Stranded in Paradise (The Blake Boys Book 13) by Rhonda Laurel Page A

“So what motivated you to step away from the virtual world?”
    “It was a present from Summer and Bo. They think I’ve been burning the candle at both ends with work and planning their wedding, so it was an appreciation gift.” Autumn swirled her drink around in the glass. What were the chances two people who were constantly trying to be setup would take the same vacation at the same time? “I smell a setup.”
    “I do too. The entire family has been giving me the hard sell on us being a couple. Not that I blame them.” He gave her a casual once-over. “I guess they see two successful, attractive, single people and think we’d make an easy connection.”
    When he motioned for the bartender to refill his drink she could see the definition of his body beneath the baby blue shirt he wore. Autumn swallowed hard. “Attraction is key when making a connection.”
    The bartender bringing over her meal was a welcome interruption. There was something about the way Jared looked at her that made her feel self-conscious, and she hadn’t felt that way around anyone in a long time. She had the feeling he was an intense, all-or-nothing kind of lover. The type of man who demanded a piece of your soul when he connected with you, even if it were only for a little while. Summer’s happiness had made her think about letting someone in, allowing someone to know her in a more intimate way, but she didn’t want to get hurt.
    They talked about Bo and Summer and the rest of the family. It was funny how they knew the same people intimately but didn’t have a clue about each other. He was a workaholic who was hitting his stride with big projects since working with the Blakes, and she could tell he was trying to keep his ego in check. She’d perused a few architectural magazines with articles that featured him, touting him as some sort of structural visionary and she knew why. She’d seen the blueprint for Bo and Summer’s future house on the ranch. He’d managed to merge the theme of country living with the latest technology, and it was an architectural spectacle. But she’d also seen the tree house he’d constructed for his nephew Jake, and he’d designed it with the same passion and precision. He was a gifted man and an insane perfectionist.
    Jared flashed an “I told you so” smile when she ordered the chocolate cake for dessert. She ignored it and enjoyed the treat without a care of whether she’d ruin her white dress. She was also pleasantly surprised about how much he knew about her company. He was familiar with their wide variety of games and was aware of their latest project to create a new operating system for cell phones that would rival the major competitors. Which also meant he knew her net worth and that didn’t seem to bother him. Men flirted with her all the time and tried to woo her with gifts and invitations to travel to tropical locales. What they didn’t understand was that she was rich in her own right. She didn’t need to be swept off her feet.
    Autumn looked around the room. It was all but empty. She glanced at the clock behind the bar. It was almost midnight. Had she spent four hours talking to Jared? He moved closer to her and reached out and touched her face. She froze, not knowing what to expect, but he was getting some chocolate off her cheek. But when the rubbing of his thumb turned into a subtle caress, she knew it was time to go.
    “It was really nice to meet you, Jared. Thanks for keeping me company tonight.” She put her fork down and pushed the plate away and grabbed her purse. “But heads will roll when I get home.”
    “The pleasure was all mine. Like you said, it’s all about attraction.” His eyes sparkled.
    “I did say that.” She stood to leave, but he grasped her arm and stood too.
    “What do you think is a better approach?”
    “To what?” She squinted at him.
    “You said there was a better approach than the whole caveman thing. What works for you?”
    Autumn moved so close