Gary offered a grin, thanking his employer profusely for the opportunity to enjoy a special occasion with family. Nodding solicitously in Shannon’s direction, he closed by saying, “It was a pleasure having you onboard, Ms. Reynolds. We hope the experience didn’t disappoint.”
Nick was sure his copilot thought them both a bit addled when for no apparent reason they both choked back a laugh, which in Shannon’s case was an embarrassed giggle, and quickly made their good-byes before heading to the rear of the plane. Out of earshot, Shannon tugged on his arm and coyly teased, “I hope the experience didn’t disappoint, Mr. Barrett.”
He let go of her hand then so she could precede him through the doorway, making sure to grab her butt in playful response, growling low next to her ear, “We aim to please, Ms. Reynolds. However, if there was anything that fell short of your expectations, just let me know. After all, practice makes perfect.”
Shannon turned happy eyes to his while wiggling her backside against his marauding grip, recovering her dignity a split second before finding herself in the rear cabin, which at the moment was bustling with activity and noise as the Reyes’s made to depart the plane.
A woman, someone she hadn’t seen before, was deep in conversation with Alejandro. Her back was turned toward them, making this stranger unaware of their approach. A sudden and wholly unexpected surge of possessive jealousy coursed through Shannon as she took in the stylish female standing just feet away.
Busily keying information into a small tablet, the woman, who looked to be about Shannon’s age and height, was perfectly coifed in that urbane New York City way that made her feel twitchy about the simple, relaxed California-style outfit and dainty heels she had chosen for the plane trip.
Dressed in a deep, dark-green pencil skirt topped by a fitted white blouse, the slim brunette with the layered-bob haircut seemed engrossed in whatever she and Mr. Reyes were discussing. It was uncharacteristic of Shannon to react so sensitively when she had nothing to be defensive about. Nadia hadn’t bothered her in the least, but there was something about this woman that turned up the dial on her senses. Glancing at Nick’s face, he looked exactly as he had for the past week, completely focused on and engrossed in Shannon alone. Relief flooded her system, sending the butterflies that had erupted in her tummy back to calm.
* * *
The moment Nick felt Shannon stiffen when they entered the main cabin, his ever-alert senses searched for a reason for the hesitation, slight as it was. Catching sight of his PA, Claire, doing what PA’s do best, organizing the myriad details of his all-too-busy life, he knew instinctively what had caused the reaction. Claire Dennison was easy on the eyes and exuded a confident and sophisticated New-York-Wall-Street style down to perfection. Always impeccably dressed, she had a take-charge attitude that made her invaluable in his nonstop world of business, business, and more business. Like him, Claire had a unique skill set in that she could put out a fire with the best of them and could find a solution for any problem or situation that needed one.
All that said, he hadn’t looked upon the woman as any more than a highly valued employee but, being the man he was, had to admit that her flawless style and über-efficient work ethic had earned his respect. Shannon’s reaction to the woman’s presence made him smile. She was clearly not happy to find a beautiful, young woman in their midst. The thought which shouldn’t have been so satisfying was, and he was glad to discover that, after his ridiculous reaction to every man who had so much as looked at his Shannon in the last week, including the faultless surfer-dude doctor and his own best friend Ned, the playing field had pretty much leveled with her reaction, which he guessed was liberally doused with a flood of jealousy.
He wasn’t a complete idiot, though, and while he didn’t pretend to fully understand the female mind, Nick knew he had only seconds to alleviate some of his woman’s anxiety if he hoped to avoid future problems.
“Shannon, darling. Come meet my PA.” He’d added the “darling” as an offering to Shannon’s clearly frayed nerves and also as a declaration that no one with a single working brain cell was going to miss. When Claire’s head snapped up at the sound of her employer’s voice, he had to hand it to her for being the best damn PA he could ever have hoped for as the light bulb went on over her head at his use of the clearly intimate expression. She was nothing if not quick on the uptake.
“Welcome home, Mr. Barrett. I trust your time in California was relaxing.” The woman’s face gave nothing away, but Nick knew she was quickly assessing every nuance and action taking place aboard the company jet. The Reyes family she had expected. The pocket Venus by his side, most definitely not.
“Thank you, Claire, and yes, California was…wonderful,” he countered with just the right emphasis on the “wonderful” to make his point.
Turning toward Shannon with a body language message that spoke loud and clear, Nick placed a possessive arm around her waist, saying, “Darling, I’d like you to meet my assistant, Claire Dennison. Claire, this is Shannon Reynolds.”
Squeezing her waist ever so slightly, Nick fixed Claire with a look, adding so there would be absolutely no question whatsoever about Shannon’s place in his life, “Ms. Reynolds will be staying with me.”
The ever-perceptive Claire got it in one and let a beaming smile spread across her face before she did something that surprised Nick. Until this moment, she had never ventured so much as a raised eyebrow over his personal life and had actually been professionally protective of his privacy.
Stepping forward quickly, she offered Shannon her hand, which she took, only for Claire to add both of hers to the warm greeting. “Welcome to New York, Ms. Reynolds. I couldn’t be happier to make your acquaintance!” she said while her face continued shining at Shannon.
Not knowing what to do, Nick just stood there with a bemused expression as his normally stoic assistant practically gushed over the woman at his side, who, though still silent, was quickly thawing from the hard, stiff posture of seconds ago. Should he say something? He wasn’t sure. They were both assessing the other, he could see that, and he silently prayed his suddenly effervescent assistant wasn’t making things worse. What the hell was up with Claire?
When Shannon began speaking, Nick finally started breathing again but stayed silent and ever-present as two women who were important in his life circled each other in curiosity.
Initially shocked by another young woman’s presence in Nick’s life, Shannon backed up and looked deeper when the PA’s reaction to her turning up out of thin air on the arm of the woman’s boss sent a message of its own. Claire Dennison was young and beautiful, and clearly talented if she had earned Nicholas Barrett’s employment, but she was also of no threat to Shannon whatsoever. Relived by this knowledge, Shannon tucked away her initial reaction and returned the woman’s gracious warmth with some of her own.
“Thank you for the kind welcome, Ms. Dennison. May I call you Claire?” she asked. Allowing Claire to continue holding Shannon’s one hand in both of hers, she greeted the woman’s smile with one of her own and spoke as if greeting an old friend. Ducking her head slightly to glance out the plane’s windows she happily babbled to Nick’s PA, calling her by her first name before waiting for the woman’s consent.
“What’s the weather like, Claire? I’m afraid that living in sunny California for so long has determined my wardrobe, and it occurs to me that I’m probably dressed wrong for an early autumn day!”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Ms. Reynolds.” Claire chuckled. “I love that dress. It’s an Ashlynn, isn’t it? You look fabulous in it, by the way! And don’t worry about the change in weather; I have a light shawl in my bag you can use if you feel there’s a chill in the air.”
“Please, Claire, you must call me Shannon,” she implored the other woman. “Are you helping Alejandro and his family with their travel arrangements? I must go and speak with them before we all leave.” Turning into Nick’s side, she smiled sweetly at his bemused expression before laying he
r hand upon his chest, a clear declaration. “Why don’t you do whatever it is that tycoons do when they get off their private jet,” she teased, “and I’ll go check in with Alejandro and Sophia.”
Shannon grinned when that got a laugh out of him before turning back to Claire as they glided away in search of Nick’s guests.
Half an hour later, the Reyes’s had been moved into hired vans that would take them onward to reunite with their family war hero after bidding a warmly effusive good-bye to the man who had made it all possible. Luckily for Nick, Claire had been there to buffer some of his unease at being subject to the family’s gratitude again. It was Shannon’s turn to watch silently as her gorgeous, sexy cowboy pirate struggled with his emotions in a moment where he was just a man, doing the right thing. She smiled at his discomfiture and noted the intuitive give-and-take communication that went back and forth between Nick and his assistant.
Next, Claire sped away after several minutes of schedule-checking and email-forwarding with the boss. Shannon broke through whatever wall may have been left between her and this other woman with a brief hug as Claire took her leave.
When it was their turn to exit the plane, Nick wanted to say something reassuring to Shannon about his PA. They’d been friendly enough with each other at the end, but he couldn’t get out of his mind how Shannon had reacted upon first seeing her. He knew plenty of other CEOs and power-wielding executives who viewed their PAs as employees with benefits. Bed warmers and blowjob queens, they were snidely called. He shuddered at the notion that Shannon would think him capable of such disgusting behavior and searched for a way to calm any lingering fears she may have.
“Shannon. About Claire. She’s just my assistant, you know. I rely on her to keep my hectic schedule and business life running smoothly. She isn’t involved in my personal life, though.” He’d decided to say all that while he had both hands on her waist as he leaned his slim hips against the bulkhead, holding her against him. He wanted her to know through their joined bodies and not just his words that what he said, he meant.
There were a lot of scenarios possible when it came to Shannon’s response, but the one he got wasn’t one of them.
Putting her hands on top of his forearms as he clasped her tight, keeping her nestled against his front, which just happened to reveal a heaviness in his zipper area that never seemed to really lessen very much, Shannon shook her head in amazement at him. “Well, darling,” she added with coquettish charm, “I should hope not. She may be beautiful and smart to boot, but she is gay, after all.”
Shannon hugged him tight moving both arms around his shoulders in a firm embrace. “If you tell me you didn’t know…” she broke off.
“Of course I know!” he guffawed in pleasure. “The question is, how the hell do you know that after only a couple of handshakes and a five-minute conversation? Why am I not surprised?” He chuckled. “Women! Go figure.”
With that taken care of, they descended the steps of the plane and arrived beside a sleek, black stretch limo with an open rear door while a burly-looking gentleman in a very proper suit and tie stood nearby. Claire had been right about the weather change making Shannon endlessly grateful for the lovely pashmina- style shawl the woman had leant her. The soft buttery shade complemented her feminine dress perfectly and was light enough to look like more of a fashion accessory than a garment for warmth.
The moment he arrived at her side, after letting her take the stairs ahead of him, Nick reached for her hand and pressed a warm kiss in the center of her palm. “I like the shawl, but if you feel even a little bit chilly you will wear my suit jacket until we get home.” It wasn’t a question or even a suggestion. His statement was one of command, making Shannon recall how that authoritative tone had annoyed the crap out of her just a few days ago. Right now, however, his take-charge, bull-in-the-china-closet approach made her feel protected and safe.
“Ah, Mr. Allen,” Nick called out as the suited gentleman walked their way. “It’s good to see you, Gregory,” “Let me introduce my companion.”
This was one of Nick’s attributes that Shannon had admired from the start. Even in the dusty, hot back roads of a third-world country, his flawless manners had shone brighter than the sun. Watching him as he interacted with people and the way he held himself, she marveled at what his childhood had been like and wondered about the parents who had so obviously ingrained in their only son a deep-rooted sense of decency toward everyone. He might be a ruthless businessman who wielded power and control with ease, but he was also a very well-brought-up man whom she could be proud of.
“Shannon Reynolds. This is Mr. Allen. He makes sure I get where I need to go without even so much as a honked horn, a well-placed digit of scorn, or a string of ugly swear words. And Mr. Allen, this beautiful woman is Shannon Reynolds. She will be staying with me at the brownstone and will be accompanying me to Connecticut.”
That pretty much said it all, he congratulated himself silently. The twinkle of delight he saw forming in his driver’s eyes told him that the old scoundrel had heard the message in Nick’s choice of words. If it weren’t for the fact that he had to drive them into the city, Nick was fairly certain he’d be on his cell phone in a heartbeat alerting everyone who would listen to the presence of a lady by his side. How long would it take for his mother to learn of Shannon’s appearance in his life, he wondered. Mr. Allen might not be the one to make that call, but he was pretty damn sure his wife wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
“How do you do, Ms. Reynolds?” the older gentleman said. With a warm smile turning into a huge grin, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and don’t believe anything Nicholas Barrett says! My scornful digits and well-rounded vocabulary of New Yawk swear words get plenty of workouts, if you know what I mean.”
Shannon smiled her most charming smile at the burly gentleman, laughing at his playful use of an exaggerated New York accent to make his point. “I live in L.A., Mr. Allen, where flame-throwing invectives are a way of life for anyone driving on the freeways!”
At the driver’s toothy grin, she added, “And as for believing this one”—she giggled as she waved fingers in Nick’s direction—“the jury is still out on him.”
Nick laughed at their joking around and shuffled Shannon quickly out of the early-autumn chill and into the warmth of his car. “This one’s mine, Gregory,” he announced with a deep chuckle. “Save all your New Yawk charm for that wife of yours!” Things were working out quite well, indeed, he mused quietly as they settled into their seats in the back of the luxurious limousine. Next stop, home.
CHAPTER TWENTY
She expected a luxurious penthouse in some fabulous, exclusive, celebrity-magnet address and was instead surprised to find he had his own restored home tucked away in Brooklyn. When their car pulled up outside an elegant classic brownstone, Shannon was delighted by the wide steps leading up to a gorgeous wood door with stained-glass panels and ornate scrollwork. Not at all what she’d pictured in her mind as Nick’s New York home, she was unprepared for the happy surge of approval she experienced as they climbed those stairs, hand in hand, like any normal couple returning home after a journey.
When Nick swung the heavy solid door open and ushered her inside, the incredible luxury of the old-world craftsmanship took her breath away. Much as in her home, there was wood everywhere, only this was dark woods like cherry and walnut covering walls, in the massive built-ins, up the magnificent staircase, and framing the dramatically tall windows of the high-ceilinged rooms. It was glorious and had an ambient feeling of gracious hominess that warmed Shannon’s heart.
Nick’s home was as surprising as he was himself.
While he chatted with his driver, Shannon wandered through a large sitting room with curved window benches tucked inside side-by-side alcoves. She couldn’t help but sweep her hands across the rich, dark woods and the stunningly gorgeous mantle above a huge fireplace.
There were overstuffed side chairs and a massive sofa strew
n with colorful pillows positioned to make the most of the beautiful room. Tossing her purse on a low table Shannon sank onto the wide sofa and sat in awe of the stately charm of Nick’s home. She loved it.
It just took a minute for the man to reappear at her side as he, too, threw himself down next to her on the couch. He reached for a control pad and started swiping his fingers across the touch screen to adjust the lights and start a welcoming fire in the massive stone fireplace.
“Had to switch from wood to a much safer natural gas fire when we redid the place.” He spoke as if in answer to the questions forming in her brain. “Pretty much everything else is original, restored, or a precise reproduction. This is why I appreciated the attention to detail you invested in the Craftsman renovation.”
Looking around the comfortable room, Nick tried to see his home through her eyes and felt a whiplash of satisfaction and happiness at the obvious approval shining on her face. There was a penthouse apartment at his disposal atop the Barrett offices, but he had never been comfortable living there. Randolph had used it, so Nick had made damn sure to change it top to bottom once he had control of everything.
As soon as the brownstone renovation had been completed, he had made the luxury dwelling his home base. It was big and oversized, which suited him just fine. He hated feeling hemmed in or cooped up, another reason why Shannon’s open floor plan and the easy flow between spaces in her home had appealed to him.
Smiling sweetly, Shannon nudged him with her shoulder, “This is a bit old fashioned and homey for a bachelor pad!” When he playfully nudged her back, she gushed, “I love it! The wood is breathtaking and makes the whole house feel warm and inviting.” Her eyes were bright with enthusiasm. “Do I get a tour? Please tell me that really was a library in the room next door?”
Love Redone Page 26