Bedding The Billionaire (16 page)

"What, Melinda's not good enough?" She
couldn't help getting one sarcastic comment in.

"Let's just say that Melinda's not you."

At least he'd recognized that. She closed her eyes. She
tried not to think about Tarken meeting Damien again at the seminar. She didn't
want to know the consequences of such a meeting. "So why would I want to
go to this party?"

"You might meet some industry contacts. Since
you're looking for a job, I thought it could prove useful for you."

Abbey's spine tingled. Tarken was up to something and
she didn't like it. If Melinda was a hopeless P.A. then he probably wanted to
woo Abbey back into the role. So why take her somewhere with the intention of
making new contacts and getting a new job?

It didn't add up.

What did make sense was that Tarken had met Damien at
the seminar. And after the reception he received at the restaurant earlier in the
week, Tarken was probably cooking up something in revenge.

This might be worth seeing. And what did she have to
lose anyway? Neither man was her boyfriend so there was no danger of a
confrontation leading to the end of a relationship. There was nothing to end.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Pick you up at six."

She hung up. It could be a disaster. In fact, it
probably would be a disaster, but she felt compelled to go. If for no other
reason than to flirt with Tarken in Damien's face. Childish, she knew, but it
might help exorcise her demons.

And those demons definitely needed exorcising. Abbey
needed closure.

***

Nick sat on the couch in the dark in his hotel suite. The
curtain was open and the street lights offered a faint glow through the window.
It was probably still hot out there but it was cool inside the room. Cool
enough to sooth his skin but not cool enough to sooth his temper.

He was angry. At Abbey for lying, but mostly at
himself for letting her get to him the way she had. This wasn't supposed to
happen. Casual sex with strangers in strange cities wasn't supposed to
mean
anything.

It never used to, when he'd done this sort of thing in
his early twenties.

So why
start now and make things so complicated? It wasn't fair. Abbey was totally
wrong for him. She lived in a different city for starters, and she wasn't the
sort of woman he could take wining and dining to Sydney's most salubrious
establishments with business associates.

Hell, the girl had a penchant for skirts that crept
above the height of decency.

Nick emitted a low growl and punched the cushion on
the couch. He was kidding himself and he knew it. It had nothing to do with the
skirts and everything to do with her attitude. She had way too much of it. She
argued with him about everything, except sex of course. Then there was the
lies. Nice girls don't lie.

Even worse than that, she didn't want him.

Even worse than that
—
and this was the
clincher
—
she'd only slept with him in the first place for money.

And if she'd slept with him for a few hundred dollars from
Lucy's client, imagine what she'd do when she discovered he was worth a
fortune. A gold digger was the last thing he needed on his hands.

Okay, so thinking about what she might do gave him a
hard on. But thinking about Abbey wanting him just for his money made his blood
run cold.

Now, while she thought he was that loser Vane, she
didn't want to know him except for the occasional sexual interlude. But if she
ever learned the truth, he somehow knew her disagreeable nature would fly out
the window and she'd be all sweetness.

The image had a certain appeal… No, actually, it
didn't. Abbey minus her smart mouth and her confronting style just wouldn't be
as much fun. It just wouldn't be Abbey.

He didn't want her wanting him, and changing who she
was, because of his money. He wanted her to want
him
.

It was best not to tell her who he was then. Once she
learned his real name, it wouldn't take long to link him to his fortune. No
doubt she'd find out when Lorraine Vane saw the photos and identified him, but
hopefully by then he'd be long gone. His flight was early Saturday morning. That
left only tomorrow, Friday, for the photos to reach Sydney. Hopefully Lucy
wouldn't be that efficient.

Once he was back home in Sydney, he could forget
everything that had ever happened here in Melbourne, and he could forget Abbey.
Putting distance between them would cool his desire for her and life would
return to normal. That's what he wanted. Right?

A knock at his door sent a jolt through him. He stood,
paused, and eyed the door. It wouldn't be Abbey. Not after the way they'd
parted.

He opened the door, a short speech already prepared
just in case. But instead of a sexy, blue-eyed vixen, the person who stood on
his doorstep was male, forty-ish with dark hair and a three-day growth.

"Hello, Boss," said the man in an American
drawl. "Long time no see."

"Vane! What the hell are you doing here?"

"My job." Damien Vane—the real Damien
Vane—pushed past Nick into the room.

"Nice suite. Pity I couldn't use it."

Nick blinked, gathered himself, and rounded on his VP
of Marketing.

"You've got some nerve waltzing in here now. Where
the hell have you been?"

At least Vane had the decency to look apologetic. He
also looked hung over. "Sorry, I lost track of time."

"You lost track of time! What kind of excuse is
that! You're fired."

"Aw, now wait a minute, let me explain. I went
away for the weekend with this hot little air hostess. An air hostess! I
couldn't pass her up. Well, we kind of had a few too many drinks on Sunday
night, then the next thing I knew it was Wednesday. I got back to the office as
quick as I could and they said you'd come down here instead of me. So I got
Beverly to book me a flight and here I am." He threw his arms out wide. "Better
late than never. And there's still tomorrow."

Nick sucked in air and let it out slowly. It didn't
help him calm down. "You've a nerve coming down here when the seminar's
almost over."

He took a step towards Vane and Vane took a step back,
swallowing so hard his Adam's apple almost disappeared into his chest. Nick had
a mind to punch the arrogant look off Vane's face, but he thought that might
not be very dignified.

"I've had enough of your disappearances and your
lazy attitude to the job. I've put up with it until now because you were
supposed to be the best. But you crossed the line this time, Vane. You're
fired. Get out of this room, go back to Sydney and clean out your office. I
don't want to see you again."

Vane blinked back at Nick, his mouth open. "You're
serious."

"Yes."

"But I haven't got a flight booked."

Nick took another step toward Vane. He was out of
patience. Maybe he should just hit him. It might make him feel better. "Then
get on the phone and do it."

"But, my job. I'm good..."

"Then you'll get another one. Maybe Microsoft
will take you back."

Vane shook his head. "My wife's Australian. She
doesn't want to live in the States anymore."

"Somehow I don't think that's going to be a
problem," Nick muttered.

"Huh?"

Nick shook his head. He wasn't going to bring Abbey
and her investigation into this.

Nick crossed his arms and glared at Vane. If the
little jerk didn't move soon, he was going to have to wrestle him out of the
room.

That might not be a bad thing. It would save him
punching him and would kill two birds with one stone
—
he'd get rid
of Vane
and
his anger at the same time.

He took another step toward Vane who took one back,
but found the couch in the way.

"Don't look at me like that," Vane cried.

"Like what?"

"Like you want to kill me."

"I do want to kill you. I've had a bad
week." Actually his week hadn't been all that bad. The parts with Abbey in
his bed, on the couch, at the restaurant, the beach, Lucy's desk
—
those
had been rather good. It was the other parts he didn't like so much.

Vane held up his hands in self defense just as Nick
uncrossed his arms and reached toward him.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." Vane scuttled
toward the door. "You know, when I heard you were pretending to be me, I
thought we could turn this to our advantage. I could pretend to be you, just
flying in to check on the last day of the seminar and attend the cocktail party
and charm the pants off everyone. We'd make a good team."

"I don't charm the pants off people, I talk
straight and get the job done."

"Yeah, right. Like all the women in the office
don't go ga ga over you."

"That's because I treat them with a little
respect and don't try to grab their asses as they walk past."

"Hey, I only did that once."

"Yeah, once when you were sober. Millions of
times when you were under the influence."

Vane looked sheepish. It wasn't nearly good enough
—
Nick
wanted him to look afraid.

"So how about it?" asked Vane.

"What?"

"I pretend to be you. Just for tomorrow."

"You've already caused enough trouble for one
week, why would I want you to stick around? Do you think I'm crazy?"

Vane shrugged and gave Nick a look as if to say he
wasn't sure.

"Get out."

Vane held up his hands as Nick approached him. He
shrugged, then nodded, opened the door and closed it behind him without so much
as a wave.

Nick punched the back of the couch. It didn't relieve
nearly enough tension.

First Abbey had ruined his week, now Vane. Not in
exactly the same way, but it was ruined nonetheless. If only Abbey had told him
the truth from the start then it didn't have to be this way. He could have
wooed her, they could go out on a date like a normal couple, he could tell her
who he really was, and...

Who was he kidding? If he told her who he really was
then he'd have a permanent visitor from Melbourne in his house. One that was
only interested in his money. The next thing he'd know is he was getting
married and having kids.

That wasn't Nick Delaware's style.

Nick frowned. An image of Abbey with a child on her
hip passed before his eyes. He liked it. He liked it a lot.

Damn, why couldn't he fall for a woman more like him? Someone
he knew how to handle. Someone with less...heat. Someone who didn't need money.
His money.

Nick dragged a hand through his hair. He stared into
space for a moment, then sprinted for the door.

Vane was nowhere in the hall. Nick ran to the elevator,
pressed the button then shifted from one foot to the other as he waited for it
to arrive. It took forever.

When it did, he jumped in, pushed Ground and ran into
the foyer when the doors opened. Vane was chatting up the receptionist.

"Vane." He turned around. "I've changed
my mind. Get a room. We'll put your plan into action tomorrow."

"Really?" Vane beamed. "Great. I've
always wanted to be CEO."

"I thought you said you already were," said
the pouty girl behind the counter.

Vane did some smooth talking, got himself a room and
winked at the girl before joining Nick.

Nick hadn't moved. He was thinking about the plan. He'd
have to call Abbey and try to get her to go to the cocktail party. That was
going to be the hardest part.

"So why the sudden change?" asked Vane. "What's
going on?"

"Nothing," Nick mumbled turning to the
elevator.

"This has something to do with a woman, doesn’t
it?"

Nick swung round, thunder crashing between his ears. Was
he that obvious?

Vane slapped Nick on the shoulder. "Aha, I knew
it. Men like me can always tell these things. This is great, Nick, just great. Guys
like us need to stick together."

"I'm not like you," growled Nick stepping
inside the elevator. Vane followed him.

"Sure, whatever. So, what's the problem, and
where do I fit in?"

Nick ignored him.

"Hey, Nick, if I'm going to play the role you
need to tell me how to play it. Why do you want me to pretend to be you?"

"I want to see how someone reacts to you."

"Me, or me being you?"

"Whatever."

"Aha. So you're putting this girl through some
sort of test."

Nick resisted the urge to grab Vane's shirt and push
him back against the elevator wall. He refrained because he knew it would just
prove he was right. And he didn't want Vane to know that, not yet.

Because, as much as he hated admitting it even to
himself, Vane
was
right. He wanted to test Abbey. He wanted to see if
she gravitated to the moneyed Nick Delaware. If she began flirting with a
little jerk like Vane then he'd have his answer.