Truth or Dare (Liar Liar #2)

by C. A. Mason

  ***

  Maura stood in the doorway of my office twenty minutes later, her arms crossed and her beautiful face twisted in annoyance. “You’re such an ass.”

  I grinned as I laced my hands behind my head and tipped my swivel chair back. “Well, hello to you too, angel. Long time, no see.”

  “My father just left my office. He tried to guilt me into taking you furniture shopping and to lunch!” She tapped her high heel on the hardwood floor. “I don’t appreciate being railroaded, Walsh.”

  She was so cute when she was angry. “If it makes you feel better, lunch is on me.”

  “It doesn’t make me feel better!” She stepped inside and closed the door when two men wearing suits halted their conversation to look at her. “I told you this morning how I feel. Why can’t you accept that?”

  “I’m not very good at conceding defeat, angel. It’s not in my nature.” I scrolled through the messages on my phone, pretending I wasn’t fully engaged.

  “So you admit you’re just doing this to prove a point?”

  “I never said that.” I looked at her, smiling. “I just said I don’t like to lose. In this case, losing out on an opportunity to be with you… that would be hell.”

  She closed her eyes. Her chest rose and fell when she took several deep breaths. “Why do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Say things… that…” She groaned. “Make me want to… kiss you.”

  “I like the sound of that.” I wiggled my eyebrows as I patted my thighs. “Come, sit here.”

  “I didn’t say I was going to kiss you,” she said, her lips quirking in amusement. “Just that sometimes you make it hard not to.”

  “I’ll take it.” It sounded a hell of a lot better than where we’d started the day.

  “Come on, let’s go pick out some furniture. If you’re determined to stick around and be a pain in the ass, you might as well do it in style.” She reached into her purse when her phone buzzed. “Though I’d like to go on record as saying I don’t care whether you sit on orange crates and sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor.”

  I loved her spirit. It was adorable she didn’t intend to go down without a fight, but surrender she would, because one way or another, I intended to make her mine. I was just about to tell her so when I saw her expression. All trace of amusement from our playful banter was gone.

  “What is it, sweetheart?”

  “Apparently the word’s out that Jeff and I are through.”

  “So?”

  “People are saying it’s my fault, that I dumped him because I’m sleeping with you.”

  I curled my hand into a fist. “You think he’s behind this?”

  She covered her eyes with her free hand. “Who else? God, I don’t need this right now. My business was just getting on track. The last thing I need is negative publicity.”

  “We warned that son of a bitch.” I leapt out of my chair, keys in hand. “I told him if he messed with you, there would be consequences. He’s about to find out I don’t make empty threats.”

  Maura grabbed my arm as I walked past her. “Blaise, don’t. He’s not worth it. Honestly, I’m just glad to be rid of him.”

  “You can’t let him get away with this. He was the one fucking around.”

  “So was I.” She ran a hand down my chest before letting it fall to her side. “Am I really any better than him?”

  “You weren’t out screwing male strippers every night.”

  “I still cheated,” she said, looking at her shoes.

  “Please don’t beat yourself up about that.” I hated to see her torturing herself when her douchebag ex had no regrets. “It was one night.” I tilted her chin with my thumb and index finger. “It’s not like you’d ever cheated on anyone before.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because I know you.” So well. “I know you’re not the type to cheat.” I was ashamed that I’d once accused her of cheating. With the wisdom of years behind me, I could see how ridiculous that accusation was. She’d loved me. She would never have shared her body with anyone else.

  “Why do you always see the best in me?” She gripped my wrists when I reached for her face. “You don’t even know me, yet you’re so sure you’ve got me all figured out.”

  “I’m a good judge of character.”

  She laughed as she let her hands drop to her sides. “I wish I could say the same. Right now, nothing in my life makes sense. I feel like everything is a lie. Jeff just reinforced my belief that this relationship thing isn’t going to work out for me.”

  She was singing the same tune as last night, and I wanted to silence it once and for all. I captured her mouth with mine as I held her face. The kiss was slow and thorough, intimate and sexy. I licked the inside of her mouth until I felt her heat through her thin silk blouse.

  “You can’t tell me that was a lie,” I whispered, skimming my moist lips over hers as she struggled to open her eyes. “That was the truth. The only truth that matters.”

  Gripping my biceps as though she needed something solid to hold on to, she shook her head. “You’re wrong. That was just… chemistry. We’re attracted to each other.”

  Open your eyes. We were fucking made for each other. “If that were true, we’d have had our fill of each other by now. We’d have satisfied our curiosity, satiated that craving. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungrier for you now than I was before I got you into bed.”

  “God,” she said, dropping her head onto my chest. “What the hell am I doing with you? I must be out of my mind.”

  I kissed the crown of her head. She was letting me touch her, letting me kiss her, agreeing to spend time with me. For now, that was enough. “Let’s hit the stores, shall we? I have a black card burning a hole in my pocket.”

  She smiled. “Hmmm, I’ve never shopped without a budget before. I hate to admit it, but this could be kind of fun.”

  I wrapped her arm around mine as I led her out of the office. “Trust me, it will be fun. I’ll even let you drive.”

  She grinned. “Now you’re talking.”

  ***

  After a six-figure shopping spree at the most exclusive furniture store in town, we’d both worked up quite an appetite. We were sitting in a booth at a restaurant that was a fine dining staple in town, one I couldn’t have afforded to buy a soft drink at years ago. A table of silver-haired ladies turned to look at us, whispering and shaking their heads in disgust.

  I threw them a dirty look before asking Maura, “What the hell is that about?”

  “I told you, everyone thinks I’m to blame for our breakup. Those women represent gossip central. I’m sure by now they’ve told everyone Jeff is the victim and I’m—”

  I got up, throwing my napkin on the chair.

  Maura reached for my arm. “What are you doing? Please, Blaise, don’t embarrass me. I have to live in this town.”

  “That’s exactly why I intend to put these rumors to rest once and for all.” No one was going to disrespect Maura in my presence.

  I approached the women, smiling at each one of them. They gaped at me as though they couldn’t believe I had the nerve to approach them.

  With one hand on my stomach and the other on the back of a chair, I said, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name’s Blaise Walsh—”

  “We know who you are,” a lady with a red hat said, touching her napkin to the corners of her mouth. “And we know what you are—a home-wrecker. Jeff and Maura were perfectly happy together until you swept into town making all kinds of promises to her.”

  I smiled. I’d long ago learned diplomacy would get me further than losing my temper, especially with people who deemed themselves superior to me. “I appreciate that you’re entitled to your opinion, but having all the facts might help you make an informed decision about the situation.”

  “We’re listening,” Red Hat said, pursing her painted lips. “But you’d better make it quick. Our soup’s on the way.”


  The only reason I was wasting my time on them was because they represented gossip central, and anything I said to them would make the rounds by dinner. “I met Maura when she planned an event for me. She”—I glanced at Maura, who was trying so hard to pretend she wasn’t eavesdropping as she scanned her phone—“literally took my breath away.” I chuckled. “Believe me, that was a first. I’ve been a bachelor a long time.” Touching the shoulder of the oldest lady in the group, I turned the charm up a notch. “Many would say too long.”

  She smiled at her friends. “Sounds like my grandson. I’m always after him to find a nice girl and settle down.”

  “Ah, but it’s not that easy. Sometimes you could search the world over and never find your soul mate.” When I knew I had them captivated, I pulled up a chair from a neighboring table. “I’ve been all over this world, ladies. Dated more women than I care to admit, but something about Maura drew me in from the first time I laid eyes on her.”

  “Really?” Red Hat asked, propping her elbow on the table as she leaned in. “That’s so romantic.”

  The other women giggled, nodding in agreement.

  “I knew she was engaged and that it was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to see her again. That’s why I came to town. Still, she wanted nothing to do with me. She told me she intended to follow through with her plans to marry your district attorney.”

  The women all glanced at Maura before one whispered, “What changed her mind?”

  “She found out he was cheating on her.” A collective gasp moved around the table before I added, “With multiple… strippers.” I whispered the last word, my tongue firmly planted in cheek as I watched their reaction. Shock, dismay, disgust. Exactly what I’d been hoping for.

  “You can’t be serious,” Red Hat said, looking around the table. “We’ve known Jeffery for years. His mother goes to our church. He would never do such a thing.”

  “I’m afraid he did,” I said, sighing heavily. “You can imagine how devastated poor Maura was to learn the man she’d put her faith in had betrayed her that way.”

  All eyes traveled to Maura as the eldest in the group clucked her tongue. “It’s a good thing she has a good family to help her through this.” She patted my hand. “And you. You came into her life just when she needed you most.”

  “A gift from God, that’s what it was,” Red Hat said. “He never gives us more than we can bear. He brought you into her life to help her see there are still good men out there, men worthy of her.” She shook her head emphatically, causing her hat to slip forward. Adjusting it, she said, “Isn’t that right, girls?”

  A murmur of assent moved through the group.

  I stood. “It was a pleasure talking to you. Enjoy your lunch. It’s on me.” I returned to the table as they sang my praises.

  Maura stifled her laughter. “You’re so bad. I can’t believe you did that.”

  “You wouldn’t let me beat the hell out of him,” I said, shrugging. “That was the best I could come up with to stick it to him.”

  “You know you weren’t completely honest about the circumstances surrounding our break up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She raised her eyebrows as she tipped her head. “You made me sound so innocent, like an angel who could do no wrong.”

  “You are an angel,” I said, grinning. “My angel.”

  Her eyes softened. She reached across the table to cover my hand with hers. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. Who said chivalry was dead?”

  “Obviously someone who’d never met me.”

  She laughed. “You’re so full of yourself.”

  “Yeah, but you’re still crazy about me. Admit it.”

  “What’s this I hear about dinner at my parents’ house tomorrow night?” she asked, perusing the menu.

  “Oh, were you invited too?”

  She looked up, trying to keep a straight face. “You know I was. I have a feeling you and my father concocted the whole thing. Why is he so determined for us to spend time together?”

  “I have no idea.” I tried to look innocent and failed miserably. Instead, I laughed. “I may have mentioned to him that I’m kind of… crazy about you.”

  She gasped, covering her mouth when a waiter turned in our direction. “You did not say that to him.”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “Blaise, you can’t go around professing your lov-feelings for me. People will think—”

  “That I can’t stop thinking about you? That you’re ruining me for other women? That you’ll break my heart if you reject me again? They’d be right.”

  “You are too much,” she said, shaking her head. “I can never tell when you’re being serious.”

  My eyes locked with hers as I reached for her hand. “I’m being serious, angel. Everything I just said is true.”

  “How can I believe that?” Her free hand drifted through the air. “Look at you. You’re…”

  “I’m what?”

  “Too sexy for my peace of mind,” she said, pinching her lips together. “I had enough trouble trusting a man I thought no other woman would want. How the hell am I supposed to trust you?”

  I laughed at her characterization of her ex. “Let me prove myself to you. Let me show you that you can trust me.” I was taking a huge risk. If—no, when—the truth came out, if our relationship wasn’t strong enough to withstand the fall-out, Maura would be devastated that she’d been lied to again and I would be crushed.

  “I can’t make any promises. You and I are from two different worlds. I have a life here, and yours is in New York. Have you thought about how this might work from a logistical perspective?”

  I reached for the red wine our waiter had delivered earlier. “The way I see it, I’m already putting down roots here. I have an apartment, an office, a car. I own a private plane, so I can fly in whenever I want. The flight is only an hour, the drive a little more than five. It’s not the other side of the world, you know.”

  “You make it sound so easy,” she said, smirking.

  “Honey, when you have as much money as I do, everything is easy.” Except uncovering the truth and proving that I’m an innocent man.

  Chapter Five

  Dinner at Maura’s parents’ home the following evening was surprisingly effortless. We talked about our travels, laughed about Maura’s relatives’ escapades, and compared notes about the charitable organizations we were involved with. They weren’t nearly as pretentious as I’d expected. Dinner was a casual affair, with grilled fish, seafood, and vegetables, and the home that had once seemed huge and intimidating now felt warm and comfortable. I realized that my own insecurity may have made dealing with Maura’s parents so challenging before. They could give their daughter everything I thought I’d never be able to, and I’d resented them for it.

  “Well, I think we’ll leave you two down here to enjoy the pool,” Eric said, reaching for his wife’s hand. “The water’s warm, and there are extra swimsuits in the pool house. Help yourself.”

  “Thank you for a lovely evening,” I said, standing.

  Eric shook my hand, pumping it enthusiastically as he winked and clapped my shoulder. Maura’s mother, Gayle, surprised me with a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

  “It was so lovely to meet you, and I have to thank you for convincing my husband to part with some of his holdings.” Squeezing my arm, she said, “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in—”

  “That’s enough, dear,” Eric said, reaching for his wife’s hand. “Let’s go and give these two some privacy.”

  I watched Maura hug both of her parents before they left. When they were out of earshot, I said, “You and your parents are very close.”

  “Yes.” She picked up her wine glass. “Unlike my older brother, I’ve always tried to please them.”

  I chuckled as I swirled the wine in the bottom of my glass before taking a sip. “Ah yes, Eric mentioned his son, the surfer dude.” My eyes twinkled with amusement. “He’s so
proud.”

  “At least my brother’s living his dream.” She reached for the wine bottle and topped up both of our glasses before she said, “In a lot of ways, I envy him. He doesn’t live under their constant scrutiny, having them and everyone else weigh in on every decision he makes.”

  “Does that mean you’re a little too close for comfort?” I wondered if she’d ever consider relocating, maybe to New York.

  “I’ve considered it.” She sighed. “I don’t know, Blaise. I’ve worked hard to build a business and a reputation here. Bigger cities are so competitive. I can’t imagine being able to make a name for myself there.”

  “With the right connections, you could build a successful business anywhere,” I said, smiling as I brought the glass to my lips. “Including New York.”

  “Subtle, real subtle.”

  I laughed as I reached for her hand to kiss it. “Admit it, you love that I say what’s on my mind.”

  “Maybe I do.” She glanced at the lights illuminating the paths to the Olympic-sized swimming pool. “What do you think? Should we take my father up on his offer?”

  I looked back, noting the loungers gathered around the pool. I could walk a few feet and be in the very same spot I’d first laid eyes on her. I felt as though my life had started that day. Before that, I’d just been going through the motions. Seeing her gave me reason to want to get out of bed in the morning.

  “Of course, if you’re tired or you need to get some work done before you turn in—”

  “No, I’d love to go for a swim.” I held her hand as we carried our wine glasses to the patio. I stopped at the end of the walkway, took her glass, and set it on a small table between two chairs. Brushing her hair off her face, I stared into her eyes, thinking how grateful I was that life had brought us full circle.

  “What are you thinking?” she whispered, her eyes trained on my mouth.

  “I’m thinking about how beautiful you are.” I kissed her lips. “I don’t want to leave you. I’m not looking forward to going back to New York.”