by: Nina Crespo
Series: The Kingman Brothers
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 16, 2018
Publisher: Pocket Star
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Sophie Jordan dreams about hooking up with Nicolas “King” Kingman—the gorgeous CEO of her company—but as her boss, he’ll always remain out of reach. King knows he isn’t built for happily-ever-afters and only indulges in brief romantic encounters. But when Sophie agrees to fill in as his last-minute date to a charity gala, an unexpected discovery quickly escalates their platonic relationship to one of passion.
King is determined to ignore their attraction and, feeling betrayed, Sophie severs ties with him and the company. Everything changes, however, when he’s injured in an accident, and Sophie agrees to help until he closes a major deal. Unfortunately, he’s developed amnesia, and although he doesn’t remember their night together, desire binds them in ways they can’t resist.
Time is running out on closing the deal, as well as Sophie moving on to her new career. Will King deny love in favor of winning and lose Sophie forever?
A closed-off expression covered Sophie’s face. “I forgot something.” She turned, and her loose curls fanned around her shoulders as she started walking away.
He couldn’t care less about Jenna’s tantrum, but Sophie was his right-hand woman. He’d gone through three executive assistants before he’d found her—or more accurately, stolen her from Aiden.
“Wait.” King strode out and grasped her arm.
She wrenched away and snatched a stack of envelopes from her desk.
He could fix this. It was a simple negotiation—empathize, rationalize, find common ground. “I shouldn’t have yelled.”
She paused in opening the glass doors.
“You should be upset.” He eased closer. “This is your office too. Navigating a war zone isn’t part of your job description.”
She turned around. “It hasn’t happened before, and I’m sure you weren’t expecting a confrontation with Jenna.” Coolness thawed her dark brown eyes. “Or for me to come back.”
Nailed it. She understood. “I met a woman at the airport when I got in from Boston last Sunday. We had dinner at a restaurant downtown. One of the sales clerks from the boutique spotted us. She mentioned it to Jenna.”
“It’s none of my business.” Sophie dropped her things on the desk and breezed into the kitchenette.
The envelopes next to her purse tumbled to the floor.
King put them back. Cultivating a little more empathy wouldn’t hurt. He followed her. “I shouldn’t have agreed to accompany Jenna to her sister’s wedding last month.” At the time, he’d had business in New York, and they were getting along well. Until Jenna had turned possessive. “She misunderstood what my showing up meant.”
“Obviously.” Sophie filled a dishcloth with ice from the mini fridge under the beige counter. “Here.”
“I don’t need it.”
“You do.” She pressed the pack to his cheek. “Unless you want everyone at the gala to wonder why there’s an imprint of a hand on your face.”
He held the cold cloth, and she slid her fingers from underneath his. Chill replaced her warmth. “I’m not going.”
“Why? You can still make it.”
“I don’t want to navigate tonight without a date.”
She laughed. “You without a date? Right, that’s so sad.”
“You don’t understand. On my own, I’m a walking target for someone to trap me in a conversation about their idea of the next huge deal.”
“Tell them to call me and make an appointment.”
“Some people aren’t good at taking the hint, and telling them to leave me the hell alone isn’t good for business.”
That’s why he’d invited Jenna. He’d grown tired of listening to her whine about him neglecting her, but he’d decided to tolerate it for one more week so he could take her to the gala. She knew how to smile, redirect people’s attention, and move them along. Aiden would ride his ass if he didn’t suck it up and go. Shit. Weariness pulled at King and he leaned back against the counter. After the comments Jenna had made at her sister’s wedding, he shouldn’t have assumed she was still on board with their no-strings arrangement. Or that she was levelheaded. Like Sophie.
He straightened. Sophie. Practical. Uncomplicated. The perfect plus-one for the event. “What are your plans for tonight?”
“Going home like my cranky boss ordered.”
He tossed the makeshift pack into the sink. “I’m serious. Answer the question.”
She dumped the ice from the cloth and laid it on the dish rack. “I did give you an answer.” She smoothed her bangs and shrugged. “I’ve got stuff to do.”
Batting hair out of her eyes. A one-shouldered shrug. They were her tells. She was trying to pass off a half-truth. “Handle it later. You’re coming with me.”
Her eyes popped wide. “What? To the gala? I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’m not dressed for a formal party.”
It didn’t matter what she had on. Whether it was a pantsuit, a simple blouse, or a skirt that showed off her toned legs, Sophie always looked decent. But if not having a fancy outfit was the main excuse for her not coming, he could easily make it a non-issue.
“If I can wrangle shoes for Jenna, I can definitely find you a dress.” King went through the connecting door into his office and snagged his cell from the desk.
“King, no, it’s too late.”
“The hell it is. After what just happened, Meagan owes me.”
He couldn’t care less about Jenna’s tantrum, but Sophie was his right-hand woman. He’d gone through three executive assistants before he’d found her—or more accurately, stolen her from Aiden.
“Wait.” King strode out and grasped her arm.
She wrenched away and snatched a stack of envelopes from her desk.
He could fix this. It was a simple negotiation—empathize, rationalize, find common ground. “I shouldn’t have yelled.”
She paused in opening the glass doors.
“You should be upset.” He eased closer. “This is your office too. Navigating a war zone isn’t part of your job description.”
She turned around. “It hasn’t happened before, and I’m sure you weren’t expecting a confrontation with Jenna.” Coolness thawed her dark brown eyes. “Or for me to come back.”
Nailed it. She understood. “I met a woman at the airport when I got in from Boston last Sunday. We had dinner at a restaurant downtown. One of the sales clerks from the boutique spotted us. She mentioned it to Jenna.”
“It’s none of my business.” Sophie dropped her things on the desk and breezed into the kitchenette.
The envelopes next to her purse tumbled to the floor.
King put them back. Cultivating a little more empathy wouldn’t hurt. He followed her. “I shouldn’t have agreed to accompany Jenna to her sister’s wedding last month.” At the time, he’d had business in New York, and they were getting along well. Until Jenna had turned possessive. “She misunderstood what my showing up meant.”
“Obviously.” Sophie filled a dishcloth with ice from the mini fridge under the beige counter. “Here.”
“I don’t need it.”
“You do.” She pressed the pack to his cheek. “Unless you want everyone at the gala to wonder why there’s an imprint of a hand on your face.”
He held the cold cloth, and she slid her fingers from underneath his. Chill replaced her warmth. “I’m not going.”
“Why? You can still make it.”
“I don’t want to navigate tonight without a date.”
She laughed. “You without a date? Right, that’s so sad.”
“You don’t understand. On my own, I’m a walking target for someone to trap me in a conversation about their idea of the next huge deal.”
“Tell them to call me and make an appointment.”
“Some people aren’t good at taking the hint, and telling them to leave me the hell alone isn’t good for business.”
That’s why he’d invited Jenna. He’d grown tired of listening to her whine about him neglecting her, but he’d decided to tolerate it for one more week so he could take her to the gala. She knew how to smile, redirect people’s attention, and move them along. Aiden would ride his ass if he didn’t suck it up and go. Shit. Weariness pulled at King and he leaned back against the counter. After the comments Jenna had made at her sister’s wedding, he shouldn’t have assumed she was still on board with their no-strings arrangement. Or that she was levelheaded. Like Sophie.
He straightened. Sophie. Practical. Uncomplicated. The perfect plus-one for the event. “What are your plans for tonight?”
“Going home like my cranky boss ordered.”
He tossed the makeshift pack into the sink. “I’m serious. Answer the question.”
She dumped the ice from the cloth and laid it on the dish rack. “I did give you an answer.” She smoothed her bangs and shrugged. “I’ve got stuff to do.”
Batting hair out of her eyes. A one-shouldered shrug. They were her tells. She was trying to pass off a half-truth. “Handle it later. You’re coming with me.”
Her eyes popped wide. “What? To the gala? I can’t.”
“Why?”
“I’m not dressed for a formal party.”
It didn’t matter what she had on. Whether it was a pantsuit, a simple blouse, or a skirt that showed off her toned legs, Sophie always looked decent. But if not having a fancy outfit was the main excuse for her not coming, he could easily make it a non-issue.
“If I can wrangle shoes for Jenna, I can definitely find you a dress.” King went through the connecting door into his office and snagged his cell from the desk.
“King, no, it’s too late.”
“The hell it is. After what just happened, Meagan owes me.”
Purchase Forget You from:
The Kingman Brothers Series:
Book two, Fight for You, releases July 9, 2018
Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions -- the beach, a good glass of wine, date night with her own real-life hero and dancing. Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a "borrowing spree" in her older sister's bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel. Let Nina's sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales satisfy your own craving for love, romance, and happily ever after.
Places to find Nina Crespo:
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