Chapter 3: Crossing Over

 

Ultimately, Alice managed to hold out for another week. In that time, she was so busy working on her new spring line and making preparations for Christmas that she didn’t have much free time in which to obsess over Russell and the blue eyes she saw whenever she closed her own. However, after a series of twelve-hour days and a good night’s sleep, the young woman found herself fingering the laminated business card he gave her as she considered how she was going to accept his offer. Should she do it flirtatiously assuming he would use the job as an excuse to get to know her? Or should she be more concerned with the business aspect of things and be curt and unforgiving?

She decided unquestionably on the latter before dialing the number before she lost her nerve. Alice couldn’t remember the last time a phone call made her palms sweat and her heart race. She was almost thirty! She hardly needed to be panting like some sort of untried schoolgirl!

Part of her hoped that Russell would be too busy to answer and she could leave a message. Then he would be forced to call on her terms.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t with her that afternoon.

“This is Darwell.” Even the sound of his voice, low and smooth as velvet, was enough to make her stomach twist in anticipation. Alice remembered the way he’d kissed her at the party in New York – how his mouth had just brushed the corner of hers – and for a moment, she forgot that she was supposed to be talking to him. “Hello?” When he spoke again, she forced herself back to the present, clearing her throat obtrusively.

“Hello, Russell. This is Alice. Alice Tate.”

“Alice?” Whatever she had expected, it wasn’t the unadulterated delight in the man’s tone at her introduction. “Lovely to hear from you. How are you?”

“I’m lovely, thanks.” She replied, unable to keep from smiling. “Just finished a hard week working on my new spring collection. I’m sure you’re being run ragged with all the blockbuster films shooting just now.”

“Indeed I am.” He chuckled softly. “I can’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep. Thankfully, I’m stocked up on good coffee.”

“Traitor,” Alice shot back playfully. “You’ve disavowed your British roots.”

“Only when I’m being overworked.” He defended himself with good humor, and Alice’s smile only widened. “I’m still very partial to tea time when I’m awake.”

“Good to know.” Alice reached for her planner, trying vainly to remind herself that she hadn’t called Russell to engage in small talk. She called him to take a job that might further her career – to ask for the details of the position he suggested.

Even as she hoped that, somehow, he’d be involved on a personal level. “Russell, I’m actually calling to talk to you about that job you suggested. I have some time in my schedule for the next few weeks and I think it might be a good opportunity to meet with your contact.”

“Wonderful.” The warmth in the man’s tone made her shiver in excitement. Bloody hell, he was thousands of kilometers away and he still had enough appeal to make her lower extremities tingle in awareness. “I’m glad to hear it. If you’ll just give me your e-mail, I’ll send you all the details so you’ll have them for your records. How soon would you be available to come see me?”

Alice arched a brow at his inquiry. To come see him? That barely sounded like a business arrangement. Quite the contrary, in fact. It sounded like he was inviting her to his personal flat.

It wasn’t so bad to imagine that was the case. That she might head downtown to the high street and find some lacy, elaborate lingerie to wear under a trench coat to meet him on his front doorstep.

“I need about two weeks to wrap up my business here. Then I’d be glad to hop on a plane.”

That was as blasé as she could make herself sound when Alice was all but mentally undressing the man.

“Brilliant. I’ll set the meeting with Lemmy, then.”

“Lemmy?” Alice inquired, reaching for the tea Tom brought her to steady her nerves.

Russell merely chuckled at her curiosity. “Don’t judge him by his name. He’s a brilliant director and I’m sure he’ll love you.”

That, Alice decided, would be all well and good. She didn’t like to have problems with the people she worked with. She found herself more concerned, however, about how Russell felt about this entire arrangement.

“I look forward to it.”

She supposed she would find out soon enough.

 

**

 

Despite the fact that he didn’t want to live there, Russell had nothing against Los Angeles. It was a gorgeous city, brimming with talent and amazing places to go and see. Once, he had contemplated pursuing an acting career himself if he didn’t make it as an agent, but the drama surrounding movie stars had never really appealed to him.

Thankfully, things never had to go that far.

Russell didn’t see LA through the eyes of film stars or the particularly rich and famous. He wasn’t a man prone to extravagant shopping sprees or flights of fancy – those things had been reserved for his younger years. When he was in LA, he liked to visit the lesser-traveled neighborhoods, enjoy ethnic foods and volunteer his time to places in need.

That was, of course, when he wasn’t absolutely swamped with work.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t have time for leisure activities anytime soon. He’d come to oversee Regina’s newest project.

And to meet Alice.

The thought gave him a hungry thrill that made every muscle in his body tighten in anticipation. Russell couldn’t believe his luck when Alice called him to tell him she’d take the job. He was certain his running out on her in London would ensure she wanted nothing to do with him. At Regina’s party, he consoled himself, she was merely being cordial.

Now, he allowed himself to think that it might be something more.

That, of course, was quite presumptuous of him. Designing costumes for a film was no small feat for even someone on Alice’s level. If she jumped at the opportunity, it could have nothing to do with him at all. After all, this opportunity could lead to a slew of similar ones for her – she could become the it woman for Hollywood and that, Russell maintained, was why she had agreed to come.

It had nothing to do with wanting to see him.

But he wanted to see her. For the past few weeks, he’d tried to convince himself otherwise, attesting that he would be far too busy to see much of her even if she did accept the job. But once she did, it was like something had unlocked in his psyche.

He wasn’t even trying to convince himself that he wasn’t interested in her anymore.

It was evident from the fact that he woke every morning painfully hard with visions of her raven hair and bright blue eyes that he wanted her. Obvious in the fact that he’d been jealous at the party that he found her worth butting into conversations over.

And now she would be in the same city as him for the foreseeable future.

Russell was already planning how he would handle the situation. He was always calm, collected and thorough in any decisions he made for work. How hard could it be to extend that resolve to every scenario that involved Alice Tate? If he wanted to take her out, he would. He would indulge himself in witty conversation and even flirtatious banter – but nothing beyond that.

Anything beyond that was…well…beyond him. If he allowed himself to get involved with a woman who so obviously floored him…well…

His guilt might very well be his undoing.

But Russell tried not to linger on such unpleasant hypotheses. His meeting with Alice and Lemmy was that afternoon, and it wouldn’t do to seem anything less than one hundred percent enthusiastic.

After all, this was his doing. He had brought her here.

Alice’s plane would arrive in a matter of hours. By then, he would have to be firm in his resolve. If he wasn’t, he’d end up doing something ridiculous.

Like having his way with her in the center of the dinner table.

 

That particular thought lingered at the back of his mind for the rest of the day. Even as he visited Regina’s studio and made sure all of her demands had been met for the film, he couldn’t keep himself from imagining what Alice might look like spread over the expanse of his bed, clad in nothing but her hair, rampant desire in her eyes.

He had to take a moment to himself to adjust in the men’s room, splashing cold water on his face.  As he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, he wondered what Alice saw when she laid eyes on him. He liked to think that he was attractive –amicable despite the hectic life that he led. He was well-read and intelligent by simple virtue of his own curiosity.

Yet he hadn’t been smart enough to take Alice up on her offer the first time she’d propositioned to him.

How different, he wondered, would things be now if he had given into her? Taken her out to dinner and afterward….

Goddamn it.

This woman was going to be the death of him and he hadn’t even touched her yet.

For their meeting, he had chosen a fairly high-profile sushi restaurant in downtown LA, and he was the first to arrive. Lemmy, he knew, was notorious for being late and he wouldn’t expect him until at least half an hour past the designated time.

But Alice…. Alice arrived at six p.m. on the dot.

At the sight of her, Russell all but choked on the wine he was enjoying. Jesus Christ, that dress. There wasn’t anything overtly indecent about the shift she wore, but the pure white garment hugged her every curve. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face – piled high atop her head to reveal her elegant bone structure and seductive coloring.

Russell didn’t think he’d ever been so drawn to a woman’s neck as he was at that moment. Alice’s was bare, and instead of a necklace, she wore a pair of long dangling earrings that instead framed the long, tan column of her throat.

It was enough to make him salivate. He wanted nothing more than to draw her to him and kiss her from chin to collarbone – to find exactly what spots drove her insane with want. When she caught sight of him, her full mouth curved up into a devastating smile and Russell wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

“For a moment I thought I’d gotten the wrong restaurant.” He immediately stood to take her hand warmly, bending down to kiss her cheek.

“I would have come to find you – you can be sure of that.”

“Sweet of you, Russell.” She took the seat he pulled out for her. “But I’m sure someone would have given me directions.”

He was sure they would have to, especially looking the way she did. Forget directions, he was sure any sane man would have tried to spirit her away.

“How was your trip? You’re not tired at all?”

“I’m exhausted.” She emphasized, immediately signaling to the waitress to bring her a drink menu. “I apologize if I fall asleep over my Toro. I didn’t get a wink of sleep on the plane.”

Russell wondered if that had anything to do with his not getting any sleep the few days before she came. The moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was her face.

“Well, hopefully Lemmy will let you take a little time to relax and see the sights before he puts you to work.” Russell reassured her, telling himself that during that time, he would have to do his best to spend every moment he could with her.

Clandestinely of course.

“Where is the famous Lemmy?” Alice accepted her chilled sake eagerly. “He hasn’t arrived yet?”

“He makes a habit of being fashionably late, I’m afraid. For the time being, you’re stuck with me for a company.”

Alice’s breathtaking blue eyes gleamed mischievously. “Oh no. Whatever shall I do?”

If Russell didn’t know any better, he’d think she was flirting with him; but then again, every man in the cosmos probably hoped desperately that Alice Tate was flirting with him.

“Make do, hopefully.” With that, Russell decided to bite the bullet. If he intended to spend any real time with her, he was going to have to apologize for being such a cad before. It had been self-preservation, but in hindsight, he might have been a bit of a prick. “Alice, I’m afraid I owe you a bit of an apology.”

“Oh?” She arched an elegant brow. “What for?”

Russell’s stomach tightened as he forged on. “The first night we met…I…I was a bit of a lump when I told you I’d be unable to see you.” Alice’s expression remained carefully neutral as he continued. “I should have been a bit more tactful.”

The corner of her mouth turned up in amusement. “Are you telling me, Mr. Darwell, that you lied?” She knew very well how hard it was to admit this and she was drawing enjoyment from it.

He supposed he deserved at least a little of that. “Not about having a previous engagement, no.” He was ginger with that one. “I merely realized that I might have given you the wrong impression.”

“And what impression is that?” She inquired, a fetchingly coy note entering her voice.

Russell smiled. “That I find you anything less than supremely engaging.”

A soft laugh escaped her and the young woman tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze never leaving his. Russell knew he hadn’t been imagining things – there was intrigue there. Interest…and even an enticing gleam of desire.  “Supremely, is it?” That smile of hers was a very dangerous thing. “I don’t know how I feel about you singing my praises, Russell. You might intimidate me.”

Taking a chance, Russell reached over to take her hand in his. He considered himself lucky when she didn’t pull away. “I assure you, Alice, that was not my intention.”

Her palm was warm and soft against his, and she hesitated only a moment before her thumb brushed intimately against his skin.

Almost as if she had been waiting for this moment.

But that, Russell told himself, was unlikely. He had already embarrassed himself once. He’d have to make sure not to do it again.

“Sorry I’m late, guys. You don’t know how much I appreciate your waiting.” At that exact moment, Lemmy decided to make an appearance. A slightly overweight man of Irish decent with blue eyes and an imposing red beard, he slid unceremoniously into the seat next to Russell with a grin.

Almost immediately, he released Alice’s hand and the young woman drew back with a secretive, promising smile.

Of course, Lemmy would choose today, of all days, to be the one time he arrived at a decent hour. Russell had been counting on a good half an hour with Alice to himself, but those plans had been foiled. “You must be Alice.” Of course, he noticed her almost immediately. Any man with eyes was immediately drawn to Alice and Lemmy, despite being very firmly married, was no different. “Russell’s told me loads about you. I’ve looked over your lines from the year of inception onward and I’m very impressed.”

“And you must be Lemmy.” Alice turned her attention to him, extending her hand for him to shake. For a split second, Russell was jealous of the director and the warmth Alice directed towards him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.  I can’t wait to hear about the details of your movie.”

“You’ll keep them a secret, I hope.” The Irishman teased her, making her laugh softly.

She was absolutely radiant when she laughed.

It was in the instant that Russell felt a pang of guilt in the back of his mind. He was totally, completely absorbed in Alice’s presence – like he had been with no woman before her.

And he wasn’t quite certain he was justified in his attraction.

“Has Russell given you any details at all?” Lemmy inquired, ordering a hot sake from a nearby waitress. Alice’s gaze darted to Russell’s for a moment before she answered.

“None at all. Your secret is assuredly safe with him.”

“That’s my boy, Russell!” Lemmy smacked him companionably on the back and Russell winced. “I knew I could confide in you.”

The truth was, Lemmy simply hadn’t given them time to get into a decent conversation. Given the chance, Russell would have almost certainly revealed certain details, if for nothing else but to entice Alice into actually taking the job. After all, nothing was quite set in stone.

“Of course.” He grinned, winking secretively at Alice. “I figured I’d leave you all the glory, Lem.”

It was obvious how excited he was about this particular film. Lemmy estimated that once it was released, it could be one of the biggest summer action blockbusters of all time.

No small feat.

“Well let’s order some food and I’ll give you all the details, Miss Tate. I’m starving.”

That was Lemmy – always thinking of his stomach first.

In short order, they had asked for an array of sushi, sashimi, and appetizers – which meant that it was time to get into the meat of the matter.

Though Russell had heard the pitch before, he listened while Lemmy outlined his masterpiece for Alice step by step.

The film would be an action period piece – espionage set in the late nineteenth century. They would be shooting in both England and the United States, and would require an array of period costumes, modified to have a modern flair. Lemmy was going for an almost steampunk vibe, and he wanted to be able to personally approve all the costumes before they found their way onto the actors.

And he wanted to start shooting in two weeks.

To be honest, Russell hadn’t known the deadline was so soon. In order to acquiesce with the director’s demands, Alice would all but have to accept his offer on the spot and start work immediately.

Over surf clam and fatty tuna, he and Alice tossed ideas back and forth, and Russell found himself admiring how astute Alice was. She revealed that a number of her lines had been inspired by different periods, so it was no trial at all for her to come up with ideas before Lemmy could. She even did several rough sketches on napkins that the man couldn’t stop enthusing over.

By the end of the meal, Russell could tell how much Lemmy wanted her for the position. The director had been in charge of a number of very successful movies, and he was too proud to beg – but he was right on the cusp. He was all but salivating over the sketches Alice had done for him, hoarding them in his bag. Rather than plead for Alice to work on his film, however, the director merely paid for their five-hundred-dollar meal without blinking. He had peppered the young woman with compliments all evening and now, Russell guessed, he was merely waiting for her to bite.

Alice however, merely enjoyed her dessert and wine leisurely. She was, Russell gathered, the type of woman who only agreed to something if asked – and asked nicely at that.

Which put them at an impasse.

“Well, Lemmy it sounds to me like Alice would be the perfect candidate to costume your film.” He had been placed into the reluctant role of facilitator. But Russell didn’t mind if that meant that he got to ensure that Alice stayed put for the next few weeks.

“It does indeed,” The director provided, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. “I only wonder what the workload might be like for her.”

Alice gazed from one man to the other, taking another bite of her chocolate mousse before she answered casually. “If you want me that badly, Lemmy, all you have to do is ask. I can assure you, I’ll have all your designs finished for preliminary approval within a week.”

A single week? The very prospect was enough to blow Russell’s mind. They were talking about over seventy distinct costume designs, along with materials and mock-ups. Alice was saying that she could finish all that in a mere seven days?

He couldn’t help but be a little skeptical.

Lemmy, however, took the hint clearly. With a pleading glance at Russell, he reluctantly cleared his throat. “Well, if you’d definitely like to be on board, Alice, I don’t see any reason we can’t get contracts drawn up and make it official. I’ll need you for the entire length of the shooting, you can imagine, and you’ll be free to choose your own subordinates.”

“What pay grade are we discussing here, Lemmy?” She was all business – curt, but perfectly polite. It was obvious how Alice did so well in the fashion business. She wasn’t afraid to take risks.

Lemmy’s eyes slid to Russell, who only smiled in amusement, shrugging. He and Alice hadn’t discussed compensation, but considering she was an established designer in her own right, he couldn’t imagine Alice’s services would come cheap.

But she would be worth every penny.

“I’d be willing to go as high as eight hundred thousand, contingent, of course, on how well the movie does at the box office.”

Alice’s responding smile was slow and catlike. “Actually, if you’re open to the arrangement, I’d prefer a percentage.”

Lemmy winced as Russell hid his smile. It was obvious that Alice had done her research before negotiating. She knew how big this movie might be – and that she stood to make much more asking for even a small percentage than accepting a singular payout. She was a shrewd businesswoman.

“How big of a percentage?”

Alice chuckled softly. “Nothing huge. One and a half percent should be just fine.”

At that, Lemmy arched a brow in surprise. Russell could tell Alice was asking for far less than he guessed she would. Which meant she thought the film might be one of the highest grossing of all time. If a film pulled in three hundred million dollars, she’d still be making a cool three million.

If the film did well.

Lemmy hesitated for only a moment before extending his hand. “I do believe you have yourself a deal, Miss Tate.” Alice beamed, taking his hand immediately to shake in agreement.

“Wonderful.”

“If you’ll just provide me with your current address, I’ll have the papers drawn up and sent to you tomorrow.”

“I was actually considering buying an apartment nearby,” Alice revealed, before frowning slightly. “Though I haven’t the slightest idea where to start when it comes to LA real estate.”

“I can help with that.” Russell piped up before he had really thought his answer through.

Alice looked at him with wide eyes. “You can?”

“I…have a few properties I could show you, if you’re interested.” That much was the truth. He’d bought a whole block of apartments a few years ago as rental investments – but almost all of them were full. He had no idea what the standards a woman like Alice Tate had.

But he could at least show her what he had to offer.

Russell wouldn’t protest to being her landlord – even if that hadn’t been his original aim.

“I might like to take a look.” Alice replied coyly, making Lemmy chuckle.

“She’s sharp, this one,” the director smiled. “Nothing for free.”

Russell admired that. The fashion industry was a difficult one to get a foothold in, but it was obvious that Alice had both the tenacity and the willfulness to succeed.

But then, he had already known that.

“I assure you Lemmy, my work is well worth the value.”

“That, I don’t doubt.” Lemmy chuckled, winking at her a moment before he slid out of the booth. “Just let me know when you get settled in and we’ll get started. Russell will get a message to me.”

“Can do.” Alice grinned beautifully.

“In that case, boys and girls, I bid you goodnight.” Lemmy bowed teasingly before turning to make his way from the restaurant.

“I’ll walk you out.” Russell was surprised by how quickly Alice leaped from her seat to accompany him. “Be right back, Russell.” And with that, she was gone, gracefully taking Lemmy’s arm to walk him towards the front of the restaurant.

All he could do was wait for her return and wonder how she was further charming her future coworker.

As he watched them leave, Russell contemplated what he’d read about the prominent fashion designer and Tate heiress. Alice was practically a household name by virtue of her design talent. In Britain, she was also known by her surname. Only a year past, the Tates had undergone a measure of scandal when they revealed that their oldest son, Michael, was an adopted Russian national. While the Countess and Duke had, no doubt, been affronted that their name had been sullied, Alice was depicted staying by her brother’s side – attesting that it didn’t matter where he came from, that they were still blood.

She was an interesting figure of both intrigue and controversy. While standing up for her brother, she was infamous for a string of affairs that stretched back years. She never saw one man for more than a couple of months and had been cited saying that she preferred to stay away from emotional entanglements.

She was perfect.

He himself couldn’t afford any complications either. He was at a point in his life where he was perfectly in control – where the pain of the past had been all but erased.

He couldn’t go back. Not even for Alice Tate – never mind how intensely he was drawn to her.

The dark-haired woman returned in short order, yawning as she bent over the table to grab her purse. “Pardon my rudeness, Russell, but I’m absolutely exhausted. I’m fit to drop if I don’t get some sleep soon.”

As gorgeous as she looked, Russell could sense the truth of her words. She had to be incredibly jetlagged if she’d just flown in from England – and part of him wished he could accompany her to bed just to make sure she was well-rested.

But somehow, he refrained.

Rising from his seat, Russell took her arm gently. “Of course. I’ll catch you a cab.” As he walked her out, he contemplated only a moment before attempting to seal the deal he suggested earlier. “If you like, I can meet you at your hotel tomorrow and take you to a few of my properties.”

“If you’re trying to impress me, Russell, it’s working.” Alice smiled sweetly up at him. Once they reached the curb in front of the restaurant, she went about trying to hail a cab.

“Not impress. Just offering assistance.”

“Of course.” Reaching up, Alice cupped his cheek almost fondly. “Save me calling a realtor, I imagine.”

She was going to make him speak plainly. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. “And afterward, I’d like to take you for dinner – if you’ll have me, that is.”

The way her eyes lit was unmistakable. “Are you asking me on a date, Russell Darwell?”

That was exactly what he was doing, despite his better judgment. “I never meant to insult you in London. Consider this my making amends.”

Alice appeared to consider him for a moment before she smiled warmly. “Ten a.m., at the Garden Pavilion Hotel?”

Russel’s chest filled with elation. “I won’t be late.”

Alice laughed softly as a taxi pulled up beside them. “You’d better not be.” She turned to go a moment before reconsidering.

When she turned back to him, Russell expected anything but what she actually did. Reaching up, she cupped his jaw, rising onto her toes to press her mouth to his.

Russell’s entire world stopped.

She tasted like sake, sweet and mellow, and barely an instant passed before his arms wound around her waist. She might have intended for the gesture to be short and chaste, but the moment her mouth touched his, Russell couldn’t let her go. A soft moan escaped her as he pulled her flush against him. Even if she had initiated the kiss, he was the one who deepened it. He was the one who nibbled hungrily at her lower lip before their tongues tangled leisurely.

With her body sliding against him, he was instantly, painfully hard. So much so that he briefly contemplated taking the taxi with her back to her hotel room. He tugged at her lower lip with his teeth, reveling at the shudder that passed through her.

Though he might have contentedly kept her on that curb all evening, eventually, Russell had to let her go.

He released her only reluctantly, his hand whispering almost possessively across the small of her back. When he drew back, her dazed expression made him swallow thickly – and it took everything he had not to kiss her again.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Alice.”

Nodding slowly, she took a step back from him, reaching blindly for the handle of the taxi. When her hand slipped, he opened the door for her, brushing past her curvaceous form as he admitted her inside. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Russell.”

The taxi was gone inside a minute, but Alice’s taste still lingered on his lips. He touched his mouth briefly before a low curse escaped him.

He was going to have to take care of his little problem. If he didn’t, there was no way he’d be able to face her tomorrow.

 

**

 

When Alice awoke, she was damp between her legs, her head spinning with the intensity of the dreams she had.

Dammit.

She had intended to keep control when she was the one who kissed Russell. Instead, he ended up completely overwhelming her. Alice couldn’t remember ever being so devastated by a single kiss. The man’s mouth must hold some sort of modern age sorcery.

“Are you alright, Miss Tate?”

Alice bolted upright in bed guiltily to find Tom standing dutifully at her bedside. She couldn’t very well do without him for months and months, if that was what this job required. America hadn’t a single proper English butler.

“Fine, Tom. Just a bad dream.” She pushed mussed tendrils of dark hair from her face with a yawn. “What time is it?”

“Nine, miss.” Tom inclined his head deferentially. “Shall I run your bath?”

“Please. And make some tea. For yourself as well.” Alice tossed off the coverlet, hurrying to the bathroom before she could embarrass herself. She didn’t leave the toilet until Tom had begun to run her bathwater. After he went to make the tea, she settled herself on the side of the bathtub, doing her best to clear her head.

This was what she got chasing a man halfway around the world. Her first night in LA and she dreamed so vividly she probably needed to change her sheets.

Sighing, the young woman ran her fingertips through the bathwater, testing the temperature. It was perfect, as always.

She had about an hour to get ready before Russell arrived – and in that time, she needed to get her thoughts together. What did she want from him? And just how far was she willing to take things?

Had she come to Cali for another extended tryst…or had Michael finally gotten into her head the way he’d always intended.

Frowning, Alice stood to stalk to the mirror, taking in her reflection. She wouldn’t give her brother the satisfaction. Her plans were what they always were – it made no difference how much she liked Russell.

She wasn’t ready for a commitment.

As she considered her reflection, she remembered the information Lemmy had given her last night. Despite being a born and bred lady, Alice hadn’t offered to see the man out from politeness.

She’d been gathering intel.

Alice asked everyone she knew what Russell was like. It was her way of getting to know the man she’d chosen to pursue.

Unfortunately, nothing that anyone told her was terribly encouraging.

As she helped Lemmy to his taxi, she’d asked the affable director how it was to work with Russell, citing that she’d never done so before.

And Lemmy hadn’t hesitated to spill the beans.

Russell, he revealed to her, had changed dramatically over the years. When he first broke into the business, he’d always worn his heart on his sleeve. He never hesitated to let anyone, client or coworker, know how he felt – for the sake of honesty. He’d been an earnest, enthusiastic man who always, Lemmy stressed, always got hurt. There had been more than a few instances in which he fell for his clients, the stars he worked with on sets, or even a fellow agent, and Russell being the softie he was, it had always blown up in his face.

So much so that one day, he stopped letting people in.

And that was when he started seeing real success. Ultimately, Russell got ahead when he stopped trusting people and sealed his heart behind an impenetrable wall. These days, he completely trusted no one and nothing.

Which was why, despite the good-guy aura that emanated from him, he always seemed a little distant.

Off.

It made sense, really.

Alice frowned as she thought about what woman could have been devious enough to hurt an open-hearted Russell. She could all but imagine him bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, twelve years younger with a fresh outlook on the world.

Not that he was anything but politeness and smiles these days. But, thanks to Lemmy, Alice now saw what had been bothering her abut Russell’s smile.

It wasn’t genuine.

He smiled because people expected him to smile. Not because he was truly happy. Funnily enough, this realization filled Alice with a distinct desire to garner a real smile from the man.

To see him really enjoy his time with her. If she wasn’t going to commit, she could at least give him that, couldn’t she?

She took her bath leisurely, shaving her legs and washing her hair before picking a more casual outfit – something suitable for strolling around LA. Jeans and heels would do, and she tossed a pair of Chanel flats into her bag in case she needed them.

She barely got a moment to sit down and have tea with Tom before her phone was ringing.

Alice hadn’t gotten such immediate butterflies over a boy since she was sixteen-years-old. Russell barely told her he was in the lobby before she was hurrying from the room, her heart in her throat.

It was silly, really.

Silly and exhilarating.

Every time she saw him, Russell looked better. She didn’t know how he did it. Somehow, he managed to look both elegant and casual in his khaki’s and loafers, his hair still damp from the shower. At the sight of him, she remembered the way he’d completely usurped their kiss the previous night and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Perhaps today she’d kiss him again.

“I don’t know if I can take you out like that, Miss Tate.” When she drew up short about two feet from him, Russell reached out to take her hand, leading her into a little three sixty. His suddenly flirtatious nature lifted her spirits even further.

Today was going to be a good day. “I dare say I’ll be beating men off.”

“Maybe I should wear jeans more often.” Alice teased, beaming up at him. How was it that this man could make her feel so giddy? He barely knew her, and for all intents and purposes, his heart was under lock and key.

Perhaps it was because that made him safe. Alice didn’t have to worry about him getting attached. Or…maybe it was something else.

She was too excited about seeing apartments to let her mind linger on her hang ups for long. “So, where are we going?”

Russell smiled winningly. “Calabasas Hills. I own a property there with a few empty units. I figure we look at those first, then we can branch out.”

“Branch out?” She arched an eyebrow in inquiry and Russell chuckled. “Meaning look at properties I don’t own.”

“If I didn’t know any better, Russell,” Alice gazed up at him knowingly. “I might think you’re trying to entrap me.”

“I would never.” Taking her hand, he winked at her cheekily before leading her from the ornate lobby of the hotel and into the California sunshine.

As lovely as it was to think she might soon have a California apartment to call her own, Alice was just glad of an excuse to finally spend some time alone with the man. The drive to Calabasas took about twenty minutes from downtown, and as they traveled through the suburbs of the city, Russell pointed out the different neighborhoods to her.

LA really was a melting pot. In reality, there were just as many slums as there were upper-class neighborhoods, all jumbled together in a clash of cultures that was both refreshing and mind-boggling.

Calabasas itself was up in the hills of LA – an isolated community marked with villas and luxury apartments. At the very end of a long street lined with maple and elm trees was the building Russell owned.

Alice supposed she shouldn’t be surprised that it was anything less than picturesque. A sprawling three-story palace with seven apartments, each individual unit over one thousand square feet. While she was enchanted with the elegantly manicured gardens outside, inside, the gorgeous décor took her breath away.

The floors were marble, and Grecian columns marked the rooms. High, vaulted ceilings and wide windows offered lovely views of the valley below and the city within it.

Alice knew better than to run blindly into a real estate deal where she’d be buying from Russell, but she was absolutely enchanted with the place. So much so that she almost felt the need to try and hide it.

“So, what do you think?” With his hands in his pockets, Russell stood in the middle of the apartment, all serene smiles. This place suited him, really. It was a reflection of the man who owned it.

Perhaps that was why Alice was so drawn to it.

“It’s lovely.” She answered truthfully, running a hand over the hearth of a handsome fireplace in the living room. “The question is: how much would it run me?”

Russell chuckled. Obviously, he’d been anticipating her question. “Well, are you renting or buying?”

“I suppose I could be persuaded to rent, if the price was right.” Alice had really intended on buying, but if Russell was going to be her landlord, well, she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see more of him.

“Well, usually I would rent something like this for about seven thousand a month.” Alice made a great show of being affronted at his asking price, though she knew from her own research that seven thousand was the median price range in a higher-class neighborhood.

“Russell, surely you can make allowances for a close friend.”

The man arched a brow, his blue eyes gleaming in mirth. “Well, perhaps I could think about five-five…but I’d need a day to consider.”

The dog. He had always planned on offering her five-five.

But playing his game was half the fun.

“Well then, I wouldn’t want to rob you of your contemplation period. Perhaps I could look at some other properties?”

“By all means.”

Alice couldn’t remember the last time she’d flirted with a man so flagrantly. She was used to tempting men into her bed. When she met a man she found attractive, she usually knew how the night was going to end.

But with Russell, she knew next to nothing.

And it was terribly exciting.

Though she knew she was going to end up renting from him, Alice took the entire afternoon with her host. They got in contact with two other realtors and saw a number of properties that literally took her breath away. Of course, they all had astronomical price tags -  such was the price of being ostentatiously rich and famous. While none of them were exactly to her liking – far too grandiose and opulent – she certainly enjoyed seeing Russell’s reactions to them.

Not to mention the way both female realtors tried to flirt with him unabashedly. While, under normal circumstances, she might have been upset that women were making eyes with her date, it was obvious that Russell was about as far from interested as it as possible to be. He barely glanced at them, despite the way they pressed their filler-enhanced breasts up at him and batted their extended eyelashes.

It was funny really – and it gave Alice a little swell of pride knowing that Russell preferred her unquestionably to manufactured bimbos of that particular caliber.

In fact, the whole day went by like a dream.

Apart from having to watch the realtors all but undress Russell with their eyes, Alice enjoyed herself immensely. Russell showed her around the city without the slightest complaint, pointing out the best shopping and restaurants. But in addition to showing her the Hollywood highlights, he didn’t hesitate to take her into ethnic neighborhoods with amazing restaurants and colorful street markets.

While Alice was used to men taking her out to some of the most exclusive places in a city to flaunt their wealth, Russell’s approach was decidedly different. It was obvious that the man was affluent – she knew that he had money. And he knew that she had money. That wasn’t what this was about.

It was just about having a good time. Alice found that, for the first time in a long time, she didn’t care about what pumps the women around her were wearing, and she forgot how amazing her Hermes handbag felt on her arm. None of that mattered. What did matter was the barbecued chicken shish kabob they got in China town. The numerous little gift shops that were just as tacky as they were interesting, and the lovely blooming orchid she bought from a tiny florist in little Havana.

She reveled in the sea breeze at the pier and had the most delicious lemonade of her life – and she didn’t even care when she spilled it on her Versace blouse.

But the best part of the whole day, perhaps, was that she got to learn more about Russell. Or, at least, as much as he would allow her to learn. He told her that he was one of several siblings – that his mother had remarried and that he liked to return to England as often as he could to see his family.

As he wasn’t working that day, Russell didn’t want to talk about work, and instead redirected her attention to the various fall events that went on in LA. There were beer festivals, concerts, art exhibits and fairs that went on seemingly year-round – and with a little bit of wheedling, Alice managed to get Russell to offer to take her to some of them if they ever had any free time.

Of course, she would make sure she had free time. Russell was an enigma – and she’d have to deal with him on a case by case basis.

All in all, if they could have just a few more days like today, Alice decided that she would be quite content.

Their evening ended with a quiet dinner in a lovely little restaurant off the beaten trail. When Alice said she wanted Italian, Russell had known immediately where to go.

For someone who attested they could never live in LA, he seemed to know the city quite well.

“I have to know it well,” he explained to her over an exquisite bottle of cabernet. “I’m here a lot for work, and my clients consider LA the center of the universe.”

“Not surprising. The world at large considers LA to be the center of the entertainment universe.” Alice smiled at him, taking another sip of her wine. It was refreshing to be the one given the tour rather than the one giving it, for once.

“I personally prefer Hong Kong. Chinese action movies are very well made.”

At his reply, the young woman chuckled. As fantastic as LA was, she too, as more partial to international cities. Over the course of the day, she found that she and Russell had more in common than she might have imagined. 

They were both professionals who worked more than they vacationed, and both people were tethered to their jobs from love rather than obligation.

“I’m also partial to Hong Kong. I’ve done Chinese fashion week a few times there and it was an absolute joy.”

Russell’s returning smile was slow and indulgent. “I can only imagine how much they loved you. The ‘perfect western beauty’ out to conquer the eastern hemisphere.”

Alice made a face, inwardly glowing with pride. “Asian designers are much more the rage there. I hardly made a handful of sales. I like to keep going for the scenery.”

Russell arched a brow in intrigue a moment before he filled her wine glass once more.  “I must say, Alice, you’ve been impressing me all day.”

“Have I?” She shot back coyly, “I thought that was what you were doing.’

“If I have, I suppose I can’t complain.” His lips quirked. “But I would much rather listen than be the one talking.”

“Well,” Alice rested her chin on her hands primly, looking across the table at him. “What is it that you’re looking to hear, Mr. Darwell?” Since they’d begun dinner, Alice became more and more convinced that their little outing was actually a proper date. While Russell showing her the sites and a number of apartments might be considered a friendly interlude, there was no mistaking the way he looked at her now.

What had changed, and why had it changed so starkly? From everything she’d heard about the man, he wasn’t one to put his heart on the line. He had girlfriends and dated, but he liked to keep his distance.

When it came to her, he was always sending a plethora of mixed signals. First, he turned her down firmly but politely, then it seemed like he was actually seeking her out with the same fervor that she was him. Then, when he offered her the job, she hadn’t known what to think.

But here, now, it was pretty obvious to Alice that he was interested in her. Interested enough to spend a whole day with her without complaint, and curry her favor by offering her a lower price on a rental property. One might almost think he’d set his mind to courting her properly.

But that would make things far too easy.

“I suppose I’d like to hear that you plan on seeing me at least once or twice while you’re in LA.” He said the words to her completely and totally unabashedly – as if he’d been after her approval from the very beginning.

The man confused the bloody hell out of her.

“Only once or twice?” She inquired innocently. “I expect I’ll be here almost a year or more. Is your schedule so busy it only allows you to entertain once or twice?”

Reaching across the table Russell took her hand quite suddenly and firmly in his, drawing it to his lips to brush them lingeringly over the back of it. “Alice, I’d like to see you as much as physically able. I’ve found that I quite enjoy your company.”

Alice watched him, her gaze dropping from his vivid blue eyes to where he held her fingers almost possessively. Where their skin touched, a warmth radiated outward that had her fighting a tremor of arousal.

She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted Russell Darwin. And after weeks of dancing around one another and jumping across the globe, very suddenly, she wanted to know without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted her too.

“When you say physically able, Russell,” Alice brought her other hand to join the first, encasing Russell’s hand with her own as she raised her gaze to his once more. “You mean outings, don’t you? Dates, dinners and the like?”

“Of course.” He replied almost immediately, his voice a low tone that had her thighs clenching in anticipation.

“And what about actual physicality?” She was being exceedingly blunt here, but Alice liked to think they were past the point of being coy. She’d be staying in an apartment that he owned for God’s sake. He’d have carte blanche to come by whenever he wanted.

And she certainly didn’t plan on turning him away. 

For a moment, Russell’s gaze flashed with something dark and hungry – something that took her breath away and made her wonder if she’d completely underestimated him.

Russell Darwell was a distinguished, upstanding gentleman. He didn’t seem the type who would be growling and possessive in bed. He couldn’t be someone who would pin her beneath him and take advantage of her helplessness to do God knew what to her aching, trembling form.

…Could he?

“If that’s what you desire, Miss Tate,” He uttered her title in an ungodly growl that made her toes curl, “I would be more than happy to accommodate you.”

For a moment, Alice couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak.

She could barely breathe.

Since she’d come into her own, the young woman prided herself on her ability to render men speechless. To bat her eyes and make subtle demands to get what she wanted.  That Russell Darwell had somehow managed to do the same to her with a single sentence, well…it was impressive indeed.

Impressive and arousing.

For a long moment, Alice merely stared at his face, illuminated by candlelight. The first time she saw Russell, he took her breath away, and things were no different now. He looked absolutely gorgeous in the low illumination of the restaurant, and if she had her choice, she would gladly bask in that luminescent, desirous gaze of his for the next several decades.

Russell was telling her that if she wanted, he would take her back to her hotel right here, right now, and sate the flagrant ache between her legs. Fulfill the fantasies she had of him for the past several weeks and then some.

It was a golden opportunity.

So why, then, when she was suddenly faced with it, did she immediately want to backtrack?

If she slept with Russell now, Alice had no doubt it would be everything she’d imagined. She could finally get the man out of her system and go back to the way things were.

But, all at once, that wasn’t what she wanted anymore. She enjoyed having his company all day –enjoyed having him show her around the city and enjoyed his conversation. It wasn’t like her to want to spend her down time with a man who wasn’t her brother or one of her designer friends, but there you had it.

Alice found that her prior overwhelming desire to simply cut to the chase had suddenly evaporated.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to sleep with Russell. That wasn’t the case at all. She wanted the man’s hands all over her in every permutation she could possibly attain. But she didn’t want it right in that moment. For once, she wanted the man to wine and dine her – to woo her. She wanted to get to know him so that when they finally did end up in bed together, the experience would be otherworldly.

Which meant that tonight wasn’t an option.

Slipping her hands gently but firmly from Russell’s was one of the hardest things Alice ever had to do, and she could only hope the man didn’t think she was a complete and total twit for backing out of something she’d obviously wanted a moment earlier.

But the young woman had made up her mind.

Her smile still warm, she picked up the menu she’d been looking over and made a show of selecting her entrée as she changed the subject. “What’s the best here? Do they have any specials?”

She expected Russell to look disappointed or angry – anything except what actually happened: the man merely chuckled in amusement before picking up his own menu and mirroring her actions.

“The fettuccine and chorizo are quite good. I’ll order for you, if I may.”

The ball of tension that had accumulated in her gut slowly eased, and before long, they were chatting with the ease that was present before sexual tension had enveloped them.

Russell was right – the fettuccine was absolutely delicious. When her plate arrived, she enjoyed the dish and how wonderfully it paired with the wine. As she watched Russell eat, listening to the story of how he’d first found the restaurant, she found herself absolutely confounded by the man for what had to be the tenth time in the short period that she’d known him.

What Alice was beginning to discover, however, was that her consternation when it came to Russell didn’t come entirely from frustration. There was more than enough intrigue there to keep her coming back for more.

By the time dinner was over, she was beginning to nod.

“Not quite over the jetlag, are we?” Russell paid for dinner before she could even begin to protest, ever the gentleman. That done, he helped her gallantly up from the booth before extending his arm to lead her into the cool fall evening. “We’ll get you home post haste.”

If he sensed that anything had changed between them, he said nothing, merely opening the car door to admit her and leaving her to drowse in silence on the way back to the hotel.

All too soon, Russell was shaking her awake just outside the lobby. Alice yawned, trying to shake off the fatigue that seemed to weigh her body down. “Just give me a minute…” She sighed, swinging her legs out of the car.

But Russell didn’t give her a minute. Instead, he merely scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the hotel. Alice was far too tired to protest, and instead let the man merely carry her right into the elevator, telling him her room number. If he were any other man, Alice might worry that he would take advantage of her.

But this was Russell.

Taking her key, the man let himself into her suite and made a beeline for the bedroom when she pointed it out to him. For once, Alice was grateful that Tom had already gone to bed. This was one man she didn’t know if she was ready for him to see her with.

Russell proved himself just as gentlemanly as he had all night, setting her gently on the mattress before removing her pumps and placing them carefully on the floor next to the bed. That done, he reached for the hem of her shirt, untucking it before undoing the buttons one by one. His movements, far from being erotic, were methodical and almost soothing in nature. Alice allowed herself to lay back against the mattress as the man undressed her.

She was too tired to notice the way Russell’s breath caught at the sight of her lacy black French lingerie, or catch the way his eyes lingered on the plump mounds of her breasts. He had barely slipped her jeans off shapely legs before he was tossing the coverlet over her, his chest heaving with something that had absolutely nothing to do with exertion.

“Are you comfortable, Alice?” He inquired, his tone tight.

Alice laughed softly, drowsily, as she tucked the coverlet beneath her chin. “Yes, thank you, Russell. You’re such a gentleman.” She reached for him. “Will you give me a goodnight kiss?” Alcohol and drowsiness made her bold, but Alice was very cognizant of her actions.

Russell hesitated only a moment before giving in to her wishes. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he lowered his head until his mouth as a hairsbreadth from hers.

And then he kissed her.

As lovely as Alice remembered the first time being, the second didn’t even compare. The first time she and Russell kissed, it had been she who initiated the kiss and the gesture had been decidedly chaste. Now, when Russell’s mouth closed over her own, there was no doubt in Alice’s mind that the man wanted her. His tongue slid along the seam of her lips before sliding inside to stimulate her. He bit gently at her lower lip, drawing a soft moan of delectation from her. The man’s fingers sifted through her hair gently, almost leisurely, and a shiver traversed the length of her fatigued form.

By the time he drew away, she was all but panting in desire for him, her fatigue be damned.

But Russell didn’t assuage her. Instead, he drew away, blue eyes blazing dangerously. “Sleep well, Alice. I’ll see you soon.”

And with that, he took his leave.

Alice lay awake in bed long after the door closed behind him, the taste of him still lingering on his lips. If she hadn’t been so tired, she might have tried to touch herself to assuage the burning ache between her legs. Instead, all she could do was drowsily marvel in the fact that a man who clearly wanted her so desperately hadn’t expressed the slightest need for her.

A quandary to be sure, and Alice fell asleep looking forward to solving the mystery that was the enigmatic agent. But even when she closed her eyes, Russell Darwell’s face was the first that she saw.