When I emerge from the bathroom, someone’s set a breakfast tray on the bed. The aroma of fresh coffee and pastries makes my stomach rumble. I draw back the curtains so I can look out on the grounds. Gardeners are already busy mowing the perfectly-kept grass, while in the distance I can spot what looks like the beginning of a golf course. Kade knocks when I’ve demolished most of the pastries and had two cups of coffee.
“Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” I smile up at him. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“Shopping. You have no clothes, unless you want to wear that very pretty dress and my shirt for the next two days.”
He’s noticed my dress. “Um, okay. Was that also in the contract?”
He grins, shaking his head. “New clause. There’s a formal dinner/dance tomorrow night and you’ll need something for that.”
Once we’re in Kade’s classic Aston Martin, I can’t resist teasing him a little. “Are you sure you don’t have a James Bond sideline as a super-spy, or something?”
He glances over at me. “Sadly, no. This was Dad’s car, he wanted something with better suspension.”
“It’s lovely. I like classic stuff from the past; fashion, cars, buildings.”
“And books?”
“I had a major Brontë and Austen moment in high school. My teachers always wrote ‘daydreams too much’ in my reports. So it was kind of obvious that I’d become a writer.” We’re driving up the mountain road towards the turning for Larsley, where there’s a big department store.
“You started publishing in high school?” Kade asks.
“Right in my senior year. And I had a really successful series straight away, which I now know is unusual for an author. So I rode the wave. Until the next big trend hit and nobody was reading my stuff. I need to come up with a new series, or a new strategy, but I’ve had writer’s block. I think a fake marriage would be a fun thing to try.”
He glances over and raises an eyebrow. “You have direct experience now.”
“I do. Don’t worry, I can change the names if you like.” I smile teasingly at him.
At Hewitt’s department store, a smiling sales clerk shows us a special suite with a dressing room attached.
“How come you’re getting this kind of treatment? This is going to spoil me forever, you understand? Next Christmas when I’m fighting through the hordes looking for socks for my Dad, I’ll remember this moment and weep.” I take the Mimosa the clerk hands to me, conscious of how tightly I’m wedged up against Kade’s firm thighs on this small sofa. The clerk leaves, closing the door quietly behind her.
“Daniel called ahead. He’s good like that.”
“I hope you didn’t go too hard on him for that temporary assistant’s mistakes. If he was on vacation it wasn’t really his fault.”
“He was in charge of hiring his temporary replacement. But I haven’t been hard on him. If he hadn't screwed up, I wouldn’t have met you.” He’s gazing down at me, his eyes intense.
I flush. “It’s okay, Kade. There’s nobody here, we don’t have to pretend.”
He turns to face me. “I’m not pretending. Does this feel like I’m pretending?”
His lips find mine, one hand cradling the back of my head. My heart beats in my ears as he parts my lips and explores every inch of my mouth with his tongue. I’m shamelessly wet between my legs, my hands moving in his thick, dark hair, my nipples pebbled and breath coming in deep gasps.
There’s a knock on the door and I spring away from him.
This is all too real. I have no idea if I can trust him. How could a gorgeous, successful billionaire like Kade Harrington be interested in a smalltown, failed novelist like me?
ChapterSix
KADE
I’m halfway up a tree, glad of all those tough workouts my personal trainer puts me through five days a week. There’s not much to cling on to up here, so I’m using most of my arm strength to keep in place.
Everythingdepends on this. My family’s reputation and - finally - justice served. I’ve bitten my lip more times than I can count over the last couple of days, trying not to rise to Henrik’s puerile jibes. He’s too sure of himself, smug in his position as president of the country club. Henrik thinks he’s untouchable. Above the law.
And I’m going to change that.
