High-Powered, Hot-Blooded

Ten

After convincing Annie to give him a few minutes, Duncan stood in the private alcove off the main ballroom, his arms folded across his chest, watching the woman he’d once wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Valentina stood completely still, gazing at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“You look good,” she said. “Time is such a bitch-always nicer to the men than the women.”

“Why are you here?” he asked bluntly. “And spare me the bullshit.”

The smile broadened. “There’s no one quite like you, Duncan. My mistake was in thinking I could replace you.”

“You mean do better? That was the point, wasn’t it? Move up the food chain.”

“Well, I suppose. I remarried, if that’s what you’re really asking. Eric was charming, easy to get along with.” She wrinkled her nose. “Boring. I thought being rich was the most important thing in the world. I thought it gave me power and made me feel safe. I was wrong.”

“Thanks for the update,” he said. “I need to get back to the party.”

“Wait, Duncan. Aren’t you even a little happy to see me?”

He stared into her catlike eyes, then dropped his gaze to the full mouth that had known how to take him from zero to sixty in less than a minute.

When she’d first left, he’d been devastated. He’d retreated into anger, had vowed revenge, had understood the primal fury of a man longing to lock up the woman he loved. To keep her from the world. When the anger had ceased to burn quite as brightly, humiliation had joined rage. The knowledge that she had betrayed him, that he had been a fool, had kept him up nights.

He’d loved her. She had promised him everything he’d ever wanted and he’d believed her. That she would love him forever, that they would always be together. That he was the one.

Over time he’d accepted that he had been a means to an end. He’d looked back on their relationship and had seen her for what she was. The anger had faded, the wounds healed. A few days after she’d left, his uncle had told him that the opposite of love wasn’t hate-it was indifference. Now, staring at the woman he’d once married, he knew that to be true.

“You don’t matter enough for me to have any emotion on the subject,” he said.

“Wow. Talk about honest. So you didn’t miss me at all?”

He thought about those long nights when he’d lain awake, staring at the ceiling. He would have sold his soul for her return. Good thing the devil had been busy making deals with other people at the time.

“I loved you,” he told her. “Having you leave hurt like a son of a bitch. So what? That was three years ago, Valentina. I’ve moved on.”

“I wish I could say the same, but I haven’t. I know I was wrong and I know I’ll have to earn back your trust. That’s why I’m here. I still love you, Duncan. I never stopped. I want us to have a second chance.”

He heard the words, let them sink into his skin, then waited. Was there any part of him interested? Did a fiber or a cell long to be with her again? Were old scars still tender?

No, he thought with relief. There was nothing. Not a hint of longing or curiosity. She was nothing more than someone he used to know.

He started for the door. “Sorry. Not interested.”

Annie sat next to Duncan in his car. After he’d gone off with Valentina, she’d circled the ballroom, smiling at anyone who had made contact with her. He’d returned to her side about ten minutes later and had said they should leave.

So much for the romantic night in the hotel room, she thought sadly.

Duncan hadn’t spoken while they’d waited for the valet to bring around his car. Now, aware that he was driving to her place rather than his, she resigned herself to a very brief ending to their evening. If the girls weren’t home, they would be shortly. Inviting him in wouldn’t give them any time alone. She carefully removed the earrings, then the necklace and passed both back to him.

“Thank you for letting me wear these tonight.”

He took them and dropped them into his suit-jacket pocket. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry we didn’t stay longer. After Valentina showed up…” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “She’s back to make trouble.”

What she really wanted to ask was “What did she say?” but lacked the courage, so instead she said, “How do you know?”

“She’s breathing. I didn’t know what kind of a scene she would make. Leaving seemed easier. I don’t want you in the middle of anything.”

“I appreciate that.” She cleared her throat. “It must have been a shock, seeing her after all this time. It’s been what? Three years?”

He nodded. “I could have gone a lot longer without having to deal with her again.”

“You’re going to be dealing with her?”

“I hope not, but my luck isn’t that good. She wants something and she won’t stop until she’s made every attempt to get it.”

Wanted something? As in money…or did Valentina want Duncan back? Annie told herself she should be happy if that was what was going on. A marriage repaired was a good thing. Assuming Valentina was sincere.

Annie told herself she was mature enough, in love enough, to want what was best for Duncan. The ache in her chest and the need to cry were beside the fact.

Duncan pulled up in front of her small house. “The party tomorrow will be easier. It’s smaller. Quieter. I’ll pick you up at six-thirty.”

He barely glanced at her as he spoke, making her realize he wasn’t even going to kiss her good-night. Holding in the hurt, she forced herself to smile as she got out of the car.

“Good night, Duncan. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

She barely had time to close the passenger door before he gunned the engine and drove off. She stood on the sidewalk, watching his taillights disappear.

Telling herself he hadn’t broken the rules didn’t make breathing any less painful. And wondering if he was returning to the party to be with Valentina only made her wish she could go back in time a couple of hours and keep the other woman from ever speaking to Duncan in the first place. Not that she could change the past the two of them shared. A past that was very likely going to have a big impact on her present.

“Okay, so owning a bank is even better than I thought,” Annie said the following night as Duncan pulled up behind a Rolls, in front of a large Beverly Hills estate. “Didn’t bankers take a financial hit in the past year or so?”

“Not all of them.”

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Duncan had dropped her off the previous evening. She’d spent about twenty of them trying to convince herself that even if she wasn’t fine, she could pretend. Acting might not be her gift, but she would work at faking it. He’d been his normal self when he’d arrived to pick her up, so maybe last night was like a bad dream-something that would fade in the light of day.

When she climbed out of the car, she stared at the glittering three-story mansion. It was huge, with lights everywhere, a long, wide walkway and a fountain roughly the size of a semi.

“This rich thing,” she said as Duncan moved next to her. “Looks like fun.”

“The taxes would kill you,” he said with a grin, then leaned in and kissed her on the mouth.

“Just paying for the lightbulbs would make me whimper.” She leaned into him and laughed. “Do you think they take in boarders? I mean, a room in this place would be bigger than my whole house.”

“Want me to get an application?”

“If they have them lying around.”

He put his arm around her and they walked toward the front door. A uniformed butler let them in. They were shown to a massive living room with a roaring fire. Sofas and comfy-looking chairs filled the football field-sized space. To the left was a bar. In front of them were four sets of French doors leading out to a huge patio.

“There is a light buffet outside,” the butler told them. “The area is heated and very comfortable.”

Duncan thanked the man. Annie waited until he left before whispering, “So they’re the reason L.A. is always warm in the winter. They’re heating the whole outdoors. Interesting.”

Duncan laughed and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling the vibration of the sound. Then it stopped and he tensed. She felt every muscle, heard the sudden increase in his breathing and knew, without turning around, that someone else had walked into the party.

“Duncan,” she breathed.

He touched her cheek and stared into her eyes. “It doesn’t matter.”

But she had a feeling that it mattered a lot. More than either of them wanted to admit.

Annie stepped back and turned around. Valentina stood in the entrance to the beautiful home. Her eyes locked with Duncan’s, but she didn’t do anything more than nod at him before walking into the party.

“You going to be all right?” he asked, pressing his hand to the small of her back and guiding her outside.

“I’m fine,” she lied.

What else was there to say? That Valentina terrified her? That she believed Duncan was still in love with his ex-wife? That she’d always known she didn’t have a chance with Tim’s boss, but she’d allowed herself to hope and it was all going to end badly? All she could do was pray that he remembered not to tell her he wanted to be friends. It was what she’d asked for, and Duncan was the type of man to remember.

Maybe the problem wasn’t Valentina, she thought as they stepped outside. Maybe it was her. Maybe she should learn to ask for more.

Time crawled by. Annie did her best not to glance at her watch every five minutes. The party was small enough that she and Duncan had to stay for at least a couple of hours. So far they’d been outside and Valentina had stayed inside, avoiding each other. She wondered if that would last for the entire party.

When Duncan got into a conversation about oil futures, she excused herself and went in search of the restroom. It was as lovely as the rest of the house, complete with a marble vanity and dozens of expensive soaps, hand creams and hair products. After she’d washed her hands and fluffed her curls, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Only to find Valentina waiting for her.

Duncan’s ex was dressed in black pants and a cream-colored off-the-shoulder sweater. She was tall, thin and beautiful, with the kind of sleek, straight hair Annie had always envied.

“Hi,” Valentina said, clutching a martini glass. “You’re Duncan’s girlfriend, right?”

Annie nodded slowly. The truth was different, but Valentina didn’t need to know about their deal.

“Have you been going out long?” the other woman asked.

“We met in September,” Annie said, hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. “I, ah, had a flat tire and Duncan stopped to help.”

“That doesn’t sound like him at all. You’re a teacher?”

“Kindergarten.”

“Let me guess. You’re sweet and kind. You take in orphans and stray pets.”

Annie couldn’t read the other woman’s voice. There was tension in it, but the source wasn’t clear. Was she mocking Annie or herself?

“If you’ll excuse me,” Annie said, moving around her.

“Wait. Please. I…” Valentina set her drink on a small table and sucked in a breath. “I don’t know how things are between you and it’s really none of my business. I gave up any rights to Duncan a long time ago. I was stupid. I thought I could do better. I was wrong. It’s not just that he’s the best man I know, it’s that I never stopped loving him.”

Tears filled Valentina’s blue eyes. One trickled down her cheek. She brushed it away impatiently.

“I want a second chance. I know it’s practically impossible. He’s not going to forgive me easily, but I have to try. Have you ever been in love? Have you ever known down to your bones that you’d finally found the only man on the planet who would complete you?”

Annie nodded slowly. She wanted to point out that love wasn’t about being completed. It was about giving, not getting, but that wasn’t the point.

“I love him,” Valentina said. “Before, when we were together, he held so much of himself apart. I think it had something to do with his past. I was young and impatient. Now I know better. He’s worth waiting for, fighting for. I made a mistake and he paid the price. I’m back for a second chance. I’m back to convince him how much he means to me. To me, he’s my husband. He’ll always be my husband. I want a chance to make our marriage work. Can you understand that?”

Annie nodded because it would hurt too much to speak. Valentina had said the only words that would have convinced her to give up. She couldn’t argue against a chance of Valentina and Duncan making their marriage work. If they were successful, maybe he could let go of his fear of being left. Maybe he would learn to love again. Better Valentina than no one, she told herself. In time, she would even believe that.

The mall might be closed at three in the morning, but the Internet was always open. Annie clicked on a link, then stared at the picture of the painting. It was small, maybe twelve-by-twelve, with a plain black frame. The artist, a famous sports painter, had chosen boxing as his subject.

The colors were vivid, the expressions fierce. There was something about the way the two men stared at each other that reminded her of Duncan.

“Annie, what are you doing up?”

She smiled at Kami, who looked sleepy as she stepped into Annie’s room.

“It’s late,” Annie said. “You have classes.”

“I could see your light was still on.”

“Oh. Is it bothering you?”

Kami sat on the edge of the bed and shook her head. “No. I’m worried about you. You were acting weird when you got home. Are you sick? Is this about Duncan? Did he hurt you?”

“Duncan’s getting back together with his ex-wife.”

“Since when?”

“It hasn’t actually happened yet, but it probably will. I can’t stand in the way of that. Not that I would be. I mean, he’s just dating me because of our deal.”

Kami wore her long dark hair in a thick braid. Her oversize T-shirt and PJ bottoms made her look young, but her eyes were wise. “He’s not going out with you because he has to. Not anymore. He got his good press a while ago. Besides, what about the freezer and the food and the presents under the tree?”

A few days ago, a box of presents had been delivered. Well, presents for the girls. There hadn’t been anything for her. At the time she’d told herself that he would give her something later. Privately. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“She’s still in love with him.”

“So? She left him. The bitch had her chance. Now it’s yours.”

“While I appreciate the support, she’s really not a bitch. I wish she was. Then I could hate her.” And fight for Duncan. “They deserve a second chance.”

“What about you? You’re in love with Duncan.”

“I’ll get over it.” She clicked on the Buy It Now button and tried not to wince at the price. She wanted to give Duncan something special. Something that would make him happy.

“You should tell him you love him,” Kami said. “He needs to make an informed decision.”

Annie managed a smile. “He’s not buying auto insurance. He doesn’t need to comparison shop.”

“Maybe he needs to be reminded about what’s important. You’re the best thing that ever happened to him. If he doesn’t see that, he’s an idiot.”

“Should I tell him that, too?”

“Absolutely.”

Annie arrived at Duncan’s office shortly after four. She’d called and made an appointment, wanting to be sure she saw him. They were supposed to go out that night. Nearly their last event. A cocktail party. But he wouldn’t need her for that or the other parties to follow. His reputation had been saved and he had more important things to do. Like get on with his life.

She’d spent the day telling herself that she had to do the right thing. That loving Duncan meant wanting what was best for him rather than for herself. That she had to be strong. Losing Ron and A.J. hadn’t mattered. She’d recovered in a matter of weeks. But losing Duncan was different. She had fallen madly, hopelessly, totally in love with him.

She’d learned early that life could be a challenge. She’d been ten when her mom had first gotten sick and barely eighteen when she’d died. Her aunt wrestled with immobilizing depression, spending more time in hospitals than out. Over the years, Annie had helped raise her brother and her cousins. She’d always done her best. They were family and that mattered more than anything.

She’d made sacrifices, but nothing she regretted. It was her nature to give-she knew that. So the fact that she’d given her heart to Duncan shouldn’t be a surprise. Nor was the reality that he didn’t want it.

She waited outside his office door until four and then was shown in. Duncan put down his phone and smiled when he saw her.

“Why do we have an appointment?” he asked, walking around the desk to greet her. “I’m picking you up in a couple of hours.”

He looked good, she thought, taking in the shape of his mouth, the breadth of his shoulders. His eyes-how could she ever have thought them cold?-brightened with pleasure. He smiled, then kissed her.

“Let me guess,” he said. “You’re here to convince me to start a profit-sharing plan.”

“You can profit share with your employees? You should think about it.”

Typical Annie, Duncan thought, leading her over to a sofa and sitting next to her. Good thing she’d never gone into business. She would have given away her entire worth the first day.

She’d come straight from school. He could tell by her clothes-the long plaid skirt, the cardigan covered with beaded snowmen. Her curls were mussed, her light makeup mostly faded. This wasn’t the glamorous Annie he usually saw on their evenings together. This was more real, more beautiful.

She leaned toward him and covered his hands with hers. Her gaze was intense.

“Duncan, I talked to Valentina at the party last night.”

His good mood vanished. Why wasn’t he surprised? “Whatever she said, she’s lying. You can’t trust her, Annie. She’ll do anything, say anything, to get what she wants.”

“She wants you.”

Annie paused, as if waiting for a reaction. His was to swear loudly, then punch the wall. Dammit all to hell. “You believed her.”

“She loves you, Duncan. She realizes she made a mistake and wants to be with you again. You were married-you owe her the chance to try to make it work.”

She believed her words. He could see the truth in her big blue eyes. There was something else there, too. Pain, maybe. Regret.

Or was he reading too much into the situation? What he knew about women couldn’t fill a thirty-second commercial. He knew they lied and manipulated. That they only thought about themselves. That given the chance, they would sell out anyone to get ahead.

Well, not Annie. She seemed to be genuine. He’d seen her with her students, with her cousins, hell, even with his uncle. She was exactly what she appeared to be. Open, honest, smart and funny. She led with her heart, which made her a fool, but everyone had flaws.

“You’re here to plead Valentina’s case?” he asked. “Did she offer to pay you?”

“No. It wasn’t like that. She cried. She’s desperately in love with you. I didn’t want to believe her at first, but then she asked me if I’d ever been in love. If I’d ever known down to my bones that someone was the one. She meant it. Every word.”

He was a whole lot less convinced. “She’s a good actress, Annie. Don’t let yourself get too caught up in her pain. It’s mostly for show.”

“It’s not. She’s your wife.”

“Ex-wife. It’s been three years.”

“Can you honestly say you’re not in love with her? That she doesn’t matter, that she never mattered?”

“Of course I thought I loved her when we got married,” he said, frustrated. “I was a fool.”

“You owe it to her and to yourself to hear her out.”

He stood up and crossed to the window overlooking the atrium below. Folding his arms across his chest, he faced Annie.

“She got to you.”

Annie stood. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away.

“She begged me to get out of the way and that’s what I have to do. I’m not going with you tonight, Duncan. Take Valentina instead. Give her a chance.”

“We have a deal.”

“It’s nearly over anyway. What does it matter if we stop things now?”

He’d known his relationship with Annie was finite. He’d designed it that way himself. But until now, he hadn’t been willing to look past the holidays, to the days after. When she would no longer be with him.

She was leaving. Just like they all left. Her excuse was noble, but the outcome was the same. She would be gone and he would be left here, without her.

They all left. No one could be trusted. No woman could be trusted. Anger burned hot and bright, but he knew it was merely a shield to something else that would taunt him for a very long time.

“Our contract is clear,” he told her coldly. “You walk out now and I throw your brother in jail.”

He braced himself for the anger, the tears, the threats. Instead she smiled.

“Oh, please, Duncan. We both know you won’t. You’re not that guy.” The smile quivered a little, then died. “Do you think this is easy for me? It isn’t. I love you. But look at you and your life. I don’t belong there. I’ve had a wonderful time and you’re a great man. You deserve every happiness. That’s why it’s important for you to give Valentina a second chance. You loved her once. Maybe it was just the wrong time for the two of you.”

Once again she was speaking the truth as she knew it. Duncan thought he understood Annie, but he’d been wrong. She loved him and she wanted him to be with someone else? The ridiculousness of it made him even more angry.

“If you loved me, you’d stay,” he said, his voice practically a growl. “Next you’ll tell me you want to be friends.”

She winced, as if he’d slapped her. “You’re upset.”

“You’re playing a game. I expected better. If you want to leave, then go. Don’t give me any bullshit about it being for my own good. That’s crap and you know it.”

Now the tears fell, but unlike those in other women, these tears seemed to burn him. He felt the searing all the way down to his heart.

“You’re everything I ever dreamed about. You’re strong and gentle. You’re giving and funny. I want to spend my whole life with you. I want to sleep in your arms and have your children and love you and worry about you. I want to spend fifty years with you and have the neighbors say things like, ‘Those Patricks have been married forever.’”

She wiped her face with her fingers. “But it’s not just about me. There’s Valentina. So I’m doing the right thing. Because that’s important. But all it would take is one word, Duncan. I’m not fighting this because I didn’t think there was a point. I didn’t think you loved me back. Tell me it’s totally over with her and that you love me. That you want me to stay, and I will.”

He finally knew her end game. To trap him. “I’d be a great meal ticket,” he said. “And I’ll give you points for originality. That was quite a speech.”

She stiffened as the color faded from her face. She wiped at her tears again, then picked up her purse.

“There’s no winning, is there?” she asked quietly. “You told me and told me and I didn’t listen. Maybe you’re right about Valentina and maybe I am. I hope you take the time to find out. As for me, if you can say those words, if you can really think I’m here because you’re wealthy and successful, then you never knew me at all. And I guess I never knew you. Because the man I love can see into my heart and my soul. He knows who I am. And that’s not you. Goodbye, Duncan.”

And then she was gone.