by Lauren Smith
The coffee machine beeped, indicating it was done. She reached past Thad to fetch an empty white ceramic cup. He didn’t move back even an inch, and she had to brush against him.
“Well?” he asked, voice softer than before.
She drew back, trying to put distance between them. “Hopefully I’ll be a museum curator.”
“Ah, that’s why you’re working with Sabine. She’s got the best connections in the country to the major museums, especially the Art Institute here in Chicago.” The gleam of triumph in his eyes told her he was a man who thrived on unraveling puzzles, especially puzzles that were also people. Felicity knew she’d have to be careful around him.
“Um, yeah. Sabine’s great to work for, and it’s nice to know she’s connected.”
She picked up Thad’s father’s coffee, and Thad trailed behind her as they returned to the conference room. Sabine and Mr. Worthington were discussing the art deco style of the twenties and how they planned to integrate updated Roaring Twenties styles into the old hotel. They didn’t even seem to notice she had returned.
“They’ll be at that for hours.” Thad chuckled from behind her.
She glanced over her shoulder and met his gaze. He nodded his head in the direction of his father and her boss. “You should join them. I’ve got to make a quick call.” He touched her lower back, gently pushing her so she would go inside the room. Before she could say anything else, he was already turning away, his cell phone to his ear as he stepped outside.
She watched him through the shop windows pacing outside the shop. He moved like Jared, a slow panther-like grace that entranced and warned her.
“Felicity, what do you think of the color schemes Mr. Worthington and I have been discussing?” Sabine drew her attention to the task, and she quickly lost herself in the project. She likely wouldn’t see Jared again, and the pain her chest was sharp, but she had to ignore it. What other choice did she have?
Jared felt like singing. He wanted to belt out songs in the shower, but he wisely resisted the urge. Felicity was still asleep in his bed, and it might wake her up. He didn’t want that. The pleasure of waking her up was something he wanted to do himself. As he got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, he whistled softly.
It was an irresistible temptation to go to his bed, climb in, and curl his body around hers. The passion simmering inside him demanded action, preferably through breathless kisses and slow, teasing caresses. Last night with her had been mind-blowing. Jared had had sex before, lots of sex, with a fair amount of women, but nothing compared to what he’d done with Felicity last night. He hadn’t even gotten off, and it hadn’t mattered. Only her pleasure had.
He’d held her for an hour on the couch, making sure she was deeply asleep when he finally lifted her in his arms and carried her to his bed. The promise to stay on the couch had seemed irrelevant by then, and he’d just gotten in bed beside her, pulling her back into his arms. Her body was fast becoming an addiction, a craving he didn’t understand, only knew he wanted and had to have.
Opening his bathroom door with a wicked grin, he said, “Good morning—” His words died on his lips as he took in the sight of the empty bed, the empty room.
“Felicity?” Why he said her name he didn’t know. She wasn’t there.
A small slip of paper lay on top of his pillow. The sight of it made his muscles tense. He crossed the room and snatched it up. A scrawling, delicate hand filled the paper.
Jared,
Thank you for the wonderful day yesterday. It meant so much to me.
—Felicity
For a long second he didn’t move. His breathing became harsh through his nose and mouth as his heart beat rapidly. Her words felt like a goodbye, but why? She wanted to walk away from what they’d shared. Logically he knew it was for the best, but damn it, he wasn’t ready to let go of her. It was too late, though. She’d walked away, and he hadn’t been there to stop her. Rage and pain exploded inside him, so powerful and shocking, but he swallowed it down and crumpled the note in his fist. She was just a kid, someone he’d met only twenty-four hours ago. Her being gone shouldn’t mean anything to him, didn’t mean anything to him.
What was the phrase? Ships passing in the night? He had to view it that way—there wasn’t any other option.
Still… He tossed the note in the trash bin by his desk and glared at it for a long second before he bent, retrieved the crumpled paper, and smoothed it flat again. With a heavy sigh, he tucked the paper in the top drawer of his dresser. It was then he noticed the carefully folded shirt and boxers. The ones she’d worn. He picked them up and grimaced. They still held a lingering sweet vanilla scent. Hers. How could he come to miss that scent, to feel the loss of its owner so deeply in so short a time? Felicity had turned him sentimental.
He dressed hastily, not that he had any reason to. There was nowhere to go, nothing to do. No art exhibits to view with her. He had to stop thinking about Felicity or he’d go crazy.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out. Thad’s name flashed across the screen.
“Yeah?”
“You busy today?” Thad sounded amused, and for some reason that pissed Jared off.
“Maybe I am,” he snapped, then regretted it. “Why?”
“I’m meeting with the interior designer for the new hotel we’re buying. I want you to look over the contracts before we sign them. It’d only take a couple of hours,” Thad said.
A couple of hours. Not like he was going to do anything today anyway. He might as well work. Especially since this deal could make his career. Thad’s father had promised Jared that if the hotel deal went well, they’d start using Pimms & Associates for their legal work. Jared would be a partner by Christmas. Six years of hard work would finally pay off.
“Fine, but I’m charging double my hourly fee.” He knew Thad would pay without question. His friend was exploding with money and never had an issue paying extra for weekend work.
Thad chuckled. “I’m happy to pay that. Besides, it’s worth it. There is the hottest girl at this little gallery. She’s…interesting. I’m planning on taking her out tonight. You ought to see her. It might inspire you to get back into the game.”
Jared scoffed. “Game? You don’t play, Thad. You sleep with women for a night and move on. That’s not even a game.” He slid his jacket on and headed for the door.
“I might make an exception. This girl is…well, you’ll see when you get here. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone after a sweet, innocent little thing. I bet she’s a firecracker in bed.” Thad was laughing. “I need a good challenge. This will be it.”
With a shake of his head, Jared rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Whoever she is, leave her alone. Find more willing prey.”
“Not on your life.” Thad hung up.
Great. Now he had to go and intervene before Thad broke some innocent girl’s heart. With a low growl he stalked out into the main room and looked about for Tanner, but his brother was nowhere to be seen. Either he had a class or he’d gotten back into bed with Layla.
Half an hour later he was in front of the address Thad had texted him. A chic looking little gallery faced him. He opened the glass door and followed the sound of voices. Thad, his father, and a beautiful olive-skinned woman were seated around a conference table poring over sketches and design books. Thad glanced up, saw him, and winked.
What the—
Someone bumped into him from behind, and he stumbled forward.
“Oh, sorry!” A feminine gasp came from somewhere in the hallway just a foot behind him.
“It’s fine.” He spun and caught the woman from behind him, and his heart stopped.
Felicity. She’s here. In my arms. The sheer rush of joy and excitement short-circuited his brain for a full five seconds.
Startled gray eyes met his, and her lips, those luscious lips he’d loved tasting last night, parted in surprise in a little O shape. His fingers curled around
her upper arms, and in that moment all he could think was how much he wanted to kiss her.
“Ahem.” Thad’s cough broke through the haze of his desire, and just like that, he remembered the empty bed, the note she’d left. An invisible layer of ice washed over him, and he dropped his hands from her body and stepped back.
“Ah, Jared, you’ve met Felicity. She’s Sabine’s young protégé.” Thad joined him by the door and turned his attention to the olive-skinned woman poring over the books. “This is Sabine.”
Sabine raised stunning turquoise eyes to meet his. Beautiful, of course, but they lacked the heat and passion that a certain pair of silvery eyes had. Sabine’s lips twitched, and she nodded in silent greeting before returning to her work and speaking to Mr. Worthington. He turned back to Thad and Felicity, seeking her face instantly.
Felicity continued to stare at him with a deer-in-the-headlights look that made him feel strangely satisfied. What was the right thing to do? Pretend they’d never met? No, he couldn’t do that.
“We…uh, have met. She’s a friend of Tanner’s,” Jared finally said.
“You have?” Thad somehow worked his way between them, one shoulder blocking her from Jared’s direct view. The possessive and somewhat protective move made him want to growl.
“Yeah, at one of Tanner’s parties,” Jared added. It took all of his power to focus on his friend. “You mentioned contracts? I’m ready to review whatever you have.”
“Good.” Thad pointed to the table and glanced over at Felicity, who was still gaping at Jared.
It was a wicked thought, but he was glad she was still stunned. After her disappearing act, he was happy she was the one off balance and not him. Clenching his jaw, he slid into a seat at the table next to Mr. Worthington, and after a quick greeting to the older man, he took the contract paperwork and glared at the first page.
He didn’t read a single word.
8
She couldn’t breathe.
Jared was somehow at Sabine’s. And he was angry. At her. Why else would he act as if they were just acquaintances? Was he upset because she’d left? Because of the note? Surely that wasn’t it. He had to understand why she’d left, why she hadn’t said goodbye. But she looked at his face, and he was glowering and raking one hand through his dark hair.
Maybe he didn’t understand why she’d left after all.
Sabine looked up from her pattern books and sketches, winged brows raised in concern.
“I’ll just put some more coffee on,” Felicity muttered, then spun out of the conference room.
She took refuge in the small part of the gallery just off the hallway where several paintings hung and a nice couch offered a place for her to collapse. Which she did, immediately sinking into its pillowy depths. Leaning forward, she braced her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. A tiny tremor worked its way through her.
She hadn’t expected to see him so soon after last night. She’d had to leave while he was in the shower and had felt guilty for slipping away like that and now here they were stuck together with clearly unresolved issues, since he was angry with her. Was he mad she’d left? Or was he mad she was here, in the middle of his work life? Neither of them had time to commit to each other, and that was assuming he was interested. One mind-blowing orgasm on the couch did not mean he was seriously into her or that he wanted more to happen between them.
She wished she had dated more in high school. She might understand men more if she had. Of course, she’d been too busy trying to survive school and working nights at the only restaurant they’d had in town. Jared was so worldly, and she felt so out of sync with his world that it scared her. He was a lawyer with a high-pressure job and demanding hours, and she was just a girl still in grad school, playing at being an artist.
Maybe he was used to taking a girl out on the weekends and having a good time, and then going back to work. She didn’t know. That was the problem. There was so much she didn’t know about Jared, except that when he kissed her it made her feel like she was the only person in the universe who mattered, and when he looked at her with those soft bedroom eyes, it unraveled her entire being.
We’re still worlds apart, though. He’s the kind of guy who vacations in Italy and has silk sheets on his bed. I’m the girl who can’t even afford an apartment with a working hot water heater. The only place they made sense together was in the tiny world of his apartment when they were inches from kissing. That was the only thing that made sense about this.
God, I’m an idiot, thinking for a second he and I could work long term.
She couldn’t explain it, but everything about this moment made her feel wildly out of control, like being on a train headed for a broken bridge. Her job was supposed to be a place of tranquility where she could bury her other worries. But now Jared was here, and all she could think about was him and how much she wanted to be back in his bed and in his arms, not thinking about what tomorrow would bring. If she was too focused on him, she could screw up and Sabine might not give her the recommendation for the LACMA job she so desperately wanted in California. Tears sparked in the corners of her eyes.
“Felicity?” Sabine’s soft, husky voice made her look up and drop her hands from her face. The air cooled the wet path that tears had taken on her face. Using the backs of her hands, she rubbed her cheeks and tried to smile.
“Sorry, Sabine.”
The woman swept a hand through her hair, pushing it over her shoulder as she plopped down next to Felicity on the couch.
“Sweetie, what’s going on with you?” She held up a hand when Felicity started to shake her head. “Huh-uh, you tell me the truth. Come on now.” Sabine patted her knee and leaned closer, her bright eyes pinned Felicity in place.
“I…” She hesitated only a second before telling Sabine the truth. The woman was like an older sister to her and wouldn’t judge her. “I spent the last two nights in Jared’s bed. Mr. Redmond, I mean,” she confessed in a barely audible whisper.
Sabine’s almond-shaped eyes widened. “You and that gorgeous man in there? Now why would that make you cry? You’re young, he’s young, love is a beautiful thing at your age. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your work here or his, you shouldn’t let it worry you.”
Easier said than done. I’m already freaking out about him being here. Felicity sniffed. “He’s mad at me. He looks mad anyway.” She sat up a little straighter, feeling honestly quite stupid for crying. She had no reason to cry. It wasn’t like he had any right to be mad at her, and it wasn’t like they’d been dating and broken up.
It’s time for me to grow up.
Her boss waved a hand in apparent unconcern. “Oh, he’s probably mad because the Worthingtons called him in to work on the weekend. Most lawyers I know hate working weekends. Having met some of their clients, I don’t blame them.” Sabine winked at her.
Felicity laughed, but her heart wasn’t in it. “He’s a workaholic. Trust me, this is normal for him. That’s why I know that if he’s mad, it has to do with me.”
Sabine pursed her lips and tapped a finger on her lips thoughtfully. “Okay, so why do you think he’s mad at you? What happened when you were together?”
“Well, we weren’t actually together, if you know what I mean. We just shared his bed twice to sleep…” She blushed again. “Though there was a pretty heavy make-out session on the couch.” She couldn’t believe she was confiding to her boss, but Sabine had a way of making Felicity feel like she was talking to an older sister who wouldn’t judge her. As an only child, she’d always felt lonely, but Sabine had taken her under her wing ever since she’d arrived and had applied for the job at the gallery.
“And you think he’s mad at you for that? Trust me, he isn’t. Getting a girl hot and bothered would be something to be proud of. I know a thing or two about men. He’d relish the effect he had on you. What else happened?”
Felicity quickly relayed the note she’d left and its contents when Sabine questioned he
r further.
“So you just ran out on him while he was in the shower?” Sabine’s tone was thick with disapproval.
Felicity gasped. “I couldn’t just walk in on him while he was in there, and I couldn’t wait till he was out because I would have been late getting here.”
Her boss grimaced. “Since when do I care about what time you show up? Half the time you beat me here, which is why I had the extra key made for you. Being a little late one day wouldn’t kill you, or me.” She hugged Felicity’s shoulders in a gentle squeeze. “You work too hard. Take a break now and then. You’re young. Take advantage of the nights you could be spending in bed with a gorgeous man who looks like he walked out of a Burberry ad, okay?”
Felicity sniffled and then laughed. “He does, doesn’t he?”
Both women dissolved into a fit of barely stifled giggles. When they quieted, Sabine grew serious again.
“You should tell him the real reason why you left this morning. He might be fine with it if you tell him the truth. If you care about him, even as a friend, he deserves honesty. Besides, I need you to be on your game. This could help influence my recommendation for the LACMA job you want.”
“You’re right.” Felicity wiped her eyes again, removing the last evidence of her tears.
Sabine brushed a hand over her hair, a sisterly touch that was comforting. “Good. Now, tell me you can work with him and it won’t be a problem. I need your help on this project. It’s going to be huge, and you’ll make a lot of money helping me out.”
A lot of money. She could sure use the commission this would give her and Sabine. She might be able to afford renting another apartment for half a year, or maybe even split the cost of Layla’s place. No more late nights spent worrying about the robberies that kept happening in her building, or the drunks who wandered into the lobby in the evenings, or the police busting up domestic violence fights. Yeah, this was huge. She had to get herself together.