Surprise Seduction (16 page)

“No way.
 
Nothing happened.”
 
He turned accusing eyes on Chase.
 
“Tell me you didn’t?”

“Damn straight.”
 
Chase crossed his arms and leaned against Adrienne’s desk, his casual stance in direct opposition with his expletive and flashing eyes.

Adrienne rolled her own eyes, and turned to Mel.
 
“Yes, he did.
 
What brings you into the lion’s den?
 
He doesn’t have the power to fire you, too, does he?”

Mel gave Chase a quizzical look.
 
“George Weston hired me personally.
 
He’d have a lot of explaining to do if he tried.”

“If I decided you didn’t fit this company, you’d be gone in a heartbeat,” Chase assured Mel with the attitude of a jungle cat who knew he was king of the pride.

Adrienne ignored Chase.
 
Maybe if she and Mel both failed to recognize his contributions to the conversation, he’d take a hint and leave.
 
Otherwise, she might have a hard time carrying out what she had to do.
 
She turned to Mel.
 
“So what does bring you by?”

“I was looking for you,” he admitted.
 
“George called and told me to see if you needed any help.
 
I didn’t think to ask what he meant for me to help you with.
 
I jumped on the excuse to see you.
 
I wanted to confirm what time you wanted to meet me tonight.”

Chase’s face clouded.

“At seven?” Adrienne suggested, paying no attention to Chase’s reaction, or at least, trying her best not to.

“That’ll be great.
 
At the Monarch?”
 
He named an exclusive dance club downtown.

“Sure.”

“She isn’t meeting you tonight,” Chase spoke with the authority of a five star general.

“Not this, again.”
 
Mel overlooked the threatening tone in Chase’s voice and grinned at Adrienne.
 
“Did you need me to help?”

She handed him the box she’d packed.

“Can you take this to George’s office and give it to Mrs. Gray?
 
She’ll know what to do with it.”

“Sure thing.”
 
Mel took the box and winked.
 
“See you tonight, doll.”

Adrienne and Chase both watched Mel leave, carrying the box of her things.

“Would you please quit saying what I am and am not going to do?”
 
Adrienne turned on Chase the moment Mel disappeared around a corner.
 
Adrienne would bet her eyeteeth Mel was still within ear shot, though.

“No.
 
Not when it comes to your going out with Mel.
 
The only thing he wants is to get you in the sack.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you,” Adrienne taunted, then added for Mel’s benefit, “Besides, I know exactly what Mel wants from me.
 
And guess what?
 
He might just get what he wants.
 
I made a mistake in thinking I wanted you when Mel is so much more appealing.”

Both of Chase’s eyebrows rose.
 
His lower jaw hit the floor.
 
“No.”

She laughed.

“Did I ask for your permission?”
 
She gave him a pointed look.
 
“I think not.
 
Goodbye, Chase.”

She picked up the last of her things and left the office with her head held high, her heart breaking that she’d had to once again go back on what she’d told Chase.

She was tempted to turn for one last glimpse, but knew his eyes watched, so she didn’t.

Adrienne caught her reflection in a mirror while she waited in the entrance of the Monarch for Mel to arrive.
 
She still had difficulty recognizing the change in her outer appearance after having been ‘Adrienne Morris’ for several weeks.

Sheila had helped style her hair.
 
Although a bit higher and in more wild disarray than Adrianna would have chosen, it looked good.
 
The royal blue color of her dress made her eyes take on a sapphire appearance.
 
The dress screamed excitement.
 
Silky, short, and tight.
 
Appropriate for an evening of dancing and fun with a gorgeous man she planned to convince she was out to get Chase and Weston Pharmaceuticals.

But where was the gorgeous man?
 
Mel should have been here twenty minutes ago.
 
Was he standing her up?
 
Maybe his sole interest had been because of her access to Chase and restricted information.

After all, she had handed him the key to Chase’s office and not realized she’d never gotten it back until George revealed his concerns about the man he’d hired a few months prior to her father’s death.

She looked around the entrance.
 
Around twenty people stood in the entryway.
 
None of them Mel Sheppard, but one man warranted a second look.
 
A tall man dressed in dark slacks and a blue shirt that bore a striking similarity to the color of her dress.
 
A man who stole her breath with his intense green eyes watching her in wry amusement.

Chase.

Her heart rate doubled and her entire body tingled with excitement.

Why was he here?
 
What had he done to Mel?
 
She sent him a warning look then felt a burst of rebellion replacing the elated desire she’d felt upon spotting him.

She couldn’t pursue her feeling for Chase—not until she had revealed Mel’s true character.
 
How was she going to keep him away?
 
Especially when what she’d like to do is invite him into the dim club and have his body pressed next to hers on the dance floor?

She swallowed, and desperately looked around the entryway.
 
Her gaze landed on a group of young men dressed in casual business wear.
 
With a mutinous flip of her teased hair, she headed toward them.

“Hi, I’m Adrienne.”
 
She introduced herself to the trio who seemed eager to make her acquaintance judging by how they sized up her figure.
 
“It seems my party has been delayed, maybe permanently. May I join you?”

“Sure,” the tallest answered.

“I’m Steve,” another said.

“Jeff Williams,” the cutest of the bunch introduced himself as he stretched his hand out to her.

She placed her hand in his to shake, but instead he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss in the center.
 
She gave him a flirty smile before tossing a defiant look over her shoulder at Chase.
 
She had to convince him she wasn’t interested if she was to convince Mel she was interested in him--which she had to do.

“Jeff,” she said, turning back to him.
 
He seemed to preen beneath her gaze.
 
Adrienne looked into the man’s eyes and lifted one of her new shapely eyebrows.
 
“Buy me a drink?”

“Gladly.”
 
The man started to take her arm and lead her inside the club, but halted as Chase interrupted.

“Sorry, I’m late honey.”
 
He leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth before turning to the three men.
 
He gave them a conspiratorial grin.
 
“Women.
 
You’re a few minutes late; they get huffy and start trying to pick up other men so you’ll be consumed with jealousy.
 
The last time she did this the other bloke and I came to blows.”

Adrienne watched in horror as he let out an exasperated sigh.
 
Shock metamorphasized into the urge to belt him.

“Women,” he repeated.

She shot him a look that plainly instructed him where he could go.

“I do not know this man.”
 
She pulled away from Chase and linked her arm with Jeff’s.
 
“Buy me that drink.
 
Please.”

“Adrienne, honey.
 
Don’t involve these men in our quarrel.
 
I’m sorry I’m late, babydoll, but I had to drop the kids off at my Mom’s.
 
Forgive me.”

The kids at his mom’s?
 
Was he drunk?
 
Delirious?
 
What was he doing?
 
Playing with her, that’s what.
 
Oooooh!

Indecision then withdrawal crossed all three men’s faces.
 
They didn’t want to get involved with a woman who was obviously squabbling with the father of her children.

“He’s lying!”
 
She gave one last attempt at changing Jeff’s mind.
 
She held up her left hand and wiggled her finger.
 
“No wedding ring.”

“Is that what it’s going to take to get you to quit trying to pick up other men every time I run five minutes late?”
 
Chase blew out a long exasperated breath.
 
“You were the one to insist we wait until your dad gets out of prison.
 
You wanted him to walk you down the aisle, but if you’ve changed your mind,” he shrugged.
 
“I understand.
 
But remember once we get hitched you’ll lose the child support payments from the kids’ dads.”

His tone was so patronizing Adrienne almost punched him.

The three men gave her a skeptical look before practically running away.

She turned to Chase.
 
“You big conceited, egotistical, lying son of a-”

“Uh, uh, uh,” he interrupted.
 
“Watch that tongue of yours.
 
What would the kids think if they could hear you?”

“I’ll watch it all right.
 
Watch it filet you into a million pieces, you dirty rotten scoundrel!
 
What did you do with my date?”

“Those three punks you were trying to pick up?
 
Didn’t your daddy ever tell you not to pick up strange men in bars?” came his scolding reply.

“My father’s dead and no, he never did.
 
You didn’t answer my question.
 
What did you do with Mel?
 
Is he tied and gagged in your trunk?
 
Do I need to send a rescue crew out?
 
No, wait.
 
Let me guess.
 
You told him about the six kids I need a surrogate father for.”

“I’m sorry about your father.”

Adrienne blinked at his sincere tone so close on the heels of his teasing words.

“Me too,” she finally answered, the wind falling right out of her sails.

“How long ago did he die?”

“Earlier this year.”
 
A sharp pain zagged across her chest.
 
Her eyes closed, then she focused on her annoyance with Chase because that was much easier to deal with than thoughts of her beloved father being gone.