“A what?” John asked.
“A ladder climber. You know, someone who wants to better herself and be successful.” Brianna said, adding naively, “According to the girls, she knows the fast track up the corporate ladder.”
John spewed coffee, set the cup down and laughed. “Do you have any idea what that means?”
“It’s a good thing, isn’t it? Wanting to better yourself.” Brianna bit her lip.
John grinned before explaining. “It means sleeping your way to the top”
Brianna’s jaw dropped and she felt the heat rising in her cheeks until she was sure her face matched her hair. She stared at him wide-eyed.
John picked up his cup and took a sip. He seemed to be enjoying her embarrassment. He set the cup down. “They think she’s sleeping with me?”
“Oh, no!” Brianna shook her head. “They just think she would like to— go out with you, not sleep with you, I’m sure.” She wished she could just fade into the woodwork.
John shook his head and left the room.
* * * *
A couple of hours later, she met Carly at North Avenue Beach.
“Let’s grab a sandwich at the Castaways,” Carly said naming the popular restaurant above the shops at the park. “Did you find an apartment? I tried calling you a couple of times last night.”
“We got in very late,” Brianna said. “I found the most wonderful place in Lincoln Park. A widow renovated a servant’s quarters above her garage. It’s charming and so is she. It’s as if she decorated it with me in mind. I love everything about it. I can’t wait to move in.”
“The shar–boss getting on your nerves, is he?”
“No, he’s been really great,” Brianna said. “It’s just that I need my own place. I can’t stay there forever.”
“Do I detect a hint of regret?” Carly asked.
“No... Yes... Maybe. I don’t know, Carly. He’s different when he’s away from work. He rented a red convertible yesterday just for me. We had such a good time looking at apartments, even the awful ones. We went to Paddy’s Pub last night and danced until early morning.”
“Where is he today?”
“At home. I told him he should take Ms. Schuster out.”
“You did what?” She noticed Brianna’s dismal expression. “You’re falling in love with him aren’t you?”
“I…don’t…I think… maybe. Yes,” she finally admitted to Carly, and herself. “But it wouldn’t work. We’re too different. It could never work.”
“You don’t know that. It could work. It certainly sounds like he’s interested in you.”
“Interested maybe, but not in love. I’m a novelty to him. He likes smart, sophisticated, beautiful women. I’m different. I amuse him. He may be interested but he’ll never buy, the novelty would soon wear off. Where would that leave me? Broken-hearted, that’s where. I don’t think I’d get over this one easily. No, it’s better this way.”
“Better for whom? You underestimate yourself, Bree. You’re smart, attractive, charming, funny and passionate. Sophistication never kept any man warm at night.”
They finished lunch and headed for the beach. Carly squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s find a volleyball game.” Brianna shook her head. “Come on. It’ll be good for you, work off some of that pent up– frustration!”
* * * *
When she got home there was a note from John saying he had gone to play golf and would be eating at the club. He didn’t say with whom.
Certain that he would not be back for hours; Brianna made use of his large tub again. She had just finished soaking away the aches of hours of activity in the sun and wrapped herself in a bath sheet when she heard John in the bedroom.
“You’re home early,” she called through the adjoining door, warning him of her presence.
“Are you about done in there? I need a shower.”
“I was just coming out,” she answered, opening the door. Oh, Lord, she thought, wishing he would put his shirt back on so her heart could beat normally. Exhaust myself with hours of frustration relieving activity and now I’m right back where I started.
John took one look at her and exclaimed, “Good Lord! Your skin is as red as your hair. We need to put something on that before it blisters.”
He guided her back into his bathroom. Pulling a bottle of Aloe Vera out of the cabinet, he motioned for her to turn around. The gel felt cool on her hot skin as he gently smoothed it across her back and shoulders.
Brianna asked. “Who did you play golf with?”
“Dr. Anderson.” He turned her around to apply gel to her nose and cheeks.
Happy that he didn’t say ‘Kaitlyn’ she gave a sigh of relief.
“Feels better, doesn’t it?”
Brianna nodded. If he only knew how good. She sighed again.
When he started to put some gel on her chest, she took the bottle from him.
“I can manage the rest,” she said, leaving him to take his shower.
* * * *
She dressed and wandered out to the balcony. John joined her within a few minutes.
His eyes locked on her mouth. Brianna ran her tongue over her lower lip as her heart did a back flip and landed in her stomach. He briefly raised his eyes to hers before turning away. She took a deep breath.
“I–” Her voice squeaked. She cleared her throat. “I really think you should ask Kaitlyn out.” I am crazy.
John turned to face her, folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the balustrade.
“You’re like a dog with a bone. Just let it go. I usually make it a point not to get involved with people I work with.”
Brianna flicked her gaze to the stars, released a heavy sigh and took a step toward him.
“But she likes you.” She spread her arms, palms up.
John’s mouth twitched. “You like me. Maybe I should ask you out.”
Brianna stepped back. “I’m serious. You’re not getting any younger and you’re too nice and good-looking to spend the rest of your life alone.” Why did her tongue never fail her when she needed it too. One of the great mysteries of the Universe.
“So you think I’m nice and good-looking but too old. Too old for what? Romance? Love?” His eyes locked with hers. “You?”
Brianna’s eyes widened. She took another step back.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” She frowned at him and put her hands on her hips.
John chuckled, “Oh. You meant I should find someone before I lose my good looks and become a lonely, grouchy old man.”
She glared at him.
“Now you’re just poking fun at me.”
She spun on her heel intent on leaving the terrace but John caught her arm halting her in mid-stride.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Brianna looked at the hand on her arm spreading warmth. She suppressed the desire to cover it with her own, to lace her fingers with his. She squeezed her eyes and inhaled shakily.
“Apology accepted.” Facing him, she said, “I still think you should ask Ms. Schuster out.” John groaned but Brianna wouldn’t be swayed. “It’s obvious she likes you.”
“Subtlety is not one of her strong points. Are you sure it’s me or a promotion she wants?”
His gaze fastened on her mouth again. Brianna contemplated his for a moment until they both looked away. She knew she should retreat to the safety of her room but her Irish heritage won out. She stubbornly–foolishly–stood her ground.
“Okay.” John brought his eyes back to hers. “I’ll ask her out but only if we make it a double date.”
“I don’t think–I mean, I don’t know any–that is not what I had in mind.”
“That’s the deal. And I know the perfect guy for you.”
“I can get my own date, thank you.” Brianna narrowed her eyes and set her jaw.
“You picked my date so I get to pick yours. Dinner Saturday night good for you?” The amused glint in his eyes had Brianna seething.
<
br /> “Fine,” she said, through clenched teeth before leaving the terrace. The sound of John’s chuckle followed her through the living room.
* * * *
Despite the physical exhaustion, Brianna did not sleep well. Plagued by senseless dreams and the stinging sunburn, she gave up at dawn and climbed out of bed. She went into the kitchen and poured a glass of juice before wandering out to the terrace.
The deep pink of dawn gave way to lighter pinks, streaked with orange, as the sun began its journey across the sky. It encountered no problems, no setbacks, no confusion along its path. It rose and set every day, laughing in the face of storms. Why couldn’t her life be that simple? Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, no turmoil, no uncertainty, no misunderstandings... no emotion, no passion, no life. Well, maybe she didn’t want her life to be that simple but did it have to be completely bewildering? Couldn’t she just find the right man? The problem was she had found her Mr. Right; she just wasn’t his Ms. Right!
“And that’s a fact,” she said, draining her juice.
“What’s a fact?” the deep voice startled her. The glass slipped from her grasp, shattering on the tiled floor.
“I didn’t hear you come out. Ouch!” she said as she stepped on a large shard of the broken glass. She raised her foot to remove the glass.
John saw the blood trickle from the cut in her foot and wasted no time scooping her up and carrying her toward his bathroom. Brianna protested briefly but looped her arm around his neck and enjoyed the ride. Too bad it’s such a short distance, she thought, mentally shaking herself. I really need to get a better grip on my thoughts.
John set her on the counter. “Put your foot in the sink,” he commanded.
Brianna swung around and complied while he gathered supplies from the cabinet. She bit her lip as he ran water over the wound.
“There isn’t any glass in there,” he said after gently probing and drying the area. Brianna pulled her foot back and sucked in a breath.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Brianna shook her head. Pain is not the word she would use to describe the sensation running up her leg.
He applied antiseptic and a bandage. “There you go, good as new.”
She swung her legs off the counter but John prevented her from jumping down by placing his hands on either side of her hips. She could feel the warmth of his hands through her thin pajama pants, warmth that quickly spread throughout her body. He searched her face as his head lowered, slowly, until his cell phone rang in the bedroom. He dropped his head, took a deep breath and straightened. His eyes held a hint of regret before he went to answer it. Brianna slid off the counter and retreated to her room.
A few minutes later John stopped at her open door. “I’m going over to Kaitlyn’s. She can’t get a hold of her building super and there seems to be a problem with her AC. I’ll be back soon.”
Not if Kaitlyn has her way .
She stood under the shower letting the cold spray cool her heated body. Funny, I’ve heard of a man taking a cold shower but never a woman. If the phone hadn’t rung– Her cheeks burned despite the cold water. Was it just her overactive imagination or was her really going to kiss her? Did he regret almost kissing her or the interruption? Her shoulders sagged. Now, he’s going to Kaitlyn’s which she should be glad of but wasn’t. She wished her apartment was ready. She couldn’t be trusted anywhere near the man
CHAPTER thirteen
Brianna stood in front of her bathroom mirror applying her makeup for the third time. It was Saturday night, finally, and she really was looking forward to going out– if only her blind date and Kaitlyn Schuster weren’t going. Wiping off her lipstick and reaching for a different color, Brianna thought about how the night would be if it were just she and John, a thought that crept into her mind often during the past week . She shook her head. It’d never work. Running a hand over her hair, Brianna lifted it off her neck. Maybe I should wear it up. She reached for a clip and dropped it on the floor when John spoke from the bedroom doorway.
“Are you about ready?” He looked up from his watch.
Brianna noticed his gray eyes darken to near black as they traveled over her, head to toe, before returning to hers. She blushed and swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Is this okay?” She swept her hands down her dress – the dress he had bought for her had quickly become her favorite.
“Perfect,” he said, eyes lingering on her lips. He blinked and straightened, indicating she should precede him out of the room.
She took a deep breath as she passed him, filling her senses with the masculine scent of him.
“Do you have a jacket?” John asked. “It’s cool this evening.”
Brianna shook her head, quickly dismissing her denim jacket and bulky, oversized sweater as totally unsuitable. John opened the coat closet and pulled out a mossy green mohair shawl.
“My mother’s,” he said, as he placed it around her shoulders.
Brianna smiled her thanks, relishing the warm imprint of his hands more than the soft warmth of the shawl.
“We’re meeting your date at the marina but we need to pick up Kaitlyn.” He held the door open for her.
So much for the feeling of warmth. However, she was determined to have a good time in spite of Kaitlyn. Who knows, her date could very well be the love of her life. She glanced up at John as they waited for the elevator. Then, again, probably not. She sighed.
“You’re not nervous, are you?” John looked down at her.
Brianna bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
“Your date is a very nice young man. Did I mention he’s Dr. Anderson’s son?”
Brianna shook her head again, not trusting herself to speak without squeaking. Maybe she was a little nervous. Everybody’s nervous going on a blind date, aren’t they? She stepped into the elevator.
“He’s in medical school at Loyola,” John continued as he pushed the button to the ground floor.
She nodded.
John grinned at her. “You are nervous.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
Oh, that helps. She gulped. Better to let him think I’m nervous about the date than weak-kneed over him. She glanced up and gave him a feeble smile.
“That’s better. You’ll be fine.” He dropped his arm as the doors opened.
Brianna willed herself to walk steadily to the waiting car. She welcomed the assistance of the doorman as he seated her and closed the door. John slid behind the wheel.
“It’s the suit,” Brianna said.
“The suit?” John glanced at her, eyebrow raised. “What’s wrong with my suit?”
“Nothing’s wrong with the suit. It’s just that with it on you’re Mr. Sharp, the boss. Without it you’re just a– John.” That didn’t sound right. The corner of John’s mouth twitched. “I mean, under the suit you’re a man.” Oh, yeah. That sounded better! The twitch morphed into a grin. “I’ll just shut up now,” she said, sliding down in her seat and hugging the door handle. Lord, if You’re planning a rapture, now would be a good time.
The remainder of the drive to Kaitlyn’s was in silence except for the occasional chuckle from John causing Brianna to silently rain Irish curses on his head.
“I’ll just be a minute,” John said, pulling into a space in front of Kaitlyn’s brownstone. Brianna nodded, still too mortified to speak.
When he disappeared into the building, Brianna took the opportunity to avoid an awkward moment by switching to the backseat. She picked up her purse, wrapped the shawl more securely around her and opened the door. Stepping onto the curb she pushed the door shut and reached for the handle on the back door. Click. Oh, great! She lifted the handle and pulled anyway. Damn automatic door locks! She leaned against a lamp post to wait. It shouldn’t be long, she thought.
She smiled at a woman pushing a baby in a stroller and a man walking his dog. She shifted from her left foot to her right. She ignored the wh
istles from a couple of teenage boys across the street. The woman with the baby came back with a sack of groceries. The man with the dog came back with a bag that wasn’t groceries. She wrinkled her nose and shifted her feet again.
Just as she finished counting the windows in the building across the street she heard, “What’s she doing here?”
Brianna pulled herself up to her full five-feet-four, with the aid of high heels, mustered a smile and turned to face Kaitlyn and John.
“We’re double dating,” John said. Turning to Brianna, he asked, “Why are you standing on the curb?”
Brianna glared at him. Kaitlyn glared at Brianna.
“How nice,” Kaitlyn said to John. She did not look like she thought it was at all nice.
“Ms. Schuster.” Brianna said.
“Oh, please call me Kaitlyn. We’re not at the office.” Her lips formed a saccharin smile.
Lord, control my tongue!
Before Brianna could temper an answer, Kaitlyn turned her attention back to John, leaning toward him and claiming his arm.
Brianna wrinkled her nose. John disengaged himself, unlocked the doors and opened the front door for Kaitlyn. When she was seated he opened the back door for Brianna giving her a look that said, “Behave yourself.”
She returned it with an “I will if she will” look of her own. John’s eyes narrowed in warning. Brianna jerked the door shut.
Mercifully, the ride to the marina was short. Kaitlyn’s flirting was nauseating and would have been a real threat to Brianna’s determination to have a good time if she hadn’t taken so much pleasure at seeing John’s discomfort.
They pulled up in front of the restaurant. The valet simultaneously opened both passenger doors and attempted to assist Kaitlyn who ignored his proffered hand and tossed her head toward the backseat, indicating he should help Brianna. She flashed Brianna a triumphant look as John reached for her hand. Resisting the temptation to stick her tongue out, Brianna accepted the valet’s offered hand. Kaitlyn possessively latched onto John’s arm thwarting his attempt to turn to Brianna, leaving her to trail behind them.
Once inside, Brianna stood to the side as John spoke to the Maitre d’.
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