Dirty Little Secret (Forbidden Desires #1)

Emma

Pink or red?

I stared down at the tubes of liquid lip stain I’d picked up at the department store on my lunch break. A classic bold red and a flattering girly pink. I usually opted for a swipe of nude lip balm, preferring the natural look, but the elegant gown I’d be wearing tonight called for something a little different.

Red, it is.

It turned out applying red lipstick precisely was a more difficult task than I’d been prepared for. Ten minutes later, I had blotted and reapplied until I was satisfied, leaving myself just enough time to step into my nicest pair of heels as my cell phone chimed with a text.

Cooper was here.

I forced a smile at my reflection, fighting the urge to curl up in my bed and pretend I wasn’t home. Tonight was good for the library, and I couldn’t back out now. And then, tomorrow? A thousand dollars would go a long way toward restoring this old brownstone to the way it had been when I was younger.

With a few dates, I might be able to put in an old butcher-block table and countertops like my grandmother had once had. I could plant a blueberry bush in the back. I might even be able to find an old rocker like the one she’d kept near the bay window. And a tub . . . a humongous soaking tub.

I just had to think of those things whenever times got tough. On the bright side, at least this date was with Cooper and not Gavin.

My stomach flipped at the thought of it, and our last encounter. Why did Gavin throw me off my game so completely? He was just a man. Not some demi-god toying with the rest of us sad little mortals, which for some reason it always felt like. And I was pretty sure he knew it.

Which meant next time, I had to do better. Because, screw him.

For tonight, though, it was only Cooper and me, and everything was going to be fine. I just had to think of it as a normal date.

Still, the second things got weird or I felt disrespected, I was out of there. I wanted to keep this place, but there were some lines I wouldn’t cross no matter what.

Grabbing my black envelope clutch, I tucked the lipstick and my cell phone inside and met Cooper on my cracked concrete stoop.

He was taller than I remembered, maybe even a little taller than Gavin, and looked striking in his tailored black tuxedo.

His gaze slid down the length of my body, his lips curving into a wide smile.

So, maybe he made no bones about his attraction to me. To this point, he’d never done or said anything inappropriate and had been a perfect gentleman.

Give him a chance.

“It fits,” I murmured, gesturing at the ethereal concoction of a dress he’d sent.

“Perfectly.” His voice was husky and his green eyes danced with mischief. “You are stunning.”

I offered him a smile before accepting his outstretched hand and allowed him to help me navigate the stairs in my stiletto heels. His skin was warm and smooth, and his hand was so large, it enclosed mine completely. I felt a little bubbling in my heart like sweet champagne. And just like that, all my fears fizzled away.

He made me feel comfortable. Safe. Being with Cooper was easy.

Besides, maybe being spoiled and desired by two wealthy CEOs wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to me. And considering how nice and down-to-earth Cooper seemed, did I really have that much room to complain?Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Relaxed and allowing myself to get a little excited, I climbed into the limo that would take us to the event.

“Something to drink?” Cooper gestured to the minibar, which was stocked with miniature bottles of liquor, sparkling water, and wine.

I shook my head. “I think I’ll just wait until we get there.”

“Good idea.” He nodded, treating me to another warm smile. “It’s only a ten-minute ride to the venue. Have I mentioned how gorgeous you look? I feel like I really can’t put too fine a point on it.”

I grinned, then gazed out the window, taking in the view as the city passed by in a blur. My life didn’t involve limousine rides through the city, or expensive gowns or galas. That was the stuff of Cinderella and Pride and Prejudice. The stuff that filled the books in my library.

It still felt surreal that a chance encounter with Gavin had brought me to this moment. A secret desire, an unrequited crush . . . that was all it was supposed to be.

“You’re quiet,” Cooper said. “Nervous?”

I shook my head. “Not very. Anymore, at least.”

“Then how are you feeling about all this?” He gestured around us.

“Surprisingly good.”

I wondered if Gavin had filled him in on my initial refusal. I was guessing so. It didn’t seem like these two men kept things from each other. Watching the way they silently communicated, reading each other through unspoken glances and nods, made me doubt there were many secrets between them. Still, I wanted to be honest with Cooper.

“It’s all a little odd, sure, but it’s nice. You have a good eye for dresses.” I ran my hand over the delicate beading on my thigh.

“Years of practice.” He nodded. “But don’t worry, I get how you’re feeling. It’s always strange at first, but you can trust me. If I—or anyone else—ever make you feel uncomfortable, I want you to tell me.”

I offered him a soft smile, more than a little appreciative of the reassurance. “This literacy event is important to me. You know my library—”

“Gavin told me,” he cut in with a grin. “It’s important work you do. We’re happy to be contributing.”

Another roll of warmth took hold of me and I nodded. “Thanks. So . . . anything I should expect tonight?”

He shrugged. “Important as the cause is, it’s much like any other fundraiser. You can expect lots of greedy politicians, money-hungry businessmen, and cheap, terrible champagne.”

I chuckled. “That’s fine. I’m not much of a drinker.”

“We’ll stay an hour or so. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, so I’ll stick by your side the entire time. Mainly it’s just an excuse to shake hands, exchange business cards, and let those who run in these circles know about our services.”

I nodded. It seemed straightforward enough.

When we arrived, I was grateful the driver dropped us off right in front of the building. I wasn’t used to wearing these heels and had a feeling my feet would be crying by the end of the evening.

Inside the ballroom, I was dazzled by the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the seven-piece band playing smooth jazz on the stage, and all the sophisticated people mingling around us. Though, I had to note, nobody was wearing a gown quite as beautiful as mine.

I might have been out of my element, but I sure didn’t look like it. It was only then that it hit me exactly how sweet and thoughtful Cooper’s gesture was. Thinking about wearing one of the cocktail dresses hanging in my closet made me wince. I’d have stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Something to drink?” a white-jacketed waiter asked, balancing a tray of champagne flutes beside us.

Cooper appraised me silently, waiting for my response.

“Please.” I accepted a glass and brought it to my lips. The chilled bubbles were just what I needed to calm the last of my remaining nerves.

Cooper refused a glass and led me over toward a group of men. He seemed to recognize one of them, because he shook his hand while the guy smiled broadly at him.

“You staying out of trouble?” the man asked. He was around my father’s age, with salt-and-pepper hair and a belly that pushed out his tuxedo jacket.

“Just barely. You know me.” Cooper grinned.

“Gentlemen, this is a man you need to know. He and his brothers have a harem of beauties at their beck and call. Take his card. Give him a call. Trust me on this one,” the man said to the group.

“Speaking of which, this is Emma. Emma, this is Bill Mitchell.”

Bill’s gazed trailed over me, but just as I started to tense up, I felt the comforting warmth of Cooper’s hand on the small of my back and remembered the thousand bucks I had coming to me. I was here with a date and was under no obligation to ever go on another, least of all with this dirty old man. This was just a job like any other, and I was in total control.

The reminder made it a whole lot easier to stretch my lips into a cool smile.

“Pleasure.”

Mitchell elbowed the man next to him. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Cooper handed a business card to each of the men, murmuring things like very discreet and we guarantee your satisfaction.

As strange as it should have been, the encounter felt less like a sales pitch and more like a secret handshake in a good-old-boys’ club. I brushed it off easily, but maybe that was due to Cooper’s inherent charm.

Moments later, he led me across the ballroom toward another group he’d spotted.