Lucky Fall by Mk Schiller Page B

but being with Victor presented some challenges I wasn’t prepared for—women threw themselves at him. He was the most eligible bachelor in New York. I had been with an average man that betrayed me. Victor was an extraordinary man, but I knew with certainly that he wouldn’t do that. It didn’t make the flaunting females any easier to take, but he always had an arm around me, making it obvious to any passerby that he was mine.
    The other issue was his fame. On a few occasions, reporters parked outside my apartment, trying to get a picture of us together. Victor wanted to hire security, but the idea was ridiculous to me. Besides, they never seemed to go over that line. The worst thing, though, was his schedule. He worked long hours and often had to travel. He always asked me to go, but I was a one-woman shop and had to work six days a week, so it was difficult to find time to spend together. Although, whenever we did, it was as magical as that first night. The man knew all the ways in which to pleasure a woman, leaving me breathless and craving his touch. He was the teacher in the bedroom and I was his apt pupil.
    Then there was his wealth. Victor plied me with gifts that were not only expensive but far too extravagant. He wanted me to take up residence at the hotel, but I refused, as I did most of his gifts. He finally relented when I told him it made me feel like a kept woman and I valued my independence. I think it resonated with him because of his birth mother. He loved her, but he’d suffered as a consequence of her occupation. He still worried about the lack of security in my building, though, and it was a constant point of contention with us. None of it dampened my growing feelings for him. There was no way I was letting him go now.
    I decided to keep myself occupied one evening by making doughnuts. My birthday gift had remained unopened, and frankly, I was tired of Libby’s ribbing that I’d never use it. I was planning to make a few dozen and hand deliver them to her. After I purchased all the ingredients, I realized I could have simply bought six dozen and had money to spare. Oh well, there’s nothing that can replace homemade . I turned on Animal Planet and gave Rusty a large bone to keep him occupied.
    I set out all my mixing bowls, my ingredients and poured the required oil into the doughnut maker. I had never been much for baking, but per the instructions it looked like this would be such a labor-intensive task, which was good, as it would keep my mind off Victor, who was in Los Angeles opening a new hotel.
    The phone rang as I was kneading the dough. I wiped my hands quickly, hearing the sultry lyrics of U2’s Mysterious Ways . It was my ringtone for Victor.
    “Hi there,” I said, trying to sound sexy while massaging a lump of dough.
    “Hey, beautiful, guess where I am?”
    “In LA?”
    “Actually I’m about fifteen minutes away from you.”
    I got so excited that my fingers assaulted the dough more than kneaded it. “What about the opening?”
    “It turns out I own this damn company and that comes with certain benefits. I miss you.”
    My heart started fluttering with the idea of seeing him tonight. “I miss you too, Victor.”
    “What are you wearing?” he asked, lowering his voice a few octaves.
    I laughed. “An apron.”
    “And nothing else? That sounds incredibly sexy.”
    “Sorry to disappoint you, but it’s strictly utilitarian. I’m frying up doughnuts.”
    “I didn’t think people actually made doughnuts anymore. You are a woman of many talents, Julianne.”
    I wiped the flour from my cheek with the back of my hand. I didn’t want him to see me like this, but then again, baking with him sounded fun, especially considering I had chocolate frosting, whipped cream and sprinkles. “It’s my first try, so no promises. They’ll probably look more like bagels and taste like croissants with my luck.” I took the dough and started making a small circle like the instructions