Second Chance Temptation

Why had she hesitated when she said vacation? Why did he suspect a vacation was not the reason she was back in Boston? And why did it matter? All he needed was for her to be around...

“I’m not asking you to glue yourself to my side, Tanna. I just need you to move in here, to help with some meals, to drive me to work and back.”

“You are not nearly ready to go back to work,” Tanna told him, her tone as bossy as hell. Levi raised his eyebrows at her assertiveness.

“But I will be, soon. I heal fast,” Levi retorted, not willing to get into an argument about something that wasn’t going to happen today, or even tomorrow. “Anyway, as I was saying, I need you for a couple of hours a day, to be on call if I need you. The rest of the time will be your own.”

“Good of you.”

Levi refused to let her see his quick smile. Assertive and sarcastic. Better and better. And he was glad. If Tanna was the same timid, eager-to-please girl she’d been, he probably wouldn’t be making this offer, wouldn’t be half as interested in that version as he was in this.

At twenty-four he’d been happy to have his ego stroked; at thirty-four he liked women who pushed back, who weren’t afraid to speak their minds.

He was surrounded by strong, gutsy, opinionated women and if he ever came to the point of considering another relationship—an exceedingly remote possibility—he wanted someone who could stand on her own two feet, who was prepared to make her own mistakes and live with them.

Being the voice of reason when his dad’s ambition outstripped his common sense, Levi couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t felt responsible for protecting his mom and sisters. When his dad died, Levi oversaw the sale of Brogan LLC and he personally managed the billions in the family trust.

He did, he admitted, have a strong rescue gene. But his mom and sisters were perfectly able to look after themselves and while they were happy for him to manage their family money, he’d been told, repeatedly, he didn’t need to worry about their emotional well-being.

They had their own alpha men doing enough hovering, thank you very much.

He still felt protective of them; he probably always would. But he was smart enough not to tell them that. But they were his blood, a part of his psyche. Tanna—or any other woman—did not warrant that much of his soul. It hurt far too much when they handed it back to him, battered and bruised.

God, enough with the melodrama, Brogan.

This was a straight-up deal. He needed someone. Tanna owed him, and while he’d never be verbally abusive to her or any other woman, with her he wouldn’t have to pretend he wasn’t in pain, frustrated or pissed off. He could just be because, dammit, there was nothing she could do to hurt him again.

“A couple of meals, a couple of rides, a little light housekeeping, that’s all I need you for.” Levi shifted in his seat and pain barreled through him, digging its claws into his body, and it took everything he had not to allow her to see how weak and miserable it made him feel. He’d been vulnerable once with her. He’d never allow her to look beneath his surface again.

A tiny frown appeared between her eyebrows. “You’re in pain.”

Dammit, what had happened to his impenetrable mask? Not wanting to give her an inch, he made a sound he hoped sounded like a scoff. “Please.”

“God save me from stubborn men,” Tanna muttered.

“I’m fine, Murphy.” Such a lie.

Dropping his head back, Levi fought to keep his eyes open, cursing himself for feeling so tired. Sometimes he managed to ignore the pain and drift off and he felt this might be one of those times. His battered body needed sleep to recover but he didn’t want to fall asleep now, not in front of Tanna. If he did, she’d leave and he might never see her again.

He wouldn’t get any payback if she did that.

Levi forced his eyes open and gripped her wrist. “Will you be here when I wake up?”

Tanna shook her head. “Probably not.”

Disappointment, hot and sour, rocketed through him. Why did he care? She meant nothing to him, not anymore.

Tanna didn’t try to pull her wrist from his grip and her skin was so soft, so smooth. He thought he heard her sigh and her voice, when she spoke, came from a long way away. “I have things to do. I need to talk to my brothers, explain what I’ll be doing here. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“Promise?”

“Yeah. Sleep now, Levi.”

Levi hoped, for the first time in a decade, he’d see her again. But only because, he sternly reminded himself as he drifted off, he needed help and she owed him.

And because he really, really, really wanted to see her naked.

Like that other famous auction house on the other side of the pond, Murphy’s boasted a canvas portico in front of its main entrance with Murphy International written in white across the bloodred canvas. It was simple, effective and attractive, and Tanna felt the familiar kick of pride as she stared up at the letters spelling her surname.

Her great-grandfather started the company, passed it on to her grandfather, then to her father and now her brothers were running the world-famous auction house with satellite offices across the world.

She was the only Murphy who’d ever stepped away, who was working in a completely different field.

The thought made her sad.

Tanna jammed her hands into the pockets of her coat, conscious of her heart beating out of her chest. Just like always, she’d planned to avoid Murphy’s, but she needed to talk to Carrick and he was, if she remembered correctly, leaving for Tokyo shortly. She needed to tell him she was moving out of the Beacon Hill house, moving in with Levi...

But only to help him, of course.

She definitely could not tell her brother she hoped, as insane as it sounded, that somehow, some way, she and Levi would finally get naked and she’d find out what making love with her ex-fiancé felt like.

She’d spent many nights imagining the way his hands would feel on her skin, how strong and hard he’d be when he pushed into her, filling up those empty and desperate spaces no man had ever managed to fill.

She needed to know because, honestly, her sexual education was incomplete.

She and Levi were done, over, their time had passed...

But, not having slept with him, Tanna was convinced there was a puzzle piece missing, like she’d never quite seen the complete picture. Like she’d never read the last chapter in a sad but compelling story.

Tanna heard the incoming message on her phone and pulled it out of her pocket. She swiped the screen and read the text from Carrick.

Security just warned me about a suspicious-looking woman casing the joint. Get your ass in here before you get arrested.

Tanna grinned. She knew Murphy’s security firm employed facial recognition software and she’d been identified within a few seconds of arriving at the entrance. Carrick was just yanking her chain.

Tanna greeted the doorman and walked inside the iconic building, her boots echoing on the polished concrete floor. In front of her was the concierge, and to the left and right were the main viewing rooms.

Tanna was a frequent visitor to Murphy’s website and knew there was an upcoming auction of Henry Moore sculptures and a collection of vintage clothing and accessories. She wanted to lose herself in both exhibitions but she knew she couldn’t afford to step inside either room—there were too many memories here that she wasn’t quite ready to deal with.

Tanna watched as a young woman wearing a black pencil skirt and sky-high red heels half ran up the marble steps leading to the private offices on the floors above. She pushed down a wave of envy. How lucky that woman was to be working here, to be interacting with art lovers, with collectors, with the beautiful objects. How fortunate she was to be immersed in art, surrounded by beauty.

She could be you. You worked here, before you left. You chose to leave, Tanna Murphy, nobody chased you away.

Tanna had left because she didn’t have a right to live her dream life, the life she’d been born to. Addy’d never had that chance and it was Tanna’s fault. For Addy she had to do more, be better, be useful.

Art was lovely but it wasn’t important...

She shouldn’t have come back here. She should’ve just called Carrick...

Feeling sad and emotional and teary-eyed, Tanna ran up one flight of stairs, through a security door and up another flight of stairs. Her feet took her down the hallway to Carrick’s large, third-floor office and after greeting Marsha, Carrick’s PA, she knocked on his partially open door.

Carrick looked up at the knock and his smile broadened as he waved her in. Standing up, he kissed her cheek and shook his head, bemused.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Tanna asked him, dropping her bag onto one of the chairs on the opposite side of his desk.

“Just happy that I’ve finally gotten you to come into Murphy’s. I’m also thinking about how much you look like Mom,” Carrick replied, his voice gruff. Tanna appreciated the observation but she knew she couldn’t hold a candle to her obscenely beautiful mother.

“I know I don’t talk about her often, Tan, but I still miss her. I miss them both.”

Tanna’s eyes misted over. “I do too. But I don’t remember them as well as you do.”

Carrick gestured to his messy desk. “I could do with Dad’s help today,” he admitted, slapping his hands on his hips.

Tanna dropped into the other chair and crossed her long legs. “Problems?” She couldn’t help asking the question. She might be completely devoted to her career but Murphy’s was, and would always be, a huge part of her.

Carrick walked around his enormous desk and rested his butt against the edge. “When are there ever not?”

“Tell me.”

Because, just for a minute or two, she wanted to pretend she was still part of this business, still a Murphy. Tanna never got the chance to talk art with her colleagues. For the most part, art didn’t interest them and they were also too damn busy saving lives.

But she wasn’t at work now and she could spend time talking about Murphy clients and collections with her elder brother.

It didn’t mean anything...

“For someone who professes to have no interest in the family company, you still ask pertinent questions and make sensible suggestions,” Carrick said later, sending her a sly grin.

“I could still use you here at Murphy’s, in public or client relations. You enjoy people, love art and you’re naturally warm and charming, just like Mom. Do you still enjoy being an EMT?” Carrick asked her before she could think of a suitable response.

Tanna crossed her legs and stared at the tip of her leather boot. “It’s an important job, Carrick. I make a difference.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Carrick persisted. “Do you enjoy it?”

She didn’t hate it.

She looked at the painting sitting on the easel in the corner of his office and lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to spoil her trip to Murphy’s by fighting with her brother over her return, something she couldn’t consider. So she changed the subject. “Is that a Homer?”

Carrick, thank God, didn’t push.

“We’re not sure,” Carrick said, looking at the painting of two children and their African American mother.

“It’s an intensely powerful painting and if it isn’t a Homer, then it’s a superb fake.”

“I have an appointment shortly with an art detective we are hiring to chase down provenance and run tests.”

“I thought you employed art detectives. Isn’t that what Finn does?”

“Finn is checking and double-checking the provenance of all the paintings we are putting up for sale at the Mounton-Matthews auction. It’ll be the biggest sale of the decade and we’ve been working on it for months. Finn is slammed. We also need to use an art detective Tamlyn trusts because she’ll be the one who will eventually decide whether it’s a genuine Homer or not,” Carrick continued.

Tanna’s eyes cooled at the mention of his ex. She and Tamlyn had never jelled and neither made any bones about the fact. “You’re dealing with that witch?”

It was Carrick’s turn to change the subject and he did it by tapping the face of his watch with his index finger. Tanna couldn’t complain; what was good for the goose and all that.

“I have an appointment in five and I need to leave for the airport in an hour so was there a reason for this visit or did you just drop in to say hi?”

Tanna scratched her forehead and wrinkled her nose. “Talking of revisiting the past...”

“Yeah?”

“So, as I said, I’m in Boston for about six weeks...” Tanna nibbled at the corner of her mouth. Get it out, Murphy. Her words rolled out in a rush of syllables. “I went to see Levi this morning. I wanted to apologize to him, see if I could make things right.”

Carrick winced and Tanna didn’t blame him. They both knew a couple of words wouldn’t make it right. “How did he respond?”

“It didn’t go well,” Tanna admitted. “I apologized. He was dismissive.”

Tanna looked past her brother’s shoulder to his incredible view of the Downtown Crossing neighborhood and Boston Common.

Carrick folded his arms, tipped his head and waited for more. Because, somehow, he knew there were at least ten thousand things she wasn’t saying. “He’s still angry at me.”

“Uh-huh?”

“He says I owe him and there’s something I can do to repay him.”

When Tanna didn’t speak again Carrick frowned.

“You going to tell me what Brogan wants, Tan?” Carrick demanded, not bothering to hide his curiosity.

“He wants me to move in with him. He needs someone to run errands for him, cook and clean.” Tanna pulled a face. “He says he can be rude to me and not care.”

“Uh-huh,” Carrick said and Tanna didn’t appreciate his lack of effort to hide his amusement. “And you believed him?”

“He was pretty damn rude,” Tanna muttered.

She couldn’t see anything funny in what she’d said. What was wrong with her oldest brother?

“So, are you going to agree to his demands, clear your debt?” Carrick asked.

“You think I should?”

“I think you should help him out, Tan.”

Tanna narrowed her eyes. “You’re just saying that in the hopes something will spark between us again, so there might be a chance of me moving back to Boston.”

“I’ve never made a secret of the fact that I want you back in Boston and that I want you to be part of the family business again, part of this family. We’ve missed you intensely and you’ve barely spent any time with Ronan’s kids. London is a hella long way away. Levi sat by your bedside for months. The least you can do is help him out when he’s in a jam.”

Yep, Carrick wasn’t above playing the guilt card. Tanna muttered a curse. “Ugh.”

“Is that a yes?” Carrick asked.

“Actually, I’d pretty much made up my mind to help Levi before I got here.” Tanna glared at him. “But I’m not happy about it.”

Carrick started to speak but was interrupted by another knock on his door. Marsha opened it and behind his middle-aged, short and ruthlessly efficient PA stood a tall blonde.

“Carrick, your three o’clock appointment is here. This is Dr. Sadie Slade.” Marsha stepped aside to allow a tall, modern Cinderella look-alike to walk into his office. Tumbling honey curls framed a triangular face dominated by big, round blue eyes holding more than a trace of violet. Tanna looked from the Sports Illustrated model to her eldest brother and her eyes widened at the look of profound—Was that shock on his face?

It was either that or Carrick was having a heart attack. Since she knew her brother was a workout junkie, she figured she didn’t need to call for an ambulance. Thank God, because the thought of giving him mouth-to-mouth made her want to gag.

Then again, the blonde—judging by her flushed face and her inability to pull her eyes off Carrick’s face—wouldn’t hesitate.

Chemical reaction.

Tanna looked past Carrick to where Marsha stood in the doorway and she caught Marsha’s eye, fighting not to return her grin. So, she wasn’t the only one who’d caught the zings between these two.

Ha ha, karma is a bitch, Carrick.

He’d laughed at her for her Levi predicament. She couldn’t wait to watch him dealing with Dr. Sadie Slade, acting like the cool, reserved CEO of one of the premier auction houses in the world while fighting his fierce attraction.

Tanna had no idea how he was going to act cool with his tongue on the floor.

Four

Tanna, leather tote over her shoulder, rapped briefly on Levi’s front door and stepped inside. Pulling her suitcase into the hall, she dropped her duffel bag to the floor and looked up to see Levi shuffling down the hallway.

He stopped, stood on his good foot and relaxed his arms, regarding her with eyes that instantly made her want to spill her secrets.

Even dinged and dented, you are so hot.

I’ve missed you.

It’s weird and wrong and right to be here.

“Hi.” Scintillating opening line, Murphy.

“I didn’t think you were coming back,” Levi said, his voice extra growly. And, strangely, extra sexy.

“Miss me?” Tanna asked, aiming for jokey but hitting breathless. Honestly, what was wrong with her? She just had to look at Levi and her brains, and ovaries, exploded.

Not good.

“I survived. Just I like I survived the past decade,” Levi replied, but his words didn’t hold the bite she expected. He just sounded tired.

Tanna glanced at the antique, freestanding clock in the corner, wincing when she saw it was later than she’d realized. “Yeah, I’m sorry I’m a bit late. I meant to be here earlier, but I had to go see Carrick, tell him I was moving out of his house into yours—”

Alarm skittered across Levi’s face. “Ah, I meant to call him, to explain the situation, but I fell asleep. How did he take the news?”

Tanna thought about her brother’s reaction. She couldn’t forget his amusement.

“Strangely, he said that I should help you. He, kind of, agreed that I owed you. But he didn’t say very much on the subject at all.”

She really hoped her big brother wasn’t trying to play matchmaker. That ship had sailed.

And sunk.

Levi frowned and instantly looked suspicious. “That doesn’t sound like Carrick.”

“I thought so too.”

Levi ran his hand over the scruff on his jaw. “Huh. Should I call him and ask?”

Tanna shook her head. Why borrow trouble? “No...hell no. Let sleeping dogs, or noncommunicative brothers, lie.” She glanced down at her bags. “Where can I dump these?”

“There’s a guest bedroom up the stairs on the right. I have a cleaning service. They come in once a week and they keep it in a state of readiness.”

“And I supposed your overnight guests stay in your bed and don’t use the guest room.”

Tanna winced when the words left her mouth and she wished she could haul them back. Dammit. His sex life had nothing to do with her, nothing at all. But if he did have a live-in or a steady girlfriend, why wasn’t she here, tending to her man?

And if he did have a girlfriend, how would she react to Tanna’s presence in his house?

But if he was seeing someone, Tanna would have the perfect excuse to leave. She could just pick up her bags and walk out the front door. There was only one way to find out and Tanna bit the conversational bullet. “So, should I be worried about some girlfriend showing up here, ready to scratch me stupid?”

A smile touched Levi’s mouth. “Jealous?”

She was not going to dignify that with an answer. Mostly because, yes, she was. But she was allowed to be. This man had once considered spending the rest of his life with her. But she’d left him, bailed out in a spectacular fashion. She’d forfeited her right to feel jealous.

Or any other emotion.

Tanna, because she knew she was digging a hole for herself, just lifted her chin and waited for him to answer her question, and Levi finally put her out of her misery...

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