Chapter 4 #2
The interior was impressive, the hallway wide and opulent with pale silk wallpapers on the walls and rich oak flooring that shone beneath the lights from the overhanging chandeliers.
He still had her hand in his and appreciated the warmth of her slender fingers against his. He felt strong and powerful.
The longing was there. He knew she had taken a step back and would have to accept that for the time being.
The room was large, a fireplace taking up one entire wall. Comfortable sofas were arranged in a conversation area.
Windows were floor to ceiling. It was from one of those the very tall man turned away, leaning on an ivory cane.
The resemblance to the man standing next to her took her aback and had her staring.
Her reaction, her beauty, and the fact that the boy was holding onto her like she was his salvation had his brow clearing. He had done his research on her, of course, and had his misgivings, wondering if she was a gold digger.
"He didn't tell you?" His voice was deep and rusty, a smile touching his lips.
"No."
"You're late." He shot a look at the boy who merely lifted a brow, as he guided Regina forward.
"My fault entirely." Pulling away from Craig, Regina extended a hand.
"I'm habitually tardy." When he took her hand, she tilted her head to stare at him.
"You certainly don't look like a man who's on his deathbed."
The sharp intake of breath from Craig was the only sound in the room for a full minute. Then the sound of laughter split the air, surprising the couple.
Cecil Muldoon grinned, his mood taking a turn. The gal would do indeed.
The boy had made a hell of a choice.
"I'm not dead yet." He turned his head to his grandson, and Craig saw, to his surprise, the approval portrayed there.
He had been dreading this meeting ever since Regina agreed to the plan, knowing that Cecil Muldoon might have certain attributes he wanted his future granddaughter-in-law to possess.
But from all appearances, it looked like she had passed the initial test.
And she handled herself well. If she was intimidated by her surroundings and the questions Cecil peppered her with, it didn't show.
She matched him question for question during the five-course meal in the very formal dining room with maids flitting in and out like shadows.
He asked about her tattoo, and she told him she was free to do whatever she pleased because it was her body. "I have more."
She slid a glance to Craig, her smile wicked.
"In a more intimate place. Ask your grandson."
"I'm not going to answer that." As hard as he tried, the flush still stained his face.
Cecil guffawed in delight, then asked her about her sketchy career in acting. "Couldn't hack it?" he mused with a glint in his eyes.
"Darling, I can 'hack' anything I put my mind to. I just hated the constant competition and smiling or posing for the camera. That's why I gave up modeling as well. God! This is too delicious for words," she murmured, savoring the chocolate soufflé on her tongue.
"As soft as butter and completely sinful." She opened her eyes to see both men watching her.
"I've a weakness for chocolate."
Clearing his throat, Cecil picked up his coffee and took a fortifying sip. "The wedding will be a church one."
"No." Regina responded before Craig could.
"I don't believe in churches. Too many hypocrites with the goal of lining their pockets. We have the wedding here. A small, intimate ceremony. Craig already has a minister in mind."
She touched his hand briefly and met his eyes.
"You don't believe in God?" Cecil asked with a frown.
"I believe in God, yes, just don't believe in churches." She licked her spoon clean.
"And it's our wedding. Which means I get to decide where. I would have thought you would be happy with the arrangement of having the ceremony here. It means you don't have to go to the trouble of traveling a distance. Aren't you supposed to be taking it easy?"
He simply glared at her. Instead of backing down, she returned his stare.
He was the one who looked away first.
"It's your wedding."
"That's right," she agreed. "And I'm not wearing a white gown."
"Could that be because you're not as pure as the driven snow?" he asked spitefully.
"I'm not, but neither is the groom. Pops, nothing you say to me will ever be able to shock or offend."
"Is that right?" he glowered at her, before looking at Craig. "She has a mouth on her."
"One that never ceases to boggle the mind," Craig said dryly.
When they adjourned to the living room, Cecil suggested she leave them alone for a few minutes.
"I want to talk to my grandson in private."
Instead of doing that, Regina crossed to the other side of the room and settled herself onto a comfortable ruby-red sofa and crossed her legs. The movement caused her skirt to shift, revealing the thigh-high slit Craig was noticing for the first time.
His blood pressure skyrocketed as he stared at the long, toned legs.
"Whatever you have to say to him can be said to me." She waved a hand at Craig.
"Darling, pour me a drink, will you?"
With a shake of his head, he went to the cabinet and settled for scotch, bringing it back to her. Instead of sitting elsewhere, he sat on the arm of the sofa, his body brushing hers.
He felt the tremors running through her body and was pleased that he could do that to her.
Regina tried shifting away subtly, but he merely placed a hand at the back of the sofa, his fingers toying with a coil of her hair.
Telling herself it was acute annoyance she was feeling, she aimed her practiced smile at the old man who was watching them closely.
"You were saying?" she asked sweetly.
"You will be required to sign a prenuptial agreement."
"Just hand me the pen and I'll sign on the dotted line," she responded smoothly.
Cecil frowned at her response, his eyes darting from her to his grandson. He was starting to like her.
She was certainly not a pushover and, if his eyes were not fooling him, they were into each other.
"Where did you two meet?"
Regina felt when Craig's fingers stiffened against her neck.
"I thought Craig already told you that much."
"No, he didn't." Cecil looked at his grandson.
"I'd hate to think he just plucked you out of a hat and brought you here."
"We-"
Her voice petered off when he applied subtle pressure to the side of her neck.
"We met on the set of one of her movies. I was hired on as an extra. I approached her during a break and asked her out for coffee."
She tilted her head to stare at him, memories coming back.
"I told you that they were already serving coffee in the break room."
"And I told you I knew where they serve the best brew."
"You were very persistent," she recalled.
"You were worth it."
They seemed to have forgotten that they were not alone.
"And then you broke up. Why?"
They both swung their attention to the man seated across from them.
"I was busy with my career," Regina said with a shrug, which was only a half-truth.
"And I was grieving for my parents. I wanted to be as far away from here as possible."
"He asked me to come with him and I said no."
"And now you're reunited."
"Yes." Craig absently trailed a finger down the back of her neck, sending heat spiraling throughout her body.
Regina wondered if he knew what he was doing to her.
"Is that enough interrogation or would you like to know how many times we made love?" Regina stared at the old man over her glass, tapered brows arched.
"That's not necessary." Cecil wondered if he would ever get used to her particular brand of bluntness and seriously doubted it.
But he liked her. He could not have chosen better for the boy.
His head lifted to meet Craig's eyes, his face expressionless.
"I'm tired," he declared abruptly.
"And it's time for my medicine. Damned nuisance."
He rose unsteadily and reached for his cane, standing still when Regina also rose and came to stand in front of him. "You're not such a mean old grouch after all, I can tell."
Something flickered in his eyes briefly and was gone.
"I am meaner. I expect the wedding to take place within the month."
"That I can agree to," she told him. He stiffened when she lifted a hand to touch his weathered cheek.
"Take care of yourself."
Craig watched the interplay with avid interest and realized that she had done the impossible and had charmed the old man. He was fighting not to show it, but it was there, which meant the plan was already working.
Rising, he made his way towards them to take Regina's hand. "We should get going."
"Will you be spending the night at her place?" Cecil asked gruffly.
"That I can safely say is none of your business." Tugging on her hand, he guided her from the room.
They said nothing to each other even on the drive home, each submerged in their own thoughts.
It was when he pulled up outside her apartment that he finally broke the silence. "Thanks for tonight," he said quietly, leaving the engine idling.
"It was mutually beneficial." She hesitated briefly, before unhooking her belt and turning towards him.
"I don't want you kissing me again. In order for this to work, we have to remember it's just business."
"You liked it."
"That's beside the point. We cannot muddle things up by getting personal. It's not."
"I'll make a note of it."
His sarcasm was ignored. Pushing the door open, she hopped out.
"Goodnight."
He sat there for several minutes, even when she went inside and closed her door