Laura Wright - The Ashtons - Paige, Grant & Trace - The Highest Bidder / Savour the Seduction / Name Your Price

He said nothing, but pinned her with that impassive stare, his half-Sioux blood evident in the sheer power of his look. Tamra put a gentle hand on his arm. “We really have to be going if we want to be back in San Francisco before noon,” she said softly.

Walker nodded, his expression automatically softening at Tamra’s touch.

Paige thanked Tamra for the reprieve with a quick look of appreciation. But part of her desperately wanted to know why Walker thought she was playing with fire. She’d ask him…sometime.

In the meantime that “fire” had warmed and attracted her. More than anything—or anyone—she’d ever met. She kept remembering the gentle kiss and how she wanted to open her mouth and take him in. The way her whole body just tingled when he looked into her eyes. The sound of his voice, so deep and low it vibrated her every cell when he said her name. The way he made her laugh and all their verbal volleying. His strong, clever, musician’s hands. What they could do to her…

“Don’t you think, Paige?”

She looked up at her mother’s question and took a cue from her smiling face. Whatever they’d been discussing, it sounded like something she should agree to. She nodded and sipped, blessedly saved by Megan’s familiar voice in the hall, followed by the sound of their brother Trace coming down the main steps and greeting her.

In a moment the Ashton dining room was filled with more family, and Paige quietly watched the interplay between them all. Megan’s green eyes sparkled as she rubbed the rounded swell of her tummy. Walker and Tamra settled in to stay a few minutes longer and, without anyone seeming to intentionally steer the conversation, the talk automatically turned to Spencer Ashton’s will and the investigation of his murder.

“Stephen is confident the discovery of these letters will be a major turning point in the case,” Lilah said, referring to the family attorney who’d spent so much time at the estate lately. “He’s meeting with investigators every day and keeping me informed every step of the way.”

Paige’s brother Trace leaned against the wall, stoic and strong as always, and deeply unhappy about the situation. He ran a hand over his jaw and blew out a frustrated breath. “There’ve been a lot of dead ends.”

“There could be DNA on those letters, regardless of the fact that some are nearly ten years old.” Megan’s husband, Simon, held out a chair for Megan and casually brushed her long blond hair as he offered his opinion. “We need to give them time to run every possible test.”

“It’s taking too long,” Lilah said with such disdain Paige could imagine her making a tsking sound. “I’m going to ask Stephen to pressure the investigators for more attention on the case.”

“We need closure,” Trace agreed, his green eyes—so like Megan’s—narrowing. “Both families do.”

Paige listened, as always, hearing and weighing each opinion. As the youngest and the quietest, her voice was rarely heard, but when she spoke, her siblings and cousin gave her their attention.

“I’m going to Louret on Tuesday,” she announced, surprising herself with her definitive air. “I want to talk to Mercedes again.” And meet my little brother, she added in her head. She didn’t mention her father’s illegitimate child in front of her mother.

Her comment sparked a flurry of discussion, but Paige just stood and took her coffee cup back into the butler’s pantry.

Her mind wasn’t on family issues today, she told herself as the heated voices droned on. Her mind—and her body—were elsewhere.

Maybe Matt was sincere in his attraction, she thought for the fiftieth time that morning. She’d find out today. And if she trusted him, if she believed him, she was more than ready to—

“Why are you grinning?” Megan had come up behind her in the hallway and slid a sisterly hug around Paige’s waist. “These discussions usually get you tearyeyed or passionate about fairness, sweetie. I demand to know what—or who —put a smile on your face.”

Paige turned and gazed at her sister. Pregnancy had only made her prettier, but obviously it hadn’t dampened her controlling nature. “You demand to know?” Paige laughed lightly. “My mood seems to be of interest to everyone this morning.”

Megan leaned against the granite counter of the butler’s pantry and eyed Paige. “How did the meeting go last night?”

The emphasis was not lost on Paige. “Fine. We got the event.”

“You look a little—” Megan’s finger skimmed lightly under one of Paige’s eyes “—tired.”

Paige pulled back. “I’m doing the work of two people, remember? By the way, how’s the morning sickness?”

“Getting better,” Megan admitted, rubbing her tummy again. “I can keep down broth and crackers. Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m not.” Part of her wanted to confide in Megan, to tell her the insane feelings that Matt Camberlane had evoked. But she held back. The rest of her family was twenty feet away, and she just wasn’t ready to share anything. Maybe after this afternoon.

“Simon and I are going to drive up to Calistoga this afternoon and look for baby furniture in the antique stores,” Megan said. “Come with us.”

Paige shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Work,” Paige replied, purposely vague.

“On a Sunday?”

“I’m meeting with the new client.” Paige turned to pour a cup of coffee she no longer wanted. “We’re having lunch at Auberge.”

Megan lifted a lock of Paige’s hair, as though she could whisper better into her sister’s ear. “Sounds serious.”

Paige laughed a little. “Misery loves company, huh?”

“Oooh.” Megan giggled. “Misery, huh? This is serious. You know, I’ve seen Matt Camberlane.”

Paige turned to read the expression that went with Megan’s obvious implication.

“What?” Paige demanded. “What is that look for?”

Megan lifted a wary eyebrow and crossed her arms. “I’ve seen him, that’s all.”

“And…?”

“He’s hot.”

“And I’m not.”

Megan shook her head. “You underestimate yourself, sweetie. You may be smart and have a string of degrees, but you’re young. And inexperienced. Be careful.”

She wasn’t that inexperienced, Paige thought with a flashing memory of her one lover in college. What a disaster. Still, her family’s warnings all pointed to the same truth: they didn’t think that she could attract a man like Matt, that he was just toying with her, that she was out of her league.

Well, maybe they were wrong.

Instead of confiding her thoughts, Paige just tapped the slightly swollen belly between them with a teasing smile. “Yeah. Look what happened when you got too friendly with an event client.”

They both laughed, remembering how Megan had provided the ultimate in event-planning service—pretending to be the bride. But her “marriage” ended up both real and happy.

“What’s so funny back here?” Walker’s booming voice broke their moment.

“Nothing, Walker,” Megan assured him. “Paige and I were just discussing client relations.”

Walker’s eyes flashed for a moment, but Paige managed to slip out of the butler’s pantry before he could say anything.

She’d been warned enough. She knew all about getting burned by fire. She also knew that fire provided heat and pleasure. And right now, she craved a little of both.

“I’ve never seen anyone nibble an olive with so much precision,” Matt observed, watching the black calamata disappear in tiny increments into Paige’s delicate mouth. Lucky little thing.