Chapter 1

It was hot.  And I don't mean your run of the mill Iowa summer day hot.  It was more like a deep southern mid-summer hot.  It was humid, sticky, sweaty and just an all out icky kind of heat where sane people tended to stay in one of two places.  Inside with the air conditioning running full blast or in the cool water of the pool that was only mere feet from me. 

Evidently, I am not one of those sane people.  While the sun bore down from its perch high in the sky, I stood by the pool house with tiny sweat beads dribbling down the center of my back.  

It was the afternoon of my own graduation party.  I should have been in the pool and living it up with my friends but instead I managed to escape the melee and hide myself in the shadows.  Why was I doing this you ask?  The answer is simple really.  I was hiding out like a creeper so I could privately spy on the one man whom repeatedly starred in all of my late night dreams; one very smoking hot and extremely sexy Rio Mendez.  

The same Rio that just so happened to be my brother's best friend.  Not only that, he is also the same man that I have crushed on hard over the last four years.  Even now my fingers itched to roam his hard, finely toned body.  His red lips were the type that begged to be kissed and when he gave me that smoldering look with his dark mocha eyes, I was always left weak and wanting for so much more.  Simply put, the man was potent sex bottled up nicely in one tight and rather fine looking package.  

I admit it.  I have it bad; real bad.  Now that I was Twenty-Two years old and a legal woman in every sense of the word, I wanted him even more.  The only problem was that he didn't see me as a woman.  He still saw me as his friend's kid sister. And I got to tell you, being the kid sister sucks. 

I couldn't help the small frown that appeared on my face when I finally spotted him standing by my brother.  Rio's attention seemed to be focused on a tall, lanky blond dressed in a barely there bikini.  Not to mention she was a very gorgeous, buxom blond that had legs I would personally die for.

Glancing down, I stared at my own sorry excuse for a chest  and wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all.  Why couldn't I have been blessed with just a fraction of her chest?  I wasn't greedy but something more than the speed bumps my mama gifted me with wouldn't have been too much to ask for, would it? 

Shaking my head, I sighed.  It was hopeless.  Rio would never  see me for anything more than Charlie's little sister.  I was four years younger than him and those four measly years might as well have been an entire life time between us.  

I wasn't stupid or naive. I knew that I would never have a real chance with a guy like him but it didn't stop my heart from wanting. 

"Bailey?" 

Hearing my name I jumped.  Spinning around I saw Jay standing behind me with his hands in his pockets.  I did my best to give him what I hoped was a sincere smile.  It wasn't his fault that the one man I longed for would never see me for the woman that I had finally become. 

Jay strode towards me and without a lick of hesitation he wrapped me up in one of his famous bear hugs.  I held on to him, soaking up the warm familiarity.

 Jay has known about my secret crush on Rio since we were freshman in high school.  He's never really said much about it. Instead he  tells me daily that any guy would be lucky to have me, including playboys like Rio.  That's what best friends are supposed to say though. It's sweet of him to support me but I know the truth.  I was so out of Rio's league it's not even funny.   

After what seemed like an eternity he set me back from him, keeping his hands on my shoulders and grinned.  "Are you going to explain to me what you are doing here all by your lonesome while there is a whole party going on out there just for you?"

Without thinking about it my wandering gaze turned back to Rio.  When I realized what I'd done, I snapped my head back around and cursed myself.  By the knowing look in Jay's eyes he'd seen the whole episode take place.  Talk about embarrassing.

"You know he's a heart breaker, don't you?" he softly warned.

"Yeah, I know." I told him.   

Jay cocked his head to the side, clearly not believing a word I just said. 

"Don't look at me like that.  I do know.  Trust me."  I told him again.   When he just continued to give me that look I childishly stamped my foot.  "Damn it!  I know that Rio is a player.  I don't need you telling me that, okay!" 

Jay blew out a long breath of air and pulled me into his side.  "Alright, so long as you know then that will have to be good enough for me.  Come on girlfriend.  Why don't we get you something to drink.  It's high time you loosened up some and shook what your good mama gave you," he said with a naughty waggle of his eye brows. 

I playfully shoved at Jay but followed him none the less.  Maybe a little alcohol would help me get the walking bottle of sex out of my head for good.  I had no business thinking of him—not one damn bit.

"Here, start with this," Jay insisted, shoving the strawberry pink wine cooler in my hands.  I gave him a thankful smile and wasted no time bringing the ice cold bottle up to my lips.  Not bad, I thought to myself.  Not bad at all.  It was refreshingly cold and the taste was really sweet. It was just what I needed right now.

In the past I've never been much of drinker but this was supposed to be a celebration.  I spared one more glance at Rio.  I really shouldn't have though because now he had his hands around the waist of the gorgeous blond he had been talking to earlier.

I snorted and said to hell with it.  This was my party.  I refused to waste another second on the sexy man, no matter how tempting it was.  One way or the other I would have some fun today, even it killed me.  

In one fell swoop I guzzled the entire bottle down and immediately reached for another.  Today was going to be epic. 

Three jello shots and five wine coolers later I was feeling really good. So good in fact that I'd decided these strawberry flavored wine coolers were my new favorite beverage of choice.  My feet dangled in the water as I sat on the edge of the pool, giggling to myself.

"How's it going, girlfriend?" Jay called out.  Hearing his voice I patted the empty space beside me. He plopped down, dropping his monster sized feet in the water. 

Swishing my feet back and forth in the cool water, I slowly turned my head and smiled goofily at him. "Everything is perfect.  Ab-so-lute-ly per-fect!" My words sounded severely slurred even to my own ears.  Thinking this was hilarious the giggling started up all over again.

Jay turned serious and his eyes narrowed on the half empty bottle I held in my hand.  He pointed at it.  "Exactly how many of those have you had, Bailey?"  

"Five, no may-no six or se-ven... I think," I told him, stumbling over my words.  I even tried to hold my fingers up to show him but my head was spinning too fast and it my stupid fingers just did not want to cooperate with me at all.

"That's it, as of now, you girlfriend are cut off." He grabbed the bottle out my hand. 

"Hey," I protested, "that was mine. I was...I uh mean I wasn't finished yet."

Jay stood up.  "Yes you are.  Now get up. I think we need to get some coffee in you and try to sober you up a little."

"Hey!" I snapped and pulled my face into a frown.  "You took the good stuff." I'm pretty sure my protest was loud enough for everyone within twenty feet of us to hear. 

"Bailey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you don't need any more of the good stuff." Before I could argue with him anymore he stopped behind me and reached down, placing a hand under each of my arms. "Upsy daisy girlfriend," he teased, pulling me up to stand on my feet.

Feeling discombobulated, I stood there for a second and blinked my eyes several times in a poor attempt to clear my vision.  I say poor because it was no use.  Everything and everyone I stared at was in multiples and my head felt like it was on a tilt a whirl ride that just kept going and going and going.

"Uh oh," I mumbled under my breath.  This cannot be good.  Placing both my hands on my head, I tried to stop the continual spinning. 

"I...I think, I..." the words just sort of stammered out of my mouth two second before I fell face first into the pool.

"Bailey!"

I barely heard Jay yell my name right before I was shocked by the cool water engulfing my body. I started to sink.  Suddenly, I felt so heavy and so tired.

Closing my eyes, I started floating in the water and strangely enough, it felt kind of nice.

The nice feeling didn't last long though.  I was rudely interrupted from my floating dream when big arms wrapped painfully around my waist.  The next thing I know hot air smacked me in the face when my head was jerked none to gently back above the surface.

"Damn it Bailey!  What the hell were you thinking?"

My whole being froze at sound of the familiar voice coming from behind me.  It was too close, way to close for my own sense of ease.  I refused to turn around because I knew who held me.

The one and only, Rio.

I had sobered up fairly quickly when I realized that Rio had me in his arms.  When it was clear that I wasn't going to answer him he lifted me to his chest and waded towards the steps in the shallow end.  He then proceeded to carry me out of the water.  The thick humid air blew against my drenched body and I shivered.

"Fuck!" He muttered the angry curse.  "You're going to make yourself sick, Bailey.  This was really stupid of you, you know that right?"

Unable to fathom to say anything I remained speechless as Rio strode fast past a worried looking Jay and stomped right on into my house.  Once we were inside he didn't stop there.  No, he continued straight up the stairs until he reached my room.

Walking into my personal space, he kicked the door closed.  Putting me down feet first in the center of the room.  I must have been in some state of shell shock because I just stood there and dumbly stared back at him.

Rio's mouth thinned into a grim line.  Putting his hands on his hips he looked angrier than I think I've ever seen him.  "You know there's a reason that the government has set the legal drinking age at 21, don't you?"  

I only shook my head.

"It's so little girls like you don't do stupid things like what you just did.  That's why,"  he said and at the same time he stalked towards me, looking much like a determined predator and I was him prey.

I couldn't help but to purse my lips when he referred to me as a little girl- again.  Dammit! I was twenty-two now, not twelve. Why couldn't he see that?

Without any warning Rio started to pull my wet clothing off.  My senses were dull from the alcohol and it took me a minute to make the connection of what he was doing.  By now he stripped down to just my panties and bra.

"Rio!" I squealed and at the same time, tried to cover myself.

Looking up I noticed how his eyes roamed appreciatively over my body.  And I swear for the first time ever, there was more in his gaze than just the protective instincts over a friends kid sister.  A lot more.

"Rio?" I questioned, my voice barely above a whisper.  

His head jerked up and there was no mistake that the heat of desire burned bright in those dark eyes of his.

He took his steps slow as he closed in the remaining distance between us.  His focus never leaving my eyes as he settled his hands on my hips.  My breath hitched as his head lowered and the heat of his breath warmed my lips.  

My heart took off at a staccato pace. It was all like a dream.  A wonderful dream that I never wanted to wake up from.  I couldn't believe it.  This was finally going to happen.  Rio was getting ready to kiss me.

And then for the first time ever, his lips tenderly brushed against mine.  His eyes still watching my every move, my every reaction.  It was like he was just taking a little taste and hesitated with questions in his eyes.  I responded by wrapping my hands around his biceps.  He pulled me closer to him so that our bodies were flush.  Again his mouth sipped at my lips and damn, it felt so incredibly good.  A feminine moan escaped my lips and he took full advantage of the new opportunity. His tongue delved inside and that was it.  It was official.  I was lost.  The kiss was pure heat and passion.  It was ten times better than all of my fantasies put together and I relished in the feel of Rio's hard body pressed against my own smooth skin.

All too soon though, he lifted his head and slowly released me.  We both stood in an awkward silence.  I wrapped my arms around my own body and wondered what was going on in his head.

"Rio," I whispered his name, still reveling in how amazingly perfect it felt to have his lips pressed to mine.  "That was..."

Rio turned his back on me and abruptly cut me off.  "That, Bailey... that shouldn't have happened." 

Standing there, a sharp pain struck hard and fast in my chest.  I knew that he was way out of my league, but for him to kiss me like that and give me a taste of what it could be like, well that was just plain wrong.

"I'm sorry," he apologized and at the same time he roughly shoved his fingers through what little hair was on top of his head.  "That shouldn't of happened," he said for the second time.  That same piercing pain echoed in my chest.  "I can also promise you that will never happen again."

Before I could even think of a response Rio was out my door, pulling it closed behind him.  I was standing alone in my room, trembling from his rejection. 

Furious, I reached down and picked up the first thing I could get my hands on which just so happened to be her prized Jimmy Choo black and gold high heeled shoe.  Pissed beyond words, I threw that  damn shoe at the closed door and screamed at the top of my lungs, "Asshole! You hear me Rio Mendez.  You are a nothing but a great big douche-bag, asshole!" 

"Bailey?"  The door opened slowly and a large hand holding a white sock with green striped fluttered through.

Jay.

I would have laughed if my heart wasn't breaking so badly right now.  

"Come in you big doofus." 

Jay came inside and walked over to my bed where he took it upon himself to get comfortable.  He waved at the door.  "Do you want to tell me what happened in here?  Especially considering your state of dress or rather lack of."

Going over to the bed I slid in beside him, laid my head on his shoulder and pulled the comforter over my chest. "Maybe later," I told him.  "Right now I just want to rest here with you."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Over the last four years I've done a lot of growing up. Rio may not want to admit it but I'm no longer the little girl that used to beg him and my brother to play tea party.  No, I'm definitely not her any longer.  I'm all woman now and I have what I like to think of as my womanly needs.  I think it's time that Rio learned that little fact as well.

Since he's been gone the last few years there was a lot Rio didn't know about me. For instance, he didn't know just how experienced I'd become when it came to going after what I wanted. And what I wanted more than anything right now was one sexy ass Rio Mendez.

Now that he's finally home from his last tour of duty and after that sizzling kiss we just shared, I planned on going after my man. I was done being the what he thought of as the shy girl that he'd regrettably kissed. I was over being the same girl he'd taught so well with her first lesson in genuine heart break.

Starting today I'm officially a woman on a mission. A mission that I personally deemed as "Operation Attain Rio".

Failure was not an option.