by Schultz, JT
Piper’s laugh echoed through the receiver. “Wonderful, you two have done everything backward.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think we’d be us if we did things normal.” She glanced around. All that was left to do was to change her clothes and light the candles. “Anyway, I better go get ready.”
“Okay, let me know how things go and tell my brother I said hello. I can hardly wait to see you both on Thursday for Thanksgiving.”
Toni groaned and shook her head. “Should be wonderful; my parents will be there, so you and Erick can listen to my dad remind me I didn’t become a lawyer.”
“Oh!” Piper exclaimed. “That reminds me. Mom told Erick about the sentencing and threatened him with an inch of his life if he breathes a word to anyone—especially Lauren.”
“Lovely. Anyway, I better get changed.”
Her friend giggled. “Alright, I may swing by the office tomorrow, if not I’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Sounds good. Bye.” She ended the call and sighed. Everything looked really good and she had to admit, Kayla had come up with a good idea with the candle light dinner. She knew married couples who had a date night to keep their relationship alive. Piper was right, they were doing things backwards. It was a good idea to date, to get to know each other better—when living together isn’t enough.”
She stepped out of the dining room and into the living room when the key turned in the lock and the door opened.
Dammit! He’s earlier than I expected.
“Oh, Richard, I’m back from Paris and I have a lacey little surprise for you. And I do mean little.”
Toni’s steps halted dead in their tracks as she turned to the woman standing in six-inch stilettos and a long, belted trench coat. All she could do was blink in surprise. By the expression on the other woman’s face, she too had been caught off guard.
She raked a judgmental gaze over Toni and cast a sardonic smile. “You certainly aren’t Richard.”
“No, I’m not.”
The woman laughed. “I’m Valerie, his girlfriend—well one of them, his main one anyway.” She glanced around the place. “Color. Interesting. The man must have lost his ever-loving mind while I was gone.” She shrugged and focused back on Toni. “I’m a model.”
Girlfriend? More than one? Model?
“I see.” She plastered a smile on her face and struggled to keep her composure. And to think she thought things might be different with Richard. Apparently, not.
“So, are you the new housekeeper?”
“Valerie?” Richard’s smooth baritone greeted the woman as he stepped across the threshold. He darted a glance at Toni, who continued to kick herself for being so stupid.
She stepped forward, swiped her jean jacket and purse from the sofa, and walked to the door. “Actually, I was just leaving,” she told the model. Finally, she met Richard’s gaze. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Toni—”
“Dinner is ready to be served—whenever you’re both ready.” She hurried past him and scrambled toward the elevator.
“Doesn’t your housekeeper usually wear a uniform?” Valerie’s voice echoed from down the hall.
Don’t cry, this is all your fault. Not his. Leopards don’t change their spots.
Richard’s gaze burned into Toni as she pushed the round button for the elevator. If her husband didn’t live in the penthouse, she would’ve taken the stairs. The door opened immediately and she hurried through and started pounding on the close button. When the heavy shiny metal doors closed, she hit the button for the first level of the parking garage. The movement brought her down and away from the mess she called her life, the life she’d left on the top floor of the building. She finally exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
To think she had genuinely liked him and had been stupid enough to think they might actually salvage a real relationship out of the unfortunate turn of events. Never would she have fallen into bed with him, if she hadn’t believed otherwise. Now there would be no choice. She’d have to get a divorce. Which would be lengthy and time consuming—maybe not—since she highly doubted playboy Richard would contest.
Besides there was nothing to argue over, the prenuptial agreement was firmly in place. This was nothing more than a means to an overrated—high maintenance and over luxurious prison sentence.
Despite her best efforts, as the elevator slowed, tears touched her lashes.
I think I hate him. It’s better than hating myself.
Chapter Eight
Turkeys and taking chances…
Richard sat in the dark condo. For some reason the place felt empty even though Boxter stretched out behind him on the back of the sofa, faintly snoring and Vette had curled herself in next to his thigh in a tight little kitten ball. Her legs curled around her body and her small chin tilted up. The only light in the room came from the gas fireplace, but did little to warm the cold he felt on the inside.
For the umpteenth time, the events of the night unfolded in his mind, like a horrific car accident that would never leave your memory. When he got to the part of the hurt in Toni’s eyes, he closed his. Things had been good—in fact they had been going great and in the single swoop of a cover model who only saw his money and his family’s prestige he lost everything.
Not true. A voice in his mind screamed and he lifted the crystal highball glass and downed the remainder of the bourbon. The ice rattled against the glass, meaning it was time for a refill.
The voice was right. He still had his money, his Mercedes, his 4800 square foot penthouse with pool and hot tub, but something remained missing. He wasn’t stupid. After the last forty-five days and especially after last night, he knew what that something was. It wasn’t a something at all—but instead, a someone. Again the expression of surprise and disappointment on Toni’s face flashed through his mind.
He stood and Vette lifted her sleepy white and black head with a less than an amused expression on her feline face. “Sorry sweetie, I need another drink. Well not need—but want.”
Richard frowned and blinked at the fur ball.
Now, I’m talking to cats. Jeez.
He stepped over to the bar. The spot against his leg, where the kitten’s warm body had been, cooled. He reached for the bottle of top shelf alcohol that had been waiting for him.
She has taste. In spades.
He thought of Toni’s expression again and how she’d handled the unthinkable situation with the grace of a lady—despite the pain that had blinked at him through long feather like lashes. The weight he carried on his chest, making it difficult to breathe, grew heavier. He filled his glass and decided after this, he should head to bed. After all, he had an early morning meeting.
Richard glanced at the still wrapped roses lying on the bar. The same place he’d left them. A smart man would’ve put them in water, but tonight proved he was far from smart. At least he’d put the food in the fridge without eating a bite of it. The ache that had infiltrated him earlier struck a chord and made him hurt all over again as his gaze rested on the dining room table still set for a romantic dinner for two.
Richard lifted his glass to his mouth at the same time a key turned in the door, releasing the bolt. Slowly, and quietly Toni crossed over the threshold. She glanced around the room, then her gaze fell on him. Even under the glow of the fire, he could see the contempt in her dark eyes.
“I was afraid I was interrupting,” she explained and shut the door.
“Nothing to interrupt. Valerie left about five minutes after you.” He placed his glass down next to the flowers. “If you’d answered your phone tonight, you’d have known that.”
“I was busy.”
“Well, since I know for a fact you weren’t at Andrew and Kayla’s, I admit I’m curious to know where you were.”
She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips before blowing out a long breath. “How the hell would you know I wasn’t there?”
“Because I thought maybe that’s wher
e you were so I called and Kayla told me not to worry.”
She shook her head and surprise registered on her pretty face. “You called my friend’s house?”
He nodded and debated his next thoughts. Maybe drinking a quarter of the bottle she’d bought had not been his best move—then again he didn’t think she’d be back tonight—and he could sleep it off. “I figured as upset as you were, you’d go talk to Kayla.”
“I didn’t go there.”
He nodded and stepped closer to where she stood—still leaving a good ten feet between them—and the love seat. “Yeah, I know, Kayla hadn’t heard from you. I even called Piper and she heard from you either.”
She stepped closer to the hall toward her room. “I met with Judge Masters.” She inhaled deeply and glanced at the floor, then lifted her gaze. “I told him, I couldn’t do this. I wanted the thirty days in jail.”
What the…? “Why would you do that?”
“Because, this might be a prison sentence, but I would rather risk the rep of going to jail than having a husband who can’t be faithful.”
Death. This was slow death. “I may be a lot of things—and not all good at times. However, whether we like it or not—this is a marriage—I won’t have extra marital affairs. I told you that. Toni, I have no reason to cheat.”
She didn’t look convinced. “Right.” She turned and the invisible weight on his chest intensified.
“Toni, I did something last night I probably should have done a while ago.”
She shook her head and he could tell she was ready to cry. “Wow, not sure if I like the sound of that—but please go on.”
Again, sarcasm. But hey—that was his wife. “I Googled you.
Her features took on defeat. “Fabulous. Richard—”
“I followed your career, your charity involvement, but one thing stuck me.” He continued to take a few more steps closer to where she stood.
“I can only imagine.” Her long lashes closed and trepidation etched across her face. She leaned against the wall and for as strong and as fiery she could be, she lost the wind in her sails. Again. Totally his fault.
There was no way in hell he could survive a year of this. He walked over to where she stood and her eyes opened. “Almost a year and a half ago you had two events back to back—three days apart. The first one your hair fell half way down your back in waves and then three days later you had this bob of curls style and that pink streak through it.”
“I have made an appointment to get rid of the streak and—”
“I know why you have that pink streak; Kayla told me every detail last night before I showed up at the office.” His hand reached up and his fingers caressed the streak of pink. “Again, let me say you’re like no one I’ve ever met.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Not yet, but if you hadn’t walked in that door, I would probably hate myself tomorrow.” He smiled and shrugged. “Two or three more glasses from now, wallowing in the fact I was a jerk and should’ve gone after you, I most likely would have been.”
Doubt worked its way across her pretty feature. “What do you want?”
“I don’t know. After I got the key back from Valerie—that apparently she had cut, without my knowledge, before she left for Paris, and I kicked her ass out the door. All I kept seeing was the sadness in your eyes when you left.” He scanned her face. By the shadows under her eyes, he could tell she was tired and probably emotionally drained. “I don’t know what’s right or wrong at this point. I do know I never want to feel like I felt tonight when you walked out.” He paused and his brain finally caught up. “What did Judge Master’s say when you told him you’d take jail?”
“To suck it up Buttercup, this was marriage. We’ve crossed the point of no return. So unless we break the rules—”
“I won’t—even if I have to miss work and go with you—and I certainly won’t cheat on you.” He sighed and tightened his fingers in her hair. Never had he been more grateful to be holding a woman. They’d always been replaceable, an endless supply. Well, had been up until Toni. She had him rethinking—maybe it didn’t have to be that way.
“I don’t just fall in bed with men.” Hesitation clouded her gaze. “I never would have…last night…”
“I already know that about you.” He studied her a moment and knew if he wanted this, which he did, he couldn’t hold back with her. “I won’t survive a year of this, I told you that last night.”
She bowed her head and studied the floor, then lifted her gaze. “Me either, because despite this being out of the ordinary—tonight when I left everything felt wrong.” Her voice cracked and he knew for a woman of little tears that she was close to coming undone. He rested his forehead against hers and kept her body close to his.
Finally, her hands rested on his shoulders, about the same time a muffled sob escaped her lips. He lifted his head and released his hold on her hair so he could wipe the tears now falling down the soft skin of her cheeks. As soon as the water was gone he dropped his hold to her hips. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Her gaze met his. “I believe you.”
“Give us a chance, we might actually surprise ourselves.”
She nodded her head. “I can and want to.”
He finally had a small measure of relief and tried to inhale a full breath, but still couldn’t. “Please do me two favors.”
Skepticism etched across her pretty, but fatigued, features. “I can try.”
“Cancel your hair appointment tomorrow. Keep the pink.”
Her full lips tugged in an attempt to smile. “I can do that. What’s the second?”
Never had he ever been so vulnerable or risked rejection. “Come to bed with me.”
“I have to feed the kittens.”
He grinned, quite possibly like a fool. “I fed them an hour ago—and gave them a bit of milk.”
She tilted her head. “Seriously?”
“I went to get ice for the bourbon you bought me and they wrapped themselves around my legs so how could I deny them? You weren’t here and Vette meowed at me like she was dying. They’re so small.”
A small smile curled across her lips. “Are you saying you were manipulated by nine week old kittens?”
He couldn’t fight the chuckle that bubbled in his throat. “Pretty much. In my defense I think I was tag teamed, like in wrestling.”
Toni scanned his face as if searching for answers to unasked question. Her eyelids shut and Richard leaned in for a kiss, knowing she might reject him. His mouth covered hers and her hands slid from his shoulders and laced around his neck. Her lips parted and he nibbled her lower lips before slipping his tongue inside her mouth.
A soft sigh greeted his tongue as it entwined with hers and he tightened his hold on her. His groin started to ache as he grew hard for the woman in his arms. Toni’s reaction to him eased his mind and comforted his soul. Her kiss revealed she wanted or needed him just as much. His fingers curled around her hipbones and she moaned against his tongue. Again the emotional roller coaster of life had taken him on a ride, and he wasn’t letting her go—at least not tonight. Next October was almost a year away—right now his body ached to have her naked beneath him. He pulled his lips from hers and dropped his hands to his sides.
“Tonight you’re mine.”
After surprise flickered across her face and before she could resist, he captured her behind the knees and carried her to the bedroom. Instead of resistance, he managed to startle a giggle out of her and her arms tightened around his neck.
Thanksgiving day, Richard held Toni’s hand as they walked up to the front of his parent’s home. The cars that filled the drive indicated they were the last to arrive. They probably would have been here sooner but when Toni asked him to help with the zipper on her dress, instead of tugging the plastic closed—her dress came off. “I should have called my mother and told her I was sick.”
His wife smiled and cast a sideways glance. “Why would you do something as cr
azy as that?”
“Because, rather than being all dressed up and enduring all these people, I’d rather have ordered pizza, sat on the sofa with the kittens and watched cheesy eighties movies with you—alone.”
“Careful, you’re turning me on.”
He grinned. “I like you turned on.” He reached up and rang the bell. Then decided to try the door, sure enough it was unlocked. They stepped in the house as Erick greeted them.
“Nice of you two join us.” He turned to Toni. “Looking sexy as usual. If you ever get tired of Richard let me know,” he teased with a wink.
She smiled sweetly. “I don’t see it happening anytime soon, however it’s good to see you as big of a flirt as ever.”
Erick turned to his brother. “Your wife is hot and has great comebacks.”
Richard grinned. “That she does. So where is everyone?”
“They are on the patio out back. Toni’s mom is complaining to your mother about how her annual Christmas toy drive party is completely ruined. Apparently the event planner went skiing and broke her leg.”
A strange gargle groan escaped his wife’s mouth and he recognized the look of dread. “Wonderful—the drama didn’t wait, it started without us.” She shook her head. “I better go see if I can save the day.”
Erick chuckled and nodded. “I doubt it, when I left to answer the door I overheard that no great event planner will be able to take this so close to the date. Why don’t you go out back? Can I get you guys a drink?”
Toni turned to his brother. “Red wine please; and maybe bring the bottle.”
Richard grinned at his wife’s remark. “Thanks, I’ll have a scotch.” He then led Toni through the house out to the backyard.
“There’s my beautiful daughter and gorgeous son-in-law,” her mother greeted.
Piper rolled her eyes and snickered. “Hi guys.”
They walked over to the outdoor table where the family sat. Richard pulled a chair out for Toni and then pulled another one out and dropped down next to her.
