Читать книгу In Too Close - Katherine Garbera - Страница 13

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BRADLEY TOOK HIS TIME settling into the swanky guest chair that didn’t look as if it could support the weight of anyone who wasn’t a supermodel but was surprisingly sturdy. He loosely crossed one leg over the other, resting his foot on his knee, trying to get comfortable with an erection.

He did envy Elizabeth her ability to switch off so easily. It was only when he noticed the slight flush to her skin that he recognized she wasn’t as immune to him as she liked to pretend. Something he intended to use to his advantage.

“Business first?” he asked.

“Of course, that is why we’re meeting,” she said. She pushed a button and the top of her desk opened to reveal a compartment. She took a pen and hotel notepad from it and drew them toward her.

Everything about this room and about the woman herself was feminine, from the way she held herself to the things she surrounded herself with. It was that dichotomy that had caught his attention. She looked girly and soft, but she had a core of solid steel and she was anything but meek.

“So, Carter Shaw wants to do a charity event,” she said without preamble. “He’s got a huge fan base. Unfortunately, I think having him involved will hurt the chances of making it a success. He’s an agitator and very controversial. I think we’d need to have someone who could keep him in line.”

“I agree. But he is sincere about this. He wants to get at least the date and the venue picked before the Thunderbolt Energy Games come here in January so he can promote it.”

“It is a good idea, but what’s in it for him?” she asked. “I’m trying to figure out his angle.”

“Believe it or not, I think his heart is in the right place this time,” he said. “Carter mentioned he got lucky but most sports were expensive, and snowboarding and skiing even more so when you factored in gear and lift tickets. I think his ultimate aim is to get skis and snowboards into these kids’ hands.”

She jotted down a few notes and then looked up at him with that clear blue-green gaze of hers. “Why not just give it to them?”

“I think he wants them to work for it. And I agree. I’m not a fan of just giving away gear. But if the kids compete and actually work to earn it, then I’d give them the keys to my shop.”

She nodded and nibbled on her lower lip as she made a few notes on her notepad. “Okay. I agree. What do you need from the lodge?”

“I think a venue for the event, but maybe some gratis time on the slopes for those who already know how to ski or snowboard leading up to the event and some lessons for those who want to try it out before the competition.”

“We’re talking about staff hours. How many lessons?” she asked. He noticed that she didn’t commit to anything at all, just kept fishing for information. He already respected her for the job she did, but now, seeing the inner workings of how she managed he was very impressed.

She had changed a lot from the girl she’d been in college, but it occurred to him there was still a lot about Elizabeth he didn’t know. He looked forward to peeling away more of her layers and getting up close and personal with the beautiful, confident woman she’d grown into.

“At this point I don’t know how many lessons we’re looking at. That’s the kind of thing we have to hammer out. I was thinking we need a steering committee made up of different players.” He paused. “I’m still waiting on my staff to find out who is interested in helping out and will volunteer their time. Tim is an okay skier so he can handle lessons, but he’s more recreational than top-ranked amateur.”

“I’ll run this by my board. I want to take some time to go over our charity work for the coming year. I might try to combine this with something else so we can get more exposure. Maybe we can work with the local recreation center to get the kids lessons before the event.”

“I like that idea. Should we meet again in a week or so?”

“Yes,” she said, pulling out her smartphone. “I have some time on Thursday....”

He checked his calendar and noticed that he was supposed to call Penny—one of their college friends and Elizabeth’s best friend. She was a party planner by profession and had volunteered to coordinate the party. But Bradley still needed to get the details of their celebration party for Elizabeth sorted out. He still had to get a list of local friends to her. “I can do it in the afternoon.”

“I’ve only got thirty minutes but that should be enough time.” She smiled. “Thanks for bringing this to the lodge. I’d like to take the lead on this for a Park City venue before you take it to another area ski lodge.”

He locked eyes with her and gave her a smoldering look. “Lizzie, I always think of you first.”

“That’s flattering,” she said, looking adorably flustered. “But if you screw up and call me Lizzie in front of anyone, I’m going to get very angry with you.”

“Really? What does really angry Lizzie look like?”

“You don’t want to know.”

He laughed. “Dinner?”

“Yes, let’s head down to the restaurant. We just hired a top-notch new head chef. Anthony Cruzel.” Her lovely face lit up with pride. “We’re the only restaurant in Park City doing traditional French cuisine with that Creole spin. I think you’re going to be impressed.”

“I’m not much of a foodie,” he confessed. “I’m more interested in you.”

She shifted in her chair and suddenly became focused on her notepad. Was it the fact that he’d stopped talking business and started getting intimate that rattled her?

“Me, too,” she said at last.

He was surprised she’d admitted it. She usually—wait, scratch that—there wasn’t anything usual about them now. They were charting a new path and he had to stop thinking of this as a game. There could be no winners in a competition between lovers. Hadn’t he already found that out in the years he’d spent waiting for Elizabeth to make time for him in her life?

“I never thought you’d say that out loud.”

“It’d be stupid to deny it after the way I kissed you in the elevator.”

“Yes, about that kiss...”

“Friends plus, right?” she said, flashing a very wide smile that he suspected she wanted him to believe was genuine but appeared a little forced and nervous. “We can talk about that after dinner,” she said.

“Why?”

Lizzie gave him a saucy look. “Because you don’t always get to be in charge.”

“And you do?”

“Yes,” she said, standing up and leading the way out of her office. “The sooner you realize that, the better.”

* * *

USTEN’S GASTROPHILE WEST, the five-star restaurant located in the Lars Usten Lodge, re-created the atmosphere of old New Orleans. A large mural that depicted Bourbon Street and the Gastrophile restaurant there covered one wall. There were big trees, with lanterns and lights hanging from the branches, and an indoor water feature made to resemble a river ran around the perimeter of the dining area.

The hostess greeted Elizabeth and led them to a waiting pirogue—a traditional Cajun fishing boat. They were seated in the boat and a uniformed staff member using a pole piloted it to the back of the restaurant and the dock there.

“Welcome to Gastrophile West, ya’ll. My name is Etienne and I’ll be your server tonight.” The waiter had deeply tanned skin, dark curly hair and an accent that was as thick as the humidity in the South. He smiled at Elizabeth as he led the way to their table, which was nestled at the foot of a big old oak tree.

As they were seated, it was easy to forget they were in Utah. Frankly, Bradley was impressed by the new restaurant, which wasn’t surprising. Much like Elizabeth.

Etienne took their drink orders, went over the specials of the evening and left them to look over the menu.

“Nice place,” Bradley murmured.

“I’m glad you like it. We just reopened last month and so far the response has been great.”

“Was this your idea?”

“No, but I hired the people who came up with it,” she said. “I think the success of the renovation of this restaurant and my hiring of Lindsey Collins as our resident ski pro influenced the board’s decision to promote me.”

“I’m sure that was just the icing on the cake. They know what a gem they have in you,” Bradley said.

“A gem?” She arched both eyebrows at him, making him aware of how blue her eyes were tonight. “Are you mocking me?”

“I wouldn’t dare. You’re too intense in this environment. And you are a very hard worker,” he said. “As evidenced by how often you check your phone. Do you think you could put it away for a little while?”

She hesitated, her hand hovering over her cell before she put it in her pocket. “I don’t like being out of touch. I’m in charge, and if anything goes wrong—”

“They know you’re in here dining, Elizabeth. And I’m sure you will agree that even you are allowed to have a meal uninterrupted,” he reminded her.

Taking her hand in his, he turned it over and stroked his finger along her palm. She pulled her hand back and placed both of them in her lap. It amused him in a way, but it also told him that no matter what she said, they had a long way to go before she was going to be comfortable being friends with benefits.

Damn. They were talking too much about it and prolonging the inevitable. He should have taken her in the elevator. Perhaps then she’d be able to relax. “If we’re going to be lovers, I should be able to touch you.”

“Sorry. You make me nervous,” she admitted. “I don’t like feeling out of control.”

“Too bad,” he said with a cocky grin. “You do like other parts of me.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Oh, I won’t,” he said. “You have a way of reminding me of my place in your, uh, friend zone.” He’d wanted to see how she’d react. Agreeing to be more than just friends was one thing, but even after that smoking-hot kiss in the elevator she’d backed away. She was sending him mixed signals and he needed to be very sure before they moved forward that he was what she wanted.

He’d been waiting in the wings for too long to risk anything else.

“We’re not in that zone any more. We’re changing,” she said, taking a sip of her water.

“Are we?”

“Yes, of course. I mean, after today...well, I think that proved we are definitely in a different place. Friends with...”

“Benefits,” he said, with a grin.

She reached over and tentatively stroked her fingers over the back of his hand. “One of the things I admire about you is your tenacity.”

“I’m not afraid to go after what I want.”

“You’ve never been one of those guys to take the easy path,” she agreed quietly, almost more to herself. “You’re so different than the other men I know.”

“In what way, Elizabeth?” he asked huskily.

She leaned back in her chair. He noticed she reached into her purse for her phone and then shook herself as if she realized what she as doing.

She licked her lips and he saw her swallow before she nodded slowly and then folded her arms on the table and leaned forward.

“You make me dangerous,” she said. “I’m acting in a way that I wouldn’t with any other man. But you have always called to the wildness inside me.”

“Why not let it out?” he asked. He’d always sensed that there was more to her than the studious competitor. Normally, brainy girls weren’t his type, but from the first moment he’d met Elizabeth she’d inspired scorching-hot dreams.

Now that he was sitting across from her, asking him if he wanted more, he was afraid to admit he did. Afraid to let her see just how much he wanted her, because if she started to let him in and then pushed him away, as she had a million times before, he knew it would hurt.

And then he would have to walk away for good.

* * *

THIS WASN’T GOING the way she’d planned it in her head. She didn’t want to talk about the way he made her feel or the fact that she even had a wild side. But then nothing with Bradley ever went according to plan. He was mercurial, which explained why she’d tried so hard to keep him at arm’s length, even though it was hard for her and she struggled with that a lot.

“I’m not like you, Bradley. I can’t just let loose. Control is the only way I can be safe,” she said. When she’d been twenty she’d gone a little crazy. Bradley had graduated and she’d felt as though she’d missed out on being young and she had been so afraid that life was passing her by.

She’d started drinking a little too much, to let off steam, and had started an ill-advised affair with someone older. And it had lead to a lot of problems. Problems that she’d had to reach out to her parents to solve.

And they’d helped. They had always been there for her, and that time was no different. She’d promised them no more of that kind of behavior and had kept her word...until now.

She felt the wildness coursing through veins. That feeling that she was going to do something crazy again. Well, crazy for her. An affair with the one man she’d wanted for the longest time. The one man who made her feel like she was more than the cautious girl she’d always had to be.

The one man who was looking at her as if he was waiting for a response.

“What?”

He quirked a brow. “Where did you go?”

“To the past. I don’t want to talk anymore. We should just keep on pretending this is a booty call.”

He looked at her as though she’d gone mad.

“It would be easier to keep our roles as friends and lovers separate that way.”

“Um...no,” he said.

This was going to be tricky. Luckily, their waiter came back to take their order. “I’ll start with the gator fritters, Etienne, and then have the prime rib as a main,” she said, turning her attention to the waiter and off the man annoying her. She took a sip of her mint julep and tried to let it soothe her, but it wasn’t working.

Bradley placed his order and leaned back in his chair as Etienne walked away. He crossed his arms over his chest, which drew the fabric taut against his muscles and made her remember very clearly how he’d lifted her off her feet with ease in the elevator.

“So, where were we?” he asked.

She shrugged. But her body tightened and her heart hammered so loudly she was surprised he couldn’t hear it.

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, looking over at her with that intense green gaze of his. “I’m sorry. I just needed to know that you were sincere and not looking to blow off some sexual steam now that you’ve accomplished your business goal.”

Except that was exactly what she wanted to do. “Um...that is what you proposed. Friends plus, remember?”

“I already regret saying that.”

“Why?”

“After years of keeping your distance, now you’re willing to try something very intimate with me....” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You’re not the only one who’s entitled to be cautious.”

She took another sip of her drink, trying to bide her time and assess if he was telling her the truth. But Bradley had never lied to her. It was one of the things she really liked about him.

He took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back of her knuckles. His gesture was soothing and arousing at the same time and when she met his gaze again, he gave her a half smile, the kind that always made her shiver inside.

“I have wanted you since that first moment we met in college, but you didn’t want that from me so I was happy to let you set the tone of our relationship.” There was a long pause. “But that’s all changed now,” he said.

“Okay. So, what now?”

“I guess we figure out what each of us thought we were agreeing to,” he said.

“Sex,” she said. “I’m only interested in keeping this casual, Bradley. I don’t have the time for a relationship.” She cleared her throat. “I think I’m saying the wrong things. Does this make you want to run for the hills?”

“It should,” he said. “If any other woman but you said this...”

“That’s B.S.,” she retorted. “You have been dancing through life since the moment I met you. It’s the only reason I feel safe going into this with you. Other men see me as this girl-next-door type. The kind of woman who wants all the trimmings.

“But not my badass best friend who likes to keep things light.”

He gave her a cocky grin, one she was very familiar with seeing on his face. “Can’t argue with that.”

The fact of the matter was that if this didn’t work out with Bradley she’d more than likely spend the rest of her life with her vibrator. She didn’t know how to manage a man and her career, and this no-strings-attached thing was the only chance she had of true intimacy with a man. Well, the only chance she was willing to take.

If Bradley seriously wanted more, she would have to turn him down, because they were friends and the last thing she wanted was for him to be hurt by her. She met his dark green gaze and held it steadily, trying to read some sort of emotion in his eyes, but he had his guard up.

She had hers up as well, which was part of the problem if this was going to be anything but a booty call. Someone was going to have to open up. She wanted it to be her. In her mind she saw herself dropping her guard, but in reality it was a little too scary.