Sex, Secrets and Happily Ever Afters

by Deb Julienne

  Buying time to keep from snorting with laughter, he rifled through the desk drawer.

  She’d changed a bit over the years. Still a classic beauty with a great smile, cute upturned nose, and kissable lips.

  “Kat do you have Sabrina’s file?”

  “No.” Kat didn’t bother to look up.

  He’d met Sabrina once, at Kat’s twenty-first birthday party, a long weekend at the family compound in Massachusetts, and she’d made quite an impression. When Travis mentioned the switch involved working with Sabrina, he’d been eager for a chance to see her again.

  But, it hinged on fooling Kat. As long as she was distracted, he’d be fine. Otherwise, without his brother’s journalism background, he’d fail at impersonating Travis and as editor in chief of Skin Deep magazine.

  The family had compiled reports of Sabrina’s success for the past several months. He opened his briefcase, pulled out dozens of folders his brother had given him and thumbed through, locating Sabrina’s file.

  “Ah, here it is.”

  According to Kat, Sabrina was a genius as the natural beauty editor. In the two-and-a-half years she’d been with the company, subscriptions had doubled thanks to her popular column.

  Kat closed up one box and set it aside, then continued removing files from the cabinet.

  He was counting on Sabrina strengths to inspire him. He had definite plans for Sabrina, wondering if she was as good as his fantasies. His gaze locked with hers and he forced himself to remember he was supposed to be standing in for his brother. What would Travis do now?

  “Would you like some coffee?” Oh shit, his brother was never polite. Business was business. Damn it.

  Wrinkling her nose as if he’d offered her arsenic, Sabrina shook her head. Opened her mouth twice but nothing came out. Her wide eyes were the color of the Mogul Emerald he’d seen auctioned at Christie’s in London. She turned away and picked non-existent lint from her red blazer. Her lips were quite swollen. Shiny. Getting redder by the minute, as if she’d spent hours making out.

  “Ah.” His mind went blank. He didn’t mean to stare. If he tried to speak now he’d guarantee it’d come out as high-pitched squawk. He reviewed the file before him, loosening the tie that felt more like a noose. How did Travis stand these things? He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Cold sweat ran down his back. “Are you all right? You seem a bit nervous.” If he didn’t get his focus off himself, he'd surely screw up.

  Another rapid-fire headshake. She grabbed a foam cup from the desk.

  God, he hoped Sabrina bought this act instead of remembering the scene in the pool. He owed her an apology, but it was impossible without blowing his cover. It’d have to wait. Grateful for the mahogany desk between them, he extracted another file from his briefcase then stowed it under the desk.

  “Let’s get started.” He scanned the cheat sheet his brother had prepared before they’d separated at the airport last night. Travis even wrote like an ass.

  “As you know, the Board of Directors met last week. While Kat hoped to deliver some good news to you today, I find myself in the precarious position of dishing out the good news/bad news shtick to everyone.”

  Sipping, Sabrina held his gaze and nodded.

  He shifted in the chair and rotated his shoulders. “Due to a shaky economy, I have six months to make Skin Deep profitable or it will be sold. Unfortunately, advertising dollars have drastically dropped. It’s imperative to change the magazine’s format to bring the lost accounts back.”

  She wasn’t sipping the water, but holding it to her mouth.

  He continued, “First off, I can’t give you the promotion you and Kat previously discussed. Secondly, there will be a number of layoffs among the staff.”

  Her brows shot up, eyes widened, lips thinned, and she fumbled as she set the cup on the desk, spilling a bit. She jumped out of her chair and grabbed a tissue to blot it up.

  “On a more positive note I was able to salvage your job, but only because of the wonderful success with your column. In order to maintain our high standards and in light of the reduction in the work force, everyone will have additional responsibilities.”

  “The beauty column takes most of my time, but I can handle a little extra responsibility. What do you have in mind?” He could see the relief on her face as she settled into the chair, crossed long, slender, shapely legs and adjusted her skirt.

  He took a deep breath and forced himself to make eye contact, when what he really wanted was to take a cold shower. “I’ll be snea—ah—speaking with the other employees today, however I wanted to talk to you first. You’ll need to work with the editor you’ll replace.” God, this was all he needed, to trip over his tongue. The back of his shirt was soaked. At this rate, he’d need that cold shower before this meeting ended.

  “An additional job? How long will I have to learn the ropes?”

  “She’ll be leaving at the end of the week and you’ll need to be up to speed for the February issue.” He’d never managed people before, much less fired or laid someone off. He hoped he didn’t make a mess of it and land the company in a lawsuit.

  “What? I only have until the end of the week to learn another position?”

  “Luckily, we’ve already put January’s issue to bed.” Saying the word bed, to Sabrina no less, put all sorts of ideas in his head. He squelched the inviting grin he wanted to give her. “That said you’ll have four weeks before you face your next set of deadlines.”

  “Whew.” Closing her eyes, Sabrina let out a breath then drummed her fingers on the sleek metal armrests.

  He fidgeted with a paperweight on the corner of the desk. Some swirly girly glass thing Kat probably adored. He searched for the right inflection, needing confidence in using phrases his brother had jotted down for him. “I realize you’ll have a learning curve, but you’ll have plenty of time to gain as much knowledge as possible for your new columns.” Travis wouldn’t fidget. He sat back. “After talking to Kat, I fully believe you’ll handle the new position with the same professionalism you’ve already exhibited in your current job.”

  And man, he’d love to be her tutor. He’d definitely be first in line.

  * * * *

  “Sure, Travis, I’ll do anything Kat needs.” She glanced at her watch, pretending to monitor the time. “I hate to be a deserter, but I’m expected on a conference call in five minutes.” If she didn’t get out of here soon her lips would melt off. And if that happened, she’d rather be alone and not in front of a replica of the man who haunted her wet dreams.

  Kat seemed to be packing files at a record-breaking crawl. She closed the last box, brushed off her hands, and leaned against the side of the desk. But her focus was not on the conversation. She stared at the clock on the wall.

  Kat had said Travis held a journalism degree and only Travis wore glasses. No wonder she’d thought he was Trent. Maybe because she’d only met Trent once she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion.

  When Kat didn’t speak, Sabrina took that cue and calmly took her cup of water, and started out the office. “By the way Kat, what’s my new job?”

  Kat stiffened and stared at the forest green Berber carpet beneath her black St. Laurent Stiletto’s.

  “Kat, why won’t you look at me?”

  Travis responded too enthusiastically. “You’ll be the new department editor for the Love and Sex columns, offering advice and encouragement. You should probably bone up on the language from the past few issues. I expect a great Valentine’s issue from you.”

  Dizziness and nausea shook Sabrina. She swayed and clutched the doorframe in a death grip. She crushed the cup, splashing the wall and soaking her jacket sleeve. “Excuse me. You want me to what?”

  He had the audacity to lean back and link his hands behind his head, stretching the button-down shirt across his chest, way too sexy for a desk jockey. “Love and Sex.”

  She hated how he enunciated each word with such relish and a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. Sabrina�
��s cheeks ignited, probably matched the shade of her lips. She opened her mouth to argue then snapped it shut.

  “Which of those concepts is giving you pause? Love? Or is it sex?” His voice dropped low, a subtle invitation.

  Had to be in her imagination. Right?

  “Are you out of your mind?” She turned to her boss. “Kat, you want me to write a column about sex? I’ve never done anything like that before. Beauty Aids are my forte.” Please, Kat, please, you know I’m a virgin. A twenty-four-year-old one at that. I don’t know squat about love or sex.

  Travis wore an ear-to-ear grin.

  “Okay you two, what’s up? Kat won’t look at me and you seem to be calling all the shots.” She pointed to Travis then realized how accusing her gesture came off and pulled her hand back. Perhaps he’d fire her anyway.

  Kat lifted a teary gaze and shrugged. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner. I signed a privacy waiver preventing any discussion about the transaction.”

  Sabrina wanted to hear something that made sense.

  Travis said, “Kat’s stepping down as Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. She’s going back to school. The board asked me to step in to get us in the clear.”

  “What?”

  “Sorry Sabrina, it’s either that or we have to let you go. Believe me. I don’t want to see that happen. You’re much too valuable to the magazine. I’m sure you’re worried over nothing. Once I’ve spoken with Sheila, you can begin work on the Valentine issue.”

  * * * *

  Trent kicked back in his comfy ergonomic chair.

  Sabrina flushed and sputtered. “Sheila? You want me to take over for Sheila the Vamp?”

  Trent was glad he didn’t have a mouth full of coffee. He wondered how she’d come up with the nickname.

  She gestured like a cursing Italian. “Come on, you know how she is. We’re nothing alike. Kat, tell him.”

  Kat made a hasty exit, whispering, “I’m sorry.”

  He felt sorry for Sabrina who stared at Kat’s departing back.

  She turned, straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, advanced into the room, slapped hands on his desk and leaned in. “If I’m supposed to handle the love and sex columns I want to make them my own like I did with the beauty aids section. And I want the final decision on the name for the new column.”

  He half expected her to lunge across his desk and take a swing at him. With all her bluster he sure hoped she could back up her words.

  A cool glint of arrogance on her face, she straightened and clasped her hands in front of her. Even though Sabrina tried to give an impression of control, her bloodless knuckles gave her away.

  As nervous as she acted, he sympathized with her and hoped they’d find a way to help each other. Good thing she had no idea he needed her more than she needed him.

  She stood there, stiff yet fear widened her emerald eyes. As if an earthquake struck beneath her feet alone, her entire body shook. No, it was more than that. Her knees had been about to buckle until she broke her stiff kneed stance and backed away, only to take a white-knuckle grip on the doorjamb.

  “Sorry Sabrina. There’s one very clear stipulation the board made in allowing me take over the magazine, and that’s to make it informative and enjoyable for both women and men. In order to do this it’s mandatory we make explicit changes beginning with the next issue.”

  “Fine.” She squirmed and rocked from foot to foot. Her grim smile began to waver. She glanced around. She goaded him with a glare. “And that would be?”

  “The love column is to be the definition of love, by both men and women. We want everything from a mere inkling to full blown, happily-ever-after descriptions as well as stories and advice.”

  Frowning, she thrummed the doorjamb. Her brain engaged, wheels spinning. She gnawed on her bottom lip. “Can you elaborate?”

  Shit, he hoped she’d figure it out on her own. What did he know of love? Everyone said he didn’t have a serious bone in his body. “How about for the first issue you have a series of personal interpretations from both men and women? Ask your friends and colleagues, for starters, what love means to them. Get examples. By the March issue you should have a better handle on the specifics.”

  She relaxed. Shook a little less. “Okay, I can do that. And the other?”

  “Well, this one is a bit harder. We have some ideas. However it will be up to you to define the final product.” His confidence slowly eroded. How was he supposed to impart any kind of wisdom when every time he looked at her all he wanted to do was kiss her? Something was definitely something wrong with her lips.

  Sabrina licked her lips and crossed her arms. “What aren’t you telling me, Travis?”

  “I’ve done some surveys on a website, privately, of course. The results show men want to be educated, more than ever, on what a woman wants sexually.” His voice had dropped to a whisper, and this from the man accused of being the family Casanova.

  He had to undo another button or risk choking on his words. “Everything from finding her G-spot, which sexual positions bring the maximum heightened orgasm, to how to properly romance a woman.”

  “Are you out of your ever loving mind? No way.”

  Struggling to maintain his composure, he hid behind his notes, bit back a laugh, and took a deep breath. “Since it’s going to be the Valentine issue we have to pull out the stops and try to cover as many requests as possible. The titles of the two articles we want you to focus on for the next issue are Fourteen Ways to Better Sex and Finding her G-spot.” If it weren’t for Travis’ notes, he’d never have gotten through the last sentence.

  Fantasies of Sabrina slammed him from every direction. While he loved the idea for the article and he was excited to see what she did with it, anxiety riddled his body. If he didn’t have some privacy soon he’d seriously lose it.

  The blood left Sabrina’s face. She gave him a murderous stare and her lips trembled. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

  If Sabrina quit, what would Kat say?

  She wouldn’t say a word. Words weren’t necessary when Kat was on a rampage. Crap, that would send Travis back to the bottle. Screw that, the family would liquidate the magazine. The entire staff, out of work in this economy, all because of him.

  Guilt riddled him. “No, I’m not. In fact, the marketing department has a million dollars budgeted for ads to show the changes we plan to implement. I’ll need you do a series of interviews to promote the upcoming issue. I have several scheduled myself on the local radio stations to discuss how we can make a primarily women’s magazine more versatile. We want to show men they’re just as important to us.”

  The way she chewed on the inside of her cheek, lips puckered, made him want to kiss her fears away. She had the most voluptuous, kissable lips. Plump and full.

  Up until now, he hadn’t given much thought to his attraction for her. Fantasies, oh hell, yeah, but he’d never really given attraction a thought. He’d always assumed guys were horny for anything to give them a rise. Now, he wasn’t sure.

  “Fine. You’ll get what you asked for. Are we done?” She crossed her arms. Conversation over.

  The memory of their first meeting collided with the image before him now. He suspected her world felt ready to implode around her, yet Sabrina was doing her best to figure it out.

  His body tingled. His attraction grew by the minute, figuratively and literally.

  Damn.

  He was already starting to regret this arrangement. He wasn’t ready to deal with feelings. Not hers. And, most certainly not his own. “Are you busy tonight? Maybe we can go to dinner and discuss some of your concerns regarding your new role, and maybe you can show me around town?” He shouldn’t have asked. Travis wouldn’t have. He had to remember the situation and stop letting Trent take over.

  Grimacing, Sabrina tensed and chewed a nail. “What about Kat?”

  “Sorry, she’ll be in a meeting with legal. There are things she needs to finalize.”

  “O
h.” She peered over her shoulder.

  He sighed inwardly. It didn’t do much for his ego to acknowledge that she didn’t want anything to do with him.

  Sabrina’s shoulders sagged.

  He crossed his fingers under the desk and prayed she’d never find out the truth. His brother had flown to Palm Springs the night before, finally addressing his drinking problem, for the next thirty days. Head of the Board, and on all the family foundations, Travis was responsible for monthly updates. Travis would’ve considered this job a vacation. When it came to organization, Travis was the king.

  He, on the other hand, was the court jester. “I’ve sort of stayed close to home, to help the family Board of Directors, and continue my education.”

  “Oh, I see.” The tiny hitch in her tone clearly said she didn’t. The scowl disappeared. She inhaled deeply and tightened her fists, a bogus smile lit up her face. “Sure. Any place special you want to go?”

  Damn, it was fun to watch her squirm. He contemplated how far he dare take this insane idea that began flickering in his head. “This is my first trip to California. Anything in the state is new to me. Where do you like to hang out?”

  He was curious what she had in store for his dear brother—uh him.

  “In that case, dinner is fine and we’ll play the rest by ear afterward.” Again, there was no excitement in her voice. But she’d do it, for Kat.

  “Perfect. Oh, and one other thing, I’m bit on the bashful side so take it easy on me.” Trent gave her a wink.

  Sabrina brows crinkled then she gave him a whatever gesture and said, “Yeah right, Travis. I’m such a wildcat. Me and my crazy parties. You’re lucky you caught me on a slow day. Sheesh, I’m not Kat. I usually hang out at home, sorry.”

  “Oh really? I’m surprised. I figured if you’re a friend of Kat’s you’d be a party animal.”

  “Good thing it’s you and not your brother, especially since he’s the one with the reputation of being a ladies’ man. The way I hear it, he could give Don Juan a few lessons.”

  Trent dropped his feet to the floor and sat ramrod straight. His blood froze. Her simple comment had the effect of a bucket of ice water to the coach following a game win, only for him there was no joy for winning a game. Her words were similar to what the entire family believed of him.