He stood up and leaned toward her, then kissed the top of her head. “Always.”
∙ 23 ∙
t he rest of the weekend was spent scouring the cosmetic industry’s current ads and comparing them to the things that Marradesi had been doing in Europe. Vincent and Lexi weren’t going to pitch anything at this initial meeting, but they could get an idea of where they wanted to go with the presentation and test the waters to get a feel for how receptive the client would be to it.
Jade, having another of her I-am-the-center-of-the-universe moments, had been furious that Vincent had to work so much over the weekend, but she would have really been upset if she knew Lexi was there with him. He had wisely left that part out. Sunday she went with a few of her friends to have a facial, hoping to find out more about the Hunter leak, but returned empty handed.
Monday came up on Vincent quickly. He and Lexi had been at the office past nine o’clock Sunday night before and were back at it a few hours later.
“Good morning, Leigh.” Vincent gave her a tired smile as he passed her desk.
“Jeez, you look as tired as Lexi today. What’s up with the two of you?”
His first reaction was to tell her exactly what they had been working on, but then he remembered that someone was giving information to his competitors. Until he knew who that person was, he needed to remain more tightlipped.
“Just a bunch of busy work. Did Lexi tell you to block out the afternoon for both of us?”
“Of course she did. So, where are you buying my lunch from today?”
Vincent laughed. “Today you’re on your own, I’m afraid. I think I owe Lexi a decent meal.”
“Have a good day. And try and get a good night’s sleep tonight, please.”
“Yes, Mother.” He shook his head as he walked to his office.
Exhausted as he was, he suddenly found himself wide awake when he turned the corner toward his office. Lexi stood a few feet away at the coffee maker, looking like an absolute vision in blue.
Her outfit was simple and reserved, a feminine take on a suit, but the side slit in the skirt gave just a hint of the alluring things that were hidden underneath. Her sleek, black heels made her shapely legs seem to go on for miles.
She balanced precariously on her tiptoes trying to reach a new box of coffee filters. Even in the heels, her tiny frame was still a few inches too short.
Vincent snuck up behind her and reached up over her shoulder to help.
“Here you go, Shorty.”
Lexi’s face wrinkled in annoyance. “It’s the damn heels. I hate them.”
Vincent’s gaze raked over her body, slowly drinking in her curves. “I have to say, I’m quite partial to you in those shoes.”
“Thank you, Mr. Fashion. Please tell me I’m appropriately dressed for this meeting today. My bedroom looks like the closet threw up in the middle of the floor.” She did a little spin then tucked the filter into the pot and added the coffee grounds.
“You look beautiful and professional.”
“Where are we meeting them again?” She threw away the old filter and headed back to her desk.
“We’re having lunch at that new restaurant, Bravo. Paolo’s nephew owns the place, from what I understand.”
Lexi sank down into her chair. “I’m nervous.”
“Breathe, Lexi. It’s just a meeting. We go, we talk, and we leave.” His fingers gently stroked her hair in encouragement. “And for the record, throwing up is typically frowned upon at these things.”
We go, we talk, and we leave. Lexi repeated the phrase in her head as she finished her morning work and prepared the few materials they were taking to the meeting.
By noon, she was ready to crawl out of her skin. She had reorganized her desk twice and spent twenty minutes aligning the coffee mugs so all of the handles were perfectly parallel. Vincent, however, continued to breeze through his day, the picture of relaxation. He glided in and out of his office casually, made smartass comments to Lexi, and then disappeared back behind his door.
Lexi was printing off the final fact sheet about Hunter when Sean turned the corner and crashed into her.
“Howdy, Miss Polka Dot Panties,” he snickered.
“I catch you doing the Walk of Shame and you’re making fun of me?”
His broad shoulders shrugged. “Did you know your hair looks like hell in the morning? I think some men,” he glanced over at Vincent’s door, “would find it very sexy. And the polka dots too.”
He was obviously trying to deflect the conversation from himself by irritating Lexi, but she wouldn’t fall for it. “So, you and Hope.” A huge grin swept across his face, his cheeks tinting the slightest shade of pink. “Are you blushing? Goodness, now I’ve seen everything!”
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.” There was an air of sincerity as he said the words, which warmed Lexi’s heart.
“Good, and you better not either, or Hope will roast your balls on a spit.”
Sean wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. “Your friend’s an amazing woman. I promise I would never do anything to disrespect her.” He placed a kiss on Lexi’s forehead and squeezed her tight.
“Thanks, Sean. Hope’s like a sister to me.”
“Now let me see you.” He held Lexi out at arm’s length and surveyed her outfit. “Our little Lexi, all grown up. You look like a mini Vincent, only cuter.”
Lexi quickly stuck her tongue out at him.
“Hey, I heard that,” Vincent grumbled from his doorway. He went to the coat rack and pulled off Lexi’s jacket. “Stop grabbing her. We have to leave in a minute.”
Sean got a mischievous look on his face. “So, Vincent, what do you think about polka dots?”
The file in Lexi’s hand slipped from her fingers, sending papers flying in every direction. “Damn it!” She dropped to her hands and knees to gather them.
Vincent knelt beside her, collecting the last few items. He held his hand out and helped her back to her feet. As she stood up and brushed off her skirt, she noticed Sean watching their interaction with great interest. She didn’t miss the smug smile he sent in Vincent’s direction either.
“Thanks.” Lexi dipped her head to hide her embarrassment.
“You seem so tense today, Lexi. Maybe you should find a way to release some of it. Vincent, do you have any suggestions?”
Now it was Vincent’s turn to drop something. Lexi’s jacket slipped through his fingers, and Lexi noticed the flustered expression on his face as he snatched the coat from the ground and held it in front of him. “Sean …” Vincent growled.