Once Upon A Kiss...

“I agree. And maybe it was made for you, if the unseen powers of the universe that my mother’s grown so fond of are really at work.” His dark gaze sent a shiver of strange emotion though her. Did those same mysterious forces throw them into each others’ arms? Maybe they were meant to be together and Vicki was a cleverly disguised fairy godmother who’d conjured her into this finery so she could go to the ball with her prince.

Which meant this Bentley might turn into a pumpkin at midnight.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I don’t know. Trying to dissolve the tension.” She snuck a glance at the driver, wondering if he was a rat transformed into a man by the wave of a magic wand. She didn’t want him to know she wasn’t supposed to be here. For all he knew, she was some heiress, out on a date with wealthy bachelor Sinclair Drummond.

How was he going to introduce her to people? This is Annie Sullivan, my housekeeper probably wouldn’t go over too well. This is my old friend Annie? Let me introduce you to the love of my life? Another stray giggle bubbled in her chest.

Being so close to him made her giddy. Her skirt poufed out until it was resting on the leg of his black pants, caressing his thigh. Her fingers longed to do the same. He looked so relaxed and at ease. Maybe he was happy to be here with her? Maybe he’d secretly orchestrated the whole thing, with Vicki as his accomplice, so he could take her to the ball as his date without alarming his still-weak mom?

One look at his somber face in profile, staring out the window, purged that thought from her mind. He’d probably rather be anywhere than here, with her. He hadn’t even responded to her comment about dissolving tension, perhaps preferring a sturdy barrier of angst between them to easy intimacy. She had to stay focused on getting through this evening with a minimum of humiliation and hurt, and that meant keeping her emotions firmly under wraps.

They arrived at the beachfront mansion in less than ten minutes, and the Bentley pulled into the circular driveway in a line of cars depositing their occupants in front of a large stone house. Artfully placed lighting lit up the night and sparkled off the elegant gowns and pearly smiles of the glamorous people around them. The driver helped Annie out of the car and she thanked him.

Sinclair rounded the car and took her arm in his. The increased closeness made her feel panicky. What if she couldn’t resist the urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him? Experience had already proven she could go completely mad in his presence.

“Don’t be nervous. They’re all just human under the crazy outfits.” Sinclair’s rough whisper in her ear startled her, then made her chuckle. How sweet of him to try to relax her.

“I may well have the craziest outfit here.” Her big, pale dress stood out amongst a lot of sleek dark gowns.

Sinclair stopped and looked at her for a moment as if contemplating whether this was true. More cars pulled in and guests swirled around them. “You’re the most stunning woman here, and you look unbelievably beautiful in that dress.”

The murmur of conversations and the purr of expensive engines faded into silence as his words took over her brain. Had he really said that, or had she imagined it? His dark eyes rested on hers for a second longer, stealing the last of her breath. For a second she thought she might fall down unconscious.

“Sinclair, darling!” Reality sucked her back into its jaws as a very tall blonde woman threw her arms around Sinclair. They bumped into Annie, almost knocking her to the ground. “And my husband was worried you wouldn’t come. I knew you’d grace us with your austere and magnificent presence.” She kissed him on both cheeks. Annie simply stared.

“And who is this damsel on your arm this evening?” The blonde peered at Annie with large, blue eyes.

“I’m pleased to be escorting the lovely Annie Sullivan.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Sullivan.” The hostess shook her hand firmly. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

Annie hesitated. She’d likely served this woman finger sandwiches or taken her coat for hanging. But she couldn’t tell. These very rich, emaciated blonde women all looked alike after a while. “Perhaps.”

“Do head around to the tent and enjoy some drinks. Henry’s madcap festivities will be starting soon but we need everyone a little tipsy first.”

“Happy anniversary, Jessica.” Sinclair smiled. Then he took Annie’s arm again and led her along a path lit with glowing lanterns toward the rear of the house. Strains of music floated on the air, mingling with the tinkle of polite laughter. “She’s an old friend of my mom’s,” Sinclair murmured, once they were out of earshot.

“Thanks for not introducing me as your housekeeper. Though I don’t know why that would be embarrassing, since it is my job after all.”

“You’re not here as my housekeeper. You’re here as my date.” He gave her a stern look. She wasn’t sure whether to take it seriously. Was this a date with the Annie who’d writhed on the spare bed with him, or the one who was under orders to pretend it had never happened? His arm linked with hers felt proprietary, like he was taking charge of the situation, which was fine with her. She never felt Sinclair would try to take advantage of her.

What a shame.

A waiter swept toward them with a tray of champagne glasses. Sinclair took one and handed it to her. The glass was cold against her hand, in sharp contrast to her hot skin. People swirled around them on the large terrace. Hanging lanterns illuminated the night enough for them to make each other out, but the garden beyond was cloaked in velvety darkness. The unknown. A band, tucked away somewhere, launched into a swingy jazz number that made the very air throb with anticipation.

She took the tiniest sip of her champagne, and the bubbles tickled her tongue. Sinclair took a manlier drink from his glass. Muted light played across his hard features. His eyes glittered, dark and unreadable, as they rested on her face.

“I’ve never seen a woman look more radiant, Annie.” He spoke plainly, with no hint of joking or exaggeration.

Her bodice suddenly felt tight as her chest swelled. “I don’t think I’ve seen a man look more handsome.” She tried to laugh off his comment with an offhand one of her own.

But Sinclair didn’t even seem to notice what she said. He frowned. “Why do you hide your beauty?”

“I don’t hide anything. You see me every day, or at least when you’re out at the house. I’m hardly wearing a mask. That’s the real me. This is the one that Vicki decorated for the party.”

He took a sip of his champagne. “You’re right, of course. And in fact, I think you’re even more beautiful when you’re not dressed up like a visiting princess.” His words sank in and her breath stuck in her throat. “It’s refreshing to see someone who isn’t afraid to be her natural self and not try to enhance something that’s already lovely.”

She blinked. “I’m sure the folks at L.L. Bean will be glad to hear that.” She managed a smile. “I bet they’d hate to hear I was abandoning my familiar khakis and Oxford shirts for vintage prom dresses.”

“Then I’m with them. I like the authentic Annie.”

“Your mom didn’t think I’d fit in these dresses. I think the general consensus is that my usual look makes me appear shapeless.”

“I heartily disagree, but on the other hand it does leave something to the imagination.” A tiny smile crossed his mouth. “And some surprises to discover.”

Was he flirting with her? It certainly felt like flirting, not that she had much experience to rely on.

“I think you’ve discovered most of my surprises.” There, she’d said it. She’d been burning to bring up that afternoon. There was no way she could get through this night pretending it had never happened.

“I doubt that very much.” His gaze lingered on hers for a moment, heating her blood. “In fact I feel confident that I only scratched the surface.”

The silence thickened with the suggestion that he’d like to return for another journey of discovery. Annie sucked in a breath, which wasn’t easy in her tight bodice. She’d certainly be up for a voyage into the dark and mysterious lands of Sinclair, but only if it wasn’t another accident. She wasn’t sure she could handle trying to pretend something like that never happened again.

On the other hand, if it was mutually desired, and mutually agreed upon …

She sipped her champagne and the bubbles tickled the tip of her tongue again. “What kind of activities do they have planned for tonight?”

“Are you nervous?” Humor shone in his eyes.

“A little. Especially since they want us half-cocked before we start. That sounds rather dangerous.”

“I promise I’ll protect you.” He raised his glass and sipped, looking at her steadily over the rim.

A sense of clear and present danger swelled in the air. “It’s entirely possible that you’re exactly what I need protecting from. After all, we didn’t need too much encouragement that one time.”

His gaze darkened slightly. “True. Tonight I’ll be a gentleman if it kills me.”

“Shame.” She said it boldly, not wanting him to think she wasn’t interested. She’d already gone out on a limb, so why not keep going until it snapped? Maybe the champagne was making her reckless.

A smile played around his eyes, crinkling the skin in that way she found so adorable. “If you don’t want me to be a gentleman, I’m sure that can also be arranged.”

“Good. I think I’d prefer a dashing rake.” Now she was flirting.

“Is that so? In that case, let’s top off your champagne so I can more easily take advantage of you.” He gestured to a passing waiter, who readily obliged. How had she drunk more than half a glass already?

“Sinclair, how did you sneak past me? I’ve been lying in wait for you all night.” A tall brunette materialized out of the night air and breathed in his ear. “Your mother told me you’re in town for the summer. I do hope you’ll have time to come out on my new yacht.”

“Dara, this is Annie, Annie, Dara.” Annie thrust out a hand so that at least one of them couldn’t be accused of rudeness. Dara had barely glanced at her. Now she reluctantly gave her a limp handshake. At least Annie didn’t recognize her from any social events at the house. “I’m going to be very busy this summer. Annie has me all tied up.” He spoke with a straight face, but a hint of suggestion in his voice.

Dara’s mouth opened like a fish. “Really.” She took a longer look at Annie. “Well, if you change your mind.” She flounced off, looking distinctly irritated.

“That was fun.” Sinclair sipped his champagne and surveyed her with narrowed eyes.

“You’re naughty.”

“And enjoying it. Let’s dance.”

It wasn’t a question. His sudden, sturdy grip around her waist swept her toward a wooden dance floor set up under an elegant canopy on the lawn. They moved through a crowd of laughing, chatting people, and handed their glasses to one of the many waiters before climbing onto the dance floor just as a song was ending. The band was a big jazz ensemble with a stunning singer. “Oh, my God, is that Natalie Cole?”

“Probably.”

Laughing, Annie let him pull her into his arms as the singer started into a sultry number about a broken heart. He wound one hand firmly around her and took her hand with the other, and pulled her into a dance. Her feet followed his effortlessly, as if she already knew the steps. The thundering drumbeat and mellow pulse of the saxophone flowed through her, drawing her around the dance floor as if she did this every day. She could feel the smile glowing on her face as Sinclair twirled her through the crowds, her long dress flying out around her. His gaze stayed fixed on hers the whole time, capturing her attention and daring her to look away.

Her breaths came faster and faster as the pace of the song picked up and they swept across the floor with bold dance steps. Sinclair’s muscular hands guided her, making her feel pliable and athletic, almost fluid, moving in time to the music.

The singer launched into an impassioned plea to her lover, begging him to come back and make her whole. Annie let herself ride on the wave of emotion her voice created among the dancers. Her heart seemed to pound in time with the bold blasts from the trumpet as the song rose to a crescendo and Sinclair held her tighter against his chest.

Their faces grew closer, gazes still locked in a mute challenge. He was taller than her, but if he leaned down he could kiss her right on the lips.

Her mouth started to quiver in anticipation. Surely he couldn’t tantalize her like this and not kiss her? Her entire body felt alive with desire for him, her nipples pressing relentlessly against the tight bodice of her dress. The song ended with a sudden flourish and she waited in an agony of excitement for his lips to touch hers.

Seven

But they didn’t.

He pulled back from her, shoved a hand through his hair and glanced across the dance floor. Annie stood there stunned. The flowing motion had ceased so abruptly that she felt like a fish suddenly thrown up on dry sand, wondering what happened. Blinking, she stepped back, trying to regain her composure. She bumped into someone and had to turn and apologize. When she turned back, Sinclair was staring into the distance with a face like honed granite.

“What is it?” She had to say something, if only to reassure herself that she still had the power of speech.

“Nothing.” He frowned. “Let’s go get some air.”

It was hard to imagine that they weren’t getting air already, since they were outdoors. As they walked across the lawn, fresh glasses of champagne in their hands, Annie realized that the “lake” was actually Long Island Sound, stretching out before them in a gleaming sheet, with the full moon glowing on its surface like an oversized silver Christmas ornament.

“Do you think they booked this moon along with the band?”

“Quite likely.” He looked out over the water. “Whatever they paid, it was worth the money.” He sipped his champagne, silent for a moment. He looked anything but relaxed. The buildup to their non-kiss had tightened all her muscles and sent blood flowing to places she wasn’t usually aware of. She was on edge and fired up with anticipation that had no place to go, and he looked the same.

Should she tell him she didn’t regret their wild afternoon in bed? Right now she didn’t. It had awakened her to a new sensual side of herself.

“What is your ambition in life, Annie?” He turned to her suddenly, fixing her with the full force of his dark gaze.

Was this some kind of test? If she answered wrong would his estimation of her plummet even lower? “To own my own home.” She answered with the simple truth. It was a small dream, and an old-fashioned one, but it had guided her decisions ever since she’d left home at age twenty-one.

“Why don’t you buy one?” He frowned slightly.

She laughed. “They cost money.”

“You earn a good salary.”

“Yes, living in your home and taking care of it. If I moved I’d be out of a job.”

“So your job in my house is preventing you from fulfilling your dream?”

“Not at all. I’m saving the money so that when I’m ready I can buy it. I’m not nearly there yet, in case you’re worried about your floors going unpolished.” She meant it as a joke, but it came out almost scolding. “It’s just something I’ve always wanted. I grew up in a big house filled with people. My grandmother’s house.” Her Connecticut was very different from the one Sinclair had lived in with his ex-wife Muffy. There were no shady lawns or million-dollar mansions on her street, in one of the grimmer parts of the old industrial city. “My parents and sister still live there. It’s like a trap or something. My sister moved away when she got married and had a child, but now she’s divorced and back there again. My dad’s been on disability for decades and just watches TV all day. He could work if he wanted to, but he’d rather just sit around. My mom, on the other hand, works all day and night just to get out of the house.” She raised a brow. “That’s probably what I’d be doing, too, if I was still there. I want to have my own space where I can do what I like.”

“And that’s your only goal?” Apparently that wasn’t enough for Sinclair Drummond. Which was hardly surprising, given all he’d already achieved in his own life.

“I’m thinking more about my career. I’m planning to take evening classes and learn about running a business. I’d like to be self-employed eventually. Maybe even own a shop. Being a housekeeper isn’t a highly transferrable career in this day and age.” She smiled.

“I suppose it’s not easy to find someone with more houses than they have need of.” He looked as if he was going to smile, but he didn’t. If anything he looked pained. Perhaps he’d been hoping she’d prove herself worthy of him with a grand ambition. He must be cruelly disappointed by her simple aspirations.

“What’s your dream?” She’d never have dared to ask him if they weren’t here tonight, in the silver-edged darkness.

Sinclair hesitated for a moment. Frowned. “I don’t know anymore. I used to want a family life, children, all that, but now I know that’s not for me.”

“How do you know that? You’ve never tried.” Her indignation made her sound abrupt.

“To have a family you have to be married, and my two efforts in that direction have demonstrated that I’m not a suitable husband.”

“Maybe they weren’t suitable wives.” She cocked her chin.

“Not for me, apparently.” He looked out over Long Island Sound. “I won’t make that same mistake again.”

“That seems a real shame. You’re far too young to swear off relationships. Besides, you can easily afford a few more divorces.” Her joke was meant to defuse the tension, but the haunted look he gave her only ratcheted it higher. “Not that you’d ever have another, of course.”

“I guarantee that I won’t. Since I have no intention of getting married again.” He drained his champagne glass and stared out over the dark water. “You should marry.”

“What? Why?” His odd statement shocked her. The idea that he even had any thoughts on the subject made her uneasy.

“You’re nurturing and thoughtful. You’d be a good mother. Someone would be very lucky to have you as a partner.” He glanced at her, then looked away again, as if something on the black-velvet horizon held his attention.

“You make me sound rather dull. Not the kind of person who goes to elegant dances wearing a vintage dress.” She teased him. He was right, of course.

“Not at all, because quite obviously you are the kind of person who lights up the night at an occasion like this.” His gaze swept quietly over her, stirring a flurry of arousal. His eyes lingered on her lips, which twitched involuntarily, still hungry for the kiss they never got.

She really needed to distract herself from wanting to kiss him. Although her body thought it was a good idea, her mind knew better. It would only make her life more complicated. After all, he’d made it clear he didn’t want a relationship with her—or anyone—so where could it lead?

Still, why did he have to have such a sensual mouth? His lips were quite full, with a graceful arch on the top, in tantalizing contrast to the masculine jut of his cheekbones and jaw, and the aristocratic profile of his nose. Frankly, his lips begged to be kissed.

And having kissed him once, she knew just how soft and yet how firm they’d be as she pressed her lips against them.

“So, why don’t you want to marry again?” That line of questioning should kill any hint of romance.

He raised a brow. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Because your marriages failed? I’d imagine that would be off-putting, but it didn’t stop Elizabeth Taylor.” She smiled. “I bet if you found the right person you’d get it right this time.”

I could be that right person.

Her brain spat out the thought entirely against her will. She spat it right back. She was trying to crush her romantic aspirations toward Sinclair, not stoke them.

“Maybe you need to figure out exactly what went wrong. Did you ever do that?” She was pretty darn curious, for sure.

“It’s easy. We wanted different things. My first wife, Muffy …” He hesitated.

Of course she was called Muffy. She probably wore pink twinsets with little whales embroidered on them.

“We were together all through college and did everything together. We got married the summer after graduation, and both of our families were thrilled. We bought a lovely house in Connecticut and I thought we’d live happily ever after. Then she decided she wanted to pursue a doctorate in modern languages at Yale, then she wanted to become a professor, then she wanted to take a position at a university in Peru, and by that point we’d realized we were two different people on entirely different courses and we went our separate ways. She teaches at a university in Argentina. It seemed like she changed into a completely different person after I married her.”

“You never considered moving away with her?”

“No. I have my life here, my business. I don’t want to spend my time traveling around the world.” He looked out over the Sound. “I decided right then that I’d never get serious about someone who’s just starting out in life and has no idea what they want yet. One of the things I liked about Diana was that she had her own established PR business and had built a full life for herself. I was pretty confident she wasn’t going to throw it all away and move to Tibet to join a monastery.” He smiled wryly. “And that was where our problems started.”

“She joined a monastery?” Annie’s eyes widened.

“No. Her life was so full that there was no room for me and my life in it. I didn’t want to fly around the country each weekend going to weddings and parties and visiting friends and clients. If I didn’t do those things, I didn’t see my wife. Still, I was determined to make it work so I let her do her thing while I did mine.” He frowned. “I started to believe that was how successful marriages worked. I didn’t have a very good example to follow. My parents led almost entirely separate lives during my childhood. That’s one of the reasons we have several houses.” He sighed. “But Diana found someone else.”

“Oh.” She knew that already. Her infidelity had been the grounds for the divorce. “I’m sorry.”

“So, you see, I’m too inflexible. I wasn’t willing to live their lives and they weren’t willing to live mine. Maybe I should just get a dog?” He raised an eyebrow, and humor sparkled in his eyes.

“I don’t know. That’s a big commitment. All that walking. And what if you want to go to the beach and he wants to go to the park?” She giggled. There was something strangely intimate in Sinclair trusting her with the story of his failed relationships. She felt closer to him than ever before.

“You’re right. And I travel a lot.”

“You’d have to get your housekeeper to walk it.” She tilted her head. “Housekeepers can handle that kind of responsibility.”

“Sounds like I need a housekeeper more than I need a wife.”

“Lucky thing you already have one.” She sipped her champagne. “And apparently she’s a housekeeper with benefits.” She raised a brow.

Sinclair’s shocked expression made her regret her little jibe. Then his face softened and the look he gave her made her stomach do a somersault. “Which proves, I suppose, that just having a housekeeper isn’t enough.” His voice was gruff, rich with all the emotion he kept buried beneath his chiseled and polished surface.

“You’re a unique individual.” She tried to look arch, like the heroine in a regency novel. Though she wasn’t really sure what arch looked like so she probably didn’t pull it off. “You need a very special housekeeper.” Clearly she was tipsy. Or the dress had once again unleashed a part of her that dared to do things the usual Annie wouldn’t dream of.

“What are you two doing all the way over here?” A voice beckoned to them across the lawn. “Come back to civilization for some oysters.”

“Oysters.” Sinclair laughed. “Just what we need.”

“Aren’t they supposed to be an aphrodisiac?”

“Exactly. Do you and I really need an aphrodisiac?” His gaze lingered on her face long enough to heat her skin.

No. We don’t need one. Desire flashed between them like electric current, and he’d just admitted he could feel it. “I’ve never tried oysters.”

“Never? Then let’s go fix that terrible omission.” He held his arm out for her to take it. A gesture that was formal but breathtakingly intimate at the same time. When she slid her arm through his, she could swear she felt the heat of him through his elegant suit, though maybe she imagined it. She was so overstimulated by his presence that she couldn’t trust her senses anymore. She knew that a muscled body, capable of passion and abandon no one here would have expected, lay beneath his formal attire. Did anyone here imagine what had gone on between them?

Couples strolled on the lawn and the terrace, arm in arm like them, laughing. Everyone seemed to be paired up, but that was the theme of the party. Caterers in black-and-white uniforms moved among them, brandishing silver platters piled high with oyster shells. Tables for two had sprung up all over the lawn like mushrooms after a rain, each set with two delicate patterned plates and oyster forks. A bucket of fresh champagne stood beside each table, and chairs decorated with ribbons beckoned each couple to sit. Sinclair pulled out a chair for her and she arranged her wide skirt around her legs.

Three sauce bowls, each with a tiny spoon, sat in the middle of the table, next to a dish of lemon wedges. Sinclair poured them each a flute of champagne. The opened oysters glowed intriguingly in the moonlight in their mother-of-pearl-lined shells. He picked up a shell and spooned one of the sauces onto it. “Open your mouth.”

She obeyed, her stomach clenching slightly, either because of the strange food or the prospect of Sinclair feeding it to her—or both. He tipped the shell toward her mouth and she gently sucked. The cool, oceany taste of the oyster met with a pleasantly sharp explosion of picante sauce on her tongue.

“Swallow.”

She swallowed, blinking at the strange sensation of the smooth oyster sliding down her throat. “That was different.”

Sinclair smiled. “Now you feed me one.”

“My duties as a housekeeper keep expanding in strange directions.” She glanced flirtatiously at him. She wasn’t sure why she kept reminding him—and herself—that he was her employer, but somehow it seemed preferable to having them both forget again. It made whatever romance they did share feel more … real.

“You’re not here as my housekeeper.” Sinclair obviously didn’t find comfort in her words. “But feed me an oyster anyway.” His voice contained a hint of suggestion that made her skin tingle with awareness. She reached for the plate and took one of the pearly shells. She surveyed the sauces. One looked tomatoey, like a cocktail sauce. One was thinner and a little darker, probably hot sauce. The other had herbs floating in it—garlic? She decided to go classic and squeezed a spritz of lemon onto the fish, then held it out. Sinclair’s lips struggled with a slight smile as he opened them for her to tip the contents of the shell into his mouth. Her fingers trembled but she managed to hold it steady as he slurped the oyster gracefully into his mouth and swallowed it. “Delicious.”

The satisfied look on his face suggested that it wasn’t only their appetizer that he spoke about. Some strange place way below her belly button shimmied in response. Was this the aphrodisiac effect of the oysters?

“Your turn.” Their champagne sat untouched as he fed her another oyster, then she fed him. Then he caught hold of her fingers that proffered the shell and kissed them, sending sparks of arousal dancing up her arm.

“You’re glowing tonight.” He spoke softly, serious.

“Like the oyster shells.” She said the first thing that came to mind. His compliment shocked and embarrassed her.

Those adorable smile crinkles showed around his eyes. “In most of the women I know, modesty sounds like they’re fishing for compliments. In you it’s far more annoying because I suspect you really mean it.” He kissed her fingertips again before letting them go.

“No one growing up in my family could suffer from a swelled head for long.”

He leaned forward. “I don’t know anything about your family, except that you need to buy your own house so you don’t have to live with them anymore.”

She laughed. “They’re not that bad. Just loud and bossy and funny. They’re nice, really, except Granny when she’s in one of her moods. She’s the dictator of the family and what she says, goes.”

“Partly because she owns the house everyone lives in.”

“Exactly.” She smiled. “You have personal experience with how that works.”

“I don’t have moods,” he protested. His eyes glittered with amusement.

“Not often, anyway,” she teased. “But if you did I’d have to put up with them, wouldn’t I?”

“Definitely not. I don’t encourage people to slink about like mute sheep. I wouldn’t have much of a business if everyone yessed me to death.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She had tiptoed around him for a long time. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t seemed to notice her before. Judging from his past wives, he was attracted to rather strong-minded women—even if he couldn’t actually stay married to them. “I’ll make a point of being more assertive. Then again, I’m not sure I need to be, since I do everything my way and you all seem to be happy anyway.”

A smile crept across his mouth. “Sounds like the ideal state of affairs. Obviously your way is perfect.” He tilted his head slightly, and held her gaze with those relentless dark eyes. “For me, anyway.”