Bedding The Billionaire(46)

She held out a hand to hail a passing taxi.

"Where are you going?" Vane asked, grabbing her waist tighter.

"Home. I'm tired. Thanks for a, uh, nice evening."

Vane looked like a child denied dessert. "But I thought that you were... I mean that maybe we could have a drink first."

Abbey feigned a yawn. "I'm very tired."

Vane frowned, then his face suddenly brightened. "I have a secret to tell you," he said. "Something to do with me and Vane."

Abbey stepped away from the curb and the approaching taxi. "Go on."

"Come upstairs with me and I'll tell you there."

Abbey doubted he would tell her anything but her curiosity was getting the better of her. Maybe she could go upstairs and see what he had to say while stopping him from clawing at her body. It might be completely insane to go to this guy's room-it probably was-but she had a burning desire to find out why Nick was lying to her. She wanted to know what was going on. She needed to know, more than anything else right now.

She drew in a deep breath and nodded. She hoped she wasn't about to make a huge mistake. How sleazy was this guy anyway? Surely Nick wouldn't have let her leave with a homicidal maniac. 

His room was on the floor below Nick's and wasn't as large. He closed the door behind Abbey and pushed her back against it. He kissed her.

Repulsed, she placed both hands to his chest and shoved him away.

"What?" he cried. "Don't play hard to get now."

"I'm not playing anything with you, Vane, especially anything that involves us having to touch."

"Awe, now come on, Babe."

She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Don't call me Babe. I'm not your Babe." She drew in a deep breath and crossed her arms. She wasn't moving from the door. At least with her back to it he couldn't get his arms around her and grope her rear like he'd been doing all the way to the hotel.

"Hey," he said, frowning. "You called me Vane. I'm Nick Delaware remember." He leaned in as if to kiss her. "Silly girl."

"Don't give me that crap. I know who you are. What I want to know is why the secrecy?"

Vane shifted his weight and chewed on his lower lip. "How long have you known?"

"Since this afternoon."

"So why the big charade at the party?"

"You tell me. You and the real Nick Delaware seemed to have concocted some elaborate scheme to trick me. I want to know why. I want to know what's going on, and you'd better tell me. Now!"

Vane held his palms up, defensive. "Beats me. You should ask him, he's the boss. He doesn't let me in on his reasons. Although I do know it has something to do with a woman. I assume that woman is you."

Abbey blew out a breath. So she was right. Nick was trying to fool her for some reason. Damn him. What was he playing at?

"Looks like his plan backfired though," said Vane, suddenly grinning.

"What makes you say that?"

Vane placed both hands against the door, one on either side of Abbey's head. "You're here with me aren't you? Something tells me that wasn't part of his plan."

She shrunk away from him. "Aren't you worried about losing your job?"

"He's already fired me, so I don't think it matters if I sleep with his girlfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend."

"Then why did he drink himself into oblivion while watching us? Looked like jealousy to me."

Abbey shrugged in a way she hoped was casual, although her heart had skipped several beats. Nick was jealous? "Maybe he was just enjoying the free champagne."

Vane shook his head. "I've never seen Delaware drink so much before. It's not in his nature. He likes to be in control and that means staying sober." He smirked and backed away from Abbey. "I didn't think he was human until tonight. You must have had quite an effect on him to get him into such a state."

Abbey lowered her eyes so Vane couldn't see them. Damn. This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to feel sorry for Nick. All she wanted to do was make him jealous and then leave him. Forever.

She'd achieved the jealous part it seemed. So far so good. Then why was her heart thumping so hard? And why did the leaving part make her stomach churn?

"I have to go," she said. Suddenly all she wanted to do was find Nick.

She opened the door and was into the corridor before Vane could stop her.

"Hey, where are you going, Babe?"

"None of your business. And I'm not your Babe."

Vane chuckled. "Going to find Delaware? That the guy just put you through a test and you failed. I don't think he's going to be too receptive towards you."

Abbey spun round. "A test? What do you mean?"

Vane shrugged. "I think that's what this was all about. He was testing you to see if you went for me thinking I was Delaware. You know he's loaded. He thought you were only interested in the money." His lips curled into a grin. "Guess he was wrong, since you already knew who was who and you still came back with me."