CHAPTER FIVE

 

 

 

“Come on, Connor. Time to get up.” No response. “Connor! Wake up!”

Rey’s voice broke Connor from his slumber. “What in the name of God’s green earth is wrong with you, woman!?” Opening one eye, he squinted toward the window. The moon was on its way to bed for the day, but the sun was still about an hour from starting its shift. Connor blinked, trying to focus on the clock. “Why, in hell, are you waking me up so early?”

“Payback for the other day. Plus, we’re going fishing. Remember? You always start the day early when you’re going fishing.”

“No decent fish is up this early. Go away,” he grumbled.

“If you get up, I might have something for you.”

“Really?” Connor felt a certain part of his body perk up and take notice.

“Yea, I bet Doug has some Fruit Loops.”

“Forget it. Not enough incentive.”

“Not a morning person either, huh?” Rey stood poised over the bed, pillow in hand, ready to whack him a good one. Determined to get them back on familiar footing, she resurrected their normal style of banter. Her game plan was to pretend like last night never happened. “No matter. Get up, lazy bones. We should’ve already been out on the water by now.” She bopped him on the top of the head with the fluffy pillow, not too hard, she didn’t want to scramble those valuable brains of his.

Connor’s arm shot out and he grabbed the offending pillow. “If you don’t want to get in this bed with me and pick up where we left off last night, I suggest you stop.”

“Last night didn’t happen, we’re starting over, remember? This trip is about the contract, so I suggest you get up and let’s make this deal happen.”

Connor groaned. He made a much better night owl. Rolling onto his back, Connor pulled a pillow in front of his face. “Just leave a canoe at the dock, I’ll row out and meet you.”

The blankets had slid off his upper body and Rey just stared at the shape of his chiseled torso, letting her eyes wander down to follow the vee of his abs. As much as she’d like to keep the memories of last night at bay, she couldn’t forget how it had felt when Connor touched her…kissed her… A blush rose in her cheeks. She’d been fantasizing about being in his bed for years. Where had she found the strength to walk away from this man? With a wry smile, she acknowledged her superpowers. How fitting it would be if she dressed up as Super Girl for Halloween this year. 

“Come on, Connor. I’m excited about this fishing trip. Doug is a reasonable guy and we have a lot in common. I’m looking forward to working with him on this project.”

When he continued to ignore her, Rey took the blanket in her hand and pulled it off his body with one big tug, whirling it around in a circle in the process. “Get up, silly,” she said mid-twirl. When she looked down, Rey got an eye full. Sleek, toned, bulging muscles stood out on every inch of his body. Connor was sprawled out, completely naked, and hugely aroused. Her body responded, her femininity clenching in on itself. “Oh, my God! When did you take your pants off?!” Rey tossed the blanket back over him, but not without some effort, she could have stood there and gawked at him for hours. 

The pillow moved slightly as Connor spoke. “You left. I wanted to get more comfortable.”

“Look at you!” Rey responded with a little huff. “I don’t believe this!

Connor took the pillow off his face. “I know. All of this could’ve been yours last night. I’d be mad at myself too, if I were you.” He made sure his smirk contained a convincing amount of arrogance.

Rey turned her back on him. The last thing she wanted to do was for him to see how the sight of him affected her. They had to get back to business as usual – for the company’s sake as well as their own. “Get dressed, please. I’m going on down. This room is getting a bit crowded with that big…ego of yours.” She let herself out, letting the door shut a bit loudly as she left.

Connor rolled out of bed, dry-scrubbing his face. “What in the hell am I going to do now?

…When Rey arrived downstairs, Doug was in the kitchen.

“Well, good morning.” He looked her over. “You look like a fisherman.”

Rey regarded her outfit. “Thanks. I learned early that the fish don’t really have a good sense of fashion.” She wore a simple pair of jeans and a gray long-sleeved shirt, her hair was tied back and the ponytail stuck jauntily out of the back of a baseball cap.

“I don’t think you could’ve picked a better outfit. Orange juice?”

“Please.” She took a seat across him at the kitchen table. “I’m really looking forward to this. I haven’t been out on the lake in a while.”

“I heard you say you grew up around here. Did your daddy take you fishing?”

“Yea, when he had the time. His normal fishing time was Sunday morning when my mother forced my sister and I to go to church.” Rey smiled, taking a blueberry muffin from a platter on the table. “He rebelled, one of the few things he bucked her about. My father used to say it’s better to sit in a boat thinking about God than it is to sit in a pew thinking about fishing.”

Doug got a little chuckle out of her words. “I share your father’s sentiment. I usually just hang a gone fishing sign on my office door so Karin knows where I am. Wherever things are going bad, I just go out on the boat.”

Rey nodded, lost in yesterday. “When Dad wasn’t available to come with me, I’d ride my horse over by myself and fish off the bank. Lots of time to dream and plan on how I was going to get out of this place.”

“You were successful.” He handed her the glass. “And now you’re back.”

“Yea, now I’m back.” Rey was almost tempted to drive over and look at the old home place, but no one lived there now. Her parents were dead and her sister only called her when she wanted money.

 “Should we be expecting Connor any time soon?”

Rey sipped the freshly squeezed juice. “He should be down soon.” She hoped. “What about Karin? Is she going with us?”

“I’m not sure to be honest.” He looked vaguely uneasy and maybe a little embarrassed. “Who knows? Last night she said something about going, but she was still sound asleep when I came down.” Doug gazed out the floor to ceiling window of the kitchen. “It looks like the sun is coming up. Should we enjoy our breakfast out on the deck?”

“Sounds good.” Rey picked up her cup and grabbed an extra muffin for good measure.

Doug held the door open for her and they went outside. He unfolded the morning’s issue of the Austin Statesman and reclined in one of the dark red Adirondack chairs lined up and facing East. 

“It’s beautiful here, I think you have an amazing vision for a resort.” Rey took in the view. The sun had begun to peek through the tall pines across the lake. “My condo is nice and I love what I do.” And who I do it with. “But seeing all of this brings out the country girl in me. I could sit here all day and enjoy the sounds of the woods and the fresh air.”

A noise behind them drew her attention, Connor was coming through the door with a plate in hand. “I thought by now you two would’ve already gone and come back, ready to brag about all the fish you caught.”

“You don’t brag about the fish you catch, McGregor,” Doug started.

“You brag about the fish you don’t catch,” Rey finished.

Glancing at Connor, she could see he had dressed down. She pressed her lips together to hide a smile. The pair of jeans he’d worn to go horseback riding yesterday had cost about seven hundred dollars. After he’d stepped in horse manure and got it all over his boots and the bottom of his jeans, she’d heard him cursing a blue streak. She supposed he’d learned his lesson about the appropriate fashion for outdoor activities. Today he was wearing a modest pair of wranglers and a red plaid shirt.

“Something wrong, sweetheart?” he asked when he caught her staring at him out of the corner of her eye.

Rey shook from her daze. “Not a thing, dear.”

“So, when are we headed out?” Connor asked after scarfing down a four-egg omelet.

Doug placed his paper down on the table between himself and Rey. “I’ll go check on Karin. See if she is ready yet.”

Connor was just about to put a grape in his mouth. “Karin’s coming?” He swallowed a laugh.

Doug kept moving. “I know. Shocked me too.”

Rey grabbed the paper when Doug was gone and swatted her pretend boyfriend with it.

“What was that for?”

“Of course, she’s coming, numbskull. You’re gonna be there.” She whacked him again for good measure. “Jesus! Are you men really that clueless?” Rey thought back to her third year at UT. She’d gone to a few Longhorn football games just because Connor was going and she’d even went out and bought every Steely Dan CD she could find just because he loved the song Reelin’ In The Years. It’d taken her about a week to become an expert on the band. She’d felt like a fool when she brought up all her new knowledge on Steely Dan one night to Connor and he’d just looked at her like she was a weirdo. Rey Cassidy had done some foolish things for and in the name of Connor McGregor in the past, but this had to take the cake. She was actually here, pretending to be his current lover to keep a former lover at bay.

“Hey, enough already!” Connor tried to dodge another swat with the paper but missed. “What did I do?”

The last swat had been for all those things he’d put her through, all the times she felt foolish because of him. “Just eat your damn grapes.”

“Here she is.” Doug returned a few seconds later with Karin in tow. “I’ll go down and make sure the boat is ready.”

Karin was all smiles. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Her hair and makeup were flawless and she was wearing a pair of dark jeans that hugged her long, skinny legs as if the denim had been hand-stitched together while she had them on. Karin looked like she kept a fashion consultant in her closet. “Oh, look,” Karin said, walking over to Connor and touching his chest. “We match.” She indicated the red plaid shirt she wore that was very similar to Connor’s.

Rey bit back her anger and offered her best fake smile. “Almost like you planned it.”

Karin gave her a hard look. “Some people are just in sync, I guess.” Again, she touched Connor’s chest, running a finger down his side.

Rey secretly hoped Karin’s husband would appear and see this blatantly flirtatious gesture, but Karin had a knack for doing these types of things when Doug was either out of the room or just not looking. Sure, it might screw up their business deal, but Rey was almost willing to sacrifice it if it kept Karin’s perfectly manicured hands off Connor.

“We should hang onto these outfits, Connor,” Karin said after exchanging a long look with Rey. “Douglas knows the editor at that big hunting and fishing magazine. What a coup it would be for them to get us to pose on their cover together.” She put a hand on his shoulder and flashed her supermodel teeth at Rey. “What do you think? Aren’t we a good-looking couple?”

Connor stepped to the side, letting Karin’s hand fall away. “I think you may be a bit overdressed for their readership.” He slid an arm around Rey’s hip and pulled her close. “Rey and I are probably more up their alley. What do you think?”

Rey turned in silhouette, kicked her left leg up behind her and pouted her lips, mocking her rival.

“Don’t you two look adorable?” Doug commented upon his return. “Boat’s ready to go. Let’s head out. I’ve got a great honey hole we can go to.”

Karin gave her husband a harsh look. “Douglas. Don’t talk like that.”

Rey took her fake boyfriend’s hand and walked off with a smile.

 

*  *  *

Down at the pier, Rey was pleasantly surprised when she saw the boat. “My word, Doug, this is a surprise!” she exclaimed. She’d been expecting a little ten or fifteen-foot pontoon boat with a white railing, but that wasn’t what awaited them at all.

Doug smiled with pride. “I know. Welcome to the Dimittite Me. Isn’t she great?” He ushered them all on board. “I used to charter party boats out on South Padre, made a fortune during spring break. This was my best boat.” He ran a hand down the smooth red finish of the railing with affection. 

Rey could see the look of boredom on Karin’s face, but she was enthralled by the gorgeous vessel. “My friend’s family had one growing up, but it was probably only about twelve feet long. How long is this?”

“Thirty feet.”

Connor watched from behind his sunglasses. The smile on Doug’s face was a mile wide and he wasn’t sure if Rey was a great actress, or if her enthusiasm was genuine. Either way, the joy was visible on Doug’s face and that was good for business.

Doug gave them the full tour, explaining how he’d moved the controls to the top deck and installed a holding tank for his catches. “I’ve got all the latest fish finding equipment. Top of the line. The best money can buy.”

Rey looked at the fancy panel spreading out four feet wide right in front of the captain’s chair. “I’d say you do. We used to just paddle around in the canoe until my father got a feeling about a spot. I do have to ask about the name. Italian?”

“Latin.” He leaned in closer. “I tell people it means ‘peaceful waters’, but it really says ‘leave me alone.’ I got it from Google Translate, so who knows, maybe I’ve been sailing around in a boat called Fish Taco for the last year. What I call her doesn’t really matter, I just need somewhere to relax and be left alone. This boat is my private place.”

Rey totally understood. Her days were always full. Working so close with Connor made her job a twenty-four-seven gig and her condo was a sanctuary, only she couldn’t drive it away like Doug could his boat.

Once onboard, they headed out onto the open water of the lake. The boat wasn’t built for speed, but it kicked up enough so Rey could enjoy the breeze in her hair.

Connor, Rey, and Karin sat at the front of the vessel. Connor surprised Rey when he pulled her feet up into his lap and began to stroke the exposed flesh of her ankle with the pad of his thumb. She managed to act offhand about it, even though this simple touch stole her breath. Karin’s scathing look gave Rey a sense of victory. The woman seemed so convinced they were a sham couple, but something in the way she watched them now made Rey feel like the gorgeous model was sincerely jealous. As Connor absently caressed her leg, a baffling notion occurred to her. What if she were wrong? What if last night hadn’t been Connor just being Connor? What if he really felt something for her?

She shook her head to dispel the thoughts, now wasn’t the time.

As they moved over the lake, she and Connor admired the scenery, asking pertinent questions about the water levels, the types of fish in the lake, and what the record catches had been. For Karin’s part, she mostly looked miserable. When she wasn’t complaining about how slow the boat was going or how the wind was ruining her curls, she took every opportunity she could to mention the heat.

“I can’t wait to slip into my bikini and take a dip. This heat is sweltering.” She fanned herself, pushing her lips out into a sultry pout.

“I’m not sure Doug will want you splashing around in the water, scaring the fish,” Rey commented dryly.

Karin ignored her assertion, steering the conversation back to Connor. “Do you remember how we sunbathed on the French Riviera, Connor? I wore that sexy little yellow two piece you bought me in Paris.”

“No, sorry. I must’ve blocked it or something,” Connor mumbled and Rey pinched her lips together to keep from laughing.

“Are you cold?” he asked Rey as the wind picked up.

His question caught her off guard. “No, I’m good.” She leaned in closer to him. “I think our ploy worked, you don’t have to keep it up.”

Connor looked her dead in the eyes. “I’m not.” Keeping it up was something she’d done to him. His cock had been stiff the entire night. “I wish you were the one slipping into the bikini.” He let his fingers move a little farther up the leg of her jeans. “Your skin is so soft.”

“Stop.” Rey shimmered under his touch, closing her eyes, afraid he could read her mind.

“Hey, we’re here!” Doug announced. “Shall we make this interesting, Rey?”

“I’m game,” Rey replied as she pulled her foot from Connor’s grasp and stood up. “What’s the terms?”

“Loser cleans all the fish.”

“Sharpen your scaling knife, Doug.” Rey grinned and winked at him.

A half hour later, Rey reeled another largemouth bass to the edge of the party boat from the second story. “You weren’t lying about this honey hole, Doug,” she called out to her host who sat at the controls almost twenty feet away.

Doug sat in his chair with a rod in his hand, dangling a line off the back of the boat. Karin sat near him, nursing a mimosa. After Doug denied her request to go swimming, she’d sulked up to pout.

“Nice catch, babe.” Connor stood at the railing on the bottom deck, gloves on, ready to lift Rey’s catch into the boat. They’d only been there for an hour, but Rey had already reeled in three largemouth bass, two catfish, and more sunfish then she could count. He came bounding up the stairs after letting Rey’s latest catch go. They’d all agreed with Doug to only keep a few fish to grill later. He strolled to Rey’s side, that confident, breezy smile of his glued to his face. “Stop hogging the rod.”

She just looked at him blankly. The first rod that came to her mind was the long, thick one she’d seen when she pulled the covers back on Connor a few hours back. Rey shifted uneasily in her chair as her body responded to the memory.

Connor slid in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Hand it over, Cassidy.” He kissed her on the cheek.

Whether or not this was all a part of the show, Rey didn’t know, but she liked it and giggled when he tried to take the fishing rod out of her hands. “No!” she screamed and felt a little embarrassed, but she felt like a teenager, play-fighting with her boyfriend and she didn’t want the tussle to end.

Connor released her from his grip and scooped Rey up in his arms.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Connor looked over the edge. “Wouldn’t I?”

“I swear to God, Connor. I will gut you. I grew up fishing, don’t think I don’t know how to use a filet knife.”

“Hey, Doug!” Connor called out to their captain for the day.

“Yeah, Connor?”

“How far to the water from up here?”

“Fifteen feet, six inches from the top of the railing.”

“Thanks, Doug.”

Doug offered only a wave in return.

“See, Cassidy, it’s not that far down.” He moved her closer to the railing.

“Connor! Don’t!” She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but the game they were playing was thrilling.

“I’ll put you down.”

“You’d better.”

“But I want a kiss first.”

“Fine.” She pecked him on the cheek quickly.

“Weak, Cassidy.” Puckering his lips, Connor closed his eyes and waited. “I’m waiting here.”

He was so strong, he could have held Rey there all day and the thought made her nipples throb.

“What the hell is going on?” Karin was looking for a reason to get mad at someone. “You two are driving me mad with all that yelling and screaming.”

“Come on, Karin,” Doug said from his seat. “Leave them alone. They’re young and having fun.”

“I’m younger than Connor!” Karin shrieked. “I’m not old like you!” Doug had embarrassed her earlier and she’d had more than a few drinks; Karin was looking for trouble. “Give me that!” She snatched the rod from Rey’s hand and slapped at Connor. “Put her down. You look like a fool!”

Karin was certainly beautiful on the outside, but her petty jealousy was making both her and the situation ugly. Rey feared if she got too angry, she might pressure her husband to cancel the deal.

Connor looked at the woman in his arms. Rey gave a nod, signaling him to diffuse the situation. “It’s okay,” she whispered to him. She’d been having such a good time, but Karin had spoiled it.

Karin fiddled with the rod. “How do you use this dumb thing, anyway?”

Rey moved to show her. “You hold it here and then you-”

“I wasn’t asking you.” Karin shot daggers at Rey with her eyes. “Connor can show me.”

Since being civil didn’t seem to work, Rey didn’t even bother with the fake smile. She just walked away, taking a seat while Connor did his best to shrug off the pawing Karin was giving him as he showed her how to use the rod and reel.

Rey found a deck chair near the railing and sat down to seethe. The sun was bright, so Rey pulled the cap down lower over her eyes and picked a champagne flute up off a tray Karin had brought from the bar. She downed one glass quickly, then poured herself another and by the time that was done, Rey was a little light-headed and starting to forget they were here trying to land a big deal. She saw Connor open a container of bait and show it to Karin. The woman shrieked and began to laugh. Smiling, she looked triumphantly over at Rey as if to say, ‘Look how much fun I’m having with your man’. Rey watched Connor gallantly put a long worm onto the hook for his ex-flame and a moment later, Karin’s line was in the water.

Rey hated to admit it to herself, but she was jealous of the time Karin was stealing from Connor. Emboldened by the bubbly alcohol flowing through her system, she took to her feet and wandered over where they were fishing. “Don’t do it, Rey,” she mumbled to herself, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Bending over, she dug her fingers into the carton of live bait and pulled out a nice, juicy worm. “Don’t you just hate these things?” She held out her hand and let Karin and Connor see the worm wiggling in her dirt covered palm.

Karin just ignored her.

Rey stood for a bit leaning on the railing with the worm in one hand and her champagne in the other. Her presence didn’t deter Karin from flirting with Connor and Rey just snapped. “You got one, Karin! Reel it in!” she yelled, placing her champagne down on the deck. Tugging on Karin’s arm, she faked excitement to set up her next move. Karin was cranking the reel despite there being nothing on her line. “Bring it in!” Rey took advantage of the distraction and pulled the back of Karin’s shirt open and dropped the worm down her shirt. Wiping her dirty hand on her jeans, she waited for the beautiful moment when Karin realized there was a slimy, creepy, crawly worm down her back.

She didn’t notice it right away, but then Rey saw it beginning…

Karin felt something was wrong.

“You okay?” Connor asked when Karin fidgeted. He’d been watching her line in the water and hadn’t seen what his partner had done.

Jerking wildly, Karin dropped her rod and reached behind her. “There’s something in my shirt!” The worm must have wiggled a bit, because soon Karin was in the midst of a spastic fit, trying to extricate the worm from inside her clothing.

Rey picked up her drink and moved out of the way, letting Karin perform a tortured version of the chicken dance. The worm fell out of her clothing, but Karin continued to wriggle and twirl.

Connor was watching with muted pleasure and when he saw the worm fall to the gleaming white floor, he quickly bent and picked it up, tossing it into the bait container to destroy the evidence.

“What did you do?” Karin accused Rey when she was confident the pest was no longer in her clothing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Rey did her best to look both shocked and innocent as Karin waved a finger in her face. Doug was still in his happy place, if he did hear any of this going on, he didn’t react one way or the other.

Connor made his way over to the women. He’d seen Karin lose her temper before and he knew he’d better diffuse the situation before it got out of hand. “It was probably just a bug.” He looked past Karin to see Rey.

Despite the twinkle in her eye, she was doing her best to look innocent. “Yea, I’m sure it was just a bug.”

A flare of possessive pride rose in his chest. She’d handled herself magnificently this weekend. Wise or not, he knew things had changed between them. Connor was entranced with his snarky little partner.

...A little later, they docked the boat and unloaded their gear. If watching Karin have a crazy spell over the worm hadn’t been satisfying enough, Doug was now insisting his wife help him hold up his end of the bet by cleaning and preparing the fish. He praised Rey’s angling skills right in front of his wife and she knew it drove the other woman crazy to hear it.

“Gross.” Karin looked away when her husband plopped their catch down on the kitchen table. “I’m not touching those.”

But Doug wasn’t having it. “Karin, a bet’s a bet. Besides, Rey caught dinner, the only polite thing for us to do is to cook it. Now hand me that knife, I’ll show you how to filet the fish. We’re going to start the cutting near the gills.”

Karin gagged. Rey thought it a bit overdramatic, but she enjoyed the spectacle. She could’ve watched Karin suffer all day, but she needed to freshen up, so she headed upstairs to her and Connor’s room. She felt windblown and a bit gritty.

Once inside, she quickly washed off and changed into a simple linen dress before heading to the ensuite bath to repair her makeup and straighten her hair. 

“You’re beautiful. Did you know that?”

Rey jumped, holding her chest. “Connor! You scared me!” She didn’t know if her heart was beating like a jackhammer from the fright or the compliment.

“Ha! Did you think I was Karin? I’d watch my back with that woman.” He stood in the doorway of the big bathroom watching Rey, his arms folded across his strong chest.

“I’m sorry, Connor.” She looked at him in the mirror. “I know she could foul this whole deal up, but I just couldn’t take her anymore.”

He laughed at her words, then laughed more when recalling the prank Rey pulled. “I bet you were hell at summer camp and I don’t blame you for doing what you did. Just keep your eyes open, she has access to a knife, you know.” He sauntered off, leaving Rey wondering whether to take him seriously or not.

An hour later, Rey, Connor and Karin sat around the fire pit on comfortable cushioned benches. Doug was at the outdoor kitchen putting the finishing touches on the fish before grilling it over the fire. He’d already wrapped a few potatoes in foil and dropped them into the coals to roast and had a pan of onions ready to go at the right time. “I’ll toss the asparagus on at the last minute,” he told them when he approached the fire with the platter of fish fillets. Doug Rodgers was a powerful business man, but it was clear to see he enjoyed the simple things in life; his home, his boat and preparing food for his guests. Content, Rey sipped her glass of wine. “It all looks and smells wonderful, Doug.”

As the evening progressed, the temperature began to drop. They’d been out on the boat most of the day while Doug showed them the best fishing spots, some picturesque coves, and other things he loved about the lake. The clouds had rolled in as Doug pulled the Dimittite Me up to the dock and now, a couple of hours later, it was noticeably cooler.

Connor stroked her bare arm. “Are you warm enough?”

“I guess I am a little chilly.” This had been a little white lie, but she craved the touch of his hand. 

“Can’t have that.” He picked up a hoodie he’d brought along and draped it over her shoulders.

“Thank you.”

“More wine?” Connor asked when he saw her glass was empty.

“Please.” Connor was being so attentive, her head was spinning.

When Doug announced dinner, everyone eagerly piled food on their plates. As they ate the delicious food, small talk was scarce. “That was the best fish I’ve ever had, Doug.” Connor raved when his plate was empty.

Doug waved off the compliment. “I doubt that.”

“No, honey, it was incredible,” Karin complimented her husband before turning to whisper to Connor something Rey couldn’t hear.

“The bass was amazing,” Rey agreed with Karin after finishing her last forkful, trying to ignore the way Karin was draped over Conner’s shoulder. “Just the right amount of lemon.” 

Doug acted embarrassed. “Stop. Look, I hate to do this, but I’d like to talk a bit of business.”

“Oh, darling,” Karin wagged her finger at her husband, “Don’t do that. We’re all having a good time. Connor and I were just talking about fashion week in Milan next year.”

“I apologize. But if it’s okay with you, Connor, I’d like to pick your lady’s brain about the project.” He looked across the fire to Rey. “I’d like your opinion on some vendors we might want to invite on-site.”

“You don’t have to have to try too hard to get Rey to talk business,” Connor answered. “She lives for this stuff.”

Rey was already up and on her feet, coming around to sit beside her host on the big circular bench that enclosed the flames.

“Not here,” Doug told her. “I’ve got the list on the computer up in my study. Do you mind?” He offered his arm to escort her.

Rey took it, eager to get the ball rolling. “I’d be delighted.”

“We’ll be back in a bit,” Doug told the two remaining by the fire.

Karin’s demeanor changed once the other two were out of sight. “Do you remember the blowjob I gave you backstage behind the curtain at fashion week?”

Connor moved back a bit. “I should’ve known better,” he mumbled, looking up toward the door Doug and Rey had just passed through.

“Oh, don’t be so foolish, Connor. They’ll be gone forever. I don’t know about Rey, but the only thing Doug loves more than fishing is talking business. I want you again, Connor. I miss you. He doesn’t make me feel the way I know you can.” Karin ran the tip of her tongue around the rim of her wine glass. “I want to do dirty things with you like we used to.”

Upstairs, Doug flipped the switch on his desktop computer. “I’ve got my list ready. Do you have a list you work from?”

Rey placed her drink down on his desk. “I do. Damn. I forgot my phone in my purse back at the fire. It’s got my vendor list on it. Let me run down and grab it.”

Outside, at the fire, Connor stood to his feet. “I think I’ve made it clear, I’m not interested, Karin.”

“Oh, come on, Connor. Get real. You can’t really be attracted to that little mouse of a secretary you call a partner. We both know she isn’t your type.”

Connor thought about it for a moment, Karin’s remarks about Rey made him see red. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Karin. Rey is an amazing woman. I’m lucky to be with her.”

Yes, Karin was totally wrong. He’d always admired Rey. She was the smartest person he knew. Ever since the accidental kiss, his blind eyes had begun to open. Connor was seeing Rey as more than just his right-hand, he was seeing her as a woman he wanted more than he knew possible.

Meanwhile, Rey skipped down the wide staircase. The day had gone well and now it seemed as if they were on the verge of locking this deal up.

“Connor, I want you,” Karin purred before placing her arms around his neck and planting her lips right on top of his.

“I forgot my pho-” The sight Rey walked in on hit her with the power of an atomic bomb. Both Connor and Karin were on their feet and Karin was wrapped around Connor like poison ivy.