~~~
“Hey, you! You got lucky with Lara. She’s a real trouper,” Candace said as she barged into conference room without knocking, as if she was meant to be there. Of course she ignored the phone stuck to Reed’s ear. He looked her way, trying to digest her words while he continued to listen to the voice on the other end. He lifted a finger when she started to say more to hold off her words until he could end the call.
The ever present ache in his forehead choose then to spike, and he moved his pointer finger to a random chair at the table before lowering his head and using his fingertips to massage the back of his neck.
He was starting to see a trend in the women he allowed in his life.
“Lei, I’m going to need to call you back.” He did the quick math in his head to calculate the difference in their time zones. Beijing was twelve hours ahead, making it after ten o’clock at night for Lei, his newest in a long line of Asian advisors. “Give me thirty minutes.”
Reed didn’t wait for an answer. He dropped the phone in the cradle and jotted down a couple of notes on a scratch pad in front of him. “Who’s Lara?” he asked absently.
“You didn’t even find out her name? Reed, that’s bad, even for you.” Candace and Margaret regularly teamed up on him regarding his social graces and were just about the only people in his life he allowed to give him so much shit. Since Candace was the closest thing to family he had, he gave her room, but this day was already wearing on him. His fingers massaged his forehead and temple in earnest as he finished his note.
“Headaches again? Reed, you’ve got to lower the stress in your life. I mean seriously, you own the world. You’re barely thirty years old. You’re destroying yourself.” As Candace spoke, she reached down to her purse and pulled out a bottle of Advil. She rose, placed two tablets in front of him then poured a glass of water from the always ready supply on the credenza in the back of the room. He stayed silent, hoping for one of her shoulder rubs. No one could dig around in the muscles at the base of his neck as well as her.
He swallowed the two pills and her hands replaced his. He smiled as he rested back in the chair, closing his eyes as her palms and fingers began kneading the muscles in his shoulders.
His do-good pseudo family had no understanding of his lifestyle. Hell, he didn’t even fully understand what drove him, but that never seemed to matter. He pushed and pushed until he made life a twisted, complicated chaos. He worked best in those situations. Actually, he made the most money in times where everything was just completely fucked up, usually by his own hand.
The headaches, though, were getting stronger. No one would ever believe he didn’t like drama at all. That was funny since his life had been nothing but drama-filled for as long as he could remember.
“How is she?” he finally asked, dropping his chin to his chest, stretching out the back of his neck as her thumbs dug in a little harder.
“At some point, you’re going to have to listen to me.” Candace’s words were firm, but her tone a little more gentle than before.
“This is Grey Goose related.” He tried to deflect.
“Hmmm…”
“How is she? Should I get Braden involved?” he asked after a minute’s pause.
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary. She’s a delight and taking full responsibility. As far as I can see, she was banged up pretty badly. Her right side will be sore for a while. She’s bruised, but as of now, I can’t see much else.”
“Good. Thank you for coming out this morning. What do I owe you?” Reed asked reluctantly when Candace patted him on the shoulders to indicate she was done. He hated to feel her hands stop the soothing therapy, but he rose and reached for his wallet in his suit jacket lying across the chair beside him.
“It was my day off. Margaret hooked us up with some sweet pedicures, so I’m good.” For the first time, he noticed her feet in flip-flops, a bright red, high-gloss polish shining in the florescent lighting.
“You’ve been getting a pedicure in my office while I’m displaced in here?” he asked incredulously.
“Yep, and the only other thing I want for coming out in this terrible weather’s for you to attend the family reunion this year. Everyone misses you.” He eyed her closely to see if that request were a joke. She looked completely serious. He opened his wallet and pulled out a couple hundred dollars.
“I’m serious, Reed. Mom and Dad miss you. So does Aunt Bobbi. I want you to take the weekend off and drive to Lubbock with us. Braden’s going.” She tossed it out, like that was some sort of dangling carrot. Braden was her brother, also Reed’s best friend as well as his private legal counsel.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’d rather pay you.”
“I know, but my payment is you coming with us in July for the family reunion.” She held her ground.
“I may have plans,” he started.
“I checked your calendar before I came in here,” she countered, crossing her arms over her chest. She was a short thing. Not much more than five feet tall, but the glare she gave back made it clear she wasn’t leaving room to negotiate.
He’d been booted from his office, thrown completely off schedule due to a clumsily, unaware female, only to find they were having girls’ day in his work space. If that weren’t enough, now Candace asked him to take four days off to attend the Bryant family reunion in Bum Fuck Egypt, Texas, during the hottest month of the year. The answer to that would be a giant hell no!
He pulled out another hundred dollar bill and dropped them all on the table in front of her. She ignored the money and arched an eyebrow. “I’m your physician and I’m telling you something’s got to change, Reed. You can’t sustain this level of stress; you’re destroying your body. You need to slow down, smell the roses so to speak. Come home for the reunion.”
Yeah, still a complete hell no!
“We’ll see. Right now, I’ve got to wrap up this deal and get my office back. Can I see her?” Reed left Candace standing in the middle of the conference room as he reached for the money she’d left on the table and dropped it in a side pocket of her purse. “I should probably be the one to get her out the door. Right?”
“Absolutely,” Candace said with a laugh. He picked up her purse and medical bag as she followed behind him toward the door. “Right thing to do. You sound eager.”
“And I shouldn’t get Braden involved yet?” he asked, walking her toward the elevator. He didn’t miss the thumbs up Candace gave Margaret; he just didn’t know what it meant. It seemed all the women in his life were a little crazy.
“Absolutely not! She’s a lovely woman. I don’t see her as lawsuit material.”
“That would be a first. You should put your shoes on before you go outside.” He reached for the hidden opening that held the elevator call button, finally handing her the medical bag and purse. The doors opened immediately.
“I will. They just need to dry a little more. I’ll talk to Margaret about scheduling the family reunion. I already texted Dad. He wants you to call him tonight.” Of course she had. She knew him far too well. He rolled his eyes dramatically as the doors began to shut, her laughter sealing his fate. The tension in his shoulders and neck were back in full force. He rolled his back muscles and ignored them all as he strolled toward his office. He knocked once; a gentleman would have waited for her to answer, but his only goal at that moment was to get this female to move on and get his life back to normal without any further disruption.
On that thought, he let himself in.
Chapter 4
Two and a half hours from the time she entered that office, Lara stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows, looking out over the turbulent Dallas skies. The thunderstorm still raged outside, but she could see some clearing in the distance. Much like the storm outside, her morning had been a whirlwind of unexpected activity. Absolutely nothing like she expected when she walked out of her apartment this morning.
She guessed, if she was going to take such a nasty fall
in front of anyone, Mr. Prescott was the best possible outcome. He’d been such a bear of a man, but he’d seen to her care and given her a tremendous amount of pampering, along with a ton of new clothes. He’d also secured her job. How had he pulled that much weight? He must be older than her fuzzy, traumatized brain registered. Or maybe he was a politician or something along those lines. Those type men always carried clout and pulled all sorts of tricks out of their back pockets.
Thoughts of Kade interrupted her musing. He’d never believe any of this, except the part about her taking a nasty fall. She should have texted him by now. He’d be interested in how all this played out this morning. She was totally shocked herself. Margaret had been so kind, and Lara now wore incredibly beautiful clothes in a style she would have never chosen for herself.
The buyer from Neimans kept referring to the dress as body-conscious. Lara had no real idea what that meant, she just knew she was completely covered in a square top, three-quarter length sleeve dress that went to the knee, yet she felt totally exposed in the clingy material. It was a silly notion, one they wouldn’t even hear when she voiced that concern. After she had seen the end result and pinched herself to make sure that was really her in the mirror, she was thankful they’d pushed her to try the dress. Maybe she could talk Kade into coming to meet her with an umbrella so she didn’t mess up any of the new look she was wearing.
She should apologize to Mr. Prescott before leaving, and she certainly didn’t need to take all those clothes with her, regardless of what Margaret insisted. Maybe she could afford to pay Neiman-Marcus directly for some of the clothes and cosmetics packaged for her.
The shoes were what stole her heart. Brand new Jimmy Choos. She looked down at her feet in awe. They were Anouks, the newest style on the market and just about the coolest things in the world.
Perhaps taking a tumble in front of Mr. Prescott’s car was more a shove from her guardian angel instead of a sign of impending doom. She laughed at that thought. With a smile on her face, she glanced over her shoulder toward the sitting area of the room at the same moment there was a knock and the door automatically opened. Mr. Prescott came inside without waiting for acknowledgement. That didn’t surprise her. In the few minutes she spent with the man, she’d learned quickly he did exactly what he wanted. Their eyes met and lingered before he turned away, looking around his office.
“Isn’t she lovely?” Margaret offered from the doorway. Mr. Prescott looked slightly confused as his baffled gaze shifted back toward her. Lara turned from her stance at the window and gathered her fingers together in front of her. A strategic move she’d learned to help with her fidgeting when she became nervous. She took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
This current bout of anxiety came from Mr. Prescott being exactly as she remembered—times about a million. His natural poise accentuated his tall, muscular, lean body. Short, thick dark blond hair was left a little longer in the front, sweeping off his forehead to easily accomplish that swoosh thing so popular in men’s hair styles today. Incredible blue eyes, deeply tanned skin, and a somewhat straight nose led into a firm jaw, full lips, and sculpted cheekbones, all adding to the strength of his features. Her eyes trailed across broad shoulders then downward to his small waist. He was remarkable, almost too handsome for his own good. When her eyes gravitated back to his face, she saw a frown forming and that made her more uneasy.
She stood there, unsure what to do or say. She tried hard to mask her own facial features. That had been one of the hardest lessons of her life. Her face was too expressive and rarely hid her true emotions.
“Am I missing something?” Mr. Prescott looked back at Margaret again who smiled until she gave a small chuckle.
“Not at all. Lara Hunter, meet Reed Prescott. Lara’s the woman you almost ran over this morning.”
Reed’s eyes flew back to her again. This time the intense scrutiny caused her to flush.
~~~
For the first time in his adult life, Reed was struck dumb. The woman standing in front of him radiated beauty. Regal and composed, she was not the wet rag he’d carried off the street and through the building just a few hours ago, her transformation almost more than he could comprehend.
Standing with the dark, turbulent clouds covering downtown Dallas as her backdrop, he did a full appraisal of what stood before him. Her long chestnut mane framed a radiant, heart-shaped face before cascading over one slender shoulder. Impossibly large amber eyes sparkled like jewels. Her full lips were slightly parted as if to control her breathing. She was nervous. His eyes skimmed her face again. She wore just enough makeup to enhance her already exquisite features.
He took a step or two forward, finally letting his eyes graze a trail across her body. She was tall, long and lean. The dress covered her completely, but was one of the sexiest outfits he’d ever seen. He watched her lithe body do a leisurely pivot on those spikey high heels to draw the curtains to his windows closed. The cut of the dress framed her ass as if made especially for her body. His mouth watered as the moment of stunned misunderstanding faded and his dick plumped and narrowed in on what it wanted. He didn’t pause. Instead, he covered the distance between them. His gaze returned to her face as he extended a hand in her direction. He mentally registered the click of the office door. That would be Margaret making her exit—he’d have to remember to give her a giant raise for finding this little diamond out of the lump of coal he’d brought in this morning.
“I think this is overdue,” he said, taking one of her slender hands in his. Her grip was firm and her fascinating eyes never left his. There was no coy game playing in this one. That was new. He’d been told too often his presence intimidated, yet Lara wasn’t at all, or if she was, she hid it well. She held her ground and just lifted her head to keep eye contact as he towered over her. “I’m Reed Prescott.”
The gentle smile she gave fueled his cock, hardening the damn thing with just a look. He prayed he was hidden well enough for her not to notice.
“We may have just formally met, but I think having to carry me through the building negates the need for introductions. I’m very sorry about this morning. You most certainly didn’t have to go to this trouble. I hope I didn’t put you out too badly.” Her tone, laced with a deep, cultured Southern accent, made her that much more captivating. She was open and warm. Now, he could see why she’d been hired over the hundreds of candidates applying for the job. She shook his hand, and he continued the handhold even as she tried to remove hers from his grip. Still, she gave no sign of being flirtatious or even interested, instead just deeply grateful for his help.
Her tone and mannerism soothed any annoyance he might have from the morning and alleviated the headache he’d battled for the last few hours. The tension in his neck and shoulders fled, perhaps landing squarely inside his slacks. A full-fledged hard-on formed, ready for him to close the deal.
“I understand there’s no real injury, but Candace said you were bruised. You’ll be feeling that in the morning. If you need anything, she’s just a phone call away,” Reed said, seeing the small hint of yellowing where this spectacular dress exposed the skin around her shoulder. She managed to remove her hand from his grasp and those long well-manicured fingers ran across the exact spot he’d been looking.
“I’m a country girl. This is nothing. I’ll be fine. Margaret insists I take these clothes, but I can’t. You’ve been too kind all ready. If I can just wear this home, I can have it returned this evening.” Lara moved around him to the small pile of dresses draped across his sofa. “The shoes are incredible, though. I think I’ll be making this purchase once I get my first paycheck.”
He watched her stop, slowly turn, and extend a long leg to show off the shoe as if it were a first place prize after a long, hard-fought competition. He knew some women loved high heels, but he’d never quite seen that look on any woman he’d ever known before. Candace may have looked that way when chocolate was put in front of her, but the wonderment in Lara’s eyes had
him wanting to see that look on her face regularly.
What an odd thought.
“They’re my gift to you. Your others were ruined at my hand.” Okay, wait. He did a mental mind check. Did he just take responsibility for the accident? Braden would shit himself right about now. “Also the clothing, please take them. They suit you perfectly.”
Damn, he hadn’t even tried to back out of what he’d just said. Reed stayed rooted in his spot and dropped his hands inside his slacks pockets and just watched her move. The dress fit like a glove, showing the enticing curve of her delicate body. She needed to wear those styles every single day. No one could ever mistake her for a child again.
“I’m not sure I can, Mr. Prescott. It’s not really who I am to take these things,” she said, again staring him straight in the eyes with all her direct honesty. Two things hit him. One, in just a few short minutes, he’d become utterly smitten by this woman—if that were even possible—and two, she would be fabulous at her job. The pressure of the Asian acquisition eased at that second realization. Lara was the perfect hire to soothe the animosity of his buyout. He watched as she gathered her purse from under the stack of her new clothing.
Did she plan to leave? He didn’t want her to leave.
“Why don’t we have lunch?” he blurted out. It was all he could think to say in order to get her to stay a little longer. The charming smile was back on her face.
“It’s ten thirty in the morning. You don’t have to feed me too.” She adjusted her long, loosely curled hair, pulling the strands free from underneath her purse strap.
“Why don’t I take you on a tour of Press International? Then maybe have a bite to eat.”
“Are you familiar with Press International?” Her smile vanished, and what appeared to be uncertainty splayed across her intriguing features. So she hadn’t yet learned who he was to Press International. Even better.
Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1) Page 4