Chapter 19 #2
“Yes, it’s already been bought. I was just about to put a sticker on it.”
“Well, unsell it. I’m keeping it.”
Her expression fell. “That’s one of your most expensive pieces.”
Now I squeezed her shoulder. “You’ll still get your commission, but it’s too special to me. I’m sorry. I can’t sell it.”
She nodded with a sigh of understanding.
“Okay. But you have to talk to Paul Gunner. He wanted to buy it, and he’s been angling for an introduction all evening.
I didn’t want to interrupt your wee tête-à-tête with your husband, but now that you’re here, you can do me a favor and smooth over the fact that he won’t be getting Shetland. ”
“Introduce away.”
Paul Gunner turned out to be a good-looking blond in what I’d guess to be his early forties.
He was dressed sharp in a custom three-piece suit, and I clocked the twenty-thousand-dollar Tag Heuer watch on his wrist. The dude had money.
No wonder Michelle wanted me to take time to meet with him.
As soon as she disappeared to place a SOLD sign on Shetland, however, Mr. Gunner stepped a little too far into my personal space.
I recognized that glint in his dark eyes. Unfortunately, I’d had that look directed at me before it ever should’ve been. Taking a small step back, I brushed my hair from my face with my left hand, flashing my wedding band.
His gaze darted to it, but his expression didn’t falter.
“I’ve been eager to meet you since I bought my first piece,” he said with an accent that could be either Scottish or English.
It was difficult to tell. “I’m originally from Inverness but live in London now.
” Ah, that made sense. “I’m a bit of a collector. ”
“Really. That’s great.” I kept my smile polite. “Which piece are you most interested in tonight?”
“I’m looking at her,” he replied boldly, his hungry expression leaving no doubt to his meaning.
My inner yuck alert system blared, but I didn’t let my distaste show on my face. This was not the first time a fan of my art wanted to sleep with me. I chided gently, “Not sure how I feel about being referred to as a piece, but—”
“Oh, I meant no offense. Really. You’re just … you are even lovelier than your art. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more beautiful woman.”
“That’s very kind, but I’m married.” I flashed my wedding ring again. “Several of my works displayed this evening, however, are available.”
“I’ve already told Michelle which pieces I want, and I’ve been very generous.
Now I want to get to know the sexy woman behind them.
I’m sure, considering my donation to your work”—he smiled with all the confidence of a wealthy man used to getting what he wanted—“you can indulge me with the pleasure of your company. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.
Paul Gunner of Gunner Industries.” He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and I flinched back.
All pretense was gone. “You could be the richest man in the world, Mr. Gunner, and I still wouldn’t be for sale.”
“Allegra—”
“Lucy,” I corrected him harshly. “Have you been looking into me?”
“I told you, I’m a fan.” Paul’s possessive gaze grew hard with determination. “It makes no mind to me you’re Allegra Howard. I’m not interested in your parentage.”
“It’s Allegra McCulloch now.”
He huffed in amusement. “One dinner. Just a dinner. That’s all I ask. I’m sure it’ll be enough time to change your mind.” He then proceeded to trail the back of his fingers down my bare arm. I flinched from him again, unnerved by his persistence.
Then heat hit my back, a hard, familiar chest pressing against me as strong arms encircled my waist. Jared’s scent, his presence, relieved me as he brushed a gentle kiss over my temple. I glanced up at him, his tender expression morphing into absolute menace as he turned to Paul Gunner.
“I’m the husband,” he bit out coolly. “I don’t know who you are, but touch my wife again and I’ll break your fucking hand.”
A thrill coursed through me at his possessive, protective words. And longing. For them to be real.
Gunner looked at Jared with a mix of fear and disgust. He flicked me a look that told me I’d gone down a million miles in his estimation. “I see your artist talents don’t translate to taste. I think I’ll let Michelle know I won’t be buying anything this evening.”
Jared tensed behind me, but I patted a palm over his hand in reassurance as I looked Gunner straight in the eye. “You do that. After all, money can’t buy class.”
He narrowed his eyes at me before storming off.
“Fuck.” Jared turned into me, his expression apologetic. “I didn’t mean to fuck up a sale. I just saw the way you were reacting to him and lost my shit a wee bit.”
I grinned, having enjoyed every second of him losing his shit “a wee bit.” “Don’t apologize. Watching him almost pee his pants was worth losing the sale. Trust me.”
“What did he say to you?” Jared stared over his shoulder as Gunner strode quickly out of the gallery. A shared glance with Michelle told me she wasn’t happy. But I didn’t care.
“He wanted to sleep with me,” I replied bluntly. “Apparently, he thought buying a lot of my art would make it hard for me to say no.”
“What the fuck?” Jared replied a little too loudly.
I hushed him, smoothing another reassuring hand across his chest. It was totally an excuse to feel him up.
“It’s not unusual. I’ve had a few wealthy fans, male and female, who have propositioned me for sex.
Some are just creepier and more entitled than others.
” I gestured to the door where Gunner left.
“That asshole decided he wanted something from me and thought his money could get it for him. He thought wrong.”
“I should have knocked his teeth out,” Jared muttered angrily, looking like he was considering chasing after Gunner to do just that.
“Allegra.” Michelle was suddenly upon us, amusement and disappointment mingling in her eyes. “Your possessive hubby might have to stay home at the next showing.”
I flushed with pleasure at the words. “It’s not Jared’s fault. Gunner suggested I should have sex with him in return for all the money he was spending tonight.”
Her face fell. “Oh. Oh dear. Oh, that’s terribly disappointing. He’d picked out five pieces. Including the Shetland piece.”
I shuddered at the thought of an asshole like him owning that particular work. “Well, no one is getting that piece.”
“Is this your doing?” Michelle teased Jared. “Are you encouraging her to keep her art to herself?”
Jared slid his arm around my waist, pulling me tight into his side. “I’m encouraging her to keep the things that make her happy.”
My breath caught.
Oh, Jared, please don’t tempt me … because I’m kind of scared one of those things just might be you.
We were both tired by the time we returned to the farmhouse, but a tension zipped between us. A tension we’d both been able to ignore thus far. Until that moment with Gunner where real feelings might have popped up to the surface.
“I’m sorry again about losing you the sales,” Jared apologized, even though he really didn’t have to.
We’d stopped at the top of the stairs before each of our bedrooms. I patted his shoulder in reassurance. “Don’t be. Seriously. The thought of that asshole having my work displayed in his house makes me kind of sick, so you did me a huge favor.”
“Okay. Good.” He shifted a little awkwardly on his feet. “I, uh, it’s late and I’m up early so …”
“Jared.” I stopped him as he moved to walk past. “Thank you. For coming tonight.”
Despite the experience with Gunner, it had been a successful evening. A few people at the show had been a little pretentious, and I knew Jared was bored by some of the conversation. But he stood by my side all night.
Out of the twenty pieces on display, we sold ten, which was unbelievable. Michelle would put the remaining pieces up in her gallery and online.
“Of course.” Jared bent his head to brush a feather-soft kiss against my cheek and this time I couldn’t suppress my shiver.
His breath caught and he lingered a second in my personal space before seeming to jerk back as if I’d bitten him.
“Night,” he said gruffly without looking at me.
Then he strode into his room.
I hurried into mine, pressing against the door, willing my pulse to slow and my skin to cool.
A few seconds later, I heard his bedroom door open again and I froze like a statue.
Please knock on my door, please knock on my door.
The floor creaked beyond my bedroom as if Jared had stopped right outside it. I held my breath, knowing if he did knock, my self-control would shatter. I’d welcome him into my room and into my body in a heartbeat.
Crushing disappointment filled me at the sound of him walking downstairs instead. Frustrated, I pulled off the sparkly flapper-style dress I’d donned for my show. As I readied for bed, I heard Jared returning to his room. Determinedly, I attempted to put him from my mind.
Ready for bed, makeup off, skin care regimen done, I crossed the room as quietly as possible, intending to head downstairs for a glass of water.
Uncontrollably drawn to my husband, however, I couldn’t help but glance at his doorway as I stepped out of mine.
To my surprise, his door was slightly ajar, the lights still on. I tiptoed toward it, intending to shut it for him when I heard the shower running in his en suite.
Jared was in the shower.
Naked.
It was easy at that moment to fantasize walking into his room, pulling off the thin nightie I wore because of the hot summer night, and then stepping into his bathroom naked.
To imagine that Jared would take one look at me through the steamy glass of his shower door, slide it open, and haul me inside.
How he’d press me up against the damp tiles and take my nipple in his—
The sound of a door closing wrenched me from my fantasy, and I realized in mortification that Jared’s shower had stopped. That he was walking into view.
Naked.
Totally, absolutely, phenomenally naked.
My lips parted as heat pooled in my belly at the sight of him.
He rubbed his wet hair with a towel as he wandered over to his bed, checking his phone absentmindedly. Completely unaware he was being ogled.
There was a lot to ogle.
Rivulets of water trailed down between his hard pecs, following a light fur of hair that disappeared to reveal smooth, sculpted abdominal muscles.
He wasn’t crazy defined like Taka, who worked out constantly because he was usually half-naked at some point in one of his TV shows, but Jared was naturally muscular and hard from constant physical work.
When my gaze finally made it to his semi-hard cock protruding between muscular thighs, I had to hold in a gasp.
Jared was big. Above-average length. And thick.
The girth …
Wet heat flooded between my thighs.
I itched to throw open the door and throw myself on him.
But Jared turned, thankfully with his back to me. Thankfully because not only did it provide me with an excellent view of his muscular ass, but it meant he didn’t see me as he headed out of sight toward the bathroom.
What the hell are you doing? I shrieked at myself, backing up as quietly and as slowly as possible. This was wrong. This was so wrong.
I’d perved on Jared.
Forgetting about the glass of water, I scurried back into my room, barely able to hear over the rushing of blood in my ears.
Scrambling into bed, I reached over to switch off the lamp on the bedside table, plunging the room into somewhat darkness, considering the sky was still navy outside.
I tried to slow my breathing, to calm myself enough to sleep.
But every time I closed my eyes I saw naked Jared.
Naked Jared.
My naked husband.
“Ugh,” I groaned. How unfair was it that he was technically mine … and I couldn’t have him.
As I tossed and turned, trying to sleep, unable to for the flush across my skin, I eventually decided that I could at least have him in my fantasies. So I held the image of him in my head as I touched myself and smothered the sounds of my orgasm in my pillow.
Finally, eventually, I drifted to sleep.