FOURTEEN
THEY WERE GOING for Sunday lunch. That was the idea. Brogan needed to stop at the office for a quick face-to-face and he’d promised they’d eat after.
The hospital function last night was fun. No dancing and they left early, but she hadn’t minded getting to bed when it meant sleeping in Brogan’s place. His place, not his bed, baby steps, big dreams.
“I’m saying, I met Freya Dere last night, and the work ChilConn is doing is amazing,” she explained as they ascended. “I’ve always admired her so much. No one else is—”
“Another of your charities,” he said. They exited the elevator on the top floor at SG HQ. “How much do you need—”
“Oh, I wasn’t—”
“Jenna’s preparing a checkbook for you,” he said, crossing the executive lobby. “I’ll lose track of your causes.” She wasn’t that bad… was she? “Use it for whatever you need.”
A checkbook for… Well, that thought could wait. His office wasn’t as empty as expected.
“Brogan Spurn!” The stranger woman occupying it did air kisses all by herself into midair. “How wonderful to see you again.”
Brogan glared. “We’ve never met.”
Glossy dark hair, bright eyes, the petite woman should make any other feel inferior, instead, she was transfixed.
“No, we have not,” the magnetic beauty said, “but like a bad penny, Roxie always knows when to show up. You’re welcome.”
“Your husband is on my schedule.”
“Him. Me. One Lomond or another, we’re all the same.” In a flash, Brogan was forgotten in lieu of this person’s attention landing on her. “I heard a whisper from a whisperer that my services may be required.”
“They are not required,” Brogan said, going around to stand behind his desk. “If Honey sent you to void—”
“Void? Oh, no, no, I’m never one to interrupt a good caper.
” Roxie sank into the head seat at the long table, regal with her back straight and hands folded on her lap.
“Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I am a mere observer.” Okay, awkward.
The beauty slanted just a little her way to stage whisper from the corner of her mouth.
“That said, cry uncle if you want out and I’ll take care of everything, money, investigation, sex. I’m a full-service empress.”
How did this woman know so much about them? Brogan said they’d never met yet she knew their dark secret?
As usual, Brogan was unmoved. “An empress with close ties to Tripp Breckenridge.”
With a glib push of her lip, Roxie raised loose hands in sophisticated surrender.
“You went there, Spurn. All by yourself. You put names to faces. Bodies in those mental pictures of hot, sweaty, orgasmic…” She pointed a finger.
“I’ll leave that there. Let it do its thing.
Percolate all on its own.” Once again, her hands went to her lap.
“Back to the scene. Carry on without me. All the feels and… action.”
“No one is performing for you.”
“In which case…” The beauty’s fingernails drummed slowly. “Gianna Sear, I owe you an apology.”
“Lomond…” Gia said, repeating what Brogan revealed and, right then, it hit her. “You married Zairn Lomond. You’re Roxie Lomond. I heard your wedding was a smash.”
“And I think you’re the first person in this sphere I’ve met who wasn’t invited.” The woman leaned toward Brogan, though her eyes remained fixed. “You were invited, right, Spurn?”
“Yes, and likely, Gianna was too.” The woman frowned, not that Brogan saw it. Still, he offered an explanation. “Gia’s parents only grant permission for her to attend events they consider worthy. That wouldn’t include flashy exhibitions in LA.”
A glow of joy and temptation flared Roxie’s eyes. “Oh, my love,” she said, brimming with optimism. “How your life is about to change, Sweet, Beautiful Gianna.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Welcome to your Pretty Woman moment,” Roxie said, throwing her arms up. “You gave her a credit card?”
“She has a credit card,” Brogan said, still not impressed.
“Excellent!”
“Brogan’s credit card,” she said, squirming a little. “But I won’t—”
“You owe him nothing, Sweet Beauty. Doesn’t matter, his credit card, my credit card, no one refuses me anything these days.”
She didn’t hear the door open, but a new voice betrayed a fourth party had arrived.
“Roxanna.”
Mrs. Lomond’s head fell to the side as she switched her angle to address the new man in the room.
“Damn, you’re gorgeous, Casanova,” Roxanna said, jaw tight almost in a growl. Roxanna? Roxie? “What a shame we face a potentially divorce inducing hurdle right here in this room or I’d jump you for sure. I should call Hatfield.”
“He’s downstairs,” the new guy said. Not any new guy, Zairn Lomond, Roxie’s husband. “You left him in the lobby.”
“Damn that man, he knows nothing of covert operations. I can’t surprise anyone these days.”
The couple went back and forth.
“I assume if we’re talking divorce,” Zairn said, “Dunlap is on his way.”
“Dunlap would never be late if I was the appointment.”
“No, because you scare him.”
Roxie made a sound of affront. “I do not.”
“You scare them all, LoLo.”
“I’m everyone’s best friend—” Roxanna raised a straight finger.
“Or I would be.” She sighed. “And, darn, divorce, I was just getting used to the ring too. The wedding ring you can have. You’re not getting my Empress Ruby back.
And I want Astrid. I should take Tibbs too, just to watch the shit show that would make of your life.
Joint custody of Tripp, but I call dibs on the romantic holidays; someone has to entertain me, it’s not like I’ll ever get a date again.
And Ogilvie can have his celebratory parade after the papers are signed, but his expenses come out of your half, I don’t care what you have to sell. ”
“Is it necessary we be here for this?” Brogan asked, impatience in his flat tone.
She shouldn’t be fascinated, invigorated, but it was voyeuristic, she’d heard tell of Roxanna Kyst-Lomond, more online than anywhere else. The beauty didn’t disappoint.
“You want the island?” Zairn asked.
“Jane can have that,” Roxanna said, waving in dismissal. “I do want London, but you can stay over whenever you’re in town.”
“Sex?”
“Of course sex, what other use will I have for you?”
“So we’re moving to London, is basically what you’re telling me,” Zairn said. “And our motivation…?”
Opening her arms, Roxanna came rushing over to embrace Gia and loosen, arms staying around her.
“There’s been a captive in our city this whole time and you didn’t tell me.”
“Tripp didn’t tell you?”
“He did now,” Roxanna said on a scoffing exhale. “Both of you are on the naughty step.”
“If Alice wasn’t allowed near Gianna, do you think her parents would allow men like me and Tripp anywhere near her?”
“Momma S was right, you are a philanderer, Mr. Lomond.”
“Not anymore, sweetheart,” he said and raised his hand to show his occupied ring finger. “I’m married.”
The couple were so quick, one gibe followed another, the sparring flowed naturally. She couldn’t remember how long they’d been together. Had to be a couple of years at least.
“But not as pussy whipped as your wife would like if you keep this kind of thing from her,” Roxanna said. “This deception is a real problem, Skippy.”
Gia didn’t want them fighting because of her. “Oh, Mrs. Lomond—”
“Don’t,” Brogan said, startling them all. “Majority wisdom dictates you should not engage her.”
A low beat of laughter warmed Zairn’s voice. “Look at that, LoLo, the world’s finally got your number. Roxiverse is paying the bills.”
“Someone has to,” Roxanna said. “You are already in the net, Casanova. Others may be able to run and hide it’s too late for you.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Just concentrate on being pretty, I’ll take care of the real work.”
“Whatever you say, dear.”
This was an odd couple, but a great one to watch. The barbs weren’t hostile; these were soulmates who’d met their match in each other.
The brunette beauty spoke, “I’m opening the club.”
“Fully staffed twenty-four, seven just for the Empress.”
“We’re going shopping first,” Roxanna said.
“Naturally. And Hatfield…”
Roxanna squeezed her. “How do you feel about lights and cameras?” The woman tsked. “Sorry, one step at a time.”
“Am I canceling my afternoon?” Zairn asked.
“You’re not taking my crew anywhere. Bambi and Struan have it under control.”
“Which is code for Tripp is on his way?”
“He’s with his mother, planning Sequoia’s baby shower. It will be PG-13… or as PG-13 as it can be with Playboy Junior oozing his charisma and hotness everywhere. I’ve told him to keep his sex appeal to a minimum and no screwing the party planner. He’ll take it down to a PG, if he can, no promises.”
“Your fans will be disappointed.”
“No, they will not, Casanova.” Roxanna slunk away, sashaying across to her husband. “Because you will be performing at your best tonight.”
“Because you’ll be hammered by midnight if you start drinking before noon?”
“Excuse you, I’m a professional. I can start drinking before sunrise and still make it to sunset.”
“Proud of you, baby.”
Roxanna traced her fingertips up and down his chest, pouting up at him. “You know what all this divorce talk does to me.”
The corner of his mouth reacted. “LoLo, I have yet to find talk that doesn’t get you hot,” he said. “Car’s downstairs.”
“Next you’ll be telling me we have an apartment in the city.” Roxanna’s knee bent, raising her foot as she leaned back, holding onto his jacket. “Why did we get out of bed this morning?”
“Why do we ever get out of bed? And I was in Boston this morning, different bed.”
“That’s right,” Roxie exclaimed. “You owe me an orgasm!”
“You came just fine this morning, LoLo. I was the guy talking you through it.”
“Video doesn’t count. My hands do not feel the same as yours,” she purred. “Not even close.”
“We don’t need to be here for this,” Brogan said.
Roxanna huffed. “He’s a buzzkill,” she said, tightening her hold on Zairn’s jacket though she leaned against him. “Why are you friends with him?”
“That’s not the first question you want to ask me about Brogan Spurn,” Zairn said with knowing. His wife craned to look over her shoulder at the man behind the desk. “Your first question is…”
“How in the hell did you get a peach like Honey Appleton?” Quickly the woman’s attention whirled the other way, Zairn the only thing keeping her steady. “Gia, how’s he hung?”
“Okay,” Zairn got in before Brogan could open his mouth. “Lo, you know we talked about boundaries…?”
“Boundaries? Boundaries? Pah to your boundaries. Me and Gianna are girls now. Penis discussions are par for the course. I know everything about every part of your friends. Way more than you do. The involved ones anyway.”
“Does Gia know that you’re girls?” Zairn asked, then addressed her.
“I’m sorry, my wife gets carried away. Unfortunately, I’ve conditioned her with inexhaustible relationship security and self-esteem.
There’s absolutely nothing she could do that would jeopardize her place in our lives together and she will always be the most beautiful woman who ever breathed.
Means she forgets the brakes every once in a while. ”
“Says the almost divorced man,” Roxanna muttered.
“Divorced, married, does it change our relationship status?”
“Of forever? No, but the media—”
“What we are is not their business.” Zairn cupped the back of Roxanna’s head to bring it to his lips as he bowed to kiss her. “Think I can’t persuade you to marry me a third time?”
The flicker of Roxanna’s smile quickly became something so open and adoring that her whole aura brightened.
“Oh, you are good at this, Scroogey.”
“You’re not the only professional present.”
This time he gripped her hair to tip her head back and brushed his lips across hers. Whoa, it was getting sort of hot in the office. Was she the only one feeling it?
“No one else I’d rather philander with,” Roxanna breathed.
“Someone’s got to keep an eye on that caboose.”
“All the way around the world and back again.”
“Every time.”
Brogan rapped a knuckle on the desk. “Some of us have work to do.”
“God,” Roxanna griped. “Honey never said you were this uptight, Spurn.” Roxanna inhaled.
“Honey’s his gorgeous ex by the way, in case he hadn’t told you, Gia.
She’s an incredible human being who is also a hundred percent married and completely loved up, absolutely no threat.
Plus her husband is basically made of muscle and would flatten any guy who tried to touch her.
You’re lucky Ridge is so secure, Spurn, or he might object to your regular conversations with his honeypie. ”
Brogan wasn’t moved. “A honeypie I’ll be having words with about sending her projects to my office.”
Drawing in breath, Roxanna seemed to sway with intention of movement, but Zairn quickly grabbed her against him.
“Let’s have dinner tomorrow night,” Zairn said. “The four of us. Tibbs will make a reservation.”
“You’re in Paris tomorrow,” Roxie said, practically baring her teeth at Brogan.
“Not anymore.”
“No canceling trips for me, Skippy,” Roxie said. “You know how I feel about your businessy things.”
“Trust me, babe, this isn’t for you.”
“Have you met Honey’s husband?” Roxie asked Brogan.
“No, but I guarantee I know more about him than you know about your own mother.”
Roxanna blinked, seeming suddenly defused. “Fuck, I hope that’s true.” She shivered, sliding both hands up Zairn’s torso. “The things I do not want to know about my mother…”
Gia wasn’t even sure the anger of a moment ago was a hundred percent genuine.
“Now we can do this civilized like,” Zairn said, laying a hand on Roxanna’s lower back to turn them both to face Gia. “Gianna Sear, have you met my wife, Roxanna Kyst?”
“You don’t use the hyphenate?”
“I do when I want to get in anywhere,” Roxie said.
“Who are you kidding, Lo?” Zairn asked. “I use the hyphenate if I want to get in anywhere.”
“Don’t you forget it, Skippy,” Roxie said, bumping him with a hip before crossing to take both of her hands. “Gianna, it is an absolute pleasure.”
“Roxanna—”
“Roxie is fine,” she said. “Only the emperor deems to use my full name.”
“That’s how you know it’s me in the dark.”
Roxie put an arm around her to walk them toward the door. “Have you ever been to Crimson?”
“Have I—oh, uh, no,” Gia said. “I wouldn’t have anything to wear. My mother wouldn’t—she just wouldn’t.”
Zairn stepped out of their path toward the exit.
“That’s a call to arms if ever I heard one,” Roxie said. “Let’s go shopping.”
And after a final glance back to check Brogan had no objections, she followed Roxie’s lead out of there.