Resisting the Billionaire Collection by Drew Sinclair Page A

were just in need of a good blow--"
    "Don’t go there."
    "--whatever. A good time. When you said it
was with a flight attendant, I thought you must be jetlagged or
overworked. When you said it was a Drummond employee, I figured you
had lost your mind and I was determined to save you from your own
stupidity. When I heard that Melanie already had a relationship
with another Drummond employee--"
    "What?"
    "Didn’t you know? She was seeing Mitch
McGovern until very recently."
    "How the hell would you even know that?"
    "Don’t look so surprised. Melanie told me.
Maybe she trusts me more than you. Did that ever occur to you?"
    "It’s bullshit. She knows who we are. Why
would she risk getting herself and Mitch fired by telling you?"
    "If you don’t believe me, then just go and
ask her. I’m curious to find out if she’ll even tell you."
    Alex glared at the brother he loved and
trusted his whole life. He had never felt anything like hatred for
him before, but there’s a first time for everything.
    “Okay, I’ll ask her. But it won’t make any
difference one way or the other -- not to me anyway. It won’t be me
that passes that on to Human Resources, even if it were true."
    "It is true. So, when I heard that I
thought, 'Okay, this girl is trouble'. She’s willing to take risks
and she has a big mouth. It’s a very bad combination."
    "So if you’re scared, just keep away from
her. Maybe Mitch could get away with seeing her but you know as
well as I do that she’s off limits for us."
    "Now that truly is bullshit." Sebastian
said. "The Drummond uniform never stopped the old man from getting
what or even who he wanted."
    "That's exactly why he's so against it
now."
    "It was all his fault and you know that. Our
mother never did anything wrong. The old man is a good guy, but he
just won't admit to being wrong about anything, ever. He's always
been like that."
    Alex took his brother’s arm into a tight
grip.
    "We can't touch her, you or me -- end of
story. You know what the rules are: you lay one finger on her and
you're out. Zip. Nada. Homeless. A nobody."
    "I don't care." Sebastian retorted. Alex
gave a belly laugh at that.
    "Sure. You've never wanted for anything your
whole life. The same as me. We had brand new Maseratis on our
sixteenth birthdays for God's sake, personal shows from pop stars
and comedians, whatever and whoever we wanted. Now you're telling
me you're going to give all that up at the age of 31 and start from
scratch with a flight attendant who will also be unemployed. Have
you ever even set foot inside a 'normal' person's apartment? You
wouldn't have space to store your vintage wine collection for
Christ's sake, let alone live and be happy."
    "I won't need wine. All I'll need is
her."
    The two went silent for a moment.
    Melanie had wandered up to the two men as
she heard Alex’s loud masculine laugh through the trees. She had
intended to sit and watch them fish but when she heard they were
talking something made her hold back. The conversation sounded too
interesting and authentic to be interrupted. Maybe if she had a
little patience she might have a chance of figuring out the truth
about who these two men really were. She decided to stay hidden and
listen in.
    "I'm not saying I don't understand." Alex
said. "I've got to admit that this last week...I don't know what's
happening to me...every day I see her she just looks more beautiful
than the last. Every movement, every word from her mouth."
    "I know." Sebastian agreed. "This sunshine
and healthy living isn't helping any. She was already gorgeous to
begin with, now with her golden brown skin and that glow of
happiness and health -- she was obviously stressed-out before. Now
she's relaxed and happy. My God, it's like I can't even look
straight at her anymore. I want to, but God, it's almost too
much."
    "Is it her? Is she really this gorgeous?
This perfect? Or is it just some kind of island fever?"
    "Maybe both. I mean, we've been here three
weeks now and