More Than One Night (18 page)

But this morning, he didn’t want the paper, he wanted her. He grinned. She was constantly telling him he couldn’t have everything he wanted. Padding back down the small hallway, he drank half the juice before going into the bathroom.

Turning on the shower, he drank the rest of the juice, before stepping inside. The hot water beat down on his shoulders, but he knew it wouldn’t remain hot for long. The first few times he ran out of hot water, he teased Beth that they would need to take showers together to conserve water.

Then one morning she tugged him into the shower with her, and so began a new daily routine of showering together. Another grin tugged at his lips when he remembered the first time they made love in her shower. They both ended up on the floor, laughing and bruised, before he carried her back into the bedroom.

Now his mind started to drift over the events of last night. Pietro, her boss, told her she could have the day shift if she wanted it. Beth hadn’t said yes, but she hadn’t said no either. Over dinner, he’d tried to talk to her about it, but she kept changing the subject.

If she worked days, they could have more time together. He was on the verge of asking her to move in with him. Oh hell, who was he kidding? He wanted her to marry him. Beth made him happy—very, very happy—and comfortable, something no other woman had ever done. He even had the ring already picked out.

The water was starting to cool. Quickly he finished, then stepped out, taking one of the big white fluffy towels, drying off before wrapping it around his waist. There had been some changes in her apartment, since he started spending time there.

Gone were the old small towels and, in their place, soft Egyptian cotton ones. He started another subscription to several newspapers so it could be delivered to her place, and cable installed on her TV so he could watch news anytime he wanted. All these things made him feel comfortable and he didn’t mind paying for his comfort.

Always what you want.
Beth’s words echoed in his mind. Did she really think that? He didn’t think so, since she’d been laughing, plus she was good at speaking her mind. They already had a discussion about him wanting to buy a new state-of-the-art TV for her living room, but she pointed out that she didn’t need it and a 50 inch flat screen was way too big for her tiny living room. Striding back into the bedroom, he dropped the towel into the hamper and slid on a pair of briefs and shorts. He hoped she’d hurry back, he really needed his caffeine kick.

Oh damn, he left his juice glass in the bathroom. Striding back to the door, he snagged it off the counter as the phone rang. He started to answer it, but he decided to let her machine pick it up. He smiled. He was so used to voice mail the first time he heard her answer machine, he’d asked her who was in the apartment with them.

“Hello, this is Mr. Howard at San Francisco Memorial Hospital.”

Tossing the cup into the sink, Jake grabbed the receiver. “This is Jake Masters, what has happened to Beth?” Had she been in an accident? “How bad is she hurt?” It hurt to breathe.

“Mr. Masters, I apologize. There seems to be a misunderstanding. Is Miss Grant there, I need to speak to her about her bill with us.”

“Bill?” Jake collapsed on the sofa. Beth wasn’t hurt, mangled or dying. The pressure in his chest eased.

“If she’s not there, please have her call me when she comes in.”

“How much is the bill?”

“I can’t tell you that, Mr. Masters.”

Jake stifled a curse, wait a second, San Francisco Memorial. Chad Montgomery was on the board there. “Then transfer me to Chad Montgomery, as Miss Grant’s fiancé I’m taking care of her bills.” The lie flowed off his tongue. Well, not actually a lie, he just hadn’t asked Beth yet.

Silence, then, “Congratulations, if you’ll hold on for a moment.” The line clicked and Jake knew the man was checking on him. Chad would back him up, they went way back together. “Ah, Mr. Masters, thank you for holding. Let me get the amount.”

Paper shuffling in the back ground made Jake grind his teeth. Why hadn’t Beth told him about the bill? He would’ve paid it for her. And there was the problem. She hated it when he paid for little things, like groceries, cable and the paper. They’d argued enough over it.

“The current amount due is three hundred dollars.”

Current amount? “And what is the full bill amount?”

“That would be fifty thousand dollars.”

“You’ll have a check by tomorrow, would you please tell me where I should send it.” Finding a scrap of paper and a pen, Jake wrote down all the particulars then hung up.

Why hadn’t she told him? He’d noticed when they were out together that she always paid cash and, when he asked her why, she said she hated bills. Something wasn’t right. Pushing off the sofa, he strode down the hallway and into the bedroom. He grabbed his cell off the dresser.

He’d tried numerous times to get Beth to talk to him about her life. Oh, she’d give him a small tidbit then change the subject. He’d told her about being an adopted child, but she stayed silent. He needed to know if she was sick or in trouble, that was the only way he could help her. And damn it, he was going to help her, even if she didn’t want it.

This time he wasn’t going to leave a stone unturned. “Hey, Ed. I need the full background check you did on Beth Grant.” Jake paused, listening. “Great. Yes, my office. Thanks.”

Jake was standing in the living room when she came back to the apartment. Beth’s heart warmed. She never realized living with a man could be well…so wonderful.

“It’s gorgeous out.” She set her purchases down before unsnapping Rosie’s leash. The dog made a beeline for Jake, then at the last second, turned and ran for the kitchen.

Hanging up the leash, Beth picked up her purchases and sashayed across the room. “I’ve got breakfast.” She held up a large white bag.

“Forget food, I need coffee.” He snagged her around the waist, then snatched up the cup from the cup holder. She laughed as he lifted it to his mouth and took a hearty sip.

“Ah, I needed that,” he said coming up for air. “And this.”

He snatched the bag from her fingers and sauntered into the kitchen.

“Hey, give that back.” She followed him, trying to keep the laugher out of her voice.

Turning his head, he gave her one of his sexy smiles, then opened the bag. “There’s one missing.”

“So I ate one. Someone didn’t allow me to eat dinner last night. Want to make something of it?” She crossed her arms over her breasts and spread her feet.

“Yeah, I do.”

Before she could take a breath, she was in his arms, his mouth plundering hers. God she loved the way he kissed, heck she loved everything about him. When he lifted his head, he was smiling. “You taste sweet.” He licked her lips. “Sugar and cream, my favorites.”

Her arms entwined around his neck as they kissed again. Each passing day, she was falling more and more in love with Jake, but he still hadn’t said he loved her. And while she still feared he’d walk out on her, she wasn’t ready to give up on him.

In unison their stomachs growled. Jake broke the kiss. “I guess we better eat.”

Curling her fingers in his hair, she held him in place. “We could eat in bed.”

“Don’t tempt me.” He dropped a kiss on her chin, then set her away from him. “We have to be at Cecilia’s shop by eleven, remember?”

She stuck her lower lip out. “I can easily pick up a dress at one of the department stores.” Of course, he would never know it came off the sales racks. When he’d first mentioned this business dinner, she’d fought down the apprehension, now it returned ten-fold.

“Tonight is special. A department store won’t do.” He pulled plates out of the cupboard and set them on the table, along with breakfast.

In a way she understood. He had clients to entertain, to impress and he wanted her with him. But she didn’t like him buying things for her. While it was true that most of the things he bought for her place had been for his comfort—the towels, the cable and the paper. She’d put her foot down when he wanted to buy a new big screen TV. And what an argument that had been, until she pointed out her living room wasn’t big enough. Besides, the nineteen inch color TV she had was only ten years old.

But the dress wasn’t for him, but her. And while her wardrobe was sorely lacking in the glamour department, a pricy designer dresses was not exactly her style. “Why do I need to go with you tonight?” Lord, she sounded like a whiny kid, but she couldn’t seem to help it. She was so afraid of doing something, saying something wrong and embarrassing Jake. And the last thing she wanted to do was bring attention to her lack of sophistication.

“Sweetheart.” He drew her into his lap. “What’s really bothering you?”

Laying her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. “I’m not very good at dinner parties.”

“Why don’t I believe that?” His fingers smoothed her hair down. “You talk to people all the time while working, tonight will be no different.”

Yeah, it will be.
She’d have to remember which fork to use for what, watch what she said and, most of all, put on the act of her life. Pretending to be someone she wasn’t. And she hated it already.

“It’s going to be more social than business. All the men are bringing their wives or girlfriends.”

“And what would you do if I wasn’t in the picture?”

He hesitated, then said, “I’d call on old friend to accompany me. But you’re in my life and I intend to keep you there.”

His words warmed her heart. She was being silly. This dinner party would be different from the ones her mother used to play hostess at where all the women looked down at her mother. Beth could handle this. Lifting her head from his shoulder, she kissed his cheek. “Sorry to be such a pain. I’m a little nervous.” She slid off his lap before he could stop her and took her own seat.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. I’ll be there with you.”

“Then I’ll be fine.” She ignored the way her stomach tumbled around.

****

Shutting the door to his apartment after another dinner party, several weeks later, Jake called, “Beth,” and followed her into his bedroom, rubbing the back of his neck. While dinner wasn’t a disaster, it was very interesting. “Sweetheart, talk to me.”

“I told you I was no good at dinner parties.” She shimmied out of the gold dress and pulled on her robe.

“You were doing just fine.” And she had been, over the last two weeks, they’d gone to their fair share of dinners with his clients and friends. She was a natural with his clients and friends as he knew she would be. But tonight had been different; she’d been on edge from the second they walked into the restaurant.

“Yeah, until Paul Chandler asked what I did for a living. Why didn’t I think before I answered?” She hung the dress in his closet, next to her other ones, before turning to face him.

His heart stilled at the anguish etched in her features. “Paul’s an ass. Why are you making a deal of this?”

“Because it is a big deal.” Her fingers played with the frayed robe belt end. “I saw their faces, the shocked looked saying Jake was slumming tonight.”

He strode over to her and took her by the shoulders. “I can’t tell you they weren’t thinking that, the problem is they’ve forgotten their roots. They’re all self-made millionaires, like me.” He tried to pull her to his chest to comfort her.

“Right.” Shrugging away his hands, she stormed out of the room.

Damn it, they needed to talk about this, get it all out in the open. There was something else bothering her, something she wasn’t telling him. Changing his own clothes, he found her in the kitchen staring out the small window which had a fantastic view of the building across the street.

“Honey.” He tried once again to comfort her by pulling her into his arms, to let her know he was there for her, but she jerked away.

“I can’t do this. Not tonight.” Flopping down onto one of the kitchen chairs, she began opening the mail they’d brought from her place earlier.

“Leave the mail until tomorrow. It will wait.” But this couldn’t and he wouldn’t have it festering between them all night.

“I don’t want to rehash what happened tonight.”

“We need to talk this out. I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again.” Unable to stand still, he began to make coffee. Something told him it was going to be a long night.

“You don’t get it, do you,” she said in a soft voice that almost broke his heart. He flipped the coffee make on then faced her. “I’m a nothing, Jake. I don’t have money or a pure lineage. I’m just a bartender who has trouble meeting her monthly expenses.”

“I don’t have lineage either,” he reminded her. “It’s what’s inside.” He thumbed his heart before striding over to her.

She tilted her head back. “I’m overreacting, aren’t I?”

“Just a tad.” He brushed a kiss across her lips. When he stepped back, he watched her try to smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “We can work this out between us.”

“You’re right, we can. I just need some time.”

“Time is something we have plenty of.” The ring he had bought was burning a hole in his safe, but he would wait. He had to do to this right or she’d walk out on him. Brushing another kiss against her soft lips, he straightened and went to pour them both some coffee.

He smiled when she ripped an envelope open, then silence before she said, “What the hell?”

Turning with two mugs in his hand, she was staring down at the letter in her hand. “A problem?” He set a mug in front of her before taking his seat.

“You tell me.” Their gazes clashed when she looked at him, angry fire flashing in her blue eyes. “You paid off the hospital bill?”

Wincing, he could only nod. He hadn’t told her about that. He’d planned on it, but after reading the PI’s report a week ago, he was still trying to work out everything he’d read in the more than thorough report on her life. The hospital bill had been the last thing on his mind.

But he didn’t blame her for her fears. He only wished she’d share them with him instead of keeping her own counsel. He couldn’t fight her demons if she didn’t let him in to do so.

“Why?”

“Because I…wanted to.” He really wanted to say because he loved her, but she wouldn’t be receptive in this frame of mind. He should have said it earlier, but each time something held him back and he wasn’t sure what it was.