LAUREN

 

My photographs had been enlarged and stood on display throughout the room. Some showed the construction workers laughing while on break, their faces covered in dust, their hands smeared with dirt. Some were only of the building itself. All of them clearly displayed my name in bold print at the bottom.

Billie and Hamish spotted us as soon as we walked in and floated across the nearly empty room. Billie’s shoes sounded loudly on the wooden flooring. She embraced me tightly. “Don’t they just look fantastic?” she said, nodding to the displayed photographs. “Tyler said you were talented but I don’t think I knew just how much until I came here. You must be so proud, Lauren.”

“I am,” I said, stepping back to admire my work as if I had never seen it before. “Thanks.”

“Surely you must be considering giving up your job at the coffee shop and working for yourself full time?”

“I agree,” Hamish said. “I’m sure Tyler would be more than willing to help you in any way he can. He’s got a good head for business, not to mention countless contacts.”

“I hadn’t actually thought about it,” I replied, my eyes sliding over to where Gabe stood stiffly at my side.

“Well, you need to start,” Hamish said.

The first of the guests appeared in the doorway and Hamish and Billie excused themselves to greet them.

“And so it begins,” Gabe said dryly.

“What?” I asked, wondering if he was against the idea of me starting a business. But Gabe wasn’t even looking at me. He was looking over to where his father and Billie were shaking the hands of distinguished looking gentlemen and glamorous women.

“The arse licking,” Gabe replied.

Tyler chose that moment to enter the room. His eyes immediately locked onto mine, although he didn’t walk my way. He turned towards the incoming guests, a professional smile on his face. A shudder ran through me as I looked him over. His tuxedo was tailored perfectly to suit his frame. It sat beautifully across his wide shoulders and tapered down to his waist. He made Gabe look like a little boy playing dress up.

“I’m going to get us something to drink,” Gabe whispered in my ear.

As soon as he left, Tyler strode across the room, his eyes direct and steps confident. “Lauren,” he said. My name sounded different on his lips than it did on anyone else’s. It was both a command and a question.

“Tyler,” I replied, and raised my chin just a fraction. His eyes roamed over me. I wanted to ignore the sensation that his gaze brought, but the tingles that spread over my body left me little choice but to acknowledge them.

“Tyler.” This time it was said by Gabe.

“Gable,” Tyler replied. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to steal your girlfriend for a while.”

Gabe simply lifted that one brow, something I had come to realise was a Thornton trait.

“A few of the investors have expressed an interest in obtaining her skills for themselves.”

Gabe took a sip of the drink he was holding and held a wine glass out to me. “Knock yourself out.”

Tyler looked over and held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Without saying a word, I looped my arm through his and smiled apologetically at Gabe. Tyler gushed about my talent with each introduction and at the end of a whirlwind tour around the room, I was left with many business cards in my bag, and the promise to call them each. The possibility of starting my own business didn’t sound so far-fetched anymore. Tyler was entirely professional and promptly guided me back to Gabe once all the introductions were complete.

Jake was sitting beside Gabe, glaring at the bottom of his glass. He looked up when we approached, eyes narrowing. “Where’s your date?” he asked Tyler.

“I didn’t bring one,” Tyler replied. His eyes flicked quickly over to mine, reminding me of our conversation a couple of weeks back.

“No date?” Jake asked, barely able to contain his amusement.

“Tyler Thornton going stag,” Gabe joined in. “I never thought I’d see the day. Those girls finally click to what sort of a man you are?”

“There’s a point I wish to make,” Tyler said, ignoring the jibes of his brothers and staring directly at me.

“Being what?” Gabe laughed. “That you can’t keep to one girl? That they finally grew some brains and dumped your arse?”

“I was never dating any of them,” Tyler replied, his mouth in a hard line.

“So you keep saying, though I wonder if they knew that,” Gabe replied.

“Enough, you two,” Hamish interrupted. “Tyler,” he said, turning to his eldest son. “It’s time for your speech.”

Tyler nodded and left our group, heading to the small stage at the front of the room.

As the night dragged on, the clinking sound of glasses grew more frequent, the volume of the voices increased and laughter echoed through the room. Gabe and I sat in the corner with Jake, both the men sulkily glaring at where Hamish and Tyler made the rounds, clasping hands and talking animatedly. When the music started, I tried to get Gabe to dance, but he wasn’t in the mood. He just sat in the chair beside Jake, drinking glass after glass of whiskey until his eyes glazed over and a lopsided grin spread across his face.

So when Tyler asked me to dance I had little choice other than to accept. It was a slow song, and Tyler’s hand slid around my waist and rested on the small of my back, holding me firmly against him.

“Do you realise you’ve stared at me the entire night?” he asked.

I flicked a look up, but quickly lowered my gaze when his steel coloured eyes met mine, causing my heart to jump.

“I haven’t,” I replied.

Tyler bent his head so his lips brushed against my ear. “Your eyes don’t lie, Lauren, even if your mouth does.”

I straightened in his arms, trying to put some distance between his body and mine, but he merely held me tighter, pressing firmly against me as we danced across the floor.

“Enough of this nonsense, Lauren,” he said, his voice like gravel. “Stop denying this. Stop denying me. There is no point in lying. I can see it in your eyes.”

I pressed my eyes closed and took a deep breath.

“Closing them won’t help,” he said.

“Tyler, please,” I begged, and looked up. His eyes were burning with both intensity and amusement.

“You told me not to bring a date and I didn’t.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“But it does. You told me what I’d have to do to prove I was serious, and I’ve done it. You cannot deny me that.”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I said, my heart pounding in my chest. From across the room, Gabe watched intently as I danced with his brother. I smiled and waved, trying to relieve some of the anxiety in his expression. He didn’t wave back.

“I want you to admit you feel the same way I do. I want you to admit you want my hands on your body just as much as I want to put them there.” His fingers spread over the small of my back, the thinness of the material doing little to shield me from the heat of his touch.

“I can’t,” I said, attempting to pull away. But he held me tight, pulling me closer.

“The moment I saw you, I wanted you,” he said, head bowed low and whispering in my ear. “When you ran into me at the boxing match, and again, when you walked down those stairs with Gabe, I was both entranced and filled with rage when I realised you were with him. I’ve never had that response to a woman before. I’ve never felt that way about anyone and it all happened within a moment.” He forcefully pulled me closer, the breath leaving my chest as he held me against him. “The way your cheeks were flushed, the way you looked at me, the exposed flesh of your back, my body responded to everything about you in such a violent way it was all I could do not to attack Gabe there and then for having your hand in his. Do you know what it feels like to watch you with him? Do you know what torture it is?” Tyler’s breath was laboured as we swayed across the floor. “Do you know how hard it is for me not to press my lips to yours?”

Before he had a chance to tighten his grip on me once again, I broke away and walked across the floor, ignoring Gabe’s questioning glare and going outside.

I needed fresh air. I needed to breathe.

But I wasn’t given the chance.

Tyler was quick to follow. I could feel him standing behind me as I looked out over the lights of the city.

“Tell me what to do and I’ll do it, Lauren. Whatever it takes. I want you.” His words danced through the night air and floated around my mind, confusing my thoughts and scrambling my common sense. “I need you,” he added hoarsely.

I flicked my eyes to his as he stood there, a devilish temptation dressed in a tuxedo. Stepping forward, his hand reached out to take my wrist between his fingers, twisting me until I faced him. My eyes fell down to where I was trapped and he released me, letting my hand fall limply back to my side.

“It’s just you and me. Block everything and everyone else out. Do you want me, Lauren? Look me in the eye, tell me you don’t and I will walk away right now. Just tell me you don’t want me and I will leave.”

I kept my eyes trained to the ground, not trusting myself to look at him. I was afraid if I did, I would throw my arms around his neck and kiss him like there was no tomorrow. Like there was no one else who existed apart from him and me. Like there was no Gabe.

“Look at me,” he said softly and tipped my chin upwards.

My eyes met his and I knew in that moment that I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anyone else. Derek and Gabe faded to nothing. Every inch of me ached to be held by him, ached to know what his body would feel like, how his lips would feel on my skin.

“Do you want me?” His voice was low, almost begging.

There was only a fraction of space between us. I took a step forward, my heart pounding, my legs shaking, and before I could register what I was doing, I pressed my lips to his for the briefest of moments.

It was all the invitation Tyler needed. His hands cupped my face and he brought his lips back to mine, kissing me passionately as desire and pleasure swirled inside. He tasted of mint and smelled of musk. Crushing himself against me, his mouth devoured mine. All other thoughts fled. All I could think about was Tyler. How big and rough his hands felt as they cupped my cheeks. How, even though the rest of our bodies weren’t touching, I could still sense every inch of him as though we were pressed against each other. How his mouth felt like heaven.

It was only as someone cleared their throat behind us, that the waves of panic and shame rippled through me. Tyler pulled away, his hands still clasping my face, my eyes searching his even as my mind flew to Gabe.

“Dad’s looking for you,” Jake said.

“Give me a minute,” Tyler said, his voice rough and broken.

“I think it best you come now.”

Tyler’s breath came out in short pants over my face. His eyes searched mine as the panic began to rise. “Don’t,” he whispered. “Don’t regret this.”

“I—” But Tyler pressed his lips to mine again, silencing the words that never came.

“Wait,” he said. And then he was gone.

“So?” Jake asked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “Are you going to tell him or am I?”

The tears came immediately. “I never meant—”

Jake cut me off angrily. “You or me?”

I hung my head. “I will,” I said.

“When?”

“Now?” I asked.

Jake shook his head. “Not tonight. Not here. Not while Tyler and Gabe are in the same area code. But you will tell him.”

I nodded as the tears fell down my cheeks. “I never meant—”

“No one ever does,” Jake replied. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you did. Is this thing between you and Tyler serious?”

I shook my head and shrugged. “I don’t know what it is.”

“Well, I suggest you figure it out before you tell Gabe.”

I nodded again and wrapped my arms around my chest, suddenly feeling cold.

“We all make mistakes, Lauren, there is no shame in that. But there is in lying. Don’t put Gabe through that. He loves you.”

A sob escaped and I covered my face with my hands. “I know,” I said. “I never meant for this to happen. I know what it’s like to be on the other side of this equation and I never thought I would be the one to—” The words fell away as another sob escaped me. “I never meant—” I hiccupped and Jake’s expression softened.

“Tyler can be very persuasive when he wants something,” he said. “And if he’s the one you want to be with, then you need to own up to that. I warned him not to go near you, but you turned out to be too much of a temptation for him.”

“You knew?”

“I’m one of the few people he actually confides in.”

“So is it all about the chase for him? Am I just caught in some sick game he’s playing with Gabe?”

Jake shook his head. “Only he can answer that. All I know is I’ve never seen him pursue someone as relentlessly as he’s pursued you, even when he didn’t want to. In fact, I’ve never seen him pursue someone at all. You’ve certainly got under his skin.”