by Reese Ryan
It was the reason he felt a kinship of sorts with Teresa.
“Your business partner over there is giving me the death stare.” Gideon indicated Liam’s general direction with a shift of his gaze.
Teresa’s cheeks flamed and she cleared her throat. “I can’t imagine why.”
“Can’t you?” Gideon gave her a good-natured smile as he returned his credit card and ID to his wallet while the desk clerk prepared his room key. “Relax, Teresa. I don’t believe any of the bullshit I’ve heard. But it’s obvious you two care for each other. I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but my gut tells me that everything will work out for the two of you.”
“Who knew the great Gideon Johns was a hopeless romantic?”
“Maybe once upon a time, but that time has long...” Gideon turned toward a beautiful brown-skinned woman wearing expensive sunglasses, a chocolate-brown silk dress and a pair of rose gold high-heel sandals with a sexy crystal bow detail. The height of the heels and the thin, barely-there straps across the ankle and toe made the one leg exposed by her dress seem a mile long.
“Jessie Humphrey?” He whispered the name beneath his breath, but Teresa, who’d followed his gaze, clearly heard him.
“I hear you two don’t require an introduction.” Teresa beamed, clearly amused by how distracted he was by Jessie’s arrival. She nodded toward the goddess with miles of creamy skin who approached the desk.
“Jessie, I’m glad you made it. I trust that your trip was less eventful this time around.” Teresa stepped past Gideon and clasped Jessie’s hands, as if the two of them were old friends.
“Yes, thank you, Teresa. And thank you for arranging everything. My flight was lovely.”
“Well, I’m sure you’re tired after your cross-country trip. I’ll get your registration started so you can check into your room right away.” Teresa stepped over to the desk.
“Hello, Gideon.” Jessie finally acknowledged his presence, but she didn’t remove her shades. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Fifteen years.” He practically whispered the words as they exchanged an awkward hug.
He’d seen her PR photos on her cover and online. He’d even watched some of her performances on video. But nothing could prepare him for how stunning this woman was in person. Her creamy brown skin was flawless and her dark brown hair was pulled back into a sleek bun.
Jessie’s high cheekbones and petite nose were reminiscent of her older sister’s. Yet the similarities between the two ended there.
Gideon had always thought of Jessie as Geneva’s little sister, which was why he’d reacted so poorly to Jessie’s unexpected kiss that rainy afternoon nearly two years after Geneva had ended their relationship. He’d hurt her feelings, and they hadn’t spoken since.
But that was then.
Gideon wouldn’t dare reject a kiss from the woman standing before him now.
“How’ve you been?” He shoved a hand in his pocket.
“Well, thank you. And you’ve obviously done quite well for yourself.” She gave him a cursory smile before handing her credentials over to another desk clerk.
“Sir...sir...” Melva gave him a knowing smile as she handed Gideon his room keys. The woman probably thought he was a shameless groupie way past his prime.
He nodded his thanks, then turned back to Jessie. “Your voice is amazing, Jess. But you know I’ve always thought so.”
“Thank you, Gideon,” she said quietly.
“How’s your family?” He wasn’t asking about Geneva because he was interested in her. He asked because inquiring about the health of her family without malice was the polite thing to do. Regardless of Geneva’s heartbreaking rejection or her father’s cruel remarks that he would never be worthy of his daughter.
“They’re fine.” Her shoulders tensed and she turned toward the desk clerk. “I hope yours are, too.”
* * *
Even after Jessie had stepped out of Gideon’s embrace, the heat from his body wrapped itself around her like a soft, warm blanket. His subtle, deliciously masculine scent tickled her nose.
However, when Gideon asked about her family, code for her sister Geneva, the warm, fuzzy feelings ceased instantly. Leaving her with the cold, dark memories of their last interaction and how broken it had left her.
Geneva had rejected him, but she was still apparently the only Humphrey sister he was really interested in. His inquiries about her were superficial niceties.
Maybe it made her petty to give him such a cryptic response. But if he wanted to hear all about his ex, he’d have to ask her directly.
“Last I heard, Geneva was living in Europe. Switzerland, maybe?”
Jessie drew in a tight breath, but fought to keep her expression neutral. She accepted her room key from the desk clerk.
“She was for a while, but she’s lived in Amsterdam for the past seven or eight years with her husband, Edmond. She’s Geneva Torian now.” She gave him a manufactured smile designed to protect her suddenly fragile pride. “It was nice seeing you, Gideon.”
Jessie turned on her four-and-a-half-inch-tall Aminah Abdul Jillil open-toe sandals and strutted toward the elevator. The bellman, who’d stacked all of her bags onto a luggage cart, moved with her.
“Jessie, wait.” Gideon caught her elbow with a gentle grip. “We haven’t seen each other in more than a decade. I have an important meeting today, but I’d really like to catch up.”
You mean you want to hear more about Geneva.
Jessie bit back the caustic remark that burned her tongue and gnawed at her gut. Why give Gideon the satisfaction of knowing how much his rejection hurt?
She’d be cordial, but aloof.
“I hope to line up a couple of meetings of my own.” Jessie tipped her chin so her gaze met his as she slipped her arm from his loose grip. “I’m performing tomorrow and I’m still tweaking some of the material. Maybe we can catch up after my final set on Saturday night.”
“Of course.” His voice reminded her of the pain she’d heard in it the day her sister ended things between them. “But if you’re able to free up some time to grab lunch or perhaps drinks... I’d really like that.”
Jessie nodded her acknowledgment, then resumed her trek toward the elevator with the bellman in tow.
They stepped onto the elevator and Gideon stood frozen, staring at her, as the elevator doors closed. As if he’d seen a ghost.
Jessie hated that she was still hurt and angry after all this time. She shouldn’t be. If anything, she should be grateful to Gideon. She owed her career to him.
The heartbreak and subsequent longing she experienced drove her to pick up a pen and write poems and eventually songs. After writing songs for small local acts, Jessie had slowly climbed the songwriting ranks and written songs for chart-topping musicians.
She’d fought for the chance to sit center stage at her piano and sing her own songs. After a successful EP, she’d accepted a contract from a big studio, but she would only agree to a single album contract because the studio hadn’t been willing to give her full creative control. She’d gambled on demonstrating that she was worthy of that level of oversight before she signed another contract. Hopefully for a multi-album deal. But Jessie hadn’t anticipated the cost of that freedom. Nor had she been willing to sacrifice her soul for it.
Her experience with label exec Arnold Diesman taught her not to trust a wealthy, powerful man to do her bidding or have her back. In the end, that man’s only real interest was his own selfish desires.
Jessie sucked in a deep breath as the elevator opened on the second floor. She followed the bellman to her luxury balcony suite. A bold silver wallpaper with a black geometric pattern welcomed her to the elegant art deco style space. She tipped the bellman once he’d unloaded her luggage, then locked the door behind him.
Jessie slipped off the flo
wing brown silk Cushnie designer dress with an asymmetrical hemline that skimmed her ankles in the back but rose thigh-high over her left leg. She kicked off her shoes and slipped into a pair of comfy gray sweat shorts and a white V-neck tee. Then she sank onto the sofa in the suite’s well-appointed sitting area.
Seeing Gideon after all this time had been harder than she’d imagined. Which meant that the next few days would be difficult. It would be especially hard performing in front of the man who’d first inspired her to write songs of love and loss.
Chase Stratton and Dixon Benedict had both RSVP’d for the retreat. This was her best opportunity to get Chase and Dix on board with her project. So she wouldn’t allow anything to throw her off course. Least of all handsome, uber-wealthy, aging-like-fine-wine Gideon Johns.
This project had the potential to change everything for her. So she wouldn’t let a teenage crush distract her from her dream.
Later that evening, after making a few last-minute adjustments to her song, Jessie pulled out her cell phone in its pink rhinestone-studded case and tapped out a quick message.
You’ll never guess who just asked about you. Gideon Johns.
* * *
Gideon watched as the elevator doors closed, his pride hurt by Jessie’s chilly reception. He realized she wasn’t happy about the way they’d left things. But he’d done the right thing. Was Jessie really still angry with him after all these years?
He’d be the first to admit that he’d handled the situation poorly. But what he rarely admitted was why he’d gotten so angry that day. Buried beneath all the practical reasons he’d rejected Jessie’s proposition was the fact that he’d been startled by the way she’d made him feel. It was something he hadn’t wanted to admit, even to himself.
He’d been attracted to her. Wanted her. Feelings he’d immediately rejected. She was his ex’s sister.
The last thing in the world he’d wanted was to fall for another Humphrey sister. It was still the last thing he wanted. And yet, seeing her just now, he realized that he was as susceptible to it today as he’d been back then.
Gideon ordered a glass of wine at the bar.
Jessie had always been such a sweet and gentle soul. She was a ray of sunshine that he’d missed having in his life. But the woman he’d just encountered was unlike the girl he’d once known.
Was she still angry about how he’d rejected her back then? Or had fame and ambition changed Jessie?
Back when he’d known the Humphrey sisters, Jessie and Geneva had been like night and day. Geneva was confident, assured, ambitious and a bit entitled. Jessie was sweet, shy and thoughtful. Geneva always thought of herself first, while Jessie’s primary concern was the people she cared about.
It had been Jessie’s most endearing quality.
But maybe Jessie was more like her older sister than he remembered.
If Jessie preferred not to revisit their past, all the better.
Besides, rekindling a friendship with Jessie would sidetrack him from his primary goal this weekend. To seal the Dubai deal with Matt Richmond. Then he’d return to Seattle and forget about his encounter with the surprisingly aloof Jessie Humphrey.
Ten
Liam walked into the bar and sat down, leaving a space between him and Gideon Johns.
“Gideon.” He nodded toward the man, who could barely hold back a smirk.
“Liam.” Gideon took another sip of his wine. “If you’ve come to give me a back-off-my-woman speech, I can save us both time. My interest in Teresa is strictly professional.”
“As is mine.” Now. That critical detail he kept to himself.
Gideon’s laugh made it clear that he wasn’t buying it anyway. Not even for a moment.
“Do you make a habit of staring down the men who have close conversations with your business associates?” When Liam didn’t answer, Gideon set his glass down. “Didn’t think so.”
“I thought you were too discriminating a man to believe the gossip mill, Gideon,” Liam said after he’d ordered a Manhattan.
“If you mean the rumors disparaging Teresa... I don’t believe a word of them.” Gideon’s expression grew serious. “But the part about your relationship with her being more than just business...you’re the one who told me that.”
“What do you mean?” Liam turned toward Gideon.
“You sat in that chair watching the woman’s every move. Scowling at any man who dared smile at her.” Gideon nodded toward Teresa as she walked past the bar with a male member of the hotel staff. “You can’t keep your eyes off her even now. So, a word of advice, if that’s the story you’re going with, you might want to take it down a notch...or ten.”
Liam groaned and raked his fingers through his hair. The man was right. Though it hadn’t been intentional, he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off Teresa as she flitted about the hotel. Today she wore a fitted black pantsuit that perfectly complemented her figure. The sheer black blouse beneath it had a deep neckline that had his imagination and memory working overtime. Was it any wonder his eyes had a mind of their own?
“I’m sorry if I seemed—”
“Territorial?” Gideon offered, finishing his glass of wine.
“Something like that,” Liam conceded. “It’s a complicated situation.”
“I’m no stranger to complicated situations.” Gideon ordered another glass of wine. “So no judgment here. But if you’re really going with the story that it’s only business between you two, you might want to rethink your approach.”
“Thank you for your honesty.” Liam patted the man on the shoulder, then excused himself to go to his guest cottage and return an important call.
* * *
Pangs of guilt twisted Liam’s gut as he picked up the telephone to return the call to Jeremy Dutton, the man he’d assigned to comb Teresa’s background. The man was much more than just a private investigator. In fact, that barely scratched the surface of just what Jeremy Dutton was capable of.
While it was true that he’d come to the conclusion that it didn’t make sense for Teresa to have gone to the press, there was still a lot he didn’t know about the woman. Had she been honest about the nature of her relationship with his father? Was there a hidden agenda behind her interest in him? Did she have designs on acquiring a controlling interest in Christopher Corporation? Was Dutton able to dig up anything about her father, Nigel St. Claire, working for Christopher Corporation twenty years ago?
When it came to Teresa, there were too many questions and not enough answers. Answers that he needed since, thanks to the terms of his father’s will, Teresa now owned 25 percent of the stock in his family’s company. They were already dealing with all of the rumors and innuendo about her relationship with his father and now him. Liam needed to ensure that there were no additional skeletons that would come crashing out of this woman’s closet to plunge his family and company name into further disrepute.
Anyone in his position would do the same, for the sake of their business. But he had an additional incentive to look into Teresa. He’d been given no choice about bringing her into the company. But the fact that he kept bringing her into his bed...well, that was all on him.
He genuinely liked Teresa St. Claire, but he had millions of reasons to distrust her. Most of which were sitting in local and international banks. Still, he was inexplicably drawn to her in a way he hadn’t experienced with anyone else.
Common sense dictated that he leave Teresa alone. Deal with her only as he must. But the time he’d spent with Teresa at The Goblet made him remember just how much he liked her. And she seemed just as enamored with him.
Which made him feel particularly shitty about having her investigated. Despite the fact that any sensible businessman in his position would’ve done the same. Still, there was a question that kept running through his brain.
What if he chose to pursue a relationship w
ith Teresa? How would she react once she learned of the investigation? Could she ever forgive him?
Despite his initial objections, in the few short weeks since Teresa had been a part of Christopher Corporation, she’d demonstrated that she could be an asset to the organization. But he couldn’t sustain any further liabilities where Teresa was concerned.
Liam dialed the private investigator. The man answered right away.
“What’ve you learned?” Liam asked after exchanging a cursory greeting.
“Straight to the point.” The man chuckled. “My type of client.”
Liam waited without reply for the man to give him the highlights of his report on Teresa.
It essentially amounted to nada. Zip. Zilch.
What the hell was he paying this guy for? He wasn’t sure if he should be extremely pleased or incredibly suspicious about the lack of dirt his investigator was able to dig up after weeks of searching. Dutton was a thorough investigator on whom he frequently relied to vet potential businesses and potential business associates.
The only thing the man could confirm was that Teresa had spent a considerable amount of time with his father.
“Keep digging,” Liam said. “Everyone has secrets. If there’s something there, I need to know what it is.”
“It’s your dime, Christopher.” Dutton chuckled. “I’ll keep knocking on doors and kicking over rocks for as long as you’re paying me to do it.”
“Fine, but be subtle about it. Discretion is everything on this one.”
Liam ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. He was protecting his family’s interest and his heart. Still, he couldn’t help feeling like he was betraying Teresa by doing so behind her back.
