Magic in Our Hearts (3 page)

This was primarily due to the endorsements of many professional and well-known athletes who had successfully used their services. Taylor had assisted in the recovery of many famous athletes after potentially career-destroying injuries. These clients had paid her back by establishing her reputation and recommending her to other athletes. The spa was the first place world-class athletes thought of when they needed to recover from potentially career ending injuries. 

Jeb and Taylor found themselves making more money than they knew what to do with as more and more clients showed up on their doorstep. Their success had provided them with nice salaries, and Jeb had bought a house of his own while Taylor purchased a high-end condominium. Along the way, they had enjoyed being single and carefree in swinging Los Angeles, until four years earlier when Jeb had met and fallen in love with Rex Bonn, a talented chef at a local restaurant in Hollywood.

Rex’s eatery had raised the bar for restaurants with fresh and nouveau cuisine and catered to the fast moving and discerning Hollywood crowd. Even the name reflected Rex’s philosophy as a restaurateur. He had called his restaurant
Fast
because of the fact that he changed his menu monthly to keep the interest of the wealthy people who patronized his business and to define his quick rise to success from head chef of another restaurant to owner. He had decorated
Fast
in a mini-malist style, expecting the food and the clients to be the main attractions. He wasn’t wrong. With grey, black, and red as the only colors used throughout the place, he had struck gold with the atmosphere, not to mention the cuisine. His place attracted the famous, the wealthy, and a large population of gays and lesbi-ans to the hot spot. It was a place to be seen in a city that boasted many a fine restaurant. Reservations were made weeks in advance and were highly sought after.

Jeb and Taylor had gone to the restaurant for dinner one evening to meet a potential client from the PGA golf circuit. Rex, as he was known to do, spent time visiting with all of his guests, stopping at each table to welcome them. Rex was not only a talented chef but had a rapier wit and a wicked sense of humor.

When he arrived at Jeb and Taylor’s table, he proceeded to tease the professional golfer and make Taylor laugh with abandon. But it was his hazel eyes that captured Jeb’s attention, as they gazed at him appraisingly and with obvious appreci-ation. Jeb thought Rex was one of the most beautiful men he had ever met with his generous smile and ready laugh. Rex had looked Jeb right in the eye and asked if he wanted to attend a wine tasting party with him the following evening. With a grinning Taylor watching with interest, Jeb had blushed and agreed to go. Jeb was known to date but not often. He was selective in his choice of men, but Rex was different and Jeb had been hooked from that first moment.

It had been love at first sight, and the two men had eventually settled into a comfortable relationship that included Taylor as part of their family. It was understood that they would include Taylor in their small family. With essentially no other family to turn to, this had worked well for all concerned. Within two months the men were cohabitating and enjoying life as a couple. Rex worked nights at his restaurant and during the day developed new dishes to introduce to his discriminating clientele. Jeb always joked that he had gained twenty pounds the first two months they were together. Taylor spent many a night eating dinner with Rex and Jeb at a back table in the private area of his restaurant, and Taylor grew to love Rex completely. He was a loving and hopeless romantic who wanted more than anything to find someone for Taylor. He was always seeking out women to introduce to Taylor, and much to her chagrin. Brett had been one of those women.

Brett Andreson was a charismatic woman, a talented athlete, and a major player in the greater Los Angeles area. Her coal black hair, dark eyes, and generous mouth were arresting, as was her strong, muscular body. Being the only child of a wealthy family, Brett never lacked anything, including a stable of women who were in and out of her expensive loft. She was easily bored and went through relationships quickly, making it clear that she wanted no commitments from anyone. The only thing Brett ever took seriously was her skiing, and there she excelled.

Brett was best at downhill racing and giant slalom, where her fearless style and natural abilities were put to the test. She set record after record on the World Cup ski circuit, and eventually her only remaining goal in life was to garner a gold medal in the Olympics. She partied hard off the course, but worked out compulsively to improve her skiing. Finally, she became so skillful that no one could touch her on the ski slopes. She had promised her mother that she would win a gold medal, and Brett never, ever broke a promise to her mother. Whatever it took, she would win the gold and present it to the woman she respected above all others.

Brett frequented Rex’s restaurant because of the excellent food and the pre-dominantly gay clientele. Rex liked Brett from the first moment he met her. She was open about her pursuit of sex and fun, but hidden deep inside the woman’s heavily armored heart was the need to find the one woman who would love her unconditionally. She didn’t want someone to love her for her money or her fame, just for herself. Rex saw more deeply into Brett than she was aware of. He recognized a lonely woman that wanted more than anything to find the one woman she could be with for the rest of her life, and he wanted that woman to be Taylor.

Taylor and Jeb went to the restaurant for dinner one evening because Rex had said he wanted them to try out some new dishes. His true plan, however, was to introduce the two women. Rex had invited Brett to his restaurant for a special meal that included a tasty venison filet. He hadn’t expected her to show up with two women in tow, all three far beyond mildly intoxicated. 

Brett entered the small restaurant with the flare that she was known for. Two women hung on either side of her, both attired in designer label eveningwear.

Brett was wearing a pair of navy silk slacks and an off-white muscle shirt that showed her amazing physique to perfection. She was laughing, her head thrown back, her dark eyes flashing with humor and intelligence. No one in the restaurant missed the wanton sexuality exuded by the stunning woman. She moved like a sleek, elegant panther, her toned, muscular body evident in every step.

Although oblivious to the attention she was attracting, she caught the eye of both men and women as she and her party threaded their way through the crowded space. “Reservations for Brett Andreson.”

“Yes, Ms. Andreson, follow me, please.” The maitre d’ led her to a private table near the one that Rex had reserved for Taylor and Jeb and where they were now seated. His plan had been to introduce the two women and let fate take its natural course.

The threesome never separated as they sat down at the table, the two blond women draping themselves like decorations over Brett as she accepted their attentions as her just due. She didn’t mind spending time with two beautiful women, neither of which wanted a relationship. They just wanted to spend an evening with the sexy and talented skier and have uncomplicated sex.

Taylor looked on as the charismatic, dark haired woman ordered a bottle of expensive champagne and sat back, allowing the two women to vie for her attentions. Taylor found the scene wildly entertaining.

Brett was having a good time with Alicia and Carole, two women who liked to hang out with the US Women’s Ski team. They both were wealthy groupies, who loved to play with the larger-than-life skier. She glanced around the crowded restaurant, seemingly unaware of the interest she was attracting. Brett was used to getting attention. Her eyes landed on a petite woman seated at the table next to her. She had dark red hair, unlike any color she’d ever seen. She was talking quietly to a tall, handsome man as they enjoyed the plate of hors d’oeuvres sitting in front of them. Brett continued to watch, fascinated by the woman’s hair, shiny, thick and straight to her shoulders. And then the woman turned and locked eyes with Brett. Stunning aquamarine eyes gazed back at Brett, and the woman smiled. That smile took Brett’s breath away. She felt like she had been hit by lightning, and her heart thudded in her chest.

Brett grinned back at the gorgeous woman and pushed the two blonds away from her. She bent and whispered something to each woman. They grumbled audibly as they stood up, picked up evening bags and wraps, and prepared to leave. Brett was no longer in the mood to play with them. She sent the two women on their way with no more than a request for a taxi to take them home.

Rex walked up to Brett’s table as the two pouting women headed for the door of the restaurant, disappointed that Brett wasn’t going to continue their party.

“Brett, girl, you look good!”

“Thanks, Rex. Looks like you have a full house.”

“Yep, business is good. Brett, let me introduce you to my partner, Jeb, and our best friend, Taylor Aronson.” Rex turned and gestured to the table where the stunning woman sat.

“Hello, Jeb, Taylor. It’s a distinct pleasure.” Brett stood up and approached the table. She flashed a grin Jeb’s way before reaching out to clasp Taylor’s hand in greeting. Her considerable charm was tuned up to full wattage as she gazed down at the redhead.

Taylor felt the flash of energy and heat as she looked up into the laughing dark eyes of the handsome woman. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Brett, sit, sit. I’m going to bring out some more food for these two. I’m trying out some new dishes and they’re my guinea pigs. Join them.”

“I will, thank you.” Brett sat down quickly next to Taylor, her laughing eyes locked on to Taylor’s unforgettable face.

Taylor could remember that night like it was yesterday. The minute she had looked at the sexy, inebriated woman, she’d been hooked. Brett might have consumed a large amount of alcohol, but that didn’t hamper her ability to charm.

She had made Taylor laugh with her and tremble with arousal. Brett proceeded to regale Jeb and Taylor with stories of her skiing and travels. She was funny, articulate, and bent on capturing Taylor’s attention because the minute Brett had met Taylor, she had known. Taylor was the woman she had been waiting for her whole life.

Brett had grown up with parents that believed in love and commitment. Her mother had been widowed when Brett was twenty-six after Brett’s father had lost his life in a small plane accident outside of Boulder, Colorado, while on a business trip. The loss had devastated the woman and her daughter was equally heart-broken. Both Brett and her mother grieved greatly over their loss. Robert Aronson had been a passionate and loving man who doted on his wife and daughter.

However, Roselin was not destined to live her life alone. She needed compan-ionship and passion, and she had found both with her second husband. He was a calm and loving man who wanted nothing more than to live out his retirement taking care of her. With Brett’s unqualified blessings, she had remarried two years after being widowed, and this marriage had also been a happy one. But fate delivered another cruel blow when Brett’s stepfather suffered an unexpected heart attack within six months of his wedding date, shocking both Brett and throwing her mother into a severe depression. He had an undiagnosed problem with his heart, and at the age of sixty-three had passed away from a massive cardiac arrest.

Roselin had lost not one, but two husbands she had cared for deeply. The commitment that Brett had witnessed in both her mother’s unions was what she believed in and she wanted the same type of relationship for herself. But she had not met the woman she could commit to until that memorable night. The encounter rocked Brett’s world. Taylor had been equally smitten. The evening proved to be an interesting and unusual encounter, but it was the week that followed that Taylor remembered most vividly.

Brett had pursued her with a vengeance. First, there had been beautiful orchids delivered to work in the morning and, for several days, amusing telephone calls just to chat. By Wednesday, Taylor had wanted to see Brett in the worst way and was surprised when Brett hadn’t even suggested that they get together. By Friday afternoon, Taylor had figured Brett was off doing other things and not interested in anything about her, but Taylor had been very wrong.

Brett had plans, big plans, and she was clearing her schedule and cleaning up her act. Her mother had suggested that she court Taylor and that was exactly what Brett was doing.

“Mind and Body Clinic and Spa, Taylor speaking.”

“Hi.”

Taylor didn’t have to be told who was speaking. She immediately recognized Brett’s voice. She flushed with attraction every time she heard Brett’s voice.

“Hello.”

“How’s your Friday going?”

“Good, thanks. How about yours?”

“Excellent. Would you be interested in going on a date with me?”

“It would depend upon when and what.” Taylor was going to say yes no matter what.

“How about tomorrow? I thought we could go to the zoo.” Taylor had been too shocked to respond. She would never have thought that Brett was the type of woman who would want to take her to the zoo. It wasn’t something she expected from the worldly playgirl. “So, Taylor, what do you say?” With a good deal more formality than she felt, Taylor responded, “Yes, that would be very nice.”

“Good, I’ll pick you up at your place tomorrow at nine. Have a great evening.” 

“Thanks, you too.” Taylor hung up the telephone with a silly grin on her face.

She had a date with a woman that fascinated her. She’d never felt quite like this before, but the feeling was exhilarating.

The date had been unique from the very start. They had wandered through the zoo all day long, sharing popcorn, hotdogs, and laughter. They had held hands in the darkened nocturnal animal house and touched frequently. They had talked almost non-stop for hours. Brett had brought her camera along and she had snapped picture after picture of the animals and Taylor. She had even asked a young man to take several pictures of the two of them together, her arm tightly around Taylor’s waist.