by Taylor Hart
She thought of Cooper and his broken watch. “Time is important. More important than we think.”
Tom nudged her. “Are you okay?”
She thought of how Cooper had just offered her everything she’d ever wanted and how her lies would wreck everything. The lower pit of her stomach started rebelling against the food she just ate. “Tom.”
He grinned. “I’m fine. Let’s just enjoy being together the next couple of days.”
She studied his face for a second then pulled him into a big hug. “I love you, bro.” She closed her eyes.
“I love you too.”
Pulling back, she let out a breath. “I’ve got to do some work. Will you come up to the room and chat with me while I get some things down on paper?”
He hesitated. “Would you mind if I mingle for a bit?”
By the mischievous grin on his face, she knew she couldn’t stop him. She nodded and leaned up to whisper in his ear. “But remember, you’re my boyfriend.”
“Right.” He nodded.
She stepped back. “Come talk to me when you’re done relaxing.”
He winked at her. “Sounds good.”
She moved toward the double doors to the hotel inside the convention center. A warm hand settled on her forearm. “C’mon, London. Since your boyfriend’s taking a turn with someone else, why not take a turn with me?”
The feeling she’d been caught doing something horrible wound through her. “I have a headache.” She couldn’t even look up at Cooper.
Before she could say yes or no, he was tugging her hand into his and leading her to the center of the dance floor. “Just one dance.”
Because he was Cooper Harrison, there were people standing on the edges of their conversation like peasants waiting to get their time with the king. But he didn’t seem to notice.
The song changed into a slow two-step, and Cooper led her smoothly into the steps.
Her heart raced, and the way his eyes stared into hers, as if they could see her soul, left her breathless and wiry. While it was intoxicating to be in his arms, having a bunch of people watch them was annoying.
His facial hair was still that perfect length. His blond hair fell into his face as they twirled. She felt the hardness of his shoulder muscle against her hand.
Cooper surprised her by taking her into a quick turn and then picking her up and twirling her in a circle.
She squealed.
His serious demeanor fell away, and he laughed, but he didn’t say anything, only put her down and continued dancing expertly. The music picked up speed, and Cooper led her into different country dances. Table top. Swing.
She laughed even harder at the way the moves were coming back to her and how good he was at them.
“Why are you laughing?” he asked when he pulled her in close and led her forward in new steps.
London couldn’t get over his soap smell mixed with some cologne she couldn’t identify. His proximity didn’t help her gather her thoughts at all. He was close. So close their breath mixed, and she wanted to kiss him. “I think you’re good, and that surprised me.”
Twirling her out and in again fast, he nodded. “You’re good too.”
The song ended, and country music gave way to some eighties rock. She saw the miniskirt girl standing on the side, watching them. Their eyes connected, and she gave her a look like she would go down fighting her for him if given a chance.
Cooper pulled her in and whispered in her ear. “Tell me the truth, London.”
“What?” She tried to ignore how good it felt to be near him. To smell him. To have his hand on her forearm.
“You can’t dance with me like this and then tell me you don’t feel something.”
Pulling away from him, she shook her head. “I have a headache.”
London found herself running through the crowd of people. Through the lobby. To the stairs, which she took two at a time. And straight into her room.
Sliding the key card in, her heart thrummed in her chest. She opened and closed the door, slamming herself back against it and crumbling down as she slid to the floor. Adrenaline made her whole body quiver.
What was wrong with her?
There was a knock on the door.
Another round of adrenaline shot into her again.
She didn’t move. She didn’t want to talk to Cooper.
“London, are you all right?”
That accent was unmistakable.
“Dante?” She stood, questions whirling through her mind. Even though she really didn’t want to, she cracked the door.
There he stood. All Italian Greek god. He wore gray slacks and a pale blue shirt with an extra button undone. The chest hair display actually worked for him. His model long-on-top hair was in his brown eyes. He looked like he’d been running.
“What are you doing here?”
Putting a finger up, he propped one hand on the frame of the door and sucked in a breath. “You’re fast.”
“You were watching me?” Oh brother, what had he seen? Her mother’s words “All the lies we weave when we practice to deceive” went through her mind.
Catching his breath, he smiled. “I saw it all. I saw you up on the rooftop with the king himself. Then I saw another man.” His brow furrowed. “Then you ran to your room.”
Bewildered and once again embarrassed, she shook her head. “Why were you watching me?”
Letting out a puff of breath and then a laugh, Dante shook his head. He straightened, and a wide smile appeared on his face. “London Bridge, with Rage magazine.” He smiled. “My family owns De Luca, but I work for Men’s Magazine. I know you’re here to scoop the Guru. I want to offer you a chance to scoop him together.”
“What?”
A serious glint fell into his eyes. He put his hand to his chest. “I am the brother trying to make a name for himself in journalism. Once I discovered who you were, I contacted my boss and asked him if we could team up.”
London crossed her room to her phone. When she picked it up she found three texts. Two from Tom and one from Marcia.
Marcia’s said, Call me. We have to talk.
London put her hand to her head. The headache suddenly got worse.
Chapter 12
Still standing on the rooftop, Cooper pulled in long breaths, trying to get back to a Zen state of mind. His thoughts were swimming with confusion and questions. That non-date had been intense, and no matter which way he diced it he liked her. He wanted to help her with her non-profit. He liked the cause, and he knew it was his turn to bring the Junto boys together for a project, but her reaction had perplexed him. He’d thought she would be ecstatic.
Then when the boyfriend showed up, she completely forgot about the cause.
And why wasn’t she down there with her boyfriend?
He watched Tom dancing with a couple of different girls and wanted to punch the guy’s lights out. Blatantly flirting.
Dang, Hunter was rubbing off on him. Letting out a slow breath, he tried to focus his breathing. To calm. To go inside himself and relax.
He was the Guru teaching these techniques. You’d think it would be second nature to him. Normally, it was. But London Bridge. He thought of her lush red lips and the sound of her laughter in the hot tub that first night.
Her blue eyes that sometimes turned topaz when she got excited and passionate about something. It didn’t hurt that she had a natural sleekness and grace about her. The way she moved stirred something inside of him.
Doing the jock thing, he squeezed his water bottle, dropped it, and then stomped on it.
He still had shoes on.
Ouch! Man, what was wrong with him?
Turning away from the edge of the roof, he went toward the sliding glass door that led to his bedroom. He opened it and calm immediately filled him.
His room was his Zen place. Taking off his shoes before entering and holding them in his hands, he went to his closet and changed into his “peace clothes.” Then he stopped next to
his oils and gently added a bit of purification to the center of his head. He needed some purification at the moment.
The oil was intended to open the third eye. To give order and strength to the universe.
Letting his breathing fall into a relaxed state, he focused on a mental image of his Maui home. Of being on the beach in his yoga position, hands raised to the sun, the sound of the waves and the deep penetrating vibration of the earth working through him.
Yes. He was there.
Stretching into the same pose he would do on the beach in Maui if he were really there, he focused on the sun. The smell of the ocean. It always amazed him how, at any moment, he really could transport himself somewhere new.
The powers of the mind were real, and he loved using them to soothe.
Out of nowhere, she was there.
In his mind, she was with him on the beach, sitting next to him and mirroring his yoga position.
In his mind’s eye, he jolted and fell onto his butt and asked her, “How did you get here?”
Scrunching up her face in the snarky way she did, she laughed. “I don’t know, silly. It’s your mind. And we’re doing Pilates, not yoga.’
Flashing his eyes open, he was immediately brought to the present. His heart rate spiked, and he moved back out onto the roof.
It was his mind. Why was she there? He’d never had a woman there.
It seemed ridiculous. He’d been married to Nadia, and she’d never been to his mind beach.
Put off his rhythm, he moved back to the balcony, carefully staying on the tile he’d had put out here for just these times when he was barefoot.
Tom was still dancing and laughing with another woman. Why wasn’t he up in the room with her?
Instantly all his calm Zen was gone, and he clenched his fist.
“What is going on?”
None of it made sense. Her boyfriend shows up. Then he dances with other girls? Obviously, he ticked London off. But why would he be doing this?
Man, maybe London was screwed up. Self-esteem issues or something. Was that why she put up with this?
“If you want things to change, then change things,” Cooper told himself. What was he doing sitting around? Moving quickly, he started down the steps, moved through the dance floor, and entered the convention center lobby. Going to the front desk, he asked for her room number. He would get some answers of his own.
Chapter 13
London stared at Dante and then closed her eyes and shook her head. “I feel sick.” And she did.
Undeterred, he stood his ground. “Let’s work together. Let’s get the scoop on this guy and reveal it all.”
Her headache seemed to be expanding at an exponential rate. At times, when under major stress, she’d been prone to migraines. Putting her hand against her temple, she took a step back into the room. “I have to lie down.”
Dante moved deeper into her room, concern on his features. “Are you okay?”
Sudden nausea hit her, and she retreated toward the bed. “I really need to lie down.”
Dante followed her into the room. “What’s wrong?”
Already lying on the bed, she leaned back, taking care to be gentle with her head. “I get migraines sometimes, and I feel one coming on. Please, just let me lay here for a bit.” It felt weird to have him in the room. “Please leave.”
“I will in a minute.”
“This isn’t right.”
Dante disappeared for a second, and she heard the sound of running water.
She tried to open her eyes, but the pain stabbed into her head, and she fell back. “What are you doing?”
He laid a cold washcloth against her forehead. “Shh. My sister used to get migraines. She said the only thing that helped was a cool rag.”
It did feel delicious, cooling the pain. She hadn’t had a migraine in a long time. It came as no surprise that her physical body was manifesting the pain her spirit was going through.
She remembered as a child her mother always commented on how she knew when London would lie because she always ended up with a fever. Even though London had hated her mother saying it, it had been true.
Her conscience had been very sensitive as a child. Gradually, for good or bad, she’d become more adaptable. But tonight, when Cooper had offered his help, she’d felt sick.
Her mind flashed to the last conversation she’d had with her mother, who’d asked her to just come home and get away from all the “big city nonsense.”
Of course, she’d told her mother she couldn’t do that. Hitting it big time by reporting the hard news had always been important to her. Plus, she wanted to be known as a serious reporter so she could open the eyes of the world to her cause.
However at this moment, she wondered if her mother had been right. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for all this. Her head throbbed.
The truth had to come out, or it would kill her physically. She wasn’t meant to be a spy. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Dante got up, and she could hear the blinds closing.
Music pounded through the walls.
“Where’s your phone?”
“What?”
“I’m going to put on a white noise maker for you to clear out the noise.”
“On the bed.”
“Got it.” She heard Dante rustling.
“Code?”
“4444.”
“You should never use all one number.” His voice was thankfully quiet.
Confusion filled her. “Why are you doing this?”
Dante was near her again. “Because you need help.”
The center of her chest softened. This was not at all what she would have expected from him.
Soft white noise came from her phone. She heard Dante set it on the bedside table. He took the washcloth off of her head. A few seconds later, she heard water running again.
“I can’t team up on the article with you.”
“Shh.” He came back to her and moved to her side, the cool cloth back on her head. “Where are your pills?”
“I’ll get them.”
Gently, he pressed her shoulder down. “Nonsense. Where are they?”
Pointing in the direction of the bathroom, she said, “My toiletries case.” It felt so personal. Having him here. Taking care of her. Going through her toiletries. “Really, please just go.”
But he was already doing it. She heard him in the bathroom. The pain was flaring down her head and into her eye. She’d been through this enough times to know it was a good thing he was here getting her medication before she was completely out of commission.
She heard the sound of water again. Then he was back, gently tugging her up, putting the pill into her mouth, and helping her drink the water.
It should have felt humiliating, but Dante’s tenderness made it bearable.
“I’ll leave now.” She felt him pull away.
“Dante.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, but I’m not working with you.”
“You will.”
The way he said it ticked her off. “No, I won’t.” It hurt to say it that loud.
“Your boss said you would.”
That ticked her off even more. She sat up, and pain stabbed through her head. “Get out!”
For a few seconds, he didn’t respond. Then he looked sad. “Your boss said you would.”
The adrenaline from the anger helped her stay upright. She pointed to the door. “Cooper Harrison is a good man! He doesn’t deserve to be taken down!”
Chapter 14
Cooper got to her door and was about to knock when the door flew open.
The Italian guy from the other day looked him up and down. “Oh.”
He didn’t say anything more. They both stood there, staring at each other. Apparently, they were both surprised.
“What are you doing here?” Cooper demanded.
Dante looked back, and Cooper saw London sitting up in bed with fury on her face. “I was just leaving.”
Dante pushed past him.
Not sure what to do, but feeling like he wanted to belt the guy, Cooper watched him go and then turned back to London. She had gotten off the bed and was rushing toward the bathroom.
“London?”
She ran with one hand over her mouth and the other signaling him to stay where he was.
Moaning and puking sounds came from the bathroom, and he heard the toilet flush.
Immediately, he went for the bathroom door. “Are you okay?”
He heard more throwing up and felt horrible. Had it been the food? He waited, trying to be patient but feeling more and more confused by the whole evening. Honestly, he’d been confused since the last time he’d kissed this woman and she’d told him she had a boyfriend. That was the moment his life had become muddled.
“I’m fine.” London muttered. “Please just go.”
The water faucet turned on then off, and finally, she opened the door.
He stepped back. “Do you want me to get Tom?”
“No.” She frowned and pushed past him. “Why are you here?”
Before he could answer, she stumbled.
He caught her before she fell.
Almost lying completely in his arms, her blue eyes stared up at him. “I’m sick,” she said weakly.
It made him want to laugh because she thought she had to explain. “I didn’t notice.” He guided her toward the bed, loving that she let him.
Her hand went to her head. “I get bad migraines.”
Laying her gently on the bed, he carefully pulled the blanket up over her.
Gripped by the pain, she turned onto her side and grabbed her stomach.
Worrying over her, he wanted to do something to help. “Do you have medication for it?”
She nodded, moaning again. “I just threw it up.”
For a second, he flashed back to Nadia and the way the cancer medication made her sick. But he couldn’t think of that.
“Please, just go.” She tried to open her eyes, but he could see how much pain it caused her.
“I’ll go get Tom.” He moved for the door.