Outrageous. Lori Foster
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once. But things didn’t work out.” She rushed through her words, seemingly unable to stop herself. “I bought this house about a year ago. My parents don’t particularly like it—it’s one of the smaller homes in the community. But it was an original estate, not one built when the Lakes was developed. It’s been renovated, and I think it’s charming.”
She said the words defensively, as if she expected some scathing comment from him. Judd didn’t like being affected this way, but there was something about Emily that touched him. He could feel her emotions, had been feeling them since first making eye contact with her. And right now, she seemed almost wounded.
Very gently, he asked, “Did you see to the renovations yourself?”
“Yes.”
He looked around the dark, secluded yard and shook his head. “Your parents approve of your living here alone?”
“No, but it doesn’t matter what they think. When my grandmother died, she left me a large inheritance. My parents expected me to buy a condo near them and then invest the rest using their suggestions.” Her hands tightened in her lap and she swallowed. “But I loved this house on sight. I’d already planned to buy it, and receiving the inheritance let me do so sooner than I’d planned. I don’t regret a single penny I spent on the place. Everything is just as I want it.”
“What if you hadn’t gotten the inheritance?”
“I would have found a job. I’m educated. I’m not helpless.” She gave him a narrow-eyed look. “But this way, I don’t have to. I’m financially independent.”
And alone. “How old are you, Emily?”
She raised her chin, a curious habit he’d noticed she used whenever she felt threatened. “Thirty.”
He couldn’t hide his surprise. “You don’t look more than twenty.” Without thinking, he reached out and touched her cheek, his fingertips drifting over her fine, porcelain skin. “Twenty and untouched.”
She jerked away. “Are we going to sit in the driveway all night? Go around the back, to the kitchen door.”
He shouldn’t let her give him orders, but what the hell. He put the truck in gear and did as directed.
The darkness of the hour had hidden quite a few things. There was a small lake behind her property, pretty with the moon reflecting off its surface. Of course, there were some twenty such lakes in the Crystal Lakes community, so he shouldn’t have been surprised.
“Is the lake stocked?”
“Yes. But it’s seldom used. Occasionally, one or two of the neighborhood children come here to fish. My lake is the most shallow, so it’s the safest. And it’s the only one on this side of the community. Most of the lakes are farther up.”
“You don’t mind the kids trampling around your yard?”
“Of course not. They’re good kids. They usually feed the ducks and catch a frog or two. I enjoy watching them.”
Judd stared back at the house. There was a large window that faced the backyard and the lake. He could picture her sitting there, content to watch the children play. Maybe longing for things she didn’t have. Things money couldn’t buy.
Hell, he was becoming fanciful.
Disgusted with himself, knowing he’d been away from normal society too long and that was probably the reason she seemed so appealing, he parked the truck and got out. The fresh air cleared his head.
He opened Emily’s door to help her out, but she held back, watching him nervously. “I’ll make sure you get inside okay, then I’ll take off. We can hook up again tomorrow morning.”
“Oh. Yes. That will be fine.”
She sounded relieved that he didn’t intend to come inside tonight, and perversely, he changed his mind. He’d come in, all right, but with his imagination so active, he couldn’t trust himself to be alone with her any length of time. Anyway, he told himself, she wasn’t his type—not even close. She was much too small and frail. He liked his women big, with bountiful breasts and lush hips.
As far as he could tell, Emily didn’t have a figure.
But those eyes… She walked up a small, tidy patio fronted by three shallow steps, then unlocked the back door and flipped a switch. Bright fluorescent light cascaded through a spotless kitchen and spilled outside onto the patio. Judd saw flowerpots everywhere, filled with spring flowers, and a small outdoor seating group arranged to his right. Everything seemed cheery and colorful…like a real home, and not at all what he’d expected.
Damn, he’d have to find some way to dissuade her from her plan before he got in over his head.
She turned and gave him a small, uncertain smile. “About tomorrow…”
He interrupted her, coming up the three steps and catching her gaze. “Let’s make sure we understand each other, Emily, so there won’t be any mistakes.”
She nodded, and he deliberately stepped closer, watching with satisfaction as she tried to pull back, even though there was no place to go. Good, he thought. At least she had some sense of self-preservation.
He braced his hands on the door frame, deliberately looming over her. “From this second on, I call the shots, with no arguments from you. If you really want my help, you’ll do as I tell you, whatever I tell you.” He waited until she’d backed all the way into the kitchen, then he added, “You understand all that?”
EMILY’S MOUTH OPENED twice, but nothing came out. She was too stunned to think rationally, too appalled to react with any real thought. Judd dropped his arms and stepped completely into the kitchen, watching her, and by reflex alone, she started sidling toward the hall door. She had made a terrible mistake. Her instincts had been off by a long shot.
Judd’s smile was pure wickedness. “Where ya’ goin’, Emily?”
“I, ah, I just thought of something…”
Like a loud blast, his laugh erupted, filling the silence of the kitchen.
She halted, a spark of suspicion beginning to form. “What is so funny?”
“The look on your face. Did you think I had visions of taking you instead of the money?” He shook his head, and Emily felt her cheeks flame. He was still chuckling when he said, “It only makes sense that I’d be in charge—after all, that’s what you’ll be paying me for. Like I told you, a rich little lady like yourself would only draw a lot of unnecessary attention hanging around that area. You’ll have to follow my lead, and do as I tell you if you want to stay safe. And another thing, we need to figure out some reason for you being there at all. I think we’ll have to do a little acting. Your part will be easy, since you’ll just be the rich lady. That leaves me as the kept man.” He spread his arms wide. “As far as everyone will be concerned, I’m yours. There’s no other reason why a woman like you would be around a man like me, unless she was slumming. So that’s the reason we’ll use.”
She was so mortified, she wanted to die. Stiff-backed, she turned away from him and walked over to lean against the tiled counter near the sink. She heard Judd close the door, and seconds later, his hands landed on her shoulders, holding her firm.
“Don’t get all huffy now. We have things to discuss. Serious things.”
“You mean, you don’t intend to taunt me anymore? My goodness, how gracious.”
“You’ve got a real smart mouth, don’t you? No, don’t answer that. I’m sorry I teased you, but I couldn’t resist. You’re just too damn easy to fluster.” He turned her to face him, then tipped up her chin.
“Here, now, don’t go blushing again. Not that you don’t