by Erika Wilde
SINFUL PROPOSITION
THE SINFUL SERIES
BOOK THREE
ERIKA WILDE
Copyright © Erika Wilde, February 2020
EPUB Edition
Cover Photo: Wander Aguiar Photography
Cover Design: Maria @ Steamy Designs
Editor: Amy Knupp, Blue Otter Editing
Developmental Editor: Dana with Danja Tales
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Author.
SINFUL PROPOSITION
He’s cautious, guarded and professional, and she’s a temptress he can’t resist.
Tempest Wilder has lived a life of luxury but she’s intent on creating her own empire. Her newest venture, Wilder Things, is a boutique hotel with seductively themed rooms.
Remy Lowell has a troubled past, filled with abandonment and heartache. He’s worked his way up from nothing and is damn proud of that. But his latest contracting job is more provocative than expected and his new client has him thinking thoughts he shouldn’t.
He’s determined not to mix business with pleasure, but when Tempest sets her sights on something, she gets it. And right now she wants Remy, the sexy, rough-around-the-edges man who challenges her at every turn.
But after their business deal is over, will the lady and the reformed tramp be able to find their happily ever after?
SINFUL PROPOSITION is a seductive and modern take on Lady and the Tramp
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Book
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
Learn more about Erika Wilde
CHAPTER ONE
Tempest Wilder strolled through the lavishly decorated ballroom, surveying the guests and entertainment and making sure that everything was running smoothly before the formal dinner was announced. After months of planning, preparation, and organizing the Wilder Way Fairy-Tale Ball, Tempest could easily say that it was one of the most grandiose galas she’d ever envisioned and created for their family’s yearly charity event. She and her brothers, Maddux and Hunter, were always listed as the hosts of the festivities, but she was the brains behind the gorgeous, elaborate fairy-tale décor that promised an enchanting evening of happily ever afters.
The thought made her smile. Out of her and her brothers, she was always the one who focused on the positive even in the face of adversity. And with the concern of Maddux finally confronting their biggest enemy tonight and serving long overdue justice for killing their parents, it was imperative to Tempest that there be some kind of joyful significance to the charity benefit. She needed that hopeful promise of a happily ever after as much as her siblings did, even if they would never agree with her.
“You know, it never ceases to amaze me how effortless you make it look putting together these incredible annual charity balls,” one of her good friends, Goldie Monroe, said, as she fell into step beside Tempest. “You really outdid yourself with this year’s fairy-tale theme.”
Tempest grinned at Goldie, who looked stunning in an amber-hued velvet gown that molded to her slender figure. “Thank you. As much as I loved organizing this year’s event, I’m glad it’s done, or will be after tonight. My next big venture awaits, and I’m dying to get started on Wilder Things,” she said of the personal and professional pet project she’d been dreaming about the past few years.
“You are so incredibly bold . . . and brave.” Goldie shook her head in awe and envy, causing the gorgeous blonde waves falling down her back to sway like fine silk. “First, you start an online monthly subscription service featuring sexy lingerie you design and create yourself, which has become a huge success, and now you’re going to start a business that combines an upscale bar with fantasy-themed hotel rooms above it for exclusive guests. I love that you’re all about empowering women. It’s so liberating.”
“Hey, you’re doing very well for yourself as an interior designer for boutique hotels,” Tempest pointed out, giving her friend the credit she deserved as they continued strolling through the ballroom. “Not to mention your help in brainstorming some fun ideas for Wilder Things.”
Goldie sighed as she accepted a glass of champagne from a server’s tray. “Professionally, yes, I’m finally making a name for myself. But personally and intimately . . . well, my love life leaves a lot to be desired. Probably because my hours are insane with all the contracts I’m trying to finish up, and I have zero time to date . . . let alone indulge in hot, forbidden fantasies.”
“You need to make the time,” Tempest said, not missing the irony of her advice, considering she could just as easily apply the same advice to herself. It had been too long since she’d had sex, let alone been with a man who knew how to really turn her on. She’d decided a few years ago that she no longer wanted to settle for just mediocre sex and was willing to hold out for that guy who could make her breathless with pure lust, all with just a smoldering, knowing look.
She was beginning to think that such a man was an anomaly. A rare unicorn among males. Sure, she’d dated here and there, including most recently Kyle Jenkins, but there had been no spark or attraction on her end, though Tempest was having a hard time convincing him that they were nothing more than just friends. The man was incredibly persistent and didn’t take no for an answer.
“Making the time for a fling is easier said than done,” Goldie muttered, clearly miffed by her lack of a love life.
A familiar trio of ridiculously good-looking tuxedoed men standing together caught Tempest’s eye, including the very interested way they were surveying Goldie. Caleb, Jonas, and Quinn were obscenely wealthy entrepreneurs who’d made their money in real estate and risky, high-yield investments. And they were clients of MadX-Tech’s security systems, a company that her brother, Maddux, had built from the ground up and into a lucrative, billion-dollar venture.
The three tall, well-built men were also a bit . . . eccentric, and it was rumored that they enjoyed sharing one woman between them and preferred blondes. Considering the avid way they were staring at Goldie, Tempest suspected that the gossip was more fact than fiction.
Hmmm. Interesting . . .
Tempest gently steered Goldie in their direction. If her friend wanted to spice up her love life, then Tempest was more than happy to help lead the way into temptation. What Goldie did after the initial introductions was totally up to her.
As they approached the triple threat, there was no mistaking the flare of desire in Quinn’s gaze that was aimed at her friend. He was clearly the alpha male of the group and the more dominant of the three, though Jonas’s and Caleb’s presence were equally commanding in their own right.
“Who are those men?” Goldie murmured when she realized that’s where Tempest was heading. “They’re like three big, intimidating bears standing together like that.”
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Tempest laughed softly at the apt description of the imposing men and leaned closer to Goldie to keep her comment between the two of them. “Here’s a fairy tale for you to ponder, my friend . . . Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
Goldie inhaled a quick breath and her wide, shocked gaze flew to Tempest’s. “You can’t be serious.”
Tempest shrugged, though her smile was a bit on the naughty side. “I’m completely serious. You wanted a little excitement in your life? Trust me when I say that these three gorgeous, sexy men can provide that. And more.”
Realizing what Tempest was insinuating, Goldie swallowed hard. Much to Tempest’s delight, the initial shock that had passed through her friend’s gaze moments ago was swiftly replaced with intrigue—just as they reached the attractive trio.
“Gentlemen.” Tempest greeted them with a welcoming smile as she lightly grabbed Goldie’s arm and brought her forward—and closer to the three hungry-looking bears who did nothing to disguise how captivated they were by her. “I’d like to introduce you to Goldie Monroe, the friend of mine that I mentioned is an interior designer for boutique hotels. I know you’re looking for someone to design and decorate the resort you just finished renovating, and while Goldie’s business is in high demand, I’m sure if you’re interested in her services, you can make her an offer she can’t refuse.”
A charming smile graced Quinn’s lips. “Oh, I’m sure we can come to a mutual agreement of some sort. The three of us can be very persuasive.”
Tempest didn’t doubt that at all. Jonas, Caleb, and Quinn all introduced themselves and shook her hand in turn, but with Quinn being the last to touch Goldie, he didn’t sever the connection between them. His thumb boldly caressed the back of her slender hand, soft yet possessive, as he shifted his gaze to Tempest, a dark brow raised.
“You failed to mention how absolutely stunning she is,” Quinn said, his tone mildly chastising. “I would have demanded an introduction much sooner had we known.”
“I didn’t want to spoil the surprise,” Tempest teased.
A pink blush swept across Goldie’s porcelain complexion, proving she was not used to being the center of attention.
All three men noticed the rosy flush of color, too.
“Stunning . . . and modest,” Jonas pointed out, seemingly enjoying that demure attribute of hers.
“Hopefully not too modest.” Caleb winked at her, which seemed to fluster Goldie even more.
Tempest decided that her job here was done and whatever happened with these three men, be it business or pleasure or both, would be all up to her friend. “Now that introductions have been made, I’ll let you all get to know one another better.”
Confident her friend was in good hands—six of them, to be exact—Tempest moved on, heading toward the area set up for the evening’s entertainment. The large stage was embellished with eye-catching props and lighting effects, while Raevynn Walsh—one of the hottest pop stars currently dominating the charts with her success—performed a pre-dinner set for the guests gathered nearby.
She was sitting on a wooden swing decorated in vines and flowers, slowly swaying back and forth across the stage while enthralling her audience with her latest hit ballad, “Wishing For You.” Between the flowing, crystal-studded lilac gown she was wearing that swirled around her as she seemingly floated through the air and her long, wavy blonde hair that fell all the way down her back, she looked breathtakingly beautiful as she crooned the emotional lyrics to the song she’d composed herself.
Collin Donovan, who worked under her brothers at MadX-Tech as a security analyst, stood off to the side by himself, away from the rest of the guests gathered around or slow dancing to Raevynn’s song. Tempest knew from the RSVP list that he’d come to the fairy-tale ball without a plus one, and at the moment, he seemed completely infatuated by the beautiful woman performing on stage.
Tempest came up beside him, but Collin was so mesmerized by Raevynn he didn’t even glance her way. “Enjoying the show?” she asked, amused by his sole focus on the singer.
Startled out of whatever spell he’d been under, he turned his head, and realizing he had unexpected company, he shifted a bit uncomfortably on his feet but managed to produce a semblance of a smile. “Yes. Very much.”
Tempest followed Collin’s gaze back up to the stage, the singer’s husky, angelic voice causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. “She’s pretty amazing, isn’t she?” Tempest had been both shocked and thrilled when Raevynn had agreed to play at this year’s fairy-tale ball. It had been a long shot considering the other woman’s back-to-back tour dates, but somehow the stars had aligned in Tempest’s favor and the singer had managed to make room in her schedule.
“She’s incredible,” Collin agreed as he took a sip from the dark liquor in the glass he was holding, his posture relaxing. “She’s come a long way.”
His words had a personal, intimate undertone to them, which stirred Tempest’s curiosity. “You’re either a super fan . . . or you know her?”
Collin glanced back at Tempest. “I knew her,” he said in a way that was deliberately past tense. “We went to high school together. We dated . . . until she was cast on that singing show, Encore, and moved on to bigger and better things. But this is everything Rae has ever wanted and deserves, so I’m happy for her.”
Tempest believed he meant what he said, but there was a tinge of melancholy in his voice that indicated there was so much more to their story. That whatever happened between them wasn’t so cut-and-dried as he made it sound.
Knowing it wasn’t her place to pry, she instead tried lightening the mood. “She’s a phenomenal singer, but I have to admit that I have total hair envy,” she joked of Raevynn’s long and silky blonde locks that had earned her millions from one of the biggest major shampoo brands in the market. “She has every girl’s dream hair.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I used to tease her and call her Rapunzel. When we were dating, I’d go over to her house late at night and call up to her second-story bedroom window and jokingly shout out, ‘Rapunzel, let down your hair.’”
She laughed, because Raevynn did remind her of that fairy-tale princess. “Is that how you snuck into her bedroom?”
His mouth curved in humor. “No. That would have been a helluva lot of hair pulling.”
She shrugged teasingly. “You never know. Some girls like that kind of thing.”
He shook his head, his grin fading. “She was young. We were both young, and unfortunately we didn’t have enough time together to figure those things out.”
But he’d wanted to. Tempest could see the desire in his eyes, the unrequited feelings that still burned bright for the woman who was at the pinnacle of her career. “Does she know you’re here at the ball?”
He took a long drink from his glass before replying. “No. We haven’t been in touch . . . in a very long time.”
“Maybe you should sneak backstage and surprise her when she’s done performing the second part of her show after dinner,” Tempest suggested. “I promise to look the other way and not alert security.”
He considered that for a moment, a hopeful glimmer flickering in his gaze. “Maybe I will.”
She gave his arm an encouraging squeeze before continuing on her way toward the dining area, hoping that Collin followed through on the idea of reuniting with Raevynn.
Catching sight of her brother Hunter wandering ahead of her by himself, and knowing that he was most likely preoccupied with thoughts of what was going to happen with Maddux tonight, Tempest quickened her steps until she was by his side, then slipped her arm through his. He immediately stiffened, a brooding frown on his face as he turned his head to see who’d latched on to him. He looked relieved to discover it was only her, and she smiled up at him, trying to be upbeat despite how nervous she, too, was about Maddux’s plan to avenge their parents’ deaths tonight, which meant ruining Theodore Cole, the man responsible for their mother’s and father’s demise.
“Are you
okay?” she asked, a ridiculous question when she knew his anxiety level was as high as hers.
His brows furrowed even more as he tugged on the collar of his shirt. “I’d be a whole lot better if I could get rid of this fucking bow tie,” he grumbled, making it known, not for the first time tonight, how much he despised black-tie affairs and wearing a tuxedo.
She rolled her eyes and playfully smacked his hand away before he unraveled the knot. “I loosened it for you earlier, in Maddux’s office,” she said, reminding him of the same complaints he’d issued then, too. “So stop being a drama queen and deal with it.”
A brief laugh escaped him, but the mention of the meeting they’d all gathered for in Maddux’s office earlier, before the ball had begun, made him grow serious again. “I can’t believe, after all these years, Theodore is finally going to get his due.”
“I know,” she said softly as they continued strolling through the ballroom and around other guests, keeping their conversation private. “But he ruined our lives, and it’s time he paid.” There was no arguing that fact. He’d stolen something precious from all of them that they would never get back.
Hunter nodded, though his gaze was troubled. “I just hate that Maddux insisted on confronting Theodore alone. I should be there with him tonight.”
Tempest sought to ease his worry. “I understand how you feel, but Maddy has harbored the most anger and resentment over the years. The past has tormented him, and I believe he needs this moment, on his own, to heal some of his pain. He was the one who was there when our parents died as a result of the fire Theodore had set at Mom and Dad’s restaurant, and he’s always felt responsible for what happened, even though it wasn’t his fault.”
A muscle in Hunter’s jaw flexed as he drank the last of the alcohol in the glass he’d been holding before handing it off to a passing waiter.
“He’s lived with that memory and guilt for fourteen years,” Tempest went on. “That’s a long time for all that burning rage to build up inside of him toward Theodore. We need to let Maddy do this on his own and avenge Mom and Dad’s deaths, then maybe, hopefully, he can let it go and move on with his life.”