CHAPTER NINE
‘Y OU WANT ME to meet you where?’ Zane asked haughtily but bit back a smile at the same time.
‘Montague’s. The jewellers on Fifth Avenue,’ she said smugly. ‘You know the one.’
‘Yeah, I know.’ He also knew she was biting back her laugh too.
She thought she could make today’s Helberg reconnaissance mission his worst nightmare. But she couldn’t be more wrong, because he’d been dreaming about seeing her again for days. Good, hot dreams. Which—now he stopped to consider it—were nightmares, given he was only supposed to look at and not touch the very precious treasure that was Skylar Bennet. Oh, but she was the perfect jewel with which to decorate his bed. That he’d been warned off all those years ago only made him want her more now she’d crossed his path again. Her father wasn’t there to protect her now. And she didn’t need him. She could protect herself. She wasn’t silent with him. Wasn’t well behaved. She was spirited and sarcastic as hell and he relished it so much he couldn’t resist provoking her more. Because she couldn’t seem to stop herself reacting to him. Which was good. It made them even.
‘Ever been inside?’ she followed up too innocently.
‘You know I haven’t.’
‘Actually, I wouldn’t have picked that,’ she countered breezily. ‘Don’t you buy sparkling goodbye gifts for all those women you date?’
‘No. I don’t pay them off with trinkets and baubles.’
‘You just leave them broken-hearted?’
‘Empty-handed,’ he corrected coolly. ‘Because they don’t need recompense for spending time with me.’
‘Because they’re just so very, very lucky already?’ Her laughter was soft but he was certain the dimple was out.
‘As well you know,’ he purred. ‘Why this jewellery store?’ He prolonged the conversation because this date was still too many hours away and he liked hearing her voice. He’d missed it all week. Wednesday hadn’t come quick enough. ‘It doesn’t even have the Helberg name.’
‘Because it’s only still in existence because of Helberg. Because they bought it into the family.’
‘You think Helberg is a family?’ His smile faded. ‘Skylar, you know you don’t have to repay the chance Reed gave you with your absolute soul—’
‘And I’m not. It isn’t just about the scholarship. And yes, Helberg Holdings is family. It’s nice to feel needed there and valued for the things I do.’
‘You ought to feel needed and valued regardless of what you do,’ he growled. ‘You ought to be needed and valued just for being you.’
There was a moment of silence down the phone.
‘Did you get hit on the head?’ she asked.
He’d taken a hit of some kind, apparently. But he laughed, relieved that she’d gone for a joke because he really didn’t know where that had come from either. He’d go to her damned jewellery store and now he understood her motivation it made sense that her modus operandi regarding Helberg was the human connection. She wanted him to meet more of her work family. She didn’t want him to break them up.
‘Who are you going to fob me off onto this time?’ he muttered, still unable to end the call.
‘The jeweller.’
‘Thrilling. Anyone else?’
‘The sales manager. They’re both lovely. They both have a lot to share.’
‘Can’t wait.’ The sad fact was that wasn’t even a lie.
Montague’s was the high-end manufacturing jewellery arm of the business that Adam Courtenay was most interested in. No surprise there, given jewels were already Adam’s family deal. But this was a flagship store—all exquisite space, gleaming luxury and not a price tag in sight. Zane grimaced as he looked around the plush premises three hours after he’d hung up on Skylar.
‘Is the sight of all the engagement rings giving you hives?’ She stole up beside him and chuckled.
Glancing down, he saw the amusement dancing in her eyes. Her dimple appeared the second he smiled back at her. He had to freeze and process the urge to haul her close and kiss her hello. He’d kiss her until she was breathless and begging for more. Then for mercy. Because he would tease her to the edge and back over and over again. Torment her the way she was tormenting him right now. Night after night he thought about her and what he’d do the second he had another chance.
He couldn’t believe he’d squandered that opportunity. He’d been a fool. A teen all over again. So fast. Far too fast. The fire had consumed them both. And it wasn’t enough. He gritted his teeth. She was a crush from his teen years. She should mean nothing now. But that old ache was back. She’d been the only one he couldn’t have. The only one he’d become bitter about. So maybe she was the only one who he was going to need to have more than once.
‘Come on,’ she said.
She was too bright-eyed. Too trusting. Guilt rose in a tsunami-like wave this time. He hadn’t told her everything that had happened between him and Reed. But he hadn’t exactly reneged on his deal with her—he’d told her some, just not all of the truth. Which wasn’t cheating. Some wounds cut too deep to be exposed. But she’d guessed there had to be more. And he needed distraction from this already.
‘You don’t wear jewellery.’ He cocked his head and teased her. ‘Is such adornment too much effort ?’
‘Do you wear any?’ She bit right back as he’d known she would.
‘I like a good watch.’ He shrugged.
Her eyes widened in faux awe. ‘So you know when it’s time to leave?’
He smiled appreciatively. This was what he needed—for her to spar with him, not stand by silently. He’d known—even all those years ago—that she’d have smart things to say. And he liked that she wasn’t afraid to call him out. The wealthier he’d become, the more people said yes around him. The less they challenged or argued. They started to treat everything he said as immutable law. Which was rubbish. It was also—frankly—boring. Skylar was fresh.
‘I sometimes wear rings too,’ he said.
‘To ward off evil spirits? Or all those women setting themselves at you?’
‘For fun.’ He moved closer, unable to stop himself. ‘Which apparently is a foreign concept for you.’ He brushed the backs of his fingers lightly against her cheekbone, then swept wider, noting the tiny holes in her earlobes. ‘Let’s look at the earrings.’
‘Zane—’
‘You have a graceful neck.’ He had no qualms whatsoever about hijacking her expedition and thwarting her. ‘You should wear long earrings to show it off.’ He moved to the cabinet before she could attempt to argue more. He was aware of her watching as he assessed the collection. The ruby and diamond drops caught his attention immediately. Red definitely had to be her colour—as striking and sensual as she was. ‘Can we have a closer look at those, please.’
The assistant couldn’t move fast enough.
‘Zane—’
‘Beautiful, don’t you think?’ He was seriously enjoying himself.
She stared round-eyed at him and then finally at the glittering jewels he held towards her. ‘They’ll get caught in my hair,’ she said dismissively.
‘You wear your hair up more often than not. Try them on.’
‘I can’t—’
‘It’s no problem, I’m sure.’ Zane smiled at the assistant, who hurried to nod.
He turned his focus back to Skylar. A hint of smokiness clouded her eyes. He knew she was tempted, which was super interesting—yeah, she was a sensualist who liked nice things. She just didn’t let herself indulge very often. Why was she so damned studious—so restrained—even after all this time? Even after her father had passed? The guy had been controlling and overprotective. She’d basically been under house arrest. She’d gone to school. She’d gone for her runs in the mornings. And that was it.
Zane had been housebound because of his injuries. He’d worked hard to get strong enough to leave. But Skylar had sat studying on her balcony for hours—silently watching the world, seemingly unbothered by her father’s controls. And even after she’d left home, even after her father had died...she’d stayed as self-contained. Indeed, as the rubies gleamed prettily in the light, she didn’t move. Why?
‘We’ll take them,’ he said to the assistant without lifting his gaze from Skylar.
His smile widened as he saw her jaw tense. He knew her drilled-deep manners and good behaviour stopped her from arguing with him in front of the entire store. He stepped up to the counter and completed the transaction.
To his astonishment, that’s when Skylar suddenly spoke up.
‘Don’t box them.’ She smiled at the assistant. ‘I’ll wear them out.’
The assistant’s eyes widened but she hustled. Zane was simply speechless as within less than a minute Skylar stood adorned with rubies and diamonds dangling from her ears, and he couldn’t take his gaze off her gleaming eyes.
‘You can buy them but the second I take them out I’m giving them back to you,’ she murmured the moment the assistant left them, clearly well trained to know when to leave her customers to consider their other options.
‘Sure.’ He shrugged. ‘No matter.’
‘What are you going to do with them then? Wear them yourself? Give them to someone else?’
The edge in her voice pressed on his pleasure nerve because it sounded a little like jealousy. ‘I’m going to look at them and think of you. Often.’
She shook her head. ‘And why would you want to do that?’
‘Well, I already think of you often—’
‘Don’t,’ she breathed suddenly.
He stopped doing everything instantly—moving, breathing. Hell, even his heart stopped for a second.
‘Don’t flirt with me,’ she finished so very softly. ‘I’m doing what you want already—I’ll be your companion in public. You don’t have to...’
‘Be honest?’ He watched her intently.
He’d known the gift would bother her and yeah, that was partly why he’d given it to her. But he’d also wanted to see her in those earrings really badly and he just couldn’t not buy them. And yeah, he liked this. Her challenging him. When she pushed. She was the only person to look at him with undisguised irritation at times.
But now she stepped back and instinctively he reached for her hand and stopped her. ‘You don’t ever treat yourself at the shops? Or ever let someone else treat you a little?’
Her eyes flashed. ‘Dropping however many thousand you’ve just dropped isn’t some little treat.’
Right. Good point. ‘You’re awfully serious, Skylar. You never do anything just for the heck of it?’
‘You know I don’t. Well, almost never.’ She shot him a look. ‘It’s the way I was raised.’
He nodded his head slowly because he knew that was accurate. ‘Your dad didn’t let you wear any jewellery.’
She stiffened. ‘We couldn’t afford it. We needed other things—you know, like food.’
No. It wasn’t only the money. It was her overprotective, controlling dad. ‘He didn’t let you do lots of things.’
It hung between them yet again. Zane had been too stunned—and yes, too hurt—to ever stop and deeply consider why she’d been so silent. Why she’d turned and run. He’d just felt rejected twice over. The best moment he’d ever experienced had devolved into a nightmare in less than a second. She’d not defended him—not admitted that she’d been as much to ‘blame’ as he. Zane had actually loitered in the grounds the day after, hoping to catch her on her run. She’d not appeared. And now—far too late—he wondered how scared she’d been of her father. Had he punished her?
Zane had never heard shouting, or seen any evidence of it. He’d thought the man had just been overprotective as hell of his beautiful daughter.
‘You didn’t rebel even once you left home? Didn’t spoil yourself with your first proper pay?’ Zane asked her now. ‘Or are you still obeying the rules he set for you back then—putting his wishes ahead of your own desires.’
She stiffened. ‘My father wanted the best for me and I knew how tough it was for him dealing with me on his own. But you’re not entirely wrong. He was strict. Protective. He wanted me to prioritise my studies and then my career.’
‘You weren’t allowed out.’ His anger stirred. ‘You were never allowed to go out. You were always there.’
It rippled again. That memory.
‘But your ears are pierced,’ he said slowly. ‘So when did he let that happen?’
‘My mother took me not long before she left.’
Another memory flashed—one from far further back. When she’d been a little girl and he’d given her his last piece of candy because she’d been crying because her mother had gone.
‘Dad had a fit,’ she added softly. ‘When she left he threw all her jewellery away.’
‘She didn’t take it with her?’
‘She didn’t take anything. She left it all.’
Including her daughter.
‘He didn’t think you might want it?’
‘She left with another man and never looked back. I guess he thought it was tainted. He threw away my earrings too.’
Yeah, her dad had tried to control the one thing he’d had left. ‘He wouldn’t let you do anything.’ He looked at her. ‘No earrings. No dates. No fun.’
‘Actually, most of that was really my choice.’ She stepped close and her brown eyes bore into him. ‘At first I thought if I were really, really good, then she might come back.’ She still spoke softly but somehow that made her rising emotion all the more audible. ‘And then I started to worry that if I wasn’t really good, he might leave as well.’
Zane stood very still, inwardly stuffing down the pain that had risen so sharply. He’d felt that desperate desire to hold on to someone—to somehow make them stay. But his dad hadn’t wanted him from the start.
And Zane had been hard on his mother. Because where Skylar had been obedient, it had taken him a while to get on board. He’d been endlessly curious. A wandering child, who’d made his mother’s life difficult.
‘So yes, I was good. I worked hard. And of course I did what I was told.’
Including obeying her dad when he’d yelled at her for kissing him. She’d been what, sixteen?
‘That’s why that scholarship was so important,’ she said. ‘It was an acceptable escape.’
Right. He sighed. And yet it still seemed to him that she hadn’t escaped all that much. She was still living in such a constrained way. Like a nun.
‘I don’t blame you for wanting the scholarship,’ he said huskily. ‘I blame Helberg for using it to control people. To make them bow and scrape before him. It was a power trip for him.’
Skylar tried to regain control of her emotions. She’d just told Zane far too much that was too personal. But bow and scrape? Her interview with old man Helberg hadn’t been like that. ‘His foundation gave lots of people like me an out. You did it all on your own. Most of us ordinary people can’t.’
She gently fingered the cool stones dangling from her ears. She’d started wearing earrings again a few years ago. Just little studs, nothing like these stunning things. But they didn’t even feel that heavy. She liked the sensuality and the sparkle and the sway when she tilted her head. She liked the way Zane’s gaze tracked them when she did. The way it lingered on her skin. She could almost feel it.
‘But I bet your father was proud of you,’ he said huskily.
Oh, yes. He had been. She’d been so studious and careful and yes, eager to please. But she’d got to Helberg HQ and not really made the moves she’d thought she would. And that wasn’t because she hadn’t worked hard. But her father had wanted her to stay. To keep trying. And once he’d gone, staying there seemed to matter all the more. She’d promised her father, and for him there was nothing worse than someone breaking their promise. She’d never wanted to let him down in the way her mother had.
‘Skylar—’
‘I didn’t tell you that to make you pity me or whatever. But maybe you’re right about my treat-free existence,’ she breathed out. ‘I’ve been focused on my work for a long time. So have you.’
‘In many ways we’re not so dissimilar.’ He nodded, all serious.
But she laughed because he’d definitely had his treats along the way. ‘I’m nothing like you.’
All those parties he’d gone to? They hadn’t affected his business success at all. Maybe she should have gone to some.
He tilted his head and a speculative gleam entered his eyes. ‘You came to that Independence Day party to try to see me. What was your approach going to be?’
She flicked her hand carelessly, covering up her own cluelessness. ‘I hadn’t worked out the finer details.’
‘You were willing to use a social situation to pursue a business interest.’ He leaned close. ‘Which means you and I are not so very different after all.’
‘There’s a vast difference between a tasteless bet and just hoping to bump into someone.’
‘You wanted to bump into me.’ His grin flashed wickedly. ‘You definitely met your goal there.’
Skylar threw him a withering glance but the next second giggled. It felt good to giggle. Even better when he laughed with her.
She glanced around and realised the jewellery store staff were keeping their distance but also keeping their eyes on them. They’d been ensconced in this corner, intimately talking in low voices for a good ten minutes. Oh well—that was probably good for Zane’s bet.
But she straightened. ‘Right, you’re here to meet the jeweller, remember? He’s worked here for sixty years.’
‘He’s not ready for a nice relaxing retirement?’ Zane winked at her.
For the next thirty minutes she watched as he chatted with the jeweller, listening to the history of the place. The joy he found in his work. The pride. The capital funding from Helberg that had enabled their expansion. The jeweller and the manager both gazed up at him, clearly delighted to meet him. It was his smile. Everyone fell for it. Even her.
But when they finally stepped out onto the summer pavement he shook his head at her. ‘You brought me to one of the most successful subsidiaries. It’s been in the stable only a decade and doesn’t even bear the Helberg name. What was the point?’
To make him uncomfortable. Of course, that hadn’t worked. He’d flipped it on her the second he’d spotted those earrings.
She was failing already—only two weeks in. And it wasn’t even a surprise because deep inside she was worried he was right about Helberg Holdings. Something had to happen with it.
Zane was only indulging her in these visits and the truth was she wanted him to indulge her in another way altogether.
Educate me . Properly.
The command she’d issued the other night circled in her head. Tempting her. The ache inside sharpened—the appetite she couldn’t suppress any more. She should have all the treats she’d missed out on for so long. The physical ones. All she’d done all her life was work. Learn. Study. Stay safe. Stay focused. She’d missed out on a lot of fun. And he was the perfect person to help, right? Because he’d worked too. But he’d become far more successful than she and he’d had a lot of fun along the way. He really knew how. Which meant he could teach her many things. And there was no way her heart would be endangered—she still didn’t actually like him all that much, right? And his heart was in no danger at all given he didn’t have one...
‘You have the weirdest look on your face,’ he said, looking down at her.
She raised her eyebrows. ‘What kind of look?’
‘Cunning. Like a fox. Pretty fox.’
It was the only time in her life she’d ever been called a fox. She quite liked it.
‘I don’t trust it,’ he added.
She chuckled. ‘Shocker. You don’t trust anyone.’
‘Fair.’ He smiled. ‘You don’t trust me either.’
‘Not entirely true, actually. I trust you to be honest with me. You’ve been pretty blunt thus far.’
‘Hmm. That’s true. As have you. Tell me what you’re thinking.’
‘That I’m no longer a virgin but I’m still inexperienced in bed.’
Such raw shock pinched his features that she bit back a laugh.
His fingertips touched a spot on her left cheek. ‘You should always laugh when you feel the urge. Don’t hold back, Skylar.’
‘Well, I’ve still no experience in an actual bed, have I?’ Heat trammelled through her and she inadvertently swayed towards him before catching herself and straightening.
‘And that’s what you want? More experience. In bed. With me.’
‘Right,’ she breathed huskily. ‘You’re skilled.’
‘I can’t decide if I’m honoured or offended.’
‘You’re honoured. We both know that. We also both know you’re going to agree.’ And she was crossing both fingers behind her back and hoping like crazy she was right.
‘I am?’
‘You can’t resist a game.’
‘Is that what this is?’
‘You can consider it a challenge if you like.’ Her temperature soared but she pushed on lightly. ‘For me this is a learning journey.’
‘A learning journey?’ He started to laugh. ‘Wow, that’s so HR of you. Will you want to set some goals? Get a performance appraisal afterwards?’
‘That’s really not a bad idea—’
‘Flow chart? Bonus points for creativity?’
‘For all sorts of things.’ She nodded.
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘No, no, no.’
She died inside. ‘You’re declining my offer?’
‘I’m declining the flow chart and bullet points.’ He stepped right into her space and put his hand gently on her shoulder. ‘This can’t be business between us. This is play.’
‘Surely you like a game to have rules?’ She instinctively knew she needed them.
‘Don’t you realise how much I hate rules?’
‘There have to be some boundaries.’ For safety—to protect her heart, right?
‘Tell me something.’ He ran his thumb gently back and forth across her lower lip in the softest, most sensual of touches. ‘Why are you suddenly willing to make the effort?’
Her legs barely held her up as relief then arousal slammed into her. ‘There’s not much effort required for this.’ The truth just spilled from her.
His eyebrows shot up. ‘Why, Skylar, how you flatter me.’
She closed her eyes briefly and summoned the shell of strength she was going to need. ‘There’s no effort because this isn’t a relationship . It’s an arrangement .’ She opened her eyes and gazed right into his. ‘And to be frank, it’s all about me.’
His lips twitched. ‘What you want. And I get nothing?’
‘You need for nothing, you’ve already made that clear,’ she pointed out with a tiny shrug. ‘But you enjoy a release every now and then and right now you can’t because of that bet.’
‘Every now and then...’
‘Do you always repeat what people say to you?’
‘Only when it’s weird.’
Crushed, she flinched.
He put his other hand on her other shoulder, holding her firmly in place. ‘No. Don’t back out now. Tell me how you want this to work.’
He’d inched closer, and when he was closer, everything was easier.
‘It’s very straightforward,’ she muttered. ‘On your public date nights, we sleep together before I go home.’
His fingers tightened fractionally. ‘So you’re revising our original agreement.’
‘You revise deals all the time. It’s a normal part of business.’
‘Right.’ He huffed a breath. ‘Well, revision works both ways. You want an amendment, then I get one too.’
She hesitated and looked at him warily. ‘What amendment do you want?’
‘You’ve sprung this on me. I need a little time to figure it out. I’ll let you know.’
She shook her head. He was quick, he could come up with something here and now. ‘I can’t agree if I don’t know the details.’
‘You’re going to have to trust me—more than just being honest.’ He suddenly smiled. ‘That’s the real challenge, isn’t it.’
‘As if it isn’t for you?’
Ignoring the passers-by on the street, he stepped in even closer and lowered his head towards hers. The intimacy seared—it might as well only be the two of them in the world. She was certain he was about to kiss her—indeed, as he spoke, his lips almost, almost brushed hers.
‘You want your learning journey, Skylar? All you have to do is say yes.’