Sweet Heat at Bayside(37)

Relief washed over her. "I didn't realize how worried I was about that. But wow. It's like a weight just fell off my shoulders."

He chuckled and lifted her onto the hood of her car. "We're made for  each other. I thought you were the one who had to convince me of that."  He wedged his big body between her legs and said, "Besides, Supergirl,  we haven't had nearly enough naked time together yet."





Chapter Sixteen




DRAKE PULLED OPEN the doors to Serena's office building Wednesday  afternoon, excited to see the look in her eyes when he surprised her. He  couldn't shake the worry about the pressure their relationship was  putting on her. Only the evenings brought relief, when they'd catch up  and she'd rave about her job and her team. That's why he'd been thrilled  this morning when he'd received a call from a vintage guitar dealer who  was going out of business. His store was about half an hour from  Serena's office, and Drake had jumped at the chance to review his stock.

As he crossed the marble lobby and stepped into the elevator, giving a  cursory glance to the guy in a suit standing by the button pad, he  thought about their calls the last few nights. Serena's life was falling  into place. Last night she'd gone out for drinks with the receptionist  from her office and Gavin. He wasn't thrilled about the dude, but he  trusted Serena, and if he were honest with himself, he'd rather she had a  male coworker looking out for her than no man at all while she was out  in a new city at night.

"What floor?" the guy asked.

"Oh, sorry. Fourteen, please."

The guy pushed the button and said, "That's my floor. Who are you going to see?"

"Serena Mallery. She's a designer with KHB."

"And a fine one at that. You're in good hands." He held out his hand and said, "Gavin Wheeler, also a senior designer with KHB."

And the guy who had drinks with my girlfriend last night. He shook  Gavin's hand, trying to put the sharp, preppy dresser and Serena  together. She was so laid-back, it was hard to picture. "Nice to meet  you. I'm Drake Savage."

"Ah, yes. The elusive Drake. The cookie man, resort owner, and the guy who's got her drawing little hearts on her notebooks."

Drake chuckled. "Sounds like my girl. I heard you had drinks last night."

"Someone's got to watch out for the women in this office. Although, from  what I've seen, Serena can be a real tiger. I doubt many guys could  pull the wool over her eyes."

"She's strong, that's for sure."

"Did she tell you she went head-to-head with the big boss this morning for taking her juniors on an initial client visit?"

"No, but that doesn't surprise me. She stands up for what she believes in. Hopefully it didn't get her in any real trouble."

Gavin shrugged. "All I know is that the door was closed for a long time,  and when Serena finally came out, I asked how it went and she said if  they expect her to run a team, then they need to give her the space to  do it right."

Drake cringed inwardly. He'd been around enough to know that some  executives didn't like to have their decisions challenged. "That's my  girl," he said as the elevator opened on their floor. "She doesn't know  I'm here, by the way. I was in the area and wanted to surprise her."         

     



 

"Come on. I'll take you back to see her."

He followed Gavin through the elaborate offices, which were vastly  different from their offices at the Cape, and exactly what Serena had  always talked about getting into. Guys in suits and women in  professional dresses and slacks moved busily about. He was glad he'd  thought to clean himself up a bit and wear slacks and a dress shirt.

Gavin pointed across the room to a glass-walled office. "That's her  office, but she's probably still in the conference room with her team."

He led Drake down a hall to a glass-walled conference room. Drake took a  moment to watch Serena through the glass. She was dressed in a  curve-hugging white dress with a black panel down the center and high  heels. Her hair was pinned up in a sexy twist as she leaned over a set  of drawings, talking with a skinny blonde and a tall, slim, bearded guy.  His pulse ratcheted up, not just because she looked hot in that dress,  but also because Serena had made it. Whether she was testing her boss's  patience or not, she was making a name for herself in one of the biggest  design firms in the industry. His heart filled with happiness, and he  vowed once again to do everything he could to support her success. He  prepared himself to give her a kiss on the cheek and not grope her fine  behind.

"Look who I found in the elevator," Gavin said as they walked into the conference room.

Serena turned, and her whole face lit up. "Drake!" She threw her arms  around his neck and kissed him square on the lips. "You're here! Why?  And your hair!" She ran her hands over his new short cut.

"I think she's glad to see you," Gavin said.

Serena took a step back and said, "Sorry. I'm more than glad. Shocked, in the very best way."

"I've got to make a few calls," Gavin said. "It's nice to meet you, Drake."

Drake shook his hand again. "Let me know if you're ever on the Cape. We'll grab a beer."

"Sounds good," Gavin said on his way out the door.

"I can't believe you're here," Serena said again. "Why are you here?"

"I'm checking out some vintage guitars about a half hour from here and thought I'd stop in and surprise you."

She touched his hair again. "And you cut your hair?"

"I figured I should clean up for your fancy new digs."

"I love it," she said. "You look very hot and very professional. Now  please grow it out again." She turned her back to the others and gave  him a quick, seductive wink that brought a wave of awareness to his  entire body.

"Anything for you, Supergirl."

"Supergirl?" the bearded guy said. "That's the perfect name for our chief."

"I'm not a chief," Serena insisted. "We're a team. One for all and all  for one. Spencer, Laura, this is Drake. Drake, these are the talented  designers I told you about. The best team a girl could ask for."

Spencer stood up to shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you. How do you  keep up with her? She's a whirlwind." He was tall and lean and looked  like he belonged at a chic coffee shop with a laptop. He was what Rick  called a hipster, with his black-framed glasses and wearing a navy shirt  with a white-diamond pattern, a brown sport coat, and dark skinny  slacks.

"That she is," Drake said proudly. He would find it hard to keep up with  the fashion of the city, but Serena had seamlessly made the transition.

"No, seriously. She comes up with ideas that blow everyone out of the water," Spencer explained.

"Serena's a great boss," Laura said. She stood to shake his hand. She  was pin thin and also fashionably dressed in a pair of taupe slacks and a  ruffled white blouse.

"Teammate," Serena corrected her.

"Boss who doesn't mind bucking the system," Laura said. "Serena took us  on an initial client visit, which we never do. It's amazing how much  more we gleaned from hearing the client's initial thoughts on the  project." She pointed to the designs and catalogs spread out on the  table. "We're only a couple hours into this project, and look. We've  almost got it nailed down. She's taken the collaboration process to a  whole new level."

Serena looked blissfully happy, fully alive, the way she had when she  was in the design and coordination phase during their first year of  business. The way she looked each time they opened a music store. No  wonder she was sad when she didn't get to help bring all of her ideas to  fruition with him for the grand opening. He'd unknowingly stolen that  joy from her.         

     



 

"That's awesome," he finally said. "Serena's a remarkable woman. Can I take you all to lunch?"

Serena winced. "I'm sorry. I wish we could, but we have to leave in  twenty minutes to get over to the law office we're designing. I wish I'd  known you were coming. I could have rearranged our schedule."

"Don't be sorry," he said, masking his disappointment. "I'm glad I got to see you and meet your team."

"We had the best meeting this morning for a home-library renovation. And Laura's right. We're cruising right along with it."

"I'll get out of your hair." He put a hand on her hip and bent to kiss her cheek.

"I'd rather you got tangled up in my hair," she whispered in his ear.

He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it,  holding her gaze and wishing he could pull her into his arms and kiss  her properly.

"I'm just going to walk him to the elevator," she said to the others.

"It was great meeting you both," he said. "Good luck with your projects."

"I still can't believe you're here," Serena said on the way to the  elevators. "My two worlds have collided, and I couldn't be happier."