Page 26 of The Last Affair
One Week Later
Gold Mansion
“DON’TBENERVOUS.”
“Are you saying that for my benefit or yours?” Desta asked when they stood on the top brick step a few feet away from the double white doors of the Gold Mansion.
Maurice smirked. “Don’t be funny.”
Lifting a hand, she gave him a salute. “Yes, sir.” She hadn’t given the words or the action any thought, but the moment she saw concern flicker in his gaze, she chuckled. Nervously. Damn him. “I’ve been to Sunday dinner at your parents’ house before, Maurice. It’s silly to feel any type of way about being here now.”
She’d been to lots of functions at this house. In the beginning, turning down invitations had seemed rude and quite possibly career suicide, so she’d attended one Sunday dinner and then a cocktail party, a cookout, Ron Gold’s sixtieth birthday party and eventually more Sunday dinners and poker nights. Before long, she’d begun to feel as comfortable around the Golds as if she were an adopted part of their family. So much so she’d recently chanced turning down some invites, claiming she had other plans. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to work tonight.
“We hadn’t slept together all the times you’d been here before.” He was right about that.
And they had been sleeping together—a lot—in the last week since returning to Manhattan. In fact, Maurice had stayed at her place three out of the past five nights. Her queen-size bed was no match for the king-size they’d slept in at the resort, but she’d kind of liked the feeling of him that close throughout the night. Exactly when they’d decided to continue whatever it was they were doing, she wasn’t sure. Neither of them had said anything definitive, nor had they stopped.
“Well, there’s no sticker on my forehead saying we slept together, so if nobody asks that particular question, they’ll never know.” He arched a brow, and she sighed. “You’re not helping.”
“It’s going to be fine. We’re not hiding anything.” When she shivered from the cold, he rubbed his gloved hands up and down her arms.
He wore a black leather bomber jacket over a navy-blue sweater and turtleneck combo. His pants were dark gray, cuffed at the ankle, black leather loafers on his feet.
What he’d just said made perfect sense; they hadn’t been trying to hide anything. The nervousness she’d had about them being seen together at the Finger Lakes hadn’t surfaced here because being together here could easily be connected to their jobs. From the time they’d returned after driving back from the Finger Lakes late Monday afternoon, until early Friday evening, they’d walked in and out of the office together more than they ever had before. They hadn’t offered any explanation, nor had anybody asked. But they’d never arrived at his parents’ house together. This affair they were having could backfire, and losing her job would be the consequence of acting on emotion and not common sense.
“You’re worried about what they’ll say, too, aren’t you?” she asked.
He frowned and, as if to quiet her discomfort, leaned forward to drop a light kiss on her lips. “It’s freezing out here. We’re going in.”
But before he could turn his attention to the door, it opened. “I thought I saw your car.” Major stood just inside the foyer, a wide grin on his face. “Hey, Desta.”
Her heart was beating frantically, but she managed to move like she was as unbothered as Maurice was, stepping toward his twin brother and walking inside. “Hey, Major. Nice jacket.”
He wore a deep burgundy velvet sports coat over a black shirt and pants. Commenting on his outfit was what Desta would’ve done on any other occasion. Of all the Gold brothers, Major was the least interested in switching up his black, blue, gray and brown color palette, so whenever she saw him in other colors—which had come more and more after he’d met Nina—she was sure to notice.
“Thanks. Nina picked it out. She said it’s festive.”
Desta had walked past him and was removing her coat. When she turned back to face Major, he was brushing a hand down the front of the jacket.
“It’s not Christmas yet,” Maurice added when he came into the house.
Major closed the door and laughed. “You two teaming up on me? Wow, that’s cute.”
Was it? Were they? Had Maurice told Major about them? In addition to being twins by birth, these two were thick as thieves in life. Maurice was insistent about not keeping their affair a secret, and she was on board with that decision, but had he hurried home to tell his twin about their weekend rendezvous?
Kemp, the Golds’ long-time butler, came into the foyer at that moment. “I’ll take your coats.” The very slim, older gentleman with smooth almond-toned skin appeared as fit as any of them, even though she knew from Maurice he was in his late seventies. He’d been with the Golds for decades.
“Hi, Kemp.” She gave him her coat, but her attention was still attuned to Major, who was staring at her with an odd look on his very handsome face. Even though they were fraternal twins, there was a close resemblance between him and Maurice.
Since Major no longer worked at RGF full-time—he and Nina ran their own company, the Gold Service, on the outskirts of the city—she hadn’t seen him this week.
Yet, the grin he was giving Desta right now was definitely a knowing one.
After Kemp took Maurice’s jacket, she leaned over and whispered in Maurice’s ear. “Does Major know about us?”
Maurice’s response was a glare in Major’s direction and dismissive shake of his head. “No. But come on inside, we might as well get this over with.”
Yes, they might as well—as in this was going to be a very long evening.
