FOREVER SERIES: COMPLETE BOX SET

by Lynn, Sandi

  “You can’t sit in a pizza place and only get a salad.”

  The waitress was eyeing me and wouldn’t stop to. Ellery cleared her throat to get her attention.

  “We’ll have a large deep dish with pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives, and a large antipasto salad with an order of bread sticks.” She smiled.

  I brought my finger up and rested it on my lips. “Do you actually think I’m going to eat that pizza?”

  “I don’t think you are. I know you are.” She grinned as she placed her napkin on her lap.

  Damn that smile. I was finding it very difficult to say no to this girl. It was like she had some control over me, and I just couldn’t help it when I was around her. The waitress brought the pizza and set it in the middle of the table. I looked at it and then at Ellery who was putting a slice on my plate. I grabbed my fork and knife and started to cut into it when out of nowhere, she startled me.

  “What? Are you kidding me?! Put that down right now, Connor Black!”

  “What? What the hell is wrong?”

  “You are not eating pizza with a fork and knife,” she said as she leaned over the table and took them from my hands.

  “Then how the hell am I supposed to eat it?” I frowned.

  “Like this. Pick it up and bite into it,” she said as she chewed.

  “That’s disgusting, and don’t talk with your mouth full.”

  She cocked her head, and a smirk came upon her face.

  “If you won’t do it, then I will,” she said as she grabbed the pizza from my plate and held it to my mouth.

  “Bite,” she demanded.

  I raised my brow at her. “Do you have any idea how sexy that sounds?” I winked.

  That was the sexiest thing coming from her, and I started to get aroused. I couldn’t deny this beautiful woman who was holding a slice of pizza in my face, so I opened my mouth and took a bite. It was worth it just to see the smile on her face.

  “My turn.” I smiled back at her.

  “Your turn for what?”

  I took the pizza and held it up to her mouth.

  “Bite,” I demanded.

  I couldn’t help but smile because she was so damn cute when she took a bite. We sat and talked about art while we ate pizza, salad, and bread sticks. I was having a great time in Pizzapopolous, sharing pizza with Ellery. A part of me was glad she turned me down for the first dinner invitation.

  Her phone rang and she answered it with a strange look on her face. I pulled out my phone to check my messages, and I looked up to see a tear running down her cheek. Her face turned from happy to pain in a matter of seconds. Without even realizing what I was doing, I reached for her hand that was resting on the table. She was as white as a ghost when she hung up the phone, and I became worried. She had received the devastating news that her aunt and uncle were just killed in a car accident. She said she needed to get out of there as she quickly stood up from her chair. I threw some cash on the table and followed her out of the restaurant. She looked confused as she stepped onto the sidewalk. I put my arm around her and held her as she stumbled a couple of times. She was in shock, and I needed to get her into the limo so she could sit down.

  I helped her into the back seat and climbed in beside her. I didn’t say a word. I just wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into me to let her know I cared. She clenched my shirt in her hands and started sobbing into my chest. I kissed her on her head and held her tight, letting her cry for as long as needed to.

  Chapter 8

  When we arrived at her apartment, I followed her inside and closed the door. She headed to the kitchen and asked me if I wanted some wine. I politely declined because I had a meeting with Paul in about an hour. I asked her if she was okay because she was standing at the kitchen window just staring out into the world. She opened the bottle of wine, poured some in a glass, and turned around, placing one hand on my chest.

  “Thank you, Connor. I want you to know that I truly appreciate you being here for me.”

  I raised my hand and brought it to her tear-soaked cheek and gently wiped away a couple of tears that were left as I spoke, “I know you do, and you’re welcome.”

  All I wanted to do at that moment was brush my lips against hers. I wanted to take her pain away, but I couldn’t. We’re friends, and I wouldn’t cross that line, at least not yet. She gently smiled at me, patted me on the chest, and told me to go to my meeting.

  “If you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call me,” I told her as I pressed my lips against her smooth forehead.

  I walked out of her apartment and started heading towards the limo. This poor girl had experienced more death than she should have in her life. I couldn’t let her be alone tonight. My head was telling me one thing, but my heart was telling me to bring her home with me. I walked back up to her apartment and knocked on the door.

  “Hey, what are you still doing here?” she asked.

  “Pack a bag. You’re staying with me tonight,” I said as I walked through the door.

  She looked at me with a stunned look. “No, I’m not. I’m staying right here.”

  Why couldn’t she just listen to me for once? “Elle, for once, just once, please do as I say.” I sighed.

  Her face became angered. “I’m not a child, Connor, and frankly, you can’t order me around. I thought we had this discussion already?”

  I didn’t want to argue with her, but she wasn’t staying in this apartment alone tonight. I noticed her easel in the corner of the room, so I walked over to it and stared at the canvas that sat upon it, trying to get up the nerve to say what I needed to say.

  “I don’t think you should be alone tonight after the news you received, and my place has a guest room. I would feel better knowing you weren’t alone.”

  Her attitude instantly changed, and she told me to wait while she packed a bag. Sitting on the easel was an unfinished painting of the bride and groom from Central Park. Even though it sat unfinished, the scene before me was breathtaking. I could look at the couple in the painting and see their happiness. The thing I’d noticed about Ellery’s paintings was that she knew how to capture the present emotion of her subjects. I wondered what a portrait of me would look like if she painted one. As Ellery returned, I smiled at her, grabbed her bag, and we headed out the door.

  She sat in the limo next me and stared out the window. I made a phone call to Paul and rescheduled our meeting. She turned and looked at me.

  “You shouldn’t have cancelled your meeting for me, Connor,” she softly spoke.

  I put my arm around her. “My meeting can wait.”

  She laid her head on my chest, and it felt good to have her there.

  * * *

  We arrived at the penthouse, and I took her bag up to the guest room. When I came back downstairs, I noticed her staring at the black and white photographs that were hanging on the wall. When I told her I took them, she seemed very surprised. She proceeded to ask me if I decorated the penthouse. I could tell the more we talked, the better she felt. I told her about my sister, Cassidy, and she was shocked again. I guess it was because I’d never talked about anything or anyone in my personal life. I headed over to the bar.

  “Drink?” I asked her.

  “Shot of Jack, please,” she said.

  My eyes widened as I looked at her.

  “Are you sure?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Does that surprise you?” She laughed.

  I reached for a shot glass as she made herself comfortable on the bar stool. “It doesn’t, well, maybe it does. I just don’t know any women who do shots of Jack Daniels straight.”

  “You do now,” she said as she threw back the shot.

  I was in awe of this girl, this woman that was sitting across from me. She put the shot glass down on the bar and cocked her head.

  “I thought you didn’t do sleepovers, Mr. Black?”

  I looked at her and grinned. “I don’t, Miss Lane. I never have, but tonight I
made an exception for a friend because I felt she shouldn’t be alone.”

  I poured another shot of whiskey and held up the glass. “Another shot?” I asked.

  “Are you trying to get me drunk?” she slyly smiled.

  I placed my hand in my pocket and cocked my head to the side. “Should I be?” I grinned.

  She threw back the second shot and sat down on the couch. She looked worried. I sat down next to her with my glass of scotch and asked her if she was okay. She looked up at me with her angelic blue eyes and smiled.

  “I was just thinking about how I can visit my mom and dad’s grave when I’m back in Michigan.”

  “When was the last time you visited them?” I asked.

  “Just a little over a year ago. I stopped by for a visit the day before Kyle and I moved to New York.”

  Just hearing his name made me angry, and I wasn’t sure why. I should be thanking the bastard. Because if he wouldn’t have left, then I never would have met Ellery. I looked at her as she stared straight into my eyes and spoke about how she wanted to be cremated when she died. I narrowed my eyes at her and told her to stop talking like that. It was something I didn’t ever want to think about. She continued to go on about how she didn’t want people to mourn over her, and she wanted them to remember the good times they shared. She was really beginning to irritate me with all this talk about death. I told her to stop because she was talking as if she was going to die tomorrow. Then she said something that frightened me.

  “You never know what each day will bring, and that’s why I believe that nothing lasts forever.”

  I got up from the couch and took her hand, helping her up.

  “Okay, I think Mr. Daniel’s has gotten to you. Let’s get some sleep. I have to work in the morning.”

  I led her upstairs and showed her to the guest room. I turned around and grabbed the doorknob. “Good night, Elle, sleep well,” I spoke as I walked out of the room and down the hall to my bedroom.

  I took off my clothes and climbed into bed. I laid there, thinking about Ellery and how serious she was about her own death. How could she think of such things? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Death had always been a part of her life. I tossed and turned. I tried to get comfortable, but I couldn’t. I got out of bed and slowly walked down the hall towards her room. I stood outside the door and listened. There was silence. I was sure the shots of Jack helped her sleep. I made the decision that I was taking her to Michigan as I didn’t want her going alone.

  The next morning, I showered and headed to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I called the bakery down the street and had a dozen bagels delivered. I wanted to make sure Ellery had something to eat when she woke up. I sat down at the table and opened my laptop. I had some emails to go over and meetings to reschedule for when I came back. Not too long after I sat down, Ellery came walking into the kitchen. I looked at her, and my heart started to race. She was wearing black yoga pants that hugged her hips and ass perfectly and a pink tank top that was way too sexy on her. She had her hair up in a high ponytail. Damn, I was getting aroused again just looking at her. I needed to get my mind off her body and tell her I’m taking her to Michigan.

  “Good morning, Ellery. I hope you slept well.” I smiled.

  She walked over, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down across from me.

  “There are bagels over there. Please, have one.”

  She politely declined. I sighed and told her she had to eat.

  “I never eat when I first get up, but don’t worry, Dad, I’ll have one in a little bit,” she said in a cocky way.

  I tried not to smile, but it was inevitable, because even first thing in the morning, she was a smart ass. She stared at me as I was typing. I looked up at her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  This was my opportunity to tell her about our road trip to Michigan. I was a little nervous about how she was going to react.

  “Just sending some emails and rearranging some meetings.”

  “Did you over-schedule or something?”

  “You question everything, don’t you?” I asked.

  She looked up at the ceiling and smiled. “I guess I do.”

  I asked her what her plans were for the day, and she told me that she was going to volunteer at the soup kitchen. She said that no matter what their problems were, they were homeless and needed help. Her kindness and charitable nature really had an effect on me. I’d never met anyone like her. I finished up what I was doing and closed my laptop.

  “I rearranged my meetings because I’m taking you to Michigan,” I said as I sat and waited for her reaction.

  “What?” she asked.

  I knew she liked to argue, but she wasn’t winning this one. I got up from the table and set my cup on the counter.

  “It’s not up for discussion, Elle. We’re leaving tomorrow morning, and we’re driving.”

  “Driving? That’s a ten-hour drive, Connor!” she exclaimed.

  I looked at her from across the kitchen as she stared at me with a shocked expression on her face.

  “Do you have a problem being in a car with me for ten hours?” I casually asked her and was afraid that she was going to yes.

  “No, but…”

  I walked over to the table and stood over her. She looked so beautiful, sitting there drinking coffee and giving me an attitude about driving. It took everything I had not to reach out and run my finger along her jaw line or kiss her as she lifted her head and looked at me. It was getting harder to resist her. I didn’t even know if she wanted me. I needed to call Dr. Peters and see him before we left tomorrow.

  “No buts. We’re going by car, and I’m driving,” I said as I smiled at her and then left for the office.

  As I stepped off the elevator and into the parking garage, Denny was walking towards me.

  “Denny, I’m glad you’re here early. I wanted to tell you that I’m giving you the next few days off.”

  “Okay, Connor, but may I ask why?”

  “I’m driving Miss Lane to Michigan for her aunt and uncle’s funeral. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

  Denny looked at me and smiled. “Was it her idea that you take her?”

  “No, and I didn’t give her any other choice. I told her I was taking her and that it wasn’t up for discussion.”

  Denny continued to stare at me.

  “She was okay with that?”

  I rolled my eyes as I walked to the Range Rover.

  “She didn’t really argue too much. I’m driving myself to the office today. Take Miss Lane home or wherever she wants to go, but I do have a meeting at one o’clock across town, so I’ll need you to pick me up.”

  Instead of heading straight to the office, I called Dr. Peters and asked him if he was available to see me. I needed to talk to him about this upcoming road trip. He told me to come right in since his first appointment wasn’t scheduled for another hour. I walked into his office and sat down in my usual chair.

  “Good morning, Connor. Is everything alright? You said it was urgent.”

  I took in a deep breath as I ran my hand through my hair. “Remember that girl I told you about at our last session?”

  “Yes. I believe her name is Ellery. Am I correct?” he asked.

  “Yes, that’s her. Well, her aunt and uncle were recently killed in a car accident, and I’m taking her to Michigan for the funeral.”

  “That’s good, Connor. So, why don’t you explain to me where your relationship with Ellery stands?”

  I shifted in my chair. “Ellery and I are friends and nothing more. I’m doing this for her because I don’t want her going alone, and she should have someone there for her.”

  Dr. Peters got up from his chair and walked over to the coffee pot. “Would you care for some coffee?” he asked.

  “No, I’m good.”

  “It sounds to me like you’re beginning to have more feelings that extend beyond friendship for her. So, your flig
ht leaves tomorrow?”

  “We aren’t flying. I’m driving her there. I told her it was a road trip.”

  He looked at me and sat down while he sipped his coffee.

  “That’s a ten-hour drive. You and Ellery will be alone in a car for a substantial amount of time. Are you ready for what might happen along the way?”

  I brought my foot to my opposite knee and leaned on the arm of the chair.

  “Why are you making a big deal out of this, Doc? It’s a simple road trip with a friend who just lost her aunt and uncle. That’s it, nothing more.”

  “Connor, you can keep convincing yourself of that all you want, because if you truly believed that, you wouldn’t be sitting in my office, talking to me about it.”

  “I got up from the chair and stood in front of the window. “I can’t stop thinking about her, and it scares me. She confessed her deepest secret to me the other night. She told me about her past.”

  “She isn’t keeping secrets from you. She wants you to know about her past, and she trusted you enough to tell you. I think you’re fighting your true feelings. Have you discussed anything about you or your past?”

  I walked over to the large bookcase and stared at the hundreds of books he had sitting on the shelf.

  “I told her about my sister and my nephew.”

  “That’s it? Connor, you have to open up to her if you want any kind of relationship. Take it one day at a time. I think the two of you being friends is a very good start, and from the sound of it, you’re very good friends already.”

  I walked over to the chair and grabbed my coat. “Thank you, Dr. Peters, but my time is up.”

  “I want to see you again when you come back from your road trip!” he yelled as I walked out the door.

  Chapter 9

  Shit. I looked at the time. Where was Denny? I paced back and forth in my office looking at my watch. Just as I was about to head out of the building, my phone rang, and it was Denny.