Barbara Dunlop - Seduced by the CEO

“You’re bluffing,” he told them with conviction. His critical gaze took in her outfit. “You’re not going to want to explain this to any manager.”

“Explain why we’re planting flowers?”

“Explain why you’re trespassing.”

Kalissa searched her brain for an explanation. He’d accused her of spying. What was he doing worth spying on?

“Are you breaking the law?” Perhaps they’d inadvertently stumbled on something to do with a crime or maybe national security. Should she be frightened?

“I can’t believe he sent you.” Then a flash of confusion came into the man’s eyes. His voice lost some of its edge. “ Why did he send you? Why would he send you?”

Kalissa extracted a business card from her pocket and held it out. “Mosaic Landscaping,” she said. “See, that’s us.”

Looking suspicious, the man took the card and read it.

“Nice level of detail,” he said, sounding ever so slightly impressed. “But why you?”

She took a stab at answering the bizarre question. “Because I have a diploma in landscape design.”

He drew back. “Are you serious?”

“Completely serious.”

He took a long look at her clothes and her hair. “It still doesn’t make sense.”

“It makes perfect sense, when you think about it,” said Kalissa.

Her apprehension began to moderate. The man was clearly more puzzled than angry.

He shook his head. “Why send his wife? He wouldn’t send his wife.”

“I’m not married,” said Kalissa.

“Give me a break.”

“Kalissa?” Megan interrupted.

“No, seriously,” said Kalissa. She stripped the glove from her left hand and wiggled her fingers to show him.

“The diamond is probably in your safe.”

“Kalissa.”

“I don’t have a safe.”

Megan grasped her shoulder from behind, stepping closer. “Kalissa, he thinks you’re Darci .”

Kalissa twisted her neck to look at her friend. “What?”

“She is Darci,” said the man.

“Darci,” Megan repeated with a meaningful stare.

“Darci Colborn?” Kalissa asked, the lightbulb coming on inside her head.

“This is ridiculous,” said the man.

Kalissa turned back to him, realizing there was a simple explanation. “I get it. I’m not Darci Colborn. I look a little bit like her.”

“A little bit ?” asked Megan.

“The jig is up,” said the man.

“There is no jig, and it’s not up. I’m Kalissa Smith. I can prove it. I have identification.”

He peered at her, and the minutes stretched by. It was obvious his brain was piecing through the situation.

“What have you got against Darci Colborn?” she asked him.

“I’ve never even met her.”

“Then, that’s why you’re confused. She’s quite different than me in person.”

“You know her?” he asked.

“I’ve seen videos.”

“They’re twins,” said Megan.

“We don’t know that,” Kalissa said to Megan.

“You should contact her,” said Megan.

“Shut up,” said Kalissa, having no intention of getting into that debate again, now or in the future.

“This is going to keep happening,” said Megan.

“It’s a fluke.”

“You’re a landscape designer?” asked the man.

“Yes.”

“Your name is Kalissa Smith.”

“Says it right there on the card.”

“And you don’t know Darci Colborn?”

“Didn’t even know she existed until last week. It’s weird, but it’s no big deal.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking like he probably was, even though he was still watching her intently.

“No problem.”

The strength of his gaze sent a shimmer through her chest. He really was an incredibly good looking man. He was tall, fit, and somewhere around thirty. Too bad she was such a mess. And too bad his interest had nothing to do with her personally.

“Can I keep the card?” he asked.

“Do you own a house?” asked Megan, stepping up beside Darci. “Do you have a yard?”

He pocketed the card. “I do. Goodnight, ladies.”

“Goodnight,” Kalissa automatically echoed.

With a nod, he turned to walk back to the restaurant.

“He was hot,” said Megan.

“He was strange,” said Kalissa, watching his broad shoulders as the glass door opened and then swung closed behind him.

But she had to admit, he was also hot. There was something extraordinarily sexy in his deep voice. Part of her hoped he might actually call. Against all logic, that same part couldn’t help but hope it would be about more than just landscaping.

Two

The next evening, sitting on his deck with Ashton, Riley was still trying to figure out Kalissa Smith.

His brother’s wife had a sister. She had a sexy, feisty, secret twin sister. And nobody seemed to know she existed.

“Setting aside the ‘how on earth’ questions,” said Ashton, helping himself to a slice of pizza from the carton on the wood slat table between them.

The sun was setting beyond the park, over the vast stretch of orderly rows of houses north west of Chicago. The lengthening shadows showed Riley’s yard as plain and stark.

“Setting that aside,” he said, though he’d pondered the very question in bed last night, then again at work today.

He’d also pondered Kalissa, her crystal green eyes, those deep red lips, and what looked like a perfect body, nearly but not quite camouflaged by her work clothes. He’d checked social media sites today, but there were no tagged photos of Kalissa Smith. Her name was on the Mosaic Landscaping site, but it didn’t have her picture.

“Could she have been spying for her sister?” Ashton asked.

Riley had considered and discarded that theory. “If she was, she deserves an acting award.”

“And it seems pretty elaborate,” said Ashton, propping his feet up on one of the wooden stools.

Riley had to agree. “There’s no way she overheard our conversation from out on the patio. All she could report was that I met with Pierre Charron, and maybe for how long. And why would you use a Darci clone to do that? There are far easier ways. Bribe a waiter, for example.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

Riley reached for his cell phone. “I’m thinking about doing some landscaping.”

Ashton smiled. “Keep your enemies close?”

Riley fished into his shirt pocket for the Mosaic Landscaping business card. “I don’t think she’s the enemy. I don’t know what the heck this is all about.”

“You think they’re really twins?”

“They’re absolutely identical.”

“You sure it wasn’t Darci?”

“I’m positive. I checked. Shane and Darci were at an art gallery last night, a charity event on the other side of town.”

Ashton was silent for a few minutes. “Then why pursue it? What’s in it for you?”

Riley dialed with his thumb. “I don’t know yet.”

Ashton shifted in his chair, turning sideways to face Riley. “You’re attracted to her.”

“She’s attractive,” Riley admitted.

“This isn’t about wanting what Shane’s already got.”

Riley frowned. “I’ve been over that for a very long time.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Mosaic Landscaping,” came Kalissa’s breathy voice.

“Is this Kalissa?” He already knew the answer.

“Yes, it is.” She sounded like she was slightly out of breath.

“This is Riley,” he hesitated over his last name. “Have I called at a bad time?”

“Not at all. How can I help you?”

He pictured her pushing a wheelbarrow, flushed cheeks, a bead of sweat at her temple. “I was hoping to make an appointment with you.”