Chapter 3- A Calculated Move
1097 Words
Gray watched Kate walk out. When the door had closed behind her, he inhaled deeply. A subtle floral scent lingered in the room. It was quite lovely.
A calm young Asian woman with a sleek chignon was not what he had been expecting. Not at all the type who usually graced Preston Thorne’s arm. Besides, given her family background, Gray had pictured a spoiled, entitled brat.
The black skirt suit had flattered her slim figure, although she had done her best to appear serious and aggressive, a corporate warrior look he found distasteful in general but singularly sexy on her. And those stilettos had done amazing things to her legs. Long, shapely, and deliciously erotic. A legman’s fantasy come to life.
A woman who wore shoes like those had a streak of sensuality in her. He pictured her briefly in the shoes and a pair of thigh highs and felt himself stir.
Gray shook his head sharply and walked back behind his desk. Now was not the time to indulge in fantasy. He had been upset when Richard had not been able to follow simple instructions. Did Kate have something to do with Richard’s incompetence? She was, after all, the adopted daughter of Arthur Vance, a powerful senator with a lot of connections and one of the reasons why it was proving so difficult to take over Thorne International. Or ruin it outright.
And Kate was Vivian Thorne’s goddaughter.
His hands tightened at the thought of the woman he had hated for so long, the one responsible for destroying his family and ultimately killing his father. Now Vivian Thorne had family of her own, a son, a company that allowed her an undeservedly wealthy lifestyle, and a young woman who might as well have been a surrogate daughter.
He wondered briefly if there was something going on between Arthur and Vivian. It would be just so bitchy to sell herself to a powerful protector.
But none of that mattered anymore. All the pieces were lined up. His position was fully developed, and he knew that his strategy was superior. After years of preparation and maneuvering, he was ready for the endgame.
He would take everything away from Vivian Thorne. Everything.
And he would start with Kate.
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Kate stepped out of her car in front of an upscale steak house near the Ritz Carlton. A valet took her key, and she hurried inside with her purse and laptop bag. It was seven oh three, and she hated being late. Time was money. Although SDS was more relaxed than Blackwood & Sterling Investment Bank, old habits died hard.
Besides this was only her second meeting with her CEO, and she did not want to make a bad impression. Just thinking about him made her flush, and the tension returned to her neck and shoulders. She wished she knew exactly what he was after. It seemed like he wanted her for professional reasons, but she had seen glimpses that warned her there was something very personal underneath as well.
A smiling maître d’ greeted her. She gave him Gray’s name, and he nodded and led her through a dark mahogany walkway. There were little nicks in the wood here and there, each of them a testament to the restaurant’s long history. Caricatures of de Gaulle and Churchill looked down from the yellowed wall above the wooden panels. Ceiling fans stirred the air, sending the smoky aroma of perfectly charred meat her way. She would have been looking forward to a great meal if she were not meeting Gray.
He was at a small table for two. He rose at the sight of her, and she paused at the unexpected courtesy. She could not decide if he was just old fashioned about certain things or if it had been a calculated move. Something about him suggested he never did anything without a reason.
“Sorry I am late,” Kate said, sitting down.
When Gray settled across from her, she realized how intimate the situation was. His knees brushed against hers under the white tablecloth, sensitizing her skin and making her acutely aware of the proximity of his body. She shifted, sitting at an angle and crossing her legs to avoid touching him.
The silver gray of his eyes sparkled in the candle glow as he looked at her, like lightning reflected on diamonds, and their beauty caught her by surprise, made her mute. She felt herself flushing again and was grateful for the dim light inside the restaurant.
He placed his forearms on the table and rested some weight on them, the movement bringing his large shoulders in close. “So, Ready to bombard me with documents and PowerPoint presentations?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I do have some printouts for you in my bag. I also sent you a soft copy.” She reached down, glad for the distraction. Why did he make her so nervous and flustered and excited all at the same time? She had had her share of handsome, sophisticated dates. The boarding schools she had attended were full of the scions of wealthy and influential families, many of them European aristocrats. And the Vances circulated among the crème de la crème of society. It came with the family history of producing governors, senators, and diplomats.
“Work can wait.” He waited until she had sat up again, her hands empty, before he said, “I am really hungry.”
The way his eyes darkened as he spoke made her mouth dry. She had better snap out of it soon before she did something stupid. He was talking about food.
“Let us start with some wine,” he said. “Is there anything in particular you would like?”
Shaking her head, she gave him a bright smile. “I will leave the selection up to you.”
Gray did not bother to consult the wine list. Their waiter took the order and returned with a bottle of Perrier Jouët. She gave Gray a questioning look. He answered it by inclining his head and waited until the champagne was uncorked and poured.
“To your promotion,” Gray said, raising his flute.
Kate blinked. “I am sorry?”
“Victoria has also, left, so I will need somebody to fill her shoes.” Victoria had been Richard’s right hand woman. “Why not you? Congratulations.”
She automatically clinked her flute with his and took a sip. The cool bubbly vintage slid smoothly down her throat and warmed her.
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