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“This place is coming along great,” I said, as I followed her upstairs to the new project site. “I really like what we’re doing here.”
“So do I. I can’t wait until it’s finally finished. I know I keep changing my mind about things, but I want this place to be the dream I envision it to be once it’s finished.”
When it came to designs and add-ons, Sharron had an eye for beauty. She knew what she wanted, where she wanted it, and how long it would take for her to get it. She also knew that I could do everything she needed done, and then some.
She led me into a massive bedroom that overlooked the water behind her house. The room had mile-high ceilings, large floor-to-ceiling windows, the most beautiful hardwood floors, and a hooded balcony lined in stone. The bathroom was nearly as large and had a balcony of its own to spare.
“Okay,” she said, spinning around the empty bedroom. “I want to make this into my new master suite. Even though it’s already a huge room, I want to make it even bigger. Maybe trim a little off the bathroom? But still keep the walk-in. The bathroom balcony can go too, as long as the one outside the bedroom still stands.”
“Uh huh.” I nodded my head as I walked around the room to envision her dream.
“Maybe add a fireplace somewhere in the room and a personal bar, that way I don’t have to trek all the way downstairs to get my wine when I run out?”
As far as her profession went, Sharron was a world-renowned interior designer. She did work for some of the most famous celebrities and elites in the world. Her work was exquisite. She'd even had the honor of decorating the pope's office once.
“Well,” I said, “anything you want done, I'm sure we can make it happen. We've done this much thus far, so of course. I have to ask, though—what made you want to move your suite to this room?”
“Ehh, I don’t know. I guess I got bored with where I was in the house and want to be closer to the water. I just woke up one morning and saw myself sitting on the balcony enjoying a fresh cup of brew while the mist from the water glistens my skin.”
“Sounds like the life,” I said.
When I talked with Sharron, I felt empowered. Sharron was wife material—a grown and mature woman, if you will. She was very easygoing and shared the same love for fine arts as I did. Even Casey had said she could see us together, and that was a big deal, considering Sharron was the one woman her mother had always felt threatened by.
I couldn’t help but think of Ariane while I admired Sharron. I felt like a bad man for my intrusive thoughts, but I couldn’t help it. As much as Sharron and I had in common, something was still missing. The feeling I got while I was with Ariane was one that couldn’t be matched. I didn’t know why, and I didn’t know how, but the spark she ignited in me was addictive. I could not get enough of her. She made me feel young again. There was something contagious about her laugh, and her eyes were so soulful and hypnotizing, they drew me in and kept me in a reverie.
The admiration I noticed when Ariane looked at me made me feel like a legitimate role model. While I knew that many people admired everything I’d accomplished, it was incredible to receive such admiration from Ariane. I wanted to know everything about her and uncover what was perturbing her. Her occasional unease was evident, and I wanted to make things better for her.
“When do you want to get started?” I asked. “I have some free time coming up in a few months. In the meantime, I can start a few raw sketches to see what works and we can collaborate on ideas from those?”
“Sounds great to me. I'll have my assistant send over a list of things I want to incorporate and a few raw sketches of my own.”
Chapter Nine
Ariane
AfterCaseyhadgonehome for the day, I hung around the office to wait for Logan’s driver. I knew that Harry, the man who drove Logan everywhere he needed to be, had to stop at the office before he went to pick Logan up for the evening, so I waited around for him to arrive. I had this crazy idea in my head. One I knew Logan would either greatly appreciate, or fire me right on the spot for. Either way, it was an idea I couldn’t resist. After talking with Casey and hearing just how much of a good man Logan was, I was falling for him.
“Hey, Harry.” I smiled when he got off the elevator and passed by my office.
“Hello, Ariane.” He waved. “Late night tonight?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I chuckled. “I was actually just finishing up here. What are you doing here so late?”
I played it off like I had no idea why Harry was at the office so late, but his itinerary was on the iPad. He was there to pick up Logan’s briefcase that I had packed earlier that day.
“Oh, just making a quick pit stop for Mr. Taylor before I head to pick him up. His meeting ran a little later than usual, so I'm playing the errand man tonight,” he laughed.
Harry was a tall and hefty man. He wore a freshly shaven head, an all-black suit, and the largest pair of loafers I had ever seen on a man. Although he was a gigantic man, Harry was the sweetest person you could ever meet. So kind and helpful whenever anyone needed him, and he was handsome too.
“Do you mind if I hitch a ride with you?” I asked. “You can drop me off afterward so you’re not late picking him up. I don’t mind.”
For a moment, he looked like he was unsure. We both knew how anal Logan was about even the slightest change in plans, so I understood his hesitation. However, I continued to push him for an answer.
“I have something I want to give Logan tonight. It's kind of a surprise. I don’t want to leave it at the office, because I feel like it’s a little personal.”
I playfully batted my eyes Harry’s way and slightly extended a leg as if to tease him with my thighs. I saw the large gulp in his throat as he took a long look at my figure and knew I had him exactly where I needed him to be, in the palm of my hand. I felt kind of bad for teasing him the way I did. While shame and guilt rushed through me, the desire to show Logan how much I wanted him was too strong to ignore.
“Alright,” he finally caved. “But if he gets upset about this, it’s all on you.”
