CHAPTER TWO
So, what do you think?” Jessica asked.
Zoe settled into the back of the Town Car beside her friend, her mind already turning over all the creative possibilities of leasing the boutique at the Onyx. In comparison to the other places she’d looked at, the impressive square footage of the store was a designer’s dream come true, and would allow for strategic and optimal placement of her accessories without overcrowding.
“The store is ideal,” Zoe said as their driver pulled away from the hotel and gradually made his way toward the gridlock of Las Vegas Boulevard. “It’s open and spacious, with plenty of room for me to grow and expand, which is essential. And the monthly rent is well within my budget. That’s a big plus, since we’d like to make a profit at some point.” We being her and Jessica, since Zoe’s friend was her one and only silent investor.
“But, before I get too excited about the spot, I’ll have to see what my lawyer has to say about the Onyx’s contract and lease terms.”
“Yes, I agree with everything you just said,” Jessica replied with a patient smile. “But I was referring to the hunky Mr. O’Brien, not the boutique.”
Zoe laughed and shook her head, not at all surprised by her friend’s comment. “Of course you were.”
Jessica turned in her seat toward Zoe, her green eyes bright and engaging. “So do tell, what do you think of him?”
The words tempting, sexy, and heart-stoppingly seductive immediately sprang to mind. Oh yeah, the man seemed to have the natural ability to make her feel weak in the knees. Between the slight dimples in his cheeks when he grinned, the deep timbre of his voice, and the hint of a bad-boy twinkle in his dark blue eyes, he was downright irresistible. He exuded male confidence, and she had a strong feeling Sean O’Brien was well aware of his effect on the opposite sex.
“He’s quite…”
“Delicious?” Jessica supplied before Zoe could find the right word to describe the man.
“Charismatic,” Zoe replied with a smile, though delicious definitely applied. “And I really didn’t need you meddling the way you did.”
“Yes, you did,” her friend insisted. “You’ve been working so damn hard this past year, and I know for a fact that you haven’t so much as gone out on a date with anyone. I just wanted to be sure you didn’t pass up a prime opportunity, considering there was a mutual attraction going on between you two.”
Zoe arched a brow. “Did it ever occur to you that my single status is by choice?”
“Who says you can’t be single and enjoy a night out with a gorgeous and supremely hot guy?” Jessica countered as she twined an errant auburn curl around her index finger. “And maybe more, if you’re lucky.”
“I’m not looking to get lucky.” Despite Sean’s hotness factor, Zoe had never been a one-night-stand kind of girl, and she didn’t do casual affairs, either. In this day and age of hooking up and friends with benefits, she sometimes felt like an anomaly in wanting to cultivate some kind of emotional attachment with a man before sleeping with him.
Straitlaced and old-fashioned, her ex-fiancé, Ian Croft, had called her, even after they’d been intimate and he’d put a ring on her finger with the intention of her becoming his wife. He’d always say the comments in a way that made her believe he was teasing, until she’d been slapped in the face with the evidence of the double life Ian had been living. One that included another woman and made a complete mockery of everything Zoe believed in when it came to a committed relationship: trust, honesty, and fidelity.
Because of Ian’s betrayal, Zoe found herself questioning her judgment when it came to men and their sincerity. While she still believed in love and wanted it for herself, there was a wall around her heart and emotions that she knew would take a very special guy to break through. As a result, she vowed to be more careful before getting intimately involved with another man—definitely more aware and not so naïve.
But right now, she really didn’t have the extra time to dedicate to any kind of relationship when her sole focus was opening her first boutique and building a name for herself as a designer. The first boutique of many, she hoped.
“By the way, when was the last time you went out on a date?” Zoe asked, turning the tables on her friend.
Deliberately avoiding Zoe’s gaze, Jessica checked out her freshly manicured nails. “We’re talking about you here, not me.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you ought to take your own advice,” Zoe said softly, but with heart and meaning behind her words.
“No time.” Jessica waved a hand in the air between them, the simplicity of her reply belying the deeper issues that kept her from allowing any man to be anything more than a friend. “It’s kind of hard to date anyone when I’m touring all the time. And right now, I have a new album out, music videos to shoot, and an insane schedule of interviews and guest appearances.”
All excuses, even if they were legitimate. “Okay, okay,” Zoe conceded, knowing when to back off of what was a touchy subject for her friend. “I get your point.”
Jessica glanced out her tinted window, and Zoe sighed beneath her breath. She and Jessica had been best friends since high school, and Zoe was the only one who really knew just how deep Jessica’s emotional and physical scars ran. Even though Zoe’s parents had gone through a bitter divorce during her sophomore year, she’d never doubted that her mother and father loved her—even if her mother hadn’t been overly demonstrative with her affection, verbally or physically.
In comparison, Jessica’s childhood had been unstable and filled with volatile situations, and the awful things that had happened to her had shaped Jessica into the woman she was now when it came to men.
Guarded. Cautious. Cynical.
There was so much pain in Jessica’s past, and she poured all her emotions into the songs she wrote and sang. Her soulful lyrics and the underlying theme in some of her songs told her life story—the good memories, the bad times, and the difficult choices she’d been forced to make. In that regard, she wore her heart on her sleeve, though she insisted in interviews that the words and verses in her songs were purely fictional.
If there was ever a woman who needed a white knight to sweep her off her feet and give her a happily ever after, it was Jessica Morgan.
“So, do you have anything fabulous to wear to dinner with Sean?”
Glad to see that things with Jessica were back to normal, Zoe played into her friend’s not-so-subtle change of subject. “Itching for a little retail therapy, are you?”
Jessica flashed her one of those dazzling grins that made her appear as though she didn’t have a care in the world. “What can I say? It’s my cure-all for everything.”
Unfortunately, tangible items didn’t make up for the love and affection Jessica needed and deserved, but Zoe wisely kept that thought to herself. “Sure, I’m up for a bit of shopping. I just received the samples for my new Eye Candy collection, and they’re stunning. I’d love to find a dress to show off the pieces.”
“Let’s do it,” Jessica said, then told her driver to take them to The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, where they were bound to find the perfect outfit to complement Zoe’s new designs.
Fifteen minutes later, they were entering the upscale shopping mall. With it being a weekday afternoon, the place wasn’t quite as busy, but Jessica’s wild mane of hair and her rock-star quality were hard to conceal. It didn’t take long for heads to start turning in their direction as people recognized the celebrity in their midst. Jessica’s big, strapping bodyguard, Simon, walked close behind them, his intimidating presence and the firm show of his hand enough to keep fans from rushing up to her.
People stopped and stared, some pointed in excitement, and a few even shouted Jessica’s name. She smiled and waved, completely at ease with the attention while Zoe watched it all with a sense of relief that she didn’t have to deal with such an intrusive level of fame. The name of Zoe Russo was connected to her sought-out designs and accessories, not her face, which offered her a bit of anonymity unless she chose otherwise. Seeing what Jessica had to deal with on a daily basis made Zoe want to keep things that way.
As they walked through the forum of shops, a trail of people followed at a distance. When they stopped at Valentino, Carolina Herrera, and Roberto Cavalli to try on a few outfits, Simon remained by the front doors to keep any rabid fans from disturbing Jessica as she perused the latest fashions. Zoe felt like a zoo animal on display as the small group watched them through the shop windows, and for the most part she was able to ignore their stares—all but one, anyway.
Standing just off to the side of the crowd was an angry-looking man who seemed to be watching her. Wherever she went, his narrowed gaze seemed to follow, causing an unsettling sensation to shiver down her spine.
She pushed off her unease when Jessica selected a summery halter top and asked Zoe to accompany her into the dressing room to give her opinion. Welcoming the chance to duck out of sight for a while, she joined her friend, and ten minutes later they were leaving the store with Jessica’s new purchase in hand.
As they stepped back outside, Zoe was grateful for Simon’s protection as the bodyguard fell into place behind them and easily kept the throng of people from invading their personal space. Zoe glanced around for the man she’d seen earlier. Unable to find him, she exhaled a relieved breath and relaxed.
“I can’t believe you haven’t found anything yet,” Jessica said as they passed other specialty shops. Then she grinned and pointed at a window display. “Check out that sexy off-the-shoulder dress at Michael Kors. It has your name all over it.”
“Yeah, it does,” Zoe agreed, attracted to the style and the gorgeous coral color certain to complement the rich jewel tones she’d incorporated into her Eye Candy accessories. “Let’s go try it on.”
Just as they reached the store, a trio of teenage girls came running up to Jessica, reaching her before Simon could step in and stop their enthusiastic approach.
“Oh, my God, it’s Jessica Morgan!” one of them squealed in excitement. “You’re so awesome!”
“I just love your song ‘Never Again,’” another gushed, her eyes wide with awe.
“Can I take a picture with you?” the third girl asked, and without waiting for a reply she wedged herself next to Jessica and handed one of her friends her cell phone. “My sister will never believe I met you unless I can prove it with a picture.”
Jessica leaned close to the girl and smiled just as the cell phone flashed, drawing even more attention to the pop star. Zoe stepped away as other people crowded around, asking for an autograph or a picture, even as Simon did his best to keep the fans from overwhelming Jessica.
“It’s okay,” Jessica told her bodyguard as she accepted a pen from a woman and signed the napkin she pushed in front of her. Friendly and kind and always aware of the fact that her fans were the reason for her success, Jessica posed for snapshots, graciously accepted compliments on her music, and autographed scraps of paper and even a few T-shirts.
Certain that Jessica would be occupied for a while, Zoe headed into Michael Kors, knowing her friend would meet up with her as soon as she was done. Inside the store, Zoe approached a salesgirl and asked about the dress in the window, and a few minutes later she was in the changing room trying on the outfit in her size. As soon as the dress fell into place, Zoe turned in front of the mirror and smiled at her reflection. She loved the off-the-shoulder neckline, the way the straight skirt hugged her curves, and how the coral hue complemented her skin tone.
“What do you think?” the hovering salesgirl asked, her voice drifting from just outside Zoe’s closed door.
“It’s perfect. I’ll take it.” Once Zoe had the dress off, she cracked open the door and gave it to the girl to take up to the register, then slipped back into her blouse and pants.
As she left the changing room, she glanced back out the front windows. There was still a small crowd around Jessica, and Zoe could only shake her head at the insanity of it all. She made her purchase, and as she was heading back out of the store, a red gathered top caught her eye. Just as she lifted the blouse to take a closer look, someone grabbed her arm in a tight grip and spun her around.
Startled by the rough treatment, she gasped, her heart lurching in her chest as she came face-to-face with the man she’d seen earlier. Up close, with his angry features, dark, glittering eyes, and short-cropped brown hair, he looked more menacing. A definite threat that had her pulse racing in her veins, especially since they were mostly hidden next to a rack of clothes.
“Where is your father?” the man demanded, his fingers still biting into her skin.
She shook her head, confusion and fear mingling inside her as she tried to make sense of his question. “My…my father?”
“Grant Russo,” the man said in a low, harsh tone. “Where the fuck is he?”
Wincing at the fury lacing the man’s voice, she tried to pull her arm away, but his hold didn’t budge. The dangerous glint in his gaze warned her not to scream or draw attention to them, and she swallowed hard, deciding she’d be smart to answer him. “He’s out of town.”
It was all she knew of her father’s whereabouts, that he was in Chicago working on a business deal—information his own secretary had given Zoe when she’d placed a call to her father’s office a few days ago to ask her dad out to dinner. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her father to be away on a trip, and she figured he’d give her a call when he returned, like he normally did.
The man gave her an impatient shake. “Where?”
“I don’t think it’s any of your business,” she said, her own anger rising over this bizarre confrontation with a stranger.
He moved his face close to hers. “Yeah, well, I’m making it my business.”
“Who are you?” She figured if she had some kind of name, she could at least press charges against this man for harassment and let her father know the guy was trouble.
“I’m someone who has a whole lot of money wrapped up in the Meridian project, and now that money has gone missing, along with your father,” the man said bitterly.
There wasn’t a person living in or around Las Vegas who hadn’t heard of the upscale casino and resort her father’s company was developing. It was a huge, billion-dollar project, and a job as big as that wasn’t without disgruntled workers.
She tried her best to reason with him. “Look, I’m not involved in my father’s company, or the Meridian project, so I really can’t help you with whatever your problem is.”
“Sure you can.” He finally released her arm but remained in front of her, keeping Zoe trapped between racks of designer clothes and his formidable body. “How about you relay a message to your father for me. Tell him that he needs to get his ass back to Vegas, along with the money Bunny and I worked damn hard for. And unless he wants his daughter to start answering for his financial dealings, then it’s in both of your best interests that he return and take care of business.”
The man turned around and walked away, leaving her trembling deep inside and trying to make some kind of sense of what had just happened. She didn’t even know the guy’s name or exactly what he was referring to. But whatever his issue, she was certain her father would take care of the problem once he returned from his business trip. In the meantime, she’d make a call to her dad and give him a heads-up on what had happened.
“Zoe?” Done appeasing her fans, Jessica walked into the store, her concerned gaze shifting from Zoe to the man who strode past her and out of the shop, then back again. “Who was that guy?”
“I don’t know,” she said, dragging a shaking hand through her hair.
“Are you okay?” Frowning, Jessica slid a protective arm over Zoe’s shoulders. “Did he hurt you? I’ll send big, bad Simon after him if you want.”
“No…no, I’m fine. Really.” Well, not really, but she didn’t want to cause a scene. “I have no idea how that guy knows who I am, but there’s obviously some kind of misunderstanding between him and my father. As soon as I let my dad know what’s going on, I’m sure he’ll take care of the problem.”
“Then by all means, give him a call now,” her friend insisted.
Retrieving her cell phone from her purse, Zoe punched in her father’s cell number. The call went directly to voice mail, and she left him a message.
“Hi, Dad,” she said, deliberately sounding upbeat so she didn’t worry her father. “I need to talk to you about something important, so call me as soon as you get this message. I love you.”
She disconnected the call and smiled at Jessica, doing her best to put the recent incident behind her and enjoy the rest of her day with her best friend. “The good news is, the dress fits and looks amazing on, so I now have something fabulous to wear Wednesday night.”
“That is good news,” Jessica said, amusement replacing her concern as they strolled out of the store together. “What a day it’s been. I sure could use a good, strong margarita. How about you?”
“Yeah. Maybe even two.”
Jessica laughed and led the way back to Caesars Palace. “Sounds good to me.”
*
“If you’re trying to impress me, you’ve definitely succeeded.” Settling into the plush red velvet chair Sean held out for her on their dinner date two days later, Zoe glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her gorgeous, sexy, and very charming date. “I’m in awe of your ability to secure not just any table at the highly celebrated, award-winning Alex Stratta restaurant at the Wynn hotel, but one at one of the private seating areas on the terrace. From what I’ve heard, most people need at least a two-week reservation for one of these exclusive tables.”
“What can I say?” Unfastening the button on the front of his fitted charcoal gray blazer, Sean sat down in the seat next to hers, his playful grin showcasing those masculine dimples creasing his cheeks. “I called in a favor. It’s nice to have connections, especially when I’m trying to impress a woman.”
She raised a brow, certain this man had plenty of practice in dazzling the opposite sex and sweeping them off their feet with memorable romantic gestures. “You use this particular connection often?”
Unmistakable amusement shone in his eyes. “If you’re talking about me bringing women to Alex Stratta for dinner, you’re the first.”
Her cheeks warmed at the thought, and she was grateful for the dim outdoor lighting that disguised the extra color suffusing her face. “Lucky me.”
Unexpectedly, Sean reached out and skimmed the pad of his thumb along her jaw, then trailed his fingers along her bare neck in a sensual caress. “No, lucky me,” he murmured huskily.
A delicious shiver coursed through Zoe. The feel of his long, strong fingers against her skin awakened her feminine senses, and her awareness of him as a man didn’t stop there.
With his dark hair, striking blue eyes, and chiseled features, most likely a gift from his Irish heritage, he literally took her breath away. Add to the mix a pair of wide, strong shoulders and the promise of a hard, toned body beneath the fitted charcoal gray blazer he wore, and he’d attracted his fair share of appreciative female glances as he and Zoe had walked through the upscale restaurant.
It was truly a sin for a man to look so devastatingly handsome. To be so tempting and self-assured. Unfortunately, between his stunning good looks, flirtatious personality, and effortless ability to make her feel high with desire with just a look or touch, the man had “heartbreaker” written all over him.
He was exactly the kind of guy she avoided, the kind who’d rather play around than settle down. Having been down that route before, she recognized those bold, charismatic traits of his, and while she’d promised herself over a year and a half ago that she’d steer clear of potential playboys, for tonight Sean provided a nice, temporary distraction she was determined to enjoy.
She was certain that once she made a decision between the Onyx and Caesars Palace for her boutique, they’d go their separate ways. After all, he’d been the one to say to her that this was just a dinner, not a lifetime commitment, and that worked perfectly for her.
Tomorrow, and the things weighing heavily on her mind, would come soon enough. She’d left another voicemail message for her father on his cell phone and even talked to his secretary, Sheila, who’d told Zoe she’d spoken briefly to Grant a few times, but that he was in the middle of intense contract negotiations and was incredibly busy.
While not hearing from her father wasn’t unusual when he was on a business trip, Zoe was still feeling unsettled by what had happened at The Forum Shops two days ago. Hearing something, anything, from her father would go a long way in reassuring her that everything was okay.
Their waiter came up to their table and introduced himself, bringing Zoe’s thoughts back to the present. After the waiter made a few recommendations, she made a quick decision on her meal; then Sean ordered his dinner and an expensive bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was delivered and poured, and once their server left and they were alone again Sean leaned toward her, the sandalwood scent of his cologne adding to the awareness already curling through her senses.
His dark gaze took in her features, then slowly drifted down along her exposed shoulders to the coral-hued dress she wore. “By the way, you look amazing tonight. Then again, I have a feeling you always look put-together.”
She crossed her legs beneath the table and smiled at the compliment. “As someone who works in the fashion industry, I try to represent my name and designs in how I dress and look when I’m out in public. It’s like being my own walking advertisement, if that make sense.”
“It does.” He picked up the long trio of tiered necklaces draped around her neck, the back of his hand lightly grazing the rise of her breast as he fingered the chain of glittering, colorful crystals. “Is this necklace part of one of your collections?”
“Yes.” If he’d noticed the peak of her nipples against the fabric of her dress due to the brush of his hand, he was enough of a gentleman not to show it. “The bracelet and earrings, too.”
“Very nice.” Finally releasing the Eye Candy necklaces, he reached for his glass of Cabernet, relaxed back in his chair, and took a drink. “Tell me about your business.”
She picked up her wine, too, the vibrant stones wrapped around her wrist glittering from the lit candle in the middle of their table. “What would you like to know?”
“How did you get started in the fashion industry?” he asked, sounding genuinely interested.
She sipped her wine and sent him a smile. “You mean to tell me you don’t know?” she asked, injecting a teasing note to her voice. “When we met on Monday, you seemed to know a lot about my company.”
After setting his wineglass back on the table, he picked up her hand, his fingers clasping hers intimately. “I know a lot about your business, yes. You, not so much,” he said as he stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. “And that’s what interests me the most.”
Oh yeah, the man was a pro at making a woman feel special, as though what she had to say really mattered to him. The inviting look in his blue eyes, his attentive nature, made resisting him impossible.
“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved dressing up. I can remember getting into my mother’s clothes and jewelry and makeup and loving all the pretty, sparkly stuff. I thought I looked like a movie star, but looking back on the pictures my mother took of me, the truth is I really looked more like a drag queen wearing a glittering feather boa, bright red lipstick, and ridiculously gaudy costume jewelry.”
He chuckled. “Well, if it makes you feel better, your tastes have improved over the years.”
“Thank God,” she said, and laughed, too. “In high school, I added designs and beaded stones to my belts and purses and other accessories and I made my own crystal jewelry. Even before I graduated, I knew I wanted to do something in fashion.”
“Did you make your own clothes, too?”
Remembering her many disastrous attempts at sewing, she grimaced. “I tried, but I’m no seamstress. So, I decided to stick with what I was good at and doing what I loved the most. Designing accessories is my passion.”
“I love a woman with passion.” He winked at her.
The man was truly incorrigible. “I just bet you do.”
His wicked grin said it all.
At that moment, their waiter arrived to deliver their first course—an escargot tart for Sean and a roasted-beet salad for her. The server refilled their glasses of wine and left them alone again.
Zoe glanced at Sean just as he took a bite of his appetizer and tried not to cringe at the thought of him eating a snail, even if it was a French delicacy and was drenched in a rich butter sauce. She tried her salad, the taste of beets, goat cheese, pistachios, and balsamic dressing a delicious surprise.
“What did you do after high school?” he asked a few minutes later, jumping right back into their conversation.
She ate another bite of her salad, then swallowed a sip of wine before answering. “Since I already knew that I wanted a career in fashion, I decided to bypass a traditional university and went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. During that time, I shopped around my designs to trendy boutiques in Hollywood that I knew the rich and famous shopped at. Little by little I sold my merchandise, gained celebrity endorsements, and made a name for myself, until orders increased to the point that I couldn’t do it by myself any longer and I had to hire a few people to help me out. That’s when I knew I had a chance at making it as a successful designer.”
Finished with his first course, he placed his small fork on his dish and reached for his Cabernet. “Now I’m the one who’s impressed.” He tipped his glass toward her in a silent toast before taking a drink.
“Thanks.” She smiled, appreciating his comment. “My mother thought my interest in fashion design was just a carryover hobby from my teenage years and never really understood how important it was to me, or why I was so determined to make it on my own.”
Her mother’s philosophy in life, and what she hoped her daughter would emulate, was that a woman’s chief goal should be to find and marry a rich man who would take care of her so she never had to worry about being financially stable. That was, after all, why Collette had married Grant Russo, and even after their divorce she’d gravitated toward wealthy men. Currently she was living with a billionaire oil baron in Texas and hoping for an engagement ring.
While Zoe loved her mother, her superficial views when it came to the opposite sex and marriage weren’t something Zoe believed in, and she never would. She didn’t want to rely on any man to support her, and when she did get married one day she wanted the union to be for pure, unadulterated love, along with mutual honesty and trust.
Their waiter came by and cleared their dishes. After promising that their main course would be out in a few minutes, he moved on to an inside table to take an order.
“Your mother must be very proud of you now,” Sean said, his smile warm as he topped off her Cabernet.
“Now that I’m successful, she’s come around. She likes the fact that her daughter is becoming ‘famous,’” she replied, her tone deliberately droll. “According to her, that makes what I do acceptable.”
“That has to be tough,” he said, his tone soft and sympathetic.
“It is what it is.” She shrugged, having learned a long time ago what to expect, and not expect, from her mother. “I don’t need her approval to feel good about myself and what I do.”
“Good for you,” he said, clearly respecting her confident attitude. “And your father? What does he think about your choice of career?”
“He’s always been very encouraging, which makes up for my mother’s lack of interest.” His support had even extended to offering financial help in opening Zoe’s boutique, which she’d flat-out refused, and he seemed to understand that this was something she needed to do on her own. From taking on Jessica as a silent investor to taking out a business loan for other expenses, Zoe was in complete control of her company’s success. And it felt good, too.
Sean tipped his head curiously. “Are you two close?”
“My father and I? Sure.” A fond smile eased up the corners of her mouth. “We’ve always had a good relationship. I’m an only child, and I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a daddy’s girl.”
Sean studied her over the rim of his wineglass as he took a long drink, his blue gaze intense, as if he was trying to analyze her reply or maybe even her. She glanced away just as their waiter arrived with their dinners. After setting a fragrant plate of food in front of each of them, he made sure they were satisfied with everything before giving them privacy to enjoy their meal.
She enjoyed a few delicious bites of her sea bass, surrounded by a savory mushroom broth, while Sean cut into his pancetta-wrapped veal.
“So, about your dad—”
Tired of talking about herself, she immediately held her hand up to cut Sean off and softened the gesture with a smile. “You know, somehow we’ve spent the past hour talking all about me, and not so much about you. How is that?”
“Trust me, sweetheart,” he said in a low, sexy drawl that was undoubtedly meant to distract her. “I’m not that interesting.”
His reply was too practiced, too evasive. Like a man used to protecting his personal life but exceptionally good at unearthing other people’s secrets. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Then how about the truth?” His gaze met hers, the sapphire depths darkening with a compelling heat. “You fascinate me.”
Oh, he is good, she thought, and glanced away to calm the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. What woman wouldn’t want to be the sole focus of this gorgeous man’s attention and interest? It was quite a change from other men Zoe had dated, the self-absorbed kind who liked the spotlight on them and spent the evening dominating the conversation.
Sean obviously wasn’t one to put himself out there for a woman to analyze. His more reserved nature shouldn’t bother her considering this was just a casual dinner date and most likely wouldn’t turn into anything more, but it surprised Zoe to realize how much Sean fascinated her.
“Have you ever seen the Lake of Dreams show here at the Wynn?” Sean asked, indicating the hotel’s entertainment about to begin just beyond the terrace where they were sitting—one of the perks of their private seating area. At the moment, the lagoon was still and tranquil, but the soft sound of music and the slow rushing sound of water indicated the start of the show.
If he was trying to shift the topic of conversation again, he was about to succeed, because she was anxious to watch the extravagant production. “I’ve seen it during the day, but never at night.”
“Then you’re in for a real treat. It’s spectacular.”
The lights out on the lake dimmed even more, and they watched the elaborate water presentation while finishing their dinner.
Just as the show ended and the lighting returned to normal, Zoe’s cell phone rang. Done with her meal, she placed her fork on her dish for the waiter to take and retrieved her cell phone from her purse. The display indicated it was her mother, and since it was odd that she’d call during the evening in the middle of the week, Zoe didn’t want to ignore the call.
“Excuse me for a minute,” she said to Sean. “It’s my mother.”
Zoe connected the line and pressed her cell phone to her ear. “Hey, Mom.”
“Do you know where your father is?”
Collette had never been one for pleasantries and small talk, not even to take an extra minute to ask how her daughter might be before getting down to the reason for her call. “As far as I know, he’s out of town on business.”
“Yes, that’s what his secretary has been telling me,” Collette said, her tone vibrating with annoyance. “I need to get ahold of him now, and Sheila isn’t being very accommodating about making that happen.”
That was Zoe’s mother—expecting people to jump at her command. Zoe was grateful that Sean couldn’t hear her mother’s embarrassing rant. “All I know is that he’s in Chicago. Is everything okay?”
“No, everything is not okay,” Collette replied, and released an exasperated stream of breath. “He’s late on his alimony payment!”
Zoe dropped her head, closed her eyes, and rubbed her fingers across her forehead. Good God, her mother could be such a selfish bitch sometimes. “And you called me for this?”
Collette made an affronted sound that Zoe clearly heard, just as her mother no doubt intended. “I figured you’ve been in touch with your father.”
“I haven’t. Not lately. I’ve been incredibly busy trying to find a boutique to lease, and Dad is wrapped up in the Meridian project,” she said, repeating what his secretary had told her. “Sheila has been in touch with Dad—”
“That doesn’t do me any good, now does it?” Zoe’s mother cut in impatiently.
Reluctantly, Zoe glanced back up and found Sean watching her. She gave him an apologetic look before trying to reason with her mother. “Mom, I’m sure you’ll get your alimony check. It’s probably in the mail.”
“It’d better be, because I need it,” she huffed. “If you hear from your father, let me know immediately.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Good-bye, dear.” With that, her mother disconnected the call.
Zoe pressed the END button on her cell phone and sighed, feeling emotionally drained by the short but exhausting conversation. In hindsight, she should have let her mother’s call go straight to voice mail, because Zoe was certain she’d effectively killed the light, romantic mood between her and Sean.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said, and dropped her phone back into her purse. “I thought it might be something important, but it wasn’t.”
“Are you sure about that?” he murmured, his gaze both perceptive and kind. “You seem upset. Do you want to talk about it?”
“I appreciate you asking, but I’d rather not.” He’d been a good listener so far, but her dysfunctional family drama wasn’t something Zoe wanted to discuss on a date. Instead, she exhaled a deep, calming breath and summoned a smile in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere again. “Besides, there’s nothing I can do about the situation right now, so I just want to enjoy the rest of the night with you.”
“How about dessert then?” He leaned closer, his thigh pressing intimately against hers, sparking a heat in the pit of her belly, and lower. His voice dropped to a deep, husky pitch as he continued. “Something rich and decadent that’ll give you a sugar rush and make you forget all about that phone call.”
She bit her bottom lip. Never mind dessert. Sean O’Brien was more sinful than any pastry or candy she could think of, and she was certain he could make her forget her first name, among other things. He made her feel more desirable than she had in a long time, and she suddenly wanted to be alone with him. Just the two of them.
Feeling daring and spontaneous, she rested her chin in her hand and embraced the sensation. “I have a better idea,” she said, her tone flirtatious as she lowered her gaze to his full, sensual mouth. “How about we go back to my place and have dessert?” She knew her question sounded like a shameless attempt to seduce him, but she really did have a chocolate cake sitting on the kitchen counter at home.
A slow, toe-curling smile started in his eyes and traveled quickly to his lips. “Now there’s an invitation I’m not about to refuse.”