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She had to go directly to the source. Make Wes understand why the family-friendly component of the tournament was critical.
Bree sat at the kitchen counter, tapping her short nails against the granite. Wes had returned to London for the past few weeks, but she’d seen him arrive the day before. He was right next door, ignoring her calls.
Bree could hear Bex’s voice in her head.
Whatever it takes.
She sighed, then hopped down from the stool. Wes wasn’t answering his phone. Maybe he would answer the door instead. Bree knocked. No answer. She’d smelled food grilling earlier. Maybe he was out back. Bree headed through her guest house and went outside. She looked over the barrier between their back decks. There he was, lounging on a chaise, eyes closed and earphones plugged in.
Bree called his name, but Wes didn’t respond or even move an inch. She called him again. Still, he didn’t hear her. Finally, she climbed over the barrier. She reached out to shake his arm, but she paused, taking him in.
God, this man is gorgeous.
The temperature was only in the low seventies, but the sun still shone brightly overhead, making it feel much warmer. He’d taken off his shirt and thrown it across the empty chaise. She studied his inked, brown skin. The tattoo on his right arm was part of a much larger tattoo that covered the entire right half of his torso and disappeared below the waistband of the swim shorts, which hung dangerously low on his hips. Just how far down did that tattoo go?
You’re not here to ogle him. Get a grip.
Wes cleared his throat. A smirk curled the edges of his mouth.
Damn. Busted again.
“Hey, I was just… I mean I was…” Bree sucked in a deep breath, willing herself to stop babbling. “You didn’t answer any of my calls.”
“Exactly how many times did you call?” There was slight tension in his voice.
Yep. He definitely thought she was stalking him.
“A couple times,” she lied, clearing her throat. “Were you screening my calls?”
“Phone’s in the house. Sometimes I like to unplug.” He yawned, then shielded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at her. “You should try it some time.”
Bree stepped forward, her back molars grinding and her hands balled into fists at her side. “I’ll pass on the life advice, thanks. It’s bad enough you’re taking over my event.”
“Your event?” Wes raised an eyebrow in slight amusement as he adjusted the chair into a sitting position. “This is Liam’s event. You’re the celebrity name with the pretty face they hired to front the operation.” A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. “Didn’t expect we’d see you beyond the first meeting.”
Wes was enjoying making her crazy. If the racing of her pulse and the tightening of her nipples were any indication, he was making her crazy for him, too.
Bree tore her gaze away from the sexy smirk on his lips and forced it upward to meet his, rather than downward to steal another glance at the hard muscles glistening beneath a slight sheen of sweat.
Her nails dug into her palms as she stepped closer. Her shadow fell across him. “This isn’t my first rodeo, cowboy. Contrary to what you might think, I’m not just a pretty face. I agreed to join this project because Liam wanted my input.”
“I was only teasing. Thought it would lighten the mood.” His expression was apologetic. Seemingly sincere. He snatched his shirt off the empty chaise and extended his hand toward it. “Why don’t you have a seat?”
“I don’t want to sit. I want to know why you’ve vetoed my idea without the courtesy of an email or a phone call.” Bree crossed her arms over her chest, where his eyes had wandered momentarily.
Wes climbed to his feet and stretched, giving her an excellent view of the hard muscles of his chest and abdomen, beneath his smooth brown skin.
The man took good care of himself. From head to toe. No doubt about that.
He walked over to the hot tub near the far corner of the deck. After removing the cover, he folded it and placed it on the bench before slipping inside. He closed his eyes as he sank deeper into the bubbling water. The tension seemed to disappear from his shoulders.
Finally, he acknowledged her again, though he didn’t open his eyes. “If you want to discuss the idea now, I suggest you grab a swimsuit. Because for the next hour or so, this is where I’ll be taking my meetings.”
