Secret Identity

by Sanders, Jill

  “I got your message. Pam is a very efficient secretary.” He walked past her into her room without her invitation. She stood in the doorway, her hand still on the doorknob, trying to figure out how to get him out of her hair. “I thought maybe you'd change your mind again. I know how women are, always saying one thing and then regretting it. Besides, I really wanted to talk to you about…”

  There was a cough behind her, causing her to jump. She spun around and saw Carter leaning against the door jam. “I didn't mean to interrupt; I must be coming down with a cold.” Carter cleared his throat again and walked into her room.

  Now she had two uninvited guests in her room. She leaned against the door, knowing it wasn't going to be a pretty scene.

  “Simon.” Carter nodded his head and held out his hand. Simon had a look on his face like he'd seen something foul, but then he shook Carter's hand. Eve could see the men struggle to overpower each other with firm grips.

  “I'm sorry, Simon. I've made other plans tonight.” She tried to paste a sincere smile on her face. Truthfully, she just wanted to curl up and study her notes for tomorrow's meeting with Tom Russell. She really needed this client and didn't want to go anywhere that would take her mind off tomorrow's big meeting.

  “Yes, I can see that.” Simon walked towards the door. “If you change your mind about meeting with me while you're in town, you know how to reach me.” Simon nodded towards Carter and then walked out the door.

  Eve gently shut the door behind him and leaned her back against it. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”

  Carter laughed. “Yeah. Well, what you need now is some beer and pizza. Shall we go?”

  “Listen, Carter. I think I'll just order in. I've got a few things I need to go over before tomorrow's meeting.” She started walking towards the table and her laptop.

  “Oh no.” He grabbed her arm and steered her towards the door, picking up her purse and coat as they walked by them. “You are not making any lame excuses to me. I promised you pizza and beer and I'm going to deliver. Besides, I thought we were celebrating our new partnership.”

  She allowed him to help her on with her coat and grabbed her purse from him. “Fine, one beer and a slice of pizza. Then I need to get back here so I can catch up before the meeting.”

  “Good.” He smiled and held her arm as they walked out together.

  Carter was right, what she needed was a beer and pizza. Not to mention laughter. Carter was really entertaining when he put his mind to it. Sitting across from him in the dark booth, a large slice of some of the best cheese pizza she'd ever had in her hand, she remembered why she thought of him as one of her best friends.

  She remembered all the fun times they had with Mitchell, the three of them growing up together. All the laughter. Even some of the arguments she looked back on fondly. Carter and Mitchell are what mattered most to her. Every time she thought about heading back to the hotel, Carter would order another drink for her. Finally, just after midnight, she pushed her empty glass away and kicked him under the table when he tried to order another drink for her.

  As they were walking out, he grabbed hold of her arm to steady her and she leaned against him for support. She didn't usually drink this much and the feel of his arm around her caused her to let her guard down for a while. They walked back to their hotel, which was only a few blocks away, with her leaning heavily on him.

  The chill in the air caused her to pull her coat closer, and she could see her breath in the night air. “I always liked this time of year up here. It reminds me of visiting your grandparents’ place for Christmas.” She looked at the row of lights that lined the street. If she squinted, she could just imagine them as Christmas lights, lining the road.

  “I miss your grandparents.” She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. When he wrapped his arm around her more tightly, she closed her eyes for a second.

  “Hmm. Me, too. Do you remember the last time we were all up there together?”

  “Yes, the party.” She stopped and turned to look at him. His face was shadowed in the street light that shined behind his head. “The kiss.” She looked at his lips now and wondered if it would feel as good now as it had then. Maybe she'd built it up in her mind over the years? Maybe he wasn't as great of a kisser as she remembered?

  She hadn't realized that she'd leaned into him until his arms came around her shoulders.

  “Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that.” He frowned a little and she watched his mouth, thinking of how soft his lips would feel next to hers.

  “Did you ever notice that we talk too much about everything?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.

  She was right; his lips were soft and warm and felt like heaven. She moaned and pushed her hands through his thick hair. His hands flexed on her hips before they journeyed up her back as he pulled her closer. She could feel his heart beat against her chest and mentally cursed the layer of clothing between them.

  “Eve?” Carter pulled back and rested his head on her forehead. “It's starting to rain.”

  “Mmm.” She looked up into the dark sky and realized she felt alive. Pulling away from him, she did a quick spin, only to end up back in his arms when she almost toppled over. She was laughing as she looked up into his face. “I like the rain. I like Chicago. I like kissing you. Can we do it again?”

  He laughed and pulled her along the sidewalk. “Sure, let's get out of the cold first.”

  She walked next to him and at several points along the short walk even closed her eyes as she leaned against him.

  When they walked into the lobby of the hotel, the warmth hit her and she felt a little steadier on her feet. Her mind kicked into gear and when she got into the elevator, she stood with her back against the wall as Carter hit the buttons. She closed her eyes, leaned her head against the cool glass, and took a couple deep breaths.

  “Eve?” When she opened her eyes, Carter was standing right in front of her. “I can see you're already regretting the kiss.” He smiled down at her.

  She shook her head lightly. “Not regretting, just questioning.”

  “Questioning what?” He moved closer and put his hands on her hips, pulling her up and closer to him. When he touched her, it was like her brain refused to think again.

  “You. Me.” She looked at his mouth. Somehow, now, it was worse knowing what he could do to her with his mouth. Why did he have to be so good at kissing?

  “I thought you said we think too much?” He leaned towards her, stopping just before their lips met, giving her time to pull away or say no. She didn't want to say no. She wanted to go on kissing him, feeling his hands on her. When his mouth touched hers, she moaned and relaxed into the feeling of him kissing her thoroughly. Somehow, her back ended up against the wall again as his hands roamed over and under her coat. Silently cursing all the layers between them again, she plunged her hands into his wet hair, enjoying the softness.

  He pulled back and smiled at her as the elevator doors opened. Then he took her hand and they walked towards their rooms. When they got to her door, he leaned down and kissed her again. She fumbled for the door, trying to open it. He pulled back and laughed, and taking her key card from her hand, he smoothly opened her door. But when she moved to pull him inside her room, he frowned and shook his head.

  “Better not. We've got time to think about things. Besides, we have an early meeting and it's late. Get some sleep.” He leaned down and kissed her frowning lips. “I'll see you in the morning.” He walked to the door next to hers and looked back at her after he opened it. “Go inside.” He smiled at her.

  She had been standing there watching him and realized he wouldn't go into his room until she was safely in her own for the night. Still frowning, she shut her door and leaned against it, closing her eyes. She was in trouble. She knew it. She also knew that there was no way she was going to not kiss Carter again.

  The next morning Carter knocked on Eve's hotel
door at precisely seven o'clock. He made sure to knock loudly enough, just in case she had overslept. But when she opened the door, fully dressed, with a cup of coffee in her hands, his mood sank a little.

  She smiled. “Remember, I never have hangovers.” She motioned for him to enter. “I got an extra plate of toast and there's some coffee left if you want.”

  He walked into her room, his head hanging in disappointment. He was at least hoping that she'd had a hard night’s sleep like he had. It had taken him almost two hours to fall asleep; he just couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even in his dreams, she had been there.

  He sat his briefcase down and walked over to the small table and sat. Watching her pour him a cup of coffee, he smiled as she added the right amount of cream to his cup. He liked knowing that she remembered how he took his coffee. He admired her slender form and the way her black dress pants fit her. Her sexy high heels gave her a few inches so they almost stood eye to eye. The cream-colored blouse looked almost see-through, but he knew she'd ruin the sexy look by covering up with the blazer that was hanging on the back of her chair. Her long, dark hair was tied in a fancy-looking knot at the base of her neck, with little curly wisps of hair around her face, accenting her exotic features. With her dark skin, she always looked like she'd just walked off the beach. Her large hazel eyes, in Carter's opinion, were her best feature. They seemed to tell her whole story, even when she didn't want them to. He could tell when she was playing him or when she was sad, angry, or hurt. It was one of the main reasons he had grown to feel the way he did about her. Most women he'd trusted had ended up hurting him. With Eve he knew where he stood and he knew that she'd never do anything intentional to damage their relationship.

  “So…what is your strategy for today’s meeting?” He leaned back and listened to her talk about her plans to win over another client. He knew without a doubt that she was the best at winning people over.

  An hour later, he watched Eve work her magic with Tom Russell. She was smooth in getting him to sign on as K&E's next biggest talent. The large football player was no match for Eve's charm. Carter had never seen such a huge man smile and laugh as hard as Tom had in their hour-long meeting. When Eve pulled out her paperwork, Tom signed without even reading through the stack of documents.

  As they walked out of the building, Carter took Eve's hand casually. “Well done, partner. What do you say to some lunch?” He felt Eve's hand tense a little, but then she sighed and her hand relaxed in his.

  “Sure, but only if you're buying. And no pizza.” She smiled.

  Chapter Three

  Eve sat across from Carter feeling a little tired. Negotiations always seemed to suck all the energy out of her. After the waitress poured her coffee, she took a large sip and closed her eyes. She hadn't realized she was rubbing her forehead until Carter said something to her.

  “Headache? You look tired all of a sudden.” Carter took a sip of his coffee and watched her from across the table.

  “No and yes. No headache, just a little twinge. Yes, to the other part. You would think that after a successful meeting, I'd be pumped, but instead I'm always a little drained. I usually find a corner to collect myself after negotiations, and then when I feel better, I find some way of celebrating.” She tried to paste on her best smile. She hated that Carter could see her weaknesses. He and Mitchell had always seen all her weaknesses. Maybe that's why they were such good friends, because neither of them ever exploited them. After knowing the two of them most of her life, she knew their weaknesses, as well. It was nice having people around you that made you feel like home. Carter and Mitchell were just that to her—home.

  But after last night, her feelings and thoughts about Carter had started to change. Well, if she was honest with herself, her feelings and thoughts about him had started to change a while back. She always enjoyed the little tiffs they had. But lately, there were other emotions brewing underneath. She tried to hide them from not only him, but also herself.

  She'd had some pretty detailed dreams last night after he'd walked away from her. She'd tried falling straight asleep, but instead, she'd listened, hoping for some sound from the next room, where he was staying.

  “Well,” Carter said, interrupting her thoughts, “maybe we can head back to the hotel and you can gather yourself. Then, later, we can head to this great pub I know. They have really great food and live music.”

  She thought about it and realized it sounded great. She'd always loved coming to Chicago, but had never really had anyone to show her around before. She'd always stuck close to her hotel and never really ventured out by herself. Having Carter along was perfect.

  At seven thirty that evening, Carter knocked on her door. Before opening it, she took one last look at her reflection. The tight burgundy dress was sure to knock his socks off. She imagined his chin hitting the floor and his eyes bulging out like they did in the cartoons. His heart would beat out of his chest and he'd fall at her feet. She'd brought the dress along hoping to wear it during her meeting with Simon Thomas. After all, she wanted to leave an impression, just in case. It never hurt to have another option for business lined up. Now, however, she wasn't thinking of business but pleasure. She smiled, thinking of kissing Carter again, as she slid on some lipstick and walked over to open the door. The look on Carter's face was priceless. Smiling even more, she looked at him from head to toe. He was wearing dark dress pants and a dark gray turtleneck. He carried his leather jacket in one hand and had a single white long-stemmed rose in the other. The rose hung by his side, forgotten.

  “You look…wow.” He smiled at her. “Wonderful.”

  She reached down and took the rose from his fingertips. “Thank you. You're not bad yourself.”

  Turning slowly, she walked back into the room, grabbed a glass and filled it with water for the rose. When she turned towards Carter, he was standing just inside the doorway, watching her. She could see the heat in his eyes, which caused a strange flutter in her chest.

  For a split second, she thought about celebrating here in her hotel room instead of in some noisy, crowded pub. She could just imagine them ripping off each other’s clothes, tearing up the sheets. Then she shook her head clear and grabbed her coat as Carter walked over and helped her. She'd left her hair down, and when she started to pull her hair out from under the coat, he reached up and helped. He stood behind her, his hands in her hair and she could hear him breathing. His hands remained in her hair a little longer and she enjoyed the feeling of him touching her. When she turned around, he was looking at her as if he was trying to decide something.

  “Are you sure we can't find some way to celebrate here?” He reached out and gently ran his fingers over her cheek. She tried to level her breathing, but found it harder and harder to steady herself. She shook her head no, not really meaning it, not sure if she could control herself for much longer.

  “No, I'm ready for some loud music, and you promised me food.” Her voice hitched.

  The taxi ride seemed to take forever. The Friday night traffic was not only slowing them down, but also making things steam up in the back seat. Every turn the cab made caused Carter's knee to rub up against hers. She felt the heat from him radiating up her legs, heading straight to her core. She'd always thought she was in control of her sex drive, but by the time they stopped in front of Brian’s Pub, she wanted nothing more than to rush back to the hotel and jump him.

  Then the taxi door opened and the cold air hit her, helping clear her head and hormones. They walked into the pub, which was noisy and crowded. There was a band playing on a small stage in the back corner. She'd always enjoyed the sound of electric violins like the ones that the two women in the band were playing now. She enjoyed the sound as they walked across the room looking for a place to sit. Finally, Carter found a small booth across from the stage and when they sat, she tried to avoid looking at him by looking down at the menu instead.

  “Do they really serve green beer?” She looked up from her menu at Carter.r />
  He nodded and smiled, then nodded across the room. Looking across the room, she saw a man taking a drink of green liquid from a large glass mug.

  “Yes, you'll have to try some. They have wonderful shepherd's pie here as well.” He waved the waitress down and they both ordered green beer and shepherd's pie, chicken for him, vegan for her.

  The music slowed down and the whole room seemed to get quiet. When the violins started playing this time, she was completely consumed with the sadness of the sound.

  By the time the song ended, their food was being delivered. While they ate, they talked about the meeting and about several of Eve’s thoughts and plans for K&E's future.

  They were interrupted when the song turned fast and the two violinists stood on tables across the room from each other. A violin duel began between the tall blonde woman who was across the room and the short dark-haired woman who was standing on their table. The two women played back and forth, each taking their turn giving everything they had to the fast-paced music. Eve could see a bead of sweat rolling down the dark-haired woman's brow when the song finally finished and Carter helped her off their table. She smiled at him and winked at Eve as she walked back towards the small stage.