“Don’t you have another blouse in your bag?”
“Nothing appropriate.” She crawled the few feet to his desk and looked underneath. The thick carpeting cushioned her knees, though she was more concerned with not trashing her hose. No luck. The extra small button with a creamy pearl finish was going to be a bitch to spot against the beige carpet.
It occurred to her that Jack was awfully quiet. She glanced at the bookcase, then behind her. He hadn’t moved.
He was exactly where she’d left him. Crouched down and staring at her rear end.
5
“WHERE THE HELL have you been, Jacko?” Norm set his drink down on the table next to a plate overflowing with shrimp.
“No. Don’t get up.” Sighing, Jack watched the veteran shop steward jump to his feet. For a big guy he was quick.
He threw his burly arms around Jack and lifted him off the ground in a bone-crushing hug. “Where you been hiding? Have you seen the spread? I can’t believe the old man sprang for all this stuff.” He set Jack and his bruised ego back down. “Fifty bucks says he doesn’t know. You did this, didn’t you, Jacko?”
His fault, Jack thought, refusing to look at Carly as he tucked his shirt back in and pushed a hand through his disheveled hair. He knew better than to approach Norm after he’d had a few.
“So I take it you haven’t seen him recently,” Jack said, then glanced at Carly, who Norm was staring at as if he’d never seen a woman before. But then, so were the other six employees sitting at the table.
Norm’s bushy eyebrows lowered. “You with Jack?”
“I am.” She offered her hand. “Carly Wyatt.”
She gave a small start when Norm’s grip swallowed everything up to her wrist, but she held on to a smile.
He let her go and turned to his table companions. “What did I tell you guys? After that magazine came out I knew our boy would finally find himself a girlfriend.”
“Ah, Jesus. That’s enough.” Jack had expressly forbidden the employees to bring up the subject. Ever. Why had he expected them to actually listen to their boss? He tugged at Carly’s arm but of course she refused to give up her front-row seat.
“For heaven’s sake, Norm,” Evelyn from Payroll said with a dismissive sniff. “You’ve got rocks for brains if you think Jack ever needed help finding a girlfriend.”
“Oh, yeah. Rocks, huh?” Norm rubbed his hands together with glee. “George, you owe me twenty. Same goes for you, Juan,” he said to the two young machinists who were already digging into their pockets.
“What magazine?”
Everyone turned to Carly. She looked curious and far too mischievous. Living in Manhattan, she wouldn’t have seen the article.
“She’s kidding.” Jack slid an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. “Come on, sweetheart.”
He’d caught her off guard. She leaned into him and her blouse puckered where a safety pin served as the lost button. He doubted anyone but him heard the soft gasp that parted her lips. Or saw the tip of her tongue slip out to moisten them a second before she met his eyes.
She gave him a sexy smile that dialed up his hopes for the night. Then she turned back to the table. “Someone tell me about the magazine. I’m dying of curiosity.”
Norm slapped him on the back so hard he let go of Carly. “Jacko here was voted Chicago’s sexiest man alive.”
“You always get it wrong.” Evelyn shook her head with disgust. “He’s Chicago’s second most eligible bachelor.”
Jack sighed. “Thank you, everyone, for respecting my wishes that you never bring up the subject ever again.” He dreaded looking at Carly but that was inevitable. He doubted she’d skip the opportunity to give him grief.
She looked stunned. And maybe even a little disappointed, which he didn’t get.
“Didn’t you know about it?” Evelyn asked, frowning at Carly. “The magazine came out two months ago. The local news did a feature on him.”
“Well, that was about the time we met, right?” Carly smiled at him and then at the group. “And unfortunately for us, I live in Manhattan.”
“Oh, that’s terrible.” Evelyn clucked her tongue, while the rest of the gang shook their heads and made sympathetic noises.
“Any chance that could change?” Norm asked. “You can’t be seeing much of each other with all the hours Jack works.”
Carly jerked a surprised look at him.
“What?” Jack smiled. “You think I play golf all day?”
She actually blushed, the soft pink filling her cheeks making him want to touch her. Find out if her skin was as satiny as it looked. He’d had a stingy sample in his office. It had only made him want more.
“Okay, you two. Go on,” Evelyn said, and put a warning finger up to Norm when he started to object. “You be quiet. We see Jack all the time. I doubt he wants to waste the night sharing Carly with us old coots.”
“I swear to God, Evelyn, you’re worse than my wife and I didn’t think that was possible.” Norm eyed his plate of shrimp as though he’d forgotten about it, and sat down.
“Well, I’ve had to put up with you longer,” Evelyn muttered, then watched with an air of disdain as he tucked his linen napkin under his bearded chin. “Nice meeting you, Carly. I hope we see more of you.”
“I don’t know,” she said with a mischievous smile aimed at Jack. “I’m curious about the bachelor who came in first.”
Several moments of shocked silence were punctuated by a chorus of laughter.
“Come on.” Shaking his head, Jack took her hand and she let him tug her away from the table.
Figured he’d had to run into Norm right off the bat. Though few employees treated Jack any differently. Except for the damn bear hugs. Man, was he ever going to get it through Norm’s thick skull that picking him up hadn’t been funny for over twenty years?
That was the thing, these people weren’t just employees, they were like a second family to Jack. He’d known half of them his whole life. Nobody ever quit. When they hired someone new it was either to replace a retiree or to fill newly created positions as the company had grown. Carly didn’t understand. She probably thought they were all drunk or nuts. Well, some of that was true, too.
Lucky for him the extravagant buffet was the main attraction. For the next hour he shook hands here and there, asked about holiday plans or about wives or husbands who hadn’t been able to make it to the party.
Carly stayed by his side the whole time, probably hoping to get a lead on his father. Jack hadn’t lied. He didn’t know where his old man was hiding. Though Jack hadn’t been kidding about the new receptionist. He’d bet his new BMW convertible she had something to do with his dad’s absence.
Since that sort of thing didn’t seem to bother his mother, Jack shrugged it off. His father was discreet, and she was busy with her pet charities and shopping trips abroad. For all Jack knew, she could have something going on the side, herself.
Okay, that idea creeped him out big-time. Yeah, double standard and all that, and it wasn’t as though they had a warm, fuzzy relationship, but shit...
His mom?
A shudder slithered through him.
He snagged a passing waiter and lifted two flutes of champagne off the tray. His parents had always had a weird marriage. If they could call it that. Sleeping in separate bedrooms. Making appointments with each other. He was an only child. They should’ve split up long ago.
But then, divorces were costly. A guy he knew from college, only thirty-two, Jack’s age, had left his wife halfway into their five-year relationship but was staying out of court to protect his assets.
Carly had been right earlier. Everything was about money lately and Jack was sick of it. But how sick? How much was he willing to give up to do the right thing? To do what his grandfather a
nd great-grandfather would’ve expected of him?
“I hope one of those is for me.”
He blinked at Carly, then looked at the champagne. “Yes, of course.”
She accepted the flute with a small smile, her eyes still clear and focused. He wondered if she knew he was on to her. She’d been sneaking sips from his glass, trying to keep him from getting hammered.
“Hey, you’ve been great, by the way. I couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend.”
“No one believes it,” she said, turning away to track a passing tray of stuffed mushrooms.
“Believes what?”
“You should be introducing me as a friend.” She looked hungry. And maybe a bit tipsy when she swung her gaze back to him. “Girlfriend? Too extreme. I’m not your type.”
“Which is?”
“Oh, I don’t know...” She straightened and glanced around. “Someone more sophisticated and glamorous.”
“Don’t bother looking for her in this crowd.” He realized that had come out wrong when Carly stared at him as if he was the biggest snob on earth.
That was, until she was distracted by another tray of hors d’oeuvres.
He stopped the waiter. Pretty obvious the caviar hadn’t been a hit. “Carly, you should eat something.”
She frowned at the offering. “Is that what I think it is?”
“It’s caviar. The same very good caviar you dismissed earlier.”
“If it’s so good, then why is there so much left?”
The older, very dignified looking waiter hid a smile.
Jack hadn’t expected many of the employees to like it but he knew they’d get a kick out of bragging they’d had some. “Try it,” he said, scooping up a little for her. “You might be surprised.”
After a brief hesitation, she gamely nibbled at the edge of the cracker. Two rapid blinks, followed by a quick gulp of champagne. “Good,” she said, clearly lying through her teeth.
“Here you go.” Keeping a straight face, he passed her a cocktail napkin in case she wanted to ditch the rest. “Care for more?”
“No, thanks, you go right ahead.”
“Not me. I hate the stuff.”
Carly gave him a long look, then laughed.
Jack eyed the mound of caviar, then the waiter’s nametag. “Tell you what, Omar, you and the rest of the waitstaff help yourselves in the back.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said, the reverence in his tone indicating that Omar was a man who appreciated the finer things in life.
“Let’s go eat,” Jack said, slipping an arm around Carly. “That prime rib looks damn good.”
She leaned against his chest without a sign of discomfort, and he wondered if her ease was a result of the champagne or something more personal. Wishful thinking on his part that it could be anything but alcohol, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Carly snuggled closer and he tightened his arm around her. She smelled good. Fresh and kind of minty. And she felt even better, the warmth of her skin coming through the silk blouse. Her body was firm, toned without being too muscled, just the way he liked a woman to feel. Slowly turning his head, he lightly kissed her hair.
“Watch it, Carrington. I felt that,” she muttered, her sleepy voice reducing the warning to a faint slur.
Yep. The champagne and the time difference were getting to her. Some food would help. He took the glass out of her hand and set it on an empty table.
“Hey, I’m not done with that.” Pulling away, she watched him drain his own flute before setting it aside. “Dammit.”
With a smile, Jack took her shoulders and turned her toward the buffet. “First dinner, then coffee.”
“This isn’t a social—”
“Carly.” He hoped she wasn’t so tipsy she’d say something stupid.
She turned around to face him and they locked gazes. He wasn’t sure what that gleam in her eye was about but he didn’t like it. The thing was, she owed him nothing, certainly not discretion, considering he’d put her in a tight spot.
For several long moments they just stared at each other.
“You’ve gotta do better than that, Jacko.” Norm stood near the hall to the men’s restroom adjusting a fake white beard that was part of his Santa costume. “Or you’re going to be single again real fast.”
Jack couldn’t figure out what the guy was talking about, until he looked up to see what Norm was pointing at.
Mistletoe. Tied to a beam directly above them.
Carly tilted her head back and blinked at the fresh sprigs.
“What do you say?” Jack stroked her silky cheek and brought her gaze back to his. “Willing to take one for the team?”
“We’re not a team,” she murmured, and leaned into him.
6
JACK’S HANDS TIGHTENED on her arms. His pupils were huge, darkening his eyes. It would be easy to tell him no. He wouldn’t push. But the urge to kiss him was stronger than her good sense. She didn’t care that everyone was watching. Didn’t care that she was hiding behind the charade as an excuse.
Placing her palms on his chest was all it took. He put his arms around her and pulled her against his body. It wasn’t smart. Pressing against each other like they were, sharing each other’s heat, ratcheted up the tension. A chaste kiss was all they should dare. She lifted her mouth to him. Disappointment flooded her when his lips barely touched hers.
Before she could draw back he angled his head to deepen the kiss. His hand pressed into the small of her back at the same moment she felt his tongue dampen her lips. Panic flared inside her. This was only supposed to be for show.
He lifted his head and captured her gaze. “Kiss me back,” he said in a low husky murmur, and resettled his mouth on hers.
Was he crazy? She could feel him getting hard. They had an audience. Half the people in the room were watching. Maybe the whole lot of them.
Oh, God. Now they were applauding.
She jerked back, squirmed as desire fought propriety.
“Yes. Okay. Give me a minute.” He loosened his arms but clearly he wasn’t about to let her go. “All right, everyone, get back to your boozing and debauchery. You’re embarrassing Carly,” he said without taking his gaze off her face.
“You’re embarrassing me,” she muttered, the floor shifting under her feet. Between the alcohol and those damn sexy eyes of his, she wasn’t feeling very steady.
“Debauchery? What the hell does that mean?”
Carly recognized Norm’s booming voice and she broke eye contact to glance at him. He was frowning and scratching under his fake beard.
A few people were still staring at her and Jack. The rest were distracted by the festive desserts being carried to the buffet table. She lowered her hands from his chest, aware that his erection hadn’t completely gone down.
“Thanks for playing along. Tell Brent I appreciate the loan.”
“Who?” She blinked. Oh, that Brent. The one who was supposed to be her boyfriend. Damn Jack and his amused expression. “Why is Norm wearing a Santa suit? There aren’t any kids here,” she said, glancing around.
“Tradition. Later he’ll take presents the employees have donated to a children’s hospital. He’s been doing it for over twenty years.” His shoulders sagged as he slowly surveyed the room with a sadness that tugged at her heart.
Not her problem, she reminded herself. He and his father agreed to sell their company. No one had put a gun to their heads.
That was the simple truth. Though not as comforting as it should be.
A loud screech hurt her ears and momentarily drowned out the music being played by the DJ. Like everyone else Carly turned to the source. Four stocky men were moving tables and putting them against the wall.
“How about we get some foo
d and take it to my office?” Jack glanced at the area being cleared. “People are going to start dancing any minute.”
“Really?” She grinned. “I bet you’ve got a full dance card.”
He sighed. “I’m fixing a plate and taking it upstairs. Feel free to join me.”
Carly followed him to the table, amused that he hadn’t bothered to look back. He wouldn’t trust her alone down here for a minute.
Evelyn was choosing from a platter of petit fours. She looked up and smiled. “You two are just so cute together,” she said. “I’m so happy for Jack.”
Uncomfortable, Carly forced herself to smile, and slid a look at him. He was waiting for a slice of prime rib at the other end. He might’ve heard but she couldn’t tell.
The older woman leaned closer to Carly. “He didn’t like that eligible bachelor foolishness. The day after the magazine came out he took off for Barbados or Bermuda...one of those places.”
Ah, that’s why the winter tan.
“I’ve known that boy since he was five. Splashing his picture all over a magazine? What was Bernard thinking? He’s in charge of Marketing.” She dismissively waved a hand. “Jack’s always been a hard worker. Did you know he got top honors from Yale Law?”
Carly jerked her gaze to Jack, who was still loading his plate. Ryan had gone to Yale. They were about the same age. Had they known each other in school? Was she missing something here?
“You didn’t know,” Evelyn said with a pleased smile. “I’m not surprised. He’s not one for tooting his own horn. I do wish his grandfather was still around. Eldon would be so proud of him.”
Carly’s gaze automatically went to Jack. No, he couldn’t hear over the music. “Have you seen Mr. Carrington tonight? Jack’s father?”
“No, as a matter of fact, I haven’t...” Evelyn glanced over her shoulder. “Jackson never spends much time at company gatherings. He’ll pop in, make a toast, shake a few hands. He’s nothing like his father or Jack. But his assistant is right over there.” Evelyn’s little sniff indicated exactly what she thought of the thirtysomething blonde in the tight red dress. “You can bet Lila knows exactly where he is and what he’s doing.”
Wild Holiday Nights: Holiday RushPlaying GamesAll Night Long Page 17