Chas watched his last hope for selling his thoroughbred before midnight walk out of the ballroom. He swiveled around and leaned over the bar, swirling the dregs of his gin and tonic around in his glass. Unfortunately, during dinner, and with a table full of guests, his father had taken it upon himself to tell Sam of Chas’s intentions to ask him to be his best man at his wedding, so Chas had had no choice but to go through with it. Oh, well. One more embarrassing mess to clean up tossed onto a plate full of them hardly signified worrying about at this point.
A beefy hand patted his shoulder. “What’s got you so long in the face, my boy,” his dad said, motioning to the bartender to set two more of the same up for them.
Chas only hesitated for a moment. What the hell? The choice was all but made, and his dad was going to badger him about the details until he finally caved and told him the whole crazy story anyway. Might as well tell him now, while he had alcohol at hand to numb the blow and soften the edges. “I tried to sell Blue Lightnin’, but it fell through.”
“You mean you tried again, with the same party?”
“Yeah, but she’s stonewalling me.”
His father nodded. “That’s a real shame. I’m sure it would have been the preferable choice for you, rather than using your fiancée’s money.”
“Yes, but there’s a higher imperative than pride at work here, Dad. I’ll lose Delilah for good if I use her money.”
His father looked surprised. “Delilah’s put that condition on the loan? Sure doesn’t sound like her.”
“It wasn’t her, Dad, it-it was—”
“Don’t tell me: That crazy Eudora’s stuck her crooked claw into it, hasn’t she? Well, don’t you worry, she can’t—”
“No, Dad. It wasn’t her either. Umm—Ever heard the Perrault’s talk about magic and fairies?”
His father gave him a look like Chas had taken a sharp left off Reality Road. But, clearly deciding to humor him in his off the wall change of subject, he said, “Sure.”
Chas straightened, all ears.
“It’s part of their family legend. Supposedly they have a covenant of some kind with the creatures, or did back in the Middle Ages. Of course, it’s just a tall tale, much like any other family legend.”
“Evidently, it’s not. Delilah’s money is charmed, Dad. But more importantly, I was visited by the creature in the wee hours of yesterday morning and she gave me a choice. Essentially, I can either save our company or I can have Delilah, but not both. I’ve got until midnight tonight to make my decision.”
His father drank down the gin and tonic in one long swallow before turning to him and placing his hands on Chas’s shoulders. “You’ve been working too hard, son. You’re confusing dreams with reality. But, I’ll tell you this: If it’s truly a choice you must make between Delilah and the business, then I’m going to say to you exactly what I said to you yesterday: You backed a winner in her. The business will never be as important to me as your happiness is.” He gave Chas a little shake. “Got it? So go tell her.” Without waiting for a reply, he sauntered off toward the ballroom.
Chas’s pulse doubled in meter. For the first time in months, his shoulders felt lighter and his future looked brighter. He glanced at his watch. Ten forty. Plenty of time. Oh. But he needed to get the ring from his Dad. He strode across the carpeted floor toward the same doorway his father had passed under a moment before. He’d already finished whistling the first verse of Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend when a small but determined hand grabbed hold of his arm and yanked him around. Love flooded his heart. “Hey, D—”
She yanked his palm up and dropped something round and metallic into it. “Go to hell.”
Before he could process an answer, she stormed away from him, heading straight for the elevators. He jogged after her. He knew without looking what she’d given him, and why, and his gut churned. “Wait! Dee, let me explain!” He tossed the ring away and sped faster, not caring what wagging tongues would say come tomorrow.
He saw her get into an elevator and turn to face him. He began to run, but the doors started sliding shut before he could reach them. “Dee!” he yelled, bolting forward, hand outstretched, but he was too late. Just before they closed completely, he heard her say, “And you can forget about the money, too, you lying user sonofabitch!”
* * *
Forty-five minutes later, Delilah was just locking her car door outside her friend’s dungeon when Chas’s car zoomed up next to her and screeched to a halt.
He leapt from the car and yelled, “You are NOT going in there!” His eyes bugged out as they traveled down her body, taking in her newest costume. She’d bought it earlier that day with him in mind, but he didn’t have to know that.
“That—that’s obscene. You’re more than three-quarters naked!”
Technically, he was right, but the horizontal leather straps that made up the mini-dress, being held up by two strategically placed vertical ones, concealed the parts of her body that men found most interesting. Which was the point, of course.
She raised her chin and walked around the front of his BMW toward her friend’s place.
“Oh-h-h, no you don’t!” he said, sliding into place directly in her path.
I am not speaking to you, asshole. She stood her ground and gave him a glacial stare. Why hadn’t she brought her crop?
He glanced at his watch, “Get in the car.”
She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Get in the car, Delilah.”
She turned her face away.
“Fine, we’ll play it your way.” Before she had a glimmer of an inkling what he was about, he’d hauled her over his shoulder and tossed her into the back seat of his car.
He poked his head in, a savage gleam to his eye. “You are my woman. I don’t share,” he said and slammed the door closed.
A thrill ran through her. She’d never seen Chas—staid, conservative Chas—act like this before and she’d be the worst kind of liar if she didn’t admit that it excited her a little. But she was through being a milquetoast, and it was time he, and everyone else, learned it. I am Delilah, hear me roar. She sat up and scowled at him as he settled behind the steering wheel and put the car in drive.
Just before he pressed the gas pedal, he caught her gaze in the rearview and said, “I should have known you’d pull something like this. It took me forever to get another elevator down and then I—don’t ask me why—but I thought you might’ve gone to Eudora’s house since I saw her dragging your sister into an elevator not long before you ran out on me. When I didn’t find you there, I went to your house. I was actually headed for that twenty-four hour diner you like when it dawned on me where I’d probably find you.”
She lifted a brow at him.
He swung around to face her. “I love you, Dee—”
“—Ha!”
“—and I’m going to prove it.”
“Don’t bother.” She relaxed against the seat and gazed out the window. “I’m only letting you get away with this because your caveman routine amuses me.”
He chuckled under his breath as if she’d reminded him of a private joke. Facing forward, he put the car in motion. When he met her eyes again in the rearview, there was a distinct twinkle in them. “I can’t wait to get you pregnant—do they make maternity domme costumes?”
How was it possible that he could turn her on and break her heart at the same time? “I’m sure I have no idea. And, as far as the other—I swear to God, I’ll do the high kick right into your groin if you even attempt to whip it out on me.”
“Ouch.”
“Where are you taking me anyway?”
“Back to the gala.”
Her pulse pounded as she sat straight up. “I don’t think so.”
“I’ve got something I want to give you, but it’s in my dad’s possession at the moment.”
“This is ridiculous. Whatever it is, I don’t want it. Just—just take me back to my car.”
“No. I’ve only got until midnight to change your mind. That’s only”—he looked at his watch again—“a half hour from now.”
“Why? Do you turn into a toad?” She snorted at her own joke.
“Something like that.”
Her eyes narrowed. “This is still about the money isn’t it?” She sat forward. “What? Your creditors want a check by midnight, or something?”
“I don’t give a damn about the money. This is about you and me. You, me, our life together, and love.”
She rolled her eyes and curled her lip. Love. Crossing her legs and arms, she sat back, giving him her profile. What a liar.
* * *
This was not going well. Not going well at all. Chas took another peek in his rearview at the now deathly silent and totally withdrawn woman he’d hurt so badly with his thoughtlessly executed proposal. It was time to start explaining. “That fairy of yours is a real freaky lady, isn’t she?
Delilah pierced him with her gaze. “How do you know?”
“She visited me.”
Delilah shot forward, both hands on the back of his seat. “When?”
“The morning after our engagement party. She was—”
“What did she say to you?”
“She said quite a bit actually. But the gist was that I could either have your money or have you.”
“Let me guess: You chose the money.” She plopped back against the seat and turned her face from him.
Chas pressed his lips together in a thin line. Now this was the tricky part. “Yes—and no. I wanted to choose you over my dad’s company. Wanted to with all my heart—”
“Stop lying! The jig’s up, there’s really no need.”
Chas was quickly losing confidence that he was going to be able to change her mind—at least about the depth of feelings he had for her. But he could at least show her he wasn’t the monster she believed him to be. “I tried talking to my dad about it—I told him that I might lose the company, you know, just to feel him out. He was so crushed by the thought, especially so soon after Mom’s passing, that I just couldn’t do it to him.”
Delilah tried to keep her heart from softening, but failed miserably. “I understand. You had no choice. I would have done the same in your shoes.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “But it doesn’t excuse you giving me your ex-fiancée’s ring! And worse, you had sex with me under false pretenses. You used me! And I gave you my virginity shit-lick. With a huff, she turned her head. “I truly hate you for that.”
Hate. The word sucker-punched him in the gut. How do you fight that? He couldn’t breathe. He had to admit, seen through her eyes, what he’d done was indefensible, but he couldn’t just leave that destructive word hanging in the air between them as if all she’d accused him of were true. “First of all, I made love to you because I was on fire for you and I literally could not stop myself. What we shared was no mere lay—it was combustible and rare. I know you’re inexperienced about these things, so I’m giving you a little latitude for not knowing the difference. And God only knows, Dee, I did try to do the noble thing by you. I did. But my desire for you was too strong.”
He watched in the rearview as her angry brow relaxed. She was still, quiet, but he knew she’d listened, was thinking about what he’d said and, hopefully, finding the truth in it.
“As for the ring—I was an idiot. I—I knew better, but did it anyway. This is no excuse, just a reason, but Dee, you walked into my office like an answered prayer at the exact moment I was living my worst nightmare.”
Her back went up again. “And you went straight for my Achilles heel. You made me—and my family, by association—a laughingstock all over again. All my stepmother’s society friends are no doubt salivating to tell her what you did to me.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears when she turned her scowl on him once more. “She never was convinced you gave a fig about me, and now she, I, and everyone else, knows it’s true.”
His heart wrenched. He opened his mouth to deny her claim, but snapped it shut again. Too soon. She wasn’t ready to believe him. Besides, they were just about to pull into the parking garage of the hotel. Maybe, just maybe, with a little help from his father and friends—Fairy, you listening?—he could convince her for once and always that he truly loved her.
* * *
“You’re kidding, right?” Delilah said, tugging to get her hand released from Chas’s before he could manage to get her out of his car. “I’m not going in there dressed like this.”
“You were out on the street in this getup, so it can’t embarrass you that badly, and I’m running out of time. You’re going to have to go in with me. Come on.” With a final yank, he had her on her feet and jogged, with her an unwilling cargo pulled behind him, directly for the elevators leading to the ballroom.
“That was different and you know it! This—these people—argh!”
He pushed her into the elevator and crowded her into the corner. “This outfit is driving me crazy, by the way.” Before she could take a breath to retort, the hungry contact of his lips upon hers swept it away. His hand slid under the strap covering her nipple and he stroked his thumb across it. Her womb tightened with need and despite herself she melted into his embrace. Evidently believing he’d dispelled her anger and distrust with one brief sexual interlude, he said, “When I get you home, I’m going to enjoy exploring—thoroughly—all the treasures this leather conceals.”
What a jerk. She shoved him away. “No thanks, I’m busy.”
Chas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her in silence for what seemed like eons before turning and facing the doors.
Well, what did he expect? Oh, she knew exactly what he expected: Her to roll over, forgive his lies, and play the goody-two-shoes sweet little thing that she’d always been. Actions speak louder than words, however, and his had been a ship horn. She was not getting sucked in again by belated, and empty, words of devotion, nor by her own sexual attraction to him.
* * *
When the elevator doors slid open, Chas automatically put his arm around Delilah’s waist and led her out into the outer lobby of the ballroom. He was encouraged when she didn’t step from of his embrace. He was also proud as hell of her when she tilted her chin up and boldly walked toward the doors leading into the ballroom proper, ignoring the gasps, whispers behind hands, and goggling eyes that surrounded them.
“They’re just jealous,” he murmured near her ear.
“Hmph. Right,” she said under her breath. But then she turned a curious gaze on him. “Aren’t you worried about your precious reputation?”
“No, not a bit. In fact…” He swung her around and planted a hard wet one on her where they stood. When he set her back firmly on her feet, there was actual shock in her eyes. “Holy cow,” she said.
“I love you, Delilah.”
A flash fire ignited in her eyes. “If you say that to me one more time, I swear, I’ll slug you right in the kisser.”
The tight band of worry that had been gripping his insides since she’d fled the ballroom earlier, eased slightly. Her cold hatred was growing hot. That meant she was thawing, didn’t it? Which had to be good for him, right? “Come on. Let’s find my father,” he said, taking her hand and continuing their trek to the ballroom.
He had to give her the ring. The ring was key. It would convince her. It had to.
And if it didn’t? No, too soon to think about that. For now, he must stay focused.
* * *
After about the first two minutes of bone-chilling embarrassment, Delilah actually began to find humor in the horrified, but highly curious, looks and whispers she was receiving due to her unorthodox outfit. And the fact that Chas was completely unperturbed, actually more tuned in to her and how she was reacting, than on what it was going to do to his reputation, melted her heart a little more. She’d been trying in vain to strong arm that block of ice back into place, but it wouldn’t budge.
She could only imagine what her stepmother and Isadora would screech at her tomorrow once the night’s events were spilled in detail to them, but she was through with trying to be liked by them, trying to fit into their strict little mold. She’d never done it and never would, because she wasn’t like them. It was time for her to stand up and be proud of who she was: A bright, kindhearted woman with a full figure and a penchant for the slightly wicked.
* * *