Seducing the Heiress

by Martha Kennerson

Farrah casually wiped away a tear before she asked, “Care for something to drink?”

  “No, thanks. I have a lot to do before we leave for New York. Hopefully, you’re up to speed on all of Alexia’s New York escapades, because I’d like to hit up a couple of her old spots when we get there.”

  Having reined herself in, Farrah spun to face Robert and gave him a wan smile. “Back to business,” she said before returning to her desk and taking another swallow of her water. “Of course I’ll be ready.”

  “Good.” Robert started to leave.

  “Robert, please wait.”

  He turned and faced Farrah, his features expressionless for the first time she could remember.

  “Thanks for being so...discreet regarding this whole situation.”

  Robert frowned as he stared into her eyes. “Did you think I wouldn’t keep my word?”

  “No, that’s not it at all. I just know it wasn’t easy and I...I want you to know how much I appreciate it,” she said, breaking eye contact. Farrah picked up the envelope and held it to her chest as though it was a love letter from a long-lost friend, when really it was a world of change that she wasn’t quite ready for. She would be more careful. If and when she got married again, it certainly wouldn’t be based on losing a bet and allowing friends to goad her into it. And, it seemed, it certainly wouldn’t be with Robert Gold.

  Robert’s eyes dropped to the envelope and his frown deepened. It was obvious that he’d noticed how tightly she held it.

  “Well, I might as well put this away,” she said, leaving the desk to open the wall safe hidden behind the picture above her bar. She moved a jewelry box to the side and placed the envelope inside. “That’s that.”

  Robert gave her a quick nod and disappeared from her office almost as fast as he had come.

  Farrah spent the rest of the afternoon immersed in her work. With the exception of her sisters, she knew it was the one thing that would keep the emotional whirlwind she was currently experiencing in check.

  Chapter 7

  Robert stood next to Farrah in the living room of an immaculately decorated suite in the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria in New York two days later. The soft blue-and-beige linen sofa with matching wingback chairs and a stone-and-glass-top coffee table with modern, upscale accessories that accentuated the classic colors made for a very romantic setting. The crystal vase filled with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, sitting next to two stemless wineglasses and a crystal bucket holding a bottle of Moscato d’Asti chilling on ice, only enhanced the scene.

  Robert could feel Farrah’s glare burrowing into the side of his face and he silently cursed his body for responding to her. It had only been a few days since he’d touched her and he still hadn’t been able to bring his need for her under control. If anything, his desire was more like a marathon runner getting that second wind to sprint the last few meters to the finish line.

  “You did this, didn’t you?” she accused through narrowed eyes.

  “Did what?” Robert replied, trying and probably failing to sound innocent.

  “You know what,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “You intentionally had them place us in the same suite and set up this whole romantic seduction scene, didn’t you?”

  “No, I didn’t,” he said, walking over to the flowers and wine to retrieve the card that lay between them. “Shall I read the card?”

  Farrah folded her arms under her breasts and gave a quick nod.

  Robert opened the card and read it. “Welcome to the Towers at the Waldorf Astoria. Have a drink on us and enjoy your stay. It’s signed Management.” Robert tossed the card back on the table and grinned.

  “Fine, what about our accommodations? I know Paul didn’t make these arrangements.”

  “Neither did I,” he said as he walked over to the fully stocked bar and retrieved a beer from the mini refrigerator, hoping to keep Paul’s antics under wraps. If there was one person who was in his corner, it was Paul. Well, actually two if he counted Momma Penny. “Want one?”

  “No, thanks,” she said, giving him the evil eye.

  Robert swallowed down half his beer. “Look, I didn’t ask for any of this,” he said, using his beer bottle to point around the room. “But it has two bedrooms, so you can have your space and I can have mine.”

  “With only a living room separating us.” Farrah dropped her hands.

  “You trying to tell me you won’t be able to control yourself or something? Is that what you’re saying?” he asked, trying to hold in a smirk because he knew it would infuriate her all the more.

  “Absolutely not! I can control myself just fine. Anyway, we’ll only be here for a couple of days, if that. As soon as we can find Alexia’s contact and chase down who hired her, we’re out of here.”

  “Good.” Robert finished off the last of his beer and placed it in the trash.

  Farrah remained quiet, and only a simple nod acknowledged her agreement. But her eyes... There was something going on with her eyes that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Was that...sadness he picked up on? What did she have to be sad about? She was getting exactly what she wanted, right?

  Robert picked up his suitcase. “I’m going to get a little work done before we have to leave for the play. Will you be ready to go at six?” he asked, staring down into her eyes.

  “Six is fine,” she said, then quickly turned away from his gaze.

  Robert turned and walked into his bedroom and closed the door. He leaned against the door and let out a murmured word that he couldn’t quite say in polite company. Robert had witnessed the unshed tears that Farrah was determined to hide from him. He wanted to go to her, confess everything, but he knew she wasn’t ready to hear it yet. And since he only had one chance to get it right, he was going to force himself to stay the course or he’d lose her altogether.

  Robert walked over to the small desk where he lifted the receiver from the phone’s cradle and pressed zero. “This is Robert Gold. Please connect me with Barry Bishop.”

  “Barry Bishop.”

  “Bishop? Gold. Thanks for the room upgrade, but how’d you know I was coming?” he asked, leaning against the desk.

  “I saw your name on my VIP list and you know I have to make a fellow hotel owner comfortable,” he replied, laughing. “You’d never let me live it down if I had you hovering somewhere in the basement.”

  “Thanks. The flowers and wine were a nice touch.”

  “Anything for you, Gold. Can we do anything else for you?” he asked, his enthusiasm clear.

  “No, thanks. I’ll return the favor next time you’re in Vegas.”

  “I’ll look forward to it,” Barry Bishop replied.

  Robert disconnected the call and his cell phone rang. “Yeah, Fletcher, what’s up?” he asked, as he moved to the blue, king-size salon bed where he dropped his suitcase.

  “Did you give Farrah the divorce papers yet?”

  “Yesterday,” he replied as he retrieved his shirts and underwear from his suitcase and placed them on the bed.

  “And...”

  “And nothing. She took them and put them away, just as I suspected she would,” he explained.

  “She didn’t even look at them?” Fletcher asked, surprise evident in his voice.

  “No, why would she?” Robert shot back, slipping the shirts in the dresser drawer. “It was uncontested, and now as far as she’s concerned, it’s finally over...just like she wanted.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No buts. Your part in all of this is done.” Robert pulled out his shaving kit.

  “What now?” Fletcher asked.

  “Now you just keep your mouth shut and I’ll take care of the rest. Trust me, I have everything under control.”

  Sure you do. Robert disconnected the call and head
ed to the shower.

  * * *

  When Farrah watched Robert retreat to his bedroom, her heart sank and tears stung the back of her eyes, all while her body screamed for attention, the kind of attention that only Robert could supply. “So much for worrying about him crossing the line,” she murmured. Farrah hurried past the beautiful flowers, the chilled wine and Robert’s tempting door, and right into her bedroom, where she was immediately struck by the room’s glamorous décor. The beige walls, glass-faced nightstands, and large crystal chandelier that hovered over gold-and-cream bedding with matching drapery, invoked old Hollywood glamour, reflecting a style similar to her own apartment’s.

  Farrah placed her overnight bag on the bed and went into the oversize bathroom and smiled. The marble floors, two-headed shower with high-end finishes and Jacuzzi tub big enough for two were too inviting to pass up. Farrah turned on the water and added several of the designer bath beads offered by the hotel. She reached behind her back and stopped. “Why the hell not,” she said to her reflection. She returned to the living room and retrieved the bottle of Stella Rosa Moscato d’Asti, uncorked its top and poured herself a glass.

  Farrah took several sips as she returned to the bathroom. She placed the bottle and her glass next to the tub, turned off the water and started the jets. She unzipped her dress and let it fall to the tiles. Matching lace bra and panties soon followed and within seconds, Farrah was enjoying that sweet spirited wine and resting her head against the tub’s built-in pillow. Between the water and wine, Farrah’s eyes drifted shut. She allowed her body to become limp and pliant, letting the water do the work of putting her in a relaxing state. Her mind drifted back several days to when things between her and Robert had “officially” ended.

  The memory and pain of Robert’s exit jolted Farrah forward, splashing water everywhere. “Get a grip,” she admonished herself. “Time to move forward. He clearly has.”

  Chapter 8

  Robert stood in the living room of their suite, wearing a black Armani tux and holding a glass of single malt whisky, admiring the view of Central Park and the East River. He watched the ant-like figures go about their way and brought the glass to his lips when he heard Farrah’s bedroom door open. Robert lowered the glass and turned to greet Farrah, only to be caught off-guard at the sight of her. He’d always thought Farrah was beautiful, but the woman standing in front of him, wearing a dark green body-clutching strapless gown with a side split and diamond earrings dangling from lobes exposed by curly, jet-black hair pulled off her face and hanging down her back, was breathtakingly so.

  “Well I’m ready,” Farrah confirmed, sauntering into the room as she placed her lipstick into her purse. “Are you?” she asked, giving him a lengthy once-over.

  Robert slammed back his drink, hoping it would cool down the fire raging in his blood. He went over to the bar and placed the glass on the marble counter. “Yep, let’s go. The car’s downstairs.”

  Farrah grabbed her wrap and headed for the door. They made their way to the bank of elevators and traveled down to the lobby in silence. Soon they were in the limo heading towards the Ambassador Theatre.

  “So about earlier...accusing you of messing with the reservation.”

  His gaze locked on hers.

  “I apologize.”

  “No problem,” he replied, sheepishly. “I guess it was kind of my fault.”

  “What?” Farrah asked, those ruby-red lips pulling into a slight frown.

  “One of the owners here is an old friend. He saw my name come across a VIP list, upgraded me, hence us, as a courtesy.”

  “Oh, I understand that,” she said, smiling up at him.

  “So you think this mysterious person will show up?” Robert asked, trying to keep his eyes on Farrah’s face and away from the tops of her beautiful breasts, which were peeking out of her dress.

  “Benny assured me that they’ll make contact at some point tonight. The only problem is, no one knows exactly what this person looks like,” she explained, biting down on her bottom lip, something that only happened when she was a little bit nervous.

  “Well, how do you know they’ll show up, and how are you supposed to recognize them?”

  “Benny’s one of my best New York informants and he spread the word that Alexia had a silent partner that’s not so silent anymore. He made sure that the right people knew this partner was upset about Alexia’s missing client book—”

  “What missing client book?”

  She gave him an ear-to-ear grin. “Exactly...”

  Robert turned in his seat to face Farrah full-on. “What have you done?” he asked in a harsh tone.

  “Just took out a little insurance,” she said, tossing her hair off her shoulders and crossing one well-toned leg over the other.

  “What kind of insurance?” he demanded, his protective instinct kicking into high gear.

  “I made Benny think there was an appointment book that went missing and that Alexia’s partner is really pissed about it. I told Benny to spread the word that her partner has an idea of who took the book and if it’s not returned by midnight or some explanation is provided as to what happened to it, all hell would break loose.”

  Robert’s frown deepened. “You made yourself a target?”

  “No, I made Alexia’s non-existent partner a target.”

  Robert pushed out a breath. “What is it with you Blake women? Always putting yourselves in danger! You have no idea what this guy might do if he thinks you’re coming after him.”

  “That’s the point. We need him to be off-guard...to make a mistake. We both know I can take care of myself and you’ll be there to back me up. Right?” she asked, giving him a sexy smile.

  Robert tried not to be distracted, but his body had other ideas. “I’ll always have your back,” he said, leaning forward, stopping inches from her face. “No matter what.”

  Robert saw the gratitude and a glimpse of something else in Farrah’s eyes before she looked away, biting her bottom lip again.

  He sat back in the seat, gripping his hands at his sides.

  * * *

  Farrah released a slow breath and sent up a silent thank-you that Robert hadn’t seemed to notice just how much his closeness affected her. “Look, all we need is for whoever this person is to show up. I’m sure, between the two of us, we can convince him to share whatever information he may have,” she declared.

  “You think so?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The limo came to a stop in front of the Ambassador Theatre. The line of theatergoers wrapped around the building. The limo door opened and they were ushered past the waiting, nattily dressed crowd into the lobby. The ornate surroundings stopped Farrah in her tracks. The white-and-gold walls showcased expensive midcentury paintings, while the barrel-vaulted and dome ceiling held large crystal and gold chandeliers, and the layers of crown molding spoke to the age of the building. From a time when elegance, glamour and grace were the norm; it was as though they’d been transported into the richness of the past.

  “My goodness, this place is beautiful,” Farrah gushed with delight as she slowly spun around while keeping her focus on the ceiling’s detail. She didn’t even notice the people staring or dodging the twirls, trying to prevent collisions.

  “Careful, you don’t want to get too dizzy,” Robert warned, laughing and offering apologetic smiles to those trying to move past her.

  Too late, I seem to stay dizzy around you. “No worries, I know my limits.” Farrah stopped, beaming up at him.

  “Don’t I know it,” he murmured, and there was a world of meaning in those few words.

  Robert walked slowly toward Farrah and stood in front of her before giving her a slow, sexy grin. He’s going to kiss me... I can’t let him kiss me...but I want him to.

  Robert leaned forward sli
ghtly before he bent down to retrieve the wrap that had fallen to the ground. He straightened, handed it to her and took a step back.

  Such an idiot. Thank goodness he’s not a mind reader. “Thank you,” Farrah said, trying to hide her disappointment.

  Robert gave her a tight smile and a slow nod. “So how long is this thing anyway?”

  “About two and half hours with a twenty-minute intermission.”

  “Two hours,” he grumbled.

  “You’ll be fine,” she said, eyeing the looks of admiration from a couple of women standing a short distance from where they stood. She couldn’t blame them. Robert was a beautiful sight to see in his tux.

  A tall, leggy attendant appeared by her side and said, “Excuse me...if you’d please follow me, I’ll show you to your seats.”

  Robert stepped aside. “After you.”

  Farrah followed behind the attendant to one of four private box seats. The attendant pushed back the thick gold curtain where two plush red velvet seats sat with a small table between them. On the table were two crystal glasses and a silver bucket with a bottle of champagne resting in a bed of ice.

  Farrah thanked the attendant before planting herself in one of the seats with the best vantage point.

  “This, I’ll take credit for,” Robert said, retrieving the champagne bottle. He popped the cork and poured even amounts into both glasses. “So, what now?”

  Farrah accepted the offered glass. “Now,” she said before taking a sip of the bubbly, “we enjoy the show while we wait. This is Alexia’s box, so I’m sure they’ll find us. The team’s in place?”

  “Yeah, everything’s covered,” he replied, scanning the lower level seating area. “If anyone makes a move toward us, we’ll have them in less than thirty seconds.”

  Farrah settled into the seat and tried to follow her own advice. While she wanted to focus on what was happening onstage, all she could concentrate on was Robert, his profile in particular. The fact that his curly hair hung past his ears just the way she preferred. Those beautiful lips...the things he could do with those lips. And his square masculine chin with a thin film of hair making its presence known was beyond sexy. Farrah’s nipples became like mini-marbles and her breathing escalated. She squirmed in her seat as she fanned herself with the playbill.