Bedding The Billionaire (18 page)

Whatever their reason, it meant he was probably the
real Damien Vane.

Abbey glanced at the real Nick, her Nick, who was
standing calmly by, watching the charade play out in front of him. He seemed
disinterested, sipping from a champagne flute, his eyes lowered.

No, not entirely true. He was watching them through
his lashes and his lips had formed into a tight line as he stared at the hand
that was now caressing Abbey's. He was studying her reaction to the fake Nick
like a hawk watches its prey just before it attacks.

Damn him! What game was he playing? Why all this
duplicity?

Abbey returned her attention to the fake Nick, still
fawning over her hand. She became aware that Tarken was hovering very closely
by, but she doubted it had anything to do with his jealousy, and everything to
do with who he thought this guy was
—
a wealthy tycoon who could
buy him twenty times over.

"So you see," the real Damien Vane was
saying as he held her hand, "that it's lucky I've got such good employees
like Damien here, to entrust the company to. I'm just far too busy to go to all
these things."

"Oh? Busy doing what, Mr. Delaware?"

He smiled, not an unpleasant smile, if you like
snakes. "Oh, flying around the world, closing business deals. I was in New
York this week. Very nice city. Have you been there?"

Abbey shook her head and glanced at Nick out of the
corner of her eye. He was unmoving, still watching her surreptitiously with
Damien. Fine, she could do this. She turned her full attention to Damien and
smiled her most dazzling smile.

"I'd love to go to New York, Mr. Delaware, please
tell me about it."

She took another sip of her champagne and tried to
relax a little. It was difficult with Vane still holding her hand, Tarken
breathing over her shoulder trying to attract his attention, and Nick watching
them all through lowered lashes.

Why didn't he say something? Why didn't he come over
and try to get this asshole away from her? Couldn't he tell she found him
repulsive?

Perhaps not
—
she was doing a good job of
pretending to like him by nodding and laughing at his pathetic jokes.

Okay, so maybe he couldn't tell that she thought
Damien was a dog turd, but Nick should at least be seething with jealousy about
now. In her fantasy, he'd be so jealous, he'd march over, force her to go with
him, probably to his hotel room, and make wild, passionate love to her.

Bad idea, Abbey. Don’t think about the wild passionate
love, just concentrate on the getting-him-jealous part.

She
straightened, threw out her breasts, heard both Tarken and Vane suck in deep breaths,
and placed her hand on Vane's arm. She steered him off to one side so their
conversation became private although she was still within view of Nick.

He drained his glass of champagne and retrieved
another from a passing waiter. She did the same when the waiter passed her. A
man and woman had approached Nick and he appeared to be lost in social chit
chat with them, but she was sure he was glancing her way every now and again. Almost
sure.

The real Damien was saying something to her. Something
about log cabins in the mountains. She smiled, nodded, and tried to concentrate
on the conversation when all she wanted to do was watch the real Nick. And kiss
him, run her hand across his hard muscle, down to his full erection...

Damien's hand moved from her arm to her waist. Abbey
let out a small yelp, but instead of following her instincts and moving away,
she leaned into him slightly. The man smelled of beer and cheap cologne. She
hid a grimace with a grin and tried to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach.

***

Nick's gut churned as Abbey smiled that fabulous smile
at Vane. Then everything in him tightened when Vane put his arm around her and
whispered in her ear. She didn't move away. Damn it, she actually leaned into
him!

He clutched his glass and swallowed another mouthful. He
didn't have a clue what his companions were saying and eventually they must
have grown bored with his lack of conversation because they moved away.

Unfortunately they were replaced by Tarken.

"Look at those two," said Tarken. "Can't
keep their hands off each other. Makes me sick."

Tarken probably thought that, as men scorned by Abbey,
they had something in common now, making them comrades-in-arms.

Nick's grip tightened around his glass as he imagined
it being Tarken's throat. Then Vane's.

"How could you work for such a scumbag?" Tarken
shook his head. "I thought Abbey had a little more self respect than to go
for that type. He's obviously a sleaze."

"Maybe she likes that type," growled Nick,
ripping his eyes away from Abbey and Damien. The view was killing him.

"If she did then she'd still be with me. No,
there's something odd going on. I can tell, she hates the guy but she's trying
to flirt with him." He sniggered. "She's not very good at it, is
she?"

Nick's gaze flew back to Abbey. Was she only
pretending to flirt with Vane? Her body leaned into his, she smiled as she
looked up into his eyes.

"Seems to be enjoying herself from what I can
see," he said.

"You don't know her as well as I do."

Nick suddenly felt very cold, despite the heat. The
truth in that statement stung.

"Well, this has been a waste of my time,"
Tarken said. "Abbey dumps me for that bloke just because he's got more
dollars than sense and here I thought she liked you." Tarken shook his
head. "Women! I don't understand them."

Nick nodded. He had to agree with that. But what
Tarken said ate at his gut.
More dollars than sense.
Abbey might not
like Damien but she was willing to put up with an awful lot just because he was
loaded. Actually he wasn't, he, Nick was, but he was damned if he was going to
tell Abbey that.

Or maybe he would, right before he said goodbye. It
would be fitting justice to see her face as she realized her mistake.

Nick swallowed another mouthful of his champagne and
glanced around the room, everywhere except at Abbey. He wondered how long he
needed to stay at this thing until he could leave.

But he knew he wouldn't leave. Not until Abbey did. It
would kill him not knowing what she did with Damien. If she left with him. From
the way they were leaning into each other, he was fairly sure
—
sickeningly
sure
—
that she would.

Fifteen minutes later, Abbey swayed over to him. She
was a little blurry, but he put that down to the dim lights. One thing he could
tell, she was beautiful. That dress just enhanced her curves, her small waist,
her pert breasts. He imagined getting her out of it, letting his hand move down
her bare back to the zip at her ass. He could almost feel her naked bottom in
his hands, her breast in his mouth.

He drew in a deep, ragged breath as she approached. Had
she finally realized what a bore Vane was?

No, he was trailing behind her. She held his hand, as
the creep stared at her ass.

Nick wanted to throw up. "Where are you
going?" he asked.

"Outside," she said.

"Back to the hotel," said Vane at the same
time.

"Why?" growled Nick.

"Why not?"

He glanced from Vane to Abbey. "Don't go,"
he whispered desperately.

He thought he saw something flicker in her bright blue
eyes.

"What did you say?" she whispered back.

He shook his head. It felt dizzy, clouded. "Nothing.
Go. What you do is none of my business."

He was almost sure her smile was more of a wince, but
he couldn't tell. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

Damien's hand snaked around her waist. Nick took
another mouthful of whatever was in his glass.

"We're going," said Vane. "See you in
the office on Monday, Vane."

Nick thought about admitting everything as he watched
them walk away, Vane's arm around Abbey. He thought about running after them,
spinning Abbey around to face him, taking her in his arms and kissing her long
and deep and telling her that he was the real Nick Delaware and he was loaded.

Then he reminded himself he didn't want a gold digger
on his hands.

With a deep sigh, he ran his hand through his hair and
drained his glass. He turned away and suddenly he felt weak in the knees. He
glanced around for a seat and spotted one near Tarken. What the hell. At least
the guy was in love with Abbey too. Just like him.

Just like him.

Abbey bit her lip. Sleeping with Damien Vane, the real
one, wasn't supposed to be part of her plan tonight. Making Nick jealous was,
but she wasn't even sure she'd achieved that.

The arm snaked around her waist was beginning to make
her feel sick, especially as it was directing her to Le Meridian. She wondered
if it would be impolite to extricate herself and say goodbye now. Probably, but
she was beyond caring about this man's feelings. His fingers seemed to find
their way to her ass on a frequent basis. Since Nick wasn't around anymore to
see, she had no reason to keep the charade going.

She held out a hand to hail a passing taxi.

"Where are you going?" Vane asked, grabbing
her waist tighter.

"Home. I'm tired. Thanks for a, uh, nice
evening."

Vane looked like a child denied dessert. "But I
thought that you were... I mean that maybe we could have a drink first."

Abbey feigned a yawn. "I'm very tired."

Vane frowned, then his face suddenly brightened. "I
have a secret to tell you," he said. "Something to do with me and
Vane."

Abbey stepped away from the curb and the approaching
taxi. "Go on."

"Come upstairs with me and I'll tell you
there."

Abbey doubted he would tell her anything but her
curiosity was getting the better of her. Maybe she could go upstairs and see
what he had to say while stopping him from clawing at her body. It might be
completely insane to go to this guy's room
—
it probably was
—
but
she had a burning desire to find out why Nick was lying to her. She wanted to
know what was going on. She needed to know, more than anything else right now.

She drew in a deep breath and nodded. She hoped she
wasn't about to make a huge mistake. How sleazy was this guy anyway? Surely Nick
wouldn't have let her leave with a homicidal maniac.

His room
was on the floor below Nick's and wasn't as large. He closed the door behind
Abbey and pushed her back against it. He kissed her.

Repulsed, she placed both hands to his chest and
shoved him away.

"What?" he cried. "Don't play hard to
get now."

"I'm not playing anything with you, Vane,
especially anything that involves us having to touch."

"Awe, now come on, Babe."

She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Don't call
me Babe. I'm not your Babe." She drew in a deep breath and crossed her
arms. She wasn't moving from the door. At least with her back to it he couldn't
get his arms around her and grope her rear like he'd been doing all the way to
the hotel.

"Hey," he said, frowning. "You called
me Vane. I'm Nick Delaware remember." He leaned in as if to kiss her. "Silly
girl."

"Don't give me that crap. I know who you are. What
I want to know is why the secrecy?"

Vane shifted his weight and chewed on his lower lip. "How
long have you known?"

"Since this afternoon."

"So why the big charade at the party?"

"You tell me. You and the real Nick Delaware
seemed to have concocted some elaborate scheme to trick me. I want to know why.
I want to know what’s going on, and you’d better tell me. Now!"

Vane held his palms up, defensive. "Beats me. You
should ask him, he's the boss. He doesn't let me in on his reasons. Although I
do know it has something to do with a woman. I assume that woman is you."

Abbey blew out a breath. So she was right. Nick was
trying to fool her for some reason. Damn him. What was he playing at?

"Looks like his plan backfired though," said
Vane, suddenly grinning.

"What makes you say that?"

Vane placed both hands against the door, one on either
side of Abbey's head. "You're here with me aren't you? Something tells me
that wasn't part of his plan."

She shrunk away from him. "Aren't you worried
about losing your job?"

"He's already fired me, so I don't think it
matters if I sleep with his girlfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend."

"Then why did he drink himself into oblivion
while watching us? Looked like jealousy to me."

Abbey shrugged in a way she hoped was casual, although
her heart had skipped several beats. Nick was jealous? "Maybe he was just
enjoying the free champagne."