by Sherri Hayes
***
With a huge smile that wouldn’t go away, Jason pulled into Lisa’s apartment complex. She’d told him of Matthew’s addition to the gala invitation and how that’d come about. Then there was her interruption and the awkward moment between Cali and Matthew two days ago.
As he rode in the elevator, he thought back to the look on Matthew’s face when he saw Cali coming down the stairs tonight. Jason laughed. His brother was a goner. Strike that. His brother was already gone.
Knocking on the door, it only took a few seconds for Lisa to open it. “Hi,” she whispered in that soft sexy voice he loved. Yep, that’s right, loved. He wasn’t going to be stupid about it like Matthew.
Lisa stood before him in stocking feet, still wearing her work clothes minus her harsh suit jacket. She’d unbuttoned the top three buttons of her stiff blouse and he could see just a hint of the treats lying beneath the silk fabric. She was sex on legs, and she was his.
Stepping inside, he kicked the door closed behind him and turned the lock.
Reaching out with his other hand, he snaked it around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. “Hi,” he breathed back at her.
She leaned into him, feeling the beginnings of his arousal. “I made dinner,” she said weakly.
“Later,” was his reply before capturing her mouth in a kiss that was anything but chaste.
Her answer was to bring her hands up to his chest and begin unbuttoning his shirt. Man, he loved this woman!
They only made it as far as the couch. Luckily, he had some protection in his wallet thanks to his recent purchase. His last coherent thought before he surrendered to her warmth was that he hoped Matthew was at least half as grateful as he was for his foresight.
Chapter 27
Matthew and Cali arrived at the gala right on time. It was held downtown in one of Chicago’s finest hotels. The valet opened Cali’s door, and Matthew met her, offering his arm. She took it, and they walked quietly into the stunning hotel. The second floor lobby was full of men in tuxedos and women in fancy ball gowns.
Once they stepped out of the elevator, the high society atmosphere permeated the room. It’d been years since Cali had been to one of these. She’d felt so out of place back then, on her father’s arm. This was different though. Tonight she was here as the acting CEO of Stanton Enterprises. And tonight it wasn’t her father’s arm.
Cali glanced over at her companion. He was watching her. “Are you ready?” She smiled back at him and nodded. Placing a gentle arm around her, he moved her through the outer area and into the vast ballroom.
Matthew’s eyes took a quick survey of the room, noting the exits. He also registered the various security measures including several guards stationed around the room. It was good to know he wouldn’t be acting completely alone should something unplanned arise. At least he could count on having trained assistance.
His eyes fell on one of the security guards a second time. Charles. Just then, the man looked in Matthew’s direction as if sensing someone watching him. His face broke out into a grin, which Matthew mirrored right back.
Charles Westbrook had been a close friend of his father when he was growing up.
He’d taken a confused Matthew under his wing and helped him find the focus he’d needed when he couldn’t decide what to do with his life after college.
Cali’s movement beside him drew his attention back to her. She was looking up at him with a concerned look on her face. “Everything okay?”
The smile he gave her was genuine. “Yeah. Just saw an old friend is all.”
“Oh. Well…um. Are you ready to do some mingling?”
With one last glance at Charles, he turned his full attention to her. “Lead the way. I’m at your full disposal tonight.”
Cali’s eyes locked with his for a moment, and she swallowed. He seemed to catch the double meaning of his words a moment too late, and she looked away.
Finding the first face in the crowd she recognized, she headed toward it.
***
At eight, everyone took their seats while dinner was served. It was a delicious five-course meal, and by the end, Cali was stuffed. As the waiter came to take the final plates away, Jackson Gerber, the CEO of Chicago Memorial, rose from his seat to say a few words. What she wasn’t expecting was a specific mention of Stanton Enterprises.
With his brief remarks complete, a band took their seats in the far corner of the room and began to play. Some couples got up to dance, including two from their table. Cali looked longingly at the dance floor. She loved to dance, but it had been so long. In fact, it had been right here at the gala three years ago.
Cali looked up and found Matthew in front of her with his hand outstretched.
“Would you like to dance?”
She paused for a minute, not sure if she should. If they should. Unfortunately, her body wasn’t having the same doubts as her mind was. She placed her hand in his.
They glided to the dance floor filled with swaying couples. Cali’s stomach was full of nervous butterflies.
Matthew’s right hand pressed into her lower back, pulling her close as his left held her hand in his. The band was playing a smooth waltz, and he easily led them both around the dance floor in step with the music.
After a minute, Cali found her words. “I didn’t know you could dance.”
He smiled. “I’m sure there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
Cali smiled. “Is that so?”
He smiled wider. “I have many, many secrets. I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” He winked. She laughed out loud. Cali had no doubt he told the truth, but Matthew didn’t often let down his guard like this, and she loved it.
They continued to dance to several more songs before her muscles began to protest, and he led her back toward their table. They didn’t make it that far. Five times, various people wanting to talk to Cali intercepted them.
By the time they arrived at the table, it was after eleven, and Matthew noticed Cali leaned more and more of her weight on him for support. “Are you in pain?” he whispered.
She sat down. “Just a little. I’ll be okay though.”
Matthew reached into his pocket and retrieved two of her pain pills. Picking up her water, he handed her both. “Here.”
Cali shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why not? You’re in pain, and you don’t have to be.”
“You’ve seen what happens when I take them. They knock me out. I can’t be falling asleep at the gala. It wouldn’t look right.”
Opening her hand, he forced her to take hold of the water. “It’s after eleven, Cali. You’ve made your appearance. No one is going to think anything if you leave.”
Cali looked around doubtful. She knew he was right, and her muscles did ache.
Dancing had probably not been the best idea, but she wouldn’t have traded it for anything. She sighed. “Okay, let me just say goodbye to Jackson before we go.”
Getting up, she went to put her water down but a hand came out to stop her. She looked up and met his gaze as he said, “Take these first.”
She wanted to argue but didn’t. Taking the pills from Matthew, she put them into her mouth and downed a large drink of water. “Happy?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm.
“Extremely,” he smiled, ignoring her irritation. He stood up. “Shall we?” After reaching for her purse, she walked toward her long time friend and the CEO of Chicago Memorial. With every step she took, she felt Matthew’s hand on her back as he moved with her.
Cali said her goodbyes, but it was almost midnight before they made it to the front of the hotel, and the valet brought their car around. After helping her into the vehicle, Matthew began the short drive back to the house. The roads weren’t busy this late on a Friday night so the drive went quickly.
The woman beside him continued to drift in and out of consciousness. Everyone they ran into on the way out seemed to want to chat. Near the end of the
evening, he practically had to hold her up. It would have been easier to carry her, but he knew that wouldn’t go over well, considering where they were. He didn’t have that same problem when they’d arrived at the house.
Opening her door, he unbuckled her seatbelt and lifted her drowsy body into his arms. Her hands slid around his neck, and her head rested against his shoulder.
The urge to rest his cheek on her head was strong, but he resisted.
Making his way through the house, he managed to reach the steps before she opened her eyes and lifted her head. “Are we home?” she slurred.
“Yes. I’m just going to get you up to bed, and you can sleep.”
Cali’s eyes came open a little more, and he saw that stubborn set of her chin. “Put me down; I can walk.”
She was already starting to squirm, so he set her on her feet. Cali managed to make it halfway up before she stumbled. He was only a few steps behind, watching her. Immediately, his hands went out to catch her as she fell back. Her momentum caused him to have to twist and bend in order to break her fall so neither of them would be hurt.
With his left arm braced behind her upper back and his right wrapped around her waist, Matthew had to use his knee to balance her lower back.
Cali looked up, his face inches from hers, holding a hint of fear. She’d been about to fall, and he’d caught her.
Her hand came up and caressed the side of his face. His eyes closed. Cali’s own lids drifted shut. She slid her hand around to Matthew’s neck and began to pull herself closer to him.
She licked her lips and felt his breath wash over them as his breathing picked up.
He was so close. His lips, his mouth. So close. Sucking in a deep breath, she moved to close the chasm that seemed to be between her and her goal. Suddenly his arms stiffened, causing her eyes to fly open.
There was no time to take in his expression before he swung her up into his arms and carried her swiftly to her bedroom. Cali’s mind was reeling. At first, she thought he was finally going to give into to whatever this was between them until she saw his face in the moonlight as they entered her room.
Matthew’s expression was not full of passion as she’d hoped. It was a blank mask.
The same one she’d seen countless times before.
He set her on the edge of her bed, took her shoes off, and pulled back the covers.
Then moving toward the door, he said, “Goodnight, Cali. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.”
With that, the door closed with a final click.
Chapter 28
Matthew woke the next morning just after eight. It’d been a late night, and he hadn’t fallen asleep until well after one. He sat up and swung his legs to the floor.
Looking out the window, he saw the gray clouds; there was a light mist falling.
Normally that wasn’t something he minded. He’d just sit with a good book or put in some extra hours at the office. But this wasn’t a normal day. Today he would most likely spend the entire time inside the house with Cali.
He groaned and pushed himself off the bed, heading for the shower across the hall. The house was quiet. She must still be sleeping, which was a good thing. He needed more time to figure out how everything got so screwed up.
Stepping under the spray, he let the warm water work the tension out of his muscles. Shutting his mind off except for what he was currently doing, he let the bathroom fill with steam. When he stepped out, the room reminded him of a sauna.
After wiping off the mirror and shaving, he hurried back to his room to get dressed. Slipping on a pair of jeans, he reached for his wallet and put the items he’d taken with him last night to the gala back inside. It was a habit. He didn’t typically carry a full wallet when he was on assignment, only the basic necessities, and that hadn’t changed last night. The chances that he’d need his wallet today were slim, but again, it was habit.
As per his usual, he double-checked to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. When he moved his last twenty-dollar bill, something caught his eye, and he stopped moving. What in the… There between the money was a single condom.
He wasn’t in the mood for this today, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out who had put it there and how. Closing the wallet, he roughly shoved it into his pocket.
He grabbed his cell and ran downstairs as quickly as he could without making any unnecessary noise.
Matthew went straight to Alvin’s study and closed the door. He leaned against it with his eyes closed, trying to calm down. He was going to kill his brother. What was he thinking?
Before he could stop himself, he dialed Jason’s cell. His brother picked up on the fourth ring with a groggy hello. Apparently, Matthew had woken him up. He didn’t care. He was seeing red. “What do you think you’re doing!”
“Well good morning to you too, little brother.”
“Tell someone who wants to hear it, Jason. I asked what you think you’re doing? And don’t tell me it wasn’t you.”
Jason laughed. “Found my little presents, did you?”
“Jason…” Matthew’s voice drifted off, and he paused as he caught exactly what he’s brother had said. “What do you mean presents?” Jason laughed again, a full belly laugh this time. “Jason,” Matthew said through gritted teeth.
“Sorry,” Jason said, sounding anything but. “I’m guessing then you only found the one in your wallet. Didn’t open your nightstand this morning?”
“No.” Matthew was pacing now. “Why are you doing this, Jason? Why can’t you just stay out of it?”
“Because you can’t seem to see what’s right in front of you. You have a beautiful woman who you’re attracted to, who appears to be attracted to you in return, and you’re doing what? Nothing.”
“She’s. My. Boss.”
“Can it, Matthew. And while you’re at it, get over it. She’s going to be your boss for another two months and then what? Are you seriously going to just let her walk away? Matthew, I know you better than anyone. She’s different and you know it. So don’t blow it.” Jason paused. “Now. If you don’t mind, I’m going to get some lovin’ of my own,” Jason said just before disconnecting the call.
Matthew stood staring at the phone in disbelief. Rubbing his hand over his face and hair, he knew he was just as confused as ever. Putting the phone into his pocket, he opened the study doors and marched toward the kitchen.
He heard Cali moving around upstairs. She’d be coming down for breakfast soon, and he still had no idea what he was going to say to her. He’d almost kissed her last night. Again. And the problem was that he wanted to kiss her. It wasn’t possible though, no matter what Jason said.
So putting it out of his head, he reached in the refrigerator to see what Jessie had left for them. He wasn’t disappointed. There was a large bowl of cut fruit with a note saying there were muffins in the cabinet to the right of the sink. He had set everything out on the island and had just reached for the forks when he heard her on the stairs. Stay calm, he told himself. Just act normal.
Cali slowly walked down the staircase. She could hear Matthew moving about in the kitchen and braced herself. With a deep breath, she entered. Matthew stood with his back to her, reaching into the silverware drawer. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt that stretched over the expanse of his shoulders as he moved.
Shifting his weight, he turned around to face her. “Good morning.” He smiled.
***
Okay, Cali thought. She could do this.
Taking the final steps into the room, she took her usual seat at the counter.
“Good morning.”
Matthew didn’t say anything more. He just took a seat beside her and began eating.
She stole several glances at him, but he focused on his food. Finally, as he stabbed the last piece of his fruit onto his fork, he spoke but didn’t look at her. “Did you have anywhere you needed to go today? I know my presence is intrusive, but it shouldn’t stop you from your normal activiti
es. I’ll try to make myself as inconspicuous as possible.”
Cali froze. Was he really doing this? Again? Was he really just going to ignore what had happen? What kept happening?
Oh no. No!
Placing her fork inside her bowl with more force than necessary, she stood abruptly and walked to the sink. He is not doing this again! Screamed in her head.
The bowl clattered against the stainless steel surface as she, not so gently, released it. Standing with her hands gripping the sink, she tried to breathe.
Feeling Matthew approach, she whirled around to face him ready to do battle.
“Cali?” His voice was full of concern. “What’s—”
She didn’t let him finish. Could he really be this clueless? “Don’t you dare ask me what’s wrong!”
He stood silent watching her. Cali’s hands were clenched into fists full of frustration. “You’re really going to do this, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question. “Again.”
Cali’s hands came up to pull her hair back in frustration before aggressively forcing them back down to her sides. She couldn’t do this anymore. “I give up,” she said and then pushed off the counter to walk away.
Matthew grabbed her arm to stop her. “Cali?”
She stopped and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her emotions before they boiled over. It took a while, but finally she was able to speak in a normal tone albeit a clipped one. “How many times?” she asked. “And then you close down and act like nothing happened.”
He released her arm, letting his own fall to his side. She really wasn’t expecting him to answer. Well she was, but she was expecting something along the lines of “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Three,” he said, his voice flat.
This brought her head up, and she turned around so she could see his face. Was he really answering her? Did he really remember?
