Touch of Love (8 page)

It was Stephanie
who had interrupted them. Looking smug like a cat with a saucer of cream, she was watching them with those perceptive green eyes.

‘What’s up, shrimp?’ Adam didn’t seem too embarrassed. Amused
, yes, and maybe a bit annoyed to be interrupted, but he definitely was not ashamed.

‘Your dad is looking for you
.’ She rolled her mascara-lined eyes. ‘Apparently, we will need another guest room. Jake just called in that he is bringing an unexpected addition. One of his work colleagues, as far as I know. The scriptwriter, I think.’

And there was the
answer to her pondering over whom Jake had run off to see on such short notice—not a desperate last-minute date, but to fulfill a work commitment. She should have been relieved. Just moments before, she’d been hoping he was unattached. Somehow, it didn’t matter anymore. All she could recall was the way Adam’s lips had shaped themselves around hers, warm and beguiling. The way he’d felt, rock solid and warm, had given her the uncanny feeling that everything would be all right as long as he held her.

‘
The house is full,’ Stephanie continued, busy studying her black-painted nails. Elly could tell that such prosaic things like accommodations didn’t really make the cut in her busy life. ‘With all the relatives and friends, we’re fully loaded. Your dad wants your input into where we should put David. Probably wants to bunk him down with you.’ She flashed her cousin a smile, showing the gleaming silver stud in her tongue.

‘David?’
The surprise in his voice mixed with something else that was very close to worry.

‘Yeah, there was some last
-minute problem with the script for the next episode, so he decided to hunt Jake down all the way here.’ Stephanie shrugged. ‘They’re on the way back here now.’

He
hesitated for a moment, his expression worried. The seductive man from only seconds ago was gone, and the loss was much more upsetting than she’d expected.
What were you expecting? That somehow, miraculously, he’d fall under your spell? He kissed you, for God’s sake, not made love to you.

‘We’d better go and deal with it, then.’ Still, it smarted
her to see him so absorbed into his task. Her lips still tingled from his kiss, and her pulse remained dangerously high. Adam didn’t seem to have any problems with moving on, which probably was for the best. Stephanie’s cheerful gaze made it impossible to even tell him what she thought of his Neanderthal techniques.

As t
hey walked outside, she was distracted momentarily by the lanterns, pale golden and orange, glowing softly in the darkness of the evening. Globes hung from invisible wires along the house and in the old chestnut trees with gnarled branches almost reaching the patio. They bathed the gathering in soft, milky light, blurring the edges and lending the scenery an almost surreal beauty.

‘Jake’s idea
.’ Stephanie nodded, her green gaze following Elly’s. ‘I’d say that he is much better than the ridiculous designer your parents hired to throw this party, Adam.’ She harrumphed and walked off, her light, ballerina-like steps conjuring images of fairies.

She and Adam
were alone. Elly had about twenty seconds to say what she wanted before they reached his family. The opportunity was way too good to be passed by. She vaguely recalled a saying that silence meant compliance. Well, she wasn’t being compliant anymore.

‘
Wait a second,’ she commanded, surprised that he obeyed right away. However, things went terribly wrong, anyway. Their eyes met, his dark gaze serious and veiled. She’d expected him to make a joke or tease her to break the tension, but he didn’t. Instead, he watched her carefully, his face a mask of indifference. It made her feel silly and childish.
Am I really going to bring up the kiss and scold him like he’s some eighth grader who smooched me at the school dance?

She chickened out.
The words she really meant to say stuck in her throat. ‘Who is David?’ came out instead. ‘You seemed worried when Stephanie mentioned him. Is he trouble?’

‘I was surprised
.’ If he realized she was taking the easy way out, he played along.

Probably relieved to skip the whole emotional drama, anyway.

‘And no, he’s rather decent. Just didn’t think he’d come all the way over here. That’s all.’ He wasn’t telling her the whole truth. She could tell by the way his lips pressed together as if trying to prevent him from saying too much.

‘Well, it’s a night of surprises, I guess.’
She sounded bitter, and she knew it. But she was tired, confused, and miserable. The rush of adrenaline was not enough to last her the evening. His kiss had managed to make everything okay for a moment, but it was over, and she was back to square one.

‘I
’m sorry.’ Adam stepped closer, his eyes intent. She had to look away, unable to keep the eye contact. It was easier to listen to him while she glanced at the garden.

‘Look at me,
Elly.’ His insistent voice made it impossible to remain aloof. She turned back to him, determined to finish the evening on a positive note. Jake would be back in a moment. And she would be wiser in the future.
No more alone time with Adam.

‘I behaved like a total ass in there
.’

Is
it wishful thinking, or did he sound absolutely sincere?

‘I shouldn’t have pushed your buttons like that. I can’t even come up with a plausible excuse
, to be honest.’ His laughter was a bit shaky. ‘Even though I would be lying if I told you I regret kissing you. It was the best two minutes I had today.’

‘Don’t expect me to say you’re welcome,’ she grumbled
, earning a grin in response.
Much better,
she thought with relief,
anything but the serious expression that makes me feel like he really cared about… anything.

‘AJ, where have you guys been?’
His father appeared abruptly, his bushy eyebrows furrowed and intimidating. ‘What do we do with David? Can’t send him back to the hotel, can we? For all we know, he probably didn’t book anything, either.’ He sighed and ran his large hand through his impressive silver mane. His eyes, just as jet-black as Adam’s, went to his son’s face. ‘Any ideas?’

‘I guess putting him
on a pullout bed in Aunt Laura’s room is out of question?’ Adam didn’t seem to share much of his father’s anxiety. Or he was better at hiding it. ‘I think you should leave it up to Jake. After all, it’s his friend, right?’

‘Jake? Where is my favorite nephew?’ Aunt Laura stepped in, her sharp blue
-eyed gaze going from father to son as if she suspected them of hiding Jake behind their backs. ‘Let me tell you, Ronald, if the party tomorrow is just as disorganized as this evening, it will be a total flop.’

Elly
bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. The old lady looked absolutely ballistic, her small stature unable to prevent her from being truly intimidating. ‘People coming and going, nobody even knows who they are.’ The piercing disdain hit Elly, and she felt like shrinking into the forgiving shadows. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be with him, young lady? I thought you came together?’

‘Jake was kind enough to give our last guest
a lift. He’s not back yet,’ Adam intercepted, his voice carrying enough authority to mollify the old woman.

‘I am glad someone around here has the decency to think of others. Ronald, if you’re done here, I hope you can join me for a drink. I traveled all the way from Florida for this fest, so you
’d better take care of me now. No wonder men in this family have such rotten luck with women. They’re just lousy at keeping them happy.’ Leaving the hint in the air, vibrating with reproach, Laura left. Adam’s father followed her after a moment’s hesitation.

‘That one was for me
.’ Adam leaned to her, his whisper conspiratorial. ‘I don’t think she’ll be forgiving me anytime soon for the canceled wedding. She’s got a memory of an elephant, so I will be in trouble for a long, long time.’

It didn’t seem to bother him
much. Still, she remembered the way he had looked that morning in the park. No amount of self-deprecating humor could erase her memories of a man who seemed lost and desperate after a night spent trying to exorcize his demons. His bloody tattoo had been his only means of achieving that.

‘What did it say?’ s
he asked impulsively. ‘The tattoo, I mean? It was Latin, wasn’t it?’

Adam didn’t seem to mind her curiosity.
‘
Cogito ergo sum
. I think, therefore, I am. Descartes said it, and I couldn’t agree more. I figured it would be a great reminder for me every time I want to do something stupid. Plus, I tried to imagine getting a more dramatic tattoo and flashing it every time I strip in public. Not that I was in the mind frame to plan for anything inappropriate happening at that time…’ He laughed, once again guessing her thoughts. Because she had conjured images of his smooth, naked body intertwined with some faceless woman. She could almost see the woman’s finger playfully tracing the words on the smooth skin of his abdomen. She would ask him why he’d gotten it, and they would have a good laugh about it, his wounds healed and gone forever… She didn’t want to think of it because the strange sensation of feeling left out was too unsettling to analyze.

‘I meant the beach or a public pool
.’ He laughed. ‘But if you want to have a private showing, just let me know. I’ll be only too happy to arrange it for you.’

She didn’t need to answer
. The two men who stepped onto the patio saved her from the dangerous conversation. Jake was back, with another man who followed only a step behind. He was tall and well built, only an inch or so shorter than Jake. If that was what scriptwriters looked like, she would have to let Jess know. Because David was absolutely gorgeous, from the tip of his unruly dark-blond hair to the simple loafers he was wearing. With his brown eyes, distinguished face, and just a pinch of what the French call
je ne sais quoi
, he most certainly embodied every woman’s dream man.

Their eyes met
, and he grinned at her, revealing a dimple in his left cheek. She couldn’t help it and smiled back. She had to think about the wheel of fortune. Jess would certainly be pleased with the way things were playing out for Elly. She was surrounded with three gorgeous men, after all.

By two in the morning, Elly was ready to finally throw in the towel and get up. The party long over, everyone had dispersed into the sanctuary of the huge home by midnight. The last good-night wishes had faded into cozy, self-satisfied silence. Elly was dead on her feet, her eyes bleary with sleepiness and her lips hurting from laughing at David’s jokes. He was a great guy, she had to admit, still surprised that Jake seemed so tense to have him around. Genuinely funny, he was the best storyteller she had ever met. His Scottish accent only added to the allure of his low, masculine voice.

She caught Jake’s eyes watching him with a
puzzled expression, refusing to lighten up even a notch.
Probably work problems,
she figured, attributing the awkwardness to the world of artists and cinema, full of conflicts and drama.

Adam behaved nicely
, treating Elly pretty much the same as he did Stephanie. Her worries that he might try repeating what had happened earlier proved ungrounded. She declared her disappointment over his aloofness as nothing more but the result of her drinking. She wasn’t used to have her glass refilled so many times, after all…

The only time he showed any deeper interest
in Elly was when she was chatting with Jake and David. She caught Adam listening intently, even though he seemed deep in conversation with another guest. She watched him nod at all the right times, his smile and polite attention almost foolproof.
Almost, but not quite
. He was a great actor, but his beautiful smile was nothing but a mask as far as she was concerned.

Why
is he so curious what I’m talking to them about, anyway? Is he still worried I’m going to seduce his precious stepbrother? Good luck with that,
she mused angrily as a childish wish to do exactly that almost made her flirtatious.
It’d teach him not to patronize me.

In the end
, she didn’t follow through with her wicked intentions. Jake didn’t really deserve being a pawn in a game like that—especially since he looked so genuinely worried, no matter how hard he worked at hiding it. His relief when the evening drew to an end was almost palpable, as if he were worried about something bad happening. He walked her gallantly to her guest room, even though she told him repeatedly that she would be fine on her own. Aware of Adam’s eyes burning holes in her back as she walked away, she relented.

If he suspected her of trying to manipulate Jake, Adam was
worried for nothing, since Jake didn’t seem interested in anything but polite yet hurried good-night wishes before he left her at her door. She watched him walk away, wishing he would turn around and stay awhile. His broad shoulders tense with stress, he disappeared around the corner before she got the chance to ask him to stay.

T
wo hours and countless tosses and turns later, she put on a robe and tightened the sash of the silky scrap of fabric into a knot. She opened her door and peeked cautiously into the moonlit hallway. She made her way downstairs, her fingers caressing the carved bannister guarding the sweeping staircase that looked as if it had come straight out of
Gone with the Wind
. One of the perks of having a really big house was that she didn’t need to worry she would wake anyone with her escapade, because the bedrooms were safely tucked away from the lower level.

The kitchen looked alien in the moonlight. The huge
french door leading to the garden let in enough light to paint the cabinets and walls silver, hiding the corners in velvety darkness. A large basket full of assorted tea bags sat on the counter. She’d have a cup of tea and sit by the window, she decided, the dark silhouettes of the trees outside standing out against the sky. She made her way to fill the kettle with water, terribly self-conscious of the noise she made.

She didn’t want to think of Brad, but
that was impossible. Was he sleeping alone, or did he make up with Lucy after finding solace in her arms? She could hardly imagine him suffering from insomnia. His self-preservation instinct had probably found a way to twist the truth and make her responsible for their breakup.

The sound of the
door opening startled her from her sad thoughts. She looked up to the white patio door, her throat dry with panic. Someone was breaking into the house, and there she was, standing alone and barely dressed in her flimsy robe. She needed to act quickly. One hectic look around provided her with an idea, and she grabbed her mug filled with scalding tea, ready to pour it on the intruder.

He walked in, his steps a bit unsteady. She held her breath, her eyes on his silhouette. One more step
, and he was close enough for her to see his face, bathed in the moonlight.

‘
Please, don’t hurt me.’ His mocking plea made her put the cup back on the counter, her face hot with embarrassment.
Damn Adam and his horrible timing.

‘
You scared me,’ she managed to say in a steady voice, glad for the shadows obscuring her shaking hands. ‘I thought someone was breaking in.’

‘
And instead of yelling for help, you decided to fight him off with a cup of peppermint tea?’ Adam stepped closer, nodding toward the steaming cup.

‘I’d scream later
.’

He
was holding a tall empty glass in his hand, and she watched him put it on the counter. The glass protested his rough treatment with a screechy sound that grated along her nerve endings. He was slightly drunk, she realized.

‘I was actually planning on fetching some
ice to continue my binge out there.’ He gestured toward the garden, where the slightly open door let in the chirping of the cicadas. ‘Just me, the moon, and my drink. I figured I’d get away with it since everyone is tucked in for the night…’ His laughter held a note of bitterness, and suddenly, she understood.

He might have played it cool most of the time, acting indifferent and making fun of his misery. Deep down
, however, he wasn’t nearly as invincible as he wanted her to believe. To think of it, she was probably the last person on his list he would have liked to share this private moment with.

‘Want to have your drink outside?’
His offer surprised her, and she nodded before actually making a conscious decision. As if on autopilot, her body decided for her, her fingers flexing of their own accord to wrap around the mug as she followed him outside, where the air was very warm. The fragrance of flowers she didn’t have a name for caressed her heated face like soothing fingers of a lover. Adam sat down on the steps, propping his back against the wall. The moon gilded his face silver, highlighting his sharp features with its white glow.

‘Come on
.’ He patted the spot next to him, and she followed suit, the surreal sense of being exactly where she was meant to be making it an easy choice. He was still wearing his party clothes, and the white shirt was a pool of brightness in the semidarkness. Her eyes went to his feet, which were still bare.

As s
he lowered herself to sit next to him, she was absurdly aware of his muscular thigh only inches away from her ridiculously underdressed body. As it was, he seemed not to have even noticed she was wearing nothing but a flimsy nighty and a thin robe.

‘Want a shot of something stronger
in your tea?’ Adam asked good-naturedly, producing a half-filled bottle he must have left behind when he walked into the kitchen. ‘There’s plenty, if you’re into rum.’

‘I don’t think so
.’ She shook her head, watching him pour himself a generous amount of amber liquid, which glittered in the moonlight. ‘Getting drunk has never solved any of my problems.’

‘
As you wish.’ He lifted his glass in a salute and finished it off in one gulp. ‘It works for me, though. I intend on getting wasted, in case you wonder. Just enough to finally sleep well, without nightmares.’

‘What kind of nightmares?’
Sometimes letting someone talk it out was the best medicine. Plus, she couldn’t deny she was curious about what exactly went on in his head.

‘Well, let’s see
.’ He looked at her, his eyes serious. He was a long way from getting totally drunk, but tipsy enough to have become very honest. ‘For one, I can see myself standing in this damn church, ready for my wedding rehearsal. Bianca is there, together with Marcus, my best friend. They make love on the altar while everyone is watching and cheering them on. That’s the most frequent one, I think.’

‘Anything else?’

‘I had some other dreams, not nightmarish at all.’ Maybe it was the alcohol, but he didn’t seem so gloomy anymore. His white teeth gleamed in a wolfish smile, and a swarm of butterflies exploded in Elly’s stomach. He had no right to look so good at any time, especially at two in the morning while all alone with her.

‘After we met in the park, I dreamt about you,
Elly.’ He was watching her intently, his eyebrows drawn together into a straight line. ‘It annoyed the hell out of me, too. Why would I dream about someone I’ve met for ten minutes, at best? Especially since the chances of actually seeing you again were stacked against me.’

‘Well, here we are
, against all odds.’ She wasn’t willing to go any deeper into the conversation, not when she felt every square inch of her skin heating in response to his revelations. Her brain conjured images she wasn’t prepared to examine, and her frantic attempts to change the subject were not lost on him.

His
mouth stretched into a smile, his dark eyes pensive. ‘That’s true.’ He nodded, putting down the glass and turning to her, the movement as fast and smooth as that of a predator closing in on his prey. ‘Do you believe in fate, Elly?’

‘Nope
.’ She sighed, the bitter taste of disappointment rising in her throat. ‘I think that we’re responsible for what we get from life, Adam. There are no coincidences and plans for what’s about to happen. Every decision and every step determine what happens next, that’s all.’

‘
Very bitter and very sensible.’ He refilled his drink, obviously not impressed with her logic. ‘So you’d never believe in… destiny, soul mates and things like that?’

‘God, no.’
She laughed, regretting refusing his offer of a drink. If nothing else, it would keep her misery at bay for the next hour or so, because deep down, she knew she wanted to believe this stuff. Until that very day when she’d caught Brad with another woman had shattered her trust in love, she had been willing to believe in fate.

‘
You’re probably right,’ he agreed, leaning back against the wall. His eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks, and Elly wondered how a man could have such long, curly eyelashes that would be envy of every woman. She listened to the insects—the only sound in the peaceful night. The quiet felt comfortable, and she realized with surprise that she had no need whatsoever to fill the void with words. The sense of tranquility that descended upon her in this most unexpected of places made her feel happy for the first time in several hours. She put all her worries and fretting away on a shelf in her mind that was high enough to be out of reach. Adam remained silent, and she looked at him again, only to realize that he had fallen asleep.

So much for
my irresistible charm,
she thought sarcastically as she debated her choices. She could just leave him there. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d spent the night outdoors, after all. But she lingered, her eyes pulled magnetically to his face. Asleep, he looked absolutely peaceful. All the tension had been erased from his handsome features. Her eager eyes traced the proud arches of his eyebrows and the straight line of his nose, slowing down as her gaze brushed the gentle curve of his lips. She watched him breathe, the calm rise and fall of his chest in perfect harmony with the chirping of the unseen crickets. His dark hair blended into the velvety darkness of the night, and his pale face and white shirt were the only pools of light in the blackness that tried to hide him from her eyes like a jealous lover.

She had to try
to get him inside, she decided, if only for the sake of his family that would be less than pleased to find him there, a bottle of rum still propped against his side.

‘Adam, wake up
.’ She hesitated briefly before tapping his shoulder, but the firm structure of bones and muscles under her fingertips was hard and unyielding. ‘Come on. Wake up.’

For a second
, all her efforts seemed in vain. His face remained smooth and peaceful as though he were far away, walking in the land of his dreams. But just as she was about to give up, he stirred, his eyelids flittering like wings of skittish butterflies.

‘
Elly.’ Still confused, he looked into her anxious face. He looked at her with such warmth, almost as if he cared for her. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. For one unbearably beautiful moment, she felt wanted and cared for, and the sensation was so consuming and powerful that her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

It couldn’t last.
She could see the realization dawning in his eyes. His gaze sharpened, and his eyes came into focus.

‘You d
ozed off,’ she said helplessly, unable to stand witnessing the change. ‘I think you’d be better off in your bed.’

‘
Very true.’ He suppressed a yawn, his fingers rubbing his temples. ‘Sorry about that. I am seriously the worst companion when it comes to you. If not stalking you in the park, I fall asleep while we hang out.’