My blush deepens and I’m not sure what to say. I’ve been called a lot of things in my days as Fallon Opal, movie star. “Pure” is not one of those things.
I continue to sip my coffee, taking in the scene before me. Harper has us sitting in the perfect spot along the fountain. We are close enough to be seen by anyone who bothers to take a look so nothing improper could be happening. However, there is an air of…secrecy around us that would prevent anyone from interrupting.
“This is nice,” I whisper into my cup without thinking.
Harper responds with the same whimsical tone as I had used without thinking about it. “You’re right. It really is. I’m not sure why, but I feel very relaxed when I’m with you. As if you’re a great balance for my mind.”
I don’t know what to say to that. The way he talks about me is otherworldly. I’ve had guys say nice things to me before. Don’t get me wrong. But somehow, I have always felt as if those things were shared with some kind of intent. As if they meant what they were sharing…but they still wanted something in return.
From Harper, I get the feeling that all he wants in this moment is this moment. He isn’t asking for my time or even my attention. Just for me to share the same space with him while I enjoy a cup of coffee.
The orchestra starts a song that signals the end of the gala. While I know a few people will stay past the time that was printed on the invitations, for the most part, the networking efforts will be wrapping up soon. Which means that Harper might also be leaving.
I don’t want that. I know he has to go but when he is near me, I feel…peace.
I want to hold on to that for as long as possible.
But what can I do? I finish my cup of coffee and turn to him. “It was only for a short time, but I really enjoyed sitting with you.”
He nods, setting his cup down on the tray. Before I even have to ask, he takes mine too and sets it down beside his. “I was hoping…that we could do it again sometimes. If you’d like.”
That hastily tacked on “If you’d like” makes me want to giggle. I want nothing more than that but the shy, unsure way he asks is so different from the way he’s handled everything else leads me to believe he’s a much more confident person than that. I decide to reward his openness with some of my own and take his hand.
“I would really like that…Harper.”
He smiles and I feel it all the way in the bottom of my stomach.
Chapter Ten
A New Perspective
A new perspective.
The metronome on my desk ticks loudly, keeping in time with the steady beat of my heart. The lights are out and the sun has yet to rise but I am wide awake. The only illumination that keeps me from being encased in complete darkness is the comforting glow of the multi-screen setup of my computer. Those and the large television screen that takes up the entire wall directly across from me.
Every one of those shining surfaces shows me her face.
I put my feet up on the desk; careful to avoid the small coffee cup that she drank from. Some people would probably think it strange that I took that as a souvenir. But I don’t care what other people think. To me, taking her used cup was the exact same as taking a picture or pressing a flower. Fallon has hundreds of thousands of pictures in the world.
Anyone can Google her and frame something they find there. Even now, I watch dozens of her interviews on dozens of screens. It makes me feel closer to her but not special. Her fans are everywhere. They are fanatical and dedicated. I am a single grain of sand on her vast beaches of fans.
But they don’t have this cup. They haven’t had the chance to see Fallon, weak with fatigue and looking for a break. I have had that honor. It was I who saw to her needs and made her comfortable.
I pick up the cup with delicate fingers and hold it close to my mouth. I know that it’s not true but it feels warm against my skin. I close my eyes and pretend I can feel my mouth against hers. Her sweet, spice and apple smell fills my nostrils and all I want is to take a deep breath and pull more of her into my body.
One of my screens flashes to a scene from the movie that made her such an international sensation. It is all that I can do to keep breathing. She twists and turns in my vision, casting me a smile that is at once sweet and sexy.
“Hi, baby.” Her soft voice fills the room and I press the cool porcelain against my mouth.
“Hi, Fallon,” I respond. She can’t hear me but I see the lights go on in her eyes when the man off screen responds. She’s interested. Completely focused on what she’s doing. I’m not surprised. She is the kind of person who gives all that she can to the moment she’s in.
I arch my back as I watch her move through the room that she’s in. The pit of my stomach drops out when she swings up her leg to wrap it around a pole. She dances as she keeps her eyes on me and I watch her skin glow in the low, romantic light.
She’s dressed like an angel. Even though most people would say she is showing too much skin, I know the truth. She is shameless in her perfection. Instead of being shrouded in the oppression of society, she has shaken off her concern about what other people think.
She is amazing.
She is life.
Fallon.
As she continues to dance, I continue to watch. Sexual tension burns in my gut and I bite my bottom lip to resist the urge to stroke the thickening length of my cock. I want her so badly that my dick feels like it’s expanding past its proper length. I’ve never felt this strongly about anyone. Nothing has ever been this powerful for me.
I bite down on my bottom lip and flex my thighs to relieve the pressure building in my body. I’m so hard that my abs hurt with the force of my erection. My balls tighten up, already preparing for the orgasm that I could have. With the warmth of her mouth against my lips and the smell of her in my nose, I could come so hard that I see stars.
I haven’t come in several long weeks. I won’t lie and say I haven’t done it since I found her. I have. To her. With her. For her. But for as long as I’ve been watching her, I’ve only wanted to be with her, even in this way.
At the same time…I can’t bring myself to do it. Every time I fail to resist, I feel as if I’ve failed her in some way—cheated on her.
I fail every time I give in and cheapen who she is with such a common action. She has countless men drooling over her, having great orgasms while watching her onscreen. I don’t want to be just another one of those guys. I want to be something true to her. Something irreplaceable. And I want to respect her in the same way, even when she can’t see me doing so.
If I could have anything in the world, I would have her in my marriage bed. I would cherish her for the rest of my life. Make sure she has everything she could ever want. All I want is to provide for her. I want to give her happiness in every single way possible. All I want is to make her smile the way she’s smiling for me right now.
I stand up and turn off the screen that displays the coming sex scene. I’ve seen the movie in its entirety several times. I sigh, running my hands through my thick hair. If I’m honest with myself, I’ve seen it more than “several” times. I’ve seen it hundreds of times. More than that, probably.
I should be embarrassed. I should be worried about how much time I spend thinking about her and looking for her.
But instead I feel…centered. Focused.
I feel the best kind of peace I’ve ever known when I’m with her and all I want is to keep that feeling alive.
I leave the room that serves as my office and head toward the kitchen. As I walk down the hallways, I pass by pictures of Fallon. Not candid, sleazy pictures of her. I have every single first-edition photo from her shoots. Her signature blazed against each surface and each frame had been custom made.
My brownstone in the center of New York is one of the nicest and biggest buildings in the gated community. The inside is decorated in a simple design. While looking around I realize that the only real color I have on my walls comes from Fallon. She is the
only light in my otherwise bland existence.
The thought makes me chuckle. It’s a terribly dramatic thing to consider, even in the comfort of my own home. But if I can’t be honest when I’m by myself, where can I be?
With her.
I laugh and wince at the rusty sound. Moving through my apartment makes me feel like a ghost. I don’t bother to turn the lights on as I go. The automated ones make the only sound as they start up and barely register the change in illumination. The sun is rising now, sending lines of blue light through the narrow slits of the windows.
Breakfast is waiting for me, set out hours ago by the staff. I don’t bother reading the heating directions they always leave. Instead, I eat the eggs and fruit, ignoring the cold cuts and breads.
I wonder what Fallon is eating right now. Knowing her, it’s something exotic and healthy. She’s very conscious of what care she takes with her body and I appreciate her concern. I look down at my own body and offer a rueful smile to the shrinking darkness.
Fitness is one of the things I focus on most in my life. It brings a certain amount of control and discipline to everything I do.
I’ve always had money. Money and time. In my younger years I worked hard to extend the empire that I was born into. Now that I am in a more mature position in life, I don’t have to spend as much energy maintaining my wealth.
What I want most now is to focus on building relationships that matter. Relationships that will last. I want a family, perhaps even kids.
And I want it to start with Fallon.
I finish my breakfast and leave the dishes in the sink for the staff. I keep the people around me at a distance. I know it’s because I, much like Fallon, have spent so much of my time trusting the wrong people.
Now it takes a lot for me to let anyone in. It is as much self-preservation as consideration for others at this point. I feel as if it would be dangerous for me to let too many people in.
I don’t want to push Fallon away.
Just the thought of the possibility of losing her makes me sick to my stomach. More than that, it makes me see red. Against my will, I find myself thinking about the man who dared to touch Fallon against her will.
My fists clench of their own will and I grit my teeth. My breathing kicks up and I swear I can hear the blood rushing in my ears. If the others hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed him. I would have kept kicking and punching until there was nothing left of him. Even though it is over, I still want to do that. I want to track him down and kill him. I want to ruin him.
I will wreck anyone who dares lay a hand on her.
Destroy.
Section Three: Doing it Right
Chapter Eleven
Through Fallon’s Eyes
“Should I wear this pair or these?”I point to two sets of earrings, one with a large teardrop ruby and the other with a smooth obsidian.
Shelby Grace, daughter of Tristan Grace, CEO of Optrixis Pharmaceuticals and one of the most powerful men in the country sits across from me powdering her nose. She is wearing a black cocktail dress with a tasteful slit in it. “I say go for the obsidian but you know me. I’ll always go for the conservative option.”
I look back down at my options and then grin. “Ruby it is, then.”
Shelby laughs and nods. “Yeah, I thought so.”
We’re getting ready for two separate dates. It wasn’t supposed to end up this way but I am glad for the company. Shelby is working for her father on negotiations for a new weight-loss supplement I’ve been developing. It’s nothing complex and it is completely organic but I have tapped into a few of my contacts to make sure it is clearly done in all of the right markets.
“Are you excited about your date?” I ask her, hoping to establish a more friendly relationship with her. Though we are working together in a professional sense, she is the exact kind of woman I want on my list of “friends”. She is mature, balanced, and respectable.
Everything I am growing to be.
She shrugs. “You know how it is for women like us. I’m not entirely sure that he wants me for me, rather than…”
I nod, knowing exactly what she means. I’ve been dating Vasso Harper for several months now. In all that time I haven’t even looked at another man. No one else interests me the way he does and I’ve found that even though I’m given the same attention, it doesn’t really excite me anymore. All I really want is for him to smile at me. That secret smile of his that is only for me makes my entire day worthwhile.
Still, I worry that he might somehow turn out to be another hurtful man. I want to have faith in him but the more time I spend with him, the more I realize that he’s making me vulnerable in ways I haven’t been before.
“Of course, you don’t have to worry about that,” Shelby continues.
“What? I’m sorry, I spaced out for a second there.”
She laughs again. “I noticed. But I don’t mind. Were you thinking about him?”
I’m a little surprised because Shelby doesn’t ask about my personal life very often. She’s a lot like Tina in that way, though I imagine it comes from her own personal history with politics and the rumor mill. “Yeah, I was.”
“You shouldn’t worry so much. Not when it comes to him.”
I sigh. “I know. It’s just hard to believe sometimes, you know?”
“Oh, I know. It seems like when things are going well, something bad is bound to happen. But have faith. If I’ve learned anything in my twenty-nine years—” She cuts herself off to wink at me because we both know she turned thirty this year. “I’ve learned how to read people.”
I grin in good cheer. “And what can you tell about me and Harper?”
“You’re the real deal. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way your hips sway together when you walk. You guys are in perfect sync. Other men look at you and you don’t even give them the time of day. All you can see is him.”
A blush spreads across my face and I busy myself with finishing my make-up. She’s right.
“Don’t fret so much, Fallon. Just try to enjoy yourself.” Shelby stands and prepares to leave the room after her phone chimes. “I’m off now! Just remember what I said.”
“Thanks, Shelby. I will.”
* * * * *
I shield my face, keeping the sun out of my eyes. “I should have brought a different hat.”
Harper appears beside me, holding a cup of shaved ice. It is topped with cherry syrup and the sides are already melting. I giggle because I didn’t tell him my favorite flavor and this is the first time we’ve had it together. He just knows what to bring me. This is something that he does a lot and it makes me incredibly happy.
“You couldn’t wear the hat you wanted and keep your hair up.”
I huff a little but I know he’s right. We needed to come disguised so that no one would recognize me. He is even wearing khaki shorts, even though I rarely see him outside of suits. I was beginning to think that he even went hiking in Armani.
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
He grins at me and hands me a package. He also has this habit, bringing me little presents when I’m not looking for them. He never asks for anything in return and just seems to enjoy bringing me things.
“Harper, you shouldn’t have,” I say with a little giggle. He knows that he doesn’t have to bring me anything. We’ve had this conversation but he just keeps doing it.
“I know. I want to.” He takes my ice back from me after letting me take a bite. To my left, a group of squealing children run by and I have to step to the side to get out of their way. Harper wraps an arm around me, protecting me from any harm. “Just open it.”
I grin and let him push me to the side where I can open my present in peace. The amusement park is bustling and I love the joy in the faces of the people around us. It’s been forever since I’ve gotten to do anything so simple and when I look into Harper’s face, I can tell that it’s been a while for him too.
He sets us up next to
a tree in the shade. I unwrap the gift slowly, being careful to keep the paper intact. Even the wrapping is expensive and nice; the gold thread that holds the box together shimmers in the sunlight.
“Whatever it is, I will love it. You know that.”
He grins and takes a bite from my ice, having finished his own. When I gasp playfully and reach for it he pulls away. “No, no. You have to finish opening it first.”
“You’re such a tease. I don’t know why you give me presents at the same time as sweets. You know I can’t decide like that.”
“I like making you choose. It lets me know what you really value.”
I make a noise that is something between cute and annoyed before going back to my package. As I unravel it I can’t help but admire the quality of the item I unveil. “Oh, wow. Thank you, Harper!”
He has managed to predict another of my needs. I slide the expensive sunglasses onto the bridge of my nose and sigh with relief. “These are great. Exactly what I needed.”
Harper grins and leans down and kisses my nose. Even with the glass now framing my face, I lean into the caress, wanting more. I manage to make him slide his mouth a little closer to mine before he pulls away, a dark blush on his face.
“You’re such a minx,” he mutters. There’s no venom in his tone but I can’t help but be disappointed when he pulls away. He has yet to do more than kiss me since we began dating and not very deeply either.
I know he has passion in him. Sometimes when we dance, I feel the way his erection presses against my body. He is controlling himself around me but I don’t want that. I want him to let loose and be with me in all the ways he can.
Before I can dwell too long on that, he pulls me to a standing position and hands me the rest of my almost gone ice. “Come on. Eat this so we can go on that ride you were talking about.”
Love Through LimeLight Page 7