Less Than Three: A Romantic Comedy

by Maggie Dallen

  Lacey struggled to compose herself. The video would be useless if she was shaking too hard. She was pretty sure that when she and Alex reviewed the footage later, there would be no denying that those were her squeaks of laughter coming from behind the camera. But he would just have to get over it. That was the whole purpose of this exercise, right? Help Alex to loosen up—get him to act naturally in front of an audience. And oh, what an audience.

  “Mr. Newsom, did you ever see Santa Clause flying with his reindeer when you were in the sky?”

  It was too perfect. She just hoped it helped. She’d come up with the idea the day before. He had all the tricks down pat. His problem wasn’t that he was scared in front of a crowd, it was that he was scared to be himself in front of a crowd. It was Lacey’s job to get him to loosen up long enough so he could charm the socks off the board.

  Her mind drifted to their first night together and the way he’d teased and flirted with her until she didn’t know if she was coming or going. Oh yes, the man was a charmer. Now if he could only use his powers for good instead of evil.

  She watched Alex say his goodbyes to the classroom full of kids and to the teacher, who looked as though she was more than a little smitten by the Greek god who’d sauntered into her classroom and entertained a group of little hellions.

  Join the club.

  Lacey had felt her heart do somersaults at the sight of Alex interacting with the children. It was impossible not to imagine what he’d be like as a father one day. She let out a heavy sigh. He’d be an amazing dad.

  After a mental reprimand about how Alex was a client and off limits, she put on her best consultant face and pulled Alex away from his new fan club.

  “You were magnificent,” she said.

  Alex was staring at her as though she’d grown a second head as she led him toward the front door and out into the sunlight.

  “What. Was. That?”

  She didn’t know whether she should laugh or cower in the face of his anger.

  Laughter won out. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t have fun.”

  Alex rolled his eyes in answer. “Did that little exercise have a point or are you just hell bent on torturing me?”

  Lacey thought she saw a flicker of real concern. He couldn’t possibly believe she could be so vindictive that she’d abuse her position to take her revenge. She needed him to trust her if her coaching was going to work.

  Alarmed, she placed a reassuring hand on his arm and then immediately removed it as the jolt of pure sexual heat shot through her body at the simple touch.

  Not touching, she looked up at him with the most sincere and serious expression she could muster while standing in a hallway decorated with crayon colored portraits and doilies made out of construction paper. “There is a point to this, I promise. Just wait until you see the video I took of you. The way you were talking in there…” she shook her head at a loss for words. “Night and day from your practice speech the other day.”

  Lacey was disheartened to see that he was still watching her as though she had lost her mind. “Well yeah,” he said, using the same tone he’d used with the kids. “Because they’re children.”

  “And you’re not intimidated by children,” she explained for him.

  He rolled his eyes again. “Of course not.”

  “Exactly.” She turned to walk to the car and heard him spluttering in frustration behind her.

  Once they were settled in the back seat, the driver started the car, and Lacey continued her explanation. “You need to learn how to loosen up in front of a crowd,” she said. “You need to learn to relax. Be yourself.”

  Alex groaned and thrust his hand through his hair. “You don’t get it, Lace. These people … these board members … they don’t want me to be myself. They want me to be my father. Or better yet, my grandfather.”

  Lacey leaned toward him. She wanted to shake him to make him see how ridiculous he was being. “They do want you,” she said, a little louder than necessary. Whatever it would take to get that message through his thick skull. At his look of blatant disbelief, she added, “They just don’t know it yet.”

  He groaned again and shut his eyes.

  Lacey considered his noble profile and the gorgeous lashes that fell against his elegant cheekbones. How could this man—this god—not realize his own power? Not a power derived from being handsome and charming—although that didn’t hurt—but his innate ability to be a leader. He was a kind, generous, honest to a fault leader. It boggled her mind that he had led his squadron into the most dangerous territory in the world, but he didn’t believe that he could lead his family’s company.

  Good thing he had her. That was her job. To make him see that he could be his own brand of leader. He didn’t need to be a carbon copy of his father or grandfather to earn the board’s trust and allegiance.

  Eyes still shut, Alex said, “I suppose I should thank you.”

  “You should?”

  He opened his eyes just enough to cast her an amused glance and for a moment, Lacey was sure the bottom had dropped out of the town car. She was falling. Oh, Lord, how she was falling.

  Their eyes locked and the atmosphere changed in a heartbeat. Lacey felt her lips part as she struggled to breathe normally. When had the car gotten so hot?

  “Lace.” Alex murmured her name before reaching out his hand and softly caressing her cheek. Slowly, as though afraid he might spook her, his hand moved to the back of her head, and he gently pulled her toward him as he leaned in.

  Lacey moved as though in a trance. The rational part of her brain screamed in protest as her lips met his in a searing kiss. His tongue teased her lips until she surrendered and allowed him full access, effectively silencing any remaining rational thoughts.

  His mouth was heaven. For a brief, beautiful moment, her whole world was entirely filled with blissful sensation—the scent of his skin, the feel of his firm lips moving against her and the hot surge of desire that left her panting for air.

  A car horn brought their kiss to a jarring halt. Lacey pulled away, horrified by her utter lack of control. She was slightly gratified to see that Alex looked as flustered as she felt.

  “We can’t—” Lacey started.

  “I know.”

  “You’re my client and I—”

  “Lace, I know. I get it.” Alex ran a hand through his hair and sucked in a deep breath.

  Lacey fidgeted with the hem of her sweater in the awkward silence and tried to ignore the painful ache between her thighs.

  Alex cleared his throat. “What were we talking about?”

  “Um …” Lacey’s brain struggled into action. “I believe you were thanking me for something?”

  “Right. I was going to say I should thank you for saving me from an afternoon at the club with Arthur and his cronies.”

  “Yeah. About that …”

  Alex followed her gaze out the window and saw that they were in the Lincoln Tunnel, headed out of the city.

  “Where are we going now?”

  “The club.”

  Alex cast a confused look at her and then his watch. “But the golf game already started. They’ll be halfway through the course by now.”

  Lacey nodded, absurdly pleased with her planning. She’d spent ages on the phone with Arthur’s assistant the night before, wheedling information out of her on his routine and schedule. The assistant finally caved, most likely so she could get on with enjoying her Friday night and forget all about her boss for a couple of days.

  “You’re going to miss the golf game. That’s the point.”

  “To be late?”

  “You won’t be late. You’ll be there in time.”

  “For what?”

  “The steam room.”

  For the millionth time that day, Alex looked at her as though she’d lost her mind. “What is wrong with you? Do you just lie in bed at night and think of ways to torture me?”

  More like, lie in bed and be tortured by thoughts
of him. But she wouldn’t admit to that out loud.

  Alex was still griping about her shanghaiing techniques when the town car pulled up in front of the country club. He looked almost desperate when he turned to her. “Please tell me, what is the point of this?”

  Lacey consulted the clock on her phone. They were right on time. “Arthur and the others should be wrapping up on the golf course right about now. Which means that you’ve arrived just in time to join them in the steam room.”

  “I’ll ask you again. Why would I want to sit in a steamy, hot room with a bunch of nearly naked old men?”

  “Because it is practically impossible to be intimidated by a bunch of nearly naked old men.”

  Alex blinked at her, clearly at a loss for words.

  “Think about it,” Lacey continued. “Can you take someone too seriously after you’ve seen them naked, red-faced and sweaty in a public place? This is just one more step to help you overcome your completely irrational sense of insecurity about these men.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” At her blank look, he said, “I’ll be practically naked too, remember? The rule applies both ways, doesn’t it? They’ll never look at me the same way again either.”

  “Uh, no.” Lacey eyed him up and down meaningfully. “You are so not a flabby old dude who sits at a desk all day. Believe me, you won’t embarrass yourself.”

  “How do you know?”

  Lacey tilted her head to the side and gave him a knowing look. “Been there, seen that, remember?”

  Alex’s lips curled up into a smug smile. “So you thought I was that impressive, huh?”

  She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. Lacey could feel the heat rising in her cheeks the mere memory of his bare chest. But she didn’t need him to know the effect his naked body had on her.

  She led the way into the club and gave him a gentle shove in the direction of the men’s changing room. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

  Lacey maintained a no-nonsense expression, despite the desire to laugh out loud at Alex’s pathetic puppy-dog look that he cast over his shoulder every few feet as he headed toward the locker rooms.

  Once he was safely inside she let out the laugh she’d been holding in.

  Holy hell, please let this be worth it or he’ll never forgive me.

  Chapter Eight

  LACEY HAD CHECKED her emails and was flipping through a magazine in the club’s lobby when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

  “Lacey? Is that you?”

  Lacey looked up and forced a smile. She should have known. “Hi, Jess.”

  Jess looked around her in puzzlement. “What are you doing here? We thought you guys weren’t coming. Is Alex with you?”

  “He’s in the steam room. He felt terrible for missing the golf game but wanted to try to catch them before they left.” It slipped out of her mouth with alarming ease. She was turning into quite the liar.

  “I’m so glad you convinced him to make friends with my father.” The gorgeous young woman was beaming at her and Lacey tried to match her enthusiasm. The lithe model wrapped her arm through Lacey’s and led her toward the bar. “Come with me, I’m waiting for Daddy so we can share a ride home. Trust me, we could be waiting a while. He and his friends are worse than girls when it comes to getting dressed.”

  Lacey followed her newfound BFF into an elegant oak-paneled bar. They sat at a small table overlooking the green, and a white-clad waiter was at their side instantaneously.

  Jess ordered an iced tea and looked over at Lacey inquiringly. When she nodded, Jess said, “Make that two.”

  As soon as the waiter walked away, Jess leaned over the table. “I’m so glad you got through to Alex. He can be so stubborn sometimes. Tell me, what did you say to get him here.”

  Lacey bristled at the other woman’s insinuation that she had somehow manipulated Alex. Like he was a puppet to be maneuvered.

  Granted, she had tricked him into coming. But that was beside the point.

  “I didn’t say anything,” Lacey said. She tried to look the picture of innocence. “It was all Alex’s idea.”

  Jess looked surprised but pleased. “Really? Huh. Maybe he’s finally coming to his senses.”

  The waiter placed their drinks in front of them, and Lacey toyed with the straw. “How so?”

  Jess took a small sip of her drink. “Don’t take this the wrong way—because I’m very glad that you’re here to help Alex with his image. But let’s face it. You can’t work a miracle in a matter of weeks. And that’s what Alex needs.”

  Lacey struggled to keep calm in the face of the other woman’s condescending tone. “Surely his case isn’t so dire.”

  Jess leaned back in her seat, a knowing smile on her face. “You and I both know that Alex is a great guy. And he’ll make a great company president some day. But he’s just not there yet.”

  At Lacey’s lack of a response, Jess continued. “I’m sure that by now you know that Alex’s grandfather had been grooming his father to take over as president for the last decade. And Alex was supposed to follow the same path. He was supposed to have years to become the kind of leader a global corporation needs.”

  Lacey felt a stab of pain on Alex’s behalf. Hearing it put that way, it was no wonder Alex felt as though he’d never live up to his father’s legacy.

  “So you don’t think Alex is up to the challenge?”

  Jess’s smile was smug. “Of course I do—with a little help from his friends.”

  “And that’s where you come in,” Lacey said.

  “That’s where we come in. It’s obvious that Alex listens to you. It’s understandable. I mean, you’re an objective outsider. It’s no wonder he values your perspective.”

  “Thanks.”

  Jess continued uninterrupted. “Which is why he’ll listen to you if you tell him he should let me help him.”

  Lacey nearly choked on her drink. “And how exactly would you help him?”

  “Daddy listens to me and the board listens to Daddy.” Jess gave a helpless shrug. “With a little assistance from me and my father, we could turn this risky election into a sure thing.”

  Lacey tried not to let her disgust show. “You could do that anyway, couldn’t you? I mean, you said it yourself. Your father listens to you. Why not put in a good word for Alex right now? No strings attached.”

  Jess’s smile never faltered, but some of the chumminess was gone when she answered. “Alex and I have known each other since we were little kids. Did you know that?”

  Lacey shook her head. Where was this going?

  “We were always close, and our fathers were the best of friends. It was understood that we would get together, even at a young age. Everyone was so happy when we became an official couple in high school.”

  And then you dumped him when he went off to serve his country. But Jess skipped over that part.

  “I want to get us on track,” Jess continued. “I want Alex to take his rightful place as the head of the company …”

  Her voice trailed off and Lacey filled in the blanks. “And you want to take your rightful place by his side.”

  Jess’s eyes narrowed at the sharp tone. “Exactly.”

  There was a brief silence as Lacey tried to figure out what sort of response was expected after such a blatant confession of her selfish motives.

  Jess sighed and let the pleasant façade slip. “Look, I don’t care if you like me or not. I don’t need your approval. But I do need your help.”

  Lacey’s eyes widened in surprise at that. “I’m here to help Alex get this position on his own merit. I’m not here to meddle in his personal life.”

  Jess’s laugh was humorless and ugly. “No, you’re here to help Alex win the presidency. Period. No one cares how you do it. If you’re smart and have any ambition, you’ll do whatever it takes to ensure Alex’s success. And whether you like it or not, I am his best bet.”

  Jess beckoned to the waiter for her check and turned to Lacey w
ith a brilliant smile, as though the last several moments had never occurred. “It was so inconsiderate of me to keep you here. You must have tons to do on your day off.”

  “That’s all right; I have to wait for Alex—”

  “There’s no need.” Jess tilted her head and smiled graciously. “My father and I can give Alex a ride when they’re done. You go on and take the company car back to the hotel. You deserve a little downtime; no one expects you to work around the clock.” When Lacey hesitated, she added, “I insist.”

  A little while later, she found herself in the town car heading to the city. Alone.

  Lacey had been right. Alex threw his towel into the laundry bin and headed toward the club’s main lobby. He couldn’t wait to tell her that she had been one hundred percent correct. About everything, from the pudgy pastiness of the majority of the board members to the fact that being in that bizarre environment would help his self-esteem.

  That hot little box of a room had leveled the playing field. Wingate and two other board members were in there when Alex walked in and though they’d been surprised to see him, they were happy he’d decided to join them. They all knew him since he was a kid and he’d always thought of them as untouchable. Powerful, high-class men who deserved the utmost respect. But those titans of industry were hard to be scared of sitting there with a little white towel covering them. Even Arthur Wingate, who was normally so cool and collected—the epitome of debonair sophistication with his slicked back blond hair and tailor-made suits. In the cloying hot air of the steam room he’d looked like a buffoon with his red face, disheveled hair and pasty, flabby exposed body.

  Oh sure, they’d still called him “son” and ”kiddo” but in this context it didn’t so much make him feel young as it made them seem old.

  Alex wasn’t naïve enough to think that this would cure all of his problems. He still had a long way to go. But the image of those men sitting there half-naked would be in his head forever. Whether he liked it or not.

  Lacey was nowhere to be found in the lobby. He was about to check the bar or the pool area when Jess called out to him. After giving him a kiss on each cheek, she explained that she’d sent Lacey back to the office and that she would be giving him a ride to the city.