Scandalous-nook (3 page)

That
was why he’d dragged her here on a Saturday afternoon after six months of silence?

Stephen had the grace to look abashed. “I know you’ll say it bends our rules, but
the situation is unique.”

“Bends?” Tasha sent him a speaking look. “Try
shatters
.”

The rules between them were clear, and they hadn’t changed in the years since college—she
was Owen’s old high school friend and he was Owen’s brother, and as far as everyone
else was concerned, that was the extent of their relationship. They didn’t see each
other in public outside of family functions or accidental meetings on the street.
They didn’t travel in the same circles. They’d certainly never met in his office or
gone on a date.

But a convenient loophole existed for those times when she and Stephen couldn’t help
but give in to the chemistry between them. When that situation arose, usually every
year or so, they found a private or semi-private place where they could jump each
other’s bones and get it out of their systems. Then they went back to their lives,
no harm done and no regrets.

Over the years Stephen had grown lax about those rules, but she never had. When he
tried to approach her at the pub or one of Jeremy’s backyard parties to engage her
in small talk, she made herself scarce. When he sent invitations to charity events,
the way he did for every member of his family and their friends, she was always too
busy to go. When she came with Jeremy to volunteer during Stephen’s reelection campaigns,
she never looked his way or gave any indication that she was willing to lick more
than stamps for the sexy politician.

Tasha had learned the hard way that diligence was essential when it came to resisting
a Finn. She couldn’t let herself forget that this was the only kind of relationship
they could have. Some might argue that it wasn’t a relationship at all, that it wasn’t
healthy. But whatever it was, healthy or not, she’d never been willing to risk it.
She didn’t want to think about the day it would end.

What Stephen was asking might speed that day along.

Setting the paperweight back on his desk, she tried not to sound as panicked as she
felt. “Being your plus one in front of other politicians,
in public
, is definitely against our rules, Senator. You have to know that.”

His lips curled disdainfully. “Phil Burke is no politician.” Ignoring her gasp, he
continued, “But he
is
big on security and secrecy. This is a very private function, with me as the special
guest and the only representative present. Technically we wouldn’t be together in
public.”

Tasha gaped at him. Philip Burke was wealthy, dangerous and, as the owner of the biggest
newspaper in the state and his own talk radio station, responsible for revealing the
scandalous secrets of any politician who wasn’t malleable enough to accept his money
and play his game. No one could ever definitively prove Burke was crooked, but everyone
knew it was true.

“Stephen Finn, what the hell kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?” she finally
demanded.

“The complicated kind.” He grimaced. “I didn’t seek it out, believe me. Burke has
been focused on me for a while. I think he sees me as something of a challenge. The
feds contacted me a little over five months ago to let me know he was under investigation
and ask for my help.”

“Which you said yes to because you’re a closet masochist with a death wish?”

He ignored her question. “Since then I’ve been slowly but surely allowing him to woo
me. Lunches, dinner meetings where I let him think he’s getting to me. That I’m frustrated
and not as idealistic as I used to be. Not exactly a lie, and that truth has served
my purpose. I’ve also led him to believe my appetites are not for public consumption.”

“Has he threatened you?”

Stephen waved off her concern with a flip of his hand. “He likes to bring up my past,
but there’s nothing threatening in that. I’ve never lied about it. He
has
implied knowledge about the rest of the family that could be construed as vaguely
threatening—Seamus and his precarious situation with the kids, Dad’s connections to
the Irish mob through good old Grandpa Finn…”

“Owen and Jeremy?” Tasha asked, concerned.

Stephen smiled at that. “Ours was one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage,
Natasha. When the law passed, this city threw an impromptu weeklong celebration that
was so over the top it got national media coverage. Coming after me for that would
only make Burke look bad.” He shrugged. “But he’d no doubt pile it on top of the mountain
of bullshit he’s collecting to use as leverage. I’ve been trying to keep his attention
away from Jennifer, but she hasn’t made it easy. Now I have this invitation and I
need to accept it. This is my chance to get him to make me an offer and be done with
the whole dirty business.”

“But?” She could hear it in his voice.

“But this gathering isn’t going to be relaxing, despite his claim. Not for me, at
any rate. From what I understand, the activities planned aren’t exactly in my wheelhouse.”

He didn’t have to tell her why. People at the club talked about Burke’s private parties
all the time. They were infamous for every form of hedonism and kink imaginable. Phil
Burke and his endless string of young wives played the hosts, and they spared no expense
in their quest for debauchery. Tasha had turned down a friend’s offer to join them
a few years ago. It had seemed sordid then, but now that Burke had obviously set his
sights on corrupting Stephen? She shuddered, wanting to warn everyone she knew to
stay away. Burke needed to be blackballed for using people’s sexual preferences for
political leverage.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Let’s see if I understand the situation. You want me
to join you for a dirty slumber party so you can play undercover agent for the feds
and let Burke compromise your reputation—because you have to know that’s his plan.
And those skills of mine that you need have to do with
my
reputation at the club. You know that if he snoops around in my life, he’ll see exactly
what he needs to see to make you irresistibly bribable.”

Stephen’s lips quirked. “That about sums it up.”

A completely inappropriate laugh threatened to escape her throat. “You need a beard.”

“A what?”

“You want me to be your kinky beard.”

Stephen furrowed his brow in confusion. “Am I supposed to know what you’re talking
about?”

“You rarely do, so why start now? Just let me enjoy the moment.” She crossed her legs,
feeling her skirt slip high on her thighs. He noticed. “So what are your thoughts,
Senator Finn? What would I be to you in this scenario? Mistress? Girlfriend? Your
secret cup of Puerto Rican hot chocolate on the side?”

He gave her the look that always made her ache. The one that made her want to beg.
“Yes.”

He could be dangerous when he wanted to be
. “And saying yes to this will mean I’ll need to act that part for the duration?”

“Yes.” His voice was deeper now, with the barest hint of a rasp. “I need him to believe
you’re the weakness he can use against me. He’s been looking for something he can
hold over my head. Something I’m passionate about that has the potential to be scandalous.
Someone
I’m passionate about.”

Tasha shifted in her seat at his emphasis. “It
does
sound like a role I was born to play—the mixed-race mistress with curves for miles
and a shady family background.”

“It’s your shameless behavior that makes you right for this, not your genealogy,”
Stephen corrected softly. “Your knowledge would be invaluable. And there’d be no need
to pretend desire. Not between us.”

That was true. No pretense was necessary. She was ready for an undressed rehearsal
right now.

“Since I’m not sure when he’ll send for us, you and Brady will spend the evening at
my house. I’m hoping we can prepare a plan of action.”

“And you’re taking your cousin to a kinky sex party…why?”

“I’m allowed a bodyguard. I think Burke believes it will put me at ease. Brady’s got
the right background and he’s been vetted by my contact, so they’ve allowed it. It
won’t hurt to have someone we trust watching our backs.”

They better have damn well allowed it—Brady Finn was a genuine hero, a kickass Marine
with a medal and everything. But vetting took a little time. How long had Stephen
known about this party? “Did they vet me?”

He looked away from her. “They asked, but I told them it was unnecessary. That I trusted
you, and if my word wasn’t good enough, we had a problem.”

Because he knew she wouldn’t pass their test? She couldn’t deny it was true. One or
two cousins on her mother’s side had had more than simple brushes with the law, and
her father had lived illegally in the United States—until she was ten, when he was
deported back to Ireland and the family legacy he’d tried to escape.

She shook her head. “You’re crazy if you think they don’t already know every detail
about my life, whether you said it was necessary or not. Hell, I have relatives in
the IRA. I’m probably already on a list.”

“And the Finns were mobsters and bootleggers. What’s your point? I was simply informing
them that you couldn’t be replaced with a female agent.”

She knew it. “They had someone in mind, didn’t they?”

His look said it all. “Burke would have made her as an agent the minute she walked
through the door.”

“
Made
her? You already have the lingo down and everything.” She sighed a little dramatically.
“So I’m last-minute Lucy. I’m flattered. Unless I wasn’t the first girl into kink
you occasionally had sex with on your list. Because that
would
hurt my feelings.”

“No.” His look was a mixture of displeasure and concern. “There was no one else on
my list. I know I should have talked to you sooner. Putting you in Burke’s crosshairs
just so I can have a believable cover is selfish as hell.”

But he needed one. If this wasn’t successful, Stephen could lose everything he’d worked
for. He could be forced to leave office and do one of those humiliating press conferences
where he had to apologize for perversions he hadn’t even gotten to experience. At
least he wasn’t married. It was always the stone-faced wives standing behind their
men that Tasha felt most sorry for.

He swore. “And I just realized I didn’t think about the bakery. Can you afford to
be away? I’ll make sure you’re compensated—”

“I haven’t said yes yet,” she reminded him sternly. “Don’t ruin your odds by insulting
me.”

But her mind was already working through the logistics of the situation. The Twisted
Tart would survive a week without her. With two efficient employees and a thriving
online market selling her special muffin mixes, she could probably take an entire
month off without anyone noticing.

Her business model wasn’t overly ambitious, but it was successful. She experimented
with recipes, closed up for a few hours here and there when the weather was good,
and always took weekends off.

And if there
was
a scandal? She’d need to hire another employee because business would boom. Everyone
would want a muffin from the senator’s twisted tart.

Good Lord, was she actually considering this? It sounded crazy. Straight-out-of-a-damn-mystery-thriller
crazy. How had the careful, politically correct Finn brother gotten involved in something
like this?

However it had happened, Stephen was offering her something that was more tempting
than she could have imagined—four days with him where she wouldn’t need to pretend
she didn’t know him. That she didn’t want to touch him every time she saw him. In
fact, it would look suspicious if she
didn’t
do a hell of a lot of touching, and more. She would have to show Burke and anyone
else watching why the senator couldn’t resist her. It was a proposition that was already
giving her ideas. Dangerous on so many levels but undeniably tempting. It was the
kind of thing the majority of her fantasies were made of.

Which meant she needed to tread very carefully. There was no reason to put herself
or their current relationship at risk if she didn’t have to. “What would happen if
I said no?”

He stilled. “You’d forget this conversation and I’d go without you. I wouldn’t blame
you, you know. I’m already starting to second guess this brilliant plan.”

Like hell. “I’m not sure you’re up for one of these parties alone, Senator, regardless
of the stakes.”

“I’m not exactly an innocent, Natasha. I’d manage.”

She tilted her head and gave him a thorough once-over. “Honey, trust me, when it comes
to this you
are
an innocent. My people can sense fresh meat like sharks scent blood. They’d eat you
alive, or make you so uncomfortable you’d out yourself as the vanilla you are before
you can get whatever it is you need from Burke.”

Stephen rounded the desk to stand in front of her chair, leaning forward until his
hands were on either side of her and he was looking directly into her eyes. “Which
is why I was asking for your help.”

She hoped he didn’t see her small shiver of response. “You need me.”

“I need you.”

Despite the situation with Jennifer, Stephen trusted her. He wouldn’t have come to
her with this if he didn’t know he could rely on her.

He needed her.

And that was the problem with their strange, dysfunctional relationship. Whenever
he wanted her, needed her, no matter how much time had passed, she was there—at least
when it came to sex. Ever since their tumultuous college affair, he’d been the one
man she couldn’t refuse. He was also the one she couldn’t have. It was the ultimate
mind fuck. She would have to do something about it eventually, but now wasn’t the
time. There was only one answer in the end, because there was no way she was going
to let him do this alone. Out of loyalty to his family if nothing else.