But it really hit home early one afternoon when she thought she was coming down with the ‘flu, and went home early. She had walked into their bedroom to see Louis and this young woman – a student, surely – wrapped around each other, heaving and groaning like the proverbial two-headed serpent. Yes, that had really made the scales fall from her eyes. Not only was this their bedroom, not only was the girl very young, supple and beautiful, but Anna could never remember Louis bringing the same sort of intensity and passion to making love to her that he had brought to this sweet young thing.
She’d lost it, there and then. The aching muscles and feverish feeling gave way to a burning fever of rage. She marched over to the bed and poured the extra-large coffee she’d brought with her from the deli downstairs, all over them. And then she screamed “Get out! Get out!” while beating the two of them with her handbag.
Hardly a grown-up, dignified way to behave, even under those circumstances.
That was what Louis had said, his voice dripping ice, anger and contempt, after his little playmate had scurried tearfully into the bathroom clutching her clothes pathetically around her scrawny little body.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass,” Anna had shouted in reply. “I want you and that miserable little slut you brought home out of my apartment – Now! And don’t you…Dare! Ever! Come! Back!”
And he’d left, without argument, apology or regret, returning stealthily a few days later when Anna was at work, to pack his things. He’d taken everything, including many of Anna’s CDs, every gift she’d given him plus the fewer gifts he’d given her, and the hamster they’d bought together. She thought of suing for custody of the hamster – she really loved Hammy – but instead had sat staring at the spot on the dresser where the cage had sat, and cried for an hour.
And when that storm was over, she’d gone to the now empty desk in the now empty study, and claimed it as her own.
“Earth to Anna? Are you still there, dear?”
Anna roused herself to see Alex staring at her with concern.
“I’m sorry – I guess I was just thinking about things.”
“Well, I hope you weren’t thinking about the interview this afternoon – unless you’re imagining that gorgeous hunk, Jed Walker.” Alex grinned impishly. “I wouldn’t mind interviewing him myself – I’d be willing to give him an exclusive!”
Anna felt her cheeks bloom pink at the innuendo. After all, she had given Jed an exclusive – almost. If she’d done more, maybe he wouldn’t have savaged her so much this afternoon. “You know, we really did spend the weekend together – it was a case of mistaken identity…” she stopped speaking as Alex’s jaw dropped open.
“Oh, I thought he was making that bit up – wow, aren’t you the hot little thing? Talk about still waters running deep! So, what was he like?”
“He..he was very polite,” Anna stammered.
Alex’s eyes widened and she began to laugh. “Polite? Is that all you can say…oh, excuse me.”
Saved by the bell, or rather the William Tell Overture. Alex’s cell phone had rung in the nick of time.
***
“Look at it this way, Anna – networking among the rich and famous is a better way to spend the evening than sitting around moping in your hotel room – or worse, in the airport waiting room when the flights are cancelled.”
Anna had to agree that her publicist was right. In fact, more than right. She was actually having fun, chatting to a lot of interesting and droll people she would never have met had her flight not been cancelled.
The William Tell overture had heralded a call from Felicity Freyer, of the Freyer family, rich enough to throw lavish musical evenings and dinner parties to raise money for the less fortunate. The result? The less fortunate got a handout and, at $500 a plate, the rich and famous got a terrific gourmet meal and an evening of feel-good.
So she circulated, at Alex’s prodding, on the grounds that the better known you are by the better known, the better known you become. “And then the better known you become, the better your books sell,” Alex had said, giving her a little push towards the glitterati who milled around in the residents-only great room of the hotel.
Her throat had been tight when she started to shyly chat with people who looked as though they might chat back, but a glass or two, or even four or so, of the excellent wine being handed around generously by white coated waiters soon resolved that problem. Anna was feeling quite the social butterfly by the time they were finally called in to dinner. Especially when two very handsome young men vied for the privilege of escorting her to her table to be seated.
Who needs that damned escort agency, anyway? She said under her breath, taking yet another fortifying sip of wine - And nearly choking as she saw who her dinner partner was to be.
Bob the Escort. Or Jed Walker, the Bastard.
“What are you doing here?” she blurted out.
“Probably the same thing you are doing – a bit of self-promo, a bit of networking, and a lot of drinking,” he replied, one laconic eyebrow raised.
“Well, I don’t want to sit next to a..a…a..person who is so rude and treats women so badly…”
He laughed outright at that. Anna wanted to slap him but she hadn’t drunk enough for that kind of courage.
“I’m known for treating women very well, in fact. I didn’t treat you badly. It was just an interview and probably put your sales figures up enormously. And as for rude – how would you describe your bed ‘em and shed ‘em behavior at the hotel the other night?” He grinned nastily, and Anna was sure he was enjoying her blushing and squirming. “But, of course, the ‘bed ‘em’ bit was missing, right? At least, for me…”
“Oh, don’t be such a big baby!” Anna started the sentence loudly to be heard above the general racket of conversation, but it finished in a deep well of silence that opened up as the waiters began to serve the food.
Her skin prickled and her face reddened as all eyes turned to her, with expressions that ranged from knowing grins to obvious disapproval. Ah, if only you knew the truth, she thought to herself as she noticed several conversations taking place behind hands that glittered with precious stones. Their hostess, Felicity, treated Anna to a look of such disgust that she cringed. I guess I won’t be on her next guest list. Her discomfort grew as Felicity gave Jed a sympathetic smile. The kind of smile old friends – or lovers – give when they want to demonstrate solidarity against a common enemy.
And Felicity had obviously recognized that Anna was common indeed – just a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who’d worked damned hard to become a sexpert. No wonder she’s disgusted.
Suddenly all the fame and glory of penning a best seller faded to ashes in her mouth. I didn’t even write the damned book. It was the editor’s work really. And the feeling of being a fraud that had dogged her all her life washed over Anna once again like a spilled glass of finely chilled champagne.
And the evening was downhill all the way from there.
CHAPTER TENAnna did her best to carry out Alex’s instructions to schmooze with the upper crust. She even enjoyed herself at times, despite being hyper aware of the presence of Jed circling the room as if he were stalking her.
She accepted invitations to dance from men in gorgeously cut suits, with fashionably cut hair and beautifully civilized manicures.
She liked one in particular; a classic tall, dark and handsome man who was CEO of a publishing company. She saw Alex giving her the thumbs up enthusiastically behind his back, and wondered just how much the publicist had been enjoying of the free wine and champagne. But Andrew James was interesting and he made her laugh out loud with his observations of the world in general and the folks around them in particular.
“You have a beautiful smile,” he told her. “You really should use it more often.” And then he twirled her around and dipped her over his arm, making her suddenly breathless. He grinned down at her, and she grinned back as she righted herself. “Why, Mr. James, you have a bit
of a wild streak, don’t you?”
“Only around beautiful women,” he replied. She knew he was flirting but her ego was definitely lapping it up.
Right until a familiar voice said: “Hey, James, mind if I cut in?”
Anna shivered with tension as Andrew and Jed glared at each other momentarily like rutting moose. She wanted to scream: No, no – I don’t want to dance with him! But wasn’t ready to embarrass herself that much. Besides, Andrew graciously stepped aside and Jed smoothly took his place. His arm went around her back, burning his imprint into her bare flesh, his other strong hand grasping hers as they began to move to the music.
“You seem to be having lots of fun – you’ve plenty of admirers.” It sounded like an accusation. Something about the way his eyes glittered made Anna shiver. It was obvious from his tone he wasn’t praising her social skills.
“You’re not exactly sitting alone and moping yourself,” she shot back. His eyes widened and he laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
He twirled her around and caught her back in his arms. “You are – you look so fierce for such a quiet little thing!”
“Don’t be so condescending. What’s with the quiet little thing, anyway? Not long ago you were accusing me of whoring around in order to sell a few books…”
“Is that how you interpreted what I was saying?” He looked puzzled.
“Hello, earth calling – whoever you are. Have you forgotten the interview you did where you accused me of researching my book between the sheets with goodness knows how many partners?”
He drew in a sharp breath. “Anna, I’m – well, I’m sorry. I misinterpreted a lot about you, and maybe I went overboard because I was angry…”
“Angry about the bed ’em and shed ’em attitude?” Anna almost choked on the words. How dare he! “I note that you had little difficulty hopping into my bed after knowing me for just a few hours! How moral does that make you?”
“You didn’t seem too reluctant yourself…”
Just then the band started up with a sinuous beat that sounded like jungle heat as Anna moved against Jed in his arms. His arms tightened around her as he, too, caught the sensuality of the moment.
“We got off to a bad start – maybe we could start over,” Jed said into her hair. But Anna was having none of it. She didn’t think she could handle the feelings and desires this man was stirring up in her. With a little sad smile, she pulled away from him and walked back to her table, leaving him standing staring after her, an odd expression on his handsome face. An expression not unlike the one she had seen when she left him in bed on that night that felt like only hours ago.
***
“You shouldn’t take it personally, you know,” Felicity said, slicing off a tiny, tiny piece of cheese to put on the single cracker on her plate. No wonder she’s so damned slim!
“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Anna said truthfully. In defiance, she loaded her plate with as many hors d’oeuvres as she could, and stuck an entire cracker & shrimp combo into her mouth. Felicity frowned, ever so slightly, her disgust at such uncouth behavior manifesting itself in the tiniest of lines between her eyes.
Crumbs fell and decorated the silky blue folds of Anna’s evening dress. A dress that had cost a king’s ransom to her but which looked cheap and tawdry beside Felicity’s designer original.
“Oh, I’m sure you do – Jed tells me you’re very upset about the interview he did with you today.”
“It wasn’t so much an interview as a revenge attack – my book is a serious attempt to research and discuss a very important social phenomenon.”
A tiny unpleasant smile danced around Felicity’s lips. “Ah, really. Come, my dear – we all know that sex sells books, and you’re to be forgiven for wanting to better yourself by using whatever means to that end. Jed said you’re from some little backwater town and you worked your way through university after local high school. You’re to be commended for your success.”
Anna ground her teeth at the patronizing tone of Felicity’s voice, but good manners and the sharp look Alex telegraphed across the still occupied tables that separated them, kept her from saying what she thought of all that condescension but Felicity’s next words left her shell-shocked.
“And don’t worry – he’ll get over whatever it was you did to him – he’s always got a dozen or so women hanging around, waiting for a chance to amuse him.” Felicity’s mouth turned up in a smile cold enough to reverse the melting of the Arctic ice sheets.
But Anna was surprised to see the green-eyed monster of jealousy blinking out of Felicity’s reptilian eyes. Did this poor woman carry a torch for Jed – a torch no amount of infidelity by the cruel Jed could extinguish?
“Perhaps we should start a club, Women Scorned By Jed Walker,” Anna offered.
At which, a look of pure rage flitted across Felicity’s face, quickly replaced by one of haughty disdain. “Oh, I don’t have to worry about Jed – once he gets it all out of his system, he’ll come back to me. He always does.” Felicity smiled, her gaze riveted on Anna. It wasn’t a nice smile.
“I wouldn’t hold your breath. I’d have thought he was getting a little long in the tooth for sowing wild oats.” Anna retorted as she turned to walk away, but Felicity grasped her wrist. Her manicured fingers dug in angrily, but anyone watching would never have guessed from her unruffled expression that she was furious.
“My dear, watching the interview and knowing Jed as I do, I’d have said there was some amazing chemistry between the two of you.”
Something like happiness surged through Anna, making her smile. “You would?” Chemistry? Attraction? Jed liked her? Wow!
“Most certainly. I’ve known Jed for a long, long time and I know the signals he gives out. So tell me.” Felicity moved closer, her voice low and confiding. “Exactly what did you do to make him hate you so?”
***
“Don’t they make a lovely couple?” Anna jumped at the voice so close to her ear she could feel the breath behind it. Whirling around, she looked up, way up; into the deep brown eyes of the handsome publisher she had been dancing with a few minutes earlier.
“Pardon me?” Her voice was squeaky with nerves.
“I’m so sorry – I didn’t mean to startle you! I just noticed you were staring at the King and Queen of Media – Jed Walker and Felicity Freyer. She owns a whole string of magazines – Artful Woman, Yours, Healthy & Happy, City Folks – you probably know them all.”
“Actually, no – I’ve been away from the city, from the country for that matter...” She looked again across the ritzy room, across acres of plush carpet and hardwood dance area where beautiful, designer clad couples swayed gracefully, to where Jed stood deep in conversation with their hostess. His head was tilted slightly to listen to her, a serious cast to his mouth showing how intently he drank in her every word. And she – well, she was gorgeous. Well-groomed in the way only the rich can be, with the confidence that she could achieve whatever her heart desired. And right then and there it was obvious that her heart desired the handsome man standing next to her.
No doubt about it, they did look perfect together.
Her chest ached – it must be the Chicken Korma she’d enjoyed earlier…
“Why do you call them that – the King & Queen of Media?” She had to ask, feeling foolish because the answer was so obvious. Jed and Felicity were so right together.
“They’ve known each other since they were children, went to the same parties and events, grew close in university – they know all the same people, and their families like each other. They’ve both played the field, but they always wind up together. It’s a match made in heaven.” Andrew James smiled. Anna immediately caught the ‘between the lines’ information he was signaling. All you’d be to Jed is a diversion, a dalliance in the spaces between Felicity. “Everyone has been expecting a grand announcement from them for years. They’ve both been busy with business and careers, though they’ve always ma
de time for each other. Perhaps now they’re getting ready to finally tie the knot.”
Both from privileged backgrounds, they knew the same people, grew up around the same Old Money Mansions and cottage retreats, the same tennis clubs and the same universities. What could she offer in the face of that? The little bungalow on a side street in a town that was more out of work than in; the foster home with the strict religious couple who’d done their best to turn her into a responsible citizen, who’d taught her the value of making do or mending, and hard work? The two menial jobs she’d worked to get herself through university?
It was simply too hard to stand there and watch the beautiful couple together. She didn’t want to examine why she felt that way about a man she barely knew (one night stands didn’t count) and who had shown such utter disrespect for her work. Feeling totally alone in the world, a world where everyone seemed to be having a great time, with no worries at all, their lives unfolding as they should, she decided it was time to leave. To skulk off back to her empty hotel room and pray to the Universe to stop the snow and get the airports open so she could escape tomorrow.
***
Jed had been watching her all evening, waiting his chance to get her alone. He didn’t know what had got into him, but it seemed every time he was near Anna Findlay and opened his mouth, he shoved his size 12 boot right into it.
Actually, it’s not true at all. You do know. Yes, you do. You’re disappointed, hugely.
He was very, very attracted to a woman whose obvious intelligence and beauty were everything he looked for in a mate. Yet this particular women was prepared to do anything to claw her way up into celebrity status – including stalking and picking up men who she thought could help her do that. And repaying them with sex. Mind blowing sex.
Yes, he was very disappointed in the truth about Ms. Findlay. She was a puzzle, one he intended to solve before he let her get away.
He couldn’t stay away from her, even as he observed her working the room with a ready, seductive smile for every man who approached her.
The No Sex Clause Page 7