Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides #1) (7 page)

“That's what I'm always telling her,” Jace said, hoping to make Ella laugh. He was barely rewarded with a smile, so he changed tactics. “So, other than grooming horses, what do you do for fun around here?”

“Fun?” Ella sighed. “I work most of the time. The inn keeps me pretty busy.”

“Oh, come on,” he pressed. His plan to have her talk about herself wasn't working. Most women loved talking about themselves, so it surprised him. “There must be something you like to do.”

She smiled and shook her head, avoiding his gaze. It was as if she were embarrassed by her hobby, or perhaps trying to keep her distance from him. Most of the time, he was the one trying to put distance between himself and women, so the reverse was incredibly intriguing.

“Horseback riding?” he asked. She shook her head. “Bird watching? Knitting? Swimming? Karate? Underwater basket-weaving?”

She laughed at the last one. The sound was sweet and made his heart speed up again. At this rate, he was going to get his full cardio workout without having to go to the gym.

“Reading,” she answered, finally relenting. “I like to read.”

He could see her in his mind's eye, curling up on a gray evening with a cup of tea and a book. Funny, how the chair she was sitting in was his and the view out the window matched the one from his home.

“What kind of books?” he asked. Now that she was talking, he wasn't about to let her stop.

“Anything. Everything.” She shrugged.

She was avoiding his question, which just made him more curious to know what she enjoyed reading. He wanted to know everything he could about this woman, and her reading tastes were just the start. “You must have a specific genre you enjoy.”

She twisted her mouth, but her eyes were bright. She wasn't mad, just unwilling to give him an answer. “I like happy endings.”

He grinned. He knew that code word in the reading world. “So you read romance.”

Her mouth opened in protest before closing. He could see her fire building, the light that he was already enjoying so much growing and spilling out of her as she became animated.

“Yes, I like romance.” She raised her chin and puffed out her chest. “I read romance novels in my spare time. So make fun of me all you want.”

“Why do you like them?” he asked, enjoying the way her eyes flashed at him and the set of her jaw.

“There's enough sadness and darkness in the world that I don't want to spend my free time dwelling there too.” She raised her hazel eyes, daring him to make fun of her. “I read romance because I like knowing there's a happy ending coming.”

“Good for you.” He leaned on the railing, feeling her eyes boring into him. “I prefer action and sci-fi myself, but I've read a couple of romance novels that I certainly enjoyed. I can see the appeal.”

He turned to see her jaw drop, obviously surprised at his answer. He liked that he surprised her.

“What? You were expecting me not to have read any?” he asked.

“You don't exactly look the type,” she commented, her eyes going up and down his body. Was it just his imagination, or did her pupils dilate? He couldn't tell from this angle.

“When a book can outsell
The Bible
, even for a short amount of time, I pay attention. It doesn't matter what the genre is. What matters is that it resonates with people.” He shrugged. Popularity meant money in his world. It didn't matter if it was a
'women's thing.'
If it made money, it was his thing. “There's something about that kind of story that appeals to people, and if I want to stay on top of current events and understand how people tick, then I read the damn book.”

“I'm impressed by your reading habits, Jace.” She smiled at him then turned away, mumbling to herself. He thought he heard,
“why do you keep getting better and better?”
but the wind off the lake was just loud enough to keep it from his ears.

“Just don't tell the press,” he pleaded, turning toward her and putting his palms together in a prayer gesture. He winked. “I have to maintain my bad boy masculine appearance.”

She laughed, and his soul soared. When she smiled, the world lit up and he could swear there was orchestral music and fireworks.

A perfect strand of hair crossed her face, pushed by the wind. His hand moved as if through honey, but he brushed it from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. The touch of her skin against his hand sent electricity coursing through every part of his body. He wanted to touch every inch of her like that.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, forgetting for a moment that she had been trying to keep their distance this whole time. God, he wanted to kiss her. Those lips called to him like sirens and he was more than happy to crash and never return.

Suddenly she shook herself and stepped back. It was then that he noticed the pocket of her maid's uniform was glowing and making a humming noise.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't...” she stammered and pulled further away.

“No, it's fine. You're working,” he mumbled, wishing that he could just go back thirty seconds and stop that damn phone from interrupting them. This was the second time something had pulled her away. It was strange, considering he was usually the one always on the phone getting pulled away. No wonder people hated it when he did it.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, watching her face drain of all color as she read the message on her phone. She was gray with a green twist that made him want to scoop her up in his arms and rush her off to the nearest doctor.

“Um, yeah...” she answered absently, shoving the phone in her pocket. “I have to go. Work. Excuse me.”

Without pausing, she walked past him, worry and fear etched clearly on her delicate features. Tension and anger were already welling up in his shoulders. He wanted to protect her from whatever it was on that phone that was making her so pale. He just didn't know what it was.

Her steps stopped as she reached the dirt path back to the inn. Slowly, she turned. Her hazel eyes, met his and he felt like he could get lost in them forever and not care. He could drown in those eyes and die happy.

“It was great to see you again, Jace.” The way his name rolled from her lips made him warm. “Good luck tomorrow. Madelyn's a lucky girl to have you.”

Before he could come up with a response, she turned and started running down the path. He watched her for a moment, completely at a loss as to what to do. It had been a long time since a woman had effected him like that.

His hand tingled from where he had touched her cheek and his body ached to hold her. He wanted so much more than just a simple touch and a smile. There was something about her that intrigued him and made him want more. When most women left him, he was glad to have a moment to himself. When Ella left, he found himself counting the minutes until he could see her again.

And he was going to see her again. That was a given. She wasn't someone he could just forget. At least he had the whole weekend to unravel the mystery of why she appealed to him. Hopefully longer if he had his way.

E
lla didn't just run to her stepmother's office. She sprinted.

It wasn't just the text simply stating
“Office. Now.”
that made her run. No, that would have gotten a fast pace walk, maybe a light jog. It was Jace that made her run. She had come so close to kissing him. Again.

Her cheek still sizzled from his touch. His hand had felt so damn good on her skin. The simple act of him tucking hair behind her ear had sent her heart to pounding so hard she was surprised she hadn't passed out. It had felt so
good
...

He's getting married tomorrow. To Madelyn.
Ella reminded herself.

It hurt to think it. He couldn't have been leaning forward to kiss her. That was her imagination. He was just a great guy who she shouldn't feel anything for. Because he was getting married at her inn tomorrow and she was a professional.

Which is why she ran. She had to. If she had actually kissed him, if she had let her own emotions take control... She could have ruined everything. No one would ever go to a place where staff kissed the groom the day before the wedding. Well, not the type of clients she wanted.

Still, the message from Delores had her moving quickly. The last time she got a message like that, she had been stuck scrubbing tile floors with a toothbrush for two days because an important client complained that their room service wasn't taken away quickly enough.

She took a deep breath at the entryway to Delores's office. She smoothed the front of her uniform and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” The voice was cold and calculating on the other side. Cold sweat broke out on Ella's forehead.

The doorknob slipped in Ella's hands, twisting on the cold sweat of her palms as she opened the door. It took her two tries to get the door open.

“Took you long enough.” Delores didn't even bother to look up from signing a paper on her desk. She finished and stacked it neatly in a box labeled
“complete.”
Several of them were labeled with an IRS stamp and didn't look anywhere near
“complete”.

Ella was still breathless from running all the way here, so she kept her retort silent. Instead, she simply moved to stand in front of the desk, assuming the meek position she always did whenever Delores was angry. Hands clasped in front, head lowered, eyes down.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Delores looked up at her, fire in her eyes. Ella had never seen her this angry before. It wasn't loud and big angry- that she could have stood up to. This was quiet, slow burning anger that only meant that terrible things were in her future.

“Um...” Ella's thoughts were wild. Technically, she shouldn't have been at the gazebo right now, but there was no way Delores could have known she was there. She did leave the laundry room light on last night, but that was for the night shift... Could Delores have possibly seen Jace in the barn? Guests weren't allowed in there, but...

“Wooing the Connor family is supposed to be Allison's job.” Delores glared at her, green eyes staring daggers. “Not yours.”

“The Connor family?” Ella was completely lost. The only wooing she wanted to do was with Jace, and she was trying very, very hard not to do that.

“Imagine my surprise when Madelyn Connor calls me and asks that Ella, the
maid
Ella, be her personal wedding liaison,” Delores continued. She stood from her chair, putting both hands on her desk and leaning forward to better assert her dominance over Ella. “Again, I ask. What the hell do you think you are doing?”

“Madelyn did what?” Ella gasped.

“I'm so glad you two are already on a first name basis,” Delores sneered. “How could you do this to your sister?”

“Do what to my sister?” Ella asked, still utterly confused. Why in the world would Madelyn ask for her? She certainly had never asked or even insinuated Madelyn should do anything of the sort. The last thing Ella wanted was to do anything that would jeopardize the wedding plans for the inn.

“Allison has been working so hard on making sure everything for this wedding goes perfectly, while you sit on you ass and leave the light on in the laundry room. I can't believe you would usurp your only sister's chance at leaving this hellhole by sabotaging her like this. Sabotaging
me
like this.” Delores stood straight and made a disgusted sound. “And using your mother's wedding dress to bribe her, Ella- it's deplorable.”

“I didn't-”

“
Don't
lie to me, Ella,” Delores cut her off sharply. She took a deep breath through a pinched mouth, settling herself in her chair and spreading her hands over the desk. “Now, I have to give Madelyn what she wants. And despite my best efforts to convince her that you are not what you appear, she wants you.”

Ella's brain was having trouble keeping up with what was going on. Madelyn had asked for her. She was going to be the wedding liaison for the Connor wedding. The room felt hot and tiny.

“So, get out of that maid outfit and put on something decent.” Delores looked Ella over as if she were sure Ella would fail at the task. “You are to be at the beck and call of Madelyn Connor for the remainder of her stay here.”

“Of course.” Hope and fear surged through Ella in equal parts. It was all happening so fast that she wasn't really sure of what was going on, but she wasn't about to complain. This could be her real chance to make sure the wedding went off without a hitch. She could be sure that this wedding put Blue Lake Inn and Resort on the map.

“Maria will take over your cleaning responsibilities, as I can't have guests seeing you working with the Connors and then taking out the garbage,” Delores said. “But, I still expect you to maintain all your other duties.”

“Of course. I'll be sure everything is perfect,” Ella promised, her voice shaking.

“You had better.” Delores's eyes narrowed in threat. “And Ella, if you screw this up. I will destroy you. You think life was unfair or hard before? It'll have been a dream compared to what I'll do to you if I even hear the whisper of dissatisfaction from the Connors. I want them to love our family, and right now, that unfortunately means you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Ella nodded. There was no way she was going to let anything mess this up. This was her chance to make the inn shine. It was everything she wanted.

“Good.” Delores picked up a fresh piece of paper and a pen. “Now get out of my sight.”

Ella didn't pause for a moment. She nearly ran to the door, excitement growing with every step. This was possibly the most terrifying and thrilling thing that could have happened. She walked on giddy steps, hurrying to her small room in the attic to change her clothes.

She couldn't wait to make sure that everything went well for the inn. She could make sure this wedding went off without a hitch and that everything was perfect. It was better than she could have hoped for. Yet, for all her excitement, the only person that she wanted to tell was Jace.

E
lla knocked on the bridal suite door, hoping that her knock sounded more confident than she felt. The initial shock of excitement had quickly worn off as she changed. The dress pants she now wore didn't fit quite right and she was fairly certain that the blouse was so old that it was close to being back in style, but they were the only “nice” clothes that she owned. It had taken her nearly ten minutes of staring bleakly into her tiny closet wishing something new would show up before she had given up and put on what she had. Tomorrow, she would have to ask Allison if she could borrow something. Maybe one of Maria's daughters had something...