~*~
Lex Fitzgerald studied the people scurrying about the Perris Valley Skydiving field and grimaced.The idea that he could find a solution to his business problem in Hollywood would have been ludicrous a week ago.Now, here he was.
To his left were several RV trailers with tinted windows, gleaming exteriors, and popped out sides.Beside them, the other trailers looked drab and several decades old.To his right was a huge contraption withIndoor Skydivingprinted on it.It wasn’t exactly the place to search for the perfect person to play the role of his wife, but he was desperate.
Once he’d made up his mind about what had to be done, he’d set a plan in motion.Reading resumes.Doing background checks.Studying headshots, not that looks had anything to do with acting abilities.He had a history of dating a certain kind of woman, and if he deviated from that, his family would be onto him.
He’d already chosen ten promising candidates.All he had to do now was observe the actresses in action, without them knowing his identity or intentions, and narrow down the list.People tended to act like idiots whenever his name was mentioned.Half the time he wasn’t sure whether he or his family was the cause.
Lex was a real estate developer with a knack for finding prime properties— returning decrepit buildings to their former glory and empty lots into an oasis for those with discerning tastes.Becoming a billionaire before he hit forty was proof that the key to success was hard work and innovation.But his large Irish-American family had a presence on the west coast.They covered the full spectrum when it came to careers.From public servants to successful entrepreneurs, sports figures to land owners, one couldn’t pick a profession without a Fitzgerald popping up.
Two years ago, his cousin Eddie, a former cop with the LAPD, had approached him with a proposal to create custom-made motorcycles.They’d started Leeds and launched their first motorcycle—Leeds Road King.Three months ago, they’d released Street Rider X and XD, the second one lighter and more appealing to younger riders.The reviews had been great and bike enthusiasts had taken notice, the first quarter surpassing their expectations.But when they started receiving orders from overseas, especially Asia and South America, Lex had realized they needed a distributor.One with a respected reputation in the extreme sports industry.There was only one distributor worth courting: Hujimura Motorcycle Distributors, a family-owned company with branches across the globe.Unfortunately, the CEO was a traditionalist.
Yoshi Hujimura didn’t believe in doing business with unmarried men.According to him, unmarried men lacked tradition and stability, which meant they were not dependable.
What a crock of shit.
Lex was all about tradition and dependability.He was still unmarried at thirty-nine because he had to fulfill a promise he’d given his father—watch over his brothers and sister, and make sure they settled into their lives and chosen careers.
He was close to fulfilling that promise.All his brothers, his sister, and cousins, who’d joined his family along the way, were happily married and had thriving careers.Eddie was the last one.
Eddie might be a genius when it came to designing engines and motorcycles, but he was no businessman.Lex lived and breathed business.He’d been running Fitz-Valdez Real Estate since he was in his twenties.That he had to marry some stranger now to seal a deal didn’t bother him.Once his cousin’s business took off, Lex would be free to focus on his personal life.
“Nice ride.”
Lex’s head snapped toward the sexy, feminine voice.A woman in a red skydiving suit walked toward him, her eyes on his bike.
He tried not to cringe.She was everything he hated about Hollywood.Her makeup was over the top, like she was trying to cover up all her imperfections.And it was impossible to tell her hair color because of the atrocious multicolored wig.
As though she felt his disapproval, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jumpsuit.The action drew his attention to her generous hips.
“Thank you,” he said politely and hoped the woman would go away.
She stepped closer.“I like the modifications.”
Lex gave her a second glance, trying to see beyond the heavy makeup.He noted her button nose, lush lips, and the gentle curve of her cheekbone.“Modifications?”
“The handlebar, the chrome finish, and the hand-adjustable rear suspension weren’t in the original Road King.The adjustable seats and the fenders are also new.”
A woman who knew bikes.Now he was intrigued.He noted more things about her.She wasn’t busty, but her posture said she was proud of whatever she had under the suit.He was a curves man.Not something to brag about, but curves and gentleness were two things he appreciated and enjoyed in the opposite sex.
He couldn’t tell anything about her.Not her hair or the color of her eyes hidden by the long fake lashes and hooded eyelids as she studied his ride.Not that it mattered now.She could be wearing a sack over her head and he’d find her interest in his bike fascinating.
“It can hit eighty in fifth gear and still run smoothly,” Lex said.“You obviously know your bikes.”
“I’ve ridden some, modified a few.Road Kings are powerful and beautiful, but I prefer smaller bikes.I own an XD after years of being an F4i fan, but—”
F4i were made by Honda and were favored stunt bikes.Eddie planned to replace them with Leeds bikes.“But?”
Her head lifted,and their eyes met.She flashed a smile.“The XD could do with a little tweaking here and there.How does RK handle on the highway?”
He’d pushed the RK to one-forty with ease, but he was still reeling from the effect of her smile and couldn’t respond.It transformed her face, garish makeup and all.She had gorgeous turquoise eyes, darker on the edges and lighter toward the center.Then what she’d said registered.
More tweaking?Eddie and his team of engineers had worked their asses off to get the engine and proportions right.He reigned in his annoyance and forced himself to focus on her question.What was it?The RK on the road.
“Handle her with care, and she’ll give you the best ride of your life.”
“Sounds like something I’d like to try,” she purred, grinning while giving him a slow perusal that said she was flirting with him.“I love rides.All kinds of rides,” she added softly, voice all husky, eyes meeting his under the canopy of her fake lashes.
