CHAPTER TWO

Casper Sullivan untied his tie as soon as he entered his hotel suite. The desk with his laptop and briefcase beckoned, but he didn't want to go to work for once. He was too engrossed with Anika Hart's ideas. Anika Hart is stunning, attractive, and astute.

His body had been on high alert since she stepped into the ballroom, and even though he knew she'd left, he was still tight and acutely aware of her perfume, how she felt in his arms, how her skin felt under his fingers the one time he'd been brave enough to touch her. He desired to do far more than simply touch.

He'd spend the entire night making love to her. Anika was not someone to be hurried. No, he'd study every inch of her body. Find out where she enjoys being caressed and kissed.

His obsession with her was difficult to describe. He didn't live as a practicing monk or anything. He was never short of collaborators. The sex was enjoyable. But he understood that having sex with Anika would never be enough. It would be luxurious and delectable. A man would sell his soul for such an experience.

She was really a lovely lady. Petite and perfectly suited to him. She'd be beautiful against him, her head nestled beneath his chin.

Her eyes were her most captivating feature. A distinctive tint of blue.

His more cynical side pondered why a woman so stunning hadn't tried to entice him into employing her agency. Right now, he'd use almost any excuse to get into Anika Hart's bed. But there was something reserved about her that piqued his interest. He admired her cool demeanour as a customer. She desired the account. She'd made no apologies for it. But she hadn't deliberately sought him out.

Instead, she'd waited for him to come to her, which made her look smart because he'd done exactly that. The ring of his phone interrupted his fantasy and jolted him back to reality.

His mother. He frowned. He wasn't in the mood to spend time with his family, but he adored his mother dearly. He sighed and pressed the answer button, holding the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Mom."

“Casper! "I'm so glad you responded."

He could hear her displeasure and concern in her voice. It was a pity that there was really nothing he could do about it.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't forget about this weekend." Ryan is counting on you to be present."

There was a tinge of worry in her voice that seemed to appear whenever his brother was addressed.

"You can't think I'd actually go to their wedding," Casper joked. And the only thing that mattered to Ryan was that Casper be present to see his success. His mother made a snide remark. "I know it's not going to be easy for you, Casper. But don't you think you need to forgive him? He and Kendall complement one other so well."

“Easy? It will not be simple or easy, Mom. I don't mind. I simply do not have the time or want to attend."

"Would you please do it for me?" she pleaded. “Please. I just want to see my sons in the same room once."

Casper dropped to the bed's edge and squeezed the bridge of his nose with two fingers. He would have had no trouble refusing if his father had called. Casper would have laughed if Ryan had called. Ryan wasn't going to call him for anything after Casper urged him to go to hell and take his unfaithful fiancée with him.

“All right, Mom. I’ll come. But I’ll be bringing someone with me. I hope you don’t mind.”

He could practically see her beam right through the phone.

“Why, Casper, you didn’t tell me you were seeing someone new! Of course, you’re welcome to bring her. I’ll very much look forward to meeting her.”

“Can you forward all the details to my assistant so she can make arrangements?”

His mom sighed. “How did I know you wouldn’t have kept the invitation card?”

Because he’d immediately threw it in the trash bin? Of course, he wouldn’t tell her that.

“Send it and I’ll see you on Thursday. I love you,” he said after a short pause.

“I love you too, son. I’m so very glad you’re coming.”

He hung up the phone and looked down at his phone. Thursday. Hell. He was supposed to meet Anika on Thursday. Finally getting to meet Anika. He'd planned meticulously so as not to appear overly concerned.

He'd flirted, exchanged long, longing glances, and spent an inordinate amount of time in the shower. And now he'd have to cancel since his mother thought he should go see the woman he was supposed to be with marry his twin instead.

He needed a date, ideally a fiancée, to prove to everyone that he wasn't secretly crushing on Kendall.

When Ryan was appointed Chief Executive Officer of their family's prosthetics firm, he'd gotten over her the instant she rejected him for his brother.

She had a little too much fun with the good life. If she had done some study, she would have discovered that his company's earnings much exceeded those of his father's. And it had only taken him a few years to get there.

He started scrolling through his contacts with a shake of his head. He had narrowed his options down to two ladies when the solution occurred to him. It was just wonderful. He was a moron for not having thought of it right away. It certainly fixed all of his difficulties.

Finally, he figured out how to draw Anika to him. It would be business, of course, but if the atmosphere was intimate and she was effectively stuck with him for a few days.

He raised the corners of his mouth in a contented smile. Perhaps the wedding isn't such a bad idea after all.