The sweetest surprise...

Ambitious environmental attorney China Edwards pursues every goal with drive and dedication. Having a baby is no different. No husband? No problem—she’ll find the perfect donor. Then one spontaneous passionate night with bachelor executive Alexander Kingsley leaves these two longtime friends with an unanticipated benefit, and throws China’s future plans into turmoil.

China’s brilliant legal mind and friendship are indispensable to Alexander and his multibillion-dollar oil firm. And the possibility of her moving on makes him realize how deep his feelings actually run. Then their all-business relationship takes a wildly erotic detour...until Alexander is drawn into a company scandal that rocks his life. With trust in tatters, can an unplanned bundle of joy lead them to become the family they never expected?

He walked to the steps and leaned against the wall. “You didn’t answer my question. You always dress like that when you’re sleeping alone?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

“Yes.”

Alexander pushed off the wall and climbed the stairs, stopping one step away from China. He ran the back of his hand across the front of her stomach. “Nice. Does it come in other colors?” China shivered and took a step back. A slow, sexy smile crawled across Alexander’s face before he took a step forward. “What other colors do you have, China?”

“Wh-white,” she whispered. China cleared her throat. “What do you want, Alex?”

Alexander removed the glass from China’s hand and finished off the contents. He sat it on the step, then pulled the towel from China’s head, allowing her damp hair to hang free. He dropped the towel, cupped China’s face with both hands and kissed her passionately on the lips. Alexander let them breathe and said, “You know what I want.”

Dear Reader,

I’m excited to introduce everyone to my new series, The Kingsleys of Texas. The Kingsley family is fiercely loyal to each other, and their business. They have rich and powerful friends who come to their aid when called, friends that you just might know. The Kingsley brothers are gorgeous, very sexy and extremely wealthy.

In Always My Baby, best friends Alexander and China work together to defend their company against bogus charges brought by the EPA. In the process, these friends cross into the uncharted territory of passion. It’s exciting to see the sexy measures one takes to ensure the survival of their transformed friendship.

I love interacting with my readers, so please let me know how you liked Alexander and China’s story. You can contact me on Facebook or Twitter. Coming soon, the youngest Kingsley story. Some say love and basketball don’t mix, but we’ll soon find out.

Martha

Always My Baby

Martha Kennerson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MARTHA KENNERSON’s love of reading and writing is a significant part of who she is, and she uses both to create the kinds of stories that touch your heart. Martha lives with her family in League City, Texas, and believes her current blessings are only matched by the struggle it took to achieve such happiness. To find out more about Martha and her journey, check out her website at marthakennerson.com.

I’d like to dedicate this story to all my male readers who reached out and expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the way I construct my heroes.

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank my friend and agent, Lissa, for giving me the encouragement and guidance needed to make my dreams come true.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Alexander Kingsley Jr. stood barefoot in his dimly lit, downtown Houston high-rise office, staring out of his wall of windows. The usually immaculately dressed COO of Kingsley Oil and Gas, his family’s multibillion-dollar conglomerate, wore black jeans and a black T-shirt, clothes that reflected his mood. Alexander held a glass of single malt whiskey low at his side as he watched the rain blanket the dark city.

The eldest son of the wealthy Creole and African American Kingsley family and heir apparent to take over as the company’s CEO upon his mother’s retirement, he was used to carrying the weight of his company’s decisions, and the consequences associated with those decisions, on his shoulders, yet this new threat had him questioning his next move. Alexander heard his door open and grimaced. This won’t be pretty.

“Really, Alexander? You summoned me back to the office on a Friday night...again. And in the rain at that. This had better be important.”

“Come in, China,” Alexander ordered, his tone flat as he kept his back to her. “Fix yourself a drink. You’re going to need it.”

China Edwards, Alexander’s beautiful best friend, was an environmental attorney whom Alexander thought of as basically a female version of himself. Her sharp mind, quick wit and photographic memory made China’s position as in-house counsel for Kingsley Oil and Gas vital to the ongoing success of their company.

Alexander could hear the annoyance in her voice. He picked up a small framed photo of the two of them, taken on the day of their law school graduation. The corner of his mouth rose. “Remember that promise we made each other the day we graduated?”

China sighed, tossed her Chloé handbag on the sectional sofa placed in Alexander’s lounge, an area attached to his office but separated by a collapsible wall. “Which one?” she asked, making her way through the lounge, passing a wood and granite-topped coffee table to get to the matching bar. She picked up the bottle, read the label and said, “Nikka Forty...very nice. This must be big when you’re reaching for the good whiskey.”

Alexander turned to face China, and his eyes widened at the sight before him. He’d always thought she was gorgeous but something was different about tonight. China’s long, curly brown hair was pulled back off her face into a high ponytail, showcasing her stunning warm ivory skin tone. She wore a black sequined shorts set with gold stiletto heels that seemed to extend her legs. “Damn!” Even in his current state of annoyance Alexander’s body responded to the beauty of his best friend. Alexander had been finding it more and more difficult to keep his attraction for China under control, and tonight wasn’t helping his case.

“What?” China questioned, looking down at herself. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She leaned against the bar.

“Like what?” His eyes looked their fill at her body and his voice took on a husky tone.

“Like that...like I’m one of those women you ‘date,’” she stated, using air quotes to emphasize the point that she didn’t think he actually did anything beyond sleeping with any of them.

China bent back her left leg and released her heel from her shoe’s strap. She removed one shoe, then the other, tossing them both to the side, which dropped her to her normal height of five feet five inches. China sipped her drink as she took a seat in an oversized round chair that sat between Alexander’s desk and the bar.

“I’m not.” Alexander broke eye contact and returned the photo to its resting place on the long credenza that had been positioned behind his desk. Get a grip, man; this is China. He turned back and met her intense gaze.

“Sure you are,” she alleged before taking another drink from her glass.

“Where are you coming from, dressed like that, anyway?” His nose wrinkled.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but my date took me dancing.” China smiled as though she’d just remembered something pleasant.

Alexander felt like he’d been hit with a sharp object. “Date...you went on a date?”

China rolled her eyes skyward. “Yes, Alexander, it happens.”

“Since when?”

“Since now.” China’s phone beeped indicating that she had an incoming text. She got up and went to where her purse had landed, retrieved the phone and read the text. China laughed before typing out a response. She put her purse and phone on the coffee table and returned to the chair. “Why did you summon me back here at ten o’clock at night?” she reiterated.

“Do you remember the promise?”

She grinned. “Which one?”

“The one where we said we’d always be there for each other, no matter what.”

“Well, let’s see.” She tapped her temple twice before letting her index finger rest on the side of her head. “We’ve been best friends since law school. We have dinner together every month, which you insist on cooking. You drag me to every formal function you’re invited to in order to keep gold digging women away and I’ve worked for you and your family for the past seven years.” She dropped her hand. “I’d say we had that, ‘I’ll always have your back’ phase of our relationship covered.”

Alexander smiled and scratched his beard with his left hand.

“What’s going on, Alex?”

Alexander’s sex throbbed at the sound of China using the shortened version of his name that only she was allowed to use. It was something special just between the two of them. “The government is coming for us.”

China sighed and dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “Again...”

“Yes, but this time they may have a case.”

China sat up straight in her chair. “What do you mean?”

“The Environmental Protection Agency claims to have proof that we disposed of our gas cylinders illegally and to the detriment of the environment. They’re opening an official investigation and announcing it Monday morning,” he explained.

“That’s not possible,” she declared.

“Apparently it is.” He tossed back the rest of his drink and moved over to the bar to pour himself more. He picked up the bottle and showed it to China. “Another?”

“Sure.” She swiveled her chair around and reached for her glass, stretching across the chair, offering Alexander a nice view of her outstretched legs and round behind. “How did you find this out?” China offered him her glass.

“My mother has some very expensive and well-placed sources,” he said, pouring the golden substance into her glass.

“Don’t I know it? We can’t do anything about it until we know what they have, which could take a few weeks after I put in a request for discovery,” she reminded him.

Alexander took a drink and said, “Actually—”

“Actually what?” Her brows knit together.

“We’ll have a copy of what they have Monday,” Alexander promised.

“EPA investigations are secret, even the preliminary ones. What did you do?” China asked, her eyes narrowed.

“Remember that promise,” he said, giving her a sheepish grin.

“What...did...you...do?”

“I didn’t do anything. My mother, on the other hand, made arrangements for us to get a sneak peek at everything the government has.”

China shook her head slowly. “Why am I not surprised?” She tossed back her drink.

“Because you know my mother.” Alexander folded his body onto his extra-wide and extra-long sectional. He stretched out his long legs and laid his head against the sofa’s high, round back. “The rain’s really coming down now,” Alexander observed.

“Yes, it is. It looks like we’ll be here a minute. Just another late night at the office, thanks to you.”

“Hey, we have alcohol and snacks,” Alexander offered.

“There is that.” Her sarcasm came through loud and clear.

China rose from the chair and went to join Alexander on the daybed portion of the sectional. She curled up, pulled down the decorative throw that was hanging across the back of the sofa and covered her legs. China laid her head against one of the large pillows.

“You know we didn’t do anything wrong, right? Whatever this is about, we will handle it.” China raised her head slightly and said, “The right way.” She gave him a knowing look.

Alexander laughed and turned toward China. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a new man?”

“You don’t tell me about every woman you sleep with.” China laid her head back down.

Alexander’s heart sank and his breath caught in his throat. He didn’t understand why. China had never been his, so why did he suddenly feel a sense of betrayal? “Oh, it’s like that?” His left eyebrow rose.

China pushed out a breath. “No, it’s not. This was only our second date and it got cut short thanks to another one of your emergencies...nonemergency call,” she said, closing her eyes.

Alexander had refused to explore why lately he found himself having emergencies that required China’s immediate attention whenever she was out on dates. “Oh...sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” she said, keeping her eyes closed.

No, I’m not. Alexander watched the rise and fall of China’s chest with each slow breath she took. He marveled at the curve between her neck and shoulder, and the delicate way her hands lay at her sides. Alexander had always been attracted to China, but for the sake of their friendship, he’d buried his attraction and complicated feelings for his best friend. He hadn’t always had the best track record when it came to his relationships with women. Alexander never wanted to do anything that would jeopardize their friendship; however, his overwhelming feelings now had him...questioning that wisdom.

* * *

“China,” Alexander whispered.

It was a sound that sent a warm, familiar tingling throughout her body. “Yes...” China could feel the warmth of Alexander’s breath on her face and her body began to respond in ways that it shouldn’t.

“You ’sleep?”

“Maybe.” China slowly opened her eyes to Alexander’s face inches from hers.

“Can I ask you something?” Alexander pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear before running the back of his right index finger slowly down the side of her face, and China’s nipples instantly hardened.

What the hell is wrong with you, girl? This is Alexander. “Of course.” But you really need to stop touching me.

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like?” Alexander held her gaze as he imprisoned her chin with his thumb and index finger. “Between the two of us.”

China blinked to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. After all, this was her best friend talking. The one person she trusted above all others. The only man whose friendship she cherished more than any sexual desire that she may have had for him. “Yes, but...”

Alexander captured China’s mouth in a mind-melting kiss that she responded to with just as much fervor. “I want you,” he proclaimed, coming up for air. Alexander ran his tongue across her lips, removed her hair clip and buried his fingers in her hair. He slid his tongue across her jaw and down her neck.

China’s body begged for surrender while her mind was trying to fight through the thick fog of her unrelenting desire. What the hell are you doing? This is Alexander. He’s a brilliant businessman and the best friend you’ve ever had but when it comes to making long-term commitments to women he’s just not that guy. “I...I’m not...”

Alexander raised his head, looked into her eyes and said, “I’ll stop if you want me to.” His eyes roamed her face. “Please don’t want me to.”

“I just don’t want to ruin things between us,” she whispered before leaning forward, kissing him gently on the lips. “But I can’t seem to stop touching you, either.”

“It won’t. I promise.” Alexander kissed her on the corner of her mouth. “And please don’t stop touching me.”

China had always wondered what it would be like to make love with Alexander...to be devoured by him. The thought of spending one rainy night together seemed harmless, especially with the new direction that her life would soon be taking. It was a direction she knew Alexander would support but never agree with. Now might be the only time she could satisfy her curiosity without lasting repercussions. China confined Alexander’s face between her hands and kissed him as though it would be her last opportunity. They kissed each other with urgency, as if each was afraid the other would change their mind.

Clothes were ripped off and thrown across the room. Alexander retrieved a condom from a hidden compartment inside the drawer of his coffee table. China threw her head back and laughed at the move. “Well, it is Friday night and you were a Boy Scout.”

“What?” Alexander frowned.

“Always being prepared...and you even have creative hiding places for your personal items, too,” she teased.

Alexander silenced her with another heart-piercing kiss. He ran his nose and lips along the edge of her cheek and down the side of her neck to her shoulder. Alexander slowly kissed his way down the valley of her breasts to her left nipple, where he sucked and pulled as if she was providing him with the sweetest nectar.

China arched her back and moaned, “Yes, Alex...yes.”

Within seconds Alexander had rolled the condom on, had China’s left leg over his shoulder and her right hooked around his waist, and he was buried deep inside of her. The initial thrust of his hips sent China’s body into a crazed frenzy. She had never felt so reckless and complete all at the same time, and she loved every moment of it. The idea of maintaining her celibacy was quickly fading to the background.

Their sexual roller-coaster ride was something China had never experienced before. Alexander made sure they both enjoyed every peak and valley before they took that last intense dive over the edge. They both lay naked, flat on their backs across the daybed, trying to catch their breath.

“That was—”

“Cr... Crazy!” China said between gulps of air.

“Exhilarating,” he corrected, turning toward her. “Who knew you were so flexible?”

China turned her head toward him. “You should have. How many gymnastic competitions did you come see me in?”

“Yeah, but that was years ago. I had no idea you could still do the splits, and in so many different ways, too.”

China laughed and covered her face with both hands. “Shut up.”

“I’ll be right back.” Alexander made his way to the bathroom.

China dropped her hands. “Girl, what in the hell did you just do? You can’t even blame it on the alcohol,” she said to herself, giggling.

Alexander returned and scooped China up into his arms. “What are you doing?” she asked, loving the feel of his sweaty skin against her own.

“Shower time.” Alexander carried China into the bathroom, where they showered and made love again. After helping China dry off, Alexander offered her one of his dress shirts that he kept at the office. She slipped it on and they returned to the daybed where they lay snuggling, watching the rain and falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter 2

China woke to the sound of her cell phone beeping. She was naked and lying on top of a sound-asleep Alexander. At some point in the night they had made love again, but this time decided to forgo showering or clothes. Making love with Alexander had been better than China had ever imagined. His powerful yet gentle touch had awakened emotions that she knew she had to bring under control. China eased off Alexander, reached for his dress shirt that was now on the floor and quickly wrapped her body in it.

The automatic shades on Alexander’s windows had kicked in, preventing the morning sunlight from shining completely through the room. China picked up her phone, read the message and moved over to the conference table that sat on the other side of Alexander’s large mahogany desk. She hit her phone’s redial button and waited for the call to connect.

“Good morning, Jackson.”

Jackson Weatherly, a successful pediatric surgeon from a wealthy family of physicians, was China’s date from the previous night.

“You okay? I got worried when I didn’t hear back from you,” he stated, his voice full of concern.

“I’m fine,” she said, not quite sure if she really believed that. “Things got a little crazy here last night.”

“You’re still at the office?” Jackson’s voice raised an octave.

“Yes.”

“Wow, talk about dedication,” he replied.

“That’s one way of putting it.” China covered her eyes with her left hand and shook her head.

“How about I come pick you up and take you out for breakfast?”

“Not today, Jackson. I have some loose ends I need to tie up here.” China knew that no matter how wonderful their night may have been, giving in to her desires for Alexander had been a mistake. He wasn’t prepared to give her the one thing she so desperately wanted: a child. “How about brunch tomorrow?”

“Sunday it is. I’ll pick you up at eleven,” he promised.

“See you then.” China ended the call, sensing she was no longer alone.

“A loose end, am I?” a deep baritone voice asked.

China turned to find a naked and erect Alexander standing with his arms folded, glaring down at her. She quickly diverted her eyes, but her body was already responding to the sight. No matter how hard she tried, China knew she couldn’t hide her physical response to the man who’d provided her with an unendurable amount of pleasure all night.

“Put some clothes on, Alexander.” China shifted in her seat, trying to relieve the instant pressure rising between her legs.

Alexander’s expression dulled. “Oh, it’s Alexander now. Last night it was yes, Alex...right there, Alex...how do you like this, Alex?” He turned like a defiant child forced to follow his parents’ orders. Alexander reached for his pants and quickly slipped them on.

“That was last night, which was—”

“Don’t you dare say it was a mistake,” he said to the back of her head.

China placed her phone on the table, turned and met Alexander’s angry leer. She could almost see the fury radiating from his body. China stood, walked over to him and placed both hands on his chest. She stared up into his eyes and said, “No, it wasn’t a mistake. Last night was curiosity being explored. It was a magnificent experience that’s over and can’t happen again. We’re friends, remember?”

Alexander dropped his arms, placed his left hand over hers and sighed. “Always.”

“Good.” She pulled her hands free. “Now finish getting dressed and give me a ride home.”

“You really don’t think we should even talk about last night?” His forehead puckered. “Maybe see where this thing could lead.”

“No. One night doesn’t change the people we are...what we want. Our friendship works because we don’t try to push our individual needs and wants onto each other,” China reminded him.

“That’s because for years our needs and wants have always been in sync.”

China twisted her neck and raised her left eyebrow. “Almost all of our needs.”

“You mean the kid thing.” Alexander placed his hands in his pants pockets.

“Yes, the kid thing. I want them and I’m building my life around having them, and you’re indifferent on the subject. That alone prevents us from going any further than last night.” China placed her right hand on her hip. “You can wait until whenever to have children. Women aren’t so lucky. I know firsthand what it’s like to have an older parent and I won’t do that to my child...hopefully children.”

China had been raised by a single mother in the military, and while she’d loved the travel and different adventures they got to experience, having an older mother with sensitive, fair Irish skin prone to wrinkles had made things uncomfortable for China growing up; people assumed that her mother was her grandmother. Her mother’s love of the sun hadn’t helped the situation, either. She’d died from an aggressive form of skin cancer before China’s twenty-first birthday.

“You’re barely twenty-nine years old, China, and you sound like you’re on some deadline,” he declared, his apathy on the subject clear.

I am. “I need someone who’s of the same mindset as me when it comes to having children, and I think I may have found someone.” China started gathering up her clothes.

“Have you, now?”

“I’m not discussing this with you right now, Alexander.” Between thoughts of her mother, China’s own desperate need to create a family and dealing with feelings that being with Alexander unleashed, the last thing China wanted was for Alexander to see her break down; his kind heart and big strong shoulders would be hard to resist. She was drowning in emotions and needed space to pull herself together. China disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

Alexander watched China retreat to his private bathroom. “Dammit,” he said, as he pounded his right fist into his left hand. Even after a rambunctious night of lovemaking with China, Alexander’s body still craved her unlike any other woman he’d had. He wasn’t sure what this thing between them was, but he was determined to figure it out. He was not going to just give up. Alexander was moving toward the bathroom when he heard his office door open. He turned just in time to see his family’s matriarchs cross the threshold. Watching China walk away from him while his mother and aunt walked toward him as he stood in his office shirtless had Alexander wondering if the last couple of minutes had been a nightmare.

Victoria Langston Kingsley and Elizabeth Langston Kingsley, Alexander’s mother and aunt, had inherited their father’s floundering corporation, and with the help of their husbands—brothers Alexander and Harrison Kingsley—the sisters turned their struggling company into one of the most successful privately held oil and natural gas companies in the country.

“I told you he’d be here,” Victoria proudly declared, entering the office wearing a gray-and-white St. John suit with gray pumps. She wore a small amount of makeup and her hair was pulled back in a tight, conservative bun. Victoria was athletically built and looked nowhere near her fifty-plus years. She was carrying a white cardboard box with a large envelope on its top, placing it on the desk before Alexander could offer his assistance. “In a crisis, where else would he be?”

“That you did, sister dear. Like mother, like son,” Elizabeth said, brushing a long, curly strand of hair behind her ear and looking just as young and fit as her sister.

“Mother...Aunt Elizabeth, what are you doing here?” Alexander asked, briefly looking over his shoulder and grabbing his T-shirt as he moved into his office out of the lounge. He pulled the shirt over his head before kissing his mother on the cheek.

“Well, good morning to you, too,” Victoria replied, tilting her head.

Alexander placed his right hand over his heart. “My apologies. Good morning, ladies.”

“Better!” Victoria said, her mouth set firm.

“Good morning, nephew. You do realize that you have a striking home, right? Try staying in it more often,” his aunt advised before pulling Alexander into her arms for a hug.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alexander promised, stepping out of her arms. “Don’t you both look lovely this morning.”

“I look lovely.” Victoria pointed to herself. “In that long, flower-print dress, with its giant matching hat that’s in the car, Liz looks like a painting.”

“A Rembrandt,” Elizabeth snapped back before taking a seat at the conference table.

“More like a Warhol,” Victoria countered.

Alexander laughed. “What brings you two here on a Saturday morning?”

“If you’d checked your messages you’d have seen I’ve been trying to reach you,” Victoria explained.

Alexander retrieved his phone from his desk. “What’s so important that it couldn’t wait until I got back to you?”

“Or at least until after our board meeting this morning,” Elizabeth added, checking her watch.

“Board meeting?” Alexander’s eyes danced between his mother and aunt.

“At the Children’s Museum,” Victoria clarified.

“Yes, of course. You did mention that,” he said, nodding.

“Son, you seem to forget anything I say that’s even remotely related to children. You automatically assume it would lead me to requesting grandchildren.”

“That’s because it usually does,” Elizabeth said as she examined the nails on her outstretched hand. “Do you think this lime-green polish is too much?”

“For you, no,” Victoria replied.

Alexander stifled his laugh. “Where was I?” Victoria asked to no one in particular. “Oh, yes, grandchildren.”

Alexander ran both hands down his face. “Not you, too.” Alexander was in no mood to deal with another one of his mother’s lectures on the importance of him having heirs, especially with China in the next room thinking basically the same thing, only about herself.

“Not me, too...what?” Victoria frowned at Alexander.

“Never mind. I assume all this is for me,” he said, gesturing with his head toward the box and envelope as he leaned against his desk.

“Yes, but Alexander, why did you stay here last night?” Victoria glanced around the room. “I know this is like a second home, but really, son, how can you get any rest on that thing?” Victoria questioned, pointing at his sectional sofa.

China’s face, her body and the smell of her skin flooded his mind. Alexander felt his body start to stir and he quickly moved away from his mother and took a seat behind his desk. “It’s fine, Mother. What’s in the box?”

“My source came through early,” she said, smiling and handing him the envelope. “You might want to call China. She’ll need to help us on this one.”

“I already did. We’re just waiting for this.” He tapped the envelope.

Elizabeth rose and ran her hand down the front of her dress. “Now that that’s done...”

“I could stay and go over all of this with you and China,” Victoria offered.

“No, you can’t,” Elizabeth chastised. “We have other pressing business to attend to.”

Victoria turned and faced Elizabeth. “Sister dear, this is our company we’re talking about.”

“And we have four of our six extremely intelligent and very capable children helping us run it, too.” Elizabeth went and stood next to her sister. “Children that you trained, I might add, all being led by your handsome husband’s clone. Our company is in excellent hands.”

Victoria released a quick breath. “You’re right.” She turned and faced Alexander. “I’ve done my part...now you do your job, son. Find out what the hell is going on and put a stop to it. Quickly!”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I don’t expect anything less.” Victoria picked up her purse and followed her sister to the door.

Alexander heard his aunt ask his mother, “Did you see it?”

“Of course I did.” Both sisters laughed, closing the door behind them.

Alexander dropped his head and sighed. “You can come out now,” he called, breaking the seal on the envelope with a letter opener from his desk.

“Victoria’s something else,” China said, taking a seat on the edge of the high-backed chair in front of Alexander’s desk.

“Yes, she is.” Alexander marveled at China. He always thought she was a ravishing woman, but never more than when she was in such a relaxed state, free of makeup and with her hair down, still wet from the shower.

China was wearing last night’s clothes and had a pair of Alexander’s socks on her feet. “So, what do we have here?”

“I was just about to find out.” Alexander slid the contents of the envelope onto his desk to find several smaller ones, a set of legal documents and three flash drives. He opened the box to find several binders and a number of different-colored folders.

China reached for the legal documents and began flipping through the pages, reading each word with blinding speed. “We’re going to need to bring everybody in on this,” she said, frowning. “And I mean everyone.”

“Why? What is it?” Alexander got up, walked around his desk and came to stand next to China, reading over her shoulder. He had to fight hard to focus. His shampoo, which China had used, mixed with her own sweet scent, was assaulting his senses, sending his hormones into overdrive.

“In a nutshell, the government alleges that we systematically and purposely misled the EPA with our ongoing practice to dispose of gas cylinders. They state that we did so in order to save money.”

“That’s ridiculous. We submitted our disposal plans for approval, which we received, and we’ve been following them ever since.” Alexander’s jaw tightened.

China shrugged and shook her head. “They claim to have proof that we submitted false plans in order to get the approval, then changed the procedures to save money. They claim to have a witness and documentation to this change, a whistle-blower, so to speak.”

“A whistle-blower? There’s nothing to blow,” he said, slamming his palm against his desk.

“Stay calm, Alexander,” she said, as she continued to examine the papers on his desk.

“We pay you to stay calm.” Alexander returned to his desk and powered up his computer. “Let’s see what’s on these flash drives.”

China looked around the room. “Where’s my phone?”

“It’s on the conference table. By the way, they know you were here.”

“Who?” she asked, rising to go collect her phone.

“Mom and Aunt Liz.”

China’s face was marred by confusion. “How?”

Alexander laughed at the shocked look on China’s face. “They saw your phone. Not many people have a pink diamond-encrusted phone case exactly like the one that they had specifically designed for you and gave to you.”

“Oh, no...” China dropped her face into both hands, and her hair fell forward.

Alexander had to force himself to concentrate on the problem at hand, when all he really wanted to do was lower her hands, brush China’s hair to the side and kiss her senseless. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure they figured it was a business-related visit,” he said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

“Yeah, right, and how do I explain not coming out and greeting them like always?” China flopped back down in the chair and started dialing her phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Joyce. We need her here and I want her to stop by my house and bring me a change of clothes.”

Joyce was China’s legal assistant and good friend.

“Clothes?”

“Yes, clothes, pants, a shirt and underwear—”

“Underwear.” Alexander smirked.

China rolled her eyes. “Stop it. I’m not going commando the rest of the day.”

Alexander felt his sex spring to life and was relieved that he was sitting. He reached for his desk phone. “I guess I’ll call in the rest of the cavalry. They won’t be happy about us interrupting their Saturday.”

“Too bad. It’s either us or your mother.”

“Good point,” he agreed just as his computer beeped and several documents popped up on both of Alexander’s screens. He stared in disbelief.

China leaned over the desk to get a better view of what had captured his attention. “Call Morgan...” she ordered.

Alexander shook his head. “I don’t know anything about this—”

“Call your brother...right now,” China said, her voice icy and emotionless.

Chapter 3

China sat at the conference table mulling over all the papers that lay in front of her, her face contorted. “I don’t understand any of this.” She picked up a spiral booklet with the word Approved stamped in red across its cover. “This is the procedure manual that was submitted.”

“It’s also the exact procedure we put in place,” Morgan confirmed, standing with his feet apart and arms folded across his chest.

Morgan Kingsley, the ruggedly handsome and athletically built second eldest of the Kingsley boys, was vice president of field operations for their company and was quickly running out of patience with the mess they found themselves in. “There is no way in hell these procedures could have been changed without our approval or my direct knowledge and supervision,” he explained, his mouth set in a hard line.

“Dammit.” Alexander slammed his fist against the conference room table. “I didn’t sign off on any changes, and I certainly didn’t authorize any money transfers. Why would I jeopardize everything to save a few bucks?” Alexander asked the flabbergasted room.

“We know,” everyone said in unison.

“Well, according to the whistle-blower’s statement and these financial records—” Brice Kingsley, Alexander and Morgan’s younger brother and the company’s CFO, held up a ledger and a spreadsheet “—we’ve saved more than just a few bucks.”

“If that’s the case, where the hell is all the money?” Alexander asked.

“Good question. My financial records are on point and all of our audits have been clean,” Brice informed them confidently.

“Everyone just calm down,” China murmured, keeping her eyes on the pages of the procedures manual.

Alexander frowned at China. “Calm down? This is our reputation at risk...my reputation. We’re talking about claims that could turn into charges if we can’t provide evidence that not only proves whoever this whistle-blower is lied, but that everything we’ve done is legal and above reproach.”

China rose and moved over to where Alexander stood. She looked up at him, placed her right hand over his heart and said, “You pay me to worry...remember, I got this.”

Alexander’s shoulders dropped. “What do you have in mind?”

“Yeah, what do you have in mind, China?” Morgan echoed.

China turned and faced all three brothers. “We’re going to let the whistle-blower tell us where, why and how.” The corner of her mouth rose slowly.

“Wait, you know who this person is?” Brice asked, frowning.

“We all do,” she said confidently.

“What?” the brothers cried out.

China moved back to the table and gestured with her hands at all the documents that lay spread out over the conference table. “All of this information was provided by someone we know or came in contact with. What we have to do is go through every inch of this material and figure out who it could be. We’ll make a list—”

“A list?” Brice asked.

China leaned across the table and selected one of the statements that had been provided. She flipped through the pages. “Here.” She tapped the page with her index finger. “It says the whistle-blower was present doing an operations meeting in January with you, Morgan.” She looked up from the document, her eyes lasering in on his confused look. “That you were discussing the various ways to save money in the area of waste disposal. Did any such meeting occur?”

“Yes, but nothing came up about changing the way we handle gas cylinders,” Morgan assured her.

“Do you remember who all was in the room?” she inquired, dropping the document on the table.

“Everyone,” Morgan said.

“What do you mean?” China asked.

“It was our first meeting of the year.” Morgan placed his hands in his pockets. “There were over three hundred people in attendance.”

“Any senior-level management executives?” China questioned.

“Not really?” He shrugged and shook his head.

“Think, man,” Alexander ordered; his voice rose.

“I am!” Morgan responded, with an equal amount of force in his voice. He pulled his hands free and started rubbing them together as he started pacing the room. “Mom was there, along with my three lead foremen, Danny, Roger and the new guy, Big Usher.”

“Big Usher?” China asked, frowning.

“Yeah, he’s the new junior assistant. We hired him six months ago,” Morgan explained, stopping his movement.

“Just about the time the whistle-blower started providing information to the government,” China concluded.

“Usher’s a good kid...he’s not the whistle-blower. Besides, there’s nothing to blow,” Morgan reiterated.

“Who else was there?” China reached for a bottle of water.

“I can’t think of everyone. I don’t have your photographic memory, China.”

China laughed. “That’s for what I read, but you don’t need one. We can just pull the minutes from the meeting.” China picked up her phone and pulled down the recorder app, tapped it on and said, “Have the January operations notes pulled.” She sat the phone down. “This is the process we’ll have to follow with all of this information.”

“Mom’s contact really was efficient in pulling all this together,” Brice said.

Alexander raised his left eyebrow. “Are you really surprised?”

“Not at all.” Brice shook his head.

“What do we do after we get this list together?” Morgan asked.

“We go fishing,” Alexander replied. “Once we have our list of targets, we divide and conquer. Figure out who’s trying to sabotage us.”

“And?” Brice questioned, frowning. His eyes cut to Morgan, who stood with a menacing look on his face.

“Then you let me do my job,” China said, glaring at all three brothers. The last thing she needed was for them to take matters into their own hands. “In the meantime, I’ll work up our initial response to the complaint, which is basically a clear and precise denial. We have forty-five days to submit it. Hopefully we’ll figure out what’s really going on, too, sooner than later.”

“What if we don’t know what happened in forty-five days?” Morgan asked.

“We have a hundred and twenty days from the initial response to file our final one that will either substantiate our denial, as long as we provide solid evidence to back up our claim, or we can request an administrative oversight ruling.”

“An administrative oversight ruling...what the hell is that?” Alexander’s eyebrows stood at attention.

“It’s the EPA’s way of giving some companies an out without having to admit guilt to anything. It’s like saying we simply made a mistake. But...” China raised her right index finger. “Companies still must pay fines and clean-up expenses if necessary, and their reputations usually take a pretty big hit and...”

“And what?” Alexander asked.

“Someone usually has to resign,” China said, staring into Alexander’s eyes. She could see past the bluster of his anger to his vulnerability, and all she wanted to do was help him find his place of calm. In that moment, China’s body was reminding her that what was happening between them was much more than she’d ever expected.

“But everyone stays out of jail, right?” Brice asked, his whole face lit up.

“Right.” China smirked.

“There was no damn administrative oversight. It didn’t happen and I certainly didn’t steal from my own damn company,” Alexander insisted. She could almost see the anger radiating from his body.

“Of course not, but something happened, Alexander. We just have to prove what that was and that we’re innocent of any wrongdoing,” China explained.

“If we can.” Alexander ran his right hand through his hair.

“When we do, they’ll close the case and issue a letter clearing us,” China promised.

“If not?” Morgan questioned, pulling out his cell phone to silence the ringing.

“Things get a lot more complicated. The courts get involved,” China explained.

“What do we do about the media explosion that’s coming? Life is going to get really crazy...very quickly,” Morgan warned.

“It’s not like we’re not used to the attention,” Brice reminded him, offering a nonchalant shrug.

“True, but Mom usually nips it in the bud before things get out of hand. She won’t be able to stop this runaway train,” Alexander said, shaking his head.

“Yeah, the EPA thinks they’ve got us by the balls, so they’ll turn up the heat big-time.” Morgan cracked the knuckles of both his hands. “We have to give KJ and Travis a heads-up.”

Keylan James Kingsley, or KJ, was Victoria’s youngest son and a professional basketball player in the NBA. Travis Kingsley, the youngest child of Elizabeth, was a successful cattle rancher who preferred a private existence and had little to do with their family’s business.

“Travis is really going to love this,” Brice said mockingly.

“We’ll deal with that next week. Right now, let’s start going through all this material that Victoria bought...I mean, brought for us to review.” China’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on anyone as she started distributing the different stacks of paper.

“There go my dinner plans,” Morgan said, taking a seat at the conference table.

“Dinner? We’ll be lucky to get through all of this before the sun rises Monday morning,” Brice countered, picking up a stack of papers.

China took the seat offered by Alexander. His hands grazed her arms and a warm shiver ran down her spine. “Th-thank you.”

“Anytime,” he said, in a tone that garnered his brothers’ attention. He met their stares. “What?”

“Nothing,” both brothers said in unison, passing a look between them.

China kept her eyes on the documents in front of her. The last thing she needed was for the other Kingsley men to figure out something was different between her and Alexander.

“Let’s get to work, gentlemen,” China ordered.

* * *

Alexander sat at his desk reading over the list of names he’d been given to follow up on. After a painful two-day review of documents accusing him and their company of malicious malfeasance, Alexander didn’t feel any more confident in their plan to find the culprit behind the unsubstantiated accusations. He was reaching for his coffee cup when he heard his office door being opened. Alexander looked up to see his cousin Kristen almost bounce into the room.

Kristen, Elizabeth’s eldest child, was vice president of general operations and in line to take over Alexander’s role as COO upon his promotion to CEO.

“Good morning, Alexander,” Kristen called out cheerfully as she entered his office, holding an electronic tablet in one hand and a large travel mug for her coffee in the other. The black-and-white Chanel suit that covered her petite body was much like something his mother would wear, and her mother would revolt against, and it made him smile.

Alexander turned and faced his computer. “Kristen, you really should cut down on the caffeine.”

She took a seat in front of his desk and rested her cup on its corner. “And you, my dear cousin, really should focus on the problem at hand. Sorry I’m late. I got here as fast as I could.”

“Late for what?” he asked, his brow puckered as he tapped the keys of his computer.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t get my message.”

The night before, Kristen had left Alexander a twenty-minute-long voice mail outlining her plans for a press conference and the message she felt they needed to convey. She’d even followed that up with a detailed email.

“I got it,” he assured her.

“Good, because we really need to get out in front of the EPA’s announcement.” Kristen took a sip from her cup.

“I guess...”

“You guess.” Kristen tilted her head slightly and her nose crinkled. “I know you’ve been working nonstop on this thing for the last forty-eight hours, but you’ve got to pull it together before you and China go in front of those cameras for the press conference.”

Alexander’s mind flashed back to the last time he and China had come together, literally. He thought back to the way she looked, how she smelled and the way she tasted. “Alexander... Alexander,” Kristen said, knocking on his desk with her hand.

“What...?”

“You okay?” she questioned. “I lost you there for a minute.”

“I’m good...just tired.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ll be fine. Especially with China by my side,” he murmured, turning his attention back to the computer screen.

“What was that?” Kristen’s eyebrows came together and she sat forward in her chair. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” Alexander kept his eyes on the screen.

“With you and China. Something happen I should know about?”

Definitely not. “Like what?”

“Anything that could be picked up by the cameras. A disagreement on how the investigation is being handled, maybe,” she suggested.

Alexander turned his head and met his cousin’s gaze. “Not at all. We’re all on the same page in that regard.”

“Good, because even the slightest hint of a crack in our united front will be picked up on by those media vultures.”

“China and I will be fine...just like always,” he pledged.

“Great. Now let’s go over your statement,” she said, powering up her tablet.

Alexander pushed out a breath. Before he could reply, there was a knock on the door just before it slowly opened. His longtime assistant, Tammy, stood in the doorway. “Excuse me, Alexander. China asked me to tell you that she’ll meet you at the press conference. She had to step out for a while.”

Alexander frowned. “Step out.” He checked his watch. “Did she say where she was going?”

“She went out for an early lunch,” Tammy explained.

“That’s fine. Thanks, Tammy.”

“No problem. By the way, that stewardess chick keeps calling for you. I guess she didn’t get the memo that once it’s over it’s over and calling me won’t help.”

“They prefer ‘flight attendant,’ and I’ll take care of it.”

Kristen narrowed her eyes. “Okay...spill. What’s going on, Alexander?”

Alexander knew how hard it was to get anything past the Kingsley women, but he certainly was going to try. The last thing he needed was for his cousin to start digging into his personal business. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Don’t you have a press conference you need to coordinate or something?”

“Avoidance. That’s something this family’s good at. Just remember what I said about the press picking up on anything out of the ordinary.” Kristen rose, collected her things and left the office.

“Sleeping with China is definitely out of the ordinary,” he said, slouching back in his chair, wishing he had another chance to do even more out of the ordinary things with China.

Chapter 4

“Thanks again for meeting me. I wasn’t sure you would want to after—”

“After you ended our date early Friday night and canceled our brunch date yesterday,” Jackson reminded her, offering up a teasing smile.

China nodded as she reached for her glass of water and took a sip. She appreciated the handsome, brown-skinned pediatric surgeon for being so patient with her, but unfortunately her night with Alexander had started to cloud her feelings; China was beginning to question her decision. The past weekend was just one more example of how important it was to have her own family, especially in times of crisis. No family was better at standing strong together when they thought they were being attacked than the Kingsleys. While China’s secret desire was to have that experience with Alexander, she knew that wasn’t something he wanted.

“Yes, basically, and I wouldn’t blame you if you had canceled,” she said.

Jackson trained his green eyes on her as he signaled for the waiter. “Don’t be ridiculous. Lunch with you has brightened up my Monday. We’re both very busy people, which is why we signed up with More Than Just Dating in the first place.”

More Than Just Dating was an exclusive matchmaking agency that specialized in setting up individuals of discerning taste and sizable wealth who either wanted to get married or become parents through donations, sperm or egg.

A tall male waiter approached the table. “Good evening, I’m Al. Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, handing them both menus.

“Yes, please. Can you bring us two Arnold Palmers?” Jackson asked.

“Right away, sir.”

“How did you know I like Arnold Palmers?” Her forehead crinkled.

“Your profile questionnaire, remember?” he said, laughing. “After having to answer all those questions on that assessment myself, I was certainly going to read everyone else’s answers.”

“That really was some questionnaire,” she agreed, smiling. I would’ve loved to hear Alexander’s opinion on some of those questions. He would’ve laughed his head off. Focus, China. This is about you and Jackson...not Alexander.

“What is it about that questionnaire that’s making you smile in such a way?” Jackson asked, as the corner of his mouth rose slightly.

The waiter returned with their drinks, placing a glass in front of each of them. “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes,” Jackson replied quickly. “Do you mind if I...”

“Not at all,” China said, impressed by his initiative and grateful for the subject change.

“We’ll have two house salads with grilled chicken, and please have the special house dressing placed on the side.”

“Yes, sir.” The waiter collected the menus before leaving.

China reached for her glass. “Let me guess, the questionnaire?”

“Yes.” Jackson picked up his tea and raised the glass skyward. “To hopefully an uninterrupted lunch.”

China smiled and touched her glass against his. “One can always hope,” she murmured before taking a drink.

Jackson placed his glass down and said, “So, what was that pretty smile a moment ago all about?”

Alexander’s face, his body and all of the intimate things that they had done flooded her mind. China dropped her eyes in hopes of hiding emotions she had no control of, it seemed, when it came to Alexander. “What makes you think there’s more to it?”

“Because that smile lit up your eyes, like now.” Jackson leaned forward as though he was about to share some top-secret information that he didn’t want others to hear. “I’d like to think I’ve done a few things that evoked that kind of response in you.”

Damn you, Alexander. China reached for her napkin and laid it across her lap. “It’s nothing...really. It’s just this whole process is taking some getting used to, that’s all.” China took a roll from the breadbasket and haphazardly spread butter on it.

“Have you changed your mind?” Jackson reached for his own roll.

“No. It’s just my world has gotten really complicated. This process is important to me, too, and I just have to figure out a way to balance it all.”

Jackson reached across the table and took China’s hand. “I realize we’re just getting to know each other, and that I’m merely a lowly doctor compared to your role as in-house counsel to a billion-dollar company, but if there’s anything I can do to help you with whatever...I’m here.”

China saw the curious onlookers watching them as she slowly withdrew her hand. “I appreciate that, but we both know you’re no lowly anything, Mr. Chief of Pediatric Surgery for the fourth-largest children’s hospital in the country.”

Jackson smirked. “Well, we both know how busy our professional lives are, but what I don’t know is why you would sign up with More Than Just Dating. You have to be beating off the guys with a stick.”

China’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me.” She fished her phone out of her purse, read the screen and sent the caller to voice mail before setting it facedown on the table. “Well, actually—”

“Two house salads with chicken,” the waiter said, placing plates in front of them both. “Can I get you anything else?”

Jackson gestured with his hand for China to speak first. “No, everything looks great. Thank you,” she said, reaching for her utensils.

Jackson nodded his agreement and started cutting into his salad. “You were saying...”

China held up her right index finger, as she had just placed a forkful of food into her mouth. “Dating has never been a priority. I wanted to focus on my career. I guess I got that from my mother.”

“You didn’t share much about your family in your profile questionnaire. I know there’s more to your story than just being an only child raised by a single military mother,” Jackson said, giving her a knowing look.

China groaned. “Are you sure you want to hear my sad, yet not so sad, story?”

“We’re supposed to be getting to know each other, remember?” Jackson picked up his bread and took a bite.

“My parents met when they were in their twenties and stationed in Paris.”

“Sounds romantic.” He took a drink from his glass.

“According to my mom, it was, and very much forbidden.” China took another bite of her salad.

“Why, because they were a mixed couple?”

“No, because the military has rules against fraternizing, no matter what color you are,” she said, wiping her mouth with the extra napkins on the table. “They had a brief relationship before they were stationed in different parts of the world.”

“So, what happened? Your mother got pregnant and had to raise you on her own?” he incorrectly guessed.

“They both followed their dreams down very different paths. My father retired after providing twenty-five years of service and went into politics, while my mother went on to become a three-star general.”

“Wow, impressive parents.”

China nodded. “My mother was a very impressive woman.”

“Your father, too,” Jackson said as if she needed to be reminded.

“I guess.” China took another sip of her drink while she checked the time on her phone.

“You have someplace to be?” Jackson took a bite of his food.

“I have a press conference in about an hour.” China used her fingers to pop a piece of chicken into her mouth.

“When did you come into the picture?”

“Twenty years after they first met, they ran into each other again at a military conference. And—”

“Sparks flew and nine months later you were born,” he concluded.

He sure is a romantic. “Something like that, only having a kid so late in life wasn’t something either of them expected. My mother was thrilled because she didn’t think she’d ever have a child. My father, on the other hand, not so much.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, his brows furrowed. “Did you see him growing up?”

“No.” China had to fight back the sense of loss from not having a father in her life that tended to sneak up on her at the worst times. “He offered financial support but didn’t think contact was necessary. So it was just me and Mom. While it was hard sometimes, I loved every minute I had with her.”

“What do you mean ‘hard’?”

China picked up her phone, read the screen and sent Alexander’s second call to voice mail. China’s first instinct was to answer Alexander’s call like always and accept whatever ridiculous excuse he had for interrupting her lunch and run to his side. She wanted to do that more than ever but she knew she had to move forward.

“Mom had me in her late forties, making her much older than most of my friends’ parents. Between the physical aspect of her job taking a toll on her body and having to spend so much time in the harsh sun, my mother’s skin wrinkled...a lot. A number of times she was mistaken for my grandmother instead of my mother.” China’s mind flashed back to when she was fifteen and had made all types of excuses to her mother as to why she never had friends over or went to sleepovers herself. How she just found it easier to let people think she lived with an overprotective grandmother rather than deal with her own feelings of insecurity about her mother. China brushed away a lone tear.

“Are you okay?” Concern overtook his face.

“Yes. It’s been nearly eight years since she passed, and I still miss her so much.” China’s voice cracked.

“I understand,” Jackson said.

“Enough about me, your turn.” China took a final bite of her food.

“What do you want to know—more about my family or my dating life?” he asked, pushing his empty plate aside.

China glanced at her watch. “Well, since I’m going to have to leave for my press conference soon, how about you tell me a little more about your dating preferences?”

Jackson grinned. “Finding women to date has never been an issue. Finding the right one is another story.”

“What’s your definition of Miss Right?”

Jackson used his napkin to wipe his mouth before placing it on the table. He gifted her with a sexy smile and said, “She’s a strong and very beautiful woman. Fiercely independent and knows what she wants. Not to mention she loves chicken salad and Arnold Palmers.”

A slow smile spread across China’s face. I wonder what Alexander’s definition of Miss Right would be, if he even wanted one. Stop it! If you want this to work, you’ve got to move past these feelings for Alexander. “How about dinner tonight at my place?” she invited a grinning Jackson.

* * *

Alexander sat at his desk, reading over his statement for the press conference, but he was finding it hard to concentrate. He picked up his phone and called China’s number, only to be sent to voice mail a second time. “Dammit!”

“What’s wrong?” Brice asked, walking into Alexander’s office. “Or should I say, what else is wrong?”

“Nothing. Have you found the so-called pile of money I’m supposed to have saved and funneled off somewhere?” His anger was unmasked.

“Of course not,” Brice said, his eyebrows coming together. “A, you get that we all know you had nothing to do with any of this, right?”

“Have you figured out how we can prove that?” he snapped back.

“Not yet,” Brice said, crossing his arms.

“Then what the hell are you doing in here?” he asked. “Get back to work.”

Brice got up, walked to the door and closed it. He turned and faced his brother. “What the hell is wrong with you, and who do you think you’re talking to?”

Alexander stood and came from around his desk to stand toe-to-toe with Brice. “I’m talking to you...little brother.” His voice had a sharp edge to it.

“I’m not too little to kick your butt,” Brice said with a raised chin.

The two men stood staring each other down for several seconds. Alexander pushed out a breath and dropped his shoulders. He ran his right hand through his hair. “Sorry, man.” Alexander returned to his desk and sat down.

“What’s going on with you? This can’t just be about the EPA coming after us.” Brice took a seat in a chair across from his brother’s desk.

Alexander gave his head a slow shake. “No. It has nothing to do with the EPA.”

“Then what? Talk to me before you lose it in front of someone you shouldn’t, like our mother.”

Alexander met his brother’s gaze. “I slept with China on Friday night and she’s acting like it didn’t happen. Like it meant nothing and nothing has changed. She says she doesn’t want it to ruin our friendship.”

“Wait, you slept with China...China Edwards, your best friend?” Brice asked, scratching the side of his head.

“Yes! How many Chinas do you know, man?” Alexander questioned, looking at his brother like he’d never seen him before.

“Okay, just confirming what I heard was correct. Wow, you finally hit that.”

Alexander’s lips drew back in a snarl and he rose so fast he sent his chair flying backward. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that,” he said through gritted teeth, pointing his right index finger at his brother.

Brice held up both hands in surrender. “Chill, man, damn. I was just trying to see how real this was.”

Alexander took a deep breath and released it slowly. He picked up his chair and sat back down. “Sorry.”

“You have got to pull it together.”

“Yeah I do. It’s just...” Alexander turned and stared out the window.

“It’s just sleeping with China has you all messed up. You didn’t realize how deep your feelings went and now she is acting as if it didn’t even matter...that you don’t matter.”

Alexander turned to face his brother. “Damn, man, you sound like you were there.”

Brice dropped his head for several moments before he lifted it to meet his brother’s inquisitive gaze. “I have been there. Hell, I’m still there...remember.”

“Sorry, man. I keep forgetting.” Alexander could see the pain in his brother’s eyes.

“Wish I could. Enough about my failed marriage and pending divorce, that’s another story. The question is, what do you want? No disrespect, A, but China’s not really your type.”

Alexander’s brows knitted together. “What do you mean?”

“Her beauty isn’t in question, and when it comes to business, she’s you but in a nicer suit. Now, while your women are notably striking and smart, they’re also temporary. We all know China’s looking for more. She doesn’t want to be another conquest.”

“But she’s not.”

“How does she know that? Remember who we’re talking about. China knows you—hell, she knows all of us as well as we know each other,” Brice reminded his brother, shaking his head; China was family to them all.

Alexander nodded. “True. So what do I do?”

“What do you want...really?”

“I don’t know yet. I guess I wanted a chance to figure that out,” Alexander admitted.

“Well, she’s told you what she wants.” Brice shrugged. “Give it to her.”

“What?” Alexander frowned.

“Keep being her best friend—”

“But—”

“Let me finish.” Brice sat forward in his chair. “What’s the best part of your relationship?”

Several big and small moments he’d spent with China flashed through his mind and he couldn’t help but smile. Alexander sighed. “She gets me. We just have fun together.”

“Then keep doing that. Show her that the sex hasn’t changed anything,” he offered.

“But it has.”

Brice nodded. “And it has for her, too. Just make it easy for her to admit it to herself.”

“What if that doesn’t work?” Alexander’s heart started racing, and his hands fisted on the desk.

“You’ll still have your friend. More importantly, you have got to keep that possessive behavior thing you got going on right now under control.”

“You’re right. Thanks, man.”

“Anytime.” Brice walked to the door. “Besides, I wasn’t looking forward to explaining to our mother why I had to beat you down in your own office.”

Alexander reared back in his chair, clapped his hands and laughed. “Now you got jokes.”

After his brother left, Alexander turned in his chair and stared at the photo of himself and China. “This isn’t over...far from it.” Alexander’s cell phone rang and he viewed the screen, thinking it had to be China finally calling him back, only to be disappointed. He sent the caller to voice mail. The beautiful face that appeared on his phone was an unwanted interruption.

He stood and headed for the door.

Chapter 5

Alexander walked into the windowless executive conference room to find China standing across the room, next to his mother and cousin Kristen; they appeared to be deep in conversation. The blue suit and stiletto heels China wore showcased her body perfectly, and Alexander was having a hard time keeping his eyes away from parts of her body that his body desperately wanted to revisit.

Alexander started to make his way over to China, but stopped when he felt a slap on his back. “Nice job at the press conference, big bro,” Brice said, entering the conference room.

“Great job, A,” Morgan seconded, following Brice.

“Thanks,” Alexander replied with a nod.

“Oh, good, everyone’s here.” Victoria walked up to her children with her arms extended and offered her cheek for a more appropriate greeting. All three hugged and kissed their mother before taking seats at the six-seat oval mahogany table with red-leather wingback chairs around it. China stood in the corner of the room, next to a full glass bar, holding a tablet at her chest.

Victoria reached for one of the bottles of water that had been placed in the center of the table. She cracked the seal, sat in the chair at the head of the table and said, “Before China brings us up to speed on the EPA’s claim and our response, I’d like to take a moment to salute the excellent job everyone did at the press conference.” Victoria’s eyes scanned the room. “I know we’re in for a difficult few months, but I think getting out in front of these ridiculous accusations and proclaiming our innocence, promising to get to the bottom of these unsubstantiated charges, was the only way to control the story. Now, China, please tell us where we are on our response to the EPA.”

“Yes, Victoria.” China moved closer to the table, where she and Alexander reached at the same time for a controller that sat at the end of the table. His hand grazed the top of hers and their eyes met. China quickly pulled her hand back. “Sorry,” she said, breaking eye contact.

“No problem.” Alexander picked up the remote and handed it to her.

“Thanks...”

China hit a button and a large, wall-mounted mirror transformed into a television screen. She sat her tablet upright on the table and ran her hands over the keys. The dancing cats that had been jumping around the screen of the tablet suddenly appeared on the television screen and laughter broke out in the room.

“You choose dancing cats as your screensaver? I thought you didn’t like cats,” Brice said.

“She loves them—she’s just allergic to most of them,” Alexander explained, giving China a small wink.

“Enough. China...” Victoria rolled her hand, instructing China to proceed. It was like she was a queen waving to her subjects.

“Sorry about that.” China hit a couple more keys and a presentation appeared on the screen. “Let’s go through the filing.” China picked up a laser pointer. “I’d like to highlight a few things for everyone.”

Alexander sat back in his chair and watched China brief the family on her current findings, the initial game plan and a strict time schedule for when the official responses to the EPA claims were due, important information that he couldn’t seem to concentrate on. All he could think about was the slight sway of her hips as she walked around the room, gesturing toward the screen. The cute way her brow furrowed when she explained key details that she found troubling or confusing and the sexy way her lips curved up when she laughed. Alexander had always loved China’s laugh. He thought about the first time he’d heard it.

* * *

Alexander stood in line at his favorite soul-food restaurant down the street from his law school. He was reading through his emails when he heard hysterical laughter that ended with a snort. He looked around to find that it was coming from a pretty young woman without a bit of makeup on her face, wearing a white Harvard Law T-shirt, jean shorts and tennis shoes, and with her hair pulled up in a high, messy ponytail. She was holding two large books from the law library. Alexander recognized the big red sticker that ran across their spines.

“Those aren’t supposed to be removed from the library,” he said, smiling down at the gorgeous woman.

“Excuse me?” China stopped in her tracks, placing her free hand on her hip.

“Those books.” He pointed with his index finger. “They aren’t supposed to be checked out of the law library. So either you stole them, or someone made an exception for you.”

“I don’t see how either is your business,” she snapped back.

“Spunky, I like that.” Alexander smirked.

China rolled her eyes. “Good for you,” she said, turning her back on him.

“I guess I’ll just have to report you...China Edwards,” he said, having read the student ID clipped to her belt.

China quickly turned back to face him. “If you must know, they made an exception for me.”

“I get that. People make exceptions for me all the time,” he said, laughing.

“I won’t,” she declared confidently.

* * *

“No, and you still haven’t,” he murmured, breaking away from the past.

“What was that, son?” Victoria asked.

“Excuse me?” he replied, sitting up straighter in his chair.

Alexander’s brothers laughed until Victoria rose slowly from her seat, her face expressionless. She walked around the table to where her firstborn sat. “Are we boring you, son? Is your mind elsewhere, perhaps?” she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Alexander sighed. “Of course not, Mother,” he replied, annoyed—not at the idea of being caught daydreaming, but at the thought that he couldn’t multitask, a fact China certainly knew firsthand. Alexander’s eyes cut to China and the corner of her mouth rose. It was as if she could read his mind.

China came and stood next to Victoria. “Everyone has their assignments, Victoria, and as long as we all stay focused—” she patted Victoria on the shoulder “—we’ll be fine.”

Alexander knew China was correct. Right now the business would be everyone’s priority. He would lead the day-to-day operations of their organization, while China continued to ensure that they were doing so ethically and legally.

“I’m sure we will, my dear. Now, I have an appointment to get to. I’ll leave you to your respective jobs.” Victoria gathered her things and headed for the door.

“I’ll walk out with you,” China said, picking up her tablet. “I have a great deal to do myself.”

“Well, that was a total waste of time,” Morgan proclaimed, getting to his feet.

“What are you talking about?” Brice questioned Morgan with a deep frown on his face.

“We’re no closer to finding the bastard that got all this mess started.”

“It’s only been a couple of days. We still have a lot to do,” Brice reminded his brother.

“Yeah, and Mother needs to let us do it. All these update meetings that Mom likes make me crazy,” Morgan said.

“I agree,” Alexander supported his brother.

Brice’s brows drew together. “Why are you two acting like this is a new thing for her? Do you remember how she was when we were kids?”

“Yeah, we couldn’t play Uno without her making sure we understood the rules of the game,” Alexander reminded them, the corner of his mouth turning up.

“By the time we were done discussing all the rules, I didn’t want to play anymore,” Morgan confessed.

The three brothers laughed.

“I’m heading out to the rigs. Call me if you need me.” Morgan walked out of the room after giving both his brothers the peace sign.

“So...” Brice said, nodding his head.

Alexander’s phone beeped. He removed it from his pocket and read the screen. “So...what?” he asked, not looking up from his phone.

“I see you’ve done absolutely nothing about China since we last spoke.”

Alexander checked his watch. “You mean within the last few hours...no,” he said sarcastically.

“Well, you’re right about one thing. China is definitely acting like things are business as usual between you two.”

“I know, but I have a plan.” Alexander smirked.

Brice clapped his left hand on the table and laughed. “This I have to hear.”

Alexander’s phone beeped again and he read the message. “Sorry, little brother, I got to go. Duty calls,” he said, walking out of the conference room. You may not know it yet, but, China, you’re number one on my to-do list. I might not know what comes next, but I’m certainly willing to find out.

* * *

China walked past her assistant’s empty desk and into her office, where she placed her tablet on her glass-topped wooden desk before flopping down into her large white-leather wingback chair. She had barely kept it together when Alexander’s hand grazed hers. China couldn’t understand how such a benign act could have such an effect on her; she’d had difficulty breathing, her heart flipped and her head started spinning. She was just thankful she got through her presentation without making a complete fool of herself.

China had been trying to convince herself that her night with Alexander hadn’t affected her beyond the physical, that their relationship was still on solid footing. Too bad her heart and body didn’t get that memo. “Okay, China, you’re being ridiculous, running away from Alexander like that. You work together and he’s your best friend. He may not be the best person to have a romantic relationship with, or share a child with, for that matter, but he is the closest thing you have to family. You have got to pull it together,” she said out loud.

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