Model Fantasy (17 page)

“Girls, I don’t think I can take anymore of this,” Francine said, gathering her full skirt to rise from the chair she was on. “It’s been a long week and…”

“Bronson told us to stay here and—” Heather suddenly turned her head.

Hearing the commotion, Francine frowned.

“Heather?” She turned to the younger woman to her left. “What is it?”

Craning her neck, Heather shook her head.

“Too many people in the way.”

“Can you see anything?” Rose was asking Jasmine.

Lily put her hand on Francine’s chair as she stood on tiptoes trying to see.

Too exhausted to stand, Francine didn’t bother to even try. She had gone through more than the rollercoaster Bronson had called it. Tears were in her eyes as she thought about everything that had happened the past week. She’d been praying as she’d never dreamed of doing that ‘master’ would appear and put an end to all of the rumors. Anything. Something.

Nothing.

People were scattering and she frowned, wondering what was going on. The last few moved and she caught her breath. Broad shoulders, solid muscular thighs, and a swagger that promised satisfaction. Her eyes moved up slightly and filled with tears as she recognized the sculpted face with the day’s stubble. Even more familiar was the heat in the blue eyes that scorched her from twenty feet away. Her pussy clenched at what his expression told her.

Four men were with him and only one was in a tuxedo.

“Grant and Bron, you’re not in a tuxedo,” Heather was saying. “Why are you here dressed like that? Keith, what’s going on?”

Things fell into place for Francine as she saw the two men standing next to each other. They and Heather had the same eyes and chin. That’s why she’d thought he resembled someone she knew! Cousins. This had to be the cousin Grant Heather had mentioned. Ten years ago there had been some scandal and he’d basically dropped out of society’s spotlight, focusing on his business. Dear God, had they all been in on setting her up? A frantic head swivel to her left told her that Heather was completely baffled by the appearances of her cousins.

Turning her gaze back to him, she drank in the sight—Grant Franklin. To Francine, he had never looked better. Except naked. But where had he been the past week when the tabloids had been tearing her to pieces? Had he been waiting to make some sort of grand gesture? Why? That didn’t seem like him at all. He would have spoken up sooner to reduce all the publicity. Unless he had been hoping to avoid all of it and finally felt as if he didn’t have a choice. Except if that was the case, why was he here? Why now?

As if slightly frightened of the raw masculinity not covered by the tuxedo civility, Lily and Rose stepped closer together behind Francine’s chair. Their hands landed on Francine’s bare shoulders.

To her right, Jasmine had found her voice. “Why did you punch Kevin MacLauren like that?”

Francine couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. He’d punched Kevin!

Two steps away from her, Grant stopped. For a long moment, he just looked at her. Francine gazed up at him, unable to believe who he was, or that she hadn’t realized it. God, she had missed him! She had held those memories close during the week. At shoots, doing the commercial and just going out to get groceries. After that one horrible chase by the paparazzi, she had stayed in her apartment, leaving only when Heather insisted.

Could he see it in her eyes? How much that brief time had meant to her? How he had moved her? Invaded her heart, mind and body? Could he see how much she needed him? How much she…loved him?

The heat was still in his eyes, but his expression softened slightly as he reached into his pants’ pocket. He took two quick steps and went down on one knee.

“My flight from Berlin was late,” he said, voice steady. He spoke loudly and clearly although the crowd had hushed to hear what was said. “Or I would have picked you up tonight as I said.”

Everyone around them gasped and stared. He lifted his hand, fingers unfurling and revealing his palm. A large diamond winked in the gleam of the chandelier overhead.

“That was Great-Grandmother’s!” Heather gasped.

Grant nodded, eyes never leaving Francine’s face.

“Grant?” She didn’t dare hope. Not after the last week. “I don’t understand,” she told him. “What is all this?

He gently covered her hands on her lap and squeezed them slightly.

“Francine, you’re the only woman I want with me for the rest of my life. I want all the smiles, all the tears…”

“All the shouts and all the laughter,” she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Knowing that one person…”

“Will always have my back.” He smiled.

Taking her left hand, he slid the ring onto her finger. As he stood to bend over her, one hand went to the back of her head and gripped the coiled hair at her nape. Pulling her head closer, he kissed her, drawing her to her feet. His left arm wrapped around her waist and brought her flush against him. Her hands slid under his jacket, smoothed over his cashmere sweater, brushed his jaw and then her fingers threaded through the dark blond hair.

With a low moan, she surrendered, letting her body mold to his. She didn’t care where they were or who was watching. He’d come to her. He hadn’t wasted time changing. He’d come to her. He’d punched Kevin. He’d come…

She looked up as he lifted his head.

“Grant?”

“Let’s go home,” he whispered. His eyes found a stunned Keith MacLauren. “Tell your grandmother to put me down for a million.”

“And me,” added Francine, smiling. She rested her head on Grant’s shoulder. “Heather, I don’t think I’ll need a ride home tonight.”

“No, I don’t think you will.” Heather smiled. “We’ll understand if you don’t show up for Sunday brunch.”

Already drawing Francine away from the group, Grant looked over her head and winked at his grinning cousin.

“Smart girl.”

As if to make things clear to those who might have missed something the past ten minutes, he swept Francine up in his arms and strode out the door. An alert attendant was there with her cloak and he paused to let it be tucked around her.

Outside, he felt her shiver in the cold and quickened his steps. The young man had been watching. As soon as they appeared, he started the car and got out, leaving the driver door open. Hurrying around, he opened the passenger door. Nodding, Grant carefully placed Francine inside and put the seatbelt around her.

“All right, sweetheart?” he whispered.

Her eyes glowed and she pressed her lips to his.

“I am now.” She smiled. “Silk.”

“Wait until I get you home,” he winked. He hurried around to get in. Slamming the door closed he turned on the seat to look at her. His hands framed her face — the perfect, porcelain skinned, high cheek bones and blue-green eyes he’d seen every time he’d closed his eyes.

“God, I missed you,” he breathed, kissing her with more tenderness than he’d thought was in him. She sighed in his mouth and her tongue tangled with his. He groaned. “I am going to fuck the daylights out of you when we get home.”

“You do say all the right things to a woman,” she laughed. Her right hand moved down his chest, inside his coat and down to his lap. His cock twitched at her caress and hardened as her hand rested on top. “Mm, just the way I like it.”

With a groan he gave her a hard, just-wait-until-I-get-you-behind-closed-doors kiss and focused on his driving.

“I think I should have known who you were,” she commented after a couple minutes. “I mean, all the clues were there. I just didn’t have a chance to put them together.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. I’ve been a bit busy the past few days. But I should’ve seen it,” she smiled, turning on the seat to face him. She rested her cheek on the leather. “Especially in Bron’s office Wednesday. You’ve both got the same eyes. Nearly the same body build.” She grinned. “Jasmine didn’t know whether to drool or attack.”

“Connect the dots for me?” he asked, turning right.

“The model with dark hair. The wild-child of our group and Heather’s roommate when she’s not flying off on shoots,” she explained. “She knows how to deal with men, but she didn’t have a clue as to how to react to Bronson. Any other time, it would have been amusing.” She rested a hand on his forearm. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For defending me the way you did. I wish you hadn’t punched Kevin, but…”

“Asshole deserved it,” growled Grant. He shot her a quick glance. “I’m still pumped up with adrenaline so…”

“You’ll need an outlet for all that energy?” she guessed smiling.

“One way of putting it,” he grunted, stopping at a red light. “Right up there,” he pointed. “That’s where that billboard was of you and those roses. My fantasies about you started with that ad.” His left hand covered hers on his right arm. “I kept that magazine. It’s in my study. I never thought I’d have the real thing.” He smiled.

On the spot, Francine decided to recreate that for him. Later, when he wasn’t expecting it. Maybe on his birthday or some other special occasion. She still couldn’t believe what he’d done — crashing a black tie event and punching the grandson of a leading doyenne! But it so fit with everything she’d learned about him as they’d talked and…she nibbled her bottom lip.

“Stop that,” he said quietly, turning the car’s engine off.

“Stop what?” she asked, lifting her chin.

“Well, I’d say thinking, but I have a feeling you, Heather and your friends, would turn me inside-out,” he grinned, getting out of the car. When he’d opened her door, she stepped out. “Let me look at you.”

She couldn’t believe the look in his eyes. It was as if he couldn’t get enough of her, as if he didn’t want to stop looking at her. She watched his gaze travel up the full red satin skirt to the fitted bodice and to the embroidered band just over her breasts. Could a man look at woman like that and not be in love with her? She hoped not. She hoped it meant more than ‘how fast can I get her out of that dress and into bed.’ That sentiment was fine, but she needed the emotions now. Needed that reassurance only he could give her.

Slowly, his arm went around her waist and pulled her to him. His other hand caressed her side, slowly moving up until it cradled the back of her head. In his eyes, she saw everything she’d ever wanted.

His mouth covered hers with gentle passion. Her hands went to his shoulders, pulling him closer. The strength and warmth of his embrace filled her and she trembled, filled with feelings she didn’t know how to express. She held him tight as his mouth explored the smooth column of her throat. He nipped the sensitive nerve at her collarbone and she gasped.

“Grant, please,” she sighed. “Take me home.”

“Oh, definitely, sweetheart,” he promised, lifting his head. “I have to tell you this first.” His hands held her face again. “The hardest thing I’ve ever done was walking out of that room Sunday. I…I won’t do a stupid thing like that again. I know I’ll do stupid stuff in the future, but I will never, ever do something to hurt you. And if I go somewhere, then you’re coming with me, understand? If you’ve got to go somewhere for your work, then I’m going with you. I won’t wake up without you in my arms again. You’ll be right beside me.”

“Sounds like heaven,” she smiled, tears in her eyes. “Unless you’ve got me on the spanking bench or tied to the bed.”

“Entirely different scenarios, baby,” he told her. “Don’t cry,” he shook his head, wiping a tear that slipped down her cheek.

“Happy tears,” she assured him.

“Let’s go see if we can make more then.”