Her godmother continued, "It'll be small, maybe twelve to sixteen. Garrett's not here, of course, and won't be able to make it, but I don't see why the rest of my kids shouldn't get to attend."
"Nick's still out of town," Courtney warned, knowing he was still on the west coast. His emergency trip to California was the only reason she still retained her virginity.
"Oh, is he? He's never gone long. Maybe he'll be back in time," Justine replied.
Courtney kept her eyes closed as the long hours began to catch up with her while the other woman rattled on about the party. Justine went through a running commentary on what foods to serve, which couples she would invite. After a bit, Courtney actually felt herself falling asleep and was only hearing bits and pieces of the one-sided dialogue.
"Damian will come . . . handsome boy . . . I think the two of you would make a darling couple. I know you must agree, don't you, sweetheart? Especially since there's no one special in either of your lives right now."
Courtney's eyes flew open and her head snapped toward Justine as disbelief consumed her. "I'm sorry, what?"
Justine didn't reply as she concentrated on making a lane-change in the heavy traffic and Courtney asked with impatience, "Did you say something about Damian . . . and me?" She couldn't contain the half-horrified shriek that came from her throat.
"Well, yes, sweetheart. Don't you think he's perfect . . . and handsome? Obviously, I know I'm biased as he's my son, but you can't deny how handsome he is."
Courtney couldn't stop her jaw from dropping open. Damian . . . and her? The idea was absurd. Ludicrous. Damian was like a . . . a brother to her . . . an aloof, I'm-too-busy-to-deal-with-you, older brother. Was he handsome? Undoubtedly. If you liked a cynical, stone-faced, totally-wrapped-up-in-making-money businessman.
She immediately felt guilty at her harsh assessment of his character. She truly loved Damian. She really did. But not in a romantic way. God, no. The idea was horrifying.
At her continued silence, Justine glanced over. "Oh, darling, were you asleep? I'm sorry. Close your eyes again. We'll get you home in a bit."
Courtney took the excuse given and did as suggested, swiftly closing her eyes.
The next couple of days flew by. Courtney ignored Justine's reference to a relationship with Damian as if the woman had never mentioned it. Instead, she threw herself into her new job. Garrett emailed her a list of instructions every morning, and his directions were so meticulous she rarely needed any guidance.
She spent the evenings getting about half of her belongings moved from Nick's penthouse back to Justine's house. But even that living arrangement had to be temporary; she needed her own place.
Since Nick was out of town for a few days, it made it easier on Courtney because he couldn't stand over her and try to stop her while she packed. Not that she'd had much of an opportunity to unpack everything; she'd only spent a few nights here before returning to Florida for Garrett.
But even though Nick wasn't around, that didn't mean he didn't breathe fire over her via text messages.
The first text came the evening after she'd arrived back in St. Louis. You're back home?
No doubt Garrett had clued him in. Her answer was short and sweet. Yes.
What are you doing?
Hmmm. He wasn't going to like it. Why not get it over with and tell him the truth? Moving back to your mother's.
Why?
Because that's where I live.
His text reply came back immediately. Not anymore, you don't.
Wow, okay. That was straightforward. How to respond? Are you planning on telling your mother that I live with you?
She'll figure it out sooner or later.
Probably sooner. She's having a party tomorrow night and guess what she's gotten into her mind this time?
No telling.
Courtney took a deep breath and went ahead and keyed the words in. She's trying to set me up with your brother.
Nick had been answering back within seconds but now there was nothing from his end.
Courtney waited. And then she waited some more. And then she texted a prompt. Nick?
Yeah?
Ugh. Sometimes it was like pulling teeth with him! What do you think about that?
Garrett's out of town, so I'm assuming she means Damian?
Yes.
His reply came swiftly. She's either out of her mind or she knows something's going on between us.
Courtney stared at the words and swallowed hard. Well, it was true. She and Nick both knew it; there was something going on between them. But had Justine figured it out? Was she trying to throw Damian into the mix to force a confession from Courtney? Or a confrontation with Nick? She took a deep breath and thought about it. There was no question; Justine could be wily when she wanted to be.
Christ. Poor Damian. He was caught in the middle of all this. Courtney almost cringed with embarrassment. Did he even know what his mother was up to?
She waited too long to respond and her phone vibrated again with Nick's response. Whatever. Don't move out of the penthouse.
Looking at the last box she intended to move that evening she sighed. I'm already doing it.
Best not.
I am.
No answer. Courtney loaded the remaining box in her car and pushed the ignition button. Just as she was about to pull out of the parking spot, her phone vibrated again.
She slid the bar across and stared at Nick's text. Stay the fuck away from Damian.
She studied the words and a combustible heat spread through her limbs at the jealousy Nick couldn't contain, even via text. She struggled to control the pleasure that was invading her bloodstream because, really, there wasn't anything good about jealousy. She quickly lost the battle, and a tiny smile she couldn't control broke out on her lips.
But still, she didn't dignify his text with a response.
Nick landed at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and forty-five minutes later parked a couple of houses down from his mother's newly refurbished home. The party that he'd declined to attend looked to be in full swing, with lights blazing and the circular driveway full of top-of-the-line vehicles.
He wasn't in the mood for a party. He wasn't in the mood for idle chitchat. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his mother or her friends.
So why the hell was he here? He trusted Damian. But Nick had never really come straight out and claimed Courtney for himself, had he? Damian couldn't know his intentions. So it was probably best to head off that particular collision if he could.
Walking around to the back of the house, he slid in through the back door and made his way around the secondary staircase and came to the point where the living area merged with the rear hallway. He could see the guests from here, but they shouldn't be able to see him unless they were looking at the exact spot where he stood.
It wasn't his intention to join the party. It was only his intention to observe. And from his vantage point, he could plainly see the living room and the front entrance.
He glanced around and spotted Courtney immediately. She wore a bright yellow sundress that made her skin and hair look luminous. The material clung to her torso, and accentuated the curves of her breasts. Even from this distance, he could see that she was wearing the charm he'd given her all those years ago. That was no surprise, to the best of his knowledge, she always wore it.
As she chatted with a female friend of his mother's, he watched as she picked up the charm and fingered it lightly.
His chain. Wrapped around her neck. A sharp jolt of possession slid down his spine and produced a throbbing heat in his jeans. He was staring at the curve of her lips when he heard Damian's arrival through the front door. Nick clearly saw the color bleed from Courtney's face when she noticed his brother's arrival, but then it came flooding back and her features were suddenly transformed by a radiant smile.
What the fuck?
Twisting his head toward where she watched the front entrance, he immediately realized what had caused her enjoyment. Damian had brought a woman.
Nick couldn't help it; pleasure and wicked satisfaction shot through him at his brother's rebellion against their interfering mother.
He watched as Courtney followed in his mother's wake to where Damian stood with the woman he'd brought, waiting her turn to greet the couple. After Damian made the introductions and his mother welcomed them, Courtney received them with a smile and a kiss on the cheek for Damian.
As Nick continued to loiter in the background, with some surprise he checked out the girl who Damian held plastered to his side in a death grip. The woman didn't fit his brother's usual conservative mode at all, her style of dress definitely leaning toward gothic. She was pretty, no question, and there was also no question that Damian had her trapped against him with a territorial hand clenched around her waist.
Nick had never seen that exact look on his brother's face before, and he doubted Damian could fake it that well just for their mother's sake.
Interesting. Very fucking interesting.
Nick was just about to relax a degree when his mother went to work and began doing her thing. Son-of-a-bitch. Before any time had elapsed at all, the manipulating woman had somehow separated Damian from his date and now had the poor girl cornered, interrogating her, or so it seemed to Nick from his vantage point.
Several businessmen waylaid Damian, and somehow, Courtney ended up standing in the same circle of guests, right beside his brother.
From where he stood, Nick could see the slender lines of her body as she stood infinitely still within the circle of men. He could see the required smile that was plastered on her face, saw the feminine curve of her waist and his penis twitched and engorged in his pants. He tried fighting his arousal, but it was no use. His cock throbbed with primitive need.