Formula for Passion. Yahrah St. John

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      Chapter 2

      Courtney couldn’t believe the man had turned her down. She’d hoped for a quick drink, or maybe even a long roll in the hay with her construction worker. He looked as though he had lots of stamina. Unfortunately, she was left to comb the resort for some fun on her own.

      After a long, hot shower and a massage and facial at the resort spa, Courtney was ready for the evening. After a spritz of Bliss over her body, she slid on a long maxi dress in a bold Copacabana print and some ornament-encrusted thong sandals and headed to the bar.

      As she entered, Courtney noticed that every male eye in the room turned to her. She wasn’t unaware that the halter maxi dress plunged at the neckline to show off her pert breasts or that the dress plunged to her waist to show her bare back.

      The bar was pretty busy and the band had already started playing some merengue music. Courtney scanned the bar looking for an opening and got more than she bargained for when a pair of dark eyes focused solely on her. He was here. How many dark-chocolate, six-foot-three brothers, with a killer smile that could make your panties wet, were on the island? Courtney’s breath caught in her throat. He’d changed his mind, but why? He’d seemed determined to make her feel like a fool for asking him out, so she would give it back to him and act as if she didn’t recognize him.

      Courtney sauntered to the bar and sat across the way from her stranger. He could come to her. She knew it was a dangerous cat-and-mouse game they were playing, but she was secretly thrilled at the prospect. She needed a spark of excitement in her life after watching her brother and sister fall in love.

      She didn’t have time to order a drink because, shortly after being seated, one of the men who’d been openly staring at her approached.

      * * *

      From across the room, Jasper drank his Presidente and watched the beautiful seductress through dark lashes. She’d seen him and knew he was here, but she had been content to sweep past him and go to the opposite end of the bar. But from here he could watch her every move. And watch he did.

      He watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked. He watched the breeze as it blew through her short bob. And he was far from oblivious of the swarm of men who had encircled her. She was holding court like the Queen of England, smiling at one, lightly touching another’s arm as she spoke and batting her eyelashes at another. She was an incorrigible flirt!

      Miguel had filled him in on all the details about Courtney Adams. She was the illustrious spokesmodel for Adams Cosmetics. Courtney came from money and was probably used to fame and the power it could bring. According to Miguel, she’d used it to keep her family’s company in the public eye. He’d bet she flirted with every man she came into contact with. She probably couldn’t help herself.

      The company she worked for, Adams Cosmetics, sounded oddly familiar. He searched far back into his memory, digging for the name. Finally it hit him. Adams Cosmetics was the very same company that his father, Andrew Jackson, had always competed against. Jasper had gotten away from all the madness, but now he’d stumbled right into the lion’s den by meeting his father’s rivals’ daughter.

      But that didn’t stop him from being annoyed at the prospect of other men surrounding a woman he felt he had already laid claim to. Of course, she didn’t know that. He’d been aloof when he’d declined her invitation to spend the evening together, but it was time he corrected the matter and got down to business.

      “What do you have, pretty lady?” The bartender had finally come around to her side of the bar.

      “She’ll have a Presidente,” a masculine voice said from behind her. “What I’m having.”

      Courtney’s heart turned over in her chest. He had come over. She spun around on her barstool to face him. He was so close to her she could smell the strong woodsy scent of his cologne wafting to her nose. Jasper had used intimidation to push the other men away to get to her side. All her suitors had taken several steps back and were watching them wearily.

      “Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing?” Courtney finally found her voice and eyed him up and down. He looked casually fine in relaxed jeans and a black shirt open at the collar.

      “Getting your attention,” Jasper responded. After a cold shower at his villa had been unable to alleviate the hard-on the honey blonde had caused him, he’d returned to his resort to see if she would deliver on the promise that had been in those dazzling green eyes of hers.

      Courtney couldn’t help smiling—he was completely arrogant and she dug it. “Well, you have it,” she said, and motioned to the seat beside her.

      Jasper slid onto the barstool next to hers.

      “I thought you were too busy with errands to join me.”

      “I finished up early.”

      “And decided to grace me with your presence? How generous of you.”

      “I figured I couldn’t allow a woman as beautiful and sexy as you to sit alone at a resort bar,” Jasper replied smoothly. “The vultures would be circling.” He eyed the rest of the men at the bar who were giving him the evil eye.

      “So you think I’m sexy?”

      Jasper eyed her up and down. “In that dress, hell yeah.” He laughed. “But then again, you were pretty hot in those skimpy shorts and top earlier.”

      She gave him a sideways glance. “I thought you hadn’t noticed.”

      “I’d be dead not to.” Jasper sipped on his beer.

      “So we’ve established that you find me attractive,” Courtney replied, and spun around to face him. The chemistry between them was palpable. She was sure everyone else had to feel their sizzling connection. “So what now?”

      There was a lot of innuendo behind Courtney’s remark, but Jasper opted to be good, for now. “How about we start with names? Mine’s Jasper. And yours?”

      “Courtney.”

      Jasper held up his drink. “To having a good time.”

      “To a good time.” Courtney clinked her glass against his.

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