Page 13 of False Pretenses

“Good morning, my love. I’m sorry. I did promise you, but I have an unexpected meeting. The second it’s over, I will be at your disposal to dress me as you see fit—or undress.”

Piper gagged. “Keep that in your room! The least you can do is say good morning. Maybe they don’t teach you manners where you’re from.”

Nathan’s eyes blazed in anger, but Alyssa squeezed his arm. “I apologize, Mr. and Mrs. Corde. Leo and Lydia. Good morning. I hope you two had a good night’s sleep?”

Alyssa chose the spot next to where Nathan sat, and he held her chair for her. She made no effort to greet his bitchy sister whatsoever, even while the woman stared daggers at her.

Lydia was the first to speak up. “Good

morning, sweetheart. I’m sorry we started without you. I wanted Nathan to wake you, but he said you didn’t sleep much last night and to let you rest.” The insinuation came through crystal clear, and Alyssa couldn’t help blushing.

“No problem.” Alyssa spotted the food on trays on a side table and started to get up to serve herself, but Nathan rested a hand on her thigh. Arrows of desire pinged her pussy, and she turned slightly to get him to let go. He ignored her fidgeting to whisper in her ear.

“Just tell Talia what you’d like.”

She glanced up to find the maid standing at her elbow. Goodness, they move like ghosts, flitting in and out. “Um eggs, bacon, and a biscuit, please, Talia. Thanks.”

“Of course, miss.”

The others seemed not to be fazed in the least to be served in their own home as Aziz and Talia moved about the table refreshing coffee, bringing second helpings. The food sat not even five feet away from them. In fact, the table extended wide enough to have placed the dishes in the middle.

“I have an idea,” Lydia announced. “Why don’t us girls go shopping? You and I can keep Alyssa company, Piper, while Nathan’s working. How’s that sound?”

Alyssa dredged up a smile, and Piper whirled a finger in the air, but she didn’t refuse to go. In fact, from the determined set to her jaw, Alyssa wouldn’t be surprised if she had a verbal attack coming. Well, she could bring it, because Alyssa did not take crap from anyone. She knew she was a decent person, and she had no plans to try to swindle Nathan out of his money. Besides, who could think of money when a man like him kissed the way he did? She squirmed in her chair once more and was rewarded with another squeeze from the man himself. He would get his own lecture later about going too far!

Chapter Five

At the front door, where Nathan had insisted she accompany him out of sight of the others, he pulled his wallet from his pocket and flipped it open. She shrank back. “What are you doing?”

He thumbed through a thick stack of money. “I don’t have much cash on me.”

She folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t want it.”

He forced her to extend her palm and dropped several hundreds into it. Alyssa’s mouth went dry when she counted out two thousand, but he wasn’t done. A credit card topped the stack. “Use this if you need more, and if they give you any issues, call me. I’ll clear it.”

Her jaw went slack. “Nathan, I do not need this money, and even if I did, it’s too much.”

He curled her fingers closed. She couldn’t help getting caught up in his gaze, mesmerized by their depth and warmth. “You are going shopping with my mom and sister. They love to buy things, and the stores they frequent aren’t…”

She frowned. “Wal-Mart?”

“They’re exclusive. That cash probably won’t be enough. Spend as much as you want. There’s no limit on the card.”

“No limit?” She blinked at him. The last credit card she owned had a limit of five hundred dollars, and she’d maxed it out countless times before learning discipline to go with cash or don’t buy. She would not go backward by using his card.

“Wouldn’t my family expect me to be generous with the woman I love?” he argued.

“I know, but—”

“You would fight me, but I assure you, I would not give up until you allowed me to take care of you in the way that I can. So, let’s skip all of that and go straight to you accepting the money.”

“Nathan!”

His serene smile made her sigh to keep from smacking him.

“Fine, but I’ll use the money, not the card. I’ll consider it expenses while on the job.”

“Good girl.” He patted her ass and kissed her lips and then was gone before she could tell him about himself.

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