Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Christine Merrill

  The man held both hands up. “Excuse me—I thought...”

  “I know what you thought, and if you think it again I’ll smash your face.”

  “Lorenzo, it’s okay.” Evelyn took Lorenzo’s arm to keep him from pummeling the man. She turned her ire on the man. “If he says anything else to dishonor me, I’ll punch him myself.”

  That made Lorenzo laugh. Evelyn was relieved. She didn’t want Lorenzo to get into a fight because of her—not tonight. She had other things in mind for his hands.

  The stranger turned and walked away.

  The elevator doors opened and the operator asked, “Did you have a nice time at the fundraiser, Mr. De Luca? Miss Laroque?”

  “Yes, we did,” Lorenzo said as he guided Evelyn onto the elevator.

  When the gate opened to the sixth floor, Evelyn held on to Lorenzo. The crystal sconces that lined the walls next to each door glittered like ice, causing her to close her eyes.

  Lorenzo opened her door for her. He took Evelyn’s hand and led her down the hall to her bedroom. His touch sent a shiver up her spine. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of him.

  “Do you need anything before I go?” Lorenzo turned to face her.

  Evelyn fell silent. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She stared into his gray-green eyes of steel and reached up to kiss him. The kiss was hesitant. Lorenzo was holding back.

  “Stay with me,” Evelyn said against his lips.

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and took a step back from her. “Evelyn, you’ve had a traumatic night. I don’t want you to make a choice you will regret.”

  “I won’t regret being with you. I don’t want to be alone after everything that’s happened.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Lorenzo

  Lorenzo stared down into Evelyn’s golden eyes. Her full pink lips called to him. His mouth watered at the idea of having her tonight, but he cared too much for her to let her make a decision she might regret later. It would kill him if she regretted being intimate with him again. He had to know she was sure.

  The floral smell in her bedroom made Lorenzo’s head spin a little. He took a deep breath, trying to muster the courage to do the right thing, the noble thing.

  “I know what I want, Lorenzo. I’ve always been very decisive. And right now what I want is you. After what we accomplished tonight I can’t imagine anything I want more than to be with you right now.”

  Evelyn let her cape drop to the floor. She stepped out of her heels and closed the distance between them. Her hands were in his hair and her lips pressed firmly against his before he could think what to do or say.

  Their tongues intertwined and Lorenzo caressed her round bottom. His desire throbbed painfully in his pants. But this was not why he’d brought her to her apartment.

  He pulled away from her again.

  He didn’t want to leave her. But he didn’t feel right about going back to the fundraiser without her. He would spend the night on the couch, watching her to make sure she was okay.

  “I can stay with you,” Lorenzo said. “Let me make a call.” He walked over to the gold and white phone. “Tell Jeb to handle things for me.”

  After Lorenzo had hung up the phone, he went to the radio and turned it on.

  “Dance with me?” He took Evelyn’s hand and pulled her to her feet.

  She fit so perfectly in his arms. Her soft skin had him transfixed. He wanted to hold her forever. He knew that if he rejected her he would push her away, so he needed to figure out a way to show her how much he wanted her without going all the way.

  He wanted a future with her, not one night.

  The realization that she’d gotten into his heart took his breath away. He tried to take slow, steady breaths as they danced. Her soft hair brushed against his chin as she nestled into his neck.

  “You’re such a mystery, Mr. De Luca.”

  Lorenzo laughed. “Please don’t call me that. That’s my father’s name.”

  Evelyn laughed. “Your father is intense.”

  “Your grandmother is intense.”

  Evelyn laughed again. “Yes, she is.”

  The musical sound of her laughter filled the air and made Lorenzo smile. “Aren’t you worried about what people will say if we both don’t return to the fundraiser?” he asked.

  Evelyn held on to Lorenzo tighter. “For the first time in my life, I don’t care what people are going to say about my choices.”

  “I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea,” he said. “You’re important to me. This...whatever this is between us...is important to me.”

  “Then we have to be strong. Choosing each other is not going to be the easy choice.”

  Evelyn was wise beyond her years. And she’d waltzed into Lorenzo’s life and completely changed everything.

  About an hour later, a knock on the door stirred Lorenzo and Evelyn from their reverie. They’d been dancing and talking. When Lorenzo opened the door, Jerry stood there with two trays of dessert—one for Lorenzo and the other for Evelyn.

  “Cook asked me to bring this up. I hope I’ve gotten everything you will need, sir.”

  “I’m sure you did, Jerry. Thank you for your help.”

  Lorenzo closed the door, ignoring Jerry’s arched brow. He would worry about explaining spending the night with Evelyn in the morning, when he was sure Dred, Jeb and Tommy would have lots of questions about how he’d spent the rest of his evening.

  “Here you go.” Lorenzo walked back into the room and placed Evelyn’s tray on the table.

  Evelyn took the lid off. “Oh, Lorenzo, you shouldn’t have.” She took her finger and dipped it into the chocolate mousse.

  “I had this made just for you. I didn’t want you to miss out on it.”

  Evelyn walked over to Lorenzo and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you, so much. This night has been wonderful.”

  “Even though you drank strong liquor and a man thought you were a night worker?” Lorenzo said with amusement in his voice.

  “Yes.”

  Evelyn reached up and kissed Lorenzo, softly at first. Lorenzo picked her up in his arms, careful not to break their kiss, walking to her room. He laid her on the bed. He took off her gloves and kissed each of her hands. He slowly unpinned her hair and ran his fingers through it.

  Evelyn pushed Lorenzo’s jacket from his shoulders. He took it off and let it fall to the floor. She unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it down his arms. It fell on top of his jacket. Lorenzo leaned in and kissed Evelyn’s chin, then her slender neck, before making his way to her collarbone.

  “Evelyn,” he said against her skin. “I don’t know if I can be this close to you and not be with you.”

  “Then be with me,” she said as she breathed out.

  Low moans escaped her mouth as Lorenzo kissed her delicate skin and he decided, in that moment, that being with her was the only thing that mattered.

  He would do what he had to do to keep her safe. If that meant involving his family to make sure Evelyn was safe from the KKK, then that was what he would do.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Evelyn

  Evelyn lay with her back against Lorenzo’s chest. He’d taken her dress off and disrobed himself. He was warm...her body fit with his so perfectly.

  He kissed her shoulder. “What are you thinking about?”

  “You,” Evelyn said sleepily.

  “What about me?” He held her tighter.

  “How wonderful you’ve been to me. You’ve helped me make my dream of being a professional singer come true. You’ve shown me that I can trust again. You’re everything I thought didn’t exist for me anymore.”

  “You’re more than I deserve, Evelyn, but I promise to work hard to be worthy of you.”

  “There is something I want you to do for me,” Evelyn s
aid.

  “Anything.” Lorenzo kissed her shoulder again.

  “I want you to stop being so hard on yourself. I want you to stop thinking I’m too good for you. We are right for each other and our pasts don’t matter. All that matters is what is ahead for us.”

  “Okay.”

  Being held by Lorenzo in the soft linen of the bed lured Evelyn into a deep sleep...

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Lorenzo

  The light cascaded into the room, lighting the chandelier above the bed as if it were on fire. Lorenzo rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t felt happiness like this in so many years. He had to hold Evelyn tight just to make sure she was real.

  Her hair was splayed across the pillow and over his chest. She had so much hair... Lorenzo just wanted to run his fingers through it all day. He kissed her neck and shoulders until she started to stir. They’d slept for several hours since their intimate encounter.

  “Good morning.” Evelyn turned on her back, smiling.

  Lorenzo got up on his elbow and said, “Good morning to you too.” He moved some hair out of her face.

  “I guess we have to go back to reality now.” Evelyn’s long lashes brushed against her cheeks.

  “I guess so. Are you ready to go back?”

  “No, I’d rather stay here with you.”

  She pulled him to her and kissed him. He started to get excited again.

  The knock at the door alarmed them both.

  Lorenzo rolled his eyes. Why couldn’t they just be left alone?

  “Who is it?” Lorenzo called out.

  The knock sounded again.

  Lorenzo got out of the bed and Evelyn pulled the covers up around her. Lorenzo put on his pants and shirt. He walked to the door.

  Opening the door, he sighed. “Mother, what are you doing here? How’d you know where to find me?”

  “Son, you are one of the most important people in the world to me. I will always know how to find you.”

  She walked past Lorenzo into Evelyn’s apartment.

  Evelyn came in, She had quickly pinned her hair up and away from her face. She looked amazing in a pink lounge outfit.

  Evelyn’s eyebrows arched and her lips pursed. “Good morning, Mrs. De Luca. It is nice to meet you.”

  Lorenzo ran his hands through his hair, frustrated that his mother and his father had shown up unannounced. He loved his mother dearly, but he needed this time to be with Evelyn alone.

  Evelyn’s phone rang and Lorenzo answered. “Hello.”

  “Where the hell have you been?” Dred’s anger exploded through the phone.

  “Where did you look? What do you need?”

  “We need you here—now. Unless you no longer care that the KKK is on the fence about whether to trust you or kill you. The cross-burning last night was their final warning.”

  “Of course I care, but I needed one night away. I’m coming down now. Meet me in my office in an hour.” Lorenzo hung up. Then he called Cook and ordered food for Evelyn.

  “Lorenzo, can we talk?” his mother said.

  Evelyn said, “I’m going to go get dressed. Take all the time you need.” She left Lorenzo alone with his mother.

  “Have a seat, Mamma.”

  Lorenzo sat next to his mother on the sofa.

  “I came to tell you that I think you should take Evelyn and leave the city. Your father is on a rampage against the Ricci family again, after hearing what almost happened the other night. Now the KKK are ramping themselves up to come against you too, if you don’t follow through and join them. I worry for you. I worry for Evelyn.”

  “Thank you, Mamma. Evelyn’s safety is the only thing that matters. And I have a plan. I’m going to call Father later, to let him know how we’re going to handle this. Now, you have to go. I’ll call you later.”

  Lorenzo ushered his mother to the door, kissing her on both cheeks before she left.

  When Evelyn had finished in the bathroom and opened the door, the smell of lavender and fresh laundry wafted through the air. Evelyn’s hair was now pinned into loose waves that fell to her shoulders, and her camel sweater and pants looked elegant on her. Her cheeks had the slightest rose-colored tint to match her full lips. Her lashes looked as long and curly as ever.

  Lorenzo couldn’t believe how gorgeous this dame was. She had a glow about her...like she was always bathed in sunlight.

  “Something wrong?” Her brows creased.

  “No, I’m sorry. You’re just...beautiful. And I can’t believe I got to wake up next to you this morning.” The words fell from Lorenzo’s lips before he could think better of them. He shouldn’t show all his cards, or she’d have him wrapped around her finger.

  “Thank you.”

  Lorenzo picked up the pants and dress shirt that had Jerry delivered while Evelyn got dressed. He had carefully folded Lorenzo’s clothes, so they wouldn’t be wrinkled.

  “I’ll be right back,” Lorenzo said, and walked into the bathroom. He wanted to kiss Evelyn, but feared he wouldn’t be able to stop.

  Their food arrived while Lorenzo was showering. When he opened the door to the bathroom, the smell of bacon hit him like the most delicious pile of bricks.

  “You clean up nicely yourself, Mr. De Luca. I mean, Lorenzo.” Evelyn’s smile lit the room.

  “Thank you.” Lorenzo walked over to the table by the window, where Evelyn sat, and picked up a piece of bacon. “About last night, Evelyn... You aren’t having regrets now that the sun is shining, are you?”

  “No—are you?”

  Lorenzo knelt in front of her and took her gloved hands in his. “No, last night was amazing. The best nights of my life have been with you. I don’t want this to end, but...”

  “But what?” Evelyn said.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Evelyn

  After several more seconds of silence, Lorenzo said, “I want to be with you, Evelyn, but I think it would be too dangerous for us to be together. I’m not good for you—not like that. You’ll get hurt being around me, and now that your singing career is taking off maybe you should consider leaving Blues Moon.”

  Evelyn wasn’t sure what she’d expected Lorenzo to say, wanted him to say, but that was not it.

  “Are you ill? I hardly call being asked to sing at one baseball game my career taking off. Blues Moon is what’s made this possible. If you ask me to leave, I’ll have to start completely over.”

  “I’ll give you a great reference. I know other speakeasy owners. There’s a club on the other side of West Eden in Colorado. I think you would like it. The owner and I went to school together. He’s a good guy.”

  “It sounds like you’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

  Evelyn feared the worst—that all her thoughts about him using her to live out a fantasy of being with a Black woman were true. That she’d managed to let another White man steal something from her.

  The pain of Greenwood rushed forward like it never had before.

  “No, I just think you getting as far away from me as you can would be best.”

  Lorenzo was clasping his hands in his lap so hard, his veins showed through his light skin. Evelyn could tell he was hiding something.

  “Lorenzo, you can’t do this to me again.” Tears clouded Evelyn’s vision.

  “I’m just trying to...to do what’s right.”

  “What’s right? You make love to me and then you send me away? You can’t think that’s right.”

  Lorenzo didn’t respond. He swallowed hard and stared straight ahead.

  A sob escaped Evelyn’s throat. She covered her face with her hands. He’d done exactly what she’d feared. He’d played her...used her. Her grand was right. Evelyn was nothing more than an exotic fantasy for Lorenzo. He’d got what he wanted and now he was disposing of her, hiding his little secret.
/>   “How could you?” she said, barely above a whisper.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Lorenzo

  The words burned like acid in Lorenzo’s throat. He didn’t want to tell Evelyn to leave, but he loved her too much to let her get hurt. He couldn’t be honest with her about the KKK because he knew she would stay. She was stubborn, and fearless, and if she knew what was really going on she would insist on staying by his side. That simple fact made Lorenzo love her even more.

  He was torn up inside, listening to her cry and being the reason for her tears. He’d hurt her so much. He should have exhibited more self-control with her. He shouldn’t have allowed himself to believe for a moment that he could be with her. He’d been selfish, and now she was hurting because of his inability to stay away from her.

  He stood just as the sun shone brightly through the windows of her apartment. It was the perfect metaphor for their relationship. It had shone so brightly, if only for a moment in time, and now it would fall behind the clouds of time...the inevitable fate of their burning romance.

  Lorenzo walked toward the door. “I want you to know that I care about you, and I just want you to be happy. I think it would be best for you to visit the club in Colorado as soon as possible. I know my friend will hire you on the spot.”

  Evelyn stared at Lorenzo in a way that made his heart stop. Anger shadowed her features, but something else was there...the pain that she always carried with her. Lorenzo hadn’t seen it in a while, but it was back in the downcast shadows of her eyes and the dimming of her gold irises.

  “I’ll figure out where to go. I just need a few days, and then I’ll be gone forever. You won’t have to worry about me any longer.”

  She tried to move past him. Lorenzo grabbed her arm, barely holding on to his resolve to go through with this. It was killing him. A piece of his heart was being ripped from his chest with each word he said to push her away. If he hadn’t worked so hard for so many years to use restraint where his emotions were concerned, he would have broken down right in front of her.