Читать книгу Mistress & a Million Dollars / Satin & A Scandalous Affair: Mistress & a Million Dollars - Jan Colley - Страница 7

One

“We are gathered here today in the face of this company to join together Kimberley Blackstone and Ricardo Perrini in matrimony….”

Jarrod Hammond heard the words of the female marriage celebrant, but his eyes were drawn not to the bride, but to the woman sitting opposite him in the horseshoe circle surrounding his cousin Kim and her soon-to-be husband, Ric Perrini.

Adrenaline kicked in as he leaned back in his chair and let his gaze rake over Briana Davenport, the Australian supermodel who was the face of Blackstone Diamonds. Through the massive yacht’s large windows behind her, the late-afternoon sun highlighted the most glorious harbor in the world and created a picture-perfect backdrop for her beauty.

Framed by the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, and dressed in a silky, pale blue pantsuit that flowed as she moved, she was elegance and sophistication. The epitome of glamour. A crowning glory for the diamond company she symbolized. He could see why Howard Blackstone had chosen her to represent his business.

And just as expensive, Jarrod mused rather cynically, noting with satisfaction the exact moment she saw him looking at her. Her eyelids flickered just a bit before she looked away, but only someone with an internal radar for this woman would pick up on it.

Someone like him.

“If anyone can show just cause—” the celebrant continued.

Much to Jarrod’s displeasure, his internal radar was constantly tuned on Briana. It had been that way from the moment he’d set eyes on her at his brother’s marriage to her sister four years ago. It had been on high ever since, even though he knew Briana had a serious flaw. An expensive serious flaw. She liked money, and plenty of it, and went through it like it was going out of fashion, according to her now-dead sister, Marise.

Of course, being attuned to Briana didn’t help when everywhere he turned she was there in front of him: up on billboards…on television…in glossy magazines. Nor was it easy knowing they lived in the same city in another part of the country. Thankfully with her jet-setting around the world as a supermodel, and him with his law practice, Melbourne was big enough for the two of them not to run into each other.

“Ric, do you take Kimberley for your lawful wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort and…”

But now, seeing Briana in the flesh again—her oh-so-delicious flesh—reminded him why he’d inveigled an invitation to the Blackstone Jewellery launch here in Sydney last Friday and flown up from Melbourne. And why he was glad he’d accepted Kim’s invitation today. Being a Hammond at a Blackstone wedding was never going to be easy, but with Briana here, the day suddenly seemed full of sensual possibilities, despite the presence of millionaire Jake Vance, who once again partnered her.

“Kimberley, do you take Ric for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort and…”

Jarrod’s mouth tightened as he looked at the man sitting beside Briana. The pair had been photographed together in the Melbourne papers at the St. Valentine’s Day races a few weeks ago. And again last Friday at the jewelry launch. Were the two of them lovers? Probably, he decided, not pleased by the burst of irrational jealousy he felt at the thought of her in the other man’s bed.

“May this ring be blessed so that he who gives it…” the woman continued.

Dammit, was he being a glutton for punishment by going after her? Hadn’t he already made his decision to bed her? A decision based on wanting to find out all he could about her sister for his brother’s sake. He’d seen Matt only two weeks ago and had been shocked at how worn and bitter he’d become. Jarrod and Matt may have been adopted, but they were closer than blood brothers, and he’d do everything in his power to make sure Matt found some inner peace—no matter what it took.

Or whom.

But he couldn’t blame his brother for being bitter when his wife, Marise, had died from injuries sustained in a plane crash almost two months ago, along with Howard Blackstone and four others. It had conjured up a myriad of questions: questions that no one had any answers to, except maybe Briana Davenport.

“Wear it as a symbol of love and commitment…”

Surely Briana knew why her sister had been on Howard’s plane before it crashed. And she knew if her own sister was having an affair with Howard, the enemy of the Hammond family ever since his greed parted the two family factions many years ago. She just wasn’t saying.

And then there’d been the shock of Marise having been named as a beneficiary in Howard’s will. A seven-sum figure and the Blackstone jewelry collection was a considerable inheritance for a young mistress. And that begged the question as to whether Blake was really Howard’s son and not Matt’s. Blake certainly had the same dark hair as Howard, unlike Matt’s sandy-blond head. It made Jarrod sick to his stomach to think about it.

“You may now seal the promises you have made with each other with a kiss.”

Dammit, the Blackstones had caused enough pain for his family. His parents would be devastated if they found out that Blake was not their grandson, but their great-nephew, instead. Not that it would make any difference to the way they felt about the child. They’d proven that by adopting him and Matt all those years ago. As for Matt and how he would feel about Blake not being his own…

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo Perrini.”

Just then, as if his angry thoughts had drawn Briana’s blue eyes back to him, Jarrod held her gaze among the clapping and the cheers, and let her know with a look what he had decided. She was the woman he wanted.

She was the woman he would have.

While she was waiting to be seated for the wedding feast, Briana sipped champagne and listened with delight as the beaming and slender Jessica Cotter talked about her newly announced pregnancy. They’d spoken last Friday night at the jewelry launch, but it had been a busy night for both of them and their chat had only been brief. Now it was great to be able to catch up with each other.

“Ryan’s thrilled,” Jessica said, sending the man in question an adoring look across the deck where he stood talking to his just-married sister, Kim.

And the ruthless and handsome Ryan Blackstone smiled back. A warm, love-filled look that was meant for one woman and one woman only—his fiancée.

“You’re one very lucky woman, Jess,” Briana said with a smile, envious of Jessica’s happiness but so very pleased for her.

“I know,” Jessica said, grinning. Then her gaze slid to the woman standing next to Ryan, brother and sister clearly both Blackstones. “And doesn’t Kim look absolutely gorgeous? That white gown is exquisite, but with her dark hair and green eyes, she looks stunning.”

Briana’s gaze slid over Kimberley Blackstone, now Kimberley Perrini, who wore an elegant couture wedding dress. “I’ve got to agree. She’s stunning.”

“I bet Ric thinks so, too.” Jessica gave a dreamy sigh. “This must be so different from the first time they were married in Las Vegas. It just goes to prove that divorce isn’t always final.”

“I guess it all depends on the couple,” Briana said, thinking about some of the people she knew in the modeling world. Her profession wasn’t easy on a marriage. She’d seen some wonderful partnerships, as well as some horrors.

“By the way,” Jessica said, interrupting her thoughts. “Did you contact Quinn Everard yet about those diamonds Marise left in your safe?”

At the thought of her dead sister, Briana’s heart squeezed tight. “Yes, I phoned him the other day. I’ve been so busy lately that I just kept putting it off. What with work and trying to help Dad cope with Mum’s death and now Marise’s, it hasn’t been a priority.”

“That’s understandable,” Jessica said sympathetically. “You just make sure you take care of yourself, too.”

“I will,” Briana said, her eyes thanking her friend. “Anyway, Quinn said to drop the diamonds off at his office. He’s away at the moment but I can leave them with his office manager. I’ll do that tomorrow morning.” She grimaced. “Frankly, I’ll be glad to know their value so that I can decide what to do with them. Matt said he didn’t want anything of Marise’s, but I just can’t keep them.”

Jessica nodded. “Well, Quinn’s the man. He’s got an excellent reputation as a gem appraiser. He—” All at once her gaze focused on the men across the room and she scowled. “Oh no, I think I’m needed. Ric and Ryan look like they’ve had enough of each other for a while.” She rolled her eyes. “Men!”

Briana chuckled as she watched Jessica hurry away, but she knew that tensions associated with members of the Blackstone family right now weren’t anything to laugh about.

Knew it only too well, unfortunately.

Not that any of them held the controversial deaths of her sister and their father against her. They’d all been very considerate. Ric and Ryan had treated her with respect, and Jessica and Kim had become good friends. Not to mention the elegant Sonya Hammond and her charming daughter, Danielle. Though the latter two were not blood relations to Howard Blackstone, they were still related, and they’d shown her kindness at Howard’s funeral, and welcomed her warmly today.

Of course, she couldn’t think about the Blackstones without thinking about Matt Hammond. Her brother-in-law could be hardnosed but he was also a fine, upstanding man, and hadn’t deserved the legacy of doubts her sister had left him and their young son, Blake. His adoptive parents, Katherine and Oliver Hammond, had been wonderful to Marise, too, but her sister hadn’t really appreciated them.

As for the older adopted son…it was obvious to her that beneath Jarrod Hammond’s veneer of sophistication, he fully believed she and Marise had shared the same liking for the good life that Marise had enjoyed as Matt’s wife.

Only, nothing was further from the truth. Marise may have been flighty and always looking for something more, but she was happy with her lot in life. And for that she still felt guilty. If only she’d been closer to Marise, maybe then she’d understand why her sister had been keeping company with Howard Blackstone and why he’d left all his jewelry to Marise in his will. But no matter how she’d tried to breach the gap, they were poles apart. She didn’t understand how Jarrod couldn’t see that.

Just then, her eyes met the man in question across the breadth of the middle deck, and a hush seemed to descend upon everything in the room. An imaginary hush, obviously, though there was nothing imaginary about the hunger in Jarrod Hammond’s eyes. The hunger had always been there, waiting…for what, she wasn’t sure. He’d certainly made no move to further anything between them over the years.

Not that it would have done him any good. She wasn’t getting involved with another high-powered male. Not after Patrick, her ex-business manager and lover, had invested most of her money in a “surefire” deal and had lost it.

No, she didn’t need a man in her life.

And definitely not Jarrod Hammond.

Suddenly he started to walk toward her. She wanted to run as fast and as far away as she could, up the stairs and out on the top deck where the breeze off the harbor would cool her heated cheeks, but her strappy high heels seemed fixed to the floor.

And then he was standing in front of her, and she could do nothing but face him and try not to let him overwhelm her with his sheer presence.

“Hello, Briana,” he murmured as he leaned in close and kissed her cheek, his firm lips lingering just a whisper too long. “We seem to be running into each other a lot lately.”

She tingled. “Yes, we do,” she said, then saw his eyes darken at her husky tone. Quickly she cleared her throat, trying not to show that she cared he had touched her. “Um…but I didn’t expect to see you here, Jarrod.”

“Really?” A cool light came into his eyes. “Why not? Kim is my cousin.”

“Yes.” And one he must know more than the others, seeing that Kim had worked for the Hammonds until recently.

But that was merely a reason for his presence, not an explanation. The Hammonds and the Blackstones, despite being related, had thrown some pretty wild accusations at each other’s dynasties over the years. Marise had once briefly mentioned how Jarrod’s father, Oliver, had accused Howard Blackstone of some pretty dastardly things, including marrying Oliver’s sister for monetary gain. In retaliation, Howard had accused Oliver of arranging the kidnapping of his two-year-old son, James Blackstone. The child had never been seen again.

“Maybe I’m surprised to see you here,” Jarrod said, cutting across her thoughts, and she knew nothing much would surprise this man. She had the feeling he’d known she’d be here today.

“Kim and I have been working together on some of the Blackstone events,” she said, a touch defensively. “We’ve become friends.”

“Good. She could do with another friend right now.”

For a moment, Briana thought he was being sarcastic, but then she realized he was sincere. Something inside her softened. Kim had certainly had it tough these past few months, but coming from him—a Hammond who on his brother’s behalf now had another reason to hate any Blackstone—the comment was even more surprising. Perhaps he wasn’t as coldhearted as she’d thought?

“She looks beautiful, doesn’t she?” Briana said, turning away from him to look at her friend, mainly so she didn’t have to look at Jarrod.

“Yes, she does,” he said in a seductive voice that made her spin back toward him. He was staring at her.

Whatever had softened inside her now turned to mush. She had to force herself not to redden, her years of modeling doing nothing to stop the faint warmth rising up her neck.

She took a sip of champagne, then, “What did you think of the ceremony?” she asked for something to say.

His knowing blue eyes held hers a moment longer before breaking contact. He shrugged. “A wedding’s a wedding.”

It was such a typical male reaction that she had to smile. “Really? We’re at a lavish affair on a luxury cruiser in the middle of Sydney Harbour on a perfect autumn day, and the daughter of one of Australia’s richest men has just re-married her late father’s right-hand man.” She gave a rueful smile. “No, this wedding isn’t just any wedding. This is a Blackstone wedding in all its glory.”

The corners of his mouth curved with the beginnings of a sexy smile. “Do Blackstones pay you to promote them like this?”

She laughed. “I’d be stupid not to promote them, don’t you think?”

He paused, his eyes hardening as they swept over her features. “And you’re definitely not stupid, are you?”

Her smile disappeared. “That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

Something came and went in his eyes. “I admire how far you’ve come in this business.”

She tried not to stiffen, but she did anyway. What was he implying? “It still doesn’t sound very flattering,” she challenged.

His lips twisted, then he appeared to mentally back off. “So you like to be flattered, do you?”

She realized he’d backed off only because he chose to. “Didn’t you know? I need to be flattered at least once every hour,” she mocked, then arched a slim eyebrow. “After all, isn’t that what all models are about?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, but there was a sardonic tilt to his mouth. “But you’re a supermodel.”

“So I need to be super-flattered,” she returned as a waiter offered to refill her half-empty glass of champagne. She put her hand over the glass and shook her head. She didn’t need more to drink. She needed her wits about her.

“I’m told I’m usually good at super-flattering a woman,” Jarrod murmured, once the waiter moved away.

Her gaze flew back to the man beside her and panic stirred in her chest. “I’m sure you are. Usually.” In a deliberate movement, she looked around for her date. Where on earth was Jake when she needed him?

And then she saw him listening with mild amusement to Danielle Hammond. The other woman’s coppery curls bounced as she moved her head animatedly, her full mouth wide and smiling in a friendly fashion.

“Looks like your date is occupied,” Jarrod said pointedly.

She glanced sideways at him and shrugged.

“So you’re not the jealous type?”

“Not in the least.” She enjoyed Jake’s company but, as handsome and charming as he was, he was only a friend. And thankfully he was someone who had nothing to do with the Blackstone dynasty and all its associated problems. But she wasn’t about to tell Jarrod any of that. “Danielle’s such a sweetie,” she added to show her non-jealousy.

“That she is,” he agreed slowly, but she could hear in his voice that he was still looking at her, trying to get inside her head and figure her out.

Pretending not to notice, Briana let her gaze wander around the room, forcing herself to concentrate on the other guests. Anything but concentrate on Jarrod Hammond…or let him concentrate on her.

There were about sixty guests and most of the faces were strangers to her, but she did see Sonya Hammond talking to Garth Buick, an urbane and charming man who’d been Howard Blackstone’s company secretary. They were only a few feet away and Briana could hear them talking about going sailing together. Something about the way they looked at each other—or perhaps it was the way they were trying not to look at each other—made Briana wonder if there was something between the two of them. If so, they were a good match. In her late forties, Sonya had a tall, willowy elegance that complemented the trim and well-toned Garth, who was just a few years older.

“Are you always so trusting?” Jarrod said, bringing her focus back on him.

She’d grimaced. “Unfortunately, no.”

His glance sharpened. “What happened to rob you of your trust?”

Heavens, how was she going to get out of this one? She only had to look at that firm jaw to know he wasn’t a man to give up when he wanted something.

“Nothing of interest,” she said airily, but her heart was pounding in her chest.

“Oh, but I think there is,” he said, confirming her suspicions.

“Let it go, Jarrod. It’s nothing important.” And to prove it, she scooped a canapé off a tray as a waiter passed by.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Ahh, but I thought you were a property lawyer, not a judge.”

His lips began to twitch. “And you’re obstructing the course of justice, Briana.”

“Or guilty of contempt,” she mocked, then popped the canapé into her mouth, feeling pleased with herself.

He laughed out loud, taking her unawares. “I didn’t realize you had such a smart mouth.”

Because she’d never let him know it before, that’s why, she mused, chewing the delicate morsel. She’d never let him get close enough.

So why was she letting him get close now? More importantly, why was he trying to get close now, she wondered, watching as his gaze fell to her lips and darkened, as if he were thinking about kissing her. She quickly swallowed, then took another sip of champagne.

Just then, the sound of a helicopter rent through the air as it came close and swooped the yacht. Far too close for Briana’s piece of mind.

And obviously for Ric Perrini’s.

“Damn the media!” Ric growled, striding across the middle deck to look out the side window of the cruiser right near Briana. “Can’t they leave us in peace for one day?”

It broke the moment between her and Jarrod, for which she should have been grateful but wasn’t. Instead she kept remembering that gorgeous laugh of his. It sent shivers of desire down her spine.

“I’m already on it,” Kim said, coming over to her new husband and slipping her arm inside his. “The captain should be on the phone right now to the water police. They’ll sort it out.”

“They’d better,” Ric warned.

“Anyway, we have more immediate problems. The photographer’s about to have chickens if we don’t let him take some pictures of us with our guests.” She smiled at Briana and Jarrod. “You two will have your photo taken with us, won’t you?”

Briana’s fingers tightened around her glass. She knew it hadn’t been Kim’s intention, but even a small mention of her and Jarrod doing something together made her uncomfortable.

“Perhaps later, Kim,” Jarrod said with a tight smile, then excused himself and headed to where an older couple stood looking out the back of the cruiser.

There was a flash of disappointment in Kim’s eyes and Ric stiffened beside his wife, before she quickly gave his arm a squeeze. For all that Jarrod was here today, it was apparent Kim’s falling out with his brother was still an issue between the Hammonds and the Blackstones.

For the Hammonds anyway.

To cover the awkward moment, Briana pasted on her best smile for the new bride. “Hey, that’s all the more coverage for me then. You know how I love being in front of the camera.”

Kim smiled with gratitude. “Thanks,” she murmured, just as the photographer appeared.

Later, when everyone sat down to dinner, Sonya asked Briana how she managed to look so good in front of a camera when it was such hard work.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Briana said, smiling across the table at the other woman.

“I’d love to hear about it,” Sonya said, the warmth in her eyes belying her cool reserve.

Briana obligingly chatted about some of the more obvious facets of modeling, yet she knew they’d all be surprised if she told them the truth. She’d fallen into modeling as a teenager but much preferred being behind the camera than in front of it.

Perhaps one day after she’d made enough money to recoup the money Patrick had lost, she’d further her dream. Until then it really wasn’t such a hardship smiling for the camera or showcasing Blackstone jewelry. And it certainly wasn’t a hardship attending a Blackstone wedding like this one.

Except for Jarrod.

She groaned inwardly. Lately he was turning up everywhere she went. At the jewelry launch the other night she’d never felt so self-conscious being on show before, but seeing him there in the audience, feeling his eyes upon her, she felt as if she was showcasing herself, not the Blackstone jewelry.

And now here he was at the wedding, sitting next to Vincent Blackstone, the late Howard Blackstone’s older brother, deep in conversation. From time to time, though, his eyes were on her.

“You seem to be pretty cozy with Jarrod Hammond,” Jake murmured in her ear, startling her when she must have looked at Jarrod once too often.

Trying to appear nonchalant, she glanced at Jake and saw a very male look in his eyes that reminded her too much of Jarrod. This guy hadn’t missed a thing going on around him. No doubt such ability was part of the reason he was now a rich and successful businessman.

But at least he wasn’t the jealous type, she mused. “We’re distant in-laws, that’s all. Nothing special.”

“Really?” he mocked in an arrogant way that said she wasn’t fooling him.

“You know, Jake,” she said, getting a little irritated being surrounded by males who thought they knew everything. “I think all the testosterone on this boat must be keeping it afloat.”

A surprised look entered his eyes then he burst out laughing. For a moment she stared at him, then began to smile in return. It was quite funny, now she came to think about it.

“I’d have thought a beautiful woman like yourself would be used to being surrounded by testosterone,” Jake teased.

“In the modeling world?” she jokingly scoffed, and received a chuckle from Jake.

“No, I guess not,” he agreed with a rueful grin.

Suddenly she caught Jarrod looking at the two of them. A slither went over her skin and quickly she looked away just as the waiter brought the next course. Once the food was served, talk at the table turned to other things.

Briana deliberately didn’t look at Jarrod after that, preferring instead to concentrate on the speeches and proceedings, though she was aware of him. Afterward, dark descended and they all moved to the well-lit top deck where the bride and groom began their first dance. Before too long, others had joined them, including her and Jake.

As for Jarrod, he seemed to have disappeared. She remained on edge, at first expecting him to show up at any tick of the clock, but when he didn’t, she quickly pushed aside the disappointment that filled her. She wasn’t going to let herself be disappointed by a man again, she reminded herself, then promptly did the opposite when she saw the lights from a small boat moving away from the cruiser, taking Jarrod back to shore.

He hadn’t even said goodbye, she thought, then something on the shoreline caught her attention. Myriad lights began to flash as the small boat approached them.

The media.

Not that Jarrod would give them a second thought. No doubt he’d stride through the pack to a waiting car like he was parting the Red Sea.

After that the evening seemed flat. Briana smiled and talked, and when it came time for the yacht to return to shore, she was glad that the security people held back the media circus while they made their way into a fleet of cars.

Lights flashed in her eyes as Jake guided her into the back of a limousine, but the media’s attention soon focused back on Kim and Ric, who had insisted they would only leave the boat after all their guests had alighted.

“They’re a brave couple,” Jake said, shaking his head as a shower of flashes seemed to light up the night sky through the back window of the car.

“Yes,” Briana agreed. “And very determined to show the world a united front.”

His smile disappeared. “I can understand that.”

The limousine drove off but they didn’t talk much while it weaved through the streets of Sydney to her apartment building. Then Jake walked her to her door.

“I had a good time,” he said, moving in closer, pushing a strand of hair off her cheek.

Briana knew it was a prelude to a kiss and she moved in closer, too. Jake had kissed her before and it had always been nice, but tonight she suddenly wanted him to kiss her like he meant it. As if she was the only woman in the world he wanted.

Only, when the kiss finished, one thing was clear. Jake’s kiss had been just a kiss. And by the wry glint in his eye he knew it, too.

“I think you’d better get some sleep,” he said, tapping her on the end of her nose with his index finger. And then he pivoted and headed back to the elevator.

Briana watched him go with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Jake was an extremely handsome man who knew how to treat a woman right. And he knew how to kiss. It was just a pity she hadn’t felt anything when his lips were on hers. Not like she would if Jarrod Hammond had kissed her.

Of that she was certain.