Nailed (23 page)

River nodded.

Will downed the glass of champagne.

“Does she know that Kane is married now?” she asked. “Because I got the feeling that she doesn’t.”

Will pursed his lips. “Kane wanted to wait until he saw her in person to tell her. He was going to introduce you tonight.”

“Why? Did he think she wouldn’t carry my nail polish if she knew?” She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, God, does he think she’s still interested in him?” She rested her hand on Will’s. “Is he still interested in
her
?”

“Relax, River. He would never cheat on you. I told you that.”

She stood up and started to walk. “I’m going to go find him.”

Will walked by her side. “I told you, there’s nothing to worry about.”

She just nodded, determined to find her husband.

*   *   *

Kane breathed in the night air, trying to clear his head. He’d caught sight of Will with his arm around River’s waist, accompanying her to the living room. When she’d sat down, he’d whispered something in her ear. The two of them had looked so … intimate together.

He’d almost stormed over and demanded that Will take his hands off her, but he knew he was overreacting.

It had just triggered the image of the two of them kissing that time he’d walked in on them and he couldn’t get it out of his mind.

He shouldn’t be jealous. In his heart, he knew he could trust Will.

He
thought
he could trust Will.

He raked his hand through his hair. Of course he could.

“Hello, darling.”

Kane glanced around to see Francoise walking toward him. He stood in a quiet area of the garden, a little secluded from the rest of the patio, so she’d obviously come looking for him.

“You seem to be struggling with some kind of dilemma,” she said in her sexy drawl. “Maybe I can take your mind off it?”

She stopped by his side and rested her hand on his arm.

“Francoise. I’m glad you could come. I want to introduce you to—”

“Yes, I know. This talented new nail polish designer. But not yet, darling.” She smiled seductively and stroked his arm. “Tell me. What has you looking so stressed?”

“It’s nothing.”

She moved in closer and ran her hands up his chest, flattening her palms on his shirt. “I’ve missed you.” Her eyes glittered in the moonlight. “I was so hoping that while I’m here, you and I could…”

He flattened his hands on hers to draw them away, but she glided them to his shoulder and pulled him into a kiss. Her lips, so soft and persuasive, reminded him of other nights … hot, sultry nights of passion.

He drew his mouth from hers. “Francoise, I can’t do this.”

“I know. Not now. But after the party…” She stroked his cheek. “I hope I can stay over.” Her lips turned up in a broad smile. “And maybe we can invite Will again.”

“I’m sorry. We can’t—”

She pressed closer. “Then just you and me.” She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Her lips, so soft and pliable beneath his, were pure seduction. But he knew he had to pull away.

At a gasp behind him, he freed himself from Francoise’s grip and turned in time to see River marching away.

“Oh, shit.”

Chapter Twenty-one

River’s heart pounded as she strode back to the house. Will followed her, but when she went inside, she headed straight for the stairs and escaped to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

She sat in a chair by the window, stifling the tears that threatened. Moments later, she heard a knock, but she ignored it.

Then the door opened. Kane stepped inside and closed it behind him.

“River, let me explain.”

“That what?” The words came out sharper than she’d intended. And tears burned at her eyes. “That you and the owner of Rapture are lovers. That you haven’t told her you’re married because you want to continue fucking her. Or maybe she knows and it doesn’t matter to either of you.”

“That’s not fair, River. I would never—”

“Never what? Kiss another woman?”

He strode across the room and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, stealing her breath away. It almost worked. She almost allowed herself to be swept up in his embrace … until she caught the scent of the other woman’s perfume on him. She flattened her hands on his chest and pressed him away, then pushed past him and strode to the door.

“I’m not staying here with you. I’m going to ask Will to take me back to the penthouse.”

But he grasped her arm. “Like hell you are. I need you to listen to me. I didn’t tell her I was married because I wanted to do it in person … and introduce you. But I saw you with Will’s arm around you, got jealous, and … well, fuck, I went outside to clear my head and she caught me off guard. But understand this.
She
kissed
me.
I didn’t initiate it. And I didn’t want it.”

He pulled her close. “I only want you.” His eyes blazed with intensity as he stared at her. “You’re my wife and I will never cheat on you.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. She was mesmerized by the intensity of emotion in those vivid indigo eyes of his.

He squeezed her arms. “Tell me you believe me,” he insisted.

Her heart ached as she stared at him.

“I believe what I saw with my own eyes.” She glared at him. “Don’t treat me like a fool. I saw the passion between the two of you, and it takes two to kiss like that.”

His jaw twitched as he met her icy stare.

“I’ll stay for the rest of the party,” she said finally in a flat tone. “I’ll meet your friends, be the loving wife by your side. Then I’m leaving.”

She sent him a defiant glance, daring him to protest. He simply frowned.

She held out her hand. “Shall we?”

*   *   *

River put on a smile and stayed by Kane’s side during the party, doing her best to hide the turmoil inside. When Kane introduced her to Francoise as his wife, the woman was surprised, but totally unruffled, despite having been caught kissing Kane, and having told River she’d had a threesome with him and Will. In fact, the woman continued to be perfectly charming.

Meeting Kane’s friends at the party wasn’t as difficult as River had feared. They were all friendly and talkative, drawing her out of her shyness.

The party died down after midnight. Earlier, Kane had told her he’d arrange a car to take her back to the penthouse. Once they saw the last of the guests out the door, she turned from the entryway.

“I’ll go get my bag,” River said.

As she hurried up the stairs, she realized Kane was behind her. He followed her into the bedroom. She collected her toiletries from the bathroom, tossing them in her overnight bag, and then she grabbed her pajamas and quickly tossed them in, too. She would let Kane worry about the rest. She just wanted to leave.

“I wish you wouldn’t go.”

She compressed her lips and tried to walk past him, but he tugged her into his arms and kissed her. His tongue teased her lips open and glided inside her mouth.

God, the man knew how to kiss. She wanted to melt into the kiss. To revel in the strength of his arms around her, and the fact that he wanted her so much.

But she couldn’t. She stiffened and pulled herself free, then turned away from him and walked out the door.

*   *   *

River walked to the town car awaiting her in the driveway, blinking back the tears that threatened. When the driver opened the door for her, she saw that Will was inside.

“Mind if I get a ride with you?” he asked.

She slid in beside him. “Of course not, but I thought you were staying for the rest of the weekend?”

That had been the plan. Kane had agreed to the three of them having a nice Sunday brunch and spending the day together, hoping to mend the rift between Kane and Will.

He shrugged. “Yeah, but with you leaving, it’s clear Kane would rather be alone, so I decided to head back to my apartment tonight, too.”

The driver put her bags in the trunk and got in. The car started to move. River sent a last glance at the house, and then stared down at her hands.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Will asked.

She just shook her head. Her stomach was coiled in knots and she didn’t want to have to think about it. They arrived at the building and within moments stepped into the elevator. He pressed the button for the penthouse and for the eighteenth floor, where his apartment was. As the door opened at his floor, she realized that as soon as she got to the penthouse, she’d be alone with her thoughts, and she knew they would spiral around her issues with Kane, dragging her deeper into depression.

“Wait,” she said as Will stepped forward. “Is that offer to talk still good?”

He turned to her, his keen eyes scanning her face. “Of course.”

When the doors started to close, he pressed the button to open them.

“You want to come to my place?”

“No, I think we should go to the penthouse. In case Kane calls.”

Not that she’d answer the call, but … she wanted to be there if he did.

“Okay.” Will released the button, allowing the doors to close, and the elevator continued upward.

When they arrived in the apartment, he made some decaf coffee while she changed into flannel PJs. They sat on the couch together.

“I don’t know what happened between you and Kane after he followed you upstairs,” Will said, breaking the awkward silence. But since you’re here and he’s there, I take it things didn’t go so well.”

“Are you really surprised after I caught him kissing Francoise?”

His eyes narrowed. “That still doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know. Because as you’ve already told me, he would never cheat on me. But how sure of that are you, really? I know you want to believe it. Especially since…” She hesitated.

“Especially since what?”

“Well, you were involved with him and when he decided to start seeing me, he ended it with you. It’s only natural that you want to believe that it’s because he’d never cheat rather than…” She bit her lip. “Well, the alternative.”

“That he’s rejecting me?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you.”

Will took her hand, and the warmth and comfort of his big hand enveloping hers was unsettling.

“I know how Kane feels about me. We have a close and lasting friendship. It had an intimate aspect for a while, but I always knew that eventually”—he squeezed her hand—“he’d come to his senses and do something about you.”

“About me?”

“He never got over you. He let you slip away, convincing himself it was for the best … for both of you … but I saw him agonize over his feelings. Then over the years he used to tell me about the powerful chemistry between the two of you, but I knew there was more to his feelings than just lust.”

“How?” she asked, wanting to believe.

He shook his head. “I could see it in his eyes. The man loves you. That’s why I kept tabs on you, hoping that an opportunity would present itself where I could get the two of you together again.”

“
You
told him about my Kickstarter campaign? But if you were involved with him, why would you do that?”

“Because I care about him and I want him to be happy.”

She took his hand. “That’s very selfless. You’re an exceptional friend.”

He laughed without humor. “You probably won’t think so after I tell you…” He drew his hand away and sighed. “I was the reason everything fell apart between you two.”

“No, that happened because of the bet.”

He shook his head. “I think it was the recording that really did it.” He frowned, looking so somber her stomach tightened. “I’m really sorry, River, but I’m the one who helped them get that recording.”

She shook her head as all the pain of that day came tumbling back. Her chest compressed, making it hard to breathe.

“How?
Why?
” she demanded.

“I was short of money—I didn’t come from a rich family like Kane and most of his friends. I had to work a couple of jobs to put myself through college, but it was still tough to make ends meet. A couple of Kane’s friends told me they wanted to play a trick on someone and they’d pay me to develop an app to hack a cell phone to constantly transmit sound to…” He sighed. “Well, the details don’t matter. I had no idea they’d use it on Kane’s phone or that it would hurt either you or him. But that’s no excuse. I should have realized that whomever they used it on would probably be hurt.” He met her gaze. “I’m really sorry.”

She drew in a deep breath.

“Can you ever forgive me?” he asked.

He shouldn’t have done it. And it had certainly caused her a lot of pain. But the agony in his eyes, hinting at the deep burden of guilt he’d been shouldering for years, tore at her heart.

And who was she to judge? She understood needing money to follow a dream, and sometimes going down a path that might be better left untraveled.

She knew Will was a good man.

“Of course I forgive you. It was just an unfortunate series of incidents.” She took his hand and squeezed. “And I understand doing something to help attain a dream.”

Like marrying Kane. But for the wrong reasons.

As much as she wanted to build a successful nail polish company, deep in her heart she knew she had a dream that was far more important to her.

To have a real marriage with Kane. Based on love.

Her heart ached as she realized
that
dream would probably never come true.

Will gazed into her eyes, shaking his head. “I can totally understand why Kane fell for you so hard. If you weren’t his wife I’d…”

“You’d what?”

He grasped her shoulders, his eyes flashing with need. She was mesmerized as he seemed to battle with himself, but then he pulled her close and his lips found hers. The kiss was gentle and coaxing. His mouth warm and persuasive. She opened to him and allowed herself to be carried away, not letting herself think about where this was going.

His strong arms slid around her and drew her closer. Some sanity caused her to stiffen.

He drew back. “Aw, fuck, what the hell am I doing?” He stood up. “I’m going to go.”

She stood and raced after him. “Wait. Please don’t.”