High-Society Seduction (7 page)

He shot her a sideways glance. “Relax.”

Relax? This wasn’t just about Chelsea. With him looking so handsome in gray trousers and a black polo shirt, a woman would have to be dead to be able to relax next to him.

“Couldn’t you have just told Todd no?” she had to point out. “Or said we had other plans? Perhaps you could have said you had to work. Better yet, that
I
had to work.”

“You agreed to do this.”

“I know, but—”

“Accept it, Jenna.”

She sighed. “I suppose so.”

Soon after, Adam needed a break from the driving so they stopped at a small café for coffee before getting back on the road again. They drove through historic gold-mining towns and the many wineries in the area, and the journey would have been exciting if her stomach hadn’t been tied in knots. Not even the peekaboo glimpses of the Grampian Mountains in the distance eased her anxiety.

Finally, the mountains were growing closer and they were turning onto an unassuming dirt road outside one of the main towns. They traveled along it for a short distance before turning into an open gate sided by two stone pillars. The place was certainly secluded.

Jenna’s eyes widened as she looked ahead to where the road ended about half a mile in the distance. “Good grief. That’s their
vacation
home? That’s a mansion with a capital
M.
”

He looked faintly surprised. “They do a lot of entertaining.”

She gave a hollow laugh. “So do lots of people, but not everyone has a vacation home like this. Most families are lucky to have one house, let alone two.”

His jaw thrust forward. “I know it.”

Something made her push. “I don’t think you do.” Undaunted, she continued, “Doesn’t your family have a vacation home? Somewhere you get away from the city? Didn’t I read that your family has a yacht?”

He didn’t look pleased at the inquisition. “The
Lady Laura
is named after my mother.” He paused. “And we have a vacation home in far north Queensland. It’s on a secluded beach so that we can have some privacy.”

“A tropical retreat,” she mocked. “How nice. Everyone should have one.” She knew it was nerves, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from running off at the mouth.

He shot her a dark glare as he pulled up in front of the mansion. Then he cut the engine and turned to her fully. “You seem to have a problem with anyone who has money.”

She went on the defensive. “When it’s built on other people’s money, I do.”

His mouth tightened. “I know you’re on edge, but do me a favor. Try not to pick an argument in front of the others.”

“Or?”

“You won’t like the result.”

“Is that a—”

Adam’s door flew open and Chelsea stuck her head in the car. “Welcome, Adam,” she said, a glowing light of excitement in her eyes as she put her hand on his arm and practically pulled him from the seat.

Todd opened the passenger-side door. “Yes, welcome to our humble abode, Jenna,” he said, smiling at her. “Here, let me help you out.”

Jenna quickly pulled herself together and took advantage of his outstretched hand. “Thank you, Todd.” Once on her feet, she glanced across the roof of the car and saw Chelsea hanging off Adam’s arm like some sort of expensive accessory. Jenna had dressed in a pantsuit she thought was becoming, but up against Chelsea she felt like she should be ushering people to their seats. The only thing she was missing was a flashlight, she mused with self-derision.

Todd tucked Jenna’s arm in his. “Did you have a good trip?” he asked, as the other two came around the car.

“Yes, it’s a lovely drive in the country.” She shot Adam a quick look that harked back to their conversation about the rich. His eyes narrowed in reply.

“Is everything okay?” Chelsea asked, evidently catching the tension in the air, looking from one to the other.

Adam smoothly extricated himself from Chelsea’s clutches. “Jenna gets a little carsick at times,” he explained. “Are you feeling better now, darling?” he asked with fake concern.

Jenna was sure Chelsea gave the tiniest start at the endearment, as she did herself. Goodness, if he was using endearments now she really
was
going to feel woozy.

She cleared her throat. “A little.”

Chelsea soon recovered with a hopeful smile. “Perhaps you’d like to take a quick lie down before lunch then, Jenna? We won’t eat for a few hours yet. We’ll look after Adam, so don’t you worry about that.”

Jenna rather thought it was more Chelsea who would look after him. Still, she smiled gratefully and avoided Adam’s eyes. “Yes, I think I
would
like to lie down,” she said, needing some time away from him…from them…
all
of them. “That’s if you really don’t mind, Chelsea?”

The other woman beamed at her, friends for life right at this minute. “Of course not!” In one swift movement, Chelsea moved her husband aside and slipped her arm in Jenna’s. “Some of the others arrived earlier, but don’t feel obligated to rush. Take as long as you need.”

In next to no time, they were inside the magnificent foyer and Jenna was handed over to the housekeeper. Then Chelsea and Todd took Adam off to another part of the house to meet the other guests. If she’d cared, Jenna would have smarted a little at being dumped so expertly. As it was, she could only be thankful that she was being shown to a suite with a sitting room plus a small private balcony, and that she had it to herself for now. It served Adam right for threatening her back there in the car.

Then she looked at the king-size bed.

Oh, heavens.

Jenna’s eyelids flew open and she looked straight into Adam’s eyes. She became instantly aware that his irises were blue and darker somehow. Had he been watching her? She blinked in panic and sat up, and he straightened away from the bed.

“You could have let me sleep longer,” she grumbled, trying not to let him see how he affected her.

“No chance. You got away with sneaking in here before. Now I want you by my side.”

She quirked an eyebrow in wry amusement. “Chelsea being a handful?”

“You could say that.”

All at once she felt guilty for not being there with him. She’d agreed to help keep Chelsea at arm’s length and that’s what she had to do.

She swung her legs off the bed. “What’s on the agenda for this afternoon?”

“Lunch and a lazy afternoon beside the pool.”

Her head snapped toward him. “We’re not swimming, are we? I didn’t bring my swimsuit.” She’d been thinking more along the lines of them all sitting around the drawing room, than prancing around the pool. She should have realized the pool would be more Chelsea and Todd’s style.

“I’m sure one can be supplied.”

“That’s okay. I think I’ll give the swimming a miss today.” An imp of mischief reared its head. “Besides, I’m still feeling a little carsick from the long drive here.”

He passed her an ironic look. “Then I won’t swim, either. I don’t want to encourage Chelsea.”

Jenna nodded, relieved not to have to worry about seeing Adam in his swimming briefs. It was just as well for Chelsea’s sake, too. The other woman would eat him alive with her eyes. And Todd might notice.

“I’ll just go freshen up.” She went into the bathroom, having already unpacked. She’d left Adam’s things for him. She wasn’t any man’s servant.

He had unpacked by the time she came out, and was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her. She’d taken off her matching jacket before lying down, but now she wondered if she could leave it off altogether.

“Is this okay to wear?” she asked, indicating her sleeveless knit top, pants and strappy low-heeled sandals.

“You look lovely,” he said huskily, pushing to his feet and coming toward her, an intent look in his eyes.

She put up her hand to stop him. “Don’t even try it.”

He stopped. “Try what?”

“Kissing me.”

“I wasn’t about to.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the door. “We’d never get out of this bedroom otherwise.”

They went downstairs together.

Jenna was relieved to see another six couples had been invited for the weekend. Everyone seemed very nice, and lunch in a shaded area by the pool ended up a chatty affair.

Chelsea and Todd were excellent hosts, though Jenna suspected Chelsea had brought in the other couples so no one would notice she had a thing for Adam. Jenna noticed. And a couple of times throughout the lunch, she even thought Todd was looking at his wife with an odd bleakness in his eyes. Yet he didn’t appear to be watching Chelsea with Adam, and that was a relief. Something wasn’t right between the other couple, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Adam had been attentive at the Mayoral Ball, but now he took it to a new level. It wasn’t exactly overkill but he made it clear to the others they were supposed to be lovers.

“Darling, here we go. Finish this off for me,” he said, holding a fork up to her mouth with a small piece of Tasmanian salmon.

“No, I’d better not. I’m really quite full.” She couldn’t quite bring herself to use an endearment.

“But it’s delicious, darling.”

She could see he was enjoying paying her back for her earlier desertion. “I know. I had some already.” She was aware of the others watching them.

“But I hate to waste it.”

Then perhaps you could choke on it,
she wanted to say, even as she gave in and let him place the fork in her mouth, somewhat surprised her gritted teeth didn’t chew right through the metal.

“Good girl,” he said as he withdrew the fork, his mockery for her eyes only, but also a sensuality in those depths that sent ripples under her skin.

He continued in the same vein with his dessert, then with the cheese and crackers. The hardest part for Jenna was
not
flinching whenever he touched her, and
not
blushing whenever he talked to her in that lowered voice. Crazily, after a while it gave her a strangely warm feeling having a man pay her attention like this. Lewis had been less than attentive at times.

After a suitable break, some of the others decided to go for a swim in the pool. Chelsea, with her fabulous body in front of Adam, teasingly tried to get him off the lounger to go change for a swim, while everyone laughed at her antics.

“No, I’m just too lazy today.” He reached over to Jenna lazing on the other lounger beside him and picked up her hand. “Jenna and I are just fine here.”

Chelsea smiled and seemed to accept it, but Jenna thought she gave a rather childish flounce as she left to dive into the deep end of the pool. Jenna freed her hand from him as soon as she could without anyone noticing, but of course
he
noticed.

The afternoon whiled away. The staff put up large umbrellas to provide shade from the warmer autumn sunshine, and there was plenty of food and drink available. Jenna stuck to nonalcoholic drinks and she was pleased to see that Adam did, too. She had to say she enjoyed herself, and even he appeared to be relaxed…at least until Chelsea came to sit on a spare lounger near Adam and started vying for his attention in a way that could be construed as merely being sociable.

Jenna knew better.

And so did Adam, if the slight tension around his mouth was anything to go by.

So it was a relief when in late afternoon everyone got up to go and prepare for the dinner party. Of course, as Jenna followed Adam into their suite, she realized there were still some hours left before they had to go back downstairs. Suddenly, she was wary of how he might suggest they keep themselves occupied until then. Sharing that bed was out of the question.

He flopped onto the mattress and fell back against the pillows with a groan. “God, that woman exhausts me.”

It dawned on her then that despite relaxing around the pool all afternoon, he hadn’t really had a break from people since they’d left the city this morning. He’d been on the go all this time. “Take a nap,” she suggested, feeling guilty because she’d been thinking only of herself.

He opened one eye. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all. I might go downstairs and see if I can find a book to read.”

He opened two eyes. “You can’t.”

“Why?”

“We’re supposed to be lovers. And I can tell you right now that I wouldn’t be letting you out of my sight if that were true. We’d be making love.”

Her stomach gave a quiver. “Then I’ll go in the sitting room. There’s some magazines on the table in there.”

Something lurked in his eyes as he leaned up on his elbows. “You can join me here if you like.”

“I don’t like.” She started toward the other room on legs that shook slightly.

“Pity.” He collapsed on the pillows.

She glanced back at him as she left the room, seeing his eyes had closed. She was sure he was asleep as soon as the word was out of his mouth.

Instead of going straight to the magazines, she went out on the balcony and stood taking in the afternoon sun glinting on top of the hills. Her pulse took a while to settle, but eventually the superb view and sheer peace and quiet on this side of the house gave her a welcome respite after the nonstop chatter at the pool.

Whether it was the different surroundings or not, her hands began to itch and suddenly she was bursting with a new design for a pendant. If only she’d thought to bring her sketchbook, but she’d assumed she’d be too busy keeping Adam company.

Then she remembered the writing pad and pen she’d seen next to the magazines. She hurried back inside to the sitting room and sat at the small table, needing to draw while it was all so fresh and vivid in her mind.

How long she sat there she didn’t know.

Not until Adam spoke behind her from the doorway. “What are you doing?”

She half twisted around to face him, sucking in a quick breath at the sight of his slightly tousled hair. He looked almost boyish…no, make that
playboy
-ish.

“I had an idea for a design.”

His gaze went to the papers spread over the table. “Looks like you’ve drawn more than one,” he said, coming into the sitting room and walking toward her.

She shrugged. “I guess I did sort of get carried away.”

“Show me.”

She looked down at the design she’d almost finished, then up at Adam again. “They’re only rough,” she said, remembering how uninterested Lewis had been in her designs.

“I’d still like to see them.”

He seemed sincere, so she nodded. “Go ahead.”

For the next minute he stood there studying them. She tried not to care what he’d think, but she knew she did. Finally, he looked at her with admiration. “These are really terrific.”

Pleasure filled her. “You think so?” she said warmly.

“Absolutely. Roberto is very lucky to have you working for him.”

“Thank you,” she gushed, unable to stop herself, but it meant a great deal to hear him say that. Oh, she had full confidence in her designs, but this man had discerning tastes and she appreciated that.

Right then she caught an odd light in his eyes. She jumped to her feet. “I think I’ll go take a shower.” His eyes darkened and she saw his mouth open. “Alone,” she preempted him.

His lips stretched into a smile. “I was merely going to say I would take a shower after you.”

He might
say
that, but it wasn’t what he’d been thinking, she knew, sending him a wry look before gathering up her designs and heading back into the bedroom.

Seeing the imprint of his body on the comforter made her steps falter. The intimacy of all this was quite overwhelming, and suddenly Stewart’s money wasn’t the issue between them. This was only about her and Adam. As fast as she could, she put her designs in her overnight case, then made for the shower.

When she came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, she was still feeling weird about sharing a room with a man she didn’t know. Adam was sitting up against the pillows reading a magazine about yachting, but he lifted his head when the door opened. A thick bathrobe covered her from head to calf and she carried her day clothes, but he was actually looking at her bare face. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail and washed off her makeup, and he was assessing her in a way that pleased her. He didn’t seem to be cringing, so she figured she didn’t look too bad.

Going over to the chaise lounge, she began folding the clothes in her hands, giving herself something to do. “Chelsea told me there are some local dignitaries coming tonight,” she said to cover up her nervousness.

He closed the magazine and put it aside. “I’m not surprised. Chelsea and Todd like to socialize.”

“Well, I’m glad I brought a selection of clothes with me.”

“I’m sure you managed to find something decent from…” He lifted a brow. “Now, where was that place? Vinnie’s?”

She knew he was teasing her, and it turned her mouth dry. The temptation to smile at him and see where it would lead was almost irresistible.

Instead, she pursed her lips and played it cool. “I don’t always shop there, you know. I just wanted something special for the ball, that’s all. I’ve got plenty of my own clothes for this sort of thing.”

“You’d look fantastic in anything.” He came off the mattress. “Or in nothing.”

She stilled as he walked around the bed. His eyes were hot and she held her breath.

He kept walking…straight into the bathroom, and closed the door.

A pang of disappointment flooded her, embarrassed her. Damn him. He’d known what he was doing. He was toying with her, leaving her to wonder if he was ever going to kiss her again.

The sound of the shower being turned on released her feet from their fixed position. She hurried into the walk-in closet before he could come back out. Then as fast as she could, she dressed in a long black skirt and silky lilac top, applied her makeup in the vanity mirror and topped it all with a pair of dangling earrings she’d designed herself.

She was ready.

But she
wasn’t
ready for the sight of him coming back into the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his hips. The blood rushed in her ears as she swallowed hard and avoided his eyes, hurrying into the bathroom and closing the door. She definitely didn’t need any blush for her cheeks after that, she decided, rubbing the steam from the mirror and staring at her heated reflection, then not leaving the room until she’d cooled down.

He was putting on his dark dinner jacket, dressing in front of her as if they were lovers, the action making her even more aware of them sharing a room together.

He turned to look at her and his eyes darkened. In three strides—one for each thump of her heartbeat—he was in front of her.

His head descended, and with the next beat of her heart she couldn’t stop herself from opening her mouth to him. His tongue found hers, almost making her dissolve as he took her and teased, drawing her deep into a delicious well of sensation that was all about being with this man and no other. It was a kiss to die for.