LITMIR.BIZ

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looking way too serious when it was clear his mother desperately wanted him to relax and enjoy himself, away from work and obligations. Playing and having a good time was something Nicole knew how to do with flair. Having fun with Mitch, tempting and teasing him and driving him to distraction on a private island away from prying eyes, suddenly held a whole lot of appeal.

      “Aw, come on, Mitchell,” she cajoled in a sultry tone of voice that snared his attention and made him lift an inquiring brow her way. “Sounds like fun, don’t you think?” Slipping off her sandal, she slid her bare foot beneath the hem of his pant leg and rubbed his muscled calf with her toes, teasing him. “Or maybe you’re worried you’ll come in second against me in competition.”

      The unmistakable dare hung between them. His gaze narrowed with a distinct but discreet message only she could decipher: she was playing with fire. In more ways than one. In her estimation there was nothing wrong with playing with his brand of sensual heat when she had no intention of getting close enough to the flame to get burned.

      Yet scorch her he did when he caught the underside of her knee with his long, warm fingers before she could move her leg away. A sizzling spark ignited and flared upward. She intercepted a startled gasp before it had the chance to escape her throat, then had to swallow a groan of pleasure when he grazed the smooth flesh in the ultrasensitive curve behind her knee. With Mitch’s help, she’d just discovered an erogenous zone she never knew existed.

      And the wholly satisfied gleam in the depth of his golden-brown eyes told her he knew exactly what he was doing to her. Knew that with just a bit more pressure in the right place, she’d be putty in his hands.

      She was beginning to realize what a formidable opponent Mitch was when provoked. She had no choice but to silently endure his blatant caresses and her body’s feverish response to his touch or risk a scuffle under the table that would bring too much unwanted attention to their private battle of wills. So, with concentrated effort, she remained outwardly unruffled—a talent she’d perfected at a very early age—and waited for him to acknowledge her deliberate challenge.

      He didn’t disappoint her. “The very last thing I’m worried about is coming in second to you,” he replied with a slow, lazy grin infused with a potent amount of confidence. With one last brush of his thumb against that arousing spot behind her knee—a soft stroke as tantalizing as a whispered promise of more to come—he released her quivering leg and shifted his gaze back to his mother.

      “I’ll do it,” he announced in a steadier voice than she would have been able to summon at the moment. “Count me in on the vacation and the contest.”

      Joyce clapped her hands together in pure delight. “That’s wonderful! Isn’t that wonderful, Rhea?”

      “Most definitely,” Rhea agreed with an exuberant nod of her head. “We’ve arranged your flights so that the two of you will arrive on the island separately. Now, you need to remember to play the game like the rest of the contestants. You start off as strangers before pairing up for the charity event and competitions—”

      “What do we need to pair up for?” Nicole interrupted, wondering if she’d missed an important part of the conversation while she’d been perusing the brochure and thinking about her own personal fantasy.

      Her mother looked at her as if the answer to her question was obvious, but explained anyway. “The two of you are going to be a team.”

      “A team?” she echoed in confusion.

      “Yes. According to the rules, single couples pair up as a team, and each person in the team wins half the prize money for their chosen charity. Obviously, the two of you together will increase our chances of winning the entire one hundred thousand dollars.”

      Of course. Nicole blinked, unable to argue with her mother’s logic, even as she realized her mistake in believing that she and Mitch would be competing against one another. According to their mothers’ plan, she and Mitch would be partners—a couple—and would have to rely on one another and their combined skills to win.

      “It’s all or nothing, Nicole. What do you say?” Mitch’s deep, rich voice penetrated her thoughts, an indisputable dare in his tone this time.

      All or nothing. The thought of spending one entire week in the constant company of Mitch Lassiter threw her off balance and caused a slow simmer in the pit of her belly. But there was no way she’d renege on her promise to her mother.

      She summoned a bit of sass and attitude, just enough to boost her own confidence and resurrect personal boundaries between her and Mitch. “I say I hope you can keep up with me and don’t slow me down during the events.”

      His answering grin assured her that he’d have no problem at all keeping up with her pace. “That’s the last thing you’ll have to worry about.”

      He was right. She was more worried about their attraction, and spending a week alone with him.

      2

      “LET’S SEE…” The overly voluptuous redhead in tight pink spandex licked her lips as her gaze raked up and down the length of Mitch’s body. “If I had to take a guess I’d say that you’re the male exotic dancer.”

      Mitch winced inwardly, having been pegged as a “stripper” by three different women in the span of half an hour. “No, I’m an auto broker.”

      “What a waste of a great body.” The woman with “Rita” written on her name tag shook her head, obviously disappointed that he didn’t take his clothes off for a living.

      She glanced down at the paper in her hand once more, consulting the list of hobbies and individual interests each person on Wild Fantasy had contributed in order to participate in that evening’s “singles’ mixer.” The event was a getting-to-know-you icebreaker to get everyone better acquainted with participants of the opposite sex before selecting their weeklong partner at the end of the night. If it wasn’t for the fact that Mitch was assured Nicole as a partner, he might have changed his mind about this whole fantasy and charity business. The singles scene had never been his thing, and he’d yet to meet a woman he had any desire to spend an evening with, let alone an entire week.

      So far, his experience on Wild Fantasy was proving not only to be interesting and surprisingly relaxing, but amusing as well. Other than being sized-up as a potential partner and possible plaything for the week, he was enjoying the luxuries offered by the resort and the fun, laid-back atmosphere of the island. He hadn’t known just how badly he’d needed a vacation until the moment he’d stepped off the commuter plane and the tranquility and hospitality of the island had enveloped him.

      He’d arrived earlier that day on a separate flight from Nicole. He’d spent the afternoon unpacking then walking the grounds, taking in the lush beauty of the island and familiarizing himself with the fabulous amenities included in his vacation package, a vacation that was his own private fantasy. One that had been incredibly easy to put into writing once he’d agreed to this spontaneous getaway.

      He was going to thoroughly enjoy this week away from business and the real world. Leaving responsibilities and obligations in the hands of his younger brother had been extremely difficult to do after eight years of holding tight to the reins of Executive Fleet Auto Sales, but Mitch was determined to embrace a whole lot of fun, pleasure and all the potential this incredibly sensual island had to offer. He’d become used to taking care of everything and everyone else, but now he was going to do something for himself for a change, without an ounce of guilt or worry to hamper the experience.

      And his decision to enjoy himself included finally discovering if the strong chemistry between him and Nicole could be taken any further than the flirting they’d engaged in for much too long. He’d refrained from asking her out on a date a few years ago, but this vacation afforded him a chance to make up for that regret, as well as the opportunity to pursue Nicole at his own leisure and in his own way.

      All or nothing. Mitch had meant what he’d said, in more ways than just giving one hundred percent to

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