Sex, Lies and the CEO. Barbara Dunlop

only that this was some kind of well-practiced, pickup strategy.

      He was pretty good at it, but she wasn’t going to let herself take him seriously.

      “What are you doing on Friday?” he asked.

      “I’m working.”

      “You know I meant Friday night.”

      “I’m working then, too. I have my own business, and it’s very busy right now.”

      She also had a secret job at his company, a mystery to solve and a huge vendetta against his family. He might be handsome and charming, but going on a date with Shane was out of the question.

      “Give yourself some time off,” he said.

      “I have clients and deadlines.” There was no way in the world he was talking her into a date.

      “We could do dinner or take in a play. Or both. You like comedy? The Twist is getting rave reviews, and there’s a great little seafood place about a mile from the theatre. Very posh, very exclusive.”

      She tipped her head back. “You do understand that I’m saying no?”

      “You do understand that I’m not giving up?”

      “I won’t go on a date with you, Shane.”

      “Do you have a boyfriend?”

      “No.” Then she mentally kicked herself. A boyfriend would have been the perfect excuse not to see Shane again.

      “Something a little more active?” he asked. “The park? The jazz festival? Or, wait, a harbor cruise?”

      “Shane, stop.”

      “Or we could have a date right here,” he carried on without stopping for a breath. “The gardens are gorgeous on a summer night. We could dine out on the deck, pick ourselves a fine bottle of wine from the cellar, now that you know what you like.”

      As he spoke, Darci’s brain locked on to an idea. If she came back to the Colborn mansion, especially if they went down to the wine cellar, she might have another chance to snoop around. Getting to know Shane on any level was a big risk. But she’d never get back into the mansion without getting to know him at least a bit better.

      A male voice interrupted them. “Why are you hogging Darci?”

      Shane stiffened against her. “Hello, Tuck.”

      Darci twisted her head to see Tuck, shocked that he’d remembered her.

      “I’m cutting in,” said Tuck.

      “No, you’re not.”

      “Of course I am.”

      Shane looked to Darci, eyes narrowing. “I thought you said you’d never dated him.”

      “I haven’t,” she managed in a strangled voice, feeling the walls close in around her.

      Something bad was about to happen.

      “Quit messing around,” said Tuck. “Petra’s hot on my trail. I need a dance partner.”

      “Find another one.”

      “What is your problem?” asked Tuck.

      “If you were interested in Darci, you should have said so before now.”

      Darci jumped in. “Listen, I—”

      “Before now?” asked Tuck in clear astonishment. “When, before now?”

      “I don’t know,” Shane drawled. “In the months, maybe the years since you met her.”

      If the floor would only open up and swallow her, maybe she could get herself out of this.

      “Shane?” came a new female voice.

      Shane turned his head.

      “Looks like Maddie needs you,” said Tuck.

      Then he deftly tugged Darci from Shane’s arms and twirled her away.

      She scrambled to get her feet sorted out beneath her, regretful to leave Shane and also realizing she’d just blown her opportunity to return to the mansion. She should have accepted his invitation as soon as he’d offered it.

      “Sorry about that,” said Tuck, as they settled a little awkwardly into dancing. “But Petra’s one determined woman.”

      “You seem like a very determined man.”

      Tuck laughed. “So was Shane. By the way, why did he think I might be dating you?”

      Darci’s face heated with embarrassment. “That was my fault. I’d mentioned you earlier, and he misunderstood. I should have corrected his assumption.”

      “Nah. It’ll be more fun this way. I’d rather mess with his head. He spent most of our teenage years messing with mine.”

      “He did?” She was intrigued.

      “We were both rich young men with fast cars, who could tip our way into the best nightclubs, but he was better looking.”

      “There’s nothing wrong with your looks.”

      Tuck had heavier features than Shane, a slightly crooked smile and a scar on his chin. But he was still a handsome man.

      He chuckled. “I wasn’t fishing. Every time I found a new girl, Shane would flirt with her.”

      “That’s not nice.”

      “He grew out of it. And, I figured out he was testing them, checking to see if they truly liked me or if they’d go with any rich guy.”

      “Did they all pick Shane?” She felt a rush of sympathy for Tuck.

      “All except Roberta Wilson back in high school. She didn’t give him a second look.”

      “And?” Darci prompted.

      “And I dated her for six months in senior year.” He shrugged. “And then it ended. She went off to a different college. Our whole carefree lifestyle ended abruptly when Shane lost his parents.”

      Darci was reminded that Shane hadn’t always had things easy.

      They danced in silence.

      “It sounds like Shane is protective,” said Darci, wondering how far he’d go to defend his father’s honor.

      “And loyal,” said Tuck, then he glanced over her shoulder in Shane’s direction. “So tell me about Darci Lake. I have a feeling I’ll get quizzed after you leave.”

      Darci wasn’t crazy about perpetuating a ruse with Tuck, since he was an innocent bystander. Then again, what were a few more lies? She was already in deep, and it looked as if it was going to get much deeper before it was all over.

      “What do you want to know?” she asked.

      “Where are you from? What do you do?”

      “I grew up in Chicago, went to Columbia.”

      “Nice.”

      “I have a graphic-art business. We mostly design websites.”

      “That’s a growth industry,” said Tuck.

      “So far, business is good.” In fact, it was so good, between working at Colborn Aerospace during the day and trying to keep up with her website contracts at night, she was barely getting any sleep.

      “I might want to hire you.”

      “I’ve got a waiting list right now.” She could fit in another client, but she was staying well away from Shane’s friends. “Tell me something more about you.”

      “Good idea. Shane will probably quiz you, too.”

      Darci doubted it. Once again, she mentally berated herself for having