Love Me Like No Other

by A. C. Arthur

  “Jade!”

  “I don’t want to hear your pitiful explanations,” she yelled. “You can save them. And you two can rest assured that I am not trapping your beloved brother. My employment with him expires at midnight tonight, which is—” she looked down at her watch “—in about five minutes. Then I’ll be completely out of your lives.”

  Tears burned at the back of her throat and she turned to leave before she made even more a fool out of herself. How could Linc have come up with such a territorial, egotistical, boneheaded idea like this? Was he really that shallow? That callous? She didn’t know and she didn’t care. She simply needed to get away from him as quickly as possible.

  She left them standing there, her feet moving quickly over the ballroom floor as the clock was striking midnight. She really did feel like Cinderella now. In the distance she heard Beverly and Henry calling out to her but she didn’t stop until she ran smack into Mario’s huge frame.

  “Ms. Jade, are you okay?”

  She was shaking all over, the tears she didn’t want to shed in front of Linc brimming at her eyes. “Yes,” she said in a tiny voice that sounded nothing like her own. “Take me back to the house to get my things please, Mario.”

  Mario nodded then opened the door and helped her inside.

  The ride back to the Donovan estate was the longest ride of her life. How had she been so stupid? Fantasizing that Lincoln Donovan could ever love her. He’d had no intention of there being any real commitment between them, but then he’d told her that already. He’d been completely honest about what he wanted from a woman. She was the one who’d changed. It was her fault. All of this was her fault. Another mistake in her long line of them.

  For the billionth time in six months she cursed Charles. If he hadn’t skipped out with her money she would have had no reason to be at the Gramercy and no reason to walk into Linc’s life again. She would have never come to this gorgeous house and met these nice people…well, mostly nice people. She didn’t know what to say about Adam and Trent. Maybe they were simply victims of the same stupidity as Linc but could she really blame them for trying to protect their brother?

  She hiccupped a chuckle. Protect Linc from her? What a joke. She was the one who needed protection from him and his soft touches and smooth words. Slamming a fist against the seat she berated herself again for being twice a fool.

  Chapter 12

  “So you’re the one leaving this time,” Linc said from his perch against the doorjamb.

  Jade paused for only a minute then resumed stuffing dresses into her suitcase. She’d changed out of her dress and now wore jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt. Her hair was tousled and from the set of her shoulders he could tell she was struggling to keep her composure. Hell, he was struggling to keep his. “Why are you leaving tonight instead of in the morning like we planned?”

  She slammed the suitcase shut and snapped it before pulling it off the bed. It appeared heavy and she struggled so he went to her side, attempted to grab it out of her hand. She pulled it back. For a minute they struggled, then he sighed. “You have got to be the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.”

  She shot him an angry look. “I’ll always be lumped together with that group of infamous females who are out to get you, won’t I?”

  He sighed with exasperation. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “What did you mean, Linc? Why did you bring me here? Why didn’t you simply call the police and have them haul my manipulating behind away when I couldn’t repay your money?”

  He hesitated, wanting to tell her that he couldn’t let her walk out of his life again but refrained. “I didn’t want you in jail.”

  “Oh, that’s right, if I were in jail I couldn’t repay you, either and it’s all about the mighty Lincoln Donovan getting his money,” she spat.

  “I seem to recall you were getting something out of this deal, too.” He stared at her incredulously. Could she have possibly been any more beautiful? He wanted to do and say anything that would keep her here, that would put them in that mood they were in before his brothers had interrupted. There was so much he wanted to say to her and yet he felt limited, restrained by thoughts of her dishonesty and his brothers’ words of her using him. Placing Jade Vincent into a category—either of manipulator or possible wife material—was the hardest thing he’d ever been faced with. And for once in his life, Linc wasn’t as focused as he needed to be.

  “Jade, I don’t want you to go like this. Let’s talk about the other arrangement.”

  She frowned. “I don’t want to hear about your damn arrangement.”

  “Let’s be honest for a minute, Jade. We’re good together. Why not keep this good thing by moving into an apartment? So what if I’m going to foot the bill? That was only until the money you took from my credit card was repaid. Everything would work out just fine as long as—”

  “As long as every night I return to you, to your bed. Is that correct? So what does that make me, Linc? Your mistress? Your sex slave? What?”

  Now she was starting to piss him off. He was offering her a rare opportunity and she acted like he’d just insulted her. “It makes you a damn smart businesswoman.”

  She shook her head and then he saw it. A lone tear, sliding down her face in slow motion, and something inside him broke. He reached out a hand to wipe that tear away and was devastated when she pulled back abruptly.

  “No.” She held up a hand to keep him away, shaking her head negatively as she did. “It would make me an even bigger fool than you. And that, Lincoln Donovan, I am not.”

  That one tear seemed to set the stage because now they flowed in full force. Linc couldn’t explain the clutching at his heart and he couldn’t explain why he so desperately needed her to stay. He was angry but he wasn’t sure at whom. His fists clenched at his sides and his nostrils flared. “I’d rather be a fool than a thief,” he said crisply.

  She gasped as if he’d physically slapped her. Again he moved toward her, wanting to fold her into his arms, to protect her from…from whom? Himself? It didn’t matter because she moved around him completely out of his reach as his feet now seemed planted to that very spot. Everything swirled around him, flashbacks of eight years ago in his dorm room with Jade mixed with memories of each day this week when he’d gotten to know her. Heat filled his body as helplessness and rage each battled for control.

  “I’ll give you that one,” she said stiffly. “I used your credit cards to buy equipment for my spa. That was dishonest and I should have told you sooner. But let it be known that Jade Vincent does not steal. She doesn’t have to. I spent a total of five thousand and eighty-eight dollars.” With the back of her hand she swiped at the tears that stained her cheeks. “I’ll pay you back every cent. Then I’ll be out of your life forever.”

  Forever echoed in his head and Linc could swear the room tilted on its axis. He couldn’t move.

  Without another word Jade held her head high, her chin jutting forward and as beautiful as ever, walked out the door.

  And out of Linc’s life.

  A week had passed and Linc was still at his parents’ estate. His brothers had returned to their lives, but he had stayed. His mother had long since been filled in on what happened between he and Jade and for once in all his life she had barely spoken to him. Her anger and disappointment in him were apparent. Still, he wasn’t prepared to admit he’d been wrong.

  For seven nights he’d slept in that bed alone, smelling her scent, remembering her touch and each morning he awoke angrier and angrier with her. What did she want from him? He was offering her a once-in-a-lifetime chance. There were a million women who would kill for this opportunity to be with him.

  But Jade Vincent apparently wasn’t one of them.

  And Jade Vincent was the one he wanted.

  “How long is it going to take you?” Beverly asked when she entered his suite quietly.

  Linc was sitting at his desk, papers strewn in front of him as if he were working but if asked he
wouldn’t have been able to explain what any of them were. “What? My work?”

  “No.” Beverly sat in the chair across from him. “For you to realize you were wrong and that you owe her an apology.”

  “I don’t have time for this today, Mom.” He wouldn’t look up at her.

  “Those papers on that desk don’t have the answer, Lincoln.”

  With an exasperated sigh he finally leaned back in his chair and looked up. “And what answer would that be? Why she stole money from me?”

  Beverly chuckled. “You know perfectly well that’s not what she did.”

  “Then what did she, the all-perfect Jade, do, Mom? Since you’d like to pin this whole thing on me.”

  “She did what any red-blooded female would do when a man is foolish enough to hand her a credit card and tell her to go shopping. And she didn’t even spend that much. I spend five thousand dollars in Saks alone.” Beverly adjusted a bright yellow rose on the lapel of her white linen jacket.

  “Five thousand dollars of your own money.”

  “Oh, please.” She waved a hand at her son. “Whether the card has my name on it or Henry’s it doesn’t matter. And if you put your card in my hand it wouldn’t matter, either. But that’s not what you’re so angry about. Is it, son?”

  He looked away from her. How did mothers always know every damn thing? “It was all a mistake. I shouldn’t have struck that deal with her in the first place.”

  “But you did. And I’ve spent the last few days trying to figure out why.”

  “Good. When you have it all figured out could you please keep it to yourself? I’m in no mood to hear it.”

  “Lincoln, did you forget that I’m the parent? I will do and say as I please and you will listen. Now whether or not you act on my words is completely up to you. But I’m pretty secure in the fact that I’ve raised an intelligent son and that ultimately you will do the right thing.”

  Linc sighed. There was no use arguing. Beverly Donovan was going to have her say.

  “Eight years ago you made a mistake by walking away from that woman so when she walked into your casino, back into your life, you saw your second chance. But how to jump on that second chance without admitting that you were wrong in the first place? You know, I know how stubborn you are about admitting things. Her sister owed you money so she did the only thing she could to protect the one she loved. Coming here for the week was repayment. But it also got you what you really wanted, time with her again. Sure, you and your brothers are the Triple Threat Donovans.” She chuckled.

  “You didn’t think I knew they called you that, did you?” Waving away his astonished look Beverly continued. “You foolishly thought one week would be enough. But then something else happened.” Her voice softened. “You fell in love.”

  His mother only verbalized what he already knew to be true. He had fallen in love with Jade. But because he’d never pictured himself in love it was hard to swallow. “I knew going in that a week wouldn’t be enough.”

  Beverly nodded. “Then you should have also known that Jade was not the type of woman for that arrangement you came up with. You should have known that her agreeing to come here for the week didn’t have as much to do with her sister’s debt as she believed it did. She wanted that time with you again, too. I tell you, young folk now days sure are book smart but don’t have a lick of common sense.”

  “She wanted more right from the start,” he said slowly. “I should have realized that. But she seemed so defensive, so determined to keep me at arm’s length.”

  “I had a few opportunities to talk with her, Linc. She’s been through a lot in her young life. She’s had no choice but to perfect her defense skills. But she’s come such a long way. She is determined to find her own happiness and she thought that would be with you.”

  “And I was too self-centered and selfish to see that. I told her that was my problem eight years ago.”

  “Obviously you haven’t matured as much as you thought you had. Love is a funny thing, Lincoln. It sneaks up on you and bites you in the behind when you least expect it. But once it’s got you, it doesn’t let go.”

  Linc turned away, walked to the balcony and thrust his hands into his pockets. He was in love with Jade. There was no argument there. If truth be told the reason he’d been angry and kept himself secluded was that he didn’t know how to go about telling her that now. He’d apologized for hurting her eight years ago and then he’d turned right around and done the same thing all over again. How could he ask for her forgiveness again?

  “She’s very angry with me.”

  Beverly rose, went to her son and placed a hand on his arm. “She loves you, too. I suspect she’s loved you all these years. Women, even desperate women, don’t give themselves completely to a man unless there are some feelings involved. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some manipulators out there, some users and some downright trifling females doing anything to get ahead. But Jade’s not one of them and I think you know that.”

  Yes, he knew that. He knew very well what type of woman Jade was. Just as he knew what she wanted from a man. The very thing he was determined to give her.

  The sign above the entrance read Happy Hands. The gold letters sparkled as did the glass door and front window. She knew because she’d shined them herself. Today she was unpacking the shipment of towels and inscribed robes that had arrived late yesterday afternoon when she was too pooped to do another thing.

  Noelle had already begun working at the Gramercy even though she had less than desirable feelings about her boss. Jade had convinced her that it was a good opportunity. Noelle had a good mind but pushing her to go to college and to work at the spa probably wasn’t the best path for her. Maybe that’s why she’d been so resistant to it for so long. As part of her letting go Jade decided it was time for Noelle to follow her own dream, whatever that was.

  She’d hired another part-time assistant, Jezell. Jezell would be in shortly but for now Jade simply enjoyed the peace and quiet. Jezell was twenty years old and fresh out of massage school. She talked a mile a minute and chewed gum on her downtime, reminding Jade too much of Noelle. That’s probably why she’d hired her. Overall she was a really nice woman with a lot of potential. Jade just prayed she’d get used to the constant jabbering.

  After ten minutes of fighting with tape and box cutters she finally had the package open and pulled out one bright white terrycloth robe. She held it in front of her and couldn’t help a smile. On the right hand side was the logo she’d finally decided on, one hand over another in the center of two peach-colored swirling Hs. Pride welled up in her chest and she felt the distinct prickle of tears.

  She was more than proud of her accomplishments in life and had even come to grips with the fact that things happened in the real world and your character—which was so much more important than your social status—was formed through those situations and how you dealt with them.

  Three days after she’d left the Donovan home Beverly Donovan had called her. They’d had lunch and for the first time in her life Jade felt as if she were on the same level as a rich and classy woman. She and Beverly had talked and even joked about the week she’d spent with Linc. At the end of the lunch Beverly had asked her what was the one thing she wished she could do over and Jade had instantly said she wouldn’t have spent Linc’s money as a form of revenge. In retrospect it had seemed like a good idea at the time but in the end she’d felt embarrassed and demeaned by the act. Beverly hadn’t judged her by her answer but Jade could tell that wasn’t what the woman wanted to hear. She promised to keep in touch and Beverly seemed pleased with that.

  Overall Jade couldn’t think of the week with Linc as a failure. It proved that she could survive, again. She’d given herself the entire Sunday after she’d left the Donovan estate to mourn the loss of Linc, again. But apparently that hadn’t been enough. She missed him. Missed his presence, his commands, his challenges, his touches, his kisses. Oh man, did she miss his kisses.

/>   He’d broken her heart again, but then she’d given it willingly, again. In the end it hadn’t been their social status that came between them, it was his stubbornness and her pride. She couldn’t be his live-in girlfriend. That was not the position she wanted in his life, or in any man’s life for that matter. She deserved so much more. After being angry with Charles for months she’d finally resigned herself to the fact that he could have the money as long as he was out of her life. A lying cheater had no place in her heart. And neither did a self-centered, ambitious man who refused to see what he was passing up.

  With a sigh she buried her face in the soft folds of the robe and screamed. She found that the little release on a daily basis helped her through. Now refreshed and renewed she pulled the robe away from her face preparing to seriously get started with the unpacking process and nearly screamed the walls down when she looked up to see him standing across the room.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Linc said with a slight grin.

  Clutching the robe too tightly to her chest in the hopes that it would calm her pounding heart Jade frowned at him. Not because he’d scared her but because despite how angry she still wanted to be with him, he was still a dangerously good-looking man. Especially when he wore all black as he did today. Black slacks and a black T-shirt that hugged his upper body like a glove. He removed black sunglasses tucking them into his pocket.

  “Hey, yourself.” She frowned in his direction. “We’re not open yet. The sign out front clearly says ten o’clock.” Which it did, but she’d left the door unlocked because she’d been bringing stuff in from her car.

  Linc looked behind him to the sign posted in the window then back at her. “I know. I read it.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “I wanted to discuss another proposition with you.”

  Her knees wobbled as he crossed the room drawing closer by the second. She should move. She should say something. He was not supposed to be here. How was she supposed to forget about him if he wouldn’t stay away?