Sweat It Out: A Billionaire Love Story

by Starla Harris

  Meanwhile, Michael sat up straight in his seat, looking around curiously at the people filling the rows of cushioned red auditorium chairs. “So these are your people, huh?”

  Lucy had the distinct impression he was actively trying to keep the judgment out of his voice. “They’re not ‘my’ people.” she snorted. “Most of them are wellness snobs and don’t have a clue about anything.”

  Michael arched an eyebrow, surprised at her harsh judgment.

  “Well, not all of them are bad. The good ones are really good,” Lucy amended, thinking of Alice Baker, whom she met in Ojai.

  When Elijah came on stage, Lucy’s stomach did a funny thing that could only be described as the proverbial butterflies going crazy. She took a deep breath and willed herself to calm down. Still, no matter how hard she tried to focus, she ended up listening to only half of what he was saying.

  All she could think about was the way his body had felt on top of hers and how her body responded to his. She watched him move on stage, and she remembered how he had moved between the sheets. She remembered the powerful feeling of his enlarged cock inside of her and how it felt when he came inside of her.

  At the end of the lecture, Lucy and Michael remained in their seats. They waited for most of the crowd to disperse before they approached him. Michael hung back discreetly, but Lucy all but marched forward. Now that she found herself so close to him, she was anxious to get this done with. She could have kicked herself for not having asked him for his number back in Ojai. If she had, she might have spared herself the trip. Somehow it felt even more degrading that she had to wait in line to speak to him like she was nothing more than an obsessed groupie.

  When it was her turn to approach, he looked up at her but didn’t seem at all surprised to see her. She knew that he saw her at the beginning of his lecture. They made eye contact for a brief moment. That was when all of the memories of the last weekend came flooding back. But now as he looked at her, he gave her a half-hearted smile that made her pause and question her own recollection of the events that happened between them back in Ojai. It was less than a week, but it seemed like ages ago.

  “Elijah,” she said softly, allowing herself to address him with familiarity now that almost no one was around to hear. “It’s good to see you.”

  “How may I help you?” he said tersely and nodded impatiently as if she was a stranger and no intimacy had ever been passed between them.

  Lucy blinked. She was taken aback at how he distant he was, so cold and detached. She frowned for a moment, but quickly pushed her confusion away. “I need to talk to you.”

  “About…?” He stared at her blankly.

  “The interview you gave me back in Ojai. I submitted it to Clean magazine. They think it’s fake and said that the source couldn’t corroborate it.”

  He stared at her some more and then burst out laughing. “Shit. Carey can be such a bitch sometimes.”

  Lucy pushed down the wave of annoyance that hit her at his dismissive manners. “Can you do something about it?”

  He arched an eyebrow and looked at her curiously. “Like what?”

  Lucy took a deep, calming breath. “Well, you’re the source. Can you talk to Carey Wayland and let her know that the material I submitted is indeed authentic?”

  He stared at her for a moment, and then he shrugged. “I’m sorry, but it’s not my problem. I don’t like getting involved in petty media squabbles. I hope you understand.”

  Lucy was stunned. “Are you serious?”

  “Look,” he said impatiently. “You wanted an interview and I gave it to you. That’s it as far as I’m concerned. How you handle the rest is your business.”

  “She was right, you know. You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t have time for this.” He spoke to her sharply. “I can’t help every single person on this planet who thinks I owe them something just because we spent some time together.”

  “What the…”

  He cut her off before she could finish her sentence. “You’re smart. You’ll figure it out.”

  Lucy watched with open disbelief as he gathered up his papers and slung his bag over his shoulder.

  “You’re walking away? Just like that?”

  “I’m sorry, Lucy, but I can’t help you.”

  “You mean you won’t help me,” Lucy corrected him coolly.

  He shrugged. “This is between you and Carey to figure out. Thanks for coming. It was good to see you again.” He nodded at her dismissively and walked away. Just like that.

  What a fucking asshole! Lucy stared after him, trying (and failing) to make sense of what had just happened. Michael approached her cautiously, visibly cringing.

  “Shit,” he said. “That went horribly.”

  Lucy turned and looked at him sharply. “You think?”

  “Oh my God! What an asshole.” He glared at the auditorium exit as if he could still see Elijah walking away and out of the room. “I can’t believe he did that to you.”

  “He hasn’t done anything,” Lucy said quietly. “Which is exactly the problem.”

  “Bullshit. He fucking slept with you, agreed to an interview and won’t stand behind it.” Michael reached over and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Lucy,” he said. “You were right, this was a bad idea.”

  “No, it was a great idea. It was definitely worth a shot. I appreciate you dragging me all the way here. Because now I know what an absolute prick he is.”

  Michael gave her a weak grin and shook his head, “Oh, girl…”

  Lucy all but growled, “It’s not your fault he’s a dick.”

  Michael patted her shoulder and then finally let his hand fall. “I think we need to go out tonight,” he announced after a moment, as they made their way out of the auditorium. “God knows you need a drink.”

  Lucy burst out laughing. “I think you’re very right. It’s been a hell of a week.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  LUCY HAD NOT PLANNED on getting drunk. It just happened. One minute she was wallowing deep in self-pity, watching Michael and Beth exchange witty barbs and catty commentary about the bar’s clientele, and the next she was so happily buzzed that she felt almost content. She didn’t drink often, but when she did, it didn’t take much to get her into that state where her brain didn’t recognize filters anymore. The words tumbled freely out of her head and into her mouth.

  Lucy didn’t think there would be any danger of running into him in such a big city like Los Angeles. After all, they sure as hell didn’t run in the same crowds. The place Beth had chosen for them to go to was an interesting mix of upscale and trendy. It was elegant enough for a different experience than the usual pub, and yet not so pricey that young people like them had to stay away. So when Lucy saw Elijah walk in, she did a double take.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Michael noticed right away the changed expression on Lucy’s face, which was nothing short of miraculous, considering that he and Beth were in a heated competition to see who could get the attention of a cute hipster guy at the other end of the bar. Their behavior was so over the top that Lucy had begun to feel somewhat invisible a good half hour ago. But she and Michael were so close and in tune with each other that when it came to her, nothing ever escaped him. He followed her gaze and when he saw who she was looking at, he groaned loudly.

  “What?” Beth asked, looking between the two of them in confusion. “What is it?” She, too, followed their fixed gazes and whistled softly under her breath. “He’s older, but damn, he’s hot! Do you know him?”

  “That’s Elijah Redford,” Michael snarled.

  “Oh.” In an instant, Beth’s expression changed too. She also had heard the whole sordid tale, and now there was an angry look on her gorgeous, heart-shaped face. “Lucy, are you okay?”

  Lucy snorted. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She downed another sip of her cocktail for good measure.

  Her friends stared at her.

  “I’m fine, you guys,” she re
peated, but she was pretty sure she wasn’t fooling anyone.

  “What’s he doing here?” Beth said. “I thought he was super rich.”

  “Well, just because he’s rich, doesn’t mean he can’t do normal things and go to normal places,” Michael said. It came out sounding a lot cattier than he had meant. Michael immediately regretted having said anything as both girls turned to glare at him. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “He’s an asshole, obviously.”

  They watched as Elijah was greeted by the bar’s hostess. He seemed to know her well, based on how he placed a hand on her hip and she reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Lucy was surprised by the jealousy that suddenly (and violently) stirred within her. She knew she wasn’t really entitled to it. Elijah wasn’t hers to get jealous over. And yet she couldn’t help but feel bitter. She watched as the hostess led him upstairs, probably to a VIP room in back Lucy thought to herself as she held back a grimace. Figures. Fucking stuck-up billionaire asshole.

  Lucy took another hearty sip from her drink and that’s when she had the brilliant idea that she would give him a piece of her mind. She stood up determinedly at first, but then wobbled on her feet.

  “Where are you going?” Michael said. “Are you alright?” He looked at her like a concerned mother hen looking after her brood.

  “Relax, I’m just going to the bathroom,” Lucy lied.

  She was surprised at how easy it was to throw him off, considering how awful a liar she was in general, and how her ability to evade often got worse when she drank. Admittedly, it wasn’t exactly a lie; she did have to pee.

  Once in the bathroom, she allowed herself a few moments in front of the mirror to get her emotions under control. She braced herself over the sink and looked at herself straight in the eye. I can do this! I can do this! She took a few deep calming breaths before she headed back out into the bar.

  She threw a cautious look in the direction of the booth where Michael and Beth were seated. She smiled when she saw that they successfully managed to get the bearded hipster dude to come over to their table. She could see them falling over themselves, vying for the guy’s attention. They were both having a blast. Lucy felt content, knowing that they probably wouldn’t even notice she was gone.

  She ordered two mojitos at the bar and when the bartender wasn’t looking, she snatched a waitress tray from the behind the counter before making her way upstairs. It wasn’t as crowded in the upper area and so it was easy enough to figure out where to go.

  Predictably, a juicehead bouncer type was standing in front of the door to the VIP area. He’s probably there to keep the riff-raff like me out. Lucy was dressed simply enough, with skinny jeans, a cute halter top that showed off her shoulders and simple flats. This place was upscale, but the waitresses didn’t wear uniforms, and so when the bouncer took a look at her and saw that she was carrying the drink tray, he let her in without comment. She flashed him a flirty grateful smile as he held the door open for her and waltzed right through.

  It didn’t take her long to spot Elijah. He was sitting at a booth at the back of the room. To her surprise, he was alone. Her eyes quickly scanned the area, looking for clues that might indicate someone might be coming back to join him. But she didn’t see a purse or anything else that might suggest there was someone with him. There was just a single drink on the table. It was a glass of whiskey (probably the finest in the establishment) and it was half empty.

  He looked up as she walked toward him. His blue eyes widened in surprise. “Lucy?”

  “Yeah,” Lucy said, setting the tray down.

  “What are you doing here?” He cast a look toward the door. “I mean, how’d you get in? Are you following me?”

  Lucy rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Please, Elijah. Not everything is about you.” She didn’t wait for an invitation as she sat next to him. “I’m here with some friends downstairs. I saw you walk in.”

  Elijah looked at her for a moment, then smiled. He leaned over and was about to kiss her, but Lucy jerked back. She stared at him, completely stunned by the gesture. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “What?”

  “What?” Lucy repeated, incredulous. “You really think you can kiss me, just like that? After the crap you pulled?”

  She was surprised at how confident she was in her alcohol-fueled rage. There was no hesitation and no embarrassment. For the first time since she had met him, she didn’t feel intimidated by him. VIP area or not, out here in the everyday world, he was just a man. And damn it, she was pissed.

  “What crap?” he asked, but it was clear from the guilty expression on his face that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

  “I’d like to know why, Elijah,” Lucy demanded. “Why did you let me have that interview when you knew the trouble it would get me in and then deny everything?”

  Elijah took a deep breath. He seemed to deflate somewhat, the mask slipping. He looked a little less like ‘billionaire celebrity icon’ and more like ‘ordinary guy who didn’t have a clue what he was doing.

  “I guess I fucked up,” he admitted. “I didn’t mean to be so rude. It’s just that I have to be careful.”

  Lucy frowned. She took one of the mojitos she used for cover and took a sip. It was cool against her throat and the mint was fresh in her mouth. The pleasant flavors grounded her somehow. “You call that careful? I call that being an asshole.”

  He downed the rest of the whiskey in one gulp and reached for the other mojito. “May I? Or are these both for you?” His hand hovered above the glass.

  Lucy nodded grudgingly. “Go ahead.” She watched as he took a sip.

  “I love the drinks here.”

  “Elijah,” Lucy all but growled through gritted teeth. “Explain yourself, please.”

  “It’s not about you,” he said after a moment. “You’ve got to understand, I didn’t know what you wanted from me.”

  She arched a blonde eyebrow. “But I told you what I wanted. I was very clear and upfront about it.”

  “But was that really all you wanted from me?” He took another hearty sip of the drink. “You have to know…I really enjoyed the two nights we spent together. Hell, scratch that. I loved them. But it was just two nights.”

  “If it was so great, then why would you do that to me?”

  “I don’t do relationships and I’d hate for you to think that I did.”

  Lucy stared at him. She took a moment to take it all in and then burst out laughing. “Holy shit, you’re arrogant!”

  He blinked, taken aback. “Pardon?”

  She shook her head and reached out to place a hand on his arm. “Elijah, I loved those two nights too. But what makes you think I wanted a relationship?”

  “When you have money, fame and power, everyone wants something from you.”

  Lucy rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah Elijah, it was fun and all, but don’t let it go to your head.”

  “Really? Most women can’t wait to dig their claws in.”

  “Give me a break. I just moved here from my hometown in Colorado. My energies need to be focused on getting my bearings and making stuff happen for my career. I don’t have time for anything else.”

  “Oh.” Strangely enough, he looked a little hurt by what she said. He pulled his hand away, slowly. “Then what happened earlier today? You want something. What is it?”

  He let the question hang in the air, and Lucy rolled her eyes again, exasperated. “The only reason why I came looking for you was because I worked really hard on that profile. In fact, I worked really hard to be here where I am today, here in L.A. And it really burns me up that all of that could be taken away because Carey Wayland somehow got it into her head that I made up an interview or that I slept with you just so I could get the scoop.”

  “Well didn’t you?”

  “Didn’t I, what?”

  “Didn’t you sleep with my just to get the interview?”

  “God damn it!” she finally snapped. “Yes, I really wanted the in
terview. But that’s not why I slept with you.”

  “Okay then,” he said, and he smiled a wider and more genuine smile, dimples showing up on his cheeks. “Why?”

  “Because you’re Elijah Redford and the most amazing man I’ve ever met,” Lucy said coolly.

  “When you say, I’m the most amazing man you’ve met, do you know who that is? Is that Elijah Redford, the public figure, or Elijah Redford, the person?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know.” Lucy shook her head. “I thought for a brief moment that I had a glimpse of who you really are. But now I just don’t know. What I do know is that you were nothing like the man I imagined you to be when I met you.”

  “Really? How so?”

  “You had this way of looking at me that made me think you could see straight through me and into my soul. You said it yourself—we had a connection. I believed it, but obviously for you, it was a lie.”

  “It wasn’t a lie.” His voice softened.

  “I guess, that’s what you tell all of the young journalists—that’s right before you ruin their careers, am I right?” She took a big sip from her drink. There was no denying the hurt in her voice.

  There was something about her impassioned plea that moved him. He loved how it was so honest and vulnerable. He reached out and gently touched her hand. “I deserved that.”

  “You know Elijah, you think it’s all about you. But what about me? Yeah, maybe I was naive to think that someone like me could get an interview with you. But, what’s a twenty two-year old to do, when the man she idolizes tells her he feels a connection and asks her to come to his room? Really, Elijah?”

  “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  “You know, Carey Wayland warned me about you.”

  “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

  “Really, Elijah? Who’s naive now? How could it not?”

  “The connection was real.” he said softly. “I felt it too.”

  Lucy looked up at him with searching eyes. He looked genuine and sincere enough, and Goddammit… why did being so close to him make her stomach flutter like it did? Yes, there definitely was a connection. “Thank you.” Lucy hesitated for a moment before she spoke again. “Thank you for saying that so I don’t feel like I hallucinated everything.”