by Kris Bryant
“Hold on, let me get away from the kids. Anne, honey, can you keep an eye on them? I have a nine-one-one from Gabrielle right now.”
Gabrielle pictured Rosie pointing at the phone and either rolling her eyes or tapping her four fingers repeatedly against her thumb, insinuating she was talking up a storm. She didn’t care. Whatever had to happen in order for her to get away for a few minutes to help Gabrielle keep her sanity was worth it.
“Talk to me,” Rosie said.
“Okay, so my daycare project?”
“The one you were given complete freedom on and the one that was going to make you partner? Yes, I know of it. What happened?” Rosie asked.
“It’s a pet daycare. With dogs and cats and all sorts of animals. Rosie, there are dogs, and the client showed up with her faithful companion at her side. I almost passed out,” Gabrielle said.
“Hey, I’m sure if you explain to your client that you have an issue with dogs, then she won’t bring the dog around.”
“Okay, now listen to what you just said. Really listen.” Gabrielle could hear the panic in her own voice. “I can’t tell the one client who is going to be the reason I become partner that she can’t bring her dog to her own project. Then I look like the worst person to do the job. What if she fires me?”
“Stop. She’s not going to fire you. You need to take a deep breath. It’s going to be fine. Why don’t you spend some time over here with Muppet and see how it goes. We can take it slow.”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping this is just a one-time deal. I mean, she’s coming to Denver next week and she said she wasn’t bringing the dog with her. I’m only going to be on the project for a few months, at the longest. Then it’ll go to the engineers and the builder. Maybe I can get away with only a few visits,” Gabrielle said.
“Tell me about the client. What’s she like?”
“Oh, my God. Get this, don’t say anything to anybody and I’m not one hundred percent sure, although I’m almost positive…”
“Good God. Spit it out already. You’re driving me crazy.”
“Sorry. Yeah, I know I’m all over the place right now. I’m processing everything that happened in the last four hours. I think my new client is Colorado’s latest lottery winner.”
“Get out. Seriously?”
“I don’t know that for sure, but I’m going to google it when I get home. She’s young, attractive, building her dream business even though she clearly has no idea how to approach it, has a new Jeep, a new dog. There’s just something about her. She’s quiet, shy, and doesn’t seem to have a lot of confidence,” Gabrielle said.
“What’s her name? I’ll google it right now. I’m in my office.”
“Serena. Serena Evans.” Gabrielle heard Rosie’s fingers click against the keyboard.
“Here! Latest Vail resident Colorado state winner of forty-two million dollars. Twenty-nine-year old Serena Evans. Most of the winners have photos of them holding up a big check, but she doesn’t. Can’t say I blame her. That’s a lot of money, and probably a lot of people want some of it,” Chloe said.
“She’s really nice. I think it’s great that she won, but I can’t imagine the headaches and all the people hitting her up for a handout.” Gabrielle pulled into her driveway and waited for their conversation to wrap up.
“What’s going on tonight? Are you going to start on the project?”
Gabrielle leaned her head on the steering wheel. “No. I think I’m going to the gym to blow off some energy. It’s been a hell of a day. I don’t know how to unwind.”
“Find a girlfriend. You’re welcome,” Rosie said.
“Ha, ha, ha. You’re hilarious.” The blonde, what was her name? Dana? Dena? Flashed through Gabrielle’s mind. There was interest, that was a given, but was she in the mood for fast and disconnected? There was only one way to find out.
* * *
“Gabby, what’s happening? Are you really letting Dani beat you?”
Blaine’s voice boomed out across the room. His callout was embarrassing, but effective. Gabrielle pedaled harder, faster, but so did Dani. After a five-minute battle for first place, Dani pushed herself harder and won.
Gabrielle walked over to Dani and smiled even though she really wanted to win. “I demand a respin.” It wasn’t the competition per se, it was just the one part of her day she had control over and failed at that, too. Today was not a notch in the win column.
“You almost had me a couple of times,” Dani said.
Gabrielle watched as Dani wiped the sweat off her face with a towel she had hanging over one shoulder. “You won fair and square. Let me buy you a smoothie to celebrate your big win.”
“I have a better idea. Let’s get cleaned up and go out for a drink. We both just burned a ton of calories. I could use a good appletini.”
Gabrielle lifted her eyebrow and nodded. The plan to start Serena’s project was going to have to wait until morning. “That sounds like a great idea.” She was a little bit unnerved to be in the dressing room with Dani, but blew out a sigh of relief when Dani turned down a different row. She quickly grabbed her bag of clean clothes and slipped into one of the private shower rooms. She wasn’t sure how long Dani would wait for her, so she showered fast and got dressed in under fifteen minutes. By the time she applied a thin layer of makeup and blew her hair mostly dry, thirty minutes had passed. Dani was waiting for her in the lobby and smiled when she saw Gabrielle.
“I thought you already left,” she said.
How did she look this good in such a short amount of time? Her hair was slightly wavy and loose around her shoulders. She was wearing skinny jeans, heels, and a sleeveless blouse. Gabrielle looked at her own outfit of ankle pants, sandals, and a simple black top and decided she looked good enough. “I’m sorry it took me longer. I was probably moping at my loss.”
“Aw, come on. You can’t always be on top.” Dani tilted her head as if challenging her.
Gabrielle quirked her eyebrow. She never really considered herself a top. She was more of a whatever happens in the bedroom happens kind of woman. Sometimes she took control, but every so often she’d give it up. Her sexual encounters were quick, short lived, and to the point, so it wasn’t much of an issue. Now it seemed like a chore to date. “I’ll give you the honors. Tonight.” She followed it with a quick wink and hoped she didn’t cross a line.
“Then we’d better get started.” Dani stood and held the door for Gabrielle. “Follow me. I know the perfect place.”
Gabrielle slipped into her car and followed Dani’s black Mercedes out of the parking lot. They playfully weaved in and out of traffic until Dani turned into the well-lit parking lot of a loft building. Gabrielle pulled up next to her and rolled down her window. “This doesn’t look like a bar.”
Dani walked over to Gabrielle’s window, her hips swaying gently. She smiled when their eyes met. “You haven’t seen my well-stocked bar. Besides, I make the best cocktails. Come on up. I promise to be gentle.”
Gabrielle locked up and followed Dani to the elevator. Dani slipped a key into a slot and hit the button for the fifth floor.
“Oh, the penthouse.”
“Well, not really, but one of the nicer places in the building.”
Gabrielle was surprised when the doors opened. The simplistic brick building with large windows didn’t do the inside justice. Dark hardwood floors were the perfect contrast to the creamy pearl color walls. The artwork was original. Based on what she could see of the space, there were only two condominiums on the top floor. “This is a gorgeous place, Dani. What exactly do you do?”
Dani flipped on the lights and dropped her gym bag beside a table that housed a plant, recent mail, and her discarded keys. “I’m a boring lawyer.”
Gabrielle set her purse and phone on the same table, knowing she wouldn’t need either for the next few hours. “I know firsthand you aren’t boring. And being a lawyer is a reputable profession.” She smiled when Dani looked at her and put her hands on he
r hips.
“You must know my mother. She tells me the same thing.” Dani waved Gabrielle to the kitchen island and pointed to a high back chair. “Have a seat. I’m about to blow your taste buds with the best appletini you’ve ever had. Interested?”
Gabrielle nodded and slipped into the seat. She looked around the white and glass kitchen with the stainless steel appliances and found it extremely sterile. Nothing distinguished it from a kitchen one would find in an extended stay hotel. The black canisters tucked in a corner broke up the vast whiteness of the counters. Even the dishes, visible through the glass cabinet doors, were white. Great, she’s a serial killer, Gabrielle thought. Nobody was this clean.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Dani said. She pulled out two martini glasses from below the island and dipped into the refrigerator for simple syrup, vodka, lemons, and a single apple.
“What am I thinking?” Gabrielle asked. She prayed that her assessment of Dani’s place wasn’t written all over her face.
“That I need more color in my house.”
Gabrielle looked around and noticed that the open kitchen wasn’t the only thing that was clinical. The black leather couch and white rug were tasteful, but lacked personality. “You could use a splash here and there.” She turned back around and watched Dani’s graceful movement as she mixed up two apple martinis. She even cut a sliver of apple peel and decorated the rims.
“Voilà. My signature drink.”
Gabrielle took a sip. “It’s very good.”
“The advantage of having drinks here is that it’s quiet. I mean, how would we be able to have a conversation if we were in a bar?” Dani asked. She softly ran her finger over Gabrielle’s hand. Gabrielle stifled a shiver. When was the last time she was touched?
“What should we talk about?” Gabrielle took another sip, careful to maintain eye contact with Dani to let her know she was definitely interested. She watched as Dani walked around to her side of the island and leaned against the smooth, cool slate countertop.
“Let’s see. You know what I do, you know where I live and the kind of car I drive. I have no pets and very little free time. Tell me about you,” she said.
Gabrielle swiveled so Dani’s body was almost between her legs. “I’m a boring architect. A hard worker, though. I’m up for partner and you know what kind of car I drive. I also have no pets and very little free time. I think that catches us up.”
Dani slid closer to Gabrielle and ran her thumb along Gabrielle’s lip. “You had a little something there.”
“And your thumb was the best you could come up with?” Gabrielle’s voice held a note of challenge. Somebody had to make the first move. The newness and excitement between them was the kind of tension Gabrielle appreciated. She knew when she walked through the door what would happen. They both knew. The cat and mouse game that was so common in her life was fun, too, but there was something so decadent about knowing exactly what was happening at the moment.
Dani answered by leaning down and pressing her full lips against Gabrielle’s. It was a great first kiss. “Is this better?”
Gabrielle’s body tingled with anticipation. She slipped her hand behind Dani’s neck to keep Dani’s warm mouth close to hers. “Definitely.” She stood and pressed herself against Dani. Within a matter of seconds, the consensual understanding of what was about to happen incited a frenzy in both of them. Gabrielle wasn’t sure who started undressing first, but by the time they had made it down the hall to the bedroom, Gabrielle was down to her bra and pants. Dani had even fewer clothes on.
“I’m glad you decided to come over for a drink,” Dani said right before kissing Gabrielle so hard, she momentarily lost her balance and fell back against the wall. She felt Dani’s hands slide down her abdomen and fumble at the button of her pants.
“You make a delicious appletini and your service is second to none,” Gabrielle said. She slid the zipper down to make access easier. Dani didn’t hesitate. She slipped her hand inside Gabrielle’s panties, and they both moaned with pleasure. Gabrielle tugged the pants down past her hips, anxious to feel Dani inside her. Dani ran her fingertips along Gabrielle’s folds and entered her with enough force to almost make her come on the spot. “How far away is the bed?” Her voice was deep and shook with need.
Dani pulled away from Gabrielle. “Ten steps.” She pointed to the doorway that was a mere two feet away.
Gabrielle’s body felt like lead, but she pushed off the wall with her shoulder. She pulled up her pants high enough to make the ten steps Dani said it would take. On step nine she kicked off her pants so that by step ten she was back in Dani’s arms and ready to pick up where they left off in the hallway.
Chapter Nine
“It’s nice, it’s just not as exciting as I’d hoped.” Serena liked the design Gabrielle came up with, but thought it was a little flat. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s everything I asked for, it’s just too much like a shelter instead of something warm and cozy.”
“Okay, well, this is just a starting point. We can take each area and talk about improvement,” Gabrielle said.
Even though Gabrielle had a smile on her face, Serena could see the tension in her shoulders and the tightness in the corners of her mouth. She regretted being so candid with her. Maybe being sequestered from society for over a few months had broken her filters. She needed to dial it back. “I think this is really good. I like the overall design and the large logs on the outside. I like the different options for the open play area outside. I think chain link would be easy for a bear to climb, so I like the vertical wrought iron fence you’ve drawn in here.”
“I made them eight feet tall for that reason. It’ll keep predators out and jumpers from escaping. If a dog can jump that, they should be free,” Gabrielle said. She flipped to the next screen that showed the interior play area. “What about changes here? Your reaction wasn’t a positive one when I showed you the two areas.”
Serena bit her lip and studied the design. “I don’t think I want anything the dogs can climb on and possibly fall off. We’re going to have a vet on staff, but I don’t want animals to get hurt during their stay.” She pointed to the workout area that Gabrielle had designed. It looked like an obstacle course that she found online or from a dog show. She didn’t think Gabrielle had an inkling of how dogs played.
“Let’s focus on the structure. What do you think of the size of the place? Is it big enough? Too big?”
“I want more inside because of the weather. I do like the pools. They’re a nice touch.” Serena didn’t want to make Gabrielle feel bad, but she didn’t think she really understood the vision she had for the Pet Posh Inn. “Maybe we can have a field trip to a doggie daycare and pick up some ideas.” Again, Serena saw Gabrielle visibly stiffen. She automatically put her hand on Gabrielle’s forearm. “This is a good start. I mean that.”
Gabrielle nodded. “Let me google a few places and we can hit them today if you have time.”
“Of course. I’ll even buy us lunch,” Serena said. She instantly regretted the offer when Gabrielle’s shoulders stiffened again. “Or not. We can just go to the places and take notes.”
“I refuse to let a client pay for lunch. It’ll be my treat,” Gabrielle said.
Serena wondered if Gabrielle knew she won the lottery. Even though she was required to reveal her name, she didn’t do any interviews and only had one picture taken. It was the hideous one of her holding the giant check for forty-two million dollars that her lawyer somehow managed to keep off their website. Chloe and Jackie were right. The press camped out at her apartment once her name was released. She had to quit the Hooked Bookworm on the spot once they found out where she worked. Not that it broke her heart. She actually enjoyed seeing Mrs. Brody’s reaction at the rushed news. It was a mixture of pure shock and jealousy.
“Deal.” Because of the escalating uneasiness of their conversation, Serena decided to keep the words to a minimum for fear she’d continue to upset Gabrielle. It
wasn’t as if she wasn’t trying.
“There are two doggie daycares close by. The shelter isn’t too far away. I think we can hit one before lunch and the rest after. Does that sound good?” The look that Gabrielle shot Serena was one that made her heart beat quicker. Not because it was sexual, but because it was intense. Those amber eyes were, for lack of a better word, dreamy. She wanted to see them without the thick black-rimmed glasses perched perfectly on her delicate nose. And maybe see Gabrielle with her hair down. Serena didn’t know if her hair was shoulder length or longer. It was always pulled back in a twist or braid. In such a male-dominated profession, Serena didn’t blame her for toning down her femininity. She just wanted a peek at it.
“I can follow you,” Serena said.
“Absolutely not. We can take my car. That way we can discuss it on the way there and on the way back.”
“Okay.” Serena grabbed her bag and followed Gabrielle out of the conference room. She felt bad that they were going to places with animals and Gabrielle was dressed in a suit again. With heels. No wonder she was perturbed.
“My car’s the gray one.”
Serena followed the direction of Gabrielle’s nod and smiled when she saw the Jaguar. It was definitely a car she was interested in, but the Jeep was reliable. It was going to take her a bit of time to adjust to having cash for things like frivolous cars. “Is this your only car or do you also have a winter car?”
“No, she’s all I have. I’m close enough to work that I can walk, and I can also work from home on snow days.”
For a brief moment, Gabrielle stopped behind the car. It was as if she was going to the passenger side first, but stopped and turned to the driver’s side instead. Maybe she was going there to open Serena’s door, but thought better of it. Serena swore heat crept up Gabrielle’s cheeks straight from under her white pressed shirt. The top button was undone, revealing creamy, smooth skin at the base of her neck, and a thin necklace with a charm that disappeared under the second button. It was hard for Serena to maintain eye contact.
