Kitabı oku: «Fortune's Mergers», sayfa 2

Two

Gina’s drive home from the airport following her trip to New York was slow, due to the snow that had begun to fall a few hours earlier. But she didn’t mind the delay. It wasn’t as if she had anyone waiting for her at home. Not even Zoie. Besides, she loved snow.

Pressing her face against the side window, she watched the flakes drift down from a dark, leaden sky. As a young girl, she remembered standing outside with her face tipped up and her mouth open, trying to catch snowflakes as they fell. Her mother had always teased her, saying she looked like a baby bird begging to be fed.

She smiled sadly at the memory. She missed her mother. Missed the late night talks they used to have, the mornings spent curled up on the sofa in the sunroom, her head in her mother’s lap. She closed her eyes, remembering the feel of her mother’s fingers combing through her hair, the sound of her soft laughter as Gina entertained her with the stories she’d made up as a young girl.

You should write these stories down before you forget them. You might want to publish them someday.

“I did, Mama,” she whispered to her reflection on the glass.

“What was that, ma’am?”

She turned from the window to find the taxi driver looking at her in the rearview mirror. Embarrassed, she averted her gaze. “Sorry. Just thinking out loud.”

“Almost there,” he announced. “And none too soon. They’re saying we might get a foot or more before morning.”

She glanced out the window again and smiled. “The kids will love it. Snowball fights. Building snowmen. They’ll have a blast.”

He looked at her in the rearview mirror. “You got kids?”

“Me?” she asked in surprise, then sputtered a laugh. “No. I’m not married.”

He gave his head a woeful shake. “Don’t need a marriage license to have kids. Not nowadays. Folks have gone plumb crazy, thinking a single person can raise a child alone. Takes two, I say,” he said, with a decisive jerk of his chin. “A mother and a father.”

Gina turned her face to the window again, thinking of her own family. The absentee father and the desperate-to-please mother.

Sometimes even two aren’t enough, she thought sadly.

“Here we are,” he said. “Want me to let you off out front or would you rather I take you to the parking garage?”

“Front is fine.”

While the driver collected her suitcase from the trunk, Gina counted out the fare from her wallet, then slipped the straps of her purse and briefcase over her shoulder and climbed out. A snowflake landed on the end of her nose, making her laugh.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said, as she handed the driver the fare. “You be careful out tonight.”

He tipped his hat. “Same to you, ma’am.”

Taking the handle of her rolling bag, Gina turned for her building, pulling the bag behind her. Lights glowed from behind the double front doors’ leaded glass windows and spilled over onto the snow that had collected on the front steps.

“Welcome home.”

She stumbled a step at the greeting, losing her grip on the handle of her rolling bag, and whirled to find a man stepping from the shadows at the corner of her building. With his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched against the cold and a watch cap pulled low over his brow, he looked like a mugger. Although muggings were rare in her neighborhood, they weren’t unheard of. Fearing she was about to become the next victim, she glanced down the street, praying the taxi driver was still within hearing range. But the vehicle was already two blocks away, too far for the driver to hear if she were to scream.

“How was your trip?”

Recognizing the voice of her would-be attacker, she whipped her head back around.

“Case?” she said in disbelief. Sagging weakly, she pressed a hand against her heart to still its panicked beating. “Good grief. You scared a year off my life.”

He dragged the cap from his head. “Sorry. That wasn’t my intent.”

Feeling foolish for mistaking him for a mugger, she hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came to welcome you home from your trip.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “How did you know I was out of town?”

“One of your neighbors told me. Zoie, I believe was her name. When the florist called to tell me they were unable to deliver the flowers I sent, I became concerned. Thought I’d better check and make sure you were all right. Zoie was leaving as I arrived and she told me you’d gone to New York on a business trip.”

Gina made a mental note to tell Zoie to mind her own business in the future. “As you can see, I’m fine.”

He gave her a slow look up and down, a lazy smile chipping at one corner of his mouth. “Better than fine, I’d say.”

She stiffened her spine, refusing to fall for a line as obvious as that. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s been an exhausting day.” She stooped to retrieve her rolling bag, but Case was quicker.

He righted the bag, then bowed slightly, opening a hand in invitation. “Lead the way.”

She squared her shoulders and stood her ground. “I’m more than capable of carrying my own bag.”

“I’m sure you are,” he said amiably. “But my mother would roll over in her grave if she knew I’d stood by and allowed a woman to carry her own bags.”

She hesitated, not wanting his assistance, then huffed a breath and marched for the front door, leaving him to follow. After quickly dealing with the security code, she thrust out her hand for her bag.

He angled his body to block her and nodded toward the door. “Ladies first.”

Setting her jaw, she strode inside and straight for the elevator. “This really isn’t necessary,” she said irritably.

“Indulge me.”

She shot him a frown, as the elevator door opened, then rolled her eyes and stepped inside.

He followed, maneuvering the bag onto the elevator.

“You didn’t call me.”

She spared him a glance, then turned her face to the display, watching as the numbers lit, indicating their ascent. “No, I didn’t.”

The elevator doors opened onto her floor, the door to her loft directly opposite. She stepped out and Case followed, pulling her bag behind him.

She dealt with the lock, then turned to face him. “Thank you for your assistance. I can handle things from here.”

He nodded. “I’d like to see you again.”

“Why?” she asked bluntly.

He shrugged. “Why not?”

“I’ve already told you that I don’t care for men like you.”

“How can you know what kind of man I am, when you don’t even know me?”

“I know enough to know I’m not interested.”

When she turned away, he caught her arm and drew her back around. Set against his dark navy pea coat, his eyes seemed incredibly blue … and determined.

“Give me a chance,” he said. “Go out with me. Forget whatever it is you’ve heard about me and judge for yourself what kind of man I am.”

She gulped, wanting to refuse him, to avoid the disappointments she knew she would be setting herself up for. She knew what kind of man he was. He was just like her father.

But how could she say no to a man who adhered to his mother’s teachings, even when his mother wasn’t around to fuss at him when he didn’t? A man so unbelievably handsome, it made her teeth ache just to look at him? Besides, it wasn’t as if she received invitations for dates all that often. By design or destiny—she was never sure which—she had few friends, male or female.

“All right,” she said grudgingly. “I’ll go out with you, but just this—”

Before she could finish, his mouth was on hers. Caught off-guard, she had to brace a hand against his chest to keep from stumbling backwards.

She should have been insulted that he’d take such advantage of her, demand that he release her. This was exactly the kind of behavior she’d expected from him, a selfish disregard for a woman’s needs or feelings.

Yet, there was a confidence in his kiss, a seductiveness that kept her silent, made her want to experience more.

The chill of outdoors clung to his coat. She felt it beneath her palm, as well as the moisture from the snow that had seeped into the wool fabric. Deeper still she lost herself in the rhythmic beat of his heart, the heat from his body.

By the time he withdrew, her knees were weak, her mind fuzzy, her breath locked somewhere inside her chest.

He crooked a finger beneath her chin, his smile leaning toward the cocky side of confident. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at noon. Dress warm.”

She gulped, unable to tear her gaze from his. “Okay,” she murmured dully, then turned into her loft, her lips still tingling from the pressure of his.

By noon the following day, Gina had all but convinced herself that Case’s kiss wasn’t all she’d built it up in her mind to be. He’d caught her completely off-guard, which alone would make the kiss probably seem more than what it really was. She had to consider, too, that men like Case were excellent actors. If a situation called for knocking a woman off her feet with a mind-blowing kiss, she had no doubt he could deliver one … and feel absolutely no remorse afterwards for the deception.

In spite of changing her opinion about his kiss, she’d decided to stick to her agreement to go out with him. Attempting to wiggle her way out of the commitment seemed more trouble than it was worth, considering the man’s stubbornness. It exhausted her to even think of trying.

Which was why she was currently sitting beside him on the Trolley, dressed in her warmest clothes, as he’d suggested. She’d been surprised when he’d guided her to the Trolley stop at the corner of her block, rather than to the vehicle parked at the curb in front of her building. She’d assumed a man of Case’s position would consider public transportation beneath him. Especially when his Cadillac Escalade was parked right in front of her building and he was more than capable of driving them himself.

She stole a glance at him beneath her lashes, wondering if this might be an indication she’d misjudged him.

As if sensing her gaze, he looked her way and smiled. “Warm enough?”

She forced a polite smile in return. “I’m fine.” Unable to think of anything else to say, she turned her face to the window as the Trolley stopped to pick up more passengers. “Where are we going?” she asked curiously.

“The Falls.”

She snapped her head around to stare at him. “The Falls?”

“Yeah. Hope you don’t mind. They’re beautiful in the summertime, but I like them best in the winter when there’s snow on the ground and the river is starting to freeze.”

“The Falls,” she repeated, having a hard time imagining the Case Fortune finding pleasure in visiting what most would consider a tourist attraction.

“You don’t mind, do you? We can go somewhere else if you’d prefer.”

She shook her head. “No, I love the Falls. I’m just surprised that you’d want to go there.”

Smiling, he caught her hand and brought it to hold against his thigh. “I make it a point to visit them at least once a month. More, when I can find the time.”

Aware of the hand that held hers and the casualness with which he’d made the connection, she swallowed hard, praying her palm wouldn’t perspire and give away her nervousness.

He angled his head to look at her. “Have you ever seen the view from the Observation Tower?”

“Y-yes, but it’s been years.”

“Then we’ll definitely include that in our plans. I thought we’d stop off at the Horse Barn, too. There’s an art exhibit today.”

Gina knew all about the Horse Barn Arts Center and the current exhibit on display. She was a member of the Arts Council and attended every exhibit the Council sponsored. In fact, she had planned on seeing the current exhibit next weekend. It was a hands-on display designed for the entertainment and education of children. Though it was right up her alley, she had a hard time envisioning Case enjoying anything even remotely juvenile.

“What would you like to do first?” he asked. “The Tower or the Horse Barn?”

She considered a moment. “The Tower. That way we can warm up afterwards at the Horse Barn.”

Within minutes they arrived at the Trolley’s last stop, the Visitor’s Center. From there they walked to the Falls. The snow from the night before had fallen short of the weatherman’s forecast of twelve inches, leaving only three or four inches to cover the ground. In spite of the snow and the cold, Gina found the walk invigorating.

Even before the falls came into view, she heard the sound of the water crashing over the rocks. Snow lay in drifts along the banks of the river and blanketed the trees in soft, white canopies, while icicles hung in glittering spikes from the massive rocks that formed the falls.

“Come on,” Case caught her hand. “Let’s get a little closer.”

Gina allowed him to tug her along behind him. When he stopped, he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her against his side.

As they stood, taking in the sight and sounds, a memory surfaced, one which mimicked almost perfectly her current position. She’d been maybe ten at the time, standing beside the falls with her mother, watching the water rush over the rocks. Her mother had said something that day that Gina hadn’t thought much of at the time.

I wonder if drowning is painful?

At the time, Gina hadn’t thought too much of her mother’s comment—other than it was a macabre thing to say. Hearing it had sent chills chasing down her spine. But it wasn’t until after her mother’s suicide that she’d realized that her mother had been considering taking her own life for quite a while before actually committing the act.

Shivering at the memory, she forced it from her mind.

Case looked down at her. “Cold?” he asked, raising his voice to make himself heard over the sound of the falls.

Rather than tell him the reason for the shiver, she decided to accept the excuse he offered. “A little.”

He unbuttoned his overcoat and drew her back against his chest, wrapping his coat around her and holding it in place by hugging his arms around her middle. “Better?” he asked.

Painfully aware of the body pressed against hers, she could only nod.

He turned his face against her ear to make himself heard over the Falls. “Do you remember what a mess this area used to be? Lots of work went into cleaning it up and making it the attraction it is today.”

Frowning, she angled her head to peer up at him. “You sound as if you had a hand in the project.”

“Not as much as I would’ve liked. Dakota Fortunes helped fund the clean-up, supplying equipment, as well as man-power to do the work. I worked when I could, but it took the efforts of hundreds of men to complete the job.”

Surprised to learn that he had willingly volunteered his time for a public project, she filed away that new insight into his character to consider later.

“Reynolds Refining contributed, too,” he went on. “Money, as well as fuel. But I’m sure you knew about that.”

She shook her head. “No. I know very little about my father’s company.”

She half expected him to quiz her more about her relationship with her father and his business and was relieved when he let the subject drop and resumed talking about the restoration of the falls.

Gina had thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with Case. But now that it was coming to an end, her inexperience with men and dating in general left her in a quandary about the proper end-of-date protocol. Invite him in? Kiss? No kiss?

Unsure, she unlocked the door to her loft, then turned, deciding it safest to simply follow his lead. “Thanks for the day. I really had a good time.”

Teasing her with a smile, he caught her elbows and drew her to him. “Does this mean you’ve changed your opinion of me?”

She lowered her gaze, embarrassed that she’d said such awful things to his face. “Let’s just say I have new data to consider.”

Chuckling, he bussed her a quick kiss. “I guess I’ll have to accept that for now.”

“I guess you will.”

“When can I see you again?”

“Well, I don’t know,” she stammered, surprised that he appeared to want to take her out again. “While I was in New York, the art director requested changes on some of the illustrations for my next book and wants them ASAP.”

“How long are we talking? Days? Weeks? Months?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his frustrated tone. “I don’t know. It depends on my creative muse. A couple of days probably.”

“I could help,” he offered.

She gave him a doubtful look. “I think you’re forgetting I saw some of your drawings at the Art Center.”

“I may not be an artist, but I’d make a damn good model.” He waggled his brows. “Nudes are my specialty.”

She blushed furiously, easily able to imagine him naked. “I—I don’t do nudes.”

“Spoil sport,” he grumbled, then sighed. “Call me when you’re done and we’ll celebrate.” He looked down his nose at her. “You do have my number.”

She flushed guiltily at the reminder that she’d ignored his requests on all the cards accompanying the flowers he’d sent her. “Yes, I have it.”

He kissed her again, this one longer than the one before, then gave her a push toward her open door. “Get to work. The longer you goof off, the longer it’ll be before I can see you again.”

Dazed, she lifted a hand in farewell, then closed the door and leaned back against it, listening to the elevator doors swish close behind Case and the muffled grind of cable as the elevator started its descent.

He’d kissed her. Really kissed her. And he wanted to see her again.

With a dreamy sigh, she pushed away from the door and started toward her work table. She hadn’t taken three steps in that direction, when she heard the scrape of a key in her lock and the sound of the door opening. She glanced back just as Zoie came charging in.

“Spill, girl,” Zoie ordered, “and don’t leave anything out.”

Though she knew Zoie was referring to Case, Gina gave her a blank look. “About what?”

Zoie tossed up her hands. “About him! Case Fortune. I saw his Escalade parked out front when I got home from Sully’s. Sully sends his love, by the way,” she added.

“Sully’s such a sweetie,” she said fondly, then narrowed an eye at Zoie. “And how you do you know that was Case’s Escalade? Did you pick the lock and go through his glove compartment?”

“Didn’t have to. He has one of those Dakota Fortune parking passes hanging from his rearview mirror. Kinda hard to miss.”

“Oh.”

“No apology? Just, oh?” Chuckling, she flapped a hand. “Forget it. Now tell me where you’ve been all day. I’ve been climbing the walls, waiting for you to get home.”

Gina turned back to her desk and picked up her portfolio. “Here and there,” she replied vaguely.

“Uh-uh,” Zoie warned, trailing after her. “That’s not good enough.” She flopped down on the sofa and folded her arms across her chest. “I want to know every gory detail, starting with how you hooked up, all the way to the kiss I saw him plant on you in the hallway, and I’m not leaving until you tell all.”

Knowing her friend would make good her threat, Gina crossed to the sofa and sat down. “He was waiting for me when I got home last night.” She shot Zoie a frown. “Thanks to a nosy neighbor who can’t keep her mouth shut.”

Unfazed, Zoie tucked her feet beneath her, her expression expectant. “So? Did he spend the night?”

“Heavens, no!” Gina cried, shocked by the suggestion. “He carried my luggage to the door and asked me out. Period.”

Zoie’s face fell in disappointment. “Bummer. So what did you do today?”

“We went to Falls Park, took in the exhibit at the Horse Barn Art Center, and had dinner at that new Italian restaurant on Phillips Street.”

“Ah, come on,” Zoie groused. “That’s tour guide stuff. I want the juice. Physical contact. Whispered words of endearment. That kind of thing.”

“He held my hand. Does that count?”

“Stiff or foreplay?”

Gina looked at her askance. “What the heck does that mean?”

“Stiff is like dead fingers. No movement. Foreplay is playful, sensual. Thumb strokes on the palm. Little squeezes of the fingers. Which was it?”

Gina frowned a moment thinking. “Foreplay,” she decided.

Zoie rubbed her hands together in glee. “Oh, man. That’s good. Real good. What else?”

“While we were walking, he put his arm around my shoulders a couple of times. And he snuggled me up inside his coat when we were standing by the Falls.”

“Back to front or front to front?”

“Back to front.”

“Did you feel anything? Like a hard-on, I mean.”

“Zoie!” Gina cried.

Zoie held up her hands. “Okay, okay. Just trying to get a bead on his level of attraction.”

“It was one date,” Gina reminded her drolly. “It’s a little early to start thinking about sex.”

Zoie opened her hands. “Hey. Sex knows no time-line. When the time’s right, it’s right. You’ve got to learn to open up a little bit. Go with the flow.”

Gina winced. “I don’t know how.”

“Relax, you mean?”

Gina nodded.

“Alcohol,” Zoie said without hesitation. “Nothing loosens up a person’s inhibitions quicker than a stiff drink or two.”

Shaking her head, Gina pushed to her feet. “I’m not much of a drinker.”

“Good. That means it would take less to get you going.”

Sputtering a laugh, Gina planted her hands on her hips. “You are a real case, you know it? Here you are telling me to get drunk and have sex with a man I hardly know.”

“Do you want to remain a virgin the rest of your life?”

Gina winced, then shook her head. “No.”

“Does Case ring your bell?”

Gina rolled her eyes. “If you’re asking if I’m attracted to him, yes.”

Zoie shrugged. “Well, there you have it. Case Fortune is your frog-prince, the guy who’s going to introduce you to the wild side of life, teach you the old bump and grind.”

Gina clapped her hands over her cheeks, her face flaming. “I can’t believe we’re even having this discussion.”

Zoie unfolded her legs and rose. Slinging an arm around Gina’s shoulders, she drew her with her as she walked to the door. “Sister, it’s time. Past time, if you ask me. You’ve been wearing that chastity belt long enough.”