Her Accidental Boyfriend: A Secret Wishes Novel (Entangled Bliss) (2 page)

Before he forced her to marry the man sitting across from her.

“He wants you to come home,” Brett said. “
I
want you to come home. There’s nothing keeping you here. Small town doesn’t suit a city girl like you.”

“I’m not going back. Not yet.”

“Yet?” He sounded hopeful, and Kagan didn’t want to mislead him. Her father had no jurisdiction over her love life and the fact that Brett went along with the idea of marriage even though they’d never been romantically involved really riled her, but she never wanted to hurt his feelings.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I have a boyfriend,” she blurted out. “And it’s serious.”

Chapter Two

Shane Sullivan hated complications.

He’d mastered keeping his job and personal life simple and straightforward, although he used entirely different skills working toward the end goal.

With his hands behind his head, he relaxed against the leather desk chair in his corner office. He loved his job as project manager for Burke & Associates, one of the largest architectural firms on the west coast. For the past eighteen months, he’d happily spent ten- to twelve-hour days as point person on The Duchess, Cascade’s new oceanfront boutique hotel. The grand opening was set for this weekend, and he’d just deflected a major hiccup.

Three, two, one.

His boss flew into his office with a mega-watt smile on her warm and attractive face. Her joy lit a firecracker of pride inside Shane and he leaned forward on his desk, thrilled to work for and learn from this smart and creative woman.

“You did it again,” Belinda Burke said. “Thanks for getting us out of what could have been some painful financial loss.” She extended her hand. “Not to mention an unhappy client.”

Shane stood and shook hands, the older woman hanging on longer than necessary. “It’s my job.”

“Yeah, well, no one knows details like you do. Keep this up and I’ll have no choice but to make you vice president.”

“You won’t regret it.” His pulse turned a brisk tempo. Getting that kind of promotion at his age was unheard of. He wanted it. He wanted it bad. By some stroke of amazing luck, he’d found something he loved and excelled at. The townspeople of Cascade thought he was nothing but a flirt and confirmed bachelor, but he had another side, that of a dedicated employee who worked his ass off to keep Burke & Associates at the top of their field.

Belinda laughed. “No doubt.” She stepped back from Shane’s desk. “Mrs. Huston made sure I knew she thought you were a dream to work with.”

“Did she?” He smirked. Mrs. Huston, wife of hotel magnate Duke Huston, was “the duchess.” This afternoon Shane might have used his charm to alleviate a mistake that had left the hotel’s fifty-something namesake none too happy.

“She blushed every time she mentioned you.” Belinda shook her head and gave a closed-mouth smile in admiration. “The woman has a stick up her ass ninety-nine percent of the time, but you can get her to loosen up. And forgive a major slip-up.”

“What did
you
think?” Shane asked. As the project lead the error did fall on him. The second he’d walked into the hotel’s pool area this morning and discovered the umbrellas, couch and chair cushions, throw pillows, and cabanas were not white and coffee-colored as ordered, but lapis blue and pale yellow, he’d had two choices. Bawl out his buyer for the screw-up, which wouldn’t solve his problem, or spin it to his advantage.

“I think you’re a genius and it looks outstanding.”

As luck would have it, he’d done his research on the Hustons and knew they’d met at the University of Michigan. So when Mrs. Huston almost had a coronary upon discovering the outdoor colors were not what she wanted, Shane had quieted her by disclosing it as a surprise to honor her alma mater, whose colors were maize and blue.

Shane complimented her, mentioned how her eyes matched the blue of the décor, and guided her around the pool with her arm securely hooked in his.

Two minutes and she’d bought it, happy to be overruled and sharing stories about her college days.

“Thanks, Belinda.”

“Love that bachelor status of yours. You’ve got women young and old eating out of the palm of your hand. Mrs. Huston can’t decide if she wants you for herself or her daughter.

“A young, single guy like you is exactly who I need to pinch-hit for me when the occasion calls for it.” Belinda headed out of the office. “Keep up the great work and get out of here at a normal hour tonight.”

“Will do,” Shane called out. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand along his jawline. Belinda hadn’t just implied he flirt with clients, had she? Shit. He hadn’t meant for his reputation outside the office to seep into work hours.

Besides the inkling that he stay single to get the promotion, though, he’d planned on staying a bachelor. His reason always sat in the back of his mind, a constant reminder of the wrong he’d done. He’d never hurt anyone again because he’d never put himself in a position to be counted on again.

“Hey,” Drew said, poking her head inside his office. “I didn’t want to bother you when Ms. Burke was here so I took a message rather than put the call through.”

“No problem.” He waved in his part-time intern, grateful to get his mind on something else. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath and studied the notepad in her hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t catch her name. She spoke rather quickly. But she said that something had come up tomorrow night that she couldn’t get out of, so she wasn’t going to be able to make it to the party with you. She wanted me to tell you she was super, super sorry and she…”

“Yeah?”

Drew glanced up, then quickly back down. “She’ll be sleeping naked and dreaming about you.”

“Sorry about that,” Shane said, trying to suppress a laugh. He’d left an impression, at least.

“It’s okay.”

“You should take off now. Thanks for your help today.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you next week.”

Shane nodded and swiveled his chair to catch a glimpse of the descending sun out the window. Reddish orange stripes marked the sky, and relief that the day was over stretched across his shoulder blades.

It was a shame he wouldn’t have a date for tomorrow night, but now he’d be able to freely mingle and network at the hotel’s opening gala. Unless Mrs. Huston did bring her daughter, in which case he’d have no choice but to spend time with her. He’d caught a glimpse of her once—tall, easy on the eyes—but by the sounds of it, Mrs. Huston would have them married off, and he wanted no part of that.

Which meant interference wouldn’t be a bad idea.

A certain blond, green-eyed waitress popped into his head.
Kagan
. Ever since she’d arrived in town he’d been intrigued by her. He’d flirted, always made conversation when they ran into each other around town so he could hear her sweet, velvety voice. But she’d shrugged off his teasing and interest without a second thought. Almost as if she didn’t believe he wanted her.

Or didn’t notice.

He’d watched her at the Crown & Anchor and sure, she talked and joked around with her customers, but he’d noted no one got too close. Her natural beauty, easygoing demeanor, and sexy-as-hell smile got plenty of attention, yet she didn’t seem aware of the way she charmed everyone.

Last week they’d bumped into each other at Crem’s and the second her side brushed his it was like a speeding bullet crashed into his gut and fractured into hot bundles of nerves that bothered everything inside him. He’d stayed in a state of semi-arousal all day after that. Even when she wasn’t near, she affected him.

Okay, so it could be the sweater she’d accidentally left at the bakery that he’d grabbed to return to her, but still had sitting in the front seat of his car.

Or it could be he wanted to feel every inch of her and find those special spots that undid her.

Whatever it was, thanks to a pink sweater, he had a reason to see her now. He stood, flipped off the light switch, and caught the elevator down to the lobby.

She wouldn’t agree to go out with him.

He knew that.

She’d tell him no thank you.

He knew that too.

But he wanted her to be his date tomorrow night. Something about seeing her dressed up and out of her element yanked at his curiosity.

On the drive to her house he told himself no matter how soft and apologetic her voice might be, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. As far as he knew, she lived like a hermit and this was his chance to show her some fun.

He parked on the tree-lined street in front of her townhouse. The faint smell of the ocean mixed with the scent of red roses in full bloom along her walkway. He wondered not for the first time how she’d afforded to rent such a sophisticated place, then shook his head. Not his business.

His knock wasn’t quite as confident as he’d hoped.

And shit, was he sweating? What the hell was that about?

The door swung wide and a woman he didn’t recognize smiled in greeting. “Hello?” Her gaze slid from his face to his chest to his rolled-up shirt sleeves and continued down to his black dress shoes.

“Hey. Is Kagan here?”

“For you? Definitely. Come on in.” She motioned for him to enter. “I’m Charlotte. And you are?”

“Shane Sullivan. Nice to meet you.”

“Shane?” Kagan came into view wearing frayed jean shorts that showed off her smooth, tan, mile-long legs and a see-through, loose white shirt with barely there sleeves. Underneath, she wore a striped pink bra trimmed in black lace.

He concentrated on keeping his eyes above her shoulders.

Which wasn’t much better. Absent were the black-rimmed glasses she often sported and he was gifted with a clear view of amazing green eyes. If he thought the schoolgirl look he’d appreciated at the Crown & Anchor turned him on, this was—

“Um, what are you doing here?” Kagan asked, her eyes darting down the hallway. “Now’s really not a good time.”

“I, uh…” What was he doing there? Oh yeah. “I stopped by to return the sweater you left at Crem’s last week.” He held it up before lying it over the back of the couch. “And to see if you were busy tomorrow night?”

“Hold on,” Charlotte said, putting her palm up like she wanted to stop traffic. She looked at Kagan. “I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me, Jelly Belly.”

“Jelly Belly?” Shane said, a grin overtaking his sloppy lead-in.

A gorgeous blush spread across Kagan’s cheeks. She narrowed her eyes at her friend and crossed her arms over her chest. Shit. He was looking there again.

Charlotte moved beside Kagan and put an arm around her. “She has an unhealthy attachment to them. Instead of a pie-eating contest, there was a jelly bean–eating contest in college and she wiped out the competition. Set a new record for the most Jelly Bellies eaten in ten minutes.”

“Good to know.”

“What I’d like to know is how you two know each other.”

“We don’t really,” Kagan said, shrugging out of Charlotte’s grasp. “Thanks for bringing me my sweater and it’s nice of you to ask about tomorrow night, but I’m busy.”

“You are?” Charlotte’s surprised tone told Shane that Kagan was lying.

“I’ve got that thing, remember?” Kagan raised her eyebrows.

Charlotte’s shoulders sagged like she was the one who couldn’t make it out with him. She swung her attention away from Kagan. “I guess she has a thing.”

A horn sounded from out front.

“Dammit. That must be my cab.” Charlotte peeked through the large bay window. “Yep.”

That was when Shane noticed the suitcase by the couch. He glanced around the room. It looked like they’d had a party on the dining room table. Guilt crawled up the back of his neck—he’d interrupted something.

“Where you headed?” he asked.

“Back to New York.”

Kagan wrapped her arms around Charlotte. “I’m going to miss you so much. Thanks again for coming.”

“You know I’d never miss your birthday.”

“It’s your birthday?” Shane asked.

“There might be a sliver of cake left if you want some,” Charlotte tossed over her shoulder. Then she put her mouth to Kagan’s ear. “You are so busted for not telling me about him. Forget your
thing
and go out.”

Excellent hearing ran in the Sullivan family. He smiled.

“So what kind of date are we talking?” Charlotte asked, stepping away from Kagan.

A sigh sounded from Kagan’s sexy mouth, drawing his eyes to its fullness. “It’s the opening for The Duchess,” he said. “Black tie. Food. Drink. Some music.”

“That’s the hotel you mentioned you’d been working on,” Kagan said.

“Yeah.”

“Sort of short notice to be asking me now.”

“My…” He paused. “My date just canceled on me.” He hoped she didn’t take offense.

Charlotte waved her arm in the air. “No biggie. Kagan—”

“Sorry about that,” a man interrupted, coming down the hallway and lowering a cell phone from his ear. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes narrowed on Shane.

Another car horn signaled the cabbie’s impatience.

“Dammit. I’ve got to go,” Charlotte said, reluctance in her tone. She glanced at the man and then back at Kagan. “Or maybe I don’t. I’ll catch the next flight.”

“No you won’t,” Kagan said. “I’m fine, Char. Go.” She linked arms with her friend, and they walked around him toward the front door.

Charlotte lifted her suitcase. “You sure?” Kagan nodded. “Okay. Love you, Jelly Belly. Call me over the weekend.” She smiled and like a tiny hurricane made her escape.

Once the door had shut, the guy glaring from the end of the hallway said, “This him?”

Kagan’s frown stretched across the room for a beat. Then her features softened and Shane found her sizing him up with sudden interest. She stepped closer but accidentally tripped over the knotted entryway rug. Shane caught her so that her hands landed on his chest. She took a steadying breath. “Yes, this is him.”

Him?

Before he could question what she was talking about, her sea glass green eyes focused on his with such quiet intensity that he pretty much forgot his own name. “So tomorrow night,” she said softly. “What time should I be ready?”

Her about-face confused him, and the guy across the room wouldn’t stop scowling, but he’d go with it.