Chapter 23Lanie squinted through the jeweler’s lens as she put in a replacement diamond to repair the ring she held. She knew enough about the market to know this rock would have bought her a nice little house and allowed her to stay home for at least a year after the birth. Instead, she would be returning at six weeks postpartum, but what choice was there? She couldn’t risk telling Jason until she was able to prove she could give her daughter a secure life too. Otherwise, his money and power would facilitate him walking all over her and taking their child if he chose to.She stifled a sigh and tried to push her worries out of her head. It did no good to rehash the same concerns over and over. The course of action was set, and she had to follow it.“Lanie, you have a customer here.”She looked up at Ned, managing a smile as she removed the magnifying lens. “For me? I work in the back.”“He said you came highly recommended.”She shrugged. “Okay.”“Shall I send him back here, or do you
Chapter 24Anger emanated from Jason in almost visible waves as he dragged her through the Mall of America and out into the parking lot. It was a short walk to his hotel, and she didn’t try to break the silence, too afraid he would explode in public. Going with him alone to his hotel room was also daunting, but it was better than making a scene.She had little time to appreciate the elegant beauty of his spacious suite as he pushed her inside, slamming the door behind them. He had maintained a firm hold on her until now, and she took advantage of him releasing her to shrug off the heavy apron to set it on a table in the entryway.His gaze settled on her distended stomach. “Is it mine?”Lanie resented the question, but understood why he asked it. She had taken the emergency contraceptive and had what she had thought was a period during her time with him. Not to mention his low opinion of her in general would make him predisposed to seeing her as the slutting-around type. Damn her abili
Chapter 25“I’m an idiot,” he said again, with a marked lack of amusement. “From the moment I saw you, I had a strong reaction. I thought it was because you weren’t good enough for my son, but I knew, deep down, there was more to it. I wanted you for myself.”She managed a ghost of a smile. “Yeah, I’m just irresistible.”“You were…are.” He leaned forward a bit more, his hand hovering just within reach of hers. “I overheard you telling Josh you would make the rings, but he had to tell me about the wedding. I didn’t know—”She groaned. “Of course. You assumed our wedding was on again.”“And when he forgave you for sleeping with me, how could I possibly get him to drop you?” He looked defeated, as if unconsciously mimicking how he had felt at that moment.“That was Mark, obviously. He had a fling while Josh was out of town, but he confessed, and your son forgave him.” Lanie glared at him. “Why didn’t you just ask me about the wedding? If you cared about me at all, how could you think I w
Chapter 1Jason grimaced when he got his first look at the girl his son had brought home. They were still unloading their luggage from the seaplane that had stopped at his dock, so he had plenty of time to size her up. In denim shorts with tattered legs, slung low on her hips, a cropped black T-shirt, and with the ends of her short hair dyed an unnatural shade of purple-red, she practically screamed teenage rebellion.The only problem with that theory was he knew her to be twenty-three, according to the information his son had relayed. Josh was a sophomore, and so was she. When Jason questioned why she was still in college at her age, his son had breezily explained Lanie spent a few years searching for herself. Judging from the appearance she presented, the girl would have been better off spending a bit more time looking, until she found someone remotely presentable.His eyes widened when she straightened, stretching with her arms over her head. A dart of desire hit him like a fist in
Chapter 2To make the room even more intimidating, Jason sat at the table, clicking the keys of his laptop and speaking into the microphone of a headset he wore. He looked up, lifted a finger to indicate he’d be a moment, and finished his conversation. As he spoke, she drank in the sight of him, resisting the urge to squirm as she took a seat. Jason was fit and tanned, with handsome features that had a rougher edge than Josh’s still immature facial appearance.Get a grip. It was crazy to lust after Josh’s father. She reminded herself he was fifteen years older than she was and unlikely to find her at all appealing. He was too virile and male to seem like anyone’s father, especially since he could pass for someone in his early thirties. No doubt, Jason had his pick of women, so why would he want someone like Lanie?When he’d finished his conversation, he looked up. His gaze encompassed both of them, but she couldn’t help feeling as if his eyes were boring directly into her, probing her
Chapter 3“The stud is one of her pieces.”Jason leaned closer to examine it, bringing his face inches from hers. Lanie had the mad urge to bridge the distance and press her lips to his. She jerked back abruptly to avoid giving in to the impulse.“It’s lovely. I like the serpentine design.”“Thanks.” She didn’t bother to enlighten Jason about the special texture the tongue stud provided for extra stimulation when used during oral sex. It was one of the products two adult shops in Miami purchased from her on a regular basis. Sex jewelry wasn’t her primary niche, but it helped pay the bills so she could work on more traditional pieces.To her relief, the conversation shifted back to Josh, and she was able to sit quietly throughout the rest of the meal, needing only to give an occasional reply. When dinner ended, she rose to her feet with relief once Josh did. As they strolled from the dining room, she realized they were all heading for another destination. She grimaced, having hoped the
Chapter 4After leaving Lanie at her door, Jason detoured into the study instead of going through to his suite. He sat down behind the massive desk, analyzing the last few moments. No, he wasn’t imagining it, he decided. Lanie had definitely responded to him on a physical level.This offered a new option for dealing with the unsuitable girl Josh had dragged home. He might be a little rusty when it came to sex, but it wouldn’t take much to seduce Josh’s fiancée. He didn’t even have to sleep with her. All it would take was revealing her for what she really was.Not that sleeping with her would be a hardship, he conceded. She had a hot little body he could easily imagine sinking into. His cock twitched at the thought, and he shifted restlessly.Now, all he had to do was get Josh out of the way for a few days. Within a week or two, he’d certainly be able to get her to switch her supposed affections to him—or his bank account—instead of Josh. Pondering a strategy gave him the same thrill i
Chapter 5Lanie set down her fork, trying to analyze her friend’s tone. Excited? Anxious?“Do you remember when I applied for the internship with Senator Garvey?” At his father’s nod, he said, “I didn’t get a spot, but they have an opening now.”“Really? That sounds exciting,” said Jason. His bland expression revealed nothing about his true feelings.“Yeah. It’s only two weeks, for a special project. I have to let them know later this morning.”Jason looked surprised. “You didn’t accept right away?”Josh glanced at Lanie, and she gave him a small smile. “I had to check with Lanie first.”“Excuse me?” Jason cleared his throat. “Do you need your fiancée’s permission to take advantage of such a promising opportunity?”“No,” Lanie said, a little louder than she’d intended. “Josh should do whatever he wants.”Jason nodded. “I’m glad you feel that way. When are you supposed to arrive in D.C.?”Josh chewed on his bottom lip for a second. “That’s the thing. They want me to start tomorrow.” He