as her brother, Robert, always so effortlessly did. She’d given up trying to please her father and lived her life according to her own rules and expectations. Yet there was still that little girl within the strong, independent woman who wanted his approval instead of criticism. Just once.
Win or lose, she wanted to be appreciated for who she was and not for what she accomplished. That was her fantasy.
Her fantasy was simple, yet so intangible it was almost impossible to grant. But that wouldn’t stop her from putting the request in writing—for her own personal, private reflection, not to be shared with anyone else.
Closing her folder, she met her mother’s expectant gaze. “I’m game for a wild fantasy.” Grinning, she turned toward the man beside her to gauge his response. “How about you, Mitchell?”
He shook his head regretfully. “Mom, I know how important this is to you, but I can’t just up and leave the business for a spontaneous vacation.”
“Sure you can,” she refuted, placing her fork on her plate. “I already spoke to your brother, and he’d be happy to handle things for a week.”
Mitch’s dark brows creased into a deep vee at that bit of information.
“Quit frowning,” his mother scolded gently. “I know you don’t like me meddling in your business, but Drew agreed it was high time you took a vacation, since you haven’t done so since your father passed away. And that was over eight years ago.”
With a heavy sigh that echoed his hesitancy, he pushed his fingers through his thick, sable hair, mussing the strands in a way Nicole found incredibly sexy. Heck, everything about the man was inherently masculine and sensually exciting, enticing her in ways she had little defense against.
“I’ve been busy,” he said, his tone a shade defensive.
“Exactly.” Caring and kindness permeated Joyce’s gentle voice. “Busy supporting me and putting both your brother and sister through college. What about doing something for yourself for a change? And in turn, you can do something great for our organization, too.”
A startling warmth inundated Nicole, along with respect and admiration for Mitch and the responsibility he’d taken on since his father’s death. He’d obviously abandoned his own wants and needs for his family’s, yet he gave no indication that he begrudged the sacrifices he’d made to support them. It was difficult for Nicole to imagine her brother in the same position, making the same selfless choices, when he’d always thought of no one but himself.
She watched Mitch waver in his decision, looking way too serious when it was clear his mother desperately wanted him to relax and enjoy himself, away from work and obligations. Playing and having a good time was something Nicole knew how to do with flair. Having fun with Mitch, tempting and teasing him and driving him to distraction on a private island away from prying eyes, suddenly held a whole lot of appeal.
“Aw, come on, Mitchell,” she cajoled in a sultry tone of voice that snared his attention and made him lift an inquiring brow her way. “Sounds like fun, don’t you think?” Slipping off her sandal, she slid her bare foot beneath the hem of his pant leg and rubbed his muscled calf with her toes, teasing him. “Or maybe you’re worried you’ll come in second against me in competition.”
The unmistakable dare hung between them. His gaze narrowed with a distinct but discreet message only she could decipher: she was playing with fire. In more ways than one. In her estimation there was nothing wrong with playing with his brand of sensual heat when she had no intention of getting close enough to the flame to get burned.
Yet scorch her he did when he caught the underside of her knee with his long, warm fingers before she could move her leg away. A sizzling spark ignited and flared upward. She intercepted a startled gasp before it had the chance to escape her throat, then had to swallow a groan of pleasure when he grazed the smooth flesh in the ultrasensitive curve behind her knee. With Mitch’s help, she’d just discovered an erogenous zone she never knew existed.
And the wholly satisfied gleam in the depth of his golden-brown eyes told her he knew exactly what he was doing to her. Knew that with just a bit more pressure in the right place, she’d be putty in his hands.
She was beginning to realize what a formidable opponent Mitch was when provoked. She had no choice but to silently endure his blatant caresses and her body’s feverish response to his touch or risk a scuffle under the table that would bring too much unwanted attention to their private battle of wills. So, with concentrated effort, she remained outwardly unruffled—a talent she’d perfected at a very early age—and waited for him to acknowledge her deliberate challenge.
He didn’t disappoint her. “The very last thing I’m worried about is coming in second to you,” he replied with a slow, lazy grin infused with a potent amount of confidence. With one last brush of his thumb against that arousing spot behind her knee—a soft stroke as tantalizing as a whispered promise of more to come—he released her quivering leg and shifted his gaze back to his mother.
“I’ll do it,” he announced in a steadier voice than she would have been able to summon at the moment. “Count me in on the vacation and the contest.”
Joyce clapped her hands together in pure delight. “That’s wonderful! Isn’t that wonderful, Rhea?”
“Most definitely,” Rhea agreed with an exuberant nod of her head. “We’ve arranged your flights so that the two of you will arrive on the island separately. Now, you need to remember to play the game like the rest of the contestants. You start off as strangers before pairing up for the charity event and competitions—”
“What do we need to pair up for?” Nicole interrupted, wondering if she’d missed an important part of the conversation while she’d been perusing the brochure and thinking about her own personal fantasy.
Her mother looked at her as if the answer to her question was obvious, but explained anyway. “The two of you are going to be a team.”
“A team?” she echoed in confusion.
“Yes. According to the rules, single couples pair up as a team, and each person in the team wins half the prize money for their chosen charity. Obviously, the two of you together will increase our chances of winning the entire one hundred thousand dollars.”
Of course. Nicole blinked, unable to argue with her mother’s logic, even as she realized her mistake in believing that she and Mitch would be competing against one another. According to their mothers’ plan, she and Mitch would be partners—a couple—and would have to rely on one another and their combined skills to win.
“It’s all or nothing, Nicole. What do you say?” Mitch’s deep, rich voice penetrated her thoughts, an indisputable dare in his tone this time.
All or nothing. The thought of spending one entire week in the constant company of Mitch Lassiter threw her off balance and caused a slow simmer in the pit of her belly. But there was no way she’d renege on her promise to her mother.
She summoned a bit of sass and attitude, just enough to boost her own confidence and resurrect personal boundaries between her and Mitch. “I say I hope you can keep up with me and don’t slow me down during the events.”
His answering grin assured her that he’d have no problem at all keeping up with her pace. “That’s the last thing you’ll have to worry about.”
He was
