Page 24 of Bling

He stood and came around the desk. When he reached her, he cupped her cheek in his palm.

“I’m only glad I pulled up when I did. Christ, Isabelle. When I saw you in the parking lot, looking like you did, I wanted to simultaneously spank the hell out of you, and just hold you. I’m not used to being affected by a woman the way I am you.”

The warmth of his hand soothed her still frazzled nerves and she leaned into his touch, letting her eyes drift closed.

“Go home, Isabelle. Before I break my promise not to pressure you.”

Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a shy grin.

“I’ll go with you, Sir.”

He stared into her eyes, as if searching for something.

“Does that Sir mean you’ll be wearing my bracelet tomorrow night at the club?”

She instinctively gripped her left wrist in her right hand. “I think it does,” she murmured.

His hand trailed from her cheek to her neck and she sighed.

“Damn it,” he bit out. “Go home, Isabelle. Before I lose it and take you on my desk.”

She sucked in a breath but slowly backed out of the office, not wanting to leave his warmth.

Garrett’s driver was waiting for her downstairs and she told him where she lived. Her dad was sitting on the small porch in front of their apartment when the car pulled up to drop her off. Crap, she really didn’t want him to see a driver bringing her home.

To make matters worse, the driver jumped out and opened her door for her. Her dad just sat with his arms folded, watching her.

“Sure is a fancy ride,” he said when she stepped up to the door.

Isabelle sighed. “Someone slit my tires at work. My boss just had his driver take me home.”

He huffed. “My boss doesn’t have a fancy ride like that.”

Isabelle gave an annoyed chuckle. “No. But your boss’s boss, the education secretary probably does.”

The old man rolled his eyes. “Just don’t want you getting a big head is all. Doesn’t do any good to forget your place in society, Isabelle.”

Ah yes, her father’s insistence that poor is all they would ever be. It would be a disgrace if she ever forgot that because she would just be setting herself up for disappointment.

“It was just a ride, Daddy. Please don’t make a big deal of this. I’m working two jobs. I’m not going to forget how poor we are. I gotta go take a nap.”

The older man reached out and grabbed her hand. “You sure do remind me of your mom sometimes. God rest her soul.”

Isabelle smiled. It was a high compliment coming from her father. “I love you, Daddy. We’ll talk later. Can you get the girls started on their homework if I’m still asleep when they get home?”

He nodded with a grin. Even with all the chaos in their lives, his granddaughters were a never-ending source of joy for Jacob Alvarado.

In her room, weariness overtook her, and she sank into her mattress where she soon fell asleep trying to figure out the best way to balance both of her new jobs. When she woke, it was nearly seven. Her shift at the hotel was in two hours.

She hurried through getting ready for work and went to say hi to the girls before asking her dad if she could borrow the truck. When she stepped into the kitchen, Catarina handed her an envelope. “Some guy dropped this off a couple hours ago while you were sleeping.”

Isabelle took it. It was heavier on one side than the other. Opening it, she pulled out a note. It had a car key taped to it.

This is yours until the police return your car.

Outside, in the spot where she normally parked, sat a newer model of the car she drove. At least it wasn’t something so flashy it would annoy her dad.

With a sigh, she slid into the driver’s seat and drove to the Glenview, trying not to think about how strange her life was sometimes.

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