Heart of Stone (3 page)

“Oh my god G, I have the ideal job for you.
My company is looking for an Assistant Corporate Event Coordinator
and you’d so totally be perfect for the position. It’s definitely
challenging and with your degree you’re more than qualified. And we
would be working for the same company – it’ll be fantastic,” chimes
Mia clapping her hands together in delight. “Come on we’ll work on
your resume and you can submit it tomorrow to Human Resources.”

“Okay,” I agree laughing at Mia’s excitement,
“but dinner first or otherwise this wine’s going to go straight to
our heads.”

****

As I step out of the lift onto the third
floor where Mia and her boss’s office is at Morris Advertising I
adjust my new knee length navy pencil skirt that matches perfectly
with the new white silk sleeveless shirt I’m wearing, a huge smile
spreads across my face. It’s one o’clock and I’m meeting Mia for
lunch on my first day at work. After the interview last Wednesday I
got a phone call Friday to say I was successful and I immediately
rang Mia and gave her the good news. Squealing along with Mia over
the phone we made plans to go out and celebrate over the weekend,
which also included a trip to the mall for new work cloths.

The weekend was casually uneventful with one
exception - Saturday night. Mia and I had just finished dinner at
Dukes Restaurant in Malibu and were heading over to a friend of
hers for a few drinks when I stopped to take a chocolate
after-dinner mint from the hostess station on my way out to the
car. With my back to the front entrance and Mia in bathroom I was
having a mini chocolate-mint orgasm when I heard that
‘voice’
, the one that’s been playing in my head for almost
two and half weeks now. It’s an ‘
oh so sexy seductively hot,
forget about chocolate orgasms, I want the real deal’
voice.

“ Good evening Gabriella”.

Silently praying I don’t have chocolate
smeared all over my teeth I quickly swipe my tongue across them.
Then slowly turning around I look up into a familiar set of
penetrating emerald eyes. Ignoring the onslaught of butterflies
currently swirling around in my stomach – I clear my throat and
exclaim in an embarrassing squeak. “Aidan, Hi, how are you?”

He’s dressed in dark green dress pants that
only serve to enhance every inch of his long lean legs and a linen
white shirt loosely un-tucked with the collar open revealing his
silky smooth throat, a hint of chest with a dusting of light brown
hair that I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to run my fingers
through.

“Good thank you Gabriella and you, are you
well?” He has a small grin on his insanely handsome face and once
again
one raised eyebrow waiting for my reply.

Shit, shit, shit!

Why am I speechless every time I’m around
this man? Maybe if I stop ogling him I would be able to speak!

I swallow hard and answer. “Yes, I’m well
thank you.”

“Gabriella you remember Paul Tanner from the
party the other week?”

I nod and politely smile at Paul. “Yes of
course, hello. It was a lovely party. You have a beautiful home Mr.
Tanner.”

“Thank you and please call me Paul,” he says
returning my smile.

Paul appears to be in his late forties, a
little shorter than Aidan so I would say six foot, olive complexion
with dark brown eyes and hair.

“Hi Mr. Stone, Mr. Tanner.” Mia greets
returning from the bathroom. “If you’re both here for dinner than I
can highly recommend the Mango BBQ Chicken Burger its delicious.
Gabby and I had them earlier. We’re celebrating her new job at
Morris. Gabby is going to be the new assistant events coordinator.”
Mia beams as I my mouth gapes open at her disclosure. Hmm seems I’m
not the only family member who suffers from verbal diarrhea of the
mouth.

“That’s great news, congratulations
Gabriella. And of course with Morris Advertising now part of the
Stone Corporation family, I’ll look forward to working with you
both in the near future. Well, have a great night ladies. Aidan,
I’ll go grab us a table.” Paul says excusing himself and moving
toward the restaurant seating area.

“Congratulations Gabriella,” Aidan says
smiling warmly, “so I presume this means you’re now staying
permanently here in LA?”

“Yes, I guess it does.”

“Good,” Whispers Aidan as he reaches out and
gently tucks back a strand of stray hair that has escaped my
ponytail behind my ear. His action produces a shiver that runs
through the entire length of my body. Why do I always think he’s
trying to communicate some unspoken message to me with just his
gaze alone?

He abruptly withdraws his hand; breaks eye
contact with me and turns to Mia. “Ladies.” He nods his head
slightly in parting then head towards Paul in the restaurant.

“OH. MY. GOD G I think he likes you.” Mia
hisses bugging her eyes at me.

“Shush M, lets go.” I hiss, firmly grabbing
her arm and drag her towards the car.

The rest of the evening is spent with Mia
relentlessly interrogating me for details of the conversation prior
to her arriving and what feelings I may have towards Aidan. By
Sunday morning she lets the topic go –
thank God
- and we
spend the rest of the day sorting through wardrobe choices for work
the next week.

Chapter Three.

By Friday afternoon I finally have a handle
on the job expectations and I’m really enjoying the position.
Jeremiah is the senior event coordinator, he’s in his late
twenties, blonde hair, fake tan, five-eight and fabulously gay. I
adored him from the moment we met. He’s funny, melodramatic and
almost as OCD as Mia and me. Jeremiah has been working for Morris
Advertising for two years now and is thrilled that his job will be
expanding to look after key events for the Stone Corporation.
Earlier in the week Jeremiah informed me that along with
advertising the Stone Corporation is made up of several technology
and communications companies, a small boutique hotel chain as well
as a vast real estate portfolio. At the age of twenty-eight Aidan
inherited his fathers communication company when he suddenly passed
away from a massive heart attack.

Aidan took the reigns - within four short
years turning his fathers company into a multi million-dollar
success as well as buying several floundering companies along the
way and turning them around to profit. Morris Advertising is the
latest acquisition.

Aidan is the eldest sibling, has two younger
half brothers and a socialite stepmother. He was born and raised in
Boston and attended Harvard Business School and is an extremely
private and enigmatic man who shuns the public eye. Along with this
information I also learnt the copy boy on level three is in an up
and coming grunge band, Tina one of the secretaries on level two is
pregnant but the baby isn’t her husbands and Faye the tea lady is
on her fifth marriage. Jeremiah is a virtual fountain of
information and gossip. Jeremiah has also decided to nickname me
Sunshine
.

Did I mention that I adore him already?

By four o’clock I’ve finally completed the
purchase requisition I’ve been working on for over an hour when in
walks a deliveryman holding the largest bouquet of soft pink tulips
arranged in a long elegant crystal vase.

“I have a delivery here for a Ms.
Stevens.”

“This adorable lady would be she,” Jeremiah
indicates to me with raised eyebrows and a wave of his hand. I roll
my eyes at Jeremiah then gesture for the deliveryman to put the
bouquet on my desk.

I thank the man and give him a tip then reach
to open the attached card. Tulips are my absolute favorite flower.
I’ve always admired the clean lines and simplicity of the bulbs, no
thorns or leaves to encumber the flower – a classic statement.

The card parchment is cream with golden
embellishment and in strong masculine black handwriting the card
reads:

Gabriella,

Congratulations on your first week.

I’m very much looking forward to our next
encounter.

A.S

“Wow sunshine these are exquisite. Must of
cost a small fortune!” Jeremiah is peering over my shoulder at the
card. “Gabby,
who
pray-tell is A.S? Spill the beans
girlfriend!”

“They are beautiful aren’t they?” I murmur
admiring the stunningly elegant arrangement. “I’m guessing the A.S
is for Aidan Stone.” I say sheepishly biting my bottom lip. I can’t
believe he sent me flowers. And not just any flowers but my
favorite flowers.

“Aidan Stone… as in
The
Aidan Stone,
CEO of the Stone Corporation?”

When I look up at Jeremiah he’s gaping at me,
blushing I shrug my shoulders. “I’ve sort of run into him a few
times and the last time I saw him Mia told Aidan about my new job
here.”

“Well I
sort of
ran into Zac Efron at
the supermarket once but he’s never sent me a $300 bouquet of
flowers! Details girlfriend and NOW!” Jeremiah demands perching
himself on the corner of his desk glaring at me expectantly,
waiting for an explanation.

Jeremiah is a big fan of High School
Musical.

“How do you know they cost $300? Besides his
secretary probably sent them as a welcome gesture.” I mumble.

“Gabby darling, this,” he proclaims
indicating with a wave of his hand towards the tulips, “isn’t a
‘welcome to the company’ gesture. This is a
‘I want to get into
your panties’
gesture!”

“Oh my freaking… No, no, no, no,” I squawk
shaking my head as Jeremiah is nodding his.

An hour later Jeremiah’s brought up to speed
with the several embarrassing encounters I’ve endured with the
incredibly sexy Aidan Stone and we leave work for the day, picking
up Chinese takeaway on our way – Jeremiah invited himself for
dinner - and we head back to Mia’s for a night in.

Needless to say upon arriving home Mia and
Jeremiah continued to dissect the meaning of Aidan’s gift in
agonizing detail.

****

Another glorious Southern California morning,
blue sky, gentle breeze and the sounds of the ocean wake me. Nope
it’s Carly Rae Jepsen singing
Call Me Maybe
on my iPhone
that wakes me.

I pick up the phone and look at the screen
for the caller ID – unknown number.

“Hello”, I croak rubbing sleep out of my
eyes.

“Good morning Gabriella.” I immediately
recognize that smooth velvet voice and my heart rate goes into
overdrive. Aidan Stone. I glance over at the enormous bouquet of
soft pink tulips sitting on my bedside table that Aidan sent me on
Friday. A huge smile curves my lips.

“Morning Aidan. Can I ask how you got my
number?”

“Ah… I am a man of means Gabriella. What are
your plans for this morning?”

“Nothing planned as yet. Uh… I’ve sort of
just woken up?” It comes out more of a question than a
statement.

Pause.

“You’re still in bed?” He sounds
surprised.

“Um…kind of.” I say self-consciously looking
at the time on my bedside clock. Nine-thirty, that’s not too bad -
it is Sunday after all.

“Gabriella, you’re either in your bed or
not,” he teases, “…and the image of you in a bed, I can assure you,
is an extremely appealing one to me.”

Holy crap he’s flirting with me!

While I’m lying in bed.

And a part of me really wants to flirt
back.

Time to get it together Gabby.

“Well if bed hair sticking up in every
direction along with what I’m pretty sure is drool on my chin is
appealing… then who am I to argue.”

He laughs a deep throaty laugh and I can’t
help but beam at the sound of his laughter.

“I’d like to take you to brunch this morning,
I’ll be over to pick you up in an hour. That should give you enough
time to tame the hair and clean up the drool, yes?”

Is he asking or telling me?

“Err…um…” Once again the simple act of speech
evades me.

“Gabriella, I’ll be there to pick you up in
an hour.”

“Um…okay.”

“See you soon Gabriella.” He says chuckling,
somewhat arrogantly. Oh, he so knows the effect he has on me.

Before I can gather my wits about me I’m
listening to dead air on the other end of the phone.

Shit!
He’ll be here in an
hour
.

I hurl myself out of bed, jump in the shower
and dress in record time. With my long hair pulled up in a messy
bun – it was quicker than having to straighten it - I add a couple
swipes of mascara, dab on the peach blush and add pale peach
lip-gloss I’m done.

Not sure of where brunch is going to be I opt
for casual with my sleeveless lemon sundress with a short full
skirt, plain round neck but the back plunges down to my lower waist
and has a beautiful bow that sits on my lower spine. And completing
the look my cute white flat sandals that tie around in bows at my
ankles. Time – ten twenty-five, okay five minutes to spare.
Nervously I start to pace thankful that Mia is a gym junkie so
she’s not here to witness my mini freak out or ask a billion
questions.

Knock…Knock

I open the door and all the air literally
escapes my lungs. He’s standing there with a small grin on that
gorgeous face of his looking unbelievably sexy in faded blue jeans
and a white V-neck t-shirt that stretches tight across his broad
chest showing defined muscles. His shiny chocolate hair is artfully
messy and his emerald eyes are sparkling at me.

“Morning Gabriella.’ He says softly while
twirling his car keys between his fingers. He leisurely scans his
eyes down the length of my body then back up pausing on my face.
“You look beautiful this morning.” His voice is silky smooth and
seductive. My knees wobble and I inhale a deep breath to steady
myself.