Untouched Perfection

by Mayer, Kristin

  Hastily, I grabbed the door and yanked it open.

  Annie greeted me from her desk outside his office. “Ms. Rapier is still meeting with Brenda. Do you want me to let her know you’ve left?”

  Is it obvious I need to leave after being so affected by the man behind the door? I nodded woodenly. “Yes, thank you, Annie.”

  The elevator ride down was excruciatingly slow before the doors released me. Emotions swirled inside. I had to get control and shut down whatever was trying to surface. It scared me… terrified me, actually.

  In the lobby, Hastings was having an intense conversation on the phone. He paused and turned as if to speak to me, but I cut him off.

  “Have a good evening, Mr. Monroe.”

  Even to my own ears, my voice sounded a bit off, but hopefully he wouldn’t notice. Before he had a chance to respond, I was out the door. A barrage of flashes hit me as photographers threw out question after question. I froze.

  “Knoah, how long have you and Kurt been dating?”

  “Knoah, have you seen the pictures from last night?”

  Flash.

  Flash.

  Flash.

  Panic rose. “I… uh…”

  Flash.

  Flash.

  Flash.

  “Knoah, how long have you known Kurt?”

  Flash.

  Flash.

  Flash.

  “I… uh…”

  A strong arm came around my shoulders. “Ms. Knox is not available for comment and is late for a business meeting. Excuse us.”

  A sleek limousine pulled up. The crowd pressed in, and Garrick’s chest pressed against my back. I wanted to sink into the comforting touch. Oddly, I felt safe with him—a complete stranger.

  A big, burly man stepped in front of us. “This way, Mr. Shaw.”

  Garrick nodded before whispering in my ear, “Get in my car, Ms. Knox, until we get this crowd thinned out. I don’t want you hurt.”

  He doesn’t want me hurt.

  On autopilot, I followed instructions. I scooted across the soft leather, and Garrick slid in behind me. If I wanted to resist him, my body had other ideas.

  The door almost closed, and then I heard, “Knoah, is everything okay?”

  At the sound of Mickey’s voice, I closed my eyes and sighed. Great. This is the last thing I need. I took a deep breath and peered out the door to face my boss. Hastings stood behind her with a look of concern on his face. Something was off with Hastings, but I couldn’t place what. All I knew was I wanted to stay as far away from him as possible.

  Chapter Eight

  Everything became more awkward with the door open and Garrick halfway in the vehicle. Cameras continued to flash. “Ms. Rapier, please join us. Hastings, we’ll talk later.”

  Mickey scooted into the limo behind Garrick, who sat next to me. Humiliation coursed through me, but my body hummed at his nearness. His spicy scent filled the space—the worst type of torture.

  “What’s going on, Knoah? Are you okay? Why are the reporters shouting your name?”

  Nervously, I glanced at Garrick and then back at Mickey. I hated being in this situation. “There was a misunderstanding at the concert on Friday. I’m friends with Kurt Hendrix, but the press believes we’re dating.” I straightened my shoulders. “This won’t affect my work. All this will be behind me in the next day or so.”

  Of course, Mickey kicked into save-the-account mode. The number one priority was her business—always. “Mr. Shaw, I’ll handle the gala personally. I’ll ensure the press doesn’t affect your event. Consider Ms. Knox off the account.”

  I kept a straight face even though I felt tears sting the back of my eyes. Since I’d been hired, I’d had an impeccable record. And now something out of my control was about to take away the only normalcy I had in my days. But I supported Mickey. “Yes, of course.”

  Beside me, I felt Garrick’s eyes on me. “No, I want Ms. Knox on the account. She will head up the planning. The media won’t be an issue.”

  The authority in his voice was clear.

  Mickey responded, “I don’t think—”

  His voice became steel. “I do think she’s the right person for the job, considering I contacted your company based on her skill set.”

  Something shifted between Mickey and me. I knew it as her eyes turned cold. “Of course. Knoah, I’ll see you tomorrow at the office. Mr. Shaw and I have a few details to work out.”

  Mickey had dismissed me. She wanted to be alone with Garrick, which left a sour taste in my mouth.

  The air was heavy with tension radiating from Garrick. I felt safe next to him, but on edge at the same time. I needed to get my emotions under control if we were going to work together. Nothing could happen between us. One, I worked for him. And two, I worked with him.

  Wait. A relationship? I wanted to slap myself as these errant thoughts came without warning.

  In a professional unaffected tone, I said, “Goodnight. Thanks for helping with the photographers, Mr. Shaw. I’ll have all the preliminary information ready to go by lunch.”

  I shifted to exit the limo when his arm shot out and took my elbow. His fingers felt exquisite, firm yet gentle against my skin. It was agony to want him.

  “Please have a seat, Ms. Knox. I don’t believe it’s in your best interest to go back out there. Ms. Rapier, I’ll call you later to discuss any details that still need to be worked out. I’m surprised Brenda didn’t cover everything. I’ll be speaking with her.”

  My eyes shot to Garrick’s as he watched Mickey. I sat back down. It wasn’t possible for this day to get any worse.

  Mickey cleared her throat and gave a sickly sweet smile. “I’ll wait for your call.”

  In the next moment, we were alone. Garrick leaned back and rubbed a hand down his face. I, on the other hand, sat ramrod straight. What just happened?

  “Ms. Knox, I think it would be wise if we circled until the photographers are gone.”

  “Yes. Thank you.” I needed to clear the air. “This won’t interfere with the gala. Once the media sees I’m not affected by Kurt going out with other women, this will blow over. They’re fishing for a story.”

  “And there’s no truth to their accusations?”

  He wanted to know about Kurt. A small spark flickered inside me that he cared. “No. No, he’s like a brother to me. I stupidly walked onstage during a sentimental song he sang. Nothing more.”

  He stared at me for a minute. Again, the conflict I’d seen earlier appeared and vanished.

  Uncomfortable, I prattled on. “I’m single. There won’t be any distractions for this event. I take my job seriously and pride myself on my professionalism, although today might indicate otherwise. I will make sure the gala goes off seamlessly.”

  More than that, it was imperative I prove myself. Garrick silently handed me a bottle of water. What’s on his mind?

  “Thank you.” The water felt good in my dry mouth.

  “I’m going to speak with my head of security. You’ll have a parking space in the secured area. Just pull up and give your name.”

  He wants me safe? The thought was touching, but I shook my head. “Mr. Shaw… I can’t. I’ll be fine.”

  “Yes, you can. The scene I walked out on creates an unsafe environment for the other people within the building.”

  That made sense. A little piece inside me wanted it to be for me.

  Garrick switched gears. “Did you plan Edwin’s event last year?”

  “Greggor?” Where’s he going with this? I racked my brain, trying to recall if I’d met Garrick before. I hadn’t—I would have remembered him. My body would have remembered.

  He leaned forward, watching me. “Yes, Edwin Greggor.”

  “Yes. I’m planning a Thanksgiving fundraiser for him this year, too. Did you attend last year’s?”

  “I did not. I saw the event on your website before I called Ms. Rapier. It was done well.”

  Through the entire event, I’d stayed backst
age managing it—a condition of his wife’s. The help—with the exception of the wait staff—were not allowed on the floor. Like I mentioned, I’d worked for some Grade A assholes. “Thank you.”

  The driver’s voice came on over the speaker from the front of the car. “They’ve cleared. Should I return to HQ?”

  “Yes, Matt.”

  I scanned the parking lot. He was right. “My car is the white Acura over there.”

  Sawyer and I had switched back car keys, and she’d taken her car home. The limo stopped. “Thank you again, Mr. Shaw. I’ll see you tomorrow for our working lunch.”

  I got out, and Mickey came out of the building, stalking toward the limo. What had come over my boss?

  “Tomorrow, Ms. Knox.”

  Hurriedly, I walked to my car. Mickey stood at the limo door, and the window rolled down. From the car, I was able to see Garrick’s handsome profile. My boss gave a flirty smile, and that bothered me—a lot. And the fact that it bothered me stirred additional unease within me. I got in the car before leaning back against the seat and closing my eyes. What just happened? What am I doing? Thinking?

  Home.

  Shower.

  Work.

  Those three would keep my mind occupied.

  Chapter Nine

  My knee bounced at jackrabbit speed as I watched the clock. Only fifteen minutes before I was due to go upstairs.

  Being alone in the office made the time crawl. Well, almost alone. Sawyer had left shortly after arriving—some sort of channeling-crystal crisis for the upcoming wedding. Chelsie had gone with Sawyer to help with some wig issue for the piano player. They were officially at code red. Mickey remained, but she’d slammed the door to her office closed shortly after I arrived. The closed door wasn’t unusual. The cold and calculating way she looked at me was what bothered me.

  I let out a breath and considered going to say something. Earlier this morning, I’d knocked and had been dismissed through the wall with a “Come back later, Knoah.”

  Right now, I’d take Bridezilla over dealing with Garrick Shaw and my bipolar boss. My nerves were rattled by the man, but my body felt awakened. For the fourth night in a row, he visited me in my dreams, and last night he’d kissed me. I couldn’t get the thought of how his lips would feel against mine out of my head.

  Since then, my thoughts turned to him every five minutes, and I replayed him coming to my rescue.

  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  This morning, I’d received an e-mail with instructions to park in the secure area. I felt like I mattered to him—me, Knoah, not just the event planner—but then I knew that was crazy. When I arrived, a badge had been ready for me. I hadn’t mentioned this new security development to my boss yet. I still had no idea why Mickey acted so weird the prior evening.

  I sipped my coffee, needing all the caffeine I could ingest to stay awake. Last night, I’d been unable to sleep, so I stayed up until four a.m. working on new boards. After that, I’d caught a couple of hours. I took another sip, knowing it might wind me up more. At some point, my adrenaline would wane and hopefully I’d sleep dreamlessly tonight.

  I checked all my boards again. They were still there—like the last fifteen times I looked in the past half hour. There were now fourteen minutes until I needed to be there. Only another minute passed? I exhaled and dropped my head into my hands. The anticipation was only working me up more.

  What’s going to happen today? Is Mickey coming? How is she going to act?

  “Knoah?” Mickey stood at my door with a flat expression on her face.

  Dread filled me. “Yes?”

  “I had a nice long chat with Garrick last night after you left. I plan to meet him for dinner tonight.”

  Were they dating? Suddenly, I felt deflated. She left the statement dangling out there like a carrot.

  It doesn’t matter. I work for him.

  A tight smile formed. “That’s good.” I stood and gathered my boards. “Would you like me to show you everything before the meeting?”

  “No, that’s not necessary.”

  The sooner I went, the sooner I came back. “Okay, I’m going to head up there. Will you be coming also?”

  Mickey crossed her arms over her chest. “No, I won’t be.”

  I frowned at this news. If Mickey were there, her presence would help me stay distant from Garrick. “Mr. Shaw gave me the impression you would be attending also. I’ll brief you on what happens when I get back.”

  Her brows drew together. Thinking back on it, Garrick hadn’t confirmed Mickey to be joining us for lunch. All he said was he would arrange for something to be delivered. With the contempt rolling off my boss in waves, I kept that admission to myself.

  Without a word, she returned to her office. Her attitude only added to my stress. Hopefully she snapped out of it soon. Five days until the event. Then things will go back to normal, I told myself.

  I left the office and walked to the elevators. A herd of people exited one, obviously heading to lunch. Having everyone around gave my already anxious state a dose of claustrophobia, as well. I was the only person heading up when the doors started to close, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was short-lived, though. Before the doors finished closing, a hand shot out to halt them, and they sprang back open.

  Hastings walked in. Oh great. I wanted to groan in defeat. This was not my day.

  “Knoah, what a surprise.” He gave me a casual nod. “Are you heading up to see Garrick?” Today he was dressed more casually in slacks and a dress shirt instead of a suit. For some reason, it wasn’t fitting. Hastings gave off a cold, calculated vibe. Yet… there was something else there, something I couldn’t put my finger on.

  Reshifting my boards, I replied, “Yes, I have a business lunch with Mr. Shaw.” I tried for a warm smile, but I wasn’t sure I pulled it off, considering I was feeling so wired and uncomfortable.

  “Oh, yes, that’s right. I remember him mentioning something about that. Have you known Garrick long?”

  I paused, wondering why he chose that question. It seemed out of place. “Mr. Shaw hired me for an event for this weekend.” Mentally, I added, and things have gone downhill ever since.

  Mercifully, the elevator went straight to the fourth floor, limiting our amount of time together. The air between us remained awkward, and I felt as if Hastings wanted to say something but refrained. His eyes bounced from the door to me while he worked his jaw.

  Garrick was in the lobby area, his face unreadable. Instantly I felt safer—I couldn’t say why—and I walked closer to him, distancing myself from Hastings. We made eye contact, and for a second, he looked at me with concern. Then it disappeared. Again, he was unreadable. This attraction was definitely one-sided.

  That’s fine. It makes this easier. I wanted to curse myself for my feelings.

  As soon as he shifted his focus to Hastings, his demeanor turned icy and intimidating. “Ms. Knox, would you mind waiting for me in my office? I have a few things I need to discuss with Hastings.”

  Relief flooded me at not having to deal with Hastings anymore. “Of course. I’ll set up the boards.” I left without another word.

  The office was buzzing with activity. I passed a woman on a mission carrying a stack of papers to what appeared to be the CFO’s office. Annie must have been at lunch when I got to his office since her chair was empty. I went in and laid everything out. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Everything was set, and the caffeine made me edgy as I paced back and forth, thinking about everything on a continuous loop.

  Garrick and I would be alone.

  What was up with Hastings?

  Garrick made me feel so much.

  Why was Garrick so cold to Hastings?

  Mickey’s behavior made no sense.

  My feelings were definitely not reciprocated.

  My thoughts jumped around as I paced. The conflicting feelings swirling inside led to a range of emotions—relief, disappointment, irritation, concern.

  The door opene
d and Garrick walked in, halting my hundredth rotation. I tried to appear calm. His very presence affected me.

  His eyebrow rose. “Everything okay, Ms. Knox?”

  Apparently, a calm demeanor had not been achieved. “What?” I hadn’t expected that question. I looked down to see if I appeared ruffled in some way and touched my hair to ensure it remained in place.

  Garrick casually put his left hand in his pants pocket, his jacket parting in that oh-so-sexy way. The tug in my lower abdomen reminded me of my dream last night—that kiss, his lips. My knees shook, and I hoped my dress covered them. I was completely out of control. “When you got off the elevator, you seemed stressed. Are you okay?”

  I fidgeted, feeling exposed, and put on a smile. “I’m fine.”

  Garrick watched me. “Reading people is something I do for a living. Did something happen? I’m not looking for the answer you’d give in a business meeting.”

  I closed my eyes and released a breath, trying to maintain my control. “But this is a business meeting. I’m your event planner. And it’s terribly confusing.”

  Shit, there I went again with the babbling.

  Warm hands touched mine, and my eyes shot open. A zap shot through my body. That protectiveness engulfed me again. Damn it, I felt my walls crumbling faster than I could restack the bricks.

  “Did anything happen in the elevator that made you uncomfortable? I need to know.”

  I searched his eyes; he really wanted to know if I was okay. “No, nothing happened. I’m on edge.”

  “Why?” He released my hand and shifted a couple of my boards out of the way to sit on the edge of the table, putting me more at ease. Normally, the more comfortable men acted around me, the more nervous I became. Again, the conflicting feelings Garrick brought out in me began to surface.

  I sighed. “Mr. Shaw, please, can we change topics?”

  “Is it your boss?”

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “All I want is to do my job. I’m not sure what’s going on with you and Mickey. It’s none of my business.”

  Oh shit, I said that aloud. Yes, imagining the two of them together was driving me nuts.