Effortless (17 page)

FIND THE LOCK AND WHAT LIES BEHIND IT WILL BE FOREVER YOURS.

The next birthday deadline rolled around much faster than I anticipated. The early afternoon had been filled with production meetings so by the time I made it back to my desk another neatly wrapped package was already waiting for me. This one had a single white rose accompanying it.

I inhaled the beautiful scent while tearing off the wrapping paper. Inside were my ruby red sparkly heels and the crystal encrusted ones he’d given me over the summer. Now I was confused.
Why is he giving me my own shoes as a gift?

Maybe the card held another clue.

WEAR US UNDER THE NIGHT’S SKY.

I ran my finger along one of the heels. Where were we going?

2:11pm You’re killing me, chief

2:15pm Patience, love

The desk phone buzzed. “Miss Meyers? You have a guest in reception.”

Assuming it had more to do with my birthday surprise, I went out to see.

“Hi, Lia.”

Nope. Not what I wanted for my birthday. Emma Whelan stood smiling in my direction, eyes alight with determination.

“I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure. Why not. Come to my office.”

The sooner I listened to whatever it was she wanted, the sooner she’d be on a plane back to London and out of my life.

“Nice shoes,” she remarked, noticing the open box. “Alastair always had great taste.”

I lifted an eyebrow and scowled.

“I’m assuming he gave you those as a gift. He has a thing for high heels.”

“What do you want?” I snapped, closing the box and putting it under my desk.

She frowned. “I’m not here to make trouble for you, Lia. I’m not. You have enough to deal with thanks to Olivia Garrison. I’m one of the good guys, even though it might not look that way to you.” She paused, gauging my reaction. I sat stoically. “You’re a strong woman but you’ve been thrust into this world of intense scrutiny and suffocating attention. I understand it more than you realize. I’m not asking for us to be best friends. I’m only asking that you trust me enough to help guide you through the rough patches.”

“Why you?”

Emma shifted in the chair. “It’s what Alastair wants.”

“And he always gets what he wants, right?” I huffed.

“Lia,” she said softly, “this is my job. Alastair is one of my oldest friends. I—”

“Friend? You made it clear you were the closest thing to a girlfriend he’s ever had. Why should I trust you?”

“Because I know what Olivia did to him. I know he is nothing more than a prize to be won for some women. All they see is the money and the lifestyle. I don’t want to see him get hurt.” Her eyes hardened. “I also know how easy it is to fall in love with him and I know how impossible it is for him to love anyone back.”

My head pounded. “So you are in love with him.”

“No.” She flicked her wrist. “I’m quite fond of him but he could never give me what I needed. And he never saw me as anything more than what I was; a friend with benefits. I earned his trust by not pushing him and not wanting anything more than he was willing to give. After university, he helped me start my own public relations firm. He was my benefactor and my first client. Once people found out I represented him, I couldn’t stop the phone from ringing.” A self-satisfied grin crossed her lips.

“So you used him for your business?”

“Used is a bad word. He helped me financially so I repaid him by keeping his private life under lock and key. Win, win.”

This impromptu heart to heart was grating on my nerves. My hostility toward Emma dissipated some but I would be so much happier if she’d just go away.

“Does Alastair know you’re here?”

“No. I came on my own so if we could keep this between us, I’d appreciate it. But I think Paxton saw me so I’m sure I’ll get an earful when I leave.”

I nodded, folding my arms. “Be grateful he hasn’t come up here to escort you out.”

Emma smiled. There was genuine warmth behind it. “I’m not a threat. Alastair won’t give him the seek and destroy command.”

I couldn’t help myself and laughed. So did Emma. We laughed for a good minute, filling my office with a relaxed aura I wouldn’t have expected in a million years.

“You know,” she said. “Under different circumstances I think you and I would have gotten on quite well.”

“Maybe.” A smile still danced on my lips. “Thanks for looking out for his best interests. I don’t mean me. Just…in general.”

“It’s my job, darling.” She stood up, adjusting her Burberry coat. “I’ll get out of your hair now so you can enjoy the rest of your birthday.”

My eyebrows shot up. “How do you know it’s my birthday?”

“It’s my job, darling,” she said again with a wink. “And no, I haven’t a clue what he has planned for you.”

* * *

When the clock hit six I scampered down to the lobby and out to the waiting Mercedes. Paxton nodded his greeting as he opened the rear passenger door.

“Where are we going?” I had nothing to lose by asking, even though silence was the only answer I knew I’d get. Paxton glanced at me through the rearview mirror and grinned.

“Not far.”

We pulled into traffic as I settled into the soft leather seat. A bag holding my shoes and the keychain sat at my feet. The only other parcel that arrived was another single rose, only this one was red, not white. I held them both in my hand. For someone who didn’t ‘do’ relationships, Alastair was certainly excelling at the task.

I’d been so preoccupied by the mystery surrounding my birthday surprise I didn’t notice that I hadn’t heard from Stephanie at all until now. No texts, no phone call, nothing. After the emotional wreck she’d been the other night I would have thought I’d at least hear about the results of her pregnancy test. Not receiving a birthday greeting from her stung. I thought maybe we’d moved past the fight but I guess I was wrong.

The car slowed. I glanced out the window and saw we were at the airport.
Oh, Alastair
.

He stood by the hanger with his hands clasped behind his back. He’d changed out of his suit and looked absolutely edible in dark jeans, black t-shirt and a black coat. I clutched the roses and the bag as I walked toward him.

The plane’s engines whined with impatience. I shivered with anticipation.

“Amelia.” My name rolled of his tongue with such desire I almost dropped all my belongings. The corner of his mouth ticked up in a slight grin. “Fancy celebrating your birthday with me tonight?”

“Yes,” I answered in a raspy whisper.

He motioned to the plane. “After you.”

“Where are we going?”

“That’s up to you. You have all the pieces to the puzzle in hand.”

My mind raced. He’d given me a postcard with a picture of a cake, my own shoes and a keychain. Oh, and two roses.

“Not really following you, chief.”

He smiled, illuminating the night. “Red or white?”

“What?”

“The roses. Do you prefer red or white?”

“Red, I guess.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep.”

“Red it is then.” He motioned to the pilot and pointed to the red rose. Turning back to me, he offered his hand. “Let’s go.”

“So was that some kind of code? The rose thing?” I asked, after we’d boarded the plane. A bowl of chocolate truffles sat on the small table near our seats. I also noticed my seat had a red satin sleep mask on it. “What’s this for?”

“My curious kitten is full of questions.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

He laughed, planting a kiss on my cheek. Once we were airborne, he reached across me and lowered the window shades.

“What are you doing?”

“Keeping you in the dark.” He fingered the satin sleep mask. “This might not be enough.”

“Are you planning to blindfold me again?”

“Yes.” He brushed his thumb over my mouth, unleashing an intense wave of pleasure through my body. A low growl vibrated in the back of his throat. “There’s my look.”

If I hadn’t appreciated the joy of flying on a private jet before, I did now. I couldn’t stop kissing him. Not even the turbulence bothered me, if that shaking sensation even
was
turbulence. It could very well have been every cell in my body vibrating as I savored him.

“You’re spoiling me, Holden,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder. “I’ll never be able to fly commercial again.”

“You don’t have to. This plane is as much yours as it is mine.”

Snuggling against him, I sighed. “Emma came to my office this afternoon.”

Thank you, mouth. Thank you, brain. Thank you for being so moronic and ruining this moment
.

His chest lifted on a deep intake. “I know.”

“She seems okay.”

He unfastened my seatbelt and pulled me onto his lap. I did a quick sweep of the cabin as I straddled him. The one flight attendant on board was nowhere to be seen. Cradling my jaw, he smiled. “You’re beautiful.”

“Is that why you’re marrying me?” I teased.

“You know it, baby,” he responded in an American accent.

“Ah, there you go again.” I squeezed his shoulders. “You have the most gorgeous English accent. Don’t try to sound like every other guy I’ve ever dated.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Other guys? Don’t make me jealous.”

“Jealous type, are we?” I slid my hands down his chest, pausing at the waistband of his jeans. His body stilled. The fact that my touch had such power over him amazed me.

“Mine,” he whispered, fisting his hand in my hair. The rest of the flight passed by in a heady, lust-fueled blur but we didn’t recreate our mile high adventure like we’d done on the way to New York City. We did, however, feed each other the truffles, which enhanced my enjoyment of making out with him. The chocolate tasted so good on his lips. Beneath that flavor was the one I craved even more; the distinct taste that was him. I couldn’t get enough of it.

“We’ve begun our descent. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened.” The pilot’s announcement sliced through my brain in the most unwelcome way.

“You heard the man. Buckle up.” Alastair planted one last luscious kiss on me.

I returned to my seat in a daze, running a finger over my swollen, well-used lips. We hadn’t even officially arrived at our destination and I already wanted time to slow down to a crawl. After the plane touched down, Alastair picked up the satin mask.

“Put this on.”

“Can’t I just close my eyes?”

His hearty laugh made me smile. “No. You’ll peek and I can’t have that.”

“How am I going to get off the plane if I can’t see where I’m going?”

He leaned close, sliding the mask over my eyes. “Trust me.”

Never in my life had I instilled such trust in a person. I knew he’d never let anything happen to me but still. Walking down a flight of stairs blindfolded wasn’t my idea of fun. Alastair’s vice-like grip around my waist helped. A chilly wind swept over me, invigorating me with its crisp urgency. Alastair kept his fingers firmly laced through mine as he led me across the tarmac. He helped me into a car and settled in next to me.

“Red, please,” was all he said.

That rose held more answers than I’d realized.

I strained to listen for any clues that would tip me off as to where we were. I heard the distinct sounds of a city but almost every city sounded the same so that wasn’t any help.

“You have the most adorable look on your face when you concentrate really hard.” Alastair was close to me. Too close. His breath tickled my temple and made me clench my legs together. I heard him exhale in a soft laugh. The sounds he made drove me insane on a normal day when I could see him. But now? Unbelievable.

His scent surrounded me, filling my lungs with every breath I took. I closed my eyes behind the mask, darkening my world even further. The feel of his hand on my arm made me gasp. I was hyperaware and hypersensitive. The combination was an aphrodisiac.

“Where are we?” I whispered.

“Almost there.” He tucked me under his arm, enveloping me in his warmth. “Feeling alright?”

“Yes.”

I felt his breath on my mouth the second he tilted my chin up. The reckless pounding of my heart drowned out all other sounds. I wet my lips, losing my mind when he moaned. The car rolled to a gentle stop. I heard the click of a door opening and felt a rush of cold air. The heat from Alastair’s body left me.

“This way.”

He grasped my hand and helped me out. I paused briefly, sliding my foot to see if there was a gap between the road and a sidewalk. Once I was convinced it was all level, I climbed out. He led me a few steps and paused. I heard him thank the driver before we walked into a building. I had no idea if this was a restaurant or a hotel or a house. I just knew we were indoors. The distinct chime of an elevator eliminated the possibility of being in a house or a restaurant.

Alastair remained silent as we rode up. He kept my hand secured in his, pulling me gently when the elevator doors opened. We walked a fairly good distance before stopping.

“Ready?”

I nodded. The mask loosened, its soft satin sliding up over my head to reveal a dimly lit hallway. I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust. We stood in front of a cream colored door at the end of a long hallway. No other doors were visible which led me to believe this was either a penthouse suite or an expensive apartment complex.

Alastair stayed quiet, standing to my left. He held my belongings and the roses. “Open the door, Lia.”

“But I don’t have a…” I paused. “Do I need that key for this?”

He smiled. “No. It’s unlocked.”

“Okay.” I sucked in a breath and twisted the knob. “Oh my God.”

The apartment’s entry was all in white with polished marble floors. A dark wood table sat against one of the walls, displaying the largest, most elaborate bouquet of long stemmed red roses I’d ever seen. There must be at least three dozen of them in the crystal vase. The delicate perfumed aroma filled my lungs. I looked past the flowers and saw the entry way opened into a stunning living room. It was also all in white with luxurious, dark brown furniture. Enormous French doors opened to a balcony. A soft breeze rustled the floor length drapes, making them billow out like a ball gown. But more amazing than the room and the decorations were the countless lit candles that circled the entire space. They flickered from end tables and shelves, bathing everything in a soft, golden glow.