by M. E. Brady
“You did good, Irish, I am amazed by you. Kevin tells me you have done all this without any help.” He hesitated but Katelyn could see he had more to say. He wanted to add ‘without the help of the father of her child’ but he didn’t dare.
“I could have helped you, Katelyn, if you had only asked me. You’re family to me,” he added regretfully, after witnessing her reaction. Katelyn felt sick to her stomach at that analogy. They would never be the kind of family he was portraying. She could never be like a sister to him, not after what they had shared.
She glanced over at the clock that hung on the wall and checked the time again. It would be at least another hour before Jenny arrived home. Another hour before the child he shared with her would walk through the door and run right past him. It was ironic, they were family just not in the sense that he thought. Katelyn knew there was no Mrs.Broccolini; Kevin would surely have mentioned it if there had been.
“Am I keeping you from something?” he asked, as he pointed up at the clock she had just been eyeing. “You seem a little preoccupied by it.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude; it’s just that Jenny is due home in an hour and I don’t usually have men in my home. Of course, Kevin and Jake are the exception. My daughter would take one look at you and have us married by the end of the week,” she said jokingly. He didn’t seem to catch on at first because he always assumed that Adam Taylor had been to her apartment before. The information, though given unintentionally, amused him. “Jenny would assume that you’re good father material and try to play matchmaker,” she added with a smile.
He couldn’t let this moment go by. It was so easy to get her goat. “You mean that if your daughter comes home and sees us together, she’ll assume mommy was having a little hanky-panky while she was at school?” He moved closer to her on the sofa and started a little playful teasing of his own. “What kind of hanky-panky, has your young child witnessed? I wonder.” he asked, flicking her hair from her shoulders. He was certain that Jenny had never witnessed her mother with a man but that didn’t stop him from teasing her. He put an arm around her waist and gently used the other to touch her face and silky hair. “Have there been many men, Katelyn?” he asked huskily, not really wanting to hear the answer.
He held her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes as both of them fought emotions that were running rampant; it happened whenever they were near each other. He wondered if his lust for her could ever be sated. When he witnessed her lips quiver with excitement, as he drew nearer, he yanked himself away. It was as though all the fires of hell had just burst through the cavern. He promised himself before he came to her apartment that he wouldn’t go down this path with her. He couldn’t lose himself to her again because this time there would be no returning from the abyss of his feelings for her. He couldn’t break eye contact, though he was trying desperately to do just that. His intention was to drop by, make sure she was alright and leave just as quickly as he came. He promised Kevin he would do that; he owed his friend that courtesy.
What was happening between them was fast becoming something neither of them had bargained for. What he wanted to do to her now was unforgivable. A loud knock on the door broke the trance between them just in time. They both found themselves tense, unsure about what to do next. “I’d better go and get that,” she murmured with what little strength she could muster. “I don’t know who that could be,” Katelyn heard herself say aloud. She realized that she spoke aloud but didn’t hear his response; it was low and muffled. She straightened her skirt and proceeded to the door.
The loud knocking for a second time today was probably attracting her elderly neighbor, Annabel. She could hear the old woman moving about next door. Katelyn knew she was probably near the peep hole in the door checking out who was causing all the commotion in the hallway. She rarely had male visitors and Annabel was familiar with Kevin and Jake; seeing two different men at Katelyn’s door today would raise her suspicions. “I’m coming, stop banging,” she pleaded.
Adam stood there frantically at the doorway. He must have heard she left the office escorted with boxes in hand. “What happened today? I didn’t think you were ever coming back from your meeting. I dropped by your desk and everyone told me that you packed up your stuff and left with an escort. What’s going on? What happened?” he asked as he waited, hoping to be invited in, although she had never invited him to the apartment before.
“Adam, I’d prefer you not drop by the apartment like this. Jenny will be home soon and I’m still pretty upset after my meeting today with your father. How do you live with someone like that? Do you know he asked me to give up Jenny for you? I don’t know why is he under the assumption that we are more than we are. Wherever he got that idea, I don’t really care, nor do I want to discuss it. I told you before, Adam, that I don’t want that kind of relationship with you. Now, if you would, please leave.” she said, gesturing toward the elevators. She was so busy rambling on and on about her disappointment in him and his family that she didn’t give Adam a chance to speak or to explain how his father came to the conclusion that he did. Nor did she give a thought to what Adam would say about her guest in the next room.
Adam did speak after finally interrupting her rambling. “I don’t know what’s happened but if you could just settle down long enough to tell me everything, I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation for whatever my father insinuated.” Adam tried to hold Katelyn but she jerked away. “Whatever he said, I’m sure it was simply misconstrued.” She became angry as he made excuses for his father’s behavior. She didn’t want to hurt Adam but he couldn’t be this naïve, believing his father incapable of such filthy thoughts or that she was lying about what he said.
“I don’t have the energy right now to argue with you. I want you to leave me alone.” She went to close the door again, hoping he would leave voluntarily. “I’m telling you to leave,” she repeated yet again emphatically.
He turned toward her and begged for a chance to talk things through. “I can’t leave things like this. I’m in love with you, Katelyn. I’m not going to let one silly argument with my father ruin what we have going for us. Whatever it is he said to you, know that I don’t condone it. We can fix this,” he said as he tried to kiss her. He’d never acted so presumptuously before and, for the first time, she caught a glimpse of a very different man than the one she thought she knew.
“Adam, we’re friends and nothing more. I wish I could offer you more, but I can’t,” she said before telling him what was to come. “Your father has seen to it that neither of us have a job come Monday. Did he share that bit of information with you? Glitz is being taken over and he has assured me that you and I are not part of that equation. He said the new CEO is arrogant, ruthless and his bottom line is always about the money. Adam, watch your back,” she said before trying to close the door again.
It was then that Adam suddenly became angry. He pulled her into his arms and the closer he dragged her, the more dangerous he became and the more uncomfortable she was with the situation. This behavior was out of character for Adam and it frightened her.
It wasn’t until she heard the strength of his voice that she recalled the man in the next room. He moved stealthily forward from the shadows and let his presence be known. It was then that Katelyn realized what a true force Gianfranco Broccolini really was. Kevin had always told her that he was in awe of Gianfranco’s ability to hold his adversaries at bay. He never seemed to lose control of himself.
It was Adam who looked surprised. Adam left little to the imagination as his eyes cast meanness and cruelty toward her at the sight of the other man in her apartment. This was a very dark side of the man she thought she knew. Yet, as she nervously glanced over at the deep pools of ebony behind her, she witnessed a warning being shot at Adam not to persist. She knew instantly that she was safe.
“I think the lady asked you to leave,” he ordered, as he moved closer to Katelyn’s side.
“Who the hell is he?�
�� Adam asked as he released Katelyn.
“It doesn’t matter who I am. All that should concern you is that I’ve just about used up all the patience I have for one day. You can do one of two things; either you leave voluntarily or I will gladly remove you myself. Which will it be?” Gianfranco asked as he maneuvered himself directly between Katelyn and Adam. Although it seemed that Adam was angrier at this point, it was Gianfranco who controlled the next few moments.
Adam stood a few inches shorter than Gianfranco and at least thirty pounds lighter, not that Gianfranco was at all heavy, just the opposite, in fact. He had a great body; it was what some women loved most about him besides his beautiful face, his intellect and, of course, his wealth. It had become apparent to Adam that he was going to lose this battle so he turned to Katelyn and bid her farewell before retreating, adding that he would get in touch with her when her Neanderthal friend left.
“Don’t bother calling me, Adam. I’m leaving for Montana in the morning. It’s all arranged. I’ll see you when I get back.” He only hesitated for a second before nodding and walking away. She knew he felt humiliated and defeated and she got the distinct impression that he would seek his revenge at a later date.
As Adam disappeared down the hall, Katelyn was left to answer a barrage of questions from her more dominating guest. The main conversation seemed focused on Jack Taylor and their meeting this afternoon. What had prompted her to divulge the exchange between herself and Jack Taylor, she didn’t know? Gianfranco seemed to know most of the answers before she spoke the words.
Then his concern switched to the physical exchange that took place between her and Adam. Katelyn thought to herself, I’m shocked and disappointed by Adam’s behavior today and I don’t want to discuss it any further, least of all with Gianfranco.
He, on the other hand, wondered. Had not been here, what would have happened? Why did she trust someone like Adam? It was obvious that she didn’t know the man as well as she thought.
“You’re being ridiculous. I can tell by that look on your face what you’re thinking. I could have handled the situation all by myself. What happened here today is none of your business,” she said, picking up some mail from the table and tossing it down again. She was trying her hardest to put some distance between them but it wasn’t working. He moved as though he were playing chess, all the while studying her body movements and reactions. He was not going to let the subject drop and she was annoyed at his protective behavior toward her. She didn’t need a big brother; she already had one of them and another who acted as if he were.
“If I hadn’t been here, Katelyn, what do you think would have happened? He was out of control,” he stated angrily as he stood face to face with her.
“This is crazy. If you really want to know what I think, it was you that made him snap. Adam has never acted that way toward me before. He would never hurt me. You bring out the worst in people.” She caught her breath because she knew she had just crossed the line. She knew what she had just said was so far from the truth. Gianfranco Broccolini didn’t bring out the worst in people. In fact, just the opposite was true. People were at their best because of him, not in spite of him.
He shook his head at first and then ran his fingers through his jet black hair as he always did when frustrated. He was pulling his hair, as if inflicting pain would somehow stop him from lashing out at her with words he would later regret. “Why are you the only person alive who can bate me like this? You push every button and you know just which ones will make me react. Don’t you understand? I was just trying to help you. He was going to physically hurt you.”
She was sure that he felt a brotherly obligation to protect her and she didn’t like it. She didn’t need him or anyone else for that matter. The only response she could think of had clearly left her mouth before she had time to think about it. It was the story of her life, her stubborn Irish nature; talk first, worry about the repercussions later.
“How do you know we aren’t already lovers? You don’t know anything about my private life. You gave up that right years ago,” she fumed intently. Once again she looked around the living area for anything that she could use to separate them. A high back wing chair stood in the corner and she set out to stand behind it and use it as a shield. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him; she knew he would never hurt her but she couldn’t bare another heart-wrenching good bye if he dared to touch her.
He tore off his jacket and threw it aside. Both of them realized that they had unfinished business between them and a chair wasn’t going to keep them from confronting the past. He thought she needed to be taught a lesson first; who better than him to teach her? He genuinely set out only to show her what could happen if she provoked him any further. “It’s obvious to me that you know just what makes me tick, don’t you, Irish?”
“Don’t call me that. What did I say that made you so angry? ” she asked.
Gianfranco relaxed a little and sucked in his lower lip. “That’s a laugh. You intentionally goad me and by the way, there was a time when my calling you Irish made you smile.” He moved around the chair so that they stood inches from each other. “Why do you enjoy inciting me?” he asked huskily as he cupped her shoulders with his hands.
Katelyn could feel his fingers burning right through her clothes. She felt limp, all of the sudden, and practically fell into his arms. “Your body is telling a very different tale, Katelyn, whether you’re emotionally vested or not. Your mind might have tried to wipe me from its memory but your body…it remembers,” he said as he traced the curve of her shoulders and neck with his fingers. With the back of his hand he traced the outline of her breast and watched as her nipple rose to his touch. He was right; he only had to touch her to evoke such torment.
She was crumbling fast and he knew it. Without hesitation, he pulled her into his embrace and seared her lips with a long awaited kiss. He was gentle at first. She reciprocated his soft kiss with a gentle moan and, with that, he was lost. He licked her lower lip which seemed to beg entrance and, once accepted, he deepened the kiss. He was biting her lower lip gently as he provoked an even deeper exchange. This kiss that was only meant to teach her a lesson was now flaming out of control.
He couldn’t help his reaction to her any more than he could stop breathing. He never could control himself where Katelyn was concerned, though he tried adamantly. He had always prided himself, always self-controlled, given any situation, but it was always different with her. All the women in his life before her or since didn’t seem to have this effect on him. He never had a problem walking away from a woman without any feeling of regret but Katelyn was a constant threat to his well-being. She inspired the best and worst in him. He needed to know if it was as difficult for her. He pulled his lips away from hers in order to look into her emerald eyes; the eyes that held the truth within them.
“For someone who’s involved with another man, your response to me is a little questionable to say the least. Are you sure your relationship with Taylor is everything it is supposed to be? Think about that, Katelyn, the next time you let me touch you,” he added. “The next time I won’t walk away.” He said as he pushed away from her and once again walked out of her life. As he left her apartment, she was left feeling empty and alone.
She couldn’t move at all as she watched him walk out the door. She was waiting for some explanation to come to mind. What had just transpired between them? Why did he stop? They both acted explosively toward each other sexually and it was obvious what they each wanted. The exchange between them left her body feeling unfulfilled and longing. She glanced over at the clock and realized she had some time before Jenny was due home and the Gianfranco she kept hidden in her draw would have to do, for now. She couldn’t go through the rest of the day feeling this way.
She had kept her toy in her nightstand and had aptly named it Gianfranco. If she couldn’t have the real man, she would settle for the fantasy.
Chapter Four
After a quick shower, Katelyn
pulled herself together and tried to decide what to tell Jenny about their unexpected trip to Montana. They would be leaving in the morning and if she hoped to be ready on time she would need Jenny’s full cooperation. It wasn’t long before Jenny was bouncing through the door from school. She was more than happy to hear about their upcoming journey. Jenny was excited to be visiting her Uncle Kevin. To her young daughter, this trip meant plenty of fun with her uncle and aunt who loved and spoiled her.
“We need to start packing tonight if we’re going to be ready to leave in the morning. What do you say to pizza for dinner tonight after packing?” Katelyn asked while taking Jenny’s school bag from her little shoulders. If there was one thing in her life that she had no regrets about it was the birth of her beautiful daughter and the unconditional love she felt for her. For that very reason she was grateful for having had Gianfranco Broccolini in her life.
Although most of their dinner conversation weighed heavily on what Jenny would wear to the airport and what toys she would be allowed to bring aboard the plane, Jenny couldn’t contain her excitement about seeing and riding the horses again.
“Sweetheart, this is going to be a short visit. I don’t know how many activities we are going to be able to fit in,” Katelyn reminded her daughter. But Jenny didn’t care; all she knew was that she would get to see her uncle and aunt and get to ride a horse. Jenny also knew that Sylvia would have a surprise for her; she always did when they came for a visit. And her uncle would make sure that there was a tame horse ready for her to ride. It was all Jenny could talk about.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep tonight. I can’t wait to leave,” Jenny chuckled excitedly.
“I’ll draw you a warm bath; then we’ll read a story together. You’ll be asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.” Katelyn smiled at her daughter. What could be better than this? She enjoyed all their private moments together so much.
