A Bad Boy is Good to Find

chapter 12

Lizzie’s sandals squeaked on the polished wood floors as she trailed behind Gia during their tour of the house. She could smell fresh paint on the walls and even the draperies looked brand-new—expensive reproductions in luxurious fabrics. Fine antiques occupied the rooms with stately confidence that implied they’d been there since the house was built.

The only serious snag seemed to be a lack of air conditioning. The system had died and apparently they were waiting to install new duct work before replacing it. The kitchen was a relic from the 1930’s, with monstrous white enameled appliances and a sink large enough to gut a pig, but since the show had brought a genuine Louisiana chef with them from New York, that wasn’t her problem.

Their tour ended in the master bedroom, which unfortunately Gia expected them to share. The four-poster bed loomed in the middle of the room like a prison with only four bars. Con already sprawled across it, the jailor.

“C’mon, babe, you know you sleep better wrapped up in my arms.” He tipped his head and smiled softly at her, for the benefit of Gia and Dino, who stood in the doorway.

She stiffened. Unfortunately, it was true. She had such a terrible time sleeping lately she’d take a tranquilizer if it would help her rest. Con’s arms were cheaper and more readily available, if no less addictive.

“To be honest, we don’t really have a spare bed,” said Gia. “Other people would have to double up if one of you takes another room.”

Lizzie smiled stiffly. “I’m just worried about shocking the viewers.” Thank God the camera was off for now.

“No sweat,” said Dino with a dimpled grin. He was a young guy with messy black hair and an easy manner. “Our viewers are pretty open minded. The show’s slated to air right after co-ed wrestling so whatever you do will look pretty tame.”

Lizzie cringed. “Right then, we’ll share this room. It’s lovely, thank you.” Her smile ached. “I’ll take a quick nap if you don’t mind.” It was the best she could come up with short of saying, please leave.

Con winked and smoothed a spot on the bed with splayed fingers. Gia giggled. God, she was practically drooling over him. And he’d already established an easy rapport with Dino the cameraman and Raoul the makeup guy, who’d announced that Con didn’t need makeup. His expression had suggested there wasn’t quite enough makeup in the world for her.

Gia waved at Con and smiled at Lizzie. “Catch you later! Dinner’s at seven and don’t forget we’ll be filming as you come down the stairs.”

“Looking forward to it!” Her smile made one last gargantuan effort, then collapsed as the door closed behind them.

“Get off the bed,” she growled, hurling herself onto it.

“I don’t think so.” He shifted onto his side, looking disgustingly comfortable.

“What the hell are you playing at? I swear, next time you call me babe, I’m going to slap you.”

“I’ve always called you babe.”

“Not in public.”

“True.” He stretched, flexing his muscles until they cracked. “But we’ve never had much of an audience before, have we? I never met your friends. You kept me pretty much under wraps.”

“I’m a quiet, reclusive type.” She stared up at the brocade hanging over the bed, relieved it looked freshly laundered. “I like to keep to myself. That way I don’t have to worry about people trying to trick me and lie to me.”

Her nerves were frayed from keeping a smile fixed in place all afternoon. A question she’d never thought to ask before had popped into her brain almost as soon as they were trapped under the stare of the camera. “When we arranged to meet for lunch that day, and you didn’t show up, and you let me think you worked in the Wheelock Engineering office building, rather than in some garage across the street—was that something you planned?”

Con’s expression darkened. He looked away to the window. “No.” He ran a hand through his hair. “No. I didn’t plan it.”

“So what happened, exactly?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

He took a deep breath. “I knew you’d gotten a mistaken impression of what I did for a living. At first I liked that you made all the wrong assumptions about me. That you thought I was successful and educated. It felt good.” He gave her a wary look.

“You were curious to see how well Frankie’s polishing had worked?”

“Yeah, I guess that was part of it, in the beginning. But we were getting more serious, you know, past the flirting stage. I could see myself in a real relationship with you and I figured it was time to set you straight. That was why I asked you to meet me at work. They hired me pretty often and I was hoping to get a full time job there. It was a nice place, neat, well run—” He shrugged. “Anyway, I got held up by a customer, showing him what I’d done to his car, so I was rushed and late and looking out for you while I was still working. I went into the bathroom and cleaned up. When I came out, you were standing across the street outside that office tower.”

He paused, and his eyes took on a shadowed look. “You looked so beautiful. So ladylike and elegant and…perfect. I could tell you thought I worked in that office building.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “When I saw you there I had a weird feeling. I suddenly knew that if I told you the truth about me…I’d lose you.” He shot a dark, piercing glance at her. “And now I know I was right.”

Was he? Her parents would have had a fit if they knew she was seeing an uneducated mechanic. And Maisie. And her so-called friends…

But she could have made up her own mind. Followed her heart.

If she’d had the chance.

“You shouldn’t have tricked me.” Her voice trembled. “You should have let me make my own decision.” She swallowed hard. “When were you going to finally tell me the truth? On our wedding night?” She bit her lip, willed back the tears.

Con swallowed. “I thought that maybe if we were already married…” He looked down.

“I still could have divorced you, you know.” Her voice cracked as she spat the words at him.

He looked down. “I’m sorry Lizzie. You know I am. Don’t cry.”

She avoided looking at him. “I’m not going to cry.” She cleared her throat to get rid of the scratch in her voice. “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction. And just because you let me wait there for forty-five minutes while you stood across the street watching me and waiting for me to leave—” She gulped a shaky breath. “You are sleeping on the floor tonight.”

“It’s bare wood.” He tilted his head and looked at her with those big dark eyes that so easily turned her into a sucker.

“It’ll be just like home, back in the shack.” She fixed her eyes on him, steeled herself against all emotion. “Which we’ll be visiting tomorrow with the camera crew.”

Con sat up like a shot. “What?”

“You didn’t think we’d come all the way down here and not visit scenic Mudbug Flats?”

Con stared at her, his mouth slightly open. Blinked. “Why?”

“So I can see where you come from. Meet your family.” She rolled onto her side and tried to look relaxed. “It wouldn’t be a real wedding without family. And unfortunately mine are temporarily indisposed.” She extended into what she hoped looked like a casual stretch. “I tried to track Mom down at the ashram, but she’d left. Gone to climb a mountain or something. Probably scaling Mount Everest with Martha Stewart.” Her voice sounded flat. “Anyway, we’d better get dressed for dinner. Formal, remember? Glittering candelabra, plates laden with local delicacies.”

Why did Con still have that strange expression on his face? He was truly rattled.

Good. He deserved it.

Tension crackled through her as she eased herself up of the bed and padded across the polished wood floor to the closet.

She slid a blue spaghetti strap dress off the hanger, spread it on the bed and removed her clothes. She could still sense Con’s eyes on her as she stripped

His silence was creeping her out. Was he really so afraid to go back where he came from? What was the big deal?

As she unhooked her bra, she felt his hard stare soften.

Men. They’ll drool over anything. Don’t take it personally.

She ignored the way her skin tingled under his appraisal. She fastened her new strapless bra and slid into the dark blue silk. Arranged the shoulder straps over her newly rediscovered collarbone.

“You look pretty.”

He wasn’t smiling. Still tense, on edge, no doubt dreading tomorrow’s little homecoming. That should give her a thrill of victory, but somehow it didn’t.

“I’m going to Raoul to get my face painted on. I’ll see you later.”



Raoul applied eyeliner to her lower lid, then surveyed her through narrowed almond-shaped eyes. He had razor edge bone structure like Miles Davis, black hair shaved almost to the dark skin of his skull. An aura of masculine menace offset by feminine grace that boldly announced his sexuality.

“Girl, your man is fine.” He spoke with slow deliberation.

“Thanks, I guess.” She blushed.

Raoul chuckled. A low, rather threatening sound. He set her nerves on edge. Too cool. She’d never met anyone like him and he knew it.

“So you’re a Hathaway, huh?”

Lizzie flushed darker under the thick layer of foundation and powder he’d applied. “Yes.”

“No need to blush. I’m honored to be in the presence of a member of high society.” He penciled an arch into her brow. Surveyed his handiwork, then looked into her eyes. “But your lover isn’t high society, is he?”

“Um, not really, no.”

Ugh, why was she getting so flustered? Partly because it was so damn hot that sweat was slithering down her spine, but mostly because she had a feeling those sharp eyes could see right through her.

He caught her eye in the mirror again. Spoke slowly. “I think that’s just beautiful.”

She swallowed.

He fluffed more blush on her cheek with a huge brush. “Romantic, you know? Two people who love each other, not getting hung up on the rules of society.” He brushed a knuckle against her now flaming cheek. “You are burning up. Let me get you some water.”

She gasped with relief as he turned away to pour some out of a jug. Did he know she was a fraud?

He handed her a glass of iced water and she gulped some down. “Thanks.”

“Most people spend their lives conforming to what everyone else wants of them, and they don’t follow their heart, you know?” He drew a line around her lips, and she had to wait until he was done before she could croak a yes.

“Hold your lips still there, no pouting. Not until I’m done anyway. Then you can pout and kiss all you like. Mess it all up.” He winked at her and her stomach tightened.

He’d know if she’d kissed Con or not. She’d have to smear it on the back of her hand or something.

Raoul brushed lipstick on with a tiny brush. She couldn’t even glance at herself in the mirror, afraid her nose was growing longer by the second. The discomfort of his close scrutiny made her skin crawl.

And the thought of kissing Con for the cameras made her chest burn in the most uncomfortable way.

“Love,” he said, as he dotted some shimmering stuff in the middle of her upper lip, “is a powerful force in the world. Don’t fight it, don’t ever fight it.”

She nodded, trying to look like she believed this was sage advice. Something about Raoul told her not to get on his bad side.

“You’re done, and if I may say so, you look ravishing.”

She risked a look in the mirror. Gasped.

“Oh, my gosh, is that me?” He’d gone for a completely different look than the cheery young makeup artist at Las Gordas. Total va-va-voom, complete with heavily lined eyes, high arched brows and full pouty lips. Like she’d escaped from a fifties B-movie.

“Wow. Lizzie, is that you?” Gia rushed up behind her. “You look unbelievable. Raoul, you are truly a magician.” Lizzie flushed darker than ever. Had she been such a toad before?

“The hairdresser hasn’t made it yet. I can’t get him on his cell.”

“That boy is…” Raoul rolled his eyes.

“He’s very talented.”

“I’ll give you that. But I’d make other plans if I were you.”

“It looks kind of funky the way it is.” Gia picked up a curly piece of Lizzie’s giant frizzed-out bush of hair.

“No! Please, it must be straightened. I have a flatiron in my room. I can do it myself.”

Raoul picked up a hair-dryer and blew the end of it, like a six-gun he’d just fired. “Have no fear. Raoul is here. Master of all trades and jack of none.”

“Oh, Raoul, you’re a savior,” Gia breathed.

Lizzie shrank back into the chair, dreading more meditations on True Love.

“What have you done to my Lizzie?” Con’s voice startled her.

“Made her a knockout.” Raoul admired his handiwork.

“She was already a knockout. She doesn’t need a lot of paint and stuff.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, she’ll take it off in the bedroom. It’s for the cameras. The lights can really flatten you out. Why don’t you sit down here, homeboy, and I’ll punch you up too.”

“I’ll sit down, but keep your hands off me.” Con settled into a chair with an easy grin. There probably wasn’t a person on earth who made him uncomfortable. “Raoul tell you him and me were gym buddies?”

What? She managed to keep a straight face.

Raoul made a sucking sound with his tongue. “I can’t believe you’re still going to that trashy place.”

“Hey, the equipment works.”

“The clientele is strictly low-rent. But then maybe that’s why you fit right in.” He winked at Lizzie.

“You’re probably right,” Con said cheerily. “But don’t knock it. They got a StairMaster.”

“That must be why your buns look so tight. Or are you still a weights-only man?”

“Weights and running.”

“Ah, running. Now if I’d taken that up, maybe I could have caught you before Miss Hathaway here.” He raised an eyebrow. “But I bet she appreciates you keeping yourself in such fine condition.”

Lizzie wished she had more hair to hide behind. This must be the gym Con had always left for in the morning before heading to work. Anyone working out next to him probably knew more about him than she did back then. Probably still did.

“Don’t get nervous now,” said Raoul, holding up a hank of her hair. “Conroy is not one to kiss and tell. You won’t catch him bragging about his conquests over the Nautilus machines. Not that that dump has any.” He shot a glance at Con. “Keeps his thoughts to himself, this boy,” he murmured. “More’s the pity. I’d love to know what’s going on under those still waters.”

You’re not the only one.

Con didn’t bat an eye. “Nothing more to me than meets the eye, right, Lizzie?”

“Yes, sweetie,” she said stiffly.

Con leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Gave her a shot of warm tongue that made her toes tingle, then pulled back leaving her glossy lipstick smudged and her dander sky-high.

“Sorry, Raoul, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Get your bad-boy ass out of here.”



With her hair ironed into a gleaming mahogany sheet, Lizzie wilted under the glare of the cameras as they sat at the dinner table.

Huge lights on metal stands blasted the large dining room with an intense blue-white glare. Fat cables trailed over the floor, ready to trip the unwary and the fine antiques and ornate plaster moldings shrank into the shadows.

The table glittered with crystal, with the fleur-de-lis plates she’d chosen. A Lalique bowl bulged with lush tropical fruit, glasses sparkled with wine already poured and heating under the lights. Soup shimmered in the bowls, souring and congealing in the heat. The illusion of a delicious meal to be shared by lovers.

When the reality was anything but.

Dino adjusted something on a monitor. “Can you put another scrim on the backlight? I’m getting some glare.”

Lizzie rested her aching cheek muscles while the camera was off. Con tugged at his too-tight collar. Winked at her. She glared at him.

Neither of them had managed to eat the congealed soup. Starving, she’d grabbed a red delicious apple from the Lalique bowl. Wax.

“Let’s see if we can make it more real this time,” chirped Gia. “More natural. Maybe you could hold hands over the table or something?”

Lizzie managed not to grimace. She picked up her hand and flung it down on the table like a rubber chicken she’d been hiding under the tablecloth.

Con took hold of her fingers. His hand looked rather brown and rough against the sheen of the white damask tablecloth. His fingers closed around hers and Lizzie took a deep breath. Sweat trickled down her back underneath her blue dress.

“You okay?” he mouthed.

“Or course,” she mouthed back. Why did he have to look so freakin’ sensitive and caring? Shame she couldn’t snark at him here in front of everyone. She shot him a warm smile. “Your hand is sweaty.”

“So’s yours.”

“I’m surprised my dress isn’t soaked through,” she murmured. “It must be a hundred and fifty degrees right here. I think my wine is about to boil.”

“I know, I know. I’m terribly sorry.” Gia picked her way to the table over the trailing cables. “I’ve told Maisie and she’s ordered a slew of portable air-conditioning units to be delivered tomorrow. Honestly, we’d stop shooting, but we really need to get some establishing shots, just stuff to work into the story, or we won’t have time. We’re on such a tight schedule. Dino, darling, are you nearly ready? Our stars are wilting.”

Dino mumbled something while pushing an array of buttons on a deck of whirring machines. “Alright, just make some natural conversation, it doesn’t matter what you say as it’ll probably just be used for cutaways and that kind of thing.”

A tense silence followed. Lizzie could feel about ten pairs of eyes on her.

“The house is lovely, isn’t it,” she said with a pained smile.

“I think you said that when we arrived.” Con’s eyes gleamed with humor.

Irritation streaked up her spine. “Why don’t you say something then?”

“It’s surprisingly difficult to chitchat when there’s a camera and a crowd staring at you.”

“It’s good practice for our wedding.” She stared right at him, wishing she’d paid more attention in speech and drama class. “I’m so looking forward to it, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yes, I can’t wait until we’re man and wife.”

He spoke slowly, voice low and dark, and as he said it she felt something on her leg.

His bare foot.

What had he done with his shoe? She twitched her leg back and grabbed her soup spoon. Dipped it into the congealed mess in her bowl, prickling with annoyance.

Then she felt it again. This time on her crotch. She tried to snap her knees together, but his leg was already blocking the way and she bumped against the hard muscle of his calf. His toes rested gently against the thin layer of her satin panties.

It was too hot for pantyhose.

She gasped, trying to keep a straight face. Con just sat there staring at her. His toes wriggled.

I will not be aroused.

“Warm in here, isn’t it?” He winked.

Bastard.

The gentle movement of his toes, and now the ball of his foot, stirred up sensations she didn’t want to feel. Heat swelled in her groin as fury stirred in her heart. She shifted in her chair, trying to pull back without letting the crew know what was happening under the neatly pressed white tablecloth.

Con massaged her crotch gently with his foot. His face and upper body remained motionless, only the twinkle in his eyes was active. Her nipples sprung to attention, pushing into the satin of her bra, and her breath got shallow.

“It is terribly hot,” she hissed. “And I can see you’re uncomfortable in that rather formal suit. There’s no need to get all dressed up for me, you know. We’re going to be married, so you can just relax and be yourself.”

Con’s eyes narrowed.

She faked a “natural” looking sip of her hot wine.

“I’m quite comfortable.” He wiggled his toes. Her * throbbed.

“Really, darling, I know I’m burning up all over and I’m barely wearing anything at all.” She indicated her expansive uncovered cleavage.

Con blinked, fought a smile. It was good to feel that she still had some power over him, even while his damn toes were revving her engines without permission.

She leaned forward, pushing into him. Challenging him. “Heatstroke can be dangerous.”

“I’m used to the heat. I’m from these parts, remember?” He raised an eyebrow. She held his gaze. He picked up his warm wine and sipped it. A mistake, from the pained expression that flitted across his face.

She had the upper hand now.

“Sweetheart, give me your jacket.” She pulled her hand from his grasp and extended it. “Now.”

Her heart pumped loudly as she waited to see if he’d comply. His toes still rested against the moist satin of her crotch. He’d promised to do this her way. Was he a man of his word?

She enjoyed a flush of triumph as he pulled his foot back, regret in his eyes. He shrugged his shoulders out of the jacket. Held her gaze with a dark stare that made her stomach quiver. He handed her the jacket, lifting it high over the table.

“Your tie.” Sweet smile. “Come on, sweetie, we can all see your collar is tight.”

Without blinking or breaking eye contact, Con slid a sinewy finger into the knot of his silk tie and loosened it. Pulled it off and handed it to her.

She dropped it on the floor, right on top of his expensive jacket. She wasn’t going to look away first.

She could feel the crew’s excitement. Everyone was deathly quiet, totally still, the only sound in the room was the hum of the lights.

“Go on, unbutton your collar.”

Con obeyed, still staring her down, his eyes black and fuming. The surge of power she felt scared her a little. What could she make him do?

He undid the button below his collar. Then the one below that, and the cuffs.

Still holding her gaze he untucked his shirt and pulled it over his head in one swift movement.

Lizzie held her breath, blood pounding, as he balled it up—still without blinking—and handed it to her.

She took it, looked away, gasping for air as she dropped it on the floor and accidentally tipped her plate, spilling soup on the table cloth.

Con settled back in his chair, shirtless. Then turned to the stone faced waiter standing out of view of the camera. “Could you bring me some ice, please?”

Lizzie gulped.

At the urging of someone off screen, a uniformed waitress silently approached and removed their bowls of uneaten soup. Lizzie nodded her thanks. Con didn’t nod or move at all. Just sat there, totally relaxed, as if he ate a bare-chested banquet every day of his life.

The satin sheen on his tanned skin looked positively ornamental, unlike the sweat rolling down her back and soaking her dress. Her antiperspirant had failed miserably, and her whole face probably shone with thick droplets. Her skin hummed, still aroused, even without his touch still on it.

She’d called Con’s bluff and he’d raised her.

His perfect six-pack mocked her, along with the full curve of those gym-pumped biceps.

“Your chest is so tanned. I guess that’s from working out in the hot sun fixing all those cars.” She wanted to remind everyone that he wasn’t really the lord of the manor. Somehow removing his shirt had made him look more regal and imposing, not less.

Con tilted his head, gave her a long, sensual look with those narrowed black eyes. “I guess so, babe, but the last car I fixed up you did most of the work, remember?”

Lizzie’s mouth fell open.

“You’re a hard worker, and very talented.”

“I… I…”

His toes were on her ankle now. Sliding up her calf very lightly. Her whole body tingled with a scary mixture of rage and arousal that left her speechless.

“We’re a great team, you and me.” He reached across the table, holding his hand out for hers.

Her face heated as she realized—cameras on— she had no choice but to take it. He’s my true love.

He squeezed her hand in a way that made her belly quiver.

“I think that once the world finds out about what you can do with a spray gun, you’ll be well on your way to getting rich again.”

He squeezed her hand again. Like he was giving her a signal. Had kind of a serious expression on his face. Was this his crude way of trying to boost her artistic career on camera?

“Painting is just a hobby,” she hissed.

“It shouldn’t be. I’ve never seen anything like the work you did on that Corvette.”

Pride shimmered through her for a split second before she realized Maisie was going to see this and laugh herself into a coma. She kicked Con under the table with the spiked toe of her shoe.

He flinched, surprised.

Just then the waitress put a glass of ice next to his wineglass.

Con picked up the glass, which looked ridiculously delicate in his big hands. In fact, all of him looked bigger now, without the civilizing veneer of clothing. He pulled a cube from the glass and rubbed it over his skin, on the back of his neck and down between his pecs. Then he held it out to her. “Here, babe.”

She blinked. She could feel the crew’s ears pricking up. She had to take it. He was her true love, right?

She cupped her palm, and Con pushed the melting ice cube in to it.

Dropped his eyes to her cleavage.

Her breasts seemed to rise under his gaze, nipples standing to attention. She stiffened her spine. Water from the ice dripped down her wrist as she drew her hand back and rubbed the cube over her collarbone, up her neck. An icy thrill. Con winked.

Jerk. She tried to ignore the uncomfortable heat still throbbing inside her, vying with the cool trickle of water between her breasts.

Con licked his lips slightly, almost imperceptible, and she shuddered. Damn him! She dropped the remaining fragment of ice on the floor, dragged her eyes from his muscled chest looking for any distraction. She reached for a glossy apple, then snatched her hand back when she remembered they were made of wax.

“Where’s the food?” Con said casually. “My woman’s getting hungry.”

More punishing heat flooded her face, and she wondered if anyone had ever died of embarrassment on camera before.

Gia scurried forward. Gestured to Dino to stop rolling. “They’re having trouble in the kitchen. Can’t get the stove going.” She grimaced. “It was working okay earlier, but there’s something wrong with the gas range.” She came closer. “The chef is having a hissy fit.”

“Maybe Con should look at it. He’s mechanically inclined.” Lizzie said, gathering what was left of her wits.

“Sure, I don’t mind.” Con pushed his chair back, stood up and wandered off into the kitchen. On those bare feet he’d been tormenting her with.

Lizzie dotted her napkin over her heavily perspiring face.