“Ah, so Gloria has a secret.”
Damn him! He was unnerving me. There was no way I was going to open up to this man about my past. That one regrettable moment in time. I didn’t want to go there. It was bad enough to live it every waking hour and in my dreams. I quickly changed the subject, focusing on him.
“So, Mr. Zander, tell me, how did you get into advertising?”
“I had a talent. An artistic one. Rather than going to college, I came East and set up meetings with one ad agency after another to show them my portfolio.”
I was intrigued. “And then what happened?”
“I got hired by one of the major Madison Avenue agencies—which I’m sure you’ve met with—to be an art director. While I was touted as a wunderkind, the corporate world was not for me. Too many rules; too much bullshit. I stuck it out for five years, then finally called it quits. A few key clients left with me. Long story short…they rounded up some investor money, and I started ZAP! Zander And People.”
He was self-made like me. I was awed, but didn’t show it. “So, how did you become a billionaire?”
“Ah, so you fooled me. You’ve done your research too. I’m impressed.”
I wasn’t about to tell him that Vivien leaked this tidbit to me though it was fairly obvious.
He sipped his wine. “I inherited several million dollars from my mother, and during the recession a few years ago, I made some lucky investments.”
“So you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”
“Hardly.” Jaime’s tone darkened. “My mother married someone very wealthy when I was thirteen.”
“It must have been fun being a rich kid.”
“Money comes with benefits. It also comes with baggage.”
“Oh, is that your tagline for your poor little rich boy poster?”
Jaime’s eyes flared, making me immediately regret what I’d just said. His somber expression suggested that his childhood memories, like mine, might not be happy ones. Perhaps, he was harboring some dark secret too. I flashed back to the faint white marks on his back. Scars? Before I could say a word, the steak tartare and artichoke arrived. Jaime’s face brightened. The attentive waiter refilled our wine goblets and then scurried off.
I imbibed more wine. The smooth, rich liquid poured down my throat and coursed through my bloodstream. I was loosening up. Slow down, Gloria. You don’t want to get drunk.
Jaime cut off the voice of my inner conscious. “Spread your lips, ” I heard him say.
I found myself spreading my legs.
Jaime let out a sexy little laugh. “I was referring to your mouth. I want to give you your first taste of the steak tartare.”
I felt flushed with embarrassment. He was affecting me again. The area between my inner thighs was getting hot and wet. This was not supposed to be happening. I was losing control!
“Excuse me, I have to use the restroom,” I said, leaping to my feet. I needed to get away from him. Compose myself. Focus on business.
“It’s in the front of the restaurant, up the stairs,” he said, eyeing my body. “I’ll be here waiting for you.”
I felt his eyes on me the entire time as I made my way to the packed front room and up a rickety spiral staircase. There was a long waiting line to the ladies’ room.
A portly, dark-haired woman who resembled a gypsy was stationed at a table outside it. “Let me tell you your fortune, my dear,” she called out to me.
Usually, I never did these kinds of things, thinking they were shams, but tonight my unease tempted me, and I really didn’t want to wait in line.
I lowered myself into the worn velvet chair facing her.
“You are very beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I said as she studied my face.
“Your eyes, one brown, one blue, tell me a lot about you. You are two very different people who share the same face. A woman of contradictions. One side of you is light and seductive, the other dark and secretive.”
I inwardly gasped. How did she know?
“Let me see your palm.” She grasped my right hand and flipped it so that my palm was in full view.
Her eyes grew wide.
“What is it?” My voice was shaky
“You are losing control of your life. There is a man.”
Christ! Jaime Zander was written all over my hand.
She shook her head and bit down her lip. Her gaze slowly met mine. “I usually tell people good things they want to hear, but I must tell you the truth.”
My heart hammered.
“You are in grave danger. Someone is out to get you.”