"Get out."
Vane held up his hands as Nick approached him. He shrugged, then nodded, opened the door and closed it behind him without so much as a wave.
Nick punched the back of the couch. It didn't relieve nearly enough tension.
First Abbey had ruined his week, now Vane. Not in exactly the same way, but it was ruined nonetheless. If only Abbey had told him the truth from the start then it didn't have to be this way. He could have wooed her, they could go out on a date like a normal couple, he could tell her who he really was, and...
Who was he kidding? If he told her who he really was then he'd have a permanent visitor from Melbourne in his house. One that was only interested in his money. The next thing he'd know is he was getting married and having kids.
That wasn't Nick Delaware's style.
Nick frowned. An image of Abbey with a child on her hip passed before his eyes. He liked it. He liked it a lot.
Damn, why couldn't he fall for a woman more like him? Someone he knew how to handle. Someone with less...heat. Someone who didn't need money. His money.
Nick dragged a hand through his hair. He stared into space for a moment, then sprinted for the door.
Vane was nowhere in the hall. Nick ran to the elevator, pressed the button then shifted from one foot to the other as he waited for it to arrive. It took forever.
When it did, he jumped in, pushed Ground and ran into the foyer when the doors opened. Vane was chatting up the receptionist.
"Vane." He turned around. "I've changed my mind. Get a room. We'll put your plan into action tomorrow."
"Really?" Vane beamed. "Great. I've always wanted to be CEO."
"I thought you said you already were," said the pouty girl behind the counter.
Vane did some smooth talking, got himself a room and winked at the girl before joining Nick.
Nick hadn't moved. He was thinking about the plan. He'd have to call Abbey and try to get her to go to the cocktail party. That was going to be the hardest part.
"So why the sudden change?" asked Vane. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Nick mumbled turning to the elevator.
"This has something to do with a woman, doesn't it?"
Nick swung round, thunder crashing between his ears. Was he that obvious?
Vane slapped Nick on the shoulder. "Aha, I knew it. Men like me can always tell these things. This is great, Nick, just great. Guys like us need to stick together."
"I'm not like you," growled Nick stepping inside the elevator. Vane followed him.
"Sure, whatever. So, what's the problem, and where do I fit in?"
Nick ignored him.
"Hey, Nick, if I'm going to play the role you need to tell me how to play it. Why do you want me to pretend to be you?"
"I want to see how someone reacts to you."
"Me, or me being you?"
"Whatever."
"Aha. So you're putting this girl through some sort of test."
Nick resisted the urge to grab Vane's shirt and push him back against the elevator wall. He refrained because he knew it would just prove he was right. And he didn't want Vane to know that, not yet.
Because, as much as he hated admitting it even to himself, Vane was right. He wanted to test Abbey. He wanted to see if she gravitated to the moneyed Nick Delaware. If she began flirting with a little jerk like Vane then he'd have his answer.
And he'd get out of her life forever.
CHAPTER 9
"Are you nuts?" Lucy's shouted.
"Possibly," said Abbey. "But I don't want a lecture."
They were in Lucy's office, facing each other across the desk.
"So you're going?"
Abbey nodded. "Why not? Like Tarken said, it's a good opportunity to network. I need a job, Lucy."
"Yes, but there's other ways of getting jobs that don't involve seeing that Vane creep again."
"He's many things, but a creep is not one of them. Besides, it'd be good to get some closure on our relationship."
Lucy threw her hands in the air. "Closure. That's a pathetic excuse. You just want to go to bed with him one last time. And then where will you be? Sobbing in my apartment, that's where, because you've fallen in love with a creep."
"He's not a creep and I'm not in love." She hoped not anyway. "Besides, I deserve some good sex. I need some good sex. Something tells me I'm not going to get it for a while after Damien leaves town."
Lucy looked like she was about to make a smart ass comment when the phone rang. She picked it up.
"Vane? What do you want?"
Abbey straightened. Lucy thrust the phone at her and she drew in a deep breath.
"Abbey," said Damien on the other end. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks." Abbey winced. This was way too formal for two people who'd had great sex together several times over the last few days.