Finally Molly could contain her grin no longer, and Rachel shook her head, laughing.
“We know you didn’t,” Rachel told her.
“You have to admit,” Molly said. “You look downright sexy.”
Spinning around to face her image in the mirror again, Cindy clenched her fists. She really did, she decided. She did look sexy.
“You told us on your birthday that you felt you needed to do something drastic,” Rachel reminded her. “Well, I think this is as drastic as you can get.”
Her transformation was extreme. Very much so.
When Cindy had suggested she needed to change her situation, she had meant that she was thinking of putting Kyle out of her thoughts. She certainly had never imagined anything quite like this.
A quiet voice shimmered into her thoughts. What if the new Cindy could capture Kyle’s attention?
Her heart fluttered against her ribs, the anticipation almost more than she could bear.
“I do want him to notice me,” she whispered, knowing full well her friends would understand her meaning. “Desperately.”
“Now there’s no way he couldn’t,” Molly gently pointed out.
Rachel added, “You’re going to knock the man completely off his feet.”
Cindy lifted her chin and gazed at her friends through the mirror. Her decision made, she said, “I’ll take the red suit. And the green one.”
Molly and Rachel squealed their delight.
Reaching up to finger her soft, golden brown curls, Cindy sighed nervously. Kyle would notice her. That was almost a given, if she were to believe her dear friends. But she knew there would be some hefty problems waiting for her in the near future. The biggest problem would be coming to terms with the manner in which she was going to attract the attention of the man of her dreams.
Chapter Three
Cindy had hurried to the fourth-floor conference room when she’d returned to Barrington, intent on double-checking that everything for the presentation was ready. Patricia had done an excellent job in her absence, Cindy noted. The refreshments were displayed nicely off to one side of the room, a crisp white cloth covering the table. Colorful brochures lined the long oak table, one at each chair, along with pens and fresh legal pads in case the execs should decide to jot down information or questions during Kyle’s presentation. The slide projector was plugged in, the bulb in working order, and the screen had been pulled down and secured in the open position.
Yes, Patricia had taken care of every detail. Still, Cindy had thought it prudent to check. However, doing so had taken twice as long as she’d expected. Every time someone passed the conference room they stopped to comment about her new appearance.
Heavens, one would think she was a toad-turned-princess.
Cindy’s mouth curled into a saucy grin. She loved her new look. Absolutely loved her new hairstyle, her new clothes. She felt so different, so...pretty.
Why was it so hard for her to use that word?
Those construction workers outside the mall had certainly thought she looked good. Good enough that they hadn’t been able to contain their wolf whistles. Her grin widened.
Normally she’d have been insulted by what, only yesterday, she probably would have described as offensive behavior, but she reminded herself that the men hadn’t actually been whistling at her. They had been expressing their appreciation for the work that the people at the spa had done on her.
Still, Cindy couldn’t lie to herself. She had kind of liked the attention.
When the first executives arrived in the conference room, Cindy greeted them warmly. And before either of them had a chance to catch her up in a long exchange regarding her makeover, Cindy excused herself and made for the nearest telephone. She punched in the four-digit number that would ring Kyle’s office.
“Prentice,” he answered.
The intense manner in which he spoke his name, the two short vowels fairly exploding off his tongue, the deep vibration of his tone, proud and confident, never failed to make her heart trip in her chest. She couldn’t think of anything more appealing in a man than self-assurance. Unless it might be intelligence. Luckily Kyle had plenty of both.
“Everything’s ready,” she told him. “The execs are beginning to arrive.”
“Great,” he said. “Listen, I’ve been thinking. We can make a big impression by opening up this meeting just a little differently than we’d planned.”
Without hesitation she eagerly replied, “I’m listening.”
She was always thrilled by Kyle’s creativity. When he tossed a thought at her, her own creative juices would begin to flow. The two of them worked well together, each bouncing ideas off the other, each adding their own special touch, elaborating and building, until the original idea was perfected. That was exactly how this new project had been born, through her and Kyle’s teamwork.
“As soon as Mr. Barrington arrives,” he said, “I want you to personally escort him to his seat at the head of the table. Then I want you to turn on the slide projector. I want a crystal-clear shot of the first slide projected on the screen. And then just see what happens.”
“No introduction.” It wasn’t a question. She was simply working out his suggestion in her head. “Just let the image make its impact.”
She instinctively understood where his idea was headed. She always had, even from the very beginning of their working relationship.
“I like it,” she told him, her excitement growing.
“You think it’s a good idea?”
“I do.” She nodded, even though she knew full well he couldn’t see her.
Then another idea formed in her head. “I’ll turn down the lights. The slide will be clearer that way. But I’ll leave them dim. I don’t want you tripping on a chair leg when you make your way to the front of the room.”
Glancing at the door of the conference room, Cindy said, “I’d better go. Mr. Barrington just arrived.”
“I’ll be there in half a minute.”
Cindy’s stomach was jumping with so much excitement she was sure she must have swallowed a entire troupe of tiny twirling acrobats. She felt a twinge as guilt stabbed at her. The dimming of the lights would allow a clearer image to be projected, but that wasn’t the only reason she’d made the suggestion. If the lights were low, then at some point Kyle would have to ask her to brighten them. That was the moment she hoped to make her own impact. On Kyle.
Kyle slipped into the darkened conference room and actually smiled at the total silence. All eyes were trained on the computer-enhanced medieval castle that he and Cindy had worked so hard to create. He glanced at the back of the room where he knew Cindy was positioned at the slide projector, but the shadows were too deep for him to see her. Still, he lifted his hand and saw an indistinct movement as she returned his greeting.
The two of them had worked months and months’ worth of long hours. He hoped the presentation went over well. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be because they hadn’t given it their all.
In his most dramatic voice, he said, “Imagine spending a night, or a weekend, or an entire week’s vacation back in the Days of Knights. You step across the drawbridge and leave the twentieth century far behind. There will be jousting exhibitions, human chess matches, roaming bands of minstrels and troubadours. And every evening a grand banquet will be held. A banquet fit for a king.” He grinned. “Or queen.”
When he reached the front of the room, he turned to face his small audience of executive heads. “And you,” he told them, “are treated like visiting royalty.”
For several more moments he pitched the ideas that he and Cindy had concocted: costumed employees who were “in character” at all times, a truly Gothic experience that guests could become involved in, as much or as little as they chose. Barrington’s Days of Knights would offer people a radical change from their everyday, “present day” lives.
“Now, I know you have questions regarding building costs, location and profit estimates,” he sa
id. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and get down to business. Cindy, would you turn up the lights, please?”
The room brightened, and Kyle immediately sought to make eye contact with Cindy. He didn’t know why exactly, but it seemed important to him to discover whether or not she was happy with his unveiling of Days of Knights. The idea was hers, too, and he wanted to know she was satisfied with how he’d presented—
The bold flash of red at the back of the room made him frown. And suddenly he was aware of one thing, and one thing alone. Legs. Shapely legs. A mile’s worth of sensuous, womanly curves. High-heeled, sling-backed shoes showcased sexy ankles, the short skirt revealed firm calves, trim knees and well-proportioned thighs.
The sight was enough to make Kyle’s mouth go dry as the Arizona air.
Time seemed to slow as his eyes meandered over slim hips, the narrow waist, settling for just a moment longer than necessary on the softly rounded breasts. The woman was a damned knockout! But who the hell was she? And what was she doing at his presentation?
Then another question echoed though his brain. Where was Cindy?
“Kyle, I love it!”
Mr. Barrington’s booming voice made Kyle blink. He dragged his attention away from the unfamiliar female in the flaming red suit and focused his gaze on the president of the company—the man who had the power to accept or veto the new project.
“Cindy and I had hoped that you would,” he told his boss.
Where the heck was Cindy? Kyle wondered, his gaze flying to the back of the room. She had called him from this very room to tell him that everyone was arriving.
The woman in red turned her head, the overhead light catching and gleaming against the golden highlights in her softly curling hair. Then she smiled at him, and Kyle made a stark realization. That was no gorgeous stranger! That was his Cindy.
His Cindy? A tiny frown planted itself in his brow. He’d never referred to her in such a possessive manner. Surely it was just the shock of seeing the extreme change in her appearance.
He’d thought Rachel was simply taking Cindy to have her hair done. Kyle never realized what a trip to the beautician could do for a woman.
“Kyle?”
His heart slammed into high gear. You’re in the middle of giving an important presentation, he railed at himself. Pay attention, man.
He spent the next few minutes going over the cost figures and how he and Cindy had come up with them.
Every other second, thoughts of Cindy flashed into his head and he had to fight the urge to glance at her. He was so relieved that he was well prepared for the meeting. He’d predicted the questions that were being asked of him, had even participated in a bout of role-playing with Cindy to anticipate exactly what information might elicit queries.
Again her name whispered through his mind as he thought about all the late nights they had spent working together on this project, and again he found himself wanting to dart a quick glance toward the back of the room. This time he surrendered to the urge.
He’d never realized how large, how beautiful, how vividly green her eyes were. They were utterly breathtaking. And so very expressive.
She’s not wearing glasses, he noted for the very first time since realizing that the woman in red was actually Cindy. Was it really possible that, all the time he’d spent working with her, those glasses of hers had kept him from noticing how vivacious her eyes were?
No, he thought. He couldn’t be completely dishonest with himself. He might have been taken totally off guard by the change in Cindy—a change he never expected—but it wasn’t like he had no idea before this that she was a beautiful woman. He had known she was an attractive woman. Had even felt stirrings of desire for her. What red-blooded man wouldn’t, working long hours with a such a woman?
His hard-and-fast rule against personal involvement had been what had kept him from acting on his feelings.
“I do have another question, Kyle,” Mr. Barrington said.
Kyle focused his undivided attention on the owner of the company and waited.
“What have you planned that will keep guests coming back to Days of Knights?”
Smiling, Kyle commented, “An excellent question, sir. And since Cindy was the one who solved that problem, I’ll ask her to take the floor on this one.”
He and Cindy had talked about the dilemma of garnering the business of repeat customers. She had come up with an ingenious solution, and he had warned her to expect to be questioned on the subject, so he knew she was prepared.
Taking a more active part in the presentation was a great opportunity for Cindy, seeing as how her yearly performance review was due. But Kyle had to admit, offering her this chance to shine wasn’t wholly unselfish on his part. No, he was eager to have a few uninterrupted moments while she was speaking to simply look at her.
“I thought,” Cindy said, “that guests would be willing to return again and again to Barrington’s Days of Knights if we had a small group of actors roaming the hotel and grounds. Actors who played key characters from history. One month they might reenact the turbulent story of Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn, another month, the times of George the Second, and his suppression of the Jacobite rebellion.”
She smiled at Mr. Barrington, and Kyle felt his breath catch at the beautiful sight. His blood thickened with a sudden, gut-wrenching desire. He wanted Cindy. In the worst way. Kyle’s only wish at the moment was that she’d bestow that gorgeous smile of hers on him.
Cindy went on answering questions from the other executives about her idea. Kyle had to smile at how well her concept was being received.
“History has given us years and years’ worth of story lines to use,” she summed up. “We’d never run out of new and interesting plots to reenact.”
“Perfect,” Mr. Barrington boomed. “History buffs from all over America would come to experience Days of Knights many times. This is just perfect!”
Mr. Barrington’s praise made Cindy beam with pride. And if Kyle had thought her beautiful before, now she was dazzling. Her green eyes twinkled like jewels, her smile lit up the whole room. He couldn’t help but notice that every eye was on her. Not one person was reading the brochure, or looking at him. Everyone was seemingly enthralled by Cindy.
“Well, I’m convinced,” Mr. Barrington told the room at large. “I say we go ahead with the project, I think we should scout out a perfect location from the sites Kyle has suggested. And let’s get some feedback from Accounting on the projected costs and profits.” The man turned his attention to Kyle. “Congratulations! This is a great idea you and Cindy have come up with.”
“Pardon me, Mr. Barrington,” Cindy said.
Once again, Kyle watched as the room hushed and all eyes turned to his personal assistant. He felt a strange emotion creep over him. An emotion he had trouble identifying.
Possessiveness, he thought.
No way! he told himself. That wasn’t what he was feeling at all.
Cindy said to Mr. Barrington, “It’s been rumored that your son will be taking over the company when you retire. Is there any chance that he might cancel the project once he arrives in Phoenix?” Her face reddened and she blurted, “I mean, whoever takes over for you.”
Kyle couldn’t believe what Cindy had done. Yes, rumors were flying, but she should never have backed Mr. Barrington into a corner regarding his successor.
The whole atmosphere of the room changed. What had been an almost festive feeling transformed in the blink of an eye into tension. Every person in the room grew wide-eyed and waiting.
Before Mr. Barrington could speak, Mildred Van Hess said, “Cindy, Mr. Barrington’s son hasn’t yet agreed to come home from overseas.”
Mr. Barrington leveled his gaze on Kyle. “But you can be assured,” he said, “that whoever takes over the reigns of Barrington Corp. will know just how much I like the idea of Barrington’s Days of Knights.” The gray-haired man pushed out his chair and stood up. “Now, I say we all have a cup of coffee.”
It was like the entire room took a deep breath. The men and women got up, some gathering to talk in small groups, some going to the refreshment table, and other’s moving to address either Kyle or Cindy.
Kyle spent several moments talking to two different department heads about the new project. They congratulated him and then went to have some coffee. He glanced toward Cindy and his jaw clenched in a knee-jerk sort of reaction at what he saw.
She was surrounded by men. Kyle listened as they laughed and chatted, and he felt that odd emotion steal over him once again.
Jealousy?
Ridiculous!
Suddenly Cindy looked up and their gazes connected. Lingered. Locked.
The expression on her face couldn’t be described as a smile. His skin prickled all over as her green eyes threatened to swallow him whole.
What the hell was going on? he wondered.
Still, she continued to stare. And then, oh so slowly, she let her eyes rove over his entire body, from head to foot and back again. The prickle he felt just moments before turned into a full-fledged flush. She couldn’t have made him hotter if she’d reached out and run her fingers down the length of him.
Was it possible that Cindy was actually flirting with him?
No. He just couldn’t believe that. Cindy would never do such a thing. He must be reading her wrong.
A silent voice inside his head barked out a humorous laugh. How can a man misread signals that strong? it asked.
Kyle had no answer. But he just couldn’t accept the idea that Cindy would—No, he was mistaken. Terribly mistaken.
However, as much as he might like to think this wasn’t happening, he simply could not deny what was smoldering low in his gut—a desire so blistering, it threatened to burn a hole right through him.
Cindy was quaking in her brand-new spike-heeled shoes. What on earth was she thinking? What in heaven’s name was she doing? What had possessed her to offer Kyle those lingering, come-hither looks?
It was the makeover the girls had given her. The makeover had turned her into someone new. Someone unfamiliar. Someone willing to take risks. Big risks. Big, sexy risks.
The Boss and the Beauty Page 4