The Rules Read online

  Their only bone of contention was her constant need to assert her independence and keep their relationship in a kind of nonexclusive limbo. She was very particular about the gifts she accepted from him. The other day, he had dozens of Agent Provocateur lingerie delivered to her apartment with a handwritten note that said Wear this for me attached to a jade bra with matching thong and suspenders.

  When he arrived that night, she wore the pieces he had selected, and posed seductively for him in the doorway to the bedroom. The sight of the cool green against her warm caramel skin almost caused him to rip the silk from her body.

  Although she expressed no unease at the thousands of dollars he spent on the Agent Provocateur garments, she stiffened when she opened a jeweler’s box and saw the gold necklace with double hearts inlaid with rubies. She didn’t let him fasten it around her neck, and he hadn’t seen it again since that night.

  “You and Terri sound serious.” Ivy watched him over the rim of her cup.

  Gavin shrugged. “Too soon for that. We’re enjoying each other for now.”

  “When was the last time you even had a serious girlfriend?” Ivy asked. She frowned as she considered the answer to the question.

  Xavier shifted his stance at the railing so he could lean back on his elbows. “Not since…the daughter of the oil guy—the one in Texas that Mother introduced you to, right?”

  “We weren’t that serious.” They were together for a solid year. She was serious, he wasn’t. They parted ways because she couldn’t keep up with his schedule, being out of the country all the time. It was a tough long-distance relationship, and one he hadn’t been too interested in maintaining.

  “What about Sharon?” Ivy asked.

  “Wasn’t interested in her.”

  “He wouldn’t put a ring on her finger,” Xavier supplied.

  “Oh.” Ivy rested her head against the back of the Adirondack chair. “You must really like Terri, then,” she said quietly.

  Gavin brushed dirt from his jeans. “Don’t analyze me, Ivy.”

  “I’m not.” She sighed heavily. “I’m glad for any reason you’re staying home.”

  “Why is that so important to you?” He watched his sister closely. They used to be really close at one time, and he missed that. He needed to rectify the situation since he created the distance.

  “Besides the fact that you worry us to death when you go on your dangerous adventures? I’m just glad that we’re all here. If you come to work at the company—”

  “Don’t hold your breath. I’m not ready to do that yet. Going in to work just gives me something to do to kill time.”

  “Well, if you change your mind, it’ll be nice, that’s all.” She wrapped her fingers around the mug.

  “I guess it would be nice,” Gavin admitted.

  The minute he said that, Ivy turned her head…and smiled.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Terri followed Alannah from the building, yoga mats rolled under their arms.

  “Good night,” they called to the other members of the class.

  The driver opened the door and Terri slid onto the seat beside her friend.

  Alannah disliked having a driver drop them off and pick them up. Terri appreciated the convenience and agreed with Trenton that they were located in a sketchy area. Parking was in the back or down the street, which meant they had to walk to their cars in the near dark. Alannah thought the “whole driver mess,” as she called it, made her look pretentious, but since most everyone knew she lived with a wealthy man, Terri didn’t see why it was a big deal.

  “What’s going on? We haven’t talked much lately.” Alannah’s eyes twinkled and her lips turned up in a knowing smile.

  It was true. When Terri wasn’t at work, she was with Gavin. Tonight was the first time in a long time that she’d even attended yoga.

  “Get that look off your face,” she said.

  “Terri and Gavin, sitting in a tree—”

  Terri shoved her friend. “Cut it out.”

  “K-i-s-s-i-n-g.” Alannah giggled and dodged another blow by scooting into the corner. “Are you having fun?”

  She and Gavin hung out together more than she anticipated they would at the beginning of their affair. He spent time with her, even if they weren’t having sex. “I am having fun.”

  Still, his latest request completely threw her off. He invited her to a retirement party for one of the top executives in Johnson Enterprises, someone who worked for the company for thirty years and had known his father well. His mother considered the man a dear friend and wanted to host a special event for him outside of the company, so she planned a formal dinner in her home, which would segue into a cocktail party with additional guests a couple of hours later.

  Apparently, Ivy told their mother about her, and his mother invited Terri because she wanted to meet her. The invitation to attend came out of nowhere, during a midnight run to Aldi’s Market, a haven of gourmet foods Gavin introduced her to. Now she was addicted to the place.

  Shocked by his invitation, she immediately turned him down.

  “Why don’t you want to come with me? There’s got to be a reason.” They stood in the gourmet cheese section, trying to decide between the Camembert or the milder, creamier double cream Brie.

  She averted her eyes from his questioning gaze and perused the products on display. “I don’t have a particular reason. I don’t know why you want me there, that’s all.”

  Gavin turned to face her fully. “Who else would I ask? Besides, my mother wants to meet you, and I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

  Being with Gavin was starting to feel more like a real relationship and not the light-hearted fun she expected. Nothing was more real than meeting a man’s family, and from the sound of it, they would all be there.

  She shifted the basket to another hand. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

  He came to stand directly in front of her, and she tipped her head back to look up at him. “Is that all? You’re worried about what to wear? You have to know that I’d take care of that for you.”

  Gavin was generous to a fault, always trying to give her money or gifts. He hinted at leasing a bigger apartment for her, and though tempted, she flatly refused. Another time, he tried to pay her rent, but she refused that, too. Then the shoes arrived…just because she mentioned a love for Gianvito Rossi’s beige crystal-embellished pumps, a pair showed up—in her exact size, no less—two days later. She still hadn’t worn them and wasn’t sure she would. She didn’t want them scuffed or the bottoms worn out. She just wanted to look at them.

  “You’ve done plenty already,” Terri said.

  “And I want to do much more. Let me, and stop arguing.” He touched the tip of her chin with his finger. “I’ve never had to work so hard to give to a woman. Usually everyone’s taking and taking. It’s a nice change, but enough already.”

  He dropped a kiss onto her mouth, a fleeting brush of his warm lips that seared her to the bone and filled her heart with longing. She swallowed the pain that beat in her chest. She didn’t want to pretend anymore. She didn’t want to behave as if she didn’t want to attend the party and meet his family, when her real fear was falling in love with him, falling in love with them, and then losing it all.

  The cheeses were displayed on a two-toned board. Gavin lifted the glass, took one of the toothpicks, and popped the cheese into his mouth. “Have you decided which one you want?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “I can’t decide.”

  “Let’s get both of them.”

  Gavin never hesitated. He knew what he wanted and went for it.

  He added the cheeses to the basket and took it from her. “Come on.”

  Terri took his hand. “You really want me to go?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

  They walked along in silence, holding hands, on the way to the deli where a platter of antipasti Gavin had ordered waited.

  “Okay, I’ll come,” Terri said.<
br />
  “And you’ll let me get you something to wear?”

  She shoved down the twinge of anxiety by looping an arm through his and giving him her sauciest smile. This was Gavin. He was nothing like Talon. “If you insist.”

  “If you’re having fun, why do you look so glum?” Alannah asked.

  “Honestly? Because I’m freaking out.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he wants me to attend a dinner party for some guy who’s retiring from Johnson Enterprises.”

  “Oh, Walt Sternberg. He’s the company comptroller and has worked at Johnson Enterprises for years. He’s finally retiring, and he and his wife are going to, get this, drive a motorhome cross-country. Doesn’t that sound like fun? But seriously, there’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m sort of wishing I hadn’t agreed to go. I want to get out of it.” Attending the party worried Terri. She rolled her tense shoulders and popped her neck.

  “You can’t get out of it.”

  “Of course I can.”

  “Not if his mother invited you. And why would you want to?”

  “Because…”

  How to explain that she had never, not once, had a man introduce her to his parents, and mothers were notoriously the worst when it came to their sons. Add to the fact that Constance Johnson was cultured and part of the upper rung of elite society, she felt completely out of her depth.

  The life she lived at one time in Atlanta was nothing compared to the life the Johnsons lived. They didn’t own a plane. They owned a fleet of planes. Her ex had employed dozens of people to conduct his schemes. They employed tens of thousands across the globe. While she and Talon had enjoyed the spoils of new money, their old money riches went back generations.

  So what in the world would she say when she met the matriarch of the family? A woman Gavin clearly adored and highly respected? How was she supposed to behave? Should she curtsy when introduced? She had no idea!

  “I don’t want to meet his mother or anyone else in his family.” Terri gnawed a thumbnail, a bad habit that manifested whenever she was nervous.

  “They’re a cool family,” Alannah said.

  “Easy for you to say. You’re practically one of them.”

  “You’ve met Trenton.”

  “That’s different, and I met him through you. Now I’m expected to attend a formal dinner.”

  Alannah squeezed Terri’s arm. “Relax. You’re not going to meet the Queen of England.”

  “It sure feels like it,” Terri muttered.

  “All you have to do is be yourself,” Alannah said.

  “I doubt that will be a good idea.” Terri nibbled on another nail.

  “If you haven’t figured it out already, they’re not like typical rich people. They’re very laid back and welcoming. Well…maybe not…”

  “What? What do I need to know?” Terri demanded.

  “One of the brothers is kind of…difficult. The oldest one, Cyrus. They call him Number Two because he’s a lot like his father.”

  “I know him. He runs the company, right?”

  “Yes.”

  Terri groaned. She’d seen photos of him, and he appeared to be a very serious person who seldom smiled.

  “Don’t worry. He’s mellowed a little since he and his wife reconciled and they have a baby now.”

  “He’s mellowed a little?”

  Shrugging, Alannah said, “Well, he’s still Cyrus, and he takes his role as head of the family very seriously. In all honesty, I wouldn’t worry about winning him over. Get the women on your side—his wife, Daniella, and their mom, Constance. Ivy’s nice, too. If you can win over the women, they’ll buffer you from any negativity.”

  “You’re going to be at the party, right?”

  “I think so.”

  “Alannah!” Terri shrieked.

  “Yes, yes, of course I’ll be there. I’ll make sure that I’m there.”

  Terri’s head flopped against the back seat. At least, she’d have someone else there that she knew. Hopefully, that would keep her from screwing up.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Terri was a nervous wreck, her usual confidence having plummeted from a high of one hundred percent to a low of almost nil. A dark knot of worry hung overhead like a storm cloud. She couldn’t remember ever having such a major case of nerves before, and all because she wanted to make a good impression.

  For the umpteenth time, she checked her appearance in the mirror, smoothing sweaty palms over the sleeveless chiffon dress, a Balmain design which fell to her ankles in deep burgundy. The breezy lightweight charmeuse lining felt like silk against her skin, and the scooped neckline molded over her breasts but showed no cleavage. She examined the back. The dress dipped low, not enough to reveal the tattooed hearts strung together across her lower spine, but far enough that she used a foundation stick to hide the heart on her right shoulder blade.

  She pulled her hair up and clipped a hair piece on top. Viewing the finished product, she exhibited elegance and style, even if she did say so herself. Diamond studs in her ears and a gold purse with matching gold Louboutin sandals completed the look. Since she always kept him waiting, Gavin would be shocked that she was ready on time for once.

  He arrived punctually, in a dark suit and shiny black Bruno Magli shoes. He looked absolutely delectable, and she couldn’t help giving him a quick peck on the lips, which he then turned into a long, thorough kiss, sweeping his tongue along the edge of her lips.

  “You look great,” he said, casting an appreciative glance over her body and letting his hand trail down to her hip.

  “Thank you.” Terri turned in a circle to give him the full view. “You sure it’s not too much? I hid my tattoo.”

  “My family doesn’t care about that, and neither do I. Have you seen all the tattoos on Trenton? And Xavier has some, too.”

  “But they’re men. It’s different. They won’t get judged.” She smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from the dress.

  “And neither will you. If I thought for one minute my family would mind, I wouldn’t put you in a situation that cast you in a negative light. Stop worrying.”

  Terri grinned. “Yes, sir.”

  “Besides, I wouldn’t have picked out those dresses if I thought any of them would be problem,” Gavin said, a wicked smile coming over his face. “I want to show you off.”

  She understood that sentiment. She knew how to be arm candy.

  “Your neck is bare, though. Why don’t you wear the necklace I bought you? The rubies would go well with this dress.”

  The suggestion came as a surprise and temporarily left Terri speechless, but she cleared her throat and quickly recovered. “I like what I have on. The necklace is too much. Let’s go.” She took Gavin’s hand and pulled him toward the door, but he stood firm.

  A curious expression entered his eyes. “You don’t like it?”

  She hadn’t considered he’d take her comment that way. “I love it.”

  “I’ve never seen you wear the necklace.”

  “There aren’t many occasions where I can wear jewelry like that, silly.”

  He didn’t respond to her teasing in the way she expected. “All the more reason you should wear it tonight.”

  Terri licked her lips, anxious to end the conversation. “I’ll wear it another time, okay?”

  She tried again to pull him to the door, but this time his hand tightened on hers and his frown deepened. “Go get it.”

  Terri bristled. “Is that a command?”

  Instead of answering the question, Gavin said, “Usually women want to show off the jewelry I give them.”

  “I told you from the beginning, I’m not like the women you’re used to. I wish you would stop comparing me to them.”

  “Go get it, Terri.” His tone definitely changed, from a curious inquiry to an outright command.

  Terri snatched her hand from his and went on the defensive. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

  Not one facial mu
scle moved. “This isn’t about me telling you what to—”

  “Isn’t it? ‘Go get it, Terri.’ What is that? Who do you think you are? Because you buy me gifts, you think you own me?”

  “Where the hell did that come from? I have never—”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t go with you to this party. I obviously don’t know my place where you’re concerned.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Gavin said through tight lips.

  “No, it’s not. You’re being a jerk. I’m not going.” She stalked by him, but Gavin caught her arm and dragged her back.

  He searched face. Defiantly, Terri looked right back at him, not flinching, not backing down. But her insides quivered. She didn’t want to fight with him, but she hated the tone of his voice—the commanding tone that brooked no argument.

  “I’m not that guy.” He spoke through rigid lips.

  Her lower lip trembled. “You don’t know what I’ve been through,” Terri said, her voice hoarse.

  “Because you won’t tell me.”

  His eyes bored into hers and she looked away.

  How could she explain the things she allowed? The threats and the verbal and physical beat downs crushed her spirit and kept her in line. He forced her to commit acts that even to this day filled her with shame.

  “Forget it,” Gavin said. “I don’t want to fight. Let’s just go.”

  Terri let out a quiet breath of relief and swallowed, watching his stiff back move across the room. He yanked open the door and waited for her to exit ahead of him. Still a gentleman, even when furious.

  Neither said a word as they walked downstairs. The waiting driver opened the door as they approached.

  “Hello.” Her neighbor, Mr. Raymond, shuffled by with Max, eyeing them curiously.

  “Hi,” Terri returned, with a little wave.

  Gavin stood aside so she could enter the vehicle first and seconds later they were off.

  She gnawed the inside of her lip while Gavin stared out the window, jaw still set in taut lines. She had to fix this mess she created. She hated how his anger felt. It ate at her, burning like acid from the inside out.