By Private Invitation

by Stephanie Julian

  With a raised eyebrow for Jared and a slight smile for Belle, Tyler moved away.

  “I should get back to my friend, anyway.” Belle made a slight wave in the direction of her table. “Thank you for the dance.”

  The fact that her flirtatious smile nearly made him go caveman and toss her over his shoulder threw him for a second, and he didn’t say anything until she started to move away.

  “Wait.” He caught her upper arm gently, smoothing a thumb over her silky flesh. “I’d like to see you later.”

  “I…I really shouldn’t have deserted my friend like that.” Consternation clouded her expression, but she paused. “When are you finished for the night?”

  “Meet me at twelve thirty in the lobby, by the courtyard entrance. The garden is beautiful.”

  Her smile brightened again. “I’d love to see it.”

  She turned and walked away and he couldn’t tear his gaze from her.

  Twelve thirty couldn’t come fast enough.

  “I don’t believe I recognized the woman you were dancing with. Should I?”

  Jared waltzed his mother sedately around the dance floor, sliding glances when he could at Belle, irrational outrage swamping him when she smiled at another man standing by her table.

  While he danced with his mother.

  Amazingly, Mom had behaved herself so far. Smiling into her pale green eyes, he noted their clarity.

  And breathed a silent sigh of relief.

  “No, no one you know. So, how’s the Arts and Artists benefit ball coming along?” That should distract her for a while. Helena loved to talk about her projects, especially the yearly ball she helped chair for one of the local colleges.

  Unfortunately, her sons held the top spots on her list of projects.

  “Very well, actually.” She smiled, and guilt hit him in the gut at the thought that he could make his mom so happy with a simple question. “We’ve got the guest list worked out and we only need confirmation on the date from the college.”

  Jared relaxed even more as his mother talked about her favorite charity. He didn’t want to discuss Belle. He was still trying to figure out what had happened between them.

  They’d made an instant connection and she’d returned to her table looking somewhat dazed. That was good. However, the minute she’d sat down, some guy in a penguin suit—not a tuxedo, but an actual penguin outfit with flippers—started hitting on her.

  His reaction had been immediate and completely unlike him. He’d been jealous.

  Jared had a very long fuse. Only his father ever managed to infuriate him with his lies and overbearing arrogance. But right now, he would have gladly tossed the penguin out on his ridiculous flipper.

  “So, I told the chaplain…”

  As his mother continued, he nodded at all the appropriate places, trying to decide his next move with the lovely Belle. He didn’t want to wait until twelve thirty. He wanted to monopolize her entire evening.

  But that wasn’t his style. He didn’t do exclusive. He refused to give any woman the false impression that he’d pledge his undying love for her. Or even commit to more than another date.

  Tyler was right, though Jared would never admit it. Jared was a lot like his father. Neither of them had the gene that allowed them to love. Jared, at least, was honest. He’d never lied to a woman the way his father lied to his mother. Jared would never put a woman through what his father had put his mother through.

  He tuned back in to Helena, still talking about her charity ball. She lived to volunteer, found the appreciation she craved there, which she never got enough of from her husband. Helena and Glen Golden were the only offspring of two very wealthy families. Their marriage had cemented their place in Philadelphia society. But Jared knew his mother would trade it all for her husband’s love, which he was incapable of.

  Jared couldn’t understand why she allowed herself to be hurt like that.

  When the song ended, he escorted her back to her table and exchanged civilities with his father, whose subdued responses were so unlike him Jared wondered if he’d gotten caught in one of his affairs again.

  Old anger flared, but he submerged it under thoughts of one beautiful redhead and made his way back to Tyler at the entrance, flipping again through the guest book on the computer.

  “I’ve held up my end, big brother.” Jared sent a brotherly elbow into Tyler’s side. Tyler didn’t flinch. “It’s your turn.”

  “I already did my part.” Tyler tapped the screen. “I asked and got rejected.”

  Rolling his eyes, Jared sighed. He should have known his brother would find a way out of his end of the bargain. The man had graduated top of his class at the Wharton School of Business. He hadn’t wanted to dance, so he’d found the one woman in the room who’d say no.

  “You’re a coward.” Jared leveled the only truthfully disparaging remark he could at his brother.

  One corner of Tyler’s mouth curled up. “Nah, I’m just smarter than you.”

  In some ways, Jared agreed. Though he’d never admit it. “Who’d you ask?”

  Tyler stiffened for a moment. “The blue fairy.”

  Jared snorted. Yeah, that was what he’d figured. She hadn’t danced with a man all night, though several had asked. She’d only gotten on the floor with Belle for a few faster numbers.

  Tyler shot him a hard look, his fingers stilling on the screen. “What was that for?”

  “You are a coward,” he repeated. “I’m going to orphan that little blue fairy again. If you don’t want her to be hit on by another ten guys, why don’t you go keep her company? On second thought, don’t bother. She promised me a dance. I think I’ll go collect.”

  His brother’s gaze narrowed on him. “It’s not gonna work, Jared.”

  “No idea what you’re talking about.” Jared countered with a grin as he headed back to Belle’s table. It only took two strides for Tyler to catch up. Jared didn’t comment. He’d made his point.

  The women’s conversation halted when they arrived. They both looked up at the same time and Jared caught his breath. Belle had finally removed her mask. He had an almost uncontrollable urge to take if from her so she couldn’t put it on again.

  While she wasn’t conventionally beautiful—her features were a little too broad for that—she was pretty. The phrase “girl next door” fit her perfectly. Not at all his usual type.

  Pale freckles splashed across her short, upturned nose, while high cheekbones defined her oval face. The costume fit perfectly. She looked like an Irish fairy just back from dancing under a full moon. Her cat-green eyes sparkled and her wide smile rocked him back on his heels.

  He returned her smile and winked, introducing Tyler only by first name. Then he held out his hand to Belle.

  “Will you dance with me again?”

  She flashed a quick glance at her friend, who nodded before turning back to Jared.

  “I’d love to.”

  Jared didn’t know whether to thank Kate or his brother. He was pretty sure if Belle would’ve had to leave Kate alone again, she would have said no. The women were true friends, a foreign concept to most of the females in his circle who saw other women as rivals, first and foremost.

  “I hope Kate’s enjoying herself.” Jared brought her tight against his body, heat rising at the feel of her breasts, soft and curved, pressing into his chest. His cock twitched, already half hard. She’d be able to feel his erection soon. “She seems…shy.”

  Belle smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in it. “Not really. I think she’s just overwhelmed. There’ve been a lot of guys hitting on us tonight, and it’s a little disconcerting. If I thought she really loved her fiancé, I’d think she missed him. He left on a business trip yesterday. It looks like she and Tyler hit it off, though.”

  He glanced at the table, surprised to see Kate and Tyler engaged in conversation. And, amazing but true, Tyler was smiling. Too bad she was engaged.

  “What makes you think she doesn’t love her

fiancé?”

  Belle shrugged. “When Kate decided it was time to get married, she settled for the first man who asked her. Big mistake, if you ask me. The woman’s a fabulous seamstress. She made our costumes. She could have her own business but she settled for working at a dry cleaner while she waits for her wedding day. It’s a shame.”

  “That she’s getting married?” Jared nodded. “I’d have to agree with that. There’s not enough time to tie yourself to one person. Life’s too short.”

  It was his standard response whenever anyone talked about marriage, but he realized the words sounded trite and kind of cold when he spoke them to Belle. He watched her expression, but his comments hadn’t seemed to make any impression on her at all.

  Good. That was good, right?

  “No, not that she’s getting married.” Belle shook her head. “But she’s settling for less than she should. I refuse to compromise. If I ever get married, it’ll be after I’ve secured my career.”

  Ah, a woman with a life beyond landing an eligible bachelor. This one was special.

  “And how do you plan to do that?” His hand inched down her back, closer to the rounded curve of her hip. Because of her wings, he had to be careful to keep his hand low on her waist. She didn’t even feel like the women he typically dated. She felt soft and curved, instead of hard and angular.

  “By having the best goods on the market and letting everyone know it.” Her lips curled at an enchanting angle, and she batted her eyes at him, flashing green fire from beneath full brown lashes. “You have to be sharp in the antiques business. Fakes and reproductions can ruin your reputation.”

  “Sounds like you know your stuff.”

  “I do. I had the best teacher.”

  She shook her hair over her shoulders, drawing his attention to her pale skin. Jared wanted to lay his mouth on the few freckles he could see dotting her shoulders. He wanted to play connect the dots with his tongue.

  “My turn to ask a question,” she said. “I’m getting a lot of, shall we say, negative vibes from many of the women in this room. Have you dated all of them?”

  Firming his jaw before it dropped open in amazement, Jared managed to breathe before laughter consumed him. This woman amazed him.

  He bent low to whisper in her ear, “If I let you in on a secret, will you promise not to ruin my reputation?”

  Annabelle shivered as Jared’s heated breath caressed the sensitive skin beneath her ear. She hadn’t meant to be so outspoken or rude, but once again her mouth had gotten away from her. This gorgeous man hadn’t taken offense, though. In fact, he seemed amused.

  “I’ve had relationships with less than five percent of the women here. And none of them intrigue me the way you do.”

  As he spoke, the hand on her back swept a caress down the curve of her hip and pressed her even closer. She drew in a breath. Oh boy.

  “So, there’s no one in your life right now?”

  He gazed into her eyes and her heart stuttered. “No one.”

  Jared’s smile faded, his expression more serious than she’d seen him all night. Swallowing, she dropped her gaze and rested her cheek against his shoulder as they continued to dance.

  Nerves made her lungs draw in a sharp breath unexpectedly.

  Yes, she wanted him. Her nipples tightened and her stomach clenched as she brushed against the erection he didn’t try to hide when she was in his arms. Her thong was already damp and if he asked to go to her room, she’d say yes.

  This was why she’d come here tonight. To meet a man and have fun. Reduce her stress through a little sexual indulgence. Why not?

  Jared seemed like the perfect candidate. He knew women, seemed to know what they liked, what they wanted.

  Could she go through with this? Did she have the guts?

  To hell with doubt.

  She concentrated on the feel of Jared’s hands on her waist, on the way his broad shoulder shifted beneath her cheek. On the rigid erection pressing into her hip.

  He wanted her and she wanted him. Wanted him to ask her to leave with him. Better yet, she should ask him to her room.

  Sex with this man would be the best end to this evening.

  One ballad segued into another as they continued to dance. How many songs passed? She didn’t know or care but Kate must be bored out of her head. She chanced a look at the table to see Kate and Tyler, their dark heads closer than they had been before.

  She hadn’t told Jared yet, but one of the men she’d danced with earlier had spilled the beans about his identity and his relationship to Tyler and the hotel. The brothers looked nothing alike, she realized. Jared’s wavy hair and classic features made him look like one of her grandfather’s prized Italian sculptures. But his smile was warm, and those eyes…

  She wondered what he saw when he looked at her. Did he see a confident, sexy woman? Had she inherited any of her mother’s genes other than her hair color?

  Jared stopped abruptly and, with a start, she realized Kate stood beside them, Tyler at her side.

  “I hope you don’t mind,” Kate said with an apologetic smile, “but I’m going to go up to my room.”

  “Is something wrong?” Annabelle asked, immediately worried.

  Kate’s lips curled ruefully. “No. It’s just that it’s late and I’m tired.”

  Excusing herself, Annabelle pulled her friend away from the men to talk quietly.

  “Is everything okay?” Annabelle asked. “It’s not even midnight.”

  Kate shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong and this is just another night of the year for me. I’m not really into all this New Year’s stuff. I did have a good time, though.” Kate leaned forward for a hug and Annabelle obliged, but they ended up giggling like schoolgirls when they entangled their hands in their wings. Funny, Jared had managed to avoid them all night.

  Annabelle gave her friend a rueful smile. “I’m sorry I was such awful company—”

  “Actually, I enjoyed talking to Tyler.” Kate sliced a quick glance at the other man. “It was…enlightening.”

  Annabelle took a close look at her friend, only now noticing the flush on her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes. She raised her eyebrows in question.

  “Oh, don’t get the wrong idea,” Kate rushed on. “I’m an engaged woman. I just think it’s time for me to head up. Annabelle…have fun.”

  Annabelle’s smile was slow to form but it was there. “I plan to. I’m so glad you came with me. Tomorrow we’ll hit the King of Prussia mall and do a little damage to our credit cards.”

  Kate nodded then turned and said good night to the men. Tyler walked her to the door but stopped there. Annabelle watched Kate shake hands with Tyler then disappear down the hall as he stared after her.

  Annabelle raised her gaze to Jared’s. Holding his hand out to her, he waited until she reached for him, her warm hand clasping his.

  “Would you like to see the garden, Belle?”

  Three

  “It’s like a little piece of England transplanted here.”

  Belle stood in the center of the hotel’s deserted courtyard, looking around. Jared lingered near the edge of the lawn.

  She looked perfect in the formal garden.

  Surrounded on three sides by the hotel, the courtyard retained a touch of summer in the winter. With its huge glass-dome ceiling and paneled wall of glass at the rear, the enclosed garden was Tyler’s pride and joy. With the temperature hovering around seventy degrees, flowers bloomed and shrubs and trees thrived, even in winter.

  Jared called it the petri dish just to needle Tyler, but he had to admit, the damn thing was amazing.

  A boxwood hedge surrounded the garden and divided it into four distinct areas with a circular area in the center where a marble fountain bubbled.

  Belle stood there now, staring at the fountain’s intricate carving in the dim glow of the gas lanterns high overhead.

  She trailed her fingers along the lip of the pool at the bottom of the fountain, then wandered down the brick path, toward the herb garden. She bent to rub mint leaves between her fingertips, drawing Jared’s gaze to the length of her legs.

  He wanted to wrap those legs around his waist as he lifted her up against a wall and found out what exactly she was wearing under that little skirt.

  Still moving, she entered what was the rose garden in the summer, now filled with potted poinsettias of every color. From there, she wandered through the perennial garden, until she came to Jared’s favorite section, the topiary garden. Tyler took care of the topiaries himself. He hated when the gardeners messed with his trees.

  Belle leaned in to sniff a fragrant rosemary bush forced into the shape of a heart, and he wanted to bend her over the nearest bench and sink his aching cock into her.

  “Did you have anything to do with the garden?” she asked, not looking at him.

  He chuckled at the thought. “No. My…ah…One of the owners designed it, actually.”

  “It’s gorgeous. You should be very proud of your brother’s work.”

  Well, shit. Someone had ratted him out. Probably one of the other men she’d danced with tonight. Too bad. He’d enjoyed having someone treat him like a normal person for a change. He wondered if she was going to go bubbleheaded on him now.

  “I take it someone gave you an earful.” He moved closer to see her expression.

  “Oh, yes.” She faced him, nodding solemnly. “Several of the men I danced with were quick to point out why I didn’t want to get involved with someone like you.” She smiled and something uncoiled in his chest. She wasn’t going to take their advice. “I understand why you did it. It’s nice to be someone else for the night, isn’t it?”

  He nodded, wondering who she wanted to be. He couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather spend time with at this moment. “Yeah, it is.”

  “It’s a new year.” She winked at him. “You can be anyone you want tonight.”

  Breaking out in laughter, Belle released the velvet shawl she’d wrapped around her shoulders, which caught on her wings before slithering to the ground. “It’s not even cold out here. That glass ceiling is magnificent. Was the courtyard enclosed when the hotel was built?”

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