Kept (2 page)

His Dad had contacted him once – only once. And, if he was smart, never again.

Still, with his "one at a time" attitude, he’d never cared enough about any one woman to feel jealous. Anger and annoyance, yes, especially if they tried to cling after he’d decided it was over. But that was what had just happened when he watched Kell push Trish close. Jealousy.

Interesting.

Maybe, though, it was just the fact that he hadn’t had much time lately – hell, in the past year - to indulge his rampant sex drive. That was one of the problems with being rich – there were very few situations beyond complete retirement that afforded you the ability to lie back and enjoy the ride. You always had to be on top of everything. And although that was his favorite position – in sex and everything else - he barely had time to take a deep breath, much less spend valuable time courting and romancing a woman, even at the bare-bones level, which no woman he knew would accept.

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BacksideOfLove.com

KEPT

It was expected that he would stay to dinner, as he had in the past. It was a more subdued affair than it might have been, given Tricia’s current state of mind. Normally, the three of them caused a ruckus whether they were at home or in a restaurant, discussing in no uncertain terms their opinions on whatever happened to be the most controversial topic they could come up with – everything from religion to politics, and none of the three of them were shy about expressing themselves . . . but no one ever changed anyone else’s mind about anything, either. It was unusual to have three such strong personalities blend so well, but theirs did.

But tonight the dinner table conversation was quiet but not strained, until Maggie recounted a story abut Tricia’s mother, which made twin tears roll down the older cousin’s face. Maggie was beside herself, apologizing profusely and patting Trish’s hand.

"No, no. I want to remember her, even thought it hurts right now," Trish whispered, stabbing at a garlic-roasted potato with a vengeance, although she couldn’t really see it.

Reed felt the compulsive need to comfort - to hold her and touch her, stroke her hair and massage those tense shoulders, but instead he started to ask her about her work, which seemed to relax everyone noticeably.

While they were sipping coffee over dessert, Kell asked blithely, "So how’s your writing coming?"

Both women nearly spit out their swallows of coffee, fixing him with glares fit to bore a hole through his head. Reed watched a blush fall over Tricia’s face like a heavy velvet curtain falling onto a stage at the end of a play. She was embarrassed, but she was almost smiling about it. "Fine."

Intrigued, Reed turned in his chair to face her, watching her closely. "What do you write?"

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

Maggie began coughing spasmodically. "Don’t ask her that; you don’t want to know," she warned as she took her coffee cup into the kitchen for a pretense of something to do. Maggie didn’t know if she wanted her cousin and her boss to get into this kind of conversation – at least, not in front of her, anyway, and definitely not in front of Kell. Might give him ideas, and he had too many damned ideas of his own!

But Trish was used to this type of question, and, much to her cousin’s relief, gave the pat answer. "I write romance novels."

Now, both Maggie and Kell knew that Trish considered what she wrote to be just a couple of steps more erotic than a paperback romance novel, but the general public might disagree with that watered-down description.

"Have you been published?"

Trish got up and started to help clear the table. "On the web, yes, but I have a story that I’m thinking of pitching to a paperback publisher, eventually."

Reed picked up his own plates and headed for the kitchen, too. He was too intrigued by everyone’s reaction to let this go. "I have some connections in the publishing industry – when you think it’s ready, let me know and I’ll see what I can do."

His more than generous offer stopped traffic in the kitchen for a moment, while the two cousins’ eyes met in silent communication. "Thank you, Mr. Douglas – "

"Reed, please."

"Reed," Tricia began again, loading the dishwasher hurriedly so she wouldn’t have to look into that intent gaze. "It’s going to be a while yet." Yeah, she thought, and a cold day in hell before I’ll let you read what I write! The embarrassing idea of a man like Reed Douglas reading any of her stories made her blush

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come back full bloom. If he was into the same thing that she was into – with that build and that "ask how high" temperament, he’d be a force to be reckoned with for whatever lucky woman – lucky?

– that made him responsible for monitoring her behavior. It was the penalties for misbehavior he’d exact out of her hide that made Trish shudder – and it wasn’t with revulsion.

Although they all retired to the living room once the dishes were taken care of, Reed could see that Tricia was failing fast. He rose, saying, "Well, some of us have to go into work tomorrow – "

Maggie crossed the room just to smack him sharply for that comment. "I’m on vacation. I know you – the workaholic - don’t know the meaning of the word, but it means to rest and relax."

"Ohhhhhh, is that what is means?" Reed asked innocently as everyone gathered around the front door to see him off, Trish with her hand over her mouth as she yawned impolitely. That sharp gaze settled on her again like a touch. "You should be in bed.

You’re exhausted."

The imp in Trish decided to make an appearance. "Thanks, Dad."

Kell and Maggie "ooohed" dramatically at the dig.

Pulling himself up to his full height, Reed looked down at her. "I’m only forty-five. How old are you?"

Despite its inherent impoliteness, she answered the question. "Thirty-seven."

A devilish grin spread over his face. "Even I’m not that precocious!" That got a laugh out of her, and her smile was radiant.

Trish held out her hand. "It was nice to meet you."

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

Reed shook it solemnly, noting its delicate slenderness. "It was nice meeting you, too. Maybe I’ll wander over here again on the pretext of work – "

"Don’t you dare!" came an indignant cry from Maggie.

With a bold wink at Trish, Reed sang out, "Ni-ight." He barely let go of her hand before turning to walk out the door.

"Well, you sure made an impression on him," Maggie teased as Trish walked past her to head up the stairs.

"Yeah, right," Trish replied, her voice full of doubt. "I’m going to bed. I’m beat."

But as her head hit the pillow, unbidden thoughts filled her mind – not the usual sad memories of her mother’s last days, but rather snapshots of a hard, craggy face with full lips and a soft, deep voice that resonated in her ear and made shivers dance unbidden up her spine.

Tricia punched the pillows hard, and forced herself to relax into sleep. Ah, well. She’d probably never see him again, anyway, so there was no sense mooning over drop-dead sexy Mr. Reed Douglas.

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BacksideOfLove.com

KEPT

rish’d been at Kell and Maggie’s for three days. She was the only one home; everyone else was at various T dental or doctor appointments, and she was hard at work on the story she’d brought down with her. It was funny how sometimes just a change in scenery was enough to get her unblocked. Trish’d been pouring words out into her laptop since early that morning, with "All My Juvenile Delinquents" and "One Wife to Give" playing in the background, until she heard the doorbell ring.

Reed Douglas was the last person she expected to see, and she barely caught herself before she about said as much to him.

"Hi," Trish forced a patently false smile to her lips. She really didn’t want to be interrupted, especially not by someone who was so imminently interruption-worthy.

"Hi." He waited for her to invite him in, but she was standing there like someone lost in a fog, almost as if she was oblivious to his presence, which made his mouth twist in a frown.

He disliked the idea that he’d spent the past three days thinking about her at the most inopportune times while she’d apparently dismissed him from her mind without a second thought.

Suddenly embarrassed, Trish stood aside, saying, "Please forgive me. Come in." Purely for something to keep her hands

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

occupied that she couldn’t get arrested for, she headed for the kitchen. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thanks, but I’ll take some spring water, though, if you have it."

When she’d gotten him settled at the snack bar/island, she kept herself busy by checking on dinner, which had been simmering all day in the crock-pot, and really didn’t need the benefit of her attention, but it was better than succumbing to the temptation to throw herself at him. She’d felt a modicum of attraction to him a few days ago, but it was tons worse now. He must’ve been taking a day off, and there was no button-up collar in sight. Instead, he was in wonderfully faded jeans that looked like he’d been born in them, and a maroon t-shirt that advertised an area restaurant as it stretched lovingly across disgustingly well-developed chest muscles.

While her back was still to him, she asked, "So, do you have paperwork or something that Maggie needs to see?"

"Nope. I came to see you."

The spoon she was using to test the doneness of the pork loin roast clattered to the counter unexpectedly. Well, there was nothing shy about this man, she thought. "Oh?" That’s it, girl, play it casual. He’s way out of your league. She busied herself adding unneeded spices to the broth.

"Are you that fascinated by dinner or are you just trying to avoid me for some reason?"

Annoyed at his disgustingly accurate perception, Trish took a seat opposite him. "Why would I avoid you? I barely know you."

He sat there, staring at her, not fidgeting or evening looking away, but he didn’t make her feel threatened, either, despite the fact

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that she knew that he wanted her. The feeling was definitely mutual, although she’d be damned if she’d be blatant about it. "You told your cousin last night, while you two were in the kitchen and Kell and I were having coffee, that you wanted to be kept. Is that a true statement?"

Oh, God, of all the conversations she’d had in her life, he would have to overhear that one! Hell, he’d been the first man Maggie’d suggested for the position when Trish had made an offhand comment about it over the phone to her months and months ago. Far from being scandalized, Maggie had practically offered Douglas on a silver platter. Her comment in the kitchen had just been a casual whine, but Maggie had, again, suggested that the man sitting not fifteen feet away from them would be the perfect candidate. "First of all, why were you eavesdropping on my conversation with my cousin?" she countered.

Reed leaned back in his chair, appearing more relaxed than he really was. "I wasn’t eavesdropping. You were both talking loud enough that Kell and I both heard it. If it was privileged information then you should have kept your voices down."

Unphased, she continued, "And why are you all of a sudden sounding like a lawyer?"

"Probably because I’ve just spend the morning with mine.

Answer my question."

Feeling a sudden need to move, Trish tried to slide out of her chair, but Reed grabbed her wrist – not in a stranglehold, not tightly, but firmly enough that she knew he wanted her to sit back down, which she did - slowly, and in her own damned time. "Oh, I don’t know. It’s always been a fantasy of mine – lazybones that I am – to be some rich old man’s mistress. You know - not have to work, do lunch with my friends, have a nice house or apartment . . .

and it would really let me concentrate on my writing instead of having to spend seven to three at work most of the year then

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BacksideOfLove.com

Carolyn Faulkner

another two hours at home correcting papers . . . it’s a lovely daydream." She looked at him consideringly. "Why?"

Instead of answering her question, he released her wrist and asked her another. "Would it have to be an old man? And how old is old?"

Her eyebrow went up sardonically. "Why, Mr. Douglas, are you applying for the position of Sugar Daddy? Somehow, I would have said that paying money for sex would go against type with you. And I can’t imagine that you’d need to, frankly."

Reed grinned, but it didn’t lessen the inherent strength of his features. "Thank you, I think." Trish inclined her head, acknowledging the truth of the somewhat backhanded compliment.

"Indulge me and answer my question – just how old would a man have to be to be your . . . sole provider?"

What a delicate way of putting it, Trish thought. "I don’t know. I suppose it would depend on the man. I guess I just assumed it would be an old guy with bags of money who was okay with paying for female companionship. It’s not like this is something I’ve put a huge amount of thought into. It’s a daydream, a fantasy. Like winning the lottery."

He wasn’t that easily deterred. "What would you expect from the man who kept you? You mentioned not having to work, a house or an apartment, what else?"

Trish snorted. "Oh, I dunno." She was wondering just how far he was going to take this audacious topic. So she listed things that came to mind off the top of her head. "Hypothetically, a car and driver, house, allowance, credit card, 401k, stocks, travel, jewels, clothes . . . " Reed didn’t seem to be reacting much to any of it, but hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

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BacksideOfLove.com

KEPT

He didn’t say anything, didn’t protest any of it. "And in return, you would . . . ?"

She squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable with the intimate turn in the conversation. Her eyes flicked to the clock on the wall.