by Tricia Saxby
“Humph…”
“What can I do?”
They walked past wardrobe, and Karen stuck her arm out to stop him. “Fold clothes.”
Leo took one glance at the lingerie lying on the table and sighed.
He wanted to kiss the smirk right off her face. Instead, he grabbed a pile of hangers from the rack and headed to the closest table to fold pairs of tiny panties. Humbled, he kept his head down until he was finished.
An hour later, Leo stood outside waving goodbye to the last crew member as they hopped in a cab.
“Thanks for staying to help.”
Karen stood beside him, bundled up in a long down-filled coat and a gorgeous yellow infinity scarf covering her head.
“It was no problem. I had fun.”
“We had a great team.”
“It was all you.” He couldn’t tell if the blush on her cheeks was from the cold or his compliment.
“It was everyone—”
“Don’t sell yourself short.”
Karen exhaled a frustrated sigh. The cloud of air lasted only moments before disappearing into the cold.
“You don’t take compliments well, do you?”
She wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. “That’s a matter of opinion.”
No argument there. “Are you afraid of success?”
Her head snapped up to face him. Her green eyes sparkled in the lamplight. She took his breath away. “Why would you suggest such a thing?”
He didn’t know, and right then he didn’t care. The overwhelming urge to kiss her senseless was so strong it took everything in him not to grab her arms and pull her into his embrace.
The crackling sound of tires driving on packed snow brought his attention back to the present. Robert had arrived with the limo to take him home. “Do you need a ride?” he asked Karen.
“No, but thank you.”
Robert came around to open the door for Leo. He’d have to tell him again that wasn’t necessary. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure. Again, thank you for all the help today.”
“Of course.”
Karen made to leave then turned back. “Did you have fun at the gala last night?”
Surprise hit him like a brick wall when he realized they hadn’t talked about the party at all. “The food was good.”
Karen’s half-hearted smile caused an ache in his stomach. “Have a good night.”
“Sir?” Robert stood with the door open.
Leo got inside the limo but continued to watch Karen until he couldn’t see her anymore. His body was numb from the cold, and his fingers tingled from the sudden hit of warmth. She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever known, and it drove him crazy. She was her own worst enemy. If she wanted to freeze her butt off then so be it. Yet, as the limo pulled away, he felt like the biggest cad in New York.
Chapter Four
Karen loved this time of day. Six in the morning on a blustery day didn’t beckon too many people out of bed very easily. The office was quiet, not a soul in sight. She could do whatever she liked, and today she wanted two hours to pore over the shots from last year. As she walked down the long hallway, she turned on all the lights, flicked on the radio, and grabbed the photo book from behind Natasha’s assistant’s desk. One of her co-workers had a daylight lamp to help with mood disorders, and that was where she sat as she studied the previous year’s designs.
Clutches, jumpsuits, ponchos, mixed prints, capes, overalls, bomber jackets, crop tops, and denim were the hottest trends of the year before. The one that caught her eye and kept her coming back for a second and third look was the tuxedo. The straight lines and slim design took masculine attire and feminized it beautifully. Single lapels with shimmer and open-collared shirts showcased dazzling necklaces. Three-inch heels and bejeweled clutches completed the look. One word summed up these creations: stunning.
There was something timeless about the tuxedo—whether on a man or a woman, it never went out of style. Karen sensed the beginnings of her excitement when the butterflies in her stomach started to flutter non-stop and she couldn’t sit still. Rummaging through her co-worker’s desk, she found a pad of paper and a pencil and set to sketching what her brain had conjured so clearly.
The ding of the elevator bell startled her from her concentration. Dammit! She didn’t want anyone to see her there. She tore off the piece of paper she’d been sketching on and stuffed it in her pocket. She tucked the pad and pencil back in the drawer and then turned off the lamp, grabbed the photo book, and made her way to the back of the room where the kitchen was located. The office was coming alive with voices. There was no way she was going to get the photo book back to its proper place without anyone seeing her.
“Karen?”
Pulse roaring in her ears, Karen turned around to find Stacey looking at her. Shit.
“You scared me to death. What is it?”
“Ms. Vale is looking for you.”
“Okay, thanks. I’d better go. Don’t want to keep her waiting, right?” Her gaze darted from Stacey to the door and back. Sweat formed on her upper lip as she tucked the photo book under her arm. She almost escaped out the door when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“What is that?” Stacey nudged her chin at the book. “Looks like last year’s photo book.”
“This?” Karen mocked surprise as she held the album close to her chest.
Stacey pried the photo book from Karen’s tight grasp and yanked it away. “This is last year’s photo book,” she squealed. “Why do you have it?”
“Well, I…you see…”
“You stole it from my book case.” Her pointed finger was only an inch from Karen’s nose. “My area is off-limits. How dare you!”
“I didn’t know it was off-limits. Stacey, wait!”
Stacey took off at a run down the hall and made a beeline for Ms. Vale’s office. Tackling Stacey to the ground made a delightful image, but that was all—when she burst into Ms. Vale’s office without knocking, Karen knew she’d get punished.
As will I, she noted as she followed Stacey in.
“Stacey. What is the meaning of this?”
Stacey stammered as Ms. Vale marched up to her. Karen came to a grinding halt when she noticed Leo standing at the desk with photos in his hands. Their eyes met, and a zap of anxiety rushed down to her toes. Was he already showing the boss photos from yesterday’s shoot? For some reason, she had thought they’d show Ms. Vale together, instead of her being beckoned by the assistant.
“Ms. Vale, Karen stole last year’s photo book from my bookshelf, and I know you told me no one can touch anything on those shelves unless they ask you, so I came to tell you right away. I’m sorry for interrupting. Can I get you a coffee?”
Karen watched in awe as Stacey, without taking a breath during her verbal rampage, waved her arms like a magician about to do the world’s best trick.
Ms. Vale turned her full attention on Karen now. “Is this true?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Karen had to strain to hear.
“I didn’t know that shelf was off-limits.”
Ms. Vale walked back to her desk and picked up the photos Leo had put down. “All the rules were outlined for you the day you were hired.”
Karen sighed in frustration. “I’m sure they were, but—”
“You are expected to obey all the rules here at Vale Designs as everyone else does. I do not tolerate my rules being broken.” She flipped through the pictures at lightning speed, which snapped the last bit of patience Karen had left.
“How are you seeing anything when you go that fast?” Karen blurted out. Stacey gasped then covered her mouth. Leo gave her a weary glance and shook his head as if telling her she was in for it now.
Ms. Vale tossed the photos down with such force they flew across the desk and landed on the floor.
“Now you’re telling me how to do my job?”
“Of course not. I asked a question—”
Ms. Vale l
aunched into her once-a-week passionate speech about her career, how she’d had to scrape and claw to get where she was and rules were in place for a reason. Karen tuned out and kept her attention focused on Leo. He really was a piece of work, standing there not caring about what was going on. It was obvious how much he valued his weeklong job over their friendship. Was she the only one who was paying attention to the spark that ignited when they were alone? Maybe she was repeating the past in thinking there was more between them than there actually was.
“Earth to Kara. Did you hear a word I said?”
“It’s Karen.”
Well, at least that hadn’t come from her mouth this time. Karen looked at Leo and then Ms. Vale, who stopped her rant. Look out, Leo, she’s about to chop your head off.
“Yes, of course. Really, you should think about changing your name. It’s so plain I can never remember it.”
Knife plunge in the chest and twist. Ouch.
“Ms. Vale?”
“What is it, Stacey?”
Stacey picked up a piece of paper off the floor and handed it to Ms. Vale. It was Karen’s sketch. It must have fallen out of my pocket.
Natasha examined the wrinkled piece of paper for a very long time. When her gaze finally left the paper and met Karen’s, it was full of loathing.
“Is this yours?”
She knew if she were smart she’d deny it.
“Yes.”
“Is this your idea of a joke?” Natasha folded the paper carefully and tossed it onto her desk.
“Excuse me?” Karen’s stomach was in knots and nausea rose up her throat. Ms. Vale was going to take her sketch. She wrung her hands to keep from reaching out and snatching the piece of paper off the desk.
“You sketched a copy of a design from last year? What were you hoping to achieve? You are so out of touch, it’s laughable.”
Heat flooded Karen’s cheeks and spread to her neck. Was this happening in front of her ex-lover and the gossipiest woman she’d ever met?
“I knew you were washed up from the moment I met you.”
Karen saw red. “How dare you?” she spat, and she charged at Natasha.
Leo stepped between them and put his hands on her shoulders. “Karen.”
She looked into his eyes and saw concern, and maybe a lingering fear. For her or him, she couldn’t tell. Her eyes grew large and wet, her tell-tale sign of a big cry, and Leo knew it. He spun her around and walked her to the door.
“Karen is going to get you a coffee,” he called out, and he closed the door behind them.
Dammit! Dammit! Karen’s mind screamed as Leo escorted her to the washroom. “What are you doing?” her voice squeaked in surprise as he followed her inside.
“You know the drill.” His voice rumbled low and sexy, and her heart skipped a beat.
“Anyone in here?” she called out as she opened the three stall doors. Empty. “Coast is clear.”
“Good.”
Karen faced the mirror and gasped. Her face was as white as a sheet, her hair looked washed out, and her eyes looked too big for her face. Zombie, anyone?
“You okay?” She watched in the mirror as Leo approached her from behind. Standing like that together brought up past moments of wishful thinking about a happily-ever-after. The kind you had after a night of passionate lovemaking—sorry, sex, she reminded herself. No one left after lovemaking and never talked to you again. She shook her head to rid herself of those negative and unwanted thoughts. She had enough on her plate already without rehashing the past.
“Can you believe what she did in there? What she said?”
Leo met her gaze in the mirror, and then turned her around to face him. “Yes, I can believe it. And so can you.”
“I—”
“After three months, you should’ve figured out how Natasha works.”
“Well, yes, but—”
“She is a nasty little witch.”
“Leo,” she chastised, and she checked to make sure no one had walked in on them.
“And she has an ego as big as the city she lives in.” Karen couldn’t help but giggle. “But, she’s one of the best because of it.”
“Whose side are you on?” she mumbled.
Leo stepped back and ran his hands through his hair, making it messy. No matter what he did, he always turned out gorgeous. Karen gave her head a shake.
“I’m here to do a job. One week and that’s it. Then I’m outta here.”
“Right.” The deep hollowness in her stomach grew as she realized how artificial the connection between them these last couple of days had been. “Speaking of jobs, how did you get this one? I have a very hard time picturing you sitting down to create a resumé and taking the time to apply for a job across the pond in the middle of winter when you could be sunbathing by your pool in Tuscany.”
“I do have other talents besides sunbathing.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Natasha called me.”
They had been lovers, she realized. Probably were still. Why else would Natasha have his number? And when had this hollowness spread to her heart?
“You hang in the same circles then.” Her voice hitched with emotion. Why did she even care? A few more days and he’d be gone.
“Used to—a long time ago.”
She knew it. Wait… “What?”
“We were friends in high school senior year, but when my parents divorced, we moved away. Kept in touch, of course, but didn’t really hang out anymore unless she had something to celebrate or launch.”
Old friends? She wanted to believe him. “And your photography?”
“Passion of mine forever. It’s more of a hobby than a career. Nat wanted amateur eyes not used to the fashion scene. She wanted a fresh perspective on this year’s lines.”
“Smart.” Karen didn’t know what else to say. Her sadness dissipated like steam off water.
“She is that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”
“You didn’t ask.”
Karen closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. Didn’t help.
“You’re still an insensitive, shallow jerk who thinks only of himself.”
“Karen—”
“Here I thought I had a friend, an ally to make this internship more tolerable.”
“You do.”
“I don’t. I’m alone…as always.” She pushed him aside and walked out of the bathroom and to the elevator. It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed that she succumbed to the anger building up inside her and punched the wall.
»»•««
Leo had barely stepped inside his penthouse when his cell phone rang. He put the phone to his ear.
“You didn’t have to call and check on me, Mom.” She was waking up, and he was getting ready for bed. Love that time difference.
“Hi to you too.”
First his brother and now his mom. He had to make more of an effort to say hello first when he answered their calls.
“Hi, Mom. How are you today?”
“Fine, darling, just fine. You?” His exhausted sigh apparently put his mom on high alert. “You are partying too much with those models and not getting enough sleep and exercise.”
“I’ve been to one party since I’ve been here, and I’m in the weight room and pool every day.” Sleep had been lacking, but she didn’t need to know that. His mind refused to stop thinking about Karen. Even in his dreams he saw her naked body writhing beneath him that night in his dorm room. She’d been such a good friend to him in the short time he’d known her, it had made the act of sex with her mean something.
“You’ve talked to Luke?”
“Yeah. He mentioned you wanted me to check out a winery outside of town?”
“It would be lovely if you could. Since you’re already there.”
“Can you give me more details? Like location.”
“It’s an adorable little cottage about two hours north of the city. It’s small but quite popula
r. The owners are looking to retire.”
“Almost sounds too good to be true.”
“Your father said the same thing. That’s why I want you to go in person and see.”
“I know nothing about wineries, Mom. I’ve purposely avoided learning anything about them.”
His mother laughed, and it sounded so good. He missed her.
“Wineries are in your blood, Leopold. There is no escaping it. You’ve breathed and absorbed their essence right from birth.”
“That’s not possible, Mom.”
“Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.”
“I don’t want—”
“Don’t want it for yourself then. Want it for me.”
The silence that followed didn’t feel awkward or pressured like it often had in the past. He could do this for her. He was so close anyway, and Luke and his dad had other commitments.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Are you sure? If you can’t, I understand. You are a busy man.”
“Mom, I said I’d do it.”
“Thank you, darling.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll send you an email with all the specs.”
“Okay.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
The call ended, and he placed his phone on the table with his wallet. He was doing a good thing. He didn’t have to commit past this one favor. He’d be able to return to his drag racing, parties, and women. It was what he wanted. It was what he was good at.
He made his way to the floor-to-ceiling windows that boasted a spectacular view of Times Square. No traffic or pedestrian sounds could bother him up here. The street lights below glittered like stars, but he didn’t even notice, his mind on his mother’s tone. She’d placated him. They all did. Luke not so much, but he still recognized it for what it was. His family didn’t take him seriously, and it didn’t bother him in the least. Or it hadn’t until now.
Emily’s death had changed the family. It separated his parents, and Luke had to grow up fast to help run the family business. As for Leo, he’d run. His need for adrenaline had gone from a hobby to a passion. He’d do anything he could to feel alive, to have the exhilaration of his heart pumping so fast he might burst. To simply feel and fill the void in his center that had belonged to his sister.