Unveiling the Bridesmaid (13 page)

He looked over at her as she stared out of the window at the moon illuminating the sea. Her hair was still twisted up, held with a rose-pink ribbon, the dress exposing the fine lines of her neck and the fragile bones in her shoulders. Desire rippled through him, desire mixed with a protectiveness he had never experienced before, an overwhelming need to protect her from life's arrows. She'd already been pierced too many times. ‘I got you something.'

She turned, a shy smile lighting up her face. ‘You didn't have to.'

‘I know. It's not a parting gift. It's an
I hope you come back
gift.'

Her mouth trembled. ‘Really?'

Words failed him then, the speech he'd prepared during the sleepless night. Words telling her he wanted her to go, to experience, to live. But at the end of it all he hoped she'd choose to come back. To him. ‘It's in the closet.'

With a puzzled frown wrinkling her forehead, Hope opened the door to his walk-in closet. It was practically empty, the few essentials he kept here folded up and put away on shelves at the back. There was only one item hanging up.

Hope stood stock-still, one hand flying to cover her mouth. ‘My dress.'

‘I didn't think anyone else should have it.' It was hers. They had both known it the second she had put it on. Every line, every delicate twist of lace, every fold of silk belonged to her.

‘But...it's a wedding dress.'

‘I don't want to confine you, Hope. I don't want you to go away tied down. I want you to live and laugh and if you love then that's the way it's supposed to be.' He swallowed as he said the words, alternate words trembling on his tongue.
Stay with me.
‘This dress is a talisman, a pledge. That if you choose to come back to me then I'll be here. And if you don't, well. It's yours anyway. If you want it.'

Did she understand? Did she know what it meant that he had asked her to come back to him? He had never asked anyone before. Never exposed himself. Taken each desertion on the chin and then wrapped another layer of protectiveness around himself.

* * *

Hope couldn't take her eyes off the dress, perfect as it hung in the closet, every fold exactly where it should be. It did belong to her, he was right. Nothing had ever felt so right—nothing but being in Gael's arms. And he had bought it for her.

The dress had been exorbitant but she knew it wasn't the dollar price that made it special, utterly unique. It was the gesture behind the gift. It was opening himself up to rejection. It was allowing her the power to reject him. That was his real gift. He was giving her power. He trusted her with his heart just as she had trusted him with her body and soul.

‘Come with me,' she said. ‘Travelling. You can paint anywhere, can't you? Come with me.'

‘But it's your big adventure.'

‘And I want to share it with you.' That was what had been holding her back. Her dream travels seemed ash grey when she contemplated doing it alone. She wanted to share each discovery, each experience with Gael. She wanted him to tease her, to push her, to make her feel, to stretch herself. ‘I have done since I booked it. I knew I should be excited but instead every time I thought about getting on that plane, flying away from you, I felt sick with dread.'

‘You really want me along?'

‘Always.' She put her hand on his shoulder and instantly knew she was home, that no matter where she was in the world if he was there she would be settled. ‘When Faith told me she was marrying someone she barely knew I thought she was crazy. Well, people will tell me I'm crazy, that two weeks is nothing at all, but I have lived a lifetime in the last fortnight. A lifetime with you. It wasn't always easy or comfortable but for the first time in a long time I was alive. You brought me to life. I didn't think that I knew what love was, that I was capable of it, that I deserved it, but you have made me change my mind. I love you, Gael. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life having adventures with you.'

His eyes had darkened to a midnight blue as he pulled her in close, caressing her with light scorching kisses along her brow, her cheeks, her mouth. Hope pressed herself as close as she could, her hands holding on tightly as if she would never, ever let go. And she wouldn't; this man was hers. She knew it with every fibre of her being and her body thrilled with ownership. He was hers and she was his.

‘I love you,' he said, the words catching in his throat. ‘I didn't want to, I fought against it but I think I loved you from the first moment you unleashed your outrage on me.'

‘I'd barely said hello and you asked me to strip,' she protested. ‘Gael, will you come with me? I don't want to be away from you, from us, but I don't want to walk away from a chance to do something new again. If I don't travel now I never will.'

‘On one condition.' He smiled into her eyes. ‘Monday you put on that dress and we go to City Hall and get married. I'll need to be in New York in three weeks for the exhibition launch party but otherwise I'm yours for the next year. For the rest of my life. What do you say?'

‘I say you'd better ask me properly.'

She was only teasing but Gael stepped back, dropping to one knee, like a picture from a fairy tale. Hope's heart stuttered with longing and love as he took her hand in his. ‘You'd better say yes now I'm down here.'

‘Ask the question and then I'll be able to answer.'

‘Hope McKenzie. Would you do me the honour—the very great honour of being my wife?'

She didn't answer straight away, taking a moment to take in the devilish glint in his eye mingling with the love and tenderness radiating from him. Hope dropped down to kneel in front of him, taking his face in her hands as she did so. ‘Yes. Yes, I will. Always.' And as she leant in to kiss him she knew that her adventures were only just beginning and that she would never be lonely again, not while she had Gael by her side.

* * * * *

If you enjoyed this story, make sure you've read Maddison and Kit's story

IN THE BOSS'S CASTLE

Available now!

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THE CEO'S SURPRISE FAMILY
by Teresa Carpenter.

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The CEO's Surprise Family

by Teresa Carpenter

CHAPTER ONE

L
EXI
M
ALONE
'
S
HAND
shook as she touched up her lip liner. She met her gaze in the gilded ladies' room mirror and saw nerves reflected in the blue depths.

“For Jazi,” she breathed and capped the liner.

The reminder chased the shakes away. And most of the nerves. She'd do anything to get her twenty-three-month-old goddaughter back. Accosting a man in an upscale restaurant to determine if he was the child's father was nothing. And it may not come to that. Tonight was a fact-finding mission.

At the theater where she'd used to dance strange men had approached her all the time. She'd learned to handle them long ago. Of course, the Golden Link was a well-respected private club at the Golden Cuff Casino and security had stood ready to protect her if things got out of control.

Here all the security belonged to Jethro Calder, a top executive of the Pinnacle Group, and owner of the restaurant she stood in. The Beacon mixed old-world elegance with modern efficiency and hearty fare. And it was housed in the Pinnacle Casino and Hotel where Calder had a penthouse suite.

She was about to wrangle a shark in his surf.

But she had no choice. He may well be Jazi's father, and the only person with the power to grant her custody.

She'd done her homework once she realized his possible relationship to Jazi.

One of the “Fabulous Four” to take Pinnacle Enterprises to the top of the fiercely competitive world of digital gaming, Calder was known as the Dark Predator. Few went up against him without feeling his bite.

A confirmed bachelor, he'd stated in one article that he never intended to have a family. According to him, he took a satisfaction in his work that he'd never found in a relationship so why force something that wasn't meant to be.

Lexi hoped he believed what he said. Jazi's and her futures rested in his hands. But she needed to confirm her hunch before she put her proposition to him. She needed to see his birthmark for herself.

“So stop stalling.” She scolded her reflection, earning an odd look from the woman next to her at the vanity. She offered a small smile but the woman tucked her lipstick away and left the bathroom. “Good job, Lexi, you're scaring the tourists.”

She sighed, fluffed up her shoulder-length red hair, lifted her chin and followed the woman out. “For Jazi.”

It seemed prophetic that today was Alliyah's birthday. Lexi hoped it meant she'd be lucky. She made her way to the bar, a room dressed in dark leather, light wood and shining crystal. Alliyah, Lexi's best friend and Jazi's mother, had been a dancer too. Unlike Lexi, Alliyah had made extra money by being an executive escort. When men like Calder needed a date for an event, they called the service and Alliyah got an expensive night out on the town and earned the money to buy whatever she had her eye on, which could be anything from diapers to a new designer purse.

Sex was not part of the service. But occasionally Alliyah hooked up with her dates. Jazi was the result of one of those hookups. As soon as she'd found out she was pregnant Alliyah had quit the service. Unfortunately, she hadn't been sure of whom the father was. Or more probably she hadn't wanted to share Jazi. Whichever, she'd been closedmouthed about the baby's father, even to Lexi. When she'd died in an automobile accident, her silence contributed to placing her daughter in foster care. A system Alliyah had despised, having bounced around in it for a good part of her youth.

Lexi supposed she could thank her mother for being spared that unpleasant experience. No, Lexi had longed for a little neglect in her childhood. Instead, every moment of every day had been structured, filled with practice, schooling, practice, regimented exercise, practice, scheduled meals, and more practice. All under the strict eye of her mother.

Oh, yeah, Lexi had prayed for time alone.

But that had been a lifetime ago. Now she just wanted custody of her goddaughter, and Jethro Calder was her ticket.

And there he was. Seated at the end of the bar in a custom-made tuxedo that emphasized the broad reach of his shoulders, showcasing his tall, lean frame to perfection. His brooding expression kept everyone, including the bartender at bay.

A shark surveying his territory, there was nothing subdued about him. His hair was nearly black, his eyes dark and piercing, the color indiscernible at this distance and angle. Features a shade too sharp to be considered classically handsome made him all the more compelling.

Pretending uninterest, she studied him in the mirror as she walked up to the bar. “A dirty Manhattan, please,” she ordered from the attentive bartender. She held her breath—no going back now. The drink order was a signal to Jethro Calder that she was his date from Excursions.

After reading the article, she'd contacted Sally Easton, the owner of Excursions. Lexi had met the older woman several times when Alliyah worked for her. Sally had even tried to recruit Lexi more than once. Lexi had explained she needed to talk to Calder about something important but when she tried going through his company she got passed on to a lower executive. Sally put Lexi off not wanting to jeopardize his business with Excursions. But today she'd got a call that Jethro Calder's date had to cancel. Sally was giving her this one chance.

“May I buy that for you?” A man old enough to be her father slid onto the stool next to her and leaned into her space.

She controlled the urge to flinch away from him. Why did a miniskirt make men lose all sense of propriety? Before she could politely refuse his none-too-subtle come-on, a tuxedoed arm threaded between them and a deep male voice declared, “She's with me.”

A strong hand settled over Lexi's and Jethro Calder assisted her from her seat.

“You're late,” he said.

She froze. Then forced herself to relax. She meant to observe him tonight, try to catch a glimpse of the birthmark on his wrist to confirm his link to Jazi and get to know him a little better before retreating to plan her next course of action.

“Right on time actually.”

Her gaze went to the mirror making sure no one spotted her for the fraud she was. No one appeared to be paying particular interest in them except a familiar brunette who was lovely but about ten years older than Calder, who she knew to be thirty-five. A cougar on the prowl?

“No way, Calder.” Her would-be suitor protested. “You're always claiming the young, pretty ones. If she were with you, why didn't she join you?”

Calder ignored the man. Instead he addressed the bartender, who arrived with her drink. “Sam, Madison's tab is on the house tonight.”

“We're having a bit of a tiff.” Lexi curled her arm around Calder's. Hard muscles flexed under her fingers.

Slightly mollified by Calder's generosity, Madison's scowl deepened at her gesture. Not wanting his annoyance to turn to suspicion, Lexi grabbed the drink from the bar.

“There are lots of beautiful women here tonight.” She set the glass down in front of the brunette whose hair Lexi had styled less than an hour ago. With a smile she announced, “This gentleman would like to buy you a drink.”

The woman frowned. The man sputtered. And Calder led Lexi away.

“You're late,” he repeated, his breath whispering over her ear, his deep voice shivering over her senses. A warm hand in the small of her back directed her to the elevator that would take them down one floor to the casino floor. “I'll let it slide because watching you hand Madison's ex-wife that drink was the most fun I've had all day.”

She eyed his solemn expression. This was him having fun?

“That was his ex-wife?” No wonder she seemed so interested in their interaction.

“Yes. She eats at the restaurant every Friday night after her spa treatment.”

“And he comes in every Friday night to pick up pretty young things in front of her?”

“Every week for the last six months.”

“People are strange.”

“You have no idea how strange until you've lived in a casino.”

“Believe me, working in a casino is as close as you need to get to see strange.” She'd learned that as a dancer. But that was in the past. Now she cut and styled hair, a day job so she could be at home with Jazi when she got custody.

His eyes narrowed on her. “You work in a casino?” They were a dark, twilight blue. Her heart pounded. She'd only ever seen one other person with eyes that color. Jazi had his eyes. She swallowed in a suddenly dry throat. She'd found Jazi's father.

A hundred emotions rushed through her, love for her goddaughter, hope, fear, anticipation, trepidation. But she forced herself to concentrate on the conversation. “Hasn't everyone who lives in Las Vegas worked at a casino at some point?”

“That doesn't answer my question,” he stated.

“I work at Pinnacle's actually. At the Modern Goddess Salon.” She wasn't surprised he didn't know her. The spa rented the space. “Is that going to be a problem?”

His brows contracted and she realized he was actually thinking about it. He sighed. “No. It's not a problem.”

“I was a last-minute replacement.” Lexi advised him, sticking as close to the truth as possible. “I'm afraid I don't know anything about where we're going.”

“I never reveal the destination until we're en route.”

Of course not. Everything she'd read on the man indicated he was a very private man. He walked with purpose and speed. Luckily her dancer's grace allowed her to keep pace.

“Hmm. Kind of makes it hard to know how to dress.”

The fact he wore a tuxedo meant the occasion was formal. She tugged at the hem of her black minidress, hoping she met his requirements.

“I provided the information that it was a formal event.” His dark gaze ran over her, the intensity in the navy depths sent a shiver down her spine. “You'll do.”

“Good to know.”

She'd gone with the classic little black dress. Wide band sleeves rested just off her shoulders and flowed to a vee in front showing off a hint of cleavage. The material clung to her curves in a loose fit, allowing her to move. It was more provocative than sexy. And because Lexi liked sparkle and shine, the fabric glimmered with every step she took.

The automatic doors swooshed open to the glittering entrance of the casino. There were lights and movement everywhere. People, cars, taxies and valets flowed in a ballet of arrival and exits backlit by a cascading water feature.

A car waited for them and a valet rushed over to get the door. “Good evening, Mr. Calder, Lexi.”

“Hi, Miguel, how's the new baby?”

A huge grin lit up his face. “As pretty as her mama.”

“Miguel and his wife just had a baby girl a month ago,” Lexi told Calder. “Her name is Saralynn.”

There was no change to Calder's expression, but he nodded at Miguel. “Congratulations. Lexi,” he gestured to the open door, “we have to get going.”

“Of course.”

Cold fish—check.

Strangely disappointed, she slid in and across the seat. When she glanced back, she saw Calder tip Miguel with a couple of hundred dollar bills. She perked up. Maybe not so cold after all. He joined her, his large body taking up most of the space. She suddenly felt crowded and overly warm. Definitely not cold now.

She might panic—if she were the type to panic—if he didn't smell so good. No fancy cologne for him. He smelled of soap and man. And he made her mouth water.

Rein it in, girl, you're on a mission here.

As a distraction, she focused on his generous gesture. It gave her a sense of hope. He'd stated in more than one article that he didn't want kids or a family, that he didn't have the patience or skill set for a long-term relationship so why set himself up for failure. Her plan rested on the fact he meant what he said, but it helped to know he wasn't totally dispassionate about kids. She needed him to care enough to act.

“How do you know Miguel?”

Jethro ground his teeth, annoyed he let the question slip out.

How she knew the other man didn't matter as long as she was a pretty armpiece and was able to intercede when required to redirect the conversation.

A task she should have no problem with since she'd been chattering ever since they met.

“Just from working at the Pinnacle. I've been at the spa now for a month. I like to talk to people so I've met a lot of the Pinnacle employees.”

Yes, he could see her as a people person. Where he was not.

“Miguel treated his wife to a day at the spa after Saralynn was born. I thought it was a wonderful gesture and suggested to the owner that she put together a package just for new mothers and publicize it throughout the casino and hotel. She agreed to give it a try. We've had quite a few women come in.”

“So you're in marketing?”

“Oh, goodness, no. I'm a dan—a hairdresser.”

His head swung around and he rolled his gaze over her, accessing every curve. The escorts at Excursions were a mix of entertainers and professional businesswomen. He'd made it clear he preferred the latter. He had more in common with a businesswoman. And the one time he took a date to the next level had been with a dancer. He'd regretted the slip.

He preferred to keep his social and sexual encounters separate. He prized the discretion and privacy Excursions' services provided. He liked that sex wasn't part of the arrangement. The last thing he wanted was for the line between social and private to blur. That could only lead to complications and expectations he had no desire to deal with.

He never lacked for partners when he needed sexual release.

Casual dates with no promise of a follow-up were harder to come by until a friend recommended Excursions.

Having a new woman on his arm on a regular basis gave him the image of a player. He didn't care. He wasn't out to impress anyone and it gave warning to those who would expect more from him, all the better.