For the first time in her career, she’d hated being a part of the Hollywood crowd.
She apologized to him all the way back to her place. She’d had one glass of wine to see her through the evening, or she might have asked him to take her to get her car out of the secure studio lot where they’d left it for the night.
But she’d always had a very strong, unbendable rule. She did not ever get behind the wheel after consuming any amount of alcohol.
Mike had sipped water all through dinner. She planned to pour him a shot of bourbon the second they got home.
“Are you okay?” she finally asked when he kept shrugging off her apologies.
“Yes.”
“You don’t seem okay at all.”
He glanced at her. Then back to the road. Coming to a stop at a light, he turned her way again. “Don’t you feel even a little awkward with me staying at your place tonight?”
It made perfect sense to her. “People stay at my place often after an evening out. I’m centrally located. Look, we’re just blocks from home.”
The car moved forward again. “I’m not people, Kace.”
She grinned. “No, I actually know you well and am glad you’re staying.”
“You aren’t glad when others stay?”
He was confusing her again. “Of course I’m fine with it. But...that’s like, the party thing. So people don’t drive drunk. But you...it’s more like a sleepover with my best friend.”
And if she kept telling herself that, over and over again, would it squelch this crazy sense of finding him so masculinely delicious? What was with her all of a sudden?
He was frowning. She needed to get out of her own life for a second and look into his. She should free him up to go home. She could easily call a cab to the studio in the morning. She didn’t want him to go, but she wanted to be a real friend even more. A decent human being.
“You can just drop me off, Michael. I’ve left my car in that lot many times. It’s no problem for me to call a car for the morning.” And to make it easy for him. “I know you’ve got Willie at home and it’ll probably be better for him if you take him to school instead of Diane. And you’ve got work—”
“I’ve got an appointment here in LA in the morning. I’d have been driving in anyway,” he told her, shooting down the easy out she was giving him.
But she was worried about him. About the odd tension emanating from him.
Not that she blamed him. She’d been shocked and sickened by those in her circle who were so shallow that they stared at Michael’s scars as if they were horrific. One woman—Sammie, someone she’d never met before—had even asked him how it happened.
He’d shrugged her off very politely before Kacey had had a chance to put the woman properly in her place.
“I’m looking forward to having you in my home,” she told him, hoping it would lighten his load. “I changed the sheets in Lacey’s room. It’s the biggest and has the nicest mattress of all the three guest rooms.”
“You have four bedrooms?”
She nodded. “And a great balcony. I figured we could sit out for a bit, have a drink and watch the people below.”
She grinned at him.
He followed her instruction as she gave him her key card to get into the complex, and then her door opener to access her private garage.
He didn’t immediately pull in.
With the car running but not moving, he turned to her. “You don’t feel awkward about this?”
“No, but since you apparently do, maybe we should talk about it?” She just wanted him inside. With her. Putting his mark on her home, just as he’d done so thoroughly all over her.
“I’m a man, Kace. You’re a beautiful woman...”
He wasn’t used to her lifestyle. She got that. But he wasn’t a prude, either. He was telling her something important.
She wasn’t ready to pay attention.
“At the moment I appear to be a frigid beautiful woman, remember?”
He turned off the car.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
IT WAS A good idea, sitting out on the balcony, which was more like a lovely little room off the kitchen that just happened to have an open wall that looked over the city below. There was even a carpet beneath his shoes. He’d never seen indoor-outdoor carpeting in lavender before.
And he’d never seen anything as strikingly beautiful as Kacey Hamilton looked to him that night. She’d changed out of her dress into a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved fleece shirt—a short one, and figure hugging, but it covered the sliver of skin that so often showed at her midriff.
She might think that there was no danger in them spending the night together. Even in separate bedrooms. But he knew better.
He’d definitely fallen in lust with her, but there was no way that he’d act on the feelings. He’d die before he’d betray Kacey.
He also couldn’t quit pretending to himself. She’d changed out of Doria’s clothes, taken off Doria’s makeup, and he wanted her even more. Probably always had. But until Doria had opened the door, he’d never allowed temptation inside.
And there was always the chance that his desire was only on overdrive because he was in LA. Because he’d been posing as her date. He’d had a hard night and she’d helped. He’d seen her, in person, in that dress. Smelled her flowery scent. Been so close to her warmth.
Had her clinging to his arm.
Whispering in his ear...
“Sara tells me that Willie has befriended a couple of younger kids at the Stand,” he said into the quiet that had fallen between them as they sat and contemplated the night. She’d poured herself a second glass of wine and said something about being safe to do so since her mentor was there—a guarantee that she wouldn’t overindulge.
He was indulging in a shot of bourbon. Only one. He had to be able to trust himself completely.
And drive if he had to get the hell out of there.
“He has? Oh, Michael, that’s so great. Just what we were hoping for!”
We. Damn, that sounded good. We as in him and her?
“Do you know who?” she asked before he could formulate his next great conversation starter.
He’d taken off his jacket and tie but was still wearing his tux pants and white shirt. He had only brought sleep pants plus a suit for the morning.
“Joel and Miguel,” The ten-and twelve-year-old boys had both been at the Stand for more than a month. “Neither of them were joining in activities. Just hanging close to their moms, watching over them. Miguel has a couple of little sisters, too.”
Kacey nodded. “His mom is Juanita, right? She’s in my class.”
“Right.” He nodded. “I think you have Joel’s mom, too. Molly Rayne.”
She nodded. Smiled. Laid her head back. Her wineglass, held in both hands, rested on her stomach.
He didn’t let his gaze dwell there.
“Sara tells me that Willie’s been talking to them,” he said, “and this week got them both to shoot some hoops with him.”
“I didn’t know Willie played basketball.”
“He doesn’t, as far as I know, but apparently they aren’t allowed to play video games at the Stand. Too much violence.”
“Not in all of them.”
“In any of the ones boys that age would want to play.”
Turning her head, she looked lazily over at him. Those slumberous eyes gave him another kick. “What about the games you and Willie play? After everything that’s happened, don’t you think the violence is maybe not good for him?”
He shook his head. “We play world-building games. Think of that classic board game of Life, on steroids, in 3-D, with consequences for every move you make, and with a million more pieces, and you can play without your oppon
ent.”
She nodded. Smiled again. He wasn’t sure she had any idea what he was talking about. But before he could elaborate, she said, “I’m so glad Willie’s helping them. I’m so glad you kept having faith in him, Michael.”
He shrugged. Not quite ready to relax on that front, either. Willie hadn’t graduated yet.
He sipped his bourbon. Felt the light breeze. It was April and staying warmer in the evenings.
He could smell her perfume even now. She’d washed off the makeup, let down her hair, and looked even more beautiful to him.
He had to quit thinking about her looks. Let his body recover from the shock. There was still a chance he could get through this. That it would go away.
He didn’t want to lose her.
Wouldn’t lose her.
Even if his intense attraction to her didn’t diminish, he could and would control himself. He loved her for who she was. Needed her as a friend.
They’d get by this, as soon as he knew what this really was—a one-night stand, or a more permanent affliction?
“Who are you meeting with tomorrow?” she asked. And that got him, too. They sounded like a married couple, enjoying a nightcap before retiring to their bed. A couple who loved each other and naturally shared the details of their lives.
As he had the thought, it occurred to him that in some aspects, he wasn’t that far off. Erase the going-to-bed-together part, the married-couple part, and what he loved about him and Kacey was real.
Good.
The caring and sharing about the details of each other’s lives.
She’d opened this new world to him. He didn’t have to guard his thoughts and feelings from her. She wouldn’t judge or use well-meant intention to interfere or try to run his life.
“I’m meeting with an FBI agent friend of mine,” he said. To discuss a case he couldn’t tell her about—a recent hacking of a national chain that could have ties to Russia or China.
And that brought him to something else. “You know there could be another altered photo of you on the internet after tonight? The photographer seems to turn up any time you’re out in public.”
She hadn’t been out since the attack.
She frowned. “I purposely haven’t asked, but you were supposed to hear back about the surveillance footage from the coffee shop. I know you’d have said if there was anything pertinent, and now that there’s been a formal investigation opened you can’t speak freely, but...what can you tell me? Did they find anything?”
He’d been waiting for her to ask, glad to let it go because he had nothing but frustration to pass along to her.
“It took a while for the warrant, but the police got the tapes. They were able to look at exact time stamps since we already knew when the bogus accounts had been set up using your email address. Three of the computers were being used at the time in question, but someone was standing right in front the camera. All you see is someone’s back and shoulders in a black T-shirt.”
She looked at him, her brows drawn together. “And he probably isn’t even the person we’re looking for.”
“They already know he’s not. The camera showed him climb down from a ladder. He works at the café and had been changing a lightbulb.”
“You think that’s just a coincidence? Maybe he did it on purpose?”
Mike shook his head. “If this was a television show, sure, that might be the case. But here it’s just a guy changing a lightbulb. The police have talked to him.”
“What about the times when the photos were posted? Did they check the footage for those times, too?”
He nodded. “The café was closed for all of them. The room is dark.”
“The cameras were on then?”
“Yes, and you can see the computers enough to know they’re unoccupied.” He was patient with her questions. He understood them. And the frustration that prompted them. They were questions he’d already asked himself.
“So...maybe whoever set up the accounts saw the guy changing lightbulbs and purposely chose that time to set up the accounts, at least.”
“It’s possible.” He bowed his head toward her and then took another sip.
“There’s nothing more on the creeps at the beach, either,” she said and shivered. “I think I’m ready to go inside.”
* * *
MICHAEL STOOD IN the living room of her condo, nearly empty glass in hand. He filled her space.
With himself. His essence. His kindness.
With exactly what she needed in that moment.
“Bo always seemed to take up space in here,” she said aloud.
“Have you heard from him?”
“Yeah. Pretty much every day. He’s convinced that I just need time to process what happened, to get over it, as he says, and wants me to know that he isn’t going to hold me to the breakup. He wants me to know he’s waiting for me.”
Michael’s frown almost made her smile. It was so great to have a champion. And such a big, strong, smart one at that. “What did you say?”
“That I didn’t want him to wait. That I was sure I’d made the right decision.”
“And are you sure?”
It was just a little past ten. The night was young.
She sat down on the couch. Tucked her feet up beside her butt. “Completely,” she said. “I think I’d known for a while that I didn’t love him and wasn’t going to love him, but I loved how he really tried to support my life change. I think that was what I was clinging to.” That and the fact that he fit her type—pretty Hollywood boys who were all wrong for her.
Setting his glass on the coffee table, Michael sat down on the other end of the couch. On the edge. His elbows on his widespread knees as though he was ready to push off.
She wasn’t ready to go to bed. To have her sleepover end so soon.
“We should do more of this,” she told him. “Like, when you’re in town on business, you should come here for dinner. Or you can even stay over when you have early-morning meetings.” Why hadn’t she thought of that before? “I can give you a key...”
He pulled his head back slightly, and she realized that what she’d said could seem a bit of a shock. Except that she and Lacey had been opening their home to friends ever since they’d had one...
And then she realized something else. She’d just offered him a key after refusing to give one to Bo.
Without any trepidation at all.
He looked at her for too long. She couldn’t figure out what he was searching for but hoped he found it. He had nothing to fear from her. Or worry about, either. If he didn’t ever want to be seen with her in Beverly Hills again, if being with someone whose very presence drew attention was too much for him, that was okay. They’d continue to meet in private. Or at Little’s. She was his friend for life.
When he shook his head, she started to worry. He seemed to have reached a decision and he didn’t look happy.
He looked like he was going to leave. And she didn’t know why.
For the first time that evening, Kacey was afraid.
* * *
MICHAEL WAS SO busy focusing on his need to get away from Kacey for a few minutes so he could quit thinking about how sexy she looked and get back on track that he failed to miss the change in her.
“What’s wrong?” she said.
There was fear in her voice.
He turned to her immediately. “Nothing,” It was the first thing that came to mind. Nothing that mattered. Nothing that needed to make her the least bit uncomfortable. “Seriously, Kace, everything’s fine.”
As soon as he had a chance to let his momentary physical discomfort subside, he’d be fine.
“Don’t lie to me, Michael. Please.”
He looked her right in the eye. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to take flight? If you don’t want to be here, you just have to say so. We’re good that way, right?”
“Right.” Now what in the hell was he supposed to do? Take flight? Or stay? How could he tell her that he wanted to leave when that was the last thing he wanted to do?
“You want to turn in?” If he could just get to her sister’s bedroom...read some news on his phone...unwind from the crazy night...
Her frown didn’t bode well. For either of them.
“If you aren’t going to tell me what’s going on, then maybe you should go.”
No! Not like that. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
“Kace...”
“I mean it, Michael. Either you’re honest with me or I don’t want you here.”
He stood. She was probably right. It was best that he go. But when he looked at her and she immediately closed her eyes, he knew that to leave then would be an admission that he wasn’t willing to be honest with her.
And without honesty, their odd relationship was nothing but a sham.
He sat. Scrambled for a way out.
“I’m a man, Kace.” The words were asinine. Ludicrous.
But when she grinned, he wondered if he might just get to bed without mishap.
She was still curled up on herself as she said, “I hate to break it to you, but I figured that one out a while back.” Her expression sobered. But she was open to him. Meeting his gaze. He couldn’t give her cause to shut him out again.
“You’re a beautiful woman.” Hell, man, get the hell out of this.
“Okay.” She was watching him. And he knew the second that realization dawned. Her eyes grew wide. “You’re trying to tell me you have the hots for me?”
She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t recoil, either.
Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he’d thought. Yeah, this could still be fine. “I am trying, somewhat desperately, not to tell you.”
She watched him, lips pursed. Her silence went on too long.
“I swear, Kace, I haven’t been ogling you all this time. Until tonight it was only fleeting moments. And then gone. It’s not like I want to act on it. I don’t. At all.” He put all the conviction he could into those words.
Her Secret Life Page 20