A whiff of jasmine drifted past his nose, and Beck smiled until he realized the intoxicating scent was coming from Jami.
“Everyone scooch in closer!” The photographer shouted and fanned his hands to encourage snug proximity. “Snuggle everyone! You on the end. Closer still.”
Beck shuffled closer to Jami as her face froze into a polite smile, but waves of irritation emanated from her. The photographer kept positioning everyone until at last he reached Beck and Jami on the far left end. “You two are so handsome and pretty. Come now. Smile like you mean it.” With that, he pushed Beck right into Jami’s back.
The jasmine tickled his senses, but the heat from her body woke him up. It was entrancing. Her dark tresses were glossy in the setting, tropical sun, and he itched to twine a finger through the long, fat curls on the ends.
“You’re close enough,” Jami hissed through her forced smile.
“Don’t worry, you’re not tempting me at all.” Beck kept his voice cool, but his heat was rising. He shifted his hip slightly to create a space between him and Jami. Damn. His body had other ideas.
Jami was a shrill cat, but she had all the best curves in all the right places. He snuck a glance at the red fabric of her skirt that pulled tight across her bubble butt. He inhaled sharply, and Jami trembled.
The camera clicked, and the photographer cooed and coaxed his clients into a never-ending smile until Beck thought his smile would break off.
“Okay, now everyone wave at me and say mango!”
Jami snorted, and for an instant, Beck was in agreement with his brown-haired, flashing-eyed enemy.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE SUN PEEPED above the row of palm trees and cast a glint of sunshine on the reddish-brown clay tennis court. Beck lobbed the fuzzy yellow ball crosscourt, and Rob slid easily along the clay and effortlessly returned it.
“You all warmed up?”
“Let’s hit a few more.” Beck hit a clean forehand straight back. “I’ve still got cobwebs.”
“Too many nightcaps at the piano bar?” Rob stretched and smacked it back.
“Yeah, after you left, Teddy showed up and bought a round of drinks for everyone in the bar. We drank until they closed us down.”
“Glad I skipped out before midnight.”
“You’ve got a lovely lady to cuddle up to.”
“She’s a keeper.” Rob mishit the ball, and it snubbed into the net.
“I like her.” Beck pulled a fresh tennis ball from his short’s pocket and knocked it back over the net. “Her family’s as crazy as ours.”
“That’s why we get along so well. She can match any sad divorce or crazy stepparent story with mine.”
“We’ve got some stories with Mom’s six marriages.”
“I thought it was seven.” Rob grunted as he stretched out for a backhand. “Did I miss something poolside last night? Was there tension between you, Teddy, and one of Anna’s sisters? Jami, I think.”
“Long story.”
“Try me. I’m marrying a Barrett. I need to know.”
“I’m moving the BK Industries from Los Angeles, and I had the interesting luck to choose Barrett Ridge.”
“How is that a problem?”
“I’m competing with the Barretts for a neighboring piece of property. Jami is their real estate agent, and she’s looking for my head on a platter.”
“Did you outbid them?”
“It’s up in front of the planning commission for land use permits. I made a great pitch, and I’m expecting to hear today or tomorrow if I can slide in a little something extra to sweeten the deal for the county.”
“You’ve always got the edge, don’t you?”
“I do try. It’s a—”
“Hey, Jami! Hey guys!” Sam Barrett called from the far side of the pair of tennis courts.
Beck lowered his racket as Jami rose up from a bench partially concealed by a thicket of ferns and pink flowering shrubs. Jami waved and tucked her arm through Sam’s as the pair sauntered to the spare court.
Beck spun the racket in his hand. Had Jami been listening? She smiled easily at Rob but ignored Beck. Well, that wasn’t unusual, not after last night’s confrontation. He’d rather Jami nor the Barretts find out about his potential advantage, but since there was really nothing they could do about it, he supposed it didn’t matter if she had overheard.
“You’re up early.” Rob waved and motioned them closer.
Beck smiled easily at Sam but merely lifted his chin toward Jami. A half-smile teased her mouth, and she arched her eyebrow as if to say she was unimpressed.
As they gathered at one end of the net, Beck decided that Rob’s new sisters were gorgeous. Sam had honey-blonde hair and a soft, curvy body, while Jami, with her dark brown locks, was all toned muscles, long legs, and a nipped-in narrow waist. Sam might be easy on the eyes, but Jami was all spark and fire and sexy as hell.
She definitely had an attitude, and she wasn’t likely to give an inch. Family and weddings might not be his favorite things, but he was going to spice things up by messing with Miss High and Mighty.
“How about some doubles?” Beck waited.
“What a fab idea.” Sam glanced at Jami whose thin smile looked less than enthusiastic.
“That way no one has to work too hard. It’s already heating up now that the sun is up.” Rob smiled at Jami. “What do you say?”
“Perfect.” Jami returned a friendly grin to Rob. “We can get the blood pumping and burn off all those piña coladas from last night.” Jami turned her back to Beck. “I’ll be your partner, Rob. Are you game?”
“Absolutely.”
“I haven’t played for months, so let’s warm up.” Sam waved her tennis racket as if already waving the white flag of defeat.
Casual banter and chitchat filled the air as they batted the ball between them, but Beck detected a gleam in Jami’s gaze as she gracefully swatted the tennis ball across the court. Each shot she took was placed to perfection as if she’d never flubbed a hit in her life.
“Sam? Are you ready?” Jami bounced the tennis ball on her racket in a steady rhythm.
“I’m ready for some fun.” Sam turned to Beck. “Do we need a strategy? Do you like charging to the net? I’m kind of a baseline betty.”
“I’ll try not to be a ball hog.”
“Oh, I’m used to it. I’m the odd one out in our family since I never competed on athletic teams. I’m the mellow sister.”
Beck smiled at Sam and prepped for an easy serve. This was all fun and games, so there was no point in winding up a cannon. Jami dashed up to meet the ball and returned it to her sister with only the slightest spin. It was an easy rally with lots of laughter until Rob hit it into the net.
Small talk about the resort and Anna’s plans for their day floated between them, and Beck started noticing a pattern from Jami. She’d lob a shot to her sister, and then the next would come flying straight at Beck. Each time, there was a smidge more intensity and even some backspin on the fuzzy yellow ball.
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 bac
k 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 FIVE
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 buil
ding, 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.”
Two Reckless Hearts (Barrett Ridge Book 1) Page 3