Everything's Better With You, page 12
“Where are we headed?” he asked.
I opened and closed my mouth a few times. I must have looked like a fish out of water, but he was sitting so close that his nearness caused me to temporarily lose my ability to speak.
“Where’s your hotel, Kimberly? We have to tell the driver…”
“Right, um.” I shook my head in an attempt to regain my senses, grabbed my tablet, and opened my itinerary. “The Sterling Beachfront Paradise.”
“Wait. Did you say The Sterling Beachfront Paradise?” Adam asked
I nodded.
“I’m also staying at The Sterling Beachfront Paradise.”
“Bullshit.” I glared at him.
He opened his tablet and handed it to me. I took it from him and discovered that he was telling the truth. A quick comparison of our reservations assured me that at least we weren’t staying in the same building. I knew The Sterling was a large resort. Most likely, we’d never run into each other.
I couldn’t tell if I was more relieved or disappointed by this.
Damn it.
Adam
two
I stepped out of the my building and onto Seventh Avenue and started to jog up one hundred and sixteenth street towards Morningside Park. My plan was to take a quick lap before my flight to clear my head.
This trip was more than just business. It was a shot at redemption. Edward Will, one of the founding partners, hired me personally after my father did everything he could to make sure that I would be able to get a job after graduation.
A year ago, I almost fucked my way out of a job and a promotion, literally. I somehow managed to keep both, but getting this contract would go a long way towards wiping the slate clean.
If that wasn’t stressful enough, I knew that woman who had almost cost me my job would be in Barbados, presenting her own design to Wolfe. Losing the contract would be tough to swallow but losing it to the architect they let go to keep me would be a lot worse.
I knew I shouldn’t have been as nervous as I was. I poured my heart and soul into this design for months, foregoing sleep and the other things I did to pass the time and relieve stress. It was my best work and all I needed to do was stay focused and avoid all distractions.
After a couple of laps around Morningside I decided to run to Riverside Park. Halfway through my second lap around Riverside I stopped to check my heart rate and realized it was nearly eight-fifteen. I sprinted home, took a shower, called a car, grabbed my backpack and suitcase before heading to the airport.
I made it to JFK with minutes to spare and thanks to First Class priority boarding I was one of the first people on the plane despite probably being one of the last to arrive for my flight. I settled into my window seat and ordered a drink. The flight attendant’s name was Alison. She was flirting like crazy and I made a point to remind myself to get her number before we landed. She had the perfect lips and hips to end my months long dry spell.
The plane started to fill up. I was barely paying attention but something caught my eye. It was a flash of yellow. I looked up and spotted the most breathtaking woman I’d ever seen. My chest constricted and I could actually feel myself taking slow labored breaths. She was tall, thin and her skin was a deep brown hue. She wore a bright yellow sleeveless dress which could have only been made to fit her and highlighted the contrast with her complexion which was flawless. The dress stopped just above her knees, which were gorgeous too.
Who the fuck has sexy knees?
The skin on her toned arms shimmered as if she was emanating light instead of reflecting it. She had an exquisite face with high chiseled cheek bones and large dark brown eyes with long thick lashes. Something else about her struck me but it didn’t hit me until I was watching her dark brown hair tumbling down her back in long waves as she made her way to the back of the plane. She looked nervous about something.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The boarders trickled to one or two stragglers and I got up and made my way to the back of the plane.
“Sir, the first class lavatory is the other way.”
“I’m fine.” I mumbled without bothering to look at whomever had spoken. I slowed my approach as I neared her seat. She was just as beautiful as she was a minute ago but something was definitely wrong. Her chest was rising and falling too quickly. She was gripping the armrests so hard her fingertips were nearly flattened. She was licking her full glossy lips nervously and she looked terrified. I had seen this before and I knew I had to act fast. I made a mental note of her row and seat number before continuing to the back of the plane as if I intended to actually use the lavatory then returned to my seat.
“Hey,” I whispered to the flight attendant, “Alison wasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.” She beamed a sexy smile. I returned it.
“I think that woman in row twelve seat F might be having a hard time. Do you think we could invite her to sit in first class?” I patted the seat next to me.
“Actually, sir.” Her face fell. “We can’t invite passengers in business class to sit in first class unless they’ve paid for a first class seat.” I reached into my wallet and extended my black card. “It doesn’t work that way, sir. I’m sorry.” She gently pushed my hand away. My flirty demeanor dropped. We were running out of time.
“Listen,” I spoke slowly and forcefully, all pretense dropped. “That woman is going to have a full blown panic attack on the back of a crowded plane. Now, you could call the paramedics, embarrass her by having her taken off the flight and have everyone sitting on the tarmac for hours or you can simply invite her to sit in this seat,” I indicated the seat to my left, “where I can help her. I’d be happy to discuss this with the captain. Be sure to tell him Adam Price would like a word with him.”
I hated to be the do you know who I am guy and I felt a little guilty taking that tone with her. She was only doing her job, but this was an emergency. In truth, I was a Price in name only. My father and brother actually had the power, money and influence to intimidate flight attendants but, nevertheless, her eyes widened with recognition.
“You can waste more time arguing with me or you can do the right thing and help someone.” My gaze softened. “Please.”
I could see the wheels turning in her head. She finally took a deep breath.
“I’ll see what I can do, Mr. Price.” She moved to the front of the plane for a few minutes, then to the back of the plane and returned with the lady in yellow in tow. I mouthed a silent thank you. She gave me a tight lipped smile before she turned to address another passenger.
I tried to make small talk with my new seat mate to help her calm down but I found that this was harder to do when you were being hypnotized by large dark brown eyes. She was beautiful, graceful and she smelled floral and sweet.
I discovered she was part of the pitch team I’d be working with. I remembered seeing her name on one of the memos I’d received once she introduced herself. I would have never forgotten if there was a picture.
She knew exactly who I was and it was clear that she knew more about me than she was telling. As she recited my professional resume with rehearsed precision I heard all of the things she was leaving out: spoiled, trust fund baby, his rich dad paid his way through Pratt and handed him a job at WP. These things couldn’t be further from the truth. The other rumors, about me sleeping my way through half of the women in Manhattan, that I knew persisted, weren’t as far from the truth, though greatly exaggerated. I wasn’t ashamed of my sexual past but if she was going to hear about it I would rather it be the truth.
In just a few minutes of talking to her I could tell she was clever, intelligent, sweet and little shy. I caught her peeking over my shoulder as I killed time sketching. I’d never shown anyone my plans for my house before and she seemed really interested even though I could tell in my excitement, I might have been getting too technical in my descriptions. I didn’t understand it but I found myself wanting to impress her.
Just as the plane began to taxi the attack I was dreading hit. I had helped plenty of classmates and friends through panic and anxiety attacks so I knew exactly what to do. I knew she’d be fine, but seeing her sweet face gripped by fear and panic affected me in a way I didn’t expect. I’m not an asshole. I would help anyone that needed it, but there was something about her.
When the worst was over, I managed to make her laugh. That laugh stirred something inside me that I didn’t know existed. I still had her tiny hand wrapped in mine and I wasn’t ready to let it go.
The feeling both warmed and terrified me. I had never felt this way about anyone. It wasn’t physical attraction. Okay, it wasn’t just physical attraction. But I could immediately tell that she would be the type of distraction I needed to avoid. I started to make a mental list of all the ways Kimberly Simmons would be a bad idea.
First, this princess was out of my league, way out of my league. From the tailored designer dress, the black pumps with the red soles and the black leather Birkin bag with the yellow Hermes scarf tied to the handle I could tell she was wealthy. I also knew she couldn’t afford those things on an assistant project manager’s salary so the money came from somewhere else. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring and I didn’t think she had a boyfriend, maybe I hoped she didn’t. Either way, she probably wouldn’t be the type for fall for a guy who uses his family connections for luxury perks but lives in a one bedroom apartment he can barely afford. We would also be working together and that’s a minefield I needed to avoid. I needed to keep Kimberly Simmons at arms length.
Holding hands counts as arm’s length, right?
Apparently “arms length” also meant following her through the airport and insisting on taking her to her hotel. I didn’t know if it was fate, coincidence or dumb luck that we were staying at the same resort, but I knew I was headed for trouble.
When we pulled up to The Sterling, I let out a deep breath. I had managed to refrain from what I now considered the very natural impulse to hold Kimberly’s hand. I’d been holding it since I met her and not holding it felt wrong but I’d agreed I’d keep our relationship professional, which was probably for the best.
We approached the desk at the same time. I finished checking in first and I lingered while debating whether or not it would be a good idea to invite Kimberly to a very professional lunch. I could immediately tell something was wrong. This chick could not catch a break today. I approached the desk.
“—I don’t understand,” Kimberly was pointing at her tablet, trying to keep her voice calm, “my reservation was made weeks ago. I have a confirmation number.”
“I understand but there seems to be a problem in the system. It shows that room is already booked and there is a guest currently checked in. We don’t have any similar rooms available at the moment but…”
“But what?” Kimberly asked.
“We could accommodate you in one of the historic suites until we can get your reservation issue sorted.”
“Okay, fine,” she sighed, “whatever. I’ll take it.”
This was an opportunity to not interfere. I already intervened on the plane and insisted on driving her to her hotel, our hotel. They found a room for her. I should just keep my mouth shut.
“Wait,” I addressed the front desk attendant, “What does historic mean?” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
“It’s okay,” Kimberly started, “I can handle—”
“Hold on.” I placed a hand on her arm and she fell silent. I wasn’t sure if her silence was a good or bad thing but I had some serious misgivings about this offer. In my line of work coded language like historic was a red flag. “Quaint” meant ugly, “cozy” meant small, and “historic” meant old which alluded to missing amenities in exchange for old world charm. “Charming” also meant ugly.
“Well, the historic suites are in the original building which was built over two hundred years ago.” Fuck. I knew it.
“When was the last time they were updated?”
“They’re updated periodically but the owners strive to keep it as authentic as possible.” I chanced a glance at Kimberly. She didn’t seem upset with me but I could see the look of dread on her face and we seemed to be on the same page. I decided to rip off the bandage.
“Is there electricity?” I asked.
“Yes, but there’s only one outlet per room.” Kimberly maintained her cool professional demeanor but she seemed to deflate slightly.
“WiFi?”
“No, but there is an internet cafe in the main building and WiFi is free there.” Her jaw set.
“Air conditioning?” She stared at the attendant. I could tell she was silently willing him to say yes with her eyes.
“No, but there are ceiling fans in every room and there is a strong breeze from the cliffs which keeps the rooms very comfortable.” Her eyes slowly blinked once and she drew in a deep breath. Seeing her the slightest bit upset tugged at something inside me.
“This is unacceptable.” I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible. Why did I care so much? “She has to have air conditioning. You have to have another room somewhere.”
“I’m sorry, sir. The storms have been wreaking havoc on our computer system and with the big storm coming, flights are being cancelled. Guests are extending their stays. There’s really nothing I can do. I can comp her room and give her vouchers for the restaurants but this is the best I can offer.”
I looked at Kimberly and she nodded, looking completely defeated. She grabbed the key, an actual metal key—not the white plastic keycard I was given— and headed for her room.
Come on, Adam. Keep it together. Arm’s length, remember?
“Kimberly.” She stopped and looked at me. “I have a three bedroom apartment. There’s plenty of room. Stay with me.”
“No,” she said. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’ll be fine. It will be an adventure.” She gave me a half hearted smile.
“You’re going to stay in my apartment.” I stepped in front of her and she turned her face upwards until my eyes met her beautiful brown ones. Her skin was flawless and looked so smooth. “I’ll stay in the historic suite.”
“I couldn’t let you do that.”
“You’re not letting me do anything.” I gently took the key from her hand and placed her carry-on on top of mine and rolled them the other direction.
The lock beeped and I pushed the door open. A blast of dry, cold air greeted us as soon as we stepped inside. I was going to miss this when I was roasting alive at two in the morning but the look on her face was definitely worth it.
The apartment was huge and luxurious. Nate tried describing it to me but his words didn’t do it justice.
“WP paid for this,” Kimberly looked around, her mouth agape, “for a pitch meeting?”
“No,” I laughed. “It’s one of my brother’s investment properties. He has houses all over the world. I’m going to look around before I take off. I’ve never seen it before.”
“Of course.” She smiled. “It’s your place.” She sighed. “Are you sure you want to give this up for no air conditioning and no wifi? Now that I’ve seen it, I’d totally understand if you’d changed your mind.”
“No.” I put my hands on her bare shoulders, hoping I wasn’t pushing the boundaries of professionalism and turned her to face me. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I knew you were uncomfortable.”
She gazed up at me with her big brown eyes and I was hypnotized again. My eyes traveled to her full mouth glistening with lip gloss. She had minuscule beads of sweat gathering on her top lip and I was dying to wipe them away with my thumb. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to kiss her. Instead, I took a step back and breathed. I had to get the fuck out of here, fast.
We spent the next few minutes wandering around the apartment. I estimated four thousand square feet. The kitchen was big with plenty of counter space. There was a washer/ dryer, two balconies and a roof top deck. There were two large bedrooms with king sized beds and a bedroom in the middle of the apartment with two twin sized beds.
I could see why Nate like this place so much. It was the perfect size for my brother, his wife, their daughter, their nanny and my mom who had been living with them for the past year. It was the perfect family sized apartment. I wondered if Kimberly liked kids or if she wanted any of her own. For a brief, insane moment I fantasized about what a child I made with her would look like. I pushed the thought out of my head. I barely fucking knew her. It was definitely time for me to leave. The more I followed her around watching her “ooh and ahh” over every detail, the harder it would be for me to leave.
“Okay, Kimberly,” I said. “I’m gonna go get settled in back in 1894.” She giggled and it felt like I was being warmed from the inside. “I hope I packed enough candles.”
“Stop!” She laughed even harder. “Are you trying to make me feel bad?”
“Is it working?” I looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes.” She gave me a sad smile and poked her bottom lip out in a mock frown. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from wrapping my mouth around that lip and sucking it until it was swollen. I turned to leave.
“Hey,” she called to my retreating figure and I turned to face her. “I have all of these meal vouchers.” She shrugged. “I could treat you to dinner to say thank you.”
“Since, I’m the one staying in the historic suite aren’t those my vouchers?”
The edge of her lips curled slightly and her eyes narrowed. She sighed, placed a fist on her hip and tilted her head to the side. I tried to shift my focus away from the fact that in that pose, her yellow dress hugged her curves in all the right places.
“Well, then would you like to use the meal vouchers that have my name on them, but technically belong to you, to have dinner tonight?”
