Deanna Lee

by Barenaked Jane (lit)

  Closing the door to the hall, I took a deep breath, walked sedately to the small unused office in the middle of the hallway, scooted in, and had myself one fine ass-shaking victory dance. I heard a chuckle just as I’d gotten to the Rocky Balboa arms-in-the-air part.

  I jerked around and found Mathias sitting at a table in the office that apparently was no longer unused. “Oh.”

  “Christ, if I give you a hundred bucks would you do that again?” He leaned back in the chair he was in and grinned at me.

  I flushed and shut the office door. “What are you doing in here?”

  “Mercy gave me permission to use this as the command center for the security team. Currently I’m using it to study the building plans.”

  I glanced briefly at the blueprints on the desk and then met his gaze. “I see.” Slowly, I relaxed and walked toward the table. “I just had the best thing happen.”

  “Yeah, the Rocky part sort of sealed that up for me.” He stood and walked around the table. “That was adorable, by the way.”

  “Grown women don’t appreciate being called adorable.” I took a step back from him when he got too close. “We’re at work.”

  “Yeah, and then you came into my office and shook your sexy little ass.”

  “I didn’t know it was your office.”

  “So tell me your good news.” He touched my jaw with his fingertips, and I had to take another step back to keep from jumping on him.

  “Mercy is giving me my first show. It’s a special focus show, so it’s not like a big pay event.”

  “Special focus?”

  “Yeah. Samuel Castlemen is bringing a special collection that is not for sale to display here. We’ll have a limited ticket-only viewing after the opening of the show.”

  Mathias sighed. “Not the Phases of Woman collection.”

  He actually looked like he was begging me. “Of course it is.”

  “Fuck.” He turned his back on me and walked back to his table. “Where in the building?”

  I walked to the plans. “First floor.” He flipped through the pages and presented the first floor. I put my finger on the special focus gallery. “Here. We’ve used this room with the veranda for these events since we started doing them.”

  He sat down. “When?”

  “Two weeks.” I frowned. “This is good for the gallery.”

  “Yeah, perhaps, but that is a high-profile project, Jane. Two attempts were made to take it from the last gallery it was in. That’s one of the reasons he hasn’t allowed it to travel from his own gallery in Anchorage in nearly two years.”

  “How do you know so much about this artist and his scribbles?” He’d already made his position on how much he valued art very clear, so his knowledge of Sam was a bit of a surprise.

  “Sam is a good friend of my brother’s. I designed the security system in his gallery in Alaska.”

  “So you’ve seen the collection?”

  “Yes, and even met the woman who inspired it. Alicia Castlemen was a truly beautiful and amazing woman, and her son barely did her justice in those paintings. I can understand why he won’t part with them.” Mathias rubbed his face as he stared at the plans. “Is there anything in this room right now?”

  “No. We’d planned to use the space next week for a special showing for the local high school students I work with. They have a regular show space, but we were going to do a special focus event for them as a reward for all of their hard work.”

  “These events are big?”

  “It’s invitation only. Over the summer there was a couple who actually included the invitation in their divorce proceedings.”

  “Who won the invitation?”

  “Since it was issued to the wife, the gallery withdrew the invitation and reissued it to her in her maiden name. Her husband wasn’t a patron of the gallery, and when we heard that he intended to auction it off…well, that was intolerable.”

  “So all guests will be required to sign in, show ID, and have the original invitation?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who prints the invitations?”

  “A company downtown. The invitation will have a distinct watermark, but we’ve had someone duplicate it at least once in the past six months.”

  “How did you know?”

  “We keep the number down to make the event feel more important and special to those who make it through the door. When the guard told me that we’d processed one hundred ten invitations, I knew that there were at least ten fakes in the mix. After that we started putting the invited guest’s name on the invitation instead of just on the envelope.”

  “When will you have the invitation list?”

  “Within the next four days. There are several names that are automatic, including the board of the Holman Foundation. They receive formal invitations while staff does not.”

  “All members of staff will be required at the event?”

  “Yes, the event will have food but we never allow the catering staff to stay. Our sales team will handle the food. At a designated time, the front doors will be closed and locked.”

  “Then your guests will have access to the entire gallery.”

  “Yes. Though most will prefer a guided tour.” I glanced up from the plans and looked over his face. He looked fierce and determined, as if I’d just given him an impossible mission. “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking that I’ve got a lot to do in a very short time.” He reached out, grabbed me, and pulled me into his lap before I could realize his plan.

  I gasped a little when he brought me close to his chest. “Mathias.”

  “Shhh.” He kissed my mouth softly. “Congratulations, Jane.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll make sure my end of things is perfect.”

  He kissed me again, and I opened my mouth against the gentle invasion of his tongue. I curled my hands into his shoulders and moaned softly when he released me. “What? I wasn’t done being kissed.”

  Mathias laughed softly and brushed his lips against my forehead. “Do you really want to come out of this office looking like you’ve been kissed thoroughly?” He let me go with exaggerated slowness. “I promised I wouldn’t do anything in this gallery that could be used against you, Jane. That includes creating situations where people have something to speculate about.”

  “Okay.” Good thing one of us was sane. I slid from his lap. “Thanks.”

  “Save your thanks for later.”

  “Oh yeah?” I laughed softly and walked toward the door. “When?”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  It was almost one o’clock when Charlie showed up. He’d never once, in all the time that I’d known him, showed up without an invitation. I watched him cross the bull pen and tried not to frown when he came into my office and shut the door.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, I was hoping I could take you to lunch.” He leaned on the doorknob as he spoke.

  Charlie Wallace was everything I thought I needed, yet as I looked at him, I found nothing about him attractive. Mathias had ruined me, and that was irritating. “Sure, sounds good.”

  It was also probably a good idea to get Charlie out of the gallery before he and Mathias crossed paths. Promises aside, I doubted seriously that Mathias would take meeting my 2 A.M. friend with any kind of grace. I stood up and went for my coat.

  Charlie met me at the coat stand and helped me with gentle hands. “We should see more of each other; I’ve missed you.”

  I frowned as I buttoned my coat. That did not sound good. He’d never even come close to saying something like that to me in the past. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re going to lunch.”

  He said it in that patient tone that I’d seen him use on people he thought were stupid. I went back to my desk and grabbed my purse and my PDA. “Do you have reservations?”

  “Of course—you know I hate to wait.”

  I turned to watch him run his fingers through his blond
hair and thought he probably practiced that a lot. Not only had Mathias ruined me, he’d made me cynical of men. I wondered what Charlie’s moves were and if I’d fallen for any of them.

  We made it all the way to dessert before I found out why he’d come to see me out of the blue.

  “My mother is canceling lunch.”

  God loves me. I tried to frown. “Oh, well, that’s okay. You didn’t actually take me out to lunch to ‘break it to me’ did you?” I laughed softly.

  “The thing is, Jane, she’s had you investigated.”

  Investigated. Did average people really do that?

  “I see.” I put down my fork and picked up my napkin. “And?”

  “She finds your past distasteful.”

  “I find her investigation of me presumptuous and distasteful.” I folded the napkin and put it beside my plate with exaggerated care.

  “Presumptuous?”

  “Yeah. It obviously wasn’t clear to her that I was just fucking you.” I was angry. Angry that Katherine Wallace had investigated me and found out things that were none of her business.

  “We’re more than that.”

  “No. We weren’t.”

  “Jane.”

  “Look, Charlie, you’re a decent guy and I enjoyed seeing you, but it is obvious that your mother has plans for you that don’t include a woman of my background.”

  “I don’t care about any of that.” He reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “I defended you, Jane. You’re an amazing and thoughtful woman, and I’m honored to know you. Once my mother gets to know you…things will be different.”

  “Gets to know me?” I asked with a sigh.

  “Jane, we’re good together. I can see us together long term.”

  Now, that thought made me want to run away. Fast. “Charlie, I’m not interested in anything serious, and if I were I certainly couldn’t be serious about a man whose mother is such a—a…nosy, interfering witch. She thinks I’m not good enough for you, and I’m not all that interested in changing her mind.”

  “You aren’t being fair to her.”

  I pulled my hand free from his. “You be sure to let her know that I have no intention of sullying her precious family tree with my questionable background.”

  “Jane.” He stood when I did and reached out for me.

  “Don’t touch me.” I jerked on my coat with shaking hands. I was so angry that I could barely think, and this asshole thought it was no big deal. “I’m sure you’ll have no problem replacing me for your event on Friday.”

  “Janie.”

  “Ask your mommy, Charlie. I’m sure she has a list of acceptable women for you.”

  “She finds my past distasteful.”

  “You take that witch off the gallery mailing list.” Mercy propped her bare feet up on the corner of her desk and glared at me. “I want the whole family off the list.”

  I laughed. “She’s stupid with her money; it would be a mistake to exclude her. It isn’t personal for me.”

  “The woman had you investigated and found you unacceptable for her son.” Mercy opened a desk drawer and pulled out a hair clip. “I hate people like that.”

  “The truth is that I’m sort of relieved.”

  “You wanted a reason, outside of Mathias, to get rid of Charlie.”

  I laughed softly and shrugged. “I can’t have the man thinking that I’m giving in to his demands. Though I have to tell you, I was finished with Charlie the morning I opened my apartment door and found Mathias standing there. Today when I was at lunch with him, I couldn’t even imagine getting naked with him.”

  “I see.”

  “Mathias isn’t a man you can just put out of your head when it’s convenient. He’s penetrating.”

  Mercy laughed outright. “Yeah. I imagine he is.”

  “Dirty mind.” I smiled against my will and then laughed softly. “I’d hate to meet their daddy; he must be one fine, amazing man.”

  “Will Montgomery is certainly a stunning man and not just for his face. I find him to be entertaining and thoughtful. He made every effort to put me at ease in his home when I went to visit.”

  It was weird how she talked about meeting Shame’s parents. Like it was no big deal. But then maybe for her it wouldn’t be. Mercy Rothell came from old New York money and could trace her family back to Jamestown. It wasn’t fair to think about her like that, and I was almost immediately ashamed of myself.

  I cleared my throat. “Katherine Wallace will talk. It won’t take long for her entire social set to know where I come from and what happened to me. My past is probably more violent than most of those people can deal with.”

  “And?”

  “Are you sure you want me to handle the Castlemen show?”

  “Yes.” She frowned at me. “Don’t make me mad.”

  Laughing, I stood and shoved my hands into the pockets of my slacks. “I just don’t want the gallery to suffer.”

  “Katherine Wallace may be a big deal in her little world, but she’s nothing in the scheme of things. James Brooks could buy and sell that woman and her entire family ten times over and still have enough money to roll around in naked every Friday night.”

  The image of the very manly and sexy James Brooks rolling around naked in money was actually rather interesting. I considered it for a few seconds. “You know who he reminds me of?”

  “Pierce Brosnan.”

  “Yeah.” I glanced at her. “Like in that movie with Rene Russo.” Okay, I had to get that image out of my mind or I’d never be able to look at James again. “We went too far.”

  “Agreed.”

  “I’m going to go out and see Lisa. Want to come?” I looked toward her.

  “I have plans or I would. Tell her I’ll be out later in the week.”

  “Sure.”

  8

  As naked men went, the one in front of me was a stellar example of the male of our species. Every bit of him was cut and defined. His cock, semi-erect, lay against his thigh, and he had one arm thrown up above his head. Dark red hair was spread out on the pillow he had his head on, and I thought for sure that I’d seen him before.

  “I can never get a pretty man to lay around my apartment like that.”

  Lisa Millhouse glanced over her shoulder at me and grinned. “Jane.”

  I walked into the barn and closed the door. “I should’ve called.”

  “No, we’re running long. You’ve actually saved Marshall from another hour of torture.” She picked up a towel and rubbed at her clay-covered hands. “Darlin’, you can dress and go. I’ll need you again tomorrow.”

  Marshall stood from the platform he was on and offered me a grin as he stood. “Ms. Tilwell.”

  My mouth dropped open as I made the connection as to where I’d seen him before. It took me a few seconds to find his full name. “Marshall Banks, go put on some clothes.” I turned my glare on Lisa as he walked off toward a stall to dress. “Lisa!”

  “What?” She laughed and walked toward a sink in the back of the barn.

  “He’s a child.”

  “I’m nineteen, ma’am.” Marshall yelled from the stall. “And my dad said it was okay.”

  “Shut up and go home, Marshall.” I followed Lisa to the sink. “Is this a conflict of interest?”

  “Look, Jane, he’s of age.”

  “What would James Brooks think if he knew you were trolling the Holman Arts Academy for models?”

  “My involvement in the academy is minimal, and besides, James knows.” She glanced up from washing her hands. “I had him help the kid with the contract. Don’t be such a prude.”

  “I’m not a prude.” I crossed my arms over my breasts and glanced back at Marshall, who was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “Go home.”

  He laughed softly. “You sure are cute, Ms. Tilwell. I’ll be at the gallery on Monday as planned. I have permission to work with your high school project through the end of the semester for credit.”

  �
�Fine.” I was silent as he left the barn and then turned to look at Lisa. “How am I supposed to look at him now?”

  “With more appreciation. That young man is stunning. I can’t believe you’ve never noticed how yummy he is.” Lisa yanked off the flannel shirt she was wearing, tossed it on a beat-up desk next to the sink, and stared at me. “What’s up with you?”