by Debra Webb
Maybe he was more gallant than he’d given himself credit. An inner voice railed at that suggestion. Okay, more likely he was simply scared to death of where making love with her would lead. She was an assignment…his job…he had to remember that.
But he could give her a taste of what she’d been missing. Give her the distraction she longed for. He could be her first in one way.
“I know you want to,” she murmured, that expectant gaze searching his.
He touched her cheek with his fingertips, watched the flare of desire in her eyes. Felt that same heat flow through his veins. “I can’t deny that.” He leaned down and kissed that soft cheek. “You may be the boss, but we’re going to do this my way.”
Before she could argue, his mouth claimed hers. He kissed her until they were both breathless, then he led her to the bed. After ushering her down onto the edge, he knelt in front of her. Need and desire pumping through him, he removed the camisole. His breath caught at the modest beauty of her small, firm breasts. Slowly, thoroughly, he laved her sweet flesh with his mouth. He kissed, licked and suckled until she trembled and cried out his name. Then, using one hand splayed over her chest, he pressed her down onto the bed. Scarcely breathing in an attempt to slow the want clamoring for his attention, he dragged the silky panties down her long, toned legs and then off those delicate ankles. He spread her thighs and kissed her intimately. Her fingers fisted in the elegant bed linens as her body arched like a bow. His heart raced with the need he continued to deny and he plunged toward release though only his mouth and hands touched her sweet body. But that was all it took. The feel of her porcelain-smooth skin…the smell and taste of her dewy softness.
Shaking with the intensity of his own desire, he took his time, tasting, touching, teasing until she slipped over the edge, falling headlong into her first-ever sexual release. And it was her first. The surprise and awe was in every sound she uttered, every move she made as she went rigid, then boneless with satiation.
She reached for him. Took his face in her hands and pulled his mouth to hers. She kissed him, surprised all over again and then reveling in the taste of her own sensuality. He hovered just above her, every muscle taut with the effort of keeping his body an inch or so apart from hers. Suddenly her legs encircled his waist and she drew him intimately against her. Her feminine heat seared through his silk boxers. He groaned with the pleasure of it. She echoed the same.
To his startled amazement he did something he hadn’t done since junior high—he came in his shorts.
EDDI STOOD BEFORE THE full-length mirror in her room. She had to admit, she looked pretty darn good in the dress Doug had helped her select for tonight’s gala event. The royal blue went well with her coloring and the sheath fit like a glove. The material was sleek and smooth, not too flashy, but not too demure either. The matching heels were the lower ones she preferred.
The diamond studs that dazzled from her earlobes were especially precious to her. Her grandmother Solange had said that she’d received them as a gift as a young girl from her father and insisted that Eddi have them now. The elegant but understated corsage she wore on her wrist was from Doug. She’d made the mistake of mentioning that she’d never been to anything like this. The closest thing had been her high-school prom and she hadn’t gotten anything from her date except a wrestling match when he’d copped a feel. Being the terrific guy he was, Doug had gone all out to make this night special, including the corsage.
But nothing about tonight would compare to last night. She looked at herself again. Though technically she was still a virgin, she felt different now. She felt more like a woman. Doug had definitely awakened the woman in her and she hungered desperately for the opportunity to return the favor, in a manner of speaking. If the preview was any indication of how mind-blowing the main event was, she couldn’t wait to take the next step.
Her heart skipped a beat or two each time she thought of him. She knew she had fallen head over heels for the guy and he’d tried a dozen ways to slow her descent. That just made her love him all the more. But last night, when he’d selflessly brought her the single most pleasurable moment in her life, she had known that men like Douglas Cooper only came along once in a lifetime. He was a true gentleman, a trusted friend, and would be a skilled lover. He’d certainly made her a happy woman with just his hands and that awesome mouth.
She moistened her lips and decided, whether he was willing or not, she intended to give tit for tat the first chance she got. Like maybe tonight after the party was over. She shivered at the prospect.
A light rap on the door jerked her from her lust-arousing scheming. With one last check of the French twist she’d managed to wrangle her hair into, she hurried to the door.
Something in her chest shifted the moment her gaze collided with Doug’s.
He smiled and she melted completely. “You look wonderful.”
She managed a nod. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” Actually, he looked incredible as usual. The cut of the tailored suit was enough to make her salivate. But the truly sexy part was that he was so at ease with himself. If the man possessed one arrogant bone, she hadn’t found it.
“Why, thank you, Miss Harper.” His gaze swept over her again. “Shall we?” He offered his arm.
As she curled her arm around his, Eddi considered that she’d thought long and hard about Douglas Cooper and had decided that he was a self-made man. He’d worked hard to accomplish what he had achieved. He was like her…sort of. A small part of her couldn’t help hoping that somehow they could pursue this attraction that sizzled between them. But he’d go back to Chicago as soon as her grandmother deemed there was no threat to the newly found D’Martine heir. Just another reason Eddi had to find some way to make herself memorable to the guy. Even after he’d gone back home to Chicago, she wanted him to think about her day and night…until he just had to come back.
Midway down the staircase, she paused and took a moment to admire the enormous painting of the D’Martine family. She wondered if she would ever know the kind of love and commitment her grandmother and grandfather had known. The same kind her mom and dad had shared. She looked at her biological father and wished that she could have known him if only briefly. Then she almost laughed out loud at herself. She was getting all mushy here. Something she never did. She glanced up at Doug. It was his fault, she was certain.
“You’re one of them,” Doug said and nodded to the portrait. “But you’re also the same woman who wore overalls and carried a toolbox that I first met. Don’t ever forget that, Eddi. You’re still you and there was never anything wrong with that.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being you.”
Before he could say anything else, she tugged him toward the foyer where guests were already arriving. This was her big night and she needed Doug right beside her.
THE EVENT PROCEEDED without incident. Doug felt immensely grateful for that. Though there had been no indication whatsoever that Eddi was in any danger, he couldn’t shake the nagging little worry that hovered at the back of his mind. The feeling had gotten stronger in the last twenty-four hours. He waffled with the idea that it had more to do with their almost sex last night than anything else, but he wasn’t sure.
Not completely.
The only thing he was certain about was that he was helpless on too many levels where Eddi was concerned. She made him ache to finish the job he’d started last night. But he refused to go there. He would not allow things to progress that far. He’d tossed and turned in bed last night and told himself over and over it was to protect her…to allow her to share that once-in-a-lifetime moment with her future mate. But that wasn’t entirely true. It was to protect him as well. He was certain he would never be able to walk away with his heart intact if he made love to her…really made love to her. So, once again he had to admit that he wasn’t quite as honorable as he wanted her to think. He was simply afraid.
It wasn’t that he feared commitment, or love. She didn’t know
who he really was and to pursue a relationship without clearing that up would be wrong. And he definitely feared revealing his true identity. He’d worked too hard to separate himself from that life. He could trust Eddi to keep his secret, that was a given. But would she forgive him for keeping it in the first place? Especially after last night?
He couldn’t focus on that and do his job and right now Eddi’s safety was far more important than anything else. When the time was right he would tell her everything and then they could go from there. Assuming she was still interested.
The CEO, members of the board of directors and the other prominent guests had graciously welcomed Eddi into their midst. She—Doug smiled as he watched her—had pulled off the whole refined-elegance act without a glitch. She wanted to give him credit for making it happen, but that wasn’t the case. Eddi was naturally gracious and beautiful. What little he’d taught her would have been nothing without her innate charm.
Thurston had showered Eddi with attention all evening. Something about the man made Doug suspect. The attorney had been on the D’Martine payroll for more than thirty years and that had to account for something. But still…
There was just something about him that didn’t sit right with Doug. He was certain that Thurston had secretly spoken negatively regarding Eddi to the board members. It had been fairly obvious the day they’d first gathered to meet the new heir to the D’Martine empire. But Thurston had managed to wiggle out of the hot seat.
But Doug would be watching him.
Very carefully.
“Madam.”
Eddi looked up from her conversation with one of her grandmother’s hoity-toity friends and was relieved to see James. “Excuse me, Mrs. Deermont,” she said sweetly and then quickly ushered the butler out of earshot of the woman. “Thank God you came along, James. I thought the woman was going to talk my ear off.”
James smiled that kindly expression that made Eddi feel a special connection with him. He knew just how she felt. He didn’t have to say so, she could tell. He’d been extra nice to her from the beginning.
“Madam, there’s someone here who would like to speak with you privately. She says it’s of the utmost importance.”
A frown tightened Eddi’s forehead. “Do I know her?”
“I don’t think so, madam,” James said thoughtfully. “She is a reporter from the Boston Telegraph.” He leaned slightly nearer. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
Eddi nodded. “Point her out to me and I’ll talk to her, but I won’t leave the room.”
James inclined his head toward a well-dressed young woman lingering near the double doors leading from the room. “Good idea, madam.”
“And, James.” Eddi stalled him when he would have went about his business. “Stop calling me madam.”
“As you wish, madam.”
Eddi had to stifle a laugh. James was too much. Firming her resolve, Eddi cantered over to the door and said, “Hello, I’m Eddi Harper.”
Anticipation lit in the other woman’s eyes. “Oh, yes, Miss Harper, I’m so glad you’ve agreed to speak with me. I’m Kathi Gaines from the Boston Telegraph.” She grabbed Eddi’s hand and shook it enthusiastically. “This is really a big story.”
Eddi drew her hand back as soon as the woman released it. “We’ll need to talk right here,” she advised. “What would you like to know? I think the press release pretty much covered everything.”
“Oh, no, Miss Harper,” Kathi rushed to explain. “This isn’t about you. It’s about the gentleman you were seen with last night at the Atlantic Connection. The one who escorted you tonight.”
“Doug?” Eddi’s frown deepened.
The other woman nodded. “He dropped out of the social scene about five years ago. Everyone on the planet has been dying to know what happened to him.”
Eddi just didn’t get it. “Doug Cooper? You’re sure we’re talking about the same man?”
“Cooper-Smith,” the woman corrected knowingly. “Douglas Cooper-Smith. Of the Boston Cooper-Smiths. The last American royal family. That’s what they’ve been called for years. Surely you’ve heard of them.”
The woman’s tone had turned downright condescending. Numbly, Eddi shook her head. “No,” she admitted. “I’ve never heard of them.”
Kathi Gaines laughed at her and Eddi felt like the fool she obviously was.
“Well, let me tell you, honey, your friend Doug is probably the most eligible bachelor in the world. His family is definitely the richest and he’s the only one left of the clan who isn’t married. For five years no one in his family would say a word about his whereabouts.” She lifted her palms upward in disbelief. “And what do you know? I get sent here to uncover the scoop on you and I find him.” She gave Eddi one of those woman-to-woman looks that was generally reserved for close friends. “This story is going to make my career.”
The woman asked a dozen questions before she realized that Eddi wasn’t going to respond. She couldn’t speak…couldn’t move. She felt paralyzed by the reality of her own stupidity. It wasn’t until Doug’s gaze collided with hers that Eddi experienced the overwhelming urge to run. He read her distress and started in her direction.
As Eddi darted toward the door she heard Kathi Gaines call out to Doug, “Mr. Cooper-Smith, where have you been all this time? The world is waiting!”
Eddi had raced down the foyer and out the front door before Doug caught up with her.
“Wait! Let me explain.” He had her by the arm and turned around before she could escape down the steps.
“I don’t want to talk to you.” Tears brimmed behind her lashes. He’d lied to her. Told her he knew just how she felt. Pretended to sympathize with her completely and all along he’d been one of them.
“Please, Eddi,” he pleaded. He looked so sincere, so caring. But she’d seen those emotions before and still he’d deceived her.
She shook her head. There was a terrible pain in her chest, one she’d never suffered before. “I trusted you,” she choked out.
His fingers tightened on her forearms. “I didn’t want you to find out like this, but the right time just didn’t come along. You have to believe that I wasn’t trying to hurt you or deceive you. I just—”
She looked square into those blue eyes of his and saw the pain, knew he was telling the truth, but her own hurt was too consuming at the moment for her to think rationally. “You let me make a fool of myself.” Her voice warbled and she tried desperately to get a hold on her emotions so she could say the rest. “I thought…” She couldn’t do it. Couldn’t tell him how far she’d fallen for a man who wasn’t who he said he was…wasn’t what he pretended to be. He’d played a role—the one required by his job. That realization stabbed deep into her heart.
“I was wrong. I should have told you. But at first…” He exhaled a mighty breath. “It didn’t matter. This was an assignment. It wasn’t personal. There was no reason to tell you. But then—”
Fury whipped through her. She didn’t want to hear him say how he’d grown attached to her in a “friendly” sort of way. “Forget it, Doug. I don’t want to hear it. I was a fool, okay? You didn’t screw up. I did.”
She tried to wrench free of his hold but he was too strong for her. “We’re going back inside, Eddi,” he told her firmly. “I know there’s more that needs to be said, but right now keeping you safe is my top priority.”
“Fine.” She jerked at his hold and this time he released her. He followed her inside, but she refused to even glance back at him.
When Eddi had rejoined the party she couldn’t help one damn backward glimpse. Doug and Ms. Gaines were in heated discussion. Eddi swiped at a tear that escaped her brutal hold. Everything she’d thought she knew about Doug was wrong. She didn’t even know him at all.
“Madam.”
Eddi looked up to find James once more at her side. “If you don’t stop calling me madam, I swear I’m going to scream,” she muttered in exasperation.
“Sorry, ma—M
iss Harper.” He made a small sound in his throat, as if it went against his nature to call her anything but madam. “There’s a call for you. You may take it in the library.”
A new kind of emotion soared. Maybe it was her mom or dad. God, how she’d love to hear their voices right now. “Thanks, James.”
When Eddi left the room, Doug ended his conversation with the reporter and followed. Eddi didn’t so much as acknowledge his presence. When he’d checked the library and stood waiting near the door for her to do whatever it was she came there to do, she shot him a withering look and commanded, “Wait outside and close the door. This conversation—” she pointed to the phone “—is private.”
Doug obliged, but he definitely didn’t like it.
Too bad, she mused.
When the doors were closed behind him, she snatched up the receiver and said a hollow hello.
“Eddi, is that you, dear? Your momma told us about the big gala tonight. How’s it going? We’re all rooting for you!”
Irene. Though it wasn’t her parents, Eddi felt immensely relieved to hear the familiar voice. “Yes, ma’am, it’s me. Everything’s…just fine.” Renewed tears rushed to fill her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
The voice on the other end of the line had gone on alert. Ms. Irene had always been able to tell the instant anything wasn’t as it should be. Eddi was certain she must be psychic. Case in point, calling at this precise moment.
“It’s Doug,” Eddi admitted, the tears she’d been holding back breaking loose now. “We…he’s not who I thought he was.”
A sharply indrawn breath echoed on the other end of the line. “Are you all right, dear?”
Eddi shook her head then realized Irene, of course, couldn’t see her. “No. I think I’m in love with him.” Oh, Lord, what an idiot she was. “And I don’t even know him.”
“You just stay calm, young lady. We’ll take care of everything.”
A succinct click told Eddi that Irene had ended the call. She stared for a moment at the receiver trying to comprehend what that last statement meant. And then she knew.