Tempo (15 page)

Ignoring my comment, Michael turns and walks to the door. There is some sort of conversation going on between him and whoever is outside. He turns to me and asks for my phone. Not thinking, I hand it to him. My phone is handed out the door and Michael is back by my side.

“What are you doing?”

“I am taking care of the problem.”

“You don’t have to take care of the problem, it’s my problem and I can deal with it.” I don’t want him dealing with the Evan problem.

“Karlie, you wouldn’t have this problem if you didn’t have an association with me. Let me handle it. Lloyd is going to get you a new phone and a new number. All of your contacts and such will be transferred over to the new line. I am so sorry.”

I don’t know how I feel about him just taking over and not letting me deal with my stuff
, but somewhere deep inside I am grateful that today he is here. The reporters I can handle, it’s the other call that concerns me. My inner voice roars to life.
Don’t let him ruin the rest of your life. Hasn’t he taken enough from you?

“I hope you like pizza.”

“Pizza? I love pizza, is that what we’re having?”

“Yes, pepperoni with extra cheese and garlic. Is that okay?”

“As long as we’re both eating garlic it’s perfect.”

Hot gooey pizza in hand, we sit Indian style around the coffee table and drink beer from the mini bar. I describe the progress made in various places inside Tempo. Michael tells me about the meetings he had with his investors. We discuss the rooftop patio lighting and he informs me that the sculpture artist had been contacted. Apparently he called him the day I brought out my toilet paper drawings. He is waiting to see if the artist has the time to commit to such a project. I feel full of joy knowing that I made an impact on my very first day.

“I didn’t get a chance to ask you how Tina took the news about not getting the job.” I have been a little curious about her reaction to her dismissal. I couldn’t help but probe Michael for information.

“She seemed to take it okay.” He shrugs with indifference.

“Really? She was awful to me the day of the presentation. Did you know that she wished me a safe flight home?” Looking at Michael I can see him laughing inside. It shows in his eyes. They twinkle and light up.

“She did tell me that she might still be available when you fail.”

“She what? You won’t need to keep her number Michael, I have no intention of failing. If she were here I think I would slap her. The nerve of that woman!”

“Do I detect jealousy Ms. McKenna?”

“Of course not, I just take offense to someone maligning my work when they haven’t even seen it. Speaking of work, how did you come to be in the hotel business?”

Michael’s expression changes, but as fast as it hardened, his expression softens and he begins to talk of his family. “My father once owned the building that is now Tempo. I used to play in the hallways as a child. Back then it was called Empire. When Vincent Sr. was indicted, the government seized the building and all of the assets. Twelve years later the building was auctioned. I was there waiting to buy it. I purchased the building and have been trying to develop it since then. You cannot imagine the roadblocks I have run across. The FBI follows my every move. They used to think that I was acting as a front for my father. It hasn’t been an easy task
, but I am sure the prize will be worth the effort.”

What’s the prize Michael?”

My life’s goal is to right the wrongs of my father. I want to redeem the Scarpetti name so that someday my children will be able to walk with their heads held high.”

His children? The thought of little brown-haired, brown eyed little Michaels running around warms my heart.

“That’s why I won’t back down. I refuse to let my dads past determine my future. I have lost so much already and I won’t allow anyone to take any more from me.”

His words sound familiar; they are the words that I promised myself only hours ago.

“What happened to your mother? I read the article on The Dish and it said she disappeared twenty years ago. Is that true?”

He looks at me as if contemplating how much he wants to share, shrugging he explains.

“When my dad went to prison, my mom saw an opportunity to disappear. It was the perfect opportunity to leave a life she loathed. She loved my dad, but just couldn’t support what his lifestyle did to our family. She took off for Europe. I was left with my grandparents. She called me several times the first year. I saw her once after that, but I never saw her again. Occasionally, I get a card from her. These infrequent notes let me know she is still around. Her last correspondence came from France.”

“Wow, that must have been hard on you. You were only eight.”

Deep inside my soul, I weep for the little boy who was abandoned. He is like me after all; we are both orphans.

“I did okay, my grandparents were great. Life with them was good.”

“Where did you live during those years?”

“I lived on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga. It’s in Napa Valley. The whole mountain is planted with my grapes. The success of those crops has allowed me to follow my dream. I still own a home there, and the mountain of course. It’s a great place. Nothing fancy but its tranquil. It’s a great place to relax. I inherited it when my grandparents passed and I plan to keep it forever.” Michael surprises me with his next question. “Would you consider spending Thanksgiving in Calistoga Karlie?”

“I would love that.”

“Do you promise to come no matter what?” He asks.

“I promise.”

“Then let’s seal it with a kiss.”

We collapse on the carpet and kiss like high school kids. He grabs the hem of my dress and lifts it over my head. He gazes appreciatively at my lingerie. I am not sure that I will ever get enough of this man. Knowing that I only have 90 days, I have no time to waste. Standing, I lead him to my bed where I love him for hours on end. Tired and spent we stay locked in each other’s arms until the sun rises.

The sun creeps through the crack in the curtains allowing a single ray to shine perfectly into my eyes. Rolling to my left I reach for Michael, but he’s not here. Sitting up, I realize I’m all alone. It’s not a feeling I like. Two nights of sleeping with the man and I am addicted to him. The memory of our night together makes me want him more. I look around to see if he has left a note, but I find nothing. He owes me nothing. On the table is my new phone; it is charged and ready to go. I will have to reimburse him for it. It’s top of the line and it probably cost a fortune. I check the contacts and see that everything has been transferred. A sticky note on the back informs me of my new number. Immediately, I email the new number to Anna so she can contact me when she arrives. Calling the Mandalay Bay Hotel, I make dinner reservations at Lupo. I need to remember to ask Michael if he wants to join us. I also need to give Tony a heads up so he can prepare. Startled by the unrecognizable ringtone I realize my new phone is summoning me.

“Hello.”

“Hi baby, how did you sleep?”

It’s him and the way he calls me baby makes my insides warm. It caresses my senses.

“I’ve never slept better. Where are you? I missed waking up with you this morning.”

“Early meetings, I didn’t want to disturb you. You were sleeping so peacefully. I thought that maybe we could meet on the rooftop patio for lunch today. Will you have time?” he asks.

“Well let’s see, the boss wants to meet me for lunch on the rooftop. I think I can make room in my schedule for that. Should I arrange for something to eat?”

“No, I’ve got it covered. I’ve got to run. I’ll see you at noon.”

Shoot, I forgot to ask him about dinner.

So much has been accomplished since yesterday. Nearly all of the plumbing modifications are completed. The tile should arrive tomorrow. Once all of the flooring is in, things will move quickly. My team will double check my measurements for the textiles and order the furnishings. There are so many moving parts; it will be nice to have some help juggling all of the pieces. At eleven fifty-five I head to the roof. Tony opens the door and tells me to have a nice lunch. I walk onto the roof only to find Michael sitting on a plaid blanket under a large umbrella. There is a large picnic basket beside him. He sees me and smiles. I see him and swoon. I just can’t believe that he is here with me.

“Come on over here. I missed you today.”

Those are not words I expected to hear
, but they warm me inside. “I missed you too.”

“I had the hotel pack us a traditional picnic. There is fried chicken, potato salad, mini apple pies and so much more. He signals for me to sit next to him and I happily submit. After lunch he lays back on his elbows and I lay with my head in his lap.

“I love this place, it is so full of possibilities. I bet it’s beautiful up here at night. Have you been here when it’s dark?” I ask.

“Yes, its spectacular. Would you like to come back here tonight and see it?”

“Maybe.”

His eyes look confused. “Maybe?”

“My boss is flying in this afternoon, which reminds me, I have made dinner reservations at Mandalay Bay, would you like to join us?”

“I suppose I should meet your boss.”

“Great, we are meeting at six-thirty at Lupo. I have already cleared it with Tony.” I can tell that he is pleased that I have informed my bodyguard.

He is gazing at me. I feel self conscious of his stare and begin to fidget.

“What are you doing to me Karlie? I can’t think of anything but you.” He reaches down and strokes my hair. It’s a simple act, but it feels so intimate. It’s too bad he doesn’t do the girlfriend thing because he would be great at it. Lying on his lap I can feel his arousal.

“What’s the security like up here?” I ask.

“What do you mean?”

“Are there cameras?”

“Of course there are.”  Then it hits him. Standing up, he pulls the umbrella to the corner where the bar meets the wall and lowers it so that we are completely covered. He dials his phone and barks. “I don’t want anyone to disturb me for the next hour.” Looking at me he asks. “What did you have in mind?”

“I would love to explore the possibilities Mr. Scarpetti.” I slowly move my hand up his leg to the bulge in his pants. I stroke him through the cloth and his breathing begins to change. Feeling bold, I unzip his pants and release him. He is hard and soft at the same time. Feeling the need to explore him further I lower myself so that my head is resting on his stomach, just above his penis. The sharp intake of his breath tells me that he is more than happy to let me explore. Tentatively I rub my lips over the head. I am rewarded with a sexy groan as he grabs hold of my hair. Wrapping my lips around him, I used my tongue to explore the length of him. The head of his penis is velvety. I run my tongue down the length of him. He is hard and thick. The large vein on the underside of his shaft is pulsing. I press forward, taking as much of him into my mouth as I can handle. He is coming undone. I am so aroused by the power I have over him. The fact that I can make this man lose his mind with my tongue and mouth is such a turn on. I pull back and taste the salty moisture he releases.

“Are you sure no one can see us?” I ask nervously.

“I don’t care at this point, you’re driving me insane.” His voice is like a growl and it comes from somewhere deep within him.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s amazing. Don’t stop.” He breathlessly begs me.

“Okay, lay back and enjoy Mr. Scarpetti, I’m in charge.”

Falling back he lets me have my way with him. I figure out quickly that the faster I move the more he squirms. If I take my tongue and rub it slowly over the soft velvety end, he moans. The deeper I take him into my mouth, the closer he gets to his release. I am in control. I get to decide. This is the most erotic experience I have had. I continue to suck and pull. Feeling his urgency I take him to the edge several more times before I give him the release he needs. His emission is thick and salty. It flows freely down my throat. Raising my head, I look at Michael and he seems to be totally relaxed. His hand continues to stroke my hair. Rising up I look into his eyes, there is something in them that I don’t recognize.

“Did you enjoy that? Did I do okay?”

“If you did any better, I would be dead. You’re killing me Karlie. You are the perfect mix of innocence and vixen.”

Pleased with myself, I rest my head on his chest. I listen as his accelerated heartbeat slows to a more regular pace. Several minutes pass as we lay in silence. Our moment is invaded by the ringing of his phone.

“Hello, okay I’ll be right down.” Michael straightens himself out and then he helps me up. I stand in front of him feeling slightly awkward
, but he breaks the silence with an amazing kiss.

“Sorry baby, I’ve got to go, there’s a call I need to take downstairs. That was amazing. I will see you at six-thirty. Don’t forget that we have a date tonight? The rooftop at night will be amazing. My head between your legs will be amazing.”

He leaves me on the roof with that final thought. I pack up the basket and find Tony. He is never far away. He takes the basket down to the car and we head back to the hotel. Anna is due to arrive in an hour. Thank goodness for her arrival. It gives me the distraction that I need to get through the rest of the afternoon.