by Mona Ingram
“Not at all.” Her pulse raced as he tugged at his tie and opened the top button of his shirt. To her way of thinking there was something sensually appealing about a man with his shirt loosened. And when he looked at her like that, it was even moreso.
“You’ve let your hair down.” His voice was low and husky. “It looks nice like that.” He put his arm around her, and she relaxed against him.
She liked sitting here in the semi-dark with him. The subdued lighting created an intimate atmosphere, a place where secrets could be shared.
“Why are men so fascinated with long hair?” she asked dreamily.
“I don’t know.” His fingertips brushed against the top of her head. “Maybe it’s because we traditionally wear short hair. It’s sensual and it’s something different.”
She chuckled softly. “You’ve been fascinated with my hair ever since the first day we met.”
He pulled back and looked at her, but he didn’t deny it as he lifted a handful of the silken strands. “You’re right, but it was more than your hair that fascinated me.” He let the hair slip through his fingers. “That first day we met, I saw a woman I wanted to get to know.” He tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t ask me how I knew, but I could tell that you’re independent, you’re a clever businesswoman, and that you dislike men who can’t see past your beauty.” He lowered his voice and lightly turned her face toward him. “I could also see that you’d been hurt by a man at some time, and I hated him. I hated him, and yet I was thankful that he was such a loser.”
She turned away, unsure if she was ready to have him delve so deeply. Especially when he was right. “You were thankful?” She tossed his words back at him.
“Yes, because that meant you weren’t involved. There was hope for me.”
She turned to him and studied his face. He really was the most deliciously handsome man she’d ever met. And yet tonight she had seen another side of him. She’d only been here in Calgary for a few years, but Chase had grown up here, a member of a wealthy family, respected in the business community and pursued by at least one determined woman. Something told her that becoming involved with Chase Drummond might overshadow her business, and she couldn’t allow that to happen. She’d worked too hard to build it up to throw it all away now and become arm candy for this exciting man.
“What do you want from me, Chase?” She couldn’t believe she’d said that, but there was too much at stake. “What is it about me that attracts you?”
He slipped a hand around the back of her neck and ran his fingers through her hair again. It shimmered in the dim light, and he focused on it intently before returning his attention to her face.
“Everything about you attracts me, Lily.” He brushed the pad of his thumb against her lips, his hand trembling. “You ask me what I want from you. I want everything. But first I want to get to know you. I want to spend time with you. I want you to meet my parents when they come home for our family Christmas.” He grinned. “They’re leaving on a round-the-world cruise in January, so they’re only staying a few days.” He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips. “You’ll like them, Lily. They’re good people.”
It was everything she wanted to hear and yet it seemed almost too good to be true. She stared down at their intertwined hands. “Are any more women going to claim you? I’m not fond of sharing my men.”
“Am I your man?” He said it with such delight that she had to smile. “No. I can assure you that no other women are going to claim me.” He tipped up her chin. “I’ve found the one I want.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Drummond, we’re here.” Chase looked out through the tinted windows. They were parked in front of Lily’s condo; he had no idea how long they’d been there.
“Thank you, Larry.”
The driver got out, opened the door and stood a few feet away. Chase offered her his hand, relishing the thrill of awareness that spiked through his body at her touch.
They stood side by side in the elevator. Now that the evening was coming to an end, he didn’t want to let her go, and yet he really should get back to the fundraiser.
“Thank you for everything,” he said as they walked the short distance to her door. “Your clothes were amazing.”
“Thank you,” she said, digging her key out of her bag. He took the key from her, opened the door and handed it back to her.
“Would you like to come in for a nightcap?”
He shook his head regretfully, then gestured toward town. “Sorry, I really should get back.”
“I thought you said–” She caught herself. “I understand.”
He wondered if she did. Did she really understand what it took to walk away from her tonight? It was the last thing he wanted to do, and yet he’d already breached etiquette by leaving the fundraiser.
“I’ll call you,” he said softly and waited for a response. He wasn’t sure if she’d heard, because her head was down and she didn’t respond. “Will that be okay?”
She raised her head, and he thought he caught a hint of tears in her eyes. They were so dark and luminous it was difficult to tell. “Yes,” she whispered. “That will be fine.”
He lowered his head to kiss her and then stopped just before their lips met. She closed the gap, and with a groan of frustration he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. She was small, delicate, and soft in all the right places. When their lips met, he knew for sure that this was the woman he wanted. She kissed the way she lived; she held nothing back. Fireworks exploded in his head, and his body trembled with need as he released her.
“Wow,” he said, touching his forehead to hers. “I’d better leave, or I’m never getting out of here.”
She nodded, then grabbed his shirtfront and pulled him in for another kiss. When they finally parted, he staggered backward, gave her a small wave and started down the hall.
“Chase?”
He looked back.
She pointed in the other direction. “The elevator is that way.” Was that a smug smile on her face? He didn’t care. He would willingly put up with a lot to be kissed like that.
LILY TOSSED HER EVENING bag on the counter and walked to the plate glass window, her heart still pounding from the intensity of his kiss. Moments later, she saw him exit the building and climb into the limousine. It pulled out, taking him away.
Her thoughts went back to the fundraiser. Would that woman still be there? What was her name? Laurel? She turned away from the window, relieved that Maddie had gone to bed. She didn’t feel like talking tonight. Tonight was for remembering the way he looked at her, the taste of his kisses. Tomorrow and reality would come soon enough.
CHASE LEANED BACK AND closed his eyes. After what Laurel had pulled tonight, he was lucky that Lily was still talking to him. Her scent still clung to his clothes, and he breathed in deeply, wishing he was with her right now. He wondered if she was aware how difficult it had been for him to walk away.
The more he saw of her, the more he was convinced that Lily was the woman for him. He’d known it from the first moment he laid eyes on her, but now he was even surer. A groan of frustration escaped his lips. Not physical frustration, although there was plenty of that to go around. No, he was frustrated by the fact that he’d chosen to withhold information from her. Information that could destroy their fragile relationship. If he could only make it through the weekend without any more mishaps, the way should be clear to pursue Lily. It was a pleasurable thought, and he was smiling as he stepped out of the limo at the hotel.
“Chase, old man, I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.” Nate slapped him on the back and glanced behind him.
He knew his friend was looking for Lily. “I took her home,” he explained, scanning the crowd.
“Laurel left, as well. Nancy got one of her friends to drive her home.” Nate lowered his voice. “She was looking all over the place for you. Kept muttering something about the wedding next weekend.”
Chase gritted his teeth, a
nd Nate nodded knowingly. “Can’t get out of it, huh?”
“Nope.” Chase smiled at a departing couple. “Thanks for coming,” he called, then turned back to his friend. “I should know better than to make a commitment that far in advance.”
His friend was watching him carefully. “You really like her, huh?”
Chase nodded slowly. “I think she’s the one, Nate.”
“I thought so. You’ve done nothing but talk about her for the past several weeks, but after seeing you together tonight, I’ve gotta tell you, man. I’ve never seen you like that with a woman.”
“That’s because I’ve never met a woman like this before.”
His friend rolled his eyes. “Then good luck. That’s all I can say.”
ZELDA BREEZED INTO the lobby, carrying two coffees. “Good morning, David.” She’d adopted Maddie’s habit of greeting the concierge every morning.
He grinned broadly. “Good morning, sunshine. How’s business?”
The young woman walked backward, talking as she went. “Fantastic. Thanks for the leads yesterday.” She paused. “Do you need any more business cards?”
David pulled out a drawer and looked inside. “I’m fine for now. Have a good day.”
“Thanks.” She walked to the shop and handed a coffee to Maddie. “Good morning, boss. I have another idea.”
Maddie looked up from her scheduling book. She’d left home even before Lily got up this morning in the hopes of reviewing her appointments for the next few days. Somehow she’d made the mistake of scheduling three appointments this morning and was wondering how she would fit them all in. She’d thought that orders would slow down this close to Christmas, but they kept pouring in. There were times when Zelda’s enthusiasm tired her out, but her ideas were usually good. “What is it?”
“I went to the grocery store last night. You know that fancy new one over on the east side?”
Maddie frowned. What did grocery shopping have to do with gift wrapping?
“In their bakery department, they have a special area set up where the customers can watch cakes being assembled and decorated. You should have seen the crowd of people watching.” She took a quick breath. “And that got me thinking. What if we set up a special time and let it be known that I’ll be giving free demonstrations and tips on gift wrapping?” She held up a hand. “Before you say no, I’ve thought about it, and we wouldn’t lose any business. People who would come to a demonstration wouldn’t pay for our services anyway, but it would be great publicity.”
Maddie held up the appointment book. “I don’t know if we can handle any more business.”
Zelda’s eyes danced with enthusiasm. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? We’ll manage, even if I have to work extra hours. Besides, if you decide to run this business after the Christmas season, we’ll need all the customers we can get.” She picked up her coffee then set it back down. “Are you okay, Mads? You look down.”
Maddie gave her a wry smile. The young woman was bright and energetic, but she was also amazingly intuitive. She took a sip of coffee. “It’s just that I haven’t heard from Brent.” She gazed longingly at her phone. “I don’t even know when he’s coming back for Christmas.”
“Can’t you call him?”
Maddie smiled wistfully. “No. Call me old-fashioned, but I can’t. I’ve thought about it a million times, but something inside tells me to wait until he contacts me.”
“He will.”
Maddie wished she shared Zelda’s confidence. She glanced at her watch and jumped up. “I’d better run. My first appointment is in ten minutes.” She threw a long scarf around her neck. “Go ahead on the demonstration, as long as you don’t spend too much money on advertising it.”
Zelda brightened. “I’m not going to spend anything.” She held up the cell phone they used for the business. “We have a following on Facebook and Twitter already, and my roomie has a popular blog.” She pulled out a notebook and a pen. “I’ll get started.”
MADDIE DRAGGED HERSELF back to the shop around one in the afternoon.
“I still can’t believe that people are willing to spend so much on Christmas gifts,” she said, kicking off her shoes and rubbing her feet. “I’d say it’s disgusting, but having that much flexibility with a budget makes my job a lot easier.”
“I suppose so, but it doesn’t make people happier.” Zelda looked wistful. “When you were a kid did you make your own decorations at home? You know the kind: paper chains for the Christmas tree and all that?” She pulled up the clear cellophane around a gift basket, deftly tying a ribbon and curling the ends.
Maddie thought back to happy times, working on the kitchen table while her mother supervised. “Yeah. And mucilage.” She smiled. “Remember mucilage? Remember how it always hardened around the rubber tip and you had to chip it off to get it to work the next time?”
Zelda stopped what she was doing. “Speaking of childhood memories, I just remembered. Annie stopped by. School’s out early today.”
Maddie instinctively looked around, although she knew the child wasn’t there. “I’m sorry I missed her.”
“She said she’ll be back, and that she had something to show you.”
Maddie smiled. “Probably something she made at school.”
“She was quite...” Zelda stopped mid-sentence. “Speak of the devil. Look who’s back already.”
“Maddie!” Annie ran through the lobby, her backpack hanging from one arm and a shopping bag on the other. “I’ve missed you.”
Maddie gave the child a big hug. Annie’s cheeks were cold, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I’ve been shopping,” she stated proudly.
“Buying Christmas presents?” Maddie eyed the bag; it wasn’t from a store she recognized.
“No. I bought something for myself.” Annie placed her backpack on the floor and opened the bag. “It’s the picture!” She smiled at it. “It’s the one I took of you and Uncle Brent that day at the rink. Remember? I bought a frame for it so I can keep it in my bedroom.” She looked up with trusting eyes. “It’s my happy picture.”
Maddie could scarcely see the picture through the sudden onslaught of tears. “I remember.” She touched the glass over Brent’s face. “I remember everything about that day.”
“Maddie, why are you crying?”
She gave her head a quick shake. “I’m not crying. Not really.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and she realized how ridiculous that must sound. “I think I must be tired. That’s all.” She stroked the child’s fine hair. “It’s a lovely picture, Annie.”
Her stomach growled. No wonder she was getting emotional. She hadn’t eaten today except for half a muffin this morning. “Shall we go for tea?” She turned to Zelda. “You don’t mind, do you? Have you had lunch?”
“I brought a sandwich from home. You guys go, but bring me a chai, okay?” She reached for Annie’s backpack. “Here, I’ll hold onto that for you.”
Annie scooted out from behind the shop and came to a standstill. All expression left her face as she watched a woman crossing the lobby. Maddie turned in time to see an elegantly dressed woman walking toward them. Perfectly made up, she looked like she’d stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine.
“Hello, Cynthia.” Annie’s greeting couldn’t have been less enthusiastic if she’d tried.
“Hello, Munchkin.”
Maddie winced as she heard Brent’s favourite name for his niece on the lips of this woman.
The other woman gave her a frosty glare. Recognition flared in her eyes, but it was soon replaced by dislike. So this was the woman who was linked with Chase. Maddie almost laughed aloud; she was no match for Lily.
“What do you have there?” She reached for the shopping bag, but Annie pulled it back. “For heaven’s sake child, let me see.” Her tone was sharp, and it was all Maddie could do to hold her tongue.
Annie slowly reached a hand into the bag and drew out the picture. She passed it to the woman without a word.
She studied the picture for a moment, then handed it back dismissively. “Oh yes, I’ve seen that.” A smirk played around her lips as she backed up in front of Maddie’s shop and read the sign. “I’d forgotten about your little venture.” She removed a glove and held out her hand. “I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I take it you’re Maddie?”
Maddie took the offered hand and cold fingers of dread inexplicably crept down her back. “Yes. Maddie LaRocque.” She tried to smile.
“Nice to meet you.” She withdrew her hand as though it might be contaminated. “I’m Cynthia Fairbairn. Brent’s fiancée.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I’M SORRY?” MADDIE struggled to keep her composure. She looked quickly to Annie, then back at the woman in front of her, who was obviously enjoying herself.
“Oh, yes. Brent and I have been together for some time now.” She glanced down at Annie. “Haven’t we?”
Annie shrugged.
Maddie felt as though she’d been punched in the gut. More than anything in the world, she wanted to run away and hide. She made an effort to say something, but her throat was closed up.
“Well,” Cynthia slapped the loose glove against her other hand. “It’s been lovely meeting you but I must dash. I’m on my way up to see Chase.” She looked down at Annie. “Are you coming?”
“No.” Annie edged closer to Maddie. “We’re going out for tea.”
“Enjoy yourselves then.” She gave Maddie one last triumphant look and walked over to the bank of elevators.
MADDIE PUT ONE FOOT in front of the other and somehow made it to the coffee shop. Unusually quiet, Annie slipped her hand into hers as they walked. It wasn’t until they were sitting down at the front window with their drinks that either of them spoke.
“Maddie, are you all right? You look sick.” A frown creased Annie’s brow.