“Bad girl…” he whispered.
Bad Girl, she decided, was just as inspiring as Good Girl. “Off to space…”
“Subspace, Maxine…” he corrected her.
Like a turtle, the car inched along in the evening theater traffic, crawling along a mere foot at a time. Anticipation, she found, was much more painful than a spanking, yet his secrecy filled her with titillation. They couldn’t be heading back to her place, especially not with the threat of Ben popping in at any time. She could never face her best friend again if he caught them mid-scene, and she could just sense that Drew had some rough play on his mind that evening. All of that pent-up passion he’d curtailed throughout the week didn’t settle kindly with his disposition.
“Got an itch that you can’t seem to scratch there, Maxine?”
“Yes, Sir…”
“Oh, poor baby,” he said, his voice full of faux empathy. “It’s going to be a long while yet.”
“Long while?” she nearly shouted at him, even though they were barely sitting centimeters apart.
“You know, little one, I think on our next outing, it’s time we made a trip down to the New York Public Library,” he said.
“The library, Sir?”
“Questioning my every motive this evening, Maxine. Infraction Number three…” Shaking his head in dismay, he framed her face with his hands. “The library. You need to meet the lions that guard the front doors. Mayor LaGuardia named them Patience and Fortitude during the depression—but I think those are two qualities that perhaps we should apply to your submission...”
“Patience, Sir...” She bucked her hips just a little against the seatbelt. “And fortitude.”
“My hands are completely full with you, aren’t they?” Drew asked. “I think I’ve actually bitten off a bit more than even I can chew.”
“Sorry, Sir, but when you…it’s like…if you would spank…”
“Ah-ha!” Drew’s voice carried loudly between them. “What did I tell you, Maxine? What frightened you initially, you would beg for later. Who wants another spanking?”
“Yeah,” she said with one thorough nod, then sheepishly turned away. All the while, Lou just seemingly ignored them from the driver’s seat. “Sir…”
“Now, straighten your ass out, little one. It’s early yet, and my Dad’s probably still here.”
“Your father?” she choked as the car came to a sudden stop. However, Maxine wasn’t even paying attention to their locale, so consumed was she by the heady arousal lingering between them.
“Oh, hush. He doesn’t bite,” he assured her, then quipped, “like I do.”
“Drew, where—”
However, he’d already opened the door and held it for her as he stood on the curb with the look of utmost impatience glaring in his icy blue gaze. “Get out of the car now, Maxine.” However, beneath that chilly order, she could see a smile curving ever so slyly upon his lips. “And take a closer look around you…”
Popping her head as she hopped out of the backseat, Maxine’s eyes widened in wonder. Lit up like a grand Broadway marquis before them, the sign—emblazoned in bright white lights—illuminated nearly the entire block of Fifth Avenue.
McKenzie’s.
“Drew…I mean, Sir…this is…it’s your parents’…I …er…I…”
“Time to do a little dress shopping, little one,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “We have a party to attend next weekend.”
“But we can’t just…I mean…you…”
“So, Mack, you want me to wait here?” Lou called out.
“Nah, consider yourself off for the rest of the night,” Drew said. “We can cab it in the morning…”
“The morning?” she squealed. Oh, she just had too many questions.
However, Drew didn’t answer her as a deep voice that she didn’t recognize called out in the darkness, interrupting her interrogation.
“Mack! Over here…”
Chapter Six
Thick arms wrapped around Maxine, pulling her close to a heavy but soft cashmere coat. While she endeavored to make sense of what was happening, she also struggled to breathe.
“You must be the lady of the hour. Pleased to meet you, Maxine…”
“Uh, Dad…?” Drew said, taking a step forward. “Before you suffocate her, allow me to properly introduce you…”
As Maxine dared to look upward, she recognized that face immediately, but the stern images she’d seen online weren’t an accurate representation of this warm, bear-hugging man who towered above her.
“Oh, cut out the formalities, Mack,” his father said and reached for Maxine’s tiny hand in his firm and steady grip. “Declan McKenzie. And please do call me Declan.”
“Declan,” Maxine smiled up into those green eyes that were a close match to her own.
Although Drew didn’t take after his father at all, Maxine couldn’t deny that Declan was a handsome man. He was coming upon his sixty-fourth birthday soon, and his thick silvery hair groomed to perfection gave him that mature, gallant appearance of a man who kept himself well. Father hovered at least two inches above his son with a hulking but non-threatening presence, and his ruddy complexion afforded him an approachable air. In fact, Drew told her that his father often took it upon himself to take a few shifts as Santa Claus every year during the holiday season at the store. He was just that kind of sweet, jovial man—without the white beard and the round belly.
“And it’s not me that you have to worry about,” he spoke to Maxine in a stage whisper. “It’s the Mrs.”
“Dad, stop teasing her—she gets enough from me,” Drew scolded his own father. “My mother is quite a genteel lady, I shall have you to know.”
“Just overprotective.”
“Maxine’s father collects guns, Dad,” Drew told him as her cheeks splotched with heat. “I think she wins this round.”
“Well…you know, Mack, we do have the right to bear arms in this fine country…” Declan said a little too quickly. Liberal New Yorkers loathed the mention of artillery, but he held his own opinions in check. “But you better watch yourself. He might aim one at you if you don’t take proper care of his daughter.”
Maxine couldn’t help but giggle as Declan smiled and winked.
“Your son is a great man, Declan,” Maxine assured him. “I think my father will let him live.”
“Hey—she’s funny, too! I like this gal,” he said to Drew. “So, you’re here to find a gown for the Gala, are you? I’ve got my best associate waiting to help you. And don’t worry about keeping her late. I’m paying her double for any overtime.”
Generosity, Maxine realized, ran rampant in the McKenzie clan, and that notion just warmed her heart.
“I’m paying for this evening, Dad,” Drew insisted.
“Oh, stop!” Declan waved his hand in the air. “One dress isn’t going to obliterate your inheritance!”
“I am not my billionaire brother who shops here for free!” Drew shot back, wondering when the last time Adam McKenzie actually bought his own wardrobe. “I have a conscience. And I’ve got my lovely Maxine’s outfit covered. As well as anything else that strikes her fancy in that big old store.”
“We’ll argue about it later. Right now, I have a dinner date with my Maggie,” Declan said, then turned once more to Maxine. “Again, it was a pleasure meeting you, and we’re so looking forward to spending time with you next weekend, Maxine.”
“Likewise, and it was ever so wonderful to meet you…”
“Marry this one,” Declan spoke directly into his son’s ear before he raced to the curb for his own waiting chauffeur. “Have a good night, kids!”
“Uh, did I just meet your father?”
“Apparently so…”
How serious this whole relationship had suddenly grown within the matter of a car ride across town.
“Drew!” she yelped as he lifted her off her feet and struggled his way through the revolving door. “Aren’t we a little late here to shop?�
��
When Drew said he'd take care of her outfit for Maggie’s big event, Maxine had no idea he meant that he'd send her on a Cinderella spree. This gesture, while quite a lovely one, was just so excessive, and part of Maxine just wanted to crawl under the La Prairie counter and hide.
“You heard my dad—he’s keeping the store open just for you, little one.”
“But…” As a small group of last-minute shoppers rushed to the exit and stared at them all the while, Maxine decided rather suddenly that she needed to stop protesting. Life was too short to engage in arguments that shouldn’t have been started in the first place. “Thank you, Drew. And thanks to your father, too. That’s very sweet of him to go to those lengths just so that I can find a dress.”
“You are fully deserving, little one,” Drew said, spinning on his heels just to hear that laugh he’d come to adore. “But that’s not to say you’ll be without punishment tonight.”
“Uh-oh…” She did her best to hide her smile. “Little one’s in trouble.”
“You bet she is…” he promised.
The size of the first-floor showroom nearly knocked the last breath out of her. Perhaps Bloomingdales was bigger, but not quite as grand. Fresh flowers decorated many of the displays, their vases brimming with autumnal bouquets. Chandeliers hung overhead, glittering the cathedral ceilings with refractions of light. The mingling aromas of designer perfumes all wafted toward her nose at once. She had no idea how one could actually choose a scent in a store like that with such strong competing notes filling the air. In fact, Maxine couldn’t believe that there were seven floors above them.
“Just for us,” he said, laughing with her as the last customer made his way to the exit. “I wanted to make your first trip to McKenzie’s a memorable one.”
“Spoiling me again,” she said as she slithered down his chest while he eased her to the ground.
“Nah,” he waved his hand, dismissing her comment. “It’s not spoiling when you appreciate things so much.”
Drew’s world just seemed to stop in her presence. Maxine could melt his heart with the corniest of chatter, and drive him into oblivion with her ravenous curiosities. He’d never met anyone quite like her, and while she remained convinced that it was he who lured her into his life, she had managed to ensnare him like none other.
And every second that passed, he couldn’t fight his sneaking suspicion that there was just something different about this connection they shared—something fierce and fast. Drew could only hope that she wouldn’t slip away as quickly as she fell into his life.
“And right now, you have a meeting with a personal shopper who has generously stuck around this evening just for you,” he said.
Taking his hand, she entwined her fingers with his. That notion of selecting something to wear for his mother’s social event of the season overwhelmed Maxine. “You’ll help me choose?”
“I have to have my tux fitted, little one,” he said. “Dad kept the tailor late, too. I think your tastes are quite capable of selecting something stunning. Besides, I’d love to be surprised.”
“But Drew, I have no idea what I’m doing here!” she panicked. “I can’t possibly do this on my own…”
With a grin, he touched his finger to the tip of her nose. “I beg to differ, and now…it’s time to meet your guide for the next couple of hours. I’ll see you later tonight…”
It was then that a tall, suited blonde, with a perfect pageboy cut and rather dull brown eyes, stepped out of what seemed nowhere and introduced herself to Maxine.
“Miss Kirk,” the youngish woman extended a hand as Maxine moved closer. “I'm Sophie Turner, and it's a pleasure to meet you this evening...”
“You as well, Miss Turner,” Maxine said, then followed along as Sophie ushered her through the maze of counters toward the back of the store to the elevator banks. Drew merely smiled and waved good-bye as Maxine turned her head, her face cloaked in absolute panic while her eyes pleaded for him to join them. “And thank you for staying so late on a Friday night for us.”
“It’s no problem,” Sophie assured her with a genuine smile. “So, I understand you have Mrs. McKenzie’s huge party to attend next weekend in the Hamptons,” Sophie continued, hurrying Maxine along through the empty store. “Black tie...”
Until that morning, Maxine's only other experience shopping at such a high-end department store had been her little splurge with Ben at Bloomingdale's. However, that day, she only had to focus on simple, casual everyday wear. Maxine knew absolutely nothing about haute couture and the thought of choosing the perfect outfit for his mother’s shindig—even with the help of a professional—terrified Maxine to death.
Suddenly, she found herself being escorted in a private elevator, through a few winding hallways...then on to a set of doors that required a passcode for entry. For a moment, Maxine felt as if she were on her way to Drew’s penthouse.
Sophie opened the door to the luxury lounge filled with silk upholstered chairs and couches in shades of cream and ice blue, a carved mahogany vanity, gilded mirrors and one bottle of Perrier Jouët propped in an ice bucket on the table.
“The champagne is courtesy of Mr. McKenzie...” Sophie was quick to point out.
Maxine knew she shouldn’t even dare one sip. Just as she was about to protest, though, she realized his motive. He wanted her to lose just enough control to feel comfortable. Oh, that man knew her better than Maxine knew herself.
“He does think of everything,” Maxine smiled, knowing full well that she'd need a glass to make it through the evening.
So lost in her surroundings, Maxine had completely missed the rack of designer gowns in every color imaginable with selections from Alexander McQueen, Reem Acra, Elie Saab and other venerated names in fashion—labels that she’d only associated with the Red Carpet arrivals at the Oscars.
Absolutely flustered by her choices, she had no idea where to even start, as Sophie rambled on about shoes, a handbag, and jewelry. Jewelry? Well, she had her emerald ring that her father got her for graduation. No, she didn’t have any idea how she planned to wear her hair. Oh, this was the most humiliating moment of her life—next only to the night Drew forced her to order condoms then answer the door to retrieve the delivery.
“Your champagne, Miss Kirk?”
Maxine wasn’t certain how long Sophie had been holding the flute and the bottle, so lost in her own confusion was she.
“Um, yes, please, Miss Turner...” Make that a double, she added to herself.
There were simply too many selections—jewel tones, pastels, neutrals, silk, satin, chiffon—and with every gown that Maxine tried on, she felt as if she were standing in someone else’s body. So far, she’d made six trips into the fitting room, and none of the dresses seemed to flatter her tiny, pale frame.
However, just as Maxine prepared to give up in frustration, Sophie plucked a dress from the rack and handed it to Maxine with a grin. “Try this one,” she encouraged. “The shade will enhance the beautiful green in your eyes...”
Reluctantly, Maxine took the gown and retreated back to the dreaded dressing room once more. She cast the little silk robe aside, and took a solid look at herself in the mirror. Although she felt like the two-ton elephant in the room, even Maxine realized that she still looked a bit gaunt. All of these dresses seemed to be strapless, this latest one included, and her shoulders were the most obvious clue to her eating disorders.
However, she stepped very slowly into the delicate folds of material. With a cursory look at herself, Maxine managed a half-smile before she stepped outside the curtain and asked Sophie to zip the back.
The dress was absolutely exquisite—elegant yet classic from the House of Monique Lhullier. The dark teal strapless gown with a ruched sweetheart neckline did indeed bring out the color in Maxine’s eyes.
Draped in the softness of flowing chiffon, she adored the tiny train that puddled so perfectly at her feet. For a moment, she wondered how comfortable Drew would be
with her showing so much skin—from her bare shoulders to the dip of the neckline at her breasts. However, he did remind her that he trusted her decision.
Trust…there was that damn word again.
To complete the look, Maxine pulled her hair into a faux French knot, then turned to Sophie, desperate for assurance.
“My…” Maxine stopped herself as she considered her image in the mirror once again. “My shoulders…I’d like to cover them up…”
“We can find you a shawl to match, and you’ll need one regardless,” Sophie said. “It might be a bit chilly this time of the year.”
This lady seemed to have an answer for everything. And she wasn’t about to allow Maxine to exert any negativity over her body. She was a lovely young woman, dressed in a beautiful gown. Maxine needed to accept herself for once.
“Honestly, Miss Kirk,” Sophie began, “I think you’ve found your dress...”
“Really?” Maxine had to ask. “You think he’ll like it?”
“If he doesn’t love you in this gown—dump him!” She was already pouring Maxine a celebratory toast.
However, as Maxine accepted the glass, she caught a quick glimpse of the price tag, and nearly spit the bubbly all over herself.
Four. Thousand. Dollars.
Maxine had never spent that much money on anything other than her college tuition—let alone a dress she’d likely only wear once. She did realize that some women spent far more on bridal couture, but she just never understood the point of such expenditures. Sadness overwhelmed her suddenly. She simply couldn’t go through with the purchase, regardless of the fact that Drew’s parents owned the store.
“You know...maybe this isn’t the one...” Maxine said, shrugging as she looked longingly at the pretty girl in that exquisite gown in the mirror. In truth, she’d never felt so alluring in her life, yet that was no excuse to just blow Drew’s money on one single dress.
“Mr. McKenzie insisted that I remind you that money isn’t an object, Miss Kirk,” Sophie said. “In fact, he said he’ll buy the dress anyway if you attempt to walk out of here empty-handed this evening.”
WRAPPED: The Manhattan Bound Series, Book Two Page 10
