Kimberly Lang - Misbehaving with the Millionaire - The Millionaire's Misbehaving Mistress

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 don’t care about that. I just don’t want people knowing the particulars. It would be embarrassing for Evie.”

“ Hel -lo, what else would I be doing other than tutoring Evie?”

“I don’t know. You do business seminars, too, right? Tell them it’s related to HarCorp.” Gwen made an odd choking sound. He assumed she objected to the small lie. “We sponsor the Med Ball, so it’s not that far from the truth.”

“And why I’m living with you?”

“That’s easy. You’re living with us so you can concentrate fully on your current project.”

“But—”

“What’s that line you told your readers to use when folks want to confirm gossip? Something about assumptions?”

“‘What an interesting assumption’?”

“That’s the one. If someone wants confirmation of Tish’s implications and you don’t want to go with ‘No Comment’ then use that line. Or that ‘How kind of you to take an interest’ one.”

“You read my TeenSpace page?” Amazement tinged her voice. It beat panic, hands down.

“Well, Evie lectured me on my BlackBerry usage, so I thought I should check on the etiquette laws.”

“I think I’m flattered.”

“You should be.” He smiled. At least she was starting to calm down. “Now, are you finished hyperventilating over this?”

“I guess.” Gwen sighed. “You don’t sound very upset over Tish’s rumor mongering.”

“I learned a long time ago to ignore speculations made about me and my private life. Tish just hasn’t gotten the hint yet.” Although with Evie on the scene, he should probably make clear that his willingness to ignore was very limited when it came to his sister.

“I thought you’d be livid. Or angry. Or at least irritated.” Gwen’s outraged sails seemed to have lost their wind, and her voice lost the last of its bluster.

“Oh, I’m irritated all right. It just doesn’t do any good. That said, I try to avoid being fodder for Tish—or anyone else—as much as possible.”

Gwen sighed again. “I guess I can make do with the minimum amount of excuses. Whether anyone will believe them is a different animal entirely.”

“Good. Now can we talk about something else?” He leaned back and propped his feet on his desk.

“Don’t you have work to do?”

His e-mail pinged. “Of course, but I have a few minutes for you.”

“Now I am flattered.”

“You should be. I’m a very busy man,” he teased.

Gwen’s chuckle sent heat rushing through him and all of his blood south. It was hard to believe just a week ago, he hadn’t known this woman existed. Seven days later, he was ignoring HarCorp just to talk to her.

“Well, I happen to be a very busy woman. You may have time to chat, but I have clients to soothe and teenagers to counsel.”