Chapter1
The glittering lights of Manhattan shone brightly throughout the city, the traffic hummed along the streets, the buzz of movement and conversation and music filled the air, making all of it an electric pulse of excitement, but no one felt as much of it as Savannah Carson did, walking into the back door of the art gallery where she worked on 5th Ave.
Her whole body was tingling with the anxiety and the thrill of the night that was waiting ahead of her. There was a slight tremor in her fingers, there was a shortness to her breath, and her heart had been beating swiftly all day in every moment that she let herself think about it, and it beat faster with each step that brought her closer to the moment she was about to face.
“You look stunning, my darling. How are you feeling?” A light and airy voice brought her focus to the room she was standing in and the two people in front of her. Leo was speaking to her. He was dressed in carnation pink satin pants and a matching carnation pink and lime green paisley jacket with a pink satin collar. His short cropped blonde hair was gelled into a carefully styled sweep over one side of his head.
“She needs champagne,” he said brightly as he turned away from her before she could try to find the words to answer his question.
The other person in the room was Natalie Merrick, a tall, thin brunette with an almost permanent stoic expression, pale skin, dark eyes, and red lips. Her hair was pulled up at the back of her head in a chignon, and she wore large, squared, diamond earrings in her ears. “You’ll be fine, darling. It’s not the end of the world; it’s the beginning of your art career. You’ve given the gallery some of your very best work, and everyone is going to see that tonight. They’ll all love it. You weren’t brought in here because you are a flake. Don’t lose heart. You have us,” she said and paused as Leo came rushing back up to Savannah, pushing a filled glass of champagne into her hand. “You have champagne now—thank you, Leo—and you’ll have a whole gallery full of adoring fans. We’ve already kicked the critics to the curb out front, so have no fear. It’s going to be a wondrous night. Let’s celebrate.”
Natalie’s mouth curled up ever so slightly at the corner as she gave Savannah a sidelong look and then walked toward the champagne bottle. She poured two more glasses of golden bubbly and gave one to Leo. They held them aloft and toasted her.
“To your first gallery premiere—may it be one of best ever, and may it be a sign of things to come.” Leo flourished his glass and his hands with a grin.
“To you,” Natalie added quietly. “You’ve more than earned this, and it will be a beautiful night.”
“Thank you both so much.” Savannah smiled at them and met their glasses with the edge of hers, joining them in their toast and drinking with hope to a successful night.
It was then that she actually got a good look at Leo. “Are you wearing glitter on your cheeks?” she asked with a laugh that felt as if it released half of the tension she was feeling.
He looked her up and down dramatically and planted his hand on his hip. “Of course, dearest; it’s a night to shine! Celebrate, honey, cel-ah-brate!” He gave her a wink and waved his hands in the air. “Oh! I’ve got to get out there. I want to be ready to welcome all of our distinguished guests.” He hurried out, and the door closed behind him.
Natalie finished her champagne and set the glass on the table near them. “Don’t stay back here too long; everyone will want your time and company tonight.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I’d rather be sitting in a studio in jeans and a painting shirt with a brush in my hand and jazz on the radio in the background.” She laughed a little, though her laugh betrayed her uneasiness.
“You’ll be fine. Now gather yourself and then come out. Don’t keep everyone waiting.” Natalie air-kissed her cheek and opened the door that led down the hallway of offices and out into the main floor of the two-story art gallery.
The front of the gallery was glass from floor to ceiling, with a spacious main floor that was subtly sectioned off into a few areas by short pieces of delicately curved walls. The upper floor of the gallery was connected by a wide, sweeping staircase that led from the center of the main floor upward in a widening arc to the second floor. A variety of mediums was displayed on both floors, though most of the paintings and sculptures were found on the ground floor, while more contemporary mediums were displayed on the second floor.
Savannah had worked hard to make her way through art school and graduate. She had done shows in school and at art events, but she had never had her work shown in a gallery before. When she’d initially gone to the gallery on 5th Ave, she had gone into the building hoping to get a job, and she had been hired on, but when she had shared her artwork with the owner of the gallery, he had been so impressed that he’d decided to give her a showing. After two months of planning, it had finally come.
She had told herself over and over that she was prepared, but standing there on the safe side of the break room door, on the quiet and alone side of it, she wasn’t sure at all if she was ready. She was excited, but with that excitement came the possibility that she would face critics and people who might not love her work, and that was difficult to face. She’d put the best of herself, her heart and soul, into her work, and now it would be out in the open for all to see and comment on, for all to judge. It was a tenuous ledge to be standing on. She wished she didn’t care what everyone else thought, but she did, and it was holding her rooted to the spot in the back room.
Her head began to feel light, and she took a deep breath, willing herself to go out. She turned and looked at her reflection in the long mirror on the back of the door and tried not to feel dazed. Her narrow waist and her generous curves were fitted closely in a dark red dress with a sculpted V neck that offered a teasing view of her décolletage, while her arms and her back were bare. Her chocolate honey skin glowed with a healthy shine, her shoulder-length black hair was pulled up at the back of her head in loose curls, and her light makeup subtly emphasized her delicate and beautiful facial features. She had high, wide cheekbones and large, round, dark brown eyes. Her nose was narrow and curved just a little at the end. Her lips were full and round, and her chin rounded slightly into her angled jawline. There was an exotic, beautiful, strong air about the way that she looked, and she usually felt confident about her appearance, though on this night it did little to assuage her anxiety, for she knew that no one was coming to look at her. They were there to look at her work, and that left her feeling wide open and vulnerable to every one of them.
She was startled when her reflection moved and vanished as the door swung open. Leo stood in the doorway and landed his hand on his hip again. “Are you coming? It’s filling up out there. People are asking for you. Now, swallow that look on your face, and come with me. You can arrive on my arm; it’ll look stunning.”
She drew in a long, slow breath and gave him a nod, meeting his bright blue eyes. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” He sighed and went to her, wrapping her in a tight hug. She hugged him back and closed her eyes for a moment.
“Thank you. I couldn’t make it through this without you and Nat.”
“Well, you’re not going to make it through this if you don’t come out and get started on it. Now, come on.” He slid his arm through hers and walked out with her, letting the door close behind them.
The gallery was aglow with soft, warm light. There were small cocktail tables all over the room, and the wait staff were walking around giving out glasses of champagne. There was a table of chocolates and chocolate-covered strawberries off to one side near the rear of the room. Her paintings were placed prominently all throughout the lower gallery. Music played lightly in the background. People came in through the front doors and milled about, walking from painting to painting, talking to one another, pausing beside sculptures, and moving up and down the stairs.
There were already more people than she had expected, and the event had only just begun. She had no idea how many would show up, but she did know that with more people coming in, there was a better chance of her selling something, which made her feel somewhat better.
Leo gave her hand a squeeze. “See,” he spoke softly, “it’s already a great turn out. You’re going to be just fine. You stay here. I’ll get some more champagne for you.” He patted her hand and vanished, leaving a trace of expensive cologne behind him.
She took another deep breath and walked over to one of her pieces that she had only just completed a week before the show. It was her newest, and it was arguably one of her best. She found some solace in it, knowing that. Leo returned with a chocolate truffle and a glass of champagne.
“Here. This little tidbit won’t do much damage to that saucy little figure of yours, but hopefully the champagne will.”
She laughed at him and popped the chocolate into her mouth, chewing discreetly. It was buttercream, and it had the effect she had hoped that it would. Endorphins began to flow, and she felt a little more relieved and happier.
An older couple came up to her then, smiling and looking friendly. “Is this your work, dear?” they asked interestedly.
She nodded and introduced herself to them, and Leo vanished from her side, rushing off again. They talked with her about the piece, and though they were pleasant, she couldn’t help feeling self-conscious that they both kept eyeing her face distractedly. They said goodbye to her and went to look at more of her work. She wondered if they were alright, or if she was. She thought she might have gotten some chocolate on her mouth, and she gave the corners of her reddened lips a dab, finding nothing amiss.
Sighing, she thought that maybe they were just funny people. She gave her napkin to a passing waiter and took a sip of champagne from her glass. As she did so, she saw a man walking toward her. He was riveting at first glance. His golden brown hair was perfectly styled off to one side, and his cheeks and chiseled jaw were just barely covered with a three-day-old beard. His face looked as though it might have been painstakingly carved from marble by Michelangelo himself. His style came straight from the cover of a gentleman’s magazine, and his green eyes seemed to dance with more than a little mischief.
He was dressed in a button-up shirt that was open at the collar with a jacket over the top of it. His pantsuit was tailored and fit him like a glove. She knew that if Leo had still been standing beside her, he’d have called the man for his team in a split second.
She tried not to look as if she was staring at him as he walked up to her with a half-smile. “Good evening,” he began in a velvety smooth tone. He gazed at her face and then chuckled softly and looked at the painting beside her.
Sliding his hand into his pocket, he glanced back at her, his eyes moving over her features as he spoke. “So, I saw you looking at this piece and thought I’d come take a look myself. I was wondering just what the artist might have been thinking when it was made.”
She felt her heart skip a beat. She realized that he didn’t know who she was, and she realized a moment after that, that she kind of liked the notion that she was going to hear some honesty about her piece rather than someone saying they liked it because she was right beside them.
He continued before she could say anything. “I think the artist was expressing the contrasts between different worlds and how they can come together to form something entirely new and unique when they’re blended. It’s actually a really powerful and touching piece.”
She stopped herself from smiling too widely as she looked from the piece back to him. It was clear to her that he was trying to impress her, and despite the humor she found in the situation, she also realized that it was charming of him to try.
“What do you think of it?” he asked, eyeing her closely again as he smiled again and chuckled softly. She wondered what it was that he might think was so amusing. She thought that perhaps humor was his tactic to try to talk with her.
“I think the artist was hoping to leave it as an open impression to be determined by the viewer,” she answered pleasantly.
With a slight shake of his head, he held her gaze with his. “Maybe, but what do you think the artist was expressing?”
Knowing that she could go on a while playing at her game of anonymity, she decided to cut the poor fool some slack and let him in on the truth before he really dug himself too deeply. Her anxiety and uncertainty about the night had vanished, and in its place was humor and delight.
“I am the artist.” She gave him a genuine smile. He gasped, and his eyes grew slightly bigger as the realization hit him.
“You… you’re the artist…” he trailed off quietly.
She nodded and held her hand out to him. “Hi, I’m Savannah Carson.”
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it lightly as he smiled at her. “Lucas Carrington. I’m enchanted.” He grinned at her then and let her hand go. “And, admittedly, slightly embarrassed.” He laughed softly.
She shook her head. “Don’t be. Art is meant to be subjective so that whomever is looking at it may take away whatever they discover in it for themselves, which is different for every person. What you said is good, and that’s what you’ve taken away from it. That gives it meaning to you.”
He lifted his chin and nodded. “Well said. I think you’re right about that. We do all see things differently, don’t we?” His green eyes focused on her then, and he lowered his voice a little, leaning in closer to her.
“I do have to let you in on a little secret, though,” he spoke softly.
“What’s that?” she asked, looking up at him. She caught the scent of his cologne and breathed it in, feeling drawn by it somewhat.
“I do love this piece, but in all honesty, I didn’t come over here to see it. I came over here because you are easily the most beautiful work of art in this room, and I wanted to meet you.” He gave her a wink then. “And you have glitter on your cheek.”
Her warm blush that had been borne of his flirtatious admission was suddenly shifted to one of embarrassment as she gasped and lifted her hand to her cheek. “Oh no! Leo!” she said just above a whisper.
Lucas deftly pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and stood closer to her. “Here, let me help.” He gently placed his finger beneath her chin and gave her a little smile as she looked up into his impossibly handsome face and watched him brush the cloth over her skin again and again.
The nearness of him made her heart skip a few beats, and she could feel the warmth of his body. His tender fingers against her skin didn’t help her already shallow breathing.
A few moments later, he lowered the cloth from her face, though he kept his finger just beneath her chin. For a brief moment, he ran his thumb over it, gazing into her eyes and then looking down at her lips before he stepped back a little. “There. I think I got it.” He showed her the cloth, and she groaned as she saw a streak of glitter over it.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, smiling up at him. “I wondered what people were looking at. I thought I was missing something. Leo hugged me right before we came in here and… shared his shine.” She laughed a little just as Leo came dancing down the stairs from the upper floor to the lower floor, calling out to someone he knew.
They both looked over at him, dramatic and flamboyant. “Leo?” Lucas asked with a soft chuckle.
“Leo,” she answered with a shake of her head.
Just then, a couple came up beside them and looked at the piece, and then looked over at Lucas and Savannah.
“Oh! You’re Miss Carson, aren’t you! My goodness, this is such a beautiful piece, isn’t it?” the older woman exclaimed happily. “I just love your work. There are so many wonderful paintings here tonight. I think I shall have to take one home!” Her husband grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
Savannah felt her pulse begin to race, and the joy in her shone all over her face. “Well, that’s wonderful! Thank you!” she answered them.
Lucas gave them a half-smile. “You’re right; this is a stunning piece. One of the best in the show, but it happens that this one has already been picked up by a serious collector of her works. It’s sold.”
They gasped and looked slightly disappointed. “It’s gone already? Goodness, we just got here. I knew we should have come earlier.” The wife gave the husband an irritated look.
With a wink and a grin, Lucas walked away and found a glass of champagne as he looked over his shoulder at her one more time. The mischievous gleam there made her stomach tighten and warm, and she lost her breath for a fleeting moment.
“There are many other pieces, and I do have more work coming out soon. You’ll see it in the brochures that we have around the room.” She turned her attention back to the couple in front of her. They talked with her, and she answered them, though their conversation was little more than the hum of background noise in her mind. Her thoughts were solely set on Lucas Carrington, though she tried to keep herself focused on the people in front of her.
When she’d bid the couple goodbye, she looked around. She didn’t see Lucas, but her eyes did land on another woman there who had just come through the door. She was a little heavier, round in every place, with long, dark brown hair and caramel-colored skin. Her dark brown eyes met Savannah’s, and they grinned at one another.
“Ellie! You came!” she breathed in a happy sigh as they embraced.
“Of course I came! What kind of a pathetic best friend would I be if I missed this? It’s your first big show!” Ellie hugged her warmly and then stood back and looked at her, giving her head a shake. “You are stunning, just in case no one bothered to tell you. I love this dress on you. It’s gorgeous.”
“Thank you!” Savannah sighed happily. “Let’s get you set up. I’ll show you where the goodies are.”
They walked through the growing crowd of people to the space at the rear of the main floor where the refreshment tables were. A few chocolates and a glass of champagne later, Ellie was ready to walk around with Savannah and admire her work.
“I love these! All of them! I’ll be so sad if anyone buys them. I mean, I’ll be happy for you, but I’ll be sad to see them go.” Ellie laughed and took a sip of her champagne.
“Well, I think someone might have bought that big one on the wall over there.” Savannah pointed to the space where she and Lucas had been talking.
“Really?” Ellie asked in surprise. “Isn’t that your new one? You just finished it!”
“I know. It’s kind of a funny story, though. There was a guy who came up to me and started chatting me up—flirting and being sweet. He’s a pretty good-looking guy. Anyway, another couple came up to look at it, and they were talking about buying it, but he jumped in and said that it had already been bought. Then he took off, and I haven’t seen him since. So honestly, I don’t know if he bought it or if he was just flirting with me and trying to impress me again.” Savannah laughed softly as she thought back over the way he had talked with her.
“He was flirting with you? Well, that’s fun!” Ellie teased her happily.
“There he is!” Savannah said suddenly. She’d been scanning the room for him inconspicuously and had just spotted him. She drew in a sharp breath when she realized that he was watching her. She saw him wink at her again, and she looked away from him and into Ellie’s dark brown eyes.
Ellie looked around. “Where?”
Savannah spoke quietly without looking back at him. “He’s in the navy blue suit over by the staircase. Golden brown hair. Champagne. Greek god.”
“Yeah, that’s him,” Ellie said with a low whistle and a shake of her head. “God, he’s beautiful.”
“Well, he’s nice, too. At least, he has been tonight, so that’s a plus.” Savannah felt her pulse quicken again. “He isn’t still… looking over here, is he?” she asked in a hesitant voice.
“Yes, he is. He hasn’t taken his eyes off of you yet. Not since I’ve been looking at him.” Ellie laughed a little and turned her gaze from him. “That’s downright sexy,” she teased Savannah.
Just then, a tall, slender man with broad shoulders, wavy dark hair styled with precision, and a good tan walked up to them. He was wearing an expensive suit, and he looked like a younger version of George Clooney.
“Hello, ladies. Please forgive my interruption. I was hoping to speak with you, Miss Carson. I’m Robert Gilliam.” He held his hand out to her, and she took it, giving it a firm shake.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Gilliam. Please, call me Savannah. This is my best friend, Ellie,” she introduced Ellie, who gave them both a smile.
“Well, I’m almost out of champagne. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go wander back and get some more. I’ll catch up with you in a bit, Savannah.” She gave them a nod and left.
Savannah turned her attention back to the handsome man before her, noting silently that her gallery premiere seemed to be filled with beautiful men. She liked that.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Gilliam?” she asked with a smile.
He smiled back at her. “Please, call me Robert. I think that there’s something I may be able to do for you, or rather, for both of us,” he answered. “I happen to be in New York on business, and I saw an ad for this show. I’m so glad that I came to see your work. You are tremendously talented.”
“Thank you!” she breathed happily, feeling a surge of confidence and relief. “I’m so glad you like my work!”
“Well, I am too, but I’m thinking of something more than just liking it. You see, I own an art gallery in Los Angeles. In Beverly Hills, to be more precise. I feel that your work would do very well there and that you would get a serious boost in your career if you were to show some of your work in my gallery.” His blue eyes were alight, and the dimples on his cheeks deepened as he gave her a smile.
“What would you say about that?” he asked in a serious, though pleasant, voice.
She thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. “I… I’d say I’m overwhelmed. That’s an incredible offer. I wasn’t expecting that at all.” She laid her hand over her heart and took a moment to look around the room as she breathed in.
Her work, being shown at an exclusive art gallery in Beverly Hills. She could barely believe it. As her gaze was sweeping over the room, barely seeing what was before her, her eyes landed on Lucas, standing at the other end of the room, watching her as some woman was chattering on to him and pressing her hand against his arm. She looked back at Robert.
“I think that would be one of the best things that could ever happen to me,” she answered, taking in a breath and finding her thoughts and her voice. “I’d be very lucky if that happened.”
He nodded and slid his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket. “I’ll tell you what.” He slid a silver case out of his pocket and opened it, pulling a card from it. “Here’s my card. I know you have a lot of guests here tonight, and you’ll need to talk with them and spend time with many of them. When you get a chance in the next day or two, please give me a call. We can talk about you coming out to Beverly Hills to see the gallery. I’d like to show it to you, and then you can decide if you’d like to place your work there.”
She took the card and tried to quiet some of the excitement coursing through her. “I’d love to come out and visit your gallery. Thank you so much for the invitation!”
“Good. I’ll talk with you soon. Have a wonderful evening.” He shook her hand and left her. She watched him go and tried to remember to breathe. She couldn’t believe how well her evening was going. It was already far better than she had imagined it would be.
She was turning slightly when she saw Lucas headed toward her from across the room. Her heart skipped a beat again, and her breath caught at the look of interest in his eyes. Just then, Ellie reached for her hand, and she was snapped back to the place where she was standing.
“Ellie!” she gasped in surprise.
Ellie grinned at her. “So? Who was that? A customer? Was he interested in buying some of your work?”
She was just about to answer when Leo and Natalie joined them. “Was that George Clooney? It couldn’t be; he looks better in person than he does in the movies, and that never happens,” Leo gushed excitedly.
Savannah laughed. “No, that wasn’t George Clooney. Same neighborhood, though. That was a guy named Robert Gilliam.” She glanced down at the card in her hand and then back up at her friends. “He owns an art gallery in Beverly Hills, and he wants me to come out to see the gallery. He said that if I like his gallery, he’d love to show my work there!” she squealed as quietly as she could, and all three of her friends shared in her excitement.
“That’s fantastic!” Ellie grinned, and Leo and Natalie agreed with her.
“Plus, oh my god, Beverly Hills. That’s as swanky as it gets in southern California, my darling. I’ll go with you if you need company. What a fantastic offer!” Leo leaned over to kiss her cheek, and she narrowly dodged him.
“Not tonight, Leo. You already glittered me once tonight,” she teased him with a laugh.
“Well, you’re empty again. I could fill you back up.” He raised an eyebrow, and she laughed even more.
“No, I’m fine, thank you.” She thought of how breathless she’d felt with Lucas standing in front of her, wiping glitter off of her face, and she glanced away from her friends, searching subtly for him. He was talking to another woman, and when she glanced at him, he looked away from the woman and shared her gaze. Savannah felt her body warm at the look he gave her, and she smiled, catching her breath before she looked away again.
Her friends talked with her a while longer. Then she noticed that Lucas was alone again, and she excused herself from them for a minute. She walked over to Lucas, and he watched her walking to him. She could see and feel his eyes moving over her curves and then resting on her face as she neared him. She liked that he looked at her the way that he did. It wasn’t leering, the way that some men did. It was almost as if he was appreciating fine art, as he had said when he’d met her, and it made her feel beautiful rather than dirty.
“Well, if it isn’t the belle of the ball. I’m glad I got another chance to talk with you tonight. You’ve been a busy lady.” He winked at her and gave her a half-grin.
“I’m glad I got to talk with you again, too, before the night is over.” She meant it. He had been the most fun she’d had all night.
He reached for her hand, and she let him take it. He placed a business card in it, though he never looked away from her eyes as he spoke. “Listen, Savannah. I don’t know what your situation may be, but I would very much like to spend some time with you again, preferably alone where we won’t be interrupted by anyone else.” He laughed softly and rubbed his fingertips over her hand gently before letting go of her.
Her breath caught in her lungs, and she bit at her lower lip as she looked down at the card in her hand. She raised her warm brown eyes to him again.
“Call me. Please. I think we’d both enjoy a visit outside of here.” He smiled genuinely at her. “Until then, have a good night, and congratulations on your show.”
“Thank you. Good night, Lucas,” she breathed, smiling at him. He left, and before she even had a chance to try to focus her mind, Ellie, Natalie, and Leo were at her side.
“Who was that?” Natalie asked curiously.
“What did he say?” Ellie gushed happily.
“I don’t really know who he is, but he’s been flirting with me a lot tonight. I’m not really sure that he’s my type, but he is easy on the eyes, isn’t he?” Savannah smiled wistfully and then looked back at her friends.
“You don’t know who that is?” Leo asked incredulously. “That’s Lucas Carrington. He’s one of the Manhattan Carrington’s. He’s a billionaire. His family are all billionaires. I’m jealous as hell that he gave you his number.” Leo looked half-amused and half-jealous. “If you don’t call him, then you better give me that number, and I’ll call him. I wouldn’t pass that up for anything!”
She looked back at the gallery door that Lucas had walked out of and bit at her lip again. She knew that he was in a different class than her. She had seen women talking to him and vying for his attention all night. She wasn’t entirely sure that she wanted to get mixed up in any kind of a situation like that, no matter how good looking the guy was, or how flirtatious, or how sweet. She smiled again as she thought of the exchange that they had shared.
Savannah saw to the rest of her guests throughout the evening, until the last of them had gone, and Ellie, Leo, and Natalie helped her close down the gallery. Leo suggested going out for cocktails, but they were all so full of champagne that it didn’t appeal to anyone. She told them she’d see them all later, and she went home, but as she did, she looked at Lucas’ business card one last time, running her finger over his name. Then she let it slip from her fingertips into the trash bin out behind the gallery.
She went home and fell fast asleep, dreaming of golden brown hair and intense eyes lit with green fire.