An Inconvenient Affair (The Alpha Brotherhood #1)(29)
Author: Catherine Mann

“It’s me, Claudia, not a telemarketer.”

“God, Hillary, it’s great to hear your voice. How’s Monte Carlo? Are you winning a fortune? The photos of you are gorgeous, by the way.” The sound of Claudia sipping her signature soda filled the airwaves for a second. “I’ve been saving everything I can get my hands on and downloading the computer articles so you can see it all when you get home. We could have a scrapbooking weekend to organize everything.”

Monte Carlo. Their cover story. Telling her sister everything would only worry her so she simply said, “Thank you. You can show me when I visit next.”

“We could both be in our retirement rockers by then. Try to make it sooner.”

“Fair enough. I promise.” She always promised, but when push came to shove, somehow something always interfered…. And why? Her sister was wonderful; her brother-in-law was a great guy. She loved the kids. Their family was actually an example of how a healthy family could work. Had she avoided them because it was painful to see everything she didn’t have? “I just wanted to check in and tell you I love you. I’ll send the kids cool T-shirts.”

“How about just have fun with that überhot guy. He beats the hell out of Barry the Bastard Cutthroat.”

“He does. He really does. I’m actually getting some of that R & R you’re always telling me I need. We’re going swimming in a few minutes.”

“Please tell me you’re wearing a sexy two-piece so I can continue to live vicariously through you.”

She looked down at the conservative black swimsuit with the simple black cover-up. “Um, sure.”

“Atta girl. You deserve to play, date, flirt. Everything doesn’t have to be intense. Enjoy the chase. Love you, but I have to run to clean the guest room.”

“You’re having company?”

“Uh…yeah. Listen, I really need to go. The kids are killing each other over who gets the last packet of gummies. Bye—” The phone connection cut off.

Phone still pressed to her ear, Hillary eyed the open wardrobe and that stack of bathing suits…. She tossed the receiver down and bolted across the room. Before she could change her mind, she tore off the black suit and snatched up an aqua-colored bikini, crocheted with flesh colored lining. It was suggestive and sexy and something she never would have dared pick out for herself.

If it had been the only suit on the shelf, she might have been angry. But there was such a wide range to choose from, this wasn’t forced on her. The store tags on everything made it clear the items had been bought for her.

And she felt good wearing it.

She pulled on the frothy cover-up that matched, the nearly sheer silk sliding seductively over her skin like a lover’s kiss. She arched up on her toes to snag a beach towel from the next shelf up. The white-and-black patterned cotton slid down in a tumble all around her, a huge towel made for sunbathing. She whipped it forward to refold…

What in the world?

Blinking, she looked again and sure enough, Troy had somehow, someway ordered a towel with a big Holstein cow pattern. No way could this be coincidental. The man was too smart and too observant. He had to have noticed her cow-patterned luggage tag and the silver pin on her evening bag.

Her sister was right. Things didn’t have to be intense. She could play. Flirt. This wasn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. A guy who gave cow towels definitely understood the lighter side of life. Her bruised heart could use some soothing after all she’d been through the past month.

Cow towel cradled to her stomach, she charged through the door, ready to meet her adventure head-on.

* * *

Troy needed to give his assistant a big fat bonus.

Palm flat against the kitchen counter, he took his time staring at Hillary from head to toe. There were no words other than wow—just wow—for how mouthwateringly hot she looked. The sea-green, almost-sheer cover-up rippled over her skin like waves of water, touching her in all the places he ached to caress.

He’d told his assistant to order a variety of clothes for any occasion. His only specific instruction had been to include a few cow-patterned accessories for fun. His assistant had been smart enough not to question or laugh.

That’s why he paid her well.

He cleared his throat. “Did you find everything you need?”

“And more.” She held up the cow-patterned towel. “This is amazing. Thank you.”

“Thank my assistant. She did all the work.”

“I’m guessing that she didn’t decide on her own to pick out a beach towel with a bovine theme.”

“I may have given her some direction. I’m glad you like it.” He couldn’t wait to see what she thought of the other surprises he’d ordered for her.

His own personal mermaid walked toward him, stealing a little bit of his sanity and will with every long-legged stride. Her eyes slid over him, lingering on his black board shorts and plain white T-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

She held up a small beach tote. “Do you mind if I wash my hair at the waterfall?”

He slid an arm around her and pulled her flush against him. “You can do any damn thing you want to.”

“I do believe that’s a compliment.” She shook her hair back to glide down her spine.

“All that and more.” He placed a floppy sun hat on her head before reaching for his straw fedora.

Hooking an arm around her shoulders, he grabbed his own bag of supplies for their morning—food and more towels. He guided her through his house and out onto the balcony. Her jaw dropped in awe, her feet slowing as she looked around her. For a moment, he saw his house through fresh eyes. Somewhere along the line, he’d lost sight of the details, just seeing the place as home.

The space widened into a veranda with a hot tub and a sunken pool built up to the edge. In spite of his carefully cultivated playboy reputation, he didn’t take much time off. Even when he came here, he worked. Enjoying a morning at a waterfall with Hillary was an indulgence for him.

“Troy, this is incredible.” Kneeling, she played her fingers through the crystal water. “I’ve seen infinity pools before but nothing like this one. With the way it’s sunk into the balcony, it’s like the pool is suspended in midair. What an architectural wonder. Did you come up with the design?”

“I had an idea in my mind for something like this, but I had to leave it up to the experts to make it happen. I have an architectural contact. He’s more of an artist, actually.”