Guilty Pleasures Read online

  Months later, Zachary and his new bride had moved, with his pursuing the dreams that had eventually made him a household name in the sporting world. The distance between him and his family had only been rivaled by the miles from Colorado to Thailand. Too many years had passed since then. And now someone was saying Zachary was coming back, intent on thrusting himself into Alexander’s life.

  Alexander shook the thoughts from his head as he focused his attention on the crowd that was beginning to gather in the mezzanine for the ceremony. Colorado’s elite, his former teammates, professional and amateur athletes across multiple sports fields, family and friends had all come to support him. The magnitude of that was overwhelming.

  His eyes were suddenly drawn to a young Asian woman who stood alone, her hands folded pristinely in front of her. She was a beauty with a head of dark, lush waves that fell to her midback. Her complexion was a few shades warmer than French vanilla, and her cheeks were flushed a pale shade of summer peach. She was petite in stature, and he was suddenly reminded of the tiny Mothra fairies from the classic Godzilla movies. But she exuded an air of attitude that made him think what seemed like timidity actually belied her true strength. As if she sensed him staring, she suddenly lifted her eyes, their gazes connecting. She stared, appraising him from head to toe, and when it seemed as if he’d passed her approval, she smiled, the wealth of it shimmering in her dark stare. Alexander felt himself smiling back, his own grin running from ear to ear. Feeling slightly foolish and a tad offsides, he tossed a look over his shoulder and around the room to ensure no one had been watching, and when he did, she laughed.

  His curiosity was further piqued when his human resources director moved to her side. There was just a brief moment before she pulled her gaze from his, allowing herself to be drawn into conversation. The two stood engaged for a good few minutes before she finally shook the man’s hand and moved off in the opposite direction. Before disappearing, she tossed Alexander one last look over her shoulder, that beautiful smile still lighting up her face.

  Intrigued, Alexander took the stairs to the lower level, moving to Dan Winter’s side. Tall and buff with a sun-kissed complexion, Dan was a walking advertisement for high-end tanning products. Dan had been a point guard for the Denver Nuggets, and they’d played ball together, both their careers starting at the same time. The two men had been good friends for years. Dan had supported his business venture from the beginning, when Alexander had first voiced the idea.

  Dan grinned, his smile spreading from ear to ear as the two bumped shoulders. “You ready to do this, big guy?”

  Alexander nodded, his own bright smile filling his face. “I don’t think I’ve been this nervous since the NBA draft.”

  Dan laughed. “Well, you’re in the driver’s seat this time. No waiting for a phone call to announce your future. This time you make all the calls.”

  Alexander blew a heavy sigh as he nodded his head. He changed the subject. “Who was your friend?”

  For a brief moment Dan looked confused, his eyes skating back and forth. “My friend?”

  “The beautiful woman you were just talking to,” Alexander answered, his eyes shifting down the hallway, where she’d disappeared into the restroom.

  Dan nodded, understanding washing over his expression. “Actually, she’s one of our new hires,” he said as he passed Alexander a copy of the woman’s résumé from the folder he held in his hand. “Her name’s Sarai Montri. Doctor Sarai Montri. She’s a former Miss Thailand with a doctorate in exercise physiology. She is also a licensed sports therapist and certified clinical nutritionist. She comes with impeccable references. In fact, she has serious managerial skills. I’d like to put her in the office but she wants to train and work with clients. I think she’ll be a great asset to the organization.”

  Alexander scanned the document briefly before passing it back to his friend. “Damn!” he said, shaking his head.

  Dan laughed. “She caught your eye, huh?”

  Alexander laughed with him. “She did, but now that I know she’s an employee I can’t go there. Or at least I shouldn’t go there!” he said with a deep chuckle.

  Dan shook his head. “No, you got it right the first time. You can’t go there. I would hate for it to get messy after you do a hit and run. First, there’s a charge of sexual harassment, then a lot of bad press that makes all us athletes look bad, and then we have to pay her off. And no telling what kind of impact that will have on that squeaky-clean reputation you like to think you have.”

  A smirk crossed Alexander’s face. “Think? I know I have a squeaky-clean reputation. I don’t do those kinds of things.”

  “That’s a lie!” Dan exclaimed. “I already know about you and the brunette working the food counter.”

  Alexander’s eyes widened. “I did not hit that. I swear I didn’t!” he said, laughing heartily.

  “Well, you did something.”

  “It’s more like what she did to me!” Alexander laughed again. “And that was before she got hired. I’ve known her since her days at the Men’s Wearhouse. She fitted me for a few suits back in the day.”

  Dan’s head was still waving from side to side as he chuckled under his breath. “Well, I know something happened the way she and the other women around here keep whispering every time you walk into a room.”

  “Are you sure they’re not whispering about you? I didn’t do a Colgate commercial, Mr. Man with the Beautiful Smile!”

  The two men snickered as only two good friends could do.

  Alexander blew a soft sigh. “So, where did you find Dr. Montri?” he asked, curiosity still pulling at him.

  “Your father put her in touch with me.”

  “My father? How does my father know . . . ?”

  A rumble of excitement vibrating through the room suddenly stalled Alexander’s question. The crowd was jumping with elation, a current of exhilaration sweeping through the space. Women and children screamed, and loud cheers and applause erupted. It started in the parking lot and was rushing with a vengeance into the building. Both men turned at the same time to see what all the commotion was about.

  Shock registered on Alexander’s face as Zachary “The Hammer” Barrett stepped through the front doors, his arms outstretched as he high-fived the crowd of spectators. The consummate professional, Zachary looked every bit the high-profile athletic machine he professed to be. His shoulders and chest were broad, his hands massive. With his daunting height and size, it wasn’t hard to imagine the damage he could inflict on an opponent in the ring. His shoulder-length dreadlocks were pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his thick neck. He wore black denim jeans, a black silk T-shirt, and black Timberlands. His fashion sense was stealth mode with a boatload of GQ attitude. His gaze swept through the space until he caught sight of his brother. He pointed an index finger at his twin, then respectfully clapped his palms together in admiration.

  As he locked gazes with his brother, Alexander felt himself tense, his fists clenched tightly to his body. His gaze narrowed. He struggled to maintain his welcoming expression, suddenly aware of everyone staring at him. This wasn’t how he’d ever imagined he and his brother reuniting. How he was feeling wasn’t the expression he wanted showing up in photographs in the blogosphere. Without his realizing, his father had suddenly returned to his side, slapping him against the back. Joy painted the old man’s expression, his own excitement palpable.

  “Surprise, son!” Westley exclaimed. “Surprise!”

  Alexander shot his father a look. “You knew about this?”

  The old man grinned. “We wanted to surprise you. Your brother needs to get ready for his next fight and he needed to focus, so I told him to come home. I told him you would help him out.”

  “You didn’t think that was something you needed to speak with me about first? What if I don’t want to help him?”

  His father bristled. “Don’t start. That’s your brother,” Westley quipped.

  His expression was stern, and
Alexander suddenly felt like he was six years old again. He heaved a heavy sigh. His stepmother swept in before either man could comment further.

  The matriarch jumped excitedly, grabbing both men by their arms. “Isn’t this wonderful!” she exclaimed. “All my boys together again. Ain’t God good!”

  Chapter Two

  Minutes after cutting the ribbon and officially welcoming everyone to Champs, Alexander had turned abruptly, moved quickly toward his office. The crowd was still fawning over his brother, everyone’s attention diverted long enough for him to make a quick getaway. Not at all impressed with their father’s revelation, he needed to find a quiet corner to gather his thoughts.

  As he rounded the corner to his office door, he suddenly came face-to-face with the beautiful woman from earlier. Surprise registered across his face, the emotion quickly shifting into anticipation. Sarai Montri stood alone, her cell phone pulled to her ear. He stopped short as their gazes locked for the second time, the woman eyeing him intently.

  Sarai was surprised, the nearness of Alexander Barrett unexpected. She would have thought that he would have been out in the crowd with his brother, their excitement to have both men in the same room palpable. She couldn’t remember ever being in a space with energy so intense. With everyone’s attention focused on the twins, she’d stolen away to return a few phone calls. She’d been listening to her voice mail, hoping that her own family had acknowledged her earlier message that she’d arrived safe and sound in Colorado without mishap. As Alexander stood staring at her, she deleted the few messages that had come in, then dropped the phone back into her purse.

  “Mr. Barrett, hello!”

  He smiled back. “Hello! You’re the new hire, right? How are you?”

  “Very well, thank you.” She extended her hand. “My name’s Sarai. Sarai Montri.”

  Her hand disappeared beneath his thick fingers. His touch was firm and heated, a nice contrast to her own gentle caress. They both felt a mild quiver of energy shift between them.

  Alexander took a deep breath to stall the sudden sensation sweeping up his spine as he squeezed her hand gently. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Montri.”

  She shook her head, her smile still bright. “Please, call me Sarai. It’s pronounced Suh-rye. Suh-rye Mon-tree.”

  “My bad,” he said with a nod. “It’s a beautiful name. I won’t mispronounce it again.”

  She widened her smile, awed as he continued to hold her hand in his. “I’m very excited to be a part of your team. I look forward to working with you,” she said softly. There was a warm lilt to her voice, the lyrical timbre soothing to his ear. She had just enough of an inflection in her tone for him to question her origins.

  “May I ask where you hail from?” he asked. “You have a beautiful accent.”

  “It’s actually a perverted version of Siamese and French!” she said with a soft chuckle.

  Alexander looked confused.

  “I was born in Thailand and I went to secondary school in France,” Sarai explained. “English is actually my third language.”

  Alexander was grinning from ear to ear. “Well, I’m glad you found your way to Boulder. My HR director spoke quite highly of you.”

  “He was very nice. And I truly appreciate this opportunity.”

  “Were you really a beauty queen?” he asked.

  She laughed, nodding slightly. “I was, but please don’t hold that against me.”

  He laughed with her. “I won’t. I promise.”

  She slowly pulled her hand from his, her palm becoming damp with perspiration. The disconnection was slightly disconcerting. Both stood staring, suddenly at a loss for words as they were reflecting on the rise of tension that billowed between them.

  A loud cheer suddenly echoed from the main lobby, the crowd no doubt still excited by something his brother was either doing or saying. For a brief second Alexander imagined the performance Zachary had to be giving, remembering how he was always ready to please an audience. Sarai seemed to read his thoughts, the expression across his face telling.

  “Your brother is quite the character. Everybody loves him,” she said.

  Not everybody, Alexander thought to himself as he shrugged. He nodded slightly as he reached around her to open his office door. “Please, come talk to me,” he said, choosing to ignore her comment about his brother.

  Curious to know more about the man, Sarai found herself following behind him. She had heard a library’s worth of stories about him and his rising success, but there was something about Alexander Barrett that didn’t fit the tales of bravado and daring she’d been told. His quiet demeanor seemed to contradict the tall tales she’d been made to believe about his exploits. She found herself excited to discover the man for herself.

  The two moved into the room, and he closed the door behind them. He pulled out the leather seat that rested in front of the desk, gesturing for her to sit down. As she did, the sweetest hint of his cologne tickled her nostrils. She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale of air. She reopened them to watch as he moved to the other side of the desk, dropping his body into the leather executive’s chair across from her.

  There was no denying the shared DNA between the Barrett twins. The two men had the same chiseled cheekbones, broad noses, and full lips. Alexander’s hair was cropped low and close, a full fade across a perfectly shaped head. His complexion was chocolate cherry, a warm brown with rich red undertones. His skin was like polished stone, blemish free, and he had the shadow of a perfectly lined mustache and beard.

  And his eyes! His eyes were the most magnificent shade of blue, Sarai thought, their color like the ocean waters that kissed the dark sand around the fishing village where she’d been born. There was something hypnotic about his blue gaze, and Sarai imagined that the list of women who’d easily lost themselves in their depths was endless.

  “So when do you officially start?” he questioned, shifting the topic of conversation back to her.

  “I’ll come in next week. I actually just flew into Boulder this morning. I don’t even know where I’m staying yet so I need a day or two to get settled in. But I promise not to take too long! I’m anxious to get started.”

  “But you do have a place?” A hint of concern washed over his expression.

  She nodded, her easy demeanor calming. “I do! I just haven’t been there yet. It’s somewhere on West Coach Road?”

  His eyes shifted back and forth as he tried to recall the neighborhood. Alexander nodded. “Carriage Hills. Very nice. That’s not too far from here.”

  “I’m told it’s very close so I’ll have no problems getting back and forth to work. I don’t like to drive a car if I don’t have to so I look forward to walking and riding my bike.”

  Alexander smiled as he studied her face. Her features were delicate, her almond-shaped eyes like slivered pools of black ice. Her pale complexion was golden, her cheeks tinted warmly with color. She seemed soft and fragile, her feminine air giving him reason to pause. He suddenly wondered if she would allow him to save her if such a thing were ever necessary. And then he imagined Sarai Montri was a woman who would have no problems saving herself.

  She smiled. “Well, I should let you get back to your guests. I’m sure people are looking for you.”

  He shrugged his broad shoulders again. “I doubt it. I trust that everyone is in good hands.” There was a momentary pause as his mind shifted back to what might be happening on the other side of the door. The silence was brief as he changed the subject, resuming the conversation. “So how do you know my father? I hear he’s responsible for you applying to work here.”

  Sarai hesitated before responding, her smile widening. “We’ve actually never met. But he and I share mutual acquaintances. They heard about your venture and were kind enough to tell him about me. He told them you were hiring and that I should apply. So I did.”

  Alexander nodded. “Well, I’m glad he did. I think you’ll fit in well with us here.”

  H
er smile was bright and inviting as her eyes danced eagerly with his. “I’m very excited,” she said, her gaze dropping demurely to the floor.

  Alexander tried not to stare, but there was no denying that he was captivated. There was something about her presence that filled him, his entire body tingling with delight. He suddenly imagined them naked together, her soft curves pressed against his hardened lines. He bit down against his bottom lip to stall the rise of heat that lengthened the muscles below his waist as he imagined what it might be like to lose himself deep in the valley of her parted legs.

  Sarai lifted her eyes back to his, and the look she gave him was searing. He felt himself blush, feeling as if she’d just read every perverse thought that had raced through his mind. And for just a brief moment, he’d definitely been thinking some very X-rated things about the two of them. So much so that heat had exploded with a vengeance through his southern quadrant, and he’d broken out into a sweat, perspiration beading across his brow.

  “You’re staring, Mr. Barrett!” she said, amusement dancing across her face.

  He nodded, a coy smile filling his face. “I was. And I should probably apologize for doing so but I’m really not sorry. You’re a very beautiful woman, Dr. Montri.”

  She smiled. “It’s sweet of you to say but I’d prefer we focus on my qualifications.”

  “Trust me, Dr. Montri, I’m trying. I’m trying very hard. I have no doubts that Mr. Winters is going to give me a very lengthy lecture on how unprofessional I am probably being right now. I’m sure I’ve broken some serious employer-employee relationship rules. I hope you know though that I’m really not that kind of man. I don’t harass my female employees.”

  “You never gave me that impression. Under the circumstances I think we can overlook any indiscretion,” she said, giving him one of her bright smiles and a wink of her eye.

  He laughed, his head bobbing as he reveled in the seductive look she was giving him. His eyes danced in perfect harmony with hers, everything between them seeming to sync.