Two
Bella laced her fingers together under the desk to keep from doing something she was sure she’d regret. She wished she had a mentor when it came to filling the role of a mistress, but she didn’t. She sensed it would be easier to just let her pride go. Once you agree to be a man’s mistress, your pride means nothing.
If only. Suddenly it wasn’t the sex that concerned her, but the attitude that she’d have to pretend to have. She tried to smile, but couldn’t force herself. If only she owed him money, then she could go to the bank and take out a loan, but he’d given her a lot more than money. He’d given her contacts, business advice and provided a male role model for Dare. Those were things that couldn’t be paid back in dollars.
“This isn’t going to work. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize it before, but I’m not the kind of woman who can—”
He put his fingers over her lips again. Her tongue brushed his skin for a second before she closed her mouth, staring up at him.
She felt her resolve melting and it had absolutely nothing to do with not wanting to be in breach of the contract she’d signed. It had to do with his eyes.
His touch was featherlight and almost tentative. Like he wasn’t sure he had the right to touch her, but couldn’t help himself. That reassured her. No matter what he’d said before, there was more to this than a contract.
He must know he was pushing her. Did he want her to renege? Had that been his plan all along? She wanted to take his arrogance down a peg or two.
She had no idea how to handle herself with him. He had something she wanted. Something he knew she wanted. That elusive stamp of approval from the crowd that had tossed her out without a backward glance—and the only sure way to get that back was to marry into the crowd. And she was willing to do anything to make that happen.
If she had to swallow her pride and her temper, then she would. Being a mistress should be easy enough. She had to do nothing but live for pleasure and smile at her man. Make him feel like he was the sexiest, smartest, wealthiest man in the room.
God, she didn’t think she could do it. Even for the chance to walk into a room with him, that most elusive of men, the ultimate bachelor. A man whom every single woman in that elite social jet set wanted to claim. And she thought—no, knew—she could win him over for a lifetime.
It was small and petty, but that thought made her tip her head to the side and smile up at him. “Of course, I’ll wear the dress you selected.”
“Let’s go then.”
“I’ll need a few minutes to get ready. I’ll meet you in the waiting room.”
He nodded and walked out of the room. She collapsed into her chair as soon as he was gone.
There was a brief knock on the door and then it opened again.
“Bella?”
“Yes, Shelley?”
“He asked me to give you this.”
Shelley handed her a small, gold-foil-wrapped box. “I had no idea the two of you were dating.”
And so it starts. “We’ve known each other for years.”
“I know that. Are you going to open it?”
She didn’t want to know what was inside. A gift for a mistress might be different than a gift for a girlfriend. She thought maybe she should open it by herself, but Shelley didn’t look like she was leaving. Her assistant was also the closest thing that Bella had to a friend.
“Yes, I’ll open it.”
She didn’t let herself dwell on the fact that it had been almost ten years since she’d received a wrapped present. Dare gave her gifts, but generally left them in the bag from the store they’d come from. She slipped the ribbon off the box and set it aside.
“Oh, man, I can’t wait to see what it is. How can you go so slowly?”
“I don’t get that many gifts.”
“Me neither. Not like this. Not from men.”
Bella slipped her fingernail under the seam in the paper and ripped it away. The box was long and narrow, and when the paper fell away she saw it was that distinctive Tiffany blue. Jewelry. He’d gotten her jewelry.
Shelley perched her hip on the desk and leaned forward as Bella lifted the lid. It was a platinum, diamond-encrusted choker.
Shelley gasped a little and reached out to touch it. “It’s gorgeous.”
“Yes, it is,” Bella said. She realized that he’d done her a favor, insisting she wear a dress he’d purchased. She would have worn one of her mother’s old haute couture dresses and costume jewelry and all the time she’d have felt like a fraud.
Did he realize that? Or had buying her a dress and, she assumed, a wardrobe simply been part of preparing her to be his?
She closed the jewelry box and slipped it into her leather Coach bag. She’d skimped and saved until she could afford the large, classy bag that she wanted and needed for work.
Her stomach was still a knot of nerves, but she refused to think about it. Instead she fell back on her business. “Remind Randall to call me when the event tonight is over. I want to know how it went.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course I’m sure.”
“If I was going out with someone like Jeremy Harper I wouldn’t want my phone ringing.”
“Shelley…”
“None of my business, I know. Have fun tonight, boss lady.”
Bella knew she’d have a lot of things tonight and wasn’t sure fun was one of them. But she was excited and nervous and a million other things that she’d never expected. It wasn’t just Jeremy. It was her return to Palm Beach society and the ten long years it had taken to get there.
Jeremy escaped from his partner’s spouse, who desperately wanted to find him a wife. Despite the fact that he’d arrived tonight with Bella on his arm, Lucinda wasn’t deterred. She had a friend she wanted him hooked up with and nothing would stop her.
Ever since Daniel and Lucinda had married, Lucinda Cannon-Posner had been trying to pair him up with her oh-so-proper society friends. The moment Bella had stepped away to powder her nose, Lucinda and her friend Marianne had pounced.
Jeremy eased deeper into the shadows, waiting for Bella to reappear. He was surprised by how much he was enjoying the evening. Normally these events were a total bore. But tonight, with Bella at his side, he’d been enjoying himself—until Lucinda and her friend had made their move.
“Hiding from Marianne?”
Jeremy glanced over at Kell Ottenberg. He and his cousin had been best friends forever. Their mothers were sisters and the two men had been raised together. Kell handed him a martini glass.
“Waiting for Bella.”
“Ah, the mystery lady. Rumor has it she’s been hired for the evening.”
Jeremy knew Kell was trying to get a rise out of him. The fact that he’d hit so close to the mark was something Jeremy chose to ignore. “You’re the one who has to pay for companionship.”
“I don’t have to pay, but it does make life easier. None of those messy entanglements that come from getting involved.”
Jeremy shrugged. Kell had a bad attitude toward women and it was understandable. He’d been raked over the coals by a first-class, gold-plated bitch.
“So who is she?”
“Isabella McNamara,” Jeremy said. Kell leaned back against the wall. The fashion show was going on next door and this room was relatively quiet.
“Where did you find her?” Kell asked.
“Hiding.” She’d been living in a small duplex in Fort Pierce. Not that many miles from Palm Beach, but a world away.
“Ah, so that’s what you two have in common.”
Jeremy punched Kell on the arm. “I’m not hiding, I’m waiting.”
Kell glanced around the area. “In the corner?”
Jeremy shrugged.
“Why don’t you tell Daniel to have a talk with Lucinda?”
“I have. He doesn’t want to upset her.”
“After seven years of marriage he shouldn’t be so concerned about that.”
Jeremy kne
w from observing Daniel with his wife that he loved Lucinda and he’d do anything to keep her happy. Frankly, Jeremy didn’t understand Daniel and Lucinda’s relationship. His own parents had been happiest apart. His father had always kept a mistress on the side and everyone had seemed pleased with that arrangement.
“She is beautiful,” Kell said.
“Marianne? I’ll tell Lucinda you think so.”
“No, thanks. I meant your lady,” Kell said, gesturing to Bella, who was walking slowly toward them. She glanced up, caught him watching her and smiled.
“Later.”
“Later? Don’t I get to meet her?”
“I’m taking her to the dance floor. I think three would be a crowd.”
“I’ll just cut in.”
Jeremy glanced at his friend. “Why?”
“I want to meet her.”
He knew from Kell’s tone that he wanted to question her. “She’s not like—”
“I’m sure she’s not. I’ll be good, I promise.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Jeremy said under his breath.
He went to meet her, aware that Kell was only a few steps behind him. Jeremy cupped his hand under her elbow and drew her away from the fashion show into a third room where the DJ and dance floor were set up, ready for the party to spill over once the fashion show ended.
“I’m sorry if I kept you waiting,” she said.
“No problem.” He heard Kell chuckle behind him and suspected it was because he sounded like an idiot. What the hell was it about this woman that made his brain short circuit?
He’d dated beautiful women before, so it wasn’t that. There was something else about her. The dress he’d selected was perfect for her. It was a summer cocktail dress with a slim-fitting skirt and a scoop neck.
“Hello, Isabella,” Kell said, reaching past him and offering her his hand. “I’m Kell.”
She took his hand. Kell lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it and smirking at Jeremy while he did so.
Bella smiled at Kell and Jeremy felt his gut tighten. He knew she was his, and she knew it, too. But he still felt a twinge of jealousy.
“Let’s dance,” Jeremy said, drawing her away from Kell and tucking her up against his side.
Kell’s laughter followed them as they walked away. Jeremy ignored it. He wanted to believe his reaction had absolutely nothing to do with jealousy. She was his mistress for six months, nothing more. He told himself that he only wanted to keep Bella from being hurt by Kell, who could be charming but would never be sincere.
“What was that about?” she asked, a different note in her voice. He glanced down at her and saw the smile lingering at her mouth. She was still nervous, but the exchange with Kell had relaxed her. She was teasing him.
“Kell’s a goofball. Don’t pay any attention to him,” he said.
“You have a friend who’s a goofball?”
“Unfortunately, I’m related to him.”
“How?”
“Cousins. Our moms are sisters.”
“Ah, so the crazy gene…”
He pulled her into his arms as the DJ played a slow song. “Skipped my branch of the family.”
“Whatever you say.”
He didn’t say anything else, just pulled her closer in his arms. She relaxed against him, following his lead. They fit together perfectly.
He kept stroking his hand down her back, completely obliterating her thought process. She liked the strength in his arms. The way they felt wrapped around her.
For a minute Bella bought into the illusion of security that his arms offered. She closed her eyes and let the spicy scent of his aftershave fill each breath she took. The music was slow with a funky beat. With her eyes closed, she could let her worries and fears and the past years drop away.
She could just be Bella and pretend this was her teenage fantasy come to life. She thought she’d known all about Jeremy from her crush those many summers ago, but she was coming to realize there was so much more to the man.
She remembered seeing Kell back then. He and Jeremy were photo negatives of each other, both tall, one blond and outgoing, the other dark and dangerous.
More than once she’d wondered why Jeremy had made his offer to her. What had he seen in her that had made him offer to help her?
Was it only sex, a desire for her to be his mistress?
She looked up and met his gaze. She was surprised that he was watching her. If he was pretending, then he was a better actor than she was. He held her and looked at her like she was his. His for more than six months and because of more than a contract. She knew it was an illusion, but she hoped to make it a reality.
“What?” he asked with a hint of tenderness in his voice.
“Uh…” She couldn’t remember what she’d been about to say. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, let her fingers caress the back of his neck. Held him. This was what she’d dreamed of for the last three years.
Bella realized that giving herself up to Jeremy freed her to just be herself.
He continued to stare down at her, making her wish she could remember what she’d been about to say. She started to worry that something was wrong with the way she looked. She resisted the urge to pat her hair. Oh, man, she hoped she didn’t have a bit of spinach in her teeth or something like that. Something that marked her clearly as an outsider. This was the kind of event her mother had missed the most when they’d had to move out of the mansion and into that shabby apartment.
It was odd to Bella that she was actually attending this event and not working it as a caterer—or standing on the sidewalk with her mother, pretending they were window-shopping. A shiver of embarrassment crawled down her spine as she remembered arriving tonight and seeing Lucinda Cannon and friends spot her outside.
“Why me?” she asked, finally remembering what she’d wanted to say.
He brushed his finger down her cheek before he cupped her jaw. His hand enveloped the side of her face, his fingers caressing her neck. His gaze was compelling. She couldn’t decipher what she saw in his eyes. He lowered his head until there was barely an inch of space between them.
“You’re not like any other woman I know,” he said.
That wasn’t what she had wanted to hear. She didn’t want to be so different that everyone could see it in a glance. She wanted to blend into the moneyed set that she’d partly grown up in. She wanted to forget that she’d ever been cast out and use Jeremy to find her place again. But that wasn’t what she was doing tonight.
Instead she was enjoying his arms around her and wishing they were alone. Wishing for a minute that this entire night was real. Wishing he’d asked her because he cared for her, and not because she was going to be his mistress.
This was the very thing that woke her in the middle of the night. How was she going to make Jeremy fall for her? She knew she had to keep him from seeing that she wanted so much more than to be his mistress. Somehow, she had to seduce him into seeing her as more.
“I’m sure of that,” she said at last. She was different from the other women in the room. She’d had to scrape and struggle to get back to this glitzy world. She doubted even Jeremy understood the toll those years had taken on her.
“I meant it as a compliment,” he said, brushing his lips over hers. His lips were full and firm.
All night he’d been touching her. Accustoming her to his touch and taste. The feel of his body brushing against her.
He didn’t push his tongue into her mouth, just pressed his lips lightly against hers. Someone cleared his throat, but Jeremy didn’t pull away. He lifted his head slowly, caressing her face before he turned to face a man she didn’t know.
“I see now why you’re avoiding Marianne.”
“Who’s Marianne?” she asked, trying to calm her racing blood. She didn’t like the fact he’d rattled her with that one brief touch of his lips on hers.
Jeremy kept his arm around her waist, but turned them toward the man who’d interrupte
d them. The music changed again to a more lively number and Jeremy led her off the dance floor.
“One of my wife’s friends. I’m Daniel Posner,” the man said, following close behind them.
“Isabella McNamara,” she said.
“What do you want, Daniel?” Jeremy asked.
“To invite you and your date to join us at our table,” he said, gesturing to a round of eight set near the dance floor.
Bella smiled over at the table until she recognized Lucinda Cannon. Her heart started racing and the blood drained from her face. She’d hoped to see Lucinda again, hoped to have the chance to meet her onetime friend as an equal once more. But she wasn’t ready yet. It was too soon.
Daniel wrapped his arm around Lucinda as she approached. “This is my wife, Lucinda. Honey, this is Isabella McNamara.”
“We know each other,” Lucinda said.
Bella could only nod at Lucinda, not sure what to say or how to fill the awkward gap of silence that grew between all four of them.
She pulled away from Jeremy and then realized how cowardly that was. She wasn’t at this event as part of the staff. Jeremy glanced down at her. She shook her head, afraid to open her mouth. Afraid she’d blurt out something she didn’t want to say.
Jeremy took charge. “We’d love to join you, but we have a dinner reservation and have to leave now. Another time?”
“Certainly. Enjoy your dinner.”
The look Lucinda gave Bella before she and Daniel walked away was haughty and telling. And the good feelings Bella had had about being back in this high-society world suddenly dissipated.
Three
No one would ever call him a sensitive man, but even he could tell something was wrong when his date lost all color from her face. While they waited for the valet to bring his convertible Jaguar up, he watched Bella slowly sink deeper and deeper into herself. She wrapped her arms around her waist and kept her eyes down.
The June evening was hot and humid. He pulled Bella to his side and stepped away from the crowd waiting for their cars. She pulled away from him as soon as they were out of the crowd.
Six-Month Mistress (The Mistresses Book 2) Page 2
