by E. L. Todd
He smiled at her. “How are you?”
“Good. How are you?”
He nodded. “I’m really well.” He turned to the guy. “Excuse us.” He touched her elbow then steered her away.
She breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away. “Thank you so much.”
He chuckled. “I won’t let anyone bother you, Alexandra.” He stopped walking and turned to her, staring at her. She didn’t feel uncomfortable with the look. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Her cheeks turned red.
“It’s a nice color on you.”
“Lana and Hannah helped me pick it out.”
“Are you close with Lana?”
“I guess. She’s one of my only friends.”
He nodded. “Yeah, she’s nice.”
She held her beer in her hands, feeling the coldness sting her skin. They hadn’t had a serious conversation since the other day when he kissed her on the forehead. Alexandra wasn’t sure what was happening between them, if there was anything at all.
“Are you having fun?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I was forced to come. I don’t like socializing with people I don’t know and will never know.”
“I don’t care for it much either.”
“Then why are you here?” she asked.
He stared into her eyes, saying nothing.
When Alexandra looked into his irises, she saw an ocean brighter than any other. His look was always serious, but a slight smile was on his lips when they were together. He seemed happy to be with her, amused. She could stare at him forever, fantasize about feeling his shoulders and chest. His arms had noticeable bicep muscles. She wanted to feel them.
“You said you were going to be here. I thought I should come too.” He said it in a simple tone, like this was obvious. “You want to get out of here?”
Alexandra looked over at her friends. Lana and Hannah were chatting in a group, laughing loudly. Gabe was talking to a girl in the corner. He was smiling like he was having a good time. She turned to him. “I’d love to.”
“Good.” He grabbed her hand and led her through the stalks. It was dark so she couldn’t see where she was going. Blaise seemed to know exactly where he was headed. When they reached the main road, they walked past the cars until they saw his truck at the end. No one was around because they were at the party. The loud music disappeared. The rustling of the stalks in the wind and the sound of crickets filled the air.
Blaise opened his tailgate then grabbed her waist, lifting her and placing her in the back. He jumped up and sat beside her. “Is this better?”
She smiled. “Much better.”
He rested his hands in his lap, looking down the road.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“Pretty uneventful,” he said. “Just work.”
“Has your uncle been giving you a hard time?”
“I haven’t seen him,” he said simply.
“Maybe he’ll back off.”
He laughed. “I wish.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he whispered.
“Anything interesting to share?”
He scratched his chin. “My counselor said if I only take one class a semester, I won’t graduate for ten years.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were in school.”
“Because it’s a secret,” he said. “If someone found out, they would assume I was selling the company soon. The vultures would descend.”
“What classes are you taking?”
“I’m pre-law, so I’m taking economic classes.”
“That’s really cool,” she said.
He smiled at her. “You really think so?”
“Of course I do.”
“At least someone in my life is supportive.”
“Friends always support each other.”
He looked away, returning his gaze to the distance. “How’s your new tech job?”
“Oh.” She wasn’t expecting that question. “It was—stressful.”
“Tell me.”
Alexandra told him the story from beginning to end.
Blaise was quiet for a moment. “How did you know any of that?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“How did you know how to read the IV, the chart, how to find his allergies, clean his wound, all of that?”
Alexandra felt cornered. She respected Blaise too much to lie to him. “Well, I have a degree in nursing.”
His eyes widened. “Oh.”
She looked away.
“Then why aren’t you working as a nurse?”
Alexandra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“You don’t have to be nervous around me.”
She looked at him, surprised he recognized the gesture. “I—I don’t want to talk about it.”
Blaise seemed hurt. “Okay.”
Alexandra looked at her hands in her lap.
Blaise grabbed one and squeezed it.
The intimate touch made her heart accelerate, her palms sweat, and goosebumps appear on her arms. It was unexpected but welcomed at the same time. She felt the callous of his fingertips, noting the patches.
“I’m here if you ever change your mind,” he whispered.
“I know.”
“I might be able to help you.”
She shook her head. “No one can help me.”
He didn’t pull his hand away, keeping it locked with hers.
She loved the touch. His skin radiated a warmth like a beacon. She felt like she was sitting under the sun on a tropical beach. “You’re always warm.”
“I know,” he said with a sigh. “It’s why I hate the summer so much.”
“I love it. The hotter, the better.”
He eyed her clothes. “I like it when you wear a dress.”
“It doesn’t happen very often.”
“I hope that changes,” he said simply. He scooted closer to her, his shoulder touching hers.
Alexandra knew there was something between them. She never held hands with her friends, looked at the stars with them in the back of a truck, or leaned close to them. But she didn’t understand why Blaise hadn’t acknowledged it. “What’s going on?”
He turned to her. “What do you mean?”
“Do you like me?”
Blaise smiled. “Of course I do, Alexandra.”
“So…what is this?” She glided her fingers over his knuckles.
He sighed. “Something…”
“Well, you haven’t asked me out or anything. I wasn’t sure what to think.”
Blaise averted his gaze and was quiet for a long time. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. It was like he was debating something in his mind. “Will you go on a date with me tomorrow? There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
She smiled, feeling her heart expand at the question. “I would love to.”
“Good,” he said.
“So, are we together? I hate to be this way, but I just want to make sure.”
He stared at her. “I don’t want you to see anyone else but me. And I have no interest in anyone else but you.” His eyes stared into hers, paralyzing her with their intensity.
“Good.”
He smiled at her, the light brightening in his eyes.
She immediately thought of her friends. If she was seeing Blaise, she should probably tell them, but she didn’t want to, especially because of Gabe. She suspected he still had feelings for her. “I know this is going to sound bad, but can we…keep this a secret?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Well, Gabe asked me out last week and I told him I wasn’t interested in dating anyone. And if he knew I was dating you, it would seem like I was lying. And I wasn’t. That’s how I really felt at the time.”
His voice turned cold. “He asked you out?”
“Yeah.”
“Does he bother you?”
“No,” she said. “It happened onc
e and we moved on. But he’s still my friend. If you feel uncomfortable, we don’t have to keep it a secret. I understand if that’s unacceptable to you.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Really, it’s fine.”
“Okay.”
He stared at her. “Why did you tell him you weren’t interested in dating anyone?”
“Because I wasn’t.”
“Any specific reason why?” He stared her down.
“Well, I recently got out of a relationship. I didn’t think I’d like anyone for a while.”
“But you like me?”
“A lot,” she said. “I did the moment I saw you. You’re always my closest friend. I can’t explain.”
“You don’t need to explain,” he said. “Because I feel what you feel.”
She squeezed his hand and smiled.
“What happened with this guy?”
She struggled to find the right words but nothing came out.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but you can’t hoard all your secrets forever.”
Alexandra nodded. “We were together for a while, but…our relationship had a few bumps in the road. I was distant with him because I needed my space and time to think. He started spending time with someone else and cheated on me.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “He betrayed me. I had to end it.”
“Is that why you came here? To get over him?”
“Partially.”
“What was the other reason?”
“That’s a secret I’d like to keep,” she whispered.
“Okay.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead.
She took a deep breath when she felt him touch her. It ignited her body in sparks, making her light on fire.
He stared at her. “Does it bother you when I do that?”
“Not at all,” she said quickly.
Blaise leaned closer to her. “So, are you over this guy?”
“I think so. Knowing he slept with someone else changed everything,” she said. “But he was my first serious relationship. I guess I’ll always feel a certain way about him.”
He nodded. “I just want you all to myself.”
“You do.”
“I like that answer.” He leaned close to her, his nose touching hers. “Have you told Martha about us?”
“No.”
“Can we keep it a secret from her too?” he asked.
“Why?”
“She knows everyone in this town. Word would spread like a wildfire.”
“You have a point.” She stared at his lips, which were close to hers. She felt her mouth open slightly, inviting him to kiss her.
Blaise didn’t move in. He continued to stare at her, indecision in his eyes.
Alexandra felt a surge of emotions explode inside her. Every time she was with Blaise, she felt safe. Her attraction to him was in the forefront of her mind, mixed with her respect and awe for him. She knew she couldn’t move on from Paul so quickly unless the next guy was the real deal. In the short amount of time she knew Blaise, her feelings had grown exponentially, reaching a critical level. It was so powerful, it hurt her heart. She wanted more of him, all of him. She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his lips to hers, feeling his soft mouth against her own. Before she could enjoy the moment, she heard the movement of the corn stalks. She pulled away, breaking their embrace.
Gabe emerged from the field, searching in the darkness. When he saw Alexandra, he marched toward her. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Oh,” she said, feeling flustered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
Gabe looked at Blaise, annoyance in his eyes. “Is he bothering you?”
Blaise hopped down from the tailgate. “No, I’m not. She isn’t feeing well so I’m taking her home.”
Gabe ignored him. “Are you alright?” he asked.
Alexandra dropped to her feet. “I’m fine, Gabe. But I’m going to let Blaise take me home. Thank you for checking on me though.”
Gabe grabbed her by the arm. “I can take you home.”
Blaise pushed him back so hard, Gabe fell to the ground. “Don’t fucking touch her like that.”
Alexandra stared at Blaise. “Calm down.”
Gabe got to his feet, a look of murder in his eyes.
Alexandra walked to him. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
He was breathing heavily. “Are you sure?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t even know this guy.”
“I know Blaise really well,” Alexandra said. “He’s a family friend. He’s been working on our fields every morning. I’m fine, really.”
“And I don’t cause fights very often,” Blaise said. “Only when people grab my friends like that.” The venom in his voice was frightening.
Gabe stepped away. “Call me if you need me, Alex.”
“Okay,” she said.
When Gabe disappeared into the stalks of corn, Alexandra turned to Blaise. “What was that?”
“I didn’t like the way he grabbed you,” he said simply. “It was in a possessive way. Only I grab you that way.”
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said with a sigh. “It just rubbed me the wrong way. I’m sorry.” He walked to the passenger door and opened it for her. “Let me take you home.”
She looked at him then crawled into the passenger seat. He joined her then drove to her aunt’s house on the other side of town.
Blaise kept glancing at her. “I said I was sorry.”
“I know.”
He sighed. “I’ll apologize to him next time I see him.”
“Thank you,” she said. “He’s one of the only friends I have. And he’s been nothing but nice to me.”
“I bet he has,” he said sarcastically.
“Don’t be jealous.”
“It’s hard not to.”
“I said no, didn’t I?”
He stared straight ahead, his hands gripping the wheel.
When they reached the house, he killed the engine. They were quiet.
“Thank you for taking me home,” she whispered.
“I know you’d rather be here anyway,” he said with a smile.
“You rescued me.”
“Or I kidnapped you.”
“They are the same thing.”
He got out of the car and walked her to the door. “You really do look beautiful in that dress.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”
“And I’m glad I make you nervous.”
Her cheeks turned red.
He came closer to her then pressed his forehead against hers. His hands moved to her lower back, squeezing her gently.
Alexandra felt her breathing increase. The chemistry between them was explosive. Just the quick touch of their lips made her body shake. She wanted to do it again, to feel a real kiss. She waited for him to make a move.
He cupped her face then kissed her on the forehead. She closed her eyes when she felt him kiss her. The touch was intimate and loving. A simple kiss had never felt so explosive. The more he treated her like a lady, the more she wanted him to stop. She wanted him to kiss her passionately, claim her mouth with his own. But Blaise never did.
“Sleep in tomorrow.”
“These are my fields. I have to help.”
“Spend that time getting ready for the day,” he said. “We’ll leave after I shower.”
“Where are we going?”
He smiled. “It’s a surprise. But you should wear a dress. I like those.”
“So I’ve heard…”
“I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I look forward to it,” she whispered.
He stepped back, pulling his hands to his sides. She felt cold when he moved away. “Now go inside.”
She sighed sadly then walked into the
house. Her aunt was in the kitchen, reading a book. The window was open so Alexandra wondered if her aunt had been watching them. But Alexandra was certain she would have said something if she had. She looked out the window and watched Blaise drive away.
“How was your party?” her aunt asked.
“It was okay.”
She turned the page. “At least you’re socializing.”
“Yeah…”
Her aunt drank from her water, her eyes glued to the page.
“Well, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, dear.”
17
When Blaise came home, he banged on Danielle’s door.
She opened it, wearing one of his old t-shirts. “What’s wrong?” she asked immediately.
He stared at her. “I know I promised I would keep all of this a secret, but I need to break that promise.”
Her eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s this girl…I want to tell her so she knows there’s nothing going on between us.”
Danielle glared at him. “Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“I’m sure your bimbo will tell anyone and everyone. Evan will know I’m here and he’ll know we aren’t together anymore. You know what that makes me? Dead. And you don’t need to tell her anything if you’re just sleeping with her.” Her eyes saddened as she looked at him, the jealousy evident.
“It’s not like that,” he said. “I really like her and I want this to go somewhere. I shouldn’t have asked her out until I figured out how to fix this situation, but the damage is done. Please let me tell her.”
“No.”
He clenched his fists. “I’ll just tell her anyway.”
“Fine,” she said. “But I’ll deny all of it. And to make it worse, I’ll tell everyone we are still together. You’ll look like a cheating asshole.”
His eyes lit up in flames. “You fucking bitch. I’ll throw you out right now.”
She put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Do it. I dare you.”
Blaise took a deep breath.
“Kick me out. We’ll see how long it takes until he tracks me down. And when I’m lying in the hospital, broken or dead, you can thank yourself for that. You can watch my mother cry over me and all my friends stare at you with hatred.”
Blaise punched the wall, bruising his knuckles. He couldn’t let anything happen to Danielle, to any girl. It violated his code of ethics. Hurting an innocent woman was unforgivable. He couldn’t be so selfish by abandoning her.