Shine Your Love on Me (3 page)

Brooke kissed Nan’s cheek and headed for the
lobby. The sun had warmed the day, so she opened her jacket and
took a deep breath.

“You had a long walk this morning with Buddy,
so I’m not going to take you to The Great Lawn again, okay?” The
pugs turned to look at her with raised brows. She steered them
toward the park as she plotted a route in her head.

Suddenly, Freddy bolted, yanking the leash
out of her hand. He went tearing around behind a huge boulder.
Brooke called his name, but the dog paid no attention. She
tightened her hold on Ginger and ran after him.

As she rounded the corner, she ran smack into
something hard and bounced off, landing on her rear end on the
grass. Ginger screeched to a halt and barked, jumping up on the leg
of the person who had blocked Brooke. She looked up into the sky
blue eyes of a tall, brown-haired man in tight jeans and
T-shirt.

“Pres?”

“Looking for this?” He had Freddy tucked
under his arm. The wiggly, runaway pug lunged for his face,
managing to plant a few licks before Pres put him down. “Are you
okay?”

He offered her his hand and pulled her up.
Strong grip for a girl.

“Fine. Thanks.” She brushed the loose grass
off her skirt. “Freddy, naughty boy,” she scolded.

“I think he wanted to play with Buddy. They
can smell each other.” The two male dogs were nose to nose, wagging
their tails. Pres inched closer to her, and Brooke didn’t move
away. When his fingers brushed under her chin, she glanced up at
him. “You look beautiful, today. Not that you don’t every day,
but…” She put her forefinger on his lips, quieting him.

“I get it. Thanks.” Pres circled her waist,
drawing her into his chest. Brooke held his gaze, creating heat in
him. She softened against him and dropped Ginger’s leash to rest
her hand on his pecs. At her touch, his insides melted, stirring
his groin. The pug barked.
Does she feel it, or is it just
me?

“Are these your dogs, miss?” The deep,
official-sounding voice broke through their reverie.

“Dogs?” She turned to face a police
officer.

“They’re supposed to be on the leash, ma’am.”
His mouth was set in a frown.

“They are. I dropped it for a moment. I—”
Pres heard confusion in her voice and smiled to himself.

“What you two do is your business, but you’ve
got to have those dogs leashed, with the leash in your hand. I’ll
let you off with a warning this time. Hey, spring fever is going
around.” He winked at Pres. “But don’t let it happen again. It’s a
two-hundred-and-fifty dollar fine, per pooch.”

“Thank you, officer,” Brooke said, lowering
her eyes. Pres sensed his face color as red as the geraniums by The
Boathouse. She gazed at him and chuckled behind her hand. The
patrolman tipped his hat, smiled, and went on his way.

“Wasn’t that lucky,” Pres said. “We missed a
damn expensive ticket for doing nothing.”

“Nan said you sold a screenplay.” Brooke
stepped back, putting some distance between them.

“That’s right.”

“Congratulations.” Their warm moment
vanished, and Brooke’s polite mask returned.

“Thanks.” He stuffed his hands in his
pockets.

“When’s it coming out?”

“I don’t know. Just sold it two months
ago.”

“I hope it does well. You deserve
success.”

“Nice of you to say so. Why, exactly?” He
bristled at her cavalier attitude.
She’s buttering me up and for
what? She doesn’t even like me.

She raised her eyebrows. “Because you work
hard? Maybe because you’re a good person?”

“You don’t even know me. How do I qualify as
a good person?” He strolled toward the park exit.

She followed. “You walk Nan’s dogs whenever
she wants for no money.”

“Doing her a favor makes me a good person?”
Don’t get brushed off, for once.

“Doesn’t it usually?” She stopped while the
dogs sniffed a tree.

“How do you measure success, anyway?”

“I think a nice, juicy check, like you got
for your movie, would scream success at me.”

“Is money the only measure of success?”
That’s warmed her up to me?

“In the advertising world, it’s money and
power.”

“Are you comfortable with that?” He lowered
his head to meet her gaze.

She looked away. “Why the third degree?”

“Answer the question.”

“Okay, so maybe there are other kinds of
success, too.”

“For instance?”

“Getting married and raising well-adjusted
kids.”

“And…?”

“Doing a job well.”

“Any job?”

“Yeah, any job.”

“So, the janitor at school who works hard and
keeps the building in great condition, would you consider him
successful?”

She hesitated. “I guess. Yes, I would. But
even if he’s great at being a janitor, doesn’t mean I’d want to go
out with him.”

“I didn’t ask you about that. Stop
anticipating my next question.” He smiled.

“And that is?” Her gaze met his.

“What does a guy have to do to get a date
with you?”
There. I’ve said it. Whew.

“I’m seeing someone. He’d have to wait until
I was unattached.”

“And then?” He moved closer to her.

“Maybe if he asked, that might be the best
way.” She grinned, shooting a flirtatious glance at him.

Pres burst out laughing, breaking the
tension. Brooke joined him. He walked alongside her as they
strolled toward Ruth’s building.
So, it’s possible.
Fantastic!

They reached the building. Rocky moved away,
giving them a moment of privacy.

“Who is this guy you’re seeing?”

“My boss. Lloyd.”

“Your boss. Isn’t that risky?”

She shook her head. “I trust him.
We’re…uh…close.”

“Ah, I see. Sleeping with the boss. That can
be dangerous.”

“You think?” She turned worried eyes to
him.

“What happens if you stop sleeping with
him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is he an older guy?”

“He’s thirty-two. Sometimes people in that
situation get married.”

“Do you want to marry him?”

“I don’t know.”

It could be worse.
“Is he good to
you?”

“Could be better. We’ve got a client who
wants me off the her account. I think Lloyd is going to cave.”

“Where does that leave you?” The dogs sat
patiently waiting, their tongues lolling.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about
it.” She turned her back to him.

Pres rested a hand on her shoulder. “Any time
you want to, I’m here.”

She faced him, her eyes full.

He eased her into his shoulder and rubbed her
back. “It’ll be okay. Whatever happens,” he whispered.

She rested her head against him and snaked
her arms around his waist. He kissed her hair. The touch of his
lips snapped her to attention. She pushed away from him.

“I shouldn’t be doing that.”

“I won’t tell.” He grinned.

“I don’t do that. I don’t cheat.”

“Nice to hear.” Her eyes met his. Time
stopped as he lost himself in the emerald green pools. He wanted to
kiss her so badly.
Wait. My turn will come. Don’t blow it.
She stepped back and lowered her gaze, her black lashes fanned out
on her cheek making her almost irresistible. He tightened his
control.

“Thanks for being there,” she said.

“Anytime.”

A German shepherd walked by, setting off
Freddy, who began to bark, straining at his harness. Ginger and
Buddy joined in.

“I’d better get them inside.”

Rocky opened the door for her.

“Take care.” Pres moved away, pulling Buddy
from his friends.

* * * *

Brooke dressed with extra care. She wore a
dark green, silk suit with a white, short-sleeved, silk-knit
sweater. The neckline was scooped, but not too low. She applied her
makeup with care and splashed on Lloyd’s favorite perfume. Standing
in front of the mirror, she nodded.
Just the right image.
Pretty, but professional. I’m the best at my job. This is about
work. It’s not personal. I must prevail and stay on that piece of
business.

As she boarded the subway, her confidence
began to wane.
All these other people…all dressed for work. They
deserve the best, too, right? I’m not better than any of them. Do I
have a right to demand anything? Will Lloyd fire me? Would it be so
terrible to take another position in the agency?
Better than
being unemployed.

She chewed a nail as she rode the elevator to
the thirtieth floor of the building in midtown Manhattan where
Gibbon & Walters had their offices. The receptionist greeted
her in the usual way. Brooke opened her email and discovered a
message from Lloyd.

Please stop by as soon as you come in.

She grabbed two cups of coffee from the small
company kitchen and headed for Lloyd’s office. Her pulse was
racing. He was sitting at his desk. Brooke put the paper cup down
in front of him.
Two sugars, one cream, as always.
He picked
it up and took a sip.

“Thanks.” He smiled, but it didn’t make it
all the way to his eyes.

Her stomach churned. “Hi. Missed you this
weekend.”

“Had a strategy meeting out of town. Called
at the last minute.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Upper management only.”

“And the client?” Her grandma’s words echoed
in her head.
Unless she’s got a thing for Lloyd.

A faint blush stole through his pale cheeks.
“It wouldn’t be a strategy meeting without the client.”

“Did anyone else attend?”

“What are you implying? He rose abruptly from
his seat, anger mixed with embarrassment in his face.

She knew the look. She’d seen it before. He
was lying, covering up. A tightness in her chest combined with a
sting of tears behind her eyes to rob her of words.

He paced. “Look, Brooke. This is the
opportunity of a lifetime for me. So, if the client wants me all to
herself for a weekend, it’s not the end of the world.”

She sipped her coffee, biding for time.

He stopped and looked out the window. “I need
this. It’s my ticket to the presidency, if not here, then somewhere
else. If I make good on this piece of business, I’ll get a huge
raise, a bonus, and my future will be made.”

“I know,” she choked out.

He turned to face her. “We can still see each
other. We don’t have to be over. I’ll get you on the Greenleaf
account.”

“That’s pro bono. They can’t afford me on an
account that doesn’t pay.”

“There must be something else here.”

Her stomach knotted. “Am I going to be
fired?”

“No! I won’t allow that.”

“But you’re moving me off Lady Gray?”

“I have to.”

Those three words shattered her. Her career
was free falling, but with no parachute.
Lloyd, I counted on
you.
“But…”

“I’ll blame it on the client. I’ll tell Jerry
and Pete she’s a bitch and won’t work with women…which is true, by
the way. It’s not you, it’s her.”

“You’re going to go out with her and me,
too?” Her pulse kicked up.

“Not really going out with her. Maybe an
occasional dinner. Client stuff.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

Color crept up his neck into his face. “I
don’t think that’s any of your business.”

Brooke gulped air as tears burst forth. She
grabbed a tissue from the box on his desk and blotted her eyes.
Don’t cry. It’s unprofessional.

Lloyd put his head in his hands. “Stop,
Brooke! Please. Don’t make this any harder than it is.”

“
I
shouldn’t make this harder? What
the hell?
I’m
not doing anything. I don’t cheat, and I don’t
share.”

Lloyd knelt down next to her chair. “Come on,
Brooke, baby. You and me, we have something special.”

“Yeah? We do? Sex on demand? That’s special?”
She pushed to her feet.

He grabbed her arm. “Where are you
going?”

“Do Pete and Jerry know you’re screwing the
client?” She placed her hands on her hips.

A sly grin crossed his face. “How do you
think we got the account?”

Brooke gasped. Her hand flew to cover her
mouth.

“Hey, I’m not proud of it. But this is
important. It’s everything to me.”

Gotta get out of here. Gotta think.
She tore a tissue in half.

“I’m having lunch with Jerry today. We’ll
arrange for a new position here for you. I’m loyal, Brooke. You
were a huge help in landing this account. I won’t forget that.”

“What is there to say?”

“Nothing, baby. Look, we’ll talk about it
tonight. At your place?”

She nodded.
What can I do? Nothing.
“Do you mind if I leave early today?”

“Of course not. Just wind up those
details—the things we promised to send to Evelyn. Give them to me,
and I’ll shoot them over there. Then, you can have the afternoon
off.”

Back in her cubicle, she sucked in air. Her
pulse beat so fast she could hear it. A tightness in her chest
stole her breath.
What’s happening to me?
She finished her
coffee, answered a few innocuous emails, and pulled up a conference
report she had issued right after they had received the green light
from Lady Gray.

Focus. Get this done. Then get out of here.
I can’t think here.

Brooke pulled herself together, went down the
list, item by item. She gathered all the information required,
typed it up as a memo from Lloyd, and grabbed her jacket. Since it
was twelve thirty, people would think she was heading out to lunch.
No one would know she was taking the afternoon off.

She stopped at Lloyd’s office. He was on the
phone, so she dropped the memo on his desk and stepped back. He
stopped talking, glanced at the paper, gave her the thumbs up, and
went back to his conversation.