Various States of Undress: Virginia Read online

  “Last night after the store closed. Doris helped me.” She motioned to the older woman, who walked over, smiling. Doris wore one of the berets and had on a brightly patterned orange blouse in place of her smock. “Good morning. What do you think?” Doris asked.

  As both women stared at him expectantly, Dex scratched his jaw and realized that he’d forgotten to shave because he’d been too distracted by feeling sorry for himself. While he’d been holed up like a wounded dog over something as stupid as a few embarrassing photos, Virginia had been busy proving herself. He forced himself to smile. “I’m impressed. It’s exactly how you described it would be.”

  “Only on a smaller scale,” she added. “It’s a test collection.”

  “Yeah.” He looked around again. “How do you think customers will react?”

  Virginia exchanged an amused glance with Doris. “Word for word—that’s exactly what Ruston said. Although he wasn’t as neutral about it.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Dex chuckled. “Where is he?”

  “In the back, rearranging the smocks or something. I told him about the display yesterday afternoon, and I told him that you had given me permission to experiment, but I’m afraid he’s still pissed,” Virginia answered. “As for the customers, I’ve done some strategic tweeting this morning. That, combined with the flyers from Tuesday night at Renegade’s ought to . . .” She trailed off, a guarded look crossing her face. “So, um, if you’d like to talk about any of this . . .”

  “I’m going to check on Ruston,” Doris announced and wheeled around, heading for the back of the store.

  Dex gazed at Virginia. “About Tuesday night. I acted like an idiot. I shouldn’t have left like that, without saying anything.”

  “I understood why you did. It’s not easy being out in public with me.” She lowered her voice. “Which is why I left you alone so you could think about whether or not you wanted to deal with that. In the future, I mean. I hope that you decide I’m worth the hassle, but since you didn’t call, I was starting to wonder.” She grimaced. “Oh, that’s not what I meant to say. It’s what I was thinking, but I didn’t mean to sound pathetic. Damn.”

  He stared at her. Her, pathetic? Never. And she’d worried that he would be the one to call a halt to . . . to whatever it was that had grown between them? And had she said “in the future”? She wanted to be with him in the—wow. So she didn’t pity him. And she didn’t think that—

  “Dex? Say something.” Virginia twisted her fingers together and glanced away.

  He shook his head. “Not here.”

  “Not the stockroom either because Ruston’s on the rampage. And not anywhere that my agents can overhear. Um, a dressing room?”

  “Perfect.” He took her arm and practically dragged her across the lobby, past the bras and nightgowns, and into the carpeted dressing room area. He walked to the end of a row, threw open a stall door, pulled her inside, and locked it. And then his lips were on hers. Oh, God, how he’d missed her soft lips, which right now were curving into a smile beneath his fervent kisses. She wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped.

  Dex caught the back of her thighs and pressed her against the mirror. “I’m sorry I didn’t call,” he said. “I was worried that you thought I was an idiot and—”

  She kissed away the rest of his worry. “Never. I was worried that you’d blown a gasket over those photos taken at the club. I felt really bad about that. And I know that it’s shocking to see yourself plastered all over the Internet if you’re not used to it. Are you . . . angry about the preview collection?”

  “Hell no. It’s awesome.” He tasted her neck and was rewarded with a gasp. “I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

  Just as he was about to kiss his way down to Virginia’s cleavage, a disagreeable voice broke through the quiet. It was muffled, but it was unmistakable. Granddad. Dex dropped Virginia back to her feet and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to tamp down the panic that threaded his gut.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, breathless. “Who is that?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, but that’s my grandfather, so I better go for a minute. Stay here. Wait for me. Please?” He dropped his hands away from her. She nodded. Leaning forward, Dex rubbed her cheek with his thumb and gave her a quick kiss. Then he went out to face the ogre.

  AFTER DEX LEFT the dressing room, Virginia turned and smiled at the mirror, her lips still tingling from his kisses. She looked exactly like she felt—exhilarated, infatuated, and happy. It was rare to see her own reflection and realize that she was looking at the truth. She was proud of herself and thrilled that Dex was proud too. Her smile turning into a grin, she sank down onto the padded bench and pulled out her phone. She wanted to gush to Stacey.

  When she flicked the phone open, she saw that there were several missed calls—all from Stacey—and they had been missed because Virginia had set Stacey’s ringtone on silent a long time ago. Stacey tended to call at the worst time, usually in the middle of the night. It irritated Stacey to be muted, but it didn’t stop her from calling. Giggling, Virginia called her back. When Stacey picked up, Virginia was still chuckling. “Hey, what’s up, Stace?”

  “Uh-oh,” Stacey responded.

  “What do you mean, ‘uh-oh’?”

  “You didn’t listen to my voice mail. Or if you did, then you’re in shock or something.”

  Virginia’s brow creased. “I’m not in shock, but am I about to be? What did you do?”

  There was a pause. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Neither did I. Well, that’s not true. I did something amazing. If you have time to take an extra-long lunch, you should hop down here and see the test display at Lilah’s. You’ll love it!”

  “Ginny . . .”

  Stacey’s voice was unusually placating, and an unwelcome, but familiar, sinking feeling began to pool in Virginia’s belly. “What happened?”

  “Um, it’s about Owlton. The news is kind of out that you dumped it.”

  Virginia’s stomach sank to her feet. “What do you mean, ‘kind of’? Who decided to drag me through the mud? TMZ?”

  “No. It was the Times. A business news headline. The article wasn’t mean, but the comments kind of were.”

  Comments. Virginia hated stupid comments, but she brushed that aside for now. “Why were you looking at business news? Or at the Times?”

  “Remember what we talked about at Renegade’s after sexy Dexie left? You asked me to check on details for Flash. Well, I . . . haven’t been able to get Dorian on the phone. He’s so busy, as you can imagine, so I went to the website. There was a link for a news article about Flash expanding into London, and I was kinda bored, so I followed it, and when I got to the Times website, I saw the link about you. I thought you ought to know.” Stacey sighed. “Sorry to burst your bubble about the test collection.”

  “You didn’t,” Virginia answered automatically. But she hunched over, her elbows on her knees, and turned away from the mirror. “I’ll be fine. Why should I care what a bunch of smug assholes have to say about me?”

  “Exactly. And at least they weren’t attacking your shoes or your bags, right?”

  Virginia shook her head. She knew that Stacey was being serious. To Stacey, disparaging comments about a person’s fashion were tantamount to a kick in the head. Stacey didn’t realize that Virginia had just been kicked where it hurt the worst—in her pride. “Thanks for telling me.”

  “Don’t do what you usually do.”

  “What?” But Virginia already knew what Stacey was going to say.

  “You know damn well what. Don’t read those comments. You always do that, and afterward you always say that it’s like staring at roadkill. You can’t help yourself, and after you’ve looked at the carnage, you can’t unsee it.”

  Virginia managed a laugh, though frustration and disappointment were starting to take hold. Any minute now, she’d either burst into tears or curl up in a corner. Maybe both. “You know me well.”
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br />   “I’ve got your back. Oh, and by the way, I’ve still got your Balenciaga bag, and possession is nine-tenths of . . . something or other.” She paused. “Anyway, I’ll let you know when I have more details about Flash.”

  “Not sure what I’d do without you, Stace.” Tears began to well up in Virginia’s eyes, and she sat up straight, trying to keep her composure. “Um, I have a meeting with Dex in a minute, so . . .”

  “Mm-hm. I’ll bet you do.” Stacey snickered. “Bye.” She hung up, and, after only a split-second hesitation, Virginia opened the browser on her phone. If she didn’t look, she’d only torture herself with the what-if’s. Swiping angrily at her eyes, she found the Times website and began reading.

  DEX SPIED DB standing on the other side of the lobby in the middle of the new display, glaring up at the sexy mannequin’s frozen playful expression. After a moment, DB shook his head, and Dex could have sworn that the old man look bemused. But then he turned around and poked a finger in the air, his frown in full force. “What the hell is going on here? A hooker convention?”

  “Hello.” Dex walked across the lobby. ‘Let’s go outside.” He took his grandfather’s arm and led him through the front doors. When they were on the sidewalk, he glanced at the windows. “What do you really think?”

  “Don’t be flip with me. I want to know exactly what you’re doing to my store.” DB folded his arms and turned his glare on Dex. “This is what’s-her-name’s idea, isn’t it?”

  “You know Virginia’s name. A person would have to be dead not to know her name.”

  “I’m far from dead, and you’re not going to let the president’s daughter turn this place into a slutty sideshow.”

  Dex folded his arms too and prepared to stare the man down. It didn’t last long, though, because he had to say something that needed to be heard. “These clothes are far from slutty. They’re flirty, I’ll grant that much, but they’re also fun and expressive. They’re fashionable. Virginia’s doing a great job, and you know who would have gotten a kick out of her work? Grandmother.”

  The old man’s eyes narrowed a fraction more. “Don’t bring her into this.”

  “How can I not?” Dex unfolded his arms to point at the three-feet-high scrolling letters above the front doors. “Her name is right there. She loved fashion, and I think if she were alive, she’d be horrified to know that her store had become so frumpy.”

  “You’re ruthless.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot coming from you, actually.”

  “I have no opinion about that.” DB’s lips peeled back in a cold smile. “Get rid of these clothes.”

  “No. We need to see if they sell, and I have complete confidence that they will, so I’d appreciate it if you’d go back to what you guaranteed to begin with: no meddling. I know you pride yourself on keeping your promises. And as for Virginia, yes, she’s had some bad press, but whatever’s been reported or rumored about her pales in comparison to some of the news other celebrities have generated.” He raised an eyebrow. “Some of those celebrities have been featured in Cameron’s ad campaigns. I think you’re just pissed off because this isn’t about cold, hard diamonds. It’s about Lilah’s.”

  DB’s smile dropped away and he stared at Dex. Then he glanced over his thin shoulder and let out a growl. Dex followed his gaze and saw Ruston, Doris, and three other clerks standing inside the front doors, craning their necks. When they realized that DB had spotted them, they froze like deer caught in headlights. After a second’s hesitation, they scattered. “No respect,” DB muttered.

  “They have respect, but they have a lot more fear.” Dex unfolded his arms. “I have respect too, and when I’m finished with Lilah’s, you’ll see that it will honor Grandmother’s legacy.” He waited as DB’s gaze swept slowly across the window display. Dex expected the man to work up more anger to spew out, but he didn’t. He just stared and then squinted up at the sign over the front doors, and an unexpected look of longing crossed his lined face. He took a deep breath and pursed his lips. His jaw began to tremble slightly.

  Shocked, Dex reached out to touch his shoulder. “I know it’s hard.”

  “You don’t know,” DB ground out. He shrugged away. “You want London, don’t you? And you want the girl too. Well, I’ve got news for you—she isn’t working here after the grand reopening. I’ll admit, what she’s set up here does give the store a fresh look, but I don’t have the time to police her, not if you’re overseas. So get your head on straight. If all goes well, I’ll have you on a plane to London right after the store launch.”

  He stared at Dex, waiting for a response. Waiting for gratitude. Dex stared right back. Finally, DB let out a disgusted huff. “Keep in mind, you screw up Lilah’s and you’re finished.” Without another glance in Dex’s direction, he walked across the sidewalk and climbed into the back of a limousine.

  When the car pulled away from the curb, Dex let out a long breath and shoved his shaking hands into his pockets. He stood there on the sidewalk for a moment, his thoughts churning, his resentment ratcheting up. It was just like the old man to find a way to put Dex exactly where he wanted him. As long as Lilah’s was a success, Dex would be going to London, but once Lilah’s renovation was finished, Dex’s control over the store would be snatched away—and only because Granddad didn’t want Dex to be distracted by Virginia. It was complete shit. Dex owed so much to her, and it was time to lay everything out. Tell her everything about his grandfather, London, Ariel—he needed to make her understand what he was doing and, more important, why. His future with her depended on it. A sense of desperation gave Dex courage, and as he made his way to the dressing rooms, he was ready to tell Virginia everything—and then gather her into his arms.

  “Virginia?” He knocked on the stall door and was answered by a choked-sounding hiccough. Oh no. Had she overheard his grandfather’s comment about a hooker convention? “Sweetheart?”

  “Give me a minute,” she said, her voice laced with tears. “I don’t let anyone see me cry.” She attempted a laugh, but it ended with a sniffle.

  “I would love to see you cry.” He paused, his concern growing. “I mean, no, I wouldn’t. I just . . . damn.” Dex tried the door, but it was locked. “Let me in.”

  “No. I’m fine.”

  “You are not. Don’t think I won’t crawl under the gap on my belly. You need me and I want to help.” He waited, and after a few seconds, the lock slid back and she opened the door. Dex stepped forward and gathered her into his arms. Two seconds later her arms were wrapped tight around his middle as her shoulder shook in silent sobs.

  He kissed the top of her head and held her close for a long moment. Finally he raised her face from his shoulder and kissed her wet cheeks. He didn’t want to ask, but he had to know what she’d heard. “What’s wrong? Did you . . . get some news or . . . ?”

  “Nothing earth-shattering. Nobody died.” She lifted a shoulder. “What did your grandfather want?”

  “He was only stopping by for a moment,” Dex said. He wasn’t going to say anything else about Granddad—not now. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I’m just tired.”

  He shook his head. “Not buying it. What’s wrong?” He looked at her until she let out a long sigh and began to talk.

  “The media got hold of the news that I dissolved Owlton. It was just a little blurb of a story—just the facts—but there were some snarky comments from people who’d read it.” She slid out of his arms, took her phone from a padded bench in the dressing room stall, and clicked it on. “I’ve read much, much meaner comments in the past, but something about these got to me. I guess I’ve had it up to here with people who don’t even know me saying that I enjoy sabotaging myself.”

  “What? That’s irrational. And not true.”

  “I know that, and I rarely read comments because of it, but this time . . . I guess I just wanted to see if opinion about me had started to change.” She scrolled the screen of her phone and read aloud. “‘Don’
t feed the Fulton beast. People who love attention that much will do anything to get it, especially that skinny bitch.’” Virginia looked up. “‘Skinny’ and ‘bitch’ I’ve heard before, but beast? That’s a new one.”

  “You’re not a beast.” Dex took her phone and threw it back onto the bench. “And you’re not a bitch.” He put his arms back around her and caressed her hips. “Not skinny, either.”

  She tilted her head to the side and considered him. “What was that last one?”

  “Uh . . . you’re not skinny . . . in places where I enjoy the fact that you’re curvy. Especially in this outfit.” He smiled at her winningly and ran his hands up to cup the sides of her breasts, and after a moment she laughed. “Okay. I’ll let you off the hook with that one,” she allowed.

  “Whew. Thanks.” Reluctantly, he dropped his hands away from the soft warmth of her breasts. “Are you ready to go see what happens on the sales floor?”

  “I’d love to, but I’m not going to.”

  “Virginia, I seriously doubt that the type of girls who are interested in shopping your test collection are also interested in skewering you about a real estate deal.”

  “Oh, I know that.” She picked up her phone and wedged it into the pocket of her white shorts. “But what I don’t know is how well that collection will sell on its own. I need to find out what will happen if I’m not here for people to gawk at. I’d really rather that Ruston keep track of the numbers today.”

  Dex nodded. It was a wise move, actually, for her to disappear. “Are you going to sneak up to your office?”

  “Yeah, to get my purse. And then I’m going home. I was here yesterday from nine in the morning until a little after midnight.” She smiled at him. “I’m ducking out early on a Friday, boss. Are you going to try to stop me?”

  “Not a chance in hell. I was going to ask, though, if I could join you.”

  She looked at him in disbelief. “What? You’ve played hooky for three days!”