So Right With You (20 page)

She started to move in the direction she thought Garrett would be when she noticed him climbing onto the platform at the front to begin the process of distributing the bonus checks, something Garrett did every year. He was a generous employer who liked rewarding his employees for all their hard work. She knew from past experience that this would take a while. She would hold off until there was a better time.

“It’s that time. Who’s been naughty and who’s been nice? Now Frank, no pointing at your wife. We all know the truth. You’re the naughty one.” The crowd chuckled.

Garrett started with those who were in lower positions in the company and worked his way up to the inner office.

“Now, what is a man without his trustworthy and hardworking assistant? We all know who’s really running things around here.”

Everybody laughed.

“Chloe, get up here and get your bonus check.” Garrett smiled down at her.

Moving through the crowd, she climbed onto the stage.

When she reached for the check, he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He had done it with the other female recipients, as well. But now, considering their new relationship, she wondered if everyone could tell they were together. She could feel the heat of embarrassment flowing through her body.

“Thanks, boss. I could use a raise, too.”

“You’re already one of the highest-paid assistants around, but you’re worth every penny.”

The crowd laughed.

Chloe took the opportunity to whisper in Garrett’s ear. “Bethany’s here.”

She could feel Garrett stiffen as he released her.

“Where is she?” he asked, his voice edged with anger.

Chloe glanced at the corner where the lying thief resided.

“What the hell is she doing here?” he said under his breath.

“I’m not sure, but I guess you should find out. She arrived with Doug. I am sure he had no ideal about the rift between the two of you.” She shoved the check into her handbag and left the stage.

Garrett finished giving bonus checks to upper management, his accountant, and his lawyer. If anyone was paying close attention, they could see the anger radiating from Garrett, who did his best to keep it under control. Chloe wondered if maybe she had made a mistake in mentioning Bethany’s appearance. It was just that she did not trust the woman. She figured she was up to no good.

Chloe watched as Garrett made his way to the corner in which Doug and Bethany were now engaged in conversation with some of the other employees from Nolan Enterprises. His efforts to make it across the room were halted several times by employees wishing a word with him. She continued to observe as Doug made several attempts to gain Bethany’s attention. Poor guy, he didn’t have a chance. Her attention was focused solely on Garrett. Chloe was familiar with that reaction. The man was difficult to ignore. But why continually seek him out when he had made it blatantly obvious he wasn’t interested and after what she had done? She hoped she never became that desperate. It was one of the reasons she had decided to terminate all ties with Garrett.

Finally, he made it over to Bethany. He must have said something to her, because she shook her head before continuing to converse with the others. He proceeded to lean over to whisper in her ear, and Bethany stiffened. After she excused herself from the group, the two left the party. Chloe wondered what Garrett would do next. She felt like an interloper watching them. She tried to convince herself she was doing so out of concern for Garrett, but a part of her was curious how the drama would play out.

Bethany Moran was a very attractive woman. It made Chloe question why Garrett would choose to be with her when beautiful women like Bethany were throwing themselves at him. Of course, Bethany had other issues as well, but she had seen the other women Garrett had dated.

She had looked forward to this evening with Garrett. Bethany’s presence was definitely putting a damper on things. It reminded her of the brevity of her own relationship with Garrett. She worried her lip to keep a flood of tears from filling her eyes. Keeping things uncomplicated with Garrett was becoming harder to do. They
were
complicated. Her feelings were involved. Needing a moment to get her emotions back under control before Garrett returned, she left for the bathroom to freshen up. She washed her hands and redid her makeup.

Still unready to face Garrett, she leaned against the sink and reached for the bonus check in her handbag. Opening it, she stared at the amount, astounded. Garrett was generally known for his generosity, but not this much. She realized that the check was the amount of her usual bonus plus the balance of the receipt for the clothing. Damn the man. She was no longer feeling sorry for herself. She was now pissed. What did he really expect her to do, take it? She heaved a sigh and shook her head. She had already paid him a quarter of the amount. As soon as she sold her dress on eBay, she would pay him the balance. There was no way she could accept this. She slipped the check back into her purse when the door opened and Bethany stormed in, tears streaming down her face. She stomped over to the sink and began scrubbing at the stream of mascara staining her cheeks. The woman was truly upset. Whatever Garrett had said to her in private must have shaken her. She had looked so confident when she arrived.

Glancing up at the mirror, Bethany caught Chloe’s eyes on her. Chloe actually felt a little sorry for the woman. She knew how Garrett could affect a person. He had a commanding personality. That was part of why she was in love with him.

She pulled out some more paper towels and handed them to Bethany. “Here, let me help you.”

“Thanks.” She took the towels and began cleaning her mascara off. “So you’re Garrett’s latest.”

Chloe didn’t answer but looked warily at the woman whose face was ravaged from crying.

“It’s all right. I already know. I saw the two of you together earlier.”

Chloe watched as Bethany finished cleaning her face and reapplied her makeup. When she finished, a person would have never known that the woman had been crying a few moments ago. She must not have been as upset as she let on. Chloe couldn’t help thinking Bethany would make a great actress.

“Good luck, honey. Don’t be surprised when he dumps you for someone new. The man has no heart.” Bethany picked up her evening bag and flounced out of the bathroom in a huff.

Chloe knew for a fact that Garrett had plenty of heart and character. She just wasn’t sure if she was the one for him. Picking up her own bag, Chloe proceeded out of the restroom to look for Garrett.

He’d been keeping an eye out for her, too, and when he saw her across the room, he headed straight for her. “I am so sorry about that. I had different ideas of how this evening would go. I haven’t had a moment to spend with you.”

Chloe stood stiffly, not saying a word. He wondered if she thought there was something more between Bethany and him than there was. He wanted to reassure her.

“I don’t know what she hoped to accomplish by coming here. The woman is delusional. I explained in no uncertain terms that if she didn’t seek rehab, I would press charges. I think she thought I would just drop it. No way. What she did was unforgivable. I don’t want her using her association with me to gain other possible victims.” He took a breath. “Just so you know, I never slept with her. Anyway, I arranged for Doug to take her home. He, of course, apologized, not having known she had misled him about her true intentions. I actually felt sorry for him. He was under the impression she liked him. Okay, I promise—the rest of night, I am all yours.”

When he finished speaking, Chloe removed the check from her bag and handed it to him. “I can’t accept this.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me. It’s too much. Please, take it back and write me a new check for the usual amount.”

Most of the women Garrett had dated recently would have had no trouble accepting the check. In fact, many of them had not-so-subtly hinted at things they wished him to buy for them. Chloe was like a breath of fresh air. She expected nothing. Perhaps that’s what made him want to do more for her. It was frustrating that she blocked any effort on his part to pay for the clothes. After all, he felt responsible.

“Chloe, won’t you even consider it?”

“No.”

“Fine. I’ll issue you another check.” But he was not going to give up. He would have to think of another way.

*~*

Although their evening had definitely had a rocky start, Chloe was determined to enjoy the rest of it. Her time with Garrett was limited. He seemed to be of the same frame of mind. Judging from the heady looks he was sending her, it wouldn’t be long before they would be making their farewells. They were sitting at the table enjoying dessert with the heads from Nolan Enterprises. If anyone had noticed a change in their relationship, they hadn’t commented on it.

Under the table, Chloe could feel Garrett’s hand move to caress her thigh. She turned to him. He looked into her eyes, and she knew it was time for them to leave. They said their good-byes. Garrett led her out of the banquet room with a firm hand on her back. As Chloe turned in the direction of the corridor that led to the parking structure, Garrett suddenly pulled her back.

“I can’t wait a moment longer. That dress has been driving me crazy all night. I have been wondering all evening what you have under it.”

“Oh.” Caught off guard, she wasn’t capable of saying more.

He kissed her hard before leading her in the opposite direction and into the one of the hotel’s other conference rooms that wasn’t in use. Pulling her inside, he shut the door and turned the lock.

Pressing his body into hers against the door, he completely enveloped her with his presence. His hard shaft pressed into her stomach. Her skin became flushed. Chloe could feel her own body respond in kind to his as moisture gathered at her core, soaking her underwear. If he felt her now, he would know how ready she was for him.

“Greg, wait up,” a male voice called from the hallway right outside the door. The sounds of music and loud talking filtered through the door, signifying the party was still in full force.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Chloe said.

“Shhh. You’ll just have to remain quiet.”

Any further protest fled as her skin flushed with heat from his breath against her neck.

He turned her so that she faced the door and lifted her red dress up, exposing the red lacy G-string undies with matching garter belt she had purchased for the occasion. “Red, you undo me.” He reached around and covered her mound with the palm of his hand. Working his middle finger in, he began to stroke her. Chloe felt her body flooding, her juices soaking his hand. She turned her head, and his mouth latched onto hers. His tongue stroked inside, imitating the motion of his hand at her center.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I can’t wait a moment longer.” Reaching for the string of her panties, he tore them away. There was a momentary pause when Garrett stepped away to unfasten his pants and sheathe himself. Chloe held her breath as she waited for him to claim her. Reaching for her hands and holding them above her head, he surged inside her, filling her to the hilt. He stilled inside her momentarily, allowing her to adjust to his size. Pulling all the way out, he thrust into her in again and again. Her orgasm hit her fast and his quickly followed as her body milked his between her silky walls. He released her hands, letting them drop to her side. With one hand, he caressed her cheek. Noticing his thumb by her mouth, Chloe sucked on it, making Garrett groan. “Give me a moment to recover.” He rolled to one side of her and leaned against the door, sighing. “That was fan-fucking-tastic. You feel so good.”

Chloe realized that when it came to their lovemaking, she was weak. She would never be able to deny him. Here she was in the middle of the office party, letting Garrett take her against the conference-room door with people conversing right outside it. Caught up in the moment, it hadn’t mattered. She had wanted him as much as he wanted her. Looking down, her torn panties gave testament to the fact.

Looking over at Chloe, Garrett noticed her worrying her lip. He leaned over and kissed her on the mouth. He hoped she wasn’t regretting their lovemaking. Garrett had never felt this out-of-control reaction to anyone. All evening, ever since Garrett had seen Chloe descend the stairs, he had wanted her. He was surprised he had been able to hold off this long. Each time they came together, he wanted her more. Even right now, after the earth-shattering experience they had shared, he could feel his desire building. But with Chloe, he knew he had to proceed cautiously. She seemed wary of jumping headfirst into another relationship. Although they were having plenty of great sex, he could still feel her holding back from him. Who could blame her after her experience with Trevor? He would have to be patient and prove to her he was hers forever.

Picking up her panties, he shoved them into his jacket pocket. “I guess I owe you another pair.”

Garrett hung up the phone in his study. A feeling of disappointment descended upon him. The call had been from his lawyer. He supposed the outcome of pressing charges against Bethany Moran had been inevitable. After she had been arrested and arraigned, her father had relented and posted bail. He had also paid back the amount she had stolen. Garrett’s lawyer had felt that the courts would more than likely rule leniently against her. She would get community service since it was her first offense. He wished he could feel some satisfaction, but the truth was, he thought Bethany needed help. He wasn’t sure she would get it this way. More than likely, she had learned nothing from this experience. There was a strong possibility she might do it again, but there was nothing more he could do. He wished Chloe was here to talk to about it.

She had left earlier to go to Ree’s salon to get her hair done again. He never knew women had to go to the salon quite so frequently for their hair. This was Chloe’s third visit in a month. In fact, she had gone yesterday for the holiday party. He had been hoping they could spend the day together, but Chloe had insisted it was important she go today.

The doorbell rang. Garrett wasn’t expecting anyone. Wondering who it could be, he went to answer the door. He found Josh standing on the porch. He looked uncertain, ready to bolt.

“Hey, you need something?” It wasn’t like Josh to seek him out at the house. Most of their interactions had been on the ranch itself. He had a feeling that whatever Josh had come about must be important. “Did your dad send you?”

“No, sir.” Josh quirked his mouth.

“Okay. Come on in.” He led him back to his office. “Have a seat.”

Entering, Josh took a quick look around the room before lowering himself into one of the club chairs in front of the desk.

Garrett smiled at the teen, trying to encourage him to talk. “What can I do for you?”

“Umm. I wanted to ask your advice about something” His eyes darted up and connected with Garrett’s.

Garrett pushed his chair back and stretched out his legs to make himself more comfortable. This could take a while. The kid was obviously nervous and having a hard time working up the courage to share whatever he’d come here to say. He smiled, hoping he appeared more approachable. “Sure, what is it?”

“I know you’ve dated a lot of women.” Josh turned red as he said it.

Garrett smiled. The teen made him sound like some kind of Casanova. “You know, Josh, not everything you read in the tabloids is true.”

“I know. But I figured you might know how I can let Kali know she is important to me.”

“A girl always likes to know that a boy is interested in the things she’s interested in.”

“I know that. I’ve been thinking about the fundraiser Chloe’s been planning. Kali seems excited about it the one hand, but she’s also worried. She hasn’t decided whether she’s going or not. I had thought maybe we could go together. But she won’t commit.”

“You know, Chloe shared with me that she’s pretty sensitive about how the chemo has caused her hair loss. It’s made her more self-conscious.”

“That doesn’t matter to me,” Josh said adamantly.

“Yeah, but does she know that? Maybe she needs you to reassure her. It could make the difference.”

“How do I do that? I’ve already told her.”

“Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Keep trying. If nothing else, you might eventually wear her down. And I know for a fact Chloe is working on a plan to get her there. Once Chloe sets her heart on something, she is a pretty determined force to be reckoned with.”

Josh’s face lit up as something occurred to him. “If Chloe can get her to the gala, I think I know what to do. But I might need your help to pull it off.”

“Sure.”

They spent the next thirty or so minutes discussing his plan.

“Good luck. I hope it works.” Garrett said as Josh left.

*~*

Chloe sat in the salon chair, staring at her reflection. She had arrived at the salon about ten minutes ago, and Ree had taken her directly to her station. She had already washed Chloe’s hair and was ready to begin.

Chloe watched as Ree pulled out scissors, a ribbon, a comb, and a brush. All the tools she would need to cut Chloe’s hair for the wig. Chloe eyed the scissors apprehensively and swallowed. Now that the moment was here, nerves had overcome her. She told herself it was ridiculous. After all, it was only hair. But she had worn her hair long for as long as she could remember. This was really hard.

The doors to the salon swung open and in waltzed Leighton and Harper.

Chloe smiled as her friends approached. She could always count on them to be there for her through thick and thin.

“I was beginning to wonder if you two were going to make it,” Ree said, giving Chloe’s shoulders a gentle squeeze.

“Of course. We wouldn’t miss it.” Harper said. She leaned down to give Chloe a hug.

“Yeah, we had to come to give our girl our support.” Leighton added, patting her hand.

Chloe heaved a sigh. “I know it’s ridiculous. But I’m kind of scared.”

“It’s all right, honey. It’s understandable. For girls, our hair is everything.” This was coming from Harper, who currently had blue tips on the ends of hers. “But just think. You have one of the best stylists doing it. You think she’s going to let you leave here looking anything but gorgeous? No fucking way.”

“Harper.” Ree shook her head, trying to suppress a smile. “Please, watch your mouth. This is my place of business.” Her eyes connected with Chloe’s in the mirror. “But she’s right. It’s going to be great. Stop worrying. You’ll love it.”

“And don’t forget it’s for a good cause,” Leighton said.

“That’s right. Kali’s going to be so stoked when she sees it.” Harper’s reflection beamed at her in the mirror.

“Okay.” Chloe released her held breath. “I’m ready.”

“You should see what I have in mind for the wig. You’ll love it.” Ree reached for the ribbon to tie off her hair. She turned Chloe’s chair so she was facing away from the mirror. Picking up the scissors, Ree gave it one quick snip and set the hair on the counter. The deed was done.

“Oh boy.” Chloe stared at how much was cut and wondered how much she would actually have left.

“Don’t worry. I have plans for you too. Try to relax. If you keep hunching up your shoulders like that, I’m going to have a hard time cutting it straight,” Ree said.

Chloe forced herself to relax.

Picking up the comb, Ree began snipping the remaining hair. Chloe watched as wisps of hair landed on the floor. As much as she trusted Ree, her gut filled with apprehension about the new cut. She tried to focus on how happy Kali would be.

After about fifteen minutes, Ree set the scissors and comb down. She pulled out her blow-dryer and picked up the brush to begin styling. Within twenty minutes, she was done. She put down her tools. “Are you ready?”

Chloe looked at Harper and Leighton, who were both beaming. Maybe there was hope it wasn’t too bad. “Sure.”

Ree turned the chair to face the mirror.

At first, she was struck by how short her hair actually was. Yup, a lot had been cut off. But as she got over the initial shock, she noticed how Ree had cut it, giving it both edginess and softness.

“I love it. I really do.”

“Great.” Ree sighed in relief. “I was hoping you’d like it.”

“Yeah, Chloe, you look fantastic.” Leighton said, smiling.

“As usual, Ree delivers again. It looks great. Can we go to lunch now? I’m starved.” Harper said with feigned exasperation, which was negated by the huge grin on her face.

*~*

After a long lunch with her friends and some last-minute Christmas shopping, Chloe had returned to the ranch. She struggled to unlock the front door while she juggled too many packages. As one of the bags slipped from her grasp, the door sprang open. She bent to pick up the bag, but Garrett beat her to it. They both straightened, and her eyes connected with his. “Oh, you’re home.”

His eyes raked over her body from head to toe and latched onto her shortened hairstyle. He reached out and caressed her face before giving her a welcoming kiss. “A new look. I was kind of fond of the old one. But I have to say this looks great, too.

She blushed.

“I like it. You look beautiful.” Taking more of her packages, he added, “It looks like you’ve been busy. What all have you been up to?”

“The hair that was cut is being made into a wig for Kali.”

“That’s really sweet of you. I know she’ll appreciate it. She’s been through so much. She deserves a break. But I can’t believe you were willing to cut your own hair. Have you ever worn it short?”

“No. Never.” Chloe chewed her bottom lip. “But Ree did a great job.”

“She sure did.” He touched her hair.

Chloe’s breath caught as his eyes heated with desire. She looked away, shuffling the bags nervously. “Ah, then I had lunch with Leighton, Ree, and Harper. And as you can see, I did a little bit of Christmas shopping. So how did you spend your day today?”

“Not on anything as exciting as yours. I caught up on my e-mail and had a heart-to-heart with Josh. He’s really hung up on Kali.”

“I told you,” Chloe responded with a smile. “I guess I’d better get these packages upstairs.” She reached for the ones Garrett held. “I need to get them wrapped. I can’t believe Christmas is only a few days away.”

“Chloe.”

“Yeah?”

He reached forward and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Your lipstick was smeared a bit.” He leaned in and gave her one more kiss, longer than the last one. His tongue licked across her bottom lip, persuading her to open up so he could taste her more deeply. She slid into his embrace, dropping the packages at their feet and wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands moved to the bottom of her shirt, reaching under to caress the skin on her stomach before moving higher up her ribcage until he reached the underside of her breasts. She moaned as he moved higher, scraping his thumb across the lace that covered one of her nipples.

The telephone rang, interrupting their interlude.

With one more kiss and a pat on her behind, he released her. “I’d better answer that.” He walked over to the telephone and picked it up. “Hi, Mom.” The woman had impeccable timing. Another minute, and he and Chloe would have been indisposed to answering. “Oh, just helping Chloe with some packages.” He glanced at Chloe and grinned. His mother had asked him what he was doing. If she really knew the truth, she would no doubt be planning their wedding and knitting baby blankets.

They were planning to spend the holidays with his family. Chloe had reluctantly agreed. He watched her lovely derriere as she headed up the stairs, carrying her packages. He wondered how Chloe was going to handle a full week of his mother’s attempts at matchmaking. He had had a talk with her and asked her to back off. But if there was one thing about his mother you could depend on, it was her determination.

Noticing she had left some of the packages, Garrett placed his hand over the receiver and called, “I’ll help you carry the rest up in a minute.” Perhaps when he took the packages up, they could finish what they’d started.

*~*

As the door pushed open and Garrett entered, bringing in her remaining packages, Chloe shoved the gift she had made for him under the bed. It hadn’t been easy with him constantly around, but she had finally finished it.

Seeing her immersed in wrapping paper and packages, he grinned widely at her. Taking a vacant spot across from her, he picked up a roll of wrapping paper. “You want some help?”

Who knew Garrett had such excellent wrapping skills? For over an hour, the two enjoyed comfortable companionship as they shared stories and wrapped presents. By the end of it, Chloe was a little more in love with him.

*~*

Today was Monday. With the gala less than three weeks away, she had been putting all her extra time into planning it. Kali was due to arrive soon, along with Carson, Leighton, Ree, and Harper, to discuss the final arrangements. Chloe couldn’t wait to let Kali know about the wig they were having made for her. She would have loved to keep it a secret a little longer but it was rather hard to do, considering her new haircut. She hoped Kali would be excited by the news and that it would change her outlook on things, but sometimes, the teen did not behave in a predictable manner. Kali really did deserve a break after all she been through.

Garrett had allowed her to use his office as a workstation for planning the gala. He had escaped the girls’ planning party by deciding to go fishing with his buddies again. Coward. She had a feeling it had more to do with Carter’s checking him out the last time he had been here. She had never seen Garrett blush or squirm so much as he had he was in the same room with Carter.

Of course, Carter being Carter, he was punctual and the first to arrive.

Entering the room, he said, “Did you get those final numbers?” Spotting her sitting at the desk, he said, “Darlin’, what have you done with my dear friend Chloe, and who is this gorgeous woman who has taken her place?” Although Carter was not attracted to the opposite sex, he was a fashion diva and knew what looked good. “Honey, you were beautiful before, but now you look stunning.”

“You do know how to make a girl feel good.” Chloe said, watching him swagger into the room. Carter was a magnificent specimen of a man—tall, blond, and blue-eyed.

“Stop. You’re going to ruin my reputation.” Carter shook his head and flipped his hand at her.

“Never.” Chloe retorted, smiling.

Carter bent his lanky frame down and air-kissed both cheeks. “Where’s that gorgeous man you’re currently living in sin with?”

“Ah, he went fishing,” she answered.

“Oh, I was so hoping to see him again. Even though he doesn’t swing for my team, it doesn’t hurt to admire the view.”

“I can imagine.”

“Honey, we all know you do more than imagine.”

Chloe blushed and then coughed to clear the sudden lump from her throat. “Umm, I was just going over the figures.”

“Let’s see.” Carter got straight to business. As much as the man liked to peacock around, he was first and foremost a professional. That was why she had hired him. After reviewing her figures, he showed her the arrangements he had made for the event. With him in control, things were well underway.