by Malone, Nana
“I can see it all over her. She’s caught up in you. I don’t affect her at all. Just this once, Lex. Could you walk away? For me?”
The dig of pain in his gut was only matched by the rush of jealousy. “I’m sorry Xander, but I can’t do that.”
* * *
Tamsin’s cheery, “You all right, love?” greeting wasn’t enough to perk up Abbie’s mood. Granted, if she’d wanted cheery, she wouldn’t have had that second mug of Guinness. Her mind was still a little foggy, despite the long walk home from the bus stop.
“Hey, Tams.”
Tamsin bounded from her bedroom through to the kitchen. “Wow, you look wretched. Are you okay?”
Abbie wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, thanks for that.”
“Sorry. But you do. What’s the matter?”
“Well, given Evan’s stalking, I need to give him a call, and I also need to give my sister Akos a call, because I have a feeling that Evan’s calling about our apartment in DC, or rather, my apartment.”
Tamsin had the good sense to wince. “Ouch. Sorry. Do you need moral support? I could stand by with vodka shots or something. You know for fortification.”
“I’ve already had two Guinness tonight. When your professor is buying, you don’t say no.”
“Especially if he’s sinfully hot.” Tamsin wiggled her eyebrows.
Abbie rolled her eyes. “You’d think with all your interest in Xander you didn’t have a man. How is Liam anyway? Just a little while, and you’ll be in Dublin, right?”
“Just one more week, then it’s an all weekend shag fest.”
Abbie scrunched up her face. “Okay then. Don’t get pregnant, okay? That would sort of ruin our girl power vibe we have going on here.”
“Noted. I think I’d rather die. Looking after Sophie is difficult enough. Imagine if I had to change nappies too.”
“Rough.” She then noticed the pile of manuscripts on the counter. “Still bringing home work I see?”
“I know, can you imagine? The horror.” She sighed. “I’m convinced I’m actually being punished. I mean most of the other assistant coordinators get an ereader device, and the books that come in are loaded on there, and we go through them that way. But oh no. My client is published by Tristan Publisher, who prefer paperbacks. I mean how archaic is that?”
“At least be happy you’re working for a client in a genre you like and read a lot of. It could be worse. They could have you coordinating a press tour or whatever for a new text book or something.”
“You’re right. Glass half full, I suppose.” Tamsin yawned. “Don’t you have a phone call to make?”
Abbie threw her head back. Who was she going to fall victim to first, Akos, or Evan?
She chose to deal with the most difficult conversation first. She slogged to her room then tossed her laptop on the bed and immediately opened up Skype. Her finger hovered over the start call key to her sister for several seconds before she hit it.
When Akos answered, she wasted no time. “Shit, Abbie, we have all been worried sick about you. Do you know how many messages we’ve left? Mom and Dad have been beside themselves.”
And so it began. “I’m not sure why. I called and left Mom a message, and I tried to Skype Dad yesterday, but he didn’t answer.”
Akosua blew out an exasperated sigh. “Well that’s not the point. You know full well, you taking off like this isn’t good for them. I mean they’re old, for Christ’s sake.” Her sister gesticulated wildly, waving her arms about as she tried to make her point. “Abbie, you can’t just take off on the family.”
“Well, if you remember, I didn’t exactly take off. I’m at school.”
“Look, the point is that you said you would put it on hold for at least a year to wait for Evan, then you turn around and decide to suddenly go. With no word as to why. I mean, can you imagine how Evan feels?”
No, but she could imagine how it would feel to dole out some of the same bullshit he’d force fed her for years. She forced herself to take a breath. And they all wondered why she ran away and didn’t call. She tried to get her sister back to her point. “Akos, you have been calling me urgently, and you’ve sent no less than four emails about my apartment, so what’s the matter?”
“Well, we need to have paperwork signed for a new renter. But Evan says he wants to just stay there.”
Abbie frowned. “He cannot stay there.” Her stomach rolled. She couldn’t tolerate the idea of him in that place.
“Look, okay, you guys broke up or whatever, but he’s still a guaranteed renter, and I don’t have to play property landlord till you get back. What’s so bad about him staying there for now? He’s your boyfriend.”
“Ex.” Abbie corrected automatically. She wondered how her sister would feel if she found out how Evan really was. How he’d treated her. What she’d put up with for far too long. But Akos had never been the one she could confide in. She was nearly ten years older and too similar to their mother.
“Whatever. I started interviewing renters, and out of the pool of ten, four were promising. I’ve pulled their credit checks. I need you to sign and scan one of the agreements back to me. I just think it would be better if—.”
She didn’t let her sister finish. “Not Evan. I’m done talking about him.”
While her sister talked, Abbie tried to work her brain around the fact that Evan thought she’d let him stay there. Was he that clueless? Had he not seen how close she was to snapping?
“Okay, sure fine, Akos, send over the agreements. I’ll pick one and send back to you. Listen, let me go. I need to call Evan.”
Akosua paused and studied her. “You look tired, Abbie. When are you going to give up this bullshit dream and just come home already where we can take care of you?”
“I don’t need taking care of.”
“Look, so you weren’t happy. It’s fine. We all need a change sometimes. But why not get that change in a new city here? Maybe you and Evan can—.”
“Let it go.” She had to get off with her sister before she lost the fight for civility and control. “Okay, Akos. Sorry. I hear Tamsin calling. Check you later.” She hung up on her sister in mid-stream.
Cracking her neck, Abbie moaned. She’d need a whole lot more liquor if she was to have more conversations with her family.
Tamsin popped her head into Abbie’s room, brandishing her cell phone. “It’s rung twice since you’ve been in here.”
“Who was it?”
“Just a number showed on the display. UK mobile, if that makes you feel any better.”
Abbie frowned, then realized it must be Lex. “Uhm, thanks. Maybe one of my classmates.”
“Uh huh.” Tamsin raised an eyebrow and hovered in the doorway. “You sure about that? Because just now you had a look of elation about you. It is a bloke?”
“Tamsin, when would I have had time for a guy?”
“You do spend quite a few hours at school and on your little jaunts about London. You could be having some secret tryst I don’t know about. Are you dating Daniel Craig, and you didn’t tell me? I mean, I can understand why you wouldn’t tell me, because let’s face it, I might kill you for him, but honestly, Abena, you should learn to share.” She grinned.
“I’m not having secret trysts. I’ve been too busy working and avoiding my family and Evan. No secret boys to speak of.” She lied smoothly. It wasn’t like she could claim Alexi as her boyfriend or anything.
“Come on. I’ve been man deprived for weeks. Just tell me who it is. Is it Xander? When you showed me his picture, I knew you were going to try to sleep with him. I just knew it. Now you two are carrying on some secret love affair.”
Abbie giggled. “You’re crazy. I’m not shagging my teacher. I promise. I get my A’s the old fashioned way.”
“Sure sure. But can you do me a favor and bring him by one of these nights, so I can ogle him?”
Abbie threw a pillow at her friend. “I’m not stupid enough to do that. I mean, sleeping with my professor, no matter how
spectacularly good-looking. So not my style. Besides. I still have some unresolved Evan business. I’m not just going to sleep with some guy.” No matter how much Lex tempted her.
Tamsin waggled her eyebrows. “So you do think he’s nice to look at.”
“Yes, well, I’m not immune to the good looks, for the love of God. I mean he’s very pretty. But honestly, he doesn’t do it for me. Besides, I’m here to learn from him.”
Tamsin leaned in conspiratorially. “Just what is he teaching you? Has he got some fabulous technique or something? Come on, give a lonely girl a thrill.”
Abbie giggled. “You’re incorrigible, Tams.”
Her friend grinned. “Wait till I tell Sophie. She’ll get to the truth of the matter.”
Sophie. Abbie hadn’t thought about that. Sophie was friends with Alexi. What if she knew everything? There’s nothing to know. Besides, Lex hadn’t been so keen on everyone knowing his business either.
“You two are ridiculous.” Then in an attempt to change the subject, she asked. “Are the three of us still meeting for lunch tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I think I’m open, and honestly, Sophie lives one of those fabulous lifestyles where I can never seem to pin her down or what she’s doing. So she’ll be there. Abbie?”
Abbie glanced up at her friend. “Yeah, Tams?”
“You know you’re not doing anything wrong, right? If you were to start seeing someone. I know we tease you a little bit, but at the end of the day, you’re a free agent.”
Abbie exhaled. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just wish my past wasn’t intruding on my present.”
Tamsin chewed her bottom lip. “Well, you won’t know until you talk to him, but don’t let him push you into a corner that doesn’t give you what you want. That’s just my two pence.”
Abbie gave her friend a soft smile. “Thank you for looking out for me.”
“What are mates for? Now I’ll leave you to either deal with your boyfriend or your hot teacher. Maybe I’ll call Liam. All this talk of you getting some has made me miss him even more.”
After Tamsin left, Abbie stared at her mobile, her fingers itching to call Lex back. Instead of placing the call she wanted to, she shifted back to her laptop and Skyped Evan as she braced herself.
His response was instant. “Jesus, Abbie. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”
Instead of fear or anger when she looked at his almost too handsome features, numbness surrounded her. “Yeah, I heard. I’ve been a bit tied up with school.”
His brows drew down, making his handsome face seem harsher. “You can’t just vanish like that, Abbie. I was worried.”
He was worried? Hadn’t he been the one to make her run? How had she not seen it sooner? For years she’d been blind to who he was. “As you can see, I’m fine, Evan. What do you need?”
He ribbed the end of his nose. “Yeah, I can see you’re fine. Is something wrong with your phone? I tried calling it, but it just goes straight to voicemail.”
“Yeah, I’m not really using that one right now. I only keep it on for emergencies. I have a local phone.”
There was a beat of silence. “Oh, well, are you going to give me the number?”
“No, Evan, I’m not.”
He sighed. “You’re still mad about what happened?” He sighed. “Fuck, Abbie, I said I was sorry.”
He was sorry? “Evan, do you remember the time I did that all-girls night with my sisters for the bachelorette party? Do you remember the lesson you taught me about not answering your calls quickly enough?” The numbness spread as she spoke. “It was the first time you put your hands on me. It should have been the last. Or what about the time I told you I didn’t want your poker buddies at the house because I had to study? You broke my tooth. I was dumb enough to listen to your pathetic apologies then. I’m not interested in hearing them now.”
His brows furrowed. “Okay, I have a temper. I know. Sometimes, I just…You just…I never meant for it to get out of hand. I’m sorry. We can go to couple’s therapy. I’ll even go to anger management. Anything you want. Just come home. I’m tired of us being separated.”
She shook her head. “We’re not separated, Evan. We’re over. I’m not the same girl I was a couple of weeks ago. I know better. Not to mention, you seem to forget you lied to me.”
Now he clasped his hands over his face. “Abbie, I’m serious. I’ll do whatever it takes to show it to you. Just don’t give up on me. I’ll…I’ll come to London.”
Time slowed as she registered what he’d just said. Her skin grew clammy at the thought of him here…in her sanctuary. There was no way she was going to let that happen. “I don’t want you here. I think I was pretty clear about never wanting to see you again.”
He frowned. “What? You can’t mean that. You just need some time to cool off.”
In that moment, she saw the truth. She’d been lucky to escape with her life. “No, I don’t. I meant what I said. We’re over. I never want to see you again. Don’t call me.”
She hung up and immediately rolled onto her side, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as shudders wracked her body. She’d let this happen. The first time he’d touched her, she should have run fast and far and reported it. Instead, she’d been so desperate to be loved she’d stayed.
Now she could see the desperation for what it had been. But she was a different person now. There was no way she was going to let him ruin everything. She didn’t want him in the same country, let alone the same city.
Chapter 21
Abbie hadn’t called Lex back. Nor had she texted. Not like he was keeping track or stalking her…exactly. Max had invited him to the monthly movie night in celebration of her arrival. He’d been coming to these things off and on for years, but tonight was strictly American iconic movies. Since it was in Abbie’s honor, Lex had known she would be here. Yeah. It was official…He was a stalker.
Jasper eyed him from across the kitchen. “What’s the matter with you, Lex? You look jumpy.”
“Nothing.” He crossed his arms and tried for nonchalance. Abbie had wanted some time to figure everything out, and Lord knew he needed time to sort out Gemma before their friends clocked onto the fact that he and Abbie couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Or rather that Lex couldn’t keep his hands off Abbie.
His friend narrowed his eyes, and Lex wondered if Jasper could smell the anticipation on him. “Things okay with you and Gem?”
Lex gnashed his teeth. Sometimes he hated having such a close-knit group of friends. One of them couldn’t sneeze without everyone knowing that person had a cold.
“Yeah, fine. Why do you ask?”
Jasper cocked his head with a slightly evil gleam in his eyes. “Oh, you know. Just that we don’t normally see you around so often. I just assumed that with Gemma planning the annual Aids Foundation Benefit, you’d be helping her out.”
And he had helped her out. But as they weren’t really dating, Lex wasn’t obligated to shadow her at every turn. “What can I say, I love Top Gun.”
“Yeah, mate. As if you’re here for Top Gun. I have a feeling a certain blonde is the reason you’re hanging around more. Let’s face it. You weren’t exactly under cover when you called and asked for her flat address.”
Wait, what? Jasper thought he had a thing for Tamsin? Fine with him. Until he and Abbie figured things out, let Jasper believe whatever the hell he wanted.
When Max signaled them all to the screening room and Abbie still hadn’t shown up, Lex started to worry she wasn’t coming. He checked his phone, but still nothing. Just in case, he left the seat on his right open. Unfortunately, Jasper sat on the other side of it.
The constant edginess was starting to drive him slowly mad. But when he heard the trudging of feet on the stairs and the feminine voices, he started to relax.
Sophie took the short stairs to join Max at the back, and Lex made a mental note not to look toward the
back of the room for the rest of the movie. He wouldn’t want to have to wash his eyes out with vinegar.
Tamsin bounded up to the middle row to sit between Angel and the latest model in the house, Tony. Jasper leaned over and whispered, “Tough break, mate.”
Lex reminded himself that hitting his friend would not be a good call. Since Nick sat on the other end of their row, that left the only vacant seat between him and Jasper.
Abbie’s steps halted when she looked around and her gaze met his. Her tentative smile turned rueful when she spotted her other neighbor.
“Hi, Alexi.” Her voice was low, seductive. “It’s nice to see you again.”
He almost groaned. Last time he’d heard that voice, she’d been standing on the precipice of an orgasm. To Jasper she said only, “I trust you can keep your hands to yourself.”
Jasper’s laugh was rich and mellow. “Now what fun would that be?”
Lex clenched and unclenched his hands. Maybe hitting Jasper wouldn’t be a bad idea.
“Jasper, behave please, or I’ll make Tamsin switch places with me.”
He whispered back, “I bet that would make someone happy.”
She glanced at Lex questioningly, but then sat between the two of them. Immediately, Jasper placed his hand on the arm rest palm up. Amateur. Lex had already shoved up the arm rest between his and Abbie’s seats so he had no need for conspicuous declarations. But if he took her hand, Jasper would definitely see.
He had no choice but to sit there, with her, with less than two inches separating them and not touch her. As the movie played, electricity crackled around between them. He almost worried that any shift in the air would light a spark that would incinerate them both.
Unable to do much else but will her to touch him, he sat perfectly still, breathing evenly, only occasionally sliding his glance toward her. The muscle over her jaw worked like she was grinding her teeth and her body was tight and rigid.
He wasn’t sure it could get worse until the love scene started. He had to shake off the wave of lust as the actress hovered over Tom Cruise. Beside him, Abbie shifted in her seat, rubbing her legs together, then angling her body toward him slightly. Good, he thought evilly. He shouldn’t be the only one suffering.