by Té Russ
He said the first thing that came to mind. “Do you know what time it is?”
She turned her head to the side and looked confused for a minute. “Yes, I know what time it is. Which is why I asked Andre to bring me home. I've got work to do in the morning.”
Finally it dawned on her. She gave him a teasing smile, unaware of how incredibly sexy she was. “Were you waiting up for me?”
He didn't seem to hear her, he just kept spouting off at the mouth. “And if you didn't have work to do? Would you have invited him in? For drinks.” He put such an emphasis on the word it was clear that drinks was only subtext for something more intimate. Liz took a step back, becoming angry immediately. She turned away from him for a minute. When she spun back around, the fire in her eyes snapped him out of whatever had made him run his mouth without thinking. She was charging towards him full force poking him in the center of his chest with one of her slim fingers.
“Now you listen here, Johnathon Riley Parker. You have no right to keep tabs on me! I am a grown woman and I can go where I want to go, with whom I want when I want. And whatever I do with said person is none of your business! Do you hear me?”
He'd been pushed back to the door. He stepped forward. “I was just trying to look out for you! You've known the guy all of two seconds and you're having a late night rendezvous with him.”
“It was just a movie and then coffee! With a colleague. Whom I've known long enough. Not that I have to explain that to you!” She turned away and began pacing.
He tried to concentrate. How had they gotten here? Every time he tried to focus, he'd look up at her and see her running her hand through her big curly hair. And every time she lifted her hands to do so, her tank top would raise a little showing off her midriff. His body was reacting to her in a way he did not like at the moment. He was going mad staring at her like that. Then the thought of that fool possibly touching her made him lose his mind all over again.
“And what is that you're wearing? Are you trying to throw yourself at him.” He was being irrational, he knew it. She was just wearing tank top and jeans. But the way she looked in them made him forget all reason. At his latest round of stupidity, she turned on him and glared. He knew he was in for it now. Liz could have quite a temper, as she did now, and she could lash out like an angry tiger. He braced himself.
She spoke through clenched teeth. “The last time I checked, you were not my father. And even he didn't...”
She stopped saying whatever she was about to say. She let out a deep sigh and looked down. Her curls fell around her face. She spoke again, not looking at him. “I'm trying to find some kind of happiness. I thought you of all people would understand.” She looked up at him, anger still laced in her eyes. “But you're still too busy being pathetic, pining over a woman who left you at the altar five years ago and is about to get married again to another man that you can't even be happy for me.”
She gasped regretting the words as soon as they flew out of her mouth.
That had done it. He was speechless.
“John,” she whispered. She reached out to him, but he took a step back. Then he turned around and walked out the door.
Finally she let the tears that had been threatening to fall during their blow up flow. She stood there with her back facing the door. She didn't know how long she stood there sobbing.
How could she have said those awful things to her best friend? She felt like a terrible person. He'd just been trying to look out for her. He was concerned for her safety. She'd lashed out at him and it could have possibly cost them their friendship. Her sobs grew louder and hysterical. Her head started to pound and she felt lightheaded. She began to sway; but she never hit the ground. Her cries had been so loud that she never heard the door open again. As soon as she was about to pass out from grief, a pair of strong arms caught her and held her tight.
She didn't have to look up to know.
“I'm so sorry,” she sobbed into his strong chest. “That was terrible for me to say.”
He stroked her hair, soothing her into a calm state. “I'm the one who should be apologizing. I acted like a big overgrown ape for no reason.”
He carried her to the sofa and was sitting there with her in his lap still, rocking back and forth. After some time, she finally sat up and looked at him. They both had regret in their eyes. They didn't have to say anything; the forgiveness was in their eyes as well. His hand went from stroking her hair to her back at an excruciatingly slow pace.
They just sat there looking at each other, not saying a word. He leaned forward touching his forehead to hers. They were so close they could feel each other’s breath. John didn't know what made him move his mouth closer to hers. Before he could kiss her, she stiffened and slid off of his lap.
“We, uh, we better get some rest. I've got to finish the painting and I know you have to get everything squared away, before you take Saturday night off.” She paused for a moment.
“You are still going to be there Saturday aren't you?”
He stood over her and pushed a loose curl behind her ear. “I told you I wouldn't miss it for the world.” Then he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. He walked to the door and smiled over his shoulder. “Lock the door when I leave.”
She followed him and did as she was told. Then she let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She touched her fingers to her lips. He was going to kiss her! What had gotten into him? Pure lapse in judgment she decided. Another lapse in judgment, on her part, was that she felt like she actually wanted him to kiss her. It was probably just after all of the dramatics, she told herself. They'd almost crossed a bridge that they could not go back over. And that scared the living daylights out of her.
As John rode the elevator down and then walked across the street to his apartments, he was having a bit of an epiphany of his own. He didn't know how, when or why but something had shifted between them. He knew they both knew it, but she was just too afraid to feel it. He, on the other hand, was not afraid at all.
What she'd said to him shocked him, but he'd gone back to apologize because he had been the one who started the whole thing. Opening the door to see her standing there sobbing tore him up inside. He was glad he'd return when he saw her body sway. He couldn't imagine not being there to catch her when fell. Literally or metaphorically.
She'd wanted some kind of happiness and she wanted him to understand. She deserved that, he thought. She deserved to be with someone who made her happy. And he felt like he was the perfect person for the job.
He now wanted to cross whatever bridge it was they were standing in front of. He'd carry her over it if he had to. He rode up the elevator thinking about what had almost happened. He'd almost kissed her. If she had not jumped out of his lap with that shocked look in her eyes, he would have very well done so.
As he entered his apartment he realized two things. The first was that he now wanted her in a way he never thought possible before. The second thing he realized, or more so decided, was that the next time the opportunity to kiss her presented itself, he was going for it.
Liz hardly got any sleep. The next day she focused on the finishing touches of the painting. She had been working so hard on the piece, she had not even thought about getting a dress for the ball. She told Lila just that when she called that day to ask her how things were coming along. Lila was more than happy to offer up her services.
“Oh honey don't you worry about a thing! Your measurements are still the same aren't they? Of course they are! You never gain a pound. Lucky heifer! Come over extra early and we'll have a little spa day before jumping into the chaos of this ball.” A spa day was exactly what Liz needed after the night she'd had before. She agreed to meet Lila early, got off of the phone and went back to work.
She paused for a moment wondering if it was the best idea to let Lila pick out a dress for her, and then decided she didn't have the time to contemplate it. She smiled at her finished painting. She thought it looked divi
ne, if she said so herself. She was curious to find out how much would be spent on it at the silent auction.
Chapter 6
Saturday night came and John was circulating around the ballroom waiting for Liz. They'd hardly spoken since Thursday. She'd called him earlier to remind him it was a black tie event. He grabbed a glass of wine off of tray from a passing waiter and sipped it anxiously. He surveyed the room and was quite impressed.
No one could ever say that Lila McAllister didn't know how to throw a party. It was, after all, her job. But even she had seemingly out done herself for this ball. It was held in her family's chateau on the outskirts of town.
The ballroom was immaculate. Lila was a stickler for detail and she had checked and double-checked her lists. She demanded perfection. With the towns most prestigious coming to this thing, it had better be. It was, after all, for the children. She had networked her butt off. It had definitely paid off John thought.
He spotted Lila in a crowd and walked towards her. When she saw him her face lit up. “Well, hello there sugar!” Although she was born and raised in New York, she spent every summer of her childhood and teenage years in her family's hometown of Galveston, Texas, which gave her voice a unique mixture of northern and southern. Her southern accent was always most noticeable when she was excited. They hugged briefly. John stepped back and looked at Lila. “Well Miss Lila Rae, you do look as ravishing as ever.”
Lila gushed, “Oh you are looking pretty spiffy yourself.”
John looked around the room. “Has Liz come down yet?”
Lila gave him a knowing smile. “Not yet, she didn't have time to pick an outfit, so I found something for her. She wanted to have a fit about the dress, but I calmed her down. She should be arriving any minute.”
He looked back towards the grand staircase that was the gorgeous back drop and centerpiece of the room. The live orchestra was playing off to the right side of the stairs.
John turned back towards Lila and pretended to look hurt, but failing miserably. “Now Lila, why didn't you contract out one of my restaurants to cater for this ball? You know I would have done it in a heartbeat and at a discount?”
Lila gave out a full melodious laugh. “Sweetheart you know I would have come to you first. But I want your full attention on Liz.” The way she'd said 'full' made him look at her oddly. But before anymore could come from it, Lila went in for another hug. “Well, it is great seeing you as usual. But I have to go around and shake more hands and collect more checks. Besides, I think the lady you've been waiting for has arrived.” She gave a wink and walked off.
John smiled at a retreating Lila. He placed his empty champagne flute on a tray of another passing waiter and turn towards the stairs.
Nothing in all of his years of living could have prepared him for the sight that stood above him at the top of the staircase. He felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. It took her all of two seconds of scanning the crowd for their eyes to meet.
Something flashed in her eyes and he knew they were experiencing the same feeling. His heart felt like it was going to hammer right out of his chest.
Liz was wearing the most elegant and yet sexiest dress he'd ever seen. It was a seductive red chiffon little thing that cinched her upper body to perfection. The bodice was off the shoulders and showed just a peek of the top of her breast. The dress hugged her luscious curves so well, that it looked like it had to be poured onto her gorgeous body.
The skirt of the dress flowed lovingly around her. As she began her descend down the stairs, his breathing become even shallower, if that were possible. As she was carefully holding her dress up slightly, so she would not step on the dress with her incredibly high heels, he realized the skirt of the dress had a split that went all the way up to nearly the top of her thigh.
For him the earth stood still and there was nothing but the two of them in the room as they moved towards each other like magnets. As he got closer, he looked at her face. She had just a touch of make up on. Her lips were a glossy red. Strawberry. He'd smelled it on her lips the other day. Her hair was also straight. He couldn't recall a time in all the years they'd known each other to have seen her hair in any other style except for the big natural curls. With it completely straight, it reached the middle of her back. They met on the stairs about half way for both of them. He was speechless.
Clearly she was beginning to become uncomfortable, as she began to fidget. “Geez, Johnny!” she whispered. “Will you please stop looking at me like that?”
He shook his head as if to clear out his mind. “Look at you like what?”
“Like...like you want to take a bite out of me!”
He released a strained chuckle, feeling a tightness in a place down low.
“Well, baby that's exactly how you look. Absolutely delectable.”
She let out a shaky laugh.
“Can you breath in that thing?” he asked still bewitched by her.
“No,” she said. Little did he know, it was not the dress that was causing her respiration issues at the moment. No man should look that good in a tux. It had to be against the law or a sin or something.
He couldn't help himself. He reached out to her and grazed his knuckles against her shoulder. Her cocoa brown skin was simply glowing.
She shuddered briefly and then seemed to come back to the reality of them not being the only two in the room. She flashed him bright smile. “So Mr. Parker, I hope you plan on escorting me down the rest of these stairs. I would hate to fall in these shoes.”
He gazed at her a minute longer then said, “Sweetheart you should know by now, that I'd never let you fall.”
He turned on the stairs to guide her the rest of the way down. His hand lightly touched her lower back, and then his eyes grew wide. He discreetly leaned back and his gut clenched when he realized her entire back was out.
“My God woman, you are going to be the death of me yet.”
She gave him a smile that was meant to look innocent, but was the most seductive smile he'd ever seen.
“I told Lila this dress was too much.”
“Well, I definitely hope the older men have good pacemakers.”
She tried to look shocked, but couldn't help but laugh and she hooked her arm through his. “Come on and let's get this thing over with.”
Lila smiled as she watched the events that had just unfolded on the staircase. It seemed her little plan was coming together better than she anticipated. A blind man could see the two people staring at each other were helplessly in love. Even if they could not see it yet themselves. They were now moving around the room talking to people. She'd picked the perfect evening for the ball.
The fact that a thunderstorm was on the way had not kept the people away, and she'd planned it that way. She knew a certain friend of hers had quite a fear of thunderstorms. As if on cue, the thunder began outside.
She looked over and saw Liz flinch ever so slightly. Only the most observant people would have noticed. Or a man who was madly in love with her. He held her around her waist just a little tighter, squeezing her hip to let her know there was nothing to fear, and she instantly relaxed. Lila walked over to the stairs and signaled for the orchestra to stop for a moment.
“Ladies and gentleman, welcome! I'm so glad so many of you could make it out to this wonderful event for a very good cause, despite the dreadful weather. The children's hospital will be able to do a lot of good things with your donations. In the room to the left, there is a silent auction going on. So go and take a look at some of the things and place your bids! And don't be stingy. This money is for the children! Dinner is about to be served followed by dancing. Let's all have a good time!”
Liz led John into the room where the silent auction was being held. She'd wanted him to see her artwork before dinner. They walked over to the painting and she watched him as he observed it. It was a picture of two lovers. The male was holding his woman so close that their bodies seemingly molded together. He was caressing her
face while she stared up at him rapturously, running her hand across his head.
“Well,” she said anxiously. “What do you think?”
Before he could speak, a voice behind them said, “I think it is absolutely provocative.”
They both turned towards the deep rich voice.
“Good evening, Liz,” Andre said with a million dollar smile.
Liz looked at John and tensed slightly then walked towards Andre. “How are you doing Andre?” She gave him a quick hug.
“I'm well.” He nodded towards John. “Nice to see you again, man.”
“Yeah,” John replied in a clipped tone. “Nice to see you again too.”
He moved towards Liz and possessively slipped his arm around her waist. The three of them stood there for a few more awkward moments before Andre decided to speak. “Well, I guess we'd better head out there for dinner.” He turned to walk away then stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Don't forget, you owe me a dance.”
She nodded slightly as he coolly walked away.
That same rage that had come over him the night of their fight returned. He'd never been jealous over a woman before. Not even Susan. However now, he was seeing red. Again. It took him a moment to realize that Liz had asked him a question.
“I'm sorry, Peaches what did you say?”
She gave a slightly exasperated huff. “I asked you, again, what you thought of the painting.”
Now he gave her his full attention. His face was completely unreadable. “I think it's the most revealing one you've painted yet.”
She looked at him confused.
He watched her for several moments, then leaned over and grazed her cheek with the softest kiss possible.
“It's wonderful Lizzie. Of course, I didn't have any doubt that it would be anything less.”
Finally, she smiled again. It was a smile that warmed him to his very soul. He took her hand and guided her back to the main room for dinner.
