by Kira Blakely
Now, I find out my career’s in jeopardy.
What next? A broken arm? God forbid.
“Sam?” I hear the concern in Pam’s voice.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
It’s not Pam’s fault. She’s a news reporter, so she has a thing for bearing bad news. Even so, she’s just the messenger. I brought this upon myself.
“No, you’re not. Eat something.”
“I’m still full.”
“Suit yourself.” She pats my hair. “I have to go back to my desk. I’ve got a deadline to beat. Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s not the end of the world.”
Easy for her to say.
“Who knows? He might just let it go.”
I lift my head and look at her. I can tell she thinks it’s unlikely, and yet she said so anyway just to make me feel better. That’s why she’s my best friend.
She crosses her fingers as she walks away then turns and blows me a kiss.
“Good luck with that deadline,” I call out to her.
She gives me a thumbs up. Then she’s gone.
I look around the cafeteria, the crowd seeming smaller now.
I glance at my watch. 12:42.
Should I go back to my desk? But I don’t really have anything to do there. And frankly, I don’t want to see Nancy or Mattie again. Should I go home then? My next event isn’t until noon tomorrow, so I can.
I’m still toying with the idea when my phone beeps.
A new message from Barry Baker.
I frown. Didn’t I tell that scumbag not to contact me anymore? Why does he still have my email?
There are pictures. I don’t understand what…
Oh, shit.
They’re all pictures of me. And Nathan. Half of them are of us kissing, the other half of us getting into the elevator.
How on earth did he get these pictures?
Why am I even asking? He’s paparazzi. Taking pictures without anyone knowing is his specialty. But why send them to me?
I scroll down.
I know what you did last night, but hey, I can be persuaded to keep it a secret from your boss. Just have dinner with me tonight at seven at the Marriott. See you.
If my phone wasn’t so expensive, I’d probably have thrown it at the nearest wall.
How dare Barry blackmail me? Then again, I should have known blackmail wasn’t beneath him. He’d do anything to achieve his filthy goals.
Anything.
I knew it. He’s a weasel.
Well, there’s nothing I can do. If those pictures reach Henry or Nancy or any of the executives at the company, my credibility is going to be questioned. They’ll say I’m using my job to get laid. They’ll call it a breach of trust, a conflict of interest. At any rate, I could easily get fired and my dreams will go down the drain.
I can’t let that happen. I won’t. Luckily, Barry is giving me a chance to get rid of them.
Lucky? Just the thought of sitting across from him at a table, enduring his mischievous grin and knowing what he’s thinking of, is enough to make me cringe.
Yup, my day just got worse.
Much worse.
I’ve been through worse, I tell myself as a confidence booster as I walk across the lobby of the Marriott toward the lounge.
It’s 6:46. The sooner we start, the sooner we can finish. And I intend to finish this as soon as possible.
Barry is already here. He’s eager. Of course, he is.
He’s sporting a new suit and a fresh shave, too. Not that it makes him any less of a dick.
He sees me immediately, his smile growing wide. Then his eyebrows crease. Probably, he doesn’t approve of what I’m wearing — a cardigan over a turtleneck and a skirt over leggings. Nope, I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of gawking at me or trying to steal a glimpse down my shirt.
His smile returns, though, as I sit across from him.
“I knew you’d come.”
I pick up the menu. “I didn’t have anything else to do.”
We order. Steak and wine for him. Just salad and a glass of juice for me. I don’t intend to stay long, after all.
“Watching your figure?” Barry asks, eyes on my breasts.
What figure? “I’m not that hungry.”
Who would have an appetite dining with scum?
“Too bad. I’m paying. A man always pays on a date, after all.”
I want to tell him it isn’t a date, but I have a feeling he’ll insist it is so I drop the subject. Besides, there’s something more important we need to discuss.
“Where are the pictures?” I ask.
“Impatient, are we?”
“I just want to make sure you’re going to live up to your end of the bargain.”
Barry grins as he touches his chin. “Feisty as ever, I see. It’s what I like about you.”
Whatever. “The pictures?”
“Dinner first. Then the pictures.” He holds up a USB stick.
“And how can I be sure those are the only copies you have?”
“You can’t.” There goes that mischievous grin again. “Although I must say, you looked beautiful in that gown.”
Every word from his mouth makes me shudder.
As if that’s not bad enough, he suddenly places his hand over mine. “You’re better off with me, you know. Now that he’s fucked you once, he’ll forget all about you, whereas I… I’ll never get tired of —”
Thankfully, the waiter comes and Barry lets go of my hand.
I’m saved. For now.
We start eating. Finally, Barry shuts up. He seems to be hungry and the thick slab of beef in front of him seems to be perfectly cooked, the smell of the spices in the gravy wafting to my nostrils. Even my salad looks divine, the vegetables fresh and colorful, the portion just right.
Thank goodness.
Then just when I’m down to my last forkful, I hear the waitress speak somewhere behind me.
“This way to your table, Mr. Landers.”
Mr. Landers?
“Thank you, Anne.”
There’s no mistaking that voice. It’s Nathan Landers, all right.
Shit.
Of all the restaurants in town, why did he have to walk into this one?
My mind races. What do I do? Just sit still and pray he doesn’t see me?
Nope. So far, I’ve been unlucky, and I don’t expect my luck to turn anytime soon. I can’t take any chances.
I shove the last bit of salad into my mouth and wipe my lips with the napkin. “Excuse me. I have to go to the ladies’ room.”
Without waiting for Barry to say anything — he can’t since his mouth is full — I rush to the door.
As I cross the vast expanse of the lobby, its black, white and gold tiles gleaming beneath the multiple pendant lights, I see the sign for the restrooms. I turn the corner, but just as I am about to go to the ladies’ room, I catch a glimpse of glass doors leading to a garden. I go there instead, thinking that I need fresh air.
I gulp in deep breaths as I sit on an empty bench beside a lamp post, willing it to clear my mind.
Why? Why does everything have to be so messed up?
First Nathan. Then Barry. Now Nathan again. What am I supposed to do? Go back in there and face them both? I want to see Nathan again, sure, but I don’t think I can after what I did to him. Nor do I want to see Barry again. What then? Do I just let Barry do what he wants with those pictures?
I exhale. I should have snatched that fucking USB stick when I had the chance.
I’m still trying to find a way out of my dilemma, my face buried in my hands, when I hear footsteps approaching.
I lift my head, frowning when I realize Barry has found me.
“I thought you’d left.” He sits beside me on the bench and lights a cigarette. “But I knew you were smarter than that.”
“Sorry. I… needed some fresh air.”
“You should have told me. I would have accompanied you.”
“It’s fine.”
/>
He takes a puff. “And here I thought you were running away from Nathan Landers.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Wait. You didn’t invite him, did you?”
“Hell, no. Why would I?”
“To blackmail him, too, of course. He’s got lots of money.”
“Do you think he cares if a picture of him and you gets out? The guy doesn’t give a shit.” He leans back and takes another puff. “I swear that asshole must have sniffed you out. Maybe he wants to see how you’re doing the night after he fucked you.”
“He didn’t—”
“Or maybe he wants more. Maybe you were too good.”
I don’t like how Barry’s looking at me. “Just give me the pictures already. You promised.”
“I said after dinner.” He moves closer. “Thanks to you leaving, I didn’t get dessert.”
Sensing danger, I get up, but he grabs my arm and pulls me back to the bench, then places one arm around me.
“Barry…”
He whispers in my ear, “Do you want that USB stick or not?”
Shit.
I’m trapped. Literally. His mouth clamps down on mine. It’s nothing like a kiss. Messy. Disgusting. More like a leech trying to suck the life out of me.
I can taste the beef, gravy, wine and nicotine on his tongue. And it makes my stomach turn.
Please… stop.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a leg comes swinging, kicking him off the bench so hard he hits the ground with a thud, his cigarette flying.
“What the hell?”
Quickly, I get off the bench, wiping my mouth with the sleeve of my cardigan as I catch my breath. I stop, though, when I realize who has just saved me.
Nathan.
4
Claws Out
“Didn’t anybody ever teach you not to force yourself on a woman?” Nathan asks Barry as he crushes the cigarette butt with his expensive leather shoe.
Barry snorts. “You’re one to talk.”
Nathan stops and glares, the look on his face reminding me of a bear about to attack. It’s scary enough to keep me glued where I’m standing and cause a lump to form in my throat.
So, this is how Nathan looks like when he’s pissed.
“I’ve never forced myself on any woman. I’ve never had to.”
“Why, you…”
Barry gets up, only to have Nathan grab him by the collar, lifting him above the ground. “Stay away from Sam or you’ll never be able to take your piss-poor pictures again. Do you understand?”
Barry nods, speechless and trembling in fear. As soon as Nathan lets him go, he scurries off like the weasel that he is, back into the shadows.
Back into the shadows…
“Wait!” I call, remembering the pictures.
“What is it?” Nathan asks, rubbing his hands like he’s wiping the dirt off them.
“He still has the USB stick with the pictures he took of us at last night’s party. It’s why I came to meet him. I don’t—”
Nathan’s no longer listening, already on his phone. “Keep an eye out for a man with a cheap, dirty rumpled suit and make sure you get every USB stick he has. Wipe every picture off his laptop and cameras as well.”
Wow. He is so cool.
And so hot.
Damn.
“Are you all right?” He turns to me after his phone call.
I nod. “Thanks. For everything just now.”
He offers me some breath mints. “No worries.”
I toss a few inside my mouth. “And I’m sorry. For the things I said last night. I—”
He silences me with a finger to my lips then grabs my hand.
“Come with me.”
Where are we? Nathan’s car stops in front of a large gate in front of an old, two-story house. The paint is peeling off, and the glass in one of the windows is boarded over.
My eyebrows furrow. Why did Nathan bring me to a place like this?
Suddenly, I hear a bark. Then another.
Dogs?
Before long, the lights turn on inside the house and the door opens, a pair of dogs rushing out to meet us. For a moment, I feel afraid that they might bite, but Nathan bravely steps forward.
“Easy, boys.”
And just like that, their barks change and their tails wag.
“Oh, it’s you, Nathan,” the middle-aged man on the porch calls out. “I was wondering why Red and Rover suddenly seemed so excited.”
“I’m sorry to come here so late, Ted.” Nathan approaches the porch with the dogs, and I follow.
“No worries,” Ted says. “I was still up watching TV. Besides, it’s your property.”
So, this place does belong to Nathan.
“Sam, this is Ted,” Nathan says. “He was a friend of my dad’s. Ted, this is Sam.”
“Nice to meet you.” Ted offers his hand, and I shake it.
A friend of Nathan’s dad? I’ve never even heard of his father.
“Ted’s going to be looking after this place,” Nathan adds. “He’s the only one here now, but I’ll hire a few people to help him.”
“What exactly is this place?” I ask, unable to rein in my curiosity any longer.
“Well, it isn’t much now,” he answers. “But it’s going to be a dog shelter.”
“A dog shelter?”
Now, that’s a surprise, especially coming from someone who preferred robots as pets.
“I thought about some things after you left last night. I thought about the dog I used to own, too. And I decided it’s not a bad idea to put up a dog shelter. You wanted to put up one, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
He decided to put up a dog shelter just because I suggested it?
“This house is old, but it’s got a lot of rooms. We’ll fix it up, put in the necessary equipment, maybe even turn one room into a clinic. Then we’ll start taking dogs in. Stray dogs mostly.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You bought a house just to make it into a dog shelter?”
“You might find it hard to believe, young lady,” Ted says. “But this man’s very generous.”
“Thanks, Ted.” Nathan pats him on the shoulder. “But I don’t need any help impressing a woman.”
Ted chuckles. “Of course, you don’t. I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
After Ted goes inside with the dogs, Nathan sits on the porch stairs. I do the same.
“You and Ted seem close,” I tell him.
“Well, he was more of a father to me than my father ever was.”
I want to know more but decide not to pry. “Is that why you chose Ted to run this place?”
“That, and the fact that he loves dogs.”
“I can see that.”
“He’s had Red and Rover for years, and I don’t think I’ve ever known him without a dog. He gave me one, too, a Labrador I named Todd.”
“Nice name.”
“Do you have a dog?”
“We have lots of dogs back home,” I answer. “On the farm.”
“I see.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t own a dog at my apartment. But they do allow cats, so I have one. A silver tabby named Siberia. She’s three now. And I have three goldfish. They all get along somehow.”
“You really do love animals, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” I admit with a sheepish grin. “Maybe it’s because of my brother, Jack. He loved animals. He was a veterinarian, actually.”
“Was?” Nathan gives me a puzzled look.
“He’s gone now.”
Nathan lowers his head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
I shake my head, not wanting to dwell on the tragedy. “What about you? Surely, you must also have something you love.”
“Love is a strong word.”
That I can’t deny.
“There are a lot of things I enjoy, though,” he adds. “For example, I’m enjoying spending time with you right now.”
My heart skips a beat at the way
he looks at me. I look away.
“Did you bring me here just to show off and impress me?” I ask.
“Is it working?”
I don’t answer. But yes, I’m impressed. No guy has ever given me more than a bunch of flowers before. True, the dog shelter isn’t exactly mine, but it feels like a gift to me.
The best gift.
“And also to prove to you that I’m not as heartless as you think.”
I look at him, a pang of guilt stabbing me in the gut. “I’m really sorry I—”
“It’s okay,” Nathan cuts me off. “You were being true to yourself. I can’t fault you for that. Actually, you’re the first woman I’ve been with who’s acted that way. It’s refreshing.”
I smile. And to think I was feeling scared that he might get me fired because I spoke my mind.
Just then, my stomach grumbles, reminding me that I only had a salad, which apparently has already been digested. It’s embarrassing, but Nathan just chuckles.
“Hungry?” he asks.
I nod.
“Shall we grab something to eat?” he asks, standing up. “Actually, I’m hungry, too. I didn’t really get to eat dinner.”
I get up and shake the dust from the back of my skirt. “Why were you at the Marriott?”
“I was supposed to meet someone who had an interesting idea for a new app but he canceled at the last minute. I was on the phone with him when I saw you leaving.”
“You noticed me leaving?”
“I think I’d notice you anywhere.”
My heart skips another beat.
“Then I saw that guy go after you…”
“Barry Baker,” I inform him. “He’s a member of the paparazzi. We’ve bumped into each other a few times before, though I loathe to put him in the same line of work.”
“Of course not. You’re a professional. He’s a con.”
“That he is,” I agree.
At the memory of what he did to me, I cringe. “I can’t believe he kissed me.”
Nathan turns to me, touching my cheek. “Let me wipe that memory away.”
And the next thing I know, his lips are on mine. Unlike last night, this kiss is soft, gentle.