Breach of Honor by Naomi Porter

18 Will

I COULDN’T TAKE my eyes off Miranda as she mingled comfortably with my mom and sister. Nothing made me happier than to see her embraced by the two women who’d meant the most to me. They had welcomed Miranda into our lives with open arms just as I had hoped they would.

“Meet me in my office in thirty minutes.” My father’s voice faded as he passed behind me. I turned in his direction, but he acted as if it hadn’t been the strangest thing he’d ever done.

“I thought Jason was coming?” my mother asked, a smidge of irritation on her face. “We’ll be eating in an hour.”

“Maybe he got held up.” I shrugged. “It’s Jason. Are we really heartbroken he’s late?”

As my mother walked away, Miranda came into focus. She was staring up at the ornaments on the tree, looking delicious in that crimson dress. There wasn’t a single piece of her I’d change. Small ankles, gorgeous legs, fair skin, full breasts and—

“You have that look in your eyes.”

I smiled, turning toward my grandfather. “What look is that, sir?”

“The look of love. You have it in spades, a glimmer in your eyes, a small curl to your lips, a hard-on…”

“Whoa! Sir, what’s gotten into you?” I turned away from Miranda when her eyes met mine.

He chuckled, gripping my shoulder. “Do you deny it?”

“To my dying breath.”

He firmly patted my back. “Just like I taught you. Except, red cheeks will give you away every time. Work on that.”

“Yes, sir.” The old man was the most observant person I knew. But looking at my crotch? That was taking it too far. Of course, he’d deny it to his dying breath. At almost eighty, he had aged quite well. I grew up hearing Sean Connery was his doppelgänger. No chance it might be the other way around. A St. James was never beneath anyone. Not even Double O Seven himself.

“She’s exquisite… Treat her well.” He elbowed me.

Jeez, I wished everybody would stop acting like I was a loser. I had never mistreated a woman. Even though I only had one-night stands, I still respected the women I had been with. They had enjoyed themselves. That was what mattered.

“I intend to. I’m not blind, you know. Miranda is so much more than a pretty face. She has a heart of gold. She’s witty, a hard worker… and she makes me damn happy.” This fullness in my chest was a first. So was the pride I felt being with her.

Miranda smiled brightly, summoning me with alluring eyes.

“Here.” Grandfather handed me a small bunch of mistletoe with a red ribbon tied around it. “Go get your girl, and remember, kiss her often and never go to bed angry. Tomorrow isn’t promised.”

And with his heart-stopping comment, he walked away.

Gram had died unexpectedly nine years ago. Grandfather talked about her often without directly mentioning her. It gutted me. He’d told me once that saying her name, Jo, short for Josephine, was like losing her all over again. They had fiercely loved each other, freely showed affection, and were playful. To have a love like theirs never seemed possible to me. My parents’ relationship was austere comparatively.

I felt all sorts of foreign emotions burrowing inside me, yet oddly, they felt incredibly right. Something told me Gram would have adored Miranda.

I strutted over to mygirl and held the mistletoe above her head.

“Will?” Her dazzling blue eyes flashed up to the sprig. Pink cheeks and a smile were all the yes I needed.

I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her to me.

“Oh, Will…”

Our lips connected, and the world disappeared as Grandfather’s words swirled in my head. Tomorrow isn’t promised.

Simone’s and Lily’s whispers didn’t distract us nor did Grandfather’s baritone voice. Claiming my girl in front of the family was a first for me. But with Miranda, it felt natural, like we had always been together.

I caressed her lips, tasting a hint of cranberry. Her warm body pressed to mine, flooding my senses. I could stay in this moment forever, never breaking for air… She was all I needed.

“Oh goody, I made it in time for the love scene.” Jason’s voice caused Miranda to suck in a breath and pull back.

Miranda

All the Christmas cheer evaporated when Jason entered the living room. His tart voice made me cringe, and his dark eyes on me made the hairs on my arm flare. Jason inside the St. James mansion was a mystery to me.

Perhaps there was more to him than a dark, ominous exterior. Then again, if that were true, why was my stranger-danger warning going nuts? My heart rate had escalated the instant I’d heard him.

I exhaled a deep breath as Will put his lips to my temple, rubbing my back. Will’s words in the car comforted me along with his reassuring touch. I had nothing to worry about.

With a sly grin, Jason strolled our way after greeting Will’s parents and relatives. “Merry Christmas, lovebirds.” Jason’s eyes raked over me. “You look festive in… the red dress.” He flicked his gaze at Will. “Lucky man.”

“Glad you could make it. Wondered if you’d changed your mind.”

“Nah, just had something to do. Missed me, did you?”

Lily grimaced at me, and I felt relief wash over me. I had honestly hoped she wouldn’t be interested in the joker. At least I didn’t have to worry about keeping her away from Jason.

“Why don’t you get yourself a drink,” Will suggested. “We’ll be eating in less than an hour.”

“A drink sounds splendid. What about you, princess? Can I get you a drink?”

My stomach churned. Princess? Yuck.

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

Jason slinked off to get a drink and my first thought was, I want to leave. Of course, I couldn’t. We hadn’t even eaten yet, and I didn’t want to rub Will’s parents wrong. It was just so strange to dislike a person I hardly knew. I mean, Jason was Will’s friend, and Will was a remarkable man. The weird vibes I had about him didn’t make any sense.

I spotted Lily chatting again with Simone; they seemed to be hitting it off. And then Will’s dad looked our way, expressionless.

“Baby, I’ll be right back.”

I gripped Will’s wrist. My almost-panicked response surprised both of us.

“What’s wrong?” He looked down at me with concern in his eyes.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to speak to my father. We won’t be long.” He tried to pull his hand away, and I reluctantly released it.

“What’s so important you have to run off on Christmas?” What was wrong with me? Will leaving to talk to his dad shouldn’t be a big deal. God, get a grip, Miranda.

He hugged me. “This won’t take long, sweetheart. Go be with the girls or my mom. Hell, my grandpa would love to talk to you.”

I nodded, glancing at Lily. “Yeah… sure.”

Will lifted my chin, his safe eyes absorbing me. “I won’t be gone long.”

As he left, I stood there alone taking in the living room, trying to ease the ridiculous anxiety that had overcome me. I may need to make an appointment with my therapist. There was no rhyme or reason to be feeling this way.

An unabashed good cheer filled the mansion. Laughter and chatter melded with the Christmas music playing in the background. Lily and Simone were deep in conversation, Will’s grandfather and uncle bantered about who knew what. Claire was off directing her staff.

I felt the absence of Will acutely.

I faced the fireplace, closing my eyes. I breathed in a cleansing breath and then released it. When I turned around, Jason was walking toward me. I wasn’t sure what happened, but I darted across the grand room to Lily.

“Hi, sweets.” Lily smiled. “We were just talking about going to the Maroon 5 concert this summer.”

I nodded and forced a smile.

“Of course, I’d have to check the event schedule… Miranda works us into the ground.” Lily sighed, nudging me.

I shrugged, offering a sheepish grin. It was true. We worked hard and hardly played. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Wow, I’m shocked. So then…” Lily turned back toward Simone.

Jason had stayed across the room with Peter, Will’s uncle. All the St. James men were over six feet. Next to them, I felt protected merely by their lofty size. These men were sophisticated, intelligent, and attractive.

My Will was no different. He worked out several times a week and played a round or two of golf each month with his dad, uncle, and grandfather. Seeing them together in one room was a sight to behold. They were four powerful, wealthy men with panty-dropping good looks. Mercy, they were the gold package.

But Jason Sayton didn’t fit in. Not that he was ugly by any means. Dark, dangerous, and evil just wasn’t my type. He was a bit shorter than Will, leaner, and had a cocky arrogance about him. It had been the first thing to turn me off to him in the elevator. He had a God’s-gift-to-women attitude.

How did he get in with this family who valued honor and respect?

Laughter echoed from across the room, waking me from my musings. It couldn’t have been more than several minutes since Will left, but it felt a lot longer. A sudden urge to pee made me shift as I stood beside Lily near a pair of french doors leading to a covered patio. She and Simone had changed topics and were now gabbing about some street fair.

I swayed from one side to the other. The pressure was hard to ignore. “Excuse me,” I interrupted in a low voice. “Where’s the bathroom?”

Simone smiled. “It’s off the entry, behind the staircase. Just go back the way you came.”

“Okay… thanks.”

Finding my way back wasn’t as simple as it sounded. The long journey passed several doors and secondary hallways gave me the impression the living room occupied the whole south side of the home. To be a kid growing up in this place had to have been magical with hundreds of hiding places. Yet, it likely was lonely as well.

My thoughts returned to Will. During our holiday in Carmel, he’d told me how the camaraderie among the men in his family was genuine. Even so, there had been a disconnect between Will and his father his whole life. Apparently, they didn’t do so well one-on-one. And now they’d gone off to talk just the two of them. It felt a little odd for them to duck out on Christmas, but I hoped they’d become closer for Will’s sake. I sensed he also wished they had a better relationship.

Sure enough, I found the single door behind the elegantly curved staircase. I breathed a sigh of relief, locking the door.

After doing my business, I took my time washing my hands, preening myself in the mirror, and enjoying the half bathroom’s general splendor. Every room could have been straight out of ArchitecturalDigest and not at all a home I’d want to live in. The French influences in the décor were too ornate for my taste. I preferred Will’s modern yet cozy beach house.

Butterflies stirred in my stomach. Moving in with Will was exciting and scary all at once. I’d never lived with a man before, only Lily. Will also hadn’t lived with anyone since college. After Carmel, I had a feeling we’d do okay. Mostly, I looked forward to going to bed with him each night.

The scary part wasn’t being with Will. It was more about fitting in with his family and their very public show of wealth. The alternative, I couldn’t imagine—a life without Will.

Somehow, I needed to find peace in the public eye. I had to if I wanted to be with Will. And I did, more than anything.

Moments later, I retraced my steps back down the long hallway. Maybe Will would be back from his talk with his dad. Dinner would commence soon as well.

Out of one of the secondary hallways, Jason appeared, blocking my route. “Fancy meeting you here.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Are you lost?”

“No, I’m not. Please excuse me.” I took a step forward, but he didn’t budge. My body tensed, and the beautiful flutters I’d had not long ago vanished, leaving me empty and alone.

“You’ve been avoiding me. Why is that?” He stepped toward me.

I backed into a wall, and his long arms caged me in. I wanted to scream but my mouth snapped shut, locking the panic that pulsed through my veins in my throat. Trapped by his towering length, I looked both ways, praying someone might appear, a maid or butler or Will. Anyone who would make this asshole get away from me.

“Are we playing a game of cat and mouse?”

“Your arrogance is disgusting. Step back,” I demanded, using every bit of strength and confidence I could gather while my defenses dwindled.

I didn’t faze him. He lowered his face to mine, brushing his nose in my hair and inhaling me. I swallowed hard as he lifted mistletoe above my head, a silver glint in his eyes. His lips puckered. “It’s tradition.” He flicked his determined eyes to the sprig.

“I’m with Will. Step. Back. Now,” I ordered through gritted teeth. As much as I wanted to kick him in the balls for ignoring me—disrespecting me—causing a scene wasn’t my style.

“Yes…Will. Well, let me tell you… I have more to offer in the way of bedroom activities than our dear William.”

The hairs on my nape prickled, and a shiver shot up my back.

“He may be rich, but I’ll be coming into a windfall soon… and I’ll be very generous with you.” His relaxed gaze settled on my chest as he brushed the sprig over my collar bone and trailed it down between my breasts.

I jolted, hitting his hand away. “Are you deaf? I said, step the fuck back.” I whisper-yelled, my heart racing as his silver eyes turned black.

I really didn’t want to yell. What if I was reading him wrong? Or making more out of… whatever was happening. I didn’t know what in the hell to think. This was Will’s friend.

“Mousy, don’t take that tone with me.” His breath on my cheek turned my stomach. This couldn’t be happening. He gripped my waist firmly and leaned in, and my knee shot up. Clumsily, I missed his crotch. But he flinched enough for me to escape his grasp.

I didn’t run but walked as fast as I could in my 4-inch heels. The clacking sound on the hardwood floors echoed in my ears, mirroring the rhythm of my thumping heart. I wanted to get the hell out of here. I looked over my shoulder. Jason was gone, so I hotfooted it back to the living room. I could see the doorway at the end of the long-ass hallway.

“Aaah!” I screamed when grabbed by the wrist. I whirled around, ready to punch the bastard.

“Whoa!” Will stepped back as my fist grazed his chin. “Miranda!” He caught my swinging arm.

“Will!” I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him for dear life. Tears stung behind my eyes, but I fought them. I couldn’t turn into a blubbering fool on Christmas… in the St. James mansion.

“You’re trembling. What happened?” He held me tighter.

I couldn’t speak. What would I have said? Your best friend made a pass at me?

Will cradled my face, concern in his eyes.

“Just kiss me.”

He did; soft, tender kisses. They soothed and distracted me from thinking about Jason. I wanted to forget the way he breathed me in and touched me.

Will pulled back. “Tell me what happened?”

“Um—”

“You lovebirds at it again?” Jason asked, sarcasm dripping from his words as he passed. He shot me a pointed look. “Princess.”

I tightened my grip around Will’s waist as tremors rolled through my body. My stranger-danger alarm blared. Never in my life did I think I’d ever hate someone, but there was a first for everything.

A bell rang, startling me.

“The dinner bell,” Will said. “Miranda, you have to tell me what happened.”

“No, we should go eat. I’m okay.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Please, it’s Christmas.”

“Fine. But this isn’t over.”

I nodded as he took my hand.

Some first Christmas this turned out to be. I wanted to leave more than ever, dreading being in the same room with Jason. There was no chance in hell I’d be going home with Will tonight. Not with Jason sleeping under the same roof.

No chance in fucking hell.