CHAPTER FOUR
Lara waited patiently outside the designated meeting point and prayed she wasn’t wasting her time waiting for the Welshdragon. The name amused her, and now she knew that his real name was Draco, it made so much more sense.
She glanced at her watch.
Mr. Draco Vaughn, hacker extraordinaire, had one minute to get there or he was late. This was a test. If he didn’t turn up for a fancy free suit, there was no hope of him buckling down to her timetable and seeing the job through. He’d frowned when she gave him the address to meet her at the next morning, but said he’d be there.
The bespoke London tailor was used by all the men in the family.
A notice on the door read, “by appointment only.” Harry had made the appointment, and they were expected. He’d reluctantly agreed the right clothing would give her guy a better chance to fit in.
She paced up and down, fretting. Doubts crowded in on her. Was the risk too great? Should she end it now, before it went any further? Would he even show? Had she given him enough money upfront?
Then she heard a whistle from the far end of the street. Draco had turned the corner. She’d been about to give up. Wanted to, even. But the sight of him closing on her made her prickle all over. She glanced again at her watch. He was spot on time. A good start.
He sauntered over and did a mock bow.
“Glad you could make it,” she mustered, suddenly realizing this would be their first time alone together. The quicker they got into the tailors the better.
Nodding her head at the doorway, she arched an eyebrow. “Happy to go inside?”
“Why not.” He lifted his leather clad shoulders in a shrug. “If you want me to have new threads, I’ll do it.”
She stepped toward the door.
His hand on her arm halted her.
Her heart pounded in her chest. The touch of his hand sent her into some insane sort of panic. At least she figured it was panic.
“Assuming you aren’t intending to make me look ridiculous,” he added.
Relieved, she mustered a smile. “I think you’ll be able to endure what I have in mind.”
Humour danced in his lovely green eyes. She was beginning to realize he had a mischievous streak.
When she rapped on the door it was quickly unlocked. A slender, be-spectacled gentleman wearing a three piece suit greeted them.
“We have a booking,” she stated. “Harry Compton arranged it.”
“Indeed, Madam. Good morning to you both.” He turned to address Draco, looking him up and down while he rearranged the vintage tape measure he had hanging around his neck. “Sir.” He inclined his head. “My name is Carmichael. I will be servicing you today.”
“Makes me sound like an engine in need of an overhaul,” Draco murmured under his breath as they passed through the door.
The comment made Lara chuckle.
“If Madam would like to take a seat.” Carmichael gestured at a sofa with fancy old-gold upholstery.
“Wonderful, thank you.” Lara headed for the sofa, glancing around. The whole place was antique looking with polished mahogany shelves and cupboards, brass and gold-colored furnishings. The sofa was set out in the middle of the room, like a viewing spot. On a nearby coffee table a selection of elite fashion magazines awaited. She made herself comfortable.
The walls were painted in lovely shade of old gold, complementing the wooden wall panels, all of which emphasised the prestige of the Saville Row tailors. Generations of the wealthiest clients had shopped here, Lara Compton’s father amongst them.
As her father came to mind, she glanced at the window. There was no way he or her brothers or anyone associated with them would come to the tailors today. Harry, who was her second cousin once removed, had assured her of that. For starters it was too early in the morning, the place wasn’t usually open until later and the early hour was a favor to Harry, who had shopped there for many years. He’d introduced Draco as his nephew from out of town.
Lara tried to conceal her smile. Out of town Welsh computer hacker, and didn’t he just look like a fish out of water. He stared around his surroundings with an amused expression, as if he’d never seen anything like it.
The attendant sized Draco up while he fiddled with his tape measure expectantly. “I’ve got several items off the peg suitable for Sir. If any alterations are needed we can have them done within twenty four hours.”
Draco gestured at Lara. “‘Mudum’ is in charge. Please consider me a clothes horse for the duration of the appointment.”
Carmichael lifted an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Instead he proceeded to relieve Draco of his leather jacket, much to Draco’s surprise.
Lara had to suppress her smile. At first she thought her Hackerboy was going to punch the tailor. Thankfully he realized what was going on and relaxed into it. The tailor disappeared with both jacket and tape measure and returned a moment later pushing a rail packed with suits. The portable selection wheeled easily across the polished parquet flooring.
So far, the task was going more smoothly than she thought it might, but Draco kept looking at her with a quizzical expression. He’d probably never had a hand-made suit before, probably never even owned a suit. As the thoughts ran through her mind she studied his physique, trying to picture him in a suit. She was rather looking forward to it, although he was undeniably hot and fit, dressed as he was in faded jeans and a tight black T-shirt.
Carmichael gestured at the rail with a flourish, moving it so they could both see the range of suits on display.
Draco shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the vast array with a frown. Meanwhile Carmichael walked behind him and busied himself taking measurements of Draco’s broad back and shoulders, which he scribbled in a small notepad in the palm of his hand. Draco twitched visibly and frowned when he felt the gentleman’s hands on his back, and shot Lara a glance.
Lara covered her mouth with her hand and glanced away so as not to laugh. When she looked back Draco had reached out and was leafing through the suits on the rack with a curious expression on his face. At least he was taking an interest.
“How many suits do we require?”
“How many do we need?” Draco responded, amused.
Carmichael remained expressionless. “The basic starter wardrobe would include three suits for day wear, a blazer with three sets of trousers for casual wear, a dress suit, and anything else Sir would like to add.”
“Mudum will decide,” Draco quickly answered and looked at her expectantly.
“Three day suits and shirts, suitable for work in the finance quarter.”
Carmichael scribbled again in his notepad.
“Silk ties,” she added and coughed. “Underwear, I guess.”
Draco raised his eyebrows, staring at her with an accusing look.
“Very good, Madam.” He maneuvered Draco’s arms to take more measurements.
When instructed, Draco turned around. The tailor kneeled down in front of him and began to measure the length of his inside leg. Draco laughed and winked at her.
She shook her head at him. Behave, she silently admonished him with her eyes as best she could. Mostly she was relieved he hadn’t shot out the door like a scalded cat. It was an odd, old-fashioned environment but he was managing it with good humor. She relaxed back onto the sofa and watched as Carmichael directed Draco’s attention to the two suits in shades of blue, and one black. While Draco had a quick look at them, Carmichael wheeled out a cabinet. It was dark mahogany and at first glance looked like some sort of sideboard, but when opened it revealed racks of silk ties. The tailor pulled out several handles and the railings opened up to display numerous ties arranged in like-colors.
Lara rose to her feet and stepped over to look at the suits when Carmichael disappeared.
“Any special requirements of my underwear, Madam?” Draco asked as she approached. “Escape hatch, perhaps?”
The suggestive look in his eyes deprived her of any rational thought.
“Nothing that sticks out,” she said, then blushed furiously, “as being unusual or different, I mean.”
“Nothing should stick out?” He laughed. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”
“Behave,” she whispered as Carmichael returned, but she was laughing too.
And she was aroused, just as she had been when he locked her in against the wall in the side alley, the day before. Was this what it was going to be like? She certainly hadn’t prepared herself for being around such a good looking guy, one who had a sense of humor. She’d pictured herself herding an unwilling accomplice who needed to be reminded of the fee all the time. Draco might have been playing it nonchalantly, but he hadn’t even been in any hurry to take the advance fee from her hand the day before. It crossed her mind how opposed to the idea of doing anything that came close to hacking. He wanted to keep his record clean, and by the sounds of it the business with his stepbrother and Compton Finance had been a good warning to him. It made her trust him more readily than she might have, but he still had to be doing it for the money. It was up to her to make sure he didn’t get into trouble doing her bidding.
“Very good choice, if I might say so, Sir,” Carmichael said and took the three suits Draco had looked at, gesturing for him to follow as he went toward a curtained area on the far side of the room.
Lara sat down then shifted from her original position on the sofa, moving to one end, so she could see where they’d gone. Only when she’d done so, did she realize what she’d done. She had a clear view into the changing rooms. Before she had a chance to move back and pick up a glossy magazine on the coffee table, Draco started stripping off his T-shirt.
As he pulled the soft jersey over his head his muscular chest and arms were revealed, she was rooted to the spot.
He flicked back his hair as he cast the T-shirt aside and, as he did so, he locked her gaze to his. It was too late to look away. He knew she was watching and grinned at her.
Showing off, she thought to herself, but it tickled her. Grabbing a magazine, she flicked through it, but all of her attention was still on the dressing room area.
Slowly, he unbuttoned the fly on his jeans and shucked them off, revealing tight black jockey shorts beneath. She swallowed, suddenly hot and restless. His thighs were solid, leanly muscled, hard and defined. She managed to stare down at the glossy magazine in her hands for what might have been two seconds or two minutes—she had no way of knowing—when she heard his voice.
“Any preference which I try first?”
He was standing close by, a suit in each hand.
He’d come all the way out to flaunt himself in front of her. She knew that, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at the suits because he was fully naked, bar those tight jockey shorts. Her gaze had locked on, even while she told herself to look away.
There was a six pack.
She blinked and stared some more, unable to do otherwise.
The effect it had on her was quite devastating, as if something inside her responded acutely and innately to the sudden and very real presence of pure masculinity. All her sensory awareness plummeted into her groin, where it simmered expectantly. She’d never seen a six-pack before. Not in the flesh, as it were. What would it be like to touch it? she wondered. To stroke her hand over the hard wall of his chest and then meander down to stroke those oh-so-delicious abs? As the question teased her conscious mind, her gaze followed the line down until it met the bulge in his jockeys and she blinked.
“Madam?”
“The blue one,” she blurted.
“They’re both blue.”
Silently berating herself, she told herself it didn’t really matter which he tried on first, and he knew that. Nodding her head in one direction, she tried to look at that suit. It was a lovely shade of blue. “I meant the darker blue one.”
He nodded and turned away.
She got an eyeful of the rear view.
His broad back looked sculpted, it was that honed.
The sight of his muscular buttocks in the clingy underwear made her whole body flash hot. Get a grip, she told herself, and stared out the window at the street outside, while she counted to ten. This was business.
When he returned, any sense of cool she’d gathered was shot down in a glance. He looked as if he’d stepped off the cover of a magazine—classy, handsome and smart. There was a sweet, questioning look in his eyes as he approached and it made her swoon. He wasn’t sure it looked right. Bless him.
Quickly, she smiled and nodded.
The truth of the matter was he was smart and well groomed anyway, but seeing him in an expensive suit set it all off, at least it did for her. Right then he could have walked in to any business organization anywhere in the world and been welcomed and accepted. She had to swallow hard while she tried to think of a more appropriate reaction than staring and drooling. “Great. Let me see you in the other one, the black one.”
Draco frowned.
Carmichael nodded. “Madam is right, the black will suit Sir even better than this one.”
Draco went back into the changing area. This time he omitted to close the curtain behind him. Whether by accident or on purpose Lara didn’t know. Or care, for that matter. Mesmerised by the sight of him shucking off the jacket and undressing, her skin needled with arousal, her breath catching in her lungs. His body was so alive and fit something very deep inside her fluttered vibrantly. Just then he turned to face her. His insinuating smile barely touched her conscious mind. He knew she watched, and still she couldn’t look away.
She reminded herself to keep a clear head. This was possibly the most important project she would ever undertake in her life and if she messed up, her relationship with her father would falter also. It was a sobering thought.
She’d addressed the possibility many times. If her father found out what she was doing and threw her out of the last, so be it. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to be part of his business empire anyway. It felt like being thrown crumbs from the table after so many years of being let in on the occasional visit. Meanwhile her brothers got treated to every possible foot up the ladder you could imagine.
Attention magnetized back to Draco, she caught him just in time as he threw aside the blue silk tie and went for the fly. He dropped the pants to his knees and went to step out of them. The assistant walked across her view, obscuring it for a moment, and she found herself leaning to one side trying to catch another glimpse. By the time the assistant moved, Draco was pulling on the second pair of trousers. She found herself witnessing him doing them up on the waist.
Moments later he walked toward her again, putting on the jacket as he closed the space.
“Gorgeous,” she murmured.
“I didn’t realize I’d have to look ‘gorgeous’ for the task.”
“You don’t. I consider it an added bonus.” Staring at him as calmly as she could she brazened it out.
His mouth twitched into a smile, the look in his eyes brooding.
What happened to staying level headed? Within minutes the sight of him half undressed led to mutual flirting. Could she even be trusted to watch him undress a third time? Probably not. “No alterations needed, do you agree, Carmichael?”
“Absolutely, Madam.”
Once they were done and he was back in his own clothing, Lara rose to her feet and crossed to the glass cabinet where the cash register was located. Harry had warned her the fancy register was for appearance’s sake only, which was just as well because she wouldn’t have known where to start with it. It was a brass contraption and looked as if it was a hundred years old. Tucked discreetly behind it she noticed a credit card scanner.
“You sure about all this expense?” Draco was by her side but was looking at the suits hanging over his arm, searching inside for price labels.
“You have to look right, and that means the right sort of office armor.”
“Armor?” Instantly he stopped searching for labels and looked at her with disbelief. “You serious?”
“I like to think of it that way. Makes it seem a bit more interesting.” She gave him a quick smile and handed over her card to Carmichael when he stepped behind the desk.
He set the card in a small brass dish and then relieved Draco of the garments he was carrying. Laying them out on the glass cabinet, he set about the mammoth task of folding them and placing each item in tissue paper and boxes, before he rang up the tickets he retrieved from somewhere deep in the pockets.
“Office armor,” Draco repeated, with a laugh. “I’ve never heard it called that before.”
She was about to ask if he’d ever worn a suit before, then thought twice about it. Right now the atmosphere between them was relaxing and she was actually looking forward to the rest of the day, when she would introduce him to their living quarters, and take that first leap into software at Compton Finance.
“This situation seems to be getting out of hand,” Draco said when their purchases were all neatly boxed and stacked.
He was right, there was far too much for them to carry. “Thank you, Carmichael. Once you’re done, could I trouble you to call us a taxi?”
When the cab arrived, Carmichael insisted on loading the packages himself.
“I enjoyed this even more than I thought I would,” Draco commented, looking deep into her eyes once they’d climbed into the car.
She clicked on her seatbelt. “Good. The business look suits you.”
“I meant being with you.”
Blatant, and he seemed closer still, without having moved.
She could smell his cologne, see the confidently-seductive look in his eyes.
The taxi driver’s door shut, the car pulled away, and still Draco held her gaze.
Her pulse raced, her desire soaring.
How was she going to stop herself melting into a puddle every time they were alone? Ironically, she realized it might have been easier if he had been an obnoxious teen in a hoodie. But he wasn’t, and every atom of her body kept reminding her of that fact.