 
# The Billionaire Stepbrother

## The Young Billionaires Book 1

## Emma Lea

## A Sexy Billionaire Romance
Copyright © 2017 by Emma Lea

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Images licensed by Adobe Stock

Cover Design by Michelle Birrell

  Created with Vellum

# Contents

Other books by Emma Lea

About this Book

Author's Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Epilogue

Bonus Epilogue

A Sneak Peek at the next book

Chapter 1

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Thanks

Other books by Emma Lea

# Other books by Emma Lea

This is Emma Lea's complete book library at time of publication, but more books are coming out all the time. Find out every time Emma releases a book by going to her website (www.emmaleaauthor.com) and signing up for her Newsletter.

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SWEET ROMANCES

These are romantic tales without the bedroom scenes and the swearing, but that doesn't mean they're boring!

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The Young Royals

A Royal Engagement

Lord Darkly

A Royal Entanglement

A Royal Entrapment

A Royal Expectation

A Royal Elopement

A Royal Embarrassment

A Very Royal Christmas

A Royal Enticement

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Bookish Book Club Novellas

Meeting Prince Charming

Meeting the Wizard of Oz

Meeting Santa Claus

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SWEET & SEXY ROMANCES

In my Sweet & Sexy Romances I turn up the heat with a little bit of sexy. No swearing, or very minimal swearing, and brief, tasteful and not too graphic bedroom scenes.

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Love, Money & Shoes Series

Walk of Shame

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Standalone Novels

Amnesia

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HOT & SEXY ROMANCES

Hot & Spicy Romances turn the heat way up. They contain swearing and sexy scenes and the characters get hot under the collar.

Recommended for 18+ readers

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Twelve Days

Twelve Days of Christmas - Her Side of the Story

Twelve Days of Christmas - His Side of the Story

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Collins Bay Series

Last Call

The Christmas Stand-Off

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Standalone Novels

Learning to Breathe

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Romantic Suspense

Hide & Seek

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TOO HOT TO HANDLE ROMANCES

These are definitely 18+ reads and contain graphic sex scenes and high level swearing – not for the faint of heart

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The Young Billionaires

The Billionaire Stepbrother

The Billionaire Daddy

The Billionaire Muse

The Billionaire Replacement

The Billionaire Trap

Christmas with the Billionaire

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Music & Lyrics

Rock Star

Songbird

Strings

Sticks

Symphony

* * *

The Playbook Series

In Like Flynn

Manscaping

* * *

Serendipity Trilogy

The Wrong Girl

The Right Girl (coming soon)

The Only Girl (coming soon)

# About this Book

Bailey Sheppard had loved Nick Heart for as long as she could remember. They had been best friends in school and had graduated to a friends-with-benefits arrangement after she left home to study at a university two states away. Their once a month weekends were the highlight of her life, when he would fly in to visit her and she would have him all to herself for the entire, uninterrupted weekend.

And then he told her he was getting married.

Bailey's perfect world was threatening to implode and she had to do something to set it to rights. She needed Nick in her life, she wanted to be the one he married and lived happily ever after with. So, she hatched a plan to stop the wedding and steal the groom.

And then she met Hunter.

Hunter Green, the reclusive aviation billionaire, offered to act as her boyfriend to make the groom jealous and help her put a stop to the wedding. But his beautiful green eyes and the way he made her feel when he touched her caused her to question her loyalty and feelings towards Nick. Oh, and he just happens to be Nick's stepbrother.

Now she had feelings for Hunter that won't be denied, but what did that mean for her future with Nick? Did she take a chance on a new relationship with Hunter or should she stay the course and reach for the happily ever after she'd always imagined with Nick?

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This is a standalone sexy billionaire romance - no cliff-hanger!

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*This is a 'Too Hot to Handle' romance on the Emma Lea rating scale - These are definitely 18+ reads and contain graphic sex scenes and high level swearing – not for the faint of heart.

# Author's Note

The Billionaire Stepbrother takes place across two very real cities, Melbourne (situated in the state of Victoria) and the Sunshine Coast (a coastal city in the tropics of Queensland.) I live on the Sunshine Coast, but have always had a love affair with the city of Melbourne...who knows, I might find myself living there one day.

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It might also be good to note that this story is set in Australia which happens to be in the Southern Hemisphere, and as such, the seasons may be different to what you're used to. Summer in Australia happens at Christmas (December to February), the new school year begins in February and finishes in December and the final year of high school is Grade 12. Tertiary education is usually University or TAFE (Technical And Further Education) or other vocational training.

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Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26th and started as the traditional day for servants and tradesmen to receive their 'Christmas Box' from their bosses or employers. It is a public (or bank) holiday and has become synonymous with big retail stores sales.

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Other fun facts about Australia

\- We use the metric system for measurement (millimetres, centimetres, metres and kilometres)

\- We use Celsius for temperature (30℃ is equal to 86℉ )

\- We use dollars and cents for currency

\- Yes, we have some of the most dangerous creatures on earth living in our country

\- No, we don't have koalas, kangaroos and wombats as pets

\- We like our beer cold (and our wine too)
I'd like to dedicate this to my high school English teachers who encouraged my writing and gave me the confidence to reach for my dreams...except that they didn't.

* * *

Instead, I dedicate this to every person, young or old, who dreams about writing a novel...do it, even if no one encourages you or supports you in your dream. Do it anyway and prove them all wrong.

# 1

Bailey stretched languidly, enjoying the post-orgasm glow, while she watched Nick's very fine, very naked arse disappear into the ensuite. It wasn't until this very moment that she realised how stressed she'd been. Nothing like a good romp between the sheets to melt away the tension, and it was only Friday night. She still had another whole day and night with Nick before he had to leave. If she was lucky she might even be able to sneak in a Sunday morning orgasm or two before he had to be at the airport.

She heard the toilet flush and rolled to her stomach to watch him come back to bed. The front view was just as nice as the back view and she happily ogled the goods. Nick was a beautiful specimen. Tall with wide shoulders, defined biceps, pecks and the obligatory six pack with those gorgeous obliques that pointed like an arrow to the treasure trove below his waist. And that hung thick and long between his thighs from a patch of dark blonde bush. She could happily stare at him all day.

It wasn't just his body either. Nick was classically handsome, like Prince Charming handsome. Chiselled jaw, strong nose, pillowy lips and beautiful hazel eyes with a ring of green around the edges and flecks of gold throughout. His hair was salon styled with subtle highlights to enrich his ash blonde hair. He had just enough scruff to appear fashionable without looking unkempt and he could wear a suit like nobody's business.

Speaking of which, he was pulling on said suit pants as she watched.

"Come back to bed, Nicky," she cooed, "I've missed you."

He shot her a panty melting smile and zipped up his pants, but he came and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked down at her with affection and lightly traced her cheek, neck and the curve of her breast with a finger. His look became more pensive as she watched and all of a sudden, the easiness that had always been between them seemed strained.

"You know I love you, right Bae?" She loved it when he called her that. He had been calling her Bae for years, before it had become trendy, it was the shortened endearment of her name after all.

"And I love you, Nicky," she said, reaching out to lay a hand on his thigh close to his package which jumped in response to her touch. She smiled a secret smile at the sight.

He sighed as he traced his finger around her nipple, watching it stiffen with hungry eyes.

"The thing is, Bae," he said, "This is the last time I'll be able to come to Melbourne for a while."

Nick lived in a small coastal town, two states and eighteen hundred kilometres away. His father practically owned the Sunshine Coast and Nick was heavily involved in the property development company that his family ran. Bailey had grown up there, she and Nick had grown up together, before she'd moved to Melbourne for work.

Bailey sat up and draped her naked self over Nick's bare back, her arms going around his neck and resting on his chest. She nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"Is it work? Maybe we could meet halfway or I could come to you? I'm due some vacation days."

He turned in her arms and kissed her, his tongue delving deep. He dragged her off the bed and into his lap, one hand burrowing into the tousled hair at her neck and the other cupping her breast and tweaking her nipple.

Bailey melted in his arms, and she felt the tell-tale wetness between her thighs. It didn't take much for Nick to get her wet. She was like Pavlov's dogs around him, conditioned to dissolve into a puddle of lust with just the hint of his cologne.

She moaned in the back of her throat and arched her back, pushing her breast into his hand, seeking more.

"Are you wet for me Bae?" He asked huskily, his eyes at half-mast and dark with desire.

His hand left her breast and she whimpered in protest, but he replaced it with his mouth, changing her whimper to a moan. His hand trailed down her ribs to her hip and then between her thighs, while he sucked on her taut nipple. He parted her folds and coated his fingers with her slippery wetness, drawing it up and around her clit. She wiggled on his lap, feeling his arousal through his pants as he continued to play with her.

He stood, lifting her in his arms, turned and put her on the bed before unzipping his pants once more and grabbing a condom off the bedside. He rolled it on his impressive erection and crawled onto the bed between her legs, settled himself in the cradle of her hips.

He framed her face with his large hands, looking into her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you, Bae," he said softly before dropping his mouth to hers in a searing kiss.

"Show me how much," she replied breathlessly when his mouth moved to her breast once more.

He licked around her areola and then took her nipple between his lips and sucked it deep into his mouth. She thrust her hips into his, feeling his erection slide through her soft, wet lips and they both groaned.

"I need you inside me Nick," she breathed.

"You need me to fill you up, Bae?" he asked as he rocked back on his knees.

His fingers played with her folds before he slipped two digits into her. She cried out and bucked into his hand as he pumped into her. She cracked her eyes so she could watch him. His eyes were glued to the apex between her legs as his hand thrust into her, his other hand stroked his cock. She felt a rush of wetness at the sight and her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Please Nick," she moaned, desperate now, "I need you."

He shifted on the bed again and guided the head of his erection to her entrance and thrust into her with one hard push. She screamed and he grunted and then he began to pump into her. She met him thrust for thrust, wrapping her legs around his hips and digging her heels into the hard muscle of his ass. Her fingers gripped the plump muscles of his shoulders, her nails leaving little moon-shaped dents in his skin as he bit down on her nipple.

"Come for me Bae." His voice was dark and husky.

She slid her hand between them to find her clit and began to tease the small bundle of nerves. Her climax began to build and she rubbed faster, panting with need. Nick shifted one of her legs higher and changed the angle of his thrusts, hitting just the right spot to trigger her orgasm. She came hard, the walls of her sex clenching greedily around Nick as he continued to piston into her.

"Oh, God," Nick cried out as he pumped once more before stiffening as he came. She felt him throb inside her and she squeezed her thighs around him, holding him inside her so she could enjoy the aftershocks.

He collapsed on top of her, and she relished the weight of him pressing her into the bed. She burrowed into his shoulder, inhaling his sweaty, musky scent and she felt complete. This is all she wanted, her and Nick wrapped up in each other's arms.

He rolled off her and made his way back to the ensuite to clean up and she snuggled into the bed.

Maybe it was time she moved home. The Sunshine Coast was a growing community, even if it was still relatively small. Surely she could find a job in PR somewhere on the coast, or maybe Brisbane. It was only an hour's drive from the coast and she could commute. It was a hell of a lot better than the three hour flight that currently separated them.

Nick walked back in the room and she flipped the sheet aside so that he could slide in next to her. He gathered her to his chest, dropped a kiss on her head and sighed.

"I can't stay," he said softly, "I have a flight home in a couple of hours."

"What?" She sat up so she could look at him. "What do you mean you can't stay? This is our weekend!"

Nick and Bailey had an...arrangement. Once a month. Dinner in a fancy restaurant, a little wine, a little dancing and then a weekend of no strings attached, unadulterated, consensual sex. It was like the Army Reserves, one weekend a month, one week a year, regardless of who they were seeing at the time. Except this time Bailey had been preparing to tell Nick that she wanted more and now he was leaving.

He sat up too and swung his legs over the side of the bed, dropping his head into his hands.

"I'm getting married, Bailey," he said, and she felt like the world had just come to a screaming halt.

"Married?" she whispered. "I didn't even know you were seeing anyone."

"Her name's Ainsley," he said. "My dad set it up and I didn't like her at first, but, well, I've come to care for her."

"More than me?" She knew it was whiny and needy, but she didn't care. Bailey had always thought that if she kept herself available for Nick, he would eventually see her as more than just his fuck buddy.

He cupped her face. "Bae," he murmured, "no one could ever replace you. You're my best friend. I'll always love you."

"But not enough to marry me?"

"Marry you?" he practically scoffed. "We've never had that type of relationship Bae. You're too independent to be tied down and I'd never do it to you. You're like this wild, beautiful bird and it would break my heart to see you in a cage."

"But you don't mind putting Ainsley in a cage," she replied listlessly.

"Ainsley has been born and bred to be a society wife, that's all she'll ever be good for. My father picked her because of it. Plus, her father owns a small but lucrative construction company that we could benefit from having close ties with."

"And what about us, Nick? What about what we have?"

He dropped a kiss on her nose and then her lips.

"The wedding is in six months. Give me a few months after that to get her settled and then we can pick up where we left off."

He smiled at Bailey like it was the best news in the world. They could keep what they had, she'd just have to be patient while he screwed his wife into submission and maybe put a baby in her belly.

"Is that what you really want, Nick?" she asked.

"Oh, Bae, no, it's not what I want. I love what we have and if I could, I wouldn't change a thing but the old man is putting pressure on me to marry and with Ainsley's family in construction..." He shrugged as he petered off. "You understand don't you Bae? It's only going to be a few months, eight at the most, and then everything will be back to normal."

"Except you'll be married," she said flatly.

He shrugged again, "We've both been in relationships before and it hasn't affected our arrangement."

She sighed, trying not to show just how much Nick's announcement had hurt. She had been in love with him since they were teenagers. Nick was more than just her best friend, he was her perfect guy, the guy she had always believed she would end up with. Now that wasn't going to happen. Nick didn't see her like that and probably never would.

He looked at his phone and jumped out of bed.

"Look at the fucking time. Christ, I have to get moving or I'm going to miss my plane."

Bailey watched as Nick dressed, feeling more lost and alone with each piece of clothing. He grabbed his wallet and his laptop bag and bent to kiss her lightly on the lips.

"I'll be in touch, Bae," he called to her as he left.

The door closed and it sounded like the slamming of a coffin lid on her life. Nick was getting married...and not to her.

Bailey rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, sobbing with deep, shattering sobs. Her life without Nick was going to suck and she had no idea how she was going to survive it.

* * *

It'd been a week. A really long week since Nick dropped his bombshell. This was the first time Bailey had left her apartment since Nick had abandoned her in their hotel room. She'd holed up there for the rest of the weekend drowning her sorrows alternatively with chocolate and alcohol, with the occasional ice cream binge thrown in for variety. She was such a cliché, but a broken heart knows no bounds.

When the time came to check out on Sunday, she slinked from the hotel wearing dark glasses to hide the red rimmed and black bagged eyes that were the result of her weekend bender and made a new nest in her bedroom, calling in sick to work for the entire week. Eventually her roommate had fought her way through the piles of tissues and candy wrappers to evict her after shoving her arse in the shower first.

That's how she ended up here, in a bar, on a Friday night, all alone.

The air beside her stirred and she was no longer completely alone. Bailey turned her head to check out the newcomer. He was dressed in a dark blue suit that looked like it was made for him and him alone. His hair was dark, long on top and cut short along the sides. Dark eyebrows, dark beard and even an earring, and he smelled good too.

"You've got a nice beard," Bailey said to the well-dressed stranger who took the bar stool next to her. And he did too. It was dark and thick and just long enough so that it was more than hipster but less than sea captain. She wondered what it would feel like between her naked thighs.

"What?" The guy looked at her with amusement in his eyes.

"Shit, did I say that out loud?" she asked. She was drunk. Really drunk, and planning on getting even more drunk before the night was out.

"You did," he said with a grin, "but I'm game if you are."

Bailey snorted. "Maybe you should at least buy me a drink first," she slurred.

"Hey, you propositioned me," he said, his green eyes sparkling with interest, "so maybe you should be the one buying the drinks."

She looked him over. He was cute. No strike that, cute wasn't the right word. He was gorgeous, but in a dark and devastating way. He looked dangerous, like he could eviscerate you with a word and not have any remorse after the fact and that did something to her. Or maybe that was just the copious amounts of vodka she had consumed.

He slid his jacket off and draped it over his legs then proceeded to remove his cufflinks (real cufflinks) and roll up his shirtsleeves, revealing thick muscled forearms with tantalising tattoos. He sat there in his white shirt, dark tie and dark blue vest looking expectantly at Bailey and she felt her cheeks flush.

"So, what are you drinking, Irish?" she asked, clearing her throat that had suddenly become thick.

He quirked an eyebrow. God, she wished she could do that one eyebrow lift, it had so many uses.

"Irish?" he asked. His voice was deep and smokey, a bit rough around the edges, and it skated over her skin like a caress. She shivered.

"Green eyes," Bailey said, waving over the bartender. "So, what'll it be?"

"Fat Yak," he said to the barman, who nodded.

"Fat Yak?" she asked. "That is a weird arse name for a drink."

The bartender plonked a bottle down on the bar in front of Irish and he lifted it in a toast. She clinked her vodka cranberry with his bottle and downed it.

"Whoa, slow down there Blue," Irish said, eyeing her.

Bailey snorted again. "You called me Blue," she said.

He nodded, "I did," he replied, "You've got red hair."

"I never did understand why that nickname applied," Bailey said.

"It's ironic," he said with a shrug and a sip of his beer.

"Ahh, Alanis Morissette," she said knowingly.

"Ironically enough, nothing in that song could be considered ironic."

Bailey sniggered. "You're all right, Irish," she said.

"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Bailey groaned. "You've just lost points for the lame pickup line," she said.

"Not a pickup line, just curious."

She sighed. "I got dumped," she said miserably. Saying it out loud kinda made it too real.

"What, tonight?" Irish asked.

Bailey shook her head. "Last week."

He looked confused. "You're here tonight because you got dumped last week?"

There was that eyebrow quirk again. It made her stomach flutter.

"Well, not dumped exactly," she said, tapping the bar with her fingers. "More like put on hold."

"I don't get it," he said, "explain it to me."

"My...guy...and I had an arrangement. We get together once a month for a sexy weekend and the rest of the time we go our separate ways."

He grunted and nodded, following the story and indicating she should go on while he sipped his beer.

"Well, while I was fantasising that we would eventually end up married with two-point-five kids and keeping myself carefully single until he would see the light, he up and got engaged. To someone else." She was babbling. Alcohol, specifically vodka and champagne, had that effect on her.

"Asshole," Irish said with a disgusted snort.

"Right?" He got it.

"Wait, you said you were 'on hold'. If he's getting married, then why are you on hold?"

"Because," Bailey said dramatically, "he needs a few months to get the little woman settled and then we can pick up where we left off."

He turned to look at Bailey with a disbelieving look on his face. His mouth hung open, his eyes were wide and his eyebrows (both of them) crawled nearly into his hairline.

"He told you that?"

She nodded sadly. She knew she was pathetic, but she couldn't help how she felt about Nick. He'd ruined her for other men.

"And you're happy with that?"

Bailey shrugged. "What choice do I have? I'm in love with him."

"So why isn't he marrying you?"

"Because he said he wouldn't do that to me." Bailey sighed. "He said I'm like a wild bird and it would break his heart to see me caged."

Irish snorted. "Bullshit," he said roughly.

"No, it's true. We've been best friends forever. He knows me and he loves me. He's just marrying this other chick because his dad wants him to."

"Blue, that's seriously fucked up. You know that, right?"

"What would you know," Bailey said dismissively, "Nicky loves me and he's just trying to protect me from being trapped in a marriage."

"No, Blue," Irish said with a shake of his head, "he just wants his hot piece of arse on the side."

"You think my arse is hot?"

One side of his mouth slid up into a crooked smile and Bailey felt that flutter in her stomach once more, only it was a little lower this time.

"I do think your arse is hot," he murmured and it felt like warm melted chocolate being poured over her naked skin.

Her panties dampened.

Her eyes dropped to the tilt of his lips and she wet hers unconsciously, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him with his beard rasping on her skin.

"Would you like me to demonstrate?" he whispered, very close.

"Shit," she whimpered, "did I say that out loud again?"

His eyes crinkled with a smile and she only had a moment to register it before she felt the warmth of his lips on hers and his whiskers scratched deliciously on her skin. A small mew escaped from her throat as his tongue licked across the seam of her lips. Her mouth opened, granting him access and his tongue slid inside, licking along hers and causing her to shiver. Her eyes fluttered shut and the sound of the bar faded. Only their lips touched and Bailey's whole world narrowed down to that single point of contact.

And then it was gone.

The noise of the bar rushed back in and Bailey blinked a few times, feeling like she was coming out of a trance.

"So?" Irish asked.

Bailey blinked owlishly, uncomprehendingly.

"Did it live up to your expectations?" When she still didn't answer, couldn't answer, Irish rubbed his mouth with his hand, hiding his chuckle. "The beard, did it feel like you thought it would?"

"Better," she managed to breathe, and his eyes lit up.

# 2

Hunter looked down at the tiny red head seated beside him. Her face was flushed, her eyes glazed and those delicious lips parted and wet from his kiss. His cock stirred in his pants and he shifted subtly, dragging his eyes away from her to drink the last mouthful of his beer.

He hadn't come in here to hook up, he'd come in here to have a quiet drink and blow off some steam. CASA was up his arse over his new aircraft and he was just about over having to jump through fucking hoops to please them. He would've thought that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority would be glad of another commercial airline to break up the monopoly of the big two, but not so much. He'd been operating his luxury charter airline service for a few years now without any incidents and all he wanted to do was expand it into a more commercial venture. Offering a first-class domestic travel option shouldn't be so difficult.

He put his now empty bottle on the bar and indicated for the barman. As nice a distraction as Blue had been, he was still pissed about CASA.

"Can I buy you another drink, Blue?" he asked, looking over at her. She still had a bit of a dazed look about her from his kiss but she shook it off and smiled at him and it was like a kick in the gut.

Blue was gorgeous. Alabaster skin to compliment her golden red hair, cupid's bow mouth stained red, large chocolate brown eyes shot through with gold and framed with long lashes and sleek eyebrows, and a smattering of freckles across her nose. He wondered if the freckles went lower.

"Sure," she said, "Something strong, though. I'm trying to drink myself into oblivion here."

"Then that calls for tequila." He nodded to the barman and lifted four fingers. He placed the bottle, four shot glasses, a salt shaker and four lime quarters on the bar in front of them.

"I've never done tequila shots," she said turning those big eyes on him.

He smiled. "Then let me show you how it's done," he said picking up the bottle and pouring them each two shots. "You see," he said, picking up the salt shaker, "You take the salt and lick it." He picked up her hand and shook some salt onto the back of it before licking it off. "Then you shoot the tequila." He did just that and picked up the lime. "And suck the lime." He put it in his mouth and sucked the fresh citrus juice into his mouth. "Lick, sip, suck. Now it's you turn," he said.

She picked up the salt and took his hand, turning it over to expose his wrist. She shook some salt onto it and then her warm, pink tongue licked along the sensitive skin picking up the salt. His cock jumped at the contact and he closed his eyes briefly. She picked up the shot glass and swallowed the tequila, her throat working and she grimaced at the taste. He picked up the lime and put it between his teeth. She looked at him and smirked before she reached up and sealed her lips over his, sucking the lime juice into her mouth.

"Lick, sip, suck," she whispered when she pulled away and then bit her lip. He swallowed a groan and spat the lime into a napkin, licking his lips.

"My turn," he said, his voice hoarse.

He picked up the salt shaker and looked her over. Taking his other hand, he gently moved her hair over her shoulder, baring her creamy neck. She tilted her head to the side, exposing more of it to him, offering it up to him in supplication. He shook some salt onto her alabaster skin and lowered his head. He inhaled the scent of flowers from her shampoo and closed his eyes as he licked. Then he closed his lips on her soft skin and sucked, relishing her quick intake of breath. With great difficulty, he lifted his head and shot the tequila and when he turned back to her she had the lime tucked into her cleavage. Breath hissed out between his teeth and he took a moment to clear his head before dipping down and snagging the lime in his mouth, letting his lips linger.

Her hand went to his neck and brushed the short stubble of his hair, holding him in place. He breathed in her scent and sucked in lime juice. He lifted his head slowly, dragging his nose and lips and beard up to her neck. He let the lime drop from his mouth into his hand and then pressed his lips to her shoulder.

"I...ah," she swallowed and took a breath, "I think it's my turn." Her voice was soft and breathy.

He smiled into her neck and kissed her once before lifting his head. He loosened his tie and undid his top button, exposing his neck to her. She took her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked him over, her eyes hungry. She pulled on his tie, bringing his body down towards her until his forehead rested on her chest, above the neckline of her dress. She shook the salt onto the back of his neck and he shivered as she licked it off. He lifted his head slightly and pressed his lips onto the point where her pulse fluttered in her neck. He felt her neck move as she swallowed the shot and he continued to suckle the skin where her neck met her shoulder. He heard her breathe deeply and felt her swallow again as she sucked on the lime.

Hunter lifted his head and took the lime from her mouth, discarding it on the bar. He framed her face with his hands and captured her lips with his. She opened to him and he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting salt and tequila and citrus. He sucked on her bottom lip and licked across her top lip. She moaned and moved closer to him, pressing her warm body up against him.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he whispered into her ear. "I have a room in the hotel upstairs."

Her eyes searched his face and then she smiled and nodded. He grabbed her hand and his coat and pulled her through the crowded bar to the bank of elevators. He pushed the call button and then pulled her in for another long kiss, his hands going around her waist and palming her ass.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open almost silently. He manoeuvred her into the car without lifting his head and walked her to the back wall, pressing the button for his floor on the way past. He pushed her against the mirrored wall and crowded her with his large body. She felt so good moulded against him and his steel rod erection throbbed behind his fly.

He lifted his head but didn't move away from her. She looked up at him with those big doe eyes and he groaned. He ran his knuckles down her cheek and let some of her hair trail through his fingers. It was soft and silky and the colour was like rose gold.

"Are you going to tell me your name, Blue?" he asked softly.

She shook her head, "No," she said and smiled up at him, "I think tonight belongs to Blue and Irish." She pushed up onto her toes and fit her lips across his silencing his protests.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. He pulled away from her, but grabbed her hand, practically dragging her with him towards his door. He reached into his back pocket for his keycard and unlocked the door, waving her in.

"Wow," she said, "The penthouse. Nice."

He shrugged as he threw his jacked on the lounge and stalked towards her. Her hands fluttered around her body and she took a couple of steps backwards.

"Are you afraid of me, Blue?" he growled playfully, a smile on his lips.

"Not afraid, no," she stammered.

She backed up a few more steps until her thighs bumped into the dining table. He stepped close and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

"We don't have to do this, Blue, if you've changed your mind."

She cupped his jaw and rubbed his beard, her fingers threading through the thick whiskers.

"I really like your beard," she whispered.

"It's not a beard, Blue, it's a saddle."

Her eyes rounded and then she giggled. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and sealed his lips over hers in a gentle kiss. She opened her mouth and deepened the kiss grabbing handfuls of his vest and pulling him in. His hands went to her arse and lifted her onto the table. She spread her thighs, her skirt riding up and exposing a long length of smooth leg, and he stepped into the gap and leant into the cradle of her hips. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in so that his hard length pressed into her core.

They both groaned.

"Last chance to back out," he whispered into her ear and grinned when she shivered.

She wriggled on the table, pulling the hem of her dress up and in one fluid movement she pulled it up over her head leaving her in nothing but her black lace panties, matching bra and fuck me heels.

"Take me to bed, Irish." Her voice was husky and he didn't need to be asked twice.

He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her thoroughly as he stalked to the bedroom. The lamp on the bedside was on, casting a soft glow in the room, and the covers were turned down. He laid her on the bed and stood up, pulling off his tie and unbuttoning his vest. He stripped down as she watched, her eyes roaming over each part of his exposed skin. His shirt followed his waistcoat and tie. He kicked off his shoes and socks and undid his belt and fly, letting his pants fall to the floor. He crawled onto the bed next to her wearing just his boxer briefs and she turned towards him, her hands reaching out to caress his shoulders and trace the inky swirls of his tattoos.

"You're kinda hot, Irish," she said and leaned in to trace her tongue along his collar bone.

"You're not so bad yourself, Blue."

He reached out a finger and traced a line from the dip of her throat down between her breasts, stopping at the front clasp of her bra to flick it open. Her full breasts tumbled free as he watched and he was happy to note the light smattering of freckles on the pale skin. She slipped off the straps and discarded the bra, giving him an unobstructed view of the two pillowy mounds. Her skin was fair and her nipples a delicate peachy colour. _So this is what they meant by peaches and cream_ , he thought.

He rolled her onto her back and lay over her, settling between her legs and resting on his elbows. He kissed her mouth, her jaw, her ear and neck. He sucked on the pulse point that beat steadily in her throat and then kissed a trail down her breast bone and between those two gorgeous peaks. Her skin was soft and she smelled of springtime. He could taste the remnants of citrus from where she had nestled the wedge of lime in her cleavage.

"Mmmm, you taste good," he mumbled and she laughed lightly.

He couldn't resist her taut nipples any longer and took one into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it as he sucked. She gasped and arched her back, offering up her breasts to him. How could he refuse such an invitation? He dragged his tongue across the valley between them and took the other nipple into his mouth, swirling and sucking and relishing the sweet taste of her.

He loved the sounds she made as he teased her, laving his tongue across the sensitive flesh. Her hands threaded through the long flop of hair on his crown and her hips rocked under him. He could spend days just feasting on her breasts and nipples and neck and shoulders and lips. He wanted to lick and taste every square inch of her body and get lost in her sounds and the smell of her flowery shampoo.

"Oh, God, Irish," she breathed, "your mouth feels so good."

He smiled as he kissed a path down the centre of her belly, taking time to dip his tongue into her belly button before moving further down. He could smell her arousal and it made his cock jump in response. He wanted to be balls deep inside her and pounding into her with abandon, but not yet. First, he wanted to taste her.

He slipped his fingers underneath the waistband of her panties and tugged them down. She lifted her hips to help him and he nuzzled her mound, breathing in her scent and feeling the wetness through the lace. He pushed back onto his knees and dragged the scrap of lace down her legs until it was free and he dropped it onto the floor. He sat on his heels and surveyed the gorgeous scene laid out before him.

"Fuck," he breathed. "You're mouthwatering, Blue," he said and watched, delighted, as her body flushed a pretty pink with pleasure.

Her pussy was bare, not a hair to be seen, and he had to admit he liked it. He traced the crease of her leg from her hip to between her thighs and she spread her legs for him, giving him the full view. Her pretty pink lips glistened with her desire and her clit peaked out from its hood. He groaned as he settled himself between her creamy thighs and buried his face in nirvana.

Her hips bucked as his tongue made contact and he pressed down on her stomach to keep her still. She tasted like honey and he lapped at her greedily.

"Feels good," she murmured, "I like your beard."

He smiled against her flesh and ran his tongue between her silky folds and circled her clit. She breathed in as he closed his lips over the tight nub and teased the entrance of her core with his finger, sliding it through the slickness and into her. She mewled and pressed her hips upwards, seeking more.

Hunter eased another finger into her and sucked more firmly on her clit, loving the sound of her pants and moans. He thrust into her with his fingers, scissoring them to increase the pressure and she bucked into it, meeting his thrusts with her own. He licked steadily at her clit as he increased the pace of his fingers and her hands fisted into his hair, pulling him closer.

He felt the beginnings of her orgasm as her internal muscles began to tighten and her breathing became ragged. He stiffened his tongue, increasing the pressure as he curled his fingers inside her to drag against the walls of her core.

"Oh, fuck," she cried roughly as her sex clamped down on his fingers and her clit swelled and pulsed under his tongue.

He kept up his pressure and speed until he felt the pulsing of her orgasm slow and then, with a last, lingering kiss, he lifted his head and slid his fingers from her. He sat back on his knees and survey the aftermath, a smile tugging at his lips. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing a woman in the afterglow of a satisfying orgasm.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at him with a soft languid look.

"I'll have another," she said, "but this time I want that cock inside me."

He didn't need to be told twice. Hunter moved off the bed and pulled down his boxer briefs, freeing his aching erection. It bobbed enthusiastically, preening under her wide, hungry eyes. He grabbed a condom and rolled it on his length, taking a moment to stroke himself while she watched. She licked her lips and he tightened his grip for a moment before crawling back between her, still spread, legs.

"That's some impressive equipment you have there, Irish," she whispered as his cock nudged the opening of her pussy. "Do you know how to use it?"

He smiled down at her, but didn't answer, sliding the entire length of his erection into her tight channel until his hips met hers.

"Oh, wow," she breathed as her eyes rolled back and her eyelashes fluttered.

He eased his hips back and then thrust into her again and again, taking his time and memorising the feel of her walls dragging against the entire length and breadth of him.

"Fuck, you feel good," he growled, dipping his head to suck a hard nipple into his mouth.

She gasped and pushed her hips up into his, deepening their connection. He dragged a hand down her ribs, over her hip and behind her thigh, gripping the back of her knee and hiking her leg up over his hip, changing the angle. He held himself over her on straight arms and she dug her fingers into his shoulders and planted her other foot on the bed, levering up into him. He dropped his head back, looking at the ceiling, but allowing his eyes to close and he grit his teeth, barely hanging on to his control as he pounded into her. Her nails scratched down his chest, rasping over his nipples and he groaned.

"Touch yourself," he ground out, opening his eyes and looking down at her.

He watched as her hand snaked between their bodies and slid into her folds. Her eyes blinked languidly closed as he watched her circle her finger around her clit. He dipped his head again to taste her heaving breasts and a guttural sound tore from her throat as she came hard, milking his cock in the most delicious way. He pumped into her twice more and then let his control go, his cock throbbing with his release as she continued to clench around him.

Her legs slid bonelessly to the bed and her core muscles softened around him, and fuck if that didn't feel good. He lowered himself to his elbows and nuzzled her neck while he caught his breath. Her hands idly played over his back, tracing the dips and valleys of his muscles and it felt like the best damned thing he'd ever known.

He kissed her lips softly, gently teasing with just a brush of his and a tender nip at her bottom lip before he pulled out of her with a groan. He took a moment, supporting himself over her on all fours and then he forced himself to get off the bed and go clean up.

He removed the condom and binned it before grabbing a wash cloth to wipe his mouth and beard. He'd happily carry the scent of her in his whiskers for days, but he knew some women didn't like to be kissed if they could smell or taste themselves on him.

He swaggered back into the room, crawling into the king size bed beside her and spooning her. She was soft and warm and pliable against him and it felt like fucking paradise. He pulled the sheet and comforter up over them and laid his head on the pillow, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

He woke hours later to the buzz of his cell phone. Dawn was just starting to lighten the room and he blinked a couple of times to clear his eyes and the fog of his brain. He could feel her warm body pressed up against his, her head on his shoulder, her arm curled over his chest and her legs twined with his. He did not want to leave, but he had a long and boring day ahead of him with back to back meetings. But first he had a plane to catch.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and untangled his body from hers. She murmured, but didn't wake, as he slid reluctantly from her embrace. He stood beside the bed and looked down at her splayed across the bed. Seeing the contrast of her pale skin to the golden red hair fanned out over white sheets made his already hard cock throb with desire.

He wasn't a stranger to casual sex and this wasn't his first one night stand, but damn if he didn't want more of her. His phone buzzed again in warning and he sighed, rubbing his face to clear the vision from his head. He walked into the bathroom and showered, jerking off to get rid of the temptation to crawl back into bed with her. He came with a grunt as he remembered the taste of her on his tongue and the way her clit throbbed in his mouth. He knew that one night with her wouldn't be enough.

He dressed quickly and then scribbled out a note, leaving it beside the bed with a large glass of water and two ibuprofen tablets. With one last lingering look, he walked out, closing the door softly behind him, hoping that he would see her again.

# 3

Bailey groaned as the bright light pierced through the delicate skin of her eyelids. Her head was pounding and her mouth was dry, but her body felt wonderfully satiated. She blinked her eyes open cautiously, squinting at the offending sunlight and it took her a moment to remember where she was. She looked around the room, slowly remembering the events of last night and she smiled to herself. As far as rebound sex went, that was pretty awesome and she wouldn't mind another round with him.

She felt the warmth stirring in her belly at the memory of those intense green eyes and the way his beard felt against the inside of her thighs and how it brushed against her waxed mound. She squeezed her thighs together, relishing the throb of desire and stretched languidly.

The suite was quiet and she wondered where he was. The bed beside her was cold, although the indentation on his pillow assured her that he had slept there. She sat up and listened, straining to hear any noise that might indicate that he was still there, but the suite was quiet. She couldn't even hear the sound of the traffic outside and disappointment settled over her. He'd snuck out while she slept.

With a sigh, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and reached for the glass of water on the bedside. She noticed the pills and smiled and then she saw the note with 'Blue' scrawled across its surface. She took the pills, swallowing the water with big, thirsty gulps and then lifted the note.

He had nice writing, curvy and clear, easy to read. She unfolded the piece of hotel stationary and ran her finger over the lines of hand written text.

* * *

_Blue,_

_I'm sorry I had to leave. There is nothing more I wanted to do than to wake you up with my beard between your thighs and my tongue on your pussy, but duty calls. I had an early plane to catch and I will be in back to back meetings all day, otherwise I would be telling you this in person._

_You are an incredible woman and I had a wonderful time with you last night, both in the bar and in bed. I would really like to see you again and get to know more of you...like your name._

_The room is paid up until tomorrow, so stay as long as you like. Unfortunately, I won't be back for a few weeks, but here is my phone number. Call me if you want to get together and get to know me a little better too. I'm not going to give you my name as an incentive...you will need to call me to find out what it is._

_And as a little bit more incentive, know that I will be thinking about you all day. I will be reliving every moment of our little tryst, the way you tasted as I sucked on your clit and the way you felt as I sunk my cock into your wet pussy. I will also be thinking of all the other things I want to do to you when I see you again._

_Call me._

_Irish_

* * *

She shivered with the dirty things he'd written and it made her wet and needy. God, she would really have loved one more time with him. He'd been the only thing that had managed to banish Nick from her thoughts.

Thinking about Nick was like being doused with ice cold water. Her arousal fled as she realised that what she had done to Irish was cold and callous. He had been a rebound fuck. A really good rebound fuck, but a rebound none the less. Her heart wasn't free. She was still desperately in love with Nick, and it wouldn't be fair to Irish to pursue something when her heart was broken.

She flopped back on the bed with a sigh and breathed in the scent of him that wafted up from the sheets. If she was going to fall in love with anyone else apart from Nick, Irish would certainly be a good candidate. He'd looked hot in his expensive suit and, oh my God, that beard! But when he had undressed and she'd gotten a good look at his body, she'd nearly swooned. In fact, she was pretty sure she drooled a little.

His skin was naturally a dark honey colour and so smooth and soft. He had gorgeously rounded shoulder muscles and plump biceps, a weakness of hers. Other women liked abs and pecks, but Bailey was a shoulders girl. Give her a nice set of wide shoulders and muscled arms and she was half way to wet without anything else. She also liked a nice rounded butt on a man, none of those flat bottomed prissy boys. And Irish had the goods. He also had an impressive cock and she regretted not getting her mouth around it while she had the chance.

His chest had been dusted with dark hair and his happy trail was like a lighted path leading the way to his junk. The tattoos that wound their way over both shoulders and down both arms, ending at his wrists, added to his dangerous look and she wished she'd studied them more closely. She wasn't normally a beard and tattoo girl - she liked a bit of scruff and maybe the odd bit of ink - but on Irish, the thick, dark beard and full sleeve tattoos were hot as fuck. She'd even liked the little dark stud that he had in his ear.

But as gorgeous as he was, and as amazing as he was between the sheets, he wasn't Nick, more's the pity. Nick was who she wanted, had always been who she wanted. Nick thought that she'd had other boyfriends, but there had been no one but him for a while. She had lived for their weekends together and spent way too much time planning their annual week-long vacation.

Well, that wouldn't be happening anymore. Nick might be able to swing a weekend here and there to spend with her after he was married, but there was no way he would be able to give her an entire week. And really, was she pathetic enough to settle for his scraps?

The unfortunate answer was yes, because thinking of a life without Nick in it was like looking out over drought ridden plains and knowing that there was no rain coming anytime soon. Nick was her everything, he was her breath and her life blood. She loved being with him, loved the way he touched her and kissed her and cherished her. Bailey wasn't naïve enough to think that he hadn't been with other women. She knew that he had been, but she was his only constant. No matter who else came into his life, she was always the one he returned to time and again. The two of them ending up together was inevitable. She just had to stick it out. He might be marrying Ainsley, but he would always belong to her.

She flicked open Irish's note and gazed at the loops and swirls of his hand writing. Could she have a little fun with him while she waited for Nick to get with the program? If she was honest and upfront with Irish, right from the start, would he want to pursue a no strings attached sexual relationship with her? It was the dream of most guys, wasn't it?

She sighed. No, it wouldn't be right. She could never offer him more than her body and Irish seemed like the type that would get jealous and possessive of her. She needed to steer clear of any entanglements like that so that she would be ready and willing when Nick came to his senses. Eventually he would realize that he really wanted her in his life, not some society chick with good connections.

She folded up the note again, a prick of disappointment stabbing her gut. If she was free and clear to date, Irish would definitely be her first choice, but leading him on when she really wanted someone else wasn't fair. No, she would have to go without another one of those spectacular orgasms. At least she'd had two.

It felt disloyal to admit that the orgasms she'd had last night where better than the ones she'd had with Nick, but it was true. Maybe it was the tequila and her enhanced state of relaxation that made her climaxes feel so much more. She had always been completely satisfied with Nick in the past. He'd been the best sex she'd ever had...well...until Irish.

But it must be an anomaly. Irish was different and it had been a long time since she'd had sex with anyone other than Nick. It had to be the novelty of it that made it seem better. She and Irish had had an intense connection and a sparking sexual attraction from the moment he sat down next to her, but you couldn't build a relationship on that. It was just sex. Really, really great sex, but just sex all the same.

Plus, she was in love with Nick. Wholly and solely in love with Nick. So, until Nick told her they could never be together again, he was it for her and she would keep her heart open for when he was ready to see her as more than just his best friend.

In the meantime, Irish would just be a fairytale, a sweet memory, a fantasy to relive when she was lonely. He wasn't perfect - no guy was - but he could remain the perfect guy in her imagination, someone she could look back on fondly and remember the one hot night they'd shared. And when Nick finally rode in on his white horse to sweep her off her feet and declare his everlasting love to her, she would let the fantasy fade like a wonderful, but forgotten dream.

* * *

Hunter waited all day for her call. He checked his phone compulsively, willing it to ring or for her to at least send him a text. He couldn't get thoughts of her out of his head and he was distracted and moody all day. Flashes of memories from the night before assaulted him throughout the day and by the end of it his cock was hard and his balls ached for release, preferably buried deep within Blue.

He continued to wait all week for her call and as the days wore on he got increasingly harder to work with and be around. His assistant, Madeline, had had to step in to prevent him from firing some of his best employees because they'd said or done something to piss him off.

Hunter was known for his quick temper, but it was also known that his bad moods blew over just as quickly as they appeared. He wasn't one for slow burning anger or letting resentment build. Not hearing from Blue was driving him to distraction. Why the fuck hadn't she called?

Even the news from CASA that he'd been given the green light hadn't improved his mood and by Friday he was ready to punch holes in something. If he'd been home in Melbourne he would have headed straight to that bar and staked it out hoping to see her again. Unfortunately, he was stuck in the nation's capital until CASA had signed off on everything, which would still be a few more weeks. They might have green-lighted his planes, but there were still hoops to jump through.

So, he buried himself in work. A week had come and gone and she hadn't called, so he came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to and he couldn't waste anymore mental real estate thinking about her. He knew she was on the rebound before they'd headed up to his suite, as she'd told him she'd been dumped. He'd been a rebound fuck and he'd gone into it with his eyes wide open. No use bitching about it now.

But he had a hard time believing that she would be happy with the arrangement that her jerk of a boyfriend had offered her. Blue was spectacular and any guy who didn't want to come home to her every night was a moron. Why settle for only having her once a month?

Hunter sighed and pinched his eyes. They felt gritty and dry and he was bone tired. It had felt like days since he'd slept and he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten.

As if summoned by his empty stomach, Madeline knocked on his office door lightly before walking in and placing a wrapped sub on his desk. He looked up and thanked her with a tired smile. She was a good - no, great - assistant and knew him better than he knew himself most of the time.

"There's an email from the PR firm in Melbourne that I need you to look over and your mother is on line two."

"Thanks Madeline," he replied. "Are our flights home booked for tomorrow?"

She nodded and smiled. "Yes, the pilot has been notified and we are cleared to take off at five. Your last meeting is scheduled for three-thirty and a car will be waiting to take us straight to the airport as soon as it wraps up."

"Excellent," he said, unwrapping the sandwich. "Thanks." She nodded and left the office.

Green Aviation had offices in Canberra and Melbourne and he split his time between the two, taking Madeline and other key staff members with him. His father had started the company with one private plane and his pilot's license. Hunter had expanded the operation and they now had forty-seven luxury charter planes catering to the rich and famous who didn't want the continually draining expense of owning their own private plane and pilot. His next step was to provide first class air travel domestically and eventually internationally. Australia currently had two major airlines that serviced their domestic market and they were overfilled sardine cans. Hunter's planes were fitted with large, comfortable leather seats and seated no more than eighteen passengers. This wasn't economy air travel and it wasn't cheap, but he knew the market was there.

He swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and picked up the phone, punching line two to talk to his mother.

"Hi mum," he said cheerily. She could scent tiredness and stress like a bloodhound and the last thing he wanted was for he to worry.

"Hunter Green," she admonished, "have you been avoiding me?"

"No, Mum," he said with a sigh. "I've just been really busy. CASA has been making ridiculous demands, but I'm happy to say that it looks like we've got it all ironed out."

"Congratulations," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice. "I have good news too."

"Oh, really?" he asked as he clicked on his laptop and opened the email that Madeline had asked him to have a look at.

"You brother is getting married," she said cheerily.

"Stepbrother," he corrected.

Hunter's mother, Maree, had gotten remarried to a property developer in Queensland a few years after Hunter's father had died from a terminal illness. He didn't hate his new stepfather, but he really didn't like his stepbrother Nicholas. The guy was a sleazy playboy wannabe who seemed to have a revolving door on his bedroom.

"Nick is getting married," she said again, her cheerfulness forced, "and he wants you in his wedding party."

Hunter couldn't help the snort, but tried to cover it with a cough. "He what?"

"He wants you to be one of his groomsmen," she repeated.

"Why?"

"Hunter, don't be like that."

Hunter sighed and tried again. "Mum, look, Nick and I aren't exactly close. We don't even like each other, so why would he need me in his wedding party?"

"He's doing it for me," she said softly. "I really want you here and I know that if you don't have an ironclad reason, you won't be."

He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. "He doesn't want me to be his best man, does he?"

"No," she said.

"Okay," he replied, "I'll be there."

"Thank you, Hunter," she said quietly. "I miss you."

"I know," he replied, "I miss you too."

They were silent for a moment and then he heard her take a breath.

"So, is there anyone special in your life?" she asked.

He immediately thought of Blue and felt the stab in his gut knowing that he wouldn't ever see her again.

"No," he replied, "I've been too busy."

"Maybe there'll be someone at the wedding to catch your eye," she enthused. "Ainsley has some lovely friends."

He chuckled, "We'll see," he replied.

"Okay then. The wedding is a couple of months away and we'll need your measurements for the suit. It would be really great if you could be here for the week before the wedding. Ainsley and Nick have organised a few different get togethers over the week and then there is the bachelor party, of course."

"Of course," Hunter replied, "but it's probably better if you send all the details to Madeline. You know how bad I am at remembering things."

She chuckled softly into the phone and he felt a pang of missing her. He really did love his mother and he was glad that she had found someone to spend her life with. God knows he was too busy for even his own social life to take care of her.

"All right then," she said. "I'll speak to Madeline and between the two of us we'll get it all sorted."

"It was really great to hear your voice mum," he said softly. "I'm already looking forward to spending some time with you."

"It has been far too long," she agreed. "Okay, I'll let you get back to work. Put me back through to Madeline and I'll fill her in on the specifics of the wedding."

"Thanks mum," he said before transferring the call back to Madeline's desk.

He loved the work he did, but it was hell on his private life. It had been months since he'd seen his mother and then it had only been a flying visit. He'd been honest when he said it would be good to see her again.

He turned his attention back to the email from the PR company that they had contracted to handle their media releases and marketing. It was a small boutique firm, a bit like his airline, and he liked what they had produced so far. He hadn't yet met Bailey Sheppard, the account manager assigned to Green Aviation, but her emails and the work she had done so far were knowledgeable and innovative. All going well, they could make this an ongoing partnership.

He read through the email and hit reply answering her questions and adding some other insights that might be helpful to her. He also added an open-ended invitation for her fly with them when the airline was officially off the ground. If everything went according to plan, he would be able to fly one of the first flights north to his stepbrother's wedding.

# 4

## Five months later...

Bailey sat in the comfortable leather seat of the Green Aviation waiting lounge and sipped her second vodka cranberry. She was a nervous flyer at the best of times but coupled with the fact that she was on her way to try and break up Nick's wedding one week before the big day was hell on her nerves.

The first vodka was to settle her nerves over what she planned to do to Nick and the second one was to make sure she didn't freak out when she was thirty-thousand feet in the air hurtling through the ether in a tin can. She wasn't just a nervous flyer, she hated it and avoided it whenever she could.

Driving the eighteen hundred kilometres to the wedding was out of the question and her relatively new account, Green Aviation, had offered her first-class seats on their new commercial domestic flights. Maybe she would enjoy flying more if she didn't feel like she was packed in like cattle on the way to the slaughterhouse.

A waitress approached and took her empty glass from the small table in front of her.

"Can I get you something else?" she asked.

"I'll have another one of those," Bailey responded.

The waitress nodded and walked off. Bailey didn't care if the tall, good looking woman was judging her for her early afternoon drinking binge. There was no way she could get on that plane without a little bit of liquid courage. If she was lucky, she would fall asleep and miss the entire torturous journey.

She searched through her bag for the calm tablets that her roommate had suggested. They were herbal, no pesky pharmaceuticals to interfere with her alcohol consumption, and Tiffany had sworn by them. Bailey grabbed the bottle and shook four of the little green pills into her hand. The waitress returned with her drink and Bailey swallowed the pills with a healthy gulp.

Her flight was still an hour away, but Bailey had wanted to get here early and get some drinks into her before boarding. Plus, she was a little anal about being on time. She hated to be late to anything and consequently usually arrived at least half an hour early. She pulled out her phone to work on some emails while she waited and was distracted by a text message from Nick.

They had kept in touch... _infrequently_. Nick would send her the odd dirty text telling her how much he missed her and what he wanted to do to her when he saw her next. Bailey had been tempted to send him some dirty selfies, but she was more sensible than that. She was in PR after all, and knew what could happen when things like that got into the wrong hands.

_Nick: Hey Bae, can't wait to see you. Need to speak to you ASAP. Will pick you up from the airport._

Her stomach fluttered in anticipation. Nick needed to talk to her. That could only mean one thing, he wanted to know if she thought he should go through with the wedding. It was her chance to lay all her cards on the table.

Okay, so maybe it didn't necessarily mean he was having second thoughts about marrying Ainsley, but a girl could hope, couldn't she? Besides, the alcohol and herbal pills were making her mind slippery and her thoughts were sliding towards all the dirty things she'd like to do to Mr. Nicholas Heart.

She sniggered and leant back against the chair. She flicked her hair and let it fall down over the back of her chair as she tilted her head towards the ceiling and closed her eyes. She hugged her phone to her breast, her brain creating wonderful scenarios where Nick would profess his undying love for her and insist he marry her instead of Ainsley. She imagined Ainsley's perfect little face screwed up in ugly tears as she sauntered up the aisle with Nick on her arm. Oh, yes, she knew exactly what Ainsley Rusch looked like. She had Googled the bitch and cyberstalked her for the last six months and she couldn't wait to wipe the self-satisfied smirk off her gorgeous face.

"Thanks Madeline," a deep voice murmured behind her and she felt her skin erupt in full body goosebumps. She knew that voice, although she hadn't heard it for months. The memory of the way it flowed over her when he was buried to the hilt inside her had kept her warm on many lonely nights. Irish. She twisted in her seat to get a glimpse of him, letting her hair fall in a curtain around her face to give her some semblance of anonymity.

His back was towards her and he seemed to be talking on the phone. His shoulders were just as wide as she remembered and his arse filled out his tailored suit pants beautifully. While she watched, he lowered the phone from his ear and slipped it into his pocket before turning around. She turned away, not wanting him to see her, and slid down in her chair. Her heart pounded and her panties were suspiciously wet, but maybe that was just the alcohol and the happy pills working. She closed her eyes and prayed he hadn't seen her. She didn't think she would be strong enough to resist him if he pulled the same trick he had that night in the bar, especially in her alcohol impaired state. It didn't matter that she was in love with Nick, her body remembered Irish and the way he'd made her feel and it was all for another go-round with him. She knew that one look into his bright green eyes and she would be a puddle at his feet.

* * *

Hunter disconnected from Madeline and slid his phone into his pocket. The airline was up and running finally and seemed to have been welcomed with open arms by the public. He had decided to take one of the commercial flights just to experience what his paying customers were experiencing, although he probably would have been more comfortable in his private jet.

He turned to survey the waiting lounge and indicated to the waitress that he wanted to order a drink. A flash of rose gold caught his eye and he turned fully to admire the cascade of red hair that fell in a tumbled mass down the back of one of the lounges. He felt his cock harden at the sight and shook his head ruefully. Even six months later, he still had a powerful response to the memory of that night.

He was drawn to the woman with the red hair, he couldn't help himself. He'd found himself doing the same thing since the last time he'd seen her. He'd be walking down the street or in a bar and he'd see a flash of red, the exact colour of her hair, and he'd have to follow the woman to make sure it wasn't her.

He walked over to the woman and the empty chair beside her.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked and she turned her face up to him. He stopped breathing as his heart pounded once, twice, three times.

"Blue," he breathed, sliding down into the empty chair next to her.

She looked at him nervously, her eyes blinking rapidly and the pulse at her throat fluttering madly.

"Hello, Irish," she said, her voice soft and husky like he remembered. "Long time no see."

He should be mad but he was just so fucking grateful to have finally found her again. One night with her hadn't been enough and he hadn't been able to get it up for anyone else in the intervening months.

"You didn't call," he said, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.

She looked guilty and dropped her eyes from his. "I know, I'm sorry," she said. Her words were a little slurred and he looked down at her empty glass noticing the red dregs in the bottom of it. He wondered how many she'd had.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked, not wanting to scare her away when he'd only just found her again.

She looked up at him and he noticed that her eyes were glassy and her pupils dilated. He frowned in response, worried that she was once again drunk.

"Long story," she said, "But I'm on my way to break up a wedding and steal the groom."

"Is this the jackass that dumped you?" he asked grumpily. He couldn't help it. How could such a smart and attractive woman like her be happy to settle for some douchebag like her ex?

She nodded. "Nick's getting married this weekend and I intend to stop it."

He froze as he comprehended what she was saying. Nick was getting married. It couldn't be, could it?

"Nick?" he asked. "What's his last name?"

"Heart," she replied with a dopey smile, "Nick Heart."

He bit back a groan as the waitress handed him his drink.

"How many has she had?" he enquired.

"That's her third," the waitress replied.

He nodded sharply. "No more for her," he said. "Could you bring her a glass of water though, please?"

The waitress nodded and walked away to comply with his orders. All his staff knew who he was, but they also knew that he didn't like them to acknowledge it openly in public. Hunter liked to keep a low profile despite his title as one of the youngest billionaires in Australia. In all the promotional material for his airline he'd used his VP as the face of the company. The last thing he wanted was for people to recognise him in the street. Just the thought of it made him itch.

"I don't want water," Blue whined as the waitress walked away and he couldn't help but smile at her pout.

"Don't you think you've had enough to drink though?" he asked.

"Liquid courage," she said heartily. "Don't like flying."

He frowned at her. "You didn't take something else with your drink, did you?" he asked, worried that she would be this loopy after just three drinks.

"Just my happy pills," she said cheerily and held up a bottle.

He snatched it out of her hand and breathed a sigh of relief to see that they were only herbal. It wouldn't be dangerous for her to mix them with alcohol, but it had certainly increased the effects.

The waitress returned with a glass of water and Hunter took it from her with a thanks. He handed it to Blue and encouraged her to drink it all. When she had swallowed the last mouthful, he took the glass from her and put it down on the table.

"So, what's your big plan to stop this wedding?" he asked casually, his guts burning over the fact that his Blue was hung up on a cocksucker like his stepbrother Nick.

She sighed dramatically, "I have no idea," she said. "But he just texted me to say he needed to talk to me so maybe he's already decided to call it off."

Hunter sipped his drink knowing full well that his stepbrother was doing no such thing. He probably wanted to schedule some time alone with her so he could fuck her before marrying his bride-to-be.

"You know what you need to do," he said, an idea striking him. "You need to make him jealous. Let him see what he's missing out on."

"Oh, I don't know," she said and bit her bottom lip. His cock jumped and he wanted to take that lip between his own teeth and suck it into his mouth.

"It's a great idea," he said enthusiastically. "Right now he is going to get everything he wants. A wife with connections and he still gets to have his hot piece of arse on the side."

"You still think my arse is hot?" she asked cheekily.

He leant forward and dropped his voice, bringing himself close to her ear to whisper into it. "I think your arse is so hot that I want grab two handfuls of it while I pound my cock into your wet pussy." He traced the outer shell of her ear with his tongue and then nipped her neck just below her earlobe.

Her breath hitched and a small whimper escaped from between her parted lips. He loved that he could cause that reaction in her with just a few words. She may think she was in love with Nick, but her body betrayed her. Her nipples were peaked and showed through the filmy satin of her shirt and her pulse sped up at his nearness. He just needed to show her that she really wanted him, not his asshole stepbrother.

"You shouldn't say things like that to me Irish," she said with a shaky voice.

He just smiled at her and sat back in his chair, letting his eyes roam lasciviously over her. "Oh, I think you like it," he said, his voice smoky, "and I think I'm the perfect guy to show your ex what he's missing out on."

He would relish it, in fact. Nick walked around like the world owed him just for being alive and the little shit seemed to get everything dropped in his lap. Hunter would do whatever he could to keep Blue from being sullied by his sliminess. That fact that she had been sleeping with him on and off for years conveniently slipped his mind. He just wouldn't think about it. Blue was his and he intended to keep her.

* * *

They settled into the very comfortable seats of the small jet and Bailey secured her seatbelt, making sure to pull it tight. Irish had somehow sweet-talked the airline personnel into letting him have the seat beside her, not that she really minded. His presence was so distracting that she might even be able to get through this flight without panicking.

Irish had disrupted her plans from the moment he'd sat down in the chair in the lounge. Just being around him made her body react in ways she hadn't thought possible and the deliciously dirty things he'd whispered in her ear had very nearly caused her to grab him and kiss the daylights out of him. Not to mention the feel of his tongue and his lips on her and the brush of that sexy beard against her skin that made her insides quake and her panties flood.

Now he wanted to help her make Nick jealous. How would she survive that?

He reached over and took her hand in his, the heat sparking a visceral reaction in her traitorous body, but she clung to his hand as the plane began to taxi.

"You really don't like to fly?" he asked, looking at her with his brow furrowed in worry.

She shook her head. "Flying is some kind of evil magic spawned by Satan and we as human beings were never meant to be flung through the air with such careless abandon."

His mouth dropped open in shock and then he laughed. It wasn't just a polite chuckle, but a deep, loud belly laugh and a smile tugged at her lips to see him so delighted by something she said.

"Firstly," he corrected her, "it's physics, not magic and I think the Wright brothers would be offended to be called the spawn of Satan."

"Maybe," she conceded, "but I stand by the belief that if we were meant to fly, we would've been born with wings."

"Do you hold this same level of contempt for all forms of transportation or just air travel?"

"Just air travel, but I do look at boats with a healthy dose of mistrust."

He laughed delightedly again.

"So, your theory that if humans were meant to do something, they would be born with the ability to do it doesn't extend to travel by road or rail or water?"

"It's a phobia, nobody said it had to be logical," she replied.

The seatbelt sign dinged off and Bailey jumped.

"Hey, we're flying," she said.

"Ah, yeah, that's the whole point..."

She whacked his arm. "No, I meant that you distracted me enough that I didn't freak out over takeoff."

"I aim to please," he murmured in that dark gravelly way of his that made her want to rub her naked body against his.

The flight attendant chose that moment to approach them.

"Can I get you anything from the galley?" she asked politely.

Irish looked at her and quirked his eyebrow in that way of his, "Let me buy you a late lunch," he said.

She giggled. "Sure," she replied. Why the hell not? It might help to soak up some of the alcohol sloshing around her system.

"My thoughts exactly," he said.

She clapped her hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that out loud," she mumbled through her palm.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Vodka makes you chatty," he said. "I remember." He pulled out the menu and ran a practised eye down it. "Do you have any dietary requirements?" he asked, and she sucked in a breath. He turned to look at her.

"Did you just ask me if I'm on a diet?"

He frowned at her. "No, I did not and I would be extremely disappointed if I found out that you were."

His voice was very growly and commanding, causing a full body shiver and she had to force herself to keep her eyes open and not let them close while he whispered dirty, dirty things in her ear with that voice.

He stared at her and she realised he was waiting for an answer. She gave herself a mental shake.

"No, I'm not on a diet."

"Are you vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, paleo?" he asked, his eyes back on the menu.

"None of the above," she replied.

"Two steak sandwiches," he said to the air hostess. "And two waters." He closed the menu and slid it back into the pocket as she walked away.

"I wanted another vodka," she sulked.

"No, Blue," he said softly. "You need to have your wits about you when we land. You've got a wedding to break up and a groom to win, remember? You can't do that if you're sloppy drunk."

She crossed her arms and harrumphed. He was right, but she didn't want to admit it.

"So, have you decided whether or not to take me up on my proposal?" he asked casually.

"I don't know," she said, twirling a piece of hair around her fingers.

"What have you got to lose?" he asked. "It'll either work or it won't and if it doesn't then you still have your original arrangement to fall back on."

"I suppose," she said, hedging. She had no doubt that Nick would take one look at Irish and be jealous as hell, but she was more worried about what would happen to her if she was forced to pretend to be in a relationship with the tall, dark, green eyed man. It might be a little too convincing.

He turned in his seat so that he was facing her and lifted a hand to brush an errant tendril of hair from her forehead. His touch, as innocent and light as it was, set off fireworks inside her. He was the last man she'd slept with and she'd never gone this long without male companionship since she'd first entered into her arrangement with Nick. Her body's reaction was simply muscle memory and the fact that she had been living like a nun.

She sighed and closed her eyes. His closeness felt nice. Comforting. He was right, the worst that could happen was that she would simply revert back to her original arrangement with Nick. It wasn't ideal, but if that's all she could have of him, then it would be enough.

"Okay," she said as the flight attendant returned and placed their meals in front of them. "But what about you? Will you even be in the right area and don't you already have plans?"

She took a bite out of her sandwich while she waited for him to answer and moaned appreciatively. She hadn't realised how hungry she was, her nerves blotting out everything but the trip ahead of her.

"Where's the wedding?" he asked.

"On the Sunshine Coast," she replied when she swallowed her mouthful. The plane they were on landed in Brisbane, an hour from the Coast. Nick was picking her up and they would drive the rest of the way.

He smiled at her, his eyes lighting up. "What a coincidence," he said, "that's where I'm headed too."

"Business?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Long overdue vacation."

"And you'd give that up for me?" she asked.

He just grinned and continued to eat his sandwich. She shook her head. This guy was too good to be true.

"I'm not going to sleep with you again," she said and her ovaries began to cry.

"We'll see," he said and waggled his eyebrows seductively.

She laughed and shook her head again, taking another bite from her sandwich. Maybe if it didn't go to plan with Nick, she could finally move on. Maybe Irish would be the perfect guy to move on with. She turned her head to look out the window, not wanting to think of the what-ifs. She wanted Nick and had wanted him for so long she didn't know how _not_ to want him. Nick was it for her, she knew it in her bones. If he insisted on marrying Ainsley, she would be happy with whatever Nick could give her.

"I have one condition, though," she said.

He nodded, indicating that she should go on.

"Nick is coming to pick me up so that he can talk to me. I want to hear what he has to say before I spring our fake relationship on him. We might not even need it."

He narrowed his eyes at her but nodded his assent.

"I'm staying at Oceans in Mooloolaba," she said and watched as his eyes lit.

"So am I," he replied with a big smile.

"Oh, great," she said. "How about we meet at reception at seven?"

"Okay," he said, "but if we're going to do this, I'm going to need something from you too."

"I already told you I wasn't going to sleep with you," she replied stiffly.

He chuckled. "No, not that, but I wouldn't take it off the table entirely if I were you. No, I want you to come to dinner with me to meet my mother. If she sees us together then she'll get off my back about dating someone and I won't have to suffer through her setting me up on pity dates."

She spat her mouthful of water out, spraying the seat in front of her with Evian. "Pity dates?" she asked, disbelieving. "No one could ever consider going out with you a pity date."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be so sure."

"So, we should get to know one another," she said, changing the subject. "What do you do?"

"I work in aviation," he said.

"Ah," she said knowingly. "Hence the passionate debate regarding air travel."

He smiled at her and her stomach fluttered.

"What about you Blue, what do you do?"

"PR," she said simply. "It's the reason I am on this very flight. These guys are one of my clients."

His eyes widened at that little tidbit. "Perks of the job," he said.

She nodded. "Green Aviation are a new company and they offered me a free flight to get a feel for the company."

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"Well, it's the best flight experience I've had so far," she replied truthfully and then she laughed. "But I've had some awful experiences, so it's not really saying much."

He grunted.

"What about you?" she asked. "You're in aviation, so you must fly a lot."

He nodded. "I do. Normally by private charter."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She knew the guy was wealthy. The clothes he wore and the penthouse suite they'd spent the night in were dead giveaways, but a private charter?

"What made you choose these guys then?"

He shrugged, "I hate flying economy," he answered, "which is why I prefer a private plane. But this airline is offering first class travel at a cheaper price than I can charter one, so I decided to give it a go."

"And?"

"So far so good," he replied, his voice a low growl and she didn't think they were talking about the flight any longer.

The flight attendant removed their food trays and Bailey yawned. Her alcohol consumption, the herbal calming pills and now a full belly of food were working their magic on her.

"You're tired," he said. "Why don't you close your eyes for a while? I'll wake you when we get there."

She smiled gratefully at him and settled back into the seat, reclining the back rest. He reclined his as well and she leant her head on his shoulder.

"You're all right, Irish," she mumbled before slipping into sleep.

# 5

Blue was Bailey. Blue, _his Blue_ , was Bailey Sheppard the goddamned PR account manager that he had been emailing back and forth with for months. He'd been going out of his fucking mind because he hadn't been able to find her and she had been right there all along.

Fuck.

If only he'd known her name. But that had been the point of that night, hadn't it? She had wanted to lose herself in anonymous sex because his fucking stepbrother had broken her heart. God, what a mess. He should walk away now before it got any more complicated.

He turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed as she slept on his shoulder, her long dark lashes resting on her fair, smooth cheeks. Her mouth was slightly parted, her plump bottom lip just begging to be kissed and the pulse in her throat throbbed steadily, reminding him of what it felt like to have his mouth there.

Fuck.

There was no way he could walk away from this woman. He'd only had one taste of her and there was no way he could go through the rest of his life without another one. There was just something about Blue that called to him. His body reacted to her whenever she was near and he wanted to explore that. He wanted to explore _her_.

And he was goddamned sure that he wasn't going to let his fucking stepbrother have her. That little shit didn't deserve someone like her, especially if he was going to treat her like a fucking booty call. Blue deserved someone who would cherish her and worship her. She deserved someone who would treat her like the fucking goddess she was.

He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. He'd just found her again and he didn't want to do anything to scare her away. He couldn't believe that Nick was walking away from her. Except he wasn't, was he? He was marrying the 'Jackie' to please his father, but keeping his 'Marilyn' on the side. And Blue was worth so much more than that.

"Mr. Green," the flight attendant approached him quietly, "we'll be landing in a few minutes. Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?"

He opened his eyes and sat up. "Yes," he said, "can you see if the captain has a moment to speak with me?"

"Certainly," she said before moving towards the front of the plane. He'd wanted to talk with the captain and the rest of the crew while he was on the flight to see how everything was going, but his plans had been derailed the moment he'd seen Blue in the lounge.

He turned to her and swept a lock of her rose gold hair from her cheek and pressed a soft kiss on her temple.

"Blue," he whispered against her ear. "Wake up, honey, we'll be landing soon."

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him sleepily. His cock jumped in his pants as he looked down at her sleepy eyes and soft mouth. He leant towards her and brushed his lips across hers, physically unable to stop himself.

"Time to rise and shine," he mumbled against her lips and he felt them turn up in a smile before she kissed him back. It was just a light kiss, a peck really, but it shot desire straight through him causing his cock to go from mildly interested to full attention in seconds.

"Sir," the flight attendant cleared her throat. "The captain will see you now."

Hunter sighed and then lifted his head, staring down into Blue's large doe eyes. "There's a restroom towards the back of the plane if you need to freshen up before we land," he said, his voice huskier than he'd like. "I just need to chat with our pilot for a moment."

She bit her lip and he had to suppress a groan. "Oh, okay," she said, the sleepiness leaving her eyes as she came fully awake.

He stood from his seat, adjusting himself surreptitiously as he followed the flight attendant towards the front of the plane. Keeping his hands off Blue this week was going to be torture, but a sweet kind of torture. Hopefully by the end of it, she'd see he was a much better option than the arrangement she had with his idiot stepbrother.

* * *

Bailey walked into the restroom at the back of the plane and her jaw dropped. This wasn't some tiny cubicle sized water closet, it was a full on restroom like you'd find in a fancy club. It had lighted mirrors, fresh towels, sample bottles of perfume and body spray and several bottles of hand and body lotion. It was also beautifully decorated and if she wasn't being thrust through thin air in a metal tube, then she would've been happy to sit in the upholstered chair and take her time repairing her makeup.

But she knew they were landing soon and she was paranoid about being caught in there while they landed. The only thing worse than take off was landing and she fully intended to be in her seat, her safety belt buckled tightly, her eyes clenched shut and a death grip on Irish's hand while the pilots landed this metal rust bucket.

Except that it wasn't a rust bucket and if she was a frequent flyer, then she would probably be happy to pay the extra money to fly this way all the time. But then again, maybe it had been the company that had made the experience so pleasurable.

Waking up with Irish's green eyes staring down at her like he wanted to devour her whole did wonders for her self-esteem. He was so intense and when all that intensity was turned on her, it did weird and wonderful things to her body and her brain. No one had ever made her feel like the epicentre of their attention before and it was a heady thing. Almost too much to bear...almost.

She gave herself a shake and touched up her makeup. She was here for a reason, to win back Nick and stop his wedding. She loved Nick, she wanted Nick. Irish was just a distraction. A sweet, wonderful, delicious distraction, but a distraction none the less. She was about to see Nick for the first time in six months and she needed to be on her game. Having the confusing thoughts of the tall, dark, and handsome Irish swirling around in her head was not going to help her cause.

She ran a brush through her hair and spritzed herself with one of the perfumes on offer before walking back to her seat. Irish wasn't back from speaking to the captain yet, so she settled into her seat, closed her eyes and started to do her breathing exercises in preparation for landing. She needed to clear her head and find her Zen before coming face to face with Nick and she needed to banish all thoughts of Irish and what he did to her body.

"Hey," he whispered in her ear and she suppressed another full body shiver. It seemed to be her default reaction to him.

"Hey," she replied, opening her eyes as the 'fasten seatbelt' sign dinged.

He fidgeted in his seat, clicking his belt together and smoothing his suit coat.

"So," he said, glancing over at her when he was settled, "are you going to tell me your real name?"

She smiled and shook her head, "Nope," she said, "not until I know whether I need your services this week or not."

He grimaced, "Really Blue?" he asked. "You're going to leave me hanging?"

"Yep," she giggled, "I need to keep some mystery about me."

He growled low in his throat and her stomach fluttered at the sound.

"Okay," he said with a sigh. "So what's the plan? I assume you want me to stay out of sight while you have your big reunion."

"Yeah," she said softly, feeling bad. "That would probably be best."

"And he'll drive you to your hotel and spill his guts along the way..."

"Right," she said. Nick had wanted to talk to her, said he couldn't wait to see her. Her stomach turned over at the thought of what he might want to say to her.

"And you'll meet me in the lobby of Oceans at seven to tell me whether the mission is a go."

She tipped her head to the side and smiled up at him. "You don't have to do this, you know," she said.

"I know," he said, leaning close to her. "I want to."

She felt the bump and heard the squeal of tires as they touched down. The jostling of the plane caused Irish's already close mouth to come even closer to hers and he brushed a kiss over her lips before he straightened, a Cheshire cat smile on his face. Her breath whooshed out of her as the plane slowed and taxied towards the terminal.

The butterflies in her stomach? They were because she was about to see Nick and had absolutely nothing to do with the way Irish's beard had teased her lips when he kissed her. They had nothing to do with the way his eyes seemed to strip her naked and devour her. No. She was just excited to see Nick, that's all it was.

The aircraft pulled up to the terminal and the other passengers, who she had completely forgotten were even there, started to move around, gathering handbags and carry-ons.

"I'll just wait here," Irish said, "and let you leave first so I don't intrude on your reunion."

She nodded as she stood and gathered her handbag and laptop bag. She didn't know what to say to him. It wasn't goodbye, exactly, but all being well, she wouldn't see him again. If things with Nick went the way she wanted them to, then there would be no need for him to pretend to be her boyfriend for the following week. There would be no need for her to see him again.

She squeezed past him and into the aisle. He reached out and circled her wrist with his large hand, halting her progress towards the exit.

"Good luck," he said softly as he gently caressed the delicate skin of her arm.

"Thanks," she stammered, reluctantly pulling away from him. She looked back once, just before she stepped out of the plane and his green eyes were staring intently at her, specifically at her ass. She smiled, her heart lifting. She could always trust Irish to make her feel better about herself.

With renewed vigour, she strutted down the air tunnel and into the terminal. She was the last to deplane - apart from Irish - and Nick was standing there waiting for her. He was a sight for sore eyes. He leant casually against a wall, one hand in his pocket, the other hand swiping through his phone. She stopped and just took him in, her eyes hungry to devour every inch of him. His blonde hair fell long over his forehead, except it was shorter than he'd worn it for a while. It looked good, but it wasn't the image she had of him in her brain.

The barely-there scruff on his jawline was still there and his body was as trim and toned as she remembered. He wore pale chinos and a blue button up, the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his forearms. No tattoos marred the slightly tanned skin below his shirtsleeves and they seemed...lacking somehow.

He looked up and caught her in his hazel gaze. A grin split his face and it spurred her into action. She ran to him and he opened his arms, catching her as she threw herself at him. He held her close, and she squeezed him tight in return.

"I've missed you," she said, fighting back the tears.

"I've missed you too Bae," he murmured close to her ear. "Come on, let's get out of here."

She disentangled herself from him and turned to follow him towards the luggage carousel. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed her tall, dark and insanely handsome seat mate as he walked out of the tunnel and in to the terminal. He winked at her and she grinned as she followed Nick.

She hustled to keep up with Nick's long-legged stride and caught his hand in hers.

"Slow down, Nick," she said breathlessly. "My legs are like two feet shorter than yours."

He slowed and laughed, catching her in another hug. "God, it's good to see you."

They walked to the baggage claim, at a more sustainable pace for her this time, and waited for her luggage to pass by. Nick grabbed it off the carousel and then tugged on her hand, pulling her to the exit.

"Come on," he said, "I parked just out here."

He led her to a big chunky Chrysler with dark tinted windows and shiny chrome grill. He popped the trunk and loaded in her bags before opening the door for her. She slid into the passenger seat and was immediately enveloped in buttery leather. It was an ugly, executive car, but damn it was comfortable.

He slid into the driver's seat and turned to smile at her.

"I know, it's pretentious," he said, "but it impresses the clients."

That made sense, of course it did. She just nodded and smiled and let him manoeuvre the tank of a car out of the parking garage and onto the highway.

"So, Nick," she began nervously, "what did you have to talk to me about?"

"Oh, right," he said, "I nearly forgot." He shot her a quick glance. "I have a big favour to ask you."

"Oh, sure," she said, disappointed that it wasn't the declaration of love that she had expected. "Anything."

"One of Ainsley's bridesmaids dropped out," he said. "She got sick or broke her leg or something, I can't remember the details. Anyway, we need someone to fill in for her. I wouldn't ask, except she was the partner of my stepbrother and I can't exactly ask him to step down as a groomsman because my stepmother would have a fit."

"Ooh, the mysterious stepbrother," she said trying to mask the crushing disappointment she felt at being asked to be one of his bride's attendants. "You mean I actually get to meet him?"

He snorted. "Don't get your hopes up," he said. "He's a bit of a dick and completely stuck up."

"Isn't he like, Australia's youngest billionaire?" she asked. "And doesn't he own an airline?"

"You should know," he said. "Didn't you just arrive on a Green Aviation plane? How'd you afford that anyway? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Oh God, he owns Green Aviation?" she gasped. "Holy crap, it's a small world. They're one of my clients and they comped me the tickets. Your brother is Hunter Green?"

"Yeah, that's him. So, you've met him then?"

She shook her head. "No," she said, "we've only corresponded by email, and I was probably really communicating with his assistant. I doubt he answers his own email."

Nick grunted. "So anyway," he said, "do you think you could do it? I know it's short notice and everything, but Ainsley is having a meltdown about the photos being lopsided or some crap."

"Sure," she answered, not really sure it was such a good idea after all, "but you don't think it will be awkward?"

"Awkward?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well...given our history?"

He snorted. "Nah, she doesn't know anything about that. She just knows that you're an old family friend."

"Oh," Bailey replied, stung. She hadn't expected him to tell his bride-to-be that his long-time fuck buddy was coming to the wedding, but she did expect a little bit more than just being categorised as a family friend.

He reached over the console and took her hand. "Hey, if it makes you uncomfortable, you can say no," he said.

"No," she said shaking herself, "it's fine. Wouldn't want lopsided photos of your big day."

"You're a lifesaver Bae," he said, lifting her knuckles to his lips for a kiss.

If she had her way there wouldn't be a wedding, so it wouldn't matter anyway. And wouldn't she have a better chance of sabotaging the relationship from inside the wedding than from outside it? It did mean that she would have to take Irish up on his offer though.

"Um, so I have some news," she said tentatively.

"Yeah?" he asked, giving her a quick look.

"I'm seeing someone," she said in a rush. "He'll be here tonight."

Nick's face blanked and she saw a muscle jump in his jaw. He didn't turn to look at her.

"Oh? Are you bringing him to the wedding?" he asked in a carefully measured voice.

"Oh, well, I didn't RSVP that I was bringing a guest, so I don't expect him to be included."

"I'm sure we can make room for him," Nick said through gritted teeth. "What's one more among the hundreds that are coming?"

She smiled tightly. Nick's cool manner was a sign of his unhappiness at her news. It angered her a bit and she had to clamp down on her tongue to stop a nasty comment from flying out. Nick's reaction to her bringing a date was so unfair. Why could he date and not her? He was getting fucking married for God's sake, why couldn't she have a simple date?

* * *

Hunter closed his eyes and settled back into the seat of the limousine, putting away his tablet. The car coasted along the highway heading north towards the new home of his mother. She had offered him a room in their McMansion, but he couldn't think of anything worse than spending the week in close proximity to his stepbrother, and that was before he found out he was Blue's ex.

He'd spent the majority of the drive going over emails and sending Madeline updated task lists that needed to get done while he was away. He hated leaving the office, even though it was for a short amount of time and he could be completely in touch remotely. There was something about being in the office with his finger on the pulse that soothed his need to be in control.

But it hadn't been that need to feel in control that had been the reason for his working while they drove. No, that honour belonged to Blue. He had tried desperately to bury himself in work so that he wouldn't have to think about her and Nick alone together. He wouldn't put it past his stepbrother to pull over into a motel on his way home for a quick fuck with his mistress.

Fuck. Blue was Nick's mistress. No, _Bailey_ was Nick's mistress. Blue was all his.

Who was he kidding? This was messed up and Nick was going to be pissed when he found out that Hunter had slept with her. Not that Hunter cared how Nick felt about it, he just didn't want Blue to get caught up in the crossfire.

But then again, maybe Nick had taken one look at Blue and realised what he was giving up. Maybe the idiot that was his stepbrother finally had a moment of brilliance and saw what an amazing woman Blue was and how incredible it would be to have her in his life full time. Isn't that what she wanted, after all? And didn't he want her to be happy?

Of course he did, he just didn't want her to be happy with Nick. Hunter wanted to be the one who made her happy. He wanted to be the one who made her eyes light up and her breath hitch. He wanted to be the one who made her panties wet and her nipples peak and he wanted to be the one who felt her legs wrap around him as she cried out in the throes of passion. He certainly didn't want Nick to be the one doing any of that.

The limousine pulled to a stop and Hunter looked out the window at the over-the-top home that was his stepfather's domain. For all the money he had, he had godawful taste.

The driver got out and came around to open his door. Hunter climbed out of the car and thanked the driver.

"Just leave my bags in the foyer," Hunter told the other man, "I have a car here that I will drive to my hotel."

"Very good sir," the driver replied as Hunter turned and headed up the stairs to the front door. He buttoned his suit jacket and pressed the doorbell.

The door opened and his mother greeted him with open arms. He allowed her to pull him into a hug, wrapping his arms around her small body and holding her close.

"You're here," she said with a sob.

"I'm here," he said into her hair.

She pulled away from him with a laugh, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Come in, come in. Patrick and Nick are in the den."

He followed her into the house and down the hall. She opened the door with a flourish and Hunter stepped into the smokey interior. Nick and his father Patrick were sitting in a couple of chunky leather chesterfields smoking cigars.

Patrick stood and stuck his hand out to him. "Hunter, good to see you again son," he said, pumping Hunter's hand.

Nick stood too. "Good to see you, man," Nick said shaking Hunter's hand with a limp wrist. It was like shaking a dead fish.

"Good to be here," Hunter replied, a fake smile on his face. He would really rather be anywhere but here and preferably with Blue.

"Hey, thanks for being a groomsman," Nick said sheepishly. "Ainsley had so many bridesmaids that I was scrambling a bit for a while there."

"No problem," Hunter said cordially.

"I do have a favour to ask, though," he said, slinging an arm around Hunter and steering him away from their parents. "The bridesmaid that was meant to be your partner had to bow out and Ainsley was having a little melt down."

"Oh?" Hunter raised an eyebrow in question. "And what can I do to fix that?"

"Oh nothing," Nick said, waving his concern away. "No, what I need has nothing to do with that. Well, it sort of does..."

"Why don't you just explain the problem to me and I'll see what I can do to help," Hunter said, his patience thinning.

"Right, okay, well it's kind of delicate. You see my, ah, _good friend_ is here at the wedding and I asked her to fill in for Ainsley's bridesmaid."

"O-kay," Hunter said, drawing the word out as he tried to make sense of what Nick was trying to say.

"Well, she's going to be your partner in the wedding and I was wondering if you could, you know, look after her. It's a little awkward, I know that, but I'd hate for her to let something slip and let on to Ainsley that, you know, we have history."

"And is it, you know, _history_?" Hunter asked.

Nick smiled and shrugged. "Well, at the moment it is," he said with a wink and a back slap.

Hunter gritted his teeth and clenched his fist wanting nothing more than to plough it through his stepbrother's smug face. Instead he cracked his neck and took a deep breath.

"I'll see what I can do," Hunter replied, "but I have to warn you that I brought a date."

"Did I hear you say you brought a date to the wedding?" his mother asked, coming over with a big grin on her face.

Hunter's own face softened at the look his mother was giving him. "I did," he said.

"And when do we get to meet her?" Maree asked.

"Tonight, if you don't have plans," he said.

His mother clapped her hands. "Wonderful," she said.

"Ainsley and I have plans tonight," Nick said, "but we can meet her tomorrow at the luncheon."

Hunter nodded. Nick was going to get the surprise of his life when he walked into that luncheon with Blue. And if he was correct in the way he had pieced together Nick's babbling earlier, Blue was going to be his partner at the wedding which was both hilarious and wonderful at the same time. But he wasn't sure how to feel about Nick asking him to look after Blue for him so she didn't spill the beans to Ainsley. He didn't want Blue to break up the wedding so she could be with Nick, but he didn't want Nick to get everything he wanted either. It was a conundrum.

# 6

Hunter entered the lobby of Oceans Resort precisely at seven and promptly stopped in his tracks. Blue stood there waiting for him, her hair a tumble of rose gold curls down her back. Up until now he had only ever seen her in a dress or nothing at all, but tonight she was wearing skinny jeans and nude heels that made her arse and her legs look mouthwatering, like, seriously. His mouth literally watered at the sight of them. Don't get the wrong idea, she'd looked great in a dress, and amazing naked, but in tight jeans that cupped her arse like a lover's hands? He was already hard as a rock just from the sight and all he wanted to do was to walk up behind her and rub the evidence of his arousal over those perfect, plump cheeks.

But he didn't.

He did walk up behind her though, and lifted his hand to move her thick hair to the side and over her opposite shoulder so he could press a soft, lingering kiss to the tender skin under her ear. He felt her stiffen and then relax against him and heard her breath hitch.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered in her ear, taking another moment to nibble on her neck and breathe in her flowery scent.

"And you're late," she said back, but the intended effect was ruined by her breathy voice. Okay, it wasn't completely ruined. That husky sound made him want to drag her back to his suite and do dirty, dirty things to her. But he reined in the rampaging desire because he had to behave. They were having dinner with his mother in half an hour and that was not nearly long enough for all the things he wanted to do to Blue.

Reluctantly he stepped back, his fingers lingering at the nape of her neck under her hair and massaging the tight muscles gently. She turned around to face him, but he kept his hand on her neck to keep her close. He didn't want her to back off. He liked crowding her, he liked getting in her space and seeing the little furrow between her brows that told him she was attracted to him despite her wish not to be. He liked that he flummoxed her.

"I take it by your appearance, our mission is a go?" he asked, leaning in intimately.

She looked up at him and nodded. A smile quirked his lips which were barely a hair's breadth from hers.

"Wonderful," he murmured. "We're having dinner with my mother in twenty minutes."

Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open and it was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen. There were so many things he wanted to do with that mouth.

"What?"

His mind went temporarily blank as he imagined those soft shiny lips around his cock and he needed to clear his throat and mentally shake himself to get back on track.

"You agreed to have dinner with my mother and I," he said easily, stepping back, more for his sake than hers.

"Yes, but I didn't think it would be tonight."

He shrugged. "Why not tonight? The rest of the week is going to be jam packed with wedding stuff."

"Yeah, about that," she said, dropping her eyes and fidgeting with her purse. "I've been roped into being a bridesmaid."

He chuckled. "You're going to be a bridesmaid at the wedding you're trying to sabotage?"

"Yeah, it's kind of ridiculous. I haven't even met the bride." She looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"So, why you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "The other bridesmaid dropped out and the bride is freaking out over having uneven wedding photos."

"So why not just ask the other groomsman to step aside?" He knew, but he wanted to hear it from her.

"It's Nick's stepbrother and he doesn't want to do that to him."

That surprised him. He knew that Nick only asked him to be a groomsman because Maree asked him to, so he would've thought that Nick would jump at the chance to dump him. He'd thought it was because Maree had asked him not to.

"So, have you met this stepbrother?" he asked. "Maybe you and he could hit it off and make Nick jealous?"

"Isn't that what I've got you for?" she asked innocently, blinking those big eyes up at him.

He bit back a groan and placed his hand on the small of her back guiding her out of the lobby. If he didn't get her out of there he was going to drag her back up to his suite for some one-on-one alone time.

"Come on," he said roughly, "I don't want to keep my mother waiting."

They walked the short distance to a casual cafe and bar and Hunter's eyes lit up when he saw his mother waiting at the table for them. She stood and matched his grin with one of her own and he could see the way she checked Blue out too. He winked at her.

"Mum," he said, reluctantly taking his hand off Blue's back and pulling his mother into a hug. She kissed his cheek and then wiped away the lipstick print she'd left. "Patrick's not joining us?"

She shook head. "No, he had some work to catch up on." She turned to Blue.

"Mum, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Blue. Blue, this is my mother, Maree."

"Blue?" His mother asked as she pulled Blue in for a hug.

"That's Irish's nickname for me," Blue said with a giggle, "Because of my red hair. My real name is Bailey."

"Irish?" His mother asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

It was his turn to chuckle. "That's Blue's nickname for me," he said, sliding his arm around Bailey's waist and pulling her back in to his side. "Because of my devastatingly handsome green eyes." He liked Bailey nestled in beside him and he didn't even want to acknowledge how good it felt to call her his girlfriend.

His mother laughed delightedly. "Well, it's lovely to meet you, Bailey. I can't tell you how surprised I was when Hunter told me he had a date for the wedding."

Bailey stiffened against him and she turned narrowed eyes on him.

"Let's sit down," he said, avoiding the accusing look on Bailey's face. He knew she would keep up the charade if only for her own sake, but he had no doubt that when they were alone she was going to unleash on him...and he kind of looked forward to it.

* * *

It wasn't too much of a stretch to put the pieces together. Maree thought she was his date to the wedding...not the other way around, which meant that Irish was really Hunter Green, Nick's stepbrother. Bailey didn't know whether to be pissed off or flattered that the reclusive billionaire Hunter Green was the guy she had a one night stand with. She had to admit though, that she was a little star struck by him. She'd found him attractive from the moment they met in the bar that night, but knowing that he was loaded was a bit intimidating.

Besides the fact that he was also her client (Oh my God! She was on a date with Hunter Green!), she had to wonder how long he'd known who she was. Had this been a set up from the start?

But try as she might to keep her anger at Hunter stoked, his mother disarmed her. Maree Heart (oh my God, Nick's stepmother) was lovely and Bailey could tell that she loved her son dearly.

"So, um, this is a bit embarrassing," Bailey said, "but I'm actually an old friend of Nick's."

Hunter's eyes narrowed at her and he gritted his teeth, but she ploughed on anyway. "It was actually a funny coincidence that we asked each other to the wedding."

It wasn't. Hunter had neglected to mention the fact that he knew Nick, that he was fucking related to Nick. Oh yeah, there was that anger she'd misplaced.

Maree laughed delightedly. "Oh, you're Nick's Bailey? What a small world."

"She's not Nick's Bailey anymore," Hunter growled, and Bailey shivered. "She's my Blue."

He nuzzled her neck which caused her skin to break out in goosebumps and her breath hitched with his touch. God, it didn't take much for him to get her blood humming.

"You two are adorable," Maree said sweetly. "Why didn't you tell us when you were at the house earlier?"

Bailey turned to look at Hunter. Yes, she would like to the answer to that too.

Hunter cleared his throat. "I wanted it to be a surprise," he said and smiled wolfishly at his mother. "You don't think Nick will be mad, do you?"

Hunter looked delighted at the prospect of his stepbrother being mad and Bailey didn't know how to feel about that. She knew Nick didn't like his stepbrother and seeing her with him was bound to cause problems, but she didn't particularly like being a possession they were likely to fight over.

"I think it worked out perfectly," Maree said, much to Bailey's surprise. "You guys get to be partners at the wedding."

Right. Fuck.

"Probably not what Nick had in mind when he asked me," Hunter said, mirroring Bailey's own thoughts. She could practically guarantee that Nick wouldn't want her anywhere near his stepbrother. His good-looking, richer-than-Midas and sexy-as-fuck stepbrother.

"It's kind of bizarre to be in the wedding party when I haven't even met the bride yet," Bailey said.

"Oh, you are going to love Ainsley," Maree said. "She's such a sweetheart and she loves Nick so much. They make a lovely couple."

Three things that Bailey did not want to know. She felt Hunter's arm tighten around her and she was thankful for his support even if it did make this whole thing even more bizarre. She was so confused.

Hunter had made it clear that he wanted her, if the small touches and seductive kisses were anything to go by, but he had also agreed to help stop Nick's wedding. He was sending her mixed signals and she didn't know what to believe. Compounding that was her hot and dirty bodily reaction to him. She wanted another night of hot sex with him and she didn't know if she was strong enough to resist him if he put the moves on her.

The waiter came over to their table and they were momentarily distracted as they ordered food and drinks. When the waiter walked away, Maree shot her a shy smile.

"So, how did you two meet?" she asked.

Bailey and Hunter shared a look, one full of heat at the memory of how they met the first time. Bailey hadn't been able to look at tequila, salt or limes the same way since.

"Irish picked me up in a bar," Bailey said and he laughed heartily. Maree smiled uncertainly.

"It's true," he told his mother. "I walked into a bar one night in Melbourne after a particularly bad day dealing with CASA and there she was. Fortunately, there was an empty barstool beside her, so I took it."

"Yes," Bailey said, picking up the commentary, "and I was just coming out of a messy break-up and was trying valiantly to drown my sorrows."

"How long ago was this?" Maree asked, hanging off every word.

"About six months ago," Bailey replied.

"You've been dating for six months?" Maree asked, her eyes swinging to Hunter in accusation.

He laughed. "Not exactly," he said, "but we have been emailing back and forth. Bailey works for the PR firm that we hired to promote the new airline."

And just like that she was reminded that she was on a date with a man who not only owns his own private plane, but a whole fucking fleet of them.

"Oh, did you know she worked with the PR firm when you met her?"

He shook his head while Bailey took a drink of the wine that the waiter placed in front of her.

"No, that was purely coincidental," he assured her.

"And when I asked Hunter to be my date for the wedding, he confessed that he was attending the wedding too. We had no idea that we had such a close association with each other." Bailey glared at Hunter and he had the good grace to look abashed.

"It's like fate brought you together," Maree said, clasping her hands in front of her and looking dreamy eyed.

Bailey choked on her wine and coughed, Hunter rubbed her back. If this was fate then she sure had a twisted sense of humour.

* * *

As soon as the door closed on the elevator, Bailey started in on him.

"What the hell, _Hunter_?"

"Hey, not my fault you didn't know my name," he said keeping his voice reasonable. "I gave you ample opportunity to find it out. If I recall correctly, I left you a note specifically asking you to call me so we could get to know one another better."

She bit the corner of her lip in guilt and he wanted to pull it between his own teeth and plunder her mouth with his. But he kept his composure, and he doubted very much that she would be appreciative of his advances when she was pissed at him.

"Okay, fine," she said, her eyes flashing, "but what about on the plane? You could have said something then, or, come to think of it, when I told you Nick's name in the lounge, you should have said, 'Oh, Nick's my stepbrother!'"

"You'd had three strong drinks and some herbal shit that had messed you up, I really didn't think it was the time."

"Just how long have you known?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "Did you know when you walked into the bar? Did you know when you sought out my PR firm?"

He scrubbed his hand through his hair and looked at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. "No," he croaked, "I didn't know until this afternoon when you told me Nick's surname."

"Oh," she said, some of the fire going out of her. "So you didn't tell Nick when you saw him today?"

He sighed. "I told him I was bringing a date to the wedding, but I didn't tell him it was you."

"He's going to be pissed," she said, her voice soft.

Hunter took a step closer to her and tucked a curl behind her ear. God, he loved touching her hair, her skin, her.

"It's his own fault," he murmured, "for letting you get away."

She looked up at him and swallowed. He could see the confusion in her eyes and the yearning. What he didn't know was if the yearning was for him or for his douchebag stepbrother. He dropped his hand and stepped back. He was asking for trouble getting involved with her when she was so hung up on him. Nick couldn't give her what she needed but until she saw that for herself, his advances were going to just confuse her more.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened on her floor. She paused before exiting.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" she asked, her voice small.

He wanted to say yes, but he couldn't. He needed to keep the boundaries in place until she made her choice. He shook his head.

"No, I have some work I need to do," he said, making an excuse. "I'll see you in the lobby at nine so we can go to the brunch together."

She nodded and stepped out of the elevator. She looked back as the doors closed and she looked so lost he wanted to reach out and keep the doors from closing. He wanted to go to her and comfort her and tell her it was all going to be okay. But he couldn't tell her that. This was what she wanted...she wanted Nick, not him, and he refused to be a second choice or a substitute.

The doors closed, cutting off his view of her and he leant his head back against the mirrored wall, exhaling harshly. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to change the direction of his thoughts. He and Bailey were in a fake relationship and that's all it could be unless she walked away from her silly infatuation with his stepbrother.

The doors opened again on his floor and he carded his way into the penthouse suite. He kicked off his shoes and loosened the top button on his shirt. He grabbed his phone and sat on the balcony overlooking the dark beach. It was June and winter in the sunshine state, but it was still warm enough to sit outside without needing a sweater.

Hunter swiped his finger across the screen of his phone and flicked through his contacts. Choosing a number, he hit the call button and waited to be connected.

"Brooks Barry," a deep voice answered.

"Brooks," Hunter said, "it's Hunter."

"Hunter, my man, how the fuck are you?"

"About to make a fucking fool of myself," Hunter said with a resigned sigh.

"Is it over a woman?" Brooks asked knowingly.

"Yes, but it's worse."

"Aw, poor boy. You tell Uncle Brooks all your problems," Brooks said in an annoying baby voice.

"Shut up asshole," Hunter growled.

"Geez, she has got you all wrapped up in knots. She must be special."

"Yeah, she is and she's also in love with Nick."

"Your stepbrother?"

Hunter grunted.

"Shit man, you sure can pick 'em."

"Hey, so where are you? I didn't even check the time. Did I interrupt anything?"

"Nah. I'm in the New York office and it's eight o'clock in the morning here, so you're good," Brooks paused and Hunter imagined he was sipping his coffee. Brooks had either a cup of coffee in his hand or a bottle of beer, depending on the time of day. "So, this chick, she's really into Nick?"

"Yeah and Nick's getting married this weekend...to someone else."

"What the fuck?"

"Agh! It's such a fucking mess. Listen to me, I've turned into a fucking girl spilling all my secrets to you like a pathetic virgin teenager. When I met her, I didn't know she knew Nick and we had this hot night together. I knew she was on the rebound and I didn't hear from her again and then I ran into her at the airport and we were both going to the same fucking wedding."

"That's messed up," Brooks sympathised, "but why not just flash some cash around and distract her from your idiot brother?"

"Stepbrother," Hunter corrected. "And she knows who I am. In another fucking twist in the tale, she's the PR account manager for Green Aviation. And..."

"And..."

"I kind of offered to help her break up Nick's wedding before it happens."

"Fuck."

"Exactly."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"And you really like this girl?"

"I do," Hunter said with a sigh. "She's fucking gorgeous and the one night we had together was definitely not enough."

"Does Nick know?" Brooks asked.

"Not yet," Hunter said, "but get this. The prick thinks he can keep Bailey as his piece on the side after he gets married. And she's fucking willing to do it too."

"Walk away," Brooks said in a very serious voice. "I repeat. Walk the fuck away. I wouldn't touch this mess with a ten-foot pole."

"Yeah."

"Hunter, man, you don't need this crap in your life. Seriously. She might have a magic pussy that grants wishes, but it is not worth the pain of getting wrapped up in someone who loves someone else."

Hunter knew Brooks was right. Brooks had married someone who had unresolved feelings for another guy and it didn't end well. He knew from experience what he was talking about.

"When are you back in the country?" Hunter asked. "We need to get the brotherhood together, it's been too long."

"Shit yeah," Brooks hooted. "I'm back next weekend, all being well. These fuckers are giving me the runaround, but if everything goes according to plan, I should be free and clear by next Thursday."

"You need a plane?" Hunter asked.

Brooks laughed. "I finally bit the bullet and bought my own. My flight home will be its maiden voyage."

"Nice," Hunter said with a smile. "Well I should let you get back to work. Call me when you're home and we'll hang out."

They said their goodbyes and disconnected. Hunter laid down on the sun lounge and closed his eyes. Brooks was right, he needed to walk away from Bailey. The whole thing was too messy and was bound to get even more so before the week was out. It'd be better to cut and run now while he still could.

# 7

Bailey waited in the lobby for Hunter as per his instructions. She'd hardly slept, thanks to his gentle touches and soft kisses from the evening before. When they'd stepped into the elevator after dinner, she was sure he was going to demand she spend the night with him...and she would've said yes.

Instead they'd argued and he'd let her walk away, turning down her offer of a night cap. She'd gone to bed frustrated and confused and desperately wanting something to relieve the ache inside her. And for once, it wasn't Nick she'd been thinking about. It was Hunter.

Now she was about to walk into a brunch with Nick and his fiancé on the arm of Nick's stepbrother in an effort to make him jealous. But the even more confusing thing was that she wasn't sure if it was even what she wanted anymore. Spending time with Hunter had turned her and her life inside out and Nick no longer looked like the shiny penny that she'd always seen him as.

The elevator doors opened and Hunter stepped into the lobby looking like he'd just stepped off the shoot of GQ magazine. He wore dark denim jeans that were fashionably worn in all the right places but still looked like they cost more than the rent on her apartment, a pale blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up exposing his tattoos and a charcoal grey waistcoat. He wasn't wearing a tie and the top buttons of his shirt where undone showing a triangle of tanned skin and a dusting of dark hair. She knew what was under that shirt. She had run her hands intimately over the hills and furrows of his muscles. She wanted to do it again.

He saw her and Bailey prepared to be hit with one of his panty-melting smiles, but it never came. Instead he gave her a stiff nod and stalked towards her.

"My car is in the underground garage," he said, leading her back to the elevators.

He didn't touch her, there was no peck on the cheek in hello or a guiding hand on the small of her back. Hunter had always been touchy-feely with her, so being near him and having him keep a respectable distance between them felt...odd. And it pissed her off.

"Is everything all right?" She asked as the elevator descended to the underground garage.

"Fine," he replied coldly, not looking at her.

"Did something happen last night?" she asked, watching him.

He turned to her and quirked an eyebrow, although it wasn't playful, it was almost...condescending.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice still devoid of the warmth she was used to hearing.

"When you left me," she stammered, "you said you had work to do. Did something happen with your work?"

"Why do you care?" he asked turning away from her.

"I am your PR manager," she replied, getting annoyed with his attitude. "If something's happened that affects the airline, I should probably know what it is so I can go into damage control."

He exhaled harshly, his nostrils flaring and his jaw clenching.

"Nothing happened," he said as the doors slid open and he stalked out into the dim garage.

He pulled keys out of his pocket and stopped in front of a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 and she had to suppress a groan. If you could fall in love with a car, then a '67 Shelby would be the one for her. Her panties may or may not have dampened at the sight of the shiny gun-metal grey paint job and the black GT stripes.

"This is your car?" she asked breathlessly running a hand along the smooth duco.

"One of them," he said as he unlocked the car with the remote.

He opened the door for her and the smell of leather hit her as she slid into the passenger seat. The interior was in pristine condition; the woodgrain steering wheel, the old-fashioned speedometer, and the Shelby insignia on the dash and gear stick.

She waited for him to fold his large body into the sports car and turn the key. She couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips at the deep-throated sound of the engine as it echoed through the underground garage.

"I can't believe you own Eleanor," she said, eyes closed, soaking in the sound and vibrations of the car.

"You know Eleanor?" he asked, and a bit of the frost was gone from his tone.

Her eyes opened and she looked over at him. "Eleanor is my wet dream car," she replied, sweeping her eyes over his body.

He made a noise in the back of his throat and clenched his jaw as he shifted into first and pulled out of the parking space.

They traveled in silence for a while and although he had begun to thaw towards her, she wasn't sure it would be enough to convince others that they were really a couple. She had no idea what had happened to cause him to shut her out and the abrupt change in his attitude towards her left her feeling a little unstable. She had to get them back on track, but without knowing what she did wrong, she didn't know how to fix it.

"So, what's the game plan?" he asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"Game plan?" she asked.

His nod was sharp. "For the brunch. I assume Nick doesn't know that I'm your date."

"Ah, no," she said, "but he does know that I have one."

"So, what? We just walk in there and say 'surprise?'"

"Do you have a better idea?" she asked.

"No," he bit out and then sighed. "Surprise is probably better anyway, at least you'll see his initial reaction without him having time to get used to the idea."

She turned to look out the window. She wasn't looking forward to the confrontation with Nick, especially not in front of a whole lot of people she didn't know. He had never been possessive of her, but he'd never actually been confronted with her dating before either. And this was his stepbrother, the guy he was always in competition with. It didn't help that Hunter was more successful, richer and, some would say, better looking. All of that just added to Nick's feelings of inadequacy. What would seeing her with Hunter do to him?

* * *

Hunter took a deep breath as he stepped out of the car at the restaurant. It had been a sweet sort of torture being in a confined space with Blue and breathing in her flowery scent. He had been assaulted by memories of how soft her skin was and what she tasted like. His determination to stay away from her had been sorely tested when she had gushed over his car and then again when she had moaned when the engine turned over. It was all kinds of hot to have a woman go all fan-girl over his car and all he could think about was stretching her over the hood as he thrust into her warm, wet core.

Not helping.

He walked around the car and opened the door for her, extending a hand to help her out. The touch of her hand in his sent a jolt straight to his dick and he had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm the beating of his heart.

She wore a cream dress that skimmed her body, tucked in at the waist and ended at her knees. Her waist was cinched with a wide beige belt and she wore the same nude coloured heels from last night. Her gorgeous rose gold hair fell in soft waves and his fingers itched to feel the soft strands running through them.

She stood next to him, straightening her dress and touching up her lipstick and he could no longer stop himself from touching her. He rested his hand on the small of her back and leant in close to her ear.

"Are you ready?" he whispered, and then took pleasure in the shiver that vibrated through her body.

She turned her head slightly so that she could look into his eyes. "Are you?" she asked, her voice husky.

He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, trying to hold on to the last bit of his control.

"Let's get this over with," he said and pressed his hand into her back, propelling her forward.

The restaurant they were meeting at was perched on the riverfront with spectacular water views. The Heart-Rusch party had commandeered the entire outdoor seating area and he and Bailey were the last to arrive. Way to make an entrance.

The conversation stopped as they stepped onto the deck and all eyes swivelled towards them. They were both outsiders and the other guests looked at them curiously. Nick jumped to his feet, his eyes zeroing in on the placement of Hunter's hand on Bailey's hip.

"Hunter, Bailey," he said, forcing his mouth into a smile, "you made it. Where are your, ah, dates?"

Hunter and Bailey shared a smile.

"Funny thing," Hunter said, addressing the rapt audience. "Bailey and I are each other's dates." He smiled down at her, happy to see that her eyes were on him and not Nick.

"What?" Nick stammered. "I don't understand."

Bailey laughed. "Surprise!" she said. "Hunter and I have been seeing each other for a couple of months now and didn't put it together until just recently that we were heading to the same wedding. Pretty weird, huh?"

"Nicky," a petit brunette said, standing next to him, "aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Oh, yeah, right," he said and Hunter smiled at his discomfiture.

"Ainsley, this is my old friend Bailey and my stepbrother Hunter. Bailey and Hunter, this is my fiancé, Ainsley."

Ainsley moved around the table and shook their hands. "It's so great to finally meet you," she said, looking them up and down. "And Bailey, I can't thank you enough for stepping in to be my bridesmaid at the last minute." She cast a critical eye over Bailey and Hunter felt his hackles rise. "Thank God you're not a fatty," she said with a small laugh, "or that would've been awkward. It's a pity about the hair though." She tapped her lip with her forefinger thoughtfully. "You wouldn't consider dyeing it for the weekend, would you?"

He saw Bailey's mouth drop open and the words were coming out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"You're not touching Blue's hair," he growled.

"Oh, come on, Hunter," Ainsley said, not taking her eyes off Bailey. "The colour is all wrong. The bridesmaid dress is pink and it will clash awfully with that brassy red. I'm just talking a temporary colour, a dark chocolate maybe."

"Ah, I don't think so," Bailey said shaking her head.

"Definitely not," Hunter growled again.

Ainsley shrugged. "It was worth a shot." She turned her assessing gaze on him. "Is the beard negotiable?" she asked.

"No," Bailey said instantly and with a bit of heat.

He huffed out a surprised laugh. He was shocked by Ainsley's audacity but he was equally surprised by Bailey's defence of his facial hair. Although, it had been the conversation starter when they first met.

"He can grow it back," Ainsley said. "After the wedding."

"Sorry, Princess," he said, "the beard stays."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but nodded before turning away and returning to Nick's side and they moved back to their seats. Hunter prompted Bailey towards the two vacant chairs left for them and he held one out for her, before taking his own seat.

He looked around for a menu, but there were none on the table. He picked up a glass of water and took a sip, looking around the table. Ainsley signalled a waiter and coffee was brought out for everyone followed by plates of food.

"I took the liberty of ordering for everyone," she said, "In the interest of efficiency."

Hunter looked down at the plate in front of him. Two poached eggs, whole grain toast and some wilted spinach. He hoped this was just the entree because it sure as shit wasn't enough to fill him up. He cast a look at Bailey's plate and did a double-take. Her plate was even less inspiring than his; six little balls of melon (two each of rockmelon, honeydew and watermelon) and a couple of mint leaves. They shared a look and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay girls," Ainsley said, bringing the meeting to order, "From this moment forward you are all on diets. In the packet in front of you is your approved eating plan. You are to stick to this for the rest of the week. It's a detox diet guaranteed to ensure flat stomachs on my big day."

To Hunter's absolute astonishment, the other women around the table nodded enthusiastically. What the fucking-loving hell was this shit?

He put his arm around Bailey's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear. The floral scent of her hair overwhelmed him and he placed a soft kiss on her neck. He heard her sharp intake of breath and smiled.

"Are you okay with this diet?" he whispered.

"Fuck no," she whispered back.

He chuckled and sat back up in his chair in time to see the daggers Nick was throwing his way. Hunter just smiled serenely in return.

* * *

Bailey had heard of bridezillas before, but she thought they were more of a myth than reality. And if they did exist, well then, it was probably just an unfortunate nickname attached to a bride who had a momentary meltdown under the stress of trying to organise the perfect day. She now knew that bridezillas did in fact exist and Ainsley was their queen.

Who the hell did she think she was demanding that her bridesmaids do a detox diet the week before the wedding? And what the fuck was all that shit about her colouring her hair? The woman was certifiable. And she would shave Hunter's beard off over Bailey's dead body.

"Also in your packets," Ainsley said, "is the itinerary for the week. I expect you all to memorise it and be on time to each and every event."

She heard Hunter grunt beside her and couldn't help the smile that tilted her lips. She looked up and caught Nick's eyes on her and he didn't look happy, which should make her happy, but didn't. He had a lot of gall to be jealous of her dating someone when he was getting fucking married. It hit her then that he was really going to go through with it and he was expecting her to just wait around for him and be his little distraction on the side. Nick wanted his wedding cake and he wanted to eat it too. But Bailey began to suspect that she deserved more than that. She deserved someone who would love just her and devote themselves to just her. Nick would never be that person.

A pall of melancholy settled over her. She thought she would be happy with whatever scraps Nick would throw her way, but she was kidding herself. And the fact that he would expect that kind of hurt.

She felt the gentle pressure of Hunter's arm as it once again wound around her shoulder and the whisper of his breath and the brush of his whiskers over the exposed skin of her neck caused her eyes to flutter and it took all her willpower to not let them close. The soft press of lips under her ear undid her and she let her lids fall closed and angled her head to give him more real estate to work with.

"What's wrong, Blue?" he murmured into her skin. "Where'd you go?"

She took a breath and opened her eyes, turning her head to gaze into the beautiful green of his eyes. She leant towards his and brushed her lips across his in a chaste kiss and she felt his hand tighten on her opposite shoulder.

"Nothing," she whispered against his lips. "Nothing's wrong."

"Bullshit," he whispered back, but the smile in his eyes took the sting out of the harsh words. "But I'll let it go for now." He pressed another kiss to her lips, his eyes not leaving hers. "Now, eat up, you're going to need your strength to get through the dress fitting this afternoon."

She smiled at him and his eyes lit up with mirth. The strain that had been between them this morning melted away and she reached up to cup his jaw, threading her fingers through his soft beard. His eyes darkened, heating with desire.

The scrape of chair legs on the deck broke through the fog of her brain and the clearing of Nick's throat had her sitting back from Hunter. His eyes flashed with something she couldn't name and he sat back in his own chair, turning his head toward the now standing Nick.

"Gentlemen," he said, "I believe it's time for us to leave these lovely ladies to their dresses and shoes and makeup. Who's up for a game of golf?"

"Sorry, Nick," Hunter said, "but I'm Blue's...I mean _Bailey's_ ride. If I go to golf, she will be stranded."

Nick smiled, a Machiavellian glint in his eye. "I'm sure Ainsley wouldn't mind giving Bailey a ride, would you darling?"

Ainsley looked up at him and twitched, but turned a small smile on Bailey. "Of course I wouldn't mind," she said.

"Well, that's settled then," Nick said and he proceeded to usher the men from the table.

Hunter gave her a hopeless look and she was sure that it was a mirror of her own. It felt a little too much like they were being fed to the sharks.

"Dinner, tonight?" he whispered hastily.

"Yes," she replied.

He brushed his lips quickly across hers as he was dragged away from her by one of Nick's other groomsmen. She watched helplessly as the men left and then swallowed before turning back to the women that were left. Ainsley was giving her a calculating look as if she were trying to work her out.

"Is that _the_ Hunter Green?" one of the other bridesmaids asked.

Bailey nodded robotically. "Yes," she said.

"The billionaire who owns Green Aviation?" another one asked.

"Yes," Bailey said again

"Wow," said yet another bridesmaid. "He's hot."

A curious feeling in her stomach made her squirm uncomfortably. "Yes," she said, more forcefully than she meant to. "He is."

"Okay ladies," Ainsley clapped her hands together. "Time to stop ogling the men and get to the dress fitting." She looked over at Bailey. "I think you might be a bit shorter and a bit bigger than Penny. I hope the dressmaker can alter the dress in time. Make sure you stick to that detox diet just in case, though."

Bailey bit back the ugly retort that bubbled to the tip of her tongue. She was well aware of what Ainsley was trying to do. Bailey had known girls like her all her life and she refused to let this one get under her skin.

Ainsley led them out to the carpark and Bailey followed her to the white Mercedes convertible. With a flick of her hand, Ainsley indicated that she should get in and Bailey settled herself into the front seat. They led the convoy of cars out of the carpark and towards the bridal shop.

"So, how long have you known my Nicky?" she asked.

"We went to school together," Bailey replied, prepared for the third degree.

"And you live in Melbourne now?" she went on.

"Yes, I work for a boutique PR firm," Bailey said.

"My Nicky used to travel to Melbourne a bit for work," she said, keeping her eyes on the road.

"I know," Bailey said easily. "We would catch up and have dinner when he was in town."

"I never could understand why he needed to go in person. I had a word to his dad and we agreed that he could do the work remotely, that way he doesn't have to spend all that time away from me."

"That's understandable," Bailey said and smiled at her.

Ainsley was on a fishing expedition and Bailey refused to give her anything. If she was going to go through with sabotaging the wedding, it wouldn't be this way. She wanted Nick to choose her over Ainsley and that wasn't going to happen if she forced his hand. No, if Ainsley suspected anything, she wouldn't get any proof from Bailey.

# 8

"What the fuck, Hunter? You're dating Bailey?" Nick said to him when they were standing at the first hole after having teed off. The other three groomsmen had already set off in their golf cart in pursuit of their balls which left him alone with Nick.

"Yeah, so?" Hunter said, grabbing his club and heading back to the cart. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"Yes, I fucking do," Nick replied, slamming his club into his golf bag and climbing into the cart. "Bailey and I have history and fucking unfinished business."

Hunter started the cart and depressed the accelerator. "But that's just it, Nick, it's history. Bailey's with me now and you're fucking getting married. I'd say your business is well and truly finished." Hunter gripped the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. If he didn't, he feared he would grip something else, like Nick's fucking neck, and squeeze until the stupid shit stopped breathing.

"Are you doing this just to piss me off?" he asked. "With all your money and connections you could have anyone, so why Bailey?" Nick's voice was like a whiny kid who was told he had to share his favourite Legos.

"Are you really such a narcissistic asshole that you think the entire world revolves around you?" Hunter asked with a shake of his head. "I had no idea that Bailey knew you when we met and we didn't even make the connection until the subject of the wedding came up." Hunter took a breath and said with a smile, "She never even mentioned you."

"But Bailey's mine," Nick growled.

"No," Hunter said, "Bailey may have been yours at some point but you gave up any right to her when you got engaged to Ainsley."

"You know why I'm marrying Ainsley. I'm doing it for dad, for the business."

"Nick, you're fucking thirty years old and this isn't the dark ages. You don't need to marry just because it's good for business and you're old enough to make you own fucking decisions without waiting for your father's approval. What, were you hoping that Bailey would just wait around for you and then be content with a weekend here and there with you while you lived the marriage dream up here with Ainsley? Bailey deserves more than that. She deserves the fucking world." Hunter couldn't believe what he was hearing coming out of Nick's mouth. He'd always known that the shithead was spineless and a suck-up, but he hadn't realised just how much of a selfish prick he was too.

"But Bailey is not the marrying kind," Nick whined. "I need someone who will support me and my career, who will organise the dinner parties and charm the wives of the men we do business with. Bailey has her own career and she wouldn't be happy giving it up."

"You're right, Bailey would never be happy being your fucking trophy wife and you'd be an absolute fuckwit if you expected her to be. But that doesn't mean she's not the marrying kind and if you can't see what an amazing life partner she could be then you should just leave her the hell alone. She's with me now anyway and I like that she's independent and has her own career. You are not fucking JFK and you don't get to have both Jackie and Marilyn. You made your choice, now stay the fuck away from my girlfriend."

Hunter stopped the cart next to the other one and got out to find his ball. What he really wanted to do was plough his fist through Nick's face for being such a fucking douchebag. No, Bailey wasn't the kind to stand in the background and play the 'hostess with the mostest' but Hunter would never ask her to be. She was fucking perfect just the way she was...well except for her illogical attachment to Nick.

Fuck. Damn. Shit.

What the hell did she see in the guy and why was she happy with the way he had treated her? Maybe it was true what they said, women do really prefer assholes.

The one thing he couldn't deny, though, was how her body responded to him. That wasn't an act. Her body fucking lit up like a Christmas tree whenever he was near her and she responded to his little touches and kisses involuntarily. And the one night they'd spent together? That was like fucking New Year's Eve with all the fireworks that were set off between them. Why couldn't she see that he'd be so much better for her than Nick?

But that was just the thing, wasn't it? They weren't really in a relationship, they weren't really boyfriend and girlfriend and they had only slept together the one time. This was all an act to make Nick jealous and by the end of the weekend, Nick would either come to his senses and drop Ainsley for Bailey or he would convince Bailey that their arrangement was what she wanted and Hunter would be left out in the cold.

Bailey didn't want Hunter, no matter how much her body seemed to want him. Bailey wanted the fantasy with Nick and there was nothing that he could do to change that. He'd gone into this deception with the intent to win Bailey over, to show her what a mistake she was making with Nick. But he was getting in far too deep and his heart was in danger of forgetting that what they had wasn't real.

He'd known from the moment he and Bailey had shared those shots of tequila that she was someone he could fall in love with and he'd wanted more than just a one night stand. When she hadn't called, he'd tossed up the idea of trying to find her, but he had nothing to go on. She hadn't even given him her name.

Now he had a second chance with her, a second chance to prove that there was something amazing happening between them. Except that she was still hung up on her ex and she was only here with him so that she could make said ex jealous. There was no way he could win with all that baggage still hanging around in her life and he'd be better off just walking away.

Which made sense in theory, but was shot to hell whenever he walked into the same room as her. The need to touch her, to breathe in her floral scent, to feel the warmth of her body next to his...that broke down his defences every single time. He was powerless around her and he fucking loved it. Did that make him some sort of masochist? He didn't care. It was a sweet and wonderful torture, which he knew he would pay for in the long run, but one which he knew he was unable to walk away from.

* * *

Bailey looked over at Ainsley, confused when she pulled into the underground parking garage of Oceans Resort. There wasn't a bridal boutique anywhere near here.

"What are we doing here?" she asked as Ainsley parked and turned the car off.

"This is where I'm meeting the dressmaker," she explained. "I didn't like any of the places here on the coast and I'd heard about this strange woman who had a boutique in Paddington, so I booked her. She's kind of weird, but I like her work."

Bailey followed Ainsley out of the car and they met the other bridesmaids at the elevator. They all piled in and Ainsley pressed the button for the penthouse. When the doors opened onto the hallway, Bailey saw two doors. Ainsley headed to the one on the left and Bailey wondered if the one on the right was Hunter's suite. He hadn't given her his room number, but the guy was a billionaire so no doubt he would have booked the penthouse.

Ainsley knocked on the door and it was opened by a small mousy looking woman.

"Hello Annette," Ainsley said politely, "is Madam Hilda ready for us?"

"Yes, Miss Rusch, please come in."

They all trooped into the suite and Bailey had to grit her teeth to stop her jaw from hitting the floor. Bailey was not poor by any means, but she also couldn't afford to stay in a place like this. It was gorgeous and had a spectacular view of the Sunshine Coast, the glittering blue ocean stretching out for miles in front of her. All Bailey's room afforded her was the view of the high rise behind them.

"Please take a seat," Annette said. "I'll get Madam Hilda for you."

They sat on the large sectional sofa and faced the expansive picture windows that displayed the view. Bailey sighed. She could sit here and look at this all day.

A door opened behind them and Bailey turned to see an older woman bustle out of one of the bedrooms. She looked like a gypsy with her brightly coloured handkerchief skirt and off the shoulder blouse. Her hair was tied up in a scarf and large gold hoops hung from her ears.

Ainsley stood and clasped hands with the woman, but the woman's eyes narrowed in on Bailey. She felt like she was being judged, sized up like a horse at auction.

"Madam Hilda, I'd like you to meet Bailey. She's filling in for Penny."

Madam Hilda walked towards her and Bailey stood. The older woman took her hands and Bailey felt a little buzz of static electricity when they touched that zinged through her body. Madam Hilda smiled.

"Yes," she said in a strange accent that seemed to fit her like a glove, "you're perfect." She turned and starting dragging Bailey with her towards the room she just walked out of. "The rest of you stay here. Annette will bring your gowns."

Madam Hilda pushed Bailey through the door and closed it behind them.

"Now let me get a better look at you," she said. "Take off your clothes."

Bailey wasn't a prude, but she didn't exactly feel comfortable stripping in front of this strange old woman. She took her time removing her shoes and belt and then lowering the zipper of her dress. She'd known they were having a dress fitting so she'd worn decent underwear, thank god, but she hadn't realised she would be doing the full Monty with an audience.

"Don't be shy," Madam Hilda said to her without turning around. "I've seen it all before and I need to look at you to make sure the dress is right."

Bailey slipped off her shift and laid it on the bed. Madam Hilda took her hand and pulled her to the centre of the room and then did a slow circuit around her, looking her up and down.

"Yes," she said again. "Perfect. Okay, you try on dress now."

Madam Hilda walked over to the large walk-in robe and disappeared inside, reappearing a moment later with a beautiful chiffon dress. Yes, it was pink as Ainsley had warned, but it was more a blush than really pink.

Madam Hilda helped her step into the dress and pulled it up. She slipped her arms through the thin straps and then the other woman zipped up the side. The dress had a v-neck, with spaghetti straps and was cinched under the bust with a chiffon sash. It was also backless, with a deep swag of chiffon that hung from the shoulders. The dress was floor length and the colour just on the pink side of nude. It was gorgeous and Bailey was surprised at Ainsley elegant taste. She'd imagined something hideous chosen to make sure the bridesmaids didn't out shine the bride.

Madam Hilda fussed with the dress, checking the fit and length, adjusting the fall of the fabric here and there, but she needn't have bothered. The dress fit perfectly, like it was made for her.

"Wonderful," Madam Hilda murmured then she looked up into Bailey's eyes. "He is going to fall in love with you in this dress."

"What? Who?"

But Madam Hilda just smiled. "Come, let us see how the others are getting on."

Bailey picked up her skirts and followed Madam Hilda back into the lounge room where the other bridesmaids waited wearing the same dress that she was. Ainsley looked fit to be tied.

"These are not the dresses I ordered," she grouched.

"No," Madam Hilda said, "but these are the dresses you're getting."

"That's not how this works," Ainsley said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm the bride, I get to decide what my bridesmaids wear."

"That may be how it usually works," Madam Hilda said calmly, "but when you walked into my shop and demanded I make dresses for you, you agreed to my stipulations."

The corner of Ainsley's mouth turned up in a sneer, but Madam Hilda wasn't bothered by it.

"You signed the contract," the older woman went on. "Shall I have Annette read you the clause you agreed to?"

Annette started to read without waiting for Ainsley's reply. "Madam Hilda reserves the right to change the design of the dress as she sees fit in the event of, but not limited to, the client's bad taste, lack of foresight or abominable fashion sense."

"You signed the contract and agreed to my terms."

Ainsley's pretty face screwed up into something resembling a toddler on the brink of a total meltdown.

"The dresses do look really nice," Bridesmaid One chimed in with a soothing tone.

"They really do," Bridesmaid Two added. "Much better than Felicia's bridesmaids."

Ainsley turned to her bridesmaids and looked them over critically.

"Yes," she said in a thoughtful tone, "they do look better than the ones Felicia made her bridesmaids wear."

"And they will look amazing in the photographs," Bridesmaid Three added. "So elegant and sophisticated. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you a two page spread in 'Weekend Brides.'"

Ainsley continued to circle the four of them with a critical eye. "Hmmm."

"And my hair doesn't clash," Bailey said helpfully, "so that's a bonus."

Ainsley spared her a withering look before turning back to Madam Hilda. "Okay," she said, "I approve. Now where is my dress?"

The next couple of hours were spent in the suite with Madam Hilda, as Ainsley tried on her dress (which was exactly what she ordered and a little on the over-the-top side for Bailey) and Madam Hilda made adjustments. Bailey's dress was the only one that didn't need to be altered which was a little perplexing since she had been the last minute addition and nobody had measured her for the dress in the first place.

Once both Ainsley and Madam Hilda were happy with the fit, they went on to choose shoes and accessories, right down to the underwear they would wear. Madam Hilda provided it all. By the end of the ordeal, Bailey was exhausted. She liked trying on new clothes and shoes as much as the next person, but Ainsley had made it an Olympic sport.

Finally, she was ushered back into the bedroom to undress and as Madam Hilda helped her out of her gown, she noticed the other woman's eyes on her, like she was deciding whether to say something or not.

"What is it?" Bailey asked nervously.

Madam Hilda smiled and shrugged. "It's right under your nose, you know," she said cryptically.

"What is?" Bailey asked.

"Everything you want. It's right there just waiting for you to see it."

"I don't understand," Bailey said, feeling a little creeped out.

"But he's not going to wait for you forever," she said before she left the room leaving Bailey to chew over what she said.

The woman was strange, but what she said resonated with Bailey. Was the woman talking about Hunter? Could he be everything that she was looking for? But how could she know? How could she even perceive the mess and confusion that was in Bailey's head. For the last five years, Nick had been the only one she'd wanted. Whenever she'd imagined her future, it had always been beside Nick. Now that future looked different. She still loved Nick, but she wasn't prepared to only have part of him. If she couldn't have all of him, then she wasn't sure she wanted him at all.

And what about Hunter? The man had bulldozed into her life and had her so discombobulated that she didn't know which side was up. And he made her body sing. Sex with Nick had always been good but it paled in comparison to the night she'd spent with Hunter. At the time, she'd put it down to it being new and different, but now she was starting to wonder if it was more than that. Whenever he was in the same airspace as her, her body responded carnally and without conscious thought. Her body craved Hunter even as her mind battled with her heart over Nick.

In her brain, she knew that what Nick offered her set women back hundreds of years and as a card-carrying feminist she was appalled that she even considered becoming Nick's mistress, but her heart couldn't, wouldn't, give him up. Not without a fight, anyway.

So, with her body wanting Hunter, her mind telling her Nick needed to choose one or the other and her heart telling her that it had always been Nick and would always be Nick, Bailey was a mess of confusion.

She was in a daze as they said goodbye to Madam Hilda and stepped out into the hall. Bailey begged off from the early afternoon cocktails that the other women had organised and instead said she would just head to her room for a nap, seeing as though her room was only a couple of floors down. The other woman waved her off and stepped into the elevator as Hunter stepped out and her knees turned to jelly at the sight of him.

* * *

"Bailey," he said, his voice concerned, "were you looking for me?"

She shook her head, biting her lip. "No, ah, I...I mean we were just in there," she said indicating the other door, "for the dress fitting."

"Oh," he said, stopping in front of her, fidgeting with his hands.

"You're back early," she said, looking up at him. "Surely you can't have finished eighteen holes already."

He grinned. "No," he said, "but I reached my asshole limit."

She smiled and shook her head.

"Do you want to come in," he asked, "for a drink?"

She looked down at the ground and then peeked up at him, she wanted to but didn't know if she should. This morning he had been so cold towards her and then at brunch he had been affectionate. Now he was being friendly, and she really didn't know how to take him.

He stepped closer to her and tucked a curl behind her ear. "I promise not to bite," he whispered. "Not unless you ask me to."

She searched his eyes and decided she wanted to spend some more time with him, time without expectations or interruptions or the need to pretend that they were more than they were. She wanted to get to know him, really get to know him, hear his story, figure out what made Hunter the man he was.

"Okay," she said.

He smiled and pulled the keycard out to unlock the door. Bailey followed him into the suite and took in the plush surroundings. It was just as fabulous as Madam Hilda's suite except that Hunter's view was the opposite direction. Madam Hilda's windows faced north, Hunter's south, but both were equally lovely.

Hunter stood at the kitchen bench. "What can I get you?" he asked. "I have a fine selection of mini bar favourites."

"Actually," she said, "I'd quite like a beer."

He quirked his eyebrow in that way he had and her stomach flipped. "I don't think I've ever seen you drink beer," he replied. "In fact, I would have placed a quite significant wager on the fact that you didn't drink the stuff."

She chuckled. "You hardly know me, Irish," she said. "We haven't even been on a date."

"An oversight I intend to remedy. But for now, I have Corona or Hahn Light?"

"Corona," she replied as she flopped onto the couch and looked out over the ocean.

He joined her a minute later, sitting close, but not touching. He handed her the Corona and put his bare feet up on the coffee table in front of them before he sipped his beer.

"This is the only thing I miss living in Melbourne," she said to him.

"Oh?" he said and then he nodded. "That's right, you grew up here."

"Yeah," she replied. "I don't miss the humidity or the small town atmosphere, but I do miss the view."

"No plans to move back here then?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I considered it, but being back here, it reminds me of all the reasons I left."

"It's a beautiful place to visit, but I wouldn't want to do business here," Hunter said.

"Where did you grow up?" she asked, looking over at him. He stared straight ahead, out the window into the late afternoon sunshine.

"Carlton," he replied. "I still live there."

"Oh?" she asked. "In the same house?"

He nodded. "I bought it off my mum when she decided she needed a sea change. It's an old house, but I've done some extensive renovations on it."

"So why the hotel room in the city?" she asked.

"They were working on the bathrooms and the water was turned off," he replied, looking over at her. "I was only going to be in town for a couple of nights, so I figured a hotel room would be easy enough. Besides, I know the owner and he always gives me a good deal."

"You know the owner of The Mayfield?" she asked, surprised. He nodded and she shook her head. "Of course you do," she said, "you're a freaking billionaire."

He huffed out a laugh. "I've known Declan since uni. We're good friends and I like his hotels. I'm glad I stayed there that night."

His eyes heated as he stared at her.

She blinked up at him, warmth and a low level buzz swirling inside her.

"Me too," she whispered.

He leaned towards her, just a fraction, and then seemed to catch himself. He gritted his teeth, the muscle in his jaw jumping and he sat back, turning away from her and swigging from his bottle.

She cleared her throat, not quite sure what was going on with him. With them.

"So, do you travel a lot?" she asked. "I know you have an office in Canberra."

He nodded sharply. "Yeah, I split my time between the two offices. Madeline and a couple of other key staff members travel with me. I find it more efficient if we all travel together."

"Canberra's pretty," she said, "but I don't think I could live there."

"No," he said, "I have an apartment there, but it's more just a place to sleep. My house in Carlton is home, not that I'm there very often."

"So, are you a pilot?" she asked, loving the chance to get to know him a bit better, to ask the questions that had plagued her. "Is that how you got into the whole airline thing?"

"My dad was," he said. "He started the company with a single plane and he would fly charters. I got my pilot's license when I was old enough and we'd fly together, but I didn't love it like he did. The business side of it was where my passion was. I started making changes to the business and before we knew it, we had several planes and pilots and were making enough money that dad didn't have to fly anymore."

"Do you still fly?" she asked.

"Occasionally," he said with a sad smile, "to keep my certification current mainly, but also as a way to stay close to my dad."

"What happened to him?" she asked softly, her hand snaking out to curl around his as it lay on the couch between them.

"Cancer," he replied. "He was a smoker, tried to give it up, but just couldn't shake the habit. It was a hard time for my mum, watching him die that way." He turned his hand over in hers so they were palm to palm and wove his fingers through hers, squeezing gently.

"How long ago was that?" she asked.

"Five years," he replied. "Mum moved to the Sunny Coast eighteen months later and met Patrick in the first six months. They've been married nearly three years now."

"She seems happy," Bailey said, tracing a pattern on the back of his hand with her other hand.

He smiled. "She is. For all Patrick's faults, he loves my mother and he takes care of her." He shifted so his body was angled towards hers. "What about you?" he asked. "How did you find yourself living and working in Melbourne?"

She sighed. "Well, I grew up here. My parents still live here in fact. Middle class, average upbringing, which I kind of hated." She smiled. "I wanted more. I loved the city and as soon as I graduated high school I applied for universities in all the major cities. Finally got accepted at Monash, so I packed up my life and left the Sunny Coast behind in my dust. I haven't looked back since."

"You don't miss your family?" he asked.

"I keep in fairly regular touch with my sister," she replied, "but my parents and I have what you would call a...tenuous relationship."

"They didn't like you moving to Melbourne?" he guessed.

Bailey shook her head. "They didn't understand why I had to leave. My mum and dad are very bland, if that makes sense. They like to keep the status quo, not rock the boat. They're the kind of parents that don't encourage their kids to dream too big or reach too far just in case they fail."

"Wow," he said shaking his head. "I think I would have gone insane if my parents hadn't encouraged me and given me opportunities to spread my wings."

"Yeah, so that's why I had to leave. I don't even get points for making a success of my life either," she said, feeling the old anger. "It's like they're just waiting for the other shoe to drop and for my world to fall apart just so they can say, 'I told you so.'"

He lifted a hand to her hair and picked up a tendril, letting it slide through his fingers.

"I'm glad they didn't break your spirit, Blue," he said, his voice low and husky. "It would've been such a shame for you to lose that sparkle in your eye."

God, what could she say to that? They had only just started to get to know one another, but already Hunter got her. He understood her more than anyone else ever had. She gazed up at him, wanting...something. They had such a tangible connection and if it wasn't for Nick, then she could see herself giving in to his overwhelming presence.

He stood suddenly and the moment was gone.

"Should we order room service?" he asked.

# 9

Hunter stalked away from the couch, away from the temptation he saw in Bailey's eyes. He grabbed the room service menu and began to flick through it, anything to get his mind off what he really wanted to do, which was lay Bailey out on the couch, slide between her thighs and lose himself in her.

He flicked through the pages, needing the distraction.

"Uh, sure," she said, uncertainty flicking in her eyes.

"Or we could go out if you'd prefer," he said, trying to hide the desperation in his voice. "I could take you on our first date." He smiled at her then, not wanting to frighten her away, but needing to put some distance between them.

She grimaced. "If it's all the same to you," she said, "I'd rather stay in. Maybe we could watch a DVD or Netflix?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, that's sounds good," he said. "So what can I tempt you with in the way of food?"

"I'd really love a burger," she said shyly and he couldn't help grinning. He loved this about her, the lack of guile, the lack of airs and graces, not that she couldn't be a society lady if she put her mind to it. He'd been impressed with the way she had carried herself at brunch among the wannabes and he'd experienced her professionalism in her job. But his favourite part of Bailey was the one that sat on his couch with her shoes off and her masks removed.

"One burger it is," he said. "Do you want fries with that?" She giggled and nodded. "And to drink?"

Bailey held up her Corona. "Another one of these would be perfect."

Hunter placed their order, getting a burger and another beer for himself and then returned to the couch, picking up the remote.

"So, what are you in the mood for?" he asked.

"Will you hate me if I say a RomCom?" she asked.

"As long as I get to pick it," he said. "I don't want anything too mushy."

She laughed. "Fine," she said, "and while you're doing that, I'm just going to run down to my room and change."

"You're not going to stand me up, are you?" he asked, suddenly afraid that she would have second thoughts and not come back.

She stood and dropped a kiss on his head. "I promise I'll be back," she said, "and I'll bring dessert."

He watched her walk away, her feet bare and her shoes held in one hand, her handbag in the other. This woman had bewitched him and he was helpless to resist her.

He forced his attention onto the television and searched through the available movies until he found one that fulfilled the brief...romantic comedy, heavy on the comedy, light on the romance. The last thing he needed was something that would give him ideas about how to woo her.

God, he wanted to woo her. He wanted to win her, but he wanted it to be on his terms. He didn't want to be her second choice or to win her by default and he had no idea how to make sure that what she felt for him was real and not just because she was heartbroken over Nick.

Fucking Nick.

Hunter wasn't normally a violent person, but God, he wanted to punch him so fucking bad and not because he had Bailey's affections, although that did add fuel to the fire. No, the reason he wanted to leave his stepbrother a broken and bloody mess was because of his callous disregard for Bailey's feelings. The guy was stringing her along, making promises that weren't fair to Bailey. He just wished Bailey could see that for herself.

And then maybe when she looked at him, she would see everything he could offer her. And he would give her anything she asked for if it was in his power to do so. He would move heaven and earth for her, he would catch the moon for her. And, apparently, he would wax poetic for her.

Fuck.

He was absolutely undone by her. How the hell was he going to make it through this evening without touching her? Without tasting her, without feeling the press of her soft, sweet lips on his?

There was a knock on the door and he got up to answer it. He opened the door to room service and let the guy bring the tray in, directing him to set it down on the coffee table.

He could do this... _would_ do this...because more than anything else, he wanted Bailey in his life, even if it was just as friends. She was going to need a friend when she came to the realisation that Nick was going to marry Ainsley and that the future she had thought she'd have with Nick was never going to be. That was going to crush Bailey. It may even break her. And if that happened, he would be there to pick up the pieces and he would make sure that Nick could never hurt her again.

* * *

Bailey fidgeted with the hem of her sweatshirt as she walked towards Hunter's door. She really didn't know what she was doing. This thing with Hunter was crazy. The way she felt about him, the confusion she felt...it was all spinning out of control.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door and it opened almost immediately as if he were waiting right on the other side, waiting for her to knock, like he was worried she wouldn't come back.

She'd be lying if she said that she hadn't considered texting him and telling him that she was too tired, that she was just going to crawl into bed, but who was she kidding? She wanted to explore this thing with him. The attraction to him was so strong and whenever they were near, it felt like they were connected by a thin silver thread. She really wanted to tug on that thread and see where it led.

His face broke into a relieved smile when he saw her, which made her stomach flip and her knees go weak. The man was a goddamned Adonis with his green eyes, dark beard and those tattoos. He'd changed while she was gone and he wore linen draw string pants and a white, long-sleeved t-shirt that pulled across the muscles of his chest and shoulders. She could see the swirls of ink showing through the thin fabric of his sleeves and her fingers ached to trace the lines.

"Perfect timing," he said. "Your dinner is served." He performed a smart little bow and swept his hand to the side, ushering her into the suite. She went willingly, doubts and thoughts of begging off disappearing at the sight of him.

She held up the bag in her hand. "Dessert," she said, "as promised. I hope you like gelato."

"It's only one of my favourite things to put in my mouth," he said, taking the bag from her, his fingers brushing against his. She swallowed.

He put the gelato in the freezer and then took her hand, leading her over to the lounge room where their room service was set out on the coffee table. They sat on the floor in front of it, Japanese style. His shoulder rubbed against hers as he lifted the covers off their burgers with a flourish and popped the top off her Corona. They settled into comfortable companionship as they ate and watched the movie. Their conversation was easy and it felt natural for Bailey to rest her head on his shoulder.

She felt her eyes droop, the stress of the day catching up with her. Being with Hunter was nice and she relaxed into him as he put his arm around her and pulled her more securely into his side. The fight to keep her eyes open was lost and she surrendered to the pull of sleep.

"Blue." The whispered endearment brought her out of her doze, the soft caress of his hand along her cheek and the warmth of his breath on her neck made her open sleepy eyes and look up at him with longing. "You fell asleep," he whispered.

She lifted her hand and stroked his jaw, loving the feeling of his soft whiskers under her palm.

"You make a good pillow," she whispered back, not taking her eyes from his.

She watched as the bright green orbs darkened and his nostrils flared. She recognised that look and it made her stomach flutter and her core heat.

His hand cupped her cheek and slid around her neck to tangle in her hair. Her eyes fluttered as she felt his hand on her hip tighten, drawing her closer. He lowered his head to hers and rubbed the side of his nose along the side of hers, their breaths mingling. Her hand went to his chest, fisting his shirt, before smoothing it out again and running her hand up over his shoulder and around his neck to feel the stubble of his closely cropped hair. She opened her eyes to watch as his closed like a man finally letting go of his tightly held control.

Nothing else existed but this moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them in this space and nothing outside of it was real. Her body felt tight in anticipation of his touch. Her breasts felt full and heavy, her nipples taut and begging for attention. Her core was hot and needy and aching for relief. She shifted, moving to sit on his lap, straddling him. He pushed the coffee table out of the way with his foot and both his hands went to her hips as she settled herself on his strong thighs. She could feel the twitching of his muscles through the light fabric of his pants and she could feel his hard arousal against her soft centre.

"Bailey," he whispered and she loved the sound of her name on his tongue. She loved the raw desperation she heard in his breathy pronunciation.

"Hunter," she whispered back, leaning her forehead against his, her hands gripping his shirt near his shoulders.

His hands roamed up over her ribs, under her arms and around her back until his big hands were splayed across her shoulder blades. He pressed her body towards his, her aching breasts making contact with the hard planes of his chest and she sighed. He tipped his head up and their lips were mere millimetres apart, his warm breath caressing her lips. She pulled the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth and he groaned. Her hands released their death grip on his shirt and she slid them around his neck and up into his hair.

She let her head fall forward, anticipating the first soft touch of his lips against hers.

Her mobile phone rang and the moment was shattered.

Nick's ringtone.

He froze, lips a hairs breadth from hers. She felt his body stiffen and she jerked back, scrambling from his lap and reaching for her phone.

She looked at him apologetically, but his eyes stopped the words in her throat. He'd seen the display of her phone, he knew who was calling and the lust that had darkened his eyes was gone, replaced with the cold hard glint of a stranger.

He stood and stalked away as she swiped the screen to answer the call.

* * *

Fucking cock blocked by his stepbrother.

Hunter strode from the room, away from Bailey and her hot little body that he'd only been moments away from sinking into. Seeing Nick's name on her phone, seeing the way she had jumped instantly to answer it was like a cold bucket of water being thrown over his lust. His erection deflated and all the soft, sweet feelings he had towards her shattered.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He'd thought that tonight had meant something to her. He'd thought that maybe she was seeing him as more than just a convenient body, but her instant reaction to Nick's call killed any hope he had. He would always be her second choice.

"Fuck," he growled under his breath as he looked at himself in the mirror above the sink in the bathroom.

He was delusional if he thought there could ever be anything real between them. He'd been lulled into a false sense of security by the easy way they had clicked tonight. He'd fallen under her spell as she'd leant on his shoulder and snuggled in under his arm. He'd been held in her thrall as her breathing had lengthened and her body had softened against his.

And he'd lost his fucking mind by the small sounds she made as she slept.

But it was all an illusion. None of it was real. She didn't feel the same way about him, would probably never feel the same way. They had crazy sexual attraction, but that's all it would ever be for her. She was in love with Nick and there was nothing he could do about it.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

What manner of sick joke was the universe playing on him to bring into his life the one woman he could never have? Hunter wasn't the typical playboy billionaire, if anything he was a serial monogamist. He'd had only a couple of relationships and they had always been long-term. He'd had his moments of casual sex and one or two one night stands, but they were few and far between. He didn't get off in sticking his dick in as many women as he could.

No, his desires ran deeper than that.

He wanted to find that one woman that he could truly connect with. Like his father had connected with his mother. His parents had been in love, right up until the end. That's what he wanted. And that's where he could see himself heading with Bailey. Except she couldn't see him as anything more than a poor substitute for his cock-sucking stepbrother.

Fuck.

"Get it to-fucking-gether," he growled at his reflection. "Stop being a pansy-ass pussy bitch."

God, he wanted to punch something - preferably Nick - but in the absence of his stepbrother, anything would do. But that wasn't his style. He didn't get where he was in business by letting his emotions rule his head. He could compartmentalise this just like he did with every other disappointment that he had in his life. He didn't fall apart when his father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he didn't fall apart when his father suffered through the demoralising effects of chemotherapy and he did not fall apart when his father died, a shadow of the man Hunter had loved. He'd lost not only his father but his best friend and his mentor that day and if he could live through that then he could live through this too.

He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. Bailey wanted Nick and he had promised to help her get him. It didn't matter that he thought she was making the wrong choice. It was her choice, and hers alone, to make. It was not his place to pass judgement on who she wanted to spend her life with, even if that person was the spawn of Satan.

He pushed down all his disappointment and hurt and closed the lid on the box. Compartmentalise, he could do that.

He opened the door and strode back out into the living room. Bailey stood by the couch, her bottom lip caught between her teeth and a lock of her rose gold hair wound tightly around her finger. He'd almost lost his shit earlier in the evening when he'd opened the door to see her standing there in form fitting yoga pants and an oversize hoody. It was so casual and comfortable and it had looked adorable on her. Now it just looked like disappointment.

"That was Nick," she said, not meeting his eyes.

He didn't answer. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down giving her his best don't-fuck-with-me stare.

"He wants to see me, to talk," she said, still avoiding his gaze.

"At eleven-thirty at night?" he growled, his reserve broken. "Come on Bailey, you're not that naïve."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she spat at him.

"You know very well what it means," he said hotly. "You're a fucking booty call."

"Shut the hell up, Hunter," she yelled at him. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. You don't even know me."

"I know you better than you think," he yelled back. "I know that you are throwing your life away on a prick like Nick. He can never give you everything you need."

"And you think you can?" she asked.

"I know I'd be a damned sight better choice than him," he growled. "At least I'd be faithful to you, at least I wouldn't fucking marry someone else and try to keep you on the side."

The crack of her palm hitting his cheek broke the tension. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands before stumbling towards the door. She wrenched it open and ran into the hall. His cheek burned and he stood there, stunned until the door slammed shut. The noise spurred him into action.

"Bailey!" he called, pulling the door open and following her into the hallway. "Bailey! Come back. I'm sorry."

The elevator doors opened and she stepped in, turning to look at him with sad, glassy eyes.

"Please Bailey," he said, walking towards her, his hand outstretched, begging her with his eyes to give him another chance.

The elevator doors closed leaving him standing in the hallway alone.

Fuck. So much for compartmentalising. He was a fucking moron and he had just chased her into the arms of the one person he was trying to save her from.

# 10

Bailey's hand stung and she wiped it on her yoga pants as the elevator descended. She exited on her floor and made a beeline for her room. She was still angry and hurt and confused about Hunter but she wanted to see Nick. They'd hardly spoken since she'd arrived and she really needed some perspective.

She barged into her room and checked it to make sure it was tidy. She grabbed a maxi dress out of her suitcase and quickly changed into it before pulling her hair into sleek pony tail and touching up her lipgloss.

She was nervous about seeing Nick and her stomach jumped about erratically. He hadn't said anything on the phone except that he was on his way over and he wanted to see her. Why did he want to see her? Had he changed his mind about marrying Ainsley?

There was a knock on her door and she jumped. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her dress and walked over to open the door. Nick stood there, leaning casually against the door frame, his coat tossed over his shoulder. He smiled at her. He was gorgeous, but there was a reticence about her now and she wasn't as quick to melt under his gaze.

"Can I come in?" he asked and she blushed.

"Of course," she said, stepping out of the way so he could enter.

He tossed his jacket on the bed as she closed the door and then turned to pull her against him. He nuzzled her neck and her skin prickled with goosebumps.

"God I've missed you Bae," he whispered into her ear. His hands roamed over her back, pressing her into him as he nipped at her neck.

This was modus operandi for them, but something felt different tonight. Bailey didn't feel the usual thrill of being with him, instead it made her uncomfortable. She pushed away from him, needing space.

"What's wrong Bae?" he asked, reaching out for her hand.

"Nick, I'm seeing Hunter," she said. "We're here together."

"What, here in the room?" he asked looking around for the evidence of another man.

She shook her head. "No," she said, "but we are here together as a couple."

Nick flashed her his trademark smile, the one that usually made her weak in the knees. "But that doesn't apply to us," he said. "And it's been ages since we were together." He pulled her back into his arms and caressed her cheek.

She pulled out of his arms again and walked over to the window to put some space between them. "Nick, you get married in three days. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Ainsley?"

He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his head, his jaw clenching. "I've explained all this to you Bailey," he said. "I'm only marrying her because my father needs her father's company. I thought you understood that."

"But you're sleeping with her and you intend to have a family together," she said, speaking out the words that she had been hiding from.

"Well, yeah," he answered like she was being silly. "It wouldn't be much of a marriage if I didn't."

"And what about me, Nick?" she asked.

"Bae," he said, his voiced softening, "you know how I feel about you. I love you and I always will love you."

"So why don't you marry me?" she asked, blurting out the question that had been plaguing her.

"I explained this to you Bailey," he said, his patience waning. "I can't marry you. You live in Melbourne, your life and career is there."

"I could move back here," she said, taking a step towards him.

"I couldn't ask you to do that," he said. "I would never expect you to give up your life for me."

"But what if I wanted to? I'm sure I could get a job here in the same field and then we could be together all the time."

"You would end up hating me," he said. "You would resent me for making you give up everything you have built for yourself and that would break me. Bae, what we have, it works. If you want to keep seeing Hunter, then I'm fine with that. We can still keep our arrangement."

"So you would be happy sharing me with Hunter?" she asked, her stomach churning.

"Well, it's not exactly sharing," he said reaching out for her hands again.

She let him pull her into him and looked up into the eyes that she had dreamed about for so long. He was telling her that he loved her and always would, but he was also telling her he would never marry her. Giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

He dipped his head and captured her lips in a tender kiss, but for the first time since she and Nick had begun their arrangement, it felt wrong. He was willfully cheating on his wife-to-be and she was a willing accomplice. Not to mention what she was doing to Hunter. They may not be actually, officially, in a relationship, but as far as Nick was concerned they were. If she went through with this tonight, she would put Hunter in a very bad position.

She pushed Nick away again. "I can't do this," she said. "Hunter and I are in a relationship and I won't betray him like this."

"Are you fucking serious?" Nick growled at her. "Do you know what I'm risking by coming here tonight? If Ainsley found out, the wedding would be off and my father's business deal would be in the toilet."

"That's not my responsibility," Bailey said, raising her chin defiantly.

"Are you in love with him?" Nick said harshly. "Or is it his money you're after?" His face screwed up into an ugly sneer and Bailey had a glimpse of a man she didn't even know.

"I think you should leave," she said her palm itching to make an imprint on his face.

"Does Hunter know that I screwed you? Does he know we've been fucking like bunnies for years?"

"Get out Nick," she said, refusing to be intimidated by his vulgar words.

He gave her one last look and then shook his head and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. She crumpled to the floor and began to sob. Nick had never been cruel to her. He'd never made her feel like a cheap screw before. But the words he'd said to her tonight cut her deep.

There was banging on her door and she jumped.

"Go away Nick," she yelled. "Leave me alone."

"Bailey, it's Hunter. Let me in."

She jumped to her feet and ran to the door pulling it open. Hunter stood there, his green eyes wild, his hair in disarray like he had been running his fingers through it.

"Hunter," she whispered and collapsed into his arms.

* * *

Hunter wrapped his arms around a trembling Bailey and held her tight. He backed her into the room, letting the door close behind him.

"Shh," he mumbled into her hair, caressing her back as she sobbed into his shoulder. He had no doubt that this was because of Nick and he really wanted to hurt the bastard. He didn't know how he was going to get through the next few days without decking him.

He manoeuvred them until they sat on the edge of her bed. Her room wasn't a suite and there was no couch, so it was the bed or the floor. He kept his arms around her and let her cry, murmuring soothing noises and rubbing her back until her sobs quietened.

She held onto him like she was afraid he would let her go and he tightened his hold on her to let her know he wasn't going anywhere. He lay back on the bed, pulling her down with him, and snuggling her under his arm so that her head rested on his chest. He continued to stroke her back as she soaked up his attention.

"I'm so sorry about earlier," she said, her voice hoarse from crying. "You were right. I'm nothing more than a booty call to Nick."

"I was stupid and jealous," he said, running his fingers through her hair, pulling it out of its pony tail and spreading the red gold strands along the pillow.

"No, you were right," she said and sighed. "I asked him to choose me and he said he wouldn't."

"He's a fucking retard," Hunter growled, pulling her tighter against him.

"He asked me if you knew that he and I had slept together. He might say something to you."

"I'll handle my stepbrother, baby," he said. "Don't you worry about it."

"Why are you so good to me Hunter?" she asked, tipping her head up to look at him.

Her eyes were red rimmed and glassy with tears and her face was so sad that it broke his heart. He couldn't help the soft kiss that he brushed across her lips.

"Bailey, I think the absolute world of you. You deserve so much better than Nick. You deserve someone who worships the ground you walk on."

"Kiss me Hunter," she said and he couldn't deny her.

He dropped his lips to hers and languidly slid them across the soft pillows that were her lips. He tasted the salt of her tears and it caused his heart to clench. He wanted to take away all her hurt, all her pain. He wanted to protect her from the ugliness of people like Nick.

She opened her mouth under his and he slid his tongue inside, tasting her and a soft moan escaped from his throat. Her hands snaked up into his hair and her body shuddered against his as his hands ran down her back. He rolled her on top of him and she settled between his legs, her soft core making contact with his hardness. He couldn't hide the way he felt about her or what his body yearned to do with her.

She moved against him and he tightened his arms around her to keep her still.

"Bailey," he warned in a gruff voice.

"I want you Hunter," she whispered into his neck. "I need you."

He groaned, but rolled her back off him and sat up. He ran a hand through his hair and took a few deep breaths. He didn't come here for this. He came here to save her from making a mistake with Nick not for her to make an even bigger mistake with him.

"Hunter," she said, her voice small and uncertain.

He looked over his shoulder at her and he nearly just said fuck it, but he wanted more from her than this. She was upset and emotional and hurt. He would be just easing her pain, it would just be sex to her and Hunter didn't want just sex with Bailey.

He turned to face her. She was sitting up in the middle of the bed and the look on her face was so forlorn that he wanted to tuck her up under his arms and tell her everything would be all right.

"Bailey, I really like you," he said, cupping her cheek and lifting her head so that she looked him in the eye, "but I can't sleep with you tonight."

"Why?" she breathed. "Don't you want me?"

"God," he shook his head and chuckled ruefully, "I want you so much Blue that it hurts." He ran a hand through his hair. "But that's not what you need tonight. Tonight, you need a friend and I want to be that friend."

She blew out a puff of air and closed her eyes. "You're right," she said. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "But will you stay with me?"

"I have a better idea," he said. "Grab some clothes and come up to my suite."

She looked around the room, unsure.

"Come on," he said. "My suite is bigger and it even has a second room. We'll check you out tomorrow morning and you can stay the rest of the week with me."

"Are you sure?" she asked, still uncertain.

"Bailey, I want to be your friend and I want to spend time with you. You don't have to sleep in my bed, but I would feel a whole lot better if you were at least in the same apartment."

She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. He willed her to say yes. Everything he'd said to her was true. He wanted to get to know her better and he wanted her near him. But he also wanted to run interference between her and Nick. At least if she was staying with him, Nick wouldn't be able to ambush her like he had tonight.

"Okay," she said and his heart whooped.

* * *

Bailey let Hunter gather her and her belongings up and took them to his suite. She felt a bit awkward about him turning down her advances (who says no to sex?) but appreciated him for it. She'd noticed his steel-hard erection and knew it hadn't been easy for him to say no and it was just another way he showed her how different he was from his step-brother.

She felt like such a fool in regards to Nick. Why hadn't she seen this before? He told her he loved her, but he didn't treat her like her loved her. Had she really been so blind? She'd vowed she would never become one of those women who lost brain cells whenever a hot guy was near, but that's exactly what she'd done whenever Nick had crooked his finger.

Bailey had thought that the arrangement she had with Nick was proof that she was evolved. She thought it had proved that she had a mature and realistic view of sex. She was a woman who liked sex and she wasn't ashamed of it. By having an understanding with Nick, she had deluded herself into thinking that she was above the affectations of lust and was avoiding those awful, uncomfortable moments when you didn't know where you stood with a man. She'd thought she knew where she stood with Nick and she thought she was okay with that.

But she hadn't been okay with it at all. The way she freaked out when she heard that he was getting married had shown her how much she'd been deceiving herself. Bailey had convinced herself that she was above other women who mooned over their latest crush, but she was no better. Her and Nick had had this arrangement for five years and she hadn't dated anyone else in that time. She knew he had, but she had kept herself for him, convinced that he would eventually see the light and realise that he was in love with her all along.

Fuck. She made herself sick.

"So what do you feel like doing?" Hunter asked as he walked back from depositing her bags in the second bedroom. "Movie? Card game?"

"Dessert?" she asked and he smiled.

He walked to the freezer and removed the tub of gelato that she'd brought earlier. God was that only a couple of hours ago? It felt like days since she had stood outside his door feeling nervous about spending the evening alone with him.

Hunter grabbed two spoons and brought them over to the kitchen counter where she was sitting. He dragged a stool around to the other side of the bench and sat opposite her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked handing her the tub and a spoon.

"No," she said, scooping out a large mound of mango gelato and putting it in her mouth. She was willing to risk brain freeze rather than discuss with Hunter what an absolute fool she had been.

"Okay then," he said with a smile taking his own giant scoop of the icy confection.

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?" she asked after she had swallowed her mouthful.

He didn't answer straight away, taking time to slowly finish his own mouthful. He tapped the spoon on his lips before answering.

"I don't think you're an idiot," he said. "I don't understand, but my ignorance doesn't make you the idiot."

"I think I'm an idiot," she grumbled before scooping some more gelato into her mouth.

"Why?" he asked. "What makes you the idiot in this scenario and not Nick?"

"Because we had an agreement and I was the one who reneged," she replied.

"No, I think Nick was the one who changed the terms of the contract without negotiating it with you."

"But I was the one who fell in love," she murmured and shoved the spoon into her mouth.

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, obviously," she said. "I wouldn't feel like such a bloody fool if I hadn't."

"How long were you two together?"

"Five years," she replied.

Hunter whistled. "And neither of you felt the need to ask for more? You didn't feel at some point that the arrangement wasn't working for you anymore and that you wanted more?"

She shook her head. "The last few months we were together I began to, but I suppose I just thought that eventually we'd end up together," she said, licking her spoon. "Isn't this weird for you? Talking about this stuff?"

He shrugged. "I'm just trying to understand what the allure is, what changed so that you suddenly decided the arrangement wasn't working anymore."

"That's easy," she replied. "When he told me that he was getting married."

"But he'd had relationships before," Hunter said.

"Well, yeah," she responded, "but they were never serious, they were never permanent."

"So suddenly someone else would have a claim on him and you got all territorial."

"No, it wasn't like that," she argued, but...

"Are you sure, Blue? I don't deny that you love Nick, but are you _in love_ with him or is it more that you don't want anyone else to have him?"

Hunter's words battered against her like waves breaking over rocks in a storm, slowly eroding her protestations. Is that what this was? Was this reaction just a form of jealousy?

"You make me sound like a child fighting over a toy."

He lifted his eyebrow at her but didn't reply, stuffing a spoonful of gelato into his mouth nonchalantly.

"Do you honestly think that this is a tantrum?" she asked, anger rising up in her suddenly. But she wasn't angry at Hunter, although he was the focus of it. No, she was angry because what he said felt a little too close to the truth and it made her uncomfortable.

"I think," he said calmly, "that you and I wouldn't have had such a powerful connection if you were really truly in love with Nick."

"Our _connection_?" she shook her head. "The only connection we have is sex."

"Bullshit," he said, conversationally.

"Bullshit?" she was getting agitated with his utter calmness.

"You heard me," he replied. "I call bullshit. What we have goes way deeper than sex and you know it." He stood and walked around the counter to stand next to her. He leant down to whisper in her ear. "If this was just sex then your pulse wouldn't speed up when I get close to you. Your breath wouldn't hitch when I brush against you. Your eyes wouldn't seek me out whenever I walk into the room and you wouldn't feel the need to touch me in public, to brand me, to mark me as yours."

She closed her eyes as his hot breath skittered over the soft skin of her neck. Her heart rate had increased as he'd gotten closer to her and her breath did hitch when his beard brushed across her bare shoulder. He stood and walked away and she felt the loss of him keenly. She kept her eyes closed though, feeling the physiological changes in her body caused by his nearness.

She had been confused because she couldn't understand how she could have such an attraction to Hunter when she had told herself she was in love with Nick. She had never stopped to consider that she wasn't in love with Nick at all.

# 11

Bailey had been quiet on the drive to Hunter's mother's house. She'd slept in the second bedroom after their discussion over gelato and he'd slept badly, hoping that she would crawl into bed with him during the early hours of the morning. She didn't and he had woken up frustrated and cranky.

He'd used his shower that morning to take matters into his own hands and as he'd stroked his aching shaft, he'd thought about her and what it would be like to have her up against the wall of his shower, the hot water beating down on his back as he pounded into her. He'd come fast and hard, but it hadn't done much to improve his mood.

She'd barely spoken to him over their late breakfast and now they were headed to a family lunch and she was so very distant from him that he didn't know what to think. Had he taken it too far last night? Had he been too honest with her?

The last thing he wanted was to push her away, but he knew it was about time she looked at the situation without her rose coloured glasses. The more time he spent with her, the more he believed that she was in love with the idea of Nick, the fairytale, rather than the man. But it wasn't something he could just come out and tell her, it was something that she needed to realise herself.

He parked the car and walked around to open her door. She took his hand absently as he helped her out of the car and he worried that she wouldn't make it through the lunch without giving their ruse away. He stopped and turned her, putting his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.

"Bailey," he said, "look at me."

She tipped her head up and met his eyes. Hers were hollow like she'd just found out that Santa Claus wasn't real.

"Bailey," he said softly and pulled her into a hug. "Come on sweetheart, snap out of it."

She took a deep shuddering breath and he felt her spine stiffen. She pulled away from him and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She straightened her shoulders, shoring herself up, and then nodded.

"Let's do this," she said turning from him and marching up the stairs.

His mother answered the door and greeted them both with hugs before leading them into the sitting room. The other bridesmaids were there with the bride and the bride's mother. The scene was achingly sweet and his teeth ached just looking at them. The bride and her attendants were perfect little society princesses with butter-wouldn't-melt-in-their-mouth smiles and titanium claws under their perfect manicures and his Blue shouldn't be anywhere near them. She was too good for them.

"The men are in Patrick's den," his mother said.

He kissed Bailey on top of her head and squeezed her shoulder before leaving her to the women and finding his way to his stepfather's office.

He heard the deep timbre of male voices as he approached and plastered on a smile before walking into the room. This was the last place Hunter wanted to be, but it was too late to get out of it. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans to remind himself not to punch Nick, although the desire to do so was strong.

The others greeted him and he acknowledged them with a jut of his chin. Nick looked at him, a knowing smile on his face like he had a dirty secret and he was just waiting for the right moment to spill the beans.

"Drink?" Patrick asked holding up a decanter of amber liquid.

"Sure," Hunter replied walking over to take the heavy crystal tumbler that his stepfather handed him.

Nick wandered over and slapped him on the shoulder. "Can I have a word to you in private?" he asked and walked away without waiting for an answer.

Hunter followed him over to a corner of the room and took a sip of his drink.

"So you and Bailey are serious?" Nick asked, narrowing his eyes at him over the rim of his glass.

Hunter exhaled through his nose and grit his teeth, counting to ten to calm himself before answering.

"Yes," he said and stepped closer to Nick, lowing his voice to a deep growl, "and if you ever pull another fucking stunt like the one you pulled last night, I will fucking lay you out."

"I don't think you understand the nature of my relationship with Bailey," Nick said smugly.

"What I understand is that you no longer _have_ a relationship with her. I thought we had this discussion yesterday on the golf course. Bailey is with me now and you will stay the fuck away from her."

"Hey, don't go getting your panties in a wad," Nick said. "I'm just giving you fair warning. Bailey will always be mine. She's been mine for five fucking years and there is nothing you can do about it."

"You are so full of shit Nick," Hunter said, "and Bailey knows it."

Nick's face turned red as he fought to control his anger and he stepped close to Hunter.

"You may think that you have Bailey now," he said, spittle gathering at the corners of his mouth as he spat the words at Hunter, "but she will get tired of you and when she does, she will come crawling back to me. I've had my cock inside her so many different ways that no one else can satisfy her."

Hunter's hand flew to Nick's shirt and he fisted it hard, shoving Nick back against the wall. Nick dropped his glass and the crash of crystal stopped the conversation on the other side of the room. Hunter leaned in close and whispered menacingly into Nick's ear.

"Your cock is not coming anywhere near Bailey ever again and if it does I'm going to fucking cut it off."

"We'll just see what Bailey has to say about that," Nick sneered.

"Maybe you should be more worried about what your wife will say about it."

"Hey, now boys, what's all this?" Patrick said, rushing over to them.

Hunter smiled brightly and straightened Nick's shirt, patting him companionably. "Just a little brotherly affection," he said picking up his drink from the side table and sipping it. "So what are the plans for the bachelor party?"

Hunter moved away from Nick, swallowing his anger and putting on a cheerful façade. Bailey had warned him the Nick might throw their history in his face, but he hadn't realised it would affect him as much as it did. Hearing the crass way Nick had spoken about Bailey had been just about the most awful thing he'd ever heard and it cemented his resolve to never let the fucking prick near her again.

He desperately wished he could go and get her and leave without looking back. Neither of them really needed to be here and Hunter wanted to spare Bailey the humiliation of watching Nick pledge his love to another woman. He wanted to protect her from finding out who the real Nick was, to protect her from ever finding out how he spoke about her to other people.

Did the other groomsmen know who Bailey was and what she'd been to Nick? He wouldn't put it past his stepbrother to have regaled them with his sex-ploits with her. The thought of her being debased in such a way churned in his stomach and he shot the other three men a dirty look.

God, how was he going to make it through to the weekend?

* * *

Bailey accepted the champagne cocktail from Maree as she sat in one of the chintz armchairs. Her skinny jeans and peasant blouse out of place amongst the girly dresses the rest of the bridal party wore. Did she miss the memo?

Spread out before them was an assembly line of sugar coated almonds, heart shaped chocolates and miniature bottles of liqueur surrounded by rolls of gauzy fabric and cards of ribbon. Bailey had thought this was just another get-to-know-you lunch, she didn't realise she would be pressed into slave labour.

She drained her glass and reached for another one as Ainsley's mother walked past with a tray. There was far too much juice and not nearly enough alcohol in the glass for her to get through this day, especially if she was going to have to sit through the other bridesmaids fawning over the bride. The bride could go suck it for all Bailey cared.

"Okay ladies," Ainsley said, bringing them all to order. "We have two hundred and fifty bonbonnières to make, so let's get busy. Someone needs to cut the gauze into squares and then in each square we need to put one chocolate heart, one bottle of liqueur and five sugared almonds and then someone can tie the bags up with ribbon."

The other bridesmaids (she really should learn their names) squealed with delight and arranged themselves around the bounty to do the bride's bidding. Bailey thought it best that she stay away from the scissors or anything that needed precision because she was determined to drink herself into a nice, numb haze. Alcohol and sharp objects didn't mix.

She downed her glass and picked up another from the tray that had been so thoughtfully placed near her elbow and then she plunked herself on the floor between bridesmaids Two and Three. They were both blonde and tanned and...oh what the hell, they all looked the same to Bailey.

Two and Three put her in charge of adding the chocolate hearts. She would have preferred to get her hands on the liqueur bottles and maybe misappropriate some of them along the way, but Miss Three had them out of her reach. She unwrapped a piece of chocolate and popped it in her mouth while they waited for the square of gauze to come their way. Surely Ainsley would've had the foresight to buy extra chocolates...not that Bailey really cared if the bonbonnières were uneven, she just had to make sure that nobody else knew they were.

Two and Three chatted at her like magpies, but Bailey didn't seem to be able to make much sense of what they were saying, and she didn't much care enough to ask them to repeat it. She let the noise wash over her as she added a chocolate to each pile and passed it along the line, occasionally unwrapping one and slipping it into her mouth. Chocolate and champagne cocktails, what could be better?

A nice collection of empty champagne glasses and chocolate wrappers started to gather around Bailey and she had a comfortable buzz going on. She even managed a smile and a giggle at something Two and Three said.

"It looks like you have this all under control," Maree said. "Kathy why don't you come with me and we'll check on lunch." Ainsley's mother stood and followed Maree out the door and there was an audible sigh from everyone as they relaxed.

"So, Ainsley," Bailey said as she set yet another empty glass down, "you and Nick sealed the deal yet?"

Ainsley looked at Bailey, confused. "Sealed the deal?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know, done the nasty, played hide the salami, danced the horizontal tango, given him a good swiving."

Two and Three giggled, One looked appalled and Ainsley just smirked at her.

"I don't kiss and tell," Ainsley said.

Bailey snorted, "Well, that's a big fat no," she said, picking up another glass and taking a fortifying drink. "You holding out on him?"

Ainsley's cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat. "We both agreed it would be more special if we waited until the wedding night."

Well at least Bailey didn't have to worry that Nick had been dipping his wick in this priss while doing her too.

"But you have seen it right?" Bailey went on.

"Seen what?"

"His cock," Bailey said and delighted in the gasps and nervous titters from the entourage.

Ainsley's mouth thinned and her eyes narrowed. "I don't think that is any of your business," she said.

Bailey shrugged and sipped her drink. She could push Ainsley, could lay out the whole sordid truth right here, right now and then walk away leaving Nick to clean up the mess. Hunter wouldn't mind getting outta dodge, there was no love lost between him and Nick. She could escape back to her home in Melbourne and wait for Nick to come crawling back, his life in ruins. He would beg her to take him back, might even beg her to marry him. That's why she'd come here, wasn't it, to break up the happy couple? So why did it feel wrong?

"I hear Hunter's hung like a god," Two whispered to Three and they both turned to look at Bailey.

She smiled, her eyes sparkling. He was indeed hung like a god and he wanted her. Why the hell was she even thinking about Nick when she had someone like Hunter willing to take her to bed?

Two and Three saw the look on her face and dissolved into giggles. These two twits weren't all that bad, after all. One was a bitch though and she scooted closer to Ainsley, making her alliance very clear.

"Why are you so interested in Nick and Ainsley's sex life?" One asked.

"Isn't it a bridesmaid's duty to make sure the bride is well prepared for her wedding? I just want to make sure Ainsley knows what she's in for on the wedding night. You know, as a public service."

"I know how sex works," Ainsley said.

"Maybe," Bailey said, "but there is a big difference between having a theoretical knowledge of sex and having actual experience."

"I'm not a virgin," Ainsley gasped, her hand going to her throat to clutch at her non-existent pearls.

Bailey looked her over and then drained her glass. "I find it interesting that you have slept with an ex but not with your groom-to-be. Don't you find Nick attractive?" She didn't answer and Bailey let the moment be drawn out before saying, "Or maybe he doesn't find you attractive."

Ainsley jumped to her feet, her face colouring, her fists clenched at her sides and her mouth screwed up in a scowl. She opened her mouth to say something back to Bailey but at that moment the door opened and the object of their discussions walked in. Ainsley's face morphed into the adoring fiancée before Bailey's eyes and she just shook her head.

"Lunch is ready," Nick said looking between his bride and Bailey, an odd look on his face. "Maree asked us to come and escort you ladies into the dining room."

Ainsley smiled sweetly at him and took his elbow without sparing Bailey another glance. Bailey climbed to her feet unsteadily, swaying slightly as her head spun. Little balls of foil fell to the ground as she stood, the result of her chocolate binge. A strong hand grasped her elbow and helped her find her balance and a familiar scent enveloped her. She breathed it in and smiled up at the piercing green eyes that looked down at her.

"Irish," she slurred, "we were just talking about you."

"You were?" he asked, cocking that infernal eyebrow, his eyes crinkling in mirth.

Bailey leant towards him to whisper in his ear. "There's a rumour that you're very well endowed."

He made a choking noise in his throat and she just smiled up at him serenely.

"Let's go eat," he said huskily in her ear, "and then I'm taking you home."

"To show me?" she asked giving him, what she thought was a seductive smile.

His eyes darkened and his nostrils flared. She shivered and brushed her peasant shirt out, releasing another whole clutch of chocolate wrappers. She watched as the brightly coloured foil rained down around her feet. Hunter followed her eyes and took in the wrappers and empty wine glasses.

"Food," he said, steering her towards the doorway. "Now."

She really did like it when he growled at her like that and took charge. She smiled and let him lead her into the dining room.

* * *

Bailey was drunk. She leaned heavily on him as he guided her into the dining room and sat her down in her assigned seat. He grabbed a bread roll from the basket in the centre of the table and tore it in half, buttering the soft fluffy insides liberally with butter.

"Eat," he growled into her ear, liking the way she shivered with the sound of his voice.

She broke off a piece and put it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He glanced around the table to see Ainsley and her maid of honour shooting daggers at Bailey. The other two bridesmaids were looking at her too, but more like they were waiting for the entertainment to begin. What the hell had happened in that room before he got there?

Hunter took his seat beside Bailey, scooting his chair close so that he could keep her upright, she was leaning alarmingly to one side and he didn't want to have to scoop her up off the floor. He reached for the jug of ice water and filled a glass for her, shoving it into her hands.

"Drink," he said.

She gulped the water and then set it on the edge of the table, and he managed to rescue it before it toppled off and drenched them both.

"So bossy," she said. "Eat, drink. I'm not Alice."

"What?" he asked looking at her, puzzled.

"You know, Alice when she follows the rabbit down the tunnel and finds herself in the house with the notes that say 'eat this' and 'drink this.'"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Are you sure you're not Alice?" he asked. "Because you're certainly acting strange."

"I think it's the champagne," she stage whispered and bridesmaids Two and Three sniggered behind their hands. "Champagne makes me loopy."

"And chatty, apparently," he said. He should be annoyed at her, but hell, she was cute when she was drunk.

"Too chatty," Ainsley sniffed.

O-kay. Bailey had obviously said something that the bride hadn't liked. Bailey popped another piece of bread in her mouth and chewed happily.

"Are you sure you should be eating all that bread?" the maid of honour asked (God, what were those bridesmaids names?). "Remember how Ainsley wanted us all on that cleansing diet so we fit into our dresses?"

Bailey shrugged one shoulder, "My man wants me to eat, so I eat. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" she said turning to him and smiling sweetly.

"I think it would be best for all of us if Bailey ate something, if only to soak up all the alcohol she consumed."

"Don't forget the chocolate," Bailey added. "I conshumed, cons..., _consumed_ a lot of that too."

He had to bite back his grin at Bailey's slurring. She was so fucking adorable and he couldn't wait to hear what else came out of her mouth.

"Chocolate?" Ainsley asked. "You weren't eating the chocolate hearts, were you?"

Bailey widened her eyes and covered her mouth. "Oops," she said and then looked at Ainsley with a repentant look. "Was I not supposed to?"

Ainsley crossed her arms in a huff and stared daggers at Nick who swallowed visibly.

"Now, now," Nick said, trying to placate his bride. "I'm sure there'll still be plenty to go around."

"No, Nick, there won't be," the maid of honour said. "We only bought two hundred and fifty and we had to order them in specially."

"We've still got a couple of days, I'm sure we can get more."

"No," Ainsley said, "it took two months to get them flown in from Belgium."

"That's why they were so good," Bailey said. "Belgian chocolate is the best."

Hunter coughed to cover his laugh. God, Bailey was a menace and he loved it.

"It's all right pumpkin," Ainsley's father said. "I'm sure we can get something to replace them in time." He shot an accusing look at Hunter. "Maybe your new brother-in-law could take it upon himself to fix it."

Hunter grinned. "It would be my pleasure," he said gleefully. He didn't care what it cost him, he was happy to pay it to see Nick squirm and Ainsley stew.

Bailey leaned her head on Hunter's shoulder. "Isn't he the absolute best?" she said dreamily. Her head popped up and she levelled a look at the two bridesmaids. "The rumours are true by the way."

Their eyes widened and then they dissolved into laughter. Hunter felt his cheeks flush as they gave him appraising glances.

"What rumours?" Nick asked, looking between the four of them.

"The one about Hunter's—"

"He doesn't want to know, Bailey," Hunter said cutting her off. He didn't mind her substantiating the rumours of his manhood, but he didn't want it done in front of his mother.

Thankfully the food was served and the conversation was interrupted before Bailey could say anything more. Nick glared at him across the table as Bailey draped herself across him. He moved his arm so he could put it around Bailey's shoulders and she smiled up at him.

"You have the most amazing eyes, Irish," she murmured to him. He leant down and brushed his lips across hers.

"Thanks Blue," he murmured back, "I like yours too."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "That's cheating. You're meant to compliment me on something else."

"Okay then," he said, dropping his head and whispering in her ear so that no one else could hear. "I love your hair and I can't wait until I can wrap my hands in it and tug on it while I bury myself in you."

She moaned and her eyes closed. "Fuck," she whispered. "I want to do that."

He grinned and the nudged her, "Eat," he said.

Her eyes opened and she looked down at the salad in front of her. His plate held a nice thick steak, a baked potato, green beans and mushroom gravy. She took a look at his plate and pouted.

"How come Irish gets steak and I have to eat rabbit food?" she whined.

"Irish?" Nick asked. "Why do you call him Irish?"

"Because of his beautiful green eyes," Bailey said, stabbing at her lettuce dolefully. "It was the first thing I noticed about him."

"How did you two meet?" Patrick asked curiously. "I don't think I've heard the story."

"I was in a bar," Bailey said, laying her fork down, "drowning my sorrows after a bad breakup. Irish came in and sat beside me."

"I'd had a bad day at the office," Hunter took up the story, "so Blue and I cheered each other up with tequila shots."

"There's a story to tell your grandkids," Ainsley said with a roll of her eyes.

"You have a nickname for her too," Nick said through gritted teeth.

Hunter shrugged as he put a piece of steak in his mouth and chewed.

"He calls me Blue," Bailey added helpfully, "because of my red hair."

The two bridesmaids cooed, the maid of honour thinned her lips, the bride rolled her eyes and Nick scowled.

"That's original," Nick griped.

"I like it," Bailey said, stealing a bean off his plate. "It's better than Bae."

Whoa. The look Nick levelled at her could've cut glass. She scored a direct hit with that comment and he couldn't be happier.

Hunter cut a piece of steak and offered it to her as a reward. She leant forward and slipped her mouth over his fork while he held it and he had to bite back a groan. This was definitely not the place to be having those kinds of thoughts. She pulled the meat off with her teeth and grinned up at him. She chewed for a bit and then her face began to drain of colour. Her hand clasped over her mouth and she shoved her chair back.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she said before racing from the room.

# 12

Hunter held her hair back as she vomited into the toilet. If she didn't feel so horrific, she would be embarrassed. Champagne, juice and chocolate was the absolute worst combination to overindulge in.

She spat the awful taste from her mouth and accepted the cool washcloth from Hunter, wiping her mouth with it and holding it to her flushed cheeks.

"Can you take me home now?" she asked, not brave enough to look at him.

"Are you going to be sick again?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied grumpily.

"Well you're not going anywhere near my Shelby unless you're sure. Vomit is the absolute worst thing to clean up in a car."

She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Hunter slid down the wall next to her and handed her a glass of water. She sipped cautiously, not sure if her poor, nauseated stomach could take it.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He must be so embarrassed by her. She had made a fool of herself in front of his family. No wonder Nick didn't want to marry her.

"It's okay," he said with a chuckle, "you were quite entertaining. I only wish I'd been in the room to hear what you and the bridesmaids were talking about. Whatever it was must have been juicy."

"Two and Three wanted to know how big your dick is," she said, past embarrassment now.

"Two and Three?"

"God, I can never remember their names. The two bridesmaids."

"Ah," he nodded understandingly. "But surely that can't have been what pissed Ainsley off."

She snorted. "Nope," she said, "I asked if her and Nick had slept together yet. They haven't, by the way, so I asked her if she'd seen his cock and I may have intimated that he wasn't attracted to her."

"Fuck, Bailey," he said, but she could tell he was smiling. "Did you tell her about last night?"

She shook her head and then moaned from the pain. "No," she said.

"Why not?" he asked. "It would break them up in a hurry."

"If we're going to be together I want it to be because he chose me, not because all his other options were taken away."

He was quiet beside her and not the companionable quiet that they had shared in the past.

"Let's go," Hunter said abruptly, getting to his feet and holding out his hand.

She took it and let him pull her to her feet. Her head spun and her stomach flipped, but she didn't feel like throwing up. She shuffled out of the powder room behind him, dreading facing the rest of the family. Luckily it was only his mother waiting for them.

"I'll take her home now," Hunter said, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Is she okay?" Maree asked softly and Bailey coloured with embarrassment.

"She'll be fine," Hunter said with a long-suffering sigh. "She just needs a long nap and lots of fluids."

Bailey kept her head down and let Hunter guide her out of the house and into his car. She settled into the leather seat, fastened her seatbelt and rested her head against the headrest, closing her eyes. Hunter didn't say anything as he slipped into the driver's seat and started the car. What a mess.

They drove back to the hotel in silence and he parked in the cool underground garage. She unhooked her seatbelt and got out of the car slowly.

"I'll just go back to my room," she said as they headed for the elevators.

"No," Hunter said, "I already checked you out."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't want to be a burden."

They stepped inside the elevator and Hunter pulled her to him, wrapping his strong arms around her.

"God, Bailey, you're not a burden. Nick hurt you, you got drunk and said some shit. Big deal. They'll all get over it and if they don't, fuck 'em."

Bailey couldn't help drawing comparisons between Hunter and Nick. Nick would've been absolutely furious with her after her behaviour today. In fact, he probably was. But Hunter just took it in his stride. He may have been pissed at her earlier, but he was still prepared to look after her and make sure she was okay. Why was he pissed at her earlier?

"Why did you get cranky before?" she asked. "Did I say something?"

He exhaled harshly and squeezed her tighter. "I just...God...I don't understand why you are determined to be with Nick. He's an asshole and he's treating you like garbage. You should just come clean to Ainsley and let the chips fall where they may."

He tipped her face up to his, his finger under her chin, and looked down into her eyes. His green gaze seemed to see right through her.

"Who says I still want him?" she asked softly and his eyes heated.

He dropped his head so that their foreheads touched and their noses rubbed. "Bailey," he whispered before taking a deep breath, "don't say that if you don't mean it."

She lifted a hand and cupped his jaw feeling the tickling bristles of his beard on her palm. Here was a man that would treasure her, would do anything for her. He wouldn't marry someone else and expect her to be his mistress on the side. He wouldn't ask her to be a bridesmaid in his wedding to someone else. Hunter was strong and sexy and her body craved him. Her head urged her to take the plunge, to walk away from Nick once and for all and to take a chance on Hunter. It was only her heart that had reservations.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open with a ding. Hunter pulled away from her regretfully and threaded his fingers through hers. They walked towards the penthouse suite slowly as Bailey made her decision.

"I want you Hunter," she whispered as he unlocked the door. "Take me to bed."

* * *

Hunter dragged Bailey through the penthouse door pressed her up against the wall, leaning his body along hers, caging her in, dipping his head close to her ear.

"I'm warning you, Blue," he whispered huskily in her ear. "Don't say things like that if you don't mean it."

Her eyes were open and clear, their chocolate brown depths dark with desire. Her lips were parted slightly and glistened where she'd run her tongue along them. The pale skin of her cheeks was rosy and the pulse at the base of her neck fluttered rapidly.

She licked her lips again, her pink tongue darting out to slick along the plump, dusky skin and his erection swelled, the blood draining from his brain and making his rational thoughts fade in the presence of full blown lust.

"I mean it," Bailey replied, her voice breathy.

"I don't share, Blue," he said, wanting her to know that if they went to bed now, there was no going back. "If we do this, it's not casual sex, it's not a one night stand. If we do this, there is no Nick."

She stared up at him, her chest rising and falling in pants and she wet her lips again. He followed the path of her tongue with his eyes, wanting to capture it between his lips and suck it into his mouth, but not willing to give in to his desires until he knew that Bailey understood his stance.

"I don't want Nick," she said, reaching up and gripping his shirt with her hands, dragging him closer to her. "I want you."

He crashed his lips down on hers and let the last of his rational thoughts flee. He plundered her mouth, sucking, licking, nipping at her lips and tongue, losing himself in the feel of her. He heard her moan into his mouth and he swallowed the sound, greedy for more.

Bailey found the buttons of his shirt and tore at them, exposing his chest to her small hands. Her nails dug into his flesh, the sharp pain sending ribbons of pleasure through him. His hands groped her ass, moulding the tight denim and flesh into his hands as he lifted her against his body. She opened her thighs and wrapped her legs around his hips as he pressed her into the wall and ground his hardness into her soft core. The contact made them both groan with need.

"Bed," she whispered.

"Naked," he replied as he stood up, taking her with him and carrying her towards the bedroom.

Bailey gripped his shoulders and burrowed her head into the crook of his neck. She bit the muscle that joined neck and shoulder and he shivered in pleasure. She laved it with her tongue to soothe it and then sucked on the skin.

She was wrapped around him like a spider monkey, her grip strong as she held onto him. He peeled her off him and tossed her on the king sized bed. She looked up at him with hungry eyes, her rose gold hair fanned out on the white comforter, her eyes dark with passion and her lips swollen from his kisses.

He stripped his shirt off as she watched, followed by his jeans and boxer briefs. Her eyes dropped to his erection as it stood proudly, preening for her. She bit her lip and it jumped in response, her eyes tracking the movement.

"Naked," he said roughly and her hands went to the zip of her jeans. The button snapped open and he tugged them off, raking his eyes over the long length of her smooth, alabaster legs. The delicate pink lace panties she wore were damp and he slipped his finger under them to feel the evidence of her need.

"Fuck," he growled. "You're so wet, Blue."

She wriggled and removed the loose blouse that she wore, throwing it to the floor. His eyes wandered up from her damp panties, his finger still stroking her wetness, and took in the hollow of her stomach, the rise of her rib cage and the plump pillows of her breasts. They were full and lush, overflowing from the demi-cup bra she wore and her nipples were hard nubs straining against the pink lace.

He slipped his finger inside her as he leant down on the bed and took a nipple into his mouth, sucking the hard nub and lace into his mouth. She arched her back and spread her legs, granting him access to her entire body, not hiding, not holding back.

"God, you feel good Irish," she moaned as he pumped his fingers into her.

Her hands threaded through his hair and she tugged him close to her chest urging to take more of her into his mouth. He nosed the cup of her bra out of the way and ran his tongue around the now exposed tip. He loved the taste of her skin, the mix of sweet and salty. He rolled the hardened nipple between his lips as his thumb found her clit. She thrust her hips into his hand, seeking the friction she needed and he obliged, pressing down with the heel of his hand.

She gasped and her body went rigid. He nipped the fleshy underside of her breast and felt her core muscles spasm around his fingers. A keening cry tore from her throat as she came, her fingers digging into his scalp. He kept the rhythm of his fingers going, slowing as the pulsing inside her subsided, bringing her back down slowly. He placed, wet, open-mouthed kisses between her breasts and up over her collar bone, finding the soft place of her neck. He inhaled her sweet, floral scent as he suckled the throbbing pulse point and slowly withdrew his fingers. She drew her thighs together, clenching them to savour the tail end of her orgasm and let her hands slowly trail down his neck and across his shoulders.

He lifted his head and whispered harshly into her ear. "Naked."

* * *

Bailey was boneless, her mind mush. She floated on a cushion of pleasure, half delirious and sated. His rough whisper in her ear sparked another round of throbbing between her thighs and she felt a rush of wetness. Helpless to disobey, she unhooked her bra, her numb fingers fumbling with the clasp, as he dragged her thoroughly wet panties off her legs.

Bailey enjoyed sex and she wasn't a prude. She hadn't had a lot of sexual partners, not once Nick came into her life, but she'd had enough to know that Hunter had skills. She had often wondered if their first night together had been a fluke. Was it because she had only been with Nick for so long? Was it the thrill of something new and different that had made it seem so good? She could happily say that that wasn't the case at all.

Hunter dragged his mouth down her neck, between her breasts and across her stomach before coming to rest on the mound between her legs. His beard rasped across her skin adding a whole other dimension. The juxtaposition of his soft mouth and his prickly beard heightened the sensation, causing a flood of wetness at her core.

He nuzzled the bare skin of her sex and she thanked her stars that she had kept up her waxing, despite seeing no bedroom action for six months. She loved the feel of his whiskers on the sensitive, soft skin and adored the fact that he took his time. Nick had gone down on her, and he seemed to enjoy it, but Hunter took it to a whole new level. He seemed to take particular joy in cunnilingus, and she was happy to be the recipient of his expert ministrations.

He rubbed his nose along the crease of her thigh, his beard underscoring the sensual touch. He took a long slow lick of her folds, taking an extra swirl around her clit. Bailey exhaled and let her knees fall open, making room for his wide shoulders between them.

He used his fingers to spread her folds open and traced a figure-eight pattern with his tongue; up around her clit, down the other side to rim her entrance and then back up. It was erotic as fuck and she trembled with need. He nibbled and sucked on her folds, teasing her. She rocked her hips into him, demanding more and he obeyed by rolling her clit between his lips and sucking hard.

Her hips shot off the bed and he took advantage of the change in position by sliding his hands under her arse and holding her up so he could devour her. Her orgasm built quickly, her body tightening in preparation. He flicked his tongue over the swollen bundle of nerves in quick little flutters and her climax rocked through her in great waves of sensation. She cried out, gasping for breath, her heart pounding and her mind blanking.

He didn't bring her down gently, not this time. He flipped her over and dragged up onto her knees, her chest flat on the mattress. She heard the foil wrapper and waited impatiently while he sheathed himself in latex. Then he was there, behind her, his blunt head nudging her still spasming entrance. One of his big hands gripped her hip, his fingers digging into her flesh, while the other guided the head of his erection into her. He slid in slowly, taking his time and her muscles clenched around him.

"So fucking tight," he groaned as he seated himself fully inside her.

She tightened her inner muscles and heard him gasp and then he began to move. He pounded into her, his hands tight on her hips and she gripped the sheets, relishing the feel of him.

"Harder," she breathed, lifting her hips.

He pistoned into her, his breath ragged and she groaned. He was so deep and she was so wet and every glide of his shaft against her inner walls was bliss.

"You feel so fucking good," he ground out and the roughness of his voice triggered something in her.

She began to clench around him her core tightening as her third orgasm for the night started to build. He reached around with one hand and slid his finger through her soaking wet folds, finding her sensitive nub and caressing it. It was the final stimulant she needed to push her over the edge and she shattered, her cries muffled by the sheets as she buried her face in the mattress. He followed her over the edge, swelling before exploding inside her, throbbing with his release.

They collapsed onto the bed, his chest sliding up along her back so that he could bury his face in her neck. His hot breath on her damp skin sent shivers through her as they lay, spent and unmoving.

All too soon he rolled off her, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling for a minute before getting to his feet to remove the condom and clean up.

She rolled onto her back and watched him walk to the ensuite, enjoying the view of his tight ass. He was bigger than Nick...bigger everywhere...but there was not an ounce of flab on him. Everything about him was finely tuned and hot as fuck.

She stretched languidly. There was nothing quite like being thoroughly sexed up and Hunter knew how to hit all the right spots. He was a generous lover, a skilled lover and one hell of a good lay. But he was more than that too and she knew that she had only just scratched the surface of what life would be like with him.

He walked back out of the ensuite, turning off the lights as he made his way across the room to the bed. He slid in next to her and gathered her close and she went willingly. Her body melted against his and he kissed her long, slow and deep. She sighed and snuggled into him and his arms tightened around her. They fell asleep like that, completely tangled up in one another and Bailey felt her heart crack open.

# 13

Hunter held Bailey close as her breathing lengthened and deepened and her body relaxed into sleep. He loved the way she fit into him, how their bodies clicked together. He levered up onto one elbow so he could look down at her in the ambient light coming from outside. It was enough to see the curve of her cheek, the dip where her neck met her collarbone and the rise of her shoulder. Her skin was pale in the moonlight, but he knew it was decorated with the dusting of darker freckles and he wanted to chart every one of them.

Her hair spread out against the stark white of the pillowcase, and while the pale illumination from the world outside leeched it of colour, he knew that it glowed with vibrancy. Everything about Bailey screamed life and fun and...home.

Hunter lived in apartments and hotel rooms. He didn't have a home, if he was honest with himself. He had a house, but he was very rarely there and even though he had grown up there, without his mother and father in it, it no longer felt like home. That house, like all the other places he stayed, were merely places he slept; none of them were really home.

He rolled away from Bailey, untangling himself from her without waking her, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He sat for a moment, his head in his hands and wondered what it meant that he had fallen for this girl so fast. The girl that had been Nick's fuck buddy for five years. It wasn't his style. Yes, he'd had girlfriends before, but none of them had had such a profound effect on him. He'd kept them all at an arm's length, not wanting to expose his soft underbelly to them in case he got hurt. Losing his father had shown him that love hurt, and he had been carefully guarded ever since.

But then Bailey had come along and blown all of that out of the water. Without even trying, without even meaning to, she had burrowed her way into his heart and now Hunter didn't want to let her go. He'd tried so hard not to get attached, especially when he knew about her twisted relationship with Nick. He'd been honest with her when he'd told her he didn't share, and that went double for Nick Heart. He already had to share his mother with the prick, he'd be damned if he'd share Blue.

He pushed to his feet, pulled on some sweats and padded out into the sitting room, closing the bedroom door softly so that he didn't wake Bailey. Pulling out his phone he scrolled through his contacts as he fell onto the couch. He tapped the screen and waited for the call to connect. It didn't matter that it was the middle of the night, he knew Jonathon would be awake.

"Jonathon Ashby," he answered.

"Hey Jon," Hunter said with a smile.

"Hunter," Jonathon replied, "do you know what time it is?"

"I know what time it is where I am," Hunter said with a laugh, "but I have no idea where you are, so time is irrelevant."

"Well, I happen to be in Oz," Jonathon replied. "Queensland to be exact."

"What a fucking coincidence," Hunter chuckled. "So am I. Sunshine Coast."

"Brisbane," Jonathon laughed. "So why are you calling me in the middle of the night?"

"I need a favour," he replied.

"Money, muscle or goodwill?" Jonathon asked, cutting to the chase.

"Hmm, I think maybe this would fall under goodwill, but it is actually more tangible. I need chocolate."

"You have a sudden craving for chocolate in the middle of the night?"

"No, not exactly," Hunter laughed. "It's a long story, but I need to replace some chocolates that were inadvertently eaten."

"Okay, this is a story I need to hear. Does it have anything to do with a woman?"

"Have you been talking to Brooks?"

"Maybe. But you need chocolate, and I can hook you up with that, but my payment will require the story."

"I can pay cash," Hunter said.

"You know your money is no good to me. I want to know why Hunter Green needs chocolate."

Hunter sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What did Brooks tell you?"

"Just that a woman had you all twisted up but there were complications."

"Yeah, complications," Hunter huffed out a rueful laugh. "I met a girl who happens to be Nick's ex. And before you say anything, I didn't know it at the time. Anyway, Nick is getting married, she's here as one of the bridesmaids and while they were making the bonbonnières, she ate quite a few of them." Hunter chuckled at the memory. "She's not exactly a fan of the bride."

"Okay, this sounds way too complicated and it makes me feel sorry for you. I'll supply you with my chocolatey delights, but you need to enlighten us all on the entire sordid story when we get together next."

"You're an asshole, you know that Ashby?" Hunter growled. "But thank you."

"I'll be at the workshop tomorrow, come by and we'll get you squared away. Oh, and bring the girl. Anyone who has turned your head enough to ignore the fact that she was one of Nick's exes I have to meet."

"Fuck off," Hunter groused as he disconnected the call. He could still hear Jonathon's laughter.

He leant his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. It had been ages since they'd all gotten together, and it was well overdue. The men of Alpha Pi Tau met as often as they could, but they were all busy men. Some of them spent a lot of time in other countries, so face to face meetings had become rare. They Skyped when they could, but even that had dropped off lately. Maybe it was time to start making it a priority again.

Hunter got up off the couch and went to the desk where he'd set up his laptop. He sent out an email to all five members, suggesting a meeting and requesting their availabilities. Then he opened up some work documents, trying to get his head into the right headspace, but it was useless. He usually only needed a few hours' sleep and he spent most of his waking hours working. Being away from work for this wedding should have made him anxious, but all he could think about was the red head in his bed.

He flipped his laptop closed and headed back to the bedroom with a smile on his face. What the hell was he doing sitting in his office when he had a warm, gorgeous woman in his bed? He might be a workaholic, but he wasn't dead.

* * *

Bailey woke to the feel of a warm body sliding into bed next to hers. She rolled over and snuggled into the naked chest, nuzzling the warm skin in the crook of his neck. His arms went around her and pulled her close and she could feel his arousal beginning to stir.

Her hands skated along the firm stretch of man from chest to hip and then around to feel the taut muscles of his ass. She sighed with contentment and he kissed the top of her head as his own hands did some exploring. She knew by the feel of his body against hers and the smell of his skin that it was Hunter and not Nick and it should've felt weird, but it actually felt right.

Nick had never been a cuddler and even though they had spent many nights together, he had always rolled away from her to sleep after sex. She liked that Hunter gathered her in to himself like he couldn't bear to be parted from her, even in sleep.

She pressed a soft kiss to his neck leaning her body into his, her naked breasts squashing against his hard chest. His hand traversed the length of her back, cupping her bottom and pulling her close. Her leg automatically moved over his hip opening herself up to his hardening erection. He rolled them over so that she was on top and his thick member nudged her entrance.

"Bailey," he murmured into her hair as she continued to kiss and suck on his neck. "Bailey, honey, we need a condom."

She groaned and sat up, pushing her hands against his chest and sliding her wet folds along his length. He held perfectly still for a moment and she smiled as she watched him swallow. He took a breath and reached for a condom packet, which she plucked out of his hand. She opened the little foil square and rolled the prophylactic onto his engorged member, giving it a few strokes and squeeze in the process.

He grabbed her arms and pulled her forward, positioning her over him and then thrusting home. They both gasped in unison as they made the intimate connection, pausing to relish the feel of him being completely seated within her.

He rolled them over so that she was underneath and he pinned her arms above her head. She arched her back, wanting to feel every part of him along her length and he dipped his head to take her lips in a searing kiss. He began to move; long, slow thrusts as his tongue mimicked the motion into her mouth. Bailey was in heaven.

Their bodies slid against each other, slick with sweat. He filled her completely with every thrust, stretching her around his thick girth. The delicious friction of his every plunge into her wet channel drove Bailey higher.

"Oh, God Hunter," she moaned. "You feel so good." Her voice was husky, rough with need.

"Fuck, Bailey," he growled into her shoulder, "I could stay buried in you forever."

She struggled against his hold on her hands, wanting to feel the play of muscles along his back as he moved, but he held her firm. Instead she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his hips, tilting her pelvis in just the right way so his shaft rubbed along her swollen clit.

Hunter began to move faster and she felt him thicken and harden even further as his own climax began to build. She bucked her hips into him, increasing the pressure, her body careening toward release.

"That's it baby," she crooned. "Harder, fuck me harder."

He pounded into her and she felt the walls of her core tighten around him before waves of intense pleasure rolled over her, her orgasm triggering his. She cried out as he throbbed within her, drawing out her climax. He slowed his rhythm, but continued to push into her in deep, sure strokes until her body was limp and spent.

He kissed her languidly, tasting every inch of her mouth as he let her hands go. He slowly pulled out, both of them groaning with the loss of contact, and she closed her eyes to bask in the afterglow. Hunter cleaned up in the ensuite and then slid back into bed, gathering her close and raining kisses down over her eyelids, nose, cheeks and neck. She sighed with contentment, relaxing in his arms.

"The things you do to me," he murmured against her lips.

She smiled and pressed a long kiss to his lips, "You drive me wild," she whispered. "I can't get enough of you."

He groaned, the vibration rubbling in his chest and throat so that she could feel it through her whole body.

"I can't get enough of you either," he said, his voice low and rough.

She cupped is cheek, letting the bristles of his beard tickle her palm and then slid her hand up and around his neck, pulling him close. They lay with their foreheads touching, their breath mingling and Bailey wondered how on earth she would ever walk away from him.

He kissed the tip of her nose and then tucked her head under his chin, his hands making large circles on her back.

"Sleep, sweetheart," he whispered. "We've got a big day ahead of us."

She snuggled into him gratefully, letting her eyes droop and her body sink into his warmth. She knew as she succumbed to the sweet call of sleep that she was falling in love with the man who held her and she had no idea what to do about it. She'd loved Nick, but not like this, not in this all-consuming way. She wanted to spend the rest of her days wrapped up in him. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, his arms around her and their legs entwined. She wanted to wake up with him and fall asleep with him every night and although that should have scared her, being wrapped up in him, held securely by his strong arms, made all the scary things fade away. Falling asleep next to him like this gave her hope that what she hoped for could be possible.

* * *

Hunter slowly opened his eyes as he crawled up from the darkness of sleep and blinked at the brightness of the room. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept in until the sun had fully risen. The soft, warm body beside him stirred and he smiled. He could damned well get used to this.

He turned his head to the side and took in the face of the woman who had turned his world completely upside-down and inside-out. Bailey's features were relaxed in sleep, her long dark eyelashes brushing the delicate freckles on her alabaster cheeks, her pillowy lips slightly parted and her hands tucked up under her head as she snuggled into his side.

His arm tightened reflexively around her and he lowered his head to press a gentle kiss on her temple. She smelled like flowers and the unique musky scent that was all her own and he dragged in lungfuls of it, letting it imprint on his senses and memory.

He didn't want to move, didn't want to wake her. He wanted to watch her sleep and catalogue every little sound and facial expression. He wanted to memorise the shape of her nose, the pout of her lips, the delicate curve of her ear. He didn't want this surreal moment of absolute bliss to end.

And that wasn't in the least bit stalker-ish.

He sighed and kissed her again, this time with intent to wake her. He brushed his lips along those cute freckles on her cheeks and pressed soft kisses to her eyelids before taking her lips in a long, languid kiss, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue.

She responded slowly, opening to him, her eyes fluttering open and her hand stretching out to thread through his hair.

"Mmm," she hummed into his mouth. "So much better than an alarm clock."

He smiled against her lips and kissed her again, taking his time and savouring the taste of her. She let him lead, following contentedly along behind him as he explored her mouth, his tongue running along her lips, across her teeth and sliding silkily against her tongue.

He pulled away from her mouth and trailed softs kisses along her jaw, exulting in the shiver of her body as his beard brushed against the tender skin of her throat. His hand wandered down her spine and she arched her back in response. He moved his mouth down her exposed throat, open-mouthed kisses, soft nips and gentle sucks until he'd made his way across her chest and down the plump globes of her breast, finally taking an engorged nipple between his lips and suckling.

She mewled in the back of her throat, her hands holding his head in place while he loved on her breast. She pushed her body towards him, urging him to take more of her into his mouth, but he nipped the tight bud with his teeth instead, causing her to gasp breathlessly.

He lifted his head and she blinked her lashes open, her eyes lazy with lust.

"We need to get up," he whispered and then chuckled as he took in her pout.

"You can't get me this wound up and then leave me hanging," she replied desperately. "It's inhumane."

"But we've got a lot to do today," he said, dropping his lips to the skin between her breasts.

She arched her back again and moaned. "I refuse to go anywhere until you finish what you started."

He took the other nipple in his mouth and rolled it around his tongue causing her hands to clench in his hair.

"I better be quick then," he mumbled, rolling her to her back and running his tongue down across her stomach, circling her belly button and finally making contact with her mound. Her knees fell open and he snuggled eagerly between them, propping her legs over his shoulders and cupping his hands under her bottom so that he could angle her just right.

He took a moment to appreciate the dusky pink folds that glistened in readiness for him before dipping his head and laving her slit. She exhaled with a whoosh and he smiled as he ran his tongue around her clit and then sucked it into his mouth. He loved the taste of her, he loved the softness of her folds and the way she responded to his ministrations.

He tensed his tongue and dipped it into her entrance, rimming the turgid walls of her core. She bucked against his mouth, riding his face as he plunged his tongue deeper into her. He licked and sucked and nipped at her until he felt her stiffen, her thighs closing tightly against his head. He pulled away before she could come and she groaned in desperation. He slipped on a condom, his own release pulling his balls tight as he held onto his control. He plunged into her, flicking her clit with his thumb as he did so and bringing her orgasm to completion. He pumped into her two, three times before he could no longer hold back his own release and he thrust into her, burying himself deep as he let her pulsating walls milk him dry.

He collapsed over her, his head snug in the crook of her neck and breathed deeply, waiting for his heart rate to slow and the numb feeling to leave his legs. She pulled him close and wrapped her arms and legs around him, panting in his ear. Her hot breath was doing all kinds of things to his vulnerable state of mind.

Eventually he pulled away from her, prolonging the contact as long as he could, before rolling to the side and looking up at the ceiling. He laid an arm over his eyes as he tried to get his bearings wondering how in the hell he was going to get through the rest of the day without doing that again.

# 14

They eventually made it out of the hotel room and into Hunter's car. They held hands and sang off-key to the music on the radio as they flew down the highway towards the city. Bailey could not remember ever feeling this relaxed or sated...or happy.

There wasn't anything specific she could put her finger on. There was no _event_ that had prompted this happiness, it was just a general feeling of well-being and for once she wasn't going to over-analyse it. She just wanted to enjoy it and enjoy him.

It seemed like Hunter now invaded every part of her life. He owned her body, he dominated her thoughts and he was even a big part of her work life, and it didn't feel in the least bit suffocating.

She had always wondered if the only reason she and Nick had worked was because they spent so little time together. She had a history of keeping very strict boundaries around friends and family, rationing time with them so as not to get too involved in their lives and not allow them to get too involved in hers. She had learned her lesson about sharing too much with people who couldn't, or wouldn't, share her vision. Pearls before swine and all that.

But Hunter had blown through all her carefully constructed fences and rather than feeling off kilter or exposed, she actually felt stronger. It was a relief to find someone who wasn't afraid to dream big like she did. Her family had spent so much of her formative years trying to hold her back and discourage her from taking too big a risk that she had begun to believe that everybody was like that. Getting to know Hunter and to see what he had achieved in such a short time was inspirational and validating. It was nice to finally have someone on her side.

He squeezed her hand and brought her out of her musings.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, shooting her a quick glance.

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand back. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Life," she replied.

"Oh so nothing too deep then," he chuckled.

"So where are we going?" she asked shaking off her thoughts and taking in her surroundings.

They had left the highway and were now winding through a light industrial area.

"I'm taking you to meet a friend of mine," he replied, "and to replace all those chocolates you ate."

She blushed, her cheeks flaming, "God," she said, "how embarrassing."

He laughed and she shot him a glare, which only made him laugh harder.

"It was one of the highlights of this trip," he chuckled.

Hunter released her hand and down shifted as he slowed to turn into a parking lot and Bailey's eyes rounded as she took in the sign that hung proudly over the clump of buildings.

"Ashby Chocolates?" she gasped and then turned to him. "You know someone from Ashby Chocolates?"

"I do," he said as he pulled the car to a stop beside a bright yellow Lamborghini.

"They are my absolute favourite chocolate in the world," she gushed. "So much better than that crap that Ainsley has for her bonbonnières."

"I thought you said Belgian chocolate was the best?" he asked looking at her with that damned quirked eyebrow.

"I was drunk," she replied with a shrug. "And I suppose, in a pinch, Belgian chocolate will do but it still pales in comparison to Ashby Chocolates."

He laughed and shook his head. "Jonathon is going to love you. Come on." He opened his door and got out and Bailey followed suit.

He walked around the car and took her hand leading her into the showroom of the very expensive and exclusive Ashby Chocolates. The doors opened and the heady scent of chocolate wafted over them. Bailey closed her eyes and drew in a deep lungful before exhaling on a sigh. She heard Hunter chuckle beside her and her eyes snapped open. She blushed when she realised they were not alone.

"Hunter," the other man said with a smile, "good to see you."

Bailey stood back as the two shared a man-hug and a few slaps on the back.

"Jonathon, I'd like to introduce you to Bailey Sheppard. Bailey, this is Jonathon Ashby."

Bailey had been beginning to smile and had started to extend her hand to shake the other man's when his name registered and she froze.

"Jonathon Ashby?" she whispered.

Jonathon laughed and Hunter rolled his eyes.

"You've heard of me then," he said with a wink. He took her extended hand and brought it to his lips.

"Lay off," Hunter growled, but Jonathon just smiled as he let her hand go.

Jonathon was a really attractive guy, but Bailey could tell that he was a player. His dark hair and grey eyes would have most women swooning at his feet. Bailey cleared her throat and snuck her hand through the crook of Hunter's elbow.

"It's nice to meet you," she replied and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"So you're the one," he murmured, giving her a once over.

"I'm the one, what?" she asked, but he only smiled.

"So, Hunter," he said, moving his eyes off her and onto his friend. "Did you bring me a sample so I can match it?"

Hunter pulled a wrapped, heart shaped chocolate from his pocket and handed it to Jonathon.

"A pink heart? Really?" Jonathon rolled his eyes before turning away and walking towards the double doors marked 'Staff Only.' "How predictable."

Hunter put a hand on the small of Bailey's back and guided her through the doors, following along in Jonathon's wake.

"He's a bit of a chocolate snob," Hunter stage whispered in her ear.

"I can hear you," he called back over his shoulder, "and I am proud of my snobbery."

Bailey giggled. She might not fall into bed with a guy like Jonathon, but she was beginning to like him.

* * *

Jonathon led them into a storeroom that was stacked to the rafters with clear tubs filled with foil wrapped chocolates. He stopped in front of a tub that held identical pink heart shapes and turned to look at them.

"How many?" he asked.

Bailey fidgeted beside him before answering.

"Fifty?" she said.

"Fifty?" Jonathon replied. "You ate fifty chocolates in one sitting?"

"Ah, well," she blushed and Hunter had to hold back a smile. "I actually don't know how many I ate," she replied. "There was champagne involved...lots of champagne."

Jonathon shook his head. "Fifty it is," he said and began scooping out the required number.

"Do you make all these here?" Bailey asked as she looked around the room.

"We do limited runs in this workshop," Jonathon replied, "but we mostly make truffles here. The solid, foil wrapped shapes, come from our Sydney factory, our cream filled and hard centred ones are produced in Melbourne." He handed the bag of hearts to Bailey. "Would you like to see where the magic happens?"

Hunter rolled his eyes. Jonathon made it sound like they were walking into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and he knew damned well that it couldn't be further from the truth.

"I'd love to," Bailey said.

Jonathon winked at him and then led them over to a door. They entered an airlock and he handed them plastic overalls, shower caps, gloves, booties to go over their shoes and goggles for the eyes. He also handed Hunter a special beard cover and Hunter grimaced. Once they were all kitted out, they followed him into the processing room.

Jonathon had started out hand-making his chocolates, but when the operation and demand got too big he had to switch to machines. They were all state of the art and more computer than machine, but Jonathon had insisted on only the best. These machines had proved to be the closest to hand-making as he could get. He still hand-made specialty lines and he had a whole staff of specially trained chocolatiers to do just that, but they were too expensive for most people.

"This is where the coverture chocolate gets melted down," Jonathon said indicating part of the machine, "We import the coverture from Merveille where it's made."

"You don't make it yourself?" she asked.

"Of course we do," Jonathon answered, "but we make it in Merveille and then send it here."

They watched as moulds traversed the conveyor belt to be coated in chocolate, filled with ganache, sealed with more chocolate and the finally expelled at the end. Hunter had seen the process before but it took on a whole new meaning as he watched Bailey take it all in.

"What flavour are these?" she asked as another batch was knocked out of their mould.

"Tequila Shots," Jonathon replied.

"What?" Bailey asked and Hunter smiled.

"The ganache is flavoured with tequila, lime and a hint of salt," Jonathon explained, "It's one of my more adventurous flavours."

"Who comes up with these recipes?" Bailey asked.

"Me, mostly," Jonathon replied.

"He has been known to spend days in his test kitchen," Hunter added, "but it's always worth it."

"Can I try one?" Bailey asked.

Jonathon picked one up off the line and handed it to her. She popped it in her mouth and closed her eyes and the noise she made sent Hunter's blood south, hardening his ever-ready cock.

"It tastes just like a tequila shot," she said when she opened her eyes, "but with chocolate. I need to buy some of these."

Hunter chuckled as Jonathon beamed. She was adorable and he couldn't help but think that the taste of tequila reminded her of the night they met.

"I'll buy you whatever you want," Hunter said, pulling her close and kissing the top of her plastic covered head, "as long as you save those noises for when we get home later," he whispered in her ear.

She shivered and he chuckled. Jonathon cleared his throat.

"Seen enough?" he asked, and when they nodded he led them back to the airlock where they stripped off the protective gear.

Once they were back in the showroom, Hunter hung back with Jonathon while Bailey perused his glass display cabinets.

"I like her," Jonathon said, nudging Hunter with his elbow. "She's sweet."

"Yeah," Hunter said on a sigh, "she's fucking adorable and I can't get her out of my mind."

Jonathon laughed, "Not a bad problem to have," he said.

"I suppose not, if she feels the same."

"You doubt her?"

Hunter shrugged. "I just don't know if Nick is out of her system or not. They were together a long time."

Bailey looked over at them then and smiled, her eyes alight with joy and an impish grin on her face.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Jonathon said.

Hunter wanted to believe him, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she hadn't fully resolved her feelings for his stepbrother. And if that was the case then he needed to take a step back and gain some control. He knew he was already falling in love with her, but he refused to give her his whole heart until he knew where things stood with Nick. If he had to walk away, he would.

"Oh my God," she squealed and Hunter looked over at her. "I have to get some of these!"

He walked over to see what she was looking at and nearly choked. "What the hell, Jon?" he asked, looking over at his friend.

Jonathon smirked at him. "It's part of our 'Too Hot to Handle' line."

"They're chocolate cocks," Hunter blurted out.

"They are," Jonathon confirmed, "with chilli flavoured cream centres. Very popular with the Hen's party crowd."

"They'll be perfect for tonight," Bailey insisted. "I'll take two dozen, please."

Jonathon boxed up her purchases and Hunter handed over his credit card, but Jonathon waved him away.

"You'll owe me," he said with a shrug.

They shook hands and said their goodbyes and Hunter led Bailey back out to the car.

"Where to now?" he asked.

"What's the time?"

"Nearly lunch time," he replied.

She bit the corner of her lip and he couldn't help but lean over and kiss it. "I've been wanting to do that for ages," he whispered.

She sighed and kissed him again before he pulled away.

"The bridal shower is at four," she said, "and I don't have a gift yet."

"Okay, so gift shopping it is."

She turned and beamed at him. "You know it's a mixed shower, right?"

"What?"

She laughed. "So you need to get a gift too."

He rolled his eyes as they drove out of the carpark. Fabulous. A fucking mixed bridal shower. At least he'd get to spend the time with Bailey and he was sure there would be alcohol.

* * *

They wandered hand in hand through the department store, but nothing remotely interesting jumped out a Bailey and screamed 'the perfect gift to get your ex and his fiancée'. Nick and Ainsley had a bridal registry set up for both the shower and the wedding, but it was all the usual boring shit like towels and china and glass. The last thing Bailey wanted to do was spend her money on something so generic. She was over Nick and she didn't really like Ainsley all that much, but gift giving was a serious business to her and she was determined to find them the exact right gift.

"What about this crystal vase?" Hunter asked picking up a Waterford Crystal cut vase.

"Too tacky," Bailey responded.

"Tacky?" he scoffed. "It's eleven hundred dollars."

"Exactly," Bailey said. "Who would be tacky enough to put something that expensive on their bridal shower gift registry? They're tacky, not the vase. I refuse to indulge their tackiness." She sniffed and moved on.

She couldn't believe some of the stuff that Ainsley had included on her list and it made her even more determined to get something that wasn't on the list and _wasn't_ returnable.

"There's nothing here," she complained turning to Hunter with a pout. He leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss on her mouth and she let her eyelids fall shut. She loved his unabashed public displays of affection. After being with Nick in a secret love affair, it felt nice to be shown off in public.

"All right then," he said, slinging an arm around her shoulder and directing her towards the exit. "Then where do you want to go?"

They walked out of the department store and into the shopping mall. Crowds moved around them as they stood and took in the rows of shops. Bailey saw a Bodyshop and suddenly had an idea.

"I know the perfect gift," she said, "But we can't get it here." She grabbed his hand and started pulling him to the escalator.

"Wait. Where are we going now?"

"We need to drive there," she said impatiently. "Come on, I'll direct you."

They took the escalator down to the parking garage and he paid for the parking before she dragged him to the car.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" he asked.

Bailey smiled at him mischievously and shook her head. "Just follow my directions."

They drove out of the underground garage and she guided him through the traffic. They headed back towards the light industrial area near Ashby Chocolates, but turned into a different precinct. When she told him to pull over, he gave her a shocked look and she giggled.

"Come on," she said with a wink. "Don't be such a prude."

He followed her into the showroom reluctantly, but Bailey couldn't help grinning.

"You're buying them a bridal shower gift from a _sex shop_?" he whispered in her ear.

"No," she replied, " _we're_ buying them a gift from a sex shop." She raised up on her tippy toes and kissed him on the tip of his nose.

"And what exactly are _we_ buying?"

"A couples pamper pack," she said with a roll of her eyes. "It's really not as kinky as you're thinking. It has his and hers intimate massage oil, candles, bubble bath, lingerie and...you know, other stuff."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close and she could smell the scent of his sandalwood aftershave which seemed to have a dizzying effect on her.

"What other stuff?" he whispered.

She shrugged. "Just some, ah, marital aids."

She expected him to get angry, but instead he chuckled.

"Marital aids?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow in that way that always made her hot. "Is that what they're calling them now?"

She grinned at him. "Ainsley seemed a little... _unprepared_...for marriage with Nick. I thought I'd be a pal and help her out."

Hunter dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "Okay, I'm in," he said.

Bailey clapped her hands and then pulled him into the aisles, grabbing things off the shelves and putting them into a basket. She had made one for a friend of hers just recently and it had been a hit. Ainsley would probably be too much of a goody-two-shoes to get much benefit out of the 'marital aids' she'd included, but she knew Nick would get a kick out of it. Nick wasn't opposed to getting dirty on occasion and if this little basket of goodies freaked Ainsley out a little, more's the better.

Bailey picked up a particularly shiny little piece of merchandise and grinned.

"A butt plug?" Hunter asked in surprise.

"A butt plug with a great big rhinestone on the end," she said. "Now, that's classy."

Hunter chuckled and Bailey shivered at the sound. She'd noticed a few little treasures in here that she wouldn't mind getting for herself...things that she thought Hunter might get a kick out of too.

"Why don't you go and choose some edible underwear," she said, sending him off to the other side of the store.

While he wasn't looking she slipped some intimate massage oil and a nice little vibrator into the basket that she would surprise him with later.

She walked over to where Hunter was standing, perusing the available edible underwear choices.

"Strawberry or Passionfruit?" he asked turning to her.

"I think Ainsley would definitely be a strawberry girl," she said, plucking off a packet and slipping it into the basket.

"And what about you, Blue, what flavour would you be?" he said, his voice low and husky in her ear, his hot breath on her neck.

"Tequila," she replied. "Definitely tequila."

He laughed, throwing his head back, his mouth open wide and she couldn't help laughing with him. Tequila would never be the same and she was glad she'd bought some of those tequila shot truffles from Ashby Chocolates...she had plans for them later.

# 15

Bailey stuck to him like glue at the bridal shower, and he didn't care in the least. He was grateful, in fact. Spending all that time in the sex shop had gotten him all worked up and he'd been sporting a semi all afternoon. They hadn't had time to do anything other than a quick change when they got back from their shopping trip, so he was still suffering. It was pure torture and absolute bliss that Bailey kept touching him, leaning her body against his as they made small talk with the other guests, brushing her hand over his arm, his chest, his butt, sneaking little chaste kisses here and there. Coupled with the images he'd had of what he could do with some of those toys they'd looked at and he was lucky to even be having a coherent thought what with all the blood in his head being occupied elsewhere.

He managed to corner her in a secluded part of the garden, crowding her against a garden trellis, pressing his erection into her hip.

"When I get you back to the hotel," he whispered into her ear, loving the shiver that trembled through her body, "I'm going to turn you over my knee and spank you."

"Why, Mr. Green," she replied in a breathless voice, "have I done something to upset you sir?"

The whole Mr. Green thing and the sir and the submissive voice made him grit his teeth against the groan.

"Ms. Sheppard," he replied, "you have been driving me to distraction all afternoon and seeing your pretty little arse cheeks turn pink is exactly what I need."

She gripped his shirt as her breath hitched and a violent tremble went through her body. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her hard, pushing his body into hers, memorising the feel of her soft places against his hard ones.

"Hunter! Are you out here?"

God damn it! Nothing kills an erection faster than your mother calling you.

He pushed away from Bailey and took a breath.

"I'll be just a sec," he called to his mother, barely keeping the irritation out of his voice.

Bailey snickered and he looked down at her flushed cheeks and swollen lips and his cock jumped back to attention. He sighed and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I suppose we should go back to the party," he said.

"You go first," she replied. "I need to fix the mess you made of me."

He took in her slightly mussed appearance and lust roared through him. He liked her like that, knowing that he had been the one to muss her up.

"No," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him, "we're leaving, now."

She laughed again. "We can't just leave," she said, tripping after him.

"Watch me," he said as they stepped into the garden proper where the party was taking place, almost colliding with Nick in the process.

"Shit," he said taking a step back and eyeing up the two of them. "What the hell have you two been up to?"

Hunter gave him his biggest shit-eating grin and swaggered away, not answering. Nick glared after them and he pulled Bailey closer, maybe letting his hand slip down from her waist to cup her ass. She slapped him lightly on the arm, but it was worth it just to see Nick's furious face.

"Stop it," she whispered harshly.

"Can't," he replied. "I need to get you out of here and somewhere private so I can have my wicked way with you or I am going to self-combust."

She rolled her eyes at him, but he could tell she was just as hot for him, the telltale flush in her pale skin was a dead giveaway and he could see her nipples beading under her dress. He kissed the corner of her mouth and whispered in her ear.

"I've got a surprise for us."

"Me too," she replied and he redoubled his efforts to get them out of there.

But his plan was foiled by his mother.

"Hunter! There you are," she bussed his cheek and then gave Bailey a tight hug. "Where did you disappear to?"

"I was just showing Bailey the gardens," he replied smoothly.

"They're lovely," Bailey said with a sweet smile for his mother.

"Thank you," she replied, glowing. His mother loved her gardens and the quickest way to get her side-tracked was to start talking about them.

"Was that a new planting I saw towards the back?" he asked, grabbing for anything in order to distract her from their obviously dishevelled appearance.

"No, just some pruning," she replied. "Getting ready for the winter cold snap."

"Winter? Here?" he snorted.

"Oh, stop it," she said with a grin.

"So, mum, Bailey and I are going to head off—"

"Oh, you can't go yet," she said, "they haven't opened the gifts yet."

"They're opening them in front of everybody?" Bailey asked, her eyes wide with panic.

"Of course, dear," she replied. "The other bridesmaids are just gathering them all together in the gazebo so Nick and Ainsley can do the honours."

"Ah, excuse me," Bailey said, extricating herself from Hunter's arm. "I should go and help them."

He grinned. Bailey hadn't expected the gifts to be opened in public and he couldn't help having a little chuckle at her expense. She probably wouldn't have been so cavalier about their gift if she'd known.

"Hunter," his mother said, drawing his attention, "I wanted to talk to you about tonight."

"What about tonight?" he asked, lifting his eyebrow in question.

"Well." His mother looked nervous or embarrassed. "I know it's Nick's buck's night," she said, "and I'm a little concerned that things might get a little out of hand."

He laughed and shook his head. "It's a buck's night," he said, "of course it's going to get out of hand."

"I know," she said, "but, well, I know Nick and his friends and I'd just feel better if I knew that you were keeping an eye on them, you know, to make sure they don't do anything stupid."

"You want me to babysit Nick?" he asked, incredulous.

She nodded and he swore under his breath.

"Okay, fine," he said with a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'll keep an eye on things."

* * *

Bailey rushed over to the gazebo where the other bridesmaids were stacking the presents. She desperately looked for the distinctive shape of the gift basket she'd put together, hoping to grab it and stash it inside somewhere so they could find it later. She didn't mind embarrassing Ainsley in the privacy of her own bedroom, but she was not the kind of person to make her feel uncomfortable in public...not without copious amounts of alcohol, anyway.

Ah, there it was! Bailey grabbed the parcel and tugged it towards her, it was a heavy sucker. She pulled it into her arms and turned to walk away with it.

"Hey!" Number One called to her. "Where do you think you're going with that?"

Bailey grabbed the gift card off the top and tucked it into her hand before turning back to the annoying maid of honour.

"This one doesn't seem to have a card and, oh, look, there's a small tear in the wrapping paper," Bailey said sweetly. "I didn't think they'd like to open a gift when they didn't know who it was from."

"That's ridiculous," Number One said. "The person can simply own up to it when they open it." She grabbed the gift and pulled it out of Bailey's hands, putting it on the table with the rest of the gifts. "Why don't you see if you can find the card, it may have just fallen off."

Bailey sneered at the back of her head and waited for her to walk away from the table. There was no way she could hide the present now, but there was absolutely no way she was going to own up to it being from her and Hunter.

She stepped up to the table and pulled a few other tags off the gifts, mixing them up in her hand. She pulled one out at random and then stuck it on the sex-shop-gift-basket and then randomly stuck the other tags on the other presents. That way it would look like a few of the gifts got their tags mixed up and hers and Hunter's wouldn't be so obvious.

"Found it," she said with a smile when Number One returned.

"Fine," she groused at Bailey. "Why don't you go and help the other two hand out the champagne."

Bailey rolled her eyes and walked off, her heart beating a million miles a minute. She didn't know why it was the bridesmaids' job to hand out the champagne when there were perfectly good, _paid,_ waiters to do it, but she dutifully picked up a tray and wove through the crowd. She took the opportunity to down two of the glasses herself, trying to steady her nerves.

"What the hell Bailey," Nick's growl in her ear and his firm hand gripping her elbow nearly made her spill the entire tray of glasses.

She steadied the tray and pulled her arm out of Nick's vice-like grip before turning to glare at him. "What the hell, Nick," she retorted.

"What the fuck were you and Hunter doing in the garden?"

"That's none of your business," she hissed back at him.

"You think you can walk away from us Bae?" he asked his voice softening. He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. She shook him off and took a step back.

"You walked away from us, Nick," she said.

"No, Bae," he replied, "I told you I still wanted you."

"Oh for fuck's sake, Nick," she growled. "You think I still want you after this?" she indicated the party they were standing in the midst of. "You think I want to be your piece of arse on the side?"

"It never bothered you before," he groused.

"Fuck you, Nick," she spat, turning on her heel to walk away from him, but he grabbed her again, stepping close and whispering in her ear.

"We're not done, Bailey."

"Yes, we are," she snapped, pulling away from him again with such force that the whole tray of drinks she was carrying went flying, drenching a couple of nearby guests.

Hunter materialised at her side, sliding his arm around her waist protectively and pulling him into her side.

"You okay?" he asked her, but his eyes were on Nick.

"She's fine," Nick snapped.

"I didn't ask you, asshole," Hunter hissed.

"I'm okay, Hunter," she said in a small voice.

Hunter and Nick glared at each other for a minute before Nick turned and stormed away. She let out a breath and sagged into Hunter's side.

"Thanks," she breathed, her pulse racing and her throat tight. Tears welled, but she refused to let them fall.

He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her in his warmth and security and assuredness.

"Okay, can I have everyone's attention," the best man was saying over the microphone. "It's time to open the presents."

"Oh, God," Bailey groaned into Hunter's shoulder. "Can we just leave, right now?"

He sniggered, his body rumbling against hers. "No such luck, my love."

She buried her head into his shoulder for a moment and let the sound of the words _'my love'_ wash over her. Did he really think of her like that? Was it too much to hope that he did?

Slowly she moved out of his arms and they walked towards the gazebo with the rest of the crowd, but Bailey was not looking forward to the revealing of the gifts, even if it didn't have hers and Hunter's names on it.

They watched, her nervousness growing, as each gift was opened and the gift giver thanked. So far it had all been the usual boring gift registry stuff that she had turned her nose up at. She now wished she hadn't been so pedantic about her gift. Hunter squeezed her shoulder in support as their basket was placed in front of the bride and groom to be.

"And this one is from the lovely Dana, Ainsley's maid of honour and best friend."

Number One (Dana!) looked at the basket confused as Ainsley unwrapped it. Ainsley gasped, covering her mouth with her hands and turned bright red, Nick's eyes nearly popped out of his head and the entire crowd went silent as the contents of the basket were revealed. Bailey hid her head in Hunter's shoulder and she felt the tremors of his chest as he held back a laugh. Her face flamed with embarrassment and then she heard Nick's loud, surprised laugh.

"Why, Dana," he said. "I didn't know you cared."

The rest of the crowd, well the young ones anyway, laughed while the older ones made indistinct, but definitely disapproving, noises. Dana looked like she wanted to kill someone and Bailey knew who it was going to be.

"We have to get out of here," she hissed at Hunter, "or Number One is going to skewer me."

Hunter was barely containing his laughter, but he managed to manoeuvre them out of the party and away from the deadly eyes of the MOH. When they were out of earshot, Hunter stopped and bent at the waist, laughing uproariously. Bailey ran through a gamut of emotions before she too started laughing. The look on Ainsley's face had been priceless and Nick's stunned, but delighted expression was gold. Ainsley had no idea what she was in for with Nick, Bailey just hoped she would live through it.

* * *

"Ainsley does know what a dog Nick is, doesn't she?" Hunter asked when they arrived back at their hotel.

Bailey shrugged. "They've been dating for a while, so I suppose she'd have to."

"But you said that they haven't even slept together yet," Hunter insisted, not liking the gut feeling he was having. "And if Nick hasn't been sleeping with Ainsley and he hasn't been sleeping with you..." He trailed off, hoping Bailey would get it without him having to spell it out.

"Shit," she said, slumping onto the couch. "You know, I shouldn't feel bad about this, I shouldn't care what is going on in Nick's relationship."

He sat down beside her and tucked her under his arm. Her head fell to his shoulder and she sighed.

"I think Ainsley's pretty naïve when it comes to Nick," Hunter said softly. "She looked kind of petrified by the items in the basket."

"So?" Bailey whined. "I don't care."

Hunter tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes and then kissed her on the mouth, taking his time to slide his lips softly over hers.

"Yes you do," he whispered.

"But she's a bitch," Bailey replied. "And..."

He felt like a bucket of cold water was just dumped over his head. He knew what she was going to say and his gut clenched as he sat back from her. She was still pissed that Ainsley had supposedly stolen Nick away from her. And that fucking hurt.

He got to his feet and stalked into the bedroom. She wasn't over Nick. And if she wasn't over Nick then what the hell was going on between them? Was it all just a game to her? Was she just trying to make Nick jealous so he would take her back?

Fucking hell. He'd thought she wanted him, but she didn't.

"Hunter," she said softly from the door.

"What?" he growled, not turning to look at her as he continued to unbutton his shirt.

She walked into the room and laid her head against his back. He stilled, his body responding to her nearness despite his heart feeling abused. He exhaled harshly, but didn't speak.

"It's not what you think," she said softly, her arms going around his waist, her hands coming to rest underneath his unbuttoned shirt and on his bare chest.

"Explain it to me then," he said, his voice soft but rough, "because it seems to me that you're pissed at her for stealing the great and mighty Nick away from you." He turned, put his hands on her shoulders and held her away from him. "And I told you I don't share."

She looked up at him with her big doe eyes and it took everything he had in him not to pull her in to his body and remove every memory of Nick from her brain with his lips, teeth and tongue.

"I don't care about that," she said, her eyes pleading with him. "But she's been a right royal cow to me since I arrived and I am just enough of a spiteful bitch in return to not want to warn her about what a stupid asshole Nick is."

She said it with such venom that he was tempted to believe her, but he held himself in check. He couldn't help wondering how much of that anger was because Nick had hurt her and how much of it was because of Ainsley. Maybe it was too much to ask of her to be completely over Nick, maybe he had jumped the gun.

She took a step towards him and he let her come. She ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, pushing his shirt off. He let it drop to the floor. She laid her head on his chest and he was useless to resist his hand moving up to thread through her rose gold tresses.

"I'm over him, Hunter," she said softly. "I promise you, I don't want Nick." She tipped her head up to him. "I want you."

He crashed his lips down onto hers, wanting to brand her, wanting to mark her as his. She returned his fervour with her own. This wasn't gentle, tender loving, this was passion and heat and hunger. He gripped her hair, tugging it so her head tilted, giving him the access he wanted. She bit his lip in response and then soothed it with her tongue and he groaned with need.

Her hands found his buckle and she undid it quickly, efficiently. He tugged at the bodice of her dress, exposing a lace clad breast. He tweaked her nipple with force, and she moaned. He did it again as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, filling the hot wet recess, making it his, making her, his.

She managed to get his pants undone and had him in her bare hands before he knew it. He bucked into her fist as she stroked him. His hand left her exposed breast and snaked up under her dress, pulling at the scrap of lace that was her panties and tearing them from her. He backed her up against the floor length window, hiking her skirt up. She guided the tip of his cock into her centre and he thrust home, not caring that they hadn't paused for protection, not giving a damn that they weren't even fully undressed.

He pistoned his hips into her and she flung her head back against the window. He lifted her off the ground, wrapping her legs around his hips, pressing her against the glass to hold her in place as he thrust into her. His teeth nipped at her nipple through the lace of her bra and she cried out as her nails scraped across the bare skin of his shoulders.

This wasn't making love. This was fucking, pure and simple. He had the overwhelming need to own her. He was angry, a man possessed and he didn't care beyond his caveman urge to make Bailey his. And she responded to him in kind, her fingernails leaving crescent-moon-shaped divots in the naked skin of his shoulders, using her legs like a vice to pull him closer, the heels of her shoes digging into his ass.

He didn't even have the presence of mind to enjoy riding her bare-backed. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been inside a woman without latex encasing his erection. All he felt was all-consuming need for her.

He felt her orgasm begin as she clenched tightly around him. He thrust into her harder, needing his own release. She came with a loud cry, her body stiffening, her core muscles tightening around him and then she shattered, her throbbing, pulsating sex milking his own climax. It tore from him with a roar and he slammed into her, the window behind her shuddering with the force of their coupling.

When his knees began to feel like they might actually be able to hold the weight of both of them, he carried Bailey over to the bed and laid her down. He unzipped her dress, sliding it from her boneless body and removed her bra and shoes. He moved like a man under a spell, as he got a wash cloth and wet it with warm water, bringing it back to Bailey to clean her up. She lay on the bed, motionless, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling in quick pants, the pulse at her neck fluttering.

He removed the rest of his clothes and climbed onto the bed beside her, pulling the covers over them both and wrapping her in his arms. He was spent, emotionally, physically and mentally. He knew they would need to talk about what just happened, but neither of them had the capacity to do it now, so he closed his eyes and let the exhaustion take him.

# 16

Bailey blinked her eyes open in the darkening twilight. She had never had angry sex before and she would definitely not be adverse to trying it again. Hunter had completely overwhelmed her, possessed her in a way no other man had, not even Nick. She'd thought that what she had with Nick was the pinnacle, but now she knew it was barely scratching the surface. The feelings she'd had towards Nick couldn't hold a candle to the way she felt about Hunter.

It should scare her. She should be fucking petrified at the way he was invading every part of her life, but she wasn't. For the first time in her life, she felt free from the pressures of expectation. When she was with him, she could just be. Simple. No pressure. No expectation.

So much of Bailey's life had revolved around proving people wrong. Her parents had never had any high expectations of her, encouraging her to only aim for mediocre, not to get her hopes up. It had become her mission to prove them wrong. She was more than mediocre and she wanted them to finally see it and admit it.

Being with Nick was the same. He had given her limited opportunities to prove herself worthy of him and she had fallen short. Their regular sex arrangement had scratched an itch for him, and that was all. He had never seen her as wife material. She was never good enough for him to lay the rest of his life down for her.

Being with Hunter was different. Being with Hunter meant she didn't have to prove anything to him, she didn't have to try and change his mind about her. He wanted her just as she was. Yes, he pushed her boundaries, but in a good way, in a way that lit her up. He wasn't trying to drag her down or keep her in a box, he wanted her to be the very best version of herself that she could be and he was willing to help her get there.

She snuggled into his warm chest, running her hand over his beard, threading her hand through his hair. Hunter was a man who knew what he wanted and didn't hesitate to go out and grab it. And he'd wanted her. It was a heady thing. No one had wanted her or pursued her like Hunter had and he'd proved to her time and again that she was worth more than just a one-weekend-a-month arrangement.

And she had fallen head over heels for him.

His eyes opened and their dark green depths speared her. He opened his mouth to say something, but she pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh," she said softly.

His eyes searched hers and she let him look, let him see the depth of her feelings for him. She couldn't hide from this man, she couldn't deny any longer the affect he had on her.

His eyes softened and he leaned forward to kiss her tenderly.

"Blue," he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"No," she whispered back, "I don't want you to be."

"I was a bastard," he said, his eyes closing in shame.

She kissed his lips and then smiled.

"You were perfect," she replied.

"But, I didn't even stop for a condom or to ask permission..."

"I'm a big girl, Irish," she said lightly. "I know how to say no. And I'm on the pill and I'm clean."

He sighed, leaning his head against hers. "I'm clean too," he said, "but I still feel like a prick for not asking, for forcing myself..."

"No," she said, stopping his self-deprecating spiral. "You didn't force yourself on me. It was angry sex, but it was un-fucking-believably good angry sex."

He smiled and kissed her. "You're really good for my ego," he said against her lips.

They lay in each other's arms, content. Her hands touched him lightly, relishing in the heat and silkiness of his skin under her fingertips.

"God," he sighed. "I don't want to move. I never want to leave this bed."

"Me either," she replied softly.

It was dark now, the room lit only by the ambient light from outside. They were high enough up so that the traffic noise was minimal and the murmur of the waves breaking on the beach was soothing. They dozed, not really sleeping, not really awake, simply luxuriating in each other.

Hunter started awake, sitting up suddenly. "Shit. What time is it?"

Bailey scrambled up and reached for her phone. "Just after seven," she said.

"Fuck," Hunter swore. "We need to get going."

"Dammit," Bailey groused, "I don't want to go."

He kissed her, hard, before pulling away. "Me either," he said, "but I promised mum I'd keep an eye on Nick and the boys so that they don't do anything too stupid."

Bailey sat on her knees in the middle of the bed, watching Hunter walk around the room, gathering his clothes for the evening. She loved watching the play of muscles under skin as he stalked about stark naked.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to come back to bed?" she asked, twirling a tendril of hair around her finger.

He stopped and turned towards her, his eyes raking over her, his desire apparent.

"As much as I would like to take you up on that offer," he growled, prowling towards her, "I promised my mum." His lips captured hers in a hot, wet kiss. "But I promise to make it up to you later tonight."

Bailey pouted. "Where are you guys going anyway? We're going to some stupid wine bar or something."

Hunter laughed. "I'd much prefer that to where we're going. The boys are taking Nick to a strip club."

Bailey bit her lip, an idea forming in her mind. She really should let Ainsley know what she was getting into with Nick, it was the right thing to do. But she didn't want to have to expose her own part in the whole tawdry deal. Maybe if she saw Nick 'in the wild' so to speak, she might get an idea about what he was really like.

"Which one?" she asked.

* * *

Hunter watched as Nick and his mates drank more beer than they ate. It was a good meal - steak, potatoes, gravy, crusty bread, all good things for soaking up excess alcohol and lining the stomach in preparation for a big night on the town. But the stupid fuckers barely even touched it. They were intent on wiping themselves out and had started before Hunter had even gotten there. They were now well on their way to hangover central with no hope of salvaging the night.

Hunter ate methodically. He'd rather be anywhere but here. He'd rather be in his bed with his delectable red-head draped over him, her naked skin sliding deliciously against his. He'd much rather that then being here with these morons. They were all relatively the same age, but for whatever reason, Nick and his mates acted like they were eighteen and on their first night out legally drinking. It was kind of pathetic, especially since Hunter knew Nick had no intention of taking his upcoming vows seriously.

But he was here because of his mother. He was here because, for some fucked up reason, he felt an obligation to ensure that Nick made it out alive, although he was very close to killing the shithead himself.

The boys had been regaling each other with stories of their conquests, the numbers surely inflated by alcohol and an unhealthy need to one-up each other. So far Nick had been careful enough to leave Bailey's name off his list and Hunter was prepared to do damage to the asshole if he even mentioned her. Nick seemed to know that he was in danger if he crossed that line and although one of his idiot friends had point blank asked him about his piece of arse in Melbourne, Nick had deflected the question without incriminating himself.

Hunter took a sip of his scotch and watched the imbecile antics of the rest of the men around the table. They had been rude and belligerent to their waiter and crude and misogynistic to their waitress. Hunter had apologised to her, to them both, on his stepbrother's behalf, but he wouldn't be surprised if they were asked to leave soon. The boys were getting rowdy and their antics were starting to impact on the other diners.

It was at times like this when Hunter wondered what Bailey had ever seen in Nick. Had she never seen this entitled, immature, fuckwit side of him? Maybe she hadn't, he had kept her pretty much at arm's length - metaphorically speaking. From what he had gathered, they didn't have any other contact apart from their one-week-a-month dalliances. No texting or emailing or phone calls in between. Maybe Nick was smarter than Hunter gave him credit for. He would have to be to have kept Bailey on the hook for so long.

Nick signalled for another round of drinks and Hunter stood to his feet.

"Why don't we take this party somewhere else," he said to a chorus of boos.

"No, he's right," Nick said, weaving dangerously as he stood. "Let's go somewhere where the service is better."

"Yeah," one of his dipshit mates added with a slur, "and where the drinks aren't watered down."

Hunter rolled his eyes and ushered them out to the waiting limo. He paid the bill, tipping generously and apologising for their behaviour and then he joined them in the car. Hopefully it wouldn't be long before he could slip away. He was just about fed up with Nick and his buddies.

But he'd promised his mother he would keep an eye on them. Shit. He really didn't want to spend any more time associated with them. Maybe he would sit in a nice dark corner of the strip club where he could still see them, but not be associated with them.

"Tell us about the hot red-head," one of the assholes said, and Hunter's Bailey radar snapped to attention.

"Yeah," said another one of the imbeciles, "how'd you get her to agree to keep fucking you after the wedding?"

Hunter gritted his teeth, wanting to hear the answer, but not wanting to know if Bailey was going to betray his trust in her.

"She hasn't yet," Nick slurred. "I'm still working on her."

Hunter exhaled, clenching his fists and desperately wanting to plough them through Nick's sloppily grinning face.

"She's fucking hot," someone else said. "How come you're such a lucky bastard, Nick? Have you got a magic cock or something?"

"You know it," Nick replied, fist bumping the other guys and Hunter just rolled his eyes. If Bailey's response to him had been any indication, Nick's penis wasn't nearly as magic as he thought.

"Have you sampled the goods yet?" someone asked.

"Yeah, has angelic Ainsley put out yet?"

"Fucking bitch won't let me anywhere near her," Nick groused. "Anytime I get close, she calls a halt and I'm left with a case of blue balls."

"Lucky you're getting action elsewhere," one of his groomsmen said.

"Ain't that the truth," Nick replied, fist bumping again. "I can't wait to get the frigid cocktease into bed on our wedding night. She won't be able to walk by the time we get back from the honeymoon."

The other guys wolf-whistled and hooted at Nick's bravado, and Hunter felt sorry for Ainsley. She really did have a right to know what her soon-to-be-husband was like. Maybe he would slip her a can of Mace as she left the reception just in case Nick got too rough with her.

The limousine pulled to a stop and Hunter looked out the window to see the pink neon sign flashing it's welcome. The last thing he wanted to do was sit in a strip club with these wankers, but he climbed out of the car with the rest of them and followed them into the dive.

The music was loud, but thankfully the club was dark. The stage had various poles and platforms, each of which contained a may-as-well-have-been-naked woman gyrating to the beat. He'd never seen so many fake tits at once before and he grimaced. Nick and his party found seats near the front and immediately ordered more booze. Hunter hung back, choosing a table near the wall. There was no way he was going to be part of their fun.

He ordered a soda from the topless waitress, looking at her eyes instead of her bedazzled nipples and then pulled out his phone as a distraction. He tapped out a text to Bailey.

_"Kill me now."_

* * *

Bailey pulled out her phone and read Hunter's text with a smile. She had been waiting for him to let her know they had arrived at the club before springing her surprise on the girls.

They'd had a lovely, quiet dinner at a nice restaurant and then moved on to a wine bar that overlooked the river. None of the other bridesmaids had gone to any effort to make this a real hen's party. There were no funny t-shirts or embarrassing fake tiaras and veil. Nothing to let anybody know that they were celebrating Ainsley's upcoming loss of freedom. It was kind of pathetic. She had kept the chocolate cocks in her bag. They would be wasted on this crowd.

Bailey had made it her mission to get Ainsley and Number One drunk, buying them drinks and filling their glasses without permission. Numbers Two and Three had picked up on her game and were helping her by distracting the other two whenever a new round of drinks appeared. Bailey, herself, stuck to soda.

_"Hang in there"_ she texted back to Hunter and then cleared her throat, garnering the attention of the table.

"Let's get out of here," she said.

"Where're we going?" Number One asked, slurring her words slightly and looking like she couldn't understand why they sounded funny.

"Somewhere fun, I promise," Bailey replied. The other woman had given her the third degree about the present opening debacle, but she had pled innocence and the fact that there had been other cards on wrong gifts had made her deception more believable. She patted herself on the back for her quick thinking.

Bailey ushered everyone out to the car and paid their bill. She sat up front with the driver, instructing him to park around the back of the strip club so that the girls wouldn't be tipped off to where they were going. She led them out of the car and through the back entrance. The thumping music assaulted them as they walked down the dingy hallway towards the lights of the club.

"What are we doing here?" Ainsley asked as they stepped into the club proper and took in the practically naked women and the ogling men shoving bills into their sparkly g-strings.

"I thought we'd surprise the guys," Bailey said innocently. "I had no idea it was a strip club."

They scanned the tables looking for the groom and his buddies. Number One spied them first and elbowed Ainsley.

"Is that Nick getting a lap dance?" she asked, shocked.

Bailey followed her pointing finger and saw Nick, his eyes alight and hungry as the red-headed woman on his lap jiggled her boobs in his face and rode his erection like a stripper pole. She covered her mouth to smother the giggle that threatened to burst out and scanned the club for Hunter. He wasn't at the table with the others, but she thought she saw him sitting in a dark corner. He lifted his drink to her in salute and she gave him a wave.

"I can't believe he'd do this to me," Ainsley said as she watched Nick reach out and grope the woman dry humping him. The stripper slapped his hand away, wagging her finger at him like he was a naughty school boy and then leant forward to whisper in his ear. He nodded enthusiastically and she climbed off his lap and took his hand, leading him towards a wooden door while the rest of his entourage whistled and cheered.

"Where are they going?" Ainsley asked, her feet seemingly welded in place.

"Private room," Bailey answered, feeling a slight hitch of sympathy for the woman beside her.

"Private room?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Bailey said, feeling a bit guilty. "You can pay extra to get...more intimate."

Ainsley turned to her, her eyes wide with horror. "He's going to have sex with her?" she asked.

"Probably not," Bailey answered although she didn't truthfully know what went on in those private rooms. "But he will get to touch and no doubt she'll touch him."

Ainsley spun on her heel and marched back down the dark corridor and out the back door. Bailey followed her, calling out to her as she went.

"Ainsley, stop. Wait up."

Bailey burst out through the door and found Ainsley leaning with one hand against the brick wall, panting, her head down.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked accusingly without looking up.

Bailey sighed. "You deserved to know who you were marrying," she said simply.

"And you thought this was the best way to tell me?"

"Would you have believed me otherwise?" Bailey asked.

"You're just jealous," Ainsley snapped, shoving herself away from the wall and advancing on Bailey. "You've always wanted Nick and you're jealous that I got him."

Bailey snorted in disbelief. "Don't be ridiculous," she said.

"Nick told me," Ainsley said. "He told me how you followed him around when you were kids and how you mooned over him. He knew you had a crush on him, he knew you were in love with him but he didn't want to hurt your feelings by turning you away. He was just trying to be kind to you."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Bailey growled. "And I would shut the hell up right now if I were you."

"I should've known you would try something to break us up. Give it up Bailey, Nick doesn't want you." Ainsley spat these last words at her and Bailey fisted her hands at her sides, wanting to slap the stupid woman who thought the sun shined out of Nick's ass.

"You are a fucking moron if you think..." the words died in her throat as Hunter pulled her into his chest. She clung to him, her body shaking with anger and hurt.

Ainsley stood there panting looking at the two of them and Bailey closed her eyes.

"She was only trying to help," Hunter said, his voice rumbling through his chest and comforting Bailey. "You really don't know Nick as well as you think you do and she was just trying to show you what he's really like so you could go into this marriage with your eyes open."

Bailey heard Ainsley huff and then begin to pace, her heels clicking on the cement path.

"I don't understand," she said.

"Then maybe you and Nick need to sit down and talk about it," Hunter said.

"I'm getting married in two days!" she yelled at Hunter. "I can't back out now, what would people say?"

Hunter sighed, "It's your choice Ainsley," he said kindly, "but you deserve better than that performance in there. I'm taking Bailey home now and I suggest you all do the same."

"We have a dress fitting tomorrow at nine," Ainsley mumbled.

"I'll be there," Bailey replied.

# 17

Bailey procrastinated the next morning. She woke Hunter with her mouth and tongue, sucking his morning erection deep and bringing him almost to completion before he flipped her over and slammed into her. Her own orgasm came swiftly, but she held onto him as long as she could, wanting to prolong not only getting out of bed, but the contact with him. Wanting to spend the entire day in bed with him really had nothing to do with her reluctance to go to the dress fitting, although she might have lied to herself that it was.

She then took an extra long shower, managing to entice Hunter to join her. He came willingly and they made great use of the massage feature on the shower head and the extra large space and convenient bench inside the shower. When she tried to get him to come back to bed for round three, he slapped her bottom and called her on it.

"I know what you're doing," he said, dragging his tongue along the length of her neck, "but you can't avoid her forever."

"I don't see you complaining," she said, her breath hitching as he sunk his teeth into the softness of her earlobe.

"Oh, I'm not complaining," he whispered, "but I refuse to let you act like a coward."

That was like being hit with a bucket of cold water and she pushed away from him angrily.

"I am not a coward," she said, crossing her arms and pouting.

"I didn't say you were," he grinned. "I said I wouldn't let you act like one. You're putting off going to the dress fitting because you're afraid to see the mess you made with your stunt last night."

"I didn't hear you trying to stop me," she grumped.

"Because I thought it was about time Ainsley found out just what type of man she's marrying, but that doesn't mean that there weren't consequences to our actions. I have no problem facing her today. Or Nick for that matter."

"Fine," she said, not really thinking it was fine at all. Bailey agreed that it was only fair that Ainsley knew what an unfaithful prick Nick was, she just wished she didn't have such an up-close and personal view of the fallout. Ainsley had been a bitch to her since she'd arrived, but she was kind of naïve and innocent and Nick would chew her up and spit her out if she wasn't careful.

Hunter pulled her to him and hugged her tight. "You're doing the right thing Blue," he said to her, kissing the top of her head, "even if she doesn't appreciate it."

And there was the rub. No one ever appreciated Bailey. Her parents thought she was too much - too brash, too loud, too ambitious. Nick didn't appreciate her or the way she felt about him. Her sister took advantage of her, mooching off her success. And now Ainsley wouldn't appreciate being told that her fiancé was a dick. Just once, Bailey would like to feel like someone did, in fact, appreciate what she brought into their lives.

"Come on," Hunter said, "let's go downstairs and have breakfast at one of the cafes and pretend that this whole wedding isn't happening tomorrow."

She sighed and burrowed into his chest. "Okay," she said.

They dressed quickly and Hunter took her hand as they walked to the elevator. He kept her close as the lift car descended, stopping at various floors to let more passengers on. She liked the way she seemed to fit into his side, how his hand felt natural in hers or on the small of her back. She liked the way he took charge without trampling all over her, how he seemed to know what she needed when she needed it. Nick had never treated her like that. He'd never even tried.

God, she was such an idiot for being so hung up on a guy that treated her with such nonchalance. Nick had said pretty words to her and had done nice things to her body, but he had never really taken the time to get to know her and he had never tried to protect her. How could she have ever thought that what she felt for Nick was love?

Especially now that she knew what it really felt like...to be in love.

Hunter found them a table and they ordered coffee and breakfast. She looked at him across the table, cataloguing the way his green eyes crinkled when he smiled, the way his lips kicked up at the edges, the way his beard gave him a commanding presence. She liked his large hands and long, elegant fingers and the ink swirls she could see on his forearms as he pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. She really liked the way the soft fabric of his t-shirt stretched across his wide shoulders and rounded biceps and the way it snugly fit his pecs, hinting at the definition beneath.

"Are you listening to me Blue?" he asked, his eyebrow quirked in a way that made her tummy flutter.

She smiled shyly at him, picking up her water glass and taking a sip.

"Sorry," she said, setting the glass down, "I was a little distracted."

His smiled knowingly at her, his green eyes darkening and she felt like he could see right through her clothes and was doing some of his own cataloguing.

"I asked if you wanted to go for a drive up the range for lunch." His voice was husky and she had to smother a shiver that wanted to wrack her body.

"That sounds good," she replied, her own voice breathless, her mouth dry. She licked her lips and watched as his eyes tracked the progress of her tongue.

Then he smiled and shook his head.

"What's so funny?" she asked, her tone light and flirty.

"I've just had two fucking amazing orgasms in the last hour and yet, I still can't get enough of you."

"So, let's skip breakfast and head back to bed," she suggested.

He chuckled. "As tempting as that is, you and I both have other places we need to be."

"But do we though?" she asked, toying with the water glass.

He sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, she could see he'd made a decision. "Yeah, we do," he said, "but the minute we're done, I'm taking you up on your offer."

"And lunch up the range?" she asked softly.

He exhaled roughly. "Yeah, we're doing that and then we'll come back and spend the rest of the day with me buried inside you and you screaming my name."

She didn't even try to suppress the full body shiver that time.

* * *

Bailey approached the other penthouse suite door with all the enthusiasm of a prisoner approaching the hangman's noose. She lifted her hand to knock, but the door swung open revealing Annette, who ushered her inside.

"You're late," Madam Hilda said as she stepped into the living room. The other three bridesmaids sat on the couch along with Ainsley. Number One was giving her the evil eye, but Two and Three wouldn't even make eye contact.

"Sorry," she said hesitantly, "I was having breakfast with Hunter."

"Well, come on then, don't dawdle."

Bailey let Madam Hilda usher her into the bedroom from her final fitting. The dress fit perfectly, just as it did the first time she'd tried it on. Madam Hilda and Annette fussed around the hemline and checked the fit of the bodice and played with the draping of the fabric, but there was nothing drastic that needed fixing. With a nod, Madam Hilda left the room and Annette helped her to remove it. She dressed quickly and the walked back out into the living room to find Number One gone and Two and Three trying to look invisible.

Bailey sat down next to Ainsley and wondered how she was going to bring up the subject of last night. The wedding was obviously still going ahead, or they all wouldn't be here, but Bailey needed to know that Ainsley really understood what marrying Nick would mean.

"I know you think you're doing me a favour," Ainsley said, "but I'm not as naïve as you think."

Bailey turned to look at her. "I just want you to understand what kind of man Nick is and what you can likely expect being married to him."

Ainsley crossed her arms and gave Bailey a calculating look. "It was Nick's bachelor party," she said. "What groom hasn't had one last hurrah before tying the knot?"

Bailey shook her head ruefully. "That wasn't a one-time-only thing for Nick," she said.

"I don't believe you," Ainsley snapped. "Ever since you've arrived you've tried to drive a wedge between Nick and me. I know you're jealous of me, I know you want Nick for yourself."

Bailey sat back in surprise. It may have started out that way, but in the last few days she had come to see that she really was over Nick and that it was Hunter who she really wanted. She was not jealous of Ainsley and she absolutely no longer wanted Nick.

"No," she said simply.

"No?" Ainsley looked at her with distrust. "You don't want Nick? You haven't been trying to break us up?"

Bailey felt a giggle rise in her throat, but she forced it down. "I really don't," she said with a smile.

"But Nick said..."

Bailey whipped her head around to look at Ainsley. "What did Nick say?"

Ainsley swallowed. "He said that you'd always liked him and had wanted more with him and that the only reason you and Hunter were together was to make him jealous."

Bailey grit her teeth and bit back the angry retort. Nick was just trying to save his own skin, or maybe he really believed it, but she wasn't the one in the wrong here, he was.

"I did have a thing for Nick," she replied. "A long time ago. But since meeting Hunter, I realised that what I felt for Nick was nothing but a schoolgirl infatuation."

"You're not in love with Nick?" she asked askance.

"No," Bailey answered truthfully. "I don't think I ever was."

"But Nick said..."

"Nick lied," Bailey said. "Nick is really good at twisting words and telling you what you want to hear. And you need to know that."

"You are jealous," Ainsley said, refusing to hear what Bailey was trying to tell her.

"No, Ainsley, I'm not. Maybe I was at first when he told me about you, but I'm not now. I have Hunter and he is all I want. Hunter has shown me what it means to be adored and appreciated and that's something Nick never did. I was in love with the idea of Nick, but now I know that that was just a fantasy and the guy I thought Nick was, was just a phantom."

"I don't understand," Ainsley said. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"She's trying to tell you that she's been sleeping with Nick," Number One said as she came out of the bedroom, a scowl on her face.

"What!" Ainsley screeched, leaping to her feet. "You're sleeping with Nick?"

Bailey stood too and began to pace, running her hand through her hair.

"No, I'm not sleeping with Nick," she said calmly.

"But you have slept with him," this from Number One. Two and Three listened in carefully, but kept quiet.

"Yes," Bailey said the one word without inflection, just a statement of fact.

"When?" Ainsley asked.

Bailey sighed and screwed her eyes up, she really didn't want to get into this conversation, but it looks like she had no choice.

"The last time was six months ago, before he told me he was getting married."

"The last time?" Ainsley asked, her voice in that ridiculously high register that makes dogs a little crazy. "How many times have you had sex with him?"

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. The desire to run was strong but she turned and faced Ainsley, refusing to act like a coward.

"Nick and I had an arrangement," she said tonelessly. "We met once a month and would spend the weekend together."

"How. Many. Times?"

"For five years," Bailey answered.

All four of the women gasped.

"Until six months ago when he told me he was getting married," Bailey continued.

"Slut," Number One murmured.

Bailey turned on her, "No," she said. "Don't you dare label me like that. I refuse to be shamed by you. I made a choice about how I wanted to use my body and you don't get to call me a slut because you might not agree. You don't have that right."

"But Nick and I have been together for over a year," Ainsley said.

"And I didn't know about you until six months ago," Bailey said.

"Would you have...terminated...your arrangement with him if you did?" Ainsley asked.

Bailey shrugged, "I don't know," she replied. "I was well aware that Nick was not monogamous. He'd never been monogamous...that was part of our agreement."

"I don't believe this," Number One said, throwing up her hands. "You were sleeping with him even though you knew he was sleeping with other women?"

"It didn't matter about the other women," Bailey said, "because I knew when he was with me, that I had all of him. It may have only been for the weekend, but it was enough."

"So last night..." Ainsley asked.

"Last night is typical Nick," Bailey said. "And I know for a fact that he has no plans to change just because he's married. I thought you needed to know."

"So you and he..."

"Are over and we have been for six months." The statement was true and Bailey felt a lightness with saying it out loud.

"I love Nick," she pronounced, pacing, her voice stronger.

"So you're still going to marry him?" Bailey asked.

Ainsley stopped and turned to look at Bailey. "Yes and I'm going to show him that he doesn't need to look elsewhere to have his needs met. You may not have been enough for him, but I will be."

Wow. That was a really bitchy thing to say, but it surprisingly rolled off Bailey without doing too much damage. She hadn't been enough for Nick, and after meeting Hunter she realised that Nick hadn't been enough for her either.

Bailey smiled. "All power to you," she said, "and if you're done with me, then I'm going to go and have lunch with my boyfriend and then spend the afternoon showing him how much I like being with him."

* * *

Hunter pulled on the sleeve of his jacket, adjusting the cuff and moving his arms to test the fit. It wasn't quite like the other suits he normally wore, but the tailor had done a good enough job and it would do for the wedding. He slid the jacket off and handed it to the man, thanking him before stepping out of the changing room. Nick and the rest of the groomsmen waited for him in the shop and Nick had a seemingly permanent scowl on his face this morning.

As the tailor called another of the groomsmen in to try his tux on, Nick grabbed his sleeve and dragged him away from the others.

"Bailey brought Ainsley to the club last night," he hissed. "They saw me go to the private room with the stripper."

Hunter shrugged. "So?"

"So, I had to do some fast talking to Ainsley this morning and I'm pissed. How the hell did Bailey find out where we were?"

"I told her," Hunter replied easily.

"What the fuck Hunter?" Nick growled. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Bailey asked me," he replied. "She wanted Ainsley to know what you were really like. I agreed, so I told her."

"Fucking stupid bitch," Nick swore.

Hunter grabbed him by the throat and pushed him up against the nearest wall, getting in his face.

"Don't you ever fucking speak about her like that again," he growled. "You are the asshole here, not her."

"She's just using you to get to me," Nick said, his face turning red. "I've been fucking her for five years and she isn't happy that I'm marrying Ainsley. She's using you to make me jealous, to try and get me to break up with Ainsley."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Hunter hissed.

Nick smirked. "Ask her, asshole, and then tell me I'm lying."

Hunter let go of Nick and watched as he straightened his shirt.

"I know all about your history with Bailey," Hunter said. "And I also know that she's over you. Bailey and I are a done deal, Nick, and it has nothing to do with her trying to make you jealous or trying to break up you and Ainsley. The fact is, Bailey knows what a slimy bastard you are and she just thought it would be in Ainsley's best interests to know too."

Nick sneered at him. "So you think you have it all figured out. You and Bailey are going to ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after."

Hunter shrugged.

"Bailey's not that sort of woman, Hunter, she doesn't do serious relationships. In all the time I've known her, none of her boyfriends have lasted more than a couple of weeks. She gets bored easy, that's why our relationship worked so well. That's why she'll come running back to me in a month or two when she's over you."

Hunter grit his teeth and held his hands tightly by his side. He really wanted to punch Nick. He wanted to thrust his fist into Nick's gut over and over again. He wanted to hear and feel bones breaking and the tortured screams of the asshole standing in front of him.

"You think you know Bailey?" Hunter asked and Nick just smiled. "You don't know shit, asshole."

Hunter turned and walked out of the shop. He couldn't stand being in that idiot's presence for one more moment. He hated that Nick had such intimate knowledge of Bailey, and he hated that Nick would think that Bailey would go back to him. Bailey was his and he refused to let any other scenario take root in his brain.

He drove back to the hotel in a fugue. He needed to see her, to hold her in his arms, to feel her pressed against him. He needed to know that Bailey was his. He needed to see the love in her eyes and feel the way she melted against him. He needed to be inside her and feel her come around him, milking him, making him hers.

He tore out of the elevator when it came to stop on his floor and found Bailey leaving the other penthouse suite.

"Bailey," he called to her, his voice desperate.

She turned to him and smiled, the joy of seeing him spreading across her face and his heart stumbled for a moment. Nick had gotten into his head and had messed with him. Looking at the way Bailey lit up when she saw him proved that it was him she wanted and not his fucking asshole of a stepbrother.

"Irish," she said as he swept her up into a hug, clinging to her and burying his face in her red-gold tresses.

"Need you," he said as he carried her across the hall to their suite and fumbled with the card before getting the door opened.

He kicked the door closed behind them and then turned and pushed her up against it, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and kissed him back, matching his force and hunger.

God he needed her. Her touch made everything else make sense. He didn't even want to contemplate going through life without her. Whatever it took, he needed her as a permanent fixture in his life.

He found the hem of her t-shirt dress and pulled it up over her head in a single sweep, exposing her pale pink bra and panties. He kissed her again before turning and walking with her into the suite and over to the dining table. With a swoosh of his hand he cleared the top of the table, sending who-knows-what to the floor with a crash. He laid her out on the table, taking in her heaving breath and her flushed skin.

_Mine_.

The thought came unbidden, but he knew it was the truth. He stripped off his own shirt and jeans, taking his boxer briefs down too. He kicked off his shoes and flung his clothes out of the way, loving how her eyes roamed over his nakedness with raw hunger and desire clear on her face.

He leaned over her body, reaching underneath her to unclasp her bra and then he pulled the lacy contraption free. Her exposed breasts pebbled in the cool air, her dusky pink nipples contracting to hard points.

"Fuck, Blue," he breathed out.

"Yes, please," she replied with equal huskiness.

He reached for the waist of her panties and dragged them free of her body and then spread her legs so he could stand between them. His cock was long and thick, reaching towards her and he stroked himself as he looked down at her spread out on the table for him.

"Touch yourself," he said roughly and her hands moved immediately.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she cupped one breast from underneath so that her thumb and forefinger could tweak the nipple. Her other hand dipped down over her bare mound and she slid a finger through her wet folds. He didn't know where to look, wanting to have one eye on each place as she pleasured herself for his entertainment.

He grunted as he continued to stroke his erection, his grip firm, tight and rough. She closed her eyes and moaned, lifting her hips as she slid first one then two fingers into her core. He dropped to his knees, not releasing his cock from his grip, and dipped his head to suckle on her clit as she slid her fingers in and out. She bucked into his mouth and cried out as his tongue swept up her slit and around the tight bundle of nerves that poked out from its hood. Her thrusts became faster and he increased the pressure of his tongue and kept up with his own strokes of his cock. He was close, so very close to blowing his load, but he needed her to come first.

Her thighs closed around his head and he knew she was only moments away from shattering. He stood abruptly and leaned against her hand, pressing his ball sack against her as she continued to plunge into herself. She cried out and stiffened as she came and he let go of his control, letting his orgasm come. She opened her eyes and watched as ropey jets of semen splashed over the bare skin of her stomach. It was a primitive need to mark her like this, but he wasn't sorry and she didn't seem to mind. Her eyes tracked up his body hungrily as she tugged at her nipple. He groaned and closed his eyes, capturing the sight of her covered in his spunk, her hand buried in her pussy and her eyes demanding more.

He scooped her up and stalked into the bedroom ensuite. He turned on the shower and stepped in under the spray, Blue still curled in his arms. He never wanted this to end.

# 18

They didn't make it to the range for lunch, but Bailey didn't mind. After the conversation with Ainsley, she'd needed Hunter more than she'd realised. He made the chaos in her brain quiet and proved to her that she did have value.

They'd gone from the table to the shower and then to the bed, neither of them able to quite get enough of the other one. Hunter had seemed just as desperate as she had been for their intimate connection and she loved the way he owned her body.

They had eventually slept, exhausted both emotionally and physically, and he'd kept her close, spooning her and making sure that she was never far from his reach.

She liked that about him too.

Maybe it was time for her to tell him just how much.

She'd fallen asleep with that thought, only to be awakened much later by Hunter's phone. They were running late for the rehearsal, not that either of them minded. Bailey knew that Hunter would've been just as happy to blow off the rehearsal and the dinner following it for room service and an evening alone, just the two of them. But Hunter felt an obligation to his mother, so they dragged themselves out of bed and dressed, both trying very hard not to get distracted by one another.

By the time they made it to the church, everyone was waiting for them. Bailey didn't blush as she walked in and everyone turned to glare at them, she simply smiled, content and very well satiated.

She could barely concentrate on the instructions the minister gave them, she was too caught up in Hunter. She sought him out, time after time, catching his eye and smiling coyly. He returned her smiles and she could feel his eyes track her every move.

Something had changed between them, yet again, and she really wished that they'd had a chance to talk before coming here tonight. Now that she knew, without a doubt in her mind, that she wanted Hunter, that she was in love with him, she really wanted to tell him, with words and not just her body.

They followed the instructions of the minister, walking down the aisle to the music, standing in their places as the minister ran through a brief outline of the ceremony. Then they walked back up the aisle behind Nick and Ainsley, her arm through Hunter's, a smile on her lips. Then they turned around and did it again, because Ainsley needed to be convinced that they all had the timing right.

Bailey barely even looked at Nick, she had eyes only for Hunter and she couldn't wait to get back to the hotel room to continue what they had started. He seemed to have similar thoughts and each time she looked at him, he was watching her. He even cocked that sexy eyebrow once or twice and she had felt the heat fill her body each time.

Memories of the way he had marked her as his that afternoon on the dining room table kept finding their way into her head, causing her face to flush. The feel of his hot semen painting her was branded on her for life. It had been such a carnal thing to do, a possessive and alpha male move to make her his, and she knew she should take offence, but it had also been so incredibly erotic that she couldn't help wanting a repeat performance.

"I know what you're thinking about," he whispered in her ear as they walked back up the aisle for the fourth time.

"Oh, really," she asked, giving him a smirk.

He dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers in a quick kiss.

"Yeah," he said against her mouth, "I can see it written all over your face." He kissed her again and then walked away before Ainsley could start scolding them for not paying attention.

* * *

The drive to the restaurant was quiet, but not awkward. It was uncomfortable, but only because they both wanted to have their hands all over each other instead of on their way to a dinner surrounded by people they didn't particularly like.

Hunter parked the car and she waited for him to open her door and help her out. It wasn't something that she normally did, but she knew he liked to do it and it did make her feel special. They walked arm in arm into the restaurant and shared a sweet kiss before walking towards the table reserved for their party.

They were the last to arrive and had to sit diagonally opposite each other instead of next to one another and it was torture for Bailey to be so close to him, but not close enough to touch. The anticipation that was building within her was putting her on edge and she was practically counting down the minutes until they could be alone together again and she could spill her guts to him.

She ate the food on her plate and drank the wine in her glass without really tasting either. She kept up a conversation with those close to her, but it all happened by rote and she didn't really know what they talked about or even what she said. She was consumed by the green-eyed man across the table and was desperate to feel his arms around her again.

When the coffee was being served and after the speeches had been said, Bailey felt a tug on her arm and she looked up to see Nick. Hunter had gotten up from the table moments ago to visit the men's room and she felt suddenly vulnerable without him near.

"Come for a walk with me," Nick said.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Nick," she said, picking up her glass and taking a sip.

"Come on Bae," he said, his voice soft and cajoling. "We're still friends, aren't we?"

Bailey sighed and looked up at him. She had loved him for so long, and still did if she was honest with herself. She wasn't _in love_ with him, but there was still affection for the years they'd shared.

"Okay," she said, standing and following him out to the garden.

They walked along the gravel path, the cool autumn air making her rub her arms.

"You're cold," he said, shrugging out of his jacket and laying it across her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said.

"So..." he began, dragging the single syllable out. "You and Hunter are serious."

She smiled. "Yeah," she replied softly, "we really are."

"Shit, Bae," he said shaking his head. "I don't know what you see in him. He's an arrogant prick."

"No, Nick, he isn't," she replied. "At least not to me he isn't. He cares for me. He looks after me."

Nick ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I never thought you'd pass me over for another guy, Bae. I thought what we had was special."

Bailey stopped and turned to him. "You walked away Nick," she said sternly. "Not me. I'd built an entire fantasy future around you, but you didn't want any of it. You didn't want me."

"I do want you, Bailey," he said, pulling her close. "I've always wanted you."

"Not enough to marry me," she said.

He stepped away from her and turned his back. One hand scrubbed the back of his neck as his other hand sat on his hip. He turned back to her, his eyes sheepish.

"We never had that kind of relationship," he said.

"No, but we could have," she replied without animosity. "I would've given up everything for you Nick."

"And then you would've ended up hating me," he replied.

She shrugged. "Probably. I definitely would've wanted more than what you are giving Ainsley."

"But you know me, Bae. You know none of those other women ever meant anything to me."

"Maybe," she replied, "but Ainsley deserves more and so do I."

"And Hunter's going to give you more?"

"He already has Nick," she said. She took his hands in hers and looked into his eyes. "You will always have a special place in my heart, Nick, and I'll always love you, but that part of our lives is over."

He huffed out a laugh. "So our arrangement has come to an end?" he asked and she could tell he was still holding out on hope.

"Yes," she replied, "but I think you already knew that."

He pulled her into his arms and she sighed with the comfort and familiarity of Nick's scent. It was nothing like the way Hunter held her, but it was Nick and he had been her best friend for such a long time. She tilted her head up to him and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I wish you all the best, Nick," she said. "I hope you and Ainsley can be happy together."

He looked a little sad as he replied. "I hope so too."

* * *

Hunter watched from the small bridge that spanned the koi pond as Bailey first hugged Nick and then kissed him. His gut clenched with pain and his heart atrophied in his chest. He'd wanted to tell Bailey tonight that he had fallen in love with her, he'd wanted to make plans for a future together with her. Instead he was watching his stepbrother make moves on her and she was lapping it up.

He heard her laugh as they turned and headed back towards the restaurant. He hated that Nick knew how to make her laugh. He'd tried really hard to forget the shared history of Nick and Bailey, but seeing them together like this brought it all into stark detail.

Had everything he and Bailey shared been a lie? He'd thought he'd finally gotten through to her and that she'd finally seen how good they could be together. But the evidence was telling him something different. Bailey wasn't over Nick. Maybe she never would be.

Hunter took a deep breath of the cool night air and took out his phone. He sent a quick text to Madeline and smiled tightly at her response. He was surprised it had taken him this long to ask her what was going on at work too, but he'd had a distraction. Now he needed work to distract him from his distraction.

After another quick text, he slipped his phone into his pocket and stalked back to the restaurant. Maybe it was for the best that he and Bailey end things. He was going to have to spend a lot more time in his Canberra office and she couldn't leave Melbourne. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway.

He entered through the doors and his eyes sought her out. She saw him and her face lit up, her eyes sparkled and her lips curved up into a seductive grin. He groaned inwardly. He'd moved her into his suite and had no way of kicking her out now, not until after the wedding, so he'd just have to avoid her as much as possible.

She walked directly to him and he kept his hands in his pockets as she rose up on her tiptoes to brush a kiss on his cheek. He gritted his teeth against the onslaught of sensations that coursed through his body and stepped away from her.

"You ready to go?" his voice was gruff and not the sexy kind.

Her eyes widened with shock and she nodded warily. "Yeah, we can go now if you like."

"Fine," he said, turning and walking away, not waiting for her.

He unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat, not bothering to open her door for her. She slid into the seat beside him and he started the car without looking at her. He could tell she was confused but he was just too damned angry to let her off the hook.

They drove in silence, his anger and hurt settling like a hard ball in his gut. He'd fallen in love with her and she'd just been using him.

"What's wrong Hunter?" she finally asked as he parked the car in the underground garage of the hotel.

"Work," he replied, really not wanting to get into it with her.

She didn't say anything and he took the opportunity to escape the car. He didn't walk around to open her door, instead heading straight for the elevator and pushing the call button. He heard the car door slam and he pressed the lock button on his key fob as the elevator doors swished open.

He took a step in and held the door for her, pressing the button for their floor when she entered the lift.

"I was hoping to pick up where we left off this afternoon," she said softly.

He didn't look at her, staring instead down at the smartphone in his hands.

"Sorry," he replied, "something's come up at work and I'll be busy all night trying to sort it out."

"Right," she said as the elevator doors opened. He let her walk in front of him, feigning interest in his phone. There wasn't an emergency at his office, he'd just asked Madeline to send him busy work to keep him distracted, but he didn't want Bailey to know that.

She waited while he unlocked the door and then made a beeline for the bedroom. Hunter slumped into the desk chair and fired up his laptop. He clicked open a few screens and downloaded the spreadsheet that Madeline had emailed.

A little while later he sensed more than heard Bailey walk towards him. He looked up and had to school his expression before looking down at his laptop.

"I'm going to be a while yet," he mumbled.

She sat on the edge of the desk beside him wearing nothing but a sheer, short nightie and matching panties that were completely visible through the open weave fabric.

"Are you sure it can't wait until Monday?" she asked, her voice soft.

He didn't dare look up at her. He knew that as soon as he did he wouldn't be able to resist her. The sight of her pink nipples through the pale gauzy fabric and the way her breasts had swayed as she walked towards him already had his cock pressing eagerly against his fly. He shifted uncomfortably but kept his eyes on the screen.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

She waited a moment and when he didn't say anymore, she sighed and then got up and left, trailing her hand across his shoulders as she walked away. He closed his eyes against the sensation, but kept tight control on his raging libido.

He shouldn't want her as much as he did, especially when he knew she was still hung up on Nick, but damn, she was a hard woman to get out of his head.

# 19

Bailey woke up alone. She'd been alone all night. When she reached out in the darkness for the comforting bulk of Hunter she'd only encountered cold, empty sheets. She'd gotten up at one stage to see where he was and she'd found him still working at his laptop. It was either a really serious problem that he was working on or he was avoiding her.

She flipped the comforter off and stood to stretch. The bride and bridesmaids were all meeting in Madam Hilda's suite to get the hair and makeup done and to dress for the wedding. She checked her phone for the time and saw that she had a while yet before she needed to be there. Maybe she and Hunter could share some breakfast before they had to go their separate ways.

Bailey padded out to the living area and looked around for Hunter, but he was nowhere to be found. She walked down the hall to the second bedroom but he wasn't there either and the bed hadn't been slept in. She walked back to the office, noticing that his laptop and other paraphernalia were gone. Hunter was gone.

She checked the suite again, hoping for a note or some other clue as to where he might be but all she found was that all of his stuff was gone. She picked up the phone and dialled reception.

"Ms. Sheppard," the woman answered in a friendly tone, "how may I help you?"

"I was wondering if Mr. Green had left any indication of when he would return," Bailey said, not quite sure how she knew it was her calling.

"Mr. Green had to leave early this morning," the woman informed her. "He said to let you know that you could stay as long as you needed to. The suite is fully paid for and there is a car service on call for whenever you need it."

Bailey was stunned. Hunter had really left her without explanation. What the hell type of emergency was this that he'd had to leave in the middle of the night?

"Thank you," she said and hung up.

Bailey wandered around the suite a little shell-shocked not quite sure what was going on. She grabbed her phone from the bedroom and sent him a text.

_B: Where are you?_

She waited for a reply and when one didn't come she pulled up Nick's number.

_B: Is Hunter with you?_

_N: No, haven't seen him_

She threw her phone on the bed and then followed it down, burying her head in the pillows. Where had he gone and, more importantly, why?

Yesterday had been just about perfect, well the time she'd spent with him had been. And even the dinner hadn't been too unbearable with him there shooting her heated glances. And then when he'd come back inside he'd been cold and distant. What had happened in between the time she'd gone out to talk with Nick and when he'd come back to the table?

She picked up her phone and dialled the contact number she had for Madeline, Hunter's personal assistant. The two had talked quite a bit over the last few months with her contract with Green Aviation. If anyone knew where Hunter was, Madeline would.

"Good morning Bailey," Madeline answered. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for a wedding?"

"Funny thing," she huffed a laugh, trying for levity but coming across a little hysterical, "my date is M.I.A."

"Oh?" she asked.

"Yeah, Hunter said there was an emergency at work and he had to leave."

"Hunter is your date?" she asked.

"He didn't tell you?" Bailey asked.

"I hadn't heard from Hunter until last night when he texted me to ask about the office. Did he say what the emergency was?"

"Okay, so long story, but we ended up being paired up at a wedding..."

"His stepbrother's wedding?"

"Uh, yeah," Bailey said, pinching the bridge of her nose, this was so complicated to explain. "I'm an old friend of the family."

"O-kay," she said drawing the word out.

"Right, so anyway, Hunter told me last night that something had come up at work and now no one knows where he is."

"Leave it with me," Madeline said efficiently.

"Thanks Madeline. I'll keep my phone with me."

They disconnected and Bailey let her head fall back on the pillows. What the hell had gotten into Hunter?

There was a knock at the door and she jumped up, hoping that it was Hunter and he just didn't have his keycard to get into the room.

She swung the door open to a trolley filled with food.

"Room service," said the bellhop as he pushed the trolley inside.

"I didn't order any room service," Bailey said.

"Mr. Green left instructions for us to bring this up when you were awake." The bellhop turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Bailey approached the trolley with trepidation. Why would Hunter send her food? None of this made any sense. She scanned the tray looking for a note or something to explain Hunter's strange disappearance, but there was nothing. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down, avoiding the dining table and all those memories, and wondering just what the hell had gone wrong.

* * *

"I'm fine," Hunter growled into the phone without even looking at the caller display.

"Well that's good then," Madeline said. "You might want to let your date know."

"My date?" he asked.

"Bailey called me looking for you. A very distraught Bailey, I might add. Were you going to tell me that she was your date to your brother's wedding?"

"Stepbrother," he ground out. "And no."

He heard Madeline huff into the phone and his lips quirked in a quick smile.

"Look," he said with a sigh, "it's complicated, okay? Bailey is Nick's ex and there's a story, one which I don't really want to go into now," he said cutting off her questions. "I told Bailey I had to work because I needed a distraction. I'm still going to the wedding, I just needed...space."

"Where are you?" she asked, her voice soft.

"About ten thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean," he replied.

"You're flying?" she asked, obviously surprised.

"I am," he replied.

He hadn't flown since his father died. Well, not just for the sake of it. He made sure to keep his flight hours up to keep his license, but he hadn't gone for a joy flight in a long time. He hadn't wanted to because it reminded him of his dad too much. But as the sun rose this morning, he hadn't wanted to do anything else but be in the sky with it.

"Okay then," Madeline said. "Be safe okay? And let your date know you're okay."

"Fine," he said before disconnecting.

After Bailey had gone to bed last night he had spent time working, but it wasn't anything important, it was just stuff to keep his mind occupied so that he wouldn't give in to the need to feel Bailey's naked body against his. He'd gotten up a couple of times and just stood in the doorway of the bedroom and watched her sleep.

He'd thought for a while that he had found the one woman he could share his life with. He'd thought he'd found the love that his father and mother had shared. But it was all a lie. He was nothing but a distraction for Bailey. A rebound. A way to get over Nick.

He couldn't explain the animosity he felt towards his stepbrother except that it seemed like he had stolen his life. His mother was now Nick's mother and Nick saw her a hell of a lot more than Hunter did. And now he had Bailey too, except that he'd had Bailey for the last five years and Hunter had only just met her. Nick seemed to be living the charmed life and Hunter was left with the dregs.

Not that being a billionaire was the dregs. He knew he was fortunate to have the business success that he'd had, but it didn't mean anything when the woman he was in love with was in love with someone else. Someone who didn't deserve her, who wouldn't love her the way she should be loved.

He just had to get through the wedding and then he could be free of her and her influence over him. She'd completely invaded his life and had been way too much of a distraction. The one night they'd spent together six months ago had skewed his thinking. It was the only reason he could give for the way he had allowed her so close. He hadn't been thinking clearly.

He turned the small plane back towards the airport. He needed to be at his mother's house soon to get ready for this farce of a wedding. He was dreading the whole day. Being so close to Bailey and yet being so far away from her was almost too much to handle. But he would handle it, for his mother.

He landed and made sure the plane was tucked away in the hangar before pulling out his phone and scrolling through the plethora of text messages. Bailey had been texting him almost constantly and they had become progressively more aggressive.

_B: Where are you?_

_B: Come on Hunter, tell me where you are. I'm worried._

_B: Hunter! Talk to me, please._

_B: Hunter, what the hell is going on? No one knows where you are._

_B: Fuck it Hunter, where the bloody hell are you?_

_B: You had bloody well be in a ditch somewhere with a head injury or I am going to fucking kill you myself when I get a hold of you._

_B: I hate you._

He sighed and tapped out a reply.

_H: I'm fine. See you at the wedding_

_B: I don't fucking care anymore...who is this anyway?_

He had to chuckle at that but then he reminded himself that she was going back to Nick and the soft feelings he'd had towards her hardened once again. He would get through this wedding and then he would bury himself in work. It was the only way he was going to get over her.

* * *

Bailey threw her phone onto the vanity where she sat having her hair done. Fucking Hunter had blown her off with no explanation and all she got was a stupid text saying he was fine and that he would see her at the wedding. It was an asshole move and she had quickly gone from worry to anger.

"Who was that?" Three asked her, nodding her head towards the phone.

"Hunter," Bailey ground out.

"Problems?" Two asked, sitting down beside her.

"No," she replied shortly.

"So why the frownie face?" Three asked

"He disappeared early this morning without telling me where he was going."

"Oh," Two said, sharing a look with Three. "He probably had errands to run for Nick."

"Yup," she said, popping the 'p' like she didn't care.

"All done," the hairdresser said.

Bailey got up from the seat without even looking in the mirror and went to put her dress on. The morning had been awful. Ainsley and Number One were ignoring her, and Two and Three had been badgering her about her and Nick and Hunter. She was done.

Madam Hilda was waiting for her in the main bedroom with her dress. The older woman helped her into it and smoothed the fabric before taking a step back to look at her.

"It's all going to be okay," Madam Hilda said to her.

"Um, what?" Bailey asked, distracted from her internal diatribe by the other woman's observation.

"This," she said waving her hand in the direction of the suite Bailey had shared with Hunter. "It will all work out."

Bailey sighed. "I don't think it will," she said, but Madam Hilda only beamed at her.

"I know these things," she said as she adjusted the bodice and the shoulder straps. "You just need to let him know how you feel."

"I don't think he wants to know," she replied.

"They never know what they want until you show them. Tell him, tell him how you feel. I promise it will work out."

It was a lovely thought, but Bailey didn't even know what had spooked Hunter in the first place. If she told him she was in love with him, no doubt he would run a mile. But what if he didn't? What if he had run because he was scared? But if he knew how she felt, would it allay some of those fears?

She sucked in a breath. What else did she have to lose? The first moment they got, Bailey was going to tell Hunter exactly how she felt about him and let the chips fall where they may.

With renewed vigour, she helped get the bride ready. Ainsley had become so consumed by the last minute details that she seemed to forget to be angry at Bailey and that was good enough for her. Having something to do helped to keep her mind off the coming conversation with Hunter.

The photographer finally arrived and they posed for photos inside the suite and then outside with the cars. There were some photos across the road near the beach. Bailey's cheeks were already aching from smiling and they hadn't even made it to the ceremony yet.

# 20

From the moment she stepped into the church and saw Hunter, Bailey couldn't concentrate on anything else. She was the first of the bridesmaids to walk down the aisle and as she stepped from the vestibule into the church proper, her eyes connected with Hunter's and she was lost.

He tracked her movements too, although he didn't look happy about it. She felt pretty and feminine in the dusky pink dress made of light, gauzy fabric with her hair up in a loose chignon that left tendrils to curl around her face and her makeup looking flawless. He had seen her in all states of undress, but he had never seen her dressed up like this and she hoped it set his pulse racing.

Seeing him in the wedding tux definitely did it for her. She had seen him in suits almost exclusively, but seeing him in a tux was...different somehow. Seeing him in a tux made her think of dancing under fairy lights and drinking champagne and kissing in the moonlight. And it was way too easy to imagine that she was walking down the aisle to marry him, not as a bridesmaid for her ex.

She barely even glanced at Nick. She only had eyes for Hunter as she took her place at the front. They were set at the very ends of the waiting attendants, as far away from each other as was possible, but the heat between them didn't dim. She knew her skin was probably flushed and she was thankful that the dress's bodice was lined, had a built-in bra and was covered in layers of fabric, otherwise her obvious attraction would have been telegraphed for all to see.

Hunter's Irish-green eyes bore into her and she could almost feel his gaze on her like a caress. She had to fight to keep her eyes from fluttering shut and giving in to the magnetic pull of him. They'd only spent one night apart and she was as needy and on edge as a teenager with a crush.

The ceremony ended and finally, _finally_ , she got to slip her hand through Hunter's elbow and walk with him back down the aisle. She wanted to rub her body against his like a cat in heat, but they were in a church and it was a wedding and...Hunter still wasn't himself.

"Everything okay?" she whispered out of the side of her mouth as they walked into the late autumn sunshine.

"Fine," he replied, not looking at her.

They were moved into positions for photos with family and friends. Bailey smiled the fake smile and tried very hard to keep her mind on the job at hand, but Hunter's aloofness worried her. Something had happened last night and, for the life of her, she couldn't understand what it was. But she was determined to get to the bottom of it, she refused to spend another night alone.

They were ushered into the waiting cars and driven to a new spot for more photos, this time just the wedding party. They had been separated on the drive and Bailey didn't know if it was on purpose or not. Hunter seemed to be holding himself away from her, keeping his distance. And it was pissing her off.

What was it about her that made guys take a step back just as she was ready to take a step forward with them? Admittedly, Hunter was only the second guy to do it, but it was the start of a troubling pattern. Just when she had worked up the nerve to tell Nick she wanted more, he'd told her he was getting married. And now that she was ready to go all in with Hunter, he appeared to be walking away from her too. What the hell was that about?

"Bailey, stop scowling," the photographer called to her and she had to take a moment to actually smooth out her face into a smile.

The next time Hunter and Bailey were posed together, she asked him, "What the hell is going on Hunter?"

"Nothing," he whispered back. "Just have a lot on my mind."

"That's not a good enough answer," she said, trying to keep a smile on her face.

"I don't owe you anything Bailey," he said and his voice was so resigned that it shook her for a moment.

Was he really walking away from her, from them? Had this just been some quick fling made more exciting because of his beef with his stepbrother? Was this a case of one-upmanship?

Wouldn't that just take the cake? She had been using Hunter to make Nick jealous, but maybe Hunter had been using her too. He'd been the one to suggest their little intrigue in the first place. Was that why he was now walking away? The job was done, Nick was married. Maybe he had nothing else to prove?

Shit.

This was a fucking mess.

Just as Bailey was going to lose her shit, the photos were over and they were ushered back into the cars for the trip to the reception venue. Again, she and Hunter were in separate cars and when they were seated at the table, they were at opposite ends of it. She'd hoped she might be able to have a conversation with him during dinner, but no such luck.

Food was placed in front of her, but she barely touched it. Luckily her wine glass kept getting magically refilled, although it didn't seem to be doing its job quick enough. She kept shooting glances at Hunter down the table, but he was no longer looking at her, no longer undressing her with his eyes. She really wanted to be undressed by him...badly.

They sat through the meal, followed by the speeches and then the first dance of the bride and groom. He took her in his arms during the bridal party dance, but he didn't hold her close and he wouldn't even look at her while they moved together around the floor. She wanted to stomp on his toes just to get some sort of reaction out of him, but she refrained...just barely.

When the song finished and the formal festivities were over, she excused herself to go to the ladies' room. All that wine had filled her bladder and between the need to pee and Hunter's cold shoulder, she was going a little insane.

* * *

He watched her go and ran a hand through his hair. This whole day had been torture. From the minute she had stepped into the church, his body had reacted. She was fucking gorgeous whatever she wore, but seeing her dressed up like that, her eyes glued on him, practically begging him to take her, caused his brain to meltdown. All the blood in his head had rushed to below his belt and he couldn't control the yearning he had for her.

But she didn't want him. He'd seen her with Nick and she knew he wouldn't share. She'd made her choice.

Then why the fuck had she been giving him bedroom eyes? She hadn't once looked at Nick throughout the whole ceremony. Her gaze had been only for him and the telltale flush of her skin gave him an insight into what she had been thinking about while looking at him.

Had he misconstrued what he saw last night? Yes, she'd hugged him and given him a kiss, but it wasn't a long, deep kiss that promised more and they hadn't been feeling each other up. Had it simply been a conversation between two friends? A goodbye perhaps?

Shit. Fuck. Shit.

He'd been so sure that she was taking him back, but none of her actions testified to that. In fact, all of her actions seemed to point to the fact that she wanted him, Hunter, and not Nick. He was pushing her away, but if she wanted Nick he shouldn't need to push her, should he? If she wanted Nick then she would be walking away gladly, not trying to talk to him and find out what was wrong. She wouldn't be looking at him like she wanted to take him to the nearest secluded place and have her way with him.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

He ran a hand through his hair again and continued to swear under his breath. He'd read the situation all wrong and now he may have completely fucked up the one relationship that had meant more to him than anything else in the world.

He strode out of the reception area. He needed to find her. He needed to apologise for his behaviour.

The venue was large with many closed doors and corridors. He had no idea where she had been going when she'd walked away from him before and he took a moment to survey his surroundings.

He saw a flash of pale pink dress and red hair and started in that direction. It might not even be Bailey, but it was a start. He followed the corridor as it snaked through the venue and heard a door close up ahead. He hurried his steps, hoping not to lose her, and found a door.

He took a breath as he gripped the door handle. He didn't even know what this room was, it could be the ladies' bathroom for all he knew, but he didn't care. He swung the door open and heard clothes rustling and stifled laughter. The room was dark and he fumbled for a light. It blinked on to reveal a janitor's closet and a sight that stabbed him right through the heart. Nick with his pants around his ankles and Bailey on her knees in front of him giving him a blow job.

Hunter turned off the light, escaped from the room and shut the door. He headed for the nearest exit, his body numb, his brain numb and his lungs gasping for breath. He hadn't been wrong after all. She was going back to Nick and now he had proof.

He burst through an exit and stood in the chill night dragging in lungfuls of air, trying desperately to calm his racing heart. Bailey had chosen Nick over him. Nick. The guy who could only offer her one weekend a month, the guy who had married someone else, the guy who treated her like shit. He was better off without her. He'd never thought Bailey was stupid, but if she could choose a dickhead like Nick over everything he had been offering her, then...

Fuck.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell and kick and punch and have a tantrum because once again Nick fucking Heart had taken something that belonged to him. Bailey had been his. From the moment he'd sat down beside her in that bar and she'd mumbled something about his beard, she'd been his.

Now she wasn't.

"Hunter!"

Her voice was like another stab through the heart.

"Get the fuck away from me," he growled as she approached. "I have nothing to say to you."

"What the hell?" she yelled at him. "You give me the cold shoulder for the last twenty four hours and now you yell at me. What in fucking hell is going on?"

He swung to face her, his anger palpable. "I fucking saw you," he said flinging his arm out towards the building.

"Saw me what?" she asked, her voice hot with anger.

"I saw you and Nick."

"Last night?" Her face screwed up in concentration. "You saw Nick and I hug last night? Is that what this is all about? Is that what you have your fucking knickers in a twist about?"

He didn't answer, just grit his teeth.

"I was saying goodbye to him you moron. I was telling him that it was well and truly over between us and that I had chosen you."

"Bullshit," he spat at her. "And I suppose that little performance in there was just another 'goodbye'?" He ran his hand through his hair. "Don't fucking lie to me. I know what I saw and quite clearly things with you and Nick are not over otherwise why would you be on your fucking knees sucking his cock?" He turned and started to walk away but she grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" she yelled.

"Stop it Bailey," he said, his voice no longer angry but resigned. "You can't deny what I saw with my own eyes."

"You really think after everything we've shared this week that I would be off somewhere with Nick giving him a blowjob?" she asked and her voice sounded small and hurt. "Is that what you really think of me Hunter? You think I'm the kind of girl that does that?"

He couldn't look at her, couldn't make eye contact. He ground his teeth together and looked out over her shoulder at the dark night.

"Shit," she hissed. "Well, fuck you. I never want to see you again."

She turned and stormed away and Hunter felt like his heart had been ripped out.

* * *

He made his way to the bar and sat heavily.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asked.

"Tequila," he said, and then shook his head. Too many memories with tequila. "No, whisky."

The bartender pulled a glass from under the bar and grabbed the bottle of Jack Daniel's single barrel whiskey from the shelf and poured a shot.

"Leave the bottle," Hunter said and the barman nodded, walking away and leaving Hunter with his drink.

He couldn't believe that Bailey had duped him so thoroughly. She was a damned good actress, that was for sure. And she'd stayed in character, right up until the end. It couldn't have been scripted any better. The righteous indignation, the slight tremble in her voice, the hurt in her eyes. Damn, the woman could have won an Oscar with that performance.

It didn't make him feel any better though. She couldn't even wait until he'd left before she had to have Nick. The guy had only been married hours before and they couldn't wait to get at each other. It made him wonder how many other times they'd gotten together over this last week that he didn't know about?

She'd almost had him convinced that there was something real between them, but it was all a fucking lie. He drained his drink and poured another. The whiskey warmed its way down his throat but didn't touch the frozen tundra that was his heart. He lifted his glass and drank again. He wanted to wipe the image of Bailey on her knees in front of Nick out of his mind and the only way he was going to do that was with alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol.

He poured another shot as someone sat down beside him.

"Hunter," one of the groomsmen said, "looks like you're having fun."

Hunter just grunted as he drank again. It would probably be less time consuming if he filled his glass rather than pouring it shot by shot, or better yet, just drink straight from the bottle.

Someone sat on the other side of him, but he didn't turn to see who it was.

"Hey Hunter," it was another groomsman. "You owe us a hundred bucks."

"What?" he asked turning his head to the side and taking in the man who had just sat down beside him. "How'd you figure that?"

"We all chipped in and got Nick a wedding present," the guy on the other side of him said.

"What wedding present?" Hunter asked. He drank again. He didn't give a fuck about the wedding present but he'd be damned if he was going to give these morons a hundred bucks.

"For the girl," the one on his left said. "From the other night."

"I already chipped in for the lap dance," Hunter said, "and it definitely wasn't worth four hundred bucks."

The one on his right shook his head. "Not for the lap dance," he said, "for the rest of it."

"The private room?" Hunter asked, pouring and drinking again. "I'm not paying for that shit."

The one on his left laughed. "Nah, Nick paid for that himself. He seemed to like her so much, we hired her for tonight."

"You hired her to give him a lap dance at his own wedding?" Hunter asked. He knew he was well on his way to being drunk, but that sounded like a fucked up plan even to his alcohol addled brain. "I don't think Ainsley will be too happy."

They both laughed and then the one on the right said. "No, we bought him a blow job," he said proudly.

He swung his head to stare at the man. "A blow job?" he asked.

"Yeah," the guy answered, "from the same red head from the club. Nick seems to have a thing for red heads." The two idiots laughed again but Hunter was just confused. Why would they buy Nick a girl to give him a blow job when Bailey had just given him one?

Just then Nick walked up to them and slapped the two groomsmen on the backs. "Fellas," he said, a smirk on his face.

"Did you have fun?" asked the one on his left.

Nick just smiled and adjusted the cuffs of his jacket. "A gentleman never kisses and tells," he said.

"But you weren't the one kissing," the guy on the right said.

"No, I was not," Nick said with a smarmy grin and then he laughed. "That was the fucking best wedding present ever."

The three of them laughed together as Hunter tried to get his booze soaked brain to work. He turned to Nick.

"Is that what I walked in on?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks for that man," Nick said with a scowl. "Nearly ruined the whole thing."

"You were with the chick from the club?" Hunter asked just to clarify.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Who else did you think it was?"

Hunter just shook his head. He had been an idiot, a damned fucking idiot.

"I need to go," he said standing up from the bar stool and swaying slightly.

"What's got into you?" Nick asked.

"I need to find Bailey," he said.

"I think she left," one of the groomsmen said. "I saw her get into a cab."

"Fuck," Hunter said. He pulled out his phone and tapped a button. "I need a car," he said into it when he lifted it to his ear. He disconnected and headed for the entrance of the venue. He had been a damned stupid idiot and he only hoped that Bailey could forgive him.

# 21

Bailey flung herself onto her childhood bed and sobbed. She'd held it together until she'd gotten to this point, but now that she was alone and she didn't have anything to keep her going, it all came crashing down on her.

Thankfully her parents hadn't said much to her when she turned up on their doorstep close to tears in the middle of the night. They didn't have to, their expressions said everything. It was the I-told-you-so look. Maybe she should've listened to them. Maybe she should've heeded their advice, and then maybe she wouldn't be sobbing her heart out over someone who thought so little of her.

This is what came of wanting too much, trying too hard, reaching too high. This is the consequence of flying too close to the sun...you got burned. And she had been, twice now. She had wanted too much with Nick and he'd married someone else. She had wanted too much with Hunter and he'd turned his back on her and accused her of...she didn't even understand what he was accusing her of.

A blow job? He thought she had been giving Nick a blow job? That just didn't make sense. She hadn't been anywhere near Nick since their chat last night. Had Nick said something to Hunter to rile him up? Had Nick claimed that she had given him a blow job just to get under Hunter's skin?

Even if that was the case, it was no excuse for Hunter to believe it. She would've thought he'd've known her better than that by now. They had shared some pretty intense experiences, surely those times had been enough for him to see how she really felt.

God. He'd ruined her for any other man. There was no way she was ever going to experience sex like that again with anyone else. And that was the last thing she should be thinking about now, anyway. She was heartbroken and she was angry at him, she shouldn't be remembering the way he had taken her, the way he had made her his.

She groaned and rolled over. This was more devastating to her than when Nick broke up with her, and she and Hunter had only really known each other for five days. She had been with Nick for five years. But everything with Hunter was so much more than it had been with Nick. It was like comparing generic brand chocolate with Belgian chocolate or Ashby Chocolates. There was simply no comparison.

Was Hunter it for her? Had he been the pinnacle, the best she was ever going to experience? Surely not. Surely there was someone out there who she could have as deep a connection with as she'd had with Hunter. Surely there was someone else out there for her, especially after the way he'd treated her in the end.

In all her time with Nick she'd never once felt cheap or slutty, but the way Hunter had looked at her tonight and made her feel like that and she'd only hugged Nick and given him a peck on the lips. It had been nothing, no more than you would give a friend in farewell. So why had it upset Hunter so much? And what the hell had he meant by the whole blow job remark.

Now she was back to angry again. Good. That's where she needed to say. Angry was so much better than heartbroken. Angry was so much better that completely fucking flattened by grief.

Her phone buzzed and she saw Hunter's name on the display. She threw the phone away from her, there was absolutely no way she was going to answer that. It buzzed again, but she ignored it, instead getting up and searching through her luggage for her pyjamas. The phone was still buzzing when she walked out of her room and down the hall to the bathroom. She showered and changed and then came back to her room where the phone was still buzzing.

She picked it up and held the power button down until the phone turned off. There was no way she was going to listen to Hunter rage at her again. He'd said his piece. He proved to her that he didn't trust her and made her feel like a piece of shit. She'd had enough. She deserved better than that. She was turning over a new leaf...no more guys who treated her like crap.

Except that Hunter hadn't always treated her like crap. In fact, he had always been good to her, even after their first night together. It had been a one night stand, but he'd treated her with respect and even left his contact details with her so she could call him. He'd never treated her like crap.

Apart from tonight when he'd accused her of cheating.

Yeah. Back to anger. Good. Great. Perfect.

* * *

Hunter raced down the hallway and pounded on the door to the penthouse suite he had shared with Bailey. He'd made a terrible mistake and he needed to make it right.

"Bailey," he yelled through the door. "Open up!"

He banged on the door again. "Come on Bailey," he said. "Let me in, we need to talk."

Still no response. He knocked again, his knuckles taking the brunt of his desperation.

"Bailey, honey, I'm sorry, please just open up so I can explain."

He leant his forehead against the door and sighed. He couldn't hear any movement inside, there was no indication that she had heard him at all.

"Bailey, please open up," he yelled again, knocking insistently on the door. "I really need to talk to you."

The door behind him opened and he turned to stare at the older woman who stood in the doorway.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you," he said, "but my girlfriend has locked me out and I don't have a key."

"She's not in there," the woman said and Hunter's eyebrows shot up.

"She's not?" he asked.

The other woman shook her head. "She packed up and left," she said. "Like that." The woman clicked her fingers.

"Do you know where she went?" he asked, pulling out his phone.

The other woman shook her head again. "No," she replied, "but where would she have to go at this time of night?"

The woman retreated back into her suite and closed the door. Hunter scrubbed a hand through his hair, regretting the half a bottle of Jack that he'd drunk, regretting that he'd jumped to conclusions about Bailey. He looked down at the screen of his phone and pressed her number. It rang and rang and then her voice mail picked up.

"Hi, you've reached Bailey Sheppard. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

He waited for the beep and then spoke. "I'm so sorry Blue," he said. "I really need to see you, to talk to you, to explain. Please call me back."

He started walking towards the elevator, thinking. Where would Bailey go in the middle of the night? He hadn't known her long enough to know her favourite spots or her special places. The first time they'd met was in a bar and she was drowning her sorrows, so maybe that was the place to start.

He got into the lift and stabbed the ground floor button. When the elevator opened on the reception level he got out and headed straight for the desk.

"Did Bailey Sheppard leave any forwarding information?" he asked the night manager.

She clicked around on the computer before shaking her head. "I'm sorry Mr. Green," she said, "she handed over her key and left."

"Fuck," he said quietly and then looked back at the manager. "Do you know if she took a cab or the car service?"

The woman shrugged. "I don't know," she said, "I didn't see her leave."

Hunter nodded and then hit redial on his phone as he walked out the front doors of the hotel. He listened to Bailey's voice instructing him to leave a message and waited again for the beep.

"Blue, honey, please listen to me. I made a terrible mistake and I know that saying sorry is not enough. Please call me back or text me or something to let me know you're okay. I really need to talk to you. I want you to know what happened even if you never forgive me. Please Bailey."

He disconnected as he ducked into the back of the waiting car.

"Where to sir?" the driver asked.

"I don't know," Hunter replied. "You didn't happen to pick up another guest here tonight, a woman?"

"No sir," the driver said.

Hunter exhaled sharply. "Okay, um, I guess we try Ocean Street," he said. "Maybe she went to a bar."

"Yes sir," the driver said as he started the car and moved into the traffic.

Hunter pulled out his phone again and called Bailey a third time.

"Come on Blue, please talk to me. I'm really worried now. You're not at the hotel and I have no idea where you'd go in the middle of the night. We really need to talk and I know I need to apologise. Please call me back."

He squeezed the phone in his hand tightly, his knuckles going white. Where could she be? He knew that she grew up here, but she hadn't been back in a while from what he had gathered. Was there a place she used to go when she was a kid and she was angry at her parents? Did she have a thinking place? Would it still be here?

The car pulled up outside a bar in Ocean Street and Hunter got out. It was late on a Saturday night, but the bar was packed, the whole street was packed. He wandered around looking for the beacon of her rose gold hair and chocolate coloured eyes, but she was nowhere to be found. Dejectedly he climbed back into the car and pulled out his phone again.

"Just drive to the next likely place," he told the driver as he again dialled Bailey's number.

"Look, I know I stuffed up, okay? I know I jumped to conclusions and read the whole situation wrong, but the thought of you and Nick together kind of blew a fuse in my brain. I know it's no excuse, but please, just talk to me, let me explain what happened. I'll grovel if that's what it takes and I'm not above begging. Please Blue, give me a second chance."

He disconnected and rested his head against the leather seat. This was ridiculous. She pulled the disappearing act on him before and it had taken six months to find her and then that was only by accident. The fact was he had no idea where she might go and driving around in the middle of the night checking out bars wasn't going to help.

"Just take me to my mother's house," he instructed the driver. He needed sleep and he needed to get the excess alcohol out of his system so he could think straight.

* * *

He woke to the sound of his phone ringing.

"Bailey," he said, jumping to his feet and grabbing his pants off the floor to search through the pockets. His hand closed around the phone and he touched the screen to answer. "Bailey," he croaked.

"No, Madeline," his assistant replied bemused. "Wake you?"

Hunter scrubbed a hand through his beard and then through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck trying to clear his fogged brain.

"Yeah," he replied after clearing his throat.

"Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all, "but CASA is threatening to pull our accreditation."

"Fuck," he breathed into the phone, that was the last thing he needed right now. "Have you spoken with Cam?"

"Yes," she replied with a sniff and he knew she was pissed at him for thinking she wouldn't have already contacted their attorney, "but I need you here in Canberra pronto."

"Fuck," he said again and then sighed. "Fine. Can you have my plane here in two hours?"

"It's already on its way," she said. "It will be ready for you in an hour."

"Thanks Madeline," he replied as he disconnected. Why did this have to happen today of all days? It was a fucking Sunday. The universe was just trying to fuck him over.

"Fuck," he said again.

He grabbed some clothes and walked into the ensuite bath. He ran the shower as hot as he could and stepped under the steaming spray. He'd need a clear head to deal with this latest round of shit from CASA and turning up at his offices hung over and depressed was not going to inspire confidence in his team.

The water worked its magic on him and he pulled on his Armani suit like it was a suit of armour. He needed to put this thing with Bailey out of his mind for the next twenty-four hours at least so he could deal with the immediate crisis. She probably needed time to cool down anyway.

He shoved his clothes into his suitcase and called the car service, which informed him the car was already waiting out front. It was too early to wake his mother, so he left her a note before heading out the door and sliding into the back seat of the car.

The car moved off immediately and Hunter pulled out his phone and dialled Bailey. He knew she wouldn't answer, but he just wanted to hear her voice and let her know about his unscheduled departure.

"Hi this is Bailey Sheppard..." he listened to her greeting, closing her eyes and letting her voice wash over him.

"Bailey, hey," he said after the beep. "I have to fly back to Canberra today. CASA is up my arse about something and I'll probably be incommunicado for a few days. I really want to talk to you and I really want to explain. Please don't give up on me, not yet, not until we've talked. I miss you."

He disconnected and closed his eyes as he rested his head on the back of the seat. God, what he wouldn't give to have her beside him right now, just holding his hand, talking to him, her shoulder pressed up against his. He had jumped through so many hoops to please CASA and for them to come back to him and threaten to ground his fleet was the absolute last thing he needed. But if Bailey was beside him, he just knew it would keep him calm and rational. She had that effect on him. She kept him sane.

"Are we picking up anyone else sir?" the driver asked and jolted Hunter out of his reverie.

"No," Hunter said tiredly, "just me."

"That's a shame," the driver said. "I would've liked to have seen that lovely young woman again."

"Bailey?" Hunter asked.

"Yes, that's the one. She was such a nice woman."

"When did you see her?" Hunter asked.

"I picked her up from the hotel last night," he said.

"You picked her up?"

"Sure did. She looked so sad, but she was so nice to me."

"Where did you take her?" Hunter growled, not caring that he was being rude.

"To her parent's house," he replied. "Over Nambour way."

The car came to a stop in front of the airport terminal. Hunter wanted to demand the man take him to Bailey right now, but he had meeting with a representative from CASA in three hours and if he didn't leave now, they would ground his fledgling airline. Millions of dollars were on the line, but all he could think of was getting to Bailey.

"Fuck," he breathed. "Do you remember the address?"

"Of course," the driver replied.

Hunter fished a pen and paper out of his breast pocket and shoved it at the man. "Here, write it down."

The man did and handed it back to him. Hunter couldn't chase her down now, but as soon as this shit with CASA was sorted out, he would find her. She would not hide from him again.

Hunter exited the car and strode through the airport terminal to his gate. His private plane was waiting and they let him out on the tarmac to board. He finally had a lead to where Bailey was and, thank God, she was fine. He had seriously begun to worry about her. He pocketed the address as he settled into his seat and buckled his seatbelt. The jet taxied down the runway and took off. He snagged a bottle of water and some ibuprofen from the flight attendant and then settled in to try and sleep off his hangover. He had a very important meeting to get through and then he had to track down his runaway girlfriend.

# 22

Bailey woke to her mother gently shaking her. Her eyes were sore and swollen and glued shut by the salt from the tears she cried herself to sleep with and the last thing she wanted was to wake up.

"Bailey, honey," her mother said softly, "you need to get up. There's a delivery for you."

Bailey sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her head felt foggy and her body felt sluggish.

"Okay mum," she said and yawned. "I'll be out in a minute."

Her parents lived in a small single storey house in Nambour, a once bustling cane town that had seen a financial down turn in recent years because of the closure of the town's sugar mill. Both her parents had steady jobs and lived a comfortable life, but Bailey had always yearned for more. Now she wondered if maybe the heartache wasn't worth it.

She pulled on a robe and stumbled out of the room and down the hall to the combined kitchen dining area. Sitting on the kitchen table was an enormous box sealed with Ashby Chocolates branded tape. Bailey ignored it for the moment, walking over to fill the kettle and switch it on. She pulled down a mug from the overhead cupboard and scooped two teaspoons of instant coffee into it while she waited for the kettle to boil. She checked the time on the kitchen wall clock that had hung in the same place for as long as she could remember. It was nearly lunch time.

The kettle whistled and flicked off and she poured the steaming water into her cup and added a splash of milk. She carried the mug over to the kitchen table and slid into a seat. She took a tentative sip while she eyed the box. Her parents sat across from her shooting her furtive glances.

"Aren't you going to open it?" her mother asked.

Bailey's mother might be straight laced and self-controlled and conservative in every way, but the woman had a chocolate addiction to rival even Bailey's. She knew what the tape on the outside of the box meant and Bailey knew if she didn't open it soon, she might just witness her mother's first and only ever break down.

With a sigh, she dragged the box closer and picked at the tape. Her mother got up and came back with a sharp knife and slit through the tape across the top of the box without a second thought. Bailey smiled at her mother before opening the flaps. On top sat a thick creamy envelope with her name handwritten on it. It wasn't Hunter's writing. She picked it up and slipped her finger under the flap to unseal it. There was a piece of Ashby Chocolates stationery inside and she took it out and read the note.

* * *

_Dear Bailey,_

_Hunter asked me to send you something that I thought you would like and seeing as though you seemed quite taken with these last time, I thought you might like a whole box of them._

_Jonathon. xxx_

_P.S. Please let me know if you need me to punch Hunter in the face and I'll gladly do it._

* * *

Bailey smiled and put down the letter. She lifted the tissue paper off the top of the box with trepidation. Bailey had admired the tequila truffles that Jonathan had made the day they were there, but she'd also exclaimed over the chocolate, cream filled penises. A whole box of chocolate cocks probably wouldn't go down well with her parents. With a deep breath she pulled the tissue paper away to reveal...a box full of heart shaped chocolates wrapped in pink foil. She groaned and then chuckled, wondering how hard it had been for Jonathon not to send her the chocolate cocks. A gag like that seemed right up his alley.

"Are they all Ashby Chocolates?" her mother asked with a reverence that Ashby Chocolates deserved.

"Yeah," Bailey sighed. "I actually met Jonathon Ashby last week."

"What?" her mother looked at her in amazement before turning back to the box and running her hand over the shiny booty contained in the box.

"He's a friend of Hunter's," Bailey said and the sound of his name on her lips caused a stab of pain to lance through her tender heart.

"Hunter?" her father asked.

"Hunter Green," she replied sadly.

"Hunter Green from Green Aviation?" her father asked again, a fanboy glint in his eye.

Bailey sighed again. "Yeah."

"How do you know Hunter Green?" he asked.

"He was my date to Nick's wedding," she replied really not wanting to get into the details with her parents.

"And he took you to meet Jonathon Ashby?" her mother asked breathily.

"Yep," she said, popping the 'p'.

"Wow," her dad said and she looked at him strangely. "Hunter Green. One of the youngest billionaires in the country. What he has done for aviation in Australia is incredible."

Oh yeah. She'd forgotten that her dad had a thing for planes and flying and all things aviation.

"Do you think I could meet him?" he asked.

"I think I hear my phone," Bailey said, pushing back from the table and grabbing the note from Jonathon before making a hasty exit out of the kitchen and back to her room. There was no way she could sit there and witness her father gushing over the man who broke her heart.

She read Jonathon's note again and noticed his phone number. She turned on her phone and sat through the multiple message notifications and missed call notifications, rolling her eyes. Without looking at any of the messages, she typed out a quick text to Jonathon.

_B: Thanks for the chocolates...I think my mother just fell in love with you a little bit_

_J: Ha! I'd rather you fall in love with me_

_B: I think I've had my fill of handsome, famous billionaires for a lifetime_

_J: Please tell me I can hit him_

_B: Thanks, but no, you might hurt your hand on his hard head._

_J: True, and I do need my hands *wink wink*_

_B: Ha!_

Bailey laid down on the bed and scrolled through all the missed calls from Hunter. He'd left twenty-seven messages and she was getting a notification that her mailbox was full. Damn he was persistent, but she really couldn't face hearing his voice right now. She knew if she did then she would cave and she promised herself that she wouldn't let another guy treat her like crap.

Except that Hunter hadn't really...oh forget it. She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

* * *

It was like déjà vu. Her mother was again waking her up by shaking her.

"Bailey, there's a phone call for you," her mother said.

"I don't want to talk to him," Bailey mumbled rolling over and burying her head in the pillows.

"Um, I don't know who you mean, but I think you need to speak with Ellen," her mother said nervously.

Bailey rolled over. "Ellen? My boss Ellen?"

Her mother nodded and Bailey dragged herself out of bed again and walked into the kitchen to pick up the phone. The box – _carton_ – of chocolates still sat on the table, surprisingly undisturbed.

"Ellen?"

"Bailey," she replied, "I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours. Green Aviation has an issue with CASA and I need you to take care of it."

Bailey huffed out a breath. Could she never get away from him? He had weaved through her life and there was seemingly no escape. How did he do that in such a short space of time?

"I...can't," she replied with a sigh. "I have a family emergency and I need to stay on the coast." She hated lying, especially to her boss, but she just couldn't face Hunter. Not yet, not when her heart was still so raw.

"How long do you need?" Ellen asked. That's what she loved about her boss, personal life always came first.

"Two weeks?"

"Okay," Ellen said. "Who can take over the Green Aviation file?"

"Get Bec to do it," Bailey said. "She was shadowing me on it anyway and knows all the ins and outs. Get her to email Madeline to let her know that she will be taking over. Madeline will handle most of the details on Green's side."

"Great, thanks," Ellen said and Bailey could tell she was making notes. "And hey, I hope everything is all right."

That made Bailey feel even worse for lying to her boss. "Thanks Ellen."

She hung up the phone and slumped into a kitchen chair, dipping her hand into the box and pulling out a chocolate. She unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth, closing her eyes as the chocolate melted on her tongue. She opened her eyes when she sensed her mother sliding into a chair next to her.

"What's going on Bailey?" she asked.

Bailey and her mother had never had the kind of relationship that other mothers and daughters had. They weren't close. Bailey had never come running to her mother for comfort or to share secrets, not since she had been very young anyway. Her mother didn't condone big displays of emotions and had always told Bailey that if she wanted to avoid the rollercoaster ride of 'feelings' then just don't get involved. Bailey should have listened to her mother.

"It's nothing," she said, grabbing another chocolate and handing one to her mother.

"It must be something if you're lying to your boss."

Bailey closed her eyes. Her mother had heard her.

"What happened this weekend?" her mother probed. "You turned up here in the middle of the night looking like you'd lost your best friend. I don't like to pry, but I've never seen you this upset and I've never known you to lie."

Bailey sighed and took another chocolate out of the box, taking her time to unwrap it before putting it in her mouth and letting it melt away to nothing on her tongue.

"I met a guy and I thought he was the one," she said sadly. "Turns out he wasn't."

"So why are you hiding out here?" her mother asked.

"I just need some time, you know? I haven't had a holiday in ages and I just don't feel emotionally stable enough to go back to work yet."

Her mother sighed as she fiddled with the shiny pink foil wrapper that her chocolate had been wrapped in.

"Would it help if I tell you that you will get over him, that this pain will lessen and that you have a whole, full life ahead of you to look forward to?"

Bailey gaped at her mother. This was not what she had expected to hear from her. She'd expected to be scolded for caring too much, getting too close, letting her heart rule her head. Her mother almost sounded like she was talking from experience.

"Not really, no," she said in answer to her mother's question.

Her mother patted her hand. "I know you don't think much of your father's and my approach to life," she said, "but we both do feel very deeply, even though we might not be the best at showing it."

"I know you love each other, mum," Bailey said.

"The fact is," her mother went on, "that we were not each other's first choice. Don't get me wrong, I love your father very much and I know that he loves me, but we were both very much in love with other people."

"Oh my God," Bailey whispered turning to her mother and handing her a bunch of chocolates. "What happened?"

"They fell in love with each other and eloped, leaving your father and I behind and heartbroken."

They sat in silence and ate a chocolate each as they each ruminated on Bailey's mother's confession.

"Your father and I turned to each other for support. We were already friends and that friendship turned to something more, something deeper and we eventually fell in love."

"That's...so romantic," Bailey breathed, stunned by her mother's revelation. "What happened to your friends?"

Her mother shrugged. "Their marriage didn't last. I don't know where they are now." She sighed. "The point is, I know it hurts right now, but you will get over it and you will find someone else."

Bailey laid her head on her mother's shoulder. "Thanks mum," she said. "I just need some time."

"I know, honey," she said. "Take all the time you need, but you do need to get back up on that horse. Don't walk away from every other good thing in your life just because you got hurt by one of them."

* * *

The next two weeks passed like a movie montage for Bailey. She and her mother gradually ate their way through the chocolate hearts, but it wasn't the only gift Hunter sent her. There were flowers and more chocolates from Jonathon and even some tickets for her to fly anywhere in the world with a friend on any Green Aviation plane. Bailey gave the tickets to her parents and encouraged them to take a trip. They'd never done anything spontaneous or as outlandish as an overseas trip in her whole life and she thought it was about time they did.

Bailey and her mother had spent more time talking and Bailey kind of came to understand her a bit more. Bailey was a loud and colourful personality and needed the stimulation of her fast-paced job, but her mother was different. There was a quiet confidence about her that Bailey had never noticed or appreciated before. It was nice to actually get to know her mother better and despite her heart being torn to shreds, by the time the two weeks was nearly up, Bailey actually began to believe that there was hope for her.

On the Friday before Bailey was set to fly back to Melbourne, she was out at a cafe drinking coffee and reading a book. It was one of the things that she'd discovered that she loved to do, especially in the warm sunshine of the Sunshine Coast weather. Being winter, the mornings were crisp, but the days were sunny and perfect.

"Oh my God! Bailey!"

Bailey looked up to see Two and Three standing at her table.

"Oh, hey," she said really wishing she could remember their names.

"What are you doing here?" Two asked.

"Yes, we thought you'd be back in Melbourne with that delicious billionaire of yours," Three said.

They both sat down and looked at her expectantly.

Bailey swallowed and put her iPad down. With a smile, she said, "Oh I just decided to spend a couple of weeks with my parents. It's been so long since I've seen them."

"That's nice," Two said.

"Are you going to be here for much longer?" Three asked. "Nick and Ainsley should be back from their honeymoon in a few days, I'm sure they'd like to catch up."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Bailey said quickly. "I have to be back at work Monday."

They both pouted their disappointment.

"That's a shame," Two said. "It would've been fun to get the gang back together."

"Especially after the gift the boys got for Nick," Three said conspiratorially.

"What gift?" Bailey asked.

The two women shared a look.

"Well," Two said, "we heard that they'd paid one of the strippers, from that club we went to, four hundred dollars to come to the wedding as a surprise for Nick."

"You know the red head we saw giving him a lap dance?" Three added.

"Really?" Bailey said, sitting up in her chair.

"Yes, Dana saw them coming out of a janitor's closet together," Two said, "and she said they looked very guilty."

"Dana?" Oh right, Number One. "Oh my goodness. What were they doing in the closet?"

Three leaned forward. "According to the best man, she was there to give him a..." she looked around and lowered her voice to a whisper, "a blow job."

"What?" Bailey reared back, shocked. "Nick let a stripper give him a blow job in a janitor's closet on the night of his wedding?"

The two women looked at her solemnly and nodded.

"Does Ainsley know?" she whispered to them.

They shook their heads. "Dana threatened us all to keep it quiet. She said it would just ruin Ainsley's day."

"Wow," she said. "And you two didn't think there was anything wrong with that?"

They shared a look.

"We sent her a text so she could find it before she went too far with Nick."

"Do you know if she found it in time?"

They shook their heads. "No one has heard from them since they left," Two said.

"I hope she didn't kill him and dispose of the body while they were out of the country," Bailey said and then paused. "Oh, wait a minute, yes I do."

Two and Three giggled.

"You were so right about him," Three said seriously. "We should've listened."

"What are you going to do when she gets back?" Bailey asked.

"We've talked it over with Dana," Three said, "and we all agreed to sit down with her and have an intervention."

"She needs to see the real Nick," Two said.

"She probably has by now," Bailey replied.

Two looked at her watch. "Oops, we have to go," she said as they stood, "but it was so great catching up with you."

Bailey waved them off, her mind swirling. Hunter's words now made more sense to her. If he had walked in on the red head giving Nick a blow job he may have been so traumatised by the sight that he thought it was her. And if he thought it was her then his whole reaction had been justified. Had he found out later from the groomsmen that it wasn't her? Is that why he had been calling her non-stop?

She picked up her things and paid her bill and raced home. She needed to check her phone messages.

# 23

Hunter sat heavily in the booth with his four friends. It was the first time they had all been able to catch up in what seemed like years. But, by luck of the draw, they were all in the same country at the same time. It was an opportunity too good to miss.

"Here he is," Jonathon said, raising his glass. "Better late than never."

Hunter toasted the rest of them and then swallowed his drink in one gulp. "Sorry fellas," he said, "CASA has been crawling up my arse for the last two weeks and I've just now finally resolved it."

"What was the problem?" Brooks asked.

"They lost some paperwork."

"Fucking idiots," Mason said.

"Fucking government employees," Declan chimed in.

Hunter smiled as he looked around the table. These four men were all billionaires in their own right. The five of them had met at university and had formed their own fraternity, Alpha Pi Tau. Fraternities were not a thing in Australia, but they decided to form one anyway and their name was taken from the Latin words 'Afosíosi, Prospátheia, Tin Evimería' which meant 'Loyalty, Effort, Prosperity.' It was a code they had all lived by and it had seen each of them reach the top of their respective careers.

"So Hunter," Jonathon said, a smile on his lips, "you owe us a story."

"Really?" Mason asked. "This ought to be good."

"Is it the one about the girl?" Brooks asked eagerly. "'Cause I definitely want to hear that one."

"Same," Declan said. "Spill."

Hunter took a breath and told them the tale of how he first met Blue and then how he'd met her again and then how it had all gone terribly wrong.

"Shit man," Jonathon said. "I really should punch you in the face. Poor Bailey."

"I've tried everything to contact her," Hunter said, "but she won't return my calls and she hasn't returned to Melbourne. She even handed off the Green Aviation PR file to another person at her work."

"How do you know she hasn't returned to Melbourne?" Declan asked.

Hunter dropped his eyes to the table. "I bribed her roommate to let me know when she comes home."

Brooks let out a low whistle. "You must be desperate," he said.

"I am," he looked up at his friends and gave each one of them direct eye contact. "She's the one. I'm in love with her and I'm going out of my freaking mind not knowing where she is or if she's okay."

"She's okay," Jonathon said with a sigh.

"How the hell would you know?" Hunter growled.

"I've been in contact with her," he said and Hunter practically crawled across the table to grab him except that his friends held him back.

"What the hell Jonathon? Are you hitting on Bailey?"

"No, you fuckwit," Jonathon said with a shake of his head. "I thought she might need a friend and I thought you might like to know what she's been up to."

"And?" Hunter asked giving him the keep-it-coming gesture.

"She took a hiatus from work to get over you. She's been staying with her parents. She flies back to Melbourne tomorrow."

"I have to see her," Hunter said. "I need to explain and apologise."

"And grovel," Brooks said.

"Can you set it up Jonathon?" he asked pleadingly.

Jonathon stared at him across the table. "She really means this much to you?"

"You met her," Hunter said. "You saw what I see in her."

Jonathon sighed. "Yeah, I did and I saw the way she looks at you too. You're a lucky bastard Hunter Green."

"Not until I see her again and she forgives me," Hunter replied. "Only then will I be a lucky bastard."

"I want to meet this girl too," Mason said. "If Jonathon got to meet her, then we all should."

"I'll set it up for tomorrow night. Where?"

Hunter smiled. He knew exactly where he wanted to meet Bailey.

* * *

It'd been two weeks. A really long two weeks since she'd last seen Hunter. But she was home now and it was time to put her plan into action.

She had been surprised when Jonathon had texted her and asked to meet her, but it was the perfect way to get the scoop on what Hunter had been up to and maybe find out if Jonathon knew of a way that she could see him and apologise. She'd been even more surprised when he'd suggested they meet at the same bar that she had met Hunter all those months ago.

She ordered a cranberry vodka and settled in to wait. She was a little early, but that was okay. She needed time to figure out in her head what she was going to say to Jonathon. Bailey had listened to all of Hunter's messages after speaking with Two and Three and she had cried her eyes out over the pain in his voice. Since her message box had been full, he'd stopped leaving them, and now Bailey didn't know whether he'd given up on her or not. She hoped not. The fact that Jonathon had asked to meet with her was a good sign, wasn't it?

Someone sat down beside her and she turned to greet Jonathon but the words froze in her throat. Bright green eyes met hers and a thrill went through her.

"You've got a nice beard," Bailey choked out, remembering the first words she'd ever said to him.

His eyes crinkled at the sides as he smiled at her. "Want to know how it feels when I kiss you?" he asked.

"God yes," she said as her eyes fluttered closed.

She felt the brush of his lips against hers and opened to him. His tongue swept in, sliding along hers and making her shiver with sensation. His hand threaded through her hair at the base of her neck as he cupped her head and held her at the right angle to give him complete access. She melted in to him and her brain fogged over. God, she had missed his kisses.

He looked down at her when he pulled away, his own eyes dark with desire.

"We need to talk," he growled.

"I know," she replied and they parted reluctantly. Hunter ordered a beer from the bartender and Bailey sipped her vodka.

"I know about the stripper," she said. "I know what you saw. Well, I _think_ I know what you saw and I understand why you reacted the way you did."

"I should have believed you, though," he said. "And I'm kicking myself for not stopping for just a minute and listening to you."

She huffed out a laugh. "I think we are both somewhat guilty of that," she said. "I only found out yesterday. I ran into Two and Three and they told me."

"What are those girls' names?" Hunter said and they both laughed.

"And then I went home and listened to all the messages you left me. I'm sorry too," she said looking up at him. "I'm sorry for not telling you how I felt. I'm sorry for not telling you that I'd fallen in love with you. Maybe if I had, we wouldn't be in this position."

Hunter pulled her to him and kissed her hard and she relished in his hands on her body and his lips on hers.

"You're in love with me?' he asked when he pulled back from her.

She nodded. "I am," she replied, her heart in her mouth. She didn't know what she would do if he rejected her now.

"God, Blue, you don't know how good that is to hear." He smiled at her. "I'm in love with you too. Have been since the first night we spent together."

She looked into his eyes and knew it was true. She smiled.

"Wanna get out of here?" she asked.

"Oh yeah," he said, "but first I'd like you to meet some friends of mine."

The hopped off their stools and Hunter led her over to a group of extremely good-looking and obviously wealthy men. She immediately recognised Jonathon and he stood and pulled her into a hug.

"Sorry for the subterfuge to get you here," he said.

"That's okay," she replied, "I was going to ask you to hook me up anyway."

"Blue," Hunter said, pulling her in to his side. "These four men are the closest I have to brothers. You know Jonathon, but this is Brooks, Declan, and Mason."

Bailey shook hands with each of them and they were all somewhat vaguely familiar to her. Being that they were Hunter's friends, there was no doubt they were as wealthy as he was and she'd probably seen them on the rich list or most eligible bachelor list.

"As much as we'd love to stay and chat," Hunter said, "Bailey and I have somewhere else to be."

The four men raised their glasses to them with wide smiles on their faces as Hunter ushered her out of there.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"To my suite upstairs," he replied.

"Haven't we done this before?" Bailey asked with an amused smile.

"And it went so well last time that I thought a repeat might be in order."

"We're missing something though," Bailey said as she stepped into the elevator.

He quirked an eyebrow at her and her knees went weak, "Oh?" he asked.

"Tequila," she breathed and he just smiled.

* * *

He hadn't forgotten the tequila, he'd just decided that they'd need privacy this time.

He led her to his suite and opened the door revealing the dim room lit by candles. Soft music played and a sheepskin rug was spread out on the floor in front of the faux fire. He took Bailey's hand and drew her into the room. On the floor beside the rug was a bottle of tequila, some shot glasses, a dish of cut limes and a salt shaker.

"You remembered," she said, turning a brilliant smile on him.

He kissed her in reply and unzipped her dress. She let it fall to the ground and his hands roamed over her exposed skin.

"Lay down," he said.

She slipped off her shoes and laid down on the rug, looking up at him with heat filled eyes. He ran his gaze of her fair skin and sheer black lingerie and felt his cock harden at the sight.

"You are so fucking beautiful, Blue," he said roughly as he undressed and laid down beside her.

He dipped his head and kissed her, taking his time to rediscover her mouth. His hands caressed her body and he loved how she arched into his touch, demanding more. Her hands touched the muscles of his chest and stomach, coasting over his hip and up across his back.

"I've missed you so much Irish," she said.

"Shh," he murmured, "none of that now. Have you ever done body shots Bailey?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Show me," she said.

He licked a line down the centre of her stomach and sprinkled salt along it. Then he filled a shot glass and balanced it between her breasts. He took the lime and squeezed the juice into her belly button and she giggled. He grabbed the shot glass before it tumbled and scolded her.

"You need to keep still Ms. Sheppard," he growled.

"Yes, sir," she breathed.

He rebalanced the shot glass and then looked down at her seriously.

"Are you ready?" he asked and she nodded. "Lick." He licked the salt off the stomach from her belly button to where the shot glass rested on her breast bone. "Sip." He picked up the shot glass in his mouth and tossed his head back, swallowing the bitter liquid. "Suck." He dipped his head and sucked the lime juice from her belly button. She moaned as he swirled his tongue around the small divot ensuring that he had every last drop.

"My turn," she said as she grabbed his head and pulled it towards her mouth, she kissed him, swirling her tongue in his mouth as if to taste the shot he'd just taken. The she pushed him down so that he was laying on his back and she was poised over him.

She copied his movements, licking a line up between his abs and sprinkling it with salt. She poured a shot and sat it between his pecks and she squeezed the lime juice into his navel.

"Lick," she whispered and he grit his teeth so as not to spill the shot as she licked up the salt from his body. "Sip," she said, looking him in the eyes as she lifted the shot glass between her lips and tossed her head back. He watched the muscles in her neck work as she swallowed and his cock grew two more sizes. "Suck." She dropped her head to his belly button and sucked and it was like there was a direct line to his penis as it jumped with need.

He grabbed her with a roar and rolled her over. He unhooked her bra, setting her delicious breasts free, and as he nuzzled them, he worked her panties off. She shifted and wiggled under him, helping him and then there was nothing between them, not even air.

He entered her hot wet centre and they both groaned with the sensation. He levered himself up onto his arms so he could look down on her. His gaze roamed over her body from her melted chocolate eyes to the intimate place where they were joined. He never wanted to let her out of his sight again.

"Move," she moaned breathlessly. "I need you to move Hunter."

He drew almost all the way out of her before thrusting back in. She met him stroke for stroke as he buried himself inside her, relishing the sweet slide of her soft core and the way her muscles gripped him. Her hand held on to his biceps, her nails digging in and the small sting they made only increased his pleasure.

"You feel so fucking fantastic," he ground out as he pounded into her.

"I love how you fill me up," she said in return.

"I know this is fast," he groaned, "but I need you to come for me Blue."

"I'm right there," she gasped and he watched as her eyes fluttered closed, her mouth opened and her beautiful fair skin flushed from her nipples to her hairline. He felt her core clamp down around him as she came and he allowed her pulsating to take him over the edge. He collapsed on top of her, both of them panting with exertion and then he slowly rolled off and brought her with him, snuggling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her.

"I know it's probably not appropriate to say this after sex," he said, "but I really do love you Bailey."

She tipped her head up and kissed him sweetly, "I love you too," she said, "and I don't care how or when you say it as long as you never stop saying it."

He kissed her this time, taking it slow and easy, luxuriating in the feel of her and knowing that nothing would ever feel as good as having Bailey in his arms.

# Epilogue

The four men left sitting at the table after Hunter and Bailey left clinked glasses and chuckled.

"Hunter's the first one to fall," Brooks said.

"No, I think that was you," Jonathon said.

Brooks looked towards the door through which Bailey and Hunter had left. "I never fell like that," he said wistfully.

"Have you heard from her?" Declan asked before taking a sip of his drink.

Brooks shook his head. "Nope," he said, "I don't expect to either."

Brooks Barry. From the outside, he looked like a don't-mess-with-me corporate shark...which was kind of what he was. He travelled the world buying up failing businesses, stripping them down to only the most profitable pieces and then selling off those pieces at a major profit to him. He had the Midas touch and had been the first of the five to reach his first billion. He was also gorgeous. Tall – really tall – with wide shoulders, a thick chest and tight ass. He had the chiseled jaw and commanding features of a super hero and the bright blue eyes and dark blonde hair that women seemed to fall all over.

He met his wife in college and they married soon after, but the marriage fell apart within two years and Brooks took the opportunity to really throw himself into work. His wife married up. She actually married her ex and got pregnant really fast, like too fast, like Brooks wondered whether she had been sleeping with the guy before they'd separated.

But he was over her now and hadn't seen hide or hair of her for five years and it had all just faded to a bad dream. He'd thought he'd been in love with her. He'd thought she'd been in love with him, but they obviously hadn't loved one another enough to make it work long term.

"And I don't expect to fall at all," Jonathon declared. "I enjoy my single life way too much."

Mason snorted. "Sure Jon," he said, "but didn't you see the way she looked at him? I wouldn't mind someone looking at me like that."

Jonathon's mouth quirked up in a half smile. "Bailey's got class, that's for sure."

Jonathon Ashby was almost a caricature of the quintessential playboy. He drove the flashy sports car, had a seemingly endless supply of beautiful women to escort him to all the hottest clubs and swankiest events. He had the penthouse bachelor pad with all the mod-cons (several actually, one in each city where his chocolate factories were) and the tailored suits and bespoke shoes and the limitless, black credit card. He also looked like he'd just stepped off the cover of GQ Magazine with his dark hair, grey eyes and come-hither look. The man knew how to wear a suit.

He travelled a lot. He had three factories in Australia – one each in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – and several showrooms in major shopping districts, but his main business was in a small European country called Merveille, that was nestled between the borders of Switzerland, France and Italy. This was where he produced the large blocks of couverture chocolate that he then imported into the country to use in his chocolate factories. Just like Swiss chocolate had to be made in Switzerland and Belgian chocolate had to be made in Belgium, Ashby chocolate had to be made in Merveille. It's what set his business apart, it's what made Ashby Chocolates the most sought after and expensive sweets in the world.

"What about you Dec?" Brooks asked. "You ready to settle down yet?"

Declan blew out a breath. "I wouldn't mind coming home to a warm dinner and a warm woman."

Jonathon snorted. "You're never home...do you even have a home Dec?"

"Didn't you hear about my new resort?" Declan said with a smile.

Brooks shook his head. "Where is it this time?" he asked.

"Local, actually," Declan said. "The Whitsundays."

Declan Mayfield, of _the_ Mayfields, was born into money...old money, but he didn't take a cent of it to start his business. Okay, so technically he did, but it was a loan. His family owned one of the top banking institutions after all, but the loan had been paid back before the due date and he hadn't looked back. The first Mayfield Hotel was where they were currently sitting, a luxury tower with a price to match. He had other Mayfield Hotels in major cities around the world but more recently, Declan had been branching out into resorts. The resorts were all in line with the luxury brand that had become synonymous with the Mayfield name and all followed a similar theme. The resorts were built on small tropical islands that had been previously uninhabited. In other words, Declan owned several small islands.

Declan was also a really nice guy, the kind of guy you could take home to meet your parents. He was good looking. Not in a how-good-do-I-look kind of way, but more in the boy-next-door kind of way. His hair was brown - not dark blonde, not brunette, just a nice...brown. His eyes were hazel and not set too far apart, his nose was, well, normal and his lips were not too thin. Individually his features were rather average but they were arranged in such a way as to be very appealing. He wasn't the type of guy you would regret waking up next to in the morning.

"I'm impressed," Mason said with a nod. "Does that mean you'll be in the country for a while?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he said, "eighteen months at least."

Brooks whistled. "Maybe I might stay for a while too," he said fiddling with his glass. "I've got a house I've barely seen in five years."

"Ha!" Jonathon laughed. "You haven't been able to sit still since Heather walked out on you, what makes it different this time?"

Brooks shrugged. "Just time, I think. I'm a little sick of all the travelling, living out of a suitcase. With technology the way it is, I don't really need to be onsite."

"Not me," Jonathon said. "I still need to spend time in Merveille. Can't taste chocolate from here."

"And we know Mason never leaves his apartment except to find sustenance," Declan laughed.

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it," Mason chimed in.

Mason Pressfield was the introverted genius of the group. He developed a video game that garnered a cult following and Black Sheep Software and Games was born. He continued to develop games, but now he had a whole stable full of designers and code writers and technical developers. He was also known as 'The Phantom' because he hardly ever showed his face at the high tech, multi-storey building that housed his billion-dollar business. He spent his time holed up in his penthouse apartment developing and testing and playing the games his company sold. A lot of the employees had never even laid eyes on him so even if he did happen to walk into the building, no one would probably recognise him. That didn't mean no one would notice him, though.

Mason was tall too, although Brooks was taller, and for a tech geek he was well built. He had that wonderful combination of dark hair and striking blue eyes that women noticed. Oh, and a chin dimple and cheek dimples when he smiled, not that he smiled often. Mason was a serious type. His brain was constantly thinking, constantly working and quite often he was lost in his own little world. If it weren't for the other members of Alpha Pi Tau, he would probably never socialise. Making friends was too much work and meant leaving his apartment.

Jonathon lifted his glass. "To Hunter and Bailey," he said.

"To finding the one," Declan said.

They clinked glasses and drank, falling silent, lost in their own thoughts. Each of them wondering if what Hunter and Bailey had was what was missing in their own lives and whether they would ever find it, not that any of them would admit that they'd need it.

# Bonus Epilogue

Hunter opened his eyes as the first rays of sunlight shone through the gap in the drapes. The golden, early morning light turned Bailey's hair to spun gold and he felt like the luckiest man on earth. She was perfect.

In the months that had followed their reunion, they had fallen into an easy routine - not boring, mind you, because things with Bailey could never be boring - but easy, like they were meant to be, like they'd done it before. He'd never known a relationship to be so immediately compatible. That didn't mean that there hadn't been some knock down, drag out fights, just that they had both been able to reach an amicable resolution. And making up was the best bit.

He rolled onto his side and looked down at the woman he had given his heart to. He knew every line, every curve, every freckle on her body, but each day when he looked at her, he found something else, something more to love about her. He imagined that for the rest of his life, he would be forever learning more about her and that suited him just fine. He had never thought that it was possible to love someone more everyday, but each day, each moment he was with his Blue, he found his heart filling even more.

He picked up a tendril of her hair and let the silky strands sift through his fingers. She lived up to the fiery red head stereotype with her quick temper and sassy mouth, but the pay off for that was her passion. Bailey threw herself into everything she did and always went above and beyond in everything she did. He'd offered her a job as Green Aviation's in house PR person, but she had turned him down. He respected that. He respected that she had her own mind about things and that she loved her career and her firm.

He tucked the curl of hair behind her ear and then traced the shell of her ear with his fingertip, following the curve of it down her neck. Her skin was soft and he loved the feel of it against his. He loved that he could touch her whenever he wanted. He smiled to himself. He had this primal urge whenever they were out in public together to stake his claim on her. It was a bullshit caveman response, but he wanted every man who laid his eyes on her to know that she was attached and he'd perfected the stare-down when they didn't get the hint.

Bailey had yelled at him about it, but he refused to back down and later that night after they'd reached a resolution between the sheets, she'd admitted that she liked that possessive side of him. She liked that someone cared enough about her to want to make a public statement about their relationship. He was more than ready to go beyond just making a public statement.

He'd bought a ring, had it specially designed. He'd picked it up yesterday and was planning a big evening for them where he would wine her and dine her and shower her with his love before proposing to her. He just didn't know when to do it. He wasn't nervous, not in the slightest, but he wanted to have the perfect moment with her and finding time in their schedules was challenging. Between work and renovating his house, they didn't seem to have a spare minute.

Thankfully the renovations were done and today they would move in. They had been staying in The Mayfair penthouse suite, where they had spent their first night, for the last few weeks as the final renovations were done. He had asked her to move in with him and she had readily agreed. Already his house was beginning to feel like home again and he knew it was only because of her. So today was moving day and he couldn't wait to get a start on their life together.

Bailey shifted in her sleep and the sheet slipped down, exposing a creamy breast. He dipped his head and placed delicate kisses along her throat and across her chest before lavishing the delicious globe. Her hand came up and threaded through his hair, holding him in place and he smiled. This was bliss, waking up next to Bailey, knowing that they would be doing this for the rest of their lives. He couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be.

"I like your beard," she whispered in her sleep-husky voice.

He lifted his head and smiled down at her. Her eyes were soft and her mouth beckoned him.

"Would you like to know how it feels when I kiss you?" he asked. It had become their thing, their little inside joke.

"God, yes," she said.

He captured her lips with his in a long, slow kiss. This was heaven. The soft glow of dawn, a beautiful woman in his arms and the knowledge that she loved him as much as he loved her.

"I love you Blue," he whispered, caressing her cheek.

"I love you too Irish," she replied and then reached up to seal her lips over his once more.

* * *

Bailey flopped onto the couch beside Hunter and sighed contentedly. It was moving day and they'd spent most of the day packing up her apartment so that she could move in to Hunter's house with him. He'd finally finished the renovations on his Carlton home and together they'd picked out appliances and new furniture.

"I'm beat," she moaned, laying her head on Hunter's shoulder.

"But happy?" he asked and she smiled up at him.

"Definitely."

He dropped a kiss on her lips and she smiled.

They'd been together for a couple of months now and Bailey was the happiest she'd ever been. It wasn't perfect, they had their little fights like every couple did, but they always made up and make up sex was the best. Bailey was tempted to pick a fight sometimes just for the make up sex.

Hunter had reorganised his business so that he didn't need to spend so much time in Canberra, much to Madeline's delight. She got to stay in Melbourne, with her husband, and Hunter had hired someone to do her job in Canberra. In fact, he no longer dragged any of his core team across the country with him, which they were mostly grateful for. The luxury domestic flights had taken off (no pun intended) and he'd had to employ more staff to fill the need. Again, much to Madeline's delight.

"When is Peyton moving in?" Hunter asked.

Peyton was Bailey's sister and she'd taken over Bailey's lease so that her roommate wasn't left high and dry.

"Tomorrow," she said, "She's pretty excited." Peyton had moved to Melbourne and landed on her feet. She'd even found her own Hunter, although his name was Dale.

Bailey and her parents had also mended some fences. After hearing her mother's story about how she and Bailey's dad had gotten together, she sort of understood them a little better now and they had come to understand her too. It was still early days, but they were making progress. It helped that her father loved Hunter and her mother had a thing for Jonathon and his chocolates.

"Bailey," Hunter said, his voice soft, "I'm really glad you moved in."

She reached up and caressed his beard, "I am too," she said.

He kissed her deeply, tenderly, and Bailey couldn't wish for anything more than what she had right now. Hunter had shown her time and again how much he treasured her and she hoped he knew that she felt the same.

"I love you Hunter," she said when he lifted his head. She searched his gaze and felt her heart melt at the soft look in his eyes.

"I love you too Blue," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

They slipped down on the couch so they were spooning and Bailey closed her eyes and leant back against his hard chest. She was kind of grateful for Nick, if he hadn't decided to marry Ainsley, then she never would've met Hunter and she would never have known what it felt like to really be in love.

Nick and Ainsley were still married, from what Hunter's mother told them, but things weren't all sunshine and roses. Ainsley seemed to have grown a backbone and had him dancing to a whole new tune.

"Bailey?"

"Mmm," she replied, feeling sleepy and relaxed.

"I wasn't going to do this now, but..."

Bailey opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the beautiful man who held her. His green eyes sparkled and the edges crinkled with his smile.

"Do what?" she asked.

His arm moved to reveal a small box in his hand.

"I had big plans," he said, "A fancy dinner, candlelight, violins, moonlight, but..." he flipped the box open to show her the gorgeous solitaire diamond set in a rose gold band. "Will you marry me?"

She rolled over to look at him properly. "Really?" she asked, "You want to marry me?"

He chuckled, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you Blue," he said, "I want to have children with you and take vacations with you and grow old together with you."

"Oh Hunter," she said, tears filling her eyes, "I want that too."

He took the ring and slipped it on her finger and then cupped her face, wiping away the tears that had overflowed from her eyes and had started to roll down her cheeks.

"Is that a yes?" he asked, his voice gruff.

"That's a hell yes," Bailey replied and then she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to kiss him.

# A Sneak Peek at the next book

Brooks Barry was a corporate shark and one of the youngest billionaires in Australia. For five years he travelled the world, buying up floundering businesses, streamlining them and then selling them off for profit. He was good at what he did, but there was something missing in his life. When one of his good friends fell in love, Brooks decided that maybe it was time to go home and actually live in the mansion he'd built for his wife before she left him for her ex-boyfriend. Seeing Hunter and Bailey together made Brooks think that maybe he could find that if he would only stop running from the heartbreak of his divorce.

* * *

Harper Fenwick had been a nanny for four and a half years, but she'd never had to face this situation before. Her employer, Heather, had decided that she was sick of being a single mother and instructed Harper to take her daughter, Piper, to her father. The only problem was that he didn't know she existed. When she first laid eyes on Brooks Barry, she could barely get a word out due to a large part of her brain shutting down as lust took over her frontal cortex. She immediately developed a major crush on her boss and she still had to explain about the four year old little girl who was dying to meet him.

**_The Billionaire Daddy is Available Now!_**

**Click to here Buy Now**

**or keep reading for a sneak peek**

# Chapter 1

Brooks Barry, corporate shark, billionaire, business genius, stood in the dark interior of his home and looked dumbly at the coffee machine. He could spout facts and figures on profit margins, GDPs, EBITDAs, KPIs and NOIs in his sleep but he couldn't get the fucking coffee machine to work. He didn't even know where the damned light switches were in the kitchen and was navigating by the flashlight feature on his smart phone. Why couldn't his smart phone make coffee? Then he'd be set.

He'd gotten in really late the night before and had simply climbed the stairs to his bedroom and collapsed onto the kingsize bed, sans clothes. He was questioning his decision to come home at all. He should've just stayed at The Mayfield, at least then all he'd have to do was pick up a phone and someone would bring him coffee. He doubted that his assistant Patricia would be too pleased with him if he rang her and demanded she bring him coffee. And he needed his damn coffee!

How the hell anyone was able to make a coffee machine work before actually having coffee was beyond him. He was useless before his third cup and being that he hadn't yet had even one cup, his patience was wearing very thin. He was just about ready to rip the stupid fucking thing from the wall and throw it through a window in frustration.

Again, he wondered why he'd had the ridiculous idea to return home. He was pretty sure the house was cursed, as evidenced by the fact that his wife had left him on the day they were supposed to move in. He hadn't lived there since and the house had stood empty for five years. But for some fucking godforsaken reason, he'd been thinking about the damned place and had decided to spend some time here.

He blamed Hunter and Bailey. Their co-habitational bliss had started him thinking that it might be time to settle down. He was so damned sick of living out of a suitcase and in hotel rooms. There was no longer any need for him to be in every meeting personally, not with the readily available technology that allowed him to be virtually present. He had always promised himself that he would come back to Melbourne one day, and it seemed like the right time.

But right now, as he stood in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs in a dark kitchen that was devoid of any caffeinated sustenance, he wondered what the hell he was thinking.

A loud, guttural, _primal_ growl escaped from his throat as he grabbed hold of the offending machine and tried to pull it from the wall. It wouldn't budge. The thing had been hard wired and plumbed into the cabinetry, which Brooks knew but had temporarily forgotten in his de-caffeinated state.

"FUCK!" he yelled uselessly, as he barely contained the temper tantrum that threatened to have him stomping his feet and punching the wall.

Just as he was about to go into the garage and find a hammer so he could beat the shit out of the stupid machine, he heard the echo of his front doorbell. It just ratcheted his anger up even more. It was barely six in the morning. Who the fuck would ring his doorbell at this ungodly hour?

He stomped down the long hallway towards the front door and threw it open. He heard a gasp and looked down to see a tiny woman standing on his front porch.

"Who the hell are you?" he growled.

She held up a very tall cup with a Seven Seeds logo on the side and his nostrils flared as they scented a hint of black gold. His caffeine deprived body came alive as his brain recognised the aroma of his favourite blend and without conscious thought, his big hand reached out and snagged the proffered cup. He lifted it to his lips and swallowed the life-giving nectar. Ah, ambrosia. His tastebuds rejoiced, his nervous system breathed a sigh of relief and his brain finally disengaged from neanderthal and found the gear for homo sapien. He opened his eyes and finally looked down at the person who had restored his sanity.

She was short. It was the first thing he noticed. And she had big hazel eyes framed with thick, dark lashes and dark brows. Her coffee coloured hair was pulled up into some sort of twist thing and she had a thick fringe that swept across her forehead. Her bottom lip was thicker than her top lip and both were coated in a pale pink stain.

He let his eyes travel down her body, tracing the curve of her slim hips in her very straight pencil skirt that finished below her knees. She wore sensible flat shoes, and he wondered, idly, what she would look like in a pair of fuck-me heels. As his eyes made their leisurely way back up her body, he noticed a hint of lace through her white button-up shirt and his interest in her jumped. By the time he reached her face, her mouth was pulled down and her eyes were narrowed.

"Mr. Barry?" she asked, her tone haughty.

He sipped his coffee while maintaining eye contact with her.

Her eyebrows pinched together and he could tell she was annoyed with him. He didn't care. This was his house, and it was six in the morning, he didn't give a shit if his bad mood was annoying her.

"Mr. Barry," she went on, "my name is Harper Fenwick. We had an appointment this morning."

"I'm sorry?" he asked, confused.

"Patricia—"

He rolled his eyes. He would kill his assistant when he got a hold of her.

"It's the bloody ass-crack of dawn," he groused. "Why on earth would Patricia make an appointment at this time of the morning?"

"Maybe that's something you need to take up with your assistant. Regardless, I'm here for my appointment and I bought coffee, so are you going to let me in?"

He drained the cup and crushed it in his hand. "Do you know how to work a coffee machine Ms. Fenwick?" he asked.

"Depending on the type—"

He swung the door open and swept his hand through the air, ushering her in. "The kitchen is at the end of the hall. I can't function before I've consumed at least three cups of coffee. If you can get the coffee machine working and supply the required two more cups, I will grant you an audience. And while you're doing that, I will go and put some clothes on."

* * *

"Not on my account," Harper said softly under her breath as his long strides took him towards the staircase. She took a moment to admire his tight arse before sighing and then turning towards the kitchen. It was a pity that there could be nothing between them, he was a magnificent specimen.

When he'd opened the door, she'd practically melted into a puddle. He was a bear of a man, the tallest guy she'd ever stood next to, and he was built like a... well, like a brick shit-house, as the saying went. Everyone was tall next to Harper, as she was barely five feet, but Brooks Barry was a giant and she had to wonder if he was in proportion. If the bulge in his boxer briefs was any indication, then it would be a big fat yes.

Shaking the mental image out of her head, she stepped into the kitchen and looked around. The place was immaculate, pristine, like no one had ever prepared a single thing on the marble surfaces. She searched the walls for a light switch, but when she flicked the toggle, nothing happened. She wiggled it back and forth with no joy and then stood there, puzzled. Harper cast her eyes around the kitchen once again and noticed that there were no little blinking lights on any of the appliances and the fridge was suspiciously quiet. Either a fuse had blown, or the power wasn't switched on.

She walked back down the hall and out the front door and searched the perimeter of the house until she located the power box. She swung the metal door open and looked at the array of switches. They were all in the 'on' position except the main switch. She flicked it on with a shake of her head and trooped back into the house. The kitchen had come alive in her absence; the fridge whirred, the digital clocks on the oven and microwave blinked their green numbers at her and a little red light lit up the coffee machine.

She turned the machine on to fill and heat while she searched the cupboards for coffee beans. She found a bag on the counter in a welcome basket that Patricia must have left. Harper opened the bag and poured some into the grinder. She ground some beans into the group head of the espresso machine and smiled to herself. Her years of working as a barista while at uni came back to her in a rush. It was like riding a bike - she'd never forget. She tamped the grind and locked the group head in place. She adjusted the toggle and timed the pour, just under thirty seconds. Perfect. She tapped out the spent ground and wiped the group head before grinding more beans into the basket. She tamped again and locked the head in place, then she sat a cup underneath and started the extraction.

"You look like you know what you're doing," a deep voice said from behind her causing her to jump and let out a little squeal of fright. She took a deep breath and turned to see Brooks Barry, billionaire, leaning against the marble island bench dressed in dark grey suit pants and pale blue shirt with his massive arms crossed over his chest.

She swallowed before answering and her voice was huskier than she intended. "I worked my way through university slinging coffee," she replied.

He lifted an eyebrow and his aquamarine eyes gazed intensely at her. She felt pinned in place by his look and had to force herself to turn around and take the cup from the espresso machine.

"Double shot espresso," she said walking towards him and handing over the coffee like a peace offering. "I'd offer you some milk or cream, but seeing as though your power was off and the fridge was not running, I doubt you have any."

He sipped the brew, his eyes not leaving hers.

"It's good," he said, "But it still only counts as one coffee. Make the next one a long black and then we can talk."

Harper turned around and walked back to the coffee machine. Her pulse was pounding in her ears and her mouth was dry. What she had to speak to him about was making her nervous enough, but the fact that he was also the most attractive man she had ever been in the same vicinity of, was blanking her brain. She grabbed another cup and added hot water to it before repeating the grind, tamp, extract process. She turned to hand him the coffee only to find him standing right behind her. She jumped and in her fright, the hot coffee sloshed all down the front of her brand new white shirt.

"Shit," she hissed at the same time as he said, "Fuck."

He grabbed the cup out of her hand and she immediately held the wet fabric away from her body, but her bra was soaked and the heat of the coffee burned her delicate skin.

"Here," Brooks said, holding a cold wet cloth against her chest.

She sucked in a breath, partly because of the cold against her overheated skin and partly because he was practically fondling her boobs (not that she was complaining), and caught a whiff of his spicy scent. She looked up at him and caught him staring down the gaping neckline of her shirt, his eyes darkening, and her pulse kicked into high gear.

She couldn't pull away from him. He had her caged in against the kitchen bench, and if she didn't move soon she could not be held responsible for her actions and that would be a very bad, bad thing. Devouring the man who was going to - hopefully - be her boss was probably not a great career move. She cleared her throat and his eyes snapped to hers, guilt colouring his cheeks.

"Thanks," she said, closing her hand around the wet cloth.

He let go like he'd been burned and stepped back abruptly. His fists clenched at his sides and he half turned away from her before turning back.

"Are you okay?"

She looked down at her ruined blouse before making eye contact again. He'd kept his eyes up this time, points for him.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, dabbing ineffectually at the brown stain.

"Maybe you should take that off," he said in a low voice.

Her cheeks flushed as she looked up at him. A montage of scenes played in her head. _Him slowly unbuttoning her top and sliding it over her shoulders. Him leaning down to place soft, delicate kisses along the edge of her bra, soothing the scolded skin._ She shook her head and closed her eyes briefly to rid her brain of the images. When she opened them he was staring at her with a hungry look and she knew that his mind had gone down the same rabbit hole that hers had.

She shook her head and straightened her spine. "No, it'll be fine. Maybe we should just get to the reason I'm here."

He dragged his eyes away from her face and turned to the island bench.

"Should we discuss it here, or would you prefer to go somewhere more comfortable?"

Barry White started playing in her brain and she had to shake her head again to clear it.

"Here's fine," she said striding to a high stool and sliding up onto it.

Brooks took a few more moments before joining her, dragging a stool around to the other side so they sat opposite each other.

"So, Ms. Fenwick, why are you here?"

"I'm here about your daughter."

* * *

Brooks' mind was still on the glimpse of pale, plump flesh that had been on display above the white lace of her bra and didn't immediately hear what she said. It must have been the caffeine depravity that had his brain focussing on how soft her skin looked and how much he'd like to see her naked, rather than concentrating on what she was saying. It had been a while since he'd had time to spend a night with a beautiful woman and that tantalising peek down her top had woken up little Brooks, who was now pressing against his fly and stealing a good percentage of his blood flow that should be going to his brain.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, trying valiantly not to let his gaze drop to the wet and see-through portion of her blouse.

"I'm here to speak to you about your daughter, Piper."

"I think you have the wrong guy, sweetheart," he said. "I don't have a daughter."

"Didn't Heather call you?" she asked, her brows furrowed. "She was supposed to call you." This last bit was muttered under her breath.

"I haven't heard from Heather in five years," he said. "Not since I came home to this house and found divorce papers sitting on this very bench, in fact."

She closed her eyes and breathed out slowly and he was mesmerised by her.

"Mr. Barry," she said when her hazel coloured eyes found his again, "when Heather left, she was pregnant—"

"Well, I gathered that," he said. "I'm not deaf and blind to the gossip mill. I know she had a kid and I can count."

"Yes, well, that _kid_ happens to be _your_ daughter."

He shook his head. "I don't think so," he said, the idea seeming far too ridiculous to even contemplate. "Are you her lawyer? Are you trying to get me to pay some sort of alimony?"

"No, Mr. Barry, I'm not an attorney. I'm your daughter's nanny." She lifted her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Dammit Heather, you had one goddamned job." She muttered under her breath. She took a deep breath and he was distracted once again by her breasts as they heaved. "Look Mr. Barry," she said, oblivious to his ogling, "Heather was supposed to send you all the documents. Piper is your daughter. Heather has the DNA tests to prove it. When Adam found out, he left her and then she left and told me to bring Piper to you—" She continued to speak but he tuned her out, his focus once again dropping to what was hidden beneath her damp shirt.

The caffeine must have hit his system because his brain switched on and he was finally able to tear his eyes away from her body and concentrate on her face. As he watched her lips move, comprehension dawned. He had a daughter.

He jumped to his feet and held his hand out to get her to shut up.

"What the fuck are you saying?" he growled.

"I'm trying to tell you that you have a daughter and—"

"I have a daughter?"

"Yes, she's five, well four and a half, and her name is Piper and—"

"Heather had _my child_ , not Adam's? How is that even possible?"

"I'm sure you're aware of how babies are made, Mr. Barry—"

"I am well aware of the procedure," he said, "which makes me wonder how on earth—"

And then it dawned on him. That one night, about six weeks before Heather left. They'd both had too much to drink and one thing had led to another...

"Fuck!"

"Exactly," the tiny woman said. "You and Heather fucked, probably more than once, and it resulted in a pregnancy and a child. Piper."

He ran his hand through his hair and gripped the blonde strands, tugging slightly, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"And why didn't Heather come and tell me herself?"

"As I already explained," she said with an exasperated sigh, "Heather was supposed to send you all the documentation and let you know that we were coming."

"We?"

"Well, yes," she said, looking at him like he was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. "Piper and me."

"The kid is here with you?"

"Well not here right now, she's still at the hotel—"

"You left a four year old at a hotel alone?"

She stood up and slammed her hands on her hips staring him down. "I am not an idiot," she said. "I have been that child's nanny since she was born. I was there _when_ she was born, in the damned delivery room and I was the one to bring her home and get up and feed her at night and change her nappies. For all intents and purposes I have been that child's parent and there is no way I would leave her alone in a strange hotel in a strange city!" Her voice had risen towards the end of her little speech until she was yelling at him.

He had to physically school his features as he looked at her. Fire flashed in her eyes, her skin was flushed a pretty pink and her chest was heaving with the deep breaths she took. It was the most magnificent thing he had ever seen.

There was a beat of silence while they eyed each other. His cock, which had deflated slightly at the news that he was a father, was once again standing to attention and pressing insistently against his zipper, begging to be released. He took a breath and forced his thoughts back to the issue at hand.

"Okay," he said. "You and the kid—"

"Piper," she said. "Her name is Piper."

"Fine," he spat, "you and Piper are here because..." he indicated with a roll of his wrist for her to fill in the blanks.

"We are here because Heather has taken off on a 'round the world cruise for the next few months and she felt it was time for you to get to know your daughter."

"And you're staying in a hotel because..."

"Because Heather sold her house and we have no where else to live."

* * *

**_The Billionaire Daddy is Available Now!_**

**Click to here Buy Now**

# Acknowledgments

I took a chance writing this book. It's a long way from what I have written in the past and trying to get the tone right without it degenerating into something cheap and tawdry was a balancing act. I don't swear in real life (much) but there was something very cathartic about letting Hunter and Bailey yell profanities. I've never had a problem with swearing in novels, because that's real life, and it helps to shape the character, but I also know that some people can be offended by it. I do hope that you weren't offended, and that it helped you get a feel for who Hunter and Bailey are.

I couldn't do this without the support of my husband and the encouragement of my friends. I love writing, I love getting to know my characters and learning their stories and I wouldn't get to do any of that without the people around me. Thank you to my husband, GQ, as always, without whose support none of this would be possible. Also thank you to Kathryn, my friend, line editor, story development editor and all round good chick without whose enthusiasm for the next Emma Lea novel would cause me to write slower.

# About the Author

Emma Lea is a small business owner, former barista, studying artist, home cook, empty-nest mother, and married to her soulmate.

She lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia with her wonderful husband, a spoiled dog who thinks she's a person, and a cat who knows she is the queen of the household.

Emma has two beautiful, grown-up sons who are currently living their own happily ever afters with two equally wonderful young women.

When Emma is not writing she can be found reading, painting, bingeing on Netflix, or procrastinating on social media.

She loves to write stories with heart and a message and believes in strong female characters who do not necessarily have to be aggressive to show their strength.

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# Thanks

Thank you for reviewing this book and recommending it to your friends and family.

Honest reviews are important for authors and I appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts.

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Would you like to receive an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of my next book? If so, please contact me via my website (www.emmaleaauthor.com) or my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/emmaleaauthor)

# Other books by Emma Lea

This is Emma Lea's complete book library at time of publication, but more books are coming out all the time. Find out every time Emma releases a book by going to her website (www.emmaleaauthor.com) and signing up for her Newsletter.

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SWEET ROMANCES

These are romantic tales without the bedroom scenes and the swearing, but that doesn't mean they're boring!

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The Young Royals

A Royal Engagement

Lord Darkly

A Royal Entanglement

A Royal Entrapment

A Royal Expectation

A Royal Elopement

A Royal Embarrassment

A Very Royal Christmas

A Royal Enticement

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Bookish Book Club Novellas

Meeting Prince Charming

Meeting the Wizard of Oz

Meeting Santa Claus

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SWEET & SEXY ROMANCES

In my Sweet & Sexy Romances I turn up the heat with a little bit of sexy. No swearing, or very minimal swearing, and brief, tasteful and not too graphic bedroom scenes.

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Love, Money & Shoes Series

Walk of Shame

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Standalone Novels

Amnesia

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HOT & SEXY ROMANCES

Hot & Spicy Romances turn the heat way up. They contain swearing and sexy scenes and the characters get hot under the collar.

Recommended for 18+ readers

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Twelve Days

Twelve Days of Christmas - Her Side of the Story

Twelve Days of Christmas - His Side of the Story

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Collins Bay Series

Last Call

The Christmas Stand-Off

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Standalone Novels

Learning to Breathe

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Romantic Suspense

Hide & Seek

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TOO HOT TO HANDLE ROMANCES

These are definitely 18+ reads and contain graphic sex scenes and high level swearing – not for the faint of heart

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The Young Billionaires

The Billionaire Stepbrother

The Billionaire Daddy

The Billionaire Muse

The Billionaire Replacement

The Billionaire Trap

Christmas with the Billionaire

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Music & Lyrics

Rock Star

Songbird

Strings

Sticks

Symphony

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The Playbook Series

In Like Flynn

Manscaping

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Serendipity Trilogy

The Wrong Girl

The Right Girl (coming soon)

The Only Girl (coming soon)
