His Dutchess

chapter 19

“This place is amazing.” Eliza spun full circle in the middle of Blake’s formal livingroom. “I can’t believe you didn’t jump at living here the minute you guys came back from Vegas.”

“It didn’t feel right.”

“But it does now? What’s changed?” Eliza flopped down on an overstuffed sofa and crossed her legs.

Samantha lowered her voice even though the cook was busy preparing their lunch and the maid was upstairs doing god-knows-what. Blake needed to spend

the day in his office, which left Sam with little to do. “We’re getting more comfortable together, I guess. The security here isn’t something I could manage in Tarzana.”

“You got that right. That Neil guy is kinda scary if you ask me.” Eliza walked around the bulky man when he met her at her car.

“He doesn’t say much.”

“He didn’t say anything to me. Just stared at me.”

“Blake insists he’s harmless to those who aren’t messing with him.”

Samantha found herself in one of the Queen Anne chairs facing her friend. The soft silk pantsuit she wore drifted over her skin and made her feel like she wasn’t wearing anything at all. With the extra time on her hands, Sam took more time getting dressed in the morning, more time preening for her day. When Blake joined her at Moonlight, Samantha was faced with the full force of her marriage to a man as rich and handsome as her husband. He charmed the

staff and won more than a few smiles from Jordan. Ever since Jordan’s stroke, her ability to express her needs had been difficult. Expressive aphasia was what the doctors called her condition. Sam often finished Jordan’s sentences to keep her sister from being overly anxious and frustrated. Blake seemed to understand

the situation and worked hard to ask yes and no questions and avoid subjects that

would bring on stress.

Yet when they were working their way out of the home, Blake found an administrator and like a switch, his charm turned off and the business side of him shone through. He wanted to know about security in the home. How did they keep Jordan safe from strangers walking into her room? Who was by her side when it wasn’t mealtime? A rapid stream of question he could have asked Samantha were fired off and answered before she could interrupt. His sincerity over her sister’s care and safety kept Sam from being upset with him. Yet after they’d left the home he started to question Moonlight’s ability to care for Jordan, and Samantha became defensive.

“It’s the best home for people in Jordan’s situation. Most homes are geared for older, Alzheimer’s-type patients. Moonlight specialised in younger patients with developmental problems.”

“Why not care for her at home?”

Of course, that would have been ideal, but Samantha couldn’t afford that kind of round the clock, in-home care. She’d tried to do it on her own but failed.

Blake had realised how upset the conversation was making her and had dropped the subject.

“I’m glad Neil is on your side. I wouldn’t want to be that man’s enemy,”

Eliza said, snapping Samantha out of her thoughts. “So, what are we going to do with Alliance?”

She’d given a lot of thought as to how to proceed with her business. The fact was, taking on the role of being Blake Harrison’s wife was going to take up the majority of her time and leave her jet setting all over the globe. As it was, her passport had arrived first thing that Monday morning and she and Blake were arranging their departure for early Wednesday.

“I have a proposition for you.” She waited until Eliza turned her eyes to her before starting. “I’ve worked too hard to lose everything I’ve worked for with Alliance, but I’m obviously going to be unavailable over the next few months.”

“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 b***h 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 realised 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.