Caramel Kisses (11 page)

The intercom beeped, and
Tsubaki
-san’s soft voice came through.
“Miss
Charli
on line one to speak with you, ma’am.”

“Thank you,
Tsubaki
-san. I’ll be heading to lunch after this phone call. You should too, so forward all calls to voice mail until after you get back.”

“
Hai
.
Yes, ma’am.”

Sydni
picked up the handset with a smile. “Hey
chicklet
, how are you?”

“Great! The designs are coming along wonderfully. And I’ve designed a little something for you, sis.” It made
Sydni
feel good to hear the happiness stream through the phone.
Charli
was enjoying life, just like she’d always wanted her to.

One of the advantages of having a sister who was a kick ass designer and tailor was that
Sydni
got to be the guinea pig for all the new designs. Well, it was usually a plus, unless
Charli
pulled something funky out of the hat like that orange velvet thing she’d tried to talk
Sydni
into wearing to a local charity fundraiser.

“So, what’s up,
Syd
? You sound preoccupied. More so than usual, I mean.”

“I, uh, I’m due to meet Drew for lunch any minute.”

“You two have been thick as thieves.
Dinner every night.
Lunch every day.
So, why don’t you sound happier?”

“Same old concerns.
Different day.”

“Drew or work?”

“Take your pick. Look, I’ve got to run, so…”

“Oh no you don’t,
Syd
.
You’re going to give me a clue before we get off this phone or I’m keeping the peach cobbler I made for you this afternoon.”

“You made me peach cobbler?”

“Don’t change the subject, woman. What’s going on? I thought you and Drew were really hitting it off.”

Sydni
wiped her palm across her brow with a sigh. “Look,
Charli
, it’s just that I don’t know what to think or feel. The more time we spend together the more I wonder about…” A pause was required to get her head together. Besides, it was her fault that she hadn’t brought these things up to Drew, and as far as he knew their relationship was just dandy. With a deep breath, she pushed on. “I don’t doubt Drew’s sincerity.
And his love making skills?
Dayum
! I enjoy spending time with him. In fact, he’s spoiled me for any other man. But what about years from now when the difference in our ages, let alone our races, begin to show?”

Sydni
hit the speakerphone button, pushed back from her desk and started to pace in front of the huge window that overlooked the
Expedex
properties.

“Perhaps I’m being premature,
Charli
, but I haven’t become successful by failing to plan or considering the results of my actions. What about ten or fifteen years from now? And what if the man wants children? By the time any child of ours reached age twenty, I’d be almost ready for social security while Drew was still in his prime. What then?”

“You mean other than the fact that you’ll both be older,”
Charli
quipped smartly.

Sydni
ignored the remark and pushed on, letting all of her emotional baggage tumble to the carpet and fall open.

“God, there just seems to be such a huge gap between fifty-two and sixty.
And sixty-two and seventy.
Sheesh
.
Then there’s our family and the herd of cows they’d have if I showed up in the South on Drew’s arm.”

“Why?
Because he’s white?
Girlfriend,
puh
-lease,”
Charli
chortled.
Sydni
wasn’t sure what was so funny, but she was sure
Charli
would let it slip any second now. “
Syd
, you’ve never given a damn what anyone thinks, including our absent family. Hey, you know what just popped into my mind? Remember that guy I dated in high school?
Mark Anthony?”

“Oooh, the
hottie
from Puerto Rico?
Yes, how could I forget? He had a smile that made me want to drop to the floor and yell, do me now!”
Sydni
laughed, remembering the young man her sister had brought home for her to meet.

“And what about
Peetie
, from Guam?
He was quite a looker too. And smart.”

“True. Whatever happened to him, anyway?”

“
Wait,
wait,”
Charli
said excitedly, “What about Ricky, with the deep dimples and stellar biceps? He went on to become a dentist.
Didn’t see that one coming.”

Sydni
paused. There was a method to her sister’s madness, she was sure of it. “
Charli
, why are you bringing up people you haven’t seen in fifteen years or more?”

“Because you never cared about the race of any man I ever brought home. So why…?”

“Okay, okay, I get it,”
Syndi
said, throwing her hands up though her sister couldn’t see through the phone. It didn’t stop
Charli
from having her say.

“Look, sis, you took care of the both of us for years while the family you’re suddenly so worried about went off to do their own thing. They left the state,
Syd
, leaving us to fend for ourselves. Why do you care what they think now? If Drew is what makes you happy, who are they to say you aren’t entitled to him?”

Good point. In fact, Drew made her feel special, loved.
Alive.
And he appreciated her just the way she was, big ass and all. The man had no interest in constantly trying to change her into something or someone else. And loved to sex her up just the way she liked.

With a sigh she made her way back to the speakerphone. Pondering her sister’s words, she said, “Thanks, sweet pea. Love you,
Charli
.
Gotta run.”

“Love you too. Now go enjoy your lunch and stop tripping. You hear me,
Sydni
Lee?”

“Yeah, I hear you,
Charli
Marie. See you at dinner on Sunday evening?”

“Yep.
Bye.”

Speaking of Sundays, Drew even appreciated joining her in front of the television for a good football game.
Even if he did like the Raiders.
Well, nobody was perfect…but damn if Drew wasn’t awful close.

Bottom line—could she get past the taboo of dating a younger man? A man she enjoyed both in and out of bed? Just the thought made her smile all the way to the
Expedex
restaurant-styled cafe.

Drew looked up and smiled, then stood and pulled out her chair.
Gentleman to the bone.
“
Syd
, you all right,” he asked softly once he was seated.

Sydni
could have kicked herself. She’d slipped back into thinking so hard and deep over the what-if’s that she’d zoned right out.

God, Drew couldn’t know what was on her mind. They’d already covered most of this ground in their endless talks—which she’d enjoyed, by the way—and surely the man was getting tired of her voicing the same tired concerns. This subject should be good and buried, yet it wasn’t quite dead in
Sydni’s
mind yet.

But before she could open her mouth to assure both him and herself, they were no longer alone.

“So, you’re the new head of legal for Japan, eh?”

Interesting.
Sydni
had never noticed how pretty—young and pretty—Alexandra
Voltier
was.
Until now.

Drew stood and extended his hand with a friendly smile. But there was no heat behind it. Nothing like the
blinding,
completely focused gaze he tended to pin her with.

“Yes. I was recently promoted into the Japanese division. I’m Drew. Drew
Caruth
.” He shook her hand and sat right back down again.

“
Mmm
, yes, I know.”

Was that a purr lacing Alex’s words? Bitch.
Sydni
didn’t make a sound, nor did she look up.
Just stabbed the lettuce of her salad like she wanted to put a hole in the bowl.
Drew looked her way but said nothing.

“So, Drew, how do you like working with Ms. Cannes in the Japan group? I hear she’s a tough nut to crack, but once you
get inside
…she really knows her stuff.” The woman didn’t even bother to hide the real meaning of her words.

Sydni
felt her lover’s eyes on her but refused to look up or acknowledge the conversation.

“It’s been awesome. The deals you all put together are a little different than what I’m used to, but everyone’s been very helpful.” Drew’s words were laced with just the slightest, quickly hidden confusion.

“If there’s anything I can do,” the woman said with a sexy drawl that made
Sydni’s
gaze finally snap up. “Anything at all, be sure and let me know.”

Well, that was more than suggestive considering Alex’s focus was on Drew’s crotch while she handed him her card. With a big assed grin plastered across her face she said, “Perhaps lunch sometime.
Or dinner?
Or whatever.”
Hell,
Sydni
wondered when the woman’s fangs would begin to show.

“Thank you for the offer,” Drew returned smoothly. “But I usually have dinner with my woman.”

God, she so couldn’t deal with this right now. It was just too much, especially on the heels of all her insecurity. Not only were her thoughts in turmoil, but The Bitch
chose
that moment to poke her head into Drew’s business. Well, maybe this was for the best. If
Sydni
gave him an out, opened a door for him to walk away from whatever it was they were developing, perhaps he’d take the opportunity to get with Alex? Take the chance to be with someone a bit closer to his own age.

Sydni
stood so fast her chair shot back several inches and scraped the hardwood floor. Relieved that the thing hadn’t crashed to the floor, she squared her shoulders and spoke evenly.

“I have some work to do. I’ll catch you guys later.”

Alex’s smile quirked up into what could only be described as a predatory grin.
“Perhaps I can keep Drew here company while he finishes his meal?”

“Be my guest,”
Sydni
bit out,
then
snatched her plate off the table. She turned on her heel, biting her bottom lip to keep it from trembling as she dumped her uneaten food in the trash. All she gave Drew was a good view of her back as she retreated

Drew’s expression remained schooled, but his body language screamed “What the fuck?” But the instant surge of jealousy she felt, though unreasonable, had her inner witch
peeking
her head out to play.
And not in a good way.

By the time she got to the elevator, her stomach boiled, skin flushed hotly, and temper flared. But
Sydni
was most angry at herself. Damn it, she’d never retreated in her life. That was something usually reserved for others to do
to
her, not receive
from
her. Yet, she’d bailed. With style, no doubt, but bailing was bailing no matter how classy it was done.

Too late.
Sigh.

* * * * *

Drew appeared as a walking mountain of calm resolve. But just like the high peaks of a volcano he looked cool enough for snow to stick on the outside, while underneath the surface his anger boiled hot enough to melt rock. What the hell had
Sydni
been thinking practically throwing him to madam wolf, aka Alex
Voltier
? Oh just wait until he got his hands on that woman.

Even as a newcomer to the division, he’d already heard of this particular female. In fact, back in the days when he’d worked as an independent consultant on a few
Expedex
contracts, Alex’s name has been floated past his ears as one of the hottest, yet coldest, females in the corporation.

So here he sat spending the remainder of his lunch time in Alex’s office when he should be licking the inside of
Sydni’s
sweet thighs for dessert. Damn women.
Both of them.

Instead of sitting across her desk from him, Alex sank into the empty chair next to him, no doubt reserved for whoever would be on the receiving end of a royal tongue lashing. Crossing her legs, the undeniably sexy curve of her calf muscle brushed his knee. The light scent of perfume floated from her perfectly proportioned body. And none of it did a thing for him.

“So, Drew…”

Drew bit the inside of his lip to keep from curling it up in disgust. There was nothing he disliked more than a ‘ho-style female who put herself out there for easy
pickin
’.
Time to make it clear what his intentions were.
And weren’t.

A drawl that was probably supposed to come across as sexy dribbled past her lips. “Would you like to have this discussion over dinner? Or maybe breakfast.” Alex re-crossed her legs, spreading her thighs more than was necessary before hooking her leg over her knee, swinging a high-heeled pump back and forth. Her smile was huge, but the frost behind her eyes was chilling.

“I’m flattered that a beautiful woman like you would give me such an invitation. But I’m seeing someone, Alex.” Then he laid the stop-’
em
-in-their-tracks smile on her.
Hmm.
She didn’t thaw. Not even a little.

Uncrossing her legs, she crossed them at the ankle and sat up a bit straighter in the comfy chair. A saucy tilt of her head was followed by another frosty grin.

“I understand, Drew. I’d heard you were single, and I’m single… Well, I hope you’re not offended. You know, everyone suing everyone else these days.”

“Suing?
For what?”

“You know, sue me.”

An uneasy slither worked its way into the individual bones of Drew’s spine. What was going on here?