Cougar Boss

by Kerry Belchambers

  Her pleased expression grew softer.

  “I don’t want you to get your hopes up.” I needed to get out of there. The alarming speed at which I wanted to be closer to Jaime was growing dangerously out of control.

  “I have a lot of things to do back at the office, I should go.” I stormed out before giving her a chance to speak or myself a moment to act on my carnal instincts.

  When I went back to the mansion, I gave Mrs. Gallagher an account of the progress that had been made and she gave me some last-minute errands.

  My day ended around eight, after which I went out for dinner with Rex. I enjoyed spending time with him because he was such pleasant company. I’d never been that close to anyone else before so he was very special to me.

  “How is it going with Jaime?”

  We hadn’t talked much through the week and since my life had gotten a little more interesting, he was always eager to hear about anything and everything that happened.

  “It’s going well.” I couldn’t wait to see her the following day. The event was going to start around five in the evening and I had to be there to make sure I was aware of everything Mrs. Gallagher needed to know.

  “Has anything happened?”

  I remembered the kiss that had almost happened and berated myself. I was being stupid trying to get a moment of romanticism considering this wasn’t some sort of amatory motion picture.

  “No, not yet.”

  “Do you want something to happen?” he asked.

  Of course, I did. “Yes.”

  “Do you think something might happen tomorrow?”

  I hadn’t thought about it. “We’ll be busy all evening. We’ll barely have a moment to ourselves, so I doubt it.”

  “What about after?”

  I looked right past him and imagined the possibilities. In my last event, I’d ended up kissing Mrs. Gallagher, which had been a great risk. She’d warned me not to do it again when she’d offered me the job, but it was different with Jaime.

  We had chemistry, a strong electric current passed between us when we were in the same room. “I don’t know, maybe. I just… I don’t want to rush it. Jaime is different. She’s special.”

  Rex’s expression changed from curiosity to disturbed concern. “I know you’ve never done anything like this before so I think you should practice caution.”

  “Practice caution?”

  He looked suddenly uncomfortable. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Hurt?”

  “Yeah, be careful. Get to know Jaime better before you emotionally invest yourself.”

  “Emotionally invest myself?” I knew what he was talking about and I understood his concern but I’d never seen this side of him and I wanted to have a little fun.

  “Yeah,” he said, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

  For a guy who paid such little regard for boundaries, he sure got tongue-tied when it came to talking about feelings.

  “Are you afraid she’ll break my heart and I’ll come crying to you?”

  His expression was serious until I broke into laughter and he relaxed.

  “Don’t worry, I know what this is and I’ve got it under control.”

  “Good,” he said.

  Chapter Seven

  I arrived at the art gallery an hour before the show started to find Jaime in a bit of a panic. Everything was ready, waiters, wine and security. The pieces were set in their respective exhibition halls and some of the artists whose pieces were being showcased were already present.

  “What is wrong with this picture?” Jaime asked.

  We were standing in the exhibition hall with the vault.

  “It’s empty,” she said.

  It had been transformed into a high-tech secure vault, but it was empty.

  “When will this guy get here?” she asked.

  She was talking about Frank Connor and I didn’t know how he worked so I wasn’t sure how to pacify the situation.

  “Guests will be arriving in an hour and the centerpiece is not here yet,” she said.

  I’d been busy all day trying to make sure everything was perfect and I hadn’t seen Mrs. Gallagher even though I’d kept in touch, informing her of important details she needed to know, which wasn’t much.

  She hadn’t responded to me, which put me in a position of my own because as much as I wanted to reassure Jaime, I wasn’t sure where to start.

  Jaime looked stunning in a long burgundy dress, Caitlin was lovely in a short strapless black dress and I was in the same clothes I’d been wearing all day.

  I needed to change before the guests arrived and luckily, Andre was on his way to Týsque with a dress for me.

  “Jaime, you’re dealing with Mrs. Gallagher.”

  Mrs. Gallagher was one person; her husband was another. Their names combined, were an entity. Invitations had been sent out; guests had all responded. Whatever was supposed to be in that vault was going to be there. I had no doubt, fear or worry regarding the vault or what was supposed to be in it.

  “I should try and remember that,” Jaime said.

  She was cute as she said that because she still retained that worried expression. Her hair was in soft curls, her face was bright with anticipation and her mouth… her lips.

  “Jaime,” I said softly.

  I didn’t realize how heavy my voice had become until I was standing next to her and her breath was fanning my face.

  Our gazes locked, hers uneasy, mine in a state I couldn’t identify and in a heated moment of panic, passion and withheld restraint, it all slowly turned into something magnetic that was pulling us both together.

  “I know you’re not ready…”

  I stopped her halfway with a kiss.

  I’d been waiting for this for a while, so when our lips touched, everything in me shut down, then almost immediately started up to concentrate on that one moment.

  Jaime’s lips were sweet and soft and everything I’d imagined they would be and more. When she closed her lips on mine, my response escalated and I responded, unleashing the pent up passion I’d been withholding while waiting for a perfect moment.

  Jaime placed one hand on my cheek and wrapped the other around my waist, pulling me closer against her body. She parted my lips and deepened the kiss, drawing a hungry response from me.

  The knock on the door drew us apart as Caitlin walked in. She paused at the door and turned her attention to me. “There’s an Andre here for you, Olivia.”

  Oh, Andre. I’d almost forgotten I needed to get ready.

  I turned my attention to Jaime and found her smiling back at me. “Do you mind if I change in here?”

  She shook her head.

  “Caitlin, please tell him to come in.”

  Caitlin nodded and left the room.

  I found Jaime looking at me and I didn’t have to guess to imagine what was going through her mind. I wanted to kiss her again, but Andre would interrupt us any moment.

  It didn’t matter though, when the event was over, we’d have more than enough time to do whatever we wanted. The thought had a titillating effect on me.

  “I hope I’m not late,” Andre said as he made a dramatic and flamboyant entrance.

  “I’ll leave you two,” Jaime said.

  “Beautiful lady,” Andre said, making me realize I was checking her out as she left the room.

  “I got your dress and make up. You’re going to look fabulous tonight.”

  He unzipped the bag to reveal a stunning lavender gown that left my mouth wide open. “That’s what I’m wearing tonight?” I asked.

  “You like?” Andre asked as he pulled out a chair for me so that he could apply my makeup.

  “I love.”

  He got to work and I drifted back to the kiss I’d shared with Jaime. I was thinking about the texture of her lips, the warmth of her touch and the desire in her eyes when Andre started styling my hair.

  He finished a short while later and stepped out of the office to let me get
into my dress. He had brought along a lovely pair of shoes, which I absolutely loved.

  After putting on the dress, I called him back inside to zip me up and then he stood some distance away to look at me. I didn’t have a mirror so I wasn’t sure about my appearance but from the pleased look across Andre’s face, I could tell it was all good things.

  The dress was made of silk and was soft against my skin. It hung gently over my curves, exposing a figure that had been used to staying hidden in plain work clothes.

  “You’re stunning,” he said.

  I could see the joy and pride in his eyes as he was the one responsible for my transformation. “Thanks, Andre.”

  We walked out of the office together and I put my mind back to work mode, since that was what I was there to do. Jaime and Caitlin were busy as guests had started to arrive.

  I wasn’t sure what to help with until I heard commotion in one of the exhibition halls. I followed the noise and found Frank Connor and two other men in the room.

  He nodded at me in acknowledgement while one of the men opened the vault. I was pleased to see the centerpiece was Cleopatra’s headpiece as I’d guessed, but my jaw dropped when he revealed the rare red diamond I’d signed for in South Africa.

  The vault was big enough to fit both but now I understood the need for security. One of the men with Frank Connor, dressed in a black suit was part of the security detail. It seemed fitting because the two pieces were priceless.

  A moment later, Frank and the man who’d been assisting him closed the vault and left the room, leaving the black-suited man to guard the pieces.

  “Are they here yet?”

  I turned at Jaime’s voice. I was happily going to tell her she should never doubt Mrs. Gallagher when I found her staring at me as though she was seeing me for the very first time.

  “Oh my God,” she said softly.

  It took me a moment to remember I’d changed into my evening dress.

  “You look amazing,” she said.

  I blushed. She sounded almost out of breath, but I took it as a compliment. “Andre is an artist,” I said.

  “No, this is all you,” Jaime said, moving closer to me.

  She reached for my hand as our gazes locked and instantly, my memory went back to the kiss in her office. I was mesmerized by her eyes. They were so intense, it felt like we’d left the gallery and were in another realm.

  I wanted her to move closer and kiss me again, but before either of us could act on our attraction, Caitlin interrupted us by gasping in shock.

  “Is this real?” she asked.

  Neither Jaime nor I noticed her entering the room or walking past us. She was standing near the vault looking at the pieces inside.

  I held onto Jaime’s hand and walked her over to the vault.

  “I can’t believe it,” she said.

  I could tell she was overwhelmed as she took in the pieces and I was happy because I was there to witness how amazed she was.

  My phone started ringing at that moment and I had to let go of Jaime’s hand to answer it. I saw Mrs. Gallagher’s name and knew she was calling to confirm if Frank had come through.

  It was last minute but understandable because security was his main concern. We spoke for less than a minute before she hung up.

  “Have you put your fears to rest now?” I asked Jaime when I joined her and Caitlin.

  She took me in her arms and kissed me, catching me completely off guard.

  I closed my eyes and slowly responded as her arms moved around my waist and I circled mine around her neck, indulging in the sensations that swirled through me from her kiss.

  It was Caitlin who made us part when she cleared her throat, and we remembered we had a job to do. Jaime slowly let me go as she smiled at me.

  “I need to make sure everything is in place,” I said.

  Caitlin was looking at us in amusement, but Jaime didn’t seem to care.

  “I should go make sure all my guests arrive,” Jaime said.

  We left the exhibition hall together and headed in two different directions. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to concentrate on anything else other than her. Hopefully that kiss was a start to a pleasant evening.

  Rex arrived a short while later looking handsome in a suit. I spotted him before he saw me and approached him. A lot of guests had arrived but Mrs. Gallagher was nowhere in sight. The gallery was quickly filling up, but the set up had been done so provocatively, everyone was engrossed in the artwork displayed. I had to hand it to Jaime, she knew what she was doing.

  “Hey you,” I said to Rex.

  The surprise and wonder that covered his face was similar to that of Jaime’s. I understood because he’d never seen me dressed up before.

  He wrapped his arms around me. “You look so beautiful,” he said.

  “Thanks, you look very handsome yourself.”

  He continued to stare at me and I couldn’t help laughing.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” I said.

  “Me too, this place is great. I haven’t had a chance to take a tour but from what I see here, I have to say, I’m impressed.”

  “Yeah, Jaime is really good at what she does.”

  “Where is she?”

  I scanned the room and found her talking to some guests a little distance away. Since it was her event, she was going to have a lot of talking to do and I felt for her because I knew how it was like, having witnessed Mrs. Gallagher do the same.

  “Over there, in the burgundy dress.” She stood out from the crowd.

  “Oh, wow! She’s hot,” he said.

  I nodded in agreement as I watched her from across the room.

  “And Mrs. Gallagher, is she here?”

  I shook my head, wondering what was holding her up. She was half an hour late. “She must be on her way.”

  “I can’t wait to see her. I can finally tell if she’s worth the fuss.”

  I almost missed his statement as I stared at Jaime.

  “Take a tour, see what you could’ve been a part of had you applied.”

  He made a sad face and I kissed his cheek as he made his way to the other exhibition halls.

  When Mrs. Gallagher walked in a moment later, it was like everyone noticed because there was a silence that descended in the air. She was graceful and elegantly poised, looking strikingly beautiful in a silky Versace gown.

  She looked like an angel who’d been plucked from heaven and set in our presence to taunt us with her sensational appearance.

  She cordially greeted her guests as she walked in, and I gave her room to chat with her friends before approaching her to find out if she needed anything.

  Being the guest of honor, her arrival prompted Jaime to get everyone’s attention. She gave a nice brief speech about the event, creating some suspense about the centerpiece, which left everyone eager.

  Mrs. Gallagher followed with her own short but moving speech, expressing how much she enjoyed supporting artists and helping build them up to their full potential.

  Afterwards, she got herself a glass of champagne and I shadowed her much like the first event, as she moved through the first exhibition hall. I’d done my homework on the artists whose works were presented, so I was set to answer any questions she might’ve had.

  I was surprised she attended the event without her family, but I figured art probably wasn’t their thing. Everyone else she’d invited was nice and warm to her, but then again, being who she was, even the president would’ve been humbled to be in her presence.

  She didn’t ask any questions, in fact, she barely spoke to me after I filled her in on what she needed to know. It was when Jaime came to talk to her that my heart started pounding.

  Both women were stunning in their own unique fashion, and my heart beat for both in two different ways. Jaime’s gaze washed over me after she greeted Mrs. Gallagher and I took a step back to give them some room to talk.

  Much as I enjoyed being by Mrs. Gallagher’s side, I wanted to
be with Jaime. I loved the way she looked at me, even as she spoke to Mrs. Gallagher, every once in a while, her gaze would fall on me and my heart would pick up pace.

  During their conversation, I thought I heard Jaime mention my name, but I wasn’t sure. Their dialogue ended shortly after and Jaime left to go mingle with the crowd.

  Whenever our gazes met from across the room, she’d smile at me and I’d smile back, wishing we could revisit our passionate encounter right before the event had started.

  “Ms. Bryce seems very pleased with your work,” Mrs. Gallagher said.

  I turned my attention to her and wondered if she’d noticed I’d been distracted. “Oh, uh, I did my best,” I said.

  Mrs. Gallagher was looking at an oil painting but something told me her attention was divided. I wondered what she’d do if she knew there was more between me and Jaime but doubted she’d care.

  I started talking about the painting she was studying as per the information provided in the portfolio, but she didn’t seem much interested so I stopped.

  “Ms. Bryce seems confident in your work so why don’t you take a break and try and have a good time tonight,” she said.

  I thought I’d heard wrong until she looked right at me and smiled. It struck me as unusual but kind, and I did as she said before she could change her mind.

  I’d seen all the artwork on display so I wasn’t as intrigued with the pieces as the rest of the people in the gallery. I went in search of Rex and found him in the second exhibition hall.

  “Hey, what’re you doing here? I thought you’d be busy shadowing Mrs. Gallagher, who by the way, is everything you said she was and more.”

  “She told me to take a break,” I said.

  “I can see why you’re so smitten.”

  “I’m not smitten. It’s just a silly crush. It’ll fade.”

  “She’s not making it easy, is she?”

  I shook my head. I wished she was a horrible boss so that it’d be easy for me to dislike her but she kept throwing me curveballs and making it impossible for my attraction towards her to fade away.

  “Here,” Rex took two glasses of champagne from a waiter and handed me one. “Try and have some fun.”