Sam hit a lucky shot, and Jami lunged for it. Beck got a full flash under her short, floaty skirt and the bright pink boy shorts she sported under them. Her butt was perfect. It was all curviliscious booty. The tennis ball whizzed toward him. He swung late, and the ball hit the racket frame and ricocheted straight up into the air.
Jami smirked.
“Our point, little brother.” Rob chased down the rogue tennis ball.
Beck contained his scowl. Since when had he let a good-looking woman outfox him with sex? Um. Never. That was not going to happen again.
Beck focused on the tennis ball and ignored the woman serving it. He hit it back cleanly. Jami sprinted to her left, and the bounce of her breasts stole his brain. The deep V-neck of her top showed off charming jigglage, and he kept hoping a little more would pop free of the tight confines of her bra.
The ball flew over the net. Beck scrambled and slammed into Sam. She squeaked and stumbled backward. The ball hit the back fence of the court.
“Whoa. Sorry there. I forgot we were playing doubles there for a moment.”
“No damage.” Sam scanned her arm and flexed it once. “Nope. I’m fine.”
“Game to us.” Jami tossed the extra two balls toward Sam since it was her serve.
Beck schooled his features into bland friendliness, despite the tingling of heat that rose on the back of his neck, and in the crotch of his shorts. He inhaled and let his breath out in a thin, silent stream. It was time to get his head back in the game and his pecker under control. He was his own master, and he wasn’t going to let his opponent get the better of him. No matter how sexy she looked with her silky brown hair gleaming in the morning sunshine or the tight knit top that hugged her slim waist and generous breasts.
He kept his attention centered on the next game, and Sam won her serve, and Beck hit a few winning line drives toward Rob’s weak backhand. But by Rob’s serve, Beck’s mind was drifting. It was much more fun to watch Jami’s long, lean thighs and catch a glimpse of those hot pink boy shorts than it was to concentrate on hitting a killer shot.
He lobbed it back in a high, looping arc and smiled as she bounced to get it. She returned it low and fast over the net, but Beck puffed it back to her. Jami hit it harder, but couldn’t change the ball’s direction, so it hit crosscourt right back to him. He returned a lazy lob, and a fleeting look of irritation passed over Jami’s expression.
She mishit the ball. Sam charged the net like a stampeding elephant and smacked the ball which flew straight into Rob’s chest. He shielded himself with his racket, and the ball zoomed off it and landed back into the net.
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.” Sam rushed toward the net. “I don’t know where that crazy shot came from. I didn’t mean to send a bullet to your heart.”
“I wasn’t paying enough attention.” Rob looked back at Jami and shrugged. “I was mesmerized by that crosscourt action. I didn’t think it would ever go toward Sam.”
Jami laughed, but it sounded forced to Beck’s ears.
“Hey, I’m dying of thirst, and I forgot to bring any water.” Sam fanned herself with her racket and gazed up at the sun. “It’s getting humid now that the sun is above the palms.”
“Let’s call it a match.” Rob glanced at Jami.
“Absolutely.” Jami cocked her head to one side and tossed a defiant look to Beck.
“I think we’re evenly matched.” Sam picked up the scattered tennis balls and put them back in the can.
“Five games to five.” Rob mopped his forehead with a towel.
“We should try to play again.” Jami’s voice was cheerful, and she blinked twice at Beck. She didn’t quite bat her eyelashes at him, but there was a glimmering challenge in it.
“All in the name of family closeness.” Beck laughed but wondered what was going on in that brain of hers.
Rob stiffened for a moment, but let the moment go, and Beck wished the words unsaid. Rob didn’t deserve any sarcasm. This was his and Anna’s moment, and Beck didn’t have any business making a challenging event any rougher.
Sam and Jami strolled off with airy waves and promises to see them shortly at the breakfast buffet.
“Which way are you headed?” Beck threw an arm around Rob’s shoulders. “I’m ready for some chow.”
“I should probably shower first, but I’m actually starved now.”
“Let’s go.” Beck stepped away and tucked his racket under his arm and walked on pace with Rob. They were silent, but it was a comfortable quiet. “This was a great idea to gather everyone down here.”
“Anna and I thought it would be fun, and rather like a neutral territory.”
“There are some strong personalities. On both sides.”
“I don’t think there’s a shrinking violet on either side of our two families.”
Beck’s thoughts immediately flew to Jami. She was a competitive spitfire, but there was no reason to mention it. “I don’t think Mom and Caitlynne are going to get along.”
Rob laughed. “You never know.”
“As long as we all play nicely and keep our thoughts to ourselves, this should all go off without a hitch.”
“I wish I’d known you were bidding against the Barretts.” Rob’s brow furrowed.
“That was awkward with Teddy and Jami for a moment last night.”
Rob murmured noncommittally, and Beck held his peace. There was no way he was going to back out of this deal just to smooth things over with the Barretts. His company was his top priority.
An image of Jami’s bouncing buns danced in his mind, and he smiled. She definitely turned his crank. He was going to have to watch himself, or she might get the upper hand. Indeed, Jami was going to keep him on his toes.
This might be an interesting family adventure after all.
CHAPTER 5
Beck rinsed off in his outdoor shower and slid into the pool. He floated and stared up at the glorious clear sky as one tall palm swayed in the breeze.
He sure couldn’t complain about his accommodations. A beachfront cottage was a luxury, but it made hanging out with relatives a shade more palatable. The sand was at his front door, and his bedroom patio gave him his own little pool, chaise lounge, and patio.
Beck smiled as the laughter of kids drifted past him. No doubt they were splashing in the surf. The sounds of singing approached and then faded, and Beck assumed it was one of the ever-cheerful resort staff. Hell, he might sing too if he lived in this island paradise.
“Austin!”
Beck opened his eyes. It sounded like Teddy Barrett was on the path to the beach that lay just beyond the privacy wall of his bungalow.
“I want a word with you,” Teddy continued in a firm voice.
“That never sounds encouraging.” Austin’s tone was patient.
Beck waited and fully expected the pair to keep walking. Should he say something to let them know he could hear everything?
“We never finished our conversation from yesterday.”
“You know I’m not your legal counsel.”
“Dammit. You’re a lawyer, and you’re my son. Just tell me how it is.”
“Pending lawsuits will hurt the company’s reputation. Barrett Ridge is a small community, and you know as well as I do that rumors get around quick. If you don’t settle or get a dismissal, the word will get out.”
“Money grubbing bastards.”
“I don’t even want to know any of the details.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a wrongful termination suit, and now there are two.”
There was a moment of silence, and then Teddy Barrett continued. “Don’t look at me that way. There’s nothing wrong with my temper. I expect a driver to work his ass off. Log books be damned. They deserved to get fired.”
“Old school doesn’t work anymore.” Austin almost sounded bored, as if he’d had the same conversation a million other times. “Electronic logs and driver hours are the rule. You have to enforce the rules.”
/> “They’re idiotic, and they cost me money.”
Austin replied, but his voice was distant as if they had finally moved out of hearing range. Beck chewed his lip and kicked his foot idly in the warm aqua waters. Sounded like all was not peaches and cream at Barrett Logistics.
Beck stepped out of plunge pool, dried off, and with the towel wrapped around his waist, slid into the chair at the neat desk in his suite and flipped his laptop open. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he outlined a plan of attack to his attorney.
All was fair in real estate development.
WITH A LAST ADMIRING glance at the glorious view of shimmering blue waters and the misty, verdant mountaintops of the distant isle of St. Lucia, Jami shut the sliding balcony door to Jo’s room. There was no point in letting the air conditioning escape, nor in allowing anyone close by to listen in. She didn’t know where Beck was staying, and even though Jo’s room was on the fifth floor of the main building, Beck could be directly above for all she knew.
She’d overheard enough from Beck and Rob as she’d waited silently on the bench near their court that she didn’t want to repeat his mistake. Initially, she’d ducked down on the bench so she could avoid any small talk with Beck, and she hadn’t intended to eavesdrop. And now, like more eavesdroppers, she hadn’t heard anything good.
If Beck had some sort of secret edge, she was going to have to find out what it was and neutralize it. Or perhaps, she could dig up some dirt.
Jami spun around to face Jo. “What was that you mentioned last night about knowing someone who’d worked at BK Industries?”
“It’s kind of gossip.” Jo looked up from the island activities brochure as she sat cross-legged on her bed. “But one of my friend’s sisters worked there a few years ago.”
“Is there some story there?”
“I checked with her last night after I heard about BK Industries.” Jo waved her phone at Jami. “She said her sister was sexually harassed by the boss. Not just her direct supervisor, but the head of the company.”
Jami gave her sister a long look. “Huh. I wouldn’t have figured Beck for that type. What happened? Are you sure?”
“They settled it out of court, and it was all hush-hush.”
“There’s nothing unusual about that. No company wants its dirty laundry splashed about the media. Do you know how much she received?”
“She bought a new house. With cash. And takes killer vacations every year now. I’ve seen the photos.”
Jami studied her sister. Should she run with this information? It might make a difference to the county board. No one wanted an abusive employer in town. But then again, they might not care if the new tax revenue was large enough.
“Thanks for telling me, Jo-Jo. I think I’ll run it by Dad’s legal counsel and see if he thinks we should drop a word to the board.”
“I didn’t tell Dad anything since you know how he would have reacted.”
They both shook their heads in unison, and Jami could imagine her father’s head exploding like a volcano and causing a major scene in front of Anna and everyone.
“We’d better get going. The first round of The Wedding Survivor game Anna-style gets started in a half hour.”
“Let me send an email to the attorney and see if he wants to pursue this. It might give us an edge.” Jami pursed her lips. They probably needed a little something extra based on Beck’s bragging to Rob.
“I’ll change into my one-piece bathing suit and put shorts over it. I have a feeling we’ll be running races in the sand or playing beach volleyball or something.”
Jami nodded, but her brain was immersed in her message to the stateside lawyer. What did Beck have up his sleeve? It had better not be too late to find a fresh advantage over him.
She pushed the send button on her email but frowned. A quaver of guilt hit her belly. She was reacting to a piece of hearsay. That was no way to run her business. Jami chewed on her lip. In reality, she was passing on a lead to the attorney. He would then do the research and pass it along to the county board if there was evidence to back it up.
Besides, if she didn’t do something with the information, and her father found out, he would have her ass on a grill. Hell, he’d fire her in a heartbeat. He was all about results, and he had no use for anyone who failed him.
Jami pushed out of the chair and stood at the sliding glass door. The deep blue waters seemed to dance in the sunlight as a pair of alabaster sailboats skimmed the waters and frolicked in the wind.
She sighed. What had happened to a simple family wedding? Now it was family business versus the newcomer.
At the thought of Beck, a tingle danced up her spine. That had been a fun battle on the tennis court this morning. She’d gotten a charge out of knowing he’d almost fallen over when she’d flashed her little pink shorties at him. That had been all she’d needed to know. She loved detecting an opponent’s weakness.
She might despise him as the enemy, but she wasn’t above playing up a few of her feminine advantages. He’d checked out about every inch of her body. She fidgeted with the curtain as she waited for Jo to finish changing in the bathroom as an answering heat flowered between her thighs.
Jami snapped her fingers twice and dispelled the crazy sensations. There was no way this side of the Equator that she was attracted to the dastardly Beckham Kavanagh. It was a fact. He was too good looking for his own good, and according to Jo’s friend’s sister, Beck was an abusive employer.
She shoved aside the vision of Beck’s gray eyes flashing at her when she’d scored the last crosscourt winner off him.
Yet, her heart muttered that his heat might be dangerous.
WITH A LAST GLANCE down the beach, Jami spread out her white and tan striped hotel beach towel, arranged her bag and drink, slipped out of her sandals, and settled down into the warmth of the sand. The thick, cottony goodness of the hotel towel caressed her skin. She was in heaven.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love her family, but it was already feeling like an interminable episode of Survivor: Family Wedding edition. Perhaps if she got lucky, Beck would get voted off the island. Jami wrinkled her nose. Why couldn’t Anna have settled on a round of bunko and called it good?
No, that had never been Anna’s method. If one family bonding game was good, why then of course, a never-ending game of meet your new family members and hey, by the way, you get to team up with your business enemy and jerky new brother-in-law.
The first game had been a coconut tossing relay that had pitted her directly against Beck, and he’d beaten her. Jami frowned. And it had gone downhill from there. How had Anna dreamed up the idea of a hula hoop relay? And she’d been right next to Beck and had to pass the hula hoop to him with only her hips. Jami fidgeted with the edge of her towel and couldn’t seem to find a comfortable position in the sand.
Thank goodness, she’d probably rarely see Beck after the wedding. Once she won the Anderton property deal, Beck would hightail it out of Barrett Ridge. Nope, he’d likely pick something around Portland, or maybe Nevada. Wasn’t that where all sorts of businesses were congregating these days?
It wasn’t like Beck was going to be a regular at Christmas or Thanksgiving dinners. She’d only been out to Anna’s once for the holidays. A niggling thought teased at Jami as she sipped on her cold drink. What if Beck did win?
An ice cube broke free in her cup and clinked on her front tooth. She sputtered and sat up. Would they have to start inviting him to Sunday dinners? Delightful.
The sun dimmed, and a shadow loomed over her.
“Jaymz.” Kyle winked. “Can I hide out with you?”
“Who’s hiding? I’m working on my tan.” Jami pointed to her bottle of sunscreen as evidence.
“At the far end of the beach, not a Barrett or Edwards in sight?”
“I may need a wig to go full incognito.”
“Do you have a spare in your bag?” Kyle groaned. “I’m so over Anna and her hyper-enthusiasm.”
“It
’s only the first full day. Isn’t she with the kids playing Marco Polo in the pool?”
“There’s a can’t miss event.”
“I have to give her credit. She is a lot more fun than we are.”
“For the ten-year-old set.”
“When did you get so old?”
“I don’t see you volunteering to entertain the troops.”
“Point taken.” Jami tossed the sunscreen at Kyle. “Spray some on my back, please.”
Kyle grabbed the bottle without a word and did his duty.
“We’ve been spotted.”
“What?” Jami twisted around. There was Beck where the palm trees met the white sands. Dark blue board shorts, no shirt, glistening, cut abdominal muscles. Damn. That wasn’t a six pack, but an eight pack of hard, rippling studliness.
Kyle stuck his hand up to catch Beck’s attention, but Beck’s gaze was already raking her body over. Brilliant.
“I thought we were ditching family?” Jami hissed under her breath.
“Beck’s cool.”
Jami grunted, slapped her sunglasses on, and burrowed back down into the soft, warm sand.
“Mind if I join you?” Beck nodded to Jami, but that was it. It was like she didn’t exist. Fine. It was better if they simply ignored each other.
“It’s a safe space.” Kyle grinned, and Beck snorted.
“Too much family time?” Beck kneeled in the sand, and Jami was mesmerized by his bulging thigh muscles and dark tan. His skin was almost olive like he was of Mediterranean descent. A Latin lover. Jami quivered and shut her eyes. She was thankful for her dark glasses.
“Worse than Thanksgiving weekend.”
“At least there’s football and turkey leftovers.”
“Word up.”
“When’s the next official gathering?” Beck sounded neutral, but his expression was pained.
“I think we need another round of drinks.” Kyle looked around, but the nearest server was out of calling distance.
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