by J. L. Monro
By 9:00 a.m., I hadn’t moved from my seat, I hadn’t done any work, and I hadn’t even had my regular morning coffee. I slammed my pencil down on my desk in frustration. There was no way I could go to Italy with Jace. If he kept flirting with me, kissing me, and fucking me in restaurant bathrooms then everything was going to go to hell. I clearly have no resistance where this man is concerned. I let out a defeated sigh. My attraction to the man was undeniable and if I let myself fall into his trap, there would be no one to save me when it all came falling down around me.
I knew I had no decent excuse not to go; he was right, it would help me better understand his vision for the racetrack and the overall project. He knew he had me by the short and curlies. I began to bang my head against my desk. This was not going to go well for me.
“Hmmm, head banging at 9:00 a.m. I take it last night with Jace went wonderfully.”
“Fuck off, Coops.”
“Oh, even better than wonderful.” I felt him move farther into the room and take the seat opposite my desk. “Here’s your morning coffee, which you look like you need. Now details.”
After I had sucked down the entire contents of my coffee cup, I told Coops everything that had happened with Jace, leaving out the part about how much I had wanted him.
“Wow.” He leaned back his chair. “He does have some moves, doesn’t he?” I glared at him to let him know he was not helping me with this dilemma. “Oh, glare and growl all you want, as if I pay any attention to that whatsoever. Personally, I don’t see what the problem is. He likes you, you like him. You can get your womanly parts well and truly serviced while working. It’s not like you haven’t done random research trips out of the country before. Remember when we had that couple, the Jamieson’s, who were obsessed with Art Deco so you visited loads of cinemas over in the States to check out design ideas as well as order their furniture pieces.”
I shuddered at the memory. That couple were weird beyond belief. I couldn’t wait to finish that project. “So there’s no difference here. I’m sure his motives are less than honorable,” he leaned in to whisper, “you lucky thing. However, I do think he has a point. You’re struggling to complete an integrated design, so the trip might really help. Whether you drop your panties for Jace is really up to you. Are you telling me that the great bitch, Mara Daniels, is unable to resist the charms of Jace Bryce? If something does happen, it will be because you want it to, and you know my feelings on the subject.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Well, just in case you’ve forgotten, I’m going to remind you.” He took a deep breath. “I think you work too hard and you’re on the verge of becoming an extremely sad cow with no life outside of her work. You need to fix that before it’s too late.”
“Are you done?”
“I think I made my point.”
Just as he sat back in the chair to drink his own coffee, a smug smirk on his face, my phone rang. I put it on speakerphone to answer while I drank my coffee.
“Daniels Architecture. Mara speaking.”
“Mara, I’m bored. And you know I must be super bored if I’m calling you.” She always opened with an insult. Coops was laughing. He loved Lana. He found her the most entertaining thing ever.
“Lana, don’t you have a job? Shouldn’t you have work to do?”
“I had a client booked for an all-day shopping spree and she cancelled at the last minute. I still get paid, but now I have a whole day to myself. Dana is at work. Tara is at work. So I’m calling you and pleading with your good nature, you know that little voice in the back of your head that you try to suffocate, to entertain me for the day. Come shopping with me. My treat.”
“We’ll both come. Lana. Meet you on Oxford Street in an hour.”
“Yay, Coops is coming! This is going to be epic!”
Lana hung up without saying bye. That was nothing unusual.
“We’ve got work to do, you know.”
“No, we don’t. We’ve pretty much cleared everything to make way for Jace Bryce’s project, and I am bored as fuck with nothing much to do. We’ll take our cell phones and find you a nice wardrobe for Italy.”
I didn’t bother to argue with him. There was the possibility that after bailing on Jace last night, he might have changed his mind and not want me to go with him to Italy any longer. I didn’t really think I would be that lucky. I shut down my computer and grabbed my bag then waited for him to do the same.
We took my car and met Lana at a coffee shop before we began our shopping quest. Something told me that between Lana and Coops, I was going to need an extra caffeine fix. Lana shopped for a living and her purchases were always precise and efficient. She never dawdled in shop, which was a blessing.
The few times I had been shopping with Coops, I had prayed for a swift death. He was worse than any woman I knew. He loved bargain shopping, expensive shopping, just-because shopping. There was no possible way we would be leaving Oxford Street before the shops were closed.
By the time Coops had caught Lana up on all that had happened between Jace and I, no matter how many times I told him to shut up, I was past ready to switch from caffeine to alcohol. Lana couldn’t stop gloating and it was beginning to get on my nerves.
“Can we just get going and get this day over and done with.”
“So when are you off to Italy?”
“This weekend.”
“Wow, he doesn’t waste any time does he? We can get you a couple of cute dresses to take the edge off the way you usually dress. From what I’ve heard, those boys party hard after the race, so you need something to wear in the evening. I think I have the perfect outfit in mind. This is going to be so much fun. Let’s move out.”
Although, I’m pretty sure there were times when I bordered on hatred for my sister, there were moments like these where I was thankful for her. I hadn’t really given any thought as to what I would wear for the weekend and now she’d do all the work. All I had to do was sit back and panic about what was going to happen over the three-days I was with Jace.
Shopping didn’t take anywhere near as long as I thought it would. Coops seemed more focused on making sure I had what I needed so he didn’t really shop for himself. Lana seemed to have mentally determined my entire wardrobe within seconds of finding out where I was going and what I would be doing. I had to admit that I liked the choices she made.
The dresses she picked out for the day were not what I would have chosen, but they were perfect for what I would be doing and where I would be going. They were both tailored which appeased the part of me that wanted to wear a suit but they were light, short and very feminine. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, but I wanted to dress in a way that reminded Jace I was only there in a work capacity.
Lana insisted that I have a dress to wear for after the race. No matter how many times I assured her that I would not need it since I wasn’t going to be partying, she ignored me. She picked a black knot front cami dress and red barely-there stilettos to go with it. It was a cute combination, but not something I would ever normally wear and did not intend to put on. It was too revealing for my tastes.
We finished our shopping in Agent Provocateur, the one shopping addiction Lana had transferred to all of her sisters. While I perused the more practical and understated sets, Lana and Coops picked through the rails of racy sets that they thought went with each of my other purchases. Once again, my choices were overruled; they got their way, and I was going to ignore the fact that they both knew my bra and panty size without me telling them.
Once we were completely done, we found a little Italian restaurant and had an early dinner. Lana was bouncing from the buzz of the day and Coops was encouraging her. They both said they were trying to live vicariously through me since their love lives were currently non-existent. All that did was make me more nervous and therefore sick to my stomach. I must have been playing with my napkin for too long because Coops noticed my silence.
“Mara, what’s wrong? You’re not still trying to work out how to
get out of going are you?”
“No. Nothing. I’ve accepted my fate on this one. Like you said, it’s just another job. It’s not like I haven’t done this for a client before.”
They both started sniggering at my choice of words, but I didn’t rise to the bait.
“Good. I know we keep making fun, but you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not.” Then I thought of a little way to get my own back on Lana. “Lana, you do know it’s Grandma’s birthday next weekend.”
“Of course.”
“Well, since I’ll be away this weekend, I won’t be able to organize it as I usually do, so you’ll have to take over.” I knew she would hate this since I always cook for Grandmas birthdays since she generally doesn’t like us to take her out. She hates the thought of us spending our money on her and much prefers it when we all come over for dinner and cake. “You’ll need to cook the food and take it over, make sure there’s enough to drink, and have her favorite birthday cake. You usually decorate the house for her so make sure you don’t forget your usual duties.”
I could see her smile fading. We all knew Lana was great at her job and anything that revolved around the world of fashion. If you pushed her out of her comfort zone, she fell apart. This time it was fun to watch. Sadly, I couldn’t milk it for too long, since I needed to make sure I was ready for the weekend and I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare. Plus there was the whole escaping out the bathroom debacle which I had decided I was just going to pretend never happened.
“How about I just email you with a list of things to do?”
We paid and left the restaurant going our separate ways. Coops hadn’t driven to work, so he took the tube home. I couldn’t wait to get to bed. I was exhausted. Between not sleeping last night, shopping, and walking around all day today, I just needed to crash.
THE WEEKEND FOR Italy came much quicker than I wanted, but I was ready to go in any case. Jace still wanted me to come, and he hadn’t brought up what had happened between us in the restaurant bathroom. I refused his offer to pick me up and take me to the airport. He ignored my protests and said he was coming anyway. I’d had just about enough of him telling me what to do, so I arranged for a taxi to pick me up and take me to the airport. I would wait for him there. The least amount of time I spent with him in private the better.
The flight into Italy departed at 6am, so Jace was picking me up at 3:00 a.m. The races started on the Friday and we were flying in on Thursday to give Jace time to prepare. The rest of his team was already at the hotel and making their own preparations. I made sure I booked my taxi for 1:00 a.m. so I would miss him; I would rather wait at the airport for an extra two hours. I had no problem with my own company.
The taxi arrived a bit early, which was even better. I grabbed my bag and headed out to the car, only to find the very person I was trying to avoid.
“Something told me that you might try to skip out on me. Again. Good job I went with my gut instinct. At least this way we can have breakfast together.”
The rat bastard! How the hell did he know? I didn’t even tell Lana that I was trying to evade him. I stood there with my mouth ajar and watched him take my bag from the taxi driver and pay him nicely for the inconvenience. I still didn’t say anything as he took my arm and guided me to the car. I continued to stare at him dumbfounded as he pulled away and drove us to the airport.
“Come on, BonBon. Say something.”
“BonBon?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna call you. I’ve been thinking about you non-stop since that earth shattering kiss and lovemaking in the bathroom. You know when you took over my mouth and had your wicked way. Totally robbed me of my innocence.” He chanced a glance in my direction to see if I was smiling. I wasn’t. “Even though you’re a cad and ran out on me, and although you’re tough and not the easiest person to get through to, I’ve decided you’re also sweet.”
“When have I been sweet to you?” I have never been sweet to him. I was doing everything possible not to be even remotely sweet with him.
“Well, the kiss was pretty sweet, and I’m sure you’ve got some other pretty sweet places as well.” This time, he looked at me and waggled his eyebrows. I just hoped he didn’t notice me clench my thighs together in response. He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the road.
“Whenever I’m near you, I can always smell your hair. You smell of strawberries and vanilla. It reminds me of strawberry bonbons.” Okay, now that was kind of sweet. Not that I was about to tell him that. “I saw your cheek twitch. I know you liked what I just said.” He reached over and gave my knee a squeeze, then returned his hand to the steering wheel.
Rat bastard!
We drove the rest of the way to the airport with nothing but the radio to fill the silence. I wondered whether I should make small talk but that had never been my forte and Jace looked like he felt awkward the few times I tried to take a sneaky look at his facial expressions.
He parked the car in the airport car lot and we headed to check in. The rain had started coming down pretty heavy so we ran to get inside. Once through the doors, Jace pulled me into his body and began to pat me down to take off some of the surface water from the rain. If I said it felt good, it would be the biggest understatement of the year.
I suddenly realized there was something I secretly yearned for, without even realizing it. I wanted someone who could deal with the bitch I was on the surface, but take care of the real me that lived inside. I was fucking exhausted. I lived to protect my family and be there for everyone, but it was tiring.
That was the real reason I was struggling to resist Jace. He was starting to get through. I was starting to see a man that I actually wanted and it scared the hell out of me. If I was wrong about him, who was going to catch me when I fell? I couldn’t do this. I was pretty sure that I was just a conquest for him. He was probably so used to women falling at his feet that I was merely a challenge that turned him on. It wasn’t the real me he wanted.
What was so special about me? What made me different from the many women he had been with before? Nothing. He’d get bored and leave me then. I was already alone. Was there any need to self-inflict the torture of becoming emotionally attached to him only to end up back in exactly the same place?
I collected myself and then pushed away from his warm body. I felt the loss physically and emotionally almost immediately. Jace eyed me curiously and then shook his head.
“Let’s go get some breakfast, BonBon. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“It’s too early to eat.”
“For you maybe, but I can eat around the clock. Don’t worry, I don’t mind if you don’t eat. It just means you’ve got no excuse not to talk to me.”
Damn!
We checked our bags in and then went off to the departure lounge to grab some breakfast. I had my customary double shot espresso and Jace had . . . well . . . just about everything on the menu. It was like watching something from National Geograhic. He ate like an animal. In fact, I think animals had better table manners. And where did he put it all? There was no fat on him. I pretty much had to count every calorie and it wasn’t always a winning battle; thank God, I burned some of it off on job sites.
He must have felt me staring at him and finally looked up from the plate then put down his fork mid-shovel. “Sorry, sometimes I forget that it’s not going to be my last plate.” He looked sheepish and almost embarrassed. “We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up. My parents only had me, luckily, but it was still a strain.
“Some days there wasn’t as much to eat. I made sure I took in as much as I could as fast as I could. Guess I haven’t broken out of the habit. No one else generally notices because I’m around men most of the time, and I don’t take girls out to dinner.” He shrugged and raked his hands through his hair before continuing to eat the food in front of him.
Hold on! Did he just say he doesn’t take girls out to dinner? He took me out t
o dinner. Does that mean I am the first girl he’s taken out to dinner? Why is my heart beating so fast and why does that thought make me so insanely happy?
“I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be back in a sec.” I abruptly stood up and my heart fluttered wildly when Jace did the same in a gentlemanlike gesture. Grandma always told us that real men were hard to find, and a gentleman is harder still.
“There are no bathroom windows in there to climb through if that’s what you’re thinking about doing.” I tripped at the comment he made, but didn’t retort.
I practically ran away from the table to the nearest restroom. I just needed a moment to collect my thoughts. I reapplied some lipstick before running my fingers through my hair. I went to retie my ponytail when my band snapped. I hated having my hair down. It made me feel like a wild woman and out of control. Lana said that kind of look made men imagine what you look like under their sheets and was the main reason I never let it down.
I made my way back to where Jace sat and my stomach churned at the sight. He was standing with a beautiful blonde haired supermodel-esque female draped over him. I composed myself before they saw me approach. I was practically in my seat before either of them noticed.
When Jace finally became aware of my presence, he distanced himself slightly, looking a little awkward, from his friend. Like I gave a shit who this bitch was. “Oh, hey Mara.” I managed to stretch a fake smile across my face. “ This is my friend, Brielle.” Brielle barely managed a smile that was even worse than mine was. I put out my hand anyway out of politeness to shake her hand. She paused before taking it for one shake and turning her attention back to Jace.
“Brielle, Mara is designing my dream house for me. She’s the absolute best at what she does. I’m taking her along for the Italy race so she can get a feel for what I do.” Understanding suddenly appeared on her face and she visibly relaxed.
“Oh, so you’re the architect I heard about. For a moment, I thought you were a new girlfriend that Jace was bringing with him.” She sounded like the thought was ludicrous. “I would have been utterly devastated at the thought.” She pouted in his direction, a face that made her look like a constipated goldfish. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.