Identity Crisis(19)

‘The woman’s a bitch,’ he said out loud. But as he said it, he was already busy fumbling with his zipper. As he said it he pictured her all dressed up for business. Even all professional and ready to work, she looked like something he’d like to eat with a cherry on top. He’d like to start right at her ankles, just above those pink stilettos, and work his way on up, tongue first, taking the middle path, all the way up those endless legs of hers to what was just barely hidden by her wet shorts, what looked luscious enough to keep him in very filthy thoughts for a long time to come. And it was already clear exactly where those filthy thoughts were leading. He shoved back from the desk and headed for the bathroom jeans open, boxers shoved low around his hips, stroking as he went.

Later, when he returned to his study, there was another email from Kay Lake.

Mr. Rose,

I’m ready to meet with you tomorrow. I’ll need several hours of your time, at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Kay Lake

It chafed, volatile Kendra Davis emailing him all business-like and professional. He ground his teeth and emailed back.

Ms. Lake,

Shall we say 2.00 again?

Then he gave her his home address. He didn’t like the idea of doing what they had to do in the annex of his brother’s business, especially now he knew who she really was. He hoped that the whole distasteful situation could be kept secret as much as possible. Though he figured Dee and Ellis would ultimately have to know, he hoped he’d be able to keep it from Stacie. He wanted no more loose ends than absolutely necessary. If all went well, by the time the banquet was over, Tess Delaney could go happily back into hiding and he and Kay Lake or Kendra Davis could shake hands and never have to speak to each other again.

Don had dropped a quick text that he’d had an email from K. Ryde saying the meeting had gone well and the situation was being dealt with. Garrett wrote back a terse answer basically agreeing but not giving anything away. The less anyone knew the better. It was embarrassing, really. The woman he couldn’t even think about without getting both angry and stiff was going to be Tess Delaney for an event that could turn out to be detrimental to Tess’s career.

Within minutes, Kendra emailed back confirming their appointment.

Garrett had half hoped she would be at least a little bit late, but the professional PR version of Kendra Davis was right on time. She was dressed in black trousers and a light summer blazer over a silky white blouse that draped her body like its only purpose was to caress her. He felt an irrational stab of jealousy as she slipped out of the jacket and handed it over for him to hang. They were barely seated, her with her Diet Pepsi and him with his coffee, before she pulled out her iPad. ‘Did you sleep well?’ she asked without looking up from what she was doing. Her lips curled into a hint of a smile. ‘You should sleep better now that I’m on the job.’

He forced a smile. ‘I’m certainly glad one of us is confident.’

This time she looked up at him, and the smile she offered, if he wasn’t mistaking, was reassuring. ‘It’s natural for you to be nervous about the situation and I know we’re cutting it close to the wire, but believe me when I say I’ve handled a lot worse.’

‘Why?’ he said.

She blinked and the smile faded. He was sorry to see it go. ‘Why what?’

‘Why are you doing this? I know how you feel about me.’

She laid aside the iPad and scooted forward on the sofa. ‘Garrett, this isn’t personal. This is my job, and I really admire Tess Delaney and her body of work.’ He thought he could see a slight blush tinging her cheeks. ‘I figured you could see that yesterday with my extensive knowledge of her novels.’

That did give him a sense of satisfaction.

‘Besides,’ she added, ‘I really am the best in my field.’

‘That’s good. That’s great,’ he said. And it was; he knew it was. But he couldn’t help feeling just a little peeved that she could turn it all on and off as though she had no feelings one way or another. He’d have never thought it possible, but he missed her anger. At least when she was angry he knew what he was up against, and why. Plus, it was hot. There, he’d actually admitted it. She was hot when she was angry. Not that she wasn’t hot now too, but now it felt like she’d put some sort of plexi-glass wall between them. He forced his attention back to what she was saying.

‘I’ve taken care of the limos to get us there and back.’

‘Limos?’

She nodded. ‘There’ll be four, two each way. One we’ll be in and one we won’t. Just a distraction.’