Surprise Seduction (24 page)

His attitude toward her went from one extreme to the other so fast she couldn’t keep track.

“Three’s a crowd, Aaron,” Mel advised, not bothering to hide his displeasure at Chase’s intrusion.

“So, get lost,” Chase advised.

“Don’t hold your breath.”

Adrienne looked from one to the other.
 
It seemed they’d both forgotten she even sat at the table as they squared off at one another.
 
She’d had enough of participating in their little game.

This was the perfect opportunity to ingratiate herself with Mel by publicly ‘proving’ where her alliance lay.

“Mel’s right.
 
Three is a crowd.
 
You two have fun.”
 
With those words, she gracefully stood from her seat, plopped a kiss on Mel’s cheek.
 
“I’ll call you later.”

She sashayed out of the cafeteria, knowing both men stared at her retreating backside.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“What the hell do you think that little stunt was about?”
 
Chase stormed into Adrienne’s new office.

Adrienne looked up from where she worked at her desk.
 
“What do you mean?”

“Cut the crap.
 
You know exactly what I mean.
 
You sleep with me and less than twenty-four hours later you’re kissing Mel Sheppard?”

She averted her gaze, her face pale.
 
She looked guilty.

“What the hell is going on?”

Her gaze flitted back to his.
 
“Last night was a big mistake.
 
You said so yourself.”

Sure he had, but hearing her say the words ticked him off.

“You didn’t enjoy last night?”

Her cheeks flushed.
 
“You know I did, but let’s face it, you aren’t the kind of man I’m looking to have a relationship with.”

“Hell, a week ago, you weren’t looking for a
man
at all.”

She lowered her gaze to the papers on her desk.
 
“I shouldn’t have lied to you, but I can’t change the past.
 
Sometimes life presents hard choices and a person has to do things they wouldn’t consider under other circumstances.”

Huh?
 
“What are you saying?”

She took a deep breath.
 
“I’m saying that although last night was wonderful. I don’t want a repeat.
 
At least, not from you.
 
I plan to pursue a relationship with Mel.”

She was lying.

She had to be lying.

He felt sick.

Very sick.

“You’re saying you plan to make love with Mel?”
 
The thought of Mel touching her, of her moaning at Mel’s touch, almost undid him.

Damp heat flushed his skin and nausea churned.
 
His legs wobbled.

“I don’t delude myself that I love him, but I have my reasons for wanting to be with Mel.”

He was sick.
 
Sick to his very core.

He stared at her until he could stand the sight of her no longer, refusing to label the ache within him.

“Fine.”

Adrienne placed her hand over her mouth to keep from calling Chase back.
 
Her resolve cracked and she ran after him.

Too late.
 
He was already gone.

She closed her eyes.

What had she just done?

She’d seen the cold acceptance enter his eyes.
 
He’d blocked out whatever feelings he had for her.
 
Had he felt more than just a rivalry for Mel?

Yes, her heart needed to believe he had.
 
That last night had been about two people giving in to the need they’d been denying for weeks.

She did believe.

But, between the lies and deceit, Chase would never forgive her.

“George, I can’t do this anymore.
 
I have to tell Chase the truth.”
 
Adrienne announced two minutes later as she entered George’s office.

“You can’t.”

“Why not?”
 
Her brow furrowed.
 
She’d sat at her desk and realized she had to tell Chase everything.
 
From who she was to what their suspicions about Mel were.

“I’ve been running some traces on phone calls made from this building.
 
Several calls have gone out to Chicago.
 
To Drew Steinberg’s private number.”

“And?”
 
She didn’t see what that had to do with Chase.
 
“We’ve known Drew had somebody on the inside of Westons all along.”

“As much as it grieves me to admit this, I think I pointed the arrow in the wrong direction.”

Flutters rose up her throat.
 
“What do you mean?”

George’s gaze met hers.
 
Deep sadness wearied his eyes.
 
“The calls came from Chase’s office.”

“No.”
 
Her feet gave out from under her as she fell back into a chair.

It couldn’t be true.
 
Chase couldn’t be helping Drew.

But he had said he questioned whether or not he’d made the right choice backing Roger.

She rubbed her throbbing temple.

Chase had a lot to lose if he backed the wrong person.
 
Had he thrown in lots with Drew?
 
Had his backing Roger only been a ruse to mask what was really going on?

Oh God.

Her head ached.

Her heart broke.

“There’s more.”

Her gaze lifted to George.

“I had a private investigator run some checks on Chase.
 
His bank accounts have had a great deal of activity lately.
 
I’m talking six figure amounts have been transferred into his accounts.
 
The PI hasn’t been able to trace the source of the money—just that it originated from Switzerland.”

No.
 
No.
 
No.

Chase couldn’t be the one involved in whatever Drew had going on.
 
He couldn’t.

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
 
George Weston took her hand in his.
 
“I hate to see you hurt.
 
I’d never have believed it of the boy, myself, but the facts speak for themselves.”

All this time she’d been worried about how she deceived him.
 
He’d been deceiving her.
 
Plotting to help an evil man take over her father’s company.
 
She just couldn’t buy it.
 
Not Chase.

“Now what?” she asked her late father’s friend.

“We need to call Roger.
 
Get him in on what we’re doing.” He squeezed her hand.
 
“Either Mel and Drew are setting Chase up to take the fall or you’re going to have to shift your focus to Chase.
 
Either way, we’re running out of time.”

“Sorry, Mel, but I can’t keep our date tonight.”
 
Adrienne continued to browse through the messages on her business e-mail as she spoke into the phone.

She listened to his response only half-heartedly.
 
She’d called and left a message on Chase’s voice mail, telling him she really needed to talk to him.
 
That it was urgent she do so.

Whether or not he’d give her the time of day, she wasn’t sure.
 
But, she’d come up with a back-up plan if he didn’t.

He might ignore Adrienne Morris, but in his power hungry greed it was unlikely he’d ignore Adrianna Morrigan.

Mel’s repeated request for her to change her mind, keep their date called her back to the phone conversation.

“Listen, Mel.
 
I’ve got to go.
 
I’m not sure it’s a good idea for us to go out again.
 
Thanks anyway.”
 
She hung the phone up before he could launch into a new set of protests.

“Bravo.”
 
Clapping met her ears the moment the handset touched its cradle.

“Chase.”
 
Automatically his name rolled off her lips.
 
Had his Mel alert gone off?
 
Warning him of her phone conversation with the other man?
 
Or had he gotten her message?

“So, you’ve dumped us both,” he accused, sauntering closer to her desk.

“No,” she denied, but didn’t meet his eyes.
 
She couldn’t.
 
He might see the pain that he was out to destroy her father’s company.
 
The hurt that she loved him and hated him at the same time.

“We need to talk.”

She supposed they did. “Yes.”

“Can we go somewhere this evening?”

“I have plans,” she fibbed.
 
Her gaze drifted to those powerful thighs right in front of her desk.

“Not with loverboy.”

“No,” she agreed.

“You’ve already hooked another man?” his tone rang so incredulous it irked her.

“That’s none of your business.”
 
She glared at him.

“I think after Tuesday night, it is.”

Adrienne laughed.

“That was just sex,” she reminded.
 
“A one time thing.
 
You said so yourself.”