15. Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Anson
I 'd been hard throughout Nova's presentation. Aroused. Wanting her.
Fuck, but she was glorious.
I liked women who were smart and capable. She was all of that, and then some. She looked fucking amazing in a fitted, knee-length dress in a rich shade of emerald green, with a cinched waist that accentuated her curvy body. Even with a modest neckline and cap sleeves, she looked like sex on legs—and even her sad string of cheap pearls and zirconium studs didn't temper that. Her hair was soft with voluminous curls pinned back on one side with a small, green barrette.
She'd painted her lips red, and I couldn't help but think about them wrapped around my cock.
I imagined kissing them.
Her overall look was polished and professional, undeniably feminine, and fucking sexy. Compared to Nova, Bailey, who was in a gray skirt and pink blouse that showed her cleavage, looked like cheap paste next to the real thing.
I wanted Nova. Desperately . I couldn't understand how I could still desire her. But I did. Very much. I wanted to put my hands on her hips, and then slide them down to cup her ass. I wanted to eat her pussy, and then, when she was soft and pliable, I wanted to hammer into her.
It was lunchtime when we got out of Savannah Lace.
Diego, who knew Savannah well as he grew up here, suggested Saint Bibiana, a chic Italian restaurant in downtown, for lunch.
The restaurant's interior blended modern design and classic charm, with exposed brick walls, dark wood furnishings, and soft, ambient lighting. The air was filled with the inviting aroma of freshly baked bread, garlic, and rich tomato sauce.
I skipped breakfast, nervous and anxious about seeing Nova again, so I was starving.
We settled into a cozy corner booth. The hostess handed us menus, and we began to peruse the offerings.
Bailey sat beside me, her posture stiff and her smile strained. Diego and Zara sat across from us. I knew Diego was bursting at the seams to ask me what the fuck I was doing hiring my fiancée. I had known him for years, since Yale, and had hired him away from his firm in Arizona when I had an opening.
Zara wouldn't ask. Our relationship was purely professional, and she'd keep to those boundaries. Diego, not so much.
When our server arrived, she asked if we'd like something to drink. Since we were going to be driving back, I didn't suggest wine, and we stuck with water, except for Bailey, who ordered a Diet Coke.
The server got our drinks and took our food orders, starting with Zara. "I'll have the bruschetta to start, and the wild mushroom risotto, please."
The server then turned to Bailey, the other woman at our table. She hesitated, her eyes flicking over the menu without much interest. "I'll just have the Caesar salad."
"No, main for you, ma'am?" the server queried politely.
Bailey shook her head, and handed her menu to the server.
"I'll start with the Caprese salad, and then the osso buco." I closed the menu and looked at Diego.
He nodded. "I'll go with the arancini for the appetizer, and the lobster ravioli for the main. And, could we have bread service for the table?"
Once the server left, Diego leaned back in his seat, his expression thoughtful. "Nova's proposal was impressive. The integration of sustainable practices, and the emphasis on community amenities were particularly well-presented."
Zara nodded in agreement. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such a comprehensive approach so quickly. Nova clearly put a lot of thought and effort into it."
Bailey shifted uncomfortably beside me, her face mutinous like she was a goddamn toddler. "It was adequate. We need to be careful not to let flashy presentations sway our judgment."
I could sense the unease in her voice and the underlying anxiety. This was Bailey's attempt to save face with the others, who looked at her for what she was, a nepotism hire. I had not wanted to do it, but the alternative was for me to support Bailey and her family, which I'd really hate doing. Maybe I needed to make a choice. If I wanted a woman like Bailey, I’d have to let go of my desire to be with someone who was independent and her own person.
"Flashy or not, the proposal had substance." I kept my tone neutral. "The Savannah Lace team addressed potential issues with detailed solutions, and backed their claims with solid data. I'm happy to approve the proposal, and go to the next step."
The appetizers arrived, and we began to eat. The Caprese salad was fresh and vibrant, the tomatoes bursting with flavor, complemented by creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil.
Bailey drank some of her Diet Coke. "I just think we need to consider all angles." She sat up straighter. "We don't want to rush into any decisions."
I wished she'd shut the hell up, but I knew she'd want to press her point to get Diego and Zara on her side and against Nova.
Good luck, babe.
Diego glanced at her, a hint of irritation in his eyes. "I'm going to be blunt, Bailey, I don't understand your stance. It's obvious to me that you don't understand the—"
"Diego," I cut in. I wouldn't allow him to embarrass Bailey, no matter how much she deserved it, no matter that Bailey had tried to shame Nova, albeit unsuccessfully, at the meeting. "This project is critical for our future. We need to ensure we're making decisions based on merit and potential."
"Isn’t that what we're doing?" Zara didn't exactly snap, but it was close.
Bailey looked at me militantly, silently demanding that I defend her. I had no fucking defense. She was incapable of understanding the nuances of the project, and couldn't read the room if her life depended upon it. She couldn't see or didn't allow herself to see that neither Diego nor Zara was on her side; hell, she was blind to the fact that even I was on Nova's—no, Savannah Lace's side.
Before the main courses arrived, Zara got a call. She stepped away to take it. Bailey went to the restroom, leaving Diego and me alone.
I held my hand up before my friend could rip me a new one.
"Her family is under a mountain of debt. Her father died. I had to help her." I took a sip of water.
Diego growled. "She's a fucking nitwit."
I winced. No filter on this guy! But this was why I was friends with him. "Careful, Diego, she's my fiancée."
"How are you engaged to this woman?" he demanded, shaking his head.
"None of your fuckin' business. Stay out of my personal life."
Diego cocked an eyebrow. "Then keep your personal life out of my professional one. She can't work on this project. It's too important. Give her some paper pusher job."
I wanted to ask him to remember who the CEO of Larue Homes was, but I'd brought Diego in because I knew he'd give it to me straight. I trusted him implicitly. Also, he wasn't wrong about Bailey.
"Okay," I agreed.
"You sure about this woman?" Diego asked. He'd met Bailey years ago when he'd visited me in Savannah. He didn't know her well, but he obviously could see what was clear to a blind man—Bailey Hyatt wasn't the sharpest bulb on the chandelier.
"No," I told him honestly. Since I'd seen Nova again, and especially now after seeing her in that meeting room, the idea of marrying Bailey was untenable.
"Why did you get engaged to her if you're not sure?"
"Familial pressure. Familiarity. It was easy. She pushed hard . Take your pick." I listed the reasons why I'd stupidly gotten engaged to Bailey.
Diego looked around to make sure Bailey and Zara were not close by. "And I'm assuming that Nova is the Nova?"
"Diego," I cautioned, "Let it go."
"She didn't look like a thief to me."
"She was young and desperate." As soon as those words were out, I realized the truth of them. So, what if she had stolen? She'd been so fucking poor. She was all alone in the world. Maybe it was a mistake she made. It wasn't who she was. Still, she could've just asked me for money, and I'd have given it to her. She didn't have to steal jewelry that she'd have to fence. The fact that she even knew how to get rid of jewelry told me that she'd been planning it all along, waiting to get into the Larue mansion, and make her play.
"She's not young or desperate any longer," Diego noted. "In fact, she's fucking stunning. Both professionally and as a woman."
I cocked an eyebrow. "You can't fuck someone we work with."
Diego chuckled. "You mean like you working with your fiancée?"
I was saved from trying to come up with a response that didn't include punching Diego's lights out, when Zara and Bailey returned.
The main courses arrived shortly after that, filling the table with enticing aromas. My osso buco was tender and flavorful, the meat falling off the bone, paired with a rich, velvety sauce. We all dug in, except Bailey, who looked listlessly at her Caesar salad.
As we continued our meal, the conversation shifted to logistics and timelines, excluding Bailey, because we all knew that she had nothing of value to contribute.
After lunch, we walked Zara's SUV. She'd driven us to Savannah and would be driving us back.
I knew I had to get back to Sentinel, deal with Bailey, and make sure Diego didn't blow his head off. But I didn't want to leave. I wanted to see Nova again. I wanted to ask her why she stole. This time, I wanted to talk to her and try to understand her. She'd been young and desperate. Maybe I could forgive her. Maybe I could see past… the past . Maybe….
"I think I'll spend the night here," I suddenly decided. The Rhodes Hotel was just a couple of blocks away from the restaurant.
"But you have no bags," Bailey cried out.
I cocked an eyebrow. "Savannah has stores. I'll be fine." In fact, the Rhodes Hotel had a very nice men's boutique. I could have a three-piece suit before tomorrow morning, if I wanted it.
"How will you get back?" Bailey silently begged me not to leave her alone with Zara and Diego.
"He'll get a town car," Diego frowned. "You want me to stay?"
I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I'll be back in the office tomorrow."
Zara looked at me intently. "Is everything okay?"
I patted her shoulder. "Yeah, Z. It's all good. I just want to catch up with some friends."
Bailey's eyes were wide. I knew she suspected which friend I wanted to catch up with. She waited until Diego and Zara got into the SUV.
"I thought we could go home and talk, Anson," she said softly. "You know about …."
About how I didn't want to set a date for the wedding. About how I didn't want to fuck her anymore. She'd been trying the past weeks, and I just couldn't find the desire for it. Bailey was a good sexual partner. Generous. Fun. Attractive. She could blow you anywhere and anyhow, and she did. She was damned good at it. She didn't always fake her orgasms, but I knew sometimes she did, which was fine with me. If she wanted me to get her off, she shouldn't pretend that she already did. I'd asked her a few times if she really came, and she enthusiastically said she did, when I'd bet the mansion she didn't.
Most of the time, I felt Bailey said things she thought I wanted to hear. She was usually wrong about what I wanted.
"It's just for a night." I cupped her cheek, and kissed her forehead.
"Anson, why didn't you support me in front of her." Tears filled her eyes.
Christ on a crutch! I didn't want to do this now.
"Bailey, we'll talk about your performance at the meeting in the office." I was careful to frame my words to prepare her for what was coming.
She took a step back. "I'm going to be your wife, Anson."
I gave her a plastic smile.
I don't think so, not anymore, not since I saw Nova and realized what I really wanted.
Not Nova, of course not, but someone like her. Someone smart and ambitious. Someone who wanted more than to keep house, gossip about others, and go through life worried about missing a hair appointment.
"We'll talk later."
"You sure?" Tears glistened in her eyes.
"Yes."
"You coming, Bailey?" Diego rolled down the window.
Bailey looked at him, and then me. She was just about ready to fall apart.
"Give us a minute," I told Diego. He rolled the window back up.
"Let's stay the night together. Please , Anson," Bailey begged.
"No."
"Why?"
"Bailey," I warned.
I knew she wanted to ask me about Nova but wouldn't. She didn't want to know the truth, not really.
She sniffled. "Are you going to fire me?"
Fucking hell!
"No. But you're probably not going to lead the Sentinel Heights project. We'll figure out how you can contribute to it."
"Diego was rude to me," she pouted.
"People are going to speak up when you don't behave professionally, Bails."
"You can ask them to treat me better. I'm going to be their boss's wife," she clipped.
"Which means nothing in the large scheme of things. You are not very good at this job, Bailey. I don't know what you're good at yet, but we'll figure it out. Now, get into that SUV and go home."
I was being harsh, but I needed to be alone.
I opened the back of the SUV and pulled out the leather bag that contained my laptop. I ushered Bailey in, and shut the door. I patted the top of the SUV and nodded at Diego, a silent plea to not give Bailey a hard time since I'd already done that. He acquiesced tacitly with a tilt of his head that simply said, " It's your funeral, asshole. "