The Pleasure Set Page 7

  “Not inappropriate at all, Laney. Just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean you don’t notice other people. Of course, I’d never have pursued anything either, but I’m very glad we have the chance tonight.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Was your breakup difficult?”

  “Yes. Judith had an affair and it took me a while to figure it out. I mean, I should have been more aware, but things change in a relationship. Sometimes people get a little complacent, but you’re supposed to work through the slumps. I have to admit I hadn’t been happy in a long while. Maybe she did me a favor by finally forcing the breakup. I might have simply remained there.”

  “Sometimes it’s easier to stay where you are than take a step in a different direction.”

  “I suppose I was a little scared, too. Our relationship became a cocoon that I wrapped myself in. I let Judith make most of the decisions and just went along with things.”

  “Yet you were unhappy.”

  “Very.” Laney looked down, swirling the wine in her glass. “We hardly talked about deeper things. The intimacy fell off.” Laney inhaled deeply and blew out the air, remembering the discontent she had suffered. “Actually, it was never really there. At least not the way I wanted.”

  “That’s an important part. Intimacy isn’t just for the sake of pleasure. Our souls need to feel safe as well. It’s essential in a loving relationship.”

  When Laney looked back up, Sandrine was smiling. Her face glowed with warmth, and Laney could have fallen into that tenderness.

  “Where were you when I needed that exact advice?”

  “I wish I could have been there. It hurts to know that you were deprived of a fundamental but vital part of who you are.”

  “Well, I can say that when it was finally over, I vowed never to let myself get in another situation like that.”

  “That’s a good vow. Never deny your heart.”

  “Somehow,” Laney believed her words with everything she had, “I don’t think I ever will again.”

  Dinner came but Sandrine’s eyes never looked away from Laney’s. From her periphery, Laney knew hands were setting plates down and then they were gone. Delightfully delectable aromas wafted up from their plates but for a moment, nothing else was discernable.

  Then Sandrine inhaled deeply and sighed. “Wow.”

  “Wow is right.” To be enfolded in such concentrated attention felt divine and a little overwhelming.

  “You are amazing, Laney.”

  “I…you…” Laney couldn’t find words to go with her feelings.

  “Those are good words to put together.”

  Laney couldn’t agree more. She reached out for Sandrine’s hand. “Yes. But the way you look at me takes all words away.”

  “Tu me rend tellement heureuse.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to slip into French.” Sandrine pursed her lips reverently. “Your words made me happy and that’s what I just said.”

  Sandrine was so in the moment, with her attention, her focus, all for Laney. “My words made you happy? That’s really nice. I like that.”

  Sandrine’s gaze lingered. “Actually, the exact translation was, you make me so happy.”

  Something akin to a padded mallet seemed to strike Laney, sending her breathing into overdrive. Sandrine’s allure was dazzling, but what she meant left her stunned.

  “Your mouth is open,” Sandrine said softly.

  Laney blinked. “I was thinking about a movie.”

  “Which one?”

  “Bell, Book and Candle.”

  “With James Stewart and Kim Novak. It’s a lazy-Saturday-afternoon or staying-home-sick favorite of mine.”

  “You’re like Kim Novak.”

  “A witch?”

  Laney shook her head. “Bewitching. Enchanting. Captivating.”

  “I hope those are all positive aspects?”

  “Better than that. You’re definitely spellbinding.”

  “I’m flattered to be compared to Kim Novak. But you’re very, very far from even resembling James Stewart. There’s certainly no match there.”

  Laney wasn’t so sure, however, that she didn’t match Stewart’s desire in a blazing dead heat.

  When they finally began to eat dinner, Sandrine asked, “How was it to take over the bank business from your father?”

  Laney paused because no one had ever asked. “Simple and complicated. I’ve worked there since I was a kid. My father would pay me to do simple things around the bank and I always felt so proud. I worked there through my teen years, then returned after getting my master’s degree in finance. I knew the business inside and out, but trying to pry my father from the bank was difficult.”

  “He built it from scratch, yes?”

  “He did. He always resisted selling to one of the conglomerates, which was trying for him, especially when the economy took a dump.”

  “The Bush years.”

  “And the Reagan years.”

  Sandrine paused, seeming to consider Laney. “You love your work.”

  “I love what my father built. And I love the community.” Laney warmed to Sandrine’s inquisitive eyes.

  “Tell me about you, Sandrine.”

  “What is there to tell,” she said as she appeared to gather her thoughts. “I moved from France to the United States when I graduated from high school. My parents are divorced, but I remain very close to my father. He lives just outside of Paris and is retired. Anyway, I moved to Covina and went to Westwood College and earned my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I joined the Beverly Hills Police Department soon after and worked my way up to detective about six years ago.” She flashed a grin before adding, “A case at your bank was one of my first.”

  “It was? Which one?”

  “A mother-and-daughter team from Santa Barbara writing bad checks. They had purchased three automobiles before we caught them.”

  “Yes, I remember that.”

  “I spoke to your father then.”

  “I also remember you coming in not long after I took over. I think it was about a fraudulent loan application for a beauty salon that ended up really being for a brothel.”

  Sandrine nodded. “It was. They had applied at almost every bank in Beverly Hills. But they certainly didn’t get far.”

  “You remembered.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’d think that a brothel would be a cash business and that they wouldn’t need a loan.”

  “Fishnet stockings and whips are obviously more expensive than they thought.”

  Laney laughed. “Can your job be dangerous?”

  “Sometimes. You never know how an arrest will go.”

  “And what about your personal life?”

  “That can be dangerous, too.”

  “Really?”

  Sandrine shrugged. “Well, in a way. I was in a serious relationship that ended badly two years ago, and since, I have been casually dating here and there. No one has made me want to have more than a few dates with them.”

  “So it’s the same out there on the singles markets as it was four years ago before I met Judith?”

  “Probably. But I can’t complain. At least people accept my dinner invitations.”

  Sandrine smiled in a way that made Laney believe that the comment was directed at her.

  “I’m glad you asked me.”

  Sandrine paused. “I only tell you about the dating because I like to be honest up front. But because the term dating can be interpreted many different ways, I can tell you that the woman I’ve been dating and I are going out in the true sense of just getting to know one another.”

  Laney felt a little relieved. “I’m dating someone else right now, too. Well, more or less.”

  “What does that mean, more or less?”

  “It’s not a traditional sort of ‘Hey would you like to go out to dinner?’ kind of thing. She’s married.”

  “So you’re the
one with the dangerous personal life, huh?”

  “Far from it. And I’m very aware that this one won’t lead to the altar, that’s for sure.”

  “I suppose not, given that she’s already made that trip.”

  Laney was glad they were honest with each other. The air between them felt clear.

  Sandrine raised her wineglass. “To new chances.”

  Laney raised hers and watched Sandrine’s eyes sparkle. “To new chances.” The tapping of their glasses together sealed their pledge.

  “So,” Sandrine said, “what shall we have for dessert?”

  “Oh, I think I’ll pass. Too many calories.”

  Sandrine squinted at Laney. “Be good and you will be lonely.”

  “That’s from Mark Twain!”

  “That’s you as well.”

  “I haven’t run into too many people who like Mark Twain enough to remember quotes. As a matter of fact,” Laney said, as an unexpected delight filled her, “I haven’t run into a single one.”

  “My father introduced me to his writing and I devoured everything I could find. To live in Hannibal, Missouri, and raft on the Mississippi River were my fantasies. I also wanted to end slavery.”

  “That must be the fighter for justice in you.”

  “Yes, I suppose. Twain fascinated me, especially because he adamantly supported abolition and emancipation. Even as a child I knew those issues were politically resolved but that unjust standards remained. Just different ones.”

  “I love Twain,” Laney said. “I even wrote a school report on him. I was supposed to analyze The Adventures of Huck Finn but discovered his work for women’s suffrage, so I ended up reporting on his Votes for Women speech. I even wore a T-shirt to class that day that I made myself. The big red letters on it said, ‘Women’s rights are groovy.’”

  They both laughed heartily. “Did you get an A?”

  Laney shook her head. “A big fat D for not following the assignment. I wore the shirt to school for the next week in protest, and the popular girls started to hang out with me for being such a rebel.”

  “My Mark Twain quote is still relevant, then.”

  “‘Be good and you will be lonely.’ Yes, I suppose you’re right. So, back to dessert because I’m curious. Is it true that if I try to be good and not order dessert, you’ll have some of your own anyway?”

  “Yes,” Sandrine said. “And because you’ve refused dessert, I won’t be able to offer you any of mine with a clear conscience.”

  “Ah, so that explains the ‘lonely’ part.”

  “In France, no one worries about sweets. Dessert alone isn’t the enemy as long as you eat well at your regular meals.”

  They did order dessert, and Sandrine picked mille feuille. Laney tried the banana fritter.

  “What made you decide to go to college in the U.S.?” Laney asked as she traded dessert plates with Sandrine.

  “I wanted to be a law enforcement officer in the U.S. The prospect seemed more stimulating and challenging than staying in France. Actually, I was born here. My mother came to America on business while she was pregnant so I’m a legal resident. But I lived in France until I was eighteen.” A sly smile drew Sandrine’s lips up. “I must admit that I was swayed by all the American movies I watched as I grew up.”

  Laney nodded. “Fighting crime can look very romantic.”

  “It does for me. I knew I wouldn’t be pulling a gun every day like Clint Eastwood, but I had also studied U.S. government, and I liked your political system. The way America fought for the establishment of its government in the beginning was romantic, especially the way some of the English people branched off, came to this land, and struggled to not only survive but to create a better life for themselves through self-rule.”

  Laney was amazed at Sandrine’s insight and vision. Her depth of thought and feeling attracted Laney.

  When Sandrine pulled into Laney’s driveway later that night, Laney was reluctant to say good night. She was bursting with happiness and contentment. This simple, unassuming dinner had completely lifted her spirits.

  She placed her hand over Sandrine’s. “Tonight was wonderful, Sandrine.”

  “Yes, it really was. Thank you.”

  Sandrine caressed Laney’s hand, then looked up, and her face glowed in the warm amber of the streetlights. And when Sandrine swayed toward her, Laney moved closer.

  “I’d like to kiss you, Laney.”

  Laney smiled and closed the distance between them. The kiss was slow and beautiful. Their mouths parted slightly and Sandrine’s lips were incredibly soft. When their tongues met to linger briefly, the touch was furtive and gentle.

  Laney wanted to get to know Sandrine slowly. This was the perfect ending to a perfect date.

  Chapter Ten

  Kelly buzzed through to Laney’s desk. “It’s Theresa Aguilar.”

  “Thank you, Kelly.” Laney picked up the receiver and punched a button on the phone. “You have impeccable timing.”

  “And why is that?”

  “I was just thinking about how your friendship came along right when I needed it. I’m excited about all the possibilities that being connected to you will bring.”

  “And I am, too.”

  “But you didn’t call me to hear me fawn over you.”

  “There’s another party tonight.”

  “When do you sleep?”

  “You won’t want to miss this one.”

  “Where?”

  “Ten o’clock. Three Thousand, Avenue of the Stars. The penthouse suite. Just give the security guard your name.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “It will be. I’m really looking forward to seeing you, Laney.”

  “It’ll be great to see you, too.”

  “Yes, it will. The party won’t start for me until I see you. Make sure you find me first.”

  For a while after she hung up, Laney considered Theresa’s comment. Why wouldn’t the party start until she arrived? And why was she supposed to find Theresa first?

  Laney really should be knee-deep in a pile of paperwork she’d been neglecting but, instead, she picked up the phone.

  “Hillary,” she said.

  “Hey, stranger.”

  “Yeah, I know I’ve been incommunicado. But I need to ask you something.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Remember Detective Girard? Sandrine Girard?”

  “The cute cop you mention every time she stops by the bank?”

  “Yes. Well, we had a date Saturday night.”

  “That’s great. Isn’t it?”

  Laney recalled the sweet, unhurried kiss she and Sandrine had shared in the car. “It was wonderful. She’s amazing and articulate. And so thoughtful.”

  “Well, you sound all goo-goo eyed, so I don’t suppose you want to ask me if you should have another date.”

  “No.” She squirmed in her chair. “I also might have a date tonight with Theresa.”

  “And the problem is?”

  “I like them both. I mean, I like them in different ways, I suppose.”

  “You suppose?”

  “Theresa, for one, isn’t available. She’s married.”

  “There’s that, yes.”

  “But she might as well be divorced, considering her relationship with her husband.”

  “She is still married, though, Laney.”

  “I know. But finally being able to do whatever I want is fun, and I feel a little reckless. The great thing is that these women form business ventures together. They’re powerful, Hillary, which is something I could really get into.”

  “Why wouldn’t they want a bank president in their midst? You’re pretty powerful yourself.”

  Though Laney did have considerable influence within her profession, she didn’t consider herself powerful. Especially compared to women like her new friends. They not only turned heads, but they turned deals. “I’m excited about the prospect of collaborating with them. And I have to admit that where we go and the at
tention the group gets is exciting.”

  “They do get a lot of press. They’re like rock stars. And now you’re one of them.”

  Laney had to laugh. Being around Hollywood’s true elite was beyond exhilarating and glamorous. “I know I shouldn’t mess around with a married woman, but we’re both adults.”

  “It’s not like you’d be the first. But, Laney, why don’t you focus on Sandrine. She’s available, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she is.” Laney wondered what she was truly feeling. It was perplexing to like two women. What was the proper etiquette in this situation? Was she making too much of this? “They seem at opposite ends of the spectrum.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s what dating’s for. You’re supposed to spend time with different people you’re interested in and find out if you click.”

  “Yes, but should I date one woman at a time or date around?” She was thinking out loud now. “I mean, I don’t think it’d be horrible to date around. What’s the harm?”

  “If they’re just dates, I suppose it’s fine. But if you get more intimate with one and then want to get intimate with the other, you should let them know.”

  “I wouldn’t sleep with two women at the same time.”

  “Laney, you called me so I’ll give you my opinion. It might be wise to avoid getting into anything with Theresa.”

  Laney felt like she was already traveling down that road. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

  “I know that.”

  “But I feel, I don’t know, a pull toward her. And I don’t want to stop it.”

  Hillary sighed. “Do I have to tell you to be careful?”

  “No, I know that. But that’s just it, I’ve always been careful. My relationship with Judith was always so predictable. I want some random impulsiveness, some outlandish craziness.”

  “That’s not you, Laney.”

  “But I want that. I’m bursting at the seams. My new friends are fun and spontaneous. Theresa doesn’t give a crap about rules or order.”