by Mia Caldwell
Briefly, she wondered what had happened to Mr. Sinclair, but the hint of sadness in Kiersten and Caitlin’s expressions kept her from asking. In the three years she had known Sawyer—admittedly she didn’t know him that well, having mostly avoided him with the exception of the last few days—he had never spoken of his father. It was clearly a sensitive subject, and she swallowed her question.
As they moved from massages to mud baths, she put on a cooling mask and leaned back in the thin mud, surprised at how soothing it was. It didn’t feel at all like mud, but rather like cooling gel encompassing her from neck to toe. “This stuff is amazing,” she said with a small sigh.
From her left, she heard Caitlin give a similar sigh and murmur in agreement.
Kiersten was on her right, and she didn’t reply, clearly too lost in relaxation. Nadia realized with a start that she could get used to this. Oh, not coming to a spa every day, and certainly not living all of her life on land in the city, but it would be nice to have female friends, or family, with whom to do these things.
Her own mother had died when she was a little girl, and there had been no siblings. Her parents had met in foster care, both orphans, so it was just the two of them after Carla had died. Now, it was just her. An ache of loneliness shot through her, making her wish this was all real instead of a charade.
Nadia bunched her hands into fists, wincing as the cool mud squished between them. She couldn’t think like that, especially not about his family. This week was simply an illusion, and she couldn’t allow herself to grow attached to them.
They were certainly making it difficult though, since they were welcoming her into their lives so openly and with such sincerity. They were too kind to her, and guilt ate at her.
“When you two get married, will you have the ceremony here in the city, or will you get married on the yacht?”
Nadia choked at the question, coughing to clear her throat. “Married?”
“Mom, you’re terrifying her.” Kiersten sounded amused. “Mom’s just hoping for wedding bells in the near future.”
“It’s okay if you don’t get married, dear. I’m perfectly fine with you living in sin as long as you’re making him happy.”
Nadia’s mouth gaped open, but then she heard Kiersten giggle and realized Caitlin was teasing her. She laughed herself, even as her guilt grew. “I certainly don’t want to disappoint you, Caitlin, but I wouldn’t expect a wedding ceremony.” Abruptly, she realized she might be killing the pretense of the relationship, so she quickly interjected, “Sawyer and I haven’t even talked about the future really. We’re nowhere near that point yet.”
The woman who wanted to be her mother-in-law sighed softly. “Oh I suppose you have all the time in the world, with you both being so young, but I’m anxious to see him settled and happy. He’s such a wanderer, and I fear he’ll never find exactly what he’s looking for.”
Nadia sighed too. “That could be correct, but I can’t say.” She bit her tongue, realizing she’d almost blown the façade again. “As I said, we aren’t that serious yet.”
Kiersten snorted. “You might think that, but it’s clear to me that when you two are together, there’s something special there. You can barely keep your hands off each other, and your eyes say it all. It might not be wedding bells, but you two will definitely be getting serious in the near future. Mom will be happy, and Grandfather can stop grousing about Sawyer traipsing the globe in his little boat and shirking his responsibilities.”
Her mouth was abruptly dry, and she wanted to believe it was the detoxing effect of the mud bath, and not Kiersten’s words. Surely, his sister was seeing what she wanted to see? Sure, there was a slight spark between them, an attraction, but it was nothing more than that. They barely knew each other, so how could it be? She didn’t know how to refute Kiersten’s statement without revealing too much about the true nature of their relationship, so she remained quiet. When a spa attendant offered her a glass of champagne a few minutes later, she gulped it down to clear her dry mouth, even though she risked clouding her thoughts.
“What would you like for Sawyer?” she asked Caitlin and his sister as she returned the glass.
“I’d just like him to be happy,” said Caitlin. She sighed softly. “He certainly deserves that after everything...”
“Yes, he does. I wish Grandfather would cut him a little more slack,” said Kiersten.
Nadia remained quiet. They seemed to think she knew what they were talking about, that she had a greater depth of intimacy with Sawyer than she did, and if she probed too deeply or protested too much, she risked running the charade.
The guilt leaned heavily on her to do just that—to confess and beg forgiveness. It hadn’t been that bad before she’d met them, but now she hated what she was helping him do to his family. It was awful to give them hope that there was a relationship between her and Sawyer, when there was nothing but dollars and zeros instead. Suddenly, she knew she couldn’t maintain this pretense for an entire week. As soon as they returned to the Sinclair residence, she was going to track down Sawyer and tell him she couldn’t go through with this.
Her heart seized at the thought, and a pang of panic shot through her chest as she imagined returning the deposit he had given her. It would mean starting over, and likely she’d have to find a new position as well, but it just wasn’t right to deceive these people. They weren’t the cold and overtly hostile group she had expected. She didn’t want to hurt Kiersten or Caitlin, and she was angry that Sawyer had come up with this pretense while knowing what it would mean to his family.
That anger, coupled with a strong dose directed inward at her own role in events, propelled her through the rest of the spa visit and kept her resolved to do the correct thing as they returned to the house. She was tempted to blurt out the whole story, but held back. Let Sawyer sort it out however he wished. Let him tell them the truth.
Regardless of how he wanted to handle it, she had to end this pretense tonight. She would disappear, and he could fill in the blanks. She just hoped no one had gotten hurt in the process, and that Kiersten and Caitlin wouldn’t hate her.
She would probably never see them again, but it gave her a heavy heart to leave sour feelings behind her. No doubt, Sawyer would present her as a heartbreaker, and it was her burden to bear since she was the one ending their deal early, but it didn’t make her feel any better about hurting the people who had been so welcoming.
Sawyer was difficult to track down, and she spent forty-five minutes looking for him after they had returned to the house. All the relaxation and mellowness she had acquired from the spa treatments had fled in the face of her determination to do the right thing. She was still certain this was the correct course as she finally tracked him down in the gardens.
Even in her resolve, she couldn’t help appreciating the beauty around her. Full summer blooms everywhere made a colorful backdrop against Sawyer, who was spread lazily on the ground on a blanket, hands behind his head and staring up at the sky. He looked so relaxed and at peace, and for a moment she had doubts. Was she doing the right thing by calling this off? After all, she had made an agreement and had entered into a deal with him. Her father had always been a man who honored his word, so would he be ashamed of her for breaking their deal?
No, he would be more ashamed that she had agreed to it to start with. He wouldn’t approve of her lying to Sawyer’s family, but he would approve of telling the truth and ending this farce now. Determination renewed, she crossed the grass and stood over him, staring down. “We need to talk.”
He groaned. “The four most hated words of any man in the world.”
When he made no effort to stand up, she sank to her knees with a sigh, perching on the edge of the blanket in an attempt to prevent grass stains on the vanilla-colored capris she wore. “I can’t do this, Sawyer.”
He turned over onto his side, using his palm to prop up his head as he stared at her. “Do what?”
“I can’t keep lying to
your family.” She twisted her hands, visually betraying her inner turmoil. “Caitlin and Kiersten are so sweet and nice, and they just want what’s best for you. They think that’s me, and I don’t want to break their heart. I can’t keep lying to them about being in a relationship when we’re not.”
“Oh.” He seemed calm, calmer than she had expected.
She tilted her head sideways to better meet his eyes. “Do you understand what I’m saying? We have to tell your family the truth, or I have to just leave or something, because I can’t keep lying to them.”
“It’s simple really.”
“What is?” asked Nadia, confused by his casual acceptance of her wishes. She had expected him to protest heartily or try to bribe her into continuing the pretense.
“We’ll just stop pretending.”
She blinked. “Just like that? What was the point of all this to start with if you’re just going to stop?” Ugh, why was she arguing when that was what she wanted. Right?
He lifted a hand to take hers, dragging her down onto the blanket beside him despite her resistance. It was only after she was tucked up against him in a parody of a cuddling couple that he spoke again. “I think you misunderstand, Nadia. I’m not suggesting we tell my family we aren’t in a relationship. I’m simply suggesting we enter into a relationship so you don’t have to lie.”
Her breath left her in a harsh gasp, and she stared at him with incredulous eyes. “What are you talking about, Sinclair?” She couldn’t follow his logic or lack thereof.
He grinned lazily, sweeping a hand down her body to cup her hip. “Can we be honest with each other?”
“I have my doubts about your ability, but believe it or not, I’m typically very honest,” she said tartly.
Sawyer chuckled. “Okay, bluntly speaking, I think it’s safe to say we both have a mutual attraction. You feel it too, don’t you?”
What was the point of lying when his hand moved to her breasts, thumb lazily tracing circles around her nipple without quite touching the swelling bud. Her response amply answered his question, but she grudgingly said, “Yes,” anyway.
He smiled. “Great. I’m just proposing we see where it leads. We could spend the week acting on our attraction, and it relieves the burden of guilt for lying to my family. A real relationship, even if it’s just a physical one, will make you feel better about the whole thing.”
There were thousand holes she could poke in his logic, but Nadia was surprised to find herself lacking the willpower to do so. He was smooth and slick, as she had always known, but he was offering her a solution she could probably live with, and it included unfettered access to his body for the rest of the week.
There was no way in heck she would ever want anything more than a fling with Sawyer Sinclair, so it seemed like the perfect solution. She knew the rationale was a bunch of bull, but she was going to buy into it in an effort to soothe her conscience and her body’s yearnings for a man she had never expected to find attractive. “It’s completely insane.” Even she heard the weak resolve in her tone.
He winked at her. “No, it’s ingenious, and you know it.”
She glared at him. “What I know is it’s a bad idea, but it seems like I’ve done nothing but indulge in bad ideas since you walked onto my bridge the other day.”
Sawyer laughed again as he pulled her closer, turning so she was sprawled across his chest and looking down at him. His hands were gentle when he ran through them through her smooth hair, the product of a fresh Brazilian blowout. “Sometimes, the bad ideas of the most fun.”
She shrugged, not willing to concede he might have a point. What harm was there in having a week of fun, as he put it, with Sawyer while making his family happy? Her conscience still twinged, reminding her they had the impression it was a lot more than a fling. She firmed her mouth, responding to that annoying little voice with the stiff reminder that she had never promised them a commitment, and she hadn’t made representation about the relationship being anything more than casual.
That’s all their flimsy relationship was, and as long as she wasn’t outright lying to them about a future that didn’t exist, she had nothing about which to feel guilty. Especially not with Sawyer’s mad scheme to indulge their physical attraction and have a shallow relationship for the week neatly circumnavigating the need to lie.
“What do you say, honey? Are you mine for the week, or should I sneak you out of the house before they have a chance to intercept you and ask how I broke your heart?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’ll never break my heart, Sawyer Sinclair. I’m far too smart to open it up to you.”
His sexy chuckles sent shivers down her spine, and he didn’t seem insulted. “That suits me just fine, Skipper.”
Feeling a mix of apprehension and excitement, she sighed softly. “Okay, let’s try it your way for a while.”
Dinner seemed to take forever, but Nadia supposed that was because she knew what was coming next. Her brain was still trying to tell her it was a bad idea, but her body was fully on board with the plan. She was in a low-grade state of constant need sitting beside Sawyer, especially as he seemed to be going out of his way to touch her in myriad tiny ways.
The simple stroke of his fingertips across the back of her hand left her breathless, and when his hand settled on her thigh, sliding under the hem of the black dress she wore, but pausing at the edge of her stockings, she couldn’t resist the urge to part her legs farther to invite his fingers to move higher. Much to her annoyance, he ignored the invitation and moved his hand south, as though he had not been stroking her thigh so intimately a moment or two before.
Finally, after coffee and dessert, they were able to escape. She couldn’t believe how eager she was for this, even knowing all the reasons why she shouldn’t do it. Sawyer was unlike any man she had ever been with, and completely different from her usual type of stable and responsible. In fact, of the few relationships she’d had, she was usually the one leaving the man behind because he got too serious. It would be a change to be with Sawyer, who was a serial escape artist.
Not that she had any intentions of trying to be the one to keep him or tame him. This was strictly physical, and only a fool would let it become anything more.
As soon as the door closed behind them, the lock clicking with a tiny snick, she turned to face him. Unable to hold out a moment longer, Nadia slipped her hands into his tie and began wrenching it open. The buttons of his shirt came next, and one or two flew off in various directions when her impatient fingers tugged too hard. It was like having a fever, and knowing he was the cure was slightly disconcerting.
Sawyer cupped her face between his hands, bending his head slightly so that their lips touched. This wasn’t the gentle coaxing kiss of last night. Instead, it started out hungry and deep, and she held nothing back as his mouth devoured hers, and she reciprocated.
They strained and pushed against each other, hands moving wildly and disjointedly over each other’s clothing. Somehow, she managed to pull his shirt off completely as his hands inched below the hem of her dress and pushed up the tight material.
The skirt yielded easily, rolling to her hips to reveal the black lace panties and stockings she wore underneath. Knowing this was coming, Nadia had chosen them deliberately and with care. Though all the underwear she had acquired at Menaul’s was sexy and expensive, this was the sexiest pair of all. Barely more than lace, a couple of bows, and a pearl decoration, it did little to hide the treasures underneath.
Deepening the kiss, which should have been impossible, they moved to the bed. Before lying down, she paused to have him unzip the dress so she could pull it over her head. And then she was on the bed, wearing just the tiny black underwear, a matching bra, and the lace-trimmed stockings that clung to her thighs without garters.
His appreciation was obvious, especially as he unfastened his slacks and pushed them to the floor along with his underwear to reveal an impressive erection. Thick and throbbing, the deep red of his ar
ousal pulsing in his flesh made her hands yearn to stroke him. A second later, he was on the bed with her, and her hand sought him out unerringly.
His skin was smooth silk, with ropey veins that throbbed as her fingers traced them. Nadia pressed against the underside of his cock lightly, making him groan and buck his hips. She wanted to taste him, but she was too aroused for extended foreplay. Right then, she simply wanted him inside her.
With enthusiastic fingers, Sawyer unfastened the front clasp of her bra, allowing her pert breasts to spring free. She was average-sized, with brown areolas and deeper-colored nipples that puckered in response to the cool air and the attention his fingers lavished upon them a moment later.
She arched her back as he bent his head to take one nipple between his lips, sucking and swirling gently as she arched against him. She held on to the length of him, caressing him softly in her palm as he teased and nibbled her nipples, alternating which breast received his attention in a cyclic fashion.
Nadia had never considered her breasts overly sensitive before, but it was either his technique or her level of desire making them so now. Whatever it was, she felt like she was on the edge of coming just from his mouth worshiping her breasts.
He scooted her position slightly so he could pull down her panties, tossing them over his shoulder without looking. Then his mouth moved lower, leaving her breasts to venture south to the slick heat between her legs. She was wet and ready for him, and when his tongue dipped inside her, a small orgasm rippled through her just from the light flick of his tongue across her clitoris.
When he would have continued tasting her, she put a hand on his forehead to stop him. Nadia shook her head. “No, no more right now. Please. I just want to feel you inside me. We can do that later.” Her words came out staccato and disjointed from her intense arousal.
Even as turned on as she was, she was aware enough to realize Sawyer had reached into the bedside table to retrieve a condom. Seconds later, after sheathing himself in latex, he moved between her thighs. She parted her legs and grasped his shoulders as he guided the head of his cock into her wet slit.