Текст книги "Throb"

Автор книги: Vi Keeland

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

chapter four

Kate

Not sure if I feel disappointment or relief that Flynn picked Jessica for the first stranded date, I plop my unused overnight bag inside my front door.

“Guess Flynn picked someone else, Miley?” Sadie says, pulling a bottle of wine from the fridge and pouring two glasses. “What a loser.”

Tossing my keys on the counter, I join her in the kitchen. “Actually, he asked me to go, but I said no. Told him I’d rather come home and share a cheap bottle of White Zinfandel with my best friend.” I take the glass she just poured from her hand before she can sip.

“I wouldn’t put it past you.” She squints, assessing me.

“He picked Jessica.” I sigh and sit on the stool on the other side of the counter.

Sadie leans in. “Aren’t you violating your contract, disclosing who he picked to me?”

I sip my wine. “My attorney advised me to violate that pesky thing every chance I get.”

“Good advice. I bet your lawyer’s got a great rack too.”

“The weird thing is … I really thought he was going to ask me. He pretty much told me he was going to.”

“So what happened?”

“I don’t know. Guess he changed his mind when he got a load of Jessica’s boobs in that dress.”

“Well, he doesn’t know what he’s missing.” Sadie holds the second glass up, an unspoken toast to me before drinking.

“It’s okay, I needed to bring the Jeep into the shop tomorrow anyway. And I’m going to see if I can grab a shift at the casino tomorrow night, since I’m off till Monday now. Think you can give me a ride to the studio in the morning? I can find someone to give me a ride back to the shop after it’s done.”

“Sure. But if Mr. McNiceAss is there, you have to introduce me.”

“Miles?” But I know who she’s talking about. She’s been obsessed with his ass since she came with me to the interview portion of the application process for the show. Some women have a weakness for dimples, others have a thing for broad shoulders or height. Sadie is most definitely an ass girl.

“Who else?”

“There’s something weird about that guy. He’s nice and all, but I don’t trust him. I keep my distance.”

Sadie shrugs. “I don’t want to marry him. I just want to get him naked.” She sips her wine. “And dig my nails into that fine ass as he plows into me.”

“How do you practice in entertainment law? Aren’t most of your clients handsome actors? It must be difficult for you to get any work done, with your brain constantly in the gutter all day.”

“Tell me about it.” She exhales loudly and together we finish the bottle before going to bed. We’ve both had a long stretch of self imposed abstinence. Sadie’s to recover from a broken heart her fiancé left her with when he broke things off. But my broken heart doesn’t come from the hands of a man. Well, not one in the same respect as Sadie anyway.

I’m early for the production meeting when we pull into the studio parking lot. The silent click of the minutes on the dashboard catches my attention as the number changes. 11:11. Four of a kind. I close my eyes and make a wish. Today may turn out better than I expected after all.

“Thanks for the ride.” I reach for the door handle and Sadie cuts the engine.

“I’m coming in with you.”

“You really want to meet him? He’s a womanizer.”

“I’m hoping he’ll womanize me.”

We walk through the studio toward the conference room where the remaining contestants are meeting this morning to discuss the shooting schedule. Of course, Flynn and Jessica won’t be there—they have the day off to recover from their stranded date. I’m guessing any man needs a day of recovery after a date with that woman.

Walking down the long hall to the conference room, I stop in my tracks as I catch sight of someone barreling down the hall, typing away on his iPhone, about five seconds from crashing into me. Sadie walks right into me as I halt. “What the …” She’s just about to yell at me when she spots the man that has halted my path. She gasps, instead of finishing her sentence. The sound catches the attention of the otherwise occupied man.

The casual appearance and demeanor of the other night gone, Cooper looks every bit the picture of power and authority in a custom-tailored three-piece suit. His longish hair grazes his collar, giving him the appearance of a model dressed for an Armani ad. My stomach flutters before he even utters a word.

“Kate.” He closes the distance between us, holding out his hand to me, palm up. Shaky from seeing him again without warning, I place my hand in his. My pulse reacts on its own accord, my stomach churning nervously, like a damn schoolgirl’s. I stare at him wordlessly, my mind filled with racing thoughts I can’t seem to make sense of and pull into words.

“Kate?” he repeats, concern in his voice.

“Cooper. I … I … you caught me off guard, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I didn’t expect to see you either.” He smiles. “But I’m glad I did.” Amusement dances in his eyes, obvious male satisfaction at my being flustered.

Breaking eye contact to collect my wits, I take in the full sight of him. Broad, thick shoulders, the way his shirt tucks into his pants, hanging so perfectly from his narrow waist. Scanning the length of him down, I flush more than when I was caught in his gaze.

He raises one eyebrow playfully, having watched my slow assaulting inspection of him. A lopsided grin graces his face as he speaks, “Let’s grab a cup of coffee.”

“Coffee?” I mimic, still unable to comprehend even the simplest of conversations. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Yes. Do you drink coffee? If not, I’ll buy you tea. Or water. You do drink water, right?” he teases.

“She drinks coffee,” Sadie interjects from behind me. I’d completely forgotten there was anyone else in the hall. Anyone else in the universe, in fact, at this moment.

Cooper smiles, addressing Sadie, instead of me. “Good to know. How does she drink her coffee?”

“Cream, no sugar.”

He nods, smiling. Something unspoken passes between the two of them.

Thankfully, Sadie snaps me out of my haze. “I have to run, Kate. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“No, I’m good. I’ll get a ride.”

“You sure?”

Cooper responds, “I’ll drive her.”

“You don’t even know where I’m going,” I say.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Bye, Ms. Biel-Timberlake.” Sadie saunters off, a shit-eating grin on her face.

“So … coffee?” he asks, already guiding me with his hand on the small of my back.

“Sure.” I’m early and a cup of coffee isn’t a date, I justify in my head.

We only make it a few steps down the hall together before Cooper’s cell phone rings. He mutters something I can’t make out before he excuses himself to answer. “What?”

I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that phone call.

“No. You can’t offer that. Every union will be breathing down our neck if you do. That’s not negotiating, that’s throwing in the towel.” He pauses, listens for a minute and then growls, “Christ, Evan. I’ll be right there. No. Don’t let them walk out the door. Tell them to wait.”

“I’m sorry. I have to run. What time are you leaving?”

“Five?” I guesstimate, since I actually have no idea how long a reality TV planning session will take. Foolishly, I used to think reality TV was about reality.

“I’ll pick you up here.”

“Thanks. But you don’t have to. I can get a ride.”

Stepping in my path, he turns to face me, halting my stride. Eyes lock on my mouth for a long moment, then his lips curl as he meets my gaze. “I’m taking you,” he says in a raspy voice. “It’s probably the one thing that is going to keep me sane today. Thinking about seeing you again later.”

How can I argue with that logic?

Sitting around a long conference table, two rows deep, the “talent” in the front, crew in the back, I listen as Miles Montgomery spends hours detailing his vision. He lays out who we are. Who we are. I guess I should be happy he’s dubbed me “the girl next door,” especially since the room apparently contains one “town slut” and another “drunk gossip.” He actually gives us these titles, as if he’s the king at the coronation and we’re his subservient minions. I wasn’t a big fan the first day I met Miles Montgomery, even less of one after today.

I find myself daydreaming for a good portion of the meeting, my mind continually wandering back to one person, Cooper. He was even more striking than I remembered; his captivating green eyes were difficult to tear mine away from. And the way he spoke today, the command he held, heightened how sexy he is to a whole new level.

As if reading my mind, Miles throws a file onto the table. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is a copy of your contract. Putting aside the legal ease, this is what it boils down to. He motions to his assistant and she flicks off the lights. A screen projects up on one side of the room. The first few bullet points fill a page. Miles reads them aloud.

“You are a character in a loosely scripted play. You are not free to choose to play a new one.

Forget the cameras are there. Don’t whisper; we need to capture that secret you’re telling.

Discussing anything that has not been aired with anyone outside of the show is a violation of your contract.

Cameras and cell phones are prohibited. You are to have no outside contact of any kind during the hours you’re filming.

Dating or sexual relationships, of any kind, other than with the bachelor or a fellow contestant, are prohibited until the last episode has aired.

Violation of any of the terms of the contract will result in forfeiture of any prizes. And you can, and will, be sued for breach of contract.”

He smiles as if he’s enjoying himself. Something about the guy just makes me want to shower after spending time in a room with him.

I’m outside talking to Ava when Cooper pulls up in a classic convertible Porsche. Her eyes go wide when he hops out of his car and heads over to me as if he’s on a mission.

“Ready?” he asks in a businesslike manner. His hand reaching out to the small of my back is the only indication he could be more than my ride.

“Yes.” I smile somewhat wearily at Ava. “See you tomorrow.” Her mouth is still hanging open as we walk away.

Remaining silent as he opens the door for me and waits for me to get in, Cooper jogs around to the driver’s side and pulls out of the parking spot in a rush. “If you’re in a hurry, I can get a ride,” I offer, but he’s already barreling out of the lot.

“Sorry. I just want to get out of here. It’s been a long day.” His hand flexes, shifting the gear stick into third and, as ridiculous as it seems, even the sight of him taking control of the car does something to me. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Everything okay?” I ask, turning to watch him drive. There’s tension on his face … in the clench of his handsome jaw.

“It’s better now.” He flashes me a sexy grin.

As we make our way through traffic and reach the highway, he turns east, rather than west. “Ummm … I live the other way.”

“Not taking you home,” he says with a smile. One that reaches all the way up to his eyes. They’re now covered with sunglasses, but I picture the sunflowers growing bigger as his smile broadens.

“Where are you taking me?”

“For something to eat.”

“And you’re not going to bother to ask if I want to go?” My eyebrows rise, intrigued more than offended by his assumption.

“This is the third time I’m asking you out. The first time you shot me down. The second time we were interrupted. So I’m not taking any chances by hesitating.”

“What if I were to tell you to take me home right now?”

He glances at me and quickly back to the road. “I’d take you home.” His unwavering response solidifies what I’ve felt since the moment I met him. Underneath the bossy exterior lies a gentleman at heart. The combination is sexy as hell.

“I guess I am sort of hungry …”

Cooper chuckles. “You’re difficult, aren’t you?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Not all. Good things don’t usually come easy. And I love a challenge.”

A flutter grows deep in my belly. I consider arguing with him for a second, telling him I’m not a challenge for him to conquer. But instead, I relax into the seat, deciding to enjoy the wind in my hair and the beautiful man sitting next to me.

“So you work at Mile High?” I ask, breaking a comfortable silence.

“No.” His response is fast, almost as if the notion insults him.

“You just hang around there in a business suit and drop in to play cards sometimes?” I say, waiting for him to fill in the blanks.

“Something like that.” The corner of his mouth twitches up, but he tries to hide his amusement.

Merging on to the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, Cooper hits the gas and the car’s power pumps up my adrenaline. The roar of the engine coupled with the beautiful late afternoon sun warming me as the wind streaks through my hair is invigorating. Freeing. A feeling I realize I haven’t felt in a very long time. I lean back into my seat, shut my eyes, and let myself sink into the sensation.

Cooper reaches across and gently lifts my hand from my lap, wrapping my fingers around the gearshift before his hand covers mine. Our eyes meet for a split second and we both smile.

“You like the car?”

“I like how I feel right now,” I reply honestly. Cooper’s hand tightens around mine.

A short time later we exit the highway, traveling off the beaten path for a while until we pull into a parking lot. I’m surprised to find we’re at a roadside food truck. This seems more my style than I would have taken Mister Custom Three-piece Suit for. He comes around to open my door and offers me his hand.

“Not what I would have expected,” I say.

“Sometimes the best things in life are the unexpected.”

The parking lot has a half a dozen worn picnic tables and the food truck looks like it’s seen its glory days … about a decade ago. Cooper doesn’t let go of my hand as he walks over to the older couple loudly arguing from inside the truck.

“Ah! Señor Cooper. Long time no see. We’ve been wondering where you’ve been,” the man exclaims in broken English.

“Busy, Carlos. Busy.”

“You work too much. Just like your father. God rest his soul.” The man makes the sign of the cross.

The man’s wife smiles at me and then speaks to Cooper in Spanish. “Esta es su novia? Ella es Hermosa.” The only words I understand are ella es hermosa—“she is beautiful.”

“Sí, ella es muy hermosa,” Cooper says, squinting at me with a devilish look on his face. “Y estoy trabajando en la parte novia.”

“Ahh.” The woman smiles at me and then says to Cooper, “Ella no tiene oportunidad.” She laughs.

“What did she say?” I ask Cooper.

“She said you don’t have a chance.”

“About what?”

He ignores my question. “They make the best tapas on the West Coast here.”

“You find someplace better on the East?” Carlos interrupts, looking highly offended.

“Just a figure of speech, Carlos. Just a figure of speech,” Cooper says, amused. “They have salads if you prefer,” he adds as I study the menu board.

“I like real food.”

He smiles like I’ve just given him the answer he hoped for. “Two Platos Combinados.”

“Dos cervezas por favor,” I add and Cooper arches an eyebrow.

I shrug. “Don’t be too impressed. I can only order two beers and ask directions to the bathroom.” We sit down at one of the picnic tables with our heaping plates. The smell is incredible. “So how many other languages do you speak?”

“Two—French and Italian. And what did you just do?”

“Nothing.”

“I saw you tap your knuckles on the table. Did you just knock on wood?”

I do so many things on autopilot, I seriously didn’t even give it any thought. I suppose most people I surround myself with are either used to it, or don’t pay close enough attention to catch my little idiosyncrasies. I shrug, trying to make light of it. “It’s good luck.”

“I thought it was more of an expression than an actual thing.”

“It’s a thing,” I say defensively.

“Guess it’s more your thing, than mine.”

“What’s your thing then?”

He doesn’t respond. Well, at least not verbally. But his eyes drop to my mouth and his lips curl to just a hint of a grin when his gaze returns to mine … damn it’s sexy. My insides do funny things thinking of what his thing might be.

“So. Three languages.” I lift a tapas to my mouth. “Prep school brat?”

Cooper chuckles at my quite obvious attempt to change the subject, but goes along with me anyway. “Actually, just the opposite. My father thought our school system was too segregated, so he put us in public school in a lower income area. Thought it would teach us about real life more than spending our days with a bunch of silver spoons.”

“Wow. Totally wasn’t expecting that response.”

“Told you to watch out about those expectations.”

I bite into the first of a packed plate of tapas. “Oh my god. This is incredible.”

“I wouldn’t steer you wrong.”

I inhale two small tapas. “How did you find this place?”

“Carlos and Glorya have been in this spot for almost thirty years. It was my parents’ favorite place to eat. My father always told everyone that he fell in love with my mother because she never ordered a salad.”

“Smart woman.”

“My mother said he took her here because he was cheap.”

“Which one was the truth?”

He smiles. “Both.”

When I’ve devoured almost everything on my plate and am reaching for the last sip of my beer, Cooper’s fingers circle one of my wrists. “They’re so small.”

I have to blink myself out of the dirty thoughts seeing his hand locked around my wrist conjures up. I swallow hard. “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. I was just thinking I could probably fit both in one hand.”

Flustered, I ignore his comment and change the subject. “It sounded like you haven’t been here in a while?”

He nods and looks around. “It’s definitely been too long.”

“Too busy being a tycoon?”

“A tycoon, huh?” Lifting an eyebrow, he grins. “How do you know I’m a tycoon?”

“I can just tell.” I pause, but Cooper neither confirms nor denies my assumption. “Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re not wrong, actually. And what do you do? Aside from hustling cards?”

“Playing cards is sort of my job these days,” I say, trying to act like it’s a choice I’ve made, instead of something that I dread doing daily. I’d much rather be finishing up school than spending my nights in the high-stakes room, flipping cards to men who deal out hundreds like candy. Especially since most of them seem to think their stack of chips will impress me.

“You’re a dealer?” He doesn’t seem surprised. After all, I told him who my father was the other night.

“For now. I was in school, but had to take some time off.”

He nods, accepting my response without further prodding.

Another hour passes by in what seems like five minutes. Our conversation jumps from topic to topic, but there’s a buzz in the air that makes everything seem like it has a sexual undertone to it. He’s playful, some of his flirting innuendo is intentional, but my mind seems to want to read something filthy into everything he says. I finally eye the time on my watch. “Shoot. I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to work tonight.”

He nods and offers me his hand to stand up. The way he doesn’t let go and we walk to the car with our hands twined makes me feel like a teenager again. He opens my car door and I stop before getting in. “I probably would have passed right by this place and never even noticed it. It’s sweet that you come to your parents’ favorite place.”

“Pretty sure I’ve never been called sweet by a woman.” Cooper adds with a wry grin, “But if you like sweet, I’ll take it.”

My heart is heavy when we pull up to my apartment building. Cooper gets out to open my car door.

“Thank you for kidnapping me.”

“Anytime.” He says. “Are you going to agree to go out with me now, or do I need to kidnap you again?” He takes a step closer to me. “That one little taste wasn’t enough.”

My eyes close with dread. Everything about this man seems perfect, and yet I have to turn him down. Again. When I signed the contract for the show, I didn’t give any thought to what would happen if I met someone. Most likely because I hadn’t met anyone worth worrying about the last year. But of course, now I meet a man who gives me butterflies. And I can’t tell him about the show. Just like dating, disclosure of my involvement with the show itself is a violation of the terms.

Opening my eyes, feeling disappointment and regret at what I must do, I’m met by a sparkling sea of green intensity that threatens to drown me in lust, making what I have to say that much harder. “I can’t.”

Picking up on my lack of conviction or word choice, Cooper says, “Can’t? Or don’t want to?”

“Can’t.” I know it would be easier to lie and say I don’t want to, but something tells me he’d see right through me.

“Why?” He leans in just an inch or two. Our bodies aren’t touching, but the heat emanating from his skin ignites mine. Or maybe it’s the heat from my own body that sparks his. Either way, I can’t think straight with this beautiful man so close.

“I … I … I just can’t.”

“You can’t date me?”

I shake my head.

He leans forward to whisper in my ear. Voice gritty and strained, his warm breath sends a shiver through my body that I can’t even try to hide. “Can you kiss me?”

Too distracted to form a cohesive thought, I don’t respond right away.

Cooper pulls his head back slowly, the stubble on his cheek lightly grazing my sensitive skin, until we’re face to face. Smoldering eyes staring intently into mine, mixed with a hard, muscular body just inches away, make it easy to forget that he’s off limits. Banned. Forbidden. A complete violation of the rules of my contract. It only makes me want him more.

Swallowing hard, my mouth suddenly parched, I unconsciously run my tongue along my lips to moisten them, readying myself to finally speak. Cooper’s eyes drop, following the path of my tongue. As his eyes finally find their way back up to mine, I open my mouth to speak just as his lips crash down on mine.

I don’t even attempt to protest, immediately surrendering to the ferocity of a kiss that sets my entire body on fire. Our tongues find each other quickly, his leading mine in a just slightly aggressive way that excites me. Gently at first, the hard contours of his body press flush against the soft of my curves. Then I reach up, my hands threading the hair curling up at the edge of his collar. Cooper growls when I tug, pushing harder against me, deepening the kiss as we move from exploring to feverishly groping each other.

Both of us are panting wildly as we break the kiss. He tugs at my lower lip, claiming it roughly between his teeth before fully releasing my mouth.

“Wow,” I croak out, my mind still in a daze as my eyes flutter back open. Cooper’s thumb rubs tenderly across my now swollen bottom lip as his eyes come up to reach mine again. Flicking down to my mouth and then quickly back to my eyes, he looks torn between kissing me again and saying something.

“See, that wasn’t so hard,” he rasps, one side of his mouth tilting upward into a sexy half grin. “And that, Kate, won’t be the last time that happens. I promise you that.”

My wobbly legs carry me up the stairs, but I feel Cooper’s eyes on me every step as they lead me away. When I reach the top, I make the mistake of looking back. He’s leaning against his car, arms folded over his chest, watching me intensely with those piercing green eyes. Eyes that tell me he’s a man that keeps his promises.

Inside my apartment, I lean my head against the door for a few minutes as the haze of lust clears and my knees find their strength. Replaying Cooper’s vow in my mind, I reach up to feel my still swollen lips. And all I can think of is Oh shit.