Reluctant Bride

by Sam Crescent

  He led her into what looked like his home office. It was almost laid out exactly like his downtown one, complete with the same desk and same paperweight on the corner. Jason gave a pointed stare behind her so she took the cue and turned. Her breath caught and her heart began to pound. There they were, the two Courbet paintings that she’d journeyed here to see. So overcome with emotion, she didn’t know which one to gaze upon first.

  “Winged Beauty,” Jason murmured. He walked over to stand next to her, so close she felt the warmth of his fingers nearly touching her own. “The woman is Mercury as she chops the wheat stalks as quickly as the wings on her feet allow. The other one is titled Aged Beauty, and it was his own interpretation of Aphrodite as an old woman.”

  “I’ve only seen Winged Beauty in the 1970 black-and-white photo of it,” she said. “When it was still owned by Monsieur Allard. You bought it from him, didn’t you?”

  “Actually, he willed it to me when he passed,” Jason replied. “I had befriended him in hopes of convincing him to sell it to me, but Henri was wise to my tricks. I was completely surprised when he left me the painting. The other one I was able to purchase at auction.”

  “What about the third one?”

  “That one … I’ll show you soon.”

  Poppy shifted and her knuckles touched his. The innocent brush of skin shot a thrill through her, causing flutters to erupt in her belly. Her interest in the paintings suddenly faded as she looked up at Jason, only to discover his attention focused entirely on her. His intensity took her breath away, and her mouth went dry. Thoughts of him kissing her filled her head and he must have read her mind, because he brought one hand up to cup her face.

  “Is it okay to kiss you?” he asked softly, his voice a soothing balm over her nerves.

  Slowly, she nodded, and he lowered his head, touching her lips with his. The caress was light at first, a mere brushing of their lips. Then he maneuvered her until their bodies were pressed together and he immediately deepened the kiss. Her hands rested on his chest and she could feel his heat burning through his shirt, his muscles rippling with every breath he took.

  As his tongue probed the secret places of her mouth, an electrical current charged through her body. His lips were voracious, taking everything she had to give and demanding even more. Breaking for air, he kissed his way over her cheek to her ear, taking the lobe between his teeth and biting gently. The slight bite of pain only heightened the pleasure.

  Suddenly, he gripped her around the waist and lifted her up. Turning, he sat her down on his desk and swept everything off it to give them room. The unexpected movement shot a thrill through her. His fingers trailed down her body, over her hip, down her thigh to reach the end of her skirt. He bunched the hem and brought it up until he touched skin.

  “Open for me, my love,” he whispered against her lips.

  Eyes wide, she parted her legs, giving him access. His fingers brushed across her panties, the only thing separating him from her. He rubbed over her slit, pressing little circles over her sensitive nub. She moaned and her hips jerked up, bumping against him.

  “Oh, my God,” she breathed.

  “Do you want more, Poppy?”

  “I … I…”

  He dipped a finger under the cotton, barely brushing the skin under it. An ache filled her.

  “Do you want me, Poppy?” he asked. “Yes or no, sweetheart. It’s up to you.”

  The ache grew.

  “Yes,” she said, feeling a bit desperate. “Yes, please.”

  He jerked his hand from her panties and fell to his knees in front of her, pushing her skirt up. She panted as she watched him, knowing she should tell him to stop but unable to do so. As he yanked off her bit of lace down, she lifted her hips so they were easier to remove. He lifted one leg over his shoulder as he settled between her thighs.

  Although she couldn’t see what he was doing, it didn’t matter. With the touch of his tongue, she lay back, unable to support herself. Her one previous experience with oral sex had left her wondering what the big deal was about, but Jason had an expertise her former lover had lacked. He found the spot that made stars explode behind her eyelids.

  “Jason!” she moaned. “Oh, my God!”

  He didn’t let up and soon, she lost control as her body shook with the approaching climax. For a second, she hovered on the precipice before falling. The climax consumed every inch, exploding through what felt like every cell. She seized up before euphoria hit, letting her ride a cloud until she drifted back down, panting and unable to form words.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” Jason murmured as he withdrew.

  He straightened and pulled her into his arms, hugging and holding her as she rode out the bliss.

  “You—”

  “Shh. This isn’t about me.” He pressed his lips against her temple. She heard his ragged breath, proving he was just as affected as she. “I knew it would be this powerful between us, Poppy.”

  “I’m… This…”

  Her wits were scattered. The few times she’d dated, she’d never felt this breath-stealing attraction, never had an orgasm so powerful. She’d just figured she was one of those people who didn’t have excitable emotions for the opposite sex, that all her passion was devoted to her primary love of art.

  But Jason Macalik had just shattered that notion.

  “I’ve never felt like this before,” she finally admitted.

  “Neither have I,” he said.

  She peeked up at him. “I find that terribly hard to believe.”

  “Attraction has many layers. I’m not saying there haven’t been other women, but never to this depth. And the first moment I saw you, I knew you were my own Aphrodite rising from the sea.”

  She smiled. “Will we always use artistic themes between us?”

  “Why not? It’s what brought us together.”

  His words gave her pause. Art wasn’t what brought them together, and she pulled away. As if sensing her withdrawal, he let her go and watched as she scooted off the desk to smooth her skirt down.

  “When was the first moment you saw me?”

  He blinked, and the relaxed pleasure disappeared. “When I began investigating your father on suspected embezzlement.”

  Cold fingers ran down her spine. “But how?”

  “I hired a security agency to track you down. They took photos. At first, it was a way to gather information on who your father was. His life. His habits. But your picture … as soon as I saw you, I changed my plans.”

  His words shook her. “You had me photographed?”

  “Not like that. It was a way to discover information about your father. I didn’t know about you at all until the report came in.”

  She took a deep breath. “You do have a problem with obsession, Mr. Macalik, but I’m not a painting and you’re not Ahab.”

  “Sometimes I feel like I am,” he admitted in a low voice. “I see what I want and I do anything to obtain it.”

  “Even letting my father hang himself.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand you.”

  “Hell, I don’t even understand myself half the time.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve had this idea of us for so long I know I’m not making much sense.”

  Poppy cast her eyes down, trying to articulate what she was thinking. “I think that if blackmail was taken off the table, I would feel a lot better.”

  “But then you’d leave.”

  She laid her hand on his arm. “Would you really destroy my career if I don’t marry you? Would you hurt me in such a way?”

  He covered her hand with his own. “I will do anything to make sure you are mine, Poppy.”

  His words filled her with regret, so she pulled away from him. “Very well. Perhaps you should show me to my room so I can freshen up for dinner.”

  “Of course. You’re more than welcome to come back anytime to look at these. After all, one day they’ll be yours to curate.”

  As she walked behind him ou
t of the office, she couldn’t help but steal one more glance. Were they and the others worth it? Was all of it worth trading her freedom in marriage? She supposed it didn’t really matter. Jason may be the best lover she could ever imagine, but she didn’t have his trust. And for some reason, that really made her sad.

  What kind of marriage would they have if they didn’t even have that?

  ****

  Poppy remained quiet through dinner. Jason didn’t like how she purposefully avoided looking at him, but he supposed he understood it. He suspected she was confused and he also figured given half an inch, she would probably run from him. It wasn’t that he was trying to be a domineering asshole, he simply didn’t want her to leave without discovering how perfectly they fit together. Although he had not wanted to play the blackmail card, he was willing to do anything to ensure Poppy became his. And like all his precious artwork, he had won. She was now, perhaps, his greatest possession.

  “How old are you?” she asked, sounding a bit subdued.

  “I’m forty-two.”

  She blinked. “I’m twenty-six. That’s a bit of an age difference.”

  “Ages are numbers. They don’t define us.”

  She frowned at him. “I start my doctorate program in the fall. Will we be in LA by then?”

  “I plan for us to be in LA by the end of the month,” he replied. “Like I said, I’m not planning on interrupting your studies or your work as a docent.”

  The words seemed to ease her fears a little. She pushed the food around on her plate. “What bothers me most is the fact that we are strangers.”

  “We are after the same goal. People have married for far less.”

  Finally, she laid her fork down and looked at him directly. She didn’t blink. “What about trust?”

  He cocked his head. “I trust you.”

  “No, you don’t. You think I’ll run away.”

  “Will you?”

  She was silent for a long moment. “I don’t know. I probably wouldn’t be here given half the chance.”

  “I appreciate your honesty. And to flip the scenario, do you trust me, Poppy?”

  She pursed her lips instead of answering.

  He gave a rueful smile. “See? It’s a two-way street. For the record, Poppy. I do trust you.”

  “You don’t trust I’ll stay.”

  “I think that’s more prudent on my reasoning. We’re good together. Surely you see that?”

  “We’ve had one day together. How can we possibly know if we’re good together? This isn’t some damn rom-com, it’s my life.”

  “You still think I want to ruin it? Poppy, all of this is because we can elevate each other. So tomorrow, let me show you that.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “What?”

  “A day of fun.”

  She was quiet for a moment, staring at him as she seemed to contemplate what he offered. “I have no other clothes than these. I’m not really equipped to do a day of fun.”

  “Not to worry. I had my assistant buy you a few clothes. You should find everything in your closet.”

  “Your assistant? Someone else went shopping for me? How did you know my measurements?” Her eyes went wide. “Wait. Were you stalking me?”

  “I have two eyes, Poppy,” he said. “I guessed your sizes. And my assistant is happily married. I asked her for the favor because I figured you wouldn’t want a male stranger, as you put it, touching your intimate apparel. Was I right?”

  She pursed her lips but nodded. “All of what you’re doing is a giant red flag to some type of mentally psychotic behavior.”

  “You’re probably right,” he admitted with a chuckle. “Which is why you need to know me better. If we simply live the next few days as if we’re dating, you’ll see I’m not a monster.”

  “Speed dating can hide a lot of flaws.”

  “True,” he acknowledged. “But so can dating for years.”

  “I suppose you drew up a pre-nup?”

  “Why? Would you like to change it?”

  “The only thing I would change is that I want nothing from you when this marriage falls apart. I want it written that there’s a time limit. If at the end of that time I want out, you allow me to leave without any repercussions. That includes my father’s duplicity.”

  “There will be no divorce,” he said quietly.

  She banged her fist on the table. “You don’t know that! I want that guarantee. I demand it.”

  Her chest heaved. A flush stained her cheeks. She looked beautiful and it made his heart pound. “Then I’ll have it drawn up.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “I’m not hungry, after all. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  He nodded as she rose and left the dining room. As he threw down his napkin, he was left once more in the big room to stare at the four walls, as he’d done many times before. For a moment, he thought about his goal. Poppy had been his ultimate quest from the first moment he’d seen her. He supposed he should’ve realized she might not have the instant recognition like he’d had. Perhaps he’d been a bit too dogged about his pursuit.

  But he refused to be swayed from his course.

  Poppy would be he his.

  Chapter Six

  After a night of tossing and turning, she rose and showered. The heated water felt like heaven on her fatigued body and helped revive her. Poppy wrapped a towel around her body as she made her way to the walk-in closet, only to drop her mouth open in amazement. Jason had mentioned his assistant picked up a few things. This was—she walked in, shaking her head—a brand-new wardrobe. For a split second, it made her feel like a fairy-tale princess, and then pragmatic, sensible, she tried to break in to the thrill. Ultimately, she decided to feel like a princess because why the hell not? She worked damn hard for everything in her life, but to be treated to a brand-new make-over was like a dream come true. As she searched through the multiple cute blouses and beautiful skirts, she had to admit someone knew her tastes. Strappy sandals with top name designers. Even matching purses and clutches. How was she supposed to be mad at him for this?

  She had never judged women by how they made their money, and suddenly, she realized the number one perk of being a paid companion. Was that what Jason was looking for? Did he expect favors for all of the clothes? Then again, he insisted they marry, and he made sure she knew what she was signing on for. So even if she disavowed the clothes on principle, she was still going to have to “put out.” Might as well enjoy the gorgeous clothing with it, right?

  Making her decision, she chose an outfit that looked like it could be multi-purposeful and went to finish up. Thirty minutes later, she walked downstairs and saw him waiting for her. Frowning at his watch, but still, she took a moment to appreciate his magnetism. He wore jeans and a button-down, with the cuffs rolled up to his forearms. The tan of his skin offset the white of his shirt, showing how much he enjoyed the sunshine. Laugh lines fanned out from his eyes. He was a little older than her. Nothing that made it cringe-worthy, but enough to give her a little pause. Other than being a little heavy-handed, he certainly didn’t seem to act his age.

  Suddenly, he looked up from his watch and pinned her with those dark, impenetrable eyes of his. Bedroom eyes, her mother would’ve said. A man who undressed her even as he held her gaze. Weren’t women supposed to be past the sexism? She was certainly a modern woman, and yet … she liked how he made her feel. She liked the appreciation in his gaze. The arousal in his eyes flattered her. Perhaps that should be wrong, given the circumstances of their association, but she couldn’t bring herself to care about the right and wrong of such thinking. Knowing such a thing about herself certainly was enlightening.

  “You look beautiful,” he murmured. “I take it you approved of the wardrobe?”

  “You mean the walk-in-closet upstairs packed with all the latest fashion trends?” she counter-asked, pointing a thumb up the stairs. “Hadn’t noticed.”

  “That’s a shame,” he said, deadpan. “I heard there’s a few
things.”

  She smiled and he held out his hand. Taking it, she decided to judge the day for what it was and give him a chance to show her a more pleasant side of himself. He led her out to an SUV complete with a driver and as she slipped sunglasses on her nose, the vehicle took off. The day was bright and hot, but the cool interior let her relax and stare at the scenery passing by. She’d never been to Las Vegas, and she found the skyline with rising casinos, the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty, a tad alluring. Like it was taunting her to come explore. They drove south, past the tourist area, turning toward the airport. The SUV came to a stop in front of a helicopter rental with a huge banner promoting the Hoover Dam. He ushered her into the office where she and Jason signed waivers. Not too long after, she found herself strapped into the helicopter, watching as the ground fell away.

  “You don’t own your own helicopter?” she asked through the headset.

  “Too expensive to maintain. If I need to fly to LA, I just hire a private plane.”

  The flight started out over the beautiful mountains, segueing to the majestic Hoover Dam that held back the mighty Colorado River. The sunlight danced on the breaking tips of the water before them, sparkling like a blanket of diamonds.

  “We can rent a boat sometime,” he said “Lazy day on the river.”

  “Even though I grew up in LA, I’ve never been a beach kind of girl.”

  “After moving here, I didn’t think I’d enjoy the outdoors as much as I thought I would,” he said, “but I like to hike during the winter because it’s too hot during the summer in Vegas. If you like a lazy day on the river, we could even try kayaking sometime.”

  She looked once more at the water below. “I wouldn’t mind trying that.”