His California Cover Girl (Stateside Doms #28)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Juliet

Arriving at someone's house in the middle of the night was the sort of social blunder that would horrify my mother.

It wasn't as if I knew Nate Harrington well enough to be dropping in on him unannounced.

That would be another blemish on my record as far as she was concerned and, believe me, she was keeping score.

Some of the fault, however, lay squarely at her feet.

When she sent me to represent the family at a charity event in San Francisco, she knew full well Garrett Kane would be there.

I'd told her how uncomfortable it made me that he showed up wherever I happened to be, that he was bombarding me with messages and relentlessly harassing me with unwanted gifts.

Yet she continued to encourage his interest in me.

Despite me laying out my objections clearly, neither he nor my mother grasped that I didn't want to be with a man thirty years my senior.

Tonight was the final straw. Garrett had cornered me outside the ladies' room where he'd been lurking until I emerged.

He grabbed my arm and leaned in close, his cologne, —sprayed far too liberally—choking me as he bent to murmur in my ear.

You look good enough to eat, Juliet. I can't wait to get a taste.

From another man that might have been seductive. From him, it was like being plunged into an ice bath. Unable to bear his odious presence, I fled from the gala with nothing but the Audi I'd rented for the weekend and the contents of my Chanel purse.

For a while, I just drove. I headed north on the 101, leaving the city far behind.

It was somewhere around Petaluma I recalled Nate Harrington had a vineyard in the Alexander Valley.

I'd been considering my options for getting rid of Garrett for weeks, and Nate's name kept floating to the surface of my mind.

So I'd pulled over, looked up details of his vineyard, and programmed the GPS.

I expected it to be quiet when I reached Mist Hollow Estate a little after midnight, but instead the place was a hive of activity.

Floodlights illuminated the vineyard where dozens of people were hard at work.

It seemed I'd arrived during harvest. I'd read that some vineyards picked their grapes at night because the sun in Sonoma County could be punishing during the day.

I drove past the vines and up the hill to the sprawling white villa overlooking the fields.

For several minutes, I sat in the driveway, second-guessing my decision to come here.

When I’d keyed the coordinates into the GPS, coming to Nate for help seemed like a good idea.

Now I wasn't so sure. It felt like a massive imposition to arrive when it was so busy. I didn't want to get in the way.

Still, I hated the thought of turning the car around and heading back to the city.

I didn't want to catch my flight back to L.A.

tomorrow to resume my endless round of social obligations.

None of it was for my own benefit, and in all honesty, I would rather spend my nights at home, watching movies or reading a book.

The countless parties and fundraisers I attended were for my family who saw me as little more than a pretty face to represent the Caldwell Cosmetics brand.

Though I despised my role, it wasn't the main reason I decided to go through with my crazy plan.

No, the deciding factor was my desire to remove myself from Garrett's reach once and for all.

I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to resist his increasingly forceful advances.

To keep him at bay, I needed the help of a man as powerful as he was.

The only one I could think of was the proprietor of the Mist Hollow Estate.

Before I could twist myself in knots trying to decide if I should go through with this, the front door of the sprawling mansion opened. A gray-haired woman stood there dressed in black jeans and a checked shirt. Shutting off the engine, I got out of the car.

"Are you lost, dear?" Her accent was English, like Nate's.

"No, I'm here to see Nate, uh, Mr. Harrington."

"Then you'd better come in." The woman's lips pursed as her gaze traveled down the length of my red silk dress to my five-inch heels. "You'll catch your death out there."

As if on cue, a cool breeze whispered over my skin, and I shivered.

Picking up the hem of my skirt so I didn't trip on the wide stone steps leading up to the front door, I followed the woman into the house.

The moment I entered, I caught a delicate floral scent in the air.

I scanned the entryway until I found the source of the fragrance: night-blooming jasmine.

"Nate didn't tell me to expect a visitor," the rosy-cheeked woman said as I tried to reconcile the rustic hallway with its sophisticated billionaire owner.

"He didn't know I was coming." I grimaced apologetically. "I didn't know myself until I got in the car."

"Oh? Well you're here now, so let's find you somewhere to wait." She beckoned for me to follow her. "I'm Eileen, by the way. I take care of the house."

"I'm Juliet Caldwell."

Eileen nodded. "I recognized you from the magazines.

You're even prettier in person." There was genuine warmth in her tone.

Not everyone was kind to me on first meeting.

They often assumed I'd be a spoiled heiress.

It was a stereotype I worked hard not to live up to.

"I'll put you in the east sitting room. It's cozy in there, but I must warn you it may be a while before Nate gets back.

He doesn't like to quit until the crew is done for the night. "

I raised an eyebrow. "He's out there now?"

"Oh, yes. This is his favorite time of year. He's always hands-on with the harvest."

There weren't many men in the circles I moved in who would get involved in the running of a vineyard, so to hear he was out there doing his bit to bring in the grapes was impressive.

As I trailed along the corridor behind Eileen, I took a moment to admire the décor.

I'd expected opulence, marble floors and gold trim, but this place was just the opposite.

The warm, earthy tones gave it a welcoming feel.

It was a home, not a monument to Nate's wealth.

I loved that there were tables in recesses all along the corridor with vases of flowers on them.

Eileen showed me to the small sitting room where several lamps cast a muted glow over cream upholstery and dark wooden furniture.

"Make yourself at home," she offered.

"Thank you."

She watched as I took a seat on the armchair by the fireplace.

"Can I get you anything, Juliet? I can light the fire if you like."

"No, thank you, I'm fine." Though I'd have loved to sit and watch the flames, I didn't want to put her out at this time of night. "Don't let me keep you from your bed."

Eileen laughed. "During harvest, we keep odd hours.

I've got food to prepare for three dozen hungry workers before I can hit the hay.

" She motioned toward the back of the chair I sat on.

"There's a blanket if you get cold. If you need anything else, come find me in the kitchen.

Just follow the smell of frying onions."

As she turned and left, closing the door behind her, I wondered whether I should have offered to help in the kitchen.

Despite my mother thinking it beneath me, I’d learned to cook at an early age.

One of my greatest passions was creating new dishes.

I doubted Eileen would want a stranger underfoot though.

I kicked off my shoes and curled my legs up under me, then reached for the blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. Resting my head against the back of the chair, I soaked up the stillness. When was the last time I’d experienced this sort of tranquility? I honestly couldn't remember.

Exhaustion seeped into my bones. I pulled the soft wool blanket tighter and closed my eyes, telling myself I just needed a minute.

When I opened them again, I realized I'd drifted off. I must have slept for at least a couple of hours, judging by how the light had changed. Early morning sunshine poured in through the windows, brightening the room around me.

Sitting up, I rubbed the back of my neck.

I never slept well anywhere but in my own bed.

A few minutes passed before I started to feel human again.

After a quick stretch, I got up and walked to the window.

Though it was bright outside, a thick fog had settled on the valley below.

That explained where the name Mist Hollow came from.

It suited the eerily beautiful landscape. I’d never seen anything like it.

I was still admiring the view when the door opened, and Nate entered.

For once, he didn't look like the runway-ready owner of a successful property development empire. Disheveled was the first word that sprang to mind. His dirty blond hair, longer than I’d seen it before, was messy.

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his shirt front rumpled and stained.

A light coating of dust covered his blue jeans, and his feet were bare.

There was something appealing about that. Who knew feet could be a turn-on?

"Juliet." His bewilderment at my presence was obvious. "Eileen told me you were here."

"Uh, yes." Suddenly less sure of myself, I clasped my hands in front of me. "I arrived a few hours ago. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." He crossed the room to join me by the window.

Without my heels on, I found myself staring straight at his chest. I was taller than the average woman at five foot eleven but he had a good few inches on me.

He was also considerably broader, with a muscular frame. "You're a long way from Beverly Hills."

"I was in San Francisco for a fundraiser at the children's hospital," I explained.

Nate tilted his head to the side. "And you thought you'd pop out to Alexander Valley while you were in the area?"

Boy, his English accent did funny things to my insides!

"Not exactly. I wanted to speak to you."

"About what?" His gorgeous blue eyes narrowed as he studied me carefully.

His curiosity was natural. Nate and I didn't really know each other.

Our paths crossed at social events, where we made small talk, but that was the extent of our relationship.

He was one of the few influential men my mother didn't encourage me to get close to.

For her, Nate was the wrong type of billionaire.

His father had pulled himself out of the gutter in some northern English town, but my mother couldn't see how admirable that was.

An inveterate snob, she longed to see me married to someone with bluer blood in his veins.

"I have a favor to ask of you." Pulling my shoulders back, I steeled myself to get straight to the point. "I need you to marry me."

A flicker of surprise crossed Nate's face, but he smoothed it over. I was relieved he didn't laugh at my request, but the silence that fell as he studied me quickly became uncomfortable. Nate ran his fingers through his hair while I fidgeted with the diamond bracelet on my wrist.

"Say something," I urged as the awkwardness got to be too much for me. "Please."

"I need food," he said, catching me off guard. "Come on."

His tone was curt as he turned and strode from the room. I followed him along the corridor, jogging to keep up with his pace. Though I had no idea what he was thinking, I consoled myself with one realization. At least he hadn’t said no.