Stella in Stilettos (12 page)

Without her glasses on, the light hit her eyes just right and they reminded him of emeralds shimmering in the sun. Alex laughed without making a sound. He thought of himself as romantic, but by no stretch of the imagination did fluff like shimmering emeralds ever pop in his head. His brain fired more fluff when he admired her wealth of curls and how they hung wildly around her shoulders. Stella had the sexiest, most alluring head of hair he’d seen in a very long time. His eyes traveled to her mouth and the word luscious came to mind. Her lips were parted, inviting him over for a taste. Desire scuttled in, took him over and he tried to mask it with a frown. “Not enough room in here for me and my size thirteen’s.”
Lame.
But he had to say something.

“It sounded like you were getting your wish.”

“My wish?”

She grinned. “An escape hatch.”

He liked when she teased. It took his carnal thoughts deeper. He pictured her staring up at him with that same look while she was lying naked beneath him. Alex gave his head and thoughts a subtle shake. “It’s still a good idea.” His mouth jumped ten blocks ahead of him. “What are you doing for lunch?”

The question surprised them both.

Alex detected a slight quiver in her answer.

“My friend is bringing Chinese food. I could have her pick up some extra and you could join us.”

“Maybe another time.”

Stella gave him a pearly, white smile and wheeled back to her desk.

Alex also wheeled back into his cubicle to figure out what just happened. On one hand he was tickled to get whatever scrap of attention she threw his way. On the other hand his reaction to it affirmed what he already knew – nothing in his entire being seemed to be working in synch. It was like his brain and body were separate entities. While his brain put out rational impulses to stop this thing from growing, his body blocked the messages.

He grabbed his phone and dialed Steve’s number. Of course, it went directly to voice mail. “Pack your bags. We’re going to Florida.”

While Stella waited for Trish, she thought about the guy sitting twenty feet from her. Lately, when he spoke he moved in close and the violet of his eyes deepened in color. The tone of his voice teased but his body language communicated something different. A slow, thoughtful smile made its way to her face. Alex seemed to lose his edge around her, and she liked it.
Hmm
. Maybe she’d been under-thinking things, instead of over-thinking them. Maybe what she thought was a coffee settlement was much more. He surprised her by asking about her lunch plans. If she had a do-over, she would’ve cancelled with Trish.

An auburn head of hair popped around the cubicle. “I come bearing gifts.” Trish handed Stella a white bag with Chen’s written across the front.

The heavenly smell of shrimp fried rice and egg rolls, made Stella’s stomach rumble. She smacked her lips. “Not a moment too soon. I’m starving. Let’s go to the break room.” She took a step away from her desk. Trish stopped her with a finger wave.

“Oh no you don’t. First things first.”

Stella pretended bewilderment.

Trish laughed openly. “You’re such an actress, Matson. You know I’m here to feast my eyes on Mr. Wrong.”

“Cute.”

“Handsome men make you crazy. So he’s totally wrong for you, totally right for me.”

Stella laughed. “Dream on.”

Trish gave her a playful shove. “Stop wasting time. I need to verify his dreaminess.”

“Shh. He’ll hear you.”

“Might as well warn him we’re coming. By the way, after we eat I want to make a point of scowling at the Wicked Witch of the West.”

Stella guffawed. “Belinda or Maggie?”

“I’m guessing pointy black hats and striped socks would look good on them both.”

The vision tickled Stella’s funny bone. “You have a gift, Trish.”

“I know. Now take me to the hunk.”

Stella latched onto Trish’s arm. “Let’s satisfy your curiosity.” They shuffled the short distance to where Alex kept his size thirteen’s.

Violet eyes captured them with warm welcome.

Trish’s mouth dropped open. “You’rrrre Alex?”

Stella wanted to pummel Trish. Instead, she cleared her throat and made the introductions. “Alex Clay, Trish O’Brien.”

Alex’s lips twitched with something indefinable. He extended his hand to Trish. “Nice to meet you.”

“N-nice to meet you too,” Trish stammered. It was hard to tell if it was real or fake. With Trish, it was anybody’s guess.

If it was real, then Stella knew the feeling. Alex had the natural ability to bring extreme awe out in some people and the hidden-ninny in others. She’d experienced both.

Trish appeared to recover and held up their lunch. “You can join us. We have plenty.”

Stella widened her eyes to deter Trish, but Trish was on a roll.

“Stella would love for you to join us.”

Alex’s eyes swung to Stella, while he answered Trish. “Tempting, but you two need time to talk about girl stuff.”

Trish tried to wrench a yes from him. “How can you say no to two smoking-hot women with Chinese food?”

Stella put her hands to her face and shook her head in disbelief. Beneath her hands she grinned. Trish was Trish. There was no stopping her even if she tried.

Alex also enjoyed a laugh. “I’ll take a rain check.”

Trish gave Alex an exaggerated smile. “We have to go now.”

“Take care.” He matched Trish’s cheesy grin with one of his own.

Trish grabbed Stella’s arm and hoisted her away. Before they were out of ear shot, she said, “He is soooo hot. No wonder you can’t shut up about him.”

Stella gave her a pointed look. “You’re a real piece of work.”

“Don’t pretend to be mad.” Trish rubbed her hands together. “Now where are the witches?

Look for the brooms
.

* * * *

Maggie returned from wherever she’d escaped to in the morning. She still didn’t look approachable but work had to go on. Stella tapped lightly on her door and held up the weekly newspaper insert. Maggie motioned her in.

“This is ready for your inspection.” Stella laid the insert on the edge of Maggie’s desk.

Maggie cleared her throat. “Stella, about yesterday…I had a lot on my mind.”

In no way was that an apology, or a reason for behaving like a lunatic. Stella forced a civil expression. Maggie appeared to do the same thing, but there was still a tight tone to her voice. “I’m glad you came in. I needed a distraction from all the fun I’m having with the budget.” She tossed her reading glasses onto a haphazard stack of folders. “Someone else needs to assume this headache.” She arched a brow at Stella.

Not happening
. Stella shifted in her seat. “Maybe it’s not a good time to talk about taking vacation.”

“We can talk about vacation, taking it is something else.” Maggie seemed to lighten up at her own joke.

Stella wanted to scowl, but she wanted to take vacation more, so she made the corners of her mouth tip up instead of down. “Okay. Let’s talk about me taking the last week of the year off.”

Maggie threw a hand in the air. “Sorry. Too many people have already asked for it off.” She followed the comment with a half-smile. “I’m teasing. Of course you can have it off.” As soon as she gave permission her brows dipped to the center. “Are you and Alex stowing away together? He had Corrine mark him off for the same week.”

Incredible thought. “Not unless he plans to tag along with Trish and me.”

“I’d like to tag along with you and Trish,” Maggie spouted. “I’d like to go anywhere instead of the in-laws for the holidays.” Her phone rang. “Watkins,” she said, with the same icy tone from yesterday and swiveled her chair to block out Stella.

Whatever
. Maggie could go back to being a rabid badger. As long as she had vacation to look forward to, that’s the only thing that mattered; well that, and Mr. Right…and Alex…and her sanity.

* * * *

“Weasel-alert,” Trish said, looking past Stella to the front of the bar.

Stella sipped from her glass of wine. “What?”

Trish’s animated expression sobered. “Don’t look behind you.”

Saying
don’t look
was the same as saying
look
. Curiosity always won. Stella was on her way to turning around.

Trish stopped her with a stern look. “Seriously. Don’t. It’s Jace.”

Almost a year and the mention of his name still induced a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Stella instinctively lowered her head as though it would throw an imaginary veil over her. “Tell me he walked back out. Lie to me. Anything.”

“Wish I could.”

Stella groaned quietly, but the volume-control on her pulse cranked up. She was sure the whole place could hear it thumping in her chest. The breath caught in her lungs. “He didn’t see us, did he?”

Trish shook her head. “I don’t think so, but it’s a matter of time because he’s scanning the place.” She described him with some pretty strong cuss words.

Stella couldn’t sit still. “Why did he pick this place?”

“Uh-oh,” Trish whispered. “Breathe. He’s not here for you.” She wrinkled her nose. “But who knows, maybe he is.”

Stella squinted. “That’s calming.”

“Sorry. Trying to loosen you up before he descends on us.”

Jace spotted Trish and worked his way through the crowd. “Trish O’Brien.”

Trish’s exaggerated sneer said “Hello, scumbag” but her mouth said, “Well, if it isn’t Jace Fairchild.”

Stella wanted to slither under the table so she wouldn’t have to make eye contact with Jace. It was a tiny booth, so the only thing fitting under the table was her feet. She felt the infidel’s eyes bore into her. She didn’t want to acknowledge him. Not now. Not ever. Doing so would give him the power to rip the duct tape off that was holding her heart together.

“Stella. How the heck are you?”

His voice rumbled the contents of Stella’s stomach. She couldn’t say his name. “I’m just peachy. Couldn’t be better.” She drowned the lie with a significant swig from her wine glass.

“It’s been forever. Where’ve you been? Hiding out?”

Jackass
. Of course she’d been hiding out. It was the natural thing to do when someone makes a complete fool out of you.

She wanted to karate-chop him in the neck, or at least pour hot wax on his eyebrows and then rip them off. His brainless question deserved a brainless answer. “Armadillos have four babies at a time and they’re all the same sex.”

Trish sputtered in her margarita.

Jace looked dumbfounded. “What?”

Trish nudged her under the table. “Oh my gosh, Stella, looks who’s here.” She nodded toward the door.

Good ploy, Trish!
Keep the diversions coming, no matter how bizarre.

“Your honey just walked in.”

My honey? Okay. Not sure they could pull that one off. Stella checked her watch to strengthen the story, plus she pretended to be irked. “It’s about time.” She looked to where Alex Clay and Steve Benson stood brushing snow off their jackets.

Stella eyes flew to Trish’s, where she recognized an appeal to play along.

How could she? This was Alex. She couldn’t play along when it involved him. Besides, she was already on emotional-overload from Jace. If she missed a cue and did something foolish, she might have a need to go back into…hiding.
Grr.

She glanced at Jace who was sizing up the two men.

Trish flew out of the booth and practically ran to Alex and Steve.

Stella tried to gauge their expressions when Trish approached. What would Trish say? Ack! She wanted to guzzle her glass of wine.

“How long have you two been dating?” Jace asked.

There was a hint of jealousy in his voice that was wickedly satisfying.

She would love to spout that they’d been together for almost a year so Jace wouldn’t think she wasted time grieving their breakup, but she was afraid to squander a lie that could possibly take a chomp out of her butt later. “A few months.”

Alex took a step away from Trish and linked gazes with Stella.

Dang. Now what? Impetuously she blew him a kiss and then mentally thrashed herself for doing something so ridiculous.

Jace yanked her attention back to him. “Can’t wait to meet the guy.”

Stella swallowed hard. Soon she’d be exposed as a fraud…to both men.

Trish came back arm-in-arm with Alex and Steve. “They got held up in traffic.” She and Steve slid into the booth. Alex didn’t hesitate sliding in beside her.

The heat of embarrassment colored Stella’s face when their gazes connected. There was something indescribable in his eyes. Anger, perhaps? Was he ticked about participating in a sham? Or were she and Trish kinking a trolling expedition?

Stella didn’t have time to figure it out because Alex pulled her over to him and brushed his lips across hers.