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“Yes, Carrie. They’re afraid of us. We’re the generation that ends a war they’ve lived for years. It became a chess match, and they didn’t care who they hurt to win.” I drag her dress up and cup her naked backside.
“You had to find out if I was wearing panties, didn’t you?” she challenges, her hands settling on my arms.
“You know it, and damn, baby. I wish I had the time to lick you properly right now, but I have to meet one of the investors and then take this contract my father dropped off to Gabe. I don’t want to wait and get sideswiped in some way. I’m going to meet you at the apartment at three-thirty.”
“Do you have a tux?”
“I own one and it’s pressed and ready to go.”
I release her and reach into my pocket, grabbing my keys to remove my extra apartment key. “For you.”
She tugs her skirt into place and the minute she looks up, and spies the key, her eyes go wide. “You’re giving me a key to your apartment?”
“Yes.” I press it into her hand. “I am. Is that a problem?”
“No,” she says softly. “No problem.”
“Good.” I cup her head and kiss her. “I’ll see you soon.” I turn and exit the office, and a few minutes later, with my father’s agreement that I haven’t even looked at in my briefcase, I leave the building, but I have no doubt there’s something in it that I won’t like.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m in my office at the firm, looking over the agreement and I pinpoint exactly what my father wants me to see. The clause that says he retires with the understanding that no West marries into the family, works for the company, or benefits in any way from a Maxwell or Maxwell enterprise. It seems Carrie’s father and my own, are of the same mind, to keep us apart. I stand up, walk to Gabe’s office to find him behind his desk on the phone. He hangs up. “What’s wrong?”
I shut the door, cross to his desk, and toss the contract in front of him, with the clause circled. He laughs. “He’s such a bastard you can only laugh. I have a gut instinct for our move. What’s yours first?”
“We’ll sell our stock and get out and it’s all his or whoever outbids him.”
“My thought exactly.”
I dial my father. “That was fast.”
“Here’s my counter. I’m standing with Gabe. You sign my version of the contract, which will come over today, or we put our stock on the market to the highest bidder on Monday morning.” I hang up.
Gabe’s lips curve. “Five, four, three, two, one.”
My cellphone rings and I answer, “Yes, father?”
“You will not sell Maxwell stock to someone else.”
“We’ll give you first right of refusal to a fair offer.”
“You’d never walk away.”
“We’ll survive and thrive without this firm, because despite all the attorneys that work here, we are this firm. You have until Monday.” I disconnect and eye Gabe. “I’ll draft it and send it to you to review.”
Carrie
It’s three-thirty when I arrive at Reid’s place and I’ve just stepped off the elevator when he calls. “I’m running late. I’ll be there by four-fifteen.”
“You’re cutting it close.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. I’m leaving my meeting now and all is well. I’m taking the subway to get there faster. I’m going underground. See you soon.” He disconnects and I walk to his door and pull out the key he gave me. A key. To his apartment. It feels like a message, an invitation to know him more intimately and be a part of his life. I smile and open the door. I want to be a part of his life.
I hurry inside, not lingering. I haven’t unpacked and once I’m in the bedroom, I dare to do as Reid suggested. I hang up some of my clothes in his closet and stare at the space with our things hanging together, butterflies in my belly. I think I’m falling in love. I probably am in love, but it feels too soon to say such a thing. How can I already feel this? I have never used that four-letter word with a man. And we went from broken to sharing a closet. I might be crazy, but I can’t seem to care.
I pull out my emerald dress and then hop in the shower because I want to feel fresh for tonight. I’m still in my robe and have just finished flat ironing my hair to a long, sleek, brown finish, which will be destroyed in the Manhattan humidity when Reid finally walks in. I glance at the time. Four-twenty. “You’re pushing it.”
“I know, but us men are fast.” He kisses me and then enters the closet. I stand up and turn to watch the door, thinking about my clothes hanging with his. Seconds tick by and Reid appears in the doorway, his eyes warm, his voice husky. “You claimed your spot.”
“Yes. I did. It was still okay, right?”
