Ethan chuckled. “Well, at least you have another week and a half off from school.”
“True. I promise I'll read as many as I can before I have to go back.”
Ethan reached under the tree for the gift she'd marked with his name.
Suddenly feeling self-conscious about her gift, Becca's gaze fell to the floor. “Since money's tight, I made something for you. I'm afraid it's not much.”
Ethan closed the space between them and, with a gentle finger under her chin, turned her face toward him. “Knowing you made it with your own hands makes it all the more special to me.”
Becca scoffed, “Maybe you shouldn't say that until you see what it is. You might not even like it.”
Ethan gave her an exasperated look before tearing into the paper. He pulled out a sage-green knit scarf and fingered it almost reverently. “Wow, Becca! I didn't know you could knit. This is beautiful.”
She smiled shyly. “Edna taught me a long time ago, but I don't usually have much time for it.”
“This must have taken you hours to make. It means the world to me, knowing that you gave up your precious free time to make me a Christmas present.”
Becca felt herself blushing at his praise. She'd gladly give up her free time to make him twenty scarves if it meant seeing that look of wonder and appreciation on his face each time. “There's more,” she said, repeating his words from earlier.
“Oh!” Ethan looked surprised. “He lifted the scarf and found a plastic baggie. It contained a thin black cord, threaded with black and silver beads on each end, and a pewter dog charm dangling from one side.
“It's a book thong,” Becca informed him. When he gave her a blank look, she continued, “A bookmark.”
His eyes lit up with understanding. “OK, I see how it works. I promise I'll use it for marking all the books I read.” He took a closer look at the charm. “Hey, this dog kind of looks like Buddy.”
Becca chuckled. “That's why I picked it.”
Ethan turned to her. “Thank you, Becca. I love my gifts. I'll cherish them forever.”
The smile he gave her made her melt. She thought again of telling him how she felt, of leaning over and kissing those sensuous lips, of giving him her heart completely.
Before she could talk herself into it, he broke into her thoughts. “How about we get some of that delicious-looking chocolate pie and watch a movie?”
Disappointment washed over her as the moment was lost. “Sure.”
Together, they shared pie and watched It's a Wonderful Life. When Ethan finally took his leave, he did so with her scarf wrapped around his neck and the book thong tucked safely in his pocket.
Becca took their dirty plates to the kitchen sink. She turned and leaned back against the counter, thinking about what he'd done for her. She couldn't deny that she'd had a good time with him tonight. Her brain warred between believing in the pure sweetness of his actions and feeling anxious as she remembered the past. When she couldn't seem to reconcile her emotions, she closed the door on them and headed for bed instead.
On the way there, she picked up the Christmas kitten and one of the romance novels. For the rest of the evening she would simply lose herself in the fantasy of being Ethan's woman.
Chapter 8
Ethan whistled a catchy tune as he rode the elevator up to his office. The new year had dawned without fanfare, and Becca had returned to school. Luckily, she still managed to carve out time in her busy schedule to keep up their Tuesday lunch dates. He had just walked her to her car, but before leaving her he'd drawn her into a tight hug. Becca's arms had automatically wrapped around his waist, returning the embrace. When she'd laid her cheek against his chest, the feel of her body pressed so tightly against his wreaked havoc on his senses. Now, as he headed back to work, it dawned on him that he was whistling a sappy love song he'd heard on the radio.
When the elevator reached his floor, he got out and started toward the hallway to his office. He didn't get ten steps before he was accosted by Lindsay. His whistling immediately stopped and an uncomfortable tension took the place of the relaxed, peaceful feeling that had filled him a moment ago.
“Lindsay, what are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought we weren't scheduled to work on the merger again until tomorrow.”
“We aren't,” she replied in an overly cheerful voice. “But I had a few new ideas I wanted to run past you. Cathy said you didn't have any appointments this afternoon.”
It was true he didn't, but he'd been looking forward to a nice, leisurely afternoon of tying up loose ends on paperwork and hopefully taking off early. Since his secretary had unfortunately let that bit of information slip, he probably couldn't get out of this impromptu meeting now.
“Sure, come on into my office,” he said reluctantly.
As they walked down the hallway, Lindsay took his arm and leaned into his side, brushing a bit of lint off his lapel. She was a little too close for comfort. “What has you in such a good mood?” she asked, smiling up at him in what appeared to be an attempt at seduction.
Maybe if she thought another woman was in the picture, she'd lay off the alluring act. “I had a really nice lunch with Becca.”
At first Lindsay looked confused, then recognition of the name must have hit her. Her smile faded a little. “Oh. That little waitress from Milano's?”
“That's her,” he replied as he ushered Lindsay into his office and closed the door behind them.
“So she really is a friend of yours,” Lindsay said, looking appalled and astounded at the same time.
Her condescending attitude was beginning to annoy him. “Yes, she is. I already told you that. I have lunch with her every Tuesday.”
He extended his hand, indicating the conference table on one side of the room. As they took their seats, Lindsay continued the conversation while removing folders from her attaché case. “Judging by that smile you were wearing when you came into the lobby, I'd say there's a lot more going on than lunch. I don't normally see a smile like that on a man unless he's...um...” She hesitated while placing the papers on the table. “How do I put this delicately–?”
“I get your meaning, Lindsay,” Ethan said. “But my personal life is really none of your concern.”
“All right, Ethan.” Lindsay placed a hand on his arm placatingly. “You don't have to get testy about it. I was merely observing that you seem to like her as more than a friend.”
The annoying woman was far too close to the truth, but feeling her comment didn't warrant a response, he opened the top folder and started perusing the paperwork.
Lindsay didn't seem inclined to let it rest, though. “I'm a bit surprised at you, getting involved with someone of the...um...lower classes.”
His gaze shot up, pinning her with a fiery intensity. “Lindsay, I already told you I'm not discussing my love life with you, and I won't have you badmouthing Becca like that either. She's a very intelligent woman who works hard. She may not make much money, but she's never asked me for a dime, even when she didn't have enough to eat. Someday soon she'll be making plenty of money of her own. She's going to vet school, and I have no doubt that when she graduates, she'll be the best damn veterinarian in Arizona.”
“My goodness, Ethan. I was merely making an observation, but I can see this is a sore subject with you.”
Ethan turned his attention back to the papers before he gave into the temptation to strangle Lindsay. Sore didn't begin to cut it. He was livid at the woman's snobbery. They'd both been raised in the lap of luxury, but at least his parents had taught him to respect others no matter what their financial status was.
“Makes me wonder, though,” Lindsay mused, “how she can afford a higher education like that on a waitress's salary?”
For a moment, Ethan's hands balled in a fists on top of the folder. He took a deep breath, willing himself under control before turning his gaze on Lindsay again. “She was awarded a private sponsorship,” he replied tightly.
“Oh! Private
sponsorship...” Lindsay pondered while tapping a perfectly manicured nail against her chin. “Wonder what she did to earn that.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. The woman must be completely obtuse. “Like I said before. she's very smart, and with her financial need, I'm sure the sponsor thought she'd be a great candidate.”
“Hmm...that reminds me. My father has been looking for new animal-related causes support. Have you made any donations to this vet school?”
The rapid shift in conversation made Ethan's head hurt. “Yeah, as a matter of fact I have.”
“Then you would recommend them as a reputable organization?”
“Of course,” he replied without hesitation.
“Oh, good! Do you happen to have a contact person there?”
“Sure.”
Ethan got up and went to his desk. After rummaging around in a drawer, he found a business card for his friend, Mac, and gave it to Lindsay.
“Why, thank you, Ethan.” Lindsay gave him a sunny smile. “I'll pass this on to my father.”
After that, she finally shut up and let him get back to looking over the proposals she'd brought, though it was still hours before she left his office.
Once Lindsay was gone, Ethan allowed his head to drop onto the desk blotter. He banged his head against the desk a couple of times for good measure before flopping back into his leather executive chair with a moan. The negotiation of this business deal was already pure torture, and they probably had several more weeks yet to go. He didn't know how he was going to make it for that long without wanting to throttle the woman.
He recalled telling Becca that night at Milano's that Lindsay could be a bit much to handle, but even he hadn't known exactly how difficult she was going to be. Rumor had it that her father, finally tired of her running up his credit card bills and wanting her to put the business degree he'd paid for to good use, had put her to work for his company. Problem was he'd immediately thrown her in with the big fishes when she could barely swim. It wasn't that she didn't have the competence to handle the negotiations; she just always made things far more complicated than they needed to be.
That, combined with her earlier game of twenty-questions and the way the woman was hanging all over him, made him feel like jumping out his twentieth-story window. Since they'd started the negotiations, Lindsay couldn't seem to keep her hands off him. He had a feeling she wanted him back.
Well, if she thought he'd ever give her a second glance, she had another thing coming. He'd only gone out with her a few years back as a favor to her father. Ethan had known after only one date that it wasn't going to work out between them. Being the nice guy that he was though, he ended up dating her for a whole month before finally telling her so. At first, she'd been clingy, but eventually, she had seemed to get over it. He'd met Becca a few short weeks later. Even though he hadn't realized it for a while, she'd spoiled him for any other woman.
Sweet Becca! He sighed and smiled to himself as her lovely face floated into his imagination. He wished he could go back to their lunch and do it all over again. He loved their “dates” at the little bistro where they shared sandwiches and deep conversation at an intimate table for two. At the same time, they were torturous in a way. Every time he had to bid her farewell, he had the almost uncontrollable urge to scoop her up in his arms, carry her to the hotel two blocks away, get a room, and take her body to the heights of ecstasy all afternoon.
But who was he kidding? In nine long months, Becca hadn't given him the slightest inkling that she thought of him as anything more than a friend. He longed to tell her about his feelings, but he didn't want to ruin the beautiful friendship they had going. Maybe after this merger was finished and Lindsay wasn't stressing him out on a daily basis, he'd figure out the perfect way to tell Becca. But for now, he would simply have to stay close to her and show her his feelings through his actions.
* * * * *
Lindsay Harris was a woman who knew what she wanted and would do almost anything to get it. Right now the only thing she wanted more than signing a merger deal with Ethan Montgomery was the man himself–in her life, in her bed, and putting a ring on her finger. She may have let him get away once, but she had no intention of allowing him to slip through her fingers again. He was even richer than her daddy and could well afford to keep her in the manner to which she was accustomed. It didn't hurt that the man was hotter than sin either. The mere thought of touching and tasting every inch of that hard male body made her sweat, and she was determined to do just that.
To Lindsay's way of thinking, only one thing stood in the way of her getting what she wanted–Becky. During the dinner with Ethan at Milano's, Lindsay had noticed the way the girl gazed at Ethan when she thought he wasn't looking. Based on his dreamy faraway look and vehement defense, it appeared Ethan was taken with the little mouse too. It positively defied comprehension, and Lindsay was determined to put a stop to it, no matter what she had to do. Her lips twisted into a wicked smile as she thought of putting the waitress back in her place and having Ethan all to herself again.
Lindsay sat at her desk in the sitting room of her suite at her parent's mansion. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone and the business card Ethan had given her yesterday. Even though Ethan hadn't said it in so many words, she had a sneaking suspicion that he had something to do with Becky getting that sponsorship. Of course he would never tell her the truth, but she had a pretty good idea how to get the information she wanted.
She dialed the number on the card, and the secretary put her through to Ethan's friend, Mac. Once the man was on the other end of the line, she poured on every ounce of charm she possessed. “Hello, Mac. My name is Lindsay Harris. You don't know me...yet, but we share a mutual friend. Ethan Montgomery?”
“Yes, of course. How can I help you, Miss Harris?”
“Well, Ethan told me that he gave a very generous donation to your vet school, and I'm calling on behalf of my father, who is considering making a donation as well. He's interested in doing something very similar to what Ethan is doing for you.”
“That would be amazing! And very much appreciated, especially by the needy student who receives your sponsorship.”
Bingo! Lindsay grinned from ear to ear. “Ethan told me he was offering a private sponsorship, but he didn't give me all the details on how that works. Could you fill me in?”
“Of course, Miss Harris. You see, Ethan chose a student based on their financial need, and he is providing a full sponsorship for their entire four-year education. He'll be repeating this at the beginning of each school year with a new incoming student.”
“And does the student know who's sponsoring them?”
“Oh no! That's all kept private and confidential.”
“Thank you, Mac. You've been very helpful.” You have no idea how helpful. “I'll pass all this information on to my father, and we'll get back to you if he decides to go ahead with it.”
“Well, thank you, Miss Harris. We would certainly love to have you on board. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to call me.”
“I'll be sure to do that, Mac.”
After they signed off, Lindsay giggled with glee. Between her conversation with Ethan yesterday and what Mac had just told her, she now had strong evidence to suggest Ethan was the one footing the bill for Becky's sponsorship, and the girl probably didn't know about it. Ethan had also mentioned that Becky never asked him for money, even when she was going hungry, which seemed to indicate pride on her part too. Lindsay was banking on her intuition being correct, and if it was, she was going to have a delightful time stirring up a little trouble in paradise between these two.
Chapter 9
It was a busy Sunday night at Milano's. Becca stood at the server station, entering an order, when Rhonda joined her.
“Remember that bitchy blonde chick from a couple months ago? The one that came in with your friend?” the other waitress asked.
Becca rolled her eyes. “How could I forget
.”
“Well, don't look now, but she's back and sitting at one of your tables with a couple of equally snooty-looking friends. No Mr. Hot Pants, though.” Rhonda sighed dramatically with disappointment.
Becca couldn't muster any enthusiasm for her co-worker's playful comment. All she could think about was the way that bitch had treated her the last time. And now Ethan wasn't here to act as a buffer. She slumped back against the counter. “Ugh!”
Rhonda chuckled. “I hear you. Good luck!”
“Thanks. I'm going to need it.”
Becca gathered three water glasses and headed for their table. Before she got there, she took a deep breath and pasted on a smile. As she distributed the glasses, she said politely, “Hello, Miss Harris. It's nice to see you again.”
Of course it was anything but nice, but Becca hoped that a little buttering up would go a long way toward better treatment this time around.
Lindsay looked up from her menu. “Well, if isn't...um...” She seemed to be searching her memory. “What was your name again?”
Becca opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Lindsay interrupted her. “Oh yes, I remember, Becky.”
“It's Becca,” Becca retorted tightly.
Lindsay raked Becca with an assessing gaze and a condescending curl of her over-bright lips.
Becca quickly regained control and asked, “Can I get you ladies something to drink besides water?”
Lindsay ordered one of the most expensive bottles of champagne on the menu. “We're celebrating my birthday,” she commented while handing the wine menu back to Becca.
Becca gave the other woman birthday wishes before going to get their champagne. When she returned, the two women with Lindsay were fawning over her sapphire earrings. Becca couldn't help but listen as she poured each of them a glass of the sweet wine.
“Those earrings he gave you are gorgeous,” the brunette said.
“Not nearly as gorgeous as the man himself,” the redhead added with a saucy smile.
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