The Party Dare (Mills & Boon Modern Tempted)

by Anne Oliver

  Because she was a coward.

  She wiped the lotion off of Sky’s fingers with a damp towel. Maybe, as Sky said, Leo just needed to be needed— Hang on a bit. Brie frowned. ‘How did you know it was only a few weeks ago?’

  Sky regarded her a moment, then said, ‘Because Leo Hamilton’s my brother and I can’t stand seeing him so unhappy.’

  Stunned into silence, Brie stared at Sky while confused thoughts raced through her head. Finally, she managed, ‘But his sister’s name’s—’

  ‘Yeah. Sunny-Sky. Hyphenated.’ She shrugged, gave a small smile. ‘Mum thought it was cute. And Campbell’s her maiden name. I apologise for the deception but I wanted to meet this special woman Leo’s so hung up on. He doesn’t know I’m here, by the way, so if we can keep this between—’

  ‘Leo’s unhappy?’ Why did that make Brie feel so much better?

  ‘I haven’t seen much of him lately. He’s given himself a massive workload this past week, but we had lunch yesterday and his mood wasn’t pretty. Still, he talked, and for a guy like Leo that’s a way big deal. And this control thing he’s got going on? Pretty irritating, believe me, I know. But it stems from our childhood. Why don’t you call him?’

  ‘I don’t think he’ll—’

  ‘Yes—he will. Trust me. Better yet, trust him.’

  THIRTEEN

  After falling into bed at midnight, Brie woke again at just after one in the morning. Sleep was impossible with so much stuff spinning around inside her head. She went downstairs, made a mug of warm milk and honey, her favourite comfort food, then carried it to the living room. Snuggling into a comfy armchair, she switched on the wall furnace and warmed her bare toes while she sipped.

  Sunny-Sky’s surprise visit had knocked Brie sideways and she was still reeling. Brie had to admire her for having the guts to pull off such a stunt. The simple pretext had been for a noble reason and Brie knew she’d always intended coming clean before leaving. It showed Brie just how much love existed between the siblings and had given Brie a new insight into the man who’d stolen her heart.

  And unexpectedly enough, into herself.

  Sunny, as she preferred to be called, had held a mirror up to Brie’s doubts and questions and fears and insecurities. She’d forced Brie to look deeply and honestly at herself—and she acknowledged it was way past time.

  She didn’t like what she saw.

  Because her father’s decisions and choices had had such a negative impact on her life, her motives and the way she’d conducted herself where Leo was concerned were a coward’s way. Time to change that.

  To trust him.

  Sunny’s powerful words swept away some of Brie’s insecurities. Leo was nothing like her father. But her insides were churning as she pulled a note pad off the coffee table. She wanted to show him once and for all that she was ready to take that risk he’d told her to think about. The one she’d been too afraid to take a few weeks ago. If only she wasn’t too late...

  * * *

  The following morning, Brie waited until she had a break between clients to ring Leo. Heart pounding into her throat, she waited for him to answer. What if she’d taken too long to get back to him? What if he saw her name and ignored her call? No, that was Brie’s MO.

  ‘Breanna, good morning. This is a surprise—and a coincidence.’

  Oh? At the familiar sound of his deep voice, she gripped the phone tighter. ‘Good morning, Leo.’ How formal. How stilted. How wrong given what they’d been to one another. ‘A coincidence?’

  ‘I was going to call you today with an idea. But firstly, how have you been?’

  ‘Fine.’ She hesitated then told the truth. ‘Not fine.’

  ‘Sorry to hear that.’

  He didn’t sound sorry. He sounded pleased. She squeezed her eyes shut and said, ‘What were you going to call me about?’

  ‘We’ll start with why you called me.’

  ‘I have a favour to ask—it’s not urgent.’ His reason might affect her plans. ‘You?’

  ‘It’s essentially a business call.’

  She ignored the stab of disappointment and said, ‘How can I help?’

  ‘I’ve been giving the Pink Snowflake Foundation a lot of thought. I have a proposal you might be interested in.’

  Not that kind of proposal, Brie. ‘I’m always interested in anything that supports Pink Snowflake.’

  ‘I’d like to discuss it with you, hear your opinion. We’ll keep it business.’

  ‘Definitely. Business.’

  ‘Would tomorrow suit? Five o’clock, at your salon?’

  It couldn’t have worked out better if she’d organised his meeting herself. ‘I have a late client so I’d prefer six. But I’ve got something happening after.’ She hoped.

  ‘Okay.’ His tone was brisk. ‘Six o’clock. I’ll see you then.’

  * * *

  Brie was ready and waiting when Leo tapped on her open office door at precisely six the following evening. Without thought, she lifted her hand to check the formal knot of hair on the top of her head. ‘Good evening, Leo. Come in.’

  ‘Evening, Brie.’

  She wasn’t quite ready for her heart-racing response to his use of her informal name. Nor was she prepared for the sight of his masculine allure in his charcoal suit and snowy shirt and neat-as-a-pin maroon tie. ‘Dressed to impress,’ she said. ‘And I am. Impressed, that is.’ And rushed on with, ‘This must be an important proposal. Business proposal.’

  ‘It is,’ he said, voice as crisp as a dress shirt.

  Brie bit her lip. Leo had always had that destabilising effect on her. Beneath her black buttoned-up jacket she was anything but the cool, calm, in-control woman she wanted to be with him tonight.

  Then it hit her and she wanted to die of humiliation and embarrassment. He hadn’t suited up for her. He was dressed for some social function or other—which more than likely included female company—and was simply calling past here on the way. Great going, Brie. He wasn’t the only one who jumped to the wrong conclusions.

  He stepped into the tiny room, which wasn’t much bigger than a closet. He cocked his head as if to ask if she usually wore a business jacket in her line of work, then his gaze drifted lower to the short hemline of her shiny new party dress and he said nothing. Just lifted his eyes back to her face. For an instant, she saw his eyes darken with emotions she couldn’t guess at, yet he’d laid it all out for her not so long ago. For a few brief shiny moments she’d seen the real Leo Hamilton.

  She missed that man.

  Her glimmering red dress and the sophisticated hair was all part of the plan to win that man back. She sat on her stool, indicated an office chair she’d brought from the shared lunch room, and invited him to have a seat.

  He did, while looking at the mess sprawled over most of her desk which was pushed up against one wall.

  ‘I know.’ She looked him straight in those enigmatic silver eyes. ‘I didn’t thank you for tidying up my garden. And my books. And the kitchen. I was rude and I apologise.’

  ‘You’re welcome. Sometimes I came on too strong.’

  She smiled. ‘I’m getting used to the way it works with you. With us. Maybe I can start again, put the messy bits behind me...’

  He didn’t react the way she’d hoped and barbed wire tightened around her heart. She realised, now, that she wanted that life he’d offered her, and she was willing to risk everything for it. She wanted to tell him she loved him back. If he hadn’t changed his mind. Even if he had.

  He got straight down to business. ‘The reason I’m here is to suggest a fundraiser for Pink Snowflake. I’m asking Hope Strings to do a charity performance and they’re more than happy to donate their time for a worthy cause. I thought an evening with fine music, dining and dancing. So I’ve booked the classiest venue in Hobart—it’s Sunrise-Sunset on the fourteenth of June.’

  She blinked while she caught up. ‘You’ve gone ahead and booked Sunrise-Sunset. Without asking me?’

&nbs
p; ‘The thing is,’ he said slowly, resolutely, ‘I admire Pink Snowflake’s vision and I intend to proceed with my fundraising idea with or without you. Having said that, I’d love to have you work alongside me on this.’

  He was pledging himself to the cause dearest to her heart and was willing to go ahead with his plans alone if necessary. ‘Of course I want to be involved. Tell me more.’

  He smiled. ‘Thought you’d say that. Eight weeks should be enough time to get organised. I’m thinking a glittering event with a couple of big-name Aussie celebrities I can call on at short notice.’

  ‘I’m in. Glittering events are my forte.’ She clapped her hands together, brought them to her lips to keep her smile from flying away. She still had a chance. ‘One thing, though. Hope Strings is classical. What about those of us who like to shake their booty on a dance floor?’

  ‘Don’t worry, Hope Strings is nothing if not versatile. There’ll be plenty of time for dirty dancing.’

  She did a little finger clap in front of her lips. ‘Excellent.’

  He glanced at the clock on her wall, shifted on his chair as if in a hurry to leave. ‘There was a favour you wanted to ask me?’

  ‘It can wait.’ Actually, no. It couldn’t. She had to tell him now, before he walked out of here in his special suit and tie for his maybe special date. Sunny had told her Leo was a man who needed to be needed. ‘I need someone who lives and breathes organisation. You know someone like that?’

  He nodded once. ‘I’m your man.’

  ‘The office needs some structure before I relocate it to the McPherson retreat.’ She waved an encompassing hand. ‘If you could, maybe, help me create some order out of the chaos some time soon, I’d be very grateful.’

  ‘How grateful?’

  ‘Very.’ He watched her for a moment without answering, his expression giving nothing away.

  She wished she knew what he’d meant by that question. She wished she knew what he thought she meant. Because honestly? She didn’t mean it in a sexual way. She’d be grateful for any contact, no matter how fleeting.

  ‘I’ll do it,’ he said at last. ‘As a special favour to you.’ He spoke casually, his long-fingered hands on his knees. ‘You want to work with me on it?’

  ‘Not necessary.’ She breathed a sigh of relief and optimism. ‘I trust you to do an amazing job. You can even organise your own filing system, so long as you teach me how to use it.’ It was her turn to glance at her diamond watch. Her plan was still on schedule. ‘I’ll put the date for the fundraiser in my diary and we’ll make another time to go over the details, but right now I’ve got something more important happening.’

  She rose, watching his eyes darken as she unbuttoned her jacket and took it off. She tossed it onto her desk, slid open her top desk drawer and pulled out a glitzy evening purse.

  Leo’s eyes didn’t know where to look first. At the silky fabric clinging to her womanly curves, or the long legs encased in shimmery stockings or the spiked heels on her feet.

  Her strapless fire-engine-red dress enhanced her toned shoulders and prominent collarbones; the upswept hair revealed her slender neck to perfection.

  ‘I’m not the only one dressed to impress,’ he murmured, lifting his hungry eyes to her jewelled midnight ones, struggling hard not to let possessiveness get the upper hand.

  He wanted to beat his chest and roar to the world that she was his, and only his. He wanted to reach out, loosen her hair and let the silken strands tumble into his hands. He wanted to yank her to him and hold her prisoner until she yielded to him and admitted what he already knew in his heart and wanted to hear aloud—that she loved him.

  Or had he got it spectacularly wrong?

  ‘Looks like it’s some party you’ve got lined up.’

  ‘It is.’ She opened her purse and drew out the necklace he’d given her in Singapore, held it out. ‘I was having trouble with the clasp. Will you do this up for me?’ She turned.

  ‘So you’ve decided to keep it.’

  ‘Yes.’

  Clenching his jaw, he performed the task even though the tiny rational part that was left of his brain told him to get the hell out before he made an idiot of himself. Again. Why was he letting her play him for a fool?

  Never more a fool than a man in crazy, impossible love.

  She turned back, the diamonds glittering at her throat, her eyes focused on his. She pressed the intercom. ‘Jodie, thanks. That’ll be all. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  His cue to leave too? ‘I’ll get going, then.’

  ‘There’s something else I need you to do,’ she said softly. ‘Do you trust me? I trust you. I trust you, Leo Hamilton.’

  He stared into her fathomless eyes and saw hope. He nodded, because frankly he wasn’t sure he could get his voice to work.

  He followed her out of her office to her treatment room, hardly daring to look at the stunning vision in front of him. She stopped at the closed door, pressed her lips together and turned to look at him. For the first time, her heart was in her eyes. Unguarded, open, still so achingly vulnerable.

  ‘If you had plans for tonight, I don’t care how important they were, cancel them.’

  He’d made none but said, ‘Consider them cancelled.’

  She nodded, then murmured, ‘One party coming up,’ and pushed the door open. Dozens of tea-lights flickered on all available surfaces, giving the room an intimate golden glow. A bottle of bubbly chilled on a pedestal in the corner. And all he could think to say was, ‘You left these candles burning unattended?’

  Her laugh was a full-throated sound of genuine amusement. And no candle could shine brighter than Brie’s smile, which lit up her face like he’d never seen.

  ‘Would I do that? No, Jodie kept an eye out till I was ready, so zip that totally kissable mouth of yours and let me do the talking. I remembered you liked parties for two, so here we are. There’s a rule though: there’ll be no sex here.’

  His brows rose. ‘No sex?’ He saw the sunshine in her eyes—and the clouds of uncertainty beneath. He tsk-tsked. ‘That’s a bad rule, Brie.’

  She tapped his lips. ‘And no interruptions till I say so.’

  He set his lips against the intercepting fingers and nodded.

  She paced away a little then turned to him. ‘You were right when you accused me of hiding the real Brie from the world. I’ve spent my life perfecting the art and it’s a form of lying—you were right about that too. I’ve been lying to myself. I’ve been playing in a world I thought I wanted, free to please myself but ending my relationships before they got serious. And I really thought I was happy.’

  She shook her head. ‘Not any more. I’ve realised that true freedom comes not from a long list of casual, meaningless acquaintances but with an honest, open commitment to one. So I want to thank you. Very much. I’m free because of you. I understand myself—even if no one else does.

  ‘I’m not bound by fear of “what-if”, because I’ve learned to trust. To trust you. That night when you came to me with your story and your heart and soul in your words, you showed me it’s safe to fall in love.’

  ‘Brie—’

  ‘Please, don’t interrupt.’ She held up a hand. ‘I need to get it out. My parents were totally focused on their own misery. They threw gifts and money at me and hoped I’d go away and leave them alone. I felt abandoned and invisible. So I partied, rebelled and garnered often inappropriate attention but at least it was attention—just for all the wrong reasons. And I’ve already told you about Elliot.

  ‘Which is why I viewed your flowers as an easy apology for standing me up, and I apologise because no one should come before your sister. The diamonds...’ she touched the sparkling jewels at her neck ‘...brought back the bad old days.’

  ‘Enough.’ Two steps and he was in front of her, brushing loose hair from her brow, kissing away her hurts, soothing away her fears. ‘Enough. Relax, breathe. You’re shivering.’ He rubbed her upper arms.

  ‘I’m not cold, j
ust emotional. It’s okay.’ Brie could barely see through the veil of tears. She’d never felt so treasured, so safe as she did in that moment. And her entire body was indeed shivering.

  With sheer paralysing fear of what he’d say next.

  ‘I love you too,’ she said, determined to finish what she’d started. ‘And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If it’s not too late. So I have a proposal of my own.’ She reached into her purse and pulled out a black velvet box, pushed it into his hand. ‘I’m asking you to marry me.’

  His eyebrows rose. ‘You’re proposing marriage to me?’

  ‘Isn’t that what people want to do when they love each other? Show their commitment? Announce to the whole world that they’re officially off the market?’ Her breath rushed out and embarrassing despair rushed in to fill its place. Her cheeks burned. ‘Oh, no. Stupid, stupid me. You don’t want to get married. I am such an idiot. Of course you don’t. Why would you?’

  She tried to snatch her box back but his fist tightened around it. ‘No. You don’t give someone a gift then take it back. Didn’t anyone tell you it’s bad manners?’

  ‘I never gave a man a gift before. Except Jett, and that first time didn’t go so well. And this...this isn’t...’ She trailed off beneath his gaze.

  His eyes looked deep into hers, so deep, she felt the love from them touch her soul. Then he said, ‘Let’s open it, shall we?’

  ‘I...’ She pressed her lips together as he flipped the lid open.

  His mouth kicked up at one corner. ‘Well, now.’ With great care and a million stuttering heartbeats later, he lifted the ring out of its box. The cluster of rubies and diamonds winked in the candlelight. He slid it onto the tip of his pinkie and shook his head. ‘It doesn’t fit me. You’ll have to wear it.’

  He lifted his eyes to hers and smiled. ‘What do you say?’