Come and Get Me

by Julie Cannon

  Lauren choked on the smooth liquid sliding down her throat when the image of her and Elliott fucking like bunnies on her desk unexpectedly popped into her head.

  Elliott crossed the space between them in an instant, her concern plainly visible on her face. “Are you all right?”

  No, actually I’m mortified. Lauren managed to catch her breath without further embarrassing herself. “Yes, guess it just went down the wrong pipe. I’m fine, really.” She blinked several more times to clear her head.

  Elliott returned to her chair, never taking her eyes off her guest. “So, how long have you been at B&T?”

  “B&T?” Lauren asked, tilting her head.

  Elliott grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I don’t mean to insult you. Didn’t you know everybody calls you B&T?”

  “Everybody?”

  Elliott took a sip of her drink. “Well, everybody who does business with you. Bradley & Taylor just sounds so…” She hesitated as she searched for the right adjective. “Stuffy.”

  “And Foster McKenzie isn’t?” Lauren couldn’t keep the teasing tone from her reply.

  “Um. You’ve got a point there.”

  “Why not just go with Foster Mac? It has a nice catchy ring to it.” This time, when Lauren swallowed her Scotch, it went down smoothly.

  “I’m not so sure my clients would have much faith in a company that has a catchy ring to its name. People tend to get nervous when it comes to their money.”

  “Mmm, I suppose so.”

  The quiet in the room was punctuated by the ticking of the clock in the foyer. Lauren often used silence as a technique to get people to open up, and it rarely failed her. Most people became uncomfortable and babbled to fill gaps in conversation; however, the same could not be said about the woman sitting across from her. Elliott looked perfectly relaxed, which was more than Lauren could say about herself.

  Elliott was far from relaxed. What will the evening bring? Hell I don’t even know what this evening is to start with. “So, Lauren, tell me something about you.”

  You mean something other than I have no idea what I’m doing here? “Anything specific or just general small talk?”

  Yeah, like you’re a lesbian, right? Elliott smothered a grin and sat back in the chair. “Surprise me.”

  Her smoky-eyed regard made Lauren’s pulse race. “Something tells me very few things surprise you, Elliott.” She sounded more confident than she felt.

  The way Lauren said her name sent a bolt of electricity through Elliott’s body, making her fingers tingle with the desire to touch her. “You did.”

  “Really? How so?” Lauren could not believe she was carrying on this conversation with what appeared to be composure when her stomach was tied up in knots.

  She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. Elliott took another sip of her drink and casually crossed her legs, giving herself a moment to judge where she should go from here. She decided caution was the best approach. “When you invited me to dinner.”

  Lauren replied without thinking. “Yes, well, it kind of surprised me too.”

  Elliott mimicked the question of a moment ago. “Really? How so?” She felt as if she were on the edge of her seat waiting for the answer.

  “I’m not really sure. On the one hand it seemed a perfectly common thing to do to get to know someone better…” Lauren hesitated, not quite knowing how to finish the sentence.

  “But on the other,” Elliott prompted, using her hands as a prop. She held her breath, afraid that her reputation had negatively preceded her. It would not be the first time a woman was uncomfortable being seen with her. Her picture occasionally appeared in the society section of the daily newspaper along with her current “gal pal,” as they liked to label her dates. If she was fortunate, that was the only place the photo ran. But the local sleazy tabloids loved cashing in when they could, and sometimes that upset dates who valued their privacy.

  “On the other hand, I normally don’t ask someone out that quickly after meeting them. I guess it surprised me that I actually did.”

  “At the risk of asking another dull-witted question, why are we having dinner tonight?”

  The chiming of the clock stopped Lauren from answering. She glanced at her watch. “Oh, my, I’ve lost all track of time. We need to get going.”

  Elliott rose from her chair, eyes twinkling. “I’d like to think that time flies when you’re having fun.” She locked the front door behind her and followed Lauren down the lighted path to her car. She heard the familiar chirp of the car alarm and the dome lights came on casting a warm, inviting glow inside the vehicle. “Nice car,” Elliott said in appreciation of the late-model convertible Mercedes. Well, maybe she has a wild streak in her after all.

  “Thanks. I admit it’s a bit much, but it’s fun.”

  Elliott opened the passenger door and slid inside. Buckling her seat belt, she watched Lauren walk around the front of her car. So far the evening was starting out just as she had expected. Lauren was charming, witty, and intelligent. Elliott was impressed at the way she had directly answered her questions without the coyness the other women she dated were so fond of. Her honesty was refreshing, but Elliott reminded herself that she had also thought that about Rebecca. Could she have been any more wrong?

  She let her gaze rest on the smooth outline of Lauren’s thighs beneath the dark green fabric of her pants. The thought of stroking a hand along the slight gap in between them made the ugly thoughts of Rebecca vanish like a bad dream. Lauren smiled at her and turned the key in the ignition. Elliott smiled in return, surprised by something. Happiness. Just exchanging a look with this woman made her feel genuinely happy.

  *

  The drive to the restaurant took about fifteen minutes, and as the valet parked her car, she instinctively placed her hand on the small of Elliott’s back and escorted her inside. The maître d’ led them to a table next to the window where the sun was setting over San Diego Harbor.

  “This place is fabulous,” Elliott said after they were seated and the wine steward had taken their order. She surveyed their surroundings, noting that every table was occupied, many by gays and lesbians. “I’m surprised you were able to get a reservation. It’s obviously very popular.”

  “I could come back with a witty reply and say that I simply mentioned my name and a table miraculously was available, but in reality they had just received a cancellation when I called.”

  Elliott was beginning to enjoy Lauren’s sense of humor. “I like the witty reply better than the real thing. Let’s go with that.”

  “Okay, but don’t expect my name to stop traffic.” Lauren scanned the menu, and her mouth began to water at the delicious selections.

  “You in that dress you were wearing Saturday night would certainly stop traffic,” Elliott said.

  Lauren’s heart skipped a beat at the unexpected compliment. She slowly lifted her gaze from the menu and settled on the sharp eyes across from her own. That was smooth. “Thank you. I kind of like dressing up once in a while.”

  “And do you always look that beautiful?”

  She doesn’t waste any time. This was not the first time Lauren had been hit on by a woman, but it certainly was the first time she’d felt like reciprocating. Aiming to lighten the mood, she said, “You really don’t expect me to answer that, do you? I’d be lying if I said no and narcissistic if I said yes.”

  “Well, I’ll answer it for you, then. Yes, I’m certain you would look lovely in anything.” Elliott immediately imagined what Lauren would look like in nothing at all, and her hands started to sweat.

  “Now you’re embarrassing me.”

  “Sorry, but the truth just flows from my lips.”

  Lauren’s heart stopped as she envisioned those lips doing other things as well. She was not accustomed to having sexual fantasies, yet it did not seem the least bit odd that her mind kept straying along that unfamiliar track.

  Elliott noticed Lauren’s gaze drift to her lips and she read something other th
an a passing glance in her sparkling blue eyes. She grinned with the realization that her fresh sheets would not be wasted. This was familiar ground, ground that she had walked over many, many times, and she relaxed. “This view is fantastic.”

  “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Lauren replied after their drinks were delivered. “I love to watch the sun set over the water. When I was little my dad would bring me out to the beach in the evening, and we would sit together and listen for the sound when the sun touched the water.”

  “What did it sound like?” Elliott asked, drawn in by the look of nostalgia on Lauren’s face.

  “A long, slow sizzle that grew louder and louder when it hit the water and then tapered off as it disappeared in the horizon. As a grown woman, I know the sun doesn’t touch the water, but as a little girl, I swear I could hear it.”

  “Where is your father now?” Elliott asked, hoping that Lauren would not say he was dead. That was usually a conversation killer.

  “He and my mom live not far from here.” Laughing, Lauren added, “You couldn’t get them to leave San Diego even if they dropped a bomb. How about your family?”

  Elliott was taken aback by the sincerity of the question. Everyone she met either knew her father or knew of him, and many also remembered her mother. “Lauren, do you know who I am?” God, that sounded pompous. “I mean…” She didn’t get a chance to finish her statement.

  “Yes, Elliott, I know who you are,” Lauren replied calmly after the waiter appeared and took their dinner order. “I know who you are but I don’t know you.” At Elliott’s look of confusion she continued, “What I know I’ve either read in a newspaper or magazine or someone has told me.” She hesitated for a moment. “I’d rather hear it from you.”

  Elliott was speechless at her remark. It had been a long time since anyone wanted to know her, really know her. Everyone thought they did simply because of her reputation or who her father or her grandfather were. They all had preconceived impressions and ideas about her, and Elliott had became accustomed to that. She hadn’t realized the pattern her life had fallen into until the simple request from Lauren.

  “What would you like to know?” she asked tentatively, not certain that she even wanted to go down this path. It was much easier for her to act the way that was expected of her by business associates, acquaintances, and even lovers. That, she knew how to do; this was something altogether different.

  “Tell me about your family.” Lauren sat back with her drink in her hand, prepared to listen.

  Elliott obliged. As a matter of fact, she talked all through dinner. She told Lauren how her great-grandparents had emigrated from Europe during World War I with just the clothes on their backs and had built a successful retail business in lower Manhattan. About how their children had expanded into banking and her grandfather went out on his own, building a successful investment banking firm.

  Throughout dinner Lauren detected a light in Elliott’s eyes as she talked about her family. She noticed it dim slightly when she began to talk about the death of her father and how her mother’s brother took over the firm.

  “I was twenty-eight years old.” Her tone was one of resigned dismay. “I had no interest in running Foster McKenzie.”

  “What were you interested in?” Lauren asked.

  “Women. Lots of them.” Elliott cautiously raised her eyes to the woman across from her. Lauren’s expression was neither repulsed nor judgmental but rather encouraged her to continue. “I guess I was a bit self-centered back then.”

  “You guess?” Lauren teased.

  “Okay, I was young, rich, and self-centered.”

  “And don’t forget devilishly attractive,” Lauren interjected humorously.

  Really? Elliott was amazed at the good nature of this woman. “Well, that too.” She winked at Lauren and continued half seriously, “I was never really sure if I was good-looking or my money looked good. I hate to admit it, but at the time I really didn’t care.”

  “Do you now?” Lauren asked pointedly.

  “Sometimes.”

  Surprised by the honesty in her answer, Lauren prompted, “Sometimes?”

  Knowing that her next admission would either clinch or curse any chance she had of getting this sexy woman into bed, Elliott plunged forward anyway. “Sometimes I just need to unwind. I don’t want any intense involvement and I’m not looking for commitment, so it doesn’t really matter why they’re with me.”

  Lauren held Elliott’s gaze. She couldn’t resist alluding to Alan’s comment about her rumored sexual prowess. “I hear you unwind a lot and that you’re pretty good at it.”

  Elliott was flabbergasted. “Well, you know how rumors are,” she replied, attempting to deflect the comment.

  But Lauren didn’t let her off the hook. “No, how are they?”

  Elliott sipped her wine. “You should only believe half of them. The other half is wishful thinking on the part of the person doing the gossiping.”

  “And which is the half I should believe?” Lauren continued to drill Elliott with her pointed questions. “The part about the frequency or your skills?”

  Elliott smirked and decided to give Lauren exactly what she was looking for. “All right, Counselor. I’ll tell you all about it. I’m one of those people who believe that sexual desire is a natural bodily function.” The images that her comment brought to mind caused Elliott to momentarily lose her train of thought. She toyed with her wineglass, using the time to gather herself. “And…well, if you have two consenting adults who think the same way, then…” She trailed off, not quite knowing how to conclude.

  “You have two satisfied women.”

  The laughter in Lauren’s eyes caused Elliott to join in.

  “Well yes, if you do it right.” And I’d definitely do it right with you.

  When their dinner was completed and the dessert plates cleared, Lauren asked, “So why are you running Foster McKenzie now?”

  Elliott was not prepared for such a sudden shift in topic. She was always uncomfortable talking about how she’d wrested control of Foster McKenzie from her uncle. It was a long, arduous legal battle that had quickly become ugly, with her uncle slinging mud, calling her names, and pointing the blame finger in every direction but his own. She’d refused to stoop to his level and didn’t acknowledge or refute any of his comments and certainly none of his innuendo. In the end, the judge had ruled in her favor and Uncle Ted was out.

  “I guess this is the stage of our relationship where we start airing our dirty laundry.” Elliott tried to set a humorous mood to ease her humiliation. “My uncle had more experience betting on the horses than running a venture capital firm. To him, the principles were the same. Bet on a horse to win, bet on a company or idea to win. I guess in a way they are, but the stakes are quite a bit higher. It wasn’t long before he ran the company into the ground.” The story sounded benign, but she still felt the pain. “One of our oldest clients tracked me down in Paris and didn’t spare me details. I guess by then I’d finally grown up and realized that my father’s company was my right and my responsibility. So here I am.”

  “And are you happy?” It was a simple question.

  Elliott laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “No one has asked me that in years. I don’t think anyone really cares as long as they’re making money.” Elliott knew her statement to be true.

  “Well, are you?” Lauren still wanted her answer.

  Elliott thought for a moment. Happy was not a word she would have associated with herself when she assumed control of Foster McKenzie. She was a spoiled little rich girl stepping into a man’s world, a world filled with egos, money, and a sincere belief that women didn’t have the brains for such complicated matters. She’d fought with clients and employees alike to prove that not only was she smart enough, she had also inherited her father’s business intuition. It was a long time before she’d felt comfortable, let alone happy.

  “Yes, actually, I am. I enjoy what I
do and I seem to have

  a knack for it.” Teasingly, she said, “I will admit there are times when I wish I was still running around with no responsibilities and…well, you know.” She looked into Lauren’s eyes to gauge her reaction. “But all in all, I’m doing all right. How about you?”

  “Do I enjoy my work or would I rather run around and…well, you know?” Lauren knew exactly what Elliott was referring to and called her on it.

  Elliott raised her eyebrows and cocked her head in acknowledgment. “Both.”

  “Yes, I enjoy what I do and I’m good at it,” Lauren replied. “I haven’t had a lot of opportunity in the running-around department, so I’ll have to take your word on how much I’d miss it.” She hoped Elliott didn’t take offense to her last statement.

  “And what about well, you know?” Elliott was confident the conversation was going in the direction that she wanted it to.

  “What about it?” Lauren held her breath not sure she wanted to go down this path. “Are you asking me if I’m a virgin?” She was stunned at her own question and the flirtatious tone in which she asked it.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Lauren.” That simple statement was her answer.

  “Thank you,” Lauren replied softly. Her voice had a huskiness that had not been there a moment ago. She held the dark eyes across the table from her. The promise of passion she saw there made her throat grow dry. How did this conversation turn from teasing into smoldering desire? This woman is dangerous, and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing or why I’m even doing it. Lauren reached for the check, grateful that her nervous hands had something to do.

  “Thank you for dinner, Lauren, it was wonderful,” Elliott said when they finally rose to leave.

  “It was delicious, wasn’t it?”

  Elliott felt the light touch of Lauren’s hand on the small of her back again as they moved toward the door. Is her hand warmer than it was when we came in? The car felt warmer too, once they were seated, as if both of their bodies were radiating heat. Elliott had seldom felt so aware of a woman’s close proximity. She could hear Lauren’s breathing and feel her eyes.