Bedding The Billionaire(21)

"No." She held up the roll of film to the light. "But you'll take money to create the illusion of it."

"That's different."

"If believing that makes you happy, then go ahead and think it, Abbey Girl. It sure doesn't worry me what anyone thinks about this whole thing. As soon as I get these processed, I'll send them up to your lover's wife and cash in. That's all I care about."

"You're cheaper than me," Abbey said with a grin. Lucy's irreverent attitude was somehow reassuring. Her friend was right, and Abbey knew it, deep down. She just had to admit to herself that it actually was about money-just not Damien Vane's. And not in exchange for sex.

"And he's not my lover," she added. "Well, technically he was, but not any more. I'm not going anywhere near Le Meridian, or even Collins Street for that matter, until he's left. I may be poor but I've got my pride."

"Good for you." Lucy slipped Abbey a sly smile. "You know, if you'd taken that money, we could be sipping cocktails about now."

Abbey playfully threw a pencil at her friend. It missed her by a mile. "Stop reminding me about the money. After the crap I heard come out of that arrogant jerk's mouth, I probably should've taken it. The guy's attitude is stuck in the Nineteen Eighties. I don't think the word 'sensitive' is even in his vocabulary."

"Pity I wasn't there," Lucy said having another look over the negatives. "I would've given him a talking to about how to treat a lady."

"And he'd turn around and tell you I wasn't a lady." Abbey sighed. She definitely hadn't behaved like a lady last night. She'd never slapped anyone across the face before, although she'd been tempted to in Tarken's office on Monday morning. 

Damien Vane had had it coming though. Despite what Lucy said, being called a hooker was an insult, no matter how honest the mistake.

Besides, if she were a hooker, what did that make him? Pathetic, that's what.

She was going to forget Damien Vane.

"Vane by name, vain by nature," Abbey mumbled.

"Now, now, leave the poor guy alone. I think you just confused the hell out of him. He obviously needed to get laid and you just happened to be conveniently on his doorstep at the time."

"Lucky me."

"Hey, now I like this one." She pointed to one of the negatives. "It's quite artistic, if I do say so myself. I think we'll send Mrs. Vane this one. It doesn't show your face, so your anonymity will be preserved, but it has a great shot of him at the moment of truth. Here, have a look." Lucy couldn't afford to buy expensive digital cameras-not the kind that could do everything she needed-and she said she liked working with the older models anyway.

She shoved the roll under her friend's nose. Abbey turned away and held up her hands in protest. "No, I don't want to see them. I don't want to be reminded of my stupidity, okay? And I wish you wouldn't study those so closely. It's bad enough knowing you saw everything when it actually happened."

Lucy grinned. "Don't worry, Abbey Girl. I only saw up to the moment when you got dressed. I didn't see the slap."

Abbey frowned. "You know what I mean. Did you really have to watch the whole thing?"

Lucy stood. "Hell yes! It was fantastic! My own private p**n o movie. And this camera's a beauty. I zoomed in real close -"

"Lucy!"

Lucy laughed and Abbey couldn't help joining in. Her friend may be crude and probably did watch the whole thing, but she was discrete, and would never let anyone know what had happened. It was between the two of them. Strangely, Abbey felt just a little closer to Lucy because of it.

Last night, when she'd got back to the office block across the road from Le Meridian, Abbey had sprung Lucy in the middle of the floor of the darkened foyer, on top of the naked building supervisor. She coughed, once, but they either ignored her or were too involved in each other to notice. When the panting and gasping got too much for her, she'd waited outside until Lucy joined her.

Since then, Abbey had been thinking about Damien-and sex with Damien-non-stop. She alternated between hot flushes and cold anger. It wasn't fair that a man had that much power over her that he could change her body temperature just by thinking about him.

The phone rang on the desk and Abbey jumped.

Lucy picked it up. "Richmond P.I. How can I help you?"

She paused, pulled a face, and handed the receiver to Abbey.

"Who is it?"

"Tarken. Tell him where to go so we can go out for a drink."

Abbey sighed and put the phone to her ear. "What do you want, Tarken?"

"First of all, you can tell that slutty friend of yours that I'm not going anywhere until we've sorted everything out, Abbey." Tarken's voice softened. "I mean that. I want you back. I need you."