The conversations had been going well she thought, and he was not a bad looking man from his pictures. It had to be a good sign that he seemed to love the outdoors and his animals. He was noticeably older than she was, but he still looked young enough. She had not been brave enough to approach the topic of finances, but she supposed if he was corresponding with her, then he had to be better off than she was right now.
A mail order bride? Is that really what I’m considering becoming? Her thoughts raced as she clicked open the latest email. She was glad no one was around her in this little Internet café place, since she ended up staring at the screen with her jaw hanging open.
He was ready to meet her, and wanted to send her the plane ticket. She had barely ever been in a car, let alone some airplane to places unknown.
Guess the time has come to tell Mama about all of this craziness, she thought to herself. She’s going to be so upset with me. But I have to decide for my own life, right?
She tapped out a quick email reply, asking for a little time to decide and politely requesting a phone call before making her decision. She knew that she could receive calls there at the Internet café if they designated a certain time. She had always deemed herself a good judge of character, and while the emails had been nice, a phone call could tell her quite a bit about this gentleman.
Greyson smiled to himself at her tentative and polite request. It showed a bit of cautiousness, which he appreciated. He would have been more worried about someone who just jumped all over the chance without thinking it through.
He still was not sure if he was making the right call, so to speak. He had always proceeded with a certain amount of caution himself. Certainly he had taken risks in his life, but they had always been calculated risks. He thought it might be time to tell Ms. March about their impending houseguest and the fact that the guest could be permanent. That seemed the riskiest part of the whole venture.
Lilly wrung her hands in her lap as her mother strode around the main room of the house. She had known that her mother was not going to be happy, but she was not asking permission, merely telling her about the situation. After their heated and awkward conversation, she packed up her few belongings, bid her mother goodbye, and headed back to the city to await her phone call and her place ticket.
Greyson smiled patiently as Ms. March chided and scolded him for a scheme such as this.
“This is not what I had in mind when I told you to find a wife Mr. Clark. I had no idea you would go and do such a fool thing as find one on that Internet in there. You have no idea who she is or what her family is.”
“That’s the point Ms. March. She doesn’t know me and I don’t know her. I can almost guaran-damn-tee that she won’t be after my money. I’m sure she thinks I’m some hapless loser who just can’t get a date.”
“Mr. Clark, I never. This is the most fool thing I’ve ever heard of.”
“Ms. March, I wasn’t asking your permission, simply letting you know.”
Much to his amusement, she stormed out of the living room as angry as a scorned wife.
Greyson placed the call as arranged, and waited for the click on the other end.
“Hello?” The island lilt in her voice sounded like music from one simple word.
“Lilly?”
“Yes. Greyson?”
“Hello there.”
His voice sounded rich and deep and soothing. She found herself smiling at the sound as it tickled in her ear.
“So you just wanted to hear my voice before agreeing to anything?”
“Yes sir. I just thought it would make sense. I’ve led a sheltered life, Greyson, so I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“I can understand. I haven’t led a sheltered life by any stretch, but I can understand the fear of the unknown. Like I’ve said, I’ve never been married before, so we are headed into uncharted waters for both of us.”
If her voice sounded like music, her laugh was a symphony.
“So does that mean you accept the offer of the plane ticket?”
She took a deep breath, and whispered “Yes” into the phone.
“Very well then. I’ll overnight it to you, and will see you in a couple of days.”
“Thank you, I will see you soon.”
Chapter Five
Greyson met Lilly’s plane a few days later. He knew her instantly -- the full curves of her figure, the sparkling green eyes, and the threadbare sundress with a well-worn backpack over one shoulder. She had a quiet grace and pride about her that muted her meager background.
She knew him as well. He had told her he was a large man, but she had never encountered someone who so fully owned a space like Greyson did. He was well over six feet tall, with broad shoulders, bulging arms, deep brown eyes, and a smooth scalp. And he looked like the type of man that owned any room he entered.
“Shall we wait for your luggage?” he asked politely.
“No sir, this is it.” She gestured to the backpack.
“Ah, I see. Very well then. I think we should stop for some dinner before we head out to the ranch.”
“Ranch, sir?”
“Yes, I live almost one hundred miles outside of town so it will take a little while to get there.”
“My whole island isn’t that big,” she laughed.
“Wait ‘til you see the property then.”
He did not want to scare her with what was going to certainly be a culture shock. His home may have technically been a ranch house on a cattle ranch, but it was far from a log cabin on a piece of dirt.
“Do you like dogs?” he asked as they strolled out of the airport into the Arizona afternoon sun.
“Of course, I always wished I could have kept some of the strays that lived around our neighborhood.”
The valet drove up in the shiny black Jeep and she blinked deliberately. Greyson was instantly glad he had not come in any of his high-end luxury vehicles or the poor girl might have passed out.
As they pulled out, she made an observation out loud. “I’m not sure you’ve ever been nervous in your whole life, Greyson.”
He laughed, “What on earth do you mean?”
“I can barely breathe with all of this, and you seem perfectly at ease with everything.”
“Maybe I just hide it better, that’s all. So what kind of food would you like for dinner?”
“I honestly have no idea. I grew up eating vegetable soup with rice. How about you pick your favorite place? I’m open to trying almost anything.”
He grinned down at her, “That’s what I like to hear.”
He pulled over at a small steakhouse, and walked around to open her door. Once inside the quiet dining room, they were escorted to a small table in the back with a knowing nod from the host. Greyson shook his head and hoped that Lilly would not notice.
She stared in amazement at the menu and he was not sure if she was awestruck at the food or the prices. He had not stopped to consider it since he rarely thought about the price of a meal any more.
“Order anything that sounds good, really.” He tried to reassure her.
“Greyson? Some of these meals cost more than my sister makes in a week at the tailor.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Shall we go someplace else?”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
“If you’re certain. Does anything look good for dinner?”
She laughed, “Just about everything.”
“Well, order whatever you want to try! If you don’t like it, we can always get something else.”
Lilly had already gotten the feeling he was more than secure in his financial means, but this seemed a little excessive. Maybe he was just trying to make her comfortable or at ease, but it was almost having the opposite effect.
He rested his large hand on top of her delicate fingers.
“Lilly?”
“Yes?” The touch did not make her nervous, in fact, it felt warm and soothing.
“Really. We can go somewhere
else if you want.”
“No, that’s quite alright. I’ve been looking forward to trying one of these famous American steaks.”
He laughed, “Very well, order away.”
They both ended up ordering steaks with all the trimmings, although she erred on the side of caution and got a much smaller cut than he did. The plates arrived quickly, and were nearly overflowing with what looked to be a week’s worth of food. She dug in enthusiastically, and he laughed, enjoying the sight of her enjoying her meal. Although he liked a good meal, he sometimes forgot that not everyone ate like he did.
After a leisurely meal sans alcohol, they loaded back into the car and headed off to the homestead. Along the way, he darted glances as her big green eyes took in the landscapes of the Arizona deserts.
He noticed that she had her arms wrapped around herself, and he reached into the backseat to grab a blanket.
“Here, wrap yourself up.”
She smiled softly. “I heard Arizona was hot, but I didn’t realize it would get so cold at night.”
“It’s the desert. When the sun goes down, it takes the heat with it.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been cold before.” She laughed softly to herself. “Most nights my mother and sisters and I would sit out front of the house hoping for some small breeze. They would love this.”
“Well maybe tomorrow, we can find you some clothes that will get you through the chilly nights. The dresses will be good during the days, but you might need some jeans or sweatshirts for the evenings.”
“Oh, I’ll be okay, I promise.”
He rested one hand on her knee gently, “It’s okay really. I want you to like it here and I want you to know that, um, it’s not a problem at all. Okay?”
“Ok. If you say so…” Her voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of the rock formations that marked the outlying edge of his property.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
“It’s one of the reasons I bought the place. We’re almost home.”
Chapter Six
The first few weeks were awkward, with Ms. March and Lilly and Greyson all learning to live with each other. She was also starting to realize that when Greyson had described himself as financially secure, he had been almost outright lying. Not that she blamed him. In fact, she was impressed that he had not made that a selling point. Ms. March seemed less than thrilled with Lilly’s presence, but it was not her call to make. Lilly had tried to be polite and help Ms. March realize she was still a necessary part of Greyson’s life, but Ms. March seemed determined to make her uncomfortable.
Luckily, Lilly was so taken with the ranch itself and the scenery of the Arizona landscape that she spent any available time outside. Greyson was teaching her how to ride a horse, and Daisy seemed to love her new best friend. Greyson fully trusted his pup’s opinion of people and it made him relax when Daisy took right to Lilly.
One afternoon, as Lilly walked out onto the back porch with her hands full of steaming coffee mugs, Greyson decided to be bold. He stood up out of his chair, and took the mugs from her, setting them gently on the table.
He took her hands in his, and could not help noticing how his seemed to dwarf hers.
“Lilly?”
“Yes?” She looked nervous but curious at the same time.
He leaned closer to her and could smell the faintly chocolate scent of her warm cocoa-colored skin.
“I’d like to take you to my private club tonight, if you’d be amenable.”
She nodded silently, not quite sure what he meant by a private club. They had been sharing a bed at night, and the encounters had seemed forced and uncomfortable for both of them. Neither was inexperienced but there had not been a natural progression to their relationship, so the physical intimacy had been reflecting that. Greyson found her wildly attractive and sexy in her own unwitting way, but he could not seem to express that adequately.
He sat back down in his chair and tried to nonchalantly pull her down on to his lap. She perched on his knees and looked him in the eye.
“What sort of club do you mean?”
He rested his hand on her knee and searched for the best words to describe it.
“Well, it’s an adult club of sorts. Where people meet and mingle who, ah, adhere to a certain lifestyle.”
Lilly’s eyes widened, “Greyson, I’m not sure I’m into any sort of pain or humiliation or what have you.”
“Oh, nothing likes that. Well, nothing like that if you’re not into that. It caters to all sorts really, you can find pretty much whatever you’re interested in. I mostly go to meet couples and have taken a date with me before.”
“Ohhh…” her voice trailed off into the realization of what he meant.
“Someday I’d like a family of my own, but I don’t believe I’m cut out for the traditional type of family.”
“Then why a mail order bride?” She was direct and to the point.
“It actually has a lot to do with my financial situation. I have a hard time trusting anyone who knows about my money, and I figured it was easier to shield it via email.”
She pushed at her unruly dark curls, and her emerald eyes narrowed as she studied him.
“Is it because I have fewer options if I don’t like the arrangement?”
Greyson smiled softly, “Perhaps. I didn’t think of it like that, but it makes sense form your perspective. Would you like to visit the club and see what I’m talking about?”
“Sure, sounds like an experience.”
“Ok, we will head over there after dinner.”
Ms. March served dinner in her usual stony silence and afterwards, Lilly headed back to their bedroom to get ready. He had done a wonderful job of providing her some clothing in her time there thus far, and it included several evening gowns that she hoped would fit appropriately.
She took a long hot shower and tried to tame her wild dark hair. She had never been one for wearing much makeup, but had managed to buy some since she had arrived. She carefully outlined her glimmering eyes in black pencil and smoothed on a dark ruby lipstick. She slid the shimmering cobalt dress up over her curvy hips and ample breasts. When she walked back down the stairs, she knew she had chosen well as she watched a new fire light up Greyson’s eyes as she strode towards him.
He had carefully selected a charcoal suit, pale blue button down shirt, and a navy silk tie that made his intimidating physique all the more daunting. He must get a lot of attention at this club she thought to herself.
He buried his face into the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply.
“You will be the jewel of the ball,” he whispered against her warm skin. “Lilly, you even put this to shame.”
He smiled up at her as he slid a ring onto the ring finger of her left hand, glowing and glittering with diamonds and emeralds.
Chapter Seven
Lilly was still breathless from the sudden gift as Greyson carefully selected his vehicle with a different intent. The black Porsche was designed to get attention and he knew it. He wanted to arrive in style and make sure that everyone noticed the woman on his arm this time around. He also knew that the other patrons of the club would not understand the enjoyment he got from his Jeep.
Lilly glided her fingertips over the polished surface of the car and grinned at him. She could start to enjoy this life. The leather inside was softer than her silk dress and she sank into it easily, as though she was born to sit on it.
He grinned at her, “You look right at home there.”
“I could start to enjoy this, I think.”
“So could I,” he murmured, running his hand over the silk that hugged her upper thigh.
There was a relaxation in him this evening, as though he had been putting on a face in the weeks prior. She got the feeling tonight she was about to see a whole new man, one that was at ease with himself and the situation.
As he drove the miles between them and the city that contained his club, h
e tried to reassure her that nothing at the club would happen without her consent. She looked him over, analyzing his overall size and remembering his military background.
“I think I’m safe with you,” she laughed quietly. “I can’t imagine too many people would want to make you angry.”
“No, very few people have walked away safely from angering me.”
“Greyson?”
“Yes?”
“What do I do if no one, um, notices me or if no one likes me?” She was suddenly self- conscious about her curves and her dark skin and her disobedient hair.
He rested his hand at the back of her neck tenderly, “I can’t imagine anyone being able to take their eyes off you.”
She grinned at him, “As long as you don’t, I won’t care.”
Despite the fact he had been sleeping with the woman for a couple of months now, he felt a new kind of longing and desire for her. For the first time, he truly wanted her. As they pulled up outside a large unmarked black warehouse, his eyes drifted down to the slit in the dress that had slowly been revealing her muscular leg. The temptation burned inside of him to skip the club altogether and take her to the nearest hotel. But this was a part of his life, and he needed her to try it on for size.
The valet opened her door and Greyson walked around to escort her inside. He cut an image almost as imposing at the building in front of them, but when the door swung open for them without hesitation, she blinked her amazement at the furnishings inside.
The warehouse, although undecorated on the exterior, was decked out like one of the fanciest hotels she had ever seen in a movie. Her stiletto heels clicked loudly on the marble floors, and the main stairwell was fitted with the same marble. The crystal chandelier above her head cast a soft candlelit glow around the entire space.
To her right was a reception desk area with several gorgeous men and women waiting patiently behind the counter. To her left was an area that looked like the combination of a library and a bar, filled with more gorgeous people.
Two twenty-something Barbie dolls came flittering up to them, gushing at him in a high pitched tone that Lilly could not even understand. She must have gripped Greyson’s arm tighter, because he rested his hand over hers and patted it gently.
The Highlander's Taken Bride (Scottish Highlander Romance) Page 39
