by Julia Harlow
The room, a large conference room, had an oval table in the center surrounded by eight chairs. A credenza sat against one wall with a large flat screen TV mounted above it.
She sensed the stiffness in Ty’s body; his jaw was rigid. “I just need to be alone with you for a minute.” The slight shakiness in his voice made him seem unguarded. She searched his blue eyes and then saw it, a raw vulnerability. What had made him feel this way?
He bent his head down until his forehead rested against hers. She listened as his heavy breathing slowly calmed. “Tell me,” he started, his voice as rough as sandpaper. “Tell me you don’t still have feelings for that asshole.” His obvious pain was almost more than Isabel could bear. Her powerful warrior reduced to this over basically nothing.
She placed her hands on either side of his face and peered up directly into his eyes. “No, I don’t. It’s been over between us for years.”
He visibly relaxed, the tension deflating as quickly as the air from a balloon that had been pricked with a needle. He took a deep breath and exhaled. Covering her hands in his, he moved them from his face, still meeting her green eyes.
“But, he is the one, right? The only other man . . . you’ve . . . been with?” The words seemed to be forced out of his throat.
“Yes.”
Ty released her hands and turned away. The ceiling lights in the room were turned off, and there were no windows; the only light came from the exit signs and emergency lights. She watched him move toward the door and then suddenly slam his fist into it with enough force to rattle the door in its frame.
She should have been frightened at his violent action, but she wasn’t. Instead, she went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her head against his back. “Forget about him, Ty. It was a long time ago. He means nothing to me now.”
In one fluid motion, he turned and enveloped her in his arms. His mouth was on hers in a desperate, just-this-side-of-painful kiss. His hands roamed down her back and squeezed her bottom, pulling her to him so that she felt his erection hard against her.
She would do whatever Ty needed so that he felt whole again, anything to ease his suffering, whatever it was that gripped him so cruelly. But here? In the midst of this grand celebration? She closed her eyes and tried to think of how to soothe him.
His husky voice and warm breath next to her ear commanded, “Open your eyes and tell me you’re mine, Isabel. Only mine.” His words were forced out in between gasps for air.
His grip was so tight on her body she could barely breathe. “Tell me!”
She practically sobbed her answer. “Yes! I’m yours, Ty! Only yours!”
Ty sagged, his heart thudding against her chest. While she smoothed his hair with her fingers, he nuzzled her neck, murmuring, “Christ, what you do to me.”
Whatever had come over him when he’d seen her with Craig must have been more about his competitive nature than anything else. Right? Maybe he had a possessive streak. But that was all. It couldn’t be anything more than that, could it? Were his feelings for her deeper than she realized?
As she rubbed over the muscles in his back and felt his shirt damp with perspiration, a sharp rap on the door made them both jump.
“Ty? Are you in there?” A loud voice inquired.
“Fuck! It’s Dom.” He pulled back from her and then called out, “Yeah? What do you want?”
“Jesus, Ty, can’t you keep your dick—?”
Ty unlocked the door, whipped it open, and stepped out before Dom could finish the sentence. Isabel smoothed her dress down while searching for her clutch. She found it on the floor where she must have dropped it. Seating herself on one of the conference table chairs, she tucked several locks of hair that had come loose back into the chignon and then rummaged around in the clutch for her lipstick and small mirror. After she re-applied her lipstick in the dim light, she took a deep breath and stood, still a bit confused and shaky from the depth of emotion Ty had just revealed.
The door opened and Ty strode back in. He stopped to gaze at her. “You okay, sweet thing?”
“Yes. What did Dom want?”
He made his way over to her and lifted her chin with his index finger. “You wasted your time, putting on lipstick. I’m just going to kiss you again.” He bent his head and kissed her tenderly on the lips. “My speech was supposed to be ten minutes ago. Dom shuffled the speakers around when he couldn’t find me, but I need to do it now. Are you ready?”
“Well, I’d really like a minute in the ladies’ room, but if you think I look all right, it can wait. I wouldn’t miss your speech for anything.”
He ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. “You’re the most beautiful woman here by far. Or anywhere.” His fingers traced her cheekbones and then rimmed her bottom lip. “But I’m the one going to the podium in front of all of Grandin Financial and our guests. Do I look okay?”
“Oh, Ty, you’re mouthwatering on your worst day.” She cast a critical eye over him. She wouldn’t let him go before colleagues and employees appearing anything less than spectacular. She straightened his bow tie, smoothed down the front of his dress shirt, and held out his tux jacket, draping it over his broad shoulders when he’d slid his arms in. She brushed down the jacket with her palms, making sure to remove any lint.
After a quick perusal of his face, wiping a tiny smear of lipstick from the side of his mouth, she offered to comb his hair, but rolling his eyes, he swiped his fingers through his dark blond hair and headed for the door.
“Let me get this over with, and then we’ll have some fun. We can go to any gambling tables you want. And the hors d’oeuvres I arranged for are exceptional. There’s cold beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce, lobster puffs, dim sum, among other delicacies. I think you’ll love them. At least I hope so.”
Holding her hand in a tight grip, he led her to the podium, stopping right in front and maneuvering her into a spot near the crowd of people that had gathered. Ty hopped up onto the small stage and adjusted the microphone to accommodate his height.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Grandin Financial and honored guests, I’m so pleased you could join in our celebration this evening. As you know, our fiscal year ended on March 31. We had a phenomenal year, to say the least. Year over year, our profits rose an incredible 40%! That far exceeds our goal for the year. We have the entire staff of Grandin Financial to thank. Your incomparable talents, drive, diligence, and plain hard work are responsible for our astounding rise in profits.” The sound of applause broke out in the ballroom.
Ty waited until the room quieted. “Please enjoy the open bar and delicious appetizers. When you check back at the ticket booth, you’ll find another generous amount has been added to your gambling chips.” This time the applause was deafening and accompanied by whistles and hoots.
Raising his hands in the air to quiet the crowd, Ty continued, his smile fading. “And finally, we want you to celebrate our success all evening. We have cars on standby to return you home safely at no charge. In fact, if you over-indulge, you will be driven home.
“Keep in mind we expect you ready to work first thing Monday morning!” This time the applause and cheers welled up like a tidal wave. Ty pumped his fist in the air and stepped down from the podium.
Thrilled that she’d gotten to witness Ty addressing his employees and their enthusiastic response to him, Isabel couldn’t wait to congratulate him. But a throng of well-wishers had encircled him, and she could barely make out the top of his head over the hordes surrounding him. She decided this might be a good time to slip into the ladies’ room.
Chapter 16
Gladys Knight’s “License to Kill” boomed over the sound system as Isabel made her way to the nearest restroom, only to discover the line snaking out the door and around the corner. She snagged a waiter carrying a tray of appetizers. From the delectable aroma, she assumed it must be the lobster puffs Ty had mentioned. When she asked him where another ladies’ room was located,
the waiter directed her to the other side of the ballroom.
Fortunately, there was no line waiting for this restroom, and only one other stall was occupied. After Isabel used the facilities, she washed and dried her hands at the sink. As her head rose to check her appearance in the mirror, her eyes met the icy blue glower of Madison Taylor.
“I saw you drag Ty away from the celebration. You couldn’t stand to share him with anyone else. You just had to have all his attention, didn’t you? And you made him late for his speech, you selfish skank.” Madison leaned her trim little body in close to the mirror and ran a French manicured fingertip under her bottom lip to wipe away an invisible lipstick smear.
“The only hold you have on him is sex. After he’s fucked you, he’ll tire of you soon enough. Since you’re obviously clueless, Miss whatever-your-fucking-name is, let me spell it out for you nice and clear so that even you can understand. Ty and I are almost engaged. Engaged, get it! I know him better than anyone, so I understand he wants to play the field one last time before we make our final commitment to each other.
“But I must say you are, um, how shall I put this? A big surprise. Not his type at all. He’s always been attracted to petite blondes.” Her delicate hand smoothed over her silky coiffed hair. “He must be experimenting with you just to see what it would be like to fuck a plus-sized woman, one with large features and all that garish coloring. Not to mention you’re just some lowly techie. Even you have to realize how absurd the idea is of the two of you together. Everyone is shaking their heads over it.”
Madison’s hands trailed over the exquisite lavender beaded dress. “Enjoy him while it lasts. It won’t be long, I guarantee it. He’ll be back with me where he belongs in no time at all.” With that she turned on her tiny spiked heels and left the restroom in a dense cloud of Michael Kors eau de parfum.
Isabel felt numb. It seemed as if she’d been transported back a decade to the time when she lived with the Daniels. She reached her arm out on the wall beside the hand dryer to keep from losing her balance. Her knees felt as wobbly as licorice whips, as though they would buckle if she didn’t brace herself.
At that moment, two women whispering together stumbled into the restroom. Isabel knew she needed to leave, but where would she go? Maybe she should hail a cab and go back to the loft. She knew she couldn’t face anyone right now.
One of the women, a curly redhead dressed in a frothy peach gown, addressed her, “Is your name Isabel? Um, Mr. Griffin is, like, waiting outside for you. He’s about to come barging in here any second.” She giggled behind her hand, leaning against her friend.
Isabel had no choice but to nod and move toward the door. She hesitated before grabbing the handle and tugging it open.
The instant she did, Ty rushed toward her and clasped her shoulders. “Thank God, Isabel, here you are! I’ve been searching all over for you. Why didn’t you wait for me?” He took in her ashen pallor and shaky state. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
Although she wanted to run, to get out of this place as fast as possible, to go home and curl up with her pain in the privacy of her bedroom, some detail about Madison’s snarky words niggled at her. She wasn’t altogether certain she believed her. In spite of her calm demeanor, Madison seemed to be covering up her desperation even while she tried so hard to appear unwaveringly confident.
Isabel didn’t want to second-guess Ty again, especially not after the debacle of surmising Victoria and Jamie were his wife and child. She straightened her shoulders and met his concerned eyes.
“Congratulations on your speech. It was wonderful. When I saw you surrounded by your staff, I decided it would be a good time to use the restroom.” Even to her own ears her voice sounded wooden, as if she were speaking to a stranger.
He draped his arm around her shoulders and led her away from the door to the restroom where the two women had just come out, gabbing a mile a minute. He found a quiet corner and gazed down at her, his brow furrowed and his jaw tense. “You were fine right before my speech. Something’s happened. Tell me.”
Isabel fiddled with her clutch, opening and closing it. She glanced over her shoulder at the partygoers gathered around gaming tables: some laughing, and some concentrating on their bets. “You Only Live Twice,” Nancy Sinatra’s rendition of the Bond theme song, played, and couples wandered to the dance floor. The open bar was crowded with designer-clad men and women. All this gaiety and celebration around her and she couldn’t have felt more desolate. “Tell me about you and Madison.”
“There’s nothing to tell. We went out a few times, and now it’s over.” Isabel studied his face. He met her eyes and didn’t look away.
“That’s not what she said.”
“Oh shit. She cornered you in the ladies’ room, didn’t she? That’s just like her.”
“She told me the two of you had been together for a long time and that you were about to be engaged.”
Ty shook his head, rolling his eyes. “The woman is delusional. When I ended it, she didn’t take it well. In fact, it was pretty ugly. She’s under the mistaken impression that we’re getting back together, even though I’ve made it crystal clear that’s not the case. She’s toxic.” He slid his fingertips down her cheek. “Don’t ever believe anything she says, sweetheart. Promise me.”
“She also told me that I’m not your type, that you’re attracted to petite blondes, and that you’re only playing the field with someone like me before you get engaged.” Isabel stared down at the maroon and navy swirled carpet, reluctant to repeat the rest of what Madison said about her.
Ty lifted her chin with his index finger so he could gaze down into her green eyes. “I’m not playing the field. I haven’t had a lover for a long time. I’ve been too busy running Grandin Financial and remodeling my house. I didn’t have the energy to date. That is until I met you and you turned my world upside down. And I don’t have a type. Whatever else Madison said is a lie targeted to hurt you and discourage you from our relationship. Don’t let her. Please.”
“She said I should enjoy my time with you because it would be over very soon.”
“Christ! That viper spews venom. I’ll speak with her about staying the hell away from you. In the meantime, run in the opposite direction whenever you see her coming.” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. When she curled her hands around his neck and reached up to kiss his jaw, he whispered, “Can we go have some fun now?”
As much as her brain really wanted to believe him, Madison’s cruel words still stuck in her heart like razor-sharp barbs. But she couldn’t bring herself to ruin this special evening for Ty, so she smiled up at him. “Sure. Let’s go.”
When she turned around, she caught a glimpse of Madison dancing with Craig Nelson, her skinny body plastered up against his big, strong one.
~~~
The following week turned out to be agony for Isabel. First of all, Ty had gone to Hong Kong for five days to finalize details on a major acquisition. Then, the transition to Soter.com ended up being even more of a challenge than she’d ever imagined. Almost all of the former Baycrest team members were being treated like second-class citizens. Isabel figured this was probably normal when two very different work cultures merged, but the pervasive tension made it difficult for her to concentrate on the three projects she’d been assigned. The deadlines loomed, and she needed to complete them on a tighter timetable than was the norm at Baycrest.
She hated to rush her work. The quality of the design always suffered if she had to race through the project. Her best results came when she had time to let her ideas percolate instead of forcing them. So she ended up taking work home with her every night, grabbing something quick for dinner, gypping Pilot out of a long walk, and not relaxing or enjoying her evenings at all.
Ty had said he wouldn’t have a chance to call her from Hong Kong, and that only added to her low spirits. God, she missed him—missed his sweet smile; his quick wit; missed sh
aring the most insignificant things with him; missed his big, warm, strong body wrapped around hers; and missed their phenomenal connection and intimacy.
By Friday, she and her team desperately needed a night out, so they decided to go to a favorite watering hole, Randy’s Pub, to imbibe and share pizza. The five of them, Isabel, Quvadus, Kendall, Scott, and Logan gathered around a retro red Formica table and ordered drinks as soon as the waiter came over. It didn’t take long for Kendall to start on her usual diatribe.
“Soter is the epitome of everything wrong with San Francisco. It’s filled with soulless people, men and women too busy with their iPhones and driving their new Mercedes-Benzes to live in the moment.”
“Oh, Christ, here we go again.” Scott sighed, holding his head in both hands. Fortunately, the waiter arrived to serve their drinks and take their orders. Everyone prayed Kendall would be distracted.
She wasn’t. “San Francisco now has twice as many billionaires as London.”
Quvadus interjected, “And the problem with that is?”
Kendall set her ice water aside and leaned her elbows on the table. “The problem is the neighborhoods of San Francisco that were once the hot bed of alternative culture, the basis of its creativity and legendary social movements, are being turned into playgrounds for rich people.
“The mostly white, male-dominated, moneyed mono culture of the tech industry now fills our once prized diversified neighborhoods.
“Many of those obscenely rich people ride the shiny Google buses to Silicon Valley every day but live here, driving up the cost of apartments and homes to beyond affordable levels and displacing long-time residents. The median monthly rent here is now the highest in the whole freaking country! And there’s no end in sight!”
Logan rolled his eyes, took a long swig of his beer, and then weighed in. “You know, Kendall, lots of people believe the new tech culture is a much-needed, well-heeled creative renaissance. So many young people with technical skills, money to burn, and no family ties will spawn new ideas. Now, can we just relax and enjoy our evening?”
