Infatuation

by Anise Storm

  The interior was equal parts rustic and modern, with exposed brick along one wall and aged wooden panels on another. In the center were glass cases containing just about anything that a person could desire. He’d been in this particular establishment enough times to know exactly what he wanted.

  “Hey, Jacques. How are you today?’ he asked the jeweler. The Frenchman smiled when he saw Finley and he nodded.

  “I’m doing well. Have you finally decided to buy your girl something special?” he asked Finley. It still felt strange to hear someone else refer to Hannah as his girl, because he’d managed to keep his emotions for her well-hidden from everyone, including her.

  He also knew why Jacques had asked him that. It seemed as if he ventured inside this shop about once a week. After the second or third time he’d come in to look at the various gold baubles and diamonds, the man had started to talk to Finley about the different pieces of jewelry.

  Finley had told him that he wanted to get his girl something special, however, he never could actually go through with buying anything. It had to be the significance of what it meant for him to do so. Ever the bachelor, he’d been used to having a string of different women warming his bed until Hannah had called to ask if she could stay with him for a while. He’d cut everyone else in his life loose, wanting to make sure that it was just the two of them. They’d been living in comfort together until he’d lost what was left of his mind and sanity.

  Sooner or later he would need to reveal his intentions toward her, and the more he thought about it, Christmas was right around the corner and would be the perfect time. The two could ring in the New Year together, officially, as a couple. A smile tipped his lips as he pictured himself bathing her in champagne while she wore nothing more than the diamond necklace he planned to buy for her.

  The only thing that’d be better than that visual would be the real thing. Finley rarely made personal or business decisions on a whim, so if he actually went through with what he was planning, it wasn’t something that he would take lightly. He already had a certain responsibility to her as a Dominant, but as her full time Master, he would expect even more, which, in turn, meant that he would need to give her even more. The most important thing that he could offer was his heart, and if only the stars would align for him this once, maybe she could give him the one thing he wanted from her in return.

  Jacques was studying him, probably wondering if he would ever do more on one of these visits other than waste his precious time. The bell over the front door sounded, signaling that another customer had entered. In a voice that sounded foreign, even to his own ears, he spoke up. “I’ll take the white and pink diamond choker in the corner.”

  The jeweler looked shocked but quickly retrieved the expensive piece of jewelry. He held it up to Finley for his inspection. When he had it in his hand, he laid it across his wrist, imagining what it would look like wrapped around her slender throat. It would only enhance Hannah’s own natural beauty. Handing it back to Jacques, he pulled out his wallet.

  Once he’d charged it to one of his credit cards, he stepped back outside into the brisk cold, placing the wrapped jewelry box in the interior pocket of his jacket. Finley now had a gift that was guaranteed to help him express his feelings, and now he couldn’t wait for that bloody day to arrive.

  Getting back into his car, he drove back to his penthouse, not relishing that fact that for the first time in a few months, he would be there all alone. The peace and quiet would afford him the chance to get a head start on a new account proposal. He pulled into the garage and sat in his car for a few minutes before finally going inside.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Hannah had no idea what attire to wear and wondered whether the two outfits she’d packed would suffice. It’s a great time to think about that now, Einstein. She ignored her inner voice and looked at the two drab selections. She had initially thought that she would simply bring the paperwork to Ronald Anderson then talk to a few members of his staff before flying home. When she’d arrived in Manhattan, she’d found out that there was an actual party, and it was being held in the hotel ballroom. The last time she’d attended a function like this was when…

  And definitely don’t go there. Groaning aloud, she couldn’t stop her mind from flashing back to the last time she had been with Thaddeus Remington. It was at a business function such as this one. It had been only a few months ago, yet it felt like forever. Sighing in disgust, she picked up the clothing then stuffed it back inside her suitcase. Hannah knew that she had no choice but to go try to find something. Manhattan was full of shopping venues, so it shouldn’t be too difficult a task. Grabbing her purse and cellphone, she’d hail a cab. She had a feeling that finding something adequate would be as exhausting as it had been in Atlanta months ago.

  Hannah stopped in the lobby. She had no idea where to go and, on the off-chance that her driver didn’t speak English, she walked to the front desk.

  The blonde sitting behind the counter smiled up at her. “Is there something that I can help you with, ma’am?”

  “Yes, actually there is, Maddie,” Hannah replied, taking notice of her name tag and making sure to smile back at the woman. “I need to find a dress for an event tonight. I’m not from the area and time is of the essence for me.”

  “There are a few places that I could suggest. Why don’t you try Edressme off Thirty-Eighth Street? There is also a little shop in the East Village called Enz, if you like a more vintage style. Most of the others that I know would require an appointment. Would you like for me to call around and see if I can find something else?”

  Hannah shook her head. Surely she could find something at one of the two shops. If not, she wouldn’t hesitate to grab something off of the rack at Macy’s or Neiman Marcus. “I think those two places will be good. Thank you so much for your help.”

  She hailed a cab when she got outside and as she slid into the backseat, she gave the driver the name of the store on Thirty-Eighth Street. The driver’s broken English only confirmed her earlier suspicion, and she was glad that she’d thought to ask Maddie instead.

  Traffic was heavy and she wasn’t sure if it was a result of the upcoming holiday or a product of the city itself. It almost made the Atlanta or London traffic seem light. Time was ticking away and she felt herself becoming more stressed. She had no one to blame but herself though. She’d purposely chosen the later flight, wanting to spend additional time with Finley.

  As her thoughts turned to their last conversation, she now realized that had been a mistake. Finley had been distant with her and he hadn’t even seemed to care that she would be gone. It shouldn’t have surprised her, since she had been staying with him day and night since she’d arrived in London. Hannah hadn’t expected a declaration of love or vow to miss her while she was gone, but she did expect more than the friendly hug and chaste kiss he’d given her before dropping her off on the curb.

  Hannah remembered back to another airport and another Dominant, this time one that tried to stop her from leaving by making a spectacle of himself in the gate area. She didn’t believe that Thaddeus Remington loved her any more than she thought Finley Wetherall would be throwing a party over her absence. She just made horrible choices when it came to men, and her first real boyfriend had been the reason why.

  “We’re here, miss,” the driver told her as he pulled up in front of the Edressme boutique. Using her credit card, Hannah paid for her fare, then stepped out onto the sidewalk. It was just as cold here as it was in London and she definitely missed the Texas winters. Pulling her jacket tighter around her, she brushed off the few flakes of snow that had collected on the shoulders and arms of the coat, then she entered the store.

  The boutique had a large selection of dresses ranging from ones suitable for proms to weddings or a night out on the town. While the simple black cocktail dress was classic and elegant, she didn’t want to give the wrong impression. This account was an important one for Tucker Incorporated, so she would hedge he
r bets and deal with possibly being overdressed instead of underdressed.

  “Are you looking for anything in a particular style or color?”

  Hannah looked up as the saleslady approached. She was dressed casually in a pair of form-fitting jeans and a sweater.

  Wishing that she could wear something like that instead of what she was here for, Hannah cleared her throat. “I know it’s last minute, but I need to find something suitable for a business holiday party, so I’m hoping that you have something a little more formal than a cocktail dress but not quite as much as a prom-type gown. Does that make sense?”

  The woman tucked her dark hair behind her ear and nodded. “Absolutely. The hottest trend this season is the high-low,” she said, as she began to walk toward a rack of dresses.

  “High-low?” Hannah asked. She really needed to get back to her girly roots. It was almost embarrassing that she was such a tomboy.

  “They are dresses that are long in the back and shorter in the front. If you ask me, it’s like the best of both worlds. You’ll need to make sure that you have a cute pair of heels when wearing one of them, though.” The explanation made sense, but reminded Hannah that she also needed to pick up a pair of shoes, too. Thankfully the boutique had a wall lined with different kinds, and she hoped they had something in her size. “I think something in lilac would go great with your skin tone. I have a few dresses that you can try on if you would like.”

  Purple was one of her favorite colors and one she wore often. The gowns were beautiful, and she flipped through a few of them before finding one in her size. Hannah removed it from the rack and held it against her. It was very pretty and when she glanced at the price tag, she saw that it was also very expensive. If she bought this one, she would have to make sure that she could repurpose it for other events in the future.

  “I’ll go try this one on. Would you happen to have any shoes in this shade?” she asked and the woman smiled.

  “I’ll bring a pair to the fitting room. What size do you wear?”

  “I wear a size nine,” she replied. The woman scurried off to the shoe department. Hannah removed her clothes and had just pulled the dress up over her breasts when she heard a knock at the door. Glad that she was dressed, she opened it a crack and grabbed the heels.

  Hannah zipped up the dress in the back then looked at the shoes, which were even more gorgeous than the dress and just as much money. She tried to not think about the cost because if things went well and she helped Tucker Incorporated land this account, then it would go a long way for her career.

  She slipped her feet into the shoes and, just like the dress, they were also a perfect fit. Hannah turned and looked at the final product in the mirror and had to admit that she looked great. There was no need to spend any more time looking. Carefully removing the gown and shoes, she quickly re-dressed in her own clothes and carried the two items to the cash register. While they were getting rung up, she noticed a large butterfly clip with the same Swarovski crystals that were on the shoes. Adding it to her pile, she paid for everything, then headed back outside to catch a cab back to the hotel.

  Chapter Twenty

  Standing in the doorway to the hotel ballroom, she actually didn’t feel as out of place as she’d anticipated she would. Maybe it was the clothing, or the fact that she didn’t know anybody here, so she didn’t have to worry about keeping up pretenses. Odds were that she was just too tired to care. Hannah took a deep breath and entered the room, looking around for the drink station. Her plan was to say hello to a few people, then keep to herself in a corner somewhere.

  A few waiters were walking by with drink trays, and when one stopped and offered her a glass of white wine, she took it. “Thank you very much,” she said softly, then brought the glass to her lips. Hannah didn’t intend to get drunk or even tipsy. She just hoped to relax enough to mingle, as instructed to do by Brian.

  The waiter walked off, leaving her standing there. She sighed then turned back toward the entrance, hoping to locate somewhere close to it that she could go if needed. When she did, a shiver raced through her. Maybe I need this wine more than I thought.

  Bringing it back to her lips, she took another small sip. It was then that she realized someone was watching her. Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, she scanned the room, hoping to see who it could be. She didn’t see anyone, and she realized she was entirely too self-conscious. Hannah had hoped that the outfit would have made her more confident, but obviously that assumption had been wrong. She was about to take another drink of her wine but decided against it.

  Hannah saw a tray of empty glasses and set her partially-full glass down among them. Drinking wasn’t a good idea. The best thing for her was to find Ronald Anderson, greet him, then go upstairs to her room. It might have only been nine p.m. here in New York City, but it was well past her bedtime in London.

  Reaching down to pull the long train of her dress up just a little so it wouldn’t drag on the floor, she began to walk around, hoping to spot the man she was looking for. The silk material of her dress swished around her legs as she walked. No one was even paying the slightest bit of attention to her. You spoke too soon, she berated herself as she felt eyes on her once more. Determined to find out the source of her discomfort, she looked carefully to her left then allowed her gaze to sweep the room as she slowly turned.

  Suddenly she gasped as her gaze met a very familiar one. “Fuck,” she cursed softly at the sight of none other than Thaddeus Remington, standing about a dozen steps away from her current spot. He was the last person she had ever expected to run into here in New York City, even though it shouldn’t have surprised her, considering how horrible her luck usually was.

  Having said all she’d needed to say to him that morning at the airport, she did the only thing she could think of. Letting her dress drop to the floor, she turned and ran, even though she heard him calling her name. Hannah didn’t actually think he would follow her, so when she’d put enough distance between them, she pressed the elevator button and started fumbling through her purse for her room key. An ocean between them wasn’t enough some days, and now he was in the same building.

  Shaking her head, she hurried inside when the door opened. Hannah had almost made her escape when he appeared through the space between the doors as they started to close. His large hand slid inside and the doors opened once more.

  “Hannah,” he said in an incredulous tone. Thaddeus appeared to be as shocked to see her there as she was to see him. The difference was that he seemed happy about it, while she wasn’t.

  Hannah looked over his shoulder, wondering if she could brush her way past him. That hope was squashed when the doors shut with a thud. She swallowed back the large lump in the throat, silently reminding herself to breathe. Even that idea was dismissed when he advanced toward her.

  She shrank back into the corner, hearing nothing but the sound of her heavy breathing and the blood pounding in her ears. Her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest, and the realization that she was truly terrified finally registered. Hannah wasn’t scared of what Thaddeus would do to her but, rather, what she would do to him.

  The scent of his cologne practically swamped her, and she heard a whimper escape the moment his hands touched her face. Knowing what he was about to do, she was powerless to stop him as his head lowered toward hers. His eyes searched hers and, on instinct, she closed them, just as he traced her bottom lip with his thumb. Please don’t kiss me. Please let this all be a dream that I wake up from, anywhere but here.

  Hoping for the latter, Hannah opened her eyes just in time to see his normally dark ones turn black. She’d seen that lustful look many times before during their time together. Hannah was about to raise her hands, when he cupped her face in between his own palms and pulled her close. She felt his warm breath moments before his lips met hers.

  The kiss wasn’t gentle. It was demanding, and she knew what he wanted from her. It was meant to break down her defenses and,
cursing inwardly as her knees weakened, she grabbed onto his large biceps just to hold herself upright. Thaddeus took that as an invitation, nipping at her bottom lip until she opened to allow him full access.

  It was completely devastating to her resolve, and her body soon began to betray her as she felt the first stirrings of arousal. Mustering as much strength as she could manage, Hannah pushed at him until he released her mouth from his sensual torment. “Never kiss me again,” she stated.

  Hannah almost expected him to growl in displeasure but, instead, his lips quirked into a knowing smirk. “I never thought I would see you here, sweetheart.”

  She could barely think but did manage to force her lips to move. “I was just leaving.”

  Thaddeus slowly grinned, knowing full well that he was getting to her.

  Damn him.

  “I recall making the biggest mistake of my life by letting you leave a party like this one alone. I think it is fate’s way of letting us have a do-over. Come with me, sweetheart.”

  Hannah managed to make what she hoped was a snort at his request. “The biggest mistake I ever made was you.” And it was.

  Thaddeus wasn’t fazed by her admission because he stepped toward her once again, eliminating all the space she’d managed to put between them seconds ago.

  “You know, Hannah,” he said, dropping his voice as he leaned forward and placed a large hand on each side of her face. “You can learn many things from your mistakes when you aren’t too busy denying them. I’ve missed you, sweetheart. Let me show you how fucking much.”

  Hannah shook her head, not trusting herself to actually speak. He leaned in and kissed the throbbing pulse point in her neck, causing her to shiver as his beard ignited a slow heat within her.