“And shoes became your specialty?”
“I had a very successful menswear line while I was in college and then I moved on to shoes for the experience.”
“What was your men’s line?”
“The Tin-men Collection carried exclusively by Nordstrom’s.”
“That was your line?”
“You know it?”
Natalie shrugged. “No,” she said, a grin filling her face as she shook her head.
Tinjin laughed. “Cute.”
“Actually, I do know it. Your designs walked the runway with the Diane Von Furstenberg collection one year, if I recall.”
Tinjin’s eyes narrowed a bit. “How’d you know that?”
“That was one of the first runway shows I ever walked. I remember everything about it. So what happened?”
“I needed to grow. I put the Tin-men Collection on the back burner and moved to Europe. After being there a month I happened into an internship at Jimmy Choo. I worked my way up learning everything I could about women’s shoe designs. Now I’m ready to branch off, build both lines and expand.”
“So Tinjin Designs is born.”
He nodded. “It is.”
“Why not men’s shoes?” Natalie questioned. “Since your menswear line was so successful, why not transition into men’s shoes instead?”
“Because I love women and their feet more.”
“So you have a foot fetish?”
Tinjin laughed. “I like the line of a woman’s leg when she’s wearing a beautiful heel. I’m not limiting myself, though. I’ll eventually have a collection for your body and your home. Maybe even a fragrance. There’s no telling what I might do next!”
Natalie nodded. “I think that’s great but your business name sucks.”
“Excuse me?”
“The name, Tinjin Designs. It stinks. You know a brand name can make or break you.”
Tinjin chuckled. “So, do you have a better idea?”
“Spin off your original business name. The Tin-men Collection for Women...Tin-men for Her...Tin-men Footwear...Tin-men for the Home. You’ve already had success with the Tin-men brand so you should capitalize on that.”
Tinjin dropped his fork to his plate as he pondered her comments.
“You can thank me later,” Natalie said as she savored the last bite of her steak. “Meanwhile, I’m ready to order dessert. They have a mean chocolate bread pudding with bourbon sauce.”
* * *
The crowds were still thick as people moved from terminal to terminal, looking for someplace warm and comfortable to rest themselves. Heading back to terminal eight and the American Airlines lounge, Tinjin and Natalie boarded the train, pushing their way to the middle of the aisle. Natalie looped her arm around the metal pole that ran from floor to ceiling and planted her high heels firmly, her feet spread slightly apart. Tinjin moved in behind her, wrapping his own hand on the same pole right above hers.
The ride was unsteady and with the train’s first lurch and shudder, Natalie’s body fell into his. Instinctively, Tinjin wrapped his free arm around her thin waist to steady her. His fingers pressed against the waistband of her slacks, his palm heating the flesh beneath her clothes. He pulled her against his body, allowing her to brace her weight against his own. She fit against him nicely, he thought, the curve of her buttocks settling easily into the well of his crotch. A quiver of electricity tightened the muscle between his legs. Tinjin closed his eyes, biting down against his bottom lip to stall the sensation.
Natalie inhaled swiftly, the unexpected touch causing a wave of heat to shoot through her midsection. If she had not been standing on those six-inch stilettos she might have shifted her body from his but the unsteadiness of the ride combined with her precarious footing was a recipe for disaster. It felt good to be able to lean on him for support. She felt herself relax.
She turned her head to stare back at him. Tinjin smiled, an easy bend to his full lips. When she didn’t speak, moving her gaze back to the view in front of them, he let his fingers gently tease her flesh, tapping lightly atop her clothes. Three stops later Natalie stepped out of his arms, rushing out of the train to put some distance between them. She took a deep breath and blew it out heavily. By the time Tinjin reached her side, she’d heaved another deep sigh.
“Do you need help with your bag?” Tinjin asked. His eyes danced over her face, resting on the look she was giving him.
She shook her head. The carryall felt good in her hands, almost like a security blanket for her to hide behind. She continued shaking her head as she turned an about-face and headed for the lounge area.
Once inside both were surprised to find their original seats still vacant. Tinjin and Natalie would have both bet those front-row seats would have been grabbed while they’d been gone. Settling themselves back down, both sat staring to the outside.
Hours later they were still talking, discovering the six degrees of separation between them. In London they often frequented the same spots, had attended the same parties, were acquainted with mutual friends and despite running in the same circles had never before crossed paths. The more they talked the more they were both amazed at how their small worlds had never once collided and how much they had in common. Both were fans of English football, favoring the Manchester United team. Well-traveled, they both had mutual interests in Japan and Spain, disliked fast food, reveled in decadent desserts and preferred sandy beaches over winter weather. Tinjin stole a quick glance back out the window as Natalie shook her head.
Snow was still falling. It looked like large flecks of soft cotton as it dropped down against everything outside. A line of trees bowed heavily from the weight of the ice and snow that had accumulated against its branches and there was no distinguishing grass from pavement, everything blanketed in layers of white. You could feel the aura of calm and quiet that echoed gently in the distance.
Tinjin suddenly had a host of questions for the beautiful woman beside him but he held his tongue. Something about the moment made him feel that they would have all the time in the world to learn more about each other. As if it were the most natural thing to do, he eased his arm around her back and shoulders and hugged her to him.
Despite thinking that she should know better, Natalie liked the feel of his arms around her. Where she should have been hesitant, having known him for only a brief period, she wasn’t. And although that surprised her, it also felt very right to her. She leaned into his side, falling into the warmth of his body heat. She dropped her head down against the curve of his shoulder and lifted her legs to the cushioned seat, folding them back against her buttocks. Minutes passed before either spoke, both enjoying the quiet moment.
“Don’t get comfortable,” Natalie suddenly said. “This doesn’t mean anything. We don’t know each other that well.”
Tinjin chuckled softly. “Oh, it means something,” he said, as he tightened the grip he had on her shoulder and pulled her closer.
She cut an eye at the man. “Don’t push your luck with me, TJ.”
He shook his head. “I would never do that, Gnat.”
Natalie marveled at the level of comfort between them. She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him back, looking out the window at the snow.
“Do you think it’ll ever stop?” she asked.
Tinjin nodded. “I’m sure it’ll start to blow over soon.”
“It’s so pretty!” Natalie gushed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful.”
Tinjin shifted his gaze to her face, watching her as she stared outside. He resisted the urge to lean and press a damp kiss to her mouth. “Me, neither,” he whispered. “Me, neither.”
* * *
Flight number 490 was boarding in thirty minutes, nonstop to Salt Lake City. Both Tinjin and Natalie sighed in relief. It
had been a long sixteen hours, despite the ease and comfort they’d found in each other’s company.
“Finally!” Natalie exclaimed as the two maneuvered their way to the other terminal and the boarding gate.
Tinjin nodded. “I will be glad to get to the hotel for a shower and a bed. I’ll probably sleep for the next two days. What about you?”
A look of distress washed over her expression. “I don’t know that I’ll be getting much sleep,” she said as she turned away from him. “I’m already wishing I could just go back to London.”
Tinjin wasn’t sure he believed her. Something about her demeanor told him that she was anxious to get to whatever was waiting for her in Utah. And he was still in the dark about her reasons for going there. Despite hours of conversation that had solidified their friendship, she was still a mystery to him. He suddenly found himself wondering if it would always be that way.
They had promised to stay in touch, a tentative coffee date planned for when they both found themselves back in London. But Tinjin couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever see her again once they landed and headed in their separate directions. He was about to ask when Natalie beat him to the question.
“You’re not going to forget about me once you get back to your life, are you? It’s not every day that I like a guy who feels me up in an airport, so you better call me. You are going to call me, right?”
Tinjin laughed. “I don’t remember feeling you up.”
“You did,” she said matter-of-factly. “I would have slapped you if I’d known it was going to slip your mind that quick.”
He shook his head. “And you’re violent, too. You’re just a banquet of surprises.”
Natalie laughed with him. “I’ll take that to mean that you are definitely going to call.”
He wrapped her in a warm hug. “I wouldn’t miss the opportunity.”
* * *
The flight from New York to Salt Lake City took in excess of seven hours. Two of those hours were spent at the Jetway while a maintenance crew fought to deice the plane and make it flight ready. By the time they made it to the runway for takeoff, everyone on board was irritated and tense.
Natalie had been able to retain her first-class seat, but Tinjin had agreed to be downgraded to coach rather than wait another half day for another flight. As he pretended to sleep, wishing away the senior citizen who’d been whining her complaints since boarding, he couldn’t get the exquisite Natalie off his mind. He’d enjoyed every moment of their time together. There was something special about Natalie and her presence excited him. Her desire to hear from him again was promising, going above and beyond any expectations he might have had.
Natalie shifted against the leather seat, twisting her body to stare out the window. She wrapped her arms around her torso as she watched the ground crew flit back and forth below. She found herself wishing that Tinjin was still by her side, still making her smile and laugh. There was something about the man and she found herself actually missing him.
* * *
Natalie was waiting for him when he finally made his way off the airplane. The elderly lady who’d been seated next to him clutched his arm tightly, bemoaning her travel woes as he escorted her down the jet bridge. Natalie stood by the guardrail, shifting from side to side anxiously. Her smile widened when she saw him and there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes when she spied his companion.
“Just don’t make no sense,” the older woman was muttering. “Took me three days to get here. Three days! Don’t make no sense at all.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tinjin said softly.
An airline attendant stood behind a wheelchair, welcoming them both to Salt Lake City International Airport. When the woman was safely ensconced in her seat, Tinjin wished her well on the rest of her journey.
“I’m home now. My son should be here to get me and then I’m going home. Don’t have to worry about me traveling no more,” she said. “Don’t make no sense to be stranded like that for three days. Don’t make no sense at all!”
Natalie giggled as the stewardess pushed the old woman down the length of hallway, her annoyance vibrating through the air. Natalie moved to his side.
“Don’t laugh,” Tinjin said, his eyes rolling skyward. “That was painful.”
“And here I thought you were having a good time with your new girlfriend.”
“I guess it’s a good thing we both don’t get paid to think, then,” Tinjin countered with a smug smile.
Natalie met his bright look with one of her own. “So where are you off to now?” Natalie questioned.
“The Grand American Hotel. My sister reserved a room for me there.”
“Very nice. I like your sister already. She’s got great taste and she obviously travels well.”
“I don’t know about all that. It’s where her family is staying. She married into a little money.”
“Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.”
“Says another woman who thinks a Black Card should be tattooed onto the palm of her hand.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Natalie mused. “Not a bad idea at all. Do you have one?”
“One what?”
“A Black Card.”
Tinjin took a step toward her. “Would you be impressed if I did?”
Natalie shrugged. “Not really. I actually have my own.”
He laughed heartily. “I like how you do things, Ms. Natalia!” He suddenly paused in reflection. “Hey, you never did tell me your full name.”
She smiled. “I’m just Natalie to my friends and family. Natalia for those who only need to know me through my business.”
“So you don’t have a last name?”
She laughed, the light airiness of it moving him to laugh with her. “I’ll tell you the next time I see you.”
Natalie took her own step closer to him, pressing her body against his. She rested her palms on his chest, peering into his eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly, meeting his deep stare. “You made what could have been a miserable trip not so miserable. I really had a good time. So thank you very much.”
Tinjin smiled. “The pleasure was all mine. Let’s do it again. And soon.”
Natalie nodded her head. She licked her lips, her tongue tipping lightly out of her mouth. She eased her arms around his torso and hugged him gently. When she drew back, tears misted her eyes.
Tinjin drew his palm along the side of her face, his fingers gently caressing her cheek. He leaned toward her, his face a mere inch from hers. She held her breath, the air suddenly heated between them. He leaned in a second time, then gently pressed his mouth to her cheek, purposely avoiding her lips. His touch was silk, the gentlest brush of his flesh against her flesh.
She suddenly pushed him from her. “You better call me, Tinjin Braddy,” Natalie snapped as she turned, moving away from him. “Or I will hunt you down and hurt you!”
Her smile was a mile wide as she waved her hand once more and disappeared into the crowd.
Chapter 4
Noah Stallion and his sister Naomi stood by the luggage carousel, staring toward the walkway for passengers who’d just disembarked. Both were nervous, anxiously searching the rush of faces for one that resembled their own. Naomi saw her first, suddenly jumping up and down excitedly.
“There she is!” Naomi exclaimed, pointing with her index finger. “There’s Natalie!”
He and Natalie locked gazes. A slow smile pulled at his mouth as he nodded in greeting. Tears suddenly fell from Natalie’s eyes as she moved to where her siblings stood. Noah opened his arms and Natalie stepped into them, throwing herself into her big brother’s embrace. Her tears were suddenly a low sob and Noah tightened his hold as she cried against his chest.
“We’ve missed you, Natalie,” Noah said, his voice a loud whisper. “Welcome h
ome.”
Natalie moved from her brother’s arms to her sister’s, the two women hugging each other tightly. Naomi kissed her cheek, then held her at arm’s length. “You’re so pretty!” she exclaimed. “Look how grown-up you are!”
Natalie laughed. “You’ve aged some yourself,” she said teasingly.
Naomi swatted a hand at her. “That’s what happens when you’ve been gone for so long.”
Natalie winced. She looked to her brother, who was smiling at the two of them.
“You’re home now, that’s all that matters,” Noah said.
Natalie nodded. “I’m sorry. I should have come sooner,” she said.
“Norris-Jean didn’t want that,” Noah said. “You know better than anyone that if she’d wanted you to come back she would have told you so. She was proud of you and she was proud of the fact that you were able to get away and build a life for yourself that made you happy.”
Natalie nodded, not sure that she believed her brother.
Naomi hugged her a second time. “Let’s collect your luggage and get you home. Nathaniel and Nicholas can’t wait to see you.”
* * *
It felt like home. Natalie was amazed how easily she and her siblings slid into a warm rhythm with one another. The ride from the airport to the family house had set the tone, their conversation easy, the banter comfortable. Her older brothers were all bigger and louder and her sister still as protective as she’d been when they had been little girls.
Noise echoed through the twelve-hundred-square-foot manufactured home, all of them trying to give her an update on their lives and ask questions about hers. The home had been updated since Natalie last saw it. But even with the new bathroom and kitchen it still felt like the place she’d grown up in.
“Who still lives here?” Natalie asked, looking from one to the other.
Naomi shook her head. “No one. We’ve all moved out. Norris-Jean was the only one here.”
The noise level dropped substantially.
Noah nodded. “Whenever we could, we all tried to come back for Sunday dinner.”
My Stallion Heart (The Stallions Book 7) Page 4