He stood back and admired the single-family home and its large wooden door with a stained-glass center. Morgan rang the bell and nervously waited for Kathleen to answer. When the door opened, Morgan stood speechless as his eyes took their fill of the ravishing creature before him.
For three weeks Morgan had had the pleasure of getting to know the brilliant and charming woman who tried to downplay her beauty. Kathleen never even wore jewelry at work. However, the radiant woman standing before him, wearing a formfitting black wrap dress, high heels and had her hair held up with a black crystal clip, was a sight to behold. Teardrop diamond earrings were the perfect elegant accessories to the outfit.
“Good evening, Morgan,” Kathleen greeted him with a broad smile.
Note to self: she likes diamond earrings. Get it together, man. “Good evening. This is for you,” he said, offering her the bottle of wine.
“Thank you. Please come in.” Kathleen stepped aside and allowed Morgan to enter. Kathleen read the bottle’s label. “Very nice, and it happens to be one of my favorites.”
“Really?”
“Yes, my sister Hannah is a chef and insists on nothing but the best and she introduces me to a lot of really cool things.”
“Good. My cousin Kristen recommended it,” he confessed.
“You’re not much of a wine person,” she guessed, laughing.
“Not really. I mean, a glass or two at dinner is fine, but it’s not my go-to choice when I want to sit back and chill.”
“Let me guess. You’re more of a beer-and-whiskey guy,” she said, leading him out of her foyer.
“That I am,” he confirmed. They walked into the open living area, and Morgan was taken aback by how nicely she’d infused a contemporary style that didn’t diminish the historical feel of the house.
“You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. Let’s take this into the kitchen. This way.”
Morgan’s heart nearly stopped when Kathleen turned and offered him a view of her perfectly round behind. He commanded his body, which was starting to stir, to behave. “When was it built?”
“In 1940. It came up on auction, and I bought it. Renovated it myself,” Kathleen announced proudly.
“You renovated it?” He raised his eyebrows.
Kathleen stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. “I most certainly did. Yes, I had help, but I designed it, picked the materials and you see these wood floors?” She pointed down. “I refurbished them myself. In fact, I did all the flooring throughout the house myself, including the tiling.”
“Seriously?”
“Just me with these.” She placed the wine bottle under her arm and presented him her hands. “My own two hands.”
“Wow. I’m impressed.”
Kathleen smirked. “Don’t be. It’s kind of in my genes.”
“What does that mean?”
“My family’s into construction, and I picked up a thing or two. Along with my love of antiquing, renovating turned into a hobby,” she explained.
“That’s some hobby.”
“I guess...” Kathleen led him through an open set of French doors that took them into the dining area and to a gray-and-white, gourmet-style kitchen. The large marble island with seating for six offered in-kitchen dining. There was plenty of storage and modern appliances, except for the old-fashioned six-burner yellow stove and oven.
“Damn, Kathleen, this kitchen is something else. Where did you find that stove?”
“I didn’t. My sister Hannah is a chef, remember.”
“Okay?” He frowned, not sure what that meant.
“Well, she found it for me.” Morgan nodded while he gave the stove a closer look. “She cooks for me from time to time, so she insisted that I have a stylish and quality stove for her to use.”
Morgan laughed. “She sounds like my mother and cousin Kristen. They’re all about quality and style.”
* * *
Kathleen had all but closed the case against Kingsley Oil and Gas, yet she was still curious about the reason behind the recent change in leadership. She figured now was the best time to ask about Kristen and Alexander’s promotions, get it straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. “We have a few minutes before we have to go. Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m good.”
Kathleen placed the bottle in the refrigerator. “Do you mind if I ask you about something?”
“Of course not.”
“You mentioned your cousin Kristen...” Kathleen bit the inside of her lip.
“Yeah, what about her?”
“I know she has just been promoted to COO for your company, and please don’t take offense to this, but she doesn’t seem like the obvious choice.” She presented a small smile.
“Obvious to whom? Those idiots out there who think she got the job just because she’s a Kingsley?” His jaw clenched. “Or maybe those assholes in our social circle who think just because she’s had a few episodes in her personal life splattered all over social media that she’s not serious enough to get the job done. Or could it be our competitors, who are trying to taint her reputation? They are the same ones who’ve gone up against us and know she’s a brilliant businesswoman who’s been trained by the best and is the perfect person to help my brother run our company and take us to the next level.”
Morgan’s mood had changed, and Kathleen wanted to kick herself for even bringing it up. His passion for his family and their company rivaled that of her own family, something she lacked and was coming to realize had been a disservice to herself. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t. Some people think that, because we’re a privately held company and can manage things the way we wish, we’d overlook quality people for roles in favor of a family member. Victoria Kingsley would never do such a thing. Now, have we all been groomed to join our family’s business? We most certainly have, and we’ve been trained from the ground up in fact. But if we weren’t up to the task we wouldn’t be given the opportunity to destroy something our parents spent their lives building just because we’re family. My mother’s not built that way. In fact, my brother Brice nearly got fired for letting his personal life interfere with business. Plus, not all the Kingsleys are in the business.”
“Yes, your mother’s one intense woman,” she said, leading him back into the living room.
“You have no idea.”
She did. Victoria Kingsley had a well-earned reputation for being a hard-ass when it came to her business, dealing with the regulatory branches of the government and being very protective when it came to her family. Facts she knew from her investigative role at OSHA that she wasn’t ready to share with Morgan just yet.
Kathleen reached for her clutch purse that sat on the antique table behind the sofa. “Did you not want the job?”
“Hell, no. I hate wearing suits, let alone dealing with them all the time.”
Kathleen admired the expensive, well-tailored black Giovanni suit and black collarless shirt he was wearing. “You certainly look great in them,” she complimented.
“Thank you, and I believe I failed to mention how breathtakingly beautiful you look tonight.”
Morgan’s words and the way he was looking at her sent warm tingles to the lower half of her body. Kathleen knew her face was probably as red as the bottoms of her expensive shoes. “Thank you. Shall we go?”
“After you.” Morgan gestured with his hand for her to lead the way.
Kathleen set her house alarm and walked out the door. She felt Morgan’s eyes on her before the warmth of his hand was placed on the small of her back. Kathleen inhaled quickly. Morgan opened the car door and helped her inside. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Kathleen cleared her throat as she watched him walk around the car. His model good looks, alpha male demeanor and sweet nature made
Kathleen want him even more.
Morgan got into the driver’s side. “So where are we headed?”
“There’s a place in the Museum District called Vista.” She opened her purse and pulled out a small piece of paper with an address written on it and handed it to him.” Hannah better be on her best behavior.
“I know where this is. There used to be a bar in that spot,” he informed, pulling out of the driveway.
“I wouldn’t know. I don’t go out much.”
“Why is that?” he asked, making his way out of her neighborhood and onto the highway. “You can’t expect me to believe men aren’t lining up to take you out. I’m sure a few of mine are asking you out, in fact.
Kathleen saw Morgan’s hands grip the steering wheel and the muscle in his jaw twitched. His eyes glanced over at her before returning to the road. Kathleen liked the idea that the thought of her going out with someone else annoyed him. She wished she’d worn her hair down so she’d at least have some cover when her cheeks started to warm from the embarrassment.
“Well...”
“Yes, I get asked out—”
“By my men,” he finished.
“A couple, but I haven’t dated anyone since college.” There was a slight tremor in her voice that she couldn’t hide.
Morgan tightened his grip on the steering wheel as she fell silent. He pulled into a vacant lot and Kathleen could see they were just down the street from the restaurant. Morgan turned off the engine and angled his body toward her. “Did something happen to you in college?” he asked, his tone hard.
Kathleen watched the emotions on Morgan’s face morph from shock to anger, and his eyes narrowed. For several seconds Kathleen wasn’t sure what he might be thinking. Then it finally dawned on her. Women on college campuses were being sexually assaulted every day. Kathleen reached for his forearm and squeezed it.
“Oh no, nothing bad happened to me. I promise.” Kathleen could almost see the anxiety leaving his body. Morgan had no idea who she really was. If he did, he would have known about the security team that attended school, including their Ivy League colleges, with all the Winston girls. Their security’s presence and antics on campus had made several media outlets’ coverage. “After my mom died all I wanted to do was focus on my career. I had a new purpose in life and relationships never fit into my plans,” she explained.
Morgan tilted his head. “And now?”
“Now—” Kathleen captured his hand and intertwined their fingers “—I guess we’ll see.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Yes, we will.”
* * *
When he thought Kathleen might have experienced sexual harassment in college, Morgan’s mind flashed back to what that bastard Perez had tried to do to both his aunt and sister-in-law. Morgan figured she might not have been able to fight off some bully trying to take advantage of her had she not had the financial means to exact vengeance the way his mother had when Perez attacked her sister.
“When my father and uncle died over twenty years ago, our lives changed significantly,” he said.
“I can imagine and relate.” Kathleen rubbed the top of her hand over his.
“We all handled our grief differently, but my aunt Elizabeth took it exceptionally hard, as you’d imagine. She went away for a while.”
“What do you mean, she went away?”
His mouth set in a hard line. “Aunt Elizabeth had a bit of a breakdown. When she started getting back to her old self again, she would go out and see people. You know, in social settings.”
Kathleen nodded her understanding but remained quiet.
“Well, one of those people was Perez—”
“The man who tried to ruin your company.”
“Yes. Perez attacked my aunt...tried to...” Morgan focused on the warmth of Kathleen’s touch to help him stay in control.
Kathleen squeezed his hand. “Tried, so he didn’t hurt her, right?”
“No.”
“Thank God.”
Morgan nodded. “By the sad look that transformed your beautiful face, the change in your voice and the way you avoided looking at me, I assumed the worst. I thought someone—”
“No one did anything—I’m fine.” Kathleen brought Morgan’s hand to her mouth and kissed his palm. “Let’s go have dinner.”
Morgan started the car and pulled onto the street, steering with one hand while keeping a strong grip on Kathleen’s with the other. The idea that anyone would try to hurt any innocent person, especially a woman, made Morgan crazy. His heart was racing as he drove. Morgan ran his thumb across hers, and Kathleen squeezed his hand. His heart began to slow its rapid pace. It was as if she was sending him a message that she was fine. Morgan could feel her eyes on him, and when he glanced over at her, she gifted him with a relaxed smile. In that moment, he swore to himself that no one would ever hurt his woman...including him.
Chapter 12
Kathleen was surprised by the lack of fanfare typical of Hannah’s events. Morgan pulled into the front of the restaurant and waved off the approaching valet. Exiting the car, he came around and opened Kathleen’s door, then he helped her out and held her hand. Morgan gave the key to the valet along with two one-hundred-dollar bills and said, “Keep it close.” That shouldn’t have been an issue since he noticed all the up-close spots for valet cars were empty.
“Yes, sir,” the young man replied, his eyes roaming between the money in his hands and the expensive car he was about to drive.
There were two big floodlights outside lighting the way, a red carpet had been rolled out and several valets were waiting at the ready, yet no one was around. “Are you sure this is the right spot?” Morgan asked Kathleen.
Kathleen, who looked just as confused as he felt, said, “I’m sure. This is the address my sister sent me.”
“Well, for a grand opening, they’re not getting much business. The owners should fire their PR agency,” Morgan joked.
They both laughed. “Yes, they should.”
Morgan led Kathleen inside, and a pretty blonde woman greeted them with a big smile on her face. She was obviously the hostess. The woman was wearing a short black dress and high strappy heels, a look obviously meant to grab the attention of the male customers. While she certainly would meet her goal with other men, Kathleen noticed that Morgan didn’t seem fazed by the woman.
“Welcome to Vista,” she announced, directing her attention to Morgan.
“Thank you,” Kathleen replied as Morgan gave a quick nod. “I’m Kathleen Winston, and we have a reservation.”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ve been expecting you. Please follow me.”
“We’ve,” Morgan whispered in Kathleen’s ear.
Kathleen shrugged and did as she was asked. The young woman led them into a room that was dimly lit in spite of the many chandeliers that hung from the wooden ceiling. Slate tiles covered the floors and a ceiling-to-floor glass bar ran along one wall. The focal point of the beautiful space was the Japanese Fruticosa tree placed in the middle of the room. A single and inviting table for two sat underneath the artificial tree’s wide spray.
“Here you go,” she said, smiling.
“Thank you,” Kathleen replied as Morgan pulled out her chair. “Excuse me, miss, but if this is a grand opening, where is everyone?”
“It’s a soft launch, actually,” a voice said, coming from a woman who could have been Kathleen’s twin. “Welcome to Vista, big sis.”
Wow, Kathleen’s sister is very pretty and they look a lot alike. But my baby is stunning.
Kathleen smiled as she watched her sister approach in white pants with a matching, double-breasted jacket and a tall chef’s hat. Morgan stood back as the two women embraced and the hostess disappeared behind two closed doors.
“What’s going on, Hannah?” Kathleen asked her si
ster in French. Switching languages was an automatic reflex whenever Kathleen was around her family.
“Later. Right now, introduce me to this fine-ass handsome man staring at us like he’s seen a two-headed naked lady,” she replied.
Morgan laughed. “He understands French, Hannah. Morgan, this is my sister Hannah Winston,” Kathleen introduced, switching back to English.
Morgan extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Winston.”
Hannah shook his hand and said, “Call me Hannah. We’re almost family,” she teased.
“Stop it, Hannah,” Kathleen scolded.
“It’s cool,” Morgan replied, smiling at both women. “You have a nice place here, Hannah,” he said, looking around the empty room.
“Thanks, but this is not my place. It’s my friend Mark’s, but he won’t get in town until tomorrow.”
“Hannah is the guest chef,” Kathleen announced proudly.
“Nice.”
“Where is everyone, Hannah?” Kathleen asked.
“You two are it. You have the whole place to yourselves...except for my staff, of course, and me. Don’t worry, we’ll stay out of your way. You won’t see us unless you have to. You’ll have plenty of privacy.”
“How do you have any type of opening with just two people?” Kathleen frowned.
“Actually, the soft opening is tomorrow night. This is more like a soft...soft opening.” Hannah gestured with her hands as she glanced around the empty room.
“What does that mean?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
“That means you two are our guinea pigs to make sure we are ready for tomorrow. So let’s get this drill started.” Hannah waved the waiter forward. “This handsome gentleman is Carl, and he’ll be your server this evening.”
The Heiress's Secret Romance Page 9