Nash gave a heavy sigh as he dropped down in one of the patio chairs. "How in the world did you get together in the first place?"
"We had a client dinner." Kevin pulled out a chair opposite to sit as well. "Things went well, and after we secured the new account, I tossed out an invite for her to stay for a celebratory drink. It shocked the hell out of me when she said yes."
Shocked the hell out of him he'd even asked, but looking back, the invite had been sparked by a heightened sense of awareness from the second she entered the restaurant. Instead of her trademark, flawless cascade of straight, blond hair past her shoulders, she'd twisted surprisingly wavy strands into an understated, sexy bun at the nape of her neck with a few loose strands framing her face. A flowing, wine-red summer dress was decidedly more feminine than the cool, business suits and dresses she favored, and her smile had flashed in his direction without the usual frosty edge.
For years, he'd endured an electric current of attraction when near her, but that night, he'd seen a side of her he wouldn't have believed existed. She'd been softer. Warm even. The ice princess thawed as she let down her guard and actually talked to him like a real person instead of an adversary. They'd laughed and joked through one drink and then another, and later, they'd even danced to a couple of songs they both liked.
He might have fallen a bit in love with Fun Shanna that evening, only to have the next morning and the past month turn into pure hell with Prima Donna Shanna. Physically, he wanted her more than ever, but the walls between them now sported hazardous razor wire that cut both ways on a daily basis.
"Aw man." Nash sat forward in his chair. "Tell me this wasn't a drunk hook-up?"
"No. Of course not. We had a couple drinks, that's all."
His friend looked doubtful, and Kevin frowned. He had been slightly buzzed during the cab ride to her place, but that vanished the second her lips met his.
Sickening dread sank his stomach. Had she been drunk, and he hadn't realized it?
He ran a quick replay of the night in his head, searching for clues.
Desire simmered in his veins as the combination of the sultry sway of her body and her intoxicating, vanilla scent threatened to seduce all reason from his mind. While they danced, herculean effort kept his hands at the small of her back instead of slipping down to grip her shapely ass so he could pull her tight against his arousal.
As the slow song came to an end, he managed to step back from temptation and suggest they call it a night before one of them did something both of them would regret.
Outside, he offered a hand to help her into the back of the cab they'd agreed to share, but then she didn't pull away, even after he slid in beside her. Common sense and good intentions decided to walk home while he and Shanna took the faster ride to her place in the close confines of the back seat.
With her soft hand in his and her scent still tantalizing his senses, electrifying tingles spread up his arm and coalesced into an urgent throb in his groin. Sexual tension weighted the air with expectation, fueled by the heat of her thigh against his. One glance at her face and he was completely mesmerized by her languid brown gaze in the indirect light from the city lights outside the windows.
Her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips, and he bit back a groan as he focused on her mouth. A memory flickered in the background, sparking a smile as he murmured, "Hell must've frozen over."
"Must have."
The husky laugh that accompanied her response told him she also recalled their heated exchange the previous summer about hell freezing over before he'd ever consider kissing her. Foreplay. Years of foreplay had led to this moment, when he lifted his gaze back to hers and the blatant invitation in her eyes made his heart slam against his ribs. She flattened her palm against his chest, inducing another thud that echoed in his ears.
Cupping the side of her face, he slid his hand back to thread his fingers into the glorious waves of silky, golden hair she'd shaken free on the dance floor. "This is crazy, isn't it?"
"Yes," she confirmed without hesitation.
"I still want to."
She smiled and tilted her face up to his, her eyelids heavy with unconcealed desire.
"I need you to say you want this, too," he urged.
"I want this, too."
His heart hammered as he whispered, "You're sure?"
Her nod had been all the go-ahead he'd needed without giving it another thought-until now. However, he honestly didn't think she'd been drunk. Maybe buzzed like him, but certainly not drunk by the time they tumbled into her bed. And definitely not by the time she cried out his name as her second orgasm triggered his own climax deep inside her heat.
Kevin swallowed hard as he pushed the memories away.
"Have you two talked at all since then?"
Nash's question jolted him back to the conversation.
"I tried to bring it up once, but she shut me down. Said she doesn't rehash mistakes she doesn't intend to repeat."
"Ouch."
He shrugged off the renewed resentment the memory stirred. "Feeling's mutual. Which is why this camping trip is going to be a disaster."
Nash gave him a grimace of semi-apology, as if he wished there were something he could do about the upcoming week. "Sounds more like the perfect opportunity for you two to clear the air. Like adults."
Not an apology then. More like, Shut up and man up.
Clearly, his friend had no more sympathy for him than his boss.
Chapter 3
Monday morning, Shanna pulled her rented SUV into the new meeting location Nash had texted to her last night. She spotted Kevin waiting on the side of the Park & Ride lot off Highway 41. He sat on a blue cooler on the grass, a black ball cap shading his face, white T-shirt showing off his tan biceps and forearms, and olive green cargo shorts covering his muscled thighs.
Her pulse skipped, then raced at the sight of him, an annoying response that had only gotten worse after their one-night-stand. Somehow, she had to get her stupid heart to sync up with her mind.
As she braked to a stop, she frowned at the pile of stuff at his feet-or more like, lack thereof. He should've had a tent, sleeping bag, their camp stove and other cooking supplies.
Maybe something had changed?
God, she hoped so. A whole week having to pretend like their night together didn't haunt her night and day was going to be torture.
She put the car in park and stepped out into the August heat as he rose to his feet. Unfortunately, now she spotted a backpack and sleeping bag behind the cooler. Nothing had changed. Damn it.
"Where is the rest of your gear?" she asked.
He reached up to adjust his cap as he retorted, "Good morning to you, too."
She narrowed her gaze. "Seriously. Where's the gear?"
"I got all I need."
Selfish jackass. Irritation sparked as she thought about everything she'd purchased-and then some. Thank God she'd ignored the list and bought her own tent so she wouldn't have to share with him.
"What about what we need?"
"I figure you aren't going to last a day out in the woods." His hazel gaze swept down over her new red tank top, khaki shorts, socks, and hiking boots. "Maybe two tops, so we're good."
She gestured to his meager supplies. "With what you've got there, you're the one who won't last."
He smirked before turning to sling his backpack onto one shoulder. "A hundred bucks says I can last longer than you."
She wanted to tell him to go screw himself, but had a better idea instead. "You're on."
Surprise flickered in his expression as he faced her, his fingers wrapped around the strap on his shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Hell yeah. But I say we make this more interesting than a measly hundred bucks."
"Name the amount."
"I'm not talking about money."
Wariness flickered in his gaze. "Then what?"
"Whoever cries uncle first quits." Her chest tightened at the idea of not seeing him again, but she couldn't go on like this anymore anyway, so what would it matter? And honestly, she might just be testing him, too-not that she really wanted to admit that.
He gave her a look like maybe the summer heat was messing with her head. "That's literally what crying uncle means."
"I mean quit NWR Investments. As in the loser leaves the company … for good."
"Oh." The clarification drew his eyebrows down in a frown. "That's extreme. And not really fair to Nash."
She planted her hands on her hips. "Nash threatened to fire us both if we didn't do this dumbass challenge of his, so who cares if it's fair to him?"
His lips twisted as if he wasn't sure he agreed with her, but couldn't really argue, either.
When he didn't respond, she arched an eyebrow. "Scared you'll lose?"
"Of course not."
"Well, then if you're so sure I won't last, what do you have to lose? Look at it as your chance to be rid of me."
Did he hate her enough to accept the wager and risk having to leave his job?
His gaze met hers for a brief second, then shifted away. Her pulse skipped at the indecision in his expression.
Finally, he dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Good point. All right then. Whoever quits has to quit NWR."
Yes, he hated her that much.
Well, don't ask questions you don't want the answer to.