Page 19

“Kane, can we talk?”

He looked up as Duncan came into his office and shut the door. In Manhattan, he was used to being dragged into his boss’s luxury office for a game of intimidation. With Duncan, he came to you, and no matter what deal you closed, treated each employee as an equal. As Kane watched him settle in the chair opposite his desk, white hair neatly combed back, gaze peering over his silver glasses, he was struck by a sense of ease he rarely experienced in his career field.

“Of course. Is everything okay?”

Duncan’s smile was gentle.

“That’s what I came to ask you. Stealth called. Said you’d delayed the contract meeting and they weren’t happy. You haven’t responded?”

He fell back into the familiar role, masking his features into a calm ease.

“I had some issues with scheduling but it’s already on the calendar for tomorrow morning. Apologize you got dragged into it. I’ll call Todd ASAP.”

Duncan studied him for a long moment. Kane held his smile, used to the mask he wore after so many years of being forced to use it.

“I’m not mad, son. I actually wanted to chat about a few things.”

He relaxed.

“Sure. What can I help you with?”

“Do you want to do this deal?”

He jerked. Tried to focus.

“Of course. Are you having second thoughts about me taking the job at Stealth?”

Duncan shook his hea.

“No, you misunderstand. I’ve been watching you and became concerned. Not only did you delay meetings, but my contacts say you’ve been inquiring about other properties in the area to lease. Is there something else going on you’d like to discuss?”

Kane wondered what it would be like to trust Duncan and tell him everything. That he was desperate to find a place for Flirt. That he was suddenly questioning how badly he wanted this new job. To be dragged back into a competitive, cutthroat business where the job demanded twenty-four-hour care and commitment suddenly sounded empty. Not when he could spend quality time with the woman he loved and his friends and the horses and the town he’d come to care about.

But he couldn’t. Look what happened with John. Hadn’t that taught him the most valuable lesson of all? That he could trust no one but himself? If he confessed everything to Duncan, it could all be held against him.

Better to keep his secrets tight and close this deal. Then fix the fallout. It was what he’d always done before.

“Thanks for the concern, Duncan, but things are good. I’ll get this deal finalized and transition over to Stealth. I’m so grateful for the opportunity you gave me to work here. I’ll never forget it.”

The man tipped his chin.

“Understood. I was happy to have you here. And if things ever go sideways, your job is always open.”

Surprised by the kindness, Kane tried to ignore the tightness in his throat.

“Thank you.”

He watched his boss walk out and wondered why he felt so lost when he’d just gotten back in the game.

Things were moving too fast now. He had to get ahead of it and be the one to tell Sierra before she found out and it was too late.

Sierra watched her sister enter the room and gasp in delight. Her hand flew to her mouth as she took in the crowd gathered together to celebrate the engagement. Brick stood beside her, grinning widely, while Aspen took it all in, glancing around as if searching for someone.

Their gazes met and locked across the crowded room. As only siblings could, they spoke to each other in thoughts and responses.

I cannot believe you did this. Everything is so beautiful.

I enjoyed every moment. You both deserve it.

I wish Mom and Dad could be here. To see this party you threw for me and know I’m happy. For them to know we’re okay.

Me, too. But I’m sure they know.

They both teared up and started laughing. Sierra closed the distance and gave Aspen a hug, savoring the embrace.

“Thank you,”

Aspen choked out.

Brick leaned down to give her a bear hug.

“You should’ve been a party planner, Sierra. Everything is perfect.”

She turned and smiled at Kane. He hung back, giving her the spotlight, but she motioned him forward.

“I had some amazing help from your best man.”

He reached her side and greeted both Aspen and Brick.

“Congratulations. You look stunning.”

Brick preened, smoothing out the lines of his fancy paisley cuffed shirt that Kane had bought him. Sierra admitted he looked even more handsome with the polished outfit. She’d rarely seen him outside of shorts and a t-shirt.

But her sister wowed in a little black dress with lace and a plunging neckline. A gold cuff bracelet, chandelier earrings and a lariat necklace from Flirt elevated the style. Aspen had tried to stuff her feet into Sierra’s black Louboutin’s but after hobbling for five minutes, her sister gave up. Fortunately, Sierra surprised her with some classic Miu Miu slingbacks she’d discovered on sale, and they looked divine.

Aspen beamed.

“Thank you. Seems you survived co-planning with my sister and lived to tell about it.”

Her eyes danced.

“If Sierra is impressed, I can’t imagine how much effort you put in. You’re a good friend, Kane.”

Unbelievably, red flushed Kane’s cheeks. Brick must’ve seen it too but he just slapped him on the shoulder, eyes shining a bit bright.

“Thanks for doing this. Means a lot.”

Kane cleared his throat.

“No problem. I’ll grab you a drink so you can start mingling.”

He walked toward the bar and disappeared into the crowd.

Aspen grabbed her hand and lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Did he just blush or am I hallucinating? Oh, my God, he’s got it bad for you!”

“Stop! It’s your engagement party which means the subject all night is you. Not me.”

With a gentle push, Aspen moved forward into the throng all excited to talk to the couple.

“Have fun.”

Brick guided his fiancée with a hand to her lower back, and soon they both got swallowed up in celebration.

Sierra grabbed the signature champagne cocktail called The Romantic, and sipped the light pink bubbly as she wandered and made sure it was all running smoothly. She chatted with various groups, hanging for a while with Inez and Brooklyn, then went to check to make sure more oysters were brought out. She was about to enter the kitchen when someone grabbed her from behind and elegantly spun her around.

Kane gave that heart-stopping mischievous grin.

“You are not allowed to go in the kitchen. They have it under control, sweetheart.”

She gave a huff.

“They ran out of oysters so I was just—”

she trailed off as another server popped out holding a new tray. Sierra bit her lip.

“Oh. Well, I wanted to make sure they knew.”

He took her hand and gently tugged.

“You worked your ass off and now it’s time to enjoy. Did you try the Cynic drink? The hint of sour mix is brilliant. Reminds me of Brick’s grumpiness.”

She couldn’t help laughing.

“Remember I didn’t approve that drink. It was all you.”

“And I’m proud of my brilliance in creating it.”

His gaze slowly morphed into a heated stare.

“Have I told you how sexy you look? How I keep making excuses to put my hands on you?”

He lowered his voice to a growl.

“You wore those shoes for me, didn’t you?”

Sierra tilted her chin up in challenge. She loved bantering with this man, who seemed to combine the perfect allotment of humor, wit, and sexual innuendo to keep her sharp.

“I hate to break you of illusions, but women wear shoes for other women. Men rarely notice.”

“I do.”

Those green eyes roved over her figure with masculine appreciation.

“Red is bold. Unapologetic. A bit rebellious.”

Sierra had chosen a simple wrap dress in lipstick red. The sexy slippery material was usually too flimsy for her curves, but she’d wriggled into the perfect undergarments to pull it off with support. Manolo Blahnik stilettos matched the dress in pure classic lines with a square buckle of sequins glittering in dramatic fashion.

And yes. She’d worn the shoes for him.

“I wore them because they matched my dress. You’re overthinking.”

Most men would back down. Not Kane.

“No. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

His lower lip quirked.

“Those shoes promise me something.”

She took a step forward so they were inches apart. The crowd and lights and music faded away to a dull roar under the sting of his gaze and the spicy scent of his cologne. The crisp black shirt and perfectly tailored pants screamed confident masculinity. A wayward curl fell over his high forehead. She ached to brush it back, press her lips to his, and lean against all those hard muscles.

“What do they promise, Kane?”

she drawled, lowering her lids to half-mast.

He sucked in a breath. Coils of sensual tension slithered around them, pulling tight.

“What I’ve been wanting since the moment I saw you. They promise I get to fuck you tonight. In all the ways I dreamed of for four long years.”

Every smart-ass retort died on her lips as her voice disappeared. She swayed on her stilettos, but he caught her, gently squeezing her arms. The crude declaration should have made her stalk away but he’d out-gamed her.

Because she wanted the same exact thing.

His smile widened with pure satisfaction.

“Cat got your tongue?”

Somehow, she rallied.

“Nope. I simply have nothing to say to such an outrageous statement.”

He put his mouth next to her ear.

“Stop flirting with me, Sierra. I need to focus on this party, and then, I’ll focus on you.”

Her jaw dropped as he pressed a kiss to her temple and walked away.

“I. Do. Not. Flirt!”

But he was already stepping into a conversation with Marco and Brick, leaving the words hanging in the air.

Damn the man. He was impossible.

Inez and Brooklyn immediately swarmed her.

“You sneaky slut,”

Inez teased, grabbing her hand.

“That was the hottest scene I’ve ever eavesdropped on. You were practically melting over each other.”

Brooklyn had a dreamy look in her eyes.

“That man hurts my eyes with his sexiness. And you look sensational—all glowy and hot. Oh, my God, the Manolos! You are serious tonight!”

Sierra couldn’t help laughing at the remark. He’d definitely won that round.

Her friends peppered her with questions. She answered some, dodged the others. But confessed they still hadn’t slept together yet and they were figuring things out.

“Not much to figure out,”

Inez said.

“Things look pretty perfect from over here. He’s your sister’s fiancé’s bestie. The town loves him. He’s into you. All the checkmarks are there.”

“Things do seem to be going well,”

she said with a hint of worry.

Brooklyn sighed.

“I know it’s hard to believe it won’t all fall apart. After your divorce, you grew in so many ways but you also kept yourself locked up tight. When I see you two together, it’s like your light is back on, Sierra.”

Inez nodded.

“It’s totally okay to go slow and have doubts. That’s how trust is built. Just don’t create obstacles when there aren’t any to keep yourself safe.”

Sierra smiled.

“I love you, guys. Thanks for the therapy session, I think I needed that.”

The next hour flew by as the buffet opened and everyone mingled.

She was on her third Romantic cocktail when Deanna and Carlos motioned her over. Deanna owned the café and Carlos owned the toy store next to Flirt. After casualties were exchanged, Deanna gave a frown.

“We wanted to ask if you’d heard anything about Bernie getting you a lease renewal. I know yours is up before ours but there have been some rumors flying around that are freaking me out.”

“No, he’s not answering my calls. I just figured he was busy and would get it to me soon. What have you heard?”

Carlos and Deanna exchanged a look.

“My friend works for a real estate place. Has connections with some developers and it seems they’re looking to put in a luxury hotel. Our building may be up for sale.”

Sierra tried to process.

“Wait—you think we’ll have a new landlord? Are you worried our rents will go up or something worse?”

Deanna shrugged.

“Don’t know. Depends on who it sells to and what Benny wants. I mean, the place has been falling apart lately—he hasn’t made any repairs to the lot or the roof. Maybe it’s his way of getting out of expensive repairs. Property values are crazy high.”

Sierra nodded.

“To be honest, I was trying not to worry but Benny has kind of disappeared. Crap. Isn’t that property too small to convert to a hotel? I doubt we’d be prime real estate for that move.”

Carlos took a sip of his beer.

“Probably right. They’d have to own the land behind to do anything of value. We’re trying to get a meeting with Benny together. Want to join us?”

“Definitely. Let’s get ahead of this instead of being surprised. Maybe we can hire a lawyer to look over the lease or our options?”

“Good idea,”

Deanna said.

Sierra tried not to worry during her sister’s party, so she tucked the information aside for tomorrow. The cake was rolled out, and she couldn’t help feeling proud of their choice when everyone oohed and aahed over the multi-tier sugar concoction. Kane checked on her, bringing her a slice and making sure she sat to eat. His gentle scolding was like a warm blanket wrapped around her. As the oldest and always in charge, it was rare anyone tried to mother her. Having him so attentive fed her hungry soul.

The DJ began to play and people started to dance. Inez and Brooklyn gave a shriek and dragged her out, refusing to listen to her protests. Soon, Aspen joined them and Sierra let herself go, allowing her body and mind and soul to be free.

“Dancing Queen”

blasted out and women flooded the floor, joining together to loudly sing the lyrics. There was something about dancing with other women, feeling safe enough to surrender to the movement of limbs and shaking of hips, of heads flung back and skirts flashing bare legs. The crowd lining the floor began to clap and sing along, and Sierra hung on to her sister as they spun and lip-synced full force.

She caught Kane’s eye and her heart leapt. His gaze was focused on her, a wide grin curving his lips, obviously enjoying the show.

That’s when Sierra made her final decision.

Tonight, Kane Masterson would finally be in her bed.

***

Kane watched her dance and felt transformed.

There was something about seeing her so free and expressive, not giving a shit who was looking, not giving a crap who she impressed, that made her the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.

“You got it bad, man.”

He turned to see Marco watching him with his usual grin. The young man sported his usual shaggy brown hair that screamed surfer dude, but his golden-brown eyes were clear, and not foggy with his tendency to smoke weed on Hump Day or weekends. “I do,”

Kane admitted.

“Has there ever been a woman you couldn’t forget?”

“Yeah.”

His gaze held a tumble of memory.

“I was in love bad once but I lost her. Couldn’t get my shit together.”

“You were too young. I’m past thirty, and I’m just getting my shit together.”

Marco laughed.

“Doubt it. Look at you. All Bond-like and smooth. You’re also a good guy. Helped Brick out when he needed it. Helped Judy out with the sea turtle watches. Helped me with that finance program I would’ve never figured out. Maleficent said Mrs. Simone told her you drive her around so she doesn’t have to pay for Ubers and discovered you were secretly paying for half of her groceries because she’s on social security. Sierra would be nuts to reject you.”

Kane scratched his head and considered his words.

“But does that make me a good person for a relationship? I keep things to myself. In fact, I have something big to tell her and I’m afraid it may break us.”

“Communication in a relationship is key to it all. You gotta tell her. They always find out the truth anyway. If you lie, you lose her. Better to confess and beg for forgiveness.”

He pondered the words.

“Smart advice.”

Marco gave a long sigh as he stared longingly to the dance floor. Kane caught Maleficent laughing with Aspen and Sierra, spinning on her heel, her fuchsia strands of hair whipping in the air.

“Maybe you can do me a solid and help me with Mal. I’m crazy about her, but she won’t give me the time of day.”

“She’s older than you, Marco.”

“By eight years, man. I’ve been living on my own terms since I was seventeen. Had to take care of myself since no one else would. I know how I feel and what I can handle. I just want a shot to show her I think we can be great together.”

Surprise hit. It was easy for everyone to dismiss Marco. But Kane also knew there had been a lot of changes in him the past year. He got serious about his business and began making a profit. He stopped taking off lunches and closing up at all hours. He began studying marketing. He was also well-read and could dive deep into various conversations.

Kane wondered if he was being too quick to judge like so many others. Mal had gone after a man who was a few decades older when she was with Brick’s grandfather, Ziggy. Why not be open to someone younger if he was the right fit?

“Before you decide to change yourself, you gotta be serious about that woman. She’s not out for play, Marco. She wants a real relationship.”

“So do I.”

Kane looked him in the eye and only saw resolve and a new maturity that had been brewing for a while.

“Okay. I can help you. But you have to play the long game. Women need time to see a man in a new light. The first steps are easy because it’s surface. The deeper levels will need to be revealed slowly. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah. Am I getting a makeover? ‘Cause that’s fire, man. Just like in all those romance novels where the heroine is transformed except, I’m the hero.”

Kane blinked. “Sure.”

He gave Marco’s casual cargo pants and black t-shirt a shudder. He was actually wearing leather sandals.

“You’re not Jesus. You are a serious businessman like she is. Take your clothes seriously, and it’s the beginning.”

“Got it.”

“And you gotta get rid of the hair.”

Marco paused, then sighed.

“I’d do it for her.”

“We’ll talk more about this later.”

Kane glanced toward Sierra with a slow smile.

“I have something important to do.”

He thumped Marco on the shoulder and headed to the dance floor.

It was time to tell the woman he loved the truth.