GUILTY PLEASURE (STEELE FAMILY Book 13)

by Brenda Jackson

  “She’s making a huge mistake. Somebody needs to be looking out for her. Keeping her in check.”

  “Well, it won’t be me. We all experience disappointment and heartbreak in different ways. Some people go into their shell and don’t ever come out, not willing to risk their hearts again. Others decide to get over it by jumping in and taking whatever life has to offer. Dee has figured out how she wants to handle this, Cohen. I suggest you accept it.” She turned at the sound of laughter coming from the patio. “Now unless there’s something else, I plan to get back to the party.”

  “Fine.”

  Stacey walked off, but he remained where he was, watching Dee. She looked like a beautiful angel and a naughty sex kitten, all rolled into one. What she was going through was all his fault. He should never have touched her.

  She’d said he’d hurt her, but he couldn’t see the sense in apologizing for telling her the truth about his feelings. For trying to spare her from wasting her love on him. Still, the last thing he’d wanted to do was throw her out there to the wolves.

  A short while later, he knew what he had to do. Someone needed to look out for her. If the job fell on him, then so be it. Luckily, he had some time off from the hospital. It had been years since he’d been to Virginia Beach. Now looked like a great time for another visit.

  **

  A knock on the door made Dee glance up from folding her laundry. “Come in.”

  Stacey smiled as she entered the room. “I came to see how your packing is going.”

  “Not much to it. I only used a few things. Thanks for letting me use your washer and dryer.”

  “No problem,” Stacey said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Just so you know…I think you rattled Cohen today. But then, that was your plan, wasn’t it?”

  Dee stopped packing and glanced over at Stacey. “It really wasn’t a plan. Let’s just say, I was testing the waters on a theory I had. I didn’t want to tell you anything. That way, Cohen couldn’t accuse you of interfering in his love life.”

  Stacey shook her head, chuckling. “If I’m interfering, it’s because of Cohen. He’s worried about you. Evidently you shared a different version of your plans for Virginia Beach with him than you did with me,” she said, giving her a pointed look.

  Dee rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to make him mad.”

  “Well, I think you did more than that. I think you drove him crazy.”

  Dee lifted her chin. “Serves him right.”

  “You might be right, but you may have gone overboard. Evidently, he thinks you needs a babysitter in Virginia Beach. He’s contemplating doing the honors.”

  Dee blinked. “You’re kidding, right?”

  Stacy smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m not kidding. Cohen called a few moments ago. He said he’s leaving Phoenix earlier than he’d planned. I figured he was returning to Florida. But when I mentioned it to Eli, he wasn’t surprised. He said Cohen had asked him where you would be staying in Virginia Beach. I’m pretty sure he intends to follow you there to make sure you stay out of trouble.”

  A huge smile touched Dee’s lips. “Truthfully? He believes he has to do that?”

  Stacey chuckled again. “Evidently. After you told him of your plans, he had a major conniption. Now he’s convinced he has to save you from yourself.”

  Dee threw her head back and laughed. “That’s wonderful.”

  “Wonderful? Having Cohen follow you to Virginia Beach doesn’t bother you?” Stacey asked.

  “No.” Dee began pacing the room. Then she stopped and looked at Stacey. “I need to prove to Cohen that he can trust me with his heart. That he doesn’t have to be afraid to fall in love again.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “I had planned to use my time in Virginia Beach to come up with a plan, something I could put into play when I saw him at Lawyer’s wedding. But now, I’ve got the perfect opportunity to act sooner. And whether he realizes it or not, he’s given me an idea.”

  “He has?”

  “Yes. Twice, I’ve seduced your brother, only for him to retreat. This time, he’ll be the one to seduce me.”

  Stacey gave her a dubious look. “Honestly? Do you think you’ll be able to pull that off?”

  Dee nodded. “I certainly intend to try. While in Virginia Beach, I’m going to drive Cohen so crazy with lust, he’ll have to give in. And I’ll be waiting for him when it happens.”

  8

  Cohen unpacked the last of his things and placed them in the dresser drawers. He usually lived out of his luggage while traveling, since he was never in the same place for long. However, this time around, he would be spending at least a week, possibly two--whatever length of time it took to make sure Dee didn’t carry out this crazy plan of hers.

  He couldn’t get the image of her out of his mind, how she’d stood directly in front of him that day in the basement, with her arms crossed under her breasts, glaring at him. It had been blatantly clear she’d been upset, just like it had been damn obvious she hadn’t been wearing a bra. It had been hard to concentrate on her face without letting his gaze dip to her chest. She’d been so intent on giving him a piece of her mind that she hadn’t noticed his preoccupation with her chest. At least, until she’d start talking about coming here to seek out male attention.

  It hadn’t been hard to find out where she’d be staying. He had known better than to ask Stacey, but he’d figured Eli would know. His brother-in-law hadn’t disappointed him, providing him with the name of the resort and the dates Dee would be staying. That was all Cohen had needed to book a room for himself.

  Now here he was, ensconced at the Turtle Dove Resort. Walking over to the window, he took a good look around the place. It was a vacationer’s paradise. All the rooms had an ocean view and he’d been given a brochure listing all the daily activities.

  This place was a singles’ resort. He hadn’t been surprised. After all, there had to be single men available if Dee intended to carry out her plans. She’d arrived one day before him and he hoped she hadn’t found any trouble yet.

  Cohen reassured himself once again that he was doing the right thing. Whether she’d intended to or not, the other night, she’d told him he was basically responsible for making her come here. If he hadn’t slept with her, she wouldn’t be looking for someone else to give her mind-blowing orgasms. She’d been a virgin, for God’s sake!

  But the big question was…how was he going to stop her from getting naughty with some other guy? Whatever it took, he planned to do it.

  He picked up the brochure. There would be a welcome party tonight on the beach. She’d undoubtedly be there, which meant he would be too. Cohen smiled, thinking of her reaction when she saw him. He couldn’t wait to see it. He pushed aside the thought that he couldn’t wait to see her, either.

  **

  Dee drew in a deep breath as she hung up the phone. Cohen had arrived. All she’d had to do was call the check-in desk and give his name. They’d acknowledged his arrival but wouldn’t pass along his room number. She didn’t need it. If he was here to keep an eye on her, she knew she’d find him before long. And when she did, she would feign surprise and then outrage that he’d followed her. Then, of course, she would pretend to ignore him…even though she knew he probably wouldn’t let her.

  She had a pretty good idea that he’d be at the welcome party tonight. And when their paths crossed, she’d be ready. She would show him that he couldn’t just show up at the resort—a singles’ resort—and expect to keep things platonic. He had a lot to learn about women if he assumed that.

  She glanced at her watch and then down at herself. Tonight’s affair was being held in the resort’s ballroom and the attire was dressy. She decided to wear her red cocktail party dress with a draped V-back. She had bought it last year while visiting her aunt Rhonda in Atlanta. What she liked most about the dress was how good it looked with her red stilettos.

  Glancing in the mirror, she smiled at her reflect
ion. The short, curly hair style was growing on her, and when Cohen had admitted that he liked it, it had boosted her self-confidence and given her renewed hope. Her goal was to get him to see her as someone other than Stacey’s best friend. She wanted him to see her as the woman he wanted.

  Drawing in a deep breath for courage, she grabbed her small purse off the table, then headed for the door.

  **

  Cohen walked toward the ballroom, shaking his head. He’d just turned down an offer from a woman who’d been bold enough to invite him up to her hotel room for what she claimed would be a night he wouldn’t forget. He frowned as he grabbed a drink off the tray of a passing waiter. He hoped Dee wasn’t crazy enough to do something like that.

  The thought that she just might bothered him so much that he emptied the contents of his wine glass in a single gulp. He was licking his lips when a sudden feeling of heat raced up his spine. He didn’t have to see her to know that Dee had entered the room.

  He turned to look at the entrance of the ballroom, and there she stood. And he wasn’t the only man looking. Tonight she was the lady in red. Scorching hot. Desire in flames. There was something about the way she looked that had him wanting another drink, this one a little stronger.

  He wasn’t surprised that she’d dressed in such an eye-catching outfit. Simply put, she looked gorgeous. If she’d intended to make her presence at the resort known, she’d succeeded. Cohen hung back for now. She wouldn’t be happy to see him. She’d resent him interfering in her life, and would think he didn’t have the right. He probably didn’t. But he refused to stand by and let her make a huge mistake, just because he’d awakened her desires. Desires she wanted to feel again, but with someone else.

  And that was the one thing he didn’t want to think about--Dee sharing her body with someone else for all the wrong reasons. Sure, he’d thought she’d slept with him for the wrong reasons, too.

  To make sure she didn’t see him, he was about to move toward the bar in the back of the room when a conversation between two men standing close by met his ears.

  “Will you look at that hot piece in red who just walked in, Marshall.”

  “I’m looking…and I’m planning to have her in my bed tonight, if not sooner.”

  Cohen saw red and it took all his control not to let the men know that the only bed Dee would be in tonight was her own. Instead he moved away, though he planned to keep an eye on the guy who’d made such a bold prediction.

  “What would you like, sir?”

  “Scotch on the rocks.”

  Cohen glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Dee had already attracted a crowd. Still, he decided to wait it out. He frowned when he saw the guy who’d claimed he’d have Dee in his bed make his move.

  Moments later, a drink in hand, he moved to an empty table in the back where he was certain Dee couldn’t see him. He sank down in the chair, thinking that this was a good spot to sit and watch. He had to believe that Dee had more sense than to willingly play this game of seduction. But then, he remembered what she’d told him about her plans for these two weeks. Uncertainty gripped his insides.

  “Would you like another drink, sir?”

  He glanced up at the waiter working the floor and then down at the glass in his hand. He’d finished it off already? “Yes. Another scotch on ice.”

  Somewhere between Cohen’s second and third glasses of scotch, he’d realized he was deeply annoyed. He had seen Tyson in action too many times not to recognize a seduction ploy when he saw one. There was no doubt in his mind that the overconfident jerk was doing his best to seduce Dee, just as he’d bragged earlier. He hadn’t left her side all night. They were sharing the same table and had danced a few times. Whatever conversation they were having was evidently entertaining, if Dee’s smiles and occasional laughter were anything to go by.

  Cohen had been keeping tabs on how many drinks Dee had consumed and was satisfied there hadn’t been too many. He’d noticed that whenever the man had summoned the waiter for a refill, she’d had the good sense to refuse.

  He saw the man check his watch. Cohen checked his. He glanced back up and saw Dee also checking hers. It was getting late, close to midnight. Dee leaned close and whispered something to the man. Was she inviting him to her room? Was she agreeing to go to his?

  He felt a deep punch in his chest when they stood and the man escorted Dee out of the ballroom.

  **

  Where was Cohen? Dee checked her watch again. She’d been at the party for at least three hours and she’d expected him to make an appearance hours ago. She was hoping that he would, especially since the man walking beside her, Marshall Whitmire, was driving her nuts with his chatter about her joining him in his room.

  Of course, she had no intention of doing that, regardless of how good looking he was. He had an ego the size of Texas. Though he’d spent the last hour doing his best to convince her to share his bed tonight, the rest of the night, all he’d done was talk about himself. He was an attorney from Huntsville, Alabama and according to him, his family was as well-known, and had just about as much money as, Bill Gates.

  From his attitude, she gathered it was a foregone conclusion on his part that when they left the ballroom, they would be headed up to his room. Although she was disappointed that Cohen hadn’t shown up, she had no intention of going anywhere with Marshall. He’d asked her four times already and she’d turned him down every time.

  Her thoughts shifted back to Cohen. The hotel staffer had verified he’d checked in. Was she wrong to assume he had come here because of her? “What’s your room number, Deidre?”

  Marshall’s question cut into her thoughts. Obviously, he figured that she’d prefer to have home field advantage. Little did he guess that she had no intention of giving him her room number, or anything else. When they came to the bank of elevators, she stopped, grateful there were a number of people around, in case he refused to take no for an answer. “You don’t have to see me to my room, Marshall. I know the way.”

  A smooth smile touched the corners of his lips. “I didn’t intend to see you to your room. Since you won’t join me in my room, I thought I’d come to yours.”

  Like hell you will. She stared at him, seeing the smooth smile become an arrogant grin. She’d encountered egotistical men before, but he had to be one of the pushiest. She was about to put Marshall Whitmire in his place once and for all when a familiar voice stopped her.

  “Dee!”

  She could tell by Cohen’s tone that he wasn’t too happy. In fact, it was obvious from his features that he was downright furious. She fought back a sigh of relief, though she knew that, for the moment, she had to pretend to be both surprised and angry at seeing him.

  “Hey, I thought you told me your name was Deidre,” Marshall said accusingly.

  She glanced up at him. “It is. My friends call me Dee.” She hoped he grasped the implication. She didn’t want him as a friend.

  “That guy coming toward us doesn’t look happy,” Marshall said. “Is he an ex-boyfriend or something?”

  “No, he’s just a friend,” Dee said, returning her gaze to Cohen as he walked toward them.

  “And you sure?” Marshall asked

  “Depends.”

  By the time Cohen reached them, Dee had a scowl on her face. “Cohen? What on earth are you doing here?”

  “Never mind what I’m doing here. Where are you going with him?”

  Marshall obviously had a death wish. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we were about to have a nightcap in my room.”

  Wrong answer, Dee thought when Cohen moved towards Marshall, his fist clenched. She quickly grabbed hold of Cohen’s hand. “Don’t you dare!” Although she was tempted to, she wasn’t about to deny Marshall’s lie. Let Cohen think what he wanted. “Cohen, I asked what you’re doing here.”

  “Keeping you from making a big mistake.”

  Several people had turned to stare at them. Dee
quickly figured out a way to diffuse the situation. It would get rid of Marshall and further her strategy with Cohen. She turned to Marshall. “I need to handle this situation. It’s personal.”

  “If he’s threatening you, I can call security,” Marshall said, glaring at Cohen.

  “No,” Dee quickly said, placing a hand on Cohen’s arm. She snatched it back when a tingling sensation swept through her.

  “He doesn’t scare me,” Marshall argued, missing the sexual tension quickly forming between her and Cohen.

  He should scare you, Dee thought. She wondered if Marshall had noticed that Cohen was a lot taller than he was…and much more muscular. Heck, Cohen had even been on the boxing team while at Harvard. “I’ve got this,” she said to Marshall, glad she was finally getting rid of him.

  “Will we hook up later?”

  Before she could answer, Cohen said, “Hell no!”

  She gave Marshall a small smile. “It was nice meeting you, Marshall.” Then she turned to Cohen, giving him what she hoped was her meanest glare. “We need to talk. Now!”

  It was time to put this plan into action. And she was going to start with the shock effect. She didn’t want Cohen to only view her as his kid sister’s best friend. She needed him to see her as a woman, with needs like anyone else. A woman who didn’t have a problem telling him exactly what she wanted.

  Without waiting for him to say anything, she walked off toward the resort’s botanical garden.

  9

  Stay away from her,” Cohen growled between gritted teeth at the man Dee called Marshall. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and quickly moved toward the direction Dee had gone.

  He could see her up ahead and tried not to react to the graceful sway of her hips when she walked. And that ass was what erotic dreams were made of.

  Fire licked along his nerve endings with every step she took on those stilettoed heels. And the back of that way-too-sexy red dress left too much skin showing. Skin he remembered touching and tasting.