The Heiress And The Ford Brothers

Chapter Two

Uhmm, not really. We had a brief encounter earlier, and I didn’t know he was one of the Ford’s my uncle talked about so much.” Diane replied, recovering quickly so she would not blow their cover.

“Mmmm, interesting!” was all Simon said before they all made the necessary introductions and after a while, they were all led to the large dining table by the butler.

James couldn’t believe his eyes as they settled for dinner. It was indeed her, as he could never forget that face and body, whether she wore a simple dress or designer clothing. Besides, his trousers were already tight, with the bulge from his pants indicating how happy his body was to see her. He was glad he was seated.

“Dear Emma, please tell us where you have been all these years. I am, I mean, we are curious to know.” Simon said it encouragingly with a soft voice that made his family members cringe inwardly.

“Okay, before I proceed, I prefer being called Diane instead of Emma, as Diane is what I have been called all my life.” She corrected politely, then proceeded to tell them all she knew from what Jonathan told her and what she had read and found out.

James watched her intently, even though she was avoiding his gaze. By God! She was gorgeous and Edward was right.

Edward! James looked at his brother, who stared at Diane like he was starstruck. He wasn’t joking when he said he was in love with Diane already. James cleared his throat quietly and turned to see his mother watching him with glazed eyes.

When she finished her story, Edward asked curiously, “Diane, you said you met James briefly earlier, if you don’t mind telling, what led to that encounter?”

Diane looked at Edward and brushed it aside. "Oh, it’s nothing significant. I was just shocked to see him again, that is all. Can you pass me the soup bowl, uncle Jon?” she said, turning the conversation away from her and James smiled, She’s good.

They made small talks across the table but Diane could not focus on any as she was acutely aware of the man who sat adjacent opposite her.

She came here prepared to meet the proposed fiance and get this evening over with already but she was prepared to see him again, her lover she couldn’t stop thinking about, her lover her body would never stop responding to as she knew she was so turned on just by the mere sight of him, she was a mess.

After dinner, the adults stayed in the sitting room to talk while their children and wards moved to the balcony to chat but James excused himself as he was about to go crazy seeing her but not being able to touch her.

“Ohhh blimey! I am so sorry, Diane. It was an accident,” Elizabeth apologized remorsefully when she mistakenly poured her wine on Diane’s gown. “Let me get someone to take you to my bathroom and clean that up,” she said, calling one of the maids.

“It’s okay, I am sure it would go off,” Diane replied, waving away Elizabeth’s apologies.

“This way, ma’am. I can dry clean that for you immediately,” the pretty maid said, leading Diane all the way to Elizabeth’s room. Diane took off her gown and wore a robe the maid handed her, then waited in Elizabeth’s room for the maid to come back.

She sensed someone come in and turned, thinking it was Elizabeth or the maid but was shocked to see James at the door staring at her with glazed eyes, raking his hand through his hair repeatedly.

They stared at each other for a while, then he said, “Just like the last day I saw you before we spent some time in the jacuzzi” he said, replying to the robe she currently wore. She replied softly, "Jay.”

He walked towards her slowly while she took steps backwards. “I didn’t know we would meet again under such crazy circumstances. I know you are to be betrothed to my brother but I can’t help but want you, Aphrodite. You marked me eternally from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

He stopped in front of her when she hit a wall, took her waist and kissed her hard. She moaned. He took off her robe, leaving her in a bra and panties, and took off his shirt. They were both irrational at that point and couldn’t even think about anything else but being in each other's arms.

"Diane, dear, I brought your dress myself because...” The words died in Eileen’s mouth as she took in the scene before her.

She knew this was bound to happen, as it was so obvious between the two of them but she didn’t know it would happen so soon.

She watched them scrabble to put their clothes back on with Diane saying “I am sorry” repeatedly, and the whole scene took her back to a memory where she had been the one in the same situation with her lover while betrothed to another.

She sighed and said, “Jamie, c’mon, what if it was Edward, the maid or worse, your father that walked in?”

“What?” Diane said it in confusion, as that was not the reply she expected but James explained it to her.

“My mother knows about Aphrodite and Jay.” he said and he had the decency to blush, raking a hand through his hair again.

“Oh! You have to go then; someone can come in” she said to James and just then Elizabeth walked in and asked “What’s going on? Why are you in my room, James?”

"Oh, uh, I came with mom to check if Diane was okay, as mom told me what happened.” James explained, clearing his throat numerous times.

“Oh okay. Sorry about your dress again, Diane. I am glad mom sorted it out.” she said sincerely to Diane.

“Since you three are here, I can pass the message now. Dad and Mr. Richardson want to announce yours and Edward’s engagement to everyone.” She said it excitedly.

“Oh!” was all Diane could say as she watched James go out with Elizabeth. She put on her gown and walked with Eileen to the large sitting room, where everyone waited.

Simon was all smiles when he called her and Edward out, then made the announcement of their engagement.

Elizabeth noticed that Diane looked terribly sad about the announcement, even though she smiled, and all through the announcement she stared at James.

James, who wouldn’t even look at the engaged couple, and she couldn't help but notice on the journey from her room down here that her brother had Diane’s scent on him strongly, like they had been very close physically.

Something was definitely going on between these two, she concluded, staring at them back and forth.

****

Diane started the business school for elites in her bid to learn about handling her parents’ companies and properties.

It was a school for young business elites and most of the influential youths in and even outside Europe attended the school.

It was hard for her sometimes, as she took some classes with James and Edward. Edward took his fiancee duties seriously, as he never left her side and always wanted to hang out but Diane politely declined. There was something off about him but Diane could not place her hand on it.

“Bloody hell! Look at the time and I haven’t eaten yet,” George said and everyone groaned in acknowledgement.

George was James' best friend, who also attended the business school. He was a playboy and unserious most of the time but anyone with eyes could see that he had feelings for Elizabeth but wouldn’t let it show because the Ford brothers would never allow a player like him to date their sister but they didn’t know that it was just a cover up.

“Let’s go to the cafeteria then.” Elizabeth suggested.

“Or we could go to my house. It’s Friday and noon already. We’ve been working hard all week, let’s go relax,” George suggested and after some nudging, everyone got into their cars and drove to George’s house.

Diane quickly sent a text to Victoria and Michael, who had gone to school and work, respectively, saying that she would not be home when they expected.

They all ate, sat down and lounged lazily. George, the always active one, said, “I am bored. Let’s do something. Play a game, truth or dare, maybe?”

Some of them agreed after some cajoling from the others. “I will go first,” Edward said, then looked at James and said, “James, I dare you to make out with Diane for ten minutes.”

This dare surprised everyone and George said, “Edward, what are you up to?”

He shrugged nonchalantly in pretense and said, “Nothing, or are you scared to touch goddess Diane?” but he actually wanted to know something. He was in love with Diane but he knew she didn’t care one bit about him and was only going through with the engagement out of duty, and he was fine with that.

But he couldn’t help but think that there was something going on between his fiance and his brother James as he saw the stolen glances, accidental touches here and there.

James looked at him for a minute, then proceeded to kiss Diane heavily, which she eagerly accepted with a moan. They both looked like they had been starved of each other and, at a point, started making out like no one else was there.

George cleared his throat to bring them back to reality and Diane said, “Excuse me and I left immediately, entered her car and drove off while James left because he wanted to be alone but not before Edward saw the looks on their faces and the evidence from James bulging pants.

His fiance and his brother had a thing but he would never allow that. Diane is his and his alone, as marrying her makes him one of the wealthiest men alive because of her inheritance and he gets to have the goddess all to himself. He would allow no one, absolutely no one, to take her away from him and he was not scared to draw blood for what he wanted, even his brother’s blood.