to explode too early. Which he was bound to do if he
kept staring at her ass and the view of him disappearing inside her deeper, and more

easily, with every stroke.

She pushed back, meeting him thrust for thrust.
“Christ, Carson, stop.” Neil bent over, his mouth clasping onto her neck, trying to stop

the orgasm from rising up.

He sucked and bit at her neck and she moaned and wiggled under his body.
“Woman, I can’t last if you keep doing that.”
“Then don’t.” She reached out and gripped the edge of the desk. “Do it. Fuck me.”
He didn’t have to be told twice. Neil pumped, picking up speed with every second. Flesh

slapped against flesh, a damn sexy sound. He pushed in double time, grasping onto her
hips and pulling her back against his pelvis making the contact even more intense.

Sweat broke out across his brow and the orgasm he’d been pushing away swept over

him like a rising tide.

With one more thrust he plunged inside and shuddered, the waves of pleasure took

over. He faintly noticed the touch of Carson’s hand against his at her side.

She tightened around him, her own orgasm mere seconds after his own.
With the room in focus once again, he pulled out. Carson lay spread out face-first

across the desk, her beautiful ass, red and bruised from where he gripped. He pulled her
up and cradled her in his arms, planting a soft kiss on her cheek, moving ever so slowly
toward her parted lips. He caressed every bare inch of her body, soft and slick from her
sweat. “I can’t stop touching you.”

Her body trembled at his touch. “I have no problem with that.”
She turned. Their lips found each other and they kissed, hungry, as if they hadn’t just

screwed like bunnies on top of his desk.

“You like when I touch you?”
“Yes,” she whispered as Neil circled his finger around her rosy, stiff nipple.
“You like when I touch you here?” He circled the other hard bead.
“Yes,” a little louder this time.
Tracing a line down the middle of her body, Neil headed straight for her center. “How

‘bout here?” He slipped between her folds and she spread her legs wider, raising her
bottom off the desk.

Using her wetness, he circled his thumb over her clit, fast, slow, fast, slow. Her entire

body shivered with his actions.

“Yes.” The word came out in a stifled groan.
“I didn’t quite get that.” He slipped a finger inside. “Is this what you like?”
“Yes,” she answered. Determined and confident. “Yes.”
A double knock sounded on the door.

“Yes,” she screamed.
“Neil, I need you to… Oh, shoot!” Sterling stared, a deer caught in headlights at the

sight of them wrapped in a naked embrace. “Ass. I can see your ass.” She whipped her
hand up to cover her eyes.

Carson cursed under her breath, it was mumbled because she tried to hide her face

against his chest.

“Sterling, you just can’t go around opening doors,” Jack said from the doorway. He

peeked inside but looked away quickly. “Sorry, King. Hi, Carson.”

She lifted her hand and waved, never letting her face show.
“What the fuck, Jack.” He reached around and grabbed Carson’s shirt, wrestling it over

her torso, covering her body from their uninvited guests. “After a year of being together
you haven’t taught her about closed doors.” Neil bent and pulled up his pants.

He pulled the door until there was only a crack, allowing his voice to still be heard.. “It

never came up. Sterling likes the doors open.”

Neil heard a muffled ouch, followed by his brother’s cough. Possibly the result of

Sterling slugging him in the gut.

“So this is how you’ve been spending your time,” Jack quipped.
“We came here to tell you guys something,” Sterling interrupted. “Get dressed.

Everyone’s in the dining room. Carson you can come, too.” The door shut.

Carson flushed. “I don’t know what’s worse, being caught in the act or the thought of a

stranger watching us online.”

They quickly finished dressing and Neil led Carson through the tiny hallway, his hand

resting on the small of her back. When they entered the dining area, all communication
ceased and five sets of eyes focused on them.

No one spoke, until Penn said, “Oh, Carson honey. I’m so sorry.” She looked at her

watch then fisted her hands against her hips, her lower body encased in a tight black
skirt. “At least you know up front how much of a disappointment he is between the
sheets before you get in too deep.”

Sterling, Cole, Finn and Jack all snickered under their breath. Even Carson couldn’t

contain her laughter. Her body shook under his grip.

“We were already…” Neil sighed. “Never mind. What is so damn important the whole

family has to be here?”

“Yeah. Can we make this quick? I have work to do.” Penn yelled from behind the bar.
Sterling and Jack broke apart. Both smiling like idiots. It was impossible that they could

both be so happy. They had to fight, like other couples. Of that he had no doubt. Jack
could grind on anyone’s nerves, even the most patient and kind person like Sterling.

“We have a little announcement.” Sterling grinned and held out her hand. “We’re

engaged!”

Penn squealed and ran from behind the bar, tackling Sterling and hugging her closely.

However, Penn wouldn’t be Penn if she hadn’t raised her finger at Jack in warning no
doubt telling him to watch his ass. Neil chuckled. He admired her balls.

Finn and Cole walked toward the happy couple. There was an exchange of handshakes,

hugs, and kisses.

“That’s wonderful news. Congratulations,” Carson said while tucked under Neil’s arm.
A wedding? One of his brothers was getting married. Should he be overjoyed? Should

he be happier than he felt at this moment?

He looked down and stared at the shiny, black hair that rested against his chest. For

the first time he wondered what it would be like to have a woman permanently attached
to him—this woman. To wake up next to her. To fall asleep beside her. But he would just
be a time bomb waiting to erupt, and she didn’t deserve that.

They had sex. That’s all. Sex. Good sex. Up against a tree like animals. On a table. On

a desk. He squeezed his hand on her hip. He noticed her glance up at him from the
corner of his eye.

And it felt right. Perfect. They were completely in sync, on the same wavelength. When

they weren’t fighting of course. But she filled him with so much more than sexual
satisfaction. She filled a part of him he thought long gone. A part he thought had died
with his mother. That feeling of being cared for. He was a thirty-two year old man who
needed to be told that someone cared. And he knew she cared by the lengths she was
willing to go in order to keep him from racing.

“King! Get your ass over here and kiss my wife-to-be.” Jack scolded.
Last year, after struggling with the death of their foster mother, Sterling had been the

bright light that helped Jack find his way. She was the perfect anchor to his larger-than-
life personality and she was going to be an even more perfect addition to their family.

Neil smiled and walked over, but not before kissing Carson on top of her head. The ten

eye balls that had greeted them with such curiosity two minutes earlier had picked up
their staring.

He cleared his throat and walked over to Sterling, pulling her into a hug.

“Congratulations. Although it has to be said I disagree with your choice of groom.”

Sterling laughed. “Said the typical older brother.”
“No, it’s true.” Finn interrupted. “Of all the brothers you could have picked, Jack is the

least attractive, least successful and I’ve heard he has no idea how to satisfy a woman.”

“Ass.” Jack punched him in the arm. “I can assure you I have no problem in the

satisfaction department. Right, Sterling?”

Sterling’s face and neck quickly turned crimson.
“I think we need to celebrate.” Cole said. He jogged off to the bar and opened one of

the fridge doors. “It’s a little early for straight champagne so how about some mimosas?”

“Speak for yourself. It’s always time for champagne.” Penn made her way to the bar to

help.

Neil often wondered if Cole had been with Penn in a close-the-door scenario. Even he

noticed the sexual tension between them.

“Since I’m going to be your sister…” Sterling blinked at Neil with wide eyes. “I was

hoping you’d be all right with us getting married at the farm. We can christen the barn.”

That was a perfect idea. And it if he was honest, it hurt that she thought she had to ask

permission. Did they all think the same way? That Neil was in charge? Granted, he loved
being the oldest and the one they all looked up to. He loved being the first to have sex,
the first to go to college, the first to test Vivian’s loyalty. Neil grimaced. Some role model
he was. He’d just been released from jail.

He met Sterling’s eyes.
“Of course you can and there is no need to ask. If you’re going to be a Madewood, that

farm is just as much yours as it is ours.”

“I love that idea,” Penn said from behind the bar as she gestured to Cole who was

trying to open the champagne bottle. “It’s so romantic.”

“And Finn, we’d like you to cater.”
Finn’s chest expanded. “I would love to plan your menu.”
“When are you thinking?” Neil asked.
“October?” Sterling said.
“October?” Penn took a swig of champagne. “That’s only two months away.”
“True,” Sterling replied. “You’ll be open for business by then, won’t you Neil? It will be

perfect timing.”

“You should get a wedding planner,” Penn said.
Finn snapped his fingers. “I know just the right person.” He looked at each of them.

“Veronica.”

Veronica Whitfield, the little sister of Cole and Finn’s best friend from foster care Mark,

had been the fourth wheel in the boy’s group. But they both got adopted and moved
away from the city a year before Vivian took in Cole and Finn. Mark now lived in British
Columbia and Veronica ran a wedding planning business out of her home.

“Our friend from foster care is a wedding planner.”
“Finn that would be wonderful.” Sterling’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“It’s selfish, really.” Finn crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t take well to strangers

telling me what food to make.”

“Are you sure it’s just strangers?” Jack said with a smile.
Penn walked around the group holding a tray of mimosas. One glass didn’t have orange

juice at all.

“Penn will you help me find a dress? I was thinking something vintage.”
“Did someone say vintage?” Penn’s ears perked up with her favorite word. “I know just

the place.”

“Everyone take a glass.” Neil announced. When everyone had a drink, including Carson,

he began. “Congratulations Jack and Sterling. Someone very special is missing from this
moment. She would have loved being a part of this. She would have loved to see Jack
settle down with one woman.”

Jack laughed, but it was forced. They had all grown silent.
“No Madewood goes at things alone. You might as well learn that early, Sterling. You’re

stuck with all of us, ‘til death do you part. And Finn always wanted a little sister.”

“Jack made do for a while,” Finn said and everyone chuckled.
Neil continued. “It’s about time we had another female in the Madewood clan. Welcome

and we wish you all the best.”

“To Jack and Sterling,” Cole said. The group repeated his incantation.
While everyone sipped from the champagne glasses, Sterling showed off her ring to

Penn. Finn and Cole slapped Jack on the back and they laughed at something that was
said.

Jack pulled away and approached Neil, his expression became somber. “I’m sorry. I

know you probably think this will take away from the farm project because people are
more interested in where my penis goes than our business” Jack mocked Neil. “But I just
couldn’t wait.” Jack looked lovingly at Sterling.

What kind of monster did they think he was? Someone who couldn’t even be happy

about a wedding? Someone who chose business over family?

Was that the image he’d been projecting all of these months?
Neil approached his brothers and pulled all three of them into a hug. “I think I speak for

Finn and Cole when I say…” Finn’s hand squeezed tightly where it gripped Neil’s shoulder
in warning. He wasn’t going to ruin this moment. He needed this. They all needed this
happy news. “This is the best news we’ve heard in a long time.”

Cole nodded and Finn smacked Neil’s shoulder in affection.
They celebrated for a while longer and Carson thanked everyone for allowing her to be

a part of the special announcement.

Neil glanced at his watch. Ten to two. He had to get going. He still had to do the

shopping and drive uptown to teach the program.

“Penn, can you get me the number for one of those car services? It’s my turn to teach

the program and I need a ride.”

“I can take you.” Carson spoke from behind him.
“No, I’ll be quite a few hours and I don’t think a night with a few teenagers is your idea

of fun.” They should probably keep their contact to the bedroom. Especially now that
their business was concluded. Spending too much time together would just make things
way too complicated.

“I’d like to go. See what the program is all about. I’ve heard all about it. Maybe I can

help.”

Unlike his brothers, Neil didn’t get too deep into the lives of the kids in the program.

But despite trying to keep his distance, he knew that bringing Carson along could lead to
doors of his past he wanted kept shut. Doors she had no business opening. Her or anyone
else for that matter.

Despite his concerns, he heard himself say, “All right.” The words slipped from his

mouth. Too easily. “But I don’t like slackers. You’re going to have to cook.”

Carson winked. “Whatever you say, Chef.”

Chapter Six

With groceries piled high in the back of her pickup, Neil directed Carson to the high
school. She’d hated high school. Too many standards to live up to. Too many bad
memories.

She kept her head straight, doing her best to concentrate on the road, but her eyes

darted to her right where Neil sat in the passenger seat of her truck.

She had visited Bistro to get some answers—and she’d gotten more than she’d

bargained for. Sex. Really great sex. And an invitation to a very private family gathering.
And that kiss. That tiny kiss on top of her head was even more intimate, even more
meaningful than all of the thrusting and licking they had done in his office.

“You really don’t have to participate. I’m sure you have construction workers to

castrate, HVAC companies to ream out.”

So he wanted to play dirty.
“And I’m sure you’ve dated at least a few of the girls at this school.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “Christ, I don’t date teenagers. You really think that

low of me?”

She shrugged. “If the gossip rags say it’s true…”
“That was one time.” He shook his head.
“So then you have dated a teenager?”
“She was twenty and very mature for her age. And it’s not like it was last week. It was

years ago.” He sighed. “You know those magazines print garbage and more than half of
the stuff isn’t true.”

She had really hit a nerve. He looked genuinely upset at her accusations. She pulled

into a parking spot.

“Look, you can think whatever you want of me, but could you at least keep it to

yourself while we’re in there.” He gestured to the building. “I have to maintain some kind
of respect.

She nodded. She would never purposely bash him in public, especially not to a bunch of

kids who looked up to him.

When they parked, Neil looked over and smiled. “Come on assistant. It’s show time.”
“Architect. Assistant. Chauffeur.” When it came to Neil Harrison, she wore far too many

hats. “You better not get used to this, Harrison.”

“Don’t forget sex slave.” He winked and held out his hand, and she took it as she slid

across the bench seat of the pick-up.

“And I will cook my own food, thank you very much.” She crossed her fingers behind her

back. She never had time to cook at home—but it couldn’t be that hard. And why bother
when the freezer section and take out did such a good job for her?

He smiled. “I didn’t think the assistant thing would fly. So if you’re not my assistant and

you’re no longer my architect, what about chauffeur and sex slave? I’m going to need
someone to drive me around and fuck me for the next seven days.”

“Are you saying you want me around for the next seven days?”
Her stomach fluttered with nervousness waiting for his answer.
This was the best idea she’d heard in a long time. Now that her job at the site was

complete, she had no excuse to see Neil anymore. Agreeing to be his chauffeur was the
perfect way to remedy that.

“You’re going to need someone to argue with. It might as well be me.” He grinned.

“And they say make-up sex is the best kind of sex.”

Where did she sign up? “I’m in.”
The first thing they did was check in with the front office. They walked through the halls

and Carson felt so tiny yet so big at the same time. Being an adult in high school
automatically made the walls close in on her, the distance between the floor and the
ceiling barely enough to allow her to breathe. The feeling completely at opposition with
the very large, very buff man walking beside her.

Neil’s presence had always felt larger than life, but here, in a place where boys were

barely men, the blatant masculinity that exuded from this man ricocheted off the walls.
Even the young girls roaming the hallways stopped what they were doing, mouths ajar,
to take in the sight of him.

“It’s just at the end of the hallway.” Neil said as he maneuvered them around a group

of loud kids, his hand finding the small of her back as he guided her along.

Just the slight touch of his hand on her clothing sparked a fire inside her. But here, in

front of these kids, she needed to maintain her distance. Even though the job may be
over, she didn’t want any rumors about an inappropriate client relationship circulating.
Didn’t want anyone thinking there were additional fringe benefits to hiring her.

They entered and she was immediately taken back a few decades. Browns and beiges

covered everything in the room. The walls, the desktops, the shelving. Someone had
decorated this room in 1970 and hadn’t bothered to update it since.

“See the five stations?” He pointed to the individual kitchenettes plotted throughout the

room. “We need to divvy up the ingredients and lay out the right cooking utensils.”

The first thing he did was wash his hands then put on an apron. Carson was startled

when he threw one at her. “If you’re going to cook, you gotta wear an apron.”

She put it over her T-shirt and tied the strings around her waist.
He searched through the bags and cursed under his breath. “Did you bring the

shallots?”

“I thought they were in the bag.” She approached the front of the room and searched a

second time.

“They’re probably in one of the other bags.” He had bought extra food to keep him fed

while he stayed at the farm during his suspended license phase. “Stay here and I’ll go get
them.” He held out his hands for the keys.

She hesitated but grabbed the keys out of her bag and handed them over.
She finished the few tasks he had assigned and with nothing to do but wait, she took a

seat at the front of the classroom.

“Are you our new teacher?” A soft voice carried from the doorway.
A young girl, probably ten years old, with dark skin idled by the door. Carson thought

this was a class for teenagers. Sidling up behind her, a teenage girl with flawless dark
skin who showed too much of it, and three teenage boys studied her just as intently.

Carson shook her head. “No, I’m just a visitor. Neil should be back any minute.”
“Is he in a good mood or a bad mood today?” the older girl asked.
A boy broke through the group and walked to one of the desks. “Damn ‘Rissa. I’d be in

a bad mood if I had to teach you, too.” He wore a blue hat backwards and jeans slung
low on his hips.

“Shut your face.”
“Go suck a—”
“I see we’ve wowed Ms. Kelly with our exceptionally classy behavior.”
Neil entered the room, shallots in hand. The two other boys had followed and grabbed

their seats. He didn’t waste any time getting down to business. “All of you can come up
and grab some shallots.”

“What’s a shallot?” the young girl asked.
“A shallot is like an onion in appearance, but with a milder flavor.” Neil held one up.

“We’re going to be using a few ingredients today that we’ve never used before.”

The kids approached the front table. Neil greeted the boys with fist pumps and half

hugs. The girls—Larissa and Maya—simply got a nod.

“Neil!” Another teenage girl with olive-colored skin ran into the room. “I made the

white fish just like you said.” She panted, but managed to get out her sentences. “My
abuela said it was the best she’s ever had. I brought some for you to try it.” She opened
the lid from the Tupperware and immediately a rotting smell filled the air around them.

“Damn, girl.” The boy in the blue hat cringed. “What did you do to that fish?”

“That smells like my Uncle Fifty’s fridge after he’s been on a bender,” one of the other

boys said.

The poor girl looked devastated.
“Selena, when did you make this?” Neil asked.
“Last Thursday right after class.” A chorus of groans caused the girl to shrink back. “Is

that bad?”

“Are you trying to poison the teacher?” Larissa said with her hand waving in the air.
“I’m sorry.” Selena looked down to the ground.
“It’s all right.” Neil patted her on the shoulder. His action was stiff. Carson wondered if

he was uncomfortable with the girls. She wished she could take back the teenager
comment.

“Give me that.” He took the container from the girl’s hands. “Next week we’re going to

have a lesson in food storage and best before dates.” The group disbursed. “Put on your
aprons and let’s get started.”

Neil emptied the bad food into the garbage.
“That smells disgusting.” Carson wrinkled her nose.
He nodded. “But she did it. That’s all that matters.”
Carson smiled and was happy with her decision to join Neil this afternoon. She had a

feeling this was going to be an enlightening peek into the psyche of Neil Harrison.
Payback for his front row seat to her father’s humiliating distrust of her work ethic.

“Today our menu is going to focus on your knife skills. We’re making a vegetable tian, a

minute steak with caramelized onions and blue cheese, and for dessert, strawberry tarts.”

Crap. She probably should have mentioned that she couldn’t cook.
“I’ve made today’s dish a little harder because for one, we have a guest.”
Carson shrunk in her seat at the evil stares she got from the kids.
“Who’s she?” Larissa asked between wide, open-mouthed chomps of her gum.
Neil stopped and turned. Carson gave a little nervous wave to the group of kids. “I’m

Carson Kelly. I’m an architect.”

“What are you doing here?” the kid in the blue hat asked.
“I’m just observing.”
“She’s cooking,” Neil corrected.
“Right…cooking.”
“You can’t learn if you don’t get your hands dirty, right Chef Harrison?” The little girl

jumped up from the back of the room.

“That’s right, Maya.”
Was that a motto he made them learn the first day of class?

“You can put together one hundred story skyscrapers, but you’re afraid to make a

gourmet meal?”

“I’m not afraid.” Carson stared him down, meeting his taunting eyes. He was daring

her. She stood and grabbed the knife on the counter.

He smiled and turned back to the kids. “The second reason is because the techniques

used in this recipe are going to be at the core of everything you make at the opening of
the farm. You should be practicing these techniques so that you’re prepared to work and
help out in the kitchen as part of our intern program.” He held up his hand. “Speaking of
which, did you all bring your consent forms?”

The kids ruffled inside their bags and each pulled out a piece of paper.
“I’m allowed to go too, Chef Neil.” The little girl, Maya, jumped up and down in the

back.

“You know you won’t be able to cook, right. You can only watch.”
She nodded.
When all of the consent forms were collected, Neil got back to business.
“How about we make this interesting. I will give a prize to the chef who makes the best

steak.”

“We’ve never gotten a prize.” The little girl shouted out again.
This time she was sitting with Larissa. The longer Carson looked at them the more she

thought they could be sisters.

The boy with the red hat leaned back against his chair. “You always say the prize is in

learning how to do something.”

Carson smiled. Such words of wisdom coming from such a stoic individual.
“What’s the prize?” One of the other boys asked.
Neil crossed his arms over his chest. “Does it matter?”
“Hell, yes,” the boy in blue sang out.
“Fine.” Neil relented. “A gift card…to…Williams-Sonoma, so you can buy some cooking

things.”

Groans.
“With such a warm reception to that idea, I think we’ll keep it. Williams-Sonoma it is.”
Neil began his instruction with rigidity. After a few minutes he loosened up, but not

much. The kids asked questions and Neil responded giving them exactly the information
they were looking for, and nothing more.

He stood at the counter and picked up the knife, instructing the kids on the best way to

cut a shallot. The apron covered his chest and waist, highlighting his muscular arms. He
sliced through the tiny bulb in perfect, consistent strokes, his bicep and forearm clenching

for a split second on his down cut.

She lifted her gaze from the perfectly diced shallot to Neil’s face. He was staring right

at her, talking, chopping and disarming her with those eyes she wanted to stare into all
night long.

For the second part of the lesson, Neil asked the group to split up. Girls at one station,

boys at another. Which was the best move he could have made as far as information
collecting went. Teenage girls liked to gossip, didn’t they?

“He doesn’t like girls,” Selena said.
“What are you talking about?” Carson knew for a fact he liked girls. He liked them a lot.
“Look at him.” Larissa pointed to where Neil shot the shit with the boys. Pats on the

back were exchanged.

“He barely stands five feet away from us and always asks us to move out of the way

before he helps us with anything.”

“Maybe he’s gay,” Selena said.
“He’s not gay,” Carson blurted. She cleared her throat and continued on peeling carrots.

He didn’t seem to have any trouble being near her, close to her, letting his hand scrape
her skin.

“Is that why you’re here?” Larissa’s face changed in an instant from curious to excited.

“Are you two hooking up?”

“Hooking up? Don’t be silly.” She wasn’t disclosing such personal information to a kid.

“I’m just the chauffeur.”

“And the fact that he’s different today?” Selena asked. She leaned across the counter.

“Are you dat—”

“No!” Carson blurted the word causing Neil and the three boys to look over.
Neil Harrison was one hundred percent not gay. But the fact that he took such a hands

off approach with the girls was curious.

“We’re not dating, but there’s no way he’s gay.”
“All right, chica. I believe you”
They weren’t together. Any togetherness they shared was strictly for his safety to keep

him from succumbing to his own demons. Carson snorted under her breath. If anyone
should be pitied it was her. She was way in over her head with Neil Harrison. And if she
wasn’t careful, she’d risk losing more than her reputation. As soon as the grand opening
was finished, Carson would move on to bigger and better things.

“Maybe you should care because in five years, if he’s still single, I’ll totally make a

move,” Selena said.

“Everything all right here?” Neil had walked over to their station and inspected their

progress with his normal scrutinizing look.

“We’re getting things done, Chef,” Selena answered.
“Looks more like girl talk to me.”
“Of course not, Chef.” Carson responded. She looked down at the strawberries she was

tasked with cutting for the tart. She looked over at the boys table and her slices didn’t
look anything like theirs.

And who knew a minute steak took only a minute to cook? She burned hers. But her

onions, they were pretty damn caramelized. She fared better than she had expected
considering she hadn’t cooked a full meal in…ever.

When the food was cooked and eaten and all the stations had been cleaned, Neil

announced a winner—the kid in the blue hat. She’d been beaten by a teenager. Not that
she wanted the prize. Just the bragging rights associated with proving to Neil she was
good at everything she touched.

The kids left and the two of them packed up their supplies.
“You’re good with those kids. A little standoffish, but still good.”
“All I need to do is teach them to cook. I don’t need to be their friend.”
That was…abrupt. And not the answer she was expecting. “They look up to you.”
“I never asked to be a role model.” He thrust the left over shallots in a plastic bag.
Carson leaned across the counter and settled her hand on his. “But you are a role

model.” He had built up the wall that had divided them prior to their agreement. He was
hiding himself.

“Street racing. Jail.” He shrugged. “Some role model.” He grabbed the bags that were

full off the counter and stalked off to place them at the door. “They should choose
someone else. Cole or Finn, even Old Jack, pre-Sterling, would be a better choice.”

“Why don’t you put yourself on that list? I don’t understand.”
Neil returned to where she sat at the front of the room. “I’ll help them any way I can.

Hell, I’d probably even give them money if they needed it, but they don’t want me. I’m…”
He returned to the counter and wiped down the laminate. “Never mind.”

“Neil, please…”
He threw the cloth into the sink. “This is a private class and the kids don’t need a

stranger coming in here and judging them.”

“Judging? Is that what you think I’m doing?”
He had it all wrong. She admired these kids. They were taking the initiative to change

their lives. At that age, Carson had made all the wrong decisions.

“What else would you do? Most people judge kids like this. Feel sorry for them.”
She knew he was speaking from experience. Neil Harrison was a confident, established

businessman with the world at his fingertips but on some level he was still the scared
little foster child waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him.

“Neil, look at me.” She pulled at his hand and brought him closer to where she sat. “Do

you think I’m judging you?”

“You wouldn’t be the first.” Neil locked his gaze on hers. “I’m a fraud. A ticking time

bomb. A relationship disaster waiting to happen.” He wiped at the already clean counter
with his palm . “I didn’t have a good male role model growing up. How can I possibly be
one for a kid now?”

“Not having a male role model doesn’t mean you can’t be one.” She didn’t know Neil’s

story, what happened to put him in the system, but she knew it couldn’t have been good.

“Neil, please talk to me.”
He slumped onto a stool, his shoulders hunched forward, but she still held onto his

hand. And she didn’t intend to let go.

“I saw only violence and abuse, at home and then in foster homes. That’s all I know.

You don’t know… you don’t know what it’s like for girls in who end up in bad foster
homes.” He shook his head, unable to say more. The reason behind his distance—the
discomfort with under-aged girls—she now understood. “Those are the male role models I
know. That’s who I learned from.”

It would also explain why he never had a long-term girlfriend and kept the kids at an

emotional distance. He thought he wasn’t good enough to be loved. He thought he was
going to disappoint people with actions he probably wasn’t even capable of.

“Kids are preconditioned to repeat their parent’s mistakes. If I choose not to connect

with anyone, I’m saving them from pain later on.”

“Neil. That’s just not true. You know that.”
He shrugged and pulled his hand away.
“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit.”
He had no idea how much he gave of himself and how much it mattered. What

contributions did she make? It was Carson who didn’t deserve a man like Neil. He had
been an innocent child and any mistakes he had made came from fear. Carson’s shame
resulted from her own foolish decisions. She couldn’t take back what she did, ever.

She pushed a dark lock of hair off his forehead. “You’ll see. When push comes to shove,

your instincts will prove that you’re not a nasty person. You’re good and kind, and
protective. You may be a little hot-headed, but so am I. And I’m not saying that because
I’m your sex slave.”

He laughed. It was good to see him lighten up.
“Come on, Harrison. Let’s get you home.”

Chapter Seven

Neil stared out the window of the truck as Carson drove them back to the site. He’d done
exactly what he hadn’t wanted to do. He’d opened up. But he should have known that
Carson wasn’t the type of person to hold his past against him. She believed in him. A lot
more than he believed in himself.

When they pulled up to the site, a group of vans were parked along the road. People

milled about the entrance that was sealed off with a chain link fence until the grand
opening. A security detail had been positioned inside the compound for safety.

But these weren’t just any people, they held microphones and cameras. The press.

What the hell were they doing here?

“Uh, Neil…” Carson pulled up as far as she could and put the truck in park.
“Let me handle this.”
Neil jumped out of the cab and penetrated the group.
“The grand opening of the site is in a couple of weeks. I’m sure you can appreciate that

until then, we aren’t in the position to accommodate interviews.”

Neil banged on the fence and got the attention of the security guard who got out of his

car to open the entrance. Neil turned and walked back to the truck.

“Mr. Harrison?” A reporter walked up to him. “Is it true that you’re involved in an illegal

street racing ring?”

He stopped short and turned. “Excuse me?”
The reporter continued. “It’s been reported that last night you were arrested and

detained for street racing.” How the fuck did the press know about his arrest?

The driver’s side door opened and Carson stepped out. Her eyes locked on his.
Another reporter weaseled in and asked, “How long have you been involved in street

racing?”

“Did your mother know you were into illegal activities?”
“Are you aware of the annual casualties caused by street racing?”
The questions bombarded him from all sides.
Anger percolated just under his skin at the mention of his mother. But he would remain

calm. Instead of lashing out he fisted his hands at his side.

A reporter stepped out of the crowd. “What if you had killed someone?”
He heard Carson gasp from the other side of the truck. The look on her face told him

more than she had the entire time they had spent together. Her involvement in this
racing world was deeper than she let on and it was time for her to come clean.

“Are you two an item?” A microphone was shoved in his face and it was the last straw.

He was like a teapot ready to boil over, ready to explode. And this time he couldn’t hold
it in.

He pushed the reporter out of his way.
“Neil!” Carson shouted, but it barely registered.
The man stumbled backward running into the cameraman who almost lost his grip.

Great. Now they have footage of him assaulting a reporter. Way to keep the focus on the
restaurant.

Arms wrapped around him and pulled him back to the truck. The next thing he knew he

was pushed into the passenger seat and driven through the entrance, the chain link fence
closing them in.

Carson slammed the breaks near the entrance to the restaurant and Neil immediately

jumped out of the truck. He was in some major need of calm and there was only one
place that never failed to give him a sense of peace.

He slipped the key into the front door and barged inside but Carson was right on his

heels as he stormed right to the kitchen.

He walked into the immaculate space to the island and placed his palms face down on

the steel and hung his head.

“Are you all right?” Carson’s soft voice carried over his shoulder.
He inhaled deeply and regulated his breathing. Damn those reporters. He’d tried his

hardest to keep the media attention away from him and focus it on the site. He wanted
the business to thrive because of the hard work and the food, not the gossip associated
with the owner.

Once he’d calmed down a bit, he turned his focus to the woman who stood quietly

behind him. He’d seen the stricken look on her face when the reporter has asked about
someone getting killed.

He needed answers. And he wasn’t going to let her skirt around the issue. Not

anymore.

“It’s time for you to trust me.”
Her mouth opened, as if she was going to speak, but she snapped it shut again.
“Carson, tell me.”
“I used to race.” Her voice was barely audible.
“That I already know.” He waited. She grew visibly more uncomfortable with every

passing second.

“What you don’t know is that I might have been the one who found that spot to race at.

It’s why I recognized the red clay.”

That wasn’t so bad. So she found a spot. That probably made her very popular with the

group.

“And when Diaz took over running things, he…” She paused and squeezed her body a

little tighter. “He might have taken over from me.”

He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you get it? I was Diaz. I ran things. I’m the one who started things up when I

was seventeen years old. And I killed someone.”

“How could you kill someone? I don’t believe that.”
Carson might be a hot-head but she wasn’t a murderer. Of that he knew right down to

his soul.

“I didn’t kill him, but I was responsible for his death. It was on my watch.”
So he wasn’t the only one with skeletons in their closet. And he had to admit he never

expected such hulking skeletons to rattle inside Carson’s.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It isn’t something you open conversation with.” She stepped back and held out her

hand. “Hello, I’m an irresponsible street hooligan that helped orchestrate the death of my
friend. Please, hire me.”

He made his way around the island toward her. Wrapping his arms around her, he

pulled her close.

“You said you didn’t want your personal life to overshadow this project. If people knew

we were involved…if people knew…I’d never be taken seriously.” Her tears fell in thick
streams and torturous guilt shone in her eyes. He heart squeezed at her pain.

“Carson?”
She buried her head against his chest, unwilling to look him in the face. “You think

you’re such a bad person? You think you’re not a role model? Look at me.” She pulled
away and flung her arms out to her sides. “I am a woman who will never be more than a
street racer who can’t carry on the family name. My father will never let me forget it.”

“Didn’t you just tell me that I’m not my past?” He pulled her close again and stroked

her hair. We’re the same. Both of us trying to outrun our past.”

She raised her head and looked into his eyes.
“I would never judge you.”
She smiled up at him, a weak smile, but it told him she understood. As if knowing the

mood needed to be lightened, his stomach growled and Carson laughed and swiped away
her tears.

“How can you even be hungry after eating all that food with the kids?”
He shrugged. “I’m a growing boy.”

“Why don’t we do something that always makes me feel better?”
“I don’t know if I’m in the mood for—”
“Not sex.” He leaned down and kissed her soft lips. “At least not right at this very

moment. Cooking.”

She nodded, wiggled out of his grip and wiped away the tears.
After grabbing the left over ingredients from the truck, Neil set to work preparing for

their meal.

“Do you cook at home?” he asked.
“Pointless when there’s only me. Plus I don’t really have the time to make elaborate

dinners. It’s grilled cheese and soup or take-out.”

“Glamorous.”
She laughed.
“You did very well tonight.” He had been particularly impressed with her onions.

Normally people cooked them on too high a setting and they became hard and crunchy.

Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. “For as much as it pains

me to say this, to you of all people, I sucked.”

“I’m serious. Your onions were soft and the perfect shade of brown.”
“I can’t believe I burned that steak.” She approached the counter and rested the heels

of her hands on the steel and leaned forward. “But at least I have the satisfaction of
knowing that I can kick your ass in the boxing ring. It’s what lets me rest easy at night.”

He pulled down a couple of colanders from the wall where they hung above the sink.

“It’s still undetermined.”

And it would forever be undetermined. He would never get in the ring with her. He

would never hit her, even for sport.

“What are you making?”
He gestured with his chin. “Come over and find out.”
Besides lightening the mood, this meal was also a thank you. Carson had given up her

free time to drive him around. He wasn’t a romantic guy. He didn’t even consider himself
thoughtful, but he did know how to cook. And his mother always said that cooking for a
woman proved you had what it took to be a good provider and most importantly, it
showed that you cared. Not that he needed to prove anything to Carson.

But he had to admit, when he was with her the world seemed right. Not once did he

think about racing. Not once did the urge to ride take over his entire being.

And when he wasn’t with her, he was thinking about her. About their time together

which had been sexy and fun and…perfect.

He’d spent too many years being cast aside without so much as a second glance until

Vivian Madewood had come along. She glanced, once, twice, a third time and offered him
a place in her home.

In such a short time, Vivian had made him believe he was important, worth more than

what his little brain had repeated to himself, as if on a disc. It took him a long time to
change the phrase.

Then along came Carson. She challenged him. Called him out on his bullshit, which

caused him to be even more of a dick. They brought out the worst in each other …and yet
it was the closest and most intimate he’d been with anyone. Maybe that’s what he
needed.

She sidled up to the counter top where his ingredients were spread out.
“Oh…I was hoping you’d make the veal” Her eyes grew wide with excitement.
He nodded. “Veal chops, string beans fresh from Jack and Sterling’s garden and, my

personal favorite, garlic mashed potatoes.” He hadn’t planned on cooking for two when
he purchased food to keep himself fed while staying at the farm, but for Carson, he was
willing to share.

“For a master chef, your favorite food seems pretty simple.”
“Simple is always the best way to cook.” He pulled the veal out of the brown wrapping

and let it rest on a plate.

“Cooking is easy.” He dropped the beans into a colander. “It’s everything else that’s

tough.”

“Like…”
He sighed. She wanted personal information again. He just wasn’t sure of how personal

he wanted to get. “Like…everything. Relationships, running a business.” He looked up
into her eyes. She was always so inviting, even when they weren’t wrapped in each
other’s arms. “Relationships.”

She laughed. “You said that one already.”
“It’s the toughest and hardest for me.”
Despite his hesitance, disclosing information to Carson wasn’t as difficult as he wanted

it to be. It was as if his subconscious knew he didn’t have to play everything so close to
the hip with her.

She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I understand. Women can be…tough to interpret.”
“It’s not just women. In fact that’s the easiest one of all because I don’t have to have a

relationship with them. I can keep it casual, where everyone knows where they stand.”

He liked it that way. Or so he thought. With Carson, he didn’t want casual. He wanted

her with him, cooking, laughing, bickering, sparring. Oddly enough, she fit into the world
he had built around him.

The realization was almost overwhelming. He pushed it aside, focusing instead on the

task at hand—chopping his fresh rosemary.

“The hard relationships are my brothers, my mother, trying to figure out which foster

parents were the real deal.” He stopped the knife but didn’t look up. “For the record,
most of them were not.”

“I could see how that would skew your view of things.”
“It took me a long time to trust Vivian and by the time I did, she’d brought home Cole

and Finn and the dynamic completely changed…again.”

“You were afraid she wasn’t going to love you anymore.”
He shrugged. “But that never happened. We did everything as a family and Vivian

made sure to spend an equal amount of time alone with all of us.”

“Do you know why she didn’t have children of her own?”
“She couldn’t. All the money in the world at her fingertips and it couldn’t buy the one

thing she wanted most in the world.”

Sometimes he felt guilty that such a wonderful woman had been saddled with a son

like him—that she would have preferred to have a child of her own flesh and blood.
Someone that was a mixture of both her and Arnold, her husband that had passed before
she’d decided to foster him and his brothers. But she reassured him every day with her
support and love. Up until that time, even his biological parents hadn’t been capable of
showing that kind of love.

“So that’s my story.” It was a lot more than he had planned on disclosing. “And now

that I know your secrets, I understand the architecture dream.”

She shrugged. “That is the dream.” She didn’t sound very convincing.
“You don’t love it?”
He didn’t know what he would do if he couldn’t cook anymore. If the restaurant

business was not a part of his life.

“On the contrary, I do love it.” Her thumbnail picked at the counter top. “It’s just not

fun anymore.”

He cocked his head waiting for her to elaborate. Finally, she let out a deep breath and

continued. “Working for my father is stressful, demanding. I have huge shoes to fill which
he reminds me of every day. Not to mention the fact that nothing I do is ever good
enough.”

“How can that be? I’ve seen your work.” He opened his arms and motioned to the

restaurant. “You’re very good.”

She shrugged. A tiny smile curving at the side of her lip. “Thanks. But it’s not only my

father.” She sighed. Her body language screamed discomfort. “You remember Martin

Connelly, the right-hand man I mentioned?”

Neil nodded.
“Carson Sr. sent him to check up on me this morning at the inspection. Martin seems to

think that we’re going to fall in love and run the company together.” She mumbled
something under her breath. “And since that will never happen, I’m sure he’d simply
settle for stealing it away from me.” This time when she mumbled it was loud enough to
hear. Creepy weasel.

“Why do you let them get away with manipulating you?”
“Because he’s my father.” She slumped forward. “He acts like I’m just not good enough

to work anywhere else, or even on my own. I wish his approval didn’t matter but…” She
dragged a hand through her hair. “It does.”

Neil headed to the sink and rinsed the string beans. The heavy rush of water caused

him to speak louder. “I hired you for your designs, your vision.” He hoped she was
listening to every word he was saying because it was the honest truth and damn her
father for doubting this smart and talented woman. “You just need to stand up to him.”

She laughed and leaned further into the counter. “You don’t know the man very well do

you?”

“You seem to have no problem chewing me out.”
“That’s because you infuriate me…and you’re not my father.”
He reached across the sink and turned the tap. “Hallelujah for that.”
She cocked her head to the side and gave him a sexy grin. “You’re funnier than I

thought you would be.”

“Is that so?” No one had ever called him funny before. Not even his brothers. “What

was your first impression of me?”

“Ah…” She shook her head. “You don’t want to know.”
“Sure I do.” He returned to the counter and placed the colander in front of her pointing

to the beans. “You’re helping. Break off the ends.”

She hesitated a moment but set to work.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “We’re friends now…sort of. Friends share.”
“All right, I thought you were an obnoxious asshole with a power complex.” She broke

off a tip and threw it into the colander. “It was baffling to me since you weren’t born into
this life. You came from foster care and knew the other side of the coin but still acted like
a rich douche.”

Ouch. Far from the truth. He remembered his past every day. It was the drive behind

why he tried so hard, was determined to succeed.

“But then I spent more time with you and realized that your search for power is simply

determination and guilt. You’ll do anything, say anything, bulldoze anyone to get your
goals accomplished. All to prove your worth.”

He smashed a clove of garlic with the flat blade of his knife. She was much more

intuitive than he gave her credit for. But he didn’t particularly like the term bulldoze. Was
he a bulldozer?

He was having to face all kinds of harsh truths about himself today.
“I’m sorry.” She reached across and placed her hand on his. “I told you. Not something

you wanted to know.”

He retracted his hand. “It’s probably something I needed to hear.” She might be right.

Hell, she was exactly right.

He glanced up and caught her staring at him rather than preparing beans.
“Tell me about Vivian.”
Neil tensed. Unchartered territory. He’d never talked about her to anyone. He barely

talked with his brothers unless it was completely necessary.

“She would have liked you. She had admiration for young women who took their

profession seriously.”

“Oh yeah.” She resumed her duties and ripped the ends off with vigor. “I’m sure she

would have loved you hanging out with a girl who rebelled and raced.”

“Do you forget what woman you’re talking about? She took in four foster kids. We’ve all

done bad things. Vivian was kind and loving and supportive. She was everything my
biological mother was not.”

His mother hadn’t been a bad woman, but it was hard to respect someone who was

comatose for most of the day.

“I was a little skeptical when a middle-aged woman wanted to take me home. I figured

she needed a couple of things moved or her house painted and then she’d send me
back.” He laughed. “When I saw the house and walked through the front door, I had to
pick my jaw off the ground”

“Why did you go with her?”
“Vivian was my second chance. We didn’t talk much at first. She let me do my own

things, but we would cook together. It’s one of the reasons we all became chefs—
because it brought us such joy. One time, I forgot to put the lid on the Cuisinart and it
exploded. I was saved but she was covered in pesto from head to waist. It was the first
time I had genuinely laughed since I had arrived. It was the first time I had laughed in a
really, really long time. I was fifteen.”

Neil smiled. He remembered that day. How could he forget it? It was one of the best

memories he had.

“A few months later she brought home Finn and Cole and then Jack followed. By the

time my eighteenth birthday came around, we had all been living together for a couple
years. I had retreated a bit knowing that once I became an adult I’d have to leave. I had
my bags packed for a month. But I had only packed a few things feeling guilty because
she had bought me everything I owned.”

He’d spent so many years feeling helpless. Helpless by not being able to protect his

mother from the hands of his father. Helpless by not being able to keep his parents from
the bottle. He vowed the day he had been placed in emergency foster care that he would
never feel helpless again so it had been hard for him to let Vivian give him things, even if
they were necessities.

He glanced over at Carson, who listened intently to his story. He had no idea how she

managed to pull the words from him. But if he was honest, she wasn’t pulling anything.
The words came out without force, without a second thought. And if he could choose
anyone to share this moment with, it would be Carson.

“Being a foster kid you get pretty good at walking around on eggshells. We were all

wondering when the novelty was going to wear off. But it didn’t.”

Like some miracle, Vivian had wanted them in her life.
“She was devastated when I told her I was leaving. I just assumed. I was eighteen. Her

duty was done. There was no reason for me to believe that she would keep us longer
than necessary.” All four of them had had experiences where they were unwanted. No
one had cared enough to keep them around. Not even their own parents.

“Vivian cried when she saw my bag at the door asking what she had done to make me

want to leave. She asked me to stay. Not because she was our foster parent, but because
over the last three years I had become her son.”

Carson wiped at her eye.
“I was convinced that I would be a ward of the city until I was eighteen and then I’d be

free to do as I liked.”

“What about your real parents?”
Neil sighed and turned his head in the opposite direction from where she stood. “My

mom died when I was fourteen. I had already been put in the system. I don’t know what
happened to my dad.” He straightened and cleared his throat. “And I don’t really care.”

He turned his attention back to the garlic, uncomfortable with how much she now knew

about him. But he knew she wasn’t the type to blab. She wasn’t going to go to the media
and divulge his deepest, darkest secrets. Not if she didn’t want her street racing alter ego
to be exposed.

“You know…” she approached and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “You’re

not as grumpy as you think you are. You just needed someone to figure out why you’re so
grumpy.

“And why is that?”
“Because you’re scared. You’re afraid of failing.”
Neil dropped his knife and walked to the sink. She had no choice but to let go.
“You’re afraid of not living up to the woman who gave you everything. And you’re afraid

of becoming your father.”

“Of course I don’t want to be my father. Neither do you.”
She walked closer, with slow, tiny steps as if trying not to spook a rabbit. He wasn’t

some fragile animal. She linked their hands together and pulled herself toward his body.
“It’s all right to be scared.”

He leaned in and nuzzled her neck, licking a line up to her ear. It was time to stop this

therapy session and get back to what they did best. What they were most comfortable
doing with each other.

She shivered. “Is this your way of distracting from the conversation?”
“Wrong.” His hands travelled down her back and cupped her bottom.
“You’re the one doing the distracting. Your shirt has been hanging open since you

started your little speech. A man can only take so much.”

She gasped and looked down, covering up her breasts, but he stopped her. “Oh no, I’ll

be the one to handle these beauties. I’ll let you know when I’m done with them.”

“What about dinner?” She gestured to the counter where the food prep lay, waiting to

be cooked.

“Good idea. I’m starving.”
He swooped down and kissed her. A long, devouring kiss that let her know she was in

for a long, hard night.

She pulled away. “But you’re not feeling anxious about racing.”
He shook his head.
“And you don’t need a ride anywhere.”
He nodded then kissed the top of her nose.
“So then what’s our excuse for having sex?”
He didn’t need an excuse to have sex with Carson. They had been playing the excuse

game since the night he discovered her at the race. But maybe this time no excuses were
necessary.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I guess tonight we’re having sex because we

like it.”

…

What a novel idea. Sex because it was fun. Sex because they liked it. Liked each other.

In fact, Carson liked him more than she could have ever imagined. And the vulnerable

man that enveloped her body at this very moment was pretty damn close to perfect.

It was too bad that everything about their relationship spelled temporary.
He was quick to remove her shirt. Overwhelming heat spread through her body when

he dipped down and sucked on her nipple through the thin satin of her bra.

She fumbled with the fly of his khaki pants and immediately pulled out his hard length.

He groaned when she stroked his flesh.

His hands tickled up her back and undid the clasp of her bra, exposing her breasts to

the cool kitchen air. He returned to sucking, this time, his hot mouth working her stiff
nipples.

She pushed him back, then fell to her knees in front of him and took him into her

mouth.

“I love the sight of my cock disappearing into your mouth.” His hands gripped the sides

of her head and guided her. “You like sucking my cock, don’t you sweetheart?”

She moaned and cupped his balls.
“And you do it so good. That’s it. Slow and steady.”
Her finger slid behind, pressing into the sensitive space. He jerked forward and his

shaft hit the back of her throat.

She pulled away, catching her breath, but still paying attention to him. Her hands

rubbed along his length one after the other in circular strokes while her tongue tickled the
tip.

She tilted her head back and their eyes locked. Carson had never felt so in control. She

held this man’s pleasure in her hands, literally. She could go fast or slow. Hard or soft.
The fire dancing in his eyes told her she could do whatever she wanted. He was on
board, along for the ride.

It was at that moment that she realized Neil had finally given up control. Not only with

his body but also with his words. He had finally disclosed the vulnerability of his past. And
she had done the same. There were no more secrets to hide. No more walls to break
down.

She pulled at his pants so they pooled around his ankles and stood up to reach for his

shirt. This time, when she went for the buttons, he didn’t stop her. She started at the top,
and made her way down, releasing one button at a time.

Finally, she smoothed her hands over his chest to his shoulders and pushed off his shirt,

exposing his hard, perfect body and that black ink she had been dying to see.

She traced the design that ran along his shoulder and up his neck with her finger—his

flesh pimpled at the light touch—it disappeared down his back.

She grabbed his shoulders and attempted to move his body, but he resisted. Instead,

she walked around and gasped at the tattoo on his back, a combination of tribal imagery
and a dragon.

She continued her walk around his body, letting her hand caress his back. When she

returned to face him, she smiled, letting her finger trace the line of his jaw then his lips.
“It’s beautiful.”

Neil opened and sucked her finger into his mouth, letting his tongue swivel and swirl

along her flesh. Yes, she knew exactly how deadly he was with his tongue.

She balanced on her tip-toes and replaced her finger with her lips. He grabbed her

bottom and lifted and she reveled at how perfectly she fit into his body when her legs
were wrapped around his hips.

He walked them over to one of the empty lower counters with short steps and sat her

on the edge. He loomed over her, forcing her down until her back rested against the cool
stainless steel. The smell of garlic surrounded her but when his head dipped and he bit
down on her neck, all of that faded away.

“You like that, baby?” he asked.
His hand massaged between her legs while his mouth worked magic on her upper

body.

She lifted her pelvis, giving him better opportunity to remove her pants. He stepped

back and Carson took matters into her own hands and slid her fingers between her folds.
Neil watched as she thrust two fingers in and out of her core, his face perfectly level with
her as he was bent over removing his shoes and pants.

He cursed. “That’s even hotter than you sucking my cock.”
She moaned and took it a step further, using her free hand to tweak her nipple.
“Every time I touched myself over the last year, I thought of you,” she whispered.
The faster her hand worked over her clit, the louder her moans grew.
“Did you come when you thought about me?” he asked. He stood now, his body

towering over her, one hand clutching the base of his erection, the other caressing her
knee.

“Every. Damn. Time.”
Neil picked up the condom from his pants pocket and ripped open the wrapper. “How

about one last time. Let me watch you.”

She knew it wouldn’t be the last time for her. She knew that long after they parted

ways, Neil Harrison would be her go-to fantasy. She couldn’t imagine any man topping his
skill.

While Neil sheathed himself, she quickened her strokes. Just the thought of that thick

cock thrusting inside of her heightened her desire. Leaning in, he grabbed at her breast,
twirling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

“That’s it baby.” His eyes locked on hers and she exploded. Her clit spasmed under her

fingertips and her body shuddered, and before she had experienced the full effect of her
orgasm, he thrust inside of her, prolonging that euphoric feeling.

He pulled her hand away from her clit and sucked her fingers into his mouth. He

concentrated with his tongue as it swirled around her fingertips but his other hand
gripped her hip and pulled her body into his, ramming so far inside her she gasped.

When he let her hand fall away from his lips, she gripped the edge of the counter and

braced herself against his onslaught.

He thrust over and over until sweat beaded across their skin. Sex in a kitchen couldn’t

be sanitary. But fuck sanitary. It felt so good.

They could wash down the space when they were done.
“Yes, yes, yes…” Carson murmured appreciative words between heavy exhales.
Neil bent forward and lowered his body onto hers, rested his forearms on the counter

so that his hands bracketed her face and kissed her.

When he pulled back, their eyes met, and realization slammed into her like a bag of

bricks. What she was feeling was more than casual, more than temporary. She didn’t
need an excuse to have sex with Neil Harrison anymore.

“No more excuses,” she whispered. “Let me in.”
The desire in his gaze flickered, replaced by confusion, then replaced by understanding.

He pulled out and grabbed Carson by the hips, whipping her around and bending her over
the counter.

The steel was cold against her front and cut into her stomach. But just as soon as she

grabbed onto the other side, Neil entered her and, at this angle, he hit the perfect spot
that would take her to edge, and over.

His hand fisted in her hair and he pulled back her head. She whimpered, the pain

zinged through her body and settled at her clit, heightening her need for him.

At her soft sound, he quickly released her hair, slowing his hips down.
“Again,” she pleaded, letting him know that he hadn’t hurt her. She liked his rough side

—in the walk-in fridge and against the tree. And she especially liked it now, here, while
he hovered over her, panting, breathless, vibrating with need.

She knew this change in position was on purpose. She had taken it too far with her plea

to let down his guard but she wasn’t going to complain. This—getting fucked by the
hottest man she’d ever known—was what she wanted. And she wasn’t going to let
emotion confuse things.

Every stroke her pleasure built higher until it was all too much to take. Her body

shuddered and she cried out. Seconds later Neil followed, his own moans and grunts
filling the large kitchen.

When he pulled out, he picked her up. She was thankful. Now that the moment had

passed, her stomach ached from the contact with the steel.

He cradled her in his arms as he sat her on the edge of the workspace. His forehead

met hers and they sat silently, recovering from their new heights of pleasure.

This was exactly the place she wanted to be—with Neil, in his arms. But her mind

battled her body.

A thread of fear gripped her. It tightened in her stomach like a warning sign—but for

what?

“I’m starving,” she said.
He smiled. “Good thing you have a personal chef to cater to your every craving.”
At this moment, she felt a little closer to the real man but she feared if she slipped any

deeper, she’d end up losing a lot more of her heart.

She had to keep things casual. She had too much riding on her career to let this

escalate into something she might never recover from.

Chapter Eight

Neil rolled over and a hand fell from his chest. The springs on the old bed squeaked. No
matter how expensive the mattress pad and new sheets he used to make it comfortable,
nothing was going to get rid of that annoying noise.

The sun streamed in from the tiny window making the room a little less depressing.

The birds chirping in the trees outside even warmed him up to the cabin.

“Good morning.” A tiny voice whispered from behind him. Carson’s warm breath tickled

his back.

He looked over his shoulder. She seemed so tiny curled up beside him. One hand rested

under her chin. Her forearms covered her breasts, but the tight grip squeezed them
together giving her some rockin’ morning after cleavage.

“Did you sleep all right? This isn’t the best bed.”
She nodded. “For the little sleep I did get, it was great.”
He smiled. She was right. They didn’t have much time for sleep. It was almost sunrise

by the time they retreated from the restaurant to the cabin.

He turned over completely to study her face. He hadn’t realized how long her eye

lashes were until that moment as he looked into her soft and inviting eyes.

“Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure.” It was the least he could do for the woman who was distracting him with

sex. “Thank you for the sex.”

She laughed. “My pleasure.”
He swiped a strand of hair and secured it behind her ear. He could stay like this all day.

He could stay like this forever.

“What are you up to today?” he asked.
“I should probably work on my presentation now that our work together is officially

done.”

“I guess it is.” He had the overwhelming urge to rip down some of the walls of the

restaurant so that she’d have more work to do, more time to spend in his presence.

“What do you say we—”
The double knock on the cabin door startled him and when he heard the raspy voice, he

tensed. “Good Morning.”

He cursed under his breath.
Carson went rigid then pulled the sheet up to her chin. “Who is that?”
“It’s Penn. I forgot I asked her to bring me some work to do this morning since I can’t

exactly drive to pick it up.” He jumped out of bed and slid on a pair of shorts. “Get up and
get dressed. I’ll make us some coffee.”

“Morning!” Penn glided further into the cabin, a banker’s box and a cardboard tray with

two coffees perched on it. It was the happiest he’d seen her in a long time.

Neil grunted. “Why are you grinning from ear to ear?”
“Good morning, grumpy pants.” She hefted the box onto the barely standing kitchen

table. “This second coffee was supposed to be for me…” She peered behind him looking
into the back of the cottage. “But I think you have company.”

She winked and thrust a cup of coffee into his hands.
“Plus my contact at the Toronto Tourism Board is willing to add you to the list of

attractions once we’re up and running. And I…”

Penn stopped and the smile that was plastered on her face turned into a smirk. “Good

morning, Ms. Kelly.”

Neil turned and smiled at Carson, who twirled a lock of her long hair around her finger.
She had gotten dressed. Damn.
“Penn is just dropping off some work and then she’s leaving.”
How could he have forgotten he’d asked Penn to stop by? He knew exactly how. He’d

been caught up with Carson’s incredible sexiness.

“Not even a thank you for going out of my way for you…again.” She waved him off as

she set her laptop on the table. “I’ll be out of your hair soon but I want to go over the
final numbers and the itinerary for the opening.”

“Do we really need an itinerary?” Although he liked getting things done properly, Neil

didn’t believe in micromanaging everything to death. Penn had scheduled their charity
boat cruise the year before down to the minute and it had annoyed the hell out of him.
But he wouldn’t question her process. She was good at her job.

“Yes. We need some kind of schedule.”
She plugged in her internet key and clicked around on her laptop. “Damn the country.”

She wiggled the key in the USB slot. “I can barely get internet access out here. The
connection is brutal.”

“People aren’t coming out here to browse the internet, Penn. They’re coming out here

for a fabulous dining experience.”

Neil walked over to Carson and handed her a coffee. She refused, but her eyes lit up at

his offer. He grabbed her hand and thrust it into her grip. She smiled, and it warmed his
heart.

“So…” He clapped his hands. He was appreciative that Penn took the time to drive all

the way out here on a weekend. But it was time for her to leave.

“Well, well,” Penn said. “Will you look at that. A Google alert for Neil Harrison. What are

they saying about you today?”

Neil tensed and looked over at Carson. He’d told her last night that being in the

tabloids was no big deal. But it was a big deal. It had been years since he’d had a story
about him in the media that didn’t relate to business.

“Holy shit!”
Penn’s reaction wasn’t reassuring.
“Neil, I…” Penn paused. “You…” She paused again. “I…” Stuttering was not in Penn’s

demeanor. Something had spooked her.

He walked over to her computer and groaned when he saw the header of the website

she was on. Toronto Gossip was at it again, were they? Wasn’t there anyone better in
this city to harass other than him and his brothers? There had to be.

“What did you two do last night?” Penn asked.
What they did last night wasn’t anyone’s business. “We had dinner.”
“Where?” Penn asked.
“In the restaurant.” This was getting really weird. “I was testing out the facilities.”
“Along with the cookware did you happen to test of the sturdiness of the countertop?”

she asked.

Carson, who had moved next to him, squeezed at his arm, fear reflecting in her eyes.

What the hell was going on?

“From the looks of it, I’d say you picked a good one.” Penn’s head shifted from side to

side, then it tilted so that she stared at the screen sideways.

Neil crossed his arms over his chest. “What the hell are you looking at?”
“Oh, just my boss getting it on with his architect in his brand new three hundred

thousand dollar kitchen.”

“What?” Carson squealed. She rushed over to the computer and her hand immediately

shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god,” she said through her fingers, her words coming
out in a mumble.

He loomed over Penn and focused on the laptop screen. A man and a woman were

locked in an intimate embrace. It was him and Carson. Last night. Someone had taken a
video of them having sex in the kitchen.

“Fucking hell.” It had been such a serene morning waking up with Carson beside him,

but now anger simmered under his skin and he knew exactly who was going to be the
recipient of his impending rage attack. The security company. No one had access to the
site other than workers, his three brothers and Penn. Work had been done for the day,
and his brothers and Penn would never do such a thing.

“It had to be the security guard. Who else would have access to the site at that hour

and…” He looked over at Penn who was mesmerized by the action on the screen. “Christ,
Penn. Will you shut that off.”

“Sorry.” She closed the laptop and turned in her seat. “Couldn’t help myself.”
Her BlackBerry dinged again. Then again. She picked it up and fear darkened her face.

“More alerts.”

“What else are they saying?” Carson asked. “Any other…stories?”
Neil knew what she was referring to. The reporters flinging their accusations of street

racing and outing her sordid past. But did any of that matter? A sex tape trumped
everything.

“Your arrest for speeding from the other night is exposed,” Penn said as she swiped her

finger across the screen. “And obviously there’s lots of speculation about your
relationship.

Neil heard Carson breathe a sigh of relief beside him, no doubt happy that there wasn’t

more about her being posted. “What are we going to do about this?” she asked.

“I’ll take care of it,” Penn said. “I’ll call the security company and crack some skulls. I’ll

call our lawyer and give him the details. I’m sure we can have an injunction to take down
the footage by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Carson cried. “By tomorrow my father will have heard all about this. There

goes any hope I had at taking over the company.”

How dare the media think they could mess with people’s lives? Just because he was a

public figure of sorts didn’t mean his every move was open for public scrutiny. Not to
mention how this was going to change Carson’s life.

And what about his work with the foundation? Who was going to let the new online

porn star anywhere near their kids?

Her soft hand rested on his arm.
“Neil? Are you all right?”
No. He was not all right. And it wasn’t going to take much to send him over the edge.

…

Carson pulled on Neil’s arm, trying her best to calm the war that was waging inside him.

“Neil?” she repeated.
Penn shoved a few items in her bag. “I’ll get out of your hair.” She caught Carson’s

stare and mouthed “I’m sorry” before she slipped out the front door.

Maybe there was a darkness to this man that even Carson couldn’t understand—

something that went far beyond the urge to ride fast. She wished she knew what she

could do to help. She didn’t know the right thing to do or say, she only knew what worked
for her.

“Hey, hot shot.”
Neil lifted his head and focused on her face. She smiled, hoping that she could get

through to him.

But with the look of sheer rage that had darkened his face, she knew that wasn’t going

to happen any time soon.

Neil pulled out the chair that Penn had just exited. It screeched along the tiled floor

then  he  thrust  his  body  onto  the  weak-looking  wood  and  banged  his  fists  on  the  table.
She  jumped  at  his  actions.  She  wasn’t  afraid  of  him.  On  the  contrary,  Neil  had  been
surprisingly  gentle  with  her  at  times.  Like  this  morning  when  he  caressed  her  face  and
hair in that squeaky bed.

She watched him, and even though she was having a hard time coming to terms with

the fact that her naked breasts were all over the internet, her heart ached for him.

Talking to himself, Neil fisted his hands, his knuckles burning white the harder he

squeezed. He was trying to come to terms with whatever he was taking on. She knew he
was blaming himself. She knew he was thinking this was all his fault.

A phone vibrated from the counter in the kitchen. Neil heard it too and turned his

attention to the counter. She walked over and picked it up.

“Your father?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I take it he found out about the sex tape.”
Her shoulders tensed and drew up to her ears. “I’d say that’s a safe bet considering he’s

called four times.”

Carson knew this scandal was going to be the nail in the coffin of her career with her

father. Unless she gave in to Martin. She looked over at Neil.

How could she succumb to the manipulative ways of a man like him when she knew

men like Neil existed? Strong. Determined. He was everything she wanted. Even though
she knew he would be done with her in a few short days.

She sighed. Her body slumped forward in defeat. How else was she going to take over

the company she had dreamed of running for her entire adult life without giving in to
Martin’s propositions?

Neil gestured with his chin for her to return to him at the table. When she was close

enough, he pulled at her hip and sat her on his lap. The heat from his body enveloping
her, the smell of him, all man, taking over her senses.

She breathed deeply knowing that soon their time together would be nothing but a

memory.

“You’re worried.” It was a statement. He knew enough not to ask the question.
She nodded.
“I’m sorry, Carson.” Neil hung his head and pushed the heel of his hands into his eye

sockets and let out a groan.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” She laid her hand on his shoulder.
His body tensed, his back straightening as he looked at her with confusion. “If you

weren’t involved with me then your naked body wouldn’t be plastered all over the
internet. I’m screwing with your career.”

“I’m a big girl. I can handle my career and whatever my father might say about this…

situation.” No, she couldn’t handle it. Her father would have a conniption. Martin would
be snickering and the two of them would be plotting his takeover. But it took two to
tango. And she was just as responsible for that tape as he was.

“This is all my fault.”
She snaked her hand around his neck and laid her forehead against his temple. Silly

man. After all that had been said. After all that they had done last night, how could he
not know that she enjoyed every single minute of every day they had spent together.

“I wouldn’t go back and change one minute of last night if I had the chance.”
With his arms wrapped around her, she felt like she could do anything. She was going

to take a page from the Neil Harrison handbook. She was going to stand up for herself.
Face her father head on. Carpe diem.

She was going to kick ass at her Bower presentation and secure that contract, and her

father would have to finally admit that she was good at her job. That she was as special
and valuable as she was whenever Neil looked at her.

He pulled away and looked up at her. Surprise stared back at her in the green depths of

his eyes. “But I ruined—”

She laid her finger against his lips then replaced it with her own. It was a soft kiss. A

gentle kiss. It lacked the urgency and hunger that she was accustomed to when it came
to the hulking man that enveloped her. But she had those kisses in her memory bank.
Because after today, there wouldn’t be any more in her future.

“You didn’t ruin anything. I’ll handle my father. Just like I always do. I am who I am,

and maybe it’s time he came to terms with that.”

He let out a harsh breath. “Thank you,” he said, shaking his head. “This entire time

we’ve…”

They what? What did they call the time they spent together? Hooking up? Dating?

Fooling around?

He looked up and she tensed in his arms. In that moment every feeling that she had

ever hoped to see from Neil stared back at her. But it was all an illusion. It had been an
emotional morning. “You might be ashamed of your past, but I hope you finally realize
that it’s your past that urged you to help me. To keep me safe from myself. In a way, I’m
your very own Cooking for the Future program. Well, minus the cooking.”

Carson choked back tears. He had no idea how much his words meant. That in a way,

he had absolved her from her past. And Neil Harrison was the last person she expected to
do such a thing.

“What do we do now?” she asked, looking around the barren cabin.
“We both have too much to lose. We both have careers to think about.”
She nodded. Damn her for getting involved with a man who was exactly what she

wanted yet exactly what she hated at the same time. Work would always come first for
Neil Harrison and she wanted a man that would put her first.

“Good thing we don’t need to end anything because it never really started in the first

place, right?”

She was not going to be the one to make this “relationship” more than it was. Last

night, Neil had had made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested in opening himself up
for more than just friendly, hot sex. She wouldn’t allow herself to be rejected again.

“Right.” He nodded. “We’re just having fun.”
“So, you got what I need, huh?”
The sneer that had monopolized his face had turned into a slight grin. His smile hit her

right between the legs. He was feeling a little better.

But she was torn between fear and desire and her strong physical connection with Neil

was winning. “I said I know what you need. Don’t twist my words.”

“My apologies, Ms. Kelly. And what is it that I need?”
She had no idea. She had just buying time in the hopes that maybe he would simmer

down.

And she could simmer down.
He squeezed her tighter. “But maybe we can hide out here, just for today.”
He looked up and smiled just as her phone vibrated again.
She liked the sound of that.
She look down at him. He winked. And she melted. Were her daddy issues that severe

that she’d fall prey to a player like Neil Harrison? A man who was no stranger to having
women fawn all over him. Which is exactly the reason why she didn’t go out of her way to
make him feel special. Which was exactly why she could never let him in.

But you’ve already let him in. She sighed. She’d let him in a long time ago.

Chapter Nine

Carson walked behind an administrative assistant who led her to the boardroom at Bower
Industries.

Today was the day. The day when she proved that she didn’t need her father to secure

a deal.

She had finally returned his call once she had settled in with Neil at her place. To say

he was less than enthusiastic about his daughter being part of a sex tape scandal was
putting it mildly, but she had managed to clear the air. For the time being.

It was hard for her father to argue when she turned his attention away from his

embarrassment to the fact that she had been the victim of a crime. It was still an
invasion of privacy and she didn’t need her father to be embarrassed. She had enough of
that to deal with on her own.

She had even negotiated his silence during the meeting this morning. She couldn’t stop

him from showing up, or from bringing Martin the toad, but at least she’d have time to
dazzle the client all on her own.

When she entered the boardroom, her father and Martin were already seated at the

large conference table with the President and CEO of Bower Industries. She wasn’t late by
any means, but she should have anticipated the attempt at a one-up.

“Good morning.”
“Carson, dear. Nice of you to join us,” her father said.
Nice? Because she wasn’t the one who scheduled the meeting? Because she wasn’t the

one who spent countless sleepless nights completing the project proposal?

“Mr. Bower. It’s wonderful to see you again.” She approached the front of the room and

extended her hand.

Liam Bower, like Carson, was a second generation business person. He had taken over

the multi-million dollar steel company from his father and had doubled the business in
less than two years. No doubt he had achieved this with the full support of his family. It
was easier to succeed when you had someone behind you.

“Likewise Ms. Kelly. I’m anxious to see what you’ve come up with.”
Carson had been tasked with recreating their head office space. She opted not for a

complete demolition, but rather a gutting of the existing building to serve as both a
warehouse and office. The goal was to bring together the two things Liam Bower
preached—family and employee engagement. Carson had picked up on these two themes
during their conversations and, combined with the list of wants and needs he had faxed

over a month ago, she knew she had hit this one out of the park.

She plugged her USB into the laptop and fired up her presentation.
Taking a deep breath, she began, “Mr. Bower, during our consultations you came up

with a list of the items you wanted to see incorporated into your new office building and
warehousing facility. I’ve included every item on that list into my design and two items
that might not be on your list, but are definitely part how you run this company.”

Bower glanced at his colleague that sat to his right, his eyebrow lifting in curiosity. Let

the dazzle begin.

Carson went through her presentation, slide after slide, detailing her vision for a green

office space since Mr. Bower had mentioned many times in their meetings. She detailed
her vision of family by designing a first floor that resembled a home. The building would
have a double front door with a reception area in the foyer. A round staircase sat off to
the left leading up to the second floor where the President and his immediate staff would
be situated. To the right of the front door was the kitchen and cafeteria, In the very back
of the building were the elevators that serviced all four floors. To the left of the staircase
was the day care which was an optional item, but given the many times he’d mentioned
the importance of a work-life balance for his staff, Carson didn’t think he would mind. In
the back was an outdoor eating facility and basketball courts. Each floor of offices utilized
the outside walls for cubicle space, giving each staff member access to natural light with
the conference rooms, bathroom facilities, and communal administrative spaces in the
middle.

With each slide, Martin squirmed a little more in his seat. At one point, he even pulled

at the collar of his dress shirt. That made Carson smile.

Mr. Bower sat at the head of the table stoic. He failed to give away any indication that

he either loved or despised her ideas.

“So that, Mr. Bower, is my vision for your new office facility. It’s modern, inviting,

utilitarian, and gives back to the environment.”

The room sat quiet for a moment, giving Carson time to fear the worst. She needed this

deal. She needed this to prove, that regardless of who her father picked as lead designer,
she was capable of designing with the best.

“Ms. Kelly…” Liam Bower fidgeted in his seat. He sighed, and clasped his hands on the

table in front of him. “I was hoping that your design was going to be mediocre at best.”

Mediocre? He was hoping for it to suck?
“This is absolutely beyond anything I could have imagined and I love that you picked up

on the philosophies of this company without even being told.”

Carson smiled despite Martin’s tiny scoff from his seat to her left, but it was a half-

smile. He was complimenting her work, but bad news was coming. It was written all over
his face.

“And that is why it pains me to tell you that despite the fact I love everything about

your design, Bower Industries just can’t do business with Kelly Designs.”

The nervousness she had been keeping at bay during her presentation burst front and

center and overwhelming heat broke out across her body.

“I’m sorry, I… I don’t understand.”
Bower looked over at his colleague who nodded, as if giving him the go-ahead to

provide further explanation.

“Ms. Kelly, I’ve seen the video on the internet.”
Fucking internet!
And it was the worst possible reason in the world he could have given her with her

father sitting off to the side.

“Mr. Bower, I don’t see how a tiny mix-up in my personal life has anything to do with

my job as an architect.”

“It’s more than a little mix-up, Ms. Kelly. I have no doubt this will bring a lot of

unwanted attention to your father’s company…”

Again, the worst possible thing he could have said.
“…and I don’t want to get caught up in that. And to be honest…” He paused. This

couldn’t be good. “My wife wasn’t too pleased about the news and already made it known
that she would be very uncomfortable with you working for me, given the fact that you
have a history of personal involvement with your clients.”

Carson recoiled. She had never—would never—sleep with one of her clients. Neil was

different. Neil wasn’t any different. She tried to make him different, tried to tell herself
that this was a one-time deal that possibly saved him from destruction. But in reality, the
bottom line was she slept with her client. She was unprofessional. Just like her father
accused.

“With all due respect Mr. Bower, if you knew you weren’t going to take this contract,

why did you allow me to present? You could have cancelled the meeting all together.”

“The thought crossed my mind, but I wanted to have one more interaction with you. I

told myself that if all I could think about while you were giving your presentation was
your personal life, I knew I wouldn’t be able to work with you.”

He had given her a second chance. He was a fair and honest man. And she hated that.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. And I apologize for the added tension for your wife.”
“Mr. Bower.” her father spoke. “Is there not something we can do to change your

mind?”

Bower sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
“What if I transferred the project to my colleague, Martin?”
Abso-fucking-lutely not!
She would rather never pick up a pencil again than give her ideas to the enemy.
“If Kelly Design was your choice for your project, Martin would take over as lead

designer and you would be able to keep everything Carson has just offered.”

Bower looked over at his colleague. Again, no indication as to what was going on in his

head.

“This wouldn’t solve the fact that my company does have a blemish…” Her father gave

her an evil stare. “But it would solve the problem of your working relationships and
remove any doubt of selfish motivation from the equation.”

She had done this to herself. She had slept with her client and ruined her chance of

impressing her father.

She wished it didn’t matter to her so much.
Right now she just had to figure out which was the lesser of two evils. Having Martin in

charge of a project that was near and dear to her heart or risk Bower taking her ideas to
another architect who would take the credit. At least if Martin took over, at the end of the
day, both she and Kelly Design would get the credit. And maybe the success of this
project would somehow lessen the black cloud she had pulled over the company.

She also noticed that her father wasn’t asking permission. He would simply cast her

aside to save face. But in this room, she wasn’t his daughter. In this room, she was his
employee who’d majorly fucked up.

She couldn’t blame him. Not for that.
“I’m going to have to think about it. I did contact another firm for a consultation when

all of this transpired, so I’d like to see what they have to offer.”

“I understand.”
Her father nodded and stood from his seat at the end of the table. Martin followed his

lead. While pleasantries were exchanged at the front of the room, Carson packed up her
things.

She had some soul-searching to do. Some major decisions to make.
But the one she didn’t have to contemplate was her relationship with Neil Harrison.

Good thing they had already called it quits. There could be no real relationship—if there
ever was one in the first place. That she would guarantee.

…

Neil placed his license in his wallet and walked out of the government office, a little more

pep in his step.

He was free to ride all on his own. He didn’t need Carson Kelly to drive his sorry ass

around anymore. Not that she’d done so in the last few days. She had completely fallen
off  the  grid  and  hadn’t  returned  one  of  his  phone  calls.  Did  he  expect  differently?  They
had both agreed to end their agreement that day at the cottage. But he wanted to keep
her  abreast  of  the  search  for  invader  of  their  privacy.  They  still  hadn’t  found  out  who
posted the sex tape. He had called the security company and was waiting for copies of
the  sign  in  list  for  the  date  of  the  incident.  The  company  was  dragging  their  feet.  No
doubt  trying  to  figure  out  the  best  way  to  run  damage  control  for  their  company’s
violation of a client’s privacy. But Neil was getting fed up.

He walked out of the building into the sunlight where his brother Finn waited for him

outside. He had only been gone fifteen minutes and the man was already stuffing his face
with street meat. He was always eating. Neil had no idea where he put it all.

“That shit will kill you.”
“S’why it’s so good.” Finn mumbled through the wad of food in his mouth.
Neil shook his head. “You’re an executive chef with years of training and you eat

processed cow parts, possibly even hooves. I don’t understand it.”

Finn swallowed audibly. “Sometimes the taste of something outweighs the fact that it’s

not gourmet. Not everything has to be about perfection.”

He took another huge bite of his hot dog. Ketchup dripped from the end of the dog

narrowly missing his black graphic T-shirt.

“Says the man who won’t even allow his sous chef to make simple stock.”
“That is not the same thing.” He wiped his mouth. “There is no sense messing with a

system once you have it down to a science. It’s not that I don’t trust him.”

Neil nodded and hummed in acknowledgement.
They started toward the underground parking lot.
“Is it the same feeling as when you’re a teenager?” Finn asked. “Getting your license

again?”

“Surprisingly, yes.” He’d experienced enough nervous anticipation over the last seven

days to rival the excitement that led up to him being able to drive a car by himself for the
very first time.

Finn held out the keys “Do you want to drive home?”
Neil laughed. “I think I might.” He grabbed the keys out of his hand.
“Mr. Harrison.” A voice interrupted the pure joy that had taken over at the opportunity

to drive.

Neil turned his attention to the man that sidled along beside them. “Excuse me? Do I

know you.”

“I’m Martin Connelly.” Carson Kelly Senior’s right hand but his Carson’s nemesis. He

shook his head at the thought. When did this sense of ownership come into play?

“Mr. Connelly. It’s a surprise meeting you here.” Neil stopped. He told himself he’d only

give Martin one minute of his precious driving time.

“I was just in the neighborhood for a consultation. I saw you from across the street and

couldn’t resist saying hello.”

Neil and Finn just stood there. Neither had anything to say. More likely, neither of them

knew what to say to the weasel. Unfortunately, Martin didn’t have a problem making
conversation.

“Have you spoken with Carson lately?” he asked. “It’s a shame about the deal falling

through.”

“What deal?”
“The Bower deal. The executives decided to pass because of her little mix-up on the

internet.”

Shit! He’d ruined someone else’s life.
“Well, your little mix-up. You were there, too.” He smiled viciously.
“It’s my fault,” he mumbled. “I did this to her.”
Finn rested his hand on his shoulder. “This is not your fault. It’s some asshole who

thinks it’s funny to expose the private lives of consenting adults.”

“It’s probably for the best if you didn’t continue whatever it is going on between you,”

Martin said.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” The nerve of this ass. Thinking that he knew

what was in Carson’s best interest. And you do? You’re the worst thing that could have
happened to her.

“It’s a moot point, really. Do you really think a woman like Carson would settle for a

man like you?”

“A man like me?” Neil tensed. It was one thing to know deep down that he wasn’t good

enough for Carson—it was another thing entirely to have someone else agree. “Please,
enlighten me.”

“Just because you inherited money doesn’t mean your past is erased, that it doesn’t

count.”

“Typical.” Finn grunted. “You think you’re better than everyone else.”
“You don’t even have the Madewood name.” He’d directed that comment to both of

them.

His mother wanted them to keep their own names as a reminder of where they came

from. That despite whatever she may give them in their future, their past would help
shape the men that they would become.

“Your mother was too ashamed to let the four of you have it.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my mother.” Neil lunged forward but Finn grabbed his arm,

holding him back.

“Neil?” Finn’s voice a calming force. “He’s not worth it.”
He nodded. When Finn thought he was somewhat calm he let go, but didn’t let him get

far. He wrapped his arm around his shoulders and huddled him close whispering words of
reassurance that he didn’t register, the anger still seething, the blood still rushing in his
ears.

“Did she know how many foster homes you went through before she found you?” Martin

was egging him on. “Did you tell her that your father was in jail? Still is?”

“Shut your mouth.” Neil didn’t even know where his father was and this douchebag did?
“I think that’s enough,” Finn said. “Neil, let’s go. You’re driving, remember?”
Driving. He could do that today. He should focus on driving. Not this asshole clearly

trying to goad him into doing something else that might cause a stir, like dropping him to
the cement.

No, that would probably just end with Martin filing assault charges. Neil wasn’t going to

take the bait.

He turned to walk away but he didn’t get very far before Martin spewed even more

fighting words.

“I know all about your 9-1-1 calls and trips to the E.R.”
Neil froze. How did he know all these things? These were private files from his

childhood that no one other than CAS staff and the courts had access to.

“Is that tiny caveman brain of yours trying to figure out how I know all these things? It’s

not very hard to dig up dirt when you know people in high places.”

He paid someone off. That was a given. But who?
“When Carson and I are married—and we will get married if she knows what’s good for

her—she’ll be able to keep the company she’s trying so hard to hold on to.”

Neil turned quickly to face him. “She’ll never marry you.”
“She will if she wants to erase her colorful past. No wonder you two got along so well.

Trash does attract trash.”

Finn was ready a second time when Neil cocked his arm back.
“Such a Neanderthal,” Martin said. Then the douchebag pulled a small velvet box from

his pocket. “All I have to do is ask.”

There was no way Carson was going to marry this guy. She couldn’t. She should love

someone like…

Like him.
“You’re a slime. You’re just waiting to take the company out from under her.”
Did her father know about Martin’s intentions? Was he in on this plan?
Martin laughed. An evil, sneaky laugh. “Aw, did you think she was going to marry you?”
Neil lunged forward. This time, Finn didn’t hold him back. His fist flew in the air

connecting with douchebag’s face. Martin reached up to his nose with both hands, his
fingers already covered in blood as it seeped between his fingers from his nose.

The blink of a light flashed to his right. Then another. Photographers had huddle around

them on the street.

Neil cursed loudly even after he noticed the microphone being held up to capture audio.
“You … I can’t believe you just hit me.” Martin brought one hand down to rub against

his jacket. His nose, swollen and red and bleeding stared back at him. “Did you see him
hit me?” he questioned the media. “Did you see what this throw away has done to me?”

“Where the fuck did photographers come from?” Finn shouted.
He was right. They seemed to swoop down just in time to witness his lapse in

judgment. Again.

“Nothing to see here.” Finn shouted and waved his arms, doing his best to move the

media away from Neil.

When the photographers didn’t listen, Finn grabbed one of their hands and scratched

his own arm. “It’ll be a little hard to deny the accusation of assault I tell the police when
they show up. “

“You’re fucking crazy, dude,” the photographer said.
“All of you…hit the fucking road.”
A very devious and underhanded move by the good brother. Neil was impressed.
The photographers dispersed and Martin got angry. “I paid you to record the entire

encounter,” he yelled.

Paid? Why would he pay photographers to show up and…?
“You paid these assholes?” Finn asked. “Why would you do that?”
“To make sure Carson’s career is ruined,” Neil supplied. The pieces of Martin’s puzzle all

coming into place. “And at the same time, make sure she stays away from me.” He
struggled to control the anger coursing through him. “You were responsible for that video,
weren’t you?”

“It is quite impressive how excited people get at the possibility of a Madewood sex

tape.”

Martin hadn’t actually confessed but like a bull seeing red, Neil charged. He lunged

forward and Martin actually bent, covering his head with his arms in terror. Neil stopped
abruptly and fisted his hands at his sides. He wasn’t going to let this guy get the better of
him again.

“Big mistake giving away all of your secrets. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
Neil turned to walk away, but stopped when he heard Martin’s voice.
“I don’t think so, Mr. Harrison.”
Neil turned to face him. He’d finally straightened, his hands no longer covered his face.
“You will keep your mouth shut about everything that just transpired or you can be sure

that Carson will never work in this city again.”

Kelly Designs was a company of less than twenty people. What made this guy think he

had the power to make threats and impose fear?

Normally Neil would have taken it as an idle threat, but the fact that Martin could

secure confidential information about his childhood made him think he had some kind of
influence he could use against Carson. And Neil was going to find out this asshole’s deal.
Even if he had to hire a private investigator to do it.

As for Carson, she needed to know about his true intentions. But Neil had already done

enough damage to her career. He wouldn’t be responsible for completely trashing it. He
knew that Martin meant what he said about ruining Carson. Hell, he’d done a damn good
job of it already. He would stay quiet, for her sake, until he had enough information to
nail this Martin to the wall. Information that no one—not Martin, not the security
company, not Carson’s father—could dispute. In the meantime, he knew Carson was on
to Martin’s game, if not the ugly turn it had taken the last few weeks. He just had to hope
she was prepared for a challenge.

Neil let Finn drive him home. With the way his body vibrated in anger, getting behind

the wheel wasn’t the best idea.

But after being dropped off at his condo, the time seemed to pass in slow motion. His

home hadn’t changed over the last seven days, but it seemed emptier. The kitchen not as
gleaming. The living room not as cozy. Something was missing. And it wasn’t furniture or
a wall print, it was a feeling. A feeling that made anywhere, everywhere feel like home. A
feeling he got only when he was with Carson. The night they spent together in that shitty
cottage had been the best night of his life. And that place was run-down and falling apart
with zero amenities.

Funny how he’d give up his condo to stay in a shitty cottage as long as Carson was by

his side…

At that moment it hit him. He loved her. Loved everything about her. She had shown

him the man he could be. The man he wanted to be.

Carson had some trouble ahead and there was only one way to minimize that trouble.

He needed to make sure Martin didn’t get anywhere near her, didn’t hurt her in any way.

He powered up his laptop and searched for a private investigator. It would take time,

but he still had a few days before the grand opening. It should be enough time to track
down something he could use as leverage.

He would risk getting involved in her family business to keep her safe. Even if it meant

walking away from her forever when it was over.

…

Carson took another sip of scotch. The ice tinkled against the glass of her tumbler. It was
a soothing sound, a sound that made the sting of her earlier humiliation a little more
bearable.

She had really done it this time. Stepped in shit and tracked it all over town. But this

time it was her own shit. She had no one else to blame.

Well maybe Neil Harrison. If she hadn’t picked someone who was in the media

spotlight, then maybe her hoo-ha wouldn’t be on the internet for all to see. And maybe
her moans of ecstasy wouldn’t have ruined her career.

But she couldn’t be mad at him. Not in the slightest. She was a willing participant that

night and if she could go back, she wouldn’t change one second of their time together.
But she needed to keep her distance from the man who seemed to bring bad with him
everywhere he went. Her career couldn’t stand another hit. As it was, it would be hard
enough to rebuild it without Neil in the picture.

And with Neil in the picture?
No. She couldn’t risk everything for a man who only viewed her as a racing distraction.
Now you just need to tell him. The sooner the better.
A loud banging on her front door caused her to jump in her seat. She checked her

watch. It was after nine pm. Who the hell would be visiting at this hour?

She tip-toed to the door and closed one eye, taking a look through the peep-hole.
Neil Harrison, that’s who.
She slid the chain across the bar and turned the deadbolt. When she opened the door

she immediately noticed the helmet in his hand. “You got your license back.”

He nodded.
It was obvious something was on his mind. Tension rippled in the space between them.
“It’s late.”
His fingers tapped against his helmet. He was anxious. He had his helmet and he was

anxious. He wanted to race.

“Going somewhere?”
He didn’t answer. She knew exactly where he was going and she knew exactly how he

was feeling. And she would do anything to keep him safe. Now, more than ever.

In that moment she knew. Her brain flooded with images of Neil. The first time she saw

him. The first time they went head to head over a design concept. The first time they
kissed. She couldn’t possibly…

She shook off the thought.
This was supposed to be over, but here she was, moments from letting walk him

through her front door even if it meant once he was done with her, he would walk away
and never look back.

“Carson…we need to—”
She stepped out into the hallway and rested her finger against his lips. “Shhh…”
His eyes widened, as if shocked at her actions.
“I know what you need.”
“Carson…”
Carson grabbed the edges of his jacket and pulled him inside, kicking the door closed

behind him. She grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and lifted, removing it from her body. He
hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting from the floor to her breasts. She’d never had to
convince him before, but his hesitance didn’t last long. His helmet flew behind her. She
faintly heard the sound of it hitting the ground. His hands reached up and grabbed both
sides of her face. She yelped just before his lips came down on hers.

Their mouths parted, tongues tangled, Carson grabbed his hips and pulled him tighter,

fusing their bodies together. Neil leaned forward, his leg kicking back to slam the front
door shut.

After the loud bang, he twirled her around, walking her backward until her back met the

door. He grabbed her hands, securing her arms above her head. There was nothing
gentle about his actions. And she loved every second of it.

“Let go,” she whispered. “Take me.”
Fear skittered across his face, but she ground her pelvis against his to catch his

attention.

“I trust you.”
Neil attacked the waistband of her jeans, pulling open the fly, shoving his hands down

the back to cup her bottom before he pushed them down her legs. Carson removed her
bra. He kissed his way up her body, calf to thigh, the top of her mound, and set up camp
at her nipples for a minute or two. When he stood at full height he kissed her, urgent,
needy, just like his hand that had found her achy flesh between her legs. Carson reached

behind and grabbed his wallet knowing exactly where the condom would be.

He pulled down the zipper of his jeans and reached inside removing his rock-hard

length from inside his boxer briefs. She sheathed him and before the wrapper even hit
the floor he was inside her. His pelvis thrust in hard quick movements, every push
knocking her against the door. Her neighbors were getting a good show.

He buried his head in the crook of her neck and Carson gripped the back of his. She

held on tight, knowing this would be the last time they were together. It had to be. Her
heart wouldn’t be able to handle another encounter.

Neil thrust a few times then grabbed on tight, pulling her away from the wall and

walking them over to her couch. He set her down and flipped her over, bending her over
the arm. He kicked her legs wider, her bottom sticking out higher and further for his use.
When he bent behind her and shoved his face between her legs she moaned, long and
low. His tongue licked between her folds, tickling her clit. He moved back with every lick,
eventually searching out the forbidden bud that had never been touched. His tongue
teased the area and she was surprised at how much she liked it. The tip penetrated her
tiny hole and she groaned.

Neil attacked between her legs, surprising her at every turn. He sucked on her clit, then

licked her back end. She grabbed at the throw pillow and fisted her hands in pleasure.
Her desire coiled tightly in her stomach just waiting for the right time to explode.

Finally, he stood and scooped her up. He let her drop on the couch and she bounced

with the give of the cushions. He spread her legs wide and leaned over her body,
capturing her lips in a hungry kiss. She caressed the sides of his face as he devoured her
mouth and when he pulled away their eyes met just as hard as his cock rammed into her
body. The look of vulnerability in his eyes seared through her. They’d had sex many times
over the last ten days. Lots of sex and lots of kissing. But there had always been a wall.
Something stood between them every time they were together, as if Neil was afraid to
give himself over. Tonight was very, very different.

This was the real Neil Harrison. And he was nothing like the man he was afraid to

unleash.

“Carson?” Neil cupped her cheek, his thumb smoothing across her damp skin.
As if all the air had been sucked out of the room, she gasped, unable to catch her

breath. She loved him. Holy fucking shit, she loved him.

A shiver ran through her body and he backed away.
“Maybe I shouldn’t—”
She grabbed his chin between her fingers and turned his head to face her. “You didn’t

hurt me.”

She grabbed on to the top of the couch, opening herself up, bracing her body for his

entry. “Fuck me.”

Neil lined up with her entrance. She nodded, giving him the go ahead and when their

bodies were joined he loomed over her and whispered against her ear, “Not this time.”

His eyes locked on hers and with every one of his thrusts they sank deeper, into each

other, into this gentle connection. Tears stung her eyes at the tenderness he displayed
but then he licked his fingers and placed them at her clit. The extra attention sent the
desire dancing in her stomach into overdrive.

“Keep doing that.” She moaned. “Just like that.”
A warm wave washed over her body. She shut her eyes tight and let her orgasm take

over.

“That’s it baby. I’m right behind you.”
She faintly heard Neil grunt his own satisfaction behind the fireworks that went off in

her ears.

When she finally opened her eyes, Neil was hunched over, his head resting on her

breasts, no longer buried deep within her.

Carson released her grip on the couch, letting her arms falls slowly down the rough

fabric. She found his head and stroked his hair between her fingers.

Tears stung her eyes as realization set in. This was the last time she was going to be

with Neil Harrison. This was the last time she was going to lay with the man she loved.
And he would never know she loved him.

It had to be that way. Neil had said only days ago that he didn’t do relationships with

women. And she couldn’t keep playing the game that they’d started.

“This is the last time. You know that right?”
He nodded, his head bobbing against her chest.
“We both have too much to lose.” She had already lost her heart. She couldn’t afford to

permanently damage her career chasing after a man who was just as driven, just as tied
to his job.

He lifted his head and frowned. “You could have called me.”
She tensed. He made it clear they were just sex buddies. They didn’t need to get more

involved, more emotionally intimate.

“I know you lost the deal.”
“It’s not totally lost. Not yet. My father made a counter offer and the client is going to

get back to us.” She had tried to see her father’s offer as the silver lining. But even after
massive amounts of alcohol, the lining was still black.

He lowered his gaze. Why couldn’t he look her in the eye?

He sat back on his heels and stood, practically running into the bathroom.
She snuck into her bedroom and grabbed her robe from behind her door.
Neil was still in the bathroom when her phone chimed. She picked it up from her

kitchen counter and slid her finger across the screen.

A new post notification from Toronto Gossip. And she didn’t like the headline.
With the rise of the sex tape, she had subscribed to the blog in order to keep tabs on

the information.

She raced to her kitchen table and typed in the website. Her mouth dropped to the

floor when she saw the picture of Neil, his fist connecting with Martin’s face.

“Jesus Christ, Harrison.”
The toilet flushed and Neil stepped out into the living room.
“What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” She turned to face him. “What’s wrong?”
The feeling of utter bliss had erased from her body and all she felt was tension.
Neil pulled on his boxers, then his pants. His abs and biceps rippled with his actions.

And that ink that peeked out of the collar of his shirt never failed to turn her on.

“How about you punching out my colleague in broad day light.”
“How do you…” He stalked toward her on the table. “How did you find this?”
“I signed up for this idiotic blog after the sex tape debacle. I just got an email telling

me all about your little incident.”

He cursed under his breath.
“As if the sex tape wasn’t bad enough; you had to hit him?”
“It’s not what you think. He’s the one—”
“How can it not be?” She pointed to the screen. “Neil Harrison loses cool in a mid-

afternoon brawl.”

Neil yelled, “He started it.”
Maybe he was exactly who he thought he was. Maybe Carson was projecting her own

wants and needs onto this man. Good thing she was nipping this in the bud before things
got too intense.

You’re already in love with him. How much more intense can it get?
“I’m already in enough shit with my father. My job. I don’t need you adding to the

equation.” She stood and walked to the kitchen where her bottle of scotch sat, just
waiting for some love.

Neil grabbed at her arm as she walked.
“Carson, please, you need to stay away from him. He’s trouble.”
She unscrewed the top and poured herself a hefty glass.

“He’s trouble. He orchestrated that whole incident today. He said…” His voice trailed

off.

She gulped down half the drink. “Dammit, Neil.” She rubbed the cool glass against her

forehead, as if considering her next words, then set it down on the table. “You know I’ve
almost lost the Bower contract and you know the shit I’ve been going through with my
father and the firm. Did you know that the main concern about hiring me was that after
the tape, Mr. Bower’s wife was concerned I slept with all my clients? Do you know how
that felt to hear in a business presentation?” She fisted her hand around the glass. “Yes,
Martin’s an ass. I’ve known that for years. Hell, I even told you about him being a total
ass! And I certainly understand wanting to slug him. But couldn’t you have just taken the
high road? Couldn’t you have thought of the consequences before you reacted to some
stupid shit he said? Added more fuel to the media fire?”

He clenched his jaw, “You’re right.” He headed to the couch and grabbed his helmet.

“Just be careful.”

She downed the rest of her drink as Neil walked to the door. He grabbed the knob and

yanked it open, but just before he stepped out into the hall he stopped and turned.

“Whatever you do, don’t let anyone—not your father, not Martin, not anyone—come

between you and your dream of being an architect.”

As soon as the door slammed behind him, tears streamed down her cheeks, burning her

face.

Chapter Ten

The wind had picked up since Neil had left his home earlier that evening. It wasn’t the
best weather condition for riding, but he’d make do.

He’d left Carson’s condo in a haze of worry and devastation. And before he even

realized what he was doing, he was withdrawing money from the bank machine and
making the solitary ride along the highway to the hidden drive that led to the deserted
train tracks.

The goon greeted each rider as they crossed the threshold and when Neil arrived, the

dumb-as-a-stump look on the guy’s face turned into a sly grin.

“Rich boy.” He took his smartphone from his pocket and his fingers typed quickly over

the keypad. Obviously he was giving Diaz a heads up. “I didn’t think I’d see your smug
face again.”

“What can I say, I missed our witty repartee.”
The goon stared blankly. He’d remember for next time to use smaller words.
Neil reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. “I want in.” He slapped it in

the goon’s hand just as his phone beeped.

He leafed through the money. “It’s only a two grand buy in,” the goon said. “This is too

much.”

“I’ve got more to lose tonight.” But he wasn’t talking about the money. He had money,

too much money, and no amount of it could fill the gaping hole in his heart. Vivian was
gone, and he’d never hear her voice again. And then there was Carson. He needed to
make things right. To prove that she was more than Kelly Designs, that she was more
than what her father and Martin made her believe. But he couldn’t do that without proof.

He’d wanted to tell her. That’s why he showed up at her door. But she’d taken his

worried demeanor and mistaken it for anxiety. She wasted no time fulfilling her promise
and before he realized what was going on, he had an erection and the rest was history.

But her quick reaction to his act of aggression against Martin was his worst fear

realized. Deep down he was nothing more than a goon. Just like the one standing in front
of him. She was too good for him. He would always be the man who let her down, who
flew off the handle. Like a bull in a china shop, he ruined everything in his way.

She proved she was more than capable of handling Martin on her own. She didn’t need

his help or his investigation. She didn’t need him… for anything.

“This doesn’t change the return if you win.” The goon chuckled as if he didn’t believe

the last words out of his mouth.

Neil nodded.
“Mr. Diaz is waiting for you.” He gestured with his head toward the crowd.
Hector stood in his usual spot on the sidelines, a woman on each arm.
“Son of a Madewood,” Hector joked. “I thought we’d scared you off for good.”
“I want in on the next race. I paid your man.”
“What’s the hurry?”
Neil growled. “Do you have a spot for me or not?”
Diaz didn’t like being questioned. Neil recognized the look of simmering anger that

passed across his face. But he wasn’t here to make friends. He was here to forget.

“Join the boys at the start line. I’m sure they won’t mind another rider.”
Neil rode to the start line. The revving of engines a soothing sound to his brain. When

he arrived, one of the riders looked familiar. He’d beaten him last time. Neil grinned. This
guy had something to prove. The other two riders looked him up and down before they
turned their attention back to the track.

The flurry of bets happening on the sidelines didn’t surprise him or faze him. It was why

Hector had invited him back.

This time, a buxom blond crossed the line and took position twenty feet ahead. Her

blue bra peaked out from the top of her shirt. That would have appealed to him two
weeks ago. But not now.

With helmets in place, the four of them took position. The wind kicked up some dust in

front of them and tiny pieces of clay clinked against his helmet.

His heart thudded in his chest and he’d give anything to be able to wipe the sweat from

his brow. But he stared ahead, his hand gripping the brake, his foot just waiting for the
moment to touch down.

Blue bra held up her scarf. Engines revved on either side of him. He whispered a prayer

inside his helmet and when the blue scarf came down, he took off.

Three of them were neck and neck for most of the race. The rider to his right even

skidded closer trying to bump him out. But Neil punched it into a higher gear.

His bike surged ahead thirty feet from the finish. His lips curled up in a smile as he

noticed the riders were no longer in his peripheral vision. But his pre-celebration was cut
short when he rode over a divot. The bike wavered. He righted it in unison with a gust of
wind and he overcorrected. He spun out and hit the ground, the excessive speed scraping
him across the red clay. His head bashed against the ground and Carson’s tortured face
flashed before his eyes.

And then everything went black.

…

Neil opened his eyes and didn’t recognize where he was.

Bare, beige walls. Itchy blanket. And…pain. He groaned.
“Good morning, asshole.”
He turned and focused on Cole sitting in a chair beside him.
“You’re in the hospital if you’re wondering,” he said, flipping through the pages of a

magazine. “Almost killed yourself last night.” He looked up. “In case you were wondering
why you’re here.”

He remembered.
After his blow up with Carson he’d hopped on his bike and rode out to the race site. And

he’d raced. And he’d…”

“Did I win?” He turned to Cole who shook his head with disgust.
He remembered leading the race and then he spun out and then he woke up. Here.
“How did I get here?” He didn’t recognize his own voice.
“I’m not really sure. Jack got a call from the hospital. Apparently someone dropped you

off. Whoever you’re hanging around with is a great friend to drop you at the door and
take off. You should send them a fruit basket.”

He understood why. Too many questions. No one was going to risk a tangle with the

cops.

The door to the hospital room opened and Finn and Jack walked in.
“You’re awake,” Finn said, a warm smile curving at the side of his mouth.
“Are you coherent?” Jack asked.
Neil looked between the three of them and nodded.
“Well, good.” Jack approached the end of the bed. “Just want to know you’ll remember

the conversation when we tell you you’re a fucking idiot.”

“Jack?” Finn said.
“No.” He held up his hand. “We’re not doing this. We’re not tiptoeing around the

situation. I knew something was up a year ago and I did nothing about it.”

Jack looked the most angry he’d ever seen him.
“Sorry, Finn,” Jack looked over and shook his head. “But this stops now. King, you’re

going to tell us what’s going on with you. The truth. All of it.”

“It’s none of your—”
“Business?” Cole said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s not going to fly

anymore.”

They weren’t his keepers. He didn’t need a babysitter. He was the oldest, for fuck sake.

“Look, it’s fine.” He looked at all three of them, finally settling on Finn. “I’m fine.”
Finn hesitated before he spoke. “What about your temper? The disappearing.”
Christ. Even Finn was against him.
“The bikes.” Jack said.
Neil let out a long, heavy breath.
“What about bikes?” Finn asked.
“He’s totaled six or seven. He’s being careless.”
Neil let his gaze drop to the blanket that laid over him. They wouldn’t let up. Not until

he told them the truth. He might as well get it over with. “I was racing.”

“Racing?” Cole’s face gave away his disgust. “As in street racing?”
Neil nodded.
“Christ Neil, you could have gotten yourself killed,” Jack said. “Do you know how—”
“I know.” He lifted his arm but quickly let it fall to the bed with a groan. It felt like a

one hundred pound weight was attached to his wrist. “I know exactly how dangerous it is
and that was the point.”

He needed the release. He needed to let go of all of the anger. The guilt and fear. Of

not knowing what to do with himself now that Vivian was gone.

“She wasn’t supposed to die. Not so soon. Not like that.”
His brothers stood still, barely taking a breath for fear of startling him. They knew it

wouldn’t take much for him to shut down, let the guard fall back in place. But not this
time.

This time he needed to man up and be honest, even if they couldn’t fully understand

anything he was feeling.

“I don’t know what to do. I…I have all this anger. All this sadness. I didn’t know what to

do with it and one night I went for a drive. I was stopped at a light and a guy came up
with a bike and I knew what he wanted.”

He wasn’t completely crazy that night. He had at least second-guessed the decision to

race.

“Afterward, he asked if I was interested in something a little more dangerous.” And that

was the beginning. He eventually found Hector Diaz and the rest was history.

“Why wouldn’t you say something? Why didn’t you come to us?” Finn leaned in, slowly,

cautiously. As if he was some skittish deer on the side of the road. But he understood. He
wasn’t the most approachable.

“We’re all hurting.” Cole got up from his seat and stood beside Finn.
Jack kept his distance. His face a mix of fury and sadness.
“No more racing,” Finn said. “If you need to blow off steam we’ll go to the gym or—”

Neil scoffed. “You want calls at three in the morning?”
“Whatever it takes,” Cole said.
It had taken a long time for Neil to truly trust the three men standing around him. He

knew they had his back. But this was beyond anything he ever expected.

“I hate you right now,” Jack spat.
“Jack?” Finn punched him in the arm.
“No.” Neil held up a finger because he couldn’t lift his arm. “Let him finish.”
“You’re so quick to judge everyone else and the mistakes they make. Always so high

and mighty, King is always right.” Jack gripped the bar at the end of the hospital bed.
“Bullshit.”

He was right. He never let anyone ever question his decisions. Until he met Carson. She

called him out on his shit from the very beginning.

“This racing is the worst decision any one of us has ever made. It’s dangerous and

stupid and…” Jack shrugged. “You’re just not allowed to do it anymore.”

Neil smiled. His little brother taking a stand. It was good to see Jack taking the reins,

coming into his own. It was a long time coming. Neil, on the other hand deserved, every
insult hurled his way. He was a hypocrite.

“No more racing. I promise.”
“What about Carson?” Cole asked.
“What about her?” There was no Neil and Carson, not anymore. She made that very

clear last night. But in the light of day, he knew what he had to do. He was going to
follow through with his plan to bring Martin down.

The Madewood’s didn’t give into blackmailers.
Cole shot a gaze to Finn who rolled his eyes and then landed on Jack.
“It would save us a lot of time if you just admit you love her now rather than ten

minutes from now when we can’t stand listening to you anymore.”

“I…” Shit. He did. “I do. I love her.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Finn asked.
“I’m not good enough for her.”
“Fuck that,” Finn shouted. “Don’t you dare believe anything that jackass said to you

yesterday.”

“He was right.” Neil yelled. He tried to sit up but his ribs screamed in pain. He slumped

back on the bed. “She needs someone who doesn’t fly off the handle when things get
tough. She needs someone who’s…” Someone who wasn’t going to disappoint her.
Someone who was in control of his emotions.

“I’ve screwed everything up for her. Thanks to me, her career is in the toilet.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t think that,” Cole said.
Neil laughed. It sent a sharp pain down his ribcage. “She made that perfectly clear last

night. She lost an account because of the sex tape. But I’m going to fix it.”

He didn’t know if it was even possible. He didn’t know what sort of skeletons Martin

Connelly had in his closet, but if he had any, Neil had no problem holding those skeletons
over his head. And he’d never threaten Carson again.

“It’s just a matter of time before I fly off the deep end.” He wasn’t in control of his

emotions, his actions. He couldn’t be trusted. “Look at what I do. I punch people in the
street. I risk my life. I have no consideration of what my actions do to other people in my
life. That’s not husband material. She needs a man who will be able to pick up their
daughter and not tense up.”

“Neil…” Cole approached the bed. “We’ve all been through a lot of shit. But that doesn’t

mean we’re destined to be alone.” He pointed at his brother. “Look at Jack.”

He was going for comic relief. But it just wasn’t enough.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, brother,” Finn said. “You’re a good man. And the

only thing stopping you from becoming a great man is you.”

“Look, I appreciate the pep talk, but things with Carson are done. She needs to move

on and so do I. I have a farm to open and this is going to put me behind schedule.”

“So if she showed up here you wouldn’t tell her you love her,” Jack asked.
“No. She doesn’t need to know that. It will just complicate things.” His brothers looked

devious. “And none of you are going to tell her that either, got it?”

“Yes, King.” They said in unison.
“Mr. Harrison?” A nurse walked into the room. “It’s time for some meds.”
He nodded.
Cole took his seat beside the bed and Jack and Finn left the room again.
Hopefully, he’d be out of here soon and then it was back to work. Full speed ahead. He

had a restaurant to open and Martin to expose. In the meantime, all he had to do was
steer clear of Carson, giving her the space she needed to move on, forget that he ever
existed. He didn’t want to cause her pain and heartache and that seemed to be what he
did best when it came to her. He only had to prepare himself for one more encounter at
the opening. And then they would take their separate paths…and never look back.

…

Carson raced through the sliding doors of the emergency room and skidded across the
wet floor to the nurse’s station.

“Neil Harrison? What room can I find Neil Harrison?”

One of the nurses barely looked up from her computer screen. The other shot her a

half-smile and picked up a clip board. Jesus fucking Christ.

“Carson?” A tiny voice carried from the crowded hallway to her right.
Sterling stood in the doorway with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Someone she knew. She’d have her questions answered. She turned to the nurses and

said, “Good thing I wasn’t in a rush to see my injured friend. Thank you so much for your
exceptional service.”

Without waiting for a response or a dirty look, Carson flew over to where Sterling stood.

“How is he? What happened? Is he going to be all right?”

Her heart raced in her chest and the sound of her blood rushing too fast in her ears

made it difficult to concentrate on things around her, but she grabbed Sterling around her
biceps and hung on to every word she said.

“He’s fine. A cracked rib and sprained wrist. A few cuts and scrapes but for the most

part he’s damn lucky.”

She mumbled a silent prayer. When she’d gotten the call from Jack telling her that Neil

had been in an accident, it was the wake-up call she had needed. Last night she blamed
Neil  for  the  actions  of  her  father,  almost  happy  to  have  someone  to  blame  for  his
disappointment  rather  than  herself.  She’d  been  too  afraid  to  stand  up  to  the  man  that
had been stringing her along for years, her own flesh and blood. But no longer. Neil was
too  important  to  give  up.  He  was  worth  the  disappointment  from  her  father.  Work  was
not the most important thing in the world.

She had been through this before. It had been her own living nightmare. Watching her

friend spin out on the dirt. Holding him as he died in her arms in a ditch on the side of the
road. She had made the promise then and there to stop acting out like she was invincible.
She hung up her racing helmet and went on the straight and narrow, making money
through legitimate source of income like architecture. The realization that she could lose
someone else that meant so much to her put everything into perspective.

She stepped back, shaking her head. She loved him. Too much to give up on him.
“Carson, are you all right?” Sterling asked. She stared at her with the most curious look.
She nodded.
“I don’t know what the hell he was doing riding his bike in the middle of the night.

Stupid ass. I’m so angry with him.”

“He asked for you.”
“Really?”
After last night, she doubted she’d ever hear from him again. She was even

contemplating skipping the opening of the farm. Too much history. Too much drama.

“Well, he was drugged up at the time. The doctors put him on some pretty heavy-duty

pain meds. He kept saying your name and someone named Diaz. Do you know anyone
with that name?”

Carson shook her head. She was not going to be the one to rat him out.
“Is he still drugged up?” She hoped he was. He was no doubt in pain. And it might be

easier to face him if he was a little loopy.

“Yes, but he’s alert. I’ll take you to him.”
After a few silent steps, Sterling asked, “What’s going on with the two of you anyway?”
“That’s a very complicated answer to a very complicated question. And I wish it weren’t

the case.”

“So then…you’re not together?” Sterling sipped her coffee hiding a smile. Whatever

Carson said to Sterling would go right back to Jack, and probably the rest of the brothers.
She wasn’t one to lie.

“No. I can say with great certainty that after last night, we are not together.”
“But you care for him?”
She nodded.
“So then why aren’t you together?”
“Carson.” Jack waved her down as he walked out into the hallway. “I’m so glad you

could make it.”

She looked over at Sterling who was still expecting an answer. But Carson didn’t have a

valid response because she didn’t know why, other than stupidity, they weren’t together.

She turned back to Jack. “Thank you for calling me.”
“Of course. I would have called you anyway but he was asking for you.” Jack smiled and

immediately, Carson could appreciate why Sterling was so smitten with this man. He was
beautiful but she preferred her men a little thicker, a little more rough.

“Can I see him?”
“Of course.” Jack stepped away giving her room to approach the door.
When she walked inside, Cole sat at Neil’s bedside. He looked up from the magazine

that sat on his lap but she could tell he wasn’t reading.

“Hi, Carson.”
She nodded and tiptoed further inside.
Cole shot up and rested the magazine on the table beside the bed.
Neil’s big body lay limp against the mattress. It was covered by a blue blanket. The tray

table had been pushed off to the side and the remnants of his dinner still sat on a plate.
It wasn’t hospital food. No doubt one of his brothers made him a care package.

Cole rubbed her arm and smiled before he slipped out the door and closed it behind

him.

She walked slowly, quietly toward the bed. Neil’s chest rose in even beats. His arm was

needled up with an intravenous line and the bag dripped clear liquid into the tube. He
was in a private room, thankfully. No need for anyone else to witness what she was
about to say.

She sat on the chair and pulled it closer to the bed. She reached for his hand and

threaded her fingers with his. They were warm and clammy. They twitched in her grip.

When her eyes travelled from their hands to his face, she jumped when she realized he

stared back at her.

“What are you doing here?”
His voice was thick, rough, just like she liked it. But his tone was accusatory. Not the

welcome she had been hoping for. But could she blame him? She all but threw him out of
her condo last night. After she had made him feel like the worst version of himself.

“I…”
His eyes were stern, like his expression. His lips were drawn into a thin line. He was

not happy to see her.

“Jack called me. Told me that you were in an accident.”
He grunted.
“I take it you didn’t ask for me.”
She should have known better. Neil wasn’t the romantic type. Of course he didn’t ask

for her in his time of need.

“If you’re here to lecture me, you can leave.”
He pulled his hand away and threaded his own together across his chest.
“Well, you are stupid. What the hell were you thinking going back to Diaz?”
He knew how dangerous it was. That all it took was one more time to have the bottom

fall out from under you.

“I was thinking I needed to let off some steam and riding would be the perfect cure.”
She had driven him there. Her stupid, naïve, unwarranted behavior had led him right

into the arms of his almost-death. How could she ever live with the fact that she had put
him in this hospital bed? That if she had let him love her, let him stay the night, he
wouldn’t have run off upset and he wouldn’t have ended up at that race.

“I’m…I didn’t mean to run you off. I’m sorry. It was all too much, too overwhelming.”
“You were right. Whatever this is between us isn’t healthy. We both want the same

thing Carson. Work comes first. Always has. Always will. It’s better that we figured it all
out now before it was too late.”

It wasn’t too late. They could still pick up where they left off. She would apologize.

That’s all. He just needed to know how she felt. That the thought of losing him, the
thought of him in this hospital, put everything into perspective.

“I need to tell you—”
“I think you said everything you needed to last night.”
He didn’t look at her when he spoke. He had given up on that after the first few

minutes. That warmth she had seen in his eyes so many times was gone. That tiny smile
she had elicited on occasion was wiped clean. The wonderful man his mother would have
been proud of had gone back into his shell, and it was all her fault.

“I was upset. I had just lost a major deal and I didn’t know how to handle it. I freaked

out…on you…and for that I’m sorry.”

“No apologies. We knew what this was from the very beginning. I got my license back. I

don’t need a chauffeur anymore.”

If she was honest she would admit that she only propositioned him so that she could

pursue the unspoken connection between them. So she threw herself at him in the most
subtle way she could and it had worked. For a short while anyways.

“Are you sure about that? Seems to me when you’re left to your own devices you do

stupid things.”

“I’m positive, sweetheart.”
He hadn’t called her sweetheart, in a derogatory way, since that night he discovered

her at the race. That Neil Harrison, the one she was desperately attracted to but wanted
to stab in the eye with her number three pencil, was back. Somewhere between her
condo last night and this hospital room, he had relapsed. He was no longer the sweet,
determined, sexy man she had grown to love.

“Look, we’ve been over this before. Our work together is done. Our private deal is no

longer necessary. I told my brothers everything. They’ll be there if I need them.”

“What if I changed my mind?”
She’d never seen such a dumbfounded look like he’d just been stunned with a Taser.
“You have nothing to say?”
She may want to carve her own path when it comes to her career and she knew all

about ambition, but there was more to life than blind want. After all these years, since
her mother’s death, she’d just wanted someone to love her. And Neil was too obsessed
with paying back a woman who would have never wanted to him to be alone. But she
knew when she wasn’t wanted.

She stood from the seat and turned, taking two steps toward the door, but a large hand

wrapped around her arm.

“Carson, wait. I…”

She whirled around, hoping against hope he would say the words. “You what?”
His shoulders slumped forward and his eyes dropped to the blanket. “I can’t put you

first.”

Those weren’t the words. Those were in fact the exact opposite of the words she

wanted to hear. Taking a deep breath, she stood her ground. “And I can’t be with a man
who loves his work more than he loves me. Someone who’s willing to let every important
relationship implode without realizing it’s even gone.”

“Work is all I have.” His eyes watered. It was the meds making him emotional. “This is

the one thing in the world that gives me purpose.”

“Wrong again.” She sighed. He was such an idiot. “It’s not your work that gives you

purpose. It’s what your work allows you to do. You spend all of this time and energy
helping teenagers, raising funds for charity, and you don’t even see the good you bring to
this world.”

She turned away. It was too hard looking at him.
“Carson, don’t leave.”
“Here we are again. One of us asking the other to stay.” She looked over her shoulder

right into his eyes. “But will you give me what I want?”

When his eyes darted to the window, it was all the answer she needed.

Chapter Eleven

Carson stood at the edge of the outdoor patio looking out over the pond. The sound of
the water from the waterwheel hitting the stillness below was soothing.

The summer evening was warm and humid, but a cool breeze caressed her bare

shoulders making it bearable. The mosquitos, on the other hand, were not so bearable.

She turned to look through the concave window that fit across the building from one

edge to the next. The kitchen sparkled in the background, the open concept even visible
from the patio. Exactly what Neil had envisioned. Three rows of tables spread out along
the width of the building, each one on its own riser enabling every guest no matter what
table they sat at to have a view of the pond. The semi-circular shape of the restaurant
provided an intimate atmosphere.

The slate-topped outdoor tables lined the wood and rod iron railing. Dark teak chairs

complimented the tables.

In the distance, the barn sparkled with hundreds of tiny lights. Guests had already

arrived for the party and were carried in groups of ten from the parking lot in a tractor. A
suped-up tractor with plush lining across the bench seats and a see-through canapé so
guests could still see the stars in the night sky.

She had done a good job if she did say so herself. But she hung back, a little nervous to

make her entrance. It had nothing to do with seeing Neil. Nothing at all. The way they
had left things was perfectly acceptable. The responsible thing to do. Not only for her
career, but for her heart. She couldn’t stand to have it stomped all over by someone who
she didn’t have to love.

She walked out of the restaurant closing the heavy wood door behind her. A few

servers still lingered as cleanup crew. The main party was still in full swing up but a
select number of media and food critics had been given an exclusive tour prior to being
taken up to the barn. Penn took them around the facility and given them the background,
the operational plans and so on. And a Madewood tour wouldn’t be complete without
wine and cheese at their fingertips.

She waited with a few guests, people she didn’t recognize, at the designated spot and

when the tractor pulled up, the attendant held out his hand. “Come on up, Ms. Kelly.”

She nodded, stepping up carefully so as not to catch her heel on the sketchy step.
It was a bumpy ride to the barn but peaceful despite the overbearing noise of the

tractor chugging along.

Big band music caught her attention even before she reached the entrance to the barn.

Inside, she sidestepped through the crowds of people seeing a few familiar faces. Evan
stood at the long bar with his wife. She waved but didn’t approach.

Her father was off to the side huddled in a group of men, Martin hot on his heel. He

might as well attach himself to her father’s hip. He took ass-kissing to a whole new level.
The men laughed, and ice clinked from the glasses of scotch they held in their hands.

She approached but kept her distance, an ominous feeling overtaking her.
“As soon as I saw the windmill I knew exactly how the building should look,” Martin

said. “The semi-circle structure was exactly what the Madewood family was looking for.
It’s fresh but the traditional décor pulls it all together.”

Those were her words.
“Of course the Madewood family knows a good idea when they see one,” he continued.
Bile rose from her stomach and settled into her throat. Traitorous bastard. Stealing her

words. Stealing her credit after openly admitting a year ago that he didn’t agree with any
of her plans.

The group of men he spoke to stepped back, parting like the sea, exposing her father

who was huddled in the middle.

“Sweetheart, you look beautiful tonight. Just like your mother.” And there it was. That

distant, sad look he got in his eyes every time she was mentioned.

“Thank you, daddy. Hello, gentlemen.”
The group nodded. She didn’t recognize a single one of the men who were indulging

her father’s presence.

Martin stepped forward and scooped his arm through hers, pulling her away.
“What are you doing?”
“We need to talk.”
She ripped her arm away as best she could without making a scene. “I will not talk to

you.”

“You kids go have fun,” her father said. Most likely trying to distract from the fact that

she looked less than amused. “Leave us old men to talk about the good old days.”

Martin grabbed her arm again, pulling her away from the entire party into some the

small utility room Carson had added onto the barn and closed the door behind them.

“I don’t want anything to do with you traitor. It’s bad enough you steal my account, but

you’re taking the credit for the farm.” She glared. “I heard what you said.”

“In the end it’s not going to matter who did what. We can share the credit. That’s what

married couples do.”

She burst out laughing. “Married couples.” She grabbed on to her stomach.
Martin reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a velvet box. She

recoiled. There could only be one thing in that type of box. Her suspicions were confirmed
when Martin dropped to one knee.

He opened the box and a diamond ring sparkled back at her. A huge diamond ring.
“Carson Kelly. We should get married. There is no sense in us fighting over the top dog

position. We can share it. And share a life together.”

“Are you fucking insane? Why would I marry you?”
“Because we’re the same. We love architecture. We’re both seeking the approval of a

man who is difficult to please and we both live and breathe work.”

“You are insane. No, I will not marry you.”
Martin stood, crossed his arms over his chest and he frowned. “This is about Neil

Harrison.”

“This has nothing to do with Neil.” Yes it did. It had everything to do with Neil Harrison.

The moment Martin had pulled out that ring, Carson couldn’t help but wonder what it
would be like if Neil had been the one to ask her to marry him. What kind of life would
they live? She shook her head to clear the fantasy. “This is about you being a lying,
cheating weasel, and I will never marry you. Not even if it means giving up the company.
You can have it.”

“I thought once you saw what you looked like with him you’d see that it was no good.

The two of you are no good together.”

What the hell was he talking about? When she saw what—
Realization washed over her. When she saw what they looked like together…
In the kitchen of the restaurant.
The sex tape.
“You stole the security tape? You leaked it to the press. What kind of sick person does

that?”

“You should be ashamed of yourself. The way you acted with him. Losing all control.”
It was all coming together—the reason why Neil was so upset that night when he

showed up at her place. “You orchestrated that punch too, didn’t you?”

“I’m surprised lover boy didn’t tell you.”
Neil knew all about this?
“I knew the threat of you losing your job would be enough to keep him quiet.”
He had pushed her away. At the hospital. It was all for her.
“You don’t belong with him. Don’t you know that I’m the only one who will allow you to

run your precious company. Face it, you need me.”

Like hell. She didn’t need him. Or her father. They were the last two people in this

world she needed to take her career to the next level. She’d allowed her lingering

teenage guilt to fool herself to think otherwise. She’d believed that with her mother gone,
her father was all she had left. But that stopped today.

“Martin?” Her father’s voice carried from the doorway. “You were the one responsible

for the sex tape?”

“Carson…Sir…I…” Martin shook in his expensive patent leather shoes.
He crossed the threshold of the doorway and walked closer, the look on his face

growing more angry with every step. She hadn’t seen him this livid since…since she’d
gotten caught racing.

“You disgusting little slime.”
Carson couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.
“You planned all of this. At what cost? I took you under my wing. It was only a matter

of time before the two of you took over. That’s all I ever wanted.”

“I tried to stop that security company from leaking the tape.” He shrugged and looked

over at Carson. “I did everything I could.”

The weasel was even more weasel-y than she thought. How could he possibly think he

could get out of this?

When her father didn’t react, Martin went on. “And we will take over.” He held up the

ring. “We’re getting married.” The desperation in his voice was music to her ears.

“How could you embarrass the firm—my daughter—like that? I have never been so

appalled in all of my life. Did you honestly think it was acceptable to publicly violate my
daughter that way?” Her father sidled up to her and lifted his arm in a gesture to wrap it
around her body. He hesitated, instead taking a step back. “I’m sorry, dear.”

He turned his attention back to Martin. “You can consider yourself fired.”
“But—”
“But nothing! You defiled my daughter and exposed her to the eyes of perverts all over

the internet.”

Her father turned and looked her in the eye, realization and shame in his expression.

“This is all my fault. I’ve played the two of you off each other for the last four years,
thinking it was healthy rivalry. Thinking that maybe this could give you that competitive
thrill you craved without you risking your life to get it. After losing your mother, I couldn’t
bear to lose you, too.” His shoulders slumped forward and he let out a heavy sigh. “But I
set this all in motion. And I’m disgusted with myself.”

Her father had been trying to keep her from racing?
If that was true, it meant she had been completely wrong about… everything. Every ill

feeling she had about herself at his hand had been his way of keeping her from racing. In
his own twisted way, it was his version of keeping her safe. Showing his love for her.

“Daddy, it’s all right.”

“No.” He cupped her cheek. “You are an exceptional architect. An exceptional person

but I can’t take credit for that part. That was all your mother.”

For the first time, in a very long time, she saw her father. The man he was, the man he

used to be when he was a husband instead of a widower.

It was weird, listening to her father give her a compliment. Surreal. But it was actually

happening.

“You know, this is the first time you’ve ever given me a compliment.”
Her father pointed his finger at her. “Compliments are for the weak. A reassurance of

actions not executed with confidence.”

Oh, well. She couldn’t expect all of him to change in one night.
She shrugged. “Thank you, anyway.”
“What about me?” Martin asked, his expression hopeful. He still hadn’t moved from his

spot on the floor.

Carson patted her father on the arm. “I got this one, Dad.” She looked over at Martin

and glared. “Like my father said earlier, you’re fired. Now get lost you weasel before we
have security throw you out on your ass.”

Satisfaction filled her chest. Damn it felt good to say that. It felt good to be vindicated.

To prove to her father once and for all that she was the one he should have trusted, the
one who wouldn’t let him down.

“We should start discussing the lead designer position. First thing Monday morning I

want you in the office and—”

She placed her hand on his chest. “I’ve been waiting all my life to hear you say that.

But…” For the first time she believed she could do it on her own. Neil believed in her. And
despite their tense relationship, she wouldn’t let him down. “I think I want to try things
on my own.”

Was it completely wrong to feel a mild excitement at the fact that her father was finally

giving her what she wanted…and that she had the courage to turn it down?

“Carson, don’t be silly.” Her father shook his head and laid his hand at the small of her

back, ushering her out of the utility room. “Let’s not be hasty. I didn’t start my own firm
until I was much older and established.”

She stopped just outside the door and pinned him with her stare. “I’m not you.”
“Carson.” For the first time he was actually at a loss for words, his only communication,

an annoyed expression at the fact that he’d lost the battle. He no longer controlled her
life. She’d no longer let him.

As he stared into her eyes, her father said, “He’s changed you.”

They both knew who he was.
He looked on with confusion, as if he was looking for something, a physical

manifestation of her new confidence.

Neil Harrison had changed her. On the inside. And she would forever be thankful.
She placed a kiss on his cheek. “Goodnight, Daddy.” And walked away.
She sidled up to the rented bar, resting her hand on the cherry wood. She surveyed the

party and all of the happy faces. Lively conversations and clinking glasses told her people
were having a good time.

The barn was serving its purpose. It was the perfect event space. Tonight had certainly

proven that. And for that she deserved a pat on the back.

Penn flitted from table to table flirting and touching every man between the age of

eighteen and thirty-five. Cole and Finn were huddled off to the side with a man and
woman she’d never seen before. And Sterling and Jack were attached at the hip as he
introduced her to some of the guests.

But despite the joy happening around her, she still felt empty. Like something was

missing. And it wasn’t the weight of disappointment and judgment that usually sat on her
shoulders.

Was it recognition? She scoffed.
Screw recognition. She had a promising career ahead of her, one she could build on her

own terms. She didn’t need anything else. Or anyone. Especially not Neil Harrison.

She’d done a pretty good job avoiding him so far tonight. And she wasn’t going to risk

ruining her moment of transformation that had been ten years in the making.

…

The guests had arrived sporadically, but at least they showed up. Neil was afraid his
recent internet celebrity status was going to ruin the opening.

He headed straight for the bar and secured the biggest glass of scotch he could get his

hands on. He nodded and smiled to a few people along the way. With their duties in the
kitchen complete, his kids from the program had secured their own table where they sat
with their parents and guardians. Those kids should be proud of the job they did tonight
and Neil wanted to make sure their families were there to witness it.

He hoped it would be a night they’d never forget. It was their first time cooking for a

party, for discerning customers. And hopefully, at least one of them would go on to
pursue a career in the culinary arts. Even if they didn’t, he knew he was providing them
with skills they would take with them for the rest of their lives.

Even though this was his party, he was just too anti-social to mingle. He had hoped to

see Carson. But her absence sent the message loud and clear. They were over.

He’d screwed up with Carson. Big time. But this event, this venue was something he’d

been working on for the last two years. It was more important than his love life. But did
he have to be such an asshole? He’d told Carson from the beginning he wasn’t in for a
relationship. And it would have been much easier to stick to that deal if she hadn’t
changed the terms of their agreement. Damn her.

Penn sidled up to him, looking spectacular in a black dress with a plunging neckline. He

thought for sure Cole’s eyes were going to bug out of his head when she walked through
the door of the barn. But she didn’t hold a candle to Carson. Who hadn’t even bothered to
show up.

“You’re on in five minutes. The bar is flowing, the food is plentiful and the music is a

little boring if you ask me but this is a classy event, I have to keep reminding myself.”

Neil groaned. He hated having to talk to a crowd full of people. “Penn, you’ve done a

fantastic job.”

“Sounds like there was some doubt as to whether or not I could pull this off.”
Neil held up his hands. He knew better than to argue with a woman, especially Penn.

“Never.”

But it made him think of Carson and how easily he failed at that rule. All they did was

argue.

“Good, because I managed to get an editor from every design magazine in the country

here tonight. I personally invited them.”

“Thank you.” Neil wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her close.
She tensed but when he didn’t let go, or yell psyche, she realized he was sincere and

eased into his embrace. “You’re welcome.”

Maybe if he treated people a little nicer, they’d stick around. It was worth a shot.
“Neil?” Cole walked over, Finn right on his tale. “Look who’s here?”
Neil smiled when he saw their old friend, Mark Whitfield, approach. Mark had lived with

Finn and Cole in foster care. Behind him was his little sister, Veronica, looking as uptight
as ever in a non-descript dress, her hair tied back and glasses atop her thin nose.

“It’s been a long time.” Mark held out his hand. Mark, Cole and Finn had been

inseparable from what he’d been told. And every weekend they’d all travel to the suburbs
to see Mark’s sister, Veronica, who had been put in a separate foster home.

“Mark, Veronica, this is Penn Foster, our marketing and public relations coordinator.”
“I’m basically the wind beneath their wings,” she joked, shaking both Veronica and

Mark’s hand. “You’re the wedding planner?”

Neil had forgotten. Veronica was supposed to coordinate Jack and Sterling’s wedding.

Her fingers fiddled with the material of her dress and her gaze darted to her left. Where
Finn stood.

“Oh, this is so exciting,” Penn blurted. “Sterling wouldn’t let me handle a thing because

she wants me to concentrate on maid of honor duties.”

Veronica smiled. “I’m going to have much more time on my hands in a couple of weeks.

Our younger siblings are off to school and I’m so looking forward to getting my life back.
Since I’ve had no help from this guy.”

Mark and Veronica had found out eight years ago that their mother had two more

children. Unable to leave them in the system, the two of them became their legal
guardians.

“You’ve done a good job, little one,” Finn said.
“Ugh…are you going to call me that forever? I’m twenty eight years old.”
“Have you met Sterling yet?” Penn asked, stealing the conversation back to her.
Veronica shook her head.
“Let’s go. We have so much to discuss.”
“Penn you know it’s not your wedding right?” Cole asked.
She sneered. “It might as well be. Sterling is my best friend. We share everything.”
“Except for me.” Jack sidled up to the group with Sterling on his arm.
“Ugh, she can keep you to herself.” Penn shot Jack a look of disgust but it quickly

morphed into excitement when she pulled Sterling forward and introduced her to
Veronica.

At that point Neil had tuned out. Weddings in his barn had been appealing when all he

was thinking about was money. But since Carson… weddings had taken on a different
meaning. Did he even want a wedding? Maybe, if it was with Carson. Unlikely to happen
now that she hated his guts.

But it was for the best. Probably. That’s what he told himself.
“It’s not about being the man you think you are.” The sound of Jack’s voice knocked

him out of his own head. “It’s about being the man she makes me want to be.”

His brother pulled Sterling into his arms and kissed the top of her head. Both Veronica

and Penn looked on with tears in their eyes.

He had missed the conversation. He had missed what prompted his brothers’ deep

thoughts. But suddenly, everything became clear.

Penn slapped him on the shoulder and pulled him away from the group. “It’s show time,

boss.”

“I…I’m not ready.” He was having a moment. A self-realizing, how-huge-did-I-fuck-

everything-up, moment. Because he was…

Penn waved him off as she jerked him through the crowd. She heaved him up onto the

makeshift stage where she had set up a podium just for him. He noticed his brothers and
friends take position in the front by the edge of the riser.

He pulled at the collar of his dress shirt and put his hand up to cover his eyes as flashes

of a camera stung his vision.

Finally, he stared out into the crowd. They were all nameless, faceless individuals. The

only person he wanted to see was Carson. He missed her. He…

The realization slammed into him with the strength of a freight train.
His heart thumped a mile a minute in his chest. His suit jacket was all of a sudden two

sizes too small. And underneath that jacket, he was sweating like he’d just played twenty
innings of baseball.

He loved her.
She made him a better man. She made him want to be a better man. And he could be,

he knew he could be. With her by his side.

“Neil?” Penn whispered from his right. “You’re supposed to be talking now.”
His hands gripped the side of the podium, he took a deep breath, and looked out into

the crowd.

“This isn’t what my mother wanted.” The words blurted out before he even coordinated

the sentence in his head.

Murmurs from the crowd grew louder, camera flashes went off again. “This is what I

wanted. What I needed to make it all right in my head.”

The people in the front of the crowd stared at him with a confused looks on their faces.
“I…I’ve spent the last seventeen years wondering why I’d gotten so lucky. Why a

woman like Vivian Madewood would take in a broken kid like me just didn’t make sense.
What she wanted with four of us just didn’t make sense.”

Neil looked off to the side, his three brothers watching over him. Jack had an I-told-

you-so gleam in his eye. Finn sent him support with a soft smile and Cole just looked sick,
expressing feelings not his strongest suit.

“But I wasn’t lucky. We weren’t lucky to have been taken in by the most generous,

beautiful, loving woman in the world. It wasn’t luck. It was the way it was supposed to
be.  I  may  not  have  the  Madewood  name,  but  I’m  a  Madewood.  I  will  follow  in  my
mother’s  footsteps  giving  back  to  this  city  that  she  loved  so  much.  Beginning  with  the
Madewood  Farm.  It  embodies  everything  my  mother  loved,  good  food  and  family.  I
thought I was doing this for her. But I’m doing this because it’s what I love. I didn’t fully
realize it until this very moment.”

But he could never fully love his work without someone to share it with. Because work

wasn’t the most important thing in his life. If he was lucky enough, it would be Carson.

Taking a deep breath he smiled. He looked out into the crowd. “I have to go.”
Carson had seen something in him, something he never believed was there. But he

believed it now.

He walked up to Penn and kissed her cheek. “The party’s all yours.”
He jumped down off the makeshift stage and scanned the room. There in the corner

was Carson Kelly…the father.

He stalked over to him, his eyes never wavering from his target. Carson must have

been a little uncomfortable because he looked to both sides as if letting those around him
know something was about to go and he needed witnesses.

“Where is Carson?” The mere mention of her name caused a growl to emanate from his

throat.

The old man hesitated.
Neil backed off. What father in their right mind would tell the whereabouts of their

daughter to an overbearing, possibly angry-looking man?

“She was here…” he stuttered, “but she’s gone.”
So she was here. And did her best to avoid him. That explained her mindset. He was

going to have to work overtime to get her to forgive him. To love him.

He straightened and looked up to the roof of the barn and smiled.
God, he loved her.
He looked down at the aging man. ““You have a beautiful, talented, creative, ball-

busting daughter.” He laughed. “And with all due respect Sir, you have no idea what she’s
capable of.”

“You don’t get to tell me about my daughter.” Carson pulled at the collar of his dress

shirt. For the first time since he’d met the man he looked unraveled.

Neil shrugged. “Fine….but that weasel you have working for you is going down. Carson

may never want to speak to me again, but I swear on my mother, that I will do
everything I can to bring down that sleeze and—”

“Mr. Harrison,” Carson said as he eased his shoulders. “You’re right.”
Neil straightened. He wasn’t expecting agreement. He was expecting…well he was

expecting him not to say anything. He thought it would be pretty awesome to walk up to
this man, put him in his place then just walk away.

Carson sighed. “It seems I am getting my fill of nasty words today, Mr. Harrison.”
He looked at the old man in confusion.
“My daughter just told me where I could shove my company.”
Neil smiled.

“And you’re absolutely right. My daughter is smart and talented. I didn’t know how to

parent a teenaged daughter and unfortunately, I chose the wrong handbook.”

She still turned out pretty damn good in his eyes.
“What about Martin?”
A shimmer of anger flashed across Carson’s eyes. “I know what he did. He’s been taken

care of.”

Carson held out his hand and Neil gripped it. An unspoken respect passed between

them.

“She’s at home I suspect,” Carson said. “If you were looking to go and tell her you love

her.” The man smiled and leaned in, lowering his voice. “I think she’d like to her that.”

Neil looked back at his family and their happy faces. Sterling was crying. Jack and Cole

were grinning from ear to ear. Finn stood just behind him, giving him a nod of support.

Neil stalked out of the barn past the stares of his guests. He’d made a scene. A

spectacle. And it had all been worth it.

He hopped on his bike, parked at the side of the barn. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Tiny drops of rain sputtered on his helmet as he placed it on his head.

He kicked the bike into gear and raced down the dirt path to the road. It would take

him half an hour to get to Carson’s place. He only hoped that when he got there, she was
willing to see him. Because there was no way he was going to let the woman that he
loved get away again. Not this time.

…

Carson turned the taps on her bathtub, letting the water rush out. She held her hand
under the heavy stream, adjusting the temperature to her liking.

A crack of thunder rumbled the walls of her condo, the sound of rain against her

window was soft at first then grew loud, the heavy pelts pinging off the glass as if they
were solid.

She needed a bath. She needed some time to digest what had just gone down with her

father.

When the water was the perfect temperature she pushed down the plug and let the

bath do its thing. She tightened her robe as she walked out of the bathroom to her
kitchen where a bottle of red wine sat on the counter breathing.

She poured herself an over-sized glass, filling the liquid almost up to the rim. A definite

wine faux pas. She didn’t care.

She walked to her bedroom and placed the too-full glass of wine on the vanity. After

pouring in some bubble bath, she turned off the taps. With her robe half off her body, she

jumped when a loud bang sounded at her front door.

She grabbed the bat she kept hidden behind in her bedroom just in case. She wasn’t

expecting anyone and with the drama that had just gone down with Martin, she didn’t
trust him not to show up and seek vengeance.

She tiptoed toward the door, gripping the bat tightly in her right hand.
“Carson!” She jumped when the person banged again.
But she knew that voice. She unlocked the door and swung it open and jumped back at

the sight of Neil, his clothes soaked through. At the mere sight of him her, breath
quickened and her heart sped up.

He looked up and met her gaze. But this Neil didn’t look like the confident man she had

had meant over a year ago. He didn’t have his larger-than-life attitude she had become
accustomed to. Nor did he have that brilliant smile that never failed to make her weak in
the knees. He looked…scared.

They stood staring at each other. “You’re supposed to be at a party right now.”
“I know.”
She straightened her robe on her torso. “So you left the party? To come here?”
He nodded.
“Why?”
“I have something to say.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Was here to tell her he’d moved on? Despite her

broken heart, she hoped he was moving in the right direction. He might not love her, but
someone, someday, would be lucky enough to have Neil Harrison all to themselves. And
she would be the luckiest girl in the world.

“Don’t marry that jerk,” he whispered. “You can’t marry that jerk.”
Not exactly the declaration she was hoping for.
“He’s no good.” He squeezed his grip tighter on his helmet. “I don’t have all the proof I

need yet but he just wants to—”

“I know.”
His eyes widened and he looked into hers. “You do.”
She nodded. “I know all about him leaking the video. I know all about his proposal.”
“Thank Christ.” He stalked inside without an invitation and threw his helmet on her

couch.

“Come on in,” she mumbled as she closed her front door. This was not the happy

ending she had imagined.

“Look…” He turned to face her. “I know things are tough working for your dad. You

could start your own business. I’ll back you. I’ll give you all the capital you need to start

up.”

Annoyance bubbled up inside her. “I don’t need your help. How dare you think that I

can’t survive on my own? I’ll have you know that—”

She jumped when he rushed forward, his hands reaching up to cup her face and he

pushed her. Her feet scurried to keep up with his force and next thing she knew her back
was against the door, his lips were on hers and it was the most wonderful feeling in the
world.

Water soaked through her robe. Despite the coolness of his body, his lips were hot,

scorching as they melted against her, leaving heated kisses along her jaw and cheeks.
And there was no mistaking the hardness that rubbed against her stomach every time he
pulled her closer. And she couldn’t get close enough.

When he pulled back, he panted, resting his forehead against hers.
It took a few beats for her to get her bearings. That kiss had blurred her vision and just

the feel of his lips on hers made everything right in the world.

“I know a good investment when I see one,” he whispered against her lips.
And then he spoke, and she remembered every reason why they would never work. “Is

that the only reason?”

When he didn’t answer, she knew. It was all about the money. It was all about making

a name. And this time it wasn’t even his name. His obsession was worse than she had
thought.

She jerked away from his grip. “Those are the words you have to say? Start your own

business, Carson. Make a name for yourself, Carson. You’re as bad as my father.”

“I’m sorry.” His body went rigid. “I did it again. Too strong.”
“You can’t just show up and pretend as if nothing has happened. I need…” She had no

idea what she needed but a declaration of love would be a good start. What a fool to
think she would get one. “The truth is, I don’t need your help. I finally stood up to my
father and I am going to start up my own firm.”

He shook his head and laughed. He laughed. Arrogant, obnoxious, son of bitch!
“Always calling me out on my shit.” He continued to laugh, his face actually lit up, his

happiness extending all the way to his eyes.

The nerve of this man. “What is so funny?”
“You’re right. I took the easy way out. I found a loophole and ran with it thinking that

you’d automatically forgive me and everything would go back to the way it was.” He
chuckled. “I should have remembered who I was dealing with.”

“The easy way out?”
“This isn’t why I came here tonight. I came to tell you…” His hands fisted at his sides

and his gaze travelled down to the floor. He blew out a long breath and shook his head.
He trembled, his body wavered from side to side.

“Neil, I—”
“I love you.”
The words hit her like a tornado, knocking her back against the wall.
She forced her smile to remain a frown. She wasn’t going to give in so easily.
“You think that saying I love you is going to fix—”
He leaned in and kissed her. He knew exactly what to do to keep her off balance. To

make her forget her own words.

“I just said I love you,” he whispered against her lips.
“I know.”
He stared back at her with nervous anticipation. She guessed she’d made him suffer

long enough. “I love you, too.”

Lord in Heaven. He loved her. It was plain as day on his face. He loved her that night

when he showed up here, and she had told him to take a flying leap.

But none of that mattered anymore. Neil loved her.
She fisted his hair and pulled his head back. “If we do this, work stays separate. I don’t

need you to pave the way for me. Are we clear?”

“What if I want to hire you?”
She cocked her hip to the side. “You need an architect?”
He shrugged. “Someone’s going to have to design our new home.”
Her stomach danced with excitement. A house meant commitment. Long-term. But was

he willing to go all the way?

She looked up into his eyes. “Is that all you need? An architect?”
“Architect. Lover.” He trailed his finger down the hollow of her neck then locked his

eyes on hers. “Wife.”

She lunged forward and smashed her lips to his. It was a few moments before she

came up for air. “I want to be all those things.”

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Carson Kelly, you’re everything

I never thought I could have.”

And he was everything she ever wanted.
“You have me. You’ll have it all, forever.”

About the Author

When her dream of becoming a mafia princess didn’t pan out, Gina Gordon went after her
second dream…becoming a writer. And she hasn’t looked back.

Gina, a self-proclaimed happily-ever-after junkie and cupcake connoisseuse, loves

spinning contemporary tales of knee-bending first kisses, unconditional love, and super-
hot sex. She broke out onto the romance scene with her number one Amazon best-selling
erotic short story “Her Five Favorite Words,” which has been called a “deliciously naughty
tale” by Joyfully Reviewed.

When not chained to her computer, you can find Gina sipping Starbucks, making

cupcakes or feeding her addiction to celebrity gossip. She lives in Milton, Ontario, with her
husband and lovable dog.

Find out where it all began in...

ECIPE

FOR

ATISFACTION

the first book in Gina Gordon’s Madewood Brothers series

Mixing business with pleasure has never been so sexy…

Being the financial caretaker for her deadbeat parents isn’t the life professional organizer
Sterling Andrews dreamed of. Tired of being the dependable—and boring—daughter,
Sterling decides to have a little fun. And what could be more fun than seducing rich bad
boy chef, Jack Vaughn? Except, after one scintillating night together, Sterling’s not only
lusting for Jack, she’s working for him. And remaining professional becomes harder every
day.

Already a major success thanks to his exclusive restaurants, Jack Vaughn is looking for

something more. Ultra responsible Sterling is unlike anyone Jack has met…but she’s his
employee. Unwilling to give her up, Jack makes Sterling an offer she can’t refuse—for four
sexy weekends, he’ll indulge her most wicked fantasies with no professional strings
attached. But will mixing business with pleasure spell disaster? Or will they find the recipe
for satisfaction?

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Also available this month…

SKING

FOR

ROUBLE

a Line of Duty novel by Tessa Bailey

The fighting was just foreplay…

Brent Mason and Hayden Winstead can’t stand each other. She plans exclusive parties for
her rich family’s charities. He’s a rough and tumble cop who rigs explosives for a living.
Could two people be any less suited for conversation? They think not and prefer to keep it
that way.

Unfortunately, their two best friends are deeply, disgustingly in love. Forced together,

the mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface of Brent and Hayden’s non-
relationship grows with every argument until it explodes into a scintillating night of mind-
blowing sex. And it won’t be the last, as far as Brent’s concerned.

Hayden has a secret, though. Her father’s company is relying on a merger to save them

from financial ruin, and only Hayden’s marriage to the CEO’s wealthy son can secure the
deal. If she’s to protect her family, she’ll have to forget Brent. And he has no intention of
being forgotten.

Amazon | B&N | iTunes

Also available this month…

AMING

UTOR

the Brazen debut from USA TODAY bestselling author Natalie

Anderson

When the bedroom becomes the classroom…

Computer guru Abbi Hayes needs to kick her sex life into overdrive—and she’s designing
the perfect App to make it happen. Thanks to all of the self-help bedroom tips she’s
accumulating, she’ll be able to go from boring and passive to own-him-now vixen with a
couple of swipes of a touch screen. And whenformer NBA basketball star Joe Burns offers
to help her test out her ‘product,’ how can she say no?

Joe can’t quite believe this temptress-in-training is his formerly shy, geeky ex-math

tutor. If Abbi wants to discover her inner vamp, he’ll happily be her how-to guide. But it
only takes few face-to-face lessons to realize that underneath the talk, there’s a truly
passionate woman begging to be claimed by someone strong. Someone like him.

Maybe it’s time to teach his former teen fantasy a few tricks of his own…

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