by Silva, Amy
Xavier found me by the photographers and grabbed my elbow.
“We are going to the after party at La Rouge, you need to be there.”
I got this. Time for the boyfriend defense.
“My boyfriend flew in today from Minnesota, we kind of have plans already.”
Coolly he turned to me, “We work around the clock. This is important for client relationships so I expect you to be there.”
He was full of it and I knew it. The designers already told me they wanted to check out a lesser known place where they could enjoy some privacy and La Rouge would be the last place on the list for the anonymous atmosphere.
“Shit!” I muttered as he walked away. “So much for that strategy.”
A white limo was waiting to take our VIPs to where they desired to go next. I walked along with the group wondering how much longer this night was going to take.
As we pulled up to La Rouge people turned to see who might emerge from the limo. Xavier went out first with a handful of key designers, then me and the assistants. All of us were quickly led inside to the VIP area upstairs. As we walked by the restaurant I noticed a very animated slender blond girl try to loudly explain the advantages of a Russian wife to someone at her table. We entered the night club upstairs and entered our huge VIP booth. The loud music and the lights were making it hard to make conversation so I proceeded to get busy relaxing with my drink. My relaxation was soon disturbed.
“Here, have a glass of Dom!” Xavier held a drink in front of my face.
“No thank you, the last one was more than enough.”
Indeed it has, and the two before that. I got consumed being angry at my not wanting to be there so much that I completely lost track of how much I’ve had to drink. As soon as I realized this, alcohol rushed to my head and I had to catch myself from swaying.
Damn, how strong was this stuff?
Xavier must have sensed an opening, as he completely switched attention from the girl he was talking to for the last twenty minutes.
“Come on, company policy!” he said with a sharky smile.
“Oh yeah? Well, that’s a shitty policy.” I shot back, surprising myself.
“What do you mean, we always treat employees well. Especially such appealing talent like yourself.” He winked as I rolled my eyes.
What an asshole, why can’t he get the message?
My confidence fueled by alcohol meant I was not backing down this time, “Listen, Xavier, I am tired of these games. Can’t you see that I don’t want anything to do with you?”
Wow, that felt great!
“What do you mean, Kate?” He looked at me as if I said something completely ridiculous.
I stared straight at him, “Oh, cut the bullshit, please. You are hounding every girl that works for you, and I am not going to be the next one. Can’t you see I am not interested in you?”
“You don’t know what you are talking about.” He tried to look unaffected but I saw his eyes dart around, making sure we were a safe distance away from others, especially women.
I stood my ground. “Both of us know exactly what I am talking about.”
The message was delivered and finally started to register in his brain. His face suddenly changed. The permanent smirk he annoyingly insisted on showing at all times turned into more of a scowl. The gaze, which would most usually look through people, turned furious as he burned through me.
“What the hell are you talking about?” He exploded, “You think I want a piece of some young and dumb employee? You think I can’t have whatever I want?”
I took a step back, “Look, I didn’t-”
He cut me off, “You think you are so special, so talented? You think that if you didn’t look like this, you would have any shot with this company?!”
What the hell?! Now it was my turn to get angry.
“Good to hear this heartwarming truth, Xavier. Really, go to hell!” I turned around and stormed off.
“Let me know how hell feels, because you are FIRED!” He shouted as I walked towards the stairs.
“You just learned a valuable lesson, don’t pick a fight with a guy who knows the important people to the jobs you want, little girl!” He sent another verbal slap my way, his words drowning out by the loud bass.
About halfway down the stairs my mind suddenly came to it. “Oh, shit! What did you just do? You need this job and the money for school! How can you be so stupid?”
Feeling the panic rushing in, I started running down the next flight, knowing that my emotions will burst at any moment. No talent, no hard work? All this extra time and effort I’ve put in going over presentations and client meetings, and the only reason I was still employed is because I look good in a dress?!
I couldn’t hold back the tears, I needed to get outside quick.
I ran towards the exit afraid to cause a scene, as his words kept replaying in my mind. I felt good for taking a stand, but blamed myself for being so undiplomatic about it. What was I going to do about tuition now?
Lost in thought with tears welling in my eyes I thought I heard someone call my name behind me and instinctively turned my head. Suddenly I bumped into the table in front of me with a loud crash. I turned my head and saw the couple sitting at the table looking up at me. She was the same long legged blond that I noticed earlier, her eyes filled with confusion and compassion. My eyes shifted to the man she was with. Oh my was he handsome. I immediately noticed his gorgeous olive eyes looking inquisitively at me. His beautiful tan face floored me, as I stood there speechless. He had the look of a guy who knew what he was worth, and wasn’t afraid to prove it to anyone. The muscular body dared anyone to challenge him. It took me a few moments to realize that I was flat out staring at this super hot guy in front of me.
Oh gosh, I must look awful right now!
“I am so sorry.” my eyes welled up again.
“Nothing at all to worry about.” He said calmly.
His voice was so smooth and deep. I could feel the confidence resonating through it.
“Please excuse me.” I dashed off.
“He’s notta worth eet!” A thick female accent shouted behind me.
I ran out outside into the humid Chicago night, past the stretched out line of people still waiting outside.
Xavier is such a jerk, I can’t believe I tolerated him for so long. God, what did I do, I must be drunk. I have to get home.
I ran down the block to the corner and stretched my hand out for a taxi. As I did a thought registered in my head. Something wasn’t right.
“Oh shit. My purse!”
After the heated exchange, I completely forgot about my purse that I left at the VIP table. Overwhelmed, I must have left without thinking about it.
Overtaken by emotions, and the unfairness of it all, I suddenly felt the wall coming down. Stuck here, without any money to get home, and faced with the possibility of going back inside was too much to handle.
No, I won’t go back in there. I’d rather walk.
Exhausted, I sat down on the edge of the large flower pot that decorated the street. My hands covered my face, and I began to feel tears stream down my cheeks. My sobs started to shake me, rocking the flower pot slightly.
“Excuse me.” I heard someone speak.
That voice.
“Do you need help?”
I know that voice. His voice?
I looked up. There was a glossy sports car parked in front of me. Staring out of the passenger window was the hottie from the restaurant. His beautiful olive eyes looked straight at me, waiting for my turn.
“I am… I am…”
Kate. A mess. Nice to meet you.
“I am trying to get home.” I said stifling another sob.
“Looks like that flower pot is doing a crappy job. Get in I’ll drop you off.” His voice was full of confidence. Usually I’d never do anything like get into a car with a stranger. Even if he drove a car that costs more than my parent’s house, especially if he did. However
the sincerity in his voice and the way of matter-of-fact made something inside me trust him. Plus let’s face it, I needed a damn ride.
“Thanks.” I muttered and got in.
As I gave him the directions to my place I had a chance to study him more. He looked good with dimmed lights before and now was even more handsome up close. His intense eyes and that gorgeous bone structure, the strong jaw and the muscular neck completed the Adonis in front of me. The muscular body relaxed into the tight sport seats, strong big arms gripped the wheel.
“Jace Roland.” he said casually as the car roared through the freeway ramp.
“Kate Simms. Thank you for doing this.”
“Rough night?” The deep voice boomed over the throttling engine.
“Got into a fight with my boss. Freaking jerk.” I wiped my eyes. “Sorry about interrupting your date.”
All of a sudden it hit me that there was a date. I looked in the back seat, but didn’t see seats. “Uh, where is she anyway?”
He pierced me with his eyes. “It turned out we weren’t quite right for each other.”
I turned away from his devilishly attractive face and was now struggling to stop my mouth from grinning.
Kate Simms, who do you think you are? This guy could walk into twenty girls like you on his way home tonight.
The asshole voice in my head wasn’t helping. I was here and now.
“You always drive this fast?” We were flying, speedometer was showing 95.
“Can you tell?” He smirked. “If you can’t handle it I can slow down.”
“I’m fine, just thinking about the cops.”
Cops, Kate? This is a half a million dollar car, you think he gives a damn?
“They know I drive fast.”
He could tell I wasn’t sure what that meant. This guy was like out of a world I didn’t belong to.
“I race on the tracks around here, sponsor a lot of exotic car runs. It helps bring some publicity to city events, so I get to meet cops and they in turn escort us.”
“Are you a race car driver?”
“Just a hobby. I work for a marketing company. You?”
“I work… I worked at Beau fashion.” I sighed. “The modeling agency on Michigan.”
“Oh yeah.” He said. “I’ve had some business with them a while back. Do you know Xavier?”
I grated my teeth, “He was my boss.”
“That guy can be fun in very small doses.” He looked at me knowing exactly what he meant by that.
“He kept increasing the dosage until I couldn’t take it anymore.”
He smiled with his perfect pearl whites. “I think you might have just closed a new chapter and moved to a new one, that’s all.”
It wasn’t time for a wounded calf play. Sure, he looked great and was exciting and rich, but…
But still I let his words sink in and immediately felt more relaxed. Shit, sometimes your life just makes sense when you hear it from another person’s mouth.
“Let’s get some fresh air.” He retracted the huge sunroof, exposing the barely visible stars in the night sky.
“I love driving with the windows down.” I said as the breeze rushed through the cabin. His perfume carried by it, intoxicating me as it passed by.
“Me too.” He said. “I find the feeling of wind rushing by exciting. It is as if you are storming through nature.” He looked at me with his olive gaze. “My favorite is on a boat, the vast openness of water combined with the warm air blowing by… it really makes me feel alive.”
Looks like you found one, I could hear Olivia’s voice playing in my head. And the summer had just begun.
“I love water in general.” I said. “From the early age my parents realized our family had better vacations near it, so we would try to spend as much time as we could in Florida.”
He stated with a cocky tone, “Then you know exactly what I am talking about. Good girl.” I had to give it to him, he might have been a little conceited but he was cool and collected. I decided to raise the stakes.
“May be you show me how you do it here.” I stared at him. He lifted one eyebrow for a quick moment and licked his lips back at me.
“The magic balls says there is a good chance.”
We grinned at each other and I again noticed how attractive he looked when he was smiling. His shimmering light eyes matched by the dark tan could daze anyone. I felt a rush of warmth rise from below my stomach and spread into my legs.
Attraction, Kate Simms? Now?
Before I could work through my feelings, he stopped the car in front of my building. I wished that moment I lived a thousand miles further. I heard Olivia’s voice in the back of my mind, going on about shells, sunlight, and new experiences.
Was he going to ask? Do I want him to ask!?
“It was good meeting you Kate.” His eyes locked into mine.
“You too…” I turned away and looked in front of me.
“Jace.” His voice was so sexy.
“Jace.” I echoed his words.
We looked at each other for a second and our eyes locked again. I realized just how much attraction was sparked in the air. I had the sudden urge to have him pick me up and carry me upstairs in his strong arms to protecting and soothing me. Oh who was I kidding, I wanted him to ravage me all to hell. I opened the car door and looked back at him. Do it Kate.
BZZZZ… His phone rang.
BZZZZ…
Shit… Come on, Kate, give him the light!
BZZZZ…
“Hello? Who? Oh, hey. One moment” Jace put the phone down and looked quickly at me. “I have to go. Good luck.”
“Bye…” I muttered as he sped off.
What the hell just happened? Did I want him to stay? But I just met him!
Confused, I started walking up the stairs to my apartment. The whole night seemed like it was one long strange dream.
Reaching for the door I remembered that I didn’t even have my keys. I sure hoped Olivia was home.
Chapter 4
Jace
“So, how did last night go?” I launched a basketball towards the hoop. Ben came over and we were catching up on the private basketball court inside my penthouse. His lips curled up as he grabbed the rebound.
“I’d say it was interesting.”
“The good interesting or the bad interesting?”
It turned out he walked in at just the right moment last night. As I was getting bombarded by the sweet talking Sasha I realized that she was moving a lot faster than me. During the time it took us to finish the dessert she had already painted a series of pictures for our future vacation. I instinctively knew that she would be a bad choice for me, and not because she was eager but because I knew I couldn’t give her the emotional connection she wanted. Since Giselle left I’ve had a few girls try to take my mind off her and move on but without the emotional connection I couldn’t feel the passion I was used to. Something inside needed to be healed and I was hoping time was working on it. To a girl like Sasha this wait would be devastating. Even if she accepted it, without me trying to actively engage, she would eventually build up resentment for the guy she supposedly adored. When she dropped the bomb of hoping to become a model, I felt the thermostat in my heart turn a couple degrees colder. Ben’s arrival came at the perfect moment. He banked a shot and threw me the ball.
