by Taylor Lee
She squeezed her eyes shut and made the water hotter, trying to burn the hateful images out of her mind. Her only saving grace was that she would never see that odious man again, never hear his taunting laugh or see his sexy grin. With a louder groan, she loosened her soaking braid and let her hair fall over her shoulders, down her back. Maybe if she scrubbed herself hard enough, soaped her hair long enough, she could wash away the haunting images that made her cheeks flame, her stomach clench, and her body tremble.
~~~
Ana stood at the top of the curving staircase, willing herself to go down. The sound of lively chatter, the clink of glasses and soft music spoke to the festive event below, the event she dreaded attending. Ana hated parties — especially her aunt’s parties. All of her aunt’s pretentious friends bored her to death, in particular the wealthy, eligible men her aunt foisted on her.
Ana would have refused to attend, except that her father had requested her presence. She loved her father more than anyone in the world. The only one even close was Kai, her brother. Kai disliked their aunt as much as Ana did. They both despised the way she thought she could take the place of their mother, Sarah, who died twelve years before, when Ana was eight and Kai was twelve. Aunt Penelope, or Aunt Persnickety, as Ana and Kai called her behind her back, was white, like their mother. When their mother died, Aunt Penelope insisted that she become part of Chao Li’s household, as she said, to bring a more “civilized” sheen to it. Her reference was a thinly veiled slur against her Chinese brother-in-law. While she was embarrassed that her niece and nephew were half-Chinese, the fact that her brother-in-law was one of the wealthiest men in California, some said the country, lessened her embarrassment somewhat. Aunt Persnickety never mentioned that before her sister Sarah died she had been banished from her Boston society family for committing the sin of marrying a Chink — as Penelope often referred to Chinese when she wasn’t calling them the ‘yellow people.’ Chao Li was so devastated by the untimely death of his beloved wife, so deep in grief, he had accepted his sister-in-law’s insinuation into their lives. Now, after twelve long years, Chao, Ana, and Kai did their best to tolerate the intolerable woman.
Her aunt had been in a frantic buzz for more than a week preparing for the impending arrival of Chao Li’s guest. For once, Chao had done something right in Penelope’s eyes. According to Penelope, Chao’s guest was the son of one of the most powerful men in the U.S. Senate, and a member of Boston’s elite. When she heard he was coming to visit, Penelope insisted that they have a special dinner party to show him off. As always, Ana paid no attention to her aunt’s fluttering preparations. She would have skipped the party, making up one of her typical excuses, except that her father specifically asked her to attend.
Knowing how much Ana hated such events, Chao rarely insisted on her presence. But tonight was important to him, so important he bribed Ana with a beautiful gown. Given that Ana hated wearing dresses, insisting that pants and a shirt were more comfortable, Chao Li gave her an unusual gown she couldn’t resist. It was bright red satin, shot through with gold and silver threads. Certainly not the kind of gown her aunt wore or wanted Ana to wear. It was an avant-garde creation that Ana loved the first time she saw it.
Some of the most innovative designers in Paris were moving away from the overdressed, multi-layered costumes and restrictive underwear that women wore for the last century. The gown Chao gave Ana was at the foremost edge of current fashion. A slender slip of a gown, the bodice came to a low V revealing the top swell of her breasts. Knowing that her aunt thought calling attention to one’s bosom was déclassé, for once Ana was pleased that her bosoms were as full as they were and that the gown showed them off. As much as Penelope hated the dress, she was mortified that Ana refused to wear a corset, in fact was adamant that the most she would wear was a light chemise.
As she dressed for the party, Ana struggled with the gown. The slim skirt made it difficult to move freely, unlike the trousers she wore on a daily basis. Frustrated, she called for Jing, her personal maid, to help her. To Jing’s dismay, Ana insisted that Jing open one of the seams up the front of the dress. Jing didn’t hide her shock. “No, no, mistress. You cannot do that. The madam will be angry. You cannot go to the party with a hole in your dress!”
“Not a hole, silly! Just a slit. Up the front so that I can walk, not shuffle along like an old woman,” Ana exclaimed, handing the scissors to a reluctant Jing.
An hour later, Ana stood in front of the mirror, delighted by what she saw. Jing had made an outrageous slit up the front of the dress. It offered a glimpse of Ana’s sensational legs when she walked. To taunt her aunt further, Ana chose a pair of red satin high-heeled slippers Kai had brought her from New York, claiming they were the height of fashion. The three-inch heels accentuated her ankles and toned calves, neither of which proper young women ever revealed, according to her aunt. Twirling once more, Ana laughed out loud at her image in the mirror. If this gown didn’t convince her aunt it was preferable to let her wear trousers, she didn’t know what would.
Chapter 4
Ana hesitated at the top of the stairs. She didn’t care if her aunt was furious. She secretly hoped she would be. Maybe she’d stop inviting her to these damn parties. But Ana didn’t want to upset her father. Taking a deep breath, she started down the stairs. Thanks to the slit up the front of the dress, she moved easily from one step to the next and by the time she reached the bottom, she was confident she had done the right thing altering her dress. For the first time, she didn’t dread a party. If nothing else, it helped take her mind off the awful incident in the barn, almost making her forget the despicable man who’d upset her and challenged her as no one ever had. She stood in the doorway for a moment surveying the anteroom leading to the formal dining room.
The well-designed chamber easily accommodated the thirty guests invited to the dinner party. Chao Li’s villa was astonishing, renowned in all of California for its opulence and extraordinary beauty. Invitations to the complex were treasured by influential wealthy Californians. Most of the parties and events were instigated by Penelope as Chao Li preferred smaller private gatherings. But tonight, Ana had to admit the room was lovely. Gas-fired sconces provided a pleasant glow and the string quartet housed discreetly behind tapestry screens filled the room with tasteful music. Elegant silverware, priceless china, and sparkling glassware decorated each place setting. Bouquets of wildflowers placed strategically throughout the room added riotous color and subtle fragrances. Liveried servants and maids stood at the ready to serve the copious amounts of food and drink that her aunt thought necessary to underscore their wealth. Just one more thing that annoyed Ana about the pretentious woman she was saddled with. As usual, everything that her aunt controlled was perfect. Too bad she cannot control me, Ana thought with a satisfied grin.
Ana spotted her brother across the room. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her, then a slow grin replaced his usual frown. He winked at her, confirming that her dress was sure to do what she hoped it would: annoy the hell out of their aunt. They exchanged a long suffering glance, confirming their camaraderie and deep distaste for the affair. She smiled to herself, knowing that his disgruntled expression would no doubt be reflected on her face the minute she had to speak with her aunt — or any of the potential suitors the interfering biddy invited to torment her. Fortunately, Penelope was engaged with a group of men at the far end of the room. Even at that distance, her shrill hyena-like laugh sent unwelcome shivers up Ana’s spine. At that moment, she spied her father and her negativity evaporated. She loved her father and the look on his face when he saw her was nothing short of adoring. He put up his hand, halting the conversation with San Francisco’s leading banker and moved toward his beloved daughter. His movement caused a stir in the room, as most of the guests turned to the doorway to see who had captured their illustrious host’s attention.
He strode toward her, his hands outstretched. His greeting echoed across the now quiet room.
> “Ah, yes, finally, my lovely daughter has arrived.”
The guests parted, leaving a path between father and daughter allowing Chao Li to reach Ana and draw her into the room. His glowing smile as he turned to the guests underscored the love and pride shining in his eyes.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Ana Ming, my daughter.”
A smattering of applause greeted his introduction. Ana felt her cheeks heat, embarrassed by the attention. Knowing how proud her father was of her and loving him deeply, she forgave him the unwelcome attention. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, then turned shyly to the guests who were crowding closer to see her. She felt a little like a circus animal on display. Her well-earned reputation for skipping out on most formal events made her a curiosity, and the guests pressed forward to be the first to greet her. Her father draped a protective arm around her shoulders and led her into the room. Without being asked, Kai joined them, shoring up her other side.
Just when she had convinced herself that she could indeed do this, she saw him and the room swirled before her. Clutching Kai’s arm, she took deep breaths to keep from falling. Dismay closer to despair flooded her. This couldn’t be. It simply could not be. But there he was, standing next to her aunt, resplendent in formal attire, looking for all the world like a gentleman. His slim black trousers hugged his strong thighs, underscoring his lean, strong physique. A silver and dark grey vest accented his cutaway coat. A complimentary ascot with flecks of emerald green mirrored the deep forest green of his astonishing eyes. His hair hung in careless curls around his suntanned face, a fashionable rogue prepared to steal the heart of every woman in the room, young and old. Except that he wasn’t looking at any other woman; he was staring at her. When their eyes met, a slight ironic smile twisted his lips, and the now familiar twinkle in his eyes made Ana’s groin clench.
~~~
Gabe saw her before she saw him. Only years of high-level poker playing allowed him to keep his expression impassive when the earthquake-level shock that he felt could have, and should have, brought him to his knees. It wasn’t the fact that she was Chao’s daughter. Or even the fact that he’d propositioned her in the barn minutes after fucking one of her maids. Or that he’d threatened to spank her, and tie her up while he fucked her. No, any one of those things should have been the reason shocked tremors roiled his gut. But they weren’t. The reason he needed every ounce of detachment years of playing poker had drilled into him, was because she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
She was clearly Chinese, but the angels that created her had stirred up an exotic racial mix that was more exquisite than either race on its own. Her skin was pale and delicate, and a natural rosiness flushed her cheeks. Her lustrous hair hung down her back in a silken black cascade. Thick dark lashes and arched brows framed her wide upturned eyes. He almost wept, looking at her mouth. How the hell could he have missed those lips? Christ, if he’d stopped teasing her long enough to look beneath the dirt, he might have done what he ached to do now. Take one, then the other of those full sensuous lips, and suck on them as he drove his tongue deep inside her mouth.
Her body was a treasure trove of hills and valleys. Her lush breasts swelled over the top of her dress, promising more riches hiding beneath the shimmering red satin. And God, those curvy hips and the ass he had already admired had his erection beating at his trouser flap. She was taller than he remembered, until he realized that her shoes added several inches to her height. It was then that he appreciated her dress. Damn, in all the fashionable salons in Europe, he had never seen a dress with… with a fucking slit up the front! A slit that revealed slim, toned legs he would kill to spread apart. And hell, those bright red high-heeled slippers were as outrageous as her dress. The harsh gasp from the annoying woman who had attached herself to him from the moment he arrived indicated she was as surprised by the shocking ensemble as he was.
Seeing the horrified look on Ana’s face when she recognized him, Gabe almost laughed out loud. Shoving aside the urge to charge across the room and capture her in his arms, he gave her a slight bow and didn’t hide his grin. When she flushed and stumbled back, the tall young Chinese man hovering next to her frowned and tightened his protective grip on her elbow. Ah, hell, a jealous suitor, Gabe thought when the hostile young man followed Ana’s glance and saw Gabe. His frown turned to a ferocious scowl when Gabe flicked his wrist in a challenging salute.
At that moment, Chao Li also saw Gabe. A wide smile lit his normally stern face as Chao moved toward him, his reluctant daughter in tow. Amused by the identical scowls on Ana’s face and that of her fierce suitor, Gabe stepped forward, an aggressive move matched by the glowering young man.
Unaware of the drama unfolding beside him, Chao Li bowed to Gabe and said in a voice rich with pride, “Ah, Gabriel, I want you to meet my daughter, Ana Ming, and my son, Kai Quan. Ana, Kai, this is my friend and business partner, Gabriel McKenna.”
Gabe nodded to Kai, ignoring his deepening scowl, and turned to Ana. Holding her gaze, he bowed and at the same time reached for her hand. Ana’s eyes flashed an angry warning and she clamped her hand behind her back. Kai gave a low growl and moved several inches forward — only to be stopped by an angry hiss from the older woman now next to him.
All but forgotten by her family, Penelope had stepped into their midst, her pinched face marked by ugly red splotches. Ignoring the three men, she pounced on Ana. Grabbing Ana’s wrist she twisted it hard. Her voice was low, harsh.
“How dare you?” she hissed, the splotches on her face deepening to an ominous shade of purple.
Ana started, then snatched her arm back, rubbing at the marks left by her aunt’s fierce grip.
Tossing her head, Ana’s voice was bored, dismissive. “What have I done now to annoy you, Auntie?”
Massive tremors shook Penelope’s body. It was a wonder her scrawny body didn’t shake apart. She struggled to speak, then shoving her face inches away from Ana’s, she spit out, “How dare you come to my party dressed like this?”
Chao Li’s stern face hardened. His voice was low, careful. Nodding toward Gabe, he cautioned, “Penelope, we have guests.”
Penelope’s intense anger didn’t allow her to stand on protocol. Glaring first at Ana and then turning her rage on Chao, she sputtered. “Look at her! She… she cut up her dress, Chao. Cut up her dress to show off her body. Her bare legs! Don’t you care that she looks like a whore?”
Ana raised her chin and met her aunt’s glare, defiance radiating from every tense pore. “Really, Auntie, you are making a scene. I merely made it easier to walk in my dress. You know I dislike restrictions.”
Chao stepped between the furious woman and his errant daughter. Nodding over his shoulder at Ana, he said, “Yes, Penelope, I noticed that Ana altered her dress. I am confident she did it to ease her movements, not to annoy you, correct Ana?”
Ana gave a soft snort and a slight toss of her head. “Of course, Father. Why would I ever want to annoy Auntie?”
Her father frowned, his darkening gaze a warning that Ana promptly ignored with a thrust of her chin.
As much as he enjoyed the drama, Gabe saw that other guests were aware of the altercation. Attempting to help his host defuse the situation between the angry women, Gabe moved closer to Ana. Putting a light restraining hand on Ana’s arm, he turned to Penelope and said in a pleasant voice, “Actually, madam, your niece has unusual fashion sense, although I will grant you she is a little ahead of her time. Many of the European designers I meet in my travels are beginning to see the advantage of less restrictive clothing for women.”
Before her aunt could respond, Ana knocked Gabe’s hand off her arm and glared up at him. The nearness of him, the slight touch on her arm, scalded her sensitive nerve endings, ramping up sensations she thought she had buried in the barn. Her lips trembled and her dark eyes flashed ominously, but her voice was cool, with just a hint of the intense anger racking her. “This isn’t any of your
business, sir. What you have learned in your various exploits is of no interest to me, and certainly not pertinent to this family conversation.”
Chao reached out for her, his voice soft. “Ana, please, dear—”
Ana brushed aside her father’s plea, and turned to her brother, “Kai will you please bring me a glass of champagne?” Then thinking better of it, she stamped her foot and added, “Oh never mind, I’ll get it myself.” Glaring at her aunt, she added with a slight sneer, “Whores should be self–sufficient; don’t you agree, Auntie?” Throwing a piercing glare at Gabe, she added, “Or unscrupulous men might try to take advantage of them.”
She turned on her heel and strode across the room toward a servant balancing a large tray of wine glasses and a bottle of champagne. Kai trailed in her wake.
Penelope stood for a moment staring at her retreating niece, then whirled on Chao. “This is your fault, Chao. You and Sarah spoiled her from the minute she was born. I should have insisted she stay in Boston with me. I would have seen that she developed manners, and learned to act like a proper young lady, not a disgraceful hoyden or worse, a… a heathen. As it stands now, she is wild, unruly, unteachable!”
Seeming to remember her important guest, she made a visible effort to smooth her grim expression and turned to Gabe. “I regret that you were a party to this conversation, Mr. McKenna. I hope you understand that this is only the California branch of my family. The Boston branch is much more refined, more… pure.”
Plastering an artificial smile on her angry visage, she squared her thin shoulders like a general marching to battle and moved away, toward her other guests.
Gabe watched Ana snatch a glass of champagne from the startled servant. She tipped the glass up to her lips and drained it. Putting the empty glass back on the tray, she took another and moved next to Kai. Like bees to a honey pot, within seconds, her protective brother was joined by an onslaught of eligible young men — as well as some older, less eligible men. Soon the room was divided in two camps. One camp contained a bevy of twittering, gossiping women. The common element among them was their obvious disapproval of the stunning woman in red anchoring the other camp — a group of openly lusting men. Neither group seemed aware of the amusing picture they presented to an unaffiliated observer.
