Season for Love Read online

  Dash finished folding the blanket and gave her a passionate kiss. “The pleasure was all mine. I enjoy being with you. Our conversations flow effortlessly.”

  “Yes, they do. It feels as if we’ve known each other for years.”

  “If we had more time, I’d take you on a tour of the village. It’s really old and quaint, untouched by the modernization of time.”

  Lark looked down the hill, where she could see winding streets and people milling about in the distance. “I would have loved that. I like visiting small villages, checking out their wares and buying something unique. Maybe next time.”

  “So do I. You never know what you’re going to find. We’ll be sure to visit next time,” Dash said, putting the containers back in the basket.

  Thinking about how their business trip had morphed into a mini romantic holiday, Lark couldn’t help but smile. This was the perfect diversion from her hectic life back in New York, where she worked nonstop trying to take the business to the next level. Her smile quickly faded when she thought about Darcy and what her friend would think of the unexpected turn of events. Lark was positive Darcy would disapprove.

  “What’s the pensive look for?” Dash asked.

  “I was imagining what my friend Darcy would think of our, uh...love connection. She has strict rules about the dating game. She doesn’t believe a woman should be the aggressor. She says men are hunters and they like the thrill of the chase.”

  “Yes, that’s true to a certain extent. But your bold move last night on the dance floor was refreshing. You’re a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. That’s why you’re so successful.”

  “Thanks, but I’m sure Darcy won’t see it that way. She also doesn’t think workplace romances are healthy and usually end up badly.”

  “Your friend Darcy is quite opinionated, isn’t she? Have you two been friends for long?”

  “Even though she doesn’t bite her tongue, she’s my best friend. She was my mentor at RR when I first started. She took me under her wing, teaching me not only about business but about the ways of men.”

  “I see. Is she married?”

  “No, she isn’t.”

  “Well, maybe if she loosens some of her rules when it comes to the opposite sex, she would find a husband.”

  Lark weighed Dash’s words. He was right. Darcy had become extremely cynical.

  “I’m so glad you didn’t take her advice. See what you would have missed out on if you had,” Dash said, opening his arms wide to showcase his body.

  Lark walked close, wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned up and kissed him. “Like you said, I know what I want and go after it!”

  They finished packing under the setting sun. As they drove along the countryside on the way to the mill, the sky morphed into a brilliant burnt orange with soft ribbons of gray clouds woven throughout, resembling an oil painting spectacular enough to rival the masters.

  “The countryside here is so beautiful. You’re lucky to have spent your summers here,” Lark said. She looked over at Dash, who was now behind the wheel.

  “Yes, I had a wonderful childhood. I just wish I’d had sisters and brothers to share it with.”

  “You’re an only child, too? I always wanted a baby sister, but my mother swore she wasn’t going through childbirth again. I guess it was too painful for her.”

  “My mom said the same thing, only in Italian,” he said with a chuckle. “See, that’s one more thing we have in common.”

  “If I ever have children, I’ll have at least two.”

  Lark could imagine Dash fathering her children. She wanted to ask if he planned to have kids, but she thought against it. She didn’t want to scare him off, so she changed the subject.

  “Are you sure it’s not too late to go to the mill?” Lark had expected to preview the samples earlier that afternoon. During their quaint picnic, she had lived in the moment, without giving work a second thought.

  “Absolutely not. We’ll be there shortly. Here in Florence, we don’t live to work. We work to live. We eat well and enjoy what’s really important out of life. Family, friends and laughter take precedence over eighty-hour work weeks and trying to make more money than the next guy.”

  “That’s a healthy way of living. I need to subscribe to that philosophy.”

  “Maybe after the spring/summer shows are over we can take a few days off, return to Italy and not only explore Florence, but also spend a few days in Venice.”

  “Sounds heavenly. I’ve always wanted to take a gondola ride at midnight underneath the stars.”

  “Now, that’s one date I wouldn’t miss. We can even explore some of the shops that make those ornate Venetian masks.”

  “I can see myself in a black sequined mask.”

  “A friend of mine gives an annual masquerade ball. You could wear it there.”

  “I would love to. Dash, you’ve really made this trip special. Now I’m anxious to see the samples. I have a lot riding on this upcoming line. Now that RR has a new lead designer, I’m sure the critics will be circling to see if we can survive without Sebastian.”

  “You have no worries there. Your former designer may have had more years of experience, but I assure you, my designs coupled with your ideas will catapult RR ahead of the pack,” Dash said.

  “I hope you’re right.” Lark took a deep breath and wondered if she should confide in Dash. She had been carrying a heavy burden for months, and the pressure of keeping it to herself was becoming too much to bear. “Dash, I need to tell you something.”

  “What’s wrong? You sound serious.”

  “The truth is, the sales numbers at Randolph on the Runway have been dwindling these past few seasons. I was hoping the orders from the last show would have pulled the company out of the red, but they didn’t. I’ve exhausted the reserve fund I had set aside for emergencies, and if our new line isn’t successful, I’m going to have to start laying people off, which I would really hate to do. I’ve already trimmed the budget as much as possible without affecting the staff. The thought of taking away someone’s livelihood is heartbreaking.”

  Dash reached over and put his hand on her leg. “Don’t worry, Lark. I promise you, it won’t come to that. The new collection will be a success. I’ve got your back.”

  Lark breathed a sigh of relief. She had been apprehensive about revealing RR’s financial predicament, but now that she had, she felt reassured. Although they hadn’t broached the subject of being in a relationship, sharing her problems with Dash made Lark feel as if they were on the track to exclusivity.

  When they arrived at the mill, Marco greeted them with open arms. “Buonasera!”

  “Good evening, Marco. Sorry we’re so late,” Lark said as she entered the building.

  “No problema. The samples are ready.” Marco walked them over to a drafting table and revealed the strike-offs of Lark’s designs.

  Lark picked up a piece of fabric and inspected it thoroughly. She had an eye for detail, so she looked for inconsistencies in the color and pattern. The hues were correct and the pattern was exactly as she had designed it. Lark had experienced major flaws in the past with some vendors, but she didn’t have any complaints this time. She rubbed the silk between her thumb and index finger, feeling for the desired softness. Lark took her time studying the samples.

  “Well...what do you think?” Dash asked, standing over her shoulder.

  “The way a dress moves is determined by the quality of the material, and this silk is exquisite! Well done. Bravo!” Lark thanked Marco with a warm hug.

  “You approve?” Marco asked.

  “Yes! When can you start production?”

  “Randolph. We will begin manufacturing first thing in the morning.”

  “That’s great news!”

 
By the time they departed the mill, Lark had a renewed sense of hope. With Dash by her side, she knew without a doubt that RR would rule the runway and become profitable once again.

  Chapter 13

  There was complete pandemonium at Randolph on the Runway when Lark and Dash returned from Italy. Their trip had been cut short when Lark had received an urgent call from her assistant to inform her of the impending disaster. Lark had wanted to spend more time in Italy with Dash. They were getting closer with each passing day and she hadn’t wanted to break their momentum. But duty called. Lark immediately told Angelica to book them on the next flight back to New York.

  Lark and Dash had gone straight to the office from the airport. She was jet-lagged, but sleep was a luxury that she couldn’t afford. Her romantic romp in Italy was over and now it was back to strictly business between them. Lark was seated at the oval table in the conference room, surrounded by the division heads. They were meeting to discuss what had transpired while Lark and Dash were in Florence.

  “Explain to me how our computer system could have been breached,” Lark said, directing her comment to Edward, the head of the IT department.

  “Somehow, a Trojan virus invaded the company’s main hard drive and wiped out the CAD program,” Edward said nervously.

  “Edward, you’ve already explained that part! My question is, how can a virus delete all of our design files? Don’t we have firewalls and online security systems in place to prevent this type of situation from happening?”

  Lark was steaming mad, but she was trying to maintain her composure and not unleash her fury on just one person.

  “Of course we do, but the virus eluded the firewalls,” Edward responded.

  “Could this have happened from one of our employees opening a corrupt email?” Dash, who was sitting across the table from Lark, asked.

  “Yes, that’s a possibility. An email could have had an encrypted attachment.”

  “Edward, why isn’t your team on top of this? This is the last thing I need to deal with!” Lark shook her head in frustration.

  “Trust me, we are. But new viruses invade the internet on a daily basis.”

  Lark exhaled hard. “Look, we can go around and around about why and how our system was compromised—the bottom line now is, how do we get past this? Can the files be retrieved?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Edward responded.

  “Are you serious?” she yelled, no longer able to control her temper.

  “What about the backup files?” Dash asked, thumping the tip of his pencil on the table.

  “Uh...those were erased, too,” Edward responded hesitantly.

  “So you’re telling me the designers have to input their drawings into the CAD system once more?” Lark asked.

  Luckily, Lark had a company policy of sketching out designs on a drawing pad, an antiquated method she had adopted from her grandfather. Initially, she had fought her grandfather on what she had thought to be a waste of time. Now she was relieved she had listened. Otherwise the entire new line would have been history. Lark couldn’t believe the misfortunes RR had been plagued with lately. First Sebastian going off the rails and now an untimely computer breach.

  “Yes, all of the drawings will have to be reentered,” Edward replied.

  Lark turned to Aisha, a senior designer seated to her right. “Aisha, how long do you think it’ll take for your team to reproduce their designs?”

  “Maybe a week or two,” the petite woman answered.

  Lark slumped in her chair as if someone had sucker punched her. “We don’t have two weeks. In order to get the new collection into production, the drawings need to be in the system by the end of the week.”

  “We’ll just have to work around the clock to make that happen,” Dash said.

  “Not a problem,” Aisha replied.

  Leaning on the edge of her chair, Lark put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. She was silent for a few moments. “If the designs can be reentered by then, we’ll have enough time to get them to the patternmakers before the deadline.” She stood and arched her back. “Okay, people, rally your teams. Let’s get the ball rolling. Time is a-ticking!”

  Everyone began gathering their belongings and filing out of the room until Dash and Lark were the only two to remain. He rose from his seat and closed the door.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Not really. I can’t let the company my grandfather founded go under. I assured my father that I was more than capable of running RR and increasing revenue. Now I’m not so sure.” A tear was forming in Lark’s eye, and she dropped her head.

  Dash stood behind her and began massaging her shoulders. “It’s going to be all right,” he whispered in her ear.

  “How can you be so sure? In this industry you’re only as good as your last collection. It’s easy to fall by the wayside.”

  “Trust me, that’s not going to happen to RR. I looked around the conference table during the meeting and saw the dedication in the faces of everyone here. We all want the same thing, and that’s for RR to succeed. If we have to work nonstop in order to get back on track, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. And I for one have a vested interest...”

  Lark peered over her shoulder at Dash. “What’s that?”

  He turned her around so she was facing him and softly kissed her lips.

  Lark took a step away from Dash and peered over at the plate-glass window to see if anyone was looking into the conference room. “We’re not in Italy anymore. We should cool it while we’re in the office. I don’t want the other employees to know that we’re...involved. It doesn’t look professional.”

  “I understand, but frankly, I don’t care who knows. Although we haven’t known each other for long, our connection is real and I truly care about you, Lark. Our time together in Florence wasn’t some type of fleeting fling. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.”

  She could see the sincerity in his eyes. “What way is that?” she asked.

  “I could fall in love with you.”

  Lark’s heart almost skipped a beat. In the middle of a near catastrophe, she had found her bedrock. Dash had come to her rescue once again. He was proving to be the real deal. “I feel the same way, but let’s agree to keep our affair out of the office.”

  “Okay, on one condition,” Dash said with a flirty expression.

  “And what’s that?”

  “Once we’re alone in private, you’ll let me show you how much I care.”

  “You got yourself a deal,” Lark replied, and then she gathered her belongings and strutted out of the conference room. Lark walked with a renewed sense of purpose on the way back to her office. She had found a solution to the computer crisis and knew that whatever mishap was tossed her way, she could handle it as long as Dash was by her side.

  Chapter 14

  After their dinner at a local Indian restaurant, Dash had taken Lark to his penthouse in the swanky Time Warner building. His apartment had vistas of both Columbus Circle and Central Park, and it was the perfect place to unwind. It had been a few days since the security breach in RR’s computer system and the entire design staff had rolled up their sleeves and gone the extra mile, working until the wee hours of the morning to ensure all of the designs were reinserted into the CAD program by the deadline.

  Lark and Dash had been inundated with work and hadn’t made love since they’d returned from Italy. He was eager to lose himself again in her loving.

  “Would you like a glass of port?” Dash asked.

  “Sure,” Lark said as she stood at the window, admiring the view below.

  Dash poured them a glass of the after-dinner elixir, turned on a jazz CD and walked over to Lark. “Here you go.” He handed her a glass and then clicked his glass against hers. “To fin
ally having an evening together outside of work.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Lark took a sip of the ruby-colored liquor. “Hopefully we won’t have to deal with any more mishaps until after the collection is produced, the shows are over and the orders are filled.”

  “I’m not worried about whatever comes our way. We make an awesome team and together can handle anything.”

  “I agree.”

  “Enough work talk. I haven’t had you alone in days and I’ve been dying to kiss those luscious lips of yours.”

  Dash took Lark’s glass and placed it on a nearby table, along with his. He then caressed her waist, bringing her closer, and touched his lips to hers, giving her a series of soft kisses. The tender smooches intensified until their tongues were dancing a heated duet. Dash could feel his member swelling. He pressed firmly against Lark’s pelvis so that she could feel his want for her. He stopped, took her by the hand and said, “Let’s go in the bedroom.”

  Dash led Lark through the large living room, down a hallway filled with artwork and into his master bedroom.

  “Take off your clothes,” he said, unbuckling his belt.

  Dash watched as Lark reached underneath her skirt and removed her panties.

  “How’s that for starters?” she asked, tossing the lace underwear toward him.

  “Perfect. Keep going.” Dash unbuttoned his pants and let them drop to the floor. He rubbed the front of his boxer briefs, showcasing the outline of his firm manhood. “See the effect you have on me?”

  “Hmm, nice!” Lark took off her blouse, unhooked her bra and shook her breasts. “You like?”

  “I do indeed.” Dash reached out and rubbed her nipples. “Now, take off your skirt.”

  Lark unzipped her skirt and stepped out of it.

  “Looking at your body is making me so hard,” he said.

  Dash took Lark’s hand, led her to the bed, opened the nightstand and took out a pack of condoms. He suited up and wedged himself between Lark’s legs, pressed her thighs apart and began rotating his hips, grinding deeper into her before pumping feverishly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and thrust her hips forward, matching his rhythm.