Sweet Heat at Bayside(38)

The elevator arrived, and he said, "Wanna bet?" as he pulled her inside.

He hit the CLOSE DOOR button, and the second the doors closed, he  captured her mouth, crushing her to him, and she was just as ravenous  for him. Their hands moved over each other's bodies as they made out  like they'd never get enough.

"Man, I miss you," he said, kissing his way down her neck.

She ran her fingers over the short sides of his hair. "I need your hair to hold on to."

He chuckled and kissed her lips again. "I'll grow it back. The way you  were talking about sharp-dressing, clean-cut guys, I figured you might  be into the look."

"I'm into you, Drake Savage. I am utterly and completely yours."

The elevator doors opened, and they jerked apart. Two guys in suits gave  them an amused look. Serena's lips were pink and puffy from their  urgent kisses. Thank goodness she didn't wear lipstick.

Serena cleared her throat as the two men stepped into the elevator. "Hi,  Joe, Kev. This is my boyfriend, Drake. He just stopped by to say  hello." She was beaming as she looked at Drake and said, "It was good to  see you." She stepped off the elevator, stifling a giggle.

"Shine on, Supergirl. Talk to you later."

As soon as he was back on the street, he called Kane's Donuts. "Hi, Abby? I met you the other day. Do you deliver?"

"We sure do."

"Great. I'd like to order a dozen Chocolate Orgasms … "



LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON Serena sat across from Seth Braden, the president  of BRI Enterprises, and his new partner, Jared Stone, feeling like she'd  hit the jackpot, despite having her head handed to her again earlier  that morning when she'd told Suzanne she wanted to bring Laura and  Spencer with her to another initial client meeting. There was no time to  worry over Suzanne's refusal. For now she heeded her request. At least  long enough to figure out the best way to sell her on the idea.

She focused on her new clients, who wanted to be involved every step of  the way, from the space design right down to the colors of the trash  cans, and they were giving her complete freedom of design. Seth had been  featured as one of Forbes's most eligible bachelors a couple years ago,  and it wasn't just for his wavy brown hair, killer blue eyes, or the  whole hot-nerd thing he had going on with black-rimmed glasses, a plaid  shirt, and a patterned sweater that looked like it had been knitted by  his ninety-year-old aunt. He was a brilliant investor, and based on the  last hour, he was about as laid-back as someone who did nothing but  lounge on beaches all day. While his tattoo-sleeved, jeans-clad,  Adam-Levine-lookalike partner, Jared, hadn't stopped moving since he sat  down. If his jaw wasn't jumping, his knee was. A chef by trade, Jared  owned several restaurants as well as clothing stores. They were an  unlikely partnership, which made them that much more interesting. They'd  come together and formed Nova Initiatives, a line of retail operations  and restaurants.

"We want something new, fresh." Seth scratched his scruffy jaw. "As you  know, my brand is a bit more elegant than Jared's edgy, eclectic vibe.  Do you think you can combine the two without seeming over the top with  either?"

"Or being too trendy?" Jared added. "I hate trendy."

"I'm confident that my team and I can come up with unique options to combine your brands in a way that speaks from your heart."         

     



 

Seth sipped his coffee, watching her intently. "I work with a lot of designers, and you're the first to mention an organ."

She stifled a laugh, remembering Drake's earlier text-I'm thinking about  adding organs to the store, to which she'd replied, Really? I've been  thinking about a skin flute.

She cleared her throat to get her head back in the game and said,  "You're both clearly passionate about what you do, and passion comes  from the heart. It would be a mistake for me to ignore that vital organ  when coming up with the concepts for your business."

The two men exchanged an appreciative look.

"Let's talk schedule," Seth suggested.

They scheduled a brief meeting via Skype for Monday, so she could  introduce them to Laura and Spencer, followed by a presentation meeting  the following week to discuss concepts. They also set aside a tentative  time to visit the Boston Design Center a few days later, assuming they  approved the presentation.

She called Drake the minute she left the building and gushed about them  as she walked along the sidewalk. "Freedom tastes so good! I can't wait  to fill in Laura and Spence and get started. Things are looking up.  We're making headway with Muriel Younger's office and our other  projects, too."

"That's great, babe. You sound excited."

"I am, but part of that excitement is that it's Friday, and after  stopping by the office to get my stuff, I get to come home and see you! I  cannot wait to get my lips on you."

"Your bed or mine?"

"Mine this time, so we don't have to worry about being seen if we decide to go au natural under the stars."

"Sounds good to me. I'll bring over a change of clothes. I have a little something for you when you get here."

She lowered her voice as a woman walked by and asked, "Does it involve nakedness?"

A deep, growly sound came through the phone, heating her up like an  inferno. She loved his dirty side, and his noises, and his … everything.

"Now I'm going to be aroused all evening thinking about you naked."

"I like knowing I can get you all hot and bothered. Did I tell you I'm  wearing the white lace panties and matching bra that you love? The one  with the bows on my hips."

He made another sexy sound.

"Or that I bought thigh-high stockings to wear home tonight just for you? There might be garters involved."

"Serena …  How fast can you get home?"

"Traffic's going to suck." She lowered her voice as a group of men  walked past and said, "I'm going to be starved by the time I get there  because I'm too excited to eat."

"I'll be your feast, baby."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say." She flagged down a cab and said,  "Safe subject time. I'm getting in a cab." She climbed into a cab and  gave them the address of her office. Then she said, "I reconfirmed the  bands for the grand opening tomorrow, and we have no last-minute  cancelations. I can't believe it, and I can't wait to see it all come  together. It seems outrageous that you own five music stores. You're  like a music store mogul. Remember how nervous everyone was when you  opened the first one?"

"You weren't," he reminded her.

"Because I knew you'd succeed. You're too driven, too bullheaded, not to."

Another call rang through, and she checked the screen. "Ugh. That's my boss. Hold on."

She switched to the other call and said, "Hi, Suzanne. The meeting with  Seth Braden and Jared Stone went tremendously well. I can't wait to get  started. And we're making headway on both the Younger project and the  Wilkinsons' library renovation."

"That's good to hear, Serena. I'm calling because I've just been told  that you were never notified about the client appreciation day tomorrow.  Apparently, the email invitations went out the week before you  started."

"Oh, that's okay. I don't mind. I have plans anyway. I'm going back home for the grand opening of Drake's music store."

Silence stretched for a beat too long. Serena looked at her phone to make sure she hadn't lost the call.

"Suzanne? Are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here. I'm sorry, Serena, but it's imperative that you're at  the event. Your clients will be there, and as a new associate, you're  still making a name for yourself with them."

"Yes, I understand, but we've been working toward this grand opening for  several weeks, planning it for more than a year. Would it be okay if I  asked Laura or Spencer to go on my behalf?" Yet another valid reason to  have the junior designers as close to the clients as she was.         

     



 

Suffocating silence ensued, and panic clawed its way up her chest.

"Serena, if you still worked for Mr. Savage that would be one thing, but  you work for KHB now, and you hold a very prominent and important  position in the firm. Your employment contract covers these types of  monthly events, which are critical to the firm's-and your-reputation."

There was an icy chill to her voice that made Serena's skin crawl. How  did people reach a point where they completely lacked compassion? "Yes.  I'm sorry. Of course. I'll be there."

She closed her eyes against the sting of tears as they ended the call and she switched back to Drake.

"Babe? Everything okay?"

"Nothing is okay." As she relayed her situation to him, her sadness  turned to anger. "I feel powerless, but we both know I'm not. I'm going  to talk to her when I go into the office and see if I can change her  mind."

"Serena, don't jeopardize your job for this. She's right. Your loyalty  has to be to KHB right now, and you are building a reputation there."