by Tara Hart
I glance around the cafe, everyone is busy going about their days and here I am about to make an insane proposal to the woman who holds my fate in her hands.
“I was just calling…” I start but my voice trails off. “I was wondering…”
She giggles lightly, prompting me to continue. “You were wondering?”
I realize this is the moment that I could lose her forever, that is if I ever had her to begin with.
There are so many other things I could be asking her right now and this question seems so damn impersonal. I’m not the kind of guy that asks things of people. Usually, people ask favors of me and that’s the way I prefer it.
Swallowing back my hesitation, I feel the need to pre-warn her. “I need your help and you can say no if you want to.”
Shaun slaps his palm against the table, causing me to jolt upright. He mouths something at me, but I ignore him because I’m already angry that he’s making me do this.
“What do you need, Jared?”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize before I’ve even asked the question. “I’m so sorry to ask this of you.”
“What is it?” Her breathing intensifies. Even though there are miles between us I can feel her nervous energy. She’s probably twirling her hair around her finger as we speak.
“Will you attend the charity gala with me on Friday night?”
The line goes silent. When I think she’s hung up, her laughter fills my ear.
“That’s it?” she says. “You want me to attend some snooty charity gala with you?”
I draw in a breath, hoping she doesn’t immediately explode when I tell her there’s a catch.
I pause. “There is one other thing.”
She exhales noisily, but I can guarantee that she doesn’t know what’s coming.
“Can you pretend to be Selina?”
She doesn’t talk, she doesn’t even breath. There’s nothing but silence. I hear the blood whooshing through my veins as I wait for her to say something—anything.
“I’m sorry, Savvy,” I apologize. “Shaun thinks…”
“I’ll do it,” she says decidedly. “If this will help your case, I’ll do it.”
In the space of a minute, our relationship has changed. She’s gone from my sister-in-law to my mistress and now to a ploy in my carefully laid plan. I bet Savannah wishes she could be her own person for once and not just Selina Shaw’s sister.
Chapter 11
It’s Shaun’s idea, and kind of genius really. Savannah will attend the charity gala with me, the whole time pretending to be Selina. If we’re seen together, photographed and published on the gossip sites tomorrow it makes my case look better. How could Selina deny it, when I’m taking her carbon copy as my date?
The car comes to a halt in front of her house, the driver pressing the horn once, letting Savannah know we’ve arrived.
He exits the car, coming to the back passenger side and opening the door with a smile. I catch a glimpse of her before she dips inside the car. My breath hitches. She’s beautiful.
The red lace dress flows down to her feet, hugging her curves perfectly. Her hair is pinned behind her head, exactly the way Selina would wear it on a night like tonight. The deep red lipstick coating her lips is the last hint of Selina in her appearance.
I can tell the difference straight away, but most won’t be able to.
It’s the way she carries herself, her mannerisms, her demeanor. Savannah is kind and gracious and a little unsure of herself, whereas self-confidence is one trait Selina does not lack.
She climbs into the backseat and settles next to me. Her gaze slowly travels to my face, but she doesn’t utter a single word.
I cock my lip in the direction of a smile. “You look beautiful.”
Her expression doesn’t soften. She gives me the once over, her eyes lingering on my lips longer than any other part of my body. “You look alright too, I guess.”
I can’t help it, I chuckle. Her backhanded compliment is just the thing we need to break the ice and remove the stagnant energy from the limo.
“Thanks for doing this,” I say, starting my groveling routine early.
She nods her head once. “You’re welcome, Jared.” She rolls her head to the left and looks out the window. I feel her hand reach between us, grasping my fingers in hers. She doesn’t say anything for the rest of the drive, but her grip on my hand tells me she’s on my side.
The car pulls up in front of the Convention Center. Savannah combs her fingers through her hair and presses her lips together.
“You look perfect,” I tell her.
“Just one last thing.” I reach into my pocket and present the white gold rings that are replicas of Selina’s engagement and wedding rings. Of course, they’re crystal knock-offs, but nobody will tell the difference as long as they shine in the photographs. It makes me wonder why I dropped six months’ salary on the real thing. After all, I’m never going to see those diamonds again.
Savannah takes the knock-offs from the palm of my hand and slips them on her finger. She looks up at me, her lashes opening wide so I can see into the depths of her emerald green eyes.
“Just like the real thing,” she says softly.
After a quick squeeze of her arm, I jump out of the car and rush to the passenger side.
“I’ve got this,” I tell the driver, giving him a pat on the back.
Swinging the car door open, a sea of flashes capture the moment Savannah steps out of the vehicle. I offer her my hand, relieved when she takes it, coming to stand tall by my side.
“Let’s do this,” she says as the paparazzi capture every minuscule interaction we have. Every smile, every glance, every expression that may point to trouble in paradise is captured by a single click of the camera.
Careful not to walk too fast, I lead Savannah along the sidewalk and to the entrance where other guests are posing for photos.
Savannah’s still holding my hand, squeezing it tight as we walk. Fuck, her hand feels good in mine. I lace our fingers together as we approach the wall lined by the sponsor’s signage. I spin Savannah around to face the waiting cameras, the bright flashes blinding us both with each shot.
She wraps one arm around my middle as her other hand comes to rest on her hip. Turning her face to the cameras, she pulls out the most authentic fake smile I’ve ever seen. The photographers lap it up and instead of looking at the cameras, I’m looking at her, completely in awe of her at this moment. For someone who absolutely hates the spotlight, she’s nailing it.
I nuzzle my face into her neck, my lips brushing against the rim of her ear. “Thank you,” I whisper.
She pulls her head back to look at my face, her lips turning into a vicious grin.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
I freeze instantly and my face falls. For the slightest moment, she actually has me questioning who she is. Which twin do I have on my arm?
Sweetheart. Selina’s pet name for me. It always sounds condescending coming from her lips.
Savannah killed my mood and I decide the paps have enough photos. I give them a brief wave before taking Savannah by the hand and dragging her inside the Convention Center. I head in the direction of the ballroom where the gala is being held. Before we reach the entrance, I release her hand from my grasp. I stop walking, staring at Savannah as she saunters through the foyer.
She eventually turns to look at me, a red glossy smile upon her lips.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, her forehead wrinkled as she waits for me to join her.
I hold my hands in the air, the exasperation clear on my face. She closes the space between us, her hands falling on her perfectly curved hips. “What is it?”
“What was that?” I mutter under my breath.
She shrugs her shoulders, confused by what I’m referring to. She has no idea what she’s done and that angers me even more so.
“Sweetheart?” I question. “What the fuck was that?”
She rolls her
eyes. “Come on, Jared,” she says. “I was playing.”
Closing my eyes, I press my fingers to my temples and slowly try to gather my thoughts.
“This isn’t a game for me, Savannah,” I say. “I never wanted to put you in this situation.”
She sighs, her hands reaching between us as she straightens my tie that matches her dress perfectly. Anyone would think we planned this. Maybe Savannah and I are better at this game than I ever imagined.
She presses her lips together as she swallows roughly. “You wanted me to pretend to be Selina. I was just getting into character.”
She flutters her eyelashes as she looks up at my face.
She takes my hand in hers as she tugs on my arm. “Let’s go inside. The sooner we get in there, the sooner we can leave and then you’ll never have to see me again.”
Not wanting to cause a scene, I take a breath and steady myself. We’ve come this far and I’m not backing out now.
We walk hand-in-hand into the ballroom that is decked out to perfection.
Oversized baubles fall from the ceiling with large white snowflakes artfully placed between them. The lighting is cool white and blue and even though the room is seventy-five degrees, the atmosphere makes me want to wrap my arms over my chest and curl up next to the fire.
The ice sculptures in the center of the room, have a blue liquid pouring off the edges. I watch as two teenage girls fill their glasses to the brim with the clear blue liquor before they take a long sip. They both turn to look at Savannah and me in unison, their cheeks flushing as if they’ve been caught out by their parents.
They’re clearly underage, but I’m not going to kill their party.
“Have a good night.” I offer them a tight smile as they walk in the opposite direction. I hear one of them mutter my name as the other peeks over her shoulder.
Savannah elbows me in the ribs. “They almost wet their pants when they saw you.”
I smile as I take in her beauty. “At least I made an impression on someone tonight, albeit a couple of teenage girls.
Savannah rolls her eyes before doing a complete three-sixty in the center of the room.
“This is amazing.” She smiles as she looks back at me. “Look at where we are, Jared. It’s like being in a dream.”
In a sea of blue and white, the one thing that stands out to me is the lady in red with a wide smile upon her lips.
“Amazing indeed,” I say, but I’m not talking about the decor.
Chapter 12
I watch her with interest as she works the room like a pro. It’s her first charity gala, but watching her, you’d have no idea. She carries herself elegantly. Everyone greets her like she’s the Queen because that’s the kind of attention Selina has always demanded. Savannah plays the part well, her face blushing when guests tell her how beautiful she looks, offering a gracious compliment in return.
Standing with my elbow resting on a high table, I watch her from behind the rim of my wine glass. Every woman in the room may as well vanish into oblivion because they cannot compete with her beauty.
Her gaze travels back to me every now and then. She does that thing with her hair, where she pulls on the end of her ponytail and then bites the corner of her lip.
I feel my cock twitch just from the sight of her. She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and yet, I know she’s playing me. I’m using her to help my lawsuit and she’s playing me for reasons I’ll never truly understand. Selina treats her like shit, and yet she pandas to her every need.
I watch as Savannah chats animatedly with two other women, a blonde and a redhead who I’ve never seen before. Savannah laughs on cue, exaggerating her laugh in the same way Selina would do, by clutching a hand to her chest and throwing her head back. She’s probably hating every moment, but she doesn’t let it show.
She knows I’m watching her and I’m the only one who can save her from this torturous mess. I can pull the pin at any moment and have the car waiting at the front of the building, but I decide to hold off as long as possible. I haven’t had my fill of her yet. Yes, it’s a game for me. A deliciously, wicked game and I have to stop myself from grinning ear-to-ear at the sight of her.
It takes me four strides to meet her. She pretends she doesn’t notice my approach, nodding her head, intently listening to the redhead’s story. She pulls her ponytail around her neck and to her front, wrapping the end around her finger again and again. She’s nervous.
I pull up at her side, my hand snaking its way around her body, holding her close. I nuzzle my face into the curve of her neck. She smells so fucking good. I can’t help but kiss her soft, delicate skin.
Her hand hits my chest playfully.
“Baby, stop.” She giggles.
I notice her jaw clench, a telltale sign that she wants me to back the fuck off.
Her new found friends watch on in envy, their expressions of want and need not wasted on me. I know the look. Bored of their own lives, desperate for something new and exciting. They long for the love that’s being paraded before them, little do they know it’s all a fabricated lie. Nothing’s ever as it seems.
I kiss Savannah’s neck once more before she manages to pull away from me.
“Seriously, Jared, you’re embarrassing me,” she says through clenched teeth.
The blonde and the redhead laugh awkwardly as they watch our interaction with interest.
“We’ll leave you lovers to it.” The redhead air kisses each of Savannah’s cheeks and offers me her hand. I shake it courteously and watch as they walk away.
“What was that?” She turns her body to face mine, her hands settling on her hips.
I shrug my shoulders. “What?”
“What was that lovey-dovey bullshit and why have you been staring at me all night?” She grinds her teeth together as she waits for me to answer. I watch the veins protrude from her neck. She’s angry and I’m not sure why. She’s the one who agreed to this. She wanted to play these games, first with Selina and then with me. I don’t understand why all of a sudden she has an issue with the role she’s playing.
“You look beautiful,” I say without apology. “The most beautiful woman in this room. That’s the reason I can’t stop staring. That’s the reason I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
It’s the truth and it’s hard for her to hear. She struggles for words as she tilts her head to look at me. Her eyes have the courage to travel to my face, seemingly trying to gauge if I’m being genuine.
I smile, but she doesn’t return it. Her eyes cast out over the room. Seattle’s elite, swishing their wine glasses as they sip on their overpriced cabernets, eating food that barely satisfies the hole in the pit of their stomachs, making a stop at the drive-through a necessity on the way home.
I try to look at Savannah in a way that’s impartial, but I can’t, the need for her that’s building inside is real and intense and as she looks up at me with that doe-eyed gaze of hers, I feel myself fighting with feelings that I can’t quite identify.
I look around the room and I don’t see anyone. It’s just a blur of faces, all I can see is the girl standing before me and the body I want to bury myself inside of.
My eyes travel from her face down to her cleavage. I lick my lips as my eyes focus on her breasts peeking through the red lace. She notices that my eyes have found her breasts, her hand coming to slap my shoulder.
“Stop it, Jared,” she bites out.
Chuckling, I scratch my chin, but my eyes continue to take in the curves of her body. She’s making me hungry. I want to lead her to the bathroom and fuck her senseless, but I know better than to suggest such a thing.
“Seriously, Jared, you’re making me feel uncomfortable.”
I cock my head to the side. “Why?”
She shrugs her shoulders, her patience wearing thin. “I think I want to leave.”
“Is it hard for you to be around me?” I hate toying with her, but I do love watching her squirm.
She tu
rns to walk away, but I catch her arm mid-stride. I grasp her elbow, holding her in place.
“Don’t leave,” I whisper, my voice soft and throaty and genuine as hell.
My hand moves to her waist, wrapping around her middle as I draw her close.
“Savvy,” I whisper.
She shakes her head as she tries to pull away, but my grip tightens as I hold her in place. I draw my finger between us, tilting her chin up to look at me.
Her hands come to my chest, she tries to push at me, but she’s weak and unconvincing.
“Don’t leave,” I repeat again, this time dipping my head as my eyes drift closed.
I feel her hands move up my chest, wrapping around my neck as she draws me closer. She went from trying to escape me, to hungrily searching for my lips in two intense moments. When her lips meet mine, I’m ready. I suck her bottom lip into my mouth and gently bite at her flesh. She makes me hungry and I can’t get enough of her in one mouthful. Suddenly she’s lifeless, her body stiff as a board as I hold her in my arms.
I pull back to look at her. “What is it?”
She looks up at me, her eyes blinking as she searches my face for the words.
“When you look at me, do you see her?”
“What?” I scoff. “No.”
She swallows loudly, her eyes still searching my face. “Tell me the truth, Jared.”
She leans out of my reach, steadying herself before asking the question again. “When you look at me do you see Selina?”
My mouth goes dry. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth as I try to tell her what she’s asking couldn’t be further from the truth, but the words don’t come.
“You do, don’t you?”
I shake my head, no.
“You do, Jared. One week ago you looked at me differently. Now you look at me and all you see is another version of my sister, the other woman who tried to ruin your life. I want you to look at me in that same way again as if you’re excited to see me, but that will never happen as long as you have this lawsuit hanging over your head.”
I attempt to speak, but the words don’t come. She’s nothing like Selina, and yet, I can’t gather the words to tell her that.