She crossed her arms, seething as she turned her head to stare out the window at the traffic around them, trying to ignore his dominating presence beside her. It was going to be a long drive to the country house in Connecticut, and she had no intention of making small talk with him.
She sank into the supple leather seat, resting her head back facing away from him, then closed her eyes. She was tired and the feel of the moving car soothed her. As annoyed as she was, after a while she felt herself dozing off.
“Chelsea, we’re here,” Zane said softly.
Her eyelids popped open and she sat up, fighting the comforting feel of his voice curling through her.
He smiled. “You always did have trouble sleeping the day before travel.”
She frowned, hating that he knew her so well.
She glanced at the large mansion with the lovely garden out front and the stone path leading to the impressive entrance. Double doors with beveled glass that glinted in the sunlight, two large potted plants on either side filled with tall green plants and colorful flowers.
The driver opened the car door and she stepped out. The lilacs were in bloom and she breathed in the sweet scent, unable to stop a smile from curling her lips. She’d always loved lilacs. The unbidden memory of Zane planting those bushes after their parents died flashed through her brain. Her father wanted an orderly garden with neatly groomed, very traditional plants. For some reason, he didn’t consider lilacs to be among them.
But Zane had known she liked lilacs and put them in that very first summer. That action had seemed so at odds with everything else she remembered about that time.
As the driver retrieved her bags from the trunk, Zane took her arm to lead her along the path, but she tugged her arm free and walked on her own. He didn’t push it and just walked along beside her.
When they reached those impressive doors, she waited while Zane unlocked them. As soon as she stepped inside, her breath caught as potent emotions bubbled through her. This was where she had lived with her parents. Memories of her mother’s smiling face and how she always used to greet Chelsea at the door after school made her heart ache. She missed her mother so much. Especially being held by her and feeling the love of being so truly and lovingly cared for.
She glanced around. When she’d first come here as a child, she’d been enamored of the huge chandelier hanging in the entrance because of its myriad of glittering crystals. And she’d always wanted to use the heavy oak banister of the large, curved staircase as a slide, but her father would never allow it.
Her father had had a lot of rules. She thought things would change when Zane became her guardian and moved in, but he’d had his own rules.
The driver entered the house with her bags.
“Take them up to the first bedroom on the left,” Zane instructed.
“No,” Chelsea said. She did not want to stay in her childhood room. “I’d rather one of the guest rooms.”
Aside from the desire to keep old memories at bay, she also didn’t like the idea of being right next to his bedroom. But Zane directed the driver to take her bags to the bedroom across the hall. Since his room was the width of the wing, that bedroom shared a wall with his, too. But she wasn’t in the mood to fight about it.
She followed the driver upstairs.
“Come down by seven o’clock,” Zane instructed. “I have a meal prepared.”
She just nodded, too tired to argue.
She got settled in her room. It had been redecorated since she’d last been here and it was exquisite in jewel tones and cherry furniture. Her cell phone trilled, indicating a text message, which reminded her she’d meant to text Bill as soon as she got here.
She sat down on the chaise longue and grabbed her cell phone from her purse, then pulled up the text from Bill.
Where are you? I thought you were returning today?
It turns out I’m staying the weekend, she tapped in. I was just going to text you.
You weren’t on the flight. I was worried.
He’d come to meet her? She hadn’t expected that. Now she felt badly that she hadn’t let him know sooner. Bill seemed to be looking out for her more than usual lately and she’d been getting the impression that maybe he wanted to evolve their relationship beyond just a business partnership to something romantic. Bill was an attractive man and they had a lot in common. And he was very respectful of her opinions, something she hadn’t been used to before meeting him, but the idea of getting involved with him… She wasn’t sure. Which was crazy because everything indicated that they’d be perfect together.
Sorry, I just got to the house. I’ll be in Connecticut until Monday.
I can’t believe you decided to stay after all. You were adamant you wouldn’t.
Yeah, things changed. I’ll tell you about it when I get back. Have a good weekend.
It was actually Thursday, so for her it would be a long weekend.
She put away her phone and pulled out her tablet, then read some of the emails she’d had on hold. After she finished that, she noticed her watery eyes and runny nose were back. She always got this way when she traveled and the allergy medicine she’d taken earlier had worn off, so she retrieved another from her purse and took it.
Damn, tension thrummed through her at being stuck here under Zane’s control, but she had no intention of obediently trotting downstairs at seven o’clock as instructed. She knew there would be a confrontation, but that was still an hour away. She decided to take a nice hot bath to reduce her stress. Soaking in the big tub was nice, but when she got out and pulled on her silk robe, her stomach was still wound in knots. She settled on the chaise again and began to read a book on her tablet.
At seven fifteen, a loud knock sounded at the door.
“Chelsea, I told you dinner was at seven.”
Had he really believed she would simply obey after what he’d done? Of course, she knew he did. He was that arrogant.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You are, but clearly you intend to be stubborn. I insist, however.”
She glared at the door. “You can insist all you want. I’m not coming down.”
Then her breath caught as she heard a key in the lock and the door opened.
In all the time they’d lived together, he’d never breached a locked door. He’d always allowed her that level of control.
Clearly, things had changed.
His stern gaze caught on her, then drifted down her body and over her legs, searing her.
God, it had never been… he’d never looked at her like that.
She had felt a strong attraction to him, she couldn’t deny that, but he had always been cool. Detached.
But at this moment, the heat in his gaze could make her go up in flames.
She pulled her robe tighter around her as she stood up. She wished it was longer and wanted to tug the hem down to cover more of her thighs.
It was unmistakable. The heat in his eyes was pure, unadulterated lust.
And she felt herself reacting to it. Her insides pulsing with need. Old memories of dreams she’d had when she was eighteen where she’d sneak into his room in the middle of the night and climb into his bed, then convince him to take her body in an intimate dance of passion. Images of his big arms around her… his big cock sliding into her…. claiming her completely…sent her totally off balance.
“I invited you here because I wanted to spend time with you. If you won’t come downstairs, then I’ll spend time with you here.”
Oh, God, no. Wearing only her small robe, totally naked underneath… with his masculine presence dominating the room… she felt far too vulnerable.
She stared at him, knowing her eyes must be wide but unable to hide her discomfiture. She bit her lip and his hard gaze softened.
“Chelsea, I just want to have dinner with you and spend the evening together. It’s no big deal.”
She drew in a deep breath and nodded, her throat too tight to manage uttering actual words.
“Good. Now get dressed and meet me downstairs in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir.” The words just slipped from her mouth.
When he gazed at her, something flickered in his eyes, but she couldn’t read the emotion. Maybe he thought she was being sarcastic. Whatever it was, he nodded and left the room. As soon as the door closed, she sighed in relief.
* * *
Zane glanced up as Chelsea descended the stairs. The sight of her took his breath away. She was as beautiful as always. Tall and slim in her tailored dress, but rounded in all the right places. Her chestnut hair, pinned up in a tight coif, was brushed to a high gloss. In fact, all of her was polished, from her designer outfit, to her immaculate manicure. A sharp contrast from the way he’d seen her ten minutes ago.
He couldn’t get that image out of his mind. She’d looked all soft and feminine in her short sexy robe, her long hair cascading past her shoulders in gleaming waves. Her bare legs, and the deep, alluring V of skin visible where her robe wrapped around her had been unsettling. He’d wanted to walk up to her and pull that robe open. To feast his eyes on the sight of her naked body beneath.
As much as he wanted her… and from the heat in her gaze, he was sure she wanted him, too… he’d resisted.
But he didn’t know how long he could hold back.
When he’d returned from the UK right after their parents had died, he’d been blown away by how beautiful she was at sixteen. When he moved in to be her guardian, he’d quickly realized that his growing desire for her would become a problem. He’d tried to convince himself that she was just too young, that at twenty-six he shouldn’t have these feelings for a sixteen year old, but nothing could convince him that he didn’t want her. So he’d had to pull back and keep a cool demeanor.