Later as they were finally leaving the gardens, he said, “How about we go for a drink at the casino? We could have an early dinner in one of their restaurants after that.”
It sounded wonderful but… “I really should go home.”
“Why?”
“Do I need an excuse?” she asked, but her voice lacked conviction.
“Yes.”
She smiled and he smiled back, and suddenly she knew she was in danger of completely letting her guard down today. She couldn’t afford that.
She gave a shake of her head. “It’s best I go home.”
“Best for whom? Have dinner with me, Jenna, otherwise I’ll have to dine alone.” He stepped in front of her, making her stop walking. “Besides, I can’t ask anyone else. Word might get back to Chelsea.”
She was grateful for the young child that ran into them right then. Adam’s words were a reminder that she couldn’t let herself soften toward this man. For a moment she’d forgotten that their being together was for Stewart’s sake, on her part at least.
“Jenna?” he reminded her, once the mother had rescued her child, leaving them alone in a dwindling crowd of people heading for the exit gates.
She faked a smile. “Okay, why not?”
He must have sensed the subtle difference in her attitude because his eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t give him the chance to talk. She stepped around him and continued walking, and he fell into step beside her.
They ended up playing roulette at the casino for a couple of hours. Jenna wasn’t a big gambler but surprisingly she enjoyed it. Her ex-boyfriend, Lewis, had brought her here a couple of times and had once got himself half-drunk and caused a small scene. Being with Adam was different. He had total control of himself, and he seemed delighted in her excitement when she won a small amount at the table.
Around seven they strolled up the stunning black marble staircase to one of the lavish restaurants, the sound of the fountains near the entrance echoing high up the stairs. It was early and the restaurant was just starting to fill up, but the maître d’ knew Adam and welcomed him with deference, then took them to an intimate table in the corner. No doubt Adam had brought many women here. But Jenna wasn’t really one of them, and that was another reminder this was all a farce. One she shouldn’t forget. She was wallpaper for him, that’s all.
Adam nodded to someone at a table across the room, then smiled back at Jenna like she was his everything. “Good. Word should get back to Chelsea now.”
She smiled tightly. “Perfect.”
They ordered the meal, and once alone again he gave her another smile. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today, Jenna.”
She knew this was an act for the benefit of others. “It was a nice day,” was all she could manage.
His gaze rested on her. “I mean it.”
She tried to steady her breathing. “Don’t get comfortable with me, Adam. I’m only here with you because of my brother.”
He leaned back farther in his chair, his mouth thinning slightly. “Ahh, bring it all back to that. It’s good protection.”
“I don’t need protection from you. I can handle myself.”
“Don’t challenge me, Jenna.”
She wanted to dare him, but something…the way he narrowed his eyes…said he was waiting for her to do just that and he didn’t care right then that they were in a roomful of people.
“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction,” she said, pasting on a smile when she saw the waiter returning with their drinks.
After a delicious meal that she couldn’t do justice to, he took her home at a fairly early hour, insisting on walking her to her door. She felt obliged to invite him in for coffee, but her tone said she’d prefer he didn’t accept.
He accepted.
“You have a nice apartment,” he said, as she put the coffeepot on.
“Thanks.” She turned away, concentrating on preparing the brew. He’d been here last night before the ball, though he hadn’t looked at anything but her.
And then there had been that kiss….
“You own it?”
She hoped he thought the flush in her cheeks was from annoyance. “Now is that a polite question to ask?”
“I doubt I was trying to be polite,” he mused.
“Yes, I forgot who I was talking to for a minute there,” she scoffed, then admitted, “Yes, it’s mine.”
No need to tell him the loan was almost killing her in repayments. Her job paid well, but interest rates had gone up recently. If only she’d known Stewart was going to need money before she’d put her life savings down as a deposit. She would have rented for a while longer until her brother was paid back the money owed to him by the Roths.
She shook off her thoughts, and they had their coffee while Adam told her a story about an interior decorator he’d dated who’d once painted huge daisies on his living-room wall—in bright orange.
“You didn’t like it?” Jenna joked.
His lips twisted. “There’s a moral to the story. Don’t break up with a woman until she’s finished the decorating.” He drained his cup and put it down on the table. “Now, it’s Sunday tomorrow. What will you be doing?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She’d already decided tomorrow was her own. “And I intend to keep it that way. Surely we can give the issue of the money a rest for one day?”
He stared hard and for a moment she thought he might argue.
Her chin lifted. “I need some time to myself, Adam,” she added, not to soften him, but merely to point out why she wouldn’t back down.
He took a moment to nod, then he pushed to his feet. “Okay. I understand.”
She blinked in surprise. “You do?”
“We all need space sometimes.” He leaned toward her, kissed her cheek and headed for the door. “I’ll call you.” He shut the door quietly behind him.
She was alone.
“I’m sure you will,” she murmured in the silent apartment.
On Monday morning Adam was just finishing up some work when Dominic’s personal assistant announced Todd was there to see him. He groaned inwardly. His friend didn’t stop by the Roth offices too often. “Send him in, thanks, Janice.”
Todd strolled in, looking the easygoing but confident businessman. “I see you’re still doing Dominic’s job.”
“He’s not due back from his honeymoon for another ten days.”
Todd shook his head in bemusement. “Your brother only got married a couple of months ago and already he’s taking another honeymoon. Sounds like things are turning out well for him.”
Adam agreed. Yet it hadn’t been so easy for his older brother. “I know, but things were…awkward between him and Cassandra at first. Now they’ve found they love each other, they wanted some time alone together with Nicole.”
Todd’s face sobered. “Yeah, I know. Liam’s death certainly made an impact on everyone.” His friend didn’t know the half of it, Adam mused, knowing he couldn’t tell him about Liam’s involvement with Stewart Branson. The less anyone knew the better. “So I’m helping Dad run the show. He and Mum should be back from Brisbane tomorrow, as well.”
“Good. That’ll give you a clear weekend coming up.”
Adam grew wary. “Why?”
“Chelsea and I are having a housewarming party at our new vacation home in the Grampians. We want you to come for the weekend. I assume you’ll bring Jenna. Actually, Chelsea insists on you bringing her. Chels really liked her.”
Adam had to bite his tongue. “Did she?”
“You know how Chels is. When she takes a liking to someone she almost kills them with kindness.”
Adam really had to bite his tongue. “Yes, I know.”
Todd looked pleased. “So you and Jenna will come?”
“I’m not sure,” he began, seeing disappointment dawn in his friend’s eyes. “Jenna may have something else planned,” he said, more to give himself time to think about this. Spending a whole weekend with him might tip Chelsea ove
r the edge, and that thought was far from egotistical.
“You and Jenna have to come, Adam,” Todd said quickly, then grimaced. “I think Chelsea needs to be around people she likes right now.”
Adam went on full alert. “Why?”
Todd shrugged. “She’s been a bit down lately.”
“About?” God, if Chelsea had put her marriage at risk…
He seemed to hesitate. “She’s had some…problems. It’s just women’s stuff, but you know how it goes.”
Adam had the feeling there was something more to this, though suddenly he didn’t get the impression it had anything to do with him. Thank God! Were Todd and Chelsea having marriage problems? Was the openness between them simply for show?
Todd cleared his throat. “I’d really like you there, Adam.”
Adam considered his friend. If this was important to Todd, then he’d go. He nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Todd’s relief was evident.
After he left, Adam sat at the desk and twirled the gold pen in his fingers. He remembered Todd coming around to his apartment after Maddie died, making sure he was okay, then forcing him to get up and get dressed, forcing him to eat. Todd had been there for him every day when he’d been at the lowest point of his life. No one else had been able to get through to him. Todd had been the only one.
All at once he knew that even if there was something going on between Todd and Chelsea now, he wouldn’t tell Jenna just yet. Otherwise she might think that he’d accept her as his companion for less than the agreed month. Whether the money issue was resolved between them soon or not, whether the issue with Chelsea was resolved quicker than expected, he still wanted to have his full month with Jenna Branson. And that’s what he would have.
“Well, well, you’re a dark horse, aren’t you?” Marco Conti murmured, coming into the room where Jenna was working on Monday morning.
She tried not to react to the slimy glint in his eyes. How on earth Roberto and Carmen Conti had parented such a son, she didn’t know. Love was certainly blind in this case. In their minds, Marco could do no wrong.
“What do you mean, Marco?” she asked, picking up a small pair of pliers and continuing working.
“First you dump me at the races last weekend, and then I hear you attended the Mayoral Ball with none other than Adam Roth. Then I hear you were seen at the flower show with him on Saturday.”
“So?” This guy had been busy.
“There’s more to you than meets the eye, cara mia.”
She looked up. “Marco, who I go out with is none of your business. And I didn’t dump you at the races. I wasn’t your date.”
Something dark crossed his face, then vanished. “You could do worse than catching a Roth.”
“I don’t think Adam would appreciate that comment,” she said without thinking, and was surprised to see Marco cringe.
He recovered and gave a smarmy smile. “I was only joking, Jenna. That’s all I was doing.” A tiny pause. “You have no need to tell him what I said.”
So…Marco was actually intimidated by something.
Interesting.
Jenna could care less. She just wanted Marco out of her hair. “No, he doesn’t need to know.” An impish urge took hold of her. “But I’d appreciate if any gossip you hear you don’t pass on here at work. I don’t want people to feel awkward with me. I’m sure Adam would appreciate knowing you’re helping me.”
Marco drew himself up. “Of course.”
She breathed a deep sigh of relief when he left. Not only had she got him off her back, but to him he had saved face by conceding to a Roth. She felt pleased with herself to have outwitted him.
Her self-congratulations didn’t last, though, not when everything seemed to keep coming back to Adam. She was on edge about her next “gig” with him, whenever that would be. No doubt she would have to accompany him to a whole series of events he needed to attend over the coming weeks.
It didn’t help that her mother had called yesterday morning to ask if she’d enjoyed the Mayoral Ball. Jenna had tried to sound enthused, while evading saying too much about the man she’d attended with. It hadn’t helped that her parents had been about to head out to the flower show, which left no option but to admit she’d been the day before. With Adam? Yes, Jenna had replied. The brief silence that had come down the line had been telling, and she’d hurriedly reminded her mother not to say anything to Stewart.
This was all getting very trying very fast. Please God, let the money be settled soon. Then she’d be able to break it off with Adam, and her parents wouldn’t be too concerned if she told them he hadn’t been the one for her, and that would be the end of it.
Around seven-thirty that evening, Adam dropped by her apartment. He didn’t kiss her hello, but her heart still thudded when she opened the door to him.
“Would you like to go out for a drink somewhere?” he asked, stepping inside.
She closed the door behind him. “Do I have to?” He turned around with a wry look and she wrinkled her nose. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it quite like that. I’m a working girl. I don’t party during the week.” Actually she didn’t party much at all, not even on the weekends. She must be so different from his other women friends. Mistresses, she corrected, reminding herself that she wasn’t his mistress and didn’t intend to be, so being different in this case was a good thing.
A shadow of relief crossed his face. “That’s okay. I’m not really up for it myself. I just thought you might like to go out.”
His consideration softened something inside her, even more so when she saw that he looked tired. He must have a lot to worry about right now, with his brother and father away so much, not to mention all this business about Liam. She tried not to let it get to her.
“You’ve just finished work by the looks of things.”
He loosened his tie a little. “Yes.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
She hesitated. “Me, either. I made spaghetti bolognese and there’s plenty to share if you want to stay and eat with me. It’s nothing fancy.”
He eyed her quizzically. “You don’t mind?”
“You’ve been feeding me a lot lately. I guess I can repay the favor,” she said wryly.
He smiled. “With an invitation like that, how can I refuse?”
She smiled back at him, then spun toward the kitchen. “Would you like a glass of wine?” she asked, pleased that at least her voice sounded normal, even if her racing pulse wasn’t.
He followed her and stood in the doorway. “No thanks. If I had alcohol right now I’d probably fall asleep.” His voice lingered. “Of course, then you’d have to put me to bed.”
She peered at him, not smiling now. “Why do you say things like that? We don’t have an audience.”
“I like making you blush.”
“I don’t embarrass easily. If my cheeks are red, it’s from anger,” she fibbed.
The gleam in his eyes said he knew better. “I enjoy knowing I’m affecting a woman…like she affects me.”
She felt heat burst into her cheeks. “Adam…” she warned.
“Do you realize you blush on and off for me? I kind of like being the switch that turns you on.”
“And off,” she flipped back at him. She handed him some cutlery and place mats. “Here. You can set the table over there.”
He chuckled, then took the items and did as he was told. With a silent sigh of relief, she turned away and finished preparing the food. Soon they were sitting down to eat.
In contrast, Adam didn’t talk much while they ate.
“That was delicious,” he said, finally, putting his napkin aside after he’d cleaned his plate. Then he leaned back in his chair with an inward look. “You can be quite calming to be around.”
“I can?”
His mouth tilted. “Sometimes.”
“You’re just tired.”
He acknowledged that with a nod of his head. “I wanted to te
ll you something and was waiting until we’d eaten.”
Her heart jumped into her throat. “You’ve got the money?” she said, hope rising inside her. It would solve all their problems if—
His mouth turned down at the corners. “No.”
“Oh.” That was somewhat disappointing, despite it still being early.
“My guys are on it now.”
She nodded. It was a letdown to realize he’d kept to his word and hadn’t even started looking for the money until she’d attended the ball with him. It said how much he didn’t trust her. Of course, she didn’t trust him either, so why would he be any different? There was nothing between them to trust anyway.
She held herself stiffly, preparing for what he was going to say. “What do you want to tell me then?”
“Todd stopped by my office to see me today. He and Chelsea are having a housewarming party this weekend. He wants us to come.”
She considered that. “I guess it would be okay,” she said slowly.
“It’s in the Grampians, at their new vacation home.”
“What!” She thought ahead. “That’s a long drive.”
“Around three hours. It’ll mean staying overnight.”
“In the same bedroom?”
“Yes.”
“Same bed?”
“More than likely. Unless Chelsea decides to keep us apart and give us a room with twin beds, and that could be very likely,” he said cynically. His gaze caught hold of her. “Would it be so awful sharing a bed with me?”
Her stomach rolled with nerves. “That’s not the point, Adam.”
“At least you don’t deny you want me.”
“I—”
“We’re both adults, Jenna. We won’t be hurting anyone if we take this further and sleep together.”
“Making love was not part of our bargain.” He was a man who’d have plenty of lovers. He had to realize by now that she didn’t sleep around. “I’ll come for the weekend, and I’ll even share a room with you…” God help her. “But I’m not sleeping with you.”
He gave an indifferent shrug. “Oh, well. I tried.”
She didn’t know if she was more disappointed that he had given up so easily, or dismayed that she was disappointed. Then she eyed him speculatively. Or had he given up? They still had to share a room together this weekend, didn’t they? He was probably just playing with her.
High-Society Seduction Page 6
