The music pulsed from the next room.
“Come on, Bitch, I gave you all I have. You’re high now, give it up,” a male voice boomed through the wall. The sound of a loud slap, followed by a louder thud against the door made Dana jump and our bed shake. I gathered Dana close to my body and pulled the covers up over our heads, hoping to drown the sounds out.
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my mind on to better memories. We were happy for a time, when we’d gone to live with our Aunt Debbie after our momma disappeared. The years we lived with our Aunt had been the most normal of our lives.
“Read it again, Aunt Debbie…again!” Dana begged. Aunt Debbie’s laughter filled the small guest bedroom Dana and I shared. We slept together in an old full-sized bed which had been my great-grandmother’s. It was stuffed with real goose feathers, and if you ran and jumped in the middle of it, it rose around you until you couldn’t see out of it. Aunt Deb would read to us from “The Brother’s Grim” fairy tales her mother had read to her.
“This is the last time,” she warned as she tickled Dana. Dana giggled, and then settled down to listen intently. “Once there were three little billy goats gruff, and a troll who lived under a bridge,” she began.
I finally drifted off to sleep, with memories of my aunt’s voice and fairy tales dancing in my head.
* * *
I hit the ground running on Monday morning. I stayed buried for the next week in details for ad campaigns we were behind on. On Friday, I wrapped everything else up so that I could begin working on a new project. Working away on my computer, my keys clicked rapidly as I jotted down ideas for a gala fundraiser which had just been dumped in my lap by Carter. I paused, aware of someone standing behind me. Some people have their quirks and pet peeves…mine was someone watching me over my shoulder. For some reason, it made my skin crawl. I turned slowly to find our new consultant from the corner office silently studying me.
“May I help you?” I asked.
“Hmmm.” He paused, rubbing his index finger over his bottom lip. He then smiled, his mouth pulling in at one corner as if he knew a secret he wasn’t about to share. His was the kind of smile that would have made my roommates flirt and forget they were at work. It just irritated me.
“I would really like to explore those possibilities, Miss Sanger, yes. I hope there are many things you will offer to help me with.” The corner of his lips pulled up, the sexy smirk reminding me of the look he’d given me on the elevator. He knew he was getting under my skin.
Liam Covington was arrogant, cocky and sure of himself. He was everything I aspired to avoid, yet every time I was in his presence, my pulse raced and my breathing became shallow.
“Well, try to be more specific, and I’ll see if I can accommodate you,” I replied, trying to seem unaffected.
“We could start with a list of the clients we’re now working with from this department. Carter said you have a complete list,” he replied, his voice deep but silken.
I cocked an eyebrow at his self-assured demeanor.
“If they’ve set you up on the company e-mail list, I’ll be happy to send you the list from my files,” I replied in my calmest, most businesslike tone.
“What else might I find in your files, Miss Sanger?” he asked, his thickly fringed eyes lowering provocatively as he stared down at me. He’d moved uncomfortably close to my desk. Invasion of my personal space ran a close second to watching me over my shoulder. I began to fantasize about slapping the smirk off his face. Instead, I took a deep breath, deciding to put an end to this.
“I have a couple of old memo’s regarding our company’s stance on sexual harassment I’d be happy to e- mail along with the client list,” I replied as I batted my eyes at him. The nerve!
He smirked back; the creases around his mouth were as sexy as a dimple. His smile never reached his eyes, however. “I don’t think that will be necessary. There is a fine line between friendliness and harassment, but harassment’s not my style,” he retorted smoothly, turning to dismiss me. I sighed, hoping I’d gotten my point across. As I turned back to my computer, my heart was pounding in my chest, my palms moist. Damn him! Two of the other VP’s had hit on me before. Neither of them affected me in quite the same way Mr. Consultant did. I could tell by his demeanor and confidence, he wasn’t used to females who didn’t flirt back.
Finding my workspace lacking on my desk, I opted to work in the afternoon on organizing some party ideas and color schemes on the conference room table. I was lost in thought, studying some large photos and tablescapes I had scattered on the table and floor.
“I think she might be in here,” I heard Liam’s voice in the hallway. Tana appeared at the door, followed by the new, irritatingly sexy co-worker.
“Kel, come on…a bunch of us are going for drinks at Dogs. You’re going this time!” Tana commanded. Turning to him, she continued “And you’re invited too, of course.”
“Special occasion?” Liam cocked an eyebrow at us. His dark, suave good looks just seemed to heighten my irritation with him.
“Every day is a special occasion to us! We have Cocktail Monday, Long Island Tea Tuesday, Wine Wednesday, Tequila Thursday, and Beer Friday,” Tana answered, fluttering her carefully-mascaraed lashes at him. “So this is Beer Friday.”
“I don’t usually mix with the office crowd,” he replied. There was that sexy smirk again!
What an ass! Of course he didn’t. He was quick to flirt, but he was probably one of those who would screw you in private, but not seen with you in public.
“Oh, well…then let me introduce myself and then we can go as friends and not business associates. Tana Lowell,” she offered, holding out her hand. She grinned at me, and I glared back at her.
He took her hand, a charming smile suddenly breaking across his face. “Liam Covington. Nice to meet you, Tana.”
Wow! He was incredibly handsome when he scowled, but when he smiled…I could almost use the term “melting” to describe my heart. What was wrong with me? He moved his gaze over to me, slowly raking his eyes from my face all the way down to my feet. I shifted my weight uncomfortably.
“So Kelly, are you going?” he asked casually.
I hesitated, the funds in my account still low due to the loan I’d made my sister. Tana glanced back to me and added, “The first two rounds are on me, and then I’ll let you go.”
“Okay, sure. I’ll go for a little while,” I answered. Especially if you aren’t going, hot-shot, I thought. “Just let me put all of this away and get my purse,” I said, gathering my folders up in my arms.
His cell phone buzzed and he pulled it from his pocket.
“Hello…oh, hey. Yes, it’s okay…no, just getting on my nerves,” he said, staring at me. I had no reason to suspect he was referring to me, but when his eyes raked me up and down again, I blushed profusely and turned to leave the room.
* * *
After a quick thirty minute trip to my loft to change into a pair of faded, ripped jeans and cami, I found myself in the foyer of the Black-eyed Dog. One of our favorite hang-outs since freshman year, the trendy bar had cheap drinks and draw beer from seven to nine o’clock on weeknights, and you could sometimes find a new musician playing. My favorite thing about Austin was the music. There was always a singer, songwriter, or band just waiting to be discovered. Tonight was no exception. A bleached-blonde thirty-something guitar player entertained a handful of people in the back of the room. Opting to drift away from my rowdy co-workers, I made my way with my token beer to the back of the club to listen. His voice was soulful, deep and resounding, and I found it calming. I sank down into a chair in the corner, thankful the entertainment wasn’t a band playing music everyone would want to dance to. My male co-workers didn’t pay a lot of attention to the “please no fraternization” memo sent out bi-annually by management.
“Kelly Sanger…wow! I’m surprised to see you here. This is a first! I was beginning to think you moonlighted as a nun or something.” Mark Burling
ton, one of the VP’s from our company, had slept with almost every junior executive at Austin Management, and not all of them female.
“Just a rumor, Mark. I’m really working my second job now…new talent agent for MCA,” I joked dryly as I tried to listen to the musician.
“Ha…funny. Say, can I buy you another drink?”
“No, thank you, Mark, I’m good.”
“Care for some company?” he asked, sliding into the chair opposite me.
“Sure…okay.” I could see no harm sitting with him and being friendly, but I was cautious. His reputation warned me he had other things on his mind.
He motioned the waitress over and ordered another drink for himself. I nursed my one beer, watching Sunni and Tana across the room. Tana didn’t need me. They had four frat boys gathered around them, all jockeying for the best spot to pick them up.
“Hey, Kel…you came! Come on, drink up. It’ll give us all something new to talk about later,” Jen gushed, sitting down in Mark’s lap.
“Um…I didn’t know you two knew each other,” I observed as Mark placed a hand on Jen’s leg.
“Sanger! What a surprise…I thought you were too good for the office crowd.” I winced. Carter’s voice appeared to grate on my nerves more out of the office.
“Oh, well…thought I’d go slumming tonight,” I retorted. Mark struck a conversation up with Carter as he ordered everyone another round of beers. I’d finished my first, and since he’d bought for everyone at our table, I didn’t protest.
As the night progressed, I decided I was the only one in the club sober.
“Sanger, you aren’t much of a party girl, are you,” a friend of Mark’s stated and then placed his arm around me. “You need to loosen up a bit. Check out your friend over there,” he pointed across the room where Sunni stood on top of a table, her skirt hiked up around her hips and some cowboy’s hat perched on her head. She sang along with the musician playing a rendition of a Miranda Lambert song. I laughed in spite of my mood. She even danced with an Indian accent, trying so hard to fit in with the Texas tough-girl crowd.
“I could help loosen you up. Let’s get out of here. I know a place,” he whispered in my ear as his hand brushed against my breast.
“No…no thanks, I came with Tana, and I think I’ll stay here,” I murmured, glancing down at my beer. I was suddenly light headed, the room tilting at an odd angle. I frowned uneasily. I was still nursing my second beer after two hours. I’d hardly had enough to drink to even feel a buzz.
“Then maybe some air?” he asked, grazing my earlobe with his lips.
“No, thanks…I’m good,” I answered, glancing over at Carter.
“Kelly, you don’t look so good. How much have you had?” Carter asked as another of the girls from our office sat down in his lap.
“Just a couple of beers,” I murmured, staring down at my glass. My speech seemed slurred, and I was alarmingly relaxed.
“Wow…cheap drunk. I knew I liked you, Sanger,” Carter slurred. He hooked an arm around the back of my chair.
“Come on…dance with me,” the girl urged, pulling Carter up out of his chair.
“Mind if I sit down?” The deep new voice from the office called over my left shoulder. I turned too quickly, my head having to catch up with my neck.
“No, go ahead,” I answered.
“Seems as though you’ve garnered a fair amount of attention,” Liam noted, glancing at Mark and his friend who still sat close by watching me.
“Hmmm.” I scanned the room for Tana. I was confused, suddenly feeling as though I should go home. I turned back to Liam, who studied me intently.
“I thought you didn’t mix business with pleasure,” I murmured, my speech more slurred by the minute.
“Well, I don’t, but I thought I’d make an exception just this once. I wanted to get a feel for some of the employees out of the workplace.” Holy crap, did his eyes turn a deeper blue since we left the office? My pulse began to race as he studied me…was he actually here to see me? Okay, Kel…you’re drunk! I battled to keep my eyes focused and listen to him, but I was losing the battle, my eyelids becoming so heavy all I wanted to do was close them.
“Miss Sanger…are you all right? How much have you had to drink?” he asked, picking my glass up to smell it.
“Just two beers. I don’t know what’s wrong, I never get drunk,” I whispered. He leaned closer to me.
“Kelly, do you want me to take you home?”
I forced myself to look into his beautiful deep Mediterranean blue eyes, and they suddenly blended together in a fog…”Are you all right?”...”Miss Sanger?”…”take you home…”
Three
I dreamed the most wonderful dream.
“Where’s your car?” Liam yelled over the loud music as he placed my purse over my shoulder.
“Don’t have it…came with Tana and the girls,” I sang out as I leaned toward him. He caught me and picked me up, just as Tana walked up.
“Kelly, what’s wrong?”
“You’re Tana, right?” he asked. His voice now vibrated in my head like my own…no, wait…it was because my forehead was pressed against his neck. Wow, he smelled good…he had on the most alluringly clean scent.
“Yeah. What are you doing with her?”
“She’s wasted. I thought I’d make sure she gets home okay. What’s your address?”
“Old Warehouse, corner of 1st and Lamar. Second entrance, the doorman will let you in…we’re on the fourth floor. Gosh, she didn’t have that much to drink…Kel? Are you all right?”
I tried to mumble something, but nothing came out.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but she needs to lie down a bit,” Liam shouted back to her.
“Do you think I need to come?” she asked.
“No, I can handle her. Here, jot your cell number down for me, just in case.”
“Thanks for taking her,” Tana shouted.
“No problem.”
After arriving at our apartment, Liam placed me on the sofa, pulled both my shoes off, and then draped a quilt over me, his arms wrapped around me as he cradled my head in his lap.
“Sleep, sleeping beauty, sleep. I’m watching over you, you’re safe,” he murmured…
* * *
I jumped, the light streaming through the window sent a shooting pain through my head as though someone had shot me with an arrow.
“Hey, you okay?” Tana asked, sitting down on the sofa next to me with two coffees. She handed one to me and watched me as I sipped. After I’d had several sips, I leaned my head back into the pillows.
“What the hell happened to you last night? Did you have something else besides beer?” she asked warily.
“No…I only had the one beer you bought me, and then one Mark bought for me at the table. That’s all.”
Tana reached up and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
“I had the strangest dream,” I whispered, looking back up at her. “I dreamed Liam Covington brought me home and held me.”
“It wasn’t a dream. He did bring you home.”
“What? Why?” I asked, my heart beginning to race.
“He picked you up as you were about to pass out and asked me where we lived. He promised he’d get you home safely. When we got here about an hour later, he was still here…propped up in the corner of the couch with your head in his lap. He said he didn’t want to leave you alone, so he stayed with you until we came home.”
I pushed up, alarmed my memories hadn’t been a dream.
“I think he likes you, Cat. So, do you think you’re sick?” she asked, placing her hand on my forehead.
“I just feel hung over, that’s all.”
“Well, he certainly seemed concerned about you. You need to call him, Kel. He left his cell number on the table for you.”
“He did?”
Tana turned back to me as she neared the kitchen. “Why do you seem so surprised?”
“Because…he’s…seriously
out of my league. Look at him, and then look at me.”
“That’s nuts. You’re beautiful. Why do you always do this?” she asked in exasperation.
“I’m…going up to my room, I don’t feel so good.” When I rose the room spun, sending me back down to the floor.
“Kelly, come on. You’re going to the hospital,” Tana said with finality. I didn’t argue. Something was definitely wrong with me.
* * *
“Miss Sanger?”
I opened my eyes. I’d fallen asleep in an examination cubicle in the emergency room at University of Texas Medical Center.
“We have the results of your blood tests. You said you’d been out at a club last night?” The female doctor asked as she pulled a chair closer to the bed.
“Yes. I went with some friends and got sleepy and sick after two beers,” I repeated my recap of the nights events from earlier in the examination.
“Kelly, we found very little alcohol in your system. But we did find a drug.”
“I didn’t take any drugs. I’ve never taken any drugs.”
“It was Rohypnol, a date rape drug, to be exact,” she broke gently and placed her hand over mine. “Did you go home with anyone?”
“Um…I don’t remember getting home, but a work colleague took me home when I started feeling bad.”
“Do you trust him?”
“I guess. Yes. He stayed with me until my roommates got home later. Why?”
“We see these cases from time to time…usually ending in some sort of black-out or date rape situation. If a friend took care of you, then I’d say you’re lucky. Someone at the club obviously slipped it in your drink. It’s virtually undetectable…tasteless, odorless, and colorless. We don’t find these kinds of drugs in routine toxicology screens, but we check for them in situations you described to us. Did you leave your drink unattended at any time?”
“No. Um, yes…Yes, I did. I forgot, I went to the ladies room, but there were other friends at the table. I didn’t think much about it.”
Texas Hellcat Page 2