Page 35 of One Hot Deal

After a quick shower and shave, I pull on my casual clothes.Luckily, I'd brought plenty of that kind of stuff, since I assumed I wouldn't dress in my usual suits and ties this week even if I kept up my bodyguard duties.By the time I step into the solarium, everybody else is already there.Chairs and small tables have been set up around the room, and the buffet table is tucked against one wall.The side of the room that faces the garden consists of wall-to-wall glass panes.Just outside those windows lies a patio, and I can see the sprawling garden nearby.The glass doors have been thrown wide open, but nobody is sitting at the patio table.

Sommerleigh is a beautiful estate.The Parrishes take good care of it, and I've always admired the way they keep up the traditional look of the house and grounds, rather than updating it to a more modern style.

The buffet table holds more than enough food to feed this group.Rupert's wife arrived late last night and brought their son with her.Pippa sits at a small table with Rupert's daughter Sally, while Rupert and his wife occupy a nearby table along with their son.A longer table accommodates Rosalyn, Hugh, Avery, and Diana with one empty place—set for me, I'm sure.

Naturally, the empty chair is right next to Diana.Avery arranged this.I have no doubts about that.But I suspect Hugh conspired with her.If they think seating me next to Diana at breakfast will make her fall in love with me, they're delusional.She wouldn't even let me kiss her last night.

Am I giving up on her?No.But I need to adjust my plans to win her over.Diana is one tough cookie, but I'll find a way to make her crumble in my hands.

Now I'm using cookie metaphors.Better not do that out loud.It's no way to seduce a woman.

We have a normal meal for a while, grabbing what we want from the buffet and chatting while we eat.I wind up talking to Rosalyn most of the time, while Diana talks to Hugh and Avery.When my sister sneakily suggests that we should change places to make sure everybody gets to talk to everyone else, it doesn't quite turn out the way she must've hoped.

Diana moves over to Rupert's table and gets to know him and his wife.

I go hang out with the kids, who have moved out onto the patio with their food.When I glance back at the solarium, Avery is standing in the open doorway, hands on her hips, lips puckered.Oh yeah, she's annoyed.At me.I screwed up her meddling scheme, though it wasn't all my fault.She decided to switch things up and failed to specify what exactly that meant.

Yeah, okay, I would rather have stayed with Diana.But once I realized my sister planned to use this breakfast buffet as a tool for meddling, I knew I needed to jam a monkey wrench into her scheme before Diana noticed what was happening.She wouldn't have liked that at all.

Seducing Diana Sangster will take finesse and patience.Avery doesn't get that.

Once breakfast is over, we all go our separate ways.This is some of the downtime Avery penciled in for us.We have one hour to ourselves, then the games begin.Avery wouldn't tell me what type of games she and Hugh have planned, only that it's "the outdoors kind" and it will be "a hoot and a half."

"What is half a hoot?"I had asked.

My sister just rolled her eyes.

Now, I'm wandering around inside Sommerleigh House, trying to find the woman I want to seduce.When the gang left the solarium, Avery had immediately cornered me to share the morning's itinerary, and I didn't see which way Diana had gone.

"Looking for your girl?"

I'd been leaning through the drawing-room door, but Hugh's voice makes me turn around to face him."I don't have a girl, Lord Sticky."

"You'll never win her heart if you deny your feelings for her."

"Since when do we chat about women?That's not our thing.We lob insults at each other."

Hugh sighs with plenty of sarcasm."Yes, you're right.I've spent too many hours listening to women discuss wedding plans.I've learned that pink is not pink, it's salmon.And green is not green after all, it's asparagus."

"You're totally whipped now, aren't you?Avery has you wrapped around her pinky finger."I sling an arm around his shoulders."Better do something macho and do it quick.Maybe your best friend will bring some cabers with him."

"I doubt those will fit in Callum's car."

"Wanna have a fist fight?"

Hugh chuckles."No, but thank you for the offer."

I step away from him."Were you looking for me for a reason?"

"Bollocks!Yes, I almost forgot.Avery insisted I needed to let you know Diana is in the garden, alone."He holds up his hands, palms out."I am merely the messenger."

"Yeah, I know.Avery is going nuts with the matchmaking."

Avery pops her head out of a doorway at the far end of the hall."Hugh, hurry up.I need your input."

I lean in to whisper to Hugh, "If she asks what color you like, say chartreuse."

"Why?"

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