by T. J. Kline
Alyssa watched Justin follow Bailey to the clinic and wondered how one man could wreak such havoc on her emotions. But she couldn’t remember a time when chaos had seemed so enticing.
“SIR, THE CAR is located in El Dorado Hills, east of Sacramento. Do you want me to book you a flight?”
Elijah leaned back in his leather chair, absently rubbing at the cleft in his chin, staring at the picture of his wife on his desk.
“Sir?”
His eyes shifted to his assistant, and he glared at the man. “What? What do you want?”
His assistant, a meek new hire from UCLA, cringed. “Would you like me to book a flight, sir?”
“Is Alyssa there?” Elijah’s voice was perfectly composed, but he could feel anxiety curling in his gut. Where was she?
The young man took a step back as if preparing to flee after he gave the answer he knew was wrong. “I’m not sure. No one had seen her.”
“You located the car but not my wife driving it? Is she missing?” He felt a thread snap from the leash he held over his control and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes.
If he could find Alyssa, he could convince her to come home. It would be easy to persuade her the affair with Lillian had been a one-time thing, that Lillian had become deranged when he told her they couldn’t be together. Once he had Alyssa back, they could go back to the way things were. At least as much as possible now that they were about to have a kid. She’d become fixated on her pregnancy, but it had bought him a little more freedom. Surely she’d be so busy with the baby he could do whatever he wanted. If he could find her . . .
“Hire an investigator. I want my wife found. Contact the authorities. File a missing person’s report.” His dark eyes met the intern. “Don’t forget to alert the media. I want her safe at home with me.”
JUSTIN FROWNED AT Bailey as they entered the clinic. “Seriously, haven’t you ever heard of knocking, Bailey?”
At least she had the courtesy to look embarrassed after interrupting them. “I said I was sorry, but he can’t wait.”
Justin was trying hard to keep his temper at bay. His body was throbbing with hunger from a simple kiss while his mind was reeling with the bomb Alyssa had just dropped on him. Several of them, in quick succession, actually. He wanted to talk to her, to find out what was really going on with her husband.
“It’s the puppy, the littlest one. He’s having trouble breathing again.”
“Crap.” Justin suspected this puppy was going to be difficult to keep alive, let alone healthy.
He probably should have told Alyssa his suspicions about the pup, but he couldn’t bear to see the suffering she would go through. He’d much rather come back with the bad news than have her watching the worst happen from over his shoulder. Justin ran through the office and hurried to the kennel. He wasn’t surprised to find that Lucky had moved the puppy away from the others, who were all nursing, greedily grunting and shoving at one another. Justin scooped the little guy into his hand and could feel that he wasn’t as warm as the others. His mouth was open, gasping for breath as Justin rushed to get him to the table near the oxygen mask.
“Bailey, get me a warm blanket and turn on the oxygen.” Justin grabbed his stethoscope and pressed it against the puppy’s side, listening closely. He could hear the rattle in his lungs. “Grab the ampicillin. This little guy’s got pneumonia. Let’s try to at least get him through the night.”
Bailey brought him back the vial but hesitated. “Justin, he’s not going to make it. Why—”
“Don’t,” he warned.
He knew what she wanted to ask—why was he willing to put this puppy through this? He didn’t want to think too hard about the reason. It was crazy that Alyssa had reached into his chest and grasped his heart so tightly when he’d known her only a few days. But he wanted to give her this, to show her that he could do the impossible and save this puppy. He wanted to see her look at him with those green eyes filled with wonder, the way she had when he delivered them.
Bailey fell quiet but shook her head. “You realize what this means, right? How much work this is going to be? And it’s probably for nothing. There could be something else wrong.”
He attached the nebulizer to the oxygen to help the pup breathe. “I know.”
“Then why are we doing this?”
“Because I said so.”
“Well, that’s a great answer. Want to try again with some actual logic added to it this time? Because we both know this pup has about as much chance of making it as I do becoming Miss America.”
Justin glanced up and glared at her. “I’m sorry, I forget. Are you the one with the DVM?”
“Are you seriously going to argue this? Put this pup out of its misery, Justin.” The puppy let out a weak cough and she reached behind her, grabbing a bulb to suction the mucus from his mouth.
“If you can’t do the job I pay you for, then maybe you shouldn’t be here.”
Bailey’s brows shot skyward on her forehead as she took a step back from the table. Justin continued to work on the puppy, tapping his sides in an effort to loosen the mucus suffocating him. He tried to ignore the accusation he could see in her eyes, knowing she was waiting for him to apologize. He could read it in her stance and the daggers she was practically shooting at him from her furious gaze.
“I’m going to give you about three seconds to say you’re sorry before I walk out that door for good, Justin.”
“I’m your boss. I don’t pay you for your opinion.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
He knew he was being too hard on Bailey. She could be aggravating, but he was frustrated at himself, at this situation with Alyssa, at his desire to prove himself. But he wasn’t about to admit it to Bailey. At least, not just yet. When they had the pup stable, he’d apologize and make it up to her.
“Fine.” She headed for the door, and he heard the snap of her stripping the latex gloves from her hand and dropping them on the table. “Let’s see how well you get along without me. I quit.”
Chapter Seven
WHEN JUSTIN HURRIED to the clinic, he left an emptiness behind in the house. Alyssa had been in the same room as some of the most famous men in the world, and none of them had the commanding presence that Justin did. When he was around, Alyssa felt as if there was nothing outside of him. A quiet confidence surrounded him. With him, she felt . . . cherished. How could it be that a man she had only just met made her feel something her husband hadn’t?
Justin is nothing like Elijah. Alyssa’s mother had always said things happened for a reason, but she’d never believed her. Watching people struggle never made sense. Not until now. Now she could understand how bad situations could lead to good, sorrow could lead to a better appreciation of joy.
She sat in the kitchen, picking at the sandwich on the table, not hungry but knowing she still needed to eat something. She glanced toward the clinic, unable to stop thinking about the man inside. Or his kiss.
Her fingers trailed over her lips, still tingling from the touch of his lips. She could still taste him, strong and sweet, like a perfect mocha. And like the drink, Justin was a jolt to her system, making her crave more.
She heard the back door of the clinic slam and she rose in time to see Bailey storm down the walkway and climb into her beat-up truck, gunning it and spinning the tires on the asphalt. Alyssa hurried down the walkway toward the back door of the clinic, wondering what had happened to cause Bailey’s dramatic exit.
“Justin?” she called as she stepped inside, feeling like an intruder. “Is everything okay?” When there was no answer, she wandered into the back room and found him standing at the table over one of the puppies. It lay too still on the exam table, and she gasped at what she saw.
Justin turned and saw her over his shoulder. “Damn it,” he muttered.
Alyssa felt a prick of rejection at his reaction to her presence but was more concerned for the dog than her own fee
lings. “Should I go?”
“No.” He softened his voice and held a hand out to her, beckoning her to come to the table. “I just didn’t want you to have to see this, but honestly, I could use some help.”
Dread filled her chest, nearly choking her. “Is he . . .?”
“No, but he’s not doing good.” She moved around to the other side of the table. “I’m not sure he’s going to make it, Lyssa.” He looked up at her sympathetically. “I know how badly you want him to.”
Alyssa watched Justin’s face as he concentrated on the puppy, intent on saving him. Her heart lurched painfully as she realized that he was doing this for her, because he knew what it meant to her. “Thank you, Justin.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Justin shook his head. “Don’t thank me yet.” He grew silent, occasionally listening to the puppy’s lungs. Alyssa watched him work, marveling at how gentle he was for someone so massive. His hand alone was larger than the puppy. She saw a measure of relief in his eyes as he settled back onto a stool.
“I saw Bailey leave.”
“She quit,” he said matter-of-factly. He glanced up at her and saw the furrow of her brow, and the corner of his mouth tipped up slightly. “It was my fault. I was a jerk, again.” He shook his head and looked at his hands. “She’ll cool off and I’ll apologize. Like I said, we bicker a lot. Think you could help me with calls for a few days? Just patching them to my cell?”
The puppy made a small squeak and he looked away from her, back down at the puppy between his hands, and rolled a warm towel lengthwise, letting the puppy rest with his chin on it, extending his neck.
“That should help him breathe easier.”
Her heart beat against her ribs, making her breath catch as she watched Justin care for the puppy’s comfort. She should leave, should head to Carson City or back to LA. She should call Franklin and have him come get her and find her another place to stay. Any man who cared for a sick puppy the way he did was sure to destroy the walls she had placed to hide her emotions.
“I suppose I could stay for a few days.” She heard her voice saying exactly the opposite of what her head wanted her to say. “I have no clue what I’m doing, but you already know that.”
“Well, I know you can clean.” His eyes glinted playfully.
“That was a thank-you for letting me stay. Don’t get too used to it.”
“I don’t know. You’re pretty good at it,” he teased.
“I know it’s a bit . . . strange, but I clean when I get nervous, or worried. I actually enjoy it. Well, not the cleaning itself but the feeling of satisfaction afterward. I guess I tend to go a little overboard with it.” She looked down at the puppy and ran a hand over his back as he slept peacefully.
She rolled a nearby stool closer and sat down, staring at him across the table. She could feel the connection vibrate between them, like a live current in the air. It was safer to keep some distance, at least until she spoke to Franklin again and they had discussed her divorce further. The fact that she’d crossed the line and kissed him in the kitchen proved that she couldn’t trust herself.
Justin chuckled quietly as his eyes fell on her again. His gaze was warm, making her think of slow kisses and leisurely afternoons of making love. She quickly reined in her fantasies.
“Is this what you do each day? Spending your time rescuing women from car accidents and saving ailing puppies?”
“Sure. I’m a regular Superman.” He shook his head and looked at the puppy again. “Most days aren’t nearly this glamorous.”
She met his smile with one of her own, realizing how nice it felt to relax and just be herself for the first time in a very long time. She’d almost forgotten how to act when there were no media to impress and no one to entertain. She could just be Alyssa for a moment without playing a role.
“You wouldn’t look good in Clark Kent glasses,” she pointed out, scrunching up her nose.
“No?” He looked down at the puppy, but she saw the corner of his mouth lift in a crooked smile. Her heart pounded against her ribs.
“Uh-uh.” She shook her head and gave him a studious inspection. “You’re more like . . . Aquaman.”
His eyes lifted to meet her gaze, and he cocked a brow skeptically. “Really? Aquaman? Aquaman is a wimp. You couldn’t come up with a better superhero than a guy who swims around all day and talks to fish?”
“He talks to sea mammals, too,” she pointed out with a laugh. “And he is the ruler of the seven seas. Don’t forget.”
“I’d much prefer to be likened to Thor.” Justin flexed his biceps, causing a laugh to burst from her. When his gaze connected with hers again, she could read the hunger in the depths of his blue eyes. “Beautiful and a comic nerd? I think my prayers are answered.”
Alyssa cocked her head at him. His words were joking, but his eyes said something different, making her body sizzle and butterflies take flight, beating against her ribs. “I’d love to accept the praise, but all I know about comics and superheroes comes from the movie scripts I was sent. I was supposed to be in one.”
“Really? Did you turn it down?” He leaned forward and looked around conspiratorially. “Was it because they were going to make one of those crappy ones?”
“No.” It felt good to laugh and let down her guard. “It was a good one, although I’ve certainly been offered my share of ‘crappy ones.’ ”
She took a deep breath, trying to recall the reason she’d turned down the roll. As the memory came back, she was sorry she’d dredged it up. Elijah had insisted the producer pay her more and had made such outrageous demands during contract negotiations that they’d passed. It had been one of the events that had spurred his suggestion that she retire, claiming she just wasn’t in high enough demand. Now, she realized she’d entrusted far too much of her career to Elijah.
The smile slipped from Justin’s lips and he tipped his head, catching her gaze as she looked at the puppy. “So what movies have you done?”
“Nothing for the last four years.” She shook her head, wondering how she didn’t see through Elijah’s reasoning for her retirement. “I ‘retired.’ ” She raised her fingers to do air quotes and shrugged. “I’ll probably come out of retirement to take care of this baby alone. But maybe that’s a good thing.”
She felt something in her tremor with fear at the words. It was an option that made logical sense for her to pursue, but it would put her in direct contact with Elijah again. And, from his horrible accusations when he kicked her out, she was fairly certain he was going to crucify her in the media, making himself look like the victim. She slid one hand over her stomach. As long as he left their child out of this mess, she didn’t care what he said about her.
It surprised her. She’d spent the past six years trying to impress Elijah, make him really see her instead of the persona the media hyped, but the certainty of his infidelity made it clear Elijah would always put himself above everyone else. He would always come out on top, and every one else was collateral damage to him.
“I’m not sure I’d agree.” Justin stared at her, as if he was trying to judge her reaction to his declaration.
“About?” She struggled to remember what she’d last said. Acting. Alyssa shrugged. “I enjoyed it most of the time. I made some great friends and there were some moments I’ll never forget, like accepting my Oscar. Just like everything, it has its good and bad moments.” She wasn’t sure if she was talking about her marriage or her career. Justin looked at her oddly, as if he was reading her mind.
“Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes I miss it a lot. But I’m not sure what I’ll do yet.”
“Lots of women with children work.” Justin shook his head. He looked down at her hand, noticing her ring was still missing from her finger before he looked away from her, as if he wasn’t sure he should continue. “If I ask you a question, will you answer honestly?”
“Of course.” Why would he ask her something like that? She hadn’t been anything but h
onest with him. At least, as honest as she could be. Maybe that was the problem. Her honesty wasn’t complete. But after so many years of hiding her emotions from Elijah, she wasn’t sure how much she could really confess without him turning against her.
“So, your husband? He’s an agent or something, right?”
She wondered how he was able to read her thoughts when he’d only just met her. Although he sounded as if he was making small talk, she knew better. From what limited time she’d spent with him, Justin had been a man of few words, and when he spoke he had a reason for what he said. She suspected he wanted to know where she stood, where her marriage stood. But, as much as he deserved some answers, she didn’t have them to give him yet.
“Elijah Cole,” she filled in and he nodded, as if it was self-explanatory.
“And?” He looked at her expectantly, but she wasn’t sure what else to tell him. “You said he kicked you out. Is that it? Now it’s over? Do you want it to be over?”
Her gaze met his and she bit her lip. He wasn’t asking questions she hadn’t already asked herself. But hearing them come from Justin seemed to make the idea of her divorce more concrete. She had been away from Elijah less than forty-eight hours yet she felt free, as if she’d narrowly escaped a lifetime prison sentence she hadn’t realized she was serving. The freedom was frightening, but it was also exhilarating. She wanted to see what life was like on this side of the cage.
“I think I do.”
“You think?” She could see it wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. “Do I need to worry about paparazzi outside my clinic? Am I going to wake up and find cameras through the front windows of my house trying to get a glimpse of the Alyssa Cole?”
“Hardly.”
Alyssa couldn’t help the bitter note that crept into her voice. She knew Elijah didn’t care what happened to her or where she went. He’d made that completely clear. And she’d been out of the public eye as an actress long enough to be nothing more than Elijah Cole’s trophy wife. People had short memories, and when your name wasn’t tied to new movies, you quickly became passé.