The Escape Clause Read online

  Marcus raised his hand to her neck and cupped it. “I am a man who get’s what he wants. I want you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “Ma chérie, you have become my obsession.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

  “Marcus, I…”

  He pressed a finger to her lips. “You are here in France. Romanic, beautiful, France. Enjoy what it offers—romance.” He took the finger from her lips and held it up as if to keep her attention.

  Marcus reached into his pocket and took out a black felt box. When he opened it there was a beautiful opal necklace winking up at her in the oncoming sunset.

  “Oh, Marcus…”

  “Turn. Let me put this on you.”

  Something told her she shouldn’t accept it, but how could she help herself?

  She turned and felt him against her as he draped the chain around her neck and then pressed a kiss to her skin.

  Her knees went weak and her eyes closed as Marcus’s hands slid down her arms.

  “You are shaking,” he whispered in her ear.

  “I’m very nervous.”

  Marcus turned her to face him. “I want my touch to only make you quiver because I excite you, not because you are nervous.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I will show you what we could have.”

  He lowered his head and moved his mouth against hers. Avery’s eyes closed again and she was taken under by his touch and his warm, possessive kiss.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The weekend on the yacht had become so much more, Avery realized as she sat in the back of a car being driven through the streets of Paris toward her grandfather’s apartment which he kept there.

  Her grandfather had pleasantly surprised her by telling her that she’d be meeting with investors in Paris, which she’d just done.

  He’d given her a plan of action to make the wine label take flight. Everything for the meeting had been nearly scripted for her, but she’d been more than prepared.

  This was why she was in France and now she felt the empowerment she’d been looking for. Was this how her mother felt when she’d walked into meetings concerning her grandfather’s oil business? Avery remembered her mother saying that she attended most of the meetings concerning the building of her father’s buildings, which he usually contracted with her Uncle Zach.

  Avery touched the necklace that brushed her neck and her mouth went dry. She’d spent a week on that yacht, not only a weekend as Marcus had first intended. Her grandfather had flown in and gone just as quickly. Marcus’s friends had then gone back and soon it was only her and Marcus on the yacht with the staff catering to their every need.

  Heat rose in her cheeks and she used her breath to calm herself.

  Marcus had seduced her and she’d fallen for his words, his kisses, touches, and his promises—pliant from much too much wine. There had been some fear, but she assumed that had been her own demon. Marcus wasn’t Pete.

  She held her hand out in front of her and clenched it when it shook.

  The thoughts going through her head only damned her. She hadn’t meant to move on without Pete—not really. And it was fuzzy to her when had the exact moment been she’d given up that control. She straightened in the seat and gripped her clutch tightly in her lap.

  She wanted to embrace her Pierpont side, well now she had. Until the right man came along, what did it matter what she did? What if Marcus was that man? After all, he came to the airport to fetch her when Pete didn’t even have the nerve to show up.

  She gripped her clutch even tighter. No, she wasn’t going to go down that road in her mind. Marcus had made it very clear to her that they were now exclusive and she was his.

  Clenching her teeth she thought about the moment when he’d made that perfectly clear to her.

  Part of her wished she’d spoken up and told him that wasn’t how she thought a man treated a woman, but what position was she in to do that? She was at the mercy of Marcus and her grandfather.

  Her grandfather’s trust in the man somehow had gotten her exactly what she’d wanted—a position of power. She supposed she had used Marcus as much as perhaps he’d used her.

  Well, she was in it for the ride and now there was no turning back. The Avery Keller that had left Nashville wasn’t the same one who had just wooed a team of investors to buy into the vineyard.

  Avery pulled the new phone Marcus had purchased for her out of her clutch and looked it over. The only person, other than Marcus, that she had called on it was her mother.

  It had taken nearly a bottle of wine to keep her voice steady when she’d spoken to her too. But Avery was very convincing that she was doing fine and she hoped her mother was fooled by her words.

  There was, however, one thing that kept coming to mind as she looked at her phone, the contacts now missing and empty, what had Pete wanted that morning?

  She should call him. It had been nearly a month and a half since she’d spoken to him. They could be civil. She could still be his friend. It would be a waste of twenty years if they couldn’t even be friends.

  Her life had moved on from Nashville. She was, after all, a powerful woman now. Certainly she could talk to her best friend and convey that things were fine with her and she hoped he was doing well too.

  She looked at the watch Marcus had bought her at the Rolex store before he headed back to the vineyard for a meeting. It shimmered with its diamonds. It was nearly noon. Back home Pete would just be heading out for work. Maybe if she caught him during his commute he would take the time to talk to her.

  Avery closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she dialed his number.

  ~*~

  Pete took off his shoes and socks then tiptoed over the wet towels on Jill’s bathroom floor. The flood of water coming out from under her sink was making a mess of the place.

  He’d called John, but it would still be a half hour before he could get there. They had to do something now.

  “Your suit is going to get ruined,” she said as he got down on his knees.

  “It’ll get wet. I’ll change in a moment.” He took the wrench with him under the cabinet and began trying to turn off the water source. He was no plumber that was for sure.

  As water sprayed him in he face he could hear his phone ring in his suit pocket, which he’d hung on the door knob. “Get that, Jill. I’m expecting a call from an investor.”

  He could hear her laugh as towels sloshed under her feet.

  “I got it. I got it. Hello?” He heard her saying over the noise of the water still rushing toward him as he turned the valve. “This is Jill.” He heard her walking closer as the water finally subsided. “Yeah, he’s here. Can you hold on just a moment he’s getting the water turned off. This morning isn’t going quite the way we planned. We’re having some plumbing problems.”

  Pete pulled himself out from under the sink. She might have been right. His suit might have been ruined.

  Wasn’t Jill a sight in her pajamas and her hair piled atop her head talking away to who ever kept her attention on the other end of his phone?

  “He has emerged. Have a great day,” she added as she handed him the phone.

  Pete covered the phone with his hand. “Go up and use my shower or you’re going to be late.”

  “You’re too good to me. Can I use a towel too?” She asked as she started down the hall. “Mine are all under you on the floor.”

  He laughed as he lowered his hand. “Yes.”

  When he heard her take the steps that went up to his kitchen inside the house he lifted the phone to his ear.

  “Thanks for holding. This is Pete.”

  “Hi,” was all she said and his heart jumped into his throat.

  “Avery?”

  “Who’s Jill?”

  That was her first question? It had been nearly two months since he talked to her. Some man answered her phone and told him that when they returned from their vacation she’d call him back. What the hell kind of vacation had she taken? Who the hell was she
to ask who Jill was? He should just hang up on her. Goddamn she made him mad.

  “She’s a good friend,” he said hoping to drive a point home. Not that he knew what point that was, but he hoped she felt it. “She lives in the apartment.”

  “John rented it to her?”

  “Yep. Good things come from this basement. It worked for Ed and Spencer. Didn’t you tell me that once?”

  He heard the air release in her sigh. “I did.”

  “She’s full of spunk too. She makes me laugh a lot,” he tried to say lightly, “So how was your vacation?” He felt the bite in his words so he was sure she hadn’t missed his tone.

  “It was lovely, thank you.”

  It was lovely. Already she had a snooty tone to her. Maybe fate stepped in that day when he missed her at the airport.

  “That’s good.”

  “Marcus said you’d called that morning. I went to call you back, but I dropped my phone overboard.”

  He clucked his tongue. “Musta been one helluva party.”

  “Clumsy me really.”

  “Doesn’t actually sound like you at all.” His hair dripped down into his eyes and he scooped it back. “So, how’s it going? How’s the wine business?”

  “Fine, thank you. I’m just leaving an investors’ meeting in Paris. It looks like we’ll be in some very fine restaurants next month.”

  His defenses with her were breaking down the longer her voice rang in his ear. The pang of her void was now pressing down on his chest

  “I’m very proud of you, Avery. We all are.”

  Did he hear her sniff? Was she crying? “That means a lot to me.”

  An awkward silence fell between them. That had never happened before.

  “It was very nice to hear from you,” Pete said wringing his shirttails on the floor. “I’m going to be late for work if I don’t get changed. The pipes in Jill’s apartment burst under the bathroom sink. I’m soaked in my newest suit. Had to send her upstairs to shower.” He hadn’t realized just how much Jill had rubbed off on him. He smiled listening to himself ramble.

  “Pete, before you go, why did you call that day?”

  He felt the blood drain from his head and he backed up to the toilet and sat down on the closed seat.

  “I was desperate to talk to you—my friend.”

  “I’m still your friend, Pete. Nothing has changed there.”

  Yes, it had, he thought. It all changed.

  “Right.” He scooped another handful of wet hair back and let out a breath. “Did you know my dad had surgery? Funny you can have heart surgery and be back to your self in a few days.”

  “My mom told me. I’m glad to hear he’s doing well. I sent a card.”

  He knew that. It was up on the mantel like a trophy. How many times had he looked at it just to see her handwriting?

  “The day I called you, I’d spent the day with my mom.” He groaned. “And the evening with your cousins drinking it away.”

  “How is your mother? Is everything okay?”

  Pete pressed his lips together. He wasn’t going to cry like a baby to Avery, but he could feel the tears burning.

  “No. Yesterday she started chemo.”

  “Chemo?” Her voice rose through the phone. “Pete, she has cancer?”

  Even the words hurt. “Yes. They’re very optimistic. They caught it early. Ed and Christian walked me through what will happen.”

  “I’ll call her.”

  That brought a smile to his mouth. “She’d like that. They miss you, Avery.” He couldn’t help it. It was true.

  “I miss everyone too.”

  Pete looked up and Jill stood in the doorway only wrapped in his towel. He hadn’t touched the woman and Avery wasn’t his to have anymore, so why did he feel so guilty looking at Jill’s beautiful curves?

  “I need my hair pick,” she whispered pointing to the cabinet.

  Pete nodded and pulled it from the drawer. He handed it to her and when she smiled the guilt over looking at her shot straight to his gut.

  “Avery, I need to go. Call my mom. She’d love to hear from you. Courtney would like you to call too. She’s not having a great time with this pregnancy and every little thing that can cheer her up helps.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Bye, Avery.”

  He waited a moment for her to say goodbye, but instead he heard. “I love you.”

  He’d heard it loud and clear, but he disconnected the call. He didn’t need to drag it out any further. There was no need.

  “Avery?” Jill asked as she ran the pick through her hair.

  “Yup.” He looked at the clock on his phone. No matter what, he was going to be late. “I’d better get going.”

  “Everything okay?” she asked as he stood.

  “I think she’s lonely.”

  “Reconsidering her move?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Not sure why she called.”

  Maybe he’d call in sick. Suddenly he wasn’t feeling so well.

  He pushed back his wet hair one more time as he stood and walked toward the door.

  Jill backed up to let him through, but he stopped right in front of her. Her eyes grew wide and he realized just how close their bodies were.

  She was so different with her curves and her softness compared to Avery and her sculpted, toned, yoga body. The desire to touch her was clearing the anger Avery had brought out in him.

  It was time. Avery was his past. A great past, but that was over.

  He took another step toward Jill. She backed up against the doorjamb and sucked in a breath.

  Without a word he raised his hands to her face, cupping her cheeks, and pulled her to him for a long, deep, satisfying kiss.

  When he pulled back, her eyes were still wide and he was sure she still hadn’t taken a breath.

  “Have a good day. Maybe we can catch some dinner,” he said as he stepped away.

  Jill only nodded and Pete smiled. He’d never kissed anyone into a trance.

  Perhaps the day could get better he thought as he walked out of her apartment and up the steps with a little bit of a skip in his step.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Avery bit down on her lip as he line went dead on the other end. Had he heard her? Did he know what she’d said to him?

  Tears began to fall as the driver pulled up to the apartment building. She wiped them away as quickly as she could. No one could see her like that.

  She put on her Chanel sunglasses, which she thought made her look like Audrey Hepburn. Gripping her clutch in her hands, she sucked in that Pierpont aristocrat and that Keller courage. No one would see her crack over a man she loved and who was obviously preoccupied with Jill.

  Jill. The name resonated in her head. Good things come from the basement. Didn’t you tell me that? She could smack her head against the window for telling him that.

  He should have come to France with her and it would have all been okay.

  She clenched her jaw and fought from sinking down into the seat as the driver stopped.

  She thought that had she just stayed in Nashville with Pete everything would have been okay. They’d have been there for each other while his father had surgery and now while his mother underwent chemo. It should have been her in the basement helping him clean up the water mess. In the midst of the chaos, they’d be planning their wedding. She and Julie could have been wedding dress shopping together.

  She looked down at her hands and thought of the ring that had adorned her finger for such a brief time.

  Had even the thought of them been a mistake?

  No. She couldn’t believe that. Nothing with Pete had ever been a mistake.

  The driver opened the door and Avery stepped out of the back as if she’d been doing it her whole life to have such grace. It felt good and that Pierpont power surged through her making her forget the momentary thoughts of what could have been had she stayed.

  The man at the door to the building gave her
a nod and she returned it with a curt little nod as well.

  When she reached her apartment, she slid the key in the door, pushed it open, and then made sure it was locked securely before she literally fell onto the floor and cried.

  They were wasted tears. She was lonely, that was all. Perhaps a trip back to Nashville would soothe her. She could regroup and then focus back on the business that had been so important it had her giving up family just to be there.

  Yes, that’s what she’d do. When Marcus called this evening, she’d let him know her plans. Her grandfather would probably approve. Wouldn’t he understand what she’d left to take him up on his offer?

  The tears began to dry and she pulled herself up off the floor and walked to the kitchen to make a pot of tea.

  Marcus was furious on the other end of the phone when Avery told him of her plans to go home for a visit.

  “You have just met with investors who will need to be taken care of. This idiotic idea that you go back to America is ridiculous. You’ve only been here over a month. Your grandfather will think it is ridiculous as well.”

  “Marcus, I would be gone all of a week.”

  “That is not an option, Avery. I forbid you to go.”

  She took a breath to argue his forbidding. Who did he think he was commanding her like that?

  But his demanding words cut her off. “Now the driver will pick you up precisely at eight in the morning. You have a meeting with a bottle designer. He knows what we want, you are just to admire his work. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Perfectly.”

  “Do not be late. I am not going to discuss this with your grandfather. Again, you have been absurd in your thoughts. I do not recommend you bring it up to him either. I am very disappointed.”

  Avery clenched her jaw. “Marcus, I’m a grown woman. You can’t tell me what to do.”

  “I can as long as you are being thoughtless. Your life is here with me now. We agree.”

  “No, you agreed to that.”

  “Avery, you agreed to that when you accepted my gifts and let me take you to bed. Now you will be mindful.”