Dazzle her: Laws of Seduction Book 3

by Ava Hayworth

  It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him how old he is, but I manage to restrain myself. Instead I ask, “Where did you meet?”

  “We met on St. Bart’s. It’s was love at first sight. The funny thing was that we both grew up right here in Manhattan but never met.””

  I actually did not think it was that odd, considering their age difference. “I’ve never been to St. Bart’s, but I’’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

  “You should go. It’s my favorite island in the Caribbean.”

  Before Rory can launch himself into a comparison of the Caribbean islands, the MC directs everyone to take their seats. There isn’t much opportunity for talking after the MC starts the dinner program. I listen with half an ear as he speaks. The other half of my mind is busy processing the events of the evening. I am now able to understand the issues that James has with our age difference. The fact that his mother is dating a much younger man may have affected his outlook. My father is also married to a much younger woman − granted she is not younger than me. It has never bothered me. Maybe because I could not even remember my parents being married. We had also all hated wife number three so much that it had been a relief when he met and married Angela. Angela was friendly, and she made my father happy. That was all that mattered to me. Trying not to be too obvious, I observe the interaction between Alana and Rory. They seem genuinely happy with each other.

  As soon as the dinner is over, the dancing starts. James is speaking with his mother, who is sitting on his other side, and I watch as numerous couples move to the area in front of the stage, where a live band is playing. The man seated next to me asks me to dance. He is the same man who had greeted James with such familiarity. I smile in response. They are playing a Frank Sinatra song, and I hope that my partner doesn’t expect any fancy moves. I glance up at his face to see that he is smiling kindly down at me, which makes me relax.

  “I had to meet the young lady who has snared the interest of the most elusive bachelor in New York City.”

  This makes me blush, and I stumble a bit over my feet. “You can see that it is not my dancing that caught his interest.”

  He throws back his head and laughs. “I’m Ted Lerner, by the way.”

  I look at him more closely, and my eyes widen with recognition. “From the Lerner Network?”

  “I guess you’ve heard of me.”

  “You would have to live under a rock not to have heard of the Lerner Network.”

  Ted laughs again. “I like you, and I can see why James does too. It’s refreshing to see the shoe on the other foot.”

  My look of confusion causes Ted to chuckle before explaining, “Usually women spend the evening trying to get James’s attention, but this evening, it was a whole other story.”

  “Are you saying that James was trying to get my attention?”

  “Let’s just say my wife and I were taking bets as to how many times he would touch you during dinner.”

  Heat rises to my cheeks. “Who won?”

  “I did,” Ted says, grinning. “And I’m looking forward to collecting my reward.”

  Since the conversation is heading into territory I feel best left unexplored, I ask, “How long have you known James?”

  Ted dodges another couple when it looks like we are about to collide. “I’ve known him since he was a little boy. His grandfather was one of my original investors, so we go back a long way.”

  “What was he like when he was little?” I can’t resist asking.

  “To tell you the truth, I didn’t take much notice of him until he was a teenager. His grandfather had his hands full with that little cub of Satan,” Ted chuckles, remembering. ““We were all happy when he turned out as well as he did. His grandfather couldn’t be prouder of him now.”

  So James had been a wild teenager. It was something else we have in common. James appears behind Ted and taps him on the shoulder. Ted steps back. When he sees it is James, he makes a production of turning me over to my date.

  James pulls me tightly to him. Another slow song is playing, and I rest my head on his shoulder. “What has that bastard been telling you?”

  I hear a hint of worry in his voice. I raise my head so that I can look up at him, and give in to the urge to tease him. “He was telling me all about what a hell-raiser you were as a teenager. I believe his exact words were ‘cub of Satan’’.”

  James groans. “I was afraid of that. What else?”

  “James, we were on the dance floor for two songs tops. He didn’t have time to get into specifics. It does sound like you’ve been holding out on me though. Care to tell me any interesting stories from your adolescence?”

  “Not going to happen. That is a time in my life that I have gladly left behind me.”

  Hmm, another thing we have in common. I decide not to tease him about it anymore. “Why didn’t you tell me we were sitting with Ted Lerner? I felt like a complete idiot when he had to introduce himself.”

  “I thought you recognized him.”

  I ruffle the soft curls at the back of his neck with my fingertips. James bends down to nuzzle my neck, making me lose the direction of my thoughts. Then I remember Ted’s bet with his wife. “He also said that you aren’t usually as affectionate with your dates.”

  “That’s true. I can’t seem to keep my hands off of you. As a matter of fact, I think we should go someplace where I can put my hands all over you.””

  His husky tone sends ripples of awareness down all of my nerve endings. “I think I could be persuaded.”

  “In that case…” James pulls me off the dance floor, but I stop him from immediately rushing me out the door.

  “Don’t you have to say goodbye to your mother?” The petulant look on James’s face makes me want to laugh. “You go on. I’ll use the ladies’ room and meet you at the front entrance.”

  I make a detour to our table and pick up my clutch bag before heading to the ladies’ room near the front doors, which is deserted, unlike the one near the dining room. I am about to exit the stall when I hear voices. There is something familiar about one of the voices that makes me pause. I cannot quite put a face to the voice when I realize they are talking about James. They are talking with very low voices in front of the sinks, and I have to strain to hear. Even then, I can only make out snippets of their conversation.

  “He must be into her if he is out with her again.”

  The familiar voice speaks again. “Alana told me they haven’t been together that long, and hopefully he’ll be over her soon. Then James will come running back to me. Just you watch.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Deciding that I had heard enough, I exit my stall and walk over to the pink marble sinks to wash my hands. I look into the mirror and see two tall, elegant blonds. They look remarkably similar, down to their matching black outfits. I now know why one of the voices had seemed so familiar. Jenna Reardon, who had approached James and me at the Gotham Bar and Grill, stands regarding me with cold eyes. They don’t appear to be the least bit embarrassed to see the object of their gossip standing before them.

  I know I will regret it later, but I call them on it. I turn to face Jenna and say, “What makes you think that James would be interested in you?”

  “Hasn’t he told you about us?” She asks with a condescending tone that makes me grit my teeth.

  “As a matter of fact, he has told me about you.”

  “Then he obviously left out the best parts. James and I have a chemistry that is absolutely amazing.”

  “Then why is he with me and not you?”

  Jenna waves her hand dismissively, “He likes to play the field. I understand that. When he has all you little nobodies out of his system, he’ll marry me.”

  Why is James such a magnet for delusional women? I wonder, thinking of Elizabeth. I raise my eyebrows and give Jenna a skeptical look.

  “You don’t believe me. Ask his mother. She can tell you all about how James will date a
woman for a few weeks, get what he wants from her, and then poof.” Jenna shoots her fingers into the air. “They’re gone forever. Just wait. The same thing will happen to you. Believe me, he would never stay with a common little nobody for long. He needs someone who understands his world.”

  With that parting shot, she and her sidekick exit the restroom. Her words have hit me at my most vulnerable spot. Would James get tired of me and break it off? My mother’s advice to never get into it with catty females because it’s impossible to win echoes through my head. I need a few minutes to calm my jangled nerves. Reaching inside my bag for my lip gloss, my fingers brush against something unfamiliar. I peer down into my bag and notice an envelope that I’ve never seen before. I pull it out and see my name typewritten on the front. Curious as to how the envelope came to be in my bag, I open it. Inside there is a plain white card. When I see the words written there, my blood runs cold. “I know where you live.”

  I grip the edge of the sink tightly. Images of my burned-out office flash through my mind. Is someone trying to scare me, or is this an actual threat? Is someone out to get me, or am I being paranoid? The drugging incident at Bleu Ciel stands out in my mind. Had someone tried to drug me so that they could seriously harm me? Recalling Tobin’s ghastly photo that looked so much like me, I can’t help but feel it was some kind of omen. This card is tangible evidence that, at the very least, someone is playing with me.

  With shaking hands, I return the card to its envelope and place it back in my bag. Taking a few deep breaths, I look at myself in the mirror. The person who put that card in my bag could be out there waiting for me to react. I refuse to give them a show. I take a few more moments to collect myself by going through the ritual of applying fresh lip gloss. When I think I have myself firmly under control, I exit the restroom. Glancing around the foyer, I don’’t see James. It has been awhile since we agreed to meet at the entrance, and I can’t imagine what could be keeping him. I find myself looking around every few seconds as if expecting someone to pop up at me from behind a potted plant, and realize that I am being ridiculous. Whoever had written that note obviously wanted their identity to remain a secret.

  I carefully review all the people that I have come into contact with this evening. With so many people here, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be someone I had spoken with directly. This event was the perfect opportunity to slip something into my bag. Since the only thing of real value to me in the bag had been my driver’s license, I had not worried about leaving it at the table while I danced. Anyone would have had access to it. Somebody could have even paid one of the members of the wait staff to do it. Slipping a note to someone would seem like an innocent request.

  These thoughts are whirling around in my head as I see James walking towards me at a quick pace. “I’m sorry that took so long. It was harder to get away than I expected.” I can’t seem to come up with an appropriate response. James places his hand on the nape of my neck and leans in closer. I feel a rush of comfort at the feel of his fingers rubbing gently against my skin. I watch as a look of concern spreads across his face. “Lainey, you’’re as pale as a ghost. What’s wrong?”

  Unwilling to risk losing my composure in such a public place, I ruthlessly tamp down on the temptation to turn into him. “I just want to go. Is the limo waiting for us?”

  “It’s right outside.” He slides his hand down so that he is cupping my elbow. Guiding me outside, he repeats his original question. ““Are you going to tell me what has you looking this way? Something has obviously upset you.”

  Gary sees us coming and jumps out to open the back passenger door. I slide across the seat, and James gets in behind me. He presses a button and the privacy divider comes down, leaving us in our own little cocoon. I am not ready to broach the subject of the note, so I tell him about my encounter with Jenna instead. After I have finished, James leans back in his seat and faces forward. Our only point of contact is our hands, which lay intertwined on the seat between us.

  The regret James feels is palpable. His thumb rubs the back of my hand, and the rhythmic motion is soothing. “What did she say when you asked her why I am not with her?”

  “She said that you liked to play the field, and that you would get tired of me soon.”

  “I hope you didn’t listen to a word she said.”

  “I know I shouldn’t, but confrontations like that upset me.”

  James opens his arms, “Baby, come here.”

  I undo my seatbelt and move closer, and he pulls me so that I am sitting sideways across his lap. He holds the back of my head with one hand and runs butterfly kisses down the side of my cheek. His other hand rests on my hip. Pulling back, he looks down at me. “Don’t let jealous bitches like Jenna upset you. They are all a part of the past and mean nothing to me.”

  I wrinkle my brow. “One thing confuses me though.”

  “Tell me,” James commands.

  “She kept mentioning your mother like they are best friends. I thought you said you met her at a sex club.”

  James groans and lets his head fall back against the seat behind him. “That is why Jenna was a colossal mistake.” He raises his head again and looks down at me. “I did meet Jenna at a sex club, but she is also friends with Carrie Hudson. From your description that is who she was with when you ran into her. Carrie is also a close friend of my mothers. To make a long story short, when Jenna discovered the connection, she became friendly with my mother. I have told my mother to stay away from Jenna because she is only using her to get close to me, but as usual, she doesn’t listen.”

  “Your mother would like to see you with Jenna?”

  “She likes Jenna. She and Jenna are a lot alike in many ways, so she understands her.

  You also have to understand something about my mother. She didn’t have much to do with me when I was growing up. Small children didn’t fit into her jet-setting lifestyle. When I went to college, she started taking more of an interest in me. By that time it was too late. I was used to doing things on my own, making my own decisions. She has never understood that and even now tries to control me. She doesn’t like that I work for Houghton Mills. She thinks I should use my money and connections to go into politics, and that I should marry someone with a similar background and connections to further my career.”

  “Does Jenna come from a wealthy background?”

  “Her uncle was a senator from Massachusetts, so my mother thinks she has a lot of potential as a politician’s wife.”

  “Do you want to go into politics?”

  “Hell no. I like working behind the scenes. I would hate all the notoriety. I get enough of it as it is.”

  “Does your mother know how you met Jenna? Frequenting a sex club doesn’t seem like the ideal behavior for a politician’s wife.””

  “I don’t discuss my sex life with my mother. The only thing she knows is what Jenna has told her.”

  The limo pulls over to the curb in front of James’s building. Gary opens the door, and I step out as gracefully as possible. Given that I have to climb off James’s lap, this is no easy task. After wishing Gary goodnight, we walk through the lobby and onto a waiting elevator. James inspects me there with disturbing thoroughness. In a self-conscious gesture, I touch my hand to my face. “What?”

  “Your color is back.”

  “Oh, is that all?”

  The elevator doors open, and we enter his apartment. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “Only if you are having one.”

  James reaches up to loosen his tie before removing his jacket and laying it over the back of the sofa. “I can think of other things that I would rather have.”

  Anticipation makes my knees weak, and I cock my brow. “Such as?”

  James walks towards me with a predatory look in his eyes. Reaching up, he takes down my hair. “You.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “It feels like silk.”” He brings a handful up to his nose and inhales deeply, “
And smells like sunshine.”

  “I didn’t know you were so poetic,” I tease.

  “Me either.” I get a glimpse of his dimple when he smiles. “Do you feel like playing?”

  “What did you have in mind?” A surge of pure desire rushes through me at the tantalizing thought.

  “Turn around and close your eyes.” I pivot so that my back is facing him.

  He moves my hair aside and kisses the back of my neck. “Mmm, you smell so good.” I am disappointed when he steps back, but then I am surprised by the feel of cloth against my face. James holds something over my eyes, and I realize that it is a blindfold. ““If you open your eyes, can you see anything?”

  I open my eyes experimentally, and everything is dark. “No.”

  “Good.”

  Both his hands are at the back of my neck, and he pulls down the zipper of my dress. Bending down, he kisses a trail down my back before easing the dress off my shoulders. “This is a beautiful dress, but I like what’s underneath even better.””

  I imagine him looking at me standing in my nude stilettos, black strapless bra, and the wisp of lace that serve as my panties. He runs his hand down the curvature of my waist. “Your skin is so soft.” His light touches make me yearn for something more. He takes my hand. ““Come with me.”

  Blindly, I let him lead me. Coming to a stop, he turns me around before reaching behind me to unclasp my bra. He moves his hands to my breasts, and a groan of pleasure escapes me. “Like that, do you?” I am startled when he sweeps me up in his arms before laying me down on the bed. ““I think I would like that drink after all. Don’t move.”

  What? He’s leaving me here now? I raise myself up on my elbows to object when I realize that he has probably already left the room, and I lay back down. The faint click of ice against glass is the only warning I have that he has returned. The bed dips. There is a pause, and then James presses an ice cube against my lips. “Suck.” He instructs.