by Julia Harlow
Because it was still hot out, she chose a linen sheath with a skinny navy belt and matching heels. She hadn’t styled her hair after showering at Logan’s, so she put it up in a messy bun and figured it would just have to do. A swipe of liquid eyeliner, blush, and lip-gloss were all she felt up to, considering the situation.
~*~
Ty normally didn’t blow his horn or lose his temper behind the wheel, but today the traffic on California Avenue, bumper to bumper as it always was on weekdays, had him climbing out of his skin. He blasted a Jaguar that cut in front of him and then honked at a bicyclist who rode so close he almost sideswiped the Mercedes. He’d told Isabel he’d pick her up in twenty minutes for the most important “meeting” of his life, and now with this fucking traffic delay, he was going to be late. Sweat trickled down his temples while his knuckles turned white in a death-grip on the steering wheel.
He’d gone over and over what he’d planned to say to her and hoped to hell it was enough. No fucking business deal had ever been half as important as this. Some of the things he’d thought of saying almost made him cringe because they seemed too touchy-feely for a guy to be saying. But then he remembered how unaffected Isabel was: open and forthright, always. With their relationship on the line, he could sure as hell do the same.
If he couldn’t convince her to stay with him, to marry him, he didn’t know what he would do. The weeks since he’d met Isabel had been like the sun shining down on his face: warm, welcoming, full of promise. She had not only been the impetus but also the inspiration for the new direction he’d planned for his life. Without her, he would be living in a perpetual bleak night. How would he ever survive without his lovely, sweet Isabel?
Gritting his teeth, he swerved into the right lane and turned onto Harrison Street, the quickest route to the Mission District. He glanced at the clock mounted in the dashboard: fourteen minutes to travel what easily took nineteen minutes. The car’s engine revved as he punched the gas pedal.
When he turned onto York Street, he immediately spotted Isabel waiting out in front of the loft. Even from a distance, he could see how beautiful she was with her dark hair tamed into a swept-up style, her hourglass figure, and lovely face. She stood up to her full height with her shoulders back and her chin up. It reminded him of the day he’d encouraged her to be proud of her beauty and intelligence. He hoped she finally was.
He parked in front of the loft and hurried out to open the passenger door for her, noticing at once how pale her complexion appeared and the strain evident around her green eyes. This was his fault. Even though the last thing he’d ever intended to do was cause her any unhappiness, he’d fucked this up. Big time.
“Hello, Isabel,” he said as he waited for her to tuck the hem of her dress inside the car. “Have you decided where you’d like to go?”
“Jean-Paul’s will be fine.”
Oh, fuck! Her voice seemed as cold and unyielding as the Arctic tundra. What happened to the aura of comforting sunshine that always cocooned him whenever he was with her?
“Sure. Sounds good to me.” He folded his tall frame into the driver’s seat, fastened his seatbelt, and headed to the 4th Street bistro. Beads of sweat pasted his custom-made shirt to his chest. Every time he glanced over at Isabel, she was either staring out the car window or focused on her hands in her lap. Fortunately, the bistro wasn’t too far away. He pulled up to the valet and handed over the car keys.
Jean-Paul’s was an elegant French bistro decorated in reds and yellows that contributed to its cheerful ambiance. Oil paintings of roosters hung on the sunflower-yellow walls and the dark wood chairs were upholstered in a rich red fabric. Tables draped in white cloths with crisp paper overlays in the French bistro tradition filled the center of the small room.
The maître’ d seated them at a table near the front windows. At mid-afternoon, the lunch rush was over, and the bistro was fairly quiet. Even though Ty’s nerves were so jangled he was tempted to order a bottle of Scotch when the server came to the table, instead, he ordered a bottle of Jordan Russian River Chardonnay.
He noticed Isabel wouldn’t meet his eyes as the server uncorked the bottle, dispensed with the tasting per Ty’s instructions, and poured them each a glass.
She only met his gaze after he lifted his glass to toast her. “Here’s to you, Isabel. Since I’ve met you, you’ve made me realize that there is so much more to life than Grandin Financial and high-finance business deals. I want to explore each and every one of those possibilities with you.” He thought he saw a flicker of response in those moss-green eyes.
After they’d both taken a sip of the smooth, perfectly chilled wine, Ty knew he didn’t have any time to waste. He just wished she didn’t seem so formidable. Where was his sweet Isabel? He had to bring the sweetness back, bring her back to him.
He shrugged out of his suit jacket, draping it over the back of his chair, loosened his tie, and leaned forward with his forearms on the table. Lowering his voice so that only she could hear, he launched into his explanation.
“I’m going to start from the very beginning. I like to think of it as our beginning. When we first met at your apartment, the day I bought the table, you immediately captivated me. Everything about you, not just your incredible face and body, but your honesty, your integrity, and the way you stood up to me with your bristly attitude when I was acting like an arrogant ass, attracted me like no other woman had before.” Ty knew if he hadn’t lowered his voice to almost a whisper it would sound wobbly because he was so nervous. Everything depended on his account of what actually had happened.
“I’ll freely admit that the only reason I agreed to accept the return of the fifty bucks from you was for the opportunity to see you again. Honestly, I didn’t think my chances of getting a date with you were very good, which is what I was hoping for. You seemed irritated with me that day, to say the least.
“Then when you did come up to my office, and only after I’d corralled you, I behaved like the biggest jerk on the planet. You made me realize that day, my sweet Isabel, that I’d spent too long ensconced in the ivory tower, lording over the Grandin Financial underlings. I’d forgotten how to interact with anyone other than my colleagues or staff.
“When I so crassly ogled you, bringing you to tears, I hated that about myself and knew I had to make some changes if I ever hoped to have a chance with someone as refined and lovely as you.”
He stopped to pour them each more Chardonnay. His mouth felt so dry it seemed as if his tongue had been baking on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Even though he really wanted a glass of water, he didn’t dare risk any delays by summoning the server, so he settled for a sip of wine.
It suddenly occurred to him that Isabel might not have had anything to eat all day. “Are you hungry? Would you like to order something? We could have a late lunch or appetizers.”
Staring down at her hands clasped together on the table, she shook her head. “I couldn’t possibly eat anything, Ty. Please, finish what you have to tell me.”
Fuck! That didn’t sound good at all. He’d been as honest with her as he could possibly be. “Okay. After that day in my office, I wanted to give you some time because I knew I’d upset you and I didn’t want that to happen again. You’ll never know how much I regret the way I behaved. After Conrad left to take you back to where you worked, I had to attend a meeting. I couldn’t concentrate on anything that was said, so I called Conrad to see if you were okay, if you’d eaten your lunch, and where he dropped you off.
“That’s when I found out you worked at Baycrest Enterprises and had been let go. I was outraged. Somehow I instinctively knew that if anyone had to be fired it shouldn’t have been you. So I had Kevin contact Gloria Parnell for Baycrest’s personnel records and then I reviewed them. Your work evaluations were exemplary, far above many others in your company who had been tapped to move to Soter.com.
“I researched your work and discovered that the caliber of your designs was so far above others I’d seen th
at I was completely blown away.
“I contacted Branson Drake at Soter to re-assess the needs of his company, and right away he recognized the gaping hole in their team: they didn’t have a qualified app designer. Drake himself immediately reviewed the Baycrest personnel records, contacted Gloria Parnell, and brought you on board.
“I may have called it to his attention, but I had no part whatsoever in the decision to bring you to Soter.com. I never once mentioned your name, even though, I’ll freely admit, that was what I wanted so you could have your dream job back and be near me.”
The intensity of Isabel’s focus on him, as if she were staring right through to his soul, held him with the force of a magnet. After a moment, she sank back in her chair and crossed her legs. Was she relaxing a little bit? God, he hoped so.
He forged on, praying that the truth would be enough to convince her. “Ever since I started in business over a decade ago, one of my major grievances has been an employee being selected because of how many years he or she had worked at a company versus another employee who was more qualified, more talented, or with a greater work ethic, but who’d been there for less time. My view is that everyone should be chosen on his or her merits and qualifications, not necessarily on seniority.
“When I discovered that you’d been a clear victim of seniority, particularly taking into account the glowing job evaluations from Ms. Parnell, I held my tongue and, as I said, never once mentioned your name. I may have left a trail of breadcrumbs, but I stood back and waited while the determination was made.
“Part of the behind-the-scenes that you weren’t privy to was that the decisions about staff from Baycrest Enterprises had to be made on an insanely tight schedule due to Soter.com’s timeline stipulations. It’s never a wise move to rush those kinds of major decisions, in my experience.”
Ty reached across the table for Isabel’s soft hands and squeezed them between his own. “Maybe I should have told you about this before, but I absolutely did not interfere or arrange for you to get the position at Soter. It was because of your own abilities and merit and the needs of Soter.com. That’s the God’s honest truth.”
It seemed to Ty as if an eternity passed before he felt Isabel’s fingers squeeze his. She finally smiled that sweet smile, the one he’d been yearning to see. “I’m starving. What’s good here?”
Chapter 23
Ty felt as if he’d been holding his breath underwater for endless laps in the pool. When he collected himself enough to speak again, he asked, “Do you really believe me?”
“Yes, I believe you. And I’m sorry I doubted you. While you and I were away at Pebble Beach, someone who wanted to remain anonymous stuffed an envelope under the front door of the loft. Inside was a typewritten note that said I didn’t get the job at Soter on my own merit and to ask you about it if I wanted to know the truth. Instead of trusting you, I believed someone who was too much of a coward to tell me to my face. Obviously, whoever it was doesn’t want us together. So I owe you an apology.”
At first, Ty couldn’t believe his own ears. But that enchanting smile coming from the woman he loved, the woman sitting across the table from him, convinced him that he’d heard correctly. She was everything in the world to him, and she fucking believed him! His body moved as if he were in a trance. He rose and drew Isabel up by her shoulders and kissed her on those sweet, plump lips.
After they’d both lost their breath from a mix of both passionate and tender kisses, Ty pulled back slightly and stared into her green eyes with smoldering intensity. “Will you marry me, Isabel Beachwood?”
With her shoulders back and her chin held high, this time she didn’t hesitate to answer. “Yes, I will.”
Everyone in the small bistro who’d been watching them now broke into applause quickly followed by raucous hoots and cheers. Isabel’s face turned carnation pink while Ty merely grinned and waved.
Ty felt as if he’d been catapulted straight up to heaven. He was on the verge of pumping his fist in the air and hooting and hollering, but as soon as they were seated at the table again, Isabel reminded him that she was hungry. He needed to order something fit for his bride-to-be. His heart felt like it might burst with happiness, and the euphoria that washed over him was like nothing he’d ever experienced before.
He couldn’t wait to set a date and plan their wedding right then and there, but thinking only of Isabel’s needs, he grabbed the menu first. “How does boeuf en croute with pommes frites and mixed field greens sound?”
That captivating smile appeared again. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and the tip of her tongue peeked out to lick her lips. Oh, Christ. He wanted her right now!
“Umm, sounds absolutely wonderful. How soon will it be ready?”
Instead of waiting for the server to come over to order, Ty abruptly stood and sought out the manager. He strode back to the table with a little smile quirking up one side of his sensual mouth.
Barely three minutes passed before their server arrived with two plates of shrimp salad en crepe with seasonal coleslaw, a basket of warm crusty bread, and a ramekin of cold French butter. After the server left and Isabel had taken a bite of the shrimp salad, Ty remarked, “I can’t have you going hungry, my love. Not ever!”
He ordered a bottle of Opus One to compliment the boeuf en croute. While they savored the delicious fare, their eyes met in long lingering gazes. Under the table, his fingers caressed her thigh while her foot traced up and down his calf. He adjusted himself in his suit pants as inconspicuously as possible. Although each of them could hardly wait until they could tumble into bed together, they also longed for this precious moment in time to last forever.
So, sipping cappuccinos, while the happy hour crowd gathered at the bar and the sounds of laughter, stools scraping the tile floor, and clinking glasses reverberated through the bistro, they bent their heads close together. Grinning like teenagers who’d just declared their love for each other, they talked about their future.
“So, let’s set a date, Mrs. Ty Griffin to-be.”
Isabel’s already flushed cheeks turned fuchsia, and it was so endearing Ty ached to take her in his arms and hug her close against his body. She cleared her throat. “Well, I should let my mother know first. She’s really going to be shocked.”
Ty’s brow furrowed as he peered down at her. “Haven’t you told her about us?”
She reached her hand across the table to clasp his. “Our brief relationship has been pretty tumultuous up until now. Wouldn’t you agree? But that’s all behind us now, and I can’t wait to tell her. I’m so happy I may even shout it from the rooftops!” Her little giggle, followed by a big smile that lit up her whole beautiful face, melted his heart.
“Now that I’d like to see.” Ty leaned back in the chair and rubbed his jaw with his thumb. “I understand totally. Why don’t we call your mother now? I’d love to talk to her. And then we’ll call my parents and Vicky to tell them the big news.”
Two little lines appeared between Isabel’s delicately arched brows as she frowned. “Something of this magnitude is the kind of news I should tell my mother in person. I’m not sure when I can take time off to travel home, but we really should hold off setting a date or making an announcement until then.”
This time the lines creased in between Ty’s brows as he tried to figure out a solution to this vexing turn of events. He wanted to marry Isabel right now, dammit, and start their lives together without wasting another minute.
But then it dawned on him how perfectly logical this train of thought was for Isabel. Being both classy and conscientious, not to mention the fact that she was Clarissa’s only child, of course she didn’t want to spring this on her mother over the phone from more than two thousand miles away. And he sensed it was also important to Isabel that her mother meet him, if not before, at least when the big news was divulged.
After taking a sip of cappuccino, he nodded. “How about this: I’ll make arrangements for us to fly to Cincinnati this weekend. From t
here, we’ll head to the south of France to see my parents and tell them the news.”
Isabel traced her fingers back and forth over her forehead and then sighed. “Okay, Cincinnati this weekend. But how will I ever get time off to go to France? I just started this job!”
Ty shook his head and sighed. “Why don’t we discuss this further at The Admiralty? Preferably naked and under the sheets. If I don’t get you alone soon, I’m not going to be responsible for my actions.”
~*~
“Let me undress you.” Isabel reached up and whispered the cotton-candy sweet words in Ty’s ear once they were back in his bedroom at The Admiralty. A slow shudder passed through his big body. She couldn’t resist nuzzling her nose in the crook of his neck and breathing in his clean scent.
“Hurry up, then, will you?” The huskiness in his voice was so sexy her nipples hardened into tight buds.
She flicked her tongue over the dip in his throat and tasted a hint of salt from his slight perspiration. “Remember good things come to those who wait.”
“I just want to come.” He growled.
She giggled. “Now, Ty, just be patient.” She reached up to nip his earlobe while her fingers worked to unbutton his shirt. After she tugged his shirttail out of his trousers, she slipped the shirt down over his broad shoulders and let it drop. When she pulled his T-shirt over his head, a little gasp escaped her lips at the sight of him.
No matter how many times she’d seen his body, the perfection of him shocked the breath right out of her. His strong arms with those prominent biceps, the muscular definition of his shoulders, his broad chest sprinkled with blond hair, the ironing-board-flat abdomen with all those defined muscles, and the arrow of dark blond hair disappearing under the waistband of his charcoal-gray trousers, caused her to salivate.
Now she was determined to explore him to her libido’s content. Her fingers gently trailed over his bare chest, down his arms, and back up to grasp the muscles in his shoulders. When he trembled beneath her touch, she grinned in delight at the power she had over him. Next, she tasted him with her tongue. She’d just circled his taut nipple with the tip of her tongue when he gripped her shoulders.
