Her place was definitely not disabled friendly, but then most homes weren’t.
The kitchen overlooked the side yard where a riot of pink and yellow blooms reachedfor the window. Beyond her small garden were other colorful little homes and the occasional palm tree swaying in the breeze. He could see the appeal.
“You can put your bag in here,” Caitlyn said as Rockley followed them through into a room to the right that was just big enough to fit a queen bed and a dresser. A silky quilt in tones of blue and green contrasted with the pale orange walls thatgave the room a vibrant energy.
“Sorry, it’s not puce.”
He laughed. A welcome release. “I wouldn’t know it if I saw it.”
“Shocker,” she said with raised eyebrows, her eyes glinting with mischief. “So, feel free to take a nap or whatever. If you need a snack, help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” She opened the top dresser drawer. “I cleared this one out for you.” Turning, she gesturedto a doorway covered by a curtain embroidered in large flowers. “There are a few empty hangers in the closet.”
“Thanks.” One bedroom. It wasn’t exactly like he could stay in a nearby hotel if they wanted anyone to believe they were romantically involved. But taking over one of her drawers and hanging his clothes in her closet was oddly intimate, and jarring.
“Is the sofa a pullout?” If not,it was far too small for either of them. Maybe she had an air mattress. He’d assumed she had the sleeping arrangements figured out, and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to broach the topic.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “But I figure it’s too short for you, so you can have my bed while you’re here.”
Holy hell. Sleeping in Caitlyn’s bed had once been the stuff of his fantasies. With herin it, of course. Could he turn the dream into a reality, with her right next to him, under him, over him? Hell, any way she wanted him.
If not, for the next few days, he’d be driving himself a little bit mad playing house with her, holding and kissing her, and knowing the entire time it was all a lie.
Glenn Lambert sat on the beach behind his family’s plantation house on St. Isidore, hislatest arm candy on a lounger next to him.
Not the woman he really wanted. She didn’t have dark red hair, or masses of freckles, or that compelling cloak of self-assurance that Caitlyn carried. Part of him simply craved a taste of that feeling, part of him wanted to knock her down a peg.
She thought she was too good for him?
Even more perplexing was that she’d chosen a muscle-bound invalidover him. Why would a woman who could have a wealthy, powerful, handsome man like Glenn want to be with a guy like that? Not that she and Steele were together much, despite their recent engagement.
Maybe that was part of his appeal.
Glenn had begun to suspect that she’d made up the fiancé until he did some digging. The man’s job in security made him uncomfortable, but Steele wasn’t law enforcement,and everything checked out as legit. Plus, the man was an amputee, so how much of a threat could he be?
Still, Glenn had sent Lawrence to follow them. If there was even the slightest chance that she was lying about this guy, he wanted to know about it. There was too much at stake to let her get close to the family if she couldn’t be trusted. He couldn’t help feeling that she was a threat. Onehe wanted to fuck, but still…
Rumor had it that the pilot who had been flying for The Underground recently was a white woman. There were several female pilots in the islands, and those were just the ones who worked as such. There could be any number of amateurs willing to help The Underground. But Caitlyn was the only outsider close enough to Glenn’s family to learn more about Island ProfilesIncorporated—IPI—the enterprise his father had started decades ago. As much as he didn’t want to believe she would betray them, he hadn’t been able to rule her out.
“Glenn, we have to clear the beach so the crew can set up,” Arielle called from behind him. “And lunch is ready.”
“I’ll be up to the house in a minute.” He waved off his sister and stood. “Elena?” The curvy blonde removed her shadesand smiled at him. “You ready?” he asked.
She rose gracefully from the chair, the tiny white bikini she wore accentuating her curves and leaving little to the imagination. “Always.”
His dad would not approve, which made her perfect. Glenn had very few ways to assert his independence from his father without being disowned. But that would change soon enough. Things hadn’t been going to plan, butGlenn had a new scheme in the works.
He was done waiting for his father’s approval to turn the business into something bigger than his dad had ever envisioned. Done waiting to claim what was his. His father would soon see how badly he’d underestimated his only son.
“Sir!” Lawrence strode across the sand, his coconut brown skin glistening with sweat.
Glenn turned to Elena. “Cocktail dress. I’llpick you up at five-thirty.”
She lowered her eyelids and gave him a coy look, as if she were shy, but he knew better. She grabbed her phone and drink and sashayed toward the house, hips swinging enticingly.
“What is it?” he asked Lawrence.
“I followed them like you asked. She picked him up and then drove straight to her house. They were still there when I left.”
“Did they look,” he waved hishand vaguely, “in love?”
Lawrence shrugged. “Mussy.”Maybe. “They kissed.”
Black edged Glenn’s vision. He shouldn’t have asked. “What about the other thing we were working on?”
“He said that the pilot was a white woman. It was dark and she wore a hat, and he was too scared to notice more. I’ve tracked down two more. Bhodi and I are going to ‘speak’ with them this evening.”
“Good. But thistime, make sure they can’t wake up to tell tales.”
Lawrence nodded repeatedly. “Yes, sir. Bhodi’s taking care of that problem now, and we’ll be more…thorough with these two.”
“Excellent.” Glenn rubbed his hands together. Bringing down The Underground would ensure IPI could continue to grow unfettered. And Glenn had ideas that would drive it to new heights. “Ten thousand for each of you if youidentify the pilot before tonight’s party.”
