Chapter 12
Deni stepped out of her old SUV, staring at the doorway of Sebastian’s house where a stream of servants were packing camping gear in the shiny, new SUV in the circular driveway.
With dread, she realized what was happening, even though she’d hoped all week that Chloe would forget. “What’s going on?” she asked, shifting the heavy tote filled with work she needed to finish over the weekend.
Sebastian returned her stare, but his grey eyes looked…resigned? Irritated? Deni wasn’t exactly sure. She was only just starting to understand his various, subtle looks. She could imagine a lifetime of trying to interpret his expressions…then stopped that thought it in its tracks. Sebastian needed a temporary wife. Nothing more. She’d be gone as soon as he had full custody of Chloe permanently.
“Camping? Remember our conversation over dinner the other night?”
Deni gulped. “Um…no?” Even though she’d been hoping Chloe would have forgotten. She remembered clearly, but since the topic hadn’t come up again, Deni had sort of pushed it out of her mind.
Sebastian moved closer. “Well, Chloe woke up this morning, excited about the weekend, demanding that I look up the weather report. She then declared that this weekend was the perfect time to delve into the world of camping and s’mores.”
She heard the derision in his voice and covered her mouth, trying to smother a burst of laughter.
“I see,” she finally replied, afraid to look up at him for fear that he would know that she was trying not to laugh. At him? Yeah, a bit. But also with him. Chloe might be only five, but she was a force of nature. A bit like her father, Deni thought.
Straightening her shoulders, she lowered her hand, and smiled at Sebastian. “I think that a camping trip is an excellent idea! When do you two leave?”
He moved even closer and Deni thought she should be intimidated by his height and the muscles she knew were underneath that expensive outdoor shirt.
“Oh no, my dear wife. This is not a trip for only Chloe and me. This is a family trip.”
Deni knew where this was going and her mouth fell open. “She wants…!”
He nodded, his grey eyes sparkling with…anger? Mischief? “You’re coming with us.”
Okay, now Deni was intimidated. Camping was…well, it was intimate! Gone was her plan to see him looking rough so that she could get over her fascination with the man!
It was one thing for Deni to pretend that she was Sebastian’s wife when they were alone in a monstrously huge house with servants, guest wings, and separate bedrooms. It was a whole different ball game to sleep in a tent with one’s ‘husband’. There wasn’t a great deal of room in a tent. No matter how big of a tent, it was still a tent and Deni doubted that there would be walls that could separate her from Sebastian in a tent. Sure, some of the fancy tents had those fabric “walls”, but…her eyes skimmed over his broad shoulders, his flat stomach and…then back up to his mouth. Fabric walls wouldn’t be enough. He’d hear her at night! She dreamed about this man every night, about him making love to her, showing her what she’d been missing all these years!
“Um…I don’t think that’s a good idea, Sebastian,” she sighed even as she thought about other problems with camping. Showers? Bathrooms? Cooking? No, surely cooking wouldn’t be a problem. They’d go out to eat. Deni couldn’t imagine Sebastian cooking a meal over a camp fire. The idea seemed so ludicrous, she almost started laughing again.
Sebastian lowered his head. “I agree with you,” he murmured almost menacingly. “But you told Chloe about all the fun you had camping with your parents when you were a kid. Now she wants that too. Sleeping in a tent, ghost stories and…she ate the chicken the other night. Now she feels she deserves s’mores. I taunted her with the s’mores, but honestly, I’m not entirely sure what they are. I’ve heard other people talk about them, but…we are apparently having s’mores.”
Deni backed up slightly. “S’mores are roasted marshmallows in a chocolate and graham cracker sandwich.”
She fought down a smile when he rolled his eyes. Deni suspected that Sebastian wasn’t in a humorous mood. He looked almost angry, although she couldn’t figure out why.
“I’m sorry, but you’re about to spend a wonderful weekend with an adorable little girl having new experiences. Why are you so angry?”
She watched in fascination as his jaw clenched. “Because I have work to do. I don’t want to spend the weekend out in the dirt. And I don’t want my daughter to get filthy either!”
Deni cringed. “But…kids are supposed to get dirty, Sebastian,” she pointed out, trying to soothe his temper.
No eye rolling this time. He looked at her with those pale, grey eyes and her heart thudded in a crazy manner. “No. They’re not!”
Huh? He thought kids should be clean? All the time? Oh, he was going to hate camping! “Of course they are! That’s how they learn! They get out into the woods and explore, their minds open up and they see things in a different way.”
He leaned even closer. “That’s what I pay tutors to do, Deni.”
She gulped, not sure what to say. “So…why are you going camping?”
He shook his head slightly. “You don’t understand, Deni. We are going camping. You and I are taking Chloe camping this weekend. We are going to show her that this isn’t a good idea so that we won’t ever have to do it again.”
If he hadn’t been so close and she wasn’t able to smell his aftershave or his masculine scent or whatever it was that made him smell so delicious, Deni might have laughed. His horror at the idea of camping, not to mention, his assertion that Chloe would learn better through a tutor, was hilarious and ridiculous. Also, she was aware that he’d bought a slew of new equipment in order to take his daughter on a trip that he didn’t want to do. Despite his fury, his actions were painfully sweet, she thought.
“I can’t go camping this weekend, Sebastian,” she told him firmly.
“You’re going,” he told her, but thankfully, he pulled back.
Stubbornly, she resisted. “I have work to do.”
He chuckled. “Deni, as owner of the bank at which you work, I can safely guarantee that you don’t need to work this weekend.”
“I do!” she argued. “I have to get the data reports done for my boss. She has a meeting on Monday morning.”
“I will be sitting in on that meeting Monday morning, Deni. And the data reports you’ve been assigned to compile should take you about thirty minutes. So no, you’re not missing our little expedition for work excuses.”
She shook her head. “No, I can’t! I don’t know how to do these reports! I have to figure…” she stopped when one of his dark eyebrows went up. “What?”
“No more arguing. Sunday afternoon when we get back, I’ll show you how to do the damn reports.” He glanced at his watch. “Go pack up a bag. We leave as soon as Chloe comes back with her nanny from the museum in about twenty minutes.”
Deni struggled, frantically trying to come up with another reason why she couldn’t go. The excuse of the reports was valid and she had planned on spending the day at the bank office tomorrow to figure them out. But if he was going to help her, and she had no doubt that he could probably pull them together in a fraction of the time it might take her, then that excuse was out the window.
“Um…”
“No, Deni. You told Chloe about camping. Now she wants to try it. As a family. Since you got us into this mess, you’re going to get us out of it. You’re coming with us. Go pack.” With that, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.
She couldn’t help it when her eyes dropped to his shoulders. The soft material pulled against his body and she could see the indentation where his shoulders pressed. Deni’s mouth watered and she stepped back, trying to control the urge to run her fingers along his shoulder.
“Right.”
She turned around, determined to get out of spending an entire weekend with Sebastian. Then something brilliant occurred to
her. Spinning around, she looked back at him. “I could take Chloe camping, Sebastian. That way, you could stay here and work or relax. I promise that I’ll take very good care of Chloe.”
That annoyingly sexy eyebrow lifted. “You’re really not suggesting that I ignore my daughter’s request for a family weekend, are you?” he asked softly.
She heard the steel in his voice. “No,” she replied, appropriately admonished. The urge to mess up his hair struck her. She didn’t act on it, knowing that he wouldn’t be as amused as she would be.
Instead, she turned on her heel and walked into the zombie house, as she was now referring to this house that had no soul. She almost stomped up to her bedroom, irritated that he’d won the argument. Next time, she would have to think faster.
When she walked into her bedroom, she was startled to find Martha, one of the upstairs maids, already there.
“Good evening, Ms. Stenson,” she said with a bright smile. “I took the liberty of packing for you. I have four outfits ready.”
Deni was stunned at the invasion of privacy but…was this just something that servants did? She wasn’t sure.
Martha must have read Deni’s mind because she smiled as she picked up the duffle bag. “I’ve already packed up Mr. Hugh’s case and Chloe’s, so this should be the last item needed for your weekend.”
Well, that answered Deni’s question! What in the world had the housekeeper packed for a weekend of camping? And should she just accept whatever was in that duffel bag?
With a sigh, Deni realized that she didn’t have much of a choice. Walking over to her drawers, she pulled out a well-worn pair of jeans. Discarding the dress she’d worn to work that day, she slipped on the jeans and pulled on a tee shirt, then tied her hair up on top of her head with a band. Grabbing sneakers and a sweatshirt, she was ready to go.
Having servants seemed pretty nice right about now. Deni couldn’t deny that having someone to pack and do the thinking and planning was a nice change. It certainly allowed one to head out of town on a whim, making life much easier.
If one could get past the issue of someone going through her underwear and deciding which she would wear! That was just…weird.
Slipping into her sneakers, she hurried back downstairs. Apparently, Chloe was already home if the sounds of happy yelling was any indication. Suddenly, the beautiful girl burst through the front door, her eyes lit up with excitement.
“Did you hear, Deni? We’re going camping! And we’re going to have s’mores! And sleep in a tent! We’re really going to do it!” she shrieked, jumping up and down with her excitement.
Chloe’s excitement was contagious and Deni quickly changed her thinking. So what if the three of them would sleep in a tent together? At night, Deni would be in her own sleeping bag and he’d be in his. They could have Chloe sleep in between them so there was no reason to be worried.
Deni’s smile widened, really getting into the idea of camping over the weekend now that she’d worked through the scary issues. “I heard! This is going to be so fun!”
“Go change into casual clothes, Chloe,” Sebastian ordered.
The girl turned and rushed over to her father, hugging his legs before giggling as she raced up the stairs. Her nanny was already at the top of the stairs, ready to help her change into clothing more appropriate for the outdoors.
Deni stood awkwardly in the massive foyer with the gloriously hideous chandelier and watched Sebastian’s expression. He was looking at her as if he wanted to yell at her, but she didn’t know why. She’d only changed clothes. Had he been this furious with her before?
Sebastian stared at Deni’s jeans. Or more specifically, her legs encased in the soft denim that hugged her legs faithfully. The jeans looked like she’d worn them for years, the knees a lighter color than the rest. And they rode low on her hips, giving him a small peek at her stomach whenever she moved. He was already irritated that he’d be spending the weekend in close proximity with the woman who was making his body ache with a need he hadn’t experienced since he was a teenager. And even then, he didn’t remember the need being this sharp. This powerful!
But seeing Deni in jeans was doing it for him. And that tee shirt? Damn! The material clung to her breasts, hugging the mouth-watering mounds like a second skin. Had she chosen that tight tee shirt on purpose? Was she trying to torture him because he wouldn’t let her out of coming with them this weekend?
He looked into her eyes and still wasn’t sure. Her innocent gaze back at him was just too…perfect. Too innocent. And he didn’t trust women.
But Sebastian didn’t have a chance to figure what her look meant because Chloe was racing down the stairs, barreling towards him. He went down on one knee and caught her as she threw herself into his arms. When she wrapped her skinny arms around his neck, he closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of his daughter hugging him. There had been too many days and nights when Chloe had been with Meredith and he hadn’t had this feeling. His daughter’s hugs were about as close to heaven as a person could get, he thought. Not to mention, her excitement over the camping trip had completely banished the reserved, quiet child and his enthusiastic Chloe was back in full force!
When Chloe pulled back, Sebastian opened his eyes and…looked directly into Deni’s startled gaze. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to pull her into his arms as well. She looked like…
He stopped, wondering what the hell he was thinking. Turning away, he lowered Chloe to the floor. “Ready to head out into the woods?” he asked.
“Yes!” she replied, once again bouncing up and down.
Sebastian turned to Deni. “Are you ready?”
Deni laughed and he wanted to smile with her.
“I guess I am,” she replied.
“Then let’s go!”
Sebastian helped Chloe into her booster seat and Deni stepped into the passenger seat.
When Sebastian came around the car and stepped into the driver’s seat, Deni looked at him curiously. “Is this car new? Or have you just not used it recently?”
He pressed the button that started the engine. “I bought it this afternoon and had it delivered here so the staff could pack the supplies that were also delivered.”
She stared at his profile as he examined the dashboard, obviously for the first time.
“Let me get this straight,” she began, fastening her seatbelt. “Chloe wanted to go camping this weekend, so you went out and bought a new SUV?”
He nodded absently as he maneuvered down the long driveway. He pressed a few buttons and the air conditioning system immediately blew cold air. A few more buttons, and the GPS map popped up on the dashboard monitor.
“Most of that statement is true,” he pulled out of the driveway, merging into the traffic.
“What part wasn’t?”
“The part about me going out and getting it.”
Deni waited another heartbeat, waiting for him to clarify. “So, you didn’t go out and get it?”
“My assistant arranged for it to be delivered. I told her what I wanted and she called the dealership.”
She continued to stare at him, not sure she understood. “You mean, you needed an SUV for the weekend, for the next three days, and so you had your assistant buy one and deliver it to you. Sight unseen.”
“That’s what happened.” He glanced at her. “Why do you sound so horrified?”
She huffed a bit. “Normal people don’t have the money to just go out and buy a vehicle, especially a Land Rover, simply because they need a bigger car for a weekend trip!” she explained.
He shrugged. “It will be used for more than just a weekend. I don’t like the car you’re driving. It isn’t safe. So, this will be your car.”
Even more astounding. “You’re loaning me a car because you don’t think my current vehicle is safe enough?” she asked. Turning around, she noticed that Chloe was playing with her stuffed animals, having some sort of conversation with them. She was oblivious to their conversation, which was p
robably a good thing.
“I’m not loaning you a car, Deni. I’m giving it to you.”
That didn’t make any more sense. “You’re giving me a car.” She made a statement because it still didn’t compute.
“Yes.” He glanced at her again. “Why is this so hard for you to comprehend? It’s just a car.”
She shook her head, unaware that her mouth was slightly open in shock. “No, Sebastian. A Land Rover isn’t just a car. It’s a seventy-five thousand dollar vehicle with so many bells and whistles I can’t even imagine needing in my life.”
“I’ll show you how to use the ‘bells and whistles’,” he explained. “Once you know how to use them, you’ll enjoy them.”
She laughed, then settled more comfortably into the passenger seat. “I’m not taking this SUV, Sebastian.”
“Of course you are. The car you’re driving is about to break down.”
“Probably, but this is too much. It’s too expensive.”
Patiently, but with his eyes on the heavy traffic in front of him, he replied, “You’re not buying it. I’m giving it to you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not taking it.”
He chuckled and the sound made her shiver. “You will,” he promised. “Just consider it part of our bargain.”
“No. Our bargain was you keeping my father from having his knee caps broken when he couldn’t repay the loan shark. You don’t owe me anything else.” With that, she began fiddling with the radio. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was over. “Where are we going for this wonderful camping trip, by the way?”
“About an hour west of here,” he told her. “We’re going to camp in the Shenandoah National Park.”
“Nice views,” she murmured. Then grinned. “But if we’re going to the place I think you’re talking about, I hope you have lots of quarters.”
He was staring ahead at the road, but her words pulled his eyes away and he glanced at her once again. “Quarters?” he asked, needing more information.
Wanted: Wife for Hire (The Diamond Club Book 8) Page 9