by Lavada Dee
Devon stepped to her side as they entered the coffee shop. He had said he had planned to have breakfast with his brother. “I hope taking care of me didn’t mean your brother had breakfast by himself.”
“He wouldn’t have cared, but he does have someone with him.” He pointed toward the back of the room and said, “There they are.”
Nadia would have been happier if she could have had Devon to herself. She needed one-on-one time to present her proposal to him. Oh well, she would take what she could get and hope for the best.
* * * *
Tyrell hated the wheelchair. Thankful that he could use his upper body strength to move from it to the booth, he had the waiter remove the chair after he had made the transfer. It felt good to be free of it and not have to see people look at him with pity. Page said they didn’t, that it was his imagination, but what did she know? She was used to seeing men in wheelchairs.
Leaning back, he savored the normalcy of being in a restaurant with a beautiful woman. It had been awhile. For one thing he had burned out playing free and loose. The sameness, because like him, the women he hung with were out for a good time only. The only connection they had was physical where feeling didn’t enter in. There was no depth, no relationship. It was time for him to think about settling down. Page would be a perfect partner. She was strong, physical, and able to keep up with him better than most women. And, she was pretty, or being entirely honest, more like cute. A natural blonde with blue eyes and an amazing smile, she had the look of the girl next door. He thought of his two brothers, Cooper and Grant, who had recently married and were exceptionally happy. That left him and Devon, and he sensed that Devon was tired of playing around, too. That, like him, Devon wanted to move on to the next phase of life.
The trouble was, he also sensed that Devon was attracted to Page. And, that she felt the same, but then most women were attracted to his brother. He shook off his musing and smiled at the waitress when she brought their breakfast. By mutual consent they hadn’t waited for Devon to order. For one thing, neither of them really expected him to join them.
“This looks like the kind of breakfast to get a man going.”
Page nodded. “I imagine it feels good to be out of your room.”
“I’m out of the room a lot, at the pool, the gym. But I know what you’re saying.”
“Would you like to take a drive after breakfast? It wouldn’t hurt to take a day off, maybe just do some pool work tonight.”
Tyrell liked the idea, but it didn’t sit well to have to be driven. He liked to be in the driver’s seat. “Maybe in a few days.”
Page was no fool and the look she gave him told him before she could voice it. “Don’t want to be a passenger? Or is it just that you don’t want a woman to drive you?”
“You think I’m a chauvinist?”
“Yes, and…”
When she stopped in mid-sentence, Tyrell imagined his face must have registered what he felt as he watched Devon weave his way across the coffee shop. The woman who had come into the lodge earlier was with him. Tyrell didn’t like her. Her body language said she thought she was better than Devon. She was pretty, he had to give her that. Okay, more like beautiful, but he hated the look that went with the attitude. A vision of running his hands through her hair and messing it up had him almost licking his lips in anticipation of showing her who was beneath who.
Chapter 5
Tyrell’s eyes narrowed as he watched the woman. Along with a distinct dislike, there was something else. Something as familiar to him as breathing asserted itself, making him catch his breath. Tamping down a growl, he willed his totem, the wolf that lived within him, to be still. Two months ago, he’d lived more in his wolf form than his human one. The whole team had. Wolves didn’t need a fire at night to keep them from freezing. They could blend into the terrain. It was the defining factor of their team, what made them able to carry out rescue missions that were all but impossible. That was then, and this was now. It was his and his team’s decision to change their course. Living a domestic life meant he would have to let his wolf form sleep. No more shifting, no more letting instincts dominate.
He took a deep breath and forced a smile. “I see you brought company.”
Devon motioned for the woman to slide into the booth beside Tyrell and then took the seat next to Page. “Page, Tyrell, this is Nadia. She is on the way to New York with her grandmother.”
That figures. She looks like New York. Tyrell barely kept himself from speaking his thoughts out loud. He glanced over at Devon, who looked a little uncomfortable. To bad they hadn’t had time to finish their breakfast because if they had, they could have gracefully vacated the booth and left Devon to it. As it was, he could envision some indigestion. He again fought against the wolf as he picked up her scent. Damn, why did Devon seat her beside him. Why not next to Page?
Page was the only one that seemed unaffected. She looked at Nadia and said, “You’re traveling with your grandmother?”
The woman tensed. Did she resent someone trying to include her in a conversation? He doubted that was the issue so much as who was engaging her in it. He could feel her disdain, like she was slumming, but she finally answered. “Yes, my grandmother recently had eye surgery in Seattle and she can’t fly for a while.”
The words were civil enough. The tension slightly eased between the four of them. Devon slid a menu to Nadia. “I pretty much have this memorized.”
The woman’s voice was low, and again Tyrell felt a stirring he didn’t welcome. “I know it isn’t on the breakfast menu, but I’ll just have a dinner salad with honey-mustard dressing on the side.”
Salad? Tyrell bit back a comment. He was pretty sure Devon expected her to order for herself, but when she spelled out what she wanted in such detail he placed her order with his, adding coffee.
The waitress turned toward Nadia. “Would you like anything to drink?”
Tyrell waited for the added “Ms.” that seemed to be required and was relieved when the waitress didn’t say it. As he might have expected, Nadia ordered water, paused, and then added, “With ice.”
Again, Page attempted to engage the woman in conversation. “It’s a long way to drive. From Seattle to New York.”
“Yes.”
So that was the way it was going to be. Yes and no answers. Tyrell really didn’t like this Nadia. So why was his body responding to her? A knot formed in his stomach. He felt at odds with himself. He needed to get out of here. To hell with breakfast, but if he left, Page would leave with him, and she had to be hungry. He felt trapped and leaned further into the corner of the booth. Maybe if he could get some space.
Breakfast—or in light of the ordered salad—lunch seemed to last forever. The woman had managed to set everyone on edge, and Tyrell was sure he wasn’t the only one happy to bring it to an end. Devon, as always tuned into his brother’s moods, stood up to leave first. Looking at the woman he said, “I’ll walk you back to your room.” Nodding toward Tyrell he bent down, and whispered to Page. Maybe the woman couldn’t hear but Tyrell could. “Whew, that was an experience. You did an admirable job of trying. I’ll see you two later.”
The lodge had a gym and massage rooms, but for the parallel bars they had to go to the hospital therapy rooms. Page walked behind the wheelchair until they got out the door, then went to get the van. The air was crisp and felt good to Tyrell after enduring the closeness in the coffee shop. He wondered what Nadia’s story was. That she wanted something was evident. That the something was Devon was pretty apparent, too, but why? Tyrell lived by his senses, although since his injuries they were almost non-existent in comparison to what he’d had. He took a deep breath. It helped to be outdoors. It would help more to be free of the chair, free of being dependent on others. The way he was living was against all he was.
Page put him through the paces for over an hour before calling a stop. Tyrell had managed to walk on his own, but still relied heavily on his upper body strength, and the bars. She
handed him a towel and he wiped his face and neck. “Pretty good, huh?”
“Better than pretty good. Do you realize what you have accomplished in a very short time? You could be featured in medical books.”
“Don’t even think it. No medical journals. I don’t intend to become some kind of lab rat to be prodded and analyzed.”
Page nodded. “I understand, and now I understand the disclosure papers you had me sign. So since I can’t go public, what is the full story here? You’re not bionic, no artificial parts I can see.”
Not answering, Tyrell wheeled his chair toward the door. He was ready to leave, and even to hit the pool. That he was ready to use the pool when others were in it said a lot, because until now he had only used the lodge pool after it closed for the night. Thankfully, Page gave up with the questions, and followed him out to the car.
The woman, Nadia, had stayed in his mind. The more he thought of her, the harder he had pushed himself. Was Devon safe with her? She reminded him of a barracuda. When they got to the car, Page hung back, letting him get himself into the front seat. He had to hand it to her, she knew when to help, when to support, and when to let him do it alone. Well, not alone, she was always there, always ready, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was going to miss her when her job with him was done. He wasn’t made to be alone. First his brothers, then his team, and now Devon and Page. They, the people that thought they knew him, had it all wrong. He needed a team, a partner, a mate. Damn, where had that last one come from?
In the car, he glared out the window at Page. “What are you waiting for? Get in and let’s get out of here.”
“Aye, aye, Captain. Do you want to go straight back to the lodge, or would you like to take a drive? Maybe up around the lake?”
“Now that’s a plan. I’m ready to play a little.”
She shot him a “watch it, buster” look, and he quickly amended his reply. “Hooky, play a little hooky.” Too bad she wasn’t open to some nooky along with it. As soon as he thought it, he rejected it. Not with Page.
Again he felt the wolf inside him speak. Nadia. Tyrell tensed and willed the voice to go away. Page was already suspicious. She didn’t need to see any part of this other side of him. Besides, his wolf couldn’t be more wrong. Miss Snooty? Not in this lifetime.
* * * *
Devon had no plans for anything beyond taking Ms. LaMar up to her room, then putting some distance between them. Breakfast had given him, and he suspected Tyrell, indigestion. Nadia hadn’t engaged in any of the attempts Page made to be friendly. Conservation on her part had been answering questions directed to her with a yes or no. He promised himself that the first thing he was going to do when he left her was take a handful of Tums. It didn’t seem fair that the woman who had caused it didn’t seem to be suffering any. But then again, all she’d had was a small salad, and with dressing on the side yet. Yuck!
“You don’t like me much.” It wasn’t a question, and Devon didn’t feel compelled to answer. Instead, he stopped at her door and said, “I hope you have a nice visit at Blackhawk Lodge, Ms. LaMar.”
“So after having breakfast together you are at the Ms. LaMar stage?”
Devon let his gaze lock with hers. “I’m sorry, I need to get to work.”
Her voice softened. “No, I’m sorry. It’s been a stressful week and…”
“Let me guess. You’re out of your element.”
She smiled, and in spite of himself, he felt a response. Not a physical one like he struggled with around Page. This one was more of an interest, and he didn’t like even that. “Look, it’s okay. I can tell that you want to get to New York. That you have things there you need to get back to. I get anxious when I have a deadline, even though they are for the most part, self-imposed.”
“I’m not anxious, it’s just…” She stopped for a second and then continued. “I am sorry, can we start over? I would really like to work with you. You are perfect, exactly what I have been looking for.”
Looking for? What the hell. Devon took a step back.
This time Nadia erupted into laughter. “You should see your face. That didn’t come out well at all.” She quickly composed herself. “Please. Come in for a few minutes and I’ll explain.”
When he hesitated she added, “I won’t attack you, it’s safe. Really.”
Now Devon had to laugh. This was ridiculous.
The room was large with a sitting room to one side. Still, the king-size bed was very much in sight, and Devon wasn’t real comfortable. Maybe it would be better to invite her up to the penthouse. Or it would have been. He should have thought of that before he stepped into her room. Now he was pretty much committed. Nadia took one of the chairs, and Devon took the other. Swiveling her chair to face him she said, “Let me explain, and there is a logical explanation so you really don’t have to look like you’re about ready to bolt for the door. In a nutshell, when I said you were perfect, I meant your looks. You are a very handsome man, Devon.”
If she was trying to make him relax it wasn’t working. When she addressed him as Devon he wanted to change his mind and get back to “Mr. Blackhawk.” He took a breath to keep quiet so she could continue. Or should he stop her here? It was apparent she thought she was talking to a desk clerk, or at best maybe a manager. What would she say if she knew who he was, and what he was worth? She seemed to be composed, even professional. He would let her talk, since this might prove to be entertaining.
She had been watching him as her words sank in, and now seemingly satisfied, said, “I have been looking for a man that looks like you. Have you done any modeling work?”
“What? Uh, no.” Modeling? What the devil?
She smiled a professional smile that he guessed was to put him at ease. “I’m a little surprised, but no matter. It won’t take us long to get you going.”
This was too much. Get him going? He didn’t think so. He stood up to end the conversation. “Look, uh, Nadia, I’m not sure what you mean by get me going, but I haven’t modeled because I have no interest in it.”
She motioned for him to sit down. “Please hear me out. For one thing you can make a lot of money. New York will change your life.”
“I don’t want to change my life. And, I don’t need more money.”
“We all need more money, Devon.”
He clamped his jaw shut. The way she said his name, in that condescending tone, was rubbing him the wrong way big time. It was time to end this charade. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything she continued. “My family owns LaMar Inc., a large Marketing and Modeling agency. One of our clients is Cortico. They are launching a new men’s fragrance this year, and I am looking for a male model with a fresh, new look that hasn’t been seen before.”
Again he opened his mouth, but she held up her hand stopping him. “Don’t get me wrong, Devon. This isn’t just for one spot. Cortico is a huge perfumery with outlets all over the world. As their launch model you will be in demand beyond your wildest dreams.”
Wow, this was a new approach. He thought it was more in keeping with men trying to pick up women. The old “I’m a producer and would like to set you up for an audition” line. But, on second thought, he’d bet that Nadia was exactly who she said she was. “So you want to hire me? Is that what breakfast was all about?”
Nadia crossed legs that seemed to never end, and relaxed back in her chair. It wasn’t hard to tell that she thought she had him. Well she was in for a big surprise.
“You don’t know who I am. Let me…”
Still composed, she smiled over at him. “I know that you’re…”
“Eye candy?”
Now the Ice Queen was back. “I don’t use terms like that. You are five-star model material.”
“Umm, five-star you say?”
“You could make some serious money, Devon. I will take care of transportation to New York. A First Class flight, then accommodations at say, the Waldorf.”
Devon whistled. “The Waldorf.” For a
second he thought about stringing her along. She deserved to be taken down a notch, or two, or three. Shaking his head he stood up. “Sorry, I’m not a New York kind of guy.”
He headed for the door, but not before he got a look at the disbelief on her face. “Look, I really am sorry. I wish you luck in finding what, or who, you are looking for. Some lucky guy is going to have his world changed. But it isn’t me.”
Devon closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. Wow, this had been an eventful morning for sure. Too bad it had gone so wrong. There was something about Nadia that in spite of her attitude pulled him in.
* * * *
Nadia watched Devon disappear out the door. His reaction to her offer was anything but what she had expected. How could a guy turn down an offer like the one she had just made? Darn, back to square one, or maybe not, as she had a few days to work on the elusive Devon. Just the same, she picked up her cell and dialed her office. “Jane, you are not going to believe this. We are barely in Montana and it’s looking like we may be here a couple of days. Please give me some good news. Like, have any promising portfolios come in yesterday or today?”
“We received four, but I know you are not going to like them. Two, we have used before, and I know you want a new face. The other two are really young looking. Too young for the ‘Fragrance of Man.’”
Nadia couldn’t suppress a frustrated sigh. “Okay, I’ll call tomorrow. In the meantime, let me know if anything comes up, and keep looking. We really need to get a model soon.”
Nadia walked over to the wall of windows and opened the sliding door. It was starting to warm up a little and the air felt clean and fresh. Blackhawk, Montana really was beautiful, and the lodge was stunning, but it wasn’t New York. She wondered what her grandmother was doing, like she didn’t know. Since her retirement three years ago she had gotten hooked on soaps, and spent a couple of hours every afternoon glued to the TV. Thus one of the reasons for an early stop each day. Again, Nadia sighed. She couldn’t begrudge her grandmother her life. She had worked hard, and deserved this time to travel and relax. She had been on a cruise when her eyesight failed, and she had been flown back to Seattle for the operation. Now, maybe it was a good thing she had the soaps to slow her down so she could recuperate. At least a good thing for her, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Nadia. For years she had been trying to convince her father that she could step into her grandmother’s shoes and be an equal partner in the family business. When he had finally given in and let her have the Cortico account, she had thrown herself into the project with a passion. On time, and on budget, all she had to do to make it a raging success was find the right male model. Devon was perfect. Too perfect for her to accept defeat. She could do this. First, check in on her grandmother, and then map out a plan to get what she wanted from this over-the-top model material guy who no doubt was just playing hard to get.