Moth to a Flame (5 page)

“Go out with me,” I told her boldly, startling her from her task.

She peered up at me with those green orbs that said so much and frowned. “Cale, I told you I don’t date,” she sighed with frustration.

“Why, Lia? Why won’t you have dinner with me? What are you so afraid of?” I demanded with genuine confusion.

She flinched at my last question. The girl was a damn knockout and basically deemed herself to be unavailable for reasons unknown to me. I was going to try like hell to figure out what those reasons were.

“Look,” she said in a tone that made me think she’d said this little speech a few times before. “You’re a nice guy and I am extremely sorry I maced you—
even if you did deserve it
.”

That last part had me cocking an eyebrow. I grinned at her and she couldn’t help but return it. But she slowly dropped the smile and continued on.

“It’s just that you are a client and it’s unprofessional. I’d never do that to Pops. Can we please just call a truce so we can carry on a strictly professional relationship?”

She was the kind of girl I wanted to say yes to. To make her world spin just the way she liked it. She was my green-eyed goddess and I her lonely disciple, waiting for her every command. But this? No, this I couldn’t do.

“No,” I muttered quietly, causing her eyes to dart to mine and search for where I was going with this.

“What do you mean, ‘no’?” she hissed.

In three long strides, I marched up to her petite frame and pinned her to the table with my closeness, never actually touching her. She didn’t shrink back like I’d somehow expected her to. Instead, she held that beautiful chin high, eyes glued to mine.

Leaning my head down to where my lips almost touched the skin below her ear, my hot breath assaulted her flesh. “No.”

Her body shuddered beneath that one spoken word. I pulled my face away to see her reaction. Those green eyes blazed with something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Desire? Anger? Fear?

She did tremble, however, when I delicately reached up and traced her chin with my thumb. My other hand slid up her neck, fingers resting around the back of it and thumb stroking her tender flesh around the front. Her eyes involuntarily fluttered shut when I used the thumb still on her lips to part them, pulling the bottom one down.

Who is this girl?

For a moment, I studied her soft skin and pert nose, allowing myself to marvel at her beauty. Whoever this mysterious woman was, she had me falling fast and hard, which was the last thought I had before I protectively wrapped my arms around her and crashed my lips onto hers.

SAFE. PROTECTED. MINTY fresh.

Wait, what?

My momentary bliss was interrupted when my damn rational brain started raining thoughts down on me.
Crap.

What have I done now?

This couldn’t happen. For one, this man who was sucking my lip between his teeth went against my strict ‘no dating’ policy, and two, he was my client. Ugh, this was so frustrating!

I half-sighed, half-moaned into his mouth as our tongues continued their exotic dance. His lips felt so soft against mine. He tasted a little minty and a lot manly. And his hardness was poking into my stomach as we kissed, making me throb in my womb for him.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from his exquisite kiss, which would star in my dreams for years to come, and studied his searching expression. His arms, which were still wrapped protectively around me, heated my body to the core. I could feel his perfectly chiseled chest still pressed against mine.

I closed my eyes once more and inhaled his unique masculine scent. When I reopened them and found him staring with an unreadable expression, I sighed with defeat. I knew it couldn’t go on, and with that, I pushed him away from me, releasing a bitter sound from my lips, knowing that was probably as close to real happiness as I’d ever get. At least for that moment, I’d remember that Cale had been mine and I had been his.

Reality came crashing back down, causing me to reach down to grab my stuff and stalk out the door of the conference room without another word to Cale. It would never work. Could never work.
Oh, God, but how I wish it would work.

I made it all the way back to my desk, set my things down, and plopped very unladylike into my chair. Cale slowly walked out after me. I could feel him silently staring at me, waiting for some kind of response. He must have realized the spell was broken because I couldn’t even make eye contact, so he casually tossed his business card onto my desk before slipping out the door.

Anger seethed through me—anger at myself for being weak and anger at my past, which prevented me from having a future.

It was a quarter to seven, and Sam would be here soon to pick me up. My nerves were a frayed mess between what had gone on with Cale this morning and my impending dinner with Sam. Even though I saw Sam every week, the idea with going out alone with a guy had my anxiety peaking at new levels.

Needing a moment of normalcy, I texted my mother:

Me:
Mom, I love and miss you. See you guys soon?

Mom:
Hey, sweetie! I love you too. We can’t wait to see you. We’ll for sure be there by Thanksgiving.

Me:
I met a guy and it’s a big disaster. And tonight I am having dinner with a different guy. I am a hot mess like Anj claims!

Mom:
Honey, you are not a hot mess…tell Anj I said to hush it! I am so PROUD of you for dating after all these years. While a career is important, having some sort of social life is too. About time you started listening to your mother! ;)

Me:
I love you, Mom.

Mom:
I love you too, sweetie. Tell me all about your date tomorrow!

When I heard the crunch of gravel outside, I quickly slipped my phone into my purse. Then I noticed Cale’s business card sitting on the counter and snatched it up. Rubbing my finger across it, I couldn’t help but remember our time-stopping kiss today. In an effort to hold on to the nearness of him, I pocketed his card.

A knock on the door signaled me that Sam had arrived. After peeking to check that it was him, I released all three locks and opened the door.

“Hey,” he greeted as he hesitantly held out some roses to me. “These are for you.”

“Wow. Roses. How sweet,” I gushed as I accepted the flowers. “Let me put these in some water before we go.” I ushered him in and then walked towards the kitchen.

I couldn’t help but feel a teeny bit creeped out that he’d brought roses to our ‘friend’ dinner. Normal women didn’t complain when they were given roses. I needed to get my insecurities and fears in check if I had any desire at all to enjoy myself this evening. Sam was just trying to be a gentleman.

After I got the flowers into water, we headed out the door in silence. Sam opened up the car door for me and waited until I was tucked into the car before closing it behind me. He hopped into the driver’s seat and turned to look at me as he started the engine.

“You look absolutely stunning tonight, Lia.” He smiled, pinning me with his intense gaze until I felt the need to look away.

“Thanks,” I murmured as I stroked Cale’s business card through my jeans. Knowing it was there oddly gave me comfort as this completely awkward night began.

I SAT IN my truck thinking about what had happened with Lia just moments earlier. For someone who seemed dead set against dating, it felt like her heart had other ideas. That girl had some serious issues going on, and I intended to fix whatever made her that way—whether she wanted me to or not. I felt I would need a lot of patience with this girl.

That kiss.

That kiss was crazy, fucking amazing.

She’d felt perfect in my arms. Again, it felt like she was always supposed to be there with me, even if I was a recovering fuck-up.

Dad had always had the most impossible expectations for me. I hadn’t been able to just play football in high school—I’d had to be the star. My grades hadn’t been okay by just passing—they’d had to be perfect. Even my social life had been scripted and revolved around hanging out with my dad’s friends’ kids. He never acknowledged when I did well, just kept pointing to the future. Not my future,
his
.

I wasn’t the only one he’d done this to. My poor mother had tried to live up to his impossible expectations all the time. The roast was never moist enough. His shirts weren’t pressed like he preferred them. So, to me, it hadn’t come as a surprise when she’d run off with her personal trainer, never looking back at either of us. My dad, however, had not only been shocked and embarrassed, but he had been absolutely furious that she’d left
him
of all people. Unfortunately for me, I became front and center at that point for him to focus on.

My senior year, I met Madison. She didn’t come from Dad’s circle of friends and was what he considered “trash.” We began an unlikely friendship: prom king and goth queen. Madison didn’t give two shits about what anyone thought and stomped around in those damned combat boots she wore like she was crushing those who could never understand her underfoot. She cussed like a sailor, failed most of her classes, and smoked her cigarettes all over campus like she owned the fucking place. And I loved her for it.