by Ivy Nelson
Isabelle gingerly turned and gave Garrett a pained look as she faced him. She wasn’t used to being fussed over.
“What are you wearing, Garrett?” Jasmine asked as she absently began digging through a nearby rack.
Garrett laughed. “The usual. Black tux, bowtie.”
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “I could put you in so many more interesting outfits. I’ll just have to be satisfied with the beautiful women you send my way.”
He tried not to cringe. He didn’t want Isabelle thinking he brought tons of women here.
“Though,” she continued, “I do have to say, none are as beautiful as this gorgeous creature in front of me.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes and he fought the urge to scold her. “I’m sure you say that to all of Mr. Oliver’s dates.”
Jasmine tossed her head back and laughed. “I assure you, you’re the first date I’ve ever dressed for Garrett.” She pulled a dress from the rack.
“Now, let’s get you into the dressing room. We’re going to knock his socks off.”
• • •
Isabelle felt like a rag doll as Jasmine pulled her into a sizeable dressing room and began tugging at her clothes. Soon she was in an elegant beige silk dress, but Jasmine was already shaking her head.
“No, no, no. This won’t do. Your skin tone is too gorgeous for beige. Let’s try something a bit more vibrant, shall we?”
Isabelle shrugged. She’d thought the dress looked rather nice.
“Right then,” she said when she came back a few minutes later. “My gut says the burgundy, but I want to try the yellow just for fun”
Isabelle nearly grinned at the sight of the gorgeous yellow gown over Jasmine’s arm. The designer had no way of knowing yellow was the color of Garrett’s bracelet at Solitaire.
She let Jasmine help her into the yellow gown. The soft fabric slid over her curves and made her feel luxurious.
“It’s nearly perfect. I just need to make a couple of quick fixes,” Jasmine murmured as she tucked at fabric in various places.
“I’ll be right back,” the woman said, as she rushed from the room. This time, she returned with shoes, jewelry, and a handbag.
Dear lord, this was too much. While Jasmine fussed and adjusted, Isabelle stared at the wall in front of her. She was used to wearing secondhand dresses and had never had anything this nice on her body before.
“Stunning,” Jasmine breathed as she turned Isabelle to face the mirror. Her mouth dropped open. Red-carpet-ready was definitely an appropriate term to use.
“What do you think?”
“I’m speechless,” she murmured. “I love it.”
“Let’s go show Garrett.”
She pushed the curtain aside and motioned for Isabelle to step through. Garrett was standing with his back to them, his phone to his ear. Jasmine cleared her throat and he slowly turned.
“I have to go,” he said to whoever he was talking to.
“Isabelle,” he breathed as he stuffed his phone into his pocket.
“You like it?” she asked hesitantly.
“It’s perfect. You’re going to steal the show.”
Isabelle highly doubted that. It was some high society function he was taking her to.
Jasmine pulled a box from one of her many pockets and handed it to Garrett. “Diamond cufflinks. You can tell Mr. Barrett and Mr. Yates we made them with some of their uncut diamonds they sold me.”
Garrett grinned. “Thank you, Jasmine. Just charge my card as usual. When can you have it ready?”
She waved a hand in the air. “I’ll finish it tonight and have a courier bring it to you in the morning. I just need to know where to send it.”
Isabelle grimaced but wrote down her address. She momentarily considered having it shipped to work but there were even more eyes there and gossip would spread like wildfire. At least at home she could keep the questions confined to just a few people.
Jasmine shoved Isabelle back into the dressing room for final measurements.
Back in her jeans and t-shirt, she felt very unworthy of the gorgeous gown.
As Garrett signed the invoice, he leaned in and whispered to Jasmine for several minutes. The woman nodded and grinned, patting him on the shoulder. Isabelle got the feeling they were conspiring.
“Ready?” he asked, holding his hand out to her.
She nodded and let him lead her out to the car where they had a quiet ride to her place.
Back in her apartment, it was back to the real world with homework, dirty dishes, and a never-ending pile of laundry. But she had memories of the way Garrett commanded her body at Solitaire to keep a subtle smile on her face as she folded towels and proofread a research paper for Catarina.
The next morning, Sarah nudged her awake. “Aunt Izzy wake up. Someone is here for you.”
She brushed Sarah’s hand away. “What time is it?” she muttered.
“Six-forty-five. Come on. They said you have to sign for a package.”
“At not even seven in the morning?” Isabelle asked as she sat up.
Her niece nodded and she sighed as she dragged herself out of bed. “I’ll be right there.”
Pulling on a pair of sweats, she hurried into the living room where a man stood with a clipboard.
“I’ve got a delivery for an Isabelle Alvarado from Jasmine Darlington.”
Isabelle smiled. That would be her dress. “Perfect, thank you,” she said as she scrawled her signature.
“Great. Where do you want everything?”
“You can just bring it here to the living room,” she said.
The delivery driver nodded and spoke into a radio. “I’ve got acceptance of the delivery, bring it in.”
Two more men wheeled a large container into the room. It was about the width of a refrigerator box and just a bit shorter than the average fridge.
“What’s this? I thought it was just my dress.”
The driver shrugged. “We just get paid to make the deliveries, ma’am. Call the boutique if there’s a problem.” He turned and walked out as the men with the box unhooked their furniture dolly and broke the seal on the wooden monstrosity for her. Isabelle’s mouth dropped open when she saw what was inside.
“Holy fuck,” she whispered.
“You’re not supposed to say that word in front of us, Aunt Izzy.”
Isabelle turned to see Sarah standing in the hall.
“Sorry. I just don’t understand what all this is.” She pulled her phone out of her sweats to text Garrett.
He called a minute later.
“What is all of what?” he asked.
“This delivery from Jasmine. It’s much more than a dress and some jewelry, Garrett.”
“I asked her to outfit you with a few things for work. Do you not like them?”
Isabelle let out a frustrated growl. “The dress is one thing, but this is way too much. I’m capable of dressing myself.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t. I’m saying I would like to see you in some of the clothes she sent you. Consider it part of your work uniform.”
“How do I explain this to my family?” she hissed as she stepped into her bedroom and shut the door. “That stuff must have cost a fortune.”
Garrett sighed. “I see I’ve upset you when I was trying to surprise you. Please, Isabelle, don’t stress. It’s just clothes. Clothes I would very much like for you to wear because you deserve to be dressed like a queen. Now, if I’m not mistaken, you have a job to get ready for and your boss expects you to be on time, so enough arguing.”
He ended the call without another word, and Isabelle stared at the phone in disbelief.”
“Izzy, what is all this?” her uncle asked from the hall.
She jerked the door open. “I’m moving it, I’m moving it,” she muttered as she hurried past him into the living room. The container held a clothing rack on wheels and some small boxes at the bottom. She moved the rack into her room first and came back for the boxes.
&nbs
p; On the rack, there were a variety of skirts, blouses, and blazers, all appropriate for her new role at Colorado Logistics. And while it was all high quality, none of it was overly flashy. At the end of the rack hung her dress, and she smiled as she let her fingers trail the soft silk.
She quickly selected a skirt and blouse before turning to the boxes to open them. Thank God they weren’t filled with undergarments like she’d feared. There was, however, a collection of jewelry and shoes. She would wear the shoes, but she was drawing a line at the jewelry. She would call Jasmine and arrange a return tomorrow.
In the kitchen, she made sure the girls had what they needed to get out the door before she rushed out to the driver waiting to take her to work. As the car moved toward the apartment complex exit, she noticed a construction crew setting up to work. It didn’t seem like it was time for the yearly round of fixing parking lot potholes yet.
In the office, she received a smile from Garrett but no comment on her outfit. As promised, he remained professional. It was jarring how different he was at work compared to the club. The only thing that remained the same was the dominant bite to his commands when he asked her to do something for him.
Most of the day, it seemed like he was working on projects for other sectors of his company, so she felt like a fish out of water trying to help him, but she did her best.
At lunchtime, he poked his head out his door. “Can you stick around for lunch? I’ll have something brought in.”
She nodded. “Of course. Would you like me to place an order at the bakery?”
He flashed her a smile. “That sounds lovely, Isabelle. Come in when you’re finished.”
He closed his door without telling her what he wanted. She let her mind drift to previous times she’d seen him eat lunch and tried to remember what he ate and how he liked it. She ordered a turkey sandwich on wheat, with bacon, avocado, and tomato, and hoped she got it right.
“No mayonnaise,” she blurted at the end of her order as she remembered him once turning his nose up at the condiment.
When the delivery was arranged, she stood and knocked on Garrett’s door.
“Come in, Miss Alvarado,” he said with a wink when he swung the door open.
Her heart slammed into her throat as she stepped across the threshold.
“What a lovely blouse you have on,” he murmured, as she stood awkwardly in the middle of the room while he shut and locked the door.
“How long until food arrives?”
“They said twenty minutes.” It came out a whisper
“Perfect. You seem nervous,” he said, moving toward her.
“Maybe a little. I’m still irritated about the clothes,” she said, hoping to relieve some of the sexual tension thick in the room.
He hummed. “It’s a perk of working for me. Just like health benefits or vacation pay. Sit,” he said giving her a gentle nudge toward the couch.
“Do you buy your other assistants’ clothes?”
He shrugged as she sat and tugged at her skirt. “I have before.”
“Just the ones you sleep with?”
Why are you being so defensive, Isabelle? She let her shoulders sag. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”
Garrett sat down and leaned in close enough that she could smell him, but he didn’t touch her. “It was. If we were at Solitaire, I might spank you. I’ve never slept with an assistant before. I’m usually a stickler for not blurring the lines.”
“So, what’s so special about me?”
He folded his arms and sat back, eyeing her. “Do you want a list?”
She blushed and dropped her gaze.
“Hey, I’m not trying to upset you. I just want to enjoy lunch with you. After our weekend, I’m finding it hard to remain professional, and your current attitude has my palm itching to connect with your ass.”
She giggled and blushed further. A knock at the door saved her from having to respond. It was Garrett’s driver bringing their lunch up.
“Does he just sit and wait for you all day?”
Garrett stared at her as if it were an odd thing to ask. “Sometimes. Unless I need him to run errands without me.”
“So, he’s more than just a driver?”
Garrett nodded and handed her a sandwich. “Much more. He’s also trained in personal protection and security among other things.”
Isabelle shook her head. His world was entirely different from hers.
They ate their lunch quietly and made small talk until it was time for Garrett’s next meeting. He stood and offered her his hand after he cleaned up their lunch and walked her to the door. There, he backed her against it and pressed a harsh kiss to her lips. “You’re making me question all of my rules, Isabelle,” he murmured when he pulled away.
She rubbed her lips as he backed up.
“I’ll pick you up at six to get to the airstrip. You’ll have a little time to get ready on the plane if you want.”
Chapter Eleven
Isabelle left at three that day, as had been her habit. When she walked in the front door of her apartment, her father leaned against the kitchen counter looking very stern.
“Hi, Daddy. Sorry about the mess in the living room. You didn’t clean that up, did you?”
He shook his head. “No. I didn’t have to. A man knocked on the door and said Mr. Oliver sent him to clean it up.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes.
“Why is this man buying you clothes, Isabelle?”
She dropped her gaze. “I work for him. He wants me to dress a certain way for work. Tonight, I’m accompanying him to an event that requires something much nicer than I can afford. It’s a perk of the job.”
He shook his head with disapproval. “You’ll have to pay for all of that and you know it. Men like that don’t buy women pretty things without expecting something in return. Just remember to keep your wits about you and your legs closed.”
Her mouth dropped open. Jacob Alvarado was never one to talk about sex with his children.
“I’m sad you think so little of me, Daddy.” There was no way she could tell him she’d already slept with Garrett.
Her father just tightened his arms across his chest and scowled. “You’re a good girl, Isabelle. It’s men like Garrett Oliver I don’t trust. He may have given you and Uncle Henry and some of the others their jobs back, but he can change his mind in the blink of an eye if he doesn’t think he’s getting a good return on his investment. And trust me, Isabelle,” he said when she opened her mouth to speak. “The clothes, the promotion, taking you to a fancy event, those are all investments.”
She didn’t want to hear any more and started to say as much when the front door opened.
“Hi Aunt Izzy, hi Grandpa. Did you know they’re putting gates at the entrances and exits?” Sarah asked.
Isabelle frowned. “Really? That must be what the construction crew was up to this morning.”
The girls both shrugged and started digging in the fridge.
“I have to get ready to leave, Daddy. Make sure the girls do their homework.”
“Don’t get in over your head, Isabelle,” he admonished as she made her way down the hall to her room.
Feeling like a belligerent child, she decided to get dressed at home instead of on the plane. When she came out of the bedroom, her father was still in the kitchen and his eyes softened for just a moment before he frowned.
Finally, he opened his arms and gave her a hug. “You’re beautiful, just like your mother. It’s no wonder this Mr. Oliver has taken a shine to you.”
Isabelle blushed at her father’s version of praise.
“Where are you going? You look like a movie star,” Sarah said.
Isabelle gave her a one-armed hug and smiled. “Just some stuffy dinner with my boss, sweetie. I’m sure it will be dull.”
“I hope the paparazzi are there. You could wind up on TMZ.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes. Both girls were obsessed with celebrity gossip.
“Ma
ke sure you get your homework done, girls. Don’t forget Uncle Henry is taking you to see your mom in the morning before school.”
Catarina scowled, but Sarah was happy to be visiting her mother in prison.
At five-forty-five, Garrett messaged to say he was almost there, so Isabelle stepped out onto the porch. There was no way he was coming inside her shabby apartment.
The car that pulled up was one she hadn’t seen before. A slightly above average SUV instead of the flashy one his driver had been using. At least she knew he was listening.
Garrett stepped out and her mouth went dry. The tux he wore was bespoke and there were hints of yellow sparkling at his wrists—the cufflinks Jasmine gifted him.
“Good evening, Miss Alvarado. You look stunning.”
She nearly stumbled as her nieces stepped out on the porch to see her off.
“Your boss is hot,” Catarina whispered in her ear. Isabelle smacked her shoulder before giving her a hug.
“I’ll be in late tonight.”
Then she stepped into the parking lot where he waited with her door open.
“Have fun, Aunt Izzy,” the girls yelled in unison.
“Izzy?” Garrett said, as he slid into the car next to her.
She just shook her head and laughed. “Everyone in my family except my dad calls me that. I hate it, but I’m pretty sure that’s why they do it.”
Garrett frowned. “That’s not very kind.”
Isabelle shrugged. “That’s family.”
“Every time I think you can’t look better, you do. I’m in love with your tux,” she said, changing the subject.
Garrett grinned. “Thank you, Isabelle. I’m glad you approve.”
“My niece said you’re hot.”
Garrett laughed, a full-throated laugh she hadn’t heard before. “And what do you say, Doll?”
She gave him a coy smile and shrugged. “She is the expert on hot men, so I can’t exactly argue with her.”
He chuckled and picked up her hand, bringing it to his lips.
“Thank you for coming with me. I find I enjoy your company more than the company of most.”
She squirmed next to him.
“Remind me what this gala is for again?”
“It’s an annual charity fundraiser for childhood cancer research in Dallas.”
