VANESSA BELMONT
Nathan's cell phone rang.
Reality crashed back in. What was I doing? Didn't I want Nathan to dump me and take the penalty for contract cancellation? I wanted freedom, right? Right!?
I pushed out of his arms, putting space between us before I did something stupid—like kiss him senseless. It's not fair, I railed at him silently. In my first life, he didn't give a damn about me. Why, in my second life, was he acting like he ... well, liked me?
Nathan glanced at the phone screen, his jaw tightening. He answered, his voice clipped. After a pause, he said, "Don't be afraid. I'm on my way." When he looked back at me, something like regret flickered in his dark gaze. "Vanessa..."
"See you at the auction." I gave him a careless wave and bolted from the kitchen before he could see the tears welling in my eyes.
I hurried up the stairs and I retreated to the sanctuary of my bedroom. Henry was stretched out on my bed, his golden eyes half-closed. Oh to be a cat.
The moment the door shut behind me, I pressed my palms to my face, exhaling shakily.
I don't want him, I lied to myself. I really don't.
But the truth was worse.
I did want Nathan Jang.
"You're an idiot," I told myself. "Would you get your shit together, Neenie?"
Sheesh.
***|***|***
VANESSA BELMONT
The cocktail party preview for the charity auction was in full swing by the time I arrived. The Echelon's biggest and grandest ballroom, called the Infinity, glittered under crystal chandeliers. Guests mingled, champagne flutes in hand, their laughter blending with the soft strains of a string quartet.
"You've been staring at that sapphire and diamond necklace for a while," said a familiar male voice.
I looked up into the face of Carver Haynes, who'd been my very first crush in middle school. I wrote him love letters that I never sent. But 14-year-old me didn't have the courage to tell Carver I liked him.
We stayed friends until high school graduation then drifted apart. I went to college and found a new crush (Nathan) and he went abroad to finish his education.
Carver was the heir to the Haynes Group, which was impressive, but not quite as impressive as the Jang Group. The only other Ash City family that outdid the Jangs was Thorne Enterprises, the number-one ranked family in the area. Oh, and there was Kellan Ward, who was an untouchable god in both the black and white business worlds.
Carver had blond hair and blue, blue eyes, and a killer smile aimed right at my damned face. I melted a little because wowzer.
"I forgot how hot you are," I blurted.
His grin widened. "I didn't forget how hot you are, Neenie."
His gaze wandered over me, lingering on the cleavage of my dark red dress with its bell sleeves and flared, knee-length skirt. I wore diamond jewelry, and pinned up my hair. My makeup was dramatic with swoops of eye shadow, winged eyeliner, and diamond accents. I stuck with the red lipstick because I loved the color and, to be honest, I liked the way Nathan couldn't keep his eyes off my mouth.
It turned out Carver liked my lipstick, too.
Flirting with Carver felt wrong, and that irritated me because damn it, I wasn't cheating. I wanted to break it off with Fiona's dog licker? That's right, Brother Nathan, I thought crossly, you're a dog licker.
It would be so much easier if I didn't like Nathan. Fiona might be his white moonlight, but Nathan was mine. Wasn't that a bitch?
Carver stepped closer. He smelled like Christmas. Cinnamon. Pine. Home. "You outshine those jewels, Vanessa." He nodded toward the necklace. "Do you want it? I'll buy it for you. I'll buy you anything you want."
"I can't accept those kinds of gifts, Carver. I'm engaged to Nathan Jang. You buying me jewelry is not appropriate." I sipped the bubbly. I looked at him through my lashes. Maybe a little flirting was okay. "If I want that necklace, or anything else, I'll get it for myself."
His smile was just thiiiiiiis shy of wicked. He leaned down near my shoulder, his breath warm as he whispered in my ear, "Are you sure you want to marry Nathan Jang?"
"Are you offering another option?"
"Yes," said Carver. "Me."
"Oh, ha, ha."
"I'm serious, Neenie. It's not like you're in love with Nathan." Carver considered my expression, which I supposed showed my true feelings about my fiancé. "Ah. I suppose it's more like Nathan is not in love with you."
"We're a business marriage. Reciprocal feelings aren't part of the deal."
Carver extended his hand as if he wanted to touch my face. I stepped backwards, out of reach. He dropped his arm.
"My company's value matches his. And I like you."
I wanted to hear those words when we were in middle school. Maybe things would've been different for me. I could be one of those first-love-forever-love people who grew old with their childhood sweetheart.
But life wasn't like that. Life was a mean teacher with a ruler smacking your knuckles. I grabbed his cheek and squeezed. "Oh, C'mon. Carver, you liked fourteen-year-old me. Twenty-three-year-old me is a pain-in-the-ass."
"I happen to like that about you." He grasped my wrist and pulled my hand away from his face. Carver's gaze snagged mine and in those baby blues, I saw his yearning. For me? Me? The dumbass who got a pencil eraser stuck up her nose and had to go to the hospital for extraction. That's the girl he liked?
"Wait. What about that woman you were supposed to marry? The last time I saw you ... what, at the gala for the Vandersons. Yes, that's right. You were with her."
"We broke up."
"What was her name? She's an heiress, right?"
Carver put his finger against my mouth. "Enough. We were talking about you and me."
"Knock it off."
Carver's gaze was drawn over my shoulder. He tilted his head in a "look over there" gesture.
So, I turned and saw...