Kitabı oku: «Boardroom Seduction», sayfa 3

Chapter 5

Over the next hour, Kacey and Leon discussed each design in detail and shared thoughts on the execution of the various styles. They collaborated on pattern adjustments that would simplify production and keep costs down. However, it became clear right away that even though they shared the common goal of turning out a dynamite product at the best possible price, Leon was much more relaxed about the time frame than Kacey was.

“When will the first samples be ready?” she wanted to know.

“Depends,” he casually replied.

“On what?”

“On how fast Bob Truett can get to your project.”

“Bob Truett?” Kacey questioned.

“Our master patternmaker. He’s the person who really holds the power around here,” Leon chuckled. “He’s the best, though. Been with the company for years.”

“You know I want to move this along as quickly as possible, don’t you?” Kacey reminded Leon, not wanting to waste a second.

“We don’t rush things around here. We move at the best pace to get the job done right, on schedule and to the customer’s satisfaction.”

“I’m sure you do, but I can’t stick around Rockport forever.”

“Don’t be in such a rush. Relax. The workroom is pretty busy right now, but Truett knows your contract is a quick turnaround job,” he assured Kacey, examining a page from the folder that contained the production schedule for SunKissed. “If all goes well, we should have your samples completed within a few days. However, I don’t like to ask my employees to work overtime unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Kacey simply watched Leon and held back from speaking while he scanned the document in silence. When he glanced up, he hooked Kacey with his magnetic gray eyes once again, creating an electric connection that made Kacey’s heart turn over. Gulping back her unsettling reaction, she stilled, determined not to expose the stir of emotions cascading through her body.

“But you will ask for overtime if you have to, right?” she finally asked.

“Let’s just see how things go,” was all Leon offered.

“All right,” Kacey conceded, hoping he would not be reluctant to push his employees hard to get the job done in record time. But that was his call to make, not hers, so she’d just have to trust him to do what he felt was best.

As he continued to explain the process, Kacey’s eyes settled on Leon’s full, well-formed lips, unable to keep from fantasizing about the warm, yummy taste she knew they would leave on her tongue. The idea of kissing Leon Archer made her nipples go hard in her bra and the core of her womanhood tense up. Such an intensely sexual arousal, prompted by a man she did not know, was like a lightning strike on a sunny day—completely out of the blue, but not impossible. In fact, getting excited over a man she did not know was exactly what she’d been yearning to feel for a very long time.

Kacey’s personal life hummed along in an easy, uncomplicated way that she’d come to consider as normal. She didn’t have a special man in her life, but she did have Jamal, the guy she turned to whenever she needed someone to rescue her from long spells of sexual abstinence. Kacey trusted and loved Jamal as a true friend, even though he wished she could love him like a man.

Jamal. Thinking of him made Kacey almost sigh. They’d known each other for eight years, and as much as she tried to shift her feelings for the devilishly handsome real estate investor into full romantic mode, it never quite happened. So, she’d settled on remaining good friends with occasional benefits, a perfect arrangement for Kacey, despite Jamal’s desire for more.

When Leon cleared his throat with a fist to his mouth, as if aware of how distracted Kacey had become, she snapped to attention. Taking in his bemused expression, she tossed her crazy imaginings aside, placing fingertips to her chin to feel grounded in the moment.

“Ready to discuss the schedule?” Leon started, lifting one eyebrow while gracing her with a look as intimate as a kiss, which only served to rev her pulse a notch higher.

He’s as caught up as I am, Kacey observed, exchanging a slow smile with him. “Sure,” she replied, squeezing her legs together in an attempt to banish the itch that was definitely in need of scratching. Leaning forward in her chair, she focused her attention on the papers spread out on Leon’s desk, avoiding his eyes completely.

“First, let’s talk about your fabric,” he stated.

“What do you think about the choices?” she asked Leon, her voice now crisply professional and efficient.

“Very nice. We have everything in stock except the imported Naughty Net, but we ought to find it soon.”

“Perfect,” Kacey commented. “And I’d like to come in at least five percent under budget,” she told him, plunging back to earth with a definite crash, determined to make good on her promise to Hadley.

“Five percent? I dunno,” Leon hedged. “You have eight different styles, and each one requires a lot of decorative detail. The cost of your raw materials eats up more than one-third of your budget,” Leon warned with a tone of authority. “You might want to consider eliminating some of the expensive bling if you want to cut costs.”

His candid assessment quickly dissolved Kacey’s dreamy reaction to him. He sounded way too confident that she would be willing to go along with whatever he decided. Well, she had news for Leon Archer. His flirtatious overtures weren’t going to distract her from holding firm on her designs. She knew her swimsuits contained the flashy touches that made them stand out from all the other swimwear currently available, and she had no plans to change that.

Certainly, this guy didn’t expect her to drop the metallic gold rings on her bikini tops, did he? Or omit the polished Italian stone side clasps on the bottoms? Or trash the bronze beading on halter ties shot through with strands of gold and silver thread?

No, she could never eliminate her trademark sparkle or dull the shine that she adored.

“I have to disagree with your assessment,” she told Leon firmly, after taking her time considering his point. “The accessory trim is what makes my styles, along with the custom cuts and imported fabrics. Unique accessorizing is key.”

“I understand. But that’s where the financial wiggle room is,” Leon advised.

Kacey inclined her head in agreement, thinking about the financial bonus that Hadley had promised if she reduced production costs. Somehow, she had to prove to Hadley that she could get the job done, and done at his price.

“I understand where you’re coming from, Leon,” she finally agreed. “However, we’ll have to cut costs someplace else.”

Leon simply lifted his palms toward the ceiling as if at a loss to suggest an alternative.

“The estimates for labor per unit and packaging look good,” Kacey said, searching for a way to make it all work.

“Oh, yes. Those are static costs that remain as is. No wiggle room there,” Leon confirmed.

“Okaaay…so, if accessory trim is the wild card,” Kacey restated, turning her thoughts to ways of saving money without sacrificing style, “I have an idea.”

“Let’s hear it,” Leon prompted.

Kacey sank back in her chair, fingers tented at her lips, knowing she would have to adjust costs somewhere if she wanted that bonus money. Leaning forward, she launched her suggestion. “What if, instead of eliminating the more expensive trim, we simply reduce the quantity?”

“You know, that was going to be my next suggestion,” Leon replied, appearing excited by her approach. He flipped through Kacey’s portfolio and tapped a page with his finger. “Like the Lucite squares on this Retro Hipster style. The halter top has Lucite squares on the ends of the ties, and two smaller pieces at the bustline. Maybe if we use one larger piece, you’d get the same effect and spend less on trim.”

Kacey made a subtle nod, knowing his solution made sense. Eliminating one piece of Lucite detail wouldn’t detract from the overall look, and if this was what she had to do to make this line happen, she was willing to give it a try.

“Okay,” she agreed with Leon, her earlier irritation beginning to ease. “I’ll review each style and see where I can make similar adjustments.”

“Great,” Leon replied, pausing to review the last page of the production schedule before he spoke again. “Once you’ve done that, I’ll revise the manufacturing estimate and email it to you so that you can send it over to Hadley for his approval.”

“Fantastic,” Kacey replied, ready to tackle the numbers, and pleased that Leon was onboard. The more energy he focused on her swimsuit line, the more quickly she’d be able to return to New York, even though her earlier determination to get out of Rockport as fast as she could didn’t seem quite so pressing anymore.

“One thing I guess you’ve learned about me,” Leon said after their revision session wound down. “I’m committed one hundred percent to making sure you are happy.”

“What more could I ask for?” Kacey replied, buzzed by the sense of partnership that was rapidly developing between them. On this project, which was so special for Kacey, working with a talented African-American man who had the power, the insight and the creative drive to deliver on her vision was a drastic, and wonderful, development.

While doing promotional work for Leeman’s, her vision and taste had been challenged many times. How ever, to stay on track and not become distracted by exaggerated promises from suppliers and vendors, she’d adopted a three-point approach that worked for her: Always be clear and upfront about her expectations, never sacrifice quality for quantity and steer clear of obvious over-the-top trends with limited appeal. Now she had to add one more point to her list: Never fantasize about making love with the manufacturer!

Finished with their meeting, Leon stood and motioned for Kacey to come with him. “I’ve set up a workspace for you to use while you’re here. It’s not very big, I’m afraid,” he said, leading her down the hall to a small cubicle not far from his office. It was private, quiet and had a phone, a computer and a drafting table. All the equipment she needed to do her job.

Kacey followed him into the space, very aware of his closeness, his scent and especially the silent electricity crackling in the air. His presence sucked her in, tingled her imagination and made her want to do things she hadn’t thought of before. Like make the first move and kiss the hell out of this guy who was pushing her most intimate buttons.

“And you do have a window,” Leon offered with a wave of one hand, moving to open the blinds and reveal a clear view of the parking lot.

Kacey moved toward the window, her shoulder brushing Leon’s as she stepped past him, certain she’d felt him tense when their bodies touched. “That’s the road that leads to the Coast, isn’t it?” she asked, recognizing the highway that she’d taken on her way to Rockport.

“Right. If you hang a left out of the parking lot and go four miles, you’ll hit Aransas Bay.” He moved up behind her, so near that his breath warmed her neck and sent delightful shivers down Kacey’s spine. “I live out that way, too. On the beach.”

“You do?” she commented, turning around, her face stopping only inches from his, so near their lips could have easily met. And held. In a long, delicious kiss. The subtle sensuousness that shimmered between them was like an invisible thread, drawing them together. Neither took a backward step, yet a message of caution flashed into Kacey’s brain, warning her to move—steer clear of temptation and concentrate on something other than his arresting grin, which was rattling her composure and provoking a ruffle of a smile on her lips. “Must be nice, living near the water,” she said, her voice breathy and low. She enunciated her words slowly, as if carefully calibrating her reply to lead him into more personal revelations.

“It is nice,” he agreed. “It’s quiet out on the beach. Very private. I live alone, so it’s a welcome escape from all the noise and hectic hours I put in here at the factory.”

He lives alone, Kacey quickly registered, certain he’d deliberately dropped that nugget of private information to disarm any resistance she might have had about entering into a more intimate level of conversation. Deciding to play the game she knew he’d started, she lobbed the comeback she hoped he was expecting. “I hear you. My job at Leeman’s can get pretty crazy, too, so going home to a quiet place…with no one around, is heaven.”

“Do you live in Manhattan?” Leon quickly probed.

“No, in Harlem. But I’m planning on moving into the city when I return.”

“I’ll bet it’s expensive, living in New York. Any roommates?”

“No, just me.”

“So you like big-city life?”

“I love it. Born and raised in Harlem. Wouldn’t give up New York for anything.”

“Well, it’s all about how you want to live your life,” he replied laughingly, now stepping back to put more space between them. “Small town Texas is where I come from and Rockport has always been home. It’s really a great place to live and work.”

“Especially if you’re an Archer, I’ll bet,” Kacey finished with a chuckle.

“Oh, yeah,” he sheepishly acknowledged. “Guess you got me there.”

With a duck of her head Kacey stepped even further away from Leon and put both of her hands on the back of the stool in front of her drafting table. Holding on to it, she watched Leon carefully, her heart racing in her chest. If he didn’t leave soon, she knew she might embarrass herself by revealing more than she should, or asking too many questions. But she wasn’t going to be in Rockport for long, and time would fly by. Would there be enough time to get to know Leon Archer better? And why did she feel so compelled to get answers to the questions that were crowding her mind?

“Think I’d better get busy on those revisions,” she told him, slipping onto the stool. She picked up a pencil and pointed it at him. “I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

“Good idea. Just push the red button on your phone and that’ll buzz me in my office. When you’re ready, I’d like to show you around the plant.”

“Will do,” Kacey replied. As she watched Leon leave her cubicle, she couldn’t resist a shake of her head. Whew! That man was yanking all her chains and she didn’t plan to stop him.

Chapter 6

Once Kacey had reviewed the revised production budget, she sent it to Steve Hadley, proud of herself, and Leon, for accomplishing their mission. Within fifteen minutes, Hadley replied to her email, congratulating her on reducing overall costs by seven percent and assuring her that he’d work out a contractor’s agreement for her and that she would receive a nice bonus once the product had been received. Pleased with her achievement, as well as her boss’s reply, she buzzed Leon, who quickly returned to her cubicle.

“Now that money matters are settled, let’s take a tour of the factory,” Leon suggested, lingering in the entry.

Kacey smiled, allowing herself to relax and savor the importance of the moment. Everything was falling into place. The tension that had been building inside her since launching her proposal for Hadley in New York began to dissipate. Partnering with Leon was going to be a definite change from anything she’d ever done, and she hoped there’d be no bumps in the road. But with his steel-gray eyes all over her and the hint of his cologne filling her head, it was going to be awfully damn hard to concentrate on work.

But I have to, she reminded herself, biting her lip as she powered down her computer. She shouldn’t even be conjuring up romantic notions about a man she hardly knew. It was time to get serious about the work she’d come here to do.

“You guys about finished?”

Glancing up, Kacey saw that Nona had come up behind Leon and placed a ring-laden hand on his shoulder. When Nona’s fingers grazed her boss’s neck, Kacey squinted in surprise, thinking that was a pretty intimate gesture for an operations manager to make with the man who owned the place. However, Leon didn’t seem bothered at all.

“Yeah. I’m about to give Kacey a tour of the plant,” Leon replied, shifting more fully into Kacey’s cubicle and away from Nona’s touch.

Nona, who was holding a thick black binder in her other hand, followed him into the room. “Leon, I know you have a ton of things to take care of…with Mr. Archer leaving so sudden and all. Want me to show Kacey around, introduce her to the key people who’ll be involved in the production?”

Leon tapped a finger on the corner of Kacey’s desk as if considering Nona’s suggestion. “No, that’s okay. I’ll show Kacey around.”

“All right,” Nona replied, sounding a tad disappointed. She smiled at Kacey and shrugged. “Guess I’ll see you later.” Then she left the room in a swish of African print fabric.

Turning to Kacey, Leon said, “Come on. Let’s go out on the floor and get acquainted with everyone. We’ve got a lot to cover today.”

Seated at her desk, Nona tossed back her head, jutted out her bottom lip and glared at the ceiling. With her eyes squinted into long-lashed slits, she pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth. The swimsuit designer was much too attractive for Nona’s liking. A slick, sexy professional woman from New York City could become a real distraction.

If Kacey Parker thinks Leon is gonna spend all his time fawning over her, she’s sadly mistaken. But at least she won’t be here that long, Nona decided, feeling a sweep of relief as she picked up a folder and got into her work for the day.

Kacey and Leon entered the corridor leading to the heart of the plant, walking side by side while making small talk about the factory.

“We pride ourselves on turning out high-quality items at competitive pricing levels,” Leon told Kacey as he touted his company’s track record with pride. “Our design capability and fabric quality is competitive with any name brand. Our motto, ‘We Suit Every Body’ is more than a catchy slogan. We mean it!”

“How long has your family been in business?” Kacey wanted to know.

“Fifty-two years.”

“And you’ve been working here since…?”

“Since forever, it seems. My dad made me start out at the bottom to learn the business from the ground up. My first real job was on the packing line…part-time while I was in high school,” Leon replied, in a voice laden with pride. “Worked right alongside Nona, who started here the same day.”

“Oh, really? She’s been here that long?”

“Oh, yeah. Most of my classmates worked here at one time or another. Especially during summer vacations. We worked hard, but goofed off a lot, too. As soon as we’d get off work, we used to head straight to the beach and go skinny dipping. We’d stay out on the beach all night sometimes.”

“You all swam in the nude?” Kacey had to comment, imagining how fine Leon must have looked when he was younger, and buck naked. Not that he wasn’t fine now, because it was clear he took good care of himself.

The smothered laughter that bubbled up from Leon’s throat was the only answer Kacey needed. “Sure. Why not?” he said. “We were young…friends just having fun. Nobody bothered us.” A beat. “Our favorite place to swim was Barker’s Bend. Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve thought about that.” Shaking his head, Leon turned into another hallway and escorted Kacey through a set of metal double doors.

Kacey increased her pace to keep up with Leon, whose long strides were moving them along quickly. Anxious to keep him talking, she threw out the question she was burning to have answered. “So you and Nona have been friends a long time, huh?”

“Yeah. I’ve known her about all my life.”

“So you two are…close?” she prompted, unable to shake the image of Nona’s hand placed so possessively on Leon’s shoulder and his apparent lack of displeasure. One question was burning in her mind: Did you two have a romantic relationship? What does she mean to you now? But of course she couldn’t ask that.

“Close? Oh, sure,” Leon blithely confirmed with a flick of his hand. “My mom was her mother’s best friend. When Nona’s mother died, my mom kinda adopted Nona, so she’s like a member of my family, really.”

“I see,” Kacey murmured. But that didn’t explain the obvious possessiveness that Kacey had detected in Nona’s attitude. Something told Kacey that she’d better watch Nona James closely and try not to get on her bad side.

Inside the noisy heart of the factory, Leon paused to let Kacey take in the buzz of activity swirling around them. Here industrial sewing machines and power-cutting tools were actively turning fabric into a variety of products. As they toured the plant, Leon pointed out the various stages of production as articles of clothing passed from cutting tables to sewing machines, pressing equipment and the final staging area for inventory storage and shipping.

“This is where everything happens,” he explained. “Workers in that section on the left complete the manual steps needed to prepare the product before the tools and machines take over. Each employee has a specific job to do, and timing is critical…not only to maintain a steady production flow, but also to ensure a safe environment. If one person drops the ball, it can affect the entire run, so team effort is vitally important.”

“That kind of interdependence probably helps create the family-type vibe that I can definitely feel around here,” Kacey commented as she slid her gaze over the massive machinery where men and women were busy with their work.

Leon beamed his pleasure at Kacey’s spot-on observation. “Absolutely right. We work hard together, we live close to each other and we depend on one another to get the job done right.”

“That must be a good feeling…knowing your coworkers so well.”

“Yes, it’s a definite benefit of living in a small town where no one is a stranger.”

“No one?” Kacey repeated, beginning to feel less like an intruder.

He turned back to Kacey, his face soft and somber. “No one,” he repeated in a husky voice that delivered the seriousness of his message. “Not even you.” He placed a hand on her arm, his fingers lingering on the sleeve of her navy jacket. “I mean that, Kacey. While you’re here, I plan to do all I can to make you feel like a part of the Archer family.”

The raw sensuousness in his voice sent involuntary shivers of arousal through Kacey, who lifted her face to Leon’s. He’d said “the Archer family,” hadn’t he? Not the “Archer Industries family,” making Kacey wonder if Leon was aware of the slip of the tongue he’d made.

“Thanks. I’d like that,” she murmured, impressed by his genuine effort to put her at ease.

The tender expression that suffused his features told her that she’d interpreted his comment exactly as he’d hoped. “I want your experience here to be well worth your time,” he went on, leading her deeper into the workroom.

He stopped at a metal rail that separated the walkway from the work area, removed his hand from her arm and dipped his head. “I know Rockport is nothing like New York, but I think my hometown is a pretty special place. We have a lot to offer.” The clacking cacophony of sounds that reverberated through the factory forced Leon to step closer to Kacey so that she could hear what he had to say. Continuing in a much stronger voice, he told her, “Since you’re going to be around for a while, I hope you’ll take the time to get to know the city…and me…a lot better.”

“I hope so, too,” Kacey confessed, aware of the vibrations from the massive machinery that suddenly engulfed them. Or was it the hum of her fast-racing heart that was causing the steady pulsations rocketing through her body?

Kacey gave Leon an affirmative nod, turned around and started down the walkway. He riveted his eyes on her exquisite backside, swallowing the lump of appreciation that crowded his throat. With her head held high, she sashayed to the end of the catwalk, and into a section that was walled off by a large section of glass. Leon followed close behind.

“I want you to meet Bob Truett, the head patternmaker I told you about,” Leon said to Kacey as he guided her over to the man behind the glass wall who was busy moving pattern pieces around on his computer screen. “Bob Truett,” Leon started, “this is Kacey Parker. The designer for the SunKissed line.”

Bob, a short stocky man with a receding hairline who resembled Danny DeVito, shifted in his seat, looked up and beamed a toothy smile at Kacey. “Welcome to Archer,” he said. “I was just uploading some of your specs.”

“Great to meet you,” Kacey replied, moving closer to his computer screen to study the images floating there, relieved to see that he was using the same CAD software that she used in New York. By storing her design styles and color choices on disks, they were easily accessed and managed. “Looks good,” she commented perusing his work.

“Bob’s a real whiz at pulling off computerized replicas of the most complicated clothing constructions,” Leon agreed.

“Mind if I watch for a while?” Kacey asked.

“No, not at all,” Bob replied, waving her into the empty chair beside his. “In fact, I need your input. Oh, and we’ll receive the Naughty Net from India day after tomorrow.”

“Fantastic,” Kacey said, relieved to know that Archer had come through.

“Something I need to know now,” Truett started. “Do you want the shirring on this tie-side bottom to run all the way around the hipline or just across the front?”

Scooting closer to the screen, Kacey studied the image and launched into her vision of the style, while Bob made the necessary adjustments in the pattern.

Leon retreated to the back of Bob’s workstation to observe. Damn, that woman is pretty! he thought, pulling in a long, silent breath. And talented, too, he acknowledged. Kacey, the fashion designer, was the artistic force behind the line, and he was proud to act as the vehicle to channel her finished products into the heart of the apparel industry. Together, they could make a heck of a pair.

Was that why he was drawn to her like a magnet picking up pins from the cutting-room floor? Why the attraction he’d felt when he first saw her sitting in his office had hit him like a jolt of fresh air? He was still reeling from the encounter. When he’d discussed the Leeman’s contract with his father, he had assumed he’d be working with some flighty male artistic type from New York, never expecting to be paired with a sexy woman who had so much going on. What a lucky break! And she’d told him that she lived alone, so she must be single. No roommates. No rings. No mention of a kid or a significant other she’d left behind in New York. He sure hoped Kacey Parker was as special, and available, as she appeared to be because he was going to do all he could to keep her in Rockport as long as possible.

As he listened to Kacey and Bob discussing the various stages that her samples would go through, Leon was impressed anew by the unusual creative flair of her swimwear. She certainly knew how to capitalize on a woman’s best features while softening the appearance of those ever-present flaws. He’d never seen any female on the beach in a suit close to what SunKissed by Kacey had to offer, and he could hardly wait to see the finished products.

“What size do you want the samples made in?” Truett asked, busily re-creating the extra-wide straps of a white halter top on his computerized patternmaker.

“I think it might be best…” Kacey began, but was cut off when Leon’s voice drifted from behind her and interrupted her reply.

“Bob, I think you should make the samples in Ms. Parker’s size. Whatever that is,” he finished, deliberately inserting a hint of a taunt in his comment.

Kacey’s head whipped around and she glared at Leon, who simply let a sly smile curve his lips.

“For your information I wear a size 4…petite,” she informed him without hesitation, clearly ready to accept his challenge.

So, she’s game, Leon thought, his heart thudding at the thought of her wearing the sexy swimsuits now floating across Bob’s computer monitor.

“If I were in New York,” Kacey continued, “I’d have the in-house models at Leeman’s fit them. I even considered having the models come to Rockport for the shoot, but I’ve changed my mind completely. Since I’m on a tight deadline and don’t have time to ship the samples back to New York, I may as well fit them myself.”

“Good point,” Bob acknowledged, punching in more numbers. “That way I can make the adjustments on the spot and save a lot of time.”

“Great,” Kacey stated. “I can’t wait until the samples are ready.”

Neither can I, Leon silently admitted, realizing his suggestion hadn’t thrown Kacey at all.

“If you’re going to test-model the swimsuits, then Nona can help you with the fittings,” Truett told Kacey.

Sorry, Bob, Leon quietly mused. That’ll be one job that belongs to the boss, even though Kacey doesn’t know it…yet.

Leon crossed the space between himself and Kacey to add a comment on one of her designs. “I like this black one-piece style. It’s the definition of classic! It’s sexy, and yet it’s not like those teeny-weeny string silhouettes that show off a lot of skin. Your suits have glamour and class. Like old-time Hollywood pizzazz done up for women of today.”

Kacey’s head snapped up, her mouth open in surprise. “You hit the essence of my design concept right on the mark! Thanks for the compliment. You have a good eye for style,” she told him. “I think I’m gonna like having you around.”

Not as much as I’m gonna enjoy having you here, Leon thought, boldly raking Kacey with renewed appreciation. The afterbuzz of her remark fueled his sense that she was eager to explore whatever was developing between them. In her navy business attire, carefully coifed hair, shiny manicured nails and subtle, but stylish jewelry, she fit perfectly into the corporate image of a successful businesswoman. However, Leon could easily imagine what she would look like in the erotic red thong bikini that Truett was now dissecting on his computer-imaging machine. Even though she came off as the epitome of style, grace, good taste and high fashion, Leon suspected that underneath that crisp façade lurked a totally different woman, one who wore tight tank tops without a bra, stone-washed jeans without panties and was dying to break loose when she wasn’t on the clock.