The Maverick's Virgin Mistress Read online

  “He’s one of us. When the going gets tough, sometimes it’s better to stick with your own.”

  “I don’t consider a suspected criminal to be one of ‘my own’ in any way.”

  “You know what I mean. When you come from the barrio, you see the world a little differently.”

  “You’re talking as if I didn’t grow up in the same house as you.” Alicia bristled. She hated when her brother treated her like a kid. “I was there, too, remember? I know what hard times are like, and I’m more than glad to have left them behind. You need to get rid of that chip on your shoulder,” she said, still trying to figure out how to change Alex’s mind. “I could go stay with one of the neighbors.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “I don’t trust those people. Not right now.”

  “How about Maria Nunez? You’ve known her as long as I have. You let me sleep over at her house when we were in school. I’m sure she won’t mind me staying a few nights.”

  He grunted. “I always suspected that Maria of having a wild streak. Still, her parents are good people. Does she live at home?”

  Alicia laughed. “No. She’s twenty-six years old, remember? She has an apartment in Bellaire. Very safe area.”

  “If she’s not married, she should be at home with her family.” Alex took a swig of coffee.

  “It’s not the nineteenth century anymore, Alex. Deal with it. I’ll call her right away. If she says no, then I’ll go to El Gato, okay?”

  The lie tingled on her tongue for a second, since she had no intention of going anywhere near Paul Rodriquez and his crew of scary henchmen, even if he was Alex’s oldest friend.

  Alex clucked with disapproval. “Stubborn.”

  “Sensible.” She smiled sweetly. “You know I am. Don’t you trust me?”

  Her heart fluttered as she realized he had every reason not to.

  “All right, you can stay with Maria. You are sensible, and I’m very proud of you. I love you like crazy, ’Manita, you know that?”

  “I do, and I love you, too, you big bear of a brother.” She rounded the table and gave him a kiss on his thick head of hair before going upstairs, heart pounding.

  Alicia closed her bedroom door carefully before picking up her phone.

  She hadn’t even dared add Rick’s number to her favorites, in case Alex happened to pick up her phone and notice a new number there among her old friends from school.

  Anticipation mingled with anxiety made her fingers twitchy as she dialed.

  It rang only once.

  “Hey, beautiful.” That soft, seductive voice.

  A smile spread over her face. “What if I’m not looking at all beautiful right now?”

  “Impossible. You can’t help it,” he said, making her feel warm all over. “I saw on the news they put the fire out and that no one was hurt. What a relief.”

  “Tell me about it. We rescued every single calf, only a few scrapes and cuts on them. The barn is gone, though. Nothing left but soggy blackened wood. And there was a six-month supply of good hay in there that we’d put up for the winter.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it was insured.”

  “It was, but the barn is irreplaceable. It was one of the first buildings in Somerset. A true historic landmark. I was hoping to get it preservation status, but I guess I can forget about that now.” She sighed. “It could have been much worse. If the wind was blowing harder, the house could have caught fire.”

  “I wish I were there to give you a hug.”

  “Trust me, I could really use one.”

  “Then since you won’t let me set foot on El Diablo, you’re going to have to come here to get one.”

  Adrenaline flashed through Alicia. How could she ask this delicately? Or even indelicately? “Can I spend the night with you?”

  A beat of silence made her pulse throb, but it was followed by a rushed, “Of course.” His enthusiasm almost made her laugh.

  “Wow, that sounded bad, didn’t it? It’s just that Alex doesn’t think it’s safe for me to stay here. The police think the fire was set deliberately and he’s worried the arsonist will come back to finish the job. He wants me to go stay with an old school friend of his, but I don’t like the guy.”

  “I don’t want you near any guy except me. And in case you didn’t know, my suite at the Omni has four bedrooms.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Not even a little. Pack your bags and come on over.”

  “My car was parked behind the barn. It pretty much melted.”

  “No sweat, I’ll come get you.” She could almost hear him panting like an excited puppy.

  She smiled. “I don’t think so. If Alex sees your car, it’ll ruin everything. I’ll ask him to drive me to the Texas Cattleman’s Club. That way he won’t suspect anything and you can pick me up there. I could be there by four this afternoon.”

  “I’ll meet you outside.”

  Alicia frowned. It might be nice to hang out at the club a while. She wouldn’t mind showing her new beau off to her friends. But maybe he’d just want to get her bags back to his place.

  Or get her back to his place.

  A naughty smile snuck across her lips and her body tingled with anticipation. She’d be all alone with Rick in his hotel suite, and she had a feeling that tonight would be a night she’d never forget.

  “Great, I’ll meet you by the front door. See you then.”

  She hung up the phone, downright jumpy with excitement.

  She’d recently bought some sexy lingerie at Sweet Nothings in anticipation of becoming more intimate with Rick. She had it hidden away in the back of her dresser drawer so Alex wouldn’t stumble across it while looking for something.

  Now hopefully she’d finally get a chance to put it on—and watch Rick take it off.

  Justin pressed the button to raise the roof on his Porsche convertible. He wasn’t sure Alicia would appreciate the wind in her hair.

  Like every inch of her that he’d had the pleasure to see so far, her dark hair was silky smooth and perfectly groomed.

  And he was looking forward to seeing a lot more of her now that he’d have her all to himself, in his suite, for days—and nights—on end.

  He’d like to see desire flare in those big brown eyes, and run his eager hands all over her glowing olive skin.

  A wicked grin spread across his face.

  Then he wiped if off.

  Cool your jets. First of all, Alicia was traumatized by the fire at the ranch she shared with her brother. She needed his support, not his hands pawing all over her.

  Second, she had no idea who he really was.

  He cursed and tapped his fingers impatiently on the wheel as he waited at a traffic light.

  Why did he have to call himself Rick Jones when he met her?

  Sure, he used the name often, but usually for making hotel reservations or when he met someone who had “gold digger” written all over her. There were definitely times when being Justin Dupree—of those Duprees—was a serious liability.

  Once people knew he had more money than God, they treated him differently. And he was tired of the society press tailing him like a bloodhound, looking for more stories for their gossip columns. Thanks to them, he now had an embarrassing reputation as a playboy that was really only half-deserved.

  Okay, maybe three-quarters. But that was all in the past.

  He was thirty now and more settled. He wasn’t so excited about partying all night. Lately, he wanted to spend quality time getting to know a woman before he slept with her.

  Take Alicia. How many dates had they been on? Maybe eight, and he still hadn’t slept with her.

  Or even kissed her.

  He blew out a breath. The light turned green and he honked his horn to get the car in front of him moving. Eight dates and not even a kiss on the lips? That was ridiculous. And he wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, either.

  There was something so perfect about Alicia, so pure and sweet and gentle,
that he never quite felt right about asking her back to his place. She was the kind of girl you’d send flowers to, the kind whose parents you’d chat with when you picked her up at her house. The kind you’d buy a corsage for on prom night.

  Except that they were both adults and her parents had been dead for years. Why did Alicia Montoya turn him from a hardened ladies’ man back into an eager and apprehensive schoolboy?

  He wove through traffic on the beltway and took the exit for Somerset. Alicia Montoya was something else, and he didn’t mind waiting for the chance to weave his fingers into her soft hair.

  “I’m not Rick Jones.” How hard was it to just say it?

  One snag was that Alex knew him. He’d used the alias partly so he could ask Alicia about Alex and maybe dig up some useful information about him for Mitch and Lance Brody. If he actually did go to El Diablo, Alex would recognize him from the club.

  And then there was Alicia herself.

  Usually once he told a girl he was actually Justin Dupree, she laughed off the deception and fawned all over him, thrilled to be dating the notorious shipping heir instead of some regular guy.

  Alicia though…

  He let out a low whistle. He suspected she wouldn’t take the deception lightly. She’d gone to a convent school, for crying out loud. She carried white linen handkerchiefs in her purse. Her French-tipped fingernails did not look like they’d ever been anywhere Mother Superior wouldn’t approve of.

  Did he really want to blow his chance of feeling those luscious, manicured nails rake down his back?

  No. He didn’t. Which was why he wasn’t going to mention the little name issue just yet. He’d wait until the drama of the fire blew over. Until he’d held her in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

  Until he’d made hot, wild love to her all night long.

  Then he’d tell her.

  Two

  A licia paced under the elegant awning outside the Texas Cattleman’s Club.

  Bees buzzed around flowers blooming in the carved-stone planters. Sunlight glistened on the polished-marble walkway and flashed off the brass accents on the door as members came and went, waving hello and stopping to commiserate about the fire.

  Alicia tried to act normal, as though she wasn’t about to embark on possibly the biggest “first” in her life.

  She’d never spent the night at a man’s house before.

  She’d never…

  She’d never done a lot of things, and she hoped to rectify that, starting tonight.

  The hushed sound of a powerful engine made her glance up. Rick pulled up in front of the awning and leaned out of the driver’s seat of his silver Porsche.

  The sun shone in his tousled dark hair. “How do you manage to look more gorgeous every time I see you?” He cocked his head and fixed his bold blue eyes on hers.

  Alicia blushed. She had gone to a little extra effort with her appearance today. She wanted everything to be perfect.

  She gestured to her luggage. “I tried not to pack too much stuff. Just some clothes for work and a few casual things.”

  Like the pretty lingerie she’d bought last week.

  He stowed her bags in the trunk. Black tailored slacks clung to his powerful thighs and a well-cut polo shirt emphasized the width of his shoulders. Was it fair for a man to be so dangerously handsome?

  She could hardly believe he was interested in her.

  “Do you want to go in?” She gestured to the front door. Cara was inside and she’d love to see the look on her friend’s face when she got an eyeful of Rick.

  Although she’d met him at the club, she wasn’t sure if he was a member. The couple of times she’d mentioned his name to friends, she’d drawn blank stares.

  He hesitated and glanced at the double doors that led into the wood-paneled sanctuary. “I’d actually rather get back to the hotel. I have a business call coming. Nothing major, it won’t take long.”

  “Oh, no problem. Let’s go then.” She tried not to let her disappointment show.

  Of course he had business to conduct. She wasn’t exactly sure what he did, but judging from the car he drove and the fact that he had a four-bedroom suite at the Houston Omni, it must be pretty darn important. She couldn’t expect him to put his whole life on hold because she needed a place to stay.

  At the Omni, the bellhop removed Alicia’s bags from the trunk and she felt strangely weightless as she watched them disappear across the glistening marble floor of the lobby.

  No turning back now.

  Not that she wanted to. Rick was so thoughtful and sweet. He squeezed her hand as they walked to the bank of elevators.

  She squeezed back, trying not to let her nerves show. He had no idea this was new for her. That she’d never spent the night with a man before.

  Or, in fact, ever had sex.

  At age twenty-six.

  How shocked would he be if he knew? At this point, it was such a humiliating secret, she even kept it from her girlfriends. Only Maria—who she’d stayed close to since high school—knew the terrible truth.

  When Alicia had asked permission to use her as an alibi for her stay at Rick’s, Maria had been so excited she could barely get words out. “Who is he?” she asked. “Is he cute? I’ll only lie for you if you promise to go all the way!”

  Alicia had laughed off Maria’s exhortations, but being a virgin at twenty-six was no laughing matter.

  She flashed Rick a smile as he pressed the elevator button.

  She wasn’t even quite sure how it had happened. One minute she was a teenager telling boys she wasn’t that kind of girl, the next she was looking in the mirror wondering where her so-called youth went.

  Now she’d found the right man to finally initiate her into womanhood. Rick was perfect. Almost too perfect, in fact. She knew Alex would be suspicious of him.

  But then Alex was suspicious of everyone.

  “Be it ever so humble…” Rick winked as he slid the keycard into the lock.

  “Oh, my.” Alicia’s jaw dropped as the door opened to an elegant interior, lush with fine fabrics and gleaming antiques. “This is a hotel room?”

  “Not really. It’s more of a furnished apartment with all the amenities. Not too many apartment buildings come with room service, and with all the traveling I do, it’s nice to have everything taken care of.”

  “I guess if you don’t have a wife to take care of you, a hotel staff is the next best thing.” She smiled, looking around the luxurious environment.

  Rick’s silence made her turn.

  Alicia bit her lip. A wife? What on earth was she thinking? Now he’d suspect her of auditioning for the role.

  “And I guess you don’t have to worry about mowing your lawn.” She tried to push the conversation forward, to distract from her gaffe. “But you probably wouldn’t anyway.”

  Duh! Rick Jones had probably never mowed a lawn in his life. Men who hung out at the Texas Cattleman’s Club had “people” for that.

  She and Alex were probably the only members who weren’t born with silver spoons in their mouths. Another reminder that she was out of her element here in Rick’s luxurious penthouse.

  “Which bedroom would you like? We’re on the corner so each one gives you a different view of the city.”

  He ushered her into a large room with gold draperies, an elegant sleigh bed and a panoramic view west over the Galleria area.

  “Gee, I don’t know if this is fancy enough for me.” Alicia grinned.

  “I see what you mean. And really, the morning light is better from the east.”

  He guided her out the door. Pleasure shivered through her at the feel of his hand at the base of her spine.

  They entered a room with a large four-poster bed laden with embroidered pillows. Elegant white draperies fluttered slightly in the air-conditioner breeze. The view across the treetops of Memorial Park—all the way to the shimmering skyscrapers of downtown Houston—was breathtaking.

  “Then again, someti
mes it’s annoying being woken up too early.”

  Gentle pressure from his palm sent heat snaking through her belly. She allowed him to ease her out the door.

  The third bedroom had a Japanese flavor with willow-green draperies and images of cranes and lilies on the wall.

  The bedpost and furniture were crafted from elegant bamboo. A bubbling fountain ornamented one corner of the bright space.

  The view looked down on a wooded bend in the river—a strangely wild vista for this part of the world—and added to the impression of a lush retreat.

  Alicia smiled. “Pretty! I like this one.”

  “Make yourself at home. You can stay as long as you want. And I mean that quite literally. I have the suite reserved for the next two years.”

  She laughed. How much money did this guy have? This suite probably cost ten thousand dollars a night. “Hopefully, my brother will let me come back home before then, but I appreciate the offer.”

  Rick’s striking blue eyes fixed on hers. “Now, dinner. I usually have it sent up from the hotel restaurant, but we could go out if you prefer.”

  “I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”

  “If you insisted on me cooking it myself, I think we’d both be in trouble, but as long as professionals are involved, it’s no trouble at all.” A naughty dimple appeared in his left cheek. “Let me get you a menu.”

  He slipped out of the room, leaving Alicia to catch her breath.

  Her heart pounded under her pale-blue blouse and her high heels sank into the soft carpet.

  Houston lay at her feet like a rug unfurled, the sun setting over the trees and rooftops casting a soft glow over the delicate furnishings of the lovely bedroom.

  Tonight was the night. By tomorrow morning she’d be a woman in every sense of the word.

  Rick appeared in the door with the menu, startling her out of her thoughts. “If you don’t like anything on the menu, we can talk to the chef. He’s a pretty cool guy. He knows I’m wild about lobster so he saves the best ones for me.”

  “I love lobster.” Alicia looked up. “I always feel guilty eating something that can live so long, but they’re too delicious.”