by Malone, Nana
She repeated her reasons again. Huffing out a breath, she realized how screwed she was. She was already willing to make up any excuse to go over and see him. And a “thank you for getting me that job” reason was as good as any that she'd already been able to come up with.
Maybe it was time to relax her rules. So far they hadn't gotten her anywhere except heart broken and fired. What was the definition of insanity again? Why did she think she was going to get different results if she kept trying to do the same exact thing? Oh, she'd still go to the wedding and she'd still talk to the client, but not so she could go back to Trudeaux. Not for her father. For her. It was about time she started looking out for herself and doing things just because she wanted to.
Starting now, she was going to start living a little by the seat of her pants. In a hurry to get to Alec, she flitted to her bedroom and kicked off her bunny slippers. Now what did one wear for seduction? It wasn't like she was going to completely abandon who she was. Besides, any good seduction needed a really good plan.
***
“So what’s the emergency?” Alec let Adele into his suite. “I’m supposed to be somewhere in an hour. I already told you, I don’t have any additional information on where Max is. Caleb’s on it.” He stopped when he saw the strained expression on her face.
“There was a visitor at the house last night. Several, actually.”
“What the hell do you mean, a visitor?”
“One of those low-life goons your brother owes money to came to the house in La Jolla, looking for Max. They paid a visit to Sue, as well. She called me in a panic after they threatened her and the baby then left.”
Holy shit. “Where was your security team?”
“I don’t need them in my own house. The system was on, but they must have disarmed it.”
That didn’t sound like any kind of goon he’d heard of. After chasing his brother down in LA, he had taken care of Max’s debt in the hopes of accelerating the Max cleanup effort, so who the hell was paying visits? “Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
She sniffed and wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t I look fine?”
“No arguments, Mimi. I’m having Caleb put some men on you and Sue. At least until I can find Max. Did they say anything last night? Give any indication of what they were looking for?”
“None of it made any sense. They just kept saying they just wanted back what my son took from them. ‘We’ve moved the cash, but we want our file back. No questions asked if he gives us what they want.’”
“It make it a hell of a lot easier if we knew what they were talking about.” Alec wrapped his arms around her. “I need the video footage from last night. I’ll take care of it. I promise.”
Her shoulders relaxed a little. “I’m not worried about my safety. I’m pissed off. I’ve been dealing with thugs like that half my life. They’re usually wearing nicer suits, but I know how to handle myself.” The determination and grit woven into her age lines reminded him she was a fighter.
“I hope nothing has happened to him.” The quiver in her voice was unmistakable.
Alec knew where she was going. And he wished she didn’t have to deal with this. Max was her son and she wanted to protect him. But she knew the situation Max was in and made no bones about it. She knew what could happen if they didn’t get him home soon. “Mom, I promised you I’d get him home safe, and I will. You can count on me.” It took him several moments to realize he’d said Mom instead of Mimi or Adele.
She must have noticed too, because she waited several beats to respond. “I know I can count on you.”
Damn. He didn’t want to get into their tortured family stuff now. Jaya was on her way over and he didn’t need to be emotionally raw. Brooders were no fun. “I’ll let you know as soon as I have a lead.”
As she turned to leave, she scrutinized him, taking in his freshly washed hair and looking around the suite. “I interrupted something.”
Man, she was quick. “Nope, going out, that’s all. You’ve had me running around so much, I’m taking a night off.” His phone chimed and he knew it would be Jaya confirming their date, just like she always did. Another one of her quirks he was getting used to.
“What’s your fascination with the Trudeaux girl?”
Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. God help him if Adele decided to butt her nose in. “No fascination, Mimi. She’s a friend.” He could hope all he wanted, but there was no way she would let it go.
“When you said you found me an event planner, she wasn’t what I was anticipating. I expected, willowy, earth shatteringly beautiful, blonde and not so bright.”
He bristled. “I don’t only associate with models.”
She chuckled. “Relax. I’m teasing. And I’m not implying she’s not beautiful. She is. Especially with that gorgeous complexion of hers. She just a tad more substantial than I expected. Also a bit of a klutz. But she has fire and determination. And so organized it makes even my eyes cross.”
“I don’t care if you think she’s beautiful or not.” Although he did, sort of. If he’d been the kind of guy to bring a girl home, he’d want Mimi’s buy-off and respect.
“Or course you don’t. I know you think I’m butting in. But I—”
“Did you give her the job?” he interrupted.
“Touchy, touchy. Whether or not I give her the job has nothing to do with you, right?”
He let out a long breath. If Adele wanted to string him along, he wasn’t in the mood. “If you say so. You’ll do what you want but when you do hire her, don’t treat her like you treat your other assistants.”
Adele laughed. It was a sound, clear and deep, unexpected and genuine. “You do like her. Will wonders never cease?” Laughing again, she added, “She can take care of herself. She’s not some meek little thing who needs you to protect her. Besides, she’s smart so she has nothing to fear from me.”
As Adele sashayed out of the suite, Alec wondered where he would have ended up without her influence. Somewhere he didn’t want to think about.
Not five minutes later, at the knock on the suite’s door, his palms got sweaty. He looked down at the offending limbs and rubbed them on his thighs. Why was he nervous? He wasn't seventeen with his first girlfriend. He was grown. Done enough things with women to make Casanova blush.
But Jaya's flirtatious text earlier sent his heart thudding in his heart. Schmuck. He had it bad. He'd been all kinds of a moron to think there wasn’t anything serious between them. He should have known on that damn elevator and gotten the hell away from her as quickly as possible. But no, he'd let that voice of hers tempt him into talking that night at the club.
At the memory, his body responded. Blood settled in his cock arming him for battle, so to speak. He blew out a breath and reached for the door. She was just a woman. He'd had dozens. But none of them had her humor, her determination. Her endless lists. How in the world could it be that he found her ridiculous list-making the sexiest thing about her? Probably the way she chewed on her bottom lip every time she added something else to her to-do list. He groaned and drew in a deep breath to settle himself. Get a grip. You’ll scare her off.
Because even though her I’ve got a surprise for you text was flirty, she’d already made it clear she couldn’t handle anything more than a fling. Problem was, Jaya Trudeaux wasn’t the fling kind of girl. She didn’t go around having one-night stands. Or in this case two-week stands. And he clearly wasn't a relationship guy. He knew it better than she did.
Opening up the door, he gave her a smile that said, no, I haven’t been standing on the other side of the door trying to compose myself for the last thirty seconds.
“Hey.” she beamed up at him. “You going to keep me in the doorway, or can I come in?”
Could she come in? His brain tried to work through her words, attempting to decipher into a language he understood. Her voice, as always, melted him and his brain didn't quite kick in the way he hoped. Even wrapped in her Bur
berry Trench and those heels of hers, all he could do was think about her glorious brown skin and how soft it was.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, of course.” A giggle escaped her lips and his brain skipped again. What had he been saying? Eventually, she reached out and gripped his shoulders, moving him aside.
“What’s gotten into you today?” Her eyes widened even as her brows drew down. “Shit, when you said some over, I thought—” She looked around and her eyes fixated on the La Perla negligee on the chair. Eyes wide, she met his gaze briefly before making a dash for the door.
Confused, he stared after her, but then blocked her path as dawning hit. “Hey, relax. It’s for you. I know it was probably a little impulsive. There’s no one else here. You’re not interrupting anything.” He could have kicked himself. He’d pretty much recreated the scene of Derrick cheating on her. Stupid, schmuck.
Her shoulders relaxed and she let out a breath. She rolled onto her toes, then back on her heels. “I don’t have some sort of claim to you. I know that. I just saw the lingerie there on the chair and, well…” She trailed off and ran out of steam.
Well done, Alec. You’ve cocked it all up. “Okay, totally my bad. We can get rid of the lingerie. No problem.”
She slapped him on the arm. “Don’t be crazy. That looks like La Perla. If you want to see me in it, I can at least try it on.”
He grinned. “Can I actually watch you put it on? ‘Cause God, what a turn on.”
She giggled and his whole body warmed from the inside. “Done deal. But first, I have news.”
He drew her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. “Do you now? Does your news involve you going commando under this trench?”
Jaya raised an eyebrow and played with the sash at her waist. “I got the job. Adele called right before you texted me.” She did a little pirouette and added a booty shake to that right before she launched herself at him.
He caught her, holding on for a moment too long as his body tensed from the contact. What was he doing? Torturing himself. Masochist. “You look happy.”
“I’m thrilled. I mean, I couldn't believe it. Her assistant called me, of course. Not like she could ever call me directly. She's Adele Westhorpe, after all, but it's crazy. I start on Monday. I'm so nervous.”
He watched her stalk around the room chattering as her words spilled out faster and faster. She really was something else. She was beautiful, but not in the overtly obvious way of southern California girls. He wished she could be his. Wished she were his. “Does this mean operation Trudeaux Events is on the back burner?”
She shook her head. “God, no. It was wrongful termination at the very least. Either way, they need to eat some crow. But I have a life to live. I can’t just wait ‘til I can get Dad to hire me back.” She continued, some of her excitement ebbing out of her. “So anyway, I've been thinking that maybe this whole time, I've been too rigid. Maybe you're right.”
He blinked. Frowning. “I'm right about a lot of things. Which item in particular?”
She rolled her eyes. “You know, how you said the other day that I needed to have some fun and relax. Stop living by my lists and my rules all the time. Go off map.”
He'd said that? Well that was before he realized that's what made her fun and interesting. “Hmm hmm.”
“Well you were right.” Grabbing onto the tie off her trench, she tugged. As the lapels peeled away, acres of beautiful mahogany skin were revealed. All he could do was stare. All moisture left his mouth. The burning in his chest told him he'd forgotten to breathe.
***
No more living in a fantasy world. It was time to deal with the remains of her life. As Jaya let herself into her condo, her eyes immediately went to the box of things Tamara had brought over from Trudeaux. Most of it could go. She’d rescue her figurines and her software files, but the rest of it she didn’t need. She was starting over fresh. No need to bring the past with her.
She tossed her purse on the coffee table and hummed a little tune as her text message alert went off. Probably Alec, finally awake and realizing she was gone. He wouldn’t like that. Letting out a chuckle, she snatched her phone up. Ever since that first night, he hadn’t been able to let go of the fact that she’d snuck out of bed. It had probably never happened to him before. He was the person who did the leaving. Just like he would this time.
Stubbornly, she shoved the thought out of her head. Just a fling. Checking the text message, she smiled.
You abandoned me again.
She texted back. It’s not abandoning if I give you a blowjob before I leave.
A chime filled the air. You didn’t give me a chance to return the favor. I’m very good you know.
Jaya's fingers flew over the touch pad as she smiled to herself, enjoying the opportunity to flirt. Oh I remember. Besides, you passed out and I needed to start my day. Can we meet up later?
Yes. If you promise I can make it up to you. Late lunch, maybe?
Jaya told herself she should be keeping herself at an arms distance. But she couldn’t stop the giddy feeling. She knew falling for him wasn’t a smart move. The way he lived his life wouldn't last him forever and it would give her fits if they were together. Someday he'd have to grow up with a real job and a planned future. If only he'd let her help him. Moron.
As she hauled the box off the counter, her main line rang and she put it on speaker. “Hi, Micha.”
“How did you know it was me?” her friend asked, sounding annoyed.
“You’re the only one I know who’s up at the crack of dawn like I am. And if by some miracle, Ricca were awake at this time, she’d be mortified to call me before eight-thirty.”
Micha chuckled. “Ah, Ricca and her manners. That’s how she misses out on good juicy sex stories.”
“Who says I’m telling you anything?”
“The way I figure it, you owe me. I called you back yesterday to apologize for my shitty mood from the day before, but you weren’t home all day. And your cell kept going to voicemail. So I figured Alec Danthers struck again and was holding you captive underneath him.”
Jaya could feel her skin get hot even as she stammered, “Th-that is none of your business.”
“Oh, come on,” Micha wheedled. “Some of us have had a dry spell.”
Jaya barked out a laugh. “I can’t help you if that dry spell is self-imposed. You’re perfectly capable of getting someone hot to shower you with affection. What happened with Alec’s friend from the bar?”
“Yeah, well, turns out Caleb--that’s his name by the way--Caleb. Now lives next door.”
Jaya choked on her coffee. “Oh, shit.”
“Right back at’cha sister. And to make matters worse, I can see straight into his bedroom window.”
Jaya's put the coffee down lest she burn herself. “Double oh, shit.”
“Tell me about it. Two nights ago, I—” She paused to clear her throat. “He was Um—I watched him self-gratify.” She said carefully.
“Whoohoohoo hoo!” Jaya catcalled. “No way. You did not.”
“To make matters worse, it’s all I can see every time I pass him in the hallway.”
Jaya picked her jaw up off the floor. “Well, what are we talking here? You going to need the cheap drugstore brand of condoms, or will you need to upgrade to magnums?”
“Magnums, for sure.” Micha chortled. “Good thing I’m stocked.”
“Was he alone?”
“Yeah. It was after the other night at Synthesis.”
“When are you going to put you both out of your misery and sleep with him already?”
“Just as soon as he stops insisting on making a whole relationship thing out of it. The other night I tried to take him home and you know what he said? That he wanted to take me to dinner first.”
“The nerve.” Jaya chuckled. “Do you think he was thinking about you?”
Micha scoffed, a soft growl coming through the phone. “God, I hope so, ‘cause that shit was hot.”
Micha had been allergic to relationships since Jaya had known her. “Only you, Micha. So guess who has a new job?”
“What?” Micha squealed into the phone. “You got a new job and you bury the lead like that?”
“Well, you distracted me with all that talk of hot sex.”
“Who’s it with? Please tell me it’s Trudeaux’s biggest competitor. That’ll really show them.”
“No I wish. It’s for Adele Westhorpe. She gave me the job.”
“Holy, shit, Jaya, that’s awesome.”
Yeah, it was pretty awesome. And lucky. She had a mortgage payment to make in two weeks. She really didn’t want to dip into her savings until it was absolutely necessary. “Now I just have to do a good job.”
“Oh, you will. Stop worrying. You were made to do this. I’ve never met anyone more organized. Even your figurines are organized.”
Jaya chuckled. “Most people just call it OCD.”
“Well, maybe a little.”
“I can plan the gala, no problem. I'm excited to do it. I can really show off my skills. And hopefully Dad hasn’t scared off any connections.”
“Did you ever get to talk to him? Was he sabotaging you?”
“He says no, but I don’t believe him. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s torpedoed me to teach me a lesson.”
Micha was silent for a moment. “Well, he certainly has his own unique parenting style.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Wait, is this the annual Westhorpe year-end gala?”
“Yeah, it’s the fiftieth anniversary or something, so a pretty big deal.”
“Hell yeah, it’s a big deal. I’m going to cover it for the magazine.”
No pressure or anything. “Well then, I’ll have to do a bang up job so you can see me strut my stuff.”