Working Man (5 page)

They thanked Patsy and Paul for the meal and Dakota offered again to help clean up. Paul said that's why they had children. “Patsy kept asking me for a dishwasher so I gave her four,” he said with a straight face. “The other three are at their aunt's house in Georgia. Good thing, too, or you wouldn't have gotten enough to eat,” he added.

Ebony had been in the living room on the phone when the couple left, but when she came into the kitchen she saw her parents laughing. “What's so funny?” she asked.

“Your uncle is smitten,” her mother said.

“Oh, I knew that yesterday. She's so pretty, Uncle Nick went for her in a heartbeat.”

“You don't get it, Ebony. Your uncle
really
likes this lady,” her father said.

“You think so?” Ebony tapped her lower lip thoughtfully. “I'm glad you think so, too, but why do you say that?”

Her parents looked at each other and laughed again. “Because your Uncle Nick hates cats,” Patsy told her.

 

After she and Billie ended their call, Dakota tried to get comfortable on the bed and found that the only was she could do that was to sit in the very center of it. She gazed around the room again, in awe of her surroundings. She hadn't been kidding when she'd told Billie it was the tackiest place she'd ever seen. When Nick had opened the door to the place, she'd almost thought he was playing a joke on her.

They had gotten some dinner for Cha-Cha and gone back to the brownstone where Dakota had given the cat a lecture on her future diet. “You're not going to be eating like this every day, so don't get used to it,” she'd told her. “This is a special treat.”

While the cat quickly devoured her food, Dakota and Nick had put her few belongings into his truck and soon they were on their way to the apartment he insisted she use. “It's empty and there's no need for you to spend a lot of money for a hotel. Just relax, it'll be fine,” he assured her. The building was ten stories high and it was a pleasant surprise to Dakota's eyes. It had been built in the thirties and Nick had rescued the deco-looking structure by gutting the inside and restoring it to its former glory. Everything had been carefully modeled to retain the look of the era in which it had been originally built. He'd used exquisite skill and care in putting the building back together and Dakota was blown away by his ability and taste. She was still complimenting him on his workmanship when they reached the door of the apartment he'd once occupied. He'd thrown the door open with a flourish and it was all she could do to keep her eyes open and her mouth shut when she saw what was on the other side.

The interior of the apartment was nothing like the public areas of the building. There was nothing sleek or classic about the furnishings she beheld, unless someone just had a real jones for classic playa-playa decor. The walls were covered in a hideous royal-blue raw silk and there was a big plush rug in the same color in the middle of the living-room floor. It had the misfortune to be covered in faux zebra stripes, but the bizarre design didn't disguise the fact that the rug, like the wall covering, was expensive. And the hardwood floors were beautiful, she freely admitted that. But the things that were arranged on the floor were awful. There were two floor lamps that looked as if they'd been hacked out of a glacier. They were composed of big, irregular blocks of crystal and they were overly bright to Dakota's eyes, as well as being butt-ugly. The sofa seemed to be a mile long and it was cheetah-printed leather that Nick informed her was hand-painted. There were two chairs that made her want to bite the back of her hand to keep from screaming. They were made of gold velvet and they were shaped like high heels. Not the cheap versions, either, these were the originals that Nick had acquired at a gallery. The whole place was like the living room, full of very expensive tasteless items that made her flesh crawl.

The dining room had a gigantic table made entirely of glass. Not acrylic, the way most tables of that kind were constructed, but real glass. It looked like it weighed a ton and Dakota couldn't imagine trying to consume a meal seated there. The chairs carried out the jungle motif as each one was made of pony-skin dyed to emulate some other poor dead beast. She took one look at the light fixture over the dining-room table and this time she did have to put her hand to her face. She'd never seen anything so repulsive in all her life and she'd spent a lot of time in morgues and at murder scenes. It was made of brightly plated gold fixtures and it had crystal dollar signs all over it. Big ones, little ones, medium-sized ones; they were everywhere. There were also prisms interspersed here and there and they caught the light from the hundreds of halogen bulbs that adorned the garish display and made dancing rainbows all over the mirrored walls.

The room made her so uncomfortable that she just stood there wringing her hands while Cha-Cha leapt from chair to chair making excited noises. It was with great relief that she followed Nick into the bedroom. She didn't even bother to control her face as she beheld the gigantic round bed covered in a red crushed-velvet spread.

“Wow,” was all she could say. Despite the pleased look on Nick's face, this was not a complimentary
wow.
On the contrary, Dakota was praying he would leave soon so that the laughter she could feel percolating around her toes wouldn't bubble its way up and out of her. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her benefactor's feelings, but she could only exercise iron control for so long.

She'd told Billie how hard it had been not to burst into hysterics. “You know I have a problem with inappropriate laughter,” she began, only to have Billie interrupt her.

“Why do you think I refuse to sit next to you at weddings, funerals and any church service? I know how you are, something will strike you as being funny and you'll bust out laughing like the proverbial hyena and embarrass the whole family,” she said.

“I take issue with that, I know me very well and that's a complete exaggeration,” Dakota said with an offended sniff. “But girl, it was all I could do to hold back. He's so proud of this place because he did all the decorating himself and it's just wretched, it really is. Everything is top-drawer and very expensive, but it's so over-the-top it's scary. Even his towels are luxurious,” she added, rubbing the one wrapped around her with a grateful palm. “Everything is quite costly, but it looks like some new-money mob boss put the place together. Get this, the bed is
round,
” she said with wonder in her voice.

“You just need to guide the man a little,” Billie teased. “He has the wherewithal. He just lacks the knowledge to select a more tasteful environment. So he's got money and he's fine, huh? You may have hit the jackpot, sis.”

“Not even close. I'm not his type at all,” Dakota said quickly. “I caught him looking at my big ass with an ugly smirk on his face.”

“Say what? Look, I'm in Montreal right now but you say the word and I'll be there with a two-by-four in hand. I'll kick his butt for him if he thinks he's gonna disrespect my sister,” Billie said with an ominous edge to her voice.

“Child, please. This just makes my life more uncomplicated. This is the first time I've actually been glad to be chunky. I don't have to worry about him putting any moves on me and he can just get the work done and scamper. Case closed.”

“Oh.” Once again, Billie sounded disappointed that her sister wasn't about to get into something wild and illicit. “For the record, you are not ‘chunky.' You've got some curves, woman, curves that most men find irresistible. But, for the sake of argument, what would you do if he did find you to his liking? He sounds mighty tasty to me, despite the error of his ways.”

That was what had caused Dakota to get off the phone. What
would
she do if Nick came after her? She felt a hot rush of sensation pool between her legs. Cha-Cha appeared next to her as though she knew what her mistress was thinking.

“Okay, he's fine, I'll grant you that. But there's no need in dwelling on it. I'm just a means to an end for him. I get what I want, he gets what he wants and that's it,” she said in a soft voice as she smoothed her favorite body butter from Carol's Daughter all over her body. She had just slipped on her favorite nightie, a short gown in pale-pink cotton, when the doorbell rang. She picked up the matching robe and put it on as she walked to the door. Cha-Cha had taken off in the opposite direction, the little traitor.

Making her voice low and gruff, Dakota said “Who is it?” She could have peered out of the peephole, but she stood to the left of the door in case someone was pointing a gun at her.

“It's just me, baby, you left something in my truck and I thought you might need it,” Nick said. He sounded quite amused by her little ruse.

She opened the door and held out her hand to take whatever she'd left behind. “That was thoughtful of you. What did I leave?”

She was surprised when Nick entered the apartment, and even more surprised by the unmistakable look of appreciation in his eyes. “Damn, you're fine. I knew you were pretty, but you are sho-nuff
fine.
I haven't seen legs like that in a long time,” he said as his eyes traveled appreciatively over her frame.

Dakota realized two things at the same time. One was that she was indeed exposing a lot of leg in her skimpy sleepwear, and the other was that Nick was looking at her as though she was a big bowl of peach cobbler or something equally delectable.

“Umm, excuse me, I'll be right back,” she mumbled as she turned to go back to the bedroom for some jeans and a shirt. Nick was too quick for her, though.

He deftly stepped in front of her to block her way, those maddening eyes of his twinkling down at her as he gave her a smile that could melt steel. “What's your hurry, baby?”

D
akota looked up at Nick, who was standing in the foyer with a sexy look in his eyes. And it wasn't just his eyes, either. He just looked sexy all over, something that displeased her very much. He had no business standing there looking that good. His slightly damp curls indicated that he'd also taken a shower and he smelled really good, and that increased her discomfort. He was wearing a thin pullover sweater in a warm shade of tobacco-brown that looked as if it was made out of silk. The color was good with his complexion and his eyes and it made his shoulders look even more masculine. The dreamy color of his eyes was more intense and the way he was looking at Dakota made her feel things she'd she hadn't felt in a long time, maybe ever.

“Why are you here?” she said crossly.

His smile got deeper and more appealing as he held up her makeup bag. It was clear acrylic and her expensive cosmetics could be plainly seen. “I told you, this was in the truck and I thought you might need it. You ladies always seem to have the need to put this stuff on,” he drawled. He took a step closer to her and without warning he drew his index finger down her cheek. “You don't need anything in this bag, baby. You look pretty enough without it,” he told her, his deep voice washing over her like a summer wind.

Her confusion was plain to see as she stared blankly at him. She couldn't think clearly, but she could feel and what she was feeling was highly inappropriate. Her heart rate increased, her skin grew hot and she had the ridiculous urge to return the favor and see if Nick's skin was as smooth to the touch as it looked. She was trying to say something sarcastic to gain control over the situation when he suddenly leaned down and kissed her. It was just a little kiss, an introductory kiss as it were, but his lips were hot and soft and the brief contact made her sizzle right down to her toes. She felt her body leaning towards his and she realized what she was doing. She jumped away from him in an acrobatic move than would have done Cha-Cha proud and kept moving. This time she got away from him and stalked off to the bedroom.

“I'm going to change. Don't you move from that spot,” she said, giving him a hostile look.

She was further annoyed to find out that her hands were shaking so hard she couldn't button her denim shirt. She swore under her breath and tossed the shirt aside, selecting a peach V-necked top instead. After putting on her jeans and straightening the top, she went back into the living room to confront her tormentor. He hadn't listened to her, she noted at once. Instead of standing where she'd left him, he was sitting on that awful sofa and leaning back with his long legs stretched out and Cha-Cha, the traitor, purring loudly as she sniffed his neck. Dakota made a little face at the two of them as she walked to the opposite end of the sofa and sat down.

“I don't think this is going to work out,” she snapped.

Nick didn't pretend to misunderstand her. “You're wrong. This is going to work out just fine,” he countered.

“All I want from you is the work you promised me, nothing else. Once my house is completed, I'll pay you for any expense you don't recoup from that sleazy dirtbag Jackson and that's the end of it. Period. Nothing else is going to happen with us, so don't get it twisted, okay?”

Nick didn't answer her right away; he was busy enjoying the sight on the end of the sofa. She looked so gorgeous with her unadorned face full of righteous indignation and her arms crossed tightly in front of her. If she knew that her pose made her breasts look even more plump and inviting she would've been even more flustered, but he liked looking at her, though what he wanted was to touch her again. That little taste he'd taken wasn't even a good appetizer. This was one beautiful and sexy woman, and Nick was having a hard time controlling the urges he was feeling. But he was a man who knew how to get what he wanted, all he had to do was bide his time, something that was going to be difficult because he wasn't known for being patient. Finally he answered her question.

“I'm not getting anything twisted, baby. This is a win-win situation. There's no reason I can't put your house in order and get to know you a lot better at the same time,” he said while Cha-Cha draped herself around his shoulders and purred in his ear. “It's called multitasking. I'm sure you've heard of it, a smart lady like you.”

Dakota could feel the heat rising in parts of her body that had been dormant for some time. Things were getting out of hand and she didn't like it. This was more than she'd bargained for and the possibilities for disaster were numerous, dangerously so. If Nick was just going to put her house in order, as he called it, fine. But if he thought there were going to be some fringe benefits involved, he was out of his mind. And the sooner he knew it, the better.

“Look, Mr. Hunter, I think it's best that we lay down some ground rules. All I'm interested in doing is making my house livable and making a success of my new job. That's all,” she said firmly. “I'm not interested in getting involved with anyone, particularly not someone I'm working with. It's completely out of the question. And since I'm not your type anyway, there's nothing more to discuss. I think you should leave now.”

Nick let her have her say, and then gently removed the ecstatic cat from his body. He rose to his full height and looked down at her. He moved towards her and she stiffened until he gave her a half smile and extended his hand. “You look tired. Walk me to the door and I'll go,” he said.

Dakota stared at his hand and found herself putting hers into it. Ignoring the little tremors surging up her arm at his touch, she allowed him to help her up. She tried to pull away but he exerted a gentle pressure on her fingers and she let him continue to hold her hand until they got to the foyer. She was satisfied that her little lecture had worked until Nick turned around to face her and drew her into his arms. She felt as if she was surrounded by him; his muscular arms held her gently but firmly and the warmth of his body was arousing new sensations in every part of her being. He pulled her even closer and looked deep into her eyes, giving her a chance to react to their closeness. She tilted her head back and allowed herself to sink into the emerald depths of his eyes.

This time the kiss wasn't brief and tender. When their mouths connected the tension burst into pyrotechnics of passion that consumed them both. Nick's lips covered Dakota's and their tongues met in a rhythm that signaled the beginning of a long slow dance. With each stroke of his tongue Nick tightened his arms around Dakota until she was helpless to escape him, although escape was the last thing on her mind. She clung to him, her hands moving up and down his biceps, moving against him urgently to assuage the hot yearning that he was creating in her. His hands were moving over her body just as urgently as he stroked her coveted curves and learned just how soft and sensuous she really was. He was holding her so closely he picked her up, anchoring her against his pelvis as he leaned on the door for support.

Their mouths were moving, their tongues were exploring and their hands were mapping each other's bodies until Nick grasped her behind with both of his large hands. He palmed each of her high, firm buttocks and squeezed as she slid down his body until her bare feet touched the floor again. Their mouths came apart slowly, each one nibbling and sucking on the other's lips as they gradually started to breathe normally. Dakota's long lashes lifted slowly and she looked incredibly sexy. He stood away from the door and kept his hands on her small waist, flexing his long fingers. Her nipples were big and prominent through the thin knit of her top and he couldn't resist cupping her breasts and rubbing those delicious buds with his thumbs.

“I'm going to keep doing that until you see it my way, Dakota. You need to know two things about me. Number one, I make my own rules. And number two, you're my
only
type. You're all the woman I want, baby.”

And with that, he bent to her lips and kissed her again before walking out the door.

It was Dakota's turn to lean against the door for support, but her legs were too weak to hold her and she slid down the polished wood until her butt was on the floor. Cha-Cha came to investigate and peered at her, emitting a series of soft purring chirps. Dakota picked her up and sighed. “I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, kid. We're in way over our heads.”

 

Dakota deliberately pushed the activities of the night before into the darkest recesses of her mind. She'd spent the night tossing and turning on the grossly uncomfortable round bed until she'd fallen asleep, which wasn't much better because she dreamed of Nick. All night long she was tortured by sensuous images of the two of them tangled up in each other's arms, engaging in the kinds of intimate acts that belonged in the pages of some erotic romance. When she awakened she was hot, sweaty and thoroughly embarrassed. She'd never lost control with a man like that in real life and why she had to go there in her dreams with Nick Hunter, of all the men in the world, she had no idea.

She had taken a long and unpleasant shower to get ready for work. It wasn't the bathroom that made the shower uncomfortable; that was actually one of the tamer areas of the apartment. The shower compartment was separate from the bathtub and it had double shower heads and a glass door. The water pressure was perfect and gave her a hard, insistent stream that was just wonderful. Unfortunately, she was still tingling from her steamy dreams of Nick and had to use the coldest water possible to snap out of her reverie and report to her new job looking and acting like a professional.

With the aid of her all-purpose black suit and her never-fail updo, she managed to get to the office looking sophisticated and put together, even though she'd had to take a cab to do it. Her vehicle was drivable, but she wasn't about to risk driving around with a broken taillight and out-of-state plates and license in a strange town. She made a mental note to call a body shop that day and specify that she needed a loaner car. She tried not to let her annoyance about the car situation show on her face while she entered the building that would be her new home away from home.

The
Chicago Herald
was housed in a sleekly modern building with an expensively decorated lobby. There were several long couches, a few chairs and several end tables scattered about. There were also copies of the day's paper placed on the tables. Conspicuous by its absence was the presence of a large-screen television with the Bloomberg News or CNN airing, something that was often seen in the waiting areas of large businesses. Not at the
Chicago Herald
, though. “If you want news you'll have to get it from us” was the not-so-subtle message projected as soon as someone entered the building. Dakota liked it, liked it a lot. One of the reasons she'd accepted the position with the
Herald
was its reputation for being a brilliant organization with a real handle on the role of a newspaper in an electronic world. The
Herald
was able to stay true to its roots while offering features that appealed to the computer-dependent. Dakota was looking forward to the challenge of being a member of the team.

Her new boss was Zane Beauchamp, a tall, aristocratic-looking man with a distinctive walk that was almost a swagger. He was over six feet tall, almost as tall as Nick, as a matter of fact. He dressed like royalty, wearing a custom-tailored suit and handmade shoes, but he wasn't at all snotty, despite his unbelievable good looks. He had a perfect complexion, piercing blue eyes and sandy-blond hair that was expensively and expertly cut. He came down to the lobby to greet Dakota and she was impressed that he would take the time to do so. When she told him so, he brushed aside her praise.

“This is all part of my diabolical plan to make you so happy here you'll never want to leave,” he informed her. “You should be aware that every gesture of seeming goodwill on my part has but a single motive behind it, to make you stay here so you can help increase the circulation,” he said with a completely deadpan expression on his face.

Dakota's smile turned into a giggle that she tried to disguise. Zane Beauchamp wasn't anything like she'd expected. Beneath his carefully constructed facade of corporate shark lay a man of warmth and good humor, if she wasn't mistaken. As he personally conducted her around and introduced her to the people with whom she'd be working, Dakota was sure she'd like the
Chicago Herald
.

She met the heads of the editorial department, sports, weather, news, technology, health, business, real estate, classifieds and the lifestyle editor. Despite her obvious connection to the news department, she found several of the editors particularly interesting, especially the ones from business and lifestyles. Brian DuPree was the head of the business department and he came across as smart, savvy and good-humored. Toni Brandon was in charge of the lifestyles department, which included cooking, fashion, home decorating and the like. She was also in charge of covering the so-called society events. Toni was tall and curvy like Dakota, but she didn't seem to be the least self-conscious about it. She had creamy ivory skin, blond hair styled in a fashionable short bob, and fascinating blue eyes with a touch of green. She was a true beauty and if Dakota wasn't a trained observer of human behavior, she would have missed the change in Zane's breathing pattern when he introduced her to Toni.

Toni noticed nothing, however, and was bright and cheerful as she offered to take over Dakota's tour. “That way I can give you the real scoop,” she said with a smile. “I can tell you where all the bodies are buried, something the boss is way too politically correct to clue you in on.”