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C.J. looked absolutely stunning. He'd guessed her height yesterday to be around five seven or eight, and he knew she wasn't of a delicate frame, but yesterday's loose-fitting dress and today's jeans and T-shirt hadn't prepared him for the luscious shape standing before him draped in royal purple. "You look … lovely."
    So stunned with her entrance, he hadn't noticed the apprehension on her face until he saw it slide away, making room for a tentative smile and a spark of satisfaction in her eyes. "It doesn't look bad, does it?"
    "You'll be the most beautiful woman in the room."
    A hint of pink rose to her cheeks, and she quickly spun about to face the three-way mirror. He supposed it was another mechanism for fitting in. The standard rule for success in a man's world: never let them see you sweat. For a woman he supposed he'd have to add: and never let them see you blush.
    Watching her turn left, then right, showing off every soft curve, had blood rushing uncomfortably south of his belt. One layered swatch of fabric hung over a shoulder, exposing well-toned arms that showed strength while remaining most definitely feminine. The flow of fabric drew his gaze across to the soft bare shoulder and then back down the slightest hint of cleavage. Gathered fabric hugged an hourglass figure before breaking loose in smooth flowing waves to the floor. Damn he wanted to explore what was under all those layers of purple. And he'd assured her no monkey business. Him and his bright ideas.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Much to C.J.’s surprise, Missy had found C.J. several casual outfits that didn't make her feel like a character in a theatrical production. Currently she had on the softest, most comfortable pair of slacks she'd ever worn. For almost an hour she'd tried to find the price on the clothes she'd been slipping on and off and finally sidled up to Chase. "I don't see the prices. How do I know what they cost?"
    "You don't," he deadpanned.
    Talking through a toothy smile so as not to draw Missy's attention, C.J. angled her shoulder away from the sales girl. "I have a limited budget." Technically she didn't have any budget at all, but she did have fairly good credit. There wasn't much call for a MasterCard in Kabul.
    "Then it's a good thing I don't."
    He flashed her one of his high-wattage smiles that she'd gotten used to seeing as she'd come out, wearing outfit after outfit.
    "Call it the cost of doing business," he added.
    And just like that she'd been snapped out of her Cinderella moment and came crashing down on a rotten pumpkin. This was all business. Fancy clothes were merely the uniform of the day. Petty cash for an Ivory.
    "Thank you." Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, she put on a smile. "So where to now?"
    "Lunch and then the resort. By the time we arrive, your new clothes should have been delivered to the villa."
    "I don't need a villa. A simple room will do."
    "We don't have a choice. The resort is sold out. Nate booked the siblings and the Colonel villas before the rest of the extended family could snatch them up."
    "But I'm not a sibling."
    "At the time I didn't know I'd have a plus one but don't fret. Our deal is still intact. Most of the villas have more than one bedroom."
    Yes. Their business deal. "If the villa has more than one bedroom, why do you each need your own villa? Why not share?" The question seemed as practical to her as why shouldn't she wait to carry her own coffee, but, from the look on Chase's face, she might as well have been asking for the mathematical formula for the Pythagorean Theorem.
    "Let's just say privacy is important to my family."
    The unexpectedly serious expression that took over his face had her thinking maybe all the brothers were closet Naughty Ivorys.
    The Perched Pelican was not far from the resort. She didn't have to know anything about the restaurant to recognize it would not have a blue-jeans-and-sneakers type of menu. The parking lot was nearly empty, and yet Chase pulled up to