Infiltrating Your Heart (5 page)

While I’m distracted reading the back
cover of the mystery novel, Patrick returns. He clears his throat.

“Here’s your coffee,” he says,
handing it to me. I put down the book.

“Thanks,” I say, looking at the light
brown liquid. It looks like Patrick might have guessed how I like my coffee.

Patrick sits down next to me, far
enough to respect my space. I take a sip of the coffee. It tastes so good that
it definitely isn’t instant. At least he has good taste.

“What do you study?” Patrick asks. I
look at him.

“Advertising. I’d like to work in a
fun company, spread the word about it, build good publicity. Stuff like that.”

“Interesting. I didn’t peg you for a
businesswoman.”

“What did you peg me for?”

“Hmm…a photographer. Or an event
planner. I don’t know, something creative.”

“Advertising
is
something
creative.”

Patrick shrugs, laughing. I drink
some more coffee.

“I’ve been wondering…what were you
doing so late that night? And dressed like that?”

I look away from Patrick. I wouldn’t
like to answer that question. Part of me is afraid of what he would think if he
knew what I do for a living.

“Were you with a boyfriend?” he asks
when I don’t answer. “Is that why you’re reluctant to seduce Gabriel?”

“No,” I say as I turn back to him.
“I’m single.”

“Then, were you out partying?”

“No.”

Patrick raises an eyebrow.

“What could you possibly have been
doing, then?”

I bite my lip, looking away. In a few
seconds, Patrick grabs my chin and turns my face to him.

“If you don’t answer, I’ll assume the
worst.”

I take a deep breath, closing my
eyes. I then look at him, hoping he won’t take it bad.

“I was working.”

Patrick furrows his eyebrows.

“Working? Um…do you already have a
high-ranking job at some company?”

“No, I wish. I’m a five-star escort.”

Patrick’s jaw drops. He recovers
after a few seconds, looking at me in disbelief.

“You’re bluffing, right?”

My face is serious when I look at
him.

“I really am an escort. Men hire me
to hang out with them, to be their arm candy. They take me to dinners, dances,
business meetings—”

“I don’t want to know the
nitty-gritty,” Patrick cuts across me, waving his hands. “When you told me your
health was optimal, were you telling the truth?”

“Yes. I am completely healthy.”

“But your job involves…sex?”

“It’s not necessary to go that far if
I don’t want to.”

Patrick nods, mulling that over.

“Can’t say I’m not surprised,” he
says, smiling. “An escort. I’m not sure how my brother will take that.”

“Should I tell him?”

“No! Get him to know you better
first. If he asks you about your job, well…don’t you do anything else?”

“Besides study? No.”

Patrick frowns.

“Then just come up with something
else. Why not? It’ll just be a little white lie.”

I’m not too comfortable telling lies.
I do it only when the truth would hurt others.

“Let’s change the subject. You
haven’t had any cosmetic surgery, right?”

For a moment, I almost remind Patrick
that he boldly checked out my tits last weekend.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Okay. Do you have addictions?”

“Are we talking narcotics, or coffee
and brownies? If it’s the latter, I’m definitely addicted.”

Patrick snickers.

“Got that. Do you drink?”

“Only on occasion. I dislike beer,
though.”

“Good. It tastes so foul I’d rather
eat a salad.”

My eyebrow curves upward.

“I can’t stand vegetables.”

This time, I’m the one laughing.

Patrick asks me a few more questions.
Then it’s my turn to ask some.

“I would like to know…why me?” I ask,
looking at Patrick. I’m holding my empty cup in my hands. Patrick thinks about
my question for a moment.

“When I first saw you that night, my
first instinct was to protect you. I…I don’t like to see women get hurt,
especially by creeps like that. My brother and I…we’re alike that way.”

I smiled at the admission. My cheeks
heated.

“Once I got a better look at you—in
the light, I mean,
not
naked—I thought you were utterly attractive.
You’ve got curves in all the right places, and assets to envy. Men have killed
for much less.”

That’s flattering
, I think with a little sarcasm.

“I saw you were beautiful, and I
realized that I had you in my power. That’s when I came up with my plan. You
were just what I needed.”

“To seduce your brother.”

“Yes. I’m certain Gabriel will be
unable to resist you.”

I thought for a few seconds.

“Why do you want me to do that?”

Patrick pauses for a moment. He then
answers.

“I want him to break up with his
girlfriend.”

Mercedes

I can’t believe what Patrick just
told me. Who would have thought? It seems so…cold.

I want him to break up with his
girlfriend.

The statement makes no sense. What
kind of man would do such a thing to his brother? The whole idea is leaving a foul
taste in my mouth.

Patrick watches me, analyzing my
reaction. I don’t try to prevent my feelings from showing on my face. If he
thought I wasn’t pleased with him before, now I’m angry.

“Are you out of your
mind
?” I
ask. “Your plan is for me to help you steal his girlfriend?”

Patrick nods, seeming confused by how
I’m taking this. It only makes me angrier.

“Gabriel’s your brother! How can you even
think about doing such a thing to him?”

“Wow, wow. Turn it down a notch,
sugar. My brother isn’t even in love with his girlfriend.”

I frown.

“That still doesn’t justify what you
plan to do. You have no right.”

“You want to know what gives me the
right? The fact that I’m in love with her.”

I sigh, shaking my head.

“Gabriel thinks he loves Evelyn just
because they’ve been together for years. Our families also approve of the
relationship. It’s financially convenient for my parents.”

I get what he means right away.

“This Evelyn…she’s rich, isn’t she?”

Patrick nods. I look at him.

“Tell me you don’t want her just
because she has money. That way, I might think a little better of you.”

An emotion flickers about Patrick’s
face, too quick for me to catch.

“I love Evelyn. The money’s just a
nice extra. I don’t give a damn what you or anyone else thinks.”

I decide to let that go for now.
Whether Patrick is after the money or not is really not my concern.

“I still think what you’re asking of
me is wrong.”

“When a person loves another,
anything’s fair.”

“Your, um,
opponent
isn’t just
any person. He happens to be your brother.”

“Evelyn deserves to be with a man who
loves her. Gabriel doesn’t love her. End of discussion.”

I’m still glaring at Patrick. Damn
him for blackmailing me. I can’t find a way out of this.

“All right.”

“I don’t need to remind you that your
life is in my hands, right? I can make you do anything I want.”

I reluctantly nod.

“You’re beautiful, Mercedes. I’m sure
that my brother will fall head over heels for you.”

I look
away. Right now, I’m not that eager to meet the famous Gabriel O’Hara anymore.

~*~
Gabriel

One of the perks of being your own
boss is that you get to decide your schedule. I’m glad I have that flexibility.
It allows me days of rest between work. Since I exercise with my students, I
need the rest days. Contrary to what amateurs think, muscles don’t grow in the
gym. People who work out every day are making themselves lose muscle instead of
gaining more of it.

Right now, it’s my lunch hour. I’m
eating at a restaurant close to where I work. I have an hour to go before my
next class arrives.

As I wait for my order to arrive, my
smartphone rings. I pull it from my pocket and answer.

“Gabriel O’Hara.”

“Hi, Gabriel. I’m Evelyn.”

My lips curl up into a smile.

“How are you, sweetheart?”

“A little busy, but otherwise I’m
fine.”

We bought laugh at that.

“Hey, I wanted to ask if you have
free time today.”

I’m not sure about that, so I pull up
my online calendar right on my smartphone. It’s so handy that I can do that
without ending the call.

“Sure. My afternoon’s free.”

“Good. My parents are cooking dinner
tonight. They asked me to tell you that you’re welcome to visit.”

“Dinner? That sounds great. I’ll be
there.”

“I can’t wait to see you, baby.”

“Do I pick you up at your place?”

“Not necessary. I’ll drive to my
parents. Just be there at seven thirty, okay?”

“Seven thirty. Will do.”

“Okay. I gotta hang up. Work, you
know.”

“Yeah. Have a good day.”

“You, too. Bye.”

Evelyn hangs up. I pocket my smartphone
and look up. A waiter arrives with my order.

“Here you go, sir,” the woman says.
She smiles at me in a seductive way. I get that from almost any woman who knows
who I am. I’m kind of well-known here in San Francisco. It’s been that way
shortly after I started dating Evelyn. My good looks and my connection to the
Carrolls has sparked people’s interest in me.

“Thanks,” I say, returning a smile to
her. Satisfied, she walks—or rather,
sashays
—back to where she came
from. I chuckle.

I look at the clock on the wall to
check the time. I have an errand to run before I get back to work.

Just when I’m having the first bite
of my food, I look up. I see my best friend, Roderick, walking toward where I’m
sitting. He’s carrying his own plate of food.

“Glad to run into you. May I sit
here?”

“Of course.”

Roderick sits down, setting his plate
on the table in front of him. He and I sometimes have lunch together.
Roderick’s an accountant, and works not far from here.

“How have you been doing?”

“Great,” I tell Roderick, taking
another bite. He starts to eat as well.

“I sort of wish we were still in
school,” he remarks, his expression reminiscent. “I loved not having to do
anything in the summer except go to the beach.”

“You can still go, you know.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same. I like
my job, though. Don’t get me wrong.”

“Oh, I know what you’re on about. You
like to ogle the women at the beach.”

“As if you didn’t.”

That was true. Although I have a
girlfriend, a little eye candy never hurts.

“You’re not dating anyone, right?” I
ask. Last I know, he’s still single, but we haven’t seen each other much in the
past week.

“Not at the moment, no. I haven’t set
my sights on a woman yet. Not really.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s this fuckin sexy woman at
work who I would be thrilled to get to know better.”

“What’s keeping you from that?”