Seducing The Heiress
Farrah was winding through the casino floor of the MGM Grand Hotel, trying to block all the noise—bells, cheers of joy and tears of disappointment—preparing to enter the unseasonably warm April weather, when she saw Robert Gold heading her way. “What are you doing here?”
“Meeks sent me to help you.”
“To settle a contract dispute? How exactly do you plan to help me do that?”
He shrugged. “In any way you need.”
“Go home, Robert,” Farrah shot back as she moved around him and continued toward the exit.
Robert followed her outside, pulling his aviator sunglasses down from his head and over his eyes. “Look, I’m here to stay, so you might as well put me to work.”
Farrah reached into her bag and pulled out a document and a certified check. “It’s already done,” she said, handing him the document and placing a pair of Chanel sunglasses over those sexy siren eyes.
Robert put his right arm over Farrah’s shoulders and smiled. “Well, in that case, it’s the weekend, so let’s play.” For two people who had been dancing around the edges of friendship and passion since she’d joined the family business, play, which included a lot of tequila, was the operative word. Marriage happened to be the unexpected endgame.
“For the millionth time, I didn’t crash your Vegas trip,” Robert insisted. “Meeks sent me to help.”
“Help I didn’t need,” she shot back, rubbing her temple. “Look, it’s just...”
“Just what? Finish your thought,” he demanded.
Farrah moved to the corner of the room and Robert enjoyed the wonderful view as he followed on her heels. She turned and faced him. “You shouldn’t be flirting in front of me. At least not until after our divorce is final. You should have more respect for me and our marriage, no matter how short-lived it may be. Is that too much to ask?”
“Respect for a marriage you claimed was a mistake,” he replied. “One you can’t get out of fast enough—is that the marriage we’re talking about? The one you want me to respect?” Robert said through his teeth with his fist clenched at his side as he fought for control. Why couldn’t she see what they had—could still have—was special? Why did it have to end up like a cliché?
They stared at each other in silence. Robert had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Farrah. Not even the betrayal by his college sweetheart that had made him swear off serious relationships could compare to what he felt for Farrah. He adored everything about her. From the way she challenged and pushed him to her fierce and protective love for her family. Standing this close, he could smell the scent of her favorite vanilla shampoo and it, along with the sexy dress that draped her body like a second skin, sent his body on high alert.
Farrah lowered her head and shook it slowly. “We had a little too much to drink in Vegas.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “We got married on a dare. At some cheesy little spot called the Tunnel of Love Chapel,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Who does that?”
Robert clamped down on his factual answer that it happened more times than people liked to give credit.
“You bet it was a mistake,” she continued. “Hell, we both agreed it was a mistake.”
Robert sighed and nodded. He had agreed that marrying the way they had—at a drive-through window—was a mistake, but he was convinced that the marriage itself wasn’t one at all. An awareness he’d come to after realizing his friendly feelings for Farrah had developed into something deeper and irrevocable. The thought that she could be showing some serious interest in Tremaine Steel made his need to convince Farrah that they belonged together much more urgent.
“That reminds me. Have you heard from Fletcher?” she asked. “He has filed the papers, right?”
Fletcher Scott was the private detective turned lawyer they often used when they didn’t want their agency directly involved in certain cases, mostly for “personal” activities. A secret marriage and quickie divorce didn’t get any more personal. Farrah was very thankful that Fletcher could keep a secret, even from her sisters.
“Yes, the papers have definitely been filed,” Robert assured, while thinking, Sort of...
“Good!” she said on a relieved sigh. “We’ve put this off long enough.”
Robert and Farrah walked back to the reception desk as soon as they heard Meeks’s voice. “I’m Meeks Montgomery and I’m—”
“Yes, your wife’s been asking for you,” Karen said, smiling as she flipped her hair again.
Both Robert and Meeks wore the Blake & Montgomery standard uniform of a black T-shirt with their company’s red logo that was hard to miss. Robert was accustomed to female attention when wearing it, especially since the uniform showed off his broad shoulders and flat chest and abs. Also, the combat boots and a utility belt holding a nine-millimeter handgun that screamed dangerous were hard to miss. And even his ninety-year-old neighbor had a liking for the black cargo pants that showcased a rear end she tried sneaking a squeeze of on occasion. Robert didn’t have the heart to tell the old woman that he was onto her game. The devilish smile that plastered her wrinkled face was too endearing.
Evidently, the geriatric club wasn’t the only group that wasn’t immune. Karen’s breathing had increased and she’d flipped her hair—yet again. The corner of Robert’s mouth curved up. He’d always enjoyed the attention he received from women, especially if said attention seemed to bother the only woman he ever really wanted. Meeks, on the other hand, didn’t seem to take notice of anyone other than his wife. So Robert was in good company.
“If you’d all come this way,” she said.
“Ladies first,” Robert chimed, stepping aside so Farrah could move past.
“Such a gentleman,” Farrah shot back.
“You should know that nothing could be further from the truth,” he answered with a knowing wink.
Farrah huffed, but didn’t come back with her normal biting retort. They followed Karen through a set of double doors and down a well-lit hall with white marble floors and white walls into another small waiting area. The room had walls painted light gray, with pictures and posters that centered on pregnancy, and was filled with low-back gray leather chairs.
“You two will need to wait here, and someone will come for you when they’re ready to start the ultrasound,” she said to both Farrah and Robert.
They both acknowledged her request with a small nod.
“Follow me, Mr. Montgomery. I’ll take you to your wife.”
“I’ll see you two in a bit,” Meeks said before giving them both a lengthy once-over and asking, “Are you two okay?”
“Yes, why do you ask?” Farrah said, her red lips pulled into a scowl.
“If I didn’t know any better,” Meeks said, tilting his head, “I swear you two were acting like a married couple in the middle of a fight.”
“You don’t say,” Robert teased, garnering an angry glare from Farrah.
Meeks shook his head and continued down the hall. Both Robert and Farrah took a seat next to each other. “I guess now we wait,” Robert said.
“I guess so,” Farrah agreed as she sat and crossed her legs. Her dress rose a few inches, offering Robert a view of Farrah’s thighs—a move that he could have done without. Now he was imagining what delightful things Farrah had on under that shape-defining dress. He knew first hand that she spared no expense when it came to buying and wearing beautiful, soft and sensual underwear. Robert’s sex grew hard as steel.
Robert quickly flicked his wrist and checked his watch, then pulled out his phone and sorted through a few emails.
“We passed an area with a coffee and vending machine on our way in here. You want something?” Farrah asked, getting to her feet.
He couldn’t actually say that what he wanted was the woman herself.
“I can get it,” Robert said, putting away his phone.
“I need to stretch my legs,” Farrah insisted.
“If you insist, sure, coffee would be fine. You know how I like it...strong and hot,” he teased, staring up at her, his face expressionless. The sexual tension between them was choking him.
Before Farrah could make a move toward the door, a male nurse stepped to them. “They’re ready for you,” he said.
Robert rose from his chair, slowly, discreetly making an attempt to adjust himself. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “You ready?” Robert finally asked, offering his hand.
Farrah nodded slowly as her eyes darted away from the reason he had clearly needed a moment. He was too turned on to be embarrassed. Hell, the woman was practically his wife. More like actually his wife—and he intended to keep it that way.
“Let’s go,” Robert said as they followed behind the nurse.
* * *
After Francine’s appointment, Farrah thanked the male nurse that guided them to a different set of elevators. “Sorry about the inconvenience, but the contractors have started roping off the front area of the office,” he explained.
“It’s fine,” Farrah reassured.
Farrah smiled as she stood next to Robert waiting for the doors to open. “That was—”
“Intense is what that was,” Robert supplied as he reached and pushed the down button.
“Yes, it was,” Farrah agreed, pulling out a compact and flipping it open to check her reflection.
Robert’s voice was a sultry whisper as he said, “You look beautiful...as always.”
“Thank you,” Farrah said, smiling up at him. “At least my eyes aren’t swollen from all that crying. I didn’t know that I would feel that way.”
“They looked very calm, too,” Robert said and this time his tone had shifted to shock. “I’m not sure how I’d be able to handle such a surprise.”
“It wasn’t that much of a surprise,” Farrah explained. “We’ve always known that it was a possibility that one or all of us could have multiple babies at once. Francine just happens to be the first to prove that theory correct.”
“Twins...wow,” Robert said as a sudden vibration of his phone snatched his attention.
Farrah locked in on Robert’s profile and commanding presence. An image of two tiny babies, both with crystal-blue eyes, one with jet-black curly hair and the other sandy brown with blond highlights, flashed into Farrah’s mind.
Vegas. Marriage. Divorce. Life without Robert...uncharted territory. Farrah knew Robert wasn’t a long-term, forever type of guy—his history proved that—so why was she imagining what their future kids could look like? Suddenly, for no reason she could explain, her heart ached.
Chapter 3
“Everything’s set for our trip,” Robert said, hitting the send button on his cell phone after replying to his assistant’s text message. He reached and hit the elevator call button.
“Good, I have a couple of things to wrap up before we leave for New York,” Farrah explained.
“You don’t have to go with me, you know. I’m sure we’ll just be chasing another dead end. Alexia covered her tracks well.” Robert turned to face Farrah and jammed his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out and smoothing her hair away from her beautiful face.
Alexia Gray, a former employee of Blake & Montgomery, had been hired as a senior-level attorney for their corporate legal team. Through a complaint, Robert discovered that Alexia had made several attempts to blackmail their clients with the same information that they’d been hired to protect. She was arrested and currently sat in the county jail awaiting trial on multiple charges. However, before she was caught, Alexia had been hired to alter key design schematics that made it appear that Robert’s ideas and designs weren’t his own—an alteration that appeared to substantiate the charges against the firm, allowing an appeal to move forward, a fact that had only recently been discovered.
Alexia refused to provide them with the necessary proof to clear their names, get the bogus lawsuit against Blake & Montgomery dismissed and permit them to move forward with production, forcing Robert and Farrah to track down the person who’d hired her to sabotage their filing and ultimately their company.
“We agreed to work this case together no matter what or where it leads us.” Farrah adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “This elevator sure is slow. Besides, you’d look out of place attending a Broadway show alone, no matter how good you may look in a tux,” she said, giving him that smile that could melt snow.
“I still don’t get why we have to sit through a Broadway play just to find out information about Alexia’s clients,” Robert complained.
“A little culture won’t kill you,” Farrah teased, chuckling at his scowl. “Not everyone’s into extreme testosterone-fueled activities—base-jumping, free-hand mountain climbing—”
“High-stakes gambling,” Robert offered, snickering.
Farrah glared at him through narrowed eyes. “We have to find out who she’s working with, and from all the information I’ve been able to gather, the common denominator seems to be this play. She thought it was the perfect cover.”
“Who uses a play as a cover for corporate sabotage?”
“According to more than one of my informants, not to mention all the playbills we found in Alexia’s apartment, she seems to do exactly that,” she said.
“I find it ironic that she chose Chicago for this particular activity, don’t you?” he asked.
“Not...really,” she said, frowning.
“All the women in the play are criminals,” he said, laughing. “You don’t find that ironic?”
“Not at all. She’s a criminal. She can relate,” Farrah said, shrugging. “And since the firm is in the business of putting criminals behind bars, as well as protecting people, it’s not ironic to us, either.”
The back office elevator doors finally opened and they were met by a wall of mahogany wood with raised panels, a wood tray ceiling with a small crystal chandelier and dark travertine tile floors. Although this elevator didn’t have a red velvet sofa and carpeted floors, it was a sight that was very familiar to them. As soon as they stepped inside, it was as if they were transported back in time to a place where they were wrapped in a familiar blanket of desire. They looked at each other and smiled; clearly they were both remembering the last time they’d been in a similar tight situation together. When they’d finally stopped fighting their desire for each other.
“This is one of the owners’ private elevators. It opens into his personal suite. Why do you have a key?” Farrah asked, giving Robert a mischievous smile.
“Because I happen to be one of those owners,” Robert replied, leaning against the elevator wall, while admiring the sexy strapless red mini dress and sky-high heels she wore. He reached over and pushed the stop button on the vintage elevator panel.
Farrah opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it. Within seconds, the phone that was concealed behind a wooden panel rang. Robert kept his eyes on Farrah while picking up the receiver. “Stand down, everything’s fine,” he said before disconnecting. “Got to love Vegas security.”
Robert closed the short distance between them, trapping Farrah between the wall of the elevator and his wide chest. Farrah raised her chin and the movement caused her breasts to rise—showing off her cleavage as she gifted him with that slow sexy smile he loved. He leaned forward and rested the palms of his hands against the wall to brace himself. Farrah rose up on the tips of her toes, circled her arms around Robert’s neck and kissed him. Her taste ignited something inside of him and Robert returned the kiss with far more passion than he’d intended.
Lost in the moment, Robert took his right hand and reached under Farrah’s dress. He ripped off the thin piece of lace and string she called panties, placed it in his jacket pocket and started stroking her core with the tips of two fingers. He stared into her eyes and watched as she fell to pieces in his hand. Robert moved in closer, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, then lowered a few inches to devour Farrah’s lips before he brought those same fingers to his mouth and kissed off her essence. “Delicious,” he said as he watched her dilated pupils widen.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Farrah said in a voice barely above a whisper before capturing his lips into another passionate kiss. “Hmm....”
Robert picked Farrah up and carried her the two feet to the velvet sofa placed against the back wall of the elevator. He sat with Farrah straddled across his lap. “Wife,” he whispered in her ear.
“Husband,” she replied.
The elevator stopped, releasing them from the past, and they both stood in silence as the doors opened to no one. The doors closed again and Robert turned to face Farrah. The dress she wore may have been different and the environment not exactly the same, but Robert’s desire for Farrah was stronger than ever.
“Don’t even think about it,” Farrah said, clearly reading his intentions as she slowly backed away from him.
“Too late,” Robert replied, backing her up against the elevator’s wall. He placed his hands on both sides of her face, lowered his head and greedily took her mouth, as though everything in the kiss mattered to him, as though she mattered to him.
Farrah grabbed his shoulders and returned his kiss with just as much vigor. Robert managed to fight through the sexual haze and remember that this particular elevator wasn’t private. Robert slowly released her mouth and stepped away from her. He was breathing hard and his sex was begging for release.
They stared at each other for several moments. Farrah raised her hand and placed her fingers across her swollen lips, which were quickly followed by her tongue.
“Damn it!” Robert started to step back to Farrah only to be stopped by the halt of the elevator. The doors opened and two Hispanic men dressed in expensive-looking suits entered.
Robert stepped back and crossed his hands low and in front of him, doing his best to hide the evidence of his desire.
“Second floor, please,” one of the men said to Robert. who was standing next to the control panel.
“No problem,” Robert replied, pressing the button with his elbow, causing one of the men to take a swift look at Farrah, then back to Robert’s strategically placed hands.
“Looks like we should have taken the next one,” the shorter of the two men teased, causing Farrah to blush.
The doors opened to the second floor and both men took their exit without any further comment.
“Farrah—”
“No!” she said, using her hand to halt his words. “Please don’t.”
The elevator doors opened to the ground floor. Farrah smoothed out her dress, raised her chin and walked out of the elevator.
“See you later,” Farrah called back over her shoulder.
“Sooner than you think,” Robert murmured as he watched her take her leave. Robert pulled out his phone and placed a call that he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to make so soon. “Fletcher... Robert Gold. Farrah’s getting anxious, so it’s time to move forward with Plan B.”
“You sure about this, man? Why not just tell her the truth?” Fletcher asked.
“She’s not ready for the truth just yet, but hopefully soon she will be.”
“If you say so, but I’d better not lose my license over this. She’s a damn good attorney with a sharp legal mind and an impeccable reputation,” Fletcher said, his concern evident—as well it should be. Farrah was also known for her prominent list of contacts, long memory and ability to hold a grudge—something that made Robert’s plan all that more dangerous.
“I know, but don’t worry about it. If things go south, I’ll take all the blame. Just bring all the necessary paperwork to my office in the morning.” Robert pulled his car keys from his pocket and started his car so the air conditioning would kick in by the time he got in.
“If you’re sure, I’ll see you first thing in the morning?” Fletcher asked, obviously needing one final reassurance.
“I’m sure. Losing Farrah isn’t an option...no matter what I have to do,” Robert said, disconnecting the call.
* * *
“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long,” Trey said, offering Farrah a wide smile that showed off a set of deep dimples as he reached for her hand.
Farrah stood. “Not at all. I just arrived.” His large hand engulfed hers and she smiled and sighed at his touch, but the confident and satisfied look on Trey’s face told her he’d obviously gotten the wrong idea. Yes, she found him attractive; what red-blooded woman wouldn’t? The tall, muscularly built litigator with smooth, milk-chocolate skin and sexy dark eyes would complete most women’s must-have list, but his touch only confirmed what she already knew. No one’s touch could affect her like Robert’s—a fact she wasn’t ready to deal with—which also had her quickly extracting her hand from Trey’s. At some point, Farrah had to put her feelings for Robert in their proper perspective, but it wouldn’t happen on the heels of her falling into the arms of another man.
“Please follow me.” Trey led Farrah through the lobby of Steel & Associates, which left no doubt that she was dealing with a successful and very expensive firm. If the eighty-first floor location in one of Houston’s most expensive buildings wasn’t enough of a hint, the expensive furnishings and artwork most certainly would be.
“Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“I’m fine.” Farrah felt slightly embarrassed, as she was still reeling from the effects of Robert’s kiss and the fact that she’d acted like a shameless hussy and gone all in for that kiss like a wanton woman.
“Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?” Trey asked.
“No, thanks.” Farrah took a place at the conference table near the door and slid open a set of documents he had prepared. “So, what have you and your team determined?”
Trey took the chair next to Farrah. “That not only are you beautiful but you’re an exceptional attorney.”
The compliment made her smile, but his sensual tone was off-putting.
“I don’t see why they brought me in on this in the first place.”
“It certainly wasn’t my idea,” she murmured, her eyes still on the document before her.
“Hmm. Mr. Control?”
“Mr. Control?” she questioned, looking up from the page.
“Robert Gold,” he said. Farrah returned her eyes to her document. “It sounds like he might have some doubt in your ability where there shouldn’t be. So far, we haven’t seen anything that makes me think you missed anything with your initial filing, and that your response is on point, with one exception.”
Farrah lifted her gaze again from the document that had captured her attention and locked it on him. “And that would be what, exactly?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
“That’s what I admire most about you, Farrah. Your confidence.” His dark brown eyes narrowed in on her. “You can’t even imagine that you might have missed something or could be going in the wrong direction, can you?”
“I worked every possible line of defense in my mind before I even committed it to paper. If you have something to say, Trey, spit it out,” she demanded.
“In a nutshell, your response to the lawsuit is that Robert Gold’s plans are based solely on his own work product and not anything that has been provided, past or present, by the complainant,” Trey explained.
“Correct.”
“Yet, you offer no proof.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms against the edge of the table. “We need something to substantiate that...something that counters what they’ve presented or could potentially present.”
Inwardly, she chuckled. “I realize that, and we’re working on it,” she replied, understanding that she had been so busy holding her cards close to the chest that she hadn’t considered that Trey needed another piece of vital information. “We’re in the process of trying to find whoever’s behind all this as well as the forger that created the forged drawings that they used in their complaint document.”
Trey sat upright quickly, surprise evident in his expression. “Are you now? And what happens if you don’t?”
She closed her eyes a moment, and flashed through every possible scenario and summed it up with, “To be perfectly honest? We’re screwed... I’m screwed.”