Layers(33)

“And bite you shall not, Miss Taylor. Conduct yourself, please, we’re in public.” I nudge her arm with my elbow.

“You know I can’t,” she says, demonstratively holding her lips shut.

I snicker, anticipating what’s about to come out of her imprudent mouth.

“Some plus one you are. Neglecting me to run and grope the first guy who agrees to fondle you in public.”

“That’s what you did, Hayley? And you call yourself a friend?” I turn to smirk at Daniel as he walks over to stand by my side. He slides his arm naturally around my waist. Tasha observes him cheerfully and says, “See, even Mr. Stark agrees with me.” Rob freezes at her side. He looks at Daniel and nods his head in greeting.

“Mr. Stark,” he says, a tad too seriously.

Where’s the laughter now?

“Hope you didn’t grope anyone while I was away,” Daniel whispers in my ear and winks at me.

“I was waiting for you to do it,” I grin back at him.

He tightens his arm around my waist, pulling me to face him—close, very close. From the corner of my eye I can see Tasha and Rob turning the other way.

“Where were we, H?”

“You just read my mind,” I say as I look up at him. He leans so his mouth can find mine and we kiss way too passionately for public viewing. Small currents make their way from my toes to my head.

As we gradually unglue our mouths Daniel says that he will have to leave soon.

“I have a call with Thailand; I need to do it from home.”

“With the minister of defense?” I probe.

A crease appears on his forehead. “How did you know?”

“Let’s call it an educated guess.”

“Any chance you’re coming with me?” He observes me with narrowed eyes and a small sinful smile that encourages me to agree.

“Though that’s one of the most tempting questions I’ve been asked lately, I think I’ll have to take a rain check,” I reply, not even fully convincing myself.

Daniel doesn’t try to conceal his disappointment. “Why is that?”

“I’m starting the new job tomorrow and I want to be fresh and alert, which I’m pretty positive I will not be if I go home with you.”

“I can’t argue with that. I want to, but I won’t.” He sighs. “So you got the job you wanted? Which magazine was it?” he asks, looking genuinely interested.

“At YOU.”

“If only you could work at me …” he murmurs, and I chuckle.

“I am going to be the creative director’s assistant.”

“Good for you,” he says, and kisses me. “So as much as I hate to let you go now and believe me, I do, I must head home.” He envelops me deeper in his embrace and kisses me again, taking his time. I inhale his smell as he does, feeling warm and protected in his arms.

“Go please.” I start to pull back. “Before I change my mind,” I say, and could not be more serious.

He holds my chin between his thumb and finger, raising it, and kisses me again. “Good night, Hayley,” he says, sending me a small, meaningful smile, and walks away.

I look at him as he strides away and fight my urge to follow. Next I join Tasha and Rob and their group, though my thoughts are light years away. We stay for a couple hours more to see the main attraction, a concert by the moment’s it-group, with a full-blown smoke-and-lights performance.





Chapter 13: Rite of Passage


“Hales, wake up.” I hear Tasha’s voice from a distance, yanking me from my serene state of suspended consciousness. “You asked me to wake you up before I leave, so wake up, for heaven’s sake.”

She’s now standing next to me, nagging me to actually sit up so I won’t go back to sleep once she’s gone. She does know me, after all, a little too well.

“There’s a cup of coffee with your name on it in the kitchen. Get your butt in there pronto, Hales. I mean it.”

“Alright, alright. Go already; go manage some important project at Stark Software,” I say in a drowsy voice, lumbering into the kitchen, still shaking sleep away.

“I’m quite positive it’s you who deals with the important projects involving Stark, Missy. Actually, I urge you to make as many projects with him as you can. Project his brains off for the sake of us all. He might finally relax and be more easygoing.” She smirks at me. Her mouth is about to crack in two from the intensity of her grin.

“Project his brains off? Really, Oh the poet thou art.” her face lighted as she checks her watch.

“Hayley Grace! Shakespearean before eight a.m.? I’m getting the very best of you here. Too bad I shall shog.”




“Shog?” I raise a questioning brow.

She rolls her eyes. “Leave …”

“Oh my god, you are such a nerd.”

“Well, shog thy butt out of here.”

She closes the door, leaving behind a trail of rich perfume and particles of cheerfulness that transfer joyful energy to the atmosphere.

Checking out my closet, I go for an off-the-shoulder silky black shirt with tight blue jeans and my sneakers. For better effect, I choose a bright red bra to go with the shirt, which is revealed at the shoulder as the shirt hangs down, giving my outfit the final touch. Not bad. I smile at myself, feeling like a complete idiot as I do so. Who are you, some blondie at a trashy reality show? What’s with this stupidly good mood? And the letters DS pop into my head, flickering like a tacky Vegas sign.