“Rick, why don’t you and Kayla give us a moment alone.” Rick took his cue, and the two got in my beat-up truck.
“I’m not exactly sure what it is you think you’re doing but—” she started, but I held up my hand and cut her off.
Now was the time to make my first move.
“You come stay with me at my house for the two weeks you’re in town, and I’ll let your friend off the hook for the damages. Or I call my friend Lonny back and have charges filed against her.”
“You’d do that? You’d let her go to jail?” Her lip curled in disgust.
“It’s only right. She broke the law and wrecked my property. I’m well within my rights. But, as it turns out, I’m also very attracted to you, and I’d like to get to know you.”
“So is this how you land yourself a girl? By blackmailing them?” She glanced back at the truck where Rick and Kayla were kissing like two horny teenagers in my back seat.
She rolled her eyes and balled her fists at her side. “Fine. I’ll stay, but only if Kayla comes. I promised her I wouldn’t leave her side, and I’m not going to abandon her. Besides, it’s clear she needs a chaperone.”
I narrowed my eyes to the scene in my back seat, where Rick had his face pressed hard into Kayla’s breasts, then I met Bella’s hazel eyes. “You’re a lousy chaperone.”
“The only reason I’m agreeing to this crazy idea is so that my best friend doesn’t go to jail. Personally, I think you’re an awful human being,” she mumbled as she stalked back to the truck. She turned around as she reached the door. “Are you coming or what? We have to go check out of the hotel.”
A slow smile spread across my face. She just might be the woman for me.
CHAPTER FIVE - BELLA
Reed was impossibly handsome and just knowing that he was attracted to me had come as a surprise. Though I was pretty sure he was nothing but a disgusting pig, the fact that he was willing to forgo thousands of dollars in damage to be close to me sort of turned me on. What did that say about me? Was I just leaping from one asshole to the next? As we pulled up to Reed’s house, I realized that we’d traded up from the hotel, and I tried not to let my impending bargain loom over me and cloud the beautiful scenery. Reed had driven us to his sprawling mansion, which looked like something from an old Civil War movie. The house seemed to glow in the distance as if it’s white paint was reflecting the full moon that hung directly over it.
“It’s gorgeous. Will we disturb your family coming here so late?” He’d no doubt come and gone many times alone at this hour, but to bring in company, I didn’t want to be an imposition.
Reed’s voice was but a growl beside me. “I live alone if you don’t count my staff.”
“You’re all alone?” I suddenly felt a wave of uncertainty wash over me. He’d wanted me alone with him in his big house. I wasn’t naive enough to think that he just wanted to talk over the next two weeks, but I figured if there were other people around, I’d be safe.
“My parents are both dead. I have my uncle, but he lives in the city closer to our family’s business.”
In the back, Kayla let out a little moan, and Rick sighed. The two were sound asleep and had more than made up from the incident that landed me in my current mess.
I was grateful that Kayla was asleep for the time being and I could at least have more time to think of an
excuse for why we were all traveling to Reed’s estate. I didn’t want to tell her what I’d agreed to. She’d been too drunk to know precisely what was happening, and I didn’t want her to feel like it was her fault that we were here—even if it was.
To be honest, agreeing to spend two weeks with a handsome stranger was both unlike me and completely exhilarating. Back home, I told myself I was ready for a change and a new chapter in my life, but I would never have imagined being in such a predicament. I really didn’t know what to make of it all, but I would be lying if I said my nervousness wasn’t starting to fade into a serious turn on. What the fuck was wrong with me?
Maybe these two weeks was just want I needed to kick off my new life. I wasn’t foolish enough to expect anything other than a good time with Reed. He was clearly a rich bachelor who was experienced in getting what, or who, he wanted. The thought that he wanted me, was making me sweat a bit.
We walked into the house, and I was immediately impressed. The furniture was expensive and ornate, yet still looked inviting. There were several vases of fresh flowers like the ones I’d seen growing outside scattered around the large room, and rows of beautiful photographs lined one wall.
Immediately drawn to the photos, I crossed the room and began to examine them closely. They were mostly of scenery, though some were of beautiful horses, and fields of roaming cattle. Whoever had taken them, had a very good eye.
I felt Reed come up beside me. “You like them?” he asked.
“Yes. The composition is amazing, and the photographer used the perfect filter for each one,” I said, continuing down the line.
“You seem to know a lot about photography,” Reed said.
I glanced at him to see that he was regarding me with a look that said he was impressed. “Yes, it’s actually what I do. I’ve actually published some of my work,” I said.
“Wow,” Reed said. “Is it a hobby or something else?” he asked.
“I’d say it’s been relegated to hobby status for the past few years, but in reality, it’s my passion. I want to do photography full time, to have my own studio, and eventually a gallery to display all my work,” I admitted out loud for the first time.