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The Tessarae Inn |
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Poseidon Rising CHAPTER 13 “I think I can get him to marry me.” “I thought you said he was interested in Blair.” “Oh, he is, but his hormones are set on quick start. A few vigorous shakes of the boob patrol and that man loses track of time. I can’t believe a man that fine and that rich is on such a hair trigger, but he is. If I play it right with some story about big bad Todd Manning not being a very nice man and shit, he’d eat it up with a spoon. His raging hormones will want to protect me. And I can guar-ran-damn-tee you we’ll be in a hotel suite in Vegas as Mr. And Mrs. Jewel before you can say …” “Falling on the sword for me, huh?” “Better me than Blair. Look, even if I was who he thinks I am, I’d be the kind of girl a man like that marries and wakes up three months later and can’t believe what he’s done. He’ll pay me a substantial amount just to wipe my memory out of his data log, if you get my drift. But Blair is a different story. If he marries her, he won’t be willing to let her go.” “He’s that serious about Blair?” “I’m not sure even he knows it. Man’s dealing with some conflicting feelings about his ex-wife I think. But you should see the way he looks at Blair. You can feel the chemical reaction on the other side of the damn room. When his damn head clears and he realizes what he’s missing by playing footsies with a bimbo like me, he will go after her with a vengeance. And quite frankly I’m not sure if she’ll be able to resist him.” “She’ll resist him.” “I’m gay, Mac. Remember? And sometimes when he starts that charm thing I find my heart racing from wishing he did it for me, if you get my drift.” “You’d actually sleep with him?” “Hell, no. But if we were married he wouldn’t know it for a while. Still, there’s only so long you can drug a guy’s drink and pretend the night before was a magical three-ring circus of love before he starts to catch on.” “You’ve done this sort of thing before I’m guessing. Were you setting me up too?” She stared at him for a moment then blinked. “Yeah, right. Like I would’ve had a chance with ‘Property of Blair Manning’ tattooed on your every waking moment and ‘My Heart Belongs Only To Blair’ stamped on every unconscious moment. But if you let Jewel keep getting close to her that might not be such a problem in the future.” “She’s married to me.” “And he’s never broken her heart. And I’ll tell you something else. I suspect once he gives up his heart to her, he never will. And that man is a stone cold player but once he got her he would do everything to keep her, including being faithful.” “I think you’re wrong.” “Maybe but he’s the kind of man who doesn’t fall in love easily and when he does there are no half measures. Keep that in mind.” “You know all this because last night he was looking down your blouse and up your skirt while Blair was sitting there?” “Blinded by the T&A shit but watch out when his head clears. I can recognize the signs. We all have our talents remember? I can read most men like a book and he ain’t exactly War and Peace.” “What about Pluto?” Amanda made a swooshing sound then fanned herself. “That one has it bad for your wife. I mean bad and he’s for real.” Todd felt something push against the inner wall of his skull. The image of Blair in the puppy dog’s arms smacked into his consciousness and rattled around like a loose marble in his head. “But no saint. Hell, I suspect he can be a real dog and just enough of a devious bastard to make him interesting. He’d have taken me for a tumble or two if I’d let him but in a cosmic sense he seems like a decent enough guy. Smart, hard working, got a dream or two going, smooth, calculating, young and mighty pretty. And I wouldn’t take too much comfort in that age thing either if I were you. He’s got a way about him that reminds you that age ain’t nothing but a number.” “So you were wrong before?” “Yeah. Rub it in. You were right to keep an eye on him. He’s trouble except for the fact that Blair has made it clear to him that she’s not interested.” “So what’s the problem?” “Tell me what happened last night.” “I’m not going to tell you what happened between me and my wife.” “Just tell me this: Do you think you touched her heart?” “Hell, yes.” And a hell of a lot more too. “Well, here’s the big ass pothole on your highway to heaven. According to Chad, she’s been surviving by pretending her heart has been cut out.” “She was wrong.” “Exactly.” “So, what are you saying?” “You proved to her that her heart is still there but now that Sleeping Beauty is awake you may not be the one she gives it to.” ========== There was a time not that long ago when looking up from his desk and seeing Blair standing there or walking into the office was a common occurrence. He could remember a time when the first question that popped into his mind when he saw her was how long it was going to take for her to sit on his lap or perch on top of his desk or kiss him or… “Todd, we need to talk. I thought the office might be the better place than at the Penthouse so I took a chance that you’d have the time.” “You want to go somewhere else?” “No, this is fine.” She closed the door then walked to the couch and sat down. Damn. Why was she so far away? He stood up and walked around the desk. This situation did not look good. He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk. She coughed then looked away briefly. He waited. Finally, she looked at him. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea after what happened the other night.” “What idea would that be?” She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a set of legal papers. “I brought another set of divorce papers since you’ve misplaced the others.” He took the papers from her outstretched hand then walked back behind his desk and sat down. He glanced over the papers. They were exactly the same as far as he could tell. Simple dissolution of a marriage. No property in dispute. No child custody in dispute. Nothing between them except a signature on a piece of paper. He studied her for a few seconds then reached for his pen. He signed the papers. She tightened her lips then unconsciously placed two fingers lightly on her mouth. He laid the pen down and folded his hands over the papers. “Is there anything else, Blair?” “No.” She stood up and smoothed her skirt. “Thank you. I think you know this is for the best.” She walked toward the door but then turned around toward him. “I’m really sorry, Todd. I just can’t go there again. Loving you was the most glorious thing that ever happened to me in my life and loving you was the most soul-crushing thing I’ve ever endured. I’m just not willing to do that again.” He nodded. For a second she locked her gaze on him and nothing in the room seemed to move or exist but the two of them. Then she turned and walked away. He didn’t move for five minutes. Slowly he looked down at his signature. He had written, “Not in this lifetime” in bold script. He picked up the papers and started ripping them into shreds systematically. ======== Blair studied the additions to her project suggested by Vincent. He may have lost his mind the night before with Amanda but he really did have some great suggestions. She looked up in time to see him making a systematic study of her office. She took the moment to study him. He was a tall, handsome man with thick golden brown hair that fell in soft waves and a nice build. He also basically appeared to be a happy person. It was a strange realization that his genial mood unsettled her. Somewhere underneath all of that beat a ruthless heart. She had done her homework on the Jewel family and knew Vincent could not have escaped unscathed. He was his father’s son of that she was sure. So why was he suddenly so interested in her? Did he have designs on The Sun and think she was the weak spot? He was a complete fool if he believed that she would do anything to hurt her children’s legacy. “You’re watching me. What’s up?” “Just thinking about some things.” “Such as?” “Are you this helpful to all of your students?” “Only the ones that deserve the attention. That’s not many but you’re not the only one.” “All females, I suspect.” His eyes flashed and then narrowed. “Seems like we need to specify some boundaries here. First of all, everything I’ve ever said to you about your performance as a student has been objective and fair. You have never received special consideration. Your work is outstanding and I rate it as such. “Second, anyone else who has presented projects worthy of individual attention has also received it and, no, not all females, in fact the majority of the other students are males. “Third, I am interested in you on a personal level. It has been my error to hide that fact behind assignments to ease my path and lost papers as an excuse to get close to you. That is over. From now on, I will ask for what I really want. I want to go out with you and I want it to turn out to be something more than that.” Blair nodded her head but when he winked at her she couldn’t help smiling. He was an interesting man that much she knew for sure but she had been charmed by the best and was no longer a babe in the woods. She squared her shoulders then leaned back in her chair. “Since you want to get personal, there are a few things I’d like to know.” He crossed his legs then pointed at her with an open hand. “Shoot.” “Are you or your father interested in acquiring The Sun?” “We are interested in acquiring any number of newspapers here in the States, but if you are asking if I have singled out The Sun or if I am trying to use you like a Trojan horse to storm your ex-husband’s citadel, the answer is no.” “Well, just in case you are, I think I need to tell you that I will not be a party to anything that hurts Todd or my children. Is that clear?” “As glass.” “And if somehow you drag me into a position where I am a party to some maneuver on your part, you will regret the day you ever crossed me. No amount of money will protect you.” “I will admit that I like this she-wolf side of you. You protect what you see as yours. The question is: Do you see Todd Manning as yours?” “My relationship with my ex-husband…my husband…soon to be ex-husband is not on the table for discussion.” Vincent reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a pen. He ran his fingers across the surface. “I beg to differ. I’m not in the mood nor do I have the inclination or temperament to be a toy in someone else’s love game.” Blair snorted quietly. “Oh, please. What about you? What was all that about the other night? And why did you and your wife divorce?” “We were married for fifteen years, which I believe in this day and age is somewhat of a record. She met someone else who turned her head. End of story.” “I doubt that.” Vincent stood up and walked over to the bar. He poured himself a drink then leaned against the wall with one hand in his pants pocket. “If you suspect she made a mistake, then you are right about that. If you suspect that matters to me, then you don’t know me.” “Sounds like she wants you back.” “I couldn’t tell you. We haven’t spoken in three years.” “A tad bit bitter, are you?” Vincent snapped his gaze onto her face. “I don’t forgive easily. What about you?” Blair sighed and pushed the project to the side of the desk. “I think we’ve gotten a little far a field here. Thank you for the suggestions about the Shining Starr proposal.” “Dinner tonight?” “Not tonight. I have plans.” “Tomorrow night then.” “Are you sure you don’t already have plans with Amanda?” Vincent drained his glass and put it back on the bar. He walked toward her. “I’m free, single and over twenty-one. Don’t expect me to stay available forever. If you want to lay a claim, I suggest you throw your hat in the ring.” “I will give your expert advice due consideration.” “Then I already know your answer. I’ll pick you up at eight.” He turned just as he reached the office door. “By the way, the fact that you’re so smart is one of the sexiest things about you. But only one of the things.”
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