Drive Me Wild

“Real funny. I called a limousine company and got us a car and driver. As I was saying, when I went with her to choose a car—she picked a Town Car—I wore a suit, shirt and tie,” Justin said.

“So far, the problem I see is deception, and I imagine that doesn’t sit well with you, but why has it depressed you?”

“Beats me. She’s uh…I uh…She’s got a hook in me, and I’d swear it’s mutual.” Both of Craig’s eyebrows shot up and his lower lip dropped.

“That’s right,” Justin went on, “and I feel protective toward her. How’m I going to keep my hands off her, and what the hell do I do when she asks me to chauffeur her and her dates? I’ve taken six months from the office, though not from the paper, so I can complete this project. Mel’s expecting what amounts to a treatise on the subject of the suddenly nouveaux riches. I’m not used to defeat, but I feel like walking away from this thing.”

Craig nodded. “I see what you mean. You’re feeling guilty, because you’re attracted to her.”

Justin tapped the table lightly with the tips of his fingers. “That’s it in a nutshell,” he said.

“Look. Do your best to minimize the damage to her. I wouldn’t encourage her feelings. You know what I mean.”

“Craig, I felt the chemistry between us from the moment I walked into her office. That’s when I should have walked out, but I was too shocked to think straight.”

“Yipes. I’m afraid you’re in for it no matter what you do. What was her job before she came into all that money?”

“She was an accountant, and she has an MBA from New York University. I’m not sure how much she inherited, but I went down to the probate office and learned that the terms of the will stipulate that she live like a wealthy woman. I couldn’t read the entire document. I’ve a friend who works there and who let me see it, but he could only give me two minutes with it. I found out that she inherited from a very rich white woman.”

“Mom’s going to faint when she finds out what’s going on with you. Just imagine one of her children working as a chauffeur.”

Justin joined Craig in a good laugh. Their mother wanted all of her children to become university professors, but the three of them had chosen other careers—journalist, investment banker and linguist-interpreter.

“Tell me about it,” Justin said. “And she’ll never like Gina, because—”

“Gina, huh? That’s her name?”

“Yeah. And it suits her,” Justin said.

“Am I ever going to meet her?”

“If, after this story goes to press, all is right with the world, you may.”

“Well, do what you can to keep it between the lines,” Craig said in a tone that suggested he didn’t hold out much hope.

“That’s a tall order, brother.”

Justin had no way of knowing that, at the moment, Gina was searching for an excuse to call him. After some thought, she told herself that she’d better hire an office assistant. Perhaps if she had two employees, she wouldn’t concentrate on Justin. She arrived at her office just before nine o’clock on Monday and Justin arrived shortly thereafter.

“I figured that, while we’re waiting for the car, you might need me for something else,” he said into the heavy silence.

“I need some decent office furniture. This furniture came with the space and it’s really boring. If I’m going to be fund-raising, I’ll need a more updated look. I also want the place to look like me.”

“Some people rent office furniture, but if you want individualized surroundings, you have to buy. If you’d like, I can find you a couple of places that sell first-quality furnishings.”

A smile lit up her face, and for a few seconds, he struggled to hide his reaction to her. “That’s wonderful, Justin. Why don’t you use that desk over there? I’ll be right back.”

Among other things, the office needed a kitchen, or at least a pantry in which she could hide a coffee maker and a small refrigerator. She took the elevator to the street floor and dashed down the block to the coffee shop, bought two large cups of coffee and three cranberry scones. She got back in the office just in time to hear Justin say, “I’ll give her your message, Mr. Strags.”

“Strags called. He seemed annoyed that you weren’t here.”

She put the bag on her desk. “A lot of things annoy Miles. He’s the executor of my friend’s estate, and he thinks he controls me. Nobody I ever knew could lay claim to that. I got us some coffee.” She took the coffee and scones out of the bag, placed a couple of napkins where a tablecloth would have been and said, “I noticed you like milk and sugar in yours. I only use milk.”

She didn’t understand his frown, so she said, “It’s all right if you don’t want it. I couldn’t drink mine without knowing you had some if you wanted it.”

“I would gladly have gone out and brought coffee for you. Why didn’t you ask me?”

She lifted her right shoulder in a quick shrug. “It didn’t occur to me to ask you. You were busy checking furniture stores.”

“I love coffee and scones,” he said. “Thank you. But next time, I’d be happy to get it.”

He sipped the coffee, and she could see that he really enjoyed it. “Did you eat breakfast?” she asked him.

“Yeah, if you call half a pint of yogurt and a cup of instant coffee breakfast. I can cook, but I don’t enjoy cooking breakfast.”

“I’ve just decided that we need a pantry large enough for a microwave oven, a small refrigerator, a coffee maker and some storage space. What do you think?”

He grinned. “I would definitely supply the coffee and the milk.”

She looked at him. Did he know what his smile did to a woman?

“We also need a way for you to account for your expenditures. You could keep a record of your expenditures, such as the costs of our car and driver on Saturday—which, incidentally, you haven’t given me—or you may have a credit card. Which would you prefer?”

“I’d rather have the expense account. It’s more than decent of you to offer me a credit card, and it would make my life simpler, but in my opinion, it would be unwise for you to give a man you don’t know a credit card.”

She stopped eating the scone, leaned back and looked him in the eye. “I am a good judge of character, Justin.”

“I have no reason to doubt that, ma’am, but why do you think so many congressmen and corporate CEOs wind up in jail?”

“Justin, there are times when I wonder why you’d work as a chauffeur.”

“Life happens, ma’am. We never know what we’ll wind up doing.”

“That’s true. If anybody had told me I’d be running a charitable organization in honor of my best friend, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Justin waited until she drained her coffee cup and took it and his to the wastebasket. He flashed her a smile and headed back to the desk that sat about six feet from hers. “You’ll never know how that coffee and scone hit the spot. Let me get started on this search.” He reached for the yellow pages of the telephone book. “If you’re planning to get more computers, it may be a good idea to have an expert hook up a computer network that includes your computers, your faxes, scanners, printers and copiers.”

She looked up from her list of possible contributors to the foundation. Unlike Miles, Justin tried to help her without being condescending. His past employment must have exposed him to numerous learning situations. She wished she could ask him about his other jobs. She wanted to know everything about him. Everything.

Just then, Justin looked up and caught her ogling him. She quickly lowered her gaze. She hoped her face didn’t mirror what she’d been thinking.

She could feel the heat of his gaze and, as hard as she tried not to squirm, her body twisted in the chair. She couldn’t get up and walk out now, because that would be downright humiliating. Gina swallowed hard and resisted the temptation to cover her taut nipples. What was wrong with her, and why didn’t he stop looking at her? With as much defiance as she could muster, she looked straight at him. The man grinned, and she restrained an impulse to scream in frustration.

“You’ll be delighted at what I found,” he said, easing the tension. “There are two great stores within three blocks of each other. If we hail a taxi, we can check them out at lunch time. It shouldn’t take long.”

“I was just thinking of reorganizing this space. I need three offices, and I don’t need that conference room back there. I need a front office for an office assistant, and an office for you and one for me. I don’t expect you to sit in that car when you’re not driving. I want each office equipped with appropriate office machines, and that reception area out there should have comfortable seating, attractive lighting and a television. I think I should make the changes before we get the furniture.”

“Want me to check out a contractor to do the work? I think you’ll probably have to get a permit. I know a guy who can get you a permit today if you want it.” When she appeared skeptical, he said, “Don’t worry, ma’am. It will be perfectly legal. I wouldn’t mislead you.”