Gypsy Designs Ch. 03

"Gypsy, come here," Caydn said his voice low and gruff. "It would've been nice for a warning that anyone was going to be here," he said firmly, taking her hand when she stepped around the counter.

He felt Gypsy's body stiffen when she turned staring at Phillip, glancing at her he saw her eyes almost glowing.

"What do you mean it looks like you've interrupted something? How could Caydn be interested in me? What in the hell's wrong with me?" she snapped glaring at Phillip, "Can't two friends have a pleasant evening out without people making such a monumental deal out of it," she huffed not even noticing that Phillip's mouth had fallen open the minute she'd spoke.

Jazleen stepped to her husband's side, glancing at Christian who was also staring at Gypsy. "I think I might've forgotten to mention that the little talent I had that annoyed you so much when we first meet Phillip is hereditary in the female children of my family," she sighed seeing the stunned expression on his face.

Caydn relaxed a bit seeing the other man so annoyed, "Actually Jaz' it would seem her talent is superior to what you had on 'numerous' levels," he said with meaning.

Gypsy stepped back and glanced at Caydn a slight frown on her forehead, "Okay why is it I suddenly feel like I'm one of those lab rats they put under a microscope?" she said looking at everyone in the room who were all staring at her as if she'd grown a second head suddenly.

"Christian I think they said your name was, Maybe you could explain what you mean 'I'd be shocked if Caydn let go of the strict control he's keeping over himself'?" she asked, her hands on her hips her eyes meeting his unwavering.

Turning around she looked at Caydn who only smiled and winked at her. "You know I use to think you were the only person I'd ever met that needed a lesson in loosening up but I can see now how wrong I was," she rolled her eyes, "If you'll excuse me but since you have company our plans for a midnight swim have ended. I'm going to go to bed. I need to start making my calls tomorrow," she said reaching into the pocket of his jacket pulling out the business cards and cocktail napkins with names and numbers on them.

Leaning against him she brushed a kiss on his cheek, hesitating her lips near his ear, "I forgot to mention champagne also makes me bolder than usual, I would've really enjoyed a swim," she whispered for his ears only, spinning around when she heard Christian laugh.

"Another annoying habit it seems you have, eavesdropping isn't the best social skill," she said walking past everyone, out of the kitchen.

Jazleen stood beside her husband for a minute, glancing at Caydn she winked giving him a small nod of approval. "Well I'm sure the three of you've got things you'd like to talk about so I think I'll go up and visit with Gypsy while she getting ready for bed and show her the pictures of Angelique," she smiled proudly thinking of her daughter.

*************************** Caydn led the way to his study, hearing Jazleen knock on Gypsy's door. Leaving the door open he walked over sitting behind his desk watching Christian take a seat across from him, Phillip pacing along the large book case lining one wall.

"Would either of you care for a drink, since we never got around to having the brandy Gypsy brought us?" he asked standing walking to the bar. Pouring each of them a drink he laughed when Phillip tossed his back in one gulp.

"Man that isn't how you drink brandy, you of all people should know that," Caydn protested with a chuckle when the man spun to glare at him.

"How long have you known this woman had these skills and talents?" Phillip asked his tome sharp and reprimanding.

Caydn shrugged his shoulders walking around his desk to sit down. Leaning back he put his feet up on the desk. "She's been here a few weeks, so I'd say I've known about a few weeks," he laughed.

"I've known for about a year," Christian said with a chuckle making both Caydn and Phillip stare at him. "I met her briefly in Boston when she was with a girlfriend of hers, I didn't think anything of it. I also didn't have any idea she was Jazleen's cousin," he defended himself with a shrug.

"Phillip you've had to have known there would be something different about her since her grandfather's also Jaz's grandfather," Caydn said watching him closely, "From what I've heard he finally accepted the gift offered to him so he'd be able to continue on with the protection he'd spent a life time giving to so many of us," he nodded quietly wondering how Gypsy would take learning something like that bit of information, not that she'd understand it.

Jaz opened the door hearing Gypsy tell her it was open, shaking her head she saw the chaos of the work area in one corner of the large room. "Well it looks like you've either been very busy or you've have too much time on your hands to make a mess like Angelique does when not occupied," she laughed.

"Jaz I'm so sorry I should've asked about her when we were downstairs but too many things just felt out of sorts and Phillip's reaction to me as usual has never made me comfortable," she said taking Jaz's hand and pulling her to the small leather love seat. "I know you've got pictures and if not I suggest you march back downstairs and spend the rest of the evening with the brooding men," she laughed seeing Jaz pull a small album from the bag she'd carried in.

Looking over the photos she felt a tug at her heart seeing how happy Jaz looked with her daughter and her strong silent type husband. In the back of her mind she wished there'd been at least one photo of she and her parents were her mother hadn't looked as though she was giving her time at a very high price to be extracted as soon as the photo was finished.

Jaz felt the pain and hurt radiate from Gypsy, putting her hand on her arm she squeezed gently. "Don't think about her Gypsy, she didn't know how to make herself happy and thought the entire world owed her happiness when it has to come from within, sadly she never learned that," she said gently meeting Gypsy's tear filled eyes.

Gypsy forced a smile, wiping the offending tears as they fell, "I know it's stupid to still feel hurt but sometimes it just hits me when I least expect it," she admitted, "it makes me feel like I'm a little girl playing grown up because something's missing in my life."

"One of these days you're going to find a man who makes everything in your life fall in place, then when the time's right you'll have your own family and then you'll be able to make sure you break the cycle that seemed to run on your mother's side of the family," she said leaning over to hug her cousin tightly.

"Does this mean that I have to find someone as dark and brooding and equally nerve wracking as Phillip is to find the man who can deal with the fact I can hear everything he's thinking, and him not feel as if I'm invading his privacy?" she laughed when Jaz shrugged her shoulders rolling her eyes. "Oh such a noncommittal answer I guess I have to take that as a yes," she faked an exasperated groan, falling back against the arm of the love seat as if stricken down. "If you look carefully at those pictures I think there's even one or two where he might be smiling," Jaz said flipping the pages pointing with a proud smile, "every so often he forgets to look stormy and shows his true self," she grinned.

Leaning back, Jaz looked at Gypsy carefully while she finished the album, "Momma told me about your coming to stay here and why," she said softly, "I hope you don't mind but I felt something wasn't right so I pestered until she told me everything," she admitted.

Gypsy glanced at her before dropping her eyes to her hands smoothing the lace of her shirt nervously. "I don't mind I just wish I had been smart enough to not let it happen in the first place so there'd be no need for all the talk," she sighed, "not one of the finer nor most intelligent things I've done in my life to stand up and wave to a crowd and admit I was suckered into," she chuckled.

"How are things going with you and Caydn without momma and poppa to supervise?" Jaz asked with a wink.

Gypsy laughed turning on the love seat to face her cousin, tucking her legs under her kicking her strappy heels to the floor. "Well at first rather like gas and fire if you could imagine two people who can do the things we odd Romanians seem to be able to do," she laughed, "but once we found a balance which only took a week or so everything's been nice," she said leaning her head on the back of the love seat.

"Tonight he'd invited me to an event he was going to and introduced me to some women he thought would make perfect clients to help me start my design and clothing business," she smiled, "I came back with a pocketful of names and numbers of women who want to meet with me in the next two weeks to discuss my work," she laughed, "but you saw the papers I pulled from Caydn's pocket. I didn't take my bag for fear of leaving it the way I did the night you and Phillip took me out in Paris, so he offered the use of his pocket," she grinned.

Jaz laughed nodding remembering well Phillip having to go back after Gypsy's bag, eventually having to run down a man who'd stolen it before they'd got back to retrieve it.

"What I noticed downstairs had little to do with scrapes of paper in his pocket but had to do with the way the two of you spoke to one another and looked at each other," she grinned seeing Gypsy's cheeks flush instantly. "Caydn granted is a man who's smooth, suave and sophisticated there's no doubt about that, but never tell Phillip I said that or he'd want to thrash Caydn just for my having those thoughts," she said quietly as if sharing a secret. "But what I saw was a tenderness I don't think any of us have ever seen in Caydn before, the man is one of steel, yet with you he's as pliable as clay," she smiled.

"I think he's just found he can loosen up when he's around me since I ask nothing of him, he actually laughs," Gypsy said with a slight frown, "something told me laughing wasn't something he did with any sort of regularity unless it was sarcastic and domineering," she admitted.

The two women sat on the love seat gossiping, each laughing as Gypsy described how life had been since she'd met Caydn.

The three men sat silently in the study each sipping their brandy watching one another. Caydn caught Christian's smile every so often and wanted to punch the man in the face.

Phillip raised one brow turning to stare at Caydn, "cologne sipping?" he asked trying hard not to laugh.

Caydn pushed back from his desk abruptly, "For cryin' out loud I'm going to strangle Jaz if she doesn't stop sharing everything with you she knows you don't need to know," he almost snarled.

Christian held his hand up stopping his life long friend, "Are you going to tell me that you don't hear that? All those words and thoughts slamming into your mind like they are mine and Phillip's?" he asked watching Caydn closely.

Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, he'd become so use to blocking out Gypsy's thoughts when he didn't want to eavesdrop he'd forgotten how strongly she projected and now Phillip and Christian were being filled in on everything from the minute he and gypsy had met.

"I did mention some of her talents were far superior to those of Jaz and others of the family," he sighed, "I've gotten use to it and block her, so I wasn't being bombarded no," he said looking at Christian.

"As for 'cologne sipping' I'm sure you'll know the whole story any second and realize what she was thinking and know what'd really taken place," he muttered glaring at Phillip as he refilled his glass.

Phillip stood up, beginning pacing the room again glancing at Caydn, "So she's absolutely no idea?" he asked cautiously.

Caydn shook his head, "Not even a shadow," he said, "The only reason I can think of what it was her father's choice due to his marriage, finding out what his wife was really like once he'd married her," he frowned.

"I had the displeasure of meeting the woman once," Christian said with a shutter, "One of the most all around conniving and unpleasant women I've ever met and I tend to like the company of most women," he smiled wickedly.

Caydn frowned at him, "Please keep things like that behind steel walls," he said quietly motioning upstairs. "She can read through blocks like I've never seen anyone, possibly better than some of our own kind," he admitted.

Christian leaned forward in his chair bracing his arm on Caydn's desk looking between the two other men, "Should I have a talk with her, see how receptive she might be to learning the truth?" he asked seriously.

"You'll stay the hell away from her," Caydn growled the threat apparent instantly.

Phillip rolled his eyes while Christian threw back his head laughing. "I think you should sit this one down Phillip, and explain the trials and tribulations that come with losing ones self to a women like Jazleen and Gypsy," he chuckled when both men glared at him.

"She can't be controlled into anything can she?" Phillip asked his voice sounding strained, "she can also read you even when you've slammed every block you know of or imaginable up am I right?' he asked meeting Caydn's eyes. At the answering nod he ran his hand over his face, "welcome to the world of finding your true soul mate," he dropped his head with a chuckle.

Caydn felt an odd feeling of panic in his chest. It took him a second to realize that it wasn't his but Gypsy's, he knew instantly she was picking up thoughts, she was becoming panicked as well as confused.

Phillip held up his hand motioning for them to stop, Jaz had let him know what ever they were discussing was making Gypsy begin to shake, her hands were trembling, and the look in her eyes was fear. Caydn stepped into the hallway as Jaz and Gypsy appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Caydn I think the three of us will call it an evening and head to the guest house, so you and Gypsy can relax after your evening out and the excitement of our arrival," she said with a smile linking her fingers with Gypsy's tugging her down the stairs with her, as Phillip and Christian stepped from the study.

"I'll see if Caydn will loan me one of his cars so I can go into town, giving you two love birds sometime alone before retiring," he laughed catching the keys Caydn pulled from his pocket tossing them toward him. With a bow he turned, walking toward the kitchen the sound of the door closing behind him.

"I wanted to discuss some of the people we met earlier and fill you in on some details if your up to it Gypsy?" Caydn said stepping to her side pulling her against him casually while Jazleen walked over taking Phillips arm.

Jaz waved to them as Phillip turned and started toward the kitchen. "I'm sure we'll see you tomorrow Gypsy I promised momma I'd spend some time with you since she's been so busy with poppa," she said with a wink glancing at Caydn who rolled his eyes.

They stood there for a minute listening to the silence now that everyone was gone. Turning he took her in his arms pulling her against his chest despite the stiffness of her body.

"You made a wonderful impression at the party tonight you should be proud of yourself, when the phone doesn't stop ringing with women wanting a piece of your time and your designs don't complain to me," he chuckled his chin resting against her hair.

Running his hands along her back he heard her sigh, feeling her body relax a bit. Grinning he slipped his hands up her back to the delicate zipper that held the bodice of her shirt in place. With a twist of his wrist he unzipped it laughing when she gasped loudly dropping her arms to her sides holding it just as it started to fall.

"What in the hell did you do that for?" she looked up at him her heart skipped a beat seeing the heat in his eyes when they traveled over the cleavage threatening to be exposed.

"I thought since we're alone you might still be up for that midnight swim, correct me if I'm wrong but that isn't made for swimming," he winked at her brushing his knuckles along her throat. The feel of the rich pounding beneath his fingers causing his cock to harden and throb with renewed hunger and desire. "I was also testing to see if I still had some of that 'influence' over you I had earlier," he chuckled to cover his groan of need.

"Maybe it's to late for that," he said his voice strained, stepping back a few inches, "You might want to get some sleep so you're ready to get to business in the morning, I think I'll do a little work then get some rest."

She looked at him carefully, "Caydn what's wrong? You've looked pale all evening now even more so, have you eaten?" she asked putting her hand on his arm.

He felt as if her hand was burning him he wanted her so badly. Clearing his throat he met her eyes, "I grabbed something but only a substitute," he admitted, "don't worry about me, I'll give Christian a call and ask if he can pick me up something when he's on his way back," he smiled.

She nodded, "Okay, well I'm exhausted for some reason tonight I think it might be your odd company and me being so use to being alone," she said turning to walk up stairs, "Thank you for tonight," she said quietly, up closing her door behind her gently.

Caydn ran his hand through his hair fighting the urge to follow her. Turning he walked toward the back of the house. Closing the door behind him quietly, he heard Christian's chuckle.

"I could feel your hunger earlier. When're you ever going to learn there's nothing like the real thing to keep you going?" he asked, pulling a long nail across his wrist offering it to Caydn who accepted the gift from his childhood friend gratefully.

Sealing the slice, no mark remaining when he finished he stepped back meeting Christian's eyes. "You met her and you knew about her but you walked away why?" he asked quietly.

Leaning against the brick wall, Christian shrugged, "She had 'you' written all over her my friend. I knew that eventually she'd find her way her or you to her when the time was right. There are some thing's even I wouldn't do and that's mess with another man's mate especially that of a friend," he said seriously.

Caydn groaned slightly, "Something tells me before this is over I'm going to be begging you to be wrong," he laughed, "thank you , I didn't have time earlier, at the party I wasn't comfortable enough to step away from her even long enough to feed," he admitted.

Christian chuckled, "This'll be fun to watch you, might want to plan on my being around even after Phillip and Jazleen go back to Paris," he said turning walking toward the garage with a wave. "If I like the neighborhood I might even buy an estate like this lovely little place you have here," he laughed.