Samhain Publishing Ltd, Ebooks and Books in Print

Uwrapped by Jaci Burton

As always, Amy felt like an unwanted third whenever she and Justin met with Mitch. Justin had apprenticed for the legal department of one of Mitch’s corporations while in college before coming to work for McKenzie and Shoals. They were close, almost like brothers, even though they weren’t close in age. But their easy, relaxed camaraderie was always a bit disconcerting. She wasn’t used to sitting back and being quiet. That wasn’t her style at all.

The Tiki Lounge stood high on a deck overlooking the ocean. The swirling breeze provided a cooling respite from the humidity as they walked outside and were seated at a table cornering the outdoor restaurant.

“Mai Tais,” Mitch announced to the waitress, holding up three fingers before turning his attention on Amy. “Hope you don’t mind eating here. I hate being stuck inside the offices or the suite. Nothing like fresh air and a Hawaiian sunset to relax after a hard day. Besides, if I know you, you haven’t been outside much yet.”

“I spent the afternoon at the gift shop.”

“There’s a surprise,” Justin said. “I thought you’d spend it working.”

If she hadn’t needed clothes, she would have. “I’ll work later tonight.”

Their drinks arrived and when Amy took a sip, she grinned at the tangy, fruity flavor. “Oh, this is good.” She’d always been a sucker for a sweet drink. It was like having a forbidden dessert.

Their business was discussed over drinks, all the last minute details ironed out. They had only to go over the documents tomorrow to finalize everything and make arrangements for the transfer of assets to complete the deal.

Amy spied a couple strolling along the water’s edge, the woman wearing a simple white shift, a row of flowers in her hair. She held a bouquet. The man had on a white linen suit.

“Newlyweds,” Mitch said with a grin. “Lots of people come here to get married. You’ll see a ton of them.”

Amy nodded. “Uh-huh.” She really should have bought a new vibrator.

“Hawaii is all about sex and romance, you know,” Mitch said. “Must be something in the air.”

Amy shifted and squeezed her legs together, determined to quell her libido. She would not think about sex. “So, Mitch, are you satisfied with the arrangements for the acquisition?”

Mitch laid his hand over hers. “Amy, relax. The acquisition is fine. There’s nothing left to do but paperwork.” He gave her fingers a light squeeze. “You really need to let loose and enjoy yourself, breathe in the Hawaiian air, have another Mai Tai.”

Let loose? “Mitch, I appreciate the sentiment, really. But Justin and I are here to work. For you. We’re not on vacation.”

“There’s not much paperwork left to do except going over the finer details and making sure everything’s signed,” Justin said. “Mitch is right, Amy. Have fun while you’re here and relax.”

Easy for him to say. He took everything lightly, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Amy was serious about her job, her career, advancing up the corporate ladder. This acquisition had to go down perfectly.

“Don’t you ever unwind?”

“Of course I do.”

Mitch leaned back in his chair. “Really. And what do you do for fun?”

“I work out at the gym.”

Justin snorted. Amy shot him a glare.

“That’s relaxing to you?” Mitch asked.

“It releases the tension and keeps me in shape.”

“Well, there’s no doubt you’re in shape, but there are much better ways to release tension.”

Oh, God. She didn’t even want to think of all the “better” ways she could release tension, and she wasn’t about to discuss the other ways she released, especially in the privacy of her bedroom. And she especially didn’t want to start thinking about said release while in the company of two very sexy men. Her fantasies were vivid enough without sending her mind into overdrive.

She took a long swallow of her drink. It was sweet, so she took another, quenching her thirst until the glass was empty. At least one of her thirsts, anyway. Mitch signaled the waitress and in short order she had another full drink. Yummy.

“Damn, Mitch, I should have never left your side,” Justin said, tipping his glass toward him. “You’ve made one hell of a life for yourself.”

“Thanks. So much a life that I have to unload some of the business side of it so I have a chance to enjoy a few of the fruits of all the years of labor.”

“That’s why you have us,” Amy said. “To help you divest some of your hard work. It’s time for you to relax a little and unburden yourself.”

Mitch laughed. “I’m hardly ready to head out to pasture yet, Amy.”

Amy sat straight in her chair, realizing her blunder. “Oh. Of course not. That’s not what I meant at all. I mean, for someone your age you’re in phenomenal shape. Most guys half your age don’t look as good as you.”

She realized she was babbling, and in a really inappropriate way. Why didn’t she just crawl into his lap, lick him all over and just complete the humiliation?

Her cheeks flushed hot, her eyes widened, and Mitch grinned.

Jesus, could he read her mind?

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Long flight, not much sleep and…what’s in these drinks anyway?” She pushed the offending cocktail to the center of the table.

Mitch pushed it back in front of her. “Amy, chill. I’m the last person to be insulted. I want you and Justin to have a good time here. I’m a pretty laid back kind of guy. You can say, or do, anything you want.”

He wasn’t helping by saying things like that.

“Now that’s a tempting offer,” Justin said, slanting his gaze to Amy. “And Mitch is right, Amy. You do need to unwind.”

Amy’s gaze shifted back and forth between Justin and Mitch, and her fruity-drink-addled brain went foggy.

Oh, yeah. That could be fun and a fantasy come true. Sexy, forbidden Justin, the man who’d fueled her fantasies for years, and rugged, outdoorsy Mitch, older, experienced…

To Do List by Lauren Dane

He heard her muttering and tapped on her door. When she opened it, she stood there tousled and holding a legal pad and three different colored pens.

“Hi.”

“Hi there. You want to come in?” She stood back and he took the bottle of tequila and the shot glasses in with him.

“You look stressed. I say we do a few shots, make out a lot, you let me get to, oh say third base and we call it a night.”

Her brow furrowed and the cutest little line etched between her eyes. “Really?”

“Belle Taylor, I know you’re not offended. You get a totally different look on your face when you’re offended. Why are you confused?” He put the bottle and glasses down before tossing himself on the bed.

She put the pad on the desk on the far side of the room and lined her pens up, horizontally, one by one, in a neat and orderly row. Then she exhaled and pursed the lips he knew tasted like heaven.

“I’m confused because you’ve always treated me like Brian’s pesky little sister and tonight out of the blue you kiss me and then tease me and talk about sex and show up in my room and suggest third base!”

“I did indeed. I’d suggest more but I want to drag that out. At least for another day or so.” He laughed, loving the way she snorted at him.

“I could use a drink. Move over. Jeez, you’re a bed hog.” She smoothed out the blankets before she sat. “What? No salt or lime?”

“If I had it, you could lick it off my belly.” Wait, that wasn’t a tease, that sounded just fine to him as a matter of fact.

“Well do you?” One of her regal eyebrows slid upward and her mouth struggled against a smile.

He sat up and filled both glasses with the tawny liquid. “Go on, you first. God knows you look like you could use it.” He could too after her little tease.

She took the glass and drained it, her eyes watering a bit as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand very uncharacteristically.

“Belle Taylor, did you just wipe tequila off your mouth with the back of your hand like, oh I don’t know, like me?” He laughed before doing the same thing and refilling their glasses.

“When does the kissing start?” Her eyes widened and she quickly drained the next shot. “Crap, I can’t even blame that on the alcohol yet.”

“You want another?”

“Why not?”

Belle let the heat of the alcohol settle into her, bringing a languid fluidity to her muscles. She sighed and looked at the man in bed with her.

“You’re really gorgeous, you know that?”

“I like it when you’ve been drinking, Belle.” He winked and she snorted.

“Whatever. You were going to tell me why you’re suddenly interested in my bases after giving me sweaters for Christmas for the last dozen years.”

He grabbed her ankle and yanked, pulling her down as he rolled on top of her. Wow, he was good.

His mouth met hers, insistent, wet and hot. It was just the two of them, no worries about someone walking into the hallway. She let go of her control and gave in, sliding her hands up his arms, over his shoulders and into his hair. Soft, so soft and cool against her skin.

Heat licked at her insides when his tongue confidently invaded her mouth. When he rolled his hips, she moved, wrapping one of her calves around his ass, opening herself to him and holding him in place.

He broke the kiss, and looked into her face. “Just making sure you’re still with me. I think about your bases a lot. I have for several years now. I told myself it was stupid to give in but you taste too good to resist. You’re here, I’m here and we’re both adults who know and like each other.”

“I’m still with you, although you’re not feeling me up or anything, which if I recall correctly, is part of the bases thing, right? And how long? God, you’ve wanted to kiss me and…” she shivered violently when he trailed fingertips up her belly, against her bare skin under her tee shirt, “…do that? You just kept it to yourself when I’ve like had the dirtiest fantasies ever about you?”