Free Best Man's Conquest by Michelle Celmer

The way to avoid Dillon, Ivy realized, would be to shut herself away in her room for the remainder of the week.
    It couldn’t be any worse than spending a week with him.
    â€œI’m going up to my room to rest. I’ll see you later.” Much, much later.
    â€œI understand why you might need some time alone,” he said, a devilish glint in his eyes. “That kiss did get you pretty hot and bothered. You go ahead and take care of business.”
    â€œBusiness?” For a second she was confused, then it hit her. She realized exactly what he meant by business . Did he really think she was going upstairs to—
    â€œI have nothing against going solo.” He stepped closer, eyes sparking with desire. His voice dropped a few decibels, even though they were the only ones there. “In fact, you might not remember, but I love to watch.”
    Oh, she remembered.
    The things he’d talked her into doing back then still made her blush. Unlike past boyfriends, he’d never played the if-you-loved-me-you-would card. He’d been patient. A tender, generous lover. The kind of man who never failed to put her needs before his own.
    The memory poured over Ivy like melted milk chocolate. Rich and sweet and warm. And her head had begun to get that light, fuzzy feeling…
    Damn, damn, damn.
    He was pulling that sexy, simmering thing he did so well. And like an idiot she was falling for it. Again! How could someone she disliked as much as Dillon be so darned appealing? Could it be that she didn’t dislike him as much as she thought?
    Or was she just losing her mind?
    The worst part was he knew it. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and he was loving every second of it.
    Someone needed to cool that man’s engines.
    Since tossing him over the balcony into the ocean wasn’t an option, she would have to settle for the next best thing.
    â€œOn second thought, May be I’ll dip my feet in the pool for a second and cool off.” She switched direction, heading instead for the French doors that would take her to the pool deck. She knew he would follow, and he didn’t disappoint her.
    The man’s libido had been bound to get him into trouble one of these days. She was just glad she would be around to see him get a dose of his own medicine. And even better, she would be the one to dispense the bitter pill.
    He reached past her, like the gentleman he’d always been, and opened the door.
    She stepped outside, a wall of dry, sweltering heat drawing her into its grip.
    â€œDamn!” Dillon said. “Sure is hot out here.”
    Not to worry, he would be cooled off soon enough.
    â€œI could use a cold drink,” he said. “Can I get you something?”
    â€œWhatever you’re having.”
    â€œTwo mineral waters comin’ right up.”
    His arrogance, his unshakable self-confidence, would be his undoing.
    She walked to the deep end of the pool, hiked her skirt up to the midthigh region so it wouldn’t get wet—and hell, why not give him a decent view before he went down—and sat on the edge, the hot tile scorching the backs of her legs. She dipped her feet in and cool water lapped around her ankles. The midday sun reflecting off the surface strobed in her eyes and made her squint.
    She watched as Dillon stepped around the bar and fished two bottles of water from the refrigerator. With the exception of a sip of champagne, she still hadn’t seen him drink a single alcoholic beverage.
    â€œYou don’t drink anymore?” she asked.
    He opened both waters and added a wedge of lime to each one. “Occasionally.”
    Keep a casual conversation going so he doesn’t suspect, she told herself. Act as if everything is normal. “What made you quit?”
    â€œYou ever try to run a billion-dollar corporation with a raging hangover?” He carried them both over to where she sat, and the anticipation was killing her.
    â€œSo it