Stallion Magic

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  As he closed the conference room door behind him he heard her slam her pen and pad to the table, her tone seething as she lit into Frederick, who had lagged behind. With the door closed you could only hear her raised voice but it wasn’t clear what was being said. Noah stood there listening for only a brief moment before turning and heading back to his office.

  Thirty minutes later, Catherine’s assistant waved him inside the executive space. As he entered, Catherine rose from her seat and secured the office door. Before he could comment she was in his arms, her mouth locked firmly to his. The kiss was deep and passionate, his excitement abundant. When she finally pulled herself from him they were both breathless. She rested her head against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you took the job?”

  “I’ve been trying to tell you since I signed your offer letter, but you didn’t want to talk about business, remember? You changed the subject every time I brought it up. Besides, I figured you and Frederick would have discussed it.”

  Catherine sighed, still hugging him tightly. She didn’t want to admit that she’d ignored Frederick, too, but she had, not wanting to think about what would happen with the two of them once Noah became an employee.

  Noah continued. “Does it matter? You were the one who said we could be adults about it.”

  She took a deep breath. “We can but you really need to forewarn a girl. It took everything I had not to throw myself at you in front of everyone. It took me a minute to get my thoughts together.”

  Noah chuckled softly. “Is that why you just tore Frederick a new one?”

  She shook her head. “No. He screwed something else up. I don’t know what’s going on with him lately but he’s making some major mistakes.”

  Catherine didn’t miss the look that crossed Noah’s face. “What’s wrong? You look concerned.”

  He shook his head as he pointed her toward her desk. As she took her seat, he unlatched the office door and moved to the chair opposite her desk. “We have some things we need to discuss. I’ve implemented some new security features that you need to know about.”

  When Marvin knocked on her office door an hour later, peeking his head through the entrance, Catherine was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her second in command had purposely read and kept private email messages from her. The information was disconcerting, and she found herself questioning what else he might have been holding back. Her head moved slowly from side to side as she tried to make sense out of nonsense. She lifted her hand toward her assistant, her index finger telling him to hold his thoughts a moment longer.

  “And the server is now locked?” she asked, her gaze focused on Noah’s face.

  Noah nodded. “Only two people can access any messages across the company’s network. You, and your vice president of information technology. And he understands that if he compromises your trust he’s out the door.”

  “Do you think I need to be worried about those messages?”

  Noah shook his head. “No. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  She nodded. “I want you to stay here in New York until after the stock market launch next week.”

  He nodded. “I can do that.”

  She nodded with him, lifting her gaze toward the door. “Yes, Marvin?”

  “You’re going to be late for your yoga class, Cat.”

  “Yoga?” Noah mouthed the word, his back to the man at the door. His eyes wide as he looked at her.

  She rolled her eyes, trying to keep her expression blank. “Thank you, Marvin. I’m almost done here,” she said.

  Marvin looked from her to Noah, who still had not turned in his direction. As Catherine waved him out he did an about-face and closed the door behind him.

  “Where are you staying?” Catherine asked.

  “I’m told I have a room at the Marriott.”

  She nodded as she reached into the bottom drawer of her desk for her purse. “Check in and then grab a taxi to my place. Here’s the key,” she said as she jotted her address down on a piece of paper. “I’ll meet you there after my class.”

  “Ms. Moore,” Noah said, his voice dropping to a seductive lull. “Whatever do you have planned?”

  She smiled. “It’s strictly business, Mr. Stallion. Strictly business.”

  Chapter 9

  Catherine’s Gramercy Park address was a sleek, custom-designed residence offering over eight thousand square feet of living space, four exposures, sixty-four windows and eighty feet of park frontage. The views were breathtaking, stretching over shaded park lawns, sumptuous foliage, historic neighborhood architecture and up Lexington Avenue, highlighted by the iconic Chrysler Building.

  There was a dramatic gallery area showcasing an impressive collection of cobalt-blue glass. Also an expansive, highly polished wood bar and fully stocked wine room, a substantial private library and a home theater, eight bedrooms with marble-tiled baths, a gourmet kitchen and finishing touches that included hand-troweled walls and ceilings, rift and quartered white oak flooring, a twenty-four-hour doorman, full-time concierge, a sleek spa and fitness center and two rooftop terraces. The decor was polished and elegant with hints of warmth and ambiance that had Catherine written all over it. Noah found himself both impressed and overwhelmed by it all.

  He stood staring out the window when Catherine entered the apartment. He turned in her direction as she made her way through the front door.

  “Honey, I’m home!” she chimed, a hint of humor in her tone.

  Noah laughed softly as he opened his arms wide, and Catherine stepped easily into them. He kissed her lips, not knowing how much he’d missed their touch until they were once again pressed tight to his.

  “How was your yoga class?” he asked when they finally parted.

  Catherine moved to drop her purse to the coffee table. “I couldn’t focus. All I could think about was getting back here to you.”

  Noah nodded. He gestured around the space as he took a seat beside her on the sofa. “This is some place, Ms. Moore. I love the views.”

  She smiled. “That’s probably the only thing about the place that I truly like. I like my Atlanta home much more.”

  “How many homes do you have?”

  “I have property in five states and two properties overseas. But they’re houses. The Atlanta property is the only one I’d really consider a home.”

  Noah draped an arm around her waist. “Tell me about it. What makes it so special?”

  Catherine paused, and Noah didn’t miss the tears that suddenly misted her eyes. He trailed his hand along the side of her face, concern painting his expression. It was a brief moment before she finally responded.

  “It was my nana’s house. She passed away a few years ago and she left the property to me. It’s not big at all, just over a thousand square feet. But it sits on ten acres of land and has a huge front porch. It’s really just a very special place. I have a lot of great memories there.”

  “Maybe I’ll get to see it someday.”

  Catherine cut a quick eye at him then shifted her gaze to the floor. “You say that like you have some doubts.”

  He shrugged. “No. Not really. I just know that we have a very unique situation.”

  “It’s not that unique.”

  “It is to me.”

  There was something in Noah’s voice that moved her to lift her eyes back to his. There was a look of dismay on his face and his brow furrowed. Her gaze was questioning as she met his stare.

  “I don’t lie,” he said. “And it’s not in my nature to keep secrets. And I definitely don’t make a point of hiding my feelings about a woman I care about. So this is, well...out of my comfort zone. And I don’t like it, Cat. I don’t like it one bit.”

  Catherine nodded her head slowly. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it, not sure if she should say anything at all. The quiet in the room was thick and she suddenly felt awkward.

  She
really hadn’t thought about the ramifications of hiding what was going on between them. She just knew that a relationship with someone on her staff went against everything she had always preached and practiced. Even with all that had happened between them since the reunion she truly hadn’t considered the magnitude of dating a man who worked for her. All she’d been thinking about was how much she loved the time they shared, wanting nothing more than to be with Noah.

  Catherine shifted her body closer to his, moving to lean her head against his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “But I don’t know what else to do. This has caught me completely off guard. I just didn’t expect to feel the way that I do about you.”

  “And how’s that? How do you feel about me, Cat?”

  She took a deep breath. “Like I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her close. “We’ll figure it out,” he said, certainty fueling his words. “Somehow we’ll make it work for us.”

  She smiled. “I could always fire you.”

  Noah chuckled softly. “You could definitely do that.”

  “But you’re good. If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have known about Frederick and my mail.”

  “I am good so firing me really isn’t an option right now. You need me until after your stock launch. Then you’re going to need me after that, too.”

  She nodded. “I probably will.”

  “You definitely will. I’m not going to go any place just yet.”

  She smiled as she tilted her head up to kiss his lips. “I’m glad we got that settled.”

  He shrugged, the slightest smile on his face. But something about his expression told Catherine that nothing had really been settled at all.

  “So are you going to at least feed me?” Noah questioned. “I’m hungry.”

  Catherine laughed. “I can definitely feed you but I think you actually have a meal budget. We can go out and you can treat.”

  Noah laughed with her. “I do have a food budget but I’m saving it.”

  She eyed him curiously. “For what?”

  “Dessert.”

  Confusion washed over Catherine’s expression. “Dessert?”

  He nodded as he leaned forward to kiss her lips. “For those days the boss can’t give me any of her sugar. My budget will come in handy then.”

  * * *

  Catherine cooked the evening meal, and Noah admitted to being surprised by her skills in the kitchen. After close to thirty minutes of slinging pots and pans across the marble counters, she served him a meal of stewed chicken with baby carrots and red potatoes. The food was good, paired with crusty bread and a bottle of Pinot Grigio.

  Their conversation was light and easy as they bantered back and forth, the teasing a refreshing diversion from the seriousness of their earlier conversation. Catherine had a mischievous side that Noah found engaging and her lighthearted playfulness awakened a side of himself that he had never fully explored. When she’d cajoled him into doing a series of musical impressions, singing a Michael Jackson song then a Barry White tune, they’d both laughed until their sides had ached.

  Noah pointed his index finger at her. “Okay, it’s your turn.”

  She held up her hands as if she were surrendering. “Oh, no. I don’t sing. I don’t even pretend to sing when I’m in the shower.”

  “Everyone sings. Give me some Alicia Keys.”

  “I can’t do Alicia Keys.”

  “Then go old-school. Sing some Diana Ross or Whitney Houston.”

  Catherine laughed. “I am not singing!”

  Noah eased to her side and began to tickle her stomach. “Sing for me. You’ll sing for me, right?”

  She laughed, pushing his hands away as they danced across her abdomen. “Stop, Noah! I am not singing.”

  He leaned back against his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He feigned a look of disappointment, his full lips pouting profusely.

  “Don’t give me that look,” Catherine said, still giggling.

  He pushed his bottom lip out even farther as he held up his index finger. “One song?” he said.

  Catherine rolled her eyes. Her whole body shivered with glee, her laughter rich and warm. It was the sweetest music to Noah’s ears.

  “Okay,” she said, finally acquiescing. “One song.”

  Noah grinned, shifting upright as he twisted his body toward her.

  Catherine began to bob her head up and down, grabbing a silent beat in her head. Noah’s grin widened even more.

  As Catherine began to sing the old Meghan Trainor summer anthem, Noah laughed out loud. She was off-key but spirited as she jumped to her feet to emphasize her routine with a side-to-side shimmy. His head bobbed up and down against his broad shoulders as he snapped his fingers along with her.

  By the conclusion of her performance, complete with much hip action and booty shaking, the two were laughing hysterically. The sound of their cheerful voices bounced from room to room as the duo sang, danced and chased each other from room to room. By the end of the night when both had slipped between the sheets of Catherine’s king-size bed, exhaustion had claimed them both.

  Catherine sighed deeply as she rolled her body against his, laying her head on his chest. She was warm and comfortable against him, the rise and fall of his breathing like the sweetest lullaby. As Noah tightened his arms around her torso, she snuggled even closer against him and before either could count to ten they were both lost in a deep, dream-filled slumber.

  * * *

  Catherine and Noah were still laughing as they stepped out of a yellow cab in front of the Fly High corporate offices the next morning.

  Stepping out of his own taxi, Frederick eyed them both curiously. “Good morning,” he said, his eyes shifting from one to the other. “Did I miss a breakfast meeting or something?” he questioned.

  Noah pressed a warm palm against Catherine’s lower back as he returned the new day greeting. “Good morning.”

  Catherine met the man’s stare, her smile cresting downward. “No, Frederick, you didn’t,” she said, a hint of attitude in her tone. Her body tensed and annoyance creased her forehead.

  Frederick nodded, still eyeing them both curiously.

  “Deep breaths,” Noah muttered, his words a low whisper. His eyes flicked back and forth, taking in everything around them.

  Frederick didn’t miss the gesture, bristling as he watched Catherine lean back against Noah’s touch. He looked from her to him and back, his gaze narrowing until his eyes were thin slits.

  “Why don’t we go inside,” Noah said, gently nudging Catherine forward. “I need to speak to you both about the changes I’ve made to some of our security protocols.”

  Frederick bristled even more. “Changes? You don’t have the authority to make changes without running them by me first.”

  “Noah reports directly to me,” Catherine said tersely. “He has whatever authority I give him and I’ve given him the authority to do whatever he feels necessary to safeguard this company.”

  “I know, Cat, but...” Frederick stammered.

  She glanced down to her wristwatch, cutting off his comment. “I have a few items I need to take care of and then we can talk,” she said, meeting Frederick’s gaze evenly. She extended the hint of a smile. “I’ll see you in my office in about thirty minutes.”

  With a quick nod of his head, Frederick rushed ahead of them.

  Noah shook his head. “You’ve scared him.”

  “He should be scared. At the moment I’m seriously considering firing him. I want to hear what our legal department has to say first.” She sighed.

  The two entered the building together. Noah suddenly felt as if everyone was staring at them, seeming to know their secret and then he realized he still had an arm around her waist. He snatched the appendage away, grabbing at his attaché with both hands. Catherine laughed as he took an abrupt step away from her.

  “That didn’t look too obvious.” Catherine giggled s
oftly.

  Noah rolled his eyes. “I don’t know how to do this,” he responded.

  She took a deep breath and nodded. “Just do what feels right, Noah. I don’t think either one of us can go wrong if we just do what we know is right.”

  Smiling, Noah nodded his head. They’d come to the entrance of her office, and Marvin greeted them both, standing with Catherine’s requisite cup of Starbucks coffee in hand. Noah leaned to kiss her check, then turning, he gave Marvin a quick wave of his hand.

  “Thirty minutes,” Catherine called after him.

  He turned, his grin miles wide. “Yes, ma’am!”

  * * *

  Their conversation with Frederick was tense and heated. Neither Catherine nor Noah had expected the hostility and rage that had come from the man.

  “This company is where it is because of me!” Frederick had shouted.

  Catherine had bristled in response, her index finger waving in his direction. “You manipulating what I see and don’t see didn’t build this business. Get that straight. The success of Fly High was manifested long before I ever considered bringing you aboard, and you damn well better remember that!”

  “So what now?” Frederick snapped. He glared in Noah’s direction. “You hire your pretty boyfriend and suddenly everything I’ve done for you doesn’t mean anything?”

  Noah shifted forward in his seat, his gaze narrowed as he met the look the other man was giving him.

  Catherine held up her palm to stall the comment on the tip of his tongue. “That depends on you, Frederick,” she said. “From this point forward you will only do as I direct or I’ll gladly accept your resignation today. Now, we have always worked well together and I want to trust that we can continue to but that depends on you.”

  Frederick’s tone suddenly changed, emotion sweeping over his composure. “You know I would never do anything to hurt you, Catherine. I was only trying to help. I was only trying to do what was best for you and the business.”

  Catherine took a deep breath. “I know. That’s the only reason you still have a job.”

  Frederick pulled his shoulders back as he buttoned his suit jacket, adjusting it around his thin frame. “I need to prep for our final meeting with the underwriters. Do you have any other concerns that need to be addressed?”