One Hot Crush (Hot Brits Book 3) Read online

  No, I'm not saying that.

  Reese, you used to shag every woman in the UK. Could you loan me one of your ex-lovers?

  That's even worse.

  I have a week to find a girlfriend. Though I'm not as popular with women as my brothers used to be, I'm not completely incompetent. Even Celeste called me charming. Yet lately, I feel like I have no idea how to speak to a woman, much less convince one to date me. Working too much has left me...out of practice. It doesn't help that the last woman I took out on a date had wanted to go home with me only because she hoped I'd use my devices on her. She wasn't the first to want that, but she also seemed disappointed that I'm not "kinky."

  In my mind, I hear the last words she said to me. Why can't you be as exciting as your toys?

  A knock at the door alerts me to the fact Rika is about to enter my office. She's very polite, always knocking before entering and saying "please" and "thank you." Her politeness makes me want to bend her over my desk and do things an employer should not do.

  I sit up taller, straighten my tie, and clear my throat. "Come in, Miss Solberg."

  Rika sashays into my office.

  Christ, she's beautiful. Long, chestnut hair that glistens in the sunlight coming through the windows. A perfect mouth, made scarlet red by the lipstick she wears. Those breasts, that arse, the way her hips sway when she walks. And the high heels she has on...

  She walks up to my desk and offers me a folder. "Celeste wanted me to give you the latest projections for sales in the first month after the re-launch of Dane's Delights."

  My name will be on every package that's sold. My name. Fuck, it's embarrassing. Do I really want women thinking of me and the word delight while they're using my devices?

  I'd love to hear Rika Solberg whisper my name and the word delight in my ear. I'd love to watch her availing herself of my devices too. An image of that explodes in my mind, and blood rushes to my loins.

  Rika always has that effect on me. She is the sexiest woman I've ever seen. For some reason, I can do nothing but stammer and splutter in her presence. I can't make myself look her in the eye either. She has the most beautiful eyes, pale brown with flecks of brilliant green. As soon as I think about her eyes, I can't stop myself from gazing into them.

  I really should know better by now. Meeting her gaze makes my cock ache and my mouth spew nonsense.

  "M-Miss Solberg," I say, sounding like a ruddy moron, "please---I mean, thank you. It---yes, I needed this."

  I snatch the folder from her and pretend to be obsessed with its contents, though I have no idea what the papers inside it say. I expect her to leave.

  She doesn't. Instead, she says, "Can I get you more coffee?"

  "No. No, I---" Shut up, you idiot. But my mouth has other ideas. "I'm fine, thank you."

  At least I managed a complete, if brief, sentence that made sense.

  She still doesn't leave.

  The woman smells like...I don't know. Something delicious. It reminds me of the sweets my mother used to make for us, but it smells even better wafting off Rika Solberg's body. Why does she smell that way? I've never heard of perfume scented like baked goods and candies. Is Rika trying to drive me insane? Maybe I should order her to wear loose-fitting clothes and some of those horrible sensible shoes. And I should tell her to stop brushing her hair. No more makeup either. Definitely no lipstick. And stop smelling so good too, please.

  "Celeste told me to stay until you've gone over those numbers," Rika tells me. "Then I'm supposed to get you to sign off on it and send all of it back to her."

  "Oh." I flip through the pages, not seeing a single number or letter that's printed on them, then I sign the last page and hand the folder back to Rika. "Here it is."

  Her lips pucker just a little, and her brows tighten. "You looked at the numbers so fast. Are you sure you don't want to take more time?"

  Not with her in the room. Watching me. Smelling so fucking good.

  I wave her away, though she doesn't move. "It's fine. Thank you."

  "Okay, if you're sure." She bites her lip, which makes me want to sink my teeth into every part of her body. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

  Those innocent words trigger something in me, like the switch that keeps me from saying insane things has been flipped, and my mouth wants me to sound like a lunatic. Celeste's command that I find a girlfriend replays in my mind.

  And I have the worst idea. But it sounds like the best idea, like my only option, like the sort of thing I shouldn't do but want to do, badly---for reasons I can't explain. Rika is beautiful. And sexy. And clever. She would make the perfect ornament for my arm, when I'm forced to attend public events related to the re-launch. But I can't. She works for me.

  I could fire her.

  Yes, then she'll be thrilled to become my trophy girlfriend. What a bloody moron you are. If I phrase it differently, as if it's a business arrangement, then maybe it won't sound like such an insane idea.

  "Are you okay?" Rika asks.

  For once, my brain and my cock are in complete agreement. I meet her gaze. "Actually, there is one more thing you could do for me."

  "What is it?"

  The words "be my trophy girlfriend" get lodged in my throat. I open my mouth, but the only sound that comes out of it is a faint croaking noise.

  Rika leans over my desk, peering into my eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? Should I call a doctor?"

  "I'm all right. No need for a doctor."

  "Okay." She keeps leaning over the desk, which makes her blouse fall away from her chest, giving me the barest glimpse of her cleavage. "What did you want to ask me?"

  "Uh..." I tug at the collar of my shirt. "Would you have lunch with me? I need to discuss some business matters with you."

  "Lunch?"

  Why does she look so shocked? It's not that barmy for an employer to take his employee out for a working lunch. Maybe sharing a meal with her will calm this lust and help me decide whether Rika might be amenable to the trophy girlfriend idea.

  Yes, that sounds like a reasonable plan.

  "A business lunch," I say. "Nothing untoward about it. I'd like us to get to know each other a bit, strictly to improve our working relationship."

  She straightens. "Okay, sure."

  I stand up. "You should choose the restaurant. I don't know the area."

  "Um, it's nine thirty," she says. "I guess you're still on UK time?"

  "Oh. Yes, I suppose I am." No, I'm not, but at least that gives me an excuse for not realizing it's still morning. "You settle on a restaurant, and we'll take our lunch at one o'clock. All right?"

  "Sounds good."

  Rika sashays out of my office.

  I admire her arse until she shuts the door behind her.

  Christ, I'm in trouble.

  Chapter Three

  Rika

  At precisely one o'clock, Dane walks out of his office and waves for me to follow him. We ride the elevator in silence, ride in a cab in silence, and enter the restaurant in silence. He settles a hand on my lower back as we walk inside and while the maître d' leads us to a table at the back of the restaurant. The curved booth is smokily lit and secluded.

  Dane had asked the maître d' for a "private" table.

  I don't think he meant this.

  We slide into the booth, but Dane keeps an arm's length between us. The maître d' gives us menus and then leaves us here---alone, in our secluded, sexy booth.

  No, it's not the booth that's sexy. It's the man sitting beside me.

  A waitress arrives before we have a chance to say anything to each other. She sets down two glasses of water, then takes our orders and hurries away.

  We're alone. Again. In a romantic little corner booth.

  Dane fiddles with his shirt cuffs. "Well, I, ah---We should---" He clears his throat. "Tell me about yourself."

  "What do you want to know?"

  "Anything you'd care to tell me.
For instance, do you have brothers or sisters?"

  "I have a sister. She's a doctor, currently working in Lebanon with Doctors Without Borders." Yeah, she's amazing. My piddly job as a PA sounds shallow and worthless in comparison. Not that I'm jealous of her. I love my sister. "Maddie is two years older than me. She's an epidemiologist, out there saving lives every day."

  "Do you get along?"

  "Sure. We always have, though we're not as close as I am with my two best friends."

  "You have best friends?"

  "Yeah. Don't you?" Oh jeez, that sounded rude. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be mean. It just came out that way. But since we're getting to know each other, maybe you'll tell me more about you too."

  "Of course. And no, I don't have best friends. I have brothers, and we are close, but I don't know if we're best mate close."

  "Chance and Reese think you are."

  His brows hike up. "You know my brothers?"

  "Sure. Elena and Arden are my best friends."

  Dane stares at me, his face blank, for several seconds. Then he guzzles water from his glass. "You're friends with Elena and Arden. I did---Ah, I didn't know that."

  Why does he seem disturbed by the idea? "If you're worried I'll gossip to them about what you say to me, I assure you I won't. A good PA respects her employer's privacy and the confidentiality of work-related information."

  "I'm not worried about that. I was surprised, that's all." He takes another, more measured drink of water and studies me for a moment. "Do you know Celeste Arnaud, then?"

  "Yes. She's the one who asked me to be your PA."

  "Why would she do that?"

  "Because I needed a job, and she thought you and I would be a perfect fit." I realize how that might sound and add, "In terms of work. A perfect fit as employer and employee."

  "I see." He's still holding his water glass, but now he's gazing down into it like water is the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. "How long have you been a personal assistant?"

  "Ever since I graduated from college. I have a degree in liberal arts, which means I studied lots of different things." I wait a couple seconds to see if he looks unimpressed, but Dane watches me with interest. "Snooty people think liberal arts is a nothing degree, but it's served me well. My education included everything from math and science to ancient history. Whatever my boss wants, no matter what their career is, I have some kind of knowledge that can be useful to them."

  "You must be bored working with me. I haven't asked you to do anything except answer the phone and schedule my appointments."

  "I'm not bored." Because lusting after him keeps me occupied during lulls in my work duties. The thought of a gorgeous man like Dane designing sex toys... That makes me even hotter for him. And it reminds me of something I've wanted to ask him since day one. "May I ask you a personal question?"

  "Go on."

  "Why sex toys?"

  He jerks his head up. "What?"

  "I mean, why did you decide to design sex toys? It's not a common career choice."

  Dane taps his glass with one finger, his focus on the water inside it. "I, uh, couldn't decide what to do after university. My degree is in mechanical engineering, but the job I got after graduation was unbelievably dull. I couldn't imagine doing that for the rest of my life. I got a different job but still didn't feel inspired by my career. After trying two more positions, I thought I could do better if I started my own business. But I had no idea what that business should be."

  I inch a little closer to him.

  He sets his glass down but still avoids looking at me. "The girl I was dating at the time complained to me that none of the vibrators she bought gave her exactly what she wanted. I asked what she did want and, ah, she, um, told me in graphite---graphic detail."

  Is he blushing? No, it must be the lighting.

  Dane squirms, his mouth pinched. "Then she asked if I could make a vibrator for her, since I'm a mechanical engineer."

  "And did you make one for her?"

  He squirms again, and this time I'm sure he's blushing. "Yes. She...liked it. Things sort of mushroomed from there. Within three years, I had my own small factory near the chocolate-box village where I grew up. Online sales took off, especially after Chance's girlfriend started raving about my products on her website. She had a blog geared toward single women, and she often wrote about sex. I hadn't realized how popular her blog was until she recommended my devices to her fans."

  "What made you decide to merge your company with Bonsoir?"

  "Celeste convinced me it would be a smashing partnership. She also promised to make me an instant billionaire once the product line re-launches." He scratches the back of his neck, grimacing. "Not sure I want to be a billionaire. What would I do with all that money?"

  "Buy a small country?"

  He almost smiles, finally meeting my gaze. "Thank you for the suggestion, but I think I'll pass on that."

  "Just think, you could be King Dane of Dixonlandia." It should Hotlandia, but saying so would be unprofessional. "Doesn't every man want his own harem of adoring concubines?"

  Dane stares at me for several seconds, then his lips slide into a sexy grin and he chuckles.

  Holy cow, he smiled at me. And I was right. He is devastating when he smiles. And that throaty laugh... It makes me tingle all over.

  "I'll take your suggestion under advisement," he says. "I'm curious what your last PA job was."

  "For two years, I worked for a city councilman in Rhode Island. It was a tiny town, but we still had a city council."

  "Why did you leave that position?" He winces. "Sorry. Not my business, is it?"

  I shrug. "Doesn't bother me. I quit because the jerk sexually harassed me. He asked me to go to a conference with him, but it turned out he only took me along so he could come to my room late at night and try to get his grubby hands all over me."

  "That's awful. Did you call the police?"

  "No, he didn't do anything criminal. He got handsy, and I slugged him."

  Dane smiles again. "You can take care of yourself, can't you?"

  "Yep. I took self-defense classes and karate lessons." I cross my arms under my breasts and give him a teasing smile. "So you better not mess with me."

  "I wouldn't dare." He glances at my breasts, which I've inadvertently pushed up with my arms. "I hope you sued that bastard."

  "No, I didn't."

  "But Chance is a lawyer. Did you leave your job before Elena met him? I'm sure he would be happy to help."

  "I quit way before I ever met Elena or Chance. But I don't want to sue anybody. I just wanted a better job with a nicer boss." I tap a finger on his chest. "And I got one."

  He bows his head, clearing his throat. "I'm glad I'm better than a handsy councilman."

  "You definitely are."

  Dane lifts his head. "I don't remember seeing you at Chance and Elena's wedding, or at Reese and Arden's."

  "My appendix ruptured on the day before Elena and Chance's wedding. I spent the weekend in the hospital." I cross my legs, which draws Dane's attention. I swear I'm not trying to lure him into looking at my legs. It was a total accident. "As for Arden and Reese's wedding, my flight to England got canceled at the last minute because of a hurricane. I'd been visiting my parents in Sweden, and I couldn't get another flight until the next day, which meant I arrived just in time for the last half hour of the reception. So yeah, I missed the weddings of both my best friends."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Not your fault." I shrug. "They showed me the videos, so it was almost like I was there. We weren't really close yet at that point, anyway. I hadn't known them very long. These days we're three peas in a pod."

  Our food arrives, and we chat some more while we eat. Dane loosens up some and has an easier time talking to me. He tells me funny things his brothers have done---especially Reese, who seems to get into a lot of trouble. Since marrying Arden, he's settled down somewhat. Dane also te
lls me about the people who work in his factory back in England, how they're like family to him. I tell him the story of how Elena and I met. After the debacle with the handsy councilman, I'd taken a receptionist job at a dentist's office while I looked for another PA position. I wound up working one floor below Raisa Volkov & Associates, the law firm where Elena was a paralegal.

  Dane stops stammering during our lunch together. He smiles when he talks about his family, and when I talk about mine.

  He asks if I want dessert, but I say no.

  "I'm too stuffed," I say, laying a hand over my belly.

  "Elena and Arden didn't tell you, did they?"

  "Tell me what?"

  He almost smirks. "That to us Brits, getting stuffed means having sex."

  "Really? Huh. I'll have to watch what I say to you, won't I? Might get myself fired for sexual harassment when I'm just telling you I'm too full to eat anymore."

  He studies me, his blue eyes obscured by his glasses. "Rika is a lovely name, but I've never heard it before."

  "It's short for Fredrika, which is Swedish. My dad is from Sweden. He moved to America for college and wound up staying because he fell in love with my mom, who's American."

  "You said they live in Sweden now. Where exactly?"

  "Gothenburg, or Göteborg in Swedish. It's on the west coast. My dad got a job there five years ago."

  Dane pays the bill with cash, leaving a very generous tip, and we head for the front of the restaurant. When I see the dimly lit hallway that leads to the restrooms, I tell Dane I need to make a pit stop, then I go to the ladies' room.

  When I come out, Dane is standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall. When he sees me, he pushes away from the wall.

  I stop in front of him. "Ready to go?"

  "Not quite."

  He grasps my arms and backs me up to the wall, pressing his body into me, bending his head to get closer to my face. "One thing first."

  Dane's lips brush across mine, tempting me with the feather-light sensation, and his breaths tickle my skin. My lids flutter closed. The touch of his lips, the feel of his body, it all leaves me paralyzed in the best way. I flatten my palms on the wall while my fingers curl, scraping my nails over the surface. My breasts rub against his chest with every breath I struggle to take in, and my head grows light, my thoughts spiraling away from me. His entire body cages me to the wall while the bulge in his pants grows and stiffens, and an electrifying tingle of excitement shivers over my skin, raising goosebumps on my arms.