by Penny Wylder
“It’s really nice of him,” I say, “but he doesn’t have to buy me clothes. I can buy them.”
“Don’t even think about that,” she says, leading me out of the elevator and into the lobby.
I never thought someone as short as Sage could walk so fast. I’m having trouble keeping up. “It’s hard not to think about.”
I see Derek out of the corner of my eye, moving to follow me. This is so, so strange. There’s a town car waiting for us and Sage doesn’t hesitate to climb in. I hear her order the car to an address on Fifth Avenue. “Sage, this list, what’s on it?”
“A bunch of things. We’ve got to get you a wardrobe.”
My eyebrows rise into my hairline. “Just how much shopping does Nolan want me to do?”
She looks up from where she’s been typing something on her cell phone. “Have you ever seen the movie Pretty Woman?”
12
Dani
If there were ever a time that I wish I had soundtrack to play over my life, this would be it. I feel like I’m in the middle of a movie montage where the heroine is swept along, getting the make-over that turns her from an ugly-duckling into the beautiful swan. I’ve never thought of myself as the ugly duckling, but I have to say that I’m enjoying the transformation. Sage and I have been to three stores already, getting me everything from everyday clothes like jeans and shirts to dressier business casual. Right now we’re headed to a lingerie store.
“Did Nolan ask me to go to this store?”
Sage rolls her eyes. “No. He just said that you were going to need clothes. I made the list.”
“Good,” I laugh. “I think I would feel weird if he asked me to get a specific type of underwear.”
“Yeah, Nolan’s not that type of guy.” She holds open the door of the car for me, and she gives me a wink. “I figured if you’re going to be here with him, you might need something like this. Besides, my girlfriend and I both shop here. I can testify that everything that they sell is amazing. And hot.”
I hear the faint snap of a camera as I get out of the car. We were at the second store when the first photographer showed up, and I was really grateful I said yes to Derek shadowing me. I hadn’t expected to be as afraid of someone with a camera as I am right now. Now there are a couple photographers following us. I can imagine that it’s only going to get worse as the day goes on.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sage says as she ushers me into the store.
“About what?”
“The cameras. It’s normal.”
A nervous laugh escapes my throat. “It’s not normal for me.”
Derek takes up a post at the entrance to the store and Sage guides me through racks of lingerie—everything from satin to lace, some which are nothing more than ribbons. “It always happens,” she says. “The press is obsessed with Nolan. And why not? He’s young, rich, and handsome. They want to know about the women in his life. So no matter who he’s with this always happens. The paparazzi, I mean. The shopping spree is new.”
I’m not sure I find the notion of the paparazzi hounding other women all that comforting. It makes me wonder how many other women has this happened to? How many other women has Nolan invited to stay with him? Jealousy stabs through my chest, and I have to stop for a second in the middle of the store. I’m not usually the jealous type. I’m not even sure why what Sage said makes me feel uneasy. It shouldn’t. I have no claim on Nolan, he can see who he wants. Plus, from what I know of him so far, he doesn’t strike me as the type who juggles multiple women. His focus is too intense.
“So,” Sage asks, interrupting my reverie, “what kind of lingerie do you like?”
“I’ve honestly never shopped for any.”
The shocked look on her face is priceless. It looks like I’ve said something so horrendous that she’s now going to faint from the shock. “Well, we’re going to fix that. First off, what’s your favorite color?”
“Blue or green.”
“Good to know. Look around, if you see anything you like, grab it and try it on. I’ll be back with some more things for you to try.” She charges off into the store, and I can’t help but laugh. The woman takes her underwear seriously.
About twenty minutes later, I totally regret laughing. Because I can see why she takes it seriously. I’m standing in the dressing room wearing a bra and panty set that makes me feel like I’ve stepped into a dream. It’s a soft green, lacy on the edges with vines embroidered across the fabric. I can just feel the quality, and it’s a whole different experience than wearing the bras and underwear you buy at a department store. Like…a whole other level.
I’ve loved some things and passed on others, but everything that Sage has brought me has been beautiful and tasteful. “Okay,” she calls, “come out here for a sec.”
I put on the robe that the sales girl gave to me and step out of the dressing room. It looks like a movie in here, with a three-way mirror and step stool to see what you’re wearing from every side. Though I can’t imagine doing it with lingerie. Well…I suppose I could imagine that if Nolan were here with me.
My mind spins a fantasy of a private fashion show for him, showing him everything, letting him choose exactly what he wanted to see me in. There’s heat under my skin and in my core, and I realize I’m blushing. I’m not usually one for public displays of—well anything. But the thought of Nolan watching me in our own private fashion show is more than hot. It’s scorching.
Sage’s arms are crossed and she’s standing next to another pile of lingerie, these noticeably skimpier than the ones I’ve been trying up till now. “I think you’re going to want some of these, or at least something like them.” She gives me a face that is somewhere in between amused and stern. “Let me be clear, I have no interest in your sex life. I have no interest in Nolan’s sex life. But I can’t let you come here and not try on some things that aren’t typical underwear, if you know what I mean. I couldn’t care less if you wear them on this trip or not.” She picks up the bundle of bras and baby doll chemises and shoves them into my arms. “Off you go.”
I’m not shocked that Sage has exquisite taste in this area as well. The pieces she’s chosen are sexy—really sexy—but understated in a way that I appreciate. I’ve never been one to flaunt myself sexually. Hell, before Vegas I think it had been more than a year since I had slept with anyone. I appreciate her restraint. I saw some pieces out there that made me blush just looking at them. The most daring piece I try on makes me blush a little, but it looks so good that I can’t bear to say no.
Less than an hour later we leave the store, and I’m the owner of more underwear than I think I’ve ever owned in my life. Well, at least I will be when everything is delivered to Nolan’s apartment. I haven’t had to carry a single shopping bag today. Everything is going to magically appear later. That’s one thing I would love to take with me wherever I go.
The group of reporters has grown to five. A couple of them throw questions towards me as Derek and Sage get me into the car. Luckily the questions are nothing like the ones that they asked me outside my house. As soon as we’re settled, Sage gives the driver another address. “The next stop is the last one, but it’s going to be the longest.”
“Why?”
“I’m outfitting you for your dinner with Nolan. We’ve got to get a dress fitted and pick some jewelry. The hair and make-up people will meet us at the Coldwater Penthouse.”
Umm…what? “Sage, this is ridiculous. He’s already spent a fortune on me. I don’t need a dress. I can put a perfectly nice outfit together from the clothes we just bought.”
She gives me a withering look. “Do you like Nolan?”
The question stops me in my tracks. Do I like him? Of course I like him. — I like him way more than I should. “Yes.”
“Good. I know that you guys met only a couple of days ago, so this is all a little overwhelming, but this is how it is.”
“What do you mean?”
“This,” she says, gesturin
g around the car. “Nolan Coldwater is one of the richest men on the planet. It’s a very different kind of life, and if you’re with him it’s going to be like this. It’s going to be fancy dresses and black cars and security. It’s going to be having people come to you to do things like your hair and make-up.” She sighs, and her face isn’t unkind. “I’ve worked for Nolan for a long time, even before he was CEO. I’m pretty good at reading people, and I know that you’re not after Nolan for his money. But his money—and the life that comes with it—is part of who he is. If you like him, you need to understand that.”
I’m a little taken aback by how blunt she is, but she has a point. I agreed to let Nolan pay for everything even though I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I don’t know exactly what’s happening between us or how long it will last, but if I don’t accept him for who he is, nothing will ever happen. I’m silent for the rest of the drive, and I’m still buried in my thoughts when the car pulls to a stop. I get out, and my jaw drops because I’m standing in front of Bergdorf Goodman. The Bergdorf Goodman. The most expensive department store in the world.
“You okay?” Sage asks.
I nod. “Yeah.” I’m okay. I’m just overwhelmed by the feeling that I’m Cinderella, and I’m not sure when the stroke of midnight will be.
Sage is entirely right—it is like that scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts goes shopping. Minus the part where she’s a prostitute of course. There are people falling all over us when Sage drops Nolan’s name. People bring us champagne, and we’re set up in a private dressing room. We never even have to leave the room because people bring everything to us. It’s overwhelming and exhilarating. Someone comes in and takes my measurements and shows me a book of all the gowns they have in stock. I notice there are no prices next to the pictures and I’m guessing that I don’t want to know. I choose three that catch my eye, and they’re brought, along with swatches of fabric, shoes, and jewelry.
I do step onto the pedestal with these gowns, and it feels strange yet kind of amazing to be fawned over like this. The third dress is the one. By far. The minute I step out of the door and stand in front of the three-way mirror, Sage agrees. “Yeah, that’s it.” The dress is a blue so deep it’s almost black, the fabric smooth with a pearly sheen. It’s a one shoulder gown, fitted closely through the chest and waist, flaring out to a fuller skirt. It’s gorgeous and sexy and I know I’ve never worn anything that’s made me feel like this before.
Once I confirm that this is the dress, the sales people bring me some undergarments, a lacy bustier in the same color as the dress and tell me to put it on. I do, and they pin me within an inch of my life, making sure the dress fits like a glove before they let me take it off and sweep it off to alterations. We find shoes—little silver high heels that make me feel like Cinderella—and they lay out an assortment of jewelry that makes my head spin. Sage helps me choose, a long teardrop necklace with what I choose to believe is a fake sapphire, earrings to match and a silver chain bracelet that doesn’t match but I like.
Everything is taken care of, and I’m beginning to feel the exhaustion. I’ve been riding the high of adrenaline all day, but it’s still been a few days without great sleep. Sage reassures me. “We have some time. You can take a nap before the hair and make-up people arrive.”
“Sure,” I say. I have hair and make-up people. Throughout this day Sage has never lost her patience or her drive to get everything right—to get everything perfect. “Thank you, Sage. I know this is a lot.”
“On the contrary, I had fun,” she says, giving me a rare full smile. “I hope that you and Nolan have an amazing time tonight.”
“Me too.”
13
Nolan
I keep looking at my watch. I swear that time is moving slower today. I know that’s impossible, but I’m certainly experiencing time more slowly. This was not a meeting I really needed to attend. I see that now, even though our overseas managers requested my presence. They didn’t need me for any important reason—they wanted the opportunity to show how well they’re each performing and get some face time with me. I could have seen how well each of their branches is doing with a report and done without all the bowing and scraping and the attempts to spin bad numbers into good ones.
Sage has been texting me updates, and it seems like the shopping trip is going successfully. Only thirty more minutes until I can respectfully excuse myself. It’s just…painful. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of perks to being the CEO of a company like this one. But meetings with people who are just hoping you like them enough to give them a promotion is not one of them. I glance at my watch. Twenty-nine minutes. Dammit.
I try to focus on what the man in front of me is saying. He’s the head of our bank in Belgium, and he’s criminally boring. I’m not even tired and I feel my eyelids getting heavy. My phone buzzes. It’s Sage—they’re finished at Bergdorf’s and are heading back to my place. Everything in me wants to stand up from this table and leave the meeting without saying anything, just abandon everything and go. I’m still riding the high from blowing off that meeting in Vegas, and I loved that feeling of freedom. I loved not having to do this.
It was never what I wanted to do. I’d much rather be helping people than hurting them, and too many of Coldwater’s practices are not good for people. What’s worse, there’s not a lot of change I can implement. I may be the CEO, but the members of the board are the reason things are the way they are, and they’ll hold onto their power until they’re dead in the grave.
For now, I have to content with myself with doing what I can in small steps until I can figure a way to turn things around. My father and I agreed on a lot of things—this wasn’t one of them. He never really understood why I didn’t have the stomach for corporate politics the way he did. Never understood why some things mattered more to me than money. He refused to believe that I didn’t want to be the head of his corporation. I was so close to getting him to change that part of his will when he went—totally unexpected. It feels like my world has been off its axis ever since.
That is, until the last few days. Being around Dani makes me feel like everything fine. I feel clearer, and something deep inside me feels settled—or at least I think it does. It’s the main reason I invited her here. The other reason being that my every thought revolves around her and no matter how many times I jerk off, my body won’t stop craving her. I suddenly become aware that the room is silent and everyone is looking at me expectantly. I clear my throat, “I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?”
The guy from Belgium shuffles his papers. “Are you all right with testing an increase in interest on personal loans over one-hundred thousand Euros?”
“Why?”
“Because we’re losing money with the interest rate we have now. This will increase the rate of interest half a percent every six months until the loan’s repayment.”
Greedy bastards. “Test it if you like, but cap the interest raise after five percent.”
He shares a look with others around the table and I think that he’s going to disagree with me, but he nods. “Very well.”
I glance at my watch. It’s finally time to leave. “Gentleman, if you’ll excuse me, we’ll have to continue this meeting tomorrow. I have a scheduled dinner that I cannot be late for.”
There are words of assent, but I don’t stay to make small talk or shake anybody’s hand. I head out, grab the papers I need from one of the secretaries, and in minutes I’m in my car and on my way home.
My building is on the west side of Manhattan near the park. It’s generally a pretty quiet neighborhood as Manhattan goes, and today is no exception—that is if you don’t count the reporters that are currently camped outside my door. Sage warned me that they had been followed during their outing. I had hoped that maybe they would see that it’s not much of a story. I should have known better. Now that Dani has been seen all over New York shopping at some of the most exclusive stores in the world, the stories tom
orrow will be huge. They’ll range from the speculation that we’re merely dating all the way to the fact that she’s an escort being paid to live with me. I’m sure that one will be popular. I’m not sure why tabloids always assume the worst about people like me, but they do.
Cameras flash as I get out of the car, and I give Derek—who’s stationed at the door—a nod as I head into the building.
Sage is sitting in my kitchen when I come in, drinking my coffee. “Helping yourself, I see.”
“Of course.” She looks up from her phone with a wry smile. “You know I always do.”
“How did it go?”
She makes a face that I know means ‘so-so.’ “I think she enjoyed it, but she’s not used to all this. I think she’s struggling with the idea that you have more money than god.”
“How so?”
“For one thing, if price tags were available, she tried to settle for the least expensive option. She also said she didn’t need a new dress for tonight, that we had already bought enough clothes.” She holds out a hand before I can speak, “Don’t worry I took care of it.”
I chuckle, and pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Listen, Nolan.” Sage swings around on the stool she’s sitting on to face me. “I like her. She seems lovely, and I think she could be good for you if it actually goes somewhere.” She knows that relationships tend to burn out quickly with me because most women I meet are more interested in my title than anything I have to say. “But I would be cautious. Don’t overwhelm her. She’s not here for the money—she’s here for you.”
There’s a twinge in my chest. Maybe that’s why Dani feels so different to me. She didn’t know who I was when we met, so I’ve never been Nolan Coldwater, billionaire CEO and playboy to her. Just Nolan.
“Thanks, Sage.”
She grins, downing the rest of her coffee. “Anytime, boss. Go put on your penguin suit. Dani will be ready in about ten minutes—she chose the blue room. I’ll see you tomorrow.”