Joy gave her mother a look. Her mother, dressed to the teeth and smelling of Chanel No. 5 as always, just shrugged.
“What on earth?” Joy whispered loudly, her eyes going wide when Sunny closed the laundry room door and locked it.
Sunny shoved her fists on her hips, looking pissed. “That’s what I should be asking you. What the hell was Bruce doing, showing up at Love’s gallery opening? And what the hell were you thinking making a big show out of leaving with that blond?”
Joy crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. “You mean my date, Leonardo?”
“Whatever. Joy. Bruce was pissed when you left him standing there that way.”
“Well then he shouldn’t have shown up uninvited. Sunny, I have no idea how he knew about the gallery opening so stop looking at me that way. I didn’t tell him.”
“But you could have handled it a little more gracefully. He could fuck up Love’s whole world and you know it.”
She saw red for a moment. “I knew telling you was a big mistake.”
“No, not a mistake, because obviously you need a voice of reason when it comes to dealing with this man. You cannot just blow him off this way.”
“Well, I’m not going to become his mistress either.”
“He’s threatening to go public with what he has on her and whether or not he does that is in your hands.” Sunny put her hands on her shoulders, her eyes searching Joy’s. “Honey, he’ll crush her. We need to figure out how to put a stop to this.”
Emotion prickled at the backs of Joy’s eyes.
She knew that. She’d spent countless hours worrying about it. She’d also successfully managed to forget about it for almost two full days, letting the gorgeous fling she’d had with Leonardo drag her away from the gruesome decision she had to make—her self-worth or her family.
She wasn’t willing to part with either.
There was a light tap on the door. They both jumped, both of them nearly clearing the floor, and let out matching surprised squeaks.
“Who is it?” Sunny asked impatiently.
“I’z Mama. Open the door.”
Sunny pressed a hand over her heart and drew in a steadying breath before she unlocked the door.
“You’re not smoking in here without me, are you?” Mama asked, poking her head through the door, her delicate nose wrinkling as she tested the scents in the air.
“Mama,” Joy gasped. Her mother did not smoke cigarettes.
“Not with the kids in the house,” Sunny answered, sitting on top of the dryer. She wiggled her eyebrows at Joy. “Not while they’re still awake anyway.”
“Sunny,” Joy squealed again, shocked but laughing now.
Their mother waved her off as she came inside and shut the door. “Then what are you the two of you talking about that you can’t say in front of anyone else?”
“Leonardo,” Sunny said easily.
Joy had to look elsewhere so she didn’t give it away that her sister had just boldly lied to their mother. No one could ever accuse her of having a poker face.
“Leonardo,” Mama repeated, hand pressed to her bosom as she looked at Joy. “You took him home with you Friday night, no?”
Suddenly her cuticles needed her attention. “I wasn’t exactly going to ask him to spend money on a hotel after he drove me here all the way from Ohio.”
“But you thanked him properly, yes?” her mother asked with a grin.
She shrugged and muttered, “I offered him gas money, but he turned it down.”
It was oddly comforting to know she was going to have her sister with her when she went to hell for lying to her mother.
Mama crossed her arms and arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her.
“Joy Ann,” she said. “You know what I meant.”
“You still have a bite mark on your shoulder, darling sister of mine.” Sunny, who was sitting next to and kind of behind her, touched her shoulder near the back of her neck, exposed by the wide collar of her sweater. “You might as well spill it.”
Joy gave her sister a venomous look and adjusted the collar. And then she spilled it.
Chapter Eight
“I’m not exactly sure what kind of stunt you were trying to pull with that boy toy of yours the other night, Joy, but it won’t work.” Bruce sat in the chair across from her desk, legs crossed gracefully at the knee, elbows on armrests, fingertips touching.
There was nothing like the last man she wanted to see showing up first thing in the morning to ruin her entire work day.
He was speaking low so Kelly, stationed at her desk by the entrance in the opposite corner of Joy’s huge loft studio, wouldn’t hear. She wanted to whip the enormous coffee cup in her hands at his big, arrogant head.
She raised her eyebrows and gave him what she hoped was a cool look instead.
“I’m not exactly sure what you mean since you’re the one who showed up at the gallery without an invitation. Not only that, but you and I are not involved.”
“If you’d stop playing this ridiculous game of hard to get with me we would be.”
She wanted to put her fist through his smirk.
“You’ve taken this a little far,” he added. “Don’t you agree?”
“I’m not playing any kind of games with you. You offered and I’ve made myself very clear that I’m not interested in your offer. Countless times.”
“And I’ve made myself clear as to what’s at stake if you don’t reconsider.”
An image became perfectly clear in her mind as she started to seethe—one of her ripping his face off his head with her bare hands. Just digging her nails in deep and peeling off the skin like a bad B-movie special effect while he screamed in agony.
He spread his hands wide. “And really, is the idea of being with me really that repulsive?” he asked, his face contorted with mock hurt and confusion.
That was the thing. Bruce Allen was an extremely good-looking man. If she still worked in fashion, she’d be begging him to model for the suit company she used to subcontract for now and again. He was the epitome of the ambitious, successful, ridiculously handsome business mogul—strong jaw, chiseled mouth, perfect nose and piercing gray eyes. In his mid-fifties, he still had a head of thick, wavy hair that was going gray in the most sophisticated places.
At any other time in her life, especially during her younger years when she hadn’t given a second thought to the men she’d slept with, she would have been thrilled by his pursuit of her. But she wasn’t a careless twentysomething anymore. Hell, she wasn’t even a careless thirtysomething anymore, and she was wise enough to recognize that glint deep within those steely eyes that meant danger.
Joy leaned forward, folding her hands together on her desktop.
“Surely there must be plenty of other women willing to be your mistress,” she told him, trying to keep her voice neutral. “Dozens, no hundreds, in this city alone. Ambitious young wannabes willing to blow their way to the top.”
“But I don’t want any of them.” He leaned forward, elbows on knees. “I want you.”
The biting answer that might have cost her family everything froze on the tip of her tongue as the studio’s entrance door opened. Joy’s eyes went wide as a large bouquet of flowers on long, familiar, jeans-clad legs came inside.
She couldn’t decide if his timing was perfect or perfectly rotten as Leonardo peered around the flowers and said something to Kelly, who carefully placed her hands flat on the surface of the desk—her keeping calm in the face of panic gesture.
The loft was so big Joy could hear the tone of his voice but not his words as he set the flowers in front of Kelly. And when Kelly glanced over her shoulder Joy knew exactly what was happening.
The flowers were for Kelly, not her.
He was apologizing.
Sexy. Ass. Motherfucker.
Joy had told Kelly about Leonardo and the weekend they’d spent together when they got to work on Monday. She’d even told her how he hadn’t remembered meeting th
em after Rockfest that summer, but she couldn’t have warned her assistant that he was going to show up. She hadn’t known.
His every gesture was contrite—shifting from one foot to another, running a hand through his hair and then tucking his fingers into his pockets. His shoulders hunched near his ears as he talked, uninterrupted by Kelly, whose mouth was hanging open.
She was vaguely aware that Bruce had stopped talking and turned to see what she was gawking at before he muttered, “You have got to be kidding.”
“Bruce,” she hissed when he rose from his seat. When he looked at her she said, “If you go over there now I will go to your wife myself and tell her all about this sordid proposition of yours. Now sit,” she ordered, biting down hard on the last word.
If he ruined this important moment for her friend on top of the threat he continued to be to her family’s happiness…well, she thought she just might have it in her to strangle the bastard dead.
She looked up into ice-cold eyes.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he sneered and headed across the loft at a fast pace.
Joy launched herself out of her chair. She banged her thigh on the corner of her desk and had to bite back a sharp cry as she hustled to catch up with him.
“Oh, lookee here,” Bruce called out. “If it isn’t the flavor of the week.”
The words were like a punch to the gut for Joy, but Leonardo didn’t flinch. Kelly was standing with her hand in Leonardo’s, saying something that was making him grin. It wasn’t until they’d shared a laugh that either of them turned to look at Bruce.
“Mr. Allen,” Leonardo called out brightly, holding his arms out wide as he came around Kelly’s desk. “It’s so great to see you again.”
“I’ll bet it is.” Bruce got so close to Leonardo Joy thought he was going to kiss him for one hair-raising second. “What brings you back to Chicago?” he asked through his teeth. She could see the muscle in his jaw had started to tick.
The smile on Leonardo’s face was pure arrogance. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Bruce crossed his arms. “Why don’t you make it very clear for me.”
Leonardo looked at Joy. “Your car is fixed.”
Bruce put himself into Leonardo’s line of sight. “I was talking to you.”
“Hmm, yes.” All his false pleasantry was suddenly gone. “You asked why I was here, and now you know. I am here to take Joy to her car. Which, as far as I can tell, doesn’t require your approval.” His eyes slid to Joy and she caught the first glimpse of what might be anger—jealousy?—in their rich blue depths. “Or does it?”
“No, Mr. Allen and I were finished for today.” She gave Bruce the biggest smile she could fake when he turned to her, his eyes full of malice.
“All right.” Bruce looked from her to Kelly to Leonardo and back. “Maybe we’ve had enough for today, but the subject is far from over.”
“I’m sure it’s not,” she muttered, exhausted and torn between weeping in defeat and throwing the biggest leave-me-the-fuck-alone tantrum of her life.
Bruce gave Leonardo another cold look, and then there was nothing but the sound of his heavy footsteps echoing in the open loft as he stalked to the door.
“Jesus, that guy gives me the creeps,” Kelly muttered, shivering. “I hate it when he comes here.”
“You and me both,” Joy assured her.
“So neither of you will miss him if I have him taken out?” Leonardo’s tone was conversational, but she could see real anger in his eyes.
Kelly crossed her arms and grinned. “Yeah, you’re totally forgiven,” she said to Leonardo. “But you’re too late if you think you’re getting a second chance.” She raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers so her engagement ring sparkled in the light.
He gave her a playfully regretful look. “Well, shit.”
Kelly’s smile morphed into a saucy smirk. “Indeed.”
Joy stood back, enjoying the fly-on-the-wall feeling as the friend she loved deeply and the near-stranger she was unbelievably happy to see exchanged a warm look.
“I could step out and give you two, what?” Joy checked her watch. “Half an hour?”
Leo’s deep blue eyes swung her way, eyebrows raised.
“There’s plenty to go around,” she said to Kelly, who knew Joy was kidding.
“Thanks, but I have my own man of plenty. I’m guessing today has just become a work-from-home day?”
They’d only had work on the tattoo book scheduled for the day. Kelly could have easily worked from home anyway, but they liked the companionship of working in the studio together. It was so much easier to speak up and ask a question or share an idea than it was to text or email back and forth.
They’d only been working a short time when Bruce showed up earlier. Now that Leonardo was there to take Joy back to her car, there was no reason for Kelly to stay.
When Joy nodded, Kelly nodded back.
“Leo, you look amazing,” Kelly told him. “A far cry from the last time we met. And the flowers?” The tip of her nose turned pink. “Nice touch,” she said, and hugged him.
He wrapped his arms around her and murmured something in her ear that Joy didn’t hear. Whatever it was made Kelly shake with silent laughter and go up on her toes as she hugged him tighter.
“‘There’s plenty to go around’?” he asked after Kelly was gone.
She tipped her head to one side. “What? The kids these days don’t like to brag?”
His playfulness vanished as if she’d flipped a switch. “You think I’m a kid?”
He might as well have dumped a bucket of shit on the last smoldering ember of her mood. She threw her arms up in the air and let them fall heavily, her hands slapping against her thighs. “Christ, Leo, it was just an expression.”
She turned and headed across the studio toward her desk.
“Whoa.” She heard his hurried steps and then he caught her arm. “I was kidding. Hey.” He drew her close when she burst into tears. “Okay, no more teasing Joy today.”
He held her, one arm around her back and the other hand cradling her head against his chest as she rode out the wave of unwanted emotion. After a minute, the sobbing stopped just as quickly as it had started. She sniffled and swiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks before she looked up at him.
“Don’t take this the wrong way.” He took her face in his hands, gently wiping the last of her tears away with his thumbs. “But what the hell was that?”
“This has just been a crazy few days, starting with my car breaking down.” She sighed, letting the feel of his hands on her face and his scent work their way into her senses, soothing her. “How is it you keep being in the right place at the right time? Are you my own personal angel or something?”
“Harbinger of doom might be more like it,” he mused quietly.
She narrowed her eyes. “When you put it that way—”
He closed the short distance between their mouths and kissed her—nothing fancy, just a warm press of his lips to hers—and the strength went out of her legs.
He released her mouth and said, “I’ll learn to think before I speak one of these days.”
“I tell myself the same thing all the time.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into his body. “What you did for Kelly just now? Amazing.”
“Really?” He looked unsure. “It seemed kind of lame after what she did for me.”
She shook her head. “I promise. That was a very classy move.” The next kiss was deeper, the thrill of it bringing her up onto her toes. “Did you really drive all the way here to take me back to my car?” she asked when she could bring herself to pull away.
“Yes I did.”
“You really didn’t need to do that,” she whispered.
Damn, she was really happy he had though.
He dipped his head and kissed her behind her ear and her body reacted instantly in the tightening of her nipples and the wet heat that filled her pussy.
“You said you d
idn’t know how or when you were going to get back.” He pulled the cowl neck of her sweater aside. “To be honest, my intentions are completely self-serving. I needed another fix of this.” He skimmed his lips around the outside of her ear. “Mmm, and this too,” he added, grazing his teeth down her neck.
“Well,” Joy sighed and let her head fall to the side. “Help yourself then.”
He chuckled and stretched the loose collar over her shoulder. “Enabler.”
“Of course you know I’m not going to get far without my…woops.” Kelly stopped in front of her desk, eyes wide as she realized what was happening.
Joy straightened slowly and stepped away from Leonardo, who cleared his throat and ran his hands through his hair as he turned toward Kelly.
Kelly clucked her tongue and shook her head as she went around the desk for her keys. “Like hell you would have shared.” She found them in the drawer and jingled them cheerfully. “Going to be in the office tomorrow as well, boss lady?”
Oh, she was loving this just a little too much.
“Tell her no,” Leonardo stage-whispered out of the side of his mouth.
“Probably not,” Joy said to Kelly.
“Sweet.” Kelly turned and punched a couple of buttons, turning the answering machine to the message saying they were out of the office for the day. “You two have fun. I’ll lock up behind myself.” She gave them a wink and left.
“Was that strange for you?” she asked Leonardo as they heard the lock turn.
“Again, you have no idea the strange situations I’ve found myself in.” He looked around. “Great space you have here.”
He was looking at the unfinished brick wall that dominated the back of the spacious room, then up at the motorized backdrops installed on the ceiling. Her umbrella lights and tripod stood sentry on one wall, and all her pricier equipment, her cameras and lenses, were locked in a semi-hidden storage room.
The corner loft had two walls of windows. Joy’s desk sat in front of one. The other was lined with pieces of furniture she often used for props—elegant and unusual chairs, benches, a Victorian fainting couch upholstered in a silvery lavender velvet, its scrolling frame painted a modern black. When the light was right, the way it was at that moment, the city also made a breathtaking backdrop.
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