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“But you don’t have to. You’re the boss. You can choose to make as many business trips as you want. You aren’t being ordered around by your superior officer.” Her gaze left him and moved around his living room.
He’d bought the top floor condo during preconstruction in order to customize the entire three thousand square feet to his specific design. He’d spared no expense in the materials and fixtures. The place screamed money, and the shock on his big brother’s face, during the two seconds it had taken Dane to recover, had made it worth every penny Simon had spent.
Growing up, Dane had always been a step ahead. Smart, athletic and popular as all hell, his older brother had graduated first in his class in high school and had been student council president as well as captain of the track team. Simon, on the other hand, had struggled with his grades, spent more time in detention than class, and enjoyed kicking ass on the football field. Dane had gone to college on a full scholarship. Simon had paid his own way.
Proving that hard work and perseverance evened the odds.
“And these last few months,” Francine continued, her voice a throaty purr, “I’ve started to think maybe I picked the wrong brother.”
Simon didn’t believe her. Francine knew exactly what she was doing when she traded one brother for the other. But the sting of her betrayal was mild in comparison to how pissed off he’d been to find out that Dane had actively stolen her away.
“You didn’t pick the wrong brother.” Annoyance cracked like a whip along his nerves. “You’re engaged to Dane. Don’t screw that up. He’s the right man for you.”
He did not need this distraction in his life right now. Expanding his business required every iota of his focus and attention.
“But if I wasn’t engaged to Dane,” she said, injecting a breathless note into her voice, “would you be interested in me then?”
“No.”
Simon caught a glimpse of himself reflected in the glass behind Francine. He eyed the grim stranger. Who was this guy with the tick in his jaw? And what had happened to the blond all-American with endless mischief in his eyes?
He rolled his head to loosen his tight shoulder muscles. To say he and his brother were competitive was like saying that Everest was a big hill. Simon could see Francine using that to create trouble between him and Dane this Christmas in a bid for her fiancé’s attention. She’d tried it before and the brothers hadn’t spoken for six months.
“I don’t believe you.” She bit her lower lip and regarded him from beneath her lashes. “Let’s get comfortable and talk about that, shall we?”
“We have nothing to talk about.” He turned toward his front door.
“Then let me demonstrate.”
There was no missing the slide of a zipper in the silence that followed.
Simon whipped around in time to spy Francine heading across the living room in the direction of his bedroom. Her long fingers caught the dress as it dipped off her shoulders.
Disbelief at her boldness held him immobile. She tossed a seductive look over her shoulder just before she dropped the dress and disappeared into the hall.
His paralysis broke. “Damn it, Francine. Get dressed. I’m not doing this.”
He snagged the chartreuse dress off the floor as he passed it. The silk slipped like a reptile’s slimy skin against his fingertips. Repulsed, he ground his teeth and reached the hallway too far behind Francine to stop her from entering his bedroom.
“Who are you?” The question came out of Francine in an incensed squeal that he might have found amusing if he wasn’t neck deep in trouble. He entered his room, his gaze going immediately to Caroline. Sympathy for her cooled his fury.
Dressed in sexy black lingerie and thigh-high stockings, Francine had backed Caroline against the foot of the bed. Caroline ripped her gaze from Francine and sent him a strong message.
Help.
“I see you’ve met Caroline,” Simon smoothly interjected, stepping forward to hand Francine her dress. “She was waiting to surprise me when I got home.”
“I fell asleep.”
He smiled, picturing how she’d looked draped across his bed. “My very own Goldilocks.”
A becoming pink flooded Caroline’s cheeks, but she looked as if she’d swallowed a bumblebee.
Francine looked from one to the other, her expressive features broadcasting anger and a trace of fear. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
“You didn’t give me a chance to tell you.” Simon gestured toward his future sister-in-law. “Caroline, this is Francine.”
Caroline offered her hand with an uncertain smile. “Nice to meet you.”
