Chapter 27 #2
He spins us around, addressing the whole room now.
“We are not half-assing this gala. It needs to be everything these charities deserve. Bianca thinks that seasonal galas featuring three different yet similar charities each time will make them a ton of money. That they will be the ‘It’ event of the season and in case it is not fucking clear, I trust her judgment on this.”
“Yes, sir,” echoes throughout the room.
“She will not be here tomorrow because I need her at the hospital with me. Have a good night, everyone. Thank you for all your hard work. Go home. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much, but it’s not because I don’t appreciate all you do.
It’s because I already know you’re rock stars and don’t need me interfering. ”
And with that, Kaplan Fritz, doctor, CEO, master of my universe, whispers into my ear with that sexy rasp thing he does, “Get your stuff. You have two minutes.” I’d argue just to watch the charge build in his eyes, but I’m thinking that might be more fun to do later.
I grab my purse and laptop bag and am by his side in less than my allotted time. “Do I get a reward?”
“That all depends on how fast you can pack your stuff.”
“Pack my stuff? I just did that,” I squawk as Axl opens the door of the building for us, shielding my side while Slash takes Kaplan’s side. “Evening, guys.” I throw them each a wave. I don’t see any press, which is a miracle, but one never knows.
The car door shuts behind us and Kaplan drags me onto his lap until I’m straddling him in my dress. His hands clutch my thighs, and his eyes pin mine.
“You just fired Jenny.”
“No one needs someone that toxic in their work environment. She came on to me again when she showed up at the hospital this morning and I likely would have just dealt with that, but no way in hell was I going to tolerate the way she was speaking to you. No one says stuff like that to you. Ever.”
I do my best to rein in my smile, but it’s impossible after he says something like that. “Lucky for her I didn’t know she came on to you or she’d have claw marks for a face.”
“Territorial and jealous. I like that.”
I run my fingers through his hair, toying with the strands. “I like that you did that. Stood up for me. Totally turned me on.” I grind against him with a wink, and he smiles. A real smile. A relaxed, almost happy smile.
“I’m taking you home and you’ll have exactly ten minutes to pack a bag.”
I pause, tilting my head because I’m not sure I heard him correctly. “A bag?”
“You can bring clothes or not. Either way, it doesn’t matter for where we’re going.”
“Kaplan.”
“Bianca,” he mocks with a smirk that makes me wetter. Damn him for that.
“Can you tell me what’s going on? What exactly am I packing for?”
“I’m taking you somewhere tonight because I haven’t seen you all week and I need some alone time.
It’s been entirely too long since I’ve had any of that without the madness that is my life getting in the way and I want to do that with you even though it won’t technically be alone time for me since you’ll be there.
I’m sick of being followed and work and people and drama and I need to fuck you to the point of both of us requiring fluid resuscitation.
I brought IVs and starter kits, by the way.
You know, just in case we do actually reach that point. ”
I blink about ten thousand times. “I’m sorry, I think I just had a stroke. Somewhere in that rant, did you say you’re taking me somewhere tonight?”
The car stops way too fast and suddenly the door is flung open.
“Ten minutes,” he reminds me, smacks my ass, and then his eyes are on his phone and he’s typing away.
Numbly I step out of the car and peer up at Axl, who is trying so desperately not to be amused.
“A little help?” I beg.
“Think warmer weather,” he recommends with a sly grin.
“Warmer weather?” Does this mean he’s taking me away for the weekend, not just tonight? Am I missing work tomorrow with all that’s going on? Did Jenny actually get fired? I bang on the glass of his window. “I have questions, Kaplan Fritz.”
“I don’t care,” he mutters through the door. “You’ve got nine minutes now.”
Damn him!
“What if I don’t want to go?”
“You do. You hate this weather. Now move or you’ll have to live with only what I’ve packed for us. Eight minutes.”
Packed for us? What the… whatever. Best not to overthink.
I race into my apartment, determined not to be naked for whatever Kaplan Crazy-Ass Fritz has in store for me.
Locating a bag, I snatch it down off the shelf and fill it with…
I have nothing. Like nothing. No bathing suits.
No hot, tiny, skimpy dresses. I was living with a piece-of-shit guy for the last six months who made me want to hide my body at every turn and was dating him for a year and a half before that.
I was headed to Scotland in winter for my honeymoon, not Maui.
“Fuck it.” I face myself in the mirror. “Fuck it!” I screech louder.
I find T-shirts and nightie shorts and panties and bras and the sexiest stuff I have in my naughty drawer.
A couple pretty sundresses catch my eye and I throw them in too.
I only have one ugly one-piece bathing suit and that makes me want to cry.
I decide I’ll buy something wherever we’re going.
There must be a shop somewhere. Then I go for my toothbrush and basic toiletries and snag a pair or ten of sandals and other shoes.
I’d rather be naked than shoeless it seems.
Staring down into my ridiculous bag of mismatched stuff, I start thinking only to force myself to stop.
If the shoes make the woman then what else is needed?
And then, oh my God, Kaplan is taking me away.
For tonight or the weekend, who knows, but he’s taking me on a surprise trip.
And he fired Jenny for being a nasty bitch to me.
“Slow your roll, Bianca. This doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Only the giddy flutter of my heart and the excited flush on my cheeks aren’t selling it.
I do a small freak-out dance and then once that’s done, I grab my bag, shut off all my lights, lock everything up, and fly back down the stairs out to the waiting car.
“That was more than ten minutes,” Kaplan states as I launch myself onto the back seat beside him, his eyes still on his phone. “I was getting ready to leave without you.”
“No, you weren’t. Incidentally, I don’t have a bathing suit. Will we have a chance to stop somewhere so I can pick one up if swimming is going to be on the menu?”
“No. But as I mentioned, for you, clothing is completely optional.”
I shake my head. “Sometimes I think I know you so well and then in moments like these, I can’t tell if you’re being a joking sarcastic dick or a serious, sarcastic dick.”
“Serious.”
“Kaplan, will you please tell me what’s going on?”
He sets his phone down and meets my eyes with a grin that makes my pulse jump. “You’ll see soon enough. For now, enjoy the suspense.”