Had she really thought Quasar was going to take her to America as his sweetheart? The idea seemed ridiculous. She'd been swept away on a tide of lust and anticipation and started thinking that anything was possible.
Just the way she had in her marriage. If she'd thought it all through, as her friends suggested, she'd have realized from the start that Gordon was already insecure and controlling. Warning signs were flashing almost from their first date. His obsessive questions about where she'd been and who she'd seen. His preference for her to wear modest clothing and avoid makeup. His enthusiasm for spending every spare minute with her. She'd taken them as signs that he was crazy about her, had traditional values and was going to be a wonderful and doting husband.
She'd been right about one part-he was crazy.
She turned onto her block and cringed at the sight of three of her male neighbors talking in the street. They'd probably mutter under their breath about this wayward woman out and about without a male escort. She lifted her head and smiled, though, and they greeted her. She'd better be polite to everyone, as currently staying here was her best-case scenario, and if she had any sense she'd be grateful to have a roof over her head.
She'd have to apologize to her father. Tell him he was right.
Tears still pricked at her eyeballs and she wanted nothing more than to let them flow down her cheeks again. Her heart clenched at the thought that her lovely romance with Quasar was nothing but a brief fling. Even though she'd been telling herself that all along, trying to protect her heart from this kind of pain.
"Back so soon?" Her father opened the door before she even had a chance to try her key. He must have seen her coming down the street. "Your lover didn't even have the decency to drive you home?"
"He's not my lover." Her voice wore a heavy tone of resignation.
"No? I thought that you intended to live in sin with him in America."
"Not anymore." The confession seemed to sap her last ounce of energy.
"He's turned you away already?" The gleam of triumph in her father's eye made her heart sink further.
The question was so cold and mean that she decided not to answer it. She couldn't even bring herself to apologize. She simply walked toward him, where he stood blocking the hallway to her room, and prayed he'd let her go there in peace. "May I go to my room?" she asked softly.
"Don't disgrace the family." She'd expected a cold retort, but the sad look in her father's eyes cut her even deeper. Then he moved aside to let her pass.
He was trying to do the right thing, from his perspective. She had to remember that. He was afraid that she'd ruin her reputation and be a burden to him for the rest of his life. Maybe he was right to worry. All her exciting prospects for the future had dried up within the last hour.
Quasar hadn't officially dumped her. Not yet, anyway. He probably had his hands full with Laura Larson and wouldn't get to that for the next few days. And maybe not even then. He'd be busy planning his trip to Australia and the sex-filled romp across the outback with Laura wearing her fox fur over nothing but lacy lingerie.
Jealous! She cursed herself for her hateful feelings. Laura Larson hadn't done anything to her except be gorgeous and charming and bubbly and wildly successful. She had no idea she was stealing someone else's man, since she obviously saw Quasar as hers. The proprietary way she'd touched and fondled him left no doubt.
And he'd hardly slapped her hand away like it was an irritant.
In her room, Dani locked the door and carried her laptop to her bed where she sat and opened it with shaking fingers. She needed information. She wanted to see if she could find out how long Quasar and Laura had been together and if there was any further information about their relationship.
She entered their names, quietly hoping for news of a dramatic and tear-filled breakup. Instead she was confronted with picture after picture of them, dressed in stylish clothing at red carpet affairs, dancing together at hot L.A. nightclubs, on Rollerblades at Venice Beach, even shopping together at Whole Foods like a married couple.
Her heart descended further into her chest cavity. She wasn't in the least bit cheered to learn that Laura was twelve years older than Quasar and almost twenty years older than her. Who cared? She looked fabulous and was clearly living life to the fullest. Laura Larson was a woman in control of her own destiny, not one sitting around as an unwelcome guest in her father's house, wondering if she'd ever earn a single penny again, let alone fulfill all her dreams of romance and riches.
Laura Larson Dumps Young Lover, blared one headline. It didn't mention Quasar by name but it was recent and the description-"sexy entrepreneurial sheikh"-fit him to a T. In the article, Laura explained, and Dani could almost hear her giggling as she read it, that she needed to focus on her new role in an upcoming space opera blockbuster. In another article a week later there was speculation that she was dating George Clooney. Then rumors of an affair with Leonardo DiCaprio swirled. Dani began to wonder if Laura's publicist was just sending out press releases to boost her profile, while she was still quietly enjoying the many pleasures of Quasar's company.
He probably didn't care what the tabloids said. He was too busy buying and selling billion-dollar companies and drinking thousand-dollar bottles of champagne.
And making passionate love to Laura Larson.
A tear dripped down onto her keyboard and she cursed her self-pity. She should be congratulating herself on a narrow escape. She could have uprooted herself and gone to Boston with him, only to find herself abandoned while he headed off to enjoy Laura, or any of the other beauties he'd dated before. Or someone new.
He'd flirted with Dani so readily and seduced her so quickly that it was almost ridiculous. Especially as she had good reason to be wary of men! He must possess almost hypnotic powers over women, and they'd certainly worked on her. It was hard to believe that she of all people had allowed him not only to kiss her, but also to seduce her into bed.
Had she lost her mind?
Her phone chimed and made her jump. Was it him? She couldn't resist checking.
Where are you?
She frowned. Had he just noticed that she'd gone missing from the party? It must be nearly an hour since she'd left. He'd probably been so busy with Laura running her hands all over him that he hadn't realized Dani wasn't there for the cake cutting.
She put the phone facedown on the comforter and went back to her laptop screen. Looking at more pictures of him and Laura would save her from weakening. He was all wrong for her. He'd break her heart.
She bit her lip when she realized it was probably already too late to avoid getting her heart broken. She'd become attached to him so quickly, that it was already hard to imagine her life without him
Her phone chimed again. She tried to summon the strength to leave it facedown on her bed. She failed and picked it up, heart racing.
Dani, I've been looking for you everywhere.
I left the party. She'd typed a reply before she could stop herself. And why shouldn't she tell him? It was the truth. She'd have to tell him that she wasn't moving to Boston with him, and why, as well, so there was no point in totally avoiding him.
Though it was essential to keep enough distance that he couldn't work his hypnotic charms on her as usual.
I can see that.
She bit her lip. She wanted to type I miss you, too, but that was some foolish part of her that got swept up in a romantic fantasy that had little to do with what was really going on between them. She put the phone down again and stood staring at it, with her arms crossed, as if daring it to try something.
How did you slip away?
She watched the words appear on the screen, from her safe vantage point a few feet away. Her brain supplied an answer: It wasn't hard. You didn't even notice me leave.
She didn't type that, either.
I need to see you.
Had he decided he preferred her to Laura? Did he now want to apologize for acting as if Laura and he were an item at the party? Or did he just want to keep Dani warm on the back burner in case he wanted some steamy sex later that week.
It was sad how quickly her optimistic, romantic glow had turned cynical.
Will you meet me?
She drew in a deep breath and approached the phone as if it were a snake that might bite her if handled wrong. No.
Did he really think she'd want to see him after he let Laura paw him at the party? He must live in a world of illusion. Then again, of course he did. He'd grown up as one of the storied Al Mansurs, with their millions in oil wealth and everything handed to them on a platter. He was used to women bowing at his feet and doing whatever he wanted.