High-Society Seduction (3 page)

“You may
think
you have but—”

He scowled. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

She set her chin in a defiant line. “No one’s. Not this Chelsea’s and certainly not yours.”

Tension gripped his shoulders, but he forcibly made them relax. “Okay, that’s obvious. But getting back to the point, Chelsea hasn’t come right out and said anything to me yet but she’s definitely on the prowl. I need to stop this before it goes much further. I don’t want her doing something she’ll regret.”

She acknowledged his words with a dip of her head. “Does Todd know any of this?”

“Hell, no. It would rip him apart. He really does love his wife. If I tell him what I suspect she’s up to, she’ll just deny it and then I’ll be the one who loses a damn good friend.”

She appeared to soak that up. Then her eyes narrowed. “So you want me to pretend to be your mistress for a few weeks?”

“Companion,” he corrected.
For now.
“And make it a month.”

Her eyes widened. “A month?” She immediately shook her head. “No way. Besides, being your companion won’t work. No woman in her right mind would have a platonic relationship with
you.
Chelsea knows that. She’ll suspect something’s amiss.”

“Fine, you can be my pretend mistress then,” he said, pleased whatever way she called it. “If she thinks I’m involved with you, she might back off.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Jenna challenged.

“Either way, I lose.” And that wasn’t something he was familiar with. “If she continues to make a pest of herself, then Todd is going to realize it sooner or later, and part of him is going to blame me even if he knows I had nothing to do with it. I don’t want it to get to that stage.” Todd was the only one to eventually get through to him after Maddie’s death. “He helped me a great deal when I needed him. I wouldn’t repay him by doing the dirty on him and sleeping with his wife.”

Their eyes met but Adam didn’t look away. He wasn’t one to talk about it, but he wasn’t ashamed of needing his friend, either. Not after losing a loved one.
Two
loved ones, he thought, including the loss of his unborn child.

Jenna picked up her glass, took a sip of wine, then her gaze settled on him. “I’ll ask the question I asked this afternoon at the races. Why me?”

He’d be disappointed in her if she hadn’t asked the question again. “You’re different. There’s no emotional involvement between us.” She went to speak and he held up his hand. “Except maybe dislike on your part,” he mocked.

“True.”

He gave a thin smile. “And at the end of four weeks, we don’t have to worry about seeing each other again.”

“And you don’t have to worry about running into me,” she mused, half to herself.

“There is that,” he conceded.

Her eyes watched him, a hopeful light in them she was trying not to show, unsuccessfully. “So if I agree to this, you’ll do what you promised to do? You’ll investigate my claim?”

He leaned back in his chair and nodded. “Just as soon as we make an appearance together at the Mayoral Ball next Friday night. The month starts from then.”

Her eyes went wide. “But today’s only Saturday. That’s a whole week away.”

“Disappointed?”

She made a derisive sound. “Only because I want to get started straight away.”

He shrugged. “Regrettably, you’ll have to wait. I’m flying to Sydney tomorrow for a three-day conference, and I won’t be back until Thursday morning.” This was one conference he had to attend to keep on top of things with their competitors. His father would hold down the fort here, though his parents needed to go to Brisbane Thursday afternoon, leaving
him
to represent the family at the ball on Friday night.

“So you won’t start the investigation before then?” she asked matter-of-factly, but he knew otherwise. “Don’t you trust me to keep to my word?”

“Never trust a woman with a grudge.”

“I’ve found you should never trust a man. Period.”

He lifted one brow. “Someone I know?”

Her eyes took on a wary look. “I doubt it.”

Was it a trick of the light or did she somehow look vulnerable? It made him wonder what fool had given her up. Then again, some men could only take so much of that deliciously smart mouth.

And some men liked to live dangerously.

Dammit, there was already something between them that she didn’t want to recognize. An awareness of each other that greatly disturbed her peace of mind. It distracted her when all she wanted to do was focus on the very reason they were together.

He’d just better keep to his end of the bargain or he was in for a big shock. He would deserve everything he got after that. She would take this to the media if necessary. She prayed she didn’t have to. She didn’t like being the bad guy in this, not when that title belonged to the late Liam Roth.

Yet her curiosity was piqued by all this with Chelsea and Todd. Adam had to be stuck between a rock and a hard place or he wouldn’t have confided in her. He wouldn’t risk her knowing such a thing. That at least gave her the confidence to believe he would do as he said.

Actually, she was amazed he had any scruples at all, and especially when it came to his best friend’s wife. No doubt it was the
only
scruple he had, she mused, then decided that wasn’t quite fair of her. He clearly loved his family. She could even understand him protecting his dead brother and the family name. She just didn’t like that it was at
her
family’s expense.

Of course there
was
one man she knew who definitely had no scruples at all, and she faced him at work on Monday morning, after apologizing to his father for her abrupt departure at the races. Roberto had been fine about it, but she had a hard time convincing Marco Conti that she’d left because of a headache and not because she’d seen him chatting up another woman and had been jealous. The man’s ego was colossal, making it difficult to refuse his invitation to go to dinner with him the following Friday night. In the end, she had to tell him she already had another engagement, and for those few minutes she was thankful that was true. It was the only time she wanted to thank Adam Roth for anything.

And then Friday evening arrived and it was seven o’clock and her apartment doorbell was ringing. She hurried to check through the peephole before answering it, thinking it was Adam’s driver come to escort her down to the car.

It wasn’t.

It was Adam himself.

Her heart picked up pace as she patted her chignon, then smoothed her hands down her evening dress and checked herself in the hall mirror. It would be her little secret that she’d found this dress tucked away in a secondhand store. She hadn’t the money to buy a fancy new dress, not after what she’d spent on a dress for the races. And the two evening gowns she owned from when she dated Lewis weren’t suitable, either. One was more for winter and the other had a wine stain on the bodice the dry cleaner hadn’t been able to remove. Thankfully, dry-cleaning this secondhand dress had really brought out its depth of color.

Taking a deep breath, Jenna opened the door. She hadn’t seen Adam since last Saturday night, and in his black tuxedo he looked superb and even more attractive than she remembered, if that were possible. Pictures in the newspaper hadn’t done him justice, and neither had the color ones in magazines. In the flesh, the man had a serious case of handsome.

Then she realized he was standing there, his masculine appreciation spilling over her in the off-the-shoulder chiffon gown the color of deep blue sapphires. She knew she looked nice and she was pleased with that, but her aim had been to hold her head high next to Chelsea, not to draw this man’s attention to herself.

Unsettled, she swung away to the living room. “I’ll get my purse,” she said, hoping her voice sounded even. She didn’t invite him inside. She would only be a moment.

“Well, that’s another first,” he drawled as he followed her into the apartment and closed the door.

“What’s that?” Heart thumping, she continued over to the coffee table.

“You didn’t allow me to compliment you on your appearance.”

She picked up her clutch purse, feigning indifference. “Was I supposed to?”

“Most women do.”

“I’m not most women.”

“I’m beginning to believe you’re right.” He paused. “But let me compliment you anyway,” he murmured, his eyes darkening. “You really do look lovely tonight.”

Her cheeks grew warm, but she had to remember he wasn’t being nice out of the kindness of his heart. He had a motive for everything he did. “Thank you.” She stepped toward him, feeling the need to get out of the apartment before—

“Did you design that necklace?”

The question stopped her in front of him, her hand going to the jewelry at her throat. “Yes. It’s one of my own.”

He nodded. “You’ll definitely be a hit with Chelsea then. She loves jewelry.”

“I’m so pleased we’ll have something in common,” she mocked. “Apart from you, that is.”

He didn’t smile.

His eyes said come closer.

Without warning Adam slipped his arm around her waist and brought her up against him, those eyes filling with purpose. “Here’s one thing she
won’t
have in common with you,” he murmured, and brought his head down to hers.

Shock tingled through her veins and she opened her mouth, thinking to speak, but his tongue took advantage of the moment and silkily plunged inside. Her breath caught, then looped around her throat, but she couldn’t seem to break free. His tongue savored the softness, the hollows, skillfully sapping her of strength until she felt like a swizzle stick swirling round and round, until she had to reach out and cling to him to stop from sinking to the ground.

He broke off the kiss and slowly peeled back. “We needed to look like lovers,” he said, his voice husky but in control.

Reality kicked in. It was clear he had enjoyed the kiss, but it hadn’t shaken him up like it had her. God, his kiss had relegated every other kiss she’d ever had to the back of her mind, but he didn’t need to know that. He might suspect it, but she’d never admit it. She had her pride.

Gathering herself, she quickly moved back out of reach. “You didn’t need to kiss me for that. There’s no one around.”

“Didn’t I?”

Another of his little tests, she realized, aware this really was more about him taking what he wanted than him wanting to give the impression they were lovers. Needless to say though, the hint of red lipstick at one corner of his mouth wouldn’t go astray, she decided cynically, tempted to rub it off with her finger, but she didn’t dare.

She raised her chin. “You’re a good kisser, I’ll grant you that,” she said, trying to come across as worldly-wise and experienced, while totally ignoring her complete and utter meltdown in his arms.

“I’m glad you think so,” he said smoothly, looking confident, arrogant and very self-satisfied.

Oh, he knew all right.

“No doubt you’ve had plenty of practice.”

“I aim to please.”

“How nice,” she said sweetly, taking a step around him.

He moved in front of her, forcing her to stop. “What about you, Jenna?”

“Me?” Was he asking if she aimed to please? Please who?
Him?

“Have you had plenty of practice kissing a man?” he asked, clarifying, though she wasn’t sure which question was more dangerous.

“That’s
my
business.” Suddenly the slight sting of her ex-boyfriend’s comment about her “lacking” in some areas came to mind. “Why are you asking? Wasn’t I any good?” she said without thinking, then could have kicked herself for giving anything away.

His eyes held a gleam of speculation. “You were superb,” he assured her.

A shade of relief washed over her. Not for his sake, but for hers. “Good. I’d hate to think you were disappointed in my performance.”

He considered her, and this time the gleam was a definite curiosity. “Why? Has someone been disappointed in your…performance before?”

She stiffened. “That’s a very personal question.”

His gaze intensified, then as if it didn’t really matter, he shrugged. “Forget it.” He looked at his watch. “We’d better get going,” he said, all businesslike now, but she was sure he saw more than he was letting on.

All at once she felt like she was up against Goliath in the sexual stakes. She brushed past him toward the door, needing to get out of the apartment, where a sort of magnetic energy appeared to be bouncing off the walls. No, make that
magnetism.
The word summed up Adam Roth to perfection.

In the back of the limousine, Adam apologized before answering a call on his cell phone, saying it was important. Jenna didn’t mind. She was merely grateful they didn’t need to talk. That kiss back there had turned her upside down and she was still stunned by her reaction to a man she’d only recently met. It had been an excuse to create a sense of intimacy, but it had worked too well.

Trying to put it from her mind, she stared through the side window and blocked out Adam’s voice. She wasn’t thrilled about being here, but at least her family was delighted, she mused. Telling them about her date tonight hadn’t been something she’d wanted to do, but she’d had to preempt them seeing her picture in the papers with Adam over the next month. That meant earlier in the week she’d told her parents and her sister-in-law how he’d asked her to the Mayoral Ball, deciding she would field any future questions about him only as required. Unfortunately she couldn’t do anything about them getting their hopes up over what was merely a smoke screen.

She’d had a very specific reason for telling them, of course. Stewart would have a heart attack if he suspected what she was doing on his behalf, so she’d asked them not to mention anything to her brother about Adam, asking them to keep it all low-key in general. She’d pointed out that Stewart was protective of her and how he’d worry if he knew she was dating another playboy. Her brother had certainly been vocal enough about her involvement with Lewis, and it hadn’t been too hard for them to believe this would upset him.

Adam ended the call just as they arrived. He apologized again, this time with a charming smile that in the confines of the car pronounced his magnetism even more.

Jenna searched for something to say. “Are your parents going to be here tonight?”

“No, I’m attending on their behalf. They had a previous commitment.”

“I suppose one Mayoral Ball is the same as another,” she said unthinkingly.

“It does get a bit like that,” he agreed, with a ghost of a smile. Then a worried look entered his eyes. “Regrettably my uncle needed to go for some medical tests. My parents thought their time better spent in Brisbane supporting him.”

She winced at her own prejudgment. “That’s very good of them.”

“He’s family,” was all Adam said as the limousine glided to a stop near the Town Hall.

Luckily the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress’s arrival ahead of them had the small media contingent focusing there, and Jenna was pleased when she and Adam were able to blend in with others and make their way inside the building without anyone taking notice.

The Melbourne Town Hall was a magnificent building well over a hundred years old, and it had taken her breath away the few times she’d been here. Every inch of it was regal and majestic, from the grandeur of the main staircase, marble foyer and glorious stained-glass windows, to the soaring ceilings crowned with chandeliers. The centerpiece of the building was the richly carved wood pipe organ that was the largest in the southern hemisphere.

The Main Hall had been decorated magnificently for the glittering event tonight, so it didn’t matter that there was a slight delay in being shown to their table. But as she and Adam were being guided to the front of the room shortly after, Jenna could have groaned when she saw where they were sitting. She hadn’t given it any thought before now.

“You okay?” Adam murmured in her ear.

“I didn’t expect to be sitting with the Lord Mayor of Melbourne and the Lady Mayoress,” she hissed.

“Don’t be nervous.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not used to attending such a posh affair.”

He gave a crooked smile. “They might look posh on the outside, but believe me, on the inside they’re just like you and me.”

“I doubt that,” she muttered, then somehow managed a smile for the guests ahead.

Introductions were made to the dignitaries, though there were still a couple of vacant chairs. They were probably reserved for the Prime Minister, she thought with wry cynicism. So much for keeping a low profile. She wasn’t used to quite such exalted company. For all Lewis’s connections, his family would barely reach the coattails of these people.

As drinks were served, Adam leaned in close under cover of the conversation. “If it makes you feel better, just think of everyone here in their underwear,” he whispered for her ears only. “We’re all equal in our skin.”

She moved her head back a little, and her gaze drifted up from his firm lips and into his blue eyes. Suddenly, equality took a dive. This man
had
no equal.

“Are you picturing me in my underwear yet?” he murmured, a gleam in those eyes, his head still close to hers, his cool, clean breath floating over her.

Her stomach quivered. “I—”

“Hey, Adam,” a male voice interrupted. “Stop monopolizing the lady and introduce us.”

Relieved at the interruption, Jenna glanced up to see a couple taking a seat at their table. The man was handsome and vaguely familiar, and the attractive blonde next to him was trying to hide her curiosity as she looked at Jenna. There was also something in the other woman’s eyes…