Get Bunny Love (6 page)

Bunny squeezed her eyes shut. She and her darned box of tricks.

“Beatrice.”

Nathan’s voice dripped icicles. So much for creating positive energy.

Bunny steadied herself, turning to meet his gaze. He held his strong chin high and his brown eyes narrow with disdain. The anxiety in Bunny’s chest threatened to strangle her.

Nathan gestured to her with a grand sweep of his arm. “Everyone. Meet Beatrice Love. Our newest event planner.”

CHAPTER FOUR

One half hour later, Bunny sat next to Nathan in the backseat of a yellow cab. Her stomach churned, flipping with embarrassment and dread. “I want to apologize one more time-”

“Not necessary,” Nathan interrupted. “Your first apology was sufficient—let alone your sixth. I do have one question, though.”

“Yes?”

“Why the hamster?”

“Creativity, sir.”

He let out a sigh. “You’ve got to stop calling me sir, and what on earth does a fake hamster have to do with creativity?”

“Cosmic energy, sir. I mean, Mr. McNulty.” She fought not to squirm in the seat.

“Cosmic what?” He turned to face her. His rich mocha stare yanked at something deep inside her belly, and her mouth went dry. This could be trouble. She couldn’t afford an attraction to her boss on top of her unforgettable debut today.

“Cosmic energy,” she repeated.

He narrowed his eyes, looking at her as though she were certifiably insane.

“The force of life.” Bunny shrugged slightly. “Surely you’ve heard of it. Haven’t you?”

“If it’s been covered in the
Wall Street Journal
, I’ve heard of it.”

“Well, sometimes I get stuck creatively and a little distraction gets me unstuck.”

Nathan nodded. “I see.” He turned to face her. The late morning sun cast shadows across the pure male planes of his face, sending a shiver down her spine. “Are there any other creative surprises in your office you’d like to tell me about? And is getting ‘stuck’ something you experience frequently?”

Warmth fired in Bunny’s cheeks. “No, sir.”

“Very well.” He turned away from her, glancing out of the cab window to judge their location. “We should be there in a moment.” He returned his focus, serious and intent, to Bunny. “I know you’ve been thrown into The Worthington Cup rather abruptly. Other than the canine cocktail party and the hamster incident, are you comfortable with things so far?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Please remember how vital it is to appear expert in all you do. I have the utmost confidence in you.” His momentary wince belied his words. “Concerns? Questions? Comments?”

Bunny tipped her head, wondering just how much honesty he was looking for. “May I be truthful?”

He frowned, then arched a brow. “Yes.”

“It’s very gray, Mr. McNulty.”

“Gray?” A furrow formed between his eyes.

“Yes.” She nodded slowly, squinting. “Very gray.”

“What...exactly...is gray, Miss Love?”

o0o

Nate watched Beatrice’s vibrant blue gaze narrow. What on earth was she talking about now?

“Everything at McNulty Events,” she answered. “The carpet, the hall, the cubicles.”

“Offices,” he corrected.

“It’s seriously lacking creative stimulation.”

“Creative stimulation?” What did the color of the carpet have to do with stimulation? His fears were correct. She was insane.

The cab pulled to a stop in front of the entrance to the Philadelphia Convention Center.

“You worry about The Worthington Cup. I’ll worry about the carpet.”

“But color plays a crucial role in the balance and feel of a space,” she replied.

Nate pulled his wallet from his pocket and handed the driver a twenty-dollar bill. “This is somehow important to you?”

“To everyone, Mr. McNulty.” Her emphasis on the words reinforced her sincerity.

He met her twinkling gaze and warmth seeped through him. There was something about Miss Beatrice Love he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Why don’t you call me Nathan,” he said. “It’s easier than Mr. McNulty.”

Beatrice’s features lit with surprise, then a breathtaking smile spread across her face. Something inside him hummed to life. Though unfamiliar, the sensation felt oddly exciting.

“I’ll call you Nathan, if you’ll call me Bunny.”

“Bunny.” The word rolled effortlessly off his tongue. “I meant to ask you earlier if that was a country club nickname?”

A mischievous glint fired in her eyes. “Yes,” she said quickly. “Pure country club.”

“Then, Bunny it is.”

She opened the door to slide out, stopping momentarily to lean toward the front seat. “Thank you,” she chirped to the driver. “Have a great day.”

The cabbie smiled as though he hadn’t heard those words in a very long time. Nate paused for a beat before he climbed from the cab. Perhaps something could be said for cosmic energy after all.

o0o

Tilly Stringer braced herself for impact then slammed into the corner of the imposing building’s wall. She glared angrily at the rollerblades on her feet. Why did people in commercials make these look enjoyable? She shifted her insulated pouch to one hip and gingerly navigated the revolving doors.

A perfectly coiffed young woman looked up from the receptionist’s desk. She frowned when she spotted Tilly. “May I help you?” She wrinkled her nose, eyeing Tilly’s delivery bag. “Do you need me to sign for something?”

“Not unless you ordered a medium half-mushroom pie.”

“Pie?”

“Pizza.”

“I don’t think so.” The woman’s nose tipped skyward.

Tilly stepped daintily across the marble foyer, struggling to keep her balance atop her skates. “I actually needed to speak with Bunny Love for a moment, please.”

“Bunny Love?” The receptionist’s frown grew more intense.

Tilly considered giving her the frozen face warning, but decided against it. “Beatrice Love,” she explained. “Today is her first day. I think her boss is named Nathan.”

“Everyone here has a boss named Nathan,” the receptionist sighed. “He runs the company.”

Tilly clucked her tongue. “Gotcha.” She glanced around the foyer, spotting the time on the wall clock. “Listen, I gotta skate. Is there any way I can get a message to Bunny...er...Beatrice. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“Whose death?” a clipped male voice spoke from behind her. Tilly whirled around, losing her balance and grasping for the granite counter.

The blond gentleman caught her, steadying her by one elbow. A smile flickered across his face as he repeated his question. “
Whose
death?”

“Bunny Love,” Tilly whispered. The most beautiful shade of sapphire she’d ever seen ringed his cornflower blue eyes. She swallowed. Hard.

“Bunny’s life is in danger?” Laugh lines crinkled the corners of his eyes.

Tilly’s mouth turned to cotton. This was unheard of. The man was a suit. In the truest sense of the word. She gazed down the length of his charcoal pinstripes and sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of burgundy tassled loafers. The unmistakable pull of excitement tightened in her belly. These were the sexiest loafers she’d ever seen, and she was fairly certain the sensation had everything to do with the man wearing them and not the shoes themselves. “Nice shoes,” she murmured.

He gazed down at her rollerblades and arched a blond brow. “Nice skates. Out exercising?”

Tilly shook her head. “I’m working.”

“In your skates?” His pale gaze narrowed on her.

“I’m a mobile waiter.”

“A what?”

“Mobile waiter.”

He nodded toward her uniform cap. “Why the Domino’s hat?”

“I deliver pizzas.”

“Interesting.” He smirked.

Tilly nodded, searching her brain for any sign of a coherent thought. “You meet the most fascinating people.”

The man smiled. “And they, in turn, meet you.”

He released her elbow and extended his hand. “Bert Parks.”

Tilly shook his hand. “Matilda Stringer.”

“Friend of Beatrice’s?”

She nodded. “We live across the hall from each other.”

“Well,” Bert said. “I’m afraid she’s out at a meeting with her boss. I’ll tell her you stopped by.”

“Would you be so kind as to give her a message for me?”

Bert eyed her closely, wrinkling his brow. “Your hair is blue.”

Tilly shrugged. “So?” She pointed at Bert’s precisely clipped cut. “Your hair is blond.”

“Yes.” He reached out to touch a strand of her hair. “But blond is natural. Blue is not.”

“Well.” Tilly’s heart tapped a rapid beat against her ribs as he dropped his hand and stepped backward. “Don’t tell that to a blueberry.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “I suppose you have a point there. You mentioned a message for Beatrice.”

“Yes.” Tilly glanced again at the clock. Her heart caught. She had eight minutes to deliver the pizza or cover the bill. Again. She positioned her pouch in the crook of her arm and pushed off of the counter. “Please tell Bunny the Condo Board meeting was changed to six o’clock sharp. She can’t be late.”

She glanced over her shoulder in time to catch Bert’s grin.

“Any other messages you’d like me to deliver. Errands to run, perhaps?”

“Quick wit, Bert. I like that.”

Tilly skated to an abrupt stop as she hit the edge of the revolving door. “Has anyone ever told you you’ve got a perfect aura?”

Bert’s blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Aura? Perfect?” He gave a quick shake of his head. “No.”

Tilly tapped the peak of her cap. “A perfect rainbow. Balanced and healthy.” She winked, pushing against the heavy glass of the door. “Call me if you ever need a pizza.”

As she clattered down the sidewalk dodging lunchtime pedestrians, Tilly frantically hoped he’d do just that.

o0o

Bunny and Nate waited just inside the entrance to the convention center. He glanced at his watch, tamping down his impatience. Leave it to Armand Miller to keep them waiting.

The rapid slap of hard heels against the expansive marble hall jolted Nate from his thoughts. He turned in time to watch Armand effortlessly flip down the collar of his herringbone jacket. He slipped off a pair of sleek black sunglasses, tucking them neatly into his breast pocket. A split second later a stunning smile adorned the man’s face.

Nate couldn’t help but wonder how many times Miller had practiced the moves in a mirror. He returned Armand’s smile with a calculated glare. “You’re late. As usual.”

Armand’s smile broadened. Nate hadn’t thought it possible. “I got tied up on the phone with a very important client. You probably can’t relate. I hear business is slow.”

“You hear wrong.” Even though Nate’s blood simmered, he savored the victory he and Armand both knew he owned. “Take The Worthington Cup for example.”

Armand laughed. “I’m not terribly broken up about losing the account.”

“You can’t be serious.” Nate stopped short.

Armand’s focus changed, zeroing in on Bunny. “And who is this heavenly creature you’ve brought with you?”

Nate did a mental eye roll. Bunny would never fall for that line of bull. As he watched, a pale blush bloomed in her cheeks. Unbelievable.

“Bunny Love,” she said, shaking Armand’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure,” Armand dragged his words out dramatically, “is all mine.”

Nate fought the urge to yank their hands apart. This was all he needed—to have Armand Miller charming his newest coordinator.

“Miss Love will be overseeing The Worthington Cup.” Nate gestured down the hall toward the main area of convention and exhibit space. “We do have other business to attend to today. Do you think we might get on with this?”

“Of course.” Armand gave Bunny one last head-to-toe appraisal then stepped out to lead the trio toward the convention center’s exhibit hall. “I’ve notified the floor manager that you’d be here. She’s expecting us.”

“Very well,” Nate said curtly.

He tipped his head toward Armand’s quickly departing backside. Bunny took his cue, following the event planner from hell across the expansive corridor.

Nate couldn’t wait until this little tour was over.

o0o

Bunny knew she was blushing, and, try as she might, she found herself completely unable to stop. Quite frankly, in a battle between the rapid beat of her heart and the somersaults in her stomach, the blush was the least of her worries.

She’d never before received a compliment from such a devastatingly gorgeous sample of the male species. She was pathetic. Tilly was right. She needed to get out more often.

Just the sight of Armand’s ice blue eyes as they raked their way down her body had been enough to turn her into a quivering heap of female flesh. Whew. She fought the urge to shudder. She could still feel the hot trails his gaze had left behind.

She mentally chastised herself. Never one to swoon at the sight of a handsome male, the last forty-eight hours had drawn some interesting reactions from her body. Maybe her hormones were out of balance. Herbs might help, she thought. She’d do some research when she got home.

She watched Armand Miller’s not-so-subtle swagger and hesitated for one step. Better yet, maybe there was a more
natural
solution for what ailed her.

“Problem?” Nathan’s hand cupped her elbow, urging her along.

The contact sent a jolt of molten lava right to her core.

She sighed deeply. She needed to get out
way
more often.

Twenty minutes later, the three had completed the tour and stood near the exit doors. Bunny tucked her notebook under her arm. She’d never known she could scribble as quickly as she had. Armand had recited the list of the arrangements to date in rapid-fire fashion. It had been all she could do to keep up.

“Well.” Armand slipped a business card from his breast pocket and pressed it into Bunny’s hand. “Please call me should you need...anything.”

She met his fiery-hot blue gaze and swallowed. Somehow she managed to mouth the words, “Thank you,” and she was fairly certain she had said them out loud.

“That won’t be necessary,” Nathan interrupted. “We’d never bother you about an account that’s no longer yours.”