Riveted. Part 8

"Excellent decision."

Though he wasn't joking she thought he was because she giggled. His well-ordered, business-driven life was falling to drops of s.h.i.+t around him because he couldn't resist her laugh and he couldn't resist her body.

"Go on the G.o.dd.a.m.n Sumter tour and learn a little about the war. Take your time. I'll be done here by the time you're finished and I'll take you to dinner. Have you ever eaten she-crab soup?"

"Um, no. What's in it?"

"The eggs from crabs. You'll love it."

"I can't wait to try it. I hope it doesn't taste like lox. I think lox is disgusting."

"I'll keep that in mind. And, no, rest a.s.sured, she-crab soup doesn't taste like lox."

She sighed, a tiny sound that made Dominic ache.

"I won't be able to work in peace if I think you aren't enjoying yourself."

"I'm fine, Dominic."

Her voice caressed his name. She rarely said it when he wasn't inside her but he loved the way her tongue wrapped around the syllables.

"I'm used to taking care of myself. Well, for the past six months anyway. Since my momma died."

A well of tenderness opened inside Dominic and he smiled, remembering how she'd made him see stars with the kick she'd given him. If he'd been intent upon harming her, her way of taking care of herself hadn't been a very good idea, trapped on a plane as she had been.

"I won't be able to enjoy myself if I think you're worrying about me," she said.

"Then we're even."

"Where do they serve she-crab soup? Maybe I can stop in and try some for lunch. That way, you won't have to worry about me and I won't intrude on your day."

"Don't you dare do any such thing. You're not intruding."

She went silent then she said, "Are we going to a fancy restaurant?"

"It's rather elegant."

"I'm not dressed for that."

"Olivia, are you purposely difficult?"

"No. Just practical."

"Fine, if we amend your schedule, would you agree?"

"Amend it how?"

"Instead of sightseeing, let Albert drive you to a boutique to buy a dress."

"I don't have any credit cards. I think I have about eight bucks in my purse."

"Have I asked you for a credit card?"

"No, of course not, but you've already replaced the dress you ruined. If Albert takes me home, I can just change into it."

"Olivia, I don't have time to argue with you. I'll let you decide if you want to go sightseeing or if you'd like to go shopping without restriction. Put Albert on the phone so I can tell him to follow your instructions on how the rest of your day should go."

"If I go shopping, I still need a place to bathe and change," she pointed out.

"If I take care of that; will you buy the f.u.c.king dress?"

She sniffed. "You don't have to be so nasty."

"Yes or no."

"Yes. I'll go buy a dress."

"And shoes."

"And shoes."

"And whatever else you need or want."

"Dominic!"

"Fine. I'll have a suite reserved for you. I'll meet you there this evening."

She squealed, something she was apt to do when she was happy. "Do you still have my bag?"

The bag with all the s.e.x books and ties and toys? f.u.c.k yeah. "Yes."

"Can we use it tonight when we get back to the house?" she whispered.

And suddenly, Dominic's day brightened considerably.

Chapter Six.

More designer labels were thrown at Liv than she knew what to do with. After almost two hours, her gaze kept returning to a gold dot miniskirt and the matching half-sleeve, sheer top. She liked the full swing of the skirt and the metallic bits on it. She loved the jewelry by Alexis Bittar and chose the Pyramid Ring, the Safari Dust Hinge Bracelet, and Encrusted Rhodium Spear Earrings, top of the line pieces she knew about from Karen and the websites they sometimes visited.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like the python leather skirt?"

Liv loved the asymmetrical design of the skirt and the angled zipper. She contemplated adding it to her purchases but Dominic had already bought a couple of outfits for her. She didn't want to abuse his generosity. No one had ever spent money on her. That Dominic did made her feel special. Or...? G.o.d, was her mother's life of prost.i.tution and thievery started like this? With a rich man doing nice things for her?

Stop, Liv. No regrets.

How could she not regret her enjoyment of her shopping spree when she thought of Connie? Although Dominic hadn't left her much choice in going with him, she'd attempted to instigate their s.e.x the first time and had pressed for it again last night. She was freely and willingly enjoying his money. She...

No, no, no.

Putting her morals into question now would only make her realize the gravity of her situation. She doubted he'd do her any serious harm, but she was still a prisoner with Albert and Howie tracking her every move. Albert seemed the scarier of the two. Something about him just rubbed her the wrong way and she didn't doubt he'd do whatever he had to do to keep her quiet about her predicament.

She needed to pretend Dominic was spending money on her because he cared about her and not because of whatever may have led to his decision. When her ordeal ended she'd put her life back into proper perspective. In the meantime, she'd live in the moment and go along with whatever came her way.

"Ma'am, how about I add the skirt to your purchases?" the saleswoman pressed.

Liv shook her head. "No."

"Any of the skinny jeans? The lace dress? The cami tank?"

Liv wanted all of it but she didn't want to cross an unseen line between indulgence and avariciousness. "Please just bag my current purchases. Thank you."

Disappointment flashed in the woman's eyes before she pasted a smile on her face and nodded. "Yes, ma'am, Miss Bradford. Anything you'd like."

Once the items were wrapped, Liv reached for them but Howie materialized from wherever he'd been hiding and took them.

"We have a couple more stops, ma'am, before you can get to the hotel and relax until Mr. Luca arrives for you."

Liv frowned, ignoring the saleswoman's dreamy expression. "I think I have everything I need."

A cough alerted her to Albert's presence. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but Mr. Luca has instructed us to bring you to a shoe boutique and then, er..." His voice trailed and a red hue crept up his neck, crowning his bald head. "A lingerie shop."

"And wherever else you may need to go," Howie inserted, probably to give Albert a chance to get over his embarra.s.sment at discussing underwear with her.

She restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Albert was a prude.

"All right then. I need to find a drugstore for shampoo, lipstick and nail polish."

The saleswoman released a huge sigh, either in disbelief or reproof. Liv couldn't tell which.

"Not to worry, Miss Bradford," Howie said with a small smile. "Mr. Luca is sending some folks over to do your hair and makeup. Now if you're all done here...?" He stepped aside so she could walk past.

With a last, covert glance at the items she was leaving behind, Liv nodded and departed.

By the time Liv was shown to the suite, two hours later, she was exhausted. Then again, she'd tried on more clothes and shoes than necessary, lost in the sheer enjoyment of doing something she'd never done in her life.

Now she was in the luxurious suite, overlooking downtown Charleston, nibbling on the cheese and crackers that had been waiting for her along with fresh fruit and a bottle of champagne. Howie was sitting with her so of course she couldn't use the phone to call Karen unless she locked herself in the bedroom. As she considered it, the idea seemed more and more appealing. Locked in the bedroom, she could soak in a hot bath and then take a nap.

She didn't get a chance to do either because a knock sounded on the door. Howie answered and Albert led in four women. Liv was introduced to her hairstylist, makeup artist, ma.s.seuse and nail tech.

"Who is she?"

Dominic threw several folders into his briefcase and glanced at Preston. Though Dominic was six months older than Preston, his friend was already graying at the temples, outstanding in his sable hair. He had brown eyes and a ruddy complexion, earned through his love of watersports.

"Nic?"

Dominic had been working at a furious pace all day but he was still running an hour late. He'd grabbed a quick shower in his private bathroom and changed. He'd called Albert and set everything into motion for after dinner. He just needed a couple folders to look over once Olivia fell asleep. He leaned down, closer to the ultra-thin monitor screen, and double-checked numbers. "Who's who?"

"The woman who has Felicia's claws out and the one who has you rus.h.i.+ng to get out of here."

Felicia's claws had been out all day. He supposed she was waiting downstairs in the car and would give him an earful on his drive to the hotel. He hoped Olivia wasn't angry and he prayed the carriage was there.

"Well?"

"Olivia Bradford." Why deny it when he was itching to see her? The thought that she was there at the hotel, waiting for him after he'd spent the day at the office, thrilled him. "She's been my guest for a couple days."

Preston whistled, drawing Dominic's attention. "And whatever the reason she's your guest, you better know what the h.e.l.l you're doing. She's Bradford's b.a.s.t.a.r.d sister and rumor has it not his favorite person."

"What does that have to do with me, Preston?" Dominic growled, shutting down his computer. "Bradford has something I want. I have something he wants. We'll make an exchange and I'll be done with the whole matter, including Olivia."

Preston laughed. "I've never taken you for an idiot, Nic. You've been riding a high since you talked to her. I think you might be in-"

"Don't," he said. "I'm not in anything with Olivia other than enjoying her company." Wrong, a.s.shole. He couldn't forget how far in l.u.s.t he was with her. Just the thought of Olivia hardened him as if he were some h.o.r.n.y, hormonal teenager. "Did it make me feel good to talk to her earlier? Yes. But this is a temporary arrangement."

"Have you slept with her?"

Dominic clamped his jaw and slammed down the top of his briefcase.

"That's a yes," Preston said drily, brus.h.i.+ng off the sleeve of his gray pinstripe jacket. "I've known you since college."

Dominic grabbed his briefcase and started for the door, reminding himself to stop down the hall to grab the charts and graphs he'd sent to one of the shared printers.

Preston followed. "Felicia is a great woman but you two are so f.u.c.king boring together. You didn't even...you just fell into whatever the two of you have because she's here. You knew her. She was your college sweetheart but I'm betting not your first love. I don't believe you've ever been in love so how the f.u.c.k can you recognize it?"

Ignoring his friend, Dominic s.n.a.t.c.hed the papers from the printer and paused long enough to shove them into his briefcase.

"Come on, Nic. You've been immersed in this d.a.m.n company for years. I don't believe you don't want a relations.h.i.+p. I just believe you've never given yourself time to pursue someone you might fall for."

"I pursued Felicia. And Kim. And Monica," Dominic snapped, naming the only three women he'd ever been seriously involved with. "It just didn't work out between us."

"So what happened? There's more than those three women to choose from. Why aren't you happily married with one or two little Dominics running around and getting lost in the marsh around your house?"

He reached the bank of elevators and punched the Down b.u.t.ton. "I don't know, d.a.m.n it."

"It isn't as if you're a philanderer. What you're doing now is the closest you've come to womanizing."

Womanizing? Me? How could that be when he wasn't in a relations.h.i.+p with either Olivia or Felicia. Dominic winced at the thought as the doors slid open and he and Preston stepped inside. The dynamics of his relations.h.i.+p with Olivia were no longer clear, if they ever had been. Explanations were not something he did because they had never been required of him. Preston pushed the b.u.t.ton for the first floor.