Substitute Seduction (Sweet Tea And Scandal Book 1)

by Cat Schield

  “But it’s too late for me to cancel,” she protested. “He’s supposed to be here right now.”

  “I’m sure it will be just fine if the two of you go by yourselves.” He offered her a cheeky grin and winked. “Just wear something else. And have fun. He’s a great guy if you’d just give him a chance.”

  “Great,” she grumbled, closing the hotel room door and pondering Beau’s parting words.

  Harrison was showing every appearance of being a really great guy. Certainly one who deserved better than what she was doing to him. Guilt pinched her as she went to fetch her purse off the dresser. As she passed the closet a flash of teal distracted her. She’d added the clingy fit-and-flare dress to her suitcase at the last second. The color reminded her of Harrison’s eyes, a coastal blue-green she could happily drown in.

  Growling at the impulses sweeping through her, London roughly stripped out of the blazer, unzipped her sensible blue dress and let it fall to the floor. A minute later she was sliding the soft jersey over her head and tugging it into place. Almost immediately London’s perception of the evening before her transformed. As she turned to the dresser and the bag that held her jewelry, the full skirt ballooned and then fell to brush against her thighs, setting off a chain reaction of sensation.

  The mirror above the dresser reflected a woman whose eyes glowed with anticipation. She tugged her hair free of its restraining knot and let it fall around her face before fastening on a pair of long crystal earrings that tickled her neck as she moved. A quick glance at the clock revealed she was now running late. London scooped her clothes off the floor and draped them over the bed before sliding her feet into nude pumps and snagging her purse.

  It wasn’t until she’d closed the hotel room door behind her and raced toward the elevator that she realized she was breathing erratically. Nor could she blame her agitation on the last-minute wardrobe change. She might as well face that she was excited to be having dinner alone with Harrison.

  Since her hotel room was on the second floor, London had less than a minute to compose herself before the elevator doors opened. She stepped forward onto the smooth marble floor of the reception area.

  At this hour the lobby was busy with people on their way to dinner or in search of a drink at the elegant bar. Suddenly she realized she hadn’t specified a particular location in the large open area to meet Harrison. But even before her concerns could take root, he stepped into her line of sight, looking handsome, desirable and a little dangerous dressed all in black. She released a pent-up breath as he drew near.

  “Hi,” she said weakly.

  “You look gorgeous.” He leaned down and brushed her cheek with his lips.

  Goose bumps broke out on her arms. “Thanks.” London couldn’t believe he’d reduced her to single-syllable words. “So do you.” To her dismay, she felt her cheeks heat. “I mean, you look very nice.”

  “Thanks.” He glanced past her. “Where are Maribelle and Beau?”

  “She wasn’t feeling well, so they’re ordering room service and staying in.”

  He frowned. “I hope that doesn’t mean they’ll miss the race tomorrow.”

  “I think she’ll make a miraculous recovery,” London mused.

  “Oh?” Harrison raised his eyebrows.

  London cleared her throat. “She likes to play matchmaker.”

  “I see.”

  Did he? When London peered at him from beneath her lashes, she caught him observing her in turn. His look, however, was bold and openly curious.

  “She thinks you’re a catch.”

  “I mean no offense when I say that I’m not interested in what she thinks.” Harrison took her hand and led her toward the lobby doors. “I want to hear your opinion.”

  “Do I think you’re a catch?” London knew her breathless state had nothing to do with their pace. It was more about the warmth of Harrison’s fingers against her skin. “Of course you are.”

  He glanced at her as she sailed through the open door ahead of him. “You’re a little too matter-of-fact when you say that.”

  “How else should I be?” Despite her earlier reservations, London was having a wonderful time bantering with Harrison. “Are you hoping I’ll spill the beans and divulge that I’m infatuated with you?”

  “It’d be nice.” But his smile indicated he wasn’t serious. “Especially given how much you’ve been on my mind these last few days. It’s getting me into trouble with my team.”

  He’d recaptured her hand once they’d reached the sidewalk. Was he serious? They’d only met three times and been out once. Surely he was feeding her a line. It was tempting to believe him. The flattery gave her ego a much-needed boost. Heaven knew it had taken a beating since Linc had ended their engagement.

  “You’ve gone quiet,” he continued. “Don’t you believe me?”

  “We barely know each other.”

  “True, but I felt an immediate attraction to you. And I think you noticed the same pull. Why else would you agree to step out of your comfort zone this weekend and come watch me race?”

  “Maribelle would’ve killed me if I’d turned you down.” It was a lame cop-out and both of them knew it. London gathered her breath. He’d generously arranged this weekend for her and her friends. She owed him better. “And I wanted to see what you did. Watching you during the practice laps was really exciting.”

  His full smile nearly blinded her with its brilliance. “Wait until you see the race tomorrow. It gets a lot more interesting when forty guys put it all on the line.”

  “I imagine it does.” She found herself grinning back. His enthusiasm was infectious. “Where are we going?”

  While they’d been talking, he’d directed her along the downtown street. Now, as they crossed another street, he gestured her toward a red canopy that marked the entrance to a restaurant.

  “The food here is really good. I thought maybe you’d like to try it.”

  “Lead the way.”

  He’d brought her to a tiny French bistro with wood floors, a tin ceiling and white linens on the tables. Cozy booths were tucked against a brick wall while the opposite side of the room was lined with bottles of wine. The subdued lighting lent a warm, romantic vibe to the place and the scents filling the air made London’s mouth water.

  The hostess settled them into a booth near the back where it was quieter and London turned her attention to the menu.

  “It all looks so good,” she exclaimed. “I don’t know what to choose.”

  “We could order a couple things and share,” Harrison suggested.

  It would ease the decision-making process, so London nodded. “Since you’ve been here before, I’m going to let you do the ordering.”

  “You trust me?”

  She somehow sensed he had more on his mind than just meal selection. “Let’s just say I’m feeling a little adventurous at the moment.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  After the waitress brought their drinks and left with their orders, London decided to grab the conversational reins.

  “So where are you staying?”

  “In an RV at the raceway,” he replied. “You’re welcome to stop by and check it out later. It’s pretty roomy with a nice big bed in the back.”

  “I suppose it makes sense to be close by,” she said, ignoring his invitation. “I looked at the weekend schedule and they keep you really busy. I’m surprised you had time to have dinner with me.”

  “I snuck out,” he said with a mischievous grin. “My uncle thinks I’m going over the data from today’s laps before tomorrow’s race.”

  “Really?” She was more than a little shocked until she realized he was kidding. “I’m learning there’s a lot more to racing than just getting in a car and going fast.”

  “Sometimes the tiniest changes can make all the difference.”


  “So besides making sure you’re super-hydrated,” she began, referring to the fact that he was only drinking water and wasn’t partaking in the bottle of wine he’d ordered for her, “what else goes into preparing for tomorrow’s race?” In stark contrast to her earlier skepticism about being interested in a race-car driver, she was finding Harrison’s occupation quite interesting.

  “I make sure I eat a lot of carbs the night before. I hope you’re a fan of chocolate mousse.”

  “I can always make room for chocolate of any kind.”

  “Tomorrow morning I’ll have a big breakfast followed by a light lunch. In between I’ll make sponsor-related appearances before checking in with my crew chief and team to run through last-minute strategy. After that there’s a drivers’ meeting where the racing association shares information about what’s going on that day. If I’m lucky I’ll get a few minutes alone at the RV to get my head on straight, but more likely I’ll be doing meet and greets. Finally, after lunch, I’ll suit up and head to the driver introductions.”

  “Wow! That’s a packed schedule.” She was starting to appreciate that his career wasn’t just about driving. He was a brand ambassador for his sponsors and the league as well as being a celebrity. “You really don’t have any time to yourself.”

  “Not really. It’s all part of the job. And I wouldn’t give up any of it.”

  “You call yourself an introvert, but don’t all the public appearances and demands on your time wear you down to nothing?”

  “It’s not like I don’t enjoy meeting my fans.” He buttered a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth. “But when I have time off, I make sure I do whatever it takes to reenergize.”

  “I’m surprised you’re out with me, then.”

  “Are you kidding?” His broad smile dealt her defenses a significant blow. “Being with you is quite exhilarating.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say...”

  “I mean it.” He gestured at her with another hunk of crusty bread. “And this is where I should probably confess something.”

  London barely resisted a wince, thinking about her poorly conceived notion to get close to Harrison as a way of getting to his brother. She had yet to figure out what she could do to take Tristan down.

  “Like what?” she prompted, hoping it was something terrible so she could feel better about her own questionable morality.

  “I used my brother’s birthday party as an excuse to see you again.”

  “Oh.” Her pulse skipped. “Does that mean you don’t need me as your party planner?” She considered the amount of time she’d spent working on the party and sighed. He wouldn’t be the first client to change his mind.

  “Not at all. My mother is thrilled that I’ve taken the project off her hands. My brother can be quite particular when it comes to certain things and it’s better if I take the heat for his disappointment.”

  “You’re assuming he’ll be disappointed before you’ve heard any of my plans?” London frowned, but found she wasn’t all that insulted. Neither Harrison nor his brother were the toughest clients she’d ever worked for. “That doesn’t speak to your faith in my ability to do my job.”

  Despite the lack of heat or ire in her tone, Harrison’s eyes widened. “That’s not what I meant at all. I’m sure you will outdo yourself. It’s just that Tristan is hard to impress. He’s always been that way.”

  London remembered that Zoe had said something similar about her ex-husband and nodded. “Challenge accepted,” she said, digging in where others might throw up their hands and quit.

  Harrison nodded. “You thrive under pressure,” he said, admiration in his steady gaze. “So do I. It’s what makes us good for each other.”

  Although his words thrilled her, guilt shadowed her delight. Getting revenge on Tristan had prompted her to agree to work on his birthday party and go on that first date with Harrison. She simply had to get her emotions under control.

  “You don’t think two competitive people will end up ruining things because they’re forever chasing the win?” she asked.

  “Not if we do it together. I think if we became a team, there’s nothing we couldn’t accomplish.”

  Before she started nodding in agreement, London reminded herself of why she’d begun dating him. Getting close to Harrison was a means to an end. And if that made her a terrible person then that was something she’d just have to live with.

  * * *

  Harrison watched his car, number twenty-five, roll into the truck for the return to South Carolina. He was pleased with his second-place finish. With only one race left until the end of the season, he sat in third place for the year and, based on his points, he’d likely hang on to the spot unless he completely screwed up next weekend.

  As the car disappeared, a familiar wave of exhaustion swept over him. Once the race was over and the media interviews finished, his body reacted to the long day by shutting down.

  “Nice race,” his uncle said. The two men were standing side by side while the team rolled Harrison’s race car from one set of inspectors to the next. “I was a little worried about you in the beginning.”

  Today’s race had been unusually challenging since at the beginning he’d had to work twice as hard to stay focused on the track and the cars around him while thoughts of London and their dinner last night dominated his mind. Things had gotten better once he’d passed his hundredth lap and settled into the race, needing to win so he could impress London.

  “Just wanted to make it interesting,” Harrison replied with a sly grin.

  “You did that,” Jack grumbled. “Let me know when you’re ready to head back tonight. I’d like to get out of here by midnight.”

  “Actually, I’ve arranged a lift back to Charleston already.”

  His uncle raised an eyebrow. “Your new girlfriend?”

  “She’s not my girlfriend...yet.” That last word slipped out, revealing something Harrison hadn’t yet admitted to himself. He had more than a casual interest in London McCaffrey.

  What was going on with him? They’d only been out twice and he was already thinking in terms of a relationship? The only time he was quick to commit was on the track. But when he was with London, their connection felt right and his instincts had never failed him before.

  “You sure she’s the right woman for you?” his uncle asked, the question a jarring pothole Harrison didn’t see coming.

  Acid began churning in Harrison’s gut. “You have some thoughts on why she isn’t?”

  While Jack had never commented on any of his drivers’ personal lives, he was operating a business where each driver brought in hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in sponsor revenue each year. That meant he couldn’t afford for his team to operate at anything less than 100 percent. And anything that interfered with that would come under fire.

  “I asked Dixie about her.”

  “And?” Harrison challenged.

  “She’s a social climber.” Jack’s expression grew hard. “Apparently she and her mother have been trying to access Charleston inner circles without much success.”

  “What does that have to do with us dating?” Although he already knew the answer, Harrison wanted to hear his uncle say it.

  “I’m just concerned she’s going to mess with your head if you’re not careful.”

  “Because I’m not her type?” He’d already figured that out.

  “Before Linc Thurston, she’d only gone out with executives and professionals,” Jack said. “I don’t think she’d have dated a pro ball player if he hadn’t belonged to one of Charleston’s oldest families. And I’m guessing the reason they’re no longer engaged is because Linc figured that out before it was too late.”

  “I don’t think she’s as shallow as all that,” Harrison said, hoping he was right. “And we’re in the early stages of dating. Who’s to say wher
e things are going for us.”

  Jack grunted. “Make sure you figure it out one way or another before the season starts up again in February.” His uncle frowned. “I don’t need you distracted on the track.”

  “Hopefully it won’t take that long.”

  Jack nodded and the two men parted ways.

  Harrison headed back to the trailer, where he grabbed a quick shower. Even on cooler days like this one, the heat inside the car during the race hovered close to a hundred and thirty degrees. Since the sort of AC in a consumer vehicle weighed too much to be installed in a race car, drivers were cooled by a ventilation system that used hoses and a bag they sat on to blow air on their feet and head. With the average race lasting at least three hours, that was a long time to go without any sort of air-conditioning.

  After getting dressed, Harrison slung his duffel over his shoulder and headed to the spot where he’d agreed to meet up with London and her friends. He was intrigued by the fact that Beau had his pilot’s license and that Maribelle was learning how to fly. Harrison liked the couple, finding them an upbeat counterpunch to London’s reserve.

  On the heels of his conversation with Jack, Harrison reflected on his own concerns about what he was getting into with London. If all he wanted was sex, he wasn’t going about it the right way given the chemistry that sizzled between them. Take last night, for example. He’d accompanied her back to her hotel room and once again she’d put out a vibe that welcomed physical contact. But instead of backing her into the room and doing all the things he’d been fantasizing about, he’d kissed her on the forehead—not trusting himself to claim her lips—and walked away with an ache in his chest and his loins.

  Appreciating the cool night air against his skin, Harrison lengthened his stride, eager to see London and hear her opinion of the race. A silver SUV awaited him near the gate that led to the parking lot. The window was down on the driver’s side and Harrison recognized Beau’s profile. The easygoing fellow was smiling and gesturing as he spoke to the car’s occupants.