Let's Misbehave (20 page)

“No, I didn’t. Dirk wasn’t like that.”

“Dirk was an idiot. I don’t even know why you were with him.” Titania took a sip of tea and then said, “Jarod Roswell.”

“Jarod Roswell?”

“You went out with him in school. He
owned
that campus. No one did anything without his express approval first.”

She shook her head. “Jarod Roswell was in elementary school.”

“You started young.”

“You aren’t being helpful.”

Titania shrugged. “Maybe the most helpful thing would be to decide how you feel about this politician and then let him know.”

Gigi nodded slowly, thinking about it. “Logical, but it won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Because he doesn’t want to date me. Not in public.”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you just say you’re seeing him?”

“In secret. I sneak to his house. I literally go in the back door in disguise.”

“Why?”

“To avoid
this
.” She poked at the paper. “He’s in the middle of securing support for an important piece of legislation and can’t afford bad press.”

“So you’re agreeable to having sex with him like a dirty little secret?”

“It’s not like that.”

“You just said it was.” Her sister scowled. “What an ass. Stop seeing him.”

“His safety act is important.” She worried her lip, knowing Merrick wouldn’t like his past bandied about. But this was Titania, and Titania was like the other half of her soul. “His sister was killed in the underground senselessly, because no one responded soon enough to her. He’s been working all these years to prevent incidents like that to happen. He was really close to her.”

“Good Lord.” Titania pursed her lips. “Okay, he’s not a complete ass.”

“And, frankly, I’m complicit in this arrangement. I can’t be seen with him. I need to be taken seriously, and that means no frivolous affairs.”

“You could just say you’re dating him.”

She shook her head. “The world still believes Dirk and I are an item. Or they want to. Me being seen out with someone else would make me look like a slut. Unless he put a ring on my finger.”

“Is that likely?” Titania asked carefully.

“I don’t want a ring,” she said, hearing the falsehood in her tone.

Her sister hummed. “But you still need to tell him how you feel.”

She would, if she could figure that out.

“You must not have been completely discreet if they”—Titania pointed at the newspaper—”found out you’re seeing someone new.”

She shook her head. “I really don’t understand how they could know. We’ve been very careful.”

“Maybe someone sold you out.”

“I can’t think of who that’d be.” She sighed. “I’m sick of thinking about this. What about you?”

Titania stilled. “What about me?”

She shrugged. “What’s going on with you? What are you working on? Are you seeing anyone? When are you coming to Tuesday night drinks? There’s one coming up.”

Her sister rolled her eyes. “Good to know.”

“You don’t have to sound so insincere,” she said, breaking off a piece of a cinnamon roll. Then she remembered that she wasn’t eating carbs and put it down.

“Even if that’s what I am?”

“Can’t you give it a shot? It’s family. You don’t even have to have a great time, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love them.”

Titania pouted, looking away. “I don’t know them.”

“Whose fault is that?”

Her sister glared at her. “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”

“No, it’s important.” Gigi leaned forward with the force of her conviction. “I know you’re a loner by nature, and I’m not trying to change that, but sometime you’re going to need someone at your back, and what are you going to do if I’m not around?”

“What I’ve always done.” Titania shrugged.

“One day that won’t be good enough. Listen to me. I’m your older sister.”

She snorted. “Barely. Not even by twelve months.”

“The facts are irrefutable.” She picked up her purse and kissed the top of her sister’s head.

“Before you make your grand exit, I have something for you.” Titania reached under the table and pulled out a rectangular package wrapped in butcher paper.

Turning it around in her hands, Gigi sat again. “What’s this for?”

Titania shrugged. “Since I’m stuck with you for life, I’m making the best of the situation.”

Gigi smiled, her heart happy, and then tore apart the wrapping. She gasped when she saw the picture. It was from when they had lunch a few days before. She looked dreamy—radiant.

“You were thinking about him, remember?” Titania stretched forward to look, too. “I asked you about him.”

Gigi nodded.

“And you still doubt whether you love him?”

She stood and hugged her sister. Wordlessly, she picked up her picture and left. Outside, she took her phone out and texted Merrick.
Free tonight?

***

Gigi lay in bed, uncomfortable. Cold. Lonely, because it was missing Merrick.

She picked up her phone, laying on the pillow next to her, and looked at the terse reply he’d sent her earlier.
I’m busy
.

Too busy to see her? What was he doing so late at night? She swiped her mobile on to ask him.

Although it was clear he didn’t want to see her. She set her phone on the bedside table and pouted at it.

A soft knock sounded at her door. Sitting up, eager for the distraction, she readjusted her negligee. “Come in.”

She’d thought it’d be Portia, but her mother entered. “I hope I’m not intruding,” Jacqueline said.

“Of course not.” She moved her feet to give her mother space on the bed. “You’re up late.”

“I was going to say the same to you.” Her mother drew her robe over her legs as she perched on the edge. “I was having a drink with Fran.”

“You and Fran have developed a nice relationship.”

Jacqueline’s lips curled with wry amusement. “You aren’t going to accuse us of having a romance, are you?”

“No, that was just Portia.” She grinned remembering how certain her sister had been about that.

Her mum’s smile blossomed. “Portia has a wonderful knack for building stories.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but, yes, she does.”

“All you girls have your talents.” She nodded to the top of the dresser, where Gigi had propped Titania’s photo. “That’s one of Titania’s, isn’t it? May I?”

“Please.” She watched her mother carefully lift the frame, her gaze devouring the photo. Gigi imagined that she was looking for a clue to her absentee youngest daughter in it. “She’s doing well professionally,” she said.

“I know.” Her mother set it down and faced her with a sad smile. “I’ve followed all your careers very closely.”

Gigi blinked. “You have?”

“I don’t know whether I should be angry or bereft that you sound so surprised.” Frowning, Jacqueline took her spot at the end of the bed again. “I don’t deserve to be either. I wasn’t a good mother.”

She reached for her mother’s hand. “Don’t say that. You were young, and you had no support. You did what you thought was right. And we didn’t turn into serial killers.”

“That’s more a testament to you girls than it is to me.” She stood, smiling ruefully. “Don’t sacrifice happiness for what you think you should do, Imogen.
Lest the bargain should catch cold and starve
.”

“The quote is from
Cymbeline
, of course.” Gigi flashed her world famous smile. “I’d never do that. I’m intrinsically a selfish creature.”

“The world may believe your act, but I never will.” Kissing the top of her head, pausing for a moment to inhale. “Goodnight, Imogen.”

She waited until her mother closed the door, then she picked up her mobile. She thought she should leave Merrick alone, but sitting wondering what was going on in his mind wasn’t making her happy. She debated what to say.

In the end, it was simple.
I miss you.

She pressed send and then laid down on her bed to wait for a reply, knowing whatever happened it wouldn’t be as much as her heart wanted.

Chapter Twenty-one

I miss you.

Merrick stared at the text. This was his out. This was the moment to step away before things became even more complicated with Imogen.

He leaned back in his chair and glared at the words. If he ignored this text, it’d be over. He’d be safe, and he could continue doing his work in peace.

It seemed rather dreary.

He glanced up, catching the garden gnome’s eyes. The little guy seemed to be mocking him with his smile, his words loud and clear:
You’re pathetic
.

“No, I’m just cautious.” Merrick crossed his arms. “You have to understand where I’m coming from and what I’m trying to accomplish.”

Malcolm just stared at him.

“Okay, maybe I’m using the act as an excuse. And, yes, I’m jealous of that twit she dated. Even if she chooses to kiss me.” He picked up his phone and waved it. “Even if she chooses me to text late in the night.”

And so you’re choosing to let her go?

“Damn it, I haven’t chosen anything.” He pushed back from his desk and got up, rubbing his neck. He walked around his study, trying to dispel his tension.

It didn’t work.

“Bloody hell.” He turned and glared at the gnome, who smiled at him knowingly.

“You’re going with me, for moral support.” He scooped up the little guy and went to claim Imogen.

Just because he felt reckless right now didn’t mean he wanted to act stupidly. He parked a couple streets away and hoped the walk to her house would cool him off.

It didn’t.

He arrived in front of her family’s house. The entire block was dark, as if everyone were tucked snugly in bed.

He pulled Malcolm out from his pocket. “Wish me luck.”

The little guy looked at him skeptically.

Tucking Malcolm away before he could ridicule him, Merrick withdrew his phone and texted her.
I’m downstairs.

A light came on in her room. He saw a flutter at the window.

And then he waited.

Not for long—a light went on in the foyer, and then he heard the deadbolts click open.

He was blinded when she opened the door—not by the light, but by the thin, silky thing she wore. It was red and left little to the imagination. Backlit, he could see her every line, her every curve, and he loved all of them.

“In case you wondered, I was already wearing it,” she said as she stepped aside to let him in. “I almost changed so you wouldn’t think I was trying to seduce you, but then I decided to just be myself.”

“I like yourself.” He came in and let her close the door. “I take one exception.”

“What?” she asked, locking them in and facing him.

He slid his hands around her waist. “You didn’t want to seduce me?”

“I wasn’t entirely certain you wanted to be seduced.” She looked him in the eye. “You’ve been distant.”

“Tell me one thing.” He bent his knees to look her in the eye. “Was the picture telling the truth?”

“Not even a little.” She cupped his face. “I was only at that party to talk to the director I’m interested in working with. What they showed in the tabloids wasn’t even a little real. I don’t even like Dirk. There’s only you.”

“I’ve been a fool.” He lowered his lips and kissed her, the way he’d been longing to do all week.

She gasped, but she melted against him instantly.

“I love that,” he murmured against her lips, wrapping his arms around her. “I love how you surrender to me.”

“Because you surrender the same way.” Then she pushed him away. “I can’t believe you’d think I’d just go out with someone else, with what we have between us.”

“I went mad for a moment. I wasn’t myself.” He’d acted like Ricky Hazard.

She folded her arms. “It’s not going to be that easy, you know.”

“If I wanted easy, I wouldn’t be here.”

She stared at him. Then she tipped her head toward the staircase. “Skip the third step. It creaks.”

“Aren’t you allowed to have boys in your room?” he asked softly, following her.

“You better hope my sisters don’t discover you’re here, because they’ll want to interrogate you.”

“They love you.”

She laughed softly as she led him into her bedroom. “They do, but Portia would do it on principle, because I threatened her fiancé when I met him.”

He stepped inside and looked around. It was feminine, a little fussy on the edges but comfortable and lush at the core, just like Imogen.

He faced her as she closed the door. “We had to see you.”

“We?” Her brow raised, she leaned her back against the door and crossed her arms.

He pulled out the gnome from his pocket and held it aloft.

She laughed, her face lighting up in a secret way that he knew he was privileged to see. “You’ve made friends with Malcolm?”

“He’s a pain in my arse.” Merrick set the gnome on a dresser and moved toward Imogen. “But he made me see something very important.”

“What?” she asked softly, sighing as he gathered her in his arms.

“That I want you.”

She tipped her head, studying him. “You couldn’t figure that out on your own?”

“I did, but I’m not sure I’d have acted on it without his encouragement.”

She nodded, pursing her lips in thought. “So what does that mean?”

“That means I want you.”

“Till morning?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Even longer.” He kissed her, feeling her melt against him. He sighed, feeling at ease with himself for the first time in days—in years.

Since Michaela died.

Imogen rubbed her nose against his. “We should move this to the bed.”

“Yes.” He bent to lift her.

She stopped him, nodding her head toward the dresser. “Shouldn’t you put Malcolm away for the night? It’d be strange to have him stare at us while we were intimate, wouldn’t it?”

He went to the dresser, opened a drawer, and put the gnome inside.

“Well.” Imogen shrugged her nightgown off as she walked to the bed. It pooled at her feet, and she kicked it aside as she climbed on top, holding her arms out open for him.

Well, indeed. He got out of his clothes and quickly followed her straight to heaven.