Kelsey danced with Ferris, who was just as charming as his mother, then circulated
the party with Wyatt for another half hour. Wyatt hadn’t been kidding about his hatred
for small talk, but she’d let him play the strong and silent type while she filled
in the gaps. Luckily, when Wyatt did have something to say, people seemed to want
to listen. He already had two meetings set up for when they got back to Texas. And
that fact seemed to lift his mood considerably as the night pressed on.
Kelsey was pleased to know she was actually contributing as well. She’d even suffered
through a dance with Wyatt’s rival, Tony Merrill, in order to give Wyatt a chance
to chat with someone Tony had been monopolizing. She’d been skeptical that she could
offer any value for Wyatt, but she should’ve never doubted herself. Wyatt wouldn’t
have taken her along if he didn’t think she could help. He was nothing if not intensely
practical. And it wasn’t like he needed to come up with some tropical vacation scheme
to get her into his bed. When it came to him, she was an easy sale.
After another chat with one of the people on Wyatt’s list, Wyatt grabbed Kelsey’s
free hand and brought it to his chest, dragging her against him. “Getting tired, love?”
“Maybe a little.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Go sit and relax. I’ll grab us something
to eat.”
“Yes, sir,” she said low enough that no one else would hear.
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Keep saying that, and I’ll make sure we retire to
our room early.”
She returned his saucy smile and, after a quick kiss, he sauntered off toward the
buffet table. She made her way to the edge of the crowd and sat on one of the deck
chairs that had been spread around the perimeter of the party. She buried her toes
in the sand and took a deep pull of the sea air.
Ahh
. It had definitely been a long day, but this sure beat hanging out in her little
apartment with only the Food Network
to keep her company. She drew patterns in the sand with her feet as she watched Wyatt
stroll her way with a fresh drink and a plate of the biggest shrimp she’d ever seen.
The flames of the tiki torches flickered over his dark features and smiling eyes,
which were half-hidden by hair mussed from the steady ocean breeze. The sight of him
stole her breath. She’d thought him beautiful in his buttoned-up suit and that always
serious gaze he wore behind his glasses, but seeing him like this—relaxed and open—churned
up something warm and achy inside her chest.
In that moment, she wished this were all real. That she was his. And he, hers.
She shoved the thought away and the twist of pain it caused.
Rein it in, girl.
There was old Kelsey latching onto impossible hopes again. You’d think she would’ve
learned by now and trained that instinct out of herself.
Another man put his hand on Wyatt’s arm before he reached Kelsey, halting him and
pulling him into conversation. Wyatt glanced over with an apologetic shrug, but she
waved him off. She didn’t need him to babysit her. In fact, a little quiet people
watching sounded like a nice break. Plus, she needed to get her game face back on
so Wyatt didn’t catch her looking at him with hearts in her eyes.
But before she could even lean back in her chair to relax and take it all in, an unwelcome
visitor settled herself in the chair next to her. “Is this seat taken?”
Kelsey’s teeth pressed against one another, and she didn’t even bother to look Gwen’s
way. “It will be when Wyatt makes his way back over.”
Gwen sniffed. “I’ll be sure to hand over the seat if he needs it. But if Piedmont
got a hold of him, he’ll probably be there for a while. That man likes the sound of
his own voice.”
Seemed like Gwen had something in common with Piedmont. Kelsey downed the last sip
of her juice and nestled the glass in the sand. Maybe if she didn’t respond to Gwen,
she’d get bored and go the fuck away.
“Juice. Nice,” Gwen said, eyeing Kelsey’s empty glass. “Have a reason not to drink?
Or just not old enough yet?”
Do not get in a fistfight at the fancy party. Do not get in a fistfight at the fancy
party.
“Baptist.”
“Sure you are.”
Kelsey looked at her finally, hoping her expression revealed how close she was to
a throw down if Gwen didn’t shut the hell up. “You have a point to being here?”
“So you’re the Saturday night special now, huh?” she asked, primly sipping her own
champagne. “I only thought I’d be friendly—you know, woman to woman—and warn you not
to hang your hopes on him. I see how you look at him.”
Kelsey opened her mouth to deny it, but who was she kidding? “It’s not like that.”
“Right.” Gwen shook her head almost imperceptibly, a flash of pain tightening her
features when she glanced in Wyatt’s direction. For the first time, Kelsey felt a
dash of sympathy for the woman. “All I’m saying is Wyatt will only ever love one thing—his
job. Nothing will take over that space. Not a woman. Not a family.” She pinned Kelsey
with a cold look. “And certainly not a stripper with a record who’s lying bald-faced
to him.”
Kelsey sucked in a breath.
Gwen’s features dripped with smug satisfaction. “Next time you try to sneak into some
wealthy guy’s bed, do a better job of hiding your tracks and don’t leave incriminating
evidence in a bag that you don’t keep with you.”
She tossed Kelsey’s passport onto her lap, and everything inside Kelsey went cold.
This bitch had gone through her
luggage
?
“I can’t believe he didn’t run a background check on you and took you at your word.
Apparently, blonde hair and big tits make him stupid.”
Kelsey almost punched her then. Her fingernails bit into her palm.
“What the fuck did you just say to her?” Wyatt growled.
Kelsey’s head jerked to the right, finding Wyatt standing a few feet away, his eyes
on fire.
Gwen smiled, so pleased with herself. “Your little
girlfriend
is scamming you, Wyatt. You might want to check your credit card accounts to make
sure she hasn’t already stolen your numbers. She’s no chef, she’s just a garden variety
whore.”
Whore.
The word had been used so often around Kelsey. First directed at her mother, then
at her. The single word could twist a blade right through her insides. Tears burned
her throat, but hell if she was going to cry in front of this woman. No fucking way.
Wyatt charged forward, absently handing the drink and plate he’d been holding over
to Kelsey. Gwen stood, leaving she and Wyatt toe to toe. His expression was a roar
of rage, but his tone was pure ice water. “You know, the fact that you would stoop
to digging through my girlfriend’s things and using your contacts to pull information
about her is fucking pathetic, Gwen. And calling her a whore? That’s ripe considering
you’re here with your married boss.”
“We’re not—” But her protest sounded weak even to Kelsey.
Wyatt smirked, his eyes cold behind his glasses. “Sure you’re not.”
“I’m trying to help you!” she said, her voice a whisper version of a shout. “She’s
lying to you.”
“No, she’s not. I know exactly who she is. She’s the most beautiful and honest woman
I’ve ever met.” He put out his hand to Kelsey. She set down the drink and food and
took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. “And if you dare say a word to her
again or to anyone else here about her, I’ll be sure your boss’s wife gets an email
from a concerned friend.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t have any proof of anything.”
Wyatt smiled and wrapped an arm around Kelsey’s waist. If someone else looked their
way, it could be mistaken for a pleasant conversation. “Gwen, you’re a smart woman.
So don’t push me because you won’t win.”
She pressed her lips together until they disappeared into a thin white line.
“Come on, love. I have some other people I’d like you to meet,” Wyatt said through
clenched teeth.
Kelsey had the urge to say something sharp, to defend herself against the earlier
comments. But despite the woman’s hateful words and motives, Kelsey couldn’t help
but hear the truth in her warning:
I fell in love with him, and he walked away without a scratch
.
He will never be yours.
This will
never
be real.
EIGHTEEN
Wyatt guided Kelsey away from Gwen before he could
let his ire get the best of him and make a scene. But his jaw hurt from locking his
teeth together and not saying what he really wanted. Before all this, he’d had nothing
but respect for Gwen, but obviously she’d never shown him what a hateful bitch she
could be. The horrid things she’d said to Kelsey . . . Anger pulsed through him with
a raucous beat, making his head pound. How Kelsey had kept her class about it all
and not stooped to Gwen’s level was a wonder. The girl must be made of iron.
Kelsey glanced up at him. “I’m so sorry I screwed up, Wyatt. I never thought to worry
about the passport. When they took our bags to the main boat, I should’ve—”
“You should’ve done exactly what you did,” he said firmly. “You couldn’t have anticipated
someone acting like a goddamned lunatic.”
“You think she’s going to say something to the others?”
“No, Gwen’s not stupid. She knows I wasn’t making an idle threat about exposing her
relationship with her boss.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “But I’m
sorry you had to hear those hateful things she said. It’s my fault. I never should
have left you alone, knowing she was around.”
Kelsey squeezed his hand as they began to walk again, though she looked much more
somber than she had a few minutes ago, the mirth in her eyes gone. “I’m fine. Really.
I’ve heard worse, and honestly, the whole thing just makes me feel sorry for her.”
That pulled him up short. He turned toward her, leaving them at the perimeter of the
party. “Sorry for
her
? She attacked you.”
Kelsey shrugged. “She’s got a broken heart and a bruised ego. That can turn even a
decent woman into a piranha. She’s gorgeous, smart, has a good job. For all intents
and purposes, she’s way more suited for you than I could ever be, and she thinks she’s
lost you to an air-headed floozy with a nice rack.”
“She and I aren’t suited at all,” he bit out, then smirked. “And you’re far from an
airhead or a floozy.”
She put a hand to her hip and quirked an eyebrow.
“What? I can’t deny the nice rack thing. That’s simply a verifiable fact.”
She sniffed, but there was laughter in her eyes.
“And I don’t know where she gets this big broken heart sob story. I was very clear
from the beginning what our relationship could and couldn’t be.”
Kelsey’s gaze drifted toward the water line and the crashing waves. “Sounds familiar.”
He frowned at the implication. “Hey, that’s not why I was saying that. This is a very
different situation.”
She turned back to him, a small smile in place, but cynicism in the lines around her
mouth. “No, it’s not. It’s the same exact thing. Only you offered me money for it.
And it’s a shorter term of service.”
“That’s not what the mo—”
“It’s okay, Wyatt,” she said softly. “It’s what I signed up for, too.”
Before he could respond, a hand clapped him on the back. “There you are.”
Wyatt swallowed the rest of his words and turned to the newcomer, Kade Vandergriff.
Wyatt had run into him a few minutes ago and had wanted to introduce Kelsey to him.
But that’d been before he’d seen Gwen perch next to Kelsey with that predatory look.
Wyatt exchanged a quick handshake with Kade and nodded at Kelsey. “Kade, I’d like
you to meet my girlfriend, Kelsey. She’s looking to start her own bakery. Kelsey,
this is Kade Vandergriff. He owns—”
“A crap-ton of restaurants,” Kelsey said, grinning.
A wide smile broke over Kade’s face, and he swept Kelsey into an enthusiastic hug,
taking Wyatt by surprise. “Hey, dollface, how the hell are you?”
“I’m good, I’m good,” Kelsey said, embracing him back and laughing with the tight
squeeze he gave her.
Wyatt cleared his throat, not exactly pleased that the big blond seemed so happy to
see Kelsey. “You two know each other?”
Kade’s grin remained in place, but a flicker of unease went through his eyes. “Uh,
yeah, we have mutual friends.”
Kelsey glanced at Kade and nodded, but didn’t offer any further clarification. Wyatt’s
bullshit meter shot up like a thermometer in summer. How exactly would a waitress
and a restaurant mogul have mutual friends? And that embrace hadn’t been a
Hey, friend who I vaguely know through other friends
. It’d been comfortable, warm. An ugly crackle of jealousy went through Wyatt. Was
Kade Vandergriff one of Kelsey’s clients or maybe one of her customers from the strip
club?
“Well, I thought I’d introduce you two since you have an industry in common, but I
guess introductions weren’t necessary,” Wyatt said, feeling his stoic mask slip into
place.
Kade tucked his hands in his pockets, the picture of casual ease. “Actually, I had
no idea Kelsey was wanting to open a bakery. That’s fantastic to hear.”
That niggling feeling in Wyatt’s gut grew even stronger at that statement. So he didn’t
know Kelsey through their shared interest in food.
Kelsey pushed her hair behind her ears, looking a little shy under Kade’s gaze. “I’m
still a long ways off. I want to go to culinary school first, become a pastry chef.”
“That’s terrific, Kels. Really great,” Kade said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “You
should’ve told me that’s the direction you were wanting to go. We do apprenticeships
in a lot of my locations. If you ever need a job, you let me know. I know how hard
of a worker you are.”
Kelsey beamed. “Really?”
It was the kind of business connection for Kelsey that Wyatt had been hoping for by
making the introduction, but now he just wanted to step in front of her and stomp
his foot like a petulant child.
Mine!
Ridiculous. What the fuck right did he have to do anything of the sort? Sure, she
was his right now, on loan for a few days. But after their time was up, she could
date any guy she wanted to. Hell, he wasn’t close with Kade Vandergriff, but he knew
enough to know that he was probably a settle down and have a family kind of a guy.
And he sure as shit had enough money to take care of a woman and make sure she never
wanted for anything. Kade could give Kelsey everything she needed
and
what she deserved.
Wyatt knew he was reading too much into it, fast-forwarding Kade and Kelsey’s life
like some epilogue in a romantic comedy, but he couldn’t help it.
Oh, remember how me met, sweetie? We were at that island party and I was with . . .
what was his name? That guy with the glasses who paid me to pose as his girlfriend?
I wonder what ever happened to
him.
Wyatt moved closer to Kelsey and grasped her hand, while she and Kade talked about
how impressive the appetizer spread was tonight. But he barely heard the conversation,
his heart thumping loud enough to drown out the words and the steel drums in the background.
Wyatt had no idea what was going on with him. Never before had he ever had an issue
keeping things business-like and casual with a woman. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion he
entertained. Not since Mia. And even with her, it’d been a fleeting state. He hadn’t
fought for her when she’d used those other men to get his attention. He’d simply cut
her off, removed the unproductive emotion. She’d wanted him to fight and challenge,
and instead, he’d walked away and left a vulnerable woman feeling worthless.
Regardless, right now he had an overwhelming urge to stake his claim on Kelsey, to
be the kind of guy who was offering her so much that no other man could possibly compete.
But he had no idea if he was even capable of
being
that guy. Sure, in fantasyland he could picture coming home to find her humming to
herself in his kitchen while she created some new dish for them to eat. He could imagine
her curled up on the couch in the media room while he introduced her to movies she’d
never seen. Waking up next to her in the mornings. The images dug deep, cavernous
holes in his chest.
But he hadn’t been lying to her when he’d told her he didn’t have room in his life
for a relationship. The business took so many hours, so much energy. Kelsey would
wither from neglect. And that would kill him . . .
Kelsey nudged him, cutting off her conversation with Kade mid-sentence. “Hey, is that
the guy throwing this whole clambake?”
“Huh?” Wyatt asked, taking a second to shake off the morose reel of thoughts in his
head, then looked in the direction Kelsey was nodding toward. A man had entered the
party and already had a cluster of people gathering around him.
Ah, fucking perfect.
Just what he needed right now. “Yeah, that’s Carmichael.”
“You know him?” Kade asked.
“Yeah, don’t you?”
“Nah, have never met him in person,” Kade said, sipping his champagne. “I only got
an invite because he’s interested in putting a few of my restaurant concepts in one
of his hotel chains.”
“Nice,” Kelsey said.
Kade shrugged. “We’ll see. I’ve heard he can be a little difficult to work with.”
“He’s a prick,” Wyatt said in too foul of a mood to fake it.
Kade laughed good-naturedly. “Yeah, but when it comes to business, aren’t we all?”
Wyatt frowned, the statement hitting a little too close to the mark. “Being hard-nosed
and being a dick are two different things.”
Kade raised his glass. “True enough. But if you dislike the guy so much, why are you
here?”
Wyatt started to answer. The truth was as simple as could be. The company needed accounts
like Andrew Carmichael. His dad
wanted
accounts like those. For the bottom line, for bragging rights, for a big
fuck you
to their competitors. But watching all the other partygoers fawn all over Carmichael
like he was the second coming made Wyatt want to spit. It was all so fake, bullshit
piled on top of bullshit wrapped up in sugary compliments and ass-kissing. And he
knew, right then, that this was going to be the first time in his life he wasn’t going
to follow his father’s directive.
“You know what, Kade? That’s a good fucking question.”
Kelsey’s head snapped his way, her eyebrows scrunched. “Wyatt.”
“Excuse us, Kade,” he said, tugging on Kelsey’s hand. “I think it’s time for a dance
with my girl while everybody else verbally jerks off Carmichael.”
Kade grinned and gave a little head tip. “Enjoy yourselves. I’m sure we’ll see each
other around this week.”
Kelsey sent Wyatt a questioning look as they gave the knot of people around Carmichael
wide berth and headed toward the now abandoned dance floor. Once they reached it,
he pulled her against him, finding calm in the feel of her warmth and the sweet scent
of her shampoo.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she easily fell into step with his lead. “Isn’t
that guy the main reason we’re here? Ignoring him is going to look rude.”
“Change of plans.” He spun her out from him, then guided her back. The steel drum
band played an up-tempo beat.
She blew out a breath, clearly exasperated. “Meaning?”
“I thought maybe I could get past my dislike for the guy to do what’s best for the
company, but I can’t even look at him without wanting to punch that smarmy smile off
his face. I don’t want his money. He’s a bad human being. I don’t want to build more
fortune for him.”
“But your father—”
“Is going to fucking deal with it,” Wyatt said, his words resolute. “And if he doesn’t,
let him fire me.”
Kelsey’s eyes went wide. “Shit. Can he
do
that?”
“Technically, yes. But he won’t. He’s smarter than that.”
“Wyatt, I don’t know . . .”
There was a hard tap on his shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?”
Jet fuel went through Wyatt at the mere sound of that voice. Kelsey halted her dance
step. Wyatt looked over at Andrew Carmichael who, of course, was smiling broadly,
way too pleased with himself. He narrowed his eyes and flicked his shoulder-length
brown hair out of the way like he was some male runway model. “Well, look who it fucking
is—Quiet Wyatt.”
Wyatt’s teeth gritted together at the old nickname, and Carmichael slapped him on
the back with pointed force. “Carmichael,” Wyatt replied with lethal calmness.
“I saw your name on the guest list but I had to see for myself. Didn’t think you ever
came out and mingled with the mortals. Couldn’t resist the lure of my beautiful island,
huh?”
“I’m here because my father couldn’t make it.”
Andrew’s winning smile stayed in place, but there were daggers in his gaze. “Well,
I’m glad you could make it. I’ve been wanting to discuss some things with your father.
Now I can do it with you. I’ve talked to a few of his other clients, and I think A&A
might be just the kind of firm I’m looking to work with.”
Wyatt opened his mouth to tell the guy to take his money and fuck off, but Kelsey
stepped forward, sticking out her hand and cutting him off. “Hi, Mr. Carmichael, I’m
Kelsey. I wanted to thank you for inviting us. The resort and the island are breathtaking.
Really. Prettiest place I’ve ever visited.”
Andrew turned the full power of his charm toward Kelsey, taking her hand and bringing
it to his mouth to kiss the top of it. It took everything Wyatt had not to yank the
asshole backward by his Fabio hair. How dare that fucker touch
his
woman. “I’m so glad you like it. And really, the pleasure is all mine.”
Kelsey smiled demurely at Andrew’s laying-it-on-thick tone and was that . . . eyelash
fluttering? Fuck. She was doing as she promised. Working him. But Wyatt didn’t want
that. Hadn’t she heard a word he said about the change of plans?
“Would you care to dance, Kelsey?” Carmichael asked.
“We were just—” Wyatt began.
But Kelsey sent him a fierce look that said
I got this
before replacing it with her Southern belle act. “That would be lovely, Mr. Carmichael.”
“Please. Call me Andrew.”
Andrew turned and winked at Wyatt, then led Kelsey away.
Fucker.
The guy had simultaneously hijacked Kelsey and put Wyatt in a position where he couldn’t
do something without looking like a possessive asshole. The music switched to a slower
beat, and Andrew pulled Kelsey way too close. That almost sent Wyatt charging like
a maniacal bull, but Kelsey met his gaze over Andrew’s shoulder, warning him off.