One Night Forever (The Cinderella Chronicles) (13 page)

Lauren’s brows dipped. “A
delivery?”

“
With a big
red bow on top.” Celia winked.

Lauren’s eyes
widened.
Matt
.
“Thanks.”

“
Can I come
see what it is?”

Lauren’s heart leaped to
her throat. “No!” she exclaimed, making Celia’s eyes widen. “I’m
sorry,” Lauren said softening her tone and reaching for the older
woman’s arm. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I just met with Greg and he
has me on edge. And to be honest, I don’t like surprises. I’d
rather bear the strange gift on my own.”

Celia squeezed Lauren’s
hand. “Don’t let him get to you.”

“
Too late,”
Lauren whispered.

“
He’s a jerk.
Ignore him.”

Lauren blinked. Then, she
almost laughed. Celia was talking about Greg. Lauren was thinking
of Matt. “I’ll try.”

It took effort to contain
her urgency as Lauren finished the walk to her office. The instant
she shut her door, she raced to her chair. An envelope sat on the
outside of the box. She picked it up, and tore the card
open.

I was called out of town
unexpectedly. I’ll be thinking of you, wearing this, the next time
I see you. Friday night, same place, same time, our little Fantasy
World.

Until then, dream of me,
as I will of you.

Matt

She blew out a shaky
breath. It was Wednesday. Friday night felt years away. Reaching
for the box, Lauren slid the red ribbon from it, eager to see the
contents. Pulling off the lid, she quickly put it aside and pushed
the pink crepe paper away from the contents.

Inside sat a pink and
black satin garter set complete with bra, panties, and black
lace-top thigh-highs.

Just thinking about
wearing it for Matt felt sexy, feminine, and incredibly…arousing.
Even the thought of him picking it out made her feel all warm and
ready. She squeezed her eyes shut. This was crazy. She should break
it off with him. He would survive this without effort. For her, it
would destroy her heart and her career.

Yet, she wanted him so
badly. She opened her eyes. She had two days. Common sense was
bound to take over by Friday night.

Chapter Fifteen

Matt sat in the bar of
his Los Angeles hotel next to his client and friend, Bret Weaver
from BG Clothing. Bret, mid-twenties, rich, successful, and
good-looking. He had it all, but always wanted more. Bret also
worked and played liked there was no tomorrow. He did everything
big and at full force and Matt both liked and respected him. And
despite their relationship, Bret handed nothing over to Matt for
free.

The BG account had to be
earned.

Today had been part of
that process, packed with a visit to the BG plant and several
high-profile stores. Bret wanted Matt to see how the world
perceived both BG and the competition. Now, more than ever, Matt
knew their campaign had to pack a punch. Every store had BG hidden
in the dark corners of conservative shopping. Young and fresh front
store displays were dominated by other brands.

“
I can see why
you want more exposure,” Matt said, and smiled. “We’ll make sure
you get it.”

“
We’ll see,”
Bret said as he took a drink of his vodka. “We’ll see.”

Matt inclined his chin.
“Yes, we will,” Matt said. “Of that I’m confident.”

Bret set his drink down.
“Enough business. I have a couple models who want to hook up at a
club across town. I say, let’s make them the night’s
entertainment.”

For the first time in his
life, Matt found the opportunity to share a night with a beautiful
woman, no attachments required, completely unappealing. “Actually I
have an early meeting and a flight home. I better pass.”

Bret’s eyes went wide.
“Who are you?”

“
Excuse me?”
Matt said.

“
What have you
done with the real Matthew Monroe?”

Matt laughed. “Is it so
unbelievable I need rest?”

“
Yes. Who is
she and why don’t I know about her?” Bret asked.

“
I haven’t a
clue what you’re talking about.”

“
Yes,” Bret
said. “You do. I thought you and I were one of a kind men. No ties.
No ball and chain.” He reached for his glass. “How’d it happen man?
Tell me how she hooked you so I know what to avoid.”

“
Stop,” Matt
said. “You’re overreacting.”

“
So you’re
telling me there isn’t a woman?”

“
Not in the
way you mean.” But deep down Matt knew he was fighting deep
feelings for Lauren. How else could he explain how much her
detachment upset him? The way she’d hid her home from him had
become a sore spot. Things with Lauren were out of control. His
emotions were getting way too involved.

When he’d pressed to find
out what laid between them, he’d been certain it would result in
nothing more than lust. He’d thought their little affair would work
her out of his system. Instead, he longed to find a way to get
beyond the sex. He wanted to know Lauren. Oh, he’d tricked her into
lying in bed and talking. And he’d learned about her. Just not
enough. She was very guarded about her life.

Bret leveled him in a
stare. “So there is a woman.” It wasn’t a question.

“
Yes. No. I
told you,” Matt said. “I have an early morning. “

Bret laughed. “I can’t
wait to meet her.”

Matt heart kicked up a
beat. No one, not even Bret, could know about Lauren. “There’s no
one to meet.”

Bret smiled. “Right.” He
lifted his glass. “Want to drink to that?”

Matt reached for his
glass. “To you and your wild ideas,” he said.

Only they weren’t wild at
all. Lauren was under his skin in a major way. Lauren. His
employee. His father would have a heart attack. This wasn’t the
kind of thing his family believed in. Business and personal were
separate.

Starting this thing with
Lauren had been crazy. The problem was, he didn’t want to end it
either. So, where did that leave him? A closet relationship
couldn’t go on forever. He took a deep breath. ”Relationship”. The
word danced in his head. There lay his problem. He wanted more with
Lauren than a secret affair. This was a first for him.

The woman he wanted was
the one he couldn’t have.

What a nasty game fate
was playing with him.

* * * * *

The common sense Lauren
had hoped to muster was nowhere to be found. It certainly wasn’t
common sense that made her go to work Friday with a prim black suit
over the pink and black panties, and thigh-high, lacy pantyhose.
Nor was it the thing that made her heart pitter-patter as she
walked to the conference room to present her campaign
ideas.

It was the pure
anticipation of seeing Matt for the first time in days. And a good
dose of red-hot secrets. Not the show. Her dreams. She couldn’t get
Matt out of her mind in her waking hours or her visions in her
sleep.

She sat at the conference
table with the same group of people she had on her first day of
work. This time everyone had a partner by their side, ready to
present their campaign ideas, all anxiously waiting for Matt to
arrive.

Not as much as Lauren. Of
that she was certain.

Since she was living
dangerously in her love life, which was basically the same as doing
so with her career, she had made a decision. When Greg was done
presenting his ideas, she would present hers.

He would be angry, but
she didn’t care.

She didn’t like his
ideas, and wasn’t going to be made to look bad. Period, the end.
Not happening. She was living on the edge all the way. No common
sense, no nice girl, no good girl. Great sex, career risks, and her
pink and black lingerie. That was what today all was
about.

Look out, world. Strong
and confident, Lauren felt ready to take on the world.

And then the door opened,
and Matt walked in. Looking like a million bucks, dressed in a gray
pinstriped suit that fit him as if custom-made, he took her breath
away. Along with it flew the wind in her sails. The man was so damn
sexy. He was also a powerhouse. His very presence made the room
bristle with alertness. This company’s future revolved around
him.

Suddenly, Lauren doubted
her decisions. Not about the campaign. She knew she was right about
what BG needed. But about Matt. He had a job to do and so did she.
Sex fit nowhere in that equation. And Matt already had respect in
the industry Lauren had yet to earn. Her mother hadn’t know this
when she’d give her advice about Matt. Lauren knew she had to look
out for the future.

Lauren let her gaze
settle on Matt. With the entire room focused on Matt, she had the
luxury of examining him closely. She swallowed. Why did her stomach
flutter when she looked at him? And why did her heart ache when he
was gone?

For a brief instant
Matt’s eyes locked with hers, and she felt the heat of his gaze.
Bound by decorum, his attention came and went in a flash, but the
impact had warmed her from head to toe. No one could work like
this.

The meeting started, and
Lauren shoved away thoughts of her and Matt. This was her career.
She had to focus and excel. Lauren listened to each team present
their ideas, taking notes as she did, not impressed with any of the
campaigns. When it came time for their presentation, Greg started
talking as if she didn’t exist. Lauren cringed as Greg spoke. A
quick glimpse at Matt, and she knew he didn’t like what was being
presented. It was a vibe he put off, a sense she got.

When Greg finished
talking, he simply stared at Matt for long moments. Then Matt let
out a long, distressed sigh. “Is this all, team? Because, if it is,
I have to say, it’s not good enough. I can’t take any of these
ideas to BG.”

Lauren swallowed, and
then delicately cleared her throat. “Actually,” she said, forcing
herself to meet his gaze, and ignoring the shocked faces around the
table. As the newbie, no one expected her to speak up. “I do have
one other idea.”

Matt’s eyes met hers and
then narrowed in a barely perceivable fashion. Lauren forced
herself to hold his gaze. This part of their relationship was
business and she wouldn’t do otherwise with another. Greg bristled
beside her, his disgust almost palpable. Lauren wanted to kick
him.

“
Okay,” Matt
said. “Let’s hear it.”

“
Well,” Lauren
said, feeling the pressure of all eyes on her. Adrenaline rushed
through her veins. That Matt was the decision-maker made this
harder. But, it also made it more critical she succeed. The respect
of her peers felt more important than ever. It wasn’t only Matt’s
approval she wanted. It was that of the others in the
room.

“
The
statistics clearly show BG is already getting a key portion of the
older professionals as buyers. What they need is an edgy campaign
to draw in the younger group.”

Needing the
reassurance, Lauren watched Matt’s face. Though he had a good poker
face, she knew him better than most. The thought caused a moment of
self-consciousness—born from a fear that the others might
guess
how well
she knew him—which she quickly
smashed. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a flash of
appreciation in Matt’s eyes. It felt good.

“
So,” Lauren
said. “That said, I think the campaign most certainly needs
some
of the things the public expects from BG. For instance,
simple and classy. But, it also needs to be unique. Sensual. Sexy.
Contemporary.“

She paused. Why, Lauren
wasn’t sure. When no one said anything, she took a deep breath. “I
picture an attractive female sitting on her desk, long, sexy legs
crossed, skirt high up her thighs. She holds a pad of paper taking
notes. An equally attractive man is sitting in the visitor chair in
front of her staring at her legs. Then, flash to the front of a
courthouse, an attractive woman walking down the front steps,
several men turning to look at her. Finally, flash to an office. A
professional yet sexy woman slipping out of a judge’s robe to
exposure her BG suit.

The caption
would read: “
Professional
never looked so good. The new face of BG
Clothing
.”

The room was silent.
Lauren’s heart beat so hard against her chest it echoed in her
ears. She nervously wet her lips, and her eyes locked with Matt’s
unreadable ones. A slow smile turned up the corners of his mouth.
“Classy and sexy. Excellent work, Lauren.”

She nodded, her stomach
slowly untwisting. “Thank you.”

Matt looked at his watch.
“We’re through here. Meeting adjourned.”

Lauren blinked, hardly
believing things had gone so well. Several people murmured
compliments. Greg leaned close. “I saw the way you were looking at
him. You like him. I guess I rank too low on the totem pole for
your attention, huh? You want to sleep with the big guy. That idea
wasn’t so great.” He snorted. “Maybe you already earned
rewards.”

Lauren felt like she’d
been slapped, but she refused to act wounded. She looked at him
with a glare in her eyes. “Sour grapes never got anyone
anywhere.”