Every wish will be fulfilled

Five seductive dates with gorgeous real estate mogul Jaleen Walker—Danni Allison can’t believe she said yes. At least spending time with the sexy playboy might stop her from dwelling on the momentous secret she carries. Revealing her background could cost Danni the beautiful life she’s built, along with a partnership in the Dupree sisters’ lingerie company. Yet with each passionate encounter, Jaleen proves his knack for anticipating her deepest longings. How long before he also discovers the truth she’s been desperately hiding?

From the moment he meets Danni, Jaleen knows that he wants her as more than just a friend. Although their physical connection is electric, emotionally she’s holding something back. And so is he... Will their five incredible nights together be long enough for them to stop keeping secrets...and start losing their hearts to each other forever?

“Has anyone ever told you that playing hard to get doesn’t work if a man loves to chase?”

“Who says I’m playing hard to get? You couldn’t get me even if you tried.” Normally, their banter went back and forth like this for hours, but today his silence caught her off guard. She turned toward him and placed her hands on her hips.

“What’s wrong, Walker? Cat got your tongue?” She would have said more, but the mischievous look in his eyes told her to stop while she was ahead.

“I can think of a lot of things I want to do with my tongue, and each and every one of those things would bring you the utmost satisfaction.”

She couldn’t help the hitch in her voice at his accusation. Apparently, she wasn’t thinking as quickly on her feet as she normally did. He glanced behind her before curling his hand around her waist and pulling her into a corner of the hallway. He leaned his forehead on hers in a way he never had before. The endearing gesture only made her breathing more staggered.

Dear Reader,

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Jaleen Walker and Danni Allison!

You initially met Jaleen in my first novel (wow!), A Tempting Proposal, from my Elite Events series. Jaleen is better known as the jokester playboy and loyal sidekick. You met observant and feisty Danni Allison in Enticing Winter and have been able to get to know her throughout the Bare Sophistication series.

Surprisingly, I tried to pair Jaleen with several heroines in the Elite Events series, but it never felt right. When I decided to write the Bare Sophistication series, I immediately knew that Danni was his perfect match. Although both characters appear to have it all figured out, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I received numerous emails and messages asking for Jaleen and Danni’s story, so I’m extremely excited for you all to join them on their journey!

Much love,

Sherelle

authorsherellegreen@gmail.com

@SherelleGreen

Nights of Fantasy

Sherelle Green

www.millsandboon.co.uk

SHERELLE GREEN is a Chicago native with a dynamic imagination and a passion for reading and writing. She enjoys composing emotionally driven stories that are steamy, edgy and touch on real-life issues. Her overall goal is to create relatable and fierce heroines who are flawed just like the strong and sexy heroes who fight so hard to win their hearts. There’s no such thing as a perfect person...but when you find that person who is perfect for you, the possibilities are endless. Nothing satisfies her more than writing stories filled with compelling love affairs, multifaceted characters and intriguing relationships.

To my parents, Mary and Carl,

for always being my rocks and biggest supporters. Words can’t express how extremely grateful I am to have you both as parents. Even as a young girl, I knew my parents were special. Now I can’t help but admire you even more. You are the two most selfless people I know, and if it were in my power to do so, I’d give you the world! You are both role models to so many and you give so much to others without ever asking for anything in return. When I think about you both and try to find the words to explain you to others, the first adjective that constantly comes to mind is...exceptional. You’re exceptional individuals and the most hardworking people I know. Thank you for your unconditional love and encouragement.

To two people who mean the world to me—my sister, Nikki, and husband, Henry. There are times when you can’t control the factors that stand in the way of a deadline. Throughout writing this book, you both were my saving grace. Thank you for the endless conversations, awesome brainstorming sessions and words of encouragement. I’m not sure I could have completed this story without your love and support.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue

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

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

Six months ago...

“If you want me to leave with you, you’ll have to kiss me first.”

Jaleen Walker glanced at his friends before setting his eyes on the woman who was making it extremely difficult to keep his distance. He’d arrived at the bar ten minutes prior, along with the other men celebrating his friend Aiden’s bachelor party.

When Aiden Chase had received a call from his soon-to-be wife, Summer Dupree, Jaleen’d watched Aiden’s face turn from excitement to concern when he learned his fiancée had had one too many fruity drinks. It had only taken a minute for Aiden to announce that he wanted to crash Summer’s bachelorette party.

Since Summer was like a little sister to Jaleen, he hadn’t argued with Aiden and had quickly informed the guys that the bachelor party was about to become coed. Jaleen hadn’t even known Aiden for an entire year, but the two had immediately hit it off when Summer had taken him to a holiday celebration last year.

Summer and Aiden were getting married in less than forty-eight hours and Jaleen couldn’t be happier for the both of them. It seemed like all of his friends were tying the knot and he’d been to more pre-and postwedding celebrations over the past few years than he could count.

Now that the men had arrived at the chic Miami lounge, they learned that Summer wasn’t the only one tipsy. Most of the women appeared to be feeling a buzz and dancing as if they didn’t have to get up in the morning for rehearsal. Reacting quickly, each husband, fiancé or boyfriend went to their significant other to join them on the dance floor, leaving only those unattached to watch the scene unfold.

“I’ll be right back,” Jaleen said to Danni, ignoring the way her lips curled into the perfect pout.

Jaleen looked at the remaining men and motioned for them to group together. “Maybe we should get all the women some water,” he suggested to his friend Luke, Aiden’s friend Dax, Summer’s cousin Malakai and a few others. “Then I’ll ask Aiden and the others if they need help getting any of the other ladies back to the hotel. But, fellas, let’s remember that these women are friends with Aiden and Summer, so we have to act respectfully.”

“Agreed,” Dax said as the other men nodded their heads. “I think I have a bottle of aspirin in my rental car, so I’ll grab that, too.”

Jaleen glanced at Malakai, both men knowing that the statement was made for the men who weren’t either family or like family to the happy couple. They didn’t have to worry about Luke and Dax because both were stand-up men.

Once they’d gotten the bottles of water and aspirin ready for the women, they returned to the group. Jaleen almost laughed at the way Luke and Dax made a beeline for two of Summer’s friends and business associates, Nicole LeBlanc and Aaliyah Bai.

“They are so predictable,” Malakai said, shaking his head. “I assume you’re going to find Danni?”

Jaleen didn’t have to respond because Malakai was already heading over to the other men to assist with a couple of Summer’s high school friends. It was well-known news that although Jaleen and Danni were constantly bickering, they had a close friendship. He wouldn’t be surprised if bets were going around the group that they’d be the next pair to start dating. But Jaleen knew that could never happen. He wasn’t exactly a one-woman type of man. Although he never dated more than one woman at the same time, he had a reputation for not allowing a woman to make it past the one-month mark.

Jaleen glanced around the VIP area and dance floor, finally finding Danni in the corner of the lounge. As he approached, he tried to ignore the soft sway of her hips as she moved to the beat of the music. She looks beautiful. All the women were wearing teal dresses while Summer was in all white. Despite the fact that the dresses were each similar in style, it was Danni’s teal formfitting dress that had his undivided attention.

“There you are,” he said when he’d reached her. “Why are you all the way over here?”

“Because I knew you would find me.” Her eyes sparkled with interest. “And I didn’t want all our friends to see when you kissed me.”

Jaleen ran a hand down his face. She’s not going to make this easy. He couldn’t even remember how long he’d waited to finally feel how soft Danni’s lips were. However, he wanted her to be fully conscious of her decisions when he kissed her. She wasn’t sober, which meant he had to keep his lips to himself.

He glanced down at the glass she was holding. “Danni, I don’t think you mean that,” he said, reaching for her drink. “How about we trade this drink out for a bottled water?” She accepted the water and took a nice long sip. He tried not to watch the way her lips curled around the bottle, but he failed.

“I do mean it,” Danni said as she closed the distance. “The only way I’m leaving this bar is if you kiss me like I’ve seen you kiss so many other women.”

Jaleen winced at the comment despite how true it was. “I do want to kiss you, but how about I kiss you tomorrow night instead?”

She tilted her head as if trying to decide if she could trust to him or not. “Hmm, okay, that might work. As long as you actually kiss me so that I can mark you off my list.”

Jaleen raised one eyebrow. “And what list might that be?”

“My special list that I made on my birthday,” she said with a cheesy grin. “My ‘Thirty Things To Do Before I’m Thirty’ list.”

Jaleen did a quick mental calculation. She’d just had a birthday, so he assumed she hadn’t gotten far on the list.

“You’re on it more than once,” she said in almost a whisper.

When she ran her fingers down the collar of his shirt, he made no effort to stop her. A special list. It sounded like a bucket list of sorts and he knew Danni was big on lists. She was the only woman he knew who didn’t just make a grocery or chores list, but rather a list to remind her she’d created a list for groceries and chores. He often teased her about being overprepared, but she denied it each and every time.

She rested one hand on his chest, moving her fingers in a small, circular motion. Her touch was innocent, but his thoughts definitely weren’t.

“I think we need to get you back to the hotel,” he said as he searched for their friends. He noticed that the others in their group seemed to be preparing to leave, as well.

“Did the ladies drive?” Jaleen asked Aiden as he approached him and Summer.

“No, we had a driver,” Danni answered instead. “But I sent him away since I figured we could walk back.”

The hotel wasn’t that far from the lounge, but tugging along ten tipsy women wearing heels seemed like too much work.

“Let’s head back,” Aiden said with a whistle as he twirled a finger in the air. The group started filing out of the lounge toward the parking lot. Aiden, Summer and Danni hopped into Jaleen’s car while everyone else divided into the other four cars.

“I want to sit with Summer,” Danni said as she pulled Summer to the back of the car, leaving Aiden to sit in the front with Jaleen.

“Well, this isn’t exactly how I thought your bachelor party would end,” Jaleen said with a laugh as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“Tonight with you and the guys was a lot of fun.” Aiden glanced back at Summer. “But the fact that I get to spend the rest of the night making sure that beauty in the backseat doesn’t have a hangover isn’t a bad way to end the night, either.”

The amount of love Jaleen heard in Aiden’s voice didn’t surprise him. If anything, it made him envious that he’d never get a chance to experience the type of love Aiden and Summer shared. His eyes caught Danni’s in the rearview mirror. What is it about Danni Allison? For years he’d wondered why the only woman who seemed to be immune to his charm was the same woman who was constantly on his mind.

He supposed that’s the reason they’d developed an actual friendship. Although he still teased her any chance he got, he was well aware that Danni knew entirely too much about his dating history and, for that reason alone, he couldn’t even get her to agree to go on one date.

After they arrived at the hotel and parked the cars, Aiden and Summer bid good-night to the group. The ladies all boarded the elevator a couple minutes later to head to their rooms, while the men went to the bar in the hotel lobby.

Jaleen had just sat at the bar when Luke nodded his head toward the front of the lobby. Jaleen followed his gaze.

Danni was standing near the hotel entrance with her clutch in her hand.

I could have sworn she just got on the elevator.

Jaleen turned back to Luke. “I’ll be right back.”

“Yeah, right,” Luke said with a laugh as he turned to the other men.

Jaleen caught Danni’s arm as soon as she took one step outside the door. “Where are you going?”

“To get something to eat.”

Seriously! “It’s almost three in the morning. Nothing is open.”

“Well, I’ll find a gas station, then. They never close.” She took one more step out the door.

“They have twenty-four-hour room service,” Jaleen said, stopping her again. “How about you order some food in your room?”

A sly smile crept onto her face. “On one condition.”

He was almost afraid to ask. “What’s that?”

“You come to my room and eat with me.”

Jaleen groaned. “If I do, will you eat and then get some rest before tomorrow’s rehearsal?”

“Yes,” she said a little too quickly. Before he knew it, Danni was tugging his arm and leading him toward the elevators.

The second they arrived at her hotel room, Danni tossed her clutch on the table and kicked off one heel. When she went to remove the other heel, she stumbled.

“Whoa, pretty lady,” Jaleen said as he helped her steady. “Let’s be careful.”

“I’m tired of being careful,” Danni replied, looking him in the eye before turning her back to him. “Can you unzip my dress?”

No, I can’t unzip your dress. “Sure,” he said instead. He felt like his fingers were moving in slow motion as he worked the zipper to reveal the back of a sexy, white-and-teal lace bra. It would take little effort to unclasp the sole clip, but he wouldn’t dare do that tonight.

“There you go,” he said, allowing one sole finger to run down her spine. She gasped at the touch before turning around to face him.

“Are you sure you won’t kiss me tonight?” She looked so vulnerable standing there and something in her eyes made him want to say to hell with what he’d said earlier and take a sample of what she was offering. Luckily, his brain was thinking more than the other part of his anatomy.

“Not tonight. But if you ask me tomorrow, you’ll get a different answer.”

For a minute he thought she was going to ignore what he was saying, but instead she walked to the couch to lie down.

“How about I order that room service?” He walked over to the desk. “What do you want?”

“You decide,” she said, curling onto her side. “I just need something to eat.”

The last thought he had before he ordered was that the best food they could both have right now would be if they feasted on each other.

* * *

Sunlight seeping through the curtains caused Danni to awaken. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand—8:00 a.m. She checked her iPhone, surprised that she hadn’t set her alarm. As a matter of fact, part of the night was a blur. She’d planned on waking up a little earlier to meet a couple of the bridesmaids for breakfast before rehearsal in a couple of hours.

Maybe I can still meet them, she thought as she stretched her body. It was then that she noticed she was still wearing her dress from last night. What the...? The back of her dress was unzipped and one shoulder was out of the strap. Her hands flew to her mouth as memories of the previous night came rushing back to her.

Jaleen was here. He came back to my hotel room with me. She also suspected he was responsible for the glass of water and aspirin on her nightstand because she didn’t recall getting it herself.

She got out of bed, grabbed a sundress and her toiletries and made her way to the bathroom. A shower would definitely wake her up and, hopefully, help her remember more details. Thirty minutes later she was showered, dressed and no closer to remembering all the details.

When she walked back into the bedroom, a pair of shoes in the corner of the room caught her eye. Those are Jaleen’s. Although she couldn’t recall if he was wearing them last night, she’d seen them on him before. Why exactly did I see Jaleen last night? They’d been celebrating Summer’s bachelorette party while the men had been out celebrating Aiden’s bachelor party. She didn’t know how they’d gotten together last night, but she vaguely recalled asking Jaleen if he would kiss her.

Oh, God. I did ask him to kiss me. She couldn’t think of anything more embarrassing...except if he was still in her suite somewhere. She opened the bedroom door and tiptoed around the corner to the living room area. As suspected, Jaleen was sprawled out on the couch with his long legs hanging over the side. She’d always found him attractive—although she’d never admit that to him—however, the sight before her nearly stole her breath.

He still had on his jeans, but he’d discarded his socks and unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his washboard abs and deep vee of his hip bone now causing her imagination to wander to places it never had before. That’s a lie. She’d definitely spent more time than she would ever admit wondering just how sexy Jaleen Walker would look naked. Of course, she’d never go there with a man like him... A man that seemed to trade out women as quickly as he changed underwear. However, there was no harm in admiring him while he slept.

Even in his sleep, his jawline was well-defined and she’d bet that he’d just gotten his goatee freshly cut and hair lined yesterday before the bachelor party. How many times had she wanted to run her tongue across his smooth, cinnamon-brown complexion? As cocky as he was, Danni was surprised there was anything about him she found attractive. He was not her usual type. But lately she’d been looking at him in a way that she knew she shouldn’t but couldn’t help.

She froze when he slightly adjusted himself on the couch, noticing for the first time just how close she actually was to him. She took a step back when his hand reached out and lightly grabbed her wrist.

“Not so fast,” Jaleen said groggily. “How do you feel?”

She momentarily couldn’t find the words to respond as she stared into his deep brown eyes. “I feel okay,” she finally said. “Thanks for taking care of me last night.”

“No problem,” he said, sitting up on the couch. “I only stayed to make sure you were okay.”

Her eyes briefly left his to stare at his lips. What has gotten into me? She was usually a lot better at getting a handle on her attraction to Jaleen. Maybe it was being with him all alone in her suite that had her feeling bold? Or maybe it was the fact that she’d had a long couple of months and giving in to temptation sounded like a good stress reliever.

“Did I ask you to kiss me last night?” she asked.

His eyes darkened. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he made his way to the bathroom.

She blinked her eyes in confusion at the sudden movement. Unsure of what to do with herself until he returned, she sat on the couch and tried not to breathe in his masculine scent that still lingered in the room.

When he returned, he looked a lot more put together than she felt. “So did I ask you to kiss me last night?” she repeated.

“Maybe a few times.” He sat next to her on the couch. “But I knew you were tipsy.”

She was almost afraid to ask, but had to. “Why didn’t you kiss me?”

His lips curled to the side in a smile. “Trust me, I wanted to. But under the circumstances, it didn’t feel right.”

“Because I was too tipsy.”

“Something like that,” he said with a laugh. “The first time we kiss, I want you to be completely alert about what’s going on.”

Her cheeks grew warm and her heartbeat quickened. She was sure she’d regret what she was about to say next. “What about now?” Her voice got slightly lower. “I’m completely alert now.”

Jaleen gave her a look of confusion as he studied her eyes. She knew why he was confused. Up until now she’d done everything she could to try to deny their obvious chemistry. But this was a new year and she was a new Danni. This year, she planned to face her fears unlike she had before. Even so, the longer they sat there staring at one another, the more she regretted her decision to say something in the first place.

“You know what? Never mind. I’m not sure what’s gotten into me...” Her voice trailed off as Jaleen’s face got closer to hers.

“There’s no chance I’m ignoring what you said.” Jaleen’s hand lightly grazed her cheek. “I’ve waited too long to see how soft your lips are.”

She held her breath as his lips inched closer to hers. The somersaults in her stomach only increased when she felt his breath mingle with hers.

“Now would be the time to stop me,” Jaleen said as a warning. Danni didn’t have any intention to stop Jaleen but unfortunately the loud knock on the door did.

“Danni, are you in there? We have to meet the ladies for breakfast.”

Jaleen dropped his hand and Danni sighed at the sound of her friend’s voice. Hearing Nicole was like a jolt to her senses.

“Maybe you should go,” she said, standing from the couch.

A hint of disappointment flashed across his face before he stood, as well. “I guess you’re right.”

They made their way to the door. “Do you want me to stay here until you leave with Nicole?”

“That would be great,” she said with a nod. “I’d really appreciate it.” She grabbed her clutch and quickly exited her hotel room before she dwelled on what had almost happened between her and Jaleen.

It wasn’t that she thought kissing him would be a bad thing. Her fear was that kissing Jaleen would be the best thing she’d experienced in a long time.

Chapter 1

“Sorry I’m late,” Danni said as she rushed into Bare Sophistication Boutique and Studio minutes before close. “I ran into some traffic on my drive from Tampa to Miami.”

“No worries. How is your mom?” Summer asked as she finished ringing up the last customer.

“She’s doing well! She’s looking forward to the day when she’ll have all three of her children in the same place at the same time.”

“Does that mean your brothers haven’t visited in a while?”

“They’ve visited, but I’ve told you stories about how random their visits are. Dominic is still overseas, but we’re hoping he’ll get a leave soon. And Aaron is off chasing whatever his next adventure is. I swear, between the two of them, I can barely keep track of their schedules.”

“I can’t wait to meet your mom,” Summer said as she locked the front door of the shop and flipped over the open sign. “She seems like the type of mom I always wanted to have.”

Danni didn’t miss the sadness in her voice. It was no secret that Summer’s mom, Sonia Dupree, was as far from a motherly figure as you could get. Danni could still recall the horrible stories she’d heard from Summer and her older sisters, Winter and Autumn, about their mother.

Sometimes, Danni still worried that Sonia Dupree had affected her daughters in irreversible ways. However, all three Dupree sisters were married to wonderful men. Winter was married to Taheim Reed. Autumn was married to Taheim’s brother, Ajay Reed. And Summer and Aiden had been doing wonderfully ever since they tied the knot. All three couples were proving that true love existed and could happen when you least expected it.

“She’s looking forward to meeting you, too,” Danni said. “I told her I’d bring you down for a mini vacation one day.”

“Speaking of vacations, have you talked to Jaleen lately?”

“Um, no. Why do you ask?”

Summer straightened a few lingerie pieces on the rack. “No reason. Just wondering if you finally returned his calls.”

Ever since they’d almost kissed in the hotel room before Summer and Aiden’s wedding, Danni had been making a conscious effort to avoid Jaleen at any mutual parties they attended. Avoiding him had been easy since he lived in Chicago and she now lived in Miami. However, for the past four months Jaleen had been handling some work in Europe for his family’s real-estate business overseas and, for some reason, he’d been hell-bent on emailing, texting or calling her any chance he got.

At first she’d enjoyed communicating with Jaleen since they had, indeed, been friends for years. Yet the closer it got for him to return to the States, the less she returned his calls, texts or emails. He probably assumed that he’d done something wrong, when, in actuality, she was the person pushing him away. She had a good reason, but she doubted he would understand. Honestly, she doubted any of her friends would understand.

“Okay, I’m all set,” Summer said as she turned off the lights. “Are you ready to head to dinner?”

Danni froze. “You mean we’re still on for dinner?”

“Of course we are! Tonight we’re celebrating the fact that you are almost done with your master’s in fashion merchandising. Going back to school and working full-time is a huge deal. Especially since our Bare Sophistication store in Miami has only been open a little over a year. So we definitely have to celebrate. Nicole, Aaliyah and Aiden should already be at the restaurant.”

At least she didn’t mention what I thought she would.

In two months she’d be finished with her degree, which meant she would have to officially accept the partnership Summer and her sisters had offered her during the grand opening of the Miami store.

When they’d initially asked her to be a partner of the Bare Sophistication chain, Danni had been overcome with emotion considering the Dupree sisters had always dreamed of being in business together and Danni had just joined the team as store manager for both the Chicago and Miami locations. She’d never dreamed they’d give her such a huge opportunity. Her celebration was short-lived when she’d realized that despite how wonderful the opportunity was, she still had a major dilemma standing in her way of officially accepting the offer.

“Yeah, I’ll trail you in my car since I don’t want to leave it here overnight,” Danni said. Her iPhone rang just as Summer was locking up the store. She shuffled through her purse to try to catch the call.

Definitely not answering that.

“Who was it?”

“No one,” she said as she stuffed the phone back in her purse.

“Hmm, are you sure it wasn’t a certain friend of ours who’s been contacting you for months?”

“I’m not sure who you mean.” She took out her car keys as they made their way to the parking lot.

“You know exactly who I’m talking about, even if you don’t want to tell me what happened during my wedding—”

“Nothing happened,” she interrupted.

“Well, regardless of what did or didn’t happen, I think you should call him back. I just spoke with him a couple of days ago and he said you’re avoiding him. I’ve never known Jaleen to even care if a woman avoids him.”

Danni hated to admit that she was equally curious as to why he’d been reaching out to her these past few months. Yeah, they’d had a special moment in her hotel suite the day before Summer and Aiden’s wedding, but she didn’t see how that equated to him contacting her so much.

“Okay, fine. I’ll call him back after dinner.”

“Or maybe you should call him before dinner,” Summer suggested before getting into her car.

“Or maybe I’ll just keep avoiding him unless I head to Chicago for the semiannual sale Winter and Autumn are having at the Bare Sophistication Chicago location,” Danni said under her breath as she got into her car, as well.

Danni had enough on her plate and that didn’t include worrying about a certain handsome friend who just so happened to be the only guy she’d been thinking about for the past six months. Or try the past few years. It didn’t matter if she thought about him a lot or a little. She shouldn’t be thinking about him at all.

Maybe I should call him since I’ll have an excuse to get off the phone once I arrive at the restaurant for dinner. That way, he couldn’t convince her to stay on the phone any longer than five minutes since the restaurant was so close to the shop. She clicked the audio recognition feature of her car and called Jaleen.

He answered on the third ring. “Hey, beautiful.”

She momentarily soaked in the warmth in his voice. He’d always called her beautiful, but lately she was starting to believe he really meant it.

“Hey, Jaleen. Just a heads up, I have to meet the gang for dinner so I only have five minutes.”

“Duly noted,” he said with a laugh.

“How are you?”

“Much better now that you’ve finally called me back. What’s the deal? Screening my calls and messages?”

“Um, something like that. Why? Not used to women being so dismissive of your charm?” she said with a laugh.

“Not women who threw themselves at me one day then avoided me the next.”

“I did not avoid you. I had merely been fulfilling my bridesmaid’s duties. Besides, you haven’t even been in the States for the past four months.”

“Exactly. And we’ve been talking a lot while I was away, then you suddenly go cold turkey.”

“Aw, did I hurt your little feelings?” she said with a laugh.

Jaleen was silent for about five seconds.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Danni. There is nothing on me that is little, small, tiny or any other word used to describe the men you’ve been with in the past.”

Her breath caught. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I was referring to you, not your male anatomy.”

“Whether you meant to or not, you just offered me a challenge. And you know there isn’t anything I love more than a challenge.”

She didn’t like the direction their conversation was heading. “Anyway, I have to go. I just arrived at the restaurant, so I’ll have to call you later.”

“Will you actually call me later?” he asked. She thought about all the times she’d avoided his calls recently, knowing she had no reason to justify ignoring him. At least, no reason she wanted to explain to him.

“Yes, I’ll call you later.”

“Great. Then I’ll talk to you soon.”

She hung up the phone, parked her car and then leaned her head back on her headrest. What is it about that man that has me so intrigued?

She’d dated her fair share of men in the past... Even some that reminded her a little of Jaleen. Yet he got under her skin and the more she thought about it, the more she was unsure if that was a good or bad thing. By the time she stepped out of the car, she was already beginning to regret her decision.

“At least he lives in Chicago,” she said as she reached to open the door to the restaurant.

“Let me guess,” someone said, catching the door ahead of her and holding it open. “You’re talking about me.”

Danni dropped her arm instantly and her eyes widened in surprise. “Ja-Jaleen! What are you...how are you...what are you doing here?” Oh, my goodness, am I stuttering? I never falter over my words.

“It’s nice to see you, too, beautiful.” His eyes sparkled with amusement, but she was having a difficult time finding anything funny about the situation.

Man, he looks good. True, it had been a while since she’d seen him in person, but they’d FaceTimed a couple of times. Tonight he looked extra sexy in his dark gray jeans and collared blue shirt that was unbuttoned to reveal his white tee. His gray-and-blue Nikes only added to his look. She’d never understood why, even in his casual clothing, he looked as if he were headed to a photo shoot.

When she finally made her way back to his eyes, he was smiling too hard for her liking.

“What are you doing here?” she asked again, walking through the restaurant door.

“I think a better question would be why didn’t I mention I was in Miami when we were on the phone a few minutes ago,” he said, following her into the restaurant. When she gave her name to the hostess, it dawned on her that one of their mutual friends must have mentioned the dinner to him.

“Who told you? Summer? Aiden?”

He shrugged. “Does it really matter?”

“You know I hate surprises,” she whispered as they neared the table where their friends were waiting.

“And you know that had you answered my calls earlier, you would have known I was in Miami.”

“I had good reason.”

“And what reason would that be?”

She tried to ignore how close he was to her ear when he whispered. His scent was already filling her nostrils to a less than comfortable level. “It’s a reason I’d rather not share right now.”

“Fine. Have it your way.”

They arrived at the table and greeted their friends. She was well aware that Summer’s, Nicole’s and Aaliyah’s eyes were all on her as she sat, with Jaleen sitting right across from her.

“Are you okay?” Nicole whispered. Instead of responding right away, Danni took a large sip of water, hoping to cool off from the hot stares Jaleen was already shooting her way.

Danni, originally born in Miami, had attended two years of high school with Nicole before Danni’s family had moved to Tampa. The two had kept in contact and, when Summer had moved to Miami, Danni had reached out to Nicole to meet up with Summer. The two had hit it off immediately and later met Aaliyah, who was one of the lead photographers at a beauty trade show a couple weeks after.

When Danni had arrived in Miami to help Summer open Bare Sophistication, the four women had immediately bonded and later agreed to go into business together. They were still building the Bare Sophistication Miami empire, but with Nicole as the lead makeup artist and hairstylist for their boudoir studio, Aaliyah as the boudoir beauty photographer and Summer and Danni running the lingerie boutique, things were looking promising for the group of friends.

“I’m not sure,” Danni finally whispered back. “Why do I get a feeling that I’ve just stepped into a bad horror movie?”

“That’s a bit extreme,” Nicole said with a laugh. “Jaleen is hardly a villain. You’ve known him for years.”

“Why is he here in Miami? I have a few theories... One, he wanted to catch me off guard with his presence. Mission accomplished. Two, he manipulated his way into my celebration dinner by contacting one of you to get the details. Once again, well done on his part. And three, he is being very cocky and suspicious. Do you see how he’s looking at me over his glass every time he takes a sip of water? All of those are characteristics of a villain.”

“I think you’re being a bit dramatic. Yes, he is all of those things, but I’m not sure that Jaleen’s sole purpose is to make you uncomfortable. I agree that he probably wants to spend some time with you, but you both have gotten pretty close these past few months. Even if it was long-distance.”

Danni stole another glance at him before turning back to Nicole. “I’m telling you, something is off about him tonight. He’s definitely up to no good.”

“Maybe you need to experience his type of no good,” Nicole said as she raised both her eyebrows. “Could be good for you.”

Danni was about to respond when Aiden began talking.

“Jaleen, I meant to ask. How long are you staying in Miami? You’re here for a business meeting, right?”

So he’s here for work. How hard would it have been for him to tell me that? “At least he’s only here for a meeting,” Danni whispered to Nicole.

“Actually, I just had my first of several meetings here in Miami this morning.”

Danni felt like she was holding her breath as she waited for him to continue. After another minute, she couldn’t wait any longer.

“So how long will you be in Miami?” she asked.

He glanced around at everyone sitting at the table before his eyes landed on Danni. “I’ll be in Miami for at least the next three months...possibly longer.”

She studied his eyes for any sign that he was joking and realized he wasn’t. “You’re serious?” she asked because she had to for her own sanity.

“Dead serious,” he said, not even breaking into a smirk as he held her gaze.

“I take back what I said,” Nicole whispered in her ear. “Maybe you did just step into your own horror movie because if he’s the villain, you’re definitely his main target.”

Danni shivered at the thought.

Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

When he winked, she looked away and focused on the others in the group. Hard to do since her mind was on the man sitting across from her.

I’m screwed.

Chapter 2

Jaleen would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t get a kick out of watching Danni squirm. In his defense, he’d tried to tell her about the contract he’d won in South Beach for weeks, but she hadn’t returned his phone calls. Once he’d realized that she was ignoring him, he’d reached out to Aiden and Summer to try to figure out why she was avoiding him.

Twenty minutes into dinner and she still hadn’t made eye contact with him again. Not that he could blame her. It was impossible not to feel the chemistry between them, despite how many months had passed since they’d last seen each other.

“I want to make a toast,” Summer said, raising her wineglass in the air. “To Danni, who has almost completed her master’s.” Everyone clinked glasses and offered their congrats.

“And a second toast that may be a bit premature but long overdue,” Summer continued. “Although my sisters couldn’t be here tonight, on behalf of myself, Winter and Autumn, we’d like to express our gratitude and excitement to Danni, who will soon be the newest partner of the Bare Sophistication enterprise.”

This time, even more congrats and cheers were offered, but Jaleen noticed that Danni’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. That’s strange. As hard as Danni worked, he’d expected her to look a little more excited about the offer. He’d noticed her initial excitement over a year ago when the Dupree sisters had made her the partnership offer after the grand opening of their Miami store. It may have made sense to the others that she said she wanted to wait until she finished her master’s—especially considering Summer, Winter and Autumn each had several degrees in the fashion industry—but it hadn’t made much sense to Jaleen.

“Thanks so much, guys,” Danni said as she took a sip of her wine. “I’m really excited to begin this new journey with the enterprise.”

“We couldn’t think of a more deserving person than you to be our partner,” Summer said, briefly standing from the table to give Danni a hug.

Jaleen watched the embrace, thinking for the first time tonight Danni’s response seemed genuine. Which further begged him to wonder why Danni was so tense regarding tonight’s dinner topics.

Man, who are you kidding? You’re probably the reason she’s so tense tonight.

After dinner ended and they were making their way to their cars, Jaleen took a moment to pull Danni aside.

“Can we talk for a minute?”

She looked at their friends, who had just made it to the parking lot. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

Jaleen glanced down the block in the opposite direction. “Come walk with me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that your way of asking me to take a walk with you? Because it sounded more like a demand.”

He smiled at her defensive stance. This was the Danni he knew. The Danni who’d spent the past few years arguing with everything he’d said. Although he liked making her nervous, he liked her even more when she was fired up.

Tonight she had on a simple white tee tucked into a pair of high-waisted jeans. He may have loved to see her in dresses, but the woman could wear a pair of jeans unlike any other woman he knew. His eyes traveled farther down her body until they landed on her French-tipped toenails and peep-toe fringed boots. The outfit was perfect for the cooler seventy-degree March night.

When his eyes traveled back to her face, he admired the large brown curls adorning her smooth mahogany face and round dark ginger eyes. Despite all of her features that drove him crazy with desire if he allowed himself to think about her too long, it was her lips that always kept his gaze a little longer than they should. He’d never seen lips so rich and pouty, which was saying a lot because he’d seen his fair share of lips. Today her lips were decorated in a striking burgundy lipstick. A shade that only made him want to kiss her even more than usual. After a few seconds, her lips parted, causing him to take a step closer.

“How about we take that walk?” she said, placing a hand on his chest. He glanced down at her hand, trying to shake the visions of her lips softly kissing his body.

Once they began walking and he felt like he had a handle on his thoughts, he started the conversation.

“I wanted to apologize for surprising you by popping up in Miami. I suppose I could have left you a voice mail when you didn’t answer.”

“Yes, you could have,” she said with a laugh. “But I should have returned your calls. Sorry about that.”

“It’s no big deal. Although I’m curious why you’ve been avoiding me.”

She glanced at him before looking forward. “I’m sure you already know why, but in hindsight, I guess I’ve been acting childish. I’m a grown woman avoiding a sexy man all because we almost kissed. Seems pretty pathetic when you say it out loud.”

So she thinks I’m sexy? She probably hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it didn’t stop him from enjoying the fact that she’d said it anyway.

“I guess I understand. But I thought that talking as much as we have these past four months while I was in Europe would have made you feel more at ease. I, for one, enjoyed our conversations.”

“I did, too,” she said, lightly touching his arm. Even though her touch was light, he still felt her warmth travel throughout his body. “I just have a lot going on right now and I’m afraid that you’re a distraction I can’t afford.”

“I never asked you for anything other than friendship.”

Danni gave him a look of disbelief. “Oh, come on, Jaleen. You and I both know that you don’t do friendships with the opposite sex.”

“We’ve been friends for years, right? Or do you deny it?”

“Yeah, but most of that time was spent arguing with one another. And I’m not sure if friends is the right word. Close associates may be more accurate since the only reason we communicated with each other was the fact that we shared so many mutual friends.”

He wanted to tell her that he suspected they knew each other more than she gave them credit for, but he knew when to leave the battle to fight another day.

“Tell you what. While I’m in Miami, how about we work on building a friendship?” That way, I can prove to you that it may be time to take this friendship to another level.

She shot him a look of skepticism before her lips curled into a smile. “Why do I have a feeling that you have an even bigger plan brewing in your mind?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” He feigned a look of innocence. “I’m just a guy asking a girl if she’ll embark on a new friendship journey with me.”

Danni rapidly blinked her eyes in surprise before she burst out in laughter. Soon, he was laughing right along with her. When their laughing began to die down, Danni spoke first.

“I’m curious as to what this friendship journey will entail and, although I want to say no, I’m too curious not to say yes.”

“Good decision,” he said as they walked in a comfortable stride. Jaleen really didn’t have a plan brewing like Danni had assumed. But now that she’d put the idea in his mind, a friendship plan with Danni was exactly what he would concoct.

* * *

As Jaleen glanced around the poor excuse for a rooftop terrace of the South Beach boutique hotel he’d be renovating over the course of the next few months, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed at the task before him. It was one of five hotels he had to flip and though he usually didn’t stress out over jobs, he was stressing over this one.

Although the family business his grandfather had started began as a small real-estate company, Jaleen’s father and uncle had grown Walker Realty Partner into a multimillion-dollar company. In the Walker family, your path was laid out for you from the time you were born. Both of Jaleen’s older brothers each had a key role in the business, and although flipping real estate was a huge part of their company, Jaleen’s specialty was flipping boutique resorts. It was something he’d started doing just to see if he could prove to his father that he could be an asset to the family business. Jael Walker was not a man who was easily impressed. Especially when he felt as though his youngest son wasn’t cutthroat enough to make the decisions needed to get far in the industry.

“Hey, boss, where do you want us to start?”

Jaleen glanced over at Jesse, the head of his construction team. “Rally up the team in the back of the restaurant on the lower level.”

“Will do.”

When his father had informed him that their company had won the bid for five boutique hotels scattered throughout the heart of South Beach, the only reason Jaleen had been willing to return to the States after being in Europe was the fact that he’d known Danni was in Miami. Yeah, it was nice to know he had other friends there, as well, but he’d promised himself he’d live at least a year in Europe working out of the small international Walker Realty Partner office. Considering that his cousin was currently managing all of their international projects, it had taken more than a little persuasion for his dad and uncle to agree to a one-year hiatus from their projects in the States. His dad hadn’t really agreed to the entire year, but his uncle’s blessing had been enough.

However, little had he known how much was riding on the success of his South Beach renovations. To say that his dad and uncle had made some poor business decisions over the years was putting it mildly. Now, not only did Jaleen have the responsibility of getting this job done in record time, but his family’s company was relying on the money they would get when they resold the properties.

“Okay, men,” he said when he arrived at the restaurant. “Ideally, we’d love to finish this project in three months.” A couple expected groans echoed throughout the room. “I know it’s a tight timeline, but we’ve had tighter and managed to complete the renovation on time. On behalf of Walker Realty Partner, I’d like to thank each of you for all the hard work you continuously put into our renovations.” Jaleen touched on a few additional key points before releasing the men to get started.

At the end of an entire twelve-hour day, he wasn’t as confident that they’d make the deadline. He was almost to the apartment he’d rented for the duration of his stay when his cell phone rang.

“Hey, Aiden. What’s up man?”

“Jay, I know it’s last minute, but Summer and I figured we’d have a few folks over tonight for some food and drinks. We wanted to extend an invite to you if you’re free.”

Damn. He was so exhausted he couldn’t even guarantee he wouldn’t fall asleep sitting on Summer and Aiden’s couch.

“I don’t know, man. I’m pretty wiped out.”

“Okay, so I’ll be honest,” Aiden said. “Summer is always inviting the ladies over and, usually, I either hang with them or I leave to hang out with some of the guys I’ve met since moving to Miami. But I called a couple of my guys and they are busy.”

“So I’m your next best choice? I’m offended,” Jaleen said, mocking irritation.

“Nah, man. You only just told us you’d be here for a while a couple of days ago, so it slipped my mind.”

“I’m just messing with you.” Jaleen ran his hand down his face as he weighed his options. “Is Danni going to be there?”

Aiden laughed. “Yeah, she’ll be here.”

“Then I’ll see you around eight.” He ended the call, excited that he’d finally get a chance to see Danni again. His excitement was short-lived when another call came in shortly after.

“Hey, Jeremiah. What’s up?” Jaleen opened the door to his apartment.

“What’s up, little brother? I hope you have an explanation for blowing off your meeting with Mr. Rose while you were in Europe. JW is furious.”

Growing up, Jaleen knew that Jael Walker had never wanted to be called “Dad.” Therefore his sons called him JW, as did most of his business associates. “Yeah, well, I was pretty upset when I learned JW had informed Mr. Rose that I would meet with him without clearing it with me.”

“You know how Dad is. He always makes decisions without consulting us, which means you also know how important that meeting was.”

“Well, things come up. I’ll reschedule with Mr. Rose when I have the time.” The line grew silent. Once Jeremiah got quiet, the conversation was either over for the time being or a second round of lectures would soon follow.

“If that’s all you called for, then I need to get in the shower. Give the kids and your wife my love.”

“Jay, before you hang up, can you promise me one thing?”

“It depends on what it is.” He knew he was giving his brother a hard time, but he couldn’t help it. Jeremiah and his other brother, Joel, always listened to what JW said. Half the time, Jaleen spent their serious discussions trying to decipher how his brothers really felt versus what their father had encouraged them to say.

“Can you promise me that after you turn thirty-five, you’ll finally try to live your life the best way you can and stop all this foolishness? Everyone has responsibilities and although I know that it’s difficult for you to accept some of yours, I also know you well enough to realize you’ll eventually do the right thing. I’m not saying families like ours are normal, but we can’t change what we were born into, so the easiest way to accept your future is to obey the rules and enjoy it as much as you can.”

Jaleen let his brother’s words sink in. He’d heard them one too many times before and, just like all the other conversations he’d had with Jeremiah, they always ended with him doing what was expected of him rather than what he actually wanted to do.

“I understand what you’re saying, Jeremiah, and, as always, I appreciate the advice.” Jaleen turned on the faucet for his shower. “And, as always, I’m going to remind you that I have six months until I turn thirty-five and, until then, I don’t have to obey every command JW gives me.”

“I know, Jay... I know.”

They spoke for a couple more minutes about his niece, nephew and sister-in-law before disconnecting. He wasn’t one of those types of people that didn’t appreciate his blessings, but for once, Jaleen wished he didn’t have several people moving around the pieces of his life as if he were a pawn in a chess game.

Stepping into the shower, he did what came natural every time he was reminded that his clock was ticking down and life got overwhelming.

He thought about Danni Allison.

Chapter 3

“Who’s that at the door?” Danni asked Summer for a third time. Just like the previous two times, Summer simply shrugged as she continued to play their card game.

“Babe, are you going to get that?” Summer yelled to Aiden. Tonight, Summer and Aiden’s beach home was the host location for one of their random Spades games. Danni and Summer were teamed against Nicole and Aaliyah, and they were tied one round to one round. They’d been playing Spades for an hour and, up until now, Danni’s focus had been completely on winning the next round to win the overall game.

That all changed when the doorbell rang and she noticed the women share a knowing look. She wouldn’t have cared that they shared a look, had she known what the look was for.

“Someone better start talking or I’m going to answer the door myself.” When no one responded and Aiden was nowhere in sight, Danni got up to go answer the door. Even before she answered, she knew who it was.

“Honey, I’m home,” Jaleen said as soon as she opened the door. She didn’t even have time to react when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on her cheek.

“Ew, gross. Let me go.” She lightly pushed on his chest.

“You know you like it,” he whispered before letting her go.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a pervert?”

“Has anyone ever told you that playing hard to get doesn’t work if a man loves to chase?”

“Who says I’m playing hard to get? You couldn’t get me even if you tried.” Normally their banter went back and forth like this for hours, but today, his silence caught her off guard. She turned toward him and placed her hands on her hips.

“What’s wrong, Walker? Cat got your tongue?” She would have said more but the mischievous look in his eyes told her to stop while she was ahead.

“I can think of a lot of things I want to do with my tongue and each and every one of those things would bring you the utmost satisfaction.”

She couldn’t help the hitch in her breath at his innuendo. Apparently she wasn’t thinking as quickly on her feet as she normally did. He glanced behind her before curling his hand around her waist and pulling her into a corner of the hallway. He leaned his forehead to hers in a way he never had before. The endearing gesture only made her breathing more staggered.

“I’m exhausted, but I needed to see you today,” he said in a low voice. “I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t here.”

Of all the years she’d known Jaleen, she couldn’t recall a single time when she’d heard the vulnerability in his voice. It was then that she noticed the look of fatigue on his face and the small bags under his eyes. Without second-guessing herself, she raised a hand to smooth over his cheek. He leaned into her hand and briefly closed his eyes.

“I needed this,” he said with his eyes still closed.

She wanted to say something back to him, but she didn’t know what to say. So instead she placed a soft kiss on his opposite cheek.

“Whatever is bothering you, it will be okay,” she whispered when she finally found the words.

He opened his eyes and instead of the guarded—yet playful—playboy she usually saw, she recognized the man behind the sarcastic comments and charming demeanor. She saw the troubled man who had more questions right now than he had answers for. Uncertainty was written across his facial features, combating with the small part of himself that was hoping for a solution to his problems to magically appear. She understood the feeling all too well. She saw it in herself every time she looked in the mirror.

“Are you two just going to stand in the hallway all night? Or are you going to come and play cards?”

Both Danni and Jaleen turned toward the direction of Summer’s voice. No one could see them, but she assumed they’d heard their footsteps when they’d stopped right outside the dining room.

“We’re coming,” Danni yelled as she dropped her hand from Jaleen’s face. He squinted in disappointment. She was two seconds away from telling him they would continue whatever the heck just happened later, before she caught herself.

“We’re playing Spades,” Danni said to Jaleen. “But this is our last round. I guess you and Aiden can play whoever the winner is.”

“Sounds good,” he said, studying her eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but was relieved when he began walking toward the dining room.

At the end of the third round, Danni and Summer had taken the win.

“On that note,” Nicole said as she stood from the table, “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“Me, too,” Aaliyah said, standing, as well. “I’ll see you ladies in the morning.”

After Nicole and Aaliyah left, Jaleen and Aiden took their spots.

“Jay, since you’re the newbie tonight, I have to warn you that Summer and I are a force to be reckoned with in Spades.” Jaleen gave Danni a funny look.

“What’s that look for?” she asked.

“You’ve never called me Jay. No other woman has ever called me that.”

She nervously bit her bottom lip. “Is that a bad thing? If you don’t like it, I’ll call you something else.”

“No, it’s fine,” Jaleen said with a smile. “You can call me whatever you want.”

“Great, thanks.”

Great? Thanks? Okay, Danni. Snap out of it!

When it came to cards, better yet, when it came to anything, she was competitive, not polite. However, thirty minutes into the game, it was evident that Jaleen was throwing her off her game. Not only were they barely talking smack to one another, but everyone was barely talking at all.

“Can you pass the pitcher of sangria?” Jaleen asked.

“Sure,” Danni said as she passed the pitcher. “Can you pass the pretzels?”

“Of course.” Jaleen passed her the bowl and a small plate to put the pretzels on.

“That’s it,” Summer said as she placed her cards facedown on the table. “Who are you guys and what have you done with the real Danni and Jaleen?”

“What do you mean?” Danni asked, although she knew exactly what Summer meant.

“Usually you both would have insulted each other at least ten times by now. Aiden and I are afraid to even speak because the sexual tension in the room is so high and, trust me, it’s not us.”

“Well, it’s kind of us, too,” Aiden said, winking at Summer. “But I agree with my wife. You two are sucking the fun out of the game. So how about we take a break? Summer and I will take a walk along the beach while you two work out whatever is going on.”

“You think you’re slick,” Jaleen said when Aiden helped Summer out of her chair. “My guess is your plan was to get Summer to take a late-night walk with you on the beach all along.”

“You have your methods and I have mine.” A look passed between the two men that didn’t go unnoticed by Danni.

Suddenly they were all alone with only the faint sound of the ocean in the distance seeping through the cracked window.

“What do you say we play two-person Spades until they get back?” Danni suggested. Anything was better than sitting in silence for the rest of the night.

“I’m game for that idea,” Jaleen said, reaching for the cards. “What if we up the ante with a friendly bet to start off our friendship journey?”

What is he up to now? “What kind of bet?”

He kept his eyes trained on her as he shuffled the cards. “As much as you hate to admit it, the chemistry between us is undeniable. So I propose that we do something about it.”

She adjusted herself in her chair, a little anxious about the turn in conversation. She’d spent the past few years trying to ignore their obvious attraction, so she couldn’t deny his words. “I’m listening.”

He placed the deck facedown on the table and popped a couple pretzels into his mouth. The act shouldn’t have been sexy, but even watching him chew was getting to her. “I want to take you out on a date.”

“That’s the bet?” she said with a laugh. “We’ve been on a date before.”

“I’m not talking about a date where all our friends are present. I’m talking about a date with just the two of us. Tell me something...” he said, standing to take the chair Aiden had just vacated so that they were sitting right next to one another. “When was the last time you were on a date with a man and truly enjoyed yourself?”

Almost never, she thought. “I’ve been on a few decent dates lately,” she said instead. The disbelief in his eyes was immediate. Soon, the disbelief turned to understanding. It took all her effort not to jump in her seat when he touched her hand.

“Let me try a different approach. How long have we known each other?”

“Um, about three years, I think.” Actually, about three years, two months and twenty-seven days...not that I’m counting.

“And in that time, have you ever thought of me in a nonfriendship way?”

Her mind raced to the first conversation they’d ever had. She’d been living in Chicago at the time, managing the Bare Sophistication boutique. She’d been the first to arrive at a local nightclub to meet up with Winter and Autumn for a girls’ night out, when Jaleen had approached her at the bar.

She’d known who he was immediately since she’d seen him around Chicago with his best friend Taheim. At the time she was surprised when, instead of sitting next to her on a bar stool, he went behind the bar to make her a drink. Now that she knew Taheim’s brother Ajay owned the club, it didn’t seem too extreme, but at the time, she hadn’t known what to make of his behavior. So she’d done what she did best. Told him off and ignored their attraction. Had she known he’d become a constant person in her life over the years, she may have reacted differently.

“What happens if I admit that I’ve thought of you in nonfriendship ways before?”

His eyes flickered with something she couldn’t interpret. “Then I’d tell you that I propose that you allow me to take you on five dates.”

Five dates? Seems simple enough. “And what would happen on these five dates?”

He observed her once more before responding. “For years we’ve been tiptoeing around each other, so these five dates would give us a chance to act on our attraction.”

“And there’s the catch,” she said, shaking her head. “I assume you expect each date to end in sex.”

“No, not necessarily, although I’m not counting it out.” He winked at her. “These five dates would be more like fantasy dates. A chance for us to have a good time without worrying about the fact that we share a lot of mutual friends and the fact that we don’t want to ruin our friendship. It would give us a chance to experience what it would be like if you hadn’t turned me down the first night we met.”

She studied his eyes, noting the sincerity in them. How many times had she wondered what it would be like to be the object of Jaleen’s attention? How often had she wondered what it would be like to be intimate with him? True, this wasn’t exactly what she’d expected if, in the rare case, they did decide to date. But she couldn’t deny that the idea intrigued her.

“So if you win, we go on five fantasy dates. And if I win...?”

He scrunched his forehead in thought before snapping his fingers. “I got it. If you win, you pick five days in which I’ll cater to your every need.”

“Hmm, that sounds really similar to what you’d get if you won.”

His eyes darkened. “I was thinking more like I’d do chores around your house, pick up your clothes from the cleaner’s or do your grocery shopping. But whatever you want, I’ll give.”

Oh, come on! He knew how he meant it and so did she. She glanced at the cracked-open window, contemplating what she should do. If she agreed to the bet, it seemed that, no matter what, they would be spending five days together. If she declined the bet, she’d always wonder if she missed the chance to give in to her attraction to Jaleen because she had no doubt that if they were back in Chicago, she would have never even contemplated agreeing to this.

Be careful. You have a lot at stake by getting close to a man like him.

She wasn’t worried about getting attached to Jaleen. She could handle guarding her heart. What did worry her was the fact that even though they shared mutual friends, neither Jaleen nor those friends knew the truth about her past. True, her parents and brothers were amazing people and her family had accepted the mistakes she’d made. At least, the mistakes they knew about. However, her friends from Chicago and Miami didn’t know what poor decisions she’d made over the past few years that had placed her in her current predicament. In fact, she was pretty sure that if Jaleen did know her secrets, he wouldn’t be making this particular bet right now.

If she listened to that inner warning, she’d make the right decision and say no to what he was offering. Too bad that inner voice wasn’t loud enough to shout over the other part of her that was too enthralled with what Jaleen was offering to say no.

She smiled despite how nervous she felt. “Okay, Walker, you have a deal.” Her smile dropped the minute she shook his hand. His eyes were filled with promise, excitement and a fair warning that she be prepared for whatever he had in store.

Why do I feel like I just signed a deal with the devil?

Chapter 4

“I can’t believe I lost,” Danni said for the third time that morning. She could still see the look of accomplishment on Jaleen’s face last week when he’d won the game. Even worse, he’d had the nerve to do a happy dance around the dining room table, chanting that he’d won.

She would have thought his excitement was flattering had she not been a nervous wreck ever since that night. When he’d called to ask if she was free the entire Sunday, her initial thought had been to decline an all-day date. But the Jaleen she knew would never plan to spend all day with a woman, so she’d accepted out of curiosity. Four days after accepting, she was still nervous.

She glanced at her outfit in her bathroom mirror. Jaleen hadn’t given her a dress code, so she’d chosen to wear her favorite lavender romper and beige wedges. Instead of tying her hair up, she let her soft curls flow around her shoulders. Just as she lifted her eyeliner to apply some light makeup, a loud noise echoed through the wall.

“Oh, crap,” she said as she dropped her eyeliner in the sink. Orchestra music rebounded off her walls from the condo next door. When Summer had moved in with Aiden, Danni had accepted Summer’s offer to rent her condo. Danni had lived there with Summer for a short while when she’d initially moved to Miami, so she was familiar with most of the neighbors. Unfortunately the one she shared a wall with was the hardest to get along with.

“Mr. Higgins,” she said, banging on the wall. “Can you please turn down the music?” She’d thought they had an understanding after their last chat a couple weeks ago. Apparently there was no getting through to Mr. Higgins.

She reached into her drawer for the earplugs she’d purchased after one too many restless nights.

She’d just finished her makeup and taken out her earplugs when there was a knock at the door. “Hi, Jaleen,” she yelled. “Come on in.”

“Why is your neighbor’s music so loud?” he yelled back. “I was just about to call you because I’d been knocking for a while.”

“Sorry about that. I had in earplugs. My neighbor Mr. Higgins loves to play his music loudly three days a week. I thought I’d get used to it, but it still catches me off guard.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jaleen said with a laugh. “I think I remember Summer complaining about that guy one time.” He stopped laughing and looked her up and down.

“You look beautiful,” he yelled just as the music stopped. They both laughed.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “You look nice, as well.” He was wearing dark jeans and a blue shirt. “I’ve always liked you in blue.”

A smile spread across his face. “Then I’ll have to remember that for the future.” She was sure he meant future dates, but just mentioning the word made her feel warm and tingly in places she had no business feeling warm and tingly. The music started back up, breaking the moment.

“Let’s get out of here,” she said, grabbing her purse and sweater.

Once they were in the car, her nervousness eased. “You know, the girls laughed when I told them about the bet.”

“Considering our track record, I’m sure they did,” Jaleen said with a laugh. “But I’m really looking forward to today.”

“Me, too. Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

Jaleen glanced from the road to her. “Did you bring an appetite, like I asked?”

At the time she hadn’t known if he’d meant an appetite for him or an appetite for food. Luckily, she’d brought an appetite for both.

Jaleen smirked. “Your mind is so dirty, Danni.”

She waved her arms in innocence. “What? I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah, well, I can read what you’re thinking.”

She observed him as he drove. “Probably because you’re thinking the same thing I am.”

The rest of the twenty-minute drive was in silence. As they parked in a lot in Little Havana, Danni was still clueless about the day date.

“Since you grew up in Miami, I’m assuming you already know where we are.”

Danni turned to face Jaleen. “You remember that I grew up in Miami?”

He opened his door and went around the car to open hers. “I remember everything you tell me,” he said as he helped her out the car. “Just like I remember that you’re a vegetarian.”

Danni squinted. “Little Havana is known for its Cuban cuisine and doesn’t exactly have many vegetarian options.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” he said as she looped her arm in his. “I happen to have a friend who specializes in vegetarian Cuban cuisine.”

“You’re kidding,” Danni said with a smile. “Why haven’t I heard of a vegetarian chef here before?”

“Probably because she doesn’t advertise it. Her vegetarian dishes are by special request only.”

“How do you know her?”

“I flipped a house a few years back that she brought. She also gives cooking lessons out of the guest house on the property, so we kept in touch.” Jaleen led her to a small restaurant that already had people lining up on the sidewalk despite the fact it wasn’t even the afternoon yet. Instead of getting in line, they bypassed the people and entered the restaurant.

“Jaleen, honey, so nice to see you again.” Danni unlinked Jaleen’s arm so he could hug the eccentric woman who was wearing about ten different vibrant colors. Danni knew exactly who she was and had watched her cooking shows when she was on the Food Network channel. Artemela Rojas wasn’t only known for her unique Cuban cuisine, but also her flamboyant personality and fun-loving spirit. There weren’t too many people who rendered Danni speechless upon meeting them, but Artemela was one of those people.

“Hello, Danni. I’ve heard so much about you.” She pulled Danni in for a hug.

“Nice...to...uh, meet you,” Danni finally got out. “I’m...so...uh, so honored.”

A quick glance at Jaleen proved he was amused by the situation. “Artemela, Danni isn’t aware of everything we’re doing today and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Oh, I love surprises,” Artemela said, clasping her hands together. “We have to open the restaurant, but I have the perfect spot for you.”

Danni and Jaleen followed her to the rooftop where there sat a table in the corner with the perfect view of Little Havana. Two mimosas were waiting for them and a plate of spinach empanadas.

“Enjoy this appetizer while I get to work in the kitchen. Carlos will come check on you soon and I’ll be back up later.” After they both thanked Artemela, Danni was finally able to soak in what had just happened.

“Oh, my goodness, I can’t believe I just hugged Artemela Rojas. She’s legendary here in Miami. I knew she had some signature vegetarian dishes because I’ve followed her recipes for years, but this is beyond unbelievable.”

“She’s one of your favorite chefs, right? You used to watch her shows on television.”

How did he know that? “Yes, she’s one of my favorite chefs.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I really have no idea how you knew that... I don’t think I’ve ever talked about her before.”

Jaleen took a sip of his mimosa, never breaking eye contact. “Do you remember the time we were at Ajay and Autumn’s house discussing their wedding plans right after they got engaged?”

“Of course,” she said, taking a sip of her mimosa, as well. “Winter and Taheim were trying to convince them to have a big wedding. But they were both insistent on not having an elaborate wedding.”

“Exactly. We spent all night trying to dwindle down their wedding list to under one hundred people.”

“Which was almost impossible,” Danni said. “We decided to shelve that conversation for later.”

Jaleen nodded his head in agreement. “So we all went to Ajay and Autumn’s living room to watch a basketball game that was on and you offered to wash dishes in the kitchen. I eventually went to the kitchen to help and you were watching reruns of Artemela’s show and unloading a bag full of groceries.”

“Oh, right,” she said, taken aback that he remembered. “When I was picking up food for the wedding planning session, I had picked up ingredients for a new dish that Artemela was making on the rerun that aired that night. You asked me if I loved cooking shows and I told you—”

“Only if it’s an Artemela Rojas cooking show,” Jaleen finished. “I wanted to tell you then that I knew her, but I was too wrapped up in observing your behavior.”

She looked into his eyes, trying to process everything he was saying. “And what did you see that night? After observing me?”

He slightly squinted. “I’m not sure you want to know.”

“Oh, come on,” she said, playfully hitting his arm. “Now I’m curious. You have to tell me.”

He didn’t say anything for a few moments and she feared that he’d never tell her what he’d observed that day.

“I noticed a couple things,” he finally said. “But the most important was the way your eyes lit up after you finished creating the dish. It couldn’t have taken you any longer than thirty minutes, yet the way your eyes gleamed with excitement, you would have thought the dish had taken hours to complete.”

She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, determined to maintain eye contact. “You watched me for the entire thirty minutes?”

He gave her a sheepish grin as he shifted in his seat. “If I say I watched you for longer than that, would it creep you out?”

It doesn’t, but maybe it should. “It actually creeps me out more that I didn’t notice you watching me. I guess I’m more passionate about those cooking shows than I realized.”

“I have a feeling that you’re passionate about a lot more than cooking shows,” Jaleen said in a low voice. “But don’t worry. I plan on finding out just how deep that passion goes.”

* * *

The five-course vegetarian meal that Artemela had prepared had been everything Jaleen had hoped it would be. With each course, Danni’s eyes had lit up more and more. After the meal, he’d taken her to his favorite gelato place in Miami. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun on a date. He glanced over at the woman who was responsible for one of the most carefree and enjoyable dates he’d ever had.

“So what’s next?” she asked excitedly. “I’m not sure I can eat much more food, but I’d like to try.” The sun was setting, which meant it was the perfect time to execute the last part of their first date. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to Danni about the bucket list she’d mentioned to him months ago, but he didn’t need to bring it up during this date. He knew at least one item on the list, but he was hoping his next suggestion would be something off her list. He’d be able to tell based on her facial expressions.

“I have a question for you before we do the last thing. Have you ever snuck onto a tour bus or into a concert?”

She looked at him inquisitively. “That’s a strange question. I guess, no, I’ve never done either one.”

“Have you ever thought about doing anything like that? Breaking the rules by sneaking into someplace you didn’t belong?” He studied the way her eyebrows rose before she smiled.

“Actually, I have always wanted to sneak into a movie theater. You know, pay for one movie and then when it’s over, sneak into another.”

Perfect. “Well, luckily for you, that’s exactly what I had planned.” He grabbed her hand and led her to a local movie theater that only played two movies a night. Sneaking into a movie theater this small would definitely give them a rush and, if his plan worked, the item he’d placed earlier would still be waiting in the larger theater.

“Did you really have to pick the smallest theater in Miami?” Danni said as they approached the side door. “What if we get caught?”

“All they can do is kick us out,” Jaleen said as they hid between the theater and another building. “Around this time, an employee should come out here to dump the trash. If it’s the same guy who has worked the last couple nights, he’ll prop open the door, so that’s our window to rush in.”

“Are you insane?” Danni whispered, looking over her shoulder at the people in the distance. “You promised me a fantasy date, not an illegal date.”

“Being fed by your favorite chef was a fantasy. Besides, sneaking into an eight-dollar movie isn’t that big of a deal. We’ll be fine.”

On cue, the door was propped open and the employee went to take out the garbage. “Showtime,” Jaleen said as they sneaked through the door and hid in a darkened corner. Once the employee closed the door and went back to work, Jaleen held Danni close as they made their way to the movie theater. When they were in the clear, they blended in with the crowd in the lobby.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, right?” he asked.

“I guess not, but that was still nerve-racking.”

“Excuse me, sir,” a voice said from behind them. Jaleen watched Danni’s eyes widen in fear.

“May I help you?” Jaleen asked as he turned around. He held Danni’s hand, trying to ease her nerves.

“Can you take our picture?” the man asked as he and his companion pointed to a life-size advertisement for an upcoming movie.

Danni loosened her grip on his arm.

“Sure.” After snapping a few photos, he led Danni to the top corner of the movie theater. Luckily, no one had taken the seats nearest a wall fixture even though the movie was going to start soon. He lifted his hand to grab the bag he’d placed there.

“What are you doing?” she whispered.

“Getting this,” he said as he sat next to her and untied the bag of cheese-and-caramel popcorn. “I figured you may miss Garrett’s popcorn from Chicago, so I brought some down with me and hid a bag in this theater for us.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t express how much you’ve surprised me today,” Danni said, accepting the bag he handed her. “And, yes, I’ve missed Garrett’s since I’ve been here.”

She was still looking into his eyes as the movie started. He couldn’t read every emotion, but he read the most prominent one...gratitude.

I wish I could see this look in her eyes every day.

He tried to ignore the voice in the back of his mind but as she curled into his arm and dug into her popcorn, it was the only thought that remained.

Chapter 5

“JW, I’ll be in Chicago in a couple weeks. Can it wait until then?”

“No, this meeting can’t wait. First, you spend four months in Europe—”

“Which you agreed upon,” Jaleen interrupted. Getting a call from his father early in the morning was never a good sign.

“I agreed to a month so that you could clear your mind. Not almost half of a year so you could frolic with European women.”

Jaleen ran a frustrated hand down his face as he stared out into the ocean. His first instinct had been to ignore his father’s call. He wished he’d followed his first mind.

When he’d initially decided to rent the luxury Miami penthouse on the eleventh floor, he was hoping it would bring more privacy than his massive Chicago penthouse because his family couldn’t bother him in Miami like they did in Chicago. Too bad they’d followed him here. Ever since he’d arrived in Miami, he’d received daily at least two phone calls from either his father, uncle or brothers.

“I did not spend my time in Europe frolicking with women. But, okay, if it’s so important that we meet this week, I’ll fly out first thing in the morning.”

“Good decision,” his father said right before he heard the dial tone.

“Nice chatting with you, too, JW,” Jaleen said to himself as he slipped his phone in the pocket of his jogging pants. The only good thing about waking up early on a much-needed day off was getting a chance to see the sun rise. It would be nice if Danni were seeing this with me. He wasn’t surprised at the thought. The date they’d had a few days ago had gone better than he’d expected. So good that he couldn’t wait to see her again.

He was hoping he could take Danni on their second date this weekend, however, with the unexpected meeting his father had called, he doubted there would be time. Unless we have a slight change of plans and she comes with me. He wondered if a sudden trip to Chicago would be something she’d be interested in. Even if she was interested, he wasn’t sure she could get away from Bare Sophistication for the weekend.

Jaleen took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Danni’s number. He smiled the minute her honeyed voice reached his ears.

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