Until You

by Denise Grover Swank

  She grabbed his hand. “I know you think I lied to you, but I couldn’t tell you. But now…”

  “Lanie. It was me. I’m the one.”

  She shook her head. “You’re the one what?”

  “It was me, Lanie. I’m the one who shut you down.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  She dropped his hand and sat back in the seat, feeling like the air was being sucked out of the car. “What? But Randy…he said you weren’t on the case. Victor was.”

  “He was right. I wasn’t involved that night. After the barbecue, they removed Victor from the case and they put me on instead.” He slammed his palm into the steering wheel. “That’s the big case I’ve been working on. I’ve been working my ass off to shut you down.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know.”

  “I know,” Lanie whispered. “I believe you.” But it didn’t change the fact that he’d destroyed her.

  Oh, God. He’d destroyed them.

  He sucked in a deep breath, then turned to her with pleading eyes. “What are you going to do?”

  She smiled, but her chin quivered. “You’re very good at what you do. My attorneys aren’t sure they can overturn it.”

  “Lanie.” His voice broke. “I didn’t know.”

  Her eyes burned, and she started to cry. “I know.”

  He turned away and ran his hand over his head. “You lost your promotion.”

  “Tyler…”

  “The headhunter? Is there anything here?”

  “No.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  She sat back in the seat again. “I’m moving to Atlanta. I called Aiden yesterday afternoon.”

  “What? You can’t go.”

  “I have to. Next week I’ll be homeless and I won’t have a job.”

  “You could take some time to figure out something else. You could stay with me.”

  She turned to look at him, her heart breaking into pieces. “I can’t,” she said, her voice cracking. “It’s not in me to not work, and I can’t freeload off you.”

  “Lanie, for God sakes, I fucking got you fired. You wouldn’t be freeloading!”

  She reached for the door handle. “I can’t do this right now. I have to think.”

  “I’m sorry, Lanie. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  “I know.” She knew that he was losing just as much as she was, but it didn’t make her feel any better. It only made her feel worse.

  * * *

  Tyler felt like he was going to throw up. In a matter of moments, he had lost the only woman he had ever loved. But he’d also lost the case. Now he had to go in and tell the partners that he’d been sleeping with the woman who was in charge of opening the Margo Benson Boutique.

  Son of a bitch.

  What the fuck had Randy been thinking, keeping this a secret?

  He drove to his office on autopilot and told himself over and over that he wasn’t going to beat the shit out of his friend.

  His partners weren’t happy that he was in a relationship with Lanie, but he was relieved they didn’t bring any disciplinary action against him. When they finished with him, he headed straight for Randy’s office.

  Randy was sitting at his desk, but he stood as soon as he saw Tyler in his doorway.

  Tyler slammed the door shut behind him, but Randy didn’t flinch. “You found out.”

  “You son of a bitch.”

  “I couldn’t tell you, Tyler.”

  That was the shittiest part of it. Randy was right. He couldn’t warn Lanie, and by the time Tyler had come on board on the case, Randy had no idea he was involved with Lanie.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Tyler said.

  “How’s Lanie doing?”

  “Not good.” He wanted to comfort her, but why would she want his comfort when he was the one who had caused her pain?

  “Maybe I should call Britt.”

  “That’s a good idea. Lanie needs someone to talk to.” Tyler started to pace. “She’s going to hate me when this is all over.”

  “I think she just needs time.”

  “I don’t have time. She’s moving to Atlanta next week.”

  “What? She took the job with her friend?” he mused.

  “Yeah.” Tyler headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Randy asked.

  “To win Lanie back.”

  * * *

  A few hours later, Tyler sat in a restaurant, waiting. He’d texted Lanie and told her he needed to talk to her so he could explain his side. She’d waited so long to respond that he was sure she was blowing him off, but she finally texted that she could meet him for lunch. When he offered to pick her up, she said she’d meet him at Houston’s at noon.

  He’d gotten there first, so he saw her when she walked in. His heart leapt into his throat, and he stood as she approached. He wasn’t sure what to expect when she saw him, but he hadn’t expected her to wrap her arms around the back of his neck and bury her face in his chest.

  He held her close, laying his cheek on the top of her head. He couldn’t lose her.

  She looked up at him with sad eyes, and all he could think was that he was the one who had hurt her. “Lanie.”

  “Shh.” She lightly kissed him on the lips. “Let’s sit down.”

  She slid into the booth across from him. “Thanks for meeting me,” he said as he sat down. “I didn’t know if you would.”

  “Tyler, I love you. Of course I wanted to see you.”

  “You don’t hate me?”

  “Did you set out to purposely hurt me?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then why would I hate you? It could be argued that you have a reason to be upset with me, since I knew your firm was involved and I didn’t tell you.”

  “No. You’re the innocent party here.”

  The waitress walked over and took their drink order. Tyler was tempted to order wine, but he wanted a clear head, and he noticed that Lanie skipped the wine as well.

  “You called Aiden?” he asked as soon as the waitress left.

  Lanie glanced down at her clasped hands on the table. “Yeah.”

  “And you leave next week?”

  “Next Wednesday.”

  His chest hurt. He didn’t want to lose her, but he didn’t know how to stop it. “Do you need help moving your things? I can go to Atlanta with you and look for an apartment.”

  She glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes. “I think it’s better if we end it before I go on Wednesday.”

  He blinked, sure he’d heard her wrong. “End it? You’re going to end this because of what I did?”

  “No. I’m upset, but I’ll eventually get over it.”

  “Then why do you want to end it?”

  “I don’t want to end it, Tyler, but I’m moving to Atlanta.”

  “So? There are plenty of direct flights to Atlanta. I can come see you. You can come see me.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Long-distance relationships don’t work. I’d hate to see us die a slow death of resentment or, God forbid, lack of interest.”

  “Then work there until you can find something in Kansas City.”

  “I can’t do that,” she said in dismay. “Aiden’s counting on me. If I work for him, I’m committing to his business.”

  “For how long?”

  “I don’t know. Three years? Ten? Maybe forever.” She gave him a sad smile. “So you see why this won’t work. If I move to Atlanta, I’m committing to it, which means I have no intention of leaving. And since you’re settled in Kansas City, a relationship is impossible, because I don’t want to only see you a few days every month or so for the rest of my life.”

  “Who says I’m settled in Kansas City?” he asked.

  “You’re the most settled person I know. You can’t move. You’re needed here, and I see no reason to draw out the pain of an inevitable break-up. Better to get it over with as soon as possible.”

  “No,” he
said, shaking his head. “I’m not a partner in my firm. I can move.”

  “What about your friends? Your brothers?”

  He shrugged, but deep down, he didn’t want to leave Eric. His brother needed him.

  “See?”

  He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Don’t end us yet. Give us some time to figure it out and make it work.”’

  She remained silent but nodded. He was taking that as a yes.

  “You’re the first woman I’ve ever loved, Lanie. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I don’t want to lose you either.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Lanie went back to the store after her lunch with Tyler, if for no other reason so that she could come up with a plan for how to handle the employees. She still hadn’t told Stephanie about Tyler’s involvement in the shutdown. She couldn’t tell her in front of their employees.

  Their training was going well, and a couple of hours after lunch, Lanie sent them home. When they were gone, she grabbed her purse. “Let’s go get a drink.”

  “We still need to work on paperwork,” Stephanie said.

  “No,” Lanie said, pulling out Stephanie’s purse and handing it to her. “No more work today.”

  They locked up and walked down the street to the Irish bar. After they got their drinks, Lanie took a deep breath. “Tyler was the one who shut us down.”

  “What? When did you find that out?”

  She rubbed her forehead. “I knew his firm was behind it, but Randy had assured me that Tyler wasn’t involved, which was true until after Britt’s barbecue. And Tyler had bought my cover story so well, he’d never thought we were any part of it. He didn’t find out until this morning, when I had him drop me off at the store.”

  “Oh, Lanie. Are you furious with him?”

  “He had no idea I was involved. How can I be angry with him for being so good at his job?”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “I talked to corporate,” Lanie said. “They want you in Phoenix a week from Monday whether our store opens or not.”

  “And you’re going to Atlanta?” Stephanie asked.

  “Yeah, I’m leaving next Wednesday.”

  “I wish I was going with you,” Steph said, then grinned. “Maybe you could put in a good word for me with Aiden.”

  “Are you serious?” Lanie asked in surprise. “You never hinted that you wanted to move on from Montgomery Enterprises.”

  “It won’t be the same without you, so promise me that you’ll ask him.”

  Lanie was surprised at the desperation in her eyes. “Of course, Steph. You and I are a great team. Aiden would be lucky to get us both.”

  “So what are you going to do about Tyler?” Stephanie asked.

  Lanie sighed. “One problem at a time.”

  * * *

  Several hours later, Lanie opened her apartment door. Tyler stood in the hall, holding a bag of sushi and a bottle of wine.

  “I brought packing sustenance.”

  She grinned, even though she felt like crying.

  Tyler walked into her apartment and kissed her. “I love you, Lanie,” he said when he lifted his head.

  “I love you too.”

  He set the bag on the counter. “Let’s eat first and pack later.” He pulled out a container as he looked around the apartment. “For someone who doesn’t have much stuff, you have a lot packed.”

  “I got a start on it the other day. And no, there’s not much left.”

  “So you lured me here under false pretenses,” he teased, but his eyes were sad.

  She grinned. “You must be the first person in the history of the world to complain about not packing.”

  They ate in a heavy silence, and when they finished, Tyler followed her to her room and helped her fold and pack most of her clothing into two boxes. He stacked them in the living room with the other boxes. “How are you going to get them to Atlanta?”

  “I’ll hire a moving company.”

  “To relocate a dozen boxes?” he asked. “I’ll borrow Matt’s truck and haul them down for you.”

  Lanie shook her head. “No, Tyler. I’ll handle it.”

  He turned to her and lifted his hand to her cheek. “I know you’re new to the whole boyfriend-perks thing, but moving falls in the top ten duties.”

  She grinned, but tears filled her eyes. How could she leave him?

  He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “Oh, Lanie. Don’t cry.”

  “Yesterday I thought I was going to get to be with you forever,” she said.

  “We can still have forever.”

  “But it’s not the same.”

  He kissed the tear on her cheek, then softly brushed his lips down to her mouth.

  She looped her hands around the back of his neck and held him close. She needed him. She needed him to make love to her, to reassure her that everything would work out. She needed the strength he gave her.

  And that scared her.

  His mouth moved to her jaw, his lips brushing the sensitive skin of her neck, and she shivered. He pushed her shirt off the edge of her shoulder as his tongue make a lazy path along her collarbone. Then he returned to her mouth, his tongue leisurely coaxing hers.

  She melted into him, her chest pressing into his.

  “I want you, Lanie,” he whispered against her lips. Then he bent and scooped her into his arms, kissing her as he carried her down the hall to her bedroom.

  He lowered her to the bed, lying down next to her as he continued to kiss her. His hand rested lightly on her stomach, then slid under her T-shirt, skimming over the skin of her abdomen and up to her breast. His thumb brushed her nipple over the thin fabric of her bra. She moaned into his mouth as he continued his torture.

  She reached for the button of his shirt, but he grabbed her hand and held it still. His mouth moved lower again, down her neck and to her chest, stopping at the neckline of her T-shirt.

  “Tyler.”

  He sat up and pulled her to a sitting position, tugging her T-shirt over her head and unclasping her bra, then tossing them both to the floor. He cupped her breast, his thumb circling her nipple as he watched her face. His eyes held hers, and she expected him to smile, but instead he studied her as though he were committing her face to memory.

  “I love you, Lanie.”

  “I love you too,” she whispered.

  He pushed her back on the bed then unfastened her jeans and tugged them off, along with her panties. She was completely naked, and he was completely clothed, but when she reached for the button of his shirt again, he grabbed her hand and placed it on the bed over her head.

  He lowered his mouth to her chest, taking his time kissing both breasts, while his hand made lazy circles on her abdomen. But then it slid lower, between her legs, slipping between her soft folds. She released a gasp as his hand and his mouth made her ache for him.

  “Tyler, I want you.”

  He continued his path of kisses down her stomach then between her legs while his hand stroked her breasts.

  He was unhurried, taking his time. She felt worshipped.

  He brought her to the edge of a climax, easing off then and leaving her whimpering for more.

  He knelt on the bed between her legs and watched her as he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, then unfastened his pants. He never took his eyes off her while he stood at the foot of her bed and let his pants drop to the floor.

  His gaze held hers as he lowered himself to the bed, between her legs, as his lips covered hers, his tongue exploring her mouth. Then he lifted on one elbow and watched her face as he entered her in one deep stroke.

  She arched her back, lifting her hips to take him deeper.

  He began to move in long, slow strokes, while he slipped his hand between her legs, bringing her closer.

  “Tyler.”

  He increased his speed, driving deeper and pushing her higher and higher until she cried out his name, clinging to
him while she toppled over the edge. He thrust one last time, then collapsed next to her. He wrapped an arm around her back and rolled her to her side so she faced him.

  “I love you, Lanie. We’ll make this work.”

  She offered him a smile, even though she wasn’t so sure.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Tyler stood at the altar while Britt and Randy exchanged their wedding vows. All eyes were on the happy couple, but Tyler’s were on Lanie. And her eyes were on him.

  After what seemed an eternity, the minister announced that Randy could kiss the bride. The church erupted in applause when they kissed, and all Tyler could think was he hadn’t touched or talked to Lanie in nearly two hours, and that was not acceptable. Not when she was leaving in three days.

  The processional music began, and Randy escorted his new bride down the aisle, and Tyler suddenly wanted that too. He wanted to be married to Lanie.

  The rest of the wedding party moved to follow Britt and Randy out of the church, and Tyler met Lanie at the middle of the altar, taking her hand and squeezing.

  She smiled up at him, and he was relieved that the sadness he’d seen the last few days was missing, as though it was impossible to be sad at Britt and Randy’s wedding.

  As soon as they were in the foyer, Tyler pulled Lanie to the side and gave her a deep, soulful kiss. When he lifted his head, he was pleased to see she was as affected as he was.

  “Are you ready to dance?” she teased.

  “Only with you, Killer. And only if you take off your shoes.”

  She laughed. “I think that can be arranged. It was a good thing I ordered the extra pair of shoes after you lost the one. Who knew I’d break a heel?”

  “Those things are cursed,” he said with a smile. “I plan to bury them in a graveyard at midnight, and save humanity.”

  She laughed again, and it filled his heart with joy. He was going to miss her laugh when she was gone.

  They drove to the reception, and although they were supposed to sit at the table with the wedding party, Lanie suggested they sit with Matt and Kevin.

  “It will give me a chance to get to know them better,” she said.