“I was a basket case yesterday because I was exhausted. You aren’t the only one who hasn’t slept in weeks. I got a good eight hours in last night and I’m a new woman. No more tears. Now quit lollygagging and get to work.”
“Lollygagging?”
Anne Marie joked, “Something one of my foster moms would say when we weren’t doing our chores the way she wanted. I think she was from the South.”
Picking up one of the cups of coffee, Anne Marie handed it to Hannah along with the journal. “Go!” she ordered.
Anne Marie was back to her old self, and Hannah couldn’t be happier. Oh, she was scared to death about London, but her friend was right. She could do this. Hannah sat down at the table in front of the large expanse of windows looking out on to the Hudson. This was one of her favorite spots. Many times she’d thought about moving her table upstairs but she enjoyed being down in the design studio with everyone else.
Placing paper on the surface, she pulled her colored pencils down where she could reach them. Her fingers moved across the sheet before her mind even engaged. Everything from the NYC show to the night with Will flooded her mind, random thoughts ping-ponging around her brain.
The way he touched her, and that look in his eyes when he’d brought her to orgasm. His abs slightly hidden behind the shirt she’d designed. The way he’d protected her at the party from the “ugly hearts,” as she liked to call them.
“Are you doing portraits now?”
She jumped.
“Jesse. When did you get here?”
“About twenty minutes ago. You’ve been in your own little world. I’ve been talking to Anne Marie about London. Very cool for you.”
“Very cool for us. What did you mean about portraits?”
He motioned toward her paper.
Hannah glanced down and realized she’d drawn a pretty good likeness of Will in a suit. She’d never done that kind of detail on men’s clothing, but this could be a first. “Uh, inspiration.”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
She twisted around on her stool to face him. “Bossy over there mentioned you had something to show me.”
“Close your eyes,” Jesse teased. “No, really, I want you to feel it before you see it.”
Hannah did what he asked and held out her hands. It was as if he’d spilled liquid onto her palms, except that it had texture. Opening her eyes she saw the aquamarine jewel-toned fabric was like the ocean in her hands. “It’s glorious. I mean like kneel-down-and-praise-God-for-all-the-wonders-of-the-world glorious. Where did you find it?”
“My friend Gringy is an artist who works in different mediums. He’s trying different dyes on silk. He has three bolts of this stuff and I bought it all.”
“I love how brilliant you are, Jesse. Is there any chance he can make more if we need it?”
He shrugged. “Gringy is meticulous about writing down every step of his process, but you know how it is when you’re working with dyes. It may not be quite the same the next time, but it would be close enough.”
“This is— It would be perfect for the dress.” She opened the journal and flipped the pages until she found the drawing. “See what I mean.”
He pointed to the neckline. “What if we did a slight V-neck so that the fabric could drape on the décolleté?”
Hannah erased the scoop neck she had, and drew what he suggested. “I like it. How fast do you think it will take you to mock it up?”
“Couple of hours at the most. I’ll get on it. What about your sketch there? I like the shirt.”
She studied the paper for a moment. “Yes. Except it’s fall, so let’s make it a shorter sleeve. And I want to do it Western style with the snaps like the others. But I want this kind of stitching on the collar and cuffs.” She showed him what she’d done on the design.
“That reminds me. I have something else to show you,” he said.
Jesse swapped the fabric he’d given her for a cotton one. “This is something new Coco got in at the store.”
“It’s so soft. The deep plum would be perfect for fall. What do you think of the shirt in this?”
“That’s what I was thinking. Do you want the stitching in a lighter thread, say a tan? Or black?”
“Hmm. Can you mock it up both ways?”
“Sure. Robbie and Stacks are coming in to help Kathryn and Brenda with the remakes and now they can stitch these, too.”
“Excellent.”
“Well, you better get back to that before Anne Marie has a fit.” They both looked up to find her friend watching them with her arms crossed and a not-so-happy look on her face.
“You might be right about that.”
Hannah turned back to her table and pulled out a new sheet of paper. For the past three months she’d lost her passion for what she was doing. Oh, she still loved designing but everything had been so difficult and rushed. They were still rushed, but the fabrics had given her inspiration. Focusing on the best way to use them would be tough.
It isn’t just the fabrics.
No, she had to admit Will was a big part of her sudden creative binge.
He’d been going to tell her why he couldn’t see her again. His tone when she’d answered the phone had said it all. The fact that even though he’d been about to do it and came to help her anyway, only confirmed what a great man he was.
Will was her new muse. Her mind was so full of ideas she couldn’t stop sketching and it was because of him. That inner strength and quiet demeanor spoke of determination and mystery. Her new spring line could be a throwback to the mysteries from the classical age of Hollywood. Even better the inspiration could be early 1940s films. She had always wanted to do a Katharine Hepburn–type wide-legged trouser.
Stop. Focus. Write all this down and then get back to business. None of that will fit in your line for spring, which is what you have to work on now.
After spending a few moments writing down her ideas, she picked up her phone.
Hannah wasn’t exactly without feminine wiles. The captain had serious doubts about dating her, and she understood why. But she needed her muse. He was a pragmatic man. He’d said so himself.
Hannah was about to make him a deal he couldn’t refuse.
10
WILL SAW HANNAH through the window of the coffee shop she’d suggested. The sight of her honey-colored hair was enough to send his body to attention. The graceful, tapered fingers wrapped around the mug reminded him of their night together and how her hands teased and taunted his body.
The woman is dangerously beautiful.
Her call surprised him. Though he was reluctant to do so, he had to make her understand that he couldn’t see her anymore. Rafe was on top of the investigation about the stolen designs. In fact, he had news to report on that front. But he planned to tell her that his schedule was insane for the next week and a half. It wasn’t a lie. The summit would begin in a few days, and everything had to be meticulously planned out.
No one felt the powerful connection between them more than he did, but it wasn’t fair to lead her on. He tried to think of it as letting her go. She was like a butterfly that deserved to live free and easy. His world, hell, his soul, was dark and dank. There would always be a part of him that he would have to hide from her. Will honestly worried that some of his darkness would rub off on her, cool her optimism. He would never forgive himself for that.
No. He had to do this.
He opened the door and stepped into the warmth of the shop. Hannah smiled at him, and it was as if the sun had exploded in his chest. Never in his life had he reacted to a woman like this.
You’re doing this for her own good.
Her hand was drawing on her sketchpad even as she looked up.
It seemed strange not to kiss her cheek after they had been intimate, so he did, inhaling vanilla and honeysuckle, knowing those smells would be forever tied to this woman.
She touched his jaw and he had to sit down quickly to hide the evidence of what she’d don
e to him.
What are you, fourteen? Get a grip, man.
“Hey,” she said and reached across the table to cover his hand with hers.
It was wrong, but he couldn’t resist wrapping her fingers in his.
“I see you’re working.” Will wasn’t sure what to say. He did know he had to ease into the conversation. She wasn’t one of his men. It was his job to make her understand why he was such a bad choice for her.
She put the pencil down. “Yes. I’ve had a sudden rush of inspiration. I can’t seem to stop.”
“Well, I won’t keep you long.”
“Will, I’m the one who called you, remember?” She tapped her forehead with a finger as if to remind him. “I have to talk to you about something important, but first I wanted to ask you about the investigation. You said you had news.”
“Rafe talked to Tag. You weren’t the only designer hit during Fashion Week. There were over thirty designs stolen in all. Most of the designers hadn’t even realized it until Tag began questioning them. I had no idea how big this fraud business was. They have an entire task force dedicated to it and they’re going through the security tapes from the times during the robberies. Hopefully, something will turn up soon.”
Hannah squeezed his hand. “You mean, we actually helped out other designers by reporting the theft? I’m glad you made us do it. I hadn’t wanted to deal with the police, since I figured it was too late anyway. But this is much bigger than just me. Thank you.”
Will shifted in his seat. “I wanted to help you.” He had to focus on his objective.
“Yes, but you didn’t have to do it. You had called that evening to break it off with me, but you helped instead. That says a lot about you.”
How could she know?
“Oh, don’t look so surprised. I’m not an idiot. And honestly, I don’t blame you a bit. The last thing you need right now is a chaotic chick like me. Your father nearly blew a gasket over those photos and I don’t blame him or you. I put your career in danger.”
“Hannah, it wasn’t that bad. My dad was doing his best to make a point. And I’m beginning to wonder if he wasn’t more curious about the kind of woman who could make me get up on stage as a male model. I’m sort of known for following the rules.”
She smiled. “I like that about you. You’re so solid and strong, physically and mentally.”
Will didn’t know about the mental part. He held it together, but some days were better than others. His past two tours had really beaten him down.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” Hannah’s voice invaded his thoughts. “And I promise there won’t be any hard feelings if you say no.”
He was curious.
“Okay.”
“I’m a damsel in distress and I need you, more than ever. My future depends on you saying yes, but no pressure, or anything.”
Will leaned back in his chair and eyed her warily.
Now what?
HANNAH ENJOYED the surprise on Will’s face. Oh, she was a horrible person for using the damsel-in-distress card. She knew all about his sense of duty and she was evil for playing on it. But she hadn’t lied. This was important.
“I’m listening,” he said.
“You believe that I’m a huge distraction and perhaps I am. You’re a big distraction for me, too, but in a good way. And I think I might be able to help you out the same way.”
“I’m not often confused, but you aren’t making any sense.”
She scrunched her face. This wasn’t going quite the way she wanted.
Stop with the manipulation and just tell him the truth. He’s a guy who values that.
“As strange as it may sound, you are now my muse. I don’t know how or when it happened, and trust me when I tell you I certainly didn’t plan it this way. You’re the inspiration behind some new design ideas I have for my fall collection, and my idea for my spring collection is absolutely because of you.”
“Hannah, I’m not going to model. I’m sorry.”
She laughed so hard she had trouble catching her breath.
“Oh, Will, I would never do that to you again. I promise.”
“So what is it you want?” His words were cautious and she had to be careful about how she proceeded.
“Let me explain the benefits to you first, and then I’ll explain my side.” He nodded.
“So, like I said before about pulling your focus. You were doing the same for me, but then it turned into something else.”
Ugh. She still wasn’t getting it right.
“Will, I want you to be honest with yourself and me. If you walked out of this coffee shop tonight and never spoke to me again, would I be less of a distraction? Could you put me on some shelf in that brain of yours and pack me away? No more Hannah?”
Her stomach churned at those words.
What if he says yes?
Will glanced up at the ceiling as if he were thinking hard about it.
“No,” he said with a sigh.
Hannah bit back a smile. Poor guy, but she could so relate. “I feel the same way about you. I could do the right thing and let you go tonight, but it’s not going to stop me from thinking about you.”
He leaned forward. “You may be right. You’re in my every waking thought. If I couldn’t see you, I’d be wondering all the time about what you were doing and if you were okay.”
“That’s the way I feel. I haven’t known you long, but— This is going to scare the hell out of you, but never seeing you again would cause a hole in my heart the size of the Grand Canyon.”
Will seemed to contemplate this. “What did you mean about your business?”
“I’m getting to that. So, you’re all uptight and stressed about saving the world.”
“Hannah, I’m not saving the world. I’m just an attaché. I’m protecting people. No different than a bodyguard, really.”
She scoffed. “Bodyguard my ass. You’re protecting world leaders and don’t make light of it. That’s beside the point. When you’re at work, it’s really intense. But in the few moments you can get away to hang out with me, you can blow off steam. Have some fun.” He frowned.
“We both know this is short-term. I leave for London in a week and you’ll be leaving for wherever. So we have a few days to spend with each other and have a good time. That is, when we’re not working. Let’s make the most of it.”
“You’re the kind of woman who wants flowers and romance. You deserve it,” he said. “I’m not that guy. I see those things as frivolous and silly. I’m more practical—well, usually. That night with you was an aberration. I never— When I’m working that is where my focus has to be.”
Hannah grunted. She’d expected this. That night they first met he’d let his guard down and now he was trying to back up a few paces. She understood. She felt the same way. What they’d shared that night had been intense and it had caught them both off guard.
“But we’ve already established that even if we didn’t see one another we would still have trouble focusing. If we have a set time when we know we can be together and we know that’s coming, then we can be more committed to the work. And I can buy myself flowers, thanks. I do it weekly. And trust me when I tell you that you are fantasy enough for a hundred women.
“I’m not expecting anything from you, Will. I’m the one person in the world who doesn’t want anything, except to be in your presence. You’ve become inspirational for me. Yes, I have to be truthful about that. But all I’m asking is just to go on a few dates and maybe, if you’re up for it, some more great sex.” She winked at him.
“That sounds like a challenge.”
“Whatever works.”
He laughed. “You don’t play fair, Hannah. Anyone ever tell you that?”
“What’s that saying, all is fair in love and war? You should know that better than anyone.”
“Yes, but it would still feel like I was leading you on. I can’t make promises about the future. I have no idea what the hell my future i
s.”
Hannah sighed. “Stop being such a man. No one knows what the future holds. Please understand me. I’m not asking you for anything. And I’m sorry, but you don’t know what I want. My career is finally taking off. The last thing I need is a relationship. Why can’t we just have fun for a week and a half or so and then go our separate ways?” She crossed her arms.
Something passed over his face but it was gone before she could get a read on it.
“You say that, but you don’t mean it.”
“I’m sick of people telling me what I do and don’t mean. Am I attracted to you? Yes. Are you attracted to me? You can deny it all you want, but I know you are. That’s enough for me right now. In fact I’m pretty much up to here—” she pointed to the top of her head “—with commitments. I’m turning my life around. Trying to be a responsible human being. There are a lot of people counting on me. So a fling is about all I can handle right now.”
He grunted. “So I’m some kind of stress relief.”
A smile spread across her face. “Like a good ole trip to the gym. And I’m the same for you. No strings. No commitments. We make love. We hang out. We have a good time. When the time is up, I’m off to London and you go…wherever it is you have to go.”
There was a long pause as they both thought about what she’d promised.
Will stuck out his hand. “Deal.”
She shook it. “Jeez. Now can we commence with the having fun?”
Her phone buzzed. And her calendar lit up.
“Oh, hell. I forgot about the stupid show.”
“What show?”
“I have a front-row seat at the Zac Langfrad event in about an hour. I have to go. He’s one of the designers who has been so supportive of me from the beginning. And it’s a huge deal to get to sit on the front row of his show. People kill for those seats. Um, I have a plus-one. I don’t suppose you’d be my date?”
No way in hell would he say yes.
“You’re asking me to go to a fashion show.”
She cocked her head and gave him her sweetest smile. “Yes.” She had a sudden inspiration. “And if you do, I promise you a surprise you’ll never forget.”
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