When Olivia called everyone through to the dining room, Margaret was surprised when Albert came and took her arm.
“Since you’re the guest of honor tonight, you get to sit near me,” he said with a wink. “Besides, those women can’t monopolize you all night. I want to get to know you better, too.”
He seated Margaret to his right at the long table before taking his position at the head of the table. He was an amusing dinner companion, disclosing stories about Will when he was younger that brought the whole table roaring to laughter on several occasions. Will accepted the attention with good grace, however, he wasn’t above sharing a few stories of his own about his brothers and his father.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the family was very close-knit. Even Jane and Kelly were an integral part of the special weave that drew them all together. Margaret continued to play her part, smiling and laughing along with the rest of them, but deep down inside she ached to belong.
Later, when they retired to the sitting room for coffee and liqueurs, Will made a point of sitting on the arm of the chair she settled in. His arm lay lightly across the back of her shoulders and she allowed herself to lean into him. She told herself it was just for show, she was merely keeping up her end of the bargain and helping him to achieve the goal he sought so avidly. But she knew she was grasping at straws. Happy to get what she could, while she could, because in a few more weeks this would no doubt be nothing more than a fond and distant memory.
By the time they left, it was well past midnight and there was a great deal of noise, hugs and promises to organize another night together as soon as Will and Margaret could get back to New York. Her ears were almost ringing with the friendly farewells as she and Will got into the back of the limousine he’d ordered.
In the darkened compartment she let her head drop back against the leather headrest and let go a deep sigh.
“Tired?” Will asked, his fingers lacing through hers.
“No, not exactly.”
“You did brilliantly tonight. They adored you.”
“Thank you. The feeling was mutual. Which is why it bothers me that…” Her voice trailed off into the shadows.
“Bothers you?” he prompted, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
“That it was all such a lie.”
“Don’t worry, Margaret. By the time I tell them we’ve gone our separate ways we’ll have achieved what we set out to do. As for Mum and Dad, well, they’ll be disappointed but they’ll get over it.”
Sure they would, she thought. But would she? The question rattled through her mind over and over but she knew she was helpless to escape the truth of its answer. Instead, she sought surcease in the only thing she knew would distract her. The minute they set foot back in their suite, Margaret turned to Will and kissed him with the pent-up longing she’d been building all night long.
He didn’t disappoint her—returning her passion with equal fervor, peeling away the layers of her clothing one by one until she was naked, all except for her hold-up stockings and her high-heeled pumps. They didn’t even make it to the bedroom the first time. Instead, Will began to make love to her right there in the sitting room of their suite, paying homage to her breasts as only he could until her entire body quivered in anticipation. When he turned her around and placed her hands on the back of the large sofa that faced the main windows looking out onto 5th Avenue, she found herself clutching at the upholstery fabric as he positioned himself behind her.
She didn’t have to wait long. A telltale sound of foil tearing, the slick of a condom onto his erection and he was there—the blunt head of his penis probing her wet folds, in, out. Only just so far and no farther. Teasing, driving her insane with wanting him. Wanting his possession of her.
His hands slid around her, to her belly, then up to her ribs until he cupped her breasts, his forefingers and thumbs squeezing her nipples. Sharp jolts of pleasure shot from the tips of her breasts to her core, making her inner muscles clench tight, then release. As if he knew how her body ached for him, he pushed himself deeper within her. Margaret shifted her feet slightly and tilted her hips forward. The knowledge that all he saw of her now was the length of her back and the roundness of her buttocks sent an illicit thrill through her body. A thrill that was rapidly eclipsed by the sensation of him thrusting within her, his hips cushioned by her backside as he drove himself deeper.
She braced her arms, meeting his thrusts with a need that threatened to overwhelm her. Close, she was so close. He squeezed her nipples again, simultaneously penetrating deep into her body, touching some magical spot within her that sent her screaming over the edge into a blinding orgasm. Will’s sharp cry of satisfaction signaled his simultaneous release and he collapsed over her back, both their bodies now slippery with sweat.
Tremors still rocked her body. Diminishing aftershocks of pleasure that made her clench against him, holding him tight within the sheath of her body as if she never wanted to let him go. She moaned in protest as he began to withdraw from her and he pressed his lips to her back, just between her shoulder blades, sending a shiver down her spine.
“Let’s take this into the bedroom,” he whispered against her skin.
“I don’t think I can move,” she said, her voice still thick with the aftermath of their desire.
She heard Will laugh softly before he swept her into his arms, holding her tightly against him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you,” he promised.
And, just like that, she let herself believe that it was true—that he’d take care of her. Forever.
Eleven
Margaret lay sprawled across William’s chest, her body lax and warm in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Will brushed a strand of hair from her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He was more grateful to her than she’d probably ever know. Before they’d left his parents’ apartment tonight, his dad had taken him aside and told him he was going to start the necessary paperwork to transfer ownership of the farm to Will.
Will had been ecstatic. Finally, he would get his due. And it was all due to the beautiful woman in his arms.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
“Mmm? What for, specifically?”
He could feel her smile against his chest and it made him smile even more in return.
“Tonight. For being you.”
“Anytime. I enjoyed meeting your family. They’re wonderful people.”
“They obviously enjoyed meeting you.”
She snuggled against him, tracing tiny whorls on his chest. “Being around a family like that again, it reminded me of the good times we used to share with my mom and dad before they died. It reminded me of how much we’re missing now that they’re gone.”
“You were all pretty close, then?”
“Very. Mom and Dad were everything. Our rock, our foundation, our moral compass. They worked really hard so we never went without but they didn’t mind teaching us the value of a dollar as well,” she said. “Anyway, it was really nice to be a part of a family gathering again, especially one where I wasn’t responsible for everything.”
Will lay there, at a loss for words. While he loved and appreciated his family, there were times when he begrudged the attention they demanded. Looking at it from Margaret’s perspective was a sobering reminder that they wouldn’t all be around together forever.
“I like your dad. He seems to be a very upright kind of guy.”
“Oh, he is. Upright, opinionated, but always there in our corner when we need someone.”
“You’re so lucky to still have them in your life, Will. Don’t take them for granted.”
Will wrapped his arms around Margaret’s naked form and gathered her even closer. She sounded so alone and he had no idea how to change that.
“I won’t. Not anymore, okay?”
She nodded, her hair tickling his skin as she moved. “At least you’ve had them supporting you through your formative years. Poor Jason, he only had me and I
seem to have made a total mess of him. I wonder how he would have turned out if he’d had a strong male role model in his life. Would he still have gotten into so much trouble?”
“Hey, don’t knock it. You did your best.” Will tried to comfort her.
“But it wasn’t enough, was it? I failed him somewhere.”
“Look, the choices he makes as an adult are his own, Margaret. Seriously. You can’t be responsible for him and his every move for the rest of his life. At some stage he has to stand up and be a man.”
She didn’t answer but he could tell she was still thinking about it.
“Margaret, you’ve done the right thing by him. Don’t ever doubt that.”
He stroked her silken, soft skin until she fell asleep, her breathing settling into a deep and even pattern. But even as she lay in his arms, he couldn’t find the relief of sleep for himself. Her words turned over in his mind. Her fears for her brother—the responsibilities she’d borne for the past ten years. All of it on her own.
Suddenly, he really didn’t like what he’d done to her by forcing her to act as his fiancée. He’d taken her weakness, her love for her brother—her sole remaining family—and he’d abused it. He thought about tonight, about how genuinely happy his family had been to see him there with Margaret. To, apparently, be settling in for a long and happy future together.
He’d betrayed them all. From Margaret through to his parents. Even his brothers and their wives, and his unborn nephew. His whole family had embraced Margaret with open arms. Their very generous spirit showing them for the truly loving and supportive family they were. And showing him for the bastard he was to have lied to them the way he had.
Seeing everyone together tonight, knowing the pressure to marry was finally off him, he’d been able to genuinely relax and enjoy the evening. So much so that he could now appreciate what it was that his family strived for him to learn and accept—that all they wanted for him was a share of the love and security that came from relationships such as theirs.
When had he lost sight of what was so important? When had being so darned determined to be the best in the business completely eclipsed the decency with which he was raised?
He looked at himself through new eyes and he didn’t like what he saw. Not at all.
As the hours of darkness ticked slowly toward dawn, Will thought long and hard about the type of man he’d become and what he could do to rectify things. It had to start with Margaret. He had to do the gentlemanly thing and let her go—release her from the draconian arrangement he’d browbeaten her into.
Everything inside him told him it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. And yet, his arms closed even more firmly around the woman in his arms. She made a small sound in her sleep and he eased his hold ever so slightly.
Yes, he’d let her go. But not yet, he decided as he allowed his eyes to slide shut and sleep to overtake his exhausted mind. Not just yet.
When they woke late the next morning, Will wanted to make the most of Margaret’s first trip to New York. They didn’t have to be at the airport until midafternoon for their flight back to San Diego, so he treated her to a lazy brunch at the Russian Tea Room. As they dined over scrambled eggs and Scottish smoked salmon they talked little, although their casual touches and long gazes said pretty much all they needed to say to one another.
After brunch, they took a short stroll to Central Park where he negotiated an hour-long carriage ride through the park. Having Margaret nestled against him during the ride was a bittersweet joy. They hadn’t known each other long, yet he felt so very right with her. When the ride finished and they reluctantly returned to their hotel to collect their luggage and take a car back to the airport, he had the overwhelming sensation that a door was closing on what had possibly been one of the brightest highlights of his life.
Will had a lot of time to think that night, alone in his bed at the Tennis Club. Margaret had insisted on being dropped back home, saying her brother was expecting her. He’d suggested she give Jason a call and let him know she was staying with him, but she’d been adamant.
He thought about Jason Cole. How old was he now? Twenty-four? And still he appeared to be quite dependent upon his sister. Will could understand sibling support, but that went both ways. It seemed that the relationship between Margaret and her brother was very much a one-way affair. Will had no doubt the younger man had been spoiled by his sister, as much as she was able. It wasn’t right that Jason should still be molly-coddled at his age. He should be striking out on his own now, at this stage of his life. Being responsible for his own costs and allowing his sister to make her own life, her own way in the world.
Margaret’s enjoyment of the trip to New York was the perfect example. She clearly loved to travel and enjoyed seeing new places. Will thought about how he could expand her horizons—show her other, even more exciting places in the world, then reminded himself of his decision to let her go her way.
As he thumped his pillow into shape for the umpteenth time, he reached a decision. It certainly wasn’t in his plans to accompany Margaret on the travel he now knew she longed for, but he could swing something to make it easier for her—to free her and allow her to do all those things she’d always wanted to do.
He could indulge in a little man-to-man chat with her punk brother and give the guy a few pointers in growing up. Satisfied with his plan of action, Will finally drifted off to sleep.
Monday morning he sent a message to Jason Cole, requesting his presence in his office at the end of the workday. Will didn’t want to take the risk of brother and sister crossing paths, especially not with what he had to say. Margaret had begged off having dinner with him tonight, saying she had a whole lot of housework to catch up on at home, so he didn’t feel guilty when he suggested she leave early for the day. He knew she got a hard time from some of the other staff over early finishes since their engagement had become public knowledge, but he was feeling snarly enough right now that if he overhead anyone say a thing about her, their job would be in jeopardy.
Will was mulling over the report he had to put together about his trip to New Jersey when he heard a knock on his office door.
“Come in,” he called, throwing down his pen and closing the file he’d been analyzing.
Jason Cole came through his door and closed it behind him. It was only the second time Will had come face-to-face with Margaret’s brother and he was struck by the similarities between them. Although Margaret’s features were softer, more rounded, there was no denying the family resemblance between them in coloring and their eyes. Except while Margaret’s eyes looked at him softly and with a combination of desire and admiration, Jason Cole’s expression left little doubt about his antipathy toward Will.
“Take a seat,” Will instructed, getting up from his chair and coming around to the front of his desk. He leaned against the edge of the desk and looked down at Jason who stared straight back at him, not giving so much as an inch. “How’s it going, Jason?”
The younger man crossed his arms. “You should know—my supervisor answers to you on a daily basis, doesn’t she?”
Will tamped down the anger that instinctively flared at Jason’s open disregard for his authority.
“Yes, she does. So far, so good, apparently.”
Will’s slight hesitation over the last word seemed to act as a catalyst for Jason’s anger.
“What the hell do you mean—apparently?” he asked belligerently.
“Hey, calm down. Your supervisor has noted your attention to detail and the fact that for the past couple of weeks you’ve rigidly maintained company operating procedures. I’m pleased to see you’ve taken this chance to clean up your act.”
“I didn’t have an act to clean up. I’ve told you before, and I’ll keep saying it until someone believes me. I haven’t been defrauding Cameron Enterprises.”
Will put up a hand. “Whatever. I’m glad to see that you’re shaping up. There’s one other area, though, where you’r
e still sadly remiss.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Look, if you’re looking for an excuse to fire me—”
“No, this isn’t work related.”
Ah, he definitely had Jason’s attention now.
“What is it, then?”
“It’s about Margaret.”
“Maggie? What do you mean? I hardly see her anymore, no thanks to you.”
“Yet she still feels she needs to be there for you, Jason.”
“Of course she does. She’s my big sister. Don’t you have older siblings who always try to tell you what to do? Do they let you make your own decisions all the time?”
Jason’s words fell painfully close to the mark, enough to put Will on the attack again.
“Tell me, exactly when are you going to take responsibility for your own actions? Stand on your own two feet without your sister either bailing you out or protecting you from harm? She’s put her entire life on hold for you. Given up opportunities that might never come her way again, for you.”
“Do you think I don’t know that? Why do you think I’m working so hard here to help her financially?”
“I don’t know what to think when it comes to you, Jason. From here you look and act like a spoiled brat. You need to let her go, let her be herself.”
“Oh, that’s rich, coming from you.”
Jason got up from his chair and started to pace the office.
Will’s back stiffened. “I beg your pardon,” he said, his voice clinically cold.
“What I mean is that at least I’m not actively using her in a lie, like you are. I love my sister. I’d do anything for her, which is a heck of a lot more than you can say. Oh, sure, you have your money and you can give her nice things and take her to exciting places, but at the end of the day, where does she come? Home, that’s where. Because despite everything we’ve been through, she loves me and she knows I love her.”
Bought: His Temporary Fiancée Page 12