He had no idea, but since the idea distressed her he said, “Doubt it. People were more focused on the stage, and the room was dark.”
Scott saw the relief on Paige’s face. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t want anything to do with the auction either. My mom asked both my cousin and me to participate. We both tried hard to get out of it. I even offered to donate any dollar amount she wanted. In the end, I agreed because she hardly ever asks anything of me. Not to mention she is one stubborn individual.”
The breeze blew strands of Paige’s hair across her cheek, and she pushed them away, tucking them behind her ear. “Since you didn’t want anything to do with the auction either, we can skip the other three dates. It sounds like you’re busy and technically I didn’t do the bidding.”
Most of the women from the auction would be asking when they’d see him again, not offering to skip their remaining days together. It would make his life simpler if after tonight, they went their separate ways. He did enough travel for work without adding extra trips to Rhode Island to see her.
“If that’s what you want, Paige.” Unable to ignore the sudden desire to touch her, Scott reached across the table and took her hand. “But I’d like to see you again.” She intrigued him. He couldn’t explain why, but she did. At first he’d wanted to solve the mystery of her relationship to Michael Foster and Foster Oil. Now, he just wanted to learn more about her.
If he hadn’t been watching her, he would’ve missed the slight rise of her eyebrows.
“I’d like that too.” She smiled before she took a sip of her champagne. “Now, it’s really your turn to share. Tell me all about you and your family.”
The audience gathered outside grew quiet, a silent signal the performance was about to start. From inside the pavilion a gentleman began his welcoming speech.
“Saved by the orchestra,” she said.
“Don’t worry, I’ll bore you with all my family secrets later.”
***
When Scott said they’d watch the fireworks from his rooftop, she hadn’t expected the rooftop to look like this. Add four walls and a ceiling and you’d have a furnished room perfect for entertaining. Evidently, Scott enjoyed being comfortable while he took in the ocean view. A view she found better than the one at the restaurant, and she hadn’t thought anything could top the one there.
While she waited for Scott to rejoin her, Paige walked the rooftop perimeter, their conversation at the hotel still fresh in her head. She’d given him an out. It’d only seemed fair since neither of them had wanted to participate in the auction. She’d expected him to take it. Instead, he left the decision up to her and said he’d like to see her again. This morning she would’ve accepted her chance to escape and wished Scott well. After spending several hours in his company, she was less willing to give up her time with him.
No doubt about it, Scott and she lived in different worlds. She didn’t need to look any further than the house around her to confirm it. Even so, except for the whole opening the car door thing and pulling out her chair, he never once acted much different than other men she dated. And she couldn’t ignore the physical effect he had on her. The simple feel of his hand on hers had her body responding in ways it hadn’t in a while. What would happen if he kissed her? Not the polite kiss they’d shared on stage, but a real kiss filled with desire and passion.
It might be better if she didn’t find out.
“If I’d known you loved chocolate so much I would’ve ordered a different dessert.” Scott walked outside carrying a tray. He’d ditched his suit jacket as well as his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. Much like his face and hands, his forearms were tanned. “Next time I’ll know better.”
She eyed the fruit-covered dessert he set down, glad she hadn’t had anything but her meal at dinner. “Honestly, I like anything sweet. Chocolate is just my biggest weakness.”
“Mine’s pie. Cakes and cookies are good, but I cannot resist pie.” He held out a mug. “I made coffee. If you prefer tea, I can make it instead.”
“This is great.” She added cream and sugar before taking a sip. “So what’s your favorite kind?” She’d always preferred baking to cooking, probably because she loved sweets so much.
Scott skipped adding anything to his coffee and took a sip. “Depends. In the fall, I’d kill for a good pumpkin pie. During the winter I prefer key lime. No idea why. In the summer it’s got to be something with berries. But really I’ll eat anything with the word pie attached to it except for strawberry rhubarb. Rhubarb does not belong anywhere near a pie. Or anything else.”
“I agree.” She nodded toward the dessert plate he held toward her. “What exactly is this? It looks amazing.”
“The bakery said it was a fruit tart with vanilla mascarpone. I’ve never had it, but it looked good, so I ordered it.”
While he explained, Paige took a bite, the fresh blueberries, strawberries, and kiwis exploding in her mouth. Not only was the guy gorgeous but he also had great taste in dessert. “Mmm. This is delicious.”
“Better than a slice of chocolate cake?” Scott raised a forkful to his mouth.
“Let’s not go crazy here.” She gave him a smile as she scooped up another forkful. Tonight was turning out so much better than she’d expected.
A loud explosion disturbed the quiet atmosphere. Paige turned as the sky filled with purple. She took another bite of dessert and watched as more fireworks exploded, changing the view into a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Distracted by the show, Paige didn’t notice Scott had moved until he put his arm around her shoulders. The feel of his bare forearm against her skin set off internal fireworks matching those up above.
Neither spoke as one volley after another exploded, each display unique and beautiful.
Twenty-five minutes later, Scott still had his arm around her as the final colors faded from the sky, leaving behind gray wisps of smoke. “You were right. Those were some of the best fireworks I’ve seen.”
“Glad you enjoyed it.” Scott set down the coffee mug he’d been holding next to hers. Then he turned and encircled her waist loosely with both his arms. “I know it annoyed you, but I’m glad your aunt took things into her own hands at the auction. I’ve enjoyed our time together tonight.”
“Me too.” She’d never tell Aunt Bebe though. It might encourage her to do similar things in the future. And once was enough, thank you.
She watched his lips form the sexiest smile she’d ever seen. With a smile like that he probably had women falling all over themselves to get up close and personal. Before she could really enjoy it, he lowered his head toward hers.
Anticipation took off, sending heat to her belly and her pulse into overdrive. Anyone who had a smile like his knew how to kiss a woman.
Firm lips covered hers, and she closed her eyes as the heat inside her built.
Scott slipped a hand under her hair and changed the angle of his mouth over hers. She didn’t wait for him to make the next move. Instead, she put her arms over his shoulders and stepped closer, not stopping until her breasts pressed against his chest.
The hand under her hair slid down her neck and across the bare skin revealed by her dress before finally settling on the small of her back. Then, much to her disappointment, he pulled his lips away. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be in England. Hopefully it won’t be too long this time. When I get back, I’ll call you, and we can work out another time to see each other.”
“Looking forward to it.” She placed her lips against his this time, because just one kiss from him wasn’t enough.
***
“You made it.” His cousin Callie spotted him first when he walked outside. “Dylan went in to get James. He’ll be out in a minute.” Perhaps one of the friendliest people he knew, she gave him a hug before he had a chance to reply. “We missed you yesterday.”
“Maybe she missed you. I didn’t even notice you weren’t here,” Jake said, walking by with his son, Garret, in his ar
ms.
“You weren’t here?” Trent asked, adding his two cents to the conversation.
When it came to his cousins, there were two things he could count on: them giving each other a hard time, and always having each other’s back no matter what.
Callie handed him a glass of ice tea before refilling her own glass. “Ignore them. They like to hear themselves talk.”
From across the table Jake tossed a balled-up napkin at his sister. Callie easily dodged it and kept on talking. “How were the fireworks last night? Dylan mentioned you were taking your date from the auction there.”
“Wish I’d seen you and Derek up on stage. Addie didn’t record it for me,” Trent said.
He’d wondered if any of his family members had recorded it for the sole purpose of embarrassing him.
“We should check with Courtney. I bet she did,” Jake said.
Yeah, if anyone had it would’ve been his younger sister.
“Leave Scott alone, you guys. The whole thing was for a good cause,” Callie said with annoyance.
“Did you unravel the mystery surrounding your date?” Dylan and his half brother Chase walked outside together. The two men resembled each other so much Chase could’ve been a younger version of Dylan. The only real difference between them was their eyes. While Dylan’s were gray like his mother’s, Chase’s were brown like their father’s.
“You didn’t tell me about any mystery, Dylan,” Callie said. “Do share.”
All eyes turned in his direction. Even James seemed to turn and look at him from his father’s arms. “Not much to share. Her grandfather is Michael Foster.” Despite the hours they’d spent together, he’d never really gotten his curiosity satisfied.
“Dominique Wakefield bought you?” Jake asked, referring to Paige’s cousin, a woman well-known in society. Apparently, his cousin hadn’t seen the pictures of him and Paige at the auction on the web, because no one would ever confuse the two women. They looked nothing alike.
Trent gave a low whistle. “Ouch. Man, I’m sorry.”
“He’s got another granddaughter. Paige Foster. She went to the auction with Bebe Fleming.”
“Didn’t know Foster had a son. Wonder if Mom and Dad do.” Over the years, Jake had spent a lot of time at his parents’ ranch in Texas. If anyone outside the Foster family would know of Paige’s father, it would be him.
“And that’s the mystery. We didn’t get into it.” Next time, Scott hoped he got it solved.
Chapter 6
Scott dropped his briefcase and suit jacket on the desk before stripping off his tie. The previous day he’d gone straight from the airport to a meeting. Then today he’d spent all day in meetings before having an early dinner with a few business associates. Judging by the amount he’d accomplished so far, he assumed he had at least one more full day in London. While he loved the city, he’d spent so much time traveling lately he could no longer stand sleeping in a hotel room. He wanted his own bed located in his own bedroom.
Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, he considered his options. He could call it a night and order a snack, or he could change and head back out. The associates he’d had dinner with had invited him to join them for drinks later tonight. He’d told them he’d think about it, but he didn’t feel much like going out again and being social.
As he passed through the living room area toward the bedroom, he took the room service menu with him. Maybe tomorrow he’d go out. Perhaps he’d even call a few friends he had living in London and see if they wanted to get together. His friend Peter especially was always up for a night out. Tonight he’d order room service and forget the rest of the world existed. He didn’t bother to look over the appetizers or the entrees listed. Instead, he skipped straight to the desserts. At the moment he wasn’t in the mood for anything healthy.
He looked over his options while unbuttoning his shirt, immediately noticing there wasn’t chocolate cake or anything even containing chocolate available. If she were there, Paige would be devastated.
She’d occupied his thoughts a lot since he’d dropped her off Saturday night, which probably explained why tonight he noticed something he never would’ve picked up on before.
How did she spend her nights? She seemed like the type of person to have a lot of friends. Did she go out with them after work? Or did she work nights? She’d told him where she worked but hadn’t gone into details. A hospital had nurses on 24-7. She could work any shift. Perhaps she had her afternoons free and spent her nights at the hospital. Next time they talked, he’d have to ask. If she worked nights, it would make seeing her more difficult, especially if she worked most weekends too.
Scott checked his watch. It was three o’clock in Providence. He’d planned to call her when he returned to New York. Tonight he didn’t feel like waiting until then. What were the chances she’d be free to talk if he called now?
Before he did anything else, he changed into shorts and ordered room service.
He could’ve dialed her number without pulling up Paige in his contact list. Although she’d only said it to him once, he’d always been great at remembering numbers. So much so that if not for the convenience it provided, he wouldn’t bother adding his friends and family to his contact list.
The phone rang several times before Paige answered. “Hi, Scott.” He heard a lot of noise in the background and wondered where she was. “Are you back in New York?” she asked before he got a hello in.
Understandable question, since he’d promised to call when he returned. “No, still in London. I’ll probably be here at least another day or two.”
“Oh?” He heard the unasked question in her voice. “I hope everything is going okay out there.”
He’d spent enough of his day on business matters. Right now he wanted to concentrate on other things. “Exactly as I expected. Spent the day in meetings, got back to my suite, ordered some dessert, and thought of you. Didn’t think you’d mind if I called, but if you’re busy I’ll let you go.”
“No, I can talk for a little while. I’m on my dinner break. What did you order for dessert?”
Scott smiled. She’d admitted she had a sweet tooth.
“No wait, let me guess, blueberry pie,” she said before he answered. “Or don’t they make that in England?”
She’d remembered not only that pie was his favorite, but also that he preferred one with berries in the summer. No wonder he liked her so much already.
“They do, but since it wasn’t an option I ordered Eton Mess. It’s a traditional desert here.”
“Never heard of it and I’m a little afraid to ask what’s in it. I’m guessing there’s no chocolate.”
“No chocolate. Usually it’s a mixture of strawberries, meringue, and cream. None of the desserts on the menu contained chocolate.”
Paige’s gasp came through the phone. “Unacceptable. Where are you staying? I want to make sure I never stay there if I visit London again.”
“The Sherbrooke at Kensington Court. Don’t worry, there are plenty of other places where you can indulge in chocolate. I can make you a list of some of the best ones.”
“Please do.”
“Assuming everything goes the way I anticipate, I’ll be home no later than Friday. Are you free this weekend?” He had no ideas for what they’d do, but he wanted to see her again soon, and not because he wanted to get their required dates done and over with.
“Sorry, not this weekend. I’m covering for a coworker. But the following Saturday and Sunday I’m not busy.”
Even if he could guarantee some problem wouldn’t send him halfway around the world next week, he didn’t want to wait so long before he saw Paige again. Looked like he didn’t have a choice. “Next weekend it is. Anything special you’d like to do then?”
“Can I get back to you on that? I really need to head back upstairs.”
Either he’d caught her at the end of her dinner break, or it’d been a really short one. “Sure. How about I call you this w
eekend?”
“I’m working seven to seven both days, so anytime afterward is good.”
Knuckles tapped against his door, followed by a voice. “Room service.”
Scott stood and went to the door. “Will do. Have a nice night.”
“Thanks, you too. And enjoy your dessert.”
As she stood, Paige stuck her smartphone back inside her purse, this time remembering to use the front pocket. She’d thought of Scott off and on since Saturday night. In fact when her phone rang she’d been thinking about the kiss they’d shared on his rooftop. It had reminded her of a scene from a movie. The gorgeous man, the beautiful setting, and the crashing waves off in the distance had all added magic to their kiss. A kiss she’d replayed over and over in her mind, and one she’d love to repeat in person.
When she’d pulled out her phone, she’d expected to see a friend’s or Aunt Bebe’s name on the screen, not his. He’d promised to call when he returned from England. While he’d never said exactly how long he’d be there, she’d assumed it would be at least for the week. The fact he remained in London yet had called, confused her. When he told her that, she hadn’t known the best way to reply so instead she’d asked him about work. Work always seemed like a safe topic to discuss. Then when he’d said he was thinking of her, she found herself silently saying thank you that she was already sitting down because otherwise, she might have fallen down from the shock.
Now as she walked toward the elevators, she teased apart other segments of their conversation. He’d wanted to see her this weekend. Sure, they’d agreed to fulfill the remaining three dates Aunt Bebe had purchased, but no one had said how close together they needed to be. If she’d done a lot of traveling recently like Scott had, she’d want to spend as much time at home as possible once returning. Of course, some people liked to travel. Aunt Bebe spent weeks at a time flying from one place to another simply because she enjoyed it. He might find the same enjoyment in travel.
Falling For the Billionaire Page 7
