She might constantly indulge in those disconcerting fantasies of him having his wicked way with her all night long, but she was sure nothing would come of it. Yes, he flirted with her on the sly, and he seemed constantly on the lookout for any slip-up on her part to get her to fall for his seduction, but...he was overall a nice guy. She had a really good feeling about him and that was the main reason she’d signed the contract. Shane Davis was a man to be trusted. He had plenty of that soundness of character she’d have wanted in a brother, if she had one.
Angela could rely on him to keep his end of the bargain, though she’d never completely let her guard down with him. She was sure he dreaded any complications as much as she did. He obviously cherished his privacy and like her, wanted the whole thing to reach its logical conclusion: which entailed them merrily going their separate ways.
****
The next several days were a flurry of activity for Angela. The life of a millionaire’s girlfriend was an eye-opener for a simple girl like her. One had the choice of sitting at home with nothing to do, or going out and spending his money. He’d approved an allowance on a credit card for her to go on a beauty salon and spa hop: from her hair to her nails and skin, she was buffed within an inch of her life.
Angela normally kept herself in good condition but the difference was clear when she was done from the boutique spa. She passed herself in the mirror and had to a double take to make sure it was her. Wow. She cleaned up pretty damn good, she thought as she patted a beautifully manicured hand over her newly done hair. It was a simple, elegant and flattering style parted down the middle and left in tumbling waves down her back. Very chic and horrendously expensive; every single strand of it. Angela felt glad this was a temporary position she had to play. She couldn’t imagine having to maintain herself in this kind of lifestyle for any amount of time. Even if she became as rich as she dreamed, she’d never blow this much cash on her appearance the way Shane insisted she did.
She’d been hoping to show off her new look when she returned to the mansion. She prepared for dinner and then came down only to be informed by the ever-present Bess that Mr. Davis had things he needed to take care of before he would break for dinner and would simply eat in his study.
She enjoyed a quiet dinner and convinced herself she didn’t mind being deprived of Shane’s stimulating though unsettling presence. She never seemed to be perfectly at ease around him; perhaps because of all that sexual tension. But she couldn’t deny she found his company pleasant. Anything would be better than having to eat all by herself the delicious food Bess presented in a smaller dining room than the one they’d used for the dinner party.
There was a large entertainment room, complete with a flat screen TV that took up a whole wall, but Angela settled for spending the rest of her evening checking out the extensive library on the ground floor. During her internet searches of Shane, she’d come across the interesting though rarely mentioned fact that he held an MBA from a prestigious college in the Northeast. The vast library spoke of his refined tastes in books. Again not something she would’ve expected from a racecar driver. Especially stock car racing, a sport usually going hand-in-hand with white collar rednecks.
When she looked around the shelves she saw pictures of the family; several of a distinguished, grey-haired man who looked much like Shane, standing with a woman who had to be Shane’s mother. She looked harmless enough; her smiling face made her look far younger than her years in what had to be a fairly recent photo. Probably taken not long before the car wreck, Angela mused. Try as she might she didn’t come across any photos of Shane as a grown-up. He was an only child and there were the usual medals and trophies you’d expect to see in a usual family room. He’d been on his college baseball team which had to explain his fine, trim physique which went with his height which was above six feet.
She would have liked to know more about him. And not just what the gossip columns had said. Bess, though courteous wasn’t the chatty type. She certainly couldn’t be expected to discuss her boss with anyone, least of all Angela.
The following day she had to prepare for the upcoming dinner at the residence of another one of his racing team’s corporate sponsors. It was some sort of fundraising gala and attendees were to bid on invites to help support named charities.
Although Shane informed her it would be a small and exclusive affair of less than twenty guests, the foundation which organized the dinner was expected to draw publicity to garner more donations to the said causes.
Angela assumed ‘publicity’ to mean that photos would be taken, perhaps for an article coming out in the papers? As she dressed, she wondered what kind of attention Shane’s looks would draw in such an esteemed gathering and also, what it would look like when he showed up with her.
At least she’d appear looking her very best, Angela decided as she cast one more look at her reflection in the floor-length mirror. Not a hair out of place. She’d slipped a pair of strappy heels on her freshly pedicured feet, and in her ears were dangling, sparkling diamonds. Her make-up was in nude tones except for her eyes which she chose to highlight in smoky edges. Her lips were plumped to perfection in the barely-there lipstick and her dress was understated luxury and glamour. Her shoes gave her toned legs that endless look and her jewelry, both at her lobes and neck helped elongate her throat.
Her eyes brightened as she took in her appearance. She looked perfect for her role tonight, even if she did say so herself. She may not be the female lead in the blockbuster movie of her dreams, but she was sure as hell going to work it for all it was worth tonight.
Shane would be proud of her, she would make sure of it.
****
It was a black tie occasion and Shane was duly dressed for it. He barely glanced at his reflection as he finished getting ready. If he caught one more glimpse of his disfigured features, he might just change his mind about going.
Angela had said he seemed far from ill at ease with his scars. If only she knew. All this time, he’d had to keep himself from turning his ravaged face from her to stop her from having to look at him. For some reason though, she never seemed bothered about his face. Maybe she really was that good at acting. Or maybe she really had seen worse and wasn’t so easily sickened.
Well, Shane felt physically sickened right then himself, just thinking about reentering society. The dinner wasn’t that big a deal, and he knew the ambassador and his wife personally, but still, Shane’s instincts were begging him to stay; forget about the dinner.
But Angela was waiting. He’d dallied long enough. The last thing he needed was Angela to suspect his reluctance. He wouldn’t think about how much people were going to be staring at the side where he was all scar tissue. He’d rather focus on the fact that he was going to be arriving with the prettiest woman in the room.
Fuck pretty, thought Shane when he finally caught sight of Angela. More like smoking hot, fine as hell, she’s too sexy to leave the house bombshell! Damn it all to hell! How was he ever going to get through this night?
He wanted to lick her. Everywhere. Like a life-sized éclair – that’s what she reminded him of as she glided down the stairs to meet him.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” she said demurely.
She couldn’t know what raged within him, thought Shane as he fought for control. He hadn’t seen her all day, except for a brief chat in the morning after she’d had breakfast, alone. It was the one more meal he’d avoided sharing with her. Yes, he’d been busy but he could easily have made time for an hour or two during the day for mealtimes. And yet...no. Being around Angela was getting harder to bear especially with him being tempted to touch all the time. And he was fed up and frustrated wanting something he could never claim.
If I had one wish...
Shane had heard those words somewhere in a song or something, but never understood it until now. If he did have one wish that could come true, then it would be to have one night; with Angela. One night would be all he needed
. It would be more than enough...more than a man like him deserved.
“Not at all,” he finally managed as she reached the bottom step. Instinctively he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. She seemed surprised but pleased when he kissed it gallantly. “You look...breath-taking.”
She laughed nervously, slipping her hand from his. “Amazing what a few hair extensions and a manicure can do.”
But Shane knew it was more than that. Angela was far from plastic or superficial. He saw beyond the stylish clothes, hair and jewelry. All he saw was a woman comfortable in her own skin and aware of her femininity and its effects on those around her, especially her male counterparts.
She certainly had the craziest effect on him. He’d never seen skin so smooth and vibrant, the glow mirroring on every inch of her bare flesh. Her curves simply begged to be traced from top to bottom by a lover’s reverent hands. Her eyes were windows of true beauty; brown and melting, thickly lashed and inviting. She had no clue...not even an inkling how close she was to being flung over his shoulder and taken back upstairs to the nearest bed where he’d fuck the living daylights out of her. If only...
But sanity returned. She’d warned him not to be a jerk. She’d asked to be treated with respect. No matter how he wanted to plunge and then bury himself inside her so deep she’d be conformed to the shape and size of his cock, he strove for control. This was business. A contractual agreement. Absolutely nothing could stand in the way of that, even his over-active libido. If it got too bad as time wore on, then he’d find a way to take the edge off. Even if he had to do the detestable and get some call girl like the last time, he’d fucking do it. He’d been months without a woman and being around Angela; smelling and watching her was like constantly being inside a porn flick and being unable to take out your sexual frustrations on anyone.
Forcing his brain to keep sex in the back burner for the rest of the evening, he took her arm and laced it through his. She smiled warmly up at him and suddenly, impossibly, Shane couldn’t wait to leave the house.
****
Shane had once been at ease with the spotlight. His looks and charm got him into a lot of circles. Women fell into his bed because of what he stood for in terms of money, background, power and the way he looked. He thought about how much things would be different now.
Xavier, his driver drove the sleek limo to the beautifully designed home of the ambassador. Beside him in the plush passenger seat, Angela seemed filled with expectation as she fidgeted with a lock of her hair which fell tantalizingly to curve over her left breast. Shane had to stop wishing he was that lock of hair and focus on the evening ahead.
But when Xavier pulled to a stop in front of the residence, Shane felt the urge to ask him to turn the car right back. He didn’t want to do this, not anymore. It felt too soon. He’d been fine, entertaining friends in his home. And driving around behind tinted windows was safe and easy. But leaving the safety of the shadows and walking back into the outside world where no punches were pulled...that was a whole different ball game.
And yet, Shane wasn’t wired like that. He wasn’t a quitter. One thing people used to respect about him was his fearlessness; on the racetrack and life. He was the one who took risks, made things happen.
He wasn’t going to let a few stares, gasps and whisperings hold him back. Tonight, he was a man with something to prove. Shane turned to the waiting, silent Angela and gave her an encouraging smile. “Ready?”
Chapter Seven
––––––––
Beauty is only skin-deep.
And so are scars.
Angela felt proud of Shane as he coped with the situation that was the gala dinner. He could easily have been the most handsome man in the room. He was certainly the tallest, most impeccably dressed, and sexiest.
Angela understood that people could be cruel, even without meaning too. They could make that face like, what was he doing here...how can he show himself in public looking the way he did? Some actually went as far as cupping their mouths to the ear of their companion and make those loud whispers that did nothing to hide what they were saying. That’s Shane Davis. He used to be able to get any woman he wants. Now he must have to pay someone to bear to look at him longer than five minutes.
Angela knew she was getting paranoid, thinking that they could be saying that whenever they whispered to each other. They could have been gossiping about anyone, not her or Shane. But they did stare, with looks of distaste and shock on their faces. Well, some of them. The others had more finesse, and came forward and smiled and shook hands. Cameras went off as Angela stood with Shane and she saw him flinch more than once. Felt his grip on her hand tighten almost painfully. She moved closer to his side, as if to offer more of her support.
A waiter passed with drinks and she saw him grab a glass. Another one. How many had it been in the last hour since they arrived? She didn’t want to count, but it did seem like it was a lot. Maybe the alcohol helped for courage. Knowing his background, it was a touch worrying. She wouldn’t know; she couldn’t imagine how he must feel, being the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. She tried to make conversation with him but he barely gave answers longer than two syllables. The president of the corporation and his wife were perfect hosts; they were the height of politeness to Shane, and at least they had the delicacy to interact with just the right amount of formality and charm without being fawning or overdoing things. Shane was after all, one of the biggest sponsors of the foundation.
At their table, Shane finally entered into conversation with the distinguished-looking guest on his right, a head of industry whom Angela recognized as a candidate in a recent political race. She couldn’t remember if he’d won or not. Angela looked around and tried to gauge the reactions of the other guests.
Thankfully, everyone else seemed too busy enjoying the nice food, wine and conversation at their different tables. Angela’s eyes swept to the left, only for her to start in surprise as she saw someone she recognized.
No one really important, just a guy she used to see. It never got serious, certainly not past the first few dates. She’d never have dreamed to see anyone she knew in such a gathering. And yet here he was, just across from her and seated with a beautiful companion who was saying something to him while her hand rested on his. He gave Angela a smile of recognition which she returned. There was that burning look in his eye like he was really seeing her for the first time. It reminded her a little of the way Shane had looked at her when she’d come down the stairs earlier.
“A friend of yours?”
Angela almost jumped at the sound of Shane’s voice beside her. She hadn’t realized he’d stopped talking with the person next to him. Neither had she imagined Shane would notice the lingering glance and smile she’d shared with the man seated on the other end of their table. She turned to him with a smile.
“Yes, actually. His name is Omar Gates. We met at a club or something some months ago. I had to leave town for LA soon after we met so it was just a really brief...”
“Fling?” Shane supplied, taking a drink from his wine. Something in his tone made Angela bristle.
“I don’t do flings,” she said a little sharply, yet keeping her voice low. “I told you. I’m not that kind of woman who throws herself around.”
“And here I was thinking it was just me,” he murmured, signaling the hovering wine waiter smoothly.
“No, it wasn’t just you,” Angela retorted. “I generally don’t give the time of day to men who treat women like mere objects. I have no patience for them especially when they feel the world owes them something just because they’ve had a twist of bad fortune.”
“Ah,” Shane drawled, tapping the fingers of one hand, the unscathed one, on the table cloth. “Why don’t you say what you mean, Angela? I’m sure like the rest of them you believe I had it coming? That I deserved what happened to me? I guess that’s true. I never really thought much about others. I lived for the moment and took a lot of things for
granted. I’m all changed up on the outside from the wreck, but maybe you were right and a few scars aren’t going to make me any different from what I really am: flawed. But now in more ways than one.”
Angela bit on her bottom lip hearing the bitter humor in his tone. The waiter appeared at his side and refilled his wine. Angela was torn between anger and compassion for Shane.
But she knew he’d scorn her pity. His imperfections caused by his outer scars as well as his arrogance and cynicism on the inside should make him the last man she could ever care about. So why did she feel the need to cover her hand over his on the table and give a sympathetic squeeze? He’d suffered so much – was still suffering. Every time someone stared a moment more than necessary, or grimaced with horror, his fist tightened until the knuckles went white. But no one could tell unless they looked really close, like she was doing. And yet hadn’t she warned herself to stay detached no matter what? Why was that getting so hard to do? He made her mad, emotional and ruffled all at the same time. And she was only supposed to be one thing: indifferent. The only thing she was no longer able to do.
“Excuse me a moment. I need to go to the ladies room.” She’d barely got the words out before scraping back her chair and walking blindly from the table before Shane could even respond or rise as well.
Somehow, she found her way to the bathroom. She was there barely five minutes but it was the respite she needed. She stared at herself in the mirror and wondered for a moment what it would feel like to be with a man like Shane. He got to her on a level she didn’t begin to understand. They were so different; and she wasn’t even thinking about race or background. She was the uptight type; she’d never let herself succumb to the very things that drove her the most. Something about him called to something inside her but she fought it with all her might. The more she wanted him, the more she backed away. She wasn’t ready to face the implications of desiring a man like Shane. Of finding him sexually appealing, thrilling and exciting. How and when the hell did all this happen?
Tangled: A New Adult Romance Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle of Billionaires, Bad Boys, and Royalty) Page 44
