Page 58 of Marcel

Both women watchedhim walk away, his long legs bare from the lower thighs down, showingthe strong muscles of his legs and the dark hairs covering them.

Turning her head,just as Beth sighed, Nikki grinned at her. “I am not offendedin the least.”

“Believe me,darling, I am completely in love with my husband, but that man ofyours is too gorgeous for words.”

Beth turned her headto look at the woman lying on the chaise lounge. Nikki had playedseveral vigorous sets of tennis, and there was a healthy sheen ofmoisture on her exquisite face. She had twisted her heavy hair into aponytail, and several strands clung to her cheeks.

She was not wearingmakeup, but her skin was dewy and flawless. The set of whites she waswearing contrasted with her caramel complexion. Beth had also seenthe way her husband watched her during the game.

“You two are inlove.”

“We are.”Tipping the bottle to her mouth, Nikki finished the water and put thebottle aside.

“That’s aplus.” The woman turned to look at the men gathered around thesmall tiki bar, a frown touching her forehead.

“Are youokay?”

Swiveling her headaround, Beth offered a smile. “I was deciding whether or not tosay anything.”

“You are freeto say whatever is on your mind. I am not easily offended, and wejust signed a contract with your husband to represent your verylucrative company.” Nikki reminded her.

Beth nodded, hergreen eyes a little troubled. “I am an acquaintance of SimoneWellington.”

Nikki kept herexpression neutral with incredible difficulty.

“Acquaintance?”

“Yes. We are inthe same Pilates group, and she has been spreading these rumors.”

“About?”

“Yourhusband. You.”

“And theserumors- what are they?”

“That you twogot married because of some arrangement.” Beth stared at heranxiously, wondering why she had brought up the topic in the firstplace. “But looking at the two of you, I can see she islying.”

“She is notlying.”

Beth blinked at her.“Pardon?”

Smiling whimsically,Nikki angled her head to stare at the man leaning against the bar.Marcel was wearing all white, and the tennis shirt bearing hisinitials was stitched above his left breast, flattering his broadshoulders.

She had seen himworking out in the gym in his apartment downstairs and had evenstarted working out with him. Last night, they had been honest witheach other and promised that from now on there would not be anysecrets between them. She did not care what that spiteful bitch hadto say.

“Nikki?”

“We enteredinto the marriage because we wanted something from each other. I amnot at liberty to go into the intricacies of it, and even if I wasprepared to do so, it’s no one’s goddamn business.

We entered into anarrangement, and now we are in love, so Simone Wellington can takeout an ad, go to the top of the highest building uptown, and spin hervenom; it doesn’t matter. You can tell her I said that.”

Beth stared at thewoman with new respect. “My husband told me you are one hell ofa lawyer, and I am starting to believe it,” she said with asmile. “The only reason I brought it up was to warn you.”

“About what?”

“About her.”Beth turned her head to look at the men at the bar. “She isbitter and feels that you are standing in her way.”

“She isdelusional.”

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