“You better be.” Nelson coughed, flexed his jaw to make sure it wasn’t broken. “This face will be worth millions one day, so take it easy, bro. I’m a budding movie star, remember?”
The brothers shared a hearty chuckle.
“I came down here to let off some steam,” Harper confessed, raking a hand over his head, “but I probably should have just stayed at the office. I have depositions to read, motions to file and an important client meeting first thing tomorrow morning.”
“You still pissed because Cameron Childs picked Jake to represent him instead of you?”
“No, I’m over it.” Harper gripped his racket, imagined he was squeezing his cousin’s neck. Thinking about how he’d been overlooked—again—for another high-profile case made his blood boil. He put in longer hours than anyone else at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark, actively sought out new clients and had an impeccable reputation. No John Edwards-type scandals or skeletons falling out of my closet, he thought, dribbling the ball with his racket. I haven’t lost a case in years, so why do I keep getting passed over for the most lucrative cases?
“I still can’t believe Jake proposed to Charlotte and is about to become stepdad to a two-year-old boy,” Nelson said, taking a swig from his water bottle. “If someone had told me a month ago that Jake would be engaged, I would have called them insane!”
“You and me both. I knew Jake was feeling Charlotte, but I never saw this one coming.”
“No one did.” Nelson added, “Well, no one besides Aunt Jeanette. Nothing gets past her!”
“I hope all the chatter dies down soon so everyone can get back to work,” Harper said, cleaning the sweat off his face with the bottom of his Adidas T-shirt. Ever since Jake had gotten engaged to his paralegal, Charlotte Evans, things had been crazy around the office. Harper couldn’t go anywhere without someone gushing over the couple. And he was sick of it. Sick of his colleagues congratulating Jake, patting him on the back, taking him out for celebratory after-work drinks. “We have a huge fraud trial coming up, and there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.”
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Harp, but no one’s thinking about that fraud case anymore. The whole city is talking about Jake and Charlotte, and the only thing people care about is who’s hosting their first official engagement party!”
“You’d think Jake invented the institution of marriage,” Harper grumbled, folding his arms. “Charlotte’s a good woman, and it’s obvious Jake loves her and her son, Harry, but I don’t understand why everyone’s fussing over them. Couples get engaged every day. Big deal!”
Nelson chuckled. “People love a good old-fashioned love story, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they made the rounds on the local TV shows, because viewers can’t get enough of office romance stories.”
Harper glanced at his titanium-steel sports watch and scowled when he saw the time. Premier Fitness was not only the most expensive gym in Philadelphia, but it was the busiest, and since he only had the racquetball court booked for an hour he didn’t want to waste another second discussing his cousin’s surprise engagement.
“Enough talk,” Harper said, poised to serve. “Let’s get back to our game—”
“Harper Hamilton?”
At the sound of his name, spoken on such a rich, melodious tone—one that evoked thoughts of passionate kisses, tender caresses and soulful lovemaking—he wheeled around. And when Harper saw the tall, willowy woman standing before him in the white tank top and workout shorts, the temperature in the indoor court soared to a thousand unbearable degrees.
“I’m Azure Ellison,” she said, offering her right hand. “We met last month when I interviewed your family for Eminence magazine at—”
“My uncle’s Integrity Estate,” Harper finished, taking her soft, supple hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. What he really wanted to do was take her in his arms and discover once and for all if her lips tasted as sweet as they looked, but fear of getting slapped upside his head and humiliated in front of his younger brother prevented Harper from acting on his desires.
“You don’t need to remind me who you are, Ms. Ellison. I know.” How could I forget? You’ve had a recurring role in my dreams for the past three weeks!
“I’m flattered that you remember me.”
“I never forget a face, and certainly never one as gorgeous as yours.”
* * *
If only that were true, Azure thought, masking her disappointment with a fake smile. She’d been convinced that once they were alone, away from Harper’s family and all of the employees crawling around the Integrity mansion, he would remember her. But Harper didn’t, and for some inexplicable reason, it stung.
Azure told herself to get a grip. There was nothing to be upset about. Back in prep school, she’d been a plump, painfully shy scholarship student who didn’t have a single friend, and it was silly to think that Harper Hamilton—a powerful, accomplished attorney who’d probably bedded women in the hundreds— would remember her after all these years.
“What’s up? I’m Nelson. Harper’s younger, devastatingly handsome brother.”
Tearing her gaze away from Harper, she smiled at the aspiring actor with the piercing eyes and movie-star good looks. “It’s great to finally meet you,” she said, shaking the hand he offered. “I’m sorry you couldn’t join us for the shoot, but I understand you were out of town.”
He nodded his smooth, bald head. “I really wanted to be there, but I had an audition for a commercial with Eva Mendes, and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to meet my favorite actress.”
“And a woman you’ve had a giant crush on for years,” Harper added, clapping his brother on the shoulder. “He watched Hitch so many times the DVD broke!”
The brothers laughed.
“Harper told me you’re an up-and-coming writer for Eminence magazine, but he never mentioned how beautiful you are.”
Nelson flashed his trademark grin, the one Harper had seen him use to get out of parking tickets and score tables at the best restaurants in town. “I didn’t tell you she was stunning because I didn’t want you to embarrass me. You know how you get when you see a drop-dead gorgeous woman!”
Azure’s heartbeat wailed in her ears like a siren. Me? Drop-dead gorgeous? Harper couldn’t be serious. He had to be playing, kidding around. Thanks to her aesthetician, she now had great skin and lush, shiny hair, but no one had ever showered her with compliments before. And more shocking still, Harper and Nelson were wearing matching smiles and staring at her intently. What was it with these Hamilton men? she wondered, fighting the urge to squeal like a schoolgirl. Why did they all have to be suave, good-looking and charming?
“I bet you used to model,” Nelson said smoothly. “Am I right?”
No, but not for lack of trying. Azure shivered as bitter memories from her childhood resurfaced. If her mother, a former beauty queen, had had her way, she would have been a toddler in a tiara. But beauty pageants were for thin, pretty girls, and Azure had been neither. At least that was what pageant organizers repeatedly told her. Now, her younger sister, Eden, was another story. She was born to rip the runway, and from the time she could walk, she was doing just that. “No runways in my past,” she replied with a nervous laugh. “I love fashion, but I was born to be a writer. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of doing.”
Harper wore a pensive expression on his face. “That’s too bad. With your look, and that million-dollar smile, you could have had a long and prosperous career.”
“I agree,” Nelson tossed in, whipping out his BlackBerry as it rang. He put it to his ear. “I better take this. It’s my agent.”
*