Business and Pleasure (16 page)

“Um, yeah? What did you say?” Did I miss
something important?

“I asked how things were going, but I guess
I don’t blame you for ignoring me in favor of, um…checking out the
view.”

Nicki chortles at her own humor, and Becca
and Natalie giggle like a couple of schoolgirls.

“
So
?” Nicki asks. “How
are
things going, so far? From the looks of things, your hot new
boyfriend ranks right up there with Prince Charming.”

Boyfriend?
Is
Alex my boyfriend? We
haven’t put a title to what we are yet, but I suppose, after a guy
tells you he loves you, he probably thinks of you as his
girlfriend.

“The visit is going well, thanks. Really
well. I’m enjoying myself, but I’m ready to get back to work.”

“How could you
possibly
think about
going back to work already? You were just shot. The man that shot
you is still on the loose. What does Alex think?” Becca asks, her
voice laced with concern.

“Alex thinks I should wait. But damn it,
Becca, I can’t just sit here and wait until they find Bob. That
could take months—maybe even years—and I’ll go insane. I need my
office. I need to feel normal again. I refuse to allow Bob make me
into a prisoner.”

Nicki smiles. “How could you feel like a
prisoner here in this gorgeous apartment with that sexy man?”

“Because I can’t venture outside,” I say,
and my voice sounds weary. “Sure, being alone with Alex is nice,
but for a few days, not weeks or months…and not because I don’t
have any other choice in the matter. You know me; I need to be out
in the world, be a part of the hustle and bustle. I
need
to
be working.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse the
strange look on Natalie’s face. What’s going on in her head, I
wonder. Is she afraid? Concerned? Maybe all this is just too much
for her, and she’s not sure how to react. I decide to take pity on
her and change the subject.

“So, what’s been going on at work, Natalie?
Is everything okay?”

Her expression immediately softens, becomes
less tense. “Things at work are fine. Everything is running
smoothly. Everybody misses you, of course. Are you really thinking
about coming back next week?”

“Yes, I am.”

Becca puts her arm around me and gives me a
hug.

“I just worry about you, Lizzy. I still
can’t believe what has happened. I could not bear to lose you…and
you should’ve seen Mark; he was downright inconsolable.”

“He blames himself, just like Alex does, and
I know you all worry, but I’m fine.
Everything
will be fine.
They’ll find Bob, and all will be right in the world again. Can we
just relax now?”

“Yes, of course.” Becca pulled me in for
another hug. “Let’s talk about something else, okay?”

And for the next several hours, I manage to
pretend like everything’s perfectly normal, and I’m not living like
a bird in a gilded cage.

*****

More than four hours later, the girls decide
it’s time to go. No doubt, my yawns let them in on the fact I’m
exhausted. After saying good-bye—from my spot on the sofa; the
girls insisted they see themselves out—I turn to smile up at Alex.
Although I’m tired, I nevertheless intend to talk to him about
tomorrow. I desperately want to go to work, and I fully
intend
to go to work. Besides, who died and made
him
boss?

“Now that the girls are gone, I get to have
you to myself again.” Alex returns my smile. He reaches for my
hand, but I shake my head.

“Not so fast, Alexander. You and I have to
talk.” I work on keeping my voice firm, despite the fact he’s
standing there looking like a million bucks, and I’d much rather
drag him off to his bedroom than have an argument right now.

He gives me what looks like a fake look of
shocked. “
Alexander
, huh? I must be in trouble.”

I keep my expression totally serious…or, as
serious as I can manage with him looking so yummy, and say, “I want
to go to work tomorrow.”

He raises his brow as if surprised at my
statement. “I thought we settled this.”

“No Alex, you settled it. I, however, did
not get the chance to speak my peace, and really, this is my
decision. I want to go to work tomorrow. I’m going insane! I love
being here with you, but I’m missing work, and you’re missing work,
and it’s just not right. The police are hunting Bob down, so he
won’t be at my office waiting for me when I walk in. Whether you
approve or not, I
am
going.”

There. I put my foot down. No man has ever
told me that I can or cannot do something, and I’m not about to
start putting up with that kind of controlling behavior now.

Alex sighs, and his shoulder droop.
Obviously, he’s about to admit defeat.

“Okay, Elizabeth. You win. But I’m sending
one of my security people with you.”

“I have my own security.” I don’t see the
sense in having one of Alex’s men tagging along with me to the
office every day.

His lips form a grim line. “But
my
security is superior to yours. I’ll feel better if I know one of my
men is watching over you, since I can’t be there myself.”

I start to tell him it’s not necessary, but
then I change my mind. Maybe a compromise is in order, here?

“Please, Elizabeth? For my sanity. You say
you’ll go insane if you can’t go to work. Well, I’ll go insane
worrying about you at work all day.”

Crap. Yeah, I guess this situation does call
for a compromise. I can’t have him sitting around worrying about me
all day. “Okay. Fine. You can have your security guy follow me
around like a puppy.”

“Great!” he says, ignoring my sarcasm. “I’ll
call Bryan once I get you settled into bed. Isn’t compromise
grand?”

My laughter turns to a squeal of surprise as
Alex lifts me into his arms. I hang on tightly, and he strides
toward his bedroom.

“You know, darling, it’s my arm that’s
injured, not my legs. I
can
walk.”

He doesn’t answer until we reach the
bedside, and he gently lowers me to the mattress. He kisses my
forehead, and then straightens. “Yes, but it gives me so much
pleasure to carry you. Is that not what all women want? A strong,
insanely good-looking man who will carry them up the staircase, and
then make love to them all night long?”

“You got me there.” Definitely can’t argue
with his reasoning.

We both laugh, and then I look around the
room. “So…care to tell me where you put my laptop? I’ll need it for
work tomorrow, you know?”

“I might. In about an hour or so.”

He winks at me, and then he lifts me once
more and carries me into the bathroom. “If you’re going to work
tomorrow, you’re going to need a bath tonight.”

I normally shower—not bath—and I prefer
doing so in the morning, rather than the night before, but as I
open my mouth to explain this, the scene before me registers, and I
change my mind. Alex has gone all out…as usual. The scent of roses
overwhelms me. The tub is filled to the max with frothy, white
bubbles, and lit, scented candles cover every possible surface.
Talk about beautifully romantic. He places me on the counter next
to the sink, and then begins to undress me, starting with my jeans
and then my—or I should say
his
—T-shirt.

“I must say, I love the sight of you in my
shirt.”

I can’t help but smile. “It is comfy.”

Once I’m naked, he lifts me again and places
me gently in the tub, making sure he props my injured arm on the
side, where he’s already positioned a pillow.

“Will you join me?” I ask, and smile up at
him.

He shakes his head and picks up a sponge,
which he then dips in the soapy water.

“I would love nothing more than to get in
this tub with you right now, Elizabeth, but I want to make sure you
are taken care of, and I don’t want to accidentally hurt your arm.
Right now, it’s all about you.” He proceeds to wash me off with the
soapy sponge, starting with my back.

How can I argue with him? He is so
incredibly sweet and thoughtful. I close my eyes and smile. Maybe
it wouldn’t be so bad if I went back to work on Tuesday…or maybe
even Wednesday. All this pampering…I could get used to this. But
no. I made such a huge deal about going back to the office
tomorrow; I’d look like a fool if I changed my mind now. Plus, I do
want to go back to work. I lay my head back. Might as well enjoy
the attention while I can.

After he finishes washing my body and then
my hair, Alex kisses my cheek, then each eyelid. He stands, and I
begin to sit up, but he stops me with a hand on my shoulder.

“No, my love. You sit here and relax for a
few more minutes. I’m going to go call Bryan and let him know that
he will be with you tomorrow.”

“Poor guy.” I sigh. “He’s going to be so
bored just sitting around that office with me all day.”

“Honey, I pay him plenty of money to sit
around and be bored. He won’t mind. Trust me.”

As he walks out and shuts the door behind
him, I lay my head back again. The water feels so amazing, still
plenty hot; I can still see steam coming off my body. Of course, my
mind doesn’t let me be for long. I begin thinking of all the work I
must have waiting for me, and while I made a big fuss about not
worrying about Bob, the truth is, I am a little scared. I know the
police are looking for him, and surely, he wouldn’t be dumb enough
to come to Hamilton, but something tells me I should be on guard
and keep an eye out for him, just the same. Maybe it’s a good thing
that Alex is sending Bryan with me tomorrow, although you won’t
catch me telling Alex that. And what about Christina? She
did
up and quit awfully suddenly, which is just weird. Oh,
what the hell…why am I thinking about this stuff? I need to learn
to relax and shut my brain off now and then. I close my eyes once
more and attempt to forget all my troubles for a while, but the
sound of the door opening again interrupts my efforts. I look to
see Alex standing over me.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not at all; I welcome the distraction.”

He grabs a towel off the nearby warmer,
turns, and smiles that hot smile of his.

“Are you ready for me to take you?” He holds
the towel open wide, and gives me a wink that has me shiver with
anticipation, despite the still-warm bathwater.

Oh, yes, I’m ready for him to take me…but as
I try to stand, I realize I’m not getting out of this tub so
easily. I can’t quite figure out how to find my balance and get to
my feet, with only one arm to use for lifting. Apparently realizing
my dilemma, Alex drops the towel on the counter and goes around
behind me. He places both hands under my arms and lifts me up.

“Here we go, sweetie.”

I step out of the tub, one foot at a time,
careful not to slip on the tile floor, and Alex retrieves the towel
and wraps it around me. He then scoops me up in his strong arms and
carries me into the bedroom, where he places me down carefully on
the mattress.

“My sweet Elizabeth. I will never get tired
of this. If I had my way, your feet would never touch the
ground.”

I give a small laugh. “I would think that
would get tiring after a while, my dear.”

“Not with you, it wouldn’t. I do not think
you realize what you mean to me. Elizabeth, I love you so much; if
I could put you in my pocket and carry you everywhere with me, I
would do it.”

He just knocked the breath right out of me.
I am speechless. Utterly speechless.

“You don’t have to say anything right now,
but I would like to talk to you about something. I have thought
about this all day. How would you feel about us living together? It
doesn’t have to be right this minute. Maybe it can be something we
can ease into…like, maybe you spend a week here, and I can spend a
week at your place, but I would like for you to consider this.
After what happened, I just can’t imagine my life without you.”

Oh my God! He’s asking me to move in with
him! What do I say? Do I want to? What am I saying? Of course I
want to. But what if it’s too soon? I sit quietly, thinking things
over, and I’m sure my silence is making him crazy. But what do you
say in these situations when you just need a little space?

“Alex, I love you, and I love the idea of
living with you, but this is all taking me by surprise. Could you
give me just a few days to process this, please? I need to go back
to work. I need to go back home with Becca and just…think. Would
you mind if I had a little time to consider your question?”

Alex sighs, and then brushes my cheek with
the back of his hand. “Take your time. I don’t like the idea of you
being away from me at all right now, so you know how much our being
apart from each other is going to bother me. But I will do my best
to respect your request, as long as you take Bryan with you, and
you make sure you keep in touch with me. I do not like the idea of
my girlfriend being out there on her own, when there’s a man out
there trying to kill her.”

Girlfriend
?
Did he just say
girlfriend
?

“Elizabeth? Why are you smiling? I tell you
how being away from you is going to bother me, and how there’s a
man out there who wants to kill you, and you’re smiling?”

I have to giggle. “I’m sorry. That’s just
the first time I have ever heard you call me your girlfriend.”

Alex laughs, too. “Out of everything I said,
that’s what you focused on?”

“Well, yes…of course.” I grin. I know I’m
acting like a silly, young girl, but I feel young, and despite all
my fears, I also feel a little carefree at the moment. Alex has a
way of doing that…making me forget all my troubles. At least, for a
little while.

He laughs some more and pulls me into his
arms. “Of course you’re my girlfriend, Elizabeth. You’ve been my
girlfriend for quite some time. I call you that all the time, just
not to your face.”