Bought: One Bride

“You’re entitled to your opinion, but you’re wrong. Reece was saying to me the other day they were going to try for a baby soon. As far as Alanna’s dress is concerned, lots of women wear sexy evening clothes nowadays.”

“But she didn’t have any underwear on!”

“Now that’s the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think, beautiful?”

She hated the colour that zoomed into her cheeks. “I’m wearing panties. And my top is lined. Unlike you-know-who.”

He laughed. “You-know-who is an adult woman who went into her marriage with her eyes well and truly open. Look, I suggest you stop getting yourself so het up over Reece and Alanna’s marriage. It has nothing to do with us.”

Richard was right. She had been getting all het up about Alanna’s marriage. Perhaps because she was afraid Richard would talk her into a similar marriage. Afraid that she might like the idea of being his married mistress.

She could see him now, taking her into the kind of boutique that sold sexy dresses and outrageously erotic lingerie. She would have to parade everything for him. In her mind’s eye she could see herself in a black satin corselette with suspenders and black stockings and shockingly high heels. And no panties, of course.

He would command her never to wear panties once she was his wife. She was to be always accessible to him, even when she visited him at the bank. She would be in a permanent state of arousal, always ready for him.

Always…

Holly sucked in deeply, then let out a long, slow, shuddering breath.

This has to stop, she told herself, but remained shaken by her fantasies.

“That view is pretty spectacular,” she said as her eyes lifted to focus on the bridge, and the city beyond.

Richard laughed. “What an understatement. That view cost Reece ten million dollars.”

“My God,” she exclaimed. “He must be very rich.”

“He is,” Richard said. “At the moment. His fortune tends to fluctuate. A few years back, he was practically bankrupt.”

“What happened to turn things around?”

“Two things. There was this savvy banker who backed him when he wanted to borrow more money to buy land and houses. Then there was the property boom.”

“Aah. So that’s how you two became friends.”

“Yes. I lent him some of my own money as well. Not just the bank’s. Same with Mike, when he wanted to start up his software company. Both were very rewarding investments.”

“So you’re as rich as Reece?”

“Actually, no,” he said, then added as cool as you please, “I’m a lot richer.”

CHAPTER NINE

FOR the second time tonight, Richard regretted his words, plus his moment of vanity.

The look Holly gave him was not the same kind of look his dates from Wives Wanted would have responded with, if he’d outlined his wealth to them.

Not that Richard could read exactly what Holly was thinking. The only time he could do that for certain was just after he’d been kissing her. He knew what she was thinking at those moments.

Nothing at all.

Right now, however, her far-too-intelligent brain was ticking over. Richard suspected his character was being assessed, and possibly found wanting.

“Of course, money isn’t everything,” he went on, going into damage control. “But it can make life a little easier.”

She laughed. “Oh, I’m sure it can. But I would imagine it could be very corrupting, to be able to buy whatever you want.”

Richard wondered where this edge had come from that he was suddenly hearing in her voice. It occurred to him that he should never have told her the truth about Reece’s marriage. Holly was far too young and inexperienced to understand where a man like Reece was coming from. She certainly would never appreciate what had made him the man he was today. Holly might have been hurt by that Dave bloke, but she hadn’t been devastated.

Bringing her here tonight was a mistake. He’d been hoping to impress her. Instead, he might have ended up alienating her.

The thought that the night would not end the way he wanted it to end had Richard’s hands closing tightly around the bottle of champagne and the two crystal flutes he was holding.

“Do you want to leave?” he asked abruptly.

“Leave?” Her eyes flared wide. “Why would I want to leave?”

“You don’t seem happy here. You obviously don’t like Reece and Alanna, or this kind of party.”

“But I do! I mean…I think Reece is a bit much, but I do like Alanna. Truly, I do. I think their house is fabulous. This party, too.”

“Then what is it? What’s wrong? Is it me? Are you angry with me for some reason? Are you upset over what happened out in the car?”