by Bella Court
Her black peep toe heels clicking against the ugly blue tile of the lobby, and Kristen mentally noted that those would definitely have to be changed. The lobby of any building had to make a statement. Currently, the statement of Wilde Tower's lobby was: we are from the 1800's and we occasionally have bingo tournaments for the elderly. The structure of the building itself was beautifully constructed. The center of the roof of the lobby opened up into a gorgeous sky light in the roof, with beautiful pointed arches at the top. The structure was very Gothic in architecture and held a 1920's kind of energy that Kristen liked.
The sound of her heels clicking drew the attention of everyone in the lobby, and heads turned to stare curiously at the beautiful woman as she walked confidently through the lobby. However, she didn't even notice it, as she was too busy eyeing the lobby critically with her designer's eye. Finally reaching the circular front desk, Kristen warily eyed the young man there who was looking at Kristen like she was his own personal savior.
"M-may I help you, ma'am?" He stammered. It wasn't everyday that a woman who looked like her walked into Wilde Towers. It was mostly grumpy, old investors.
"I am from Mimosa Designs. I have an appointment with Mr. Connor Wilde." Kristen flashed the poor boy a sweet smile, slightly amused as he flushed. Hurriedly, he dialed a number into the phone, murmured a few words while staring at Kristen, and nodded his head.
"You'll be meeting with the PR rep and Vice President of Wilde Towers, Mr. Reece James. He's the one that hired you. He's on the very top floor, same as Mr. Connor and John Wilde."
Kristen felt her heart sink. Oh Gods, was she going to have to meet both of them?
She didn't even hear the guy at the front desk eagerly offering to show her the way as she made her way towards the elevators in the rear of the building. The elevators were made of glass all around, and as well as being able to see the interior of the building, the elevators had a fantastic view of the outside, as well. This place was gorgeous, but it most definitely needed an updated look.
Her mouth turned to dust as the world fell away, the elevator going up higher and higher. She closed her eyes tightly; forcing herself to be that strong woman she knew was in there.
It wasn't so hard when her eyes were closed; it was when they were open that she felt powerless.
Breathing deeply, she felt her inner strength flowing through her. They weren't going to break her down today. It was strictly professional. She didn't give a damn what either of them thought of her, she was going to do her job.
Keeping this mind-set in place, she ignored the stab of nervousness as the elevator doors opened, and instead concentrated on her newly regained sense of confidence. She held her head up high and walked through the corridors, stopping as the corridor led into a wide expanse of a room where a few desks were set up for what she presumed was their secretaries. Currently, there were two elderly women manning their stations. One of them looked up expectantly as Kristen entered.
"Oh! You must be the interior decorator from Mimosa!"
"Yes, I'm Kristen Satou, I'm here to see–'' Before Kristen could even interject Connor's name, however, the old woman had cut her off.
"Reece, of course!"
Grabbing Kristen's arms with a strength that threw Kristen off guard, the woman practically dragged Kristen towards one of the mahogany doors.
Rapping her knuckles rapidly across the door, Kristen firmly kept her mouth shut so as not to gape. This woman had to be in her sixties, at least, yet her energy rivaled that of Jade's.
"Reece! You open this door immediately! You'd better not have some harlot in there with you!" She shrilled, and Kristen couldn't help but laugh. She let the laughter flow through her and soothe her nerves. It felt great to finally laugh. Instantly, Kristen felt affection for the older woman.
"Nell? Please, I'm busy right now!" A deep voice rumbled through the other side of the door.
"You've been locked in your office since Lila and I went on our lunch break. Who did you bring in there this time?"
"Your interior decorator is here, and I guarantee you that she is by far more stunning than any soiled dove you've brought into your office!" Kristen clasped her hands tightly over her lips to keep from laughing harder than she already was. Soiled dove?
Audible curses could be heard from the other side of the door, and the ruffling clothes could distinctly be heard. Nell shook her head furiously, a few wisps of gray hair falling from her bun. Automatically, Kristen swept the errant strands from the elderly woman's face, tucking it behind her ear lobes.
Surprise registered faintly on Nell's face, and she gave Kristen a warm and embarrassed smile. "Thank you, dear. I'm afraid I haven't introduced myself, I am Eleanor Bany, but please call me Nell. My associate over there is Delilah Morgan. You can call her Lila." The other elderly woman in the room grinned and waved at Kristen. Smiling, Kristen returned the wave.
"I am so sorry you have to see this. Reece is still young, and he can't seem to control himself when it comes to the opposite gender. Please don't think that his behavior is reflective of the rest of the company."
Flagrant and obvious sex was not a new thing to her, but before Kristen could say she didn't mind, the heavy door opened a sliver.
"Nell, Nell. Always ruining my fun and making me feel like I'm ten years old all over again." Kristen turned and her hazel eyes came into contact with brilliant-emerald eyes.
He was also currently staring at Kristen and openly raking his eyes over her body. He was trying to intimidate her, and she wasn't about to let him. Planting her arms firmly on her hips, and straightening her back, she smirked up at him through her lashes in a completely confident and striking pose. Her eyes communicated their message all too clearly.
Like what you see?
In return, she openly raked her eyes over his appearance. The door opened wider, and Kristen could see that he was a slim but definitely ripped underneath all that clothing. He stood at about 6'1'', towering over Kristen's 5'7'' frame. His hair was an ash brown that went well with his forest green eyes. He was wearing a black Armani suit, but it was currently in disarray. The top buttons of the crisp white shirt underneath were unbuttoned, showing off his golden tanned skin. His collar was unintentionally popped and sticking in the wrong directions and a silky black and blue striped tie hung haphazardly around his neck. In short, he looked like an office sex God.
Suddenly, he threw his head back and laughed. "I like you," he stated bluntly, sticking his hand out. "I'm Reece James. Call me Reece."
Taking his hand firmly in her own, Kristen gave him a firm handshake that made his grin even broader. She had learned long ago the importance of a good handshake. It said so much about one's personality. Hers definitely gave off the vibe of being strong and independent.
"I'm Kristen Satou, an interior decorator at Mimosa Designs. I'll be setting up the contract with you today."
There was some more shuffling heard behind the door, and for a second, a faint blush appeared on his golden cheeks. The door opened wider, and a girl that looked to be a little older than Jade shuffled out, her clothes rumpled in the same fashion as Reece's. Her face was flushed, and she kept her blonde head low, as she scooted out of their way as fast as possible.
Kristen lifted an eyebrow, and Nell clucked disapprovingly like a mother hen.
"Associate of yours?" Kristen asked innocently.
"You could say that." Reece stepped out of the way, leading Kristen into his office. Shutting the door behind, as she shimmied through, he couldn't help but admire her fine assets. So Nell wasn't just blowing steam when she said this one was stunning.
"Do you often lock your associates with you in your office for prolonged periods of time?" Kristen teased, taking a seat on one of the leather chairs in his office. Leaning back, she teased Reece with a flash of thigh, as she crossed her legs.
"Depends on the associate. I think you and I will be spending lots of time together in here."
"Don't count on
it,” Kristen replied with a cheeky grin. She liked this guy. He was a big flirt, but at least he wasn't Connor or John. And in her book, that was a plus.
She gave a quick glance around his office. One entire wall of his office was taken up by a large bay window that offered a fantastic view of the New York skyline. He had a heavy mahogany desk that matched his door, and the shelves behind him were the same. But looking at the floor, Kristen grimaced to see the same ugly blue tile, and the walls were a boring shade of gray.
"Don't like my office?” he asked, shuffling a few papers around on his desk.
"It could use a bit of brightening, and what is with this ugly tile that seems to be everywhere?"
"John and Connor's mom, they're the President and C.E.O of Wilde Finance, picked it out. She practically begged them, and she's their mother, they couldn't say no. She loves decorating." Kristen inwardly winced. Josephine, John and Connor's mother, had always loved the fact that Kristen was an interior decorator. It was one of the reasons she had taken immediately to Kristen, and she was absolutely thrilled when John had popped the question.
Pushing that horrid thought out of her head, she turned her attention back to the gorgeous man in front of her. Why couldn't she have slept with him at the wedding instead of stupid Connor?
"When was that, back in the 80's?" Kristen watched him sign a few of the papers on his desk.
"Sadly enough, yeah. Seeing as how three men are essentially running this company, we hadn't really noticed how bad the whole building was looking until we realized that it was deterring quite a few of our favorite clients. Connor and John put it into my hands to find a decorator." Reece stopped to grin at Kristen. She was definitely hot, and he definitely wanted her in his bed.
"I heard Mimosa was the best."
"We are, and I'm the best at Mimosa," Kristen assured him. He was so easy to talk to, and so easy to flirt with. Kristen had no doubt that he easily seduced women like a modern day Casanova. Unlike Connor, he was so open and free about his choices. What must it feel like to not care about the consequences of your actions?
"I don't doubt it." Reece gave her a dashing smile that would have any other girl melting and opening their legs on the spot. Instead, she was still focused on the damn tiles. It was really bugging her! Frowning, he tried again to get her attention, but before he could open his mouth, she beat him to it.
"Let's get down to business, shall we? You can flirt with me later." Kristen was a natural born tease, and even though it was wrong, it always boosted her confidence to be able to make men want her. Hell, didn't it boost egos of women everywhere to know that someone wanted them?
Sulkily, Reece handed her a sheaf of papers. "This is the contract. You may want to get your lawyer to go over them with you. We have a few conditions, and ten million is a large sum of money. We'll be providing you with a budget of twice that much to do what you want with the place. Of course, if you have any conditions or worries feel free to voice them."
Endless worries were going through her head, but of course, asking that John and Connor leave the building and never come back while she was decorating was a bit of a stretch. She didn't think they'd appreciate that condition.
Her eyes quickly scanned the contract in a matter of minutes. Conditions were reasonable, the budget was out of this world, a designer's dream, and everything seemed very fair.
"Don't you want a lawyer to go over that with you?" Reece smirked, watching her.
"Don't need one. I've done this too many times,” Kristen replied, not looking up. Lawyers always tended to slow down the process. They were constantly trying to pick out something wrong, and Kristen found it was easier to just look through the contract herself. "I don't have a problem with the contract."
"Good, so we'll just go over to the C.E.O's and sign it then," Reece said with a smile. He liked her more and more by the minute. Smart and powerful women were so sexy.
"W-what?" Kristen couldn't stop from sputtering. She had been so relieved when she met Reece. Even with his too long stares and non-stop flirting, she would rather stay here with Reece than go see him.
"You'll get to meet the C.E.O of this whole place. We have to go over the contract with him." It was only a second, but he caught the look of shock and reluctance that was in her eyes before being replaced by her usual poise. "Not scared are you?"
"Please. What's to be afraid of?" Kristen scoffed. He gave her a wolfish grin, throwing an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him than she would have liked. He steered her out his door and into the area where Nell and Lila were.
"Maybe you should be. Connor's kind of intense. He's got this weird way with the ladies, but don't worry, I'll be sure to protect you." Reece nuzzled her hair, and in annoyance, she gently disentangled herself from his arms, but not before the door directly in front of them opened and an extremely disgruntled Connor stood in the doorway.
"Where the hell is Reece and this Mimo-whatever decorating company he's–'' Connor stopped talking, seeing the last person he had ever expected to see again entangled in the arms of his associate. His eyes narrowed at the both of them, and despite herself, Kristen felt herself shudder beneath his icy glare. Nervously, she removed Reece's hands from her shoulders.
Sticking out her hand, she said softly, "I'm Kristen Satou. I'm the interior decorator from Mimosa Designs."
Connor raised his eyebrows, but otherwise, no signs of shock showed on his face. Woodenly, he took her hand shaking it with his own. "Connor Wilde. C.E.O of Wilde Finances."
An awkward silence ensued, and even Nell and Lila could sense the palpable tension in the room.
"Maybe I should speak to Ms. Satou in my office. Alone." Connor finally broke the silence, still glaring at Reece and Kristen.
Reece quirked his eyebrows in confusion but didn't protest. Nervously, Kristen walked in through the door, and she nearly jumped at the touch of Connor's hand on the small of her back, as he guided her through. Frowning at her jumpiness, Connor closed the door behind her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, the initial shock wearing off.
Kristen lifted her chin in the air. "Reece hired my company because we're the best interior decorating company in the city, and I'm the best designer we have. Believe me, I'm not here because I want to be."
"Well, good. Because you won't be working here." Connor found himself growing slightly irritated at the way she tossed Reece's name around so casually. How close had they gotten for him to be throwing his hands around her?
"Why the hell not?" Kristen demanded. Surprisingly, now that she was in his presence, it wasn't as bad as she thought. It was a lot easier for her to yell and speak her mind since they had moved beyond that stage of distant politeness.
Connor glared at her like she was the dumbest person in the world. "Isn't it obvious? My brother works right next door to me." His scowl deepened, as she blanched at the mention of his brother. "No need to faint, he's still on his honeymoon." Connor assured her coldly, and Kristen could feel her blood run cold. It was like a double-edged sword. She didn't have to see him, but only because he was on his honeymoon with Melissa. She didn't want to let Connor see how much that hurt her, so she closed her eyes.
Connor felt his anger dissolve slightly at the sight of her closed eyes and her mouth shut for once. Involuntarily, their night of passion resurface in his mind. Her hair then looked exactly like it did right now. Wavy and in beautiful disarray around her angelic face. He knew she was anything but.
"I don't really care what has happened in the past. As far as I know, it has nothing to do with us professionally. I am the best damn designer in this entire city, and I was hired for a reason." Her eyes were open now, and shining with intensity Connor had never seen before.
"So don't you dare try to tell me I won't be working here on account of what happened between me and you or me and John,” she didn't realize she was now on her feet and nearly on the verge of tears.
It was too much. Eve
rywhere, it was either a reminder of John or a reminder of Connor. She was like an Amazon warrior. She took everything that came her way and battled it down, but even Amazons broke down sometimes. With horror and frustration, Kristen willed the tears away, but it didn't happen.
With shaking fingers, she wiped the tears that were collecting at the edge of her pretty eyes. She wasn't sobbing or crying, but the sight of her watery eyes was enough to send Connor over the edge.
"Christ," He muttered, trying hard not to look at her. Why did she have to be so vulnerable? She was so assertive and strong, had he done this to her? It was common knowledge that no man could bear the sight of a woman's tears, and as hardened to life as Connor was, he was no exception.
Guiltily, Connor got up from his desk and awkwardly took her in his arms to comfort her. That familiar black orchid perfume of hers wafted into his nostrils, driving him crazy. Despite the shit she had pulled, she was a desirable woman, and once again, she was in his arms.
His cologne overwhelmed her, reminding her of that night they shared nearly two weeks ago. It was probably one of the most passionate nights of her life…if he had gone through with it, that is. She let herself lean into his hard chest for a mere second, allowing herself that elusive dream of safety and comfort before pulling away. She didn't need his protection. She could do this all on her own.
"So will you sign this contract with me or not?" Kristen demanded, feeling stupid for letting her emotions get the best of her.
Connor hesitated. If he hadn't seen it himself, he wouldn't have believed that she had actually been in his arms a second ago. There was no sign of her watery eyes anymore. She had pulled herself together effortlessly.
"Why are you doing this to yourself?” he asked quietly. She would be torn apart every time she saw John.
"Because I have no other choice. I can't let the two of you haunt me forever,” she said the last part jokingly, but they both knew that there was a certain amount of truth in it. She had no idea that the thought of her haunted Connor and John just as much.
Wordlessly, Connor took the contract from her small hands, signing the bottom of the contract where his signature was required, and handing it to her, he watched her do the same with shaky hands.
