Sinfully Sexy (18 page)

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Authors: Linda Francis Lee

Tags: #Romance, #Sex in the workplace, #Fiction

BOOK: Sinfully Sexy
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* 
*  *
Sterling and Ben stood in the kitchen of Chloe's small house. Sterling
couldn't define what exactly he
felt. His need to protect had grown fierce. He was responsible for
these women, and he wouldn't allow them to be hurt. But it was the
thought of someone hurting Chloe that made his skin go cold.
"Damn, I should have had security in the Roses' house all along. With
the ratings we got, there are
plenty of viewers, which means some are bound to be crazies."
"No one was hurt."
"Not this time." Sterling focused on his brother. "I want you to stay
at the house."
"You want me to stay here?" He gestured to Chloe's home.
"No. I want you to stay at Julia's with the women. I don't want another
intruder."
"Listen, I agree you need security. But I'm not your man. I'll find
someone."
"I need someone now. Besides, you're on leave. If I've got it right,
you're not working anywhere else."
Ben turned away.
"Please, Ben. The women know you. I've been winging it, thinking this
was a slam dunk. But we're
only at the beginning, and there is plenty I haven't given a thought
to, like security. It's my responsibility to keep the women safe."
Whether Cummings was a true threat or not, Sterling didn't add what the
sound of Chloe's scream had done to him. It had made his blood run
cold. Sent a surge of strange emotion through him that he'd
never experienced in his life. The closest he'd ever come to feeling
something like that was the day he
had learned that his father was running Prescott Media into the ground.
In that instant, a surge went through him as he understood he would do
whatever it took to save the company.
This was similar, but different. More intense, he had to admit, which
was astounding in itself. He wanted to keep Chloe safe. He also
realized the minute he heard Chloe scream that he wanted more from her
than quick sex to purge her from his mind. He didn't know what exactly
it would turn out to be. But sinking his flesh into hers wasn't going
to make him forget her. He was sure of that now. She had seeped into
his soul in a way that nothing else in his life ever had. He wanted
her—that was nothing new. But first and foremost, he realized now, he
wanted her safe.
"I need your help, Ben," he stated with more forthright need than he
had ever used in his life.
His brother considered him, then he muttered an oath.
"All right. I'll do it. But if I'm the one who strangles Julia
Boudreaux, it will be on your head."
Surprise straightened Sterling's spine. "You're interested in Julia?"
"Hell, no. I don't even like her. That's the problem. She's everything
I don't like in a woman."
Sterling looked at him oddly. "It's hard, isn't it, when you have it
bad."
* 
*  *
Sterling returned to Julia's house after the police had departed.
"Ladies," Sterling announced when he walked through the back door, Ben
coming up behind him.
Sterling took in the Roses who sat around the kitchen table, drinking
coffee and eating yogurt. Chloe stopped in mid-bite of a
chocolate-covered, custard-filled doughnut, her mouth open, her cheeks
flaring with red as she undoubtedly remembered what had happened
between them only a few hours ago.
At first she started to drop the doughnut to her plate, then suddenly
she took a venomous bite.
It was all he could do not to walk over and slowly touch her lips, wipe
away a smudge of custard. No,
he had to get through
The Catch
with some semblance of impartiality. Then, after they were done, he
would touch her, hold her, tell her all the things he wanted to share.
The other women were visibly surprised by his appearance. "Trey," Mindy
said, sighing and looking at him with adoration glowing in her eyes.
He'd been with enough women to know that she was sweet,
kind, and falling hard for him. He felt a need to make sure he didn't
hurt her.
"Mmm," Leticia cooed. "You were such a hero this morning. Big, fine,
strapping hero."
Chloe took another bite of her doughnut.
"Not a hero," he corrected. Then he looked at each of the women. "We
want to make sure something
like what happened this morning doesn't happen again. To that end, you
really have to keep this door locked."
Nodding in agreement, Chloe grumbled as if she resented him for being
right.
"Second, my brother, Ben, is going to provide full-time security from
now until the end of the show."
Ben grimaced.
Julia put her hands on her hips. "What do you mean, full-time security?"
"Ben is going to stay here at the house."
This time it was Julia who grimaced.
* 
*  *
An hour later, after the girls had returned to their rooms to get ready
for the day, Julia headed back to
the kitchen. She and Chloe were going to have a planning session to
ready the next episode, which they would tape that day. They had rerun
the first episode to make sure they reached as much of an
audience as possible. Tonight they would air show number two.
Ben stood in the foyer, talking to a man who was delivering a box of
something. As soon as she
appeared, Ben stopped speaking and watched every step she took. She
could feel his eyes on her, appraising, running over her like he could
see beneath her clothes.
She had told him that if he planned to stay there, he'd have to sleep
on the sofa in the den, childishly thinking to make him as
uncomfortable as possible. But it had seemed only fair since his mere
existence did that to her.
Though if she was honest with herself, she couldn't put into words what
really unsettled her about Ben. When she walked past him, he gave her
the kind of smile that she rarely saw on a man's face—at least directed
at her. Knowing, arrogant, and completely unintimidated. That was it.
The man wasn't afraid
of her, and her carefully aimed verbal jabs did nothing to make him
lose his balance. In fact, it occurred to her that he was the first man
she could remember who didn't even like her.
She continued on, then pushed through the swinging door and into the
kitchen. Ben and the delivery guy followed her, though they didn't
stop. They continued on into the utility room.
Julia was never more thankful than when Chloe walked into the kitchen.
"Chloe!" she enthused. "You look lovely!"
Chloe glanced down at her simple white blouse, brown plaid skirt, and
plain pumps, then shot her an
odd expression. "What's wrong now?"
"Nothing's wrong! Everything's great!"
"Lucky you," Chloe stated.
"What are you talking about? Are you upset about the intruder?"
"No, it's not the intruder. It's this idiotic show. Why won't he kick
me off?"
Julia walked over and hooked her arm through her best friend's.
"Because you are cute and wonderful and gorgeous now that you've
stopped wearing those fake glasses. Besides, no doubt he has been swept
away by your charm."
Chloe craned her neck to glance at her. "You've had too much caffeine.
We both know that isn't the
case. He should hate me by now. Just like I hate him. He's obnoxious,
and arrogant, and—"
Ben and the man returned, the box gone, and Julia saw Chloe freeze.
"Where did you come from?" Chloe demanded.
"The utility room. I had new locks delivered that I'm going to
install." Ben held up a dead bolt.
Chloe whirled to Julia and mouthed Why didn't you tell me he was here?!
"Don't worry about it, Chloe," Ben said. "Your secret's safe with me."
He grinned like a mischievous
bad boy.
"Me, worry?"
The other man chuckled. "I'm Sid, ma'am, and I've seen you on
The Catch
. You're great." He
actually blushed.
Chloe thanked him, clearly self-conscious. Then she spun Julia around
and dragged her toward the door.
"You know," Sid called out, stopping them. "If you really hate Trey so
much and want to get kicked off the show, you're going about it the
wrong way."
Chloe, Julia, and Ben looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.
Ben leaned back against the edge of the table, palming the dead bolt
like a lover. "This should be good."
"You're being elusive, cool," Sid explained. "Unattainable."
"She's being a bitch," Julia countered.
Sid laughed. Chloe glared. "Whose side are you on?"
"Yours, sweetie. Always yours. And haven't you intentionally been a
bitch?"
"Well, yes."
"But being elusive," Sid continued, "isn't going to do anything but get
you rose after rose until you're
the one with the bouquet. What man alive isn't intrigued by what he
thinks he can't have?"
"That is so archaic!" Chloe declared.
"Good Lord," Julia mused, "have you been reading
The Rules
?"
"Call it what you want," the deliveryman said unapologetically. "But if
you really want to get kicked
off
The Catch
, you've got to
change your tactics."
Chloe tapped her finger against her cheek, debating, then asked, "Like
how?"
"Chloe! Don't listen to him."
Ben groaned.
Sid persisted. "Do you like a guy you barely know to get too serious
too fast? Hell, do you deny that the worst thing a woman can do is have
sex with a guy, then turn into a possessive,
aren't-our-kids-going-to-be-beautiful clinging vine?"
Ben pushed away from the table. "Okay, Sid, time for you to go. We've
got enough trouble around
here without you giving anyone any ideas."
"You think I'm wrong?" Sid demanded of the group. "All I'm saying is
that if you want off the show,
you better think clingy instead of cool."
Julia couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was ridiculous. But
when she turned around to tell Chloe that, her best friend had fled
from the kitchen.
Julia turned on Sid. "Look what you've done!"
"I gave her a decent piece of advice given her goal." He raised his
hands in surrender, then headed out
the back door.
The minute he was gone, Julia's brow furrowed with concern. "She can't
possibly take him seriously." She grimaced. "Can she?"
Ben shook his head. "Maybe not. But from the look on her face when she
was dashing out the door,
I'd bet money she's in her room right now trying to come up with a new
plan of action for the next episode of
The Catch
."
Julia knew Chloe better than most anyone, and she hated to admit that
she thought he was right.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Sterling Prescott
From: Serena Prescott
Subject: Response requested
My dearest Sterling,
Please
respond, as I have still not heard a word about what is going on. But I
am well aware
that you have missed yet another Sunday dinner. And this one I had felt
certain would be
attended not only by you, but by Ben as well.
Please update progress.
Yours,
Grandmere
p.s. I realize you don't want me to travel to Texas, but I've decided
it is high time I made a visit to
El Paso.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

To: Ben Prescott
From: Sterling Prescott
Subject: Complication
Grandmere
has gotten it in her head to visit. I think an e-mail from you could
deter her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

To: Serena Prescott
From: Ben Prescott
Subject: El Paso in October
Dear Grandmere,
I
hear you are thinking of visiting the Sun City. I'm not sure that is
such a good idea. Your eldest grandson is in the middle of a charade
involving his identity. Your arrival could complicate things.
Love,
Ben
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Betty Taylor

From: Serena Prescott
Subject: Flight
Dear Miss Taylor:
Is
the company plane available for use?
Best regards,
Serena Prescott
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

FOURTEEN
"What do you mean Grandmere is coming to town?" Sterling stared at Ben
in disbelief. "You were
supposed to deter her, not offer to pick her up at the airport."
Ben shrugged and took a bite of carrot, not looking particularly
concerned. "Sorry. I tried to tell her
this wasn't a great time for you, but she was adamant."
"And how do you expect me to explain this . . . this situation?"
"I was pretty much wondering the same thing. What are you going to tell
her? The good news is that
I gave her a heads-up about the fake identity."
"You what?"
"Yep, I mentioned it in e-mail. I told her that you weren't admitting
that you were a Prescott." Ben's
smile spread across his face like a half-moon of amusement.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're doing nothing to help me
succeed?" Sterling demanded in exasperation.
Nodding unrepentantly, Ben said, "It's your job to make this work, not
mine. But enough about your problems. Let's talk about your request. I
have some information on Chloe, as you asked."
Sterling knew he was racking sins up faster than a gambler in Las
Vegas. Amazing how something that had seemed so simple in the beginning
could spiral so quickly on him— and not in a good direction.
But as much as he now felt badly about spying on Chloe—no, delving into
her past—he still felt a need
to know. Especially after he had realized that he wanted more from her
than a simple affair.
Hell, even he realized how bad that sounded. But old habits died hard.
He had started to wonder about her as a permanent person in his life. A
mistress? The thought was repellent to him. But the idea of a wife made
his mind cement against it.
He knew he had to pick the right woman to be his bride. Not only would
she be the mother of his children, but she'd have to be the woman at
his side as he ran Prescott Media. He needed a woman beyond reproach.
He had always assumed his wife would be from one of the best families
in St. Louis.
"What did you learn?" Sterling asked.
"Not much so far. Just that she lived with her grandmother since she
was a kid. When Regina Sinclair died a year ago, she left Chloe the
house."
"Why did she live with her grandmother and not her parents?"
"Don't know yet."
Sterling suddenly remembered the day she had said she wanted to spend
more time with her father.
Had the man just recently returned to her life, but then, given their
need of the two houses, been
driven off again?
Sterling didn't know. But regardless of the reason for her father not
being here, this was a situation he could rectify. And he felt a
driving need to do something just for her.
"Find out where the father is. I want to surprise Chloe."
"For what?"
"The two final Roses introduce 'Trey' to their families. I'm going to
make sure Chloe has a family here
to include. I don't want her caught off guard and potentially
embarrassed."
Ben shook his head. "You're smart and determined, I'll hand you that.
Having her father show up on
the last show is a nice touch that could help you win her over."
Win her over? Could he? he wondered suddenly.
For the first time in his life, Sterling felt the bite of regret. He
wasn't a man to regret his actions. He did what he had to do. But it
occurred to him that this time doing what he had to do might not be
explanation enough for someone like Chloe Sinclair.
It was ludicrous, he thought with a curse, that he hadn't considered it
before. Thrust into this world far removed from the power of Prescott
Media, he felt like his eyes were being pried open, forcing him to
see everything he did in a different light. He didn't like it at all.
But that didn't help when with a grim
start he realized that after this was done, he was afraid he'd need
more forgiveness than approval.

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