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"Okay, Jason ... this is how each setting should look ... exactly. I've got to run up and see Gloria to make sure the buttons on her dress got fixed. Make sure your people get every spot exactly the same."
She offered her most professional, insincere smile, knowing he would see through it in a second flat, and sprinted out of the reception hall for the main lobby. There wasn't time for chit-chat, and the last thing she needed was another distraction. The job was important. The career was important. More important than whatever fling Jason had in mind.
He was a world class player, everyone knew it. Laine had no problem with it either. If she went into the relationship with a no strings attitude, she wouldn't get hurt. But that meant keeping her emotions from spiraling out of control. So long as she played by her rules, got out fast and didn't let some little thing like a crush get the better of her, she would be all right. Life was about choices, and she was making her own.
Of course, it surprised her to no end that Jason had actually called throughout the week, and she was doing her damnedest to keep her heart from fluttering into overdrive each time she saw his number on the caller-ID display. She'd given in the week before, without thought of consequence, because the temptation had been too great. But when their sexy tryst was over, she'd expected he'd never mention it again. Only Jason hadn't brushed her off. He hadn't dismissed her to work with some flunky manager at the hotel. He'd called, and when he hadn't gotten her on the phone, he'd waited until today and spent the better part of the morning not taking no for an answer.
She had to keep her distance from him if she had any chance of getting through the wedding without giving in to whatever tawdry suggestion he proposed. He'd probably try to drag her off to the coatroom during dinner. Make a bed of fur coats and run his big heavy hands up her thighs ... No. It was June, so there wouldn't be any fur coats, and she was a professional, so there wouldn't be any coatroom nookie either. Today, she was all business, and there would be one happy bride and groom at the day's end to attest to it.
* * * *The sunset ceremony went off without a hitch. Laine stood back and watched as the photographer snapped the last group shots of the wedding party in the rose garden. Everything was perfect. She'd checked the reception hall a half hour ago, and Jason's team had come through, delivering immaculate presentation. This was the kind of day that lured the romantics into the wedding industry. The kind of day where it was easy to believe in true love and forever.
The bride and groom stared at each other with utter adoration, and Laine felt a sudden pang of envy. These two wouldn't have cared if the cake had been a Sara Lee. They wouldn't have cared if the flowers smelled like swamp. All they cared about was being
together. Couples like this made romance contagious. Laine surveyed the guests milling in the background and wondered how many of them would sign up for their own big show next June. Quite a few, she suspected.
Everything was perfect, and yet something gnawed at her. She felt off. Distracted, disjointed.
"Looks like you've got a winner this week."
Laine smiled over her shoulder as Jason walked up to her, suddenly aware of what she had missed. “Yep, so far so good. Just keep your bellboy away from the cake. These two deserve the one they ordered."
"Well, I'll admit that a part of me wants to sabotage it, just so we have one to play in, but something tells me the same excuse wouldn't work two weeks in a row."
Her cheeks flushed warm at the mention of their icing escapade. Trying to hide the effect of his reference, she shook her head. “Excuse? What could you possibly have said—?"
"Seizure. The staff is worried about you, but I told them to be kind. You were embarrassed enough as it was."
"You didn't tell them I had a seizure."
"They were really concerned. Good people I have."
Laine couldn't help but laugh. God, she'd almost died of embarrassment sprinting into the elevator to Jason's apartment. Then two days later, at a tasting, she'd almost orgasmed when they served her a slice of coconut cake with buttercream frosting. She'd been tempted to order a slice to go, but it seemed wrong to partake without Jason, and there was no way she'd chase him down for another go round.
Brushing a strand of her hair back, Jason stood behind her and leaned close to her ear. “These two have got it right. Today's about love for them. These are the couples I like to watch."
Her heart stuttered as her shoulders warmed with the close proximity of Jason's chest. She leaned back into him and watched the bride and groom ruin a picture by falling into a kiss that spurred a round of cheers from the wedding party. “Yeah, me too. They didn't stop smiling through the entire ceremony. I even saw them laugh at one point, some small joke between them. Made everyone feel like falling in love."
"Maybe everyone should."
She blinked twice, swallowed hard. Turning her head slowly, she met his gaze. “Maybe."
The photos were done, and the bride and groom were walking toward them. Jason gave her bottom a little pat and turned to head back inside, letting Laine direct the happy couple in their next activities. Cocktails on the sixth floor balcony, and then across to the reception hall for dinner and dancing.
* * * *Jason leaned forward in the chair in his office, elbows resting on knees, one hand yanking at his hair, the other fisting the phone against his ear. He didn't want to make this call. Didn't want to have to think about the woman whose slow sultry voice poured through the line like acid into his ear.
"What do you want?” came her lightly-accented demand.
"You know what I want, Sophia. Don't play games with me."
"Well ... you knew what I wanted, but I didn't get it, now did I?"
Jason sat up and spun in his chair so it faced the back wall of his office. “How's Enrique?"
"Who?"
A long pull on a thin cigarette filtered through the line, conjuring a million unwanted memories. He waited her out.
"Oh, of course. Enrique. I barely remember his name. It seems he meant more to you than to me."
