Tempting a King (King Family Romance Book 1)

by Isla Drake

  A knock on my window startles me. I turn and see none other than Finnegan King standing there, a questioning look on his face. My heart instantly jumps into overdrive at the sight of him. You’d think after all these years, I could find a way to make it stop doing that, but no. It happens every time. I have managed to perfect my unaffected expression around him though. I try to tell myself that’s good enough as I press the button to lower the window.

  “Can I help you?” I ask sweetly.

  Finn smiles, showcasing the dimple in his right cheek. “Just wondering if you’re planning to come inside today.”

  I shrug and glance at the sky. “It’s a nice day,” I say. “You sure I can’t work out here today?”

  “If you can find a way to manage the desk from out here,” Finn says, “I’ll be thoroughly impressed.” He meets my gaze, an apology in his blue eyes. He grimaces a little before he delivers his next bit of news. “Matt is going to be out until at least Thursday. Flu.”

  I groan and my head falls back against the seat. With Matt out, it means I’ll have to cover the desk as well as my regular office duties. And we have a wedding party due to check in this afternoon. I’d already planned to coordinate the events for the wedding as well. I close my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. As far as Mondays go, this one is setting up to be a doozy. And I haven’t even gotten out my car.

  “I think I feel sick,” I say, shooting a sideways glance at Finn. “I probably shouldn’t come to work today.” We both know I’m lying, but it makes me feel better to say the words. To pretend that I might actually skip work. I throw in a fake cough for effect.

  Finn leans down and waves a gray and black paper coffee cup at me. I catch the delicious scent of my favorite latte and reach for the cup. He pulls it out of my grip before I can grab it.

  “Nope,” he says, stepping back. “You only get the coffee if you get out of the car.”

  “I hate you,” I grumble, pressing the button to raise the window. I can hear Finn’s laughter as it closes.

  After turning off the car and grabbing my phone and purse, I climb out to see Finn standing before me looking far more awake than anyone has a right to on a Monday morning. He’s also looking entirely too sexy in a blue button-down that nearly matches his eyes. I do what I’ve done since I first met him which is to tamp down the attraction and shove it aside so I don’t make an utter fool of myself. Finn is my boss and my friend. If he also happens to be the hottest single man in town, that’s just too bad.

  He hands me the coffee cup and I notice he has another cup for himself. I inhale the mouth-watering aroma and let out an involuntary moan of anticipation before I take my first sip. Ah, heaven. Finn had known what we’d be walking into this morning and had come prepared with the ideal bribe. Momma Jean’s Café makes the best caramel lattes I’ve ever tasted. Finn knows it’s one of my weaknesses. It would be thoughtful if it weren’t also slightly manipulative. When I lower the cup, I notice that he’s watching me. For a split second, the look in his eyes is one I don’t recognize. There’s a hint of fire there. Before I can be sure I even saw it, the look is gone and he’s back to normal.

  Finn clears his throat and looks away for a second. “Oh,” he says as though just remembering something. “I talked Claire into coming in and helping run the desk. But she can’t get here until later.”

  Claire is Finn’s younger sister. She came back from college a few years ago but still hasn’t really settled down. She’s smart, funny and incredibly talented. So far, she hasn’t found a career to suit her. She spends most weekends singing at Mack’s, the restaurant owned by two other King brothers. I’m relieved she’s coming to help me. She knows her way around the inn and she knows how to run the front desk. All five members of the King family have done their share of work at the Jester over the years.

  “That’s great,” I say. “I’ll take all the help I can get. She’ll be a lifesaver.”

  I smile and raise the cup at him in a little salute. “Nice bribe.”

  He grins and that dangerous dimple makes an appearance. “What can I say? I know your secret obsessions. And I like to use that information to my advantage.”

  I roll my eyes even as my belly flutters at his words. I know your secret obsessions. If only that were true.

  “I’m not sure my addiction to Momma Jean’s is a secret to anyone in Oak Hill, North Carolina,” I tell him.

  He shrugs and takes a sip from his cup as we begin to walk toward the main building. “Maybe not,” he says. “But I have other tricks up my sleeve.”

  Part of me wants to dive deeper into what he means by that, but I decide not to ask. Instead, we fall into our usual Monday morning routine of discussing the coming week. We talk about the upcoming Harmon wedding and the events the Jester will host surrounding the occasion. It’s not the first wedding that’s taken place on the grounds, but it will be one of the biggest we’ve ever hosted. Every room will be occupied with the wedding party. The day of the event, more than 200 guests will be in attendance. Finn and I discuss some of the logistics involved like seating, timing and the shuttle service as well as the weather. The ceremony is scheduled to take place outside on Friday evening, followed by a reception in the ballroom. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we have contingencies in place.

  No bride wants a parking lot full of cars right next to the aisle she’s walking down so we have a separate lot set up at the back of the property. It’s hidden from view of the main house by a tall hedge. We’ll use a small envoy of luxury SUVs on the day of the ceremony to carry guests to the main house. If it also serves to give them a brief tour of the grounds along the way, so much the better. It was an idea I’d pitched to Finn a couple of years ago and he agreed to implement it. It’s become a staple for large events, and we have it down to a science. There will be an air-conditioned tent set up near the lot for guests to wait so no one has to stand outside in bad weather.

  Finn and I go over these details as we make our way to the main house. We don’t have an event coordinator as part of our staff, but with more and more couples booking more and more lavish events, I’ve considered broaching the subject with Finn. Up to this point, I’ve been the one who heads up any large events hosted at the Jester. It’s a job I love doing but it does add a significant amount of work and stress to my regular duties as manager. It’s too bad there aren’t two of me. Luckily, Finn usually steps in and helps me as much as possible. He might be the owner, but he’s not above getting his hands dirty. Over the years I’ve seen him do everything from serving meals to maintenance to gardening.

  I glance up at him as we walk, careful not to be obvious about it. Quinn’s words play back in my head and I feel myself blush. I know you want him. If Quinn only knew how accurate that statement was. It’s something I’ve never told anyone. I’ve barely admitted it inside my own head. It seems like some kind of cruel joke. I’ve spent the years since my divorce focusing on being a great mom to Liam and the best employee the Jester has. Admirable goals, but they’ve left my love life sadly lacking. Now, the only man I’ve felt any attraction to in the last few years is the one man I can’t ever be with. I shake off the thought as we enter the main house and Finn turns toward his office. I force my eyes not to follow his ass as he walks away. That would be inappropriate workplace behavior, right? Instead, I walk to my own office, close the door and plop into the chair behind my desk.

  “Idiot,” I mutter, dropping my forehead onto my desk with a solid thunk. I allow myself a full thirty seconds of feeling sorry for myself before I take a deep breath and sit up. There’s no time for self-pity. It’s time to get to work.

  Chapter Two

  Finn

  “Well, that was stupid,” I say aloud to my empty office. I toss my bag into one of the armchairs and breathe deeply, trying to get the scent of Hannah’s perfume to fade from my memory. I finish off my coffee and drop the paper cup into the small trash can near my desk. As I do nearly every morning, I think back over
every moment of my encounter with Hannah. Had I crossed any lines? Had I said anything that might be construed as flirting? I’d brought her coffee, yes. But that had been as she said. A bribe. She was about to be forced to do the job of two people on her own with Matt out sick. Three, once the Harmon party arrived later. I was just being considerate. Yes, I’m technically Hannah’s boss, but she’s also a friend. Friends bring one another coffee, don’t they?

  Sighing, I close my eyes. That only serves to bring to mind the image of her as she let out that sexy little moan over her coffee cup. What I’d give to be the one to coax those sounds from her. My imagination runs wild for a moment, picturing her underneath me, writhing as I push into her. I quickly shut those thoughts down. What the hell is wrong with me? She’s an employee. I’ve never had inappropriate thoughts about an employee before Hannah. I’m not sure why my brain and my cock can’t seem to understand that she’s off limits. As long as she works for the Jester, I can never do or say anything about this inconvenient attraction I have for her.

  I’ve always had rules when it comes to workplace behavior. My parents ran the Jester before their deaths. They taught me most of what I know about managing a business and being a good employer. One of the number one rules is not to be creepy. Well, I’m sure my dad worded it differently. But he always told me it was important that the people who work for you know that they can depend on you, no matter what. I’m sure that doesn’t include trying to nail your manager. With a sigh, I push thoughts of Hannah from my mind and log in to my computer to check my email.

  I focus on the most pressing matters and push off anything that isn’t urgent. Hannah is working at the desk, helping to check out the departing guests. She’s also juggling her own workload and making sure everything is set for the arrival of the Harmon wedding party later this afternoon. Check-in isn’t until 2pm, but there’s plenty to do until then. Meanwhile, she’s also helping to coordinate the details of the rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony and reception. It’s a lot of work and I want to do whatever I can to help ease her workload.

  It’s mid-morning by the time I finish, and check-out time is here. Most guests like to wait until the last minute to check out of their rooms. It’s understandable, but it can create a bit of chaos at the desk when multiple guests need to check out at once. I make my way to the reception area and see Hannah smiling at a young couple as she works at the computer.

  “I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Jester,” Hannah says.

  They smile and the man answers. “It was great,” he says. “We’re already planning to come back for our anniversary.”

  Hannah’s smile widens and she stops her work at the computer.

  “That’s wonderful,” she says. “We love to see familiar faces. Give us a call when you’re ready to book your stay and I’ll make sure you get a discount on our couple’s massage package.”

  The couple looks delighted. I smile as I watch. Hannah has a way of making each guest feel as though they’re the only guest at the Jester, no matter how busy we may be. It’s a gift. I didn’t know how lucky I was when I offered her a housekeeping job all those years ago. I keep waiting for her to realize she can do better than this place and move on. The thought hits me like a punch to the gut and I push it from my mind. More guests enter the lobby ready to complete the check-out process. I join Hannah behind the desk returning the grateful smile she shoots my way.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” she says.

  “Whatever I can do to help.”

  Hannah and I have always made a great team. For the next 45 minutes, we work side-by-side taking care of the guests and fielding phone calls. Around 11, Claire shows up to relieve Hannah. Things have calmed down and it’s mostly just answering phones and booking reservations at this point.

  “Thank you!” Hannah pulls Claire to her in a quick hug. “You’re a lifesaver.”

  Claire smiles. “Happy to help,” she says.

  “Thanks, Claire,” I say. “I owe you.”

  She winks. “I’ll be sure and cash in on that one day, big brother.”

  I narrow my eyes at her immediately suspicious. “Within reason,” I say.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Claire says, dismissively. “Get out of here. I got this.”

  Hannah and I leave the front desk in Claire’s capable hands. Hannah rushes off to check on something for the wedding. I call out to her to let me know if she needs any help. I get a distracted wave of agreement. I head back to my office and get lost in purchase orders and spreadsheets. When my cell phone rings nearly two hours later, I’m grateful for the distraction. I rub my eyes and glance at the screen. It’s a number I don’t recognize which isn’t all that unheard of for me. I swipe to answer the call.

  "Hello?”

  A woman's voice responds. "Hello. I'm looking for Miss Travis."

  "I'm sorry, Miss Travis is unavailable right now," I say. I’m not sure why someone is calling my cell looking for Hannah, but it’s likely work-related. Mix-ups happen all the time. "This is Finnegan King. Is there something I can help with?”

  "This is the school nurse at Oak Hill Elementary," the woman says. "I—”

  "Is Liam okay?" I immediately ask, cutting off her words. I’m on my feet and striding toward Hannah’s office.

  "He's fine," the nurse says quickly. "I just need to speak with his mother."

  Hannah isn’t in her office. There’s a note on her desk that says she’s gone into town and will be back by 2.

  "She's out of the office right now," I say. "Are you sure I can't do anything?"

  The nurse sighs. "I really need a parent, guardian or emergency contact. I'll have to check the computer. I'm sorry, Mister—I’m sorry, what was your last name?"

  "King," I say. "Finnegan King."

  "Oh, Mr. King," the nurse says, her voice brightening a bit. "You're listed as Liam's emergency contact."

  "Me?"

  I'm surprised. It's on the tip of my tongue to argue with the woman, but I don't. I can’t remember Hannah ever mentioning to me that she'd listed me as an emergency contact, but I guess it makes sense. I've probably known her longer than anyone else in Oak Hill. We're friends and we see one another every day. She probably assumed that if she’s ever unreachable, it would be because she’s working for me at the Jester. Which, in this case, is true.

  "Right," I say. "Is Liam okay?"

  "Yes, Mr. King," she says. "As I mentioned before, Liam's fine. He's just complaining of a stomachache. He doesn't have a fever and he hasn't thrown up. But he says he's not feeling well. I figured I'd call his mom and see what she wanted to do. There are only 2 hours left of the school day."

  I think quickly. What would Hannah do? Odds are that Liam will get over his stomachache sooner rather than later. But I'd hate to think of him stuck at school and miserable. I think back to when Claire had still been in school and called home sick. Usually she was faking it to get out of class. Then again, she was a teenager. Liam is 8. He's probably not that devious yet. I picture his sandy brown hair and the recently toothless grin, his eyes that are the exact shade of Hannah's. He's a good kid. He wouldn't worry his mom if he wasn't really feeling bad, would he?

  "Liam's mom is stuck at work," I say, making a decision. "Am I able to pick him up?"

  A moment passes before she replies. "You're on the list, Mr. King. So, yes."

  "Okay.” I stand, grabbing my keys. “I'll be there soon.

  "Great. I'll see you then."

  I end the call and scrawl a quick note letting Hannah know where I am if she comes to look for me. I'll probably return with Liam before she comes back.

  It takes me ten minutes to drive to the school. I smile at the woman behind the desk as I enter the office.

  “I’m here to pick up Liam Travis,” I say. “He’s not feeling well.

  “Do you have your ID?” the woman asks in a voice devoid of all emotion. She doesn’t look particularly friendly, despite my giving her my best smile.

  I fish my ID
from my wallet and hand it to her. She doesn’t say anything, just pecks away at her computer before handing the ID back. She gestures at a clipboard.

  “Fill that out and sign it,” she says.

  She still has barely looked at me. Some childish part of me wants to make a face or stick my tongue out, but I do as she says and fill out the slip of paper on the clipboard. When I finish, she takes it from me and makes a phone call. I don’t think I like this woman. The ability to crack a smile should be a requirement for a person to work at an elementary school. She clearly missed that lesson during orientation. She’d never make it at the Jester. She ends her call. In the same monotone voice she’s used since I walked in the door, she says, “He’ll be out in a minute.”

  Feeling dismissed, but not knowing what to do, I tuck my hands into my pockets and make a slow walk around the small waiting area. The chairs are all far too small for an adult to sit comfortably. Do they never have adults who need to wait? Strange. I glance around to see if Liam has magically appeared. He hasn’t. I study the artwork hanging on the walls. They were all clearly done by children, but by children whose artistic abilities far surpass my own. Claire got all the talent in that area. I smile at the memory of my parents hanging even my most atrocious drawings on the fridge, smiling down at me each time.

  They’ve been gone long enough that surprise memories like that rarely come accompanied by pain. Instead, there’s just a sense of nostalgia for something I once had—something I can never have again. I hear the door open behind me and turn, shaking off the memories of the past. Liam stands there, his gaze questioning.

  “Hey, Liam,” I say, smiling. “Your mom is stuck at work, so I’m here to pick you up. You still feeling bad?”

  Liam gives me a shy smile. “Hey, Mr. Finn” he says. “Are we going to the Jester?”