by Nadia Lee
“You’re driving way too fast,” she said. “This area is crawling with cops.”
He grinned at her. “What’s the point of having a fast car if you drive like an old lady?”
She laughed, relishing the power and speed, the feeling of being pushed back into her seat. She liked to drive fast but didn’t, again at Louise’s stern warning. A Hall must maintain dignity and uphold the laws. Natalie shook her head, trying to empty her mind of her family. Brian’s birthday was today, and she’d see them soon enough.
They turned onto a long, winding road in the outskirts of northern Virginia. Tree branches spread over their path in an endless green canopy. The sunlight peeked through small gaps between the leaves and dotted the asphalt. It would be gorgeous in autumn when the leaves started changing and turned into a kaleidoscope of colors.
Natalie watched the view change from suburbs to countryside. After forty-five minutes, Alex finally stopped at a wide meadow. He got out of the car and swung the door up for her. She stepped out and looked at the lake on the other side. The light played on the surface, crusting it with diamond brilliance.
“How did you find this place?” she said, awed by the natural beauty.
He hauled two huge wicker baskets out from the back. “I lived in the area for a while several years ago.”
“Do you need help?”
“I’ve got it.”
The muscles in his torso stretched and contracted under his white and navy blue Under Armour shirt. She followed as he walked into the meadow, admiring the masculine view. The jeans hugged his slim hips, and it looked like you could bounce quarters off his butt.
The soft grass tickled her toes and emitted a sweet scent as her feet crushed it. He spread a blue blanket under a big oak and placed the baskets on the corners. Out came two bottles of wine, a jug of water, three different kinds of cheese, pâté de foie gras, a small jar of pickled cucumbers, pimento-stuffed olives, a crusty baguette, sausage, crackers, fruit salad, utensils, napkins, wineglasses, and plates. She blinked. Obviously, he’d put in quite a bit of thought into this.
He started arranging everything in short, orderly rows. She stepped out of her shoes and sat cross-legged. The blanket was feather soft against her bare feet.
“I never imagined you could take a picnic to this level,” she said. “You sure there isn’t anything else in the baskets?”
“If you root around long enough, you can probably find the Hope diamond.” He smiled and picked up a corkscrew. “Red or white?”
“White.”
Alex uncorked the blended wine, poured two glasses, and gave her one. The temperature of the wine was just right—neither warm nor cold. The liquid slid smoothly down her throat.
She glanced at the label on the bottle. “Virginian. I approve.”
“I got it from Jefferson Vineyards. Thought you might appreciate it since you got your bachelor’s from UVA.”
It surprised her that he knew. Of course her résumé was no secret, and he’d undoubtedly seen it. But then, he’d probably seen hundreds of others too. She was just starting to think about the ramifications of this when he spread a generous portion of foie gras on a cracker and popped it into her mouth.
The soft creamy texture of the foie gras blended with the crispness of the cracker and tasted heavenly. They started eating in earnest, the conversation moving easily from one topic to another. Alex was well informed about all sorts of things due to his constant travel, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. She got the feeling that to him the world was one enormous puzzle, and he was constantly arranging and rearranging the pieces of his businesses to take advantage of one situation or another.
The food he’d brought had been perfect, each flavor complementing another. When they were finally done, she reclined on her side, the wind teasing her hair, loose strands swaying. He lay on his back. A dreamy expression entered his eyes as he gazed up at her.
“How come you always put your hair up?”
Self-conscious, Natalie fiddled with her wineglass. “Because I want to look professional.”
“But you look better…well, more approachable…with your hair down.” He reached out and played with her ponytail. “Silky and touchable.” He undid the barrette, and the hair spilled into his hand.
Crushed grass, wild flowers, shampoo, cologne, man.
Time seemed to slow around them. The breeze came over the water, bringing with it a taste of spring on the verge of melting into summer. The leaves above them danced, the shadows trembling over their bodies. His eyes darkened and lightened with each indolent movement of the branches. He raised his torso, his hand still caressing her hair. His lips were mere inches away from hers, but he didn’t close the gap between them.
The warmth of the sun, Alex’s eyes intent on hers, the whisper of the wind, his soft breathing, the staccato beat of her heart.
Natalie leaned forward and covered his mouth with hers.
He remained still, giving her the permission to explore as much or as little as she wished. Her tongue traced his lips, tasted a hint of wine, crisply acidic yet ripe. She probed, laid a gentle hand on his cheek.
The world stopped and tilted, as if time and gravity no longer mattered. Her hands skimmed the muscles of his body, tracing their taut lines through the soft fabric of his shirt. One brushed over a nipple; she felt his heartbeat accelerate. She ran the other down his tight abs; they jumped.
It was pure power, the ability to arouse a man, make him respond to her every little touch. The sexual side of her, denied since the breakup with Marcus, wanted to take advantage of the situation, make him lose control. Her fingers traveled down until they reached his belt buckle. She rested them there, putting just enough weight onto it that he would know where her hand was.
His desire for her was like a physical presence in the air. She wanted—
The sudden shrill ringing of her cell phone jerked her back to reality. She wrenched back from him and, before he could reach for her, fumbled for her purse. It was Louise.
“Ignore it,” Alex said, his voice raspy. He laid a warm hand on her thigh, exerted a gentle pressure toward him.
Tempting, tempting, but if she gave in, Louise would demand to know why Natalie hadn’t answered her call on a day as important as today. She was throwing Brian a birthday party, Natalie was going, and there would be no way to avoid facing her there. “I can’t.” Natalie put the phone to her ear. “Hello, Louise.”
“Can you come early?” she said without preamble. “I need some help with the food.”
“I thought you were going to cater.”
Alex looked up at her, his eyes dark. She glanced away, tucked her hair behind an ear, and drew her legs up, hugging them with her free arm. It felt like he could hear everything from Louise’s end.
“Well, I’m not going to cater everything. What would people think?”
“That you’re too busy to do everything?”
“Never too busy to help your father.”
Natalie’s hand tightened around her cell phone. “I wish you’d called me earlier. I can’t go right now.”
“I see.” Louise’s voice turned icy. “So you’ll be here to eat the food I’ve prepared, flaunt your boyfriend, and pretend you care when you can’t be bothered to do your share.”
Natalie’s head began to throb. “I told you Charlie isn’t my boyfriend.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a slight tension from Alex. She scrunched her eyes shut; why did she have to argue with Louise about Charlie, especially in front of Alex? She took a deep breath and did her best to modulate her tone. “Look, I’m sorry I can’t help. I didn’t think you’d need it. It’s not like you’ve asked me for any before.”
There was a pause. “Yes. Well, normally I wouldn’t, but Belle’s handling some of the other arrangements and simply can’t spare the time.”
Naturally. “I hope she’s not too busy, since today is important. I’ll see—”
Click.
Natalie dropped the phone into her purse and sighed. She looked at her watch. It was already almost two, and she needed time to get ready before the party. She didn’t want to give Louise any more excuses to berate her.
“Who was that?” Alex said. He sounded neutral, with just a hint of curiosity.
“My…mother.” She drained her glass. The wine was too warm now, but she didn’t care. She’d give anything for time to just…stop.
But it wasn’t going to be. Natalie started to pack the baskets. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get going.”
Alex took her wrists gently. “What’s wrong?”
She tried to free herself, but his grip firmed. “Nothing,” she said more sharply than she’d intended.
Something irrational and crazy tempted her to confide in him. But she didn’t know where to begin or how to tell him her adoptive mother hated her, and that whenever they talked, she felt as though her ribs were being tightened in a vise. It wasn’t something she’d ever told anyone. Natalie preferred to pretend that everything was fine in front of other people, and of course her family had never objected to the pretense.
Alex was frowning now, and he dropped her wrists. “What the hell’s the matter with you? One minute you’re hot, and the next you’re cold. Is this some kind of game?”
“Isn’t it a game for you?” she shot back. “You want to know how long it’s going to take to seduce your new senior lead financial analyst, right? Isn’t that why you promoted me the second you came in and made that ridiculous bet?”
His face lost all expression, and his eyes went the color of slate, as dangerous and unpredictable as a rockslide. “Let’s pack.” The unexpectedly soft tone to his voice intensified her guilt and unease. “I’ll drop you off at your place.”
Shame heated her cheeks. She wasn’t being fair to him. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Alex…” What could she say to salvage the situation? “I—”
He dumped everything into the baskets and took them to his car. Tension hummed in sync with the engine on the drive back. He didn’t say a word. It was as if he’d erected an impenetrable wall around him. And for some reason, she wanted the barrier gone.
“Alex, about what I said—”
His hand tightened over the shift, and the car swerved dangerously, cutting her off, making her gasp. The Lamborghini screeched to a stop in front of her condo. He reached over and opened the door.
“Here you are,” he said, his voice cold.
She bit her lower lip and got out of the car. “Thank you and I—”
The car took off, the door slamming down shut from the momentum. She found herself looking at a flash of yellow vanishing around the corner. “—’m sorry.”
* * *
Damn. What a frustrating woman!
Alex had had to leave before he did something that would permanently damage the fragile relationship between them. He had begun his strategy of seeking revenge against the Rodales, but something about Natalie made him doubt his assumptions.
He knew who she was, what she was supposedly capable of. But a woman who had no problem betraying her employer and coworkers wouldn’t have done her duty for a family she clearly seemed to feel uncomfortable around. She could’ve told him about how she’d truly felt, but she’d defended them at the restaurant…and again at the picnic.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
The Murciélago ate up the road like a cheetah flying over the savannah. He had hoped for a cool, calculating bitch. Someone who cared only about herself. Like Emily Rodale. Or his mother. That would’ve been easier to deal with.
Natalie could certainly be cool, but she didn’t seem to be the calculating type. He’d been planning to make a late entrance at Brian Hall’s party today with her on his arm. A politician in Brian’s faction owed him a favor and had secured him an invitation. Now Alex would be going there alone. Damn cell phones!
Still, it wasn’t a major setback. Far more urgent was the need to understand the situation surrounding Rodale International, the Halls, and DDE. Without accurate information, it would be impossible to predict the various players’ moves and develop contingency plans.
Why had Natalie turned away from him the second she’d talked with her mother? The Rodales were one of the largest contributors to Brian’s campaign. And Emily Rodale was Natalie’s godmother.
Something wasn’t right. Was Natalie working for them, giving them confidential information about DDE, as Ethan suspected? It could well be. The Rodales seemed to know far too much about what DDE was doing.
Still, that didn’t make any sense. If she got caught, it wasn’t just her ass on the line. The scandal could end Brian’s career. Would end it, Alex thought savagely. He would see to that.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Like all political events, this party would be boring, but he needed to be at the Hall mansion to watch Natalie interact with everyone. Something about her gave him the impression that she wasn’t like Emily, and his gut told him it was imperative to confirm it.
Alex wasn’t sure why it mattered so much. But he was sharp enough to realize it wasn’t just Natalie’s importance to his plans that was creating this feeling within him. And that made him worry a little.
Chapter Six
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Natalie found herself next to Charlie Rodale in his glossy silver Porsche convertible. The sun warmed her cold skin but did very little to soothe her churning stomach. Trees blurred into an endless stretch of green as the car sped along the highway. As a family friend, a generous contributor to Brian’s campaign, and Emily’s only son, Charlie had received a gold-embossed invitation to Brian’s barbeque party. He had accepted, of course, and asked Natalie to accompany him.
Natalie was still upset with herself about the picnic, for taking her frustration with Louise out on Alex. That had been wrong. She smoothed a hand over her hair and her white dress. She couldn’t afford to dwell on Alex right now. She was going to have to face Louise in less than fifteen minutes.
“What are you thinking?” Charlie said.
“Nothing.”
He glanced over at her. “We don’t have to go.”
His golden hair was tousled as if he’d just gotten out of the bed. It made him look absurdly endearing, and she smiled. “Yes we do.” She didn’t even want to imagine the kind of tongue-lashing she’d get from Louise if she skipped the event.
“I hear there are a couple of new hotels that are paying couples to test their mattresses for them. You know, gauge ballistic reaction, that sort of thing. We could maybe help them out. Do our bit to contribute to the success of local companies.”
Natalie shook her head and laughed, the knot in her stomach loosening a bit. Charlie always did help her to relax.
Charlie shrugged and smiled gamely. He’d never made it a secret that he was interested in her. She refused to encourage him, but since her breakup with Marcus, he had become more aggressive in his pursuit of her. It made her sad sometimes. Although she loved him dearly, it was purely platonic on her side.
He drove into her parents’ immaculate neighborhood, with its perfectly trimmed, perfectly green lawns and elegant, moneyed mansions. He parked his car in their driveway, got out, and opened the door for her.
“It’s still not too late to ditch the party.”
Her lips twisted. “You don’t have to deal with Louise afterward. I do.” She took his hand. “Come on.”
American dogwoods, the Virginia state flower, grew on the front lawn of the Hall residence. The wind carried the sweet fragrance of roses growing in the back. Natalie saw a man in black semi-casual clothes walking toward the house from the opposite side. Her heartbeat skipped once, then accelerated.
“Alex,” she said.
“Natalie.” His gaze dropped to her hand, which was still holding Charlie’s, and the timbre of his voice changed. “Rodale.”
She felt herself flushing, hot and cold all at once. Why did she feel bad? It
wasn’t like they’d ever agreed to see each other exclusively.
“Damon.” From Charlie’s tone, it might as well have been Demon.
She tightened her hand around Charlie’s. “Come on, we’re late. Let’s go.”
Alex stepped in front of them and preceded them up the walkway. His gait was casual, as if he didn’t give a damn about what she was doing with Charlie. She concentrated on not noticing the way his broad shoulders and hips moved under the perfectly fitted clothes.
They stopped in front of the white, paneled door. Alex rang, and Natalie and Charlie waited behind him. Louise appeared, decked out in a gorgeous lavender dress that showed off her slim legs. Her face lit in a polite greeting, the perfect politician’s wife’s mask that never wavered in public.
“Thank you so much for coming. You must be Alex Damon,” she said. “So glad to meet you in person.”
Alex favored her with a smile. “The pleasure’s all mine.” He shook hands with her and slipped inside.
Louise turned to Charlie, hugged him, said something while pointing at a group of men who were talking farther into the house, and gently pushed him toward them. She turned to Natalie once he was out of hearing range. “Thanks so much for your help, Natalie.”
Natalie gave her a tight smile. She no longer tormented herself about why Louise treated her like a pest she couldn’t get rid of. It was simply one of the indignities of life. Louise, of course, would deny to her last breath that she treated Natalie any different from Belle.
“Well, come in and say hello to everyone. Mix around. You know how critical this year is.”
Natalie stepped into the ivory marble foyer. Gold-trimmed chair rails ran around the walls, dividing them into unequal halves: champagne on top and pastel blue on the bottom. Louise had redecorated not too long ago. She claimed it was important to have a “dignified” home.
Natalie thought it was rather pretentious. In good taste, of course, but pretentious, nonetheless.
