by Ellen Lane
How different, he wondered, would things be now if he had given into her? Taken her out to dinner and afterward….
Goddamn it.
This woman was going to be the death of him and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
For their meeting, he had chosen a fairly high-profile sushi restaurant in downtown LA, and he was the first to arrive. Lemmy, he knew, was notorious for being late and he wouldn’t expect him until at least half an hour past the designated time.
But Alice…. Alice arrived at six p.m. on the dot.
At the sight of her, Russell all but choked on the wine he was enjoying. Jesus Christ, that dress. There wasn’t anything overtly indecent about the shift she wore, but the pure white garment hugged her every curve. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face – piled high atop her head to reveal her elegant bone structure and seductive coloring.
Russell didn’t think he’d ever been so drawn to a woman’s neck as he was at that moment. Alice’s was bare, and instead of a necklace, she wore a pair of long dangling earrings that instead framed the long, tan column of her throat.
It was enough to make him salivate. He wanted nothing more than to draw her to him and kiss her from chin to collarbone – to find exactly what spots drove her insane with want. When she caught sight of him, her full mouth curved up into a devastating smile and Russell wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into.
“For a moment I thought I’d gotten the wrong restaurant.” He immediately stood to take her hand warmly, bending down to kiss her cheek.
“I would have come to find you – you can be sure of that.”
“Sweet of you, Russell.” She took the seat he pulled out for her. “But I’m sure someone would have given me directions.”
He was sure they would have to, especially looking the way she did. Forget directions, he was sure any sane man would have tried to spirit her away.
“How was your trip? You’re not tired at all?”
“I’m exhausted.” She emphasized, immediately signaling to the waitress to bring her a drink menu. “I apologize if I fall asleep over my Toro. I didn’t get a wink of sleep on the plane.”
Russell wondered if that had anything to do with his not getting any sleep the few days before she came. The moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was her face.
“Well, hopefully Lemmy will let you take a little time to relax and see the sights before he puts you to work.” Russell reassured her, telling himself that during that time, he would have to do his best to spend every moment he could with her.
Clandestinely of course.
“Where is the famous Lemmy?” Alice accepted her chilled sake eagerly. “He hasn’t arrived yet?”
“He makes a habit of being fashionably late, I’m afraid. For the time being, you’re stuck with me for a company.”
Alice’s breathtaking blue eyes gleamed mischievously. “Oh no. Whatever shall I do?”
If Russell didn’t know any better, he’d think she was flirting with him; but then again, every man in the cosmos probably hoped desperately that Alice Tate was flirting with him.
“Make do, hopefully.” With that, Russell decided to bite the bullet. If he intended to spend any real time with her, he was going to have to apologize for being such a cad before. It had been self-preservation, but in hindsight, he might have been a bit of a prick. “Alice, I’m afraid I owe you a bit of an apology.”
“Oh?” She arched an elegant brow. “What for?”
Russell’s stomach tightened as he forged on. “The first night we met…I…I was a bit of a lump when I told you I’d be unable to see you.” Alice’s expression remained carefully neutral as he continued. “I should have been a bit more tactful.”
The corner of her mouth turned up in amusement. “Are you telling me, Mr. Darwell, that you lied?” She knew very well how hard it was to admit this and she was drawing enjoyment from it.
He supposed he deserved at least a little of that. “Not about having a previous engagement, no.” He was ginger with that one. “I merely realized that I might have given you the wrong impression.”
“And what impression is that?” She inquired, a fetchingly coy note entering her voice.
Russell smiled. “That I find you anything less than supremely engaging.”
A soft laugh escaped her and the young woman tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze never leaving his. Russell knew he hadn’t been imagining things – there was intrigue there. Interest…and even an enticing gleam of desire. “Supremely, is it?” That smile of hers was a very dangerous thing. “I don’t know how I feel about you singing my praises, Russell. You might intimidate me.”
Taking a chance, Russell reached over to take her hand in his. He considered himself lucky when she didn’t pull away. “I assure you, Alice, that was not my intention.”
Her palm was warm and soft against his, and she hesitated only a moment before her thumb brushed intimately against his skin.
Almost as if she had been waiting for this moment.
But that, Russell told himself, was unlikely. He had already embarrassed himself once. He’d have to make sure not to do it again.
“Sorry I’m late, guys. You don’t know how much I appreciate your waiting.” At that exact moment, Lemmy decided to make an appearance. A slightly overweight man of Irish decent with blue eyes and an imposing red beard, he slid unceremoniously into the seat next to Russell with a grin.
Almost immediately, he released Alice’s hand and the young woman drew back with a secretive, promising smile.
Of course, Lemmy would choose today, of all days, to be the one time he arrived at a decent hour. Russell had been counting on a good half an hour with Alice to himself, but those plans had been foiled. “You must be Alice.” Of course, he noticed her almost immediately. Any man with eyes was immediately drawn to Alice and Lemmy, despite being very firmly married, was no different. “Russell’s told me loads about you. I’ve looked over your lines from the year of inception onward and I’m very impressed.”
“And you must be Lemmy.” Alice turned her attention to him, extending her hand for him to shake. For a split second, Russell was jealous of the director and the warmth Alice directed towards him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. I can’t wait to hear about the details of your movie.”
“You’ll keep them a secret, I hope.” The Irishman teased her, making her laugh softly.
She was absolutely radiant when she laughed.
It was in the instant that Russell felt a pang of guilt in the back of his mind. He was totally, completely absorbed in Alice’s presence – like he had been with no woman before her.
And he wasn’t quite certain he was justified in his attraction.
“Has Russell given you any details at all?” Lemmy inquired, ordering a hot sake from a nearby waitress. Alice’s gaze darted to Russell’s for a moment before she answered.
“None at all. Your secret is assuredly safe with him.”
“That’s my boy, Russell!” Lemmy smacked him companionably on the back and Russell winced. “I knew I could confide in you.”
The truth was, Lemmy simply hadn’t given them time to get into a decent conversation. Given the chance, Russell would have almost certainly revealed certain details, if for nothing else but to entice Alice into actually taking the job. After all, nothing was quite set in stone.
“Of course.” He grinned, winking secretively at Alice. “I figured I’d leave you all the glory, Lem.”
It was obvious how excited he was about this particular film. Lemmy estimated that once it was released, it could be one of the biggest summer action blockbusters of all time.
No small feat.
“Well let’s order some food and I’ll give you all the details, Miss Tate. I’m starving.”
That was Lemmy – always thinking of his stomach first.
In short order, they had asked for an array of sushi, sashimi, and appetizers – which meant that it was time
to get into the meat of the matter.
Though Russell had heard the pitch before, he listened while Lemmy outlined his masterpiece for Alice step by step.
The film would be an action period piece – espionage set in the late nineteenth century. They would be shooting in both England and the United States, and would require an array of period costumes, modified to have a modern flair. Lemmy was going for an almost steampunk vibe, and he wanted to be able to personally approve all the costumes before they found their way onto the actors.
And he wanted to start shooting in two weeks.
To be honest, Russell hadn’t known the deadline was so soon. In order to acquiesce with the director’s demands, Alice would all but have to accept his offer on the spot and start work immediately.
Over surf clam and fatty tuna, he and Alice tossed ideas back and forth, and Russell found himself admiring how astute Alice was. She revealed that a number of her lines had been inspired by different periods, so it was no trial at all for her to come up with ideas before Lemmy could. She even did several rough sketches on napkins that the man couldn’t stop enthusing over.
By the end of the meal, Russell could tell how much Lemmy wanted her for the position. The director had been in charge of a number of very successful movies, and he was too proud to beg – but he was right on the cusp. He was all but salivating over the sketches Alice had done for him, hoarding them in his bag. Rather than plead for Alice to work on his film, however, the director merely paid for their five-hundred-dollar meal without blinking. He had peppered the young woman with compliments all evening and now, Russell guessed, he was merely waiting for her to bite.
Alice however, merely enjoyed her dessert and wine leisurely. She was, Russell gathered, the type of woman who only agreed to something if asked – and asked nicely at that.
Which put them at an impasse.
“Well, Lemmy it sounds to me like Alice would be the perfect candidate to costume your film.” He had been placed into the reluctant role of facilitator. But Russell didn’t mind if that meant that he got to ensure that Alice stayed put for the next few weeks.
“It does indeed,” The director provided, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. “I only wonder what the workload might be like for her.”
Alice gazed from one man to the other, taking another bite of her chocolate mousse before she answered casually. “If you want me that badly, Lemmy, all you have to do is ask. I can assure you, I’ll have all your designs finished for preliminary approval within a week.”
A single week? The very prospect was enough to blow Russell’s mind. They were talking about over seventy distinct costume designs, along with materials and mock-ups. Alice was saying that she could finish all that in a mere seven days?
He couldn’t help but be a little skeptical.
Lemmy, however, took the hint clearly. With a pleading glance at Russell, he reluctantly cleared his throat. “Well, if you’d definitely like to be on board, Alice, I don’t see any reason we can’t get contracts drawn up and make it official. I’ll need you for the entire length of the shooting, you can imagine, and you’ll be free to choose your own subordinates.”
“What pay grade are we discussing here, Lemmy?” She was all business – curt, but perfectly polite. It was obvious how Alice did so well in the fashion business. She wasn’t afraid to take risks.
Lemmy’s eyes slid to Russell, who only smiled in amusement, shrugging. He and Alice hadn’t discussed compensation, but considering she was an established designer in her own right, he couldn’t imagine Alice’s services would come cheap.
But she would be worth every penny.
“I’d be willing to go as high as eight hundred thousand, contingent, of course, on how well the movie does at the box office.”
Alice’s responding smile was slow and catlike. “Actually, if you’re open to the arrangement, I’d prefer a percentage.”
Lemmy winced as Russell hid his smile. It was obvious that Alice had done her research before negotiating. She knew how big this movie might be – and that she stood to make much more asking for even a small percentage than accepting a singular payout. She was a shrewd businesswoman.
“How big of a percentage?”
Alice chuckled softly. “Nothing huge. One and a half percent should be just fine.”
At that, Lemmy arched a brow in surprise. Russell could tell Alice was asking for far less than he guessed she would. Which meant she thought the film might be one of the highest grossing of all time. If a film pulled in three hundred million dollars, she’d still be making a cool three million.
If the film did well.
Lemmy hesitated for only a moment before extending his hand. “I do believe you have yourself a deal, Miss Tate.” Alice beamed, taking his hand immediately to shake in agreement.
“Wonderful.”
“If you’ll just provide me with your current address, I’ll have the papers drawn up and sent to you tomorrow.”
“I was actually considering buying an apartment nearby,” Alice revealed, before frowning slightly. “Though I haven’t the slightest idea where to start when it comes to LA real estate.”
“I can help with that.” Russell piped up before he had really thought his answer through.
Alice looked at him with wide eyes. “You can?”
“I…have a few properties I could show you, if you’re interested.” That much was the truth. He’d bought a whole block of apartments a few years ago as rental investments – but almost all of them were full. He had no idea what the standards a woman like Alice Tate had.
But he could at least show her what he had to offer.
Russell wouldn’t protest to being her landlord – even if that hadn’t been his original aim.
“I might like to take a look.” Alice replied coyly, making Lemmy chuckle.
“She’s sharp, this one,” the director smiled. “Nothing for free.”
Russell admired that. The fashion industry was a difficult one to get a foothold in, but it was obvious that Alice had both the tenacity and the willfulness to succeed.
But then, he had already known that.
“I assure you Lemmy, my work is well worth the value.”
“That, I don’t doubt.” Lemmy chuckled, winking at her a moment before he slid out of the booth. “Just let me know when you get settled in and we’ll get started. Russell will get a message to me.”
“Can do.” Alice grinned beautifully.
“In that case, boys and girls, I bid you goodnight.” Lemmy bowed teasingly before turning to make his way from the restaurant.
“I’ll walk you out.” Russell was surprised by how quickly Alice leaped from her seat to accompany him. “Be right back, Russell.” And with that, she was gone, gracefully taking Lemmy’s arm to walk him towards the front of the restaurant.
All he could do was wait for her return and wonder how she was further charming her future coworker.
As he watched them leave, Russell contemplated what he’d read about the prominent fashion designer and Tate heiress. Alice was practically a household name by virtue of her design talent. In Britain, she was also known by her surname. Only a year past, the Tates had undergone a measure of scandal when they revealed that their oldest son, Michael, was an adopted Russian national. While the Countess and Duke had, no doubt, been affronted that their name had been sullied, Alice was depicted staying by her brother’s side – attesting that it didn’t matter where he came from, that they were still blood.
She was an interesting figure of both intrigue and controversy. While standing up for her brother, she was infamous for a string of affairs that stretched back years. She never saw one man for more than a couple of months and had been cited saying that she preferred to stay away from emotional entanglements.
She was perfect.
He himself couldn’t afford any complications either. He was at a point in his life where he was perfectly in control – where the pain of the past had been all but era
sed.
He couldn’t go back. Not even for Alice Tate – never mind how intensely he was drawn to her.
The dark-haired woman returned in short order, yawning as she bent over the table to grab her purse. “Pardon my rudeness, Russell, but I’m absolutely exhausted. I’m fit to drop if I don’t get some sleep soon.”
As gorgeous as she looked, Russell could sense the truth of her words. She had to be incredibly jetlagged if she’d just flown in from England – and part of him wished he could accompany her to bed just to make sure she was well-rested.
But somehow, he refrained.
Rising from his seat, Russell took her arm gently. “Of course. I’ll catch you a cab.” As he walked her out, he contemplated only a moment before attempting to seal the deal he suggested earlier. “If you like, I can meet you at your hotel tomorrow and take you to a few of my properties.”
“If you’re trying to impress me, Russell, it’s working.” Alice smiled sweetly up at him. Once they reached the curb in front of the restaurant, she went about trying to hail a cab.
“Not impress. Just offering assistance.”
“Of course.” Reaching up, Alice cupped his cheek almost fondly. “Save me calling a realtor, I imagine.”
She was going to make him speak plainly. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. “And afterward, I’d like to take you for dinner – if you’ll have me, that is.”
The way her eyes lit was unmistakable. “Are you asking me on a date, Russell Darwell?”
That was exactly what he was doing, despite his better judgment. “I never meant to insult you in London. Consider this my making amends.”
Alice appeared to consider him for a moment before she smiled warmly. “Ten a.m., at the Garden Pavilion Hotel?”
Russel’s chest filled with elation. “I won’t be late.”
Alice laughed softly as a taxi pulled up beside them. “You’d better not be.” She turned to go a moment before reconsidering.
When she turned back to him, Russell expected anything but what she actually did. Reaching up, she cupped his jaw, rising onto her toes to press her mouth to his.
Russell’s entire world stopped.