Who Loves Them? (Who--? Series) (7 page)

Well, if she was going to be forced to become acquainted with her future husband, at least she was going to do it in luxury,
Christina thought ruefully.  Of course, given that money was the whole reason she was in this situation, they had better be surrounded with beautiful scenery.  She set about unpacking her bags, hanging up her clothes in the closet and folding some of the items into the pine dresser against the far wall.  She lined up her shoes neatly on the rack inside the closet.  Her mother had taught her to take extreme care with her clothes.

She shed her sundress and stepped into the shower, enjoying the hot spray of water over her sore muscles
.  She hated flying and spent most of the trips she took via airplane, being tense and rigid in the seat.  The shower loosened the tension and left her feeling rubbery and relaxed, substantially better than before.  She dried off and wrapped herself in the thick robe that the lodge had provided, and wrapped her hair up in a towel before collapsing onto the bed, stopping just long enough to set her alarm for two p.m., before falling into a deep sleep.

****

The insistent ringing of her alarm woke her from the same dream she’d had many times over the past two years, the dream of her standing in a church while a priest married her to a faceless man.  Except this time the man had a face--the face of the handsome man that they’d run into at the resort, and he had sneered down at her as they said their vows.  “
I don’t love you, you know
,” he’d whispered in her ear as he leaned forward to kiss her before turning and presenting themselves as newlyweds to their family and friends.

She tried to shake the feeling the dream left with her as she rifled through the closet for what to wear, settling on a
deep green halter-neck cocktail dress that hugged what curves she had and settled just a little below her knees.  She paired it with nude pumps and put on the emerald and rose gold earrings her father had given her, along with a slender rose gold lariat necklace.  Maybe it was silly, but wearing the earrings from her father gave her a little comfort that she so desperately needed.  She took off the necklace from Lilly and hid it in her suitcase, tucked underneath her undergarments.  No one would find it there.

She nervously filed away at a chipped nail and applied just a touch of makeup—she never needed much, she had been blessed with nearly perfect skin—and deep, berry colored lipstick
.  She managed to get her hair into an updo with some difficulty, finally resigning herself to the few pieces that determinedly escaped and trailed around her face.  Taking one last look in the mirror, she admitted that she looked rather nice, which bolstered her confidence a little.  She tossed a few things into an embroidered brocade clutch and, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, headed toward the library.

****

Gordon, wearing dark gray trousers and a navy button-down shirt with a patterned tie that made his blue eyes stand out more than normal, poured himself a glass of whiskey and stood facing the fireplace, tapping one foot impatiently.  He was angry and was not looking forward to meeting his new fiancé.

“Oh
, do calm down,” Jacqueline admonished, pouring herself a glass of champagne.  She had changed into a lovely deep burgundy cocktail dress with black heels, and had swept up her thick black hair, revealing her long slender neck.  Her dark eyes were shadowed and hooded slightly, and she looked far more sultry than any other woman her age.  She had added onyx jewelry--a pair of oval earrings in a plain setting, an equally plain oval onyx on a thin white gold necklace, and an oval onyx cocktail ring in an antique setting.  The overall look was slightly dangerous, and certainly a bit out of place in the rustic lodge.  She was strikingly beautiful and much too polished for her surroundings.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Jackie,” he grumbled, tossing back the whiskey and reaching for another
.  “I’m meeting my fiancée in a few minutes.  Tell me, how hideous is she, exactly?     It must be bad, for them to keep it from me all this time.  I just know I’m going to be stuck with an ugly cow with the personality of a dishrag.” He sighed.  He had planned on calling Mindy after meeting his hideous new fiancé, in the hopes of reconciling with her.  He could fly her down here and he could change her mind.  He knew she wanted to be with him, so what harm could it do?

Jacqueline rolled her eyes, taking a delicate sip of her champagne and pouring a glass to give to
Chris when she arrived.  “She’s beautiful,
Gordy
.  Don’t fret.  I think you’ll get along just fine.”

“Don’t call me Gordy.”

“Don’t call me Jackie.”

Their bickering was stopped by the sound of footsteps, and Gordon turned to see the girl from the resort walk through the door
.  He was speechless. 

Except she didn’t look like the girl from the resort at all
.  That girl had been red-faced and shy, hiccupping into a margarita and unable to meet his eyes, obviously a social nightmare.  This girl was stunningly beautiful, tall and slender, wearing a gorgeous green gown that made her eyes stand out in her porcelain skin.  Her face was narrow, and her thick auburn hair was swept up, with just a few pieces trailing against those impossibly high cheekbones, just as he wished he could trail his fingers along them…

He stopped his thoughts short, surprised at how quickly they had gone astray
. 
You’re not supposed to like her, Gordon
, he reminded himself. 
She’s not even your type. 
He forced himself to appraise her flaws, annoyed at how difficult they were to find.  She had almost no curves, he noticed, and no breasts to speak of.  In fact, she probably didn’t even need to wear a bra under that dress…

He felt himself getting an erection and he abruptly tossed back his second whiskey, trying desperately to change the direction of his thoughts
.  In a way, he wished she were ugly.  He wished she were hideous, so he wouldn’t face the embarrassment of actually
wanting
to sleep with her.  He felt guilty for being attracted to her, considering in his mind he was still technically engaged to Mindy.  But she
was
stunning, that he could not deny.  He wouldn’t have to struggle too hard to produce a heir. 

He sighed
. 
No, she’s ugly! 
he told himself. 
She’s ugly and you don’t want her. You want Mindy!  Mindy the model.  Mindy…

Chris
noticed his scrutiny and her face started to turn red.  She was having a hard enough time.  He was so gorgeous, those gray slacks clinging to his thighs and creased in all the right places.  The navy shirt strained a little in his upper arms, and she remembered what his chest had looked like in the open shirt on the beach.  She could just imagine pulling that tie loose and undoing those buttons, running her fingers down...

She frowned
.  Despite the fact that he was stunningly attractive, his frown made him somewhat ugly.  She knew that frown was because of her.  He despised her, she just knew it.  She was not what he expected.

She gulped and gratefully accepted the champagne that Jacqueline offered her, sipping at it a little too eagerly
.  He was making her feel like a flustered teenager, and she momentarily hated him for it.  She hated the way he made her skin heat up and tingle just by looking at her.  She saw him staring at her breasts and she instantly regretted not wearing a bra, praying her nipples wouldn’t harden under the silk.  She wrinkled her nose in distaste.  He hadn’t even smiled at her, for God’s sake.  He just stood there, staring at her with a blank face…a blank,
angry
face.  She dry-swallowed, wrapping her arms around her chest.  The guy made her feel a little comfortable.

Jacqueline stood back a little bit, watching the two stare at each other like hunter and prey, and laughing inwardly to herself
.  Somehow, she thought, her father and Mr. Fontenot had unwittingly matched quite a couple.  That is, if they didn’t kill each other first.  Gordon had quite a sharp tongue on him, and she didn’t think Chris was the type to take it lying down. 
Well, not at first, anyway…
she laughed to herself, refilling her glass of champagne.

Chris
tried desperately to think of something to say.  “How did your fiancée take the news?” She saw Gordon’s mouth tighten and she instantly regretted the question.  At the same time, she found herself staring at his mouth, and wondering what those lips would feel like on hers….

Oh for God’s sake,
Chris, get a grip!

“She took it well,” he said coolly
.  “She was disappointed, of course.  As was I.”

“Just disappointed?”
Christina ventured, her voice cracking a little.  She couldn’t seem to keep herself from asking.

“It
was not a love match,” Gordon replied.  “Just a marriage, for the convenience of having a wife.  She understood that there was nothing I could do about a contract that I had no knowledge of.  So I’ve traded one fiancée for another.” He shrugged.  “Either way, it doesn’t make much of a difference.  This is just business.  Don’t expect me to feel anything for you.” He knew he was being cruel, but he was angry and wanted to take it out on somebody. 

Christina
turned up her nose, feeling small, but knowing she couldn’t let Gordon put her down.  “I think you’re ugly and mean.  You should know that I’m not ever going to feel anything for you.  In fact,” she stood up straighter, feeling a surge of confidence flow through her body, “I despise you.”

Gordon smiled
, guiltily.  “On sight?  That’s obviously a lie.” He smiled.  “You’re nothing compared to my real fiancé.  You know, the girl who I actually want to marry.  She’s stunning and you’re the ugly stepsister.”

Christina was taken aback
.  “You’re still seeing her?”

Gordon nodded
.  “We had sex just before you came.  It was amazing.”

Christina
frowned and turned away, downing her drink and pouring herself another.  She sighed, feeling beaten down. 

Jacqueline saw
Christina’s face fall and she intervened quickly, taking Christina’s glass and setting it on the side table with her own.  “There’s a fabulous five-star steakhouse here at the lodge,” she said brightly.  “I thought we might have dinner there.  You two can get to know each other.  It’ll be fine.”

Christina
turned to face Jacqueline and nodded.  “Whatever you like, of course.  I do think I’ll finish that champagne, before we go.” She thought of what Lilly had told her before she left. 
“There are five rules of etiquette, Christina.  Be nice to him, even if he’s a handsome bastard.  Nod and smile, even if you want to scratch out his eyes.  Agree with his parents, for they will be in your life just as much as he will be.  Always refer to things in the present tense, so not to make him feel uncomfortable for the future.  And show a bit of cleavage, for God’s sake.  If you’ve got it, flaunt it!  He will want you more if others find you attractive!”

Christina
smiled to herself as she followed Jacqueline out of the room.  She avoided Gordon’s gaze as she tried to walk as unattractively as she could.  Everything would be just fine.

Dinner was an awkward affair.  Christina focused on her meal, listening with half an ear to Jacqueline’s conversation and trying not to meet Gordon’s eyes. 
He hates me
, she thought miserably. 
He must.  But then why does he keep staring at me
? He made her so uncomfortable.  She wanted to stare at him as he was so attractive, but at the same time, she wanted to just disappear altogether. 

“So,
Christina, have you had many lovers?” he asked, when Jacqueline had left to go to the bathroom. 

Christina
thought she would die in embarrassment.  “As a matter of fact, I’ve had more than I can handle.  I’ve got loads of men just lining up outside my door.”

Gordon raised his eyebrows and smirked
.  “Oh I’m sure you do.  You must lead an
easy
life then.”

Christina
’s stomach felt as she understood his meaning.  She narrowed her eyes and smiled.  “I’m sure you’re the very definition of easy.  I’m just learning from my dear fiancé.  Isn’t that what obedient wives are supposed to do?”

Christina
was surprised she knew such vocabulary.  By nature, she was not a particularly mean person.  In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she had ever had a bad thought about someone.  But with Gordon, the hatred seemed to flow easily.

“You’re just like the rest of them
.  You want an obedient wife you can bully into doing what you want her to do.”

Gordon nodded
.  “You know what,
Christina?
You’re exactly right.” He took a deep sip of his drink.  “And that is what I intend to do.  Because you said it, darling, you’re an obedient wife, so you’ll do whatever I want you to do.  You’re not the wife I wanted, but I’m stuck with you, so you’ll have to do.  But I think you should know that I’ve already arranged for Mindy’s flights, and I’ll be spending the night with her instead.”

Christina
narrowed her eyes.  “You are disgusting, did you know that?”

“I’m honest, is all
.  What man wouldn’t prefer a real woman over a little girl?  Mindy is everything you’ll never be.”

Christina was silent after that
.

The rest of the evening went on in the same fashion
.  She had a difficult time eating, and she felt a bit dizzy from the two glasses of champagne she’d had in the library, and the merlot she was drinking with her dinner.  She was not accustomed to drinking so much, but she found it helped calm the butterflies in her stomach, even as it made her head swim a little.  Gordon was sitting just at her elbow and his nearness was making her feel lightheaded enough as it was.  He seemed to get some perverse pleasure out of making her uncomfortable.  She desperately wanted to read the letter from Lilly, now that she had finally met Gordon.  What did she have to say that she couldn’t tell her in person?  She glanced at Gordon quickly, avoiding his eyes.

I’m not pretty enough for him
, she thought, toying with a piece of lettuce on her fork. 
He could have any woman he wanted and he’s stuck with me.  He hates me!  Why did he have to be so damned good looking? 
You would think that would be a nice surprise since she was stuck with him, but it was just making her more insecure.  She was finding it hard to be mean to him, since she knew she had to keep on guard.

“What do you like to do,
Chris?” Jacqueline asked, and Christina numbly turned her head in Jacqueline’s direction.  “Umm…I like to ride horses,” she responded weakly.  “And read books.  And…yoga.  I like yoga.”

Gordon grimaced
.  He instantly had a picture of Chris, dressed in fitted yoga pants, her body inverted on a yoga mat.  He surreptitiously adjusted his slacks, angry at himself for his reaction to her. 
She’s not your type, Gordon,
he reminded himself again. 
Knock it off!  You’re stuck with her, remember? She is not your choice.

Chris
saw Gordon’s grimace and felt her stomach sink.  He would want a wife with more refined interests, of course.  Someone more extroverted.  Was he disgusted by what she did in her free time?  Should she have joined garden clubs and sat on committees?

“Yoga, hey?” Gordon murmured, taking a sip of his drink
.  “I’m sure you’re quite flexible then.”

Christina
felt disgusted by his comment, but decided to ignore it.

“I also like to bake cakes for social occasions, usually the races
,” she added, lying through her teeth.  “And I’ve won many ribbons from various baking contests.”

“
That is lovely, dear,” Jacqueline said, not noticing the dynamic between the two.  “I think there’s a stable on the lodge grounds where you can rent a horse to go on a ride; I hear the trails are beautiful this time of year.”

Christina
nodded.  “I might try that, thank you.” She nibbled at her dinner, but her appetite was completely gone.

They ordered dessert, of course, anything to prolong the agony, she thought
.  She ordered Crème Brule, and found she was able to eat at least that.  She sipped the port that Jacqueline had suggested she order along with it, and tried to relax.  Gordon stared at her with intense hatred, and she wished he would just disappear.

“Are you sure you should eat that second helping of pie?” she asked, smirking.

Gordon narrowed his eyes.  “I thought overweight women wanted overweight husbands to match.  Or do you want to stand out from the crowd for the wrong reasons?”

Jacqueline looked at Gordon in horror
.  “Gordon!  What would possess you to say such a thing?  Frankly, I’m disgusted.  Apologize this instant!”

Gordon sighed
.  “I’m sorry for being honest, Christina.  I just thought you should know I only sleep with women without love handles.”

Christina
felt like she could cry.  In fact, she felt her bottom lip tremble a little, but she managed to compose herself.  “That’s because you like to make yourself feel better about your own body, right?  It must be terrible trying to get women in your bed.  That is, if you don’t break it first.”

“
Enough!”
Jacqueline stood up in anger.  “We’re going.  Gordon, pay Chris’s bill--and don’t look at me like that, just do it!”

Christina
huffed and went to the bathroom.  Maybe they would all go to bed once they got back to the cabin.

No such luck
.  Once they had arrived, Jacqueline suggested that they change into something more comfortable and reconvene in the living room.

Christina
changed into a pair of jeans and a thin, long-sleeved navy cotton shirt against the cool of the evening.  Even in summer, it was chilly here in the mountains.  She took off her jewelry and laid it in the box she had brought along, and let her hair down, swiping off the dark lipstick.

When she went back into the living room, Jacqueline hadn’t come out yet, and Gordon was bent over, building a fire in the fireplace
.  She stopped abruptly, catching herself staring at the curve of his ass in his jeans.  He was barefoot, and she could see the swell of his arm muscles where the short sleeves of his t-shirt ended.

My God
, she thought to herself. 
You’re ridiculous.  He’s just a man, even if he is gorgeous.  Get a grip!  And besides, he’s a vile, hideous, little rodent. 
She pulled her gaze away with some effort, and walked toward the couch farthest from the fireplace.

Gordon straightened
up and looked at Christina out of the corner of his eye as she settled onto the couch.  Dressed down like this, she was plainer, but still beautiful, he thought.  Her hair curled around her face in a mass, and he wondered what it would feel like to tangle his hands in it as he dragged her mouth up to his….

This had to stop, he thought grimly
.  He was behaving like a teenager who’d never been with a woman.  He’d slept with women far more sophisticated and far more difficult to get, and he certainly would in the future.  This little slip of a girl was just an inconvenience.  He had to marry her and produce a son, but that was it.  Then he could do as he pleased.  He could send her away and never see her again.  He smiled, imagining the dozens of mistresses he would have.  They’d all be gorgeous and stunning, all of them underwear models, of course.  They’d be perfect in every single way, and they wouldn’t have a bad attitude like Christina.  Besides, Mindy was just a phone call away.  He knew she would come and rescue him if he wanted her to.  This thought should have made him feel better, but it didn’t.

Then why do you feel like you
cannot breathe every time she walks into the room?

He ignored the voice in his head, poking the fire once more for good measure before stretching
out on the couch next to Christina, his eyelids hooding his blue eyes.  Jacqueline came in a moment later, dressed in jeans and a lightweight red t-shirt, her black hair loose over her shoulders.  “Does anyone want coffee?  Or a nightcap?”

Gordon shook his head
.  Jacqueline looked over at Christina.  “I’m having a glass of sherry, would you like one?”

Christina
hesitated, but nodded mutely.  Jacqueline disappeared into the kitchen and Gordon cocked an eyebrow at Christina.  “Quite the little lush, aren’t we?” He knew it was mean, but couldn’t seem to help himself.  “Another sherry, hey?  A closet alcoholic as well…”

Christina
looked away, embarrassed.  “I’m just a little nervous, is all,” she admitted quietly, not even sure if Gordon could hear her.  Gordon laughed, a quick bark, and looked away, staring broodingly at the fire.  “Oh, I’m sure you are.  ‘Just a little nervous.’” He mimicked her voice in a way that made Christina’s stomach sink.  She knew he was ridiculing her, and she hated him for it.

“How much do you drink then
?  Enough to put yourself to sleep?  Because I’ve got Mindy waiting for you to close your eyes so she can crawl into my bed.”

Christina
frowned and looked down at her hands.  Gordon really knew how to get her down.  Once again, she felt tears well up, but she knew she would only embarrass herself if she cried.

“I
guess she’s paid for?” she suggested.  “With all that money of yours, you’re bound to get bored of buying suits and cocktails and fancy jet plane rides.”

Gordon snick
ered.  “You think I’m that shallow as to pay for women?”  He smiled.  “The only thing I’d pay a woman is for them to disappear.  Can you think of someone in particular?”

Christina
ran an annoyed hand through her hair.  “Yourself, since you’re such a spoiled little boy.”

Jacqueline came back in with two glasses, handing one to
Christina and folding her legs neatly under her as she sat on the couch, sipping delicately from her glass.  She noticed the tension in the room, and looked quickly between the two--Gordon staring into the fire, and Christina looking down into her glass as if it held the answers to life.  “So, what would everyone like to do tomorrow?”

Christina
glanced up.  “I thought I might go for a hike.  Just a short one, maybe to the lake.”

Jacqueline smiled
.  “I want to do a bit of shopping in town, maybe get some preserves and things for Annette.  You know how she likes puttering around the kitchen when the cook is out, Gordon.  Would you like to come along?”

Gordon shrugged
.  “I have some work to do.  I thought I’d catch up on it.”

Jacqueline frowned at him
.  “Christina?”

She nodded
.  “Sure.  I’ll get up early and take my hike so I can be ready to go after breakfast.”

“Well, aren’t you two just getting along fabulously,” Gordon muttered under his breath.

Christina’s eyes flashed angrily at him before she turned her eyes away again and Jacqueline gave him a warning glare.

“Ignore my nephew,
Christina,” Jacqueline said admonishingly.  “He’s a bit grumpy tonight.  He doesn’t like being out of his natural habitat.”

Well, well,
thought Gordon,
the mouse has a temper.  This could be interesting after all.

Christina
cracked the slightest hint of a smile.  “Oh?  And what is that?”

“Offices,” Jacqueline said, laughing a little
.  “Concrete buildings two hundred stories high.  He doesn’t know what to do with himself out of a suit anymore.  He was so easy going when he was in the university, such a jovial little thing, but they’ve made him all serious.”

“You can stop talking about me like I’m not here,” Gordon snapped, getting up to go into the kitchen.

“Well maybe if you had something nice to say, I wouldn’t have to!”

Gordon huffed and washed his hands
.

“I’m sorry about him,” Jacqueline said to
Christina when he was out of earshot.  “He’s not a bad person, I promise.  He just doesn’t like being told what to do, and your grandfather has him in a bind.  He’s stubborn, but just be patient.  He’ll come around.”