Rush: A Second Chance Romance

by Ellen Lane

  But, after Vladimir, she couldn’t help but think this was all surprisingly easy. Sure, the man was complicated, but he’d provided a challenge for her - one that she’d been eager to overcome; and the way he’d reacted to her designs had led them, inevitably, to where they were now, hadn’t it?

  Of course, the quality of “where they were” was questionable at best - somewhere between friends and colleagues, desperately trying not to undress one another with their eyes when other people were in the close vicinity.

  The redhead forced herself to focus on the task at hand. There would be plenty of time for her to obsess over Vladimir later. For the moment, she would just revel at how wonderfully her first overseas project was shaping up to be. Once she did that, Charlotte didn’t even notice how quickly time passed. They arrived at the Dansk office around two in the afternoon, but by the time she finally looked at a clock, it was close to seven and the sky was dark outside.

  Her eyes widened in surprise - even more so when she looked up from the plans she’d been pouring over to find that, at some point, Vladimir had left her and now it was simply her with the executives, all wrapped up in their respective excitement.

  Her stomach growled, and she realized, all at once, that she hadn’t eaten anything all day. She wondered if Vladimir was off somewhere eating without her, and resolved to give him the third degree if she discovered he’d left her with all the work. She politely excused herself from the executives of one of Russia’s highest spending companies and found her way back to the lobby of the fifteenth floor office.

  Where she found Vladimir speaking in quiet tones with a man far less broad than he himself, his black eyes and dark hair slicked back from his brow pronouncing him of Asian descent. Charlotte only had to take one look at the pair of them to see how relaxed they were with one another - far more than Vladimir had ever been with her.

  She knew in an instant that he had to be Toshiro - his Japanese brother. Besides the two of them, there was only one other occupant of the lobby. A young woman with hair blacker than either of theirs - so dark it contrasted starkly with the pale, almost porcelain color of her skin, was curled against a sofa at the far end of the lobby, her heels lined up neatly below her. She seemed to be completely absorbed in the laptop screen she stared at, her fingers flying over the keys at near the speed of light.

  Toshiro saw her first, raising his gaze to hers. If he was surprised to see her standing there, he said nothing, merely murmuring to his brother in a low voice.

  Vladimir, however, reacted as if he’d been burned, turning and all but leaping from his seat as he looked in her direction. “Charlotte.” It was almost as if she’d caught him with his pants down - but all he’d been doing was talking to his brother; who he now promptly introduced her to. “This is my brother, Toshiro. He arrived this morning.”

  Charlotte promptly stuck her hand out, still somewhat flummoxed by what she’d stumbled onto - if, indeed, it was anything at all. “Pleased to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” Unlike his brother, Toshiro had no accent - and his voice wasn’t quite as deep. “That’s Athena over there. She’s my...assistant.” He hesitated slightly before defining the dark-haired woman’s role - and that instant was enough for Charlotte to know that Athena was certainly more than his assistant. She raised breathtakingly blue eyes from the laptop before her to smile at Charlotte.

  “Hi. I’d shake your hand but I’m in the middle of something just now. So, so sorry.” She spoke, Charlotte realized, with the twang of the Northeast. She wouldn’t be surprised if Athena was from New York, just as Vladimir and Toshiro were.

  “No problem.” Charlotte returned her smile before turning her attention back to the two men before her.

  “Have you finished up with the gentlemen back there?” Vladimir asked her, an undertone of tension in his voice. He didn’t want her here. She realized she was correct in her presumption that she’d interrupted something.

  “We’re about done,” she replied, looking from him, to Toshiro, and back again. “I can head back to the hotel, if you need to finish up here.”

  She presumed it would mean she didn’t get to wear any of her new clothes, but that mattered little just now. The last thing she wanted was to intrude on a family moment.

  “That sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast.”

  And just like that, she was dismissed. Charlotte tried not to show her disappointment, merely nodding with a smile. She returned to the conference room for just long enough to grab her things, promising each of the executives that she would see them in two days’ time to begin the renovations. As she slid her arms into the sleek material of her new coat, she remembered that it, at least, was something else Vladimir bought for her.

  The thought gave her no small thrill.

  The redhead made her way to the elevator bay, but before she could press the button to go down to the first floor, another hand beat her to the punch. She jumped, surprised to see none other than Toshiro Kensley at her shoulder.

  “May I see you out?”

  She had no idea what to think of this. “...Sure?” It was more of a question than a confirmation, but Toshiro didn’t seem to mind. He stepped into the elevator behind her and Charlotte noted that he was also about a head shorter than Vladimir - putting him at just above six feet. Tall for a Japanese man, by anyone’s standards.

  And he wore it well - along with his slanted eyes, sharp cheekbones, full mouth and regal posture.

  She wondered, vaguely, if all the Kensley men were this attractive? Did Jackson just pick the manliest little boys in every country he visited? The very notion made her smile at its silliness as she shook her head incrementally. Though she didn’t know him personally, Charlotte knew enough to be sure that Jackson Kensley had adopted each and every one of his children for a reason.

  After all, anyone with eyes could see how capable Vladimir was within seconds of meeting him.

  “So how are things going with the new project?” Toshiro’s question surprised her. She hadn’t actually expected him to initiate conversation. The redhead had been under the impression that he was just being polite.

  “Great,” she found herself smiling unabashedly. “The Dansk executives are in love with the design.”

  “I imagine that’s an entirely different story from your first proper meeting with Vlad.” His wry tone was enough to make her stiffen, and Charlotte was immediately nervous. Please don’t tell her he was just accompanying her down to the first floor to test her mettle. It was hard enough dealing with his brother.

  “Well...yes.” She finally managed, fiddling with a stray strand of her hair. “At the very least though, Vladimir’s easy to work with now. He has certain...expectations…”

  “Oh, don’t give me that.” To her surprise, Toshiro chuckled softly. “I imagine that he’d be your dream boss if you interests ran towards logistics and numbers - but that isn’t you is it, Ms. Gardner?”

  Charlotte stared up at him warily, choosing to wait for him to continue rather than answer his possibly rhetorical question. “I’ve looked through some of your work, as well as your information. I don’t think Vladimir’s ever had to work with someone as different from he is as you are.”

  The young woman still wasn’t sure what to say. “Well,” she venturing, “Considering I’m the first person he’s bumped heads with in a long time, I’d say he’s probably handling it about as well as to be expected.”

  “I’m sure.” Toshiro leaned against the wall of the elevator as the floors continued to decrease. “Which means to say that he’s being stubborn and pigheaded - fighting against that a-type personality of his.”

  That honestly sounded exactly like what Vladimir was doing - as if he couldn’t decide whether or not to cross the boundaries that he himself had put into place. It would have been so much better, Charlotte knew, if she were just able to think of him as her boss - if she could just work on the job and let it go the moment things finished. But s
he knew she would always wonder what would have happened if Vlad let her see past that thin veneer of control he was always so intent on keeping? What would she learn about him?

  “He’s a great man,” she finally replied, choosing her words carefully - but just because she was careful about what she said didn’t mean Charlotte was lying. “He knows exactly what he needs at any given time...what the company needs.” Her voice lowered somewhat before she continued softly. “He’s not so great at dealing with what he wants.”

  She realized, far too late, that she’d let the words slip in front of the man’s brother and her face turned cherry. “That is...I mean...I don’t mean to-”

  “To what? Know him as well as you do?” Toshiro smirked, obviously amused. “No harm in that. It will save you a lot of trouble in the future, I think.” And was doing her no good now - that much she knew. She bit her lip, curling a strand of hair around her finger absently, wondering what on earth Toshiro was trying to get at. She knew, for a fact, that he was director of International Business -which meant that pretty much the only person he answered to was Vladimir himself. Was he trying to tell her how to ease business proceedings with Vladimir...or something more personal?

  “As we get to know one another better, he accepts the way I work more and more gracefully. As long as we maintain that kind of working relationship, I think our projects will turn out splendidly.” It was as diplomatic an answer as any she’d ever come up with.

  And it tasted sour on her tongue.

  “The nature of the relationships that keep Kensley Enterprises running smoothly is immensely important.” Toshiro nodded, “Vladimir has always prided himself on running a tight ship. Maybe that’s why he never seems to cut himself any slack. I love my brother to death but he’s wound tighter than a bowstring. He could use a little rest and relaxation.”

  Before Charlotte could ask what, exactly, Toshiro thought Vladimir would consider rest and relaxation, the elevator reached the ground floor and he stepped from it. She hurried to follow him through the lobby and the glossy revolving door that led out onto the street beyond. “It was lovely to meet you, Charlotte.” The dark-haired man extended his hand again, and Charlotte realized she might never get to ask her question. “Be sure to let Vlad know when you get back. I’m sure he won’t rest easy until you do.”

  “Nice to meet you as well, Toshiro,” She responded, still trying to read his intentions through that benign, handsome smile of his. “Good night.”

  When it came to impassable expressions, he could give Vlad a run for his money.

  As Charlotte stepped out onto the sidewalk, she shivered, drawing her coat closer around her. Usually, she wouldn’t play into anyone’s attempts to baby her - there was no real need for her to call Vladimir when she got back to the hotel. He’d probably still be busy with his brother. But she would - as a gesture of goodwill.

  He had, after all, admitted to worrying about her. The least she could do was alleviate some of the pressure there - even if she would far rather be catering to Vladimir’s less clandestine needs.

  Christ.

  The young woman blew out a breath, clutching her two Prada bags in frigid fingers. Though she was going back to one of the most expensive beds she’d ever lain in, and an entire menu of room service was open to her every whim, she couldn’t help the feeling of unease churning in her belly at the thought of another long, sleepless night.

  Chapter 8 - Sound Advice

  He didn’t like prying.

  Vladimir hated it when his mother did it, hated it when his father tried to slip past his defenses to manipulate things the way he wanted, and he hated when his brothers tried to interfere in his personal affairs.

  The moment his brother had arrived in the office, he’d taken one look at Vlad and pronounced that he looked like hell. The woman aside him - Athena, he believed, was her name - took one look at Toshiro before rushing off to make coffee for the both of them. Coffee she never returned with.

  Instead, she left the two of them alone while she worked at the opposite end of the room.

  In all honestly, the moment Toshiro visited his proclamation on Vladimir, he tried to flee. It almost would have been better to head back to the conference room, where he was torn between staring at Charlotte’s radiant smile as she spoke with the executives and the tantalizing line of her cleavage beneath the top she wore. He had done his best not to remember how sensuously the clothes he bought her hugged the lines of her body - the way she’d looked at him and the way he looked at her in the damn store...And so he’d left the room. Charlotte had things pretty much handled anyway. Later on, the execs would come to him with the logistics and he’d answer all their questions.

  Of course, his escape was foiled when he ran into his brother - who hadn’t even warned him that he arrived in the city. He was hardly given the courtesy of a greeting and a brief hug before Shiro commented on his appearance. Everything went downhill from there.

  “Well, when Lucas called me, I assumed it was bad, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

  Vladimir’s mouth fell open - he didn’t know what to address first - the fact that Lucas had obviously ratted on him, or that the whole damn family was now privy to what he considered to be a very private dilemma. Ultimately, he decided that, perhaps, playing dumb might be the best policy.

  “What on earth,” he responded, his voice more than a little strained, “Is so horrible?”

  “You.” Toshiro didn’t waste any time beating around the bush. “I assume you’ve taken the noble route and haven’t been with any other women since you met Charlotte Gardner.” If anything, Vlad went even more rigid than he already was, glaring at his brother. “Might have saved you a little frustration.” Shiro added, his tone somewhat gentler than it had been. In his gaze, there was something horribly like sympathy, and Vladimir found himself growing angry.

  “Last I checked, it wasn’t the family’s business who I slept with,” he snapped - perhaps a little too loudly. If Athena heard him from across the room, however, she didn’t make a peep, continuing to work devotedly on her laptop. She was a pretty, pale little thing - about half Charlotte’s size, perhaps, and Vladimir found himself wondering why on earth Shiro had hired an assistant. He seemed to work quite well by himself before.

  “You’re right,” The Japanese man answered succinctly, drawing his chair even closer to Vladimir’s, “But it is my business to make sure my brother is happy and healthy. And it’s apparent to see that you’re not happy, Vlad.”

  The Russian man snorted, still loathe to discuss what Toshiro was attempting to bait him with. If he discussed it, that gave the issue power - and in his mind, the damned thing already had enough power as it was. “I’m perfectly happy. Two of our biggest building projects are going according to schedule and, if things continue this way, I’ll be back in New York by the end of the year.”

  “Right. Ready to take father’s place.”

  “Perfectly ready.” The mere thought was enough to give him heartburn.

  “And three thousand miles away from Charlotte Gardner.”

  Vladimir opened his mouth to reply - and found that he couldn’t. Inexplicably, the words stuck in his throat. Toshiro merely stared at him, waiting - and Vladimir cursed him silently. “Vlad,” His brother started, carefully, “I know how you feel about workplace relationships.”

  “Do you?” That unstuck his throat. The sheer force of his sarcasm was enough to force the words from him. “Then you know that they don’t exist for me, Toshiro.”

  “Right. And I also know that you’re probably driving yourself crazy in increments trying to deal with this. So I’m going to give you a piece of advice.”

  “It better have to do with the construction,” Vladimir warned him, his tone deadly soft. Toshiro, however, merely ignored him.

  “Get her out of your system.” Shiro deadpanned, unblinking. “You look as if you’re fit to kill someone, Vlad. I’m surprised you managed to go all this time wi
thout touching her.” As he said the words, his gaze flickered towards where Athena sat in the corner and Vladimir realized, with no small amount of incredulity, that Shiro was finding his fuel from his own love life. If he had taken leave of his senses and was engaging in a relationship with someone who was supposed to work for him, that was his business. Shiro wasn’t going to tell him what to do.

  “Shiro, I’m not talking about this.”

  “Vladimir, you’re thirty-five years old. I’d hope by this point that you might have realized talking about things helps sometimes.”

  “Not with this.” Vladimir was adamant. When Charlotte wasn’t near, he could afford to be. It might make up for the times she was close to him and he felt himself losing control - micrometer by torturous micrometer.

  But then she was there. She walked into the room completely unexpectedly, and he was forced to introduce her to Toshiro and his “assistant” like nothing had happened. Worse, Toshiro went with her when she decided to leave, and God only knew what havoc his brother was wreaking when he wasn’t there to supervise.

  Toshiro, Vladimir knew, wasn’t as discreet with his affairs as he himself. That didn’t make him Ethan, who was emblazoned across the cover of some of the world’s most prominent news outlets with a new woman every week, but it certainly didn’t make him enough of an authority on relationships that he could afford to lecture Vladimir on the prospect of one.

  The impossible prospect.

  Kissing her was one thing - buying her clothes and indulging himself in a few, fleeting moments of her touch...that was all he had allowed himself so far; and Vladimir knew that going any further was dangerous. He wouldn’t do it. Couldn’t do it.

  Even if something almost animal inside him threatened to spring free whenever Charlotte was near him.

  “Mr. Kensley.”

  “What?” The answer ripped sharply from him before he could stop it, and he looked up to see Athena standing over him, her expression somewhat startled. He’d all but yelled at her, with no provocation at all.