He caught her hand and wrapped her arm around his waist. Lowering his face to hers, he said, “You don’t want dessert first, do you?”
“Is that a trick question?”
He kissed her, and she leaned into the embrace.
From the other side of the room, Piper growled.
She started to say something, but Riley stopped her. “Don’t worry. Tonight we’re going to make friends.”
He’d purchased three thick T-bone steaks, one for each of them and one for the dogs to share. “Don’t tell me you don’t feed them table food,” he said. “It’s just this once.”
“Oh, I don’t feed them table food,” she pointed out. “Pizza and beer don’t count. They’re TV cuisine.”
It only took Piper thirty seconds to warm to the offering Riley fed him in bite-size pieces as they sat on the deck and enjoyed the sunset. By the time his half of the steak was history, Piper was putty in Riley’s hands. He licked his chops, then Riley’s fingers, and burped.
“Same effect I have on you,” Riley told her.
She took another blissful bite of her chocolate truffle and didn’t argue. She did, however, resist burping.
They cleared away dishes and Lisa took the dogs up top to do their business while Riley lit citronella candles and opened a bottle of wine.
“You’re going to turn me into a lush,” she told him. But she accepted the glass and sipped.
“Do I need to lock my wine cellar while you’re staying here?”
“Probably.”
He grinned and pulled his canvas chair close to hers.
Piper propped his head on Riley’s feet and groaned an exhausted sigh. She knew the feeling. The man had the ability to wear down the fiercest opponent.
“Is this how you negotiate business deals, as well?” she asked.
“Sometimes.”
She’d seen the food and drinks offered for business meetings, so the suggestion wasn’t far off.
Within minutes Lisa had moved to sit on his lap. Leisurely kisses turned hot and hungry, and she threaded her fingers into his hair.
“Lisa…” he said against her mouth.
She worked her fingers under the hem of his knit shirt and splayed her palm over his chest. “The answer is yes.”
“You’d better hear the question first.”
She smiled and tasted his mouth once more. This would be good. Anticipation shot through her nerve endings. Just being here where they’d first made love got her hot. He was going to invite her inside, maybe ask her to take off her clothes…suggest something exciting and erotic. “Ask away.”
He touched her through her shorts and heat reached through the layer of fabric to make her squirm. He took his mouth from hers, pierced her with intense blue eyes and asked, “Will you marry me?”
Chapter Eleven
It took thirty seconds for Lisa’s brain to catch up. When it did, a sinking rush of disappointment flooded through her chest and tears stung her eyes. To hide them she tucked her head under his chin and grabbed the front of his shirt. He’d done it. He’d moved so far out ahead of her, she wouldn’t be able to catch up.
Her body still hummed with desire, but her heart and head had started erecting barriers. She struggled to find something sophisticated and witty to say, something that would diffuse the tension and leave them with the basics of their relationship intact. Nothing came to her. Nothing but a crushing sense of defeat.
“Why would we want to spoil a perfectly good thing?” she asked finally. “I mean, we have the best of everything right now, wouldn’t you say? I’m not much at compromising, and you wouldn’t want to share my lifestyle any more than I’d want to share yours.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
Once again in control of her emotions, she straightened on his lap. “Think about it. Where would we live?”
“Does it matter?”
“Well, yes, it matters. My house isn’t your style, and your house certainly isn’t my style.”
“You aren’t planning to stay in that house, are you?”
“Why not?”
“Lisa, you’re—” He cut himself off.
“A millionaire,” she finished. “Rich. Yes, so I keep hearing. And so there must be something wrong with my home since I can afford better.”
He shrugged. “I just assumed you’d build one.”
“Because that’s what you would do, Riley.”
“We could build a home together. One that suits us both.”
“It’s foolish to talk about houses. It’s foolish to talk about anything that permanent. What’s the big rush, anyway? Things were going just fine.” She pushed away and stood, walking to the railing and standing with a hand on a support beam.
“It didn’t seem like such a bad idea to me.”
Of course not—all his ideas were pure genius. “You don’t need me. You were doing perfectly well before we met and you’ll do just as well after—after this time together is over.”
Ever since her ownership of the Queen of Hearts had been discovered, she’d felt as if she was being rushed and pushed in directions she wasn’t prepared to go. The fact that she’d suspected Riley’s true intent from the beginning didn’t make it any easier to accept now that he’d brought his design out in the open.
“I was hoping we could take things to another level,” he said, rising and coming to stand behind her.
“Why?”
He placed his hands on her upper arms and turned her to face him. “Why do most people get married?”
“We’re not most people, though, are we?”
“I’m sorry for jumping ahead, Lisa. If you need more time, I’m okay with that. Just don’t say no.”
He lowered his head, and she was too foolish to turn away. She wanted this time with him, even if it would be their last. Raising a hand to his cheek, she returned his kiss.
Time wasn’t going to fix this. Time wasn’t going to wipe out her knowledge and make this sham real.
“Why don’t we just concentrate on tonight?” she said finally.
If their kisses seemed tinged with desperation, she was the one responsible. If there was a sadness and finality to their lovemaking that night, it was because she had said goodbye in her heart.
They were more subdued, and fewer words were spoken between them than on the previous night. And even though no prying eyes would be there to see him leave in the morning, she didn’t want to fall asleep beside him or wake by his side. She didn’t want ownership of any more memories than those they’d already created.
Once he slept, she crept from his room down to the suite. She urged Joey and Piper up onto the bed with her, fighting the urge to take the boys and escape back to her own house. She had to stand her ground. She had to convince herself she could go back to life before Riley.
Lisa woke early to the smell of coffee wafting through the cabin. She let the dogs out and gave them time to run around the wooded area before calling them back in.
She found coffee in the pot on the counter and then located Riley on the front balcony. He had already shaved, showered and dressed in clothes for work. She joined him and studied the view. In full daylight the scene was indeed as breathtaking as he’d predicted.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
She glanced at him, sensing the new awkwardness between them. “I did. I see you’re ready for the day.”
He nodded. “I have a meeting with Justin this morning.”
She looked at him curiously.
“He’s involved with the resort.”
“Oh. I wasn’t aware of that.”
He sipped his coffee. “You should have everything here that you need.”
They were quiet for a moment, then Lisa broke the silence.
“I want to say something.”
He turned and studied her. “Go ahead.”
“I think from here on out we should keep things between us…professional.”
Only the twitch in his jaw revealed any re
action.
“If you want to take back your invitation for us to stay here, I’d understand. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
A look of discomfort crossed his features at her words. “Of course I don’t want to take it back. You’re perfectly welcome to stay here.”
“Things just went a little too far, Riley. We had a good time. Let’s leave it at that.”
“A good time,” he said, his voice flat.
“A very good time,” she stressed.
His piercing green gaze flickered over the nearby woods, then back to her face. “I should probably forewarn you. I’m persistent.”
“Your persistence won’t do you any good this time.”
“Persuasive, as well.”
“I know.”
She could tell there was an argument on his tongue, but to his credit, he held it.
“I’ll call the cell number if I see any interesting news clips or if anything comes up,” he said.
She nodded with a smile. “I’ll answer.”
There was a clumsy pause before he carried his cup into the cabin. Lisa followed in time to see him bend to pet each of the dogs. Picking up his sport jacket, he headed for the stairs.
She refilled her cup and observed from the balcony, as below, his bright red Jaguar could be seen through the trees until he’d roared out of sight and beyond hearing range.
She remained on the balcony until hunger drove her in to find something for breakfast.
Her well-planned getaway had lost a lot of its appeal overnight. She’d been alone with animals for companions her whole life and now here she was again. She’d made a huge effort to change herself inside and out and she’d done a damned fine job of it. Problem was she’d hooked herself up with someone she couldn’t trust and whose friendship—or whatever it was—was only temporary.
But she wasn’t going to worry or pine away her vacation time. She was going to rest, read, walk in the woods and go back to Thunder Canyon refreshed next week. Lisa set about that plan with renewed determination.
She spoke with Bernadine several times over the next few days. Occasionally she used the cell phone to call clients and double-check on her pets. Riley called twice regarding business decisions, three times about some trivial mention of her in the newspaper and once every evening just to ask how she was doing.
She missed him so much, she was tempted to ask him to join her, but she resisted the impulse. The lure, however, was too much when he called her Friday morning and mentioned he’d like to drive out the following night and bring dinner.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, and his voice sent shivers along her nerve endings and made her nipples tighten. “I promise to keep things light. We’ll just enjoy being together. Okay?”
Who was she kidding? She didn’t have any resistance when it came to this man. She’d dreamed about him each night and thought about him every waking hour. How could she not when she was staying in his cabin?
“I’ll bring dessert,” he suggested.
That was low.
“Chocolate raspberry truffle.”
She caved. “Okay.”
That afternoon she took a long soak in the enormous whirlpool tub, thinking about the following night and smiling to herself because she’d brought along a couple of sexy new sundresses. She’d try one out on Riley.
After drying off and taking time to apply scented body lotion and paint her nails, she dressed in a pair of soft lounging pajamas and padded out to the kitchen to make popcorn. Riley didn’t own a VCR or a DVD player, but she’d packed several books. The balcony was well shaded this time of day, and she was coming to enjoy the sounds of nature and the fresh air.
The cell phone on the counter beeped, so she checked it while the microwave ticked the minutes backward and the mouthwatering smell of butter filled the room. Maybe Riley was impatient and wanted to drive out sooner. It took her a few minutes to figure out which buttons to push, but she finally retrieved the message. The number on the digital display didn’t mean anything to her, so she listened to the recording.
“Riley, where in blazes are you?” The voice belonged to Caleb, and he sounded perturbed. She should probably call Riley and tell him his father was looking for him.
“You dodged our meeting deliberately, didn’t you? I’m starting to wonder what you’re up to. What is taking so long for you to win over the dog walker? You losing your touch?”
Popcorn popped in the background, but Lisa’s attention was riveted on the message meant for Riley.
“It shouldn’t be that difficult, son. She’s a nobody, and you’re a Douglas. Charm her. Get into her pants—hell, knock her up if you have to. Just get a ring on her finger.”
Numbness spread across Lisa’s scalp in a horrifying confirmation. She’d known. She’d guessed from the very beginning. She wasn’t stupid. But hearing the plan so crudely outlined was like rubbing salt in a fresh wound.
“The mine is producing,” the recording of Caleb was saying, “and where are we? Sitting with our thumbs up our asses, that’s where. Don’t avoid me, I don’t like it. And don’t waste any more time. I like that even less.”
The message ended with a click and a beep. Lisa stared at the phone before collecting herself enough to locate the off button and press it. She placed the hand-set back on the charger.
She’s a nobody and you’re a Douglas. That statement clanged around in her head for several jagged minutes. It was the truth. But as was the case more often than not, the truth hurt. Like hell in this instance.
Caleb had just confirmed what she’d known in her heart all along. She’d had Riley tagged the minute he’d shown an interest—before she’d transformed herself. Riley wasn’t any better than the so-called cousins who’d been calling.
The fact that his father had been in on the plan all along cheapened what they’d done all the more, though. Had Riley gone back and reported to his father each time they’d been together? How sleazy did that make her feel?
She’d felt so smug in her ability to be the seductress and to turn the tables on him. She’d only been kidding herself that she was in control.
“You knew,” she told herself. “This isn’t a big revelation. You had his number from the beginning and you chose to play along. It’s not like you’ve been tricked into thinking he loves you.”
She took the popcorn from the microwave, grabbed her book and went out to the balcony. Joey and Piper followed and begged at her feet. She shoved Caleb’s angry voice and superior tone out of her head and forced her eyes to the pages.
An hour later the two retrievers licked up the last of the popcorn from where the bag had fallen, and Lisa stared out across the wooded landscape. Dozens of plans formed in her head. Scenarios where she told off Riley in glorious eloquence. Scenes in which she won his undying love and devotion.
Should she still let him come to the cabin tomorrow night? Should she behave as though she hadn’t heard the message? Or should she confront him now—call him this minute—and get the truth out in the open and over with? Or…she could be gone when he got here. She could take an extended trip and not tell him where she’d gone.
She could go someplace where people didn’t know her or recognize her and see if she couldn’t find a man who would be attracted to her for her, not for her gold mine.
What she could not do was be unprepared. Drift. Waver. She’d made up her mind to cool things off, then she’d gone and let him talk her into another night.
Get an upper hand, that’s what she had to do.
Lisa went into the house and used the phone to make dinner reservations for the following evening. Then she called Riley’s cell phone.
He answered, “Hey, Lisa.”
He must have this number programmed into his phone. She wasn’t savvy about this technical stuff, but she was figuring it out. “Uh, hi.”
“What’s up?”
“Change of plans. I made reservations at the Blue Moon in Billings for tomorrow evening.
Meet me there at seven.”
“Coming back early or just going out for dinner?” His voice brought back sensual memories. It probably always would.
“I’m heading back early. I’ve relaxed enough. I’m out of books and popcorn.”
He chuckled. “Okay. You’ll find your way back okay?”
“No problem. See you then.”
Lisa had lain awake for hours trying to think of the very thing that would set Riley on his ear and show him she wasn’t a puppet. The only fitting plan she could come up with was another man.
One small problem: there was no other man. Not that she couldn’t find one. Offers came in daily, if her mailbox was any indicator. But for the most impact, it couldn’t be just any man. It had to be one Riley would see as a true threat.
The next day she drove to Thunder Canyon and shopped for groceries before driving home. The house welcomed her like an old friend. She walked through the rooms comforted by the familiarity. The dogs seemed glad to be back, as well, dozing in a patch of sunlight that streamed through the dining room windows while she dusted and vacuumed.
Lisa sat with a glass of iced tea and read through piles of mail looking for something suitable, searching for just the right catalyst.
Finally she found him.
Phil Wagner. A formal letter with his business card almost scorched her hands. He wasn’t married, was he? She didn’t recall anyone accompanying him at the Douglases’ party, but it would be easy enough to find out.
She needed a financial advisor, and Riley had recommended this guy. It was Saturday, but she took a chance and called him anyway. She left a message, mentioned she’d just returned to find his letter and would like to talk.
Fifteen minutes later, as she was putting away her clothing and toiletries, the phone rang.
“Phil Wagner here. I got your message.”
“Thanks for calling back so quickly.”
“No problem. What can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if it was too late and you already had plans for this evening. Riley and I are having dinner, and I was hoping you could join us. Your wife is welcome to join us, of course.”
He chuckled. “I’m not married.”
Million-Dollar Makeover Page 15