by Linda Kage
Brick caught my gaze and smiled, letting me know he shared the sentiment.
As I returned to my seat, Brick expounded on the details, and my delight over our accomplishment only grew stronger.
When he finished, Ezra cleared his throat and took over, describing how the rest of the presentation would progress. Feedback was welcome from everyone on all the designs, but ultimately, the final decisions would be made by him and Lana. Finally, we were invited to browse the room to study everything all the departments had displayed.
Brick and I stayed together, making our way around the easels. He, of course, had cutting sarcasm for the designs he didn’t like.
“Looks like the kind of belt a guy would hang himself with,” he said about one, making me elbow him in the gut and tell him to behave.
He only shrugged, refusing to take back the sentiment. When we passed the Jacket designs, I nodded respectively at the picture with patches on the elbows. “Huh. It didn’t turn out half bad. I thought it was going to suck monkey balls.”
“Which one?” Brick asked.
When I pointed out the jacket I was talking about, he nodded, gave a meh face and said, “Yeah. I’d probably wear it.”
For him, that was a seal of approval.
He squeezed my elbow when we passed the shoes, and murmured in my ear, “Yours is the best.”
I glanced at him and bit my lip, wondering if he was just saying that but hoping he was right.
After everyone looked their fill, we reconvened around the table, where people tossed out their opinions, mentioning what they liked, what they didn’t, and what they’d be willing to see more of if there were revisions. Neither CEO commented; Ezra was busy taking notes on his tablet while Lana studied her fingernails, letting Shyla scribble madly on a notepad for her.
Finally, the time came for Ezra and Lana to cast their votes. While they silently did that at opposites ends of the table, Brick leaned in to whisper in my ear, explaining to me how they used to verbally vote, until Ezra grew fed up with Lana voting against everything he voted for. Now they had to write down their final decisions and then compare the two after they were both done.
“It’s the only way to get them to agree on anything, I swear.”
I smiled at that, just as Lana and Ezra seemed to finish at the same time.
Winston took Ezra’s piece of paper and Shyla took Lana’s, and the two assistants met in the center of the room to compare notes until they each decided on what the two CEOs agreed upon.
After they returned to their respective CEOs, Lana glanced over the final outcome and sniffed, rolling her eyes as she muttered, “Whatever.”
Ezra nodded and read off the results so everyone else in the room could learn them.
Four dresses were chosen for design, six undergarments, eight purses, three jackets—one of them being the patched elbows—four belts, five shirts, five pants, and only two shoes. I held my breath when Ezra read off which shoes they’d picked. Under the table, Brick squeezed my hand.
When the one I had made was called as a keeper to make a prototype of and put into the spring fashion show, Brick shook my fingers in congratulations. Ezra glanced my way, but I was too stunned to give him an inconspicuous sign, letting him know he’d chosen my design.
My head went dizzy with shock, black spots danced in my vision, and euphoria along with a bit of fear clogged my throat. But oh, God. My shoe was going to grace a model’s foot. It was a dream come true.
What was even sweeter, across the table, Hayden met my gaze and gave me a nod of approval.
Day made.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Though the voting presentation of portfolios took up a good portion of the day, an hour and a half remained afterward before my full eight-hour work day was up.
Sadly, I couldn’t remember much of anything I did in that hour. I was floating on too big of a high. Brick spent the entire time out of the office, telling his team how awesome we’d done with our designs, raking in more yeses than any other department, which also meant we had more work cut out for us than the other departments.
As soon as the clock ticked into clock-out range, I was out of there, pulling my coat on and hurrying from the office. I had no idea where I thought I was going in such a hurry, I just had to get outside in the fresh air where my excitement had room to fully burst open.
I barely refrained from screaming and dancing in a joyous circle the moment I pushed through the front doors, but I wanted to. Oh, how I wanted to. My design had been freaking picked! By Lana. Well, Lana and Ezra both, but I was more excited about impressing the unimpressible Lana Price-Carmichael-Judge.
Practically skipping around the building toward the parking lot and hoping Ezra got off work soon so I could celebrate with him, I nearly peed my pants when I heard a “Psst. Yellow?” coming from the bushes at the edge of the garden into the courtyard when I passed by.
Clutching my chest, I spun around, seeing no one.
Then I heard, “In here.”
As soon as I stepped between two tall bushes heralding the entrance of the garden, a hand reached out and grabbed my wrist, towing me in completely.
I gasped until I was hauled against a familiar chest and then kissed thoroughly.
For some reason, Ezra had never tasted better. I forgot to care about how we should be more careful around the premises and clutched his face between my hands, kissing him back.
“Well?” he asked, unlocking his tongue from mine a minute later and pressing his forehead to my brow.
I looked up into his eyes and squealed out the elated sound I’d been containing all day. When I began to jump up and down, he laughed.
“Really?” he asked, looking relieved. “Your design was chosen? Ah, hell, baby. That’s amazing.” He stamped his mouth back to mine for a hard, brief, congratulatory kiss. “Which one was yours?”
“Which one was your favorite?” I countered.
He shook his finger at me and grinned, refusing to answer. “Which one was yours?”
“Nope,” I insisted. “You first.”
His shoulders slumped, but he nodded as worry entered his gaze. “Okay, fine. I liked the chunky-heeled platforms with the open toes and buckled ankle strap.”
When a smile took over my face, his eyes widened. “Those were yours? For real?”
I nodded.
“Holy shit, Kaitlynn. Those were awesome. I kept picturing you wearing them and nothing else as I took you on top of my desk.”
I bit my lip, trying to contain my pleasure.
“Well… You can if you want,” I told him, walking two fingers up his chest. “I mean, if we can get our hands on that prototype when it’s made, and if it comes in my size.”
“Oh, I will make certain it comes in your size,” he growled before kissing me again.
When we came up for air, he stepped close enough to nuzzle his cheek in my hair as he glanced over his shoulder as if making sure no one else was around.
I pressed my hand against his chest, right over his heart, then smoothed my fingers down his tie. “We should move this party to somewhere more private.” Then I glanced up at his face. “At least, I’m hoping you’re willing to celebrate with me tonight.”
“Count on it,” he said, before taking my hands and adding, “Actually, I’ve been thinking… You should come back to my place with me.”
I froze, my lips parting as I stared up at him. In an instant, about fifty million thoughts swirled through my head.
At first, I wanted to scream and jump at him and give him a full body hug, because this felt big. This felt like a step. He wanted me to see his place. That had to be good, right? Our relationship was progressing. He wanted me in his private space, he was ready to… Well, I don’t know, let me in further, I guess.
But then my mind did a little wait-a-sec, second-guessing backpedal. Because maybe this had nothing to do with his feelings for me or him wanting to blend his home life with mine. Maybe he wasn’t begin
ning to, I don’t know, fall for me, or anything like that. Maybe… Maybe this was because he just didn’t like my place.
My apartment didn’t fit the standard of CEO Ezra Nash, I could attest to that. But he’d never acted like my place was beneath him before, like I was beneath him.
I kind of loved my home. It represented me, the little apartment that could. We were struggling for bigger, better things, all the while making the best of every little thing we got, and ready to enjoy it all.
If he didn’t like my place—my place that felt so much like a depiction of me—then did he not like me?
“You paused,” Ezra said, his face filling with panic. “You’re totally pausing. Why are you pausing?”
I blinked myself back to reality and realized I was reading way—way—too much into a simple question. After taking a breath to calm myself, I shook my head, hoping to let him know everything was fine. I was fine. I wasn’t being a total girl and thinking more than I should. No…
And then, in the next breath, I blurted, “Don’t you like my apartment?”
His eyes widened and lips parted the moment I’m sure he realized where I’d gone with his question. This time, it was his turn to totally pause.
I could almost hear his thoughts—a hundred percent guy thoughts—where he was thinking, Shit. I hadn’t meant that. I hadn’t meant anything by the question. Why did she think I’d meant that? Now, no matter what I answer, I’m going to be screwed, aren’t I?
“No, baby, no,” he insisted, cupping my cheeks in his hands and then kissing my forehead. “That’s not what I meant at all. I love your apartment. I love what we do in your apartment. And I love being there with you. The place has definitely grown on me. I swear.”
Worry still graced his eyes, but he camouflaged it with a big smile. “I just thought my house might be getting jealous of all the attention I’ve been giving your place. When I came home this morning to shower, I could tell it smelled your apartment on my clothes and it had to be wondering where I’d been all night, driving itself crazy with worry. So, I just thought, you know, to appease both our homes and prevent either place from getting envious, we should keep things even. One night in your bed, one night in mine. Every night with each other.” His eyebrows lifted as he stealthily slipped in that last line. “What do you think?”
I fisted the lapels of his suit jacket in my hands and smiled right back. “I think that’s an awesome idea.” With a grin, I placed a quick peck to his chin. “Besides, I’m curious to see where you live.”
So we parted ways, agreeing to meet at my apartment where he’d drive me out to his house. As I climbed into my twenty-year-old junker of a car at the far end of the parking lot, I glanced over and caught sight of Ezra near the front, at one of the two CEO parking spots, slipping on a pair of shades and climbing into a pale-blue Bentley. The vast difference between our vehicles was so wide it was amusing, but I didn’t laugh, even though I was thrilled to see he owned such an awesome-colored car.
I’d grown up in that world where Bentleys and first class and gourmet everything was the norm. And here at JFI, I still had plenty of contact with those people. But since my dad had died, leaving me basically destitute, I felt so far removed from that life that I suddenly wondered how Ezra and I were going to handle the gap. He’d never talked down to me before or said a condescending word about my social status, but this thing exploding between us was still fresh and new.
Would it cause problems later? Or was I looking for problems because things were going so well? I was making headway at work, my design had been picked, Ezra was in my life, Brick and I were closer than ever, and heck, even Hayden seemed to like me.
I’d gained so much in the past week, it was almost overwhelming. So I just kept thinking, I had so much to lose now.
And I didn’t want to lose any of it.
Across the parking lot, the light-blue Bentley pulled out of the parking lot. Ezra was probably headed to my place right now to pick me up, so I climbed into my car, cranked the engine four times before it decided to start and chugged out of the parking lot after him.
When I arrived at my building, however, he wasn’t there yet. That was mildly curious since he’d left before me, but it gave me a chance to hurry up to my room and pack a small overnight bag… An overnight bag that quickly filled with about four outfits because I wasn’t sure what to wear the next day.
A knock came on my door just as I was sitting on it to zip the crammed thing closed.
Giddiness bubbled inside me. I hurried to the exit and flung it open, only to gasp when a bouquet of red roses and white lilies greeted me instead of Ezra.
“I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by for these,” the roses said before shifting to the side to reveal Ezra’s face behind them. “I just thought you needed something to help commemorate your first design acceptance.”
“Oh, Ezra.” I reached out to tug them into my arms. “They’re beautiful. I love them. Thank you. Oh my gosh, and none of the petals are wilting either.” I fingered the blood red roses in awe.
Ezra stepped inside, frowning. “There better not be any wilted petals. I swear, my sister’s asshole boyfriend charged me three times the price he charges normal customers. I’ll go back and kick his ass right now if they’re not flawless.”
I laughed at his answer, only to close my eyes and hug the flowers to my chest. “They are. They’re perfectly flawless. It’s just that I’ve only ever gotten the castoff bouquets they’ve been ready to throw out because I could never afford a new bouquet. But these… I love these.”
Stepping close, Ezra caught that one stray piece of hair that always came loose from my ponytail and tucked it behind my ear. “If I have a say in it, you’ll never have anything castoff again.”
“Why, Ezra Nash,” I murmured on a teasing scold and stepped up into his face to smile and kiss his cheek. “You’re not thinking I need to be saved from my miserable little life here in this hovel, are you?” When my eyebrows arched significantly, warning him he better say no, he chuckled and tweaked my nose.
“After seeing the unpaid intern rise up today to become an official shoe designer for JFI, oh, I know you can take care of yourself, baby.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and grinned at me as if charmed. “But since you’re the one who saved me, I feel the need to pay you back in every way possible.”
I blinked my surprise. “Save you? How did I save you?” I’d never saved him, except maybe to help him find his shoe that first night.
He delicately drifted the backs of his fingers across my cheek as if touching something precious. “You might not have realized this about me, but I’ve kind of been one of those lucky bastards who was born with a silver spoon stuck in my mouth. I pretty much have everything.”
“Hmm.” I tapped my chin and squinted at him as if I had to think about that, even though, wow, I hadn’t really thought about how true it was until he came right out and mentioned it. And yet… I’d never held any of that against him, because he’d never acted like the high and mighty rich boy with the famous, rich daddy.
Nodding slowly, I finally agreed. “Okay, I can see that, but how—”
Grinning, he pressed a finger to my lips so he could continue. “For a guy who has everything, you’d think I should be pretty satisfied and happy with life, right? Except…” He cringed and shrugged. “The past few years have been… I don’t know. I’ve just felt like something was missing. After my mom died, things changed so much. My sister checked out for a while, my dad buried himself in his work, and I just… I just drifted. I didn’t even realize I was still mourning the loss of my family until this yellow Power Ranger walked into my company Halloween party and made me feel more alive than I’d ever felt before.”
The power behind his words was fierce and strong. It caught me right in the feels, making tears mist my vision. I whispered his name, but he only smiled before wiping a droplet off my cheek with his thumb.
“So, don’t ever think I
want to make you my kept woman or save you from your life or anything like that, okay? I know you’re fully capable of taking care of yourself. Which means, anything I ever give you will be because I want to show you my gratitude for you showing up in my life, and to maybe hopefully convince you that I can be worthy enough to be in yours.”
“You are,” I rasped, gripping his face in my hands and looking deep into his eyes, unable to believe he’d have any doubts about that to begin with.
When his mouth took mine, I kissed him desperately. Our tongues touched, and he groaned before pulling away.
“My place,” he insisted before linking his hands with mine. “I want to show you something there.”
He tried to tug me from the apartment right then, but I remembered I had my bag, and purse, and coat, and keys.
I pulled free, laughing over his eagerness, then hurried off to fetch my things. When I returned to the door where he was waiting, his eyes lit on the bag.
“Good thinking. I forgot I was going to ask you to pack a couple things for the weekend.”
I slowed to a halt. “The entire weekend?” I said hesitantly. He wanted me to stay with him the entire weekend?
Oh, God. Could this day get any cooler?
Worry flickered in his gaze. “You okay with that?”
I nodded, playing it off as no big deal. “Sure. I’m okay with that.”
And so off we went, out to his spotless Bentley that smelled like new leather inside and rode like a dream.
Luke Bryan was playing on the radio when he started the engine. I glanced at Ezra from the corner of my eye and then discreetly cleared my throat.
“Hey, uh, do you mind if I find a station that plays Twenty One Pilots, or Imagine Dragons, or Ed Sheeran?”
I even reached for the controls, but Ezra caught my hand and winked at me. “Nuh-uh. Driver picks the music.”
I scowled and returned my hand to my lap, deciding I was totally driving the next time we went anywhere, while Ezra spent the next ten minutes trying to educate me on why country music should be appreciated more. My pop-loving heart rejected every claim he made, even though I had to admit his enthusiasm for something he liked was pretty cute. Besides, Sam Hunt came on not long after that, playing “Body like a Back Road,” which also played frequently on my favorite station, so my ears were momentarily pacified. I even tapped my fingers on my thigh to the beat and hummed along, glancing out the windows until, holy wow, talk about back roads; I realized we were headed out of town and driving a beautiful back road, one that was familiar to me.
