She glanced around at the opulence of her surroundings. The bedroom was like something out of a fairy tale. High ceilings, curved windows, and heavy deep-blue drapes that matched the carpet and set off the white-and-gold antique furnishings made it the most beautiful room she had ever slept in. The sleigh bed with an ornate white lace draping only added to the surreal atmosphere of the room. She surmised at least five people could have slept in it comfortably. However, last night when her head had finally hit the pillow, she could have been anywhere for all she cared. She had never been so tired.
Noah had been smart to insist she stay the night in his home. She had been hesitant, but she knew it made sense for her to sleep over. And it wasn’t like he didn’t have the room, considering how many bedrooms there were in his mansion. She had spent most of the previous day overseeing deliveries along with making sure the kitchen was stocked and ready for every break and meal they would be serving. The fresh lobsters would be delivered just prior to the dinner. However, they still needed to keep them on ice, and the kitchen was the least of her worries considering the dinner party was the highlight of the day for Noah. She had no idea how many hours she had spent going over the details to make sure she had set every possible contingency in place.
She had laid out everything she needed for breakfast the night before with the help of the staff. The buffet table was set and the linens were on the tables. Fresh flowers that would grace each table were scheduled to be delivered by eight o’clock in the morning. The staff should be arriving by seven o’clock and the guests by eight thirty. She knew some caterers used prepared foods, but she wanted everything fresh.
Kelly was bringing over the muffins right from the oven, still in their tins. Along with the buffet that would offer an array of sweet breads, she had set up stations that would cater to egg lovers, meat lovers, and those who preferred crepes. The chefs she had hired with Mark’s help were more than capable of delivering exactly what was expected. All she had to do was create her healthy menu options for those who wanted a lighter fare.
Rolling over several times, Julie finally found herself at the edge of the bed. She would never have to worry about falling out of this bed, that was for sure. Julie showered and then dressed in a white tailored uniform with gold buttons that Noah had chosen. It reminded her of what had been worn by the staff on old-time luxury liners that crossed the Atlantic in the early part of the twentieth century. No detail escaped Noah’s watchful eyes. He was an amazing man.
His energy was limitless. How he did it, she wasn’t sure, since she knew he was not only working with her but also with his assistant, Jackie, who was handling the conference itself. She had come to not only respect his judgment, but trusted his instincts that had been spot on. They had worked well together. Although she knew Noah wasn’t an easy man to please, she had found him to be more than willing to change his mind when presented with options. She was a quick study, and knowing your client’s hot buttons and how to keep them happy was a huge part of any event’s success.
When she walked into the kitchen, to her surprise, Noah was already there looking devastatingly handsome in a blue golf shirt that matched his eyes. Her heart did little unwanted flip-flops. She had thought she wouldn’t see him until later.
“Hi, Julie.”
“I thought you would be sleeping. It is only five thirty.”
“I require very little sleep. I’ve always been that way. Gives me more hours in the day to work.”
“You know what they say about all work and no play,” she said, her mouth turning up into a smile.
“Oh, not to worry, I play as hard as I work.” His voice had gone suddenly deeper, sending little shivers through her.
There was no doubt in her mind that he did play every bit as hard as he worked. However, what she needed right now was to keep those kinds of thoughts out of her head. A nice hot cup of coffee would help.
She walked over to where she had left the coffee beans on the counter the night before. She had wanted them where she could find them easily. She needed to grind them first.
“I already got coffee at that convenience store that’s open twenty-four-seven. I got one for you, too. I guess you didn’t see the cups on the table.”
“I could kiss you,” she said without thinking.
He laughed, handing her a large paper cup with a lid.
“I don’t see, hear, or think at my best until I’ve had my first sip. I need coffee real bad in the morning. I’m afraid I’m a bit of a coffeeholic.”
“Then I’m glad I was able to be of service.”
“You are an angel of mercy,” she said, grabbing the cup.
“You’re welcome. But didn’t you say something about a kiss?”
Julie laughed and looked away. Noah really could be a flirt, but he usually wasn’t so blatant. Deciding it was best to just ignore the kiss comment, she said, “I have so much to do. I should get moving.”
“I know, but I want you to enjoy your coffee with me for a few minutes before all hell breaks loose around here.”
“You’re the boss. I’m at your command.” Why had she said that?
“Then I command you to sit down and enjoy your coffee with me.”
Julie eased onto one of the stools next to Noah. “Well, if all your commands are this easy, I shouldn’t have any problem pleasing you.”
“They aren’t,” he said, his eyes capturing hers. “But they can be just as pleasurable if not more so.”
Julie felt the familiar tingle generate through her body. Noah had never flirted with her like this before. He was bringing out strange feelings in her with very little effort. She took a breath. Knowing she shouldn’t but unable to stop herself from playing into his sexually charged banter, she said, “I’m here to please, Mr. Jamison.”
“And you do,” he said silkily. “However, even though we’ve spent a lot of time together over the last six weeks, I don’t feel like I know you as well as I would like to. It would please me to know more about you.”
“Why? What is it you want to know?” Julie knew she should steer the conversation away from herself. It was dangerous ground to become too personal with a client. However, she was feeling so comfy sitting here in his kitchen drinking coffee. Possibly letting her guard down a little might not be such a bad thing. He was, after all, her number-one client, and she didn’t want him to think she wasn’t appreciative of the opportunity he had given her.
“For starters, I know you’re divorced, but you never talk about your marriage. I just can’t imagine any man would let you go easily.”
“I didn’t realize you knew I was divorced.”
“I make it my business to know the people I work with, Julie, remember?”
“Yes, that night in the limo,” Julie said, remembering how he had told her he had conducted a background check on her business. She hadn’t realized that he’d done a personal one, too. She could have been offended, but she was sure she wasn’t the exception and he did them on all the people who worked for him. Although her marriage wasn’t something she liked to discuss, it wasn’t as if it were a secret. If anything, she felt slightly flattered that he wanted to know more about her.
“We grew apart, and I didn’t do anything to stop it. In the end, it was a mutual decision. I’m not proud of how easily my marriage ended. I find it’s best to keep the past where it belongs.”
“I agree, but I’m baffled that someone like you, who works so hard to make whatever she touches a success, didn’t work harder to save her marriage.”
Julie blinked, her body going stiff. She felt as if he had knocked the wind out of her. Did he really think that hiring her for his event gave him the right to question her in this way?
“I’m sorry, Julie. I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m way out of line.”
“We didn’t fight to keep our marriage going because…we were never in love the way we should have been. We were friends who thought that was enough. We were wrong.” Julie had never voi
ced those words to anyone before. She couldn’t believe she had now.
“Julie, I’m sorry. I really am.”
“Me, too.”
“My story is not so unlike your own. Deanna was an author that I met at a conference, and it wasn’t until after we were married that I realized she had needs that far outweighed what I was able to give her. Except my ex wanted anything but a divorce. She liked our arrangement.”
“What happened?” Julie asked when Noah had gone silent.
“She was older than me and came into our marriage with a lot of excess baggage that included substance abuse and sexual desires that took her outside our bedroom. So like most out-of-control addicts, she made decisions and took what she wanted without thought to the consequences. By the time I finally figured it out, no matter what I tried to do to help her, it wasn’t enough.”
“She hurt you,” Julie said softly, reaching for Noah’s hand, but thinking better of it, she took another sip of her coffee.
“You can’t end something like a marriage and not be hurt. However, she hurt herself a lot more. She has a destructive nature.”
“Did you love her?”
“Do you think I would marry someone I didn’t love or at least thought I loved?
She felt his anger. She should have never asked that. It was rude and none of her business. Looking for a way out, she glanced up at the clock above the archway leading into the pantry. “I can’t believe the time. I have to get to work or my boss is going to kill me.”
Noah’s face went quickly from anger to quiet control before he grinned. “I’ve heard he’s a demanding man who works his employees to the bone.”
“You know him well,” Julie said over her shoulder, disposing of both their cups in the trash, happy that the awkward moment was behind them.
Pushing himself away from the bar, Noah stood up. “I’ll leave then. I can hear cars pulling up outside. I imagine your workers are here.”
Julie ran to the kitchen window and nodded. “Yes, the troops are arriving and a bit early, but that’s good.”
Within minutes, the kitchen was full of activity and Noah had escaped to another room. She knew his assistant was due any minute, too, along with other members of his staff. She had enjoyed having time alone with him even if the conversation had touched on some unpleasant memories. He had shown her a more vulnerable side of his personality that made her like him even more, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. She needed to stop thinking about Noah Jamison as anything but her employer.
However, against her better judgment, she slipped out from the kitchen after breakfast to listen to his speech. She knew he would be a dynamic speaker, and she wasn’t disappointed. He had a way of making everything sound exciting and possible—that risks were a necessary part of the business and could lead to the kind of success that dreams were made of. She wasn’t surprised that he received a standing ovation.
For a moment, he made her wish she were more than a member of his staff. But that was a dangerous thought and not one that would lead to anything but her own heartache. He was way out of her league, and she’d do well to remember that and not how much she enjoyed his company. The fact was, she needed to keep that in mind with both Keith Barnes and Mark Romano, too. She was going to need some space from all three men once today was over.
Running back to the kitchen, she was met with a whirlwind of questions that kept her mind occupied on the task at hand. More flowers were being delivered for lunch, and she needed to go over a number of items with the staff, especially the dinner. Although everyone knew their jobs, it was imperative that the lines of communication remain open to prevent any problems from creeping up unnoticed.
By all accounts the breakfast had been a success. The chefs had kept their stations moving along without sacrificing their tasty dishes. Julie had also noticed that the healthy menu station Kelly insisted on manning for her had received a lot attention. Kelly had been so great. She had stayed up half the night baking the muffins and getting things ready to bring over. However, it was tonight that would make or break them.
Julie was still a basket of nerves, but she didn’t let it get to her. She had a lot of faith in the staff Mark had handpicked for her to help her create something memorable. Mark would be a guest tonight along with Keith. She was sure they would each have a beautiful woman hanging from their arm. Funny, she hadn’t thought about that until now. She wondered what type of women they liked. She felt a stab of jealousy grip her that was totally foreign to her. She had no right to such a feeling, and yet the thought of them with another woman was actually painful. I really do need space away from them, even if it’s not what I want.
* * * *
Mark had cleared his afternoon appointments to his secretary’s dismay, but there was nothing she couldn’t reschedule. Noah and Keith had been right when they told him she was special. He had sensed it from the moment they met. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but it was her sweet nature that had drawn him to her along with her natural sex appeal. They had warned him that she was innocent to their lifestyle and would need time, but he knew they weren’t the type of men to wait.
He parked his car and walked around to the back of the house. He saw Julie through the window. He watched her move gracefully around the kitchen talking with the staff. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. He had visions of her naked with another kind of flush on her face. Taking a moment to still his fantasy, he opened the door and walked into the flurry of activity. Julie saw him immediately and walked over to where he was standing.
“Mr. Romano, hello.”
“Hi, Julie. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by. I thought I would check on things. Just wanted to be sure everything was going as planned.”
“Yes. Everything is going wonderfully. Thanks to you. You sent me a wonderful staff. I couldn’t be happier.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” he said with a smile.
“Would you like a cup of coffee or something to drink?”
“Only if you’ll take a few minutes and sit with me.”
Julie looked around the kitchen before her eyes came back to his. “I think I could do that. The staff could probably do with a break from my hovering.”
“A cup of coffee would be nice. We could take it outside by the pool. If that’s okay with you?”
“I’ll pour us a couple mugs and meet you there.”
“I take mine black, so don’t worry about cream and sugar.”
“I take mine black, too,” she said happily.
Mark left the kitchen through the door he had entered and headed toward the pool. He was glad that there weren’t a lot of people hanging around. He didn’t want Julie to be hauled away before he had a chance to chat with her. He knew it was silly, but he felt like a schoolboy on his first date. He hadn’t felt this nervous with a woman in a long time.
Julie didn’t make him wait long. She walked toward him with a tray holding their coffee and some muffins. He eyed them more closely when she placed the tray on the table. Chocolate chip were his favorite. How had she known?
“I hope you like muffins. I took a chance that you might like the chocolate chip.”
“Good choice. Thank you.”
Julie sat down and handed Mark his coffee and a plate for his muffin. “Do you make it a habit of checking on all your new clients?”
“No, I don’t. You’re an exception.”
“I am? Why’s that?”
“Well,” he began, “besides the fact that your client is one of my best friends, I thought since this was the first time you’ve used my services, it would be a nice show of support if the staff knew I was here.”
“That was very thoughtful of you, Mr. Romano. But rest assured, the staff you handpicked are excellent. I would say that’s a reflection on your skills for hiring the right people.”
“I do have a knack for picking the good ones. I know a bad apple when I see it and I know the perfect peach whe
n I see it, too.”
Julie looked down at her coffee. He knew he was staring at her, but he couldn’t help himself. She was perfect. Even though her hair was pulled back and she was wearing a uniform, it did nothing to detract from her beauty. He felt his groin tighten. Damn, all he wanted was to take her in his arms. Instead, he took a bite of his muffin.
Following the delicious mouthful with a swig of his coffee, he said, “Tell me about the dinner tonight.” He needed to put her at ease. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Julie smiled. “I hope you’ll find it to your liking.”
She explained the menu while he sat and enjoyed the sound of her voice explain what was in store for his palate. She was like a child who wanted him to be pleased with every detail, and he was very pleased. The more she talked, the more he wanted her. Tonight, he thought hopefully, was going to be an evening to remember in more ways than she could imagine.
Chapter Seven
“Noah asked me to put the dresses for you to choose from in your bedroom,” Jackie told her.
Julie stopped fussing with the table linens and tilted her head back toward Noah’s assistant. “I’m sorry, Jackie, did you say dresses?”
“Yes. You know, for tonight.”
“I must have missed something. I don’t understand.”
“Noah thought it would be easier to have some dresses brought over for you. He knows you wouldn’t have had time to shop for yourself.”
“I thought my uniform would be appropriate.”
Jackie looked at her quizzically. “I guess if you weren’t going to be greeting his guests with him. But, under the circumstances, I believe Noah is expecting you to be dressed more like his hostess than the hired help.”
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