“I thought you guys were going to live on different continents.”
Sam shook her head. “Our original plan isn’t going to work like we’d hoped. In light of the bugs and surveillance cameras, we think it’s best to stay close to each other.” Samantha’s mind shifted to Blake’s proposal. He hadn’t pushed her to sleep with him since their time in her bathroom, but he’d sent her several heated glances and sexy comments to let her know he still wanted her in his bed. As it was, Samantha slept in the room beside her husband’s and they told the staff that she wasn’t feeling well. The excuse was lame, but no one commented about it.
“Where does that leave Alliance?”
“What would you say to coming in as my partner?”
Eliza’s eyes widened and a smile formed on her lips. “What would that look like?”
“I’d need you to do some of the field work.” They both knew that meant Eliza would need to attend gatherings where women searched for rich husbands, high profile events where those with money played. Socializing was the best way of gathering prospective clients. Word of mouth worked better than any ad in the paper. “Karen already agreed to introduce you to some of her old friends to set you up.”
“Karen is the one who runs Moonlight, right?”
The knockout gorgeous blonde who Blake didn’t look at twice. Sam nodded. “When you have a new contact, fax the information to me and I’ll start the background on them. I can initiate that anywhere in the world. What I can’t do is meet with people until my time becomes my own again.”
“When do you expect that?”
“A few months. Maybe sooner.”
Eliza seemed to juggle the new prospect in her mind. “I guess it would be bad form to be talking about temporary marriages after your Vegas wedding to Blake. People might ask questions.”
“It wouldn’t look good. I’ll place things in your name so it looks like I’m your employee.” Because any lawyer worth a damn would figure it out otherwise.
“You’d do that?”
“I trust you. And when I offered a partnership, I meant it. If things become too difficult for you when I’m away, we’ll hire a temporary secretary. If things pick up, we’ll hire a full time one. We’ll split the profits down the middle and while I’m playing Duchess, I’ll pay for the expenses.”
Eliza’s eyes lit up. “As in fancy dresses and dinners with clients?”
Samantha laughed. “I’m sure we can come up with a reasonable budget.”
“I’m not sure what to say?”
“Say yes.”
“But this is your baby. You’ve worked hard and I’m new on the scene.”
Uncrossing her legs, Sam sat forward and placed a hand over her friend’s. “You helped me when times were hard and never bitched when money was tight.”
“You offered me a room at your house. Kinda hard to bitch when you let me live with you for nothing.”
Sam waved her off. “I may have started this business, but it’s taken both of us to get it where it is today. I don’t trust anyone else but you, Eliza.”
The slow movement of Eliza’s head ended in a full nod and a smile. “How can a girl say no to that?”
“Good.”
“Mrs. Harrison?” the cook called from the entryway to the living room.
“Yes, Mary?”
“Your lunch is ready. Would you like it in here, or should I leave it in the dining room?”
Eliza’s sly smile told Samantha how impressed she was. “We’ll take it in there. I hope you’ll join us.”
Mary’s eyes widened in alarm. “Oh, no, I couldn’t do that.”
Samantha and Eliza both stood and walked toward Mary. “Oh, yes, you can,” Sam laughed as she spoke. “I don’t expect you to cook lunch then eat alone.”
“But—“
“Besides, Blake’s birthday is in less than a week and to tell you the truth, I’ve absolutely no idea what to buy him. Maybe you can help.”
Mary’s mouth rounded to a perfect ‘O’. She stopped arguing and followed Sam and her new business partner into the dining room.
Halfway through their meal, Samantha realized how quickly she’d fallen back into the role of a woman with money. She stalled as she ate, and remembered how quickly it could all collapse.
In her situation, she knew it would. Hers and Blake’s was a temporary arrangement, with a definite beginning and a specific end. She’d have to lock those thoughts away for another year, or risk exposing her short-term marriage to anyone who looked.
And in order to lock it away, she needed to start acting like a married woman, she mused.
A happily married woman.
****
Blake drove through the gates of his Malibu estate two hours past the time he’d told Samantha he’d be home. With the upset in the Middle East, a few of his shipping routes needed to be diverted to avoid the international turmoil. It would have been easier handling the current crisis in his company if he’d been in Europe, but Blake had grown used to shuffling things between both Continents. Now with Samantha in his life, he had an even better reason to filter more of his work to the States.
When he’d called her at five thirty to tell her he’d be late, she’d sounded disappointed. That disappointment prompted him to move faster so he could manage a little time with her before she retired for the evening. He had a genuine desire to get to know Samantha better.
There weren’t any games with his wife. Blatant honesty, right down to the ‘I want to sleep with you’ words, were refreshing.