A Bad Boy is Good to Find(65)

What a day! Con sprawled naked on the bed, too tipsy to try and keep his thoughts straight. Finding Danny again was the best thing to ever happen to him…right after meeting Lizzie, of course.

The lights were back on so he got to admire the vision of lovely Lizzie coming back in from the bathroom, her robe held closed with one hand.

“Get that off, cher.”

“You’re drunk.”

“I know. C’mere.”

He could see her fighting a smile as she slipped her robe off and slid under the covers with him. Her lush silky body felt like cloud nine up against his.

How would he propose to her? It would have to be something really special. A carriage ride? Nah, too ordinary. A hot-air balloon? Since the TV show could arrange it, the sky was truly the limit. But maybe something closer to home—a riverboat ride? Maybe even on Danny’s boat?

He squeezed her and couldn’t help a groan of pleasure as he grew hard against her soft belly.

He wouldn’t tell her the wedding was off. He’d propose to her, she’d accept, and they’d do the wedding in fine style, for real.

She’d say yes, he was sure of it. He’d seen her looking at him on the sly—those big eyes all wide and cautious. And when she screamed and got crazy when he was about to help with the gator…

She’d say yes.

He buried his face in her glorious hair. It smelled of almonds, probably some stuff Raoul put in it, but perfectly beautiful, like the rest of her.

The house made it possible. It made him good enough for her. Here she could live in the style she was accustomed to, no stepping down in the world. They’d install new air-conditioning and update the kitchen. There were plenty of bedrooms for…

Get a hold of yourself Con! You have to propose first.

“What are you laughing about?” Lizzie’s soft voice tickled his ear.

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you grinning like the Cheshire Cat?”

“The who?”

“Never mind. We need to get some sleep. You’re going to feel like hell in the morning.”

“I sure feel like I’m in heaven right now.” He tightened his arms around her and inhaled the womanly sweetness of her skin.

He was looking forward to doing this for the rest of his life.



Lizzie emerged from a long, cool morning shower to a gloriously silent house. Everyone was sleeping off last night’s bender and a big box of pastries had been delivered to the kitchen. She opened it and helped herself to a beignet loaded with powdered sugar. Mmmm.

Roger slept on the sofa in the “dressing room,” one long arm trailing on the floor near the boxes of linen napkins.

A creak from upstairs brought her to the foot of the curved staircase in time to see a rumpled Gia leaving Dino and Roger’s bedroom. So that’s why Roger was sleeping downstairs. She took another bite and smiled. Gia winked at her on her way into the bathroom.

Lizzie polished off her beignet and licked the sugar off her fingers. Time to find Raoul before the hair got out of control. Of course she could just pull it back in a ponytail like she’d have done back home, but since the electricity was back on, maybe they’d do the wedding today as originally planned?

A shot of mingled fear and excitement jolted her.

Do you take this man…?

Yes!

She didn’t think they’d get divorced either. She looked around the wide foyer, where the polished wood floors gleamed in the morning light. Maybe it was the way the sun streamed through the bright glass, or the easy warmth of the morning air, or all the hot sauce rolling around in her bloodstream, but she could see a clear vision of Con and herself living here…

Happily ever after.

Deep breath.

She climbed the stairs, and pushed her rapidly tangling hair out of her eyes as she knocked on Raoul’s door. No answer.

“Raoul,” she whispered, not wanting to wake everyone else.

She turned the knob—unlocked—and pushed the door open.

And gasped.

There were two men in the bed. Not entangled in the throes of passion or anything, but just sleeping peacefully, dressed in PJ’s, one on each side. Raoul, and Dwight. One of them was snoring.

Dwight?

Was this why he wouldn’t set the date? Because Maisie wasn’t exactly his… cup of tea?

She closed the door. Phew. Okay, time to find a ponytail band. Maisie was going to go ballistic.

Why did that give her a thrill?

Gia came out of the bathroom, toweling her short hair. She jumped when she saw Lizzie.

“Where’s Maisie?” Lizzie asked, biting her lip to keep from blabbing about what she’d just seen.

“Don’t know.” Gia had pale gray semicircles under her eyes. “I heard her going outside with Danny late last night. Don’t know if she came back in.”

This day was getting stranger and stranger.

“I’m just wondering what the schedule is today.” Lizzie pulled her hair back, trying to ignore the prickles of anticipation and anxiety.

To love and to cherish, from this day forth…

Gia rubbed her eyes. “I’m not sure. Since the wedding is off and it’s a Saturday I expect I’ll just be packing up the—”

“The wedding is what?” The words flew from her mouth.

“You know, cancelled.” Gia squinted against the light. “Since Con’s brother turned up and all that.”

“What?”

Lizzie stood there blinking. Blood rushed around her brain. “The wedding is off? Said who?”

“Maisie. Well, she told me. I thought it was something you’d all decided. It was Con’s idea to turn the focus of the show to his homecoming. More unusual and better for ratings and all that. You didn’t know?” Gia hitched her towel higher.

Lizzie’s chest heaved as she struggled for breath. Black spots danced in front of her eyes. She wheeled around and headed to her bedroom.

She threw the door open and it slammed against the wall. Con—sprawled on the bed stark naked—didn’t stir.

“Conroy Beale, wake up this instant!”

He grunted and turned over until he was facing away from her.

She stormed into the room, clapped her hand on his arm and shook him.

“Con! Wake up!”

He groaned. Ugh, she could smell alcohol fumes rising off him. “Wake up!”

He rolled onto his back again and held out his arms as if he expected her to fall into them.

As if.

“You called off our wedding?” The screeching sound of her voice bounced off the windows.

That got his eyes open. But sunlight closed them again after a quick squint.

“What?” he croaked. He pulled his arm over his eyes.

“You cancelled our wedding, you bastard!”

He shifted up onto his elbows, squinting at her, one hand shielding his eyes. “Yeah, but… You don’t understand…” he mumbled. Then shook his head as if something heavy was clinging to it. “Ow.”

“I understand only too well, you scheming trickster. You get your big house and all your fancy cars, and now you’re ready to cut me right out of the deal!” Pain shot through her. It was all she could do not to pummel him with her fists.