The Chauffeur Read online

  “Twenty minutes? Thank you.” Putting his phone back in his pocket, he reaches for my hand again, and by the time we walk to the valet, his car is already waiting. When the valet moves to open the door for me, Jason holds his hand up to stop him and opens it himself. But before I have a chance to slide into the seat, he pulls me back to him.

  “I’m sorry about that in there.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I whisper.

  I have a Cinderella moment when he runs his fingers along the back of my neck and through my hair, fisting it, forcing me to look at him. He gently, but firmly, holds my jaw with his free hand, lowering his mouth to mine. After that single most incredible moment ends, I can’t seem to open my eyes.

  “Look at me, April,” he says against my mouth. My eyes flutter open, and he rubs his nose along the side of mine.

  “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

  In a smoky haze, he covers my lips again, wrapping his arms around me, holding me tight. I slip my arms under his, anchoring my hands over his shoulders for support for fear of my knees giving out.

  Jason is the first to break away, breathing heavily in my ear.

  “April, April, April,” he chants as he holds me tight. “Come on, let’s go before I break my promise. We’re already going to be late for our reservation,” he says, helping me into the car. My eyes remain on him as he walks around the front, slips the valet a twenty, then slides behind the wheel.

  “What promise is that?” I whisper, resting my chin on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his arm around me.

  “Oh, just a little one I made to myself the other morning when you were begging me not to have sex with you again.”

  I pull away from him so I can better see his face, the tilt of my head asking him to explain further. He pulls the car away from valet and parks the car in a spot in the restaurant parking lot.

  “I’m not going to make love to you again until you know me better. You have feelings for me, right?”

  I nod, recalling that morning. I knew then I could fall for him. Hard.

  “Well, I have feelings too, and I want sex to enhance our relationship, not be the driving force. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes, I do, but you see, you’ve given me a drink, and now I’m thirsty,” I enjoy the smile on his face. He takes my hand in his.

  “You’re thirsty? I’m fucking dehydrated, and it’s only been twenty-four hours. I already want you so badly, but I want us to get to know each other first. I think you have a preconceived notion of me. Now that we’re together, I don’t want anyone else. I can’t say that I will be successful in holding true to my promise not to take you to bed—you’re inside my head all the fucking time—but I’m going to give it a good try. So, keep your hands to yourself, little girl.”

  A warm heat works its way into my chest. He’s doing this for me. He recalls everything I said during my meltdown. Looking up at him, I see heart-rending tenderness.

  “What if we don’t make it?”

  “Just let yourself jump, April,” he says with confidence. “I haven’t let anyone in since college, but I’m willing to … with you.”

  I contemplate his words and what he’s saying.

  Put your fears of losing your job away. Grace gave the green light, and this good-looking man wants you, body and soul. What do you have to lose?

  Jump.

  “Okay, so, what? We’re doing this?”

  “God, yes,” he agrees, kissing the back of my hand. I nod in agreement.

  “We better get to the restaurant before they give our table away,” I say, looking down at our joined hands.

  “Okay.” Putting the car in drive, Jason heads toward the Chicago Riverwalk. I watch the city pass by, not even thinking about what I’m looking at.

  I finally have my very own Romeo.

  Chapter 12

  ~Jason~

  I’m lying here alone while a beautiful woman that I would rather be making love to is only a few hundred yards from me. This is all my fault. I can only hope that she’s in the same boat as I am. It’s not about sex with her anymore. I have this need to be near her, to be physically close to her, to touch her.

  Should I text her?

  I could text her.

  It’s not too late. I’ll text her.

  I toss the damned thing into the air and fumble to catch it when it vibrates a text from April.

  I’m lonely.

  I close my eyes and sigh.

  Me too.

  I kind of miss you.

  She’s verbalizing my exact thoughts.

  Me too. This big bed is lonely when you’re all the way over there without me.

  I smile at her next text.

  I like the sound of that. Meet me in the morning for a run?

  I can’t. I have an overseas conference call tomorrow morning. Tuesday?

  It’s a date.

  As much as I hate to quit talking to her, I need to go to bed.

  Good night.

  Good night. xoxo

  She sent me kisses and hugs.

  Setting my phone on the nightstand, I finally roll over and settle myself into a deep sleep, but not without envisioning her, and those long sexy legs, in that dress. I find myself smiling in the dark, thinking of the girl next door.

  ~.~

  I wake before my alarm, jump out of bed, and hurry through a shower, dressing as fast as I can so I can be in the kitchen before April leaves for her run. All I want to do is touch her—to feel her next to me. I wanted to fall asleep with her tucked up next to my body last night. I didn’t get to do that, so I’m not missing out on the chance to touch her this morning.

  Hurrying downstairs, I enter the kitchen, and she’s already there talking to Rita about recipes or something.

  “How many will there be?” Rita asks.

  “Eight or so. I thought just cold chicken and potato salad would be good, right?”

  Rita writes down April’s answer. As soon as I enter the kitchen, April beams up at me. I head straight for her and don’t stop until she’s secure against me.

  A sigh of contentment escapes me as soon as I feel her arms go around me. “God, I needed this,” I whisper in her ear.

  “Are you all right?” she asks, nuzzling my chest.

  “I am now,” I say with a sigh. “You have no idea how hard it was not to use my key last night.”

  She gives me a firm, comfortable squeeze and pulls away when Rita loudly clears her throat.

  “What’s going on, ladies?” I hold up the paper that looks like a shopping list.

  “Oh,” April says. “I’m having a little pool party this weekend to celebrate the summer and wanted to invite some friends over. I cleared it with your parents first, and since they’ll be away for the weekend, they said they didn’t care.”

  “Sounds like fun.” I take the coffee cup Rita offers me and take a much-needed sip. “Will your pool be big enough, or do you need to use the larger one?” I ask, wondering who will be there.

  Namely, Sam.

  “No, I think mine will hold us all. There’s only your brother and sister, Emily, Adam, and Sam.” I lean back on the counter and watch her.

  And wait.

  “And me, of course,” she adds after a long silence.

  “Of course,” I reply. Smiling, I put my cup down and kiss her cheek. “Have a good run. Be careful of your surroundings, do you hear?” She nods in understanding, and I squeeze her arm before I head for the door.

  “Jason?” she calls to me, and I turn around. She crosses the room, taking hold of my hands.

  “Unless it’s girls only, you’re always included in my plans, okay?”

  “Okay.” When I look up at Rita, she’s holding her hands to her chest as if to say, ‘Aww, isn’t that sweet?’

  “She likes me,” I tell her, shrugging.

  “I can see that.”

  April grins up at me, just begging for a kiss. Cupping her face, I run my thumb ove
r her bottom lip, itching to draw it into my mouth. I lower my lips to hers, just barely skimming them with the tip of my tongue. She takes over, and I won’t deny that I love every single minute of it.

  “Whew!,” she says breathlessly. “Okay.” She pulls away and looks at her watch as if that kiss never happened. “It’s too late for a run now. I’ll do laps tonight instead. Care to join me, Mr. Rowe?” Her left eyebrow raises a fraction as does the side of my mouth.

  “I do believe I will, Ms. Sanders.” I bend to kiss her cheek again and turn to leave the room. “I’ll see you later. I need to get to my call.”

  ~.~

  After a lengthy conference call with London and Dubai, I have commitments to present my two jet designs. This is a huge deal, and I can’t wait to fill my father in on the details. After finalizing my notes of the meeting, I pack up my desk and then check to see if he has left the office yet. Luckily, I find him behind his desk on his phone.

  I peek my head in, and he motions for me to enter, so I take a seat in front of his desk.

  “How long will it take you to run the check?” he asks the party on the other end of the call. “All right, scan it to me on my secure line as soon as you get it.”

  Not one to ever say ‘thank you and goodbye,' my father hangs up and spins around in his chair to face me.

  “Got a lead on Kathryn. It’s not much, but it’s something. It seems she made a large deposit to an overseas account about three months ago. That’s not unusual, considering she wheels and deals big business, but the deposit has come from a suspicious source, so I’m having it traced.”

  “I ran into her last night while having dinner with April.” Dad gives me a surprised look. “Yes, I took her on a date. I might as well tell the gossips of the family myself. Between you and Kyle, I swear.”

  “How do you think it’s going to work out with her living here, son?” he asks, tapping the tips of all his fingers together, waiting for my response.

  “April has already expressed concern about that. Personally, I don’t think we’ll have any problems keeping business and personal separate. She’s worried that she’ll lose her job if things go south for us. I told her I’d move to town before I allowed her to lose her job and her home. She likes it here.”

  “She’s a smart girl, that April. Your mother likes her. Probably more than she should like an employee, but she also sees a potential daughter-in-law in her, I think. She’s wanted you to find someone special for a long time now, and with Nicole and Kyle paired off, she only had you left to fret about.”

  “You can tell her to quit worrying. I care for April.”

  “What happened with Kathryn last night?”

  “She insulted April, and when we went to leave, she threatened both of us—nothing serious or direct. Have you figured out who the guy is in the video yet?”

  My father shakes his head in disappointment. “No, nothing, unfortunately. I fear that’s a lost cause.”

  “I thought it might be difficult to figure out since there were no fingerprints or facial recognition on the videos,” I muse.

  “So, fill me in on your project. Where do we stand?” My dad sits forward, resting his arms on his desk, waiting to get a briefing on MileHigh.

  “I’m working on the disappearance of the fuselage. It’s not as if that much material can be hidden. I convinced SpiritCAD to ship me another while we investigate. I want them to take responsibility. Otherwise, I’m taking my business elsewhere. It’s a stalemate of sorts,” I explain, sitting back in my chair.

  “The first engine will be ready for testing in about a week. I’m working with the design group to develop a sleek, comfortable interior in vibrant colors and patterns. I’m targeting the celebrity. It will have a few unique features.” I grin mischievously at my father. “The lavatory is specially designed to accommodate two people, with an expansive counter surrounding the sink for the particular use of joining the … uh … the club. A bar will span the length of the room above the sink and another, for other support purposes, will be installed on the opposite wall. I look up from my father’s desk, where I have shredded a small piece of paper while explaining the features to him. He’s sporting a devious grin and a raised eyebrow.

  “I’m looking forward to using the bathroom,” he snickers. I hold my hand up to warn him to stop right there.

  “I’ve already received phone calls requesting brochures and specifications. Several sports organizations are interested, and you know how those teams travel all over the country. I have a good feeling about this project, Dad. I’m proud of it.”

  “You’ve been dreaming of building airplanes since you were a kid. I’m proud of you, son. You’ve taken this project by the horns and run with it. I agree with you—it’s going to be a huge success. Especially if they start selling in Dubai. They drive Lamborghini’s for police cars for Christ’s sake,” he chuckles. “I want to be one of your first passengers.”

  “I would like that!”

  “Oh, I meant to ask how April handled Kate last night.” I snicker at the memory.

  “I thought she was pissed when she threw down her napkin and stood up. But, instead of walking out the door, she talked the manager into kicking Kate out.” My dad’s eyes open wide in surprise before he starts laughing.

  “Kate’s stalking ruined my appetite, so I wound up taking April to O’Brien’s instead. The river was exceptionally beautiful last night.”

  “Either that or you’re just love struck.”

  “Who’s love struck?” my mother asks as she sashays into the office.

  “Your son is smitten, darling.” Dad kisses her soundly, and not in a modest way either. Those two simply can’t keep their hands off each other. I must admit, I know how they feel.

  “Is that right, Jason? You and April are in love?” Mom asks, clapping her hands together, full of excitement.

  “No, not yet, but give it time. We’ve barely just started dating.”

  Luckily, Dad’s red phone announces the Darth Vader theme, which is our cue to leave.

  “So, tell me about you and April,” Mom starts as soon as the door shuts behind us. I put my arm around her shoulder as we stroll through the west wing of the house.

  “Well, my name is Jason Rowe. I have one brother and one sister—”

  This earns me a smack to the chest. “That’s enough, Jason. Explain your father’s comment.”

  “I kind of like her, Mom. We’re taking it slow, so don’t be picking out china patterns just yet,” I answer, kissing the top of her head. “Come on, let’s get to the office.”

  ~.~

  When I step off the elevator, Sue follows me to my desk. “You received a phone call this morning from a Mr. Jed Raymond.”

  Where have I heard that name before? It escapes me.

  “He’s the truck driver who hauled your fuselage parts.” That gets my attention. “Here’s his number.”

  “Thank you.” I take the message from her, empty the contents of my briefcase onto my desk and wait until she shuts the door before dialing the number.

  “Mr. Raymond, this is Jason Rowe, I’m returning your call.”

  “Um, yes, Mr. Rowe.” He has a southern accent, but it’s entirely different from the Deep South or Texas twang. More like Kentucky or Tennessee. “I hear yer lookin’ fer me?”

  “I need to talk to the person that delivered the parts to the MileHigh plant in Romeoville. Was that you?”

  “Yes, sir, that was me. I remember the load. It took me a few days to get it to ya.”

  “Where did you deliver it, do you recall?”

  “I don’t have the address in front of me, but I remember when I got there, I was told that there was construction going on in the receiving bays and that I was to take it to take it to your storage plant up the street, so I did.”

  The blood drains from my head and settles in my gut. “Do you have the address to that plant?”

  “Your place up the road from the other place I deliver
ed to. Why?”

  That fucking bitch!

  “Which building is that?”

  “You know, the one about three-quarters of a mile up the road. What’s goin’ on?”

  “Mr. Raymond, we have a problem. That building is not mine, nor were you instructed by anyone that works for me to make the drop at another location.”

  “Shit.”

  “Do you typically make changes to the bill of lading without checking it out with your dispatcher first?”

  My question is met with silence.

  “Listen, Mr. Rowe, I just do what I’m told. I was paid to make the drop, and I did. If you have a problem, then you need to talk to your people.”

  “Well, Mr. Raymond, that’s where you and I have a problem. The contract was for you to make the drop at the CM Dynamics’ MileHigh plant in Romeoville and you didn’t do that. You moved the load to a separate location and made the drop without getting authorization first. The name you obtained on the delivery manifest was not a representative of mine. Therefore, you need to contact your people.”

  “Now wait a minute, Rowe,” Raymond shouts.

  “My attorney’s name is Neal Farmer. You will receive a call from him and+—”

  “Now hold on one damn minute! I did my job.”

  “Mr. Raymond, it is my understanding that when there is a change to a drop location, it is your responsibility to contact your dispatcher. From what you are telling me, that wasn’t done.”

  “When I got to the building, I was told by someone standing on the loading dock to make my delivery up the street, and that’s what I did.”

  “What did that person look like? Can you give me a description?”

  “All I know was he was a big man. I can’t tell you what color his hair was because he had on a ball cap and wore sunglasses.”

  “Did he have on a uniform that would indicate that he worked for CM Dynamics?”

  “No. He had on one of those sweatshirt jackets all the kids wear these days.”

  “Well, at least now I know what happened to my shipment. You will hear from Mr. Farmer soon.”

  So, now that I have the story as to what happened to my material, I call Farmer to relay my conversation with Raymond and let him handle it from here.