Fool Me Once (6 page)

* * *

Josh
studied the indicator board as passengers swirled around him, heading for the
trains. He wandered toward the gate as the train came to a stop and the doors
opened, spilling passengers onto the platform.

Olivia
was one of the last passengers to exit, her self-assured walk making her stand
out from the rest of the crowd. He raised a hand and then lowered it, taking a
moment to appreciate her inimitable style. Walking through a shaft of sunlight,
her short coppery hair gleamed like a beacon and his fingers tensed. A snug
black velvet jacket ended at her waist, and her legs seemed to go on forever in
supple black leather trousers and black boots. In striking contrast to the rest
of her outfit, a softly ruffled white blouse peeked out of the neck of the
jacket. She strode toward the exit, black leather bag containing her laptop
over her shoulder.

* * *

Olivia
made her way through the swirling crowds, then suddenly stilled. There was
Josh, leaning casually against the corner of the W.H. Smith kiosk. Their eyes
locked, and the other travelers ceased to exist. What was he doing here? She
wasn’t ready for him yet.

“Hello
Darlin’.” He slipped an arm around her waist, catching her off balance. His
eyes sparkled, and she sensed desire in their depths, mingled with amusement.
Lowering his lips, he kissed her with an ardor that caused several people to
stop and stare. Pressing her palms against his chest, she started to push him
away, then remembering that this was for show, she relaxed against him, molding
her body to his. His kiss was fierce, hot, and she wanted more. She opened her
eyes to see him studying her through dark lashes.

She
pulled back and slipped her arm possessively through his. “It was sweet of you
to meet me,” she said, as they made their way toward the exit. “I’ve missed
you.” That much was true.

A
limousine with tinted windows awaited them at the curb. “Good evening, Miss
MacMillan.” The driver nodded as he reached for the door handle.

Olivia
sank back in the soft leather seat. Josh filled the space beside her, his broad
shoulders impossible to disguise, even under the beautifully tailored jacket.
He turned to her, a roguish smile playing across his lips and lighting his
eyes. “I could make a career out of meeting you in train stations. Especially
if you promise to kiss me like that every time.”

“Don’t
count on it.” A small smile contradicted her tart response.

He
placed his hand over his heart. “I’m crushed. And here I thought you’d been
lusting after my body.”

Olivia
wondered how her knees could feel weak when she was sitting down. But they did.
Even in the depths of the limousine, his eyes were mesmerizing.

She
tore her gaze away and looked out the window, searching for some familiar
object as they sped through the streets. Something to bring her back to
reality.

“Oh
look,” she murmured. “There’s Marble Arch.”

“Good
Lord, what have I been thinking!” Josh slipped his hand into his jacket pocket,
extracting a tiny velvet bag. “See what you do to me?” he said good-naturedly.
“A few moments with you and I forget all about business.”

He
untied the gold cord and tipped an exquisite ring into the palm of his hand. “I
hope you like it,” he said, eyes sparkling. “It’s platinum.”

IATO’s
budget had been woefully inadequate for the style of ring he needed. Colin had
looked at him oddly when he’d stated that he intended to pay for the ring
himself. He wouldn’t consider asking Olivia to wear anything less.

“Here,
let’s see if it fits.” He bowed his head over her hand, slipping the ring onto
her finger.

A
sudden pang of longing caught Olivia by surprise. Josh Morgan was an entirely
new breed of animal. He was different from any man she had ever been involved
with. What would life be like with him? In her fantasies, there would be exotic
holidays on a secluded Caribbean island. There would be lazy mornings spent in
bed, exploring each other’s bodies. There would be long rides on his ranch,
checking on cattle and drinking in the beauty of rugged mountains against the
clear blue Montana sky. There would be quiet evenings before a massive stone
fireplace, anticipation building deliciously, knowing that they would open the
curtains in their bedroom and make love below the dazzling stars. But that was
fantasy. This was reality. And with reality came ‘The Rules’.

She
glanced down at the ring. “My goodness, it’s beautiful,” she said, holding up
her hand to catch the light. “Is it real?”

Josh
bristled. “Of course it’s real. I can’t take you to Monte Carlo with a fake
diamond.”

The
square-cut white diamond was breathtaking in its simplicity.

“I’m
sorry,” she said quickly. “But you surprised me. It’s exactly what I would have
chosen myself.” She glanced at him from under lowered lashes. “You really are
an interesting man,” she said slowly. “Over-confident, infuriating, and far too
cheeky for your own good. But also interesting.”

“Why,
thank you ma’am.” The limousine pulled into the porte cochere of the Dorchester
and he picked up her hand, bringing it to his mouth for a fleeting kiss. The
doorman approached, and Josh shot her a saucy smile. “I have a feeling we’re
going to have fun” he whispered. “Are you ready?” 

Olivia
was aware of a change in Josh’s body language the moment they stepped from the
limousine. The loose-jointed, slick-talking man disappeared. She doubted that
anyone else would have noticed the difference, but she’d relived every moment
of their time together, replayed every movement, analyzed every word of their
conversations. She may not know what was in his heart, but her interview skills
made her a keen observer when it came to gestures, mannerisms, and facial expressions.

The
heart-stopping smile was still in place, and he greeted the staff by name with
that typical American familiarity that was somewhat unsettling to the British.
But there was something else. The set of his shoulders was marginally tighter.
His eyes missed nothing. He escorted her into the lobby, one hand resting
lightly on the small of her back. He was definitely a man in charge, and she
liked it. As she noted the subtle changes she reminded herself that she really
didn’t know him at all.

“Would
you like a drink, Darling, or would you like to head up to the suite?” His gaze
moved to the lobby entrance, where a raucous group had just arrived, then
returned to her face. This, she told herself, was a new Josh.

“Let’s
have a drink in the room. I think I’d be more comfortable.” She slipped her
hand through his arm and gazed up at him adoringly. This part of the charade
wasn’t difficult; he really was one of the most handsome men she had ever laid
eyes on. Admiring glances followed them as they crossed to the elevator.

“We’re
in a two-bedroom suite,” he announced, pushing the door open ahead of her.
“I’ve had your bags placed in the bedroom on the left.”

Olivia
tilted her head in acknowledgement. She wandered over to the window in the
sitting room and pulled back the sheer curtain with one finger, observing the
traffic as it sped along Park Lane.

Josh
appeared beside her, holding out a glass of champagne. “Here you are, Darlin’.”
He’d slipped back into the more familiar persona.

“You
don’t have to call me Darling when we’re alone.” She held his eyes over the rim
of the glass.

“Just
trying to stay in character.”

There
was that pang of disappointment again. She glanced back out the window. Why did
he have to remind her that he was play-acting? She sipped the wine, scolding
herself for such foolish thoughts. He’d made it abundantly clear that this was
a job, that there was no chance he’d fall in love with her. She knew that, so
why was she allowing herself to dream these foolish dreams, to look past his glib
words for a deeper meaning?

Why
indeed? She studied him openly. He exuded a manly confidence that didn’t have
anything to do with his size…impressive as that might be. No, it was much more
than that. He moved with the lithe grace of a jungle cat. Alert and dangerous
at the same time. It was a dizzying, beguiling combination.

Chapter Four

Olivia
kicked off her shoes and curled up in a corner of the sofa, tucking her feet
beneath her. “You’re not drinking,” she observed, holding out her glass for a
refill.

He
complied with her silent request, and then sat next to her, looking
surprisingly comfortable in the elegant surroundings. “I rarely drink when I’m
working.”

“Oh
for heaven’s sake.” She gestured impatiently. “You don’t have to keep it up
when we’re alone.” He raised an eyebrow and she flushed.

“I
don’t think that would be a problem.” His bold gaze drifted down her body. “But
then that’s not what you meant, is it?” He paused. “I plan to stop by Morgan’s
tonight. Check out the action.”

It
was remarkable how quickly he could change. One moment he was devouring her
with his eyes and the next he was all business. She lowered the champagne
glass, her expression thoughtful. “I wonder if Tony Newcombe is still running
Morgan’s. It’s been ages since I saw him.”

The
club had been carefully checked out, and Tony was still very much in charge.
But it was important to let Olivia feel that she was being of some use. He
waited for her to continue.

She
tapped her fingernails against the side of the glass, still thinking. “I don’t
recall ever seeing anyone playing poker there. Of course, the games are very
likely played in one of the private rooms.”

He
draped an arm over the back of the sofa, his mind focused on the evening ahead.
“What I had in mind for tonight was simply to enjoy ourselves.” He grinned.
“Show the flag, as it were. I might play baccarat for a couple of hours. If you
don’t mind, that is.”

“Of
course not, although it all sounds rather James Bond-ish. Am I to dress in a
low-cut gown and drape myself over your left shoulder?”

Wariness
surfaced momentarily in his eyes. Olivia wondered if she’d said something
wrong. Then he relaxed visibly, disarming her with a crooked smile. “Nothing
nearly that dramatic. We’ll be flying down to Monte Carlo tomorrow, so we’ll
make it an early night. Now…how about some dinner?”

* * *

Shortly
after one in the morning they returned to the hotel. Josh undid his tie and
slipped out of his jacket before easing into an overstuffed armchair with a
sigh. He hadn’t spoken on the way home.

Olivia
kicked off her shoes, watching him carefully. She knew that he hadn’t had a
successful evening.

She
wandered over to the bar. “Would you like a drink?” she asked, breaking the
silence.

“What?”
He looked up. “Oh, no thanks.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I hope I
wasn’t too obvious tonight. Time will tell, but I think I was convincing.”

“Obvious?
What do you mean?” She looked at him curiously.

“It’s
hard to lose money and make it look believable.”

Staring
at him uncomprehendingly, she sank onto the sofa. “Are you saying that you lost
on purpose tonight?”

“They
remember the big winners and the big losers.” He grinned. “By the time we show
up at Monte Carlo the word will have filtered down. They’ll all want a piece of
me.”

Olivia
shook her head. “You’re amazing.”

“Speaking
of amazing.” He pulled up a footstool in front of her. “I was watching you
tonight. You were trying to hide the fact that your feet hurt. They’re killing
you, aren’t they?”

“It’s
my own fault. I usually don’t wear high heels.”

He
held out a hand. “Here, give me one of those feet.”

Startled,
she obeyed. His hands closed over her foot, both thumbs probing the tender
sole. She sighed with pleasure, melting into the cushions of the sofa. “Where
did you learn this?” she asked, eyes half-closed.

“Stick
with me, kid.”

His
Bogey imitation was excellent; she laughed and then offered him the other foot.
“You’re a man of many talents, Josh Morgan. Tell me, are there any more like
you at home?”

His
hands stilled, and he cupped her foot by the heel, lowering it gently to the
floor.

“No,”
he replied, his voice flat. “I’m the only one.” He stood and gathered up his
jacket and tie. “I think I’ll turn in now.”

He
hesitated, and Olivia held her breath, hoping that he would explain the sudden
frostiness in the air. With an almost imperceptible shake of his head he strode
toward his bedroom, pausing at the door. “Goodnight Olivia. See you in the
morning.”

She
stared at the door for several long minutes after he closed it. Had she done
something to offend him? She replayed their conversation in her mind, but
couldn’t imagine what she’d done–or said–wrong. Her brow furrowed. There was a
lot more to Josh Morgan than he had so far revealed. She wiggled her toes in
the plush carpet. Discovering the real man behind the façade was going to be
interesting. Very interesting indeed.