Seducing Fortune (A Serendipity Novel Book 3) (18 page)

“But you need me. I’m around even if you don’t realize it. I could be closer if you’d let me. Gabby could be protected. From here on out, I’m your boyfriend. You need to ditch Dylan. Play along. If he’s innocent, you’re the only thing that can keep Rafa from putting a bullet in his head. If he’s guilty, more the reason to stay away from him.”

“He’s innocent. I’m positive.”

He swipes a finger across Reed’s cheek. “I’m not a bad guy. I like keeping people safe. It’s the best part of my job.”

“Then go be a school crossing guard or something.” I mash my lips together in a stubborn line. “Okay. What do I have to do with you? If there’s any risk of this blowing up in our faces and this Rafa guy even getting a hint that you’re not for real, I’m out. I’ll find a way to give him what he wants before he hurts my family.”

“I’ll pretend you didn’t say you’d engage in illegal interactions to help a known criminal.” He pretends to shake Reed’s tiny hand. His gaze lifts to mine. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Gotta get home and let Diesel out.”

My mouth drops. “The dog? The dog’s for real? Or is he an FBI plant? A phony like you,
Toby
.” I emphasize his name, drawing out each letter.

“Diesel’s the real deal. And my name’s Tobias, so Toby is close enough.”

“Whatever, Tobias. You’re a liar. Maybe you’re working for Rafa.”

“You don’t believe that.” He pauses. “Emerson, you need to listen carefully. Don’t do anything crazy. We think Rafa will lie low while he waits for you to visit your father. But after that, we don’t know.”

I step aside. Toby leaves with a grim smile and a wave. A hollow feeling comes over me. I picture my mother’s empty eyes when the guy pulled her from the lake. It was like she’d lost her reason to hang on to sanity.

Tomorrow my life will change in a way I didn’t ask for. I’ll practice dishonesty as I lie to Gabby about Toby’s identity. I’ll hope Rafa doesn’t suspect anything. I’ll cut my ties with Dylan when I explain we can’t date because I’m not into him.

I’ll be my father’s daughter in the art of deception—and I’ll be empty.

T
he staff
at the Four Seasons is efficient and takes only minutes to give me the room key. The lobby is quiet and my boot heels echo against the hard floor. Inside the elevator, I press the button for my floor and fall back against the wall.

I’m taking what I want tonight, because tomorrow is when hell begins. Dylan will hate me. Gabby will probably want to date my new fake boyfriend. My dad will understand that only threats to my family’s life could bring about my visit.

The elevator trip isn’t long enough. The doors slide open and I walk down the hallway on unsteady legs. When I get to the room, I lean my forehead against the door.

It’s not too late to turn around. Sleeping with Dylan will be the cruelest thing I’ve ever done. My belly clenches and I’m breathing too fast.

The door pulls open and I gasp. Dylan catches me before I can fall. An ice bucket tumbles to my feet.

His arms wrap around me in a tender hold. “Gorgeous Girl, you’re here. I was going to get some ice.”

“Hey.” I fist the back of his shirt with both hands and push him inside, leaving the discarded bucket.

He gives me a sexy grin. “Getting ice can wait. I thought you might want—”

“Kiss me. Now. Please.” If he doesn’t stop my brain from analyzing all the wrongs I’m about to commit, I won’t be able to stay.

Dylan closes the door and pushes my back against it. He places a hand against the wall above my head and the other slides to the back of my neck. “I’m sorry you had to ask.”

He slants his mouth onto mine in a frantic, hungry kiss.

E
merson’s tongue
darts into my mouth and I stroke it with my own and taste her sweetness.

Our kiss is filled with desperation and lust. Her fevered response fills my soul with something I’ve been missing. It’s more than two bodies creating some chemical reaction. I want her so badly, so completely, that I confuse myself when I pull my lips from hers to put a damper on the fire we’re creating.

The hotel room is quiet except for the sounds of our breathing, which seem overly loud.

Her head falls back against the foyer wall. “Hi.”

“Is everything all right?” My words are loaded. I place my hands on both sides of her face and lean my forehead against hers, closing my eyes and inhaling her scent. Something must be bothering her.

It’s in the way she kisses like she’s grabbing hold of me and is afraid to let go.

I move back to look at her. She studies me for a moment and then moves away to examine the dimly lit room. She nods but doesn’t speak. I lace my fingers through hers and pull her inside.

“Nice,” she says, slowing to glance inside the bathroom. “I’ve never been here.”

The room is okay, but I could be in a pay-by-the-hour dive with her and not notice my surroundings.

“You’re always my Gorgeous Girl.” If I’d said this to any other girl, I’d feel like it was a line. It’s funny how natural it is to tell her this.

She gives me a shy smile. “You do have a way with words, Mr. Mercado.”

“Want something to drink?” I motion to the chilled bottle of wine on the dresser.

“No. I came here to talk.” She stands awkwardly at the edge of the bed.

“Oh yeah?” I take a step and close the distance between us. “I’ve wanted to talk to you.”

“What about?” she asks, eyes wide.

I sweep hair from her eyes with one hand, and then trace her bottom lip with my thumb. “Not wasting time. That’s one thing I did with Kate. I thought I’d have plenty of moments like this. That’d we’d be together forever. But you never know what will happen and you have to stop assuming that life will give you everything you want.”

“Dylan.” She presses a hand to my chest. “I came here because I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me. You’re a great guy and Lord knows you’re sexy. And—”

I undo the top button of my shirt.

“And...” Her gaze flicks from the movement of my fingers and up to my eyes.

The corner of my mouth tips in a slow smile. I undo a second and third button, watching her lips part, sensing her body’s sway toward mine.

“And?” I ask. I deftly undo the last buttons and shrug out of my shirt. I take a step forward and our bodies touch, a whisper of my skin against her clothing.

“I can’t think while you’re this close.” She closes her eyes and her eyebrows lower. “You smell so incredible.” Her eyelids flutter open and her heavy-lidded gaze meets mine.

I caress her shoulders and allow my hands to move over the sleeves of her black top and down to her waist. I’m operating on instinct now. I’d thought we might talk for a while first, but to hell with that. We can talk later.

Now that the decision is clear in my mind, I pull the bottom of her shirt up and over. She’s wearing a silky tank, the outline of pebbled nipples straining against fabric. Emerson moves one hand to touch the skin in the center of my chest.

She drags her hand down, down, down my chest to stop at my stomach and I can’t remember the last time I was so turned on by a simple touch.

“Gorgeous Girl? I need to feel your skin. Okay?”

Emerson licks her lips.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I chuckle, pleased that she may be as speechless as she makes me. It takes only a quick tug to peel the tank from her body and reveal a sheer black bra.

“Ah hell.” I lower my head to one breast and trace the hard peak of one nipple with my tongue. The material is slick and soft, barely a barrier at all.

It’s not enough. I place my lips over her nipple in a gentle kiss and then suck it through the cloth.

She makes that low, guttural sound in the back of her throat that could be the end-all for me. I need to slow the ride. For both our sakes. I restrain myself for the moment by tugging on the button of her jeans.

Emerson obliges by removing my hands from their unsteady task and unbuttoning them. She pushes the jeans down over her hips and I take the material the rest of the way down.

I’m kneeling, staring at sheer panties that match the bra. Her thighs are smooth and tan and call for me to worship them, preferably with my tongue.

I push her gently against the bed. Her knees buckle and she sits on the edge, hands braced on each side of her body so she won’t fall back.

Her skin is hot under my touch as my fingers touch her knees and pull them apart.

“What are you doing?” she asks, panting and breathy. “Well, I know what it looks like...”

I raise a brow and lick my lips. “I’ve been waiting to do this all day long. Quit sassing me for once, baby.”

Instead of lying back or arguing as she’s so prone to do, she leans forward and kisses me. Her tongue flicks into my mouth in a rush of excitement. Her fingers thread through my hair to clasp the back of my head. Her mouth makes that sound synonymous with sin.

Emerson lifts her head. Her blue eyes are dark and turbulent, midnight dark on a stormy ocean. “I’m not arguing.”

“Good girl.” And with that, I get on with the business of making tonight one she will never forget.

T
he sound
of my cell alarm filters into my dream. In my dream, Emerson is holding a sign saying ‘Round 1’ as she walks my sales floor in a bikini. There’s also an elderly man and his wife waving money at Emerson. Emerson winks at the old guy but keeps strolling around the floor with the sign.

I’m close to strangling my sales staff for ogling her when the beeping noise distracts me. I crack open one grateful eye and pick up the cell.

Five a.m.

I heave a blissful sigh and stretch my arms above my head. Finances and sales meetings can wait. The new shipment check-in can wait. Emerson cannot.

Her dark hair spreads out on the pillow next to me.

I’m not a spooner, but I know today is meant for new habits. I roll closer to the center of the bed where she lies and watch her sleep for a moment.

She opens her eyes. “Good morning.”

“Yes, it sure is.” I place a light kiss on her nose.

“What time is it?” She drapes a hand over her eyes.

I frown. “Does it matter? Classes don’t start this early.”

She removes her hand and reveals her troubled expression. “I know, but Gabby may need a ride or something. She doesn’t know where I am. She’ll be worried.”

“Call Gabby and tell her you’re with me. She won’t ground you.”

“I need to go.” Emerson jumps out of bed and grabs my shirt from the floor, holding it in front of her body. She locates her phone and checks the display before setting it on the nightstand. “My clothes are everywhere,” she grumbles.

“Slow down.” I sit up to grab her, but it’s too late. She’s already sprinted for the bathroom.

A phone chimes and I automatically look to mine. The ringtone is different though and I relax. It continues and I realize it’s Emerson’s.

“Your phone is ringing,” I yell softly, more to myself than to her.

I scoot across the bed and pick up the phone so I can take it to Emerson. A text flashes across the screen and one word catches my eye.

Toby.

Son of a bitch.

Toby: I didn’t get to finish talking with you last night. Let’s get together today. Or tonight *wink*

A steel shaft slices into my chest as I blink and read the text again. No. There’s no way. No possible way she’s messing around with this guy.

Emerson’s footsteps are so silent that she’s at the side of the bed before I see she’s standing there. I realize she’s been watching my face. She holds out her hand for the phone and glances at the display, her mouth tightening.

“I can explain,” she says.

I wait in silence. She stares at the drawn curtains. A stillness this deep must be what astronauts feel in space as they drift inside the shuttle.

My chest feels ready to cave in since I haven’t dared to breathe.

“You’re seeing him?” It’s an effort to keep my voice steady. It’s not as if we’re goddamn fucking engaged or married or exclusive even. But I thought we had an unspoken understanding.

I’ve been thinking like a novice and I should know how this works since I’ve dated several girls simultaneously and broken more than a few hearts when discovered.

My standard answer was always, “I thought we were seeing other people.”

“You know how I feel about you. Did you think I wouldn’t care about Toby? That I would be okay with it?” She sits beside me on the bed and I swear I’m so numb I cannot feel my limbs. She doesn’t even try to defend herself.

“Just give me a little time to work through some stuff. The thing with Toby isn’t what you think.”

“Does he know where you spent last night?” I raise a brow. I don’t really give a flying fuck what he thinks. I’m only concerned that she understands I’m not into this sharing scenario and she’d better dump his ass. Now.

The look on her face is so innocent and pale. It takes all the self-control I possess not to say things I’ll regret.

She has to know that we have something different together. We are not casually dating or randomly hooking up.

Emerson gets to her feet and won’t make eye contact. “Listen. I have to go. And I didn’t plan for this to happen. But the thing with Toby—”

“You told me once that if we were together, it’s just me and you. What happened? You forget you put that on me?”

“I didn’t forget,” she whispers. “I want to be with you. It just can’t be now.”

I have no idea what that means. “You tell him you won’t see him again. You tell him now. In front of me.” I get out of bed and grab my pants.

“I can’t do that,” she says.

“Why not?”

“Trust me. I can’t.”

“Do you understand how much I trusted you? I told you how lost I’ve been since Kate and Paisley died. You threw away my trust. You don’t give a damn about me.”

Tears well in her eyes. “That’s not true.”

“I can’t see it any other way.” My heart is beating like an engine ready to overheat. “Go ahead. Get out. Go climb into Toby’s bed.”

My pants are unfastened and hanging on my hips. I move to the windows because I cannot watch her leave. She’s not responding to my last comment, and I really don’t expect her to.

I open the curtains to find the sun’s beginning to rise. My head is now pounding and my hands are clammy.

The sound of the closing door sets panic roaring through me like a forest fire. Who am I to judge when I’ve done this to so many girls in the past year?

But more than anything, I’ve been sidelined by the unexpected and pierced by her coldness. I’ve made it clear that I’m crazy about her.

The window has a perfect view of the parking lot. Nausea builds in my throat when I see her running to her car. She unlocks it and gets inside, but I can’t stop watching.

Ten minutes pass and she still hasn’t driven away.

I turn away from the windows so I don’t have to watch her leave. A cold stone of regret sits in my core. Today, I’ve learned a hard lesson.

Life is a bitch who’ll surprise you every time. Just when you think you have her next move figured out, she pulls a surprise from her sleeve. Sometimes it’s only a card you didn’t see.

Other times it’s a shotgun aimed at your heart—boom, boom, boom.