Sparring Partners

by Leigh Morgan

  Tradition.

  Appearances.

  Old money social status taking precedence over individual happiness.

  Takahara, being the head of a traditional Japanese ruling class family, was the embodiment of tradition, duty and obligation above all else. And William wanted his business. Since Takahara Limited was worth billions, potentially hundreds of billions, everyone wanted Peichin Takahara's business. If Jordon was able to get Takahara to sign on with B.H., his place as William's successor would be set in stone, a done deal.

  "Giles has been speaking with Mr. Takahara's people on behalf of B.H. while you've been gone." William paused, taking a slow sip of his drink, eyeing Jordon above the rim of his glass from a good ten feet away, knowing Jordon couldn't get his hands around his uncle's throat without crossing the room. Damn good thing. But then, William was a master at manipulating people, situations, even his place in a room. Jay Giles's name, more than the man himself, had Jordon gritting his teeth. He was better at running B.H. than Giles and William knew it, and yet he continued to taunt Jordon with B.H.'s third in command, as if the knife he'd already inserted in Jordon's back wasn't painful enough.

  "So am I to assume that Jay will also be joining us for our 'family' dinner?"

  William glanced at the oversized Patek Philippe on his wrist. "Jay, Mrs. Giles, and their three daughters should be arriving within the hour."

  Heat flooded through Jordon's veins like liquid fire, his gut, already twisted from the moment Jordon caught that time-to-pay-the-piper look in Williams eye as he exited the van, clenched, adding to his pain. He'd been the one to woo Takahara before William forbade any contact with clients or potential clients while he took a mandatory leave of absence for a month. And why did Jordon need to take a month off? To find a wife, preferably one with a family of her own, and make her love him, so he could look like a real family man with traditional values in the eyes of past, present and most importantly future B.H. clientele, namely Mr. Peichin Takahara.

  So much for introducing Reed and company to his family and his real life slowly.

  Now Reed was going to have to experience the cold hard reality of his world before he had the chance to ease her into it. Before he had a chance to tell her he loved her. Before she was able to process the enormity of the world she'd unknowingly married into. How the hell was he going to convince her of his true feelings now? Who would want him, knowing that the only reason he set out to get married was to solidify his position at the top of the food chain at Bennett Holdings when William finally decided to retire?

  An image of tall, willow thin, elegant, heartstoppingly-beautiful Giselle flashed through his mind. She'd take him in a heartbeat, no questions asked. She wouldn't mind if he traveled for B.H. twenty-eight days out of thirty, as long as he fucked her once a month and gave her unlimited access to his credit cards. Giselle fit perfectly into his world. She'd even sacrifice her model's body to give him an heir, if that's what it took to solidify her position as his wife. Giselle would love the life, the status, the prestige and especially the attention. She'd love everything about being Mrs. Jordon Bennett, but would never truly love him.

  "You've invited Giselle, haven't you?" Jordon asked, not quite able to keep the anger and resentment he was feeling completely out of his tone, which sounded sharper and more clipped than he would have liked.

  William noticed too, damn his soul. He had the fortitude, or the stupidity, to smile slightly at Jordon before turning his back to him. With one hand in the pocket of his perfectly pressed khaki's and the other grasping his crystal glass, William stared out the window at the lake beyond, pausing before he answered.

  "It couldn't be helped. She ran into your mother and me in New York, and then again at the Kennedy Center a few days ago in front of reporters. She had to be invited to keep up appearances. We need to show the world that your marriage is real and there is no animosity between you and your old flame, who happens to get an inordinate amount of press for carrying on Princess Diana's crusade against land mines." William took a deep breath, and Jordon wondered briefly why William and his mother were seeing so much of each other lately. "That can be accomplished this weekend, provided everything goes smoothly."

  "Giselle craves publicity, she couldn't give a shit about land mines. Nothing goes smoothly when Giselle is around. The woman thrives on the chaos she leaves in her wake."

  William stiffened, but didn't turn. "Be that as it may, we need to present to our guests and to the outside world a picture perfect image of you as a family man. Giselle's presence, no matter how personally distasteful you now find her, will help project that image."

  Jordon swallowed his rage. "Is she arriving tonight?"

  "No. Tonight is for family and as you so adroitly pointed out, business. Giselle will arrive tomorrow. She'll be spending the weekend along with thirty or so other friends and family in honor of your wedding. The reception will be an intimate affair of about a hundred, Saturday evening. Followed by brunch on Sunday with just the family, of course."

  "Of course." Jordon felt his throat closing around the words.

  "There is proper attire in the closets for each member of your family. I'll have Thorson park your minivan in the secondary garage in back. If you need to leave the estate, have Thorson drive you. Undoubtedly, there will be press in town. While I want to promote your image as a family man... take the Cadillac, or the Lincoln. I don't want you to appear too, well– pedestrian." William paused again but Jordon didn't think he was through issuing orders. He was right.

  "Dinner is at seven sharp. Don't be late." William said, finishing his drink, not bothering to turn around.

  He'd been dismissed. That was fine with Jordon. With his world spiraling out of control he needed to hit something or go hold his wife before he cracked and told William to shove the shit he was delivering back up his tight ass.

  Jordon turned to leave. He didn't see the slight shake in William's hand as he set his now empty tumbler on the window sill, but he thought he heard William's voice saying, forgive me, James.

  His dead father's name stopped Jordon at the door. He looked over his shoulder at his uncle, his father's older brother, whom James loved and respected, who now had both hands in his pockets. Other than that motion, William hadn't moved except to straighten his already ramrod spine.

  Nothing in William's demeanor or stance indicated to Jordon that William thought he needed to be forgiven. Hell, the man probably hadn't made a mistake that he could remember since Jordon was born.

  Jordon left, closing the door softly behind him, believing he imaged words his uncle never said, hearing them echo through his heart anyway. Anger, need, rejection and helplessness coursed through Jordon, leaving his world dark even as the bright afternoon sun lit the checkered black and white marble flooring of the open foyer outside William's office.

  Rainbow streaks of light from the stained glass lite danced on the marble floor in front of him. Jordon raised his palm seeing the rainbow colors dance there too. He closed his fist, trying futilely to hold onto the hope that that rainbow promised, but it vanished, blocked by a cloud. If he were a more superstitious man, he'd believe it was blocked not by a cloud, but by the farce he'd allowed his life to become.

  He turned and headed down the long black and white checkered marble corridor that led to the family suites.

  He needed to find his wife.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  The sense of foreboding Reed felt while arriving at Cottage Bennett slipped away when Lily showed her to the room she'd be calling her own for the weekend. It was bright and beautiful, and done in so many shades of yellow her eye couldn't distinguish them all.

  Reed loved it.

  Yellow eased her mood considerably. She associated yellow with sunshine, a happy color, one she loved almost as much as bright orange. Satin and lace and what looked to be raw silk adorned the pile of pillows on the king-sized four poster bed, streaming with sheer netting pulled back at each post. Orienta
l carpets, well worn but perfectly clean, in flower and vine motifs of various shades of gold, green, blue, mauve and burgundy graced the floor in a way that at first appeared haphazard, and on closer examination allowed the occupant to stay on the soft wool instead of cool marble no matter where in the room they traveled.

  The windows let in spectacular amounts of light and allowed an unobstructed view of the estate's whitewashed gazebo and the lake beyond. Fresh cut flowers, some of which Reed couldn't name, occupied every table and ledge in the room, imbuing it with a soft, green scent that was comforting without being overpowering. The ceiling was so high Reed hadn't seen anything like it outside of England's castles and palatial residences.

  The effect was calming and overwhelming at the same time. Reed felt like a princess one second and a kept concubine the next. She gazed out the windows expecting to see peacocks guarding against her escape with their shrill cries like in the stories of harems she'd read about as a teenager, but the beautiful, beastly birds were nowhere in sight.

  Reed suddenly wished she'd had the foresight to pack her weapons bag. She had a feeling that despite being surrounded by all this beauty, she just might need it. That feeling stayed at her periphery, almost, but not quite out of sight, as she allowed her self to surrender to the urge to revel in the beauty around her for awhile. It was seductive to believe, even for a little while, that the hardships of life couldn't touch her here.

  Reed ran a hand over the duvet cover, marveling at the thickness of the down under all that smooth silk. The urge to take off her clothes and jump on the bed hit her with a force she hadn't felt since she was a child in a hotel room on vacation.

  She looked over at Lily, who had silently watched her take it all in. "Thank you." Was all she could think of to say. She'd never slept anywhere as lovely, nor in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would.

  "You're welcome." Lily said, her lips slowly curving into a full smile that made her glow like a fine pearl. "Feel free to jump on the bed if you want."

  Reed's cheeks flamed. "That obvious, huh?"

  Lily's eyes twinkled and her smile deepened. "I've felt the urge a time or two myself."

  The thought of Jordon's elegant mother doing anything so rash made Reed laugh, but somehow the image seemed to fit. There was more to Lily Bennett than met the eye, that was for sure.

  Lily backed out of the room, closing the double doors as she went. "I'll leave you to it then." She nodded towards a small button above the table by the side of the bed. "If you need anything, press the button." She said, shutting the doors all the way with a soft click.

  Reed took off her sandals, rubbed her feet in the soft wool of the carpet nearest the bed and threw herself as far into the middle of the bed as she could. She felt mildly sacrilegious messing up the perfectly made bed, but the feeling quickly faded as she gained her feet and began to jump. She got pretty high too, the mattress had great springs. She jumped in circles as high as she could until she got dizzy and fell laughing in a tired, yet oddly fulfilled heap, in the middle.

  She hadn't heard the doors open as she jumped.

  She hadn't seen or sensed her husband in the room.

  She simply closed her eyes relishing these quiet moments of joy, thinking she was alone with no one but God and Goddess watching over her.

  Jordon was determined to tell Reed the truth and ask for her assistance getting through the weekend. Then he planned to ask for her forgiveness, and make a plan for how they could move on until his position at B.H. was assured and they could part ways, her being much better off financially for her time. It wasn't like she hadn't married before because it was the most expedient way to get what she wanted. With the money he'd provide, she'd never have to worry about Potters Woods and the people who lived there for the rest of her life. And, if she used it wisely, all of Jesse's life.

  Then he saw her jumping, and every rational thought fled.

  He needed her joy.

  He needed her love of life.

  He needed her.

  Jordon moved from the door, closing it gently behind him, trying not to disturb Reed. He moved toward the bed silently and spent a second just looking at her. He didn't fight the tightness in his chest, he recognized it for what it was and he was done fighting. He reached out with one hand and brushed the hair away from her face. She smiled at him, slowly, fully, blue eyes sparkling with warmth and acceptance.

  "I love you."

  She leaned into his hand. "I love you too."

  Three words, surprisingly easy to say, anti-climactic in their simplicity, changed his life forever. There was no going back now. No return to what he had been, he was a new person now and unsure of his status, while at the same time completely sure he wanted to keep it as long as she was part of the deal.

  Reed looked at her watch, looked back at him, and raised her eyebrows like Groucho Marx. She looked ridiculous, endearing, and absolutely wonderful. "Wanna fool around? We've got time. I even prepped the bed."

  Reed started unbuttoning her cap sleeve blouse, smiling in that way women of every age and culture smile just before they open their bodies, their minds, their hearts and their souls to their lover. No man on the planet was immune to that smile, certainly not Jordon, who wanted nothing more at that moment but to lose himself inside Reed until the obligations of being Jordon Bennett fell away, if only for a while.

  Jordon pulled her to him and kissed her. It was enough simply to hold her semi-nude body against him for awhile, smelling her hair, feeling her heartbeat against his chest.

  "Say it again."

  He didn't pretend to misunderstand her. What was the point? He loved her now, he feared he always would.

  "I love you, Elf. You bring magic to my life. You make me believe things can be different– life can be different."

  He didn't have any answers for the questioning look in her eyes, so he kissed her again before she could give them voice. He undressed her and himself without words and made love to her, looking into her eyes, willing her to understand the depth of his emotions and to forgive him for what he'd have to do in the near future to save the life he'd spent his adulthood building.

  In the days and years that followed, Jordon would often wonder if he lost himself that afternoon, or if that was the day that marked his rebirth.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Someone needed to stay home and make sure Potters Woods ran smoothly while the others were gone, at least that's the story Finn gave Reed for abandoning her. Since there wasn't any programming after Thursday evening, all of Potters Woods' clients spent their Fridays at the Wellness Center in Burlington. Weekend programming was only for on-site residents, and with Irma in the hospital, there weren't any on-site residents. Finn could have gone, she just didn't want to, and Reed didn't push the issue.

  Finn needed some time alone to figure out what she was going to do about Henry. He was making her crazy.

  She hadn't seen him since she threatened to put her nymph statue of him out by the mailbox, and for that she was grateful. And pissed. Was he hiding, or just avoiding her? Since she wasn't sleeping with him, she didn't ever see him. Unfortunately, she wasn't sleeping without him either, at least not very well, and that irked her. In every relationship she'd had since taking Reed in, she'd dictated the rules. She decided when and where to meet. She decided when and where to have sex. She decided when it was over.

  Henry gave her everything she told him she wanted and nothing more. He never said what he wanted, and he didn't push. She should have been happy. Instead she was tired, grumpy, horny as hell, and all her art looked like him.

  Finn held up the clay phallus she'd been working on all afternoon, eyeing it with an artist's eye for detail. It was the right length and thickness, she'd even gotten the slight curve correct, as well as the vein structure and the texture of the head. She added a small mole at the base as a finishing touch.

  Finn started out with the intention of carving a leprechaun post, something along the lines
of a miniature totem pole she'd read about in the Celtic faerie tale book Charlie gave her for Christmas last year. What she wound up with was a giant cock.

  A life sized replica of Henry's giant cock, to be exact.

  "I hope you're not planning on putting that by the mailbox."

  Finn whipped around, clay cock clasped firmly in her hand like a weapon.

  "Whoa." Henry said raising both hands staying where he was just inside her workshop. "Careful where you aim that thing."

  "What are you doing here?"

  "I live here, remember?"

  "You're supposed to be in Lake Geneva with Reed and Jordon."

  Henry lowered his hands and up came the phallus, aiming at him again. His eyes narrowed as he seemed to recognize that this wasn't a generic model, but specific to him. The damned mole probably gave it away, Finn thought, but he was bound to figure it out by the size.

  "William has his entire team looking out for them. He doesn't need me too. Besides, I sent a new employee to get his feet wet on this one." Henry took a step forward, then another, and before Finn new what was happening, he had the clay in his hand.

  Awe, more than anger flashed across his face as he examined it, turning it as he scrutinized every detail. Heat flared through Finn from her toes to her nose and stayed there warming her face uncomfortably. She glanced back at her work table, looking for the mallet she used to pound clay. It was nowhere in sight.

  When Finn looked back at Henry, he was scrutinizing her as he'd just done with the clay, like he was trying to find some deeper meaning in both.

  "Don't read more into it than what is there, Henry."

  Curiosity turned briefly to disappointment on his handsome face and then was gone. Only his river-rock eyes hinted that he was disappointed in her response. "Seems to me you're reading a hell of a lot less than you should be."

  Finn ignored that. "Why aren't you with Jordon?"