Livi nodded. “You all did a step routine and the next thing I know you were falling off the stage.” She shuddered at the memory.
“You were there?”
“Yes,” she responded. “We were there together. On that last day, we met for breakfast. Afterward, we went to the Stratosphere Tower.”
“So we actually went there,” Blaze murmured. “We had discussed going to the observation deck the day we met.”
Puzzled, Livi nodded. “I’m not afraid of heights, but that deck was so high that we had an eye-level view of the helicopters.” She gazed at Blaze. “You don’t remember, do you?”
He shook his head. “I wish I could.”
“You told me about your parents and how they met,” Livi said. “They met at the county fair. Your father saw your mother and kept following her around until she confronted him. She told him that he might as well invite her to ride with him on the Ferris wheel. He did, although he was afraid of getting on the ride.”
Blaze nodded and smiled. “That was the first and last time he ever got on any ride. He was so sick afterward. My mother said it was my dad’s determination to move past his fear of heights to win her affection that attracted her initially. They married a few months later and are still going strong thirty-eight years later.”
The air around them seemed electrified, which only added to Blaze’s discomfort. Her memory of what happened gave Livi power.
“How long have you worked at the hotel?” he asked after a moment. “If I remember correctly, you told me you were an executive assistant at the time.”
“I was,” Livi responded. “I was actually your grandfather’s assistant.”
“So you knew Robert DePaul pretty well then.”
It was more of a statement than a question.
Livi nodded. “I knew him as well as anyone could outside of his family. Robert was a good man...a very savvy and intelligent businessman. Your father reminds me of him a great deal.”
“I would have liked to have met him,” Blaze confessed. “I understand why he waited, but I think that it bothers my dad—the way all this came about. Robert was a complete stranger to us all.”
“I’m sure Harold hasn’t made it any easier for your family.”
“Hopefully he’s too busy with the expansion of the Blythewood Hotels to try to sabotage us.”
“Your father can handle Harold.”
Blaze nodded in agreement. “I understand why Harold’s upset, but to go after my family the way he has—it’s not acceptable.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve seen the last of Harold,” Livi said. “You’ve beaten him at every turn, from what I’ve heard. I don’t think he’ll bother coming after you again.”
“As much as I’d like to believe that, I’m not so sure,” Blaze said. “I’m sure the man is trying to find something on my family. We’re not worried, though. We don’t have anything to hide.”
Chapter 5
Livi felt an electrifying jolt of shock run through her as she silently contemplated what could happen. What if someone decided to look into Blaze’s past—or hers, for that matter?
“You okay?” Blaze asked, apparently noting her sudden discomfort.
A new and unexpected warmth surged through her, emanating from the way Blaze was looking at her, his eyes caressing her softly.
She struggled to keep from blurting out her news. Now was definitely not the right time or place.
“I was thinking about all the stuff you told me about your childhood and adolescence,” Livi stated. “You and I have so much in common. I was rebellious in my teen years, as well. I don’t know if you remember my telling you that.... Anyway, when I see you now, it’s hard for me to believe you were ever the kid you described.”
Blaze chuckled. “Oh, I was definitely that person. But you...” He shook his head. “What did you do that was so rebellious?”
“I used to sneak out of my parents’ house and take the car.”
He shook his head in disbelief.
“I did,” Livi said. “I was a handful. I’m sure our parents are thrilled that we’re finally past our teenage years—I know my parents couldn’t be happier.”
Laughing, Blaze nodded in agreement. “Do you think that’s why we were so drawn to each other? Because we’re both rebels?”
“That’s probably part of it,” Livi responded. “I was also attracted to your mind. We had some great conversations on politics, education and life in general.”
“I do remember some of those conversations,” Blaze stated with a grin. “A couple of them got really heated.”
Livi smiled. “You and I have a difference of opinion when it comes to education in low-income areas.”
“We won’t rehash that conversation,” he said. “I would rather spend the evening talking about the good times we had in Vegas.”
“We definitely had those,” she murmured in a low voice. Livi implored him with her eyes to try to remember.
* * *
Blaze was still drawn to Livi.
He enjoyed listening to her as she discussed her plans for the future during dinner. He admired her determination and optimism.
In the back of his mind, Blaze briefly considered that Livi’s renewed interest in him could be financial, but he forced that thought out of his mind. He had never thought of Livi as a gold digger, but then Blaze never thought she was the type of woman to run away from any situation.
While he still found her irresistible, he vowed not to be led by his heart. Things had changed for him since that time in Vegas.
Livi had gotten under his skin in a huge way, but she’d left when Blaze had needed her most.
Blaze shook his head as if to ward off the thought. He did not even want to admit it to himself. Pain of any kind was a sign of weakness as far as he was concerned.
“Blaze...” Livi prompted. “What are you thinking about?”
“Why didn’t you come see me when you came to the hospital? Why did you just leave like that?”
She met his gaze. “I didn’t want to intrude. When you fell off that stage, I tried to get to you, but security wouldn’t let me. By the time I made it to the front, the paramedics were rushing you to the hospital.”
“You didn’t ride with me?” he asked.
Livi shook her head no. “I could hardly get any information on your condition from your friends. They were very protective of you.”
“I didn’t know, Livi. All they told me was that you had stopped by the hospital and then left.”
“I felt as if I wasn’t wanted there.”
“I was in and out of consciousness that night.”
“I realize that, but back then, I didn’t know,” Livi said. “I made a wrong assumption. I see that now.”
“I guess I can understand why you would be so hesitant to contact me then.” Blaze checked his watch. “It’s getting late and I have a long day tomorrow.”
Livi stood up. “Thanks for dinner.”
“It was my pleasure.”
Blaze escorted Livi to her car outside the restaurant.
He surprised them both by giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.
A quiver surged through Livi’s veins. She waited for her quickened pulse to return to normal.
She was both surprised and pleased by Blaze’s kiss.
“I...I don’t really know why I just did that. It just seemed natural.”
She smiled. “I didn’t mind. I’m just surprised because you seemed angry with me earlier.”
“There is a part of me that’s angry,” Blaze admitted. “I didn’t like the way you just up and left me, but I’ll be okay.”
“Thank you for dinner,” she murmured. “I enjoyed sitting down with you and talking.”
“It’s going to take some time,” Blaze responded.
“If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would handle everything differently.”
He gave her a brief hug. “At least now, we have a chance to renew our friendship.”
Chapter 6
“William is not doing well,” Meredith DePaul announced. “You really should go by and visit your brother.”
“You and William have always been close. I’m sure he’ll get better if I’m not around. The last thing I want to do is cause him to have a setback,” Harold DePaul said.
“He loves you and so do I, Harold.”
“Yet, you two chose to join the Alexanders in their quest to take everything away from the DePaul family.”
“Harold, when are you going to put an end to this feud between you and Malcolm’s family?”
He glanced at his sister from his desk. “Meredith, I’m not interested in rehashing this argument.”
She paced back and forth across the carpeted floor in his office. “I’m not trying to argue with you. I just want you to stop this nonsense. Malcolm and his family are good people. They are a part of our family, Harold. Uncle Robert would not want us to have this gulf between us. He would want the family to come together.”
Harold’s telephone rang.
“I need to take this call,” Harold told his sister. “We’re still on for lunch tomorrow, right?”
Meredith sighed in resignation. “Sure. I’ll see you then.”
She sent him a sharp look before walking out of his office.
He answered his cell phone. “Yes...?”
“Harold DePaul, I am about to make your day.”
He frowned. “Who is this?”
“George Pepper. I did some work for you last year.”
“George, what is it you have for me?”
He chuckled. “Oh, no, it’s not going to be so simple. You see, what I have for you is going to cost you plenty.”
“I don’t think so,” Harold responded coolly.
“I will tell you this much—the Alexanders have secrets and I’ve uncovered one of them. Trust me, this one is huge.”
Harold was silent on the other end.
“You still there?” George inquired.
“Come to my office this afternoon,” Harold said. “Around three. And, George, this had better be worth my time.”
Harold thumbed his fingers on his desk.
George had definitely sparked his curiosity. Harold did not hold out much hope because the detectives he had hired to look into the Alexander family had not turned up so much as a speeding ticket.
He would hear the man out, but Harold considered his conversation with his sister. Perhaps Meredith was right. It was time to move on.
* * *
Livi slowly turned the doorknob and opened her door. She stepped into her spacious bedroom. At the far end of the room, a floor-to-ceiling window gave Livi a view of much of Los Angeles.
She crossed the varnished hardwood floor in bare feet, walking toward the platinum bed that framed a purple-and-teal-colored comforter and several pillows. Livi sat down on her bed and reclined against the stack of pillows leaning against the king-size headboard.
From the moment she realized that Blaze was within arm’s reach, Livi bounced back and forth between yearning for him and keeping her distance. She was experiencing a gamut of emotions. One of them was guilt.
I’m a coward.
She should have sought him out from the very beginning, instead of letting so much time go by. Livi had been afraid and kept putting it off. Now, she was afraid that it was too late.
Too late for what? What did she want from Blaze?
Livi wanted to know if what she had felt back then with him was real. It was something that had plagued her thoughts and her heart from the time she left him. From the moment they met, the very air around Livi had seemed electrified. She had found in him a kinship through their shared interests. She and Blaze both had a heart for service to the community. They both loved sports and were avid readers.
She recalled a memory of Blaze pausing to pick up a little girl who had fallen down. He made sure that she was safe with her mother before walking away. He cared about others. She noted that he was also a generous man, always tipping over and above what was required.
He was also romantic. Blaze arranged to have her favorite chocolates waiting in her hotel room the night of their first date. The next morning a half a dozen roses greeted her. When Blaze found out that she had missed her prom because she had injured her foot during a high school basketball game, he re-created her prom night for their second date. It was then that Livi had fallen in love with him.
She had thought she could leave the memories and the emotions behind.
Livi climbed off her bed and strode back over to the window, allowing her gaze to drift over the moonlit sky as she relived her time with Blaze.
What is wrong with me?
They had spent three days together. Three days.
The spring weather still held a trace of briskness, prompting Livi to rub her arms to ward off the chill. Livi continued standing at the window, listening to the steady rhythm of the Los Angeles nightlife below, while contemplating her future.
Livi wanted to explore a future with Blaze. He possessed all the qualities she wanted in a man. Trust and honesty were extremely important to Blaze. It was the same for her. No relationship could work without them.
“I don’t want to lose him,” she whispered to the empty room.
* * *
“What is this about?” Harold demanded as soon as George Pepper strolled into his office, looking smug and overconfident. The aging detective had on a pair of loose pants that had seen better days and a wrinkled shirt with flowers all over it.
“As I explained on the phone, I have some information about the Alexander family that you will find very useful.”
“I doubt that,” Harold retorted. “It seems my cousins are law-abiding citizens with bleeding hearts.” He was positive that whatever George thought he had discovered could not be worth anything.
“I’ve never known you to give up quite so easily.”
“Sometimes, you just have to walk away.”
George leaned back in his chair. “I think you’re going to have a change of heart once you hear what I have to say.”
Chapter 7
The next day, Livi spotted Blaze in the hotel with a little boy. She surmised that the child was Ari and Natasha’s son. Although she had not seen Joshua in a long time, Livi had heard that Joshua’s cancer was gone and the little boy was doing well.
Blaze saw her and waved.
Livi felt an eager affection coming from Blaze when he and Joshua entered the boutique. He looked her over seductively.
She pretended not to notice as a vaguely sensuous frisson passed between them, but every time his gaze met hers, Livi’s heart turned over in response.
“Well, who is this handsome young man?” Livi asked, a smile tugging at her lips.
“I’m Joshua.”
“This is my nephew,” Blaze said. “He’s Ari and Natasha’s son.”
Livi bent down. “I know you don’t remember me, but I used to babysit you when your mommy had to travel. You were about three years old and you used to love to come to my house.”
“Do you have a puppy?”
“I did,” Livi confirmed. “You remember Spottie?”
Joshua nodded. “Do you still have him?”
Livi shook her head no. “He’s not a little puppy anymore, so he lives with my parents now. They have a huge yard for him to run and play in. I visit him as much as I can, though.”
“He used to take naps with me.”
Laughing, Livi nodded. “He sure did.�
��
“Joshua, why don’t you look around for that birthday present for your mom,” Blaze suggested.
“Okay.”
Joshua rushed over to a table display of scarves.
“Are you two doing some male bonding this afternoon?” Livi inquired.
Blaze grinned and nodded.
“Look, Uncle B,” the little boy called out. “Mommy would like this scarf. It’s the perfect gift for her birthday.”
“Joshua certainly has good taste.”
Blaze agreed. “Definitely.”
“Can I get this for her?” asked Joshua.
Blaze nodded. “You sure can.”
“You two seem very close,” Livi commented with a smile.
“We are,” Blaze confirmed.
After Joshua made his purchase, Livi noted that Blaze did not seem in any hurry to leave.
“Did you need something?” she asked after a short pause. “You never come into the boutique.”
“I can’t pretend I don’t know you,” he said in a low voice. “I was here at the hotel, so I came by to say hello.”
“Oh, okay,” she responded.
He broke into a wide grin. “Hello.”
Livi chuckled. “Hello to you, too.”
“I sense that there’s still some tension between us,” Blaze said. “Livi, I don’t want that. To be honest, I’m hoping we can be friends.”
Livi felt a warm glow flow through her. “You want to be friends?”
“Yes,” Blaze responded. “Is that so surprising?”
“No. Actually, I’m glad you feel that way. I’d like nothing more than to be your friend.”
Livi greeted a woman who had just entered the boutique. “I’d better get back to work. Joshua, your mother is going to love her gift from you.”
“I know,” the little boy responded. “Mommy loves scarves. Uncle B, you should get her one, too.”
Livi bit back a smile as Blaze responded, “I have a gift for her already. It’s not as nice as this, but I think she’ll like it.”
Five Star Romance Page 4