How To Seduce An Heiress: The Reluctant Heiress / Pride After Her Fall / Project: Runaway Heiress

Her heartbeat quickened. She was surprised at herself because his offer held some appeal. On the other hand, years of being wary of getting too close to someone were ingrained in her.

“I don’t think flying to Colorado with you is a good idea.”

“Sophia, you’re not going to risk getting hurt by spending the weekend skiing with me. We’re not getting into anything remotely serious.”

“But this is exactly how you get into something serious. Moment after moment together and then it’s too late.”

“Take a risk and live a little. This is simply two days. We’re not going to fall in love over the weekend.”

She blushed. She hadn’t been worried about falling in love.

Had she?

“If you’re worried, we can ask Edgar to join us.”

She couldn’t keep from laughing. “You’re willing to invite Edgar, too?”

“If that’s what it takes to spend the weekend with you, yes, I’ll invite Edgar, too.”

“Now you’re making me feel foolish.”

“That’s not my intention. Listen, I understand why you don’t want to follow in your mother’s footsteps, but I don’t think you run any risk of that happening with me.”

Her eyes widened. “I guess I’ve lumped all males into the same group as my father.”

“I can’t blame you for being hurt, Sophia,” he said solemnly and her heart warmed. He gazed intently at her while she debated, waiting quietly.

“I’ll go with you,” she said, smiling at him.

“Excellent. It’ll be fun. No big deal.”

It was a big deal because she didn’t even spend weekends with men she knew. All she had to go on with Garrett was the information she had received about him from others and her own feelings.

“I’ll tell Edgar I’m going, but we’re not inviting him along. He hates cold weather and he can’t imagine fastening his feet to ‘long boards,’ as he calls them. Thank you, though, for the offer to invite him,” she said.

“Good. I’ll check the weather right now. I don’t fly into storms if I can possibly avoid it.”

She watched as he pulled out his phone. He smiled broadly, sexy creases bracketing his mouth. “Good weather—cold nights, sunny days. I’ll call my pilot. How early can we go?”

“Name your time.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Fine with me,” she said. She’d surprised herself, she thought as eagerness bubbled in a steady current. The weekend with Garrett. Foolhardy, risky for her heart.

Exciting.

Walking away, Garrett talked with the pilot and made arrangements. When he was done, he sat beside her again. “We’re set to fly at eight.”

“So one of your traits is impulsiveness,” she said. “I’m learning more about you.”

“I don’t think I’d describe myself as impulsive. Usually I’m predictable and methodical.”

“If we get to know each other, I’ll weigh in on that.”

“We’ll get to know each other, Sophia,” he said softly in a husky tone that sent a tingle spiraling in her. “I definitely intend that we do.”

Desire was constant with Garrett, keeping her intensely aware of him in a physical manner. Despite her concerns, she couldn’t deny that she loved being with him, hearing about him, learning about him. In some ways, she, too, felt as if she had known him a long time. They talked until one and she promised herself by half past she would end the evening. Finally, when it was almost two, she stood.

“Garrett, I must get home.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want.” He waved his hand toward his house. “Needless to say, there is plenty of room here. Take any bedroom you want. Close to mine, far from mine or in mine with me,” he teased. “I’ll even promise to not wake you in the morning. Particularly if you make the last choice.”

Shaking her head, she laughed. “It does seem silly for you to drive me home, but that’s what I want. If I’m going to Colorado to ski, I want to go home and get some things.”

“All right. Home it is. I told my chauffeur we’d take you home tonight.”

“See, I should have driven.”

“I would insist on taking you home even if you had driven. It’s way too late for you to be out driving around by yourself.”

“That’s an old-fashioned notion.”

“It’s not the first time someone has accused me of having old-fashioned notions.”

“I think old-fashioned is rather nice if it isn’t overdone. Edgar gets a little carried away— I’ll probably have a text waiting from him when I get in. He’s probably running background checks on you as we speak.”

She expected a laugh but Garrett merely gave her a smile and stood. “Shall we go?”

When they arrived at her house, the limo waited while Garrett walked with her to her door. He stepped inside, waiting while she switched off the alarm and then pulling her into his embrace to kiss her.

With her heart racing, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him in return, pouring her feelings into her kiss, wanting to spend the rest of the night with him, wanting to touch and caress and make love, yet knowing she should do little more than what they were doing unless she wanted to risk losing her heart.

How much time passed, she didn’t know or care. They were breathless, wanting more. Need became a raging fire. When Garrett’s hands began to roam over her, she stopped him and stepped back.

“We’ll say good-night,” she stated. Her voice was breathless as she gulped for air. “Garrett, tonight has been so much fun,” she said softly. His gray eyes had darkened to slate, desire burning in their depths. “Thanks for a grand evening.”

“I’ll see you in the morning, Sophia,” he said, giving her a smile that nearly stopped her heart. He turned and left, the lock clicking in place behind him.

For a moment, she could barely move, resting against the door, trying desperately to catch her breath, wondering if she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

Garrett swore under his breath. He liked Sophia more than any woman he had known. He wanted to call Will immediately and tell him that he hated deceiving her and it had to end. But he knew that as soon as he told Sophia the Delaneys had sent him, she would break it off.

He was torn between admitting the truth to her and running the risk of losing her, or continuing the deception until he felt she liked him enough that they could weather the storm that would break when he told her the truth.

More than once he had mulled over resigning from Delaney Enterprises and devoting himself to building furniture. Sometimes he thought of working with his hands, living in a place near the ocean, creating instead of acquiring. He often wondered if the notion of changing careers was merely a pipe dream, yet Sophia had successfully done just that.

Only her situation had been different. He had been raised to do this kind of work and he felt he owed the Delaney family his services. Argus Delaney had taken his father out of poverty, given him a job and paid for his education because he said he saw potential in his dad. His father had worked hard and risen fast and Argus had helped him all along the way, opening doors and paying him well. In turn, his father had absolute loyalty to the Delaneys and had raised Garrett to feel the same. If he left Delaney Enterprises, Garrett felt he would be turning his back on all his father had wanted for him, and on Will’s friendship. And he was inheriting a fortune from Will’s dad.