Seducing an Heiress (12 page)

Trey came out of the building and joined them, inadvertently saving her from further bumbling. He handed Miss Suzette a check. "You're free to go, Miss Suzette. You don't owe a thing."

She looked at the check. "My month's rent?" Dozens of laugh lines bloomed across her soft, pink face. "This is wonderful! But how?"

"Your landlord doesn't see any reason not to let you out of your lease."

Dakota watched him closely. That did not sound like Castella.

Trey smiled at the older woman and Dakota's heart stuttered at the sight of the genuine kindness on his face. "If there's any more I can do for you, just let me know." 

"I think I'm going to be all right, now," Miss Suzette said, sparkling up at him.

Young, old, no woman could resist Trey, Dakota thought, a little disgusted to realize she was lumped in there herself.

"Since I've wrapped up my case early, I'd like to leave for Virginia, tonight," Inspector Lambert said. "Would that be a problem for you, Aunt Suzette?"

"Of course not! Oh, this is wonderful." She turned to Dakota. "I'm going to finally see my new great-grandbaby."

Satisfaction flooded Dakota's heart at the sight of so much happiness. She wrapped Miss Suzette in a hug that was heartily returned. "I'll miss you," she said, a sudden rush of unshed tears tightening her throat. 

"You've been a wonderful neighbor and friend." The older woman stood back and took Dakota's face in her hands. Eyes that had seen so much--the Great Depression, war, a successful nursing career, the joy of family, the loss of a husband--gazed into hers. "People love you because of who you are, Dakota. Not for what the world says you are. Remember that." She glanced at Trey and then back, her eyes twinkling. "And trust your heart."

On that, Miss Suzette was wrong, but the sincerity of her affection resonated straight to Dakota's lonely soul. Gratitude and bitter-sweet joy welled up inside her from the privilege of knowing such a fine human being, and tears splashed down her cheek. "Maybe I'll get a chance to visit you someday."

"I'd like that." Miss Suzette patted her shoulder. Taking her walking cane, she turned toward her nephew. "Help me pack my teacups, Georgie. I don't trust the movers to do it properly."

Dakota watched them leave, deep in discussion as to the best way to protect Miss Suzette's antique teacup collection.  

"I have to go, too," Trey said. 

"How did you get her out of the lease?"

His expression turned neutral. "I'll see you when I get back."

Just when she thought it might be worth pursuing these crazy feelings for him he went all evasive on her. "Why can't you just give up, Trey?"

"You want me to?"

"Of course," she lied. 

"Well, I'm not."

She shouldn't feel a little tingle of satisfaction at that news, but she did. "You should," she said firmly, attempting to drag herself onto more sensible ground. "I'm not giving up having friends like Miss Suzette just to help my father make a profit."

"I'll be back tomorrow after I take care of some business that can't wait," Trey said, ignoring her belligerent statement. "I'd like to take you to dinner when I do."

She clamped her mouth shut on the 'yes' that nearly popped out of her. "No."

"Please."

That nearly did her in. She rallied herself, remembering how close a call she'd had before. "Too dangerous."

"You know you want to."

"No." 

He pulled her forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. She was too bewildered to protest. After he released her and headed down the sidewalk toward his car, all she could do was stand there, stupidly staring after him.

"Think about it," he called over his shoulder.

He'd kissed her on the forehead. Like a brother. Or a friend. 

What happened to all the grabbing and sultry looks that he claimed was beyond his power to control?

Suspicion prickled across her shoulders. What exactly was Trey up to, now?

*  *  *

Dakota had done her best to get answers out of Castella, but the man wasn't in a giving mood. In fact, she hadn't gotten any farther than shouting through his closed door and having him tell her to mind her own effing business. An hour later, he'd flabbergasted her even further by barreling out of his downstairs apartment, throwing two near-to-bursting suitcases into his SUV, and taking off. She wondered if Trey had threatened to put a contract out on the guy. 

Too bad he was making a get-a-way.

Just before dinner time, Miss Suzette said a final good-bye, George pumped her hand energetically, and the two of them motored off as well. So, by seven o'clock that night, Dakota found herself alone in the apartment building. Except for the art student and she hardly ever saw him, so that didn't count.

She felt lonely and she didn't like it, which struck her as odd. Being alone hadn't bothered her before Trey showed up. Now the emptiness reminded her too much of the years following the death of her mother when she'd had to live with a father who didn't want her.

Pacing in her apartment, Dakota toyed with the idea of getting Hamlet and moving him in while she had the chance. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite trust that the landlord from hell was permanently gone. It would be just like him to pretend to leave, wait for them to break some rule or other, and then pop up demanding exorbitant fees.

She didn't want to admit it, but with Trey off on some mysterious errand she felt like something was missing from her life. Since she didn't want to examine the source of such a ridiculous notion, she downed a cup of chamomile tea and went to bed early--for all the good it did her.

Tossing and turning half the night, Dakota tried to convince herself that her sleeplessness had to do with any number of reasonable things from Miss Suzette leaving to the produce bill she had coming due. When she finally fell asleep, she dreamed of Trey and woke up in the middle of an orgasm, which normally she wouldn't mind at all, but found highly annoying under the circumstances.

Obviously, she'd learned absolutely nothing from her short association with Jack.

Men, she thought with disgust as she dragged herself out of bed the next morning.

What a pain in her butt.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Dakota closed up her restaurant, glad that Sunday afternoon had arrived and she could finally go home and do justice to feeling sorry for herself. 

Almost four days had passed since Trey left. The first day she spent most of her spare time reflecting on the noble gestures that seemed to spring from somewhere deep inside him--almost without his awareness. 

The second day she'd decided that he'd learned to manipulate people as a way to protect himself but that underneath he was a man worth caring about. Inspired by memories of his touch and how he made her feel, she'd stocked her nightstand with condoms--just in case.

But by today, after several people had mentioned to her that the good-looking man she was seeing had checked out of his hotel, she'd had no choice but to conclude he was gone for good. 

He'd promised to come back and he'd lied. Dakota felt like every kind of a fool for believing in him. 

As she locked the back door of her bistro behind her, she knew she never wanted to see him, again. 

"Miss me?" a sultry baritone said in her ear.

Dakota screamed, spun around, and jabbed at her assailant with her key.

"Ow!" Trey jumped back, rubbing his stomach where she'd poked him. 

He'd come back.

Her heart did a funny little flip and she told herself it was only because he'd startled her so badly. She scowled at him just to press the point. "I swear I'm going to get a law passed requiring the men in this town to wear bells around their necks. And no, I did not miss you." 

Her gaze darted over the neat lines of his tailored Italian suit and designer tie and suspicion sparked to life in her mind. "Why are you all dressed up?"

"People who look rich go to the front of the line. Cuts out a lot of unnecessary paperwork."  His eyes drank her in, a hungry light glowing in their depths. "Settling everything still took longer than I expected." 

A little spark of excitement curled to life deep inside her. She really needed to get over this crush before it led to a place she did not need to go. "I was too busy to notice," she said, firmly, telling herself that was true. At least she wished it had been.

"Have you decided to go to dinner with me?"

"I've decided it probably wouldn't be a good idea."

"I've got a plane chartered for Chicago and reservations for two at Charlie Trotters. For tonight." 

Her mind went blank with amazement. When her thoughts stuttered to life again, she wasn't sure whether to be furious at his presumption or go into shock from his extravagance. "You can't be serious."

"No celebrity gatherings this time, so we should be safe. I want to make up for our last date."

"Our last..." she stumbled over the word 'date' and focused on the more important issue. "Flying me to Chicago is some kind of peace offering?"

"Well. Yeah." His brows drew down in a puzzled frown. "Don't you like Charlie Trotters?"

"This has nothing to do with what I like, or want, and you know it." She couldn't believe she'd forgotten why Trey was in Harts Creek in the first place. 

Four days without him and her imagination had glossed over that inconvenient fact. "This is about proving that money is worth any kind of humiliation necessary to get it. Because when you have lots of money, like say if you're an heiress, you can gratify yourself shamelessly and to any level. Even getting on a private plane and flying hundreds of miles to a famous restaurant is not beyond your reach. Well, forget it." 

"I can make reservations at another restaurant." 

He was impossible! Releasing an exasperated breath, Dakota got in her car and slammed the door. 

Trey made no attempt to stop her as she pulled out of the parking lot and she told herself she was glad of it. Wouldn't have done him a lick of good, anyway.  

As she headed toward home she had to work hard to ignore the small ache in her chest and the quiet wish that somehow he would prove she was wrong about him.

*  *  *

By the time she reached her apartment building, Dakota had concluded that what she needed was some long overdue R and R. She'd been working so hard for so long she'd made herself vulnerable to any inappropriate distraction that came along. 

Of course she had fallen for the gratifying attention Trey was giving her. She was lonely. She was overworked. She needed some fun and relaxation in her life. 

With her limited funds there was only so much she could do, of course, but a trip to the library and dinner at the local fried chicken place was affordable. Or a mani-pedi. Ah, what the heck. She'd splurge and do all three. 

Much cheered by the thought, Dakota walked up to the door of her building anticipating relaxing in the massage chair at Sadie's Salon and Boutique. The distinct purr of an expensive foreign engine made her freeze, her key halfway in the lock. She didn't even try to stop herself from wincing as she turned around and saw Trey's car cruising into the parking lot.

The man was a menace, that's what he was. A charming, fascinating menace who was never going to go away unless she found a way to make him. 

She turned around and braced herself for a fight as Trey strolled up the walk toward her. Pretending not to notice the powerful grace of his easy stride or the way his overcoat flared out behind him like some sexy gunslinger was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do.

"You can't come in here. Tenants only," Dakota said, squaring off in front of the door as he bore down on her. "You're not a tenant." 

He gave her a half smile and kept coming.

His confident manner sent a quiver of uneasiness down her back. "Are you?"

"No." He pulled out a clump of keys from his coat pocket and stopped a few feet away from her. His expression was disturbingly relaxed and amusement touched the green depths of his eyes.

Apprehension climbed up her spine. "Those look like Castella's keys. How did you get them?" 

"That's one of the things I wanted to discuss with you over dinner." Trey stepped up to the door, his heat and scent brushing over her. 

She watched him put a key in the lock, her agitation growing. He'd checked out of his hotel. Castella had left. 

He could not be about to become her neighbor.

"Trey you need to tell me what's going on."

He pushed the door open and then turned to face her. His eyes held hers, calm and steady, then a flicker of uncertainty passed through them. 

He took a deep breath. "I bought the building."

*  *  *

It had seemed like a good idea at the time and the only way to keep that bastard Castella from suing Suzette Harold. But as Trey watched Dakota's brown eyes widen with horror and then narrow with fury, he wasn't so sure. 

"You bought the building!" she choked out. "You arrogant jerk!"

Irritation tightened over his skin. "How do you figure that?"

"Chartering planes. Buying buildings. You don't see a beyond-egotistical pattern here?"

"I don't see anything wrong with enjoying something I've worked hard to achieve." He stepped into the building and headed up the stairs. She followed him.

"Did Dad pay for it?"

He gritted his teeth, irrationally offended that she would assume he couldn't do anything without Jamison's backing. "I sold the dress Richard made you. Got nearly three times what I paid for it." He made brackets with his hands in the air like he was framing a marquis. "'The Missing Heiress Dress As Seen in Headlines Across the World.' Made a big splash."

"Where are you going?" Dakota said when he turned right at the top of the stairs. Panic laced her voice.

He stopped and turned around, exasperation tightening his throat. "Am I really such a monster?"

She blinked at him. "What?"