BLUE ICE (ICE SERIES) (15 page)

              He came to me with those measured movements that drive me crazy. I kept still, impassive, cold. But he was not intimidated. He came to me and put his arms around my waist.

              ‘What are you doing?’             

              ‘What I want Katherine, I missed you and now you are here.’

              I tried to yank off his embrace.

              ‘Don’t. Haven’t you noticed I am much stronger than you?’

              ‘I can kick your ass anytime so back off.’

              He grabbed me harder.

              ‘We can do this the easy way or the difficult way, but we’re doing this.’

              ‘And what’s this?’

              ‘Dinner here or out?’             

              ‘I want to take these clothes off, so here.’

              I put myself in the spot and I deserved that mischievous smile on his face.

              ‘What are we eating?’

              ‘Whatever you want to order.’ He was making me nervous.

              ‘No cooking?’ He tilted his head to one side.

              ‘Oh darling! That’s so sweet! If I could cook I wouldn’t have to study my ass off at school and I would have tried to find a man to support me as his lovely wife.’

              He smiled in the sexiest way, Clooney style. ‘Chinese?’

              ‘Pizza and nacho fries.’

              The disgust in his face was evident but this was my house. ‘I am not letting you eat like that all the time!’

              I pushed him so I would be free from his embrace. ‘Let’s make something clear babe, you don’t get to decide what I do or don’t do. So you better learn this now. If you are feeling bossy go and shout to your employees, I am not one of them.’

              I left to change my working clothes into some sweatpants and a t-shirt. The night went smoothly. We talked about our jobs and we made fun of the people we knew. Basically we laughed, we laughed a lot.

              This thing became casual, funny texts on the day, funny dinners at night. When we went out people stared at us, he was kind of known and hot, if I may add, and he was a player, so the same girl for a couple of nights was somehow interesting. There were no more kisses, but he held my hand a couple of times and put his hand over my knee every single time we were sitting together. This was good, comfortable. This was us being us.

             
Chapter 13

              But everything is fun and games until someone wants a little more.

              ‘I need a favor.’ He was sitting in my couch eating a hamburger.

              ‘Now what Berkeley? BKY Enterprises staff is not enough for you?’

              ‘Shut up and listen Bianchi.’

              ‘What?’ The tone of his voice made me turn to him.

              ‘Next week I have a really important gala and I need you to come with me.’ He wasn’t asking, he was commanding.

              ‘No fucking way.’

              ‘Watch your fucking mouth and I am not really asking, so just get fond of the idea doll.’ He had been calling me that since the stupid kiss near the Bethesda Fountain.

              ‘What? The escorts’ business isn’t available? Why not take a hired date with you?’

              He wasn’t smiling at my good joke, he was serious. And it was a clever joke, mostly because it was really close to reality.

              ‘It’s my mom’s charity event. I’ve never taken a girl to it but this year I want to go with you.’

              The seriousness of his expression made me change the strategy. ‘Dylan, but you’re going to be really busy hosting and I don’t know anyone there. Since Chelle is in Chicago I’ll bore myself to death.’

              He came to the floor to me, maybe just to be at eye level. ‘I’ll just do a quick speech and I’ll be by your side the entire time. I never host it, the charity’s director hosts.’

              ‘Who’s that?’

              ‘Tamara, you’ll meet her there. My mom always said she would inherit the charity to my wife, she didn’t know what would happen. When it came time I didn’t want it so I passed it to the daughter of my mom’s best friend.’

              I don’t know if he was sharing or if he was trying to use this to make me accept it. The name Tamara rang a bell but I couldn’t remember why.

              ‘Using that story to make me accept is low, even for you.’

              He frowned, I was making him madder. ‘I’ve already told you I am not asking, so you know better than thinking I am using the story to convince you.’ He was being a sissy, he was hurt by an ironical comment.

              ‘You owe me big time.’

              ‘Write your price baby.’

              He passed me a napkin and his fountain pen. No one has a fountain pen nowadays but this pretentious bastard did.

              ‘Some things can’t be bought.’

              He just smiled darkly at me. Fine, now I had an excuse to buy myself a new gown. The moment Dylan learned I was looking for a dress he offered to have Joe take me. Big guy had shopped with me more times than any other man.

              ‘Hello Joe.’ Big guy was waiting for me after work.

              He closed my door and went to the driver’s seat. ‘Ms. Bianchi. 5
^th
avenue?’

              ‘Yeah, that sounds good.’

              ‘Great, first we have to go to pick up Mr. Berkeley’s tux at Dolce & Gabbana.’

              ‘That’s fine with me.’

              The beautiful store welcomed us. I should have waited on one of the couches, I knew better. I love Dolce & Gabbana but it would be terribly irresponsible of me to buy a designer dress, that means thousands of dollars for one night. On the other hand, my mommy had always taught me that you can never be overdressed and really important people would attend that gala.
Princess, just look around while you wait for the tux, that wouldn’t harm anyone.

              I walked around and suddenly I saw it, true love in black, ruched lace. It was perfect, but I have a rule, never try on something I can’t buy. If you try it on you develop feelings and then you can’t leave it alone and sad at the store. I know it sounds stupid but some clothes provoke more feelings in me than people; sad, but true.

              A thin nice girl came to me. ‘Miss, you should try that on, it will look amazing on you. Let me bring it in your size.’

              I didn’t stop her, it was wrong, but I couldn’t. I would try it on and it would give me an idea of what to look for in a less expensive store.

              It was perfect, an off shoulder, black, mermaid gown. The black ruched lace was exquisite and I had seen it on the runway, so I knew how it would look under flashes and lights. The only problem was that it was a little transparent on the waist. But with a black corset there would be no trouble.
What?! You can’t think about underwear princess! And what the fuck about flashes!  It’s 3 thousand dollars
! Oh fuck it!
I’ll charge it to my daddy’s credit card!

              I asked big guy to take me to Neiman Marcus to pick up the proper underwear. A La Perla black gossip lace corset with matching lycra boyshorts. I thought I would save money by wearing some old shoes but who would have known that Louboutin had some black chiffon shoes that matched the dress. I had to buy them!

              The next day, for the first time since I started to live on my own money and returned my daddy’s allowance, I decided to take a full grooming at the saloon. Hair, nails, wax, skin, everything! I asked for curls in my hair and then a lazy bun so some curls were hanging freely. I kept my makeup simple and my jewelry as always. Pearls, you can’t go wrong with pearls. It wasn’t the event nor the company that had me excited, it was the outfit! I was going to wear a D&G!

              When I started getting dressed I began to over think things as always. The many minutes that it took me to get into the corset did terrible things to my self esteem. I looked fat, nothing new since in my head I always look fat. The dress was too much, my skin sucked, my shoulders looked too broad and my eyes were terrible as usual. But as soon as I put the dress on I was happy with the outcome. I looked a little like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she was wearing the black dress. Even though I don’t actually look a little like her I had her vibe, at least in my head.

              Big Joe knocked at my door and I ran to meet him with my golden McQueen’s raso seta knuckle box clutch.

              ‘Ms. Bianchi you look simply stunning.’ He was smiling and that made me liked him even more.

              ‘Thank you, Joe. Where’s the asshole of your boss?’

              ‘He needed to finish with some things for tonight. He’s staying at the Plaza since the gala is near. He’s waiting for you there.’

              I was a little disappointed, I didn’t know why, but Dylan’s face as he would see me in these clothes was something I was looking forward to. We arrived in a matter of minutes. Dylan was already waiting for us, but I wanted him to see me standing the first time he’d see the dress, so I got down from the SUV.

              His face shone, his mouth was open and his eyes were firing. I couldn’t remember provoking that kind of reaction before. Maybe I was imagining it, there was no way someone who looked like that would be looking at me in that way. He was absolutely perfect in his tux, his hair brushed back and his eyes bluer than ever.

              ‘I’ve never seen anything more perfect than you Katherine.’ He wasn’t even touching me, he was just glaring.

              ‘Oh, so wearing a designer dress makes you speechless! I would have tried it before.’

              He put his finger over my mouth shutting me up.

              ‘Don’t. No jokes. You are beautiful, always, but when I die the only thing I want to see is you in this dress. ‘

              I was flushing and I needed to break the weird energy that was surrounding us.

              ‘Let’s go, you can’t be late to your own event.’

              He took my hand and put me in the SUV. For the short ride he didn’t stop looking at me, I blushed even though that’s something he always does, I thought I would never get used to it. We arrived, Max opened our door, Dylan got down and took my hand in his. We posed for some minutes for the photographers and even when I tried to escape his grip he kept me in place the entire time while smiling toward the flashes.

              We entered a beautiful ballroom, people were staring at us and making me uncomfortable. Soon a tiny beautiful blonde woman approached us, the girl from the pictures. She was wearing a fancy crimson dress and lots of diamonds sparkling over her. Something in her vibe showed she was completely in charge.

              ‘There you are Dy, I was going crazy without you.’

              She hugged him for too long but ignored me the whole time.

              ‘Tamara, this is Katherine Bianchi.’

              She didn’t even turn to see me. ‘Oh, hi, Kena did a good job!’

              ‘No, Katherine did it, not Kena.’ He winked at me, so that distracted me a little.

              ‘Mmm ok, come with me to see the schedule.’

              She grabbed his arm and hurried him. I didn’t even open my mouth since we found her.

              ‘I’m coming back in a minute.’ He kissed my cheek and followed her back.

              I just nodded,
what the hell had happened?
And who the fuck is Kena?
I didn’t like Tamara, not at all, she was weighting me and I hate when girls feel above me. She could kiss my fancy Dolce & Gabbana wrapped ass. Taking me out of my thoughts three girls came to me. They were nice girls, my age I presumed and seemed to be interested in me, God knew why!

              ‘Hi.’

              ‘Hi.’

              ‘That dress is beautiful.’ One of them came to me and pointed at the dress.

              ‘Thank you, you look really nice yourselves.’

              The one with curly hair smiled and talked quickly. ‘We don’t mean to be nosy, but can we ask you something?’

              I never accept this kind of thing but I needed to distract myself while Dylan was gone.

              ‘Ask me.’

              The three of them smiled and the one who hadn’t spoken before asked. ‘Are you here with Dylan Berkeley?’

              Oh my God! Groupies!

              ‘I guess so.’ This was not confirming or denying.

              ‘Oh, Tamara is so gonna kill you!’ They were laughing and intriguing me even more.

              ‘And why’s that?’

              The one who complimented my dress shook her head. ‘Oh don’t pay attention to her, she swears she’ll marry him and she always thinks girls use him for his money.’

              That’s what that was about! She was jealous! She was trying to mark her territory. Maybe informing her minions would help.

              ‘Oh girls, you’ve got it all wrong. I am using him for that tight ass. Have you seen that body?’

              They started laughing nervously and even blushing. My jokes are good and maybe I had been too blunt, but their’s was an overreaction. Of course, I was not provoking it. Two big, strong hands wrapped around my waist and his face was supported by my shoulder.

              ‘You can use my body whenever you want doll. Good evening ladies, Dylan Berkeley, nice to meet you.’

              I swear they almost fainted, who I was kidding, I almost fainted from the sight of that perfect man and his charming smile. With one smooth movement he swung me towards him.

              ‘If you’ll excuse us.’