“Did you enjoy yourself last night?” Renee asked the two partners.
“I had more fun that I thought possible,” Teddy said. “I loved the show. Those covers coming from the ceiling and the gowns in the circle...wonderful idea.”
“You can thank Wanda and Stacy for that,” Renee said. “We had an event planner, but Stacy came up with the idea.”
“Which one is Stacy?”
Renee glanced through the door. Stacy was standing near her secretary. “She’s the blonde right there.” Both women followed Renee’s nod. “She’s the one who worked with me on numbers for the expected orders of gowns. We sent you the projections.”
“And she was so right,” Teddy commented. “From what I heard, the phone orders continue to be brisk. And we had to expand the bandwidth on our website to keep up with the traffic.”
“Other than that, tell us about the man you spent a lot of time with last night,” Diana asked.
“Man?” Renee asked. “What man?” Her body grew warm. She knew exactly what man they were talking about.
“The man who danced with you several times. The one who couldn’t keep his eyes off you even when you weren’t dancing.”
“His name is Carter Hampshire. And he’s the competition,” Renee said. She glanced at Teddy who already knew who Carter was. Obviously, Teddy had not shared the information with Diana. Renee thanked her silently for keeping her confidence. “He owns this building, or his family does.”
“And he couldn’t keep his eyes off you,” Teddy teased.
“I’m sure you’re wrong.”
“I wonder,” Teddy said.
Renee left it at that. But Dana’s words echoed back. Give him another chance.
* * *
Life fell into routine after a couple of weeks. Renee was busy working on the next several issues. Advertisers were knocking down the door, even though their prices were through the roof and they had a waiting list. Bridal designers vied for callbacks so they could secure a spot in an upcoming issue. Every one of them wanted their dress to be featured as one of the four spots that used the hologram. She referred their calls to the sales reps, but found she was constantly required to sign off on some deal.
After each exhausting day, she and Carter would continue their lovemaking at either her house or his apartment. So far neither of them had broached the subject of their relationship and the fact that they were competitors. Renee knew it would have to come sooner or later, but she’d rather it be later. Her feelings for Carter were securely in place, and she didn’t want to give up her secret meetings with him.
Was it the fact that their relationship was a secret that made lovemaking so exciting? Renee didn’t know and didn’t care. All she knew was that she was in love with Carter Hampshire and together they created fireworks. She now understood the yearning of brides for their partners, the love that wove its way around and inside them, creating that invisible bond that seared them together. She knew the obsessive need to give, to please, to crave understanding.
Now, Renee stretched in Carter’s big bed. Her hand touched his arm and he immediately took it, pulling it to his mouth and kissing her fingers. The familiar reaction to his touch sparked through her. She smiled, loving the way he made her feel. She looked up as his hand brushed her hair back, and he rolled toward her and kissed her hairline.
Renee couldn’t remember ever being this happy. Her heart virtually sang every night when she knew she’d meet him. They’d cook together, have dinner, discuss everything from world politics to the price of an internet connection. Never did they talk about the magazine business. Then they’d retire to his bedroom or hers and make love throughout the night.
“What are you thinking about?” Carter asked.
“Marbles,” she said.
“Marbles?” Carter laughed. Renee felt his body shake against her. “What about marbles?”
“I don’t know. I don’t seem to have any.”
“Where did you lose them?”
They both laughed at the old joke. Renee knew where she’d lost hers. Well, they weren’t lost—she’d given them away. Given them to the man holding her. Yet she hadn’t told him. Not yet. But she would.
Reaching up, she kissed him, brought her lips to his and tasted the essence of Carter. His hand slipped over her bare belly and around her body. When he pulled her into alignment with him, she felt the entire length of his long, strong body. Their legs entwined and they looked into each other’s eyes. It was that look that started the burning. Carter’s gaze marked her as surely as if he’d touched her, and Renee felt the heat rising.
Carter fell back against the bedding. Her body fit into his as his erection hardened and pressed into her. Renee initiated a kiss. She felt the restrained lion in him that controlled strength he held tightly until she was ready, until it was impossible not to release the tension within them.
Climbing on top of him, she stretched down his body. Moving slowly against him, she felt the ecstasy of love beginning. Carter’s hands thrust into her hair and clamped over the back of her head. He held her that way for an eternity, his mouth taking hers and working its magic, the tension within her coiling and tightening. Finally, pushing her aside, he found a condom and she took it from him. Watching Carter’s joy, she slipped it over him. His eyes rolled back as pleasure took control of his features and Renee slipped her hands up and down over him. His hands grabbed hers and he stopped her with a groan.
He pulled her down, reversing positions. He gazed into her eyes until she felt something snap within him. In seconds he was inside her. Passion flooded them. Fire flared into a roar and the rhythm between them moved with a fury strong enough to topple the Earth.
Renee heard herself moan at the pleasure that coursed through her. Her arms hugged him and her body matched the speed of his. Her throat was parched as she breathed through her mouth. She kissed his shoulders, his chest, as her body writhed beneath his. She grasped his shoulders, holding on as Carter pushed her legs up and took them higher on the ecstasy scale. As control was lost between them, she felt a hard wave rising. It was higher than any that had come before. Clamping her mouth closed, she waited, held back, tried to stop it from cresting too quickly.
It was impossible. The wave broke through. She felt more than heard her scream, and Carter’s groan was audible in her ears. Together they climaxed and collapsed onto the bed. Renee let her breath out. Carter, lying on her, his chest taking long drags of air, as if it was a liquid he could drink.
“Wow,” was all Renee could say. Even the other times they’d made love hadn’t compared with this. He slid sideways and caressed her against him. Carter kissed her neck, holding her and taking long breaths. Renee didn’t think he could speak—she knew she couldn’t.
The way Carter made her feel was life-changing. She knew it was for him, too. Could it always be this way? Would she be able to keep this bright star of love alive in the future? She didn’t know if she could, but she was sure going to try.
* * *
Something woke Renee. Turning to reach for Carter, her hand felt the coolness of the sheets where he should be lying. Her eyes flew open. Where was Carter? Glancing at the clock, she saw it was just after four o’clock in the morning, too early for breakfast. She didn’t smell the coffee or the bacon that he loved to eat in the morning. Where was he?
Slipping out of bed, she grabbed one of his shirts and pulled it over her naked body. There were no other lights on in the hall. Quietly she went toward the living room. No light filtered in from the outside, but there was a light coming from his office.
Was he working?
She smiled. The man was diligent. Renee went toward the light and pushed the door open. Carter swung around in his chair. Renee looked over his shoulder, immediately recognizing her own work. Her layout. Her designs for upcoming issues of De
signed for Brides.
“What is this?” she asked, her eyes fixed on the screen.
“Renee, it’s not what you think.”
“Those are my designs, and you have them. You stole them,” she accused. “That’s why you’ve been so good to me. You wanted them all along.”
“Renee, let me explain.”
“What could you say?” she shouted. “That you’ve been trying to get my designs? First you ask me to take a job with you. When that fails, you decide to steal what you can.”
“That’s not how it was.”
Renee stormed back to the bedroom. Putting her clothes on over the shirt, she gathered what things were readily within reach and bolted for the door.
“Renee, we have to talk.”
“We’ve done all the talking we need to. Get out of my sight. I never want to see you again.”
Renee rushed through the door and grabbed the first taxi that came by. She held on to her tears until the driver dropped her off at her home. Inside she backed up against the door, but her knees were too weak to keep her upright. She slid to the floor and let the sobs burst.
Chapter 10
Blair Massey sauntered into Carter’s office and slipped into a chair. “What’s up?” she asked.
Carter stood behind his desk. He’d paced the entire room waiting for her to arrive. He couldn’t believe what he’d seen. There had to be a logical explanation, something reasonable, something understandable.
“Have you checked our sales and projections in your division?”
She nodded. “Since Renee’s launch we’ve been seriously down in sales, but I expect them to pick up once the wedding season is in full swing.”
“This layout you sent me yesterday,” Carter said, restraining his voice to something approachable. “It’s wonderful, better than anything I’ve seen in years.”
“Thank you. We strive for the best.” Blair recited the bridal division motto.
“Who in the department thought of this? I want to be sure to give credit where credit is due.”
“That’s just like you, wanting to give praise. The entire department worked on it, but the initial idea came from me. I’ll pass your thanks on to the rest of the group.”
Carter rounded his desk and sat down. He looked into the smiling face of a woman he never thought he’d have to say these words to. Blair stared back at him. After a while, she realized the serious expression on his face meant something.
“What’s wrong, Carter?”
“I’ve seen this design someplace else.”
Blair sat up in the chair. “Someone’s stolen our idea?”
He didn’t move, didn’t nod or shake his head. “No one stole our design.”
“Where did you see it?”
“On Renee Hart’s desk at Designed for Brides.”
“How did you happen to see that?” Blair was uncomfortable. Carter knew her well and he knew how she sat, what her mannerisms were when she was nervous. She pursed her lips and licked at her lipstick.
“Why did you steal it, Blair? We don’t need to do that.”
She got up and stood behind the chair she’d been sitting in. “Why do you think I stole it?”
“You just admitted it was your idea.”
“I did but...when we were working, the design just grew. No one stole it. We came up with it independently.”
“Blair.” Carter’s voice held a warning. “You stole the design.”
“Well, what did you think I would do? We needed something big to compete with her magazine. I tried to get something. The department worked night and day trying to come up with something that would make the industry look at us. Nothing compared. Then I saw the designs in her office when we had a lunch date. She got called away for several minutes. I had a jump drive with me. I always carry one—it’s a habit. I can’t tell you what came over me, but I put the drive in and copied it.”
Carter stared at Blair as if he’d never seen her before. She’d been employed by Hampshire for over twenty years. He’d trusted her.
“Blair, you’re fired.”
The words stunned her. Her face paled to the point that Carter thought she’d pass out from lack of blood flow.
“Fired?”
“I have no choice. Do you know the number of laws you’ve broken? Do you realize your actions could ruin not only the bridal magazine division, but the entire business?”
“No one knows. Our magazine will get to the stands before hers. It’ll look like they stole ours. It’ll put them out of business.”
“Blair, how can you even think that’s something this company would have any part of?”
“It’s done all the time. This is business.”
“That is not the kind of business I run. And until a few days ago, not the kind you did either.”
She looked at the floor, then up at him.
“You have to go, Blair.”
There was nothing else to say. Blair opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She’d done the unforgivable. And Carter was going to have to do some serious damage control, both for the company and for his relationship with Renee.
Carter lifted the phone and called security.
“Security will be here in a few minutes to escort you from the building.”
* * *
Word of Blair’s firing raced through the office like a forest fire. It reached Renee just before lunch. Blair had worked at Hampshire Publications for more years than some of the people there had been on the planet. And now she was gone. Renee wondered why, but she couldn’t call Carter and ask. She wanted nothing to do with him.
Was he blaming Blair for stealing her design? Was he using her as the scapegoat for his theft?
Renee’s phone rang.
“Hello,” she said.
“Ms. Blair Massey is here to see you.”
Renee swallowed. Blair? Here?
“Shall I send her back?”
“Of course,” Renee said.
What could Blair want? Maybe she was here to ask for a job. Renee stood and waited to see her come around the corner. She’d aged years in just a few hours.
“Blair,” she called. “Come on in.”
Renee closed the door and offered Blair a seat. She sat in front of the desk. Renee took the second guest chair next to her.
“You’ve heard,” Blair began.
“I think by now the news has reached the Jersey Shore.” Renee tried to lighten the mood that had descended on the room. She hadn’t expected to see Blair. In fact, by now she would have expected Blair to be halfway home. “I’m surprised you’re still in the building.”
“I’m sure you are,” Blair said. “That gauntlet I just passed through looked like they had their claws out.” She glanced at the door.
“They’re curious, that’s all.”
Renee looked through the glass wall. The entire office was pretending to work, but they were really trying to discover what was going on.
“How can I help you?” Renee asked.
“I believe I’m here to help you.”
Renee stared straight at her, but kept her face unemotional. The comment was a lead-in to a job interview.
“All right, how can you help me?”
Blair smiled as if she knew something Renee didn’t. “You’re all wondering why Carter fired me?”
Renee leaned forward in her chair and stared directly at the woman. “Yes, we are. You’re a staple at Hampshire Publications. You’re at the top of your field, and you’ve run more of those magazines than anyone else. I don’t understand Carter.”
“It wasn’t Carter,” Blair said.
Renee frowned. “What wasn’t Carter?”
“Carter fired me, but you’re t
he reason I got fired.”
“Me!” Renee was stunned. “How could I have anything to do with it?”
Blair hunched and dropped her shoulders. “You’re good. You’re brilliant. Your marketing plans are beyond great. And they sell. That thing you did with the launch magazine was historic. And not just for magazines. I’ve heard the reports of how other industries want to adapt it to their particular products. I could never come up with anything even remotely resembling it.”
Renee felt as if she should say thank you, but it also seemed inappropriate. So she said nothing.
“Let me get to the point. You know I’m a good person. But...” Blair paused. “Everyone, good or bad, has a breaking point. Carter fired me because I stole them.”
“You stole...you...not Carter,” Renee stammered. “What plans?” Renee’s heart began to beat faster.
“The ones for the next year, I copied them and used them as my own.”
Renee again leaned forward. Her hands went to the computer keys on her desk.
“Don’t bother,” Blair stopped her. “They’re there, exactly as you expect them to be. I used a jump drive to copy them the day we went out for lunch.”
“How... I...” Renee stopped. She was at a loss for words.
Blair stood up as if the interview was over and she was ready to go.
“About the plans...” Renee began.
“Don’t worry. I never got to use any of them. Apparently, Carter found out where I got the ideas. I have no idea how he knew.”
Renee felt heat paint her skin.
Blair went to the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned back. Renee had the feeling she was a character in a play on Broadway. She was an understudy who didn’t know her lines.
“I may not know how he got them, but I’m sure you have some idea.” With that, Blair opened the door.
“Blair, one more thing,” Renee said.
The woman she’d called her friend for nearly a decade turned back, her brows raised.
“Why are you telling me this? Why admit it?”
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