Cherish her: Laws of Seduction, Book 4 (10 page)

My mind races frantically trying to figure out what Tobin could be planning. The sound of someone entering a changing room startles us. We exchange glances as we listen to the clack of plastic hangers knocking together. Realizing that we have been talking for a long time, I pull out my phone and see that if I don’t leave immediately, I will be late for an important conference call. Looking back up at Ruby, I lower my voice to a hushed whisper and ask her one last question. “Why didn’t you take this information to James? Why approach me?”

Ruby shrugs. “I thought you would be easier to talk to.”

“Ruby, is there anything I can do to help you?”

Ruby shrugs her shoulders again. “Just don’t let him succeed. I want him to suffer for what he did to Chantal.”

“Do you know what happened to her?”

“No, all I know is that one day she was there, and the next she disappeared, like she had never existed.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe she ran away.” The look that Ruby gives me is full of skepticism, and I am the first to look away. I reach out and place my hand on hers. ““Please tell me if there is anything I can do for you. Let me give you my number.” She obediently types my number into her phone, and we agree that I will leave first.

I hurry back to my desk and try to collect myself as I pull up the information for the conference call. My eyes run over my notes as I wait for the call to connect. I look at the clock on my computer monitor and see that I am only a few minutes late. The mundane chatter that comes over the line as the call connects helps to calm my frazzled nerves. “This is Elaine. I hope I haven’’t kept you waiting.” The call moves on to the business at hand, and the lawyer in me takes over.

About fifteen minutes into the call, James bursts into my office. When he sees that I am on the phone, he begins pacing back and forth in front of my desk. He starts making motions for me to end the call, and my hard-won composure is in danger of slipping. I swivel my chair so that I can no longer see him. Although I had planned to bring up several more points, I propose that we table the discussion for a later time. Thankfully, the others don’t have a problem with my suggestion. Before I have even
With
d the receiver, James places his hands on the arms of my chair and leans forward, boxing me in. I lean back in alarm at the fury that rolls off of him in waves. “What’’s wrong?” I gasp out.

James practically gnashes his teeth at my question. Fascinated, I watch the muscle in his jaw work frantically. “Who was it?” He spits out between clenched teeth. I can only stare at him in confusion. “Who was it?” I jump when his voice rises to a shout.

Shocked at his anger, I swallow hard before answering. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play games with me, Lainey. You know what I am talking about.”

“No, James. I don’t. You’re going to have to spell it out for me.”

James enunciates each word slowly. “Who did you have an assignation with this afternoon? Did you think that Paulson wouldn’t report back to me? I can’t believe you would do that to us.” He must see the dawning understanding in my eyes, because he presses on. “Tell me who it was, Lainey, and maybe, just maybe, I won’t tear him limb from limb like he deserves.”

“It was a she, not a he.” The look of shock that crosses James’s face almost makes me laugh, but I think better of it considering his volatile mood. ““I wasn’t off having an affair.” I am starting to get angry that he would have thought such a thing, no matter what he had been led to believe. “What exactly did Paulson tell you anyway?”

“He said that he watched you pick up lunch and then followed you to Macy’s, where you disappeared into the fitting rooms for a long time, and he didn’t think it was to try on clothes. He heard you in there with someone.” At the suspicious look James gives me I push back on his arms and stand up. When my chest brushes his front, his familiar warm scent washes over me, and tingles shoot up my nerve endings. Angry that I cannot even argue with James without reacting to his physical presence, I give him a light shove. He straightens and backs up a few paces.

Not wanting the entire office to know that we are arguing, I manage to keep my voice at a low hiss. “Of course this means that I was having a nooner with some guy. For your information, if I were to decide to do that, it would not be in a dressing room at Macy’s.”

James crosses his arms over his chest. “Go on.”

I can’t help fidgeting under his penetrating stare. I’m not sure the true circumstances of my visit to Macy’s is going to make him happier. ““I met with Ruby. The changing room location at Macy’s was my idea. She didn’t want anyone to see that she was in contact with me.”

“Are you telling me that you met with Ruby, Tobin’s Ruby?”

“Yes, I saw her when I went to get lunch. She asked me to meet with her in private.”

James mutters an expletive and rakes his hands through his hair. “How did you know it wasn’t some kind of trap?”

“I wanted to hear what she had to say, so I took a chance. I figured Paulson would keep me safe if the need arose.”

“Of all the reckless, thoughtless… stupid things to have done.” James trails off as if further speech has deserted him.

“Hey,” I object. “I wasn’t in any danger, and what she had to tell me was worth the risk.”

“This should be interesting,” James mutters.

“Well, I think it is.”

James arches an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

I eye him speculatively. “I don’t think so.”

James blinks his eyes in disbelief. “What do you mean you don’t think so? You’re not going to tell me what she said?””

“Not when you’re in this frame of mind. We can talk about it later.”

It is rare to see Mr. Persuasive stumped. I watch as James stares at me in perplexed wonder. He finally rallies. “You’re really going to make me wait?”

I sit back down on my chair and mouth “bye-bye” as I wiggle my fingers at him in a dismissive wave.

For a moment James remains standing indecisively in front of my desk. He finally straightens and walks to the door. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he turns back to give me a parting shot. “If you think you’ve had the last word on this, you are highly mistaken.””

CHAPTER 10

At six o’clock, I am half expecting James to show up at my office to take me home. When he doesn’t, I wrap up my work and get ready to leave. I walk down to his office and see that it is deserted. Melanie has also left for the day, so I am unable to ask her about James’s whereabouts. After the way we left things this afternoon, I am not about to send him a text.

Exiting the elevators, I find Paulson waiting for me, and he directs me to a car. I return to an empty apartment. The silence echoes around me as I make my way to the bedroom to change out of my work clothes. Deciding that I will go for a run, I pull on my running clothes. I am scrolling through my playlists as I walk back into the living room and don’t notice that I am no longer alone until I see a shift in the light. I jump a mile high as I turn to see James standing at the windows. I move from foot to foot as he stands watching me with an impenetrable air. When he breaks the silence, I jump again. His parting words this afternoon have left me on edge. I know that he is planning something, but his words reveal nothing. “Wait five minutes, and I’’ll run with you.” I give a quick nod, and James heads to the bedroom to change.

We run in the direction of Battery Park. By silent mutual agreement, we also run a long distance up the East Side of Manhattan before circling back to the apartment. With this route we have to wait at several lights, but we need to cool down anyway. When we get back to the apartment, James indicates that I should shower first while he orders food for us.

By the time the food arrives, we have barely exchanged a handful of words and my nerves are at the breaking point. I can’t figure out if James is still mad about this afternoon or if he is playing some kind of game with me. When he does speak, it is as though this afternoon never happened. He has ordered one of my favorite meals, gourmet pizzas and salad. I watch as James opens a bottle of wine and I hold out my glass. As soon as he stops pouring, I bring the glass to my lips and take a large, fortifying sip.

James looks at me with a slightly amused expression that I long to wipe off his face. I notice he hasn’t touched his wine. Tentatively, I attempt to break the silence. “I looked for you after work. I must have just missed you.”” James makes a non-committal noise in response. He has had me dancing around on tenterhooks all evening, and I have had enough. “What are you doing?”

James cocks his head at me. “I’m not doing anything… yet.” His low, suggestive tone does more to set my body on high alert than the words themselves.

I go on the offensive. “I thought you wanted to hear about my discussion with Ruby.”

“All in good time.” He utters soothingly.

Tired of being patronized, I jump down from my chair and walk into the bedroom, leaving the remains of my meal for James to deal with. Once within the sanctuary of the bedroom, I take out my phone and look for messages. I am disturbed by the fact that despite several urgent texts, Mark has not returned my calls. There is still nothing from him. I type something back to Sam, who has made a comment in our group chat. I am considering what I want to do next when inspiration suddenly strikes me. In order to deal with James, I need to go on the offensive. If he is expecting some little mouse to be cowering in the bedroom waiting for his next move, he doesn’t know Lainey Hart.

Moving quickly to the closet, I search through the drawers until I find the black silk lingerie set that Sam had given me. The gift had been a joke at the time and is not my usual style. Hastily, I slip out of my standard cami and shorts and wriggle into the skimpy scraps of satin and lace. I stand before the mirror and inspect the results. I am amazed at the transformation. The bustier pushes my rather small breasts up to display an impressive amount of cleavage. Deciding to go all out, I slide black stilettos over black silk stockings and apply make-up. I brush out my long hair until it gleams. Looking into the mirror once again, I hardly recognize the sex goddess looking back at me. I take a few deep breaths, working up the courage to venture back into the living room, when James appears in the doorway.

The temperature in the room seems to go up several degrees. I watch as James’s eyes travel up and down my black lace-clad form, taking in every inch. Not knowing what to expect next, I stand stock still. He walks into the room slowly and circles me like a lion about to pounce on his prey. The heat in his eyes sends a shudder of anticipation up my spine. He stops in front of me with bare inches separating our bodies. His voice is low and husky. “This is not what I expected.”

Not sure how to reply, I remain silent. James gives a shake of his head. “Always full of surprises.” He extends his hand and runs the tip of his index finger down the side of my neck past my pulse point and down to the tops of my breasts. My breathing becomes shallow as he runs his finger along the top of the bustier. “I’m curious. What did you hope to gain with this… move?”

“You act as if we are playing some kind of game.”

“Aren’t we?” His voice is a low purr.

“Is that what a relationship is to you… a game? Do you feel like you always have to have the upper hand?”

“Ah ha, so you admit it. You are vying for the upper hand.”

“That isn’t what I said, and you know it.” I know I sound defensive and resolve not to let him provoke me further. I have a feeling he is doing it on purpose.

“Don’t deny that you are using your sexuality to what… tame me?”

“But isn’t that what you always do? As soon as I disagree with you, you distract me with sex. Maybe it’s time that you had a taste of your own medicine.””

James cocks an eyebrow. “Are you saying that making love to me is like taking medicine?”

“Stop twisting my words around. You know that it is not what I meant.”

“How did you think this little scenario was going to play out?” Since I had no plan except for using my outfit as a form of defense against whatever onslaught he was preparing, I remain silent. Realizing that I don’t intend to answer, James backs up a few steps and leans his hips back against the dresser. He grips both sides with his hands in a deceptively relaxed pose. “I don’t think I have ever been as angry with anyone as I was with you this afternoon.”” This surprises me. He hadn’t appeared that angry. Although he had been coldly distant this evening, I hadn’t detected anger in his actions. “It took every ounce of control I had not to throw you over my knee and spank you this afternoon in your office.”

Although I have tried to keep my expression impassive, James must see some of the shock that I am feeling. “Does that frighten you, Lainey?”

I shake my head back in forth. “I’m not afraid of you.”

Releasing the dresser, James stands upright and moves in closer. His warm breath brushes across my skin. “I think you would be if you knew what I wanted to do with you.”

I don’t understand the impulse I feel to push him over the edge to make him lose control. It reminds me of standing at the top of a cliff with quarry water, black and still beneath me. Distantly, I hear my friends daring me to jump. I know it is dangerous, but I know I will do it anyway. By daring James to do his worst I can get back a piece of myself that I thought was gone forever. ““Nothing you could do would make me afraid.”