Estate Affair

by Sara Orwig

“Eli’s too busy making wine,” Jillian said with a smile.

  “I’ve noticed, but he must be very good at what he does.”

  “He is,” Jillian agreed. “Especially if everyone does things his way,” she added, and Lara smiled.

  “I heard my name,” Eli said, returning his attention to Lara and looking around her at his sister.

  “It was complimentary,” Lara said, smiling at him.

  “I doubt that, if Jillie’s involved,” he teased, and Jillian wrinkled her nose at him.

  While they ate, the sun went down and lights came on across the patio. Lara enjoyed the group at their table and the easy banter among Eli, his sister and brother-in-law.

  Later, after dinner, Eli took Lara’s hand. “Come upstairs. I want you to see where I live.”

  She walked at his side, aware of his hand holding hers and their arms brushing. The intimacy of seeing where he lived worried her. It would make saying goodbye even harder. She thought of starting law school in the fall, reminding herself that she needed to keep from getting more entangled with Eli. Once she started school, there would be no place for him in her life. Every moment spent with him now would make that goodbye more difficult. Yet how wonderful the night had been! His family was delightful and friendly. He had been relaxed and attentive, another side to him revealed.

  The sounds of music, laughter, people talking and the clink of glasses faded as they entered the empty house, going through the family room decorated in shades of green with comfy sofas and lots of family photos.

  “This room looks cozy,” Lara said.

  “It is, and the family spends a lot of time in here. We used to spend more time here when we were kids. Now everyone is getting scattered. Jillian and Cole are married and have moved out. Mercedes has her own place. Mason is studying in France. I’m upstairs at one end of the house, and Mom and Dad are downstairs at the other end.”

  They passed through the covered lanai before entering the formal living room. It was cheerfully decorated and held many antiques.

  “Your mother is a wonderful decorator,” Lara said.

  “It’s her magic touch,” Eli said, sounding pleased as he held Lara’s hand.

  Passing through the gallery, they took curving stairs to the second floor where Eli showed her the sitting room and theater with a huge projection screen. More family photos adorned the main hall on the second floor, and she paused to look at them, looking at pictures of Eli when he was a child.

  “You have a great family,” she said.

  “I agree with you,” he answered. “Now come see where I live.” Eli led her to his suite that was decorated in bright blues and greens, giving it a cheerful air that didn’t fit the man who resided there.

  “This is great, Eli! It’s attractive and masculine. Did your mother do this room?”

  “Actually, I picked out some of this, but I took Jillian with me,” he said, closing the door behind them. “Here’s the kitchenette,” he said. Lara stepped into a small room decorated in more festive blues and greens with antique ash cabinets.

  “Come see my bedroom,” he said, and she glanced at him sharply, but he merely took her hand and led her into a spacious bedroom with a four-poster king-size bed, an ornately carved writing desk and an entertainment center. One wall was lined with shelves, and when she strolled over to look at his books, she saw most of them were on growing grapes or wine production. There were novels, a sizable section of books about France and a few children’s books. She touched the spine of a familiar book.

  “That was mine when I was a boy,” he said from behind her, his breath fanning her ear. He turned her to face him, and the look in his eyes set her heart fluttering.

  When he drew her to him, Lara put her hands against his chest to stop him. “Eli, you’ll wrinkle my blouse and I’m not returning to your family’s party all rumpled.”

  As she talked, he leaned down to kiss her throat and she felt his fingers deftly unfastening her buttons. “We can take care of that,” he whispered.

  She pushed again, yet closed her eyes with the onslaught of seductive sensations caused by his feathery kisses. “Eli, we’re at a family party. Anyone could come in—”

  “Not to my suite. No one will come in, and besides, they’re all outside partying. We could be on the moon,” he whispered, showering kisses along her throat. He slipped her blouse off and tossed it onto a chair. Pulling her into his arms, he covered her mouth with his and closed his strong arms around her. His tongue explored, tasting, stirring a storm in her. His kiss was deeply possessive, demanding her response. It seduced her, driving all logic and will away. Her heart pounded while she clung to him and responded in kind.

  He kissed her as if she were the only woman he had ever known. Moaning softly, ablaze, she thrust her hips against his. She was lost in the storm his kisses created. Passion burned away her logic.

  Trembling with longing, she ran her hands down his back and then up over his thick shoulders.

  His hand cupped her breast, and through her lacy bra she felt his thumb circle her nipple. Felt it tauten, tingle. She gasped with pleasure, closing her eyes and tightening her arm around his neck. Then his fingers slid to the clasp of her bra. With a flick he unfastened it and shoved away the filmy lace.

  Both of his large hands cupped her breasts. His fingers were rough and callused, and the contact was erotic. He stroked her nipples before leaning to use his mouth. His tongue traced one nipple and then he bit it lightly. She cried out with pleasure and wound her fingers through his hair.

  “Eli,” she whispered, clinging to him, on fire now from his kisses and caresses. She was caught in a flood of longing.

  A storm of need shook her. She no longer cared what his family might think they were doing. All she knew was Eli was loving her, and she wanted him intensely.

  “You’re gorgeous, Lara,” he whispered as he laved kisses on first one breast and then another. Her pulse roared and, dimly, she knew his hands were on the zipper of her slacks. Desire was a driving force and all the protective barriers she had wrapped around her were ripped away by the onslaught of his caresses and kisses.

  “Eli,” she whispered. He nipped at her shoulder and then trailed his tongue to her breast again.

  Her slacks fell around her ankles and then his hand was in her panties, caressing her intimately, finding her soft folds and secret places.

  Her hands slid over his chest and she discovered he was bare-chested. She didn’t know when he had tossed away his shirt. She tangled her fingers in his chest hair. His fingers built her need. Her caution blew away like leaves in a storm as she clutched his upper arms. Her hips thrust frantically while she sought release. Pressure built, and then she crashed over a brink, hot waves of desire rocking her.

  “Eli!” she gasped. She held him tightly while her heartbeat slowed. “We have to stop.”

  “All right, Lara,” he whispered, showering kisses on her face. “I want to love you for hours,” he whispered, his tongue tracing the curve of her ear.

  She pushed away, bending down to yank up her slacks. With shaking fingers she fastened her slacks and then looked up to find him watching her while he pulled on his shirt and buttoned it. His thick rod pushed against his slacks, his arousal obvious.

  “Stop looking at me,” she exclaimed, his hungry gaze making her want to walk right back into his embrace.

  “You’re gorgeous,” he said in a raspy voice, “and I could look at you forever.”

  Aware of his gaze on her that kept her pulse drumming, Lara yanked up her bra to put it on. When he reached out to caress her breast, she drew a sharp breath. “Eli, you have to stop. I can’t get emotionally involved with anyone. You don’t want to, either.”

  “It’s physical, Lara, and I like being with you.”

  She shot him a look, wondering if all he wanted was sex. She dressed swiftly. She crossed the bedroom to a cheval mirror and tried to comb her hair with her fingers. He walked up to stand behind her and hand
ed her a comb. “Here’s a comb. This may be easier than using your hand.”

  Wordlessly, she took the comb to fix her hair, thankful she hadn’t pinned it up tonight because she would never have gotten it back in place without her hairbrush. He brushed a kiss across her nape.

  “Eli,” she said solemnly. “We have to get some distance between us.”

  His hooded eyes regarded her, and she wondered if he knew that her pulse was pounding. He merely nodded as if he had no intention of pursuing her or seducing her.

  “Stop worrying. You look just like you did when we left the party. They expect me to show you my suite and the house.” He took her hand. “Come sit down and let’s just talk. I’ve had enough socializing with my family and the neighbors.

  Before they left the bedroom, he tugged on her hand. “Lara, hold on. I have something I want to get,” he said, and crossed the room to open a drawer. He returned and held out a box wrapped in rose paper and tied with a silk rose ribbon.

  Startled, she looked up at him when he held it out to her.

  “Go ahead. I want you to have it.”

  She took the box and carefully opened it.

  He chuckled. “You can tear the paper. This is going to take all night.”

  She pushed away the shiny rose paper and lifted a lid on a small box. Nestled inside against blue velvet was a gold filigree necklace.

  “Eli, it’s gorgeous,” she said.

  He lifted it out and looked at her. “Can I put it on you?”

  “Of course. It’s so beautiful! Thank you, but you shouldn’t have.”

  “None of that,” he said. “Turn around.” As he fastened the necklace, he brushed kisses across her nape, creating tingles. She looked down at the necklace and turned to slide her arms around his neck.

  “It’s so pretty. It’s an antique, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. I asked Mom if—”

  “Eli! I can’t take your mother’s necklace,” she exclaimed, aghast.

  “Shh. I asked her if she had one that she didn’t wear and I told her you collect antique jewelry. She was happy to let me have it. Believe me, Lara. She doesn’t wear it and she was glad to pass it on. It was my grandmother’s.”

  “Eli, you can’t do this. Someday you’ll get married and your wife should have it.”

  “She might hate antique jewelry. I want you to have it. End of conversation.”

  She stared at him a moment and then put her arms around his neck again to kiss him.

  He held her tightly, returning her kiss, until she pushed against him. “Eli, if we don’t stop, we’ll be back where we were just minutes ago.”

  “And that would be bad?” he asked with an arch in one dark eyebrow. Before she could answer him he took her hand in his again. “Let’s get something to drink and talk awhile.”

  He took her hand to go to his kitchenette. “I have pop, grape juice, wine, iced tea,” he said, dropping her hand and looking in his refrigerator.

  “Iced tea, please,” she said.

  In minutes they were seated close together on the sofa in his living room, their drinks on a coffee table in front of them. Eli faced her and played with her hair with one hand while he had his other hand on her knee. “I’m glad you came to the party tonight.”

  “And I’m glad to meet your friendly family. They’ve been wonderful.”

  “I’m proud of them. We’ve come a long way since Spencer left us. I wish I didn’t have one drop of his blood in my veins,” Eli said, and a muscle worked in his jaw.

  “You shouldn’t let old animosities destroy your happiness,” Lara said, touching his cheek with her hand and then sliding her fingers to his nape. She wound her fingers in the short strands of his hair above the back of his neck.

  Eli ran his hand across his forehead and looked as if he was gazing off in the distance. “I guess all my life I wanted Spencer to acknowledge us and what we accomplished. I saw him twice at wine tastings. He just looked through me like he didn’t see me and went on his way.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, hurting for Eli. She ran her fingers over his hand that rested on her knee.

  “I guess there’s that eight-year-old-kid still in me that wanted some kind of recognition from him,” Eli said. “Damn him, anyway.”

  “Let it go, Eli. Spencer isn’t worth agonizing over. I don’t know who the killer was, but I’m glad Spencer is gone.”

  Eli’s gaze swung to her and his eyes narrowed. “What did he do to you? I can just imagine—you’re beautiful, Lara. That bastard tried to seduce you, didn’t he?”

  Eight

  “I think he tried to seduce every female under forty who looked even remotely appealing. He threatened to fire my mother if I didn’t cooperate with him,” Lara said with distaste.

  “Damn! You—”

  “I didn’t give in to him. But he threatened often enough, and it was just another reason to hate the man.” She shivered. “He was a beast.”

  “The killer probably had a lot of reasons for pulling the trigger,” Eli said.

  “The first suspect was Charlotte because she found his body, but thank goodness she has an alibi—she was with Alexandre Dupree. Even so, Alexandre was going to take her to France, and now they can’t go. The police won’t let her leave the country.”

  “It’s a good thing a lot of us have alibis,” Eli said, brushing his fingers back and forth on Lara’s nape. She inhaled deeply, tingling from his caresses, wondering if he was even aware of what he was doing or if he noticed her fingers tangled in his hair. “I’m known for my temper—which I inherited from him, I’ll have to admit. I told you that I was with one of our workers and I’m glad I have an alibi because people know the animosity I felt for Spencer.”

  “The detectives questioned everyone at the estate. Several of us on the staff were playing cards,” Lara said. “I’m thankful I have an alibi because I don’t think it would be wise to have it come out how much I disliked Spencer,” she said.

  “I want to see if we can break Spencer’s will,” Eli revealed bluntly. “My family disagrees with me.”

  “I’ve heard rumors since the reading of the will. Rumors about all the Ashtons constantly fly through the staff. Of course, you may have a legitimate cause,” she said. Lara thought about the Ashtons and how shocked they would be if Eli and his family did contest the will.

  “You look worried,” he said, one dark eyebrow climbing, and she heard the bitterness creep back into his voice.

  “People continually disappoint you, don’t they, Eli?” she asked, knowing he was hurting and indignant over Spencer’s will.

  “I suppose your sympathies lie with the other Ashtons.”

  “I was just thinking how it will rock their world if the will is contested. And it’ll come in a year when they have had one scandal after another hit them.”

  “Thanks to Spencer,” Eli snapped.

  “That’s true, but Megan and Paige and the others were as innocent as your family.”

  He inhaled and looked away, and his fingers stilled in her hair. “Walker Ashton shouldn’t inherit my grandfather’s stock,” Eli insisted, his voice laced with anger.

  Lara hurt for Eli and placed her hand against his cheek. His gaze returned to hers and he turned his head to kiss her palm. His hand covered hers and held her palm to his lips while his tongue traced a circle in the center of her hand. As tingles radiated from his kiss, she forgot families and wills. All Lara wanted was to be in his arms again. And she saw the same desire in the depths of his eyes.

  “Lara,” he sighed, pulling her onto his lap to cradle her against his shoulder and kiss her deeply. Lara wound an arm around his neck to return his kisses. Once again she was caught in the dizzying spiral of his kisses. Desire escalated, threatening to shatter the control she had fought to keep.

  Finally she pushed away from him and stood. “Oh, Eli. I’m wrinkled.”

  “Your blouse has a few wrinkles. It’s night. No one will notice.”

  �
�Of course they’ll notice. Your patio has lights. We should join the others.”

  Standing, he framed her face with his hands. “I want you, Lara. I want you in my arms. I want you in my life.”

  “We both got carried away that one night. It mustn’t happen again.”

  His eyelids drooped and fires danced in the depths of his eyes. His arm tightened around her waist and he leaned forward, pulling her against his chest. His mouth came down on hers hard and his tongue went into her mouth, kissing her possessively, melting her opposition. He kissed her until she wound her arms around his neck and returned his kisses.

  He swung her up. Bemused, she opened her eyes to look up at him, and she knew how thoroughly he had proved his point that he would get his way.

  She shook her head. “Doesn’t matter what you do tonight. I’m not going to be seduced. And I should go. It’s late and I don’t want to go down and find everyone except your family has gone. Worse, I don’t want to come out of your suite as your family is coming inside to go to bed.”

  “Mom and Dad have rooms at the other end of the house on the ground floor. No one else is around. Mason’s room is the closest and he’s in France.”

  “Let’s go, Eli,” she insisted, and he draped his arm across her shoulders.

  “Whatever you want,” he said.

  The party was still going when they went downstairs, but a few guests were beginning to leave. After another half hour, Lara told Eli that she should go, so they said goodbye to everyone and she thanked his mother and father for the evening.

  As they left the lights and the party, Eli drew her to his side.

  He gave her a crooked smile. “My family liked you,” Eli said as they walked to his car.

  “Of course they did. You finally brought home a woman. And it sounds as if they like everybody.”

  “Oh, no. They would let me know if they didn’t like you. No one is fond of Craig Bradford, Mercedes’s on-again, off-again boyfriend. But then, I don’t think Mercedes is that fond of him, either. No, you’d know. They like you.”

  “It was a great party,” she said, wanting to get away from the discussion of his family liking her. She was returning to her plain life, and she didn’t want to dwell too much on the evening.