Chapter Seven
Noelle barely managed not to pinch herself. This place was unreal with its cathedral ceiling, grand spiral staircase, a large modern kitchen with all the latest amenities and three bedrooms all with grand terraces. The square footage of the living room alone was larger than the entire apartment she’d shared with Simone. While her new living space was not ostentatiously decorated it still screamed money. She was almost too scared to touch anything for fear of breaking something.
“This is mine?” she asked the man standing behind her.
“While you reside here it is.”
Noelle stiffened as the gravity of her choice suddenly hit her. Her knees grew wobbly and she took the closest seat which was on a leather arm chair. She wrapped her arms around her body in a protective hug. “I’m not the first woman who’s stayed here, am I?” she asked softly without looking in the direction of James’ EA. Shortly after her call with Ms. Martin, she was contacted by Paul Atkinson. He’d been straight to the point, shooting off a handful of instructions and necessary appointments she needed to make. That had been two weeks ago.
Noelle and Simone had barely talked in that time until the movers came to remove Noelle’s belongings. Simone had tearfully begged Noelle to reconsider but she’d already made up her mind. It was for the best. She’d always felt as though she was mooching off her cousin because Simone had paid the bulk of the bills.
Paul didn’t answer Noelle’s question right away and didn’t seem as if he would. “I’m not am I?” Noelle persisted.
The blond man who had been all business moments before seemed to soften a bit. “I’m sorry but I’m not at liberty to discuss my boss’s personal life.”
Noelle chuckled humorlessly. “I am his personal life.”
“Be that as it may, I can’t answer that question, Miss Greene.”
“I understand. And please call me Noelle. Miss seems so formal.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“But you said I should call you Paul. It would only be fair.”
“Very well.” He paused to look at his smartphone. “I’ve done a run- through of the penthouse and everything appears to be in order. The housekeeper, Marsha, comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She has her own key so don’t worry about letting her in. Marsha also keeps the refrigerator stocked so just leave a list for her if there’s anything specific you need for her to acquire. For all your other needs, my number is programmed in your new cell phone. I’ve left the pass codes for the elevators and anything else you’ll need them for. Any questions?”
This was the most awkward meeting ever. She felt like this was her first day on a job. “Umm, when will I see James?”
“I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you. He’s a busy man. You’re free to go shopping to pass the time. I’ve left a list of stores you now have an account with.” He probably said it to placate her but it left Noelle more than a little uneasy.
“Okay.” Paul was cool toward her but not rude. She suspected he was only doing his job but it bothered Noelle that he may think she was nothing more than a golddigger, only with James for his money. For reasons she couldn’t explain she didn’t want this man to think badly of her. “I’m really grateful for what you’re doing.”
“I’m just doing my job, Miss—Noelle.”
“Thank you, anyway.”
Paul looked to be at a loss for words for a moment. He gave her the impression he wasn’t used to being thanked in this scenario. Noelle studied him briefly. He wasn’t a bad looking man, although he was no James. Actually, he was quite handsome. His dark blond hair and baby blue eyes behind wire framed glasses presented a pleasing aesthetic. Her was tall and lanky but wore his expertly tailored suit well.
His mouth nearly curved to a smile. “You’re welcome. If you need me for anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call.”
“I really appreciate that.” She stood up. “Let me walk you out.”
“That won’t be necessary. Take care of yourself, okay?” He almost sounded as though he meant it.
“Sure.” Her attempt at a smile was painful so she waved him off instead.
Once Noelle was alone in what would be her living accommodations for an indeterminate time, self-doubt assailed her. She thought she knew what she was doing when she walked into this situation, but now Noelle wondered if she’d jumped the gun. What had been forefront in her mind was how much she’d miss James’ touch, yet she hadn’t spoken to him in the two weeks since she’d taken him up on his offer.
Paul had handled everything; from taking her to the doctor to get tested for STDs and ensuring she was prescribed birth control. If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, she was given a contract to sign which stated she was not allowed to discuss their arrangement with the media nor would she try to profit from their association once the affair ended.
It all seemed so sterile. And the worst of it was she didn’t know when James would actually visit her. The longer she sat alone in this luxurious penthouse suite the lonelier she felt. She wanted to call Simone but things between them were still slightly raw. Unable to sit for a second longer she walked around the apartment until she came to her boxes that were spread out on the spare bedroom floor. She gravitated toward one box in particular. It was the one full of keepsakes from her mother.
Noelle opened it and looked through its contents. She pulled out a photo album and thumbed through the pages. The pictures brought a smile to her face. They reminded her of a time when she’d truly been happy. Noelle touched each artifact inside the box, feeling closer to her mother’s spirit and getting comfort from them. One of the last items she found was a cookbook which held all her mother’s old recipes. Aunt Frieda had tried to take it from her but it was the one thing Noelle wouldn’t relent where her Aunt was concerned. It meant so much to her because she remembered helping her mother cook in the kitchen. Many of the recipes her mother had come up with herself.
A sudden bout of inspiration hit Noelle when she decided to try a few out for herself. Besides art, cooking with her mother had always provided Noelle with her greatest source of joy. She made her way to the kitchen and began searching for ingredients, and was pleased to find exactly what she needed to make several of the recipes many times over.
Noelle immersed herself in baking and was just taking her second batch out of the oven when she realized she wasn’t alone. She hadn’t heard anyone enter but she felt a presence. Looking up from her task she saw James standing at the kitchen entrance looking sexier than any man had a right to.
Feeling shy in his presence, she placed the cookie sheet on the stove and placed her oven mitts on the counter. Even in a suit she was sure cost more than her entire wardrobe, there was no disguising James’s broad-shouldered ruggedness. He was even more handsome than she remembered.
She moistened her now dry lips with the tip of her tongue. “Hi, I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”
“You should always expect me Noelle. I believed you understood that per our contract.” His cool reminder was like a slap in the face. Not for the first time, she wondered what possessed her to agree to this madness. The calculated way in which this was all set up made her wonder who the real James was—this cold stranger standing before her or the charming man she’d originally met.
She squared her shoulders hoping he couldn’t discern her internal conflict. “You’re right.” Noelle took the cookies off the sheet and placed them on a platter to keep her hands busy. “Would you like something to eat? It’s getting close to dinner and I can fix us something. There’s a lot of food here.”
His expression was unreadable but she could sense his disapproval. “I’m glad to see you’ve made yourself at home but it’s not necessary for you to cook my meals. I have a chef for that at my own house.”
A lump formed in her throat but she managed to respond. “Duly noted.”
“You’re welcome to hire a chef to cook meals for you as well. Paul can make the arrangements.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind cooking. Actually I like it.”
“Noelle, if you’re trying to impress me with you domestic skills you can stop wasting your time. I didn’t want you because you can cook.”
“I’m not. I’m just capable of doing certain things for myself and cooking is one of them. I offered to make you something to eat because that’s the hospitable thing to do.” Noelle didn’t know what his problem was but she wasn’t sure if she could handle walking on pins and needles around him for the remainder of the night. Maybe it was best to cut her losses now before she was in too deep. “James, I’ve given this some thought and I don’t think I’m cut out for this kind of thing after all. I’m sorry I’ve wasted your time.”
He stepped farther into the kitchen. “Do you mind telling me why?”
She backed away as he moved closer, unable to trust herself with him in close proximity. “It all just seems so cold and emotionless. I should have mentioned this earlier but all I could think about was…”
“What Noelle?” He continued to advance.
Noelle walked around to the other side of the island to put distance between them. “At this point, does it really matter? This is the first time I’ve seen you since our last date. I haven’t even been afforded the courtesy of a phone call, yet I’ve been subjected to a humiliating medical examination to prove I’ve got a clean bill of health, and made to sign some contract like I can’t be trusted. This hardly seems fair.”
James raised both brows as though he was genuinely surprised. “Having a very generous allowance and access to any high end store along the East Coast isn’t enough for you?”
“I’m not interested in the money.”
He chuckled. “But you’re here, so tell me again my money doesn’t matter.” He continued to advance and Noelle backed away until she found herself pressed against the kitchen wall, his chest flush with hers. James lowered his head until the heat of his breath grazed her face.
Noelle turned her head to the side. “It doesn’t. I wanted to be here because I wanted to get to know you better.”
He captured her face in his grasp and forced her to look at him. “There’s no doubt the sexual attraction is strong between us, but let’s not pretend the money hasn’t captured your interest either. Things will go much better if we remain honest with each other. And I have a truth for you. Wanna hear it?”
Her breath caught in her throat. The scent of his cologne and raw maleness assailed her senses. Her brain was mush and she couldn’t form words. Noelle wanted to argue with him and deny how wrong he was but nothing mattered in that moment. She was captive beneath his gaze—James’ willing prisoner. Finally, Noelle nodded in answer to his question.
His lips curved into the most devilishly sexy smiles she’d ever witnessed. Her heart fluttered in response and her pulse raced. “I was thinking about you all day, Noelle. Knowing you were here in this house, walking around with that adorably sexy lost-little-girl look. That one taste I had of you wasn’t enough and it drove me so crazy, I cancelled all my afternoon appointments. I broke several traffic laws to get here. To have you.” He pressed his hardness against her. “I can feel the heat from your body. You want this as badly as I do. After what we shared, there’s no walking away because your body won’t let you. Will it, sweet Noelle?”