Read Online The Billionaire Bargain 2 by Lila Monroe - Free Book Online
Authors: Lila Monroe
Ads: Link
own past actions .“ Something in me knew that no matter how afraid I was, I could n’ t let myself walk away . ”
I gazed at his profile as he turned another corner, feeling new insight and admiration awakening in my heart. H e’ d felt the temptation for the easy life, but he had n’ t given in. He had face d— was still facin g— his fears. Maybe he was n’ t just an immature playboy after all.
The car pulled into the vineyard parking lot, and the setting sun cast the low hills above in flames, while brightly colored lanterns threw rainbow shadows about the pines and vines, a thousand different shades of green, with orange clay beneath, lit by sparkling bits of light like stars. It took my breath away.
“ As I said, i t’ s a place that means a great deal to me .” Grant turned off the car and covered my hand with his own .“I’ m glad yo u’ ll get to see it.
And then he took my hand and pulled me into the fray.
If I’ d thought the scenery was breath-taking from far away, it became even more so close up. A lively salsa beat was playing as young couples whirled around the patio, drinks clinked as patrician older couples sipped wines whose subtle perfumes drifted over the night, silk rustled and diamonds rattled. I looked around for Jennings and his wife Patricia, but I could n’ t see them anywhere.
“ Grant, I do n’ t know any of these people !” I whispered .“ I do n’ t think I can pull this off ! ”
“I’ ll get you out if you really need it ,” he promised, his arm sliding comfortingly around my shoulder .“ Diplomatically, thoug h— ca n’ t afford to burn any bridges. Shall we decide on a code word ? ”
“ What, a conversational safe word? Like what, I sa y‘ appl e’ and we hightail it out of here ? ”
Grant made a face .“ Pssh ,‘ appl e’ is so boring. Not a challenge at all to work into a sentence. I vote fo r‘ fecund . ’”
“ How the hell am I supposed to think o f — ” I started, but Grant had spied a circle of girls my own age, and swooped towards them to deposit me in their midst.
“Shall I get you a sample of that famous Merlot?” Grant asked, and without waiting for an answer: “Look after her, ladies, I’ll be right back!”
Still slightly disoriented from the transition between the intimate car conversation and the loud party crowd, I blinked at the dazzling girls in front of me, trying not to be blinded by the gleam off their glossy hair and perfectly white teeth.
“ So, ho w’ d you land him ?” asked a busty blonde who could have been a model if her nose-job had been just a little less obvious.
“ Excuse me ?” I said.
“ How. Did. You. Land. Him ?” She blew an exasperated breath through her nose as if I were too stupid for words.
“ I did n’ t ‘ lan d ’ him ,” I said, my temper flaring slightly .“ H e’ s not a fish. We just met . ”
Another girl, this one a strawberry blonde with piercing blue eyes, looked me up and down with a skepticism usually reserved for atheists in church .“ How ? ”
“ At work ,” I said shortly. Somehow, the fun story Kate and I had come up with did n’ t seem so fun here. It just seemed silly. Like Grant would ever care about rescuing me from snooty bitches when h e’ d just plopped me into their laps and left?
“ That dress i s… nice ,” the first girl said, not quite hiding her giggle .“ Was it on sale ? ”
“ It was a gift from Gran t — ” I started to say through clenched teeth.
“ It would be, would n’ t it ?” she interrupted.
A third girl, her hair the kind of glossy black that only goes with skin that pale when the black comes out of a bottle, drawled :“ I bet h e’ s bought you a lot o f‘ dresses ,’ huh? Did he give you a credit card or does he just leave cash on the bedside table ? ”
“ Excuse me, I do n’ t like what yo u’ re insinuating ! ”
“ God, do n’ t be so defensive ,” said the first girl with a vicious smile .“ We
I gazed at his profile as he turned another corner, feeling new insight and admiration awakening in my heart. H e’ d felt the temptation for the easy life, but he had n’ t given in. He had face d— was still facin g— his fears. Maybe he was n’ t just an immature playboy after all.
The car pulled into the vineyard parking lot, and the setting sun cast the low hills above in flames, while brightly colored lanterns threw rainbow shadows about the pines and vines, a thousand different shades of green, with orange clay beneath, lit by sparkling bits of light like stars. It took my breath away.
“ As I said, i t’ s a place that means a great deal to me .” Grant turned off the car and covered my hand with his own .“I’ m glad yo u’ ll get to see it.
And then he took my hand and pulled me into the fray.
If I’ d thought the scenery was breath-taking from far away, it became even more so close up. A lively salsa beat was playing as young couples whirled around the patio, drinks clinked as patrician older couples sipped wines whose subtle perfumes drifted over the night, silk rustled and diamonds rattled. I looked around for Jennings and his wife Patricia, but I could n’ t see them anywhere.
“ Grant, I do n’ t know any of these people !” I whispered .“ I do n’ t think I can pull this off ! ”
“I’ ll get you out if you really need it ,” he promised, his arm sliding comfortingly around my shoulder .“ Diplomatically, thoug h— ca n’ t afford to burn any bridges. Shall we decide on a code word ? ”
“ What, a conversational safe word? Like what, I sa y‘ appl e’ and we hightail it out of here ? ”
Grant made a face .“ Pssh ,‘ appl e’ is so boring. Not a challenge at all to work into a sentence. I vote fo r‘ fecund . ’”
“ How the hell am I supposed to think o f — ” I started, but Grant had spied a circle of girls my own age, and swooped towards them to deposit me in their midst.
“Shall I get you a sample of that famous Merlot?” Grant asked, and without waiting for an answer: “Look after her, ladies, I’ll be right back!”
Still slightly disoriented from the transition between the intimate car conversation and the loud party crowd, I blinked at the dazzling girls in front of me, trying not to be blinded by the gleam off their glossy hair and perfectly white teeth.
“ So, ho w’ d you land him ?” asked a busty blonde who could have been a model if her nose-job had been just a little less obvious.
“ Excuse me ?” I said.
“ How. Did. You. Land. Him ?” She blew an exasperated breath through her nose as if I were too stupid for words.
“ I did n’ t ‘ lan d ’ him ,” I said, my temper flaring slightly .“ H e’ s not a fish. We just met . ”
Another girl, this one a strawberry blonde with piercing blue eyes, looked me up and down with a skepticism usually reserved for atheists in church .“ How ? ”
“ At work ,” I said shortly. Somehow, the fun story Kate and I had come up with did n’ t seem so fun here. It just seemed silly. Like Grant would ever care about rescuing me from snooty bitches when h e’ d just plopped me into their laps and left?
“ That dress i s… nice ,” the first girl said, not quite hiding her giggle .“ Was it on sale ? ”
“ It was a gift from Gran t — ” I started to say through clenched teeth.
“ It would be, would n’ t it ?” she interrupted.
A third girl, her hair the kind of glossy black that only goes with skin that pale when the black comes out of a bottle, drawled :“ I bet h e’ s bought you a lot o f‘ dresses ,’ huh? Did he give you a credit card or does he just leave cash on the bedside table ? ”
“ Excuse me, I do n’ t like what yo u’ re insinuating ! ”
“ God, do n’ t be so defensive ,” said the first girl with a vicious smile .“ We
Similar Books
