Holy shit! How does Dad know what I was about to do?
“Dad? What are you talking about?”
“Your picture? On TV? It’s all they’re talking about. The mystery woman. No mystery to me. I know who my daughter is. What the hell? I didn’t agree to this LA thing for you to get involved in that business. With some…some actor?” Her father spit out the last word of his rant as if it was a fly in his mouth.
Vanessa spoke as she moved away from Riley on the couch to the stairs. “What? Wait, Dad, slow down. Explain.”
“Your grandmother woke me up hollering that you were on TV. You know how she watches those tabloid TV talk show things? So I went out there, and sure enough, they showed your picture. Holding hands with an actor. They called you his ‘mystery woman.’ They also said there were reports of you getting treated at a hospital. WHAT’S GOING ON, VANESSA LYNN TAYLOR?”
She had ascended the stairs and entered her room. “Daddy,” she said quietly, “I already told you earlier that I sprained my…”
“You didn’t tell me any of THIS, young lady. Did HE hurt you?”
“Certainly not. He helped me…”
“So is THIS why you stayed? To date some actor?”
“We aren’t, weren’t dating. Well...” Oops. “Whatever, it’s not why I made the decision to stay. Ugh. It’s complicated, Daddy.”
Her father let out a slow breath. She knew from experience that he was probably running his hand over the top of his head. “Vanessa,” he said, trying to restrain himself, “are you involved with this guy or not?”
“Define involved.”
“Vanessa Lynn Taylor, if you don’t answer my question, I’m…”
She’d had enough. “Hey! Dad! Stop!” she yelled, then she controlled herself. “For the millionth time, I’m an adult, one who’s not living under your roof, and one who’s certainly free to make my own decisions. I told you the truth the other day. That’s all it is. You need to trust that I know what I’m doing. I. Am. Fine.” She took a deep breath. “Now, you know, you’re the one who told me those shows twist the truth, Daddy.”
“It’s different when I see my daughter on it.”
“They didn’t use my name?”
Another slow breath released from her father’s mouth. “No. And your hair is blocking your face. But I knew it was you.”
“Okay then. It was all innocent. Don’t worry.”
He grunted. “That’s like telling a fish not to swim.” He hung up.
Vanessa headed back downstairs to face Riley. She found him on the couch where she left him, but he was all back together, shirted and fully zipped. She couldn’t hide her disappointment. “Is everything okay?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
She became aware that she had not re-hooked her bra. She turned around so she could made a quick assessment before answering him: nothing hanging out or looking weird, so she was good.
“Not sure how to answer that question.”
Riley raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Well, apparently you and I are all over tabloid TV. They got a picture of us coming out of the restaurant last night, and they mentioned that I was treated at the hospital. Called me your ‘mystery woman.’ My grandmother saw it and woke my dad up to see it.”
Riley leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and looked down. “And I guess he’s not thrilled.”
“No.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I reminded him that those shows twist the truth. That it was completely innocent. He said they didn’t mention me by name. I told him earlier about twisting my ankle.” She laughed. “He actually asked if you hurt me.”
Riley covered his face with his hands. After a few minutes, he spoke. “But I did. And Vanessa, I’m so sorry.”
“For what? You aren’t responsible for my klutziness. And the publicity was part of the deal. We knew they took pictures of us last night.”
He looked up at her with a pained expression. “But I didn’t even consider how all this publicity would affect you.”
She moved around the coffee table to sit next to him on the couch. She reached over and ran her hands along his cheeks and turned his face toward hers. She leaned closer to him and looked him directly in the eyes. “I’m going to tell you the same thing I told my father,” she huskily whispered. “I’m a big girl. I can handle anything.” She leaned in further and kissed him. “Now, if you don’t mind,” she said against his lips, “I’d really like to continue our, um, conversation we started before we were so rudely interrupted.”
Riley gently grabbed her hands and removed them from his face and held them. He pulled away from the kiss and stared deeply into her eyes. “I really don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
Whoa! Talk about a punch to the gut. More like a punch to the ego. Don’t you dare cry, Nessa. Don’t you do it. Ask first. Ask why. Shit. I already know why. He’s not attracted to me at all. I have made a fool of myself. Don’t show it, Ness. Here it comes. How I’m not right for him. How I’m not pretty enough. How I’m not smart enough. It’s happened before. Shouldn’t hurt so much.
“I get it,” she said, and she made a move to stand. His hands gripped hers tighter, urging her to stay seated.
“Wait, get what?” he queried, eyebrows furrowed.
“You’re not… I mean I’m not…your type,” she said quietly, refusing to make eye contact. “I get it.”
He released her hands. “You know, for someone so intuitive, you really can be quite dense.” He leaned back against the sofa annoyed. “You really think I’m not interested in you, don’t you?”
“Why should you be any different?” She realized that superego thing stopped working again. “I mean, I’m not… well… I’m not like what you’re used to.”
He leaned forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “That, Vanessa, is precisely what attracted me. Please look at me.” When she hesitated, he lifted her chin to meet his eyes. “Don’t you dare compare me to any other guys. They were jerks. And that is what I’m trying not to be here.” He brushed her hair off her face. “I think you’re beautiful,” he whispered.
A tear slid down Vanessa’s cheek, and he wiped it with his thumb.
“Apparently, you don’t hear that enough.” He smiled. “And the more I get to know you, the more I want to know you. A few minutes ago, I’ve never wanted anyone more than I wanted you.” He kissed her forehead. “Remember, I was raised to respect sex as serious business. I don’t believe in one night stands. Plus, anyone who has a dad who cares enough to call her, that worried about her, deserves better than a fast and furious roll on the couch with someone she barely knows.”
“I haven’t had sex in almost four years,” she blurted out, quickly reddening at her admission.
He chuckled. “Whoa.” He grabbed her right hand and lifted it to his mouth. “I understand that. There was six years between Melanie and Bailee. But, Vanessa, with Bailee, I moved too fast. You know how that ended.” Vanessa’s expression became defensive, so he quickly added, “I’m not making any comparisons. I already like you way more than I ever did her. And aren’t you the one who told me to learn from my mistakes?” He raised one hand and cupped her cheek in his palm. “So this time, I want to go slowly.”
“How slow?” she asked, mesmerized by his green eyes.
He smiled. “I want to know that you love me first.” What if I already do?
He pulled her into a tender kiss that quickly deepened. The unfamiliar tingle lit her body on fire. They sunk into the kiss and leaned back against the couch. Once his tongue tried to access her parted lips, she pulled away.
“You know, if you wanna take this slow, I’d suggest you not do that. That’s what got me really going earlier, and I think I’ll spontaneously combust if we have to stop again.”
“And that,” he trailed a finger down the side of her face to her chin, a mischievous glint in his eye, “would be tragic.”
“Are you for real?” she blurted.
“I’m pretty sure. But we could have some philosophical conversation about metaphysics, quoting Descartes and…”
“No. I mean I don’t know any guy who would do what you just did.”
He smiled. “Believe me, it’s not easy.” He moved against her, and she could feel his arousal on her leg. “I’m just going to have to set things into motion so that you fall in love with me faster than the average person.”
“You won’t have to work too hard,” she whispered against his lips.
“Good to know.” And he kissed her again.