Miranda Lee - Marriage At A Price

by Marriage At A Price(Lit)

  No man had ever made her feel what Jack was making her feel, and she wasn't sure if she liked it, or not

  If Katrina hadn't been watching them so closely, she might have pulled away from him and put an end to this highly unusual state of affairs. But awareness of those jealous green eyes fixed on them both had her staying right where she was and smiling adoringly up at him whenever he smiled adoringly down at her.

  But once the presentation ceremony was over she excused herself and made a dash for the nearest powder room. She desperately needed a few minutes alone to gather herself. And to think.

  She took her time in the cubicle, and was taken aback when she emerged to find Katrina leaning against the vanities, obviously waiting for her. The powder room was strangely empty apart from themselves, yet when she'd first come in the place had been quite crowded.

  'I just wanted you to know a few facts of life, little Miss Smug,' Katrina said with cold fury in her voice. 'Jack Falconer does not love you. He'll never love you. So when you're lying in his arms and mooning over how great he is in bed, just remember that it's me he's thinking of when he makes love to you. Not you, honey. Me. Katrina. The love of his life.'

  Courtney stared at her. The woman was either a complete nutter or she was telling the truth. Unfortunately, her words had a ring of truth about them.

  Courtney did the only thing she could do under the circumstances. She went on the attack.

  'Hello? And what planet are you from, Ms Seriously Deluded?' she shot back. 'Love of his life? Huh! That's a laugh. Jack has nothing but contempt for you. You're history. So get the hell out of here and go back to your geriatric husband. And when you're lying in his tired old arms tonight, know that Jack won't be thinking about you. No man thinks of anyone but me when I make love to them, honey. I make sure of that.'

  Those already glacial green eyes narrowed to icy slits. 'I'm not the one who's seriously deluded around here. No doubt Jack has fed you a tissue of lies to suit his own agenda. But, believe me, Jack is still mad about me. You're just a stand-in, a cypher, a second-rate substitute. I could get him back just like that...'' she snapped her fingers'...whenever I want.'

  'Prove it,' an increasingly angry Courtney challenged. 'Go out there and get him back. Right now. I dare you to try.'.

  'Very well. I presume you're seeing Jack tonight, since you're so inseparable?'

  Oops. She would call her bluff, wouldn't she? 'Of course,' Courtney snapped. 'He'll make some excuse not to see you.'

  'Why?'

  'Because he'll be with me.'

  'I don't believe you.'

  'You will.' Her smile was pure malice as she spun on her high heels, clicked open the lock on the door, wrenched the door open and left, stepping over the 'Room Being Cleaned' sign she'd obviously placed outside the door to keep people away.

  A strangely shaken Courtney stayed in the powder room, washing her hands for longer than necessary, her mind revolving. Her well-honed survival instinct warned her to cut and run where Jack Falconer was concerned, to have no more to do with him. He was trouble. Big trouble. And she needed big trouble in her life just now like she needed a hole in the head.

  At the same time, she simply couldn't bear to let that ghastly creature get away with calling her names. To label her a stand-in and a cypher was bad enough. But second-rate? There was nothing second-rate about her abilities in bed! Men had lost their heads over her in that regard.

  This last thought brought Courtney back to the crux of her earlier worries, which were that maybe this time she might be the one who lost her head.

  Her mother had always warned about the power that lay within some special men, the power to turn normally intelligent, independent females into simpering idiots and mindless sex slaves.

  Courtney appreciated the warning, not just because of the way her own father had effortlessly seduced her strong-willed man-hating mother, but because of the evidence of her own eyes over the years. She'd seen the most hard-nosed tomboy stable girl reduced to mush when a certain type of guy came along. And she'd known quite a few level-headed girls fall pregnant to highly unsuitable charmers.

  Why?

  They all claimed they'd fallen in love, as if that excused everything. At least her mother hadn't used that excuse. She'd known exactly what had propelled her into her gypsy lover's bed. Courtney' didn't believe love had anything to do with those other girls' stupid behaviour, either. It was not love that made them lose all common sense, but a serious case of uncontrollable lust.

  Now, ordinary estrogen-based female lust, Courtney was well-acquainted with. Uncontrollable lust, however, was another matter, and not something Courtney thought she would ever encounter, or entertain. Jack was wrong about her having no discipline and self-control. She had a lot of self-control, and exercised it ruthlessly when it came to her sex life. Her relationships with men-such as they were-never got out of hand.

  But she'd had a small taste of that other land of lust now and, whilst it was disturbing, it was also incredibly exciting and unbelievably seductive. How would it feel to surrender herself mindlessly to a man, just once?

  Surely she could handle one night of unbridled passion without totally losing it afterwards. Common sense was bound to return, once the cold light of day arrived and the heat of the moment was over.

  Courtney stopped washing her hands and stared up at herself in the vanity mirror. The girl who stared back looked no different from the Courtney Cross she was used to. Her eyes often glittered like that. And her cheeks... Well, so what if they were a bit flushed? She'd just had a run-in with Superbitch!

  This last thought made up Courtney's mind for her. No way was she going to let that arrogant, smirking woman get her hooks back into Jack again. No way!

  With a saucy toss of her head, Courtney whirled on the heels of her black riding boots and deliberately went out to court big trouble.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  WHEN Courtney emerged into the late-afternoon sunshine once more, Katrina had already drawn Jack over to one side and was whispering frantically to him.

  Jack's face was unreadable, but Katrina's was very animated. Almost anguished, at one point.

  Courtney couldn't decide if this was a good sign or a bad one. Jack certainly wasn't contributing to this onesided tete-a-tete. But he wasn't walking away either. Or telling her to get lost. He was listening intently.

  As for Katrina's hapless husband, he was at that moment engaged in conversation with one of the club's committee men, blissfully unaware of his darling wife's attempts to seduce Jack practically under his nose.

  On sighting Courtney coming across the lawn towards them, Katrina terminated whatever it was she was saying and hurried back to hubby.

  'What did she want?' Courtney demanded to know.

  Jack looked taken aback. 'Excuse me?' he said. 'You don't ask people about their personal conversations.'

  'Why not?'

  'Because it's rude.'

  'Well, she's rude. She was very rude to me in the ladies' room just now. Called me a cypher and a second-rate substitute. Claimed you were still in love with her and she could get you back just like that.' And she snapped her fingers as Katrina had done.

  'I see,' he said coldly.

  'Can she, Jack?'

  He laughed. 'Never in a million years.'

  "That's what I told her. I said she was history. I said all you felt for her was contempt.'

  His smile was one of dark satisfaction. 'Good.'

  Courtney smiled her own satisfaction. 'As I said before...you're better off without her.'

  He didn't answer, his rock-hard gaze following the rapidly departing Mr and Mrs Axelrod.

  Consumed with a sudden longing to make this man forget that creature once and for all, Courtney slid her hand into his. 'Jack,' she said softly.

  His eyes jerked back to hers. For a few seconds, they looked flat and dead and she thought, Oh, God, he really does still love her. But then slowly the life came back into them. His fing
ers interlinked with hers, then curled over, squeezing tightly.

  Her stomach did likewise.

  'What are you doing tomorrow?' he asked with seductive softness.

  'What are you doing tonight?' she countered.

  'Sorry. I have other plans for tonight.'

  Her racing heart skittered to a panicky halt.

  'Doing what?' she asked almost accusingly.

  His smile was sardonic. 'Not what you're thinking. I have some business matters to attend to.'

  'On a Saturday night?'

  'Yes.'

  'You're not going to tell me any more, are you?'

  'No.'

  'That's cruel. I'm dying of curiosity.'

  He smiled. 'And you're going to badger me to death till I tell you.'

  'Yes.'

  "The fact is, Ms Cross,' he said, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing the back of it lightly, 'I think I know just the man who'd be an excellent partner for you. But I have to check out a few things first'

  Courtney blinked. 'Are you serious?'

  'Would I lie to you?'

  Courtney extracted her hand from his. As much as Jack was a distractingly attractive man, and she couldn't wait to discover if his performance in bed matched his reputation, finding the right partner for Crosswinds had to be her first priority. 'Who is he?' she asked. 'Remember, I don't want anyone who's going to interfere in the running of Crosswinds.'

  'This fellow will have no interest in interfering.'

  'Then who is he? What's his name?'

  Tm not at liberty to say right now.'

  'Why not? What's the big secret?'

  'No big secret. Just client confidentiality. For now. Meanwhile, don't let Lois go chasing up anyone else. Give my client first crack at it, okay?'

  'Suits me. As I said, I don't want any of her horse-mad contacts, no matter how rich they are. I want a big city slicker with absolutely no yen for breeding horses and more money than sense.'

  Jack smiled. "That's exactly what you'll be getting.'

  Courtney could hardly believe her luck. Both her problems solved at once. Her debts. Plus her rather disturbing desire for this man.

  She'd been wondering how she could confine any fling with Jack to one time only if she stayed down here in Sydney for a whole week. Jack wasn't the sort of man who would let her run the show as she usually did. If he was as passionate and powerful a lover as he was a kisser, then he'd be the one directing the action, and deciding when enough was enough.

  Which was partly the point, of course.

  Courtney wanted to feel what it would be like, being made love to by a dominating and possibly demanding man. She didn't, however, want to become addicted to the experience. She had no doubt Jack intended to seduce her tomorrow, but hopefully, by Monday, she could escape back to the normality of home, never to see him again. After all, business contracts were handled by electronic mail these days, as were cash transfers."There would be no need for any further personal contact. Bill could handle the details, and any follow-up business.

  She beamed up at him. 'Wait till I tell Lois. She's going to be so pleased.'

  'Tell me what?'

  Courtney swung round to find a happy Lois standing there, clasping her trophy. Jack's was still on the table.

  'Jack thinks he knows just the right sucker to save Crosswinds.'

  'Partner,' Jack corrected drily. 'Not sucker.'

  'Silent partner,' Courtney countered. 'He won't open his mouth, just his wallet. Isn't that right, Jack?'

  'Not quite. He's no fool, Courtney. He'll want to know exactly what he's getting himself into. After a recent, rather unfortunate experience he had, he'll want me to go up to Crosswinds and check everything out firsthand. There are tax concessions for investments in thoroughbred breeding, but I'm going to have to assure my client that Crosswinds is a going concern with potential for a steady future income and return on his investment.'

  'Oh... How long would you have to stay?' 'I'll need a few days to be totally satisfied,' he confirmed. 'You did say it was a large concern. I'll also need to speak to your accountant and see the books. If you haven't any other business to do here in Sydney, we could drive up there together tomorrow.'

  'Well, I...er...' Courtney wasn't usually tongue-tied, but Jack's suggestion had totally routed her own nice safe plan which would prevent any chance of any sexual addiction or, heaven forbid, an emotional involvement.

  Courtney had no intention of ever succumbing to it then. But she had wanted to let her hair down, so to speak, just this once.

  Now, any such experience was out of the question. No way would Courtney invite Jack into her bedroom at Crosswinds and risk any of her staff finding out. It was hard enough to maintain their respect as their boss with her being female and attractive and only twenty-five. Impossible if they thought she was an easy lay!

  Courtney had never had sex with any of the men working at Crosswinds. Well...not since her first time, five years before. But Larry had been leaving the next day, so the risk hadn't been great And she hadn't been the boss back then. 'Fine,' she said, irritated by this turn of events.

  'I thought you were out of the investment brokerage business, Jack,' Lois remarked. '

  Lois wasn't sure what was going on between these two, but something was up. She wasn't blind. She'd seen that kiss in the stands. It hadn't been an impromptu peck on the cheek, either. It had been a full-blooded, open-mouthed, French kiss. Then, at the presentation, they'd been all over each other like a rash.

  Jack obviously had more on his mind than just finding Courtney a business partner. His intention of staying at Crosswinds until he was totally satisfied could be construed two ways.

  'This chap is by way of being a personal friend of mine,' Jack attempted to explain, and Lois's excellent antenna for male deception twanged. She hoped there really was a potential partner, and this wasn't some plan for a rebound or revenge affair. Lois had seen Jack with Katrina on many occasions and she knew just how wrapped in her he'd been. It seemed far too coincidental that this sudden passion for Courtney had come about on the very day Jack's ex had been around.

  'Why doesn't he want his identity known?' she challenged, scepticism in her voice.

  'He likes.to play a close hand. He'll be up front with Courtney, if and when he goes ahead with the partnership. You have my word.'

  "That's good,' Lois said.

  Lois didn't really think Jack was the type to rip Courtney off in any money sense. As far as their personal relationship was concerned...well, she supposed Courtney could look after herself in that regard. Hilary might have been a man-hater, but her daughter was rumoured to be a real man-eater. The horseworld grapevine was second to none, and men invariably talked. There'd been this horse-breaker a few years back. And a rep who sold horse vitamins. And a chap who drove for a horse transport company. And they were only the ones Lois had heard about

  Maybe the person she should be worrying about was Jack...

  CHAPTER SIX

  SUNDAY dawned crisp and clear, 'with the promise of another warm winter's day. Courtney, as befitted her habit of years, was up at first light. Lois had still preceded her by a couple of hours, overseeing her charges on the training track well before the sun's first rays peeped over the horizon. Her horses were back in their mucked-out stables long before most Sydneysiders opened their Sunday morning papers.

  Lois still insisted on cooking Courtney breakfast, treating them both to bacon and eggs and lashings of toast and brewed coffee, serving all of it up on the round wooden table which dominated the homey kitchen in her red-roofed, three bedroomed, fifties-style brick-veneer house. She'd inherited it-plus the stables-from her horse trainer father, who'd died of a stroke after one of his charges had come back with a positive swab and his licence had been taken away from him. Her mother had passed away a few years before or she, too, would have died of shame, Lois believed.

  Lois, thirtyish at the time and in the throes of divorce, had taken up the cha
llenge of making a success of the career she'd always wanted but which her mother had talked her out of in favour of marriage to a Macquarie Street specialist with two huge cars and a house on the harbour. All he'd needed to complete his perfect lifestyle was a beautiful wife and two beautiful children.

  Lois hadn't been able to have any children, however, which was one of the reasons her marriage had failed.

  That, along with the loneliness and boredom of being a doctor's wife. Her horses were now her children, which perhaps explained why they could never do any wrong in her eyes. No matter what fault they had-even being top slow-she was always sure she could fix it The tunny thing was, often enough she could.