BLUE ICE (ICE SERIES) (14 page)

              After what seemed like an eternity, he started to move slower. He was calming down and out of nowhere he bit my lower lip. This was hot enough to distract me from my rage. He slowed down and stopped kissing me, but his hands remained where they were.

              ‘Just stop running! You are driving me crazy! I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you and you’ve just run from me. I just can’t get to you. Please Katherine.’

              He kissed me again. This time a small, chaste, soft kiss. He stared at me but my only reaction was covering my lips with my hand; the place where he had been so powerfully just a minute ago. He looked in my eyes in a very intense way, he wanted me to answer, to say something, but I couldn’t.

              He rested his forehead on mine and talked to me in the lowest voice.

              ‘Please, just say yes, Katherine.’

              I closed my eyes, he was too close and he wanted me to say yes, but I didn’t know to what. Stupid me thought that closed eyes meant to be isolated, but his hands were too warm and there was a lot of energy there to ignore his presence.

              ‘What are we doing Dylan?’

              I couldn’t even recognize my voice, it was a low, low whisper.

              ‘Whatever we want, just let it be Katherine.’

              Even he didn’t know what he wanted, he was looking for my confirmation. Our private encounter was interrupted by my cell phone. It was John.

              ‘Hey boss, yeah, I’ve just talked to Dylan, it was a misunderstanding and he’ll check that. Please don’t call the client yet. I’m on my way back.’ My professional voice was on again. I was really surprised. I controlled myself even when his hands remained exactly in the same place for the whole time. ‘I’ve got to go back to the office.’

              My composure had come back and I was firm with my decision. He was fighting with the idea of letting me go, I could see the battle in his eyes. After a moment he did move away.

              ‘I’ll pick you up at 7.’

              I didn’t answer, I couldn’t answer, I just walked away. This was much more than what I had expected. And even if I had answered, he was not asking.

             
Chapter 12

              I didn’t know how I got to my office, I didn’t know what had happened. Dylan had kissed me, he said he wanted me, he was asking me to say yes; but the big question was: what did he want from me? I arrived and gave John a smaller, simpler version of the facts.

              ‘Oh boss, Dylan didn’t even know what I was talking about, it took me long to find him, but he just told me to forget about it and that he was going to solve this. I’m going to talk to him  tonight to find out what happened.’

              It was almost the truth, I wanted to talk about what happened to someone, but I never do that. You can’t talk about something like that to someone and not appear vulnerable. I had always hated girls that talk about their problems and make a public deal of them.

              Every single minute of the day I had one image in my head; Dylan’s lips, moving, biting, tasting. I didn’t even watch the clock until 6:30. A quick session of makeup, I fixed my hair and breathed like a crazy pregnant woman until my nerves calmed a little. At 7:15 I grabbed my things and walked to the door. A black SUV was there and Joe ran to open the door for me when he saw me.

              ‘Ms. Bianchi, Mr. Berkeley asked me to pick you up.’

              ‘He’s not here?’ Fuck, my voice sounded a little more disappointed than what I intended.

              ‘No, he’s meeting you at Masa.’

              Oh God! I didn’t even eat sushi and we were going to Masa? This was going to be even more awkward. Against all the efforts of my parents, I was still more comfortable in a McDonalds than in any fancy restaurant. The ride to Masa seemed to last an eternity and I was sweating like a pig, shaking with nervousness. I entered to the place and there he was, looking amazing.

              ‘There you are.’ He stood up, kissed my cheek and pulled out my chair for me.

              ‘Hey.’

              Monosyllables, this night would be a first in my book, not talking.

              ‘How was your day after the park?’

              ‘Uneventful.’

              ‘I need to talk to you about the lawsuit.’

              What!? He said he would get rid of it, what did we need to talk about?!
Shut up silly, this is your way out! Legal talk equals no more personal discussion.

              ‘I talked to my legal department and my personal lawyer said he received this last week.’

              He handed me a big yellow envelope.

              ‘What’s this?’

              ‘Open it. It’s a brief of the campaign and a storyboard. It came to my office from an unknown source. My lawyers noticed the similarities with me and decided that if you hadn’t asked for my permission, they would stop it. And they know me enough to know there’s no chance I would allow something like this.’

              ‘But this is not the storyboard, nor the brief.’

              ‘I know, you’ve told me enough for me to know this is fake. So I told them to stop any investigation or law action, I also told them you have any right over my image if you want it. I trust you and I know you wouldn’t make a wrong use of it.’

              I didn’t understand that part and I am not as stupid as I seem, but I was just not following his words.

              He continued when he noticed I was speechless. ‘But there’s something I want to talk about. Could you read the letters on this image?’

              ‘D. A. B.’ They were tiny letters written in the fake brief.

              ‘This is the reason why my lawyers decided to go against your campaign.’

              ‘Sorry, I don’t understand.’

              He pointed to those letters. ‘These are my initials. Almost no one knows my middle name, I never sign with it.’

              ‘So?’ I was not following, probably because I was staring at his lips, but this was becoming tricky.

              ‘Do you remember the note on the flowers I sent you?’

              ‘Yes…’ That’s when I remembered. ‘You signed with them.’

              ‘What did you do with the note?’ He smiled at me knowing too well what I did.

              Fuck!

              ‘I put it in the garbage.’

              He responded more calm than what I would have expected.

              ‘I know, that’s what made me think that the envelope came from someone in your office and that’s why I need you to be really careful. Talk about this with John, I am going to try to find who did this.’

              ‘I don’t understand, no one in the office is mean or smart enough to pull this off, your lawsuit damages the entire team. Why would someone do that? And I don’t see why I would have to be worried if you already know this is fake.’

              ‘Katherine.’
Oh God!
He took my hand in his. ‘Someone tried to harm you. And I am going to take care of you, but I need you to watch out.’

              Whoa!

              ‘Oh Dylan, you don’t know me, I can take care of myself pretty good. Trust me, you don’t have to take care of me at all.’

              ‘I am going to do it because I want to and you’ll have to deal with it.’ His voice was harsher than he intended, he was dead serious. After what felt like a life-long silence, he smiled at me. ‘Just try ok?’

              In his voice something was telling me this wasn’t about the envelope, this last phrase was about trying something else. One of my rules was necessary: If you ignore it, it is as if it had never happened.

              Without any warning my voice became childish. ‘Did they drop the lawsuit?’

              ‘Yes, they won’t bother you again.’

              ‘Ok.’

              I had barely touched my food, but I wanted to avoid him and his hand on mine.

              ‘Dylan, it has been a really long day, I just want to go home ok?’

              ‘Ok doll, I am taking you home.’

              With that weird name he stood up and walked me to the SUV, never letting my hand go. I thought Joe was driving me home and he was leaving with Max; but he opened the door, put me in and then jumped inside behind me. I sat as far away from him as I could and played with my phone. I was going to avoid him tonight and disappear from his radar. He lived in Chicago after all. After 10 minutes staring at the window I learned that the heat on the back of my head was his terrific blue stare.

              ‘Thanks for the ride guys.’

              I opened my door and ran for my life. Dylan was already on my apartment’s entrance by the time I got around the SUV. Without any reservations he put his hand on my cheek, as if he was entitled to touch me whenever he wanted.

              ‘I have to fly to Chicago tonight. I can’t stop myself from touching you anymore Katherine.’ His voice was becoming commanding, rough and absolutely appealing. ‘I don’t give a damn’ if you want to fight it. I feel it and I think you feel it too.’

              I closed my eyes and breathed in the most unladylike way.

              ‘Good night Dylan, safe flight.’

              That jerk smile appeared on his face again.

              ‘This means you are not going to miss me.’

              He was pushing his luck. ‘We’ve known each other for a couple of weeks and you don’t even want to be my friend, what’s to miss?’

              ‘This.’

              Fuck!
He was kissing me again, but this time I was not about to let him take advantage of my weakness. I stayed still, unaffected, I didn’t even move my mouth.

              ‘I guess now you know I don’t feel it too. Good night.’

              I entered my home and leaned against the door breathless.
Unaffected my ass,
my knees were weak and all I could think about were his lips. I ran to the window to watch him leave, no harm he would never know.

              Wrong again. Mr. Bastard was there looking directly in my window. He walked to his car and left. One second later my cell phone was ringing.

             I HATE WHEN YOU LIE TO ME. MISS ME DOLL.

             
Jerk!

              The week was a busy one. Preproduction of a campaign is always nerve wracking and the incompetence of some people on my team,
Jenny,
was making it harder. The only fun moment of my day was indulging Dylan’s thoughts, which I would never admit even to myself. Even better were his stupid texts.

             DYLAN: WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

              KATHERINE: CONVERSATION STARTER? MY PJs, BORING, GIRLY PJs.

              DYLAN: SO YOU’RE IN BED?

              KATHERINE: GO TO SLEEP JACKASS!

              DYLAN: OR WHAT?

              This was dangerous. He was making me laugh and that only leads to feelings, emotions and weakness. He was trying and for the first time in my 25 years I was entertained enough to let him.

             DYLAN: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

              KATHERINE: WORK STUFF, A STORYBOARD. WHY?

              DYLAN: BORED AT A MEETING, I WOULD RATHER BE LOOKING AT YOU.

              KATHERINE: BULLSHIT, YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW THE COLOR OF MY EYES. DON’T YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH YOUR MILLIONS?

              Writing, writing, writing. What the hell?! Did he fell asleep over the touch screen?

             YOUR EYES ARE THE DARKEST EYES I’VE EVER SEEN, THEY SEEM BLACK, BUT IF YOU SEE CAREFULLY THEY ARE A DEEP BROWN. MY FAVORITE PART ARE OF COURSE YOUR EYELASHES, LARGER THAN LIFE EYELASHES. WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES THEY TOUCH YOUR CHEEKS, I LOVE WHEN THEY DO THAT. MY MILLIONS ARE FINE, THANK YOU.

              Fucking shit! Brown was enough. Act indifferent, act indifferent, act indifferent.

             TELL THE ASSISTANT THAT MANAGES YOUR TEXTS THAT THAT WAS TOO CORNY, KIND OF GIRLY BERKELEY.

              FUNNY MS. BIANCHI, I’LL SHOW YOU GIRLY WHEN I GET BACK TO NY.

              What?!
He was coming back? We were having fun from a distance, but face to face action was another thing. I didn’t answer his text and spent the next day working without any further contact from Blue Eyes.

              I arrived home and for the first time in ages I noticed Kevin was there. He had been sleeping with his many conquests and the apartment had seemed lonely recently.

              ‘Baby I am home!’ I dropped my keys over the coffee table and started walking towards my room.

              ‘Great princess! Come to the living room!’

              I didn’t know what he wanted. He had probably left the remote too far away from the sofa and needed me to give it to him,
lazy bastard!

              ‘What’s up sunshine?’

              Holy shit!

              ‘Good evening Katherine.’ That fucking voice.

              ‘Hey baby, Berkeley came and I was here so I let him in. I’m going out. We’ll talk about those hockey tickets later Berkeley!’

              That cheating slutty bastard let him in.

              ‘Hockey tickets?’ I turned to Mr. Bastard and asked accusingly.

              ‘Yes, he didn’t want to let me in, he was scared you were going to kick his ass so I convinced him.’ He was wearing a blue three piece suit, white shirt, purple tie and a purple handkerchief. My knickers on the floor, not literally but you got the idea of how perfect he was.

              ‘How was Chicago?’

              ‘Boring.’