don’t want it,” she told him. And that was the end of that.
The ranch house she owned came into view, and she parked her car in the driveway.
Her maid was in the kitchen as she entered. Elizabeth hired her a month ago when her workload increased, and she was glad to have the help.
“Hello, Marie,” she said as she placed her briefcase down. “I am going to eat and go to my fundraiser.”
“Yes, you told me yesterday.” Marie smiled at her. “I marked it on the calendar.”
“Oh, good.” Elizabeth realized she was extremely tired. She needed to call Nichole to ask to stay, but she could ask her father.
She sat in the kitchen alone after she ate what Marie had left for the day, but her small kitten meowed. He purred as he brushed up against her, reminding she was not alone. She picked up the kitten and loved her little kitten. She could never have animals with Richard. After all, the man never wanted children. He told her that in the beginning. He said they were a mess. She would have loved a have a child, but she never talked about it with him because that was the way he was.
She called Nichole, putting the kitten down and breaking herself out of her train of thought.
“Yes, Lizzy,” Nichole answered, calling her by her nickname.
“I’d like to stay overnight.” She hoped she could. Dad had his ways, but she loved him.
“Not a good idea,” Nichole hesitated. “I might have planned to go out after the fundraiser at Simon Lafayette’s art gallery tonight.”
“You are going?” Elizabeth was surprised. Nichole never attended one. There had to be a reason why.
“I need to mingle with the upper class and let them know about my fashion,” Nichole answered and added, “Anyway, Gabriel Lafayette is going to be there. He is drop-dead gorgeous like his older brother, and single.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth said, remembering the last time she saw Simon. She kissed him and enjoyed it. Just the thought of it made her hot.
“You can call your dad,” Nichole suggested quickly. “I have to go, Lizzy. Oh, by the way, Simon is single.”
“Oh.” Did Elizabeth wanted to know that? She changed the subject. “Well then, I will see you later.”
Then she called her father. “Sure, you can stay,” he said happily. “This old man has no plans. You can stay here.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She laughed at his sense of humor. Her father never got involved with anyone after her mother left him, but she never asked him why. Maybe he liked being by himself, or maybe he never got over her mother, Janice.
The drive back down to the city took an hour. Her father owned an apartment in a building owned by Simon. He owned several, and they were very expensive to own, but her father was very well-off and could afford it.
Thank God her father didn’t own a car, but he had a parking spot just for her. She glanced at her watch as she climbed out. It was five minutes to seven.
She hailed a taxi and gave the address to the gallery when she climbed it. It was five after seven when she arrived.
Simon glanced at his watch and did not see Elizabeth Summerton. She was on the guest list, but she was not there. Damn, he though, I am going to have to find her some other way.
Then he saw her come in, and he walked to her quickly before she could get away. She looked beautiful in her pale blue dress and long black hair in a bun. She wore a pearl necklace with pearl earrings. She was holding a small white bag, and she was looking around. He knew she was not looking for him. She was looking for her half sister.
The gallery was crowded when she entered, and she looked around and saw Nichole with a very handsome young man. Nichole was dressed in a long white backless dress with silver shoes; her long blond hair shone. Nicole looked so beautiful. Elizabeth was going to stand with her and the young man.
“Good evening, Mrs. Summerton.” Simon’s smooth voice stopped her from walking.
All that voice. He found her, and she glanced at Simon Lafayette.
He was dressed in a tailored black tuxedo with white ruffled shirt, a black tie, with shiny black shoes. She looked up at him. He must be six foot two; she was five seven. He was so handsome and had charisma. People respected him. No one would dare wear a ruffled shirt, but he wore it well. She grew hot as he stared at her, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Everyone went crazy for the sharply dressed man.
“Mr. Lafayette.” She had to control herself. The last time, she whispered his name with passion. She was not a silly schoolgirl.
“Join me.” He offered his arm to her, smiling. Oh, that smile—it could set the world on fire.
He wanted her to walk with him, she thought. Should she?
But she took his arm out of politeness. When he offered his arm, anyone would take it. She was honored by the thought.
Her skin tingled with his closeness, and he smelled so good, like wood and spice—like the outdoors, like a real man! She felt weak, but she made herself walk.
“You look lovely tonight,” he stated, glancing at her with those piercing blue eyes. “I am glad you could come.” Or I would have found you, he thought.
“Thank you, Mr. Lafayette.” She smiled and looked away from him. Those eyes could look right through her. “You look very handsome.”
What about using my first name like the last time? he thought, but he did not want to embarrass her.
“Thank you,” he said and added, “I hear you’re divorced from Richard.”
“Yes, it’s been six months,” she answered, and she added, “I heard you are divorced from Isabell.”
“Yes, it’s been six months for me,” he stated as he stopped at the art collection on the wall, and he cleared his voice. “So I am choosing you as my date for tonight.”
He said that the time they would meet, it was his turn. She did not know if she could let this man take a turn. It might drive her crazy to let him have his way with her, but then again, it might feel good to let go. She grew hot at the thought.
“Thank you,” she said. “I am honored.”
She felt hot, and it was cool. She had to controlled herself.
“I thought you didn’t like lawyers,” she added, looking at the art she had seen to take her thoughts off him. She hated herself for thinking about him and where this train of thought would lead her. She was going to try to control her swirling emotions. Her emotions were going get the best of her tonight.
“I have a lawyer. He is great.” He offered her a glass of wine when the waiter walked by with a tray of them. “I am not your client. So I can be seen with you. Anyway, we look good together.”
Oh, boy, she thought as she sipped the wine, trying to find something clever to say to him, but she could not find the words. She felt tongue-tied. Did
