Holiday Loves
Page 55
When I didn’t answer, he stomped across the room and grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around. “If you ever tell anyone I helped you tie your tie, I’ll make sure the world knows you cried like a bitch the first time you rode the Texas Giant.”
Slapping his hand away when he was about to pull the knot tight, I turned back to the mirror. “That roller coaster is a beast. And I was twelve. Don’t forget to mention that when you relate the story.”
Grabbing a magazine, Logan dropped onto the bed. “Whatever.”
When I noticed he was settling in, I snorted. “So, what, you’re just going to hang out here all night?”
“I hate to break it to you, dude. But if you’re going through this much trouble to catch this chick’s eye, she ain’t going to be following you back to your room.”
Though I feared he was right, I’d never admit it. I shot him a self-assured smile. “You never know.”
* * *
Tipping my chin to the bartender, I held up my glass for a refill. My third. He smiled and nodded.
While I waited for my Jack and Coke, my gaze flicked to the mirror above the bar. From my vantage point, I could see anyone who walked through the door without looking like I was waiting around. Pathetically. In a coat and tie.
I tugged at my collar as a curvy brunette slid onto the stool next to me. Our eyes met briefly in the reflection and I smiled.
She must’ve liked what she saw, because she inched closer. And when the bartender ambled over to get her drink order, she said, “Whatever he’s having.”
He grabbed the bottle of Jack from the shelf, stealing glances at the two of us while he fixed her cocktail. I’m sure he’d seen this ritual play out a hundred times. Daily.
After she got her drink, and gulped half the contents, the brunette turned to face me. She crossed her legs, revealing the lace at the top of her black, thigh high stocking. It was kind of cliché. But I was intrigued. With my tats covered and my long hair combed back in a respectable fashion, I looked like an average guy, stopping in for a drink after work.
“I’m Tiffany.”
“Cameron.”
When I made no attempt to further our conversation, Tiffany surveyed the room. She looked kind of sad. Or bored. Like she’d done this a thousand times, and she was over it.
Finding no other hot prospects, she turned her attention back to me. “So, Cameron…are you waiting for someone?”
“Not really,” I said truthfully, my gaze sliding to the door.
“Are you from around here?”
“Austin. Just here for the week.”
When music floated from the piano in the corner, Tiffany sealed her lips around her straw, looking forlorn as couples paired off, heading for the dance floor. I felt a little bad. Not that I wanted to take the chick up to my room, but since we were both here a conversation wouldn’t kill me. Just as I opened my mouth to make small talk, a guy slid onto the barstool on the other side of Tiffany. We exchanged glances, his brow arching as he angled his head towards her. I shrugged, in the universal “go for it, she ain’t with me” gesture, and then looked away.
The mystery man proceeded to chat Tiffany up, offering to buy her next drink. Ratcheting up her enthusiasm, she sprinkled in a little laughter. But it was as fake as her smile. If this is what the singles scene was like for your average Joe, I wasn’t missing anything.
And what the fuck was I doing here anyway?
I was on my feet, about to close out my tab, when a prickle of awareness washed over me. I didn’t have to turn to know Lily was there. It was like I could sense her. Feel her under my skin.
Reclaiming my seat, I watched as Greg led Lily to a table in the corner, his hand at the small of her back. She slid a hip onto the high stool, then looked around, confusion lining her brow when our eyes met in the mirror. I don’t know what I was expecting, but fifteen minutes later and Lily hadn’t so much as smiled at me. Though, I did see her eyeing me over the rim of her glass more than once.
Time to go.
Pulling the tie loose from my collar, I cast one last look in Lily’s direction. Greg had scooted several inches closer to her, and she didn’t seem thrilled by his proximity. When his hand landed on hers, she jumped to her feet like a scalded hound. Her lips moved a mile a minute as she backed away. His ass rose from the seat, but she turned and dashed for the bathroom before he could stand up.
Maybe the four drinks had clouded my judgment. Or those damn blue eyes that had sought me out the moment she walked in. But I followed Lily into the dimly lit hallway. Propping myself against the wall, I waited outside the ladies’ room like a desperate stalker.
* * *
Leaning against the door in the bathroom stall, I stared at the ceiling while Tess wrapped up her “I told you so” speech.
When she paused to take a breath, I seized control of the conversation. “I’m not s-stupid, Tess. I flat out asked Greg if this was a date. He said it was strictly business. And he’s my boss. I c-couldn’t just refuse.”
A frustrated sigh from my best friend. “Why? Because it wouldn’t be polite?” When I said nothing, she added, “That’s your mother talking, Lily.”
She was right. Sort of. Unlike me, my mother had ready-made excuses on the tip of her tongue for every occasion, so she never would have gotten herself into this mess to begin with. And if she did, she’d suffer through with no complaint. Abigail Tennison was nothing if not polite. To the people that mattered, that is. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the club.
“Just come home,” Tessa said through a yawn. “It’s late.”
It wasn’t. But Tess worked two part-time jobs and carried a full load at SMU. If she had a spare moment, she spent it tucked in her bed.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Dropping my phone into my purse, I slipped out of the stall. Under the harsh lights, the little crease between my brows looked more pronounced. It always popped out when I was nervous. Or concentrating. My mother had tried to convince me to get Botox, but I didn’t see the point.
Sighing, I applied a coat of lip gloss and then headed for the door.
My eyes bugged when I stepped into the hallway and came face to face with Cameron Knight. He’d been at the bar since Greg and I had arrived. And given the way he was dressed, I figured he was meeting someone.
“C-Cameron… what are you d-doing here?”
I sucked in a breath as he pushed off the wall and closed the small gap between us. “Waiting for you.”
“B-but…”
It was hard enough to form words under the best of circumstances. But with Cameron so close that I could feel the heat pouring off his body, and count every golden fleck in his hazel eyes, I was done. So I pressed my lips together and blinked at him.
“Come on now, you’ve been staring at me all night.”
What the hell?
Even if it were true, what kind of arrogant jackass would point it out? My cheeks went up in flames I could feel all the way to my hairline. “I was n-not.”
I brushed past him but before I made it two steps, he caught my arm. His grip was light. Barely there. And I could easily shake him loose. But I didn’t even try.
“You were,” he insisted, dipping his head to speak close to my ear. “I don’t mind, though. How’s your date going with Greg?”
Slanting my gaze to his, I frowned. “Awful. He keeps trying to touch me.”
He rocked back, chuckling. But his eyes flashed with irritation. “He wants to do more than that.”
Suddenly, I recalled Cameron and Greg at the table in the cafe this morning. And my stomach dropped to my toes. “Did he say something to you? About m-me?”
He cocked his head. “He didn’t have to, Lily. You’re beautiful.” His gaze drifted to my lips. “And smart. And funny.”
Drawn by some unseen force, I inched forward. He smelled like… freedom. Something wild. And unfamiliar. I wanted to taste him.
As if he could read my mind, he took a s
tep back. Just a foot, but it might as well have been the Grand Canyon.
Looking uncomfortable, Cameron raked a hand through his hair. “I better get going. I’ve got an early wake-up call.”
Seconds passed while I tried to force the words from that place they always got stuck. But I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded.
Following Cameron out of the small alcove, I spotted Greg and, squaring my shoulders, I prepared to make the long trek across the lounge. Flinching when a warm hand closed around mine, I jerked my gaze to Cameron, who looked as surprised as I felt by the contact. “What are you doing?” I asked.
His eyes darted to Greg, but instead of answering, he pulled me toward the exit. “Come on. Let’s go.”
I glanced over my shoulder at my boss as Cameron hustled me out the door. Any other time and I might have been trying to force a protest past my lips. But not now. It wasn’t until we were under the bright lights in the lobby that the spell was broken.
Skidding to a stop, I blurted, “I’m n-not going to your r-room with you, Cameron.”
A smile curved his lips. Not the seductive kind. Amused. I froze when he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I don’t remember asking you, darlin’.” He winked. “I’m just going to walk you to your car, if that’s okay.”
The knot in my stomach uncoiled, but then I thought of Greg. “I really s-should go back.”
Cameron laced our fingers. “Nah. He’ll get the hint. Jerk shouldn’t have been putting his hands on you to begin with.”
Good point.
Cameron didn’t wait for my reply before maneuvering us out of the revolving door. A rush of cold air hit my face and I took in a big breath, relaxing for the first time all night. Stealing a glance at Cameron as we walked, I found him staring straight ahead, his brows turned inward.
“I can take it f-from here,” I said.
But when I tried to pull my hand away he tightened his grip as if that were his answer. Luckily, I’d parked close to the entrance.
“This is me,” I said when we reached the bumper of my old Honda.
Shock flashed across his features as he glanced over the peeling paint and dented body. My back stiffened in defense. Until he smiled. “Nice car.” To his credit, he managed to keep a straight face when he said it.
“Thanks.”
I meant it sincerely. The bucket of bolts was the first thing I’d ever purchased on my own. With money that didn’t come from my parents. I’d even given her a name—Bianca.
Cameron hovered behind me while I shoved the key into the lock. The button on my fob was just for decoration, since the automatic locks had never worked.
He held the door as I slipped behind the wheel. “Are you sure this thing is safe?”
Laughing, I turned the key and the car spluttered to life. “I’m sure.”
Looking totally unconvinced, he rocked back on his heels. I gave him a little wave as I pulled out of my spot.
Chancing a peek in the rearview mirror before I turned onto the tree line road, I was surprised to find Cameron rooted to his spot beside the empty parking space. And even from a half a football field away, I could tell he was smiling.
* * *
I fell asleep thinking about Lily, which led to vivid dreams about soft lips and cornflower blue eyes, and a raging hard-on when I woke. An ice cold shower didn’t help. Two hours in the gym, running until I was ready to puke, barely took the edge off.
Now I was fatigued and horny. And late.
Standing at the front desk, I raked a hand through my hair.
“So, you’re telling me there isn’t a limo available—” I said in a carefully measured tone, my gaze drifting to the clerk’s gold name tag, “—Brandy?”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Knight,” she squeaked, “I don’t know what happened. Chloe booked our last limo for Mr. Cage.”
“Do you have any idea when they’ll be back?”
Brandy’s hand shook slightly as she punched in the number on the house phone. “Let me check.”
Shit. I wasn’t my father. Acting like an entitled asshole wasn’t going to get me to the radio station any faster.
“No worries, darlin’.” I gave her an easy smile. “Can you call me a cab? I’ve got an appointment at a radio station in Addison.”
Nodding, she held up a finger and turned her back to whisper into the phone.
Fuck. If I didn’t get out of here soon, I’d have to reschedule the interview with Wendy.
Pulling out my cell, I hit Logan’s number.
Music blared in the background when he picked up. “Yeah?”
“Where are you?” I snapped. “You took the last limo, and I’ve got that fucking interview with Wendy.”
He laughed. “On my way to the Omni to pick up my shit, and then Chloe is going to show me what passes for live music here in Big D.”
I rolled my eyes. Maybe we weren’t familiar with the city, but the music scene was a different story. Deep Ellum was home to at least a dozen live music hot spots, and Caged had played most of them over the years.
“Really, dude? Doesn’t that chick know who you are?”
Logan kept up the farce. “Deep Ellum is supposed to be kickin’. You should head out there later.”
“Maybe I would, if I had a ride.” Giving up, I shook my head. “Just stay out of The Prophet, okay? Tracy’s bouncer boyfriend is still looking to separate your head from your shoulders.”
It had been almost a year since we’d played that gig, but the 250-pound gorilla bouncer wasn’t likely to forget walking in on Logan and his bartender girlfriend half-naked in the dressing room.
“Loosen up, bro.”
“I’m fine,” I said with a scowl. “Ain’t no bounty on my head. Hey, pick up my stuff when you’re at the Omni. I’m probably going to get a cab to the interview.”
My mouth went dry when Lily rounded the corner, wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a sweater that barely covered her midriff. Her pink Converse sneakers squeaked on the stone floor as she walked toward me.
“I’ve gotta go.”
Ending the call, I slid the phone into my pocket and looked her up and down. A hint of color stained her lips. And wisps of hair fell out of her loose bun, begging me to pull the whole mess down and run my hands through it.
“Where are you headed?” Lily asked as she slid her sunglasses onto the bridge of her nose.
“A radio interview in Addison. I’m waiting on a cab.”
“No n-need. I’ll drive you.” Biting her lip, she glanced at her watch. “We b-better get out of here before traffic gets t-too heavy.”
“Are you volunteering to be my chauffeur?”
“Actually, I am.” Turning on her heel, she glanced over her shoulder. “Are you c-coming?”
Peeling my boots from the floor, I followed her out of the lobby.
“Lily, stop.” I grabbed her arm as she trotted toward the parking lot. “That’s really not necessary.”
I was already having serious doubts about the package I’d booked. My instinct was to offer it as a promotional giveaway at one of my interviews. The thought of wasting $10K made me want to hurl. But the vision of walking around a museum with my dick hard enough to cut diamonds was worse.
Lily sighed in frustration. “B-Brandy called me. It’s my f-fault. It’s the middle of the week, and I didn’t have a car service on s-standby. T-Two limos are usually sufficient, but Chloe b-booked one, and a group of businessmen took the other for a g-golf outing. I-I’m s-sorry…” Cringing, she fumbled for the words, the crease on her brow getting deeper by the second.
“Don’t worry about it.” I reached for a strand of hair that had tangled in her lip gloss. “I’m fine taking a cab.”
“N-no.”
The effort it took for her to get that one word out left her so damned flustered, I had the urge to sweep her into my arms and give her a hug. A genuine hug—not the kind that led to ripping her clothes off.
“P-please.” She lo
oked up at me. “L-Let me do t-this. I’m really s-sorry about the mix-up.”
The more wound up she got, the more her speech fragmented. The tug in my chest only added to the urge to comfort her. It was…unexpected. Blowing out a breath, I slipped on my sunglasses to hide my eyes.
“Sure thing. Lead the way.”
She brightened immediately, breathing an audible sigh. “You’ve seen my car, right?” Looking at me out of the corner of her eye, she gauged my reaction. “So you know it’s a little r-rough.”
“I can handle it.”
“G-good.” Moving ahead of me, she hustled to the driver’s side of the Honda. It looked much worse in the light of day. “Let me unlock the door.” Grinning, she jangled her keys. “No automatic l-locks.”
Sliding behind the wheel, she reached over and yanked the knob on the passenger door. Between the hinges creaking when I pulled it open and popping as it shut, I was actively worried. The beater didn’t look like it would make it out of the parking lot, let alone across town.
“Not w-what you’re used to, huh?” Lily raised her voice over the roar of the engine.
It was more than a roar. It was a cry for help. As in, please put me the fuck out of my misery.
“Not lately.”
“No disparaging remarks about Bianca.” She patted the dashboard. “She’s older than dirt, but she’s paid for, and she’s reliable as hell.”
I quirked a brow at her. “I don’t suppose Bianca has a GPS.”
“They d-didn’t even have GPS when Bianca came off the line.” Suppressing a laugh, she pulled her phone from her pocket and tossed it to me. “Press the m-map on the home screen; I’ve already p-programmed the address.”
Lily bobbed her head to the radio playing quietly in the background as we pulled onto the freeway. When she started to sing, my attraction turned to near frenzy. The girl was going to be the death of me, and we’d had all of five conversations. Six if you counted her hanging up on me. Desperate, I looked around for a distraction.
“What are those?” I pointed to the two large portfolios and several sketchpads in the backseat.