A Millionaire for Cinderella (10 page)

She paused to take another drink before continuing. “And then, he saw Nigel’s work.”

“The painting hanging in the studio.”

His aunt gave a wistful smile. “That was one of so many studies. Nigel was a student of the human form and being his muse...”

“He studied your form the most.” Patience’s comment earned a blush. It was the first time Stuart ever saw his aunt color in embarrassment.

“Your grandfather was doubly furious. He told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t come home and live like a proper lady, he would destroy Nigel’s career before it had ever started.”

Patience gave a soft gasp. “Surely, he didn’t mean...”

“I’m sure he did,” Stuart replied. “Grandpa Theodore could be ruthless when he wanted to be.” Didn’t matter who was involved. His sister, his grandson.

Reading his mind, Patience squeezed his hand, the gesture replacing the emptiness inside him with warmth. Grateful, he pressed her fingers to his lips.

“What did you do?” he asked Ana, knowing the answer.

“What could I do? I was only seventeen. If I refused, it would be the end of Nigel’s career, and I couldn’t do that to him. He was born for greatness.”

So, instead, she sacrificed her happiness for his sake. Stuart wanted to strangle his grandfather.

“You must have loved him very much,” Patience whispered.

“He was my soul mate.” Ana smiled a watery smile, only to have it melt away seconds later. “I told Nigel, I’d come back. That as soon as I was eighteen I would find him. We could use my money to protect ourselves from Theodore’s influence.”

“But you didn’t go back.” She’d moved to Boston and never returned to Paris.

A tear slipped down Ana’s face. “There was nothing to go back to. A few weeks after I left, Nigel was killed in a motorcycle accident. He always rode too fast...”

Her voice grew wobbly, and the tears fell more frequently. “Later I heard Theodore had hired someone to purchase all his paintings of me and have them destroyed. All his work gone forever.”

“Oh, Tetya.” There were no words. Stuart jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her, anger toward his grandfather building as Ana shook silently against him. Here he’d thought marrying Gloria was the old man’s low point. He couldn’t be more wrong.

A comforting warmth buffeted him. Patience stood by his side, her hand gently rubbing circles on Ana’s back. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Giving a sniff, his aunt lifted her head. While her eyes were red and puffy, Stuart saw the familiar backbone finding its way back. “My sweet child,” she said, swiping at her cheeks, “why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything. Either of you.”

Her absolution did little to alleviate the hurt he felt on her behalf. “But if I’d known...”

“What? You’d have called him on his behavior? Theodore knew what he was doing. He was a selfish man who didn’t care who he hurt.”

No, thought Stuart, he didn’t.

She touched his cheek, tenderly, like the surrogate grandmother she’d become. “I’m just glad he didn’t destroy your heart the way he did mine.”

“Me, too.” Although he’d come damn close.

Emotionally and physically worn-out, Ana dozed off a short while later. Patience waited by the doorway while Stuart tucked the older woman in and gave her a goodbye kiss.

* * *

“This explains why she named all the cats Nigel,” Patience said, once they stepped into the corridor. “She was keeping her lover’s memory alive.” It broke her heart to think of Ana—sweet, gentle Ana—spending a lifetime mourning her only love. How could Theodore ruin his sister’s happiness like that? All because she’d dared to fall in love with the wrong kind of man?

Life really did stink sometimes.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Stuart looking back over his shoulder. “I knew my grandfather could be cold, but I always thought what happened with Gloria was a case of him being seduced. Now I wonder...” Rather than finish the sentence, he looked down at the linoleum. Didn’t matter. Patience could guess what he was thinking. In spite of what he said regarding his grandfather’s involvement, he still placed the bulk of the betrayal on Gloria’s shoulders. Ana’s story shifted the blame more evenly. “Ironic, isn’t it?” he said. “My grandfather being so intent on protecting the Duchenko name and fortune, only to make a spectacle of himself decades later by marrying a fortune hunter himself?”

“You heard Ana. He was selfish. Selfish people only care about what benefits them.”

“True.” He left out a deep breath. “Goes to show, you really can’t trust anyone.”

“That’s not true.” Patience rushed to keep the walls from reforming. “You can trust Ana. And you can trust me.” Staring directly at him, she dared him to look into her soul and see her sincerity. “I swear.”

“I know.” He went back to studying the floor.

This morning, Patience had joked about his glasses looking sexy and hip. At the moment, however, he just looked lost. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to wrap her arms around her waist and hold him close. He started at first, but it wasn’t long before he hugged her back, his chin resting on her shoulder. “I’m as bad as he was, you know that?”

“What are you talking about?” Pulling back, she frowned at him. “If you’re talking about your grandfather, you couldn’t be more wrong.” The two men were day and night. “I’ve seen how much you care about Ana. For crying out loud, you’ve been in here visiting every day since the accident. You make sure she has the best doctors, the best therapy. Hell, you went to the humane society dinner dance for her.”

She pressed herself tight in his arms. “You could never do what your grandfather did to Ana,” she whispered in his ear. Or what his grandfather had done to him. “Not in a million years.”

“You sound pretty confident.”

“I am,” she replied with a smile. “There’s a reason Ana sings your praises so much. You’re a good man, Stuart Duchenko.” Her heart echoed every word.

Stuart squeezed her tight, and for a second Patience thought she felt his body shake. The moment didn’t last. Slipping out of her embrace, he crossed the hall and moved to a new doorway. There he stood, staring into an unoccupied room. “My pity party must sound pretty pathetic to you.”

Because, he was saying, she’d had it so much worse. Maybe so, but as she’d told him before, it wasn’t a contest. “Everyone needs reassurance once in a while.”

“That so?” A smile made its way to his face as he leaned against the door frame. “Well, in that case, I hope you know how awesome you are, Patience Rush. I’m damn lucky our paths crossed.”

On the contrary, she was the lucky one. She was falling deeper and deeper by the second.

“Thank you for being here.” Leaning forward, he kissed her. A long, lingering kiss, the tenderness of which left Patience’s head spinning. “See you back home?”

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. If there was any chance that she could keep her heart from getting involved, that kiss chased it away for good.

CHAPTER NINE

T
HAT
NIGHT
,
THE
TWO
of them lay on the deck’s top sofa, legs and bodies entwined like spaghetti, making out like a pair of teenagers. Patience swore Stuart had turned kissing into an art form. One moment his kisses were possessive and demanding, the next they turned so reverent they brought tears to her eyes.

All the while Patience fought the voice in her head warning her that he’d eventually realize she wasn’t good enough.

She was saved from her dark thoughts by Stuart tugging on her lower lip with his teeth. “I think I’m love with your mouth,” he murmured.

Words muttered in the throes of passion, but Patience’s heart jumped all the same. She forced herself to treat the remark as lightly as he intended it to be. Running her bare foot up Stuart’s leg, she thrilled at the way her touch caused a soft groan. “What does
lapushka
mean?” she asked.

Stuart raised himself up on his elbows. “Seriously?”

“I’m curious.” And she needed the distraction. He might have been only talking about her mouth, but the word
love
required her to take a step back. “I know
tetya
means aunt...”

“
Lapushka
means little paw. And before you ask, I have no idea why she calls me that.”

“I like it.
Lapushka
.” She drew out the second syllable. “It’s sweet.”

“Better than
mon petit chou
. French for my little cabbage,” he added when she frowned.

“I thought you didn’t know French.”

“That was the extent of my knowledge.”

“At least now I have something to call Piper next time she calls.”

Stuart didn’t answer. A faraway look found its way to his face. Patience touched his cheek to call him back to the present. “You’re thinking about what Ana told us this afternoon, aren’t you?”

“Grandpa Theodore took so much from her. She could have had a completely different life.” He cast his eyes to the cushion, but not before she caught a flash of regret. “I keep wondering if there isn’t some way I could fix the damage he caused.”

“How? Unless you can turn back time, I don’t think you can.”

“Actually...” With a moan that could best be described as reluctant, Stuart rolled onto his side. The separation wasn’t more than a few inches, but Patience felt the distance immediately and shivered. “I was thinking about that this afternoon.”

“About turning back time?”

“Sort of.”

Now he had her interest. She shifted onto her side as well, propping herself on one elbow so as to give him her full attention. “What do you mean?”

“I was thinking about the painting we saw in the photograph. Ana said Nigel painted all sorts of studies of her.”

“Yes, but she also said your grandfather paid someone to buy all of them.”

“But what if he didn’t? I mean, what if he wasn’t able to buy them all. Ana made it sound like there were a lot of paintings and sketches. It’s possible one or two of them survived. Grandpa Theodore was powerful, but he wasn’t omnipotent. In spite of what he thought.”

“Do you really think a painting exists?”

“It’s possible, and if one does, then Ana could have back a piece of what she lost. Might not be much, but...”

It was a wonderful, beautiful gesture that deepened the feelings that were rapidly taking control of Patience’s heart. “But Nigel died years ago,’ she reminded him. “How would we ever find out about his paintings?”

“We can at least try. I did a little searching on the internet this afternoon. Apparently Nigel had a sister.”

“Really? Is she still alive?”

“Alive and living in Paris. If anyone knows what happened to his artwork, it would be her. All we need is for someone to go talk to her. You wouldn’t happen to have any ideas who we could call, do you?” he asked, brushing the bangs from her face.

“Funny you should ask—I do.” She matched his grin. “I’m sure Piper would be glad to help. She knows how important Ana is to me. I’ll call her tomorrow. With luck, she can arrange to talk to Nigel’s sister this week.”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

He didn’t have to thank her. “After everything Ana has done for me, this is nothing. I’d love to find this painting as much as you.” And give back to the woman who saved her a piece of her soul mate that was bigger than a box of memories and a string of cats bearing his name.

Thinking of the cats made her giggle. “What’s so funny?” Stuart asked.

“Nothing. I was thinking, if the cats all had Nigel’s personality, does that mean he never stopped eating?”

“Interesting question. We’ll have to ask Ana someday.

“In the meantime,” he said, rising above her. “It’s still the middle of the night in Paris. We’ve got a few hours to kill before we can think about calling your sister.”

“Is that so?”

“Uh-huh.” He gripped her waist and quickly flipped her beneath him, causing Patience to let out a high-pitched squeal. “Looks like we’ll have to find something to pass the time,” he said, dipping his head.

Patience met him halfway.

* * *

Despite claiming her older sister “owed her,” Piper was more than happy to visit Nigel’s sister, just as Patience knew she would be. “Stuart and I really appreciate this,” she said to the younger woman.

“Stuart, huh?” Piper’s face loomed large as she leaned toward the screen. “How are things going with the two of you? Is he still cool with, you know, the club?”

Patience’s mind flashed to a few hours before, in Stuart’s bed. “Seems to be,” she replied.

“See? I told you he’d understand. It’s not like you went to work in that place because you liked dancing naked on tables.”

“Of course, I didn’t,” Patience replied with a wince. She wondered if the memory would ever stop making her stomach churn. “And you’re right. Stuart says he understands.”

“Wait—what do you mean ‘says he understands’? Don’t you believe him?”

“No, I believe him. Stuart’s been great.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Patience shook her head. How could she explain that Stuart being great was the problem. He was too great while she was...well, she sure as heck didn’t feel worthy. Sooner or later, this dream had to end. A soft sigh escaped her lips. Too late, she remembered Piper was on the other end of the line.

“Patience?”

Blinking, she came face-to-face with Piper’s scowl.

“What aren’t you telling me?” her sister asked.

“Um...” She bit her lip and prayed her sister’s old cell phone camera wouldn’t pick up her blush.

It was a fruitless wish. “Oh, my God! Is something going on between you and your boss?”

“He’s not my boss,” Patience said quickly. “He’s my boss’s great-nephew.”

They were splitting hairs and they both knew it, which was why Piper asked, “What exactly is the difference?”

“The difference...” There was no difference, but she didn’t want to admit it. Calling Stuart her boss only reminded her they weren’t from the same world, a reality she was trying to ignore for as long as possible. Acknowledging that reality would only lead to others, like Patience not being good enough for him. “The difference would be the same as you dating either your boss or his next-door neighbor.” she finally said.

Just as she knew she would, Piper rolled her eyes at the lame example. “Please. The only neighbor I’ve met is an eleven-year-old boy, and my boss doesn’t even...”

“Doesn’t even what?” For some reason, her sister had stopped midsentence, and her gaze was focused on a point off camera. “Piper?”

“Sorry, I lost track of what I was about to say. And you still haven’t answered my question. Are you dating Stuart Duchenko?”

“For now, yes.”

“No way! That’s great!” Piper beamed from ear to ear. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Don’t go making a big deal. We’re having fun together, that’s all. It’s nothing serious.”

Of course she still hadn’t mentioned the other thing. After Stuart distracted her yesterday—not that she’d fought too hard—there hadn’t been another good moment. Then again, when was there a good time to share something so humiliating? It wasn’t exactly something you could blurt out.
Hey, Stuart, by the way, dancing naked wasn’t the only thing in my past I didn’t tell you about. There’s also this little police matter...

She switched the subject back to Nigel Rougeau’s sister and hoped Piper believed her.

At least one of them should.

* * *

“And this,” Stuart said, “is the firm library. Home away from home for any decent first-year associate.”

He snuck a kiss to Patience’s temple while pointing out the shelves, causing her knees to wobble slightly. Not because of the kiss but from the intimacy it implied.

“Was it yours?” She pictured his dark head bent over the books late at night.

“Are you kidding? See that desk by the window? If you sit in the chair, you can still feel the imprint from my butt cheeks.”

Patience choked back a snort, causing a pair of heads to look in their direction, only to return to their work as soon as they spied Stuart. “Don’t look now, but I think they’re afraid of you.”

“Well, I can be pretty scary, you know.”

“I know I was terrified when I first met you.”

“I could tell by the way you sauced off.”

“That’s not even a real word.” Giggling, she slapped his sleeve. One of the heads looked up again, and she couldn’t help indulging in a moment of smug pride.
That’s right
, she wanted to say,
your boss is entertaining me.

It was an illusion, of course, this image of being a couple, but she was willing to let herself enjoy the fantasy for as long as it lasted. Later today, Ana would be coming home, and soon after Stuart would be moving out, bringing an end to their affair. When that happened, she would confront the emotions she was fighting to keep buried.

Until then, she’d let the illusion have control.

“The partner’s dining room is next door,” Stuart said. “Would you rather eat in there or in my office?”

That’s why she was here. With Ana returning home, Stuart had invited her to lunch to discuss what she needed to do to get the brownstone ready. “You’re the host. I’ll let you decide.”

“My office it is. That way I can ravish you after we eat,” he whispered in her ear.

Patience’s knees wobbled again. The way his voice grew husky, she could listen to his whisper all day long. “Sounds good to me.”

“What part? The eating or the ravishing?” Either. Both. She welcomed the privacy, too. Previous moment aside, she felt uncomfortable walking around Stuart’s law firm. Although she’d exchanged her jeans for an ankle-length skirt and tank top, she still felt out of place amid the power suits. “What are you talking about?” Stuart had remarked when she’d mentioned her fears. “No one expects my date to look like she’s heading to court.”

“They would if she was a lawyer,” she countered.

“But she’s not. She’s you.”

He had no idea how his response made her heart soar.

“Bob was looking for you,” a woman called to them when they reached his office.

“I know,” Stuart replied. “I got his emails. If it’s about the Peavey case, tell him to send the brief directly to John Greenwood.”

“He said this was about another project. A report you asked him to assemble.”

There was a sudden stutter in his step. While they weren’t touching, Patience could still feel Stuart’s body tense. “Oh,” he replied. “Tell him I’ll talk with him later.” Even his voice sounded tight.

“I’m keeping you from something important, aren’t I?” she asked.

“Nothing that can’t wait.”

But she was. His whole demeanor had changed on a dime. Lighthearted Stuart had disappeared behind a shadow. All of a sudden, he was frowning, the playful gleam gone from his eyes.

“Seriously, if you have work to do, I can—”

“No.” He practically shouted the word. For some reason, it made the hair on her neck stand on end. “Whatever Bob has to say can wait.”

“But if he’s trying so hard to talk with you...” Multiple emails and personal visits—it had to be important.

Stuart shook his head. “I already know what he wants to tell me, and it’s not important at all.”

“Okay. If you say so.” No need pressing the issue, even though she wasn’t sure she believed him. “Bob can wait.”

“Exactly.”

Stuart’s office was a mirror image of him. Attractive and elegant. If this was the reward, no wonder those associates worked so hard.

She stood in the center of the room while he closed his office door and then turned to her with a mischievous grin.

“Are we planning to eat?” she asked him.

“Eventually.” Taking her hand, he led her to the luxurious leather chair that dominated the back of his desk. “First things first. I believe I said something about ravishing.”

“I distinctly remember you saying after we eat.”

“Sue me. I lied.”

She would have made a joke about being in the perfect place to do so had he not completely derailed her thoughts by slipping his arms around her waist. She tumbled onto his lap without argument.

His eagerness never ceased to amaze her. Every time he kissed her felt like the first time, passionate and needy.

She let out a whimper when he broke away. “Sadly, not being able to lock my door prevents a proper ravishing. That will have to wait until later.”

“Your aunt will be home.”

“She has to sleep eventually. And, if I recall, they’re installing her bed on the first floor, which means we can be as loud as we want.” He slipped off the strap of her tank top and nipped at the exposed skin.

Goodness, but she would going to miss this when he left. Putting her hands on his shoulders, Patience pushed gently away. One of them had to add some space; otherwise, it wouldn’t matter whether his door locked or not.

“I thought we needed to talk about Ana’s new living arrangements,” she said. Stuart groaned, but he didn’t argue.

“The medical supply company delivered the bed this morning,” she continued. “Is Ana okay with the arrangement?” After discussing it, she and Stuart had decided to move his aunt to the first floor for the next few weeks. Dr. O’Hara had been concerned about her going up and down stairs. Stuart and Patience were concerned she might trip over Nigel again.