All In (The Blackstone Affair, Part 2) (22 page)

I wanted to give her the benefit of the
doubt, but she’d gone off alone before and what if she had again?
After those lunatic photos from today, my stomach was in knots and
I just needed to know where in the fuck she was!

I went in through to the bedroom, connecting
a call to Neil in my half-panicked state when I saw. The most
wonderful vision in the world. Amid all the scattering of clothes
and half packed bags was Brynne, curled up in the bed…asleep.

“Yeah?” Neil answered. I was so frozen, I
still had the mobile up at my ear.

“Umm…false alarm. Sorry. We’ll see you at
the National in a few hours.” I hung up before he could respond.
Poor mate must think I’ve lost it.

You have utterly lost it!

Moving very quietly, I shrugged out of my
jacket, ditched my shoes, and crawled carefully onto the bed and
curled around her sleeping form. I breathed in her lovely fragrance
and let my heart rate slow down. The urge to light up a cig was
intense but I focused on her warmth against me instead and figured
my addiction to the smokes would have to lessen eventually.

Brynne was out cold—sleeping very deeply,
and I wondered why so tired but didn’t want to disturb her either.
I could do the watch and wait just fine with her next to me and
thought about the lesson I’d just learned. Brynne wasn’t the only
one with trust issues apparently. I needed to work on mine a bit
more. When she said she wouldn’t take off alone on me, then I had
to trust she’d keep her word.

I opened my eyes to find hers studying me.
She smiled, looking happy and gorgeous and a tad smug. “I like
watching you sleep.”

“What time is it?” I looked up at the
skylight to see that daylight was still clinging. “I slept? I came
home and found you in bed and couldn’t resist joining you. I guess
I drifted off as well, sleepyhead.”

“It’s about five-thirty and time to get
moving.” She stretched like a cat, gloriously sensual and erotic as
she uncurled. “I don’t know why I was so tired. I just laid down
for a minute and when I opened my eyes…you were here.” She started
to roll off the bed.

I latched onto her shoulder and rolled her
back, pinning her underneath me and settling between her legs. “Not
so fast, my beauty. I need a little alone time first. It’s going to
be a long night and I’ll have to share you with myriads of
idiots.”

She reached up and held my face and grinned.
“What kind of alone time were you envisioning?”

I kissed her slowly and thoroughly, roaming
my tongue over every inch of her mouth before I answered. “The kind
where you are naked and shouting my name.” I thrust my hips slowly
into her soft body. “This kind.”

“Mmmmm, you are convincing, Mr. Blackstone,”
she said, still holding my face, “but we do need to start getting
ready for this thing tonight. How good are you at
multi-tasking?”

“I am good at many things,” I responded
before I kissed her again. “Give me a hint.”

“Well I do love your grotto shower almost as
much as your bathtub,” she said coyly.

“Ahhh, so you’re just using me for my
excellent bathroom amenities then?”

She giggled and moved her hand down between
us to grip over my hardening cock. “Excellent amenities all the way
around as I see it.”

I laughed and groaned at the same time,
sweeping off her and into the bathroom. “I’ll get the hot water
started…and I’ll be waiting for you in there.”

I didn’t have long to wait before she joined
me naked and mind-bendingly sexy as usual; rendering me utterly
captive and raging to claim her body with the dominating sex I
couldn’t seem to control when we were together. My ultimate reward
and my greatest fear all rolled into one. I’d joked about the gala
tonight and sharing her with others, but the statement held far
more truth than I wanted to admit. I loathed sharing her with other
men who admired her—far too much in my opinion.

But, it was the reality of Brynne, and if
she was my girl then I’d have to learn to take it like a man.

We made very good use of the time in that
hot soapy water though. Yes…multi-tasking is one of my strong
points and I won’t blow any opportunities I’m offered.

“You look beyond gorgeous you know.”

She blushed into the mirror, the darkening
flush moving down her neck and even over the swell of her breasts
in the dip of that decadent dress she’d found. It was lace and very
fitted to her shape, the short skirt rather frothy of some other
material I didn’t know the name of. Didn’t matter what the hell it
was, that dress was going to be the death of me tonight. I was so
fucked.

“You look pretty gorgeous yourself, Ethan.
We match too. Did you pick that tie just because of my dress?”

“Of course. I have heaps of ties.” I watched
her doing her makeup and finishing the last bits and pieces,
grateful that she didn’t mind me lurking, and getting nervous for
what I was about to do.

“Will you wear that vintage silver tie clip?
The one I like so much?”

Perfect lead in.
“Sure.” I went to my
case atop the dresser to get it.

“Was it a family piece?” she asked as I
pinned it onto my tie.

“Actually it was. My mother’s family. My
grandparents were old English money and had only the two
daughters—my mum and Ivan’s mum. When they passed, the goods went
between the grandkids, Hannah, me, and Ivan.”

“Well, it’s incredible and I love antique
pieces like that. Vintage things are so well crafted and if it has
some sentimental meaning, then all the better, right?”

“I don’t have but a few memories of my mum,
I was so young when she died. I remember my grandmother though. She
had us stay for holidays, told us lots of stories and showed us
photographs; she tried to help us know our mother as best she could
because she always said it’s what my mum would have wanted.”

Brynne put down her makeup brush and came
over to me. She drew her hand up my sleeve and then adjusted my tie
a bit, and finally smoothed down over the silver clip reverently.
“Your grandmother sounds like a lovely woman and so does your
mother.”

“Both would have loved meeting you.” I
kissed her carefully so as not to smudge her lipstick and pulled
the box from my pocket. “I have something for you. It’s
special…meant for you.” I held it out to her.

Her eyes widened at the black velvet box and
then looked up a little startled. “What is it?”

“Just a gift for my girl. I want you to have
it.”

Her hand shook as she opened the case and
then one came up to her mouth in a soft gasp. “Oh, Ethan…it’s—it’s
so beautiful—”

“It’s a small vintage piece from my mother
and it’s perfect for you…and how I feel about you.”

“But you shouldn’t give this family piece to
me.” She shook her head. “It’s not right for—for you to give that
away—”

“I should give it to you and I am giving
it,” I spoke over her firmly. “May I put it on you?”

She looked back at the pendant and then back
at me, and repeated her actions.

“I want you to wear it tonight and accept
the gift.”

“Oh, Ethan…” Her bottom lip quivered. “Why
this?”

Honestly? The amethyst heart pendant with
diamonds and pearls was a very pretty little thing, but more than
that, it screamed Brynne’s name. When I’d remembered it was in the
collection of my portion of the lot from my mother’s estate, I’d
gone down to the vault and opened it up. There were other things in
there as well, but maybe some more time was needed first before we
delved any deeper with additional jewelry gifts.

“It’s just a necklace, Brynne. Something
very fine that reminds me of you. It’s vintage and it’s your
favourite color and it’s a heart.” I took the box from her hand and
removed the pendant. “I hope you’ll accept it and wear it and know
that I love you. That’s all.” I tilted my head and held the two
ends in my fingers, waiting for her to agree.

She pursed her lips together, took a deep
breath and got that sparkly look in her eyes as she looked up at
me. “You’re going to make me cry, Ethan. That’s so—so beautiful and
I love it—and—and I love that you want me to have it—and I love you
too.” She turned back toward the mirror and lifted her hair off her
neck.

Victory felt so fucking fabulous! I am sure
I was beaming, knowing more happiness in this moment than I’d felt
in ages when clasping that chain around her beautiful neck,
watching the bejeweled heart settle onto her skin, finding a home
at last, after decades in the dark.

A lot like my heart.

The National Portrait
Gallery
is a magnificent venue for events and one I am well
familiar with, having been there many times before working
security, sometimes as a guest and once or twice with a date.

But never like this.

Brynne brought a whole new meaning to the
idea of possessiveness. At least for me she did. I thought I might
be dead by the end of the night from keeping up with all the people
who wanted a piece of her.

She looked so beautiful and perfect in her
periwinkle lace dress and silvery shoes; every inch the model she
was outwardly, but inwardly, that artistic mind of hers was
brilliant and respected for the work she did in her field. My girl
was a celebrity tonight. It damn well helped to see my gift around
her neck too.
She is mine, people! Mine! And don’t fucking
forget it either!

The display of Lady Percival was indeed a
hit. She’d been set up as a tutorial on the conserving process as
her restoration was only partially complete. And Brynne, of course,
was credited as conservator for the project. As we went in to be
seated for dinner, mention was made of her discovery in the welcome
speech. The look of pride on her face was something I don’t think
I’ll ever forget. All of the proceeds for tonight’s event went to
support the Rothvale Foundation for Advancement of the Arts and as
I looked around the room, could see big money and old names among
the guests. It seemed that Mallerton was experiencing a renaissance
of sorts, and Brynne’s disclosure of what he’d painted had helped
generate interest in his work, and as a result, the Rothvale
charity.

“Brynne, your Lady Percival is something
else,” Gabrielle said. “I got a good look at her when I arrived. I
love how they are displaying her as an opportunity for teaching
about the conserving methods and process that goes into a treasure
like her. And, Ethan, you were instrumental in solving the mystery
too, I hear.”

“Hardly instrumental. Just some word
translation, but thank you, Gabrielle. I was glad to help my girl
with a little French.” I winked at Brynne. “She looked so happy
when she figured it all out.”

“I was ecstatic. That painting was a career
maker for me. And I owe it all to you, baby.” She reached over and
covered my hand with hers.

God, I loved when she did little gestures of
affection like that. I brought her hand to my lips and didn’t care
one bit who saw. I just didn’t care.

“I wonder where Ivan is. Do you think he’ll
be here soon?” Brynne asked me.

My feelings of joy turned to pure jealousy
in about two point five seconds and I am sure I frowned before I
caught myself and accepted she was just being nice. I was reminded
that I needed to let him know about the pictures from today, but
damn, Ivan would drool all over Brynne when he saw how beautiful
she looked tonight.

Brynne turned to her friend and started in
excitedly, “Gab, I really hope he comes tonight, I so want you to
meet Ethan’s cousin. He has a houseful of Mallerton’s that need
cataloguing and God knows what else. You
need
to meet this
man. I mean, you really need to.”

Gabrielle laughed, looking very happy and
lovely in her own right, wearing a fitted green dress that did
wonderful things paired with her coloring and matching eyes. This
could be a very good fixation, I realized. An Ivan distracted by
Gabrielle would be excellent for keeping him from flirting with
Brynne. And something told me Ivan was going to be all over
Gabrielle once he got a good look at her. I’d wager brass on it.
And I’d win too.

“Hard to say, baby. Ivan sees time in his
own set of parameters and he always has. It’s terribly annoying…”
My words trailed off when I saw her across the table.
Bugger
me.
Strawberry Blonde at three o’clock—all decked out and on
the hunt.
Not good.

I glanced away quickly and focused on
Brynne. She looked over to where my eyes had just been and then
back at me. Her mind was going in circles I am sure. Brynne’s a
smart girl. I tried to play it cool and prayed that Pamela or
Penelope did not remember any better than I did, but didn’t hold
out much hope. She was a friend of Ivan’s and I just knew she would
end up approaching me before the night was through. Where is the
rule book for handling these awkward situations? Wasn’t it just
plain vulgar to introduce the last person you’d shagged to the
person you were shagging now? Ugh.

“Is everything okay?” Brynne asked.

“Yes.” I reached for my wineglass and put my
arm on the back of Brynne’s chair. “Perfect.” I smiled.

“Oh look, there’s Paul.” She grinned and
waved at my enemy who raised his glass in our direction. I’d
expected that he’d be here because he’d said so that morning when I
wanted to introduce him to the sidewalk. “Be nice. Don’t even think
of having another tantrum in front of him again,” she muttered
under her breath at me.

“Fine,” I said, raising my glass and
mentally wishing for direct knowledge of the dark arts so I could
curse him into a toad. Wait, he already was a toad; would have to
be something different…a cockroach maybe?

“What are you thinking about?”

“How much I despise certain insects,” I
said, taking a drink of wine.