When I open my eyes, Lynn, Mom, and Dad are hovering over me in the waiting room of the hospital where Lindsey is. When Lynn sees my eyes are open, she leans over and places a kiss on my forehead.
“You had us all sick with worry. Bridget has been calling nonstop demanding to know what’s going on, but we had nothing to tell her. All they told me was you were in an accident. I’m happy you’re fine. I can’t imagine how annoying she’d be if you weren’t.”
I have to laugh at my half-sister. We’ve only known each other for a short time, but she fits right in. She always has. It’s funny how fate brings people into our lives we didn’t even know we needed. My family desperately needed Lynn, no matter how she came to be a part of it. My dad’s indiscretions may have been hard for us to deal with, but Lynn is the one shiny spot in it all. Even my mom adores her.
“I’m fine,” I groan.
My dad chuckles at my response. “Yes, you are, and thank God for that, Olivia. You barely have a scratch. Do you know how lucky you are? Be thankful it’s not worse. Lindsey wasn’t as lucky,” he scolds, and I wince. The reminder that my friend is in critical condition makes me feel like shit for complaining.
“Is there any update on her?” I ask the room in general.
“She’s been taken in for surgery. She’ll live, but she’s going to have months of therapy before she’s able to walk.”
I gasp. “It’s that bad?”
“You have no idea how lucky you are.”
I begin to cry at the thought of Lindsey being that hurt. She was there for me when I needed someone the most. She’s become my best friend in a short amount of time, and her hurt is mine.
“Is there anything you can do to help, Dad?” My father is a well-known surgeon in New York and perhaps he can help. “Sorry, kiddo, not on this one. This is beyond my scope of practice. But I can assure you her parents are sparing no expense. Everything they can do will be done.”
I relax, knowing they have all of the financial backing they need to get her the best care possible. I’m thankful that’s the case. Many others haven’t been so lucky. All of a sudden everyone in the hallway looks uncomfortable.
“What? What am I missing?” I demand.
My mom speaks up. “You have a visitor.”
I scrunch my nose in confusion. “Who?”
“Spencer Lancaster.”
I look in the direction of where my mom is looking, and there he is walking through the door into the waiting room. My jaw drops. “What? What’s he doing here? How . . . How did he know?”
“Liv, it’s all over the news. Everyone knows. You were with the heiress of oil,” she remarks, raising her brow. “Clearly everyone’s going to be covering it.”
I groan. “Oh, God, this is horrible.”
My dad speaks up. “Do you want me to send him away?”
“No!” I all but shout. “I just . . . I don’t want him to be here because he feels obligated. I have you guys.”
“Why would you say that?” Lynn asks.
I shoot her a nasty look, telling her to shut her mouth so no one else asks to know the details. I don’t feel up to airing our dirty laundry.
“Relax, Olivia,” Lynn says. “It’s not like I’m not a subscription holder to Exposé. We know all about your tryst abroad with the sexy Lancaster.”
My cheeks burn. “It wasn’t a tryst. We were dating.”
“Were?” my mom questions. “Clearly he thinks you still are.”
My eyes widen. “Really?” I stop my words. My family doesn’t need to know all the gory details.
“He’s here, isn’t he?” My mom looks to where Spencer is standing.
My dad grins. “Someone’s been bitten by Cupid.”
I cringe at his lameness.
“Seriously?” Lynn throws Dad a look of disappointment at his terrible joke.
“What? I have to say something embarrassing.”
“Mission accomplished,” I say.
“Coffee break time. Everyone out. I’m sending over the Sexiest Bachelor of 2017,” Lynn jokes.
I roll my eyes at her now.
“What? Dad can’t be the only one with the bad jokes.” Everyone laughs at this.
It’s good to be back with my family. I’ve spent so much time running away that I’ve missed out. I watch as they all quickly pile out, then I begin my internal freak-out.
He’s here . . . He’s actually here!
I have yet to look in a mirror since the accident. I’ve been so worried about Lindsey, I have thought of nothing but her. I’m probably a mess. I run my fingers through my hair, trying desperately to get some of the knots out to no avail. I’m still trying to tame the mess when he appears in front of me looking devastatingly handsome. His face is full of worry and my heart melts in this moment.
“You’re here,” I say softly.
“Of course I’m here.” He comes to my side, takes my hand in his, and brings his forehead down upon them. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I’m not. I’m still shaking, but having him here with me, I feel my pulse start to regulate. His arms engulf me, and his lips lay small kisses on the top of my head. He holds me for a minute and the beat of his heart calms me further. After a few seconds, he pulls back. His stare penetrates me.
“I heard about your friend Lindsey.”
“She’s hurt badly.”
“I heard. I’m so sorry, Olivia.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Isn’t it, though?”
I look at him, perplexed. “Why would it be your fault?”
“If I hadn’t left you . . .”
“Why did you leave me?”
“I’m so sorry, Olivia. I should’ve called you. You have no idea how worried I’ve been.”
“Why?” I deadpan.
He lifts his head to look me in the eye.
“You left me. Why would you be worried about me? Why are you here, Spencer?” I can’t contain the bitterness from my voice.
“I didn’t leave you, Olivia. I walked outside to get fresh air, and my brother called to tell me my dad had a heart attack.”
My eyes widen at this news.
“I told the hostess to let you know and to help you get back to the room. I should’ve come back in and told you what was going on, but I just freaked. I didn’t know how to handle the news.” He shakes his head, looking tired. “I told you I wasn’t good at relationships.”
“Your dad had a heart attack? My God, Spencer. I had no idea. The hostess made it sound as if you left me on purpose. I thought it was because of what the reporter said about my past.”
He flinches. “Olivia, I’m a wealthy New Yorker. You think I haven’t grown up with friends who have addictions? Look at Pierce. It doesn’t define who you are now.”
“So, now what?”
“Like I said, I want you. I want to be with you. I want to try this.”
“You still want to date me? To be my boyfriend?” I sound so weak. So insecure. But why would he want this? Our time apart back in the real world reminded me who I was and who he is—and we don’t fit. He’s goddamn Spencer Lancaster, and all I am is a washed up model. My teeth nibble on my lip.
His finger tilts my jaw up. “Of course I do. Nothing’s changed since I last saw you. I still want you. Why would I not?”
I think back to his face the night he left and what the paparazzi said. “I thought after what . . .” I trail off. “When I first started modeling, I had a coke problem.”
“And now.”
“No.” And I don’t. Do I? No.
“Have you done it since? Are you still using?” He isn’t accusing.
“No.” The words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.
His eyes narrow, and with a shake of his head he leans in and kisses me. I flush with heat. Even though it has only been a matter of days, I feel as if he’s kissing me for the very first time. My stomach flutters at the soft press of his lips, the swipe of his tongue. As he pulls away, I can feel the smirk forming on his face.
“I needed to do that,” he states. No apology for kissing me in a waiting room full of strangers. “So, what are the doctors saying about your friend?”
“She’s supposed to be in surgery. We were just waiting for more information when you came. It’s taking forever for an update. I just want to know if she’s in surgery yet.”
“I’ll find out.” He steps away and goes to the desk. Within a minute he’s back in front of me. “She’s being prepped right now.”
My eyes begin to well. “Is she going to be okay?” I whisper, and he pulls me into him.
“She will,” he states, not giving me any room for doubt.
We spend the next few hours in the waiting room, my head leaning on him. Eventually, I close my eyes and fall asleep. I’m not sure how much time has passed, but I hear Spencer through my haze.
“Hey,” I mumble, my voice laced with sleep.
“I didn’t want to wake you, but I wanted you to know she’s out of surgery. She’s going to be fine.”
Fresh tears of relief pour out of me.
When we’re allowed, Spencer escorts me to Lindsey’s room. I peek in the door and go still when I see her lying there. She looks so fragile and small, nothing like the Lindsey I’ve grown to love. I grab her hand in mine. She’s asleep and I don’t want to wake her. I just need to see she’s okay.
“Hey, Linds, that was hella scary, right?” I blow out a breath. “I’m so glad you’ll be okay. They tell me you’re going to have a long road ahead of you, but I’ll be there every step of the way, I promise. You can count on me. You won’t go through this alone.” I sigh.
“Your parents are here. My mom says they’ve been really attentive and worried. Maybe when this is all over, you guys can sit down and have a talk? I really think you need to.” I rub her hand comfortingly. “Demand they give you the type of attention you deserve. Make them see you want to be a family, because I know you want that, Lindsey. I see it every time you talk about them.”
I squeeze her hand, and she squeezes back. I look at her hand and her fingers moving slightly. She doesn’t speak, but I know she can hear me and that’s enough for me. I place a kiss on her head and let her get back to resting. She’s going to need a lot of it, but in the end, she’ll be okay and that’s all that matters.
When I step out of the room, I find Spencer waiting for me. He takes my hand in his. The warmth of his hand encases mine and makes me feel better. Like everything will be okay.
“How are you holding up?” he asks on the way out of the hospital.
“Fine. I’m just tired.”
“You need rest.”
“I needed to see Lindsey. I want her to know I’m here.”
“You’re a good friend.”
“I care about her. She doesn’t have a lot of people who do. Plus, it’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“You don’t know that.” I caress his cheek. “I’ve been sick over the fact you left me. I knew I was falling for you, Spencer, but I had no clue how much.”
He smiles. “Thank God. I thought I was the only one who had it bad.” He chuckles. “I didn’t think this was possible until the day I met you. I tried so hard to push you away because my life isn’t easy. I’ve watched the strain on my dad. How stressed he was. How worried my mom has always been for him. I didn’t think I ever wanted that. I thought I had to choose between a family or my career, and my career has always been a given.” He takes a deep breath. “But now I know I want to try. Why can’t I have both?” He throws his hands up. “For the first time I want both, and I want it with you.”
I grin. “No need to rush, Mr. Lancaster. I’m not going anywhere.”
He winces at my words. “Thank God. If something serious had happened to you, I don’t know what I would’ve done. I would have never forgiven myself.”
“Let’s not focus on that. Let’s move forward.” He leans over and kisses me, and in this moment my world is right. Everything I want is in front of me, and I thank God I’m given this chance to enjoy my happiness.
Now that my world is perfect, I plan to help make Lindsey’s the same. For now, though, I’m going to enjoy my man. “How fast can we get back to the city?”
He raises a brow. “What are you planning in that head of yours?”
“It’s been too long since we’ve . . . you know.”
“Had sex?”
My cheeks grow warm. “Well . . . yeah.”
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea. You seem exhausted. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m not porcelain. You can do it.”
“I can definitely do it.”
I roll my eyes. “Prove it.”
Hand in hand, we enter the lobby of The Lancaster. This place is like nothing I have ever seen.
Standing tall, the building has large windows lining the front façade. The Lancaster faces Fifth Avenue and has a perfect unobscured view of Central Park. Prime real estate in Manhattan. I can’t even begin to estimate how much this one property is worth, let alone the rest of the catalogue that comprises of The Lancaster Empire.
It’s a bold statement, but as we walk through the pristine marble and glass lobby all the way to the private elevator that takes us to the penthouse suite, the message is clear. He’s telling the world I’m his. That we are together. That he is taking me back to his place. It’s funny to say that. We aren’t going back to his place. We are going back to his hotel, The Lancaster.
As much wealth and opulence as I am expecting, I’m not prepared for what I’m greeted with. Not able to speak from pure awe, I take in the luxurious yet modern space. I know Spencer is rich, but this is a whole other realm of opulence.
“Is this where you live?” I ask as Spencer turns the key of a penthouse hotel suite.
“I don’t actually keep a residence.”
I turn my face away from the door and stare up at him.
“I don’t understand. So where is it you stay?” I ask, the confusion evident in my voice.
“I’m never anywhere long enough.” He shrugs as he pushes the door open.
“So you stay in your hotel?”
Spencer nods as he steps aside so that I can enter. The suite is magnificent. It doesn’t even look like a hotel room at all. More like a luxurious apartment. Spencer takes my hand in his and he leads me down a small romantically lit hallway that opens up into a grand living room that boasts floor to ceiling windows on the far wall and on the other is a set of French doors leading into the bedroom.
“Come on, I’ll make us something to drink.” I take a seat on the couch and silence descends as he pours me a glass of scotch and hands it over to me.
“It is different, isn’t it?”
“What is?” he asks as he lifts the glass to his mouth and takes a sip.
“Being here in New York. Together.” For some reason I’m nervous. He gestures to the glass in my hand.
“Try it. It will loosen you up.”
“Are you trying to seduce me?”
“Hey, you’re the one who asked to come here.”
“So, you don’t want me?”
“Olivia, hear me now. It’s taking every last bit of energy for me not to rip your clothes and fuck you already. To be so goddamn deep inside you that tomorrow you won’t be able to sit without knowing I was there.”
“So, why don’t you?” I purr.
“Because I’m trying hard to show you I’m all in. That this is more than just sex for me. That I want you. All of you.”
“Okay.”
He steps toward me, his hand extends out until his finger sweeps lightly against my jaw. “Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“So, let’s have our first ‘date’ in the states. Do you want to eat?”
“I haven’t eaten all day.”
“Shit, why didn’t you tell me? I would have insisted you eat before you saw Lindsey.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay,” he huffs out. “You need to eat.”
“I can stand to lose—”
“Stop right there. You don’t need to lose shit. And I don’t give a damn what that fucking photographer said. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
I know I’m not, but I don’t need Spencer lecturing me right now. I want to enjoy the time I have with him. “So, dinner? Since you own the hotel, do we get room service?”
“Since I own the hotel, you can get anything you want even if it’s not in the hotel.”
“Show off.”
“You know it, baby.”
Hearing him use the moniker makes me feel light, airy. It stretches throughout my whole body until I feel I can take flight.
After dinner, we sit on the couch, two glasses of wine on the table. His right hand reaches for my left and our fingers interlock. “Want to watch a movie?” he asks as his fingers gently skim my knuckles and causes me to shiver.
“Can we do that?”
“Of course we can. We can do anything you want.”
I turn my head to him and cock it. “Really?”
“Again, did you miss the part where I own this hotel?” He winks as a smirk spreads across his face. “And this is The Lancaster. We are known for our impeccable service.”
“So, if I wanted to watch a movie . . .” I trail off, purposely letting him finish my sentence.
“We’d get it.”
“And if I wanted popcorn?”
“Again, we’d get it. And Olivia, if you want those little candies all girls order on dates—”
“Jujubes.”
“Yes, those. We’d get those too. Again, ‘The Lancaster,’” he air quotes. “Anything you want.”
“Anything?”
“And that, too. But not for all the guests. That’s limited just for you.”
“Good. I don’t like to share,” I say
“I don’t share either.” His voice is serious and I notice there’s something in his eyes, something I can’t place. It’s lingering there like a dark cloud. Threatening to rain. “Come here.” He pulls me close to him on the couch and I tilt my head up to welcome his kiss. A gentle one. When he pulls away, I pout.
“I promised you a real first date.”
“We are in one of the nicest hotels in all of Manhattan, in what must be the most expensive suite. This isn’t like a real first date.”
“Just pretend we aren’t. Pretend we just met and we just started dating.”
“Well, that wouldn’t be too hard.”
“You’re impossible,” he says, and I laugh.
“Fine. I’m not a Jujubes girl, I want Reese’s Pieces. Actually, no. I want hot popcorn with M&M’s poured in the bowl so they get warm and crack a little.”
“You’re difficult, too.”
“I believe the term is high maintenance.”
“I believe you’re correct. But lucky for you and me this is one of the simpler demands.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
Spencer picks up the phone to dial his butler, runs off our list of supplies, then together we set out to choose a movie. Once settled, he pulls me into his lap and we eat popcorn and act like a couple of high school kids. It’s the most fun and the most relaxed I’ve felt in the last few years.
Halfway through the movie, and with absolutely no notice, Spencer grabs my shirt at the bottom and pulls it over my head. He sucks in a breath as my breasts come into view.
“Sorry, this might not have been a good idea. I’m liable to ravage you. It’s been too long.”
“Please, ravage away. But while you’re ravaging, take your time.” I wink.
He removes my bra, tossing it aside. Taking my nipples in his fingers, he gently massages, drawing a moan from my lips.
“That feels so amazing.”
He smirks at my words. “You haven’t felt anything yet.” His soft lips take one into his mouth, sucking and massaging. Everything about his touch is gentle, yet rough. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers against my skin. I feel his warm breath, his soft lips, and his hands roaming all over me. It’s both pleasure and ecstasy. It fuels a fire until we’re grasping and panting. Until we’re both desperately trying to hold on to our wits and not overdo it, but the fuse has been lit and the fire begs to be unleashed.
And it is.