Читать книгу Royal Seductions: Secrets: The Duke's Boardroom Affair - Michelle Celmer, Michelle Celmer - Страница 15

Charles’s mother rang back not fifteen minutes later. The woman was ruthless.

Victoria struggled to sound anything but exasperated by her repeated calls. “I’m afraid he’s in a meeting,” she said, just as he had instructed her. In a meeting, on another line. He never took personal calls at work. “But I would be happy to take a message.”

“I don’t mean to bother,” she said, which is how she began all of her phone conversations, whether it was the first or tenth call of the day. “I’m just calling about the party, to extend a formal invitation.”

Again? Hadn’t Victoria already sent an RSVP for him? How many times did she have to invite her own son? “I’ll let Charles know,” she said automatically.

“Oh, no, not for Charles,” she said. “For you.”

For her? But…

Oh, no, he didn’t. He wouldn’t. “For me, ma’am?”

“He told us you’ll be joining him for the weekend,” she gushed excitedly. And the weird thing was, she actually sounded happy. “I just wanted you to know how eager we are to meet you. Charles rarely brings his lady friends home.”

Lady friends? Did she think…? “Ma’am, I work for Charles.”

“Oh, I know. But he values your friendship. And any friend of Charles is a friend of ours. His father and I just wanted you to know that you’re welcome.”

Friendship? Since when were she and Charles friends?

“So, we’ll see you then?” his mother asked.

Did Victoria really have the heart to tell her the truth? She sounded so genuinely eager to meet her. How could she tell her it was nothing more than a cruel trick?

So she said the only thing she could. “Yes, of course. I’ll see you then.”

Victoria was out of her chair before she hung up the phone. Not bothering to knock, she barged into Charles’s office. And got the distinct feeling he’d been waiting for her to do just that. He was sitting back in his chair, elbows on the armrests, hands folded across his chest. But it was too late to turn around now.

“You call me evil?” she said.

He smiled. “I take it my mother phoned you.”

“That was low, even for you.”

He looked pleased with himself. “An eye for an eye. Isn’t that what they say?”

“I do not what to spend a weekend at your parents’s estate.”

“Neither do I. But I guess neither of us has a choice now.”

“They’re not my parents. I have no obligation to be there.”

He shrugged. “So, ring her back and tell her you don’t want to come. I’m sure they won’t be too offended.”

She glared at him.

“Or, you could come with me and you might actually have fun.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

“Why?”

“Why? You don’t even want to go!”

“My parents are good people. They mean well. But when it’s just the three of us it can get…stifling. I get there Friday night, and by Saturday afternoon we’ve run out of things to talk about. With you there it might take a little bit of the pressure off.”

“I wouldn’t have a clue what to say to your parents. They’re completely out of my league.”

His brow edged into a frown. “How do you figure?”

“I’m an employee of the royal family.”

“So what? You’re still a person. We’re all just people.”

Was he really so naive? Did he truly not understand the way the world worked? They were royalty, and she was, and always would be, a nobody in their eyes. Or was this just part of the game he was playing? Lure her to his parent’s estate so he could humiliate her in front of his entire family?

His intentions weren’t even the issue. The real problem was that she simply didn’t trust him.

“You know, you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.” He rose from his chair and she tensed, thinking he might come toward her, but he walked around to sit on the edge of his desk instead. Since he’d last been in her office he’d taken off his jacket, loosened his tie, and rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt to his elbows. He seemed to do that every day, after his last meeting.

Casual as he looked, though, he still radiated an air of authority. He was always in control.

Well, almost always.

“Tell me,” he said. “How could a woman so accomplished have such a low self-esteem?”

“It has nothing to do with self-esteem. Which I have my fair share of, thank you very much. It’s just the way the world works.”

“When you met my cousins, did they look down their noses at you?”

“Of course not.”

“I think my parents might surprise you. It can’t hurt to come with me and find out. Besides, the party should be a blast. Good food and company. And if at any time you feel uncomfortable, I’ll take you home.”

If she went at all, she would be driving herself. If she went?

She couldn’t believe she was actually contemplating this. If nothing else, out of curiosity. At least, that’s what she preferred to tell herself. There were other possible motivations that were far too disturbing to consider. Like wanting to see the kind of man Charles was around his family. What he was really like.

“Fine. I’ll go.” she said. Then added, “It’s not as though I have much choice.”

“Smashing,” he said, looking truly pleased, which had her seriously doubting her decision.

What was he up to?

“We leave in the afternoon, two weeks from this Friday and return Sunday afternoon.”

“I’ll meet you there,” she said. She wanted her car, in case she needed a quick getaway. And surprisingly, he didn’t argue.

“Pack casual,” he said. “But the party Saturday night is formal.”

Formal? She was expecting an intimate family gathering. Not a social event. “How many people will be there?”

He shrugged. “No more than a hundred or so.”

One hundred? Her heart seized in her chest. All more wealthy and influential than her.

Smashing.

“You have a dress?” he asked.

From a charity event four years ago. It would be completely out of fashion by now. She didn’t exactly have the money to spend on expensive gowns. And for a party like this, nothing less than the best would do.

“I’m sure I can scrounge something up,” she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she was feeling.

“You’re sure?” he asked. “If it’s a strain on the budget right now—”

“It’s fine,” she snapped. That was the second time he’d made a reference to her diminishing funds. “It isn’t as though I’m destitute.”

He held his hands up defensively. “Relax. I wasn’t suggesting that.”

My God, listen to yourself. Maybe Charles was right. Maybe her self-esteem had taken a hit lately. Maybe her confidence was shot. Why else would she be so touchy?

Maybe she needed to get out with people. Reestablish her sense of self. Or something like that.

She softened her tone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“If you really don’t want to go to the party—”

“I’ll go,” she said firmly. “For the whole weekend.”

Who knows, maybe a short vacation would be good for her. A chance to forget about the shambles her life was currently in and just relax.

And who knew? She might even have fun.

Victoria unlocked her flat door at exactly seven-thirty the following evening. Early by her standards, yet it had felt like the longest day of her life.

Since she’d kissed Charles the other night, then accepted his offer to join him at his parents, the teasing and sexual innuendo hadn’t ceased. When they were alone, anyway. When anyone else was around he was nothing but professional. He treated her more like a peer than a subordinate. It was his way of showing that he did indeed respect her.

And maybe the teasing wasn’t as bad as it had been at first. Not so immoral. Not that she would allow it to progress to anything more than that.

She dropped her purse and keys on the hall table and headed straight for the wine rack, draping her suit jacket on the back of the couch along the way. She opened a bottle of cabernet, her favorite wine, poured herself a generous glass, kicked off her pumps, and collapsed on the couch.

Charles left work at the same time, making sure to let her know, in the elevator on the way down to the parking structure, that he had a dinner date. As if she cared one way or the other how or with whom he chose to spend his free time. Although she couldn’t help wondering who the unlucky girl could be. Amber from the club, perhaps? Or maybe Zoey from the fund-raiser last Friday? Or a dozen others who had called him in the past few days. Or maybe someone new.

Whoever she was, Victoria was just glad it wasn’t her.

Are you really? an impish little voice in her head asked. Aren’t you even a little curious to know what the big deal is? Why so many women fall at his feet? They can’t all be after his money and title.

It had to be the wine. It was going straight to her head. Probably because she’d skipped lunch. Again.

You’ll waste away to nothing, her father used to warn her, in regard to her spotty eating habits. And it would certainly explain her peculiar lack of energy. Not to mention the noisy rumble in her stomach. She sipped her wine and made a mental list of what was in her refrigerator.

Leftover Thai from three days ago that was probably spoiled by now. A few cups of fat-free yogurt, sour skim milk and a slightly shriveled, partial head of romaine lettuce. The contents of the freezer weren’t much more promising. A few frozen dinners long past their expiration date and a bag of desiccated, ice-encrusted peas.

She was weeks past due for a trip to the market, but lately there never seemed to be time. Besides, she’d never been much of a cook. There had never been time to learn. On late nights at the Houghton she ate dinner in her office, or their housekeeper doubled as a cook when the need arose. In fact, in her entire life Victoria had never cooked an entire meal by herself. She wasn’t even sure if she knew how.

Nor did she have the inclination to learn.

She sat up and grabbed the pile of carryout menus on the coffee table. The sushi place around the corner was right on top.

That would work.

She grabbed the cordless phone and was preparing to dial when the bell chimed for the door. Who could that be? She hoped it wasn’t her father. She hadn’t returned any of his calls, and he was probably getting impatient.

Maybe if she didn’t answer, whoever it was would go away.

She waited a moment, holding her breath, then the bell chimed again.

With a groan she set the phone and her nearly empty glass on the coffee table and dragged herself up from the couch, a touch dizzy from the wine, and picked her way to the door. She peered through the peephole, surprised to find not her father but Charles standing there.

What in heaven’s name did he want?

She considered not opening the door, but he’d probably seen her car parked out front and knew she was home. She just couldn’t force herself to be rude.

She unlatched the chain, pulled the door open and asked, “What do you want?”

Despite her sharp tone, he smiled. He was still wearing his work clothes. Well put together, but with just a hint of the end-of-the-day rumples. And he looked absolutely delicious.

Bite your tongue, Vic.

“I realized I still owe you dinner,” he said. In his hand he held a carryout bag from the very restaurant she had just been about to phone. As though he had somehow read her mind.

That was just too weird.

“I hope you like sushi,” he said, shouldering his way past her into her flat. Uninvited yet again.

So why wasn’t she doing anything to stop him?

“And if I don’t like sushi?” she asked, following him to the kitchen.

“Then you wouldn’t have a menu for a sushi restaurant conveniently by the phone.” He set the bag on the counter. “Would you?”

How did he…?

He must have seen it there that morning. The first time he barged in uninvited. “I thought you had a date.”

The idea that someone stood him up was satisfying somehow, although, what it really meant was she was his second choice. The veritable booby prize.

“I do.” He set the bag on the countertop and grinned. “With you.”

What was it she just felt? Relieved? Flattered?

Highly doubtful.

She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t think it can be considered a date when the other party knows nothing about it.”

He pasted an innocent look on his face. “Did I forget to tell you?”

He took off his jacket and handed it to her. Like an idiot, she took it. And came this close to lifting it to her nose to breathe in his scent, rubbing her cheek against the fabric. She caught herself at the last second and folded it over her arm instead.

Stop it, Vic.

He wasn’t paying attention, anyway. He was busy emptying the bag, opening the carryout containers.

The aroma of the sushi wafted her way, making her mouth water. And if she didn’t eat something soon, the wine was going to give her a doozy of a headache.

“I’ll have dinner with you,” she said, then added, “just this once.”

He shrugged, as though her refusing his company had never even crossed his mind. Could he be more arrogant? Or more cute?

No, no, no! He is not cute.

It took only a few disastrous office romances to make her vow never to get involved with a coworker again. Not to mention the other laundry list of reasons she would never get involved with a man like him.

This was just dinner.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a variety,” he said.

“I guess.” There was enough there to feed half a dozen people. She would have some left over for lunch and dinner tomorrow. And since he went through all this trouble, the least she could do is offer him a drink. “I just opened a bottle of cabernet.”

“I thought you would never ask,” he said with a grin, then gestured to the cupboards. “You have plates?”

“To the left of the sink.” She draped his jacket neatly over the back of the couch over her own and poured him a glass of wine, then refilled her own glass. She really should slow down, wait to drink until she’d eaten something, but the warm glow of inebriation felt good just then. And it wasn’t as if she was completely sloshed or anything. Just pleasantly buzzed.

The dining table was topped with half-unpacked boxes, so she carried their glasses to the coffee table instead. It was that or eat standing up in the kitchen, and she honestly didn’t think her legs would hold her up for long. She considered going back into the kitchen to help him, but the couch looked so inviting, she flopped down and made herself comfortable. Some hostess she was, making him serve her dinner. But he didn’t seem to mind.

Besides, that’s what he got for showing up out of the blue.

“Do you have a serving platter?” Charles called from the kitchen.

“Somewhere in this mess,” she said. The truth was she usually just ate straight from the carryout containers. “I haven’t gotten that far in my unpacking.” She paused, guilt getting the best of her, and called, “Do you want help?”

“No, I’ve got it.”

Good. She rested her head back on the cushions, sipped her wine, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, he was setting everything down on the coffee table.

“Wake up. Time to eat.”

“Just resting my eyes,” she said. She sat up and he sat down beside her, so close their thighs were touching. His was solid and warm. She didn’t normally let her size bother her, but he just seemed so large in comparison. Intimidating, although not in a threatening way, if that made any sense at all. And, God help her, he was sexy as hell with his collar open and his sleeves rolled up.

She took a tuna roll, dipped it in soy sauce, and popped it into her mouth. He did the same. The delicious flavors were completely lost on her as she watched him eat. He even managed to chew sexy, if that was possible.

She peeled her eyes away, before he noticed her staring, just as the doorbell chimed again.

“Expecting someone?” he asked, like maybe she had a date with some other man that had slipped her mind.

“Not that I recall.” She sighed irritably and dragged herself up and walked to the door.

If she weren’t so relaxed from the wine, she would have remembered to check the peephole. And if she had, she would have seen it was her father standing there.