FRAGILE: Part 1 Read online

  “I’m fine. Am I not sending enough work your way? Should I go out and assault more folks for ‘stealing’ stuff that belongs to them?” I ask.

  “Dear God, no,” Jonah says.

  I laugh, as Jonah, shaking his head and smiling, shuffles my warning ticket and report into a file folder to store away and hopefully never to be seen again.

  ***

  On Friday, I stand in my walk-in closet, looking over my outfits, feeling anxious and exhilarated at the same time. Larisa had informed me that I had an appointment with Eli—today, at five o’clock—which surprised me, given how busy he had to be. I can’t decide if that means he really wants to meet me, or if he wants to get it over as soon as possible.

  My first thought is to pick one of my more professional-looking suits. Go in, totally business-like, and represent Ruby’s Jewelry in good old owner-style fashion. Then, my hand grazes over one of my favorite red cocktail dresses.

  While some people may be annoyed that their name is a product of their business, I relish it. I love the color of red, and I’d jokingly thanked my mom for my name as my business had grown. We laugh about it often on the phone.

  I suddenly recall Eli tackling me and the feel of his strong body. My mouth goes dry, and a chill runs through me, as I imagine his lips as they move and his deep voice rumbling through me. He really is very attractive, and I’d give anything to date him. I’d be a lover, if that is all he wants, even though I have no idea what that really means.

  I look between my suit and my dress, conflicted. I want to look professional. But there’s a part of me, a very small part of me, which hopes that maybe Eli is as interested in me as I am in him. He doesn’t have a girlfriend, and there hadn’t been a wedding ring, which had been part of the other reason I’d assumed he was a thief so quickly.

  I take the dress off the hanger and slip into it, adding a pair of newly purchased nude heels to the outfit. I turn in front of my floor-length mirror, inspecting my image. Red looks great on my coffee-colored skin, and this dress is definitely one of my better outfits, accenting my curves and just long enough not to be slutty but short enough to show off my legs. I’m quite tall and most of my height is in my legs. I add gold jewelry to the look, put on makeup, and check myself out again. I am rocking it.

  Would Eli be interested?

  Well, I think, it never hurts to try! I toss my black curls over my shoulder, smiling wryly, and the brown-eyed girl in the mirror gains a sultry look.

  ***

  “You’re going like that, Miss Jennings?” Larisa asks.

  “Yes.”

  I can see Larisa calculating the amount of cleavage and leg I am showing behind her black-rimmed glasses. “Are you sure?”

  I smile. “I am.”

  I put a long black coat over me. It is a beautiful, much cooler day, and while I could have done with a smaller jacket this late into the afternoon, I decide to look more professional on the initial greeting. If Eli really isn’t interested, I want to retain some dignity with him and his staff. I don’t even know who else was going to be there, and I have to assume that at least Eli’s lawyer may be there. So, I want to have the ability to stay professional. However, if things go well, I want to look stunning.

  Larisa, who is standing by my desk, sets a bouquet of flowers on the desk, a card, and a black box. I check the box, admiring the gold watch inside. I sign the card with a quick “So sorry!” and my name, close it up, and inspect the flowers.

  “Looks good!” I say. “Thank you.”

  “You’re quite welcome, Miss Jennings. The secretary you’ll be speaking with is Kim.” Larisa glances at the large clock in my office. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?”

  “No need,” I say.

  “I’m just worried,” Larisa says.

  I smile. “Thanks, but really, I’ll be fine. I did knock the poor guy out.”

  Larisa chuckles. “I’m less worried then.”

  “Fine, I’ll text you on how things are going,” I say.

  “Thank you,” Larisa says. She breathes out a sigh of relief. “Was there anything else you need? The cab should be here soon.”

  “Nope, you’ve done great. Thank you, Larisa. Please go home. And have a good weekend!”

  Larisa smiles. She’s well aware that I work most weekends, but recently I’d insisted that she go home and have weekends to herself. Probably for the same reason that Jonah and Larisa keep telling me to do the same thing. Maybe it’s a double-standard, but my business is my joy, and it’s not a job like it is for others, so I really don’t mind working on it on the weekends.

  “You too, Miss Jennings,” Larisa says. “Let me know if you want to meet. I have plans Saturday, but nothing on Sunday.”

  “Sounds good! Thanks again!”

  “You’re welcome. See you!” Larisa calls. She smiles at me, and we wave as I walk out.

  I bid the rest of my staff a good weekend, encouraging them to go home as I leave. I’ve got a great group of people working for me, and while I work them hard, I also have no problem letting them off early. The company continues to excel, so I want my employees as happy as possible. It makes them eager to come in Monday, and not as zombies. At least, once we all got coffee in us—even I wasn’t exactly thrilled to work early in the morning.

  The cab takes me to the corporate building of Marnvell Jewelers, and I stare up at the high building as we park in front of it. I had been there once just to visit the place, but Eli had been out, and another supervisor and salesman had given me a tour.

  Paying the driver and tipping him, I exit the cap, double-checking that I have my black clutch, card, box, and flowers in hand, and then I walk into the building. It is pristine inside, the windows shining neatly, everything in white and faded colors, sterile and lacking personality, like a hospital. I’m thankful that I decided on my black jacket; my red dress would’ve stuck out like a period dot on a new feminine pad. The bright orange, yellow, and red flowers in my hands look exuberant in here as it is.

  Kim, the secretary, is a very petite woman with a short bob of brown hair, and she gives me a distant smile, though she eyes my flowers with interest. “Miss Jennings, I presume?” she asks.

  “That’s correct,” I say. I flash her the friendliest smile I can. “Is Mr. Richardson available for our five o’clock appointment?”

  “Let me check, Miss Jennings,” Kim says. She picks up a telephone on her uncluttered desk, and I half turn away to give her a little privacy. “Miss Jennings is here. Yes, sir.” She puts the phone down. “Mr. Richardson will see you in his office.” She points at an elevator not far from the front desk. “Twelfth floor, very last door down the hall.”

  “Thank you,” I say. I give her another smile and walk towards the elevator.

  I take deep breaths, trying to stay calm, and the elevator rings and comes to a stop sooner than I’m ready. The door opens, revealing another tiled, exquisitely-clean and lifeless hall with perfectly-straight and symmetrical pictures, certificates, and awards on the white walls. It’s very quiet, and I can’t help but note the loud click of my heels on the floor. I reach the last door, which is a large oak door, and I take another breath and knock on it.

  “Come in,” Eli says, his deep voice unmistakable.

  I open the door, unsurprised to see a very dull room with everything as neatly organized and boring as the rest of the building. There is a large black desk in the middle of the room, a computer to one side and files on the other. The leather chairs and one lounge sofa match the black desk, and off to one side is a dark cabinet.

  I am surprised, however, and glad that the only one in the office is Eli. He sits at his desk, dressed in a black suit this time, no less handsome than when I saw him before, perhaps more so now that I knew he isn’t a thief. He is looking down at some papers, and when I walk in he looks up at me. His gaze is initially hard, but it softens as he looks at the flowers and items in my hands.

  I smile as I close the door. �
��Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Richardson,” I say. I set everything on his desk slowly.

  Eli nods his head at the coat rack right beside the door. “You may put your coat there, Miss Jennings.”

  Trying not to look as apprehensive as I feel, I shed my coat and hang it on the coat rack, and turn in time to see Eli’s eyes widen a little as he takes me in—although he keeps his face impassive. I pause just long enough to let him see me from head to foot before I sit down in the chair in front of his desk.

  Eli looks down at his papers—although I notice his eyes aren’t reading anything. Then, he shuffles the papers together and sets them aside and peers over the items I set on his desk.

  “It’s just a little something,” I say.

  Eli seems on guard as he looks at the flowers, and after a time, he sets them to one corner of his desk, and then he opens the card. His eyes skim it, he sets the card aside, and then he opens the box. Now, he blinks and leans closer, inspecting the watch.

  “I don’t think I’ve seen this piece before,” Eli says. “Did you make this?”

  “Yes,” I say. “I don’t think Marnvell Jewelers carries this watch line.” I take a breath. “I wanted to come, see how you were doing, and offer a more formal apology. I’m really, really sorry about the other day.”

  Eli’s square jaw tightens for a moment, and his once kissable-looking lips press together to form a thin line. “I’ve had a bump on my head for days now,” he says.

  I cringe. “I’m really sorry.” I think about pointing out that the bruise on his face is gone, but I’m sure that isn’t a good thing to remind him about.

  Eli’s jawline softens the slightest bit, his lips relaxing back to their juicy form. He glances at his watch and then looks back up at me. “Do you want a drink?”

  “I would, thank you,” I say, surprised. I watch him as he stands and walks over to the cabinet on the far side of the room. I lean back and set my legs out, crossing my ankles together.

  “What would you like?” Eli asks.

  I look past his cute ass to see a well-stocked liquor cabinet. “Could I have a dirty martini?”

  “Olives?”

  “Yes, please,” I say, trying to throw a little enthusiasm into my voice.

  I am still nervous, and I feel more anxious the longer I stare at Eli. His suit is perfectly pressed and his black shoes are shining in the golden sunlight that filters through the blue curtains around the window right beside the cabinet. There is a glow of the outline of his body, and I let my mind imagine him without the suit, wondering what is underneath it. Based on how his chest had felt when we’d been wrestling the other day and how easy it had been for him to handle me, it is probably something delicious.

  Eli turns, a dirty martini with olives in one hand, a regular martini in the other hand. He pauses, and I can’t see his face because of the light behind him, but I smile again. Then, he comes closer and hands me the dirty martini glass. He sits in the chair beside me, not behind his desk.

  I take a sip of the martini. “It’s good, thank you,” I say.

  “You’re welcome,” Eli says. He leans back in his chair with a sigh. His legs are set apart, giving me a rather appealing view of him. And then, to my surprise, the corners of his lips turn up, and a little light comes to his striking green eyes. “I’m glad to know that you will go to great lengths to stop a thief, Miss Jennings.”

  I give a small smile. “Yeah, but it was kind of stupid of me to try and stop you though.”

  “You’re very tall,” Eli offers. I notice his eyes drop from my face, and I uncross my legs and set one foot a little ahead of the other, closer to his own feet. He watches my legs and then looks back up at me.

  “Yeah, but you’re taller still,” I say, “and all muscle.” I hadn’t meant to, but my eyes drop to his chest, and when I finally lift them, Eli’s definitely smirking now.

  “You are resourceful; I will grant you that,” Eli says. He chuckles. “Grabbing a rock was very smart.”

  “I appreciate that you’re very courteous,” I say. “I know you could have easily hurt me, even when you thought I was a thief.”

  Eli takes a long sip of his martini. “I really didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you either, but clearly my conviction wasn’t as strong as yours.”

  To my surprise, Eli laughs. It is short and light, closer to a chuckle, but it is lovely, and his face lights up for the first time since I’ve met him.

  I smile at him and take another sip of my martini. “I’ve toured Marnvell Jewelers before, and it’s as exquisite now as it was then.” I let the slightest pause hang in the air. “Well, more so now.”

  Eli looks at the glass in his hands. He’s already gone through half of it, and I sip a little more of mine to match. Then, Eli looks back at me, and the slightest smile forms on his face. “You are far more attractive when you aren’t attacking me.”

  I laugh. “Why thank you. Not as attractive as a thief?” I put my mouth over one olive slowly, letting my lips slide along the spear, and I almost blush as Eli watches me closely.

  “Well….” Eli hesitates, still staring at my lips. Then, he blinks, and his face hardens back into stone as he drinks the rest of his martini rapidly. He stands. “Thank you for your apology, Miss Jennings.”

  Now, I’m even more disappointed; I’d really thought this might go somewhere exciting. However, I guess I can’t be too surprised. Eli is very handsome, and I’m sure it isn’t hard for him to find a girl for a one-night stand. He probably doesn’t want to spend time with a supplier, let alone after I mistook him for a thief and attacked him.

  I give him another smile, as I eat the second olive, and then I set the empty glass aside. “You can call me Ruby. And thank you for letting me apologize, and for the martini, Mr. Richardson.”

  Eli holds his right hand out, and I take it. His hand is very warm and strong, and we hold the handshake longer than we need to. “Eli is fine. And you’re welcome.” He drops my hand slowly.

  I smile again and turn towards the coat rack. Eli reaches around and picks my coat up, and then helps me into it. His arms wrap around me for a moment, and I look up into his face, chills running down my spine.

  “You’re…kind, Eli,” I say. I’d been about to say “hot.”

  Eli smiles again, something that looks foreign to his smooth face, and he steps forward. He is reaching for the door, but he leans close to me. We lock eyes, and I lose my breath, my pulse racing. I can feel the tension in his body from where I stand. His hand is lightly resting on the door handle, but his other hand is on my shoulder.

  “Ruby,” Eli murmurs. The sound of my name on his lips with his sexy voice catches me off guard, and I feel myself blush a little.

  “I’m happy to stay a little longer,” I say. “I don’t have anywhere to be tonight.”

  Eli’s so close now I feel his breath on my face, and I can smell his cologne again. His hand drops from the door handle, but the one on my shoulder traces the line of my coat. I shed my coat, and Eli hangs it on the coat hanger again, slowly and deliberately, his hands running down the empty sleeves of my coat. And now I’m so excited my fingers start to tremble.

  “Would you like another dirty martini?” Eli asks.

  “Yes, I want you.” My eyes go wide as I hear myself, and Eli raises an eyebrow at me. “I mean, yes, I want you to get me another dirty martini.”

  Now I know I’m on the verge of losing myself, and when Eli turns around with a smirk to the cabinet, I quickly text Larisa that everything is fine, and that the conversation is going well.

  It’s a very good conversation in my head, at least, as I stare at Eli’s butt while he mixes our drinks.

  CHAPTER 2

  I squint one eye open. I’m glad it’s dark in the room, because I’ve got quite the headache. It takes me a second to realize that it’s probably from all the martinis I had last night. How many did I have? I wonder.

  I turn over to c
heck the time on my phone. I search with my hand, eyes still half-closed, and my hand taps an empty side table. There’s no phone there, and I open both my eyes all the way, confused, and blink.

  I’m not in my bedroom. It’s a nice bedroom, if a little dull, mostly decorated with white, gray, and faded dark blue colors, with dark mahogany wood for the bed headboard and a dresser to one side. There are a couple of pictures on the walls, but they are water-color paintings of landscapes, faint in their intensity. Wherever I’m at feels like a rich hotel room, and I try to remember how I got here, wherever “here” is.

  Draped over a chair tucked, in one corner, are my bra and panties, my black clutch on the chair, and one of my nude shoes on the ground. I don’t see the other shoe, or my dress. Or my coat. I do see my jewelry on top of the dresser, except for my earrings. I check, and they’re still in my ears. The gray blankets are rumpled all around me, and judging by the indent in the pillow next to my pillow, and the fact that I’m completely naked and feel amazing, if exhausted, I spent the night with someone.

  What happened?

  The door on the far side of the room opens up as if in response to my thought, and Eli steps into the room. He’s dressed in a blue suit, and he pauses to survey me, his face like stone.

  Then, his face softens into a smile. “Good morning, Ruby,” Eli says.

  The memories of last night rush back into me, and I almost moan at the sound of his voice. It had been a very, very good night.

  I flash him a smile. “Good morning.”

  “I was starting to think you’d sleep until lunch,” Eli says.

  “What time is it?” I ask.

  Eli checks a fancy silver watch on his wrist. “Ten forty-three.”

  I rub my face and sit up a little higher. The sheets drop from my shoulders, and I enjoy Eli’s eyes sliding down to my chest. “I think I had a bit much to drink last night,” I say.

  Eli smirks. “Would you like coffee?”

  I nod and stand up with a stretch and a yawn. Eli’s eyes take me in slowly, and I can see his body tensing. I pose for him, grinning, and he smiles again, but his green eyes are hard, still looking up and down my body. I wonder what else is hard, as I make my way over, and give him a kiss on his cheek first, then his lips. He presses his lips into mine, his hands suddenly reaching up and resting on my shoulders then sliding down my sides.