Page 100 of Reputation (Tempt)

“Later.” Her voice was husky and full of want.

“Yes.” I gave her another kiss, not wanting to let her go. “Later.”

After a quick shower, I joined Emerson and Brooklyn for breakfast then caught up on emails and reviewed the section of the script we’d be working on today. The rest of my day was spent on set, and by the time I got back to the Huxley Grand, I was more than ready to relax with Brooklyn and Emerson after a long day. I was hoping for a quiet dinner. A chill evening with my two favorite girls.

I opened the door and set down my bag in the foyer, pausing when I heard a familiar voice.Sloan?I frowned. What was she doing here?

I continued through to the living room where Sloan, Emerson, and Brooklyn were making friendship bracelets while listening to music. I watched the three of them as they threaded their beads with great concentration. And for a moment, I could imagine this was our life. Ourreallife and not just an act.

The song “End Game” came on, and as I listened to the lyrics, I realized that I wanted to be Emerson’s end game. Because she was certainly mine.

I loved her. I had for a while now. I just had been too scared to admit it.

Brooklyn said something that made Sloan and Emerson laugh. And as I watched Emerson—smiling and laughing with two of my favorite women—I felt a pang in my chest. I’d roped her into this. I’d convinced her to lie to everyone. But the biggest lie I’d been telling was to myself. Because this might be a fake engagement, but I had developed some very real feelings toward my fiancée.

“Dad!” Brooklyn jumped up, startling me. “Look who came to visit!”

Emerson smiled, and it seemed genuine. I wondered how long she’d been entertaining my cousin. I wondered if Sloan had pushed for details about our relationship or our plans for the wedding.Shit.

I leaned down to kiss Emerson’s forehead, whispering, “Missed you,” before I could think better of it.

To her, this might be a business agreement. A vacation fling. A fake engagement. Whatever the hell you wanted to call it. But to me, it was so much more. I’d never really let anyone in, not like I had Emerson.

And the idea of returning home and pretending as if none of this had ever happened seemed…impossible. Laughable, even. Surely she no longer wanted that. Right?

“Hey,” I said, giving Sloan a hug when she stood to greet me. “I didn’t realize you were going to be in Abu Dhabi.”

“Just thought I’d pop over on my way to Singapore.”

Just pop over, my ass.Sloan’s unexpected visit had a purpose, and I didn’t think it was solely motivated by seeing Brooklyn.

“Singapore?” I asked.

“Visiting some of our hotels there,” she said.

I nodded. “Did Graham come too?”

She laughed. “He’s too preoccupied with the Mexico launch.”

“Ah. Right.”

“Enough boring talk about hotels,” Brooklyn said.

“It’s not boring,” Sloan insisted, wrapping her arm around Brooklyn’s shoulder. “And one day, it may be your job to run the Huxley empire.”

Brooklyn groaned, and I interjected. “Onlyif that’s what Brooklyn wants.” I gave Sloan a pointed look.

I wasn’t going to coerce my daughter into taking over the family business. Hell, I didn’t want her to turn out like Graham. My cousin might love running the hotel empire, but it was his life. It consumed him.

“Someday, she may not have the choice,” Sloan said in an ominous tone. “Unless you’re planning to have more children.” She gave Emerson and me a pointed look.

“I think you’re forgetting about Jude,” I said quickly, though we all knew that Jude’s passion was in working with Knox and the LA Leatherbacks.

“Right.” Sloan blew a raspberry—as if to say, that’s not happening.

“Knox and Kendall,” I suggested.

Sloan barked out a laugh. “He’s even older than you. Do you really think he wants to have another kid at his age?”

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