She smiled back and nodded. “Okay. I’ll get us a table and then text you the address.”
“Great, I should be no more than twenty minutes.”
Cole rose and Violet followed. Once she had left his office, he grabbed the unfinished drawings and shoved them into the lower desk drawer again. His uncle would be furious, but Cole would give him the sketches he had already drawn up according to Shaun’s specifications. He only needed to make copies and put them in the file for Robert.
After making the duplicates and sliding the bogus folder into an interoffice envelope for Marcos to deliver to his uncle in the morning, Cole walked toward the elevators. He glanced sideways to find Henry watching him intently with a sneer. What the hell had he ever done to the surly office assistant? Apart from a few mental jabs every time Cole suffered from the gift of his presence.
“What’s your problem?”
Henry reached forward and straightened a few stacks of paper in front of him without looking down, but said nothing.
“Whatever. Makes no difference to me.” Cole shrugged and turned for the elevators, muttering “asshole” under his breath.
“You know, she’s not stupid enough to fall for your games.”
Cole snorted. Henry apparently grew a pair when faced with Cole’s back. He wheeled on the assistant. “What are you even talking about?”
“You’re not the first. All the others just failed.” He gave Cole a derisive once-over. “You are, however, the best in the looks department. No matter; I won’t let it happen.” Henry lifted one of the piles of paper and proceeded toward the copy room. The conversation appeared to be over without any input from Cole.
He continued to stare long after the assistant was gone from view, replaying the puzzling exchange in his head. Could Henry know the real reason Robert had seen to his employment under Shaun? No way. Unless he was toeing the line between both partners, waiting to see who remained standing in the end. Cole considered giving chase in search of answers, but instead thought better of it and continued with his previous plan. He rode the elevator up to twelve, hoping to catch Shaun before she left for the day, and glanced down at his BlackBerry to check the time. Violet had texted him the address of a Vietnamese restaurant nearing thirty minutes ago. He would make it up to her. Somehow.
When the doors split, Cole took in the sight of the incredible expanse once again, the allure still not having worn off. His eyes moved from one side to the other, taking the beauty of the design in.
“May I help you?” A soft voice pulled his attention straight ahead. Behind a chrome reception desk stood a statuesque brunette in a navy blue pant suit, eyes staring right through him.
Cole walked closer, not remembering the woman from that morning. If he were honest, he didn’t remember much apart from running into Shaun and Olivia in the stairwell. Studying the woman further, he decided she could be considered rather pretty if not for the grimace she was directing at him. “I was looking for Shaun– I mean, Ms. Wright.”
“Do you have an appointment?” She leaned over and tapped a few keys, which brought up a schedule on the screen to her left.
“Well, no. I’m one of her designers.” She wasn’t impressed, apparently, straightening but not offering to take him to Shaun. “Cole Jacobson,” he continued. The last name registered and gave him the result he was going for. He fought off the eye roll.
The woman typed away furiously. “She is on a call at the moment, but maybe I can squeeze you in before her last appointment of the day?” Her expression was unsure as she attempted to appease the relative of the big, bad bossman.
Cole shook his head. “Never mind, I’ll catch her tomorrow.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Jacobson?”
He declined once more and returned to the elevators.
“Cole?” Cole blinked slowly and spun to face the familiar voice speaking his name. Standing left of the doors that led out to the garden was Shaun, her beautiful eyes regarding him from toes to head in a slow, body-warming sweep upwards. He smiled appreciatively.
Before he could take a step toward her, the receptionist broke the connection, bringing Cole promptly back to reality. “Ms. Wright, you have a 5:30 with–”
Cole slumped. He should have let the receptionist squeeze him in. Shaun still stared his way, and he raised a hand in defeat. “Nothing important. I’ll catch you tomorrow morning, maybe.”
Shaun nodded and let herself be ushered back through the garden doors, he suspected in the direction of her office. His uncle’s office was in the opposite direction. Although the two partners shared a floor, they could not be farther apart.
Cole was reflective on the ride down to pick up his stuff before leaving. He still couldn’t shake Henry’s words from earlier. If the assistant wasn’t the double agent Cole presumed him to be, then who was? Someone had given Robert Shaun’s file on the bed and breakfast. Someone she trusted.
Cole pinched the bridge of his nose. He missed the ease of working at the lumber company. Everyone had a specific job that they did to the best of their ability. There was no fucking each other over to move up the corporate food chain. Regardless of whether Henry had played a part in the sabotage, Cole’s opinion of him remained the same. The assistant was still a pompous prick who needed to be reminded that he maneuvered the choppy seas of Jacobson-Wright Contracting in a desk, not an office.
Cole was stepping outside of the building when his BlackBerry vibrated. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the device. A text from Shaun read Have a good night. A silly grin tugged the corners of his lips upwards, and he walked to the restaurant, hoping to catch Violet in time, on a resulting cloud of confidence.
Cole made sure to check his Google calendar for any meetings as soon as he pried open his eyelids. Good thing, because a team meeting was scheduled for nine a.m. in Shaun’s office. He put forth an extra effort to hurry his ass up and arrive on time for this one, not wanting to make the same mistake two days in a row. After dropping off an apology cookie on Violet’s desk, he double-checked the location and then rode the elevator to the top floor.
He encountered the brunette behind the reception desk again. This time, she popped up to her feet immediately. “Are you here for the morning meeting, Mr. Jacobson?”
Cole smiled and nodded. “Yes, but I’m not sure where exactly–” He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before she was leading him through the garden door. The scent of wild flowers hijacked his airway.
At first glance the garden had looked open to the sky, but once on the cobblestone path, Cole realized it was completely enclosed. A greenhouse in the clouds, but not hot. Temperature-control ventilation units were built into the lower wall panels, cleverly hidden from sight unless you were looking for them. In snow or rain, visitors could still be wowed by lush greenery, unhindered by the moods of Mother Nature. Cole admired the masterful design.
The two of them made a right at a fork in the stone path, toward another hallway. The receptionist stopped and pointed to the only door. Shaun’s office. Cole entered, and his mouth opened slightly in admiration. Not the kind of admiration his uncle’s office or the twelfth floor as a whole commanded. Robert’s office was furnished to impress. Shaun’s office felt lived in and inviting, obviously meant to make those who entered feel comfortable. Wood and leather furniture and splashes of hand-blown glass accents, all in a warm color scheme, complemented the garden view.
The topic of his thoughts sat at a large, walnut-stained desk, feet up while she reclined in her chair and talked on the phone. The receptionist knocked on the door, startling both him and Shaun, who dropped her luscious legs and waved Cole in.
“Yes, Mother, I will. Have to go.” Shaun hung up with not so much as a goodbye. Cole found that odd, but then his mom was the type who wouldn’t let a day go by without calling to check on him.
Shaun stood and moved in front of her desk, taking off her glasses. Cole suppressed a groan when he caught the full view of her. Sh
e was wearing a slim chocolate-brown skirt and a beige silk blouse tucked into the high waist. She’d left half of the blouse unbuttoned, and a lace camisole the same color as her eyes peeked out from beneath. Her hair was down, raining soft waves over her shoulders. She was a true master of office seduction.
“Thank you, Chelsea.”
Cole had almost forgotten about the other woman, who dipped her head in a nod and left, closing the door behind her.
“That garden is amazing.” He gestured to the two glass walls displaying the lush foliage.
“I’m glad you like it. I designed it myself.” Her smile turned into a look of pride.
“Really?” he asked, genuinely impressed by the revelation. He knew from the suggestions she had made on his sketches that she had some background in design, but now he wondered how substantive her education was. She had only spoken about being groomed for business during lunch.
“Don’t look so surprised,” she countered. “I’m not just corporate meetings and pretty suits.”
Cole shook his head. “It’s not that at all. I just don’t know why you aren’t designing instead of–” He held his hands out, palms up, drawing a blank. “I couldn’t imagine not wielding a pencil to drain myself of all the ideas rolling around in my head.”
Shaun folded her arms over her midsection, thoughtful. “My father saw my interest in design as a hobby. Not something to make a career out of. I agreed with him.” Her eyes said something completely different. His compliment had lit a fire inside them. “Robert hated being uprooted to a lower floor for the time it took to complete the project. For that alone, I found the extensive undertaking worth it. Just a little bit.” She pinched her thumb and forefinger together with a grin. “So, how about we get started?”
Cole looked around the office, which, regardless of its large size, didn’t have a conference table. He also noticed the lack of bodies. “Where is everyone?”
Shaun sat on the edge of her desk, crossing her legs. God bless this woman and her skirts, he thought. “What do you mean?”
“I thought this was a team meeting.”
“It is.” She smiled and motioned for him to sit in one of the brown leather chairs in front of her. “You and I make a team.”
Cole scrutinized her expression. Was she fucking with him?
She reached a hand behind her to grasp a folder from her desk, and then handed it to him as he sat down. “Myles appears to be tied up with a personal affair for a short while. So I thought your talents might be a perfect match for another client.”
Cole hesitated and then opened the folder, flipping through the proposal. He looked back up at Shaun. “But … this is for furniture?” She nodded and he perused further. “And this is for–”
“Me.” Shaun’s smile widened. “Cole, I would like you to design some furniture for me.”
He sat back in his chair, not sure how to take what she was proposing. “You want me to design furniture for you?” He shrugged. “Why?”
“Why not? You’re talented. You would be doing me a favor – at a price you deserve, of course – and–” She trailed off.
Bingo, Cole thought. There was something she was holding back. He wanted to be excited. Hell, to be able to do something he loved while out here in Mason, which to him felt a lot like a life sentence with Robert on his back…
“And what?” he pressed, afraid that she would slap him with another ultimatum, much like his uncle had.
“Well…” She popped up to her feet and started to walk in a small circle. “Nouveau Design is doing a feature on young front-runners in the industry and the homes they live in. Which should, of course, reflect their vision as a whole. I was asked to participate.” She tossed in the last bit of information as if it were trivial, and returned to sitting on top of her desk. “However, I’m in a bind at the moment, because I’ve only recently finished a huge renovation, so I haven’t had much of a chance to focus on the appropriate furnishings. Naturally, that’s where you come in.”
“Wait, so you want to have my furniture on display for a photo spread in one of the top design magazines for all the world to see?” Cole couldn’t believe what she was suggesting. Although he turned his back on corporate design, he picked up the equivalent of Vogue for the contracting world on occasion. He knew the value of keeping up to date on current trends, and he enjoyed putting his own twist on some of the more popular ones. However, he’d never imagined anything of his would ever be featured among the pages.
“Yes. Unfortunately, we have a bit of a time crunch on our hands, so I’ve arranged a workspace for you, complete with all the tools and machinery you should need. And if there’s anything else missing, don’t hesitate to ask.” She reached around her back to grab some more papers.
The whole setup felt too good to be true. “Hold on.” Cole jumped to his feet, a dose of his own pride bubbling to the surface. “What makes you think I want a handout from you? Or that I need one, for that matter?” He tossed the folder onto the chair next to him. She could’ve asked anyone in the business for help, but instead she wanted to put her money on him? A long shot?
Shaun rose as well, an arm’s distance between them. “What do you mean ‘handout’? I am offering you a contract, Cole.”
“A contract that could possibly lead to a hell of a lot more in the long run, considering the magazine. You know I’m right.”
Shaun shrugged, arms outstretched. “So what if it does? How is that a bad thing?”
Cole clenched his fists at his sides, trying to rein in his temper. He didn’t want to set their professional relationship all the way back to where it had stood on day one. But she didn’t get him; how could he expect her to when she lived in a world completely different than his? Unlike her ex, he didn’t need assistance in his professional career, nor did he want it. He liked his small world and the small people in it. He had gotten offers after graduating college, but he had turned them all down, wanting to be his own boss so he could never lose sight of what really made him happy.
“I’m not like Olivia, Shaun. I don’t need you to open doors for me. I can do just fine on my own. Hell, I was doing fine on my own before I came here.” He turned to leave.
Shaun beat him to the door, blocking his exit. “Wait, Cole. I have no idea why the hell you’re so mad.”
“No?” he countered. “You’re not offering me an opportunity that you and I both know will elevate my status in your social circles?”
A hint of recognition skated over her expression. “I thought you’d be happy. A chance for you to do something you said you enjoyed. Who doesn’t want to be successful?”
“Don’t you mean sell out? I’m sorry, but I can’t help but see this as your way of making me more tolerable to fuck. And if that’s the case, then we can stay employer and employee. I may not stand up socially to what you’re used to, but that doesn’t make me any less of a fucking man.” He reached for the doorknob. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll get back to work on the bed and breakfast.”
“Wait!” She grabbed his hand, and the heat from her touch blazed a trail up his arm, across his chest, continuing southward. Their eyes met next, suspending time and the world around them. Her glossed lips parted, yanking down his focus. He licked his own in response.
Was he about to make the biggest mistake of his life? Probably, but that wasn’t going to stop him. So many thoughts raced through his brain. Since that first night in the bar, Cole had imagined what it would feel like to kiss her, even before he’d known her as his boss. Finally he had worked up the courage, without the aid of alcohol, but with anger and ego instead. Gripping the delicate curves of her jaw firmly in both his hands, Cole leaned in and kissed Shaun with the same fierceness that stirred his blood.
Her lips a soft velvet. Her mouth a honeyed inferno. He meant to plunder the breath from her with his tongue, but he only managed to lose his. Breaking from the kiss, he pulled back to find her eyes remained closed, while her breasts heaved beneath her bl
ouse. He smirked in spite of his own fog of emotions.
“Now tell me, do you think my name plastered all over some stupid magazine would have made that kiss any sweeter?”
Cole never saw Shaun’s hand move, but he felt the sting of her palm across his cheek. She’d struck him, and he couldn’t blame her. He started to apologize, but not before Shaun trapped his words with her lips in a feverish kiss of her own.
CHAPTER 10
Cole didn’t want to leave Shaun’s office. He didn’t want to stop kissing her. The tingle of her flavored lip gloss still lingered on his tongue, a cinnamon spice that set his whole body ablaze with neglected desire. She had felt the electric jolt too – the only explanation, he thought, for her kicking him out. Everything between them had become so real so fast.
He thought about turning right around and barging back inside, demanding they finish what they had started, but decided leaving was his best bet. Shaun did not seem like the type of woman who would respond well to forcefulness. Not yet, at least. Not until she felt sure of his intentions, whatever they might be. Damned if he knew what the fuck his intentions were, with the weight of his impossible situation heavy on his mind.
He started toward the garden exit but stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Robert pushing through the glass doors. Cole searched left and right for a place to hide. He wasn’t ready to explain to his uncle why the drawings he had asked for remained consistent with Shaun’s original specifications instead of his. Cole had no doubt Marcos had delivered the bogus file before Robert had made it into the office. And considering Robert had a meeting with the client that afternoon, he wouldn’t delay perusing Cole’s work for compliance.
Within a foot of being discovered, Cole ducked behind a row of thick hydrangea bushes in full azure bloom. He listened to the clack of his uncle’s overpriced dress shoes pass nearby without pause and released a sigh of relief. Wondering what Robert could be meeting with Shaun about, he dared a few steps closer, remaining all ears.
Drawn Through You Page 8
