“I’m so sorry, Mr. Russo. I didn’t realize I had them until I got home. If I had known you needed them tonight, I would have taken them back to work.”
“Then I would have missed seeing all of you. I’m delighted you forgot.” Adam loved seeing this side of Katie, and he was more than willing to take advantage of the moment. “Why don’t I pour you all a round of wine? I have a very nice Cab out in the car. I’ll just go get the bottle.” He had turned and left before anyone could protest.
“Did you see the way he gave you a very thorough once-over?” Dottie sighed.
“Katie, I’m so glad you’re not letting Jason have that power over you anymore. I’m married to him. Despite all his flaws, I love him. I think your ritual helped me, too. The thing is they were boys in that locker room. Men don’t think like that, anyway the good ones don’t. By the way your Mr. Russo looked at you, he likes you for yourself.” Janie ran out of breath just as the door swung open to admit Adam back in.
“Where are your wine glasses, Katie Did?” he asked, already finding his way to the kitchen. The thought of him rummaging through her kitchen caused goose pimples to run along her skin.
“In the cupboard above the fridge.” Katie rubbed her arms, hoping to hide the effect her boss had on her. Not to mention she was embarrassed that her friends had heard his nickname for her. They were going to have a fun time teasing her after he left.
“Found them. Do you have a tray somewhere?” Adam called from the kitchen.
“Bottom cupboard by the oven,” Katie replied, resigning herself to long-term ribbing from her friends.
Adam walked in a few minutes later with a tray of glasses and a bottle of wine. Making a production of it, he showed the label to everyone, as if they were in a five-star restaurant. Then he wrestled the cork out, and poured a tiny amount into a glass and handed it to Katie.
Deciding to relax and get in the spirit of things, Katie took the glass, swirled the liquid around, placed her nose above the rim and inhaled as she had seen in the movies.
“Perfect, sir, please pour the rest. Thank you.” Katie smiled haughtily at him.
With great fanfare, Adam poured the wine for the rest of her friends. Then he stood straight and waited for them all to taste their drinks. Then he poured himself one and looked for a place to sit down. He finally sat between Katie and Charlene. He wiggled in and seamed to relax.
“Mr. Russo, this wine is great, thanks. If you’re in a hurry, I can get those papers for you.” Katie was nervous having him so close. Electric current traveled the side of her body from shoulder to thigh.
“No hurry. I’m enjoying myself.”
“Shush, this is my favorite part.” Francine watched the TV intently. Katie hadn’t noticed that anyone had switched it back on.
The boy’s voice coming from the television filled the silence, “Come on, let’s go get the shit kicked out of us by love.” On the screen, he grabbed the hand of Liam Neeson and pulled him along.
Embarrassed he’d caught them watching a love story, Katie racked her brain for something to say. “Oh Mr. Russo, I haven’t introduced you.” Her heart thumped an uneven rhythm that refused to be tamed. “Charlene is sitting on the other side of you.” Adam nodded to the redhead.
“And Francine is the one with the blue shirt on, Janie is the Jets jersey, and Dottie is the one with the kitty on her shirt.” Katie finished the introductions as she took her feet out and toweled them up again.
“Nice to meet all of you ladies.” Adam raised his glass in acknowledgement.
“Mr. Russo, since you seem to be staying, why don’t I dump this water out and get some fresh. It’s really relaxing.” God, had she just asked him to join in their girls’ night and have a pedicure?
Adam looked around as they all nodded in agreement that he stay. Then he turned to Katie and raised a devilish eyebrow. “On one condition—all of you, drop the ‘Mr. Russo’ and call me Adam.”
“I think we can do that.” Charlene’s chest rose as she took a deep breath. Katie felt her tummy muscles constrict as her friend’s breast brushed Adam’s arm.
“Okay, I’ll go get this set up for you.” Katie glared at Charlene a minute, stood up to leave and stumbled, splashing water over Adam’s pant leg. What a klutz. The heat of the blush started at her neck and travel to her forehead. “I’m so sorry!”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s only water.”
Without looking at her friends, she bustled to the kitchen. She poured out the water and filled it up with clean fresh water, all the while berating herself for being so clumsy. She sighed as she waited for the tub to fill. It seemed to take forever. After the look she’d watched Charlene give Adam, she wasn’t sure she wanted to leave him with her. Not that she was jealous—yeah right—she just knew Charlene. The bath filled to the line, she hurried back to the living room, being extra careful not to repeat the mishap. As she had feared, Charlene had draped herself over Adam, purring questions about his business into his ear.
“Here you go. Let me take your shoes off and roll up your jeans.” Katie knelt in front of him, hoping to divert his attention away from her friend.
She gently held his ankle, slipped his shoe off, and then the sock. When her hands encountered his bare foot, a shiver ran up her spine. She swallowed and proceeded to do the same with the other. She’d been the one to be distracted at the sensations of rubbing his feet. Taking a deep breath, she tried to remember what to say next, and said the first thing that popped into her mind. “You know, I’ve never seen you in anything but suits. It’s a nice change.” Well, that was stupid.
“Thanks, Katie Did.” At least Adam didn’t think the comment was stupid. He followed her instructions as she rolled up his pants and had him dip his feet in the water. She didn’t need to ask if it was too hot when she saw him close his eyes and then heard him sigh in appreciation.
“Okay, you can soak while we paint our toenails.”
Adam sat a little straighter and opened his eyes. “I draw the line at painting my toenails.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I think red would be a perfect color for you.” Katie rolled back on her heels and considered his feet. She looked around at her friends. “What do you guys think?”
“Yes,” the others chorused, but Charlene leaned over and looked Adam up and down before she answered and when she did, it was a seductive “yes” breathed into his ear. Katie thought she saw him shiver.
“Katie, where do you keep your polish? I want to go see if I can find something for me.” Francine stood abruptly.
“It’s in my bedroom on the bottom shelf of my ladder bookcase.” Katie tried to ignore the painful stab to her heart. Even though she’d denied her feelings for Adam several times, Charlene knew how Katie felt, but still insisted on her seduction.
“Charlene, why don’t you join me? I’m sure you can find a color right for you,” Francine demanded.
“Okay.” Charlene raised a brow but stood to follow Francine from the room.
Katie’s face warmed as all eyes landed on her. She hated the pity in their eyes. So much for keeping her feelings for her boss under wrap. Seemed like everyone knew and Charlene was ignoring it.
Chapter Five
Once in the other room, Francine didn’t even pretend to look for the polish. As soon as Charlene cleared the door, she shut it behind them and whirled on her friend.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Francine asked. “Katie is all a gaga over that man and you’re throwing yourself at him.”
“I know. That’s why I’m doing it,” Charlene explained, as if it made perfect sense and she couldn’t understand why Francine hadn’t thought of it herself.
“What?”
“Katie isn’t doing anything about it. I was hoping to nudge her into action. Adam’s cute, but I have my eye on a photographer I just met. So don’t worry.” Charlene walked past Francine, then bent to look at the polish.
“So, let me get this straight, you’re tr
ying to seduce the man Katie wants so she’ll go after him?”
“Sort of. I don’t really want to seduce him—I’m just pretending. Come on, you better get some polish. After all, isn’t that why we came in here?”
Francine considered her for a moment, then rubbed her chin with her finger. Charlene’s plan just may work. “Okay, but don’t carry it too far, I saw the look on Katie’s face and she was hurt.”
“She was? Seems to be working. I’ll be a good girl the rest of the evening. I promise. In fact, I’ll tell everyone about Jeff, he’s the photographer. That will smooth things over with Katie.”
“Yeah, but Adam’s going to think you’re a tease.”
“Well, I can’t help that. I don’t want to actually go out with the man. If I did, that would hurt Katie worse. I think I’ve given her enough of a nudge. Let’s see what happens.” Charlene picked a color from the shelf. Francine let her take her arm to lead them both back to the living room.
“Thanks, Katie. I found just the right color. I think Jeff will like this.” Charlene winked at Francine.
Francine smiled as she watched the other woman do as she promised. Charlene sat down on the floor instead of where she had been sitting. Stretching out one slender foot, she intertwined tissue through her toes, preparing to paint her nails.
“Who’s Jeff?” Dottie asked.
“He’s a photographer that did my shoot the other day. I think I’m going to ask him out.” Charlene didn’t look up from her paint job.
“You’re not going to wait to see if he asks you out first?” Janie asked.
“Nope. Guys are so stupid when it comes to models.” Charlene gave Janie a disgruntled look. “If I waited for him to get up the nerve, I’d be old and gray.”
* * * *
“I thought you looked familiar. Do you model for magazines, or what?” Adam wondered why the about-face from Charlene. Just when he thought he understood women after all the variety he’d been out with, sometimes he wondered what went through their beautiful heads.
“I do whatever I can get, but it’s mostly magazine ads. That’s where you’ve probably seen me. I did an ad that went into GQ last month.”
“Oh okay, I subscribe to that. I probably saw the ad. I’ll go home and look for it.”
* * * *
Katie listened with a sinking heart. She knew that Francine had probably said something to Charlene in the bedroom. Unfortunately, it looked like the damage had been done. Adam was fascinated with her friend. It was only a matter of time before he asked her out. He’d had Katie start arrangements for a weekend getaway with the woman he had asked her to investigate. Nan Thomas. He would be going to Napa that weekend, and then the next weekend with a woman named Janice Beeman. She was an award-winning chef who owned her own catering business. She was a redhead. He seemed to be partial to them. He usually waited a few weeks between adventures or getaways. She would need to face that something had changed. He was getting restless. If tonight was any indication, he just wasn’t into her.
“Katie Did, are you woolgathering?” Adam asked.
“What?” Katie started out of her thoughts and looked at Adam, her cheeks stinging with embarrassment.
“I asked you what color you were going to do your toes.”
“Oh, since it’s almost Halloween, I thought I’d do orange.”
“Orange? Yuck, that’s an awful color,” Janie said.
“No, it’s not. Look, it’s a deep burnt orange.” Katie held up the bottle for everyone’s inspection.
“I thought you meant bright orange, but that is pretty,” Janie agreed.
“Adam, as soon as I’m finished with my toes I’ll get your feet dried off and we’ll buff your nails. I promise I won’t paint them.” Katie held up the towel for him to put his feet into.
“You ladies are doing your own, I’ll do mine.” The look on Adam’s face said he’d probably enjoy Katie playing with his feet. She bent her head to hide the red she could feel creeping up her neck. She’d blushed more tonight than she had in a lifetime.
Taking a deep breath, she threw caution to the wind. “Nope, I insist. Besides, you’d botch it.”
“Okay, if you insist, I’ll let you. Hey, the movie’s over. Does that mean we all have to leave?” Adam asked.
“No, we aren’t finished. Dottie will you find an episode of Sex and the City and stick it in the DVD player,” Francine instructed.
“Tell us about Jeff, Charlene.” Janie looked up for a moment, the brush held over her big toe.
“He’s tall, dark, and handsome, sort of like Adam here. I thought I’d ask him over to dinner this Friday.” Charlene stuck her foot out to admire her toes.
“I hate to remind you, but you can’t cook.” Dottie’s shoulders shook in a shudder.
“I’m not going to cook. I’m planning to have it catered.”
“For only the two of you? You make way too much money,” Francine stated in disgust.
“No, I don’t. And besides, I found a little Italian place in the village that has great prices,” Charlene argued.
“Mr. Russo, I mean Adam, you go on exciting adventures whenever you take a woman out. When is your next one planned and where are you taking her?” Janie asked. All the women in the room turned their attention to hear Adam’s answer.
* * * *
“Katie can tell you,” Adam said. He really didn’t want to discuss a date he was starting to dread.
“We want you to tell us. Besides, I only make the itinerary,” Katie answered for everyone.
“Okay, but tell me if I’m boring you. This weekend I’ll be taking a former Miss America to Napa Valley where we’ll have a private lunch and wine tour. We’ll fly there on my private plane and we’ll enjoy the wharf of San Francisco before we return to New York. Then I think I’ll take someone to Paris in the near future.” Adam tried to muster some enthusiasm while he spoke, but it just wasn’t there. What in the world was wrong? He’d finally decided to settle down, but he couldn’t even muster up enough enthusiasm to find that one woman.
“I’ve also been toying with the idea of taking Amtrak cross-country. Would that bore any of you?” he asked, looking at Katie. Then he realized he wouldn’t mind being cooped up with her cross-country. Okay, stop right there. Katie was off-limits, he reminded himself. Especially now he knew who her father was. Somehow Logan didn’t seem to be ideal father-in-law material.
“No,” they all chimed in.
“Good, then I think I’ll try it.”
Katie held the towel out for his other foot. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything with her touching his feet. She picked up some green gel and by the smell of it, he thought it might be mint.
Adam held his breath when Katie put a portion of the gel in her hand, lifted his foot, and began to massage the cool gel onto the bottom of it. He’d never had a pedicure, and he realized now what he had been missing. He just hoped she didn’t notice what effect she was having on other parts of his anatomy.
He stared at her bent head. As if she sensed his attention, she looked up and their eyes locked. The noise in the room receded, as if only of the two of them were there.
Adam started to bend toward Katie, but the clearing of a throat brought him back to reality. He looked around guiltily and found the other women in the room smiling, or were they smirking? He couldn’t tell. He smiled back, pretending he hadn’t been about to make a fool of himself over his assistant in a room full of women.
* * * *
The sensation of rubbing lotion over Adam’s foot sent tiny volts of electricity up her arm. Her breath lodged in her chest, making it impossible to breathe normally. Katie bent her head as she finished the massage. If anyone noticed her blush, she’d never hear the end of it. She’d really thought Adam was going to kiss her, and for just a moment, they had been alone in the room. As improbable as that seemed, considering the other women gathered around, she couldn’t deny there had been a moment. She cast a glance at Charle
ne. It was time to fight for her man. He wasn’t technically her man, but if she didn’t do something, she’d never know if they had a chance.
Too soon Adam bid everyone goodbye. He had been the first man to join in their monthly ritual, and Katie hadn’t minded at all. He had the best-looking feet around.
Feeling all eyes on her, Katie glared back. “What?”
“Well, what are you going to do about that man?” Charlene asked.
“Why? So you can go after him for yourself?”
“Sounds like my nudge worked. Feeling a little jealous, are you?” Charlene laughed.
“Charlene doesn’t want Adam. She wants Jeff. Now stop stalling and answer the question.” Dottie folded her arms and raised a brow.
“Office romances never work, you guys know that.” Katie continued to stall. It was one thing to tell yourself to go after him. Quite another to tell your close friends you were going to. If you failed, you had to face them.
“You don’t want an office romance,” Francine observed as if reading her mind.
“No, I don’t.”
“Look Katie, you said earlier in the evening it’s time to unleash the old Katie. Well the old Katie wouldn’t sit around and let that man go.” Janie pointed toward the door Adam had just closed.
“Yes, I’ve been hiding, but there’s nothing to unleash. I’m just going to be me. Does that make sense?” Katie brushed a stray hair behind her ear. She didn’t like being put on the spot. But they’d been her friends for as long as she remembered.
“You mean if you want to dress to kill, you will. If not, you’ll dress in the seventies crap you’ve been wearing forever.” Dottie smirked a little, leaned down, and started to gather up her things.
Katie sighed and gave Dottie a disgruntled look at her last statement. “Yes. All I’ve ever wanted was to be loved for me. Mom tried to tell me I was going about it the wrong way.”
Martinez, Mary - Classic Murder: Mr. Romance (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 5
