Seducing His Secret Wife--A brother's best friend romance Read online

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  The center was incredible.

  Sarina was completely blown away with what her brother and her husband had created. Taking over a large, abandoned community center and athletic facility in a poorer neighborhood, they’d gutted the building and created an indoor gymnasium, studios for dance and yoga classes, tutoring and group therapy rooms, and space for arts, crafts and music lessons. Outside they’d added all-new soccer fields, baseball diamond, tracks and a swimming pool. Kids from all over the Valley came here, using transportation provided by the center, and when they aged out, Rise Up provided a year of post-support and classes geared toward helping them start their new life.

  It was ridiculously amazing.

  “Justin, this is incredible,” Sarina said, grabbing his arm in her excitement. “I cannot believe what you’re doing here. This is life-changing.”

  “That means a lot, coming from you.” Justin shifted their bodies, grabbing her hand and weaving their fingers together. She wanted to touch him, needed to feel that connection, and she just went with it. It didn’t make sense but nothing with Justin did. “We knew we wanted to do something good with the millions we’d make.” He waggled his eyebrows, completely owning his cockiness. Considering that they’d made billions, it was well-deserved. She’d give him a pass. “We knew that we wanted to give back to the community. Adam always wondered about where you and Roan had ended up. He didn’t know if it was in care or with a family. He worked with kids when we were in college, foster kids...this was his idea, really.”

  “And you just went along for the ride?” She knew that Justin’s role was bigger than he let on. Everyone in the center, staff and kids alike, knew him by name and he knew personal details about them. It was clear that he spent a lot of time here. Not just writing checks or giving tours to big donors; nope, he was here all the time.

  “Something like that,” he said with a wink, leading her by the hand to the gymnasium where a dozen or so kids were playing basketball. She should have dropped his hand, broken the connection, but it felt good. It felt kind of right.

  The group stopped the game and all turned when the doors clanged shut behind them. Within seconds their skeptical expressions morphed into wide grins and excited chatter erupted and bounced off the high ceilings.

  “Justin!”

  “Hey, man!”

  The kids were ecstatic to see him, most of them swooping in to give him a hug or a back slap. He had a connection with these kids. He loved them and they loved him right back. She was starting to think that resisting the charisma of Justin Ling was easier said than done.

  Justin turned and led her over, still holding her hand as he introduced his fan club. “That’s Mike, Sarah, Ruben, Marcus, Big Pete, Little Pete, Katie, Teresa and Jose.”

  Each kid saluted her in turn, their smiles genuine even if a little shy. All of their gazes drifted down to where her hand joined with Justin’s. She didn’t miss the looks they gave each other. Sarina let go of Justin before anyone got the wrong idea, extending it to shake each of their hands.

  “I’m Sarina Redhawk. Nice to meet you.”

  The impact of her name was immediate. Their grins got even wider, their excitement almost palpable.

  “What? You’re Adam’s sister?”

  “That is so cool.”

  “Does Adam know you’re hitting on his sister, man?” The last question came from Little Pete, a tall kid who reached to at least six and half feet. Big Pete was closer to seven feet, so the name was appropriate. “He’s gonna kill you.”

  “Adam knows, you goofball.” Justin lightly punched the boy in the arm. “And he doesn’t scare me.”

  “Uh-huh,” Little Pete mused, his expression saying that he didn’t believe any of it. He tossed the basketball at Justin, who caught it easily. “You got time for a game?”

  Justin tossed the ball back, shaking his head. “No man, I’ve got to get back to the office. We’re working a big deal but I’ll come back in a couple of days, I promise.”

  “I can stay.” Sarina didn’t realize she’d said it until everyone turned to face her. She twisted to look at Justin. “I’ve got nowhere to be and this is where I’m going to be working for the next few weeks. Why not start now?” She reached over and popped the ball out of Little Pete’s hand, dribbling past him to make the shot. The ball swooshed through the net and all the kids whooped and hollered. “I’m a little rusty but I think I can remember how to play.”

  “All right,” Katie said, throwing an exaggerated wave at Justin, motioning for him to exit the gym. “You can go. We’ve got Sarina.”

  Justin grabbed his chest in mock dismay, stumbling back from the group. “Whoa, you guys suck.”

  The kids erupted in laughter, piling on Justin to offer him hugs of apology.

  “Okay, okay.” Justin held his hands up in surrender. “I’d love to leave Sarina here but I’m her ride, guys. She’s got to go.”

  “I can get a ride back to the house,” Sarina said. It couldn’t be that hard to order an Uber or to get Adam to come get her. “I’m a grown person. If I could figure out how to get around Afghanistan, I can get home.”

  “You were over there?” Katie asked, her voice a little awestruck.

  Sarina grinned at her. “Yeah. Two tours.” She looked around at the group of kids. They would be spending a lot of time together the next few weeks. If they were going to trust her, she needed to let them know she trusted them. “I joined the army when I aged out of care.”

  “So, you weren’t adopted like Adam?” This time the question came from Marcus. He was shy, speaking out from behind Mike’s back, but his smile was genuine if tentative.

  “I was...” She faltered at this part. Her past was complicated and hadn’t been pleasant to live through, and talking about it wasn’t easy, either. Justin was watching her, his eyes inquisitive but his expression kind. He inclined his head, letting her know that it was up to her. She took a breath and dived in. “I was adopted but it didn’t work out.”

  “They gave you back?” Teresa was disgusted, her hand on her hip in indication.

  “No. CPS came in, took me out and put me back in the system.” She debated about how to tell the next part, going for a middle-of-the-road answer. “My adoptive parents weren’t great people and they didn’t treat me so well. Care wasn’t great but was better than what I had.”

  Silence fell on the group and she watched as each of the kids processed her story.

  “That really sucks, Sarina,” Marcus said, nodding along with the other kids. “It’s a good thing that you’re here. You’ve been in the system so that makes you a center kid. You belong here with us.”

  And just like that, she was one of them. It felt good. Right. As easy as it was with Justin.

  Sarina nodded at each of them in thanks, letting a grin take over her face. It was time to lift the mood in this joint. “Well, then it won’t hurt so much when I kick all of your butts.”

  Catcalls and trash talk filled the room as the kids moved into their positions on the court. Justin came up beside her, one arm looping around her waist as he drew her in closer. He was warm, body as firm and taut as she remembered, and he still smelled so damn good. Sarina leaned into him involuntarily, giving in to the pull of attraction that always pulsed between them.

  “You’re pretty amazing, Sarina Redhawk Ling,” he murmured low so that only she could hear. She ignored the little flip her heart did when she heard her name joined with his. “It took me months to get these kids to accept me like that.”

  “Well, I’m a center kid. You heard Marcus.” Sarina was more pleased with the approval in Justin’s eyes and voice than she wanted to admit. Knowing that he didn’t pity her or pepper her with a million questions meant a lot. He was giving her the time and space she needed to share, or not. It was seductive.

  And she didn’t mind t
he use of her married name. Not at all.

  That was...interesting.

  Justin gauged her mood accurately and let it drop. Instead he pulled out his key fob and dangled it in front of her. “I’ll call a car to come get me and take me to the office. I’ll leave the Porsche for you.”

  “What? You’re going to leave me your one-hundred-thousand-dollar sports car? Are you high?”

  “California is a community property state so technically, the car is half yours,” Justin answered, jangling the key fob so that it made a metallic clinking sound. His grin slid into seductive, a little dirty. “Come on, you know you want to drive it. If I recall, you prefer a wild ride.”

  Sarina flushed, her skin hot and goose bumps racing down her arms. She remembered this Justin.

  This Justin had kept her up all night.

  She let her gaze drift down to his mouth, her heart racing when his lips curved into a smile that told her he knew exactly where her thoughts had gone. He leaned in, so close she almost tasted his kiss.

  “Are we going to play ball or are you two going to kiss it out?”

  Sarina had no idea which kid said it but it broke the tension immediately. Justin’s grin got wider and he rolled his eyes, releasing her from his hold.

  Sarina snatched the key fob out of Justin’s hand, her grin wide and her heart light for the first time in a long time. “Get out of here. I’m going to play some ball.”

  Seven

  “Your car handles like a dream, Justin.”

  Sarina stretched out her hand, dangling the key fob over the open palm of the car’s owner. Justin was kicked back on a lounge chair by the pool at Nana Orla’s house, his grin as warm as the lingering sunshine. The beer in his other hand looked as cool as the water spilling out of the fountain water feature. At the last minute she yanked back her hand.

  “Nope.” She smiled at his shocked expression. “No beer, no expensive car keys.”

  “Are you holding my car hostage until I get you a beer?”

  Sarina glanced over at Nana Orla, winking at the older woman. “He’s cute and smart. If only he was rich.”

  Nana Orla cracked up, a belly laugh that had her doubled over on her lounger. “Justin, if you let this girl go I will disown you.”

  “Really, Nana? I thought I was your favorite!” Justin said, fishing an ice-cold bottle out of the outdoor fridge, popping it open and heading back over to Sarina.

  “I don’t have any favorites, Justin. I love all of my grandkids equally,” Nana Orla assured him. “But if you don’t keep this girl, you won’t be my favorite anymore.”

  “You wound me, Nana. I’m gutted.” Justin handed the beer to Sarina.

  She took it and slid into his vacant lounger with a grin on her face, effectively stealing his seat. “Sorry. You’re too slow.”

  Justin paused, his head cocked at her, his smile big but confused. “What’s gotten into you?” He held his hands up in the universal gesture for surrender. “Don’t get me wrong. This is the Sarina I met in Vegas and I like her a lot. I’m just wondering where the grumpy, prickly one went and is she coming back?”

  Nana Orla snorted. “If that’s your best pickup line it’s no wonder you’re single.”

  “Ignore him.” Sarina waved him off. She was riding high and nothing was going to knock her off this mountain. “I had a great day with the kids at the center. They’re so smart and brave and the center is extraordinary. I think I can do some good with them in the next few weeks. You and Adam have created something really special there.”

  Justin sat down, straddling the lounger to face her. He reached out to take her hand and she let him, leaning into the moment. His smile was bright and contagious and only for her.

  “You had a good day, yeah?” Justin asked, his thumb rubbing softly against her wrist. It was mesmerizing, sucking her into his orbit once again. She knew it was a bad idea but she couldn’t bring herself to stop it.

  “Yeah, I did.” She leaned forward; it was impossible to wipe the smile off her face. “Those kids are so great. Thank you for taking me there.”

  “I knew you’d love it.”

  “Oh, Ma, I didn’t know you had company.”

  Sarina jumped at the female, Irish-tinged voice, shifting quickly to look over her shoulder at the couple standing on the patio. Justin stilled beside her, his fingers tightening on her own, his body tense. The couple were in their early 60s, tan and fit and dressed for a cocktail event in clothes that reeked of money and status. They were both tall, the man broad-shouldered with dark hair sprinkled heavily with silver. The woman was also willowy, but athletic and fit, with dark hair pulled up into a sleek updo. But what stood out to Sarina most was the fact that the woman had Justin’s smile and the man moved like him, quick but controlled and smooth.

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were Justin’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ling.

  It also didn’t take a Mensa member to realize that they were not thrilled that she was sitting here holding their son’s hand.

  Nana Orla put her drink down on the little side table before rising from her lounger and greeting the newcomers with open arms.

  “Come here, you two. Give someone a heart attack sneaking up on somebody like that.” She pulled them both in, fussing over them as she kept talking. “Where are you going all dressed up? It’s Wednesday. What could possibly be happening on a Wednesday?”

  “It’s a cocktail party to meet the new director of the arts coalition, Mother. I thought I told you,” Saoirse Ling responded, her gaze settled intently on Sarina, so focused it was almost like a physical touch. “Who is your guest, Ma?”

  Her accent wasn’t as intense as Nana Orla’s, softened by either years spent in the United States or purposefully polished down to the point where it hinted at time spent abroad in places more glamorous than California. But her gaze was 100 percent her mother’s, inquisitive and not missing a thing.

  Justin’s father was just as intense but more quiet and removed. Sarina got the impression that he didn’t have much to say but that he missed nothing, especially where his children were concerned.

  Either way Sarina had met them before; they were echoes of the countless parents of potential friends she’d met through the years who’d been thrilled that little Molly/Susie/Amanda had a new buddy until they’d realized it was a kid in foster care. Especially a kid in foster care who had a folder of failures and problems as she moved from home to home. She couldn’t blame them for protecting their kids, but she couldn’t forgive them, either.

  Mr. and Mrs. Ling weren’t thrilled at the stray Justin had brought home this time if their reactions were any indicator. She allowed herself a small huff of laughter when she thought about how they’d react if they knew she was their daughter-in-law.

  “My new friend is Sarina Redhawk,” Nana Orla answered, turning to grin down at her, letting everyone know that she was very welcome here. It was a kind gesture, protective, and it set Sarina on alert. “She’s staying with me for a few weeks while she assists Justin at the Rise Up Center.” Nana Orla gestured to the newcomers. “You’ve probably guessed that these are Justin’s parents, Allan and Saoirse.”

  “Redhawk?” Allan Ling, looking at her more closely. Man, his razor-sharp, dark-eyed gaze reminded her so much of Justin. “Adam’s sister? The one who recently left the army?”

  Sarina stood, noting that Justin rose with her and let go of her hand but kept a protective hand at her back. She held out her hand, falling back on her military training to handle this awkward situation. “Yes, sir. It’s nice to meet you.”

  He took her hand, shaking it and nodding in greeting. “Thank you for your service, Sarina. Adam speaks highly of you.”

  “I think Adam is a good brother, sir.” She shot a glance at Nana Orla. “I’m grateful to Nana Orla for letting me stay here while I have my motorcycle fixe
d. She’s a wonderful lady.”

  “Yes, well, Ma can’t resist a stray in need.” Saoirse interjected, her smile an attempt to dull the edges of her blade. She didn’t want to kill, only wound and warn. Sarina appreciated the transparency in the rules of engagement. “Justin gets that from her.”

  “Well, if that’s true, then they’ve found the right project in the Rise Up Center,” Sarina replied, taking pains to keep her words and tone respectful, but making sure her position was clear. She didn’t want to make trouble for Justin or Nana Orla but she wasn’t going to let anyone put down their incredible hearts. “They are doing incredible things with those kids... I guess you’d call them ‘strays.’”

  Justin’s hand on her back slid around her waist, drawing her ever so slightly closer to him. It wasn’t a big move but it made his point and both of his parents noticed. Both tensed, standing taller and straighter in their fancy clothes.

  “Mom and Dad, Sarina has agreed to fill in at the center for the next few weeks while we look for a new director.” He looked at her, his gaze full of admiration and his smile only for her. “We are lucky to have her. She’s already bonded with some of the kids.”

  There was a long pause but nobody rushed to fill it. Awkward was the appropriate word but it didn’t even come close to describing the width and breadth of all the things unsaid. Mrs. Ling finally broke the impasse and it was like someone had let the air out of an explosive-filled balloon.

  “Well, that’s nice, although it will be a shame when you have to go. But we all understand, and appreciate your work for these few weeks.” She reached out to give a half hug to her mother as they prepared to leave. Then she let the other shoe drop so casually that it almost didn’t make an impact. “Justin, Heather Scarborough will be at this party. I’ll make sure to tell her you said hello.”

  Justin cleared his throat. “Sure, Mom. Tell her I said hello.”

  Sarina didn’t have to be a genius to read between the lines here. Saoirse didn’t like whatever she sensed was going on between her and Justin and she made sure that Sarina knew that her presence in his life had a shelf life. Check. She was also reminded that Justin had other options, more suitable options who attended Wednesday-night charity parties and got along with his mother. Check. Message received.