Wanted: Billionaire's Wife Read online

  She shook her head. All that mattered was Luke’s reaction to Felicity. Danica needed to stay focused, finish the assignment and concentrate on helping her brother. The kiss would eventually fade. Eventually. She absorbed herself in answering emails and chasing down promising leads online.

  The phone rang, dragging her gaze away from her screen. She looked at the time. 6:45 p.m. Well, that settled it. No more texting with Luke tonight. He should be handing his car keys to the valet at the fund-raiser right about now. A vision of Luke in a tuxedo, the fine black wool jacket tailored to emphasize his broad shoulders, caused her to almost drop the phone before she could answer it. “Hello?”

  “Danica! Thank goodness you picked up.”

  “Aisha?” Her favorite investigator sounded panicked. And nothing panicked Aisha McKee. “What’s wrong?”

  “Felicity Sommers. We have a problem.”

  That tiny warning light put out a full red alert. “What kind of a problem?”

  Aisha sighed. “I saw something today on her social media that made me ask around. Turns out she’s engaged. Has been for a month. But they haven’t told her parents, so they’re keeping it quiet.”

  “What?” Danica’s stomach dropped somewhere near her knees. “That’s bad.”

  “It gets worse.” Aisha audibly inhaled. “Her fiancé? Cinco Jackson.”

  “Cinco Jackson—wait. I know that name.” Danica opened a browser window to the Silicon Valley Weekly website, clicked on the top story and then shut her eyes, tight. “He’s the journalist responsible for the recent Ruby Hawk stories.”

  “Yeah.” Aisha sighed again. “I’m sorry it took me until now to discover the relationship. Turns out her parents are dead set against it because one of his previous stories was an exposé that took down a friend of her father’s, so they keep it very low-key. One of Felicity’s former sorority sisters filled me in.”

  Danica replayed the conversations she had with Felicity. No, she didn’t mention marriage. She and Luke agreed he would broach the until-death-do-us-part subject when he felt it was right.

  She had to warn him. If he let something slip to Felicity and it got back to Jackson...

  “I have to go.” Danica shut down her laptop. “Thanks for the warning. Talk to you soon.”

  “Sorry again,” Aisha started to say, but Danica hit End before she’d finished and dialed Luke’s number. No answer. Great. She ordered a car while keeping Luke’s number on redial. If he didn’t pick up his phone, she had only one option: get to him in person as quickly as possible.

  * * *

  The Aylward-Hopkins mansion hummed with laughter and conversation as the cream of the Bay Area elite enjoyed the Peninsula Society’s annual Monte Carlo Night. Croupiers spun roulette wheels, the wheel clack-clacking until the ball dropped with a soft metallic thud, while dice rattled against green felt at the craps tables. Although the games of chance were played with faux money, the charity expected its silent auction to bring in over five hundred thousand dollars to help fund its grants for the next year.

  Luke stood in the expansive entry of the mansion, a space big enough that it easily accommodated one of the bars set up for thirsty guests. From his position, he could keep an eye on the front door and new arrivals but also survey the gaming tables occupying the long sweep of travertine floors just beyond the entry. French windows lined the opposite wall, their doors open to the mild night air and the sprawling gardens beyond.

  Normally, he’d rather waste hours trying to code on an ancient Apple II Plus computer than put on a monkey suit and pretend to be interested in a retired captain of industry’s golf game. He sat on the charity’s board, which should be enough demonstration of his support. But he knew from observing his parents that strategic networking at social events was almost as crucial to success in business as a good product. His presence here tonight was a simple equation of trade-offs and benefits.

  A member of the catering staff in a low-cut black dress offered him a glass of champagne. He took it off the silver tray and she smiled at him, giving him a slow wink as she brushed by a bit too close for social propriety.

  At any other time, Luke might have been interested. But he was here to meet...what was her name? Right. Felicity.

  Too bad it wasn’t Danica.

  He did a quick calculation of the probabilities, as he did every time her green eyes crossed his mind. Which meant he ran this particular set of calculations on an hourly, if not even more frequent, basis. But his initial assessment always came out on top. Danica didn’t have the right variables he required.

  Yes, she was smart. And he liked her assertiveness. Plus, she made him laugh. Her humor shone through in her texts and emails.

  Nonetheless, statistical outcomes for maximum marriage success as measured by length of time married as plotted against divorce rates demonstrated he should stick to his original requirements for education, social status and career achievement.

  But...

  That kiss. She’d fit against him just the way he liked, her curves connecting with his body in all the right spots. Pure responsiveness, hot and genuine, the heat flaring spontaneously. And that moan, low and breathy, when she’d pressed against him... He’d had to walk multiple blocks in the chilly night air before he was comfortable enough to drive home.

  If he wasn’t careful, the memory would require leaving the party for a similar stroll. He took out his phone to distract himself just as a pretty redhead, more auburn than strawberry blonde, came through the front door. She looked around and when her gaze met his, she gave him a small wave. He nodded at her over his champagne and put the phone, still off, back in his pocket.

  He had to give Danica credit. The first candidate had more than met his criteria, and so far, Felicity also seemed like a good match. She wore a navy blue gown appropriate for the occasion, elegantly simple. Her smile was bright and easily given, her handshake firm as they greeted each other. She had no trouble meeting his gaze, her eyes a greenish brown.

  Danica’s eyes were green. A warm green with flecks of gold. When her temper rose, they transformed to dark emerald. He liked she hadn’t hid her reactions during their dinner. She’d expressed them, fully. And when they’d kissed—

  With a start, he realized Felicity was speaking. He tuned in just in time to hear her say, “Thank you so much for inviting me to the fund-raiser. I’ve heard a lot about Monte Carlo Night.”

  He cleared his throat. “Thank you for accepting.” He caught the gaze of the waitress who had given him his champagne and motioned her over. “Something to drink?”

  Felicity hesitated. “I have an early morning meeting. I shouldn’t—but sure. Thanks.” She accepted the glass with a smile from the less-friendly-than-before waitress. “I’ve never had champagne at a job interview before.” She laughed. “But then I’ve never had an interview at a black-tie event.”

  “It’s unorthodox. But this is an unusual employment offer.” There was something in the way Felicity’s gaze flashed when he said unusual that made him reconsider saying anything further. “Tell me about your job at Friedmann Adams. What’s your favorite thing about it?”

  He ignored the urge to look at his watch to see how much longer he needed to stay at the party and still be considered socially polite. Leaving early wouldn’t be productive, nor help him accomplish his goals for the evening. If Felicity didn’t work out, Danica had to provide only one more preapproved candidate before her contract terminated.

  Danica...

  He smiled, remembering their conversation after that dinner and how she’d tried to pretend he didn’t know what she was thinking. It had been written all over her expressive face. Not that he blamed her for believing in fairy tales like love and living happily ever after. They were pervasive in the prevailing culture. But they were emotional manipulations. Insubstantial.

  Sex, on the other hand, was an actua
l physical phenomenon. It could be scientifically studied. What would it be like if he studied it with Da—

  “And that’s the difference between a pessimist, an optimist and a financial advisor!” Felicity laughed. “That pretty much sums up what I do.”

  He’d missed most of it. What was wrong with his focus? “Fascinating.”

  Felicity pushed a strand of hair behind her right ear and glanced around the temporary casino. The gaming tables were filling up, and the polished travertine floor meant the sound level rose accordingly. “Not really. I could tell by the way you weren’t on the edge of your seat.”

  Caught. “It’s noisy in here,” he said. “Let’s find a quieter spot.”

  “That would be great. I’d like that.” She gave him a generous smile.

  Her lips were full and softly curved. But he had no desire to kiss them. Didn’t care to learn how she tasted. No interest in discovering how her mouth would feel against his or if her response would be soft and quivering or hard and driving.

  There was only one person he wanted to kiss, and that was—

  His peripheral vision caught someone frantically waving two arms high in the air. Danica?

  For a second, he wondered if his undisciplined subconscious had conjured a vision of her. But then a grin lit her face as their gazes met, and he knew it really was her.

  No memory could be that vibrant. The details that had become fuzzy over the past few weeks now appeared in solid form. Her hair, so many different colors of gold, the curls tumbling from her ponytail, twisting and turning in the light. The way she walked, her rounded hips slightly swaying as she cut through the crowd with graceful deliberation.

  Her eyes matched his memory exactly. They shone with some unexpressed emotion. Was she happy to see him? Or—no. Something was wrong. He narrowed his gaze questioningly as she arrived at his side. She shook her head slightly in response and thrust her left hand toward Felicity.

  “Hi!” she said, her voice as bright as the artificial smile on her face. “Nice to meet you again.”

  Felicity shook the proffered hand, but a crease dented her brow. “Likewise. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

  “Of course! I wouldn’t miss this event for the world.”

  Felicity ran her gaze up and down Danica’s outfit. Her nose wrinkled as if she saw something not to her liking, which was ridiculous. Danica looked beautiful. She had forgone her usual skirt-and-blouse combo for a plain black dress with buttons down the front, like an oversize men’s shirt, belted at the waist. He appreciated the way it emphasized her curves. “I see,” Felicity said slowly.

  “Oh,” Danica said with a strained laugh, brushing her palms against the skirt of her dress, “I ran here straight from work. Hope I haven’t already missed too much.” She turned to Luke. “What have you two been talking about?” Her eyes were opened wide, as if she were trying to send him a message.

  “Felicity told a joke about the difference between optimists, pessimists and financial advisors,” he said. At least he assumed it had been a joke.

  “I’d love to hear it someday.” Danica kept her gaze focused on Luke. He didn’t mind. “Did you talk about the open position?”

  “No,” Felicity said. Luke jerked his head in her direction. He’d almost forgotten she was still standing there. “We did not. I have some questions I’d like to ask.”

  “I’m sure you do.” Danica finally took her gaze away from Luke. The absence hit him like bedcovers yanked off on a cold winter’s morning. “That’s why I’m here. To help answer them. But—” She stopped, her gaze focused on a point over Felicity’s shoulder. “Hey, isn’t that Cinco Jackson over by the bar? You know, the business reporter for the Silicon Valley Weekly? I love his work.” Danica waved at the reporter, who remained focused on his drink.

  What the hell was she doing, trying to attract the attention of a journalist? Was that why she was here? His gut said no, but he suddenly realized he and Danica hadn’t really spoken since the kiss. And they needed to. It was way out of bounds for him to kiss a contractor. He couldn’t and wouldn’t blame her if she went to the press despite the NDA. “Danica, can we talk first—”

  She trod on his toe. Good thing she wore flat black shoes that looked like ballet slippers. “Hmm, he’s not looking our way. I’d love to meet him. I don’t suppose you know him, Felicity?”

  Two spots of red appeared on Felicity’s cheeks. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “You’re so lucky!” Danica gushed. “I heard from a friend of a friend—on the down low, mind you—that he’s engaged. I’m so jealous.”

  Jealous? What the... He opened his mouth, only for Danica’s heel to connect with his foot again. “Felicity, are you okay?” Danica asked. “Did your champagne go down the wrong way?”

  Felicity was indeed sputtering. “Engaged?” she managed to get out. “Where did you hear that? No one knows—” She clamped her lips shut.

  Danica clasped a hand to her chest, her eyes wide with amazement. “It is true?” she gasped. “But how do you... Oh! Don’t tell me! You must be the fiancée!”

  Luke managed to move his shoe before Danica could step on it once more. “I gather best wishes are in order,” he said, shooting a warning glance at Danica. She needed to cut back on the enthusiasm.

  Not that Felicity seemed to notice Danica was overdoing it. The redhead resembled a fish realizing too late the baited hook had been swallowed. “I—I didn’t confirm that.”

  Danica put a conciliatory hand on Felicity’s arm. “Don’t worry. We won’t say anything.”

  “But I didn’t—”

  “You don’t need to,” Danica said. “You haven’t stopped looking at Cinco Jackson since I mentioned him.”

  “I—” Felicity tore her gaze away from the reporter and shrugged. “Fine. It’s true. And this is the strangest job interview I have ever been on.”

  “It is unusual,” Danica agreed, her smile still five hundred watts bright.

  “It’s the Ruby Hawk way,” Luke interjected. “If you’re not comfortable in out-of-the-box situations, you won’t be comfortable working with me.”

  “Out of the box certainly describes Luke’s methods.” Danica gave an emphatic nod.

  “This was a test?” Felicity asked.

  “Luke gets ambushed all the time by people wanting to pry confidential information out of him. We needed to see how you would react in a similar situation,” Danica said smoothly. “Do you still have questions for us?”

  Felicity’s gaze ping-ponged between Luke and Danica. “I have a million, but not about the job. I think we all know I just took myself out of the running.” She laughed, her shoulders falling. “It’s actually a relief. I guess I can tell you now. Cinco just accepted an on-air job with a New York City station. We move in a few months.”

  Danica’s smile disappeared. “Then why did you agree to the interview?”

  “I was flattered. It’s not every day you get a call out of the blue to discuss running a foundation. If the offer had been too good to refuse—” she shrugged “—who knows? I might have tried to work out a bicoastal arrangement.”

  Luke swirled the champagne in his glass. “Jackson didn’t ask you to accept the interview in the hopes of getting inside information about Ruby Hawk?”

  Felicity bit her lower lip.

  Terrific. Thankfully, Danica saved the evening before he could dig himself into a pit too deep to get out of. He reached for her hand and gave her slender fingers a squeeze of appreciation.

  Danica jumped, but kept her gaze on Felicity. “There’s still a lot of Monte Carlo Night left. Why don’t you find your fiancé and have fun?”

  Felicity’s gaze shifted between Luke and Danica a few more times. “I will. Oh, and, Luke, I know Cinco would love to talk to you—”

  “We’ll keep that in mind,” Danica i
nterjected. “Best wishes for continued success with your career.” She beamed at the other woman.

  Felicity’s mouth twisted. “Right. Well, thank you for the opportunity.”

  She moved to shake Luke’s hand, but Danica maneuvered her way between him and Felicity. She intercepted Felicity’s proffered hand with a shake of her own. “It was great meeting you. Have a terrific night!”

  As soon as Felicity joined her fiancé, Danica’s face fell. She turned to face Luke, her teeth worrying her lower lip. “I am so sorry. I had no idea she was engaged until my investigator called a little while ago. I hope this didn’t ruin your evening.”

  He opened his mouth to reassure her.

  Then he reconsidered. Danica was here, in person, not just a voice on the phone or a string of characters in a text message. And suddenly he was looking forward to an evening of socializing. With her.

  He straightened his expression and looked down on her from his full height. “I’m out a date. At a black-tie event.”

  Danica kept her chin raised, but her gaze fell to the ground. “Yes, I know. I will find someone to replace Felicity. I still owe you two candidates.”

  “Doesn’t help my situation right now.”

  “If I could change the situation, I would—” she began, her eyes wide with apology.

  “Good. You’re my date.”

  Five

  Danica stared at him. “You want me to be your date? Here? Now?”

  She swept her left hand to indicate the crowd dressed in expensive finery, the museum-quality artwork on the walls and the bottles of vintage French champagne being emptied and replaced by more. Then she swept her right hand over her plain shirtdress, a bargain from an outlet store two years ago. “Me?”

  He shrugged. The movement emphasized how well his tuxedo jacket outlined his broad shoulders. “I RSVP’d for two. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

  She narrowed her gaze and was about to tell him just how much of beggar he needed to be for her to stay when she caught the slight uptick of his mouth. “Very funny,” she said.