Torn

by T. N. King

  He seemed agitated and had placed a hand in a fist along his hip as he spoke.

  She turned back around.

  “Ellie, I apologize,” he said as he came and stood next to her. “I thought I might have more time here today, but it turns out, I have to drive back to New York immediately.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  He shook his head. “It’s my fault, really. I never called my secretary yesterday after my meeting with the Yamato group to have her send them over the contract. I’d told them they’d have it before the close of business. They’re very particular about these kinds of things.”

  Ellie nodded as she kept up with his story trying to look like she understood it.

  “Anyway, they’re there now at my office signing the contract but they want me to sign it before they head back to Japan. Technically, I can sign it whenever, but it’s one of those things,” he said and waved his hand in the air.

  “So, can’t you just fly there?”

  Morgan grinned. “Yeah, but I drove down, so I’ll be driving back. I can be a jerk, too.” He smiled. “They can wait a few hours.”

  Ellie put a hand up to her mouth and giggled.

  Morgan chuckled. “So, did you drive here?” he asked her.

  She laughed and shook her head. “No.”

  “Well, let me get my driver to take you back home. It’s the least I can do for this huge inconvenience.”

  “No,” she said. “It’s fine. I can get back alright.”

  “Nonsense,” he insisted. “Come on. I’ll walk you down and see you off.”

  How could she possibly say no, now?

  She grabbed her purse and he held the door for her. He really did seem like the perfect guy, she thought. And now he was leaving Philly. It surprised her to feel a little pang in her chest as they rode the elevator down together. She tried to engrave him into her memory while he spoke on his phone to his driver. This would be the end of her little fantasy. Look out real and dismal world coming up at the next stop. She pushed the sentiment away. You knew this all day. So, why be a baby about it?

  They stepped off of the elevator then headed out of the lobby and all the way down the sleek grey stone walk to the curb.

  “My driver is parked across the street over there,” he said and pointed to a black limousine parked at the curb.

  Ellie, still trying to capture every feature on his face in her memory, nodded and stepped off the curb but was immediately swooped up into Morgan’s embrace as a truck sped past, nearly hitting her.

  “Whoa!” Morgan exclaimed. “You okay?”

  He held her tight against his chest—so tight, that Ellie could hear his heart thump loudly in her ear. She breathed in his cologne and savored the feel of his polo over his muscular body. “Yeah,” she whispered and slowly peeled herself away from his embrace to see what happened.

  “You gotta be careful,” he said and gazed down at her, still holding her close.

  “Yeah,” she agreed, slightly dazed, but not from the near death experience.

  She looked up at him and noticed that he blocked the sunlight behind him, which again caused a halo effect, just like it did the first time they met. Her angel. Dammit, he just had to be perfect and right before he said goodbye And…he had rescued her, again.

  “Not sure if I should leave now,” he joked and offered her a smile that made the dimple appear in his cheek again.

  She wished he would stay and protect her forever, but shook her head. “That’s silly. I just wasn’t paying attention. I’m sure I can get home just fine.” She gently pushed him away to prove that she could walk across a street on her own and, after looking both ways, stepped off the curb. She turned to wave goodbye at him.

  Morgan waved bye back and his grin was huge. As if he felt proud, she’d gotten there without great peril.

  In the limo, Ellie gave the driver the address to her apartment and slunk back in her seat. Her excitement waned. It suddenly felt like she’d been riding sky high, then plummeted back down to earth. She shook herself. I did it. Spent the morning with him. Braved that world and spent some time with a great guy. It should be enough. More than she’d gotten in years. She felt like crying for some reason but couldn’t exactly explain why.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Morgan

  The drive back to New York just seemed long and dull after having had such a wonderful start to his day, but Morgan felt happy to be done with the whole Yamato situation. He always felt good at the close of a deal. Then he would set his sights on the next goal. The next achievement. Somehow though, he felt a loss, like he hadn’t achieved anything. Where the hell had this feeling come from? It was foreign to him, for sure.

  He arrived in time to sign the contract in front of them, apologized for his little mess-up, and drove them, himself, to the airport, so they could catch their flight back to Tokyo. He even treated them to a celebratory drink at one of the classier bars outside of the terminal. Once again, he managed to successfully, close the deal.

  He wished he’d of been able to have more time to do that with Ellie. Yes, this was what he’d felt the loss of. Incredible! He never felt like this before and over a woman, no less.

  Then to make matters even worse, he was planning on driving back to Philadelphia the same day and maybe inviting her out for dinner, but his personal assistant reminded him that he had an important board meeting in the morning here in New York. Then after that, there was some other event he had to attend.

  He combed a hand through his hair and sighed as he drove back to his mansion in Lake Placid. It looked like it would be a few days before he could get back to Ellie. Morgan cursed himself for allowing his sudden obsession with her to mess up his usually smooth business acumen. He definitely needed to find a way to just quench his thirst for her and then rip her from his mind.

  And dammit all—he still managed to forget to get that girl’s phone number—again.

  Morgan arrived early to his board meeting in the conference room at Hunt Headquarters the next morning. It had been that reoccurring dream that had him up so early today. For two nights in a row, he’d had it. It had been focused on Ellie, of course. She was with him in his suite in Philly and she was dressed in a glimmering evening gown. She seemed shy, and he had to pull her out of it. She was so dammed sweet when she smiled. He knew he wanted her and just simply told her so. Next, they were in his bedroom and he ripped that gown from her. She seemed to not really bat an eye at his roughness. She seemed to revel in it, in fact. He had her in bed and begging for it. He shoved into her and it felt like heaven. Though, he burned inside as he couldn’t get enough.

  Hanging onto him, she whimpered and just the sound made him pound her all the harder. Then she was crying. Suddenly, the bed caught fire and the room was engulfed in flames. He knew he had to get her out, he got up to look for an exit, and when he turned back, the bed was gone. It had burned up in a second. There were nothing but ashes, and that photo of her dad that she’d risked her life to get was laying atop the ashes.

  Morgan awoke sweating bullets. He couldn’t understand it. A wet dream that ended in fire? Was it all because he’d pulled her from a fire, saving her, only to then plan an elaborate seduction, simply to have her, use her and leave her?

  He got up and headed to the shower, only he didn’t know if it would be a hot shower or cold one.

  Dammit, he’d never been so conflicted when it came to seduction. What the hell was this guilt part?

  Now, here he sat waiting for the members to come in. He was even more revved up to get back to her. He hoped the other members would agree with him to rush through and get it over with. It wasn’t like there was any new business to discuss. They only needed to go through the motions to satisfy the board’s monthly meeting criteria.

  The sooner he got done with this, the sooner he could get back to Philadelphia. He’d already left a message with his assistant to cancel anything else he had scheduled for the next couple of days. He’d also
arranged for a construction crew to start working immediately on the diner, so he had a legitimate business type excuse to go back. Yes, he’d been on that whole endeavor last night. He had people on it already.

  The first board member to arrive after him was his good buddy and golf partner, Chance Givens.

  “Morgan,” he said with a smile and extended a handshake. “Has it been a month already?”

  Morgan looked up from his laptop and smiled. “Chance. I guess it has.” He stood to shake his hand and offer his friend the seat next to him.

  “You’re here early,” Chance noted.

  “Yeah,” Morgan agreed. “I just kind of want to make my appearance and then—disappear for the next few days.”

  “Got big plans, huh?”

  “Kind of,” Morgan said as he returned to his laptop. Something big planned with a little woman that seemed to loom large in his mind. Visions kept appearing in his mind of her face when he finally entered her after having her beg him to do so. He shoved away the erotic fantasy. BIG plans.

  “Do tell,” Chance urged and leaned in close to see what Morgan was doing.

  Morgan minimized his screen and swiveled his chair around to face him. “Oh, you know, just a business opportunity I’ve discovered in good ole’ Philly.” He folded his hands and rested them on his abs as he reclined a bit in his seat.

  “Business opportunity, huh?” Chance looked doubtful, he knew him better than most

  “Yeah,” Morgan continued. “An old diner burned down earlier this week. I’ve donated the materials and labor to fix it. Might open up some doors in that area. I’m going down there today to check it out.”

  “An old diner, huh?” Chance regarded him with a suspicious glance. “Sounds like there might be more to it,” he added and raised a brow at him.

  Morgan shrugged. “There’s always something more to it.”

  Chance laughed. “If I know you, I bet there’s a girl down there that you’re trying to impress.”

  Morgan chuckled. “Do you really think I need to try to impress anyone, Chance?”

  “I suppose $4.2 billion does most of that for you, huh?”

  Morgan scowled. Chance was a longtime friend. They regularly joked with each other about everything, but this last comment left a sour taste in Morgan’s mouth. It wasn’t his money that Ellie was impressed with, was it? And why should he care? After all, he only wanted to have sex with her. Or so, he tried to convince himself. Just get a taste and be satiated, right? Before he had time to respond to Chance’s observations, two more board members arrived with coffee and donuts.

  So what? Even if it were his money that impressed her, he’d still be able to seal the deal with her and have her in his bed tomorrow night at the latest. Then he could go back to focusing on business. Morgan returned his thoughts to his plans for his date with Ellie.

  Ellie

  He was so close that she could see his smile. Her skin tingled and she felt more beautiful than she ever had. She stood in front of Morgan wearing not a stitch.

  He circled her and grabbed her ass cheeks with both hands.

  The feeling was so decadent, she almost came right then. She caught his scent and it made her breathless.

  He reached around her and grasped her breasts, playing with her nipples.

  She felt so wet and he had just started.

  “Do you want me,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  He then walked her to his large bed and laid her down.

  Gazing up, she felt excited to see him without his suit, anticipating a fine body above her. Blinking her eyes, all she saw was that some silhouette the day he’d saved her. Light lit up around him and his face was obscured. What the…?

  “I’m sorry but I cannot stay,” he said as a fire loomed behind him.

  Panicked, she tried to warn him of the flames at his back, but he never saw them.

  As if they were alive, the flames roared up and covered him.

  “NO!” Ellie screamed as she bolted up in her bed, in her apartment. Her breathing was heavy and she instantly felt the stickiness between her thighs. A wet dream and fire? Him catching fire? Why? Was it that he had been nothing but kind and had saved her, all while she lusted after him and thought about how rich he was? Guilt? “Dammit!” she yelled and got out of bed.

  She stood in her room, panting. A fantasy turned nightmare. She headed to her shower, hoping to wash away the stickiness and the feeling that she should not have lusted after the man who’d save her life.

  She needed a job. If she didn’t do something, the thought of Morgan was going to eat her up alive.

  Apparently, the damage to the diner wasn’t as bad as it looked and Joanna had called Ellie a few days after the fire to let her know that she could come back to work soon. Relief was the only word that could describe how Ellie felt and she couldn’t wait to go back because, since her date with Morgan, she’d done nothing but think about him. Then her search for a temporary job hadn’t turned up a thing. She needed something to take her mind off of things and she needed to start paying some bills, which were rapidly piling up.

  Joanna told her she could come over right now, to help set up and said she could even pay her an hourly rate for the day if she did.

  “Yes!” Ellie said into her phone as she shot up from her bed.

  Joanna explained that part of the back where the lockers were was still undergoing minor repairs, but the front was in good working order and they would be ready to open on Friday.

  “I’ll be there,” she’d said. “But how did you manage to make all of the repairs so quickly? I thought an insurance adjuster had to come first and appraise the damages and it hasn’t even been a week.”

  “Some anonymous philanthropist donated the materials and labor out of the blue,” Joanna answered,

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. A work crew showed up here yesterday and started working. I didn’t ask too many questions and just let them work. It would have taken the insurance company weeks probably, to sort everything out and cut a check. Now it’s some rich guy’s tax write-off and I can by-pass all that insurance nonsense. Isn’t that great?”

  Hmm. There was something fishy about this. She just hoped it wasn’t some gangster thing to take over the diner. It’d happened before in the north side. “Yeah,” she said, and agreed to see Joanna shortly, just the same.

  After she got off the phone with her, Ellie rolled off of her bed. She’d been moping for days now and was still in her sleep shirt and shorts at a quarter ‘til noon. It was time to snap out of it. She did some jumping jacks to shake off her sluggishness before heading in to the shower. This would be a great day. She couldn’t sit around and let some fantasy about Morgan swooping in and taking her away from all of her troubles to ruin her life. Then the nightmare and dreams. He was a great guy—sexy and just wonderful—but he was gone and surely wasn’t coming back. Why would he? It was time for her to get back to the real world. Her real world.

  After her shower, she threw on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt, put her hair up in a ponytail, and dug some bus fare out of the change jar on her kitchen counter. After lacing up a comfortable pair of sneakers, she left her little apartment in North Philly and caught the bus that would take her to Center City, where the Liberty Bell Diner was located.

  On the way there, the bus drove by the Hunt Hotel. It was the first time she’d been down this way since her breakfast with Morgan. Ellie sighed, then quickly looked away. Time to move on. Get with the way it really was and try to smile while doing it. Other people had it worse than she did and self pity would get you nothing but more pity. Another thing her dad used to say. She needed to buck it up and keep trying.

  The next stop was where she got off. The diner was only a short walk away from the Hunt Hotel. She’d never been so aware of its presence. Why would she? Not like she could afford to even breathe the air inside the place. She needed to stop thinking about it or him. As she st
epped off the bus, she tried hard to locate Morgan’s balcony from where she stood, but concluded that it was on the opposite side of the building. She drew a deep breath and again, reminded herself that this would be a great day and she needed to forget that balcony. That man, his smile, his beautiful face and that bod. Oh great, now she had a list of the things she would be missing.

  As she walked towards the diner, she realized that the hotel’s towering silhouette would forever remind her of Morgan. She would never be able to go to work without thinking about him.

  “Crap!”

  No matter, because she was being silly. It’s not like there had been anything between them. It was all in her head. He was just a nice guy that treated her to breakfast—and saved her life—twice.

  “Dammit!” So much for this being a great day. She was ruining it herself too. A trap. A circle of his presence making her life brighter. Like she needed him for sunlight or some silly notion.

  Now she would be moody and depressed when she got to the diner. Just what Joanna needed—a moody employee. She tried to shake off the bad vibes because she was rapidly beginning to feel like she should have just stayed home, when she really needed to get back to work.

  When she turned the corner, she saw Joanna talking to a tall, sharply dressed man. She was still too far to see who it was and the man had his back towards her. It was probably some insurance guy or something, she thought, but she didn’t take her eyes off of him. The closer she got, the faster her heart beat. When she was just within feet of them—she knew.

  It was Morgan.

  When she came a little closer, she heard Morgan’s voice as he spoke to Joanna.

  “The crew should be done no later than tomorrow. You should be good to go for Friday,” he said.

  Joanna had a big smile on her face and nodded. When she saw Ellie, she waved her over. “Ellie, come here! I want you to meet our anonymous donor.”

  Morgan turned around and looked as sexy as ever in his dark grey suit and crisp white shirt.

  Ellie felt her cheeks heat up as the first thought to cross her mind was that out of everyone there, only she knew what kind of hot, sexy, body he had under that suit and tie. Only due to his state of undress when he’d first answered his door, and not for the reason most might guess. Her eyes widened when they caught his and she was at a loss for words. No, he sure wasn’t anonymous to her. The man had literally haunted her dreams and her waking thoughts too.