Ruthless Temptation

Chapter 1

PERCY’s POV

She’s coming back. That’s unexpected.

I lean backward in my leather chair and close my eyes, reliving memories of our one weekend together—pressing my weight against her, tugging on her long, coppery-brown hair, nibbling on her red-hot lips … and, so help me, hearing her moans.

When she focused on my pleasure and had me screaming her name the first time, Catalina smacked my ass. She followed that with a sassy explanation.

Her spunkiness is sexy as hell though.

Passion, smarts, and a little attitude—all wrapped in a picture-perfect package. I’m about to lose it remembering how that feisty woman fired me up.

A mischief-filled grin washes over my face as ideas swirl in my head, and a rising need grows elsewhere. If I have my way, she’ll be rocking my bed again very soon.

It doesn’t matter that we agreed there would be no repeats. We can change our minds. We’re adults. Why not make the most of the nights she’s here in New York ?

What harm can it do? Neither of us believes in commitments. It’s not as if walking away from each other again will be hard.

Enough of that. There’s no time for such distractions at work. I shouldn’t have let the news she’s on her way sidetrack me. That’s not the reason Brown called. I sit up, straighten my cuffs under my suit jacket, and hit play again.

Percy, mate, this is Brown. Sorry I missed you, but hopefully, this message will work. I need your help throwing a party for Annabel . I’m coming to New York while she’s your guest chef at Pinot & Pie. Her best friend, Catalina, is on her way to the Grand Athena to help with the celebration. Annabel and I will see you in three days. I’ll send an email with the details for the party. Thanks for your help, mate.

Shaking my head, I’m puzzled at how Annabel , or Anna as I know her, upended my best friend’s life so quickly. Brown, a confirmed bachelor and spare prince of Catalinius, turned into a lovesick puppy after meeting her at the Grand Athena about five months ago. But no worries, if he wants to throw a party for her at my hotel, I’ll make sure it’s spectacular. That’s what best friends do.

Besides, Brown isn’t the only one whose life drastically changed overnight due to unexpected events. Mine was turned upside down two years ago when my father collapsed on the casino floor. He never made it to the hospital. In that moment, I became the owner of the Grand Athena, one of the most luxurious hotels and casinos on the New York strip.

My father trained me for this life, but I never expected to lose him and take over the family business in my early thirties.

Now at thirty-five, as one of the most powerful men in New York , I’m a target. Everyone wants something from me, particularly women. But I won’t make Brown’s mistake of falling for one. Nope. I’m keeping my love life simple.

No commitments. No regrets. Only fun.

CATALINA’s POV

Brown’s words, “I need your help for Anna,” sent my heart racing and conjured a sense of foreboding. Something must be incredibly wrong for Brown to call me from Anna’s phone. Otherwise, she would call me herself.

After a full five minutes of reassuring me that my best friend was safe, Brown explained he didn’t know my number, so he grabbed Anna’s phone and snuck off to call me.

Okay, I overreacted a smidge, but not without justification. Who could blame me? Anna has a history of getting into dangerous predicaments. The last time I got a call when she was on an adventure, she’d been wrongly accused of murder and had almost been killed at a cooking competition.

But that’s another story.

As my pulse slowly returned to normal, Brown was still talking a mile a minute in his deep British accent. His excitement was contagious. He’d finally worked out a way to spend time with Anna while she’s in New York for the next six weeks.

By the end of the call, Brown’s plan was clear. Anna’s a lawyer, like me, but her dream of being a chef is finally coming true. Brown is determined to kick off her experience perfectly by throwing a party in her honor.

He needs my help planning it because he doesn’t trust Percy to manage the arrangements alone. Yes, he knows Percy has a hotel full of qualified staff to oversee the details, but Brown doesn’t want just any party.

He wants to make sure it’s specifically designed for Anna, so she’ll always remember it. He’s convinced that my unique insight as her best friend will ensure success.

Listening to him talk, I was in awe. It’s inconceivable to me that a man could exude such devotion to a woman. Clearly, Anna found a one-in-a-billion guy.

The next part of Brown’s arrangements took me by surprise though.

He and Anna arrive in New York in three days, and the party will be that first evening. He wants me to fly to New York tomorrow—yes, tomorrow—to work with Percy Harrison in person. He came up with this supposedly brilliant plan because he remembers that Percy and I “got along extremely well” when I was there the last time.

Brown has no idea just how well Percy and I got along.

While my best friend Anna was busy falling in love with a prince, unbeknownst to her, I slipped between the sheets with her prince’s best friend.

I couldn’t resist Percy’s tall, gym-hardened body, thick, blond hair laced with whiskey highlights, and intense, azure eyes. And his bad-boy smirk promised as much fun as I could handle.

Did he ever deliver!

My pulse is racing as I remember the way he played my body like a maestro conducting a symphony, bringing crescendo after crescendo. What a weekend!