Beyond Beautiful (Love in Providence Book 2)

by Heather MacKinnon

  “Original, criminal intent, or SVU?”

  “SVU. Duh.”

  He chuckled. “Benson might be a badass, but you can’t deny Jerry Orbach’s style.”

  I scoffed. “Lumiere can’t hold a candle to Olivia Benson.”

  “Respect the original, Garcia.”

  I shot him a narrow-eyed look, but he only smiled at me. And damn, it was a good smile, too.

  We fell quiet for a few minutes before a loud gurgle erupted from his side of the couch. I turned wide eyes in his direction, and he smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I guess I’m pretty hungry.”

  “You didn’t have dinner?”

  He shrugged. “I could have eaten with Gramps, but I made him veal tonight as a treat and I’m not a fan.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “No, me neither.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ll just have a big breakfast.”

  He turned back to the television, as I continued to look at him. My stomach clenched inside me as my thoughts spun around and around. Finally, with a sigh, I stood up and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed my leftover pizza from the fridge and brought it back in with me. Tossing the box on the coffee table, I said, “If you like meat lovers’, you’re welcome to that.”

  He turned slowly toward me, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline. “For real?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t like seeing people go hungry.” Which had to be the only explanation for my behavior.

  After my dad passed, we’d had a couple rough months in my house. We’d lost my dad’s income and my mom spent almost half a year in bed. There’d been more than a few nights my brother and I had gone to bed hungry because there simply hadn’t been any food in the house. It was a dark time for all of us and I did my best not to think about it.

  Remy scooted forward on the couch and slid the pizza box toward him. When he opened it up, he groaned. “Holy shit, I could marry you right now.”

  I almost spit out my wine as I coughed and sputtered at his comment.

  He leaned over and patted my back with a chuckle. “Just kidding, Belle. Lighten up.”

  Oh sure, lighten up. Easier said than done.

  He dug into my leftovers as I did my best to ignore his muscular shoulders and the way they pulled at his shirt. I shook my head and downed the rest of my wine. I think that was my cue to go the hell to bed.

  I stood up and stretched before turning to him. Remy’s gaze was fastened to a strip of bare skin my tank top had revealed and I hurried to cover myself again. I didn’t need his bedroom eyes anywhere near me.

  I cleared my throat. “I’m heading to bed. I left your key on the kitchen table.” I paused for a minute as he watched me silently. Finally, I looked away and finished with, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at some point.”

  He nodded and set down the slice of pizza he was working on. “I shouldn’t be home as late tomorrow. If you want to give me your number, I can text you on my way back.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that would probably be a good idea.”

  My heart was pounding in my chest and I didn’t know why. Remy was just giving me his phone number because we lived together now and should have some way to communicate. It was nothing more and nothing less. But, apparently, my internal organs hadn’t gotten that message.

  I pulled my cell out of my pocket, willing my hands to stop shaking and praying he didn’t notice. “What’s your number?”

  He rattled off a local set of digits that I programmed into my phone before calling him. When I heard his ringtone go off, I ended the call and put my phone away. He looked up at me with a wide smile that did really stupid things to my stomach.

  “Thanks again for all this, Belle. The room, the bed, the pizza. You didn’t have to do any of it and I’m really appreciative.”

  I shrugged and did my best to meet his eyes without getting lost in them. “Don’t mention it.”

  I meant that on such a deep level.

  I spun around and left the room, doing my best to walk normally when all I wanted to do was run. To get out from underneath his watchful gaze. To get out of his presence. To get far enough away that I didn’t have to smell the intoxicating scent of his cologne.

  I made it into the bathroom and leaned back against the closed door. My heart was still thumping hard in my chest and I placed a hand over it, hoping the damn thing wouldn’t give out on me.

  If the next two months were going to be like this, I was so screwed.

  I needed to get my head on straight. Needed to remember who I was and what I wanted in life. And that wasn’t Remy MacAlister, despite what my lady parts were screaming.

  An idea hit me as I brushed my teeth.

  I needed to go on a date with someone else. I hadn’t been out with any other guys since that night with Remy and that must have been why I was so hung up on him. If I could just get another man to occupy that space in my brain that Remy was taking up, it would push him out for good. I resolved to do some swiping right before bed and find myself a date before my living situation gave me a coronary.

  I finished drying my damp face and hung up the towel before exiting the bathroom. I’d intended to head into my bedroom, but there was a mountain of a man right outside the door and it startled me so bad, not only did I screech like a hungry seagull, I also jumped in place, catching my foot on the rug and losing my footing.

  Just as I caught my balance, two strong hands wrapped tightly around my waist. My chest was heaving as I stared up into Remy’s eyes. They were darkened with what I’d come to realize was desire and my belly twisted into fist-sized knots.

  “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you,” he muttered, his body plastered against mine, leaving little to the imagination.

  I fought off a shiver as I tried to get my erratic breathing under control. “Yeah. I’m fine. I guess I’m just really used to living alone.”

  He smiled, the skin around his eyes crinkling slightly and his hands tightening their hold on my waist. It was then I realized the compromised position we were in and shook my head to clear my thoughts.

  “I thought I told you to keep your hands to yourself.” It was supposed to be a reprimand, but my voice was so breathy it barely held any weight.

  He shook his head, his smile growing wider. “I think that rule should have an amendment. If you’re in danger of falling, I have the right to touch you without your permission.”

  I scoffed. “I’m really not clumsy enough to need an amendment like that. I had it under control.”

  He raised a brow as he looked down at me. “This is the second time I’ve caught you.”

  Scenes from that night flashed in my mind and I shook my head to get rid of them. With a Herculean effort, I straightened up and pulled myself from his embrace. I instantly missed the warmth of his hands and told that thought to go to hell.

  “Yes, well, there were extenuating circumstances. No more touching.”

  He leaned so close I could feel the heat of his body surrounding mine, but he was careful not to touch me. “I promised I wouldn’t until you asked me.”

  I scoffed. “And I told you that wouldn’t be happening.”

  He chuckled softly, his breath tickling my ear. “We’ll see about that, Belle.”

  With that, he pulled away completely, allowing me to pass him. I took that opening and scurried into my room, no longer caring what that looked like to him.

  Remy MacAlister was going to be a huge problem for me, and I’d brought this on myself. I spent the next hour searching for a date, hoping to put that man in my rearview mirror as soon as possible.

  Chapter 11

  Belle

  “Oh, fuck nuggets!”

  I jumped out of bed, stubbing my pinky toe as I did which only made me curse louder. “Son of a bitch!”

  I limped toward my bedroom door, mentally doing the math in my head. I’d woken up thirty minutes late which meant my hair would have to be thrown into a bun and my make-up minimal if I was going to make it to the g
allery on time. Now I just had to hope my Uber wasn’t late and the Providence traffic wasn’t too bad.

  Which was like hoping Hell wasn’t too hot.

  I was so fucked.

  I hobbled across the kitchen and over to the bathroom only to find it locked. It had been less than twelve hours and I was already regretting inviting Remy to live with me. I banged on the door. “Remy! I need to get in there like five minutes ago!”

  It wasn’t his fault, of course. I’d been up late trying to find a suitable bachelor to take me out and slept through my alarms. That didn’t matter now though. Remy was an easy target, and he was about to get the brunt of my ire if he didn’t get out of there in the next thirty seconds.

  The bathroom door whipped open, and I was slapped in the face by a wall of manly-smelling steam.

  “Sorry, Belle. Bathroom’s all yours.”

  I stood there, my jaw unhinged as I tried to reel my tongue back into my mouth. Remy had only a towel wrapped around his waist, leaving the rest of him on display for my hungry eyes. Little droplets of water still dotted his chest, and I watched, riveted as one slid down his pec, sliding past his dark nipple and getting lost somewhere in his abs.

  “Belle?”

  I snapped my eyes up to meet his, feeling my cheeks heat. He was smirking at me and I knew I’d been caught staring. But, hot damn. How could I resist? It was like putting a fifty-year-old bottle of scotch in front of an alcoholic.

  I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Thanks. Sorry. I overslept and now I’m late.”

  He stepped to the side so I could walk past, but I remained where I was, like my feet were glued to the floor. This was the second time I’d seen his whole sleeve of tattoos and they intrigued me more than ever. Last time had been in his dark bedroom and I’d had more important things to focus on. Like his hands and mouth all over me.

  I stifled a shiver and shook my head.

  Get it under control, Garcia.

  With great effort, I ripped my eyes from Remy’s impressive body and slipped into the bathroom. I closed the door, hopefully severing my connection with him for good. Holy shit, I had not been prepared to face a half-naked Remy MacAlister this morning. My date tonight couldn’t come soon enough.

  I hurried into the shower, resolutely ignoring the fact that he’d been in here only minutes before. When I was done, I brushed my teeth like it was an Olympic sport and dashed out of the bathroom to put the coffee maker on.

  Except, when I got there, it was already in use with only one serving left in the bottom. I gritted my teeth and marched into my bedroom.

  First, he used my bathroom when I needed it. Then, he used my coffee maker just before I could get to it. What was next?

  I stomped around my room as I got dressed, letting the anger in my system build up like a volcano ready to explode. A small part of me realized it wasn’t really him I was mad at, it was my reaction to him, but I was beyond reason.

  When I was dressed with my hair done and my make-up on, I flung open my bedroom door and stormed into the kitchen. My Uber was already ordered and since it seemed like coffee was out of the question, I figured I had a few minutes to scarf down a yogurt instead.

  I opened the fridge and my eyes immediately landed on a six-pack of Blue Moon beers. When the hell had he even brought those here? The offending alcohol brought back memories of that night we’d spent together. Memories I had no time to get lost in. I slammed the fridge shut and stood there for a moment, my hands fisted at my sides, while I tried to rein myself in.

  “Hey, I left you some coffee. I’d have poured you a mug, but I don’t know how you take it yet.”

  I spun around slowly until I was facing Remy. He was dressed as immaculately as always, his dress shirt snug across his broad shoulders and his hair still wet from the shower. Even from across the room, I could smell his cologne, the damn scent infiltrating my system and making my heart pound.

  “You made coffee for me?”

  “Of course I did. I wouldn’t just make some for me and not you. How do you take it? I’ll pour you a travel mug while you finish getting ready.”

  “Black, like my heart.”

  He chuckled and shook his head as he pulled down a to-go cup and poured me some coffee. It was strange, seeing him in my kitchen, opening my cabinets and using my appliances like he’d been here for months and not hours. It made me see things in a new light.

  This was how it would be if we were actually in a relationship.

  That thought froze me in place.

  This wasn’t a relationship. I didn’t do relationships. He was just being friendly and getting comfortable. There was no harm in that. In a couple months he’d be gone, and things would go back to the way they always were for me. I’d be alone again. Free to do what I wanted, when I wanted, and with whom I wanted. There would be no feelings or emotions on the line. There’d be no expectations to live up to. I could just be me again.

  I shook myself, trying to get rid of those ridiculous relationship thoughts once and for all.

  I seriously needed this date to happen tonight.

  My phone chimed, and I pulled it out of my pocket.

  “Oh, balls.”

  Remy chuckled again and walked over to me, bringing a travel mug of black coffee and his manly scent with him. “What’s going on?”

  I sighed and tucked my phone back into my pocket before accepting the drink from him. “My damn Uber is stuck in traffic. I either have to wait for him or cancel and hope the next one can get here faster.”

  “I could drive you.”

  I raised a brow at him as I took a tentative sip of my coffee. “No, thanks. I’ll just wait for an Uber.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be stubborn, Belle. You need to get to work and I’m leaving in the next couple of minutes. Just let me take you.”

  I scanned through my options quickly, knowing they were few. I could accept the ride and subject myself to more time in his presence, or I could be a headstrong idiot and just wait for an Uber, making me even later for work.

  One option was going to make me spend more time with a man I was actively trying to get off my mind, while the other gave me a much-needed reprieve. But wouldn’t that be admitting defeat?

  Maybe I needed this. Since avoiding him didn’t seem to be helping, maybe I needed to spend more time with him. Maybe it would desensitize me to his charms. Hopefully he had some terrible habit I hadn’t noticed yet. Like bad morning breath or the inside of his car was disgusting. I’d have taken anything at that point.

  “Okay, yeah. A ride would be great. Thanks, Rem.”

  The nickname slipped out before I could stop it. Unfortunately, he’d noticed too. His brown eyes widened slightly, but I ignored him. My only defense was to pretend like it was no big deal.

  “I just need to grab my things and let Charlotte out and I’ll be ready to go.”

  He shook his head. “Uh, how about I take Charlotte out while you finish up in here?”

  Ugh. More consideration from him. Couldn’t he just be an asshole for a minute? It would help my cause so much.

  I stretched my lips into a smile. “Sure. That would be great, thanks.”

  I walked past him toward my bedroom, holding my breath the whole time. Once behind my closed door, I let my head fall back and took a deep inhale.

  I could do this. Remy was just a one-night stand. Nothing more. He didn’t mean anything to me. Once I had a new guy to fixate on, the man in my kitchen would be nothing more than a memory.

  With one more fortifying breath, I gathered my purse and briefcase before slipping on my pumps and walking back into the kitchen. Remy was just coming in with Charlotte and I watched as he took her leash off and gave her a good head scratch before turning his soft gaze my way.

  “Ready?”

  Not even remotely.

  “Yep.”

  I locked up the apartment and followed him to his black sports car. Unfortunately for me, he kept it in pristine condition. Which mea
nt I’d have to find some other fault in him.

  When we were buckled into his car, I gave him general directions to my gallery. As soon as he fired up the engine, a familiar Beatles song came trickling softly through the speakers. I took the liberty of reaching over and turning the volume up.

  “You’re a fan?” he asked.

  “Huge fan. Although I prefer their earlier stuff.”

  Remy shook his head as he navigated the busy streets in front of us. “No way. Abbey Road is their best album.”

  I turned to look at him. “Don’t get me wrong. Here Comes The Sun has gotten me through a lot of hard times, but nothing compares to their mid-sixties material.”

  He smiled, and it looked so good on him I had to turn away. “Okay, what’s your favorite song of theirs?”

  I scoffed. “Who can pick just one?”

  He tilted his head to the side. “True. Give me your top three then.”

  I bit my lip and looked out the windshield as I thought through my answer. Thinking straight while staring at Remy MacAlister was an impossibility. “Okay, In My Life, We Can Work It Out, and Yesterday.”

  He shot me a glance. “Every song you mentioned was released in 1965.”

  “I told you that was my favorite era.”

  “I guess you did.”

  “Your turn.”

  He hummed softly as he pulled up to a red light. When the car was stopped, he turned to face me, and I almost wished he hadn’t. We were so close in this little car. If I moved my hand a couple of inches, I’d be touching his arm. I curled my fingers into a fist and dragged it into my lap.

  “All right, this isn’t easy, but today I’m going to go with All You Need Is Love, Come Together, and I Want You.”

  His voice deepened with his last song title, and suddenly, the insides of the car were sweltering. Those chocolate-colored eyes held me captive as I slowly started to run out of oxygen. By sheer willpower, I pulled my gaze from his and turned to look out the windshield again.

  “The light’s green,” I said, my voice breathy.