A wounded look filled his eyes. “You never intended on making a commitment?”
“To who?”
“Me, who else?”
She failed to grasp the full picture. “I didn’t know it was an option. Blaze had convinced me that this entire ordeal was a one-time request and you’d be leaving afterward. He never, not once hinted about a permanent arrangement. I’m sorry but I’m usually fairly straight laced and not into kink.” Lowering her eyes, she sighed. “Sure doesn’t look that way now.”
“So he led you to believe our relationship would be temporary and convinced me that a long term possibility existed. He knew I’d not agree to this any other way.”
“How would he know that?”
“Remember the night you met Blaze? You were setting up centerpieces for that celebrity wedding in Chelsea and we both spotted you.” A reminiscent smile touched his face. “You were wearing a sweet pink dress and had your hair up with little white flowers tucked into your braid. You looked like a ray of sunlight and the way you handled the bouquets impressed me. I remember thinking how graceful you were and how much I wanted to meet you.”
“I recall that affair. They had a grand wedding and everything went smoothly.”
“I was with the band that night helping out and he was a guest of some wealthy client. By the time I had a chance to track you down for a dance Blaze had already snapped you up.”
“It has been almost two years since that night.” She shot him an incredulous look. “I can’t believe you remember.”
“Two years as if yesterday.” Slowly he drew her closer. “I’ve wanted you ever since, and he knew it.”
“You have?”
“Yeah…but I’m not the kind of man who’d interfere with others’ happiness. You appeared smitten with him back then and he has always bragged about your relationship. I was surprised when he told me you wanted more.” His gaze shifted toward the window and he spoke in a resolute tone. “I’d never impose myself on a woman who doesn’t want me. You’re engaged. Obviously I’ve been duped into helping him execute his twisted scheme and this isn’t what you want.”
“I’m sorry.” She wanted to believe him but this all sounded truly far-fetched. Yet, here he sat.
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. You must love him if you’ve accepted his proposal of marriage.”
“I used to until a few days ago. Like I said, after what he did there will be no wedding.”
“Two days of turmoil won’t stop a wedding.” He stood up and grabbed his jacket. “You’ll work it out.”
“There’s nothing to work out.” She beat him to the door. “I’m not staying here. You don’t understand what he’s done.”
“Yeah, I do. He tricked us both to slake his lust and we got hurt. You’ll forgive him and I will move on.”
“It’s just that easy for you, isn’t it? To fuck me and play his game, then walk away but not before telling me how innocent and noble you are. If what you said is the truth then why are you bowing out so easily? Do you not fight for what you want? Or is it more honorable to let another man keep me simply because he got to me first even when he doesn’t deserve me?”
He grabbed her shoulders, his eyes flashed with sudden rage. “What do you want from me? Should I throw you down and fuck you right here? Is that what you really want? I don’t work like that. I respect you and I know that he won’t let you go and you’ll forgive the bastard so why should I let my heart get any more involved than it is?”
Without a second thought she smacked him across the face. “You know nothing!”
“I know how I feel about you.” He stared at her without flinching.
“Well while you’re feeling so knowledgeable take a look in your coat pocket, then come tell me again how I’ll forgive the prick.” She shoved him away and bolted out the door.
Sapphire held back her tears during the elevator ride down to ground level and even on the subway out of town. By the time she arrived at the floral shop just outside of Manhattan wet streaks trailed over her flushed cheeks. Rage, heartbreak and shame deluged her as she crept to the back room. Marge had closed up for the day so she curled onto the sofa in her office and cried until exhaustion claimed her and tears ceased to come forth. She felt as if she’d literally cried her heart out.
She had just started to drift off when the sound of keys jingling in the front door drew her fully awake. “Marge, is that you?”
Marge’s familiar face peeked into the office. “Sapphire, child why are you here? Today is your day off, hon.”
“It’s a long story. You don’t want to know.” She grabbed some tissues from a nearby box and dabbed at her nose.
“You’ve been crying? Did something happen between you and Blaze?”
“Yes…it’s over between us.”
“Aw, you poor baby.” Marge wrapped a comforting arm around her. “I’m sure this is just a hiccup in some pre-wedding jitters. Everything will work out. You know that Charles and I have been married for almost forty years. We’ve had our share of bad times but these things always seem to work themselves out. Where there is love there is a way.”
“That’s just it. I don’t love him anymore.”
“But you did two days ago, what happened?” she asked in her sweet, calm voice.
Sapphire had always admired her class and how attractively she kept herself even as an elderly woman. She’d never seen Marge without makeup or looking the least bit frumpy like some older ladies she’d known. And she wore expensive perfume, not the cheap stuff that made her cough and sneeze when packed in between a couple of dumpy women on the public buses.
“I can’t tell you. It’s very personal.”
“Ah, okay. Well I won’t press. Ladies don’t expose their secrets, you know.” Her blue eyes twinkled and she winked as if she understood. Perhaps she’d seen me with Shook. We weren’t exactly discreet.
“Yes, I know.”
“If you need a place to stay until things work out I have a lovely guest bedroom available. You are welcome as my guest any time.”
Sapphire looked up with a grateful smile. “Thank you so much for understanding, and I may take you up on your offer.”
“Just say the word, dear. Now I’ve got to scoot after I check on the flowers. I didn’t want anything wilting on our day off.”
“Do you mind if I hang out here today? I can mist the arrangements for you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, they always cheer me.”
For the rest of the day she worked around the shop, sweeping the floors, watering plants and tending the flowers, making sure that everything was fresh and pretty. Her thoughts drifted back to the day she and Blaze had met. She didn’t recall seeing Shook at that event but didn’t doubt his words. He had described her perfectly and she now doubted her fiancé would possess the same level of attention to anything beyond his needs.
Blaze had been charming, sophisticated and a fabulous dancer. Once she’d completed her work they had danced the entire night. He taken her on a date nearly every night since their first meeting and even whisked her off to Venice for a romantic getaway. All her friends were jealous of the handsome sophisticate with gorgeous blue eyes and a head full of brown curls. Not many men in their forties could boast as such.
He’d been divorced once long before they met and didn’t have any children so he was known as one of the most eligible bachelors in her age group. She could understand why Shook had stood back. Obviously he’d seen Blaze in hot pursuit and as his best friend, didn’t want to steal his happiness. Shook was clearly the better man and she wished he’d been the one to ask her to dance at that wedding. Maybe he is telling the truth. But can I trust him? How can I be sure they weren’t in this together all along?
Why Blaze chose now to bring him into their relationship baffled her. Is he that cocky? Did he want to flaunt his victory over Shook one last time? If Shook truly did want me, wouldn’t watching us get married be torment enough? Or i
s Blaze just so utterly consumed with lust that he used his friend’s vulnerability to his benefit? What kind of person does this to his best friend? And to his fiancé yet! Tricking me into making some sick movie, it’s too much and I can never forgive him for that level of deception. He’s not who I thought he was and there’s no way I’d ever marry a man like him.
She primped the flowers in the display case and the arrangements waiting in the cooler, giving them one final inspection for the day before turning off the lights. A light tap on the door made her turn around. Her heart raced at the sight of Shook even though she wasn’t sure she wanted to let him in. She felt hurt, betrayed and most of all sullied.
“Sapphire, please open the door,” he called from the other side. “I’m not leaving and I’m not giving in this time. I’ve wanted you since the first day I saw you and I’m willing to fight if that’s what it takes to win your heart.”
Slowly she opened the door. “Why the change of heart? You seemed certain that Blaze and I would work things out.”
“I watched the video.” A mix of open rage and remorse shadowed his face. “I had no idea and I am very sorry to have unknowingly played a part in this devious charade. He doesn’t deserve you and you’d be a fool to take him back after what he’s done.”
“No more talk about me forgiving him then?”
“Hell no! I was on my way over to confront him before kicking his sorry ass but then I thought of you and how hurt you must be. My revenge on Blaze can wait until I’m sure that you are okay. Can we go somewhere and talk? Coffee maybe?”
She hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, I’m finished here for today.”
They found a cozy table in a local all-night café and ordered mocha lattes. His appeal hadn’t diminished one bit, making her realize that perhaps she did trust him. Had she felt in her heart that he’d been a part of the deception, she couldn’t possibly be attracted to him.
“What did you do with the video?” she asked.
“I erased it.” He placed the mini cam on the table. “You can check if you don’t believe me.”
Picking up the tiny unit she looked it over and breathed a sigh of relief. The dent on the side from her mishap in the bedroom proved it was the same camera.
“You really didn’t know? You weren’t conspiring with him against me?”
Gently he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “No…never would I be a part of anything this bad.”
The ringtone from her cell phone interrupted them.
“It’s Blaze. What should I tell him?”
“Nothing, make something up. I have a plan but we need to talk first.”
She nodded while receiving the call.
“Where have you been, babe?”
“Marge needed me at the last minute to check on the shop. She had urgent business and couldn’t come in today so I filled in.”
“Oh…it looks like someone was in our apartment today.” Suspicion hung on his voice. “My Picasso replica has been destroyed and things seemed out of order around the place. Did you notice anything before you left?”
“No. I was in a bit of a hurry so I probably didn’t pick up after myself, sorry.”
“Are you coming home soon?”
She sighed and thought for a moment. “I may just sleep at the shop tonight if you don’t mind. It’s a long commute across town and I’m very tired. We have an early day tomorrow. Didn’t you say that you’d also be busy this week? Isn’t that why you pushed for our time with Shook last night?” She decided to put him on the defense.
“Yes, I do have a hectic few days ahead of me. I believe he flew back to England today so it’s good that we had one more visit with him.”
His willingness to continue the lie astounded her. “I’ll probably catch up with you tomorrow night then, okay?”
He relented with a sigh and they said goodnight before ending the call. For the first time she was glad he didn’t say I love you, because she didn’t want to say it back. She tucked her phone into her bag then stared at Shook.
“Something has been bothering me about those sexual romps. Why did you permit Blaze to call all the shots?”
A sincere expression swept over his face, softening the hard lines. “He’s known you intimately. I thought it was what both of you wanted. I was informed that it was a trial run and if you took to me, then we’d discuss the future. I wanted to please you so I followed his lead, thinking that he knew what he was doing.”
“But you’re a gorgeous, single man. Why would you want to be a third member in a relationship instead of having a woman of your own?”
“Because I’ve been in love with your photograph for almost two years. Why do you think I spend most of my time abroad?”
She was stunned by his reply but hid her feelings. “I have no idea.”
“Once I saw that you and he were a couple I took off. It was too hard watching him flaunt something I wanted but couldn’t have.” Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his. “He would send me pictures of you all the time and boast about the great sex. Some of the photos he sent were extremely sexy.”
“Oh.” She sipped her coffee, feeling anger and shame that Blaze had been exploiting her all this time.
“I’m a one-woman-man, love, and not into shallow relationships. When he invited me to join you with the possibility for something long-term, I couldn’t pass it up. Although our meeting came about through his malicious intent and we ended up in each other’s arms because of his deception, I have to confess I don’t regret it.”
“As bad as that sounds,” she said with a light laugh. “I don’t either. I’ve never been with a man like you.”
“Have you ever been married?”
“No. Never saw the need. I was raised in a very conventional home with good parents. They put me through college and I found my way in life. Actually, I was having second thoughts about marrying Blaze because he’s been making noise about me giving up my career to become his socialite wife.”
“I’ve never married either. After college I landed a job in my chosen field of business management and promotion. I’ve always enjoyed the music industry and the travel suited me. I couldn’t see a reason to settle down…until now.”
She stared at him with arched brows. “I’m not sure how to respond.”
“Then don’t. Let me love you the way I want to, the way I’ve dreamed of loving you since the day you passed through my world many months ago.”
“I am very attracted to you…”
“But…” He seemed openly disappointed.
“I’m finding it rather difficult to process everything. It feels like there’s an elephant between us and I don’t know how to get around it.”
“An elephant named Blaze.” He sighed while continuing the gentle caressing of her hand. “We need to find each other on our own, develop a bond outside of the threesome.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Is that possible after all that’s been done?”
His eyes searched hers in a most intense gaze. “I believe so. I’ve held you in my mind for so long, holding you in my arms is better than I ever dreamed. I’m not willing to let you go now that we’re this close.”
The words he chose and the softness in his voice floated over her like a beautiful melody. She didn’t break eye contact but simply allowed herself to become lost in those dark, alluring depths and feel his spirit. He didn’t seem evasive or closed off at all. Everything about this strikingly handsome man felt right. Long moments passed as they remained in a soul-searching gaze.
Eventually he broke their silence. “I have a plan.”
“Yes…I recall you saying that.”
“I could kick his ass and deliver just payback with violence. However, I’ve come up with something more effective—an idea that will not only be the perfect revenge but punish him as well.”
“Punishment, I like that. He should be punished. What do you think he intended to do with the video?”
“I don�
�t know.” He shrugged with a scowl. “He really shocked the hell out of me. I never thought him the type to do something so underhanded.”
“So what is this brilliant strategy of yours?” She found a smile hiding behind the day’s tears and offered it to him.
He returned her smile with shimmering eyes. “A plan that will help you and me put his lies behind us and move into the future together.”
“I’m listening.”
“Would you like to spend the night at my place?” he asked with a wink that reignited her desire for him.
Chapter Five
Shook escorted her to his waiting car parked in a lot two blocks from the café. Having grown up in the city, she’d never owned a car, as public transport served her needs. She didn’t like the idea of driving alone at night anyway. Though her knowledge of automobiles was scant, she did know that his was extraordinary.
“Awesome car, what kind is it?”
“Thanks. This is my Dodge Viper.” He failed to hide his pride behind the flattered grin. “I’ve always liked fast cars. Does zero-to-sixty in three-point-four.”
“I don’t know what that means, sorry. I didn’t exactly grow up with cars and Blaze doesn’t have one either.”
“I can get this little baby up to sixty miles per hour in less than four seconds.”
“Oh…wow that sounds very fast.”
“Are you up for it? We can take her out on an expressway and stretch her wings before tucking her in for the night.”
“Um…” She toyed with an end of her hair. “Okay, why not. I’ve never ridden in a fast car.”
“Ah, now you’re talking. My kind of woman.” He opened the passenger door then placed a tender kiss on her lips. “Beautiful and brave.”
A mix of fear and excitement raced through her as he started the engine. It sounded powerful and growly. They zipped through the city streets at a frightening speed. He zigzagged through traffic, shifting gears like a pro. Once clear of the congestion he picked up more speed and the street lights whipped past like dots.
“Do you always drive this fast?”
Tangled in Chains Page 5
