Until Dawn

by Melinda Di Lorenzo

  Get a hold of your priorities, Mia. Relax. You’re here to have fun.

  I grabbed another glass of bubbly and took a sip. But I couldn’t seem to let go. So when the stripper’s tear-away pants came flying at me, I was actually thankful for the fact that they made me spill a little wine down my chest. It gave me just the excuse I needed to slip away.

  I stepped from the gallery to the hall, then from the hall to the stairwell. It still didn’t give me the reprieve I was craving.

  “Fresh air,” I muttered.

  I took the steps two at a time, pushed my way through the heavy door at the bottom, and burst on to the sidewalk outside the building. For a second, with the air filling my lungs and the openness around me, I did feel better. But as a noisy clang echoed behind me, I realized that my escape plan had a serious flaw. I hadn’t planned a means of getting back inside.

  I groaned.

  The building was locked up tightly. I knew, because as the person responsible for the private rental, I’d made sure that once the last guest had arrived, all the entrances were properly sealed. Exit only. At least until my brother would arrive with the key I’d give him. Then he and his friends would join the women for the rooftop party.

  Hoping I was wrong, I turned and grabbed the door handle. It didn’t budge, and I knew I was going to have to call Liv to let me back in. I’d never live down the embarrassment.

  No other choice.

  I reached for my purse. Then groaned again as I realized I’d hung the bag’s slim strap over the back of a chair in the showcase room, and in my haste to escape, it hadn’t occurred to me to grab it.

  The only way I’d get back in was if I tried to scale the side of the building. Which wasn’t a real option. Was it?

  I took a step back and eyed the brick front. I’d been rock climbing a time or two. Maybe the ridges and dips would be the same. There was even a little balcony on the second floor that looked promising.

  Totally a safe and realistic plan.

  In spite of the mental sarcasm, I took another step back. Or started to anyway. Because my left heel no sooner lifted from the ground than the right one caught in a groove. But I also no sooner starter to topple backward than a pair of warm, familiar hands landed on my elbows.

  Chapter 14

  Ethan

  For a blissful second, Mia looked pleased to see me. Her honey-browns lit up, her lips parted, and I anticipated a pleasant greeting. My apology might be more eagerly accepted than I’d thought.

  Then, as quick as the pleased expression had come, it disappeared. In its place was a guarded look that suited the way she pulled away and took a step back and brushed off some imaginary dirt.

  My breath caught as I watched her.

  I’d mentally prepared myself to be a little overwhelmed when I saw her again. I’d thought about it on the plane ride—cleared by the doctor this morning—and the whole time I was in the cab too.

  I knew the effect she had on me. That luxurious hair. Her gorgeous, freckled skin.

  Her all around Mia-ness.

  I’d decided it would be like a having the wind knocked out of me. Maybe a little painful, but nothing I couldn’t handle.

  What I hadn’t prepared myself for was the fact that seconds after I saw her, I’d have my hands pressed to her skin. Or the way her scent—was it the honey soap I’d given her?—would envelop me. And I really hadn’t prepared for the teeny, tiny scrap of stretchy pink fabric that would be sheathing her body. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do more—rip it off, or cover it up.

  You could start by saying hello.

  She beat me to it, her voice as cool as her eyes. “What are you doing here, Ethan? And before you say that you warned me, I don’t mean here as in Vancouver. I mean here, as in outside this building. How’d you find me?”

  “I tried you at home,” I replied. “You weren’t there, obviously. So I went by Trinkets and Treasures.”

  Her mouth pinched. “The closed sign wasn’t enough to tell you I was unavailable?”

  I ran a hand over my hair. “I already knew you had plans. But I thought maybe—”

  “Maybe what? You’d break in and help yourself to some of my trade secrets?”

  “Not exactly what my business is about.”

  “Yeah. Well. Trinkets and Treasures isn’t your business, either. But that’s not stopping you from invading.”

  “I’m not a goddamned army, Lu.”

  “Mia.”

  “Lu,” I repeated firmly. “Stop. Hear me out.”

  “The last time you said that, you wound up in my bed.” She blushed, and quickly added, “Not that there’s any danger of that happening again.”

  “I’m not here to take you to bed. And I’m not here for Trinkets and Treasures.”

  “Good. Because—wait, what?”

  I couldn’t stop my gaze from raking over her. “Don’t get me wrong. I would take you to bed, if that’s what you wanted. But I’m just here to apologize. And to tell you that I won’t be coming after your business.”

  She blinked. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that?”

  I took a step forward. “You know I’m not a liar, Lu.”

  She breathed in nervously, but didn’t back away. “I don’t know that, Ethan. I don’t know much about you at all. Except that you live and breathe your company, just like me.”

  “But you do know me. At least enough to figure that much out.”

  “We met a week ago.”

  “I know. And as insane as it sounds, I’ve spent more time with you in the last week than I’ve spent with anyone in years.”

  “You were in Toronto for more than half that time!”

  “Tells you something else about me, doesn’t it? I’m not a social man. You know my dating history. You know my commitment level. Knowing these things means knowing the things that make me who I am.”

  She looked for a moment like she might not argue, but after the briefest hesitation, she lifted her chin. “And what about Mr. Right?”

  My hands clenched into fists, but I answered in a respectably neutral tone. “What about him?”

  “What if kissing him last night led to a date? What if I made plans with him for tomorrow night?”

  “I’d ask to you cancel them.”

  “And if I didn’t want to?”

  “I’d be unhappy. But I wouldn’t give up.”

  “You’d just hang around…waiting?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ve known each other for a week!”

  “I think we’ve established the timeline.”

  “Ethan. I don’t know what you want from me.” Her voice was an ache.

  I reached out to touch her cheek, and exhaled with relief when she didn’t flinch. “I want you to forgive me for being an ass the other night. And for you to forgive me for wasting time thinking about your company when I could’ve been thinking about you. I want to tell you why I’m so invested in my work, and to hear why you’re so invested in yours. I want to kiss you until you forget about Mr. Right. Until you forget anything but me. I want to look at you in that dress. And to take the dress off. I want sweep you off your feet, and take you on vacation, and sleep in with you on your day off.”

  “That’s a lot of wants,” she said softly.

  I smiled. “I guess it is. Should I have been more succinct?”

  Her mouth tipped up just enough to give me hope. “Maybe.”

  “Then if I’m being forced to summarize…I guess what I really want is a chance at us.”

  Her smile faltered. “You’re asking for a lot of trust. I don’t know if I can give it.”

  “So try me. Tell me why you can’t give it. And if you can’t do that—yet—then at least give me that two hours to prove I can earn it.”

  “That kind of trust ca
n’t be earned in two hours.” She sounded like she might cry. “It takes months. Or years. And even then…”

  I inched forward again, bringing myself so close that our bodies were flush against each other. “Give me a chance to get there.”

  She buried her face in my chest and mumbled something incoherent.

  I ran my hands over her nearly bare back, just glad to have her in my arms. “What was that, sweetheart?”

  “I didn’t kiss him,” she said, leaning back a bit. “Mr. Right. I mean. He wasn’t actually called Mr. Right. I have no clue who he was. But I didn’t kiss him.”

  “That upsets you?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because of you.”

  “I’m not quite following.”

  “I didn’t kiss him because of you!” She said it like it made her furious. “Because he wasn’t you.”

  As much as I didn’t want to laugh, I couldn’t help myself. A chuckle burst from my lips as my heart expanded with pleasure.

  “You think this is funny?” she asked.

  “No. I think it’s fan-fucking-tastic.” I bent to drop my lips to her forehead. “Take me home with you. Or come to the Memory Motel with me. Or if you want to go somewhere swanky, just tell me where.”

  “I can’t.”

  My heart dropped again. “Lu, please.”

  Her eyes widened at my tone. “I just meant I can’t right this second.”

  “Right this—oh. Your plans.” I scrubbed a hand ruefully over the back of my neck. “I guess that dress isn’t typical Monday-night wear. Not that I’m complaining.”

  A blush crept up between her freckles. “I’m at my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party.”

  “At it?” I repeated. “Now?”

  She gestured to the building behind her. “I know it’s hard to tell, but there’s a whole lot of debauchery going on right now on the second floor. Right between a sculpted tree and something kind of carving. A fish, I think.”

  “So if the party’s in there, why are you out here?”

  “I needed a minute. And then I got locked out, and you came along…” She shrugged. “So I guess I got more than a minute?”

  I smiled. “Maybe it’s a sign that you should cut out early.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t. I’m hosting. The two guys who run this place are friends of mine. They’re expecting me to supervise. And on top of that, my brother and his entourage are finishing off their night here too.”

  “Then I guess we’ll just have to find a way in.” I stepped back and scanned the building.

  “How? I was thinking about climbing up—”

  “In three-inch heels?” I eyed the sexy-as-hell shoes skeptically.

  “Bare feet?” she said hopefully.

  “Do you have a death wish?” I asked.

  “So what do you suggest?”

  “I could try picking the lock.”

  “You can do that?”

  “The key word in the sentence was ‘try,’” I replied.

  Her face fell. “You’ve never done it before?”

  “Broken into a building? No. My more impressive tricks are strictly legal. But I’m willing to—” I cut myself off as I spied a reason not to commit a misdemeanor. “Or…”

  “Or what?”

  “We could just ask that really pissed-off looking blonde to open the door.” I nodded my head toward the glass.

  Mia turned her head and groaned at the sight of the petite woman who was stepping down the stairs at the other end of the lobby.

  * * * *

  Mia

  As Liv reached the bottom of the stairs, panic hit. She was scanning the lobby, and any second, she was going to move our way. She was going to see Ethan, and know something was up. She’d tell Aysia. Who’d tell Marc. Who’d tell my parents.

  Oh, God.

  “You have to leave!” I gasped.

  “Leave?” Ethan repeated.

  “Hide.”

  “Hide?”

  “Stop saying everything that I say!”

  “Stop saying—” He cut himself off with a headshake. “If you’re trying to hide me, I think it’s too late.”

  “Too late?” I echoed.

  “Now who’s the parrot?” He nodded toward Liv. “I think she’s seen us.”

  I looked even though I didn’t want to. My friend had paused at the end of the lobby with her hands on her hips, and even from the distance between us, I could see that her lips were pursed in annoyance.

  “Is it too late to run?” I was only half kidding.

  Ethan chuckled. “I’m guessing you’ve got about T-minus twenty seconds to decide.”

  “And that’s only if she decides not to chase us.”

  “Would she do that?”

  “Undoubtedly.”

  “She does look determined,” he said.

  I snorted. “Yeah, that’s kind of permanent thing with her.”

  “T-minus ten seconds.”

  He pressed his hand to my back, and the contact sent a sharp lick of heat through me. It fanned outward and settled between my legs.

  He lowered his head and spoke near my ear. “What do you say, honey? Wanna run away with me? I could toss you over my shoulder and book it up the street right now.”

  I swallowed. The offer was beyond tempting. But Liv was almost at the door now, and her face was already twisted up with irritation. I cringed at the thought of having to face further wrath.

  “You can’t tell her who you are,” I said quickly.

  “Embarrassed by my presence?” Ethan teased.

  “It’s far more complicated than that.”

  “So I’m getting.”

  “Please, Ethan.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me,” he said.

  “What are we going to say?” I replied desperately

  But he didn’t get a chance to reply. Liv had reached the door, freed the lock, and was shoving it open.

  “What in God’s name are you doing out here? Someone said they saw you sneak off, and I thought they had to be wrong, but…” she trailed off, her gaze flicking from me to Ethan, then back again, and she let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank God.”

  I couldn’t keep the surprise from my reply. “What?”

  Liv didn’t seem to notice. She was already addressing Ethan directly, her eyes roaming over his body critically.

  “What are you supposed to be?” she asked.

  “That depends. What are you expecting me to be?” he replied.

  “I dunno,” she said. “The guy who just went home sick was a little bluer around the collar.”

  “I’ve always looked better in a suit than I have in coveralls, I’m afraid.” Ethan’s tone betrayed no surprise or concern. “Sorry if that disappoints you.”

  “It’s not me you have to worry about,” Liv told him. “It’s the ravenous horde of women upstairs who’re probably expecting a construction worker.”

  I just about choked on my next breath as I clued into what was going through my friend’s mind. She thought Ethan was a stripper. Her eyes swept up and down his body once more. This time in an openly appreciative way that irked me. And I was kind of torn. One half of me—the unreasonable half, apparently—just wanted to step between them so she’d stopped ogling him. The other half of me knew I should find a way to warn Ethan. But before I could even think of a way to do it, he spoke. And it sounded like he’d picked up on Liv’s assumption too.

  He offered her a cocky smile. “The hordes of ravenous women haven’t made a complaint about my abilities. Not lately, anyway.”

  Liv sighed. “I guess you can pull off the sexy boss look. Or maybe naughty executive? What do you think, Lu?”

  Ethan turned his smile my way,
a knowing, scorching look in his eyes. “Yes. What do you think? Am I a worthy piece of meat? Should I maybe unbutton a few things, give you a little more to go on?”

  Heat bubbled through me. “I think I’m okay.”

  “You think you’re okay?” he said. “You’re supposed to be assessing me.”

  “You’re okay too,” I muttered.

  He lifted an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. “Only okay?”

  Yeah, I thought. See how much you enjoy it when you have that horde of women pawing at you.

  But the thought of that actually happening made me want to give Ethan a solid kick in the shins for playing along. If I’d been able to do it without attracting questions from Liv, I might’ve done it. Lucky for Ethan, my fellow bridesmaid spoke up again.

  “Fine,” she conceded, finally moving aside so that we could step into the building. “But don’t come after me for a tip, if anyone feels let down.”

  “Wouldn’t dare,” Ethan said back.

  “What do you go by?” she asked.

  He didn’t even miss a beat.

  “Mr. Brock Hard,” he said easily. “Or ‘sir’ if you’re not behaving.”

  Liv laughed. “All right, I take it back. You’re far better than the construction dude who went home sick.”

  I glared at her back as the two of them walked side by side toward the stairs.

  You could just admit that you’re seeing him, I thought. That would shut down her flirting.

  Except just the concept—seeing someone—made my hands clammy and my jaw tense.

  Liv to Aysia. Aysia to Marcelo. And Marcelo to Mom and Dad, I reminded myself, and forced my lips to stay pressed together.

  I settled for listening to their conversation and seething internally.

  “So,” Liv said as we started our ascent. “I didn’t see Naughty Boss on the list of themes when I booked. Are you out because of that injury?”

  “Injury?” Ethan replied.

  “The stitches on your eyebrow.”

  As Ethan brought his hand up to touch the small, red slash, I cursed myself for not mentioning it earlier. I’d noticed the sealed wound the moment my eyes landed on him. Worry had made me want to reach for it. To run my thumb over it and kiss the edges and ask if he was all right. But I’d fought the urge and won. And now I regretted it.