Not Actually Engaged (Otherwise Engaged #1)

by Jan Hinds

  She looked up at Cooper apologetically. “We planned to go to dinner and catch a chick flick at the theater afterwards. Do you mind?”

  He shook his head. “You girls have a good time.”

  Paige turned toward the kitchen and Cooper looped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. He nuzzled her ear. “I’ll be waiting up for you. There’s something I want to talk to you about and I don’t’ want to wait any longer.”

  Her heart tripped faster. “Okay.”

  ♥♥♥

  After dinner, Paige told her friends she wanted to pass on the movie, feeling guilty about abandoning Cooper on the eve of such a big day for his business, and more than a little anxious to hear what he wanted to discuss with her. As she pulled into the driveway, an icy shiver of dread shook through her. Whitley’s car was parked across the street.

  A confident woman would have noisily entered the house, announcing her presence. Was Paige that woman? She silently slipped off her shoes. Apparently she wasn’t. With fear clutching her breast she admitted with trepidation and a modicum of guilt that she wasn’t at all confident in where she stood with Cooper. She only knew where she wanted their relationship to go.

  Voices came from Cooper’s office. Paige’s heart felt like a block of ice, threatening to shatter as it thudded in her chest. She steeled herself, or thought she had, but nothing prepared her for the sight of Whitley wearing a red and black bustier with matching high heels, and black fishnet stockings fastened with bow covered garters. Whitley shoved Cooper against the wall. His hands were on her shoulders and his eyes were closed.

  What shattered Paige’s heart was the half-moan, half-groan that rumbled from his throat.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Paige said in as even a tone as she could muster.

  Cooper’s eyes snapped open and he shoved Whitley away from him. “Paige, what are you doing back so soon?”

  She thought her heart couldn’t hurt more. She was wrong. “I didn’t mean to disrupt your plans. I’ll just grab my things and leave.”

  Whitley’s smooth as silk voice purred, “Baby, let her go. I knew when you told me she was out for the evening you were hinting for me to come keep you company. Let me remind you what a real woman can do for you.”

  Cooper shoved Whitley away from him. “Whit, get out. You know I don’t want you mauling me.”

  “You have a strange way of communicating that,” Paige snapped.

  He followed Paige to the foyer. “Sweetheart, please listen to me. It isn’t what you think. I didn’t ask her over. She called to ask if I knew when Phil Stanova’s house will be done. She plans to throw him a house warming party.”

  Paige stopped at the bottom of the steps and turned on him. “Just how did that end up with her here for a private party with you? She’s dressed like a prostitute.”

  Whitley pulled on her long, wool coat and angrily cinched the sash around her waist. “Hey, I’m not a call girl. I’ve got a full list of clients, for your information.”

  Paige folded her arms and lifted her chin. “Does that include your Johns?”

  Whitley opened the front door. “Coop, when you’re done with this child and are ready for a real woman, give me a call.” With that she slammed the outer door so hard a picture in the foyer crashed to the floor.

  Cooper locked the front doors while Paige sank down on the steps. “How could you?”

  He sat down next to her. “Honey, I swear to you, I didn’t invite her. She called and asked about you. I thought she was showing concern for the Ted situation. I told her you were out for an evening with your friends and before I knew it, she came waltzing in the front door. I guess I forgot to lock it after Marcus left. When I heard the door open, I thought it was Aunt Marty. Whitley came into my office so I showed her our work on Sawyer’s model and while I was talking about the decisions we’d made and looking at the model, pointing things out, she took off her coat and she was in that awful get up. She backed me against the wall and, let’s just say, she knew how to push my buttons. It was an involuntary response.”

  Paige’s throat went dry as she realized she had no clue what Cooper’s buttons were, let alone how to push them. “Just how far would you have indulged in that involuntary response, had I not walked in when I did?”

  “I wouldn’t have. I swear, I took hold of her shoulders to push her away. Honey, I’m sorry. I should never have mentioned you weren’t home. I had no idea she’d barge in here like that. Please believe me.”

  She couldn’t think of what to say. Something told her if she let him off the hook too easily, she’d regret it down the line. Something deeper knew he was telling the truth and she shouldn’t add to his guilt. When she spoke her voice was small even to her ears. “Why do you call me honey?”

  He held her hand, interlacing their fingers. “Don’t you like it?”

  She shrugged. “I think I like it too much. It makes me hope for things I can’t have.”

  He kissed her hand. “Who says you can’t have them?”

  She gave another shrug, this time with only one shoulder, and headed up the stairs.

  He climbed up the steps after her. “Paige, I don’t want her. I only want you.”

  He followed her down the hall where she stopped in front of her bedroom. He tried to pull her into his arms, but she pushed her palms against his chest. “You smell like her perfume. Don’t touch me while you reek of another woman’s scent.”

  She closed her door, instantly missing his touch.

  He never tried to come back to her that night. She knew because she stayed awake the entire night, hoping he would.

  ♥♥♥

  Sawyer arrived bright and early for their meeting, frowning when he looked at Paige. “Are you all right? You look tired?”

  “I’m fine, thank you. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

  Sawyer narrowed his eyes at Cooper. “She needs to get a minimum of eight hours uninterrupted sleep each night.”

  Cooper scowled. “Any interruptions to Paige’s sleep are none of your concern.”

  Sawyer frowned as he looked from Cooper to Page, the palpable tension between them impossible to miss. “Do you want to reschedule? If this is a bad time, we can do this another day.”

  Cooper and Paige made eye contact for the first time that morning. “No,” she said. “We need to get through this.” She was seventy percent sure she’d be moving out before the end of the day. He said he wanted her, but he’d never told her he loved her. He didn’t need her anymore. She was certain that was what he wanted to talk to her about.

  She wanted to finish the project. Not because her designs were involved. She wanted to finish because without her, Cooper wouldn’t have even considered working with Sawyer. In spite of everything, this contract was a boon to Cooper’s business. She wanted success for him, even if it was the last job they worked on together.

  Since she couldn’t sleep, she’d come down early to set up the snack buffet with breakfast smoothies, finger sandwiches complete with homemade multi-grain bread, homemade vegetable chips served with a spicy hummus dip, and a blend of herbal teas.

  Now, with a motion to encompass the buffet, she told Sawyer, “These are some of the types of foods and beverages my friend Angie suggested for the snack counter if you wanted to go that route. This could be another source of revenue. If someone wanted to spend several hours at the Fit Spa, they wouldn’t have to leave the center to grab a bite to eat. You could also cater spa days for bridal parties.”

  Sawyer popped a finger sandwich into his mouth whole and savored the flavors. “Paige, this bread is heaven. Where did you get it?”

  She shook her index finger at him. “It’s my friend Angie’s secret recipe. It is high in fiber and gluten free. The other bread is my whole wheat and flax recipe, for anyone not into the gluten free trend.

  The clenched jaw and scowl on Cooper’s face didn’t escape her notice. She wondered if seeing her with Sawyer caused Cooper the same k
ind of distress she felt when she found him with Whitley.

  Refocusing her attention on Sawyer, she said, “I know gluten-free is the trend, and you can certainly go that route, but I still like the texture and flavor fresh ground wheat adds to homemade bread.”

  Sawyer tasted Paige’s bread and his eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You made this? It’s delicious. Where did you find the ingredients? What’s your recipe?”

  “I got the whole grains from a sweet little market on a farm along Route 30 west of Columbia City. As for the recipe, I’m afraid I can’t share that. A woman has to have some secrets to maintain an air of mystery.”

  Sawyer laughed and stepped close to her—way inside what she’d normally consider her discomfort zone. He picked up her delicate hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “I like you Paige Vaughn. I like you a lot. Perhaps we can work out a deal for the recipe?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  Paige laughed and stepped away from Sawyer. “In your dreams.”

  Cooper cleared his throat and a little of the tension eased from his brow. “I think we’re ready to start the presentation.”

  Sawyer popped another cucumber sandwich into his mouth, picked up a purple smoothie, and escorted her to the seat next to him. He placed the smoothie on the table and pulled her chair out for her. He sat down and took a sip of the smoothie through the straw. “Delicious.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” She grinned and dipped her head in Cooper’s direction. “Shall we get started?”

  Cooper uncovered the scale model of the Fit Spa that sat on the table in front of them. He slapped a portfolio down in front of Sawyer and picked up the remote from the table. With a click toward the windows, the white wood blinds lowered. A touch of the button on his laptop began a virtual tour of the computer generated images of the new Sawyer Pierce Fit Spa.

  Paige’s voice came over the speakers and she couldn’t believe how sultry she sounded. She sat back in her chair to give Cooper an encouraging smile. The look he returned was unreadable.

  When the tour finished Sawyer leafed through the pages of the design plans in front of him, noting the paint and fabric swatches. “I absolutely love the building design. It’s unique and edgy; exactly what I was hoping for. My only problem is the spa area looks bland. It’s an awful lot of white,” he said with a frown.

  Paige clasped her hands in front of her. “Sawyer, did you know that for any color imaginable, you can create a hue of white for that color? That’s what we’ve done in each area.”

  She reopened the portfolio and lifted the shade of white for the reception area exposing another color swatch hidden beneath it. “Notice this shade of green, how it is incorporated in the fabric for the upholstered chairs, the accents in the artwork, and the area rugs on the wood floors. Green is a color that gives a sensation of welcome. The hue of white used in this area is derived from this color of green. Cooper and I have actually provided an option to paint an accent wall in this color if you prefer.”

  He peered into her eyes in a look that combined amusement with puzzlement. She glanced at Cooper, who sat quietly watching them. He didn’t seem as tense, but a frown tugged at his lips.

  Cooper cleared his throat. “Paige is right. An accent wall would be an option. We felt the hues of white based on seaside pastels would be calming in the spa area, while employing the more vibrant tones the hues were derived from will energize the workout areas. Paige actually insisted we include the option of the accent walls to break up the sterility of the space.”

  Paige knew what saying that had cost Cooper. They’d argued for hours about the accent walls. In the end he relented to having the accent colors included, even if they were hidden.

  “She’s absolutely right.” Sawyer’s attempt to look at her with sexy bedroom eyes made her grin and she bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. She stood and walked over to stand on the other side of Cooper. “Like I told you before, we’re still students and won’t graduate until spring, so if you prefer to use another designer, you have that option.”

  Cooper’s voice was softer than she’d ever heard it. “Paige is being modest. She’s very talented. I’m moving her to interior designer after she graduates. She is the heart of Jennings Design.”

  Unable to look at either man, she began tidying the room. Her resolve to move out weakened. How could she ever leave Cooper?

  Sawyer pushed his chair back and rose to his full six-foot-two height. Moving close to Paige, his broad shoulders crowded the air from the room and her lungs. “I’d like Paige to walk through my temporary facility with me one more time and discuss the accent walls and colors. No need for you to join us Jennings. I’m sure you’re quite busy.” He focused his attention on Paige. “I’d like to take you to dinner afterwards and discuss a few private matters, including that bread recipe.” He gave her his patented bone melting smile and winked at her.

  Cooper’s hard voice twisted her insides. “I’m afraid that falls outside of the scope of Paige’s current job description.”

  She gave Cooper a scathing look. A moment ago she was the heart of Jennings Designs and now she was just an employee?

  He sighed. “However, if she wants to go, I trust her taste, character, and good judgement implicitly.”

  Paige sensed either an insult or a warning barb in his statement. She just couldn’t figure out if the volley was lobbed at her or Sawyer. Regardless, they needed this account and she was determined to come back with a signed contract. “I’d love to revisit the center with you, Sawyer. You don’t need to feel obligated to take me to dinner though.”

  The memory of Cooper with Whitley flashed into Paige’s mind. Did he want someone like Whitley instead of her? Could she be fooled that completely? Did his interest in Paige end with her talents as a designer and her work as his personal assistant? Had she read more into his words and actions than he intended?

  Sawyer sidled up to her and whispered in her ear. “How about I fix a nice intimate dinner for the two of us?”

  From the corner of her eye she saw abject hatred on Cooper’s face. His fists alternated from being poised on his hips to crossing over his broad chest.

  She playfully pushed Sawyer away and said, “How about we stick to business?”

  The tension eased from Cooper’s stance and before Sawyer turned to look at him, Cooper’s face transformed into a mask of benign disinterest.

  “When would you like to get together at the Fit Spa?” she asked.

  Sawyer hiked up the sleeve of his blazer exposing a gold Rolex watch that was worth more than her car. “I’m free for the rest of the day. How about we go now?” His dazzling smile didn’t stop her from noticing that he was showing off his expensive watch when he knew darn well he was free for the day without looking at it.

  Cooper shoved his hands into his pockets and she realized Sawyer was showing his watch off to impress or upscale Cooper, not her. “That’s fine,” she said. “I’ll collect my things from my office and I’ll meet you at the front door. Cooper, can I have a word with you before I leave?”

  He followed her into her office where she shut the door after him. “Do you trust me to get the account?” she asked.

  He got a pained look on his face. “Paige, don’t go with him. I trust you. I don’t trust him.”

  “We need this account, don’t we?”

  He grimaced. “I won’t deny it’s a great opportunity, but I’d rather lose my business than lose you.”

  Alarm bells went off in her mind. “Why are you concerned about losing the business?”

  He sat down on one of the chairs in front of her desk. She sat next to him, angling sideways on the chair to face him.

  “I overextended myself and used all I could draw last year from the trust fund my grandmother left me to renovate and furnish the house. The medical bills are mounting up and I’ve got a balloon loan on the renovations coming up in two months.”

  She studied the face of the man she loved and knew that she’d do
what she could to help him save his business. “If I’m going to land this contract, I need to know your history. There’s obviously more between the two of you than sports rivals who fancy the same skirts.”

  Cooper grimaced. “The game I was playing when I was injured, in that play I would have broken Sawyer’s record for yards gained and no doubt in my mind I’d have passed his record for points scored. Only the players who were supposed to be blocking for me hung back. I can’t prove they did it on purpose, all I know is after I was taken down, I had a broken leg and broken arm and my football career was over.”

  “Do you honestly think they let you take the hit on purpose? They couldn’t control how hard the other team hit you.” She glanced through the glass door and saw Sawyer flirting with Tina while Zach glowered at him.

  “I’ve watched the video many times. The guys from the other team who tackled me played with us at Purdue. They were Sawyer’s drinking buddies. Not only that, I told you I was engaged to Suzanne. What I didn’t know at the time was that Suzanne was a sports groupie. She and Sawyer had a longstanding, one-sided relationship. Whenever he called her, she went to him. He apparently thought I was trying to get back at him for all the girls he took from me. He called her the night I was injured and he took her away for a few days. He sent a telegram from Las Vegas where he and Suzanne got married.”

  “What did the telegram say?”

  Cooper’s mouth pressed down in a frown. “Gotcha again, old buddy. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad I never married Suzanne, but the way it all went down still smarts.”

  Paige didn’t know what to say. Suddenly Sawyer Pierce’s charm soured like three months old milk. She opted for changing the subject. “I was ready to leave today after Sawyer signed the contract.”

  Cooper moved closer to her and took her hand. “Then I hope he never signs if it means you’ll stay. Honey, please don’t leave me. I swear there’s no one else I care about. Only you.”

  She looked down at their intertwined hands. “Is this trouble with the business what you wanted to talk to me about?”