Deceiving Her Boss (21 page)

 
Sean laughed.  "It's still hot," he said.  "I just turned the
pot off.  Do you want a cup?"

 
"No.  Not anymore.  I got distracted by other things."

 
Sean grinned.  Allie was very different from what he'd expected.  For some
reason, he'd thought that she would turn shy and a bit standoffish after the
slept together, but instead, she was standing in her kitchen, naked under her
bathrobe, bantering with him.

 
"What's funny?" she asked.

 
"For some reason I pictured you in bunny slippers," he responded with
a teasing grin.

 
Her eyes narrowed.  "Bunny slippers?"

 
"No?  Maybe cows?  Pigs?"

 
"I'm not sure what you're saying to me, but none of that sounds very sexy
to me.  The old Allie might have worn those in your presence, but not the real
Allie," she told him.

 
Sean moved over to her and put his arms around her.  "I think either Allie
is very sexy," he informed her, leaning down to kiss her nose.  "With
or without bunny slippers."

 
Allie reached up and kissed him lightly.  "I'm going to bed.  Are you
coming?"

 
In response, Sean handed her the condom, then leaned down and swept her up into
his arms to carry her back to the bedroom.

FOURTEEN

 
The week leading up to the wedding went quickly.  Allie worked to train a
temporary replacement, a competent woman in her 50's who was not only happily
married, but happily awaiting the arrival of her first grandchild.  Allie
assured her that if she wanted to take time off when the baby arrived, she and
Sean would be more than willing to work out the timing.

 
Allie herself went on two job interviews, and while she thought she might have
landed at least one of the positions, she wasn't sure if either one would give
her the same level of responsibility that her job with Sean gave her.  Still,
she knew that if she decided to leave, either one could serve as a springboard
for a different kind of position in the future.

 
But the evenings were amazing, Allie thought.  Sean was a considerate lover --
he wanted her, but he also knew that she needed her own time to get ready for
the wedding, and for an extra week away with him.  So he stayed some nights,
and left her to do her own thing on others, and he always seemed to know which
she needed.

 
The problem, Allie thought, was that she was falling more and more in love with
him.  And he showed no signs of feeling the same way about her.

 
By the time Friday afternoon arrived, Allie was packed and ready.  And
nervous.  Sean was meeting her at the airport in an hour, and there was nothing
left for her to do but sit and think.  Not good.  Because all Allie could think
about was that she was marrying a man she was head over heels in love with, and
he was marrying her to protect his reputation and that of his business.  Yes,
they were good in bed together.  Yes, they laughed and enjoyed each other's
company.  But for how long?  How long before he decided that he was tired of
her?  How long before he suggested that they live separate lives?

 
She knew that he had been insulted when she had asked him about exclusivity in
their relationship, but while she was sure that he believed in his answer to
her, she wasn't equally sure that she believed in it.  Because she wasn't the
kind of girl who could keep a man like him.  She was definitely the girl next
door, while he was the kind of man who could rule the world.  And why would a
man like that want a girl like her?

 
By the time the cab came to pick her up to take her to the airport, Allie knew
that she needed to fish or cut bait.  If she went to Vegas, she was committing
herself to marrying Sean Greyson.  If she stayed at her apartment, he would
come after her this afternoon.  And it would be the end of everything.  The end
of their working relationship, the end of their personal relationship, and the
end of her own life as she knew it.  Everything would change.  If she married
him, he may eventually destroy her heart, but she had a chance -- and she would
have more time with him.  He may never learn to love her, but maybe she'd make
enough memories with him to take her through what she was sure she'd have to
deal with in the future.

 
So she got in the cab.  She made it to the airport.  She checked her luggage,
went through security, bought a magazine and a bottle of water for the flight,
found her gate, and sat down to wait for Sean.

 
She saw him before he saw her.  And her heart melted.  He was dressed
impeccably as always in a beautiful black suit.  His worn leather briefcase was
tossed over his shoulder, and the newspaper was tucked under his arm.  His gaze
was sharp as his eyes roamed the room, looking for her.  She watched as several
women covertly glanced at him, and he watched his eyes flitter over them and
keep moving.  And when he finally spotted her, she was puzzled by the look of
extreme relief that seemed to pass over his face before he made his way over to
her.

 
"Hi," she smiled up at him as he came to stand next to her.

 
"Hi to you too," he said, bending down to kiss her gently on the
lips.  "I didn't see you at first.  I was afraid that you were running
late."

 
"Running late, or not coming at all?" she asked.

 
"I was afraid you were running late.  I was terrified that you weren't
coming," he said seriously.  Sitting down in the empty seat next to her, he
crossed his long legs at the ankles.  "Did you get everything done?  No
last minute crises?"

 
"No.  No problems.  Even the cab ride over was smooth.  What about
you?"

 
"No crises on my end either," he told her.  "Where's your
dress?"

 
"I packed it," Allie said.  "So hopefully it is being loaded on
the plane as we speak."

 
"You packed it."

 
"Yeah."

 
"Allie, I think you're the only woman I know who would pack her wedding
dress and hope that it made it to its destination."

 
She shrugged.  "I can always find a new dress tomorrow if I need one. 
It's Vegas, after all."

 
By the time they got to the hotel in Las Vegas, both Allie and Sean were
tired.  Between the craziness of a hectic week, and the flight and ground
transportation stress, they stood in the lobby of the hotel they were staying
at and just looked at each other.

 
"I think I need a nap," Allie said seriously.

 
"I think that sounds like a great idea," Sean said.  "How about
we rest up a bit, and I meet you back here in the lobby at 6:00.  We can go get
a drink and find some dinner before you go win me my wedding champagne at the
blackjack table."

 
Allie smiled.  "No blackjack for me tonight, unless I get seriously
rested.  I might be willing to try my luck at the slots though."

 
"Then I'll bring a roll of quarters with me."  He bent down and
kissed Allie lightly.  "See you in a couple of hours."

 
Allie headed off to her suite, thankful that Sean had insisted on separate
rooms tonight.  He wanted her to feel at ease this evening, and she was
grateful.  After unpacking her suitcase and hanging up her wedding dress in the
bathroom where the steam from her morning shower would steam out the remaining
wrinkles, she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.  Before she knew it, it
was time to clean up and go downstairs to meet Sean.

 
After a quick shower to wake up, she freshened her makeup, pulled on a
short-sleeved brown flowered dress and a pair of high-heeled sandals, and
gathered her hair back into a loose braid.  She added a matching beige
cardigan, then grabbed her purse and headed down the stairs to meet Sean.

 
Dinner was delicious.  In addition to their entrees, they split an appetizer, a
bottle of wine, and a decadent dessert before Allie cried uncle. 
"Enough," she groaned.  "Not only will I never fit in my dress
tomorrow, but I will still be in a sugar coma and unable to move before 3:00
tomorrow afternoon.  No more food or drink for me."

 
"Coffee?"

 
"Not even coffee."

 
Sean laughed, then went around the table to pull out the chair for Allie. 
"Do you want to go to the casino, or would you like to call it a
night?"

 
"Casino," Allie answered.  "But just for a short while.  Just
enough time for me to either win a jackpot at the slots, or to waste $10 in
quarters.  Unless you want to play cards for a while?  If you do, I'll
watch."

 
"No, I'd rather have an early night tonight," he said.  "I've
got plans to get very little sleep tomorrow," he added seriously.

 
"Oh do you, now?" Allie asked.  "Big business deal to
transact?"

 
"Something like that," Sean agreed with a slight smile.  "Come
on.  Let's go lose some money."

 
Allie lost the roll.  She was up $5 at one point, but Sean convinced her that a
$15 bottle of champagne would not taste any better than a $10 bottle, so she
might as well go for the jackpot.  Unfortunately, she lost it all in the next
ten minutes, but Sean just shrugged.  "Next time," he said as he swung
his arm over her shoulder.

 
When they got back to the hotel, Sean insisted on walking Allie to her door. 
"I won't come in, Allie.  But I just wanted to be sure that you got in
safely."  Bending down, he gently cupped her cheek, then lowered his mouth
to hers in a tender kiss.  "Good night, sweetheart.  I'll see you tomorrow
morning at 11:00."

 
But like the last time they were here in Las Vegas, Allie found herself keyed
up.  And like the last time, she decided that she needed to hit the gym. 
Especially after that meal, she thought with amusement.  If she ate like that
every day, she'd need to spend her entire waking life on a treadmill.

 
As she had last time she was here, she glanced into the bar on the way to the
gym.  It was a pretty empty place tonight, and a pretty small crowd.  But then
again, it was still early.  Climbing onto the treadmill,  Allie put in her
earbuds and turned on some good music, and ran for 30 minutes, then lifted some
weights.  After a five minute cool-down, she hung her towel around her neck,
took a long drink from the fountain, and headed back down the hall to the
stairs.  She would be able to sleep now, she thought.

 
As she headed by the bar, she looked in again.  There were more people here
now.  It was almost crowded, she thought.  As she passed by the entrance, a
familiar suit caught her eye.  She stopped and backed up.  Yeah, no doubt about
it, that was Sean.  With his arm around a stunningly beautiful woman.   The
woman was leaning back, looking up at him adoringly, her hand lightly stroking
his arm and her other hand placed artfully on his chest.  As Allie watched, the
woman stretched up and kissed him.  On the mouth.  And oh God, Allie thought as
she saw his arm tighten around her, he was going to kiss her back.

 
She backed out slowly, not wanting to draw attention to herself.   She wasn't
sure how she made it to her room, couldn't remember if she took the stairs or
the elevator, didn't remember putting the key card into the slot.   She only
remembered nearly throwing up when she got back to her room.   Leaving the
lights out, she sank down into a chair, in front of the window, and looked out
at the lights of the Vegas skyline.

 
She had been such a fool, she thought.  Such a fool.  She had trusted him, and
she had even talked herself into believing that this had the potential to
develop into something real.  Something meaningful.  But he was already
cheating on her, and on the night before their wedding, no less.

 
She couldn't go through with it.  If she married him, his cheating would
destroy her completely.  Not just professionally, but personally.  So she might
as well just bite the bullet now and be done with it.  Let him destroy her
professionally for not keeping her promise to him.  Let him blackball her
across the US and even internationally.  She might lose everything, but she
wouldn't lose her soul.

 
She didn't think she'd sleep at all that night.  But with her mind made up, her
heart once again protected, she slept like a baby.

 
The next morning, Allie considered just leaving the hotel, but knew that wasn't
the responsible thing to do, and she was nothing if not responsible.  After a
quick shower, she called the airlines to change her flight, pulled on a pair of
jeans and a white cotton blouse over a black camisole, and slipped on a pair of
black flats.  After packing the rest of her clothes into her suitcase, she took
a deep breath, and went to find Sean.

 
She knocked on his door quietly, half expecting the woman from last night to be
there.  But Sean opened the door, dressed in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt,
his hair still wet from the shower.  And oh, dear God, he looked so good. 
Allie nearly wept for her own loss right then, but remembered the scene from
last night, and immediately grew more resolute.

 
"Allie, what's wrong?  What are you doing here?" he asked, a
concerned look on his face.