Czytaj książkę: «Styles Of Seduction»

Chapter 1

“This is the last one, Nelson,” Kyle Hamilton announced as he carried a large brown carton through the door of his fifteenth-floor apartment.

His cousin rushed over to relieve him of his burden. “Thanks for letting me move in with you. If things work out the way I hope, you will only have a roommate for a couple of months at most.”

Kyle wiped the perspiration from his forehead before saying, “Nelson, you don’t have to be in a rush to move out. You’re welcome to stay here as long as needed.”

“You’re sure I won’t be in the way?” Nelson Hamilton asked. “Fashion Week is only a couple of weeks away. I know this is a busy time for you. Mother has been driving her staff crazy for the past month getting ready for her show.”

“That sounds like Aunt Vanessa,” Kyle commented, a smile tugging at his lips. Vanessa Bonnard Hamilton was a renowned designer in her own right. She had worked briefly for Roger Hamilton Designs, his father’s business, before branching out on her own to build the Bonnard couture label.

He navigated around a stack of moving boxes and into the kitchen, retrieved a couple of bottled waters from the fridge and strode back to the bedroom, where Nelson was unpacking one of the boxes.

He handed a bottle to his cousin. “I’m going to RHD for a couple of hours,” Kyle announced. “I’m not completely satisfied with our collection. I want to go back over the final changes one more time.”

Nelson unfolded a sweater. “I thought everything was ready to go.”

“For the most part,” Kyle confirmed. “But I keep feeling like something is missing. I always get this way when it comes to Fashion Week.”

He walked over to the door. “I left some menus on the kitchen counter. The restaurants all deliver if you don’t feel like going out.”

Kyle was out the door before Nelson could respond.

He was happy sharing his huge three-bedroom apartment with his cousin. Nelson had moved to Los Angeles a couple of years ago to try his hand at acting, but had returned home to Philadelphia over the summer. Since then he had been commuting to New York for auditions. It was Kyle who’d suggested that Nelson move to New York permanently.

Nelson had returned home to family drama between his mother and the rest of the Philadelphia branch of Hamiltons. Kyle and Nelson both thought it best that Nelson put some distance between himself and the tension.

While other New Yorkers enjoyed the Labor Day festivities, Kyle drove to the offices of Roger Hamilton Designs in historic SoHo, a trendy neighborhood in downtown Manhattan that attracted artists, retailers and businesses alike.

When he arrived, he turned off the alarm and locked the door behind him. All of the RHD employees were celebrating the Labor Day weekend, so he was alone. He insisted that everyone take the weekend off because he worked better when there were no other distractions.

Kyle removed a dress from its protective covering and laid it on the mahogany table in his large corner office. Examining it with a critical eye, he reached for a piece of sheer voile fabric lying nearby and fashioned it into a collar around the top of the dress.

Smiling in satisfaction, he pinned the material in place and then returned the dress to the garment bag. Kyle went through each piece, tweaking hemlines, changing or adding buttons or fabrics. The new spring/summer collection had to be a Fashion Week hit—Kyle would accept nothing less. The RHD fashion show would be the talk of the industry if he had anything to do with it.

At thirty-four years old, Kyle was the oldest son of Roger and Lila Hamilton. He fully expected to inherit RHD one day, so he worked hard to prove to his parents that he was worthy of the inheritance. His designs had received rave reviews for the past three seasons. He had even received the prestigious Designer of the Year award.

His paternal grandparents had owned a chain of dry-cleaning shops in Philadelphia. However, his father had chosen a different path. Roger had moved to New York and was soon recognized as a gifted designer. He met Lila Eustace soon after and she began working as a fit model for him. Within a few years, RHD became a huge success and his mother began designing, too. And Kyle intended to continue, and expand on, that success well into the future.

Shortly after 6:00 p.m., Kyle walked out of the building that housed the design firm. He was amused when he overheard the whispers of two women walking behind him. Women seemed to appreciate his six feet four inches of fit and toned physique, which he worked to maintain.

Whistling softly, Kyle unlocked his car and climbed inside. He would have dinner with his cousin if Nelson hadn’t eaten already. He was thrilled to have a roommate—Nelson’s presence would alleviate some of the emptiness he felt from time to time.

Kyle’s mother often hinted that it was time for him to settle down. Kyle’s mouth quirked with humor. There were times when he wondered what it would be like to have someone welcome him home, someone sweet and loving, but he refused to dwell on the thought for long. The reality was that Kyle was not husband material, and he had absolutely no desire to get married. His focus had to remain on his work.

* * *

“They’ve done it again! Our show is scheduled the day after RHD.”

Zoe had listened to her boss complain for the past fifteen minutes about the day and time of his show, and it stirred a pool of irritation within her. “Jerry, it really doesn’t matter when RHD’s show is scheduled. Our new collection is brilliant.” She softened her voice and added, “I just hope you’re ready for all of the orders we’re going to receive from stores around the world.”

He released a short sigh and nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

Dressed in brown leather pants and a multicolored striped sweater, Jerry paced back and forth, fingering his goatee.

Zoe watched him for a moment, and then leaned back in her chair, arms folded. “When are you going to let this competition between you and Kyle end?” She had never met a man like Jerry Prentice. At times he seemed in control, but just the mention of Kyle Hamilton’s name and Jerry could carry on for hours. As far as Zoe was concerned, it was childish.

It was common knowledge that Jerry and Kyle had a long history together. Their rivalry had started when they were studying design in college and grew more intense after they graduated. Kyle went to work at his family’s company, while Jerry took a job at Guava International, RHD’s biggest competitor.

“Kyle and I are not in competition,” Jerry responded stiffly. “I just can’t stand the man or his huge ego.”

Zoe had her own issues where Kyle was concerned, but she was determined not to dwell on them. The preparations for Fashion Week had helped to keep her focus off the man who had toyed with her heart and then cast her aside with nothing more than a fleeting glance.

An image of Kyle rose in her mind, and for a second or two Zoe enjoyed the flash of heat whipping through her. However, the heat was soon replaced by cold fury. It was better for her to concentrate on that particular sentiment.

She pushed away from her desk and walked over to a rack of clothing. She pulled an outfit from it and said, “This is our showstopper, Jerry. It’s your best work yet.”

A huge grin spread across his face. “I agree.”

“It’s time you stop focusing on Kyle Hamilton. If you don’t, you’ll end up letting your hatred for him stifle your creativity.”

“What about you?” Jerry asked. “Have you stopped thinking about him?”

Zoe made herself turn to face him and meet his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Kyle was just my boss.”

Jerry gazed at her but did not comment, so Zoe considered the subject closed, pulling a scarlet-colored gown off the rack and inspecting the fabric. “I think we should use more feathers around the top.”

Jerry allowed her to change the direction of their conversation. “Hmm...let’s spice it up a bit more with some tulle.”

“And some polished gemstones,” Zoe added.

He smiled and nodded in agreement.

Zoe’s mind drifted back to Kyle Hamilton. She understood why Jerry felt so threatened. What her boss considered arrogance was actually confidence emanating from Kyle’s every pore. He was a creative genius. While Jerry was very talented, Kyle seemed to be in a league of his own.

She attempted to focus on the outfits hanging on the rack, but images of Kyle with his close-cropped dark hair, chocolate-brown eyes and sexy grin threatened to take up permanent residence in her mind.

“Zoe?”

“Huh?” She gave herself a mental shake. “I’m sorry, Jerry. My mind was somewhere else.”

“Getting more creative inspiration,” he responded. “I didn’t mean to take you out of the zone.”

“It’s fine.” Zoe picked up a sketch pad and made some changes to a drawing.

Jerry walked over to glimpse her adjustments. “Yes. I like that.” He strode toward the door. “Take the sketch to the sewing room and give it to Martha when you’re done. I want her to add the finishing touches right away.”

Zoe did not look up from her work. She could hear Jerry shouting orders in the hallway. Fashion Week always seemed to make him more intense than usual.

When she was done, Zoe left her office with the dress and sketch in hand. She caught sight of a slender woman lurking nearby and sighed in irritation.

Zoe generally got along with everyone, and there were only a handful of people she simply did not like. Sasha Jones was one of those people. The woman made it her civic and professional duty to sniff out every ounce of gossip, making the rounds in Guava when she wasn’t making Zoe miserable. For reasons Zoe could not fathom, Sasha had decided that Zoe was the enemy.

“I see that you’re making more changes to that dress,” Sasha said, gesturing to the gown. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Are you second-guessing yourself?”

Zoe exhaled slowly before responding. Her patience was not limitless. Enough was enough. “I’m not having doubts about anything, Sasha. But I do hope you’re not too disappointed that my designs were chosen to be featured this year.”

For a moment, Sasha’s eyes seemed to be caverns of ice.

Zoe bit back a smile as she stepped around Sasha and continued on to the sewing room. She had no idea why Jerry kept Sasha around. She seemed to do nothing more than find ways to stir up trouble.

There were more important things to think about, Zoe decided. She resolved to put Sasha completely out of her mind.

* * *

“Oooh, that witch,” Sasha fumed. She hated everything about Zoe Sinclair. She especially resented the way Jerry fawned over the woman’s designs. Sure, she had some talent—Sasha would give her that—but so did every other designer at Guava.

She was the one who had garnered all the attention until the wretched day Zoe had walked into their lives.

Zoe hadn’t just taken the focus off Sasha—she had destroyed Sasha’s relationship with Jerry. Sasha and Jerry had been lovers, but that had changed when he’d decided to become Zoe’s mentor, much to her disdain.

Zoe was the one to blame.

Seething, Sasha brushed past a couple of her coworkers without speaking. She paused when she neared the sewing room, where Zoe was engaged in a conversation with a seamstress.

A fresh wave of hatred washed over Sasha as she spied on Zoe.

At five foot eight, Zoe was three inches taller than Sasha. Although most people considered Zoe beautiful, Sasha considered her plain, despite her smooth mocha complexion, dark hair and almond-shaped eyes.

Sasha ran her fingers through her long curly extensions. She was beautiful and she knew it. Like Zoe, she dressed at the height of fashion, although she preferred earth tones while her nemesis wore more vibrant colors and large statement jewelry. Simple strands of gold or silver necklaces were more to Sasha’s liking.

Zoe caught sight of her in the hallway. “Did you need something, Sasha?”

Her cheeks grew hot as she fumbled for an answer. “I...I was looking for Jerry.”

“Why don’t you try his office?” Zoe suggested. “It’s located on the other side of the building.”

Sasha scowled at Zoe in silence.

The seamstress wore an amused expression, which quickly disappeared when Sasha sent her a sharp glare before stalking off.

Zoe Sinclair was going to regret the day she ever walked through the doors of Guava International. Sasha would see to that personally.

* * *

Nelson was still settling into his bedroom when Kyle returned to the apartment.

“Sorry about abandoning you earlier,” he said.

“It’s cool,” Nelson said as he put away a stack of folded shirts. “Having lived with my mother all those years, I understand how crazy it gets right before a big show.”

Kyle sank down on the edge of the king-size bed. “Have you spoken to her since you left Philly?”

Nelson shook his head. “I still can’t believe what she did. You just don’t do something like that to family.”

Kyle knew Nelson was referring to Vanessa leaking the details of her husband’s long-ago affair with his sister-in-law to the media. He had heard about it from Nelson’s brother, Harper.

Harper had been so disgusted with his father’s actions that he’d left the family-owned law firm and started his own company. He had recently opened a second office in New York.

“Have you eaten yet?” Kyle asked.

Nelson shook his head. “I wanted to get unpacked first. This room is really nice,” Nelson told him. “Your apartment looks ready for the cover of a magazine. I still think you hired a decorator.”

He laughed. “Actually, Bailey and Brianna gave me some decorating tips.”

“When I get my own place, I will definitely have them come over to help me.”

Kyle and Nelson left the apartment and made their way to a nearby restaurant.

“This place is a favorite of mine,” Kyle announced when they were seated in one of the booths.

“I’ve heard that the food here is really good,” Nelson responded as he picked up the menu. “A couple of friends recommended it when I was here last month for that audition.”

“Have you heard anything back yet?” Kyle asked.

“Not since the second callback,” Nelson said. “I have another audition in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I need to find a job.”

“Why don’t you work for me?” Kyle suggested. “My assistant left for another position and I could use someone to take her place. The schedule is pretty flexible, except during Fashion Week, obviously.”

Nelson broke into a grin. “Kyle, I really appreciate all you’re doing for me. Man, this is great.”

“I have to warn you that it’s not all glitz and glamour, Nelson.”

“I know,” he replied. “I’ve seen enough of what goes on. I think it’s why Mother never wanted any of us to get involved in the fashion industry.”

“Then she’s probably not going to be pleased that you’re my assistant,” Kyle said.

Nelson shrugged. “She no longer has any say about the choices I make for my life. Right now my mother needs to try to fix this mess she’s created with the family. Family should always stick together.”

Kyle couldn’t agree more.

His cell phone rang, cutting into their conversation.

“Your phone’s been blowing up for the past fifteen minutes,” Nelson commented as they ate. “That honey must really want to talk to you.”

Kyle broke into a grin. “It’s this girl I used to date. She’s in town for Fashion Week and she wants to get together.” He picked up his glass of water and took a long sip.

Nelson leaned back in his chair. “Let me guess...she’s a model, right?”

“Actually, she’s a painter,” Kyle said. “I stopped dating models a year ago.”

His cousin laughed. “You were always a ladies’ man.”

“Hey, I can’t help that the women love me.” Kyle wiped his mouth on the edge of his napkin.

“Still humble, I see,” Nelson said with a chuckle.

Kyle leaned back in his chair. “You’re just mad because Lena Swan picked me that summer you spent with us before we went off to college.”

Grinning, Nelson shook his head. “I’m glad she chose you, Kyle. She was a strange female.” He stuck a forkful of salmon into his mouth.

“I have to agree,” Kyle said. “I didn’t know what to do when she showed up one weekend with a wedding dress and rings.”

Nelson howled with laughter. “That’s what you get for lying to that girl, telling her that you were in love with her.”

Kyle gave a slight shrug. “Lena cured me of declaring my love to anyone unless I really mean it.”

Kyle had been through a number of relationships, but his brief romance with Lena had almost caused him physical harm—she had pulled a knife on him when he had broken up with her. His parents had finally been able to calm her down enough to take the knife. Lena’s parents were called to come get her and were warned to keep her away from Kyle or the police would be contacted. Lena wisely kept her distance.

“I actually ran into Lena last year during Christmas,” he told Nelson. “She proudly displayed her wedding ring and pregnant belly. She looked happy.”

“Lucky for you,” Nelson said. “Hey, whatever happened to that ballet dancer you were dating?”

“She joined Dance Theatre of Harlem and ended up falling in love with one of the dancers. She married him less than three months after we broke up.” Kyle picked up a French fry and stuck it into his mouth.

“Ouch, that must have hurt.”

Kyle shrugged in nonchalance. “It hurt my pride most of all. I cared a great deal for her, but I wasn’t ready to be tied down. That was the problem with all of the women in my life—they all wanted to get married and have babies. I’m too much of a free spirit for that. It would stifle my creativity.”

“You just haven’t met the right woman yet,” Nelson stated.

“I have to stay focused. RHD is going to be mine one day and I fully intend to take the company to the next level. In order to do that, I have to devote my life to it.”

“So you plan to remain a bachelor for the rest of your life?”

“I don’t know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on RHD. You know that when it’s a family-owned business, people would rather believe that I was just handed my position. They don’t want to consider how hard I’ve worked, but I don’t care,” Kyle said. “The naysayers in this industry only motivate me to work that much harder.”

Even as Kyle declared his devotion to his work, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking of the one woman who hadn’t tried to force or manipulate him into a serious relationship.

Zoe Sinclair.

They had developed feelings toward each other shortly after she came to RHD as an intern, although Kyle never let those emotions bloom into anything more. From the first moment he’d set eyes on her, Kyle knew he had to do his best to put Zoe out of his mind. Deep down, there were times when he really missed working with her, but Kyle wholeheartedly believed it was for the best that she had chosen to leave RHD.

Because if she hadn’t, there was no telling what might have happened between them.

And Zoe Sinclair was most definitely a distraction that Kyle did not need.