Lily hadn’t ever met anyone that made her body and mind react the way they did around Eric. If things were different, she would be really interested to see what would happen if they acted on their chemistry.
Eric made her wish for things she really had no business wishing for, like, instead of just pretending to be normal, she really was.
Lily felt delicate fingers wrap around her hand and tug, pulling her out of her Eric-riddled thoughts.
“I have to know.” Ariana leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially to Lily as she held her wrist in place. “What do you use?”
“I’m sorry?” Lily had no idea what she was talking about.
“Your skin is flawless. What do you use?” Ariana repeated in almost a whisper.
Lily shrugged then answered honestly. “Whatever soap is on sale.”
She heard a collective gasp from her fellow dinner companions.
Oh lord, did I say something wrong?
Carlos grabbed her arm, causing Ariana to let go of her hand. He pulled her towards him, examining her face—closely—before releasing her and saying, “Hand to God, there is not one open pore on this beauty’s face.”
Ariana leaned across the table once again, doing her own visual inspection before concluding, “There’s not.”
“That’s just good genes,” Miles chimed in. “I bet your mom had flawless skin. Am I right?”
“Ummm…” Lily didn’t know what to say. The question had come out of the blue and she wasn’t prepared to answer it. She really didn’t want to tell these people the truth, that her mom had died when she was three and Lily didn’t even have one picture of her so she wasn’t really sure if her mom had flawless skin. But she also didn’t want to lie either and say that yes her mom had flawless skin when she had nothing to base that statement on.
She could tell them the truth if she wanted to. She’d never had to lie about that part of her life. She just didn’t like how people usually reacted when they found out.
Everyone on her little corner of the table was staring at her expectantly. She made a split decision and decided to pick option one. The truth. “I don’t really remember. My mom passed away when I was really young.”
A chorus of “Aww” and “I’m so sorry” followed from everyone.
“How old were you?” Carlos asked, grabbing her hands in his and holding them tightly to his chest.
“Three,” Lily explained.
“Oh, you poor thing.” Releasing her hands, Carlos wrapped his arms protectively around her, and Lily had to admit that being in strong arms felt good. Amazing even. Too bad she knew she wasn’t Carlos’s type…because she didn’t have a penis. Oh well. That was probably why it felt so comforting, because Lily knew that she was one hundred percent safe.
Karina, oblivious to what was going on down at Lily’s end of the table, stood and announced that they would all be heading into the front room where there would be drinks and most likely a jam session. The crowd all got up and moved from the dining room through the house. Lily separated herself from the flock, automatically gravitating towards the huge picture windows that made up an entire wall of the impressive room that also boasted a fireplace and baby grand piano.
Lily still could not quite wrap her head around the view from Karina’s living room. It overlooked the small town of Hope Falls, which was lit up below. As Lily stood beside the window, she could feel the cold seeping through the glass from outside and it invigorated her. Which she needed because she hadn’t gotten much sleep the past week.
Wow. So much has changed in one week.
She had come up to Hope Falls last Thursday to lead a dance class for Amanda’s bridal party, kind of a bachelorette party type of a deal. When she had arrived, Karina had immediately asked if she would be interested in choreographing her tour. Lily had stayed in Hope Falls through the weekend for the wedding and signed the contract with Bernie, Karina’s manager, before heading back to Sacramento on Sunday.
After taking a couple days to tie up loose ends in Sac-Town, she had been back in Hope Falls by Wednesday night. She’d rented and moved into her house Thursday, and now she was spending her Friday night at a dinner hosted by the one and only Karina Black. She felt like she had lived out a year’s worth of milestones in one week.
“Hey, hun. I know that the guys can be a lot, but believe me, they are awesome. I think you’re really going to love working with everyone,” Karina assured Lily as she stepped beside her.
“They are amazing!” Lily turned, motioning to the guests that were all either gathered around the roaring fire or the shiny black piano.
“They are, aren’t they?” Karina smiled as she nodded her head.
“I feel honored just to be here.” Lily hesitated a moment before adding, “Truthfully, I feel a little out of my league.”
Admissions like that did not come easy for Lily. She never wanted anyone to see even the slightest bit of weakness. But with Karina and her friends Lauren, Amanda, and Sam, Lily did something that she rarely did—let her guard down. The girls were just so open and…real.
“Look, logically I get why you might feel like that, but honestly, you belong here. I wasn’t just blowing smoke when I said that I had all my number-one picks to work on the tour. Once we nailed down the concept, I knew you would be perfect for this,” Karina assured her.
“Thanks, I really appreciate the opportunity.” Lily felt herself getting a little choked up. Hearing those words out of Karina Black’s mouth was an overwhelming experience.
Just as Lily was going to move the conversation topic onto a lighter subject, like the fact that she just couldn’t get over how beautiful Karina’s home was, a bright flash of light caused her to shut her eyes and wince. When she opened them again, two more flashes went off and she once more closed her eyelids out of instinct.
“Great,” Karina said flatly as she cupped Lily’s elbow, moving her away from the picture window. “They’re back.”
Lily wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but as she opened her eyes, she noticed black dots everywhere from the flashing lights.
“What paparazzi that’s worth his salt would use a flash?” Ariana asked as she crept up to the window.
Wow, that was paparazzi? She was definitely waaay out of her league.
“One that wants a clear picture through tinted glass,” Miles explained. “Sadly even tinted windows don’t buy you privacy anymore.”
Lily was blinking her eyes to try and clear them when Ryan, Karina’s boyfriend, who was also a musician, stepped beside Karina and placed his arm around her waist protectively. “I called the police. Since they put up the gate at the bottom of the hill, even being out on the street is considered trespassing.”
“They’re not even out on the street. They’re in the yard,” Karina sighed and looked up at Ryan as she leaned against his chest.
Watching the two of them just looking at each other made Lily feel like she was intruding on something private. The energy they shared was palpable. She had seen them performing on YouTube and once on TV when they were on The Today Show, but seeing their chemistry in person, in real life, was truly something to behold.
They seemed so connected and in tune with one another. Lily had heard of people having a ‘soul connection.’ She thought if that indeed existed then Ryan and Karina had it.
Another thing Lily noticed was that, as independent a woman as Karina was, she did lean on Ryan when she needed to. That observation caused that reliable old ache to return to Lily’s chest. She knew there was a good chance that she would never be able to experience that. With her past, it was next to impossible.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Ryan said quietly as he kissed the top of Karina’s head.
“It’s all good in the hood,” Karina joked as she patted Ryan’s chest, smiling as she tucked herself even closer to him.
Lily had never thought about what celebrities’ lives were like on a day-to-day basis. She had to admit that she had bought her fair
share of copies of Us Weekly and In Touch. And if she was being honest, she would also have to admit that she really liked seeing the pictures of the stars as they went about their daily routines. She hadn’t really examined how intrusive the process of getting those shots would be. Until now.
There was a loud knock at the door and Lily jumped about two feet off the ground. Ryan moved to answer it as Karina bit her lips, trying to hide the fact that Lily’s little fright was probably extremely comical. Karina’s voice was almost steady as she reached out and touched Lily’s arm. “Are you okay? It’s probably just security or the police.”
Lily shook her head, smiling, her heart pounding like a drum. She placed her hands over her heart. “Yeah, I’m fine. It just startled me.”
Karina nodded, her eyes lit with amusement.
“You can laugh. I know it probably looked funny,” Lily said, still catching her breath.
Not only did Karina laugh but Ariana, Miles, Carlos, and Bernie, Karina’s manager, joined in, all adding their own play-by-play of not just how high Lily had made it off of the floor but also of the sound of fear that had screeched out of her. Which, according to this bunch, was apparently hilarious.
“What did I miss?” A deep voice cut through all of the chattering voices of the party guests from the entryway.
All of the hairs on the back of Lily’s neck stood straight up. Her heart raced, pounding even harder than when she had been terrified a moment earlier. She felt saliva fill her mouth before she even turned towards the cause of the mouthwatering display. Eric, the Chief of Police and her neighbor, was in the building.
“Lily just got a little surprised. It was cute,” Karina smoothly said before leaving Lily’s side to walk over, and to address the situation with Eric and Ryan.
Lily felt a little unsteady on her feet. She wasn’t sure if it was exhaustion, the excitement of the night, or the law enforcement officer that had just joined the party, but if she had to venture a guess, it would be the new arrival.
Carlos stepped closer to Lily, his eyes never leaving the entryway where Karina, Ryan, and Eric stood. Under his breath, he said, “Hellooo, Mr. Hot Cop. I believe I may just need to get myself arrested tonight. Mmm, mmm, mmm. He is quite the fine specimen.”
Yeah, no kidding.
Carlos bent his head so he could speak even more softly and Lily would still be able to hear him. “And don’t look now, but it seems like Officer Sexy Pistol only has eyes for you.”
Lily then did what any normal person would do when someone says “don’t look now”—she looked. Her gaze searched out Officer Sexy Pistol like a heat-seeking missile. When her eyes locked on Eric’s, she saw that indeed his stare was focused intently on her. A chill of awareness shot through her like a shock of electricity.
Without breaking eye contact, Eric began moving towards her in long, steady, purposeful strides. As he stalked across the living room, his confident movements caused longing to pull deep in her belly. She wasn’t sure why her body was reacting this way to him simply walking across the room. It was just that he was so…male.
“Oh my,” Carlos gasped as Eric moved closer as if zeroing in on his prey.
“Are you all right?” Eric’s concerned tone set off a fluttering in her chest.
Not trusting herself to speak, she just nodded. She felt her knees going even weaker as his authoritative presence surrounded her.
He’s just a man, Lily reminded herself in an attempt to soothe her hormones and nerves.
Just a sexy man in a uniform.
Chapter Six
Eric felt his jaw tick as he flexed his hands by his sides. Lily looked as if she had seen a ghost, and she was shaking like a leaf. With her standing in front of him, looking up at him with her large milk chocolate eyes, Eric had to actively stop himself from pulling her into the safety of his arms. He wasn’t sure what had spooked her, but all of his protective instincts were up and running on full speed.
“You don’t look good. You look really pale. Do you want to sit down?”
Lily blinked and her gaze quickly changed as she stood up taller and pressed her shoulders back, her five-foot-four-inch posture stiffening. She pressed her lips together tightly then softened her expression before saying briskly, “I’m fine. Really.”
The man standing next to her, who looked exactly like the guys Eric saw on the cover of GQ, tilted his head as he darted a knowing look Lily’s way, obviously aware of Eric’s unintentional faux pas.
What did I say now?
It seemed he was just constantly putting his foot in his mouth where Lily Sotelo was concerned. But he had just been concerned and asked her if she wanted to sit down. Always one to notice even the smallest of changes, Eric noted that she did seem to have a little more color in her face.
“Excuse me.” Lily pushed past him, walking in sure strides out of the living room.
Eric watched as Lily left the room, stopping only to speak briefly to Karina. He was seriously at a loss. Why couldn’t he even get one conversation right with this girl?
“Carlos Benson,” GQ guy announced as he reached out his hand. “And you are?”
“Maguire.” Eric shook his head a little, trying to clear it. “Eric Maguire.”
Carlos smiled as he fanned himself dramatically. “Ooh, that’s so Bond, James Bond.”
Eric felt a small smile break out on his face. This guy was quite a character.
“Listen, Double-O-Seven, can I give you a small, teeny tiny, itsy bitsy piece of advice?”
Eric had no idea what this man, who he had just met, could possibly advise him about, but he had to admit he was curious to see what he would say. “Sure.”
“When a lady as lovely as Miss Lily Sotelo is looking up at you with that hero-worship, knight-in-shining-armor gaze, it’s probably best not to comment that she ‘doesn’t look good’ and is ‘really pale.’” Carlos’s brows lifted as if he was stating the obvious. He held his expression for several moments before he patted Eric’s arm, brushing past him. He winked, adding, “Just food for thought, Hot Cop.”
Shit. So he had gone and stuck his foot in his mouth.
Officer Geffen’s voice came over Eric’s radio. “Chief Maguire, we’ve caught the perps, cited, and escorted them outside of the gate.”
Reaching up, he pressed his thumb on the microphone clipped to his shoulder. “How many trespassers were there?”
A crackling sound popped before he heard Geffen’s voice again. “Three, Chief. Two in the front and one we found trying to sneak in the back of the property through the woods.”
Squeezing the radio once again, he instructed, “Make sure that the security detail has physical descriptions of each before you head out.”
“Will do.”
Eric glanced around the large room and saw that most of the crowd was gathered around the piano. He had a momentary feeling of unease as he scanned the group.
Eric could not remember the last time he had walked into a room and not immediately noted not only how many people were present but also all window, doors, sharp objects that could be used as weapons, etc. He was always hyper aware of his surroundings, especially when he was on the job.
Tonight, however, when he had stepped into the entryway and seen Lily, it was like the rest of the world was blurry and she was the only thing in focus. All he’d been aware of was her.
Her eyes. Her face. Her hair. Her body.
He stopped himself from further thoughts of Lily. He needed to get his head on straight. He had a job to do.
Not wanting to interrupt the festivities that seemed to now be going full steam, he nodded his head towards Ryan, who was hanging back from the crowd. They walked into the dining room.
Once they were alone, he relayed, “It looks like there were three trespassers. They have all been cited and escorted off the premises as well as instructed not to return.”
Ryan ran his fingers through his hair. “I appreciate the effort, but you know that they’re like ants
. It starts with three and quickly turns into fifty. I just wish I could protect her from”—Ryan’s hands flew up in frustration—“everything.”
“I know.” Eric honestly sympathized with Ryan.
Karina was a huge star and had had a lot of media attention on her since her debut album. But all of that had intensified tenfold since she and Ryan had gotten together last year. At first they had been the tabloids’ ‘it’ couple. If America was a high school, Ryan Perkins and Karina Black would have been voted prom king and queen. That had lasted about six months. Now it seemed all the tabloids tried to do was break them up or come up with some dirt on them. Eric had no idea how any relationship could withstand that kind of pressure. Somehow, though, Ryan and Karina seemed to be making it work.
“What are you men all serious about?” Karina asked as she joined Ryan and Eric in the dining room.
Ryan’s demeanor instantly changed from frustrated to protective. He wrapped an arm around Karina, pulling her close to his side. “Eric said they found three of them outside. We can control the area around the house, but I think we may need to consider getting a detail placed on you in town.”
Karina pulled out of Ryan’s hold and crossed her arms defensively. “No, Ryan. We’ve talked about this. Hope Falls is my home. I’m not 'Karina Black' when I’m here. I’m just Karina.”
“I know, and as far as the town goes, I know they feel the same way, but this isn’t Hope Falls people we’re talking about. This is paparazzi and lowlifes who want to make a buck by following you, hounding you, basically stalking you. Too many people know we’re back in town. You need protection.”
Karina looked as though she was considering what Ryan had just said. Then she turned to Eric. “What do you think?”
Eric had known Karina since she had been in diapers. He knew that fame had never been her goal when she set out to have a career in music. That just happened to be a byproduct of her endeavor. She was an artist. She loved her craft and didn’t really like the spotlight. He completely understood that she would not want anything drawing unnecessary attention to her as she went on basic day-to-day errands, but she may not have a choice.
Snow Angel (The Hope Falls Chronicles) Page 5
