by Lucy Gage
“Emily?” a familiar voice asked. She turned and there was Rob, the stranger from earlier.
“Hi. From the toy store? Rob, was it?” He nodded and smiled. “What are you doing here?”
“I'm staying here. Are you a guest at the hotel?”
She nodded. “I'm here on business.”
“Must be a lucrative business,” he teased.
She laughed. “I wouldn't know much about that. I work at a magazine. I'm covering for a coworker who had a family emergency and this is where he was staying.”
“Were you planning to sit down? I'd like to buy you a drink, you know, to apologize for earlier.” She hesitated. “No pressure. You can tell me to take a hike.”
“No, I wasn't intending to stay. I needed to eat dinner. I was going to ask the bartender if she had a suggestion.”
“The food here is fantastic. Let me buy you dinner for your hassle earlier. I kept you out at Mac's later than you probably planned to be there.”
Em's stomach grumbled. “My tummy is speaking for me, apparently.”
“Well, then let's get your tummy something to eat.” He gestured to the hostess at the attached restaurant, who immediately seated them despite the fact that a line had formed while she and Rob spoke.
As they sat down, he helped her out of her coat and pulled out her chair. She thanked him and Rob smiled at her again as the waiter took their coats. She liked it when he smiled at her, for some reason.
Without his coat, she noticed his jeans were perfectly tailored and the soft, black cashmere sweater he wore hugged his body like a second skin. He looked good enough to eat and she had to take a deep breath. Em had been so wrapped up in the toy fiasco earlier, she didn't notice how gorgeous he was – great bone structure, broad shoulders, dark brown hair with just a little wave to it. She tried to avoid staring too long, so she didn't catch his eye color.
They made small talk – nothing terribly revealing at first. He let her talk, asking questions about her family, where she was from. When she asked where he was from, he told her near Minneapolis, but that he lived in L.A. a lot of the time, when he wasn't traveling. She jokingly asked if the limo outside of the toy store was his, and he said yes.
“Oh, sorry. I was teasing you. I wasn't trying to offend you.”
“No offense taken. I've found it's easier to get around with a driver when I'm here.”
“I guess it's better if someone has to do all the annoying work and you can sit back and do something more interesting.”
“Something like that.” He laughed. Whenever he laughed or smiled, his lips did this little quirky thing, where they made him look just a little bit mischievous. Em wondered what it might be like to kiss them. She had to blink a few times and shake her head slightly to clear it.
“You okay?” he asked with another little laugh. And there it was again, the kissable little quirk.
She took a deep breath. “Yeah. Fine.” She felt hot and damp between her thighs, but she tried to ignore it. “So, what's good on the menu?” she asked in an attempt to steer her mind away from his mouth. He made a few suggestions, and when the waiter came around again with their wine, they ordered.
They went back to making small talk. She asked why he was in town, and he explained that he was there both for the holiday and for a gala at the Walker Art Museum on New Year's Eve.
“I'll probably see you there,” she noted.
“Really? You're going, too?” She nodded. “How'd you wrangle an invite?” he teased.
She, of course, knew that the guest list was filled with high rollers and famous faces. Since he was going and he rode around in a limo, she thought he must be financially well set. Which meant he was way out of her league.
“I'll be working, actually,” she replied.
“Oh, that's too bad. I was hoping you'd save me a dance.” He smiled so sweetly, it melted her heart.
“Maybe I can arrange it. I do like to dance.”
Just then, their food arrived. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, which could have felt awkward, but didn't. Em attempted to concentrate on her food so that she wouldn't look too intently at Rob's mouth while he ate. Even chewing, his lips looked kissable.
She tried to focus on something else, so she looked at his eyes, which were a stunning, brilliant blue that took her breath away. He looked at her for a moment, curious.
“Something on your mind?” she asked.
“Just wondered if you'd want to head to a club with me after we're done eating,” he said with a tilt to his head and a half smile.
“Are you trying to ask me out?” she flirted.
“As a matter of fact, I am. Did it work?” he asked with a fake look of concern.
Em laughed to herself. Never had she desired to spend so much time with a virtual stranger. “Okay.”
“Okay? As in, yes, it worked and you'll go with me?”
“I'll go with you. Do I get to dance with you?”
“If you want. I'm not the best dancer, but I do okay. I've been known to cut a rug or two.”
She laughed. “Who says that other than grandmas?”
He feigned being wounded. “Oh! You pain me.”
She laughed harder. “I'm sure. Let's see if your dancing skills are better than your acting.”
He looked at her funny, then, like it was an odd thing to say. He shook his head and then smiled again. If he didn't stop smiling and laughing, she'd have to kiss him at some point, whether he wanted that or not. He started to laugh.
“What?” Em asked, suddenly concerned.
“Nothing. You about ready to blow this pop stand?”
She laughed again. “You've got a lot of old school euphemisms up your sleeve, don't you?” He laughed and shook his head. “Ready when you are,” she said.
Rob stood. “Let's get out of here, then.” He took Emily's hand and pulled her to a stand. The waiter returned with their coats and a folio, which Rob glanced at and signed. No one had asked for either item and it struck Em as odd, but she shrugged it off. What did she know about having money or eating at high-end hotels?
Rob helped her into her coat, despite the fact that she could have easily done it. He pulled on his own coat and gloves and gestured for her to walk ahead of him out of the restaurant. They made their way to a side door she hadn't noticed before.
“It'll be quicker this way,” he said.
They walked down the street and, after a couple minutes, Rob looked behind him. She thought it was odd, but didn't mention it.
“So, where are we headed?” she asked.
“Not sure yet. It sort of depends on what's available.”
“So we're winging it?” That was so not Emily's usual thing, but she found that she liked the idea. How could this man she barely knew be such an influence on her?
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” He looked behind him again. “Give me your hand,” he said. It was more a patient demand than a sweet request, which somehow seemed out of character. She could only assume he had grounds to ask, so she put her hand in his.
“Quick, this way,” he said as he tugged her down a side street, walking swiftly. It made absolutely no sense to her organized brain, but she did as he told her, trusted that he knew what he was doing. They zigged and zagged through the streets of Minneapolis. He seemed to know where he was going. This was the weirdest part of the whole day so far.
Until they jogged down what looked like an alley.
Rob pulled her behind him at a run. “I'm not really wearing the right shoes for winning the 200 meter,” Emily huffed, trying to sound like she was joking, but she was serious. She rarely wore stilettos, only for special occasions, but despite her more practical, thick heel, the shoes were still a good three inches tall and not meant for more than a casual stroll.
He looked back and whatever he saw – or didn't see, Emily couldn't be sure just then – made him relax, because he stopped and put his hands on his hips. She was annoyed to find that he wasn't
breathing as heavily as she was, but at least it seemed to take a little effort for him to get a really deep breath into his lungs. He held it for a moment before he tilted back his head and let it out, signaling a great relief.
“What was that all about?” She was breathless.
“I'm so sorry about that. It usually takes them a couple days to realize I'm home, especially if I come at an unusual time. I guess word spread after the airport mob and they tracked me down sooner than I had hoped.”
Emily scrunched her face in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“The photographer back there. You didn't see him?” Rob sounded worried that he had hallucinated.
Em raised her eyebrows. “Um, yeah, sure, I saw a guy with a camera, but why would you think he was taking your picture? Are you that embarrassed to be seen with me?”
Rob looked baffled. “You really don't know who I am, do you?”
She thought they'd been over this before, but she figured she would humor him again.
“You're the guy who slammed into me on the sidewalk outside the toy store. I assume you have a lot of money, since you ride around in a limo, and the toy store owner was willing to stay open late for you, not to mention hold a much-coveted toy at Christmas. But as to where you got that money or why a photographer would care about taking your picture, no, sorry, I have no idea who you are. That doesn't say much about me, does it? Considering that I just ran down an alley with you, I mean.” Emily laughed at that. Despite the realization, she felt safe with Rob, whoever he was.
“My name is Rob Deacon,” he said with a look of expectation, as though it should ring a bell for her.
She smiled. “Okay. Well, my name is Emily Ward.” She offered her hand for him to shake.
It was his turn to laugh. “Nice to meet you. So this isn't a game. You really have no clue who I am?”
“Not the tiniest inkling. So if you could maybe give me some better clues, perhaps I can figure it out?”
“I won't make you guess.” He shook his head. “If you don't know who I am by my real name, anything else I might say makes me sound like I've got an overinflated ego.”
“Real name? So that means your name isn't Rob Deacon?”
“No, my real name is Robert Patrick Deacon and my friends and family call me Rob.”
She chuckled.“Okay, then, what do people call you if they aren't your friend or family?”
“The rest of the world knows me as Deac Roberts.”
It was said with a smirk and a tilt of his head. After a few seconds, he finally got the reaction he'd been expecting all along.
“Really?” Her face scrunched with disbelief.
He smiled and chuckled. “Yes, really.”
“You were in that big war epic a few years ago, right?”
He laughed heartily at that. “Yeah, that's me. It was more than a few years ago, though. That was about eight years ago when it was released and about ten years ago when we filmed it.”
Emily blushed. Fortunately, her cheeks were probably a little red from running, so she hoped he didn't notice. “Sorry, I don't watch that many movies these days.”
“Not a movie fan?” His look said he hoped he was wrong.
“No. I mean, yes, I like movies, but I haven't watched many in the past few years. During grad school, I didn't have a lot of time. And my boyfriend didn't really like the stuff I like, so we hardly ever went on movie dates. Or, any real dates, actually.”
Rob – or should she call him Deac, she wondered – grabbed her hand and started to walk again. “Sounds like a lame boyfriend. Is that why you broke up?” He seemed hopeful.
She thought that was funny and smiled. You would think someone like him wouldn't need to be hopeful with a girl like her. She played along.
“Are you asking if I'm single?”
“Is it okay if I hope you'll say yes?”
He's flirting! Oh, yes. It was definitely okay. It was okay before she knew who he was, and now that she recalled how sexy he was shirtless in that movie, she certainly wasn't going to tell him no. Despite his explanation that the movie was filmed a decade ago, his profession and the fact that he had no trouble filling out his clothes promised he still looked as good or better than he did then.
“Yes and yes,” she said with a grin.
Rob smiled. “Is that yes it's okay and yes you are single?”
“Most definitely it's okay – but not because you're famous. I liked you before you explained who you are.” He smiled wide at that. She could tell he believed her. Hell, after her clueless performance earlier, how could he not?
“And we're taking a break – well, he probably thinks of it that way. I don't anticipate a reunion when I get home. I think I've been putting off the inevitable for a long time now. The lack of real dates since the first year we were together is the least of our problems.” She just then realized that herself.
He squeezed her hand.“Good. I mean, I'm glad that you're single and that you don't mind me being interested in you. I'm sorry if you were in a bad relationship.”
“Thanks, but it really wasn't a horrible relationship. I just don't think it was meant to last. We're two very different people, and I think if he was honest with himself, he'd see that, too.”
“So, what made you realize that?”
Emily explained how she had reacted when her sister, Charlie, got engaged, how that eventually led to a fight the night before she left for Minnesota.
“I know Josh was upset. Part of why I hadn't said anything before was that I care about him and didn't want to upset him. But the truth is, I hate what we'd become. I wasn't happy and I don't think he was either. But he's so laid back, he'd never hurt me, and I think he'd probably just live with what we had so he could keep life on an even keel.”
“You don't think he still loves you?” Rob asked as he steered her down the next block with the slightest pressure from his hand on her lower back. Despite the fact that he wore gloves and she was wearing a wool coat, her skin burned where his hand touched her.
Trying not to let him notice how it affected her, Emily said, as steady as she could, “I think he thinks he still loves me. But he'll realize sooner or later that he could be a lot happier if he was with someone who liked more of the things he does, or at least tolerated them better. But enough about me. What about you? I guess I should know if you're single already, right?” She elbowed him gently in the ribs.
Rob laughed. “Don't worry, I won't expect you to know all the gossip if you didn't know my name. Not that any of it's true, but at least I know you won't wonder if I'm really dating my last co-star like they say in the tabloids.”
“Well, are you? Dating anyone, that is. I suppose it doesn't matter to me where you met them, just whether or not there is someone.”
“No. Honestly, I don't date much. There are constant rumors, but I haven't had that many girlfriends. I've hardly dated since high school.”
“No time for a real relationship?”
They had arrived at a club without a line, which Emily had always thought meant it was a dead place. Rob grabbed her hand.
“Hold that thought.”
He went up to the bouncer at the door – the guy wasn't even outside, but in a vestibule that was apparently locked. He saw Rob and immediately opened the door. The guy was huge, around 6'6" and stacked. He just nodded his head once at Rob and let them inside.
As they walked away, Emily heard someone knock on the glass door behind them, and it made her turn and look. It was a couple that, for all intents and purposes, appeared the same as her and Rob. She heard the bouncer say in a booming voice that they were full. But when she got inside, she knew it had been a lie. Apparently, that couple hadn't been anyone special.
Em looked at Rob. “Come here often?” She thought maybe the bouncer knew him.
“Usually when I'm in town, which hasn't been much the past couple years.” With his hand on her back again, he led them to a private booth area, which was rope
d off like it had been reserved ahead. She thought their decision to go out together had been spontaneous, but she wondered.
“Were you planning to come here tonight?”
Rob gestured for her to have a seat on the plush, indigo sofa. Soft lighting – some of it uplights, some of it black lights – was strategically located in the space. The music was loud – a thumping dance beat with bone-vibrating bass – but not intrusive. She noticed a stage off to the right, in front of the dance floor. On the stage, a DJ mixed dance beats and grooved with a couple of women dressed to kill.
He sat down close to her. “No, I had hoped to be able to go a few other places, but like I said, they figured out I was in town sooner than I anticipated. This is The Glass Door. It's pretty exclusive, so there's a lot more privacy here. I usually don't come down here until I know for sure I need to stay away from everywhere else. The management stays on top of all the social media and they generally know I'm in town before I even realize the paparazzi have found me, so they make sure my booth is ready and waiting.”
Emily was floored. She'd never hung out with anyone that high profile, not even for work. The famous people she had met were more famous in the art world than in the public at large.
“Is it like that everywhere?” she wondered aloud.
He grinned. “Are you asking about the paparazzi or the clubs?” When she said both, he replied, “Yes and yes. Here it's a little different. I'm a local celebrity and so they maybe give me VIP treatment that I might not get other places. I know that and so I don't take advantage any more than what's necessary. I'm also not so full of myself as to think that I can get away with what happened tonight wherever I go. Don't get me wrong, it's great to know you've got a decent, safe place to hang out away from home and still have a little privacy. But in this town, if I didn't have a place like The Glass Door available at a moment's notice, I'd have a camera in my face anywhere I went.”
Emily didn't know what to say. She couldn't imagine that kind of life, never having peace or privacy without being secluded. Em walked down the street only concerned with her destination. If she ran into someone she knew, she might stop and say hello, but otherwise, she just traveled from point A to point B. She instinctively squeezed his hand.
