Even the way he ate was sexy. He ate slowly, chewing each bite as if he were taking his time and savoring every morsel. And when he spoke, the low rumble of his voice made her want to lean in closer. From the time she sat down across from him at lunch, heat settled in her midsection and didn’t move. It remained there throughout the entire meal while they talked and laughed, and he flirted.
“See you later, friend.” His voice had dipped lower.
“Later.” Roselle walked away, wondering if she’d made a mistake agreeing to have lunch with him again.
She had to be careful. Stephan was smooth and charming, and that was a problem. He was like a spider, and before long she might get caught in his web, hopelessly entangled. She shuddered at the thought of what he’d do to her when that happened.
She looked back. He was still standing there. Watching her.
His eyes traveled slowly down her body and left her skin tingling all over. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“You, too,” Roselle said, voice barely audible.
She turned right and hurried through the reception area.
That last look he sent in her direction was not filled with lazy amusement. The heat in his eyes said it all.
He was imagining her naked.
Chapter 6
Strolling through the open door of his sister Ella’s office, Stephan placed a spoonful of the yogurt parfait he was eating as an afternoon snack into his mouth.
He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Roselle since they had lunch together the week before. He was inexplicably drawn to her but was unable to articulate exactly why. He only knew he had to have her, and after that lunch, he wanted her even more.
Ella stood behind her desk, looking like a younger version of their mother in a sharp royal blue pantsuit, hair pinned back in a bun, and her dark skin perfectly made up. She looked confident and self-assured, having come a long way since divorcing that loser none of the family thought was good enough for her.
With one hand on her hip, she looked over the shoulder of their younger brother Reese, who was working on her laptop.
Like him, Reese had inherited their father’s complexion but was leaner than Stephan.
“Are you sure you can fix it?” Ella asked in an impatient voice.
“Of course. I can’t believe you doubt me,” Reese replied, fingers making a tapping noise as they flew across the keyboard.
Reese had always been technically inclined. He used to build radios from parts, and at eleven, won a science fair when he built his first computer.
Stephan dropped into the chair in front of Ella’s sturdy pine desk. The rest of her office incorporated bright pieces from the company’s furniture collection.
“What’s wrong with your laptop?”
His sister sighed. “I keep getting popups, and the computer constantly freezes. I took it home to get some work done, and I stepped out of my office for two seconds. When I came back, the girls were playing on it.”
Reese tapped a button. Finished, he looked up at Ella. “They probably downloaded some malware. Don’t worry, this program will clean it up. Next time, keep Hannah and Sophia away from the computer.”
“I didn’t encourage them to play with it, Reese. When you have kids, you’ll understand how difficult it is to watch them twenty-four hours a day. They get into everything within seconds.”
“He’s not having kids, remember?” Stephan said, spooning yogurt, fruit, and granola into his mouth.
Ella frowned at Stephan. “What are you doing on this floor?”
Stephan set the empty yogurt cup and spoon on the edge of her desk. “I need you to increase the snack budget for the rest of the building. You guys have better snacks up here.”
On the executive floor, they had choices like hummus and pita chips and yogurt parfaits. He’d also learned they had a smoothie day, during which an outside company set up in the break room and made smoothies to order.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Is that why you came into my office?”
“No, I came to ask you about my work buddy, Roselle.”
Two sets of eyes looked at him.
“Stay away from her. Mother likes her,” Ella said.
“I like her, too.”
His sister arched a brow and Reese shook his head, followed by a little chuckle.
“This isn’t a hunting ground. It’s a place of business,” Ella said.
“Obviously I won’t get any help from you.”
“She’s nice, Stephan.”
That much he’d already deduced. He sensed the sassy talk was a front, though he liked the idea of her switching up and not taking crap from anybody, including him. But he needed to go slower with her. Prolonging the wait would only make their coming together sweeter.
“I’m not the boogeyman, Ella. Honestly, when you talk like that, it makes me think you don’t love me.”
“When you talk like that, it makes me think you don’t take this job seriously.”
“Why are you such a hard ass?” he asked, annoyed.
“Did you think because you’re my brother I’d take it easy on you?”
“You know you’re slowly turning into her,” Stephan said, referring to their mother.
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“You know what your problem is?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me,” he said with a weary sigh.
“You’re spoiled,” she said.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
“Kids, kids, stop fighting,” Reese said.
“You be quiet. You’re exactly like me, but you’re sneaky with your dirt.”
“I would very much like to be excluded from this conversation,” Reese said.
Stephan rolled his shoulders to release the tension. “Never mind about Roselle. I’ll find out about her on my own. Next question. Why did SJ Brands stop expansion into Brazil?”
Ella shrugged. “Mother had someone working on that market, but Marcus, the VP of business development, fired him because he was doing a terrible job. It was right before I left to become a stay-at-home mom. He was never replaced, that I know of. Why?”
“It’s a huge market. The largest single market in South America, but our penetration is shallow. We should have a greater presence there, like we do in Argentina, for example.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“I have some ideas.”
“Stephan, I know you just started, but you have to do better than ideas. You need to do research and come up with a plan and show how it can be implemented before we spend money trying to penetrate that market. You should make that your project. Think of how proud Mother would be, and then you’d be back in her good graces.” She flashed a grin.
“I like the way you think.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Now, I need to talk to someone who’s aware of trends and can help me with market research. Who has that kind of knowledge?” He tapped his chin. “I know! I’ll reach out to Roselle, one of the fashion directors.” He smirked and stood.
“Behave, Stephan,” Ella warned.
Backing out of her office, he chuckled. “When have I ever?”
Walking through the reception area on the side of the floor where the creatives worked, Stephan ignored the way the admins looked at him. He was used to women ogling him and talking about his good looks. He used to like it and certainly took advantage. But the compliments got old, and he began to realize that’s all they saw—his looks. To them, he was a blank slate. A man without substance.
Maybe they were right. What had he actually done in his life? Even working here was a joke. Although Stephan had an idea for the Brazil market, as his sister so bluntly pointed out, he needed more than an idea. He didn’t know how far he wanted to go with this, but he’d look into it. That’s where Roselle came in.
A smile spread across his lips as he approached her door. She was knowledgeable and could point him in the right directi
on for this project. And maybe, just maybe, he’d get back on his mother’s good side and leave this position sooner rather than later.
He knocked on Roselle’s door.
“Come in,” she called.
From out in the hallway, her voice gave him chills. He almost forgot the reason he’d come by. If he didn’t have her soon, he might lose his mind.
He walked in, and when she saw him, she popped up from a crouching position beside her desk, holding a magazine in her hand.
With a quick scan, he assessed the office. Damn, it was crowded in here.
“You have a lot of stuff,” he said.
“I know it’s messy, but people hardly ever come by to talk, and when I want to conduct meetings, I have them in the conference room or meet with the designers one floor below.” With an embarrassed grimace, she cast her gaze around the room.
Personally, he didn’t like clutter, but his comment was simply an observation. To put her mind at ease, he said, “The mess doesn’t bother me. I bet you know where everything is.”
“I do. Most of the time,” Roselle replied. She placed the magazine on the desk. “How can I help you?”
Today she wore a simple wine-colored cap-sleeved blouse, and her legs were shown off to advantage by a knee-length, loose-fitting skirt with a ruffled hemline. His gaze lingered on her bare legs. How was it possible to have sexy ankles?
He bit his bottom lip and let his gaze travel slowly up her slender body. He could get up under that skirt with ease. One of the best parts of making love to a woman was exploring her body, and he wanted to explore hers—find every mole and drag his tongue along her feminine curves.
With difficulty, Stephan refocused and told her why he’d stopped by.
“Have you talked to Marcus?” she asked.
“Not yet. I need to do some leg work first,” he admitted.
Marcus clearly didn’t expect much, didn’t offer any encouragement, and barely gave him work to do. It was obvious he considered supervising Stephan as more of a babysitting gig.
“What do you want to know?”
Roselle took a seat, and Stephan did, too. For the next twenty minutes, she answered his questions. She explained how Chinese imports dominated the Brazilian market, though she believed there was a place for SJ Brands there. She recited facts and figures and explained notable trends. When they were finished, he was in awe.
“How do you keep all of that information in your brain?”
“When you love what you do, it’s easy. And, of course, having someone like your mother as a mentor makes it easier. She’s tough but fair and has a wealth of knowledge in her head. The staff doesn’t take advantage of her industry knowledge enough. She has an answer for anything I ask. It’s amazing.”
What he initially thought might be a performance that first day obviously was not. She really did admire his mother.
“I have to admit, I’m a bit surprised you like her so much. You two are nothing alike. My mother’s a shark,” he said with amusement.
“More of a tiger, I’d say. No one can mess with her, but it’s obvious how much she loves you—loves all her children. The way a mother should. Not all mothers are good. Be grateful for the one you have.”
She whispered the last part in an odd-toned voice. As if she’d shared too much, her gaze to the left so that he no longer saw her eyes, but he didn’t miss the tension in her neck.
That made him wonder, did she not have that type of care and protection with her own family? Which, now that he thought about it, was something he took for granted. It was comforting and reassuring to know he would be taken care of and protected at all costs by a mother who was, as she pointed out, a tiger.
Roselle cleared her throat and stood. “I have a few books and magazines you might want to check out.”
She stepped over the pile of magazines beside her desk and walked by him. Stephan followed to an overstuffed bookcase.
“So, you never mentioned if you have a boyfriend,” Stephan said casually. His gaze lowered to the way the loose-fitting skirt draped over her hips and pert little bottom.
Roselle glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring. He didn’t care if she saw him checking her out. He wanted her to know.
She quickly turned around and studied the books and periodicals stuffed onto the shelves. “Why is that important?”
He let his voice drop an octave, the way women liked. “Just curious. I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Have you ever had a girlfriend?” She removed a book and handed it back to him.
“I have. Been a while, though.”
The truth was, monogamy held little appeal when it was so easy to get women. It was actually too easy, and over time, he’d become bored and just plain tired.
But who was he going to tell he was tired of running across the same types willing to do any and everything for a night with him? Who was he going to tell he was tired of getting his dick sucked, just by asking? Hell, practically all he had to do was snap his fingers.
When you got tired, you did dumb shit to add excitement and up the ante. One woman wasn’t enough, you needed two. Or maybe he slept with three instead of two. The whole thing became a game. Why not four, while he was at it? And they’d let him.
Add the inhibition-lowering effects of alcohol, and nothing was off limits. Nothing was out of bounds. Because he was bored.
“How about you? How long has it been since you’ve had a serious boyfriend?” Stephan asked.
“It’s been a while for me, too.”
“Look at that, it’s been a while since we’ve both been in a relationship, and we’re both currently single.”
“And we’re both friends. Maybe we can set each other up.”
She was teasing him, but the suggestion that he set her up aggravated the hell out of him. “I don’t know any men who are right for you, and I’m not interested in anyone you’d introduce me to.”
“You don’t know that.” She stretched onto her toes, reaching for another book.
His gaze traveled over her figure. She looked light enough to lift against the wall with ease. “I know because I’m only interested in you,” he said.
Enough of going slow. Being close to her made him want her more. The scent of her perfume filled his nostrils. It wasn’t flowery or musky—more of a natural fragrance like almonds. And he was already semi-erect thinking about them naked and her legs in the air while he screwed her on top of every book and magazine on her desk.
Roselle slowly turned to face him, holding two thick catalogs against her chest.
“We work together.”
“So what?”
“That’s an issue.”
“Not for me.”
“You’re the boss’s son. Not to mention, you’re not my type.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes.” She stared defiantly into his eyes.
“Strange, because I see the way you look at me, and I’m pretty sure you want me. I’ve had years of practice reading the signs from women.”
“Give it up, Stephan. I’m not interested.” She thrust the catalogs at him, and he took them.
He paused for a minute. “So you say. Thanks for the books, friend.”
With a grin, he left her office.
Chapter 7
Well after the close of business, Stephan strolled into his mother’s office, expecting her to be alone if she was in there. Instead, Roselle sat before her desk, and his mother slammed the desk phone into its cradle.
“Well, that’s that,” she said in a tight voice.
“What’s wrong?” Stephan asked.
Roselle twisted around to look at him.
“Jacob was supposed to go on the Paris trip with Roselle tomorrow but he no longer can. I absolutely want someone from business development to accompany her. Jacob had a death in his family, and I can’t reach anyone else on the team. Not even Marcus. Why isn’t anyone answering their phone!”
“Marcus can
’t go, anyway. He’s going to that event in Las Vegas.”
“Is there anyone left in your department?”
“Last person left about thirty minutes ago.” He’d been in his office, pouring over the books Roselle had loaned him last week. He’d come up here to this floor to get a snack, and decided to see if his mother was in and say hi.
“Who else can go on such short notice? Her flight leaves tomorrow.” Sylvie sighed and pressed a hand to her temple.
“I can go with her,” Stephan said.
Roselle stiffened, and his mother frowned.
“I’m sorry, my darling, but you don’t have enough experience.”
Stephan braced his hands on the back of the chair next to Roselle. “We’re information-gathering, not closing a deal. Besides, Rue de la Mode is trying to impress us, not the other way around, and Roselle will be there. She’s sharp and has an incredible memory.”
His mother looked between them.
Stephan pressed home his advantage. “I speak French fluently, so you won’t need a translator. It’s one day of meetings and checking out the stores. That’s it. Roselle and I can bring back the information to you and the rest of the team. Or do you prefer to wait and see who’s available, when none of them might be? Meanwhile, I’m available right now. We can finalize the flight details tonight, so Roselle and I are ready to go tomorrow.”
Sylvie sighed again. “You’re right. We’re information-gathering at this point. Roselle, Stephan is your new partner. This might work out better. As he mentioned, he speaks French fluently, and he knows his way around Paris. You’ll be in good hands.”
“Great. I guess we’re all set,” Roselle said evenly.
“Make sure the travel department knows about the change—tonight. I don’t want any hiccups tomorrow.”
“I will.” Roselle stood.
“Well, now that I’ve saved the day, I’ll head over to the break room and see what snacks you all have for me to indulge in,” Stephan said.
He turned to follow Roselle out, but his mother’s voice stopped him.
“Stephan, wait a minute. I’d like to talk to you privately.”
Two Nights in Paris Page 4