by Danni Rose
"There's a chance he keeps the information on his computer."
"Without his passwords, we couldn't get into the system to search."
Beth looked lost in thought. Then she said, "Tomorrow evening there's a birthday party for my mother. The house will be full of guests, most will be business associates, and Archer will play lord of the manor. He'll have someone at the door to be certain no one goes into his office, but I can get into the room."
Jason frowned. "No, I don't want to risk Archer catching you digging through his files. He's more volatile than you know. In the business world, his temper is legendary."
"What if you do the search?"
He nodded. "An excellent idea. How do I get in his office?"
"I'll drive to the party, and you'll hide in the back seat. I'll park in the rear of the house, near the office. After I've been at the party for a while, I'll go to Archer's office and unlock the doors to the patio. You'll be able to get in and search. You let me know when you're done, and I'll go back to lock the doors. If nothing is disturbed, Archer won't know you were there."
"This could work." He scratched the back of his neck. "How did you come up with this plan so fast?"
"I've been thinking about it for a while."
"Why would you do that?"
"I know Archer has the information I need to find Daniel." She straightened her back. "The investigators may have given up, but I won't stop until I find him."
Jason rubbed a hand over her shoulders. "We have thirty-six hours until the party. Enough time to work out the details. Can you make a diagram of Archer's office?"
"Yes. I'll make one of the house too. In case something goes wrong."
They walked out to the hall. "While you do that, I have to finish my review of two proposals. Then we can discuss the details of the plan and you can help me memorize the diagram."
"All right. I want to change and sit by the pool while I draw. Let me know when you're ready to talk."
"This will work." Jason pulled her close and took her mouth in a heated kiss. He'd prefer to spend the day in bed with her legs wrapped around him, but he had to read through two contracts and get the changes back to his people today.
Jason's work took until lunch to finish. He looked out the patio doors expecting to see Beth by the pool, but she wasn't there. His heart hammered with a frantic beat. Had she taken his car again? He ran to the garage. As he raced past the living room, he glanced in and came to an abrupt stop. She sat on the floor with papers scattered around her.
She looked up and gave him a bright smile.
He rolled his shoulders and let out a shaky breath. Now certain he wanted to make a life with her, he worried she'd leave before he convinced her to give him another chance.
After lunch, they went to the study and sat on the sofa.
He chuckled. "That's a sweet shade of pink on your cheeks."
Her nose wrinkled, and his laughter filled the room. She pursed her lips while she handed him several sheets of paper. He looked at the drawing of her parents' house and Archer's office. With her help, he studied and memorized the layout of the rooms, especially the office.
"Will Archer get suspicious if I'm not at the party with you?"
"He'll strut all night proud that he intimidated you." She chuckled. "He'd never guess you were searching his office."
"I don't know if it's a good idea to let you go in there without me." Jason pulled her close and cupped her cheek. "Who'll discourage the men who try to sweep you off your feet?"
"They don't matter. Never have."
He kissed her long and hard. She grabbed his arms and hung on. When he leaned back to catch a breath, he said, "Don't want you to forget who's waiting for you."
"You're hard to forget." Beth tightened her arms around his neck and slid her lips over his chin. "There's been no other man since the day we met."
"Let's go upstairs." He ran his tongue in circles around her ear. "I want to feast on your luscious body."
She hummed with pleasure then followed him from the room. After several stops to kiss and tease each other, they made it to his bedroom.
Jason huffed. "Finally."
She laughed as he removed her shirt and the lace demi-bra.
"So beautiful." He cupped the soft-as-velvet mounds. "So perfect."
Jason blew a soft breath over her nipples and watched them tighten. Eager to press her skin against his, he wrestled with his shirt. At the sound of fabric ripping, he rolled his eyes while Beth laughed. He tossed the shirt aside and pulled her close.
He shifted her from side to side sliding her breasts over his chest. His eyes closed as he delighted in her silky softness. When she nipped at his lower lip, his eyes jerked open. He breathed in short, shaky gasps and fought to maintain his control. Beth deserved a slow, gentle loving, but if he didn't get them on the bed, he'd take her against the wall with a great deal of passion but little finesse.
Jason stepped back and grinned when she whimpered. He wanted nothing between them and unzipped her pants to push them to the floor along with her lace panties. His fingers were clumsy, but he pulled off the rest of his clothes.
As she stepped into his arms, her body rubbed against his, and he sucked in the air his lungs needed.
Her hands drifted over his shoulders, chest, and stomach until she reached his cock. With a coquettish tilt of her lips, she drew circles on the head of his shaft. A sexy smile on her face, she clasped his shaft then stroked up and down.
Beth released her hold on him and crawled onto the bed. When she leaned back on her elbows and spread her legs wide, he grinned. He had no intention of denying the invitation.
Jason knelt between her legs and let his hands skate over her thighs until he reached her mound. His thumb circled her slit, and her head dropped back. He spread her cream and dipped his fingers into her. She dropped back and lifted her hips.
"Oh, yes." She rolled her head.
"Don't move. Let me do the work." Jason pressed his palm against her mound, and her moans got louder. He pressed the palm of his hand against her clit, and she squirmed.
"Don't make me wait."
"I want to take my time and make slow, gentle love to you."
"But it feels so good." Beth squirmed. "Go slow next time."
He slid his cream-coated fingers out of her warmth and gripped his shaft. After he spread her juice over it, he stared into Beth's eyes as he stroked himself. Then she licked her lips, and his control snapped.
Jason shifted his hips and plunged his slick cock into her heat. She moaned each time her mound rubbed against his pelvis. On his next stroke, he plunged so deep into her channel that his balls slapped against her skin.
Worried, he asked, "Am I hurting—?"
"Don't—stop."
He established a rhythm—thrust, retreat, do it again. When he fondled her breasts, her moans got louder as her body reached for orgasm. When he tweaked her nipples, she arched her back and climaxed. Her pussy clamped around his erection, and his hips bucked. He slammed into her, once, twice, three times and groaned as he came.
It was late the next morning when Jason woke. Beth still slept. They'd made love throughout the night. The sky had begun to lighten when, too tired to do more than wrap their arms around each other, they'd fallen asleep.
Jason propped his head on one arm and looked down at Beth. The time he'd spent with her breathed new life into his dreams for a wife and children. He'd be a fool to throw away this gift. Jason had been called many things, but fool was not one of them.
He brushed a strand of hair off her face. Could she love him again? She couldn't have lost herself in his arms if she didn't care for him, but did she want to spend her life with him? He could never settle for marrying for Daniel's sake. It would never be enough for him. He wanted everything. He wanted love.
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning." He smiled.
She moved to roll into his arms but whimpered.
"What's
wrong?"
Her cheeks glowed a bright red, and she stared at his chest. "I'm a little—sore."
"It's my fault. I couldn't get enough of you, and now you're paying for my exuberance."
"I wanted you too." She grinned. "You weren't in bed alone."
"For that, I thank you." He laughed and brushed his thumb over her lips. "You said I was your only lover, but what about your husband?"
"I told you he was sterile."
Jason nodded.
"He was also impotent."
"Did your father know about Jacob's issues when he arranged your marriage?"
"Yes, but he wanted his company and used me to get it. Jacob accepted Archer's offer because he wanted a wife. He'd been engaged, but his fiancée broke their engagement after he told her about his condition. He lived with his shame for years. I told him it didn't matter, but he never believed me."
"You cared about him?"
"I did. Even though we married for other reasons, he loved me in his own way and treated me with more respect than my father ever did." She shook her head. "He didn't deserve what Archer did to him."
"Neither did you." He kissed her. "While I'm taking a shower, I'll fill the whirlpool bath. A long soak will relieve the soreness."
"That would be wonderful."
"Before I phone the office, I'll ask Lupita to make breakfast. My call shouldn't last more than an hour. Will that be enough time?"
"If I soak any longer, I'll look like a prune."
"On your worst day, you couldn't be anything but beautiful."
Jason stole one last kiss. He showered and dressed, but the whole time he planned his strategy to win the most important prize of his life—Beth.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Beth and Jason discussed their plans. He memorized the layout of her parents' home. They shared ideas about where Archer kept his files other than in the cabinets. Beth worried that the information they wanted would be in the computer.
"If you want to get into his computer, I am sure you will need a password." Beth gave Jason a list of birthdays and anniversaries. "He might have used one of these, or a combination of them, as his password."
But they both knew the chance of Jason accessing Archer's electronic files was slim to none.
After lunch, Marco drove Beth to her home to get a gown for the party. The bedroom looked as though her closet exploded by the time she narrowed her choice to four. When she got back to Jason's house, she tried to nap but was too nervous to sleep.
By the time she dressed for the party, Beth's stomach ached. She wore the white silk, a Grecian-style gown that left her right shoulder bare. She arranged her hair in a loose upsweep of curls that draped over her bare shoulder. With a fond smile for her grandmother, she wore the pearl and diamond earrings Nana had given her for her eighteenth birthday. To complete the outfit, she wore a pair of strappy shoes with four-inch heels.
She looked in the mirror and smiled, but it disappeared a moment later. No matter how she looked, Archer found something to criticize. She took a deep breath, picked up her pearl beaded evening bag, the gift-wrapped box, and left her room.
When Beth reached the top of the stairs, she saw Jason pacing in the hall. As she walked down the stairs, her shoes clicked on the floor. Jason turned and watched her. She stopped on the last stair to smooth the skirt of her dress before she checked his reaction.
Jason's gaze slid over her, soft and warm, like a summer breeze. Beth took the hand he held out as she stepped off the bottom stair. With a twirl of his hand, he turned her in a circle.
She laughed in delight. "Don't you think the cast adds a certain flair to the outfit?"
"Think? Who can think? You're breathtaking." He frowned. "You'll turn heads at the party, and I won't be able to warn your admirers to keep their distance."
She kissed his cheek. "You're such a sweet-talker."
Beth stepped back and crossed her arms. He wore black jeans that hugged his long legs with a black tee shirt that showcased his chest and stomach. "You could play the handsome thief in that movie I watched the other day."
"Well, I try to dress appropriately for all occasions." He frowned. "Are you sure you don't want to eat before we leave?"
"No, I'm too nervous. If I get hungry, I'll have hors d'oeuvres at the party."
"Our plan will work." He squeezed her hand. "Archer will play the loving husband and gracious host, and nothing will pull him from the spotlight. It's the perfect time to search."
She squeezed his hand. "Promise you'll be careful. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
"I'll be fine." He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "Let's go to a birthday party."
Beth drove Jason's car while he sat on the floor behind her seat. Her hands grasped the steering wheel. "Remember, I'll turn the lights on when I go into the office and unlock the patio doors after the butler leaves. I'll forget my purse in Archer's office so I can go back and lock them. Don't forget to send me a text message when you get back to the car. You've got to find the information we need. What will we do if Archer catches—?"
"Angel, breathe."
"But—"
"If I don't find Archer's files on the adoption, it might take longer to locate Daniel, but we won't give up our search until we have him home with us."
"I'm almost at the house. Slide down and hide under the blanket."
She pulled up to the gate. The guard recognized her and waved. Beth returned his wave and drove to the house.
"The valets are parking guests' cars at the side of the house. I'll go around behind the house." She parked the car. "No one else is back here. The car is outside the office doors. Be sure you're alone before you get out of the car and don't forget to send me a text."
A hand snaked over the seat and rubbed her shoulder. "Everything will be fine."
She heaved a sigh and got out of the car. On her walk to the front of the house, the butterflies in her stomach became dive bombers. At the door, she lifted her chin and rang the bell. The door swung open.
"Miss Elizabeth, it's good to see you." The butler welcomed her.
"Thank you. How's that adorable grandson of yours?"
"He's well, miss, thank you for asking."
Beth walked to the ballroom. She stopped at the entrance and looked around for her parents. They were across the room. Her father stood with a man who waved his hands and stabbed at Archer with his finger. He looked angry and desperate. Her mother watched the two men and looked uncomfortable. Is father trying to steal another company?
Beth crossed the room to her mother. Along the way, she stopped to chat with friends and acquaintances. She received several invitations to dance but refused with a polite no. Beth grinned when she heard whispered mumbles of Frost Queen, the nickname her disappointed suitors had given her. Their jaws drop if they knew how she'd melted in Jason's arms last night.
Deidre hugged her. "I am so glad you could join us. How are you?"
"Fine, but I'm eager to get this cast removed."
Archer turned his back on the angry man and glared. "How good of you to grace us with your presence."
"Father, it's lovely to see you, too." She turned and handed her mother a gift. "Happy birthday. I know it's a tradition to open your gifts after dinner, but will you open mine now?"
Archer sneered. "It would be inappropriate to open it now. Deidre will open it later along with her other gifts."
Her mother waved her hand. "Nonsense." She untied the ribbon around the small jewelry box and gasped when she lifted out the gold and diamond pendant of a mother holding a child. A tear fell from her eyes, but a wide smile lit her face.
Archer scolded, "Deidre, you're making a spectacle of yourself."
Her mother pulled her into a tight hug. "I love it. Help me put it on, will you?" Deidre held the pendant while Beth hooked the clasp and straightened the pendant.
Deidre clasped Beth's hands. "It is beautiful. Thank you."
Since her acciden
t, Beth felt closer to her mother than she had in years. When she was a young girl, her mother had tucked her into bed at night and told her stories. She'd become distant as Beth got older. But since the accident, they talked and enjoyed spending time together again.
"I'll talk to you later." She kissed her mother's cheek. "I want a glass of wine."
Beth waited for her drink aware that Archer watched her. He couldn't know of their plan. The bartender handed her a glass of wine, and she took a sip.
After taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she went to mingle and chat with the guests. Most of the people at the party were Archer's business associates, but a few guests were friends, like the mayor and other council members.
Ten minutes later she looked over to see her father once again in a heated discussion with the man he'd talked to earlier. She slipped away and went to his office. As she expected, a butler stood guard in front of the door. Beth forced a smile.
"Hello, Philip."
"Good evening, Miss Elizabeth."
"I've developed a dreadful headache. I need a few minutes of quiet and thought I'd go into the office."
"Would you like me to get you something for your pain?"
"No, thank you. I already took two aspirins."
He opened the door and turned on the lights. "I'll be sure you're not bothered."
"Thank you, Philip."
As soon as Philip closed the door, she set her purse behind a lamp and hurried to unlock the terrace doors. Then she went to the sofa and sat with her hands clenched tight. Her heart pounded a wild, erratic beat.
The patio door opened with a soft swish, and Jason slipped into the room. After he closed the door, he straightened the curtains and crossed to her.
He knelt in front of her. "How are you?"
She shrugged.
"Don't do that." He lifted her chin. "I know you don't want to be here, and Archer will be difficult, but you can do this."
"I've had years to learn to deal with Father." Beth put a hand over her heart. "It was Mother who surprised me. I gave her a birthday gift, and she cried. I haven't felt this close to her since I was a little girl."
"Your accident scared her. I think she regrets the strain in your relationship." Jason ran his thumb over her cheek. "You should get back out there. We don't want Archer to wonder where you've gone."
