The Grays of Los Angeles

While dancing, she attempted to figure out his angle. Sure, he said he wanted only to dance, but so did the other half-dozen men who approached her tonight, then changed their tune as soon as, or not long after, the song ended, which was why she had given him her mother’s maiden name instead of her family name.

“You never answered my question.”

Siobhan’s brows knit in confusion. “I’m sorry—what did you ask?”

Justin chuckled. “I asked how you liked your job, but we got a little sidetracked when you nearly ripped my head off.”

“Sorry about that,” she said contritely. “I love a challenge and my job provides that.”

“Sounds intriguing, but don’t the challenges become a hassle day in and day out?”

“Every day isn’t like that. Most times my day is stacked with meetings, working on press releases and fielding phone calls. And, as the oldest of five, putting out fires is second nature,” she added wryly.

“I can imagine.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Two younger sisters. Something we have in common—being the oldest...and putting out fires.”

Siobhan laughed.

“Maybe we can swap stories over coffee or dinner.”

Her laughter faded. “Um, I don’t have time to date.”

“Why not? You’re a beautiful woman. I’m sure there are men lined up waiting to take you out.”

She laughed him off. But in reality, over the past two years, the only men who seemed remotely interested in her had ulterior motives. “I think the song is over.” Actually, they had danced through at least three. “Thank you for the dance, Justin.” She turned to walk away, and he caught her hand.

“May I buy you a drink?”

“No, thank you. Have a good evening.” She wove her way through the crowd of people who flooded the dance floor in response to the sounds of a popular tune now playing. Siobhan exited the ballroom and ducked into the nearest bathroom. Her heart raced, and her hands shook.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Obviously, the loose-fitting dress she had deliberately chosen to keep men at bay hadn’t deterred Justin. All while they danced, his gaze never left hers. At one point, he stared at her as if she were his favorite dessert, and for a moment, she allowed the thought to play around in her mind. Heat rose in her cheeks, and she fanned herself in an effort to cool off. Where in the world had that thought come from? Siobhan smoothed down the front of her gown, took a deep breath and left the bathroom. Rounding the corner, she hit a solid mass. Strong arms steadied her.

“Are you okay, Siobhan?” Justin asked, still holding her.

“Yes. Fine. Sorry—I wasn’t watching where I was going. Thanks for the save. I need to speak to my friends before they leave.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll walk you over.”

“Huh? Oh, you don’t need to do that. I’m sure there are some other people who you probably want to talk to about your products.”

A lazy grin curved his mouth. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

Yes! “No, nothing like that. I—”

“Glad to hear it.” He extended his arm.

Sighing inwardly, Siobhan hooked her arm in his and let him escort her back to the ballroom and over to her two friends and their husbands. She made introductions, and the men struck up a conversation.

Kendra pulled Siobhan to the side. “Girl, you’d better snap up all that fine dark chocolate before some other woman does.”

Cynthia giggled and nodded her head enthusiastically. “I agree. You two looked so good dancing together.”

“I see some gorgeous godchildren in my future,” Kendra added.

Siobhan snapped her head around. “Wait—what? Hold up a minute. Nobody’s having anybody’s babies,” she whispered tersely.

“Siobhan?” Justin touched her arm.

Glaring at Kendra once more, she turned. “Yes, Justin,” she said pleasantly.

“I need to talk to someone real quick. Will you save me one more dance?”

As much as she wanted to tell him no, with everyone staring at her, she couldn’t. “Sure.”

He clasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you.”

His heated gaze caused Siobhan’s breath to stall in her lungs. He smiled then sauntered off with the sexiest walk she had ever seen on a man. She didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until Cynthia’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“Girl,” she said slowly, “do not let that man get away. I don’t care if he’s pitching an idea or not.”

“Amen, sister. Amen,” Kendra said, shaking her head. “He looks like a man who could curl your toes in the bedroom.”

Siobhan’s gaze followed Justin until he disappeared in the crowd. She could still feel the tingling in her palm and rubbed her other hand over the spot, hoping to erase the feeling. “The only thing he’s getting is that one dance. Nothing more.”

True to his word, Justin returned a while later for the dance. Siobhan steeled herself against the unwanted sensations that coursed through her when he wrapped his arm around her waist and moved his body close to hers. She silently prayed for the song to end, although this time for a different reason. Everything about this man turned her on, and she didn’t want to be turned on. Before the last note faded away, she backed out of his arms. “I think I’m going to call it a night. It was very nice to meet you, Justin.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Without waiting for her response, Justin entwined their fingers and led her out and toward the front of the hotel. “Did you valet park?”

“Yes.” She tried to disengage their hands, but he tightened his grip and kept walking. “Justin, you really don’t have to walk me out.”

A sexy grin tipped the corners of Justin’s mouth. “If I don’t walk you out, I can’t persuade you to meet me for coffee tomorrow.”

“I told you already that I’m busy and don’t have time to date.”

“True, but I’m not asking you out on a date. Think of it as two people with a similar past hanging out and sharing stories. Do you have your ticket?” he asked as they pushed through the front door.

He released her hand. Siobhan reached in her purse for the ticket and handed it to the valet.

“Do you live in the area?”

“Not too far away. Why?”

Justin pulled a card and pen from his pocket, wrote something on the back and handed it to her. “This is the address of a nearby coffee shop. Since you’re local, it shouldn’t be too far for you. I’d love it if you met me there tomorrow morning. Is eleven a good time?”

She stared at the card for several seconds then took it. “No promises.”

“Ma’am, your car,” the valet said.

“Thank you.” Facing Justin, she said, “Good night.”

“Good night, Siobhan. I’ve enjoyed your company tonight.”

He squeezed her hand again, this time rubbing his thumb in small circles on her palm. She almost melted in a heap on the concrete. She hurried around to the driver’s side of her car and slid in behind the wheel. She could still see him standing there as she pulled off. There was no way she planned to be at that coffee shop in the morning. Justin Cartwright was a temptation she couldn’t afford.

* * *

Justin waited until the taillights of Siobhan’s Lexus SUV disappeared before going back inside. He searched the ballroom for Mr. Gray or his partner Mr. Whitcomb but didn’t see either man. Making some discreet inquiries, he located both men standing in a group. As soon as there was a break in the conversation and the small gathering dispersed, Justin headed over.

“Good evening, Mr. Gray.” Justin extended his hand.

Mr. Gray shook Justin’s hand. “Good evening, young man. Have we met?”

“No, sir. My name is Justin Cartwright, and I was hoping to talk to you about an in-home alert system I’m working on.”

“Well, I’m always looking for something new and exciting, but aren’t there a couple on the market already?”

“Yes, but neither of those systems are able to sense body temperature, and mine can.” Well, it would when he could figure out how to make it work properly. He was still having some trouble with it distinguishing from the room temperature.

Mr. Gray’s eyebrow lifted a fraction. “Is that right?” He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a card and handed it to Justin. “Why don’t you call my secretary next week and she’ll put you on my calendar. I’m looking forward to hearing about this system.”

Justin accepted the card. “Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward to it, as well. I won’t take up any more of your time. Have a good evening.” He waited until Mr. Gray walked away before going in the other direction. On the outside, Justin maintained a cool facade, but inside he was cheering.

Since there was no one else he wanted to talk to, Justin kept going until he reached the exit. He thought about Siobhan. With any luck, she would be at the coffee shop in the morning.

* * *

Lying in bed later, Justin’s mind drifted back to Siobhan—her eyes, incredible lips and generous curves. He was especially captivated by her directness. It probably warned most men off, but had the exact opposite effect on him. A woman hadn’t caught his attention in a while, but the no-nonsense businesswoman had made a deep impression upon him.

The last long-term relationship he had been in ended a year ago. He had been content with the date nights, good sex and casual conversation, but his ex wanted more than he was prepared to give—marriage and a family—so they parted ways. His focus had been solely on making his product the best on the market, especially after his grandfather died in a home accident that could have been prevented had someone found him sooner.

Justin felt partially responsible because he hadn’t been as focused on his work and put the alert system he was designing on the back burner. He had dated multiple women since then, but none lasted beyond a few dates. He was careful not to give any woman the notion he wanted anything permanent. Maybe he would be ready to settle down in a few years. For now, he had one goal: partnering with Gray Home Safety and making sure no one else suffered the same loss.

By morning, he lay awake in bed still thinking about Siobhan and wondering whether she would show up at the coffee shop later. Justin tossed the covers back, dressed and went out for his morning run. He tried to get in at least three miles four times a week. The run helped clear his thoughts and gave him the opportunity to sort out, in his mind, any kinks in whatever program he was working on. This morning, however, Siobhan Gray crowded the space in his brain. He started with a slow jog until he reached the nearby park trail then increased his pace.

One of the things he liked about living in LA was the weather. The cloudless, early-spring morning was warm enough that he didn’t need to wear a jacket. His feet pounded the paved trail in a steady rhythm as he mentally went over the changes he wanted to make in his program to track movement in the home. He was having trouble with one of the sensors and couldn’t figure out why it stopped working after a certain amount of time. Since he renewed his focus on the project nine months ago, Justin had seen similar products hit the market, but he’d worked to make sure his had an added feature not available on the current models.

Clearing the shaded area, he slowed to a jog and cut across the park back toward his house. Once there, he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, downed the contents and went upstairs to shower. He wanted to get to the shop a few minutes before eleven.

His cell rang as he was leaving.

“What’s up, Justin?” Bobby said when Justin answered.

“Hey.”

“I wanted to find out if you had a chance to talk to Mr. Gray about your project.”

“No. We didn’t get a chance to discuss it.”

“Oh. I thought for sure you’d have it locked up by now. What happened?”

“I only had a chance to introduce myself.” He decided not to tell his friend that he had got sidetracked.

“I know I have his number somewhere. I can call and set up a meeting if you want.”

“No, that’s okay,” Justin said hastily. “Mr. Gray gave me his card, and I plan to call first thing tomorrow morning.” The last thing he needed was Bobby’s interference. His friend meant well, but Justin wanted to do this on his own. “I’m on my way out, so I gotta go.”

“All right. I have to fly up to the Bay Area to check on the winery and my grandfather. I’ll probably be gone for about six weeks. Let me know if you change your mind.”

“Don’t worry about me. You know I have no problems going after what I want. Just save me a bottle of your best wine for the celebration.”

“Will do. Later.”

He disconnected and pocketed the phone. Hopefully, he would have something to celebrate by the time Bobby returned.

Justin arrived ten minutes before the hour and snagged a table that gave him a good view of the door. He told the server he was waiting for someone and trained his eyes on the entrance. Five after eleven and no sign of Siobhan.

Had he overplayed his hand? He thought for sure, with the chemistry brewing between them, she would show up. He drummed his fingers on the table and took another glance at his watch. The server came back to the table and told him he couldn’t hold up a table without ordering. “Ten minutes,” he told her.

Disappointment filled him when she hadn’t arrived by eleven fifteen. He hadn’t realized how much he wanted to see her again. Dropping his head in his hands, he contemplated his next move. Whatever the case, he had to vacate the booth. When he arrived he had been starving, but his appetite had waned considerably. Justin slid out of the booth and came to his feet. He took one step and froze. Siobhan came through the door and searched until their gazes locked. His heart rate accelerated, and he smiled. Somehow his excitement went well beyond a casual encounter. His gaze lingered on her face then slowly drifted down. Unlike the loose-fitting gown she wore the previous night, today she had on a short-sleeved fitted T and jeans that hugged her curves. A rush of desire hit him hard and fast.

Siobhan hurried over. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I was talking to my sister and lost track of time.”

He bent slightly to kiss her cheek. “No, no. It’s all right. I’m just glad you came.” He gestured for her to sit and slid back in across from her. “I didn’t think you would.”

Looking him directly in the eye, she said, “I hadn’t planned to. I decided at the last minute.”

He had never met a woman so straightforward and who had no problems expressing her opinions. “What made you change your mind?”

She angled her head. “Truthfully, I don’t know,” she said.

The hesitancy he heard in her voice was a stark contrast to the confidence in her earlier statement. He reached for her hand. “Like I said, I’m glad you came.”

The server approached. “I guess you were waiting for someone after all,” she mumbled. “What can I get you?” she asked Siobhan.

“A cup of chamomile tea with honey, please.”

“And you, sir?”

“Coffee and wheat toast, please.” He glanced over at Siobhan when the young lady walked away. “You sure you don’t want anything to eat, Siobhan?”

“No. The tea is fine. We’re having Sunday dinner at my parents’ house this afternoon, and my mom always cooks a feast.”

“Do you eat at your parents’ house every week?”

“No, but we usually get together about once every month or so. My mom is big on family.”

“So is mine, but since my parents live outside of Las Vegas, they’re not as easy to visit.”

She propped her head on her hands and smiled. “Vegas, huh? I haven’t been there in a long while. Need to go again sometime soon.”

Her eyes sparkled, and those beautiful gloss-slicked lips curved into a sexy smile. His first thought was booking a flight for two to Las Vegas as soon as he got home.

He was in trouble. Big trouble.

Chapter 3

Despite her calm demeanor, Siobhan’s stomach was in knots. True, her mother would prepare a feast, but she had ordered the tea because she didn’t think anything else would stay down. She had no problems standing in front of the media giving a press conference and had stared down her fiercest competitors. But sitting here with Justin, she felt out of her element. It had taken her until an hour ago to make up her mind to meet him today. Partly because she was curious about his background, and partly because she just wanted to see him again.

The server set a cup of tea and a plate with honey and lemon in front of her, then coffee and toast in front of Justin.

“Usually, men eat more than toast and coffee,” Siobhan said after the server departed.

“You’re right, but I went for a run earlier and my appetite hasn’t quite returned yet.”

When they had danced the night before, she’d felt his hard body against hers. The cut of his expensive suit had done nothing to disguise his muscular build. Today he wore a black T-shirt that fit nicely against his well-defined chest, and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off his bulging biceps that flexed with every movement as he spread jelly on his toast.

Justin chuckled. “Believe me, in a couple of hours, I’ll be hungry enough to eat a horse.”

She laughed. “You remind me of my brothers.”

“Speaking of brothers, you mentioned being the oldest of five.”

“Yes. I have three brothers and one sister.”

“Do they all live in the city?”

Siobhan added honey and lemon to her tea then took a sip. She nodded. “Yes. My brother Brandon is one year younger than me, but sometimes acts like he’s the oldest. My brother Khalil is three years younger, and the twins, Malcolm and Morgan, six years.”

“Wow, you have a big family.”

“What about your family? You mentioned having two sisters.”

He finished chewing before speaking. “There’s a nine-year age difference between me and my sister Yvonne, and thirteen between me and Jocelyn. Yvonne is a forensic scientist, and Jocelyn is a junior in college majoring in electrical engineering.”

“Wow. That’s a huge age gap.”

“Tell me about it,” he said, shaking his head. “I wasn’t too happy about having to share my parents after such a long time, but I love my sisters more than anything now...though they drove me absolutely crazy when they were little.”

Siobhan laughed. “I can imagine. My brothers used to torment me every time my parents’ backs were turned. From cutting my dolls’ hair to mixing my makeup, I wanted to kill them all day, every day.”

Justin laughed. “Ha! I had it just as bad. Yvonne used to change the time on the microwave whenever I heated up something. If I put it on two minutes, she’d change it to ten minutes. I’m surprised I still have any taste buds left after having burned them off so many times. And Jocelyn would always tamper with whatever electronic device I was building. Once, she rerouted the wires on a remote-controlled car I was working on. I almost burned my room down when I turned the damned thing on,” he muttered.

Siobhan laughed so hard she sputtered and choked on her tea. She grabbed a napkin, wiped away the tears and fanned herself. “Your sisters are a mess.”

Justin shook his head. “And don’t get me started on dating.”

“Oh, my goodness! Yes. They used to scare my dates so bad, those boys wouldn’t give me a second look.”

“How about inviting three girls over at the same time?”

Her mouth fell open. “I sure would’ve loved to see how you got out of that one.”

“It wasn’t easy. I couldn’t get a date for six months after that little stunt.”

They continued to laugh and swap stories over second and third cups of coffee and tea. Siobhan enjoyed every moment. When she finally glanced at her watch, three hours had passed. “I didn’t realize how late it is. I’m supposed to be at my parents’ house right now.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you late.” He leaned forward and flashed that sexy smile. “But I have to tell you, this is the best non-date I’ve ever had.”

The timbre of his voice and the intensity of his gaze made her pulse race. “I...I had a good time, too.” She opened her purse and pulled out a few bills.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Justin asked, staring at her as if she had lost her mind. “Siobhan, please put your money away. My invite, my dime.”

She didn’t want to owe any man or find strings attached to an invitation, so she always made it a practice to pay her own way, even for a three-dollar cup of tea. But Justin stared her down until she put the money back in her purse. “Thanks. I’d better go.”

He was up and around to her side of the booth with his hand extended before she took her next breath. Recalling the warm feelings his touch stirred in her last night, she hesitated briefly before placing her hand in his. He gently helped Siobhan to her feet and tugged her close to him. For a moment she thought he might kiss her... She wanted him to kiss her.

Finally he backed away and murmured, “Let me pay for this and I’ll walk you to your car.” Justin gestured for her to lead the way to the counter.

She walked ahead of him on shaky legs, feeling the heat of his gaze on her. After paying, Justin reached for her hand again and pushed through the doors. They stopped next to her car.

“Nice ride,” he said.

“Thanks. I like it,” she said of the Lexus SUV. “I wanted a little luxury, but it had to be safe and functional, as well.” They fell silent for a moment.

“Well, I guess I should let you go. Siobhan, I know you said you don’t have time to date, but I’d really like to see you again. We can even come back here again, if you like.”

“Justin, I—”

He moved his body flush against hers. “Please don’t say no.”

The contact made her pulse leap. She opened her mouth to tell him she couldn’t see him, and his mouth came down on hers. He kissed her gently, unhurriedly, bringing his hands up to frame her face, holding her in place. A slow burn started in her belly and flared out to the other parts of her body, causing her to tremble. Siobhan moaned.

Justin eased back and whispered against her lips, “Say you’ll go out with me.” He gifted her with one last kiss and stepped back.

Still trying to get her breathing under control, she said, “Can I think about it?”

“Absolutely.” He whipped out his cell. “Give me your number and I’ll call you this week.”

She recited the numbers then pressed the remote to unlock her doors. He reached around her and opened the door.

After she was seated behind the wheel, he leaned in and kissed her again. “Drive safely, and enjoy your dinner.”

Siobhan managed to nod. She started the car with a shaky hand and backed out of the spot. Justin smiled and threw up a wave as she passed. She waved back and wondered what she was getting herself into.

* * *

For the second day in a row, Justin watched Siobhan drive away. He raked a hand down his face. He wasn’t supposed to kiss her, only engage her in friendly conversation. He certainly hadn’t planned to ask her out again. He walked to where his car was parked an aisle over, got in and leaned against the headrest. Her full, sexy lips were softer than he’d anticipated, and he could still taste the sweet flavor of honey from the kiss they’d shared. When she had scooped out the bit of honey left in the package with her finger and sucked it off, he almost came out of his seat. Justin had wanted to smear honey all over her and lick off every drop. If he ever got her to his house...

He shook the thought away. No honey and no more kisses. He needed to focus on the goal and not get distracted. Except he had just asked her out on a date. He groaned. What was he doing? Okay, maybe dinner, nice conversation and sharing more childhood stories. Nothing more. He could do that. He had never allowed a woman to stand in the way of his dreams, and he wouldn’t now. Feeling confident he could pull it off, Justin started the engine and drove home.

Once there, he went directly to his home office, booted up the computer and worked on his in-home safety sensor program. An hour later he placed sensors in his living room and used his cell to test whether it would distinguish between heights.