by Cathryn Fox
She didn’t even want to examine the depth of disappointment she was feeling. “You too,” was all she said. She opened her door, slipped inside and leaned against it, her body so blissfully pleasured, it was all she could do to think straight. She stayed there for a long time, reliving every moment spent with Ryan tonight. A yawn pulled at her, and she glanced at her clock. She had an early morning and needed to get to bed.
Move, legs.
She pushed off the door and peeled her dusty clothes off as she made her way to the shower. Even though she didn’t want to wash Ryan’s scent from her skin, she stayed under the spray for a long time.
Sleep came easy, exhaustion of the day and night pulling her under quickly, and when she woke, her mind instantly went to Ryan and last night’s kisses. Shit, she really wished she wasn’t so preoccupied with him. Working to put him out of her mind, she climbed from the bed and ran to the shower, not wanting to be late for her breakfast with Jan before their big book signing.
Andi dressed quickly, pulling on a short dress she’d purchased for the event, and finished it off with a flirty blue scarf.
No way was she riding in the elevator alone again, so she darted to the stairwell. She hurried down the five flights of stairs and found Jan and their other friend, Lauren, sitting at a small café table. They were holding a chair for her.
She gave her friends a hug but couldn’t miss the smirk on Jan’s face as she wagged her eyebrows. “Late night?” Jan asked, but knew her friend well enough to know she wouldn’t talk about Ryan in front of Lauren.
First thing’s first. Andi reached for the coffee carafe and filled her cup. “Not too late,” she said. “And I had a good night’s sleep.”
“Must be from all that fresh air.”
Fresh air? Had Jan caught her coming in all windblown and dusty last night?
“Enough about me.” She looked at Lauren who was jabbing her fork into her scrambled eggs like she hated everything about them.
“What did they ever do to you?” Andi asked, touching her friend’s arm.
“What? Oh!” Lauren dropped her fork. “I got a text from Danny.”
Danny was Lauren’s fiancé. They’d been together a little more than two years now and as far as Andi knew they were madly in love. “What did it say?”
“It said, Can’t wait to see you tonight.”
“That’s nice,” Andi said, confused by the mixture of sadness and anger on Lauren’s face.
“Not really, he’s in Ohio and I’m in Vegas. I think the text was for someone else and he accidently sent it to me.” Lauren wiped her mouth with her napkin and dropped it on her plate. “He’s saying it’s not, and that he mixed up my return date.”
The waitress came and Andi ordered a blueberry bagel and orange juice. When she left, she turned back to Lauren. “I take it you don’t believe him?”
“I’ve only been here two nights. No way could he be expecting me home tonight. Unless he was in some sort of coma and lost track of time.” She drew in air and let it out slowly. “He’s lying to cover something up.”
Andi looked at Jan, and they exchanged a look of unease, because they both knew it, too. They wanted to reassure Lauren, but how could they? Danny was obviously lying.
“Maybe we can all catch a show tonight, do something fun,” Jan said, trying to lighten the mood. Jan’s positive energy was one of the many things Andi loved about her. That, and that she was always there when anyone needed her.
“I can’t,” Lauren said. “After the book signing, I’m giving a workshop, then I have meetings with my agent and editor.” She took a sip of coffee, planted her palms on the table, and plastered on a smile. “I guess it’s time to forget about Danny for awhile and turn on ‘Lauren’ for the next few hours.”
Both Andi and Jan nodded. Their pen names were their personas, and they all had to put on their ‘author’ faces at these events. Andi loved it, loved interacting with her fans, but as an introvert she was exhausted at the end of the day.
She’d been putting on a different ‘face’ for Ryan, however. One where she was wild, adventurous and…bad…the kind of girl he gravitated toward.
But it didn’t matter. This was temporary. A fantasy week with a hot guy. But forever wasn’t in the plans. If anything, Lauren’s problems were a good reminder of just how tough relationships could be.
The waitress came back with her food, and she ate quickly as the clock ticked. She had to get to the mailroom and grab the box of swag she’d sent in advance and get into the ballroom to set up her table before they opened the doors to fans.
They finished off the carafe of coffee, and they went their separate ways to set up. Andi grabbed her box filled with notepads, pens, and bookmarks and placed them on her table. As soon as she sat down, the doors opened and a crowd of excited readers came rushing in.
Time flew by as Andi met with her readers, getting her picture taken with excited fans, and autographing print copies until her fingers cramped. The afternoon went by in a rush. When the crowd began to die down, an odd tingling started at the base of her neck and ran down to the tips of her toes.
She looked up and found Ryan watching her. Ryan. The catalyst for the storm inside of her. Her eyes met his and a thrill moved through her with the hungry way he was looking at her—like he couldn’t wait to get between the sheets again, too.
He pushed off the doorframe and started toward her, and she cursed the excitement bubbling up inside her. She really shouldn’t be so happy to see him. Dressed in jeans that fell low on his hips and a T-shirt that showcased well-defined muscles, she stared at him as he crossed the room. She wasn’t the only one watching. Others zeroed in on him. Of course, they all thought he was one of the male models. He stopped to talk to a few women who flagged him over, then turned to her again. Stride confident and sexy, he made his way over and stopped in front of her table.
“Hello, Ms. Palmer,” he said. He picked up one of her novels, flipped it over and read the back blurb. “I don’t think I have this one yet.”
“Here you’d think my number one fan would have had all my books by now,” she teased.
He grabbed a bookmark and stuffed it inside the pages, then shot a look at the long line of readers waiting to pay for their books.
“You can get the e-book online, and skip the line up.” Andi suggested.
“But it wouldn’t have your autograph.” He flipped the cover and placed it on the table in front of her. “And proceeds do go to literacy, right? You know me, anything for literacy.”
She laughed. “You really want me to sign this for you?”
“Of course.”
She grabbed her pen, tapped it against her mouth for a second then wrote, ‘To soldier boy, who’s got the moves like Jagger.’ Grinning, she closed it and handed back the book.
He looked at the book, and then gave her a worried look. “I think I might be afraid to read this.”
She handed him a pen and notepad with her logo on them. “Here, free swag with each purchase.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll browse before I hit the line up. I’ll see you at seven.”
He sauntered away, and Jan leaned over from her seat beside Andi. “Did I hear you two have plans tonight?”
“Do you miss anything?” Andi asked, grinning.
“No, I don’t. So tell me, did he wine and dine you last night?”
Andi shook her head. “No, he actually took me to a dig site to play on excavation equipment then we had peanut butter sandwiches at the park.”
Jan’s eyes went wide. “You’re kidding me.”
“No, it was…” Her words fell off and she couldn’t seem to wipe the silly smile from her face as she thought about her night with Ryan, and how it ended on the blanket.
“Oh boy.”
“What?” Andi asked.
Jan pulled a mint container from her pocket. “You like him.”
Andi shrugged. “What’s not to like? He’s nice.”
“I
know he’s nice, but does he feel the same way about you?”
Honestly, he didn’t even know who she really was. “It’s just an affair,” she said. “I’m only in it for the research, remember?” And to get what was denied her all those years ago.
Jan popped a mint into her mouth and handed the container to Andi. “I just don’t want to see you hurt, okay?”
Andi shook one into her hand. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
She didn’t. Not really.
Chapter Ten
Ryan was more mesmerized by the woman beside him, and the look of fascination in her eyes, than he was in watching Criss Angel perform his magic tricks. Andi was quickly becoming an addiction. He hadn’t known her for very long, and couldn’t believe how fast she was getting under his skin. She almost made him forget he didn’t believe in marital bliss.
Where the hell did that come from?
He couldn’t keep his eyes, or his hands, off her. He’d watched her from a distance today at her book signing, watched the way she’d interacted and turned it on for her readers, playing the part of romance novelist. She was sweet, kind, and cared a great deal about her readers. But he’d seen the real Andrea at the ‘Dig This’ arena the other night, and again tonight as she let down her guard and enjoyed the show.
Yep, there was something different going on here. He had it bad for her. And it scared the hell out of him.
She turned and caught him staring, her long hair loose around her shoulders. When she smiled, a beautiful genuine smile that told him how much fun she was having, he couldn’t hold back any longer. In the dimly lit room, he leaned into her and lightly pressed his mouth on hers.
Her hand went to his face, a light, gentle touch that did the weirdest things to his gut. Her mouth moved under his—a tender kiss that somehow felt more intimate than any sexual encounter he’d ever experienced. It made him want to take her back to his bed and lock the rest of the world out.
Christ, what the hell was going on with him? He closed his hand over hers and held it there, savoring the closeness as his heart crashed against his chest. When she broke the kiss, he linked their fingers together, needing to hold her, feel her, lose himself in her, tonight…forever.
Fuck.
He sucked in a quick breath and turned toward the stage, trying to sort through the things she stirred in him. But how could he focus on the performance when he was feeling things he’d never before experienced, thinking things he’d never thought would cross his mind?
When the show was over and the lights came back on, Andi stood and stretched. Around them everyone hustled out of their seats and the noise level went up an octave as people began talking about the show. He took a moment to look at her standing there, dressed in her comfortable jeans and purple shirt that brought out the color in her eyes. She was so fucking perfect and he loved that she dressed for herself tonight.
What did she have on underneath? Bloomers? Or another sexy black lace number? Either way, no matter what she wore, he wanted her—all to himself.
“Hungry?” he asked.
She angled her head and gave him a curious look. “More peanut butter?”
He climbed to his feet and shot her a mocking look. “Are you saying I’m predictable?”
Her eyes gleamed with pleasure. “Believe me, you’re anything but.”
He put his hand on the small of her back and she exhaled a fluttery breath. He loved how his touch affected her. They followed the crowd outside, onto the bustling Strip. The warm air fell over them as they walked along the sidewalk, maneuvering through the crowd. Up ahead he spotted a wedding party coming their way.
“That looks like fun,” Andi said, inching closer to him as the group started past.
He linked his fingers through hers. Her gaze darted to their joined hands. For a second he thought she was going to pull away. Christ, he knew she was mortified after getting caught sneaking from his room. But instead of breaking the contact, her fingers tightened around his and it filled him with warmth.
“You don’t strike me as a Vegas wedding type of gal,” he said.
Surprise lit her eyes. “No? What kind of wedding do you think I’d want?”
“The big church, white gown, family, pictures in the park, all the decorations.”
“Add a Caribbean beach and you nailed it.” She looked at her feet. “But that’s never going to happen.”
He caught a glimpse of some deeper vulnerability and his gut clenched. “Why would that never happen?”
“Oh, nothing. What kind of wedding would you like?”
He didn’t miss the quick shift in focus. He shrugged and answered her question. “Vegas. The Elvis package.”
She squeezed her fingers around his. “Wait. I thought you said you didn’t believe in happily ever after?”
“I don’t. I’m just saying if I ever got married, that’s what I’d want.” What the hell was he saying? He’d never pictured himself getting hitched before. He swallowed, and it felt like he just ate a handful of dirt. Turning things back to her, he said, “If that’s the kind of wedding you want, then that’s the kind of wedding you should have. I’m not sure why you don’t think it can happen.”
“It’s not something I have to think about right now. I don’t even have a boyfriend.”
“Right,” he said. Why the hell did it feel like he’d just been kicked in the gut? He asked for a week-long affair, nothing else. Why all of a sudden was the self-proclaimed bachelor wanting more?
A group of rowdy guys came stumbling onto the sidewalk. Loud and obnoxious, they were cursing like sailors, and barreling their way through the crowd. He pushed Andi behind him as they walked past. Once they’d moved on he tugged on her hand and brought her back to his side.
“Crazy place,” he said as another wedding party started their way.
“It sure is,” she said, when they broke through the mass.
“It’s a far cry from Cedar Point.”
“Even New York,” she added and went quiet.
“Where do you live in New York?”
“The Village.”
She cast her eyes downward, and watched her feet as she walked. “Will it be so bad moving back?” he asked, squeezing her hand so she’d look back up at him.
She looked away and shrugged. “I miss my parents, but it wasn’t easy growing up there. People weren’t very nice to me. They’ll always think of me as that fat, unlovable nerdy bookworm who had no…” She stopped talking abruptly, and pinched her lips shut, like she’d said too much.
Jesus, kids could be so cruel. “But you’re not that girl anymore. Look at you, you’re gorgeous.”
“I lost weight.” She straightened her shoulders. “I like my life, and being around people who know me for who I am now. Why put myself in a situation where I’m thrown back into the past where I was some kind of unlovable freak. You know that better than anyone.”
What the hell was that? Did she not see that on the inside she was sweet and kind and totally loveable? That it was that girl he was falling for.
Jesus I’m falling for her.
“People like that aren’t worth worrying about. If they can’t see someone for who they really are, then fuck them.”
She stopped and looked at him like he’d just grown another head. “I never expected to hear you say something like that.”
“You’re beautiful, smart, and have a successful career. You shouldn’t care what others think.”
She shook her head. “Maybe a leopard really can change its spots,” she mumbled under her breath, but he suspected she was talking about Nolan, not herself.
He led her along the Strip until they reached the famous Bouchon Bakery. He pulled the door open and once again she stopped dead in her tracks.
“What?” he asked, his glance going to the sweets behind the glass dome and back to Andi again. “Sometimes you have to just eat dessert first.”
“I try not eat too many sweets anymore.”
&
nbsp; He pulled her into his arms. “Didn’t I read on your bio that you never say no to a brownie?”
“You read my bio?”
“Sure, and sweetheart, you go ahead and eat the brownie.” He inched back, and let his gaze run the length of her. “Leave the watching to me.” Color moved onto her cheeks as he drank in her body. “I like everything about you, Andi.” He pushed against her, his semi-hard erection pressing against her stomach. “Can’t you tell?”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” He put his mouth close to her ear. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve been hard since I first saw you in your bloomers.” As soon as the word bloomers left his lips, she clamped her hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh. “So, come on. Eat the brownie.”
Refusing to take no for an answer, he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her inside. Her eyes lit when she looked at all the sweets behind the dome.
“I’m having one of them,” he said, pointing to the huge chocolate éclair. He turned to her “You?”
She tapped the glass over the chocolate brownie covered in chocolate icing and nuts. “You’re bad for me,” she said. “You know that, right?”
He put in their order and grabbed them coffee. With their food in hand they stepped outside to sit at one of the café tables. Andi looked around at the people talking and eating sweets around them. She was a people watcher, like him.
They sat, their knees touching beneath the small table. She took a sip of her coffee and bit into her brownie. “Oh my God,” she said, her eyes going wider than he’d ever seen as crumbs fell into her lap.
“Good, huh?” he bit into his éclair.
“Oh yeah.”
He arched a brow. “Maybe I’m not so bad for you after all.”
“Oh you are,” she said and reached out to brush cream from the side of his mouth. She licked her finger and he damn near fell off his chair.
He leaned over the table, his words for her only. “Don’t do that,” he growled.
“Do what?” she asked with innocent sensuality.
“Don’t put your finger in your mouth like that.”
She looked at him blankly. Jesus, she really was an innocent. Suddenly, her eyes lit in understanding and a smile tugged at her mouth. She ran her finger over the chocolate icing. “You mean like this?”