“Poor things.” Caro waited as he opened the imposing walnut door at the club’s entrance.
“Yeah, I got grounded for the first and only time in my life and wasn’t allowed to go on a really killer camping trip. And Juna puked champagne for two solid days.”
“I meant the frogs!”
Caro’s smile remained on her face as she went up to the reception desk and gave her name. Alex went over to look at the window display for the club’s store.
“Come on. They’re waiting for us in the tearoom. We’re actually going to be blessed with the presence of the prospective bride and groom at this meeting.”
“Great,” Alex said. “Maybe I should get one of those totally stylish green Wimbledon sports coats.” With mock wistfulness, he gazed at the window one last time.
“Mmm. I think I like the one you have on better.”
They walked down a plush, carpeted hallway. The walnut-paneled walls displayed large oil paintings of various white men posing in tennis whites or on golf greens. Alex aped a couple of their expressions and Caro tried hard not to giggle again. He wasn’t very far removed from the fourteen-year-old frog thief.
They turned at the first set of large French doors. Even though the tearoom was closed to the public at this hour, a tuxedoed maitre d’ greeted them formally. He proceeded to guide them through the lovely mullion-windowed room back to a corner table where a large, elegantly coiffed woman argued heatedly with a smaller woman garbed completely in gray. A young man looked on petulantly. They all looked up as Caro and Alex approached.
“Caro, thank God you’re here. We’ve been waiting for how long?” Mrs. McCarthy glanced down at her gray-faced, gray-suited daughter but didn’t wait for a reply. She stood up to buss Caro on the cheeks, but she kept her striking blue eyes fixed on Alex. “And who is this? Oh my God. Please tell me this is your new assistant!”
“So sorry if we kept you waiting, Mrs. McCarthy. I’d like you to meet Len’s friend, Alex. And yes, he’s the one I told you about. He’ll be assisting me while Len works in Chicago.”
Mrs. McCarthy put a cocktail-ringed hand on one of her shapely hips. Her pink knit St. John suit clung to her tall, statuesque figure and she proudly stuck out her chest as she surveyed Alex up and down with her beautiful, heavily made-up eyes.
Alex took her hand and as he brought it to his lips, he flashed his slowest, vampiest sex smile, the one that just hinted at a glimpse of those canines. Yeah, thought Caro, that oughta do the job. Mrs. McCarthy blinked.
“Mrs. McCarthy,” he said in a low, elegantly modulated voice. “Caro told me all about you. I am so grateful she’s allowed me to sit in on this meeting. And whom do we have here? Your beautiful daughter, I presume?”
“Do forgive me. Yes, yes. This is Campbell and her fiancé, Andrew Moran.”
“I’m charmed,” said Alex, gazing warmly down at them both.
Campbell didn’t say anything. She took a sip of her tea and clattered her cup back down onto the saucer.
Andrew looked up with interest but quickly veiled it before sinking farther into his chair. “Good to meet you,” he said with affected boredom.
“Well,” said Caro. “Shall we sit down? I’m anxious to hear where you’ve decided to have the reception.”
Campbell snorted. “We haven’t decided on anything, have we Andrew?”
Andrew shrugged.
“Oh Campbell, please,” said Mrs. McCarthy. “Don’t be so tiresome. Alex. Tell me more about yourself. What exactly is your relationship with Len? What’s your background, dear?” She poured him a cup of tea and pushed a plate of cookies toward him. She coyly licked a crumb off a long, coral-tipped finger.
Alex inclined his head with a small smile. “Well, let’s see. I’ve known Len for most of my life. We’ve had an amazing relationship. Lots of ups…lots of downs.” He winked at Caro.
He wasn’t injecting any swish to his tone, he was just doing his best to ooze sexy charm. And he was doing a righteous job of it. Everyone appeared to be riveted.
“As for my professional background, I’ve always been a stylist of a sort. Entirely in Manhattan until a few months ago. My latest stint in New York was for the Vamp Network. Are you familiar with that channel?”
“God, yes,” gushed Mrs. McCarthy. “Tell me, did you have anything at all to do with the wonderful series, Hot Vamps in Love?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. Do you enjoy that show?”
“Oh it’s just the cleverest little show…a favorite guilty pleasure.” Mrs. McCarthy shifted in her seat to move closer to Alex.
“Mother, nobody cares about what TV shows you like,” Campbell interjected. “Can we get on with this, please? Andrew and I have an appointment with our acupuncturist.”
Alex winked at Campbell. “Great idea, Campbell. I’m sure your mother and I could discuss my boring past later. So where are you going to have your reception?”
Caro held her breath as Campbell rolled her eyes. “Well, mother wants to have it here. But Andrew and I refuse to have it at this bourgeois monument to mortal white elitism. We’ve been thinking about a historic mansion out by Mentor—”
Mrs. McCarthy let out a shout of laughter. “God, Campbell. Talk about elite monuments…our house is more suitable than that hovel.” Alex shifted in his seat and Caro saw his mouth twitch. “And besides, for the final time…we can’t do that place because they won’t allow more than one hundred guests.”
“Well, then. Andrew and I have talked it over and we’re going to elope.” Campbell’s tone demonstrated the expertise of a professional whiner. Andrew slumped farther into his chair. His short, pale blond hair and blue eyes should have been striking, but his posture and his slack-jawed boredom made him look like a teenager stuck in detention.
“Idle threats, idle threats,” said Mrs. McCarthy, leaning back in her chair before popping a tiny petit four between her coral lips. “You know you won’t get a red cent from your father and I,” her voice rose alarmingly, “if you insist on leaving your friends and family out of this affair.”
“I’d like you to consider Len’s latest suggestion again,” Caro said soothingly. It had actually been her idea, but she thought that it might go over better if they attributed it to Len. “The Cleveland Botanical Garden would be lovely. I just spoke with one of their planners and they have a lovely new Asian garden planned for opening right before spring. We would just need to keep the guest list under two hundred if we wanted to do dinner there too.”
“Dinner at the Botanical Garden! Come on! It would be one thing if it were in the summer, but since the children insist on having a wedding on the first day of spring—”
“The vernal equinox, Mother!”
“The equinox…whatever! Well, maybe I could go for the ceremony but I have so many problems with having the reception at the Botanical Garden—”
Caro interrupted gently. “You could have your choice of caterers rather than having to stick to the club or a restaurant’s limited options. You’d have an opportunity to do something very original and very creative—”
Mrs. McCarthy laughed as she interrupted, “Pardon my French, Caro, but everybody and their fucking dog is doing a wedding at the Botanical Garden.”
“God, Mother, you are so rude. Give people a chance to finish their sentences.”
Caro looked at Campbell and was pleased to see there was some interest for her idea. Caro had been waiting for the right moment to mention the Asian gardens and this might just be enough to push Campbell in a practical direction.
“Mmm. Tea always makes me a little warm.” Alex’s voice was a sexy rasp.
Everyone looked at him as he pushed his chair back and removed his coat. He subtly scooted a little closer to Andrew as he reached back to put his coat across a chair at the table behind him. Caro hadn’t seen him do it, but she noticed that his shirt was now open nearly halfway down his chest. The tight fabric pulled across the lean, well-formed muscles of his upper body as he dra
ped an arm across the back of Andrew’s chair.
And what did he have around his neck? Some kind of a necklace. One of Juna’s creations, no doubt. A thin string of tiny sterling and jet beads with an unusual and eye-attracting pendant that hung right between his pecs. When he crossed an ankle over one knee, Caro’s breath snagged. Thin, faded denim stretched across his thighs, the worn fabric going totally white over the bulge of his crotch. Damn. He was definitely coming on a little strong.
Caro looked over at Mrs. McCarthy. Her large blue eyes now had a slightly buggy quality. For one laughable moment Caro realized that all eyes at the table were glued to Alex’s crotch except for his own. Campbell took another gulp of tea and Andrew straightened his shoulders.
“Sorry,” Alex said. His half-smile made his lip curve over his right canine. It was a smile Caro loved and a smile that knocked people out with its freakish combo of cuteness, scariness and sexiness. “Hope nobody minds if I take off my jacket. You know, I’d like to put in a plug for the Botanical Garden idea. Last year I went to a royal vamp wedding that took place at some incredible gardens in San Francisco. The stylist was a friend of mine. I’d be happy to work some of her ideas up for you in a small intermedia presentation. I think they’d work brilliantly at the Cleveland Garden.” He slowly ran a hand down his thigh to rest it on his bare ankle.
Mrs. McCarthy licked her lips. “Oh. Well. That would be fine. I think we’d like to see something like that, wouldn’t we Campbell? Andrew?”
Campbell shrugged but her eyes had lost their vacant look. “Umm, okay,” said Andrew. His eyes rested on Alex’s hand and then quickly shifted away.
“A great suggestion,” Caro breathed. “Thanks so much, Alex.”
Alex uncrossed his legs as he leaned forward. He brushed a hand through his long, satin-black hair and smiled into Mrs. McCarthy’s eyes. “You know, I really admire old buildings like this one—ones that have a great history of entertaining. I’d love it if you could show me around. It might give me some ideas for some holiday party plans I’ve been working up with some colleagues in New York.”
Mrs. McCarthy stood up gracefully, offering Alex her jeweled fingers. “I’d like nothing better, darling. Do come. I know all the secret places here. I’ve been coming here since I was a girl, you know…”
Alex slanted a bemused glance at Caro as Mrs. McCarthy led him away from the table.
Mrs. McCarthy gave a final command over her shoulder. “Campbell, you talk flowers with Caro and then you and Andrew are free to go.”
When Campbell rolled her eyes at the dramatic swish of her mother’s departing hips, Caro gave her an understanding smile. After fifteen minutes of discussion without any of Mrs. McCarthy’s super-charged opinions, Caro was pleasantly surprised. Campbell had actually made some productive and cooperative comments. Andrew, however, was still looking bored and began to drum his fingers annoyingly on the table. “I’ve got to use the john,” he said abruptly. “I’ll meet you out in the lobby, Campbell.”
Campbell rolled her eyes at him too. Caro asked her a few more questions about ideas for favors and gave her suggestions for additional places to try for gowns, since apparently her search for formalwear continued to be fruitless. When Caro gently suggested that Campbell try going shopping for a gown without her mother, Campbell’s eyes lit up, making her face look fifty times more attractive. “Hey, Caro, maybe we could go shopping and get your friend Alex to come with us. I bet we would find something with him right away…”
“Hmm,” murmured Caro. “Yes. Maybe so. He has to do a lot of traveling in the next few months but I’ll run it by him.” She stood up. “Speaking of Alex, maybe we should go figure out where he and your mother went.”
Campbell snorted. “She’s probably showing him the ladies’ locker room. So is he gay or not?”
Caro was putting folders back into her briefcase. She paused.
Campbell held up her hand when she saw Caro’s face. “Sorry. I start to ask rude questions if I hang out with my mom for too long.”
Caro smiled, thankful to let the subject drop. She grabbed Alex’s jacket from the chair and headed out of the dining room.
They came to the lobby and found Mrs. McCarthy chatting with a velour-suited friend. “Ah, here you are Campbell. I was just making arrangements with Joan to play tennis next week.” She glanced at Caro. “Caro, thank you. You were surprisingly helpful today. You really need to hang on to that Alex. He makes you look good.” She smiled as she took Campbell’s arm. “You’ll call next week when the presentation is ready? I think Mr. McCarthy might like to be in on that. Let’s hope it’s great. Bye-bye!”
Caro stood there, trying not to shake her head. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Andrew quickly moving through the lobby. He gave her a furtive glance before darting out the door after his future wife and mother-in-law. He must be desperate for money to tie himself to that ball and chain combo, Caro thought ruthlessly.
She turned to go look for Alex and then smiled as she saw him sauntering down the hall toward her. He approached and stood directly in front of her. Her hands itched to touch him but she knew the reception desk clerk was watching them with interest.
Alex grinned, moving his mouth to within inches of hers. “Well, princess, am I hired?”
She shoved his jacket at him. “Yes. You passed that test with flying colors. Now, let’s get out of here.”
“Good thinking.”
They both broke into laughter as they walked down the pathway to his car.
Chapter Fifteen
They were in bed—in the middle of contract negotiations—when Alex remembered the weird scene in the country club bathroom.
He smoothed his hand over the curve of Caro’s ass. Her flesh was hot and pink from where he’d spanked her. He smiled. Ten delicious smacks on that perfectly curved, rosy flesh had cost him three days on his employment contract. So Caro was a double winner on that one—his good girl had climaxed instantly at the sheer naughtiness of it and she’d gained the days.
Damn it. He was going to have to be more clearheaded about these negotiations or he’d be planning weddings in Cleveland until the next millennium.
When he smoothed his hand up her back, her moan was rich with satisfaction.
“Hey…”
“Mm.”
“I don’t know exactly what we want to do with this information, but that guy Andrew?”
She looked back over her shoulder at him. “Mr. Morose? Andrew Moran?”
“Yeah,” he said, pushing a silky curl of her hair away from her face.
“What about him?”
“He put the moves on me in the john at the country club tonight.”
“No!” She propped herself up on her elbow, caramel eyes wide.
“Yep. No question about it either. He backed me into a corner with lust in his eyes. He showed me his pretty little ass, and when that didn’t work he offered me a vein.”
“Shit. What did you do?”
He laughed. “I said no thanks, of course. Then he flew out of there like the hounds of hell were chewing his heels.”
Caro sat up all the way and put her hand over her mouth. “My God. Poor Campbell.”
He shrugged. “Maybe she knows.”
“I doubt it. Oh God, do you think you came on a little too strong during tea?”
“Hey, don’t blame the victim! I wasn’t the one who was groping folks in the john.”
“I know, I know. But you were so blatant with your, umm…”
“My what?” He reached over to the bedside table for the champagne they’d opened earlier. He took a swig and quirked an eyebrow, offering her the bottle.
She shook her head. “Forget it.”
“No. This is interesting. I want to hear more. Because this is something that we never really got through all those years ago. You seem to blame me when I get hit on. I never blame you when guys hit on you. Which happens all the fucking time, I might add.” He took a long pull on the bottl
e.
“I don’t blame you…” she started to deny and then stopped. “Oh hell. Maybe I do. You just have this way of acting too sexy sometimes. Part of it’s a vamp thing and part of it is you. Like I bet you probably could have fucked every single person in that tearoom today.”
He snorted. “I think you’re giving me a little too much credit.”
“Oh come, Alex. You were putting on quite a show there. I mean, I know I’m hypersensitive to your particular attractions—God knows I’ve tried not to be.”
He leaned back against the pillows. “You know, it’s interesting how even the most sexually liberated humans get nervous when they’re around immortals who act blatantly sexual.”
She furrowed her brow and he smiled, knowing she had to think that one over for a minute.
“Well,” she finally said, “maybe if everybody exhibited blatantly sexual behavior twenty-four seven it would be a different story. But when one person is acting overtly sexual at a table where four other people who aren’t, and in a setting where that type of thing isn’t expected, it’s a little bit in your face. It doesn’t mean anyone is being judgmental or anti-sex, it just means they might start to wonder about your motives.”
“And they would assume those to be what?” He ran his champagne-cold finger over her perky nipple, noting with interest that it got even perkier.
“To get fucked, of course.”
“Why? Why can’t it just be another public persona…like people who always act like a clown, or people who put on a grumpy act like Campbell, or an overbearing act like her mother…?”
“Oh Alex. You know that sex always complicates things for people, even for you. It’s on a totally different level from grumpiness for Christ’s sake.” She grabbed the champagne and drank deeply.
“Probably so. But I wish it weren’t.” He took the bottle from her and set it on the table, suddenly recalling that Caro and too much champagne didn’t mix well.
“Maybe it’s a vamp thing, a male thing.” She twined a strand of hair around her fingers, something she did when she was thinking hard about something. “Some kind of predatory behavior that comes naturally.”
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