by Marie Force
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m ten years older than you. You’re here because you’re trying to get away from a guy who’s hassling you. This isn’t what you need right now.”
Her soft blue eyes hardened. “Aren’t you presumptuous to be telling me what I need. Didn’t you just meet me yesterday?”
Surprised to find a hell of a backbone under her genteel Southern exterior, he marveled at the transformation from magnolia to steel magnolia. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Well, that’s not fair,” she huffed. “I was working up a good mad, and you just ruined it.”
“You’re a hell of a woman, Jessie Stone,” he said with a chuckle as he reached out to caress her cheek. “And I’m still too old for you.”
She reached for the hand that caressed her face and tugged him into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind them. Steering him to the sofa, she pushed him down and then sat on the coffee table to face him. “I’ve been on my own since I was fifteen.”
“Why so young?”
She studied him and appeared to be deciding something. “I don’t talk about this. Ever.”
“You don’t have to now.”
“I know, but for some reason I want to.”
Touched by her candor, he reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers.
“My stepfather abused me.”
Beck gasped. “Jessie. . .”
She paused for a long moment, as if she were gathering her thoughts. “He was so nice to me when he and my mother were dating. Brought me presents, took me places I’d never been, and treated me like a princess. He even called me that—princess.”
Riveted by her softly spoken words and filled with anxiety over where this was leading, Beck watched her retreat into herself and her memories.
“I developed early,” she said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “That summer, I noticed him watching me with this funny look on his face. I didn’t know what it meant.” Her voice trailed off. She continued in what was barely more than a whisper. “The bad stuff started when I was twelve. At first, I remember being shocked and confused and scared. Really, really scared.”
Beck cleared the huge lump from his throat. “You couldn’t tell your mother?”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach eyes that had taken on a dull, flat hue. “She didn’t believe me. She said I was jealous of her.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
Jessie shrugged, and the helpless gesture tugged at his already over-involved heart. “I’ve come to understand that she needed her marriage to work more than she needed to protect me.”
He reached for her and brought her onto his lap. “She totally failed you.”
Jessie rested her head on his shoulder. “I know, and that’s why I couldn’t fail myself. I was already doing some local modeling. I saved every dime I made. When I was fifteen, I took the bus to New York, and I’ve never looked back.”
So for three years she put up with that monster’s abuse, he thought. “I can’t imagine being alone in that city at fifteen.”
“It was scary, but not as scary as wondering what kind of mood my stepfather would be in when he got home at night. That was much scarier.”
On the verge of vowing to make sure she would never be hurt by anyone ever again, Beck held her close to him.
“I got lucky with a few good modeling jobs early on, despite the fact that I looked even younger than I was. I’m told I still do.”
“Except for in pictures. You look much older.”
“I’ve decided that being young looking isn’t such a bad thing in my business. Anyway, I made enough to lease a studio apartment, and I waited tables to fill in the gaps. Three years ago, I landed Artie as my agent and things really took off. I got Victoria’s Secret and then Sports Illustrated. Everything’s been kind of crazy since then, and not necessarily in a good way.” Her face clouded, and he knew she was thinking of her stalker.
“Be careful what you wish for?”
“Exactly!” She seemed pleased he understood. “I’ve been lucky so far with the media. People don’t recognize me away from work, so I don’t have to deal with the insanity the way Liana does. I don’t know how she can stand it.”
“From what Travis says, she can’t.” He toyed with her fingers. “What about your mother and stepfather?”
“I haven’t spoken to either of them since I left home. I’ve heard they’re still together, but my mother has aged tremendously. She must know that if I was willing to walk away and never look back, that I wasn’t lying to her.”
“And yet she stays with him, knowing what he did to her daughter. It’s disgusting.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “You’re upset. I shouldn’t have told you this.”
“Don’t apologize to me, honey. You’ve got nothing to apologize for. I’d like to go find him and show him what happens to guys who pick on defenseless kids.”
She smiled.
“What’s so amusing?”
“You.” With her hand on his face, she turned him toward her and kissed him. “Thank you for being mad on my behalf.”
“Mad doesn’t begin to describe what I am. Have you ever thought about reporting him? There’s no statute of limitation on child abuse.”
She shook her head. “I’d never want to revisit that chapter of my life.”
“What if he didn’t stop with you? What if there were others?” Beck could tell by her pained expression that she’d considered the possibility.
“I’ve spent a lot of years in therapy and worked really hard to distance myself from it. It’s a big deal for me to even be able to talk about it. I don’t think I could report it, even though I know I probably should.”
“I understand. I’m not trying to make it harder on you. That’s the last thing I want.”
She nuzzled into his neck, rendering him paralyzed when her lips brushed against his skin. “You smell good,” she whispered. “So good.”
“Jessie—”
“Yes?”
He swallowed. “You’re making it really hard for me to remember I’m trying to be a good guy and do the right thing by you.”
Giggling, she squirmed against his erection.
He gasped.
“You weren’t kidding.”
He knew if he didn’t get out of there in the next thirty seconds, he was going to do something he’d regret in the morning. “I should go.” With his hands on her hips, he eased her up and off his lap and stood up.
“I’ve had trouble,” she said, biting on her thumbnail as she looked up at him.
“With?”
“Men. Sex. I get to ‘the moment’ and can’t bring myself to actually go through with it.”
“So, you’ve never. . . With anyone else?”
She shook her head.
“Jessie,” he said on a long exhale.
“I want it to be you.” The words tumbled out fast, as if she was afraid she would chicken out if she didn’t get it said quickly. “I want you to be the one to show me how it’s supposed to be.”
“But you don’t even know me—”
“I know you, Peter.” She rested her hands on his chest. “When I first saw you last night, do you know what I thought?”
Incapable of speech, he shook his head.
“There he is. He’s the one. I’ve never felt anything quite so clearly.”
Astounded that she had experienced the same powerful sensation of acute awareness, Beck placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m honored, honey. You have no idea how honored I am.”
She stepped back from him. “But you don’t want me.”
“Don’t want you?” he asked, incredulous. “Are you serious? Any guy would want you.”
“I don’t want any guy. I want you.”
He scrubbed his fingers through his short blond hair, realizing he was bungling what would no doubt go down as one of the most important moments of his life. Reaching for her, he wrapped h
is arms around her and propped his chin on the top of her head. “I have a suggestion.”
“I’m listening.”
He wondered if she purposely brushed her lips against his throat. “I propose we see each other for the next week. If you still feel the same way, I’ll consider it.”
“No.”
“Why not?” he asked, startled by her vehemence.
She looked up at him. “We’ll see each other for the next week, I’ll still feel the same way, and you’ll not consider anything. You’ll act.”
“Act?”
“Act,” she said with a coy smile.
“Are you always this bossy?” he asked, amused and more intrigued by her with every passing moment.
“I’ve been running my own show for a long time, buddy. I know what I want, and I know how to get it.”
“I’m a little bit afraid of you right now.” And a whole lot turned on, he thought.
She tossed her head back and laughed.
As he watched her, he saw in her both a carefree girl and a woman wise beyond her years. That she had set her sights on him was nothing short of amazing.
“Will it bother you if I call you Peter? Since we plan to sleep together, I don’t feel right calling you by your last name.”
“Nobody calls me that, but you can if you want to. So we have a deal?”
She went up on tiptoes to kiss him. “You bet we do.”
Chapter Thirteen
Liana was sleeping in Travis’s arms when a flash of lightning followed by a crack of thunder awakened her. Through the big windows, she watched the lightening streak across the sky and remembered hundreds of summer thunderstorms from her childhood. Back then she would run into her parents’ bed, jump in between them, and pull the covers up over her head until the storm passed. Now all she could do was hope the storm would move quickly. She focused on breathing in and out to slow the pounding of her heart until a huge clap of thunder directly overhead caused her to cry out.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Travis asked in a sleepy voice.
“Nothing,” Liana squeaked.
“Baby, your heart’s pounding.”
Another loud clap of thunder shook the room.
“Is it the storm?”
She nodded.
“Come here.” He turned her into his chest and held her tight against him. “Better?”
“Yeah,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
He ran a soothing hand over her long hair. “Um, I think it might’ve been the huge crash of thunder that woke me. Have you always been afraid of it?”
She nodded again.
“Maybe it’s time we change your memories of thunder and lightening,” he said with that devastating grin of his as another bolt of lightening sent a blue glow flashing through the room.
“And how do we do that?”
He shifted her so she was on top of him and massaged her shoulders and then her back.
Liana sighed with relief as the tension and fear left her body.
With the next thunderclap, he kissed her tenderly. “How are we doing?” he whispered against her lips.
“Better.”
“The next time you’re afraid of a thunderstorm, maybe you’ll think of being here with me and that’ll take your mind off it.”
“I can do that,” she said, not wanting to think of being anywhere but with him. She tensed when another bolt of lightening streaked across the sky.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he whispered, his arms tightening around her. “You’re safe with me, remember?”
So overwhelmed with love for him, she could only nod and then sigh with contentment when he pressed his lips to her forehead. Even though he was aroused he did nothing more than hold her close and whisper soft words of comfort as the storm began to subside. By the time the rumble of thunder was further away and the lightening less frequent, Liana wasn’t afraid anymore.
“Thank you.” She caressed his face and kissed him.
“For what?”
“For being sensitive and taking care of me.”
He groaned. “You’re not going to let that one go, are you?”
“Not with such strong evidence to support my argument.”
“You should have been an attorney.”
“You’re going to be beat tomorrow.”
“I don’t care,” he said.
“Well, I have to work tomorrow, so we need to go back to sleep.”
“You don’t have to work.”
“We’ve already covered that. I want to.”
Rolling onto his side, he took her with him. “The bride won’t believe who her new wedding coordinator is.” He kissed her lightly and tugged her closer. “If I were her, I’d be worried about being shown up by the staff.”
Liana scoffed. “No one will be looking anywhere but at the bride.”
“I know where I’ll be looking, and it won’t be at the bride. Thank you so much for pitching in.”
“I’m looking forward to it. It really sounds like fun.”
“We’ll go see Niki in the hospital tomorrow, and she’ll tell us what we need to do.”
Liana yawned. “Okay, boss.”
Travis laughed. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”
Liana smiled and the soft caress of his chest hair against her face was the last thing she felt before sleep took over.
The next morning, Liana was glad she had packed a skirt and top that would be appropriate to wear to work. Work! The idea of going to work in an office—Travis’s office—gave Liana the giggles as she picked up her hairbrush.
Travis snuck up behind her and startled her when he kissed her neck. “Are you thinking about my sexual prowess again?”
She laughed. “Not this time.”
He took the brush from her and ran it gently through her silky hair.
Liana tipped her head back to encourage him. In the mirror she watched him and was unnerved by the raw desire she saw on his face.
“What were you laughing about?” he asked, continuing the long, slow strokes through her hair.
“Going to work with you—in an office. Another thing I haven’t done before.”
“I’m never going to be able to concentrate with you around.”
She turned to him. Today he wore a burgundy North Point polo shirt with khaki shorts. “I expect to be treated like any other employee,” she said with mock sternness.
“Sure, sweetheart.” He reached out to touch the hair he had brushed. “Whatever you want.”
Liana waited for him to kiss her, but he didn’t.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yes,” Liana said, puzzled by his sudden withdrawal. “Is everything all right?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” He took her hand to lead her out of the bathroom. “The paparazzi will probably follow us to the hospital, but I think we should just ignore them.”
“The pictures will be everywhere,” she warned him.
“I don’t care if you don’t.”
His tone was so businesslike, almost cold, that Liana felt a trickle of fear work its way down her spine. He was retreating from her. After the tender way he had cared for her during the storm, the loss hurt. “Travis?” She worked hard to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
He slid his wallet into his back pocket, picked up his keys, and turned to her.
She closed the small distance between them and put her hands on his shoulders. His dark eyes were unreadable as she went up on tiptoes to kiss him. His lips were rigid with resistance until her tongue glided over his bottom lip. With his hands on her waist, he dragged her to him and tilted his head to kiss her with what felt like desperate need.
“Liana,” he whispered against her lips.
“What is it?” she asked, her hands on his face.
When words seemed to fail him, he reached for her hands and held on tight.
“Travis, is something wrong?”
The quick, charming smile she’d becom
e accustomed to returned as suddenly as it had left. “No,” he said with a final kiss. “Nothing’s wrong. Let’s go see Niki and figure out what we’ve got to do in the next two days.”
Liana wasn’t convinced, but she went with him anyway.
In the car, Travis focused on evading the media that followed them when they left North Point on the way to Newport Hospital. Concentrating on driving was better than thinking about what had almost happened in the bathroom. Brushing her hair had been so intimate, almost even more so than making love, that he’d been swamped with want—not the physical kind but the emotional kind.
He wanted her to love him. All at once he wanted her love so badly he ached more than he ever had when he had only wanted her physically. He’d almost told her he loved her. The effort not to had been painful and apparently obvious to her, for she’d tuned right into his dismay. That she read him so well and so easily was both frightening and exhilarating.
During the storm, he had been touched by her courage as she tried to combat her fear. He hated imagining her in some luxurious hotel room suffering through a thunderstorm alone. He wanted to always be there to make her feel safe and loved.
What was I doing a week ago today before I knew her? I have no idea. What will I be doing two weeks from today when she’s gone? I can’t imagine . . .
Liana reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. “What’s going on over there?”
He smiled and squeezed her hand. “Just thinking about the wedding this weekend. We’re meeting with the bride and groom at two to go over everything one last time. I’m sure Niki has it all under control, but there are probably a few last-minute things to tend to.”
“I’m sure we can handle it.”
He glanced over at her, knowing he could handle anything with her by his side. “I have no doubt.”
When they arrived at the hospital, Liana suggested he drop her off at the door and then come in after her so the photographers couldn’t get a shot of them together. But Travis refused to sneak around like they had something to hide. He parked the car and took her by the hand to walk through the crowd of photographers. Liana fought the urge to cringe as she imagined the headlines. Reporters called out questions to them, but they pushed their way through without answering.
