Bound By Marriage(17)

"I wanted to keep things intimate, limit it to my close friends."

Jess knew Sylvie wasn't grandstanding. Part of a respected and wealthy  family, she'd grown up circulating amongst these people. Jess was the  odd woman out.

"I think dinner's ready to be served," Sylvie announced. "Why don't we  head into the dining room? I've put place cards at the table-thought  it'd be fun for us to mingle."

Jess had an odd feeling she knew exactly where the other woman would be  sitting and with whom. She wasn't far off the mark. Though Sylvie hadn't  placed herself at the head of the table but in the middle, she'd put  Gabriel to her right and another man to her left.

Jess faced the birthday girl, having been sandwiched between a woman  known nationwide for her society parties, and a fashionably dressed male  who she thought was supposed to be Sylvie's official date.

Gabe stood up, wineglass in hand. Everyone went silent. "Since Sylvie's  parents are out of the country, she's asked me to do the toast." He  looked down at the other woman. "I think you'd all agree that Sylvie's  achieved some amazing things with her career at a very young age."

Jess gripped her hands together under the table, telling herself that Gabe's comments were no reflection on her.

"She has every reason to be happy with where she is today and to  celebrate this birthday with pride. I invite you all to join me in  congratulating her on everything she's accomplished so far and will  continue to accomplish. Happy birthday Sylvie."

Cheers sounded around the table and a beaming Sylvie put her hand on  Gabe's arm as he sat back down. Jess made herself look away by sheer  effort of will. She refused to give Sylvie the satisfaction of appearing  a needy, jealous wife. At that second, her eyes clashed into those of  the man beside her.

He smiled. "I'm Jason."

"Jess." She tried to relax. "So, Jason, what do you do?"

"I'm a lawyer, I'm afraid. Oh, excuse me." He turned away to answer a question from the woman on his other side.

"Jessica, my dear, I've been waiting to speak to you."

Surprised, Jess looked to her left. "Mrs. Kilpatrick?" What could they possibly have to speak about?

"Why didn't you tell me you were such an artist?"

Caught completely by surprise, Jess lowered the juice glass she'd just picked up. "But how did you know?"

"Would you believe I've been friends with Richard Dusevic for years?  Last week we were both in Australia for an important show. The whole  time, he was champing at the bit to get back because his assistant had  rung to say that the package from J.B. Randall had arrived." Mrs.  Kilpatrick's smile lit up her whole face.

"After all that, I had to see the paintings for myself, so I stopped by his gallery before flying down last night."

Jess looked up at the sound of Sylvie's laughter and found Gabe smiling  at the blonde in a way he never did for his wife. Stomach in knots, she  forced her attention back to Mrs. Kilpatrick.

"You could've knocked me over with a feather when I found out J.B. Randall was none other than our very own Jessie!"

"So, Richard liked my work?" Jess asked, hand threatening to crush the glass as Sylvie laughed for the second time.

"Oh, listen to me blather on. I made him promise that I'd be the one to  tell you, being that I've known you since you were a child. He wants to  put on a solo show for you!"                       
       
           



       

Jess was stunned-a solo show for an unknown artist was almost unheard  of. But even the depth of her excitement at the astonishing opportunity  couldn't quell the anger she felt at seeing Sylvie continue to flirt  outrageously with Gabriel.

He didn't seem to be encouraging her but neither was he doing anything to halt her.

"Will you do me a favor?" Jason asked a few minutes later after Mrs.

Kilpatrick's attention had been claimed by someone else.

"What?" She wrenched her eyes from the couple across the table. "Oh, sure. What is it?"

The handsome man leaned close. "Flirt with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Look," he said, putting an arm along the back of her chair, "this might  be Sylvie's party, but she invited me here as her date."

"So?"

"So the fact that she's apparently planning to ignore me the whole night  is not sitting well." He raised an eyebrow. "And if I'm not mistaken,  it's your husband she's trying to reel in."

Jess narrowed her eyes. "Gabriel isn't that easily led."

"But don't you want to make him a little uncomfortable? Stupidly childish of us, I admit, but I don't see him stopping her."

"He can hardly move away," Jess argued, though she'd had the exact same  thought mere seconds ago. Something in her was very, very angry at  Gabriel right now.

Given what she'd overheard two nights ago, it was blatantly clear that  he and Sylvie had had a far deeper relationship than she'd ever before  realized. He might have married Jess, but it was Sylvie to whom he'd  told his secrets. And that was a betrayal Jess couldn't forgive.

Jason leaned closer. "Would it help to know that your husband has suddenly developed an interest in our side of the table?"

It took a huge effort for her to not look in Gabe's direction. "I suppose you think that's your doing?"

"Of course it is. I'm rich, gorgeous and successful, not to mention charming."

"You're a menace, too." She laughed despite herself.

Something in Jason's face underwent a subtle change. "You know, I think I want to flirt with you for real."

"Contain yourself." Jess knew she was treading dangerous waters but she  didn't give a damn. However it had nothing to do with Jason. He was nice  enough and undeniably charming, but the man at the center of her  thoughts sat on the other side of the table.

Her mind screeched to a halt. Since when had Gabriel become the man she  thought about most often? It had always been Damon who occupied that  special place in her heart and soul. But now Gabriel was there and that  terrified her.

"Do you ever travel up to Auckland?" Jason asked, retrieving a business card from his pocket.

She smiled at the thought of the proposed show. "I will be soon."

"Visit me." He passed her his card.

Jess put it carefully beside her plate. "I'm married."

"Doesn't stop some."

"It stops me." She held his gaze.

He gave a rueful shrug. "Keep the card anyway. You might need a lawyer  someday and I'm damn good." Removing his arm from her chair, he reached  for his wineglass and clicked it against the glass she'd just picked up.

Jess managed to keep her head down until after she'd taken a sip of  juice and spooned up some pudding. Her pragmatic nature said that  Gabriel had likely not even noticed Jason's little charade, and even if  he had, he'd hardly have taken it seriously. Still, something in her  hoped otherwise.

Taking a quiet breath, she looked up … into the pure green focus of his  eyes. All the air rushed out of her lungs and her hand rose to curl  around the emerald. It was impossible not to relive the ecstasy of what  had taken place between them after he'd put it on her, but she dropped  her hand soon as she saw that same knowledge in the sardonic curve of  his mouth.

However the damage had already been done. With a single look, Gabriel  had let her know that he'd seen through her ridiculous attempt at  provoking jealousy … and that it had meant nothing to him. Because in the  end, she was his.

Bought and paid for.

A stab of unexpected pain bloomed in her heart. When had the truth  gained the power to wound her so? She'd known the deal was a  cold-hearted one when she'd made it. But suddenly it mattered that she'd  sold herself in marriage to a man who'd never see her as a husband  should see his wife.

She cursed herself for being a hypocrite even as that thought whispered  through her mind. She didn't love Gabe, had always loved Damon. She had  no right to complain if her husband, too, had given away his love long  before she'd come into his life.                       
       
           



       

But it mattered. All at once, everything mattered.

Jess tossed her purse onto the vanity and kicked off her shoes before sitting down on the bed to remove her stockings.

Gabe walked in a second later. "There was a message from Richard Dusevic  on the answering machine. He's going to call again tomorrow."

"Mrs. Kilpatrick already told me what it's about." She related the  details without any of the excitement she'd always thought she'd feel at  this moment.

"Congratulations. Do you have enough pieces for a show?" He crossed the carpet to stand in front of her seated form.

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise in primitive warning.  "Some of the pieces you stored for me-from before L.A., are good enough,  I think. And, I had a lot of time over the past year."