Ace's Key: Book 1 (10 page)

“It’s not a date, Kat. It’s a job.
But, yes, I think he’ll be an interesting companion. You, my dear, will be
accompanying Damon Noble.”

My mouth drops open again at the
mention of Damon Noble. He’s the owner of a chain of exclusive nightclubs
called Zenith.

“Close your mouth, Kat. I told you
that I had an exclusive client list. These men want an educated, attractive
girl on their arms. They aren’t interested in relationships or romance. They’re
too busy conquering the world. They don’t have time for dating. You’ve lived
with me for years, you know how this works.”

“I know how it works for you, but
I’ve never considered your line of work for myself.”

“I’m just a pretty face for hire,
Kat. And tonight, so are you.”

Emma darts out of the room to ready
herself; she’s used to this lifestyle and has her routine down pat. She emerges
wearing a navy blue gown that is obscenely low cut in the front. I’m not sure
how her breasts are staying inside of the dress. I’m so glad that I didn’t ask
to be dressed in blue. Her long auburn hair hangs in waves around her
shoulders. She looks beautiful. She reminds me of Jessica Rabbit if she were a
real woman. She has curves in all of the right places and a tiny waist. My
thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. My pounding heart beats
out a frantic tattoo as Emma sashays slowly to the door.

“That should be Damon. I didn’t
want there to be a bottleneck at the door, so my client will be arriving at
7:15. Let me look at you one more time.” She gives me a once-over, before she
smiles and tells me that I’m flawless. My heart is beating wildly and I feel
like there’s a cyclone turning in my stomach.

“Hi Damon. Come on in. Katarina is
all set to go. Thank you for being so understanding. I just can’t figure out how
this happened.” Emma steps aside so Damon can enter the foyer.

“It’s not a problem. You know how
much I hate these things, thankfully, I only have to attend a few of them a
year.” His eyes scan the room and lock onto me. “It doesn’t matter who comes with
me as long as someone does, attending these things alone is the worst.” He
finishes talking to Emma, but his eyes stay on me. He looks me over, and after
a minute of silence he smiles. Walking over to me he offers his arm. “Katarina
I presume?”

“Yes, but you can call me Kat if
you’d like.” Wow, Emma, wasn’t kidding. He’s a gorgeous man. He’s tall with
blond hair and blue eyes and he’s a real treat to look at dressed in his
tuxedo. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

“Actually, I would prefer to call
you, Katarina, if you don’t mind. You can call me Damon for the evening. Shall
we go?” His voice is smooth and sophisticated. It glides over me like warm
honey.

“See you soon,” Emma, calls out as
Damon escorts me to the waiting limousine.

He walks me down the sidewalk,
where the driver waits with the door open. Standing aside, he aids my entrance
into the car. I take a seat and situate my dress. The slit of the dress has
ridden up my leg leaving several inches of thigh exposed. No adjusting seems to
pull it under control. Seated across from me, Damon stares at my legs before
his attention turns to my face. This man is definitely not gay. There is a
gleam in his eyes as he smiles at me. His close inspection of me makes me
squirm a bit in my seat, causing the dress to ride up even further. His eyes
drift back to my exposed leg. I grab my clutch, and pull it to my center like a
shield. Somehow my three-inch by four-inch purse is supposed to cover and protect
me.

“You look nervous, Katarina. What
can I do to make you more comfortable?” He asks. “Maybe a glass of wine will
calm your nerves. Would you like one?” He looks directly into my eyes, waiting
for my response.

“Thank you, I think that’s a good
idea. Just a small glass please. I haven’t eaten much today and I don’t want
the alcohol to go to my head.” I watch as Damon leans over me to reach for the
decanter of red wine. The scent of him fills my nose as he fills my glass and
places it into my shaking hands.

“Am I drinking by myself?” I ask.

“Yes. I never mix alcohol with
business. People who drink too much tend to make poor decisions.”

I respect his decision not to
drink. I would abstain myself if I wasn’t so nervous.

“So, Katarina, we have a thirty
minute drive before we arrive at our destination. Tell me something about
yourself. I’d like to get to know you.”

“I’m not a professional escort,” I
say matter of fact-like. I don’t know why I feel the need to say this, but
somehow it makes me feel better about myself.

Chuckling, he says, “I know. Emma, tells
me that you’re her roommate. Tell me something that I don’t know.”

“I’m a senior at UCLA, studying
hospitality management. I’m also getting a minor in accounting.”

His eyes widen in surprise. “I
graduated from UCLA with a Business Management Degree. We already have
something in common. The two degrees are similar, except that yours is a bit
more specific.”

“I think I’ll enjoy working in the
field. Right now my focus is on graduating,” I nervously pull at my dress to
see if I can stop it from rising any further.

I watch as a knowing smile breaks
from his lips. He seems to enjoy my discomfort. “I’m sure that school keeps you
busy, but what do you do for fun?” He asks.

“Fun? I have no idea what that
means.” I take a sip of wine and continue on, “I work full time and go to
school. There isn’t much time for fun.” I look at him as he contemplates my
answer. His fingers are tapping on the seat next to him, and I wonder if it’s a
nervous gesture or if he does it unconsciously.

“You know, Katarina, they say that
all work and no play makes Katarina a tired girl.”

I respond to his incorrect
recitation, “I think the correct saying is: all work and no play makes Kat a
dull girl.”

“Are you a dull girl, Katarina?
Maybe your job makes you more exciting. Where do you work?” I know he isn’t
really interested in where I work, but I play along. In fact, I decide to see
how much of his attention I really have. Is he genuinely interested in what I
have to say, or he is going through the motions of being polite?

“I’m a stripper at Baby Dolls,” I
declare. His eyes dart to mine. I imagine he is looking to see if there is any
truth in my statement. His fingers are no longer tapping on the seat. I laugh at
his reaction. It pleases me that he is paying attention.

“Somehow, I don’t see you pole
dancing at Baby Dolls.” I obviously have his attention now, he has leaned
forward and has placed his elbows on his knees. His new position has divided
the distance between us. I continue to giggle. Maybe a glass of wine was too
much.

“Oh no, I’m much too uncoordinated
to use the pole. I’m a cage dancer,” I tease.

He smiles broadly and continues to
toy with me. “I know, without a doubt, that Baby Dolls has no cage dancers, I
find it unlikely that you work there. Since the mere rising of your gown makes
you blush, I can’t imagine you pole dancing naked.” The tapping begins again,
only this time with just his index finger on his chin.

“So, you’re a patron? I’ve been caught
in a fib. I actually work at Java Joes. If you want a great cup of coffee, then
you can come see me. If you want a lap dance, you need to look elsewhere.” My
statement serves two purposes, it lets Damon know that I have a sense of humor,
and it tells him that I don’t plan on offering him anything beyond platonic
companionship.

“Darn, I was beginning to think
that Baby Dolls had upped their game. If you worked there, I would have to
consider a visit. It’s not my usual venue, but I would have strayed off the
beaten path to see you dance.” His hand lowers back to the seat where his
fingers begin to tap again.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr.
Noble.” I say this as I lower my eyes and smile sweetly in his direction. It’s
the best imitation of coy that I can muster. He is fun and flirtatious, and I
feel comfortable in his presence.

“I believe the saying is, “Flattery
will get you everywhere, Ms. Cross.” His blue eyes are smiling at me as if he
is waiting for me to counter.

“If flattery is all you’ve got,
you’re going to have to step up your game, Damon.”

He gives me a devilish smile that
matches the twinkle in his eyes. “I’ll take that as a challenge, Katarina.”

I wasn’t trying to challenge the
man; I was just trying to be playful. “Why do you insist on calling me
Katarina?”

“First of all, it’s your given
name. If your parents wanted you called Kat they should have named you Kat.”
His eyes narrow. “Second, I looked it up before I picked you up tonight. It
means pure, and after meeting you, I can see the purity in you. You are not a
woman of the world, Katarina.” He sits back and looks into my eyes. “You’re not
a cat with sharp claws and a finicky personality. If you are a feline, you are
a graceful, and intelligent one with a nice touch of mischievousness and a good
dose of innocence. It’s such a beautiful name, it’s perfect for you.”

There goes my heart again, beating
wildly. How can his words throw me off balance so completely? He sees my
vulnerability, and doesn’t overlook my playfulness. He has summed me up in less
than fifty words. What does that say about me? I’m young, naïve, and maybe a
little fun. He is playful, sophisticated, and incredibly sexy. He’s also off
limits. Deep in thought, I am oblivious to our arrival. I don’t notice the car
stop or the door open.

“Katarina, are you ready to go?”
Damon is bent at the waist, standing outside of the car. He extends his hand to
help me exit. “Don’t be nervous, it’s just dinner.” His smile is disarming. If
you’ve never seen a Viking god smile, it’s a sight to see.

I step out of the car as gracefully
as one can in heels. Damon quickly places my hand in his, and confidently
guides me up the stairs and into the venue. We stroll through the crowd
together. He steers me from group to group presenting me as his companion. I
relax in his presence and begin to enjoy the experience. I’m introduced to a
broad range of people, from politicians to movie stars. Damon seems to know
everyone. I would have thought that I would have been star struck by all of the
A-Listers present, but I find that I can’t keep my mind off of Damon Noble. 

After an hour of smiling and
mingling, the dinner bell rings, and we are herded into the dining room. Damon
escorts me to the head table where we will sit with the Mayor and the board of
directors from the hospital. As a major benefactor, Damon is placed in a
position of honor.

He helps me into my chair before
seating himself. Sitting two tables away, I spot Emma. She winks at me and then
turns her attention back to her escort. She seems to be totally engaged in
conversation. This reminds me that all of my attention should be on Damon. As I
turn to look at him, I find him staring intently at me. It’s as if he’s trying
to figure something out.

“What are you staring at?”  I ask
in a quiet voice so that I don’t draw attention to our conversation.

“I was just admiring how the light
reflects off of your hair. It has the most interesting effect. Turn your head
in one direction and it looks gold, but if you shift just a tiny bit, the color
turns to platinum. It’s really lovely. Tell me, if you were to let your hair
down, where would it fall?” He reaches up and touches a strand of hair that has
fallen across my forehead and tucks it behind my ear. His touch warms me.

“It falls midway down my back.”
Once again, I am gifted with a broad smile.

A tap on my shoulder draws my
attention away from Damon’s hundred-watt grin. Looking up I see Emma.

“Can I borrow Katarina for a
minute?” We both look at Damon and wait for his response.

“Certainly, but don’t keep her too
long, dinner will be served soon.”

Emma and I walk to the bathroom
where we touch up our lipstick and powder our noses. “How’s it going, Kat?”

“I think it’s going well, he’s a
nice man. He’s very charming and he has been an absolute gentleman. Why didn’t
you warn me of how handsome and engaging he is?”

“He’s a nice looking man, but he
doesn’t really do it for me. As far as engaging, I have never really seen that
side of him. He’s usually pretty serious. I’m a little surprised at the way
he’s looking at you. Normally he’s not that attentive. He seems to be taken
with you, Katarina.” She giggles as she pronounces my name Kah-tah-ree-nah with
the best foreign accent she can muster. She fails miserably, but makes me laugh
in the process.

“He’s just being nice,” I reply.

“Damon is not much for the after
dinner social scene. He’ll probably stay a little while to be polite, and then
he’ll put you in a car headed for home.”

“Oh, okay thanks for the heads up.
I have some studying to do, so getting home at a decent hour would be great.” I
am smiling on the outside, but somewhere inside I feel slightly disappointed.
I’m all dressed up and won’t get to dance. I bet Damon would be an excellent
dancer. “How is Anthony? Is he a nice man?”

“He’s really interesting.” That’s
all she says as she guides me back to Damon.

“I thought you had abandoned me or
left with someone else,” Damon says as I return to the table. He stands as I
approach and helps me into my seat. His parents have done a nice job of
teaching him manners.

“Did I miss anything while I was
gone?”

“Not unless you missed me,” he
replies.

I can’t help but smirk at the
silliness of his statement.  I roll my eyes and answer. “I guess I didn’t miss
anything then.”

He slaps is hand against his chest,
“I’m wounded, Katarina.”

“Somehow, I doubt that, Mr. Noble.”

Shortly after I’m seated, our
dinner is served. The meal begins with a lovely salad and fresh bread.
Conversation continues to be lively as our tablemates trade stories about their
lives. I sit quietly and take it all in. Who would have thought that I would be
dining with the Mayor tonight? Most importantly, who would have thought that I
would be dining with Damon Noble?