by Lexi C. Foss
“It’s a double standard.” He toyed with a strand of my hair while he spoke. “Women are expected to give up their careers to raise the children and are often referred to as bad mothers when they don’t. When a man chooses to give up his career and raise the kids, though, he’s praised for his sacrifices. I see it every day in the business world.”
“So you understand my frustration.”
“Not entirely. Being a man, I’m not held to the same standard, but I can understand on principle. I would never ask a woman to give up her career for a family. Of course, I have no intention of ever marrying.”
“Why is that?” I questioned. “I get why you don’t want to marry anyone through a dating show, but why are you against marriage in general?”
He stiffened, his finger freezing midwrap around my hair. “Why are you asking me that, Sarah?”
“Oh, relax. I’m just curious. Don’t worry about me getting any ideas in my head. I know exactly what this is between us.”
He didn’t relax. “In my experience, female curiosity regarding my opinions on marriage never ends well.”
“I could see that.” I shrugged. “Don’t answer, then. I know how you feel about the institution, just not why. I can live with that.”
Silence.
“Okay, so that’s your button. Duly noted.” I yawned, exhausted. I wasn’t going to press him into talking about his feelings. I didn’t want to know the answer anyway. With every private detail, I fell deeper down the rabbit hole. The less I knew about him, the easier it would be to keep him out of my heart. Because the more he confided in me, the more I felt. I couldn’t afford to let him in much more.
I snuggled into his shoulder, closing my eyes. He was rigid beside me, as if waiting for something. Whatever it was, he would be waiting all night because I was on the verge of falling asleep.
“I told you about my mother and what my father did—does—to her. I grew up listening to her tears through the door. She never wanted to see me or my sister, Mia, because we look too much like our dad. Wyatt wasn’t really hers, so that made sense, and Will came to live with us when he was ten, which was well after my mother gave up on living.”
I didn’t open my eyes. It was too dark to see him. “That must have been hard on all of you.”
“It was hardest on Mia. My father refused to acknowledge her, and my mother was never there for her. The company, as well as the Mershano Estate, was given to me. They gave Mia a hefty inheritance and told her to move out whenever she wanted, so she did. She used some of the money to go to college and medical school.” The pride in his voice warmed me inside. “She’s an infectious-disease physician on assignment in Uganda. Her fellowship ends in December. I don’t know what she plans to do after that, but she’s ambitious. You would like her.”
“Sounds like it.” From the way he described it, Mia was the shunned one of the family. Yet she was making a life for herself and changing lives. I was in awe, and I hadn’t even met the woman. “I’d like to meet her someday.”
“I can arrange that.” He rubbed my back in hypnotic circles that had every one of my muscles relaxing in response. If I were a cat, I would be purring. “I’m not against the establishment of marriage on principle, but I’ve never been interested in pursuing it for myself. Mershano Suites is not an easy empire to manage. I’m always traveling, I hold meetings at three o’clock in the morning, women all around the world throw themselves at my feet, and the media is a constant presence. What kind of life would that be for a spouse? I can’t give any of it up, and there would always be the fidelity concerns. The Mershano name is notorious thanks to my father’s immorality. I’m not marriage material.”
I considered how to respond and opted to repay his honesty. “Sounds like you don’t have the energy to try.” I thought the demands my job placed on me were tough, but he was in a whole different ball game.
“A crude assessment, but accurate.” His flat tone told me he didn’t appreciate my assessment.
“I didn’t mean to offend you, Evan. I wouldn’t have the energy either. Hell, I barely had the energy to manage a relationship because of my job at Stern and Associates. You’re on a whole different playing field.” I palmed his cheek and kissed him. It was my way of showing I understood and didn’t judge him for it. I wanted to get married someday, but it wasn’t for everyone. And as far as reasons for not being interested in a long-term commitment went, his were better than most.
He returned the kiss, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips to request entrance. I acquiesced and let him push me onto my back. It was a lazy mating of mouths, both of us tired, due to the late hour, but not exhausted enough to sleep. He balanced on his elbow while the other hand ran up and down my side. His stirring erection against my thigh was contrary to his tender kiss. He made no move to take things further.
“Good night, Sarah,” he whispered against my lips. He folded me into his arms, my head going to his shoulder.
“Good night, Evan.” Sleep claimed me, pulling me into a dream that would never become reality.
18
The House Key
“A creepy tour? Seriously?” Leanne wasn’t on board with our post-dinner plans. She spent the last hour trying to convince Evan that a trip to Bourbon Street would be more entertaining. Paul’s responding grin indicated he put her up to the task of changing the prince’s mind.
Evan lifted a brow. “Afraid?”
“No, I think it’s a little dumb.” The svelte woman gave him a dubious look. “Dinner was great. Romantic, even. But a night tour of a graveyard? Not so much.”
I thought it was a great idea. New Orleans was alive with an electric vibe that danced across my skin, making a spooky evening all the more alluring. Cemeteries in the dark with flashlights? Yes, please.
“You’d prefer to go to the bars instead?” The sexy lilt Evan used with the locals during dinner was lost to his business tone. The man could flip between accents better than anyone I’d ever met. He spoke French the day I worked in his office and then used the Louisiana drawl on our group date and again tonight, but fell into a deep tenor in private. It was obvious he had formal training, and he applied it in every situation. Could the man be any hotter?
“Well, yes. I like all the live music, and maybe you’ll want to give me some beads.” Leanne toyed with the auburn curl bouncing above her breast and gave him an enticing smile. The grin he returned wasn’t flirtatious or happy, but the lanky girl didn’t seem to notice. She batted her light eyes at him. “Please?”
His shoulders fell as he stared down at her. “You’re more than welcome to go to the bars, Leanne. When you’re done, Joseph or someone from the show will be waiting for you with a car to take you home.”
Her full lips parted. “Home? As in, back to Maine?”
He nodded. “Yes, I don’t think this is working out between us, sweetheart. You’re a gorgeous woman, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, but this whole experience is about finding my future wife. And I’m sorry, but I don’t see that happening between us.”
My hand went to my mouth. I expected it. There was no other way for the evening to end, but I couldn’t believe he was doing this in front of me. He was graceful about it, and the pain touching his sorrowful gaze told me he hated hurting her. It made me feel worse for him than the teary-eyed redhead. He put his arm around her shoulders and walked away with a startled Paul and cameraman trailing behind them.
I stayed by the restaurant doors, where the remaining minions taped my reaction. They wanted me to say something, but I couldn’t. What was there to say? Well, that just happened.
Evan returned with his hands in his pockets. The black slacks and button-down combo were hot, but I missed the sexy jeans. His lips curled into a small smile. “Sorry about that, but I had to be honest. I hope it didn’t ruin our evening.”
“No, of course not. You had me at cemeteries.” Everyone watching the show would think I was crazy, but I didn’t care. This was my kind of d
ate.
His chuckle was affectionate. “I had to pull in some favors for tonight, so I’m glad you approve. Most of these places close at five.”
“Are we meeting a guide?”
“Sure.” He laced his fingers with mine and led the way. “Yours truly.”
“Really? You’re my date and tour guide, huh? Mixing business with pleasure?”
He winked at me. “Maybe a little.”
“Well, I approve, Mister Mershano.”
“I thought you might.” He tugged me to him midstep and placed a hard kiss on my mouth. The move was unexpected and suave, leaving my breasts heaving against his chest and his arm wrapped firmly around my waist. “Mmm, I’m getting distracted.”
“It’s a good distraction.”
“It’s a great distraction, but the graveyard awaits.” He started forward again, pulling me along beside him with his hand wrapped around mine.
“I better see some ghosts on this tour.” Not that I believed they existed, but it was fun to tease.
Amusement danced through his gaze and teased the edges of his full mouth. I liked that look. “Halloween must be your favorite holiday.”
“Yep. I’m a fan of anything creepy, including scary movies.”
“Yeah? Do you have a favorite?”
I named a few movies that were older than our grandparents, making him laugh. “What? Those are the classics. All the crap these days are either fake or made for gore. Yuck on both occasions.”
“Fair enough.” He stopped at a large iron gate between two solid concrete walls. Beyond it was darkness littered with aboveground grave sites. The sinister sensations crept over my skin, making me shiver. Excellent. This scene did not disappoint.
Pulling a key from his pocket, he unlocked the entrance and handed me a flashlight. “Ready?”
“Definitely.” I entered first and peered into the darkness. The solid stone walls kept out the city’s sounds, giving the eerie graveyard an otherworldly feel that scattered goosebumps down my exposed arms. I absently rubbed at them as I walked, my stiletto heels clicking against the cement walkway. Evan came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
His lips trailed a line up to my ear. “Is this what you wanted to see?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He kissed my temple and dropped his hands to my hips. “Lead the way, Miss Summers.”
I did as he asked and explored the graveyard with him at my side. With the trailing cameras, I didn’t need to use my flashlight, but I did at some points to peek into dark corners and read some of the decrepit stones. It was amazing. “The history here—I could spend hours absorbing it.” I glanced sideways at him as we started toward the exit. “I’m sorry. This must seem like the strangest date in the world to you.”
“Mmm, no, not really. There’s a certain romance to walking hand in hand through a closed, dark, eerie locale. I imagine it’s similar to visiting a haunted house, but more intimate. We’re very alone here, and it’s quiet.” He squeezed my hand. “I also like seeing that look of wonder in your eyes.”
Heat climbed up my neck. Is he being real, or saying what the producers want to hear? It was hard to tell. He chose this activity for me. A graveyard tour didn’t suit Paul’s filming style. Evan pulled strings to make this happen. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He relocked the gates and pocketed the key. “You know, I’ve never seen Nosferatu,” he admitted as we headed toward the waiting limo. It was parked at the curb, saving us the walk back to the restaurant.
I stopped moving. “What? I don’t think we can be friends anymore, Evan. Nosferatu is one of the greatest silent horror films of all time and quite possibly one of the best horror films in the history of horror films.”
“Duly noted.” His dimples made my belly flip. “We’ll make a date of it.”
“I’m holding you to that, Mister Mershano.”
“You have my word, Miss Summers.”
“Good.”
He opened the door to the limo, allowing me to enter first, and then he climbed in and settled beside me. The camera across from us was hard to ignore, but Evan seemed unbothered as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He used his other hand to tilt my chin toward him and capture my mouth in a passionate kiss. “Ignore them,” he whispered before sliding his tongue between my lips. I accepted the distraction and let him pull me into his lap and deepen the kiss. It was hot, demanding, and went straight to the sweet spot between my thighs. Screw the show and its voyeuristic minions.
I clung to his shoulders and followed his lead. One hand slipped to the back of my neck to angle my mouth the way he wanted it while the other strayed to my hip. It burned through the fabric of my dress. His fingers curled into the black material, telling me he was fighting for control. The dress was cocktail length, but the move into his lap pulled it up to midthigh. His hardening arousal told me he was more than aware of the precarious position.
The temptation to straddle him grew with every stroke of his tongue against mine, but logic kept me grounded. When the limo pulled up outside the hotel, I was relieved. We would be alone soon.
I winced at the look on the cameraman’s face as I stepped out of the limo. The poor guy thought he was about to film an adult movie. I fixed my dress and waited for Evan. He adjusted himself before meeting me on the sidewalk with the hoard of cameras. Paul was nowhere to be seen. That meant we could say a quick good-bye and meet upstairs.
He ran a finger down my arm to my wrist and slipped his hand into mine. “Want to take a walk?”
From the look on the crew’s faces, this was not part of the plan. It wasn’t what I had in mind either.
“You want to take a walk?” Instead of going upstairs and taking off our clothes?
“I do.” Evan’s brown eyes brimmed with a devilish charm that could tempt an angel to fall. “There’s a path behind the hotel that runs along the Mississippi. Want to walk with me?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Awkward foreplay, but okay.
One of the crewmen pulled out a phone and walked out of hearing range, while the other followed closely with a camera. I tried to ignore them, but the bright light in the dark night was intrusive. “So I’m thinking we can have a movie night later this week. At my house.”
“Your house?”
“Yeah, tonight’s our last night in the hotel.” The cameraman stumbled at his words, an indication that Evan was not supposed to be telling me this. “That’s why I thought a walk might be nice. Tomorrow we’ll be out in the country. I love New Orleans, but I’m looking forward to being home and surrounded by oak trees. You like creepy things; wait until you see them all with the Spanish moss. It’s gorgeous.”
We reached the path he was talking about, the other crewman running up behind us with the spiky-haired director hot on his heels. Great.
“So what do you think about the movie night?” Evan asked.
“If it gives me a chance to properly introduce you to horror films, I’m in.”
His grin was extra bright thanks to the cameras. “We can have it in your room since you’ll be just down the hall from me. Assuming you accept the key I plan to offer you.” Paul beamed at this, the opposite reaction to my confusion.
“Another key?”
“It’s a theme.” He stopped and pulled me close. “You are all moving in tomorrow. Two of those rooms are in my wing of the house, and I want you to stay in one of them. Accepting the key grants you access to my personal quarters of the house.” He tucked a strand behind my ear and palmed my cheek. “Would you like that, Sarah?”
I would prefer the key to his bedroom, but staying near him worked, too. “Yes.”
“I hoped you’d say that.” He cradled my face between his palms. That look was in his eyes again, the one that told me I was seconds from being devoured. A girl could get lost in that stare. It carried an allure that made me want to stay frozen in this moment forever, with him. This pull went deeper than lust, and I wasn’t sure I h
ad it in me to care. I wanted him, and not just in my bed.
His lips touched mine, slow and steady. Passion brimmed on the surface, flooding my veins with anticipation. Butterflies overwhelmed my abdomen as if this was our first kiss. Every time felt like the first time, something I couldn’t wrap my head around. I should be used to him by now, expecting what he would do and getting a little bored by it. But his lips were heaven against mine, coaxing a fervent response I couldn’t contain.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, closing the gap between our bodies as he deepened the kiss. His tongue deserved to be worshiped. So much skill should not exist in one man’s mouth. The heat in my belly went lower, readying me for more. We were moving faster than I usually liked, but I needed as much from him as I could get in the short time we had together. It was the only way to get him out of my blood. I could spend a lifetime craving more from this man.
His hands were in my hair, holding me to him as he delved deeper. The wine from dinner was thick on my tongue, warming me down to my toes. I was about to let my hands wander when Paul whispered something about angles to the cameraman. Lost in our embrace, I forgot about the crew. Now that I remembered their presence, my body tensed, something Evan felt.
He eased away with a gentle kiss before resting his forehead against mine. We stared at each other like that, saying so much with our eyes that couldn’t be said out loud. Not in front of others. Getting the hint, the cameras shut off.
19
The Director’s In Charge Now
“It’s about fucking time, man,” Paul muttered and turned to the crew. “That dancing scene from Bourbon Street will need more screen time, too, and we’ll need to redo some of the hotel scenes to enhance their chemistry. Especially that office scene.”