by Jo Leigh
Just as she called out for a replacement drink, she heard his voice.
“Aubrey.”
She turned, the drink and the window forgotten. Liam was right there, inside. Not even a foot away.
“Oh, I see,” he said, as he checked out how they’d created the illusion that the snow was blowing over the entire stage. “I thought it had all gone wrong. I wanted to help.”
She couldn’t move, couldn’t even blink.
“I wasn’t going to let you see me,” he said, looking contrite and achingly handsome. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I’ll go.”
“Wait. I’m—” She looked at the set, at the fantastic array of famous guests who’d volunteered their time. The blinding lights shone through the window, the noise of the crowd bled inside, louder than the piped-out music.
But she had to look at Liam. “You came.”
“I couldn’t stay away. Not tonight.” He smiled in that way of his. “The window’s amazing. I wish I could hear all about it. But I know you must be insanely busy.”
“No,” she said, wincing as the music changed to the cue song that would set the models in motion. “Don’t go. Please.”
As the fake snow finally settled and the lighting from above shifted to the set itself, the crowd was finally able to see what was happening on the stage. Aubrey had to see the reaction. Had to. It was only a few steps until she was at the front door, until she stood right next to Liam. She’d done it. It truly was an extravaganza, and the people outside were going nuts with their cameras and videos. She wasn’t sure what made her happier, the applause and whistles from the crowd or the man at her side.
The hand on her shoulder made her jump, but it was only a surprise for a moment. “You did it,” he said, his mouth so close to her ear his breath gave her the shivers. “You knocked it out of the park.”
She turned to face him. Fool that she was, she hadn’t realized how desperately important it was for him to be with her. Not that it solved everything. But for now, she could be happy. More than that. Triumphant.
His smile changed as their gazes held, and then he leaned down as her eyes fluttered shut. They both jumped when someone bumped Liam’s back, and nearly sent them tumbling.
An over-the-shoulder apology from an electrician didn’t help much. Liam winced and stepped back. Which was not okay at all. She held out her hand. “Come with me?”
Before either of them could change their minds, she pulled him through the maze of shelves and into the stockroom. Once the door was closed and locked, she turned to face him. She had no idea what to say.
“I lied,” he said. “I came here because I had to. Because I wanted to.”
“Why?” Her throat felt thick and thinking was out of the question. “I was horrible to you. I broke up with you over voice mail.”
He’d never let go of her hand, and now he took the other one, as well. “That first night, I thought I’d be meeting a con artist. I had no idea that you’d be a completely different kind of artist. That you’d fall into my lap the way my card fell into your hands. I couldn’t believe my luck, and then…”
Aubrey sniffled and blinked and tried to figure out if she was hallucinating. Because that made so much more sense than the real Liam being with her while outside the press was going crazy over her window and inside she was a shivery bag of caffeine and yearning with tragically red eyes and a nose reminiscent of Rudolph. The way he looked at her? It was impossible. It must be a hallucination.
“…I started to get to know you.”
She frowned. If she’d gone crazy, he’d be kissing her now.
“I don’t want this to be over,” he said. “I barely know you. We can’t be done. We’re not finished.”
Ah. He was real. And still not seeing the big picture. “I love that you think so, Liam. It’s so tempting to believe that everything will turn out perfectly, and we’ll live happily ever after. But we won’t. Seriously, we’re not right for each other. If we continue to see each other, it’ll be tons worse when you finally realize this has all just been a moment in time, a story you’ll remember years from now about the insane window dresser who wanted a muse. Can you really see me on your arm when we go to some big political fundraiser?”
He didn’t answer for about twenty of her panicked heartbeats. “I have no idea. But neither do you. That’s years from now. What I do know is that since I met you, I’m better at my job. I’ve finally gotten rid of the giant chip on my shoulder, and relaxed. Because of you. And that’s not the only way you’ve changed me.”
She sniffed and had to slip her hand from his grasp to grab some tissues.
He stroked her hair as if it wasn’t also a nightmare. “You’ve opened the door to a world I’d turned my back on,” he said. “I’ve been so determined to be the best cop in the city that I’d forgotten what it was like to just live. It would be a damn shame to stop now. After all, the card did fall right into your hands.”
“So now you believe in destiny?” she asked.
“Yeah. I do. You know why? You’re exactly the woman I’ve always wanted to be with. I just didn’t realize it until we met.”
She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I’ll end up driving you crazy.”
Liam laughed. “Too late. You already do.” Then he kissed her. And kissed her. To hell with the window, this was the single best thing she’d ever done.
Sexy, contemporary romance stories for today’s fun, fearless female.
On sale January 14, 2014
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ISBN: 978-1-4603-2365-6
DEFINITELY NAUGHTY
Copyright © 2013 by Jolie Kramer
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