Champagne Showers (24 page)

We wake up late the following morning and pack up all of our things for the ride back home. The scene from the night before seems straight out of some erotic movie. How incredible was that last night. A night full of sensual and sensory pleasure.

On the way home, we stop off at Multnomah Falls. We have a romantic brunch in a private room at the restaurant that overlooks the falls. I can’t help but replay the events that happened over the course of the weekend. It’s been such a mind-boggling weekend that I simply don’t want it to come to an end. 

We are nearing Portland and I still have so many unanswered questions. If whatever we have going is to continue to move in the direction it seems to be moving in, then we have some serious discussions that need to take place.

“Harrison, I’m curious, did you pick out the lingerie or did you have your assistant do that for you?”

Harrison smirks, “Well, I selected it online but she picked it up. Does that count?”

I feel my face warming from embarrassment. He gives me a side long glance and says, “Well? Does it?”

“I guess it does, it’s just going to be hard to face her when I eventually meet her.”

“Oh don’t worry about it, she is discreet. You looked amazing in that by the way.”

I blush again. “Thank you, you have good taste.”

He grabs my hand and brushes the knuckles with his lips.

“You would probably make a paper bag look sexy.”

I giggle. “Well you make a wet towel look pretty damned good yourself.”

We both laugh as we pull up outside of my condo building, right in front of my office. He steps out of the Vanquish and grabs my bag from the trunk. He walks over to open my door and extends his hand to help me out. I shut the door behind me and he leans in for the kill. No words. A sensual long and passionate kiss. Whoa!

“Harrison, I had a nice weekend. Thank you.”

“I did as well, Danielle.”

“Here, let me help you in with your things.”

“Oh, no I can manage. I’m going to stop off at my office first. The weekend doorman will be able to help me if I need.”

He nods, then is quiet for a couple beats.

“This weekend was... I had a great time, Danielle. I will be in touch soon.”

With that, he leans in and kisses me again with depth that almost knocks me off my feet. I blush again, at least eight shades this time.

I stand in the doorway of my office watching Harrison race away is his sex mobile. So sleek and mysterious, the car fits the man. I need to grab a few things from my office to work on before the meeting first thing in the morning with my new clients. Ever since the Parade of Luxury homes, I’ve been consistently booked and I actually had to squeeze clients in where I could while I was working on the Towers project. Now I can focus on the others a bit more.

I put my things down by the inside of the door and sit down at my desk. Looking around at all the fabric swatches, paint chips, and furniture books, I feel my chest filling with pride. Look at how far I’ve come in such a short time.  I’m feeling optimistic for the first time in years. Everything is certainly looking up.

I let out an obnoxiously loud yawn and stretch. I’m so tired. No, that would be a gross understatement; I’m exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’m looking so forward to hitting my cozy bed. After such an eventful weekend, what I really need is a few days of rest to catch up on the sleep deprivation. I lament at the hedonist I have become in the short time since meeting Harrison Towers, and I feel my face going crimson on me again.

I snap back to my current situation and a wave of sadness comes over me.

Although I had an amazing weekend with Harrison, I came away from it more confused than ever. I have absolutely no idea where I stand with Harrison. I can tell he is into me but he gives me no indication that he’s into me for anything other than a casual dalliances. On paper, Harrison is perfect for me in every way. He’s smart, established, sexy-as-hell and he inspires me to head for my goals with vigor. 

What I’m unsure about is all of the things I
don’t
know about him. I have to face it, I had felt like I knew who Bradley was and as it turned out, I didn’t know him at all. I trusted him and he betrayed me.  Now I’m left with built in distrust of men. It doesn’t help at all that Harrison is a hard read and that he is so secretive. I have this nagging question of whether I’m the only woman he’s seeing or not. I’m too scared to ask as I’m not fully prepared for the answer.

I shake my head at myself and realize that sitting here dissecting my so-called “love” life isn’t going to get me any closer to sleep. Besides, if my memory serves me, Simone should be home tomorrow and we have plans to catch up on everything. Might as well seize that and let her perform her amateur psychoanalytical garb on me.

I grab the books I need to look over and my overnighter, lock up the office and head up to my condo around the corner.

Once inside the building lobby it occurs to me, it’s Frank’s day off and it appears the weekend guy has gone home early. Shit!  I was hoping for some help up to my condo with these heavy furniture books and fabric swatches. I struggle onto the elevator with my loaded arms and manage to get off at my floor without dropping anything. I plunk my weekend bag on the floor next to the door and fumble with my keys to open the multiple locks.

Ugh, all these locks seemed like a good idea when I was leaving Friday. At last, the door springs open after the lock on the handle is opened. I kick it open with my foot and proceed to the kitchen.  I deposit my load on the countertop and head back to the door to retrieve my bag and keys. Once inside I lock all the bolts again. With my attention less diverted, I glance around my condo, ah, home sweet home. Except, what the hell is that? Something has caught my attention in my living room.

I feel all the blood drain my face. The door to my balcony is standing wide open with the white window sheers slightly flapping in the faint breeze. I hesitate to go toward the door but I have to investigate. It’s getting close to dusk, so it’s the time of day when shadows are just starting to appear. I quickly turn around and go back to the kitchen, open the junk drawer and feel around with my left hand while I keep my eyes fixed on the balcony door. I find what I’m looking for and head back to the living room with my kitchen shears in hand. On my approach to the balcony door, I switch on overhead lights and a floor lamp. Once at the balcony door I flip on the balcony light as I stand in the doorway with my scissors raised in an attack stance. I look to my left and then to my right, but there’s nothing there. A sickening feeling comes over me. What if someone is actually still in my condo? I shut the balcony door but don’t lock it. I quickly walk over to grab my mobile out of my purse and without giving it a second thought, I call Bradley.

After two rings, he answers.

“Dani?”

In almost a whisper, I say, “Yeah, it’s me. I know it’s strange my calling out of the blue, but um, are you in town right now?”

“Uh, yes I am... Why?”

“Well, I know the last time I saw you I said I didn’t really want to see you but...”

Before I’m able to finish my sentence, he interrupts impatiently.

“Just get to the point, Dani.”

“I just got home from being out of town and my balcony door was standing wide open and I know for a fact that I didn’t leave it open before I left.”

“Okay, don’t do anything, I’ll be right there.”

“Please hurry, and by the way, I know you’ve been here but do you know what number I am?”

He clears his throat.

“No, the doorman wouldn’t tell me.”

I smile, good old Frank.

“It's 1010, actually I think I may just meet you in the hallway just in case there’s someone in here.” 

“Good idea, I’m on my way. Be there in five minutes.”

“Thanks Brad,” I whisper.

I decide to grab my purse and head out to the hallway. I figure if someone comes after me in the hallway, I might have a better chance of escape than being locked in my condo. I don’t recall seeing any signs of forced entry. Once Bradley is here, we can assess things. Oh, hurry Bradley!

After what seems like an eternity, I hear the ding of the elevator followed by heavy footsteps. I cross my fingers that it’s Bradley. With an immense amount of relief, there he comes, my knight in rusty armor. I catch my breath for a moment. I had forgotten how handsome Bradley is. Despite the furrow of his brow, no doubt due to his concern, he looks hot. He’s wearing a pair of red basketball shorts slung low on his hips and a white t-shirt peeking out from under a grey zipped up hoodie. I’m guessing he just got back from shooting hoops with his pals. One of his favorite pastimes. He flashes me a big smile, but I can see that he’s using restraint.

I smile back tentatively and without speaking, we enter the condo. He gestures for me to stay behind him, but I don’t obey and advance next to him. He starts with the kitchen and checks out the pantry, then we head to the hall closet, and the built in cupboards in the living room. He then nods toward the bedroom and this time I do follow behind him. He takes a few steps into my room when I reach over to flip on the overhead light. Once the room is lit up and we can see everything, we both let out gasps.

What the fuck!! Everywhere we look there are pictures plastered in my room. There are pictures taped to the wall and scattered all over the floor so we can’t even see the hardwood. Spread out on the bed and even placed on the pillows. Bradley and I look at each. His eyes are open wide and I can’t breathe. My chest is too tight. Without speaking a word to me, Bradley takes his phone out of his hoodie pocket and places a call. “Yes, I would like to report a non-emergency break-in.”

I tune him out and focus on the pictures. I nearly faint, I’m staring at pictures of me and Harrison in a variety of places. Holy shit! Placed on each of the pillows is a picture of Harrison asleep and then the same of me on the other pillow. I’m standing there gaping at the pictures when I realize that Bradley is standing right next to me gazing at the pictures on the pillows too. I turn to him and he doesn’t say a word, but I can see the muscle in his chiseled jaw flinching. I know that look, he’s mad.

“The police said not to touch anything else until they get here. Since it’s a nonemergency it could be a while.”

I nod, but I can’t make eye contact with him.

He proceeds to the bathroom.

“Um, Dani, you may want to come in here.”

With a sickening pit in my stomach, I walk to the bathroom. The intruder has decorated my bathroom as well. I follow Brad’s gaze and see pictures of myself and Harrison having sex on his veranda in the rain. All of the sudden I feel lightheaded and my body starts to sway. The last thing I remember is my head hitting the hard floor.

When I come to, I’m no longer in my master suite, but laying on my sectional in my living room with a wet dishtowel on my forehead. Off in the distance somewhere in my condo, I can barely here Bradley’s voice and it sounds like he is arguing with someone.

I move to sit up and feel a wave of nausea come over me. I decide to lay back down for a moment while I strain to hear what he’s saying or to make out who he’s talking to. My head is pounding so much that I really can’t hear over the ringing in my ears.

I do hear footsteps approaching and I turn my head to see that Bradley isn’t on the phone anymore, but he looks like he could punch a hole in the wall.

I sit up.

He nods toward me, “How’s your head?”

“Pounding, but hopefully nothing an ice pack and a little Advil won’t solve. What’s going on with the police?”

“I don’t know, but it’s really only been a few minutes since I called.”

“Oh.” I gingerly touch the lump on my forehead. Kind of a strange place to get a lump when I’m pretty sure I fell backward.

I move to get up but I kind of sway and feel unsteady.

“Dani, maybe you should stay put for a few minutes. Here, let me get you some ice for your head. Where’s the Advil?”

“Help me up and I’ll get it. I have some in the bathroom.”

“Well, that defeats the whole purpose of my getting things for you.”

“I know, but I don’t actually know where in the bathroom and you could be in there for quite a while looking for it.”

“Okay fine, let me help you into the room.”

“Geeze, Brad, I’m not an invalid!”

“I know you’re not, Dani, just let me help you.”

I let out an exaggerated sigh and he helps me to my feet. Once I’m standing, and sort of leaning on him, it isn’t so bad.