Sugar and Sin Bundle

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  He quirked a brow. “Oh, come on, Jaya. You ran for you. Not for me. You were a little freaked and you bolted. I get it. I’ve bolted before too. More than once, but we’re not going to get into that. The way I figure it, you can come to breakfast with me. Let me charm you a little. I’m only in town for a couple of weeks but—”

  “Why me?” She didn’t need the whole charm-and-scheme routine. Straight talk worked better.

  His face turned serious. “Hands down, you’re the sexiest woman I’ve come across in so long I can’t even remember. You’re the only woman to get under my skin, and in equal parts it scares the shit out of me and intrigues me.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Why should I believe you?”

  He shrugged. “Because it’s the truth. Because I’m hoping you’ll say yes and we can go to breakfast and eventually end up back in bed. And finally, because something besides me is bugging you and I’d like to help if I can.”

  Rattled by his honesty and sudden perception, Jaya stepped back from him. “Why do you think something’s bugging me?”

  “For starters, you’ve crossed your arms over those delicious breasts of yours, which in my book constitutes a crime. Then, you try and give me the brush off even after that jolt of lust.

  Yeah I felt it too. And finally, your voice wobbled just the tiniest bit. So either I said something wrong or….” His voice trailed.

  Jaya didn’t like how well he read her. “You must be a hell of a bartender.”

  His lips thinned a split second before he spoke. “Amongst other things. You want to tell me what the problem is? I’m told I’m an excellent problem-solver.” He shrugged and that easy smile was back to torment her dreams. “Besides, you helped me out tonight, last night, whatever, by getting me out of work. I owe you a flick of my magic wand.”

  “Unless your magic wand is specifically designed to erase the memory of me losing my job three days ago, the fact that my old boyfriend—who, consequently, is the reason I lost my job—is about to marry my sister in two weeks, and also that my father believes I’m a perpetual failure, I doubt there’s much you can do.”

  That sexy, lazy smile widened to a grin. “It turns out I might have just the wand for that.”

  Chapter Seven

  Alec watched with bemusement as Jaya’s delicately arched brows shot up. Her eyes darted to his crotch and he bit back a string of curses. “Maybe not the best choice of words.” He leaned forward, marveling at the way his body hummed when she swayed toward him.

  Before he could talk himself out of being cautious, he cupped her face with his hand, and drew her to him. He knew there were a million reasons why he shouldn't kiss her, shouldn't take her to bed. Too bad he couldn't think of a single one.

  His lips slid over hers and he breathed in her scent. The remnants of her perfume made his blood simmer. All he wanted to do was bury himself inside her and shut out the world. When her tongue met his, he felt the jolts of electricity straight to his cock. Groaning against her lips, he pulled her closer to him. She sighed and wound her arms around his neck. As her whole body relaxed, she molded her body against his. Moving his hands to her waist, his thumbs traced a path at the hem of her tank top. She hitched in a breath.

  A niggling voice in his head said to wait. His body wanted to shoot that voice. Groaning against her lips, he tried to bring his libido under control. He felt her draw back and lifted his head to look down at her. What the hell was wrong with him? This was not part of the plan.

  Jaya squeezed her eyes shut. When they opened again, fatigue had chased off the lust. The words tumbled out of her full lips in a steady flow. “Look, Alec, I’m sorry. I can’t. Why did you really come here? What do you want from me? You can’t just show up on my doorstep and kiss me and make me forget what I need to do.”

  He shook his head as he forced his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  “It’s been a long night and neither one of us got any sleep. I need to start making some calls this morning if I’m going to find a date, and all I want are a couple of hours so I can be coherent. If your ego is bruised because I left this morning, then I’m sorry. It really was the best sex I have ever had in my life. And god-damn, you can kiss. But, it’s not you, it’s me. I just didn’t want to do the awkward thing. Thank you again for bringing back my card and license. I just can’t do this.”

  He crossed his arms as he watched her begin to lose steam. “You all done now?”

  She didn’t look pleased about the interruption but she closed her mouth.

  “What I was saying was, I have a solution to your problems.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Oh yeah? Somehow I doubt another round of curl-my-toes sex is going to solve my current problems. Now if you’ll excuse—”

  Alec stepped over the threshold before she could unceremoniously shut the door in his face. “Okay, relax. Maybe I did come here because my ego was a little bruised, but that’s not the only reason. I like you and I really do want to help.”

  Almond-shaped hazel eyes narrowed at him. “You know anyone who wants to sit through the torture of wedding festivities with my family? I promise you it’ll resemble something like ancient torture tests.”

  “Yeah. Me.”

  She blinked up at him. Blinked again. The deep breath she choked in drew his attention to her pert breasts. He schooled his brain before the runaway train could go into the memory bank for how sweet they tasted and how her whole body melted every time he licked the dark tips. She opened her mouth to speak then shut it again.

  “Wow, cat got your tongue? I’m impressed. Somehow I thought it would take more.”

  Again, the narrowed eyes, but this time she accompanied them by tossing a tiny stuffed Batman figurine his way. Not bad aim, she almost got him in the head.

  “Why would you agree to do something like that? Last night was a one-off. And I know I asked you to be my date, but that was just a sex game. I didn’t think you would actually say yes.”

  Which is really a shame. “Yeah, you said that already. Bottom line is I need something from you too.”

  She backed up a step. “Is this where you tell me you need a kidney or my beating heart for some whacked ritual?”

  He snickered. “You really need to lay off the Law and Order SVU. It’s simpler than that. I need an event planner.”

  “What?”

  “Event planner. That is what you do right? I called you the other day. At Trudeaux, they said you didn’t work there anymore, which I might mention is not cool, as that’s where you wanted me to bill the dry-cleaning. Anyway, I figure you have some time on your hands.”

  He watched as her shoulders relaxed by degrees. “What kind of event? Something small? At the bar, maybe?”

  He shook his head. “Try a thousand—person gala for Adele Westhorpe for the end of the year.”

  He watched as her mouth did the open-closed guppy thing again, all the while taking in the detail of her place. Everything was hyper-neat and organized. The only thing incongruous was the figurine, and he had a feeling the mini Bruce Wayne didn’t spend much time out of place. It was the crack of dawn and her place looked like the maid had just been through it.

  “Oh, right, like you know Adele Westhorpe. This sounds like a scam.”

  That stung. But then, what was she supposed to think? He had been a bartender when he met her. “Yeah, well, my brother isn’t the only one who works for the Westhorpes, though my title is a little more ambiguous. I’m sort of the resident Mr. Fix-It. Anything needs dealing with, and I’m the one they call. Last night, they needed bar staff and a general manager for the opening of the club.” There. That was almost the truth.

  “Why would you give me a job of that magnitude? You don’t even know me. I could be a crazy person. Or worse, suck at the event thing.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her he knew every inch of her—from what made her smile, to the fact that she talked in her sleep, to
what she looked like when she came—but then she probably wouldn’t take that well. “I’m not doing you a favor. All I’m getting you is an audition. Adele Westhorpe needs an event planner and she’s tasked me with finding her one. It won’t be a walk in the park. She’s a tyrant. In exchange, I go to this wedding with you.”

  She swiped a hand across her forehead. “I’m sorry. I’m floored. People don’t do this kind of thing for total strangers. I could be a total flake. You’re putting your job on the line to help me.”

  “My mother always did call me impetuous. So is that a yes? Can we go get breakfast now?” His stomach rumbled a second to his request.

  “I—wait. I need to be sure. Can we have some kind of contract or something? You know, saying you don’t expect sex in return?”

  His grin was instant. She drove a hard bargain. “Do you want to tell me why sex isn’t on the agenda?”

  “You mean, besides muddy waters and I need my total focus on the job at hand? Contrary to my behavior last night, I don’t just sleep with random guys. I’m the get-attached girl and clearly you’re not a get-attached guy, so it’s just easier.”

  And it won’t allow you to have control. But he knew better than to goad her with that tidbit of truth. “Okay, fine. What I will say is this. When you decide you want to sleep with me, it’ll have nothing to do with our deal. Can you live with that?”

  “You’re so sure of yourself.”

  Why was he pushing so hard? So what if she said no? So what if he never saw her again? He gritted through the pang of loss. It was worse than he thought. Which was why he had to get her out of his system. She wasn’t the first woman he wanted or who threatened to become a major distraction for him. He just needed some time to work through it. The added bonus was he could also make Adele happy.

  “You’d be surprised, but I’ve heard that before.” He cocked his head. “So, what do you say? Am I date material?”

  She eyed him as she worked her bottom lip. It was all he could do to tell her to forget the deal and coax her back to bed.

  She let out a long sigh. “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to regret this?”

  “I don’t know. Why do you?”

  “You’re too charming for your own good. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. The way I see it, the charm can either work against me or for me.” Jaya pressed a hand to her chest like it was her panacea. “You know I need the job. I just don’t know why you’re being so nice to me. You don’t know me.”

  He shrugged. “Let’s just say, I saw you rock out to old-school Jackson Five, Rihanna and Jason Mrahz. Your musical taste is eclectic and you blow my mind in bed.”

  She blushed.

  “So even if you say it was a one-time thing, and you aren’t going to let that happen again, I'm inclined to help you. And you’ll be saving my ass. Adele Westhorpe isn’t a woman who takes disappointment well. All you have to do is come to breakfast. Then we’ll head up to LA.”

  “LA? That’s a two-hour drive. I’m not just going to drop everything I'm doing and go somewhere with you. You could still be an axe-murderer.”

  “Well, if I were, wouldn’t you already be dead by now? And if you worry I'm going to strand you in LA, you can drive.”

  “Look, this just feels really impulsive and rushed. You don’t know me, but I do not do impulsive and rushed. I’m a planner. I’m not heading to Los Angeles on a moment’s notice. Besides, what’s up there?”

  “Adele’s in LA. She’s interviewing other event planners at the Westhorpe up there. And let me point out that you've planned out every inch of your life and see where you are now. Maybe it's good to be a little impulsive.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip and Alec temporarily lost focus. When she sighed, he knew he had her. “Okay. But first I need to send some emails in case this Westhorpe thing doesn’t work out. I’ve got some feelers out there. This condo won’t pay for itself.”

  He grinned. “Now that we’re in agreement that I make a wonderful date, can we go eat?”

  “Is that all you can think about?”

  “You took sex off the table.” He shrugged.

  Rolling her eyes, she hitched up her shorts again, hiding the strip of flesh under the cotton fabric. “Okay. Fine. I figure we need to—” The jangling of keys in the lock had her head whipping around. Using her whole body to barricade the door, she whispered, “This will sound crazy, but—”

  “You need me to hide in the bathroom, closet, or bedroom?”

  Her eyes bugged. “How did you know?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve had enough encounters that ended this way while someone had to explain to a boyfriend, or husband or lesbian lover.”

  She giggled as she slapped a hand over her eyes. “Incorrigible. But somehow I believe it.”

  He grinned. “I'll just make myself comfy in your bedroom.”

  “Thank you.” She nodded in the direction of the hallway and he reluctantly complied.

  “Okay, but I will ask some questions later.”

  She shoved her full weight behind the door again. Whoever was on the other side couldn’t have been much bigger than she was, as he or she couldn’t budge her from the door frame. “I promise you, it’s not a husband or anything. Just something too awkward to explain and deal with. Please.” she whispered.

  He sauntered down the hallway, straining to hear. He opted to stop in the bathroom. It was closer and would probably afford a better eavesdropping spot. And to think, he almost walked away from all this intrigue.

  Chapter Eight

  Jaya braced herself against the door once more. Could she really do this? Have this show down with Tamara when she knew Alec was down the hall eavesdropping? Tams was the only other person who had a key. Another hard knock resounded through the wood. Whether she wanted to have the conversation or not, Tamara was coming in.

  “Jai, it's Tamara. I need to speak with you.” For a second, Jaya considered climbing out the window, but she’d never been that much of a coward. Drawing in a deep breath, she muttered to herself, “You can do this.” She stepped back, allowing Tamara in.

  Her sister stumbled in, carrying a medium sized box. “Damn it, you need to get your door fixed. I know it’s summer, but there’s no excuse for a swollen door in a building like this. It’s not like you are in some really old prewar building or something.”

  As usual, accompanying Tamara was an air of disorganization and chaos. Jaya reigned in her already crackling temper. What the hell was her sister doing here? Here, when she had Alec in her apartment. She didn’t need Tamara reporting back to her father how Jaya had some one night-stand staying at her place. “What are you doing here, Tamara? I’ve got a busy day.” Her eyes made an involuntary dart towards the hallway. What was he doing in her bedroom? Before her imagination could gallop off with that thought, she focused on her sister. “It’s early.”

  Tamara barged past her. “Sometimes, I swear you think I’m your enemy.”

  “Come on in, why don't you,” Jaya muttered under her breath, refusing to feel the twinge of guilt. Tamara had already proven she didn’t care about her feelings.

  Placing the box she carried on the couch, she turned to face Jaya. “You left this at the office. It's your personal stuff. Derrick had me clean it out for you. I offered to bring it by instead of sending a courier.”

  As Tamara scrutinized her, Jaya shifted under the gaze. “Thanks. You shouldn’t have bothered.” If everything went the way she hoped, she’d have to cart it right back to the office anyway.

  Tamara’s gaze shifted from Jaya’s. “I wish you'd said something before you left the office. I was really gutted when Derrick told me. I never thought he’d go through with something like that.” Tamara shifted from one foot to another. “I mean, I know you two have your differences and everything. If you want, maybe I can talk to Dad and—”

  Jaya's brows drew up. “Exactly what would you say in my defense? ‘Geez, honey, go easy on my sister—we owe her after all?’�
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  Tamara ignored the jibe. “Well, you probably didn’t need to disobey Dad and do that specific presentation. You could have done the one Dad and Derrick approved.”

  Weary, Jaya rolled her shoulders. She didn’t need to rehash her greatest failure over and over again. Especially not with Alec in ear-shot. But she couldn’t let it go. “In the office, I was an equal employee. It was my account and my client, so I had the right to give the pitch any way I wanted. And it got us the client’s business, if today’s newspaper is correct.” Jaya could hear the tone of her voice and the increasing decibels, so she forced her breathing into an even cadence. “You’re not here to talk about how I got fired, so what do you need?”

  Tamara shifted again in her Prada loafers and adjusted her purse strap. “I, um, wanted to see if you'd still be at the wedding.”

  Jaya cocked her head. “Tamara, I—”

  Tamara held up a hand. “Look, I know you hate me. You have every right to feel that way and to not come, but I’d hoped maybe you'd still be willing to support me. Since Mom's not here you know. You’re the only one I have close to a mother and—”

  There it was. The familiar guilt. Because, even though she was younger, Jaya had always been the one to take care of her sister. There’d been a point when they were inseparable. Right before Tamara swiped Derrick out from under her nose. But Tamara was still her sister. “I don’t hate you.” Just your leech of a fiancé. “I told you I’d be there. I'm not happy about it. I wish I could be happy for you, but considering the circumstances, I’m not that altruistic.” She sucked in a breath, because that was what you did for family. “But you’re my sister. I'll be there.”

  Tamara nodded her thanks, knowing better than to offer a hug. Jaya had tried for almost a year to let go of some of the anger. After all, it wasn't as if she still wanted Derrick. He was an asshole. But the betrayal of her sister still didn’t sit well. And her father's acceptance of it all, as if nothing had ever happened, bit the big hairy one. But she was an adult. She could get over it—well, mostly. This was her sister and family was everything. She’d promised her mother.