A Bride for the Billionaire Bad Boy (The Romero Brothers, Book 2) (5 page)

“Have fun, but not too much!” Zack playfully slapped
Lucas on the back before exiting the elevator on the 43
^rd
floor.

Lucas growled and mock punched his brother in the arm.
Of course, they were both athletic and had iron biceps, so it wasn’t as if he
could really hurt his darling big brother. Zack was only one year older than
Lucas but he looked up to him. They always looked out for each other. Of all
the brothers, they loved each other and fought for each other but Zack and
Lucas seemed to hang out the most. Their interests were more similar than the
other siblings.

***

Later, Lucas pulled up to the offices on Front Street
for Dream Weddings, Inc. He had already called ahead of time to speak with security
about having access to the private back entrance in case any reporters were
lurking about. That way, they wouldn’t see which office he would be going to.
Luckily security and he were tight and it wasn’t the first time they’d done
favors for his family. Lucas had to always think two steps ahead. That was the
blessing, or the curse, of being a Romero.

When he got to the loft offices at Dream Weddings,
Inc., Lucas was shocked to see a detective there. “Is everything okay here, officer?”
Lucas’s deep voice commanded authority.

Maxine felt as if her limbs were going to give way. Heat
rushed through her body.
Lucas Romero?

Oh, my God!
What is he doing here?

Why
was she always captivated by
this…sexy Adonis
?
Oh, no. Not
Lucas too-hot-for-his-own-good Romero.
Anyone but him
.

“Yes, everything is fine, sir,” the officer said to
Lucas. “Just a routine report.”

“Oh, good,” Lucas’s voice was edgy and curt as he
responded to the officer.

The detective nodded and left. It was evident that somehow
the officer knew who Lucas was. There seemed to be that air of respect there.
The Romero family was
well-known
in the city. They
were a prominent family for a reason.

Maxine was stumped. She still couldn’t get her head
around this.

Lucas Romero?

She knew Toni Romero had said he was going to assist
her in helping her secure new software for her company but she had no idea
Lucas Romero would be the man in charge. Why hadn’t Toni warned her?

Her mind was mush all of a sudden.

She couldn’t think. She was in a daze. Giddy like a
school girl
with a massive crush on the captain of the
football team.

Maxine stood in the reception area of her office when she
caught sight of his tall, lean frame and his broad shoulders accentuated by the
expensive looking dark blue suit he was wearing. It looked like an Italian
designer cut from what she had studied in that workshop on selecting the
best tailored
suits for grooms. His dark cropped hair and
sexy stubble caught her off guard. The man had a
sexually-charged
rugged bad boy appeal, that was for sure.

“Hi. Are you okay?” Lucas’s deep, rich voice caused a
surprising reaction in Maxine. She was in a momentary trance from the moment he
said “hi.” His dark, rich caramel eyes melted her inside like warm butter in a
pan. Oh, his eyes were so sexy.

Oh, no.
I can’t be around this guy. Not now.

“I’m fine, thank you,” she replied a little more
breathless than she intended. Her heart rate must have been climbing by the
second. “I’m surprised to see you. Did you have an appointment?” Maxine tried
to compose her voice and quiet the internal trembling.

Maxine,
he’s just a guy.
Just an ordinary guy.

Yeah,
one who’s headlining every tabloid in town right
now.
And he’s here.
In my office.

“Well, I’m here by special request. But what was that
all about with the police?”

“Oh, I just…it’s nothing. Just some prank notes.”

“Prank notes?” His voice grew dark. Lucas seemed very
much concerned. Angered even. Was he that worked up over something that
happened to her?

“Um…I’ll go to Starbucks to get some coffee,” Betty interrupted,
sounding uncomfortable as she eased out of her chair in the reception area.
Maxine almost forgot Betty was present.

“Sure. That would be great, Betty. Lucas, can we get
you anything?”

“I’m good. I just want to know if you’re going to be
alright.” Lucas's voice was baritone low and edged with steel. His jaw was
clenched. He was fired up all right.

She would be fired up too, but his aura and the scent
of his cologne was irresistible to her and lulled her senses.
Oh, heavens.

Were all the Romero men hot, sexy and this bad?

There was an electrical current between them. Maxine
didn’t know if she was coming or going. She really wanted to be going…away with
him, into his burly arms. She wanted him to carry her away but she could never
let on to that.

Maxine hugged herself feeling so self-conscious.

Here was Lucas Romero and she should be thinking about
that darned letter. Instead she was fretting about how awful she must look since
she barely slept a wink while tending to her mother at the nursing home and at
the same time figuring out how to balance the books late into the night so that
she wasn’t the one responsible for running the company into the ground.

Man, she really needed to get a life. Her thoughts
were all over the place. Was this the effect this Romero man had over her? So
it was true what her friend Lucy said. Lucy mentioned about how Antonio made
her feel and she recalled how dazed and giddy Lucy had been since dating
Antonio. This thing the Romero men had was hereditary for sure and it wasn’t
just their charm, aura and hotness.

Maxine was all over herself. She was a nervous wreck.
She didn’t know what got into her but she turned to go into her office not
caring if Lucas followed or not. She needed to grab a seat fast.

She sat down, placed her elbows on her desk and
pressed her hands to her head. “No. I’m not okay, Lucas. But I’ll be fine. I
think we should probably reschedule our meeting for another day.”

Lucas stood rigid at the doorway to her office. “I’m
afraid you’re not going to get rid of me that easy,” he said in a low,
controlled voice.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lucas didn’t know what got into him at that moment. He
stepped inside Maxine’s office and gently closed the door behind him to give
them some privacy.

Maxine.
Maxine. Maxine.

He didn’t think he would be seeing her so soon. Here
he was in the midst of a public relations scandal whilst reporters camped
outside his family’s estate and currently his only sole focus was on Maxine
Summers and her safety.

Damn, she looked finer than he’d remembered. Her dark,
shiny locks cascaded down her back. She was simple beauty personified. A
natural. No caked-on makeup. Her lips were full and red as a
ripe
 
pomegranate
. He wondered if
they’d taste as sweet as they looked.

Lucas,
that’s what’s gotten you into trouble in the beginning. Enough already.

He was there to do business not poke his nose into her
personal life. But he couldn’t help himself. He was a man who acted on impulse
and followed his gut instincts. Everything else that occurred as a result, he
would just deal with.

This girl had some sort of hold over him. He honestly
didn't know how or why. She wasn't wild or flashy. Not his type really, but the
way she dressed, the way she swayed her rounded hips when she walked into her
office, obviously unaware of the view he was left with of her behind when she
turned her back on him. She wore a dark fitted pencil skirt,
low
heeled
pumps and knitted light purple vest with matching cardigan with
what appeared to be custom jewelry. Lucas always took note of his surroundings
and people. He often studied them and within seconds could sum up a lot of
things. It was an old habit of his he’d learned from his cousin Dion who owned
a private detective agency. At family gatherings Dion would entertain them with
tips from his trade. Maxine was simple and elegant without even trying. Not
like those women he’d been unfortunate to cross paths with during his weekend
rendezvous at the hottest clubs in the downtown core. They had their place and
time, but the scene was getting old.

He realized this ever since he’d danced with her at
his cousin’s wedding. And even before that she’d captured his interest while he
was surreptitiously checking her out. She was a fine young woman. That was for
sure. But there was something else about her.

“Now. Are you going to tell me what’s really going on
or am I going to have to drag it out of you?” Lucas looked directly into
Maxine’s beautiful dark eyes. He could tell she was anxious. Was she nervous
because of his presence or because of what just happened to her—whatever
that was?

Now he’d like to get hold of the creep who did this to
her. She was much too fine to be going through this sort of hell. Was somebody
threatening her? Was that why Officer
Lindle
dropped
by the office?
 

Lucas was no fool and he happened to be an
acquaintance of
Lindle
since his foundation hosted
various events and donated to the Police Community Relations Initiative to help
troubled youth.

“I…I’m fine really,” she stammered, dropping her gaze to
the desk.

Lucas moved in closer and casually pulled up a chair
opposite her. “No. You’re not. Don’t lie
to
 
me
, Maxine.” His tone was
more curt
than he intended.

“You’re here for a business arrangement, I gather.”
Maxine looked up to meet his gaze once again.

Lucas noted the dark circles under her eyes yet he
could still see beauty beyond the fatigue. She looked weary, no doubt, yet so
innocent and harmless.

“Are you trying to brush me off, Miss Summers?” Lucas
arched a brow.

“Yes.” Maxine cocked a brow and a grin touched the
corner of her lips.

He liked that. Oh, those lips of hers. When would he
get his chance to taste them?
he
wondered. Was she
trying to be brave all of a sudden? Well, this was certainly a charmer. Often
women flocked to him, played at his feet and sucked up to him.
But no, not this one.
She couldn’t care less about his name
or who he was or what he had. She treated him like any ordinary Joe on the
street.

Good.

Maxine was a breath of fresh air. His grandfather was
right about sending him personally to help her with her software program. It
would take his mind off his own troubles and he would enjoy her heartwarming
company. She could try to be as mean to him all she wanted but he could see
something in her eyes, hear it in her tone of voice. She wasn’t about to admit
it, he gathered, but he knew when a woman was interested in him. But he knew
she had other pressing matters on her mind.

“We’ll talk business in a moment,” Lucas stated. He
tried to avoid grinning in amusement. She was a feisty one, wasn’t she? God,
this woman was causing a sexual reaction inside him right now. If only she’d
known how much he wanted to take her, right across her desk.

“If you know anything about me,” he continued, leaning
forward with his elbows resting on his knees, “people come first with me, not
business. And right now, Maxine, your well-being
is
my business.” His tone was cool and to the point.

Maxine trembled inside. Butterflies exploded in her
belly and there was that weak, giddy feeling again. Oh, his voice resonated through
her body. Maxine had to get a hold of
herself
. After
all, Lucas was in the midst of a scandal that highlighted his womanizing ways.

Wait a
minute. Did he just say my
well-being
was his
business?
Oh, my God!
The thought both thrilled and terrified Maxine simultaneously. Lucas Romero was
interested in her personally? In her
well-being
?
Maxine had never really had any man want to stand up for her like that.
Especially not a man so important and larger than life like Lucas
Romero.

What had she done to deserve the honor of his…honor?

She had better watch out, though. The last thing she
needed was more trouble. And Lucas Romero was the epitome of trouble with a
capital T. But oh, he was so irresistible. How could she not want to be around
him? Oh, why did things have to be so complicated?

Her eyes drank in his magnificent form. Lucas was very
tall. He must've been way over six feet maybe six-four she guessed. And he had
the most beautiful dark, smooth skin she’d ever seen on a man. He filled out
nicely in his suit with his broad shoulders.

She could tell he was muscular and heard that he
worked out at the gym quite often as much as his cousin and brothers. Okay, so
she admitted to herself that at times she would stalk him online by simply
reading the news articles about him, admiring his photos.