BLUE ICE (ICE SERIES) (10 page)

              After sensing some hostility about it I decided to drop the subject before starting a fight that soon. ‘Sorry, everyone calls me that, it’s not a big deal.’

              ‘Exactly, everyone calls you that. I don’t like to be like everyone, ok?’

              My stupid brain betrayed me and talked without my permission. ‘And what’s that “Long Legs” thing?’

              ‘That’s a description, Katherine.’ He said that with that weird smirk on his face, I just registered it as one more of his freaky things. On the table I found some plates of lasagna, some pasta and delicious garlic bread. It was a feast for 10 people, so I assumed someone was joining us. I didn’t know if it was weird, but a regular Coke was waiting for me. I only drink regular Coke, tea and water, but that was something he didn’t know, so maybe they went off of other drinks. ‘Finally, we have our Italian.’

              ‘I love Italian food! Are we expecting someone?’ I pointed to our vast table.

              ‘No, I want you all for myself.’ I almost choked on the Coke I was drinking. ‘Breathe Katherine, let’s talk, tell me about your campaign.’ He stared at me fixedly.

              I went on for the entire meal talking about it, showing him some pics of it on my iPhone, and bragging about our perfect job. He was a gentleman the entire time, appearing interested, asking questions, staring at me the whole lunch. Before I realized it we had finished with the entire feast. Thank God my shirt was designed for a pregnant woman.

              ‘You love your job.’ This was a statement, framed by a charming smile.

              ‘I do, it is mine and it was entirely constructed by me.’ I smiled at him trying to be playful. ‘It is not a Forbes’ worthy company like yours, but I love the fact that it is mine.’

              It was easy to talk to him when we were not fighting. I realized I had been happy since I arrived.

              ‘Dessert, Katherine?’

              ‘What do you have in mind?’ I was not really thinking when I asked that open question but I couldn’t be responsible for myself when he was looking so perfect.

              ‘Do you really want to know or can you imagine?’ He was already standing and put the lock on the door.

              He did that stupid smirk again, he had been really kind and the jerk was here again. Even when I knew I had put myself on the spot, I needed to let him know that this had to stop. He was trying to make me feel uncomfortable and I wasn’t the proper girl to do that. I knew that I was too angry for that simple stupid comment; but the fact that he had been so nice for the last few minutes and that I started being comfortable around him made it worst when he hit me with that stupid sex comment. That was the reason I was angry. Maybe the breaking point was that I was aware that he was not interested in anything else than the challenge.

              I looked at him directly, and confronted him, this had to end. ‘What do you want?’

              ‘I want you.’ He didn’t even flinch.

              ‘Wrong answer.’

              ‘I want you.’

              ‘Try again.’

              ‘I want you.’ He punctuated every word, getting angry.

              ‘No, you just want to sleep with me. You don’t even know me, if you knew me you wouldn’t want me, so let’s be honest with each other. I am not going to sleep with you, so the only thing that you really want from me is not going to happen. Being honest will save us a lot of time. So no, you don’t want me and you can’t have what you really want, so let’s finish with this.’

              Saying this I walked away as I did every time I felt defeated; as if I were better than everyone else, straight shoulders, chin up, long steps. In a second he was grabbing my elbow harder than I could expect. I was a strong woman, but he was definitely much stronger. Turning me into his perfect blue eyes, he didn’t hesitated.

              ‘There’s no fucking way you could know what I want. You’re too stubborn for that and you don’t think anyone could want you, so it is obvious why you think I am lying. You can deal with your self esteem issues by yourself but never dare to doubt what I say. And you can’t decide for US when WE are finished. I.want.you. Is it clear?’ His eyes were completely full of anger, his jaw tense and his fingers were buried in my arm.

              I turned around, as if his words weren’t affecting me, as if I were immune to his eyes and as if I had no idea which self esteem issues he was referring to. I just walked away as if the whole thing never happened.

              I walked calmly out of his office, I even said goodbye to the nice blonde at the reception desk and to Jonathan. No one would know I was escaping. As soon as I got into the elevator I gasped, relieved, but a hand stopped the door. Jerk Blue Eyes was in the car with me. The doors closed leaving the curious eyes outside, so I turned around to give him a piece of my mind.

              ‘Oh what the hell Dyla….’

              Before I knew how it happened, he pushed my hips with one hand to the wall while his other hand controlled my neck and he pressed his lips to mine. I stayed as still as a rock, but his mouth was perfect, he moved in the most appealing way. He was controlling me, suddenly I felt as if he was releasing me, so I opened my mouth to shout at him. Big, big mistake, his tongue took advantage the second I separated my lips, and entered, exploring every single corner. My heart was beating harder than it had done in my whole life. I’d never liked being kissed like that. Desire, want, heat, energy, anger, hate: feeling, just feeling. He smelled delicious, his hands fit on me in the most perfect way, and my hands were dying to touch him as much as I could. But my head was in its place as always and I was still Ms. Katherine “Don’t Mess With Me” Bianchi.

              When he released me I acted as cold as I could even though my blood was heated and rushing to my face. ‘Who do you think you are asshole?’ I slapped his face with more strength than a lady should have. The door opened, and for dramatic effect I left, I walked as fast as I could and jumped into the first cab I saw. That would be the best kiss of my life and I knew it, but it was over and it would never happen again.

              I arrived to the office and did what I do best. I worked my ass off. My anger would be calmed with lots of work, lists, and orders for my staff. At almost 7 o’clock Mrs. Cherry knocked my door followed by a man with a flower bouquet, identical to my last peonies. I thanked them both and read the card:

             Katherine: I won’t take those words back, nor that kiss. But please forgive me for disturbing you. Dylan A. Berkeley

              Jackass! Who would think that he could solve every problem with flowers!
Only an asshole!
I threw the card and went home for the night.

             
Chapter 9

              The next day everything was calm until I got home. I was just entering to my room when I heard C shouting.

              ‘Katherine Elizabeth Bianchi, take that stupid ass of yours down here!’

              Oh, now what, what could I had done to make that little girl that angry? ‘What’s happening Michelle?’

              ‘Did you or did you not slap Dylan’s face yesterday?’ She had her hands at her hips, trying to look as menacing as her short body allowed her.

              ‘Oh God, that little sissy went to you?!’

              She threw her arms to the sky, this was always part of her angry act. ‘You did! I knew it!’

              ‘So he snitched on me as the sissy he is!’

              ‘Of course not stupid, Marc told me Dylan had a mark on his face. He thought it came from a rough night with a hooker. But I learned by Spence that you were having lunch with him so I did the math Kate! I know you that well!’

              I dismissively sat on one of the kitchen stools, I was not going to give any credit to this bullshit. ‘So what Michelle? I slapped him, I didn’t even hit him with a closed fist.’

              ‘Why Katherine? He told you you’re beautiful?! He asked you out?! Why?! You can’t keep throwing guys away just because they are interested in you!’

              On purpose I kept my reasons veiled, I knew that she would want us to get married if she learned about that kiss. ‘No one is interested in me Chelle!’ I raised my voice for the first time.

              ‘Oh God not this “he’s not interested in me” thing again. I’ve known you since kindergarten and you have always done this!’

              ‘I just can’t stand the guy and I am not ever seeing him again so there’s no problem.’

              ‘Oh, it is you stupid! I love you Kate, you know that, but I can’t have this. Marc is a real thing in my life and I want to go all the way with him; and he can’t leave Dylan, he and Spence are his only family. I don’t know how, but you are going to play nice with him because I want you to stay in my life, ok?’

              Michelle wasn’t giving me an ultimatum, she knew better than that, but it was clear that this was an important thing for her, so I nodded. ‘I am sorry Chelle, I didn’t know this was messing with your relationship with Marc.’

              After our brief argument she started talking to me about every single detail of her relationship, even about things I would have never wanted to know. I was going to need to avoid Marc from now on if I didn’t want to imagine him naked.

              The chat ended with a dreadful announcement. Michelle and Marc were giving a dinner to gather their NY friends and Mr. Bastard was going to be there. I had three days to make myself accept the idea that we would have to “play nice” for my best friend’s relationship sake. Chelle was one of the very few people I liked and loved and I wasn’t up to lose her.

              Those three days happened more quickly than I would have liked; no Blue Jerk Eyes encounters before that day. I tried not to think about him, things were about to change and I wanted him out of my head before he had to be something more permanent than what I had expected in first place. One night Kevin came home really tired after work but wanted to know what had happened since our last chat about Blue Eyes.

              ‘So what has happened with operation Mr. Jerk.’ He undid his tie and threw himself to the couch while I was putting the pizza on plates for us.

              ‘Mr. Bastard, and I think there has been a plot change.’

              ‘Elaborate Ms. Bianchi.’ He was using a funny serious voice.

              ‘Ok, here we go. I slept at his place the day I got sick during Michelle’s birthday. He was kind and nice so in return I had lunch with him.’

              Kevin was already eating and laying on the couch, and I sat on the opposite sofa so I could see his face. ‘That’s nice, continue.’

              ‘I got angry again, he followed me around.’ I hesitated a little, but Kevin was my best friend and I could tell him everything. ‘He kissed me, I slapped him. Michelle is angry and she says I need to be his friend because Marc is “the one”.’

              ‘Whoa! The plot definitely changed.’ He left his pizza on the table to give me all of his attention. ‘First, elaborate on the kiss.’

              ‘No, I won’t, kinky jerk, it was just a kiss. I didn’t even participate. I just slapped him because I felt he violated my personal space.’

              ‘Ok, and now you have to be nice to him. How are you feeling about it?’

              ‘I don’t want to, but you know I love Michelle. I have to try and now I feel bad because I have been a bitch to the guy and I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t even know why he puts up with me. I’ve been terrible Kevin.’

              Kevin thought about my question for a second. ‘I’ve already told you he likes you. He stands all your crazy ways just to see those legs.’ He was laughing. ‘Michelle told me about the legs fascination.’

              ‘Shut up and I am not pretty enough for him to tolerate all my shit.’

              ‘He wants to prove he’s always right, that he can have you and that you are not as unapproachable as everyone thinks.’ He switched from laughing to serious in one beat. His answer was disturbing but so right. That made me feel a little disappointed. This was not about me, this was about the challenge I represented. ‘You are a wise man, Kevin Hurley.’
What are you going to do!

              The dreadful day came. Michelle explained to me that some of our friends and Marc’s friends were going to their dinner, so I just wore a plain black dress, black pumps and pearls. You can never go wrong with pearls. I looked nice, but I had that Margaret Thatcher vibe, professional, menacing but warm. Ok, I know, I hadn’t ever had a warm bone on my body, but I tried.

              I helped Michelle with the dinner and plating, everything was perfect. She and Marc looked amazing, so grown up and so, so happy. I was incredibly proud of my best friend. Apparently Marc’s friends in town were just Spence and Dylan, so Michelle provided the entire attendance, only 20 of her closest friends. I tried to be nice with most of them but they knew that I couldn’t stand them, so they avoided me.
Well played, dumbasses!

              My stomach was killing me with nervousness, I was about to confront that jerk. I knew I had to try to be nice, I’ve always hated faking and now I was about to swallow my pride. As soon as he entered to the room I took him by his arm and pulled him to the kitchen. I almost didn’t even notice his dark slacks and navy blue blazer over a beige light sweater, almost.

              ‘I need a word with you Dylan.’ My professional face was on. He followed me, with no other option, I was pulling him hard; and everyone was staring. As soon as we entered the kitchen I started in with my rehearsed speech. ‘Shhh, don’t talk. I hate this, but I adore Michelle, she’s the only girl I can stand and love in the world; and me hating you is killing her. Basically if I want to be friends with her I need to be polite to you. So even when I think you are a pretentious bastard, we are going to fake nice in front of her and Marc. Ok?’