False Pretenses (17 page)

“You think he’s a real good guy?”

Trinity rolled her eyes. “I’ve known Nathan for three years. He likes women, and he’s never without a partner.”

Alyssa cringed.

“But!” She reached across the table and took Alyssa’s hand in hers. “I’ve never seen the man so busted after having a fling with one, and he’s been grouchy as hell at the office lately. I’m thinking it has something to do with you. So my question is, what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m not sure.” She stood up and gathered her things. “Thanks for lunch, Trin, but there’s something I have to do.”

Trinity cast her a knowing look, which Alyssa ignored and hurried out of the restaurant. She tugged her phone from her pocket and headed down the street. Her cousin had informed her she’d taken the rest of the day off to spend time with Curtis on his, who usually worked on the weekends. With Trinity out, maybe she could run in to see Nathan. Not until she reached the executive suite of his company did she realize he might not be available, since even in the Caribbean he’d dealt with constant meetings.

“I’m here. I might as well go in, I guess.” She shifted her shoulders to relieve stress and pushed the glass doors open. When she reached Trinity’s office, she found another woman she hadn’t seen before sitting behind the desk. A moment of panic made her recheck the nameplate, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Trinity’s name still curled in etched gold letters on the plate.

“Good afternoon, may I help you?” the woman said.

Alyssa hesitated, still dealing with nerves. “Um, yes, is Nathan in?”

“
Mr.
Corde is in with someone right now. Do you have an appointment?”

Was it Alyssa’s imagination that she’d heard the emphasis on “mister” as if this heifer corrected her? “No, I don’t normally need one.” Now she was getting bold, which was laughable.

Offense radiated off the woman, and Alyssa couldn’t figure out her attitude problem. She glanced down at herself and then realized she’d shown up in a T-shirt and shorts. Damn, she probably looked a mess, but she’d been cleaning out some stock at the store and preparing space for new books and equipment. Trinity’s invite to lunch had come without notice, but she’d thought since it was her cousin, she didn’t need to dress up, not when she would go back to work and continue what she’d begun that morning. No way would she go in to see Nathan like this.

She started to turn away. “I’m going to give him a call later.”

Embarrassment made her steps awkward, and when a door opened somewhere behind her and to the right, she froze. A tinkling laugh that seemed familiar made her glance over her shoulder. Nathan filled the doorway to his office, and the skank Natasha laid a hand on his chest, too intimate for Alyssa not to stagger with a stab of pain to her midsection.

“You’re silly, Nathan,” Natasha teased.

“I wasn’t trying to be,” was Nathan’s sharp reply, and Alyssa looked into his face. Her eyes widened to catch a less than impressed expression at Natasha’s playfulness. In fact, he appeared more annoyed than anything. Still, she hurried to take her leave before he spotted her. She made it less than a couple yards from the glass doors.

“Alyssa.”

She halted at his voice, the deep timbre going through her and doing things to her body that brought to mind all the times they’d made love. Why had she come here? To face him took an eternity, one she wished would go on forever. Better yet, if she’d never stepped through the door, this insecurity wouldn’t choke her now.

“What are you doing here?”

For some reason she thought he’d show the emotion Trinity had claimed he’d been feeling missing her, but his expression remained closed. Nothing more than mild curiosity showed, making her wonder if her cousin had lied just to let Alyssa make a fool of herself.

When she could find no words, he continued. “Trinity took the rest of the day off.”

“Um, I know,” she muttered. “We had lunch.”

His brows rose, and he appeared about to say more when Natasha sidled up to him and clung to his arm, pressing her breast against it. A nasty sense of déjà vu came over Alyssa, and she gritted her teeth.

“Oh, it’s you,” Natasha simpered, “the little bookstore owner.” The way she said it made it sound like Natasha discovered a roach had crawled in from the street.

If Nathan had shown no emotion a moment before, the floodgates opened in that second. He wrenched his arm from Natasha’s hold, almost knocking her to the floor. “Apologize! Now!”

Both Alyssa and Natasha gasped. Natasha pouted up at him and took a step in his direction. The piercing light in his eyes could have singed the hair off the woman’s head if it had the power. Natasha wobbled on her spiky heels and halted.

“I won’t repeat myself,” Nathan ground out.

Natasha spun to face Alyssa with moist eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

Like hell you didn’t.
Alyssa didn’t say a word, and Nathan seemed to notice that as well, as if because she didn’t forgive the woman for her insincere apology, neither would he.

“Get out, Natasha,” he added. “And if you don’t leave without another word, I will call security to have you escorted from the building.”

Seeing the seriousness in his gaze, the woman almost ran for the door. When she disappeared through it, Alyssa cast a hesitant glance at Nathan. “I heard you were grumpy, but…”

“Not toward you.”

The simple sentence hung between them. She became aware the woman replacing Trinity for the day stared at them in her office doorway. Nathan took her hand and led her to his door. She passed through and heard the door click shut behind her. The nerves started up again, and she twisted her fingers together.

He strode up and rested his hands on her shoulders. She dared not turn and look into his face.

“Tell me why you’re here.”

The words flowed over her like a caress. A fantasy of him kissing her neck and nibbling at her ear flowed through her mind. She tried coming back to reality and just managed it with supreme effort.

“I wanted to tell you…” She licked her lips.

“Yes?”

“I-If your offer is still on the table…” No way she felt brave enough to admit she loved him. “I want to be your girlfriend.”

He spun her to face him and tipped her chin higher. She gulped. When he stared into her eyes, it was as if he bared her soul whether she wanted it uncovered or not.

“Do you love me, Alyssa?”

Unfair!

“Love?”

“Yes, love.” He stepped closer, and the heat from his body warmed her, exciting desire. “I see something in your eyes, and I dare to believe it’s love.”

She tugged from his touch and moved closer to his desk. Leaning on the heavy wood gave her much-needed support. “Don’t you think it’s a little early to talk about love? I mean, we haven’t been seeing each other that long.”

He remained where he stood and folded powerful arms over an even more impressive chest. She wanted to pant with longing, but held on to her dignity.

“Love doesn’t take weeks of getting to know a person, or even months. It’s a decision.”

She curled one side of her lip. “A decision?”

He grinned, and the sun shone in that room. “Yes, a decision. You make the choice to open your heart, and in an instant—love. That choice might not come until you feel at ease with the other person, but the end result is instantaneous.”

“Funny, I never pegged you for the love-at-first-sight type.”

Now he strode toward her, taking his time, tempting and teasing with just his presence. He held out a hand, and before she realized what she did, her palm lay in his. He drew her to him and wrapped an arm around her waist. His cock hardened, and her pussy responded, moistened and ready.

“I loved you the first time I saw you, Alyssa.”

Her mouth fell open. He kissed the tip of her nose.

“What? That’s not possible. I…We…You met me when I came to the office the first time. That was months ago.”

“Indeed.”

“That’s not possible,” she repeated stupidly.

“And yet, I love you.”

She hung on to his jacket with clenched fingers. “Nathan.”

“I love you, Alyssa.”

“Stop saying that. Wait, no, don’t stop.” Her head spun. “Did you get Trinity to pretend she would go with you to the Cayman Islands only to manipulate me into going?”

“No, of course not. Although it couldn’t have worked out better. I had no false pretenses, but I wondered how I would kiss her when I needed you.” He nuzzled her neck just as she’d wanted to feel moments ago. She dipped her head back and shut her eyes. The craving for so much more overwhelmed her.

“Nathan.”

“Say it again, my love.”

She shivered. “This is too much to believe. Someone like you…”

“I’m only a man. Nothing more, nothing less.” He raised his head to look into her eyes. “Can you say it?”

“Your name?”

He shook his head. “I’ll get you to say that soon enough when I make love to you.”

Her knees jellied, and she clung tighter.

“Say you love me.”

What did she have to lose? This man, an amazing man, who was everything she wanted, loved her. He had admitted it.

“Why did you ask me to be your mistress?”

“I never said I didn’t make mistakes, baby.”

She rested her forehead on his chest. “I love you, Nathan.”

“Again,” he pleaded, and she heard the emotion choking him.

She looked him in the eye. “I love you so much, and you’re right. It can happen in an instant. I
love
you.”

Her feet left the floor when he swooped her off them and into his arms. He swung her around the room trapped in a bear hug, but she didn’t want to escape. They kissed, lips meeting and then their tongues. She tasted him, moaning and wrapping her arms around his neck. When he stopped spinning, he didn’t let her down, but pulled her legs up to encircle his hips. He walked forward until her ass touched the desk, and he sat her on it, never relinquishing her lips.

“Mm,” he moaned, “you taste so good. I want to kiss you until I’m drunk.”

“Don’t stop on my account.” She grinned up at him and tugged his tie until his lips met hers. He gave in to her demand.

“Take off your shorts.”

“Are you nuts? Not here.”

He leaned back and ran a hand between them to cup her pussy. She whimpered in bliss.

“Are you sure?”

“Nathan, that’s not fair.”

She stopped him from unbuttoning her shorts. “No way, buddy. I know you own the place, but still.” She hopped from the desk. “Tonight. My place. I’ll cook for you. Then again, on second thought, it’s not safe in my area for you.”

He frowned. “I’m not some delicate pretty boy.”

She laughed. “Well, you’re a pretty boy. I meant for your car. I’ve seen it. That thing would be on blocks before the night’s out.”

Concern darkened his eyes. “Then you’ll move in with me.”

“Whoa, whoa.” She held up her hands and took a step back. “You’re moving too fast.”

He advanced toward her, and for some reason, she felt like prey. “If it’s unsafe for me, it’s definitely unsafe for you, Alyssa.”

“I’m used to it.”

He grunted. “We’ll talk about it. For now, how about you spend the night at my house and cook me dinner there?”

She grinned. “Deal.”

“Alyssa?”

With her hand on the door to leave, she stopped when he called her name. “Yes?”

“I know you’re still nervous about my position, but I intend to win you over by any means necessary.”

A thrill of anticipation raced down her back. She knew he meant if it took his money to make her accept his status, he would use it. Now that she’d admitted to herself and him she loved him, nothing would keep her from looking past her hang-ups to be with him. Sure, independence defined her, but she was more than her net worth, and so, she realized, was he. She looked forward to learning all she could about Nathan Corde.

“That reminds me. How did things go with Piper?”

He frowned and ran a hand through his hair. “A work in progress. Piper is back with Emma, and the two have decided to move in together. Because of this, my dad has cut her off.”

Alyssa’s hand flew to her mouth. “No!”

“Yes, and my mom is in agreement with him. I think she will come around, but we have to work on Dad.”

She returned to his side and hugged him. “There’s not much time…”

“I know.” His jaw tensed. “I will make him see she’s too important to lose at a time like this. Meanwhile, I’ll make sure she never wants for anything.”

Her heart warmed to him. “What’s the chance of you taking the rest of the day off?”

A slow smile spread over his face. “The odds are excellent.”

Prologue

Eight months later…

Alyssa stretched her arms above her head and yawned. She climbed out of bed and walked over to the dresser where Nathan had set aside drawers for her. Although she slept at his house more often than not, she hadn’t officially moved in, and she wouldn’t, not for a while yet. She tugged the drawer open and scrounged around for her pills. When she found them, she popped one from the case and put it on her tongue.

“What’s that?”

She jumped at Nathan’s voice just behind her.

“Don’t scare me like that. It’s birth control.”

He frowned. “I didn’t think you were on those. I assumed you meant you were not ovulating at the time.”

“Oh, really. That’s the conclusion you came to?” She acknowledged his familiarity with the female body and eyeballed him, liking the scruff about his usually clean-shaved jaw, but that wasn’t important about now. “So why have you been happily making love to me without a condom—and for a while now?”

He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. The innocent act didn’t fool her.

“You’re trying to get me pregnant, you sneak.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.” She couldn’t hold back the laugh. “Don’t you think we should talk about it before you try to knock me up?”

“Marry me.”

“Nathan! Aren’t you at least a little afraid?”

“Of what?”

“Of…changing your mind?”

“No.”

“What about me changing mine?”