It wouldn’t be cheap, and he wasn’t exactly comfortable stepping outside of the law, but this was bigger than him. Any repercussions would be worth it when he brought Rafe down.
What he was beginning to dread was that in the process, he could very well be bringing Paige down with him. But how much was he willing to sacrifice for a short-term affair? There was a good chance no one would hold her personally responsible for an element of the party that was clearly out of her control.
That didn’t mean she would resent him any less when she learned the truth. Or maybe with her own complicated past, she would understand his need to rectify his mistakes. And surely she would appreciate his efforts to save the city, and the livelihood of everyone who depended on the factory to put food on the table. If the rumors were true, and Rafe planned to break Worth Industries apart and sell the pieces, the blow to the local economy would be detrimental. Brandon had to do something, and he had to act soon. If he proved to the people of the city that Hannah’s Hope was a fraud, maybe they would stand up against Rafe and fight to save the plant. Not only could the city be saved, but his family would be vindicated.
He didn’t want to hurt Paige, but this was bigger than him. Bigger than both of them. He would just have to make her understand that.
“So,” Paige said, turning to the bank of windows overlooking the ocean. “What do you think of the room? Won’t it be perfect?”
“Nice view,” he said. The last time he was here it was for the high school homecoming dance his sophomore year. That had been his last year at the Bay Academy. The following fall his father had shipped him to the east coast. Had Brandon been difficult, bordering on juvenile delinquent even? Hell, yeah. He’d resented his father for driving his mother to suicide, and he had given him one hell of a hard time.
He had been screaming for attention, but his father didn’t even try to reach out to him. He only had time for his princess, Emma. In fact, she was cited as the reason Brandon was being sent away. Their father was worried that Brandon’s behavior would rub off on her.
Brandon barely had time to grieve the loss of his mother before he was ripped away from everything familiar and forced to make all new friends. Which, before then, had always come easy to him. But it had been a rough adjustment. It was the reason he hadn’t been back to visit his family in all these years. And since he’d taken over the ranch eight years ago, neither his sister or father had even bothered to visit. They hadn’t even known about his engagement, and they weren’t invited to the wedding. Unfortunately, at the gala, he would be forced to see them both, and he wasn’t looking forward to it.
He wished he could talk to Paige, tell her what was on his mind. He normally wasn’t one to discuss his feelings, but he knew she would understand what he was going through. After all, she had been abandoned by her mother. She may have physically been around, but she had checked out of Paige’s life the minute she chose a bottle of booze over her own daughter.
If Brandon ever had kids he would do things differently. He would learn from his parents’ mistakes. His children and their well-being would be his number-one priority. But first he had to find someone he would want to have children with. Someone he could spend the rest of his life with. Could that woman be Paige?
“Before we get started, why don’t we take a walk outside,” she said, gesturing toward the French doors that, if memory served, opened up onto a slate portico overlooking the cove.
He nodded and followed her outside. The breeze blowing in off the water had a chill and the cove was more or less deserted. A few kids played in the sand under the watchful eyes of young women who were more likely nannies than parents. But it was far too cold for swimming.
The wind whipped a few strands of Paige’s hair loose and she tucked it back behind her ears.
“You know, every time I see your hair like that, all I can think about is messing it up,” he said.
“I sort of wanted to talk to you about that,” she said, then added, “Not my hair, obviously, but our…relationship.”
“Okay.”
“I know we already discussed it, but I just wanted to…clarify. We are keeping this casual. Right?”
So, they were back to this again. She was nothing if not thorough. He folded his arms across his chest. “That was the plan.”
She looked relieved. “Okay, good. I just…I wasn’t sure if I’d made that clear enough.”
“No, you were pretty clear the first time.” Ironic since in most of his relationships he was the one saying they needed to keep it casual. He’d been with Ashleigh for a year before he would even consider a commitment. And now that he’d found a woman who finally saw him for who he really was, someone he might want to get more serious with, she was the one with commitment issues.
Not that he was ready to commit to anything just yet. But he didn’t want to exclude the possibility, either. And when the day came that he wanted more, he didn’t doubt he could make Paige see things his way. Because while she acted all independent and tough, she was marshmallowy-soft on the inside.
“Doesn’t make much sense to get serious when I’m leaving town the day after the gala,” he said. Which gave him exactly two and a half weeks to decide exactly where this relationship was going.
“So let’s just have fun until then,” she said.
He grinned. “I like fun, especially if it’s the kind we have without our clothes on.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot the past couple days.”
“Me, too.” He took a step closer and she licked her lips, as if she was anticipating a kiss. Then she took a step back, shaking her head.
“We can’t do this here.”
He moved closer. “Do what?”
She moved back. “Whatever it is you’re thinking of doing. Kissing me, touching me.”
“Sliding my hand up your thigh and under your skirt…”
“Exactly.”
“I wonder if you’re wearing a garter, like the other day.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “How did you know I was wearing a garter?”
“Your skirt slid up when you got in my truck. I saw the top of your stocking. And coincidentally, that just happens to be one of my all-time-favorite articles of clothing.”
There was mischief in her eyes, and heat, as if she knew she was playing with fire, but just couldn’t resist. “I might be wearing one.”
“I think I need to look and see.”
Her eyes widened a little. “Not here.”
“There isn’t anyone around,” he said, walking around to stand behind her, so his body was blocking the view from the banquet room windows. “Who would see?”
“Brandon, don’t,” she said, but she wasn’t moving away, and he could tell by her breathing—and the blush in her cheeks—that she was getting excited. A closet exhibitionist, maybe?
“No one will see.” He pulled her closer, so that her back was against his chest, and peered over her shoulder. He hooked a finger under the hem of her skirt then slowly eased it up her thigh, grazing her stocking-clad skin.
“Brandon, please,” she pleaded in a breathy voice, but he knew she didn’t want him to stop. She liked it. If she didn’t, she would have pulled away by now.
He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her neck and her head sank to one side. He watched as the top of her stocking came into view, then the strap of a lacy red garter.
God damn.
He should have stopped there, but instead he slipped his hand between her thighs, against her warm skin, and a gasp slipped from between her lips. He slid his hand upward. He could feel her trembling, see her breath coming faster. Then his fingers brushed the crotch of her panties and she moaned. She squeezed her thighs together, as if to hold him there.
He had every intention of sliding his fingers under the lacy fabric, but he heard voices, and the sound of people approaching from the path that wound around the building from the parking lot.
He p
ried his hand from between her thighs and backed away just as two women rounded the corner.
Paige swung around to face him, simultaneously straightening her skirt, saying in a husky voice, loud enough for the women to hear. “Mr. Dilson, shall we go back inside?”
Brandon grinned. Her cheeks were bright pink, her eyes a vivid shade of violet. He’d just rattled the hell out of her. “Sure thing, Miz Adams.”
He stepped past her to open the door, and as they stepped inside she hissed, “I can’t believe I just let you do that. What is wrong with me?”
“Did it feel good?”
“God, yes.”
“Let’s face it, sweetheart, deep down, you’re a bad girl. So bad that you want me to take you somewhere I can get you naked. After I get a good look at the garter, that is.”
He could tell she wanted to say yes, but she resisted. He’d have been shocked if she hadn’t, and truthfully, he enjoyed the challenge of bending her to his will.
“But we have an appointment. We’re supposed to be getting you ready for the gala. Time is running out.”
“I’ll bet, if you got creative, you could teach me everything I need to know in the comfort of your bedroom.”
“I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“I have things to do.”
He reached up to caress her cheek. It was flushed pink and warm to the touch. He rubbed her earlobe between his fingers and she closed her eyes. “Think about how much fun we could have.”
She looked across the room, where apparently she’d planned to work with him, then over to the door. Then she sighed and said, “You are so bad for me.”
He grinned. “And you love it.”
Her smile said she did. “Let me grab my briefcase, then let’s get out of here.”
Ten
Paige didn’t know how it was possible, but sex with Brandon just kept getting better and better.
When they stepped inside her apartment, she’d barely gotten the door closed before they were kissing and tearing at each others clothes. He seemed to instinctively know exactly what to do to drive her crazy. He managed to find every erogenous zone on her body—including a few that she hadn’t even known were there—and, boy, did he know how to use them. He practically worshipped her body, and he never took his own pleasure until she had been thoroughly satisfied first. Usually twice. Of course, she was so turned on by everything he did, it didn’t take much to have her writhing in ecstasy.
After they made love, they rehearsed for the gala, which Brandon did naked in her bedroom, bless him. That led to them making love a second time. Afterward, Paige should have gotten dressed and gone back to the office to finish up the preparations for a wedding the following weekend. Instead they collapsed in an exhausted, sweaty tangle on her bed and cuddled.
“So, what sounds better for dinner Friday?” she asked him. She lay draped across his chest, listening to the thump-thump of his heart against her ear. “I can do Italian or Mexican.”
“I wanted to talk to you about that,” he said. “I’m going to have to cancel.”
The crushing disappointment she felt surprised her, but she tried not to let it show. This was just a casual relationship. A broken date should not be that big of a deal. “Oh, well, that’s okay.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to come over. But I have to be at the ranch early Saturday morning to meet with a breeder. It could be a pretty substantial sale.”
“Isn’t that something your boss would do?”
“Normally he would, but he’ll be out of town for the weekend and he wants me to be there in his place.”
“That’s good, right? I mean, he trusts you to handle it.”
“Yeah, but I hate breaking our date. I thought maybe we could try for Saturday, instead. Unless…”
She glanced up, saw that he had a thoughtful look on his face. She rose up on her elbow. “Unless what?”
“You could…come with me.”
“To the ranch?”
“We could drive up Friday after work and come home early Sunday morning. You would only lose one working day.”
Well, losing one day certainly wouldn’t be detrimental. Since her meeting with Mr. Cameron went so well earlier, she was actually almost ahead of schedule. “Where would I sleep?”
He grinned. “Not in the bunkhouse with the men, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
She gave him a playful poke. “I was thinking more along the lines of a hotel.”
“My boss will be okay with us using one of the spare bedrooms in the main house. And there’s a lot to do up there. We could go hiking up to the river, and horseback riding. And I could take you into town. Being from a small town, I think you would like Wild Ridge.”
It was an appealing offer. Of course, he could suggest they take a trip into the barren desert and as long as she was with him, she would probably say yes. “You’re sure your boss wouldn’t mind?”
“Very sure.”
There was something in his eyes that said this meant a great deal to him. And she couldn’t deny that she was curious to see where he lived. To see him in his natural environment. Though her first instinct, when faced with an opportunity that would take her away from work was to always say no, she really wanted to go. And it was only one day. One of only seventeen or so that they had left together. She wanted to spend as much time with Brandon as she could.
“Of course I’ll come,” she said. “I’d love to see the ranch.”
Brandon grinned. She could see she’d made him happy, and that made her happy.
“When can you be ready Friday?” he asked.
“Why don’t you pick me up around six? How should I pack?”
“Casual. Warm days, chilly nights.”
“So I should bring my flannel pajamas?”
“Like I’m going to let you wear any pajamas,” he said, pulling her to him for a long, deep kiss. One that just kept going and going. Then he started touching her, and though she really needed to get a good night’s rest, she just couldn’t seem to tell him no. But this time when he made love to her it was slow and tender, and so sweet that when he cut their cuddling short and rolled out of bed to get dressed, she couldn’t bear to see him go. Tossing her good sense right out the window, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back to bed. “It’s late. You might as well just stay the night.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She could see that while he didn’t want to go, he was more than willing to leave if that’s what she wanted. For some crazy reason, that made her want him to stay even more. Besides, they only had seventeen days left together.
“I’m sure.” She tugged on his hand and he slipped back under the covers.
As she lay there later that night, listening to his slow, even breaths as he slept, feeling the warmth of his body as he lay wrapped around her, she experienced a sense of inner peace, a happiness, that was completely unfamiliar to her. A soul-deep need to be close to him that she’d never felt with a man.
Could this be what it felt like to fall in love? Was it even possible to fall in love with someone in less than a week?
If it was love, she had less than three weeks to get over it. Because even if she wanted more from this relationship, Brandon clearly didn’t. After what his fiancée had done to him, who could blame him? And even if he ever did consider marriage again, she doubted he would want to be married to someone like her. They were too different. That didn’t mean they couldn’t have fun together in the meantime. Especially the naked kind.
Even if that meant a little heartache when it was over.
It was official, Brandon had completely lost his mind.
What the hell had he been thinking, asking Paige to come with him to the ranch? Clearly he hadn’t been thinking. Because her being there was a logistical nightmare.
“Are you out of your mind?” his housekeeper, Ellie, asked him when he called Thursday afternoon to tell her they would be having a guest. She
was one of only two people who knew what he was really doing in Vista Del Mar, and the chance he was taking bringing Paige to the ranch.
“Yeah, I probably am,” he told her. But the offer had just sort of popped out before he’d had time to consider the repercussions, and once they were out there, there was no taking them back. Especially not when he saw how excited Paige looked. And weirdly enough, he really wanted to bring her there. In the past week they’d spent all their time together on her turf. He wanted to share some part of his own life with her.
It would be nice if he could do it without blowing his cover.
“Can you see that the spare room next to mine is aired out, and fresh sheets are put on the bed?” he asked Ellie. “We’ll be staying there.”
“You’re not going to sleep in your room?”
“You really think she’ll believe that not only is my boss willing to let me bring a guest in the house, but he would let us shack up in his bedroom?”
“Good point.”
He could hear the clang of pots in the background. He could picture her in her apron at the stove, fixing supper for the men. She’d been a permanent fixture in the house since before he was born. “I’ll also need you to go through the house and put away anything that has my name on it, or photos with me in them.”
“That shouldn’t take long. The only pictures you had up were of you and the hussy, and I think you burned all those.”
Certainly not something he was proud of, but Ashleigh had been pretty big on capturing their life in print, so it had made one hell of a bonfire. And Ellie had been right there with matches and lighter fluid, egging him on. She had never cared much for Ashleigh. She always thought she was spoiled and selfish. And Ashleigh had nagged Brandon incessantly to fire Ellie, claiming that she always gave her the evil eye, and treated her like an outsider. Since the minute Brandon kicked her cheating behind out the door, Ellie referred to her only as the hussy.
Exposed: Her Undercover Millionaire Page 10
