by tani shane
He knew she was going through hell already. She wasn’t aware of it yet but ever since their meeting at the café, he had made it a point to hang around the perimeter of her life whenever possible.
He had seen her that night at her cousin’s party. He had seen her melt into Steven Hart’s arms and felt somehow relieved despite the dull ache of longing. Hart was capable of protecting her if she would just let him. When she almost married that loser Adam, he wanted to jump out of moonlighting and spank her. When she didn’t, he wanted to kiss her and tell her how proud he was of her.
Mark sighed, putting his car into gear and weaving into downtown L.A. traffic. Jess, Jess, Jess. I wish was your superman, honey but I’m not. I’m just an idiot who loves you to death! Go to Hart, baby girl. Go and be safe till I get that bastard Jake!
Chapter Eight
The week crawled by at an agonizingly slow pace. Jessica shifted in with Jeff and Cheryl for a while. She did not want to be alone at her apartment where Adam could easily barge into her life again. She cried often, unable to forget Adam’s treachery and unable to come to terms with her longing for Steven. While her feelings about Adam ranged from guilt to anger, her feelings for Steven were so scattered that she had no idea how to decipher them.
His handsome face with its mocking smile drifted in her dreams. She saw him once stretching his hand towards her but when she put forward her own, he disappeared leaving her alone. To add to her misery, Steven had not called her once. She was sure he was aware she had walked out on Adam. The realization that he had called up on Jeff’s behest was probably true hit her like a painful blow to the heart.
She buried herself in matters concerning ‘Jess-C Creations’ working fervently. After the fateful night of Niki’s party, right up to the day of the wedding, she had been unable to pay attention to her work. Thankfully, she had a reliable assistant who had completed a couple of her designs like that of Ida’s Halloween costume. She called all her retailers appraising them on the current status of the company; she dealt deftly with the insurance company allowing them to interrogate her regarding the fire. To reveal Jake’s admission to the act of arson was really not possible. In fact she hoped for her own benefit he was never to be found guilty or she would surely be exposed before the entire world by him. She called a few more prospective financers but finally the day dawned when she had to accept defeat.
It was already the end of October and she had two months left to repay her debts. There were finally only two options before her; to claim bankruptcy and kill ‘Jess-C’ or to find a prospective husband.
Jessica finally took a crucial decision. She had to learn that nothing apart from her company mattered for her. It was her life’s goal to resurrect it somehow, anyhow. And if she had to use people to do it, she would.
***
If Steven was surprised to find Jessica at his door, he did not show it. Instead, his manner as usual was blatantly sardonic. He appraised the smart, beige, silk trousers that she wore with a delicate pearl colored blouse and a silk jacket over it before settling on her gorgeous face. She made a picture of perfection with a patterned scarf draped from her shoulder and her unruly hair tied up in a neat braid. The navy depths were frankly impressed. “Well, well. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Jessica held her ground firmly albeit fuming silently. Sarcastic jerk! She agreed seven in the evening was not the right time to visit uninvited but she had urgent work. When she had asked Jeff for Steven’s residential address, he had given it to her showing a deliberate lack of interest but she knew he was curious as hell. She had not confided in him and instead dressed carefully and left without a word. She had been confidence personified all the way to his home; in fact right up to the time she’d rung the bell and he’d opened the door. Now she was nervous.
“May I come in?” she asked, trying to hold on to her self-control.
“But of course”, he drawled, his mouth set in a cynical smile. He stepped aside to allow her entrance to his exquisite penthouse apartment. The door closed behind them as he led the way to a breathtaking lounge. “I’m sorry if the place looks a mess. It’s my housekeeper’s day off.”
Mess? She looked around the spotless room that was free of any visible clutter. It was a spectacular room done up in a soothing shade of cream with varying shades of beige and brown. The contemporary furniture was sparse, the main life being a large painting of a stormy seascape. It was lit strategically and was compelling enough to hold a person’s interest.
Jessica stood staring at it for a long time unaware of Steven’s intense eyes observing her. “It was done by my brother,” he said softly.
Her fascinated eyes flew to his face. “It’s beautiful! He seems to be quite an artist.”
“Undoubtedly,” he said, his eyes betraying a gentleness that told of his affection for his brother. He gestured towards a plush leather couch. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable while I get you a drink?”
She declined the drink offer but thankfully sunk into the couch. The touch of bravado that had possessed her earlier was fast disappearing causing her knees to knock against each other.
Steven sat on an armchair opposite her, his blue gaze watching her closely. He was dressed in a dinner jacket and she suddenly wondered if she was intruding. He was obviously all set to go out. With someone, a jealous voice in her head told her. It made her flush uncomfortably. What was it with this man? Why did he always have such a strange effect on her? You are here on business! she warned herself sternly and squared her shoulders. “I won’t take much of your time. I…I was wondering if you are still interested in the partnership proposal I offered you.”
He began laughing much to her indignation. “You are a disappointment, Jessica,” he said sensing her annoyance, “Business talk is the last thing I expect from a beautiful young woman who comes to my home unescorted. But since that is on your mind, let me answer you. Yes, I am still interested if you are ready to consider my condition.”
“I am,” she replied boldly, “I am ready to stake my share of ‘The Residency’ in equal proportion to whatever you put into my company.”
“That’s all fine, Jessica”, his deep eyes narrowed skeptically, “But I happen know that the wedding that held the key to your inheritance never took place. So Jessica, how do you propose to get your little hands on it?”
She felt oddly humiliated by his observation and struggled to keep calm. “I plan to get my hands on it by marrying of course.” She saw the surprise in his eyes and smiled secretly.
“And who is this person you intend to marry?”
She did not fail to catch the cynical tone in his voice. “I don’t know yet. Anyway, that is none of your concern. All you should be interested in is that I am keeping my part of the deal. Now you keep yours. I’ll draw the necessary papers. I’ll also see to it that I’ll get married within a month of our signing the deal.”
He watched her intensely for a long time then rose to his feet. He turned his back to her, absently admiring his brother’s painting once again. “Why don’t you wait a while, fall in love and then get married, Jessica? You can’t possibly go around hooking up with strangers and proposing marriage to them.”
“It will be too late for my company. I’m already expecting a court notice any day.” Dwarfed by his towering presence, she too rose to her feet, her legs almost buckling under her.
He turned to face her, his eyes trying to gauge her sincerity. It took great effort on her part to face him with an empty look. “And in any case; you were right. Love doesn’t last. So it’s not needed in a marriage.”
Steven’s heart did a strange flip flop when he saw the hurt in her eyes. He suddenly wanted to take away her memories of Adam and bring back the light in her eyes. Instead he spoke quietly, “Don’t take it too hard, Jessica, it happens all the time.”
She shook her head vigorously loosening a whispery tendril from her tight braid. “It won’t happen again. I’m never going to fall in love
again.”
“Careful”, he warned, “You’re sounding bitter.”
“I am bitter! I feel like a fool. Love! Everyone goes on about it but nobody tells you it’s a big mistake! Whether it goes out of your life now or later, it hurts just as much!” The fire in her eyes raged before she realized she was blurting out too much. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”
“Don’t apologize”, he said, smiling charmingly, “I take it, this is an apology?”
An unconscious smile rose to her lips. “Yes, it is.”
“Well there is no need for it.” His blue eyes held hers for a long time letting her see the unexpected emotion of pain in their depths. It astounded her, for somehow she had concluded that Steven Hart was invulnerable.
He saw she had read his eyes and smiled wryly. “I was in love once,” he admitted surprising her even further, “but she walked out on me. So you see; you are not the only one.”
“That’s where the theory of love and lust comes from?” Her weak smile made his heart do a somersault.
He chuckled, covering up what must have been an awkward moment for him. “Let’s just say, I no longer believe in love. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want a family of my own. I want a wife and kids who’ll look like me. So, I’ve decided, when I find a woman I am attracted to, I’ll marry her. No live-in relationship, no mushy feelings involved.”
“And what about the woman’s feelings? What if she loves you and expects your love in return?”
“Well, that’s the catch you see. I will marry a woman who shares my views, who doesn’t give a damn for love. Now, that’s a rare species let me tell you.”
The deep, cloudy eyes stared at him wide eyed, a dozen emotions scurrying across them. Jessica was captivated by his words. They were slowly forming into a more personal message for her. “What would you do when you find her, Steven?”
“Marry her of course,” he replied absently, before he understood the muted question. When it dawned upon him, a deep frown etched his features. “Jessica, you don’t mean yourself, do you?”
“I do,” she said quickly, raising her chin defensively, “And why not? I have decided never to fall in love again. And I know you find me attractive.”
“You are on the rebound,” he almost growled, “I don’t want a love-sick ninny on my hands!”
“But I’m not lovesick”, she argued, reducing the distance between them. “For a few days I was but not anymore. Do you think I would be out discussing business if I had been lovesick? I would probably have been curled up crying somewhere.”
Steven grew impatient, clenching his fists unconsciously, angry with himself. He had dreamt of her in his arms since the day he had set his eyes on her but he did not want her like this. Not with a broken heart! “You are fooling nobody but yourself, Jessica. Go home. Now!”
She winced as he almost shouted out the last word but stood her ground firmly. “I’ll be very frank with you, Steven. I need a husband to claim my inheritance. But I don’t want just anybody. I want someone who finds me as attractive as I find him. I wouldn’t be saying this if I wasn’t attracted to you, Steven.”
“I know.” He gave her a haggard look. “But you are not the kind to enter into a purely physical relationship either.”
“You don’t know that. I wasn’t the kind, but I can do it now.”
“Oh, yeah?” he challenged her, his eyes burning with rage. He finished the last few steps between them to seize her shoulders in a rough grip. “You think you are ready for it, huh? Then prove it! Prove yourself by making love with me right here, right now!”
For a moment her wide eyes stared at him, shaken by his anger. Then before he could comprehend her next action, she moved into his arms. Her arms slid up to entwine around his neck and she pulled his face to hers, murmuring just before her lips covered his, “Tell me if I’m faking, Steven.”
His lips parted in surprise and she slipped her tongue through them, deepening the kiss expertly. She could feel the tension in his rigid body and she molded herself more closely, pressing her hips towards him. She felt desire surge through him sending her senses reeling in a relentless spin.
A silent curse escaped his lips and his arms came about her, crushing her even as he returned her kiss with increasing intensity. His tongue flirted with hers, drawing the sweet nectar of her mouth. Time seemed to stand still as Steven plundered Jessica’s sweet mouth. He was lost in the taste of her, the feel of her lush, soft body in his arms. He wanted all of her at once; her lips, her sighs, her moans, her breath! He wanted to be buried deep within her and claim her as his own. The thought was so primitive that he groaned out aloud, holding her hips to firmly give her evidence of his consuming desire for her.
Jessica’s legs almost gave away before Steven backed her against the wall, running a hand across one of her thighs to lift it against his waist so that he could settle more perfectly between her legs. Her moan was almost his undoing. His mouth left her lips to glide over her smooth jaw line and found the throbbing pulse at the hollow of her neck. She arched back drugged by his overpowering magnetism. Her palms spread against the heated material of his jacket feeling the hard contours of his muscled chest. One of his hands reached under the silk jacket and spread against the fullness of her breasts. Her jacket fell aside even as she felt his frenzied fingers on the buttons of her soft blouse. His fingers fumbled and abruptly, he came to his senses.
“Hell!” he cursed, wrenching away from her. She swayed dangerously and he put out a hand to steady her. He watched her accusingly while trying to bring his own ragged breath under control. When he was sure, he was in control of himself, he reached out to close one of the buttons of her blouse that he had managed to open. Then he retrieved her jacket from the floor and helped her put it on.
When she faced him with her flushed face and looked at him expectantly, he shook his head laughing shakily. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a husband, Jessica. After that sample, I don’t care whether you were faking or not! All I know is that if I don’t have you soon enough, I’ll go crazy! But I want to be very sure of us, Jessica. I do not want any regrets later.” His hand reached out to caress her cheek gently. “Shall we hold the wedding next month and declare it the result of a whirlwind romance?”
After she had left the memory of her ravished, uncertain and yet excited face lingered before Steven. He knew he could have taken her right there on the couch but somehow it did not seem right. He wanted it to be a special moment for both of them. He especially wanted her to be sure of herself. If she were still moony over Adam Warring, he would know before their wedding.
***
Jeff and Cheryl were ecstatic. They had been worried about her after her break up with Adam and the sudden announcement of her engagement had come as a pleasant surprise. Even the children were excited. It was, as Mallory said, much to her mother’s embarrassment, Aunt Jessi’s final wedding and she wanted the most beautiful dress in the entire world. She was also very happy that Aunt Jessi was marrying Uncle Steven who was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
Jessica couldn’t disagree with her. He was certainly incredibly handsome and attractive. She had seen women falling over his mocking smile and self-assured charm and had felt oddly jealous. But she had brushed the dangerous emotion aside firmly. There was no need for unnecessary possessiveness in their relationship. It would only lead to complications.
Steven had wanted their engagement to be genuine. He gave her a ring that was much more beautiful and expensive than the one Adam had given and romanced her with a zest that both frightened and excited her. He wanted them to be seen everywhere together. They both were well known people in society circles and the elusive Steven Hart’s betrothal made sensational news for society columns. He posed charmingly for the cameras, often obliging them with a kiss on her lips or an intimate embrace. They would be seen together at parties holding hands almost constantly, displaying their love for the world to see. There we
re the cynics of course who declared the Hart-Cantrell affair a façade; the real motive being ‘money’, but the romantics outvoted them.
Chapter Nine
Jake Wallace looked his dashing best. He dressed with care because he knew his efforts were about to pay off. So many years had gone by but he still had some hope left. Jessica had thought she was rid of him but she was mistaken.
He had waited for the right time to strike and now he knew it had come. She was soon going to be richer than he could ever imagine and he would be dumb if he didn’t stake a claim now. Five mil was a good figure and he was sure a rich man like Steven Hart would part with it easily if he didn’t want his wife’s horny pictures all over the web.
But for now Jake had to be patient. Jessica wasn’t married to Hart yet. He would wait till they were and then strike. He didn’t want Hart running in the opposite direction when he showed him Jessica’s nude pics.
***
The charade of her engagement to Steven, took its toll on Jessica draining her both physically and emotionally. Steven wanted them to be seen together at every party in the city and when they were not attending one, he wanted a dinner just for them. Physically she could not keep up with the late nights and emotionally she found herself being drawn inexplicably to Steven. His kisses, his embraces, his mere touch sent vibes to her brain telling her to give in to desire. But Steven kept his distance. She had moved back into her apartment but when he left her there after their usual night out, he would leave without even kissing her goodnight. He would stay in the corridor until he heard her put the safety latch and then stride away as though in a great hurry. He never asked to come inside nor did he ever try to seduce her elsewhere.