“You’ll leave her alone until she makes a decision?” Deuce asked in dubious tones.
Chaz shrugged. “Sure, if that’s what she wants.” He wasn’t about to tick her off now.
He turned to leave, but Amalia caught his arm. “Wait,” she said with fire in her eyes. “What about us?”
Chaz shared an incredulous glance with Scott. Would this woman ever give up?
Of course not—he should know that by now. He spoke very slowly to her, as if to a two year old. “There is no us. There is you, and there is me, but there is no us.”
Confusion wrinkled her brow. “But we are to be married.”
I don’t believe this.
“That’s not gonna happen. I will never marry you.” For good measure, he added, “Ever.”
She still didn’t look convinced. Good Lord, what proof would she believe? Ah, he had it. Raising his arms to the heavens, he said, “May God strike me dead if I’m lying.”
An expectant silence fell in the hallway and Amalia even sneaked a glance upward. With her convent school upbringing, she could do no less.
Chaz dropped his arms. “See? Nothing. I’m still alive. If God believes me, don’t you think you could, too?”
Amalia’s face held an odd expression compounded of confusion, frustration, and anger. “You, you—” she began, then broke off to fling her arms in the air and let loose a stream of Spanish. Turning on her heel, she stalked off, saying over her shoulder, “You haf not seen the last of me.”
Chaz sighed. One down, five to go. “Scott, perhaps you would escort Grace to her room . . . ?”
Scott grimaced, but could obviously see the sense in removing his mother from the battlefield. With aplomb, he offered his arm to his mother and said, “A good idea. Let’s give Kelly a couple of hours or so to calm down.”
Grace glared at both of them for a moment, then took her son’s arm with a sniff in Billings’s direction. Chaz wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to leave, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
As they departed, Chaz turned to Deuce and Candace. Deuce had a stubborn look about him, and Candace was obviously waffling, wondering if she should stay and stake her claim on Deuce or leave him alone.
Chaz sighed. “There’s no sense hovering in the hallway. You might as well wait in the comfort of your room until Kelly decides to come out.” And maybe if Candace was in that honeymoon suite with Deuce, he might discover some of her charms.
“And leave the field clear for you?” Deuce asked, glancing at Kelly’s door.
That wasn’t a bad idea, but it wasn’t Chaz’s intention. “Not at all,” he said honestly. “I swear—I won’t go near that door until she asks me to.”
At Deuce’s doubtful expression, Candace said, “I think you can trust him.”
Chaz nodded. “You can. I never break my word.” Giving Candace a significant glance, he added, “And didn’t you have something you wanted to talk to him about?” If she was smart, she’d find something.
Confusion crossed her face for a moment, then determination replaced it. “Yes, I do.” She took Deuce’s arm and steered him in the opposite direction. “I think I may have found our Pizzazz Girl.”
Deuce gave one doubtful glance over his shoulder, but allowed his boss to lead him away.
Good—that was taken care of.
“And do you have instructions for me?” Billings asked in a tone as dry as the Colorado air.
Smart-ass. “Yeah. Go back to work and lighten up.”
Figuring that was as good an exit line as any, Chaz denied himself the pleasure of seeing Billings’s reaction and strode off to his own room.
But once he was there, he didn’t know what to do. He threw open the door to the balcony to let in some fresh air and help him feel less like a caged animal, but fifteen minutes of inactivity drove him nuts. Waiting wasn’t his strong suit, and the only other thing he was interested in doing was wooing Kelly. But he had given his word not to bother her until she was ready.
Or had he? His gaze fell on the curtains billowing in from the balcony and he smiled slowly as he realized he’d only promised not to go near her door.
* * *
Candace led Spencer to his door and stood expectantly as he unlocked it, not giving him the opportunity to turn her away. Chaz had kindly given her this opportunity to be alone with Spencer, and her mind raced as she wondered how best to take advantage of it.
Though Spencer ushered her in to his room politely enough, she could tell he wasn’t with her mentally. To keep his mind off Kelly, Candace repeated, “I think I may have found our Pizzazz Girl.”
“That’s nice,” Spencer said in an abstracted tone. “Who?”
“Amalia Garcia. Don’t you think she’s striking?”
“I suppose.”
Ignoring his indifference, Candace enthused, “She’s a new face with a unique look, and her attitude is totally self-confident. I think the camera will love her. She’s definitely got the pizzazz we’ve been looking for.”
Good—she had his attention now. “Yes, I see what you mean,” Spencer said slowly. “In fact, I thought the same thing when I first met her.”
Candace beamed at him. She knew they were on the same wavelength. “Good. Should I approach her about a possible position?”
“I don’t know,” Spencer said in reluctant tones. “Kelly might not like it.”
Who cared what Kelly wanted? Candace was the publisher of Pizzazz.
“Don’t worry about that,” Candace said, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand. “They’d be working in totally different departments. Their paths will probably never cross.”
Then again, if Amalia’s presence was going to remind Kelly that she was angry at Chaz, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. “Let’s wait and see what happens,” Candace suggested.
“All right.”
Deftly, Candace turned the discussion to the magazine, trying to keep his mind off Kelly and remind him of how many things he and Candace had in common. Now, if only Kelly would do her part and make the right decision, Candace might have a chance.
* * *
Her ear pressed against the door to the hallway, Kelly couldn’t believe what she’d heard. Chaz had stood up for her and, even more amazing, they’d all listened to him and left her alone.
A bit at loose ends, she sat down on the bed and tried to figure out what to do with the time Chaz had bought for her. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, even after ten minutes of hard thinking.
Luckily, a knock at the door roused her from her introspection and, relieved to see it was Scott, Kelly let him in.
“Hi, Sis,” he said as he breezed in, then made a big show of checking the bathroom and the closet.
“There’s no one here but me,” she said, half exasperated, half amused.
“You never know,” he said with a grin as he checked behind the draperies, the chair, and even under the bed. “I thought I was alone with you earlier. Imagine my surprise when I found you’d been harboring all sorts of strange characters here.”
“Only two. . . .” she said plaintively.
Scott raised his eyebrows. “I counted four.”
“I meant two before you.”
“I see. But hiding your two husbands . . .” He shook his head. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Neither had she. “There were . . . extenuating circumstances.”
“I can imagine.”
She bet he could. But she really didn’t want to explain. “What do you want, Scott?”
“Nothing, really. But Chaz managed to convince everyone to wait until you were ready to announce your decision, and I’m just here to make sure they do.”
“Oh, Scott.” Who could ask for a better brother? “Thank you.”
He gave her a hug. “You look a little frazzled. Why don’t you get some rest while I stand guard. Unless you want some lunch?”
The way her stomach was churning? “I don’t think I could
eat anything right now.”
“Then we’ll have an early dinner and you can call them to your room one by one after that. How does that sound?”
She smiled at him. “Perfect. I’ll let you know if I get hungry.”
“Good.” He gave her another hug, then left her alone in the room once more.
He was right—she was a little frazzled and had the beginnings of a headache. Maybe some rest would do her good.
She lay down on the bed, trying to clear her mind of the embarrassment and looniness of the morning. She dozed off, and a few hours later, she woke to find her headache had disappeared and the sun had gone down.
She had just realized this when she heard a tapping sound. That was odd—it wasn’t coming from the hallway door this time. Where . . . ? Surprised, she realized it was coming from the balcony door. Drawing back the drapes, she let out a startled gasp of laughter.
Unbelievably, Chaz stood on her balcony wearing a flowing white poet’s shirt, a narrow black mask that just circled his eyes, a pencil-thin moustache, and tight black leather pants. He posed dramatically with his hands on his hips, a red rose clenched between his teeth, and devilry in his eyes. With the moon shining behind him, he was quite a sight.
Chuckling, she opened the door, letting in a cold breath of fresh air. “Errol Flynn, I presume? Or is it Douglas Fairbanks Jr.?” All he was missing was the rapier.
He whipped the rose from his teeth and offered it to her with a flourish. When she took it, he bowed deeply with one leg stretched out straight before him, and declared in a phony French accent, “No, it eez I, zee Courageous Corsair, zee greatest luh-vair in all zee world. I have come to steal you away to my bou-doirrr.”
He drew out the last word with a rolling of the r’s, struck another dramatic pose with his hand curved above his head, and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Kelly giggled, delighted. And she had to admit his attire was very sexy. The tight pants left nothing to the imagination, accentuating his cute butt and molding to the front of his crotch, clearly delineating the fact that he was very glad to see her.
She smiled. He had played a few roles during their marriage, but this was a new one. Wondering if she should play along, she inhaled the sweet fragrance of the rose, and regarded him with amusement as she tried to suppress a smile. “I don’t know. . . .”
He reared back in mock astonishment. “Can it be? No woman can resist zee Courageous Corsair.” He held his hand out in an imperious gesture. “Come, fly with me.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him. “How? Do you have wings?”
Clasping one hand to his chest, he declared, “Your beauty gives my heart wings, but I must confess I have a more mundane way of reaching zee ground.” He gave the edge of the balcony a significant glance. “A rope.”
She frowned. “A rope?”
“Yes. Fear not, lovely lady. I shall hold you tight and ne-vair let you go. You will be safe with me.”
If only it were true. . . . Kelly smiled and decided to play along, for a little while at least. “But I can’t fly away with a complete stranger. I have responsibilities here, a decision to announce.”
He waved that away as if it were inconsequential. “It eez nothing,” he said with an breezy snap of his fingers. “Your decision can wait. Our passion cannot.” He held his hand out again. “Come wiz me and experience zee most sensual night of your life.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Oh, yes. He was so tempting. Could she? “But . . . don’t you want to hear my decision?”
He shrugged gracefully. “What eez that to zee Courageous Corsair? It eez as nozzing. You, me, cool sheets, and our hot bodies entwined togezzer. Zat eez all zat eez needed.”
It sounded heavenly.
He moved toward her with feline grace and snatched up her hand, lifting it to his lips as he captured her gaze with his searing glance. The delicate pressure of his lips on the back of her hand was surprisingly sensuous and Kelly let out a small gasp as a thrill coursed through her.
Oh, my, he was awakening things in her that she’d thought long forgotten. Warm, sizzling things. She didn’t want to analyze these feelings, didn’t want to second guess how she should feel. She just wanted to do it.
Could she?
He backed away toward the balcony, still holding her hand, still holding her mesmerized with his heated gaze. “Come wiz me,” he whispered in a low, sexy voice. “It will be an adventure.”
Yes!
She let him lead her toward the balcony. “But what about my things?” she asked weakly, knowing she shouldn’t go with him, yet secretly longing for him to talk her into it.
“Wiz me, you shall want for nothing,” he promised in a persuasive tone. “Come, I shall supply everyzing you need . . . and more.”
He tugged her, unresisting, into his arms. “But first, a small sample of what eez in store for you. . . .”
Enclosing her in a warm, erotic embrace, he kissed her.
It wasn’t just any kiss. He put his full attention into it, into her, and swamped her senses with his sheer sensuality. She had heard the phrase “kissed senseless” before, but this was the first time she had ever experienced it.
She blamed it for allowing herself to be swept off her feet. Somehow, she couldn’t remember how, but the two of them made it down the rope, Kelly still clutching the rose he had given her, and into the central courtyard of the hotel.
He quirked a smile at her and grabbed her hand, then they dashed off together to a waiting cab at the side of the hotel, trying to minimize the amount of time spent in the cold night air.
The cab driver smirked at them as Chaz seated her in the back seat, but Chaz was undaunted. “To zee villa, Pierre,” he declared.
“Whatever, dude,” the driver said with a shake of his head.
But even the cabbie’s attitude couldn’t detract from the romance of the moment. Curling one arm around her shoulders to hold her close, Chaz cupped her cheek in his other hand and feathered soft kisses against her neck, then whispered sweet, erotic promises in her ear.
Kelly shivered in anticipation, hoping the drive wouldn’t be very long. It wasn’t, as soon the cab pulled up to a quaint bed and breakfast inn. Smoothly, Chaz paid off the cab driver and whisked her up to their room.
Inside, he had prepared the setting carefully. The fragrance of two dozen red roses, matching the one in her hand, filled the frilly, Victorian room, lit only by candlelight. The soft strains of romantic music lent a seductive atmosphere, drawing her even deeper into the mood he had created. Thoughtfully, he had even turned back the covers on the bed.
The bed. Her heart beat even faster as she thought about the possibilities. This room was made for seduction.
He watched her with an expectant expression and Kelly glanced ruefully down at her sweater and slacks. She was the only jarring note in the room. “I’m not dressed for this,” she murmured.
Chaz kissed her hand and gave her a soulful look. “You are beautiful to me no matter what you wear.” He paused, then added with a grin, “But eef you wish to change, I have a surprise for you in zee bathroom.”
Bathroom. Good idea. It would give her a chance to think for a moment, outside the boundaries of the spell Chaz had woven about her. “All right, I—I’ll be right back.”
He bowed extravagantly once more, saying, “Of course. I shall await your pleasure.”
“O-okay,” she squeaked, and scurried into the bathroom like a frightened mouse.
She closed the door and leaned against it, trying to catch her breath. But Chaz had been busy even in here. Small groupings of scattered candles provided the only illumination and soft fluffy towels lay invitingly by the tub with scented soaps and lotions. The lovely fragrance of lavender and musk scented the air.
As she took in the heady ambiance, Kelly realized she was leaning up against something soft and silky. She stepped back to take a look and realized that something was the garment Chaz had provided for her to wear—a slinky red charmeuse
nightgown with a peignoir to match.
She fingered the silky material. Oddly enough, she had never owned a negligee like this. But, oh, how she wanted to. Quickly, before she could change her mind, she stripped off every bit of her boring street clothes and put on the daring red gown Chaz had chosen for her, then looked in the mirror.
Oh, my, is that me? The gown dipped low in the front, showing a generous expanse of cleavage, the bodice held up only by the whim of two tiny spaghetti straps. The silk hugged her breasts, lifting them suggestively, then skimmed down past her hips to fall in a puddle to the floor. Along the way, it hinted at peaks and valleys only too ready to be explored. And the sheer lace dressing gown that covered it added to the allure, making her cheeks look flushed with desire and her skin creamy and begging to be touched.
Wow, I look hot.
Immediately embarrassed by the thought, Kelly covered her burning face with her hands. That was something Chaz would say, not her.
And he was waiting, very patiently, outside. She wanted to join him, to see the look in his eyes when he saw her in this piece of seduction, but her mind screamed at her to wait. If she went to him, there would be no turning back, no changing her mind. Chaz had always been able to seduce her with a look and a kiss, and would probably always be able to do so. But was it worth it?
Life with Chaz was like a wild roller coaster ride, full of highs and lows. The highs were wonderfully thrilling, but the lows could be pretty darned low.
In contrast, life with Spencer would be more like a merry-go-round, nice and safe. There would be no high, thrilling peaks . . . but then again, he wouldn’t make the bottom drop out of her stomach in the valleys either.
Chaz knocked softly on the door. “Zo, my sweet,” he said, still using that silly French accent, “I am ready for you. Are you ready for me?”
Warmth swept over her entire body. Oh, she was more than ready. Chaz was so sexy, so charming, so . . . irresistible. She wavered, unwilling to commit herself to any course of action just yet.
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