RAYNE BLEW OUT A GUSHof pent-up breath as she stood in front of the building where Calvin Gates worked. Determination rushed through her, making her want to sprint up the cement stairs in order to get this over and done with faster, but she held herself back. It was important that she tackle this problem like an adult, not an over-eager adolescent.
She wasn’t nervous. Not really. She had memorized everything she was going to say to him today. And yet, her heart hammered out an erratic beat. What made her worried was whether he would say something to try and intimidate her or not. Or, maybe he’d say something that would make her snap and she’d give him a piece of her mind.
She just prayed everything worked out the way she’d mapped it in her head. It had to. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Pulling her shoulders back, she walked into the building with confidence, and pressed the up button for the elevator. Seconds later, there was a ding and the doors opened.I’m a winner,she convinced herself as she stepped inside and pushed the button for the third floor.
As a fashion designer, she’d worn the perfect color and design for her meeting; the red mid-length sleeved dress, buttoned on the side from the round neck down to just below her knees, not only showed her as someone to be taken seriously, but as someone who knew how to dress for success. She kept her light-brown hair long and flowing over her shoulders and back. She was a woman, and not a woman trying to fit in a man’s world.
It didn’t take long, and soon she was walking from the elevator and in through the double-glass doors of the office. An older woman, probably in her early forties, sat behind the receptionist’s desk, peering at the computer screen through her purple-rimmed glasses. When the woman noticed Rayne, she smiled and faced the front of the large, semi-circular wooden desk that sat in the middle of the lobby.
“Good morning,” Rayne greeted politely. “I would like to speak with Mr. Gates.”
The woman’s smile faded and she shook her head. “He’s out of the office, and not planning to be back until later this afternoon. May I schedule you an appointment? He has a full calendar, but I could probably squeeze you in next week.” She turned toward her computer and her fingers flew across the keyboard.
Rayne breathed slowly through the unexpected delay. Maybe she should make an appointment. At least she’d get to see him. “Fine. When is his next open slot?”
They settled on a day and time, and the receptionist wrote it on an appointment card. Rayne thanked the woman, turned and left the office. As she made her way to the elevator, she grumbled under her breath. Why hadn’t she listened to the prompting yesterday that urged her to call before coming? But she’d pushed the thought aside and had decided to surprise him. After all, she’d had her father throw a surprise at her, so why not share it with the other person who was in this unfair contract?
The elevator doors opened and she walked inside. Maybe she should try to find out where Calvin lived, instead. Waiting a week to talk to him would wear on her patience, and well... she was not a patient person.
The elevator moved down one floor and stopped. The doors opened, but nobody was there. She shrugged and pressed the main level button again. Just as the doors started to close, hurried footsteps pounded on the tiled floor and seconds later, a man wearing a gray business suit rushed in. The doors opened wide, and he turned so quickly to face the doors, that she didn’t get a chance to get a good look at him. All she could see was that he was a very tall man, maybe six-foot-five inches, and his brown hair was very short. His facial hair was also trimmed short. He looked to be muscular, but not like a fanatic bodybuilder would be.
He jabbed the level three button continuously and mumbled, “Come on... close already.”
Rayne rolled her eyes, knowing that talking to the door wasn’t going to make it close any faster.
Finally, the doors started to close, but once again, more footsteps echoed on the floor, sounding like clicks from a woman’s high heels. The man grumbled in distaste. He peered over his shoulder, making eye contact with Rayne. His gaze did a quick sweep over her before he whipped around and gathered her in his arms.
“I need your help,” he whispered. “Just play along.”
She gasped and pressed the heels of her hands against his chest to stop him, but it didn’t. Before she knew what was happening, his mouth swooped down over hers. She stiffened. Her first reaction was to be appalled, but the boldness of the situation stunned her.
He pushed her back against the wall of the elevator, settling his body more comfortably with hers. Warmth spread through her at the speed of light, and for a moment, she wondered if it was her temper igniting or not. But the gentleness of his mouth disturbed her... and it was remarkably unsettling how his lips moved so seductively over hers in such a short amount of time.
“Oh!” The woman’s shriek from the hallway echoed louder than her clicking heels had. “You are such a... jerk!”
The man broke the kiss, but kept Rayne in his arms. Her heartbeat hammered wildly, and her mind was numb. He’d wanted her to play along, but right now, she had no other choice since she couldn’t think – or react – or do anything but let him take the lead.
He looked at the other woman. He sighed dramatically. “Rona, I told you not to follow me.” He motioned his head toward Rayne. “Didn’t I tell you I was meeting my girlfriend?”
“Yeah, but... but...” She stomped her foot. “I thought you were telling me that just to get rid of me. I didn’t believe you.”
From the position Rayne was in as he tenderly held her, she could see the irritated woman who stood blocking the elevator doors from closing. Her face was as red as her frizzy hair. The poor woman definitely didn’t know what clothes to wear to compliment her figure, let alone the odd shade of her hair. And her makeup... Rayne didn’t even want to get to that subject.
He shook his head. “Rona, you’re a nice person, but I really can’t go out with you.” He looked at Rayne with his dark gray – and dreamy – eyes. “Not when I’m so madly in love with my girlfriend.” He gave Rayne a wink.
Why her heartbeat quickened, she’d never know. This very good-looking man was an accomplished flirt. She’d never let a man get the best of her, and she wasn’t about to start now.
The redheaded woman pouted. “Then... then... you shouldn’t have been overly nice to me.”
He looked back at the woman and shrugged. “I’m sorry. I’m a genuinely nice guy.”
Rayne really had to do something. She was staring at him like an idiot. Where was her mind, and why couldn’t she use it?
She cleared her throat, getting his attention. His eyes were wide and silently pleading for her help. She cocked her head and folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, you are an overly nice guy,” she told him, “and it’s starting to get annoying.”
His eyes widened even more. “Annoying?”
