Neighbors and More (High Rise Series) (13 page)

“Dante. Welcome back.” The attractive blonde sitting behind
a computer stood with a bright smile.

“Hello, Michelle. I hope everything is rolling great as
usual. Meet my neighbor, Alexa.”

“Hi Michelle.” Alexa shook hands with the receptionist. Dante
had abstained from mentioning last names. Was it because she’d gotten all upset
at the detective for his continuous blurting of
Mrs. Partson
? Soon after
this mess was over, Alexa would revert to her maiden name. Let Greg hit the
roof.

“Dante, I’ve sent you most of your emails,” Michelle said.
Her smile still hovered on her lips, although her tone was as professional as
can be. “And I put on your desk a box of documents you should check.”

“Thanks.” To give him credit, Dante didn’t look twice at his
pretty receptionist. “I’ll take them on my way out. Come, Alexa.” He ushered
her along a hallway to a large room with wall-to-wall bay windows. File
cabinets lined the other walls forming a U-shaped fence around four desks. “Hi
guys,” Dante bellowed.

“Welcome back.” Two young men walked toward them with bright
smiles. Obviously Dante was well-liked in his firm.

“Alexa, meet Juan, one of our junior lawyers. An invaluable
associate of our firm.”

“We thought you forgot us, but here you are with a lovely
gift.”

She chuckled at the handsome Latino’s compliment and shook
hands with him.

“The
lovely gift
is off limit, guys. Alexa, this is
Jay, our research specialist. He can uncover secrets from anywhere. We’re going
to need your expertise.” Dante clapped the young African-American on his back.

Jay returned a jovial grin. “Any time.”

“I assume Bryan and Leslie are in court?” Dante asked as his
gaze surveyed the empty desks.

“Leslie is in court. Bryan is on a business trip with Mr.
Morganstein,” Juan explained.

“In that case, I want you to join us in my office in two
minutes,” he ordered. He held Alexa’s elbow and walked her out of the room, to
a smaller office.

“Welcome to my place.” He closed the door behind them and gathered
her in his arms. “I asked them for two minutes of privacy to properly welcome
you to my professional domain.”

A cocoon of warmth wrapped around her as she leaned into
him. He brushed her lips with a soft kiss, and then invaded her mouth, and knocked
the air out of her chest. The stubble on his unshaven jaws tickled her cheeks,
but her heart melted.

Wow, this was the best greeting she’d ever received in her
life, but God help her, she was becoming addicted to his kisses.

“
Cara mia
,” he whispered against her hair. “Trust me.
I’ll get you out of this mess.”

The knock on the door prompted them to move away from each
other. “Have a seat.” Dante indicated the armchair in front of his desk and
rushed to his big leather chair.

“Come in, guys.” Jay and Juan dragged chairs and sat next to
her, across from Dante’s large desk, while Alexa surveyed his office. Its
simplicity surprised her. It was a smaller reproduction of the junior lawyers’
room with similar wall-to-wall shelves cluttered with innumerable heavy books
and thick files. No picture frames or knickknacks adorned the severe working
place. It almost hurt her decorator’s soul. One day she might offer to
redecorate his office.

“Alexa is my client.” Dante’s voice attracted her attention.
“Jay, I want you to research Carter Morton and Steve Bairey.”

“Bairey? The one who drowned in the
Jacuzzi
at your
building? I was about to ask you if you knew more than the newspapers reported.”
Jay showed them a copy of the
Florida Sentinel
he had with him. “They
had another article today, and your name is mentioned, together with a few
neighbors’.”

“Anything different from yesterday’s?”

“Same details. The police are investigating.” Juan sent a
curious look at Alexa, glanced at the newspaper, and flipped his gaze back at
her, as if suddenly recognizing her.

“Let me clarify the situation,” Dante stated with a brisk
tone. “Alexa has nothing to do with this guy. Someone is trying to frame her.
We have to help her.”

 “What do you want us to search for?” Jay asked. “Anything
in particular?”

“Anything and everything about Bairey and Morton, and their
financial company. Clients, banks, recent and old dealings, business trips. Get
references, background. A complete and thorough research. And give it top
priority.”

“I’ll start right away.”

“Juan, I need you to arrange a 24/7 protection for two ladies,
my grandmother, Mrs. Regina Cantari, and my young sister, Isabella.” He got a
paper from his desk and wrote down an address. “I want you to delicately
explain what’s happening here. I don’t want them to see the newspaper articles
and worry. I didn’t have the chance to call or visit yet.”

“I’ll go see them tomorrow morning,” Juan said.

“You two, email me your findings or call me any time.”

As soon as they left, Dante stood and collected the box of
papers that Michelle had left on his desk, while Alexa still digested the order
he’d given Juan.

“So your sister’s name is Isabella. How old is she?”

“Twenty-eight. Six years younger than me.”

“Does she look like you?”

“Very much, but with dark eyes. I inherited the color of my
eyes from my grandmother who’s of German descent.”

No wonder he was so handsome.

“I’ll take you to visit them soon. After this mess is over.”

Alexa nodded, not convinced the
mess
would end soon
enough.

“Let’s go for dinner. I’m starving.” A grumbling noise followed
his statement. He grimaced. “Sorry.”

Alexa laughed at his boyish expression. “Poor thing, you
haven’t eaten all day because of me.”

Her phone rang. “Damn it. Greg again. I’d better take it.”

****

“I went for a swim in the morning,” Alexa said on the phone.

Greg must be questioning, insisting on details. “I had my
phone off.” She raised her chin. “No, Greg, don’t come... I’m not home... No,
I’m not coming back soon. I have a lot on my mind and I don’t want to talk to
anyone... Bye.”

Dante clapped his hands. “Good, I like your firm tone.”

“He’s going out with Dianna. So he won’t call.”

“Wonderful. I’m taking you all the way to West Palm Beach
for dinner. This way we won’t run into anyone we know.”

“Thank you, Dante, for everything you’ve done for me.” She
had that little sad smile that clogged his heart and stirred his blood at the
same time. Alexa had no one who cared about her, except the autocratic Greg. No
parents, no siblings, no husband, and as far as he had seen, no friends. He’d
stand by her side, no matter what the cost.

“You don’t need to thank me. What are true friends for...”
He drew her into his arms and lowered his head for a passionate kiss that had
nothing to do with simple friendship. She needed him, and he liked her to need
him. Finally, he released her, collected his box of files, and ushered her to
the door.

“Michelle,” he said to the receptionist. “Forward my calls
to my cell phone from now on. I’ll be working from home for a few days. Have a
good evening.” He’d have Alexa to himself tonight away from the Blue Waves and
its nasty atmosphere.

In West Palm Beach, Dante chose a restaurant located on the Intracoastal
and asked for a table on the terrace. They placed their orders and toasted their
happy evening. The romantic view of the sunset helped soothe Alexa’s rattled
nerves.

After dinner, they danced and kissed under the stars, and
enjoyed the moment, the music, and the moonlight. On the way back home, he put on
a CD of soft music. A moment later, Alexa’s head lolled to the side and her
hair cascaded on his arm. He smiled as he glanced at her parted lips and smooth
forehead. At last, she’d relaxed into a blissful rest.

Last night, he’d held her in his arms until she fell asleep,
cuddled against him. Not wanting to leave her alone, he’d eased to the other
side of the bed and stared at the ceiling. For hours, he’d mentally reviewed
his most difficult cases while willing his body to ignore the soft form laying
too close for comfort and praying for the sleep that eluded him.

Would he have to go through the same torture tonight? But there
was no way on earth, he’d let her sleep alone in her apartment, knowing someone
had tried to kill her.

****

Alexa woke up as Dante turned off the engine in the garage.
Disoriented, she spun her head left and right.

“We’re home. I hope you had a good nap.”

“I’m sorry.” She bit her lip and fixed a confused gaze on
him. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. I really had a good time tonight.”

“I did too.” He caressed her hair with a tender stroke. “You
don’t have to apologize. I’m glad you were able to rest during the drive.”

She got out of the car and shook her head to clear it. Dante
cupped her elbow and walked her to the elevator. Yes, she’d needed her rest,
but now she was wide awake, and would probably spend the night pondering the
events of the day.

During a silent ride in the elevator, she frowned and fixed
her eyes on the floor. A masked face twirled in her mind and she froze in front
of her apartment. “Dante, someone wants to kill me,” she mumbled.

“Shh.” He put a finger on her lips. “We won’t talk about
that now.” He held out his hand. “Your key?”

She gave it to him. He opened her door, entering after her. After
switching the lights on, she wriggled out of her high-heeled sandals and picked
them up, balancing them around her fingers, without taking a step forward.

“Is it safe here? This is my apartment, my own haven, but
I’m scared to enter.” She surveyed the hall and living room with a suspicious
look.

Dante grabbed her arm. “Come. We’ll check the place together
so that you can sleep in peace.”

After touring the kitchen, living room, guestroom suite, and
office, he stopped in her room, checked her closet and bathroom, and even
scrambled down on the floor to glance under the bed. “It looks safe enough. Why
don’t you go to sleep? I’ll be in your office.” He offered her a reassuring
smile and walked out without closing the door.

Rooted in the middle of the room, she released a sigh of
longing and regret. It wasn’t fair to let him while the night away on a sofa
because of her unfounded and childish fears. On the other hand, she wanted him
here, in her apartment, more precisely in her room and her bed. Just like the
previous night. Except that, tonight he wasn’t jet-lagged, and she’d already
had a nap.

With mechanical gestures, she peeled away her new outfit and
neatly hung it, then slumped on the edge of the bed. Confusing thoughts
clamored her mind as she buried her face in the pillow he’d slept on last
night. A faint scent of lemon cologne lingered on the satin and stirred longing
in her heart.
Call him, let him take you in his arms
.

Heat swamped her body and crazy fantasies assailed her mind.
She and Dante rolling on the wet sand of the beach in the moonlight, the waves
unfurling over their entwined limbs. Dante pulling her on top of his muscular frame
on the leather bench of his boat. She, sitting on his lap, facing him as they
rode a
Jet Sky
with the surf slashing them. More images piled up in her
mind—pictures of them kissing, caressing, stroking. A moan escaped from her
parted lips. Beads of perspiration moistened her forehead. She jerked away from
the tempting pillow and forced herself to stand and proceed to the bathroom.

A shower would cool her overheated body. She yanked off her
bra and her drenched bikini, and let the water refresh her skin. Invigorated,
she dried her hair, slipped into a satin chemise trimmed with lace and a matching
thong, and sprayed a whiff of her favorite after-bath fragrance on her throat.
Much
better
.

She padded barefoot to her office and called, “Dante, I’m—”

The rest of her sentence stilled in her throat under his
blazing stare. He slowly straightened and rose from the sofa. “Why didn’t you
go to sleep?” he grumbled as his gaze roamed over her nightie and legs, burning
her with its intensity. “Why aren’t you wearing pajamas?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sleepy and it’s too hot for p.j.’s.
I’ll stay here and watch a movie. You can go home and rest.”

“I’m not leaving you alone.” He took a step forward. A scowl
gathered on his forehead, but he reached for a long strand of hair on her
shoulder and curled it around his finger, lightly pulling on it until she almost
stumbled against him. “Alexa, please, go to sleep.”

His eyes reflected the desire that had engulfed her a moment
ago and was coming back to her belly in hot waves. Dante wanted her. It was up
to her to decide. She could go back to her room and lock her door, or...

A smile escaped her as joy bubbled in her chest. She’d never
made love with a man of her choice. A man she trusted, appreciated, and wanted.
How would it feel to sleep in Dante’s arms? Wonderful, her heart sang.

Without further hesitation, she slapped the lid on her
worries and the outside world, and linked her hands around his neck. “I want to
stay here with you.” She’d have her night of passion in Dante’s arms, real
memories instead of created fantasies.

He threw his head backward and inhaled deeply. “We’re
playing with fire, and I’m about to combust.” A shiver of anticipation
slithered down her spine at the intense male look in his eyes.

“Let me feel the heat,” she whispered, with a flirty tilt of
her head, although her breathy tone sounded eager and heartfelt. Playing with
the silky tendril of hair at his nape, she rose on her toes and brushed her
tongue across his upper lip.