by Emma Lea
Justin had fooled her for a while. He’d been attentive and seemed to be interested in more than just getting her into bed. When they had finally hit the sheets, she hadn’t been all that impressed with his technique. But she liked the guy and thought that their sex life could get better. It didn’t. He didn’t care whether or not she had a good time. He grunted out his own release and then turned over and went to sleep. More and more she had begun to feel like a convenient accessory that he could take to work functions to show off and then take home to get his rocks off.
She hadn’t wanted to be alone so she had stuck with him hoping that one day things would change. She’d been a fool, blinded by her desire to build a family and have the life she had always dreamed of. But now she was back to being alone. Maybe it would be good for her to stay that way for a while. She hadn’t had much luck trying to find a life partner, so maybe she should take some time to just enjoy her own company. At least having the best sex of her life last night would keep her satisfied for a while.
Declan rolled over and buried his nose in the pillow. He could smell… cookies or cupcakes or something equally delicious, and sex. He smiled. Brandi had smelled as good as she had tasted. He ground his hips into the bed, the friction feeling good against his already hard cock. He reached out an arm, feeling for the smooth skin and sexy body of the woman who had ridden him like a rodeo champion last night. He patted the bed and then raised his head. The bed was empty, the sheets cold.
He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, listening carefully. Was she in the bathroom? Had she gotten up to get coffee? The suite felt empty and he pushed up from the bed, his heart beating a little faster at the thought that she had left. He checked the bathroom first and then the kitchen. All was quiet and undisturbed. He was alone and she was gone.
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and groaned. He shouldn’t have let her fall asleep. There were so many more things that he wanted to do with her… to her. One night was definitely not enough to satisfy all his fantasies with her.
He stalked back into the bedroom, checking the bedside table, under the bed and even under his pillow to see if she had left a note or some way for him to contact her. Surely she hadn’t just walked away without hoping to see him again. Chicks didn’t do that. Chicks liked to make a connection, connections he usually tried to avoid. But there was nothing. She had just disappeared and if it wasn’t for the lingering scent on his bedsheets and the achy soreness of a night full of energetic sex, then she may very well have just been a figment of his imagination.
His cell phone buzzed and he picked it up, looking at the reminder. Brunch with the family. He grimaced. Just what he needed on a Sunday morning after the best sex of his life; another conversation with his mother about settling down. She had given him a long leash and he’d thought that perhaps he might have a little more time before she started reeling it in. No such luck. No doubt she would have another list for him. A list of potential wives. His mother was nothing if not thorough. She would have checked the pedigree of each and every woman she presented to him. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had also found a way to get ahold of medical records for any potential mate. The woman bred Pekinese, she knew bloodlines.
His plans of a lazy Sunday filled with getting to know every nook and cranny of Brandi was shot to hell. He headed for the shower, his mind working overtime. How could he get hold of the beautiful blonde bombshell that had spent the night in his bed? He didn’t care if it was against his rules to see her again, the fact was that he hadn’t gotten enough of her last night. He wanted another night with her, or several nights if she was up for it. He stopped mid-lather. He didn’t even know her last name. How on earth was he going to find her?
He rinsed off quickly and stepped out of the shower. He dried and dressed and brushed his teeth, foregoing a shave because it was Sunday and he deserved at least one damned day off from shaving. He grabbed his keys and wallet and phone and headed out, all the while trying to think of how he was going to find Brandi, his Aphrodite. He stopped at the reception desk on his way through the lobby but Janine wasn’t manning the desk this morning. If anyone might know how to get in touch with Brandi, it would be Janine.
Disappointed, he headed for the elevators and hit the button for the parking garage. He couldn’t do anything until tomorrow and he had a brunch with his family to get through. At least he had an afternoon of drinking planned with his friends, although it wasn’t quite the same anymore. Sure, he was happy that his friends had found the loves of their lives, but it had changed the dynamic of their group. He and Jonathon were the last two single ones of the group. Not that he was interested in settling down, not in the least, but he felt a little like the third wheel when they gathered as a group now.
Declan climbed into his Hummer and started the engine. He couldn’t think about it now, he had to mentally prepare for seeing his mother. If she even suspected that he was feeling a little… unsatisfied with his life, she would pounce. She would tug on that leash and bring him to heel. The last thing he wanted was to marry one of her perfect pedigree princesses. He wasn’t ready to give up his wild-oat-sowing days, especially after the mind-blowing sexcapades of last night. He didn’t want to give up hot, sweaty, dirty sex for married couple sex. He wasn’t ready to become a sperm donor in order for his mother to complete her perfectly matched set of grandchildren. And he wasn’t finished with Brandi. He needed to find her and somehow convince her that they needed a do-over. Maybe several do-overs. He just had to find her.
4
“Hello gorgeous,” Brandi said poking her head around the corner of the door into the small private room.
“Brandi!” The little girl in the bed cried.
Brandi walked into the room and straight over to the bed to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“How've you been, chicken?” she asked.
The little girl shrugged. “Okay, I guess. The doctors still won't let me go home.”
Brandi looked down at her and tried really hard not to let the pity or sadness show on her face. Caitlyn was twelve years old and had been diagnosed with cancer six months previously. Brandi didn't know all the ins and outs of her condition, only that it was in her bones and had only been diagnosed because she had fallen in gymnastics class and broken her hip - not something that would usually happen to a healthy twelve year old.
Caitlyn had undergone aggressive chemotherapy and stem cell therapy but the fact that she was still in hospital after the last round didn't bode well. Brandi smiled brightly. Her job was to help keep the patients’ spirits up and that meant helping them forget for just a little while that they were sick.
“I see you have a snazzy new head scarf,” Brandi said gently brushing the brightly coloured turban on Caitlyn’s hairless head.
Caitlyn smiled. “My grandma sent it to me.”
“Well, I love it,” Brandi said confidently.
“So who are you going to dress up as today?” Caitlyn asked eagerly.
“I have a new costume!”
“Oh yay!” Caitlyn clapped her hands. “And a new wig?”
“Of course,” Brandi replied.
“What is it?”
“Nope, not going to tell you, it's going to be a surprise.”
Caitlyn’s face dropped. “I'm not allowed in the playroom,” she said.
Brandi didn't let her smile fade at all as she replied. “That's just as well,” she said, “Because I wanted to show you first anyway and you can tell me what you think. I'd hate to go out there and have everyone dis my new costume. So you have to be honest and tell me if I got it right.”
Caitlyn beamed up at her. “Okay.”
Brandi gave her another peck on the cheek before heading to the locker room where she would change. She tried not to let Caitlyn’s wan appearance worry her. The little girl didn't need the adults in her life looking at her with pity, she needed them to look at her as if nothing was wrong. For Caitlyn to not be allowed in
the playroom meant that her immune system was compromised, which meant that Brandi would have to do something special for her. She tried not to have favourites among the sick kids that she visited, but she and Caitlyn had bonded and she couldn't help loving the little girl like she was a baby sister.
“Brandi.”
Brandi stopped and grimaced before rearranging her face into a pleasant smile and turning around.
“Dr. Shane,” she said, “I didn't know you were working today.”
“Covering for a colleague. I haven't seen you around lately.”
“I've had to rearrange some of my visits because of my other work,” she lied. The truth was she had switched her visits around so she wouldn't run into him. He gave her the creeps. He seemed like a good doctor and the kids loved him, but she hated the way he looked at her, like she was a juicy steak that he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into.
“Do you have a date for the hospital benefit?” he asked as he stood too close to her and let his gaze drop to her boobs.
She giggled. “Oh Dr. Shane, you know I'm engaged,” she said while trying not to shudder with his nearness.
He picked up her left hand and tilted it to and fro. “I see he hasn't put a ring on it yet.”
She pulled her hand away. “I don't wear it to the hospital.”
“So that's a no to being my date,” he said with a sly smile that she supposed was meant to seem charming but came across as more predatory.
“Sorry. I don't think my fiancé would approve.”
“He'll be there with you? Will we all finally get to meet this mystery fiancé of yours?”
“Of course you'll meet him and he's not exactly a mystery.”
“So why haven't we met him before now?”
“He's a very busy man—”
“Come on, Brandi,” he said, moving closer and imprisoning her against the wall. “There's no fiancé really, is there? You're just playing hard to get.” He picked up a piece of her hair and ran it through his fingers as she suppressed a shudder. “I like the chase, but I'm losing patience with you.” His eyes had gone steely and Brandi’s stomach clenched. It wasn't the first time he had bailed her up like this, but it was definitely the most aggressive he'd been.
“I'm not playing at anything,” she said, thankful that her voice didn't wobble. “I do have a fiancé and his name is Declan Mayfield. He will be coming to the benefit with me and I can introduce you then.”
Dr. Shane stepped back, a calculating smile on his face. “I can't wait to meet him,” he said and then turned and walked away, whistling.
Brandi took a few deep breaths to calm the uneasiness that had invaded her body. That man was really fucking creepy. She had had guys refuse to take no for an answer before, but none had been as aggressive as Dr. Shane. She knew she should probably report him, but the kids seemed to love him and he was one of the leading paediatricians at the hospital. He hadn't actually threatened her or hurt her and she would hate to tarnish his reputation just because she felt uneasy around him.
But now she had a new problem. She needed a fake fiancé to accompany her to the hospital benefit. And not just any fake fiancé. She needed Declan.
A thrill ran through her at the prospect of seeing him again. Her body was still reeling from the night of carnal pleasures that they had enjoyed together. But she had left him with the intent of never seeing him again. That's how one night stands were supposed to work. Would he be amenable to revising his role as her fiancé for the hospital benefit? Or would he be happy to never lay eyes on her again?
Declan strode out onto the terrace of his parents’ home and surveyed the surroundings. He was the last to arrive, just the way he planned it. His mother’s head popped up and she laser beamed onto him. The woman seemed to have a special talent for knowing whenever he was in the room. There was no avoiding her, especially not when she was on a mission.
“Declan,” she said. Her cultured voice came across as pleasant enough, but it dripped with a displeasure that only those who knew Carmel Mayfield well would recognise.
“Mother,” he said as he walked over to her and bent to brush a kiss on her smooth cheek.
“So nice of you to finally join us,” she said. “We may very well have died of hunger waiting for you.”
He looked at his watch with great care. “I don't think delaying brunch for half an hour would lead to starvation,” he said.
She didn't reply. Instead she indicated to the waiting maid that they were ready to have brunch served.
Declan took his assigned seat and noticed for the first time that there was a non-family member present… one of the female persuasion. Fuck. His mother had stepped up her plans.
“Declan, this is Chantelle,” his mother said.
“Lovely to meet you Chantelle,” he replied smoothly. She was pretty enough in a conservative way but he recognised that predatory look in her eye. She knew why she was here and she intended to win the prize.
“And you,” she replied with a cultured smile.
“I thought we might go a little bohemian today and have brunch served as a buffet,” his mother said, addressing the table.
“What a crazy idea,” Declan said with a smirk.
He looked around the table at his siblings and their significant others. They had been close once, when they were kids. But growing up a Mayfield meant that trivial things like sibling love and loyalty were weaknesses. The Mayfields were, above all else, a business. Their ancestors were among the first free settlers to arrive on Australia’s shores and they had built an empire that had spanned the generations. His mother took her marriage into such a family very seriously and they had been groomed from a young age in the expectations of what being a Mayfield meant. Declan had rebelled. He had stepped away from the business and struck out on his own. It was a wonder that he hadn't been excommunicated.
He stood with everyone else and walked over to the long buffet table. There were eight adults and four children in attendance, but the food presented to them was more like an offering at an upscale restaurant than just the back patio of his childhood home. It was more impressive than the continental breakfast he served at his Melbourne hotel, and that was saying something.
He filled his plate and went back to his seat, concentrating on his food in the hopes of avoiding conversation with Chantelle. No such luck. She was a determined one.
“Your mother tells me you are in the hotel business,” she said as she delicately ate a single grape from the end of a polished silver fork.
“I am,” he replied and then shovelled a forkful of smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce into his mouth… indelicately.
“The Mayfield?”
He nodded and grunted an affirmative with his mouth still full of food.
“It's a beautiful hotel,” she said as she sipped her mimosa.
“Thank you,” he said after swallowing and then gulping down a mouthful of juice, sans the champagne. “And what do you do?”
“I am on a few of the same committees and charities as your mother.”
He refrained from rolling his eyes, barely. “You don't work?” It was a rude question, but he didn't care.
She shrugged. “I don't need to work and I feel my talents are best utilised helping with those less fortunate than myself.”
Declan wondered if his mother had coached her. She sounded like she was giving a speech for a Miss Australia contest.
“You never wanted a career?”
She looked perplexed by the question as if he'd gone off-script.
“The work I do with the foundations is rewarding enough,” she replied and then changed tactics. “Are you attending the hospital benefit?”
“I am,” he replied.
“Maybe we could—”
“With my new girlfriend,” he said before she could mutter the words that he would have to refuse and therefore embarrass her.
“You have a girlfriend?” she asked and it was like a nuclear bomb going off around the
table. There was a moment of absolute stillness and a silence so deafening he wanted to wiggle his finger in his ear to make sure he hadn't actually lost his hearing.
“Declan?” His mother asked from across the table. “Did you just say you have a girlfriend?”
He placed his napkin slowly on the table being careful not to make any sudden moves. He wasn't quite sure what the result would be, but he wasn't willing to find out either. He sat back in his chair and smiled pleasantly at the eyes looking at him. There was a range of emotions portrayed on his family’s faces, from disbelief to curiosity to panic, in the case of his mother.
“I do,” he said.
“Why haven't we met her?” his father said. Was it odd that these were the first words his father had spoken to him today?
“It's only new,” he said, “and I didn't want to subject her to the full-court interrogation I knew would happen if I brought her to brunch. I'm still trying to woo her and didn't want to scare her off before I had secured her affections.”
His mother's eyes narrowed. “Who is she?”
Declan didn't answer. He smiled at his mother and lifted his glass to his lips. If he told them her name was Brandi but that he didn't know her last name, his mother would smell a rat. So he kept the information to himself and turned his attention back to his food.
5
“Ta da!” Brandi said as she walked into Caitlyn’s room and twirled for her.
“Oh my God! Brandi you look so beautiful.”
Brandi held her skirts up and curtsied. “Why thank you Princess Caitlyn,” she said.
