by Nikki Duncan
He was betting on her.
“You want me to plan your wedding?”
“Yes.” Betting on her in a way he’d known he would agree to before hearing her pitch.
Of course, his original plan had been to attach the condition of dating him to the deal. He’d reconsidered that angle. She was trying to put her life as a call-girl in the past and such a condition would stink of blackmail, or worse, as payment for companionship. This was his chance to start fresh without the stigma of prostitution lingering in either of their minds. It was his chance to prove he loved her for her.
“When is the big day?”
“The date hasn’t been set, but if things fall into place for us, I hope before the year is out.”
“It’s already fall. You’d have to get the planning started immediately.”
She tried to keep her tone modulated, but he heard the miniscule shaking. He just wasn’t sure if it was from an uncertainty of her ability to plan a wedding on such short notice, or a little fear at how quickly things were turning for her, or if it was from the thought of him getting married in light of how much they’d felt for each other. The jealousy idea pleased him most, especially if it helped in his planned negotiations.
“I know some of what I want. It shouldn’t be too big an affair, but not too small either. Maybe fifty people or so. Possibly at my parents’ estate, so outside with the water in the background.”
“Sounds lovely if you don’t freeze your guests.”
“We can see the water from inside the great room too. Nothing will be as lovely as the bride in what I’ve no doubt will be a classy gown with embellished simplicity.”
“I suppose you know what flowers you would like as well?” She responded with a snarky disdain he’d seen hints of before, but each time he’d expected it to be revealed she’d pulled back. He didn’t want her pulling back, so he chose a response intended to prick her defenses.
“Eh, whatever she wants, but I do have a preference to pale purple roses.”
“Sterling roses.”
“Yes.” Lori’s favorite. “Oh, and the traditional cakes. Chocolate groom’s cake with chocolate covered strawberries and the tiered white cake. Melt-in-your-mouth light and fluffy for them both.”
“Are you really interested in those kinds of details?”
Her monotone question wasn’t the reaction he’d hoped for.
“It’s my wedding too, but my mind can easily be swayed by the bride I’ve chosen. And I guess with only fifty people we could do with only one cake.” He smiled slowly and captured her milk chocolate gaze with his. “There’s nothing about her I don’t want to know. Nothing I don’t love.”
“She’s a lucky woman.”
He didn’t blink or look away. “I’m a lucky man to know her.”
“Do you want to talk details now, or at another meeting?”
His vote was now so he could spend more time with her, but going for later gave him more time to plan. This was one merger he couldn’t afford to miss a step on. “It’s going to have to be later.”
“Fine.” Lori stood and smoothed the seam of her pleated slacks. “I have someone waiting for me, and you and I need to finalize the business deal first or I have no reason to plan anyone’s wedding.”
“Of course.” Except this one. He followed her to the door, almost placing his palm at the small of her back, just a small touch, but he resisted the suggestive intimacy. “I’ll contact you as soon as the contract is drawn up.”
“I look forward to hearing from you.” Without a trace of personal meaning in her words, she shook his hand tersely, then strode to the elevator.
He couldn’t see her face, but the rise of her ears and the shift of her scalp told him she grinned. It wouldn’t be the last time he put happiness on her face, and she wouldn’t always hide it from him.
“Lori.”
She stopped, but didn’t turn. “Yes?”
“Would you begin sketching a dress? Anything you would love will be more than suitable.”
If she found his request for sketches odd, she kept it to herself and only nodded once. “Of course.”
Smiling, as much from the sad quiver in her voice—he’d bet on jealousy—as from seeing her again, Trevor turned to his new assistant. “Gina, would you get Bill from legal and Randy from maintenance up here? Warn Bill we’re possibly in for a long afternoon and let Randy know her maintenance team is in for some overtime.”
He had the perfect space for Lori’s shop and it was conveniently located. For him.
“Yes, sir.”
“And once they’re here, take the rest of the day off. Maybe go to a salon for a massage or facial or something. Use the company card. You’ve put in your share of long afternoons lately.” They both had since he’d taken the company back from Breck, because no matter how fancy his degrees or how great his intentions were, his best friend was better suited for leading his FBI team than for running a large corporation.
And since returning with a new drive and hiring Gina, Trevor had been intent on erasing the damage Edwin had caused the company—publicly and internally. Thankfully, things were smoothing out, new securities and policies were being implemented. He was still scouting for the right person to head up security, but now was as good a time as any to shift some of his focus to Lori.
She wouldn’t see him coming.
Chapter Three
“Ms. Mullins.” Damien Spencer, her attorney for the last fifteen years, smiled as he held her hand in his firm and slightly over-friendly grasp. Because he’d been privy to some of her secrets he thought he knew her and mistakenly believed they’d make a sensible merger. “I’m not sure where you found Mr. Masters, or how you got this deal put together so quickly, but you couldn’t have asked for better terms.”
Except the part where I now have to deal with him on a permanent basis. “He’s been more generous than I’d hoped.”
“Well, congratulations. Let me know if I can do anything else for you.”
“I will. Thank you for being available today.” Extricating her hand as casually as possible, she nodded and pushed the down button on the elevator. Damien’s work here was done, but Trevor had asked her to stay—probably to talk about his wedding.
Her belly bottomed out at the idea of Trevor marrying another woman. Images of standing mid-ceremony, listing the reasons he shouldn’t get married swam in her head in a dizzying swirl.
“Anytime.” His voice dropped to an intimate level.
“What?” She shook her head and looked at Damien.
“Anytime.”
Again she thought he’d like to see their relationship travel a less professional path. Even with Trevor off the market she wasn’t interested. Damien was a nice man, but he did nothing for her. Even if he did, a merger he thought would look good on paper for the sake of his political goals wasn’t for her. Hell, the reporters would rip into her past and Damien’s dreams would shatter. Some of her skeletons could never be cremated.
She waved as he stepped into the waiting elevator and headed back to Trevor’s office. He sat at the small conference table where he’d been throughout their afternoon-long meeting. The table where he’d once spread her out like his buffet. And then they’d switched places.
“Are you satisfied?”
“Excuse me?” He’d asked the same back then, in the same tone. Could he know where her mind had traveled?
“Are you satisfied?” he repeated with a quizzical tilt to an eyebrow. “With the contract?”
“Of course.” She moved back to the chair she’d vacated and picked up her copy of the contract left by Gina. The papers bound at the top with a heavy blue cover, with initials, signatures and notary seals on the pertinent pages rested between her fingers with a heavy freedom. It was real. Her dream was real. “Do I want to know how you knew who represented me? I might have liked to call my attorney myself.”
“It’s nothing as underhanded as you think. You and Bill spoke about him. I
took a chance and called to see if he still represented you.”
“Which could have put me in an awkward spot if he didn’t.”
“But he does so there’s no problem.”
“You’re arrogant and take too much for granted.”
“And you were eager to get this contract finalized.”
“Apparently so were you, but that doesn’t mean I appreciate the liberties you take. It makes me wonder if I’ve made a mistake taking you on as a partner.” If perhaps he wasn’t primarily driven by his wedding plans, because the sooner she was set up for clients the faster she could work on his special day. And meet his fiancée—an inevitable event she dreaded.
“You won’t regret me, Lori.”
“Mr. Masters.” Gina stepped just inside the office and folded her hands in front of her, not quite demure so much as proper. Lori much preferred her to Trevor’s last, and very pompous, assistant Edwin. “Randy is ready for you.”
Taking the announcement of Trevor’s next appointment as a dismissal, Lori began gathering her things. She almost missed the pleased grin flirting with the corners of his mouth, and damn if it didn’t have her pulse pumping harder for a beat and her heart wishing she was the cause.
“Lori, leave that.” He moved around the table and pulled her from her chair. “I’d like to show you…something.”
Something slid off his tongue like a secret she shouldn’t trust. Surprises had never been friendly to her but operative work had taught her how many insights could be gained by following without argument. “What are you up to?”
“Business.”
“We agreed—”
“That I could pass on contacts to you. I’m only going to introduce you to someone.”
“Then why say you had something to show me?” He was leaving out details.
“Poor word choice.”
A harsh laugh almost burst free. Trevor always had the right words for any situation. It was a skill that had irritated her even while attracting her. It was the attractive part which intrigued her, and had her being led to the elevator with his hand flattened at the small of her back.
Her heart leapt. Maybe from his touch or from the idea he still felt something for her. The latter, whispered her hopeful heart. Why else would he walk with her as he always had, touching her in some small way or another? And just like every time before his warmth seeped into her, awakened her arousal, made her feel cherished.
He’s engaged.
The argument held more weight in her mind than with her body’s reactions, and damn but her detail-specific brain reminded her Trevor didn’t habitually walk the same way with all women. In an attempt to avoid complications he put tremendous effort in avoiding casual touches a woman could misconstrue. He held himself apart from people he didn’t consider close.
He still thought of her fondly. Her cheeks and neck warmed and before long she would be flushed red with excitement.
He’s off limits.
She shouldn’t be aroused by him or allow herself to believe for a moment he was being anything less than a gentleman. He was in a relationship. He’d moved on and released the dreams they had once talked about. Sure, she hadn’t expected a rekindling of their relationship, and it was true she’d decided to focus on business until her life was back on track, but it felt as if he was essentially rubbing his happiness in her face.
It was sort of…cruel.
“Lori?” He looked down at her with tender concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yep.” How she held back the confused “huh?” that popped into her brain would remain a mystery, but she was glad for it. Maybe some of her spy training or time with Madame V, the dominant and domineering head of Elegant Entertainment, had given her more skills at concealing thoughts than she had realized. If she’d ever needed to hide questions or reactions from anyone Madame V, always ready with a violent hand, had been that person. In the end, Lori’s restraint hadn’t mattered. “Who are you taking me to meet?”
“You’ll see.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Pity.” In the elevator, he pushed the button for the lobby floor and fell into a silence which left her too long to wonder what he was up to. With each kind-voiced announcement signaling a passing floor her hand fisted against the urge to chew off a nail. It was a habit she’d picked up in captivity and after recovery she’d resorted to acrylics to save her fingers. When the doors opened again, they were met by a petite woman built much like herself clad in snug jeans, a curve-loving T-shirt and work boots. Her blonde ponytail enhanced her face to perfection.
“Trevor.” The woman smiled warmly at him and then offered her hand to Lori with a gleeful twinkle in her blue eyes. “You must be Lori. I’m Randy, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the big day.”
The fiancée. Lori uncurled her fingers and took Randy’s hand in a brief shake.
“He’s told me so much about you.” Excitement bubbled off the woman as her gaze danced between Lori and Trevor.
He cleared his throat, effectively severing whatever Randy may have said next. Not that it mattered. Lori didn’t believe for a tenth of a second Trevor would tell his betrothed about the call-girl he’d hired for more than companionship. And if he’d known she was undercover at the time… Well, lies layered upon lies didn’t uncomplicate matters.
“Randy manages building maintenance. You have it ready?” Trevor asked Randy.
“The crew just finished.” She turned away from the main lobby and headed toward a hallway behind the elevators.
Trevor once again placed his hand at Lori’s back. Instead of accustomed warmth, the touch shot through her, as if each fingertip was an acid-dipped needle. She stepped aside and broke the contact.
“Lori?”
“You’ve changed,” she whispered so Randy wouldn’t hear. Or maybe he wasn’t the stand up man she’d always thought him to be.
“What?” He genuinely looked confused, as if he was doing nothing wrong in touching her with Randy so close.
Even if he wasn’t unavailable his philandering attitude made him undesirable.
A few steps ahead, Randy pushed open double, frosted glass doors and stepped inside. Trevor seized the moment and halted Lori with a hand on her elbow.
“I don’t know what you’re suddenly upset about, Lori, but I haven’t changed.”
“Clearly you have.” She pulled her arm free and pointed toward the doors. “I assume we’re following Randy.”
Her voice hardened on Randy’s name. He wasn’t sure if he imagined it as partial pain, but she wasn’t in the mood to talk, and he wouldn’t get into it with curious ears around. Whatever spun in Lori’s gorgeous mind would go un-halted until he found a better time.
“Trevor. Lori.” Randy poked her head back into the hall. “You coming?”
“Yes,” Lori answered as she stepped around him. “Though I’m still unclear what’s going on.”
That makes two of us.
He followed her into the recently vacated office space he’d had Randy’s crew clean out and waited for a reaction. Lori had slipped into the shroud of unreadable blankness she easily and frequently donned. It had taken six dates—personal, not business related—before she’d begun showing hints of the warmth and generosity of her real self. And a touch of vulnerability he’d failed to fully understand before running out of time.
“What’s this about, Trevor?”
“He’s not always good at explaining himself,” Randy said with a roll of her eyes as she moved closer to Lori. “Hell, he sucks at it.”
“Thank you, Randy.” Trevor glared at her—a betrayal of frustration he was expert at hiding. “I’ve got it from here.”
“As you wish.” The woman patted Lori’s arm and headed toward the door. “See you around, Lori.”
“Yeah.”
There it was again. The note of what he suspected to be pain, yet there were no traces of it in her eyes or on her face. Was he imagining it?
/> Once Randy was gone, Lori linked her hands before her. “I’m waiting for an explanation.”
“I see how you are now.”
“Yeah?”
“All business.”
“Yes, so get to it.”
“Fine.” Since his weak attempt to lighten the mood failed, he opened his arms to indicate the space. “This is about a thousand square feet larger than what you outlined in your proposal. It has a loading dock and large warehouse space complete with a walk-in cooler perfect for keeping flowers fresh. As a building tenant you would have access to the main mailroom for mail and package receiving as well as supply orders. Building maintenance, Randy’s team, handles cleaning and repairs. It is available immediately, and I think you’d find the lease terms agreeable.”
She didn’t move. Her face didn’t change as she glanced around the large, open space. Her body language didn’t shift. “You’re trying to control every aspect of this aren’t you?”
“No. I only want to see you succeed and this space has everything you could want.” Including free rent if it meant she was just downstairs from him.
“Really?”
“Yes. We’re surrounded by some great shopping, we have a private parking garage, so the walk from other downtown garages isn’t an issue, and our security keeps people and their belongings safe. You would have free rein of the build out, with restrictions only applying to structural concerns.”
“Signage?”
“On the building menus in the lobby and garage entrances, as well as on the outside of the building and on your space windows. It must be approved though.”
“Rent?”
“Due the middle of the month beginning the first month you’re open.”
“Cost?”
“Negotiable.”
“Utilities?”
“Not included. The space is wired with the ability to patch calls through the main lobby if you choose to use it.” As guarded as she’d been at times, she’d never seemed distrusting. Until now. It may be a result of whatever had gotten to her in the hall, or it could be something entirely different. Regardless, he suspected himself to somehow be the cause.