Misbehaving With The Millionaire. Kimberly Lang

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СКАЧАТЬ could handle mild speculation about a possible romance, but to paint her as just another fling in a long line of flings? Especially one who had moved in? Once again, she was on the short end of the stick—Will’s reputation was fine, while hers was tarnishing rapidly.

      Romance or fling, one fact didn’t change: the conservative elite of Dallas society wouldn’t smile kindly on Gwen living with a man she wasn’t married to. It didn’t matter that it was the twenty-first century. As a debutante trainer, her moral compass needed to gravitate toward the 1950s—at least as far as her clients were concerned. It was unfair, yes, but a fact she’d come to accept as just part of the territory.

      And Will would be livid. While his business—both personal and professional—ended up in the papers more often than not, she’d realized over the past week how much he tried to avoid the limelight whenever possible. In the past, Tish had limited herself to merely reporting Will’s social life, but this time, she had moved to speculation and innuendo.

      This was bad. At least Tish kept the speculation about Evie to a minimum. It was one tiny point in Tish’s favor. Still, though, this was bad.

      Tish better hope she didn’t need any favors from Gwen anytime soon. Old Money was a small and closed society, but then so was the world of those who made careers on the fringes of that society.

      Damn, damn, damn! Sarah had been right from the beginning. She should have thought this through more thoroughly before she signed on. Now she was hip-deep in trouble. She paced the kitchen, berating herself and feeling like the world’s biggest idiot.

      Calm down. It could be worse. Right now, it was just speculation and gossip. There was no proof she and Will were any kind of item—fling or otherwise. No one, not even Sarah, knew their business relationship had crossed a line. Well, Evie might suspect something… It was only her own conscience reading damnation into Tish’s column.

      The one-two punch of Will’s check and Tish’s column made her want to crawl back into bed and start the day over again.

      But she couldn’t. She’d had five years to think about what she should have done when David hung her out to dry, and slinking away in disgrace had been the worst possible choice. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. It was damage control time. Gwen shuddered to think what waited in her voice and e-mail boxes. And the messages on her business line at home…

      She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Neiman Marcus and the West End were both public places. Anyone could have seen them and tattled to Tish. Plenty of people had to have seen her coming and going from Will’s building. Everything could be explained away easily—provided she could figure out how to explain without violating her nondisclosure agreement.

      She’d have to call Will. Something she didn’t look forward to.

      Will didn’t want to expose Evie to the possible embarrassment the implication having a personal etiquette tutor could bring. So how was she going to explain living here and taking Evie shopping? She needed to have some rationale or everyone would accept the most obvious explanation for their current living arrangement. And that was the absolute last thing she needed.

      She’d call Sarah back and see which way the wind was blowing. Then, she’d check her messages and judge how bad the damage was.

      She wasn’t going down without a fight this time.

      “We’ll need to arrange a dinner for after the meeting. Something regional would be nice.” Nancy, fully recovered from whatever kept her out of the office on Friday, was back and trying to get him to commit on several projects—including final arrangements on his meeting with Kiesuke Hiramine. And though he knew he should be far more involved in this conversation, he found himself oddly uninterested. Too many other things on his mind. Like the memory of leaving Gwen in a tangled heap of sheets early that morning. Like the knowing look Evie wore at breakfast. Exactly what Evie thought she knew was a question mark, though.

      “Sounds good. And?”

      Nancy shot him an impatient look. “I also understand Mr. Hiramine is a golf fanatic. I’m making arrangements for him to play at your Club and at Brookhaven.”

      “Tell Matthews he’ll need to be there for the golf outings. He’s good at throwing a game.” His phone rang and he glanced at it. He’d had his daily phone inquisition with Marcus, so that left either Evie or Gwen.

      “I already have. And Mr. Matthews has the final sales and profit projections ready for your review.”

      “Excellent. Anything else?” Evie should be with her French tutor. That narrowed it down considerably.

      “Your phone is ringing.” Nancy was secure enough in her position to lob one parting shot as she gathered her notes and made a hasty exit. “I’ll just leave these reports for you to look over later.”

      “Will, it’s Gwen. Do you have a minute to talk?” The easy warmth that moved through him at the sound of her voice faded at the tension he heard in her words.

      “Of course.” It wasn’t an entirely true statement, but the reports could wait a few minutes longer.

      “Have you read today’s issue of Dallas Lifestyles?”

      “I never read that rag, but—”

      “Tish Cotter-Hulme has half a column about us. I mean, about you and me and Evie, and why we’ve been spotted together. I’m so sorry, Will. Tish is making all kinds of speculations…”

      “Calm down. I’m fully aware of what she had to say this morning. I don’t have to read it myself to get a full report of what she says about me. I have people for that.” Gwen didn’t laugh at his lame attempt at humor. “Just don’t worry about it.”

      “Don’t worry? Have you lost your mind?” Gwen’s voice rose an octave, and he winced in pain. “You don’t realize how many phone calls I’ve fielded this morning. Between people wanting me to confirm or deny Tish’s rumors and my clients…”

      “This is when the phrase ‘No Comment’ comes in handy.” Why on earth was Gwen so worked up over a gossip column? “It’s just gossip.”

      “Gossip kills careers like mine, Will. You may not read Tish, but other people do. And those people don’t like the idea of a loose woman teaching their impressionable daughters.” Gwen had herself worked up into a fine fit.

      “A loose woman? Seriously?”

      “I’m living in your house. The implication is that we are sleeping together.”

      “But we are…”

      “That’s beside the point.” Gwen was practically sputtering.

      “How is that—”

      “I have to tell my clients something. Some reason why I’m living with you and Evie.”

      “Don’t tell them anything. It’s none of their business.”

      “Sadly, it is. Reputation is everything in this business, and mine is getting dragged through the mud. What am I supposed to…”

      “Gwen, calm down. You can tell them you’re working for me—I СКАЧАТЬ