Fashioned for Power (5 page)

Reaching down, he pulled her sweater up and over her head. When she went to turn to face him, he held her in place. He wanted to see every reaction she had to him. He unclasped her bra and let it fall to the floor. In the windows, he saw the reflection of her breasts. He moved his hands to cover them, to explore them, and to love them. When Allegra writhed against him, Finn slid his hand to the waist of her jeans and unbuttoned them.

It took both of them a minute to peel them off her, but when she bent against him he nearly exploded as she shook her hips as to shimmy out of them. As soon as she stepped free of the jeans, Finn pulled her against him again. He had to feel her. He cupped her breasts again and watched his hands play with her nipples in the reflection. As she moaned his name, he watched and moved one hand down her stomach. He’d never seen anything so erotic as when his hand disappeared beneath her matching lace panties.

Allegra’s head was thrown back, and her eyes squeezed shut. Finn’s fingers slid into her; Allegra’s body flushed with heat, her stomach plummeted, and then she exploded.

“Finn,” she gasped and clutched his muscled forearm. His hand dropped from her breast and wrapped around her waist, holding her up as she came.

When she opened her eyes, she saw his reflection in the window. The look of pure desire on his strong face had her heart thumping wildly.

“Now you know how sexy you are. You amaze me,” he whispered in her ear as his hands cupped her swollen breasts again. “I love you, Allegra. All of you.”

Allegra turned in his arms. She leaned her head back to see his face; he’d given her the courage to do what she wanted now. If she could run her own company, she sure as hell could tell the man she loved what she wanted.

“Finn, I think we need to get you undressed.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Finn grinned as he unbuttoned his dress shirt and let it drop to the floor along with his pants. Allegra took a long, slow gaze. His chest was wide with corded muscles wrapping around his tall body. His waist narrowed slightly and his muscles formed a V pointing right to a very impressive, very large erection.

Finn drew her attention away from his body when he ran his fingers through her hair and looked into her eyes. Allegra felt her hair fall around her bare shoulders as their lips met, and he backed her up until she gasped into his mouth as her bottom met the cool glass.

“What do you want, Allegra?”

“You.” It was all she had to say. Finn’s whole body reacted, and Allegra shivered in anticipation.

He didn’t break from their kiss as he sheathed himself with a condom. He didn’t break the kiss when he ran his hands down her sides, over her hips, and grabbed the back of her legs, wrapping them around his waist, pushing her against the window. And he didn’t break the kiss as he filled her completely.

Allegra gasped as he moved in and out of her, driving her closer and closer to the edge. The lights from the city blurred as her body convulsed around Finn. He shouted her name as he thrust one last time into her and stilled.

“Never doubt how sexy you are to me. I want you this much no matter the time of day or what you’re wearing.”

“Finn?”

“Yes?”

Allegra felt her lips quirk. “I love you, too. Now shut up and take me to bed.”

Finn moved his other hand to cup her bottom and smiled. “Anything for you, Allegra,” he said as he carried her down the hall.

CHAPTER SIX

Finn walked back into the bedroom as the early morning sunlight filled the room. It had killed him to get out of bed, but if he didn’t hurry he would be late for Kane’s commercial shoot. Bending over, he kissed Allegra gently on the lips.

“I have to go, sweetheart.”

“Do you have to?” Allegra mumbled sleepily.

“I do. And I bet you have to get going, too. Your house walks later today. I’ll do everything I can to get there to see it. I know everyone will love it.”

Allegra’s eyes flew open. “Oh my gosh, my show!” Allegra leapt from bed naked and then skidded to a stop halfway across the room before turning around and hurrying back to press a lingering kiss on his lips. He didn’t want to leave her today, but the real world was knocking loudly. Literally.

“I’ll leave a ticket for you. Would you mind getting the door on your way out?”

“Of course. I love you.”

“I love you.”

Finn watched Allegra hurry into the bathroom and shut the door. He walked through the condo and opened the door for one of the desk clerks.

“Oh, um, Miss Simpson has a delivery.” The young man shoved a huge bouquet of flowers at Finn.

“Thank you.” Finn carried the white roses into the living room and set them on the table. He was sure someone was sending them to wish her luck for the fashion show. Maybe he should do something like that for her, too, he thought as he locked the front door behind him.

Allegra smiled to herself and hummed as she started the shower. As the water heated up, she walked into her closet to pull out a black bra and panties set. She felt sexy today and wanted to feel it from the inside out. Looking around her closet, she picked out the sexiest of her collection, a skintight scarlet-red dress with a plunging neckline. With a fitted jacket over it, it would be perfect. She laid it out the bed and then stepped into the shower.

The hot water trickled down her body as she remembered all the things she and Finn had done the night before. She was so happy she didn’t think she could stand it. After all this time of wanting and longing, she finally had a love she didn’t think she’d ever have, and she wanted to shout it from the rooftop.

Allegra heard the faint sound of the door to her condo clicking shut and paused. She wiped her hand across the steamy shower glass and looked out. “Did you forget something?” Allegra called out. She paused, waiting to hear Finn’s answer, but none came. “Finn?”

Allegra opened the glass shower door and stuck her head out so she could hear. “Finn?”

Straining her ears, all Allegra heard was the shower. She laughed to herself and went back to washing her hair and humming. Enough foolishness. Harry was in Atlanta, and she needed to focus on the fashion show happening in four hours. Her own line was small, just a hobby really. But she loved creating things for the everyday woman. So many of the shows at fashion weeks around the world were so impractical. Garbage bags made into haute couture, models walking with their heads in cones that resemble something a dog would wear after being neutered—the list went on and on. Instead of something only size double zero models could wear, Allegra designed clothes she would wear. Everyone deserved to feel the magic of well-designed clothes.

Allegra turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to towel off. She brushed her wet hair and wrapped the towel around her breasts before padding out to her bedroom.

She stopped as soon as she entered her room. Everything was in place, but something was different. What was it? As she looked around, her body broke out in goose bumps. Adrenaline pumped through her as she stepped farther into the room. Her door was open, just like Finn had left it. Her red dress lay on her bed next to her white bra and panties . . . Allegra froze and stared down at the bed. Hadn’t she picked out black underwear? But lying exactly where she had placed her black bra and panties lay a pair of white ones. With a shaky hand she reached out and picked them up. They were hers. Did she switch them? Did Finn come back in and switch them? She was so worked up about her fashion show she couldn’t remember. It might be embarrassing, but she’d call Finn and find out if he’d done it.

Looking around, she remembered her phone was in her purse by the door. Gripping her bra and panties in one hand and her towel in the other, she walked into the living room. She saw the flowers and smiled. Finn was so sweet. How did she get so lucky?

Picking up her purse, she dug out her phone and called Finn. “Hello. You’ve reached Finn Williams, Vice President of Simpson Entertainment . . .”

Allegra hung up the phone without leaving a message. He would be busy with Kane’s commercial. It’s foolish anyway. She was sure she changed them out without realizing it. She was in such an orgasm-induced state anyway, she practically forgot her own fashion show.

As she headed back to her room, she looked back at the flowers. A card stuck out the side. She wondered if Finn had written something sweet or something naughty to her. Allegra grinned with anticipation as she reached for the red envelope and pulled out the white card. She turned it over. There was only one word written on it . . .
Whore
.

Allegra felt her knees give out as she collapsed on the floor. He was here. Harry was here. Clutching the phone, she struggled to enter her passcode. Her fingers shook and she kept hitting the wrong buttons. With every wrong number, she felt her vision blur. She struggled to breathe. Finally she entered the right numbers and called the only person who knew the truth.

“Damien, he’s here. He’s in New York.”

* * *

Finn clutched his hand as the director yelled, “Cut!”

This was take one hundred if Finn had been counting right. He looked at his watch. Allegra’s show was starting at any moment, and he was going to miss it because this guy thought a commercial was supposed to be artistic. What the hell does artistic have to do with deodorant?

“Man, can I just bail on this?” Kane whispered.

“Not unless you’re prepared to pay them a couple million dollars. Remember, you’re making seven million off this.”

“But really? What the hell? He wants me to wear this?” Kane held out the white pirate shirt and kilt.

“Highlanders are big right now.”

“My ancestors are from Africa, not Scotland. And he does know that Highlanders didn’t wear kilts on pirate ships while speaking with an American accent, right?” Kane said through gritted teeth.

“Okay!” the director called through the bullhorn. “Let’s have Kane swing on the rope across the deck and into the arms of the wenches again.”

“Wenches, Finn, wenches . . . on a pirate ship.”

“Seven million dollars, Kane.” Finn laughed. This will make a great story for Allegra. He couldn’t wait to see her and tell her all about it.

Allegra threw herself into the chaos of the dressing room behind the scenes of her fashion show. Wall Street was packed with people to see her show, but no Finn. Damien was investigating the flower delivery and in the meantime had sent some of New York’s finest off-duty SWAT officers to stand guard. They tried to hide their smiles as they watched models ripping off their clothes and yelling at their dressers to hurry.

At least she felt safe for now. One of the officers was going to accompany her as her driver wherever she went. Allegra couldn’t decide which she wanted—for Harry to make a move and be caught or to be scared away.

“Angelica, go,” Allegra hissed to one of the models. The model’s eyes narrowed as she walked around the curtain and strutted down the runway. Allegra watched on the TV screen as Angelica stopped at the end of the runway and posed before spinning on her toes and heading back up the runway past Kelly, Kane’s girlfriend, as she closed out the show in Allegra’s favorite dress.

“That’s it, ladies! Line up for the final walk.” Allegra stepped back as all the women got in order behind the curtain. As soon as Kelly was out of sight of the audience, she ran around the corner to get in front of Allegra.

“So, about what you saw at the office,” Kelly started to say as the models began their last runway walk as a group.

“It’s okay, Kelly. Finn and I worked it out,” Allegra said with a blush. They’d worked it out in lots of ways last night. Allegra rolled her eyes at herself. See, sexual dunce. She couldn’t even make a sexual innuendo to herself without it sounding corny.

Kelly grinned as if she could read her mind, but the second before she stepped around the curtain, the smile dropped, and she transformed before strutting down the runway to the resounding cheers of the audience. Allegra took a deep breath and counted to ten before stepping out from behind the curtain. She saw David and Josh standing and cheering. She scanned the crowd but didn’t see Finn. She also breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t see Harry either. The models finally smiled and clapped as Allegra walked down the runway waving and smiling. She’d done it—all by herself. She was woman, and she’d just roared without saying a word.

“Ma’am, wait here please,” the officer said as he held up a hand. Allegra was in a hurry, but stood in the hallway as the officer went into her apartment. She had less than an hour to get changed and over to Bellerose’s show. Hopefully, this officer had one of those little flashing lights he could put on the roof of the car he was driving for her.

Allegra took a deep breath and pulled out her phone to watch the minutes tick by. What was taking him so long? Her phone beeped, and she saw a message from Finn that the commercial had just now wrapped. Allegra typed in the address of the Bellerose show and told him to wear the nicest suit he had. Where her show was pretty laid back in terms of theatrics, Bellerose was going to the max.

“Okay, all clear.”

Allegra rushed past the officer and slammed the door to her bedroom. She was stripped out of her clothes before she even reached the closet. She grabbed the black lace mini dress David and Josh had designed for her before wedging her feet into six-inch hot pink stiletto boots fashioned to look like a rose blossom.

Rushing out of the closet, Allegra tried not to fall as she leapt into the bathroom to redo her hair and makeup. She heard the doorbell and the officer answering it. Since he didn’t come get her, she figured it wasn’t important and hurried to grab her small clutch before running—more like tippy-toe dancing—her way down the hall as fast as she could.

“Let’s go,” she called before slamming into the back of the officer. “What? Come on!” But then Allegra looked around him at the single white rose on her coffee table with a red envelope next to it.

“This just arrived. I have officers talking to the doorman. I think you better stay here.”

Allegra was in too much of a hurry to be scared. “Then he would win. This is a huge fashion show. I can’t miss it.” Allegra grabbed the envelope and ripped it open. “Well, at least he can say more than one word now.”

You’re mine and mine alone. Always mine, Allegra.

“That implies you were his at one time. Officers are on their way and your Secret Service buddy has been called.”

“I already know who it is. Harry Daniels. I’ve told you all this before.”

“Yes, but we can’t find him. And we have to make sure it’s not someone else.”

Allegra opened the door and made shooing motions with her hands. “Come on. You can quiz me all about it in the car. Do you have a siren?”

He smiled into the shadows as he watched his wife run out the front door of her building. He watched her all the time and knew the look on her face. She had received his gift. Pride swelled in his heart. He’d given his wife a gift, and she loved it. He could tell. Her driver hurried to open the door before she did. Oh, she was beautiful tonight. Although that skirt was a bit short. What a filthy whore she was. She was supposed to wear things like that for him and him alone. Anger and excitement pulsed through his body. She would learn soon enough that no one rejected him. No one, especially his soon-to-be wife.

“Soon, Allegra, soon.”

* * *

Finn found the annoyed assistant with a headpiece standing outside the door to the Bellerose show. “Finn Williams?”

“That’s me,” Finn said with a smile. This guy couldn’t be more than five and a half feet tall. A wet dishrag probably weighed more, but the cold indifferent stare on his face had Finn alternately laughing and respecting him. This guy wouldn’t be a pushover.

“Here’s your ticket; let me take you to your seat. The show starts in a few minutes.”

“Is Allegra here yet?”

“No,” the assistant said in a huff. “But these parent house types are always like that. She’ll probably get here ten seconds before the show starts. They’re
so
dramatic.”

Finn covered his laugh with a cough and followed the man to a seat in the front row. The man gave a curt nod and hurried back out front, presumably to wait for Allegra.

He took his seat and ignored the giggling actress next to him. “Hey, man. Don’t I know you?” Finn looked around the actress to the man he had seen hugging Allegra weeks ago. “That’s right. You know Leggy.”

Finn felt his blood boil. He’d always been a relaxed dater. If things worked, great. If not, great. He was never overprotective. He never felt he had to be. Women usually fought to be with him, but now he felt it—jealousy. It was new to him and he didn’t like it. The thought of this guy knowing Allegra so well made him want to pummel the guy.