Husband for Hire (11 page)

“What's this?”

“There are two items in there. The letter explains everything. We want you to take a honeymoon, so we arranged a place for you to go. I gather that Gavin is free at the moment.”

Guilt stomped on her. Last weekend she'd had the wedding without the honeymoon, at least for the
photographs. Now the honeymoon without the wedding? How was she going to get out of this? Because there was absolutely no way she was going anywhere. She had work to do and— Well, they just wouldn't go. Gavin would support her in that. She didn't want to argue with Eric right now.

“The second is a check that represents your trust fund from Mom and Dad.”

She opened the envelope and looked inside…and almost choked on the amount written on the check. “Did you…did everyone get a check like this?”

“On their thirtieth birthdays. Yours is the largest because it's been invested untouched the longest, but we've all done well. I should've given it to you on your birthday, but I wanted to do it in person.”

“Plus you thought I was being flaky. You didn't think I really had a boyfriend.”

“Then you got married without us,” he said softly, but with obvious pain. “I wanted to make sure your boyfriend and then husband wasn't a gold digger. You need to talk to a lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing. This money is personally yours.”

Becca wondered how Eric was going to feel when—if—he learned the truth. He would've proven himself right, that she
was
flaky.

She was tempted to blurt out the truth. All of it. But they'd had a good weekend, and he was finally acknowledging her as an adult. He seemed happy— except for how he'd said he needed to get out of New York City. Why?

He patted her knee. “We should head to the airport.”

“This has been such a great weekend,” she said. “Even though you got sick. At least you won't have to stay at a hotel after this, now that the guest room is finally available.”

They rejoined the men. Sam was tipped back in his chair, smiling, as Trent laughed. Buckled over, Jeff slapped his thigh.

Gavin grinned. He looked happy and comfortable as she came up beside him and set her hand on his shoulder. He put his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip, his brows raised slightly as if in question. She winked. He squeezed her hip then, and the conversation started up again, apparently another story of Becca as a child, this time how she and Jeff had played barber as kids, and who knew that children's plastic scissors could cut so well?

Trent had scanned the family photo of the event into his cell phone so that he could show her new husband how she'd looked with her previously long hair cut into choppy lengths. She remembered her mother screaming when she saw her.

Becca didn't mind being the subject of laughter. In fact, she would think something was wrong if they didn't tease her mercilessly. That was her role as the little sister.

She looked at each of them, her heart swelling. She loved them all so much. She hoped they would stop worrying about her now and move forward with
their lives. Eric had just admitted to her that he'd put his life on hold somewhat, wanting to be sure she was taken care of. Now he could.

Although if he moved to Sacramento very soon—

“Time to go,” Eric said. “We have planes to catch, and the lovebirds need to pack and get going.”

Becca waited for Gavin to intervene. When he didn't, she said, “Although I really appreciate your gift, this isn't a good time for me. I've got two big deals coming up and two new clients on board. Maybe later.”

“I already cleared it with Chip,” Eric said.

Becca only saw red. “You what?” She turned to Gavin. “See? See what I have to put up with? Now he's interfering in my business life on top of my personal life.
And
he's got Chip interfering, too.”

She rounded on Eric. All the men had gone silent. “I'm not going anywhere. I fly all the time. I'm sick of it. Traveling is not fun anymore.”

“Which is why we rented a cabin in the mountains for you. It's only an hour's drive, Bec. No airports. No hassle. Don't you both deserve a honeymoon?”

“We do,” Gavin said, putting his arm around her waist. “Thank you.”

Thus the visit ended on a tense note instead of a happy one. A few minutes later, the loft was quiet again, and Gavin and Becca were facing the aftermath of their lie—and the question mark of their future.

“We're not going anywhere,” she said, her arms crossed.

“I don't see how we can get out of it. You know Eric will check to make sure we're there.” She couldn't decide how Gavin felt about it. “You want to go?”

“Frankly I could use a change of scenery. And I can't think of anyone better to share it with.” He moved in on her, cupped her shoulders. “We started something last night. Let's end it the right way. We have to live this lie a little longer to make it believable, anyway, so let's do this. We can repay them later.”

She couldn't. She really couldn't. She would fall all the way in love with him, and maybe he would fall in love with her. They didn't want the same things. One of them, maybe both of them, would get hurt.

“I can't,” she said, going up on tiptoe and kissing him softly.

Her doorbell rang. She looked through the peep hole and groaned. “It's Eric,” she whispered. “He's probably going to stay here until we leave. We should start calling him The Enforcer.”

He banged on the door. “Becca!”

Gavin reached around her and opened the door.

Eric raced through, going straight to the bathroom. When he finally emerged, he leaned against the doorjamb. “I can't fly. Since you're not going to be around, do you mind if I stay here until I can?”

“We don't mind at all,” Gavin said as Becca pinched his waist.

“Bec?”

She'd been cornered. Whether on purpose or accident, she had no choice now. “Of course you're welcome to stay, Eric.”

G
avin carried Eric's suitcase into the guest room.

“I'm not completely comfortable leaving you here alone,” Gavin said. “If it's food poisoning, which I suspect it is, you just need to rest and stay hydrated.

If it's more than that…”

“I won't hesitate to get myself to a doctor. Scout's honor.”

“Call us now and then, please. Let us know how you're doing.”

“I will. Thanks for getting Bec to go on the trip.”

My pleasure,
Gavin thought. “You're right. She needs some downtime. It's not surprising she had to be forced to take it.”

“I'm probably not high on her list at the moment.”

Gavin smiled but didn't confirm Eric's statement. “She'll get over it. I've got to run a few errands before we can leave. Can I get you anything?”

“Ginger ale? I know it probably doesn't do anything, but it's what my mother always gave us when we were sick.”

“Ginger has stomach-soothing properties. And comfort foods help in ways we don't even understand. I'll pop in on you before we head out.”

He shut the door, then spotted Becca sitting at the dining-room table, her chin propped on her fists. “How's he doing?” she asked.

“Sounds like he needs a day or two before he should travel.”

“I feel like I should be here. You know. To take care of him.”

Gavin laughed. “Nice try. You're going on the trip.”

She didn't stick out her tongue, but she might as well have.

He laid a hand on her shoulder. “I need to go pick up the rest of my things and run a couple of errands,” he said. Actually he hoped to catch a little sleep. He was dog tired. “I'll come back when I'm done and we can head out.”

“Okay. I need to spend some time on the phone with Suki, anyway. Tell her what's in the works for the week.”

She sounded glum, but actually better than earlier. “Think of it as an adventure.” He leaned over and kissed her, careful to keep it from escalating.

Not now. Not yet. Tonight. They would have all the freedom and privacy they wanted, and in a place that didn't have personal meaning to either of them. “I'll be back in two hours. I'll also have my cell phone on, if you need me earlier than that.”

Gavin ended up too tired to sleep. He tried. For over an hour he tried before giving up. He checked out of the hotel, stopped at a nearby department store to pick up an extra pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and hiking boots, then picked up the ginger ale. Like Becca, he hadn't taken a real vacation in years. He occasionally drove to his hometown to see his family, which he didn't consider vacation, but duty calls—except that he liked his sister Dixie and was always glad to see her. She also occasionally came to the city to see him.

As for Shana, she'd disappeared for ten years, so she hadn't been part of the equation until recently.

He was enjoying getting to know her as the woman she'd become. But his parents? The fewer hours he spent with them, the better. His mom was okay, but her world was narrow. His dad's was even more.

So, a vacation was a welcome luxury, and taking it with Becca? Pure indulgence.

He left his suitcase outside the loft door, in case Eric was awake.

“How's your brother?” he asked Becca when he got inside.

“Still sleeping.”

Gavin grabbed the suitcase from the hall and quickly carried it into the bedroom, then put the ginger ale in the refrigerator. “I need to add the things I left here to my bag. Are you packed?”

“All set,” she said. She finally looked as if she wanted to go. He, however, felt like wagging his tail.

“We'll need to pick up groceries,” she said. “We'll be at a cabin in the woods. No restaurant. No room service. The brochure Eric added lists nearby places of interest, and there's a market, but apparently it's small.”

“Well, then, why don't we shop here in town, put everything in ice chests and take them along. We won't have to go anywhere for a while, at least. We'll have to use your car, since mine won't hold everything.”

“That's fine. I have a full tank.”

He took her face in his hands and kissed her, this time letting it go deeper, arousing her. Arousing himself. “Thanks for doing this,” he said against her lips before she could say, “Like I had a choice.”

He wanted to believe that, ultimately, she did have a choice—just an almost impossible one.

She nodded, her eyes closed, her lips still parted. Damn if she wasn't the sexiest woman…

“I'm looking forward to tonight,” he said, lifting his head.

“And here I thought you were so adventurous,” she said, mischief in her voice. She leaned into him. “I'm looking forward to this
afternoon,
” she whispered dramatically.

“Eager, are you?”

“Too eager to wait for nightfall. Unless you have some objection.” She walked away, her hips moving sassily.

He appreciated her confidence. “No, your honor. No objection from me.”

“Good. Because I would've had to overrule it. Now, you go pack your bag. Let's get this honey—I mean, vacation on the road.”

They both went quiet. They were deceiving themselves to think this was anything other than a weeklong trip together to unwind after the weeklong ruse. They would enjoy their mutual attraction and not have lingering, unmet needs. They were adults, capable of embarking on this journey, then ending it civilly.

“Yes,” he said. “Let's get going.”

Two hours later, unease settled over Gavin, poking dread into him with sharp pinpricks. It had taken them an hour to shop, and she'd said it would take an hour to get to their location, which meant they were close now.

The problem was, he knew this area well. These foothills were where he grew up, in a small town called Chance City, only two exits away.

Had Eric known that?

No. Why would he send them where people would know them? What kind of honeymoon would that be?

Gavin should've asked where they were going. But because they hadn't chosen it themselves and the plans were already set, he'd figured it didn't matter.

Becca was consulting the directions she'd been given but didn't tell him to turn off. They passed the first exit. Then the second. Gavin relaxed. There were lots of beautiful, rustic Mother Lode towns in the area just as picturesque as Chance City, and where they wouldn't run into an entire population he'd known since birth.

“Take the next exit,” Becca said.

Not far enough. Not nearly far enough, Gavin thought. He couldn't even form any words, just listened and followed her directions to the rental, although Gavin was pretty sure he knew where they would end up. Becca would be thrilled with Eric's choice. It was the perfect place, meeting all their needs. A secluded cabin in the woods, but with all the comforts of home.

And it was owned by a friend of his, Jake McCoy, whose younger brother Joe was married to Gavin's sister Dixie.

 

“Oh! Isn't this beautiful,” Becca said as a perfect little cabin came into view. She opened the car door, stepped out and admired the view. A cool breeze lifted her hair, filling her head with the earthy
fragrances of the land. They were surrounded by tall pines and old, enormous oaks bearing new spring growth. Small boulders nestled amongst manzanitas. Two Adirondack chairs sat side by side on the porch that wrapped around the whole building, the rustic railing ideal for the log cabin that suited the landscape perfectly.

Becca rushed up the stairs and plopped into one of the chairs. “They're not rockers, but they're perfect. Look at the view.”

It just occurred to her that Gavin had gone quiet. Didn't he like the place? It seemed just right to her.

She got out of the chair and met him at the car where he was unloading the trunk. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Maybe the cabin is too secluded for you?” He was a city boy, after all.

“It's fine,” he said, then he set an ice chest on the ground, took her by the shoulders and kissed her. “No, it's not just fine. It's spectacular. Eric did a great job.”

She smiled, relieved. He was probably tired. Neither of them had slept much last night. “It looks like we can start a hike to all different directions from here, doesn't it? And everything is so green. I'll open up then come back to help carry.”

She grabbed one suitcase to take with her, located the key under the welcome mat and opened the door wide. The place smelled of lemon oil and wood, and it was dark enough, even during midafternoon, to need lights turned on. A man's space, she thought, taking
in the huge rock fireplace, contemporary kitchen and big-screen television. The furnishings were cabin decor and masculine, mostly leather and wood, a look she appreciated. She figured it would be cold enough at night to light a fire. There was plenty of wood stacked under the porch.

Becca heard Gavin's footsteps as he climbed the stairs then came into the living room. His expression serious, he went straight to the kitchen with the largest ice chest, then he grinned at her as he headed to the door again. Okay, she thought. Everything was okay. She'd been imagining…something.

They brought everything inside and put it all away, making quick work of it. There were two bedrooms, the master containing a king-size bed. The bathroom wasn't luxurious but had a large shower and tub combination. Everything was spotless.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

“Starved.”

His tone and expression indicated he wasn't talking about food. Becca was fine with that. She'd come to this trip without illusions. She knew she was probably going to have her heart broken, but she could deal with that. She would just immerse herself in work again and focus. Any pain she felt would resolve itself in time.

She hadn't planned on falling in love with someone so right and yet so wrong for her. The most important thing was making sure he didn't get hurt,
especially since he already seemed to be hurting about something.

Although she was pretty sure he had a lot of doubts, too, about her, given how they'd started this relationship to perpetuate a lie she'd created.

They could work it out during the week, she hoped. For now it was all about the freedom they'd been given to enjoy each other. It was just them, alone, without the pressure of work or getting her house in order or sustaining a lie or playing a part. She intended to take full advantage of the situation.

“If you have to take an hour to make up your mind, Becca…”

She jolted. Then before she could pull his shirt off, he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. The bedding was folded down—when had he done that? He put a knee on the bed, lowering her to the mattress, following her down, stretching out beside her. He hadn't kissed her yet. She was dying to be kissed.

He removed her clothes but stayed dressed himself, which seemed unfair…and totally erotic.

“You have amazing skin,” he said, running his hands down her from neck to toe, leisurely, deliberately, his intention obviously to arouse, not satisfy. He explored, stimulated, awakened, electrifying every nerve ending. When he was done using his hands, his mouth took over, lips and tongue, hot and wet, searching, seeking, discovering. Still not kissing her…

He cherished her breasts, lavished her nipples at the same time his fingers were busy sliding down her abdomen and beyond, then pulling back when she got close to climax, only to return to the torture again. And still no kiss.

When she thought she couldn't survive another moment, he rolled her over and treated her backside to the same unhurried treatment, his fingers delving, tormenting.

She made a quick roll onto her back, looked into his aroused and amused gaze. “You need to get naked.”

“But I'm enjoying this. Aren't you?”

“You're not expecting an answer, are you?” Getting to her knees, she lifted his polo shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She watched his face as she unzipped his jeans.

“That's better,” he said, closing his eyes a moment.

“No one was forcing you to suffer,” she said with a smile, delighted with everything. All of it. All of him…

She wanted to enjoy him, to take as much time as he had, but that was going to have to wait for another time, sometime when she could find some patience.

Not now.

She helped him finish undressing then she lay back, extending her arms in welcome and demand. He covered her body with his.

“I thought you were beautiful last night,” he said, nibbling at her lips. “But daylight shows how truly magnificent you are.”

She couldn't remember being told she was beautiful, much less magnificent. The praise overwhelmed her. She threaded his soft, shiny hair with her fingers then splayed them against his head. “Come inside me,” she whispered.

“I aim only to please,” he said, kissing her finally, sliding into her, filling her.

“A perfect fit,” she murmured, arching and sinking in rhythm, oblivious to everything except him.

“Yes,” he murmured back.

“Made for each other.”

She'd gone too far, said too much. She knew it the moment the words were out of her mouth. He jerked a little, seemed ready to pull away. She tightened her arms, squeezed him from inside and out. He got back into the rhythm, soared high with her as sweat adhered them to each other, groaned as long and loud as she did. As good as last night was, it was nothing compared to this, this drawn-out, potent, intoxicating moment.

She would remember this for the rest of her life.

He finally draped his body over hers for a few seconds then rolled onto his side, taking her with him. With his feet he grabbed the bedding and inched it up. She reached down, pulled it over their shoulders. Then they relaxed into each other, sated.

She didn't know what to say. Should she apologize
for her outburst? Even though it was true, it wasn't what their relationship was about.