Pink Lilies (Beautiful People Book 1)

by Lacee Hightower

“I don’t know, Alexa,” he answered sternly. “It’s just the way I am. I’ve never been any different.”

  “Just the way you are?” I challenged at his lack of a real answer.

  “Whatever, Tyler … I just don’t see this happening. Something always seems to hold you back.” His gaze darkened as he lowered his lips right above mine.

  “Oh, it’s happening, angel. It’s been fucking happening since the day you stumbled into my chest with boiling coffee and doughnuts.”

  Startled, I snatched my head away. “I can’t do this anymore tonight. I’m tired. My day has absolutely sucked and I just want to go to bed. I have to work tomorrow,” I whispered, hoping he didn’t sense my quickening pulse. Or my arousal.

  A speck of a grin crawled up his lips, the throb between my thighs snowballing.

  “Okay, angel. Tomorrow, then.”

  “Goodnight, Tyler.”

  I opened the door and motioned him to go. It killed me to do that, but I needed to get away from him. I needed time to think. And recover from this frightful night.

  “Everything changes tomorrow, Alexa.”

  My head fell into the wall while my heart pounded. Never more aroused by any man, I knew he was still standing right there with only inches separating us. Hoping I’d change my mind. But, I didn’t, and he didn’t push the matter any further. Finally, I heard the sound of his car engine as he drove off.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Alex

  Storm season in Texas could be brutal. Usually over by the beginning of August, this was Texas after all, and anything weather-wise could happen at the spur of any given moment. The rain had started around six in the morning and now it was storming. The weather alert streamed across the top of my muted television and I prayed we wouldn’t have any hail or tornado warnings pop up. Bad weather terrified me and I just wanted to stay home today and sulk. Instead, I lifted my cell phone and called home.

  “Hi, Mom.” Work in two hours, this was my third double shift of the week, and I honestly felt like shit. The night had been another sleep deprived one and I still needed to tell Maci about my disastrous date with Chuck before she heard about it from him. Finally, I’d stood up to Tyler, but somehow that didn’t make me feel better. What exactly would make me feel better though? Getting Tyler Yates out of my head certainly wasn’t a realistic possibility. Truth be told, I just needed my mom this morning.

  “Hey, sweetie. How are things?” Her muted giggle was obvious, her hand apparently covering the phone. She and my dad had never quit acting like newlyweds. Thirty years of marriage, they still acted like they’d just met. My parents were everything I hoped for one day.

  “God, Mom. What the hell? What are you doing? Do I need to call back later?” Impossible to imagine my parents having sex, I guess everyone pretty much felt that way. My dad made no bones about the fact that their sex life was still in full force and better than ever, puffing out his chest and claiming Superman had nothing on him. He had no problem slapping my mom on the ass or reaching for a peek down her shirt in front of Adam and me. My brother had always been so blunt about them, while I always looked the other way. “They fuck, Alex! How the hell do you think we got here? Off the magic carpet?”

  “No, honey. You know your dad. He’s just leaving for work and he’s such a morning person. He said he loves you.” Her tone breathy, she giggled again, sounding like a school girl.

  “Jeez, Mom.” I teared up. I really wanted to pack a bag and go visit my family for a few days. Get away from everything. Work. Searching for jobs. Worrying about bills. A car. Becca.

  Tyler…

  “You okay, Alex? You sound upset, honey.” Rubbing the corners of my eyes, far from okay, I said, “Yeah, I’m fine, Mom. I just miss you and wanted to talk a minute before work. Is there any news on Becca?”

  “Not a lot, honey. Dad and I just got home last night and I haven’t talked to Nancy and Johnny. I plan on visiting them today. They aren’t any better. They need some kind of answer, Alex. Some closure so they can heal.”

  “I know. I wish there was something I could do. What about the journal and cell phone? Something should come from that. She had to communicate with her boyfriend somehow. It’s strange that she never mentioned his name in her journal.”

  “I just don’t know, sweetheart. I do know that there weren’t any real leads in her journal. She was even secretive in her own private diary. I’ll let you know after I visit Nancy today. Maybe she has some new information by now.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I guess I better go. I have to get to work soon.”

  “Okay. Have a good day, sweetheart. We love you.”

  My eyes filled with tears. Stupid damn tears!

  “I love you, too, Mom. Talk soon.”

  * * * *

  10:15 when I finally got home from another exhausting eleven-hour day, the need to find a job was almost comical. I was a college graduate, for God’s sake. Detectives Garcia and Hill showed up at the restaurant mid-afternoon to question me about Becca. I answered their few questions the same way I had to my family—I knew nothing. I’d only talked to my cousin once in many long months, and the conversation had been short. After the brief visit, they ended by telling me Becca’s journal stated she wanted me to have it and would be mailing it to me in a few days.

  My phone dinged with a voice mail from Maci. Shit!

  Hey woman, I know you’re probably still at work, but I’ll be up late. Call me.

  The fact that I already felt like hell was immaterial. Que sera sera. Seconds from multiplying, what was one more thing gonna change? Could it really make an already deplorable day any worse?

  “Hello.” She was asleep. Damn!

  “Hey, Maci. You were sleeping. Your message said you were gonna be up. Shit … I’m sorry.”

  “No, it’s okay,” she said. “I was in bed watching Pretty Woman for the twelfth time. I guess I fell asleep,” she said through a repressed yawn.

  “God, I love that movie,” I whispered.

  “No,” Maci giggled. “You love Richard Gere.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, dreading this. “Okay here goes, M. My date with Chuck didn’t go so well. God … don’t hate me. Did he already tell you what a bitch I am?” My voice trembling, I knew my best friend wouldn’t turn against me, but I was just so tired. Physically and mentally.

  “No. He hasn’t said a word. He’s swamped with a big 18-wheeler case. What’s the deal, Alex? How bad could it have gone? Chuck’s a sweetie.”

  You have no damn idea how bad.

  “He is sweet. It’s just … oh, fuck it, Maci. It’s Tyler. He was at the same damn restaurant.” My chest pounded. “I mean, how does that even happen? There’s a bazillion places to eat in this town.” Tears burned my already raw eyes.

  “Tyler? He was there? At The Dock House?”

  “Yeah. He was there all right. He was with a date. But he said it wasn’t—Jesus, Maci, I don’t know what the hell she is. Furthermore, I don’t what he is. He’s so damn complicated.”

  “Come on, Alex. Piss on Tyler! Chuck is every bit as hot as the orgasm on legs. Plus, he’s genuinely a decent guy and a damn good attorney.” I could read the tone of Maci’s voice. Laced with disappointment, this conversation was going just as I expected. “Even if he is an attorney, he’s an excellent one with a very promising future.”

  “I know. Every word you said is true, Maci. And my assumption on attorneys was wrong. I’m sorry about that.”

  After I finished spilling out the entire devastating evening, Maci was clearly pissed, even though she denied it. She was positively mad at me.

  Well join the fucking club!

  With a half-assed blow dry of my hair after an extra-long hot shower, I doused my skin in coconut lotion and brushed my teeth. The dinging of another text was probably from Maci, either telling me to cheer up, or giving me a little more guilt to contend with.

  Open the door, Alexa.

  Tyler was back. Exactly as he’d said. A sur
ge of relief, and lust, pelted through my chest, even though I was bone tired and it was nearing midnight.

  He didn’t make a sound as I opened the door, staring at yet another flower arrangement. Dressed in nothing but a short, black nightgown, my attire was completely inappropriate, but I was honestly too beat to care. So many things I wanted to say, they all became a blank as I stared up at the huge bouquet of white roses in his arms. How many were there? Two dozen? Four? Wherever he got the beautiful arrangement this time of night, it sure didn’t look like it came from any grocery store. Of course, this was Tyler Yates. He probably had someone on speed dial. What was his thing with flowers?

  “Oh … Here.” I pulled the door open wide so he could get the enormous vase of flowers through. God, I loved roses. The smell was heavenly, reminding me of somewhere between rain and sunshine. The scent was beautiful and happy.

  “Hope you like them.” He set the enormous vase of small, mainly unopen white buds down on my round coffee table.

  “They’re just beautiful, Tyler. Thank you.”

  My gaze fixated on the sight of him, my thoughts twisting and turning in my head. Dressed in dark gray, slim-cut dress slacks with a black button-down dress shirt and matching, solid black tie, his Berluti oxfords caught my eye. They were sexy and expensive, just as everything else was regarding Tyler. My shoe fetish was so completely off the charts that I knew for a fact that his feet were covered in nothing but the best quality lambskin, or some other exceptional type of leather offered in men’s footwear. Whatever they were made of, I knew that he lay down somewhere around a thousand bucks for them.

  His tie had been loosened and his sleeves were rolled up to right below his elbows. Composed and elegant, he appeared irresistibly controlling and possessive. One hundred percent testosterone-driven sexy male. Tyler Yates was hot as hell no matter what he wore.

  “You look nice,” I said shyly, suddenly flustered by my own appearance.

  “I’m glad you find me nice, Alexa … for once,” he said with a bona-fide smile that made my heart race. “I met with my bankers over dinner. I’m considering a second clinic.”

  “Oh! Well, that’s great,” I shrugged. “You should definitely dress like this more often. It suits you.”

  “Does it now?” He stared at me with his sparkling gemlike eyes. His facial hair grown out again, his flawless jawline was covered with just the right coating of dark stubble making him look even more seductive. And masculine. Oh, screw seductive and masculine, the man looked hot as sin!

  My lady parts definitely affected by the dark, five o’clock shadow, the familiar tingle between my legs teased at me, as it always did around Tyler. The room screamed sexual tension. I could feel lust oozing from him. I saw it in his eyes.

  “Do you want to sit down? I need to put water in the roses.” He reached for my hand and lifted it to his mouth, placing kisses on my wrist and up my arm. The slight smell of his spicy, enticing cologne filled my lungs as we stood, both watching his thick lips brush across my skin.

  “The roses are fine,” he whispered. “Jesus, you smell so good, angel.” He inhaled the scent of my skin. It was so sensual. But then, of course it was. It was Tyler. Every aspect of this man seeped passion and suggestiveness. It bled from his pores—when he wanted it to.

  His magnetic dark gaze sliced through mine and a shiver rocked through me, followed by a deep ache in my core. Still upset with him, how long could I stay that way with that glittering stare and impelling gorgeous face looking at me that way? Plus, I was seeing another side of him. One that showed me he was trying—and being romantic. Despite being turned on, something made me want to lighten the mood. I couldn’t help the fact that no matter what, dammit, Tyler intimidated me.

  “Tyler, please tell me why you refuse to even discuss fixing the dimple on my face.” My request somewhat of a joke due to downright nervousness, he sighed through thinning lips. “You know I was only kidding about doing it for free. I have a portion of my college fund left over in savings. I could make payments. Small ones.”

  “Alexa, you know why. Why is this even important? It’s not worth discussing.”

  “Because to me, it just is. I need to know.” He pushed off the wall and walked toward the door.

  “Stay right where you are. I want to show you something.” I watched his magnificent ass as he walked to his car and popped the trunk. He reached for something I couldn’t see, slipping it inside his pocket.

  “What’s in there?” I pointed to his pocket as he walked back inside, arching my brows.

  His fingers twisted through mine, leading me toward the small square breakfast table in the kitchen. “Lay back, Alexa.”

  He gestured toward the dinette table, using a foot to push a chair to the side. He leaned my back over the table, my short gown rising up my thighs. His eyes narrowing, he glared down at me, reaching into his pocket and removing a small scalpel with the blade still covered. My stomach rolled, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my teeth.

  “Have you lost your mind, Tyler?”

  His jaw tightened. “Not in the sense you mean, but you hounding me about changing your face makes me feel like I am.”

  Hovering over me, his eyes resembled cold chips of emerald ice. The end of the small blade lightly brushed across my left cheek and I gasped at the eerie tingle through my face, the unpleasantness from the table sending sharp pains through my back.

  “So you want me cutting on your face, Alexa? Is that what you really want?”

  “What the hell, Tyler? Let me up.”

  He leaned over further, caging me against the table. “Do you realize just how sharp a scalpel this size really is? The depth of permanent, life-altering damage it can do to a person if not used properly?”

  My eyes expanded at the uncanny vibes the smooth cold metal sent through my skin. My heart hammered furiously as he carefully removed the blade cover and turned the scalpel over in his hand again and again, his gaze darkening.

  “This, Alexa, is the scalpel that I never intend on using anywhere near this beautiful face, or any other part of your body. Are you beginning to understand now?”

  His stare was deadlocked against mine as he slowly lowered the scalpel again, shoving my gown up with the edge. With his eyes fixed and frozen, he cautiously ran the tip underneath the waist line of my panties, going to great lengths to avoid touching my skin. Suddenly, with a quick instant pop, he snapped the elastic, the torn strip of stretchy fabric rapidly dropping down over my chilled skin.

  “This is the only thing on your body that I will ever use a scalpel on, Alexa. To get rid of these.” His jaw tensed. “Bring the subject up again and you’ll end up over my knee.” He lifted his body from mine, the tent inside his fitted slacks vast. He carefully replaced the blade cover and returned the scalpel to the inside of his pocket. Still frozen, I hadn’t moved an inch, my heart racing in my chest. His long fingers returned to my panties, lowering them slowly and brushing across my soaked opening. He slipped a finger inside me, every muscle in my body tensing.

  “You’re very wet, Alexa. Did that turn you on?”

  I bolted straight up, his hand falling from my heated body as I pulled my torn panties back up. I walked away and stood in the doorway. I wasn’t sure if I was scared, or just exactly what I was feeling. My mind was swimming with the profound reaction this man had on me. All I knew for sure was that he was spot-on about one thing. Even with what he’d just done, I was completely aroused. He still stood by the kitchen table, our eyes in a hard standoff.

  “I need real proof you aren’t going to walk away again, Tyler.”

  His hand forcefully tugged on his belt buckle, unlatching it and dropping his pants down around his ankles. The boxers he wore were tight and gray, outlining a thick hard erection that was perfectly molded against the thin material. He grasped the elastic waistband and lowered them, enclosing his hand around his wide girth as they dropped, joining the slacks that covered his ankles. Dear God.


  “Is this proof enough? Don’t ever think for one minute that I get this hard for another woman.”

  I whimpered at the sound of his unyielding voice

  “For the love of Christ, Alexa. Come here. Please. Come here.”

  A small drop of liquid oozed from the head of his hard length as his hand slowly slid down and over himself. In seconds I was against him, rubbing against his body, his hand quickly dropping from his heavy erection and sliding around the back of my neck. He slipped his shoes off and kicked his pants to the side as our lips connected in a hard, demanding kiss. His free hand grasped my ass, walking us backward toward my bedroom.

  His lips were luscious and warm as he kissed me, his tongue stroking deeply. His kiss grew hard, sending all the hairs on the back of my neck into the erect position as I reveled in the power he had over me. His pronounced erection rubbed against my thin gown, my nipples achingly swollen as they brushed his firm chest. I moaned and he retorted by easing his lips from mine and exhaling long warm breaths against my neck and down my chest.

  “I want you, Alexa. I want to be buried deep inside you. Listening to the sweet whimper of your moans over and over. Making you feel better than you’ve ever considered,” he whispered with his cracking voice. My throat tightened and nerves pressed through my chest, the small area between my legs becoming even more of a drenched mess. Tyler was the first, and only man, to concentrate on my needs. My desires. And with that, I was falling even deeper.

  “I want you to make me feel … better,” I whispered.

  He cupped my cheeks, his hard body pressing against me. His hands lowered down my neck, tangling through my hair before slowly easing down my back and resting on my butt. He pulled me tighter against him, his strong body almost causing me to stumble. His raging erection radiated heat.

  “I want you, Tyler.” His eyes blazed like torches. I wanted him so badly that I actually ached.

  His gaze was fixed on my lips. “Are you on birth control, Alexa?”

  “Yes,” I whispered. “Of course, I am. And I’m disease free. I have proof if you want it.”