Bria is utterly calm and collected, carefully advancing the discussions in just the direction we want. I look between her and Geoffrey. He appears spell bound by Bria. I’ve seen that look before. We have him. I can practically see us inking the deal. This is why I brought Bria. She’s captivating and hard to say no to. The perfect combination of beauty and intelligence that had men, and women for that matter falling at her feet, vying to please her. And Geoffrey is no exception. Things are falling right into place.

I lean back in my spot and relax a little, letting Bria take over.

After talking over all the basics, Geoffrey introduces us to his nephew, Liam who appears closer to our age. He’ll be giving us the details of the case we’ll work for them for the next few weeks. He’s dressed in a suit, well-mannered and when he speaks , Bria’s mouth quirks up at his polished British accent and I know she’s interested in more than just business dealings with him. And when he suggests we all have dinner tonight, his eyes are on Bria and I know he’s interested too.

Great. I don’t want anything getting in the way of this deal. And I know first-hand just the trouble Bria can bring, and the drama that’s sure to follow.

* * *

I wake up hung over and struggling to remember how I got into my bed last night. I’m lying across it diagonally, still fully clothed. I look down and wiggle my toes that hang off the end of the bed, at least I managed to remove my shoes. I grab the bottle of water on the side table and take a deep swig, then let my head fall back against the pillow.

After working all through the day, Bria and I went to dinner with Liam and Geoffrey. We ended up at a pub later with Liam and his rugby buddies. Bria loved the attention from being one of the sole females in the pub. And we stayed until closing time. I remember walking back arm in arm drunkenly through the streets signing the victory song of the rugby team. I check my phone. It’s already noon. I’ve missed two calls from Taylor. I try to remember the last time I talked to her. Yesterday? Shit.

Her last text says Where are u?

Crap. I might as well call her back before she starts to worry. I wait while it rings. “Hello?’ her voice comes through scratchy.

“Taylor?” It barely sounds like her.

“Yeah,” she growls.

“What happened, baby? Are you alright?”

She lets out a deep breath. “I’m fine now. I had a little bit too much to drink last night. But Reis took care of me.”

“Oh. Good. I mean, I’m glad he was there to take care of you. Did you get sick?”

“Mm hmm. I passed out in your bed after.”

I want to ask her where Reis slept, but I know I can trust them both.

“Colt, you alive in here?” Bria calls, flinging my bedroom door open as she enters.

I muffle the phone with my hand. “You need to knock, Bria. I’m on the phone.”

“Well last night got kind of crazy, so I just wanted to check on you. Did you sleep in that?” she chuckles.

My jaw clenches. She knows she’s getting me in trouble with Taylor, and she doesn’t care. She shrugs and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

“Sorry about that,” I mumble, pressing the phone to my ear.

“Was that her?” she asks, her voice tight.

“Yeah, she just…came in. Sorry.”

“Colt, if she just comes in your bedroom without knocking, I’d say you created a pretty damn comfortable environment there with her. You could’ve been naked.”

“I’m not.” I try to lighten the mood. “But I could get naked if you want.”

“Not funny. What was she talking about? You guys had a crazy night?”

I sit up in bed, my head spinning until my feet touch the floor. “Taylor. You have to trust me. Bria probably heard me on the phone and just wants to get a rise out of you. She’d love for you to be mad at me, and then for me to come complain to her. Let’s not let that happen. Don’t let her drive anything between us. We worked all day on the case and then our clients took us out to dinner. She’s into this guy Liam, and I talked to some of his friends about rugby. That’s all.”

“Okay,” she says in a soft voice. “I’m sorry, I trust you, it’s just hard to know you’re there with her.”

“I know, love. But I told you, I am yours. Just have fun with Reis while I’m gone and I’ll be home before you know it.”

We say goodbye, and though I’m relieved I calmed her down, I’m furious at Bria. I head out in the living room to talk to her.

As soon as I open door, Bria grins at me, holding up her hands in surrender. “I hope I didn’t get you into trouble.”

“Not at all.” I won’t let her have the satisfaction of knowing she bugs Taylor. “All is fine. Just please knock next time. I could have been changing.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” she murmurs under her breath, still treating me to a wicked grin. “Well anyways, I was hoping that you weren’t mad at me, but just in case, I went ahead and ordered room service for us breakfast. I even got coffee for you.”

She knows me well. I haven’t been tolerating the weak English tea we’re usually served. And this morning, with my pounding head, I definitely need the coffee. “Thanks,” I sigh, falling back into the plush armchair.

Chapter 17

Taylor

After sneaking out of Colt’s room while Reis was still asleep, I settle on my bed, and power on my laptop. Last night probably wasn’t the smartest move, sleeping in the bed with Reis like that, insisting that he hold me, allowing him to help me change. And I intended to come clean with Colt this morning, but he usually seemed quite unconcerned at the thought of Reis and I together. And it was completely innocent. I wouldn’t do anything to betray Colt’s trust. And I decide that if he doesn’t seem to mind me spending time with Reis, then I shouldn’t either. It’s not like anything was ever going to happen between Reis and I. Plus when Bria let herself into his bedroom, our conversation was taken in a completely different direction. As hard as it was to accept Colt across the ocean in a hotel room with her, I knew he was right. Driving a wedge between us was exactly what she wanted. I couldn’t feed right into her plan.

I check the unread emails in my personal account and respond to one from my mom, and another from Piper. Then I check for any new assignments in my school email account. There’s one from Colt from yesterday morning. I open it. He wants me to search out some information on an accomplice of their target. A guy named Alton. Should be easy enough. I scroll down the length of the email, seeing that it was originally an email exchange between Colt and Bria that he forwarded to me. I start at the bottom and read my way up.

The first email is completely innocent and professional. But their replies get increasingly flirty, like his emails with me. I hate that they know each other so well. Did he mean to forward this to me?

I reread Bria’s first note back to him, studying each word in disbelief.

TO: Colt Palmer

FROM: Bria Simonson

SUBJECT: Pay up, sugar!

Colt,

We both know you agreed to take me out once I got you this information. So pay up!If not, I know where you sleep.

I swallow down the salvia that’s rapidly accumulating in my mouth and read Colt’s reply.

TO: Bria Simonson

FROM: Colt Palmer

SUBJECT: RE: Pay up, sugar!

Bria,

You knowing where I sleep is concerning. I may have to call security for an extra deadbolt just in case. As for me talking you out….hmm… I don’t recall promising, I just said maybe I’d take you out. But I’ll play nice.

Wear something nice and I’ll meet you in the hotel lobby at 7. Sound good?

Her last note to him is even more suspicious.

TO: Colt Palmer

FROM: Bria Simonson

SUBJECT: Win!

Colt,

I promise we’ll have fun. And everything will stay between us. Trust me, okay?


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