Risky Negotiations (18 page)

Laci laughed at his expression. “I can’t imagine you stealing anyone’s candy,” she said, shaking her head at the picture.

“
Why not?”

“
It would be beneath you.”

Sal threw back his head and laughed. “You’re right. I never stole it from their hiding places.”

“
I imagine you were the one beating up all the bullies at school when they tried to steal your younger brothers’ candy,” she said, warmed by his smile and his easy laughter.

Sal nodded. “I got into a few fights defending them.”

“
What about your sister?”

“
Antonia?”

“
Do you have more than one?”

“
Actually, I do.”

Laci raised her eyebrows.

Laci felt him sober instantly. “The second oldest, Sophia, died her freshman year at college. I was in my sophomore year at Harvard, she was at MIT. I felt as if it were my responsibility,” he said solemnly.

Laci shook her head. “How could you think her death was your fault?”

“
I don’t now. But at the time, I was the oldest brother. I’d grown up believing it was my responsibility to protect all my siblings. So when Sophia died, I felt like I had let my family down by not making sure she’d gotten into Harvard with me and watching over her.”

Laci’s heart was breaking at the idea that he had beaten himself up over the death of a young sister. “And now? Do you still think it is your fault?”

Sal laughed. “No, but it took Antonia showing me that I couldn’t control everyone’s actions to realize that.”

Laci was taken aback. “How in the world did she do that? Isn’t she the youngest of all the siblings?”

With a self-deprecating smile, he explained, “She basically shoved my belief system through my teeth. She led a double life because I was overly protective. If it weren’t for her and her husband Brett, I’d still be protecting her now and making sure her life was on track.”

They were finished with their breakfast and just relaxing by the window now. Laci felt as if they were in a cocoon and no one could get to them. It was just a lazy Sunday morning and the two of them were reading the newspaper as if no one else in the world existed.

She suddenly sat up. “It’s Sunday morning.”

He raised one eyebrow at her announcement. “Yes?”

“
You go to church on Sunday!” she said, becoming panicked at the idea of him breaking his family day.

“
Not today,” he supplied.

“
Why not today?”

Sal sighed and pulled her back down to the sofa. He pulled her out of her seat and she fell into his lap. “Because I plan on making love to you all day.” And he proceeded to kiss her again, while slipping a hand inside the shirt she had borrowed.

Laci pulled back, pushing down the feelings that instantly sprang to life with his touch. “But your family is all coming over for lunch after church. You do it every week!”

Sal didn’t seem overly concerned about the prospect. She had to pull his head away from her neck to get him to look at her. “You need to get ready for church.”

He shook his head. “Gus left a message last night. Everyone will be going to his house for lunch today.”

Laci’s face burst into flames. “Oh,” was all she could say. “I guess there’s some sort of code when you leave a party with a woman…”

He kissed her to stop her from continuing. Once she was thoroughly kissed, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I’ve never missed church in my life unless I was sick or out of town. And I’ve never missed a family gathering before,” he said and stood up with her in his arms. He carried her back up the stairs and they made love again, the feelings just as passionate as before.

Laci got home Sunday at a little after ten that night. After making love again that morning, she and Sal had strolled through the dormant gardens around his house. Sal told her stories about growing up with so many brothers and sisters and the antics they had played against each other and their parents while living in such a huge house. Sal showed her the gardens and the maze his father had grown because of his love of mazes.

That night, he took her back to the museum so she could pick up her car, then they drove back to her apartment and she changed clothes. They ate dinner that night at a small Italian restaurant and talked about politics and the economy. She had always known that Sal had to be extremely intelligent to be able to run an international conglomerate like ATI, but she was dumbfounded by the extent of his knowledge on international finance and the national economy. He seemed to be able to absorb facts like a sponge holds water.

After dinner, he drove her home and walked her to her door. Sal left her with a lingering kiss that left her wanting more. But she knew she needed sleep, not getting much the night before. And there was a long week ahead of them and she needed to go over her notes before an early morning meeting. Sal had to pack for a trip to Los Angeles the next day. He explained that he would be gone for at least four days but asked if he could see her when he came back.

Chapter 7

It was Thursday afternoon. The sun was hiding behind gloomy clouds and there was a chill in the air that wouldn’t seem to go away. The weather forecasters announced that there was a possibility of snow later in the evening, but weren’t sure about the possible accumulations.

Because of her tension, no matter what happened that day, Laci couldn’t concentrate. She heard the words coming out of Max and Jim’s mouths but couldn’t understand what they were saying. Nothing could get her to concentrate on the topics under discussion.

Her inability to concentrate was all because of one fact. Sal was on his way home. His plane might even be landing right this moment, she thought as she glanced at her watch for the tenth time in a half hour. It was almost five thirty on Thursday evening. Sal had called her every night for the past four nights. Each night, the conversation became slightly more stilted. Sal always inquired about her day and she asked about his, but that was generally the end of the conversation.

Each night, she wanted desperately to ask him what he thought about their relationship, about what might happen in the future. And she wanted desperately to be held in his arms again, to feel his strong muscles holding her securely against his long frame, to feel his lips against hers, to experience the magic yet again.

But each night, she held back, afraid of what he might think, that he might have regretted their time spent together, or worse, that he was already seeing another woman. She knew that was inevitable. Men like Sal didn’t marry women like Laci. They married supermodels or Hollywood actresses. Or even a socialite who would be able to help him grow his company. Laci pictured one of the women from the auction on his arm. All of them fit into his life better than she did.

Laci stopped her mind from traveling down that path. Her heart ached at the idea of another woman in Sal’s arms. She hated the idea of some blond woman’s hair draping across his chest as he tangled his fingers through it. He didn’t need someone cold and calculating like those women, she thought, looking out the window of the conference room as if she could see his plane landing.

He needed someone who would make him laugh. Someone who could teach him to be a little less serious, she thought. She pictured Sal with children of his own, several of them running around him as he grilled on Sunday afternoons. She could make him happy. She loved him…

Laci sat up in the leather chair, her eyes wide open. She couldn’t think those kinds of thoughts. Thoughts along those lines would never happen and thinking them would only make the inevitable breakup more painful. She had to maintain her perspective in this relationship, whatever that might be.

“
Laci?” Jim asked cautiously. He had to repeat himself two more times before she glanced his way.

She finally acknowledged his questioning tone by raising her eyebrows, wondering what the question was. “I’m sorry?”

Jim smiled slightly as he glanced at Max. “Are you ok?”

Laci smiled brightly. “Of course,” she said, hoping the tears wouldn’t well up in her eyes as they were threatening to do.

“
I think we should break here for the night,’ Max was saying.

In that same instant, the door to the conference room burst open and Sal’s upper body filled the open space. “I need to talk to you,” he said sternly, looking directly at Laci.

Laci swallowed, nervous because of the stern expression on his face. “Of course,” she said, closing her notebook and putting her pen carefully into her briefcase. By the time she glanced up again, the door was still open but the space was empty. Her hands were shaking as she pushed the large leather chair back away from the table.

“
Don’t wait up for me,” she said to Jim, who was looking worriedly at her.

“
What’s going on?” he asked, the curiosity apparent.

Laci smiled, hoping it was more reassuring than frightened. “I think he just needs tips on what to get my sister for her birthday,” she said and shrugged her shoulders delicately.

She walked out of the conference room and down the hallway, away from the chaos of the executive end of the hallway and down toward Sal’s office which was extremely quiet. Even Norma’s computer was turned off and the phone switched to the night message.

Sal’s door was open and she stuck her head in, searching the spacious room for Sal. She found him pouring a drink behind the bar. “What’s up?” she asked, stepping inside the room.

“
You tell me,” he said, glancing sharply at her tentative stance. “Why are you avoiding me? Why won’t you talk to me on the phone?” he asked, abandoning his drink to come and stand directly in front of her. He reached behind her and slammed the door to his office. “I want to know what happened to the passionate woman I left on Sunday evening,” he demanded.

Laci couldn’t think with him standing so close to her. “I think I’m right here,” she finally got out, licking her lips as she stared at his firm jaw. “How was your trip?” she asked.

“
Fine,’ he said, his tone clipped. “Did I do something wrong? Why are you mad at me? And why the hell won’t you look me in the eye?” he asked.

Laci’s eyes snapped up to meet his. “I’m right here,” she repeated. She couldn’t stop herself from touching him. Her hand seemed to move up to his shirtfront of it’s own volition. “Did you miss me?” she asked, then bit her lip in shock. How could she ask that? Of course he didn’t miss her, she thought. He’d been too busy with whatever he’d been trying to accomplish.

“
Yes,” he said and pulled her into his arms, his mouth coming down hard on hers. When he realized she wasn’t fighting him, was in fact trying to get closer, his mouth eased up on the pressure and he coaxed her mouth open.

Laci sagged against him, her arms moving up his shirt front to touch his shoulders.

”
Do you have plans for the weekend?” he asked.

Laci tried to concentrate on his question. Did she have plans? “Yes,”

“
Cancel them,” he said grabbing her hand and pulling her toward his desk. He handed her the phone.

Laci laughed. “I don’t think my closet would answer,” she said, answering his unspoken query.

“
Your closet?”

She nodded her head. “Yes, I was planning on organizing my shoes, cleaning out my spring clothes which are still mixed in with the rest….” She couldn’t finish since he lifted her up and slid her onto his desk, pushing her skirt his up on her thighs, moving her knees apart and placing his hips in between them. “Come with me,” he said, sliding his hands underneath her skirt.

Laci’s breath caught in her throat. She tried to grab his wrists to stop his upward movement but he ignored her feeble attempts at stopping his hands and continued. He stopped suddenly and looked down at her, and Laci’s face flamed into color. But the realization that she was wearing thigh high stockings made him groan and burrow his face into her neck, instantly finding the sensitive spot at the base.

“
I see we were thinking along the same lines,” he said moving his hands up and down her silk clad thighs. His deep chuckle when he noticed her blush deepening….

His instantaneous reaction eased her embarrassment over her boldness. “Do you ski?” he asked, lifting his head but not moving away from between her thighs.

Laci could only nod her head.

“
Can you take tomorrow off?”

She mentally reviewed her schedule. “I was planning on doing some research,” she said.