Trust Me on This - Jennifer Crusie [55]
“He wanted to do it,” Dennie said, and they all turned to look at her, surprised because they weren’t used to hearing a fourth voice in their meetings. “Well, he did,” Dennie said defensively. “You could see he wanted it. All that money. There were just too many of us.”
Alec considered it. “She might have a point,” he said finally.
“Might?” Dennie said. “Thank you very much.”
Alec ignored her and went on. “All of us talking at once would put Bond on his guard whether he suspected anything or not. He’d have to be careful dealing with that many people. But if only one of us went down and talked to him, it could be different.”
“Hell, it’s worth a shot,” Harry said.
Alec stood up. “I’ll call him.”
“No,” Dennie said, and they all stared again. “Look, am I part of this or not?”
“Of course you are, dear,” Victoria said. “Alec’s just not used to hearing women say no in a bedroom.”
“Aunt Vic—” Alec said, and Dennie cut him off.
“I met with Bond this afternoon,” she said. “He likes me. He thinks I’m a gold digger out to get Alec’s money. He’ll believe me if I tell him I’m going for the house too.” She looked up at Alec. “And it’ll be a lot easier for me to confuse him than it would be for you. He’s not going to be staring down your shirt.”
Alec glared at her. “He’s not going to be staring down yours either.”
“Yes, he is,” Harry said, and when Alec transferred his glare over, Harry shrugged and said, “She’s right. She’s our best bet.”
“You had to wear that dress, didn’t you?” Alec said bitterly.
Dennie nodded. “This dress clouds men’s minds.”
“Well, it’s certainly working on Alec,” Victoria said, and Alec gave up.
“Call him,” he told Dennie, and when there was no answer in Bond’s room, he said, “We’ll have to try the bar. Get the wire, Harry.”
“Which I will tape on her,” Victoria said to Alec.
“Fine,” Alec said, and thought, But I’ll take it off her.
Alec found Bond in the bar without letting Bond see him, and ten minutes later, Dennie sat down a few seats away and waited for Bond to spot her.
It didn’t take long.
“Dennie!” He slid onto the stool next to her. “Where’s Alec?”
“He went up to bed,” Dennie said sadly. “He likes to get plenty of rest. He sleeps a lot. And he’s so awfully disappointed about not being able to get the house.” She peered up at him woefully through her lashes. “I am too. I know it’s money-grubbing of me, but I really want that house too.”
“Aw, honey,” Bond said, and slipped his arm around her.
Dennie leaned on him a little and looked up at him, her eyes huge with sorrow. “I don’t want to marry Alec if all he owns is a bunch of land. He might never build a house. Men change their minds sometimes, you know?”
“Only the rotten ones,” Bond said nobly, and Dennie refrained from rolling her eyes and went back to gold digging.
“I wanted to look out my bedroom window and see the ocean,” she said, her breath catching on a little sob. “Just like a rich person. And now I never will.”
Bond patted her shoulder, letting his hand slide a little as he patted. “Why, honey, you can do that if your Alec buys the property. He’s crazy about you. He’ll build you that house. Now you cheer up. Here let me get you another drink.” Bond signaled the bartender without letting go of Dennie.
In the back room, Alec shook his head. “She’s overplaying it.”
“He thinks she’s drunk,” Harry said. “She’s doing okay.”
“Shhhh,” Victoria said.
Dennie sipped her drink and tried to ignore the way Bond’s arm was slipping down her back. She pantomimed fighting back another loud sob. “I just wanted to lie there in my bed and listen to the ocean pounding and pounding. You know? Just like it was pounding on my body.”
“Really?” Bond said, stopping with his drink halfway to his mouth.
“Really,” Dennie breathed.
* * *
In the back room, Alec said, “Oh, come on,” and Harry and Victoria both shushed him.
Dennie looked deep into Bond’s eyes and dropped her voice to confide in him. “I sleep naked, you know? In the nude. Totally. And I could just feel the way those ocean breezes would just kind of stroke all over