The Rival's Heir

by Joss Wood

  Potential boss alert! Unprofessional! Ding! Ding! Ding!

  Darby ignored her brain’s loud screech and kept her eyes locked on his, seeing images of what could be in his eyes.

  While he would never force her to do anything she was uncomfortable with, he wouldn’t be a gentle lover. He’d demand everything from her, make her experience every last drop of pleasure. She wanted that, wanted to be intensely, absolutely in the moment with him, experiencing the mind-stealing, heart-shattering bliss she suspected he could give her.

  Judah covered her mouth with his, and as she expected, colorful fireworks exploded behind her eyes.

  For the first time ever she felt, God help her, like she’d stepped into an alternate reality where nothing could touch her, where this man and his mouth and his broad hands moving over her body, felt good and...right.

  Under her hands, his pecs were hard and his stomach flat, the ridges suggesting an impressive six pack. His hips were narrow but his erection, pushing into her stomach, was hard and long and thick. His mouth never lefts hers, that tongue doing wicked things to her. He fed her kisses in a way that each stroke, each slide left her hungry for more.

  Their behavior was so far beyond unprofessional it wasn’t even funny...

  Darby pulled back, pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and dragged her reluctant hands off his body. “That was, uh... Dammit.”

  Judah lifted a strand of her hair that was stuck to the corner of her mouth. Instead of pushing it behind her ear, he wrapped the strand around his index finger.

  Leave, Brogan.

  But Darby stayed where she was, an inch from him, fighting the urge to go in for more, knowing that it would be deeper, harder, more intense. She also knew that if she did, the chances of them making use of that very big and comfortable-looking bed were sky-high.

  Avoid the bed, Brogan.

  “I really should go,” Darby said. This time her feet cooperated, and she managed to put a good half foot between them and her hair slipped from his finger.

  Judah didn’t say anything, he just stood there and looked at her, his eyes conveying exactly where she should go and what she should do when she got there. His bed and naked.

  His message wasn’t that difficult to decipher.

  Ignore it, ignore him. Be an adult, Darby.

  Sex was easy but the chance of working with a world-famous architect who paid higher than normal rates didn’t come along daily. Or even every year.

  Darby walked back into the sitting room, feeling Judah’s eyes on her back. In the hallway, she picked up her bag, pulled it over her shoulder, and lifted her hair up and off her neck, allowing it to fall down her back. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him, hoping her smile was polite rather than please-take-me-now.

  Judah’s expression remained inscrutable and she wished she had a small idea of what he was thinking. “So, I really hope to hear from you soon. I’d just like to reassure you that you’d never regret giving me the job.”

  “I know I won’t.”

  Darby blinked, frowned and tipped her head to the side. “Sorry... What?”

  “You’ve got the job.”

  Before her brain could assimilate that thought, Judah spoke again. “And just so we are clear about what just happened, I kissed you before I made the offer. I don’t mess with my colleagues or employees.” Judah’s voice was all controlled determination.

  “I see,” Darby replied. It was all she could say since she was still fighting the urge to slap her mouth against his and take up where they left off.

  She knew they couldn’t sleep together or have any sort of affair. There were too many risks—how would she know if he was impressed with her work or her rusty mattress skills? It was always awkward when it ended and ending it with her boss would be even more so.

  So why did she still feel like a hot, fast orgasm or two would be worth the fallout? That mouth. That strong tanned neck. Those very broad muscled shoulders...

  Focus, Brogan.

  “Thank you,” Darby said when her overstimulated brain finally kicked into gear.

  She had the job, but she still craved the man.

  “There is one proviso,” Judah muttered, rubbing the black stubble on his jaw.

  Oh, God, what now?

  “I want help with the baby. Due to the press interest around Carla and by association Jac, I need to lie low, keep out of the limelight. I’ll give you the job if you help me out with the kid. I’ll stay here, in Boston, for the next two weeks. You can work with me on the new art museum and together we look after Jac. And if you agree to do that, I’ll give you another five percent.”

  Darby made a swift calculation in her head. If he did that, she’d boost Winston and Brogan’s bottom line. She would be working with someone she respected as well as looking after a baby, two of her favorite things. How could she refuse?

  Except her competitive nature never would allow her to accept without pushing the envelope a little further.

  “Okay,” Darby said, keeping her tone cool. “And to compensate for the extra hours, I want a flat daily fee for looking after Jac.” She named a figure, saw Judah’s eyes widen and expected him to bargain her down to half that amount. Even at the bargain price, she’d be adding a significant amount to her IVF fund.

  To her astonishment, and delight, Judah nodded and waved his hand. “Fine.”

  He whirled around, stomped back into the living room and Darby followed him. At the door to his bedroom, he turned. “But that means you start now, you’re on kid duty tonight. Do not wake me unless Jac has arterial bleeding and is about to spontaneously combust from a high temperature. ’Night.”

  Darby watched, openmouthed, as he slipped inside his bedroom. The door slammed in her face.

  Well, okay then. At what he was paying her, she couldn’t refuse. Besides, she could deal with Jac, she’d had tons of experience with babies.

  Three hours later, when Jac was still crying, Darby wasn’t so sure.

  * * *

  The next morning, in the coffee shop attached to the hotel, Darby took her first sip of her third cup of coffee and glanced at Jac, who was finally sound asleep in her stroller.

  It had been a hell of a night.

  The door to the shop opened and Darby looked up to see Jules and DJ walking into the too-early-to-be-busy shop. They stopped at the counter and ordered their beverages before sauntering her way. Darby was relieved to see her large leather tote bag over Jules’s shoulder. Darby was still in yesterday’s clothes and desperately needed a shower and a change.

  The unwelcome image of Judah sharing her shower, his big body slick with soapsuds, flashed behind her eyes and she frowned.

  Damn him for kissing her last night. Now that she knew how his lips felt on hers, how talented that mouth was, how his big hands felt skating over her hips, down her spine, she’d been bombarded with X-rated images all night. It was like she’d fallen into an erotic novel.

  It had been a night short on sleep and long on frustration.

  “I need sex,” Darby muttered, blushing when she realized that she had not only said the words out loud, but DJ and Jules had also heard her.

  Jules grinned. “We can highly recommend sex.”

  “Shaddup.” Darby yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. “I got the job as Huntley’s local liaison.”

  DJ pointed at beautiful Jac. “It looks like you got more than that.” DJ shook her head. “I should be shocked that you went to snag a job but ended up with a baby, but I’m not.”

  “How on earth did you end up looking after a baby, Darby?” Jules asked.

  Darby couldn’t resist running her hand over Jac’s sweet soft curls. “Judah and I struck a deal. I get the job, as long as I help him with little Jac here.”

  She could see the concern in their eyes, but it was DJ who lobbied
the first question. “He doesn’t have enough money to hire a nanny?”

  Darby leaned forward and told them, quietly and quickly, what she could about Jac’s arrival in Judah’s life.

  “I went online last night. Carla is stable, but the press is looking for any angle. They’re already reporting on Judah being here in Boston. Judah wants to keep Jac out of the public eye. He’s paying me extra, both as his architect and as his nanny, to help him out with her. It’s a good deal.”

  Jules narrowed her eyes. “It’s an unusual deal.”

  Darby felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over her. “It’s just business, Jules.”

  Well, apart from that kiss last night.

  That was far and away the best kiss she’d ever had, both sweet and sexy, hot enough to blister but tender enough to soothe. If he was that good a kisser, he’d be a dynamite lover.

  DJ snapped her fingers in front of Darby’s nose. “Hey, you! Where did you go?”

  Oh, don’t mind me, I was just sliding all over a big and bold Judah, exploring that fantastic body with my teeth and tongue.

  Yeah, if she said that out loud they’d have a field day.

  DJ released a half snort, half laugh. “Oh, God, though it’s been years, I recognize that foggy look in your eyes.”

  Darby fussed with Jac’s blanket so she didn’t have to meet DJ’s eyes. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  “Like hell you don’t. You’ve had a crush on him for months.”

  Darby felt like the roots of her hair were on fire. “I have not,” she spluttered, glaring at her best friend. “There’s a distinct difference between admiring his work and crushing on him.” She’d been crushing on his buildings for years; her attraction to the man was a recent development. Again, not something they needed to know. “Why are we using that word? How old are we, thirteen?”

  DJ’s smile turned wicked. “Then would you care to explain why you showed me a photo of him running shirtless on some beach?”

  Trust DJ to remember that. Darby scowled. “You are so annoying.”

  DJ laughed. “I try.” She picked up Darby’s phone and swiped her thumb across the screen. “Jules, let me see if I can find the picture she showed me.”

  Dammit, why had she never put a code on her phone? Darby snatched her phone back and tossed it into her tote bag. She glanced at her watch, saw it was later than she thought. Although she’d left a note for Judah telling him where she was, along with her phone number, she thought it was time she returned to his hotel suite. They had much to discuss and she really wanted that shower.

  “Thanks for bringing me my stuff,” Darby said, standing up. She dropped a kiss on Jules’s cheek and was about to do the same to DJ when she saw Judah step into the coffee shop.

  All the moisture in her mouth dried up as his eyes slammed into hers. Darby immediately forgot about Jules and DJ, even little Jac, as she fell into that vat of dark blue. In his eyes, she saw everything she wanted him to do to her...

  From a place far away, she heard DJ mention something about the air fizzing with electricity and that she needed a fan.

  Darby gave herself a mental slap and dropped back into her seat, keeping her eyes on Judah as he flashed a smile at the barista behind the counter. She’d expected a bleary-eyed, rough-looking, moody architect. But the man paying for his coffee was bright eyed, clean shaven and impeccably dressed. He’d tucked a white shirt into a pair of caramel-colored chinos, topped the shirt with a sage-colored cashmere sweater, sleeves pushed back to reveal a very expensive watch and muscled forearms.

  Judah walked over to where they were sitting, stopped next to the stroller and looked down. The tip of his finger glided across Jac’s downy head. For a guy who didn’t want kids, he was very comfortable with the baby.

  “Morning. How was your night?” Judah asked her, placing his hand on the back of the empty chair next to hers.

  Because she couldn’t kiss him or feel that small smile against her lips, she glared at him. “Sleepless.”

  “You have to suffer to earn the ridiculous fees you charge,” Judah murmured, taking the seat next to hers. Not waiting to be introduced, he held out his hand to Jules and then to DJ.

  They had their men and were both stupidly in love, so it was very annoying to watch her smart, confident, kick-ass partners melt at his feet. He wasn’t that good-looking.

  Okay, he was, but really? She expected better from them.

  Darby bent down and pulled her laptop from the storage area under the stroller and placed it on the table in front of her. She lifted the lid and sent Jules and DJ a pointed look. “I’m sure you want to get to the shop.”

  DJ shook her head. “Actually, we don’t. Since we hired Maribeth as office manager, we are a lot more flexible. We can sit here for a bit.”

  Darby glared at her friend, who just smiled back. Oh, yeah, they’d have words later. Ignoring her, Darby turned her attention back to Judah. “We should go back upstairs. We have a lot to discuss.”

  “Not before I finish my coffee,” Judah replied.

  Why was no one listening to her? Irritated, Darby pulled up a document on her computer and angled the laptop so Judah could see the screen.

  He squinted at her, shook his head, still damp from the shower, and gestured to the colorful screen. “What the hell is that?”

  “A plan of action,” Darby replied, ignoring the groans coming Jules and DJ.

  Jules leaned forward, looked at the screen and sent Judah a commiserating look. “That’s a hell of a list. Sympathies.”

  Really, whose side was Jules on? Not Darby’s, obviously.

  Before Darby could utter a scathing retort, DJ changed the subject. “Judah, I understand that you know my fiancé? Matt Edwards?”

  Judah smiled, and Darby’s internal organs started to fizz. Man, he was seriously delicious. His smile should be registered as a weapon. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it wasn’t directed at her.

  “Human rights lawyer? I met him in Amsterdam. How is he?”

  “Good.” Excitement crossed DJ’s face. “I’ll be staying with him in The Hague. He can’t get away right now so I’m going there.”

  “Send him my regards.”

  Mischief danced in DJ’s eyes. “If you are planning on staying in Boston for a while and you want a more private place to stay, you’re welcome to use my apartment.”

  What? No! Darby widened her eyes at DJ, silently begging her to rescind her offer.

  “DJ has the apartment over the garage at our childhood home, the house Darby still shares with our older brother, Levi,” Jules explained to Judah. “We all live in the Lockwood Country Club gated community. I’m surprised Darby hasn’t mentioned it to you since you are trying to keep a low profile.”

  I didn’t mention it because I need distance from the sexy architect, my new boss. I don’t need to live within shouting distance of him.

  “I don’t think that would work for Judah,” Darby protested. Of course, it would but it sure as hell wouldn’t work for her!

  “It makes sense, Darby. You can use the study in the house as your office base and nobody will mind if you bring that gorgeous creature—” DJ nodded to Jac, still asleep in her stroller “—to work.”

  Was DJ matchmaking? If so, Darby was going to kill her, best friend or not. The attraction between her and Judah was crazy enough without forcing them to be in super close proximity.

  “Through my fiancé, Noah Lockwood, I’ll arrange for you to become a temporary member of the Lockwood Country Club, Judah. There’s golf, obviously, but also a state-of-the-art gym, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and if you get swamped and need help with Jac, there are experienced nannies on call that you can hire by the hour, or day,” Jules offered.

  Oh, God, two against one.

  Before Darby could think of another reason why
Judah shouldn’t move next door to her—why wasn’t her brain working?—Judah spoke. “That’s a very kind offer, which I’ll gratefully accept.”

  Oh, damn. Oh, hell.

  Darby closed her eyes and shook her head. She knew Judah was intelligent, but this wasn’t a smart plan. Levi rarely spent any time at home. She and Judah would mostly have the big house to themselves. Because it was inside a sprawling neighborhood, with acres of greenery between the houses, they could go for days, weeks, without anyone seeing them.

  They could have a roaring red-hot affair and nobody would know about it.

  As one, DJ and Jules stood up. Darby glared at them. Yeah, mess with my life and plans and then go. Nice.

  Jules just grinned at her, but DJ walked around the table and bent down to give Darby a hug. “I’ll see you in a few months. Love you.”

  Darby hugged her friend back. Turning her mouth, she whispered in DJ’s ear, “You are so dead.”

  Darby felt DJ’s smile. Her whisper brushed her ear. “You are so going to get laid. Let me know what you decide about the IVF. In the meantime, have some fun with Mr. Sexy. After all, it might be the last sex you get before becoming a single mom.”

  * * *

  Callie sat in the corner of her big sofa, her legs tucked up under her, and wondered when the nor’easter would wind down.

  She’d been back in the States for forty-eight hours yet she was already tired of the cold heavy damp snow. It was a minor miracle that she hadn’t frozen to death as she’d run from her car to Mason’s coffee shop yesterday. And thank the Lord she hadn’t crashed her car or spun out; she would be the talk of Boston if the emergency services team found her dressed in just a coat and sexy underwear.

  It had been a stupid thing to do, and she’d kill her daughters if she found out they’d braved an ice storm to seduce a man, but Callie had been unable to wait. She’d needed to know whether Mason still wanted her, whether her time away had killed his desire for her.