by Ellen Lane
“Rose’s feeling under the weather.” He provided, by way of explanation, as she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I’m taking care of her.”
“Well isn’t that gentlemanly of you.” She breezed past her brother and managed to gain herself a fraction of a second before the interrogation started.
“Did you have a good time on your trip?”
She managed to ignore him for a whole five minutes as she fussed over Rose, who was propped up on the sofa covered in blankets, hugely pregnant and down with the flu. It was only after she promised to make tea and bring her a salve for her feet that Michael finally caught up with her in the kitchen. The immense man leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “You know, not answering me isn’t going to get me to leave you alone.”
“Are you sure you’re the eldest here?” His sister jibed as she found a kettle and some tea leaves. “Cause I swear I’m the most mature one.”
“No, you’re just more stubborn.” Michael rebutted, taking the kettle with her to fill with water. “Where did you go again?”
Of course, she hadn’t told him where she went in the first place, so this was a bid to find her out. But Alice had no intention of hiding the truth from him any longer. Not when she needed his advice.
“New York. I had an event to attend.”
“Really?” Michael’s brows shot up in surprise. “I never knew you as one to jaunt halfway across the world for a party.”
“Well…” Alice stood on the toes of her precious Gucci pumps, searching for sugar in her brother’s extraordinarily high cabinets. “I might have gone in hopes of running into a certain someone…”
If Michael had been interested before, now he was positively riveted.
“Do tell. Has my man-eating sister finally caught sight of prey she’s acquired a taste for?”
Alice glared at him. He made her sound like a bloody flesh-eating disease for Christ sake. “Nothing as dramatic as that. Tell me, is the name Russell Darwell familiar to you?”
Michael arched a brow, taking the tealeaves from his sister to set them aside before turning on the burner for the kettle. “Somewhat…he’s…what, an American Agent or something like that? I’ve seen him on the television a few times. His name is credited in a couple of movies I’ve seen recently. What about him?”
Alice hesitated only slightly before sticking to her decision to bare all. It didn’t make any sense for her to hide things. Michael would find her out sooner or later, and it would be a far worse headache to deal with then.
“Well…I met him at my event a few weeks ago. Did you speak to him?”
“In passing.” Her brother was eyeing her with a gaze as sharp as a hawk’s. Alice would be willing to bet that he knew where this conversation was going before she uttered a single word.
He was too bloody perceptive for his own good.
“Don’t look at me like that.” She scowled, her mouth turning downward sharply. “I’m trying to confide in you.”
Michael hid an obvious chuckle behind his hand before reaching past her into the cabinet to retrieve a tin of biscuits. It was well-known that, though Rose usually watched her figure, her pregnancy gave her cravings for digestives that couldn’t be ignored.
Which meant her fiancé liked to indulge her – and his unborn daughter.
“Alright, confide in me.”
Alice blew out a long breath before finally continuing. “Russell Darwell…he’s something else. A rare man who garners both my respect and my interest.”
Her brother looked surprised. “Interest as in you’ve had a fling with him?”
Alice wanted to reprimand him, but she knew that she couldn’t have expected any other reaction. All Michael knew was her prolific tendency towards one-night stands – he loved to reprimand her about the dangerous nature of such habits while she attested the monogamy was for people who were ready for the commitment.
Ready for marriage, children and such relations entailed.
She hadn’t yet met a man who tempted her to contemplate those things – and as she wasn’t the heir to the Tate name, she wasn’t expected to provide a child post haste. She could basically live her life as she pleased, bar any complete stupidity.
Of course, she wasn’t thinking about eloping with Russell Darwell – nothing that serious. But she’d certainly like it if the man stopped to give her the time of day. As it was, he was the only man she’d ever encountered that seemed immune to her charms.
And that riled her. Especially since she couldn’t seem to get him out of her mind for more than five minutes at a time.
“I haven’t touched him.” Crossing her arms, she leaned back against the pristine cherry cabinets to fix him with a neutral gaze. “I just…Well…I went to the States hoping I’d run into him at a particular function.”
Michael merely continued to stare at her, obviously waiting for her to continue. “And did you?”
Alice chewed her lip contemplatively for a moment – a horrible habit but one she couldn’t avoid when she was nervous. “I did…and I have no idea what any of it meant.”
She proceeded to explain to Michael exactly what had happened between her and Russell at the party in New York. How the man seemed to have sought her out, but hadn’t made a single move rather than to offer her what seemed like a job. Other than that, however, he’d done little but kiss her on the cheek – which was no more than Michael himself would have done under similar circumstances.
The result: Alice was thoroughly vexed.
“What is going on with this guy?” She finally queried exasperatedly, reaching to turn off the kettle when it started to whistle. Even though Michael moved to make the tea himself, she slapped his hands aside to take over. Alice felt as if she needed to keep her hands busy or she might very well punch something.
It had been a long time since she’d been so frustrated. “I’m contemplating the job, but if I take it, what does it mean? A fast track to six months in America that I don’t necessarily want? Or will he actually be there?”
Watching her steep the leaves, Michael ran a hand through his disheveled hair thoughtfully.
He was quiet for a moment as she measured milk and sugar to Rose’s preferences. Neither of them would dare go against her whim when she was in such a state, after all. Before Michael could answer his sister’s inquiry, however, his fiancée herself appeared in the doorway, with a hand over her swollen belly as she looked over the both of them.
Michael immediately went into over-protective mode. “What are you doing up? You should be on the couch, darling!”
As always, Rose merely scowled at him, knocking his hand away lightly. “I have a cold, I’m not dying, Michael. Besides,” She shot Alice a cheeky grin. “I overheard your conversation and wanted to make sure I wasn’t excluded.”
Alice flushed slightly at her implication, helping Rose over to take a seat at the kitchen table. It was hard enough to admit that she fancied someone. She supposed she should be happy that Rose, a dear friend, was here to add her two cents to the mix. “Rose, what on earth am I to expect from this man?”
Rose appeared to consider as her fiancé poured her a cup of tea. Once she took a sip of the hot, sweet fare, she sighed in bliss before speaking once more. “You say he offered you a job?”
Alice nodded, letting Michael pour her a cup of tea as well – though she didn’t like hers nearly so sweet. “Something about introducing me to a producer one of his clients is working for. Does that mean he’ll be there? That he wants to see me?”
Rose pursed her lips contemplatively. “Personally, I think he might have been more direct.” Her eyes flickered to her fiancé. “Michael was quite direct.”
Alice grimaced. “That is far more information than I’m comfortable with.” Her brother snorted his amusement before striding over to his bride-to-be and planting an enthusiastic kiss on her upturned lips.
“You’ll survive.” Taking a sip of his own oversweet tea, Michael made a
face. “I am of the personal opinion that he’s just being a gentleman. If the man said he had a prior commitment, he had a prior commitment. Perhaps he’s the type of man that doesn’t like to stand women up.”
Alice arched a brow in intrigue. “So, he is interested in me?”
Michael shrugged. “Probably.”
Bloody hell, this wasn’t helping at all. Rose thought he wasn’t interested and Michael thought he was.
“So, what the bloody hell am I supposed to do now?” Rose merely smiled serenely up at her, which made her feel like an idiot for being so frustrated.
“Well, you have to make that decision yourself. How much do you fancy him?”
Alice felt her face heating anew and knew she must be red from her bosom all the way to the roots of her hair. This was why she never took a liking to men for very long – things always got woefully complicated with the questions and major decisions.
Lord knew she got enough of that in her career.
“A lot.” She admitted reluctantly. “Probably a little too much.”
Michael merely grinned in satisfaction. “It’s about bloody time.”
She was going to kill him. His daughter was going to be fatherless, Alice swore to God.
Right after she figured out when she was going to contact Russell about his job offer.
Chapter 3: Crossing Over
Ultimately, Alice managed to hold out for another week. In that time, she was so busy working on her new spring line and making preparations for Christmas that she didn’t have much free time in which to obsess over Russell and the blue eyes she saw whenever she closed her own. However, after a series of twelve-hour days and a good night’s sleep, the young woman found herself fingering the laminated business card he gave her as she considered how she was going to accept his offer. Should she do it flirtatiously assuming he would use the job as an excuse to get to know her? Or should she be more concerned with the business aspect of things and be curt and unforgiving?
She decided unquestionably on the latter before dialing the number before she lost her nerve. Alice couldn’t remember the last time a phone call made her palms sweat and her heart race. She was almost thirty! She hardly needed to be panting like some sort of untried schoolgirl!
Part of her hoped that Russell would be too busy to answer and she could leave a message. Then he would be forced to call on her terms.
Unfortunately, luck wasn’t with her that afternoon.
“This is Darwell.” Even the sound of his voice, low and smooth as velvet, was enough to make her stomach twist in anticipation. Alice remembered the way he’d kissed her at the party in New York – how his mouth had just brushed the corner of hers – and for a moment, she forgot that she was supposed to be talking to him. “Hello?” When he spoke again, she forced herself back to the present, clearing her throat obtrusively.
“Hello, Russell. This is Alice. Alice Tate.”
“Alice?” Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t the unadulterated delight in the man’s tone at her introduction. “Lovely to hear from you. How are you?”
“I’m lovely, thanks.” She replied, unable to keep from smiling. “Just finished a hard week working on my new spring collection. I’m sure you’re being run ragged with all the blockbuster films shooting just now.”
“Indeed I am.” He chuckled softly. “I can’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep. Thankfully, I’m stocked up on good coffee.”
“Traitor,” Alice shot back playfully. “You’ve disavowed your British roots.”
“Only when I’m being overworked.” He defended himself with good humor, and Alice’s smile only widened. “I’m still very partial to tea time when I’m awake.”
“Good to know.” Alice reached for her planner, trying vainly to remind herself that she hadn’t called Russell to engage in small talk. She called him to take a job that might further her career – to ask for the details of the position he suggested.
Even as she hoped that, somehow, he’d be involved on a personal level. “Russell, I’m actually calling to talk to you about that job you suggested. I have some time in my schedule for the next few weeks and I think it might be a good opportunity to meet with your contact.”
“Wonderful.” The warmth in the man’s tone made her shiver in excitement. Bloody hell, he was thousands of kilometers away and he still had enough appeal to make her lower extremities tingle in awareness. “I’m glad to hear it. If you’ll just give me your e-mail, I’ll send you all the details so you’ll have them for your records. How soon would you be available to come see me?”
Alice arched a brow at his inquiry. To come see him? That barely sounded like a business arrangement. Quite the contrary, in fact. It sounded like he was inviting her to his personal flat.
It wasn’t so bad to imagine that was the case. That she might head downtown to the high street and find some lacy, elaborate lingerie to wear under a trench coat to meet him on his front doorstep.
“I need about two weeks to wrap up my business here. Then I’d be glad to hop on a plane.”
That was as blasé as she could make herself sound when Alice was all but mentally undressing the man.
“Brilliant. I’ll set the meeting with Lemmy, then.”
“Lemmy?” Alice inquired, reaching for the tea Tom brought her to steady her nerves.
Russell merely chuckled at her curiosity. “Don’t judge him by his name. He’s a brilliant director and I’m sure he’ll love you.”
That, Alice decided, would be all well and good. She didn’t like to have problems with the people she worked with. She found herself more concerned, however, about how Russell felt about this entire arrangement.
“I look forward to it.”
She supposed she would find out soon enough.
**
Despite the fact that he didn’t want to live there, Russell had nothing against Los Angeles. It was a gorgeous city, brimming with talent and amazing places to go and see. Once, he had contemplated pursuing an acting career himself if he didn’t make it as an agent, but the drama surrounding movie stars had never really appealed to him.
Thankfully, things never had to go that far.
Russell didn’t see LA through the eyes of film stars or the particularly rich and famous. He wasn’t a man prone to extravagant shopping sprees or flights of fancy – those things had been reserved for his younger years. When he was in LA, he liked to visit the lesser-traveled neighborhoods, enjoy ethnic foods and volunteer his time to places in need.
That was, of course, when he wasn’t absolutely swamped with work.
Unfortunately, he wouldn’t have time for leisure activities anytime soon. He’d come to oversee Regina’s newest project.
And to meet Alice.
The thought gave him a hungry thrill that made every muscle in his body tighten in anticipation. Russell couldn’t believe his luck when Alice called him to tell him she’d take the job. He was certain his running out on her in London would ensure she wanted nothing to do with him. At Regina’s party, he consoled himself, she was merely being cordial.
Now, he allowed himself to think that it might be something more.
That, of course, was quite presumptuous of him. Designing costumes for a film was no small feat for even someone on Alice’s level. If she jumped at the opportunity, it could have nothing to do with him at all. After all, this opportunity could lead to a slew of similar ones for her – she could become the it woman for Hollywood and that, Russell maintained, was why she had agreed to come.
It had nothing to do with wanting to see him.
But he wanted to see her. For the past few weeks, he’d tried to convince himself otherwise, attesting that he would be far too busy to see much of her even if she did accept the job. But once she did, it was like something had unlocked in his psyche.
He wasn’t even trying to convince himself that he wasn’t interested in her anymore.
It was evident from the fact that he woke ever
y morning painfully hard with visions of her raven hair and bright blue eyes that he wanted her. Obvious in the fact that he’d been jealous at the party that he found her worth butting into conversations over.
And now she would be in the same city as him for the foreseeable future.
Russell was already planning how he would handle the situation. He was always calm, collected and thorough in any decisions he made for work. How hard could it be to extend that resolve to every scenario that involved Alice Tate? If he wanted to take her out, he would. He would indulge himself in witty conversation and even flirtatious banter – but nothing beyond that.
Anything beyond that was…well…beyond him. If he allowed himself to get involved with a woman who so obviously floored him…well…
His guilt might very well be his undoing.
But Russell tried not to linger on such unpleasant hypotheses. His meeting with Alice and Lemmy was that afternoon, and it wouldn’t do to seem anything less than one hundred percent enthusiastic.
After all, this was his doing. He had brought her here.
Alice’s plane would arrive in a matter of hours. By then, he would have to be firm in his resolve. If he wasn’t, he’d end up doing something ridiculous.
Like having his way with her in the center of the dinner table.
That particular thought lingered at the back of his mind for the rest of the day. Even as he visited Regina’s studio and made sure all of her demands had been met for the film, he couldn’t keep himself from imagining what Alice might look like spread over the expanse of his bed, clad in nothing but her hair, rampant desire in her eyes.
He had to take a moment to himself to adjust in the men’s room, splashing cold water on his face. As he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, he wondered what Alice saw when she laid eyes on him. He liked to think that he was attractive –amicable despite the hectic life that he led. He was well-read and intelligent by simple virtue of his own curiosity.
Yet he hadn’t been smart enough to take Alice up on her offer the first time she’d propositioned to him.