Up Close and Personal

by Magda Alexander

  Probably none as convenient as this one or one with a roommate as nice as her. Standing, I thumb toward my room. “I’ll go shower.” Picking up my carry out, I trudge to my room. I spend the rest of the evening crying. Tonight, not even Mr. Wong’s crispy fried noodles make a dent on my pain.

  Chapter 22

  ______________

  Sterling

  THE TRIP TO PERU culminates in another successful partnership with a company whose products will feed millions all over the world. At the rate we’re growing, I’ll soon need to establish other bases of operations in South America and Europe. Brandon Lattimer would make a great European branch chief. Unfortunately that means I would have to get a new VP of Finance. He will be hard to replace. He’s not only great at his job, but a trusted friend. But I can’t hold him back. Now that I’ve regained my sight, I need to give him the promotion he so richly deserves. I take a deep breath, let it go.

  The flight back to D.C. gives me plenty of time to think about Caitlyn and the reason why she ran out on me at the hotel. The sex was as explosive as always. And I made damn sure she enjoyed it. So that’s not the reason she hightailed it. But what do I want from her? That’s the million dollar question. She betrayed me, abandoned me, lied to me. Something inside me howls.

  But.

  It just doesn’t track. She traveled to New York to be with her boyfriend, and yet, months later, they’ve broken up. Was there even a boyfriend? Did she lie about that? And if she did, why did she make up such a sorry excuse of a tale? Was it so she could get away from me and my endless list of wants? Or was there another reason?

  Well, there’s one way to find out. About the boyfriend at least. The following morning, I dial my security chief and ask him to investigate her background, her current employment in New York, her personal life. I want to know everything about her, from the moment she was born to right now. He assures me it will take only a couple of days to conduct the investigation. He’s true to his word. Within 48 hours his report lands on my desk.

  Everything she said about her past is true. Up to a point.

  After her father was killed by a drunk driver, her mother raised her alone. And just like she said, her mother died from breast cancer a couple of months before Cait came to work for me. The heavy burden of her mother’s medical bills pushed her to take on my personal assistant job and to put up with me and my demands. I cringe when I think of what she went through. There’s no excuse for the way I treated her at the beginning, and yet, she put up with it all with grace and even humor at times.

  But she lied about the boyfriend. She didn’t quit to rejoin him. The boyfriend she’d had in college wasn’t even in New York. He’d moved to San Francisco a year before. She stayed in a hostel for the first few days until she found an apartment-sharing situation on the Upper East Side. The place appears to be in a decent location. Thank God for that. She now works for an investment company in midtown Manhattan, one that manages several funds. Apparently, she got the job on her own with no help from a boyfriend or anyone else. Only her own merits. God knows they never called me for a reference.

  The facts beg the question. Why did she leave me when she had nothing, no one to go to? Was it me and my demands? Or was there another reason? Wait. She came to the charity dinner in New York. And when I first spotted her, she’d been talking to Dr. Testa. Had they met before? They’d talked to each other. That much I know. He’d called the house several times complaining about my missed appointments. Had he said something to her that had prompted her to leave me?

  I flip open my cell and dial Dr. Testa’s office. I’m told he’s busy with a patient, but will call me back as soon as he can. An hour later, he does.

  “Sterling. How are you? You’re not suffering any complications, are you?”

  “No, Marcello, I’m fine. I have a question about Caitlyn Bennett.”

  His breath whooshes out. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you put two and two together. You’re too smart not to figure things out.”

  “You talked to her? About me?”

  “Yes.”

  Damn the man. “What did you say to her?”

  “The truth. That you were refusing the operation. That you were satisfied with the way things were at home, at work and you saw no need for the surgery.” He simultaneously sounds apologetic and sure of his convictions. A rare combination to say the least.

  But no matter what he sounds like, what he believed at the time, I have to know. “Did you pressure her to leave?”

  “No. As God is my witness, Sterling, I never asked her to do that.” I believe him. He’s speaking the truth.

  I hang up, more confused than ever. Did her discussion with Dr. Testa prompt her to abandon me? Or is it as I fear that she got fed up with me? I have to talk to Caitlyn. I push the office button to get Anton.

  “Mr. MacKay?”

  “Call my pilot. Tell him to get the plane ready. Tomorrow I’m flying to New York.”

  Chapter 23

  ______________

  Caitlyn

  TWO WEEKS AFTER MY HEART TO HEART WITH TRISTA, my six-month review comes up. I fully expect to be let go which is god-awful timing since Trista invited Greg to move in and I need a new place to live. My lease is up at the end of the month. Oh, Trista won’t kick me out, but I feel like a third wheel when they’re in the apartment making googly eyes at each other. And the walls are thin which means I can hear everything they do in her room. I’ll need to find a place soon, something which will be darn near impossible if I’m let go.

  To my surprise, my boss praises my work—solid research, insightful knowledge of stocks and the market, my recommendations nothing but winners. When he tells me I’m on the short list for a senior financial analyst position, I’m shocked to say the least. I’m torn by this turn of events. On the one hand, my job’s assured. On the other, I can’t see doing this job for another six weeks, much less the next six years. But I nod, pin on a bright smile, and exit the office.

  When I return to my cubicle, Claudia’s there breathing dragon fire. “You snake.”

  “What?”

  “You said you wouldn’t talk Sterling MacKay into investing with us.”

  “I didn’t.” I hadn’t even told him where I worked.

  “Well, guess who just became one of our investors?”

  “Sterling?”

  “Oh, it’s Sterling now. Should have known. You screwed me over, Ms. Butter-won’t-melt-in-your-mouth.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  She bares her teeth as her upper lip curls. “Barry pulled me into his office this morning and told me I’m no longer a candidate for a senior financial analyst position. I can only guess who is.”

  Great. She’s not getting what she wants while I’ll probably get what I don’t. “I’m sorry. Maybe if I talk to him?”

  “Don’t bother. At least I tried to do it on my own merit, not fuck my lover to get him to invest with the firm. Way to get a promotion.”

  “I didn’t—”

  She flashes the ‘talk to the hand’ gesture. “Don’t bother. I don’t believe you and neither will anybody else after I tell them what a slut you are.”

  She’s not kidding. By the end of the day, I’m getting nasty looks from half my coworkers. When five o’clock rolls around, I sign off my computer, grab my purse and head out. I’m so immersed in my own thoughts I don’t notice the limo parked in front of our building until Sterling steps out of it in a killer three-piece gray suit the exact match to his eyes.

  Shocked as I am, I come to a dead stop. Someone exiting from the building bumps into me, and I end up sailing into Sterling. Thankfully he catches me before I face plant on the sidewalk.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask, gazing into his steel-hued eyes.

  “Taking you to dinner, I hope.” His sexy voice curls around my spine.

  My bare skin tingles where his big, masculine hands caress my upper arms. When he insinuates a finger beneath
the open sleeve of my dress and strokes my upper breast, I grow liquid. If he keeps this up, I’m likely to climax right here on the spot. “Dinner?” I choke out.

  His amazing eyes that now can see smile at me. Sweet Jesus. He know exactly what he’s doing to me. “Yes. I made a reservation at Le Cirque. It’s not until eight, though. Maybe we can go to my hotel and . . . talk?”

  “Talk?” God. I’ve turned into a one-syllable idiot.

  His mouth curls into that sexy grin I love, the one that makes melted butter out of me. “Yes. Get in, Caitlyn.” He points to the leather seat in the back of the car.

  I’ve missed him so much I don’t even think about saying no. “I’ll need to stop by my apartment and pick up a change of clothes.”

  “No need. Your roommate was very accommodating when I explained I was stealing you away for the weekend. She packed a bag for you. I asked her to toss in one of your cocktail gowns. Everything’s in the trunk.”

  How does he know where I live? I never told him. But it wouldn’t have taken him long to find out. Not with the investigators he employs at his company. And Trista handing over my clothes and things without question is just the sort of thing she would do. She does know about him after all.

  After I slip into the limo, he explains he’s made a reservation for me at the Waldorf Astoria spa so they can pamper me before our dinner date. Spa, dinner date? What’s going on? I walked out on him last time we met. He shouldn’t be this nice. Is he hoping for another round of hot sex? Going by that smile on his face, that would be a big, fat yes. I can’t fault him, not when I’m hoping for that myself.

  At the spa, I opt for the full body massage. At the end of the hour after they’ve worked their magic, I’m loose-boned and stress free. Back in the room he’s reserved for the weekend, he points to the bedroom where my clothes await. I barely have enough time to dress and put on my makeup before he whisks me down to the limo and out to Le Cirque.

  At the high-class restaurant, conversation flows smoothly. He tells me what he’s working on, a joint venture with a Peruvian company that will produce the products his company is known for. I’m happy for him and the world. He truly cares about improving the lives of people on this planet. To my surprise, we take the dessert to go. It’s only when we return to his hotel room and he strips me of my shoes that I’m allowed to eat the New York Cheesecake. And wash it down with the bottle of champagne chilling for us.

  “Happy?” he asks.

  “Very.” I nod.

  “Good.” He hasn’t made any moves at all. Not even a kiss and frankly I’m wondering what this is all about. Is this his way of saying goodbye once and for all? Or is it something more?

  “Sterling? Why did you bring me here? Why are you doing this?”

  “We need to talk.”

  I knew it. “Talk.” My mouth’s gone dry so I gulp down some of the champagne.

  “Yes.”

  I tremble with longing. All I want to do is make love to him, not talk. But maybe this is goodbye. Maybe he’s here to tell me he found someone else. “What about?”

  “Why did you lie to me?”

  “Lie?”

  “You said you were leaving to go back to your boyfriend and that he’d found you a job.” He tucks an errant curl behind my ear. “But there was no boyfriend, no job.”

  My gaze darts to his. Does he know the truth? Of course he does. With his resources it would be child’s play to reveal my made-up tale for the lie it was, but he doesn’t know why I acted the way I did. So he’s come to New York to get that last piece of the puzzle. And when I tell him, he’ll walk out of my life forever.

  “Caitlyn.”

  “I …” Dear God, how much does he know? No matter, he deserves the truth, the whole truth. “When you refused the eye surgery, I visited Dr. Testa. I wanted to discover everything about it—the procedure, the risks involved, the likelihood of success. He was very candid with me. He said the procedure was very experimental, and at best there was a 50/50 chance you would see again. He’d tried to talk to you into it, but you refused to even consider it, because—”

  “Because?” He prompts.

  “He thought you’d become too dependent on me. I’d become your eyes, you see. And you were perfectly happy for it to continue that way.”

  “Did he suggest you leave?”

  “No. He never asked me to do such a thing. That was my idea.”

  “I see. So you came up with this plan all by yourself.”

  I gulp. “Yes.”

  “Did you for one moment think about what your actions would do to me?”

  “I thought you’d be upset. For a while anyway. But then you’d come to your senses and do the right thing.”

  “Upset? Sweetheart, I was devastated by your betrayal.”

  My heart bleeds at his pain. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I would hurt you that much. But it turned out okay, didn’t it? You had your surgery. You can see again.”

  “Yes. After you left, Dr. Testa called. He gave me an ultimatum, told me it was then or never. Time had run out.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding for close to six months. “And you had the surgery.”

  “Yes.” He threads his fingers through mine. “If you hadn’t left when you did, I might still be blind.”

  “I’m so glad.” With my free hand, I swipe at my tears of happiness. Well, that explains everything. The massage and the dinner are his way of thanking me.

  “Is that the only reason you left? So I would have the surgery?”

  “What other reason could there be?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. You found me unbearable. I was too demanding, too needy. Bossed you around too much.”

  His vulnerability surprises me. Who knew he had that in him? I shake my head and the curls I’d so carefully pinned up tumble down. He sweeps them away from my face, captures my cheeks in his hands. “Tell me. I need to know.”

  “Sterling.” I cup his hands. “I love everything about you.”

  “Is that why you’re here today?”

  “Yes. I don’t know why you arranged the massage and took me to dinner. Maybe it’s revenge for the way I left you. Maybe you enjoy having sex with me. I don’t know. All I know is I’m weak when it comes to you. And even though it will hurt once you’re gone from my life, I don’t care. I’ll stay with you this weekend and do whatever you want from me because I love you, Sterling. God help me, I do.”

  “So you did it all because you love me.”

  “Yes.” The word barely comes out so choked is my throat with tears.

  He drops to his knees in front of me, cups my wet cheeks in his hands. “Oh, my beautiful Caitlyn. I love you too.”

  A hiccup. “You do?”

  “Yes, my darling. I do. I never knew what love was until I met you.”

  A wobbly smile curls around my lips. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

  “Do you feel better?”

  “I’m glowing inside. Can’t you tell?”

  “Yes, I can.”

  “Aren’t you going to kiss me or something?”

  “Or something.” With that smile that goes right to his eyes, he picks me up and carries me to the bedroom where he shows me in the most primal way possible exactly what I mean to him.

  Once we catch our breath, he says. “We’ll go ring shopping tomorrow. Tiffany’s, Cartier, Harry Winston, wherever you want, whatever you want.” He rubs his thumb against my bottom lip.

  “Ring shopping?” I ask, seeking clarification. I don’t want to get the wrong idea about what he’s saying.

  “Yes. And then we’ll drive around Central Park in a horse-drawn carriage, and I’ll propose to you.”

  “But I thought—” I twist the ring in my hand. The one my mother gave me on my 18th birthday.

  “You thought?” he prompts

  My gaze darts up to his. “I thought you wanted to marry someone from your own class?”

  “I did, but I don
’t want that anymore.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t come from a privileged background. There’s no blue in my blood.”

  “Darling. I don’t want that, not any more. All I want is you.”

  “But—”

  “Hush. Just say yes.”

  “But you haven’t asked me yet.”

  “You’re right. I haven’t.” Getting down on one knee, he grasps my hands, kisses them one after the other. And then he gives me that smile that makes mush out of me. “Caitlyn Marie Bennett. You are the best thing that’s happened to me. You brought light into my darkness, and laughter and love. Busy as I was building an empire, I had no time for such an emotion, nor did I see much use for it after seeing what love did to my mother. But you showed me the way. You taught me love means more than rolling like thunder under the sheets.”

  “Sterling!”

  “I was living in the darkness because I was too blind, too stubborn to see. I don’t want to live there any more. Please marry me and let me bask in the warmth of your light.”

  Tears swim in my eyes by the time he’s done. Too choked up to say anything, I can only nod.

  “Does that mean you will?”

  I gulp past the lump in my throat. “Yes.”

  “Good. Good.” He cups my cheeks and kisses me so tenderly, the tears escape to roll down my face. Once we come up for air, he says, “I want you to meet my mother.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “She won’t know who you are.”

  “But I know her. She’s the one who gave birth to a wonderful son. What are her favorite flowers?”

  “Yellow roses.”

  “We’ll have to bring her some.”

  “Yes, we will. Moseley will be happy to see you. He’s been moping around, driving me insane, and so have most of the staff.”

  I laugh. “I can’t see Moseley moping.”

  “Oh, he’s very subtle about it, but I can tell.”

  “Sterling?” I say, linking my hands with his.

  “Yes.”

  “I want to have children with you.”

  He cups my chin. “And I with you.”