by Jacki Renée
“No, I don’t have a copy, but I’ll ask him to send you one. Emma is staying with us until he gets back Monday afternoon. He checks in with me.” I try to keep a straight face when I see the Horny Toads’ reaction. I’m not a good liar.
Bryan isn’t out of town. He dropped off Emma’s overnight bag right before I came to pick up the girls.
The ringing of the school bell signals the end of the day. Students run like animals set free from their cages. Kourtney and Emma skip out hand in hand with Penelope.
“Hey, Max. Can Penelope spend the weekend with the girls?”
His smile grows bigger as he takes his daughter’s backpack. “Sure, I’ll drop her off in an hour.” We leave the Horny Toads frozen on their lily pads. “Bryan isn’t sleeping with those sloppy bitches,” he whispers. “Why would he need other men’s wives when there’s a sexy single mom slaying his line of sight?” His elbow jabs my side.
***
On Saturday, I pick up Penelope and the three of us go to the Hawk’s residence. The girls rake leaves into a large mound. Instead of stuffing the bright orange bags, they run and jump into the irresistible pile, scattering leaves everywhere.
Kourtney is shedding her reclusive shell thanks to Emma and Penelope.
I watch them from my seat on the patio as I sip sweet tea and talk to Marie, the housekeeper, and her husband, Willis, the grounds keeper. Bryan is out of town this weekend.
“It’s so nice to see Emma have friends over for something other than her birthday.” Marie has a Southern drawl in her tone.
“I’m surprised Kourtney’s made friends so fast.”
“How long have you been in Boulder?” Willis asks.
“A few of months.”
“Have you and Kourtney been sightseeing yet?” Marie stares at my daughter.
“No, I’m still learning my way around.”
My cell phone vibrates with an email from Bryan requesting that we meet in his office Tuesday to review our plans. I reply my acceptance and go back to chatting with Marie and Willis while the girls run around the yard on this beautiful fall day.
Monday night, I toss and turn in bed, nerves keeping me awake.
Tuesday morning, I take extra time choosing my clothes. In my office, I watch the clock until it’s time for me to leave for my meeting.
Ten minutes to noon, I pull into the parking structure of Bryan’s office building in downtown Boulder. Inhale, exhale, I climb out of the truck and press the key fob to lock the doors.
I enter the building.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. How may I assist you?” The guard behind the desk greets me. On the lapel of his navy blue suit jacket is a pin of a hawk.
“Hi.” I smile. “I have a meeting with Mr. Hawk. My name is Danielle Edwards.”
He taps the monitor in front of him. I look around the lobby. The tan walls are spotless and the floors are polished to shiny brightness. An American flag and the Colorado state flag don the poles next to the guard’s cubical. Guess Bryan’s not a professional gigolo.
Other than the doors that lead to the walkway or parking garage, I see no others in the lobby.
“I sent an alert to his office letting him know you’re on your way up.”
I turn my attention back to him, and he hands me a keycard with my photo on it.
Where’s the camera?
“Wave that in front of the sensor in the elevator and you’ll have access to Mr. Hawk’s floor,” he says.
I turn and take three steps, glancing to the left then right. Looking back at the guard, I catch him staring at my butt.
“Where’s. The. Elevator?”
“My apologies, Dr. Edwards.” He taps the monitor. “I control the elevators from here.”
Wall panels slide open and I walk across the lobby, stepping into the elevator.
“The sensor is to the right, ma’am,” the guard calls out.
The white keycard has a hologram logo of a hawk on the front, wings spread wide, talons out to strike. I wave it in front of the smoke-glass rectangle in the elevator. The door closes.
“I didn’t introduce myself as Dr. Edwards. How did he know?” I mumble to myself.
I’m not sure what floor the elevator stops on, but I know the breath caught in my lungs is due to the man standing in front of the open doors.
Mr. Tall-And-Sexy looks lethal in his brown pants, white shirt and patterned tie.
I make a mental note to Google a nearby adult entertainment store. I will definitely need battery-operated relief after lunch.
“Good afternoon, Dr. Edwards.” His hand touches the small of my back after I step off the elevator. A sensual jolt shoots through me, triggering a reaction from sensitive body zones that are starving for a male’s attention. He guides me in the direction of an open office door.
Since Max convinced me Mr. Tall-And-Sexy isn’t a manwhore, my nightly wet dreams spill into the daytime, without James in the background.
Bryan Hawk brings out my inner Horny Toad, and it’s getting harder to keep her from taking a leap.
“Sir, I’m going down to retrieve your lunch. It just arrived at the security desk,” the man sitting behind a desk says, then nods at me. “Good afternoon, ma’am.”
“Tell Hatchett I will see him after my meeting,” Bryan says.
We walk into his large office.
A massive desk with a large monitor stands in front of floor-to-ceiling windows while a leather sofa and matching wing chairs offer a sitting area. A ten-seating conference table with five glass monitors on top takes up a corner in the room. Huge flat screen television mounted on the wall in front of the conference table. Bar off to the side. Everything in this office screams power. Male.
“Have a seat.” He walks over to the bar. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Water, please.” My throat feels scratchy.
I sit on the sofa watching him. He pulls a wall panel and it swings open to reveal a stocked refrigerator. Bryan takes out two bottles of water, twists the cap off one, and pours the liquid over ice in a crystal glass. He adds slices of cucumber and a straw.
I take a quick peek at his thighs as he walks toward me.
“Thank you.”
I sip from the straw, and my gaze slides over his butt as he turns away. At the bar, Bryan pours himself a glass of water, then joins me on the sofa.
“You never told me what you do.” I take another sip of water.
“I own Hawkeye Personal Protection Company.”
And that means what? I raise my eyebrow.
“I provide specialized protection for government officials, foreign diplomats, and CEOs of high-end corporations.” He sips the water. My eyes drop to his lips on the rim of the glass, hypnotized. He swallows, then grins, lowering the glass.
“Do you have a lot of clients?” I capture the straw between my lips, lowering my head so the straw slips deeper in my mouth than necessary. Hallowing my cheeks, I suck.
“My clients stretch around the globe.” His voice drops an octave.
He shifts in his seat, pulling at the fabric of his pants. The tip of his tongue flicks the rim of his glass before his lips close over it. He takes another sip of water.
My thighs squeeze together and I shift in my seat, every sensitive point of my body heightened by the visual memory of being touched.
He couldn’t let me win.
Porter walks through the open door carrying a brown restaurant takeout bag.
“Where do you want it, sir?”
Bryan cocks a suggestive eyebrow. Boy, was that a loaded question and I’m zero for three.
He chuckles when I don’t respond.
“Conference table, please, Porter.”
“Hatchett has been informed, sir.” Porter places the bag on the table and leaves, closing the door behind him.
Mr. Hawk stands, offering his hand. He leads me to the conference table.
Setting his glass on a coaster, Bryan pulls out containers from the bag. My
stomach grumbles. Skipping breakfast wasn’t a good idea this morning.
“I ordered chicken Alfredo pasta and a Caesar salad. That okay with you?” He spoons portions onto a plate. The bite-size garlic breadsticks smell heavenly.
“It’s fine. I’m not as picky as Kourtney led you to believe.” I take the plate he’s offering. Once he is seated, I dive in.
My eyes close; the sauce is perfection. “Hmmm.”
“Like it?”
I nod enthusiastically and eat more.
“I’ll give you the address of the restaurant. It’s not far from the hospital and they deliver.”
“Thank you.”
“First order of business.” He taps the monitor in front of him, pulling up the 3-D version of a decorated classroom. I scoot closer.
We discuss the best way to decorate. Check off what’s completed and what needs to be done. We compile a final To-Do List.
The pasta is so good. I have a second serving. I’m a good eater and not ashamed of it. No woman should be.
After we finish lunch, he opens the refrigerator, taking out two slices of plain New York- style cheesecake with fresh sliced strawberries on the side. I melt when he hands me a dessert plate and fork. This is my absolute favorite dessert.
We eat our cheesecake in comfortable silence and I help him clean up.
“Sir, you have a call on line three,” a female’s voice announces from the vicinity of his desk.
“Roger that, Riley.”
“Take your call. I have a patient scheduled for two o’clock. Before I go, may I use your restroom?”
He nods and stands, pulling my chair out. I pick up my purse and follow him to the corner by the window. He pushes on the wall and a panel swings open to a full-size bathroom.
“Wave the keycard in front of the sensor to open the door.” He points to a small rectangle on the wall similar to the one in the elevator. He backs out and the door swings closed.
His clients have to be paying top dollar for his services.
After I relieve my bladder and wash my hands, I rinse my mouth and reapply lip gloss.
I wave the keycard in front of the sensor, and the door swings open.
Bryan is still talking. I don’t see a phone. He motions for me to give him a minute. I nod and walk over to the window, looking out at the afternoon traffic.
This building is hi-tech. Elevators with keycard access, walls that aren’t walls. Who designs those things?
I wonder where Riley sits. Is she pretty? I bet she’s gorgeous. I didn’t see another desk when I got off the elevator.
“Sorry my call took so long.”
I turn around, smiling up at him. “It’s okay. I have to get going though.”
“I’ll walk you to the garage.”
At the elevator, Bryan places his hand on a sensor, and the elevator doors slide open right away. He motions for me to enter first, then steps in beside me.
“Good afternoon, sir. What floor?” the voice of Riley asks.
If there were flies in here, several would fly into my wide opened mouth.
“Garage,” he says.
I close my mouth.
When the doors open to the parking garage, I step off and walk toward my truck.
“Thank you for lunch.”
“It was my pleasure.”
He opens my door. I glide onto the seat.
Why hasn’t he closed the door?
I follow his gaze. The hem of my burnt orange skirt has risen to the middle of my thighs. Reaching out, his fingertips brush the exposed skin. Instant heat flows through me. My head drops back on the headrest as my eyes close and toes curl.
Ever so softly, his lips peck the side of my mouth. Past be damned, I grab his head, bringing his lips to mine. Greedily tasting his mouth.
His fingertips graze up my thighs, they part without permission. I refamiliarize myself with his lips until Bryan pulls away and closes the door.
My cell phone chooses that moment to ring. I connect it to the sound system and back out of the parking stall.
“Hi, Danikins. I stopped by your office to see if you wanted to grab lunch.” Max’s cheery voice comes through the car’s speakers.
***
I wait until Dani’s Range Rover turns onto the street to execute the perfect about-face and march through the visitors’ entrance to my building. Chen is already standing at the reception desk, slipping his cell phone into his pocket.
“The guys are waiting for you, Bry. Let me handle Hatchett,” he says.
“Get his ass out of my goddamn building.”
“Sir, I don’t understand what I did wrong,” Hatchett says. “I greeted Ms. Edwards, gave her the keycard, and summoned the elevator.”
Unimaginable anger shoots through me. I move before Chen can block me. Fingers tight around the lapels of Hatchett’s jacket, I yank him toward the counter.
“You called her Dr. Edwards, you fucking idiot. Riley didn’t list her as Dr. Edwards on my appointment schedule. And you were staring at her ass! I watched the whole thing on my monitor.”
Chen grips my wrists, squeezing the pressure points in an attempt to make me release Hatchett. Instead, I pull the fuck-up closer. I know his feet are off the floor. We’re nose to nose.
Fright shines in the soldier’s eyes.
When it comes to Dani and Kourt, I want them all to fear my wrath.
Dani’s smart. She picks up on the littlest things and she can never know the real reason I’m in her life. The fallout would be devastating, and it puts my daughter in danger too.
CHAPTER FOUR
Halloween. I wake up an hour early so I can drop off Kourtney at Bryan’s and get to the school to decorate the classroom. She isn’t a morning person. This is going to be a challenge.
I softly knock on the door before walking into her room. Kourtney is awake and sitting in the middle of her bed. She stretches and yawns. “Good morning, Mommy.”
“Good morning, sweetie.” I smile and sit on her bed, fingers ready for our daily ritual. Kourtney laughs as I tickle her. “How did you sleep?”
“Like... a... baby,” she stutters.
I hug and kiss my daughter.
“Go get dressed. I don’t want to be late.” She wiggles out of my embrace. “Bryan said he’s making a special breakfast.” Kourtney hops out of bed and skips out the door, heading to the bathroom.
I shake my head as I walk back to my room. Normally I have to drag her out of bed. Today, the promise of a special breakfast makes her excited about waking before sunrise. Or is it the man who is making the meal that has her so cheerful?
***
Max and Tom are waiting for me when I arrive at the school. We unload containers filled with decorations. Bryan recruited five parents to help decorate.
On my second trip back to the truck, Horny Toad Madelyn Brooks approaches me.
“You’re here to decorate?” Madelyn asks.
Someone sure sounds disappointed. I give her my best fake smile and stack the last container. “If you’ll excuse me, I really need to get started.” I grab the handle of the hand truck and walk away.
“Bryan begged me to come...” She pauses a little too long. “... help decorate.”
Wordplay loses its shock value the more I have to listen. Besides, at this hour, I don’t want to deal with it. I increase my pace and pray her stilettos prevent her from keeping up. Who wears heels that high to volunteer at their child’s school?
Unfortunately, she matches me stride for stride.
Ribbit.
“Bryan and I go way back,” she croaks. I was expecting the skin under her neck to puff out like a frog’s. “We’re more than friends, but he doesn’t want anyone to know. I am married.” Her chuckle mirrors a maniacal cartoon character.
Okay, I’ve had enough and it’s only been a few minutes. I stop and face her. “I’m sure he’ll be disappointed that you feel the need to discuss this with me. After all, you’re the one cheating, aren’t you?�
� I leave her standing at the entrance to the corridor.
“Bitch!” Her insult hits my back, yet I keep walking.
David and Jennifer Hill have joined the decorating crew. The Hill’s son Dylan sits next to Penelope.
Bethany Johnson is also here to help. Her daughter is one of the mean girls in the classroom. I didn’t see her at Back to School Night.
Bethany is standoffish with me, but she chats with the other parents in the room.
It takes us almost two hours to get the room decorated the way Bryan and I envisioned.
“How did you guys come up with this?” Tom asks, snapping photos of the room.
“When Bryan was a kid, he liked that Halloween story about the headless horseman. We made decorations around that theme.”
“These life-size headless scarecrows look great.” Max poses with one, and Tom snaps a picture.
“I like the giant pumpkin head.” David poses next to it. Tom snaps a picture and turns the viewing screen to me. The homemade green glow sticks inside look ghostly. Kourtney came up with that idea. She and Bryan worked on it.
“This hay looks realistic,” Jennifer comments.
“Emma and I experimented with different materials until we discovered that painted and shredded newspaper gave us the best look."
Holly and Madelyn snicker from the doorway, making crude comments. Usually counting to ten helps to control my temper. I’m about to add blood to our Headless Horseman’s Haunted Pumpkin Patch.
“Bryan can be very creative with his hands,” Holly ribbits.
“That man is great with whatever he’s doing,” Madelyn croaks.
And so the innuendo contest begins. I refuse to stand here and listen to them outdo one another. I stack empty containers onto the hand truck. After one final look around the classroom to make sure everything is in place, I grab the handle and walk out the door.
“Did we offend you?” Madelyn asks.
I keep walking.
“Wait up, Danielle,” Jennifer calls out as she jogs to catch up with me. “Don’t let those two get to you. Madelyn has been after Bryan since our kids were in preschool. Holly’s new. She hasn’t learned that Madelyn is a bloodsucking parasite. If Holly isn’t careful, that leech will latch on to her husband too.”