TENSE - Volume Two (The TENSE Duet Book 2)

by Deborah Bladon

  "It was a heated moment." Her eyes finally open and search my face. "You were aroused. I was too. People say things when that happens."

  "They say things like fuck, that's good or more, or deeper."

  "There are other things they say too." She sighs. "You might not have really meant it."

  "Bullshit," I blurt out. "I told you I love you because I do."

  Her bottom lip quivers but she stills it with her teeth. "Wait until tomorrow and see if you still feel the same way."

  "What the fuck is going to change between now and then?" I pull her closer.

  She searches my eyes. "I don't want you to say things to me that you don't mean."

  "I mean it, Sophia."

  "How can you be sure?" Her voice is tinged with fear. "If you say those words to me, I need to know you mean them. You can't take them back."

  Fuck me. This woman. She's scared to hand her heart over to me.

  I tilt her head back, so I can look into her eyes. "Don’t mistake wheat I'm feeling, Sophia. This is real. All of it."

  "I want to believe you," she whispers into the still air between us. "I want to because my heart wants to say the same thing to you."

  "Tell me. Say it."

  Her lips part and then close, then part before she speaks. "I love you, Nicholas. Please never hurt me."

  ***

  "Losing him is not acceptable." I feel my jaw tick. "I told you that I want you on Franco twenty-four, seven. If he's headed to New York right now, you better be prepared to find another career. I guarantee that you'll never work another security job as long as you live."

  I slam my phone on the desk in my office. The security detail Crew connected me with in Florida lost sight of Franco Abano two hours ago. There's no way in hell he'd be in New York at this point. If he's coming here to harass Sophia, I'll make certain he understands that he'll need to get through me first.

  "Who are you going all bad cop on right now?" Cheyenne walks in with a paper coffee cup in each hand. "You were running through a scene out loud, weren't you? I think you should rewrite it. It didn't sound believable at all to me."

  I shake my head as I reach for one of the cups. "Why the coffee? Come to think of it, why are you here at all? I gave you the week off."

  "It's good to see you too, Nick."

  I manage a smile. I had planned on spending the day immersed in my newest manuscript. The ordeal with Joe set me back months. I have a deadline in two weeks that I'm struggling to meet.

  I left Sophia's apartment this morning with her. As soon as I got back to my place, I was working until the security guy from Florida fucked up my entire day.

  "What do you want, Cheyenne?" I ask, knowing she'll overlook my bluntness. She's used to it and I pay her well enough that she can ignore it. "I want that key back that I gave you when you crashed here when I took off for Brazil."

  "You're never getting that key back." She blows on the steaming coffee. "I need access to you at all times."

  "I'll change the locks."

  "You wouldn't." She plops herself down on the weathered leather chair next to my desk. "We have a date next Tuesday night."

  "I'm committed to Sophia." I wink at her. I know she'll have questions, but I'll answer every one. Sophia is an important part of my life now and my publicist needs to realize that. My book tours have to accommodate time back here in New York every two weeks. I refuse to be away from Sophia for longer than that.

  "You're getting married?" Her eyes light up. "Can I be your best person?"

  "If I were getting married, which I'm not, I'd choose one of my brothers as my best man. I doubt you'd even make it onto the guest list."

  "You're an asshole." Her smile contradicts the bite in the words. "So if you're committed to her, but not getting married, what exactly does that mean?"

  "I love her," I say with conviction. "I'm in love with her."

  "Who would have thought back on that night that your manuscript went viral that we'd be having this discussion?"

  "You never know what's on the horizon." I lean back in my chair. "Now, explain what you and I have going on next Tuesday night."

  Chapter 27

  Sophia

  "You want me to go with you to a school with you so I can read books out loud?" I shudder at the thought. "Public speaking isn't my thing, Nicholas."

  "You're the designer behind Ella Kara, Sophia." He places both of his hands on my shoulders. "You don't think you're going to have to do interviews or make an announcement on launch day?"

  I scan his face. "Shit. Holy shit. I hadn't thought of that."

  He shakes his head and laughs. "It's a middle school, Sophia. They're hosting a career night. I'm one of the feature speakers and part of the agreement was that I'd stay and read a few chapters of Action's Cause."

  "Is that book even appropriate for a bunch of kids that age?" I eye him suspiciously. "It's graphic, isn't it?"

  "I guarantee you that the video games they play after school each day are a hell of a lot worse than my book."

  My excuses are running out. "I should stay home and work on my designs."

  He looks at me patiently. "I spoke to Gabriel earlier and he said you were ahead of schedule."

  There's absolutely no way I'm getting out of this. "If it's important to you, I'll do it, but I want you to know that I'm a hostile reader."

  "You've been reading that manuscript I gave you, haven't you?"

  I have. I wasn't going to. My plan all along was to give that flash drive back to Nicholas, but I decided to keep it. I know that it meant a lot to him that I asked for the book in the first place, so I made a vow that I'd work my way through the entire book. I'm almost done and it's even more impressive than I anticipated. It's no wonder Joe cashed in on it the way that he did. Nicholas writes with an intensity that's captivating. I got lost in his words more than once.

  "I have read a lot of it," I confess. "I love it. I'm proud of you."

  "You're proud of me?" He places both of his hands in the center of his chest. "I feel the very same way about you, Sophia. Your life will change when Ella Kara launches. My only hope is that you won't forget about me. Don't leave me in your dust."

  "I'll never be as famous as you are."

  He pulls back and looks me right in the eye. "When I'm with you, I just want to be Nicholas. I don't want to be famous."

  "You are just Nicholas to me." My lips twitch. "I went to see Noah Foster a few weeks ago to get a new headshot and we talked about you."

  "Noah's a good guy. He did my headshot a year or so ago."

  My eyes wander to the photograph hanging on his wall of the beautiful, nude woman that Noah took. "He told me that I reminded him of his wife. I don't know her, but it felt like a huge compliment at the time."

  "He doesn't hand out many."

  Noah's words mean even more now. "He told me that it was good that I didn't care that you were Nicholas Wolf, but I do care. I care that you have such passion for your work that you captivate people all over the world. I care that you have taken years to hone your craft and that you're dedicated to telling the best story you possibly can."

  His eyes soften. "Your opinion matters to me, Sophia. If you're proud of me, I'm capable of doing anything."

  "Next week we'll go to that school and I already know I'll walk out at the end of the night in awe of you."

  "I feel the same way whenever I talk to Gabriel about you."

  "I'll go with you and I'll read to the kids if you want me to, but when we're done, you have to promise me one thing." I lean up to brush my lips over his.

  "I'll do anything for you. You know that."

  "Promise me that you'll let me teach you how to play that beautiful instrument behind us."

  His fingers trace a path along my collarbone before dipping down to the buttons on the front of my dress. "I'll try and learn to play the piano if you'll promise me that you'll let me feast on you tonight."

  "I promise," I say as I watch his hand
s open my dress and reach for the clasp at the front of my black bra.

  ***

  "I'm going to be on Rise and Shine." I smile broadly. "Do you remember the first time you were on that show, Cadence? Now, I'm going on too."

  "You're a star," Cadence singsongs with a huge grin on her face. "You know that old saying, Soph. If you can make it on Rise and Shine, you can make it anywhere."

  "It's a song." I toss her a mock scowl. "If you can make it in this city, you can make it anywhere."

  "That's exactly what you're doing." Her hand rubs her chin. "I'd say you officially made it already."

  "That's why I made this lunch reservation." We near the entrance to Hibiscus. "I want to celebrate my upcoming appearance on the show that's already launched your career and will soon launch mine."

  "You don't need a short appearance on a morning television show to launch your career." She scans the exterior of the building. "I keep telling you that as soon as Ella Kara launches, you'll be a household name."

  "My clothing designers aren't household names." I point out as I reach for the handle of the door.

  She steps in before I do. "You're launching a collection that is affordable, Soph. That means that you'll have millions of eyes on it. You're going to blow up the fashion world. Mark my words."

  "Sophia Reese," I say to the woman at the hostess desk before I turn back to Cadence. "I hope you don't mind that we came here. I didn't eat much when we were here for the party. I want to try the smoked trout."

  "I'm having one of everything." She looks over my shoulder into the busy dining room. "This place is hopping."

  It is. Dining out with Cadence is an experience onto itself. Her eye is critical of everything and her palate professionally trained. She knows what works and doesn't work and it's not uncommon for her to ask to speak to the chef after we've been served our entrees. The majority of the time she does that to commend them on a job well done. If she does have critical feedback, she always presents it in a kind and respectful manner.

  I follow her as the hostess takes us to our table. Cadence observes everything, soaking in the subtle details of the design and the table layout.

  "Whoever is behind this restaurant is a genius," she says to the hostess once we're seated. "Is the manager available? My name is Chef Sutton."

  It's rare for her to pull out the chef card. I like when she does. I want her to be proud of what she's accomplished in her short career.

  The hostess beams as Cadence speaks to her. "I know exactly who you are. You're marrying Tyler Monroe."

  "I am," Cadence grouses. She's proud of Tyler, but her accomplishments are often overshadowed by his.

  "Are you thinking of shooting your segment here, Den?" I interject myself into the conversation. "I thought you were set on showcasing that new restaurant on the Upper East Side and not this one."

  The hostess straightens, her hand reaching out to tentatively touch Den's shoulder. "You're here on official business, Chef? I had no idea. Your meal is on the house and I'll get the manager out as soon as possible."

  With that, she takes off toward the kitchen.

  "I'm not thinking of showcasing this place on my show." Cadence narrows her gaze at me. "I can deal with people thinking Tyler is a better chef than I am."

  "I can't." I meet her gaze and hold it. "I want the entire world to know that my best friend is an incredible chef. If I have to tell every person I meet, I will."

  "You're the best, Soph." She nibbles on one of the pieces of bread that were already on the table when we sat down. "I only wanted to talk to the manager so I could tell them I admire their style."

  I open the menu in front of me and scan the offerings. "You'll do that and then we'll eat for free."

  Chapter 28

  Sophia

  "I'm sorry I had to go to the washroom again." Cadence moves to take her seat back at our table. "I think the baby is sitting on my bladder today."

  "Is it uncomfortable?" I eye her stomach. "You're getting a lot bigger now."

  "He's growing." She smiles gently. "I'm getting anxious to meet him. I want him to understand how much we love him as soon as he's born."

  He'll know. How could he not? Cadence is going to be an incredible mother. She'll nurture that baby with all the love she has to give, and Tyler will do the same. Firi Monroe won't want for a thing and by the time he's in nursery school, he'll have a more sophisticated palate than most adults have.

  "I think I may shoot a segment here." Cadence raises her water glass in the air. "Your idea was brilliant. I need to start using the platform I have for good."

  "Good in what sense?" I tap the edge of my water glass against hers in a subtle toast to her new idea.

  "It's not easy opening a restaurant in this city. Most shut down within a year and those that do manage to claw their way to semi-success, aren't guaranteed a thing. One of Tyler's friends from culinary school was forced to close two of his restaurants this past year."

  "That's shitty."

  "If I can bring people through the door of a restaurant that's newly opened, that can help them establish a regular customer base right out of the gate."

  Her kindness is shining through right now. I saw it when she was talking to the manager before we ate our lunch.

  "I think it's a great idea, Den."

  "I'm going to go back and find the manager." She pushes the chair back to stand again. "I think it might be worthwhile for her to offer a discount on a menu item the day the segment airs. I want to run that by her."

  "Go." I wave my hand at her. "I'm going to finish my dessert before I head back to work."

  She doesn't hesitate before she takes off back in the direction of the kitchen. She's a woman on a mission that I think will give new restaurateurs a chance they'd otherwise never receive.

  "Can I get you anything else?" Our server appears next to me

  I look at her briefly before my eyes settle on a table behind her. "I'm good."

  Her gaze follows mine as she turns to look too. "That's exactly who you think is it. That's the one and only Nicholas Wolf. I love his work and the fact that he's so easy on the eyes doesn't hurt either."

  She's right. It doesn't hurt. What does hurt is the fact that the man I love told me earlier that he was heading to Boston today to do a pre-release interview for Action's Cause. He didn't tell me that he was having lunch in New York with Lilly Parker and a beautiful black-haired woman who right now is holding tightly to his hand.

  ***

  "Nicholas," I say his name softly as I approach his table. "I thought you were headed to Boston today."

  "Sophia?" He's on his feet instantly, obviously unsettled by my sudden appearance by his side. "What are you doing here?"

  Catching you with your hand where it shouldn't be?

  "Having lunch," I say calmly. I want to add that it should be obvious to him that I'm at Hibiscus because they serve food and I work a few blocks away. "What are you doing here?"

  "I mentioned that I'd be meeting Lilly for lunch one day. It turns out today was the day."

  But you said you wanted me to be there.

  I shake off the all-consuming feelings of self-pity. That explains why he's here with Lilly, but the dark-haired woman who looks like she's salivating at the sight of his ass is still a mystery to me. "It's nice to see you again, Lilly."

  "It's always good to see you, Sophia. I hear that you're heading your own collection now. You've come a long way since we worked together."

  I have, and I'm proud of every single step I've taken since I first moved to New York. I turn my attention to the mystery woman and extend my hand to her. "I'm Sophia Reese."

  "Del Burnette." Her hand lands in mine with no recognition of who I am in relation to Nicholas.

  "Are you a friend of Lilly's?"

  She shakes her head as a high pitched giggle bubbles from her throat. "I'm an old friend of Nick's."

  By friend she means lover. I see it her body language. She had him
, and now, she wants him again.

  "I need to get back to work." I do. It's not a lie. I'm not going to let Nicholas or his lunch dates throw me off course. I have to present the final one of my design ideas to Sasha this afternoon. I have some last minute details to get in place before I do.

  "I'll walk you out."

  I turn at the sound of his voice. "I can find my own way out, Nicholas."

  "I insist." His hand drops to my lower back.

  I don't argue. I won't question him here. I can't. If I start in on that, I'll lose focus on what's important to me right now. That's my work. It's what I'll have when this falls apart, so I have to keep it together.

  "Lilly called me last minute to ask if I'd meet her here." He speaks as we walk. "Del saw me across the room and sat down to catch up."

  "You've slept with her?"

  He stops us both as we near the entrance. "Yes, Sophia. It was a long time ago."

  "She'd like it to happen again now."

  "She would, but it won't."

  I edge closer to the door, aware that I'm already late getting back to work. "You were holding her hand, Nicholas."

  "I was."

  "Can you explain why?"

  He moves to allow a couple to brush past on their way out. "This isn't a conversation I want to have when you're in a rush."

  "Is the answer that complicated?" I ask. "All I want to know is why you were holding hands."

  "I'll explain, Sophia but I can see that you're in a hurry to get back to work."

  I'm frustrated and I know that's apparent in my expression. My face is heating, my back tensing into countless tight knots. "You're making this more complicated than it needs to be. Just answer the question."

  "It's not a cut and dry answer, Sophia." His tone lowers. "It's complex and I need time to explain my relationship with Del to you."

  Relationship? The word hits me with the force of a slap in the face.

  "When can you explain it?" I'm impatient and I don't give a fuck if he knows it or not. "You can come to see me at work when you're done here."