The rich flavors of butter and chocolate burst across her tongue with the first bite. She moaned in approval. “Oh my God, this is good.” The second bite surpassed the first. She squeezed her eyes shut and moaned again. When she opened them, Elijah was staring at her mouth. His gaze rose ever so slowly back to her eyes. One corner of his mouth curled up.
“I like the way you do that,” he said, suddenly serious. Her pulse galloped.
Without breaking eye contact, he leaned forward and wiped a bit of syrup from her lower lip with the pad of his thumb. Her heart skidded to a stop when he put his thumb in his mouth and sucked it clean. The slow, sexy sweep of his tongue over his lower lip made her heart start back up again.
“So, I’ve got to go to work today.” She dropped her gaze to her plate as he took the next bite for himself. If she had that reaction every time he looked at her, it was going to be a long meal.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be out of here as soon as I clean up this mess.” A wall slammed down between them. He turned back to the stove, finished the pancakes, and then took a seat beside her at the breakfast bar.
“Are you going to be okay?” she asked. She didn’t want to care, but his vulnerability stirred the nurturing side of her personality.
“Sure.” He didn’t meet her gaze. “I’ve got a few things to take care of myself. Like get a new phone. A new life. A plan.”
They finished their food in silence. She studied him in stealth, curious about his life, what he thought about her, how he would handle the rest of his day. While Elijah cleaned up, she showered and got ready for work. When she returned to the kitchen, it was spotless, and Elijah was dressed in his clothes from the previous night. The easiness between them had disappeared in the midmorning light. She gathered her purse, the keys to her Jeep, and a light jacket in case it rained. Elijah strode to the door with her. Neither of them spoke until they reached the sidewalk.
“Can I drop you somewhere?” she asked.
“No. I called a cab.” Elijah gestured to an approaching taxi.
Another moment of awkward silence passed. What exactly did someone say to a rock star the morning after his panic attack? She shifted back and forth from foot to foot until he cleared his throat.
“Well, thanks for everything. I appreciate it,” he said and extended his hand. “It was great to meet you.”
She placed her hand in his. He didn’t shake it like she expected. Instead, he covered her hand with both of his and squeezed. The warmth of his grasp sent an unexpected jolt of sexual awareness up her arms. Callouses ridged the tips of his fingertips. They glided over the back of her hand as he released her.
“You’re welcome,” she replied. He gave her a cool nod, pulled his sunglasses over his eyes, and climbed into the taxi. A part of her breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of her entertained disappointment knowing she’d never see him again. She watched his cab pull away from the curb and disappear around the next corner. The opportunity to experience something new and vibrant left with him. Wasn’t that what she wanted? Quiet? Mundane? Filled with a peculiar sense of loss, she shook her head and pushed him from her thoughts. She had a plan for her life and it didn’t include him.
CHAPTER 8
THE MELODIC strains of Mozart floated through the upscale restaurant on the next night. It was the kind of place with soft lighting, three waiters to a table, and a private entrance for celebrities. Reservations were nearly impossible to obtain. As Lauren’s brother, Carey, said, “It’s who you know or who you blow,” to get into places like this. Her father had a standing reservation and a private table for entertaining his clients whenever he ventured into the city.
He rose to meet her as she approached his table, smoothing his gray silk tie with one hand and reaching for her with the other. Everything about him suggested money and class, from the exquisite cut of his suit to his perfect salt-and-pepper hair. The scent of his cologne brought back sharp memories of her childhood. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and took a seat across the table from his fourth wife, Debra. The pretty brunette gave Lauren a cool smile but didn’t speak.
“Wonderful to see you, honey. You look great,” he said, reclaiming his place next to Debra. “I’m glad you could spare some time for your old man.”
“I’ve always got time for you, Dad,” Lauren replied. As head of one of the most prestigious law firms in the country, he was the one who had little time. Their visits consisted of a monthly phone call and an occasional holiday dinner. It had been almost a year since their last face-to-face meeting. In some small way, she blamed herself. She dreaded his general disapproval of her life choices. It was easier to avoid him than deal with his criticism. She steeled her nerves against it.
“How’s your mother?” he asked. “Is she still in Venice?”
Debra dropped her eyes to her lap and bit her lower lip.
“No, she’s in Madrid now. She said being surrounded by water made her want to pee all the time,” she replied.
Her father laughed and shook his head. “Is she still with that artist guy? What’s his name? Hector?”
“Eduardo. And yes, they’re still together.” Lauren cocked an eyebrow at her dad. Although her parents had never married, he retained an obsessive curiosity about her mother’s whereabouts. “You know that, Daddy.”
Despite the scandal around their affair, her parents remained in contact and spoke on the phone often. Lauren had given up trying to understand their relationship a long time ago. She preferred to be grateful for their friendship. Most children of estranged parents had to deal with the constant undercurrent of tension and hurt. They’d made a mess of her life, but her parents seemed to have it all worked out between them.
“Well, so I do.” He laughed and smoothed his tie again, oblivious to his current wife’s irritation. “So what’s new with you?”
They made idle chit-chat while the waiters filled their wine glasses and brought out an appetizer. He asked about her work but listened with half an ear. Most of the conversation centered on his firm and boring business details. After a few minutes, uncomfortable silence lulled. Lauren knew her father had an agenda the minute he cleared his throat and lifted his chin. It was the same expression he used right before delivering closing remarks to the judge and jury.
“So, are you seeing anyone? Is there a special guy in your life?”
Lauren wanted to roll her eyes but didn’t, knowing how her father hated it. Instead, she readjusted the napkin in her lap. Thoughts of Elijah caused her lips to twitch. Staid Robert Ellington would freak out if he knew his daughter had spent the night with a rock star, however platonic the situation might have been.
“There is someone but nothing serious,” Lauren said. Maybe it would be enough to deter her father from whatever he was about to entrap her in. “I’m not really looking for a relationship right now. I’ve got too much going on.”
“Pfft.” Robert took a sip of wine and studied her with eyes identical to her own. “You’re pushing thirty. It’s time to think about the future, Lauren. A family. Children.” About this time, she realized there was a fourth place setting at their table and stifled a groan.
“I’m twenty-five, Dad. There’s plenty of time for that. Besides, I may never get married at all.” She bit her lower lip, knowing the last statement might push her father into cardiac arrest. He was hell bent on heirs for his empire.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” The smile on her father’s lips held tinges of affection and exasperation. “I worry about you on your own. Haven’t you had enough of playing around?”
“What I do isn’t playing around. It’s important work.” Lauren choked back further words of indignation. To her credit, she kept her tone even and unemotional. “Just because I’m not making millions doesn’t mean it’s of no value.”
The appearance of a fourth guest drew Lauren’s gaze from her soup and saved her from losing her temper. Trent Nottingham, newly elected state senator and childhood sweetheart, stood at her elbow. His
green eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled down at her. The fingers of his right hand drifted over her shoulder as he bent to kiss her cheek. Her stomach knotted.
“Lauren, good to see you.” The familiar sound of Trent’s voice brought back a flood of memories, some of them sweet and some bitter.
“Glad you could make it, Trent.” Her father stood, and the two men shook hands.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Trent replied. His eyes remained trained on Lauren while his fingers unbuttoned his suit jacket, and he took a seat beside her. “My meeting ran over.” His lips curved up. “Lauren, you’re a sight for sore eyes. I didn’t think it was possible for you to get more beautiful.”
Trent amped up the charm, and she wasn’t sure if it was for her benefit or her father’s. She didn’t want to return his smile. He oozed confidence, his mannerisms polished smooth by months of campaigning. It had been a few years since their last meeting, and during that time, he’d turned from a boy into a man. Maturity and humor lurked behind his even features and gave his smooth voice a reassuring quality.
“You look great, too. Life in the public eye must agree with you,” she said.
“I love it,” he admitted. “It’s everything I hoped for and more.”
Despite their rocky past, she wished him nothing but the best. He’d always dreamed of running for office. Once upon a time, she’d envisioned a future with him. Now, she couldn’t imagine existing under the constant microscope of public scrutiny. Like her parents. Like Elijah.
“And what about you?” he asked. “How’s life as a registered nurse?”
“It’s great and very rewarding,” she said, shooting a venomous glance at her father. “Although, Daddy thinks I’m wasting my time and talents.”
“Robert, tell me that’s not true,” Trent scolded. Few people in the world had the balls to tease Robert Ellington. “The medical profession provides an invaluable service to society. Nurses and teachers are underpaid and overlooked, if you ask me.”
“Thank you,” Lauren said.
“I’m not disputing that.” Robert’s eyes gleamed. There was nothing he enjoyed more than a debate. “I only pointed out that she’s wasting her talents in the bowels of that hospital.”
“You’re entitled to your opinion,” Lauren said. “Even if it’s wrong.” She signaled the waiter to refill her wine glass. One glass wasn’t going to get her through this meal. Thank goodness she’d left the Jeep at home and had taken a taxi.
Trent took a sip of water and choked on his laughter. Debra patted him on the back, biting her bottom lip, but her eyes sparkled as they met Lauren’s over the table. Her father frowned before sharing his own reluctant smile.
“You never did take any crap, Lauren. She gets that from you, you know,” Trent said to Robert.
“So she does.” Robert beamed with approval. She smiled back, and the animosity between them dissipated.
Trent’s eyes stayed on her during the meal. Debra remained silent. As soon as the plates were cleared from the main course, her father stood and claimed an early meeting in the morning, but insisted Lauren and Trent stay for dessert. It was the most blatant case of matchmaking she’d ever seen, even for her father.
“Gosh, it really is good to see you,” Trent said after they left. The softness in his tone set off warning bells in her head. “I hate the way we left things, Lauren. You never gave me a chance—”
She cut him off with a polite smile and a wave of her hand. “Please. Let’s not go there, okay? It was years ago. We’ve both grown up and moved on since then.”
“Maybe you have. I thought I had too, but seeing you now brings it all back again.” His eyes darkened with appreciation as they scanned her face. “We were good together. Where did it all go wrong?”
The heat of his gaze drew her in. It would be so easy to fall into old habits. He was handsome, successful, and smart—everything a girl should want in a man. Once, she’d wanted him more than anything, enough to give up her virginity and accept his marriage proposal.
“You know what happened. We wanted different things.” She fell silent until the waiter finished serving their desserts. “You wanted fame and fortune. I wanted normal. End of story.”
“It’s still there. Whatever it was we had.” His hand slid across the table to cover hers. “But it’s not the end for us, is it?”
Trent insisted on driving her home. Being in close proximity with him brought back a flood of memories. She’d been his girlfriend or fiancée for the majority of her life. He was a few years older than her, and in high school, she’d been flattered by his attentions. He’d been her first kiss, her prom date, and she’d given him her virginity. Being with him now felt as natural and easy as breathing.
“Remember the time someone spiked the punch at youth group and you got really drunk?” The dashboard lights silhouetted Trent’s clean profile. “I had to sneak you out and carry you to the car. We sat at the park for three hours while you drank coffee and tried to sober up. Man, you were plowed.” He shot her an amused sideways glance.
She rolled her eyes but smiled. “You had to bring that up, didn’t you? I had the worst hangover the next day. My mom must’ve known, because she kept trying to feed me fried eggs. We never ate anything fried.” She laughed, warming to the memory. “And you were grounded for being out too late. I still feel bad about that.”
“I think our parents got together about it. That morning I got the speech about responsible behavior and the importance of using condoms.” The sound of his laughter made her smile again. “Do you ever think about how our lives would be now if we’d gotten married?”
The question knocked the breath out of her. She had no idea how to respond. “It was a long time ago,” she said again and turned her attention to the passing scenery outside the car.
A Seven Drift song came on the radio. An unexpected spike of adrenalin fired through her body at the memory of Elijah. Trent hummed along to the melody. Whatever attraction she’d been feeling toward Trent faded away at the sound of Elijah’s throaty vocal serenade. The butterflies in her stomach were for the rock star, not the senator.
Common sense jerked her back to reality. A relationship with Elijah would never happen. They’d shared a crazy night together, but it was over and he wasn’t coming back. Trent was right in front of her, asking her to reconsider their separation. Any smart woman would jump at the chance to be with him. She knew all this, yet something inside her longed for more than adequate. She wanted extraordinary. She deserved nothing less and was willing to wait for it. Forever, if necessary.
When her house loomed into sight, she breathed a sigh of relief. Trent got out first and came around to open her door, the same way he had when they’d dated all those years ago. He’d always been attentive and every bit the gentleman. They walked in silence to the front door. She turned to say goodbye. He caught her chin in his fingers and tilted her face up to his. With his other hand, he swept her hair back from her temple.
“I enjoyed seeing you tonight,” he said. His gaze locked on to her lips. “Maybe we could do this again. Can I call you?”
“I don’t know, Trent,” she replied, and tried to avoid his gaze. “Do we really want to go down that road?”
“I miss you. We were good together. I’ve never met anyone who understood me the way you do. I think we deserve another chance.”
“Nothing has changed.”
“Everything has changed. I’m not a boy anymore. I’m a man, a senator, and quite a catch, if I do say so myself.” His eyes sparkled with humor. “I can appreciate who you are now, Lauren. Think about it.” He bent and brushed his lips across hers. “I’ll call you.”
He waited until she was inside the house and had flipped on the lights before he left. She watched him walk to the car. The breadth of his shoulders beneath the expensive suit suggested he was every inch the man he claimed to be. He paused before climbing into the car and smiled at her. A sweet pang of nostalgia tempered her ambivale
nce toward him. In the evening lights, he looked like the boy she remembered and had once loved. Life with Trent offered stability and prestige, but she’d have to sacrifice her most prized possession to be with him. Her privacy.
CHAPTER 9
DURING HIS months overseas, Elijah had experienced a life he’d never believed existed. He’d talked with soldiers who’d lost limbs, loved ones, and friends in their sacrifice for freedom. Dust and sand covered everything they owned. Gunfire popped in the background. Some of them were only kids, fresh-faced and eager. Others were care-worn and exhausted. Yet, they continued to battle day after day, knowing they might never go home or see another sunrise.
Those people had changed his outlook about life and led him to reflect on where he’d been. A few things nagged at his conscience. He’d spent the better part of the last ten years fulfilling his every whim, trying to live up to his celebrity persona, and leaving a mile-wide path of destruction in his wake. He’d hurt the people he loved and done things he was now ashamed of.
A need to make reparation had brought him back to Laurel Falls, to see the people he’d harmed. The list was so long he’d probably never reach the end. After a lot of thought, he’d decided to start with the most serious offenses first and move on from there. He left Lauren’s house and began his journey to start the healing.
When the taxi stopped at the mouth of the alley leading to Felony Bar, Elijah felt a wave of nerves worse than those before his first arena concert. Notorious. Edgy. Clandestine. Those were only a few of the words people used to describe his friend Jack Jameson’s underground club. Elijah called it nirvana and under different circumstances, he’d be overjoyed to visit.
An overwhelming feeling of nostalgia greeted him as he stood near the stage where he’d played some of his first gigs. Back then, Seven Drift had been a glorified garage band, and he’d been a cocky bastard with more guts than sense. Somehow, he’d come full circle, back to where it began, and he was no better off than he’d been at the start.
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