“How did you get Logan to actually cop to being a Jordan and working on this line?”
“All it took was a change at the top. I always thought my father and Logan could’ve made magic together. For whatever reason, Simon didn’t agree.”
“The way that guy has blown up, Simon has to be kicking himself for rejecting that idea.”
“Let’s not talk about that. We have work to do.”
For the next four hours, Erik and his crew created new foundation and lipstick mixes. When one of the newer chemists showed him a bright red lipstick color formula, he had an amazing idea.
“Guys, we’re going to introduce a new line of red lipstick and we’re bringing the Yvonne red back.” He pointed to the formula that the new chemist had showed him. “And I know just what we’re going to call this color.”
* * *
Sylvie stood at the entrance to the executive suites and smiled. The work she and her crew had done was pretty amazing. The deep purples and reds that lined the walls gave the area a royal feel. It made sense to her that it should feel like a kingdom because she noticed that these folks spent a lot of time at work. She could understand putting in long hours, Lord knows she’d done it a lot herself in the last few months. Her mind went where she wished it wouldn’t. Amanda. Her pregnancy. Sylvie inhaled deeply as she placed her hand on her midsection. Knowing that it was unlikely she’d ever have a baby filling her womb, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She didn’t equate womanhood with becoming a mother, but she wanted a family and had thought that Stephen was going to be the man who gave her that. Now, he was going to have that with another woman. Not just anyone, but the woman who tried to bring down everything that Sylvie worked for.
“Hey, boss,” one of her workers asked as he touched her shoulder. “You all right?”
She turned around and smiled at her. “I’m good and I’m loving this look. Thank you for suggesting the purple.”
She nodded. “Well, I know you like bold colors. It turned out really well.”
“Better than well. It’s exquisite. I think we’re done for the day.”
“Sylvie, I have to say, working with you has been a lot better than working with Amanda ever was. It was always her way or the highway.”
Sylvie threw up her hand. “We don’t have to cross that road ever again. And if all of your ideas are this brilliant, we’re going to be doing a lot more collaborations. I hope Erik likes it as much as I do.”
A few moments later, Sylvie was packing up her tools and ready to leave for the evening. She couldn’t help but think about going to Erik’s place again. She made herself think it was simply a business thing. But this man had gotten under her skin and she knew if he asked, she’d stay the night. And she’d get naked again.
What in the hell am I doing? she thought as she rubbed her hand across her face. Heading to her car, Sylvie pulled her cell phone from her pocket and called Olivia.
“Hello?” her friend said when she answered the phone.
“You sound stressed, is everything all right?”
Olivia sighed. “No. I really want to punch Logan in the face right now. I’m fielding so many questions about his ties to the Jordan family. Ugh. I know this is my job, but who knew people would be so interested in this?”
“I’ve been working, so I haven’t seen any of the news. I know they had a press conference here at the headquarters.”
“And it looked amazing. You did the shiggidy on that lobby. Sylvie, you do realize this is going to launch you into the atmosphere with the elite designers.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears. You want to meet for coffee? I really need to talk to you about something.”
“Is it Erik?” Olivia laughed.
“No,” Sylvie said. Her voice took a serious tone. “I just need to talk, if you aren’t too busy.”
“Is your mom okay?”
“She’s fine. I just really need to talk, but I’m not trying to interrupt whatever you have going on right now.”
“This sounds serious. Like, Dancing Goats serious.”
“Then let’s meet at the Ponce de Leon location in twenty minutes.”
“See you there.”
Sylvie ended the call and headed for her car. Then she realized that she’d ridden to the office in the truck, and her car was at her house. Just as she was about to pull out her phone and order an Uber, she noticed Erik walking in the hallway. There was something sexy about him in that white lab coat. And that walk. The grace of a jungle cat and the swagger of a man who knows how to make a woman scream. “Hey, Sylvie,” he said when he noticed her watching him.
“Oh, hi.”
“You’re done for the day?”
“Yeah. Clearly I didn’t plan this well. I rode on the truck with the furniture and now I’m stuck here. Thank goodness for ride sharing.”
“You headed home?”
She shook her head as she gave him a sly once-over. “Olivia and I are meeting for coffee.”
“I’m about to head out, you want a ride?”
She inhaled sharply because the kind of ride she wanted had nothing to do with his car. Then again, the last time she’d been in his car she’d gotten one hell of a trip. “You don’t have to. I’m sure you have other things to do.”
“Yeah, and what’s your point? Besides, I can’t have you missing when you have me excited about what you’re going to do to my house.” He leaned into her. “And my body.” Erik took her hand in his and placed it on his chest.
“How presumptuous you are.” Her voice was nearly a moan because he had already done something to her body. She was soaking wet and glad she was wearing jeans.
“But am I wrong?”
She licked her bottom lip. “Maybe.”
“So, do you need a ride?”
“I do. I’m supposed to meet her at the coffee shop on Ponce de Leon.”
“Dancing Goats, huh?”
Sylvie nodded. “Almost as good as that magical Kona that you have at your place.”
“And you’re welcome to another cup in the morning.” Erik winked at her as he took his lab coat off. “I need to grab something out of my office and then I’ll be ready.”
“Mind if I come in with you? I want to look at the layout again. I think I want to do something different than what I’d originally planned.”
He held his hand out to her. “Let’s go, beautiful.”
She took his hand and smiled. “So, what’s up with the lab coat? Don’t tell me the CEO is still mixing chemicals.”
“Yes, I am. I love that part of the job. This CEO shit isn’t my true wheelhouse. Besides, I came up with something today that is going to be next level.”
“Ooh, you’re willing to share?”
Erik opened the door to his office and shook his head. “Nope.”
“I sure hope y’all didn’t come in here to do something strange,” Logan said.
“Why are you still in here?” Erik snapped as Sylvie crossed over to his desk.
Logan rose from the chaise in the corner and smiled. “Good to see you, Sylvie. Make sure my brother doesn’t stand me up for dinner.”
She glanced from Erik to Logan. “What am I missing here?”
“My brother is being annoying. I said I’d be there and I will be. But Sylvie and I have some work to do right now.”
Logan sat back down, picked up his sketchbook and held it up. “I’m working too. But if y’all need some privacy . . .”
“Get out of my office,” Erik barked.
Logan chuckled under his breath as he packed up his charcoal pencil set. “If you’re late, I’ll give Mom my story as to why.”
“I can still kick your ass!”
“That’s what you think, but we all know better. Sylvie, see you later. And please tell Liv that I want whole beans. I know she’s going to buy some coffee.”
“You mean to tell me that Erik doesn’t share his—”
Erik brought his finger to Sylvie’s lips. “
If you ever want another cup, you’re going to have to keep that information to yourself.”
She kissed the pad of his finger. “Will do.”
Logan shook his head and left the office. Once they were alone, Erik pulled Sylvie into his arms. “Now that we’re alone, let me do what I wanted to do when you walked in here.” He captured her lips in a gentle kiss. But when his tongue brushed across her bottom lip, Sylvie’s knees went weak.
His kisses were lethal, and the look on his face when he broke their embrace told her that he knew it as well.
“So, umm, did you get what you needed?” Sylvie asked.
“Sure did. I’m ready if you are.”
She nodded. “Ready to go.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t drive your Jag today. That car looks like it was specially made for you.”
Sylvie smiled wistfully. “I need to put the old girl in the shop. People keep telling me I should get rid of my Jag, but I’m not going to.”
“It’s a beautiful car. You shouldn’t.”
“And it was my dad’s, so I’m going to ride her until the wheels fall off. And then I’ll put new wheels on her.”
Erik took her hand in his as they walked out of the office. “A true daddy’s girl, huh?”
She raised her right eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. If anything, I’m a little envious. You see what my relationship with my parents is like.” He ran his thumb across the back of her hand. “I have a friend who specializes in classic cars. Maybe he can help you with the upkeep of your Jag.”
Sylvie stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. “Are you really this nice?”
“Come on, what kind of question is that?”
Sylvie’s mind filled with the image of Stephen and the argument they had every time she took her car in to get a part replaced or when she’d drive hours away from her home to find a part for her car from some junkyard.
“You’re spending more money on that hunk of junk. Why don’t you get a new car? That Jaguar belongs in a scrap yard,” Stephen said as they walked down the overcrowded aisle of Pull-Your-Part.
“I didn’t ask you to come.”
“I was hoping you’d head to a dealership and get a real car. Why are you holding on to it? You’re not going to bring your dad back.”
Sylvie stopped in her tracks. “Stephen, I swear to God . . . Why does it matter to you if I want to drive my father’s car? I’ve always loved this car and if I have—”
“I worry about you, Sylvie. You do a lot of traveling and I don’t want that hunk—car to leave you stranded and I can’t get to you.”
Her anger melted away for a moment. “That’s sweet. But I’m still not getting rid of my car.”
“Fine. But I’m not traveling all over the Southeast looking for parts with you anymore.”
Erik’s hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. Why was Sylvie feeling some kind of way about Stephen having a baby when he hadn’t given a damn about her feelings when they were supposed to be in love? He never cared about her and it was clear as day right now.
But she was not falling in love with Erik. No. Way.
“To answer your question, I’m nicer than you think. But when I’m pushed, I will push back.”
“Gangster CEO. Duly noted,” she quipped.
“And I’m fiercely protective of what I love.”
Sylvie raised her right eyebrow, but didn’t say a word. This whole love thing was just a fantasy she was building up in her head. And that was dangerous. Besides, he loved his company and his family. She wasn’t dumb enough to believe that some hot sex had made this man fall in love with her.
Chapter 14
Clearly Sylvie was some kind of magical being. What in the hell did he just say? He wasn’t a guy to throw the L-word around and he wasn’t trying to lock Sylvie down like Olivia had done with Logan. That’s it! He’d been spending too much time with his brother and these stupid ideas of falling in love with the most intriguing woman he’d ever met. Without even thinking, he took her hand in his as they headed out the door.
“So, how did you and Olivia meet?” Erik asked as they made it to his car. He couldn’t help but remember the last time they’d gotten into his car. Stealing a look at her thighs when she slid into passenger seat, Erik remembered those fishnets.
“What’s that look?”
Erik raised his head and smiled. “Admiring some very nice thighs.”
“If anyone else said that, I’d probably punch them. Consider yourself lucky.” She reached for his hand as he sat down and placed it on the center of her thigh.
“I’m a very lucky man.” Erik leaned over and kissed her slow and deep. Her mouth was sweeter than honey and he was unapologetically addicted. Sylvie’s moan made his body tingle. Made his dick hard and his need for her grow like a wildfire.
She pulled back from him and stroked his cheek. “We’d better get out of here before I allow you take these pants off and cause a scandal in your parking lot.”
“And I’m not going to say no.” Turning back to the steering wheel, Erik started the car and headed for the coffee shop. As he drove, Sylvie played with the radio until she stopped on a ’90s station that was playing a sexy Jodeci song.
“Oh my goodness. This used to be my jam!” She started dancing in her seat and it was all Erik could do to keep his eyes on the road.
“Bet you had a crush on DeVante Swing, like every other sister did back in the day.”
Sylvie shook her head. “I was a Mr. Dalvin girl, to be honest. But secretly, I would’ve gone out with JoJo.”
“That’s kind of gross. Glad your taste has evolved.”
“Excuse me?” She gave him a slow glance. “If I squint, you remind me of JoJo.”
“If I were less of a gentleman, I’d stop this car and let you walk.”
She shrugged. “That’s fine, I mean, the coffee shop is right there.”
Erik pulled into the parking lot and shut the car off. “You know I’m the sexiest man you’ve ever seen.”
Sylvie leaned into him. “You’re right. JoJo has nothing on you.”
“But if you promise to do those moves tonight, I’ll play Jodeci’s greatest hits until the battery in my phone dies.”
“Don’t you have to go eat with your mama?”
“I’ll get there, but first . . .” He captured her lips again, hot and wet. Erik wanted to devour every inch of her lips. Wanted to feast on her until he’d gotten over his Sylvie addiction. But he was convinced that wasn’t going to happen.
She placed her hand on his chest and broke the kiss. “We’d better stop.”
“For now. I’ll call you after dinner and we can go over your design ideas, then get naked.”
“You don’t care about my ideas, you just want me in your bed.”
“That’s only half true. I really do care about your ideas.” Erik winked at her as she opened the door.
“And I’m going to go over my plans in extreme detail. See you later.” She climbed out of the car and he watched her hips sway as she walked into the coffee shop. Pure magic.
It wasn’t until a horn blew that he realized he’d been blocking the driveway. Moving out of the impatient driver’s way, Erik knew if he didn’t start for his parents’ house, he wouldn’t go.
What did his mother want, after going silent for so long? She’d been on Simon’s side and turned her back on him, and now she wanted to have dinner with him and Logan.
“She wasn’t thinking about us when she went on that damned talk show,” he muttered as he merged onto Interstate 285.
When Erik pulled up to the Jordan estate, he looked up at the colonial house and smiled. At least he had happy childhood memories that were full of light, and he could always recall them instead of the bullshit that was going on now. He pulled into the seven-car garage and thought about how he and his father would sit out there tinkering with cars. Simon used to offer him manly advice, told him to follow
his dreams. It helped a lot that Erik’s dreams had a lot to do with being a part of Jordan Industries, unlike Logan.
It seemed as if the moment Logan picked up a crayon and started drawing, Simon lost interest in his younger son. But Yvonne had been Logan’s rock for a long time. At least until he’d gained fame, and then she’d started acting like her husband. Aloof and distant.
Erik tried to pretend that he wasn’t bothered by the way his parents had treated Logan. But he knew it hurt his little brother. That’s why he made every effort to keep their relationship as close as possible.
As he exited the car, his cell phone rang. “Yeah?”
“You better be on your way to Mom’s,” Logan said.
“I’m in the garage.”
“With or without Sylvie? I was just about to tell Ma all about her, but since you’re here I’ll let you do it.”
Erik ended the call and shook his head. He wasn’t telling anyone a word about Sylvie. How could he explain something he didn’t even understand?
When he walked inside the house, Erik started for the dining room, but he heard his mother call his name.
“We’re eating in the kitchen. Like the old days.”
He turned around and gave his mom a long look. At least her smile was real, unlike when she was on TV that morning. She looked relaxed in her capris and tunic. “Been in the garden?”
She nodded. “My roses are looking amazing. And from the hints Logan kept dropping, I might need to cut you a few for your new lady.”
“Don’t start that.”
“Well, I’m not going to be upset if both of my sons want to settle down. That just gets me closer to grandma status.”
Erik sighed, unable to allow the elephant in the room to keep wandering around. “And when would you see these grandchildren, since Dad wants nothing to do with us and you seem to be falling right in line with his nonsense?”
Yvonne dropped her head. “I guess I deserved that. But I was hoping we could get through dinner before you called me on the carpet.”
“How can I, Mother? You sat there this morning looking as if you were agreeing with your husband’s lies about your son. How am I supposed to feel about any of this? We got through the holidays without a word from you and tonight you want to have a family dinner?”
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