Off Limits: A Stepbrother MMA Romance

by Harper, Callie

  “Six years.” She gave a nervous laugh and looked down at the floor.

  “I’m sorry to hear about Harlan. But tell me why should I be interested in bailing out a failed ranch?” I knew I was being an asshole. A good guy would pull out the checkbook right then and there, no questions asked. But I wasn’t a good guy, now was I? I was a cold, ruthless bastard and I wanted to hear her out, see where it might lead.

  Kara looked up, those clear blue eyes now flashing with anger. “My father was a good man.” She stood up, shaking, one hand still on the arm of the chair. “He cared about people. He wasn’t always the best businessman. He didn’t always make the best choices. But he did take a chance on you, Declan, back when not a lot of people would have. You were young and looking for work and he helped you out.”

  “I worked hard for that man. I don’t owe you anything.”

  She exhaled sharp and angry between her teeth. “Sure, fine. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She put her hand on her hip and looked down at the floor, then dropped her hand down again. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out.”

  “Like what?”

  She looked at the corner of my desk, not meeting my eyes. Then she steeled her resolve and took one last shot. “Listen, I hear you invest in real estate now.” She gestured around my office, as if it demonstrated her point. “You run luxury ranches, or ranches for tourists. I don’t know everything about it, but I figure you probably need some help. I know a lot about running ranches. If you have a job for me at one of your places, I’ll do it. I’ll work to pay off my debt.”

  “You want a job?”

  “Yes, Declan, I want a job. I need a loan and I need some way to pay you back. Picking up a more shifts at the Chat ‘n’ Chew isn’t going to cut it.”

  Intriguing. Unexpected. I rested my chin on my fist and watched her fidget, animated and flushed.

  “I’m organized. I’m a hard worker.” She ticked off her selling points. “I know everything that needs to be done on a ranch. And I’ve just had a crash course in bookkeeping.” She gave that dry laugh again. I wanted to hear her real laugh, the one that bubbled out of her like a spring brook.

  “Or maybe you could see our place as an investment?” she continued. “Turn it into one of your destination resorts? I know my dad wasn’t too excited about that, but,” she shrugged, “I think maybe he was wrong.”

  I had tried to talk to Harlan back in the day. He’d shut the idea down fast.

  “Declan, I swear, if you give me a loan I’ll pay you back every penny with interest. And I’ll work hard to do it. You name the terms.”

  Our eyes locked, hers heated and passionate, mine still cool and controlled. “I name the terms.” My voice came out low, commanding.

  She swallowed, nervous. My gaze caressed her, down her throat, resting on her gorgeous breasts straining against that white t-shirt. I wanted to bring my hands to them, fingers teasing, lightly pinching her nipples to make her gasp. As if responding to my fantasy, her breath drew into a soft pant. Fuck if her nipples didn’t tighten, hardening for me into two pebbles stretched against the thin fabric. She’d always been so responsive, so suggestive of how nasty she might get right beneath that light surface of perfect.

  Through the speaker on my phone, my assistant’s crisp, professional voice announced, “Sir, your next appointment is here.”

  I’d like to hear Kara call me “sir.” She flushed. I wondered if she could read my mind.

  “Two minutes,” I responded. This meeting was over. But I wasn’t done with Kara, not yet.

  Leaning forward in my chair, the stealth of a panther stalking its prey, I told Kara, “I’ll consider it.” She waited for more, trapped and nervous. “Tonight, seven o’clock,” I continued. “Meet me for dinner at the restaurant in the Stanyon Hotel. Do you know it?”

  She shook her head no.

  “Fig and Fennel, a couple of blocks from here.” I stood up and slowly approached her. I loved her temper. I couldn’t resist stoking it, playing with it. I liked seeing a flash of anger in her eyes a hell of a lot more than the sadness I’d seen creeping around the edges. Raising an index finger to her, I issued a challenge. “You want a loan? Give me your best pitch.”

  She arched an eyebrow, disbelieving and a little pissed off. “My best pitch?”

  “I’m not easy to persuade,” I continued, moving closer. When you stood over six feet tall, you could use your height to your advantage, take your time and then draw yourself up to own all of the space around you.

  I looked down at her. She was 5’6” and all curves. My voice low and slightly teasing, I told her, “You need to sell me. You’d better bring it.”

  Now with a hot blaze of anger in her eyes, Kara glared at me with defiance. “Seven o’clock. I’ll be there.”

  I towered over her, holding her gaze and I could see her breathing grow shallow. Clearly needing to create some distance, she took a step back. And another. I kept my focus on her and gave a nod of dismissal. She turned around and practically ran out of my office.

  I watched her hustle away. If she had any sense at all she would keep on moving, skip dinner in favor of a long drive back to her ranch. She’d realize that she had far safer options than what I offered.

  Kara Brooks. The one I’d wanted most. The one I’d never gotten to have. Not really, not the way I wanted her, for days on end, pounding and relentless as she moaned and screamed for more.

  Back when I’d known her, I’d still had nothing. I’d been the kid pressing my nose up against the window of the candy shop, licking my lips and salivating over a sweet hopelessly out of reach.

  Kara was the candy. And now I wasn’t just being offered up a platter of treats. I was being handed the keys to the whole fucking store.

  Unleashed: Hot Alpha Romance is available now for preorder.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you so much for reading! I hope you loved every wicked, hot page.

  I’m incredibly grateful to my family and friends for their love and support. No words can express how much I love you.

  A huge thank you to Lauren Blakely for her advice, encouragement and humor!

  Jada D’Lee Designs designed an amazing cover. Holy hotness! I love her work. jadadleedesigns.com

  A huge thank you the proofreading team at Help Me Edit helpmeedit.net Your work make a world of difference! And thank you to Jesse Gordon for formatting the book so well.

  Thank you to Emily at Gossip Girls PR and to Kylie at Give Me Books for their tireless, creative help, and support.

  Thank you to all the fantastic, entertaining writers I adore reading.

  And much love to all the amazing book lovers! You make it fun to write! And you make it possible to do it as an indie author, so thank you, thank you!

  Here’s to having a bunch more fun with this wild, indie e-reader world!

  CONTACT

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