The Lost Tycoon (15 page)

Soon, the kiss went from sweet and gentle to hungry and passionate. Her core heated to dangerous levels, and her entire consciousness was fixated on having him strip her clothes away and sink deep inside her.

She grasped at his hair, holding him to her, while he explored her back with his hands, then let them move beneath the bundle of clothes she was wearing, and then climb up her sides until he was suddenly clasping one aching breast, the touch of his palm scorching her.

Before she could fall into an abyss of total pleasure, Bryson pulled back, his eyes almost savage as they gazed down at her, hot, hungry — ready.

“I want you every minute of every day,” he said huskily.

“Then have me,” she told him, too turned on to consider regretting her words.

The flash of need in his eyes, followed by a glance up the hill, made her feel like a seductress. With a boldness she would have never known she possessed, she moved her hands downward and squeezed the muscles of his tight buttocks.

“When we get alone…” he growled, then pulled back and enclosed her hand with his.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” she asked, feeling almost giddy.

“Both.”

The way he said the word sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. She’d made this big, strong man ache. She’d made him desire her —
need
her. She felt euphoric and found herself practically skipping as they made their way back up the trail to the house.

“I don’t think I ever want to go back to the real world,” she said with a sigh.

“I need this case to end,” he replied, taking the glow right out of her. When she tensed, he halted their progress and turned to her. “So that I can be with you all I want — without the conflict of interest.”

Her glow came flooding back.

Misty didn’t believe their fling could last. But she didn’t want to think about that. All she wanted to think about right now was the two of them lying in bed together, spectacularly sated.

“Why didn’t you join me last night?” she asked. If he wanted her so badly, she didn’t understand why he hadn’t come to take what she was offering.

“Because Joseph would have somehow known and then strung me up as an example of what happens to men who defile the Anderson women,” he said with a chuckle. “And, Misty, you
are
an Anderson.”

“Maybe by blood, but I wasn’t raised with them, and apparently my father was the black sheep of the family, so while they may be greeting me with open arms right now, that could all change in an instant. I’ve decided just to enjoy it while it lasts.” She wasn’t upset, just realistic.

“You will gain trust the more you get to know them. They’re the good kind of people to have in your life,” Bryson assured her.

“I think you’re right about that. But I don’t think I’m exactly an asset to their superior blood,” she said with a laugh, though her own words stung her.

“You are more of an asset than you could ever realize,” Bryson said as they reached the back door.

“No more talk of this. I want to enjoy the next couple of days with this perfect family, and then, when I get back home — if you have time — I want to finish what we started down there on the beach.” Misty sent him a flirtatious smile. Or at least what she hoped was a flirtatious smile. She’d hardly had a lot of experience handing those out.

“I’ll move our flights up,” he growled, cornering her on the porch.

“I wouldn’t complain.” She whimpered as his lips touched hers again and she melted against him.

“Well, I sure as hell would.”

The two of them jumped apart quicker than a frog’s tongue catching a fly as Joseph looked out at them from the doorway.

“We were just taking a walk,” Bryson said, his cheeks slightly pink.

Misty was fascinated by his nervousness. Edginess from a man who seemed so confident all the time was fascinating to behold. But she could certainly understand it. Joseph was one heck of an intimidating man, especially standing in the entryway to his castle.

“Yeah, I’ll just bet you were,” Joseph grumbled, and he sent a warning look Bryson’s way. Then a gleam appeared in the old man’s eyes as he looked back and forth between the two of them. “Of course, a nice morning walk isn’t such a bad thing.”

Misty and Bryson gaped at him.

“Why don’t we have breakfast and visit?” Joseph walked inside, absolutely certain the two of them would follow immediately.

And they did.

For the next few hours, Misty felt as if she were in an interrogation room. When Damien and Sierra joined them, she sighed in relief.

“Don’t worry about Joseph. He just loves to be in charge,” Sierra said as the two women escaped to a couch, leaving the men to chat among themselves. Soon, Katherine joined them, and Misty found herself really liking the soft-spoken woman.

The topic of Joseph and his wild schemes came up eventually. He thought he was being secretive, but it seemed that his antics were very well known.

“I can’t figure out what Joseph’s doing. He keeps talking about school, and marriage and kids, then he looks from Bryson to me. We’re not a couple. We’re just…” she trailed off, not knowing how to define their relationship.

“Yeah, I was just…” Sierra got a big smile on her face. “…just
nothing
with Damien, too,” she finished with a giggle as she looked pointedly to the sleeping baby lying in her husband’s arms as he talked with Joseph and Bryson.

Damien was so natural with his daughter, cradling her protectively in one arm while he rubbed along her soft bald head or patted her back gently with his free hand. He would look at her every few moments just to assure himself she was comfortable.
Awwwww
, Misty thought.

“Don’t try to fight it, Misty. Just grab it while it’s hot and then hold on for the ride,” Sierra advised.

Though Misty blushed, she looked across the room at Bryson, and when their eyes met, a spark shot through her. Maybe her newly found sister-in-law was right — maybe she should just hold on and see where this all led.

She sent Bryson a wink. Would this work as a sexy gesture? Yesss! She felt immediate warmth when she saw him stiffen. Mmm, flirting was becoming a new favorite pastime of hers.

“You go, girl,” Sierra said with a chuckle.

“I just might do that,” Misty replied, leaning back and enjoying herself.

By the end of her second night at the Anderson mansion, she’d been talked into meeting the rest of the family. The Anderson Foundation was throwing a fundraising party and it sounded like too much fun to miss. Her last night there promised to be an adventure unlike anything she’d experienced before.

Bring it on
, she thought with a new optimism.

“You look
stunning
,” Sierra gasped after circling around Misty slowly so she could take in the entire effect of the gauze dress.

Misty clutched at the top of her gown and tugged, and Sierra jumped over and grabbed her hand. “Don’t do that. You’ll rip it and then be showing far more of your goodies than you are now,” she said with a laugh.

“I
can’t
wear this, Sierra. It’s beautiful — the most beautiful gown I’ve ever even
seen
, because I certainly haven’t ever
worn
one this stunning. But I
can’t
wear this. Not in front of strangers.” Misty turned back to the mirror in dismay.

Gazing back at her was a woman who certainly looked as if she belonged in this magical fantasy the Andersons had created, but it wasn’t Misty. Her dark hair shone as it tumbled down her back, the bright sparkle of her green eyes was accented by expertly applied makeup, and her body…well, her body looked curvy and sensual, and…

“Nope. Can’t do it,” Misty sighed. “You have to have something more...more…I don’t know, something that shows
less
?”

“It’s a Cirque du Soleil theme,” Sierra told her. “Just wait until you see what Joseph has planned!” She was practically bouncing on her feet as she held out a beautiful necklace and placed it around Misty’s neck.

“Please tell me this isn’t real.” Misty brought her finger up and ran it over the large blue stone in the middle of a cluster of other brightly colored gems.

“Okay, it’s not real.” Sierra turned away to fasten her own jewelry around her neck and her wrists.

“What if I lose it?” Misty asked. This was getting to be too big of a deal. Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to go to the fundraiser.

“Don’t worry; it’s insured. Besides, if you lost it, someone would find it and take it to Joseph or Katherine,” Sierra replied.

“Not everyone is that honest,” Misty told her sadly.

“Anyone who comes here is. Now, come on, sweetheart. It’s time to go.” Sierra was not about to give Misty any chance to back out or change clothes, and she tugged the reluctant beauty from the room.

Then, Misty was slowly descending the tall, wide, polished staircase, and she could do little more than concentrate on not tripping in her silver heels. What sort of sickos were behind fashionable women’s shoes? Seriously!

Stepping down the hallway — not quite gliding, but she was getting her stride on the mini-stilts — she heard music, and she couldn’t help the pounding of her heart. This was like all the middle and high school dances rolled into one night. Except that she’d missed out on them all. No clothes, no dates. And she suspected that all the dances at the many schools she’d attended, even if you added them up and multiplied them by ten thousand, wouldn’t have reached this level.

Got it in one!

When they entered through the silk-draped doorway into the massive ballroom, she stopped in her tracks.

It had been transformed into what looked like the sets of various Vegas shows. The ceiling had to be at least three stories high, it reached so far, and so many people were walking around, it seemed more like a real theater than a room in a home. Of course, Joseph and Katherine’s home wasn’t just a home. It was a castle that seemed to go on for miles in all directions.

Two performers were shooting fire from their mouths on one corner stage, while in another corner two women were performing an aerial “ballet” in silk that was draped from on high. Others were performing Cadre — acrobatics between two bars — leaping from one bar to the other, using only their legs in an amazing feat of strength. And one more stage featured several dancers moving in perfect synchronization, in what looked like a blend of a belly dance and hip-hop moves.

Misty was transfixed by the spectacles before her.

“Champagne?”

“Yes, please,” said Sierra. She took two glasses and handed one over to Misty, who accepted it without looking. Her eyes were too busy. The ceiling was lined with glittering balls, light shooting from the crystals circling them, and the waitstaff were wearing brightly colored tuxes. The women wore the same jacket and top as the men, but sported skirts instead of trousers, and they all wore glittering half masks in different colors.

There was already a crowd, all dressed to the nines and exuberant.

I can do this
, Misty told herself. Yes, her teal dress was strapless, and it dipped dangerously, its front held on only by ingeniously placed tape and who knew what else, and it had a slit clear up to the top of her thigh. Still, what she wore was almost modest compared with some of the other gowns in the room.

Since the costumes of the female acrobats were diminutive in the extreme, the men’s eyes would surely be glued to them. She had nothing to worry about, she told herself.

After her second glass of champagne, Misty’s worries diminished further.

“Ooh, I finally spotted Damien and Bryson,” Sierra bubbled, and she took hold of Misty’s arm and led her across the room.

“Sorry we’re late, darling. We were talking with Lucas and couldn’t slip away,” Damien said as he leaned down and kissed his wife’s lips. “You look good enough to ravish.”

Though he whispered it, Misty heard, and her cheeks instantly flamed.

“Let’s dance,” said Bryson, gazing at Misty with pure heat.

She accepted his hand and followed him to the dance floor, where he pulled her against him.

“You are always beautiful, but right now…” he began and then cleared his throat. “Right now, it’s taking all my restraint not to haul you upstairs and peel that dress away to see what it’s barely hiding.”

“We might get in trouble, Bryson, but I’m willing to risk it.” She’d seen as much as she needed to of the circus acts. And there were so many people in the room, no one would miss them if they snuck away.

Bryson tensed as if thinking of an escape route. His eyes fixed on the door and he stopped dancing.

“I wouldn’t try it. My dad will come looking for you,” Lucas said as he stopped dancing next to them. “Hi, Magnolia. I’m glad to finally meet you. I’m Lucas, and this is my beautiful wife, Amy. I won’t stand here and bother you all night, but we’ve tried to sneak out early during a number of dad’s events, and he has a radar for potential escapees.” He accompanied his warning with a laugh before he swirled his wife away, leaving Misty speechless.

“I think Damien told them not to hold you captive with conversation,” Bryson said in explanation of Lucas and Amy’s hasty retreat. “Your brother is worried you’ll get overwhelmed by the throng of family members and you’ll run off.”

“I have to admit that that’s how I’ve been feeling. There are just so many of them, and I don’t know what to say, and I hate saying the same thing over and over again. It might be easier to just stand in a room with all of them and answer questions from a podium like the president does,” she said with a champagne giggle.

“I could arrange that,” he joked as they began dancing again.

“I’d kill you if you dared.”

“You’ve already tried with your stun gun, and that ended up with you lying beneath me, so go ahead and try. I like the outcomes of our matches.”

“I will best you, Bryson Winchester. Just you wait.” She laughed as he spun her in a circle.

“I could dance with you all night, beautiful, but I’m parched. Let’s get a drink, then come back for more.”

After a couple of glasses of something blue — she had no clue what it was, but she loved the decorations on the large stick — boy, was she ready for the dance floor.

The hours whooshed by with dancing, meeting new people, and laughter. So much laughter. Who said clouds wandered lonely? As the Cirque acts continued, she was walking on them. Each member of the Anderson family she met was as kind as the last, all of them were easy-going and humorous, and they all seemed to be glad she was there.

She’d never be able to remember all the names. What she would remember was this fantasy world she’d been invited into. Joseph played a wonderful ringmaster, commanding his audience, and raising millions for his foundation.

The guests left with much lighter pockets, and they told Joseph it was by far the best such event they’d ever attended. At the end of the evening, hand in hand with Bryson, Misty found herself in front of Joseph and Katherine. Joseph’s wife looked radiant in her golden gown.

“Thank you for inviting me to join you this weekend,” Bryson said as he took Katherine’s hand and kissed it, making her cheeks glow.

“It was a pleasure to have you, Bryson, and of course, to spend time with you,” she said as she kissed Misty’s cheek.

“I hope to have you back
real
soon,” Joseph said with a wink and a lift of his eyebrows as he looked to Misty.

“You are quite subtle, aren’t you, Joseph?” Bryson said with a laugh.

“I’m too old for subtlety.” He slapped Bryson on the back hard enough to jolt him a step forward.

Joseph kissed Misty’s cheek, and she practically floated away to the sleeping quarters of the mansion, Bryson’s hand clutched in hers.

“This night has been magical, Bryson. I don’t want it to end. You have been the perfect companion,” she said, leaning heavily on him as they neared the stairs.

“We all need magic in our lives. It keeps us young,” he replied.

“I feel safe with you. Nothing bothers me, not the crowds, the noise, the cameras, the fear of Jesse finding me. It all goes away when we’re together,” she said, stopping to look at him.

“I hope you always feel that way. Sometimes,” he paused and took a breath. “Sometimes, things aren’t always black and white. Not everything can be placed in a box and neatly tied together with a pretty bow. Just know that, no matter what, I have your best interests in mind,” he said. He hated to have secrets between them, and he was working up the courage to tell her about the DNA testing.

“I can’t imagine feeling anything different. You are a hero in my eyes, and I have never trusted someone as much as I trust you,” she said as they resumed walking and neared her door.

“I just hope that I’m worthy of your trust,” Bryson said, stopping and pulling her into his arms.

“Let’s only worry about tonight for now.” Misty looked meaningfully toward her door.

“I should kiss you goodnight. You’ve had too much to drink, and a gentleman would let you sleep it off,” he said, his voice low and full of need.

“I’m not looking for a gentleman,” she said, rising on her tiptoes and kissing the corner of his mouth. “I’m looking for a lover.”

She was too tipsy to be shocked at her own behavior. And when he pulled her against him with a low growl issuing from his throat, and lifted her easily into his arms, she was glad to have pushed him to take her.

When the door swung open, she sighed in anticipation.