One Hot Crush (Hot Brits Book 3) Read online

  ONE HOT CRUSH

  Copyright © 2020 by Lisa A. Shiel

  All rights reserved.

  The characters and events in this book are fictional. No portion of this book may be copied, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, including recording, photocopying, or inclusion in any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher and author, except for brief excerpts quoted in published reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-949406-32-0 (paperback)

  ISBN: 978-1-949406-33-7 (audiobook)

  Jacobsville Books

  www.JacobsvilleBooks.com

  Publisher's Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  provided by Five Rainbows Cataloging Services

  Names: Durand, Anna.

  Title: One hot crush / Anna Durand.

  Description: Marietta, OH : Jacobsville Books, 2020. | Series: Hot Brits, bk. 3.

  Identifiers: ISBN 978-1-949406-32-0 (paperback) | ISBN 978-1-949406-33-7 (audiobook)

  Subjects: LCSH: Administrative assistants--Fiction. | Businessmen--Fiction. | British--Fiction. | New York (N.Y.)--Fiction. | Romance fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Romance / Contemporary. | FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy. | FICTION / Romance / Workplace. | GSAFD: Love stories.

  Classification: LCC PS3604.U724 O545 2020 (print) | LCC PS3604.U724 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6--dc23.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter One

  Rika

  How can a man who designs sex toys for a living be so awkward around women? I work for the hottest guy on the planet, who has the hottest British accent on the planet, but I might as well be a robot sitting behind this desk for all the attention he gives me. Dane Dixon can barely look me in the eye, and as for conversation... Jeez, it's like watching a blind biker roaring down a curvy road on his Harley. You just know he's about to careen off the edge and go splat.

  But damn, he's one sexy wreck.

  This morning is no different. I'm waiting patiently at my desk for my boss to arrive---as his personal assistant, I make it a point to get here before him---when Dane walks out of the elevator and straight to my desk. Head down, he seems focused on the issue of Forbes magazine he's holding in one hand.

  "Good morning, Miss Solberg," he says. When he glances at me for half a second, he swallows hard and resorts to staring at his magazine again. "Do I have any pointers---uh, I mean, appointments today?"

  "Yes, Mr. Dixon. Today's agenda is already on your desk." Like it has been every day for the past twelve business days since I started working for him.

  "Oh. Of course." He swallows again, his Adam's apple jumping. "Let me know when---if I, uh, have...calls or whatnot."

  "I will." Rising from my chair, I tug my jacket down. "May I get you a cup of coffee, Mr. Dixon?"

  "Yes. Thank you, Miss Solberg. One sugar, no cream."

  He always tells me that, like I don't know how he likes his coffee after twelve business days with him.

  Not once has he ever called me Rika. I told him he could, but he said it wasn't "professional." He also never smiles at me. I long to see his smile because I'm pretty sure it will be devastating. I'd love to hear him laugh too, but no, he never does that either.

  Is he always like this with women?

  Dane rakes a hand through his dirty-blond hair. The light glints on his glasses, so I can't see his eyes. But I know they're gorgeous. I got a good look at them on my first day here, when he'd taken his glasses off to clean them. He has deep-blue eyes that I'd love to gaze into for hours while his body is above mine and his hips are thrusting into me.

  I haven't had sex in months. Working for a hot guy who ignores me is sure to drive me bonkers.

  "Do I have a meeting with Celeste today?" Dane asks.

  Wow, he got out a complete sentence with no "uhs" or "ums." I feel like I should mark this momentous day on my calendar.

  He does seem kind of sweet, in an uptight way.

  "Yes, sir," I tell him. "Ms. Arnaud is coming at ten."

  He nods, head bowed. "Thank you."

  Then he hurries into his office and shuts the door.

  And I wonder again if he's like this with all women or just me. I've only seen him talking to men, so it will be interesting to find out how he interacts with Celeste Arnaud, the CEO of Bonsoir Beauty Inc., which owns Dane's company. He signed a deal with Bonsoir six months back, and now he's spending some time in New York at the company headquarters to prepare for the re-launch of his brand of sexual wellness devices.

  That's about all I know. And I found that out from Celeste Arnaud's PA, who gave me the grand tour of the headquarters and dished about all the good gossip. Not that I like to gossip. But it's the only way I could find out anything about my new boss. My friends Elena and Arden know Dane, but they haven't said much about him. He has two brothers, but I didn't learn that fact from office gossip. I've met Dane's brothers, because they're married to Elena and Arden, though I hadn't met Dane himself until I started working here.

  I trot down the hall to the break room and get two cups of coffee, one with cream and sugar for me and one with just sugar for him. After that, I hurry back to my desk, dropping my coffee off there. When I knock on the door to Dane's office, he invites me in, so I swing the door open and waltz up to his desk. As I set his cup down in front of him, he glances up at me.

  For about a nanosecond.

  "Thank you, Miss Solberg," he mutters.

  And then he goes back to staring at the papers on his desk.

  I've just sat down at my desk again when the phone rings. I answer with my standard professional greeting. "Dane Dixon's office. This is Rika Solberg speaking. How may I help you?"

  "Hey, girlfriend, how's the new job going?"

  I feel better already after hearing my friend's voice. Elena Linwood, now Elena Dixon, married my boss's older brother. Elena and I met a month before she hooked up with Chance Dixon, but we hadn't become good friends until after that. I'd missed their wedding because my appendix decided the day before the big day was a good time for it to explode. Elena had introduced me to Arden, who married Reese Dixon, but I missed that event too. A hurricane grounded all flights that time.

  "Elena," I say, relaxing in my chair. "How's your hot husband? Are you wearing him out?"

  "This is me you're talking to, not Arden. I give my hubby time to recover in between sex marathons. Poor Reese never gets a break."

  Yeah, Arden is very...ardent. But Reese never seems exhausted to me.

  "How's your hot boss?" Elena asks.

  "Ignoring me. Does he always stammer?"

  "Dane? No, he's well-spoken. You should've heard the pitch he gave Celeste when she was considering merging his company with Bonsoir. Chance and I listened to him rehearsing it, and Dane rocked his speech."

  Which is the exact opposite of what I've experienced with him. God, it must be me. He thinks I'm repulsive or stupid or something.

  "I'll take your word for that," I tell Elena. "Did you just call to chat? Because I am at work, you know."

  "Yeah, I know. I called to ask if you want to hav
e lunch with me and Arden on Thursday. She's flying in from England with Reese the evening before, so we're going on a shopping spree."

  These ladies can out-shop anyone---including me, but that's not much of an accomplishment. I don't like shopping. Yeah, that makes me a freak of nature.

  "Sure," I say, "I'd love to see you guys."

  "Great. We girls really need to catch up." She hesitates, then asks, "Does Dane really stammer when he talks to you?"

  "Oh yes. He stammers, he blushes, he avoids looking at me... You get the picture."

  "Wow. He must like you a lot."

  I hold the phone away from my face to stare at it for half a second, then I return it to my ear. "Are you nuts? He acts like he can't stand being around me."

  Elena laughs. "Oh sweetie, that's not how Dane acts when he doesn't like someone. If he can't untie his tongue around you, then he definitely has a giant crush on you."

  A crush? Oh please. A giant crush? Double oh please.

  No one has ever had a crush on me, as far as I know, so I can't say for sure how men act when they feel that way. Men like me, sure, but there's been no crushing. And come on, Dane Dixon cannot like me that way.

  What, am I twelve years old again? A crush. That's just plain silly.

  I tell Elena that, and she laughs again.

  "Time will tell," she says in a knowing tone. "This is Monday. When I see you on Thursday, I predict you will have changed your opinion about Dane Dixon."

  "After more than two weeks with him, I rather doubt he's suddenly going to start acting smitten."

  "We'll see." She switches to a whisper when she adds, "I'll get Chance to talk to Dane."

  "About me? No way, Elena. Don't you dare do that."

  "To be honest, Chance will probably do that anyway. He likes to keep tabs on his brothers."

  "Does 'keeping tabs' mean meddling?"

  "Um...probably."

  I stifle a pathetic moan. "I have to get back to work. See you Thursday."

  "Looking forward to it."

  Elena and I hang up, and I go back to sorting through emails. Dane likes everything to be organized in subfolders so he can tell at a glance which messages are the most urgent. I'm in the middle of doing that when Celeste Arnaud walks out of the elevator into my little domain.

  She stops at my desk. "Good morning, Rika darling. You look lovely today. Has Dane told you that?"

  "No." I squirm a little, uncomfortable with her question after what Elena suggested concerning my boss. "It wouldn't be professional."

  "Nonsense. Complimenting someone is not unethical."

  I hike up my shoulders. "Mr. Dixon thinks a lot of things are unprofessional, unethical, un-whatever. Honestly, Ms. Arnaud, I don't think he likes me. Maybe you should get him a different PA."

  She waves a hand to dismiss my claim. "He's anxious, that's all. Not used to the corporate lifestyle yet. And please, call me Celeste. I've told you before I don't stand on formality."

  "Yes, I remember. Sorry, Celeste."

  "That's all right." She glances at the closed door to Dane's office, then smirks at me. "Should I wait for you to announce me, like we're at King Henry's court?"

  "No, but I will let him know you're here." I grab the phone off my desk and punch in the extension for Dane's office phone. When he picks up, I say, "Celeste Arnaud is here, Mr. Dixon."

  "Please send her in. Thank you, Miss Solberg."

  I hang up and motion toward the door. "He's ready for you."

  Celeste leans in to pat my hand. "Don't worry, dear, I'll take care of Dane."

  She strides into his office and shuts the door.

  Take care of him? What on earth does that mean?

  I have a feeling whatever she does will not put my boss in a good mood.

  Chapter Two

  Dane

  Celeste Arnaud walks into my office like she owns it. Technically, she does. The woman is the billionaire CEO of Bonsoir Beauty Inc., and I am sitting in an office in the corporate headquarters. The chair I'm sitting in belongs to her. All my devices, my factory in England, and all my employees now belong to her ever since I signed a contract with Bonsoir. My arse probably belongs to her too.

  Still, I like Celeste. It's hard not to like her. She may be in her seventies, but she loves to make racy jokes, and she loves to admire young men. Sometimes she licks her lips when she's looking at me, which makes me feel like a side of beef sizzling on a grill. Celeste is also the grandmother of my newest sister-in-law, Arden. That makes her family, in a way.

  Celeste takes a seat on one of the chairs opposite my desk. She crosses her legs and leans back. "Dane darling, how are you? Looking scrumptious as ever, I see."

  She calls everyone "darling." I've gotten used to it. I've also gotten used to being called "scrumptious" and "delicious" and "one hot beefcake."

  "You're looking well too," I say.

  Her blonde hair has grown a bit longer than when we'd first met, but it looks good on her. Despite her age, she stays trim and has no wrinkles---but Arden has informed everyone, in front of Celeste, that her grandmother keeps the best plastic surgeon in the world on retainer, in case she needs any touch-ups. Celeste doesn't care if her granddaughter says things like that. They are a strange family.

  "Thank you," Celeste says. "Now, tell me why you're treating Rika so horribly that she thinks you hate her. Are you lusting after her? Is that the problem? I wouldn't blame you. She is beautiful and intelligent, so I'm sure you'd love to spend the night with Rika. Why don't you just do it?"

  "What?" I stammer for a moment before I can give her a response that sounds anything like words. "Miss Solberg works for me. I can't do anything of the sort. Not that I want to."

  "Aren't we friends, Dane?"

  "Yes." What that has to do with anything, I have no idea.

  "Then don't act so shocked when I bring up a sensitive subject. You know that's the way I am."

  Oh yes, I know that. But she's never suggested anything like what she said a minute ago. It's insane. I cannot fuck Rika, even if I want to. Which I don't. I have no time for sex, much less romance, and Rika Solberg seems like the sort who needs more from a man.

  Yes, I know that after speaking a grand total of thirty words to her.

  "I don't have room in my life for a relationship," I say. "The re-launch is taking up all of my time."

  "That's horse shit, and you know it." She slides forward in her chair until only her bottom rests on it. "Dane darling, your celibacy will ruin our re-launch. You need a girlfriend. If you want to date Rika, all you need to do is ask her and then report the relationship to HR if you decide to pursue one. Though it might be best if I reassigned her to someone else, to avoid any perception of an ethical dilemma."

  I grab my coffee cup and down the last of its contents in one gulp. I drink too fast, which makes me cough. "What the bloody hell does my love life have to do with anything?"

  "You sell sex," Celeste tells me in a tone that suggests I'm profoundly dense.

  "No, I design sexual wellness devices."

  She laughs softly, smiling at me with affection. "Women use your devices to give themselves orgasms. Do you think they want to know the man who designs the vibrators they use is holed up inside a tool shed in the woods, alone, like the Unabomber?" She tsks. "No, dear, they want to see a vibrant, sexy hunk of a man who has a bombshell on his arm."

  "What are you talking about? No one is going to see me."

  "Oh yes they are." She points a finger at me. "You are the face of the company. That's why we're re-branding it as Dane's Delights." She waves a hand like she's shooing away a fly. "The name you had for it was too boring."

  "What's wrong with Bedroom Buddies?"

  She snorts, clearly trying not to laugh at me. "It sounds like you're selling alarm clocks. Like it or not, Dane, we---you are selling sex. That means you need to embody the concept. A recluse who works twenty-four hours a day and lives
on frozen dinners is not sexy."

  I start to complain but shut my mouth before one syllable emerges. Maybe she's right. Maybe I do have a responsibility to seem less...reclusive. Celeste had told me from the beginning our partnership would require I make some changes, in my company and myself. I assumed she meant I would need to attend board meetings, not that she would instruct me to find a girlfriend.

  But I signed the contract. I knew what I was getting into. Mostly.

  "Fine," I say. "You pick someone, and I'll go out with her."

  "I don't run a dating service." She tilts her head to the left. "Though maybe that should be the next addition to the Bonsoir ensemble. Well, at any rate, I cannot find you a girl. You need to do that yourself."

  "How am I meant to meet a woman? You've got me scheduled for so many meetings I barely have time to drink my coffee."

  "I know, darling, but you're a smart, capable man. You'll figure something out. And do it fast."

  "How fast?"

  "This week would be best. Honestly, it shouldn't be that hard for a gorgeous, charming man like you to meet a woman. She doesn't need to be the love of your life." Celeste stands up. "I have another meeting to get to."

  "What?" I stand up too. "Was this meeting strictly a chance for you to order me to get a girlfriend?"

  "Yes." She leans across the desk to pat my cheek. "See? I knew you were a smart boy. Oh, by the way, how are those two new devices coming along?"

  "Very well." It's bollocks, but I can't tell her the truth. I haven't come up with a single good idea for a new device since the day Bonsoir swallowed up my company, and I've had no ideas at all since the day Celeste commanded me to design something new.

  Celeste pats my cheek and leaves.

  And I drop onto my chair again. Find a girlfriend? How the fuck am I meant to do that? I'm living in a strange city, for two months, and I don't know anyone here. My brother Chance lives in New Hampshire. My brother Reese alternates between New York and England, but he's over there until later this week. Besides, I can't ask my brothers for recommendations.

  Chance, could you ask around for me? I need a woman, immediately. Doesn't matter if she likes me, just that she's pretty and willing to hang on my arm like a bloody ornament.