Suddenly Beautiful (Entangled Covet) (7 page)

Tor glanced at his watch. “Can you order me a pot of coffee from the dining room?”

“Coffee? But you never drink coffee.”

He collapsed against the back of his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’ll make an exception this morning.”

“Do you have a hangover?”

“It would appear so.” He leaned forward and wiggled his mouse to wake up his computer. “I don’t remember drinking that much.”

She took a step toward his desk. “What do you remember?”

Nothing that I’m going to share.

It had happened again. He hadn’t moved his lips, but she had clearly heard his words. What the heck was going on? “Did you say something?”

“Please, Nikki, coffee.”

Her spine stiffened at his impatient tone. “Sure.”

She exited his office and tossed the files onto her desk, trying to compose herself. What had she expected, roses and a marriage proposal? No, but a little acknowledgement would have been nice. Of all the outcomes, Tor pretending their night together never happened had not been one of them.

She picked up the phone and punched the executive dining room button. “Could I get a pot of strong black coffee delivered to Mr. Stephanos’s office, please? Yes, thank you.”

She sat down, hanging up the phone. The morning morphed from euphoric to depressing. What was up with the voices in her head? Maybe she should make an appointment with her family psychiatrist. It had been years since she needed therapy, but obviously she was projecting her fears and assumptions onto other people.

She drummed her fingers on the desk, sifting through her options of what to do about Tor. Well, she wouldn’t do anything. If he wanted to pretend nothing had happened between them, fine, two could play this game. She certainly wouldn’t jeopardize her job for a man—not even Tor. Another wave of anger washed through her.

“Too bad I can’t give him a perpetual erection every time he looks at me,” she mumbled.

The thought made her smile. Had he been that drunk? She sighed. And would it really have mattered? No.

The night’s events replayed in her head. This time she tried to view them from an analytical point and not a lust-induced haze. Yes, he’d been amorous and open, so unlike his usual self, but she hadn’t pegged him as drunk. What a fool. She’d actually believed it when he said she was his in every way. The switch in his behavior seemed to have happened at dinner, after Creed had flirted with her. Was all this a power play, showing Creed she was off-limits because he liked having her on 24-7 speed dial? Why didn’t he just pee a circle around her or burn a brand into her forehead, telling the world not to mess with his well-organized life?

Disappointment washed away her indignation, leaving her suddenly tired. She inhaled and wiggled her mouse, bringing the screen to life. No big deal. So she’d gotten laid. Nothing else in her life had changed. She still had the same job and same mountain of laundry to be done, and still harbored the same unrequited love for her boss.

Nikki typed in her password and tried to ignore the fact that things really
had
changed. Yesterday she’d only imagined what it would be like to make love with Tor. Now she knew. How could she ever pretend that never happened?

Chapter Five

Tor shifted, trying to adjust the raging erection in his pants. Just looking at Nikki had made him hard. He stared at his open e-mail but couldn’t seem to focus on anything. He’d woken up this morning with a splitting headache and a barrage of erotic dreams that involved him and Nikki.

He silently cursed his mother for putting thoughts of his assistant in his subconscious. She probably did it on purpose, hoping he’d act on his dreams. The throbbing at his temples continued to drum a steady beat.

What the hell had been in the golden wine bottle? He was going to kill Demetria the next time he saw her.

And why did Nikki pick today to wear that dress? He’d never noticed her curves, had always pictured her to be—flatter—under her sensible blazers.

When he’d walked into the office, she’d taken his breath away. Again the images from his dreams came stampeding back through his mind. He tugged on the neck of his T-shirt. Until last night, he’d never thought of her as anything but an excellent assistant and his friend, as much as he ever made friends. Truth be told, he was probably closer to her than anybody else in his life. They were together nearly every day. It was only natural at some point his subconscious would stray down this path, especially with his mother’s voodoo at work.

Nevertheless, it had taken a little self-stimulation, and fifteen minutes in a cold shower, to face her. The dreams had been so vivid he couldn’t completely shake their effect. Maybe the Fates were toying with him. They liked to do that ever since he’d refused to embrace his demigod status.

Those she-devils never missed an opportunity to throw him a curveball. Like the time they stuck his name on the bachelor auction list for an animal rights benefit. Those puppy-loving women nearly tore each other apart trying to win the bid, and he ended up escorting the overly amorous daughter of a New York socialite to her prom.

Fate bitches.

“Tor?” Nikki popped her head in. “Creed’s here.”

“Great.” He started to stand and then thought better of it. “Show him in.”

Creed Killion entered wearing a pair of straight-legged black pants and an untucked blue button-down shirt. He held out his hand. “Morning. You feeling better?”

“Much better.” Though the evening was foggy, Tor did remember saying he hadn’t been feeling well. When did reality morph to fantasy? Had Creed really been flirting with Nikki? The thought stirred Tor’s ire, but he pushed it away, rationalizing that it was still an effect from his vivid dreams. “Thanks for shifting your schedule for this.”

“Don’t mention it. I haven’t really settled into the job yet, so nobody is clamoring for my time.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts.” Tor motioned toward one of the leather chairs. “Please, sit.”

Nikki strode to the couch and sat down, her leather binder open and pen at the ready. . He couldn’t ignore the way that green dress hugged her curves. It was as if his erotic dreams had transformed to reality. Another surge of desire raced through him.

Damn this stupid hard on.

Tor also couldn’t help but notice that her posture was a little rigid.

She looked up and gave him a tight smile.

“Is anything wrong, Nikki?” Something was definitely bothering her.

“I’m fine.” Her voice came out unusually high. “Just waiting to take notes.” She tapped the point of the pen against the paper. “It’s what I live for.”

Okay, she was clearly irritated about something. Maybe it was her time of the month. He’d heard women got cranky and unreasonable. Tor took a seat on the other end of the couch. “So Creed, last night you said you had some ideas for the Goddess line?”

“Oh, you remember that,” Nikki muttered.

Tor glanced at her, but she didn’t return his stare.

“Yes,” Creed said, drawing his attention back to the conversation. “Kythera Cosmetics has been a strong force in the industry for decades. The products have distinctive packaging and a loyal following. From the market research done a few months ago, it looks as though the biggest consumer age group is thirty-five- to fifty-year-old women.”

“Kythera caters to career women who are dealing with signs of aging and have the money to invest in their beauty regimen.” Tor crossed his legs, resting his ankle on his knee. “It’s been very successful.”

“Exactly. Since Kythera already controls this target group, I think the best approach for Goddess should be to focus on the younger women who are just coming into their own. They would still get the Kythera guarantee of a great product, but something trendy that speaks more to
their
lifestyle than their mothers’.”

“A whole new age group.” Tor cupped his chin, rubbing his thumb back and forth across his lower lip. So far the ideas pitched by the marketing team had been nearly indistinguishable from that of Kythera Cosmetics. He had hoped that Creed would be the creative inspiration the campaign needed. Obviously his instincts about him had been right. “I like it. What else do you have in mind?”

Creed smiled. “New packaging. Bright—trendy—but still classy. And I think Goddess should have its own face.”

“What do you mean?” Nikki asked.

“Ms. Stephanos has been the face of Kythera for decades, which is fantastic for the main line, but Goddess needs a younger face our target buyers can identify with.”

“Makes sense.” Tor nodded,
really
liking the idea of not having his mother’s signature smile anywhere on his project. “Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Actually I do.” Creed sat forward in his chair and folded his fingers together. “Nikki.”

Tor frowned and shook his head. “Nikki who?”

“Nikki Triano.”

He hooked a thumb toward the other end of the couch. “This Nikki?”

“Yes.”

“My assistant?”

“I know it’s an unusual request, but I think she has the perfect look for the line, and let’s face it, she comes from good stock.”

Nikki crossed her legs and began rapidly bouncing her foot up and down. “I don’t think my mother—”

“But she’s not a model.” Tor cut her off. The burn of irritation at Creed’s suggestion and obvious interest in Nikki made the hair on the back of his neck prickle. Nikki’s words registered, and he looked at her. “What does your mother have to do with anything?”

She crossed her arms and leveled her gaze on a spot at the other side of the room, ignoring him. Okay, maybe he had been a little abrupt, but it had nothing to do with the way she looked and everything to with losing his assistant.

“Her mother is Azzura Li Fonti,” Creed said.

The announcement stopped Tor in his tracks. For a few seconds, he was at a loss for words. Crazy thoughts circled through his mind—betrayal—corporate spy. All desire he’d been feeling for her evaporated. He didn’t, no,
couldn’t
believe that all this time their number one competitor’s daughter had been working right under his nose. “He’s joking, right?” He glared at her. “Please tell me your mother is not the same Azzura Li Fonti who hosts
Today’s Model
, is the face of Azzura Cosmetics, and is our main rival?”

She shifted, sitting straighter, her arms tightening around her. “No.”

Tor relaxed a bit. “No, she’s not your mother?”

“No, he’s not joking. Yes, Azzura is my mother.”

“I’m sorry, Nikki.” Creed shook his head. “I thought it was common knowledge.”

“It’s fine.” Her smile was genuine. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret.”

“Fine?” Tor twisted in his seat to face her. “How is this fine? You’re the daughter of the enemy. Why didn’t you share that little bit of information on your r
é
sum
é,
or at the very least tell me at some point over the last six years? Do you realize how this looks?”

“Oh, I don’t know, like I’m a corporate spy?” Her gaze was steady, and she didn’t look the least bit guilty.

“I think I deserve an answer. Why didn’t you reveal this in your interview?” The thought of Nikki betraying him and leaking information to Azzura Cosmetics rallied every protective instinct he had for his business. The only thing that kept him from firing her on the spot was her calm demeanor and the sliver of hope that she hadn’t been playing him.

Nikki leveled her question at him. “Would you have hired me?”

“That has nothing to do with it.” He glared, refusing to admit that she wouldn’t have even made it to the interview stage. “I deserved to know that information. Do you realize what’s going to happen when my mother finds out? You do know they hate each other, right?”

He left out the extended version of exactly why their mothers hated each other. It wasn’t just because of the cosmetic companies. All this boiled down to Ares, god of war, and the rivalry between Azzura and Aphrodite for his attention. During one of Aphrodite and Ares’s off-times, he’d engaged in a whirlwind romance with Azzura and she had ended up pregnant with his child. Until this second, Tor hadn’t realized Nikki was that same baby. He prayed his mother would not go into one of her goddess rages and destroy the city when she found out.

“I don’t see what that has to do with me. I’m not my mother.” Nikki’s gaze narrowed. “You should know that better than anybody.”

Her words resonated with him. He knew exactly what it was like to live in your parent’s shadow. People had a difficult time separating the deeds of the parents from the deeds of the child. Gods even more so. Though he hated using his demigod powers, he had to know if she was lying. With a subtle push, he directed a truth compulsion at her. “So you’re not a corporate spy?”

She smirked. “Seriously?”

He inhaled, relieved by her answer. “My mother will go out of her way to make your life hell when she finds out.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I seem doomed to lose my assistant.”

“Obviously Tor, it would take a lot for me to quit this job. I don’t cave easily, nor do I cower in the face of a challenge. I’m tougher than I look.”

From the way she was glaring at him, he had no doubt of that. The children of Ares were natural-born fighters. A thousand questions rushed through his mind. Did Nikki know she was a demigoddess but had been hiding that knowledge from him, too? Another suspicion crept up. What if she didn’t know but she’d come into her demi-goddess powers. That thought sent a shiver through him and he prayed his sensible assistant wasn’t going to go bat shit crazy on him. And how was he going to deal with his mother? She’d have to know about Azzura and Nikki’s connection at some point. His day was getting worse by the second.

“And I’m not trying to steal Nikki,” Creed said, pulling Tor back from his ruminations. “As a matter of fact, the campaign won’t change her daily life much.” He gave them a sly smile. “And as far as your mother’s concerned, might I suggest playing to her vanity?”

This piqued Tor’s interest. Aphrodite certainly had no shortage of conceit. “I’m listening.”

“Skew Nikki’s employment and being Goddess’s new face as a coup against Azzura Cosmetics. By winning Nikki’s loyalty, your mother has usurped Azzura as the female role model in Nikki’s life.”

Nikki harrumphed. “My mother has never been a role model. Quite the opposite.”

For the first time Tor wondered about Nikki’s childhood. He’d never asked, preferring to keep his working relationships just that—business. He tucked his questions away. This was not the right time to ask.

Tor contemplated Creed’s idea. It might work. His mother’s ego was matched only by her thirst for revenge. Though he wished they could keep Nikki’s association with Azzura quiet, it would be unwise. If Creed knew, then others did, too. They were just lucky his mother hadn’t found out yet. How he’d dodged that bullet, he didn’t know.

Once he explained the situation to Aphrodite, he would probably have no other choice but to let Nikki be the new face of Goddess in order to convince his mother of Nikki’s loyalty. They weren’t just dealing with an over-privileged socialite with tons of money. His mother also had unlimited powers to back up her threats.

“That just might work.” He turned to Nikki. “Are you sure you want to be the new face? You’ll still have your duties here, and no offense—” He paused, wondering how to phrase his next sentence without insulting her. “Being a model’s daughter isn’t the same as being a model.”

She pointed at herself, which drew his eyes to her deliciously displayed cleavage. “You mean because I’m not beautiful enough?”

Okay, so he hadn’t phrased that properly. “No, you’re pretty enough. I just mean you have no experience.”

A hurt look crossed her face at his words, and he wanted to take them back, but before he could say anything she was narrowing her eyes and squaring her shoulders and asking, “What do you think, Creed? Am I ‘pretty enough’?”

Ouch.

The crotch of Tor’s pants began to tighten again. He shifted in the chair and crossed his legs.

“Absolutely! You are fresh, a face nobody has ever seen, the girl next door. And completely gorgeous.” Creed stood and paced behind the chair. “We’re not talking a full-time modeling career, just a photo shoot every now and then and maybe some promotional appearances.” He stopped and braced his palms against the back of the leather chair. “Nikki, your daily life would remain virtually the same.”

“I’m surprised you want me. I’ve always thought the Goddess line’s image was about being sexy.” She shrugged. “That’s not me.”

Yesterday, Tor would have agreed with her, but not this morning. Even the way she breathed was sexy. He folded his hands on his lap to cover his burgeoning erection.

“You have innocence, and a na
ï
vet
é
about you,” Creed said.

She gave an unladylike snort. “Well, you hit the nail on the head with the naive part.”

Though she didn’t look at Tor or address him directly, he couldn’t help but feel that her comment had been a stab at him.

“It’s very sexy.” Creed moved to sit in the chair again. “You don’t see it, and that’s what makes you perfect.”

The way Creed looked at Nikki made Tor feel like a third wheel. A murderous third wheel. “So, you don’t want to be the face of Goddess?” The question blurted out before Tor could stop it.