Breaking Joseph (10 page)

“You’re
thinking about it, aren’t you?” Matt said, still clutching my
wrist. “About the same thing I am.”

Heat rushed
across my chest in tiny seizures. The
thrill of two
–an
adrenaline-flavoured fizz pop of deception–reared its pretty little
head. “Yes.”

“God, I think
about it all the time.” He dropped my hand then, easing himself up
and pulling his legs away. “This…this is just cruel.”

“I’m
sorry.”

“Not you. Just
this whole fucking thing.”

I sighed.
“Yeah, well–as they say over here–amen to that.”

“I should get a
shower,” he said. “I can’t go out walking
and
smelling like
a pansy.”

“You don’t
smell like a pansy.”

“No?”

“Like a
coconut,” I teased.

“I smell like
you.” He smiled incredulously. “I like it, and I hate it.”

I pulled myself
up, tucking the body butter into my bag. “I ought to get a move on
too,” I said. “We need to be down there in an hour or so.”

“Yeah. Thanks
for…you know.”

“It’s okay.” I
gazed at him over my shoulder. “It was nice.”

“It was.”

I twisted the
door handle.

“Leila?”

“Yeah?”

Matt toyed with
his collar nervously. “He’s good with you, right?”

I frowned.
“What do you mean?”

“He doesn’t
hurt you.”

“Of course he
doesn’t.” I clutched my stomach involuntarily. “Why’d you ask?”

“Just
checking.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Good job I don’t
have crutches. I’d smack him in the face with them anyway.”

Chapter 5

The Hummingbird
Club was set in an old warehouse, all towering ceilings and
industrial details offset by Baroque furniture in velvet and
Perspex. It smelled very new, that weird mix of fresh leather and
clean, floral-perfumed bodies.

“Do you think
they’re actually going to make us swim?” Poppy whispered as we
filed into the reception.

“I don’t think
we have to do anything,” I said. “I think Redfish are just trying
to show off.”

“Or get a
discount.”

I dropped my
swim bag on the tiled floor as I signed into the guest book. Matt
lingered behind me. Though he hobbled a bit, it seemed the massage
had actually helped.

There was the
thought of Joseph in the pool later, in all his fleshy finery. The
pale green shirt he’d chosen for the evening was serpentine–it set
off his eyes and gave them something of the wild. His wanton
fingers kept brushing the small of my back, and he stroked through
the fabric of the Leger dress before remembering that he wasn’t
meant to touch me–nobody but Matt knew I was paid for.

But I found
myself hoping that everyone noticed us, regardless.

The lift took
us up to a plush, old-school bar where a jazz band played. Deacon
strode over to shake our hands.

“I’m glad you
could make it,” he boomed, all pearlescent teeth. “It’s our way of
saying thank you for the hard work to come.”

“Nothing like a
little New York hospitality.” Joseph smiled. “It’ll be good to meet
the rest of the company.”

“We don’t have
everybody here, of course. But most of my team, some of Elise’s
colleagues, management…we have a good turnout, as you can see.”
Deacon gestured to the bustling bar and then his dark eyes darted
toward me. “The pool’s on the roof, just up the stairs.”

“Cheers.” Yves
leaned forward to shake his hand. “I take it you have a good wine
list here.”

“Honestly, my
friend, I’m not a wine drinker. But Alex over there is.” Deacon
pointed to a tall, wiry man. “And he’ll be able to recommend
something. Lord knows, he’s sampled enough of it.” He turned to
Joseph. “Come meet the CEO while I can still pin him down.”

Joseph nudged
me gently as he followed Deacon and I stayed behind with Poppy and
Matt. Yves had gone to pester Alex, and Sadie was already chatting
to Deacon’s PA on an overstuffed sofa.

“I’ll get us
some drinks,” Matt volunteered. He limped off to the bar.

“What happened
to him?” Poppy asked.

“Overdid it at
the gym. Although we’ve been trying to think of something more
glamorous all evening.”

“Oh…that’s what
you were doing earlier, then.” There was a distinctly unimpressed
tone to her voice and though she masked it with curved lips, it
bothered me.

“I was giving
him a massage,” I mumbled. “I know what it looked like, but that’s
what it was.”

“Leila, you
don’t have to explain yourself to me. It’s none of my business.”
Again with the strange tone. “Just sorry I interrupted you.”

“Leila!” Elise
hoisted a long black dress up over wince-worthy heels to hurry
over. She embraced me easily and blew an air kiss toward my
cheek.

“You’ve met
Poppy,” I said, standing back and nodding between the two.

“Oh, yes.
Another of Joseph’s razor-sharp girls.” Elise patted a blushing
Poppy on the arm. “I was impressed by your part in the pitch. You
have the right kind of confidence about you–it’s clear but it isn’t
threatening. That’s how a woman in this job has to be.”

“Just what I
was going for.” Poppy laughed, relaxing. “You were pretty good
yourself.”

“Thank you.”
Elise took both of our arms and guided us toward the bar. “Let’s
get some Champagne–they’ve rolled out the good stuff.”

We drank and
laughed and danced. Elise introduced us to a couple of her
colleagues–one, a long-haired guy named Ronnie, would not leave
Poppy alone. She feigned disinterest for a good hour before letting
him drag her out on to the dance floor, where he revealed an
amusing array of moves.

“Look how he’s
chucking her about.” I sighed into my Champagne flute. “I love that
buzz when you meet somebody new.”

Elise clinked
her glass to mine in agreement. “Oh yeah. Still. There’s something
nice about a man who’s been there long enough to know his way
around…stuff.”

“Stuff? Elise.
You’re such a prude.”

“I am not!” She
leaned in. “My swimsuit has cutout panels, you know.”

I giggled into
her shoulder. “You rebel!”

“I’m a
repressed rebel. My therapist says so.”

“D’you mind if
I join you?” Matt hovered over us with a meek, little smile. He’d
only just escaped the clutches of Yves at the bar.

“No, no.” I
moved up the sofa. “You’ve met Elise, right?”

“Yeah.” He
plonked his beer on the table and sank down beside me. “How’s it
going?”

“We’re watching
Ronnie seduce your Poppy,” said Elise, pointing to the
almost-grinding couple.

Matt followed
her finger. “Fucking hell. Didn’t know she had it in her.”

“He’s always
like this.” Elise sipped her drink. “He dances round the office.
Does salsa.”

“And he’s
straight?” Matt asked.

“We have
debated it!”

“Aidan would
love him,” I whispered.

“Probably.” He
was evidently uncomfortable with the notion.

“How’s the
leg?”

“Better. Thank
you.” He peeled a sliver of label off his beer bottle. “Not that
I’m tempted by the pool at all.”

“You think
you’ll ever get a chance to swim in the pitch-black again, staring
out over New York? I’m going in.”

In the corner
of the bar, Joseph was ensconced with Deacon, Kenji and what looked
to be an obscenely expensive bottle of whiskey. When he noticed me
watching, he threw a pouty smile and I raised an eyebrow in
acknowledgment. It was nice, being able to swan off and do as I
liked, knowing he’d be there at the end of the evening.

While Elise
took me out to dance, Matt remained on the sofa. It never failed to
surprise me how a man who took centre stage in a rock band or a
rugby team could so easily staple himself to the sidelines at a
party. I remembered how he’d held me to him at Will and Angus’s
wedding, each breath he spilled over me a silent stamp of
ownership. I’d relished the intimacy and resented the cage of limbs
at the same time–like he feared to lose me if I went out of his
sight.

Joseph didn’t
have to worry about that because he’d written his name across my
belly.

Poppy spun into
me and gripped my wrist. “Oh God.” She panted. “I’m dizzy.”

“No such thing,
lady!” Ronnie whooped.

She wriggled to
escape him but her delight was evident.

And I was
pleased for her. Take that, Charlotte.

A few songs
later, we retired to the table for more drinks.

“I’m going in a
bit,” Matt said. “Sharing a cab with Sadie. Do you want to come?”
His voice was edgy; he wanted me to leave with him.

A week ago, I
would have been obliged to.

I patted his
sore thigh as I sat down, and he stared at my hand mournfully. “No,
I’m going to stay and swim. Aren’t you?”

“It’s not going
to be swimming, Leila.” He sulked. “It’s just a cock parade with
fewer clothes, and I’m really not in the mood.”

“Okay. Well.
Suit yourself.”

He hobbled off
a few minutes later, his jacket thrown over his arm. I felt utterly
cruel for indulging in that massage earlier. It had swelled his
hopes to something bigger than I intended–not just literally.

Kenji appeared
at the table. “You girls coming to get undr…changed?” He grinned at
his own slip up.

“You betcha.”
Elise grabbed my hand and we headed for the little spiral
staircase.

Up on the roof,
the sky was ink blotted and the pool simmered beneath the pale glow
of stars. Raffia sofas were dotted about, stacked with plush white
towels. The night had teeth, a bite to the crisp shell of me,
and…oh, yes. I could get used to this.

There were
several little booths and Elise and I fell into one, rooting
through our bags.

My swimsuit was
something of a rushed job. I’d been packing that afternoon when I
realized that my red bikini would reveal Joseph’s scratched
handiwork, and had to dash out for a replacement. In the end, I
chose a single-shouldered one-piece in bronze–nothing like what I’d
normally wear, but expensive enough to lend me some confidence.

As we emerged,
several of our fellow dancers plunged in, still clothed and
yelping. Joseph already sat in one of the spa pools with Deacon and
Kenji. I followed Elise into the bubbles.

Joseph caught
my waist to bring me down beside him.

I beamed. “It’s
gorgeous up here.”

“Isn’t it?”
Deacon nodded. “No better view, in my opinion. Well.” He paused to
smile graciously. “Except for you two ladies, of course.”

“Don’t be such
a sleaze.” Elise wagged a mocking finger.

“He’s right.”
Kenji smiled, pulling her in toward him. “You look stunning,
babe.”

I saw her
blush, even in the fading light. She tucked his hair behind his
ears affectionately.

“We’re putting
the offer in first thing tomorrow,” Joseph explained, looking at
Deacon. “I’ll be emailing the paperwork before we fly.”

I raised my
eyebrows. “Exciting.”

“He’s not
kidding when he says you guys move fast,” said Deacon, resting his
arms on the edge of the pool. “The ink’s barely dry on the contract
and the work’s already done. I like you guys.”

Kenji nodded.
“And since the work’s done…it’s time to play.”

“All work and
no play makes Ken a very dull boy,” Elise murmured. There was that
seductive tone again, the one that made me shiver.

Deacon prodded
Kenji on the shoulder. “Excuse me? We’re having a respectable
gathering here. You can get a room.”

“How much
Champagne has she had?” Kenji asked me.

“Um…probably
the best part of a bottle.”

He sighed
heavily. “Nah. She’ll be asleep before we even get to the car.”

Joseph shook as
he stifled a chuckle, and Elise gawped at Kenji, folding her
arms.

“I will
not!”

“It’s okay.
You’re cute when you sleep,” he said.

I loved how he
dug himself into these holes. A fellow masochist.

Joseph rose,
white froth rushing away from him. “I’m going for a swim.” He
nudged Kenji. “Want to join me?”

“Not if I want
to keep my dick, I think.”

“I won’t be
long.” Joseph stepped out and dove into the pool with a sharp,
precise splash.

“Do you swim?”
asked Deacon.

“I do. Just not
right now.” Joseph was too distracting. I could just about see the
muscles roving in his back as he surfaced. Oh.

“We’re going to
go and…get some drinks,” Elise announced, slurring slightly. “Catch
you later, okay?”

I smiled as
Kenji hauled her out; she was so endearingly unsubtle. They
stumbled into a pile of towels and then chased each other into a
changing booth. Elise had related their issues to me, but they
looked so comfortable together. Happy. Envy winked at me with its
emerald eye.

“So. Leila.”
Deacon folded his arms. “Tell me a little more about yourself.”

“I…” Champagne
slowed the cogs in my brain.
Deacon, meet Charlotte. When she’s
not bloodthirsty, she’s thinking something rude about your
shoes.
“I’ve always been interested in tax and company law,
even in high school. Erm. I like baked goods too much. And making
sor–”

“You’ve got
gorgeous hair.” He reached out. Wrapped a ringlet around his
finger. As he released it, his hand dragged beneath the water and
over my nipple. “I hope you don’t mind me saying that.”

I found myself
staring very hard at the water. “No.”

“Tell me some
more.”

Was it was
possible to edge away from him without being obvious? This man was
our new client–I really shouldn’t piss him off.

“I visited New
York a couple of years ago, on a shopping trip,” I mumbled. “Stayed
near Bloomingdale’s.”

“What is that,
some kind of female Mecca?” He found my thigh and ran his hand over
it.