Mischief 24/7

wait a minute, Jade, I think I might have found a flaw in your plan,” Court said. “Brainard isn’t in town, remember? After his father’s collapse at that political rally last week, he took the old man to some vacation home they’ve got out west. We don’t know if they’re back yet.”

“Damn, I forgot that part,” Jade said, clenching her fists. She was so ready to go after the man. “You know, I still think Clifford Brainard is much too protective of his golden child. That was a pretty convenient collapse, just as reporters were asking him questions about Melodie’s murder seeming a lot like the Fishtown Strangler had struck again. Man, when Jess lies, she lies for effect, doesn’t she? I still can’t believe she got her reporter friend to print that one.”

“You think Clifford Brainard knows his son is a murderer?”

“He wouldn’t be the first parent to protect a monster of a child. Yes, anything’s possible. But that’s a good thought, Court. We need to meet Joshua away from Daddy Brainard.”

“Cut the calf from the herd, you mean. I think I remember now that the Brainard vacation place is a working cattle ranch. Sorry.”

“You’re forgiven. I’m still going to go check Joshua’s appearance schedule on his official Web site. Leading in the polls or not, he can’t stay off the campaign trail too long. I’m betting he’s back and will resurface at some point tomorrow. Breakfast at seven?”

Court stood up just as she did, his body close to hers once more. “That sounds reasonable. I have one or two calls to make, playing time-zone tag with a few investors, so I’ll be up around four. It’s almost a waste to try to sleep now, although going to bed remains an option.”

Once again Jade’s eyes pricked with tears. How long had she been holding back the torrent of tears that kept prodding her to let them fall? “Big game tomorrow, coach,” she said, trying to keep her voice upbeat as she pushed a smile onto her face. “No sex before the big game. It’s a team rule.”

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him the way he had kissed her—quickly and on the cheek. “Which doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate a win when it’s over.”

“As pep talks go, that one was pretty short, but definitely full of incentive,” Court told her, matching her smile for smile.

His smile didn’t reach his eyes any more than she knew her smile had been anything more than lame window dressing. Their smiles, even their banter, only covered a much deeper problem that hadn’t been solved by the two of them sharing a bed the week before, an impulse move that would only make her miss him so much more when he finally went back to his life in Virginia.

But Jolie and Sam were happy again, and Jade had met Jessica in the hallway that night last week, her younger sister more than willing to share that she and Matt had plans for the evening. Why should she, Jade, sleep alone, when Court was so close? As she’d thought at the time, what could it hurt?

Yet it had hurt, badly. She’d never felt more alone than in the days since she’d knocked on

Court’s bedroom door, let him take her hand and lead her to his bed.

“I need…please, Court.”

“I know. Teddy first. I’m familiar with the drill.”

She tried for humor. “Maybe I’m just not good at multitasking.”

“Will I always come in second to Teddy, Jade? Even now? I want you, sweetheart. I want to hold you, love you. Even if it’s only a temporary solution. We can work on the rest.”

“Can we? We still live in two very different worlds, Court. Last week was a mistake and we both know it. So are we going to fight again now? Because I really don’t want to fight now.”

“No, sweetheart, we’re not going to fight now. I already lost, more than a year ago. Sometimes I just seem to have a little trouble believing that. Maybe I’m a poor loser. Was it so bad between us, Jade? Sharing my bed again, letting me love you?”

She felt Court’s gaze on her.

It was his eyes that had gotten to her the first time they’d met, those dark, soulful, old-as-time eyes. She had fallen into them without a thought, without a backward glance.

How easy it would be to simply slip into his embrace the way she had last week, let him hold her, make love to her, even take her with him when he went home—the whole fairy-tale line of Take me away from all of this.

But she’d tried that once. Court didn’t know how right he’d been to call himself her rebellion, and she’d be an idiot to make the same mistake twice. She loved him, but going with him now would be using him, trying to build something together on yet another shaky foundation. Court deserved better from her. Maybe even she deserved something better from herself.

“Good night, Court.” Jade quickly made her way out of the room and toward the staircase in the foyer.

THE PENTHOUSE

JADE LAY intimately sprawled on Court’s chest, her legs tangled with his, her chin in her hands. “Do you know, I think you have gold flecks in your eyes. I hadn’t noticed that until now. No, don’t close them, let me see. Yes, definitely gold flecks. That’s very sexy, Mr. Becket. I think they turn me on.”

“Is that right, Ms. Sunshine? In that case, I’ll be sure to wear sunglasses whenever I’m around you. Out of concern for you, I mean. I wouldn’t want to tempt you at inappropriate moments.”

“Sure you would. You’d make a point of tempting me.” Jade made a small purring noise in her throat as Court’s hands slowly slid up and down either side of her spine. She couldn’t remember ever feeling this content, this complete. Why, they were even talking as if they had a future together, which was insane. “You’re very good at it, by the way.”

“One can only try one’s humble best. Now what are you doing?” His hands pressed her back down as she tried to push herself up and off him. “Keep moving your body like that against me, and we’ll miss hearing the knock from room service.

A man could starve around you Jade. Not unhappily, I’ll admit.”

“We haven’t left this bed in over twelve hours, Court. I need a bathroom, a shower—do you happen to have any spare toothbrushes you keep around for your overnight guests?”

“Becket Hotels prides itself on thinking of every personal comfort,” he told her as he let her go. She dragged the soft cotton top sheet with her and stood next to the king-size bed, watching him watch her wrap its length around her body. “You don’t need that sheet, Jade. There isn’t an inch of you I haven’t already seen and appreciated.”

Jade thought she should tell him he could allow her at least the illusion of feminine modesty. But once you’ve had your legs scissored around a man’s neck while his mouth and fingers took you past the point of rational thought, flew you up to a world you hadn’t known even existed, had you calling out his name over and over and over again as you mindlessly begged him not to stop, not to ever, ever stop? After that sort of carnal intimacy, seriously, what was the point?

“I still don’t believe any of this,” she told him honestly as he propped up his head on one bent arm, doing nothing to cover his own nakedness. She’d never believed the sight of a naked man was all that men would like to think women thought it was. Until now. “I don’t even know you.”

“We knew enough last night Jade,” he told her quietly. “I knew the moment I saw you. I’m going to marry you. It’s that simple.”

“Don’t say that. It… it makes me nervous.”

“I would have thought the same thing twelve hours and five minutes ago, before you walked into the hotel bar and figuratively punched me in the solar plexus.” His gaze went toward the living room of the suite. “That’s room service. The food will stay warm while we both shower. You’ll find a robe in the bathroom closet.”

Jade watched, not moving, until Court stepped, naked, into the slacks he’d worn last night and pulled them up over his hips. Only then did she come to her senses and run for the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

After all, if he thought they were going to shower together, no room-service covers would be enough to keep their food warm for the next two hours. The penthouse suite was huge; there had to be another bathroom somewhere. Probably three or four of them.

This bathroom had no windows, but the overhead lights, including a crystal chandelier that was just downright decadent, came to life the moment she’d shut the door.

Jade dropped the sheet she’d been clutching around her and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the freestanding full-length mirror in the far corner.

No, that couldn’t be her. But then, who was that rather exotic stranger looking back at her as she advanced across the room? Look at the way she moved, like a cat, sure of herself, aware of her every nerve ending, her every sense.

Not a facade, not a role she was playing for the job, the way she’d done last night with Harvey What’s-His-Name. This was real. The way she felt was real. Sexy. Her. Jade. Not Jessica, the blond bombshell, or Jolie, the strikingly different. But her, Jade. Simple, practical, no-nonsense, boring-white-bread Jade. She was looking at a sensual being, only recently awakened and glorying in newfound freedom.

Court had done this to her. A near stranger had awakened her, when she hadn’t even realized she’d been sleepwalking through her life.

Her hair was a wild tangle that cascaded over her shoulders, so unlike the way she normally wore it. Her brown eyes seemed almost smudged, but not with last night’s makeup. The darkness came from within. Her mouth looked fuller, the lips subtly swollen, pouty

She looked like a woman newly risen from her lover’s bed. And she liked the way she looked.

Jade struck a pose. Being silly, being stupid, mo-ronically carefree. Her left arm bent to cover her breasts, her right hand lowered to her center; Botticelli’s famous The Birth of Venus. Or as Jolie had called the painting when she’d nearly flunked her college Art Appreciation course, Venus on the Half Shell

Jade bit her lip to suppress a giggle.

What was wrong with her? How had she lost her mind this way? This wasn’t her. She wasn’t this kind of woman. A fall-into-bed-with-strangers kind of woman. She was responsible. Clearheaded. Dedicated. She didn’t go in for one-night stands. She wasn’t the type.