by Parker, Ali
Once again, he had that passionate tone in his voice. The car pulled to a stop in front of a massive building. “Where are we?”
“It’s the Eretz Israel Museum,” he announced.
I shook my head. I was unfamiliar with the name. “It’s huge.”
“It is. It is a full day. Are you up for it?”
“I am.”
He led me inside, paying the entrance fee for us both. “I came here and knew I was in love.”
“In love?” I questioned.
“With history. I love this place. I love how much the people care about their history. Their passion for their culture and preserving their history inspired me. At first, I wasn’t sure if archeology was an honest business.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, looking at a map that outlined Israel’s long history.
“I had a professor that made it very clear he was worried people were digging up history for the wrong reasons. Honestly, I probably was one of those people. I knew there was money in the artifacts and antiques. The professor’s entire class was a very long lecture about preserving and respecting the history.”
I smiled, looking up at him. “You were lucky to find such a wise professor.”
“I was.”
“Is that why you have museums instead of antique shops?”
He nodded. “It is. Don’t get me wrong. I do sell but I like to think I’m selling to the right people. I want to preserve history. Sadly, with every generation, the past slips away. I like doing my part to make sure it isn’t forgotten. I like finding the stories and passing them along.”
“How do you know the stories are accurate?” I questioned.
He laughed. “I don’t know but I like to think I’m giving a fairly accurate depiction of what a tool was used for. When someone looks at a tool, they see a tool. How boring is that? I want them to look at that tool and imagine the person that used it and how they used it in their daily life. Why they used it and stuff like that.”
I sighed. “I could seriously listen to you all day. I wish you would do webinars or something like that. You are truly inspiring.”
“Thank you. You’re too kind.”
“I’m serious. Your passion is refreshing. It’s why people flock to your museums. I don’t know if I share your passion, but I envy you for it.”
He led me around the first building. “You make your living selling antiques. You can’t tell me you don’t like it a little bit. You grew up in the business.”
“I do like it,” I told him. “I think I would like it more if Patrick enjoyed what we did. He just goes through the motions. It isn’t what he really wants to do with his life.”
Tyson chuckled. “He doesn’t want to be an antique dealer when he grows up?”
“No, definitely not.”
“Why did he take over the business? Why not let your dad sell it?”
I sighed, shaking my head. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think it just kind of happened. Patrick worked with him, and then one day, it was like my dad just didn’t work there anymore and Patrick did. Things got a little dicey and Patrick ended up making it all legal to become the official owner.”
We stopped walking. He looked at me. “Dicey? Are your parents healthy?”
I smirked. “No. But that is their choice.” I moved on to the next display. I was not going to ruin a perfect trip by talking about them.
“How is Patrick?” he asked. “Like how is he really?”
“He’s good. I don’t mean to make it sound like he is miserable. We get along great and the business is doing okay. Things could always be worse. Some days are better than others.”
“I think that is true of anybody,” he answered.
I looked over at him and smiled. The big guy had a soft side. A very soft side. He was reading a plaque, his attention focused elsewhere. I studied him. My eyes drifted over his body. I was still so curious about the tattoos that were now completely hidden under the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing. He had a very beachy vibe going with the loose-fitting white shirt and the beige cargo pants.
He turned and caught me staring at him. I smiled, earning a smoldering look from him. “Hungry?” he asked.
I wasn’t sure if it was a serious question or if he was teasing me. I licked my lips and nodded. “I am.” I was very hungry. For him.
“There is a restaurant here,” he said, his voice huskier than usual.
I nodded and followed him. I could feel the tension between us. We had been doing the same dance for too long. Every sense was heightened. My skin felt too tight. His masculine smell and his voice were making me crazy.
“Get a grip,” I muttered under my breath.
He turned to look at me. “What?”
My eyes widened when I realized I had actually said it aloud. “Nothing. I was talking to myself.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
Five minutes later, we were enjoying a light lunch. I watched people mill about the area. The massive space attracted locals and tourists of all ages. I needed to focus on them to keep my mind off Tyson. “Do you visit here every time you come?” I asked.
“No. I stop in once in a while to see what’s new, but I don’t usually have the time.”
I nodded. “Because you are always on the hunt for the next big thing.”
“Yes. I try and make every trip count and will usually visit a number of my regular dealers before heading home.”
“I see.”
“Are you okay?” he asked, staring into my eyes.
“I’m fine. Maybe a little jet-lagged.”
“Why don’t we go back to the hotel and rest a bit before we go to dinner?” he suggested.
As much as I was enjoying the sightseeing, I was exhausted. I blamed him. The tension between us was exhausting. It was difficult to keep it on the down-low. I was fighting an inner war and needed to keep what I was feeling subdued. If he got the idea I was lusting after him, it could make things awkward. I wanted to enjoy the trip without that weirdness between us.
“I think that sounds like a great idea. Are there any more places or people you need to see while we are here?”
He shrugged. “Not really. This is one Alec set up for me. Alec was supposed to be here, but he had something come up at the last minute. He is usually the guy everyone reaches out to. When they hear he is around, they reach out. Unfortunately, it’s just me and I will admit I have not made a lot of contacts.”
“I’m sure people must know you and who you are,” I said.
“Yes, but I am not quite as outgoing as Alec. He has a way of talking to people that I have not quite mastered.”
I laughed. “He’s a schmoozer. He’s your public-relations man?”
“Basically, yes,” he said with a laugh. “He gets the hookups and then calls me in when it’s time to make a deal. I guess I’m going to have to figure out how to be more personable or I’m not going to be getting anything new.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s quitting,” he said. The way he said it told me he was far more upset than he was letting on. “It’s just going to be me for a while.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of people in the field who would love to work for you,” I told him. I was not one of them. I could not work for him. I wasn’t sure if that was what he was hinting at, but it wasn’t going to be me. I was not going to further complicate our situation.
“I will start the hunt when I get back. He just told me a couple of days ago.”
I felt bad for the guy. He was putting on a brave face, but I could see he was genuinely bummed about the idea of losing his buddy. We finished our lunch before checking out a few more buildings on the massive spread of property dedicated to the history of Israel. The car was waiting for us when we emerged from the building, ready to take us back to the hotel.
“I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” he said as we stood in front of my door.
“That works for me,” I answered. “I think I’ll take
advantage of that beautiful soaking tub.”
I saw a flash of heat in his eyes and felt a little better knowing I wasn’t the only one affected by whatever it was between us. “I’ll see you then,” he grunted and walked away.
I fumbled with the card key and pushed the door open. I released the breath I had swallowed when he looked at me with pure, unadulterated desire. I dropped the key on the dresser and stopped when I saw a dress laid out on the bed. I turned to look around, a little confused about how it got there. I noticed the note lying on top of the royal-blue dress.
I picked it up. “Thank you for your help this afternoon.”
I didn’t have to wonder who it was from. I smiled and picked up the dress, walking to the mirror to hold it in front of me. It was made of a light fabric with open sleeves and a loose bodice. The dress fell mid-thigh and was pretty and flirty and perfect for a date night. The man had good taste. I couldn’t wait to wear it for him.
First, I needed a luxurious soak in the tub before I put on anything that pretty. I laid the dress back on the bed and walked into the bathroom. I was still smiling. I felt pampered.
I wanted to make sure I did the beautiful dress justice. It exposed plenty of skin, which I wanted silky smooth—just in case he touched me. I opened the basket of beauty products and dumped in the bubble bath before sinking into the fragrant water and letting my imagination run wild.
Chapter 16
Tyson
I straightened the jacket, running the lint brush over my shoulders before taking one last look in the mirror. I was looking forward to taking her out on a real date. In all the time I had known her, we had never done the date thing. We had done plenty of other stuff but not a date. I wanted to wine and dine her. I shouldn’t want that, but I did.
I hoped she was ready. I was dying to see her in the dress. It had been one of those spur of the moment things. She wanted dinner and I wanted to take her out and show her a good time. I had sent a quick message to the concierge, and within an hour, I was sent several pictures of different dresses. The blue one spoke to me. It was perfect for her.
I knocked on her door, feeling like a nervous teen on prom night. When she opened it, my breath whooshed from my lungs.
“Hi,” she said with that smile that could make me hard in an instant.
“Hi,” I managed to get out. “Wow.”
She grinned. “I was just putting my earrings on.”
“You look amazing,” I said.
She did a little twirl, the skirt clinging to her thighs and the open sleeves floating around her as she moved. “Thank you for this. I don’t want to know how you knew my size, but this dress is gorgeous.”
I nodded, counting to ten over and over to quiet my racing libido. “It’s perfect on you.”
She walked into the bathroom and I found myself staring at her as she leaned forward to put on the little diamond-studded earrings. I was enthralled with her. She dropped her hands and turned to face me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, my mouth suddenly very dry. I was actually feeling a little lightheaded. The blood from my brain flowed south. My throbbing cock was robbing my brain of oxygen. “Yes,” I whispered. “Good.”
She smiled again and stepped out of the bathroom, brushing by me as she walked to the small table and grabbed her purse. Her perfume floated around me. I inhaled through my nose, pulling the scent deep into my soul. I caught her watching me and realized I probably looked like a total creep with my raging hard-on, my eyes closed, and what I imagined was a stupid grin on my face.
I quickly pulled my shit together before I made a total ass of myself. “Ready?”
“I am.”
I moved out of the way and let her pass in front of me to go out the door. I took the opportunity to check out her ass in the skirt that lovingly clung to her perfectly round ass. I was going to be suffering from the worst case of blue balls in recorded history. Buying the dress for her might have been a mistake. It was torture to see her and not be able to touch her.
We were seated at a quiet table away from the wrap-around bar where the majority of diners ate their dinners. I wasn’t interested in sharing my date with anyone. I wanted her all to myself. I ordered appetizers and a fine wine before settling in and focusing my attention on her.
“I want you to do the talking tonight,” I told her.
She raised an eyebrow. “Don’t I always talk?”
“I talk and you listen. I want to know more about you and your life. You know about me and what I do and what I love.”
She smiled. “But you are so much more interesting than I am. You have this whole exciting life and I’m just boring old me.”
“You are not boring. I know the parents are a sore subject, but are you still in touch with them?”
She pulled a face. “I don’t not talk to them, but we are certainly not sitting down to any family dinners or spending the holidays together. They are there, in the same house, doing what they do.”
I nodded, seeing the discomfort the subject caused her. I didn’t want to spoil the evening. “Didn’t you have a little sister?”
She laughed. “Yes, we do. She’s not so little anymore. She’s thirteen.”
“Wow. I can’t believe you have a little sister. Like really little.”
“I do. Actually, she lives with me now.”
I froze. “What? Really?”
She took a long drink from her wineglass. I could tell there was a story behind the statement and hoped she would feel comfortable telling me.
“Like I said, my parents are not good. Mom has hit the pills pretty hard and I suspect she has graduated to other drugs. Dad crawled into the bottle a long time ago. He spends his days drunk, drinking, or passed out. Patrick and I have tried to get them help. We have taken Hayden from them numerous times, but they also sober up for a minute and promise to get better. They have threatened to call the police and charge us with kidnapping if we kept her away from them. We didn’t want Hayden getting thrown into foster care, so we just kind of stepped back.”
“I’m sorry,” I said for lack of anything better to say.
“I went by the house a few weeks ago and I just had enough. I asked Hayden to pack a bag and I took her home. She doesn’t want to go back, and I won’t let her go back. I’ve let my parents know I will have their asses thrown in jail if they try anything. I think deep down they both realize they are not fit. I think they love Hayden, but they are both sick and cannot give her the love and attention she needs.”
“Wow. That is a lot. Where is she now?”
“She’s staying with my friend Carrie for now.”
I slowly nodded. “And Patrick is on board with you taking in Hayden?”
“Absolutely. He’s been helping out. We took her shopping and he stops by to have dinner with us when he can. She is a really good kid. I don’t know how she is so well adjusted, given what she has lived with her whole life. I’m just hoping I can help her and not mess up.”
I smiled at her. “You are a good person. You are kind and generous and there is no way you could screw her up. Just be you and I’m sure it will all work out just fine.”
She laughed. “I hope you are right. Most parents get to raise a kid from the ground up. They get practice and experience and they have a bond that will carry through the teenage years, which I’ve heard are the worst.”
“You weren’t a terrible teen.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t a great teen either. My mother used to tell me I drove my father to drinking.”
“No. Don’t ever take that blame. If anything, I would blame Patrick.” It was a joke, and thankfully, she took it as one. We both laughed. “Me and Patrick. We did get up to no good.”
“Yes, you guys did, and you often dragged me into your delinquent behavior.”
“Only because you wouldn’t leave us alone,” I shot back.
She giggled. “I was curious. I wanted to be a bad girl.”
“You could never be a
bad girl.”
“But I had fun trying.”
Our appetizers were delivered. We each tried a sampling of the various foods before I needed to know more about her. I wanted to know every detail of her life. “How long have you lived in the Chestnut Hill area?”
“Oh gosh, about four years. I was lucky enough to get my apartment before my building became one of the trendy places to live. I have a two bedroom right now, but I think if Hayden stays with me, I might look around for a townhouse or something with a little more room.”
“If she stays with you?” I questioned.
She shrugged. “I worry I might do something that will want to make her leave. I got her out of my parents’ clutches, but I worry she may fall in with the wrong crowd. I want her to stay with me, but I also know the reality is she might choose to go back. Patrick has also offered for her to stay with him.”
“Why do you think you’ll do something?”
“Because I’m a worrywart, it turns out. I’m probably nagging her to death. I’m supposed to be a big sister, not her mother. I don’t want to completely ruin our relationship by blurring those roles. If she gets pissed at me or thinks I am being too bossy, she might decide to leave, and what could I really say about it? It’s a very strange dynamic. I can’t ground her. I can’t punish her. Not that she needs that, but I’m sure there are going to be situations in the future. I’m rambling. I’m making no sense.”
“Hey, you are making perfect sense,” I assured her. “You have a lot on your plate and you are the type of person who likes to be perfect.”
“Exactly!” she exclaimed. “I’m hard on myself and I’m afraid I’m going to be too hard on her.”
“You will guide her, and when you push too hard, she’ll tell you. I think you are worrying about something that might not ever happen. Like you said, she’s a good kid. She’s probably so grateful to be out of that house, she isn’t going to do anything to jeopardize her relationship with you. Don’t let her walk all over you but don’t be too hard.”
She scoffed. “Easier said than done.”