Beauty from Love
Page 34

She places her hand on my shoulder. “Anything for you.” I lean away from her touch to reach into my drawer for nothing in particular. I really hope she isn’t going to be a problem, but my gut is telling me otherwise. One wrong move and she’s out of here. That’s what L said. I definitely foresee that being a problem, but my business relationship with Brees means nothing if this girl causes a problem for L and me.
Please, Bianca. No wrong moves. It’ll screw us both.
I get out of my chair and move around my desk in the opposite direction of her as I head toward the door. “I have a business meeting and I have to make a pickup, so I’ll be out until this afternoon.” L’s new Porsche SUV had to be purchased at a dealership in Sydney and driven to Wagga Wagga, so it’s waiting in the parking garage at the hotel where my business meeting will take place. It couldn’t have worked out better.
I run into Harold on my way out to meet Daniel. “Glad I ran into you. I have a single bag of a new potassium-deficiency product coming in today. Bianca is going to be watching for it and will bring it out to you. I thought we could try it on that area in the southwest corner and see if it does a better job than the old product.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
When I finish landing my new client, I go into the parking garage to fetch L’s sleek black SUV. It’s sharp, even if it’s a family vehicle. I could’ve gone with something flashier but she’s chosen to become a mum, so this fits her. It’s classy without looking like a muscle man should be driving it. I hope she isn’t disappointed I didn’t buy her a sports car. I’m certain she’ll understand that wasn’t a sensible choice.
She isn’t ovulating so tonight isn’t about us trying. It’s about us having fun and boy, do I have a little bit of naughty in store for her. I told her to buy something adventurous but the truth is I already have. I can’t wait to see her in the sexy lingerie I bought or try out some of our new toys. I have to adjust myself inside my pants. I’m getting hard thinking about it.
My meeting ran longer than expected so I’m a little later than I’d like when I get back to Avalon. Harold flags me down in the driveway from the edge of the vineyard, and I know something’s up. “You told me Bianca was bringing the potassium today?”
“Yeah.”
He shakes his head. “She never brought anything to me.”
“Did you ask her about it?”
He shrugs. “I haven’t seen her to ask.”
Hmm … that’s not right. I told her to accept the package and take care of it and she agreed. “I don’t know what happened with her, but don’t worry about it. We’ll get it out tomorrow.”
Harold steps back to admire L’s new vehicle and whistles. “That’s one good-looking ride, Mr. McLachlan.”
“It’s Laurelyn’s birthday present. You think she’ll be happy?”
“I don’t doubt it for a second.”
I pull the Cayenne around back to a spot where L won’t see it when she comes home. I’m going to blindfold her when I bring her out to see it, the same way I did with the house in Maui. And I’m going to do it again later tonight as part of the fun I have planned.
I go into the house and check the spot where Mrs. Porcelli leaves my mail. Fuck! It didn’t come. The expected delivery date is supposed to be today, so I take out my phone to track it. Hmm … says it was delivered. I relax, assuming Mrs. Porcelli placed it in a different spot, but I have to find it before L gets home.
I leave the kitchen and go out to my office to see if her gift arrived in my business mail by accident. I find a package on the desk but it’s the potassium, returning my thoughts to Bianca and why she wouldn’t have taken this to Harold like I asked.
“Crash Into Me” begins playing on my phone. It’s still Laurelyn’s ringtone more than a year later. The song still makes me think of her on that stage every time I hear it. “Hello, love.”
“Hey. I was calling—just in case—to let you know I’m on my way back a little early.”
“Just in case of what?” I ask.
“I don’t know. It’s my birthday and you’re being all secretive about tonight so I don’t want to walk in and ruin anything you might be up to.”
“You’re safe. I’ve already taken care of everything.” Except finding that package of naughty goodies.
“All right, Mr. Organized. I’ll see you in fifteen.”
Fifteen minutes does not give me long to find that package, so I decide to call Mrs. Porcelli. She has no idea what I’m talking about so I check the front door. And the back. Nothing. Fuck, I really want L to dance for me in that outfit tonight since her pole days are limited. Once she’s pregnant, there’ll be no more of that for a while.
I still haven’t found L’s naughty surprise and she’ll be here any minute, so I give up and decide to search for her floral one-shouldered dress instead. I hope I have better luck finding that.
I enter our bedroom and go motionless, the blood draining from my face. What the fuck is going on in here?
Bianca’s lying across the bed dressed in L’s new red metallic pole outfit and has all of our new kinky toys spread around her. “You are a very bad boy, Jack McLachlan.”
Fuck! She got L’s package and thought it was the one I intended for her to receive. “I’m afraid there’s been a terrible misunderstanding.”
She moves to her knees and motions for me to come to her. The top barely covers her breasts so I quickly look at the floor. “I get it, Jack. You were afraid to approach me so you had these things sent to me. Well, I get the message and I accept your invitation.”
I’m walking around the room looking for her clothes. “You were supposed to open the package with the potassium in it, not this one. These things aren’t for you.”
“What?” She sounds terribly confused.
Fuck! L is going to kill us both if she walks in and sees this. “My wife is on her way home. You’ve got to get your clothes on and get the hell out of here.”
I hear a sound so I stop to listen. Too late. I hear L coming into the house. “Oh hell. She’s home. Get your motherfucking clothes on while I try to explain this shit.”
Of course she heads straight for our bedroom because she needs to get ready for our dinner reservation, so I try to head her off before she can see Bianca in her outfit. “Hey, you. How was …”