by Jamie Wesley
“Are you okay?” Alex asked, his voice again quiet in its intensity.
She squeezed his hand. “Yes. I stopped giving him the power to hurt me a long time ago. Thank you for sticking up for me again.”
“You’re welcome.”
She moved to stand in front of him and looked up at him. “Enough about me. Are you okay? You were his best friend a lot longer than I was his wife.”
He nodded, his face calm and sure. “Yes. That confrontation was a long time coming. It was way past time I stopped feeling indebted to him.”
She cupped his cheek. “As you should. We’ve wasted too much time on him.” She glanced down at her feet, then met his eyes again. The time for shyness had passed. “The more important question is, are we good?”
A heart-stopping smile spread slowly across his face. “Yeah, we’re good.”
Happiness spread through her veins. “I think it’s time to go back out there. We still have a project to acquire.”
“A woman after my own heart. Let’s go.”
“Okay, but first…” She swiped her thumb across his mouth, removing the trace of lipstick. She smoothed her hair. “How do I look?”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Like a dream come true.”
They reentered the ballroom, Alex grabbing two glasses of champagne, and inserted themselves into a conversation with another actor she’d done a movie with.
A few minutes later, Alex caught her eye and tilted his head to the left. Fliss spotted Phillip chatting with a couple about twenty feet away. The man of the hour had finally arrived.
They kept track of Phillip’s progress around the room. He schmoozed with panache, stopping to talk to everyone, including their rivals from the other production companies vying for the movie. A few minutes later, he reached their side. “Fliss and Alex, hello.”
“Hi, Phillip,” she said with a genuine smile. Even if they weren’t awarded the project, she couldn’t hold a grudge against him. He just wanted the best for his wife. She could only hope he thought the best was Crescendo. She accepted a kiss on the cheek. Phillip looked dapper as usual, wearing a classic tuxedo with satin lapels that gave the suit some extra flair.
“You look stunning, Fliss. Are you two having a good time?” he asked after shaking Alex’s hand.
“We are,” Alex said. “This is quite a party.”
“Nothing but the biggest and the brightest for my Farrah,” Mansfield boasted. “All of these people are here to celebrate her and to see who I entrust to tell her story.”
“I’m sure they’d agree that it’s Crescendo, don’t you think?”
Mansfield wagged his finger. “Confidence. I like it. But don’t get ahead of yourself. No announcement has been made. And when it is, who’s to say it will be Crescendo?”
“As you said, confidence,” Alex said. “Fliss and I are confident in our proposal and what Crescendo has to offer.”
“You keep thinking that way. You might go places someday.” To Fliss he said, “It was nice seeing you again, my dear, but I see my daughter frantically trying to catch my attention. If you’ll excuse me.”
When he was out of earshot, Fliss rounded on her business partner. “Are you sure baiting him like that was the right approach?”
Alex shrugged. “The man has an ego. I was simply appealing to it.”
Before she could reply, the lights dimmed and a drumroll thundered from the stage. Farrah Blake’s soaring voice singing her signature ballad, A Moment to Remember, filled the room. Fliss groped beside her for Alex’s hand. This was it. The moment they’d been waiting for.
The video screens flanking the stage went blank. Phillip Mansfield stepped up to the microphone on the stage. “Thank you all for coming tonight. As most of you know, Farrah loved a party, and I’ve never turned my back on the chance to throw her one. However, tonight’s party has extra meaning.
“For the past few years, producers have been trying to secure the rights to her music and life story to make a movie about her. I’ve always said no because I never thought anyone could do her justice, but the time has come for her to be immortalized on the big screen. After reading countless proposals and taking even more meetings, I believe there is only one company that truly understands the spirit of Farrah Blake.”
The screens flickered, and then a woman came on screen. “Farrah was a real woman who had her ups and downs, like we all do. She could be selfish, but she could also be completely selfless. She knew what she wanted out of life and went after it.”
Fliss shrieked, then slapped her free hand across her mouth. That was Sue. Phillip was playing their mini-documentary. She whirled toward Alex. A huge grin split his face. She jumped into his waiting arms.
“I’d like to be the first to congratulate the owners of Crescendo Productions, Alex Graham and Felicity Chambers,” Phillip said.
Alex lowered her to the ground. “We did it, Fliss.”
The unrestrained joy dominating his face tripled her happiness. Yes, they’d done it. And it was only the beginning for them.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Fliss shut her front door behind her with a satisfied groan. Finally, they were alone. Being the winners of the Farrah Blake sweepstakes was amazing, but the win came with unavoidable responsibilities like making a brief speech on stage with Phillip, posing for publicity shots with him, and then giving interviews with reporters.
Yes, they were ecstatic to start on the project. Yes, they loved working together. No, that wasn’t a surprise. No, the circumstances of their partnership hadn’t made it awkward. Yes, they’d seen Keith earlier. It was a shame he couldn’t stay longer, but they wished him well. Lather, rinse, repeat.
They’d escaped as soon as they could and squealed over their good fortune in the limo. Okay, she’d squealed. Alex had limited himself to a huge grin and a much more dignified high five. They’d started brainstorming ideas for the movie, talking over each other in excitement.
Until she’d found herself distracted by his moving lips. His sexy, moving lips so close to her own. Then he’d noticed her noticing him. His voice had faded away, and the look in his eyes had warmed every inch of her skin.
At that moment, the atmosphere in the limo had morphed from squeal-worthy excitement to excruciating torture. Jumping his bones in the back of a limo would definitely find its way into the tabloids, no matter how many confidentiality agreements the driver had signed. So she’d turned her head away from the heat in his eyes. A mistake. He’d swept her hair aside and slid a finger down her nape, his hot breath tickling her neck. “Fliss, look at me.”
She shivered. “No.”
“Why not?”
“It wouldn’t be smart.”
She’d exhaled when he hadn’t challenged her further. Then his hand landed on her thigh. The pressure had been slight but constant, a subtle reminder of what was to come.
Finally, the vehicle had slowed in front of her house, and they’d tumbled out, Alex telling the driver not to wait. He’d see himself home.
Now they were home. Alone.
They met in the middle of her living room. The kiss was wild and free. Everything she could want and more. She savored the taste of him, the feeling of being in his arms. Degree by degree, the embrace gentled until they simply held each other. Fliss pressed her forehead against his chest and dragged in a breath. There was no place she’d rather be.
“We did it.” The wonder in his tone surprised her. Alex rarely projected anything but sheer determination to succeed.
She squeezed his waist. “You did it.”
“With your help.”
Fliss tilted her head back to study him. She didn’t hear any frustration or anger in his response. The exact opposite, as a matter of fact, but his statement did remind her of something Keith had said. His father, too. “Tell me about your childhood.”
His face went blank. “Why do you want to talk about that? Tonight is supposed to be a celebration. A new start. I want to make l
ove to you, not talk.”
He bent his head to kiss her, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. She wouldn’t be swayed. Not this time. Because this was important. For him. For her. For them. “I thought you didn’t want to be with me because of your loyalty to Keith, but that’s not it, is it?”
***
Alex studied her whiskey eyes, the hope that he would open up reflected clearly in them. Could he do it? Talk about something he never talked about? Yes, he could. If they were going to move forward, something he wanted more than his next breath, then they couldn’t have any secrets between them.
He sighed and dropped onto the couch, but even that small distance between them was too much. He banded an arm around her waist and pulled her down until she sat sideways across his thighs. “A little, maybe, but no, not really.”
She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “It’s okay. I’m here for you.”
Yes, she was, which was why he could now tell this story. He squeezed her waist. “I know. You know some stuff. My mom died of a brain aneurysm when I was seven. We never had much money, but we were okay. Happy. Then, she died, and everything changed. He changed.”
Memories from that horrific time threatened to choke him. He wanted to continue, needed to continue, but didn’t know if he could force the words out.
“He hit you.” The ache in Fliss’s voice nearly undid him.
Alex closed his eyes, determined to keep the tears at bay. Opened them when she squeezed his hand, offering silent, unwavering support. “Yeah. I learned to stay out of his way for the most part, but sometimes I wasn’t fast enough.”
“God, I’m so sorry. You had to grow up way too soon.” She cupped his cheeks between her hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips.
The tightness in his chest melted. Because she was there, and he no longer had to carry the burden of his father’s sins alone. “As painful as the physical abuse was, the emotional abuse was worse. I’m not sure how he worked it out in his head, but he blamed me for my mother’s death. It was the alcohol talking, but still, it hurt. He said I was worthless, that I could never do anything on my own.”
“He made you feel like you were worth less than you actually were.”
“Yeah. I’ve never talked about it. I mean, Keith and his parents knew. They tried, but I refused, not even when they agreed to let me live with them. Looking back, it’s easy to see that Keith subtly, sometimes not so subtly, backed up what my father said. I’ve been driven to prove that I’m not worthless, that I can succeed on my own ever since.”
Fliss winced. “Then I came along thinking I was doing you a huge favor by sending the proposal to Phillip. No wonder you didn’t want me there.”
“I’d deny it, but I can’t.” A few weeks ago, there would have been all kinds of censure in his voice, but now he was able to see the humor in the situation. They wouldn’t be here together if she hadn’t stuck her nose in his business. He grinned down at her, expecting her to smile at him in return.
Instead, she sighed. “I should’ve said this weeks ago. I’m sorry for bulldozing my way in. I should have told you about the divorce settlement before it was finalized.” She hitched her shoulders. “What can I say? I’m used to getting my way. Acting first and thinking later. I knew you were looking forward to having majority ownership, but no, I knew best. I knew I couldn’t tell you until the divorce was finalized because you’d try to stop me.” She shook her head. “I thought once it was a done deal, I’d dazzle you with my great visions for Crescendo and you’d fall all over yourself agreeing that I should be part of the company.”
He tipped her chin up with his index finger to look her straight in the eye. He wanted no misunderstandings between them. “No, at first I wasn’t happy that you butted in, but now I am. We wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t. I was so hell-bent on proving I could do it on my own that I forgot the best way to succeed in business is to use every advantage at your disposal. I’d still be spinning my wheels if it weren’t for you and your help and your terrific ideas. More importantly, I learned that success doesn’t have to be achieved solo to be sweet. I’ve never felt more accomplished or satisfied with my career than I did standing on that stage with you tonight. Because we did it together.”
He was rewarded with a dazzling smile. “You are so amazing,” she said. “You’re worth more than you’ll ever know. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me about your childhood.”
“You made it easy.” He shrugged. “Not like I had much choice anyway.”
Her brow creased. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a bully.”
She hit his shoulder. “I am not. Take that back.”
He laughed. “You’re so easy.”
***
Fliss’s breath caught. Alex’s eyes gleamed with a lightness she’d never witnessed from him before. She didn’t stop him this time when he lowered his head for a long, lingering kiss. Would she ever get enough of this man?
When the kiss came to an end, she rested her head against his chest, his steady, strong heartbeat giving her the strength to reveal her own secrets. “You weren’t the only one Keith did a number on. I was his wife and he rejected me. Made me feel like I was less than a woman. I thought something was wrong with me if he had to find satisfaction elsewhere. After the way I grew up, it was too much.”
His arm at her waist tightened. “The way you grew up? I thought you had a great childhood.”
She lifted her head and met his concerned gaze. “That’s exactly what I wanted you and everyone else to believe.” She sighed. “I don’t want to do the poor-little-rich-girl routine. I didn’t lack for the necessities.”
Alex’s gaze didn’t waver. “But…”
“But my parents are very into hurting each other while keeping up appearances at all times. They got married after my mom got pregnant with me in college.”
“Not the best foundation for a marriage.”
A rueful chuckle bubbled up from her chest. “No. I got lost in the shuffle. I loved them, though, and thought if I was perfect, if I showed them how much I loved them, that surely they’d come around and show me love, but they never did. I thought I found that love I was looking for with Keith. We know how that turned out. I needed something positive to focus on, which is where Crescendo came in. Of course, you came along with the package, but nothing’s perfect.”
He shot her a side-eyed glance. “Fliss…”
She laughed, gathered her dress, and repositioned herself to straddle his hips. There was no place she’d rather be. No one she’d rather be with. “You’re so easy. Thank you for being you.”
She leaned in for a passionate kiss that simply got better and more intense the longer it went. Only when she was desperate for air did she pull away.
They sat there grinning at each other like fools. No words were needed. Tonight was a new beginning for the both of them. Exciting but scary. She just needed to remember to take things as they came and not expect too much too soon. She wouldn’t want too much too soon.
No, the only thing she wanted right now was Alex. Naked. The erection pressing against her leg let her know he felt the same way. The heat gathering in his eyes, too.
He ducked his head and nipped along her neck, sending a delicious shiver through her. “Fliss?”
“Hmm?” she whispered. She raised her chin to give him better access.
“About your desirability?” A quick swipe of his tongue accompanied the question.
“Yeah?”
“Never ever doubt it again.” His mouth found hers and took charge. Demanding a response. More than up for the challenge, she curled her tongue around his and placed some demands of her own. She needed him. Now. She snuck her hand between their bodies and squeezed him. Tightened her grip in delight when he gasped.
The hiss of her dress’s zipper served as the first clue that Alex had decided to multitask. He snaked his
hand inside the dress and cupped her breast, thumbing her nipple. An arrow of lust shot down between her legs.
“Stand up, sweetheart.”
She wasn’t sure her legs could support her, but she was eager to get to what came next. She stood on shaky legs. He followed her.
He pushed her dress down until it pooled at her feet. His glittering eyes studied her trembling body while he hastily discarded his jacket and bowtie. Then he started toward her, backing her up until she hit the wall with a small “oof.” He cupped her cheeks like he couldn’t bear to let her go and lowered his head. The slow, sweet kiss melted her from the inside out.
Then he dropped to his knees and lifted his face. What she saw arrested her. An emotion she didn’t dare put a name to.
Her breath hitched when he pressed his lips to her stomach. When he kissed her through her panties, her head fell back against the wall. She pressed her hands against the wall, searching for any purchase she could find. He was killing her in the best, most wonderful way. “Alex.”
“Yes, Fliss?” He stared up at her, wicked grin firmly in place.
“I-I…”
“Let me take care of you.” He nudged aside her silk panties. Her legs shook at the first touch of his mouth on her. He wrapped an arm around her waist, preventing her from falling to the floor in an undignified heap. He zeroed in on her clit, sending a jolt through her system. Her eyes slid closed. “Alex…Alex.”
She gasped, her chest heaving, when he swiped his tongue between her wet folds. The scent of her arousal filled the room. At the next swipe, another rush of heat consumed her. Then he took his mouth away. Fliss panted, wanting to demand he continue but not having the energy to force the words out.
“Fliss.” Strong. Forceful. Commanding. Alex.
Her eyes fluttered open. His dark eyes glittered up at her, the hunger in them ratcheting her desire up another impossible degree. Alex’s thumbs hooked in the sides of the underwear and pulled them down. “Step out.”
