Playing Dirty: Windy City Kink, Book 3 (5 page)

She whirled around to leave. As she reached the foyer and grabbed her coat, she felt another stab. “I never should have taken this coat,” she muttered. She had no choice at this point; it was snowing like crazy out. She couldn’t exactly bolt without a jacket. That made her even more pissed off.

She shoved her arms into the coat, but then it was taken away from her from behind. She whirled to face Raff. His face was soft, his eyes warm. “Paige,” he said softly. “Stop. Just wait. Listen to me.”

She pressed her lips together. “You know, you could use the word
please
once in a while.”

His lips twitched. “Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

His apology took her aback. It seemed sincere.

He took in a breath. “Please, Paige. Please stay a few more minutes and hear what I have to say.”

She studied his face then gave a short nod.

He tossed her coat back onto the counter and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You are absolutely right,” he began, further confounding her. “I do want something in return from you.”

She opened her mouth.

“Hear me out. Please,” he added with an eye twinkle. “Okay, you’re a smart woman. You know I’m giving you a good deal on this space. I felt badly the other day when the one you had your heart set on turned out to be already leased.”

She started to tell him that he didn’t owe her anything because of that, but he lifted his chin and she shut her mouth again.

“I’m also very attracted to you.”

His open statement made her insides quiver.

“I think you’re attracted to me too,” he continued. His voice was low and gentle. “All I ask in return for this deal is one chance for us to get to know each other. One date. I’ll do anything I can to make you feel safe with me during that date. I’m not a serial killer.”

“I know you’re not,” she mumbled.

“I sense there’s something that’s stopping you from going out with me. And you don’t have to tell me. But if you would, maybe I could reassure you that whatever you’re afraid of won’t happen.”

His gaze remained steady on her as he talked. She felt herself softening as she considered his words.

As if she were going to tell him about her disastrous marriage. That wasn’t going to happen. And she would feel ridiculously vulnerable telling him that he scared her because of his air of command and control. Her fingers played with the elastic on her wrist.

What he was asking really wasn’t that much. One date. Sure, she didn’t know him, but he was a well-known businessman in Chicago. Clearly he didn’t have a reputation for abusing women.

She’d dated other men since she left her husband a year and a half ago. Yes, she was cautious about another relationship, and she was wary of a certain type of man, but she wasn’t going to live like a nun for the rest of her life. She wasn’t looking for anything, but she figured one day she’d meet the right man, someone nice, gentle and polite. The opposite of the kind of man she’d spent so long looking for before she met Delmer, when she’d been looking for something or someone that would fulfill a need she couldn’t even name. She’d thought Delmer was that someone. She’d been wrong. Dangerously wrong.

And she didn’t want to make that mistake again.

Chapter Five

Raff watched Paige’s expressive face. What was going through that sharp mind of hers? He considered it a win that she was even standing there thinking about what he’d said. But, soon, smoke was going to come out her ears, she was thinking so hard.

He waited. Negotiating took patience. He’d let her have her time and space.

“This is very unethical,” she finally said, but her voice was soft.

“How so?” He lifted one eyebrow.

“I’m not sure. I just think it is. I mean…I guess you don’t often have to buy dates.”

“Was that a jab?” He’d felt it, but took it calmly.

“No, actually, it wasn’t.” She sighed. “What I was trying to say is you can date anyone you want, Raff. Why on earth are you doing all this for a date with
me
?”

He wanted much more than a date with her. But he knew he needed to keep that play to himself right now. “I already told you. You’re beautiful. You’re smart. I’m attracted to you and I think it’s mutual.”

She nibbled briefly on her bottom lip. “Okay. I get that. But…giving me such a good deal on leasing this space is not fair to your company.”

His eyebrows flew up. He jerked his chin down. Then he smiled. “Fuck, you’re smart. But this isn’t going to hurt the company’s bottom line. This is a drop in the bucket. And I’m not entirely motivated by making money.”

“Really? I find that hard to believe.”

“Believe it or not.” He shrugged. He’d never been one who’d bothered defending himself or explaining his actions. The kind of life he’d lived growing up, he’d learned to not show weakness or anything good inside him. Making yourself vulnerable in that kind of world could be your end. In the business world, there were also many times you didn’t want to reveal any weaknesses, although he’d learned that sometimes he needed to explain himself to get buy-in from his team. But that was a lot different than making yourself vulnerable about personal shit.

Faced with a woman who clearly didn’t think much of him, he was reverting to past behavior. Tough. Dominant. Arrogant. Did he want to tell her all the shit that was inside him? Why he wasn’t the total asshole she apparently thought him? No. He did not.

Fuck. She was twisting him up inside. He gritted his teeth. “In the end, I’m the boss and if I want to give a particular client a deal, I do it. What if I told you that I have faith in your business and that I anticipate I’m getting a long-term tenant who in the future will probably be able to pay the going rate?”

Her mouth twitched. “So you’re telling me once I’m in here you’re going to jack up my rent.”

He relaxed a little and smiled back at her, liking the humor she displayed even when under stress. “Don’t put words in my mouth. I really fuckin’ hate it when people do that.”

“You don’t know anything about me or my business. You can’t know that I’m going to be that successful. I could go under in six months.”

“I doubt that,” he said with a shrug. “But if it happens, then I haven’t lost much.”

She thought some more. “Is the deal contingent on me dating you?”

“No.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Then…”

“You can sign the lease. I can have the paperwork done up today. You don’t have to go out with me. But, Paige…” he moved closer to her. Her breasts lifted in a quick intake of breath and her pulse fluttered in her throat in the opening of that crisp white shirt. “Unless you give me a hard no, I won’t give up trying. So you may as well do it now.”

She stared up at him. Now he was close enough to see the flecks of silver in her blue eyes. Her long eyelashes. The tiny creases in her full bottom lip. Close enough to breathe in that scent he remembered, exotic and sexy.

“Can I think about it?” she whispered.

He closed his eyes briefly. Not that he was going to take no for an answer—but that definitely wasn’t a hard no. “Sure,” he said casually. “No pressure.”

“Riiiiight.” She tilted her head. “No deadline? No ‘we’ll keep this space for you for twenty-four hours’ sales pitch?”

He shook his head in admiration. “I’ll give you forty-eight hours.”

“A week.”

“You don’t want a whole week.”

“Okay, until Monday.”

He grinned. “Monday morning.”

“Judas Priest,” she muttered. “Fine.”

“I’ll drive you back to your office.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I’m not going to abduct you, for Chrissake. It’s a ride. It’s snowing outside.”

She bit her lip and glanced at the window. “Fine.”

“You could use the words
thank you
once in a while.”

He met her eyes and held her gaze. Heat built between them until finally she let go of the hold she had on her lips and smiled. “Thank you for the offer,” she said.

He picked up the crimson coat and helped her into it. He’d been pleased to see her wearing it, taking that as one small victory. He let his hands linger briefly on her shoulders, again breathing in her scent. Then she moved away.

At the door she put on her boots, bending and lifting first one leg to pull on a high boot, then the other. The movements had her narrow black skirt riding up on her thighs. Opaque black tights outlined the perfect shape of her legs, slender but curvy enough to be sexy as hell.

She straightened and caught him ogling her legs. He met her eyes head on, not ashamed of looking. He liked what he saw and she could no doubt see that.

He shrugged his leather jacket on and reached into the pocket for his car keys. “Let’s go.”

He locked up behind them and watched her take another lingering glance around. She liked the place. This was good.

He’d found a parking spot on the street not far away and he set a hand on the small of her back to direct her toward his Bentley. They trudged through the snow and he started the car and clicked the locks remotely, then opened the passenger door for her.

“Nice car,” she murmured as she slid in.

“Thanks. I like it. Can you hand me that brush?”

She retrieved the long-handled brush and ice scraper from the floor and handed it to him. He closed the door and began to brush accumulated snow off the back window, then the windshield. He wasn’t fond of winter once Christmas was over, but with Paige snug in his warming car, he smiled with satisfaction.

Moments later they were driving through the streets of downtown Chicago, back to her warehouse. Traffic was moving slowly due to the bad driving conditions.

“I’m glad you’re wearing the coat,” he said, glancing at her. “Looks like it fits.”

He noted how her fingers slipped under the cuff of the coat of the opposite hand to her wrist. He’d noticed her snapping that band earlier, though she’d been trying to hide it. He didn’t like that he made her that anxious.

“It fits perfectly. It’s beautiful.” She paused. “Thank you.”

He shot her a sideways grin. “There you go. Was that hard?”

“I’m not an ungrateful person.”

“I believe you.”

“It’s just…it’s hard when I still think it was completely unnecessary.”

“I don’t get that.”

“What?”

“Why is it hard to be grateful for a nice gesture, even if it wasn’t necessary? Haven’t you ever done anything nice for someone when it wasn’t necessary?”

She thought. “Well, yes. Of course.”

“And did the person thank you? Show some appreciation?”

“Yes.” Her lips pouted a little. “I guess it was more because of what I thought you wanted in return.”

“I didn’t want anything in return for the coat.”

She flicked a glance his way. “Riiiiight.”

“You sound like you don’t believe me.”

“You’ve already said you want a date. Obviously you bought me that coat with an ulterior motive.”

He sighed. Damn. “You totally don’t trust me, do you?”

Now she nibbled that plump bottom lip. “Why would I? I don’t know you.”

It said much that her instinct was to not trust someone she didn’t know. Good thing he was sure this was going to be worth it. Because he had a lot of work ahead of him.

“He has a foot fetish.”

Paige turned and bugged her eyes out at her friend Mallory. “Seriously?”

“What exactly does that mean?” Sasha asked from across the table for four in Buddy’s Diner.

“A fetish is a sexual fixation with something,” Emma, sitting beside Sasha, said.

“I know that.” Sasha grinned. “I mean, what does he…uh…do…with your feet?”

All eyes turned back to Mallory. She dipped her straw in and out of her marshmallow milkshake, smiling. “I can’t believe I told you all that.”

“Oh, honey,” Sasha said. “I think I can give you a run for your money in the kink department.”

Paige’s jaw dropped a little. She blinked.

“This milkshake is amazing,” Sasha said of her own frosty treat. “Coconut. My fave.”

“I told you this was a great place,” Emma said. “And I do
not
want to hear about your kinks. You’re dating my brother. Oh my God! My
brother
is
kinky
?”

“You have no idea,” Sasha murmured. “But don’t worry, I’m not sharing details.”

“I want to know,” Mallory said.

“No, I want to know about Joe’s foot fetish,” Emma said.

“Me too,” Sasha added.

“Who are you women?” Paige demanded. “What happened to my sweet, innocent friends?”

They all laughed and she did too. But she was feeling a little off-balance at hearing these things.

“Well, I never thought I’d find having my toes sucked erotic, but, wow, it really is,” Mallory said. “And he gives great foot massages. Also, he likes it when I use my feet…on him.”

“Oooh.”

“Yeah, toe sucking…not for me,” Emma said.

Sasha pushed her bottom lip out and tipped her head. “I’d be open to trying it. Hey. Try anything once, right?”

“Don’t wanna know,” Emma said, holding her palm up to Sasha.

Their lunches arrived and conversation halted for a moment as the server set plates in front of them, refilled water glasses and made sure they had everything they needed. Paige picked up her club sandwich.

“So, Paige, why did you want to get together today?” Emma asked, lifting a French fry and taking a bite.

“You said you needed female advice,” Mallory said. She glanced at Paige. “What’s up?”

“Female advice can only be about one thing,” Sasha said. “Men.” She frowned. “This isn’t about your ex-husband, is it?”

“No! Not at all.”

“You haven’t heard from him?”

“Not since that day he showed up at the office just before Christmas.” She shook her head. “He must have been freaked out by being alone over the holidays or something. But you’re right, Sasha, it is about a man. I have a little dilemma.”

She kept her gaze on her plate.

“Oooh, this sounds good,” Emma said. “Share the deets, please.”

Where to start? “Have you ever heard of Raff Lauden?”

“Oh my God, yes!” Sasha set down her fork and stared at Paige. “He owns a gazillion buildings in the city. And that big development out in Westview. I actually worked for him when they were building that. I did some of the landscaping work. That was when I was working for Dreamscape.”

Sasha was a landscape designer who specialized in rooftop gardens now that she had her own business. Of course she would know of a big property developer like Raff.

“Why?” Emma asked. “I’ve never heard of him, but what do I know?”

“I’ve heard of him,” Mallory said. “In the news. I think he spoke at a Chamber of Commerce lunch I went to once, years ago. He’s a very successful businessman.”

Paige nodded. “Okay, so here’s what happened. I found a commercial space that I really liked and I contacted the property manager of the building and arranged to go see it. Raff was there.”

“Raff?” Sasha lifted an eyebrow and gave a tiny smirk.

Paige grimaced and continued. “I slipped and fell on some ice outside the front door. I was fine. I just got a little dirt on my coat and pants. Raff told me to send Brad, the guy I was dealing with, the dry cleaning bill. Anyway, turned out the showing was for nothing because they’d already leased the place, or almost for sure had, that morning. And I was all disappointed because it was so perfect. Then, that afternoon a delivery arrived and it was—get this—a brand-new red Donna Karan coat and a pair of black wool dress pants. Both in my size.”

“Whoa.” Emma and Mallory spoke in unison.

“I sent them back, of course,” Paige added. “It was crazy. Then the next morning I got a call from Brad saying they had space available in another of their buildings, but it would be a week before I could see it because they had to clean it up or something. Then, Raff showed up at my office with the damn coat again, insisting that I keep it. He’s very…determined.”

Sasha smiled.

“Oh, and I forgot to say that when I met him that first day, he asked me out for dinner to make it up to me for slipping. I turned him down.”

“That was a significant detail to omit,” Mallory said.

Paige waved a hand. “Whatever. When he brought the coat back, he asked me out again. I said no again. And again. Like I said…determined. In the end he gave up and left.”

“Why did you say no?” Sasha leaned forward. “He’s very good-looking. Rich. Single. Cripes.”

Paige ran her fingers through her hair, looking down again. “He scares me.”

Mallory touched her arm, briefly but warmly. “Scares you?”

“He reminds me of Delmer too much.”

“Shit,” Mallory muttered. Paige saw Emma and Sasha exchange glances.

“Anyway, like I said, he doesn’t give up. When I went to look at this other space on Thursday, he was there instead of Brad. They’re giving me an incredible deal on the rent and it’s even nicer than the first one I saw.”

All three women looked at Paige, smiling. “So what’s the problem?” Mallory asked.

“I can’t do that! He’s giving me that deal because he wants…”

“He wants you?” Mallory grinned.

“Yes. And what does that make me then?”

“Oh, honey. Don’t be silly.”

“I get that,” Sasha said.

“Thank you. He admitted he wanted something in exchange. He wants to take me on a date. One date.”

Sasha’s forehead creased and Emma said, “Huh.”