Since I didn’t have classes on Friday, I slept in longer. Somewhere in my foggy mind I thought I heard Lucy buzz someone in. I guess she’s having friends over.

My mind started to drift back to slumberland when someone knocked.

“Yeah?” I croakily called out, still not moving from my position.

“Morning, love! Sorry to be a bugger, but you have a delivery; a few of them, actually.”

A delivery? I hadn’t ordered anything online lately.

I dragged myself out of bed to check where they had come from. There were three enormous, lime-colored crystal vases with two dozen of my favorite oriental lilies in each one. I took the card that was attached to the first and opened it: I want you. My face glowed and beamed. I took the second card: I miss you. The third one said: I worship you.

I’m definitely charmed.

There was another knock on the door and Lucy opened it straight away. The deliverymen stood there with a gigantic box of pastries that had the world-renowned Pierre Hermé label. Two of the men went past us, heading directly to the living room with the box in their hands. I didn’t see the man standing in the back of the others, so I jumped out of my skin when he greeted us.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to frighten you, but I’m looking for Ms. Sienna Richards?” a tall, lithe blond with clear blue eyes asked Lucy and I. Um, who is this man, again? He’d never said.

“Um, that would be me. Who are you? Sorry, you didn’t introduce yourself.” I gave him a confused looked.

“I’m Luke Scott. I work for Knightly Industries as Blake Knightly IV’s assistant. I was ordered by Mr. Knightly to come here.” Interesting.

The deliverymen started to dissipate, exiting one by one, however Luke Scott stayed. He was smiling with a twinkle in his eye. Hmm…

“I think the room is ready. Let’s all go and see.”

Luce and I shared a what-the-fuck-is-going-on look as we followed Blake’s assistant to the living room.

The coffee table had been transformed into a French pastry wonderland. Different flavors of authentic macarons were neatly organized in a towering pastry stand. Another tower was made of cream puffs, éclairs, napoleon, small Parisian cakes, fruit gateau, and pan au chocolat, to name a few. There were three silver platters of assorted chocolates and a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket next to the coffee table and a coffee pot.

My eyes greedily roamed the contents as my stomach growled. Right on cue, Blake.

“Enjoy, ladies. Also, Ms. Richards, I was ordered to give you this.” He took a small, soft-leather box out of his breast pocket.

“Uh, thanks. Um, why don’t you join us, Luke?”

“The company jet is waiting for me in Gatwick actually. I have to get back to Marbella as soon as possible. There was a lot of traffic in Paris so I’m running late. There’s an important meeting set for three this afternoon and it’s already quarter to twelve, but thank you, Ms. Richards. I’ll let my boss know how delighted you are. I didn’t realize how romantic he could be,” he said with a wink.

“Wait, did you just say you flew to Paris? To buy pastries?”

Goodness gracious.

“Yes, that was what Mr. Knightly ordered. I really must get going. Have a good day, ladies.” He promptly left without much ado, leaving Luce and I staring at each other.

A shrieking laugh came from Lucy, who was obviously as excited as I was. “Sienna, what the hell have you done to poor Blake? He’s obviously smitten. I knew it! It took longer than expected, but Toby predicted that Blake had his eyes set on you. I’m happy that he’s making you happy.”

“You could say that, I guess. It’s just in the early days, but I do like him a lot.” Okay, I was a bit embarrassed that I hadn’t told her myself first.

“No wonder women clamor for him. Look at this! He had his assistant jetting off to Paris to fetch a few boxes of freshly baked pastries for his beloved. Oh, Sienna! It shows how much you mean to him when he goes to such lengths. Isn’t that romantic?” she said dreamily.

It’s more than romantic. It’s downright disarming me. If this is his intent, then he’s doing a stupendous job!

Luce and I sat as we poured each other drinks, champagne for her and coffee for me. We savored each pastry and compared which one was the best. It was an orgasmic dessert heaven.

“How I wish Toby would do something like this for me. I mean, not on the same scale of grandeur—the man doesn’t own private jets—yet just as sweet and romantic.” Did I hear a tinge of sadness? I might just be imagining things. They’re crazy for each other.

I took a sip of my coffee, eyeing her warily. “Toby loves you and he has his own way of showing it. Everything okay with you guys?”

She let out a sigh and limply sat back with angst written all over her face. “It’s been rather off for the last week. Something’s wrong, but he’s not telling me. I’ll give him a few more days to tell, if not, then I’ll have to find another way.” Uh oh.

“Whatever it is I’m sure he has a good reason. He could be swamped with work, you know,” I tried to ease her worries.

She shrugged and got up. “We’ll see. Anyhow, I have to go meet a few of my schoolmates for a project. I’ll help you clean up when I get back, okay? Tell Blake I enjoyed his impromptu.” She went over to kiss my cheek, but I hugged her instead and gave her a little squeeze.

“It’ll be okay,” I whispered in her ear as she nodded and headed out the door. It was apparent that she was bothered about it. I hoped she would be okay.

The soft-leather box sat closed next to the tower of macarons. I was dying to know what was inside.

I jerked it open.

It was a bracelet. A lightweight, gold chain design with an oblong, gold medallion and a big, diamond-studded heart that had tiny diamond-studded B.K. initials on the bottom right. Huh! Why would he put his initials there? Is this his way of laying it on Kyle when I start work tonight?

I placed the bracelet back on the table, scrambled to get my phone in the bedroom and dialed Blake. When he picked up, I didn’t even let him say hello. I was ready to chew him out.

“Knightly, you’d better explain to me and you’d better explain well! Tell me why you would give a present with your initials blatantly standing out? This present didn’t just land here on the very same day I start working with Kyle for absolutely no reason, did it?” I was seething. If it were possible to have steam coming out of my ears, the room would have been muggy.

“Poppet, calm down. I wanted you to wear something that’s from me. I commissioned it a day before you told me about your job. Is it possible that I want Kyle to stay back? Yes, I do. Do you ever plan on telling him?” his placid tone irked me somehow.

“I’ll tell him, but not yet. It’s too early for him. He barely just got here. I’m not going to risk the possibility of him spiraling out of control again.” Why was he pushing the issue? I would tell Kyle in a month or so… I think.

“It’s too early for him or for you, Sienna?” I stopped breathing from his tone of voice; he was controlling his own anger, though only barely. There was some noise in the background. “Mi amor, we have to go soon or we’ll be late!” the accented voice of a woman spoke in the background. I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

“WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?” I yelled when I heard him speak to the woman, but I couldn’t make out what was being said. My eyes started to water. Was he cheating on me?

“Oh, so now you pay rapt attention to me. I see how this is going, Sienna.”

“Blake, are you seeing someone else? You have to tell me!” My voice cracked in pain.

“Why? So you can go back to Matthews again? Do as you wish, Sienna. I have to be somewhere important. I’ll speak to you later.” He hung up without even saying goodbye.

Less than an hour before, I had been basking in Blake’s sweet sentiments. How the heck had it unfolded like this? Okay, maybe I had over-reacted a little bit there. I shrugged it off. There was no point dwelling and crying. I had to meet Kyle in three hours and start work. I’d just have to busy myself and not think of Blake for the moment. I would deal with my emotions later.

In a little over an hour, I was ready to go and still had an hour and half to kill. I went to my drawer and pulled out the card and key Marie had given me. I’d just surprise Kyle with my punctuality.

Since we were checking out rock bands, I had to look the part… well sort of. I let my hair down, put on heavy eyeliner winged at both corners, lots of mascara and rose pink lipstick. I chose a hot pink, Hervé Léger bandage top, leaving my back purely bare, and black-fitted jeans that accentuated my butt nicely with hot-pink suede pumps.

I made a last jaunt to the full-length mirror to assess everything and, suffice to say, I looked pretty hot.

Suck it, Blake!

Placing all the essentials in my black clutch, I headed out the door.