The Attraction

Chapter 1

HARPER

I can’t believe my life right now.

When my best friend Felisha asked me to be part of her plan to keep her relationship with Flynn Taylor a secret, of course I jumped on board straight away.

I’d do anything for this woman!

We have had each other’s backs since we met at the age of seven. I had moved from America to London and didn’t know a soul. But this confident little girl walked over to me on my first day of school and took my hand, telling me to sit with her, and the rest is history. And although she is now my boss, it has never affected our friendship.

Hiding that there was more to her relationship than just sleeping with Flynn involved moving into a temporary apartment in the same building as Flynn’s brother Forrest. That way she could say she was visiting me, and Flynn was visiting his brother. It was Forrest’s idea, and I’d like to read more into it, that he wanted the chance to be near me, but I probably shouldn’t. I mean, he is hot, broody, and way too sensible for me, but it sounded like fun because it was supposed to be temporary, which is just how I like my men, to be the perfect one-night stand.

Part of the ruse was that we’d renovate the bathroom in my apartment to have a reason for me to move out of my home. But of course, nothing ever goes to plan. There have been problems with the plumbing and then the rot they found in the walls when everything was stripped out. At first, I was frustrated, but instead, Felisha made me look for the positive. Which was to do a bigger renovation of my whole apartment, although there was nothing wrong with it, except for the bathroom apparently. A change is as good as a holiday, they say. That’s the thing when you have money, I tend to spend it on the unnecessary things, just because I can.

My workdays are fast becoming so intense since Felisha took over the company from her father, and feeling like I don’t have a single moment to breathe, I decide it’s a perfect time to put a full apartment renovation into the mix? I mean, being Felisha’s second-in-charge of her boutique hotel and property business is something we have talked about since she hired me straight out of university to work as her assistant, but I always told her that she didn’t have to promote me to that position when she became the big boss. To which she would just roll her eyes at me and reply, “Who else can read my mind and put up with me like you do?” And she’s right.

I’m sitting in my office tonight, still trying to finish off a few emails that need to go out before I leave and then make some decisions on tiles for the foyer, paint color for my bedroom, and the carpet for my walk-in closet. My brain is on overload and that is not like me. Even hiring an interior designer doesn’t take away all the decisions that need to be made, and to be honest, I’m a perfectionist, so I want the final say on everything. After all, this is my home, and I want to love every single part of it. I don’t want to be sitting there at night after the renovation is complete, looking at the little details that annoy me because I didn’t take the time to fix them in the first place.

My office door opens, and Felisha’s head pops around the corner of it.

Life has been so much better for her now that her and Flynn’s relationship is out in the open. It was an awful time when it all happened and the blow-up with her father, but now she is getting the chance to live a somewhat normal life with Flynn.

“I’m heading off now. Flynn is on his way to pick me up, and we are heading out for a late dinner. Want to join us?” Her dark hair hangs loose, and even though she’s probably as tired as I am, she still looks stunning.

Although I’m tempted because I could really use a drink tonight, there is too much to sort out for my apartment, and I don’t want to be that annoying client who holds up the project because she can’t decide if the paint on the wall in the powder room should be sandstone or seashell color. I mean, most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but that’s not the point.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to cramp your style. Third-wheeling is not much fun,” I say, laughing as I continue to type. I make it sound like it’s a joke, but there is part of me that is still mourning the loss of our close friendship. It’s not like we aren’t still close, but I’m no longer the most important person in her life, and for a good reason. She is with a man who loves her deeply. But still, it hurts and is taking some adjusting. And to be honest, I really need to get over this because I don’t plan on ever settling down with a man, so I will always be the third wheel.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You know it’s not like that at all. Come on, you need to eat.” And I can see the look in her eyes that she knows I’m still struggling a bit with the change of dynamics, but neither of us are talking out loud about it.

“Yeah, yeah, thanks anyway, but I really need to do some work at home for the renovation, so I’ll just order food in. That way I can be sitting in my comfy clothes as I drive myself insane making decisions. Who knew that a simple bathroom renovation would turn into a whole apartment makeover?” I throw my hands in the air and shrug.

“Well, it didn’t have to, but you chose to go the whole way—maybe with a little help from me—but you can’t tell me you aren’t excited to see the end result, even though you complain constantly about it.” Felisha laughs at me, to which I pick up a pen and throw it at her across my office.

“I hate it when you are so right. Now go meet your man and have a nice dinner. See you in the morning after I meet the designer at the apartment.” I smile at her as she waves and walks out of the office, laughing to herself and yelling out goodbye as my door is closing.

Seriously, I love that woman, but I need to learn to detach a little, otherwise I’m going to be the sad pathetic friend in the corner while Felisha continues to find happiness in her life.

It’s been a whole two weeks since I’ve been with a man. Maybe that would help solve my sadness. Because with Felisha spending so much time with Flynn, it kind of feels like a slow break-up between her and me, even though we will never be apart as friends, just spending less time together. Now, they say a good way to ease the pain of a break-up is to get laid, which sounds like a good idea to me.

It’s about all men are useful for. Fantastic sex, and then I keep them at a distance!

Especially considering the trauma of what my father put my family through when he ran off and left us broke and alone. We had no father, husband, and income earner. My mother was a total mess, with no money, no house to live in, and three daughters who were so confused how the father they loved and trusted had done this to them. His actions burned me for life.

I will never trust another man.

Which is why I know I won’t ever settle down in a relationship.

So therefore, I’m resigned to the fact I won’t be a mother either. I know that I could do the IVF way or adopt, but at the moment, I’m happy just being on my own and loving my career and the life I lead.

I have two sisters who are younger than me, at thirty-nine. Amanda who is thirty-three and has a long-term boyfriend who I’m pretty sure is getting close to proposing to her. And then there is Rachel who is my baby sister and only twenty-eight. She just came out of a six-month relationship and is happily playing the field and living her best life again. Both of them were a lot younger than I was when Dad left and don’t seem to have the hang-ups I have about men, and I’m glad.

I was just finishing my business degree at university when the stocks that my father had invested his clients’ money in, as well as our family savings, all started crashing, and he lost the lot. Instead of being a man and facing up to what he had done, he ran back to the United States and left Mum to face the mess. Luckily Felisha’s mum Ivy moved us into one of her many properties, and I went to work for Felisha and supported the family until Mum could stand on her own again.

It took a few years, and the stress I felt was enormous. But the important thing was that my sisters could continue to go to school and just push the whole sadness of losing their father aside. They had no idea about our financial situation and how at times we were close to the poverty line, but then Ivy and Felisha would turn up with all these clothes that they were getting rid of and thought we might like, but funnily enough, they still had tags on them and were all in the perfect sizes for all four of us, even though we were different shapes. Or a random grocery delivery would arrive at the apartment. And the fictitious work bonuses that I received from Kentwall Estates that just appeared in my bank account. I wanted to give them back, but to be honest, I desperately needed them to pay school fees. Just a pure coincidence they arrived about a week before the fees were due each term. Ivy constantly had a spare ticket to charity events that she insisted my mother accompany her to, which was a way of making my mum face the shame she felt of what my dad had done and to remind herself it wasn’t her who had done wrong. It helped to get her over it all quickly, because as always, it didn’t take long for the London socialite scene to move on to another scandal, and my father was then old news.

My mother Lori and Ivy became so close during these years and now are best of friends, just like their daughters. I struggle to show emotion, and I think it’s because during that time, I shut myself off to deal with the pain of betrayal and abandonment. But on one of the rare occasions that I let my walls down, I broke down and cried with Felisha, thanking her for everything she did to help my family survive all those years ago.

Pushing all these thoughts of sorrow from my mind, I get back into finishing off the work emails I need to finalize tonight so I can get out of here.

At the same time, my stomach lets me know it’s hungry after listening to Felisha talk about dinner.

Hitting the send button on the last one, it doesn’t take me long to shut down my computer, grab my bag, and head out of my office, which used to be Felisha’s before she took over her father’s position as CEO. It felt weird taking over her desk, but it hasn’t taken long for me to adapt to it, and now it feels like home. Because let’s be honest, we spend more time at work than we do at home. So, with a few of my own personal touches, it’s my new home away from home.

Heading out through the reception area to the elevator, I see Sandon Bock, our head of security, talking to the guard who is on night shift. A necessary evil we have to put up with since Felisha’s father, Ewan Kentwall, was asked to leave, and not in a good way. Felisha had to bare her soul and reveal that her father had been selling off pieces of the company to cover his gambling debts and then remove him from the board. Needless to say, he didn’t take it well. Since then, it was decided to increase security to keep everyone safe and mitigate any risk.

“Evening, gentlemen,” I say, giving them a smile as Geoffrey, the guard, presses the down button to call the elevator for me.

“Burning the midnight oil again, I see, Harper,” Sandon says as he steps up next to me.

“Pot calling the kettle black, from the man who is also still in the office.” But truth be known, his job is twenty-four seven. Keeping everyone safe is a never-ending job, even when we are sleeping. Although Felisha does compensate him well for that inconvenience.

“Fair point. You’re heading home then?” he asks as the doors to the elevator open and we both step in, one after the other.

“If any other man asked me that question in this office, I wouldn’t tell them the truth, but it’s you, and let’s be honest, you’re the one man who probably knows more about me than I do, so the answer is yes, I am, thank goodness. It’s been a long day, and I still have plenty to do once I get there. How about you?” I ask, throwing my bag up onto my shoulder, and leaning back against the wall.

“I wish I was heading home, but unfortunately, I need to meet with Remington over at the Darby Hotels office so we can run over Felisha and Flynn’s combined schedules over the next few months. So far, we have managed not to tread on each other’s toes with our jobs of protecting our bosses, but I just want to make sure it continues that way. Who would have thought that we would be working so closely and amicably with our biggest competitor in the hotel industry. How life takes funny twists and turns.” He rolls his eyes at me.

I do feel for Sandon because it can’t be easy to manage the union of two such powerful and wealthy people who, during work hours, are in different companies, but out of work hours, they are together all the time. Who is responsible for their protection then? Who calls the shots when and if shit gets real?

To be honest, I have no doubt it would be Flynn calling the shots and both Remington and Sandon falling in line behind him. That man is so in love with Felisha that he is so protective of her, which I kind of respect. I haven’t ever seen that before. Not from my gutless father and certainly not from Ewan, Felisha’s father, who Ivy divorced when we were away at boarding school. He was a douchebag, and that’s being polite.

“Sounds like fun. I hope he is at least providing dinner.” Remington is a great guy, and over the last few months, I have actually seen a hint of what decent men are like. When Felisha and Flynn’s whole sex tape scandal erupted all over the internet and we found out who was responsible, Flynn’s boss and best friend Nic, Rem, and Flynn’s brother Forrest all stepped up to have Felisha’s back. Even though she was their competitor, they didn’t care and closed ranks around her. Since then, we have all spent many nights out together as a group, and the more I get to know them, they treat me as one of the group, and Flynn has almost adopted me as the sister he never had.

Even though I’m just an extra because of Felisha, deep down I feel like for the first time, this is a group of men who would have my back too if I ever needed it. It’s a strange feeling and not one I ever expected after I have built my resistance so hard not to accept help from any man. I’m still not sure I would take their help, but it’s nice to know that it’s a possibility if shit ever got real.

“No, it’s my turn to buy dinner, so I’m picking up pizza on the way, and not that you heard it from me, but maybe a few beers to wash it down with.” Sandon’s voice breaks into my thoughts about my new life that is being created around me. Even more special is the friendship I have with Nic’s wife Tori, Rem’s wife Elouise, and Rem’s friend Cherie who is one kickass woman. We are all different ages and come from vastly different backgrounds, yet we are like our own little mixed bag of beauty and fun.

“My lips are sealed. What the boss doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” Both of us start laughing, knowing Felisha couldn’t care less.

As we reach the underground parking, Sandon moves as the door opens and waves his arm to offer me to leave before him like a gentleman.

“Tell Rem I said hi, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” I walk toward my sleek dark green Audi A5 Cabriolet convertible parked in the spot next to the one marked for the CEO of Kentwall Enterprises. It still seems surreal to see that as Felisha’s title now.

Knowing that Sandon is standing watching me and won’t get into his car until I’m safely reversing out of my spot in mine, I don’t waste time so he can get moving too.

Driving to my temporary apartment, I decide I can’t be bothered to pick up some dinner and I’ll just make a protein shake and that will do. I literally don’t have the energy to cook anything.

If there is one bonus to leaving the office late, it’s that the traffic isn’t as bad through the streets of London. So, it takes me no time at all to be pulling into the underground garage and parking in my spot. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I turned the car off, and the energy I need to get out and head up in the elevator seems like a lot.

Looking across the garage, I notice Forrest’s car is already in his spot and he has beat me home from work. Although after hearing about his home office set-up, he is probably still working, checking on his investments on the overseas stock markets that are now open for the day.

Being the chief financial officer for Darby Hotels and also managing all the investment portfolios for Flynn, Nic, and Remington, I can imagine his job is full-on. He is such a serious man and likes to play everything by the rules, and I’m not sure what else he has in his life apart from work.

But holy shit, is he hot or what.

Not like your average hot guy, but the kind of guy that makes your legs squeeze together and your nipples stand up and say hello when he looks at you with that stupid broody look.

No other man has ever made my body react like he does, and that is saying something, because over the years, I have been with a few powerful men like him—including royalty in this country. And let me assure you, that guy was great in bed, but there is no way I would want to live a life in the spotlight like they do. It’s bad enough in our world of high-society living that the paparazzi love to post click bait articles about us just to sell stories. Poor Felisha has it far worse than me, but there are times I get caught up in it and my name is splashed across the internet. The royal encounter was one of them, of course.

From the first moment I mentioned I wanted to test the waters with Forrest for a night of fun, Felisha forbade me from going anywhere near him. Being the brother of her now fiancé apparently makes him off limits. As a woman who is about to turn forty, I don’t feel like I have to answer to anyone… but for her, I’ll try to stay away.

I said try.

That’s not a promise!