Living with Temptation (6 page)

“It’s nice,” she replied, biting at her bottom lip. “Dean
isn’t the total playboy the media make him out to be.”

There was a brief silence as if Andrea was surprised she had
mentioned him.

“Oh, God,” she groaned. “You’re falling for him aren’t you?
I mean, it’s been over half a week, alone in that house, with all that sexual
tension…”

Chelsea laughed. “You’re right about the sexual tension. But
it’s a professional arrangement. I mean, we kissed once but -”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Andrea warned. “He’s not the type
for a long term relationship. You saw what happened with Desiree.”

“I know. It’s not going to happen.”

“Don’t let him seduce you into anything. But if it was me, I
wouldn’t resist!”

“You’re married…”

“I’m joking, Chel. What’s up?”

Chelsea’s thoughts immediately went to the kiss on the couch
in front of the fire. She blushed deeply. That kiss had almost been as hot as
the flames. And the way he touched her…

Chelsea smiled into the phone. “Thanks for the concern, but
Dean won’t try anything with me.”

“I don’t want you ending up with another jerk like Ryan.”

She flinched. “Dean’s not like that.”

“Or so he wants you to think,” Andrea said. “Any guy can
pretend. Remember Joseph? Anyway, aren’t you moving out soon?”

Joseph was one of Andrea’s exes.

Chelsea felt her heart sink. She couldn’t understand why the
thought of moving out of Dean’s place made her hesitant – it was a temporary
arrangement. But time had passed so quickly. She wanted to stay longer, to
experience more of Spring Lake before she returned to Newark.
And to be with
Dean.
What harm was there in enjoying his company?

It felt like they were only beginning to build up a
friendship. Dean trusted her enough to tell her about his family, and she
wanted to find a way to repay him for his generosity. Candy didn’t seem good
enough.

“I’ve got one place organized, all I need to do is say yes
and it’s ready.”

The day after the kiss, she used Dean’s computer to locate
one of the houses and email an inquiry.

“Great! I’m happy that it’s working out for you,” Andrea
enthused. A male voice in the background made her hesitate. “Ah, looks like Mr.
Hot Husband wants me. Talk to you later.”

Chelsea said goodbye, then placed the phone back on the
nightstand. It was silent, and she longed to be downstairs next to the fire
with Dean. But Andrea’s words reminded her of reality. He was a millionaire,
she worked at Walmart. They both lived completely separate lives that she
didn’t see how they could combine.

Mentioning Desiree brought to the surface a harsh reality: Dean
would never be able to offer her what she longed for. Sure, she could distract
herself by having sex with him. He wouldn’t turn that offer down. Yet Chelsea
couldn’t diminish her developing feelings for him.

She turned towards the bed, and her eyes widened.

Dean sat pensively on the leather couch, staring into the
flickering flames as they fed on the wood. Chelsea had been on his mind, on his
waking thoughts ever since they kissed that night. And there was one burning
question, one that became even more apparent after their conversation earlier:
was it possible he could find more with her?

He was intent on seducing her, on fucking her good, even
though his initial goal had been to use her to improve his image. But her time with
him was almost over, and Dean hadn’t considered it. Chelsea, with her
inquisitive blue eyes that promised a night of pleasure, made him start to
question himself.

Dean heard her coming downstairs and quickly straightened,
looking in her direction. The moment she came into view, her eyes locked onto
his. And she was breathtaking. With her dark blonde hair strung loosely in an
elegant bun, she was dressed in the low cut strikingly red dress he’d left for
her in her room.

Chelsea approached him, wringing her hands together with
what he assumed was nervousness. She wore a slash of red lipstick, the first
time he’d seen her wearing makeup. As Dean stared at her, he realized what she
looked like. A millionaire. It was as if she’d blossomed, and found confidence.

“Thank you for this,” she began, gesturing at the dress. His
eyes lowered briefly to her cleavage. “But I’m only borrowing it. I know it
would’ve cost a few hundred…”

“A thousand actually,” he corrected her. He couldn’t keep
his smile away. Chelsea looked sexy, and it was good to see her happy.

Her eyes widened, and she briefly frowned with disapproval.
“I…appreciate it. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Dean smiled. “You look beautiful,” he said. That seemed like
an understatement. “But I don’t want you to be cold.”

“It’s warm here near the fire,” she replied coyly. Then she
bit her bottom lip, a frown creasing her face. “I know it’s my last night here,
and I’m grateful to you for everything. I love Spring Lake. I don’t know how to
repay you.”

“You can stay for as long as you want,” Dean insisted as
Chelsea seated herself on the couch.

He could see the regret in her eyes. She wanted to stay, and
he didn’t want to let her go.

“I know, and…” she hesitated. The orange glow from the fire
flickered across her bare legs and Dean stared at them hungrily, knowing what
lay beneath that dress, knowing that he wanted Chelsea with everything he had.
Fighting to restrain himself was a great effort.

Four days with Chelsea wasn’t enough. The guilt he felt from
kissing her and causing the brief distance between them hadn’t eased. Buying
her the dress had been a brief comfort. Her eyes were glimmering, and he knew
his gesture had struck a chord with her as it had with him.

“I’ve arranged something for you,” Dean announced. He met
her gaze and allowed himself to smile. No doubt Chelsea would be pleased with
his initiative. “I’ve extended your vacation for two weeks.”

Chelsea’s mouth dropped open. She stared at him as if he’d
slapped her.

“Excuse me?”

Not the reaction he expected.

“I called your manager yesterday, and extended your
vacation. It uses up the last of your annual leave, but -”

“How dare you!” Chelsea fumed. “If I wanted to stay any longer,
I would organize it myself.”

Judging from the conversation he had with her manager, he
doubted that.

“She needed a lot of persuading,” Dean admitted. “But once
she knew who I was, she was happy to arrange it for you.”

He wouldn’t be able to forget that conversation easily. Chelsea’s
manager insisted on a bare chested photo of himself. She’d heard about him on
one of the many tabloid reports, and gushed about his body over the phone.
Now
I know what women love most about me.

It was a small price to pay to have Chelsea as his
houseguest for a few more weeks. After all, he hadn’t gotten the media’s
attention with her yet, and he needed time.

Chelsea glared at him, obviously torn between her feelings.
He enjoyed the fire in her eyes, and the hesitant curve of her lips. She didn’t
want to give in easily, and he wanted to encourage her. This was the Chelsea
Levin hiding behind the pain from her broken marriage.

“I can withdraw it. You can move out tomorrow if that’s what
you prefer.”

Now he had her. As angry as she was at him, Dean knew she
didn’t want to move out.

Chelsea exhaled loudly, then her face softened. “Fine.
Another two weeks it is. But I’ll move out whenever I want.”

He nodded. “Of course. I feel guilty for not taking you to a
restaurant, or a walk along the beach. I haven’t been much of a host.”

Chelsea’s face blushed fiercely. “We aren’t dating. I don’t want
to do that.”

Dean parted his clasped hands and shrugged. “Then what
do
you want, Chelsea Levin? You come down here, looking sexy…”

Her cheeks darkened. “Don’t get tempted.”

“How could a guy not be?” he mused. “I know you want to talk
about that kiss, because I do too.”

Chelsea’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “I don’t. We’re
keeping this professional.”

“Then as a professional question, why’d you let me kiss you?”

She bit her lip and lowered her head. Immediately he
recognized that vulnerability she had when she first arrived. It took every
effort not to take her into his arms. The brief embrace on the boardwalk had
only fueled his desire for her, and his touch lingered for longer than he
wanted.

“You really think you can keep this professional for two
weeks?” he prompted.

When Dean’s parents died, he’d been vulnerable. But the
endless sympathy from others only deepened his grief. For Chelsea, he would
keep her on edge, unaware of what he would say next. In some way, he wanted to
help her move on from her marriage. The pain from a breakup seemed as deep as
grief and he didn’t want it to take hold of her.

Chelsea had her life ahead of her out of the public eye,
with no attachments. The least he could do was give her that push she needed to
step forward, and let go of the past.

When she met his gaze, he noticed defiance in her eyes. “Of
course. That’s what we agreed on.”

Her shoulders were rigid. Dean knew she was defensive, but
didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. “You know it’s teasing me seeing you in
that dress.”

“You bought it for me.”

Dean bought it to make her feel like a million dollars. He
didn’t expect her to wear it tonight, and to look so breathtaking in it. But as
her blue eyes met his, he noticed a glimmer of sadness.

“You can keep it,” he said softly. “It’s yours.”

She looked unsure. “I’ve never had something like this
before. Thank you.”

“And I don’t expect anything in return.”

A small smile curved her lips. “I’ll surprise you. I could
give it to my mother,” Chelsea joked, her brief laugh echoing around them. It
sounded both delicate and sharp. “She always has to get expensive stuff. Like
the latest IPad. I forgot what version it is now.”

That was how it was with Jake, with nothing to talk of but
the memories. He wouldn’t admit to Chelsea, or himself, how much he missed his
brother.

“Two, I think. The next one will be in a few years. Always
is.”

Chelsea forced a smile. “They know how to play the marketing
game.”

Her hands smoothed down the dress. Dean knew, as much as
Chelsea tried to pretend otherwise, that she loved the dress and wanted to keep
it. Her sarcastic front was part of her way of deflecting her feelings.
Just
as I do.

“It’s your gift. I don’t mind what you choose to do with
it.”

A smirk curved her lips. “Maybe I’ll donate it to charity.”

“You sure about that?”

She winced. “In all seriousness, I am. Keeping it…”

“What?” he prompted gently.

Chelsea let out a heavy sigh. “It reminds me of this. Us.
This life you have, and how easily you can just buy a thousand dollar dress and
give it to me. Like it means nothing.”

He straightened himself and studied her. Her slim body sat
upright on the couch, her lips slightly parted as she turned her gaze away from
him. Something pulled at Dean, a compassionate emotion. Seeing her like that
made him feel worse that he was intending to use her for his own benefit.

But she looked so damn sexy.

He felt himself getting hard. Dean stole glances at her,
wondering what she would do if he made a move to kiss her again. They both
wanted it, he’d felt her need as she lay beneath him, saw the gleam in her eyes.
It was only a matter of which one of them would give into temptation first.

Dean raised an eyebrow. “Of course it means something.”

“It’s just…weird. For me. I mean, this is what you’d do for
a girlfriend.”

“It’s only a gift. Don’t analyze it. We’re keeping it
professional.”

She blushed. “I know, it’s just…Sorry. I can’t find the
words to say how much I appreciate this. I didn’t expect anything. It means a
lot to me.”

He allowed himself to smile, but it felt forced. Chelsea
wasn’t the only woman he’d given extravagant gifts to. Still, Dean was
surprised that she was flustered by it. The last woman he gave a gift to smiled
and asked for a gold necklace.

“And I should thank you for extending my vacation. I know my
manager wouldn’t do it if I asked.”

Her voice pulled at him. Dean knew he wasn’t doing it for
her, but for himself. But he could never tell her that. Meeting Chelsea near
the beach gave nearby media reporters the opportunity for photos, but he hadn’t
recognized anyone. Another pointless effort.

He wanted the media issue out of the way, and off his mind.
Seducing Chelsea would come after. He wanted her – and what Dean Westley
wanted, he always ended up getting.

“It’s my pleasure.”

Chelsea smiled, but Dean noticed the slight cringe in her
lips.
She’s embarrassed by how she reacted before,
he noticed.

“There’s been no pleasure,” she said lightly.

Surprised by her remark, he decided to push things further.
He winked. “And about that kiss…”

“It was a heat of the moment thing,” Chelsea insisted, her
smile fading.

Dean watched her, wondering if she believed those words
herself. Then he relented himself to a nod. He didn’t want to push her. After
all, they had more time to spend together.
She’s still moving on from her
marriage. It’s not time to get in the way of that.

Before the end of the two weeks were up, he would have her.

“It was,” he agreed. “I’ll get dinner ready.”

Dean went to the kitchen and prepared the meal. Home cooked
burger and fries, from the most expensive ingredients he could find. With the
money he had he wanted quality, and to impress Chelsea.

As Dean took the plates out to the living room, he caught
sight of the astounded expression on her face.