All of Me (14 page)

Her heart pounded against her ribs. Turning in his arms, she looked at him. “No one?”

“No one. Trust issues.” He shrugged. “You’re the only woman I’ve met in ten years who seems to want me for me.”

How . . . sad. Didn’t people realize a soul-deep connection was ten times more powerful than money and fame? She’d take her new friends and contentment over all the money in New York any day.

Alec leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “I want to make love to you in that bed. Been thinking about it nonstop since we got to the airport.” Easing back, he smiled. “But I should show you around the city before the party. We’ll never get out of here if we start now.”

Okay. Wow. A resounding ping of happiness hit her square between the eyes. Just an hour ago she was wondering what had happened between them. But now he’d just told her what he wanted, and it was her. Alec still found her attractive.

She would rather stay here in his arms, in the bed they had yet to climb into, than head out and see the sites, but there would be time for that tonight. A little tease to get him excited about their own after-party couldn’t hurt, though. Maybe
saying something sexy would keep his mind on her. “Lacey helped me pick out some panties to wear under my dress. I can’t wait for you to take them off.”

He sucked in a breath, and with narrowed eyes trailed his gaze down the length of her as if trying to imagine the details. With a groan, he kissed her deep, pulling her against him and pressing his pelvis into her belly. “What color?” he asked, nipping her lower lip.

Locking her knees to stay upright, she looked into his gray-blue eyes, relieved to see unadulterated want in them. “You’ll have to wait to find out.”

Verbal foreplay didn’t come naturally to her, but she found she liked it. Liked the effect it seemed to have on him. Grabbing her bottom, he squeezed and let go before taking two steps backward and shoving his hands in his pockets.

Watching her mouth, he asked, “Where would you like to go? In the city, I mean. As a tourist.”

She smiled at the nervous tone of his voice, relieved he was unnerved, too. “Where would you suggest?”

He glanced at the bed and sighed. “Statue of Liberty? The Guggenheim? Empire State Building?”

“What about the 9/11 Memorial? Can we do that first?”

He rocked back on his heels. “Sure. I know a great Jewish deli not far from there for lunch.” He held out his hand. “Come on.”

Alec had been surprised by Faith’s request to visit the 9/11 Memorial, but he shouldn’t have been. Someone like her would want to pay homage to the lives lost and pay her respects. That was just the way she was built. Sure, she’d have an interest in fine art or other attractions—she’d be interested in anything—but it said a lot about her that she wanted her first stop to be a place of such terrible loss.

They hadn’t said a word while they were there. Alec had moved to New York a good five years after the attacks on the World Trade Center and hadn’t visited the memorial himself. He’d watched her and the myriad of emotions that splayed across her pretty face before they moved on to walk down the street.

He’d been watching her since the airport. Something was different about her today, and he couldn’t figure out what. She wasn’t one to chat endlessly, but she’d been even more quiet than usual. He wondered what gears were turning in her mind.

Didn’t matter. He liked looking at her. Could do it all day. She was an interesting conundrum and atypical of the female species. Alec figured the day he’d get a handle on her, he’d discover a rash of new qualities to trip him up all over again.

Faith Armstrong was something special. And she was getting to him.

Holding her hand, he walked into the deli he’d discovered his first year in the Big Apple and grinned at Zelig, who was behind the counter. He and his wife had started the business more than forty years ago. The place was still busy as hell. The scents of fresh bread, cabbage, and corned beef hit him at once. Zelig was a large, robust man, but his black hair had grown more and more gray since Alec last saw him.

“Alec!” Zelig shouted, wiping his large hands on an apron. “Long time no see. How are you?” He came around the counter and wrapped Alec in a hug.

“I’m great, thanks. This is Faith.”

“Faith,” he repeated, hugging her, too. “Pretty name for a pretty lady. What can I get you two? Anything you want.”

Faith smiled at Alec and shrugged. “What do you suggest?”

Alec barked a laugh. “Everything.” He turned to Zelig. “Give us the tabbouleh platter with the pita and chocolate babka for dessert.”

“You got it!” Zelig jerked a thumb at Alec and addressed Faith. “This one here can eat me out of babka.”

When Zelig went back behind the counter, Alec found a corner booth and slid into it across from Faith. “Wait until you try their food. It’s an orgasm in your mouth.”

Faith laughed, the skin around the corners of her eyes crinkling. “I believe you. How’d you find this place?”

After Laura’s accident, he’d been wandering around the city trying to ease the guilt and stumbled into the deli late one night. Zelig fed him some chicken soup and sourdough bread, saying nothing about closing time to an obviously distraught Alec.

Alec shook his head. “Don’t remember, but I’m glad I did.”

Her amber eyes told him she didn’t believe him, but she let it drop. “When we walked in, that was the first time I’ve seen you smile or laugh since we landed.”

Observant, wasn’t she? “I have a love/hate relationship with the city.”

Before he could clarify, Zelig brought their order. “The babka’s coming. You want a loaf of cinnamon to take home, too? For breakfast?”

Alec grinned. “That would be awesome.”

With Zelig gone, Alec spread some of the tabbouleh onto a pita wedge and held it up to Faith’s mouth.

She glanced at the tomato, roasted peppers, and herb combination before opening her mouth. She bit down and moaned. “That is good.”

“Told you,” Alec said. “I’d mention the corned beef was to die for, but you wouldn’t eat it.” Not with all the healthy consumption rules she lived under. Now that he knew part of her story, he couldn’t blame her.

“In moderation is okay. Maybe we can try it next time.”

Next time. There would be no next time. They were in New York for one night and then heading back to Wilmington. Where she’d stay. And he’d eventually leave. An ache formed in his gut. Heartburn, he figured.

Like she was so apt to do, Faith changed to a safer subject. “What can I expect from this party tonight?”

God, he wanted out of it. Wanted to take her back to his apartment and drive her as insane as she was making him. Repeatedly. All damn night long.

He loaded more tabbouleh onto a pita wedge for himself. “A lot of people, for one. The publicists and editors will have the press there. After some schmoozing, I’ll read a passage from the book and then do a signing. It’s really an excuse to make the publisher feel important. Drinking, socializing. You know, torture for a writer.”

She grinned. “Should we develop a secret signal for when you want to escape? I could rub my ear and blink three times.”

He laughed. “Tempting.” Staring at her a moment while he chewed, he realized how uncomfortable she’d be as well. She didn’t seem fond of crowds. “I should’ve asked you before now. Will you be okay tonight?” He didn’t know how much attention he’d be able to pay her once the throng arrived. The last thing he wanted was to drag her all the way to New York only to ignore her after dumping her in among strangers.

The look she gave him was long and impossible to read. After a few moments, she blinked rapidly and took a sip of water. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for asking.”

What in the hell was that about? The tears. Or how close she was to tears anyway. “What’s wrong, Faith?” He tried for a gentle tone but his voice just came out gruff.

“It was nice of you to ask, that’s all.” She cleared her throat and glanced out the window before looking back at him. “I’ll be fine tonight. You do what you need to do and be the charming author. Don’t worry about me.”

The words were out before he could stop them. “Does anyone ever? Worry about you, I mean.”

Christ. She had no connections, no family back in Charlotte. Her parents showed her little affection. She barely knew what to do with herself when anyone paid her any kind of attention. And fuck . . . he was caring too much.

As if he could stop.

Her gaze lifted to his, her expression as shocked and hesitant as he imagined his was. Those amber eyes were filled with tears, but she seemed determined to fight them back. To her credit, and his peace of mind, she did. Her teeth worked her lower lip until the urge to drag her across the table and kiss her became almost too much.

Blowing out a breath, she broke the connection and stared at her plate. “What’s babka?” she asked quietly, fiddling with her napkin.

Alec had to swallow several times before speaking, and even then it hurt to force words out. “It’s a coffee cake type of bread. Dessert, sort of.”

She nodded slowly, still not meeting his eyes. Still looking hollow. She was too damn good for hollow.

“I worry about you.” All the time. All the damn time.

Her eyes pinched closed. “Don’t do that.”

“Faith.” He tried to take her hand across the table, but she pulled away.

“Stop it. Don’t act like I matter.”

Of all the damn things she’d said to him, this one took the cake. Hell, it took the whole bakery. Under the table, his fists clenched. “What does that mean? Of course you matter.”

Shaking her head, her jaw clenched. Her eyes flared with hurt and anger.

And it dawned on him maybe she
didn’t
matter to anyone. Before now. But he understood. Too well, he understood. Their relationship was temporary, and her mattering to him meant it would make things that much harder come summer’s end.

He sat back and scrubbed his hands over his face. He never should’ve gone down this road. All he’d ever done in life was screw up. People. Relationships. After Laura, he should’ve known better.
Did
know better.

“Do we have time for the Statue of Liberty before we have to get ready for the party?”

Face still buried in his hands, Alec laughed. It bordered on hysterical before he managed to rein it in. “Sure, Faith.”

*   *   *

Faith stared at her reflection in Alec’s bathroom mirror, trying to take control over the sudden onslaught of emotions. She gripped the sink and drew in a haggard breath. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. They were supposed to come to New York, have a great time, and leave. They were supposed
to finally have sex, with no serious emotions involved, and enjoy themselves.

But Alec kept screwing with her head every time the conversation turned slightly personal. Kept saying sweet, endearing things as if he cared about her. He didn’t, though. He’d said it himself. He’d been engaged once before and it was not an experience he’d repeat. She suspected there was far more to the end of the relationship than he let on, especially if he wasn’t capable of opening himself up again, but that wasn’t any of her business.

Straightening, she looked at herself. She’d pinned her hair up in a twist both for elegance and to keep it off her face. Her makeup was minimal, just enough to accentuate her assets. The small pearl drops in her ears matched the necklace. It had bothered her to take off Hope’s charm, but she reminded herself she could put the chain back on right after the party.

Smoothing her hand down the dress, she nodded. Lacey had been right. The yellow strapless bra-and-panty set was perfect. It didn’t show beneath the black dress, nor were the seams obvious. The dress tied round her neck, fitting snug against her chest and hips before flowing loosely to her knees. Plus, for a cocktail number, it was pretty comfortable.

She hoped Alec liked it. Enough to want to take it off later.

Shaking her head, she stepped into the low black heels Mia had lent her and forced herself to leave the bathroom.

Alec was waiting in the living room, thumbs flying over the keys of his phone as he texted someone. He looked different in a suit. More businesslike and less like himself. It fit him perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow hips. The charcoal gray went nicely with his eyes. Under the jacket, he wore a crisp white button-down shirt, no tie.

She imagined running her hands down his chest, popping the buttons one by one until she could push the fabric from his shoulders and kiss her way lower . . .

Alec glanced up from his phone and did a double take. “Damn, Faith. You look . . . lovely.”

She glanced down at herself and back to him. “So do you. Handsome, I mean. You look handsome.”

Desire shone in his eyes, burning a path from her toes to her face as he looked his fill. Pocketing his phone, he stepped closer, a wicked half smile crooking his mouth. He slid his hands around her back and tugged her close. “You smell good enough to eat.”

Her pulse went crazy. “Um . . . thank you?”

He amped up the wattage of his grin. “You’re welcome.”

Dipping his head, he kissed her. Just a brush of his lips, but her legs nearly buckled. His heat and scent enveloped her. Her breathing hitched. She needed him, more of him, tonight. It had never been like this before. She’d been attracted to other men, but nothing like this. Thinking was moot when Alec was around.

And that just served to prove she needed to follow through on their affair. At twenty-seven, she’d barely lived her life. It was time. Where she found the courage, heaven knew, but she did and she was going to enjoy it. However long it lasted. She was going to go all-out crazy and dive into a fleeting, dangerous affair with the likes of Alec Winston, and they were going to have some between-the-sheets time.

Gasping, she pulled back to look at him. She had never known this kind of yearning, this fanatical desire, and it had her rattled and reaching for logic. “You . . .”

“Yes?” he murmured, closing his mouth on the skin of her neck. “What about me?”

Her belly quivered. Heat pooled between her legs. “Um . . . I forgot.”

He laughed and stepped away. “Just as well. We need to get going.” His slow, steady gaze drifted down the length of her and back up, a routine habit of his, it seemed. “But later, Faith, I’ll make sure you’re unable to think at all.”

Yes. Okay. Perfect. She could stand mindless. “Promise?”

Closing his eyes, he groaned and turned for the door. “Cross my heart.”

The ride to the hotel where the event was to take place took only about twenty minutes. They didn’t say much on the way. Alec appeared calm on the surface, but his hands were clenched and every few seconds he drew in a deep breath that expanded his wide chest, as if remembering to inhale. Apparently this wouldn’t be much of a party for him. In his world, he had to do book signings and show the face behind the cover on occasion, but he obviously didn’t like it. Faith figured he’d rather be at home with his imaginary characters than with three-dimensional ones in a crowded room. How interesting that he lived in New York, where one couldn’t breathe without sharing air.

They pulled up to a beautiful old hotel where the driver stepped around to open her door. Alec had hired a car for tonight. It only illustrated the vast differences between them. She slid from the seat and stared at the building. Above a green awning, white stone and a wide, carved frieze rose to the sky. At street level, flower boxes were overflowing with color and variety.

Alec took her elbow and walked her forward, where an attendant held the door for them. “Showtime,” he muttered.

The lobby spoke of old money and prestige. A high crystal chandelier rose overhead and the floors beneath them were black marble. Mahogany woodwork was polished to gleaming and expensive art decorated the walls.

Her heels clicked on the floor as Alec directed her to a ballroom to their left. Her steps faltered when she noticed how many people were there. Two hundred, at least. To the left was a bar and to the right a buffet table. The spread looked too pretty to eat. Ahead, people walked around a display of Alec’s books.

So this was his world. Faith didn’t belong here. She’d
never felt so out of place. Then again, she’d never felt particularly
in
place either. But this . . . this was way out of her element. She had the fancy dress and matching shoes. Her hair was up and her modest jewelry in place. Yet she wondered how quickly they’d see through her. These people with their diamonds and designer suits.