Page 1 of The Deception: Hercules Valentine and I
The Performance of My Life
Paisley Grove
Suddenly, I know how a deer caught in headlights feels. I’m aware that my demise is rapidly approaching, but I can’t race off and save myself. Instead, my derriere is glued to my seat as Hercules makes his approach. He’s observing me with an intensely probing gaze that I’m familiar with. My breathing has sped up. I’m afraid that the longer he looks at me that way, the closer he'll get to remembering who I am.
“Oh my…” Lake whispers.
I rip my gaze off Hercules to see if she’s as flushed as I feel.She is.But unlike me, her attention bounces between Hercules and Mason. They’re so close. My feet are stuck to the linoleum. And just when my chest clings to my last breath, I come to the realization that there’s no escape.
Mason points a hand at me as if presenting his new masterpiece. “Hercules, this is Lark Davenport.” Then he nods at my lunch partner. “And you already know Lake.”
Lake’s eyes dance as she beams. “Good afternoon, Mr. Valentine. Hi, Mason.”
Her gaze stays stuck on her crush. If it’s not obvious to Mason that she’s into him, then he’s stupid. And I know he’s not stupid—so he must be aware of how she feels about him.
Feeling antsy, I spring to my feet. “Nice to meet you in person, Mr. Valentine.”Damn it, I said that too loud.We shake hands. Touching him brings back a familiar sensation that I'm forced to repress.
His razor-sharp glower narrows a pinch more. “Nice to meet you too…” He tilts his head. “Have we met before?”
My mouth is caught open.We made love once, and it was the best sex of my life.Plus, we were in the same sixth-period class together in high school, which means for the entire school year, I crushed on you every Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and those rare occasions when you didn’t show up for class.All of that is on the tip of my tongue.
Everybody’s waiting for me to say something, including me. Instead, I’m in the middle of an uncomfortably long pause in which I’m refamiliarizing myself with the shape of Hercules’s mouth, every pore of his skin, and his eyes that can even melt thick cotton mommy panties. I wonder what he would say or do if he knew I was Paisley Grove. I wish I’d applied for the job under my real name. Hercules would have hired me for who I am—I know he would have.
Finally, he shakes a finger at me. “The hotel… about seven or eight days ago.”
My eyelids almost get stuck closed when I blink. I can hardly believe he remembers me. I close my mouth and swallow.“Um, yeah… I was in town, finding an apartment. I didn’t know who you were there, though.”Liar.“I’ve never seen you in person until now. That’s why I didn’t know who you were. But oh my God. It was you.”
Big liar.Bad liar. No—horrible liar.I’m kicking myself for laying it on way too thick.
His eyebrows ruffle even more. “Yes,” he says, still studying me intently. “That was you.”
“Interesting,” Mason says.
Mason is eyeing me suspiciously while rubbing his chin.
I lift my hands, showing my palms. “Seriously, I’m not a stalker.”
“Of course not,” Hercules says. “Well, welcome aboard.”
At least he’s smiling a little.
“Yes, welcome,” the woman he’s with says. Lake told me her name, but I’ve forgotten it already. “I’m Lilith Cope, CFO. Call me if there’s ever anything I can help you with.”
“I was just about to introduce you, Lilith,” Mason says. “Lilith’s the one who holds the purse strings.”
She and I shake hands. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Cope,” I say. Her palm is just as clammy as mine. We’re both nervous. I wonder if Hercules has the same effect on her that he has on me.
“Call me Lilith,” she quickly says. There’s something friendly and trustworthy in her eyes. She definitely doesn't see me as competition. I'm not competition. If she and Hercules are an item, then great—I can finally move on.
“Sure,” I say, holding my smile in place.
Hercules checks his expensive-looking watch. I stop myself from gasping in surprise.He had on the same watch the night of Darby’s party.
“Again, nice to meet you, Lark.” He gives me a sharp nod. “We’ll sit down together in the near future.”
“Sure. I would love you.”Damn it.“I mean, I’d like that.”
I can imagine what I look like. The blood has risen to my skin, and my eyes must be wild with worry. I’m sure I sound like a stalker, pretending I didn’t recognize him at the Golden Grande Luxe Hotel. I mean, he’s Hercules Valentine. As someone who’s in the tech field, how can I not recognize him? And he probably thinks I’m an idiot too. I certainly feel like one, especially when his eyebrows shoot up. Now all I can think of is leaving him with a more favorable impression of me.
