Page 26 of False Pretenses

He nodded, stood up, and strode over to kiss her lips. Careful, Nathan, or you’ll have her in bed and not leave the house at all. Then how will you get that sweet smile again? “How about sev

en thirty? Will that work?”

“Um, I guess so.”

He examined her face and noted the doubt, but he knew she’d look amazing in the dress, and he would do all he could to help her to enjoy herself that night. Then later, maybe she would be willing to let him make love to her, and they could get back to where they stood at the beginning.

* * * *

Nathan kept his hand at Alyssa’s lower back, guiding her through the entrance to the hotel. Just as he knew, Alyssa in her dress did things to shrink the room in his pants. He’d had to distract her to deal with his erection, but the more he took in the supple breasts and generous view at her dress’s neckline, and the long, shapely legs peeking through a slit that extended almost to her hip, the less control he maintained over his body. Then he had led her out to the car and got a good look at that ass. All of his will kept him from tossing her over his shoulder and marching up to their room to rip her clothes off and have his way with her. Somehow, he needed to convince her to keep seeing him after the week ended. The very thought of any other man pushing into that tight, sexy body made him want to commit murder. She was his until he had sated the lust she invoked day and night.

“Mr. Corde,” one of the hotel staff called out to him. Nathan sifted through his memory and the mental notes he’d made on every person he had ever met. The man’s name popped to the forefront of his mind.

“John, how are you?”

The man’s face glowed with pleasure. “Fine, thank you, sir. Mr. Cunningham’s party is in the Waldorf Room. If you and your guest will follow me, I will show you the way.”

As they walked, Alyssa glanced up at him. That sweet confusion made him squeeze gently at her waist.

“The Waldorf Room?” she whispered. “Isn’t the party out on the beach?”

“There is a terrace outside the room,” he informed her, “with a good view of the water.”

“A view.”

He peered at her, but she’d already turned to face the room they entered. Crystal chandeliers hung from various spots on the ceiling. Tables with pristine white tablecloths were arranged at one end of the room, dancing space at the other. No one took advantage of the latter. Most of the men, dressed in black suits, stood about talking to each other. Fewer women were in attendance, and those who were appeared to have chosen dresses that were the most vivid in color and showed the most skin. While some of them were quite beautiful, none approached Alyssa’s perfection.

“Mark Cunningham.” Nathan greeted the man he’d known for fifteen years but who was not exactly a friend. They’d been on the same side of the negotiating table a time or two, but more often the opposite. He had always felt Mark lived to one-up him, but then that might be his ego talking.

“Nathan Corde,” the object of his thoughts bellowed and shook his hand. “Welcome to my hotel. She’s impressive, isn’t she? I’ve made quite a few renovations. I’ll take you around later, and if you like, we can let our secretaries schedule us for time to talk about finding you one of these toys.”

Nathan had trouble keeping the distaste off his face. “Thanks, but I have no interest in buying a hotel at this time.”

Mark elbowed him. “Aw, don’t be jealous, Nathan. You can’t always be the winner, right? And who is this lovely lady, another mistress? I can’t keep up with you.”

Alyssa’s lips tightened, and Nathan pulled her closer to his side. “This is Alyssa Jackson. Alyssa, Mark Cunningham, our host.”

“Beautiful,” Mark breathed and raised her hand to his lips. Nathan resisted smashing his nose and stuck his right hand into his pocket instead.

When he could without being rude, Nathan led Alyssa to meet other guests. Soon he fell into conversation about the stock market. He glanced in his lover’s direction and found her several feet away, speaking with a couple of the women, and he relaxed a little more. She handled herself well, her head held high, a polite smile on her face. The two women she happened to converse with were not interested in much more than fashion and the net worth of their current lovers. He hoped Alyssa wouldn’t be too bored.

A hand on his arm transferred his attention from Alyssa to the tiny blonde beauty at his side. “Nathan, I didn’t know you would be here.”

He stilled, wondering if it was worth removing his arm from her hold. “Hello, Natasha. I hadn’t heard you were in the islands.”

She pouted, pursing full pink lips. The white dress she wore clung to her figure like a second skin, and the neckline plunged so low, he expected any second to see nipple. Despite the blonde bimbo look, Natasha, heiress to a tidy fortune and former CEO of her father’s oil company, had a brain in her head. The year before she had named a successor. Rumor had it she’d decided her next conquest would be him. He shouldn’t have been surprised to see her.

“If you’d told me you were coming, I would have joined you.”

He lowered his head toward hers so as not to be overheard and to make his point. “We had a brief affair. That’s over. I don’t see any reason to inform you of my activities.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, Nathan, baby. We were good together, and we can be again.”

“Natasha,” Mark boomed. “When did you arrive?”

Nathan gritted his teeth when Mark nabbed Alyssa and pulled her over to where he stood with Natasha. Alyssa’s gaze had already been flitting between him and the blonde, lingering a fraction of a second on the spot where Natasha still wrapped around his arm.

“This is Nathan’s date,” Mark informed Natasha, and he knew what the man plotted. For years, he’d wanted Natasha, but she never gave him more than a nod. “I hear things are pretty hot and heavy between them.”

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