Fierce Possession (Touched By You 9) (7 page)

“Just trust me, I do.”

Light began to dawn. Tanner hadn’t changed that much. He’d known all about her too, before she’d ever ventured to New York. Of course he’d know about her father. It wasn’t in his nature to leave things to chance.

“You investigated my father before you asked me to marry you, didn’t you?”

“It’s wasn’t like that.”

“Then what was it like? I’d really like to know.” Anger simmered, and Natalie tried to stay calm, at least until she heard the details of this travesty.

“I’m just trying to protect you, baby. I’m always trying to protect you.”

“Why do you need to protect me from a man who vanished so long ago? I fail to understand.”

Tanner sighed heavily. “He may have vanished, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t resurface. I had to make sure that there was no danger to you. It’s better to know these things.”

“Let me see if I understand correctly. You had my family investigated. Based on the fact that you investigated me, after you met me, I’ll assume that you did the same to my family. And you have the resources to find out pretty much anything you want to. I guess I can assume that my entire family has no secrets from you. Is that right?”

Tanner hesitated. Natalie lifted her chin in a challenge.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You can’t control everybody like this. And you can’t protect me from everything. It’s not right.” Natalie knew, in his way, Tanner thought it was right. At that moment, she couldn’t think of an easy way to tell him why it was wrong. It just felt wrong, and she felt violated.

Tanner took her hand, and she let him, but remained unresponsive to his advance. “Just give me the details, Tanner.”

“From the start, before you came to New York, I knew about your family. There was nothing to know, really. I just had to be sure. I worried about you. Can’t you understand that?”

Natalie said nothing.

“The only alarming aspect to your background was your father.”

“Because he abandoned us?”

The silence between them was heavy.

“Tanner?”

“No, because he’s irresponsible.”

“You didn’t need to investigate to find that out. I could have told you that much.”

“Yes, baby, that was clear. No decent man would leave his pregnant wife and baby daughter. But he did. And I don’t know if you want to hear the rest.”

Tanner’s blue eyes were soft, and her resistance weakened. In a low voice s
he said, “Yes. I need to know.”

“Nicolas Hughes is a bum. He never had any career that I could find. He’s gone from job to job, usually fired for drunkenness at work, or other offenses. I’m not sure how he’s scraped by. I’m surprised he doesn’t have other children somewhere, the way he sleeps around.

“When he can’t hustle somebody for money, or draw a paycheck, however short term, he tends to live with a woman who can support him. Although that doesn’t normally last long either.”

Natalie knew she was in shock. The floor under her seemed to shift and she squeezed Tanner’s hand for support. “You knew that, all along.”

“There was no reason to tell you, baby. What would have been the purpose in that? You’d forgotten about him, for the most part. I certainly didn’t want him connected with you. The good part was that he stayed away, and posed no threat.”

“But you said he contacted you.”

“Yes, when our wedding engagement was announced, he saw it in the paper. There was your name: Natalie Christine Baker, his daughter, about to wed one of the wealthiest men in America.”

“Oh no.”
Natalie didn’t need to be told what her father’s intent was. “He wanted money?”

“Yes, he wanted money. I was to marry his daughter, after all.”

“He abandoned my mother, who still loves him to this day, and never contacts us at all. Not even once did he call that I know of. He left her to support us, all alone, a woman with two young daughters abandoned by the father of her children. And now…” Natalie placed her hand over her face and lowered her head to Tanner’s arm. It was a moment before she could continue.

“Now, he finds out that his oldest daughter is to be married. And instead of wishing her well, or God forbid, helps her with the wedding, he tries to extort money.”

Tanner looked sad. “Unfortunately.”

“Did you pay him?”

“No, of course not. He doesn’t deserve to be paid. And he wouldn’t like what I think he deserves.” Tanner’s jaw tensed and his fist clenched.

“What are we going to do?” Natalie said, and then another thought occurred to her. “We cannot tell Emma. She would be crushed. All she has is the memory of him, and as bad as that is, this would be worse. She’s not strong. The other day she looked pale, and I have a call into the doctor. But if she knew he’d come begging, it would be a slap in the face. And she’d be crushed at his treatment of us. No, we can’t let her find out.”

“We won’t, baby. We won’t.” Tanner pulled Natalie into his arms and held her. She closed her eyes, finding security in his assurance. The situation was bad, though. Something would have to be done.

13 – New Challenges

Before any decisions could be made about Nicolas Hughes, an offer came to Natalie that demanded her attention. GR Fashion Showroom wanted to include her fashions in their fall collection, and Natalie’s CEO, Brandon Sherwood, arranged a meeting to discuss the details of the arrangement.

Gianni
Rinaldi, the owner of GR, was in his late twenties, and had made the fashion industry his focus. The brands he represented became trendsetters, and were frequently mentioned in the media. Choosing the freshest contemporary lines, he gave east coast buyers what they were looking for.

Natalie’s latest creations, matching women’s active lifestyles, yet giving a feminine, classy look, were in demand. She was flattered that GR Fashion considered her creations worthy of showcasing. The day of the meeting, Natalie wore one of her own designs. It was a light blue suit of stretchy fabric. It clung attractively and moved with her body, a perfect example of her fashions in the new fall line.

Entering the conference room, the young blond secretary, dressed in a Calvin Klein pencil skirt and satin blouse, offered drinks of their choice. Not long after, Gianni Rinaldi joined them, making an impression from the start. Sharply dressed, with sandy blond hair styled in a careless tousled look, he had an air of competence, high fashion, and approachability.

When he shook Natalie’s hand, his gray-blue eyes lingered briefly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Ms. Baker. You are very talented.”

Inside she was shaky, a bit nervous about the exciting offer to be a part of the prestigious showroom. However, Natalie maintained her composure, wanting to make a favorable impression. She’d read that Gianni was a heartthrob, and seeing him up close, that was a true statement. His athletic build accented his tailored suit. His top shirt button being open, combining with his lack of tie, only added to his masculine attraction. Natalie could certainly see why he was labeled one of the most desirable bachelors in New York.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Mr.
Rinaldi. And please call me Natalie.”

Gianni smiled, making Natalie relax a little. “And I’d be delighted if you would call me Gianni.” Turning to Brandon, he nodded and offered his hand. “Mr. Sherwood.”

“Brandon,” he replied, taking his hand.

“Well, since we are all on a first-name basis, let’s begin. I think you know how impressed I am with your work, Natalie. My buyers expect innovation, and for the fall I want to give them something different. Your designs for women are graceful, yet comfortable and practical; exactly what women are looking for. I’d like to discuss an arrangement to include your fashions in my showroom. I’m confident the exposure will be good for Natalie Baker Designs.”

Of that, Natalie had no doubt. To be one of the designers represented by GR Fashion in their showroom, currently the talk of the industry, was an opportunity she didn’t intend to pass up. As they discussed the particulars, it seemed like a good arrangement. She watched Brandon’s reaction, and he seemed to react positively.

Once the specifics of the agreement were discussed, they ended that first meeting. Brandon informed him that he’d get the document to Natalie’s attorney, but he didn’t foresee any issues. From a business point of view, it would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“Now, with that behind us, I’d like to invite you for cocktails. I’m meeting a few friends and connections in the business. I’d like to introduce you around, and we can get to know each other on a less formal basis.”

Before Natalie could object, Brandon agreed. It was good business. “We will meet you there,” he said, and shook Gianni’s hand.

Natalie stepped toward the door with Brandon behind her. Now closer to Gianni, she could smell his cologne and feel his confident presence next to her. She wished Tanner were going to the cocktail lounge with her, suddenly missing him. “Thank you, Gianni,” she said, “We’ll see you there.”

Gianni’s demeanor was professional, but his male charm exuded as he took her hand. “Yes, I will be there shortly.”

In the elevator Brandon said, “That went well.”

Natalie took a breath, her nervousness finally subsiding. It had gone well, even better than well. They were on their way to meet other influential people in the New York fashion scene. She would have preferred to go home and have dinner with Tanner, but it made no sense to turn down such an offer to socialize.

Pouring Ribbons was an upstairs cocktail bar, known for a wide variety of unique drinks. The décor in the oak-paneled lounge was a mix of modern and retro; it was warm and inviting. Natalie was glad it wasn’t overly dark and didn’t feel like a date bar.

Gianni had managed to arrive before they did, likely because he’d been there before and knew the way. It had taken Andre longer to find it, but his GPS didn’t fail him. They’d arrived within a reasonable time. Natalie and Brandon were introduced to a variety of people taking up several booths. Unsure she’d remember the names, Natalie was grateful to have Brandon with her. Hopefully he would fill her in later.

Natalie slid into the blue fabric booth and settled into the comfortable bench seat. Brandon followed. The menu was amazing, with more types of cocktails than Natalie could imagine or understand. Hard liquor wouldn’t be good, she knew. Her sensitivity to it made her avoid cocktails. The waiter was friendly and offered some white wine. Not really caring what it was, as long as it wasn’t liquor, she accepted the offer.

The music was loud, which made conversation difficult. Brandon half shouted in his attempt to converse with a slender, well-dressed woman and a young, trendy-looking male sharing their booth. Gianni had been mingling, but after their drinks were served, he came by to visit. There was no disputing he had an appeal to women. Just his appearance at their table flustered the woman Brandon had been talking to.

Gianni was friendly, yet professional, showing no inclination to be anything else. That was something Natalie appreciated about him, since spending time in a cocktail lounge with people she didn’t know was not her idea of a good time. The circumstances reminded her why she was best designing clothes and leaving the business relations to others.

She had to use the ladies’ room, and motioned to Brandon to let her out. Standing next to their table, Gianni offered his hand to assist her to stand. In that simple motion, Natalie could feel his strength; it was evident he was no stranger to the weight room.

The white wine had tasted good, and calmed Natalie’s nerves. She checked her hair and lipstick in the mirror before returning to her table. Soon she’d nudge Brandon to leave. Knowing he wanted to make connections that would be beneficial, she decided to hang in for another hour at most. This was all for her own company, after all.

Nearing the table, she saw Gianni from the back, and felt embarrassed to notice his trim physique. With only his dress shirt and slacks, his perfect ass could not be ignored, and her cheeks warmed when he turned to her. She could only hope it was dark enough that he didn’t see her look.

With a nod, he greeted her as she slipped back into her seat. His look was rich with the confidence of a successful businessman, yet laced with masculine allure. Any woman he decided to court would have no chance against his magnetic charm. Not that she would want to. Natalie was sure any woman would fall for him easily.

That did not apply to her, though. Throughout the affair, she missed Tanner, and wished he were beside her. When Brandon finally mentioned they should go, she was relieved. Natalie was thrilled that the meeting with Gianni had gone as intended, and that he had taken a further step to include them in his circle of influence. But she was glad when they exited the bar and were secure in the back of the limo.

“Drop Natalie first,” he said to Andre. “It’s getting late.”

14 – Furious

Natalie kicked off her shoes at the door and padded across the carpet. The only thing she wanted was to have her arms around Tanner. Silence greeted her, making her unsure where he was. Looking around, she found him on the terrace, gazing out at Central Park.

“Tanner,” she said, gliding toward him. He didn’t turn to look.