The Price of Seduction

by Nina Blake

  She could never get enough of him and it surprised her every time.

  “Conrad.” She whispered his name over and over with each deep, masculine stroke.

  As he increased his pace, he rested his strong muscular chest on hers and she found herself enveloped between the leather of the sofa behind her and the expanse of his torso on top of her.

  Their bodies intertwined in the most intimate way possible, there was no escape. Not from her feelings for him.

  She said his name again and again, faster and faster, until she screamed it out and the waves of her second orgasm radiated through her.

  Opening her eyes through the mist, she saw Conrad looking at her, his mouth open. He closed his eyes briefly as his whole body jerked and she knew his own climax was rocketing through him.

  He propped himself back onto his hands, his gaze sliding over her breasts before returning once again to her face.

  And as her eyes lingered on his, she knew nothing would ever be the same. Her world had changed over the last few days in a way she hadn’t thought possible and there was no turning back.

  She knew it instinctively without words or evidence or proof.

  If she looked at the facts, they were just two people who hadn’t known each other very long who had spectacular sex together. Tomorrow they’d return to the real world, their own jobs and their own apartments. Nothing life changing had happened.

  But sometimes the facts were meaningless and logic misleading. Sometimes true knowledge lay deep beneath the surface.

  Conrad stroked her face with his fingertips, his voice a quiet but firm whisper. “This place, this apartment feels so much more like home now that you’re here.”

  She replied with a dreamy smile, her insides still weak from her own personal revelation.

  They had done this to themselves. They’d created their own personal hideaway, turned his apartment into their nest and now, whether Conrad knew it or not, her world had changed irreversibly.

  There was no point denying it to herself.

  She was in love.

  Chapter ten

  As she reached across her desk for the telephone the following Friday, Bree couldn’t believe the phone was ringing again. She’d been flat out all day but relaxed back into her chair as soon as she heard Conrad’s voice.

  “Tonight we’ll be celebrating,” he said.

  “And what are we celebrating?”

  “This morning we cut through the rest of the government red tape and the final signatures are on paper for Il Bosco. Settlement is in two months. As of today I am the new owner of Il Bosco.”

  “You’re kidding. That’s great. How does it feel?”

  She could hear the excitement in his voice. “Really good. We’ve opened up a few bottles of Bolly at the office but I’d like to celebrate with you tonight. Just the two of us.”

  “Just the two of us,” she repeated.

  “Tomorrow night we’ve got that fortieth and you’ll meet lots of my colleagues and friends but tonight I’d like it to be just me and you.”

  “Sounds lovely,” she said. “So now you own a million acres of wilderness.”

  “We’ll have to go up there again soon. Hand-over won’t be for another two months but I won’t be able to wait that long to see the place.”

  “Sure.”

  “Would you pass the good news on to Olivia,” he said. “She’ll be pleased to know there’ll be more business heading in her direction.”

  Bree laughed. “That’ll make her very happy.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven. I’ll make a reservation at Maxima’s.”

  “Won’t it be booked out at such short notice?”

  “I think they’ll find a way of making room for us.”

  Bree hung up the phone, marvelling at how her life had changed so quickly.

  Only a few weeks ago, she’d been immersed in work because that was all she had. Her career was still important to her, there was no doubt about that, but now there was something else in her life. Conrad.

  How had she become involved in a life like this?

  Still, there was something that made her feel uneasy even though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was probably just her period and her hormones bringing her down. She hadn’t had the usual premenstrual tension which warned her about the onset of her period and that at least was a blessing.

  Her cycle had only lasted a day or two and was very light but that wasn’t worth fretting over. She reminded herself she should be grateful in more ways than one. At least she didn’t have to worry about being pregnant.

  “Bree.” She heard her name and looked up to see Olivia hovering in the doorway. “There are a few of us going to the Langley for lunch today. Did you want to come along too?”

  “Not today, thanks,” Bree replied. “I’ve got a lot to get through but I’m glad you dropped by. I was just on the phone to Conrad.”

  “And how is that going?”

  “I’ve got some good news. Conrad is officially the new owner of Il Bosco and he asked me to let you know there’ll be more work coming our way.”

  “That’s fabulous. I was a bit worried you might be putting in a lot of effort with Conrad without getting the result we wanted but you’ve closed the deal, so to speak. You’ve done an excellent job.”

  She’d closed the deal? Bree couldn’t help but wonder what her boss meant.

  “I have a personal relationship with him and a professional one,” Bree said. “I’m also sure Conrad wants Kelly Communications for our PR skills, mine included.”

  “Of course, he wouldn’t send business our way if he thought us incompetent but there are lots of PR firms he could have gone to. I’m well aware why he chose us. Because we’ve got you on our team. I just hope you make the most of it while it lasts.”

  “Make the most of what?”

  “Of your relationship with Conrad. I’m sure he can be very generous and you’d be crazy not to take advantage of it. Let’s face it, a man like him, he’ll be with you for a limited time and then he’ll move on to someone else. That’s the way these things works.”

  Bree looked up at Olivia blankly, then the older woman continued. “It’s not like he’s going to marry you. And you’re way too smart to have fallen for him. You should make sure you get something out of it too.”

  It struck Bree that although Olivia was a ruthless woman, she was being genuine, giving advice from the heart. Her boss was well versed in the ways of the world and didn’t wanted Bree to get hurt as other young women in this industry sometimes did.

  “Must dash.” Olivia slipped away quietly, unaware of the devastation she’d left in her wake.

  Bree’s gaze shifted back down to the phone on which she’d been speaking to Conrad only minutes earlier.

  Was she fooling herself?

  Perhaps it was unwise. Perhaps it was downright stupid, but that didn’t change the fact that she’d fallen in love.

  She hadn’t even seen Conrad since the previous weekend, only spoken to him on the phone. That was as much time as he could make for her during the week. Surely that told her something. There was no way he shared the depth of her feelings.

  Olivia thought Bree was way too smart to have fallen for him. Well, they were Bree’s emotions and they weren’t smart or crazy or right or wrong. They were her feelings.

  She was still staring at the phone when it rang yet again. Clearly it was going to be one of those days.

  “Steph, I’m glad it’s you,” Bree said after she answered the call. “My phone’s been going berserk all morning. I’m glad you’re not another client who needs something yesterday.”

  “No, but I have to tell you something.”

  Bree sighed. “I’ve got so much going on at the moment with work and Conrad and Olivia.”

  “Is she giving you a hard time again?”

  “Not exactly. I’m more concerned with the way things are going with Conrad.”

  “Actually he’s the r
eason I called.”

  Bree paused. “This isn’t going to be good, is it?”

  “Look, I still don’t have anything definite but it doesn’t look promising for him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Did he tell you he spent all day yesterday with the police?”

  “No.”

  “There was a big teleconference with local police here and the authorities in the far north west as part of the investigation into the stolen rock art. We don’t know exactly what went on but we do know they kept Conrad in for questioning most of the day.”

  “He didn’t mention it. That’s odd. He called me this morning but he was in a wonderful mood. He didn’t sound like someone who’d been under police pressure.”

  “He told you he was successful with the purchase of Il Bosco, didn’t he?”

  “Yes, we’re celebrating tonight.”

  “Apparently the sale went ahead completely independently of any criminal investigation.”

  “You’re talking about the stolen rock art. Do you think the police suspect him of stealing it?”

  “Like I said before, we don’t have anything definite. I don’t know if he’s guilty or not but he’s certainly a ‘person of interest’. That’s the official police term for it.”

  “But he hasn’t been charged with anything?” Bree asked.

  “No. Il Bosco will be our lead story tomorrow in the business section but I should tell you, my boss has started writing another story to keep on hold should the news break. That item is about Eden Enterprises’s criminal involvement in the rock art theft. The story won’t be in the business section. It’ll be on the front page.”

  Bree was silent. She didn’t truly believe Conrad capable of such a criminal act even though it was easy to see the possible motives.

  He had the money to buy Il Bosco but no amount of money could buy the rock art on the property because according to the terms of the lease that belonged to the Aboriginal people.

  She couldn’t let this rest. She picked up the phone and dialled Conrad’s number. Understandably he was surprised to hear from her again so soon.

  “There was something I forgot to ask you earlier,” she said. “Has there been any word, any development on the stolen rock art?”

  “Not that I know of,” he replied.

  It was interesting that spending a whole day with the police didn’t even rate a mention. She’d specifically asked him about it and he was being evasive, playing down his part in the investigation.

  Yet if the police had taken up a full day’s time of an extremely busy man such as Conrad, there must be a very good reason for it.

  Why would he lie to her about it? What was he hiding?

  He didn’t seem particularly perturbed by any of it but then again he was used to making complex business deals and working with large government departments and big corporations. Perhaps if you could afford the best corporate lawyers in Sydney you didn’t have anything to worry about.

  But Bree did.

  She had slipped into love with a man so powerful she had no control and no way of stopping herself. She had serious concerns about his involvement in the stolen rock art, a criminal act.

  Still, she knew exactly where the night would end. In bed.

  What’s more, she didn’t want it to end anywhere else.

  Chapter eleven

  Two months later…

  Looking out at the view from their table on the terrace at Bistro Sydney, Bree considered the stunning vista. They’d had a week of rain but today the sun had come out and though it was cool, the day felt fresh and new.

  The harbour was glimmering, the swell and movement of the small white-topped waves reminding her it was a real harbour, not a painting. The bridge was to one side, the Opera House to the other, and Circular Quay lay at their feet. She had the feeling she was being shown the sites of Sydney in one fell swoop. She felt like a tourist and allowed herself to be impressed by the sites afresh.

  It didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be possible.

  Her body was once again flooded with the same feeling she’d experienced two months ago when she and Conrad first started seeing each other. There’d been a sudden realisation on her part and the feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.

  How true that was. She hadn’t known then. She’d only found out for certain this morning at the doctor’s surgery.

  “Is something bothering you, Bree?” Conrad asked from across the table.

  How could she tell him now when she hadn’t had time to get used to the news herself?

  She forced herself to smile. “I think I’m just hungry. I can’t wait until lunch arrives.”

  “Would you like me to ask them to speed it up a little?”

  She was well aware Conrad could arrange anything she wanted, a booking at any restaurant at any time, a table on the terrace because the sun was shining today.

  “No, don’t do that,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

  A waiter walked over to their table with an ice bucket and a bottle of Veuve, popping the lid swiftly before Bree could say anything. Conrad took the bottle from him and poured it himself.

  “What’s this for?” she asked.

  “A celebration.”

  “Just a small glass for me.” She’d have a few sips but knew that champagne and sunshine weren’t a good combination for her. She never had more than a glass or two at the most at any time and that was just as well, knowing what she knew now. “What are we celebrating?”

  “Yesterday was settlement day for Il Bosco. She’s all mine now and next weekend I think we should fly up for a couple of days, take advantage of the hot weather. The temperature is in the high thirties and we can go swimming again. You can bring your bikini.”

  Bree smiled. “Or perhaps that wetsuit I forgot to pack last time.”

  She had to tell him today. She may have only got confirmation of her pregnancy this morning but it was his baby too and he had a right to know, regardless of whether she’d got over the shock of the news.

  How had she let it happen? He’d let it happen too when they simply got lost in the moment, lost in their lust for each other. It was ironic that they’d been careful every single time they’d made love after that, not knowing it wouldn’t make any difference at all.

  Her cycle had always been so erratic that she wasn’t worried when her last period was early and very light and hadn’t lasted long. Only it wasn’t a true period. It was just some irregular bleeding.

  She wouldn’t even have gone to the doctor if she hadn’t had stomach cramps one night. The pain wasn’t particularly severe but it felt different from anything she’d ever experienced before so she’d had it checked out.

  Was it possible it had only been this morning that she’d seen the doctor? She’d argued with him only to be told you can’t argue with a pregnancy test and a blood test.

  Yet she had no outward signs of being pregnant. Her stomach was still flat and she’d experienced nothing unusual except for that one time. No morning sickness. No fluttering in her stomach. No swollen breasts. No one had told her she was glowing. She’d been a little tired but then that was only to be expected with the hours she’d been working lately.

  Shouldn’t she feel something? There was a child growing inside her, the greatest miracle of life, but Bree didn’t feel suddenly empowered or overwhelmed. She didn’t even feel any different.

  The full repercussions hadn’t hit her yet. She hadn’t begun to consider how Conrad might take the news, whether he’d be angry or disbelieving or overwhelmed with joy.

  There was one thing she knew wouldn’t happen. Conrad wouldn’t jump down onto bended knee and propose to her, that was for sure.

  He’d told her before that if he married it would be for love. A child wasn’t reason enough for him. After all, he hadn’t married his previous girlfriend Rebecca either and she’d been pregnant.

  That was fine by Bree. Her standards were no lower than his even t
hough she’d never stated it bluntly. She didn’t want him to marry her because he felt sorry for her, because of a child or because it was expected of him. She too would only marry for love.

  Damn it, she loved him so much it hurt but that wasn’t enough, not when she couldn’t even bring herself to tell him so. How could she when she was certain he didn’t feel the same way?

  The thought that she might end up a single mother sent a shot of fear up her spine. That wasn’t the life she’d planned for herself either.

  Everything she knew was in Sydney, her apartment, her career, her friends. She had friends who were both married and single and some had children but everyone had their own life and she suddenly felt very much alone.

  It was her family she needed but they were in Melbourne, exactly where she left them all those years ago.

  “How long have we been seeing each other?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. A couple of months.”

  “It’s not a long time.”

  “Well, Bree, I’ve never been happier. Business is going well and as of yesterday Il Bosco is mine and I can start the redevelopment. That’s been a dream of mine.”

  She wondered where she and a baby would fit into his hectic schedule. A knot formed in her stomach. Business was his life and it had been for more than a decade since he took over Eden Enterprises. Nothing would change that.

  “So that’s what makes you happy?” she asked. “Your dreams are all business dreams.”

  “That’s a big part of who I am. I can’t deny it. But one of the reasons I’ve been so happy lately is because I have you in my life. I care for you very much, Bree.”

  He’d given her a lifeline and she smiled. “It’s just that sometimes I wonder exactly what I mean to you. Two months is not a long time, not in the scheme of things, and I don’t feel I should expect too much from it but this isn’t how I thought it would be.”

  Conrad reached across the table and laid his hand on hers. “And how did you think it would be?”

  “It’s so strange that we’re seeing each other but I don’t see you at all through the week and then we have these highly passionate weekends together.”