“Yes, of course, ma’am. It is just that the decorator changed the design at the last moment, and our staff did not have any time to prepare before the weekend after that large conference.” Eddie played his role perfectly. She knew he’d done it before—kowtowing to someone else. It made her disgusted when he acted like that for people. The fact that he did it now for her made it worse. She’d watched employees fall over themselves trying to please her mother, and putting herself in that role churned her gut.
“So instead, every single one of the rooms on that side of the hotel remained vacant from last Wednesday until yesterday morning?”
“Yes, ma’am. That is correct.”
“Brilliant.” Her voice sounded icy. She pretended to make a note on her clipboard.
“The staff worked as quickly as they could in those days, from eight a.m. until midnight. Washing windows, painting, making last-minute touches.”
“Well, it wasn’t fast enough, then, was it?” God, the sheer disdain in her voice was hard to listen to. Damned good thing Eddie had gotten used to keeping a straight face, because hearing her speak like this must make him want to giggle. Instead, he stood there and took all her criticism. She waved him away and continued through the restaurant. She wanted so desperately to turn her head, to catch Tyler’s eye. To show him that she was trying so hard to fix the situation she’d created for him. To make things right. But she knew she would falter if she looked at him, so she walked by without moving her gaze an inch.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tyler hid his smile behind the last bite of his burger. Oh, she was good. And so was Eddie. He must have called her down as soon as he saw Tyler and heard Williams’s questions. Which meant Eddie also knew the entire story of his relationship with Ms. Marietta. He could be embarrassed about that later. Right now he just felt glad they were helping save his ass.
He swallowed and looked at his watch.
“Well, Williams, it’s been a lovely lunch listening to you badger me about something that never happened. I told you that day, and I’ll tell you again. I was on the phone with my sister in France. She was in the middle of a crisis.” The bastard wouldn’t have the balls enough to try to pull the phone records, would he?
Williams wanted that partner job, and he thought Tyler wanted it too. The idiot had no idea Tyler had no desire to get that far in the firm or stay any longer than necessary to pay off his law school debts.
“I’m not sure who you saw across the street from my office that night, but I didn’t see anyone. I often close my eyes to listen to my sister because she’s just so exhausting.” Which was true. He didn’t particularly enjoy lying, even to this jerk, so he tried to stick as close to the truth as possible.
Williams nodded. “It appears I was mistaken, since it’s so conveniently just been mentioned that all the rooms on that side of the hotel were vacant of anyone but staff during that time.”
“What?”
“You mean to tell me you didn’t hear that overly loud conversation taking place behind me?”
“Yeah, I heard someone bitching about God knows what. I tend to tune out shrill voices. I wasn’t really listening, you know?”
“Yes, I know.” Williams got to his feet.
Tyler pulled out his wallet.
“No, no, Lachlan, this one’s on me.”
“If you insist.” He walked with the other man to cash out and smiled at the woman behind the greeting desk of the restaurant.
Williams didn’t say anything else as they went back to the office. Tyler spent the rest of the afternoon wondering how he could get back across the street without Williams seeing him. He decided he’d have to go all the way home first. He packed up the files, no closer to tracing the phone belonging to whomever Paulson overheard, but he had a list of a few people to call for testimony in the morning. Jury selection started in four days. Then the trial would begin. How long would the firm drag its heels on selection? He pushed that out of his mind. It didn’t matter now.
Now it was time to try his hand at being James Bond and losing a tail. Something told him Williams was in no hurry to let this one go. If he could nail Tyler on using company time or funds or the offices for any personal use, he’d be three strikes—out.
He made it all the way home before he called her, and then he couldn’t wait any longer.
“You were brilliant,” he said as soon as she picked up the phone.
“God, I’m so sorry. Was that your boss?”
“Yes. Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. And neither did I, as far as asswipe is concerned.”
Her laugh felt like a hot breeze on the back of his neck. He ached to see her again.
“I’m glad you weren’t already on your flight.”
She cleared her throat. “Yeah, about that. I should have been. This is crazy. What if he decides you’re lying and fires you? I don’t want to be the root of that. I won’t be.”
“Oh, would you stop worrying so much? Besides, I’ve got a kind of crazy idea.”
He waited for her to settle down, to make sure she wasn’t going to protest at even the mention of something else. Because she would no doubt protest what came out of his mouth next.
“There’s a game tonight, and we’re going. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. So you better be ready in about forty-five minutes, because I will be at your door to pick you up.” He threw his business clothes aside and reached in his closet for a pair of jeans. The August night wouldn’t be cool, but it wouldn’t be as hot as the day had been. And she’d seemed to like him in jeans. He grabbed a ball shirt and cap as he waited for her protest.
She stayed silent so long he thought she may have hung up. But then he could picture her standing there, shifting from one foot to the next and chewing on her lip in that sexy way. He would let her think about it, didn’t want to push her. But he wanted to share this part of his life with her. It had been such a big part—going to ball games with his dad before false charges had been levied against him.
“What should I wear?”
He resisted the urge to do the Snoopy dance.
“Nothing would suit me just fine, but I think that’s liable to call a bit of unwanted attention our way. I want to take you out to the ball game, not show you how to get kicked out of one.”
She laughed.
“Just wear something casual. You’ll be fine. There’s no dress code, but you might want to avoid a three-piece suit or anything that makes you look like a sexy librarian.”
She got real quiet on the other line. Oh, God, what if she didn’t have any casual clothes? She was here on business.
“Uh…I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re not, like, a librarian, are you?”
“I’m not a librarian. I’ll find something appropriate to wear. Don’t worry.”
“Great. Be there soon.” He hung up before he said something else stupid. When the hell had talking to women become difficult for him? He had one shot to prove to this woman that what they’d started might be more than just a quick fling. He really didn’t want to blow it.
* * * *
“Fashion consultation needed in room 1823, right now,” Layla said, twirling the phone cord round and round her fingers.
“Be right there.” Eddie’s confident voice in her ear allowed her to take a deep breath. A fashion consult from Eddie to go to a ball game—how freaking ridiculous. He hung up without another word, and she looked at the wardrobe again. Skirts were out. Dress pants too. Nothing that made her look like a sexy librarian. That didn’t leave much of her wardrobe. She tried to have demure clothing, but it never seemed to be conservative enough.
Her cheeks warmed at the image of her in her “sexy librarian” clothes. And her glasses. She remembered teasing Tyler with that image. She grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and tossed them on the bed. They were an option, at least, but they were damned near skintight. She was afraid she didn’t have anything baggy enough that would put her in the officially non-sexy category. The
click of the door told her that help was on the way.
“So where’s he taking you?”
Eddie knew how completely smitten she was with Tyler. Knew the reason she would be having such a stupid crisis. She’d told him everything about last night after their little role-play in the restaurant.
“A baseball game,” she whispered.
“Oh, shit.”
She smiled. “I have very few casual clothes, and I’m under the strictest of orders not to wear anything that will make me look like a sexy librarian, though his first suggestion was for me to come naked.”
“Not a bad thought,” he said, raising his eyebrows. He walked over to the bed and looked at the tornado of clothes lying about. He grabbed the skintight jeans from the bed, examined them. “Yup. And…” He turned and rifled through her drawers and her hanging shirts, grabbing a soft green three-quarter-sleeve sweater with a deep V neck. Not anywhere close to lawyer wear or librarian. He handed it to her. “Leave your hair down.”
She pushed her hair back from her face and grabbed the sweater from his outstretched hand. The soft fabric felt familiar beneath her fingers. It would keep her warm enough in the almost chilly night air and show an ample amount of cleavage. Of course that would be the shirt he chose. She sighed, sitting down hard on the edge of the bed.
“I told him I was leaving tomorrow.”
“Aw, honey, why?”
“Because I needed it to end. I panicked when I saw that guy come into his office and see me. I knew I had ruined it all again. So I lied and said we had to end things regardless. But then he showed up at my door, and I couldn’t just pretend not to be here. I should have, but I couldn’t. I don’t know what I think I’m doing, letting this go so far. If I’m ‘leaving’ tomorrow, though, this is it. So it doesn’t matter. I don’t know why I even called you all the way up here to help me try things on.” She grabbed the pants and pulled them on. Still as tight as ever. She zipped them and pulled on the soft cashmere sweater.
“Perfect. Now why don’t you tell him tonight that your plans changed and you can stay a while longer in the city?”
“No way. Not happening.” She couldn’t. Because the longer she stayed, the more time she spent with him, the harder it would be when she really had to leave. And she would leave.
“You know I don’t normally push,” he started.
Bullshit.
“But I think you need to give this a real shot.”
A knock on the door interrupted her nonexistent reply. She didn’t know what to say to that. She’d been giving it a try; she had. She ignored the way that lie made her feel like shit as Eddie gave her another once-over. He nodded and pushed her toward the door into the main living space. She was reminded again of the bird being shoved from its nest. She glanced behind her for an encouraging smile and then pulled on her running shoes.
She opened the door to find Tyler standing there in dark blue jeans and a striped baseball jersey. He pushed his way into the room and pulled her against him, his mouth dipping to taste hers. She let herself lean into his touch, let the heat of his tongue sweep her away as he kissed her again and again—wet, passionate kisses until she couldn’t tell who held whom.
She pulled herself back from him and whispered, “Eddie.”
His eyebrows moved down in confusion. She pointed to the other room, waiting for his brain to catch up. She couldn’t have formed whole sentences yet. She wondered if she had the same effect on him as she watched him chase away the cobwebs. He lowered her to her feet and took a step back, adjusting the front of his jeans. He cleared his throat and gave her almost the same once-over Eddie had just done. Only his held heat, and promises of heady kisses and much, much more. Just the look sent goose bumps dancing up the insides of her thighs.
She grabbed her purse and pointed to the door. He nodded and led her out to the elevators. He looked around the way she’d seen cops do before. Like he was searching for someone or expecting a bad guy to come leaping out from around every corner.
“Are you expecting some knife-wielding psycho to pop up from behind the bank of elevators or something?” she asked.
He smiled. “No, I’ve just kind of been on watch since that shit Williams cornered me today. The guy’s hard after a job I’m also maybe slotted for. And anything he thinks he could or should do to get ahead of me, he’s going to try. Including following me around like some idiot PI. The funny thing is, I don’t even want the job.”
“Why not?” The words escaped before she could help herself. It was the feeling of his warm hand in hers. Comforting, familiar. It made her ask stupid questions she shouldn’t want the answers to. But she did. Damn him and his cozy hand.
“I want to leave where I’m at.” He pulled her into one of the interior elevators with no windows. He used their joined hands to push her back up against the wall and then caged her between his body and the metal, one hand on either side of her head. He gave her just a moment of looking deep into her eyes, of showing her what he wanted. What she was willing to give. And then his hands were on her, his mouth sucking at her throat. She hooked her leg behind his ass, holding him to her.
“You know, there are cameras in these things.”
“Ask me if I give a damn.” His dark answer, groaned out between clenched teeth against her ear, made her moan. “It’s been too long since I had my hands on you. I wanted you so much today at lunch, I almost couldn’t stand it. If you had stayed there much longer, doling out orders like the hottest, strictest, most amazing boss in the world, I swear I would have blown the entire thing and whisked you away to the closest corner.”
He really enjoyed being told what to do. He dipped the tips of his fingers into the edges of her jeans. She bit her lip to keep from squealing. Only his strong hands holding her in place kept her from writhing. She was going to go up in flames, locked in an elevator alone with him. She felt the slowing of the high-speed mechanics at the same time he did and disentangled herself from him.
She didn’t turn around until they were outside, until she could have a few seconds to take a deep breath. This was going to be very messy. She just couldn’t stop wanting him to touch her, to talk to her, to make her laugh. She should have run when she had the chance. Layla steeled herself and then spun to face him, but the impact from his hot gaze still jarred her to the bone.
He moved closer, stalking her. How could she possibly be stalked like a gazelle in the middle of Times Square? He pulled her up against him again, and she could see the promise of hot nights and lazy mornings in his eyes. He shook his head.
“Damned baseball. This is the first time in my life I’ve had tickets to a game and not wanted to go.” He held her stare for a moment longer and then grabbed her hand and started tugging her along toward the subway. She planted her feet and made him stop and look back at her.
“I’ve got a surprise,” she said. She could tell by the look on his face that her smile was very, very naughty.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tyler let himself be pulled down the street and around the corner. That mischievous look on her face had turned him from semihard to fully erect in a second. He stopped as they rounded 39th Street. She led him to a white limo, and he blinked twice. A man in a dark suit and a bona fide fucking driver’s hat got out and opened the back door. Oh, they wouldn’t cause much of a stir going to a Yankees game in this.
But she looked at him, biting the side of her lip, and he knew he’d lost the conversation before it had even begun. He nodded, and she smiled. Without saying anything else, she pulled him into the enormous backseat. He’d never been in a limo before. He looked around as the driver closed the door and wondered how he’d gotten himself to this point.
She reached up and pushed a button on the panel above their heads. The sliding partition lowered.
“Where to?”
“Yankee Stadium.”
He could see the driver’s raised eyebrows through the rearview mirror. He must also think the idea of going
to the ballpark in such a vehicle was rather crazy.
“How long will it take?” she asked.
“Well, at this hour, on a night when there’s a game… I’m afraid it would be much quicker to take the subway.”
“Yes, well, in the car?”
“At least an hour.”
She looked down at her watch, then up at him. “What time is, uh…kickoff, or whatever?”
She couldn’t have sounded more adorable had she tried. Kickoff? “The subway would take about that long. First pitch is in an hour and a half.”
“Perfect.” She nodded to the driver, who smiled and closed the partition.
“Are you on a first-name basis with the driver as well?” he said, unable to keep the amusement from his voice. Going to Yankee Stadium in a limousine.
“Yes, that’s Carl. Sorry I didn’t introduce you.”
She had the oddest look in her sweet brown eyes. Naughty, but still a bit guarded. Though how he could think her eyes both sweet and naughty kind of baffled him. In the dim interior, he loved the way the emerald green of her shirt looked against her dark skin. He blinked, and she was straddling him, pushing his back against the cushioned leather seat.
“I figured this would be a bit more private than the subway.”
He found himself glad they were taking such an inappropriate transport after all. She pushed her supple lips against his, and glad quickly became elated. He tasted minty toothpaste and cherry lipstick or gloss or whatever she wore on those naughty lips. She swept her tongue into his mouth and rubbed herself against the hard length of him begging to be free. He slid his hands up the back of her velvety shirt, loving the feel of the fabric and her skin surrounding him. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, and he felt an answering tug on his cock.
He fiddled with the clasp on her bra, damning it to hell when his fingers wouldn’t work fast enough. She pulled back from him, seeming to sense his frustration, or maybe she just heard his muttered cursing. She released herself from the bra in a few seconds and then began unbuttoning his jersey with her adept fingers. She ran her hands along his bare skin, teasing his nipples with her short bright pink nails.
An Affair Across Times Square Page 16