New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Beautiful and Wild Seasons series hook up in Beautiful Secret for an erotic intercontinental romp that celebrates the best of both worlds!
When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.
Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?
A silence fell over the table as
everyone turned to watch Ruby leave the bar and head upstairs to bed. She had been
utterly charming throughout dinner, and the group had groaned in unison when she’d
excused herself because of our early morning. I, too, had been quite sad to see
her go.
“Well, well.”
I looked up to see my brother’s smug
expression.
“Now that we’re alone,” Will began, “I
think we can all agree to drop any pretense that we’re not ruined for civilized
conversation, yes?” Each of them nodded in agreement and beside me, his glass
now refilled, Will raised his tumbler to take a small swallow of scotch. “I
also think we can all agree Bennett will be an important consultant on this
case.”
Max snickered.
“The conference?” I asked, confused.
“It’s an all-too-common predicament,”
Bennett added dryly. “Knockout intern. Boss in denial. I’ll draft up a step-by-step
plan of containment.”
I blinked, swallowing thickly as I
realized what they meant. “She’s not my intern. I have absolutely no say
in her career.” I shook my head, frustrated because it was exactly the wrong
thing to say. “I’m not . . . that is to say, she’s not interested. Nor I.”
All four men laughed.
“Niall,” Will said, leaning his elbows
on his knees. “She nearly dropped her drink in your lap when George asked if she
was interested in anyone.”
“Was going to say the same thing,”
Bennett said.
“And something tells me she’d be first
to volunteer to clean it up,” Will added.
“Well, maybe that’s because she’s
interested in someone who works with us at R-C.”
“Yeah. You.” Max lifted his glass
and finished the last of the amber liquid.
“Sincerely,” I said, fighting a smile.
“She’s a fantastic girl, but she’s certainly not a romantic option for me.”
Tilting his head, Bennett asked, “What
color are her eyes?”
Green, I didn’t say.
I shook my head as if I didn’t know.
“What was she wearing?” Will asked.
A blue dress that hit just above her
knee,
I didn’t say. A delicate gold chain around her neck and a ring on her right ring
finger that I had to resist asking her about until George bulldozed in and
asked about a boyfriend.
I rolled my eyes, and my brother laughed
again, this time pointing his drink at me. “Blokes don’t notice these things unless
they’re interested.”
“Or George,” Will added, and George
reached over to grab the back of his neck and try to pull him in for a kiss.
“Well, it’s apparent I needn’t think on
this any further,”
I said. “You’ve all decided for me.”
“It’s what we do,” Will said, adjusting
the skewed collar of his shirt as he settled back into his chair. “It’s a
sickness, we know.”
“I thought we’d lost that muscle,
honestly,” George said.
“It’s a relief to know we still have it
in us. The ladies will be so proud.” Max rapped his knuckles on the table as he
made to stand. “Alas, I’d best be off. New routine: Sara gets the baby to
sleep; I do the midnight bottle feeding.”
“Finally taking a bottle from you then?
Guess you smell like a woman, too,” I said to Max, reminding him of the little dig
he’d thrown my way on my last visit.
Max laughed and patted me on the back,
and we all stood, a silent agreement in place that we were ready to call it a
night. I watched my brother gather his things and say his goodbyes, feeling the
same mix of pride and longing for what he was headed home to: a wife, a
daughter. A proper home.
“Kiss the girls for me,” I requested as
he made his way out of the bar. He waved a hand, retreating, and then
disappeared from view.
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