Strong And Sexy

gloss was gone, her mascara smudged. One of the thin straps on her little black dress had slipped off her shoulder, hanging down to her elbow.

God, she was sweet. And hot. And such a sexy, wonderful mess.

“That was some powerful mistletoe,” she whispered.

He laughed. “I don’t think that had anything to do with the mistletoe.”

Her gaze locked on his lips. “No?”

“No.”

“Maybe we should make sure.”

That worked for him. The mistletoe lay where he’d dropped it, near their feet. He nudged it beneath the shelving unit, out of sight, prompting her to let out a low laugh that sounded like half anxiety, half anticipation as she stared up at him.

He stared back, tracing her temple with his finger, stroking a strand of hair back…and then suddenly they were leaping at each other again, mouths fused, hands fighting for purchase on each other-

Until a knock on the door behind them nearly gave him a heart attack. Jesus.

“Hello in there?” came a woman’s voice.

Maddie. Shit. Shayne pressed his forehead to the woman in his arms and closed his eyes.

“Hello?” Maddie called again. “Is anyone in there?”

Shayne set a finger to his mystery woman’s lips because maybe, if they were very, very quiet, maybe Maddie would go far, far away.

“Shayne, is that you?”

Ah, hell. Who was he kidding? It was Maddie, bulldog terrier. Once she’d locked her jaw on something, she never let go. “How did you know?”

Through the door, she laughed. “When are you going to learn that I? Know everything.”

“Know this. Go away.”

“Touchy, touchy. What are you doing in there?”

“Maddie?”

“Yeah?”

“Code Pink.”

“Did you say Code Yellow?”

“You know I didn’t. Code Pink, Mad.”

There was a beat of silence, then nothing but the beautiful sound of her heels clicking as she walked away.

The woman in his arms slid out from between him and the door. “Your girlfriend?”

“No.”

She nodded. “Code Pink?”

Maddie was Sky High’s concierge, as well as assistant to Sky High’s three partners-Brody, Noah, and himself. Maddie was the best of the best, even if she was a pain in his ass. Code Pink was their private code for Back The Hell Off. As opposed to Code Yellow, which was SAVE ME. “It’s a work thing. Watch out-”

But she’d already backed right into the shelving unit. A stack of towels rained down on top of her, and with a little squeak, she ducked. “I’m sorry,” she gasped, trying to catch everything as it fell and put it back.

He watched for a moment because there was something so watchable about her. Her necklace had turned itself around and was hanging down her back. A tiny, delicate gold chain dangled between her shoulder blades, the pendant a capital D. As more things rained down on her, she swore, having absolutely no luck catching anything. Stepping close to her, he reached above, helping to stanch the flow.

She shoved the strap of her dress back up but it immediately slipped again, still giving off that whole slightly messy but adorably silly thing she had going, which he’d never imagined would be attractive.

But it was. And not just because her sweet ass was snugged up to his crotch.

Okay, partly because of that.

He touched her necklace, let his finger slip beneath the pendant, and dropped it over her shoulder so that it slid back between her breasts where it belonged.

At the touch, she went very still, and then, in that tight, small space, turned to face him, slowly lifting her face.

The only sound in the room was their breathing.

“I really thought it was just the mistletoe,” she finally whispered. “You know, the whole holiday spirit, or something like that, and we just got caught up in it.”

“I think we already proved that theory wrong.”

“Maybe it’s the closet.”

Clearly, she needed it to be something. But it wasn’t the mistletoe, or the closet, and he slowly shook his head.

“What, then?”

“I’m thinking Chemistry 101.”

Her mouth was still wet from his. He had no clue what was so sexy about that, but he couldn’t tear his gaze off her.

“So.” She lifted a shoulder. “You’re Shayne.”

“Yes. And you’re…?”

“Dani. Dani…” She hesitated. “Peterson.”

“Peterson.”

“That’s right.”

Peterson. A bad feeling began to worm its way to his gut, and his hands, which had been moving lightly up and down her arms, went still on her. “As in Sandra’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

Oh, Christ. Sky High Air had been built on love and sweat, lots of sweat. In the first lean year-last year, in fact-he and Brody and Noah all had been mortgaged to their eyeballs, scrapping their way out of the red and into the black by sheer determination alone.

And Shayne’s trust fund.

But even that hadn’t been enough. They’d needed connections, and Shayne’s family had them. Sandra Peterson had been one of these connections, and she’d brought her rich friends to Sky High, garnering them many new clients. And one thing those clients did was gossip.

A lot.

Sandra included. How many times had Shayne heard her talk about her daughter? Brilliant, she’d always said. But crazy. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

“Neither did I.” Dani dropped her hands from his chest. “And I can tell from the look on your face that you’re ever so thrilled to find out who I am.”

Well, let’s review. He had the daughter of their most valued client in a closet, shoved up against a shelving unit, his hands-Christ.

He yanked them off her and opened his mouth to apologize, but she laughed harshly and shook her head.

Now he understood why she looked familiar-she was familiar. She was a dead ringer for her mother, minus twenty-odd years and four husbands. He’d just kissed his most valuable client’s daughter. His most valuable client’s crazy daughter.

“I see you’ve heard of me.”

Yes. Yes, in fact he had. “I fly your mother.”

“So you’re a pilot.”

And that’s when he realized. While he knew exactly who she was, she had no idea who he was, that he was one of the three owners of Sky High. That was new. New, and…oddly refreshing.

“I’m not a good flier,” she said, completely unimpressed by him. Another first.

“I’ve gotten many people over that hump,” he said, and something in her changed. Her eyes shuttered from him, and she crossed her arms.

“No. Thanks.”