“I…” I lick my lips, shaking my head knowing I just freaked myself out for no reason. “I haven’t ran in a while,” I lie, and the air around us seems to fill with electricity as I look into his eyes. “Why are you here? I thought you were going out of town?”
“I am.” He glances toward the street, and I follow his gaze, noticing a silver SUV waiting near the curb with a large man standing outside near the driver door with his eyes on Braxton. “Did you get the flowers?” he asks, touching my cheek, and I focus on him then drop my eyes to his side and the suitcase there, putting two and two together.
“Do you live here?” I ask, taking a step away from him and watching his jaw twitch and his hand form a fist as it drops to his side.
“I do.”
I nod, wrapping my arms around my middle, wondering why he never mentioned living in the building when I told him it’s where I lived. Oh right—because he’s a big, fat liar.
“Have a good trip.” I turn to walk away as anger creeps up my spine.
“Dakota.” He takes hold of my bicep, stopping me, and I look at him over my shoulder. “We’ll talk.” He skims his finger along my cheek, and I soak in the feeling of his touch then force myself to shrug off his hold. I head inside, feeling the heat of his gaze as I go to the elevator, but I don’t turn to confirm he’s watching me. When the doors open, I step inside then rest back against the wall and wait for them to shut.
Just as they’re about to close, they are pried back open and Braxton appears with his chest heaving. I stare at him with wide eyes, unsure what to do or say as he stares back. When he steps toward me, my breath freezes in my lungs, and then before I can prepare, his body and mouth crash into mine. I react without thinking, sliding my fingers into his hair, and he groans. I whimper against his tongue when he lifts me off my feet and holds me against the wall, his hips locking me in place.
Even as my mind screams at me to push him away, I pull him closer, and his tongue flicks against mine while his hands on my ass urge me on. His scent and touch intoxicate me as desire surges between us like a wildfire burning out of control. Just when I’m about ready to beg him to take me to bed, he drags his mouth from mine and carefully lowers me to my feet. Panting now for a completely different reason, I blink my eyes open.
“I really fucking wish I didn’t have to go.” He captures my face between his palms, and mixed emotions go to war in my chest as he searches my gaze with a tender look.
“Th…” I drop my gaze and focus on his chin, unable to look him in the eye, and rest my hands against his chest. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
“It will inevitably happen between us again and again, Dakota.”
Is he right? Probably. He seems to be my kryptonite. “You’re a liar.”
“I had a reason to lie.” He smooths his thumb across my cheek.
“So you said, but then again, you didn’t have a reason not to tell me that you live in the same building as me.”
“That’s a little more complicated.” Now what the hell does that mean? “When I get back, I’ll explain everything.”
“Sure,” I agree, hoping he’ll let me go so I can remind myself why I’m mad at him—something that isn’t easy with his hands holding me like he doesn’t want to let go.
He smiles down at me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. “I know where you live and where you work, Dakota.”
“Why does that sound like a threat, Braxton?”
He brushes his lips across mine. “Because it is.” He steps back, taking his warmth with him, then just as quickly as he appeared, he’s gone and the doors close, leaving me alone once more. When the elevator buzzes, I quickly press the button for my floor then lean back against the wall, lifting my fingers to my lips that are still tingling. I don’t know how to feel, but I do know Braxton was right. If we are around each other, what happened will inevitably happened again, and part of me wants it to.
Lord, I’m so screwed.
________________
I GLANCE DOWN at my phone to check the time and get even more annoyed than I already am when I see Jamie’s fifteen minutes late to meet me, even though he’s the one who told me what time he’d be here. I look into the diner and debate going in to get a table then jump and scream when arms wrap around me from behind and I’m lifted off the ground.
“It’s just me.” Jamie laughs, dropping me to my feet.
I spin around and smack him on the arm. “You scared me.”
“I kinda gathered that by the way you screamed.” He chuckles as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and uses his free hand to open the door. “Are you ready to eat?”
“I was ready to eat fifteen minutes ago.” I glare up at him.
“Sorry about that. I had company who didn’t want to leave.”
My nose scrunches. “Thank goodness I don’t have to deal with your—” I lift my fingers, making quotations. “—company anymore.”
“Oh come on, admit it. You miss me,” he says as we slide into an open booth across from each other.
“You, yes. Your company? Not so much.”
He grins then his expression turns serious. “Are you settling in all right?”
I let out a long breath then admit, “It’s taking me time to get used to living on my own.” I unwrap my silverware from my napkin then smile. “But I like my place and my job so far.”
“Good.” His eyes fill with relief, and I realize then he’s been worried about me. “Have you made any friends at work?”
“Not yet, but I’ve only been there a week. I’m still trying to find where I fit in.”
“You will, just give it time,” he says, and then we both look at the waitress when she appears at the side of the table, holding a pot of coffee. Once she fills our cups, we give her our orders without even looking at the menu, because we’ve been here before and always order the same thing.
When she walks away, I mix sugar and creamer into my coffee while asking, “How was your show last night?”
“Good. Really good. Dan showed after to go over our contract and to make sure we’re set to hit the road in a few weeks.”
“Are you ready for that?” I know becoming successful enough to go on tour has been his dream since we were kids, but dreaming about something and the reality of it happening can be vastly different.
“As ready as I’m gonna be. Dan keeps warning us that what’s about to happen is going to change things for us and we need to be prepared.”
“I’m worried about you,” I tell him honestly. “I wish I could go with you.”
“Maybe you can fly out when I’m in Nashville. We’ll be there for a week after our first song off the new album goes live.”
“I’d love that. I’ve always wanted to go to Nashville. Let me know the dates and I’ll see if I can fly out for the weekend.”
“I’ll have Dan send you an e-mail with our tour schedule.”
“Oh, Dan will send me an e-mail? How very famous of you. Should I also get your personal assistant’s number so I can message her when I need to speak to you?”
“Smartass.” He grins, and I grin back, but then his smile fades away. “So, do you wanna tell me what happened Friday?”
I almost choke on my coffee. I don’t know why I thought he’d let me get off not telling him about that. “Nope, not really.”
His eyes narrow and I shift in my seat. “Talk.”
“About what?”
“Dakota, I can read you like a book. I have always been able to, so spit it out. What happened that you don’t want me to know about?”
“Nothing happened.” I lift my thumb to my mouth, and he reaches across the table, tapping it away from my lips.
“What happened with the suit Maggie was trying to hook you up with?”
“I didn’t meet up with him.”
“I know you didn’t. I also know you, and know you wouldn’t stand someone up, which makes me think something happened to keep you from meeting him.”
“Fine.” I sigh. “I was going to meet him, but I was running late. Then there was an accident and the cab I was in couldn’t get me across town, and I kinda figured it was a sign that I shouldn’t go.”
“You’re lying,” he states then waves his hand out to cut me off when I start to tell him I’m not. Which, I’m not. Well… mostly not, anyway. “I’m not upset you stood the guy up. I met him, and he reminded me of Troy.”
“Really?” I scowl, not liking the idea of more than one Troy running around in the world.
“Yeah,” he says then frowns over my shoulder, and I turn to see what he’s looking at and notice a big guy sitting at a lone table reading the paper.
“Do you know him?” I ask, turning back to Jamie.
He focuses on me and shakes his head. “No, but he keeps looking over here like he knows me.”
“Maybe he does. I mean, you are famous after all.” I wink, and he laughs.
Just then, the waitress appears at our table with our food. We dig in and chat while we eat, and then when we’re finished, he pays the tab and we head out.
“Do you still have a lot of work to do?” he asks when we stop on the sidewalk outside the dinner.
“I have a few things to do tonight, but nothing that will take me long.”
“Then let’s go see a movie, that comedy you wanted to see with that girl is out.”
“You basically just described every comedy out right now.” I laugh, lacing my arm through his. “A movie sounds good, and you can buy me popcorn and M&M’s.”
“I just bought you breakfast.” He looks down at me as we walk down the block toward his SUV parked on the street.
“I know, but now were going to the movies, so I’m going to need a snack.”
“Fine.” He beeps the locks then opens the door for me to get in. Once he’s behind the wheel, he starts the engine. I pull out my cell from my bag when it beeps with a message and frown when I see Braxton’s name on the screen. “Is that Troy?” Jamie asks.
“No, my boss,” I lie, opening the screen and going to the app for the theater, wondering when the hell Braxton had a chance to program his number into my phone.
“Your boss is messaging you on a Sunday?”
“Yeah, she’s just making sure I’m ready for the show Monday.”
“I could never fucking work in the business world.”
“Why, because you couldn’t sleep in everyday and party all night?”
“Basically.” I hear the smile in his voice as I purchase our tickets for a show that starts in thirty minutes. “So, have you talked to Troy?”
I shove my phone in my bag even though I really want to read the text waiting for me. “He sent a text in the middle of the week telling me that he would be in Seattle in a couple weeks and wants to meet up.”
“You’re not going to meet with him, are you?” I hear the annoyance in his tone.
“I don’t want to, but he said he has a box I left in the closet, and I know after getting my stuff from storage that it’s a box of photos of me, you, and Mom, and I’d like them back.”
“Tell him to fucking mail them.”
“I would, but I’m worried if I do, he might just toss them in the trash,” I say quietly, having no doubt he would do that just to be vindictive.
“I’ll go get them for you.”
“Jamie.” I sigh. “I’m going to meet him somewhere. I’m not going to dinner with him or out on a date. You need to give me some credit.”
“I know you don’t want to be with him, Dakota, but I know he’s a smooth talker, and that fucking guy will use whatever he can to get you alone so he can try to convince you that he is a changed man and to take him back.”
I want to tell him that he’s wrong, but since I left, Troy has been finding reasons for me to meet up with him. The other times, I was able to avoid seeing him, but this time, I can’t just send an e-mail or make a phone call to get things sorted out.
“Fine, I’ll see if he can mail me the box,” I give in, but I know that if he says he won’t send them or can’t, I will be forced to meet up with him. I don’t have any desire to see Troy, but I do want my photos. I don’t have much from Jamie’s and my childhood, but in that box are photos of some of the better times in our lives and the few pictures of my parents I have.
“Just promise me that if you do have to meet up with him, you’ll let me know so I can go with you.” God, my brother seriously knows me so well.
“Promise,” I say as he pulls in to park in the movie theater parking lot. Once we get inside, they scan my cell for the tickets then we head to the concession stand. After we get our stuff, I stop to add extra butter to my popcorn, and a tingle hits the back of my neck. I glance around, swearing I recognize the guy from the diner before he disappears into the men’s bathroom.
“Ready?” Jamie asks, and I turn to find him carrying a drink and a few different types of candy.
“Yep.” I shake off the feeling in the pit of my stomach and head in to find our seats. Then, like always when I’m with my brother, all the drama and bullshit disappears and I just enjoy spending some time laughing with him.
Chapter 5
DAKOTA
“HOLD THE ELEVATOR,” I yell as I push the cart in front of me as fast as I can, blushing in embarrassment as one of the wheels squeaks obnoxiously loud. It causes people to stop what they’re doing and watch me make my way across the lobby floor toward the closing silver doors. A large, tan hand and a wrist sporting a fancy watch swings out just in time, keeping the door open. Sighing in relief, I wheel the cart into the elevator then pick up my cell phone so I can look at the e-mail Kathy sent me and confirm what floor I’m supposed to go to.
“What floor?” a gravelly voice asks, a voice that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as the scent of familiar dark musk wraps around me.
Lifting my eyes away from my phone, my throat closes up and my pulse quickens as I take in the imposing figure beside me. Even in my four-inch heels, his height towers over my five-six frame. His navy-blue suit does amazing things for his eyes, and the black tie around his neck screams power. Fidgeting, my eyes move up to meet his mint-green ones and I notice a familiar glimmer of desire and anger.
“What floor?” he asks again as his strong, angled jaw tics.
“Forty-seven, please,” I say quietly like I’m afraid he will attack if I speak too loud, and he might. I remember what happened the last time we were in an elevator together.
Nodding, his eyes leave mine and he presses my number then waves his wrist over the screen. The number sixty flashes briefly before disappearing, making me wonder if that’s a floor in this building, because the numbers only go up to fifty on the panel. Crossing his arms over his chest, I take in his short, dark, almost-black hair and tan skin. He’s somehow become even better looking since the last time I saw him, and that should be impossible. Then again, he also shouldn’t be here.
“Dakota, you should know it’s rude to stare,” he states then inhales through his nose and his hands tighten into fists as his jaw grinds.
“What are you doing here, Braxton?” I know the answer without asking, and the anger that had dissipated with every text he’s sent me while he’s been away comes back full force.
“I think you know.”
“Yeah.” My throat gets tight with the urge to scream. “Why?” The question is barely audible. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why he hasn’t told me the truth even once since we’ve known each other.
“It’s complicated,” he mutters, sweeping his eyes over me from head to toe, bringing every cell in my body to life in that one look, before facing the door when it opens and people step on. I wrap my hands around the handle of my cart and squeeze, feeling his eyes on me, but I don’t turn to look at him. On the next floor, the few people who got on step off, leaving us alone again.
“You haven’t returned any of my messages.”
I haven’t. I’ve wanted to, but I haven�
��t. Now I’m glad I stayed strong. The one this morning telling me he just landed in Seattle was especially difficult to ignore.
“We’ll talk tonight and I’ll explain things to you.”
“We won’t, I don’t need you to explain anything,” I say as the elevator stops. I get off even though it’s not my floor and my legs shake as I push through the crowd waiting to get on. Once the doors close, I press the button and wait for the next one to come, hoping I don’t have to quit my job.
When I finally make it to the forty-seventh floor, I head for the conference room and find the door open. “Good, you’re here.” Kathy sighs dramatically, helping me drag the cart to the corner of the room. Since I started working with Kathy, I’ve noticed she’s more often than not dramatic in everything she does. “Mr. Adams wasn’t supposed to be back until next week, but he flew in this morning and wants us to hold the new merchandise meeting now,” she says, picking up a stack of papers and handing them to me, and I wonder how it’s possible she has no idea I’m currently having a heart attack.
I’m sure there are other men with the last name Adams. But it’s too much of a coincidence to think that the CEO and Braxton who have the same last name both flew in this morning. She bends over and unlocks the doors on the cart with a key tethered around her wrist and pulls out a dozen or more small boxes that are enclosed in a large plastic bag. “Each place gets a pamphlet and a box except that chair there.” She nods toward the head of the table, where a bottle of water is sitting unopened.
“Got it.” I take the boxes from her and set them on the table.
“Thank you for helping me with this, I’ll be back in ten minutes. I need coffee. Can you handle this until I get back?”
“Of course, go.” I shoo her away, needing a minute alone to wrap my head around things. I begin the mindless task of placing the pamphlets and boxes around the table and play out every scenario in my head. Most of them end with me quitting and living with Jamie again—something I don’t really want to do but will. When I hear the door open, I don’t even look up, assuming Kathy’s come back.
The Wrong/Right Man Page 5
