Web of Deception

Web of Deception - By Nina Blake

Chapter One

The sight of her sucked the air right out of him.

Daniel Webb stopped in his tracks. The buzz of the party around him disappeared and for a few moments there was nothing else. Only that woman standing in the doorway, looking out onto the balcony where he stood. That face he’d never seen before.

Ash blond hair and pale grey eyes made for an attractive combination but that didn’t begin to describe the way she looked, or the effect she’d had on him. Despite the fact he was still reeling, he felt it deep in his gut – a sense of calm, of sudden certainty.

Daniel couldn’t take his eyes off her. Meanwhile she wasn’t even looking his way.

“That’s the woman I’m going to marry.”

He couldn’t believe he’d said that out loud. Had those words come out of his mouth?

She turned her head and saw he was looking at her. Though composed, the glint of surprise in her eyes told him she’d heard every syllable. A second later, she moved forward to where he was leaning against the railing.

“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” she said.

“There’s no mistake.” Daniel thrust his hand forwards to shake hers. “We haven’t met yet.”

“And I don’t think we’re going to, either.” Her hands remained at her side.

His colleague and old friend, Ray Price, slapped him on the back. “Did you hear what you just said? Get married? You? That’ll be the day.”

This was all he needed. As if he hadn’t landed himself in enough trouble without Ray’s help.

Daniel felt for the poor woman. She was in a tricky situation, one he’d put her in, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she thought he was making fun of her. Either that or she must think him a complete lunatic.

She stared at Ray. “If I’d wanted your opinion, I’d have asked for it.”

Daniel had to act quickly. “Sorry about that. My friend and I have both made a mistake.”

She raised her finely arched eyebrows. “You’re telling me you have. So you’re going to marry me? As if that was going to happen. As if it was even a possibility.”

“You’re right there,” Ray said, his words slurred.

Glaring at him, she silenced him with a single look. Strangely, Daniel felt a pang of envy, wishing that scorching look had been directed at him instead. It was passionate, like the woman.

Ray hadn’t meant anything by his comment. It was just that he’d had a bit too much to drink, though that would hardly seem like a good excuse to her. Clearly, she felt uncomfortable being the object of the conversation, rather than part of it. And Daniel didn’t blame her.

“Please excuse my friend,” Daniel said. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

She tilted her head as though considering his statement, her lips curling to a sultry smile. Finally, he had her full attention and he liked it very much.

Her eyes smouldered and he could have sworn she was beckoning him with their smoky grey depths. He felt a stirring deep inside.

Her smile, those lush, parted lips…

It would be so easy to lean forward…

“Your friend is drunk,” she said. “I don’t expect him to speak sensibly. But you don’t seem to be under the influence.” She took a small step closer. “So what’s your excuse?”

He deserved it, he knew. Of course she was embarrassed at his initial comment. Any woman would be.

She turned to leave and stepped away. Daniel had lost her. For now.

“A hundred bucks says you won’t have her!”

Damn it, he wished Ray would shut up. The young woman flinched, then kept walking as she disappeared through the door and into the crowded room. She’d heard him, for sure.

“A hundred dollars?” Daniel snapped. “Do you have any idea how insulting that is?”

“All right then, what’s it worth to you?” Ray sniggered.

“Why are you acting this way? It’s not like you, Ray.”

“Well, it’s not like you to chase after a woman. It’s usually the other way around.”

Daniel grabbed his friend’s shoulder. “You’ve had too much to drink. Get yourself cleaned up.”

Walking towards the door, Daniel was about to be waylaid by a couple of guests. He didn’t want to be held up so he smiled, lifted his hand for a polite wave and kept walking. He had to find the young woman if only to apologise and clear things up.

Still, it was going to be hard to explain his initial exclamation to her. Especially since he couldn’t explain it to himself.

Marriage? That was the last thing on his mind.

He was thirty-five years old and if he’d wanted to get married, he would have done it by now. Only he hadn’t.

Why complicate your life? Why choose commitment when you could choose fun instead?

He should know. He’d learned the hard way. Ten years ago, he’d made a serious mistake with a woman he’d loved and he wasn’t about to make those same judgement errors again. It didn’t do to fall in love at the expense of all else. It was only setting yourself up for problems.

That still left him with one unanswered question. How had those words passed his lips? It was madness, a moment of madness. It must have been.

And now he’d come back to his senses, he knew exactly what he wanted.

Daniel looked around the crowded room. It was his party so he should have known all the guests but his personal assistant had taken care of the details.

Although Webb Corporation had several other major portfolios, he’d always wanted to be the biggest, most successful property developer in Australia. It was more than just a goal. It was his passion. It was why he’d invited all the big players to celebrate the company’s ten year anniversary and his own success.

Everyone had come. Except his father. The one person who mattered. Still, there was no point agonising over that.

Daniel had to find this woman. She wasn’t one of his staff. He’d definitely have remembered her. He didn’t think she was with one of the many firms his company dealt with. It was possible she was new to the business. Perhaps she’d only recently started working with one of the firms on tonight’s guest list.

Then again, she might be someone’s partner. That could make things a bit more complicated.

Daniel stepped inside the door and scanned the large, open-plan living space filled with people. It was much noisier in here than out on the balcony, voices and chatter reverberating against the room’s hard surfaces but, then, this was a party. One of the reasons he’d bought this huge apartment was because the living area and balcony were made for entertaining.

Spotting the woman’s blond hair at the far end of the room near the buffet table, he strode towards her. Though he’d let her get away before, he wasn’t a man who made the same mistake twice, particularly not when he knew what he wanted.

“Can we start all over again?” he asked. She didn’t answer so he added, “We haven’t been properly introduced.”

“You’re going to marry me but you don’t even know my name?”

“It’d be much easier if you just told me but I could always find something else to call you. Darling, perhaps…”

He was teasing, trying to get a rise out of her.

“I am not your darling,” she said, indignant.

It only made him want to play with her more.

“No, but this is my apartment, my party, and you are my guest. I deserve to know your name, at least. It’d be rude not to tell me.”

Her lips curled to an amused smile. “I didn’t think I was such a badly behaved guest.”

“I don’t know how bad you are. Perhaps you should show me.”

He couldn’t help baiting her. His hand brushed across hers but she pulled it away all too quickly.

“I am not your…” Holding her head high, she composed herself. “I’m Kate Henry. And there’s no need to introduce yourself. I know who you are Mr Webb.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kate Henry.” Her name rolled off his tongue. “You might know who I am but if you knew me at all, you’d know everyone calls me Daniel.”

She looked him in the eye. “Well, Daniel, I might be a bad guest but you’re letting me down as a host too.”

“Am I? I’ve opened up my home, hired the best caterers in Sydney, and you can drink all the Moet and Veuve you like. Have I missed something?”

“Absolutely. It’s a dreadful crime and you’re personally responsible. The worst thing a host could do.”

He had no idea what she was talking about. “What’s that?”

She smiled suddenly and that knocked him for six even more. “You’re standing between a woman and her food.”

Her fingers on his chest, she pushed him aside and stepped toward the buffet table.

And he liked it, liked the feel of her little hand on him, liked the way she took control. This was a woman he could have some fun with.

He watched as she scanned the buffet, plate in hand, a small furrow forming on her brow in concentration. Her fingers hovered over the tempura prawns and spring rolls as though the future of the world depended on the decision. Her expression then relaxed as she placed one of each on her plate.

The world was safe after all.

She wasn’t trying to look cute. There was nothing self-conscious or contrived about her movements. She was simply choosing what to eat and had no idea how alluring she looked. There was a naturalness about her which made her all the more attractive.

Daniel was pleased with what he saw. Her arms were slim and toned as she reached across for another morsel. The movement caused her sleeveless top to ride up, exposing the pale flesh of her hip above her low-waisted evening pants. He saw the dip of her waist and the curve of her hip, then too quickly it was once again covered as she straightened.

If she were any other woman, he’d have reached out and taken what he wanted but she’d made it clear they were playing by her rules. For now, anyway.

Holding the prawn by its tail, she took a large bite and turned around, seemingly surprised to see him still standing there.

“Did I really commit such a terrible crime?” he asked.

She chewed thoughtfully, forcing him to wait for his answer. “Absolutely.”

“Are you going to punish me?”

His eyes narrowed as he thought how much fun it would be to let her punish him. It could bring him hours of amusement and pleasure.

Her lips curled to a mischievous smile. “Twenty lashes. Or perhaps you should be exiled to your penthouse.”

He raised one eyebrow. “Alone?”

“Naturally. What kind of punishment would it be if you were allowed to have friends?”

“None at all but I haven’t been that bad. I think I’ve done okay as a host.” He swept one hand across the table. “Because if the quality of the food isn’t up to standard, you can always put in a complaint.”

She looked up at him through thick lashes. “And who is the customer affairs person at Webb Corp?”

He grinned. “All complaints come straight to the top.”

“You’re not too busy for that?”

“I believe in the personal touch.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t waste your time getting too ‘personal’.”

Turning her head away from him, a hint of boredom in her voice, she oozed confidence. She wrapped those lush lips around the prawn, enjoying a final bite, seemingly so taken by the food that she’d forgotten she was in a room full of people. She was taking her time, savouring every mouthful, her expression one of complete satisfaction.

Daniel couldn’t help but wonder if she enjoyed some of life’s other pleasures with the same level of sensuality.

If there was one thing he knew well, it was how to make the most of everything life had to offer.

She was so wonderfully, completely oblivious to the lascivious thoughts running through his mind as she munched on the hors d’oeuvres. Did she think the appetisers were more important than he was? It made him smile.

“Is something funny?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not at all. I’m glad you’re enjoying the buffet so much.”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Most of the women I know would probably spend extra time at the gym if they were going to indulge in anything deep fried. They’d be much more likely to go for a salad. Without dressing.”

“Then they’d be missing out.”

He stepped closer to her. “And clearly you don’t want to miss out.”

“Exactly. I mean…” Recognition flashed in her eyes as she got the innuendo and quickly backtracked. “The tempura. The buffet. I wouldn’t want to miss out on all this wonderful gourmet food.”

“There’s so much more where that–”

He couldn’t finish his sentence as another guest tapped him on the shoulder. Daniel didn’t want to chat and brushed the guy off quickly. Looking across, he saw Kate was still there, though for how much longer, he didn’t know. She’d put her plate down and seemed to be looking for someone.

There were too many people here, too many interruptions. And he didn’t want her to get away.

“Let’s go somewhere quieter,” he said. “My study, perhaps.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

He’d made similar suggestions to many women on various occasions but none had questioned it. Ever.

“To talk,” he replied. “It’s rather noisy in here.”

She let out a little laugh. “You’re not going to offer to show me your etchings, are you? That’s a bit of a cliché. Or – don’t tell me – you’ve got some Old Masters in there. Perhaps some Impressionist works. Maybe the odd Monet.”

“No Monets. Just one Paul Klee.”

“You’re kidding.” She stared at him. “No, you’re not. You really do have a Klee.”

He nodded and when he offered his arm, she took it, though he hadn’t thought she would. Such a lovely surprise. As he led her down the short hallway to his office, he couldn’t help but think the walk with her at his side was all too brief.

Closing the door behind them, he pointed to one of two antique finish leather chesterfields.

“Take a seat,” he said. “I’ll get you a drink, if you like.”

* * *

Kate swallowed hard and turned around so her face wouldn’t betray her. If she was going to tell the truth, she was a little thirsty after the snacks in which she’d just indulged. That must be what had made her mouth suddenly so dry. But she knew a drink with this man would not be a good idea.

She was in his office. Alone with him. And she didn’t want to lead him on.

“No thank you,” she said. “I won’t stay long.”

He’d been right about one thing. It was certainly quieter in here. When he’d closed the door, it was as if the rest of the party disappeared. It was such a relief.

Glancing around the room, she noticed how different it was from the rest of the apartment, the décor in here being as far from cool and contemporary as you could get.

The office had the same American oak flooring as the living area but it was covered in a rich, deep green rug, which absorbed the noise and added warmth.

To her left, a large mahogany desk sat in front of a wall lined with book shelves. Interestingly, his desk didn’t look out onto the glass doors and the view to the harbour. Instead, it faced a burgundy wall covered in artworks.

And one painting took pride of place.

She had to see it. Had to get a closer look. Walking right up to the artwork, she was fixated on the texture of the paint and the tones of colour.

Only last year, she’d made sure to go to Bern when she was in Europe, especially so she could go to the Paul Klee Museum. Though hardly an art expert, she loved the dream-like quality of his paintings, the way he played with shape and colour, his gentle humour.

But there was no way Daniel could know any of that.

Taking a few steps backwards, she took in the whole painting, the hues, the shapes. It was so free, so full of life. Everything that she wanted to be, except she could never quite let go enough, could never quite let rip completely.

Suddenly, she felt something behind her.

Someone.

She turned to face him. Daniel didn’t budge. His shoulders broad, his chest strong, he was like an anchor. Even through his suit she could feel how hard his body was. This was a powerful man. In more ways than one.

Her eyes were fixed on his face as she stood close to him and for the first time truly looked at him. At first glance, anyone could tell he was good looking with his short black hair, dark eyes and olive skin but that was only the beginning. There was a roguishness in the depths of his eyes, in the hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Charming. He was that. Way too smooth. The sort of man you had to watch out for.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I didn’t mean to…”

He brushed some droplets off his jacket. “It’s okay. It’s only brandy.”

Looking down, she saw he must have got himself a drink while she wasn’t looking, and she’d spilt it when she bumped into him. Also when she wasn’t looking.

They were standing in front of his desk so she reached across for some tissues and took the glass from his hand, wiping it dry before placing it on the desk. Then she grabbed some more tissues and dabbed at his hand. It was the least she could do.

Kate felt his gaze upon her, felt him watching her every movement. His hands were large, his fingers long and elegant, and she wondered how she would feel if those masculine hands were on her waist, her hips, her body.

She handed back the brandy glass, their fingers overlapping. The warmth of his touch made her feel suddenly anxious. She pulled her hands away.

“There’s not much left,” she said.

“That’s okay. I wasn’t very thirsty.”

Daniel knocked back the remaining brandy and turned to slide the glass onto the desk, his jacket brushing against the bare skin of her arm as he did so. A sensual shiver shot up her spine.

This shouldn’t be happening. A man she’d only just met shouldn’t make her feel this way.

She felt like a nervous teenager. How had that happened? She was thirty years old, after all. She should get a grip on herself.

“It’s an amazing piece,” she said, looking up at the Klee.

“You didn’t come here for the painting.”

Her gaze remained riveted to the artwork. “Believe me, I wouldn’t turn down the chance at a private viewing like this.”

“There’s more to it than that.”

She knew where this was headed and turned to face him. “And how do you know why I’m here? Can you read my mind?”

“You’re here for the same reason I am.”

“What’s that?”

“There’s something between us. I can feel it.”

Kate shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. We’ve only just met.”

“It makes no difference at all.”

“It makes all the difference in the world. I can’t have those sorts of feelings for someone I just met, someone I don’t know.”

He nudged a little closer to her and lowered his voice so she had to give him her full attention to hear him.

“I’m talking about your feelings,” he said. “They don’t always make sense. Feelings aren’t logical.”

She crossed her arms. “I hope you’re not going to try to tell me about love at first sight.”

Daniel’s lips curled to a sly smile. “It’s not ‘love’ I’m talking about.”

“Good, then we agree on something, at least.”

“Some people might call it lust but I think physical attraction is so much more complex than that. It’s not easy to describe these feelings, this chemistry.”

Kate opened her mouth to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. She felt something yet this wasn’t the way it was meant to be.

You couldn’t build a successful relationship based on values as shallow as chemistry. Pheromones and hormones and attraction, these were all things people used as an excuse to jump into bed with someone. That wasn’t the way Kate lived her life. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t interested in a quick romp around.

“You can say it as many times as you like,” she said. “That doesn’t make it true.”

“Then why don’t you leave right now? The door’s not locked. You can simply go, and prove to me you don’t feel anything.”

She sure as heck wasn’t leaving just because he told her to. She leaned back against the desk and settled in for the duration, sliding her hands along on the desk’s smooth mahogany surface.

“What? And leave half way through a good argument? No, we haven’t finished.”

Daniel grinned. “So you’ve never had a relationship based on instant attraction?”

“Absolutely not.”

She was acting more indignant than she should. She often responded that way when she thought she was being backed into a corner. Sometimes she simply couldn’t help herself.

“You’re an attractive woman, Kate,” he said. “You must have had lots of relationships. What have they been based on?”

“Lots of things.” Darn it, she had to think quickly. “Mutual respect, companionship, common interests. There’s plenty to base a relationship on other than this thing you can’t even describe.”

He was still grinning as he turned to face her, leaning against the desk with one hip. “And love? I assume you believe in love. Most women do. What do you base that on?”

“The same kinds of things. You can’t base a deep, meaningful relationship on chemistry. It would never work.”

“Wouldn’t it?”

“Love doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something you have to work at. You start with the seed of a relationship and nurture it, help it grow. You work at it together.”

He slid along the desk and leaned closer. She smelled the hint of alcohol on his breath. It cut through the air and went straight to her head.

“That might be true for some people,” he said, “but I think you’re underestimating yourself. Sometimes there’s a deep, physical attraction between two people, a spark. It’s instant and it’s there.”

Damn it, an hour ago she would have told him outright he was wrong but she couldn’t say that now. Not when she suddenly knew exactly what he was talking about.

She didn’t just know it.

She felt it.

“It’s no excuse,” she said feebly.

“No excuse for what?”

“Even if people sometimes have those feelings, it doesn’t mean they should act on them. What kind of way is that to live your life? On a whim?”

He laughed. “Don’t tell me you don’t trust your own instincts.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my instincts. I’m just saying some decisions should be made with the mind, rather than on impulse.”

“Sometimes your feelings and intuition are more reliable than your mind.”

He was wrong. He had to be.

There was no sharper instrument than the human mind, especially not when emotions could be so fallible. They could lead you astray, let you fall for the wrong man. She’d done that before and promised herself it wouldn’t happen again.

She held his gaze. “Daniel, you’re a very rich, very successful man.” He shrugged in response as though it was nothing to him. “Don’t tell me you got where you are today by using your feelings over your mind. Surely in running a huge business, you must balance up the facts and figures and make your decisions based on that.”

“Often, yes.” He nodded. “But you might be surprised how many decisions are based on my gut reaction.”

“That’s not how you run your business.”

“I’ll tell you one thing. It’s been a rocky road to where I am now and not every decision I’ve made has brought in big dividends.”

“So your instincts are wrong sometimes?”

He shook his head. “I’ve learned a lot along the way. And my gut is never wrong. Never.”

He might be a slave to his instincts and feelings, but she wasn’t going to be a victim to hers.

So what if the bare skin on her arms was tingling with anticipation and the little hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end? That didn’t mean she had to give in to it. Her mind ruled her body, not the other way round.

Hearing the door unlatch, Kate turned her head. As soon as the door opened, the sounds from the party rushed inside. She felt momentarily confused seeing a familiar figure in the doorway. It must have been the noise. It disturbed her.

Her mouth fell open. “Mark?”

It was a question not a greeting.

“Oh, I was after Daniel,” he replied. A look of surprise washed across his face, then he said to Daniel, “There was little proposal I wanted to run by you, but obviously this isn’t a good time.”

“Another time, mate,” Daniel replied.

“I might get another drink. This is a party, after all.” Mark nodded at them in turn. “Catch you later. Daniel. Kate.”

He closed the door behind him, blocking out the noise of the party.

Kate couldn’t believe it. Mark had done nothing. No jealousy, no reaction, just a hint of surprise.

What kind of boyfriend was he? What kind of man?

He trusted her. Mark knew she wouldn’t do anything to be ashamed of. Kate wasn’t going to take this little interlude with Daniel any further. In fact, she was just about to call a halt to it.

Still, she could’ve done with a little support. She and Mark had been on shaky ground lately and this was one of the things they’d talked about. So often he seemed to ignore her.

Besides, surely finding her alone in a room with a man should’ve been all the more reason for him to hang around. Clearly, he didn’t care enough even to pretend to be outraged.

Perhaps now the room was quiet again, she’d be able to concentrate. It had thrown her, seeing him like that.

Daniel gazed at her and Kate felt something stirring deep inside. Just a wisp of sensation but unmistakably sexual.

She had to stop this. It shouldn’t be happening.

He traced the back of his hand up the bare skin of her arm with a touch that was barely there. It was deliberately slow, purposely delicious. He knew exactly what he was doing, knew how to make her senses tingle.

Sliding his fingertips along the curve of her neck, his hand came to rest at her jaw as he cupped her face in one hand. And though she knew what was going to follow, still she couldn’t move.

Tilting his head towards hers, Daniel leaned in closer and she could smell the hint of after-shave, just a tiny tempting whiff, mixed with his natural manly smell. It made her want to breathe deeper, lean closer, take in more of that intoxicating scent.

She couldn’t let herself.

Still facing him, she stepped away from the desk. Away from him.

“You can’t,” she protested.

“Why not?”

“Someone else got in first. I’m engaged.”