“Beth, it wasn’t just the Daily covering the party, it was the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, even the Enquirer, for God’s sake.”
“And that is my fault, how?” Beth pushed her chair back, the outrage that swept her so intense her voice trembled. “I’m sorry it didn’t go as we planned but that certainly wasn’t me. And you full well know we’re not—you and I are not having…having sex.”
His pointed stare and the way it slowly raked up and down her body made her nipples bead so wickedly under her buttoned shirt she wanted to hide. “No, Beth, you and I are not having sex yet.”
Her blood bubbled in her veins. What did he mean by yet? “Landon, it was a mistake to call David. I see that now. But he’s just a little boy. All I wanted was to see him.”
But Landon rammed a finger to his temple and made a twisting motion. “Emotions make us sloppy, Beth. You need a cool head.”
“How can I when my son is with that monster!”
Crossing the distance between them, he seized her shoulders and leveled their gazes, as if that alone could make her see the problem through his glimmering silver eyes. “Precisely why you can’t risk our position.” God, his stunning features were so much more amazing up close, she could barely decipher his words. “You can’t attempt to see David anymore, not until I say so—I can’t have you saying or doing the wrong thing around Halifax. It could compromise everything. Understand me?”
“I understand.”
He released her. “All right,” he relented, dropping his arms. “So not a word to Halifax unless our lawyer is present—agreed, Bethany?”
“Why on earth are you snapping at me, I’m on your side!”
“Just stay away from Halifax from now on.” He grabbed the newspapers scattered throughout and rammed them into his briefcase before locking it shut. “I’ve got to go.”
“You forgot this one.” She glowered down at the paper as though she could destroy it with one glare. God, it was so not what they’d planned, she wanted to hit someone. “What are we supposed to do now?” she asked him as he took the paper from her. Their fingers brushed and sent a disquieting little tingle through her arm.
The kiss. Oh God, she’d almost mated with him right there in front of everybody, and for nothing. For more lies, more and more lies from Hector.
Landon started for the foyer, all angry power and dark predatory steps. “We do what we planned to do. We’re getting married.”
The front door slammed shut.
For Beth, the next few days were busy.
They consisted of overseeing the run of the household along with the housekeeper, Martha; working on her and Kate’s project; worrying about David and cursing that loathed, cheating, bribing snake Hector; wondering what Landon was doing and when he would get home and if he would smile at her; then back to Kate and Beth’s project.
Her new friend was thrilled to have Beth help with her catering business. She’d used the word “brilliant” to qualify Beth’s Gourmet for Kids idea; fancy recipes for kids like stacked chicken fingers over a bed of fries. Just knowing Kate thought the idea could work, and that if it did, Beth would be able to do it from home, thrilled her.
She’d asked Kate if they could offer recipes on the site for free and make money offering advertising, and Kate had given her carte blanche on it.
The website was still under construction, but Beth was pouring all of her creativity into the design down to every last detail, even making sure that while a customer navigated the site, a cute little carrot appeared rather than a mouse arrow.
And Landon. Well, that man was enough to keep a woman on her toes. He drilled Beth about Hector, more determined than ever to find out the skeletons in that beast’s closet. Beth had, by some miracle of nature, been able to resist handing over the black book yet. Just to make sure that he had enough incentive to marry her.
It was hard not to yearn for his company when he went to work, though. He was a greedy Monopoly player, a ruthless chess player, and he loved to steal her out at night for a ride in one of the cars from his collection. He drove well beyond the speed limit at midnight when there was little traffic.
Her traitorous heart leapt every time he walked into a room and flashed her that smile of his and called her Bethany. Oh, he was suave, that one was.
Did Hector think he won after bribing the press after their engagement party? Ha! That would not be the case with the judge. Not this time, pig.
She grinned at her reflection and tried that out loud. “Not this time, pig!”
Yes, it felt awesome.
It was past evening now. The eve of their wedding.
Landon was still at the Daily as usual, and Beth stood before a vanity and oval mirror
in her simple silken wedding dress. Why she’d thought it important to try it on again, she didn’t dare dwell on.
The dress was sexier than she remembered, she thought as she critically studied herself. It hugged her body in an enticing way. The cut, though demure, somehow still managed to be modern and attractive, and the flattering cream color made her sort of…