by Faye Avalon
Ethan looked up and straightened as Reed reached the shaft and walked directly into Ethan’s personal space. While resisting the urge to knock the man back several inches, he was unable to resist grabbing Ethan’s shirt. “You and that best man of yours like to play on the wild side? Like to mix it, keep it nice and anonymous and not give a damn about getting the woman’s name before you bang her?”
As he glared at Ethan, inches away from his face, Reed wondered why in hell that particular aspect of the whole thing bothered him so much. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t shacked up with a woman for a few hours and they hadn’t bothered to exchange names. Lissa had called him a hypocrite and maybe he was. But he couldn’t shake this fury that rent his chest.
“You’ll want to let go, Reed,” Ethan said in a low voice as he held his arms at his side. “I get where you’re coming from, but you need to back off and let me explain.”
Reed continued to scowl at Ethan, the anger burning in his veins. He’d faced off with his cousin too many times to mention, especially when Ethan had overstepped one particular boundary, but this was different. This was an unprecedented reaction. He’d never felt so incensed, so driven to respond in the fiercest of ways.
The realization slipped beneath the red haze through which he glared at Ethan, and slowly, reluctantly, he released his cousin’s shirt. “Go ahead. Explain.”
Ethan glanced over Reed’s shoulder. “Not here. We’re drawing a crowd.”
Reed already supposed that, but right then he couldn’t give a damn. “The bar across the road,” he snapped as he turned on his heels. “Now.”
In the bar, Reed sat at a corner table and tapped his fingers impatiently on his thighs as he watched Ethan place two beers on the table. The intensity of his anger had abated, but he still wanted to take a swing at something.
Ethan sat opposite him and took a sip of his beer. “Are you serious about her?”
Since he felt like a fish caught in a net, Reed ignored his cousin’s question as he swigged his own beer. He’d wanted to keep the whole marriage thing quiet, seeing as it was a temporary deal, but what was he supposed to say to Ethan? That Lissa was his girlfriend? If so, that made it seem like something more permanent. That she was his lover? Again, more permanent.
Yet if he didn’t admit his relationship with Lissa was important, how in hell could he justify his current reaction? He took a breath. “You could say.”
“Sorry, man.” Ethan grimaced and took a swig of beer. “I didn’t realize.”
“That’s usually your excuse.”
Ethan grimaced again, then took a longer pull of his drink. “I’m not making an excuse, just stating a fact.
“You knew she was at your wedding?”
Ethan shook his head. “Not until after. Marco mentioned it. It was good of her to keep a low profile.”
“Wouldn’t want your wife finding out.”
“I already told Amber.” He met Reed’s narrowed gaze with a steady one. “Looks like she was more accepting than you are.”
Reed ran a finger around the rim of his beer glass. “You don’t say.”
“What’s your problem, anyhow? You don’t expect your women to have a sexual past? That’s a damn archaic view, Reed, especially considering how you were back in the day. You were pretty open-minded back then.”
“Yeah, well. I grew up.”
“You’re the one still playing the field,” Ethan pointed out. “I’m the one with a wife.”
Despite Ethan’s wry smile, Reed felt the anger pump through him. “Who says I’m still playing the field?”
With his glass halfway to his lips, Ethan froze. “You’re that serious about her?”
“That wasn’t the plan.” And he still wasn’t going to allow himself to think Lissa was anything more to him than an out clause, but since Ethan was surveying him in that tenacious manner he had, Reed knew he wasn’t about to be let off the hook. “We’ve got this arrangement.”
He told Ethan about Cynthia and how Lissa had agreed to help him out with the temporary marriage deal.
“So then you went and muddied the waters,” Ethan stated after Reed had outlined the arrangement. “Brought sex into the mix.”
Reed’s anger erupted afresh. “Who the fuck said we’re having sex?”
“She’s a beautiful woman. You’re a fucking moron if you haven’t at least tried to get her between the sheets.”
“And you’d know all about that.”
Placing his glass down, Ethan held up his hands in surrender. “Let’s not start down that road again.”
Reed wiped his hand over his chin and sat back, feeling like all the life had suddenly been drained out of him. “Damn women.”
They sat in silence for long moments, both sipping their beer and staring reflectively at the table.
“Marco said Beth had a problem at first.”
Reed looked up into his cousin’s steady gaze. “With what?”
“The threesome thing.” He looked a little sheepish, as if there was more to his remark than he was prepared to let on. “They worked through it.”
“Yeah, well it’s different for a woman. They’re more…accepting.”
“Maybe.” As Reed had done, Ethan stroked his finger around the rim of his glass. “You’ve got to find a way through this, Reed. If you want to make it work with Lissa you’ve got to make your peace with it.”
Reed wasn’t sure how he was supposed to do that and ten minutes later, when the two men had come to a shaky truce, shook hands and parted, Reed still felt a residual irritation toward Ethan. His cousin told him to work through it, make his peace with it.
Easier said than done.
Sometime during his conversation with Ethan, he’d come to the heady realization that Lissa mattered to him. Why else would he feel so damn furious about the whole thing?
In the last couple of weeks he’d started to enjoy having her around. He liked their conversations, he liked hearing about her day over dinner, he loved having her in his bed and waking up next to her in the mornings.
And damn it, he couldn’t stomach the fact that Ethan and Marco had intimate knowledge of her.
Maybe he was being unreasonable, but he couldn’t see how he could shake the anger, the resentment. Despite what Ethan had said, he wasn’t stupid enough to think that his women had no sexual past, no history. Yet twice that morning he’d been accused of having an archaic view on the whole subject.
How in hell was he supposed to simply accept and move on? He couldn’t. He knew himself well enough to know that. And what the hell did it matter anyway? He and Lissa would soon be done.
There was no reason to make such a damn mountain out of the whole deal. They’d had their time together. Now it was done. Tomorrow night they’d sign the papers. And it would all be over.
Chapter Eleven
Lissa was feeling decidedly anxious as she knocked on Reed’s door. Other than a curt text reminding her of the time of their meeting, she had received no contact from him and wasn’t sure what to expect.
She hadn’t strayed from her resolve to ask him for the papers to be drawn up so they could put an end to this farcical arrangement. There was no need for it any longer, seeing as the woman he’d been trying to avoid marrying had gone back to London satisfied that there was no future for her and Reed.
Lissa knew how that felt. Not that she’d gone into this whole thing expecting there would be a future for them, but somewhere along the way she’d started hoping that maybe it could be more than a simple interlude where two people got what they wanted from a relationship before moving on. She’d started thinking—hoping—that they could make something from their brief liaison.
Which just went to prove what a silly fool she was.
Not in a million years would she consider getting herself hitched to a man like Reed for longer than necessary. A man who got on his high horse because a woman he had sex with had actually—perish the thought—had sex before with another man, or men.
Hell. If it was a virgin he was looking for, good luck to him.
Arrogant prick.
She hammered on the door, her action propelled by her irritated thoughts.
Reed answered it, looking achingly handsome in a dark grey polo shirt with the top three buttons unfastened and casual dark colored trousers. “You’re late.”
She banked down her irritation and pointedly glanced at her watch. “Five minutes. Did you have something better to do, Reed?” She waltzed into his apartment, slipped off her coat before he could take it, and tossed it on a chair in the hallway. “I can’t stay long.”
Aware he followed her, Lissa made for the living area. When she stepped inside the beautiful room with its panoramic view of the sea, she froze.
Jack Holland rose from where he’d been sitting on one of the leather sofas. His dark blond hair was cut shorter than she remembered and his brown eyes smiled out at Lissa. He wore dark trousers and a tailored jacket beneath which a pristine white shirt highlighted his tanned face.
He held out his hand in welcome. “How are you, Lissa?”
“Good. Thanks.” She hadn’t been expecting Jack would be here. Had Reed preempted her and asked his lawyer friend to join them to discuss the divorce?
The finality of that possibility didn’t sit well and, while she’d been prepared to demand Reed get the ball rolling in that respect, it hurt to think he felt the same way.
Which was absurd. How much better would the whole thing be if they both decided that it was time to call it a day and just got on with the business of getting unmarried?
“Wine?” Reed had moved to the drinks cabinet and held up an opened bottle.
While his manner was calm and polite, there was also that distance she’d become familiar with. It was as if he were about to conduct a business meeting, which she supposed he was. She didn’t want to acknowledge how miserable that made her feel.
She shook her head at the offer of alcohol. If they were about to end things, go through the divorce papers, she wanted her mind clear. She might be feeling desolate and dejected, but damned if she’d let him see it. “I’d prefer coffee.”
His eyes stayed steady on hers, but unlike Jack, there was no warmth there. Just cold efficiency. She imagined he ran all his business meetings with that look. “Then I’ll get you coffee. Make yourself at home.”
Make herself at home? The comment cut like a sharp knife under her heart. During the past weeks it had started to feel like home. She’d enjoyed being there. With him.
It seemed the feeling wasn’t reciprocated.
With an inner sigh, Lissa moved to the sofa. The very sofa on which he’d often pinned her down. Where he’d stripped her naked, pushed his tongue inside her and made her come in seconds. Where he’d driven his cock so hard into her she thought she might just die right there, an extremely contented woman.
“How are plans for the new business coming along, Lissa?” Jack smiled as he sat opposite her on the sofa.
She wanted to tell him that perhaps he knew better than she did, seeing as he was the one who’d overseen most of the arrangements for Reed. But she liked Jack. Despite the circumstances of her relationship with his friend, he’d always treated her kindly and with respect.
“Slow and sure,” she replied with a smile as she placed her bag on the floor beside her feet. “I’m determined not to make the same mistakes I did before.”
“Well, things are pretty watertight. Reed was resolute there’d be no loopholes.”
I’ll bet he was, she thought. Mustn’t have any loopholes. Which was maybe unfair of her, seeing as Reed wouldn’t benefit from her business in any way. He’d been thorough and businesslike in his advice to her and had instructed Jack according to her wishes.
Reed came back with a coffee pot and three cups. He placed them down on the table between the two sofas, before sitting next to Jack.
Another knife below her heart. She ignored it. She could be as businesslike as he was.
“I asked Jack to join us to tie up any loose ends,” Reed began as he poured coffee into plain white china cups. “I wanted to be sure that everything’s to your liking and that you’ve achieved everything you anticipated and wanted from the arrangement. For my part, I’m more than satisfied.”
Had they been alone she would have told him that he bloody well ought to be more than satisfied, seeing as during their arrangement she’d spent most nights in his bed while they’d done just about what they’d damn well liked to each other. That extra curricula activity hadn’t been drawn up in their business contract.
She swallowed down her venom. She wouldn’t let it anger her and she sure as hell wouldn’t let it hurt her. She’d slept with him because she’d wanted to. It had been her choice. He wasn’t entirely to blame for her feelings now.
“Everything is fine from my end,” she said as she stuck her chin in the air. “You’ve been far more generous than was required. All my debts have been settled and you’ve helped me produce a solid business plan.” She held his gaze. “I’d say we’re all square.”
His eyes flashed but he said nothing.
Jack shuffled in his seat and cleared his throat. Lissa noticed that he looked a little uneasy. “There is one thing that you didn’t declare in your list of debtors.”
Lissa swallowed as her stomach turned uneasily. Was it possible he’d found out about the mortgage on her aunt’s house? Her hand shook a little as she reached for her cup. “I’m satisfied with the way things are. There’s nothing else I need help with.”
Jack glanced at Reed who remained silent as he watched Lissa steadily.
“The mortgage on your house,” Jack stated, confirming her thoughts. “Reed wants to settle the debt to enable you to start again with a clean slate.”
Ignoring Reed, Lissa addressed Jack. “That’s not necessary. With all the other debts cleared, I can manage the mortgage myself.”
“That wasn’t the damn arrangement,” Reed snapped. “I agreed to pay off all your debts. Why the hell didn’t you mention the mortgage? The repayments are a sizeable sum, do you have any idea how they’ll eat into your monthly outgoings?”
She had to bank down her irritation and discomfort at having her financial acumen questioned again. Bad enough she’d been a fool once, and had to lower herself by marrying a man to pay off her debts, but these two obviously didn’t hold out much hope that she’d learned her lesson or was capable of running her finances in the future.
“I’m perfectly aware of how they will affect my monthly outgoings, and I’ve reworked my new budget to include the repayments.” She replaced her cup on the table as her hands continued to tremble. “The mortgage repayments didn’t feature in the original agreement, so as I said, we’re all square.”
Reed positively glared at her now. There was something primal and dangerous about him when he was in a determined mood. To cover her unease, she looked at Jack who picked up his briefcase and placed it on his lap. Pulling out a wad of papers, he laid them on the glass-topped coffee table. He selected a folder, opened it and drew out a check which he offered to Lissa.
Her eyes almost popped out of her head as she stared at the amount. It would cover the entire mortgage and keep her aunt in that nursing home for the best part of a year. She stared at it for another moment then thrust it back to Jack. “I can’t accept this. I won’t. I’m satisfied with things as they stand. It’s what we agreed.”
With a quick glance at Reed, who had stood and moved across to gaze out of the window, Jack said, “Reed wants you to start fresh, Lissa. He’s grateful for what you did for him and wants to show his appreciation.”
So many emotions stormed through her, but anger smothered them all. “Does he? Well, perhaps he’d like to tell me that himself rather than get you to do his dirty work for him. If Reed wants to show his appreciation, maybe we can get the damn divorce papers signed and let that be an end to it.”
Reed spun back from the window and snatched up t
he file. He pulled out a clip of papers and dropped them down on the coffee table in front of her. “There are the damn papers.”
As Lissa stared down at them, Jack took them calmly and handed her one set. “You’ll want to read through this, but I can assure you it’s pretty straightforward.”
Lissa shook her head. “I’m sure it’s fine.”
“Haven’t you learned a damn thing?” Reed almost spat it out. “Read the document. Make sure your interests are protected.”
She knew he was right, but her heart told her that it was a futile exercise. Reed would already have protected her interests. At least financially. She trusted him. Knew that he would never do anything to hurt her…except break her heart.
Lissa opened the document and began scanning the contents. It was hard to concentrate. Her head spun; her heart ached. They were about to end things between them in a fairly acrimonious manner. How had it all gone so wrong?
Barely able to remember a word she’d read as she’d scanned the document, she pulled a pen from her bag and started to scrawl her name across the crisp bonded white paper.
“We’ll have to complete the transaction in my office,” Jack said gently as he leaned toward her. “We need to have the signatures witnessed.”
Of course. How had she overlooked that? Probably because she felt so stupidly miserable she didn’t know what to think. Closing the file, she slipped it into her bag.
“I’ve asked Jack to join us for supper.”
“I can’t stay,” Lissa said quickly. She wasn’t sure she could get anything down after handling the divorce papers. She should be rejoicing in the fact she was almost free of a supercilious bastard like Reed. But she just felt empty and…lost.
“That’s a pity,” Reed said, but there was no remorse in his tone. Just a vague threat. “I was hoping we could enjoy supper then maybe kick back for a while. Mix things up a little. She likes to mix things up,” he explained to Jack, while his eyes burned fiercely into hers. “Likes to push back the boundaries, test out new experiences.”
