Authors: Collette Scott
“No,” he said, frowning. “I put you in the second master, with Hannah’s room next door. The guesthouse is isolated. Mrs. Maclean will stay there when she arrives. She’ll be out in a few days to help while you’re visiting.”
“Oh, I don’t know about this.”
Ignoring her comment, he moved further into the house, veering to the right into a spacious white carpeted room. The room was as bright and cheerful as the foyer, too white for a five-year-old girl, she thought nervously. Every room as far as she could see was lined with large windows, granting a serene ocean view and natural lighting. She could understand why he liked the place. It had an optimistic and welcoming feel, more beautiful than any house she has ever stayed in before.
“This is the main living room.”
Diana fell in step behind him, following him throughout the house. It was multi-leveled and asymmetric, and she knew in an instant that it would take her some time to find her way around. There were eight bedrooms in the main house, three masters, all with private baths and huge walk-in closets as well as balconies that overlooked the heated pool and the long sandy stretch of beach just a short walk away. His prideful enthusiasm began to rub off on her as they continued the tour, and soon her intimidation was replaced by excited planning of trips down to the beach with Hannah when she was better.
Diana’s room was spacious and cheery like the rest of the house, with a huge king-sized bed, full entertainment center and whirlpool bath. Like the other rooms she had seen, her bedroom had a full wall of floor to ceiling windows with a view of the ocean. She glanced around in awe. “All this for me?”
Though she felt guilty that she desired to stay at the house, she could not help her girlish excitement of being treated to such luxury. She feared that she and Hannah would be spoiled forever and never want to leave.
He smiled. “Naturally… Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s very beautiful… and big.”
“Yes, this room alone is bigger than your whole apartment,” he pointed out.
“Thanks for reminding me, I almost forgot.”
He chuckled and crossed the room, having one more surprise that he proudly showed her. Hannah’s room connected with hers through a hidden door that was disguised as a bookshelf. “You can either use this door or have Hannah come through from the hallway.”
Hannah’s room was already littered with more toys than any child could dream of having. There were walls of toys and books. Diana turned to Devlan in dismay. “You can’t keep doing this. She’s going to leave here so spoiled, I’ll never be able to keep her under control.”
Devlan gave her a curious glance before clearing his throat. “I’ll be back to pick you up at seven.”
“But, Devlan,” she said. “I don’t have anything to wear to dinner.”
“Look in your closet,” he announced over his shoulder. “We picked up some things for your stay here.”
As the door closed behind him, she continued to stare at the spot she had last seen him. It concerned her that he was growing more presumptuous with every passing day, and it was difficult to accept his generosity. Letting out a nervous sigh, Diana marched straight to the closet only to gasp when she opened the doors. There was almost an entire wardrobe in there, all in her size.
“How in the...”
She began pulling the clothes off the rack and held them up to her. There was even a bathing suit.
“Who?”
She kept looking, pulling out a silky nightgown with a fine, soft matching robe. There was a fashionable pantsuit and even a couple of casual outfits. Everything she would need for semi-formal and casual dress.
“I guess he doesn’t like my jeans.”
Though she knew he had the best of intentions, tears of shame filled her eyes. He was trying to make her fit in the only way he knew how. She could never afford a wardrobe as costly as this, so he took care of it in his subtle and firm way. Part of her felt like Cinderella meeting her prince, but the realistic part of her was deeply humiliated.
If Devlan wanted her to look good while she was here, she would do her best to live up to his standards. She had been raised well and could socialize with the best. She could show Devlan a thing or two. Yet her pride demanded she not keep a thing. She would leave every gift that he had purchased when her time to leave arrived.
As she was turning back to exit the huge closet, her eyes fell on the sapphire blue cocktail dress. Obviously it was for her to wear to dinner, and the gown itself was magnificent. Softly lined in silk and beaded with pearls and sequins, it glittered in the afternoon sunlight. It had been so long since she had spent an evening on the town, she could not resist the longing she felt when she studied it. It was the kind of dress that clung to her curves, requiring little or no undergarments, and she wondered if Devlan had planned it that way.
Suddenly unable to breathe, she quickly hung the dress back up and went to stand outside. Her balcony overlooked the large pool, partially hidden from the tropical trees that wound up the side of the house. It too glimmered in the late-afternoon sunlight, crystal clear and stirring only slightly in the breeze. Beyond the pool, the waves pounded rhythmically into the sand. It was a pleasing and relaxing sound that she knew would help her sleep at night.
As she leaned against the railing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The soothing sounds were comforting to her ears. She realized that she had been working on nervous energy since early that morning and could use a long nap. Looking over her shoulder, the large bed beckoned, and she dropped down on her soft mattress with a thankful sigh. It had been a long day, one full of surprises. Vaguely she wondered what would be next.
~
Devlan stood in the living room by the wet bar, idly watching the clock on the mantle. He was on his second whisky already, and yet he had only been downstairs for fifteen minutes.
“Wills brought the car around,” Mike said, shutting the front door behind him. “He’s ready when you are.”
Devlan turned at the sound of his voice and took the opportunity to glance up the stairs again. “Great. What time is it?”
“Ten till.”
“Okay,” he said, sighing. “How do I look?”
Mike glanced at him up and down, taking in the sharp black evening suit with a critical eye. His eyes glittered with amusement when he answered. “I’m sure she’ll find you pleasing enough, sir.”
Devlan nodded again. “Right.”
A slight noise caught his attention and both men turned their gaze to the curving staircase. Diana stood at the top like an angel dressed in the sapphire blue gown he had chosen, and his mouth went dry as he stared up at her. She was perfect, every inch of her. The dress clung to her soft curves like a glove, one he wished at that moment he was wearing.
She smiled shyly and self-consciously patted her hair when she saw him staring. The blond mane was tastefully done in a French twist with a few wayward strands escaping down to curl around her face. Her neck was exposed, all the way to the ‘V’ in her gown. A sudden urge to taste the skin exposed caused him to grip his glass a little tighter. When his body reacted immediately to his wayward thoughts, Devlan forced himself to look away from the gaping gown. However, it did not help when he scanned lower. The slit up the side showed a bit of her smooth thigh as she descended the winding stairs. With a sharp glance at Mike, Devlan noticed that he too was intently watching the show.
“Mike, tell Wills we’ll be right out.”
With as much reluctance as he had felt, Mike tore his gaze away and absently muttered a few words of acknowledgment. Devlan’s eyes returned to Diana as she continued her descent.
“You look ravishing,” he said warmly.
She blushed under his stare, her hands running down her sleek frame. “Thank you. And thanks for supplying me with a dress. It’s a perfect fit. Just no more, ok? We’ve taken enough from you already.”
Though he wanted to tell her that he planned on showering both her and Hannah with everything he could give, he held his tongue when her clear eyes met his. “I won’t ask how you managed to find out my clothing size.”
He cleared his throat cautiously. “I took the liberty of peeking in your closet that day we had breakfast. Kathy and I went shopping several days ago.”
“Oh,” she breathed. “You looked in my closet?”
Feeling humor would be his best defense, he winked at her. “At least it wasn’t your underwear drawer. I couldn’t find that... I hope you don’t mind?”
“Mind? Of course I mind. You shouldn’t have. I can dress myself.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe you bought clothes for me.”
“I did.” He nodded his head, still not feeling a trace of guilt. Her eyes darkened, though from anger or embarrassment he could not tell. “They’re a gift from me, Diana. Would you please accept them?”
“Well, do I have a choice now?”
In the time that Devlan had spent with Diana, he had learned a thing or two about her temper. Her pride was obstinate, and he had obviously offended her. Now was not the time to share his plans with her. Instead he sent his best smile her way.
“Let’s go. It’s almost seven. I want to take a short detour through Beverly Hills before dinner. Show you some of the sights. Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Good.”
She came to rest at the bottom of the stairs, her heels clicking against the marble tiles. Devlan still could not tear his gaze away from her. Everything about her was fresh and pure, so different from the competitive beauties in this land of the stars. He loved that she wore very little makeup to cover her clear, healthy skin. Only her lips glistened with the tantalizing moistness of her gloss, and his chest swelled with pride as he admired her. Tonight, he had the honor of escorting her out.
Taking hold of her arm, Devlan felt her shiver. Satisfied that she was not as immune to him as she would have him believe, he led her outside to the waiting car and smiled proudly as Wills and Mike gaped. In his opinion, tonight he was escorting the most precious beauty ever.
Diana sat silently in the Bentley on their way to the restaurant while he explained some of the sights. Though she piped in to ask an occasional question, he could sense her apprehension. It almost matched his. If things went his way this evening, he had a lot to gain. His goal of having her finally accept him as a part of her life, perhaps even place her trust in him was finally within reach, but he would have to tread carefully during this critical stage. Nervous energy caused his fingers to drum against his thighs in a rapid tattoo, and he reminded himself over and over again to move slowly and remember his patience.
But his patience was in short supply when they pulled up in front of the highly rated restaurant and he spotted the small group of photographers standing by. As he suspected, Diana went rigid.
“Are they here for you?”
He chuckled. “You give me far too much credit, Diana. Photographers usually hang around the more popular restaurants hoping that they’ll catch a shot of someone. More than likely some of Hollywood’s finest are out for the evening.”
“But won’t they recognize you?”
“Maybe. Does that bother you?”
Diana reached up to pat at her hair self-consciously and then glanced down at her dress. “Yes, a little. I’m nothing like the women I’ve seen you with.”
He reached forward to cup her chin. Her skin was soft, warm and very much alive. “You’re beautiful, and for once I’m looking forward to spending an evening out. I’m proud to be your escort tonight, Diana. Besides, they’ll probably leave us well enough alone.”
When his thumb began to stroke her jaw, she pulled away and glanced out the window. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll be right here beside you.”
“That’s what worries me.”
Wills came to open Devlan’s door and he smoothly stepped out, turning sharply and holding out his hand for Diana. Her long, cool fingers slipped into his palm and he gripped her hand reassuringly. They strode towards the restaurant side by side, barely drawing notice at first. However, the opportunity was too good to pass for some. Several cameras flashed in the night, and a few voices called Devlan by name.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” he said to the men loitering with cameras in hand. He only paused for a moment before leading her into the dim safety of the restaurant.
“See? That wasn’t so bad… and you looked great,” he murmured, leaning into her soft hair. It smelled fresh and clean, a floral scent that came straight from the shower. The urge to remove the pins and set it free was strong, but he maintained his control as the young, tuxedo-wearing host approached with a wide smile to escort them to their table.
Candles were everywhere, casting a soft glow on the room ahead and lending a more secluded and romantic setting. It was just what he had planned, and he scrutinized the dim corner table they were being led to until he was satisfied with the solitude. Let the seduction begin, he thought triumphantly.
“Doyle, man, how are you?”
Devlan stopped short, his private world shattered yet again. Standing before him was an older man, about sixty, with a woman the same age. Distracted by his private thoughts, it took him a moment to place him. Then he remembered. He knew him from his golf club.