CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dorian
He propped himself against the concrete pillar outside Grace’s work. He wore a casual gray suit and buttoned shirt, with a loose black tie. Had to fit the yuppie stereotype for an urban jungle, otherwise someone would think him a stalker. The warm air and lack of breeze made him sweat within five minutes.
Dorian wasn’t here for Grace. He had another person to apologize to. He wasn’t looking forward to this conversation, but it had to be done. Even his hour workout this morning hadn’t eased the likely unpleasant result that would come out of this.
A few minutes later, a few people came through the rotating doors, clearly the start of lunch hour. Eventually, Alicia came through, fiddling with her phone.
He pushed off the pillar and called her name.
Her head popped up. When she noticed him, she frowned.
This isn’t going to be good. Clearly, she’d seen the picture of him and Grace locking lips at the driving range. Even he didn’t expect any of those paparazzi to catch up to them last night. Those suckers were crafty. Hopefully within a few days, all of this would be spun to the positive side.
But he’d definitely lost a client in the process.
“Please, Alicia. Just a few minutes.”
Her frown deepened, cutting into the smooth skin on her cheeks. Instead of turning away like he’d expected, she glided toward him in her navy blouse and black capri pants. Her heels clicked on the brick accents on the ground.
He stopped, and let her come the rest of the way. When she closed the distance, she punched him in the shoulder. Hard.
Dorian feigned hurt, even though she wasn’t that strong. If it made her feel better, he’d play that part. “Ow!” He grabbed his shoulder.
“You jackass!”
Her yell echoed off the towering buildings, and several people glanced over. However, most of them kept walking.
“All right, I admit it. I already knew Grace. She’s my neighbor.”
“Neighbor? I bet you really enjoy borrowing a cup of sugar from her!” She punched him again in the same spot. It still didn’t hurt, but this time he flinched. “Why? How the hell…” Her grip tightened on her phone, and she started to shake. “Dammit! I don’t even know where to start! You made me look like a total fool to my boss! Then she swiped you right out from under me! Seriously? Who does that?”
“I didn’t tell you at the fundraiser because I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
“Oh, how thoughtful!” Alicia’s hazel eyes flared. “Was that before or after you started dating my boss?”
Dorian forced a deep breath. “You and I had a business relationship. I thought I made that clear Saturday night.”
“I introduced you to everyone there as my boyfriend, Dorian. Now everyone has seen your picture kissing Grace. I look like a naïve, jilted idiot. In front of all those people.”
“It was your idea to present me as your boyfriend. But you knew the arrangement prior to that night. No attachments to clients.”
“Oh, but their bosses are fair game? Do you charge extra for ruining my professional life the morning after?”
He clamped his jaw hard. Telling her people probably didn’t remember or care about her two-hour pretense with him, since they were all so focused on Grace and Ruben Wilde, would make her reaction worse. “Alicia…”
“What?”
“Do you have the interview with the new job or not?”
Alicia blinked. “Yes.”
“Did Grace act like she thought less of you this morning?”
“Not quite.” Her expression darkened.
“Did anyone else in the office?”
She huffed. “No.”
“I think your reputation is pretty safe. And you got what you really wanted out of the whole thing.” Dorian slipped his hands in his pockets. “The next step up.”
With a tap of her foot, she crossed her arms. Alicia didn’t look him in the eye anymore, this time her gaze fell over Klyde Warren Park and the dog-walkers.
“If it’s any consolation, Grace was very worried about you. What you thought of her after this. She thinks very highly of you.”
The red on her cheeks lessened to a light pink. After another long moment, she finally sighed. “She’s really taking a beating up there today. The flowers were a nice touch.”
He tried not to smirk. “Too much?”
“They were obscene. And as pissed off as I am—and I really am—I still don’t like seeing her this rattled. She’s been an awesome boss, up until...”
“Should I go up and see her?”
Alicia shook her head, and checked her phone. “She’s on conference calls all day.” Her eyes narrowed, and looked him directly in the face. “Are you really dating? Or is she just another client?”
Dorian mirrored her expression. He didn’t want to hurt her, but then again telling the whole truth wasn’t her business. “It’s complicated.”
“Is she paying you?”
“No.”
She rolled her eyes, and the wrinkles in her forehead returned. “Then you’re really dating.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
Alicia shook her head, and took a deep breath. “I have to go, I only have thirty minutes.”
“May I make one request?”
Her jaw muscle twitched, and her gaze was anything but amenable.
“If anyone approaches you and asks for information on her, or me, will you please not—”
“What do you think I’ve been doing all morning?” Her voice turned vicious. “I’ve hung up on at least fifty of those vultures since six a.m. What have you done, besides gel your hair?”
A large flash blinded him, but it was the familiar sound of a camera click that made him cringe. A few yards away in an unsuspecting tan sedan, a frumpy man held up a lens through his open window, and took pictures in rapid session.
Of the pair of them.
“Shit,” Dorian breathed.
Alicia started punching numbers in her phone, her face red once again. “Security…”