The CEO's Seduction (A Hamilton Family Series)

by Diane Alberts

  Anna shook her head. “No.”

  “Look, I’m very excited, but the wait is killing me. If you tell me what happened, maybe I won’t check the clock again. It’s ten-oh-one. Last time I looked? Ten-oh-one. I just want to marry the man of my dreams, but the time is creeping by.” Nina blew out a frustrated breath. “So if you have a juicy story to spill, you aren’t doing me any favors by holding it back. It’s a distraction, and God, I need a distraction.”

  “Fine.” Anna flopped down on the bed next to Nina and took a deep breath. “I slept with him.”

  Nina choked on her coffee and turned red in the face.

  Anna went to pound on her back, but Nina shook her head. “I’m f-fine. Just tell me everything. Don’t even think about skipping over any details. This is exactly what I need.”

  “Well, it all started on the day he came back…”

  Anna told her every sordid little detail. Every fight. Every kiss. When she reached the part where he didn’t show up at her room last night, even though he’d insisted he would, she faltered. “I told him from the beginning that if he decided we weren’t good together, we’d go back to being friends, with no harm done.”

  “And he didn’t show up last night?” Nina asked quietly.

  Anna nodded.

  She pressed her lips together. “That asshole.”

  “I’m not surprised. He started avoiding me after the beach, so I knew it was coming.” She forced a shrug. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

  Nina pulled her close and hugged her tight. “I feel like we’re missing something here. It doesn’t make any sense. He told you he was coming up, right?”

  “Yes.” Anna sat back and swiped the tears away. “But he never wanted a relationship or love. He came to his senses and remembered, is all. End of story.”

  Nina narrowed her eyes. “Well, it’s a crappy ending to the story. Want me to change the lineup so you don’t walk with him anymore?”

  “No. I’ll hold my head up and act like I’m not upset. I told him he could change his mind and I’d be fine, so I will be.” She clenched her fists in her lap. “I’ll smile and be nice. I’ll act as if I don’t care, so he can go back to his life in Atlanta with a clear conscience. And then once he’s gone, I’ll leave him alone. Just like he wants.”

  “That sounds like a lovely plan.” Nina dropped back against the headboard. “But can you do that?”

  Anna sniffed and stood up, straightening her spine. “I’ll have to, because I don’t have a choice. I’m the one who chased after him, even when he told me not to. When everyone told me not to. I got a couple of amazing hours in his arms, and now I can move on without wondering ‘what if’ my whole life. I’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.”

  Nina smiled and stood up. “Yes, you will. But I’m going to start working on your makeup right now.”

  “Do I look that horrid?” Anna touched her cheeks, under her eyes. Definitely still puffy and swollen from crying. “Oh God.”

  “Nah.” Nina started riffling through her purse. “You look fine, but I intend to make you look so gorgeous he’ll doubt his decision. He’ll come begging for more, and then you can send him away.”

  Doubtful. “What are you looking for?”

  “My phone. I can’t find it.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Can I use your phone? I want to text my makeup person to come a little earlier.”

  Anna shook her head. “My phone’s dead, and I forgot a charger.”

  “You could have used mine,” Nina said.

  “No, I can’t. Mine’s not an iPhone.”

  “Oh.” She returned to digging in her purse. After a few muttered curses, she cried out in triumph, “Aha! Found it.”

  Anna smiled and sat down, pulling a piece of croissant off the plate and nibbling on it. She wasn’t the slightest bit hungry, but if she didn’t eat something she would never make it through the primping and the wedding without dying of hunger.

  That is, if she didn’t die from the idea of having to face Brett again, and act like nothing hurt…

  When everything did.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Brett yanked on his bow tie and shifted on his feet. He hadn’t seen Anna since her brief visit to the dining room this morning—and she had looked less than happy with him. After badgering Wyatt to go speak with her, he hadn’t felt much better. Damn it all to hell, he never should have agreed to this stupid plan of her brothers’.

  He could have sat next to her and kept his damn hands to himself.

  And he certainly could have hidden his puppy-dog eyes from Chris.

  He clenched his fists and looked at the stairs again. The wedding was taking place at sunset, outside in the backyard, and he would be the one to walk Anna down the aisle. At least he had managed to get his prison guards to agree to still let him escort her into the wedding, if nothing else. He eyed his watch again.

  Still five thirty-two.

  The wedding was supposed to start at five thirty.

  They were late.

  By the time she came down, there would be no chance to talk to her. He’d be lucky if he could get a word in before they were walking down the aisle. Chris came up to him and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m going to go stand at the altar and wait for my bride. See you soon, man.”

  Brett smiled. “After you’re tied down to the old ball and chain.”

  “I already told you, I don’t need any chains to keep me by her side.” Christopher hesitated, watching him closely. “Are you okay? You look as nervous as the suspect I caught literally carrying a dead body out of his apartment. You’d think you were the one getting married.”

  “Nah, I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.” Brett shooed him away. “It’s your day. Get outside before she comes down and you ruin everything.”

  Chris looked at the empty stairs in a lovesick manner that Brett now recognized all too well. “Right. Off I go.”

  As he walked out the door, Brett leaned against the banister and let out a sigh. Though he would have been questioning Chris’s sanity a few weeks ago, suddenly…getting married didn’t seem so bad of an idea. He could see himself standing in that backyard, waiting for Anna to come to his side.

  Waiting to make her his in front of everyone he knew…

  Yeah, that actually sounded pretty fucking fabulous.

  “Dude, she’ll be down in a little while. You know how women are.” Cole came to Brett’s side, and cleared his throat. “How many more times are you going to glower up the stairs?”

  Brett shrugged. “Until she comes down and smiles at me. Until I know that she’s not mad at me for not showing up last night.”

  “Last I heard from Wyatt, she’s not happy with any of us. She practically bit Wyatt’s head off earlier.” Cole rubbed his jaw. “I don’t think any of us can expect a smile out of her. Not even you.”

  Brett pressed a hand to his sore abs. He swore he could count exactly where each of their knuckles connected with his stomach last night. “I get why she’s pissed at you guys, but why would she be mad at me? You ambushed me and dragged me into a room. I have the bruises to prove it.”

  “I’d rather not think of her looking at your bare abs, man. I’m still trying not to punch you some more out of mere principle.” Cole averted his eyes. “And besides, women don’t always make sense. Just tell her you love her and apologize. She’ll get over it soon enough.”

  Brett raised a brow. “How do you know? Have you ever told a woman you loved her, or apologized to one?”

  “That’s not any of your business.” Cole shuddered. “But even if I did, I’ll never make that mistake again.”

  Brett shook his head and chuckled. “Your turn will come. Mark my words.”

  “Not if I can help it, it won’t. Oh, look.” Cole elbowed Brett in the stomach, sending a new shaft of pain shooting through him. When Brett hissed, Cole flushed. “Oops. Sorry. Forgot. But here they come.”

  Brett lifted his head…

  And forgot all about t
he pain in his stomach.

  Anna stood at the top of the stairs, and she looked absolutely stunning in her sparkly red dress. It clung to her curves. His mouth watered. Her hair was up, leaving her neck bare. Her makeup had been applied perfectly, and her red lips paired with the red heels on her feet. She was stunning. Breathtaking.

  Perfect.

  His heart skipped a beat, and he forced his attention to her eyes.

  She watched him the whole way down the steps, her mouth set in a perfect smile…even if it looked false. “Wow.”

  Was that all he could manage?

  Wow?

  “Thanks.” When she stopped at his side, her smile slipped a little bit. He didn’t like the look on her face right now. She looked…distant. “You look nice, too.”

  He stared at her, still struck speechless.

  “You look gorgeous, Anna,” Nina said. She shot him a dirty look and walked past him. “Even if someone isn’t smart enough to appreciate it.”

  Brett raised a brow. “What’s that all about?”

  “Nothing,” Anna muttered.

  Brett stared at her, confusion rocking through him. There was no doubt that she was acting cold toward him. “Anna—”

  “Don’t.” Anna slid her hand into his elbow, where it belonged. “I don’t want to do this before we walk down the aisle.”

  Okay, then.

  Clearly, she was pissed.

  “You look stunning. Absolutely stunning.”

  She flushed and averted her eyes. “Thanks.”

  His heart stuttered and came to a stop. He recognized that tone of voice. The day before he left for college, she avoided him and refused to say good-bye. When she had, her voice had been strained and distant. It had haunted him for years, and he recognized it now because she was doing it again.

  She was saying good-bye to him.

  Why?

  She must be mad he didn’t fight her brothers last night. Sure, he could have escaped and come to her room, but losing one night together had been a step toward them being together for…well, forever. He’d come clean so they could have a real chance at something together. A real future.

  Something she didn’t seem to want anymore.

  “Why are you upset?”

  “I’m not.” She shot him a narrow-eyed look. “We’re done, and I’m fine with that.”

  Something inside his chest twisted. “You know why I didn’t come last night, right? Your brothers—”

  “It doesn’t even matter.” She shook her head and gave a little laugh. “We’re done. And I’m fine. It was fun while it lasted, but we both knew it was gonna end quickly. We need to go. We’re holding up the processional.”

  Done? How could they be done when they’d only just started?

  And how could she be fine with that?

  Music started playing, and on autopilot, Brett led her down the aisle, his mind racing, and his stone-cold heart cracking more with every step he took. She looked straight ahead, not once looking away from Chris, and her grip on his arm tightened. There had to be an explanation for her behavior. A reason she pulled away from him.

  A reason she didn’t want him anymore.

  He slowed down his steps, knowing once they reached the makeshift altar, he wouldn’t get a chance to talk to her again. “You know where I was last night, right?”

  “Stop talking. Stop worrying.” They reached the end of the aisle, and she slid her hand out of the crook of his arm. “I’m fine.”

  He grabbed on to her hand, trying to find the right words to make her see he hadn’t stayed away out of fear. “Anna. Last night, your brothers—”

  She yanked free and stumbled back from the force she exerted, but quickly righted herself. “I said I don’t care. I’m over this, and to be honest? I’m happy I am.”

  Smoothing her dress with shaky hands, she plastered a smile on her face and walked to her side of the altar without another glance his way.

  Chris cleared his throat and pointed at the spot next to him.

  Gritting his teeth, Brett went to his designated spot and clenched his fists. So she didn’t want to be with him anymore. Didn’t want him anymore. Fine. Whatever.

  It’s not like he needed her to survive.

  It’s not like he couldn’t be alone.

  He’d been on his own before, and he was fine. He could be a loner again. As he took his place next to Chris, he studied her with narrow eyes. She’d said she was “over this.” What was this? Did she really mean him? Was she over him? He forced himself to turn away from her averted face, focusing instead on Christopher.

  He could tell the exact minute Nina came into view.

  Chris lit up like a fucking lightbulb. Brett had never seen a man look more in love. The sheer joy in his face, and the way his hands shook as he lifted them, and then dropped them back to his side with an almost helpless sigh…

  Fuck, man, that was love.

  Pure love.

  He looked away. It felt like he was intruding in a personal moment between Nina and Chris. Instead, he focused on Anna. Her eyes were watery, and she watched her brother with a smile. As if she sensed him watching her, she slowly twisted his way. The smile disappeared, but she didn’t look away from him.

  And he couldn’t look away from her.

  Don’t give up on me, Anna.

  The priest cleared his throat. “We are gathered here today for love. True love.”

  Brett’s eyes widened. The way the reverend said “true love” sounded exactly the same as the man in Anna’s favorite movie, The Princess Bride. She used to watch it at least once a month. All of her brothers had escaped once they heard what she wanted to watch, but Brett had always stayed. He liked the story.

  He looked at Anna, and she was fighting back laughter. He grinned and lowered his head to hide the evidence. Now he didn’t need a movie to show him love. He just needed Anna, and he needed to find a way to get her back—

  If he had ever really had her.

  She’d always been at his side, loving him, standing by him. And now that he finally came to his senses, she was ready to give up on him?

  Hell no.

  He wouldn’t let her.

  By the time the wedding finished, he was a fucking wreck. He entered the crowded dining room and sought out Anna. She was at the bar with one of the bridesmaids, and miraculously enough her brothers weren’t surrounding either one of them. They’d kept their word. Imagine the fucking miracle in that.

  Too bad it might be too late.

  Too bad Anna didn’t want him anymore.

  Anger surged through his veins, and he saw red. He walked up to her with long strides. As he approached her, she stiffened and stopped smiling. “Can I talk to you?”

  The bridesmaid shot him a nasty look—so she thought he was a jerk, too. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Will do.” After they were alone, she turned to him with a sigh. She didn’t look happy to see him. “What’s up?”

  He flinched at the indifferent tone of her voice. “Not here. In there.”

  Grabbing her hand, he led her into the library, and no one followed him. He shut the door behind him and eyed her. This was where she kissed him for the first time. It was also when he realized he didn’t stand a chance of fighting the desire he had for her anymore. And now he had to find a way to prove he was worthy of her love. That he could be the type of man she deserved, if she let him. “Listen. I didn’t come to your room last night because—”

  She sighed. “I already know why you didn’t come. You don’t have to say it.”

  Wait. She knew, and she still pushed him away? His whole body went stiff. “Wyatt—?”

  “Just stop.” Anna held up her hand when he opened his mouth to talk. “Last night gave me the chance to think. Really think. And…” She broke off, her voice cracking. She straightened her back and met his eyes. “And you were right. You and me? You’ve been right all along. It was just a childish crush on my part. Not love.”
<
br />   And with those words, his carefully constructed world fell apart. Every wall he’d ever laid around his heart crashed and burned, taking him down with it. “A crush?”

  “We wouldn’t…we don’t work.” She gave him her back and faced the window, her shoulders stiff. “My silly crush is gone.”

  “Gone.”

  He was like a fucking recorder, repeating shit she said.

  It was all he was capable of right now.

  Anna shrugged, swiped her hands over her cheeks, and then turned back to him. The cold look in her eyes hurt almost as much as her words. “Yeah. So I’m not angry, or upset, that you didn’t show up. It’s a good thing.”

  “Good thing,” he echoed, still in shock. His lips were numb and his hands were tingling in that painful just-fell-asleep-and-woke-back-up way. He flexed his fingers. “It’s completely gone?”

  She pressed her lips together and looked away. “Like I said.”

  “So you used me to scratch an itch, and now you’re finished with it? With me?” He clenched his jaw, anger replacing the mind-numbing shock. “Now that you’ve had me, you’re done? You’re ready to toss me away like yesterday’s garbage?”

  “Well—” She flushed and wrung her hands in front of her stomach. “You should be happy I don’t want more from you than the time we shared together.”

  He lifted his head, staring at her incredulously. “Happy?”

  “Yeah. After all, you were right.” She bit down on her lower lip. “And you usually like to rub that in my face.”

  He dragged a hand down his face.

  She thought he’d be happy?

  That he would boast about it?

  Fuck. She really thought he didn’t care about her. Maybe he should let her think that. Save his pride…or what was left of it, anyway. He’d warned her not to fall for him, and she hadn’t. But he’d been the fool. He had gone and fallen for her.

  Like a damned fool.

  “Yeah. Sure. I’m happy. So relieved.” He forced a laugh and stepped away from the door. He averted his face and counted down the seconds until he could let go of the tight rein on his emotions. “I’m glad we got all of this figured out.”

  “Okay.” She eyed him, her hand on the knob. “Are you—?”