Tempted (A Player Brother Romance Book) (A Standalone Novel) (Player Brothers Book 1) (6 page)

"What's that," I asked.

"That would be to make this strictly a business
dinner,” he said as he offered his arm out to me.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I took his arm unable to
resist his charms any longer.

Tan.

Muscles.

Tattoos.

And funny.

Shit.

I was tempted.

I had to get the strength deep inside of me to deny his
charm until the job was mine.

Just business.

"Okay fine," I said. "Strictly business."

We headed away from the parking lot and towards the
strip just a few blocks away. The easy playfulness that we had established
throughout the day, carried over as we found a fun looking seafood restaurant.

We had both decided to leave our suit jackets back in
our cars. I changed out of my pumps and into a pair of casual sandals. With his
sleeves rolled up and collar open, we both blended with the crowd a little more.
I felt more relaxed as we found a table and we began to look over the menu.

"The mussels are supposed to be good here,” he
suggested.

"I haven't even had a chance to try any seafood
since I've arrived,” I said.

"We're just going to have to change that,"
he said, signaling the waiter. "We'll have a plate of your freshest
mussels to start with," he instructed. "And a bottle of chardonnay
for the table, please."

"Yes sir," the server said jotting down the
appetizers and heading off to do his task.

Aiden turned back to me, resting his elbows on the
table and crossing his forearms across his chest.

"Just like old times, right?" he said.

"Right," I laughed. "Except completely
different." He chuckled. "I almost feel like we are getting to know
each other all over again. You just seem so different."

"Different how?" he asked.

"Well," I gestured feebly at him.
"You're.... taller, for example."

"Taller? That's what you're going with?"

"Okay, granted,” I said. "I just mean...
that obviously you, um... work out."

He raised an eyebrow at what he thought I was
suggesting. I kept a casual smile, while my eyes dared him to reply. He had a
smooth confidence that hadn’t yet veered into cockiness. He did like to step
right up to the edge of it though.

I scrambled to change the subject. "And this job.
I mean you must have been top of your class to land this opportunity, and since
this is a business dinner we should talk about that at least once. Business I
mean."

"Of course," he agreed with a grin.

The waiter offered a reprieve in our banter by
presenting the wine at that moment. He pulled the cork and poured a dash in
Aiden's glass. After receiving the nod he filled both glasses and placed the
bottle in a small ice bucket next to the table. The first sip flooded me with a
relaxing warmth allowing me to let myself enjoy the evening even more.

"You've come a long way, Aiden,” I said.
"That's all I'm saying."

"Thanks," he said while a wistful look
drifted across his face. "And you,"

"Me?" I said with pretend shock. "What
about me?"

"You have blossomed into a beautiful woman. But
then again you always were."

"Oh please," I said. "With the braces
and the glasses and the body of a bean pole?"

"Yes," he said. I pretended as if I didn’t
notice the shift in his tone.

The server placed in the middle of the table a huge
platter of steamed mussels with a small carafe of sauces on the side just in
time to stop him from saying much more to me. The steam poured off the plate
and filled my nostrils with the tantalizing scent making my mouth water.

We jumped in, both of us starving from the full day’s
work, pausing only to place our order with the waiter for our entree. I went
with the Caribbean chicken and he ordered a steak. I had another glass of wine,
but I wanted to hold off. Regardless, I was feeling more relaxed as the night
and the laughter continued.

"So do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

I considered telling him about the guy I had dated for
a while in college, but decided to skip that for now.

"No," I said. "I sort of stayed with
the whole career woman thing. I never dated much."

"That doesn't surprise me,” he said, taking a
swig of wine.

"Oh really. And why not?"

"Well, you never did in high school,” he said.

"I never
got asked out
in high school.
There is a difference,” I clarified.

"I find that hard to imagine,” he said. "You
never did know the effect you had on people."

I rolled my eyes.

"What about you?" I said, eager to change
the subject. "Anyone special?"

"No," he said swirling around the last
contents of his glass.

"That doesn't surprise me either,” I said.

"And why is that?" he said.

"You always had too many girlfriends in high
school,” I chided him.

"Too many?" he said. "I’m hurt. Hurt,
that you would say so."

I returned his grin behind his words. "You
know," I said. "Some of us used to say that your reputation lived up
to your name."

"Oh?"

"Your name is 'Player' after all,” I said.
"Players gotta play, right?"

"Touché, my lady,” he said with a nod. "Touché."

"This meal has been amazing," I said dabbing
my mouth with my napkin. "Thank you for talking me into it."

"We had to complete our very important business
meeting after all."

"Right," I said. "Very important."

We stood and walked outside, heading back towards the
parking lot, neither of us in any particular hurry it seemed. Night had fully
fallen and the city sky line lit up the area with bright lights.

Despite my misgivings I almost felt like I was on a
date.

I felt certain that Aiden had wanted me to feel that
way, to put my guard down. This might be a strategic play on his part, a means
of throwing me off. I found myself torn between wanting the night to continue,
wishing almost that we didn’t have the ever present reality hanging over us of
being in competition.

I couldn’t, would not let my guard down, despite how
much I may have wanted to.

I had told him the truth about not dating very much in
college. My focus had been singularly driven to find the right career path as
was my passion. If I so chose, I worry about dating once I had secured a long
term secure job. I needed to keep my guard up and not forget my true goals, no
matter how much fun we were having.

"Do you remember," he said "When we
played that joke on my brother?"

"Which one?" I asked. There had been many
and just as many returned.

"The one where we made him eat shaving
cream."

"Oh, I had almost forgotten that!" I burst
into laughter. "We had made several bowls up to look like ice cream. Yes,
I remember that."

"He was the only one that fell for it too."

"Everyone else saw right through it,” I said.
"I remember Logan asking with suspicion why the dessert smelled like
menthol."

"And then Channing comes in and dives into
it."

We had laughed for ages over that incident. He had
sputtered for half an hour trying to get the taste out of his mouth. I recalled
some sort of retaliation had come from that.

Aiden's mother had her hands full with all the boys
that most of the time she just let them hash it out with each other rather than
get involved. She said it was good for their people skills, but I think she
just had her hands full. I looked out over the city, letting the memory
reignite my mind.

"Blair," Aiden said.

His tone had changed. I should have noticed, but I
felt so relaxed that it all seemed natural. I turned to answer him, but my
voice caught in my throat by the way he was looking at me.

He placed his hand on my neck in a gentle but firm
grasp and pulled me to him. I knew what was coming instantly, but the contact
of his lips set me on fire, awakening something that had long been forgotten.
Losing myself in the moment I wrapped my arms around his neck, succumbing to
his seductive kiss.

All at once I felt like the young girl back in high
school walking down the road to our houses the day before I was to leave for college.
I felt the same butterflies and desire for him to kiss me then just as he was
now.

My mind traveled back even further
to
when the two of us had hidden in the tree house behind his home, me with my
thick rimmed glasses, an awkward preteen. Even then I had wondered what it
would have been like if he had kissed me. Yet here I stood with his lips on
mine, teasing at me with the tip of his tongue, his arm wrapped firmly around
my waist and the other caressing my neck and cheek.

I had become lost in the moment, completely forgetting
any reservation that I may have had. On one level I was aware that my body
betrayed me by returning the kiss. I had wrapped my arms around his neck,
falling against him with our bodies pressed against each other, as my will weakened
further.

I had no cares in the world that in that moment I had
opened up the flood gates, exposing myself to the risk of losing any
professional distance that i had worked so hard to maintain. We hadn’t even
been together a week and already my resolve had cracked. The stars above us
begin to wink on in the darkness competing with the bright city lights around
us.

C
hapter
Three

I pulled away from him as an inkling of reason sneaked
back into my thinking. Kissing him had to be the absolute worst thing that
could have happened.

I felt a rush of embarrassment and confusion take over
me as the adrenaline faded.

I didn’t know what had come over me, but I clung to
the notion that I could still rectify the situation. Stepping back to gain some
space between us, I pressed the back of my hand against my lips which still
burned at the contact of him.

Did I dare to think about the last time I had been
kissed like that?

Had I ever been kissed like that?

I couldn’t recall and the lingering weakness in my knees
reminded me so.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What do mean, what
am I
doing?" he said with a playful yet suspicious glare.

"Why did you do that?" I asked again.

I felt completely perplexed as to why I had reacted so
easily after deciding not to pursue the thought. Since the first moment I had
seen him I did everything I could to keep him at arm’s length.

I couldn’t afford to have feelings for him.

And I didn’t intend to start doing so now.

He relaxed his stance and smiled at me. I could see
that he was trying to keep things light between us, but the strength of my
emotions were taking over.

I felt angry, mainly at myself for having responded to
him like I had.

There was no denying that, but as my anger bubbled
over I had to find some place to aim it. Therefore the tone I took with him
sounded accusatory.

That was fine with me.

He wasn’t playing fair.

I wanted to feel mad at him, as that was easier to
handle than anything else I might feel in that moment.

"Blair," he began with a small smile.
"I don't really know what to say. How do you want me to respond to that
question?"

His reply left me more confused than ever.

"Aiden," I said trying not very hard to keep
my voice calm. "Why did you suddenly try to make out with me just now? I
thought… I thought this was just business."

"I didn't think..." He emitted a small laugh
and ran his hand over the back of his neck. "I didn't think it would be
that big of a deal."

I kept my distance from him giving him a serious side
eye, trying to see through his response.

"The truth is," he continued. "I'm
attracted to you, Blair. How could you not know? I have been for ages. You’re
fucking gorgeous. And seeing you again..." His voice drifted off as he
looked out over the city.

"What," I said.

"Seeing you again made me remember.... and here you’re.
Even more goddamn beautiful that I remembered. I thought maybe you felt the
same way. I thought I would take a shot."

I had to admit his words moved me just a little… only
a little.

"Oh," I said. "I see."

He took a small step towards me reaching for my hand.
In that fleeting moment I knew I had a choice. I could relax and let him take
it, maybe tilt my head forward as he might lean in for another kiss. I could
see where this went, letting the fates decide how our future might unfold.