by Peggy Webb
Re: Plan Gone Awry
You are not going to believe this. Reeve asked me to be his wife – in a marriage of convenience!!! I nearly slapped him silly. And that was after I told him no! Still, I’m crazy in love with him, and can’t even imagine what I’ll do if I end up losing him.
XO
Belinda
From: Catherine
To: Belinda, Bea, Molly, Joanna, Clemmie, Janet
Re: The nerve!
OMG, shoot him and move on!
XOXO
Catherine
From: Janet
To: Belinda, Bea, Molly, Joanna, Catherine, Clemmie
Re: What?
A marriage of convenience!!!! Is he out of his mind!!!! That went out with the Dark Ages! Belinda, are you sure he’s the man for you?
Xo
Janet
From: Bea
To: Belinda, Molly, Joanna, Janet, Catherine, Clemmie
Re: Full Throttle
Everybody just hold your horses! True, that was a really dumb idea. If I didn’t know that Lawrence Enterprises is a Fortune 500 company, I’d think Reeve Lawrence didn’t have a brain.
Belinda, you’re kicking butt! A man talking marriage is already halfway to the altar. It’s time to step up the heat!!!! Get independent! Make him think you’re leaving him!
Hugs,
Bea
From: Clemmie
To: Bea, Belinda, Joanna, Molly, Catherine, Janet
Re: Sunday!
Oh, Bea, that’s brilliant! Belinda, if you’re off on Sunday, I’m coming over to teach you how to drive. Then you can rent a car and go off without having to depend on one of Molly’s guys to escort you.
Hugs,
Clemmie
From: Molly
To: Clemmie, Belinda, Joanna, Catherine, Janet, Bea
Re: Driving
How deliciously sneaky!!! Clemmie, I didn’t know you had it in you! There’s nothing to driving, Belinda. Just put give it the gas and hold it in the road!
Much love,
Molly
From: Joanna
To: Belinda, Clemmie, Molly, Catherine, Janet, Bea
Re: Gambling
OH, I LOVE THIS! Belinda, tell him you’re going over to Tunica gambling!!!! LOL! That’ll get his motor running!!! Trust me. Men are VERY protective. Kirk thinks I can’t tie my Adidas without him.
BIG HUGS!
Joanna
From: Belinda
To: Clemmie, Molly, Joanna, Bea, Janet, Catherine
Re: Driving Lessons
I feel so much better now! Come over Sunday, Clemmie, but where will I practice? I don’t want to wreck your car.
Xo
Belinda
From: Clemmie
To: Belinda, Molly, Joanna, Bea, Janet, Catherine
Re: Sunday
Find a big open space. There are some huge farms between here and Tupelo. Hussey Sod Farm, for one. There ought to be plenty of cow pastures we can use.
Hugs,
Clemmie
Belinda closed her laptop and put on a tank top and jeans so tight they looked like they’d been painted on. Let Mr. Marriage of Convenience get a look at that! Then she hurried down the stairs so he could see what he was missing. If she hadn’t still been smarting from last night’s encounter, she’d have giggled. Lord, she was turning into a devious woman!
Reeve had dark circles under his eyes, and when he saw her went pale. Her first instinct was to reassure him. Thank the Lord, her friends had given her the backbone to act like she didn’t even care.
“Good morning, Reeve. Have you had breakfast?”
“No. I’ll grab a bite in town.”
She took a certain wicked pleasure in the fact that he wasn’t hungry. It served him right.
“Great! Have a good day!” She sashayed by, putting an extra swing in her hips. He went out the door, and if she wasn’t mistaken, slammed it behind him. Things were looking up!
She found Quincy in the kitchen with the children. Mark and Betsy jumped up from the table and hugged her around the knees.
“Do you want to climb trees?” Betsy said.
“Go to the playroom and color first, then I’ll come get you and we’ll climb trees.”
As they scampered off, Quincy put her hands on her hips and turned to face Belinda.
“What’s that look on your face?”
“What look?”
“Devilment.”
“Oh, that! I’m just trying to figure out some nice big open space where I can learn how to drive.”
“If you’re expectin’ me to teach you, you’re barkin’ up the wrong tree.”
“My friend Clementine Brady is going is to do that. All I need is for you to tell me where we can go and keep it a secret.”
“If you mean not lie to Mr. Reeve, I can’t do that.”
“Oh, no, Quincy. I don’t want you to lie, but I don’t want him to worry while he’s gone, either. Just don’t tell him till he gets back from France. By then, I’ll be so good I can drive in a NASCAR race.”
o0o
Quincy’s brother, Australia, had a farm in nearby Mooreville. On Sunday, Belinda careened wildly over the rutted pasture while Clemmie cringed in the passenger seat of her Toyota.
“Oh my God, Belinda! You nearly hit that old man’s cow.”
“It was a bull.”
“Who cares! If you’d pay more attention to your driving than the creature’s anatomy, you might get the hang of this.”
“I’m hopeless. I told you I would be.”
“Turn right! Quick!”
Belinda made a sharp turn left and the Toyota careened toward one of Australia’s prize Herefords.
“Stop!” Clemmie grabbed the wheel and corrected direction. “What are you doing?”
“You said turn.”
“I said right. Let’s just stop and regroup.”
Belinda got flustered and rammed the gas pedal instead of the brake. The cow went bellowing off across the pasture, and the car swerved toward Australia’s lake at top speed.
Clemmie reached over and rammed her foot on the brake, and the car shimmied to a stop at the lake’s edge.
“Lord, Belinda. I thought you were going to baptize us.”
“I don’t think that would help scheming women like us.”
They looked at each other and cracked up, then sat there laughing till tears rolled down their cheeks.
By the time Australia arrived at the car, intent on rescuing two crying women, they were nearly in hysterics from laughing so much.
“Women,” he said. “I ain’t never gonna understand ‘em.”
o0o
From: Belinda
To: Clemmie, Joanna, Molly, Janet, Bea, Catherine
Re: Progress Report
I might learn to drive by the time I’m forty! The good news is that with Reeve in Paris, I can practice in Quincy’s car without having to sneak around. Things have been so tense since his fake marriage proposal, it was a relief to have see him leave. The thing is, I don’t know if seeing me drive will change a thing for him. He’s likely to simply offer to buy me a car.
Xo
Belinda
From: Clemmie
To: Belinda, Janet, Bea, Molly, Joanna, Catherine
Re: Driving
Don’t let Belinda fool you. She’s doing great!
Xo
Clemmie
From: Janet
To: Belinda, Clemmie, Catherine, Bea, Molly, Joanna
Re: Driving
Every woman needs to know how to drive! I still question whether he’s the right man for you. Now that he’s out of the house, think about whether you really love him or you just got used to having him around.
Hugs,
Janet
From: Molly
To: Belinda, Joanna, Clemmie, Catherine, Janet, Bea
Re: Paris
OMG, email Reeve and tell him to look me up while he’s in Paris! I’ll sing your praises so loud he’l
l think you’re a cross between the Virgin Mary and Madonna (the singer, not the saint)!!! OH, here’s another brainstorm!!! While he’s gone, put your mark in his bedroom. You know, perfume on his sheets. I wear Jungle Gardenia when I model, and it drives the artist I pose for mad!!! The last time I went to a session, he chased me around his gallery. As you can guess, he wanted to do more to my body than reproduce it on canvas!
Much love,
Molly
From: Joanna
To: Belinda, Molly, Janet, Clemmie, Catherine, Janet
Re: His Sheets
Don’t just squirt perfume on his sheet, Belinda! Roll in them! Sleep in them!!! You want your body’s own musk to mingle with the perfume! OH MY!!! You’ll drive him WILD!
Big Hugs,
Joanna
From: Catherine
To: Belinda, Joanna, Molly, Clemmie, Janet, Bea
Re: Love it!
Do you want me to send your some French perfume? There’s a fabulous little place on Bourbon that mixes these really exotic fragrances.
XO
Catherine
From: Bea
To: Catherine, Belinda, Molly, Clemmie, Janet, Joanna
Re: Perfume
Hot damn! I like it! It’s probably going to take more than one night in his bed to get your scent on his sheets, Belinda. Just don’t let him catch you!
Did you mean erotic, Catherine?
Hugs,
Bea
From: Catherine
To: Belinda, Bea, Molly, Clemmie, Janet, Joanna
Re: French fragrance
That too, Bea!!
Belinda, good luck, sweetie!
Xo
Cat
o0o
Reeve arrived home from Paris at midnight. He let himself in the front door, then carried his bag up the stairs. He paused outside Belinda’s bedroom door. She would be sleeping, her hair spread across the pillow like a bolt of silk and her long eyelashes curved over her soft cheeks.
The urge to see her was so great he put one hand on the doorknob.
Don’t be a fool, he told himself. Besides, what did he think he would do once he got into her bedroom? Take her into his arms and kiss her hello?
Reeve set his jaw in determined lines and headed for his own bedroom. He set his bag just inside the door and stripped off his coat and tie. He was exhausted. It would be good to climb into bed.
His belt buckle rattled as he tossed his pants toward the valet and missed. He must be more exhausted then he’d thought. He’d never missed before.
He squinted his eyes, trying to find his pants and hang them up, but it was too dark. That was another thing—what in the hell were the draperies doing shut in his room? He liked moonlight streaming through the windows. It must be Quincy’s doing. She was always changing little things, merely to assert her power.
Reeve thought about opening the curtains, but gave up on the idea. He was too tired even to walk across the room. Stripping off his shorts, he climbed into bed. The cool sheet settled over him.
Something stirred in his bed. Reeve stiffened.
Soft murmurings came from the other side of the bed, and the scent of roses wafted toward him.
“Reeve?” a soft voice whispered.
He sat up and snapped on his bedside light. Belinda lay stretched upon his bed, her hair tumbled and her eyes bright.
“What are you doing in my bed?”
She sat up, hugging the covers to her chest.
“If you’re going to shout, the least you could do is put on some clothes. I don’t fancy arguing with a naked man.”
“I always sleep naked—and alone,” he said, not even bothering to cover himself with the sheet. He was furious, more at himself than Belinda. He had lost control. The bad part was he couldn’t seem to get it back. Especially with Belinda only inches away, her gown straps slipping down her shoulders and her lips still pouty from sleep.
“Did you have a good trip?” She smiled at him.
“Did I have a good trip!” He ran his hands through his hair. “Hell. What kind of question is that?”
“It’s the kind a person asks when somebody returns from a trip.”
“It’s midnight—or haven’t you noticed?”
“It’s hard to notice anything with you undressed like that.”
She sounded composed enough, but he noted with a certain amount of satisfaction that she was staring at him – and blushing. He got up and stalked across the room to pick up his shorts.
Keeping his back to her and his teeth clenched, he rammed his legs into his shorts.
“Would you mind explaining what you are doing in my bed?”
“Sleeping.”
“Sleeping!”
“I suppose that jet airplane has damaged your hearing.”
“No. I heard you perfectly well the first time. I simply can’t believe what I’m hearing.”
“My bed was lumpy, so I used yours. I hope you don’t mind.”
She climbed out of bed and stretched in a luxurious way that had every one of her assets on mouth-watering display. Where did she get a gown like that? He thought about turning off the light, but she might fall and break a leg in the dark. More to the point, he’d probably fall and break his privates, which were making an embarrassing show of themselves.
“Not at all.” He tried to for casual, but failed. “In fact, there’s no need for you to go to your room at all. Just hop back into bed and we’ll continue our discussion.”
Her skin turned a lovely shade of pink, and every emotion from satisfaction to worry passed across her face. As he waited for her to leave, he managed to bring himself back under control.
“It’s midnight, Reeve.” Belinda gave him a Madonna-like smile. “Do you want to discuss this tonight, or do you want to come to bed and get a good night’s sleep so we can be fresh when we talk about it in the morning?”
Then the woman climbed back into his bed, and smiled at him again.
“I’ll take this side; you take that side. Is that all right with you?” she asked.
“It’s just perfect.”
“Peachy!”
She rolled to her side and he found himself crawling into his own bed trying not to touch any part of her.
A good night’s sleep? Was the woman out of her mind? The mattress shifted under his weight, and Belinda rolled a little toward him. When her soft thigh brushed against his, he almost jumped out of the bed.
“Oops, sorry,” she said, moving her leg a fraction.
“That’s perfectly all right.” He snapped off the light and lay rigidly on his side of the bed. “Good night, Belinda.”
“Good night, Reeve.”
Her silk gown whispered against his legs and her fragrance invaded his senses. He felt his passion rise. One simple movement would put her in his arms, and he didn’t care how foolish he’d look.
“Sweet dreams, Reeve.”
Sweet dreams, indeed. She didn’t know the half of it.
o0o
A sweet fragrance and the vague awareness of being watched woke Reeve up. He opened his eyes and squinted into the semidarkness. Belinda was sitting on a chair beside his bed, faintly outlined in the gloom and smelling of roses.
“Good morning,” she said.
He turned his head toward the windows, expecting to see the morning sun streaming through. Instead he saw only darkness.
“What time is it?” He sat up and immediately regretted it. He had a blinding headache, brought on no doubt by jet lag and a sleepless night with Belinda in his bed.
“Eleven o’clock.”
“Eleven o’clock!”
“You needn’t shout. I haven’t lost my hearing.”
“I never sleep until eleven o’clock.”
“It’s because you’re tired from your trip.”
“It’s those damned curtains over my windows.” He vaulted out of bed, intent on getting to the windows to draw his curtains, when the pain in his head stopped him. He clenched his t
eeth.
‘ ‘Reeve!’’ Belinda came out of her chair and caught his arm. Her touch sizzled through him, and he gritted his teeth anew. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” he nearly shouted. Then, forcing himself to moderate his tone, he stepped out of her reach and snapped on the bedside lamp. “I’m fine, Belinda, just a little out of sorts from having overslept.”
“I would have awakened you if I had known—”
“It’s not your place.”
“If you’ll care to remember, you hired me to help Quincy take care of things around here. I just came up to see if you wanted me to bring you breakfast in bed.”
“Are you suggesting I’m so old I can’t get out of bed after a long flight and make my way into the kitchen for my own breakfast?”
“I’m suggesting no such thing. And you need not raise your voice. I’m perfectly capable of hearing.” She gave him that satisfied cat’s smile. “Especially after such a wonderful night’s sleep.”
“You slept well?”
“Yes. Your bed is very comfortable.”
The last thing he wanted was for Belinda to view him as comfortable. The next thing he knew she’d be bringing his slippers and hanging a shawl over his shoulders. Is that why she’d turned him down? Because he was too old for her?
He decided not to pursue the subject, especially not at the moment. Waking up to the sight of Belinda in his bedroom was doing diabolical things to his libido. If he weren’t careful, he’d have his favorite nanny running for the nearest employment office.
“That’s really very kind of you, Belinda, but I’m going to shower and head straight to the office.” She sat there, still smiling. “I usually shower alone, but I’ll share the bath with you if you like. It wouldn’t be much different from sharing my bed.”
“Oh.” She turned six shades of red, and jumped up like her coattail was on fire. “No, of course. I’ll just go back downstairs and tell Quincy not to save breakfast for you.”
“Nor dinner either. I’ll be working late tonight.” Belinda was still blushing, and he seized the upper hand. “Of course, if you want to share my bed again tonight, you’re more than welcome. I promise to stay on my side.”
