Both Ellie and Blake watched. Only Blake knew what was going on. “Why don’t we dance?” he asked. “I believe they’re playing our song.”
He glanced at André and led Ellie to the floor. Pulling her into his arms, he heard the musical sounds of the crystals on her dress.
“Tell me, Blake, do you have any musical training?” Ellie asked as he whirled her around the room.
“I played piano when I was younger. Quit it when I went to college. Why do you ask?”
“Because the song playing is called ‘Even Now.’ It was written and recorded back in the seventies. There have been other songs with that title, even a book by a very popular author, but this song is about a man who had a history with a woman whom he is no longer with. He’s with someone else now and still thinks of his old love.”
Blake stared at her, raising one eyebrow.
“What I’m saying is we have no history. We are not current lovers or old lovers. So this cannot be our song.”
He couldn’t tell her he just wanted to get her away from his brother. He didn’t even tell himself that, even though he knew it. Blake didn’t reply to her comment. Instead he said, “This is the first time I’ve danced with someone who creates her own music as she moves.”
Ellie lowered her head so he couldn’t see her expression, but he felt her relax in his arms. He pulled her tighter. She didn’t resist. Carter had been right. He listened to the tinkle of the crystals as they mingled with the song. They had no history together, and at the moment, Blake wondered if he wanted one. It had been years since he’d been serious about anyone.
Getting serious was something he’d avoided and finally removed from his plate altogether. He’d done it once, and it had ended in disaster. He wouldn’t go that route again, no matter how good she felt and smelled. He nudged her hair aside and dropped his head. He would have kissed her naked shoulder if he hadn’t remembered he was on a public dance floor and there were at least three pairs of eyes trained on him. It could be more if he included Rose, his parents and Christian in the mix. He wasn’t about to give his brothers food for thought or fodder for future ribbing.
He didn’t push Ellie back. He kept her close to him as the music continued and the story of lost love was played out. When it ended, he felt it was all too soon, especially when Ellie stepped back and lifted her head. Her face was flushed and her eyes bright, not with tears, but with something else, something he’d seen a long time ago and never thought he’d see again.
“Thank you,” she said, stepping away from him. Her voice was strained. “I have to go and check on the other guests.”
Blake said nothing. He inclined his head slightly and gave her room to pass him. She melted into the crowd, leaving the dance floor. Even after she was gone, he could smell her perfume, and the faint tinkle of the crystals played like a song in his ears. While that seventies’ song might not be theirs, the clear bell sounds of those crystals would forever define their introduction.
The party went on until one o’clock. Thankfully Ellie didn’t have to drive home. As hostess of the event, she was the last to leave the ballroom, but there was still work to be done before she could fall into her bed on the eighth floor of the hotel where most of the out-of-town guests were staying. She met with several staff members, made sure all the foundation’s decorations had been removed from the ballroom and tallied the night’s contributions. By the time she stepped out of her heels in her room, she was exhausted.
And hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything except a few crackers, and that was just so the champagne toasts she participated in wouldn’t leave her head reeling. She glanced at the cart that had been left for her. Her mouth watered.
The night had been wonderful, she thought. Except for Blake shadowing her, everything else had gone as planned. Nothing, however, could cure her encounter with the manager of the House of Thorn San Francisco.
* * *
An hour later, Ellie glanced at the clock on the side of the desk. It was after two. Just one more email, she thought, and then she’d go to bed. The crystals on her dress either clunked against the desk or the computer with each letter she typed.
It would only take a moment. She didn’t have to work in the morning, and she wouldn’t meet with Katherine Thorn until Tuesday, giving her plenty of time to have all the papers ready for their quarterly meeting.
She hit Send at the same time a soft tap came on her door. Glancing at the clock again, she wondered who that could be. Then she figured it was Darlene. Her assistant was fastidious and always prepared.
Ellie slid out of her chair and, holding the train of her gown, walked barefoot to the door. Recoiling at the distorted image she saw through the peephole, she took in a ragged breath.
What did he want?
She hesitated so long he knocked again. Ellie took in a long breath and opened the door a foot or so, wide enough for her to look out.
He still wore his tux, but his bow tie hung around his neck like twin silhouettes of Aphrodite. If anything, he was even sexier looking than he had been when he was fresh and pressed.
“Mr. Thorn,” she said. “What are you doing here at this hour?” She added the last as a reprimand. Of all the Thorns, he was the last one she wanted to see.
“You refer to all the rest of my family by their first names. I’m sure you can manage Blake,” he said.
“Well, Blake. Why are you here?”
“You didn’t eat before the dance, and you had nothing afterward. I thought you might be hungry.” He lifted the covered tray he was holding.
Ellie felt pleasure seep through her. It was rare for anyone to think of her needs.
“That was very nice of you,” she said. “And I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but...” She pulled the door farther inward, opening it wide enough for Blake to take in the suite’s living room, from threshold to windows.
The room service table, along with a crumpled napkin and the remains of her meal, stood like a sentinel awaiting redemption.
“Oh,” he said.
Ellie laughed, relaxing from the surprise of his presence and the look on his face.
“I didn’t know,” he said.
“I know. And thank you.”
“What should I do with this?” Again he lifted the tray.
“Why don’t you bring it in? We can at least drink whatever you have there.”
Blake passed her close enough for her to feel his body heat. Setting the tray on the coffee table, he removed the large napkin covering her food.
“Coffee or tea?” he asked.
“Tea.”
“Iced or hot?” His voice sounded like that of a waiter.
“Iced,” she said, again surprised that he’d covered all the options.
Taking a seat, he added ice to one of the empty glasses and poured the cold liquid into it. The ice crackled, making the only sound in the room.
Ellie sank down into the sofa, accepting the tall glass and drinking. The liquid was cold and sweet, exactly the way she liked it. She wondered how he knew, or if this was just an experiment that worked.
Joining her with his own glass, he asked, “Did you enjoy the party?”
“After a while. It’s always stressful when you’re the hostess.”
“And the Thorns are in attendance.”
“That, too,” she agreed, sipping the liquid to avoid his scrutiny. “How about you? You didn’t look as if you wanted to be here when you first came in.”
“I didn’t, but how did you know?”
“I was on the stairs when your family arrived.”
“My mother insisted that I change any plans I had and attend this year.”
She chuckled, hiding behind her hand.
“What?” he asked at the look she gave him.
“Are you trying to tell me your mother made you come?”
Blake looked at the ceiling for a moment, probably realizing what he’d said. “Yeah, I guess there is truth in that. But it was rather pleasant being here.”
The way he looked at her made her feel exposed. His tone changed, and his words made her insides melt.
* * *
Ellie yawned and Blake took it as an indicator that he should leave. He’d like to remain in her room for the rest of the night, but she had to be completely out of energy by now. He didn’t know everything about holding events. His store had events every month, but he had a staff that handled it.
“You should get some sleep,” he said, standing.
Ellie stood, too, stifling another yawn.
“I’m sorry I kept you up.”
“I appreciate the food and your thoughtfulness.”
They started for the door. The grandfather clock in the suite hall chimed, punctuating the early-morning hour.
Blake turned. The light here was subdued, and while Ellie looked sleepy and drained, she was also beautiful. “Well, good morning.” He smiled.
“Thank you again.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. Blake didn’t want to go. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he stopped himself by opening the door and stepping outside.
He’d taken two steps when the door opened and Ellie called him back. Blake found it impossible to describe how he felt at the sound of his name.
“This is awkward,” she said.
“What?” He frowned, his elation plummeting.
“I need your help.”
He took the two steps back to the door. “What is it?”
“The dress,” she said. “Judi helped me zip it up, but I can’t get the zipper down alone.”
Blake wanted to grin, not just smile. He wanted to show a big, teeth-baring grin. But he resisted.
“No problem,” he said. His voice was deeper than it had ever been, and he hoped she didn’t notice.
She opened the door wider and he came back inside.
This is not a difficult job, Blake told himself as the door to Ellie’s suite closed. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He’d done this before, not quite in the same situation, but close. Why did he feel all clumsy now? He hadn’t even touched her yet, but his fingers felt like fat sausages. He checked them to make sure they weren’t.
Ellie turned around.
Blake checked her, but didn’t move. The space in the vestibule was more intimate with a low ceiling and the only light coming from the two lamps in the distant living room. He felt surrounded by a soft current that flowed around them. He knew he needed to keep that electric buzz quiet, not allow it to gain any strength. He was unsure what would happen if even a tiny spark ignited between them.
Ellie pulled her hair aside. At the ball, it had been piled in an amazing twist on her head. The style gave a clear view of her face, but with it falling past her shoulders, her look changed to sexy—not just sexy, and not modern sexy, either; more like film noir sexy. The dress contributed to the look. It was long, angled to the curves of her body and dripping with facets that caught the light, promising more.
“Anything wrong?” Ellie asked.
Blake tried to speak, but cleared his throat instead. He reached for the zipper. His other hand held on to the fabric between her shoulder blades, and he pulled the small instrument down. He hadn’t intended to touch her skin, but his fingers had a mind of their own. Her back was smooth, warm, and she arched slightly on contact.
“I think I can do the rest,” she said, pulling away from him and turning around. She held the bodice up. He could see the sides fall open and lie about her shoulders like angel wings. Blake’s hands went cold when he was no longer holding the zipper, when his fingers were no longer brushing the crystals, but skimming over smooth, dark skin.
Ellie wasn’t a foot from him. If he took half a step, they would be only a breath apart. And everything in his psyche told him to take it, take the chance, let it happen. But Blake stood his ground with effort. Taking that step would be like crossing a gulf.
And he wasn’t up for that.
“Good night,” he said, not even recognizing the emotion in his voice. He thought he heard Ellie say thank you, but he’d already opened and closed the door. He walked down the hall, feeling as if vertigo had attacked him. The hall yo-yoed in front of him, the walls moving closer, then receding, as if he’d had too much to drink. Except it wasn’t drink that did this.
It was memory.
Blake had suppressed it, put it aside, relegated it to the back of his mind, but he’d wanted Ellie the moment he saw her, and that memory was looking for a get-out-of-jail card.
He couldn’t...wouldn’t let himself find it.
* * *
Sleep must have claimed Ellie as the morning sun tinted the horizon. She couldn’t remember getting into bed or going to sleep. Blake’s exit, however, was clear in her mind.
Ellie had yawned and Blake took it as a cue to leave. She was exhausted and sleep was a top priority. She loved the gown her sister had designed, but there was one drawback. Judi had been there to help her into it, but she was alone in the suite and had no way to get the zipper down. As tired as she was, she knew she couldn’t sleep on the crystals.
There was no choice. She had to ask the only other person in the room for help. And it was his hands that were keeping her awake. He hadn’t taken a long time to pull the zipper down. He hadn’t spent an inordinate amount of time with his skin next to hers. It wasn’t time that was an issue. It was the hot zing of emotion that went through her.
She thought he appeared at her door because he suddenly remembered where he’d seen her before. But that wasn’t it. He was only there to bring her something to eat.
Ellie found that hard to believe. It was so out of character for the man she believed she’d known.
But had it been? Or could he be leading her toward a false reality? Ellie knew Blake Thorn. She’d known him for ten years, but tonight she’d come face-to-face with him, danced with him, had him unzip her gown, and yet he showed no indication that he knew anything at all about their previous encounter.
What would it mean to her future, when he did remember? It was inevitable if he continued to attend the same events she frequented. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case.
He’d said he didn’t like charity balls. Since their event only happened once a year, she could avoid him. The thought should have made her happy.
Yet for some reason, it didn’t.
Chapter 3
“What a difference a day makes.” The unmistakable sound of Dinah Washington’s voice came across the radio waves. Ellie immediately found the button on her steering wheel and silenced the song. She couldn’t listen to it. And it had been more than one day since her world had begun to crumble. There was a time she loved hearing that version. She’d even sung it herself in a recital when she was in high school. Her mother loved it, so Ellie learned it. That was until ten years ago, when the full and true meaning of the words defined Ellie’s world.
Her old one was gone, blotted out in a single second. Nothing would ever be the same after that. In twenty-four hours, everything she knew had changed. There was no going back, no do-over, no way to correct the outcome.
It was what it was.
She had to live with it. And she was doing well, until Saturday night, until one man walked through the door of the Riverton Mansion and her worlds collided. There was no explosion, at least none that could be seen. There could be an explosion if Ellie had let things go on, things like Blake running his finger down her back.
But she wouldn’t.
Their one night had been the twenty-four hours that made a difference. And it wouldn’t happen again.
Ellie pulled into the office parking lot and cut the engine. She also cut all thoughts of the past, at least the long-ago pa
st. She remembered the dinner dance and the events that had happened in her suite with Blake.
But today things would go back to normal. Blake Thorn would return to his store, and she would prepare for her meeting with Katherine Thorn.
She could put Blake out of her mind. She’d done it for ten years. She wondered if he was doing the same. Did he need to think about her the way she thought about him? What had his twenty-four hours been like?
She remembered what happened to them. He didn’t.
And she hoped he never would.
* * *
At ten o’clock on Tuesday morning, twenty-four hours later, Darlene entered Ellie’s office with a cup of coffee in each hand. She offered one to Ellie, who stood and accepted it, but looked at her quizzically.
“What’s this?” she asked. Darlene never brought her coffee. She was her assistant, not her maid.
“Coffee,” Darlene said. “But if I had tequila, I’d have brought that.”
“What are you talking about?”
Darlene was a logical woman. She never brought coffee and she wasn’t one to beat around the bush. She was levelheaded and efficient, and Ellie was lucky to have her on the team.
“You know that guy from Saturday night, the one you were drooling all over?”
“I was not drooling.” Ellie turned and walked around her desk. Her face had suddenly gone hot, and she didn’t want her assistant to see the flush of heat under her skin.
“Okay, maybe it was him drooling over you.”
Darlene was fishing. That was why she’d shown up with a cup of coffee. Ellie should have known.
“Darlene, there’s something you’re not saying.”
“He’s in reception,” she blurted out.
Ellie’s heart leaped in her chest. “What’s he doing there?”
“Apparently, he came for the meeting with Mrs. Thorn.” She gave Ellie a sideways glance. “Or you were so appealing Saturday night that he just had to see you again.”
Love in San Francisco ; Unconditionally Page 3
