by Helena Ray
“Thanks for inviting me, Alexander.” He said nothing in return, and Robin nervously continued. “You know, I really love this room. I mean, Charles Garnier and the Belle Epoque style have always been—”
Alexander cut her off with a raised hand. “Really, Ms. Lawrence?” He sounded beyond exasperated. “I don’t have the patience for your academic bullshit tonight.” He pushed around Bryant to stand closer to Robin. “And I certainly don’t have any desire to chitchat about my decorating decisions.” He gave her a superior grin. “Unless, of course, you want to buy in.”
Robin cowered underneath his height. God, why did he have to be so handsome? Even when anger and annoyance tainted his features, he was more gorgeous than any of the men that modeled the designer suits he wore. She cursed her body’s reaction as he extended himself to his full height and looked down his nose at her.
“I didn’t think so.”
He started to return to his seat, but Bryant grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Al, really. Is that how you treat a lady?” A hard look flashed through his eyes.
Alexander looked again in Robin’s direction and sneered. “I guess so, Bry.” He directed his angry glare back at Bryant. “This is my fucking party, and I’ll treat my guests as I see fit.”
“Why do you have to be like—”
“Enough!” Alexander exclaimed as he lowered himself to the table.
The outburst pushed Robin over the edge. She could no longer stand to be in this room with all of these people. Did they all share Alexander’s opinion of her? And if so, what was she doing hanging around here? Not bothering to glance back at Bryant or Alexander, she made a beeline for the nearest exit, the doors through which Alexander had first emerged.
She just needed out. And she needed out now.
Chapter 4
“Robin!” Bryant hurried out the double doors, not caring about the scene his disappearance made back in the card room. Shit. He had really hoped getting Alexander to invite Robin to his game would show Robin that Male Order wasn’t such a bad place. Instead, Al had decided to play the role of the pretentious, entitled ass tonight, and Robin had spooked at his behavior.
Bryant understood where Robin was coming from. When he and Alexander became best friends when they were fourteen, trips to Male Order scared the living shit out of him. He had adjusted quickly, though, and befriended many of the town’s other wealthy residents. Yes, a good chunk of the population was wealthy beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, but they were the friendliest bunch of billionaires this side of the Mississippi. Even his big sister Gillian had come to think of Male Order and the Abrams household as home.
But Robin, poor Robin, was all alone out here. He couldn’t imagine Melvin Blackmon being very good company, and living alone in downtown Male Order didn’t seem too great, either. He wanted to change how Robin saw Male Order, and him.
From the moment he saw her digging through her bag outside the grand entrance to the Abrams mansion, something about her enraptured him. Of course, her tight body and petite frame that was half legs didn’t hurt, but another quality captured his interest and his arousal. She had no poker face. Delight and anguish both revealed themselves completely in her features. That sincerity meant that she couldn’t be faking the smile she beamed when she saw him. Her entire face lit up when she saw him. It was the most endearing thing he had ever seen a woman do. And seeing a smile tugging at the corner of her lips always made him think of her lips tugging at something else, too.
He turned down the hallway off the card room and ran down the corridor, shouting Robin’s name as he went. He felt a breeze against his face, and he rushed to the open French doors at the end of the adjoining corridor. He went out the doors, crossed the terrace, and quickly descended the steps out onto the grounds of the estate. He crossed the small lawn between the mansion and the stables.
Panting slightly when he reached the stable entrance, he peered through the door, and the glow of the barn’s security light illuminated the most enchanting scene unfolding before him. Robin stood in front of Sylvia’s stable with the horse’s silver muzzle pressed against her cheek. She was quite a sight, standing in her tight, green cocktail dress, matching stilettos dangling from one hand. Her height meant that she had to reach to pet Sylvia’s mane, and that reaching movement pulled her dress up just enough for Bryant to begin to see the bottom curve of her round ass. Even after running, that sight started to harden his cock.
He stood observing Robin for a moment more. She turned her head toward him, and he could see tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. That motivated him to action, and he entered the stables and wrapped his arms around Robin. She tensed at first but relaxed when she looked up into Bryant’s gaze. Her hands went to her eyes and began wiping away the accumulating tears.
“Sorry, I’m fine, I swear.” She sniffled and turned her face away.
Bryant tightened one arm around her waist and put one hand under her chin to lift it to his face. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“I’m supposed to be this sophisticated professional, and look at me.” She chuckled at her self-deprecation. “I’m running away from parties when some boy is mean to me. It’s not supposed to be like this.”
Robin leaned her face against Bryant’s shoulder, and he cradled the back of her head. Her warm tears wet the front of his shirt, but he didn’t care. The fact that this woman could turn to him for comfort wiped any worry about his appearance from his mind. She leaned back from him a bit, and Bryant seized the opportunity.
He kept his hand wrapped around her neck and entwined his fingers in her hair. “It’s supposed to be exactly like this, honey.” He lowered his face to hers and captured her lips in a kiss. He started slowly, gently caressing her lips with his, then heightened the passion in the kiss. He licked along her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to give him access to the wet, hot abyss. God, kissing her was unlike anything he had ever experienced. White-hot passion coursed between them but with a tenderness Bryant had never known. He wanted both to protect this delicate creature and to fuck her brains out.
He broke the kiss, and Robin stood within his embrace, her lips slightly parted and her eyes still partially closed. She opened them, and the dark pools of warmth sucked Bryant in. “Okay,” she said breathily. “Maybe it is supposed to be like this.”
Bryant wound his fingers through her hair tighter and once more brought her face to his. He kissed her with earnest passion this time, not masking his desire at all. He swept her hair away from her neck and planted several soft, wet kisses down her neck, paying special attention to the spot where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered against him when he kissed her there, sending waves of desire straight to the bulge in his tightening jeans. Damn it, if he didn’t stop this now, he’d take her right there in the barn.
Sylvia whinnied from behind Robin, and Bryant reluctantly pulled himself away from Robin’s mouth. “Sylvia has a point there,” he said, his lips still brushing against hers. “If we’re gone too long, people will start to wonder.” He released Robin and took a few deep breaths to cool his arousal.
He started toward the exit and held out a hand to Robin. She took it and pressed her body against his. “I don’t wanna go back,” she said then landed a kiss on his shoulder. “But you’re right.” A wicked grin spread across her face. “I can’t afford to get a reputation this soon after getting into town.”
“Oh, honey, you’ve already got a reputation.” Bryant laughed as they crossed the lawn back toward the mansion.
“And just what is that supposed to mean?” She was even adorable when she pouted.
“Have you seen the way every man in this town looks at you? Grayson and Gavin begged me to introduce them. They were practically salivating over you at the bar.”
A blush spread across Robin’s face and down to her neck. “You can’t mean that.”
“Did you really expect to come here wearing that tight little dress and not get n
oticed?”
The blush intensified.
“Well, you know, there are so many other women drooling all over the other men in this town.” She looked up at Bryant with heavy-lidded eyes. “I figured no one would pay any attention to me.”
“I doubt anyone could not pay attention to you.” They had ascended the stairs and now stood on the terrace. Bryant pulled Robin in front of him and placed one more kiss on her soft, pink lips. “Now let’s get inside, gorgeous. I wanna show you off.” He took her hand again and walked back into the mansion in a much better mood than when he left it.
* * * *
Robin knew she must have glowed as she reentered the room on Bryant’s arm. Nothing could ruin this moment. She had come to this town a total outsider, and now the sweetest, most ruggedly handsome cowboy she had ever laid eyes on was proud to escort her. She had done all right since her arrival in Male Order.
Bryant steered her to a corner of the room where he draped an arm around her waist, his hand occasionally grazing across her ass. He introduced her quietly to other members of the founding families of Male Order. She greeted each of them warmly and found them more than willing to let her rummage through some of their old family papers. Her acquaintance with Bryant seemed to convince them to take her seriously and to treat her with respect. She wondered why they were all so trusting of Bryant, then her stomach clenched as she remembered Bryant’s revelation from earlier in the evening. He wasn’t just Alexander’s business partner. He was Alexander’s best friend. Their scene in the stables had erased that unhappy memory from her mind. Now it came back in full force, and she looked questioningly up at Bryant. He was so normal. How could he ever learn to stand Alexander, let alone live with him?
As if sensing her unease, Bryant’s arm squeezed around her waist, and he leaned down to place a kiss on her neck. Perhaps Robin could learn to forgive Bryant that one fault. It’s not like she was planning to marry this man. Heck, if he was bosom buddies with Alexander, there was a chance he shared his attitude toward women. This would just be an affair, nothing else. Her heart sank at that thought, but she reminded herself that she was a professional. She didn’t have time for romance, anyway.
She snuggled into his protective embrace, determined to enjoy this moment no matter if it led to more or not. She turned her head and rested her face against the smooth, hard muscles of his shoulder. Bryant moved to kiss, and she turned up her face in anticipation of the warmth of his lips.
“Son of a bitch!” Alexander exclaimed. Along with the other guests, Robin and Bryant’s attention turned to the brightly illuminated card table. Alexander leaned over the card table, his height allowing him to put his face directly in front of his opponent’s. The guests’ hush made Alexander’s venomous whisper echo in the silence. “Go back to Dallas where you came from. You ungrateful prick.” With that, he stormed away from the card tables and back through the double doors.
The room’s occupants were silent for a moment then erupted in fervent gossip over the scene they had just witnessed. Robin turned to Bryant, hoping for some sort of explanation for his best friend’s outburst. In her opinion, very few things could explain away a temper tantrum such as that. Just as she opened her mouth to inquire about Alexander’s abhorrent and immature behavior, Bryant gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and released her from his grip.
“Just a second, I gotta see what’s up.” Bryant gave her a quick look over his shoulder as he ran after Alexander.
Robin stood dumbfounded, watching as the other guests milled about. Some still talked of Alexander’s fit, but most of the guests had moved on to other topics. Their conversations included European sports cars, private jets, private fashion shows, importing exotic animals as pets, and the rates for keeping various celebrity chefs on retainer. Robin’s head began to spin in an attempt to process everything she was hearing.
The lifestyle in Male Order definitely required an adjustment period. Robin thought to her own upbringing in Waxahachie, Texas, a small town just south of Dallas. Her parents were the picture of the happy middle-class family. Her father worked hard and had high expectations for his daughter, but he had supported her in any effort. Her mother, on the other hand, was a slightly wacky creative type. She worked, though, to create a loving, warm household for Robin. But nothing her parents could have done could have prepared her for this. This was madness.
Besides the staggeringly high incomes of its residents, Male Order boasted another odd quality. There was a distinct surplus of men in the town. Robin knew of the town’s origins through her research. It had started with ten men, five sets of brothers—the Abramses, Bartletts, Caldwells, Ellises, and Kingstons—accidentally furnished with only five mail-order brides. As a result, the five founding sets of brothers each took one wife and lived in ménage relationships. When Robin had discovered this fact, it had excited her. The idea of living with two men there to fill her every need had made Robin’s panties wet, even in the highly inappropriate setting of the SMU library.
Was that still going on today? With all these men and so few women, Robin had to wonder. As she waited for Bryant to return, she leaned against the wall and carefully observed the party’s guests. Many were clearly singles, flirting ostensibly with any human of the opposite sex. Robin finally singled out a cluster of men and women not engaged in the early stages of the human mating ritual, and her suspicions were confirmed. The group nearest her comprised of two men and one woman, with each man dangling an arm around her. As they talked with their friends, the woman would alternately lean her head on each man’s shoulder, and both men’s hands would occasionally graze across the round curve of her ass.
So it was true. Male Order was home to at least a few ménage relationships. That certainly made sense, given the town’s open attitude toward sex and public displays of affection. Despite being some of the wealthiest and most influential members of society, these people were a little bit weird, too.
A tall, balding man approached Robin. He didn’t have the odious presence of Melvin Blackmon, but he didn’t appear to fit in with the debonair billionaire crowd, either. She spotted his white gloves, and his presence there clicked. Of course. He was another butler. The Abrams family would have two butlers. Hell, they probably needed a dozen. She assumed he was there to offer her a drink or extend some other nicety to her and the other guests.
“Ms. Lawrence?” He knew her name. Impressive.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Clare has requested your presence in the private chambers upstairs,” he said, turning and indicating Robin to follow.
She proceeded in his wake, confused as to what exactly was happening. They exited through a small door that led to a private staircase. As they climbed, the two of them chatted amicably about the history of the house. Nicholas, as Robin discovered this butler was called, had a multitude of anecdotes about the family’s relationship with the mansion, and Robin was eager to speak with him more.
They reached a long, narrow sitting room with deep green carpeting and panels and oak detailing. The room was decorated with full-length portraits of people Robin could only assume were the Abrams forefathers. Nicholas unfortunately took his leave and left Robin to wander the room alone. She paced along the length of the room, admiring the portraits of Alexander’s handsome Russian and French ancestors. He certainly came by his good looks naturally.
Alexander. There he was in her head again. No matter how she felt about him, he never left her thoughts. Even when she was with Bryant, Alexander was always in the back of her mind, and it infuriated her.
Just then, a wooden door at one end of the narrow room creaked open. Bryant emerged through it and shut the door carefully behind him. He quickly crossed to Robin and grabbed her by her upper arms. He then leaned over and claimed her lips in a kiss, romantic yet highly sensual. Despite the suddenness of the action, Robin felt her body responding, liquid heat beginning to pool between her legs. The champagne she’d imbibed downstairs lowered her inhibitions,
and Robin spread her legs in an invitation for Bryant. He nudged a thigh between her legs, and she wrapped one leg around his thigh. She ground against him, her body thankful for the warmth and friction, but he lifted his head and broke their embrace. He took a step back from her, but kept his grip on one of her upper arms.
“I just had to do that again before the party ended,” he said, his face flushed with the sudden sexual contact.
Robin blushed in response and diverted her eyes from his intense blue stare.
“What’s going on? Why did Alexander do that?”
“Shh,” he said, placing a hand over her mouth and moving her toward the other end of the room. “Al is really upset, honey, and he’ll blow up at any noise right now.” He breathed an exasperated sigh.
“What right does he have to push you around like this? He should be upset after what he did to all of his guests,” Robin said.
Bryant sat down on a wooden bench in front of a particularly striking portrait of Alexander Dimitri Abrams I and gestured for Robin to join him. When she did, he leaned forward and cradled his head between his hands.
“It’s two years today,” he muttered.
“Two years from what?” Robin asked, genuinely concerned now that she saw how this affected Bryant.
“His fathers’ deaths,” he said, leaning back and putting an arm around Robin. “They were killed by a drunk driver on Interstate 35.”
“Oh, god. I didn’t realize that was today. I’m sorry.” Guilt washed over Robin at her earlier outrage.
“It’s hard for Alexander,” Bryant said. “He wasn’t close to either of his fathers. They wanted him to go into the aviation business like they did. But he was never cut out for that. His talents were always in interacting with other people.” Robin let out a snort at that comment. “Really, when he puts his mind to it, he’s as charming as they come.”
“He certainly hasn’t charmed me,” she pointed out.