by K T Grant
“You want me to lie down so you can have your wicked way with me again?” She meant to whisper under her breath, but it came out louder than she intended.
Svana sat next to her. When she set her palm on Kennedy’s nape, she jerked in surprise.
“Lift your head slowly so the blood doesn’t rush to your head. I have aspirin and water for you. I hope you don’t mind it’s carbonated.” Svana ran her fingers over Kennedy’s nape.
Blinking away the annoying dark spots in front of her eyes, she swallowed the pills with a good amount of water then sat back on the cushion with her eyes closed. Svana massaged the stiff muscles in Kennedy’s neck, soothing and lulling her.
“You do like to touch me,” she groused, but with very little crossness behind it.
“I’m offering comfort.” Svana squeezed a tender spot near the top of Kennedy’s head, sending a flash of pain followed by ease through her.
“Do you offer comfort to all your clients, or just the women you seduce by pretending to be someone else for your own fun?” She sipped her water as Svana worked her magic. She should really push her away, but the woman did seem to have a miraculous touch.
“I’ve never seduced a client or one of my employees.” Svana jabbed a finger deeper in the side of Kennedy’s head.
She opened one eye. “Not even Vala, your dedicated vice president?”
Svana paused. “ Vala and I aren’t lovers. She’s straight. We’re best friends. Jealous?”
She blew out a gust of air and opened both eyes, staring up at the ceiling. The only light came from the lamp on Svana’s desk, which made it easier for her to see and not get hit with blinding pain. For the moment, any type of pain had stopped flaring, in part because of Svana’s quick head massage.
“I’m better now. You can stop,” she said.
Svana moved her massage to Kennedy’s back. Frustration seeped in at Svana’s sneaky move. But even though her mind wanted to push Svana away, her body wanted something else. She needed to know why, before her migraine flared up again and she couldn’t talk.
“You’re still too tense. Until you relax, I’m staying here to help relieve your pain.” Svana toed off her heels and curled her legs up on the couch, giving Kennedy a nice view of her feet and her black painted toenails, a contrast to her vibrant red fingernails.
Kennedy curled her unpainted toes in her flats as Svana manipulated a tender spot on her shoulder. “Why did you introduce yourself as Marella, and not Svana, the CEO of Landvik?”
Svana continued to work over the muscles of Kennedy’s back, adding another hand. “I did plan on introducing myself as Svana, but when you didn’t recognize me, I gave you my middle name instead. It was wrong of me to deceive you. I apologize for my selfish actions. I never meant to hurt you.”
She tilted her head to get a better look at the woman next to her. Svana nibbled her bottom lip, and discomfort floated in her eyes. The ire Kennedy had carried since this morning slowly left her. She believed Svana.
“Why did you think I would recognize you? The only pictures I could find of you were as Marella the teen pop star. You had longer, darker hair and wore different clothes than you do now. There aren’t any current pictures of you floating around, not even on the Landvik website.”
Surprise crossed Svana’s face. “I would have expected you to do better research or investigating like I did regarding you and your brother.”
“Omar and I are easy to find. We’re not hiding like you are.”
“You sure you’re not hiding?” Svana shifted her hand to Kennedy’s knee. “Other than working at Segal, the only information available about you was from ten years ago when you and your friend—”
She lifted her palm. “Stop right there. I’m not discussing my past with you.”
She nodded and pulled Kennedy’s hand down, setting it on the seat between them. “I’m sorry for invading your privacy. It won’t happen again.”
“Two apologies in one day? Why do I get the feeling you don’t apologize often?”
“I don’t. But with you I can’t help myself. I should have never pretended to be a kind
stranger who wanted to have a conversation with a visitor.” She swiped her thumb over Kennedy’s knuckles. “I should have never gone up to your hotel room and spent the night with you. But it had been so long since I connected with someone, and I was greedy for the intimacy.”
“You, a smart and beautiful woman in charge of one of the biggest companies in Iceland, can’t get a date or get laid?”
Svana shrugged. “My options here are limited, except with tourists. I’m not interested in a fling. I had many of those as Marella when I traveled, especially in the States. I want something more permanent.”
“Then why me? I’m just a fling.” Kennedy’s head started to pound again, and a rushing sound entered her ears.
Svana rose from the couch, and moved through a door near her desk. Assuming their discussion was over, Kennedy took off her shoes and lay down with one of the fluffy pillows under her head. They had crossed too many boundaries for her to care if it was professional behavior. Plus, the roaring pain in her head consumed her.
Svana returned to cover her with a fluffy blanket and a warm pack for her eyes. “Rest for a while. We can talk more when you’re feeling better.”
“What about dinner? Can’t miss it,” she slurred as sleep started to take her under.
The woman brushed the hair away from Kennedy’s forehead. “You still have over an hour until dinner. I’ll wake you in time. But if you’re not feeling up to it, we’ll reschedule. Now rest.”
“M’kay.” The last thing she experienced before she welcomed the sweet darkness was warm breath near her face and the press of lips on her cheek.
CHAPTER SIX
Svana gripped her wine glass hard enough to crack it. She eased her hold as calmly as possible before she embarrassed herself in front of everyone in the restaurant by telling her uncle to shut the fuck up.
Everything had been going well, perhaps too well. Until Verner started drinking. She had been in an amazing mood, especially since Kennedy had recovered from her migraine and acted as if nothing was wrong. It appeared the American was in a forgiving mood, chatting amiably, not only to her, but everyone else.
When she requested Kennedy sit next to her during dinner, she agreed. She wanted to get to know the pretty American better, but her uncle sat on Kennedy’s other side and took over the conversation, pouring her too many glasses of wine and pressing shots on everyone at the table. Concerned by the American’s red cheeks and glassy eyes, Svana decided to stop her uncle’s antics before Kennedy ended up sick or with another migraine came upon her.
Konrad nudged her foot with his, his eyes flaring in annoyance as Verner swung an arm around Kennedy’s shoulders on his right and Vala’s on his left.
Vala pushed his arm away and rose. “Excuse me. I’m going outside to smoke.” She swung around, almost smacking Verner in the head with her purse. She rolled her eyes at Svana and stormed away.
“I’ll keep her company outside.” Konrad jumped up from the table to join her.
Svana sighed. Perfect. She would have to handle Verner because everyone else at the table would be afraid to. She would also have to save Kennedy, who squirmed in her seat. When Verner’s hand on Kennedy’s shoulder moved lower, toward her breast, she rose from her seat with her near empty glass of wine. “Everyone please raise your glass for a toast. Thank you all for coming out to dinner to celebrate the new partnership with the Segal Corporation and Landvik.” Moving to stand, she removed Verner’s arm and rested her hand on Kennedy’s shoulder. “To a long and profitable relationship. Drekka upp!”
Verner bellowed the loudest and chugged his drink. Kennedy drank water, while everyone else sipped in moderation. Verner’s attention was diverted by another member of the party, giving her the perfect opportunity to not only save Kennedy from her uncle’s disgusting drunk flirting, but to talk with her one on
one, which she hadn’t been able to do for most of the dinner.
Two servers interrupted to take away the dirty dishes and set dessert menus in their place.
Kennedy focused on the refrigerated glass case near the kitchen where cuts of meat hung.
“Did you enjoy your meal? I’m glad you took my suggestion on horse tenderloin. I prefer the shank cut, but the way Huldufólk cuts and seasons their meat is the best in Reykjavik.” She inspected her dessert menu, wondering if she could convince Kennedy to share something sweet with her.
Kennedy set her elbows on the table. “I still can’t believe I ate horse. My brother recommended I try it, and he’s vegetarian.”
Svana laughed. “Omar doesn’t eat meat? I’ve never met a man who doesn’t love meat.”
“His mother is a lax vegetarian. She’s a health nut. Omar picked up some of her practices. My dad, I mean our dad, loved beef. If he was alive, he would have eaten the horse and ordered double the sweet potato fries.” Wrinkles appeared in her forehead as she wiggled her nose, an adorable reaction. “Dad loved his regular potatoes also. Omar takes after him that way.”
“My father loved fish.” She set her hand on top of Kennedy’s “One Sunday a month, he would take Reif, Konrad, and me fishing. Mother would cook whatever we caught.” She traced the soft skin, lost in the wonderful memory from childhood.
“You did this before you became a pop star?” Kennedy asked in a wry tone.
A server then returned with two small glasses filled with amber liquid and set them in front of Verner. Her uncle clapped and drank both down then rapped the table with his fist, the sound barely covering his burp. “That’s some good whiskey.”
“At sixt-two thousand króna a bottle, it should be.” Svana spoke in an icy tone. “How much have you drunk? You should switch to coffee or tea with dessert.”
“Bah!” He waved his hand. “I can handle my liquor. Miss Segal must join me in a shot.” He leered at her and winked.
Kennedy straightened in her chair and grimaced.
She clutched Kennedy’s hand, growing more incensed by the second.
“Verner, did you enjoy your meal? I noticed you had the Arctic char. I mentioned to Kennedy about how Papa would take us fishing when I was younger. You came with us a few times.” Perhaps the mention of the past would manage Verner better. She’d rather he talk their ears off then continue to drink himself into oblivion.
A big smile broke across his face. “Ágúst did like to fish. I enjoyed eating it more than catching it.” Verner rocked back in his chair. “The last time we fished together, it was just him and I. It was the weekend before he flew to visit you in Los Angeles with your mother and Reif to celebrate your first album release in the States.” His mouth drooped. “Things would be different if he or your brother had stayed here instead of hopping on a plane to see you and support your ridiculous dream.” He glared at her. “My brother should be in your seat, not you.”
Their table went silent. Kennedy reared back with a stunned expression. Behind him, Konrad stood, wide-eyed.
“Verner, not now.” She refused to look at him, to show how his words hurt her. She had been on the end of his ire many times, usually when he drank too much.
“You’re out of line, Uncle,” Konrad said, anger flaring on his face. “Maybe it’s best you end the night before you embarrass yourself more than you have.”
Verner rose unsteadily to his feet. He swung around. Vala held Konrad’s arm, as if she kept him back. Konrad’s hands clenched at his sides. Svana started to rise to defuse the situation, but then Verner turned around and pushed his chair in to the table.
“Forgive me for my rudeness, Miss Segal,” he said in a more respectful tone. “I think I’ll enjoy my dessert and an after-dinner drink at the bar.” He saluted her with a finger to the forehead, and, bumping into Konrad, he walked away.
The silence soon broke as those at the table and the diners around them began talking. Konrad stepped forward and gripped the top of a chair. Vala shook her head, looking at Svana for some type of explanation.
Kennedy suddenly rose, holding up her cell. “Excuse me. I need to take this call.” She hurried toward the front of the restaurant.
Svana swept her hands through her hair and cursed under her breath. “This is the last straw with him.” She looked at Konrad and Vala. “If Kennedy’s brother had been here to witness this.…” She pursed her lips and glanced at the chair Kennedy had vacated.
“I’ll call a taxi to take him home.” Konrad hung his head to his chest and exhaled. When Vala touched his shoulder, he pulled away and then straightened. “I’m going to join my uncle at the bar. Please, order dessert and anything else you’d like. Thank you for a wonderful night.” He shared a disappointed look with Svana and left.
At the bar, Konrad sat next to Verner, who actually drew him in for a hug.
“Never a dull moment with the Landviks.” Vala took the seat next to Svana and considered the dessert menu. “I’m having something decadent and chocolate. Interested in sharing?”
“I planned to share with Kennedy. Let me find her and see if she wants dessert.” She left the table, ignoring Vala’s bemused expression. She never chased after anyone, not even a client—in this case someone involved in a multi-million, if not billion-dollar deal. But after everything they had shared, she felt the need to explain things so they were on the right foot again.
She found Kennedy outside, with her phone to her ear.
“Yes, Fabian, I miss you. I’m sorry I didn’t call you back after you left your voice message.” Kennedy scraped the toe of her shoe on the cement and then turned in a circle. When she faced Svana, she paused, staring with her mouth slightly opened.
Kennedy lifted a hand to her forehead. “Okay, you’re about to take off? Good. Yup, I’ll see you tomorrow, or, rather, later today.” She smiled and dropped her head back to stare up at the sky. “Yes…yes. You, too. Okay, good-bye.” She backed into the corner and leaned against the wall. “That was Fabian, my brother’s general counsel. He called to say good night. You’ll meet him tomorrow, with Omar.”
Svana moved to her side. “He’s the one you’re practically engaged to?”
Kennedy snorted. “When I see him tomorrow, I’m going to tell him no. It’s not fair to him.”
“Because of what we did together?” She brushed her shoulder against Kennedy’s.
Kennedy shrugged. “Yes and no. Even if we hadn’t met and done what we did, I would still have told him no. I like him, but I’m not attracted to him in the way he thinks. He’s more of a good friend.”
“He’ll be upset.” Svana rubbed her arms as the chill of the night seeped through her blouse.
“He might be. I hope we’ll still be friends after…I reject him.” Kennedy slid her hands into her coat pockets and faced her. “How are you doing? Your uncle—”
“My uncle is drunk, or, rather, I should say, a drunk.” She inched closer to Kennedy. “He’s been like this for a long time, ever since my parents and brother’s plane accident.” She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She couldn’t remember the last time she spoke about the accident that stole her family away.
“When Dad died, I expected Omar and his mother to blame me.” Kennedy hunched her shoulders, and the top of her coat covered the bottom of her face. “I’m the reason my father had a stroke and died.”
She drew her arm through Kennedy’s stiff one. “Why would you say that?”
Kennedy shivered and huddled closer. “I ran away from my responsibilities and fell in love with someone I shouldn’t.” She sniffed. “She died, too.”
“This was your friend from college you didn’t want to talk about. Her name was Candice, correct?”
Kennedy nodded. “We fell in love. Our happily ever after ended before it could begin.”
Her chest stung, not because of the cold air she breathed in, but for Kennedy’s pain. Even more than ten years later, the woman still grieved. She did also
but had locked it away, to be strong for Konrad and her company and all those who worked for her. To the outside world, she had the perfect life. She assumed the same applied to Kennedy who had the love of her brother and a fulfilling job. But, if the past still haunted her, it would continue to destroy her present and the future.
“Would you be interested in taking a drive with me? The night is clear, no clouds, which means we may get lucky and see the Northern Lights.” She closed her fingers around Kennedy’s wrists. “I know the perfect place to see them.”
Kennedy’s eyes lit up with interest. “Where?”
“My house. Come home with me.”
***
“I can’t believe I’m doing this with you.” Kennedy tried to keep her hands loose in her lap and not clench them as she did sometimes when she was nervous.
Svana turned down the volume on a pop song playing on her satellite radio. She shifted gears, giving the Volvo’s engine a nice jolt as she sped down the dark road. “Your coming to my house? It’s not a big deal.”
“It should be after everything that’s happened between us with your pretending to be someone else and tricking me into sleeping with you—”
She pressed down on the gas and turned too fast, forcing Kennedy into the door. “And your flirting with my brother earlier to make me jealous.”
“What are you talking about?” Her face warmed as she remembered her failed attempt to sweet talk Konrad in front of Svana to rile her.
“You know what I’m talking about.” Svana winked, making her face warm more. “Konrad would never cross that line with a client.”
“He’s not gay like you?” She focused on the multi-colored glow of the Northern Lights outside her window.
“Not that I know of. Neither was Reif. How about Omar?”
She laughed. “Omar loves women like his wines and suits. He’s one of California’s most eligible bachelors. Women adore him.”