What Happened After Vegas? (Unexpected Love #2) (6 page)

"I'll
be fine. It's my problem. He's probably just bored with no job and no
woman. I'm sure I won't hear from him again."

"I'm
sure you're right. Just promise you'll tell me if he says or does
anything else. I'll be worried if you don't."

"I
promise," she said. "I'm going shopping now. Have a great
day, Cliff. Thank you for being so understanding about my craziness."

They
hung up the phone, and Rachel spent the next few hours shopping. She
got two new outfits and a few intimate items to wear. It had been a
while since she had a need to be sexy, and she wanted to look her
best.

Rachel
talked to Cliff that evening and the next. Everything seemed to be
going well between them. She offered to meet him at the restaurant,
but he insisted that his driver pick her up for lunch. His firm was
in a busy city, and he didn't want her having to fight traffic. She
waited outside of her apartment. When the car pulled up, the driver
quickly opened the door for her. He was very professional and polite.
She sat in silence watching the scenery, as they drove through the
streets of the city. They pulled up in front of one of the very tall
buildings that filled the downtown area. She was surprised when the
driver stood next to her door until Cliff emerged from the building
just moments later.

Rachel's
breath caught when she looked at him. In Vegas she had seen him in a
suit, but she to nervous to really notice. When he took her out the
following weekend, he wore jeans and looked amazing. Seeing him walk
out of that huge building in a full suit with a gorgeous blue tie,
she couldn't help the warmth that shot through her body. He was so
handsome. His hair was just above his collar and he was clean shaven.
The thought of running her hands across his sexy jawline sent shivers
through her. The driver addressed him with such professionalism as he
opened the door for him.

Cliff
got into the car and looked over at her. She knew she had to have
been smiling from ear to ear. He leaned in with his beautiful smile
and kissed her cheek.

"So,
where are you taking me for lunch?" he asked.

"You're
enjoying this, aren't you?" she asked.

"Very
much," he answered.

"I
don't know many places around here. I don't get to the downtown area
much. You look so nice. I was so nervous in Vegas, it was hard to
focus. You look really good dressed like that."

"So,
you're not nervous now?" he asked with a laugh. "What are
you in the mood for?"

Rachel
couldn't help the snicker that escaped her. Cliff leaned in next to
her ear.

"I'm
talking about food. I wouldn't mind you taking advantage of me here,
but my driver might feel a little uncomfortable."

Rachel
pulled back and gave him a serious look.

"I
was thinking nothing of the sort. I'm a grown woman. I can control
myself."

Cliff
laughed and leaned in to kiss her.

"You
pick where we eat. I just meant we should go someplace nice,"
she said.

Cliff
directed his driver on where to go, as he reached over and took her
hand in his.

"How's
your day going?" she asked.

"Very
good now that I'm here with you," he said. "How about
yours?"

"I
did some cleaning. I planned out a few things I found on the internet
for my class next year. Then I got ready to see you."

"Your
vacation just started and you're already planning for next year. Take
some time to enjoy being off. You should relax by the pool with an
ice cold drink. Maybe you shouldn't do that. I'm not sure I like the
thought of guys ogling you. We know that happens."

Rachel
laughed as she nudged his arm.

"What?"
he asked. "The second I looked your way, I couldn't take my eyes
off of you."

"It
was more like my friends were so loud you couldn't help but look over
at us," she said.

"Not
true," he replied. "When I looked up from my laptop and saw
you, I knew that I wanted to talk to you. I will admit that I was
thrilled when your friends left you there by yourself."

They
pulled up in front of a place that looked like a diner.

"We
are going in there?" she asked.

Cliff
nodded. His driver hurried around to open the door.

"No,"
she said, as Cliff got out and reached for her hand. "I want to
go someplace nice. You look to good to be sitting in a tiny booth in
there. You picked this place because I'm paying."

He
took her hand and helped her out of the car. His driver said
something to him before getting back in the car and driving away.

"I
like it here. The food is really good. They see men in suits all the
time. I'm glad to hear you think I look good."

Cliff
held the door for her to walk in before him. They sat next to each
other in a corner booth. The waitress walked up with two menus.
Rachel couldn't help but notice the way the woman looked at Cliff.
She also couldn't deny the feelings that consumed her as she watched
the woman checking him out.

"So
nice to see you, Mr. Martin. I hope you're having a wonderful day."

Rachel
cleared her throat and asked the woman for water.

"Do
you two know each other?" Rachel asked when the woman walked
away.

Cliff
laughed and shook his head.

"No,"
he said. "Maybe it's the suit."

"Very
funny," she said.

"I
eat here every couple of weeks. I really do like it. It has nothing
to do with who's paying the bill. What are you doing this afternoon?"

Rachel
was thinking about her day when the waitress walked up with two
waters and continued to give Cliff flirty eyes. They both ordered
sandwiches and soup. Rachel knew she had no claim on Cliff, but it
didn't stop her irritation towards the waitress.

"This
afternoon," Cliff said with a smile.

Rachel
pretended to be deep in thought over what she was going to be doing.

"I
think I'll take your advice," she said.

"What
advice is that?" he asked.

"I
think I'll relax out at the pool with an ice cold drink."

Cliff
reached over and squeezed her leg, as she laughed.

"I
can't help it if I'm a chic magnet," he said.

"Did
you seriously just say that?" she said with a laugh.

"I
did," he answered.

"You
are something else. I don't even know what to say to that," she
said.

Rachel's
sandwich looked so good. Maybe he was right about how good it was,
she thought. When she bit into it, she let out a tiny moan. Cliff
looked at her and smiled.

"Is
it that good?" he asked.

She
shook her head and took another bite.

"Now
when I hear that sound come from you, I'll think you're comparing me
to a sandwich," he joked.

"Two
very different levels of good," she joked back.

"Come
see my office," he said. "I don't have any meetings this
afternoon. I want to show you where I spend my day."

"I
don't know if that's a good idea."

"I'll
expect to see where you spend your days once school starts," he
said. "Come on."

Rachel
looked over at him.

"That's
almost three months away. What makes you think you won't be tired of
me by then?" she asked.

"Not
possible," he said. "You keep me smiling and on my toes."

"Won't
all the ladies in the office be jealous when I walk in with their
chic magnet?" she asked.

"No,"
he said. "They will all wonder how the old man snagged such a
young hottie."

Rachel
burst into laughter.

"You
are far from old," she said. "I very much doubt that's what
they say about you when you walk by. You have looked in a mirror
before. Do you ever take your jacket off at work?"

"Of
course," he said. "I have it off most of the time."

"Then
they definitely aren't calling you old," she joked.

Rachel's
phone buzzed. She reached to check her message.

"It's
probably Tina asking where we went to lunch. I'm sure that's not all
she'll ask," Rachel joked.

When
she opened her message, she gasped.

"What?"
Cliff asked. "Is she asking if I've taken my jacket off yet?"

Rachel's
mouth dropped open, and she felt the blood leave her face. What the
hell was going on, she wondered?

"Are
you okay? Who was it?" he asked with concern.

She
sat silent.

"Talk
to me, Rachel," he said.

"I
don't know this number," she said, as she turned the phone to
face him.

Unknown:
I love you.

"What
the hell," he said. "You don't know that number. Are you
sure?"

His
tone was serious. She could tell he was upset. There was no way she
wanted him to think badly of her. She hadn't talked to another man
since she walked away from Jake. Why now, she thought? Why fuck with
her now? Did he know about Cliff? Was he just lonely without his
girlfriend? Who else could it be? Question after question popped into
her mind.

"I
promise you," she said. "I do not know that number."

"I
don't like this," he said.

"I
need to go home. This is not your problem. I'll figure it out. I'm
not leaving this weekend. I'm not bringing this crap around you. I'm
so sorry. I don't understand why someone wants to mess with me."

"Do
you think it's Jake?" he asked.

"You
are the first man I have talked to since I ended it with him. I can't
imagine who else it could be. I just don't understand. He was an
asshole through the entire divorce. I mean a huge one. You have no
idea how hard he fought every single detail until I finally gave up
and walked away with nothing. Not one single thing. I gave him our
entire bank account, our house, and our nicer car. Everything I have
is mine. I don't get it. It's freaking me out. I'll admit that. He
needs to get out of my life and stop torturing me. I can't even move
on. I just want to move on."

Cliff
wrapped his arms around her.

"We'll
figure it out. If it's him, that fucker better watch out."

"No,"
she said. "This is not your problem, Cliff. You have a business
to run and a life to live. I'll take care of it."

"Nope,"
he said. "I care about you. We will take care of it together. He
better hope he doesn't touch you. I don't think he realizes what he's
doing. He thinks you're alone and vulnerable. He doesn't have a job
or a girlfriend. He's probably thinking he can beg you to take him
back and take care of him. He's not going to know what hit him if he
doesn't knock his shit off. We're going back to my office."