by Kira Blakely
My mind races. What do I do? Just sit still and pray he doesn’t see me?
Nope. So far, I’ve been unlucky, and I don’t expect my luck to turn anytime soon. I can’t take any chances.
I shove the last bit of salad into my mouth and wipe my lips with the napkin. “Excuse me. I have to go to the ladies’ room.”
Without waiting for Barry to say anything — he can’t since his mouth is full — I rush to the door.
As I cross the vast expanse of the lobby, its black, white and gold tiles gleaming beneath the multiple pendant lights, I see the sign for the restrooms. I turn the corner, but just as I am about to go to the ladies’ room, I catch a glimpse of glass doors leading to a garden. I go there instead, thinking that I need fresh air.
I gulp in deep breaths as I sit on an empty bench beside a lamp post, willing it to clear my mind.
Why? Why does everything have to be so messed up?
First Nathan. Then Barry. Now Nathan again. What am I supposed to do? Go back in there and face them both? I want to see Nathan again, sure, but I don’t think I can after what I did to him. Nor do I want to see Barry again. What then? Do I just let Barry do what he wants with those pictures?
I exhale. I should have snatched that fucking USB stick when I had the chance.
I’m still trying to find a way out of my dilemma, my face buried in my hands, when I hear footsteps approaching.
I lift my head, frowning when I realize Barry has found me.
“I thought you’d left.” He sits beside me on the bench and lights a cigarette. “But I knew you were smarter than that.”
“Sorry. I… needed some fresh air.”
“You should have told me. I would have accompanied you.”
“It’s fine.”
He takes a puff. “And here I thought you were running away from Nathan Landers.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Wait. You didn’t invite him, did you?”
“Hell, no. Why would I?”
“To blackmail him, too, of course. He’s got lots of money.”
“Do you think he cares if a picture of him and you gets out? The guy doesn’t give a shit.” He leans back and takes another puff. “I swear that asshole must have sniffed you out. Maybe he wants to see how you’re doing the night after he fucked you.”
“He didn’t—”
“Or maybe he wants more. Maybe you were too good.”
I don’t like how Barry’s looking at me. “Just give me the pictures already. You promised.”
“I said after dinner.” He moves closer. “Thanks to you leaving, I didn’t get dessert.”
Sensing danger, I get up, but he grabs my arm and pulls me back to the bench, then places one arm around me.
“Barry…”
He whispers in my ear, “Do you want that USB stick or not?”
Shit.
I’m trapped. Literally. His mouth clamps down on mine. It’s nothing like a kiss. Messy. Disgusting. More like a leech trying to suck the life out of me.
I can taste the beef, gravy, wine and nicotine on his tongue. And it makes my stomach turn.
Please… stop.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a leg comes swinging, kicking him off the bench so hard he hits the ground with a thud, his cigarette flying.
“What the hell?”
Quickly, I get off the bench, wiping my mouth with the sleeve of my cardigan as I catch my breath. I stop, though, when I realize who has just saved me.
Nathan.
Chapter FOUR
Claws Out
“Didn’t anybody ever teach you not to force yourself on a woman?” Nathan asks Barry as he crushes the cigarette butt with his expensive leather shoe.
Barry snorts. “You’re one to talk.”
Nathan stops and glares, the look on his face reminding me of a bear about to attack. It’s scary enough to keep me glued where I’m standing and cause a lump to form in my throat.
So, this is how Nathan looks like when he’s pissed.
“I’ve never forced myself on any woman. I’ve never had to.”
“Why, you…”
Barry gets up, only to have Nathan grab him by the collar, lifting him above the ground. “Stay away from Sam or you’ll never be able to take your piss-poor pictures again. Do you understand?”
Barry nods, speechless and trembling in fear. As soon as Nathan lets him go, he scurries off like the weasel that he is, back into the shadows.
Back into the shadows…
“Wait!” I call, remembering the pictures.
“What is it?” Nathan asks, rubbing his hands like he’s wiping the dirt off them.
“He still has the USB stick with the pictures he took of us at last night’s party. It’s why I came to meet him. I don’t—”
Nathan’s no longer listening, already on his phone. “Keep an eye out for a man with a cheap, dirty rumpled suit and make sure you get every USB stick he has. Wipe every picture off his laptop and cameras as well.”
Wow. He is so cool.
And so hot.
Damn.
“Are you all right?” He turns to me after his phone call.
I nod. “Thanks. For everything just now.”
He offers me some breath mints. “No worries.”
I toss a few inside my mouth. “And I’m sorry. For the things I said last night. I—”
He silences me with a finger to my lips then grabs my hand.
“Come with me.”
***
Where are we? Nathan’s car stops in front of a large gate in front of an old, two-story house. The paint is peeling off, and the glass in one of the windows is boarded over.
My eyebrows furrow. Why did Nathan bring me to a place like this?
Suddenly, I hear a bark. Then another.
Dogs?
Before long, the lights turn on inside the house and the door opens, a pair of dogs rushing out to meet us. For a moment, I feel afraid that they might bite, but Nathan bravely steps forward.
“Easy, boys.”
And just like that, their barks change and their tails wag.
“Oh, it’s you, Nathan,” the middle-aged man on the porch calls out. “I was wondering why Red and Rover suddenly seemed so excited.”
“I’m sorry to come here so late, Ted.” Nathan approaches the porch with the dogs, and I follow.
“No worries,” Ted says. “I was still up watching TV. Besides, it’s your property.”
So, this place does belong to Nathan.
“Sam, this is Ted,” Nathan says. “He was a friend of my dad’s. Ted, this is Sam.”
“Nice to meet you.” Ted offers his hand, and I shake it.
A friend of Nathan’s dad? I’ve never even heard of his father.
“Ted’s going to be looking after this place,” Nathan adds. “He’s the only one here now, but I’ll hire a few people to help him.”
“What exactly is this place?” I ask, unable to rein in my curiosity any longer.
“Well, it isn’t much now,” he answers. “But it’s going to be a dog shelter.”
“A dog shelter?”
Now, that’s a surprise, especially coming from someone who preferred robots as pets.
“I thought about some things after you left last night. I thought about the dog I used to own, too. And I decided it’s not a bad idea to put up a dog shelter. You wanted to put up one, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
He decided to put up a dog shelter just because I suggested it?
“This house is old, but it’s got a lot of rooms. We’ll fix it up, put in the necessary equipment, maybe even turn one room into a clinic. Then we’ll start taking dogs in. Stray dogs mostly.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You bought a house just to make it into a dog shelter?”
“You might find it hard to believe, young lady,” Ted says. “But this man’s very generous.”
“Thanks, Ted.” Nathan pats him on the shoulder. “But I don�
��t need any help impressing a woman.”
Ted chuckles. “Of course, you don’t. I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
After Ted goes inside with the dogs, Nathan sits on the porch stairs. I do the same.
“You and Ted seem close,” I tell him.
“Well, he was more of a father to me than my father ever was.”
I want to know more but decide not to pry. “Is that why you chose Ted to run this place?”
“That, and the fact that he loves dogs.”
“I can see that.”
“He’s had Red and Rover for years, and I don’t think I’ve ever known him without a dog. He gave me one, too, a Labrador I named Todd.”
“Nice name.”
“Do you have a dog?”
“We have lots of dogs back home,” I answer. “On the farm.”
“I see.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t own a dog at my apartment. But they do allow cats, so I have one. A silver tabby named Siberia. She’s three now. And I have three goldfish. They all get along somehow.”
“You really do love animals, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do,” I admit with a sheepish grin. “Maybe it’s because of my brother, Jack. He loved animals. He was a veterinarian, actually.”
“Was?” Nathan gives me a puzzled look.
“He’s gone now.”
Nathan lowers his head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
I shake my head, not wanting to dwell on the tragedy. “What about you? Surely, you must also have something you love.”
“Love is a strong word.”
That I can’t deny.
“There are a lot of things I enjoy, though,” he adds. “For example, I’m enjoying spending time with you right now.”
My heart skips a beat at the way he looks at me. I look away.
“Did you bring me here just to show off and impress me?” I ask.
“Is it working?”
I don’t answer. But yes, I’m impressed. No guy has ever given me more than a bunch of flowers before. True, the dog shelter isn’t exactly mine, but it feels like a gift to me.
The best gift.
“And also to prove to you that I’m not as heartless as you think.”
I look at him, a pang of guilt stabbing me in the gut. “I’m really sorry I—”
“It’s okay,” Nathan cuts me off. “You were being true to yourself. I can’t fault you for that. Actually, you’re the first woman I’ve been with who’s acted that way. It’s refreshing.”
I smile. And to think I was feeling scared that he might get me fired because I spoke my mind.
Just then, my stomach grumbles, reminding me that I only had a salad, which apparently has already been digested. It’s embarrassing, but Nathan just chuckles.
“Hungry?” he asks.
I nod.
“Shall we grab something to eat?” he asks, standing up. “Actually, I’m hungry, too. I didn’t really get to eat dinner.”
I get up and shake the dust from the back of my skirt. “Why were you at the Marriott?”
“I was supposed to meet someone who had an interesting idea for a new app but he canceled at the last minute. I was on the phone with him when I saw you leaving.”
“You noticed me leaving?”
“I think I’d notice you anywhere.”
My heart skips another beat.
“Then I saw that guy go after you…”
“Barry Baker,” I inform him. “He’s a member of the paparazzi. We’ve bumped into each other a few times before, though I loathe to put him in the same line of work.”
“Of course not. You’re a professional. He’s a con.”
“That he is,” I agree.
At the memory of what he did to me, I cringe. “I can’t believe he kissed me.”
Nathan turns to me, touching my cheek. “Let me wipe that memory away.”
And the next thing I know, his lips are on mine. Unlike last night, this kiss is soft, gentle.
And yet, it has a stronger effect on me, making my heart race.
Like before, I can’t resist. I can only surrender, my eyes closing as I kiss him back feebly, my lips parting to let his in.
His tongue explores slowly, thoroughly, wiping every trace of that horrid mouth-to-mouth — I don’t dare call it a kiss — from earlier away. And when he’s done, he leaves me warm and wet and melting.
Wanting more.
Just then, Nathan’s phone rings, disrupting the moment.
“Hello,” he answers.
I try not to eavesdrop, watching his expression instead. He seems concerned. Worried, even?
After the call, he looks at me with a frown. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Lucas wants to meet me now.”
“Oh.”
“I’ll drop you off back in town, but I’ll have to cancel that dinner.”
I wave my hands. “No problem. I don’t mind really.”
“I feel bad, though. Can we have dinner tomorrow, instead?”
I only pause to think for a moment. “Yeah. Sounds good. I have work at noon but I’m free in the evening.”
“Great. Why don’t you give me your number so I can call you to let you know what time I’ll pick you up and where?”
“Sure.”
I do that. He gives me his number as well then smiles at me. A genuine smile. Not a grin.
A breathtaking smile.
“It’s a date, then.”
***
A date?
As I lie on my bed in my apartment, staring at the ceiling, I still can’t believe that I’m going on a date with Nathan Landers.
Me, an ordinary woman who grew up on a farm and works for a magazine, going on a date with a billionaire entrepreneur?
What would Pam say?
Nah. I know what she’ll say. She’ll say I’m asking for trouble, that I should know better than to go out with a man whose only intention is to get me in bed.
But is that really his only intention?
He said I’m not like the other girls he’s been with…
What if he’s just saying that?
What if he wants to stop fooling around and start a serious relationship with me?
Is that what you want to happen?
That question makes me pause. Is it? Do I want to be in a relationship with Nathan Landers?
Have I fallen for him?
I shake my head. No. I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ve only just met the man. Well, yes, I’ve seen him several times before, but I’ve only just spoken to him last night.
And you kissed him.
No. He kissed me.
And tonight?
Fine. We kissed.
Two nights. Two kisses.
So what? Technically, the first one doesn’t count. Even if it does, it doesn’t matter.
He’s just a crush. So what if I’ve spent time with him? I haven’t fallen for him.
Yet.
Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.
Shut up. It’s just a date. Nothing more.
Just a date…
I sit up, suddenly realizing something. Not counting dinner with Barry tonight, which I want to forget about, I haven’t been on a date in ages. I’ve been trying to stay away from men, in fact, not wanting to have to break anyone’s heart, including mine, when I finally get my chance to travel the world with my camera. I know, I know. It might be years before that happens, but I just want to be ready. I feel like if I am, the more likely it will be for it to happen.
Well, it’s not like I was the one who asked Nathan to go out with me.
A date, huh?
I pick up the framed picture of me and my brother on my desk, sighing.
“Big brother, I’m counting on you to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
Chapter FIVE
A Hornet’s Nest
So far, so good.
I smile as I read the text Nathan sent me this morning for the tenth time.
I’ll see
you at six-thirty. Can’t wait.
I know, I know. It may be a lie. Just another of those sweet lines from his book that don’t mean anything. But my heart skips a few beats just the same.
My event finished on time at two, so I was able to go home, take a shower and change. In the end, I chose a beaded little black dress. Chic. Classic.
I even had time to go to the salon to have my hair styled and my nails done.
Now, I’m ready. Well, almost.
I just have to buy myself some breathe mints. If there is any chance that Nathan decides to kiss me again, I want to be prepared. It’s been a while since I’ve had to prep for a date and someone kissing me and I’m nervous but excited about it. This whole thing is totally unexpected and I’m enjoying the thrill of it all.
I already have the safety pins Mattie gave me in my purse and some tape in case I need to do any temporary fixes.
I’m not taking any chances.
I head over to the convenience store. Moments later, I come out.
Now, I’m ready.
I cross the street and start walking. The art gallery isn’t far away and I still have — I glance at my watch — thirty-three minutes. Enough time to look at some paintings while waiting for my date.
Excited, but trying to keep myself calm, I put one foot in front of the other, “The Greatest” by Sia playing in my head.
Suddenly, the music screeches to a stop and so do I, a familiar sight coming into view across the street.
A pickup truck parked in front of a café.
Not just any pickup truck.
Rusty red. A faded bumper sticker saying Born To Be Wild above the dent.
A dent caused by the fence one stormy night.
The fence on the farm back home.
Yup, I know that truck. There’s only one of its kind in the world.
My brother’s truck.
The question is: What is it doing here in New York City?
I cross the street to investigate, peeking inside the café, my eyes growing wide as I recognize the couple sitting near the counter. The woman is in her mid-50s with graying hair and glasses, the man in his early 60s, his hair bald and his mustache white, his worn brown leather jacket the same one he’s been wearing for the past twenty years.
Alice and Charlie Willis, my parents.