by I. T. Lucas
Despite all her bluster, Cassandra was naive.
“Kevin seems like a good guy, and he might love his wife with all his heart, but unless he’s known you since you were a little girl, I doubt that he can think of you as a sister. Males are just not built like that.”
She shrugged. “What he thinks is irrelevant. His actions are what matters.” She chuckled. “If I was held responsible for the thoughts running through my head, I would have been arrested on several counts of attempted murder. I feel like killing someone at least once a day, but since I don’t actually do it, I’m still a free member of society.”
“Very true, and talking about illegal activity reminds me that I haven’t told you what powdering your nose means these days.”
It took her a couple of seconds to figure it out, and then her eyes widened. “No way. Are you sure? I’ve never heard that before.” Her beautiful lips twisted in a grimace. “But then I don’t get out much. I’m all work and no play.”
He nodded. “I’m afraid so. If you don’t want people to think that you are going to the bathroom to snort cocaine, you need to find another polite expression for excusing yourself.”
“That’s so twisted.” She shook her head. “I don’t get this new generation. Perhaps it’s because I skipped the last two years of high school and never went to college. I wasn’t exposed to all those changes.”
He was surprised. Cassandra was way too smart to drop out of high school. She must have opted for homeschooling and had acquired her marketing skills in other ways. There were so many online courses these days, some even from fully accredited universities, that attending a brick-and-mortar institution was no longer the only or even best way to get an education.
“What made you switch to homeschooling?”
She smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t assume that I dropped out.”
Her stiff posture softened, and as the song ended, Cassandra made no move to pull out of his arms. When the next one started, they resumed dancing.
“You’re too smart for that.” His hand on the small of her back, he drew her a couple of inches closer to his body, but not close enough so their chests were touching.
She didn’t resist. “Thank you. We lived in a decent area of the valley, but the local high school was nevertheless overrun by a bad element. I didn’t feel safe attending, and I told my mother that I preferred to finish the last two years at home. She agreed provided that my grades wouldn’t take a turn for the worse. I graduated a year early with perfect grades.”
“Why didn’t you continue to college? Was it because you needed to take care of your mother?”
Onegus didn’t have a high school diploma or college education either, but that was because those hadn’t been available to him when he was a young lad.
His mother and his uncles had taught him what he’d needed to know, and the rest he’d learned on his own and was still learning. Knowledge wasn’t a stagnant thing, and continuous education was a must.
Cassandra’s expression turned thoughtful. “That wasn’t the reason. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of my mother. She’s not disabled. She just has memory problems from time to time, but she can mostly take care of herself. I couldn’t go away to college, but I could’ve gone locally. I went for one semester, decided that it was a waste of time and money, and quit. I learned what I needed from online courses.”
“Smart and frugal. I like it.”
She gazed at him from under lowered lashes. “What would a rich guy like you know about being frugal?”
“A lot more than you think.”
16
Cassandra
“A frugal billionaire. Well, I guess it’s possible. I read that Warren Buffett lives in a modest house and drives an old pickup truck. How about you? Do you live in a mansion?”
“Nope. I live in a nice two-bedroom house, which I share with a roommate.” He smiled. “Who’s a guy, in case you are wondering whether I’m single.”
“Are you?”
“Very.”
“I find it hard to believe. You are a rich, handsome guy.”
“I’m also very busy, and I don’t get out much. We have that in common.”
He probably used that line on all the hookups he collected. “Let me guess. You probably travel a lot as well.”
That was another line that guys used to explain why they were not available. It was a perfect excuse for when they were testing the waters with someone else or just wanted to keep things casual.
“I travel for work, that’s true, but lately not that much. Most of my days are spent in the office, either staring at a computer screen or in meetings. Occasionally, I meet with business associates on their turf, and once in a while, I attend events like this one.” His hand on the small of her back caressed her gently through the sheer fabric. “Usually, I don’t look forward to them, but I’m glad I came tonight.” He drew her a fraction of an inch closer.
Onegus was about to say more, when Kevin got on the dance floor and headed their way.
“I just came to tell you that I’m going home.” His eyes twinkled with mischief. “Obviously, you don’t have to leave because I do. You can call a taxi, or perhaps Onegus could give you a lift.” Kevin jerked his chin toward the photographers who were snapping pictures of her dancing with the dashing billionaire. “They love you.”
Damn, she’d been so consumed by Onegus and his overwhelming presence that she hadn’t noticed the photographers.
Kevin was practically salivating over the free publicity. Tomorrow, all the gossip magazines would post her picture in Onegus’s arms and publish speculative articles about their non-existent fling.
“I’ll take you home,” Onegus said and then turned to her boss. “Good night, Kevin, and thank you for your generous contribution.”
The nerve of the guy.
She cast him a saccharine smile. “Thank you for the offer, but I’d rather Kevin took me home.”
Her boss paled. “And miss out on all that?” He pointed at the photographer with his chin again.
Smirking, Onegus leaned to whisper in her ear. “I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”
She wasn’t worried about him trying anything without her active encouragement. He wasn’t the problem. The photographers and reporters were. If she left with him, they would make a story out of it even if all he did was to drive her home.
Kevin put his hand on her exposed shoulder. “Stay a little longer, Cassy, have some fun.” His eyes were pleading with her to do as he asked. “It would be better if we didn’t leave together if you know what I mean.”
Damn him and his pleading eyes. “Same goes for me. I can stay, but I’ll take a taxi home.”
“Thank you.” He leaned and kissed her cheek.
Was it her imagination or had Onegus growled quietly?
“Good night, Kevin.” She kissed her boss’s cheek back. When he left, she narrowed her eyes at Onegus. “Did you just growl at my boss?”
Assuming an innocent expression, he shrugged. “I had something in my throat.” He reached for her hand. “Would you like a drink?”
“I would love one. I’m parched.”
As they made their way to the bar, Onegus leaned to whisper in her ear, “We don’t have to leave the hotel together. In fact, we don’t need to leave at all. I have a suite upstairs, and we can sneak out one at a time. I can order coffee, and we can keep talking in private.”
Right. Talking.
Well, at least he was trying to be polite.
It would be a lie if she claimed his proposition wasn’t tempting. Onegus was the sexiest man she’d ever met or ever would, and to be with him, she might have considered bending her no hookups rule a little. But there was no way she was staying the night and then doing the walk of shame the next morning in her gala dress.
“I need to go home soon. My mom will be worried if I’m not back by midnight.”
He arched a brow. “Can’t you call her? You’re thirty-four,
not fourteen. You can tell your mother that you’re having a good time and will come home later than usual.”
“Do you mean the next morning?”
He smiled. “If I’m very lucky.”
“Well, you are not.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Nothing.” He was perfect, but his ego was inflated enough as it was.
“What would you like to drink?” he asked as they reached the bar.
“Vodka Cranberry.”
He told the barman their choices, and when their drinks were ready, led her out onto the terrace, where several of the guests were smoking fat cigars.
“Is it allowed to smoke out here?” She leaned against the railing.
Onegus shrugged. “It’s not my job to enforce the rules in this hotel.”
It was an odd answer, but she shrugged it off and took a sip of her drink.
Leaning against the railing next to her, Onegus sipped on his whiskey for several long moments. “Are you involved with someone?”
“No.”
“Don’t you like me?”
She rolled her eyes. “What’s not to like?”
“Then why not come up to my hotel room?”
“I don’t do hookups, Onegus. And even if I did, I wouldn’t do that here with photographers and reporters following us around. There is only so much that I’m willing to do to generate free publicity for Fifty Shades of Beauty.”
“Is that why you danced with me?”
She wondered whether the vulnerable note she detected in his voice was genuine or an act.
“I enjoy your company, Onegus, and I like you, but if you are interested in more, you’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Ask me on a date, come to my house and meet my mother, call me, ask me on another date, and so on. I’m not going to settle for less.”
17
Onegus
On a gut level, Onegus had known that Cassandra wouldn’t be an easy conquest, but it was rare that a woman her age adhered to such old-fashioned standards of dating. Most were more than happy to engage in casual hookups and had very few expectations from him, if any.
Maybe he was old-fashioned as well. He liked that Cassandra was demanding, that she was confident enough to believe that she deserved the investment of time and effort, and that sex was not a casual thing for her.
When she shivered, he wrapped his arm around her. “Do you want to go back in?”
“No, I like it out here. Especially since the photographers and reporters stayed inside.”
His doing, but she had no way of knowing that. One signal to the guy in charge of security, and no reporter or photographer was allowed to go out on the terrace.
“Hold my drink.” He handed her his glass and shrugged his jacket off. “Here you go.” He wrapped it around her shoulders. “Better?”
Her eyes roaming over his white dress shirt, she licked her lips. “Much, thank you.”
He chuckled. “If you wish, I can drive you home, come in, and introduce myself to your mother. That would take care of one item on your list. Then you can change into something more comfortable but leave the shoes on. They are sexy as hell.”
Stifling a smile, she huddled inside his much too large jacket. “Thanks for the offer, but it’s still a no.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He sighed dramatically
“Invite me on several dates, and after a couple of months, you can try again.”
He groaned. “You’re killing me, Cassandra.”
“You’ll live.”
Shaking his head, he reached into the jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. “Give me your number. I’m going to start tomorrow.”
“I’d rather take yours.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Nice try, but I know that you are not going to call. Give me your number, Cassandra.”
“Why do you think that I’m not going to call?”
“A gut feeling. You probably think that I’m a spoiled rich guy who needs to conquer every woman he meets, and you refuse to be one of many. You want to be the one I fall for.”
She shook her head. “I’m not thinking that far into the future, and love is not what I’m after. Not to start with, anyway. I just can’t imagine being intimate with anyone who I didn’t get to know first. Respect is non-negotiable. I need to know that you respect me, and I need to respect you.”
“I respect the hell out of you, Cassandra.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “You are a worthy woman, and I want to get to know you.”
“But?”
“No buts. Just give me your phone number. If you don’t, I’m going to call your boss and get it from him.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I have a better idea. Let’s decide on a time and place right now, and I’ll meet you there.”
“Tomorrow, eleven in the morning, Venice Beach. But I need your number in case I’m delayed.”
She looked surprised. “Why the beach? And why so early?”
He leaned toward her and smiled. “So you don’t suspect me of asking you out only to seduce you. If we want, we can spend the entire day getting to know each other.”
“And then go to your place, right?”
“It will be entirely up to you, my lady.”
She smirked. “I love it. But I’m afraid that I’ll have to disappoint you.”
His forehead furrowed. “What now? If you want to meet somewhere else, just tell me.”
“The beach is perfect, but I won’t be wearing these sexy shoes for a walk on the sand.” She wiggled her stiletto-clad foot.
“Naturally, I’m also going to take you to a restaurant, but it’s not a fancy place, and you can wear sneakers if you wish.”
She cast him a sidelong glance. “I finally meet a guy tall enough for me to wear heels, and he wants to take me to the beach. A girl just can’t catch a break.”
“Choose someplace else, then.”
“No, I like your idea of spending the day together. If everything goes well, you will just have to take me out on another date somewhere that justifies getting dressed up for.”
“Deal.” He shook the hand he was still holding on to.
“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Onegus McLean.” She shook it back and then pushed away from the railing. “But if we are to meet tomorrow morning, I need to go home and get some sleep.” She started to take his jacket off.
“Keep it. You can get it back to me tomorrow.” He smiled. “That will obligate you to actually show up.”
Pushing one leg forward, she looked at him down her pretty little nose. “I don’t make promises that I don’t intend to keep.” She pulled her phone out of her evening purse. “What’s your number?”
When he arched a brow, she smiled and patted his arm. “I need it so I can call you and so you’ll have mine.”
18
Eleanor
“Good morning, family.” Eleanor walked into the dining room. “How is everyone feeling?”
Vivian cast her a curious look. “You seem in a good mood today.”
Parker used the opportunity of his mother and Magnus’s attention being diverted to slip Scarlett a slice of roast beef.
The dog snatched it from his fingers, swallowed it in one bite, and was looking at him with pleading puppy eyes, begging for more.
“I am in a great mood.” Eleanor poured herself a cup of coffee and pulled out a chair. “And when you hear my announcement, you will be too. I’m moving in with Peter.”
Leaning back, Magnus folded his arms over his chest and gave her the displeased father look. “That was fast. Since when did the two of you become an item?”
Stifling a chuckle, Eleanor shook her head. “Peter and I are not dating. Leon and Anastasia are coming to the village soon, and they will need a place of their own. Leon prefers to move into a new house, so there will be room in his old one, and Peter is okay with me as his new roommate. I also no longer need a keeper. Kian trusts me.” She took a sip
from her coffee. “To a certain extent.”
Magnus didn’t look happy, which was surprising. He should be glad to be rid of her. “Did you check with Kian or Onegus that you are allowed to move out?”
“Do I need to? I thought that my probation period was over. I’m allowed to come and go as I please, so I’m quite sure I’m allowed to choose where I live as well. I’ve imposed on your hospitality for long enough.”
Vivian put her fork down. “Kian shouldn’t mind. I think that Magnus just doesn’t want you to leave.”
Eleanor snorted. “You’re too sweet. Magnus is going to throw a party when I’m gone, true?” She cast him an amused glance.
He shrugged. “I’ve gotten used to you. The house will feel empty without you.”
“I’ll miss you,” Parker said.
“You can visit me anytime you want. It’s not like I’m moving out of town. I’ll be a ten-minute walk away.”
“It’s not the same.” He patted the dog’s head. “And Scarlett is going to miss you too.”
“You can bring her along when you come to visit me.”
The dog would probably be the only one who really missed her. Parker was busy with school, and the rest of the time he was hanging out with Lisa. The kid was head over heels in love with the girl, but she had no clue, thinking that they were just buddies.
Was she being as clueless as Lisa?
Moving in with Peter could be a mistake. He was an attractive guy, and she wasn’t blind to his charms, but he wasn’t her type, and she wasn’t his. Still, cohabitation would bring them closer, and things might get dicey.
