Rush: A Second Chance Romance

by Ellen Lane

  Lila groaned. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Lottie, I’m not talking about sex. Though, I suppose getting laid wouldn’t kill you.”

  Charlotte made a face, swinging her legs over the side of the couch to plod into the kitchen. “Not while I’m on a project, Lila. You know better.”

  The blonde listened to her putter around in the next room for a moment before she returned with two full glasses of juice and a smirk. “You should have known this was coming.”

  “Do you really think I’m so horrible for trying to see you happy?” When all else failed, Lila usually played the guilt card - her ace in the hole. She would probably say she got what she wanted about fifty percent of the time when she used her last resort.

  This time, it didn’t seem like luck was on her side.

  “No, I don’t. But I do think you’re horrible for trying to plan a double date without telling me first. Have some respect for your elders, Lila.” When Charlotte stuck her tongue out at her playfully, Lila knew it was over. She hated when her roommate pulled the “elder” card on her. She wasn’t quite two years younger than Lotte, and there were times she was certain she was more mature.

  Even the redhead’s own father had agreed on one of his many visits.

  “Fine.” She took her juice from Charlotte to set it down on a side table before flopping down herself. “So, what then? We do a movie and then you go back to your study all evening?”

  “While you enjoy a lovely night and some sizzling hot sex with Benny, yes.” Charlotte grinned knowingly as her roommate blushed. “Isn’t that better than obsessing over me?”

  “I do not obsess,” Lila rebutted, reaching out to slap Charlotte on the thigh in reprimand.

  “Of course not.” Her friend acquiesced. “You just worry about whether I’m sleeping properly, if I ate enough, what I’m doing, when I’m starting my projects, that kind of thing.” She eyed the blonde wryly, knowing that she had her.

  All Lila could do was glare at her roommate for a moment before consenting defeat.

  “Fine, you win. No double date.”

  Charlotte grinned, triumphant. “You’ll have a better time without me.”

  And she meant it. They had their girl’s afternoon - bought enough candy to make themselves sick and only consumed half of it in the movie theater before Charlotte left Lila to spend her evening with Benny.

  The way things were supposed to be.

  As Charlotte returned to the apartment, she wondered if she would ever be like Lila - the type to settle down and fall for one person til death did they part. Not that Lila had admitted that Benny was the one yet, but, in Charlotte’s opinion, it was pretty easy to tell. She was touched that Lila wanted that for her, but Charlotte had long recognized that she wasn’t exactly the type.

  Sure, sex was great. Fantastic, even, with the right person - but they were few and far between, and when she did find them, they were usually intimidated as hell by her lifestyle - the way her career was rapidly expanding and the amount of time she could spent bent over her drawing table at one time.

  Charlotte didn’t plan on giving up her career anytime soon, so she was certain that she would stay single until she retired -which might be never. Surprisingly, the idea didn’t bother her as much as people might believe. She was still perfectly up for a fling when the occasion called for it, and, luckily enough, she wasn’t the type of woman who developed attachments easily.

  At least, not to men. Charlotte could fully and wholly admit that she was very attached to Lila, and wanted only happiness for her best friend and roommate.

  Which was why she’d sent her out with Benny alone. No matter how nice Benny’s friend might be, or how good he might look, the last thing Charlotte wanted for Lila’s date was that trial period of awkward over which two people got to know each other. It was horrible, to say the least, and Benny and Lila were way too far along to deserve any of that.

  Besides, as good as the movie had been, she was itching to get back to her plans.

  Tossing her purse onto the couch, she grabbed her laptop for a quick perusal of her e-mails. She thought that, perhaps, there would be one from Jackson Kensley, asking her how the plans were coming along. Instead, Charlotte merely found one from her architecture firm - the one she had her last day at just the previous week.

  She scanned it quickly, a smile turning up the corner of her mouth when she found they were asking if she’d be available in the future for consulting work. This was a company that had, over the past five years, constantly attempted to curb her creativity. They had hired her only reluctantly, and after that, every time she came up with a building design that seemed to go against their company ‘ideals’ they made her draft and redraft it until they were happy with the result.

  As much as she loved being an architect, Charlotte couldn’t ever remember being so stifled in her life. She had put up with the position because making a living in LA was hard, but it hadn’t stopped her from working on her own designs in secret to feel fulfilled. The only ones who had seen those designs were her father and Delilah, and rightfully so. Charlotte knew well enough of the proclivity of companies to denounce designs in front of architects and then attempt to sell the works as their own.

  Of course, whenever clients asked for something more creative she was sent, like an obedient little puppy, to bring out her first drafts to meet demand.

  In the end, Charlotte had been so worn down that she would have done anything for a chance at freedom. She was contemplating quitting as it was when her father took the liberty of showing some of her designs to his friend, Mr. Kensley.

  And now, here she was, with a chance at everything she had ever wanted. Charlotte had never been so nervous or elated in her entire life. She was, she told herself for the hundredth time, lucky to have such a supportive friend in her life, and a father who had devoted his entire existence to encouraging her to be whatever she wanted to be, regardless of what anyone else thought.

  It wasn’t as if the young woman wasn’t aware that her designs were unconventional. Quite the contrary, in fact. She knew that what she was doing was new and innovative - it was just hard to be the first person touching something innovative when everyone around her was certain that she was a little crazy.

  And maybe she was.

  If Charlotte was a little bit crazy, then she could embrace it. Crazy was what made her who she was, and if she wasn’t who she was, then she wouldn’t be where she was.

  With a deep, tremulous breath, she deleted the e-mail - her last remaining tie to the company that had made it their inherent duty to oppress her - and made for her study. After about twelve hours of being able to brainstorm and get out of the house, her plans were calling her. She knew just what additions she would make.

  And when the representative for Kensley Enterprises arrived in a few weeks, she would be prepared. More than prepared.

  She was going to give this project everything she had - and then some.

  Chapter 3 - Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object

  Vlad wasn’t particularly fond of travelling. Shiro was the one that travelled, and though Vladimir often wondered what it would be to accompany him to some of the more exotic locales he visited, in the end, any time spent traveling was just time that he spent away from the office.

  And that always worked him up.

  Even though his father told him that he and the office managers would handle everything in his absence, Vlad still found himself somewhat anxious. He had been to the sites of several other buildings for the firm during construction, but his father never sent him alone. He realized that Jackson had been slowly but surely leeching power over to him for the past ten years, and that this day was inevitable.

  But he still wasn’t quite sure what proper decorum was.

  His flight got into Los Angeles at five in the evening, and he was slated to meet with the architect the next morning. Even now he found himself reluctant to leave his desk. At a sharp knock on his door, he looked up, ex
pecting to see Marcy in the doorway. Instead of the brunette, however, he found his brother Ethan grinning at him.

  Arching a brow, he eyed the blonde man in inquiry. “Aren’t you supposed to be looking over the budget projections for Japan?”

  “Always happy to see me. Brings such a smile to my face, Vlad.” Truth be told, Ethan, despite being a brilliant accountant, was always looking for one excuse or another to get out of his department. He hated to stay in one place for too long - in that aspect he was a lot like their oldest brother Alistair.

  “Did you finish the projections?”

  At his unrelenting question, Ethan merely sighed, leaning against the doorframe with a long-suffering expression. “Of course I did. Have I ever failed to meet a deadline?”

  He had a point. Despite the younger man’s tendency to wander, he never neglected to finish an important project, and today would be no exception. Sighing, Vlad finally allowed himself a small smile. “Happy to see me go?”

  “As my boss or as my brother?” Ethan replied with a teasing smile, stepping into the room to gaze around the office. He had often commented on how threadbare Vlad’s decorative sense was. He liked neutral colors - nothing too terribly eye-catching, as he believed it distracted him. His office was an organized, neutral zone that Ethan insisted made more creative minds want to climb the walls.

  “Very funny.” Vlad grabbed a stack of folders from the top drawer of his desk before sliding them into his briefcase.

  “Oh, come on, Vlad. You know everyone will miss you...That’s why I’ve come really - to tell you not to be gone long.” Ethan winked. “The office isn’t the same without you.”

  “More relaxed I’m sure. Dad will take care of things.”

  “You know,” Ethan braced his arms on the desk, grinning up at his brother. “You’re not nearly as scary as you think you are. Obsessive, maybe, but not scary.”

  “I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or not.” Vlad smirked, shutting his drawer after gathering a few last stacks of papers to take with him. Though he already had the budget for the LA building, his father had advised him to be flexible and keep an open mind. When he said so, he’d gotten that damned twinkle in his eye again - the one that tended to make Vlad suspicious as hell. He only hoped the man wasn’t plotting to have the building constructed underground...Vladimir could only imagine the logistics nightmare.

  “Well, you have to come back if you want to see what a debacle I’m making of my life.” Vladimir arched a brow, wondering what on earth he was talking about. “Oh, Dad hasn’t told you yet?” Ethan took his expression almost gleefully, more than ready to tell all. “I’m going to be speaking to a matchmaker in a week or so. I thought it might be a good bit of entertainment.”

  Vlad could only stare at his brother incredulously. If there was any man in the Kensley clan that had absolutely no issue getting any woman he wanted, it was Ethan. He was an innate womanizer, and he seemed to collect admirers like most people did clothing. “Why the hell would you need a matchmaker?”

  Ethan merely chuckled, obviously amused by his brother’s surprise. “Like I said: fun. I’ve tried pretty much every other avenue to meet women. This one should be pretty damned interesting.”

  With a sigh, Vlad merely shook his head. “In that case, I might try to stay away for longer than I anticipated. Far be it from me to come back to you torturing your next victim.”

  “Oh, come on, Vlad. Am I really that bad?”

  Vladimir didn’t answer, instead only smiling at the blonde man. Ethan was, indeed, all that and more. With all the determination their father had that he should settle down with a worthy woman, Vlad was surprised that he wasn’t more preoccupied with Ethan.

  “Oh, fine then. Deny me my fun.” With that, Ethan stepped around the desk to enfold him in an unexpected hug. Vlad stiffened for a moment in shock before he allowed himself to embrace his brother in return. “Have a good trip, boss.”

  After all these years, he was still reticent when it came to unexpected affection - but he appreciated it more than he had when he was at his loneliest.

  “Don’t wreak havoc while I’m gone.” He thumped the younger man in the back before picking up his briefcase. As much as Ethan could grind on his nerves, he felt fairly confident knowing that he and his father would remain in Manhattan in his absence.

  After all, the days were racing by at this point - there were less than nine months before he was supposed to take over his father’s position completely. Effectively, this project in LA would be his last before he ascended to the level of CEO.

  It was a lot to think about.

  In truth, though, Vladimir had been able to contemplate little else for the past few weeks - he had been even more absorbed than usual in his daily regime at the office, and when he went home to his Manhattan apartment, he was usually working as well. The dark-haired man was determined that he should know everything there was to know about the firm by the time he took his place at its head.

  At least, that would be ideal.

  If nothing else, at least his time in LA would give him a breather from the media bubble he existed inside in Manhattan. His father always told him that one had to deal with the media like they were particularly pesky bugs and only pay attention to the really important ones - but Vlad had never been very proficient at dealing with them period. It was one of the reasons he had hired Marcy - she doubled as his media representative and personal assistant.

  Whenever possible, Vlad avoided the media completely. He knew that once he ascended to CEO status, this would be near impossible, so he supposed he had to relish his personal time while it lingered.

  Though the flight was five hours, it felt to Vladimir as if the time passed in a whirlwind. All too soon, he was landing at the airport and he barely felt ready to face what he was sure promised to be a daunting task. He knew little about LA or the infrastructure there and was counting on the architect to fill him in.

  He could only hope that Charlotte Garner wasn’t too wrapped up in herself to accommodate him. He’d been so absorbed in work that he had precious little time to research her before he got on the plane to LA. He didn’t really know what to expect. Of course, the last thing Vlad expected was to be confronted by a proverbial horde of media the moment he stepped from behind the security checkpoint.

  For a moment, he just stared in shock. There had to be at least twenty reporters standing there, all with cameras trained on him. He had never been the type to travel with a security detail - but that didn’t mean he was as big or burly as his eldest brother Alistair. Vladimir wasn’t a shrimp by any means - he was almost six and a half feet tall, and working out was part of his daily regimen - but he didn’t think it would be a very good idea to go swinging through these reporters simply because they caught him off guard. That would hardly do.

  Instead, he merely stood there as the throng surged towards him, intent on answers.

  “Mr. Kensley, is it true that the new East Coast Headquarters for Kensley Enterprises will be built in the center of the city?”

  “Has the design for the building been cemented yet?”

  “Are you in competition with the other firms downtown?”

  “Will the expenditure on this building be significantly higher than past projects?”

  Vlad was far from prepared for the questions. He’d just gotten off a five-hour flight that he had believed would end in some semblance of relaxation before he had to get to work on the opposite coast - and now that idea was woefully disassembled. If he had to speak to the media, he would prefer to have something prepared - and Marcy was three thousand miles away, back in New York.

  He merely stared at the flashing cameras for a long moment, trying to think of what his father might do under similar circumstances. There was no doubt that Jackson Kensley would know exactly what to say - the older man was possessed of an innate charm that Vlad knew he himself lacked.

  He was prepared to answer the congregated people be
fore him with a less than rousing “no comment” when, all at once, something completely unexpected occurred.

  A tall, slender woman he hadn’t noticed stepped in front of him. She was glad in a deep green dress that accentuated her slim form - along with the curves she seemed to have exactly where they were needed. Her hair was the color of fire - riotous and red - it hung over her shoulders in a profusion of ringlets, haloing a face dotted with freckles splashed across creamy, smooth skin.

  When she opened her mouth to speak, her soft brown eyes were bright and sure. “The design for the downtown high rise, has, in fact, been cemented. Mr. Kensley plans to go over it with the architect tomorrow in order to ascertain what the best day would be to break ground.”

  Vlad blinked, shocked at how smoothly she articulated herself before moving on to the next question. “Kensley Enterprises certainly isn’t in direct competition with other firms downtown. It’s simply a reflection of their investment in the city that they purchased a chunk of prime real estate. They’re certainly moving to make their mark, as I’m sure all of you have noticed.”

  Her answer sent a titter of amusement rippling through the crowd and Vlad looked at her in a mixture of confusion and intrigue. Who the hell was she? “As for the expenditure,” The redhead went on with a mysterious smile, “the firm is still working on that point. It will be released on public record when the building is complete, and anyone looking to criticize it can feel free to do so then. Now,” Even as the reporters began to clamor to ask more questions, the woman turned to Vlad, and he found himself unexpectedly struck by the mysterious, amused quirk of her full mouth, “Mr. Kensley has appointments that he needs to keep. There will be a press conference within the week. Mr. Kensley?”

  It took him a full five seconds to realize that she meant him to follow her; and oddly, he did it without a second thought. Vlad fell into step behind a stranger, wondering how on earth she knew so much about the company’s project - and if she didn’t, how she managed to sound as if she did. Once they were outside at the airport curb, another few security guards hurried to control the reporters, allowing the fire-haired woman and he a wide berth as they moved towards the gleaming black Mercedes he’d been told to look for.