“Oh, my fucking God!” Maxi exclaimed when Staci connected the call.
“I know, right?”
“On Valentine’s Day?”
“Crazy, huh?”
“I want details, sister. Spill!”
“Can’t right now. I’m at his apartment. But I’ll call you back when I can.”
“Don’t worry about anything at the office,” Maxi told her. “We’re kicking ass here. The only dark blot on the horizon is the facility we need. Other than that, we’re cranking out shoes!”
“That is so good to hear. And thanks so much, Maxi. I’d never be able to step away from daily operations if it wasn’t for you.”
“No need to thank me—it’s what you pay me for. But hey…did Dr. Snark agree to help you with the shoe improvements?”
“Even before he fucked me.”
“Oh, God! I so want details!”
“We’ll talk later. All I can say at the moment is that, holy shit, this man is incredible.” She heard Evan bustling down the hallway. “Gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
She stuffed the phone into her clutch just as Evan rounded the corner. He wore a sweater and jeans. Glasses. Still had the unruly hair that made flames dance over her skin.
She smiled. “This is like sleeping with Clark Kent and Superman at the same time. I never know which one I’m going to get. It’s really very sexy.”
“You’re sexy,” he said as he pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her. “This is some outfit you’re wearing.”
“The boots are still under five inches, I swear.”
“Thank you.”
Staci had slipped into a retro, sixties-style black minidress with a black mock turtleneck, an ultra-short A-line skirt, and a white belt riding low on the hips. She complemented the outfit with thigh-high boots, the tops of which were made of thick black stocking that rested mid-thigh. Her full-length coat provided enough warmth that even the continuous snowfall didn’t bother her.
She’d styled her hair into the sleek—though angled at the ends—look she typically wore and had pushed the long bangs back with a black headband. Large silver hoops completed the look.
“So,” she said, “what exactly are our plans for the day?”
“First up on our itinerary is a trip to
your Midtown store.”
Staci shot him a confused look. “You want me to go shoe shopping?”
He took her hand and led her back toward the foyer. “I want you to show me your shoe designs. I need to get a good look at them so I can start thinking of how I can help you.”
She drew up short, emotion flaring within her again. “Evan.”
“What?”
“That’s so fucking awesome of you.”
He laughed. “God, I love how colorful you are. Come on, let’s check out the Staci Kay line of stilettos so I can see just how in over my head I am.”
“Hey,” she swatted at him in a flirty way. “No pretending you didn’t agree to this last night.”
“I’m not reneging. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I feel like this is another great path for me to take.”