An Unintentional Affair (The Affair Series Book 1) Page 5

  “Oh, my God, Bec. It was incredible!” I fell on the couch and closed my eyes, imaging Adam’s hypnotic blue eyes and magical hands. “I hope you’re still good for lunch, because we have so much to talk about.”

  “You’re on, girl. Where to?”

  “You pick, since you have to go to work afterward. Might as well be convenient for you.”

  “Aren’t you going to see Adam later?” she asked.

  “Yes, but I told him I was having lunch with you. He had some business he had to take care of, so it really worked out perfectly. I told him I’d text him when I was back at my apartment. He’ll come over then.”

  “Okay, how about Paul’s Café? It’s about halfway between your place and the bar. That’ll make it a quick trip to work for me and a short hop home for you.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Twelve-thirty?”

  “Twelve-thirty it is. Can’t wait.”

  “Me, too. See ya.”

  Standing in front of my pathetic closet, I contemplated what would be an appropriate ensemble for the evening with Adam. The afternoon with Bec was easy. It would be warm enough to sit outside, so skinny jeans and a cotton sweater would be comfortable for our patio lunch, but I wanted another “wow” moment with Adam. I hoped our time together would continue on well into the evening, and if all went well, maybe we’d have another glorious night of lovemaking. I had a black denim skirt and a teal cardigan that worked well together. A pair of thigh high black boots could carry this outfit from the afternoon into the evening, with the addition of an Hérmes scarf and a black leather jacket. I set out the late afternoon/evening ensemble so I could quickly make the changeover when I got home, then prepped for lunch with Bec.

  When I arrived at Paul’s, Bec was already at a table and had ordered an appetizer and some wine. “Am I late?” I asked, looking at my watch. It was just twelve-thirty.

  “No, it was just such a beautiful day I wanted to get out in it. I can only have one glass of wine, too, since I have to work later, so I thought I would start early and stretch it out. You’ve sure got a glow about you today,” she said with a smile, eyeing me over her menu.

  “Well, yes.” I feigned indifference, then laughed and added, “What a night!”

  “Well, he certainly lived up to everything you told me about him in the looks department.”

  The waitress came and I ordered a glass of wine. We wanted to take our time, relax, and catch up. It had been a couple of months since Bec and I had a chance to kick back like this. Bec was dying to know the details. “What did he say about the women at the restaurant? And how did he know how to find you?”

  “Well, he obviously knew the women, but he swears they are just friends and that he doesn’t have any other girlfriend. He asked me to give him a chance to prove that he just wants to be with me.” I pondered her second question for a moment. “And now that you mention it, he never told me how he found me at the bar.”

  “Well, the point is, he did. He didn’t have to come after you. Do you believe him about the other women?”

  “I actually do. I’m taking a leap of faith and going for it.”

  “Good for you, girlfriend!” She gave me a high-five. “What does he do for a living?”

  “He’s a consultant in the art world. He helps his clients find art to invest in or find pieces for their home or office. I thought it was interesting that our careers crossed beams like that. Kinda cool, actually.”

  “Wow, that sounds interesting. How ‘d he get into that line of work?”

  “Well, we haven’t quite gotten that far in discussing it.” I lowered my voice and smiled. “We really didn’t talk much last night.”

  “Do tell!”

  “Bec, I never imagined being with a man could be like that. Seriously, he’s amazing,” I said, looking around to make sure no one was within earshot of our conversation. “And it went on for hours. God, it was incredible!”

  “I am so happy for you, Em. Really, you deserve someone who is going to respect you and treat you like gold. I remember how crazy that Sam guy was when you went out with him. I was so glad you cut that one off right away.”

  I tried shifting the subject off me. I wanted to know how Bec was doing. “What’s up with you and Scott? You haven’t mentioned him much lately.”

  “He’s been traveling a lot, and we’ve just been kind of at odds with each other recently. Nothing specific. I don’t know. Maybe we just need a break from each other,” she said with some sadness in her voice.

  “I’m sorry, Bec. I know you really care for him. If it’s right, it’ll work out. But if he’s not treating you well, I’d say move on. I know I’m barely a day into this thing with Adam, but there’s something special about it, something really different. I’ve never felt this way before, and I think he feels it, too. It’s worth waiting for.”

  “I know - you’re right. I need to do some soul searching and figure it out. When Scott gets back Tuesday, I think he’s going to be home for a while. Maybe spending more time together again is the answer. I’m going to give it a shot anyway. We’ve been together two years, so I’ve got to at least try to make it work.”

  “You’re very smart. I know you’ll figure it out.”

  “What are you and Adam doing later?”

  “We’re going to go over to the Jackson Gallery. He’s looking for some art for a client, and he wants to check out the new exhibit there. I’m going to be shooting there next week with Clint, so it’ll give me a chance to look around a little, too.”

  “How cool is it that you have that in common?”

  “I know. It’s almost too perfect.”

  The waitress came with my wine, and Bec and I ordered some food. After she left, our conversation shifted to typical girl talk. We finished lunch and toasted with the last sips of wine. “To finding true love,” I said.

  “I’ll drink to that,” Bec agreed wholeheartedly.

  “It was so great to see you, Bec. I can’t thank you enough for all your support last night, too. I’m sure I would have totally blown it with Adam if you hadn’t talked me through it.”

  “You just seemed so rattled when you came in. I was hoping when you had a chance to calm down and think about it, you’d change your mind.”

  “Well, you nailed it. And let’s try to do this more often.”

  “I know. It’s like a mini-vacation, spending time with you. I’m so relaxed. I wish I didn’t have to go to work, but I am thankful for the job.”

  “Hope it’s super busy tonight and you make huge tips,” I said, throwing my arms up in the air and giving her a big hug.

  “Thanks, Em. You have a great night, too. Enjoy the rush, and say ‘hi’ to Adam for me.”

  “I will. I’ll check in with you next week. Later!”

  “Later!” she hollered as she was whisked off into the crowd. I headed in the other direction, and it felt like I was swimming upstream against the current of people headed downtown. I had forgotten there was an art festival going on just a few blocks farther south. No wonder there were so many people out on such a beautiful day. I really loved the vibe of the city.

  As I climbed the stairs to my apartment, I texted Adam to let him know I was back and that he could come over anytime.

  b there shortly, he texted back.

  I needed a few minutes to change and refresh my makeup and hair for the evening. It was still relatively warm out, so I tucked the scarf and black leather jacket into my bag. I threw in an extra pair of panties and a long-sleeved white T-shirt. That would prepare me for just about any situation. Or so I thought.

  Chapter 6

  I was walking on air around my apartment. I kept imagining the passion between Adam and me the night before, the unbelievable way he made me feel. Shivers went up my spine as I thought about his titillating touch and all the ways he aroused me. I passed through the kitchen and smelled the rose. It was beginning to open up ever so slightly. “You are so sweet, Adam Comstock,” I said out loud as the inte
rcom buzzed.

  I pushed the button and said, “hell-o,” with a lilt in my voice.

  “It’s Adam.” He sounded so serious.

  “Come on up.” I buzzed him in.

  I was picking up odds and ends of mail when he came in. I walked over to him, held his lapels and stretched up to give him a kiss. He kissed me back, but his mood was very cool.

  “What’s wrong, Adam?”

  He turned away from me and said, “Emily, we have to talk.”

  Oh, my God, I felt like I had just been punched in the gut. We have to talk…the four most dreaded words in any relationship, let alone one that started barely a day ago. I knew it was all too good to be true. Tears welled up in my eyes. I walked into the kitchen to have the barrier of the counter between us and braced myself.

  “Okay” I breathed. “I had a feeling there was something you weren’t telling me. You really don’t have to say anything, Adam. I know I’m not very experienced, and I am sure you need more from a woman than what I can give you.” I was desperately trying not to cry openly.

  “Oh, Emily, no! That’s not it at all. Please come over here and sit with me.” He held out his hand and escorted me over to the couch. My couch. This was my place and I wanted to be in control, but it wasn’t happening. He held both of my hands in his. He drew them to his face and gently kissed my knuckles.

  “Emily, I haven’t told you about the details of my work.”

  An uneasiness was growing in the pit of my stomach. “Oh?” I questioned, not understanding where he was going with this.

  “I’m actually a private investigator working with the FBI. I’m investigating some art forgeries and a serial art thief. We have reason to believe that Clint Sinclair or someone who is involved with Clint is swapping forgeries for the real deal.”

  My brain was racing. I couldn’t grasp what he was trying to tell me. “Are you saying you think I have something to do with this?!”

  “No, no, no….” He almost laughed but caught himself. “I think Clint is in on it, whether he’s carrying it out himself or knows who is. My assignment was to follow you and get to know you to see if you might be involved, or see if you could provide any inside information.”

  My head was on fire. He was telling me that the only reason we were together was because it was his job! I pulled my hands away from his, bolted from the couch, and headed for the door. “Well, I have no information for you, Mr. Comstock. I know nothing about any forgeries or theft, so you can check off that little box on your to-do list that says ‘get to know Emily Ryan’ and get the hell out of my apartment.” I sobbed and pointed out the door, waiting for him to leave.

  He reached for me. “You don’t understand….”

  “I understand just fine. Now get the hell out of here!” I was crying uncontrollably as I fell to the floor, holding my face in my hands. He closed the door and picked me up, his strong arms wrapping around me. He carried me to the couch, sat me down gently, and then settled in beside me.

  “Emily, you’ve swept me off my feet. I didn’t tell you about the investigation before because I didn’t want you to think that was the only reason I wanted to be with you. Yes, the other night when I stopped you on the street? When we went to TJ’s? That was part of my assignment. My original intention was to talk with you that night and see if I could get a sense of your involvement in this mess, see what you might know. But after spending that evening with you, I knew you had nothing to do with it. I could tell you had no clue what was happening with Clint and the forgeries. And I was already falling for you. I didn’t intend for that to happen, never dreamed it would happen. And I love it! Emily, I want you in my life.”

  His words were finally sinking in. I was sobbing again, this time from relief. I threw my arms around his neck. “Oh, Adam, I’m sorry I reacted without giving you a chance to explain. Please forgive me.” I got up and went to the kitchen to get a napkin for my runny nose. My eyes were getting puffy, and I was sure I looked a mess. “I seem to have a habit of doing that.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. I haven’t been in a relationship in a while. My communication skills suck. I should have done a better job making sure you knew how I felt about you before I told you about the investigation.” He walked over to me and put his arms around my shoulders, pulling my face into his chest. He put his hand under my chin and tilted my head up to kiss me.

  This was almost too much information for my brain to process. Adam wanted me “in his life,” and my mentor, my boss, was somehow involved in a crime that Adam was investigating. My head was spinning.

  I held him tightly, trying to control my sobbing. The relief of knowing he actually cared about me flowed through me like a gentle wave, but I had to sit down. I was feeling faint. “Talk to me about what’s going on with this crazy investigation of yours.”

  He spoke softly and watched my expression carefully. “It started about three months ago. Significant works of art were turning up as forgeries when they were being authenticated after a sale. So far, five paintings have tested as forgeries after their auctions. The only obvious common link between the forgeries and the auctions is Clint Sinclair photographing them for the catalogues.”

  I looked away and took a deep breath. This couldn’t be possible. Clint was a consummate professional and took the photography of these paintings very seriously. Why screw up a career he’d spent a lifetime building? “I just can’t believe that Clint could be involved in this. There has to be another answer.”

  “The evidence is pretty clear. Either he’s directly involved, or he’s providing the opportunity for someone else to take advantage of.”

  I stared ahead at nothing and shook my head, trying to get all of the bits and pieces to form a picture in my mind. It just didn’t seem possible. But if Adam said the evidence pointed to Clint, I had to believe him. He wouldn’t be jumping through these hoops if there was nothing to it.

  “I think I need a glass of wine.” My nerves were shot. Wine seemed like just the right prescription. I opened the cheap bottle I’d bought Wednesday night when I kept seeing Adam on my way home. It seemed particularly lackluster after the amazing wines we’d been drinking the past few days. We took a couple of sips and both acknowledged that it wasn’t very good.

  ”Why don’t we go over to TJ’s?” he said. “I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, and we can get a decent bottle of wine there. Maybe we can even get a spot in front of the fire.”

  That sounded heavenly. I wanted to put all this craziness out of my mind for a little while and just drink in Adam Comstock, who wanted me in his life.

  **

  It was very quiet at TJ’s. They didn’t have TVs, so all the sports fanatics were hanging out in the multi-screen bars. I was relieved to have the peace and quiet so we could get something to eat, drink some nice wine, and talk. I still hadn’t wrapped my brain around all the insanity.

  We got the premier table in front of the fireplace. Adam didn’t even ask me about the wine this time. He ordered another amazing bottle of cabernet. When the waitress left, he put his feet up on one of the vacant chairs and took my hand, kissing it gently. “You have no idea what a relief it is to have told you about the investigation. I hated keeping it from you, but the first night we were here, I had to be sure you weren’t involved. Then last night I was being selfish. I wanted you all to myself. I wasn’t about to let you think that the only reason we were together was the damned case. As I said last night, you take my breath away, Emily.” He kissed my knuckles again and licked between my fingers, sending a shiver straight to my core. He hesitated for a moment and added, “And it’s my investigative work that helped me find you last night when you ran away and went to Two Brothers’.” I looked at him quizzically. “I have a GPS tracker that can pinpoint your location within a few feet using your phone number. I had to find you, so I tracked you to the bar. If I weren’t so into you, I would have just let you walk out, but I couldn’t.”

  I didn’t kno
w how to react to this. It was a bit disconcerting that Adam had tracked me down with his private eye technology, but it said a lot that he didn’t want to let me go.

  The wine came with the usual tasting ritual, and he ordered some food. After the waitress left, Adam pulled his chair as close to mine as possible. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Here’s to you being in my life,” and kissed me on the cheek. I smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

  We sat in front of the fire and talked. Adam gradually shared all the details of the investigation with me. I realized as I listened to him that maybe I could actually help. I’d been with Clint when the thefts theoretically happened. How could I have been so oblivious?

  My brain started piecing together things that happened at the studio that just seemed odd to me. Clay Orwell, the artist Clint was helping with his portfolio, had never actually come to the studio. Come to think of it, I didn’t recall ever seeing Clint actually shoot those paintings before he sent them back to Clay. And in the last week, there had been a number of phone calls where Clint ended up screaming at whoever was on the other end. I had always thought of him as being pretty even-tempered, so something big was setting him off. Clint and Myra had had their share of conflict recently, too. It couldn’t be about money. Clint was busier than he’d ever been in the last few months. As I began to put all of it together in my head, the pieces started making sense.

  “Adam, we need to get out of here. I think I know some things that could help you, but I don’t want to talk about it here.” Adam settled the tab, and we headed out in the darkness. We started back toward my apartment, and I began rattling off some of my thoughts.

  Adam stopped in his tracks. “Emily, this is huge. Let’s go to my place so I can update the file as we talk.” We shifted our course and went to the hotel. Adam put on some music to try to lighten the mood. He opened his laptop and began typing in the details as I dictated them. It was all becoming clear to me. Someone was blackmailing or bribing Clint to swap out Clay’s forgeries for the real thing…if Clay was even his real name. Clint must have felt threatened or was collecting a significant payoff for his cooperation and silence while Clay was getting the paintings.