Anger rose in Erica’s chest. Idiot! Just made this job bigger! She pushed to her feet and began to pace, chewing on a pencil. She stopped suddenly. The Blue Window! We’ll have it at his favorite restaurant! Yes!
She opened his door and popped in.
“I know, but it’s not for you…” she heard, before Gunther turned angry eyes on her and put his hand over the mouthpiece.
“What?” he barked.
“Sorry. Budget for the party?”
“Uh, figure it out. Give me two spends, and I’ll see. Now out!” He motioned toward the door.
She quickly retreated. Gunther had told her never to bother him when his private light was on. She had no clue who he was talking to, but suspected it was Elsa. How do they keep it together when she’s on one side of the world and he’s on the other? Maybe it’s not staying together. She couldn’t keep a small smile from curling her lips. She picked up the phone and dialed The Blue Window.
“Can I speak to the manager, please?” She sat back while visions of tempting food waltzed through her imagination.
After an hour consultation with the restaurant, Erica was satisfied she had a party planned that would please Gunther and Max. Next was the guest list. She made notes on her calendar and put Post-Its on her computer screen. There’s a lot of work to putting this together. If it isn’t great, Gunther will have a fit.
By lunchtime, she had the party scoped out and an extensive to do list created for each week until the event occurred. Erica blew out a breath and sat back in her chair while she unwrapped her meager sandwich and a banana.
She had barely finished her lunch when Mario appeared. She buzzed her boss and led the barber to the door. When they entered, Gunther was slipping his shirt carefully on a hanger. He turned to her. “Stay.”
As her gaze slowly slid over his muscled chest, her breath caught in her throat. The broad expanse of his shoulders and the covering of dark hair on his pecs, coupled with his washboard abs, made her hot. She fanned herself until she realized what she was doing. Heat flew through her body, settling in her cheeks and between her legs.
Her fingers itched to touch him. She wanted to feel his strong arms close around her, pulling her to him. She ached to feel his warm skin up against hers, to have him inside her. Squeezing her thighs together only made it worse. Oh God. Look at him.
Mario spread some clear plastic on the floor, and Gunther took his seat.
“Over here. I need you to check some figures for me.”
Erica didn’t trust her knees to hold her up and dragged a chair across the room. She opened her notebook and tried to steady her hand to write. Her mouth was as dry as a wad of cotton. She licked her lips, but it didn’t help. She saw Gunther’s gaze following her tongue, and it heightened her embarrassment. She turned away from him.
“What’s up?” He chuckled, shooting her a salacious glance.
“Gunther!”
“Back to work.” His expression turned serious again. He dictated a list of tasks, from pulling box office receipt figures to checking on contracts, and on the personal side, from making dinner reservations to having his dry cleaning delivered. She wrote everything down, but her mind was elsewhere. His masculine scent mixed with spicy, expensive aftershave lured her. The sight of his half-naked body distracted her. She kept losing focus and asking him to repeat what he’d just said.
“You’re not concentrating. Got your period today?”
She pushed to her feet in a huff, fury heated her face. “Gunther!”
“I mean it happens, right? Just wondering because you’re not yourself.”
“It’s not every day I sit in the office with an almost naked man,” she blurted out, adding humiliation to her anger.
He roared, causing Mario to step back. “Mr. Quill, please! I almost cut you.”
“Sorry, Mario. I’ll sit still.” He shifted in the armchair.
“I’ll come back when you’re dressed,” Erica said, heading to the door.
“Come back when Mario’s finished. I need you to get on a few things right away.”
Erica sank into the chair at her desk. Her pulse was racing. She gulped a bottle of water. Slowly, her heartbeat returned to normal. By the time she had recovered, Gunther buzzed her. She picked up her notebook, took a deep breath, and entered his office. Mario was gone, but Gunther was still shirtless as he picked up the plastic carefully and threw it in the trash. She swallowed hard then moved toward his desk. He turned around and collided with her.
Bumping into his hard chest threw her off balance. She clutched at him as he steadied her. Their faces were only inches apart. Gunther slowly drew her into his embrace. Erica didn’t resist, her hands flattened against him, and her fingertips dug into his flesh.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he whispered.
“Gunther Quill, big bad producer? You could replace me in a heartbeat.”
“No, I couldn’t.” He leaned forward slightly, and his lips connected with hers. They were soft and gentle, surprising her, making her want more. Her hands glided up to join around his neck as he pulled her flush up against him. He angled his head and deepened the kiss, the tip of his tongue brushing along her lips, coaxing admittance.
When she parted for him, the kiss became hard and passionate. He took her mouth, demanding a response. And she gave one gladly. A low moan escaped her throat as her knees weakened.
When she began to slip away, his arms tightened, his fingers pressing into her back. He held her fast for another moment, her hands grasping his bare shoulders. Then, he stepped back. His eyes glistened with desire. Need grew in her belly. Dampness between her thighs made her ache for him to relieve the pressure.
She couldn’t disguise her heavy breathing, so she didn’t bother to try, but returned his lustful stare with her own. Erica ignored the logic in her brain. She wanted him with every fiber of her being, engaged or not.
“I promised, didn’t I?” he said, dropping his hands.
She nodded, as words wouldn’t come. A brief sting of tears behind her eyes warned her. No crying. Not gonna cry! Calm down.
“I got carried away. I’m sorry.” He cast his gaze to the floor.
“I’m not.” She shifted her weight, thrusting out her hip in defiance.
His head snapped up. “You’re not? You’re not quitting?”
She shook her head, blinking rapidly to keep her tears at bay.
The expression on his face softened. “Hey, don’t get emotional on me. No waterworks.” He took her in his arms and held her close. “It’s going to be okay. We just got carried away. No biggie. You forget it, I’ll forget it.”
His words wounded her just as if he had stuck a spear through her heart. Emotion choked her. I don’t want to forget it. Tears gathered, threatening to spill over. Leave his office. Get outta here. She pushed away from him and made her escape, all the way to the ladies room where he couldn’t follow. Gunther? He followed Amy into the ladies room. Recalling that story made her chuckle. She leaned back against the bathroom door and expelled a long, shaky breath.
He wants to forget it. Elsa is coming tonight. Bet he wants to forget it big time. Her heart hurt at the idea of being discarded in favor of a fiancée he clearly didn’t love. If she’s so great, how come you’re kissing me? After splashing some cold water on her face, she took a deep breath, dried off, and returned to her computer.
With a huge effort, she forced herself to peruse the list of tasks sitting in front of her. The pain inside her throbbed, and her body was restless, all because of Gunther. She couldn’t quit, even if she wanted to. Which she didn’t. She was making too much money—saving for a new car, sending more cash to the kids. Her money problems had lessened because of Gunther Quill.
Focusing on taking care of business calmed her down. She made appointments, typed up contracts, and checked the mail. Six o’clock rolled around before she knew it. The door opened, and Elsa Marquette sashayed in. She wore a tight green dress, a d
iamond bracelet, and a big engagement ring. She was pretty and sexy in an obvious way. Erica wasn’t envious, she’d never want to be Elsa.
“Is my man ready?”
“Don’t know. You can go in.”
“Of course I can. I’m his fiancée.”
Her eyes flashed at Erica, who stifled a laugh. His pretentious fiancée!
Erica checked her watch. Six-fifteen! I’m meeting Sam at seven. She packed up her things and headed for the parking lot.
The sound of raised voices stopped her. She couldn’t hear the words, but there was an argument beginning. The timbre and escalating volume suggested it would be a doozy. Thank God I’m leaving. A part of Erica reveled in their fight. Maybe they’ll break up. Then what? Think he’ll turn to you? A liar, a deceiver, a nobody? The famous Gunther Quill? For one night, maybe two. Nothing more. Might actually be worth it, just to have one night with him.
She left the office quickly before any more pulse-quickening ideas entered her head.
* * * *
While he waited for Elsa, Gunther paced in his office, his brow knitted. He couldn’t concentrate on the email from Grant with questions he needed to answer before a contract for East West Productions could be drawn. His mind was at war with his heart and it rattled him. Elsa will be here soon. Get a grip on yourself.
For the first time since their engagement, Gunther questioned his decision to marry Elsa. What had started as simply a business arrangement, with benefits, was quickly becoming an emotional straitjacket. After he married, he’d have to curtail his extracurricular sexual activities or end up the lead story in Celebs ’R Us. Max would have a fit, and his true love, East West, would founder.
There was more to his reluctance to wed, but he wasn’t ready to face the truth. Lying to himself had become a habit, and he refused to admit that his heart was overruling his head. It’s not about Erica. She has nothing to do with this. Once again, Gunther played tag with the truth.
He was looking out the window, as if the answer to his dilemma was pasted on the clouds, when Elsa opened the door and walked in. “I need to talk to you.”
“Whatever happened to a hello kiss and ‘glad to see you’?” He turned to face her.
“Don’t play with me, Gunther. Our engagement is a business arrangement. I’m not stupid.”
“It can be more than that, Elsa, baby, if you’ll warm up a little.”
She laughed. “Always the seducer, aren’t you?”
“Hey, you’re my fiancée. I’m supposed to be getting plenty, instead I’m getting nothing.”
“You’ll get it. After we tie the knot.”
“How do I know? I need a refresher now and then.”
“Isn’t that what you pay secretaries for?”
“Hey! Don’t talk about Erica like that. She’s not a hooker.”
“Isn’t she? Doesn’t she do everything except sleep with you, for a very generous salary?”
“That’s business. You and I are a partnership.”
“That’s a business arrangement of sorts. But I’m not getting my half. You’re in most of my publicity shots for my new movie, but you never cast me in yours.”
“I’m doing musicals. Do you sing? Do you dance?”
“I can learn.” She sidled up to him and slid a finger down his cheek.
He removed her hand. “I’m not risking millions of dollars on an actress in training. It’s not my money and not my sole decision, either. No one would go for me putting you in a musical, Elsa. I just can’t.”
She made a face. “Then what’s our partnership for?”
“I’ll make other movies.”
“You’d better. I don’t like tying myself down and getting nothing in return.”
“Are you tying yourself down?”
“What do you mean?” She balled her hands into fists and planted them on her hips.
“Celebs ’R Us suggested you were sleeping with your co-star in Spain. Were you? If you were… I don’t intend to become a laughing stock because my wife is fucking every leading man she comes across.”
“I’m not fucking anyone. Besides, who would know?”
“Everyone would know. You’re not good at keeping secrets.”
“And what about you and your secretary?”
“Doe-eyes?”
“What? What did you call her?”
“Erica? I’m not sleeping with her.” Not that I wouldn’t, given half a chance.
“You expect me to believe that? She’s hot.”
“She’s also very good at her job. I need her. I’m not about to seduce her and lose her.”
“Oh? It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Are you keeping track? Because I have some statistics of my own. Let’s see…there was the director on the picture you did in Sweden. And the lead in that off-Broadway play you did for six months. Did you bang him every night, or only on matinée days?”
“I don’t have to listen to this,” she said, raising her chin.
Gunther grabbed her by the arm. “Oh yes you do. As long as you’re my fiancée. Every word. You’re no lily-white virgin, baby. So don’t start throwing rocks at me.”
“You’re a bad boy, a seducer, a ruiner of young women. You’ve broken more hearts on this couch than I’ve broken in my entire life.”
“The girls know what they’re doing. They’re old enough. It’s a little innocent fun.”
“There’s nothing innocent about it. You’re a snake, an evildoer.”
He tightened his grip until she gasped. “I don’t like to be called names.”
“If the shoe fits.” She pawed at him, but his hold was like iron. “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
Gunther dropped his hand. “Did you come here just to insult me, or can you curb your tongue and go to dinner? We need to be seen.” He rolled down his shirt sleeves and grabbed his suit jacket.
“Okay, okay.” She turned her attention to reapplying her lipstick.
“I hate arguing, and it’s all we ever do.”
She sidled up to him. “Maybe after dinner, I’ll be the dessert.”
“That would be a nice change.” Like I almost believe you. Do I even care?
Her sweet expression turned sour as he opened the door for her. “Always have to have the last word, don’t you?”
He grinned.
“Someday, some girl’s gonna get you good. I hope I’m there to see it.”
Wish all you want. That’s never going to happen.
Gunther took her to The Satin Club because he was too mad to come up with any other place. A quick dinner then I dump her home. I don’t need this shit. And she’s my fiancée? I don’t think so.
Elsa was clearly bored with the restaurant. “The same menu every time. I’m tired of lobster and steak. Give me a good pasta.”
Why am I marrying her? Selfish bitch. “We come here because I like it and it’s good for business. I’m seen here. You should pay more attention to that.”
“I can be seen anywhere. I’m not an anonymous producer, like you. The public knows who I am. My face is famous. I’m seen everywhere I go. I don’t have to arrange publicity. It just comes to me…unlike you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is it your time of the month, Elsa?”
She threw the water in her glass at him, drenching his face and hair. He jumped up and swore. Conversation stopped, and all eyes turned to them. The second she did it, she looked horrified. “I’m sorry, Gunther! Really. I didn’t mean it.”
He whipped out a handkerchief and dried off. Rage burned in his breast. Humiliate me at The Satin Club! How dare you! You’re finished. He pulled out his wallet and dropped some bills on the table. He leaned over and whispered, “This engagement is over. Goodnight.”
“You wouldn’t!” Her face clouded with anger. With only a polite bow, he exited the establishment amid the whispers and curious stares of patrons and staff.
He seethed all the way home. This is going to be in all the papers tomorrow. C
elebs ’R Us is always there. I saw bulbs popping. I’m going to look bad. Gunther Quill, bad boy producer. Damn! Elsa, you bitch, we’re done. Through. This engagement is so over.
He’d been working hard to improve his image. Now Elsa had put him back to square one. The minute he decided he’d never marry her, his anger lessened. It drained out of him like infection from a wound. He smiled and sat back, relaxing. Be free and stay free.
* * * *
Erica awoke early. She read the morning papers, including Celebs ’R Us, before going to work. There it was in giant headlines.
Beauty Tames the Beast. Bad boy Gunther Quill gets a cooling off by big screen beauty, Elsa Marquette.
The picture of Gunther with water dripping off his head made Erica’s mouth fall open.
Amy joined her, scratching her butt and yawning. “What’s up?”
Erica passed the story to her roommate. “Whoa! The bad boy has done it this time. Plastered all over the press. Goody!” Amy snickered, putting on her glasses, and moving the newspaper closer to read.
“What do you think he said to her?” Erica asked.
“With Gunther, it could be any of a thousand things. He’s so nasty. Looks like he got what he deserved.”
He’s not nasty with me. Not so much. Maybe a little sharp. “You don’t know what she said. Elsa Marquette is no sweetheart, Amy.”
“Hell no! She’s as bad as he is. That’s why they made the perfect couple. I love seeing all the bad P.R. Gunther hates bad publicity like the plague.”
Poor guy. Bet it wasn’t all his fault. “Who throws a glass of water at their fiancé in a restaurant filled with reporters?”
“A woman looking for some publicity herself.”
“Do you think he’ll dump her?”
“Nah. This is just another news story. They’re solid.”
Crap. Erica dressed quickly. She sensed he needed her. Sure enough, when she entered the office, Gunther was already walking back and forth, running his hand through his hair.
“Where the hell have you been?” He stopped and glared at her.
She checked her watch. “It’s eight. I’m an hour early.”
Lovers & Liars Page 5