Soft Place to Fall (Navy Book 4)

Chapter 18

Will watched the two women hover over Carmen, who sat patiently in her chair reading over something on her phone. The women were poking at her hair and applying her makeup, but she seemed oblivious to it all. He watched as a frown marred her perfect face and the woman doing her makeup tisked her.

They hadn't said two words to each other since the party. They had ridden back to the apartment in silence and she had gone immediately to the bedroom closing the door behind her.

When he had checked the schedule that morning she had added more than seemed humanly possible for one person to fit into a day. They had started at five in the morning with a trip to the gym, where he hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her, and it took all of his energy to stay focused on his workout and not keeping an eye on where her personal trainer's hands wandered during her workout. His only consolation was that he was in better shape than the trainer. He and Carmen had even managed to have a little healthy competition on the treadmill, with Carmen eventually giving up with a haughty look. After the gym they had moved on to a fitting for the Landau photoshoot, and Kelly, Laura, and Davis had welcomed him before forgetting he was there as they were all consumed with the outfits and ideas for the following week's shoot. Carmen then had a lunch appointment with her agent who wanted to discuss her upcoming contract negotiations with Landau. The woman was a cobra and there was no doubt that she was in it for her own gain as she kept trying to push Carmen to say no to the deal offered and ask for more money. But Carmen held her own and told the woman that she would think about all of her options and let her know what she had decided. Now, they were at a photo shoot for some upcoming designer who claimed to have designs reminiscent of old Spain, whatever that meant, and only Carmen would do to model them.

He never would have guessed that the life of a supermodel was so hard. It was almost six in the evening and the photographer claimed that she was on her last round of photos, but then he had told her that two hours earlier.

Will felt his phone in his pocket vibrate and he pulled it out not recognizing the number. The area code was from his home state of Colorado so he answered the phone with a brisk hello, looking up in time to see Carmen watching him. As soon as his eyes met hers she looked away and he cursed himself once more. He should have handled the previous evening's situation better. She was still mad. But in his defense she had spooked him.

"Hey Will, it's Kitty!" a chipper voice said in his ear.

He couldn't help but smile at his kid sister's voice.

"Hey Kitty," he greeted softly. He had always had soft spot for his sister who, at twenty-two, was ten years younger than he was. She a surprise to the entire family, the only daughter, and they had all spoiled her.

"I saw the paper this morning, when did you start running around with so many famous people?" Will had no idea what she was talking about but he was guessing that it had something to do with the previous evening's party.

"How have you been Kitty?" he asked, evading the question. It had been almost two years since he had talked to her or anyone in his family."

"I'm fine Will, we're all fine but we miss you."

She had their mother's natural ability to provide a guilt trip.

"I'm in New York for spring break," she continued. "My roommate's family lives here and we came up to get away. I was super surprised when I opened the paper today and there you were, front and center in the social pages, with the supermodel Carmen Morales, she's the Landau model."

"I'm aware."

"Where are you right now!" Kitty demanded, already onto the next subject.

"I'm waiting for Carmen to finish up a photoshoot, why?"

"Will Pruitt, waiting on a woman!" she started to shriek with laughter. "I thought women were supposed to wait on you." Will waited for her laughter to subside and for her to continue, not the least bit amused like she was. "I want to see you while we're both here." He could still hear the amusement in her voice.

"I can probably arrange that. Are you free this evening?" His eyes moved to Carmen who had moved back to the lighted area to begin taking photos.

"Yep, when and where?"

"I'll text you the details as soon as I know them."

"I got ya, you gotta check with your girlfriend the supermodel, it's cool, can I bring my friend, Amber, and can you bring Mason Stevens? I saw your photo with him too. This is soooo cool."

Will had to get his hands on the paper and see exactly who he had been photographed with. "I doubt it, and I'm not sure if Carmen will be with me or not. I'll let you know."

"Alright, I'm gonna go tell Amber."

"Good, go tell Amber."

Will ended the conversation and put his phone back into his pocket, his eyes going back to Carmen, debating if he should introduce her to his sister or not.

*******

Carmen had been watching Will all day, she was amazed that he had been willing to wait for her so patiently. She didn't think it was in his personality. After the previous evening, she had determined that she would keep out of his way as much as possible. She had made her feelings known and if he wasn't interested that was his loss. Still, she figured that if he was going to be around it would be better to stay busy, so she had planned out a full day that would keep them out of each other's way. What she hadn't planned on was his staying with her all day.

She watched as he smiled during his phone conversation and she wondered who he was talking to, who could make him smile so gently.

The rest of the photoshoot went off without a hitch and they were finished half an hour later. Carmen cleaned her face and brushed out her hair as best she could before changing back into her street clothes.

Will was talking to Midge, the hairstylist, and she was all but giggling as she listened to him, and Carmen couldn't help her eye roll as she approached.

"Are you ready?" she asked, watching as he nodded saying good bye to the woman.

He looked extra sexy in a pair of tight blue jeans and a t-shirt that was also a little too tight. His muscles had fascinated her when she had watched him work out at the gym earlier that morning. She had had the hardest time focusing on the trainer, and she knew that the trainer had had a hard time focusing on her as well. He kept letting his eyes wander to Will too.

"Ready when you are," Will said, answering her question. "What are our plans for this evening?" he asked as held open the door for her.

"Laura and Davis invited us to dinner and I told them it wouldn't be a problem." She turned to look at him and caught his frown. "Is it a problem?"

"I just got a phone call and it was my sister. She's in New York this week and saw our photo in the paper last night. She asked if we could go to dinner with her this evening."

Carmen stopped and turned to look at him. "I'll go to dinner with Laura and Davis and you go with your sister." She shrugged.

Will shook his head. "Nope, not gonna happen."

"Fine, tell your sister another time." Carmen turned on her heel and stomped away from him. She wanted to go meet his sister, she wanted to find out more about him. It fascinated her that he had a sister, and she wondered about the rest of his family, but she couldn't admit that to him.

"Sure, it's only been two years since I last saw her, but I'll let her know we can't make it." Will sighed, playing the injured party.

Carmen stopped walking and spun around to face him, she had to ball her hands into fists to keep from hitting him in frustration. "Fine," she said between clinched teeth. "I will ask Laura and Davis if they mind if she joins us."

"And her friend, she asked if she could come too."

"Fine."

He gave her his most charming smile, knowing that he had won the battle.

She only wished she could win her battle against his charm. She still wanted him, it was an ache that she felt in her gut, and she wished that he wanted her in the same way.