Ignite Me: Shards of Glass, Part One (5 page)

I was still reeling from how he'd even noticed any of it. I was normally good at hiding it. I wasn't going to hold his hand, I wasn't 12. I didn't need taking care of.

“I don't need someone to patronize me thank you very much!” I stepped out ahead of him and stood open mouthed in the middle of an almost empty reception room. The walls where glass from top to bottom with panoramic views of London. “Holly shit. Look that at that view!” I'd forgotten the argument temporarily.

He walked into the room and stood next to me. “I'm glad you like the view, but this is just for starters and just so you know I wasn't prying. It just pays to know sometimes.”

I sighed I didn't want to fight anymore. It took too much energy up. “It's okay, I'm sorry for saying something stupid when I hardly know you. I didn't mean to offend you. My anxiety is triggered normally when I feel trapped and can't leave a situation!” It felt oddly good to tell him.

He fixed me with a concerned look. “You felt trapped by me?! Fuck.” He ran his hand through his hair, looking confused. “I'm sorry that was the last thing I meant to have happen! I like my life being organized and when an element of it doesn't do what it would normally do, shall we say a renegade, I come a little undone.”

I frowned. “It's okay, like you said the women you normally associate with are well mannered and even better groomed! I'm just me, I'm just Evan and you either take me or leave me! I tried to change for someone once before and it made me miserable I won't do that again.”

It felt like I was bartering a deal on the continuation of our possible friendship and a small part of me didn't want to get back into the lift and know I'd never see him again.

He seemed to be frowning too. “Evangeline I've never met anyone else like you! How you are and how you dress is so far from what I'd normally find acceptable in my very small social circle, but you're young and you have an opinion and I want to see what else your made of, so please give me a chance to make up for being how I was in the lift.”

I smiled at him. “I only felt trapped because we have zero in common other than that I helped your sister, but I'll give you the chance because well I really have nothing to lose Cameron!”

He smiled and let a breath go. “I'm glad, did you have lunch yet?!”

I pulled a face. “If you count a giant pretzel as lunch, then yes!”

He shook his head. “No, I do not! That's not even real food! Well, we can have lunch here. At least I'll know you've had some nutrients at least!”

“Hey, don't knock the giant pretzel it reminds me of home, of New York!” I smiled fondly remembering walking around central park with my Dad eating them and putting the world to rights. He didn't need to worry about my eating habits I eat lots of fruit and all that stuff.

He smirked at me. “Come with me and I'll show you what real food is!” He frowned momentarily. “You’re not vegetarian are you?!”

He was back to the commanding Cameron again, but I was convinced he was being more careful how he worded what he said now.

“No, but I don't eat red meat! Or seafood, I had food poisoning once.” I shrugged. It had been horrendous and I swore never to eat shellfish again.

He shook his head. “I can cope with that!” He signalled for me to follow him as he headed for the main entrance to the restaurant. He stopped as he opened the door and indicated for to pass ahead of him.

“Why thank you kind sir.” I grinned as I walked past him.

“I'm sorry, Miss there is a smart casual dress code here, emphasis on the smart!” A pinched faced fake brunette with drawn on eyebrows stood and stared at me like I was the antichrist.

I sighed and was about to point out I hadn't known when Cameron placed his hand on my shoulder. “She's with me and the last time I checked it wasn't the job of wait staff to chastise guests of a certain calibre!” His voice carried a warning tone to it.

The brunette looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes, she'd clearly not seen him when she'd come over. “Mr. Ballard! I didn't know. Will you be requiring a table?!” She was flustered by him.

He'd not taken his hand off my shoulder yet and I kinda liked it, he had a presence. I smiled smugly as he said what I'd been thinking.

“No, I thought we'd have a meal standing up!” He sighed. “Yes, we want a table, but I'd like the private room please, I don't wish to be interrupted!” He ran his hand down from my shoulder all the way down my arm and caught my hand with his.

I had to take a breath, it made me clench south of my waist. My arm had erupted into goose bumps. His hand felt good in mine.

“I'm afraid it's booked for another customer, I can get a table here for you!” She beamed a smile at him.

I didn't need to look at him to know that had gone down like a led balloon.

“Then I suggest you cancel that booking because if you wish to keep your job it'd pay to know who I am and when I ask for something you give me what I ask for!”

Holly hell it sounded so hot.

Oh, I bet she'd give you whatever you ask for.

She blushed crimson. “Of course, sir, sorry sir, I'll get it sorted right now!” She turned on her heels and scuttled off after a few moments she came back and looked redder in the face than ever. “This way Mr. Ballard!” She turned and started to lead the way.

Cameron and I followed behind her, he was a fraction ahead of me, but he still had hold of my hand.

The main restaurant was stylish with royal blue carpets and cream linens on the tables with fresh flowers on the tables. I understood why they had the dress code. It was quite busy with mostly smart business types. I wondered why he'd want to have lunch so privately I mean half the people here wouldn't know who I was, so I assumed it was because they'd know him and maybe he didn't want to be seen in public with me after all I wasn't his normal type. Part of me wanted to insist on eating out here, but part of me didn't want to share him.

We reached the private dining room, it was much like the main area only smaller with an unobstructed view from the windows, several tables sat around the room. Clearly this could be used for a whole party and I wondered who would be getting a phone call to say they could no longer use the room.

The brunette showed us to a table in the middle of the room and placed the menus down. “Elliot will be taking your orders today and will be your personal waiter for your time here, he'll be over in a while with complimentary drinks!” She smiled and made her escape. Probably glad to get away.

I puffed out my cheeks taking in the view it was awe inspiring.

“Let me take your coat.” He let go of my hand. Cameron's voice really did sound like velvet if he wanted it to.

I undid the zip, I bit my lip as his hands swept down my arms as he removed my jacket. I wasn't sure, but he seemed to like making excuses to touch me in some way and normally it would have freaked me out but I actually wanted him to touch me.

What the hell was happening to me?! I never went funny over guys like him, but he did things to me. I felt flustered as I realised I was wearing a sheer black button down blouse, I'd not expected to take my jacket off. He hung my jacket on the coat stand near the door and then removed his own jacket. He had a crisp purple shirt on with a charcoal grey tie that matched the grey of his trousers.

I tried not to mentally undress him, but it was hard not to with the way he was looking at me. I bit my lip, thinking about whether he'd have a toned chest under his shirt.

His eyes swept up my body, lingering a second too long over my bra before he smiled an impish smile at me.

“You have an interesting taste in fashion, the blouse is designer isn't it?!” He walked over to me and for one moment I wanted nothing more than to grab his face with both hands and kiss him as hard as I could, but he walked past me pulling out my chair and waited for me to sit.

I sat down as he pushed the chair in. This was a novelty for me. “No one’s ever pushed a chair in for me before and yes it is.”

I didn't mind him asking if it was designer, I had a varied taste in fashion. I cherry picked items I liked that fitted my style.

“Then they were doing things wrong! It may be the 21st century, but a man can still do things for a woman without it being sexist!”

I grinned from ear to ear. “That is very true! Like I don't have an issue with having doors opened for me and all that but I don't expect it. It's nice though.”

He walked around to the other side of the table and I took my chance to check his ass out.

Oh peachy.
I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

He sat himself down with a smirk. He totally knew I was checking him out.

He glanced up as a young guy in his 20s walked over, messy sandy blonde hair and a tattoo that just poked out from under his sleeve as he put the ice bucket down on the stand next to the table it had what looked like a very expensive bottle of champagne sitting in it. As he looked at Cameron his gaze fell over me and I knew he knew who I was. The smile spread across his face like he'd just won the lotto.

“Please excuse me, sir!” He turned to face me. “It’s Evan Watson isn't it?! Your Dad's band is my all-time favourite! I'm doing the whole UK leg of the winter tour if I can!” He gushed. “My names Elliot.”

I had no idea he'd planned on touring in the winter and guessed in part I was half the reason why. “Awesome to hear someone's keeping the home fires burning Elliot! And when did they announce this tour?! I swear he never tells me anything!” I rolled my eyes in mock annoyance.

“Just this week! I've got the link for the pre-sale! Fan club stuff!” His chest swelled with pride.

I couldn't keep the wide smile off my face, I loved it when I met real fans of my Dad's band. I glanced over at Cameron he was making a steeple with his fingers, his palms didn't touch though and cleared his throat.

“If you have quite finished, we'd like to look at the menus in private before we order!” His tone was cutting, a chastise for taking my attention I was sure.

Elliot's face fell. “I'm really sorry, Mr. Ballard I'll make myself scarce.” He nodded at me and made his leave.

“Well, aren't you popular? As you'd say he was totally checking you out!” He grinned widely at me.

I could have been cross at him for using my words against me, but I just found it funny!

I laughed out loud. “Oh my god you did not just say that!” I felt genuinely happy to just laugh for the first time in months.

He winked at me. “Your eyes sparkle when you laugh! Now, they do a wide range of food here, have whatever you want! And please tell me you eat more than two mouthfuls of salad before breaking into a cold sweat!”

I wasn't surprised he was used to dinning out with models! They'd break out in a cold sweat at anything other than water! “I assure I could eat you under the table...” My face burned with a blush as I heard myself say it.

His face split into a full on megawatt smile that took my breath away. His eyes laughed. It was the first time I had noticed that when he smiled at me his eyes smiled too. Last week they had been cold.

“Well, I'll look forward to that Evangeline!” He raised a brow.

I rolled my eyes. “That wasn't meant to sound rude! I was brought up on the road touring until I was 13 so I’d eat whatever I could get my hands on!” It was true, I had! I'd been a resourceful kid too! I'd learnt how to blag food when I was 9.

He opened his menu and glanced up. “It must have been hard sometimes though. I mean I know from my role with Fever Records how hard life is for a band, let alone to have no choice but to bring up a child in that environment.”

I frowned. “Not really, I was well looked after! My Dad was and is a good father! He looks out for me and I guess with my Mom going off how she did, it was hard for him, but he never let me down not once!”

I always got a little emotional talking about my Dad. I wished I'd listened to him about Sean, he'd said he was bad news, but I was so young and so in love.

“I'm sure he's very proud of how you've turned out!” He smiled.

“I dunno about that, the last few years I've kinda done some things I wish I hadn't! But you can't change the past can you?!” I smiled as I opened my own menu.

“We all do things we aren't proud of but knowing you've gone wrong and fixing it is a sign of maturity!”

I didn't look up, I was distracted by the menu. The prices were actually reasonable and for once there was plenty to choose from that didn't have red meat in. I was fussy about eating meat out and normally always had the vegetarian option.

“Thanks, I feel he worries about me being over in England alone, but I was on the verge of self-destruction when I left L.A!”

I felt the words pouring out of my mouth as if I was on auto pilot.

I glanced up at the same time as him and made eye contact. Brown eyes gazing into hazel eyes. As he glanced back down at his menu I swear I heard him utter something that sounded like,
he's not worthy of you!

I was confused. He couldn't have meant my Dad so he could only have meant Sean. How did he even know about that or me?! This was strange. What was his motive?! We'd only met last week! Why was he interested in me?! I was a little on my guard.

Elliot came back over after a few moments with a note pad to take our orders. “Are you ready to order, sir?!”

Why was everybody calling him sir?! Like he was better than anyone else because of who he was.

Cameron glanced up at me as if he'd heard what I'd been thinking.

“I believe we are! Evangeline are you ready?!” He smiled.

I nodded. “Yep, I'm ready!” I didn't say what I wanted because I wasn't sure if he was doing just mains or the whole three courses I hoped he'd only do the main because I wanted to go shopping after and not be full for trying things on.

He smiled. “I think we will just have a main for now, if we want anything else we can order later, oh and a bread basket please!”

Elliot nodded. “That's fine! I'll bring some water out too!”

Cameron smiled, pleased with himself. “I'll have the roasted veal chop.” He glanced up at me waiting to see what I'd order.