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  Today at the office while he’d been talking to her one of her buttons on her top had come undone giving him a peek of nice perky brown breasts encased in a silky black bra. He had thought about telling her about it, but in the end changed his mind and enjoyed the view. He had been only looking and not touching…unless Keri asked him to.

  Stop it!

  His daydreams about Keri couldn’t go on like this. She’d been there for him all through his mourning period. Not once had she made any sexual advances toward him before or after his fiancée’s unfortunate death.

  I need to get myself under control and refocus my attention on something or someone that isn’t Keri, Richie thought as he got up from the table and headed for the exit.

  Chapter Three

  I know that I’d be so much better for Richie than Deborah or Taylor. Keri’s thoughts were racing as she placed the pile of mail on her boss’ desk. They’re only interested in getting him into bed, but I want to be there for him when he’s hurting or just needs someone to confide in.

  Keri knew she had to get her plan underway, so everything would be in place for the St. Patrick’s Day charity ball. The night was either going to make her relationship with Richie or she would finally realize he couldn’t or wouldn’t get over Kristy. She would have to move on to someone else no matter how much it broke her heart.

  Moving away from Richie’s desk, Keri was on her way out the door when she noticed his jacket thrown across the arm of the couch in his office. Walking over to it, she picked it up and slid her arms through it. She got lost in the wonderful scent of Richie’s cologne. It was so sad how bad she had it for him and her feelings weren’t returned. Richie had never encouraged her feelings. They were something that happened to her over a period of time.

  He possessed all of the redeeming qualities she was searching for in a man. He was loving, attentive, a good listener, honest; and it didn’t hurt that he was sexier than any Hollywood actor. She took one final whiff of Richie’s jacket and was about to take it off when she heard, “Keri, what are you doing wearing my jacket?”

  She spun around so fast that she almost tripped over her own two feet. Her eyes grew twice their size when she spotted Richie standing in his office doorway staring at her like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  Think of a good lie quick!

  “I was cold, so I put on your jacket,” saying the first thing that popped into her head hoping Richie believed her. “Do you want me to take it off?” Keri started to remove it only to have Richie come across the room and pull it back on her shoulders.

  “No, keep it on. I can’t have my favorite person in the world getting sick, can I?”

  Having Richie this close to her made Keri’s pulse leap and her mouth go dry causing her to run her tongue across her bottom lip. She secretly wondered what Richie would taste like if she took the first step and kissed him.

  “Did I tell you how nice you look today?” Richie asked as his hands tightened on her shoulders. “I always thought hunter green brought out the richness of your complexion.”

  Keri couldn’t stop her smile from spreading from ear to ear. Richie wasn’t big on giving compliments, so she was going to take it and run with it. Maybe she wouldn’t have as hard a time getting him to notice her as she first thought since he’d already been looking at her.

  “Thank you,” she said, looking up into Richie’s beautiful blue-gray eyes. “I’m glad you noticed what looks good on me. I like that a lot.”

  Richie’s brow wrinkled with worry like he wasn’t pleased he had voiced his inner thoughts to her.

  “Well. I was just letting you know what I thought. I would have told any other woman the same thing.” He gave her shoulders another squeeze and then walked away taking a seat behind his desk. Picking up the mail, he started sorting through it. “Did I get any phone calls while I was gone?”

  Keri knew this tactic well when it came to Richie. He would bring up another topic to get her off the current one they might be discussing. She would let him get away with it this time, but she wasn’t done with him, not by a long shot.

  “Tate called while you were out. He said that he was about forty-five minutes from the office. He’s coming back to see you.”

  Richie tossed the mail down on his desk. “Damn. I wonder what he wants now. I don’t have time for his games. Why didn’t you tell him I wouldn’t be here?”

  She couldn’t understand why Richie hated his brother so much. Tate wasn’t that bad. Sure, he was a little immature sometimes, but that quality was what made Tate so likeable and truly fun to be around.

  “How do you know Tate wasn’t coming to see me?” Keri questioned.

  Richie eyed her for a second or two then shook his head. “No, you weren’t the reason my brother called. He wants a job because I know my little brother like the back of my hand. If Tate is actually coming, he has a better plan on his mind. He never can keep a steady job because he is constantly searching for the easy way out. I don’t think he has a responsible bone in his body.”

  “Richie, you shouldn’t talk about your brother like that. He’s the only sibling you have and you aren’t close to your parents—despite the fact they call here twice a month to speak to you, but you never return any of their messages.”

  “I know, but my baby brother isn’t going to drag me into another one of his crazy schemes. I have too much going on to bail him out of trouble again.” Richie massaged his temple with two of his fingers.

  “There’s nothing like family loyalty to warm a guy’s heart,” a male voice cut in from the open doorway.

  Looking over her shoulder, Keri grinned at the handsome man standing there looking like he just stepped off the pages of GQ. Tate Davidson was the polar opposite of Tate. He stood around six feet one inches tall with a swimmer’s body instead of the muscular frame Richie worked out four times a day to maintain.

  Tate’s light blue eyes constantly had a sparkle to them like he knew something you didn’t. But the biggest difference between the two brothers was the hair color; Tate’s was a dark brown that in the right light looked almost black. Richie’s, on the other hand, was a dark rich red that suited him perfectly.

  No, if she had to pick between Tate and Richie, her boss would win hands down each and every time. She couldn’t help it. She was head over heels in love with Richie Davidson.

  “Tate, you’re already stirring up trouble and you haven’t been here five minutes?” .She gave him a teasing grin.

  Coming into the room, Tate kissed her on the cheek. “You know that trouble follows me. So, how has the most gorgeous woman in the world been doing? Are you ready to dump my brother and hit the road with me? I mean we can be in Vegas in a matter of days living it up in the honeymoon suite. I swear I won’t hog the bed.”

  The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of her mouth at Tate’s flirting. She found it impossible to ever be cross with him. He was just too damn charming for that.

  “Let me think about it and I’ll let you know,” Keri teased back.

  Taking off Richie’s jacket, she laid it back on the arm of the couch. “Richie, I’m going to lunch. I’ll be a little late coming back. I have to buy a dress for the charity dance.”

  “That’s fine,” Richie said. “I can answer the phone while you’re gone.”

  “Thanks.” Keri touched Tate on the arm before leaving the room. She didn’t have time to stay and find out what new adventure Tate was up to now. Whatever it was she would find out later because Richie would tell her if it was something too off the wall.

  This afternoon was about her, and finding the perfect dress that would move her from the well-rounded employee to the girlfriend Richie couldn’t live without.

  Chapter Four

  “Why can’t I find what I want?” Keri complained as she searched through the rack of dresses. She’d been at the dress shop for over twenty minutes and not a single thing was catching her eye.

  She needed something that w
as sexy enough to get Richie’s attention, but not overly suggestive like she had worn it to get him to look at her. She never wanted to come across like Deborah or Taylor. Neither woman had a tactful bone in their bodies. Richie would come to her because he wanted a deeper more meaningful relationship, the kind two people built a future on. Not the sort that kept you in bed all night.

  Now, she wasn’t against a good night of sex with Richie because he looked like he knew how to please a woman. She just thought Richie should see how much better she was than those two other women who truly didn’t care about him.

  Keri was about to just give up finding the perfect dress when she caught a hint of green from the corner of her eye.

  “Oh my god!” she gushed. “That dress is absolutely what I’ve been searching for, for half the day.” Keri walked over to where the green dress was hanging. From a distance the fabric seemed almost sheer, but once she got up close Keri could see the details of the material—delicate lace studded with tiny crystals. Looking closely at the craftsmanship, she was certain it had been hand stitched. The daring sweetheart neckline would show her cleavage to great advantage, and the dress itself would hug and flatter her figure. Without a doubt, this could be the outfit that would land her a second glance from Richie.

  “Excuse me, can I help you with something, ma’am?” the young sales clerk asked as she stopped next to Keri.

  “Yes, do you have that on any of the racks?” Keri pointed to the dress above her head. “I want to try it on.”

  “No…that’s the only one left. We only got three in and that’s the last one in stock.”

  “Can I at least try it on? I’m really interested in buying it.” Keri sent up a silent prayer that the green dress was her size.

  “Sure, let me go get something to grab it for you. I think the hunter green will look amazing on you,” the sales girl said before walking away.

  I do too, Keri thought to herself thinking she might be one step closer to winning Richie over.

  ****

  “Hey, big brother,” Tate said. “How are things going with you and Keri? She gets better looking every time I see her. I love her short hair. I usually date women with long hair, but I would change my type for her.” He moved away from the huge window and walked around the office like he had excess energy to burn off.

  “Leave Keri alone,” Richie warned, softly. “She’s a very sweet girl who doesn’t need you bothering her. Anyway, I thought you were dating that swim suit model. What happened to her? The two of you acted like you were really in love with each other.”

  Tate ran his fingers through his hair before blowing out a breath. “We broke up last month because I wasn’t too fond of her dating her photographer behind my back. I don’t like when a woman cheats on me. I won’t stand for it.”

  Richie frowned. “When did you get a conscience? I remember quite clearly you cheating on at least two of your ex-girlfriends back in college. You didn’t seem to have a problem back then. What’s changed with you?”

  “Shit! Why are you in such a bad mood? Is there something going on that I should know about?”

  Richie wasn’t interested in any sibling bonding because whenever his baby brother showed it he usually wanted something like financial help. “Why have you come here to see me this time?” he asked without bothering to answer Tate’s question. The quicker he could get rid of his freeloading family member the better his day would become.

  “You think I’m here for money again, don’t you?” Tate rested his back against the wall and slid his hands into the pockets of his black slacks. “I’m not here for you to write me a check and send me on my way. I want a job and a chance to build a real relationship with you. We’re brothers and we never act like it. I hate that and I want to change it. We haven’t been close since we were kids. You wouldn’t even let me help you after Kristy died.”

  Tate had tried to be there for him and Richie had shut him out along with his buddy Nick because he wasn’t ready to accept the truth back then. It had taken him almost three months before he was even able to visit Kristy’s grave. Tate volunteered to go with him, but he’d shot down the request as soon as it left Tate’s mouth.

  Ever since then he’d thrown up numerous walls keeping his brother away because he wasn’t positive Tate was sincere. His brother might have their parents fooled, but he wasn’t going to take Tate on face value anymore. He’d been burnt enough to be more than cautious now.

  “If I give you a job offer will you be here for the long haul or could I come in one day and find a letter of resignation on my desk? Also, will you be able to work here without bothering Keri day in and day out? She doesn’t need you in her face flirting. Keri is too nice to tell you to leave her alone, but I’m not since I’m her friend and boss.”

  Richie could still see how Keri’s pretty face lit up when she saw Tate earlier. His brother always had a way of charming any woman he was in the room with which was the main reason he could never stay in a relationship for a long period of time.

  Sure, that’s why you don’t want Tate around Keri. Keep telling yourself that lie.

  He didn’t have time to dig deeper to how seeing Keri and Tate so friendly with each other made him feel. He had to deal with one problem at a time.

  “I enjoy teasing Keri. She doesn’t take it personally like you do. She’s the perfect woman: gorgeous, funny, outgoing and smart. What more could a guy in his right mind ask for? I’m shocked you haven’t asked her out on a date, but you’ve always been a slow mover when it came to the opposite sex.”

  “I’m not a slow mover,” Richie said. “Where did you get that crazy idea from?” Sometimes, he wondered if his brother got dropped on his head as a kid. Tate was thirty-two but acted twenty-one.

  “Come on, Richie,” Tate laughed. “You were a virgin until your senior year in college. I lost my virginity in eleventh grade and to an older woman at that. I consider that a huge difference, don’t you?”

  How did the conversation move from him telling Tate not to flirt with Keri to discussing his sex life which by the way was none of his brother’s damn concern?

  “Nice try, baby brother, but I was talking about you not myself. Now, do you think you can do as I ask?”

  There was a nagging thought in the back of his mind which refused to be stilled, but he couldn’t harp on it right now. He had to take care of one problem at a time.

  “Okay, I promise not to be overly flirtatious with Keri,” Tate finally agreed. “Can I at least speak to her or is a normal conversation off limits too?”

  “You know what I mean,” Richie said smoothly with no expression on his face. “Don’t be a smart ass.”

  “Okay.” Tate held up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll leave your woman alone. Keri isn’t in any danger of me sweeping her off her feet away from you.”

  Richie wondered why he was even having this conversation with Tate. It wasn’t like Keri had ever looked at his brother in a romantic way. He felt he knew Keri well enough by now and she would never go for a joker like Tate.

  She had a better head on her gorgeous shoulders than Tate was giving her credit for. Besides he would have to talk to any man who might be interested in dating her because he was very protective of her. She had been in his life too long not to be.

  “You won’t take Keri away from me because she isn’t mine in the first place. All we have is a boss/employee working relationship. She knows how I felt about Kristy and she would never cross that line with me.”

  Coming across the room, Tate took a piece of candy out of the dish on the desk that Richie kept there for his clients. “How can you be so smart with someone else’s finances but so dumb when it comes to what is going on around you? What’s that old saying? A person can have a lot of book sense, but no common sense? That saying was made with you in mind, Richie.”

  One corner of Richie’s mouth twisted upward at Tate and the way he was trying to push his buttons, but it wasn’t going to work this time.
He was older and wiser now and all of these shenanigans weren’t going to drive him over the edge like they had in the past when they were younger.

  “Think what you want, but I know everything going on around me. I’m very observant. How about you just worry about yourself and show up to work on time tomorrow? I’ll get the empty office next to mine set up before I leave today, but you better not disappoint me because this is your last get out of jail free card.”

  “Excellent. I swear you won’t regret it. I’ve changed and I’ll prove it to you.” Tate grinned at him like everything else he told him had gone over his head. He popped the candy into his mouth and strolled out of the office.

  Richie looked at the empty doorway wondering if he should have given his brother another chance or if it would blow up in his face, but the only thing he knew for certain was Tate would eventually show him if he was telling the truth or lying through his teeth.

  Chapter Five

  “Thanks for meeting me so late. I thought maybe you wouldn’t be able to get away,” Richie told his best friend Nick Lavery as he took a seat across from him at the bar. He hated how much he couldn’t spend a lot of alone time in the house he’d bought with Kristy.

  Despite the fact most of her things were gone now, the memories of her beautiful spirit still filled the place and the king-sized bed seemed even bigger now without her there next to him.

  “Richie, I told you I would be here for you day or night,” Nick said as he took his own seat. “Besides I think I was getting on Tasha’s nerves going over my speech for this weekend. She practically pushed me out the front door. I believe she wanted some quality time by herself for a couple of hours and being pregnant hasn’t helped her mood either. Last night, she couldn’t get any sleep because the baby was kicking.

  Richie wished he had that problem with a special woman in his life, but he didn’t anymore. He couldn’t even get any pleasure from the man cave Kristy had decorated for him a couple of days before she died.