Bedeviled

by Madison Michael

  It didn’t hurt that Alex was one of the richest men in Chicago, as well as a renowned philanthropist. Hell, she was sitting in the emergency room in the Alexander Gaines wing of the hospital right now. He was a whiz at financial matters and had amassed a fortune quickly, then given much of it away. He‘d helped her work through complex decisions several times since she had taken the position of Director of Finance for Lyons Howe Real Estate earlier this year. It was no surprise that he was running a huge bank at such a young age.

  She enjoyed verbally sparring with Alex, she respected his opinions on almost everything and she enjoyed his company immensely. Charlotte queried her new boss about him, but all she got from Regan was ‘he’s elusive as hell, but if you can catch him, he’s definitely worth it.” It wasn’t encouraging but at least it told Charlotte she had no direct competition from her one true friend in her new hometown.

  Regan knew Alex’s complete history but she was close mouthed on the subject. If she wanted, she could share so much about him. Alex was best friends with her older brother, Wyatt, and had been since childhood. She had grown up around him but she offered little.

  “You should form your own opinions,” Regan told her on the few occasions when Charlotte tried to pry information from her. “I refuse to interfere or get in the middle,” Regan had announced before stepping away, allowing the pair to discover each other on their own, and in their own time. “But you should know he has a string of models he is dating on the West Coast. They constantly show up on Instagram.”

  “A string is okay,” Charlotte countered. “That means he isn’t settled on anyone special.”

  Alex hung out with Charlotte almost every day if he wasn’t travelling. He was extremely busy with many demands on his time, but he started his day with her at least briefly, usually for a grueling run, then they would linger for 30 minutes over coffee. That routine had provided them the opportunity to grow comfortable with each other. It might not be the fast and furious method of dating today, but it suited them. Despite their hectic work and travel schedules and their cautious natures, Charlotte had grown to know and like Alex and knew he liked her too. They had progressed to her joining in when Regan and others went out for drinks with Alex and his friends and there had even been a business event or two where she had attended as his ‘plus one’. It was progress.

  Charlotte liked him so much, in fact, that he fueled her fantasies and revved her engines. Alex was the epitome of Charlotte’s dream man – tall, hard-bodied, brilliant and all man. He was beyond sexy, kind and generous, clever and witty. They shared interests, conversed easily and from the moment they said farewell she was counting the minutes until they were together again. He made her heart race. She knew that he found her easy to be with and she believed he found her attractive. It was enough to build on. She’d been willing to take it slow – for a while. Recently, her patience had been wearing thinner, and Alex had appeared ready for more too.

  In Charlotte’s estimation, things were moving forward - they had been promising, in fact. That was, at least, until Alex showed up with a gorgeous and famous model at a business event late last month. Not just showed up. He actually flew the stunner in from Los Angeles just for the night. Then, to add insult to injury, the pair pawed each other incessantly before leaving the event early with obvious plans for a night of hot sex. That episode definitely dampened Charlotte’s spirits and until last week, she had been intentionally aloof, almost cold. Charlotte knew she had lost any ground she had gained previously. She strongly considered just giving up. After all, bringing the model to Chicago was a strong message to just walk away. But, Charlotte Roche was no quitter.

  Despite the small voice of reason in her head, Charlotte stopped being angry and unavailable and amped up her game. Instead of packing it in, Charlotte had doubled her efforts by investing in new workout clothes, lower in the front and higher on the leg. As the clothes became smaller, Alex’s eyes grew wider. She saw the new way he looked at her, riveted, as if he was seeing her for the first time. His hand strayed to her hair, her hand or her arm a bit more frequently than before. She had a tight, fit body and beautiful tawny skin, tanned from the summer sun. She had been determined to show off both until the dense man noticed that she was a woman.

  Alex had definitely taken notice. When Charlotte saw the new light in Alex’s eye, she had been ecstatic. She felt easy with Alex yet she struggled to get a reading on how he felt about her, to figure out whether or not to keep trying. It looked like she had finally read him right. Then she second-guessed herself yet again.

  Maybe it’s time to do something even more overt and find out if we can make this work. Or, is he just looking for a quick lay? Maybe you should just give up. Char, you know perfectly well you should give up. The man is brilliant and you are just begging for trouble.

  She thought that she was getting to him, that her small efforts, and small togs, were encouraging Alex. Trying to push things even further, Charlotte had poured the last of her water bottle over the top of her head this morning, letting it run down her face and chest, cooling her off only slightly. She didn’t care about the temperature, since her purpose was to draw Alex’s eyes to her body, not to air-condition. She was gratified to see the ploy work, as his gaze strayed to her pert breasts and lingered there.

  She calculated that the small effort, plus the deep V-neck sports bra, might finally get the man to see her as more than a running buddy. She enjoyed training with him, truly, but so far, he had thwarted all her subtle and not so subtle attempts to move things from the track to something far steamier. She needed him to see her the way he saw that model from L.A.

  I should have taken the ride.

  Coming back to the present, and the pain, Charlotte berated herself. She debated sharing the short ride with him to get coffee, but had decided not to feed his already impressive ego. She did not want to give Alex the satisfaction of accepting the short lift. He had just purchased a Mercedes AMG GT in a brilliant blue that matched his eyes and he was like a little boy with his new toy. His need to show it off was telling, but she saw the ride as a way for him to regain the upper hand.

  Charlotte had negotiated with herself for a moment before turning him down. Being enclosed in the sleek two-seater, damp, close, barely dressed, would have been heavenly, but keeping him guessing and unsure was important too. She had battled with herself before refusing. The man asked too many questions and he was especially inquisitive today. She recognized the light that he got in his eyes when he was trying to ferret out an answer. Charlotte finally opted to forego the sweet ride. Besides, she needed the time apart to get past the potent attraction before she lost her concentration and made any big mistakes.

  She would ponder her next move, and buy herself a few extra minutes to let her desire-fogged brain clear before meeting Alex for a skim latte. The five-minute jog would be her strategizing break.

  Walking her foggy brain back through the morning, she prayed she had not said or done anything to give herself away to Alex before the EMTs arrived. He had been panicked so perhaps he wouldn’t remember, even if she had mumbled too much or slipped. In an odd role-reversal, she had been the one calming him. She could only hope that worked to her advantage.

  This is why being around a super smart man is a very, very bad idea. Take your own advice here, Charlotte. It’s time to cut and run.

  She had been weighing whether to run away or stay, further pursuing that possible mutual attraction, when she started the short jog toward Starbucks. Alex was everything she wanted. She could not have conjured up someone more perfect. She loved that he was incredibly smart and even sexier. The polished executive was a perfect match for her serious, career orientation but she also adored the fun-loving, easy going guy. He made her heart beat faster, made her smile wider, made her run fast to keep up, physically and mentally. He kept her on her toes. She had never been more attracted to a man, never had a better time being with a man. She had decided then and there that she wante
d to push things forward. She wanted to be with him and damn the consequences.

  Now that she had made up her mind, now that she had clarity, Charlotte decided she would ask him on a date this very morning, or at least discuss changing the nature of the relationship. Suddenly anxious to see him, Charlotte picked up speed, jogging past a small wooded area.

  No more waiting. She would take her chances and look for a way to knock Alex right off his feet.

  “Oh please God, no!” she cried out when she spotted someone moving in the trees ahead. Before she could scream for help, she was knocked off her feet instead.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Having arrived in an ambulance, Charlotte bypassed the administrative and waiting areas and was behind a curtain in the ER with medical personnel all around her. They were treating her as a priority patient, although Alex heard her say at least a dozen times that she could walk, that others might need more attention, that she was ‘fine’.

  “Just let them help you,” Alex commanded, pushing back the curtains to let her know he had arrived. “Stop fighting and let them do their job.”

  “I am fine. I am sure it looks much worse than it is.”

  “Are you a doctor?”

  “No.” Her voice was soft and her expression sheepish as she acknowledged his point.

  “OK, well then, that’s settled. I have called my physician to come assist these lovely emergency room doctors and he should be here shortly.” Alex was charming but with an authoritative air. People around him automatically became deferential. He lowered his voice to that sexy timber she couldn’t resist and added, “Please, Charlotte. Please let them help you.”

  “Sir, are you family?” a bustling, rotund nurse challenged, jumping between Alex and Charlotte. Jennie, according to her nametag, was of indeterminate age and was clearly unimpressed by Alexander Gaines. She had a headful of tight curls against her scalp, dark smooth skin, a deep bosom, and a serious scowl on her face. When Alex shook his head, she indicated the waiting room, gleefully running her world like a Drill Sargent. When he hesitated, she ushered him unceremoniously from the curtained area, then turned sharply on her heel, leaving him watching her large backside roll with each indignant step she took back toward her command post.

  Alex huffed in frustration but he remained in the colorless waiting room. Circling once, ignoring both the oversized clock and the silent TV playing 24-hour news, Alex fidgeted with the dog-eared magazines on a nearby table and then with his phone, removing and replacing it in his pocket nervously.

  Realizing he could do something productive, Alex focused on his iPhone, making a list of the things Charlotte would need - nursing care, healthy food, medicines, DVDs, books, clothes. He poured himself a cup of warmed-over, weak coffee and longed for the Starbucks he had been deprived of earlier. Dropping into an uncomfortable, faux-leather chair, he focused on completing his list, guessing what Charlotte would need while he awaited a status update. A light bulb had gone on for Alex the moment he realized that Charlotte would need a lot of help today and perhaps for the next several days. He was aware that she had colleagues at Lyons Howe Real Estate, but she had known them only a few months, since the beginning of the summer when she had started her job. She had only been working there a week when Alex met her. He had spent more time with her than any of her coworkers.

  Except for her boss, Regan Howe, there was no one she was close to that he knew of. If Regan and she had not met at some Harvard events before Charlotte accepted the job, he wasn’t sure she would be close to her either. He could not remember Charlotte mentioning socializing with Regan or anyone else from her office, except when they went out together for drinks or lunch in a group. Regan had never mentioned her to Alex before she showed up to begin at LHRE. Reflecting on it now, he was not sure that the women were close either.

  She had no family in the area either. That meant that he was her closest friend in Chicago, and he had no problem accepting the responsibility for her well-being. He felt completely comfortable, even welcoming the opportunity to care for this smart, funny, brash woman. He would assure that she recovered fully and was well again. He stopped obsessing about her contretemps and started thinking about her care.

  I need to look after her. I want to look after her.

  The idea repeated in his brain and took a firm hold. He started pacing, aware of the obligation and its significance. The chivalrous emotion he had felt earlier returned. He would move her into his place and provide the finest medical care money could buy, along with all the creature comforts of luxury surroundings. He would work from home and be available around the clock if she needed anything. After ensuring that his personal physician checked her out from head to toe, he would play nursemaid - if that was acceptable - or hire a professional, if it came to that. He was surprisingly comfortable with the idea of Charlotte staying with him indefinitely.

  True, this was not how Alex had envisioned getting Charlotte into his bed, he smiled to himself, but she would be there just the same. Once she was a little better, she would be captive under his roof, at least temporarily. He intended to make the most of it. His earlier chivalry morphed to a much more recognizable sensation.

  Hell, I’m no saint.

  He would have to cancel his trip to L.A. It couldn’t be helped. That would require some work on his part. Charlotte was supposed to go to Boston for a ‘Harvard thing’ that would need to be cancelled as well. When she was feeling better, he could have Regan bring her some work. But he would not allow her to overdo things. She must take things slowly. Alex intended to make certain she remained in his care as long as necessary.

  Necessary for what?

  All the logistics handled and a mental list made of the phone calls and emails to attend to later, Alex strode to the nurses’ station to get an update. No one would tell him anything although he moved about the floor like he owned the place. Not even close, of course, there were only two wings with his name on them.

  Or was it three now?

  Once he understood he would still have to wait a while before Charlotte would be discharged, Alex got another cup of the dreadful coffee and started making phone calls.

  “Jo,” he barked at his assistant the moment she picked up the phone, “I won’t be in today and I need you to cancel my trip to L.A. for next week. Make a note for Brian to let the board know we will do everything via conference call until I can get out there. Have them send him any necessary documents. Call Regan Howe over at LHRE and let her know that Charlotte Roche will not be in today. Hmm? Oh just say she had a minor mishap while running and will be in touch later. Call my mother to let her know I will be in town in two weeks for that dinner party, please. Oh, and have some groceries delivered to my place. Enough for several days. Healthy stuff – lots of fruits and veggies, yogurt, tea and juices. Plenty of different juices. Yes, Jo, I did say groceries.”

  Alex waited while his newest personal assistant, Joanne Reese, laughed in his ear. She knew, as did anyone acquainted with Alex, that he never set foot in his gourmet kitchen. The man was a legend at every restaurant in town. Despite frequenting dozens of places, he ate out so often that he was a regular everywhere.

  “Another thing, Jo, if you can stop laughing, find a pharmacy that delivers and text me their number. Get the name of a place that can deliver a hospital bed, and home nursing care too. No, I am fine, but a friend of mine was in an accident. Oh, she will need clothes too. Ask Regan if she has a key to Charlotte’s apartment. If not, you get to go shopping. Use the corporate card.”

  Alex listened and chuckled. “No, you can’t just shop without checking, much as I know you would like to. Ask Regan first. Okay, that’s it for now. I will be in touch later, from home.”

  Although it was still early in the day, Alex listened as Joanne prevented him from hanging up, rattled off a list of to-do’s and messages that had already piled up at his office. He gave her answers to several of the questions she asked, then had her transfer him to his administrative
assistant, with whom she would coordinate. Alex knew he could count on the two of them to handle things seamlessly and waited for the admin to come on the line.

  Alex silently counted his blessings that he had found Joanne. His life ran so much more efficiently with her helping him manage his personal and philanthropic tasks. She was the best PA he had ever hired, efficient, intelligent and often one step ahead of him. She was also discreet. His last PA had learned the hard way that gossip would not be tolerated. That had opened the door for Joanne, who had continued to impress him these last six months.

  His admin, Brian, a man in his early 30’s with an impressive resume, had been with the bank for five years. He was crisp and efficient in his conversation with Alex and it was obvious that he had everything under control.

  “Sounds to me like you have it all covered, Brian. Just coordinate with Jo so I don’t have to call you both. Perfect, thanks.”

  Alex checked his phone once more, saw the pharmacy info was already there, as well as an excited text message from his sister about his attendance at the dinner party. Joanne was certainly efficient. It was barely 9 a.m. He jiggled his long legs nervously in the uncomfortable seat, then moved them out of the way as a distraught-looking family came in and took seats across from him. They acknowledged each other’s misery silently and retreated back to their own problems. Alex checked the time repeatedly until finally he saw Marty Levin wander out from the emergency room almost two hours after Charlotte’s accident.