One touch. One taste. That was all it took for him to fall.
Liar. She knocked you on your proverbial ass the second the two of you met.
It was true, Alex Webb had sunk her unyielding clutches into his heart the day he first laid eyes on the stunning North Carolina artist. He hadn’t said the words, of course. The thought was laughable, at best.
And honestly, why bother?
Aside from the fact that his entire adult life had been a lie, Alexandria Webb hated his guts. Okay, so maybehatewas too strong a word. Despised. Loathed.Tolerated.Pick your verb. Whatever the woman felt for him, it wasn’t anything good.
He was aware of the fact that she only put up with him because of her sister, but that was okay. Her disdain for him only aided his efforts to keep her at arm’s length. It was why he constantly pushed buttons so easily seen.
Plus, it was a hell of a lot of fun.
Won’t be fun when she finds out you aren’t a marketing consultant.
How many times had those words fallen from his deceitful lips? Marketing consultant, luxury sales, corporate recruiter . . . Coulter had been all those things and more.
Weeks, sometimes months would go by before the real job would be done and he could finally come back home. That kind of commitment required an excuse that was believable, and most importantly, one that wasn’t the actual truth.
The truth.
It was the one thing he’d sworn to never give because the second he did, it would put whoever he told in danger. In an instant, they’d become potential targets for his many enemies. Criminals who wouldn’t hesitate to use them for information. Sick freaks who’d torture them simply because they could as a means of revenge.
But now?—
Now, you’ve gone and promised Alex you’ll tell her the truth.
It was a promise he could easily break. All it would take was some sort of believable story. A way to explain his obvious crazy.
But as Coulter held Alex close, his tongue dancing wildly with hers, he realized he was done pretending. The truth most likely wouldn’t set him free, but with any luck, it would send her running.
Far away from me.
Alex’s moan mixed with his, and it was all he could do not to take her in front of God and everyone in that room. Yes, he had to come clean, even though he knew it meant she’d probably never trust him again.
If the truth saved her from the evils of Gordan Crawford’s world, it was worth it in the end. The most important thing now was knowing Alex was safe. So he’d tell her later, when they were alone.
“Mr. Morris, I presume. I recognize you from your picture.” The familiar male voice from before sounded out again before a surprised, “Oh, my apologies. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
In a regrettable move, Coulter pulled his mouth free from Alex’s lips.
“Follow my lead,” he whispered. “And remember, it’sCole,not Colt.” Praying she did as he’d asked, he sent her a quick wink of assurance before curling his lips into a sly grin. “Mr. Crawford.” Coulter turned away, putting his back to Alex so he could greet his target with an outstretched hand. “It’s good to finally meet you in person.”
Gordan Crawford’s light blue stare met his with a knowing smirk. “Likewise, Cole. And please, call me Gordan.”
The two shared a firm shake as the woman behind him began to move. She was no doubt anxious for her chance to interact with their host.
But Alex didn’t know Gordan Crawford. Not the same way he did. Nor did she have a clue what this elaborate party was truly about.
It was a preview. A showing of sorts. A sneak peek of attractions yet to come.
I don’t want her anywhere near the son of a bitch.
“Congratulations on another successful event.” Coulter continued playing the part of Cole Morris. “I must admit, when you first described your gallery to me during our previous conversation, I thought you might have elaborated a bit.”
“And now that you’ve seen it in person?”
“I was wrong to have ever doubted you. This is a very impressive setup.”
