THE CHAMELEON (6 page)

CHAPTER 8

The Newbury Street café bustled with activity. Seated at one of the small tables, closer to the wall of the building and facing the street, Stephan scanned the crowd. The majority of the patrons were tourists. They were always so easy to pick out with their cameras, shorts, hats, and packages of recent purchases. Stephan could never imagine being that type of person, or at least hoped to never become that type. Glancing at his watch before he took another sip of his water, he pushed down the nerves that attempted to take over. Feeling like a teenager all over again, he shifted slightly in his chair; his features darkened. Waiting for anyone was torture and he silently cursed himself for showing up early. He hoped that she was not the type of woman who needed to be fashionably late.

From across the street, Aisling smiled as Stephan shifted in his chair. He looked miserable sitting by himself and glancing at his watch periodically. He obviously didn’t like waiting, or wasn’t used to having to wait. Smoothing her dress down with her hands, she was glad she opted for the crisp linen outfit as she noted his impeccable clothing. His white linen shirt was un-tucked from the dark slacks. She could not make out a crease in the fabric. The top buttons were undone, but not overly so—much to her relief—and from her distance, she didn’t see any chains dangling from his neck. She was not one for men overdoing it on the gold jewelry, or any jewelry for that matter.

The waitress arrived at the table again, lowering her head close to Stephan’s as if to hear what he was saying. Aisling’s eyes narrowed as she recognized the typical woman tactic of flirting. Stephan barely acknowledged the server, as he shook his head while he reached for his phone.

Aisling didn’t want to keep him waiting anymore. Stepping out of the dress shop she had slipped into, she hurried to the crosswalk. By the time she made it across the street, he would more than likely notice her the way he was scanning everyone. Aisling was not disappointed; as she stepped up onto the sidewalk, their eyes locked while she made her way through the crowd. A smile lifted her lips.

Lord have mercy, he certainly was beautiful.
With each step closer, she could feel her face flush. The rest of the pedestrians seemed to disappear. He seemed to only have eyes for her, refusing to be the first to look away, as he rose slowly to his feet. She slid her hand into his outstretched one, as he gallantly pulled her close to him. If he had leaned down and kissed her on the mouth after she pretty much had done the same thing the other night, she would not have been shocked. Instead, he kissed each cheek gently, which strangely, flustered her more.

Pulling out the chair, Stephan motioned for her to take a seat, before he sat back down himself. “Thank you for accepting my offer to meet for lunch, Aisling. You look absolutely stunning.”

Aisling’s face flushed again as she cursed her red hair.

Stephan watched, fascinated, as her skin turned a rosy pink. She obviously didn’t like her body changing colors, but he thought it was cute. She did look stunning. She had pulled strands of her hair from the side and clipped them at the back of her head with a crystal holder. Wisps of hair fell out of place and cascaded down in loose curls. His fingers itched to touch them. The instinct was so strong, Stephan curled his fingers into a fist before he embarrassed himself. Her dress fitted her like a glove, molding to her chest, flaring out at the waist slightly. She was pure class. Aisling seemed oblivious of his emotions.

“I won’t lie, Mr. Petros. I was very surprised and intrigued by your call. In light of the fact that my first evening out in a long time was rudely interrupted, your offer afforded me the chance to relax and see if the male population could redeem itself through you.”

“How am I doing so far?”

Glancing down at the table, she shrugged. “Considering that there is nothing in front of me, failing miserably, I am afraid.”

Before the words were out of her mouth, a male waiter placed a drink in front of her. Staring blankly, she wondered how he could have known that mint julep was her favorite. Laughing, they spoke in unison. “Miranda.”

Waving her finger, she teased him. “I must never underestimate you.”

Stephan smiled. “Please, call me Stephan and you should probably not. Interesting that I am thinking the same thing about you.”

She took a small sip, humming as she felt the smooth, sweet liquid slide down her throat. She nodded, appreciating the bartender’s skill. It was perfection. Glancing at his glass of water, her eyebrows rose. “Not drinking, or do you not drink, Stephan?”

Every movement she made seemed to enthrall him. Hearing her speak his name caused a feeling to rush through him that he couldn’t quite understand. Stephan felt as if he could watch her all day. “I do drink,” he replied to her question. He felt as if he should have said more, as the conversation seemed to come to an abrupt halt. This was such a new situation for him, and he was unclear as to how to proceed or what to say next. As he handed Aisling a menu, he tried to cover the awkward silence.

“Are you hungry?”

“Famished, actually.” She took the menu from him. She rarely ate out in public, choosing instead to order takeout, or, if she had time, cook for herself, which she enjoyed doing. Quietly, she perused the list, glancing at him time to time, as he seemed to do the same. Making her choice, she set it aside and took another sip of her drink. He was an enigma to her and she wanted to know so much more about him, but she had to be careful not to let anything slip.

“So, what do you do for work, Stephan?”

Lifting his head, he gazed at her intently, his eyes hooded. Aisling felt her heart rate speed up. He had a way of looking right into her.

“I work for security in one of the businesses here in Boston. What about you, Aisling?” Stephan asked.

She used the same light tone and evasive wording. “I work in medical billing. Boring stuff, really.”

He set his menu down. Stephan leaned back in his chair. She wasn’t being completely forthright, but then again neither was he. He wanted to know everything about her, yet he didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot by coming across as if he were interrogating a witness.

“How did you find me, and why did you call me, Stephan?”

Even though Stephan was surprised with the question, he didn’t hesitate to answer her truthfully. “Being in security, it allows me certain privileges that I have never used for personal purposes. Until you. As far as the why—I am not sure. I saw you standing in the doorway of the Black Rose, and I was…intrigued.”

“Because?”

“Why are people ever interested in others? Is it a look? The way they walk, talk, smell?” Stephan smiled ruefully. “What about you? Why did you say yes when I asked you out?”

“I guess what you are saying is true. For me, I found you very attractive, so I can be honest in that respect. That and I haven’t had sex in a long time.”

Concern clouded her face as she watched him choke on his drink. “Are you okay?”

“Fine. I am fine. You certainly are blunt. So for you, this encounter is to satisfy an urge?”

“Very much so.” Aisling smiled at the scowl that formed on his face.

“Well, you are not only incredibly beautiful, but you are brutally honest.” Stephan looked disappointed and Aisling’s smile deepened.

“Come on, admit it—you have been thinking the same thing. I was raised to speak my mind. I have never been the type of girl who believed in happily ever after. That’s not how life works, and you and I both know it.”

Stephan was about to respond when the waiter came back to take their order. This time he ordered bourbon. He was going to need it if this was the direction of their conversation.

His tone cooled considerably. “Never assume that you know what I am thinking, Aisling. Ever. As much as I do find you attractive physically, I meet many stunningly beautiful people in my line of work. I am a bit old-fashioned, I guess, where I believe that the inside needs to match the outside to be considered truly beautiful.” Leaning forward, as if to accentuate his next point, he lowered his voice; Aisling leaned forward to hear every word. “I am looking for the beauty inside of you. I hope I will not be disappointed. I am afraid that we may not have the same goals in mind as I’m not looking for just sex. That is easy enough for me to obtain.”

Stephan’s eyes roamed her face, seeing for the first time the cool, sophisticated edge disappear slightly, replaced by a moment of insecurity, before the stone wall went back up. She was going to be a tough nut to crack for sure. He wondered who hurt her.

“No matter what kind of baggage we have, there is always the possibility of the chance for a happily ever after. If there wasn’t, what would we have to look forward to?”

With his words, Aisling thought of her mother. The days and nights of watching everything in their lives fall apart, because of that simple word called love. Time and again whenever her father would return, she would watch her mother transform into a giddy schoolgirl, only to be crushed when he walked out. Finally there came the day when he never came back and even though her mum had been devastated—and Aisling believed still was, until her death all of those years later—for Aisling, it was a relief that he never returned. She could no longer pick her mother up from the bottomless pit of despair. Toward the end of her mother’s life, whenever she spoke of her father, which had become extremely rare, Aisling could hear the rage in her voice and she seemed to have made it her mission to make sure Aisling wouldn’t make the same mistake as her.

“Aisling?”

Shaking out of her reverie, she felt exhausted with the conversation already and they hadn’t even started to eat.

“I am not sure how to respond to that, except to say that maybe here we should agree to disagree for now, and as we get to know each other, we can understand each other’s history and point of view better.”

It was easy to agree to her request, and Stephan felt it would be a good opportunity and a challenge to convince her otherwise if their relationship progressed past today. With their agreement, the meal passed without incident, both choosing to stick to the weather, politics, and people watching. Stephan found her intelligence irresistible and he didn’t want the day to end just with their meal. As the waiter slid the leather folder onto the table with their bill tucked inside, Stephan laid his hand on it as he contemplated his next move. He did not want to seem overly eager or greedy for her time. Honestly, he felt completely out of his element.

Aisling slid her hand on top of his before she squeezed his fingers gently. Truth be told, she was out of her element also, and could understand his conflict.

“So, is this it, and then I wait for the phone call in a couple of days, Stephan?”

Happy for the opening, he felt himself drowning in her emerald eyes. “Do you want it to happen that way?” God, he hoped not.

When she shook her head, he was dazzled by her smile.

“I am actually free for the day, starting the moment I sat down, so if you aren’t bored with my company, I am sure that we could come up with something to do.” She hesitated, feeling unsure again.

Stephan heaved a sigh of relief as he quickly paid the tab. “If you would like, we could take a walk to the Boston Common. I know a great coffee shop.”

Aisling nodded and glanced down at her outfit. As cute as she looked and felt, it was not appropriate for walking great distances.

Stephan sensed her dilemma as he stared at her feet. A woman in heels was a weakness and he loved them but heels were not made for sightseeing.

“I did bring a change of clothes.” Her face brightened again. “Sorry, it is a habit of mine. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do, so I packed a change of clothes. They are in the car and would be so much more suitable for walking.”

“Are you parked close?” At her nod, he held out his hands. “Come, let me drive. I know what we can do.”

CHAPTER 9

(Stephanous Petros: eight years old) The small ad fluttered in front of Stephanous as he walked the dirty streets. He grabbed it before it blew away and read the words in bold lettering with hope. RUNNER NEEDED. He had spent the day trying to find a job, no longer able to spend his days within the walls of the orphanage. Unsure of what a runner did, he rushed to the address, hoping the job had not already been taken.

Easily maneuvering Aisling’s car through the Boston traffic, Stephan only had to go several blocks to reach home. Aisling said nothing when he whipped into the front entry of the Ritz-Carlton Towers. She had already known that this was where he lived, but it was a completely different feeling to pull up to the ostentatious front entry and to have a doorman hold his hand out to assist you from the vehicle. She waited as Stephan walked around to her side of the car. Slipping the valet the keys and money, he pressed his hand on the small of her back and whisked her through the glass doors, past security, and into the elevator. She assumed her bag with the change of clothes would be promptly brought to his suite. When she stepped through the large oak doors, she couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips at the view. The wall was entirely made of glass and Boston Common sprawled out below them.

Walking to the windows where she stood, he followed her gaze. “Isn’t it strange how, sometimes, when you have had something for a while, you stop seeing the beauty?”

“Wow, that is profound, Stephan. I don’t think I could ever stop seeing this view. I bet it is incredible at nighttime.”

She felt his fingers as they slid into her hand. Aisling turned to face him, saying nothing when he reached behind her head to undo the clasp that held her hair up.

“Your hair is the most amazing color I have ever seen.” Sliding both of his hands through the tresses, he seemed mesmerized by the softness.

She watched as his gaze fell on her lips. Instinctively, she ran her tongue along her mouth. Stephan groaned as he followed the movement before he slowly lowered his head, stopping just before their lips met when a knock sounded at the door. Kissing her on the forehead, he stepped around her quickly to let the bellhop in. A wave of disappointment rushed through Aisling.

“I think you will be more comfortable changing in the spare bedroom, Aisling.” Stephan walked down the hallway, fully expecting her to follow.

The home was tastefully furnished and she was surprised how personalized it was, with many photographs along the wall. She wanted to take a moment to look at each one, to try to get inside his head. Right now, she was confused as to who he was.

“I will fix us a drink while you change.”

Aisling sat on the bed and stared at the closed door. Even for her, this was moving way too fast. All she wanted was a quick but passionate night of sex and to be gone in the morning before he woke up. Everything in his file made him out to be cold, calculating, and very good at his job. She knew that he had killed before. Hell, so had she. This warmer, softer side of him was something she hadn’t prepared herself for. He wanted to talk but talking led to the risk of getting emotionally attached. That was not who she was or how she was brought up. There was no way she would turn out like her mother: falling hard and then thrown to the side when whoever was finished with her.

Her fingers ran through her now free hair. She laughed.
How bad could this really be?
They were only going to go for a walk around Boston Common and as many times as she lived in this city, she had never done that by herself, let alone with someone as gorgeous as Stephan Petros. Quickly stripping out of her dress, she walked to the closet to hang it up, and then put on her jeans and tee shirt. She had barely slipped on her shoes when her phone buzzed to let her know she had a message coming through.

Aisling wanted so much to shut it off and not even think about work for today, but her conscience wouldn’t allow it. She still wasn’t finished with her open job and had even received a new request before meeting with Stephan. If something were wrong with her information, she would have to handle it promptly. Pressing on the message, she was shocked to see Stephan’s name at the top of the email. The irony was not lost on Aisling as she quickly scanned the email.

New job if you are available. This is personal and sensitive in nature. Let me know.

Stephanous Petros

Glancing at the still closed door, she wondered what job he had in mind. It had to be pretty important if it was on his mind while on a date. Her mother was right. Men’s priorities were fickle for sure. Her fingers flew over the keyboard on her phone.

Absolutely. Send file at your convenience and whatever you need accomplished. Once I have reviewed the information, I can give you the cost and timeframe.

—Chameleon

Aisling hesitated before she hit Send. Walking back to the living room, she pushed the button just as she entered the room. Stephan sat at the bar that was situated against one side of the wall. She heard his phone vibrate against the wooden top, message received, but he didn’t give it a second look; instead, he rose to greet her. He had changed also and now wore jeans and a black tee shirt. He still wore a jacket; she wondered whether he was carrying. Sidling up to him, she placed her hands on his waist, watching his expression carefully. He definitely became guarded the moment she touched him. As she slowly slid them around to his back, Stephan quickly gripped her hands tightly before she could embrace him completely. Smiling up at him, she allowed him to entwine his fingers in hers before he pulled her arms behind her back, holding them with one of his, as he took his other hand, gripping her chin, not unkindly.

“Can I help you?”

Aisling shivered with the thought of how he could so help her right now.

“Just wanted to thank you for calling me.”

Surprise flicked in Stephan’s eyes before they became guarded again, but he loosened his grip on her hands, still not willing to let her go. Dropping his head, his mouth captured hers in a deep kiss that left her breathless and caught her by surprise. Stephan pulled away and released her before she could even respond.

“You’re welcome,” he replied gruffly, not unaffected from the kiss. “Ready?”

Nodding, she followed, trying to sort out the many emotions that flowed through her. It was going to be hard to keep her heart guarded with him if she wasn’t careful.

As she stepped into the elevator, Aisling watched him as he checked the messages on his phone, knowing that he would be seeing hers. It was an odd feeling to see him working, knowing that he was going to respond to her. Guilt rushed through her, shocking her to the core. Aisling never felt guilt before, and she realized that she didn’t like it.