Matchless Millionaires: An Improper Affair. Elizabeth Bevarly
makes you think so?” Kelly asked, addressing her mother.
Ryan could have told her that her high-pitched, slightly hysterical voice was a dead giveaway.
Brenda lifted her hand, with its fire-engine red nails, and rubbed a lock of Kelly’s hair between her fingers.
“Bed hair,” she said succinctly.
Kelly flushed, then looked helplessly at Ryan.
He approached slowly, aiming for a casual stance. “Kelly’s sister, I presume?”
Brenda gave a tinkling laugh, as if she found his question highly amusing. “I see you inherited your father’s charm.”
She turned to her daughter. “I admit being surprised, however, that you picked Webb’s son as your … playmate.”
Kelly drew in an audible breath. “You know who he is?”
Brenda flashed a hard smile. “I make it my business to keep up with all of Clayburn’s current and past illustrious citizens.” Then she looked at Ryan again. “However, the photos I’ve seen of you in the local papers don’t do you justice.”
If the comment had come from anyone else, Ryan figured he’d have been flattered. But this was Brenda Hartley. Clayburn’s erstwhile sexpot. His father’s former mistress. Kelly’s mother.
The last thought brought him up short.
Kelly looked as if she were in agony.
Brenda apparently noticed, too, because she flashed a saucy smile at her daughter. “There’s no need to look panicked, Kelly. I’m just glad you’re having some—” she paused and gave Ryan a sweeping look “—fun. I was starting to worry about you, toots.”
“Why are you here?” Kelly asked, looking as if she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
Brenda focused her attention back on her daughter. “Why, to see you, of course!” She leaned in and kissed the air next to Kelly’s cheek. “And you know, I may need the teeny, tiniest—” she indicated how much by a small space between her index finger and thumb “—little loan.”
Brenda glanced at Ryan, her expression shrewd. “On the other hand, maybe these days you can afford more than a little loan….”
Ryan decided he’d heard enough. It was time he took over the situation.
“Come on in, Brenda,” he said.
“We’re just leaving, actually,” Kelly said quickly.
“No, you’re not.”
Brenda clapped her hands. “Oh, I love a man who takes charge.”
His eyes clashed with Kelly’s, before he looked back at Brenda. “Coffee?”
“I’d love some,” Brenda responded.
“Okay, then I’m leaving,” Kelly said.
He shrugged and turned toward the back of the house. He had some negotiating to do with Brenda Hartley, and if Kelly wasn’t around, so much the better.
Brenda started to follow him toward the back of the house.
“Fine,” Kelly said in exasperation behind them. “In that case, I’m going back upstairs to take a shower. Let me know when your coffee break is over.”
Back in the kitchen, he gestured Brenda toward a seat at the counter and removed the coffee carafe from its holder.
“How do you take it?” he asked.
“Black, no sugar.”
“I figured.”
He checked himself, waiting for the hate to kick in.
For years, he’d loathed Brenda Hartley for having an affair with Webb.
Somewhat surprisingly, however, all he felt at the moment was a cool detachment. He was prepared to deal with her in the same way he’d dealt with everything that had stood in his path to date—with unemotional, clear-eyed calculation.
He set a coffee cup down in front of Brenda and asked without preamble, “So why’d you take up with Webb?”
She sipped her coffee and took her time responding. “He was rich—” she gave a throaty laugh “—and good in bed.”
“He’s slime. His wife was dying.”
Brenda shrugged and suddenly she looked every one of her years. “For men like Webb, life’s too short to forgo the kicks.” She wagged a finger suddenly. “But don’t think he’s the only married man to wander. At least he was generous with the perks.”
“I just bet he was,” Ryan replied drily, leaning back against the counter and folding his arms. “But that generosity ended a long time ago and now you’re back to scavenging.”
Brenda’s brows snapped together. “I do not—“
“How much?” he interrupted.
She stopped. “How much what?”
“How much do you need from Kelly?”
Brenda sat back, a slow smile spreading across her face. “I like a man who’s willing to talk business.”
The next morning, when Kelly showed up for work at Distressed Success, Erica was waiting for her.
“Well,” Erica said, as Kelly set about getting ready to open the store for business, “how did your date with Ryan go?”
“Where do I begin?” Kelly responded drily. “Brenda showed up as I was trying to sneak out of the lodge and away from Ryan yesterday morning.”
Erica’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. It was one of the few times Kelly had seen her at a loss for words.
“Wow … I’m not sure I know where to begin,” Erica said slowly. “Brenda’s in Tahoe? You slept with him? And what do you mean you were sneaking away?”
Kelly filled her in on the events of the weekend, omitting, however, some of the more salacious details. She ended with, “No wonder he changed his tune after that night at the White Fir!”
“Well,” Erica said, “you’re sure leading a more exciting life than I am. Mine’s a merry-go-round of work and kids. Yours is more interesting than watching the afternoon soaps.”
“I’d opt for boring in a heartbeat.”
Erica laughed. “Not with a yummy beefcake like Ryan Sperling around, you shouldn’t.”
“Haven’t you heard what I said? His whole aim was to try to get me into bed.”
“Yeah, that was more or less Greg’s primary goal in life when we first met.”
Kelly looked at Erica, a seed of doubt was sown. Her friend had been married close to ten years, she had more experience with men and she didn’t look nearly as condemning of Ryan.
“Are you saying Ryan isn’t wrong?” Kelly asked.
“No, he’s a rat,” Erica responded cheerfully, “but he’s a man, so the behavior’s understandable—predictable, even.”
“Thanks for the tip,” she said drily.
“Since Brenda is in town, remind me to hide some of the new stock that came in,” Erica replied. “Last time she was here, she made off with a new jewelry box and a small vase.”
As it turned out, Kelly spent the next days having Brenda as her houseguest—and trying to forget Ryan Sperling.
Luckily, she was forced to spend a significant amount of time at Distressed Success. Brenda, fortunately, was more than happy to entertain herself with the attractions of Tahoe and its casinos.
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