CHAPTER TWO #5
Oh, and she’d love a front row seat to that.
Richard thought he’d had her figured out.
He fully expected her to conform to his wishes.
He started buying her clothes without her consent, planning which social clubs she was going to belong to and worst of all, who she could be friends with.
Seeing him again, and the way he looked at her, made her realize that he thought nothing had changed no matter that he was engaged.
He wasn’t going to give up. It made horrible memories flood back to her and she shuddered.
Yet, when she looked at it in Lance’s way, it actually removed some of the angst she had in meeting her family again.
She was pretending to be engaged to a man richer than her family who didn’t mind what she did for a living.
Yes, this could be something she needed to get her mother off her back about Richard.
She was also surprised to hear that Colton had talked to him.
She began to wonder if this whole trip Lance had planned was because of her?
She thought it was sweet that the Hartleys wanted to protect her, but she really wished that he was doing it without his brother’s coaxing.
He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet retrieving his credit card despite her refusal. “I have a feeling that the type of dress I want for you is not in your budget. Let’s say we take this over the top. You chose, but keep my ideas in mind.”
She looked down at the black card credit card he held out to her. She’d never seen one before, but she knew the card and the color. The balance was limitless.
He was right, though. She didn’t have the money for what he expected. Yet, she couldn’t take his money either.
“You can pay me back later,” he added not meaning a word of it.
“You are lying.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up. His eyes remained steady on hers. “I really don’t indulge much, Tammy, in women and myself. I don’t mind. I won’t miss it. You are pretty much a part of our family. We don’t pay you half of what you’re worth.”
He doesn’t indulge? This penthouse must’ve been worth at least thirty million. She pinched her eyes shut resisting the offer. Suddenly she felt his hand on hers pressing the card into the palm. She opened her eyes and stared at him then the card.
“Please. I insist,” he said softly—deeply.
Please? It was only one word, but her knees jellied, her heart started thumping in her chest and her breath stilled in her lungs. She didn’t know what made her do it, but she wrapped her long slender fingers around the card and nodded. “If you wish.”
“I do.” The triumphant smile he gave her made it entirely worth it.
She shook her head as she walked away. He was so smooth. She was completely hypnotized.
***
She came back just before six, and Lance met her in the private landing outside the elevator. Vern must’ve called ahead of time to let him know they were coming.
She began to see that Vern wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but he had kind eyes.
He was polite and waited patiently while she was in store after store trying on dresses.
She actually felt guilty, but he never indicated any impatience.
Like her, he seemed to have pride in his job.
She’d thanked him numerous times for his help.
He always replied that she was welcome and it was no inconvenience.
Vern held the hanger with a dress in an enclosed opaque cover, and she had a store boutique bag of extras.
She really enjoyed herself, but couldn’t help feel a little guilty.
She actually did buy the dress herself, but used his card for the shoes.
It had been years since she indulged, and it wasn’t with her money.
Yet, Lance didn’t even seem the least bit affected when Vern handed him the hanger and read the script of the shop she’d bought it from on the cover.
He lifted his brows and looked at her as if to say ‘good girl’.
She blushed again. “I bought it myself Lance, but you did purchase me a stunning pair of shoes,” she felt the need to explain.
Really, he seemed satisfied that she at least took his offer in some way. It eased her guilt a little.
“That’s fine.” He then thanked Vern and dismissed him before heading down the hall to her room. “This way Tam.”
She followed him because she didn’t know which one was hers. She was certain the penthouse had more than two rooms. It turned out, he’d put her in the one right beside his. She felt a thrill go through her.
“Next to mine, it’s the biggest,” he explained nonchalantly, as he laid the bag containing the dress across the end of the bed.
“It’s beautiful.” Like with everything else in the house it was decorated with soft tone blues and greys. It was masculine, but welcoming. “I like it.”
“I thought you would. How about you get ready, and meet me in the great room. I’ll give you a tour.”
“I’d love that.”
Being on her own, and on a fixed budget, and meeting tight schedules, had trained her to get dressed in record time.
Her short hair made it easier. Within twenty minutes she was ready.
Well, she had to hand it to him, he knew fashion.
She swirled around in the dressing room in front a full length mirror.
The dress spun around her ankles showing her three inch silver heels, which he’d bought.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d paid four hundred dollars for a pair of shoes.
A small piece of her was thrilled at the indulgence.
Furthermore, her figure was definitely flattered by this gorgeous dress.
Her shoulders were bare and her neck looked elegantly long with the short hair.
She didn’t go with the open back, but chose one with a hidden bustier which enhanced her small waist, but she was quite slender to begin with.
Her breasts were pushed up slightly like they would be with a push up bra.
They weren’t big, but they weren’t small either.
She lifted and adjusted them through the material.
She never gave much thought to them before, but she honestly wondered what kind of breasts Lance preferred.
Tessa was well endowed, but she had an hourglass figure.
So they suited her. Elaina was a little taller than Tessa, but not as slender as Tammy was and possessed that same hourglass figure.
Tammy was taller than both of them and the heels added another three inches to her five-seven height.
She retrieved a Ziploc bag from her luggage with the only jewelry in the world that she owned.
Her grandmother’s pearls also given to her through the will.
She donned the necklace and matching earrings.
Then she put on a little makeup and after one final look, went to find Lance.
Like he said, he was in the great room waiting.
It was at the other end of the long wide hall, past the door to the private landing of the elevator.
She paused. The room was enormous. There were massive windows at the far wall that overlooked the streets and other building tops in the neighborhood.
The ceilings must’ve been over twelve feet high with scalloped edges, much like his bedroom.
The walls were tastefully decorated with expensive artwork.
That wasn’t what drew her attention the most though.
He was a sight to behold. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit, striped shirt and light grey tie.
The cut of the suit accentuated every perfect masculine line he possessed.
He had a fantastic posture, and nice straight, firm shoulders.
His light brown eyes stood out in contrast to his dark hair.
She’d never seen any man fill out a suit like he could.
He was immaculate, and the look spoke volumes to her gender.
It said sex, sex in a suit. Not good sex, but fantastic, mind blowing, hot, muscular, six-foot-two sex, walking around in an expensive suit.
God! This was going to be a long night. This was definitely a man who knew himself and how he presented to others.
When he saw her he smiled, and there went her knees again.
She near stumbled coming down the two steps to the room.
She smiled sheepishly. “New shoes.” This was going to be a tough few days if she was staying with him.
He looked amused as he bent and picked up two glasses of wine off the table next to him.
She was able to recover from her near mishap and managed to walk gracefully towards him. For once she was thankful for the etiquette classes she was forced to go to. She could not keep the smile off of her face after seeing him.
“White wine.” He handed her a glass.
“You remembered.”
“I rarely forget anything,” he said with conviction.
That sounded almost salacious. She averted her gaze for a moment and took a sip of the wine. It wasn’t too dry, and tasted delicious—expensive.
“I thought you could use a confidence booster before we went to your parents.” He raised his glass slightly before taking a drink himself.
“How right you are.” Her eyes went to the view. “This is breathtaking.”
“We have a few minutes. Come, I’ll give you a tour,” he said with a tilt of his head.
“I’d really like that.”
He walked her through the first floor explaining every room as he went.
It had around seventy five hundred square feet in total on both the ninth and tenth floors of the building.
Beside the great room, there was the master and four bedrooms on the ninth floor, a play room for billiards and a wet bar, and a decent sized gym.
Three more bedrooms, a media room, and a library, plus the kitchen were on upper floor.
The entire penthouse was furnished with priceless art.
She was certain she didn’t blink once worried she’d miss something.