She had awoken quite early as she was accustomed to doing when she was at home, to make breakfast for herself and Joshua and go to work. She had immediately gone to the kitchen to start her usual routine only to discover that his cupboards and refrigerator were empty. She had wasted no time in grabbing her purse and leaving the building in search of a grocery store and thank goodness she hadn’t searched far as she had found one a short distance from the building.
She shook her head sadly. So much for pretending that there was nothing abnormal about posing as the girlfriend of a ridiculously rich, not to mention gorgeous, hunk.
“I see you’re insistent on burning down the building”, Sebastian’s mildly irritated voice murmured from behind her, half an hour later, “in case I didn’t make it clear before, my kitchen is solely for decor purposes”.
She whirled slowly to face him, the reminder of his toned chest causing her pulses to race. She sighed in relief as she saw that he was fully clothed in an immaculate charcoal suit and white dress shirt that opened at the collar; his hair combed back neatly from his face. She preferred it wavy and sleep tousled, as it was a moment ago, she decided.
She smiled. “Not anymore”, she announced with more bravado than she felt.
He leaned casually against the door frame and quirked an eyebrow, “where did you get that”, he asked, indicating to the bacon and eggs she was scraping onto a plate.
“I went grocery shopping”, she intoned casually, “there wasn’t as much as a glass of milk in your refrigerator”.
“I know that”, he said looking none too pleased; “my father is hosting a small dinner party tonight. Be ready by seven”, he said turning to leave.
“Wait!” she said, moving towards him, “at least have some breakfast before you go”, she cajoled, giving him her most brilliant smile.
For some strange reason, she didn’t want him to leave just yet. She found that she wanted to know more about the man beneath his curt veneer.
His eyes narrowed speculatively, “alright”, he conceded and made his way to the breakfast bar and sat.
Suddenly she felt nervous, “do you want pancake and bacon and eggs or would you prefer toast. I could…”
“I’ll have the pancakes and bacon and eggs, thank you very much”, he said halting her tirade.
“OK”, she said preparing a plate and placing it before him. He stared at the plate a moment before scoping a forkful into his mouth. She tensed as he chewed, slowly.
“Not bad, not bad at all”, he said digging in and she relaxed a bit.
“Coffee or orange juice?”
“Coffee; lots of cream and a little sugar”, he said without looking up from his food.
She prepared his coffee as well as hers and went to join him. She should say something, she thought as they ate in silence. She couldn’t remember being this strung up in her entire life.
“I met this nice old lady this morning, well not very old. Her name’s Anne and she reminds me of my neighbor Meredith”, she began lamely, “Do you know her?” she asked and he shook his head, “she is kind of fat with short blond hair and the most lovely smile”, she continued, “you don’t know her?”
“No I don’t know her”, he said exasperatedly, sipping his coffee.
“Well, she works in the building”, Paige chattered on, “I didn’t remember to ask where and I promised to make her a chocolate cake”, she sulked as if it was the worst thing imaginable, “oh well, I’ll just have to ask the concierge, Jimmy, later”, she said, brightening, “what about you? Do you like chocolate cake?”she finished breathlessly.
“No!”
“Then what kind of pastries do you like?” she pressed.
“I have something to take care of at the office”, he said, standing suddenly.
“But it’s Sunday and you haven’t even finished your coffee”, she said indignantly, running to keep up with his long strides as he marched purposefully towards the door, “and there’s more pancake if you want some”.
He ignored her entirely as he hauled the door open and disappeared into the hallway. Stupid, stupid, stupid; she cursed herself. Why couldn’t she have spoken of the weather or politics, even football maybe? Instead she had run him off with her incessant prattling. So much for friendship, she thought miserably. She was lucky if he didn’t cancel their agreement altogether.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“WHAT CAN I GET FOR YOU TODAY, MR BRADLEY”, the beautiful, strawberry blond waitress inquired, smiling provocatively.
“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks”, he said, returning her flirtatious smile before she sauntered towards the bar; the hemline of her black skirt barely covering her thighs.
The Club was an elegant bar and lounge situated in Manhattan’s mainstream that predominantly catered to the affluent men of its environs. The deluxe leather couches arranged around oval glass tables were strewn across the glossy hardwood floors and the costly Michael Angelo paintings adorning the richly coated ivory and earthen-brown walls bespoke of a gracefulness that was second to none. The crescent shaped bar which was located in the far corner of the room was encircled with padded barstools and the ornate crystal liquor shelves, bejeweled with diamond accentuations. Though it was midday, the lounge had a semi-darkened ambiance that seemed to bolster its allure.
The waitress returned with a crystal decanter of scotch and poured a portion into a glass and left. He sighed, glancing at his watch; ten minutes past twelve, Brandon and Matthew were late, again. He, Matthew and Brandon had been friends since grade school and regardless of various mishaps, over the years, they had managed to maintain their friendship. They had been members of the Club long before they were old enough to and most of their tomfoolery had been associated, in one way or another, to the Club.
He grasped his iPad from his jacket pocket and resumed flipping through the morning papers. He glanced up just in time to see Roberta strolling towards him; her long silken black hair flowing down her back. She was adorned in a casual silk peach dress; her perfect features void of wrinkles, although he was certain she was at least ten years his senior.
“Hello Brad”, she murmured flirtatiously, sinking leisurely unto the loveseat before him, “may I join you”.
“I’m expecting company."
He had known Roberta since he was sixteen years old and they had been sharing each other’s bed, occasionally, ever since. A Mexican by birth, she ran away from her homeland to New York seventeen years ago to escape an abusive husband, thus the Moonlight Ladies Escort Agency had been formed.
“Did you enjoy my little parting gift?” she purred without preempt.
“She’s a bit modest for my taste, don’t you think?" he sipped his scotch, the bitter liquid tickling the back of his throat.
“She’s fairly new, I thought you might break her in”, she murmured suggestively, “we both know how skilled you are in that department”.
“You might miss her for awhile.” he said matter of factly, “In the meantime, you’ve never heard of her. Understood?”
She nodded, her brows knitting into a frown as she stared curiously at him but she knew better than to question Sebastian Bradley and she certainly had no intention of unleashing his wrath on herself. She shrugged suddenly; her air of seduction returning.
“All the better when she returns”, she murmured, “should I expect a visit this afternoon..?” she asked hopefully, changing the subject.
His lips curled with predatory satisfaction, “certainly”.
“I’ll be waiting…” she crooned before floating towards the exit.
He shifted impatiently in his seat, contemplating phoning the guys when he saw them strolling towards him.
“I’m sorry man”, Brandon said, he and Matthew occupying the loveseat Roberta had vacated moments before, “Apparently Matt and Sara are expecting and I was acting as Counselor for the morning or should I say referee”, he added sarcastically and Sebastian roared with laughter.
“Shut up God-
damn-it”, Matthew said through clenched teeth, “No one is expecting anything”.
“Would you like me to explain the concept of safe sex to you Matt?" Sebastian teased.
“If you must know I’ve never had sex without a condom since my first time when I was in the eighth grade”, Matthew said, irately.
“TMI, TMI”, Brandon pleaded, covering his ears.
They were silent as the waitress came and collected their orders and returned with their drinks shortly afterwards.
“I have a girlfriend”, Sebastian said suddenly, breaking the silence. He didn’t usually hide matters of such a nature from them but for a reason he could not define at that moment; he omitted the sordid details.
“Whose wife is she?” Brandon said sarcastically and it was Matthew’s turn to laugh, “Or mother, or rather, old enough to be someone’s mother?”
“She moved in this weekend”, Sebastian continued doggedly and Brandon choked on his drink while Matthew’s eyes widened in shock, “you’ll meet her tonight at my father’s dinner party”.
“Is it someone we know?” Brandon asked warily.
“I doubt it. She’s from Mount Vernon. I met her a month ago”, he said, selling the story he had concocted.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to move in with her”, Brandon said, his sky blue eyes stern, “and how is it, we’re hearing about her for the first time?"
“Says the guy who falls in love with every woman he sleeps with and falls out of it as quickly”, Sebastian’s lips twitched as he spoke, “Now tell me, who is the flavor of the week?”
As per usual Brandon fired to his own defense, “Hey, it’s not my fault I have a heart”.
Laughter erupted from Sebastian and Matthew, to which Brandon soon joined in.
“Don’t even bother to dodge the bullet”, Brandon warned Sebastian, “besides I’m yet to hear your protestation of undying love”.
Sebastian scoffed, “I’ll leave that sort of nonsense to you, thank you very much”.
“Wasn’t that Roberta we saw on the way in?" Matthew asked with wry amusement, “liaisons are a detriment to committed relationships”.
“Hot cougar…” Brandon intoned.
“Thank you for the heads up, baby daddy”, Sebastian said and Matthew’s lips pursed; all traces of laughter disappearing from his features.
The remainder of the afternoon traversed in much the same lighthearted manner, with the conversation diverting to politics, sports and other current issues that were of interest to all three men.
CHAPTER NINE
PAIGE CLEARED HER THROAT as she entered the living room and saw Sebastian staring despondently into the fireplace; a glass of brandy clutched in his hand. He looked up at the sound and his lips tugged into a smile. Her heart melted at the sight and for a moment she wished she could capture that smile and hold it in her heart forever.
“You look lovely”, he said, emptying the glass in one swallow and setting it aside.
“Thank you”, she blushed at the compliment.
She was wearing a knee length, Gucci, one shoulder, mint green silk dress with silver beaded accentuations at the waist and her hair was caught in a voluminous side bun at her nape. She had been surprised when he had phoned to inform her that a stylist would be up shortly to complete her hair and makeup but grateful as she doubted she would have been able to apply lip-gloss considering the nervous shaking of her hands.
“Let me help you with that”, he offered as she attempted positioning her woolen coat over her shoulders.
“Ok”
She held her breath as he took the garment form her lax fingers and opened it while she slid her bare arms into the warm fabric. He was so close she could smell the spicy scent of his cologne and feel the heat exuding his body; his nearness igniting a warm sensation between her thighs. His hands brushed the nape of her neck as he adjusted the collar of her coat and a delicious shiver ran through her body. She sighed wistfully as he stepped away from her and indicated for her to precede him. They were silent as they boarded the elevator down to the lobby and made their way to the waiting car and settled inside.
She wondered what his father and stepmother were like. She knew that his father was a multi-billionaire and that Sebastian had made his first billion years ago. Needless to say, they were a very rich lot. Would they snub her because they didn’t think she had enough money or family connections to be dating Sebastian or worst; acknowledge her for the imposter she was? She wrung her hands nervously. Why had she started this damnable charade in the first place? She wondered miserably.
“There is no need for you to be nervous”, Sebastian murmured, “if anyone makes you uncomfortable you don’t have to speak to them”.
“That’s kind of you to say”, her tense muscles relaxed a bit.
“I’m glad to be of service”, he responded with feigned diligence and she couldn’t resist laughing.
THE DINNER PARTY WAS WELL underway when they got there and all eyes were trained on them as they entered the opulent ballroom; the sparkling chandeliers highlighting the glamour of the attendees.
“Smile”, Sebastian encouraged; placing his hand at the small of her back as he led her through the throng of onlookers.
“Helen”, Sebastian murmured as a beautiful blonde woman came up to them and embraced him warmly and Paige held her breath.
So this was the famous Helen who had inspired him to instigate a fake relationship with an alleged escort from Mount Vernon, Paige mused. It was evident that they shared a close bond in the way Sebastian’s face softened as they greeted each other.
“Paige”, Helen exclaimed, grasping both Paige’s hands, “I’m so glad Sebastian has finally decided to share you with us”.
“So am I”, Paige responded on a sigh, her stiff posture relaxing somewhat.
“I’m so sorry but I have to attend to some guests”, Helen murmured apologetically, “I’ll see you later. Oh and red is definitely your color”.
“What did she mean by that?” Paige inquired as soon as she was out of earshot.
“Your hair was brown the last time she saw you. Remember?" Sebastian responded, frowning.
“Oh…that”, she laughed nervously, “I was…wearing a wig”.
What the hell was wrong with her? If she wasn’t careful she would get caught in a trap of her own devise.
“I figured as much”, Sebastian said dismissively, “let’s go say hello to my friends”.
He led her to a far corner of the room where a tall, lean blond man was conversing with another of chocolate complexion and about Sebastian’s height and built.
“Hey Brad”, they said in unison; patting him on the shoulder.
“Brandon, Matthew, this is Paige”, Sebastian said, “Paige; these are my friends”.
“Hi.”
“Where has Brad been hiding a beautiful gem, such as you?” Brandon said, his sky blue eyes dancing with mischief.
“He has been holding me hostage in that Godforsaken apartment, of his all weekend”, she whispered in contrived distress; placing a hand over her heart and both men erupted in laughter. Even Sebastian had a telltale smile on his lips, “I swore I’d never live to tell the tales”.
“Shall we defend your honor”, Matthew queried sternly, his full lips twitching and another bout of laughter ensued.
They conversed for a short while longer before parting ways as dinner was served. She noted the immense change in Sebastian; unsure whether she should be incensed at his shameless flirting or appreciative of his amicable mood. She was even more shocked when he requested a dance after dinner but she accepted gracefully nonetheless; a thrill of excitement coursing through her veins as she thought of the closeness such an act would require.
Her heart galloped in her chest as he led her unto the dance floor; his arm snaking around her waist as he assumed the position for a slow waltz. Her fingers tingled where he held them and she felt as if his hand had burned away her dress where it rested at the small of
her back. Her head would fit perfectly between the indent of his shoulder blade and neck, she thought as they sashayed in tune to the slow ballad.
CHAPTER TEN
“YOU’RE TENSE”, SEBASTIAN COMMENTED as he drew her body closer to the hard length of him.
“No I’m not”, she laughed nervously; inhaling sharply as his hand made circular motions where it rested in the center of her back.
“Brandon and Matt are watching us”, he whispered against her ears; his warm breath sending delicious shivers along her spine, “seems to me, they need a little convincing that our relationship is genuine. Don’t you think?"
“What?” a hot blush stole up her cheeks as she saw his underlying meaning.
She hadn’t realized he had such long lashes until his beautiful brown eyes stroked the curve of her face; their brown depths glazed with devilment.
“A kiss perhaps”, he cajoled, the heat in his eyes wreaking havoc on her senses.
“Is that really necessary”, she glanced away from his mesmeric stare; searching the room for some form of diversion, “and what about your parents?”
“Minding their own business, I’m sure. Besides; we’ll have to display some form of public affection if we intend to be convincing. Now is as good a time as any”.
“Fine”, she acquiesced, her muscles coiling in preparation for the onslaught of his mouth on hers; her eyes firmly closing as his hand left the small of her back and lightly stroked her nape.
She fought against the desire streaming throw her veins as she awaited his kiss and when it wasn’t instantly forthcoming, her lashes fluttered open in time to see his arrogant head drifting towards hers. His hand cushioned the nape of her neck as he angled her head so that her mouth was completely exposed to his ministrations. Her breath caught in her throat as his lush lips glided over hers lightly; warm and persuasive until she sighed in pleasure; her body melting into his.
Unlawful Escort (Unlawful Series book 1) Page 4
