Effortless: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

  “Brilliant.” She smiled. “And really, my sincerest congratulations. You must be one special woman to have melted the ice man.”

  Sarah sauntered off, leaving me annoyed and fed up with this damn party and these people. I knew she’d been trying to land Alastair for years. Being here played on my insecurities more than I anticipated. Knowing that Olivia and now Sarah were hovering close to a man they lusted after made my skin prickle with jealousy. I became suspicious of every woman in the room, wondering which one had spent a hot night with the billionaire orphan. I shouldn’t feel this way at all but it was impossible to ignore his I-don’t-date-I-just-get-laid reputation.

  Stop it. He’s marrying me, not them.

  Brushing off the self-doubt, I made my way toward the front hall.

  “I wonder what the grandfather thinks of her,” I overheard someone say as I walked past a group of partygoers. “He might not be too keen on leaving his precious empire in the hands of some American who spread her legs for his grandson.”

  I whipped around to see which one of these pretentious assholes said that. Too bad none of them had the balls to look me in the eye.

  “That’s what I thought,” I said, glaring in their direction. “No class cowards.”

  A couple of the guys fidgeted with their ties and broke away from the group. One woman smiled at me in sympathy before walking toward the bar.

  Slipping out into the main foyer I exhaled and gathered my wits. I was letting all of this external noise affect me too much. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been scrutinized by high society men and women before. Maybe I just didn’t notice it as much because I’d been so damn dazzled by Nathan and all the parties he’d brought me to had hundreds of attendees, not a couple dozen. Then again, I was in Alastair’s world now. I hadn’t been subjected to it yet and really didn’t know what to expect. The Holden World Media spotlight burned bright and I was the newest attraction in the center of the ring.

  I sat on one of the steps on the spiral staircase and wondered what my friends in Orlando were doing. A pang of sadness swept through me. I did miss them but knew this was where I belonged now.

  As I stood up, I could hear voices coming from upstairs and figured maybe that’s where Stephanie and Alastair went. When I reached the landing at the top I didn’t see anyone. The second floor was just as beautiful as the main one. I had to hand it to these guys, they knew how to live the good life. I noticed the bathroom was to my left so I took the opportunity to use it. The voices I thought I’d heard sounded again. They were coming from an open window next to the sink. Curious to know who it was, I went closer to the window. The voices became clearer. I peeked out and noticed a balcony but couldn’t see anybody.

  “I want her to be there.”

  My heart seized. That’s Olivia’s voice.

  “You had no business inviting her. I asked you to respect the boundaries we agreed upon and still you defy me.”

  Alastair.

  “I don’t see the harm in this,” Olivia whined. “I like her. She seems nice and I think we could become friends.”

  I heard the bitterness in Alastair’s laugh. “Do you know how fucked up that is? You and I aren’t even friends. I sure as hell don’t want you anywhere near Lia.”

  “You’re being paranoid. I’m not going to say anything to her about our past, remember? You made that crystal clear when you flew out here in a panic this summer.”

  I clutched onto the windowsill. I’d always suspected that was why he’d disappeared to London for two days. Hearing it still stung though.

  “Christ,” he muttered. “I’m not discussing that again.”

  The sound of heels clicking on stone resonated through the night. She must have been pacing.

  “Just stay away from her. Please.”

  The pacing stopped.

  “Why does it have to be this way between us, Alastair? So much time has passed. Can’t you just—”

  “I am not risking my relationship with the only woman I’ve ever truly loved just because you want me to forget about everything that happened with us. It has been a long time yet you still find ways to antagonize the situation. I’ll say it again. Leave her alone.”

  “You mean to tell me she satisfies you in every way?”

  Thick silence bullied its way through the night, reaching in through the window and suffocating me. I should go before I hear anything I don’t want to know.

  “Do you miss it, Alastair? Do you miss the excitement and lack of inhibition of what we did? I can’t even count how many weekends we never left the bed—”

  “That’s enough,” he snapped.

  “You’ll get tired of her. I know you. Being with the same person isn’t your style. It’s not something you can survive on for the rest of your life.” Her heels sounded off the stone again. I could only assume she was moving closer to him. The thought made my skin crawl.

  “Tell me again, what you said to me that night in the French Riviera.” Her words oozed with seduction and temptation.

  “No.” I heard shoes scuffle and scrape. “This conversation is over.”

  “I’m the one who should be with you, not her. After everything we shared together, I should be your fiancée.” Her loud declaration filled the night air. “Don’t you ever forget about that, Alastair. You asked me first.”

  I sat down hard on the edge of the bathtub. Asked her first?

  I looked down at the diamond ring he’d given me. The ring that belonged to his mother. The ring that he’d said sat at the Holden Estate until he was ready to marry. I couldn’t stop the tsunami of thoughts that drowned me. Any rational line of thinking failed to break through my panic.

  He wanted to marry her?

  All the hurt and anger I’d felt while being used by Nathan bubbled to the surface. I knew I shouldn’t project that situation onto this one but it was hard not to. I’m so tired of being screwed over by these rich assholes.

  I nearly ripped the knob off the door when I opened it and stormed into the hallway. Rooms extended to the left and right. I had half a mind to go in all of them until I found Olivia and yanked every piece of blonde hair out of that head of hers. Jealousy and fear whittled my vision down to one specific beam of light: I had to get her away from the love of my life. Alastair was mine, not hers. She lost any claim to him when she blackmailed his family.

  The voices had been coming from the left so I went into the nearest room on that end of the hallway. It was dark. I thought I heard a sigh and turned my attention to a set of French doors. They were ajar and led to a balcony.

  This girl is going to wish she never met me. The little bitch.

  I heard another sigh and a voice as I pushed the door open. “Tell me again.” The quiet stillness of the night was interrupted by a plea. Olivia.

  A moan of pleasure echoed on the breeze, taunting me. My throat went dry. According to my brain, Olivia and Alastair were now fucking on the balcony. Rage and horror shook my entire body as I forced myself to walk outside.

  There were two people fucking alright: Stephanie and Brent.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Bursting out into the hallway I ran nose first into a cotton, button down shirt.

  “Amelia, watch out. Are you alright?” Alastair’s rich voice slid through my bloodstream.

  Snapping my head up, I backed away but didn’t go very far thanks to the rather tight hold he had on me. “I’m all set with this party. I’m leaving.”

  “Okay,” he said, studying me with caution. “First you need to tell me what happened and why you came tearing out of that bedroom. If I hadn’t been coming this way you’d have launched yourself right down those stairs.”

  “First, you need to let me go.” Exasperated, I wrenched my arms out of his grip. What I saw on the balcony paled in comparison to what I’d overheard. “As for what happened in there? Just Stephanie and Brent screwing each other’s brains out. No big deal.”

  Alastair’s eyebrows shot up. I glared at him.
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  “I’m going outside. Maybe you should go back to Olivia and continue reliving that night in the French Riviera.” I took off down the stairs before he had a chance to respond. The cool night air coasted over my red hot skin. I was half way down the block before I realized I had no clue where the hell I was going. Footsteps pounded on the cement behind me seconds before a hand clamped down on my arm.

  “Don’t run away from me like that,” Alastair snapped, turning me to face him. “Dammit, Lia.”

  I held his ominous emerald gaze with my own penetrating stare. “Let go of me.”

  His expression faltered when he dropped my arm. “I didn’t mean to grab you…I just…what the fuck is going on?”

  “I heard everything you guys said. I was in the bathroom and I heard Olivia telling you that I can’t possibly satisfy you and that you’ll get bored with me and…” The more I rattled off every disgusting detail of their conversation the more upset I became. I shook so violently I could barely stand.

  “Amelia,” he whispered, cupping my cheeks, “calm down.”

  “I will not calm down. She said you wanted to marry her,” I yelled.

  Pulling my forehead to his, Alastair tightened his hold on my face. “Fuck,” he hissed. “It’s not true. I told you she wanted more when I broke it off. She couldn’t handle it then and she can’t handle it now. She only said that to get under my skin. I’m so sorry you heard it.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Alastair bared his teeth and swore under his breath. “You’re overreacting. She loves nothing more than to goad me on and get a reaction. I never wanted to marry her. Never.”

  Unbridled love burned in his eyes, making it hard for me to look away. He was right about my overreacting. He knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. Relief swept through me with such power that I collapsed into his arms and let him hold me for as long as he wanted. Burying his face against my neck he sighed.

  “My Lia. You are the only one I want to marry. You are the only one I love.”

  Lifting my head, I gasped when he crushed his lips to mine. This was not a gentle kiss. This was spine-tingling and lip-bruising. He kissed me as though his life depended on it, like he’d wither away and die if he didn’t. Breaking our mouths apart he ran his knuckles down my cheek.

  “Come with me.”

  Lacing his fingers through mine, he led me back to the car. He didn’t let go of me while he sped through the streets of Glasgow. Every few minutes he’d kiss my knuckles or the back of my hand as he drove. I stared at him under the lights and shadows of the street lights, captivated by the determined look in his eyes. The only time he let go of my hand was to make a phone call.

  “We’re on our way now. Have it fueled and ready.”

  Minutes later we pulled through the security gate at the airport and parked. Helping me out of the car, Alastair kissed me again and then led me into the hanger where his plane waited. I didn’t even ask where we were going, I was just so happy to be away from that party, those people and Olivia.

  * * *

  Long, lazy bubble baths cure everything, I thought as I slipped into a white, fluffy robe. I glanced around the hotel suite, charmed by its unassuming glamour and mesmerized by the gorgeous views of London. I would have remained frozen in place if not for the promise of cheeseburgers and ice cream waiting for me in the suite’s living room. Alastair was standing by a massive picture window, arms crossed, staring out into the night.

  “Have you been standing there the whole time?” I asked, hoping I didn’t sound as nervous as I felt.

  “Yes.” He flicked a curious gaze in my direction. “Are you feeling any better?”

  I fidgeted with the robe’s belt and shrugged. Our eyes remained locked as a cloud of uncertainty hovered above us. The usual electric connection that bound us together seemed muted. My heart fluttered.

  Tonight had been disastrous on all fronts. If I could, I’d press a giant reset button.

  Alastair paced the room, raking both hands through his hair. His strides were full of purpose, measured and strong. When he stopped, he stared right through me. In an instant, he was in front of me, hands firmly on my hips. “I love you. I shouldn’t have forced you to go to Brent’s tonight. I shouldn’t have put you through that.” He cupped my jaw. “I’ve lived my life a certain way for so long. There are certain expectations that come with being in my position. That’s not an excuse, I know. Having you here…I’m…all I want is for you to feel safe and loved and happy.”

  His smile lit my soul on fire. That was my smile, the one he saved only for me. I relaxed in his embrace, finally feeling the stress and tension of the night sliding away.

  “We’re both adjusting as best we can, Holden. I promise not to fly off the handle if you promise not to be so closed off.”

  “Sounds fair enough.”

  “Good.” I looked up into his big green eyes and smiled. “Now where are those cheeseburgers?”

  The room filled with the sound of his throaty laugh. “You have a one track mind. We’ll eat in a little while.” He tugged at the belt holding my robe together. A rush of cool air tickled at my bare skin when it fell open. “We’ve had too many interruptions this week.”

  Goosebumps scattered across my arms and shoulders when he slid the robe down to my elbows.

  “All I could think about every day we were apart was you.” The damp warmth of his lips glided down my neck. “Come with me.”

  Without much effort, he pulled me toward an oversized chair and sat. I straddled him, combing my fingers through his disheveled hair.

  “I want to start tonight over. Can we do that?” he asked, nuzzling his nose along the curve of my breasts.

  “I’d like to.”

  “There is no one else for me but you. The outside noise is just that. Noise.”

  I swallowed down a hot, salty lump. “Did you ever love her?”

  “No.” He brushed his thumb over my lips.

  “And do I—”

  Fisting his hand through my hair, he pressed his mouth to mine. I parted my lips, sighing into his kiss. The quiet stillness of the suite was amplified by Alastair’s soft moans, kick starting my pulse with a vengeance. I pulled his hair, eliciting the low growl that drove me crazy. Like a woman possessed, I grabbed at the waistband of his pants, unbuttoning them and tugging down the zipper. I stood up long enough to yank his pants and boxer briefs off, tossing them to the floor with little fanfare. Staring at him, I let my eyes move slowly along his body. There had never been a more beautiful man created. Perfection. Sitting like a king on his throne, he pulled me onto his lap, pressing his fingers into the flesh of my lower back, holding me in place. I shifted, unable to move.

  “Lia.” The quiet, lust-fueled way he said my name matched the heated glow in his eyes. “Let me.” He removed the robe, leaving a trail of kisses in its wake.

  Slipping further and further into his magnetic sphere, I submitted to him, losing myself with every caress. Unaware of anything but his mouth on my skin, I shivered when my back touched something cold. Looking to my left in a foggy, lust-filled haze I barely registered that he now had me plastered against the picture window.

  A steady ache grew at my core when he ran his tongue along his lower lip. Blood pounded in my ears, seeming to echo through the room.

  Using both hands, and starting at my shoulders, he traced along the contours of my body with slow, deliberate strokes. His fingers moved around the curves of my breasts, pausing to brush against the nipples before gliding down my stomach. I shuddered and clenched my thighs together as he knelt down, caressing my hips and pressing a light kiss just below my bellybutton. Every touch was more gentle than the last, sending jolts of pleasure cascading through me.

  “Alastair,” I whispered.

  In a split second, his lips hovered over mine as the warmth and strength of his body pressed me against the window. Lost in his scent and the security of feeling him so close, I ran my nails on the curve of
his backside.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “Lia,” he hissed, thrusting into me hard and deep, over and over until my body quaked.

  Keeping our bodies connected, he walked to the bedroom and placed me on the mattress. Blanketed by the strength, both physically and sexually, of his body, I focused on nothing but his sounds and the way he felt moving inside me. As gentle as he’d been by the window, he was now ravaging me, transforming into the unbridled lover I craved. I grabbed at the glistening flesh on his back, reveling in his animalistic movements.

  “Come with me,” he panted, feverishly pumping his hips. “I need you to come with me.”

  I sank deeper into the plush bedding, enclosed by the full weight of his body. An intense tingling surged through me, signaling that I was almost ready. As his thrusting grew faster and harder, I rolled my hips to match his rhythm.

  “That’s my girl.”

  I felt him swell inside me and clutched his ass, digging my nails into his skin. He grunted, pushing harder. I arched my back, gasping and clawing at the sheets.

  “You feel too good,” I cried out. My mind went blank, wiped clear of any conscious thoughts. A sharp, rapid throbbing pulsed through me, almost as though my body was trying to turn itself inside out. Alastair pushed himself up onto his forearms, locking a molten emerald stare on me.

  “Now, Lia,” he said in a husky groan. “Come with me now.”

  An explosive orgasm shook and gripped me, not letting go. The world shut off. I couldn’t hear if Alastair was finished. I was just so lost in the paralysis and complete euphoria of this moment that I didn’t even realize I’d been holding my breath.

  Exhaling, I knew every muscle had been rendered useless. The utter lack of control I had over how my body responded to him in bed was amazing. If I wasn’t so spent, I’d ask him to do it again. I was so relaxed. So. Relaxed.

  “Open your eyes.” Alastair’s silky accent coaxed me back to the real world.

  “They’re closed?”

  “Yes, love.”

  I heard the amusement in his voice and was pleased to see a smile on his lips when my lids fluttered open. “You’re so goddam beautiful, Alastair Holden,” I said before closing them again. “If I could move, I’d kiss you.”